Yucatán Magazine / Issue 11 / The Design Issue by Yucatán Magazine

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The Design Issue Comfy Brutalism CASA CISTERNA • Tepakán Escape QUINTA ZAZIL Seaside Artistry CASA OCEA • Sophisticated Hues CASA VERSAILLES

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Publisher & Editorial Director LEE STEELE lee@roofcatmedia.com

QUINTA ZAZIL IN TEPAKÁN, PHOTO: RICHARD LEO JOHNSON

Creative Director TREY SPEEGLE trey@treyspeegle.com Senior Editor CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT carlosrosado@roofcatmedia.com Administration YESICA BENITEZ yesicabenitez@roofcatmedia.com Columnists YESICA BENITEZ BRIAN D. MAHAN LOUIS NAVARRETE JUANITA STEIN Contributors SCOTT COE BÉNÉDICTE DESRUS NESTOR HERRERA RICHARD LEO JOHNSON PATRICIA ROBERT JASSON RODRIGUEZ MAGGIE ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT LUIS CAMPOS SOSA TIFFANY THOMPSON Marketing Consultant EDUARDO VÁZQUEZ Circulation & Distribution ALEJANDRO PINTO TOLOSA

departments

Roof Cat Media Co-Founder PABLO ARROYO DÍAZ Subscriptions subscriptions.yucatanmagazine.com Advertising & General Information hola@yucatanmagazine.com yucatanmagazine.com yucatanmagazine

4 Guest Editor Note: Trey Speegle 9 Seen: What’s On Our Radar 14 Design Discoveries: Home Decor 15 Ask a Yucateca: Yesica Benitez

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16 Food & Drink: Thodes Microbrewery

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18 Books: Juanita Stein Says Farewell

Yucatán Magazine

AÑO 3, NÚMERO 11 Todos los derechos reservados por Roof Cat Media S de RL de CV, Calle 84, 278 x 59C y 59D Fraccionamiento Las Américas, Mérida, Yucatán, CP 97302. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial del contenido sin autorización previa y por escrito de los editores. La revista asume que el material aquí presentado es original y no infringe derechos reservados de ley. Reserva de derechos de uso exclusivo del título. Yucatán Magazine no se hace responsable por el contenido de sus anunciantes. PRINTED IN YUCATÁN, MEXICO

20 Well-Being: Brian D. Mahan 52

Shopping: Louis Navarrete

64 Studio Visit: Ric Best

FEATURES C A S A Y U C ATÁ N 24 Casa Cisterna in Jesús Carranza 32 Quinta Zazil in Tepakán 38 Casa Ocea in Chuburná Puerto 44 Casa Versailles in Santiago 54 Casa Rosa Voladora in Santiago 56 Casa Miguel in Progreso

ON THE COVER, CASA CISTERNA’S REAR GARDEN POOL AND CASITA, PHOTO: JASSON ROGRIGUEZ. THIS PAGE, SUNSET AT CASA OCEA, PHOTO: TIFFANY THOMPSON YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

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G E T YO U R C O PY MÉRIDA Anima Restaurant • Arte Helado Autogiro Ermita Cantina • Bangin Body Barrio Vivo • BC66 • Between The Lines Casa Azul de Rosa • Carl’s Dinner Casa Delfina • Casa Lecanda Casa T’ho • Casona Las Tres Marías Casona Nikté • Casa de las Palomas Cigno Hotel • Cinco + Uno Gallery Cumá Wellness Center Decu Hotel • Dentaz Diez Diez Collection • Doralba Inn Easy Legal • El Palacio Secreto El Remate • Galería 6453 Grupo Trato Hecho Bienes Raices Gypsea Market • Haus Design Center Health Itinerary • Hennessy’s Irish Pub Hotel Casa San Ángel • Hotel Fray Diego Hotel Hacienda VIP Hotel Mansión Mérida Hotel Residence Inn • Hotel Victoria House MID • Intercam Kunuk Boutique Hotel • La Casona 61 La Sala Gallery • La Choco Little Lotus Yoga • Manifesto Barra Cold Brew • Manjar Blanco • Mérida English Library • Mexico International Módulo de Atención a Migrantes Nutcafe Plaza Orion Omar Fuentes y Vania Duran Tumakat Studio • PM23 / Mérida Living Prostasur • Rosas & Xocolate Rosa Mexicano • Slow Food Market Soco Centro • Soco Norte SoHo Gallery • Takto Design The Diplomat • Viva Mérida Boutique Villa Mercedes Wayam Hotel • Xaman Spa Ya’ax Boutique Hotel Yucatán Giving Outreach Yucatán Homes & Lots

VA L L A D O L I D El Zahuán Colonial • Hotel Waye Ancestra • Colonté Hotel Real Colonial • Sabor Colonial Hotel Rosalia • Mulik Spa • MUREM Conato • Casa de los Venados Módulo de Turismo • Choco Story Zentik Project • Hotel Real Haciendas Hotel Quinta Regia • Hotel Boutique Sayab • Villas Vallazoo Country Hotel & Suites Hotel Le Muuch • Casa Hipil La Aurora • Hotel Fundadores Hotel Colonial Zací • Real Hispano Vernaculo Store • Le Kaat Onza Rooftop Coffee • Tresvanbien Bonito Mercado • ConKafecito Verde Morada • Coqui Coqui Hotel Maison de Malleville Yerbabuena • Casa Quetzal Yogui Arte y Café Hotel Quinta Marciala • Vivero Collí

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GUEST EDITOR The (Re)Design Issue

Sometimes the temptation seems to be OLA! I’M TAKING over Lee to imitate the conventional (cliched) idea Steele’s spot here as guest editor to of what Mexican interior design is, but the introduce the new look of Yucatán more I see, the more I’m amazed at the endMagazine, a collaboration between Mr. less possibilities for creative innovation. Steele and myself. Hope you like it. Casa Ocea, the home of art consultant Originally, Yucatán Magazine started Tiffany Thompson and chef Ted Habiger, 12 years ago online and for the past three is a beach house in Chuburná Puerto that’s years and 10 issues it has been quarterly also an artist residency, filled and in print –first as Yucatán with work created by Yucatán At Home, then Yucatán Magartisans and artists from azine. Yucatán Casa will be a twice yearly Home issue and around the globe. (Stay tuned in 2024, we will have even for amazing photos of Tiffany and Ted’s recent wedding in our more projects. next issue, Celebrations.) This is The Design Issue, In addition to our new but to paraphrase an old look, we have a new column, adage, the sooner you design Shopping with Louis Navarsomething, the sooner you rete, which will cover a wide can RE-design it. As with all range of sourcing items here things, you don’t always get NAVARRETE & ROBERT in the Yucatán. An interiors everything right on the first wizard Louis says, his chief go, and redesigning is just interest is in “the beauty and quality of line part of the process. interpreted by different cultures.” Louis I’m an artist these days but I spent a big has designed and built several unique and part of my career in New York at magazines beautiful residences in Mérida, including like Vogue, Vanity Fair, Allure, and Us Weekly the one he shares with artist Ric Best, the and I must say, after a 15-year break, it’s subject of our retooled art department, now exciting to be making a magazine again! called Studio Visit. And yes, that’s my casa on the cover. If Ric was photographed by Patricia this seems fishy to you, let me say that even Robert, who also shot her own charmingly before I had any idea of joining the magasophisticated house, Casa Versailles. Look zine, Lee had told me he planned to feature for more of Robert’s beautiful photography my house, which was designed by the in these pages. in-demand young architect, Erik González I’m so thrilled to be in this great city, of González Estudio. working on this magazine with Lee, his I first came to Mérida six years ago (for staff and an ever-growing group of credental work, long story) and was here when atives in our beloved Yucatán. Stay tuned COVID hit in February of 2020, which is for many more exciting things to come! also when I met Erik. After I returned to New York we kept in touch and, thanks to the internet (and the miracle of Facetime) I actually bought my house without ever setting foot inside. Erik also designed, and is currently building, a home here for my old friend, Sean Strub, who is the current mayor of Milford, Pennsylvania. Sean published Poz magazine in New York and 25 years ago, I redesigned it for him. And now we both have houses in Mérida. Everything connects. The beautiful architecture of the Trey Speegle Yucatán is a big draw here, whether you Creative Director want a restored colonial, a hacienda, or to Yucatán Magazine build a contemporary design, it’s endlessly trey@treyspeegle.com fascinating to see how incredibly different personal style is, especially here.

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YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

Palenque Uncovered A

N INCENSE VESSEL discovered in Palenque depicts a venerable lord or ajk’uhuun wearing a xook diadem representing a shark. Because this motif is often found in the highlands of Chiapas near what today is Ocosingo, there is good reason to believe this artifact dates to the period following the conquest of Palenque by the powerful city of Toniná. The exhibition

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THIS AND OTHER BREATHTAKING PIECES CAN BE SEEN AT MÉRIDA’S PALACIO CANTÓN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM ON THE PASEO DE MONTEJO THROUGH NOVEMBER 2023.

is in honor of the 200-year anniversary of the rediscovery of the grand city of Palenque of the Maya classical age. Palenque reached its zenith during the dynasty founded by K’uk’ Bahlam, during which a construction boom took place, especially under the rule of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, also known as Pakal the Great, who reigned from 615 to 683 CE. — Carlos Rosado van der Gracht 7

SEEN

Roof Cat Parties at El Gato

TOP RIGHT, EL REMATE PARTNERS LALO NAJERA, SEAN SANT AMOUR, AND JOSHUE RAMOS. ABOVE, CHEF JEREMIAH TOWER WITH CURTIS COX. BELOW AND LEFT, MIRU KIM AND HER OUTLAW CABARET PERFORMERS ARE JOINED BY DESIGNER MARJORIE SKOURAS.

This is how we celebrate creative energy

PHOTOS: NESTOR HERRERA

UCATÁN MAGAZINE’s parent company Roof Cat Media unveiled the September-October Culture issue at El Gato bar on the Remate. YM’s Lee Steele and Trey Speegle and El Remate’s Sean Sant Amour joined with their respective staffs in hosting a fun group. Among the guests were artist Alfredo Romero, who appeared on the cover; art dealer Laura García; and painter Ric Best. Other YM contributors and supporters at the party were Mérida Centro’s Ross Schiering, Longevity 360’s Jeff Shaw, Bangin’ Body’s Jennifer JJ Johnson, and columnists Brian Mahan and Louis Navarrete. Miru Kim’s Outlaw Cabaret — Manzanita, Mistika, Amber Afrodite — provided the evening’s entertainment with DJ Orion Skky keeping the night groovin’ along. NOV-DEC 23

YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

‘Rumores’Are Swirling Everyone’s talking about David Serrano’s latest work

I share my work also hear rumors in their minds.” In an adjacent gallery is a new series of smaller paintings, drawings, and sculpture and yet another gallery holds works from past exhibitions. — Trey Speegle Through Nov. 30. La Cúpula, Calle 54 300, x 43 y 41@lacupulaMérida TOP LEFT, SERRANO ADMIRERS. ABOVE RIGHT: ARTISTS MONICA REZMAN AND JEFF COLSON. RIGHT, SERRANO WITH HIS LARGESCALE WORKS. LEFT, A CAGED SERRANO

PHOTOS: TREY SPEEGLE

OR HIS SIXTH exhibition at La Cúpula, artist David Serrano invited friends and admirers to share his “Rumores,” which is the name of his new exhibition. The main gallery consists of eight three-meter tall works arranged in a circle, all based on myths. Shahriar, center right, tells of the embittered Persian king who had his wife executed after finding that she had been unfaithful. Re-marrying every night, he continued to execute his new brides the following morning until he met Scheherazade, who enchanted him by telling a story that went on for 1,000 nights and ensuring her life to go on to continue the tale. “Within every detail of the eight characters are also [David’s] personal mythology,” Curator Leila Voight said. “Listening to rumors become rumors,” Serrano says. “The few people with whom

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SEEN

Modern-Day Hieroglyphs D

ECODING MAYA HIEROGLYPHS took years of effort, study, and collaboration by scholars worldwide. Though there are still some large gaps in our understanding of this ancient script, strides in machine learning and artificial intelligence continue to narrow this gap. But the role of the human element continues to be far from irrelevant. As Mérida archaeologist Eduardo Puga puts it, it is “absolutely indispensable.” Eduardo works as an archaeologist for the city and is charged with safeguarding Mérida’s archaeological heritage. But aside from his day job, Eduardo has been pursuing the art and science of Mayan epigraphy. When watching Eduardo reproduce the highly detailed designs of Yucatec-Maya texts, it’s hard not to be struck by his 10

concentration level and the obvious love and devotion poured into every stroke of his ink or felt pen. But what makes Eduardo’s work different from that of many other epigraphers is that he does not limit himself to merely reproducing the work of the ancients but rather expanding and innovating on it. Because the reading and interpreting of Mayan hieroglyphs have been relegated almost entirely to archaeology faculties, there is no real consensus on how to represent contemporary words lacking a direct translation. After all, we would not expect the Maya to have words for

things such as laptops or giraffes. Here is where creativity comes in. Through the research of etymologies, phonemes, and transliterations, Eduardo is able to create new hieroglyphs that adhere to the conventions of the ancient Maya but would even be legible to say, a Xiu lord of Uxmal a millennium and-a-half ago. “I never really started off looking for people to commission my work, but over time, folks just started coming to me on their own to create Mayan hieroglyphic texts to commemorate births, weddings, passings, and other important events, just like the ancients used to do,” Eduardo says with a grin. Though Maya hieroglyphs are beautiful, they are more than that. “They are a direct link to our ancestors and one through which we can establish a meaningful connection to learn more about them and ourselves.” facebook.com/tlaloc.puga NOV-DEC 23

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CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT finds who’s bringing Maya symbols into the 21st century

A House of Love At Dzununcán, St. Luke’s radical acts of kindness

B E FO R E PHOTOS: LEE STEELE

THE CENTRAL PEDIÁTRICA PHARMACY STOOD IN THE CENTRO AT THE CORNER OF CALLE 54 AND 57 SINCE 1965. BELOW, IT’S A CONDO COMPLEX IN 2023.

Sign of the Times

E MOURN MÉRIDA’S quirky hand-lettered signs when new projects replace oldtime Centro businesses. La Central makes us feel a little better. The new condo complex has respected an old pharmacy. Not only is the outline of the building the same, but they honored the distinctive lettering that faced the intersection. The word Central now stands alone and mimics the idiosyncratic style of the painted original as a back-lit metal sign. So while La Central condos are hip and modern, the streetscape’s mid-20th-century vibe is somewhat preserved. —Lee Steele

T. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH — which attracts English-speaking expats as well as local worshipers, began the Buen Pastor Mission of Dzununcán in 2016. The rector, a multilingual Canadian named Father José Vieira Arruda, organized a group of volunteers to build “a meeting place for everyone, a place of hospitality and inclusivity.” Even in an area with a high poverty rate, Dzununcán stands out. Its residents live in a state of extreme poverty. Housing consists of cabins built from pieces of wood and cardboard, without electricity or water. “As you can imagine, it is a place of great need — material, social, psychological and spiritual,” he says. About 60 families gather at the mission center to receive groceries, clothing, footwear, medical and psychological assistance, as well as educational talks, short courses and social events. St. Luke’s, or San Lucas de Mérida, is perhaps the most progressive of the city’s mostly conservative churches. It has an open-arms policy toward LGBTQ+ worshipers and people from all walks of life, attracting expats by conducting services in both English and Spanish. — Lee Steele sanlucasmerida.org IN ONE OF MÉRIDA’S POOREST NEIGHBORSHOODS, ST. LUKE’S HAS INTERVENED GENEROUSLY.

AFTER

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SEEN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES

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Design Discoveries

Some of our favorite things in and around Mérida

TECUAN MASK BY CARLA FERNÁNDEZ AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF STYLES AND COLORS. MX$2,500-7,200 IG: @CASATHO. CONCEPTHOUSE

ARTURO EMPIRE CHANDELIER HAND-WROUGHT IRON FRAME WITH GOLDEN TIGERS EYE BEADS AND TURQUOISE ACCENT STONES. 22” X 33¨ WITH A 36¨ CHAIN. MADE TO ORDER. US$7,900 MARJORIESKOURASDESIGN.COM

YAJA, 3-D PRINTED BOWL INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL VEGETATION OF SOUTHEAST MEXICO. MADE OF RESIN WITH A STONE FINISH IN A CHOICE OF SIX SHADES. MX$2,635 IG: @BODEGA77.MX

SPOONS CARVED WITH SUSTAINABLE WOOD FROM THE JUNGLE FLOOR DESIGNED BY RAÚL DE LA CERDA FROM ENSAMBLE ARTESANO, BY CUSTOM ORDER. IG: @TALLERMAYA

CHABIHAU ACAPULCO LOUNGE CHAIR. PVC CORD, TZALAM WOOD, POWDER COAT. MX$2,880. WHATSAPP 999-108-8457, IG: @LASILLERIAMX

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SEEN

Santa is a Turkey! Photojournalist BÉNÉDICTE DESRUS encounters a piñata wizard

OÑA MECHITA, 94, has been making piñatas for nearly 30 years, but she became famous when, a little over 10 years ago, she started fashioning them as turkeys. She produces around 150 turkey piñatas from her home each year. She starts making them in January, and sells them for MX$350 (about US$18) from her front room each Novmber, ahead of the Christmas festivities. This income supplements a meager government pension to cover her living costs and medical bills. A piñata is often made solely of papier-mâché, and nowadays rarely using a clay pot as a container. It is decorated with shiny paper and colored tissue, then filled with candy, fruit, and small toys, which rain down when broken during celebrations, particularly in birthdays, posadas, and Christmas.

MARÍA MERCEDES CANUL DZUL (BEST KNOWN AS DOÑA MECHITA), A 94-YEAR-OLD PIÑATA MAKER, IN HER HOME IN MÉRIDA,

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ASK A YUCATECA Q: What do I need to know

about everyday interactions?

THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE when it comes to interacting with domestic workers, contractors, or even how much to tip the pizza guy. Here are a few helpful things you may want to keep in mind. As a general rule, we Yucatecos are a friendly bunch, and a smile goes a long way. Because of the tight-knit nature of society, a greeting is expected, even if it’s someone you barely know. But even with people you don’t know, a buenos dias will get you far. In Spanish, there are two ways of referring to someone. Usted is almost always used to refer to people in a respectful manner. For example, if you have someone helping you around the house, ¿cómo estás usted? is preferable to ¿cómo estás tú? Once you get to know somebody well, they may say, por favor, háblame de tú. Oftentimes, people will refer to you as jefe or jefa. This term is often used when someone has trouble remembering your

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name and could be considered the equivalent of “friend” or “man,” and not the literal translation which is boss. You may also hear people referring to older women as mami or mamita in places such as the market. But this is a very Yucatecan custom, which may sound odd to a foreigner or even just people from outside the Peninsula. When settling on the price of services or goods, it’s always a good idea to ask around what the going rate is first and then try to strike a deal that makes both parties happy. Haggling is expected up to a point, but the most important thing is to show respect and not go overboard trying to get a deal. Tipping at restaurants is always expected (at least 10%), oftentimes, tips of 10 pesos or so are expected from the likes of “parking assistants.” When it comes to garbage collectors, especially around the holidays, there is no hard and fast rule here, but a little show of

gratitude — even 50 pesos or so — is always more than welcome and will be remembered when it’s time to remove your dead Christmas tree. When it comes to tips for delivery drivers (pharmacies, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.), a tip is expected but need not be 10% — especially with large orders. Because the last decade or so has seen such an influx of people from outside the region, one thing that really gets on people’s nerves here is being told “the proper way to do things.” This applies as much to folk from Mexico City or Monterrey as it would to someone from Chicago or Ottawa but is especially cringy when it takes on the form of gringosplaining. A little respect and politeness goes a long way. But if you feel you are being taken advantage of, don’t hesitate to speak up and ask your favorite Yucateca. Have a question or quandary? Contact Yesica Benitez at yesicabenitez@roofcatmedia.com

FOOD & DRINK

CULINARY REVERIES

Beer Me!

THE INITIAL ONLINE BREWING KIT PURCHASE HAS EXPANDED INTO A MUCH LARGER PRODUCTION FACILITY.

CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT meets the

HE BEER SCENE in Yucatán has undergone some major changes over the past decade. Once under the control of a couple of major corporations worth billions, new breweries ranging from midsize companies to “momand-pop” operations seem to be springing up all over.

While in the not-so-distant days of early microbrewing in Yucatán, there was still room for improvement, a handful of enthusiastic upstarts sure seem to be ramping up the quality and competition. One of these new generations of microbreweries is Thodes, led by the husbandand-wife team of César Sosa Solis and

CÉSAR AND MALENA TOAST TO THODES’ SUCCESS IN A CROWDED MARKET.

Malena Serrano. The dream began just over five years ago when César was playing video games with his friends and lamenting the lack of more interesting choices of beer on the local market. Being a fan of cooking and experimentation, César decided to purchase a basic brewing kit online, which he quickly outgrew. “I was really enjoying experimenting with the brewing kit, but quickly realized that if I wanted to create something really worthwhile, I would have to invest a good deal of time and more money into it,” recalls César. With bonuses from their day jobs, César and Malena began to invest more heavily into the goal of owning and operating their own brewery. Around the same time, the couple noticed a growing demand for branded microbrews at restaurants and bars in Mérida, but also markets like Izamal, Cancún, and Playa del Carmen. “Distribution has, from the beginning, been one of our biggest hurdles, so creating craft beers for sale at established businesses made a lot of sense to us,” said Malena, who now takes care of day-to-day business operations. NOV-DEC 23

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PHOTOS: CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

husband-and-wife team behind Thodes

Thodes produces and sells five lines of beers ranging from fruity to bitter and even spicy. But the duo and their handful of employees are always up for experimentation in search of their next breakthrough brew. “Brewing beer is no simple process, but other than care and love, the result has everything to do with the quality of your ingredients, be it the yeast or choice of flavorings like chocolate, chilies or passion fruit,” he says. Another aspect that makes Thodes stand apart from its competitors is its creative branding, based on mythological creatures from cultures such as the Norse and more than a dash of Dungeons and Dragons-style fantasy. The brand’s most popular varieties include their excellent Session IPA as well as their full-bodied Imperial Stout. Cesar and Malena share knowledge with other up-and-coming breweries on the Peninsula, as they see the success of one as a win for all. “Let’s be realistic. We have the capacity

“Brewing beer is no simple process ... the result has everything to do with the quality of your ingredients.”

to produce about 2,000 liters a month. In the grand scheme of things, that is nothing to the likes of Grupo Modelo or Heineken, but to us, it means the world. A big part of what we are trying to do is create a market where choice is not limited to whatever you happen to find in an Oxxo,” said César. But despite their emphasis on quality, the folks at Thodes do not take themselves so seriously to the point of being purists. “You can get a beer at the convenience store for 20 pesos or so, and our beers are 60 pesos and over. We know very few people drink microbrews exclusively, and that’s OK. There is nothing wrong with kicking back one or two artisanal beers before switching to an Indio or Pacifico. At the end of the day, it’s all about drinking what you enjoy,” says Malena. — Carlos Rosado van der Gracht Thodes beer can be found at several specialty beer stores in Mérida and is served in select restaurants and bars, including Bird in the Centro and El Garage in Fraccionamiento Las Americas. Order directly at 991-118-8979 or quiero@thodes.beer.

SALAD E E B Y NE

Calle 64 x 47

Centro, Mérida Reservations & delivery

+52 999 118 8906 @flamanteburgers

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BOOKS A Kiss Goodbye

WNING MY OWN BOOKSTORE for nearly four years has given me the opportunity to read hundreds of books I might not have discovered otherwise. In my final column for Yucatán Magazine, I’d like to mention the three books that opened the door to authors whose books I had not read before, pulling me down the rabbit hole of each one until I had read everything they ever wrote. I hope you, too, have gone down your own rabbit hole with books by an author who you discovered at Between the Lines. — Juanita Stein

Velvet Was the Night by Silvia

Moreno-Garcia et in the early 1970s, this slow burn noir mystery takes us to the streets of Mexico City during a turbulent time of student unrest and political turmoil. Maite, a daydreaming secretary, and Elvis, a lonesome thug, are on parallel trajectories, both searching for the same missing woman.

“Blue Velvet” and other songs of the day help to form the backdrop to the story. Intrigue, romance, and danger kept me hooked from the first page until the last.

True Grit by Charles Portis

he opening paragraph is what pulled me right in: “People do not give it credence that a fourteen-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father’s blood but it did not seem so strange then, although I will say it did not

happen every day. I was just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shot my father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robbed him of his life and his horse and $150 in cash money plus two California gold pieces that he carried in his trouser band.” The character of Mattie Ross won my heart and Portis’ writing converted me into a cult follower of his work. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles panning from 1922 to 1954, this is the story of Count Alexander Rostov, who is tried by a Bolshevik tribunal and receives a life sentence of house arrest in the grand Metropol Hotel, across from the Kremlin. Brimming with wit, wisdom, and twists of fate, the book lures us into accompanying the wry, charming Count on the adventures and friendships that eventually allow him to find a compelling purpose to his life. When I got to the last page, I had to force myself to wait a year before going back to the first page and reading the book all over again.

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MGM

WELLBEING

Making W Mexico Your Home

HETHER LEVERAGING a budget or not, we all came here in search of a better quality of life. Navigating through the vibrant culture and the warm, welcoming community, every expat is also acquainted with stark blank solitude and the challenges of laying down roots into soil that, at first, seems to resist. It’s a transformation that’s both subtle and profound. It’s akin to

Brian D. Mahan, SEP

standing before an empty white canvas, brush in hand, that is as intimidating as it is inspiring. It’s in the moments when the language barrier, once a formidable wall, becomes a bridge, when the cultural nuances become a familiar palette, and when an empty house transmutes into the comforting hues of home. There truly is no place like home. But leaving our former monochromatic existence and embarking on our Technicolor journey isn’t as simple as clicking our heels together three times. Dorothy was not just a scared young girl lost in the enigmatic land of Oz; she was a hungry soul in the midst of an intrapersonal rite of passage. Every character she met, every challenge she faced, was a mirror reflecting the tumultuous, beautiful pilgrimage within of both magic and menace. They are the cultural misunderstandings, the nights where the din of a bare house is as unsettling as the cackles of The Wicked Witch, where every encounter with flying monkeys is just another step on the yellow brick road towards the Emerald City. Just like Dorothy, expats find themselves amidst the allure of a world that is as charming as it is mystifying. The streets, once alien, start to unfold their stories, each corner revealing a

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The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. — Maya Angelou chapter of the city’s narrative. The local markets, with their eclectic mix of colors, sounds, and aromas, aren’t just places to buy fresh produce but become arenas of engagement. Every gracias and por favor is not just an exchange of courtesy but a step towards weaving oneself into the intricate fabric of festivals, local traditions, communal celebrations - they all extend an invitation, not just to observe but to participate, to immerse, to belong. The loud bustling nights, where the city lights paint abstract images on the walls, are witnesses to the traveler’s metamorphosis. In the nuzzle of Mexico, the concept of home transcends the physical boundaries of a house. It’s not confined to the four walls or the architectural aesthetics. There’s a quiet and humble march between the old and new, the familiar and the unfamiliar. Every expat carries within them a mosaic of homes - the one left behind, the one they find, and the one they create. I remember the whispers of my hollow house and the invisible, intimate odyssey of turning a structure of ancient rocks, mortar

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and plaster into a living entity that tells my story but belies my struggles. Every local artifact that found its place in my home, each adaptation of the space, was a quest for finding Oz, a safe haven where the soul finds its echo in solace. I can only hope it is a home that welcomes with open arms the laughter of friends peppered in between deep conversations. In time, it became the space that breathes the quiet ache for belonging and where it is tenderly answered. The Scarecrow’s yearning for intellect symbolizes the learning curves and adaptation process every expat undergoes. We absorb the language and customs, each becoming a vibrant pigment in our unfolding masterpiece. The Tin Man’s search for a heart is seen in every neighbor’s smile, every friendship blossoming amidst the shared experiences of being an expat, breathing life into our new Mexican canvas. The Cowardly Lion’s pursuit of courage is felt with every bold stroke outside our comfort zones. It’s not just in the bravery to face the flying monkeys, but to also adopt the good witch within us — the

inaudible force of resilience and adaptation that transmutes trials into triumphs. The trek is earmarked by the transformation of physical spaces into sanctuaries. Whether you’re stretching every peso or living the high life, the essence of home in the embrace of Mexico isn’t defined by the opulence of your dwelling but by the warmth and acceptance that permeates every corner. In this strange new land, the drive to find home is as profound as the rich tapestry of the culture that welcomes you. In the slow and steady transformation of turning a house into a home, there’s a dance of unity where the external environment and the internal wanderings are intricately linked. Just like Dorothy discovered, the power to reshape, to belong, lies within. When the masterpiece is fully realized and unveiled, we can truly say, we’re home. Brian D. Mahan is a Mérida resident and author of I Cried All the Way To Happy Hour —What To Do When Self-Help Or Talk Therapy Haven’t Really Helped. Visit briandmahan.com

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A THEATRICAL ENTRANCE TO THE PRIMARY SUITE’S DRESSING ROOM AT CASA VERSAILLES. P. 44

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Artist TREY SPEEGLE and architect ERIK GONZÁLEZ fill in LEE STEELE on the brief that guided this brutalist retreat in Jesús Carranza. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASSON RODRIGUEZ

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CASA CISTERNA IS NAMED FOR THE WATER CISTERN FOUND ON THE PROPERTY THAT WAS FIRST A PRIVATE HOME AND LATER A GRAIN PROCESSING FACILITY. THE CISTERN NOW CIRCULATES WATER FROM THE POOL THROUGH THE TOWER WHICH ALSO HOUSES A SHOWER.

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EVEN WHEN IT WAS half-finished, Casa Cisterna was cool and compelling enough to be considered ready for showtime. It was still under construction when a popular Mexican YouTube channel, Cotaparedes Arquitectos, invited its Mérida architect, Erik González of González Estudio, to give a video tour of the house. It garnered 72,000 views in a year. Cisterna is a part-time abode and income property for Trey Speegle, a New York artist and art director who joined Yucatán Magazine after being approached about featuring his new home in a spread. In Trey’s words, the home rose over an “amazing property” in the often-overlooked Jesús Carranza neighborhood, bordered by Itzimná to the north and by La Plancha to the south. What makes this lot amazing is both its size and its configuration. It’s over 50 feet wide on the main entrance side and 100 feet deep, with a separate street entrance around the corner. That’s where a 30-by-40-foot “bonus lot” ices the cake. The house was remodeled with a new façade, courtyard, and parking area. Out back, behind an 11-meter lap pool, is a guest casita that has three bedrooms, two baths, and its own compact kitchen. Breeze blocks on the casita terrace are actually corner cinder blocks turned sideways and painted dark gray. Cisterna’s wow moment appears in the form of a wide concrete spiral staircase which anchors the exterior and resembles a swirling ribbon alongside a pretty gift box. The courtyard’s other showpiece is a refashioned cistern that recirculates water into the pool. The concept is not new, but the execution is extravagant. The cistern fountain offsets the chukum and stone architectural elements, perched on a pedestal that contains the waterworks, a structure roughly the size of the water tank itself. “The existing cistern was the main feature that we decided to highlight from the beginning. By drawing the pool from that starting point, we were able to divide the garden/terrace into a private smaller space for Trey’s bedroom and a larger social area that connects to the living room and kitchen, perfect for large gatherings. The round concrete staircase references the water tower in shape and took one month to make by hand,” says Erik.

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“Practically every front room in Mérida is wasted. Why not make a private gallery?”

TOP LEFT, THE ORIGINAL FAÇADE WAS A MISH-MASH OF STYLES. THE NEW FAÇADE DIVIDES THE HOUSE NEATLY INTO THREE SECTIONS: SERVICE, PUBLIC, AND PRIVATE. ABOVE RIGHT, THE ENTRY HOUSES A PRIVATE GALLERY. BOTTOM RIGHT, AN EAT-IN KITCHEN KEPT THE ORIGINAL FLOORS. BOTTOM LEFT, THE LIVING ROOM FACES THE GARDEN POOL AND CASITA.

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THIS PAGE, BOTH OF THE PRIMARY SUITE SHOWER’S SIDE WALLS WERE BUILT ALLOWING FOR EXACTLY NINE TILES WIDE AS THE WHITE PASTA TILE WITH BLACK BORDER COULD NOT BE CUT. THE BAMBOO LADDER WAS SHIPPED FROM NEW YORK.

OPPOSITE, THE UPSTAIRS CASITA CONCRETE BATHING POOL WITH SKYLIGHTS MAKES FOR A PRIVATE LUXURY SPA EXPERIENCE.

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“I went for a primarily black, white, and gray palette, going against the popular belief that black brings ceilings down. It doesn’t.”

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TREY AND ERIK WORKED on the layout and design for two years, and Erik remembers their agreed-upon philosophy. “Casa Cisterna was a project where past and present were very important to our vision. Through references to the existing house, we brought elements of traditional Yucatecan architecture to the façade like mampostería, celosias, and concrete to suit Trey’s aesthetic needs and our vision for a contemporary house in a traditional Mérida neighborhood like Jesús Carranza,” says Erik. “The existing pasta tiles were rescued and polished to retain the essence of the original house.” Brutalist architecture was a big influence. Every outside element — from daybeds to tables and benches — is exposed concrete, Erik says.

“All of the walls are polished concrete. Moisture is a problem here with paint, and if the concrete eventually does discolor with moisture, at least it won’t peel like paint. The proportion of the rooms in the original house were so welcoming. The inspiration for the palette and interiors was not just Mexico and the Yucatán, but Mediterranean interiors, Spanish revival in Southern California, Italian villas, all mixed together,” says Trey. “The guest casita was originally one story and I then asked Erik what would we need to do now if I added on a second floor later. It grew from there. The staircase was added in metal at first then Erik suggested a concrete spiral, which sort of mirrored the water tower.” At this point, Trey spends part of the year in New York and originally had planned to install cameras so he could monitor activity from long distance. But a better solution presented itself organically. “I had shipped two Buddhas from New York and one fit perfectly atop the stairs and the other stone one was cemented on the cistern top like a finial. Both now watch over the house and garden.” Y

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THE REAR GARDEN OF THE MAIN HOUSE HAS MULTIPLE AREAS FOR LOUNGING, DINING, ENTERTAINING, AND SWIMMING IN THE LAP POOL. TOP RIGHT,. THE CASITA HAS TWO BEDROOMS, TWO BATHROOMS, AN OUTDOOR SHOWER AND A FULL KITCHEN. BOTTOM LEFT, THE ENTRY COURTYARD FOUNTAIN INCORPORATES PLANTS, BREEZE BLOCKS AND MAMPOSTERIA. YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

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ED ZIELINSKI and JOSUE BACAB divide their time between Mérida’s Centro and this homey hacienda-style getaway in rural Tepakán. By LEE STEELE

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICHARD LEO JOHNSON 32

ED AND JOSUE LEFT THE COLORS AS THEY FOUND THEM, BUT THEY WERE THE FIRST TO PUT GLASS PANES IN THE WINDOWS AT THEIR WEEKEND HOME, DUBBED QUINTA ZAZIL.

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THE KITCHEN APPEARS RUSTIC AT FIRST, BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, IT’S APPARENT THE OWNERS INSTALLED SOME LUXURIOUS AMENITIES. OPPOSITE, THE TERRACE OVERLOOKS BEAUTIFUL GARDENS, A CASITA AND A POOL,

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“Every time you come up here, it’s another tree. There’s a new flower coming up. It changes every time...”

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AROUND THE CORNER is an early 20th-century movie theater refashioned into someone’s home. Over the back wall is a new home with sleek, white modern walls and endless gardens under development. Down the street are a famous photographer and a longtime local real estate agent who grew up in London, as well as a master gardener who gives tours of his well-landscaped property. But it’s the hacienda property that stands out most from the street. Its façade sits squarely along the sidewalk, although there’s more than enough space inside to escape the noise from what little traffic goes by. Ed Zielinski, who is originally from Goshen, New York, and his Yucatecan partner Josue Bacab, divide their time between their contemporary home in Mérida’s Centro and the tiny village of Tepakán, which is about 45 miles east. It’s a relatively easy drive between the two places, and they enjoy decompressing from busy Mérida at the place they call Quinta Zazil (quinta means a “country house,” and zazil is Mayan for “light.”) Ed’s first home-away-from-home was a beach house, but during a country weekend with friends, he was inspired to find a getaway in one of Yucatán’s pueblos. He found his classic centuries-old hacienda, which, compared to his beach or city home, has much more space — much of it verdant. “Every time you come up here, it’s another tree. There’s a new flower coming up,” Ed says. “It changes every time you come up here.” That wasn’t the case at first. The property as Ed first encountered it had no grass, only dirt and weeds. So, his gardener brought in around 350 plants and 70 loads of topsoil. He ripped out the kitchen and put in a Smeg range, a marble-top island and traditional fixtures, blending effortlessly with the rest of the house. The discovery of an old branding iron in the backyard is a pretty strong clue that it was once a much more sprawling property with cattle. The neighborhood offers little in the way of coffee shops and restaurants, but it’s well-suited for a stroll in the park or a trip to a bakery where a 100-year-old wood oven produces excellent crusty bread. A fishmonger delivers door-to-door twice a week, and the mercados in nearby Motul sell fruit and vegetables. Y YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

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ANTIQUES MIX WITH MODERN TOUCHES THROUGHOUT THIS CENTURIES-OLD HACIENDA HOME OUTSIDE IZAMAL.

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In the realm of architectural transformation and creative restoration, Casa Ocea is a

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a Few Rooms testament to the power of collaboration, a love for artistry, and coastal living’s allure

THE EVER-CHANGING HUES OF THE GULF REFLECT AN EARLY-MORNING SUNRISE THAT FRAMES THE HOUSE’S ICONIC PASTA TILES AND CHUKUM POOL

& TIFFANY THOMPSON YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

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ESTLED ALONG THE pristine shores of Chuburná Puerto on Mexico’s Gulf Coast, this enchanting residence melds sustainable design with the Yucatán’s tranquil ambiance. In 2021, Tiffany Thompson and Ted Habiger embarked on a journey to breathe new life into a neglected beachfront villa, ultimately giving birth to Casa Ocea. Both are entrepreneurs in diverse fields. Tiffany is the proprietor of a contemporary art agency known for driving monumental projects worldwide. Ted is a celebrated chef and restaurateur famous for his barbecue in Kansas City’s Room 39 and Mérida’s Ánima. They united their talents and passions to transform Casa Ocea into a sanctuary where artists are hosted and showcased. Tiffany Thompson calls Ocea “a coastal gem that effortlessly fuses artistry, heritage, and creativity.” As a nod to one time-honored technique, the walls, pool, and chef’s open kitchen are finished with chukum — a plaster derived from the resin of indigenous chukum trees. Local artisans crafted wooden and natural fiber doors that encapsulate the spirit of the region’s rich heritage. The iconic pool features custom-made traditional pasta tiles boasting a timeless black-and-white checkered pattern. The grand staircase wall showcases a façade constructed using the rajueleado technique, inserting small chinked stones into precisely carved slashes on the walls.

Thompson calls Ocea “a coastal gem that effortlessly fuses artistry, heritage, and creativity.”

A cultural arts space founded by Tina Marie Wood and Peter Karavais for new music, art, performance, dance & free expression, thrives in Centro

TOP, DINING TABLE AND CHAIRS WERE DESIGNED BY THOMPSON AND MADE BY WOODWORKER LUIS ECHAZARRETA. BELOW RIGHT, THE KITCHEN HAS LOCALLY WOVEN PENDANT FIXTURES AND DISHWARE FROM MAYA ARTISANS. BELOW LEFT, BEACH GRASSES WERE WOVEN TO MAKE A PALAPA FOR THE UPSTAIRS TERRACE. OPPOSITE, THE HANGING ART ON THE TOWERING STAIRCASE WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN PEREGRINE HONIG AND LORENA GALLARDO.

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USTAINABILITY WAS A PRIMARY objective. The transformation of the old kitchen cabinets into a retractable stage provides an enchanting backdrop for performers, who appear to be floating on water. A once-forgotten piece of furniture was repurposed as a ping pong and dining table. Tiffany worked with a nearby artisan to design a round dining table and, on another occasion, bespoke handwoven natural-dyed rugs in Oaxaca. The garden walls are alive with an Otomi embroidery pattern mural, again evidence of how local talents worked with the owners. Inside, much of the furniture bears Tiffany’s designs, lending each space a personal touch. Moreover, the rooms are enriched by exceptional artworks contributed by artists who have previously left an indelible mark. Casa Ocea transcends the traditional concept of a residence, emerging as a nucleus for artistic interaction. At its core lies a residency program that is a magnet for artists from diverse corners of the world. This coastal haven has welcomed a distinguished cohort of residents, including a Latin Grammy Award-winning musician, internationally celebrated maestros, a BBC journalist, and visual artists whose works are in museums. The local creative community occasionally enjoys intimate outdoor concerts performed against the backdrop of the Gulf of Mexico. While beautiful Casa Ocea contrasts the bustling energy of the nearby capital city, guests here surrender to the tranquility of coastal living. Y

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LEFT, THE CIRCULAR BAMBOO COUCH WAS MADE LOCALLY. RIGHT, THE PRIMARY BEDROOM HAS OAXACAN TEXTILES, HENEQUEN LIGHT FIXTURES AND AN OCEAN VIEW. BELOW RIGHT, THE MURAL PAINTED BY ANDRÉS BAEZA WAS INSPIRED BY OTOMI EMBROIDERY. BELOW LEFT, A WOVEN LIGHT FIXTURE, ALSO MADE LOCALLY.

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THE KITCHEN IS A COLLABORATION WITH MAJORIE SKOURAS DESIGN. THE HOOD WAS PAINTED BY MIGUEL RIVERO. OPPOSITE, THE TILE FLOOR IN ROBERT’S OFFICE IS FROM MOSAICOS DZUNUNCAN AND BASED ON A PIXILATED SUNSET IMAGE SHE CREATED. THE SISALINA CHANDELIER BY ANGELA DAMMAN WILL BE REPLACED BY A SIMILAR ONE CUSTOM-DYED IN BLUE. 44

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Canadian expat Patricia Robert answers the question: Why Mérida? And she explains her philosophy behind living with all this gorgeous color. INTERVIEW BY TREY SPEEGLE

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PATRICIA ROBERT

PATRICIA ROBERT is an advertising art director and photographer living in Mérida’s Santiago neighborhood with eight cats, two dogs and one husband, professional photographer Marcelo Troche. They are from Montreal and are often visited by their 22-year-old son, a communications student there. We asked Patricia about her life in Mérida and Casa Versailles. Well, let’s start with the 64-thousand-peso question: Why Mérida?

In 2009, I was looking for a compromise to please my husband. I wanted to go to markets, cook, swim by just stepping out of the house, slide into a hammock for siesta, best weather — meaning hot and sunny every day — not on the seaside, but not too far away… I Googled the keywords sun, house, villa rental, pool, garden, safe, mercados, historical, culture, and Mexico. I ended up on Urbano.com’s rental website. I’d never heard of Mérida before. I booked five nights and we flew from Montreal and drove in from Cancún, stopping in Valladolid to lunch at this amazing restored cloister. We drove into Mérida. That was a huge turning point in our lives! So how did you find Casa Versailles?

By renting different houses in different colonias for many years to find out what area we liked the most and the type of house and layout we wanted. We purchased this house in 2014. What was the renovation like?

It was a long process. We made several plans with our understanding of what living in Mérida was like when just coming for vacation. We added the craziest fantasies of how to live in sunny weather. Then, my husband got very sick, and I was forced to pause for over a year. When we started again, nothing about the final plan worked. We started over from scratch. 46

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“I Googled the keywords: sun, house, villa rental, pool, garden, safe, mercados, historical, culture, and Mexico. ... I’d never heard of Mérida before.”

THE ENTRY FOYER IS PAINTED IN A CUSTOM SHADE FROM HERITAGE COLORS BY OSELL. THE TEAL FLOOR TILE FROM MOSAICOS TRAQUI IS SET IN A HERRINGBONE DESIGN. OPPOSITE, THE LOGGIA OFF THE KITCHEN CONTAINS THE MAIN DINING AREA AND FACES THE COURTYARD FOUNTAIN. YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

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THE BUDDHA WATCHES OVER THE POOL AND GARDEN.

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CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT, THE KITCHEN HUTCH CONTAINS CERAMICS AND COLORFUL GLASSWARE; THE MARBLE SINK TOP IS MIDO; THE VINTAGE CABINET IN ROBERT’S OFFICE IS TOPPED WITH TWO PIÑATAS; THE PINK IN THE KITCHEN IS COLOR HERE.

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And once we were ready to begin construction, COVID hit. All that being said, I’m leaving out a lot of stories. The house took nearly two years to be completed. Well, the end result is really beautiful. Did you enjoy choosing the tile, marble, and paint colors?

I adored choosing the floor tiles and playing with colors to reinterpret patterns with different juxtapositions of colors. My studio had the most audacious design. I made the tile guy and the installation team crazy! The kitchen floor design was a collaboration with Marjorie Skouras, who brilliantly chose a pairing curly-wavy tile for the marmelada I’ve been in love with. Marjorie also helped me with the countertop selection. The bathroom granite, marble, and quartz is stunning. Colors are my thing. Can’t you tell? So, what is your relationship to color and using it in your home?

THE SUNKEN BATHTUB IN THE PRIMARY BATHROOM HAS FRENCH DOORS THAT OPEN TO THE GARDEN AND POOL AREA. OPPOSITE, AFTER MULTIPLE SWATCH TESTS, ROBERT GOT JUST THE RIGHT SHADE OF GREEN TO FLOW IN BETWEEN THE KITCHEN AND HER DRESSING AREA.

That is a million-dollar question! Color is so important to me. It has a huge impact on my mood, so I did a lot of swatch testing in each space. The natural light is an element that made me fall in love with Mérida. The light is as surreal and glorious as it is temperamental. Wall colors are different at different times of the day and in different weather. This made my color selection very difficult, starting with my bedroom green. I couldn’t get that color wrong. Unforgivable! The kitchen pink is ultra-reactive in natural light. I love how it goes from warm yellowish fragile pink to powder pink with sometimes very subtle pale lavender. For the six-meter-tall ceiling beams, I painted different metallics: copper in my kitchen to gold in my bedroom, brass in the entrance and patio, and dark purple in the living room. They catch the natural light during the day and reflect all my pendants and other lights at night. The biggest challenge was the color harmony throughout my house as every room communicates with another, knowing all my floors are totally different colors and styles. Y NOV-DEC 23

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YUCATÁN MAGAZINE | ISSUE 9

SHOPPING FOR

PILLOWS

W I T H L O U I S N AVA R R E T E

OR OUR FIRST shopping outing, let’s start with some basics. What’s the most important element of a room? What makes it successful? Well, suffice to say that no room is a success if it’s not somewhat comfortable. One of the smallest elements in a space and one that can have a big impact as well as adding another layer of comfort: the humble pillow. For the earliest decorators, it might have been just a smooth stone on the floor, but it evolved into a sewn item stuffed first with straw, horsehair, feathers, or down, to today’s modern fiberfills. Coverings can be made of almost any material from cotton to linen, silk to wool or (gasp!) polyester! The addition of a pillow (or 12) can transform nearly any room. Here are some of our favorite examples from in and around Mérida, plus a few online options for virtual shopping that offers the ease of not leaving the house. But do get out and visit these spots. As well as being practical, this new column also celebrates the joy of retail therapy. Louis Navarrete is a Parsons-trained environmental and interior designer working on making the world a better place, one room at a time, in Mérida.

One of the smallest elements in a room can have the biggest impact.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PATRICIA ROBERT

ANTIQUE FABRICS

Every once in a while, if you’re lucky, you come across a great antique textile. Why a fragile, hard-to-find piece of fabric, you ask? Because a big part of what makes a house a home is having personal items that are not necessarily store bought. Plus, the art of the hunt and the process of having something made is part of the fun. The small embroidered pillow, left, is made from the top of a huipil, beautiful but tiny. No problem, just add a bit of beautiful fabric to increase the size and you have a unique item. Antique fabrics can be hard to find, but when you do locate one, snatch it up! Chances are you won’t find another one like it. We have a secret source that we’re happy to share. They will whip up covers for you and even supply the fills. Lourdes at My Living Room 551-127-0553

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1. CALLE VEINTE

For designers or just anyone with good instincts, my favorite name-brand source for high-end fabrics is Calle Viente. They have a big selection from Designer’s Guild to Camengo and beyond. They also carry a good supply of ready made pillows (right) all made with top of the line materials. Calle 49 No. 250, Col. San Ramón Norte, Mérida. 999-944-8605 Instagram: @calleveinte

2. TALLER MAYA

This collective specializes in beautiful items all made in the Yucatán by skilled craftspeople. No two are exactly alike and the fabrics are all handdyed and hand woven (upper right). There’s also the added bonus of helping traditional crafts stay alive in the beautiful Yucatán. Calle 60 # 417 x 45 y 47, Mérida Tel. 555-256-0097 x 100 Instagram: @tallermaya

3. CORAZON MAYA MARKET

The Slow Food Market is on Saturdays, and while most are hunting for their favorite homemade goodies, you can also head just across the street for a nice selection of handmade pillows and textiles, mostly from Oaxaca. Tell owner Claudia Diaz we said, “Hola!” Corazon Maya Market Reforma y 33B, 999-274-5460 Instagram: @corazonmaya47

4. XICALICO

Xicalico is a stylish shop inside the collective Casa T’ho, with a contempory flair that draws inspiration from the past. We came across this beauty,

a mashup of Porfiriato style meeting our tropical flora and fauna. The fabric is a soft crushed velvet and the colors are extra saturated, which make this a dramatic counterpoint that would work well in either a modern or traditional environment. Paseo de Montejo at Calle 43, Mérida. Instagram: @xicalico

5. ANTIGÜEDADES DE SAN TO REMEDIO Handmade locally, another modern take on traditional crafts was found at Antigüedades de Santo Remedio on Reforma. These large-scale pillow covers (right) are made with a gross point pattern of stylized flowers edged in lace. Imagine granny’s dress done up as pillows on sturdy canvas. Calle 72 422, Centro, Mérida 999-637-5621

Embroidered Love Get your own hand-embroidered one-of-a-kind pillow commissioned by YM and support a local charity

ENTRO DE APOYO en Adicciones y Emociones “Contando con un Amigo” is a Mérida-based charitable organization that provides residential rehabilitation for 30 young men recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. The program at the shelter where the residents work on these embroideries is run by Annie Walwyn-Jones and Murdoch Morrison. Virtually none have any experience in needlework, but many seem to derive significant benefit from the disciplines involved, and from the associated opportunities for self-actualization and artistic

expression that this exercise involves: the work they produce is at times provocative and exceptionally well executed. While many are meant as gifts to their families, they also create them art for sale to benefit the shelter. We commissioned the pillow above, which can be ordered for MX$500 and by contacting hola@yucatanmagazine.com. Local orders only. Each pillow is embroidered with the message ME ENCANTA YUCATÁN accompanied by a flower or a bird. Of course, they are all unique, special, and made with care.

6. TELAS BAYON

But there’s no need to sacrifice style if you find yourself on a budget or just want to change the look of a room seasonally (it’s always hot here). These serape covers are made to fit standard bed pillows which work perfectly on the ends of a sofa or as an extra luxe lumbar support. A meter of this inexpensive machinewoven stripe will easily make two shams. And at this price, get a different pattern or color and switch them out whenever the mood strikes to create a different look. Calle 49 No, 250 Col. San Ramón Norte, Mérida 999-948-9662

ZARA HOME

Online and with a retail branch at La Isla Mall in the north, for some this is a go-to for a room refresher (including actual room freshener). There are scores of pillows choices (like below) for practically every decor and you can also get your blank pillow inserts here. La Isla Mérida, 999-518-3669, zarahomemx.com

All proceeds go directly to the shelter to assist men in need of rehabilitation and to make upgrades to the facility. Each item is very different. Contact anniewalwynjones51@gmail.com for a selection. THE YOUNG MEN OF CENTRO DE APOYO WITH THE PROGRAM DIRECTORS, ANNIE WALWYN-JONES AND MURDOCH MORRISON. YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

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LUXE LISTING BY THE NUMBERS LOT AREA 624 meters

LIVING AREA 426 meters

BEDROOMS 4

BATHROOMS 4.5

Casa Rosa Voladora Old-world style meets all the modern conveniences of the 21st century island is large enough for both prep space and in-kitchen dining. Off the kitchen, a large courtyard has a fountain, lush garden, and a lovely al fresco dining area. Netting high above the courtyard makes for open-air living protected from UV light and insects. An indoor dining hall runs alongside the courtyard for more formal dinners. The master bedroom is on the ground floor with a completely renovated bathroom with large rain shower, Toto appliances, and cedar closets. A set of large glass doors look out to the lush gardens surrounding the extra-large pool. Another fountain is near the large glass-enclosed

artist’s studio workspace/office (or guest suite) with its own bathroom and outdoor shower. Upstairs, two large guest bedrooms with newly renovated bathrooms each offer balconies overlooking the property. In between the bedrooms, another living area/ office space has floor-to-ceiling windows. Offered partially furnished, this is one of the finest homes on the market today. This home is offered at US$1,300,000 by Mérida Centro Real Estate. Contact Ross Schiering at +52 999-247-8458 or ross@méridacentrorealestate.com for more information.

PHOTOS: LUIS CAMPOS SOSA

N THE VERY BEST location in Centro, enter the magical world of Casa Rosa Voladora, just one block off of restaurant row and La Plancha and three blocks from Paseo Montejo. The first reception room is one of many large living spaces, with soaring ceilings and pasta tile floors that was part of the original 1855 structure. Ten-foot-tall doors lead into a brand-new chef’s kitchen with an eight-burner stove, onyx backsplash, hand-molded campagna, white marble side counter tops, high-end appliances, wine fridge, and full wet bar with solid cedar cabinetry. The Brazilian granite center

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NOV-DEC 23

LUXE LISTING

BY THE NUMBERS Lot area: 296 meters

Living area: 349 meters

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 4

Serving Seaside This Progreso live/work dream is move-in ready, and near the beach

ALK FROM YOUR beautiful Progreso mansion to the beach in a minute. And it’s one of the nicest beaches in Progreso, in a tranquil part of the city’s east side. Or just enjoy the view of the water and nearby rooftops from the private thirdfloor rooftop terrace. This house is just two blocks from the boardwalk, Parque de la Paz, and the new dinosaur museum. The home was restored as a private residence after the ground floor served as a well-loved bistro. The restaurant area would convert back very easily as living rooms. Or maybe the new owner will want to start another restaurant in the home, dubbed “Casa Miguel.” All four bathrooms are equipped with a Jacuzzi tub. The kitchen is a chef’s dream — and worked quite well for the chef-owner —

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with plenty of space plus a separate pantry. It connects to the back patio, which is large enough for hosting grand dinner parties, and has a lovely lap pool with waterfall. Some furniture and professional-grade kitchen appliances are included. So, this mansion can be a home or a business, or a combination of both. The 19 solar panels on the roof are keeping costs down, which have kept the electric bill to around MX$52 — under US$3 — every 60 days. The house will be repainted, and watch the online listing (www.mexintl.com/property/006267) for a video. Casa Miguel is offered at US$649,000. To see this property, contact Mexico International sales agent Dr. Leroy Osmon at 999-125-6196 or email leroy.osmon@gmail.com

NOV-DEC 23

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NOV-DEC 23

YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

9,500,000 MXP

2 Rooms 2 Bathrooms

3 Rooms Pool 3 Bathrooms 87.65 m2 Car garage 240 m2

4,300,000 MXP

San Bruno

San Sebastián 4,000,000 MXP

2 Rooms 2 Bathrooms

2 Rooms Pool 2 Bathrooms 126.03 m2 698.09 m2

5,500,000 MXP

166.80 m2

Chelem

Santiago

Properties for Sale See our full listing online www.horizonteinmobiliario.com contacto@horizonteinmobiliario.com

MARKET PULSE ‘Am I Priced Out of Centro?’

HE EASY BARGAINS are gone. For US property hunters, the dollar weakened while the Mexican currency became the “super peso.” Plus, demand is up for Mérida properties that 10 or 15 years ago might have been had for a song. So property hunters who lack deep pockets need to find a strategy. Som e pro tips: “Make your experience positive by focusing on what you can afford and what works for you. Newbies need to realize how unimportant it is to live near the tourist zone of Centro, as Mérida has many affordable neighborhoods to consider.” —Nicholas Sanders, Yucatán Beach & City Property “To find a good deal have an open mind. Mérida is a small enough city that no area is too far away. My first house here the broker didn’t want to show is was too far from the center. That house was on Calle 52 between 47 and 49 — certainly the center now. The next three houses I bought I found from driving all around. Right now the south of the city is my favorite for safe local family neighborhoods and interesting properties without INAH restrictions.” —Lisa Gaffney “My advice to clients wanting to make a lower-priced investment or just starting out is to be open to exploring other areas of downtown such as Miraflores, Lourdes, south and east of San Cristóbal and Jesús Carranza. In addition to much more modest prices and wider opportunities, these areas offer more authenticity, a slower pace and sabor local that is disappearing from more central zones. Often businesses catering to new residents will follow buyers into these zones and areas will start ‘being put on the map’ as was the case with Cadadía in La Plancha, Cigno Hotel in San Sebastian and Pancho Maíz in Chem Bech. Often newcomers will not be surprised by the number of long-term residents that have chosen to move further out in search of more land, ease of parking and the desire to be back in a more traditional neigh-

“A close relationship with an agent can yield the inside track on well-priced properties.” borhood as the more known areas of Centro become even more gentrified.” —Ross Schiering, Mérida Centro Real Estate “The era of the purchasing the classic colonial in the traditional ‘gringo areas’ may be over. The best ones have been purchased and renovated, and the cost is now prohibitive. New and younger buyers are gravitating to the emerging or fringe neighborhoods that wouldn’t have been considered five years ago. They are finding more land for better prices, and the opportunity to build without the design restrictions of INAH allowing for a more contemporary architectural aesthetic.” —David N. McIlvaney, travel writer currently restoring two houses “There are good buys available in Centro, but you’ll need to look further out. Try looking in Esperanza, Col. Industrial, and Chuminópolis to the east of Centro. To the southeast, look at Miraflores, Vicente Solis, and San Cristóbal. To the south, check around Parque Pedro Infante or between Infante and La Ermita. To the west, check to the south of Parque Centenario and cross Itzaes into San Lorenzo, Mulsay,

“There are still good deals down south in Pedro Infante and Dolores Otero, maybe Esperanza.”

or Bojórquez. The north is more pricey, but there are some buys in Chuburná.” — Mitch Keenan, Mexico International “Good deals are very rare to come by, but there are still some to be found in the most desirable areas in Centro. But I would definitely suggest branching out to other areas near Centro like Jesús Carranza, Miguel Alemán and Colonia México if you’re looking for closeness to Paseo de Montejo and the north. If that’s not the priority I would suggest Colonia Esperanza and Chuminópolis where some remodels are starting to pop up and lot sizes are a little bigger than your typical Centro find.” —Erik González, architect, González Estudio “Mérida has experienced phenomenal growth in the last several years, and with that growth comes higher real estate prices. That being said, good values are still available in many areas, such as locations that are a little outside of Centro, offering exceptional value. Tip: Find a real estate agent you trust, and work with them. Developing a relationship with a good agency and an agent will be a valuable asset during the process. Once you find a property that you love, be prepared to act quickly, with a good and fair offer. Properties that are good value will go under contract rapidly. —Elizabeth Rodriguez, Yucatán Beach & City Property “There’s a lot of overpriced ruins right now because someone, somewhere sold their house, entirely finished to high specifications, for 6 million pesos. But there’s still some good deals if you look a little farther afield. You can find inexpensive houses just south west of San Cristóbal and there’s still good deals down south in Pedro Infante and Dolores Otero, maybe Esperanza.” —Louis Navarrete, interior designer “A close relationship with an agent can yield the inside track on well-priced properties, but buyers must act decisively. An undervalued property won’t necessarily wait for a foreign house hunter to book a flight in two weeks to see a property up close. Lots of people are looking for the same thing, and they’ll snap it up quickly. You have to be ready to pull the trigger.” —Carlos Betancourt, Mérida Living NOV-DEC 23

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9991227845

GONZALEZESTUDIOMX@GMAIL.COM

INSTAGRAM: @GONZALEZESTUDIOMX_

STUDIO VISIT

New York Centro

RIC BEST tells fellow artist TREY SPEEGLE about his process and how Mérida has influenced his latest works, in more ways than one.

BEST WITH DAISY IN THE STUDIO HE BUILT BEHIND THE HOUSE HE SHARES WITH LOUIS NAVARRETE. LEFT, HIS LATEST SERIES USES “AIRBRUSHED” LEAVES FROM THEIR GARDEN. OPPOSITE INSET, HIS CORONAS. OPPOSITE, PAINTING IN THE DOUBLE-HEIGHT SPACE WITH POSSUM.

OR YEARS RIC BEST never really needed a physical art studio, as he was doing work strictly in the digital realm. With space at a premium, Best says, “It was easier than painting while I was in New York City.” One of the main attractions in moving to Mérida four years ago was building a two-story studio, with a mezzanine, behind the house he renovated in Santiago. There he began to paint again. And being in Mexico brought out the more colorful side of his work. “I’ve always worked abstractly. Moving to Mérida at the start of COVID gave me the time to work and focus on my painting. In New York, my paintings were dark — my pallets were blacks

browns and grays.” Born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, Best attended the Ivy Art School in Pittsburgh while writing a weekly art column for a local paper. After moving to New York City he continued his education at the School of Visual Arts and Parsons and he worked as an artist assistant for 15 years. Best says he was influenced by far too many artists to mention, but he mentions a few, anyway: “In art school I fell in love with the work of Ross Bleckner, Julian

Schnabel, and Judy Rifka. And his Mérida influence continued in the unexpected form of greenery. “I was clearing the garden and marveled at the shapes of the leaves and twigs I was cutting. I decided to lay them on a painted circular canvas and spray paint the shapes. It felt like I was combining New York City graffiti art with beautiful Mérida fauna. It felt good. Like I was merging two homes.” Best has since started a new a series called Wreaths, or Coronas in Spanish. “I like the fit of the title.” Instagram @ricbestart NOV-DEC 23

YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

“I felt like I was combining New York City graffiti art with beautiful Mérida fauna ... like I was merging two homes.”

PHOTOGR APHS BY PATRICIA ROBERT YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

NOV-DEC 23

Property Manager Directory

P R O P E R T Y

Property Manager

M A N A G E M E N T

CLEANING • GARDEN HOME REPAIRS

by Pedro González

POOL MAINTENANCE AIRBNB • RENTALS

OUR GOAL: OFFER THE BEST PROPERTY MANAGER SERVICE, BECAUSE WE CARE.

PHOTOGRAPHY & MORE

HOME CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Contact: Luis Sosa Campos WhatsApp: +52 999-512-5651

AIRBNB RENTALS CONTACT ME

PET CARE AND MORE...

+52 9991-281027

sosakmposluis@hotmail.com

PETE.GHZ@GMAIL.COM

VAC AT I O N H O M E S burroyflauta.com concierge.byf@gmail.com

Relax. Let us handle the details.

Better solutions for the homes and residents of downtown Mérida www.centroarchitects.com info@centroarchitects.com

WHATSAPP + 52 554-365-1722

GERALDINECARDIEL@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM @TANAJ.45

pm23yucatan.com House guests renting from these property managers receive a complimentary copy of Yucatán Magazine. To included in this directory and offer this publication to your clients, contact hola@yucatanmagazine.com 64

NOV-DEC 23

YUCATÁN MAGAZINE

EXCLUSIVE LISTING

$2,350,000 USD

$785,000 USD

$495,000 USD

Garcia Gineres Mansion

Casa Ermita Tropical

Casa Azul Beachfront

Property Code 3052

Property Code 1245

Property Code 7112

» 5 Beds / 6 Baths » 1770 M2 Lot 65 M2 of » 7Construction » Renovated » Tall Colonial Ceilings ormal Living and » FDining Rooms

arge Poolside » LPergola 6-Meter (50 ft.) » 1Lap Pool » Mature Vegetation » Walled for Privacy

» Barrio Mágico Ermita » 15.80 Meter Façade » 62.50 Meters Deep » 1,016 M2 lot » 3 Bedrooms » 3 Bathrooms » Formal Living Room » Formal Dining Room

» TV-Office Area » 1-Car Garage » Original Pasta Tiles ush Tropical » LVegetation uge Pool with » HCascade » Fully Furnished

» Recently Renovated 0.5 M Beach » 2frontage » 629 M2 lot » 153 M2 Construction » 2 Bed / 2 Baths

» Stone Wall Design hatched Roof » TTerrace » Large Pool w/Bar » Fans & A/C Units » Seawall

EXCLUSIVE LISTING

$1,600,000 USD

$748,000 USD

$695,000 USD

Yucatan Beachfront Lot

Vil la Rosa

Casa Lila in Santa Ana

yury@yucatanhomesandlots.com

Property Code 1246

Property Code 1247

» Recently Renovated 0.5 m Beach » 2Frontage » 629 M2 lot » 153 M2 Construction » 2 Beds / 2 Baths

» Stone Wall Design hatched Roof » TTerrace » Large Pool w/Bar » Fans & A/C Units » Seawall

» 12.80 m Width » 44 Depth » 522 M2 Meter lot » 374 M2 Construction » 3 Beds / 3 Baths

» 1Car Garage » 1-Story home » High-end Renovation » Wine Cellar Pool » Fandiltered Jacuzzi

» 10.80 Façade » 33 Meters of Depth » 4 Bedrooms » 4 Bathrooms ompletely » CRenovated

» Furnished » Garden » Filtered Pool ear Paseo de » NMontejo

WhatsApp / cel +52-999-947-2559 • 1-214-256-3876 U.S./Canada

yury@yucatanhomesandlots.com • www.yucatanlotsandhomes.com

Yury Di Pasquale, founder

Casa Miguel US$649,900 # 6267 LUXE LISTING

p. 54-55