Celebrating Intl Women's Day in March

On March 30th, I joined 50 others to celebrate International Women's Day (March 8th) and honor six amazing Mexican women.  The very elegant breakfast event, held outside on the second floor terrace of the Club France, was hosted by the Jardines de Pedregal Rotary Club (the one women-only rotary club in Mexico, all other clubs are integrated but mainly consist of male members who occasionally bring their wives along.)

The event honored six extraordinary women Silvia Pinal, actress, Yoloxochitl Bustamante, director of the National Polytechnic Institute, Marta Chapa, Gloria Guevara Manzo, Tourism Secretary, Gaby Vargas, Entrepreneur, and Beatriz Pages Rebollar, journalist and director of the magazine, Siempre, and Isabel Miranda de Wallace.

Yoloxochitl Bustamante, director of the National Polytechnic Institute accepting her award

Award Honorees with Rotarians Maricarmen and Silvia

Myself with Honoree Beatriz Pages, and fellow Ambassadorial Scholar Rebecca Watts (NC)

Shakira Concert!

Here are some pics from the Shakira concert April 3rd. sorry we sat so far back, we have none of Shakira herself.  But wow can she belly dance! must be those middle eastern roots!

Reading campaign "Leer" (to read)

Art installation outside of concert venue

Jeremy winning the male Shakira dancing contest!

Enjoying the city with friends

Enjoying Mexico City...

Dinner at Centenario 107 in Coyoacan with neighbors, Rochelle and Emily

Dinner at our apt in celebration of Arturo and Mariana's recent wedding

With Jeremy in the central garden of Coyoacan

Coyoacan

Rotaract of Mexico City Meeting

Out with friends at Juan Soldado in San Angel

Friends Edgar, Catrina and Emily

With Catrina

Super Bowl Sunday at Vero's place

Super Bowl Sunday with amigas and classmates Veronica and Sandra

Finally - a little R&R...to a tropical oasis 1 hr outside of DF

Jeremy and I spent Saturday and Sunday is the breathtaking La Buena Vibra Spa and Retreat Center...and boy did I need it! After a stressful quarter of classes and being sick for a while...I needed to re-energize and relax.

The pictures speak for themselves - we were surrounded by mountains, trees, gardens, fountains, statues...the works. We laid out by the pool, rested in the grass, went in the steam room and the gym, and - best of all- participated in a Temezcal - a pre-hispanic spiritual ritual cleansing. It is like being in a medicinal, pitch black sauna but with a focus on blessings, wishes, forgiveness and the chakras (7 energy centers of the body). Afterward, you feel amazing and revitalized! Highly recommend it!

So...who wants to come visit?

Mountain view from our room

Spa Center

Temezcal

Pics of our beloved Gata Mexicana, Mafalda

Here are some pics of our beloved Mafalda! ( in order from when we first got her in November to now)

Celebrating Spring with good friends Arturo and Patrick

Sunday, March 20th, we enjoyed the first day of Spring with our dear friends, Arturo and Patrick (whom we met in DC many many years ago...we are all alumni of the UT Archer Fellowship Program) at the Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico. The hotel boasts an amazing view of the Zoloco, the central plaza of the city, which includes the Cathedral and National Palace.

Relaxing afternoon in Polanco on National Holiday (Benito Juarez)

Today is a national holiday in honor of the famous former president of Mexico, Benito Juarez. (more on his life and work below the photos.)

Jeremy and I had a leisurely and delicious lunch at an Argentine restaurant, Spuntino. The service was terrific, the prices reasonable, the ambience wonderful and the food delicious.  The restaurant is hot inside, because of the grill, but most tables are lined around the outside of the open air restaurant. It is directly across from the tranquil Parque Lincoln, which boasts statues of President Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.

What we ate:

--yummy homemade tallerines (pasta) with pesto
--roasted potatoes with rosemary
--fresh steamed spinach
--empanadas (baked not fried -- a rarity in Mexico!)

Next time we will have to try the wine, steak and alfajores - all Argentine specialities!

After our wonderful long lunch, we strolled around the park, enjoying the 30-foot palm trees, children on swing sets, families walking their dogs, and kids sailing little boats in the pond.

AND....A BIT OF HISTORY...ABOUT PRESIDENT BENITO JUAREZ (1806-1872)

Benito Juarez is considered one of Mexico's greatest and most beloved leaders. During his political career he helped to institute a series of liberal reforms that were embodied into the new constitution of 1857. During the French occupation of Mexico, Juarez refused to accept the rule of the Monarchy or any other foreign nation, and helped to establish Mexico as a constitutional democracy. A child of Zapoteco Indians, he also promoted equal rights for the Indian population, better access to health care and education, lessening the political and financial power of the Roman Catholic church, and championed the raising of the living standards for the rural poor.

Source: www.mexonline.com