On authenticity
A lovely run-in with Sara Deseran at EatDrinkSF’s Taco Knockdown got my writing juices flowing. I was just going to the event, not intending to write about it, take pictures of it, just to enjoy it. A crazy conceit -
A "wild" tasting
I had a chance to check out the Maestros del Mezcal tasting in Oaxaca. It was completely focused on wild agaves (silvestres) and included a collection of live plants. There were some pretty amazing mezcals from small producers - from
Days and Nights in Tijuana
[This is a truly lost piece. I wrote it in July of 2013 after an incredible trip to Tijuana and just sort of forgot about it until Max dug it out of our drafts folder on the blog. Yes, it
A primer on visiting Oaxaca – UPDATED
It's hard to believe it has been SEVEN YEARS (!!) since this piece was first published. I've updated it with new and relevant information
Perfect Moments
I remember once hearing Spaulding Gray, the amazing monologist, talking about “the perfect moment.” It might have been from Swimming to Cambodia, or perhaps even during a live performance, I honestly can’t remember. But the idea of a perfect moment,
Back to where it all began
The road to Teotitlan del Valle has changed a lot since I was first there in 2003. The pueblo sits off the main highway that heads south from Oaxaca toward the Istmo. It's only about 30 minutes from the city
Oh, Biznaga
I can’t imagine a time I would ever come to Oaxaca and not go to La Biznaga. I remember a recurring dream I had last fall when I was here in Oaxaca in which I had returned to the U.S.
An afternoon with Ulises Torrentera
I was excited to learn that a little mezcaleria had opened inside of one of my favorite bars in Oaxaca – Txalaparta. The mezcaleria is only open during the day from 1 to 7pm but it's an extraordinary addition to
A girl walks into a mezcaleria…
It was a hot night and we’d just returned the rental car. We planned on a little stroll, a little bite to eat – something relaxing. I stepped into Los Amantes while Alicia went to go grab a cup of
The small world of mezcal, Oaxaca style
First of all, it’s great to be back in Oaxaca. There is the hot sun, warm evenings that lend themselves to long conversations into the middle of the night, over mezcal of course. The smell of fresh, hot tortillas, the