HOME AND DECORATION

House & Garden Tour
By Jennifer Hamilton September 5, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Masks in the garage, a glass fountain, romance and light


House & Garden Tour
Sun, Sep 7, noon
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
US$15 or 150 pesos
Breakfast at Café Santa Ana starting at 9am

1. Possibly the first home to be built in the Atascadero area, it took many months to create a double garden, build a jewelry studio and place beveled-glass French doors opening to the entrance or back garden. The entry path with its high walls covered with vines is bordered by plants and flowers and an enchanting cantera fountain. The museum-quality Native American pots and artifacts indicate the number of years the owners were involved with the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe, NM. The master bathroom sports an outstanding beveled-glass mirror and lighting fixtures from original designs. All bedrooms open onto either the flower-filled front patio or garden. The rooms flow effortlessly and are filled with beautiful furniture, outstanding artwork and collectibles displayed on counter and table tops. The garden features an oversized aviary and a fountain made locally by hand. An Aztec sculpture on the garden wall was in the foyer of the original house 50 years ago. This is probably the only home on the House & G
arden Tour where visitors are invited to see the garage! Masks, photos and memorabilia line the walls, as do riding trophies and photographs.



2. The owners of this spectacular house worked with architect par excellence Nicole Biscaard. Local landscape architect Rob Johnson designed the gardens. Mirrors added to a long zaguán entrance increase light and reflect the multilevel garden so that visitors are able to appreciate every angle of plant life. The pièce de résistance is the glass fountain at the far end. Through the stressed wood and glass door are the living, dining and entertainment areas, two stories high and supported by enormous wood posts. Huge plate glass windows face north to the rolling hillsides and cacti which back up to El Charco del Ingenio. Several comfortable seating areas, artwork, dazzling flower arrangements, a multitude of candles and sculptures give the room a warm, comfortable feel. All the glass doors open to the patio with its five circular tables for entertaining and dining al fresco. The wraparound veranda is filled with daisies, lavender and basil. A lower walled-in area contains an abundant vegetable garden.



3. This enchanting home is a delight from the moment one enters the front door. A patio dominated by an ancient pepper tree is abundant with plants and flowers. A mirrored door in the wall reflects the lush green of the patio and part of the house itself. Unusual iron candlesticks in front add a sense of romance and light when the owners entertain in their indoor/outdoor living area. Decorating talent is evident in the soft, muted colors of the walls blending beautifully with a sense of color and whimsy. Both bedrooms upstairs are bold, yet soft colors intermingle with the wall colorings, bed coverings, artwork and folk art. The large patio on the top floor has an antique Coca-Cola cooler, unique views of the Parroquia and the Las Monjas dome and a studio where the owner works on beautiful sculptures.

Food & Wine
Cheap Eats
By Carol Schmidt

Vicente’s Carnitas returns, El Camaroncito hides

This new series will include inexpensive restaurants about town, as featured on www.fallinginlovewithsanmiguel.com. Locations can be found on www.smamap.com. 

Dolores Hidalgo may be in the history books as the site of El Grito in 1810, launching Independencia, but it is also on foodies’ maps for its chain of nine Vicente’s Carnitas restaurants.

An attempt was made last year to bring a Vicente’s Carnitas to San Miguel on Ancha de San Antonio at Cardo, but high rents drove the owners back to Dolores. 

A new Vicente’s opened recently on Calzada de la Aurora half a block north of calle Maria Greever, with the same excellent carnitas and low prices for which the chain is known. It’s about halfway between Calzada de la Luz where Aurora starts, and the bridge by Fábrica la Aurora, on the other side of the street from the art galleries. There was no street number the last time we visited.

Don’t expect fancy decor or signs and don’t look into the vat of hot fat cooking the pork as you go in. Vegetarians need not enter. 

Just order either a 14-peso carnitas-stuffed torta, served with a bowl of bean, bacon and hot dog soup and assorted salsas, or spring for a whole kilo of carnitas for 180 pesos, served with the same soup, tortillas and salsas, enough for at least three.

You can split the torta for two for a small lunch and you’ll still get two bowls of the soup for no extra charge. With soft drinks your total bill will be under 30 pesos for two.

Ask for some costillas (small ribs) and order your carnitas suave if you want lean pork. Otherwise you’ll get some skin, bones and fat mixed in with your pork—which is actually tastier to many people.

Across the street on Aurora and a block north of Calzada de la Luz is another inexpensive Mexican restaurant known to many expats for its 30-peso shrimp tortas.

 El Camaroncito also serves three sizes of loaded shrimp cocktails. The grande, served in a large glass goblet, is 70 pesos and can be split easily.

No decor here, either, not even a sign outside or a clearly visible street number. The storefront is white and crates of refrescas partially block the entrance. The usual white plastic tables and chairs give no indication of what will be served, but look up at the overhead sign which gives the prices of the three shrimp cocktails and the tostadas.

Mexican shrimp cocktails tend to have a sweet red sauce that you may want to squeeze the lime halves into for some sharpness. Half a dozen bottled salsas on the table will help you adjust the taste, too. The saltines are free. This hidden gem has been a favorite of expats in the Aurora area for years. It’s worth peeking into some doorways to find.

Carol Schmidt and her partner, Norma Hair, wrote Falling...in Love with San Miguel: Retiring to Mexico on Social Security (Salsa Verde Press), and their website, www.fallinginlovewithsanmiguel.com , includes their blogs, photos, SMA FAQs and forums.