The San Miguel de Allende Experience
(We took a little break from the wine world for a
month or so to see what the world has to
offer, tourist wise. We traveled to California,
New Orleans and Mexico. This article is on one of
the highlights of our travels)
San Miguel de Allende was the first town in Mexico, that I visited that was home
to a large number of ex-pats. Close to twenty per cent of the population, or
about 28,000 retires from America
plus thousands from Canada
line the cobblestone streets in numbers, searching for cultural events,
restaurants, outdoor markets and that street side taco stand. Besides all of
the above, San Miguel is an artistic learning center, full of art related
lectures that educate and stimulate the mind, strolling musicians, opera,
flamingo and musical entertainment in a hefty number of restaurants and bars. Many
of the ex-pats are artists or are on their way to becoming artists. Every block
has art galleries,some owned by ex-pats and others owned by locals.
If art is your thing, then San Miguel de Allende should be on your bucket list.
A multitude of art studios and art galleries dot the colorful town in all of
the districts. The houses and businesses are all painted in similar dark red,
brown and orange colors, making this town of 140,000 unique.
If you desire to visit or even move to San Miguel, the easiest route to visit
this elegant town is to fly into Mexico
City. Once at the airport, you will prepay a taxi
vendor to book a taxi that will take you to the Norte bus station. It’s a 20-30
minute drive that will set you back $10-$15 dollars. At the bus station, you
must book a bus to San Miguel de Allende. There are two reputable companies
that vie for the four hour ride. Both ETN and Primera Plus follow the same
route. It’s always best to take the next bus that is leaving.
Once in San Miguel, another taxi will be required to get you to your
destination. Ours was a weeks stay at a penthouse above the popular Arroyo
Gallery, located within walking distance of everything in San Miguel.
The owner of the penthouse and studio is Suzy Taylor, an ex-pat, who most
recently (2007) lived in Washington Depot, Connecticut. Like so many others, she
realized that San Miguel would fill her dream of opening a working studio and
gallery. After purchasing land, Suzy Taylor designed the 3,000 sf multi-purpose
building. Her dream became reality.
Today, Ms.Taylor, is a successful gallery owner that not only paints, but,
designs clothes, focusing on women’s blouses ($85-$200) and furniture, which is
made by local artisans. She also has a line of
jewelry that she sells.
Suzy’s background is in interior design. She was a photo stylist and magazine
editor for Victoria Magazine and other publications. Her painting career has
evolved through the years. Focusing on light, airy colors and composition,
Suzy’s artwork is like none other in San Miguel.
The third floor penthouse that we stayed in was breathtaking, both inside and
out. The views of the city, with its architecture and countless steeples could
not have been better. A beautiful silhouette of the city could be seen from
inside the penthouse. There are two outside terraces, as well, to take in the
scenery while having a cocktail on the veranda. We preferred to hear the birds
sing as we took breakfast on the covered terrace. The apartment has a galley
kitchen, a coffee maker (coffee beans and milk provided) and a two burner
hotplate with utensils as needed. With so many restaurants within walking
distance,why cook?
San Miguel has happy hours daily. Normally 2x1 Margaritas are the prize. The Margaritas
are not made with a mix. They are only made with two parts of Tequila, one part
lime juice and one part Contreau (you can use triple sec).
With a Mardi Gras attitude and art mixed with local architecture, San Miguel is
hard to beat.
Beware--Summers are very hot.
If you want to stay at Suzy Taylor’s penthouse or visit her studio at Arroyo
Gallery, visit her at
www.suzytaylor.com
Arroyo Gallery
Artist Suzy Taylor, at work.
