Lesbian March*

For about four years (as I can recall)  this march has been celebrated as an alternative to the larger Gay Pride march in June that some consider more a carnival than a political protest. The motos of this march organized entirely by women are “Say no to the marketing of sexual diversity”; “Stop violent acts of the church, schools, medical science, family and political parties against women’s bodies”; “Stop feminicide all over the country”; “Against obligatory heterosexuality”, and “Stop total subordination of women in the world”.

In the past years, this march has been criticized because of the organizers’ reluctance to allow men’s participation–notwithstanding their political affiliation or good intentions. Apparently, this year things will change since men will be allowed to walk, although behind the main group.

Lesbian March,  from Zócalo to Monumento a la Revolución, 4 pm. If you want more information click here.

Chick’s Party

Never been there, but it advertises itself as “the best party for girls”. It offers an aerial dance show, go-go dancers, and a comfortable area to smoke and “make friends”. Karaoke from 7 to 9 pm and a couple of DJ’s will be playing the rest of the night. If you think this is not enough they also have valet parking….! My guess is that the scene would be similar to that of Lipstck, but you’ll have to find out.

Chick’s Party, Av. Chapultepec 456, near metro Sevilla. Cover: 80 pesos.

Rock Femenino

If you are looking for a more relaxed experience Foro Alicia is a great option. For more than ten years this legendary venue has been known as one of the few spaces in Mexico City where new groups of all musical genres can reach a quite diverse audience: rock, hip-hop, ska, rockabilly, cumbia, surf… you name it. This time, Los Leopardos (rockabilly), Black Violettes (rock) and famous Ultrasonicas will be playing. The last group features Ali Gua Gua, who also sings with our loved Kumbia Queers. This is definitely a great opportunity to dive within the alternative music scene of DF.

Rock Femenino, Multiforo Alicia, Av. Cuauhtémoc 91-A, Col. Roma, Tel. 55112100, Cover: 70 pesos.

*Thanks Catron for sharing this info with us.

Today’s been sunny and bright in Mexico City; the sky is so clear that you can actually see the volcanoes from wherever you are, people seem relaxed, going home to prepare dinner, letting the city feel emptier and emptier….

DF has always had great weather in winter; however, the stereotype of this season as a time when snow and ice should be part of Christmas makes some chilangos long for temperature below zero. At least that’s how it feels if you go to Zócalo, where children can enjoy a well supervised snowball fight (wearing helmets), an ice ring (the biggest of the world), or make a snow-man by stuffing with actual snow something similar to a plaster cast in the shape of a little snow-guy.

(And I wonder, is global warming driving us crazy?)

Merry Christmas, Machas!

the palacio nacional at night

At over two hundred meters long, the baroque facade of the Palacio Nacional stretches impressively along the entire eastern edge of the Zócalo. It is from the main balcony of this august building that the president shouts the “Grito de Dolores” on the eve of Mexican Independence to the tens of thousands of people crowded below. Despite the beauty of the building, particulary at night when it is handsomely illuminated, I had never considered venturing inside the complex, which houses several small museums, the national archives, as well as the president’s office.

admirers of rivera's mural

How foolish I was; as any guidebook will tell you, the Palacio Nacional also boasts a breathtaking triptych of Diego Rivera murals. The series, collectively known as “The Epic of the Mexican People” dipicts centuries of Mexico’s history, from pre-Hispanic myths and cultural traditions, through the violence of the conquest and Independence, up through the early twentieth century. These murals are incredible; a person could spend hours examining the endless details, each fragment of a scene revealing something else about Rivera’s take on Mexican history. Currently, the murals are undergoing a renovation, but they seem to only be working on one section of the triptych at a time, leaving the others exposed for the public.

prior to the construction of the third story

The site of the Palacio Nacional is itself historically significant: here was the palace of Moctezuma II, known as the “New Houses.” After the fall of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec palace was nearly destroyed, and Cortés ordered a new palace for himself constructed on the same spot, supposedly using some of the very same red volcanic tezontle stones. After the death of Cortés, the palace became home to the viceroy and was nearly destroyed again when it was lit on fire by supporters of a rival archbishop. It was reconstructed and then went through a new renovation in the late seventeenth century, softening it’s fortress-like appearance into the stately facade we see today. (Although, interestingly, the third floor wasn’t added until the 1920s under Plutarco Elías Calles.) Anahí says that it’s rumored that the plans for the palace were mistakenly interchanged with those of a prison in Peru, and although I haven’t been able to substantiate this myth, it’s easy to imagine this imposing building being used for incarceration.

detail from "the epic of the mexican people"

I suspect most tourists who visit the Palacio Nacional don’t go much further than the Rivera murals, but the complex actually extends back several blocks east of the Zócalo. Beyond the murals, the people wondering around the grounds are an odd combination of soldiers and bureaucrats, with a sprinkling of well-dress families admiring the church that lies at the center of the palace. I was pleasantly surprised to find a small, but lovely garden of indigenous Mexican plants. We also discovered a small gallery featuring rotating exhibits on Mexican art and culture. Unless you’re really in a bind, I would skip the unimpressive gift shop, where you can buy such incongruous gifts as a traditionally embroidered neck-pillow for airline travel.

The Palacio Nacional also is home to the Benito Juarez museum, where you can visit the offices he kept when he was the president. Hailing from a peasant family in Oaxaca but eventually becoming the first (and only) indigenous president fo Mexico, Juarez is a fascinating historical and political figure. I was therefore frustrated to find that the museum was closed, with no useful information about how or when the museum is open to the public.

Despite my disappointment, the Palacio Nacional is definitely worth visiting, not just for the impressive Rivera murals, but for the history of the building itself. As you wander through the grounds, it’s easy to imagine the different historical periods reflected through each renovation. Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes described the palace as “both a traveling and an immobile construction” in how its architecture contains design elements that span continents and centuries. Reading this description, however, I chuckled, thinking of the limits of this immobility: like many builings in the Centro Historico, the palace is sinking, with many stone door frames that had once been at right angles now visibly askew.

Palacio Nacional; Zócalo (eastern end); Centro Historico. Tourists are limited to entering and exiting from the main gate on the Zócalo where they must pass through metal detectors and show identification, so be prepared. Free admission.

The Zócalo from a roof on Moneda Street

October is over and the national parties as well. The lights in the Zócalo, the big eagle in front of the Cathedral, and the little carts selling Mexican flags will disappear from the big square that is so important to public and political life in Mexico City. The Zócalo is where rallies, protests, gatherings and even concerts take place quite often, which makes it the most used public space by chilangos.

If you hang out in the Zócalo for even a moment, you will witness one of the best scenes in Mexico City, whether walking around the square or from the terraces of the many beautiful buildings that surround it.

Here is the huge eagle eating a snake that is now being in exhibition at the Zocalo. The brigthy sculpture is part of the decoration of one of the most visited places in Mexico City, and it’s a reference to the old legend about how the Aztecs found Aztlan: the eagle was the sign sent by the gods to the Nahuas, so they would know the place where they could settle their own city–after a long period of wandering in the Mesoamerican territory. This image is now on the center of the Mexican flag, as a symbol of the foundation of Mexico.

I spent two nights alone at the hotel (at a rate of 230 pesos per night) back in 2006, before I was joined by a friend and spent five days in a larger room (350 for the double). Alone and visiting Mexico City for the first time, I relied heavily on the hotel’s taxi service when I traveled around at night. He charged me more than twice what a normal street taxi would, but I was paying for peace of mind, as well as for conversation. I don’t know if their night taxi is driven by the same man three years later, but he was a kind older gentleman (as are most street taxi drivers, to be clear) who made suggestions of what neighborhoods would be fun to visit at night. (More info on taxis in Mexico City through this link.)

The rooms I saw (both the two I stayed in and those I peeked at while they were being cleaned by the housekeeping staff) all had dramatically high ceilings, but otherwise were very humble. Walls were painted neutral tones, floors were clean, beds were neat, mattresses firm. That bathrooms had showers, not tubs, that flowed into drains on the tiled floors. (This is a common set-up in inexpensive hotels in Mexico.) There was a faint musty smell in the bathrooms of both rooms I stayed in, but nothing too unpleasant. The furniture is far from fancy, but unlike other cheap hotels I’ve seen in Mexico City, the sheets on the bed were not paper thin.

The hotel is connected to a restaurant and bar that offers moderately priced food and drinks if you are too weary to go out to eat at the end of a busy day. I didn’t have a chance to eat at their restaurant (especially since there are so many other delicious options in the area), but other guests had positive things to say about it. Computers with internet access are available in the lobby. At times there was a short wait since there were only a couple of computers, but never longer than a few minutes. The staff was friendly and helpful. I can’t speak specifically to how gay-friendly the staff is, except to say that the hotel seems to be popular among young travelers, including gays and lesbians. Also, although the friend I stayed with in the hotel was not a girlfriend, I suspect that we did look like a lesbian couple on vacation, and no one in the hotel even batted an eye at us.

Hotel Isabel is located a short walk from several metro stations, the nearest of which is Isabel La Catolica, and many popular tourist attractions, such as the Catedral Metropolitano, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the Torre Latino (Mexico’s first sky-scraper). It’s also a stones throw from El Moro, a fabulous churrería and a great place to go for a cup of Mexican hot chocolate, and La Pagoda, which has excellent and inexpensive chilaquiles and comida corrida. The streets around the hotel get pretty empty late at night, but during the day, the streets are crowded with tourists and locals.

I recommend this hotel without hesitation to those who are not picky about luxury accomodations and are looking for an affordable hotel in the Centro Historico.

Hotel Isabel; http://www.hotel-isabel.com.mx/index.html, Isabel La Católica 63 (corner of Republica del Salvador), Centro Histórico; phone: (0155) 5518 1213, fax (0155) 5521 1233; email: reservaciones@hotel-isabel.com.mx

Miniature Shoes at the Museo del Calzado

More than two years past between when I first read about the Museo del Calzado in the Moon Guide to Mexico City‘s section on “Surreal Mexico City” and the day I finally set foot inside this delightful museum dedicated to shoes. The museum, which is run by Centro Historico shoe emporium El Borceguí–an institution unto itself–was closed for renovation the first several times I tried to visit. It was well worth the wait, however, and with free admission, it was a wonderful way to pass several hours in the Zócalo.

Granted, I’m biased towards spending an afternoon gazing a footwear. I have incredibly large and wide feet that render most women’s shoes too small or too delicately contoured for my feet, a situation which has perhaps led me to fetishize all those beautiful shoes I will never be able to wear. Whatever the cause, I’m a bit of a shoe nut, and El Borceguí’s Museo del Calzado was full of eye-candy for those of us who appreciate a fine pair of treads, but don’t feel the need to partake in Carrie Bradshaw-inspired, bankruptcy-inducing shoe-shopping binges.

The museum is housed in one large and well-lit room on the second floor above El Borceguí’s retail space. The main collection of shoes are displayed on the floor in cases organized chronologically, spanning several continents and several millenia. There are sandals from ancient Egypt and wooden shoes from Holland. One of the more interesting cases focuses on Chinese foot-binding and displays many examples of the small slippers used to showcase bound feet.

As would be expected, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries provide a considerable portion of the exhibit, including a dozen varieties of sexy Victorian boots, several obscene platforms, and many delicious leather pumps.

In addition to the main exhibit, there is also a second story terrace that runs along the perimeter of the room. This level of cases features a display of miniature shoes made of porcelain and other materials. My favorite part of the second floor was the collection of shoes worn by famous people. Highlights include space boots donated by NASA and running shoes worn by Mexican Olympic athlete and suspected-lesbian Ana Gabriela Guevara.

I highly recommend the Museo del Calzado for shoe-fetishists and anyone else who likes to gaze appreciatively at some fine footwear. Because the admission is free there is no pressure to take in the entire collection (which can be a little daunting) in one visit. Come back whenever you need a quiet escape from the bustle of the Centro Historico.

Museo del Calzado; Bolivar 27 (between Madero and 16 de Septiembre), Second Floor, Centro Historico; (55) 5512 1311 ext. 35; Hours: 10-6 Monday-Saturday

June 28th marks Mexico City’s 30th annual gay pride march (and my first “pride” in Mexico City).

The march starts at the Angel de Independencia in the Zona Rosa and ends at the Zócalo, where free musical and theatrical performances will take place on the main stage. These shows were coordinated by lesbian activist Martha Cuevas. A full description of artistic events can be found (in Spanish) at http://eventoslgbt.blogspot.com/. The schedule is tentative, and I will update this post as I know more.

2:15–Avenida Q

Excerpts from the Mexican production of the hit musical, Avenue Q, currently staring openly gay former Rebelde member, Christian Chávez. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never seen the English or Spanish versions of this show, though I hear it’s fabulous.

2:30–Grupo Destino

2:45–Hijas de Safo (Saffo’s Daughters)

This trio of lady performers do a very campy song and dance routine, each parodying a lesbian or Mexican architype (a machota in a leather jacket, a cowgirl, Adelita…). The photo below does not do their live performance justice. For those who don’t speak Spanish, a lot of the jokes go by very quickly, but the visual theatricality is charming, even for those who can’t keep up. (I include myself in that last category.)

3:00–Foreños

I know nothing about this group, except what I read on the pride events blog (link above) and from their own website, but Foreños appears to be a gay, rachero boy band. Need I say more?

3:15–Las Reinas Chulas

This group of lesbian performers are based out of the Coyoacán performance venue El Vicio (formerly El Hábito). I have been meaning to go to one of their shows for the past two years, and shame on me for not yet doing so. I’ve only heard good things.

3:30–Regina Orozco

This comic singer is a gay icon in Mexico. Think Bette Midler, but with opera.

3:45–Oracio Franco

4:00–This time slot is reserved for “political discourse” which involves inviting gay activists and political figures to the stage. As of yet, no specific names have been offered.

4:15–Raquel Bigorra

4:30–Tito Vasconcelos

This gay actor and activist is a bit of a Mexico City legend. In addition to having a long career as an actor, perform, and theater teacher, Tito Vasconcelos is the entrepeneur behind the successful Cabaretito chain of gay clubs. Not only have his clubs been hard by the recent gentrification of the Zona Rosa, but Vasconcelos himself was arrested for trumped up charges, punishment for not playing along with police and city officials.

4:45–Sissa

I can’t seem to find a website for this performer, a drag artist and “sophisticated androgine” who has appeared in Rent (I’m assuming the Mexican production) and other musicals and dance performances. Anyone know more information?

5:05–Astrid Hadad

Another living legend. Her website gives this musician and performance artist a good taste of her style. (Also, I was fascinated by the design of her website.)

5:30–Susana Zabaleta

This rock singer will be crowned “queen” of this year’s pride celebration.

5:45–Ari Borovoy

6:00–Amandititita

Amandititita is a player in the current wave of what I would call Mexican electroclash (think Casio beats with more traditional Mexican instruments layered in, with rapping/shouting/singing vocals delivering bratty vocals on top of that). I have never seen her, but hear she puts on a good show.

Footage of the backstage of last year’s pride stage is posted below:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEWi4o7kn6E&hl=en]

In February we discovered that the Cathedral offers a tour of its bell towers that allows you to climb around on the roof of the cathedral. To begin the tour you must climb up a narrow spiral staircase, so this is not an activity for claustrophobics or those with limited physical mobility. Once at the top, a guide recounts (in Spanish) the history of the various bell towers as well as facts about the individual bells, each of which has a special name and special occasions on which it is rung. Apparently in the nineteenth century someone was accidentally killed while ringing one of the bells and the bell was not rung for a year as punishment.

As someone who is not fluent in Spanish, I find that tours like this are a great opportunity to practice my listening skills, to see how well I can understand the spoken Spanish of a stranger in a low-stress situation.

Even if you don’t speak a word of Spanish, the bell tour is still worth while because of the splendid view of the Zócalo it provides. At just twenty pesos, the tour is a much cheaper way to view the Zócalo than having food or drinks at one of the expensive restaurants located at the tops of hotels along the west side of the La Plaza de la Constitución.

Buy tickets for the bell tour at a desk to the right of the main doors to the cathedral. Tours leave approximately every half hour, and as of February 2008, tickets cost twenty pesos.