The three main boulevards that run

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1 L O M A S r e s ta u r a n t s S PA S s h o p p i n g c h u r c h e s & m o r e! l o o k f o r m o r e Back to School Chef Andrea Blanco s cooking classes G6 Security Corner How to choose a security company G6 April Calendar Cock fights and poetry at the Feria de San Marcos G5 The Bazaar G7 & G8 Navigating The three main boulevards that run through Las Lomas are Virreyes, Reforma and Palmas. Virreyes, a beautiful mansion-lined road, essentially parallels Reforma from Prado Sur to the intersection of Reforma and Palmas, making it a good alternative route during rush hours and traffic snarls. The Alencastre exit off Periferico is a great connecting road that also skirts traffic zonas conflictivas. It spits you out directly into Chapultepec Park. When Palmas backs up, take the parallel Av. de los Alpes. Around Palmas and Prado Norte valet parking will save you from cruising in circles. Prado Sur and Prado Norte are excellent for strolling, eating and shopping. At the intersection of Monte Líbano and Monte Everest you ll find a pocket of shops, bakeries and restaurants, plus handy services like a locksmith, plumber and hardware store. Coming in May Where do you like to go in La Roma? What do you like to do, or eat, or buy when you get there? theguide@ insidemex.com. The Fuente de Petroleos, honoring the nationalization of oil, harkens the arrival to Las Lomas at Reforma and Periferico. One plaque quotes Veracruz governor Miguel Aleman from 1936: Now, after long, anguished years, we will be able to rescue, in all of its expanse, the soil of the state; and in its depth of richness, our subsoil. Photo by Luz Montero Over the hills & through the woods From trendy Palmas to the wilds of Chapultepec, Las Lomas is a beehive of foreign residents Pass the Fuente de Petroleos and under the pedestrian bridge that arcs over the boulevard, up, gently, into the hills. Grand mansions blend into one mansion and the sun filters down through the purple-flowered jacarandas trees. Ascending Paseo de la Reforma, you are arriving in Las Lomas: exclusive, moneyed, manicured. And, might we add, a bit mysterious. What s behind all those walls? Here an ambassador s residence, there a pair of thick, black dogs growling as you trespass the sidewalk in front of their domain. It is, after all, a Reforma palace that plays the home to Marc Anthony s character in the Mexico City-kidnapping-vengeance thriller Man on Fire. Just last month a headlining narcotics case broke in a Lomas de Chapultepec compound: the over $200 million USD cash haul is said to be the biggest drug bust recovery in history. Lomas is also the home of many foreigners who have chosen to make their lives in this city of several cities, as New York native Cynthia Pelini puts it. The mother of twin daughters who attend the American School, she s worked and lived in Mexico for over 20 years, five of them in Lomas. Whether it s school-related, kid-related, or church-related, this is absolutely where the foreign community concentrates more than other parts of town she says. The Guía Roji agrees. Union Evangelical Church also the headquarters for the American Benevolent Society and Newcomers Club is denoted quite simply as Iglesia Americana. z [ G1 ] InsideMéxico April 2007

2 Restaurants All prices listed in Mexican pesos Credit cards accepted unless noted Average cost listed per person 1. Bakéa Basque-French Sierra Ventana , Reservations recommended Mo-Sa: 1:30 pm-12:30 am Average cost: $400 - $500 Try the crostini de caracol y jamón de Guijuelo, snail and ham arúgula y vinagreta con piñones in the cozy, charming French-country dining room. 2. Barrio Norte Italian-Uruguayan Prado Norte , Su, Mo: 1:30-6 pm Tu - Sa: 1:30-11 pm Average cost: $350 Try the Vacío Rioplatense, a steak similar to arrachera, and one of the imported Uruguayan wines. The plates are big enough to share and the rustic-chic setting, candlelit by evening, suits an intimate meal. 3. Blossom Chinese Palmas , Mo-Th: 1-11 pm Fr, Sa: 1-11:30 pm Su: 1-7 pm Try the Beijing duck. The brightly-lit, refined dining room showcases the meal Cafe Ó Fusion de autor Monte Líbano Mo-Fr: breakfast 7:30 am - 12 pm, lunch 1-6 pm, dinner 7-11:30 pm Sa: 8 am, same schedule Su: 9 am - 5 pm Average cost: breakfast $130, lunch and dinner $350 - $380 Try the eggs benedict for breakfast and the carpaccio de alcachofa, artichoke, for lunch. The feeling of a swank island get-away; an adjoining store sells the restaurant s bread and meals. 5. Cinco 5 European-Asian fusion Pedregal , Mo - Fr: 8 am - 8 pm Sa, Average cost: $150 - $200 Try the Ravioles Cinco, stuffed with chile poblano, or the pescado balsamico on a bed of risotto. The eye-catching interior design sets the stage for this cafélounge. 6. Guadiana Mexican Palmas , Mo: 1:30-10 pm, Tu: 1:30-11 pm, We - Sa: 1:30 pm - 12 am, Su: 1:30-6 pm Average cost: $400 Try the arrachera with guacamole, beans and French fries. A roaring fire, high ceilings and tall windows invite you into a stately but relaxed restaurant-bar. 7. Hunan Chinese Reforma , Mon - Fri: 1:30-11 pm Sat: 1 pm - 12 am Avergae cost: $450 Try the pato pekín, Peking duck, in one of the city s best Chinese restaurants. 8. El Lago Internacional Lago Mayor, Chapultepec, , Mo - Th: 7:30 am - 11 pm Fr - Sa: 7:30 am - 11:45 pm Su: 10 am - 4:30 pm Average cost: breakfast $300 - $400, lunch/ dinner $500 Try the Atún al Hintextle con salsa de frijol, overlooking the lake at one of the most elegant and restaurants in DF Loma Linda Argentine steak house Reforma , Mo - Su: 1 pm - 12 am Average cost: $350 Try the ribeye vaquero. What started as a dance hall in 1924 became, in 1954, a restaurant with archways and tiled columns throughout. 11. Marentino Fish and seafood Palmas 275-C , Mo - Sa: 1 pm - 1 or 2 am, Sun: 1-5:30 pm Average cost: $450 Try the roasted octopus. Step down into the restaurant and it feels like Cheers, only much classier, with the busy lunchtime clatter and wine selection on display. 12. Meridiem International Lago Mayor, Chapultepec, , Mo - Sa: 1 pm - 1 or 2 am, Su: 1-5:30 pm Average cost: $450 Try the roasted octopus with lentils Naos Comtemporary Mexican de autor Palmas 425-B Mo: 1:30-1 pm, Tu, We: 1:30-11:30 pm, Th: 1:30 pm - 12 am, Fr, Sa: 1:30 pm - 12:30 am, Su: 1:30-6 pm Average cost: $500 Try the robalo a los tres chiles and the pastelito tibio de chocolate. Even the after-dinner mints are exquisite in this Mónica Patiño creation. The black, white and Tiffany-blue angular dining room projects great atmosphere. 14. Nick San Palmas Sushi & Bar Palmas , Reservations recommended We - Su. International Monte Libano Mo-Sa: 8 am-11 pm Su: 8 am-6 pm Average cost: breakfast $120 - $130, lunch $280 - $350 Mo-We: 1:30-1 pm, Th- Sa: 1:30 pm - 12 am, Su: 1:30-6 pm Average cost: $350 - $400 Try the stone crab roll and huachinango al vapor. Chill out in the loungebar with a fantastic ceiling, get serious at the sushi bar or dine facing the Japanese Zen garden outside. 15. Puntarena Fish and seafood Palmas 275-B , Mon - Sat: 1 pm - 1 or 2 am, Sun: 1-5:30 pm Average cost: $450 Inside México Recommends Bike tour 55. Cicloestación Drop off an ID and pick up a bike for one hour for free! in front of the Sanborn s on the Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca, an abandoned railroad track now used as a trail. Weekend group tours in Chapultepec cost $100 pesos per person. M - F: 7 am - 5 pm Weekends: 10 am - 3:30 pm Tours: Call Antonio Suárez, Ecotourism Info: 9. La Lorena Try the scrumptious scones and a pineapple mimosa for breakfast, and a pot pie for lunch. The shabby chic interior, with antique tea cups and ruffled table cloths is designed with grandmother s house in mind. You can also order cakes, and buy scones and cookies to go from the chefowner-namesake. PHOTOGRAPHY: LUZ MONTERO Try the atún mantequilla soya. Excellents seafood and wine selection at Marentino s sister restaurant Restaurante El Cardenal Traditional Mexican Palmas , Reservations recommended Mo - Sa: 8 am - 6:30 pm Su: 9 am - 6:30 pm Average cost: breakfast $150, lunch and dinner $300 Try the fresh baked bread, the huevos ahogados en frijoles de la olla, and the queso tapado con flores de calabasa. First opened in 1969 in the Centro Histórico, the Palmas site carries the famosisimo torch Restaurante Finesse Aguiar y Seijas 38-A Mo - Fr: 8 am - 9 pm Sa: 8 am - 4:30 pm Su: 9 am - 4:30 pm Average cost: $100 - $120 Try the bagel sandwich with salmon and cream cheese. You can order breakfast all day long in this popular, casual eatery. 18. Salute! Mediterranean Prado Norte Mo, Tu: 1-11 pm, We: 1 pm- 12 am, Th-Sa: 1 pm-1 am Su: 1-6 pm Average cost: $250 Try the pappardelle al teléfon, a thick pasta with mozzarella, and the flavored martinis. An easy going, open space with colorful murals and rock jamming in the background Suntory Japanese Montes Urales , Reservations recommended 2 days ahead Mo - Th: 1 pm - 11:30 pm Fr, Sa: 1 pm - 12 am Su: 1-9 pm Average cost: $550 - $600 Try a teppanyaki dish, grilled at your table with a view toward the surrounding waterfall-filled gardens. 20. Un Lugar de la Mancha Café-restaurant and bookstore Prado Norte Mo- Fr: 8 am-10 pm Sa, Su: 9 am-10 pm Average cost: breakfast $110, comida $160 Try the tampiqueña or the vegetarian pita. A bookstore with lots of nooks sits behind the restaurant s patio seating and dining room. Tacos 21. La Onda Barrilaco , El Farolito Prado Norte 480-A Mo - We: 11 am - 1 am, Th: 11 am - 3 am, Fr, Sa: 11 am - 5 am, Su: 11 am - 12 am [ G2 ] InsideMéxico April 2007

3 Lomas Sierra Fria Sierra Negra Sierra Leona Av. Montes Caucaso Parque via Reforma Av. Montes de Auvernia Sierra Tarahumara Ote. Av. M. Rocallosas Mtes. Apalaches Sierra Ventana Montes Carpatos Mte.Abeninos Mtes. Lupata Sierra del Bacatete Monte Blanco Sergio Fndez. Cda. Mte. Tauro Mte.Shai Paseo de las Palmas 10 Paseo de la Reforma 67 LOMAS Mte. Everest Mte. Hermon Mte.Parnaso Mte.Olimpo Mte.Himalaya Barrilaco Av. de los Alpes. Sierra Nevada Av. Sierra Madre Av. Montes Pirineos Av. Prado Sur Monte Athos Monte Libano Monte Tauro L. Armendaiz 37 Sierra Gamón Hernán Cortés Av de los Corregidores BOSQUE DE CHAPULTEPEC Section Croix Av Explanada Zuñiga García G. Portocarrero CLUB HIPICO DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO Mtes.Altái V. Guemez Blvr. de los Virreyes Fray. Payo Enriquez de R. Juan de Acuña Av. Toluca Mtes. Celestes Arboleda Av. Volcán Antonio de Mendoza Blvr. M. Ávila Camacho Prado Nte. Mtes. Escandinavos Paseo de la Reforma Restaurants Tacos Cafes Gourmet stores Mtes. Urales Calz. Lomas Av. Prado Sur Mte. Everest Cda. de M. Libano Pedregal Juan O Donojú Campos Eliseos BOSQUE DE CHAPULTEPEC Book Stores Clases Shopping Beauty & Spas Alencastre Mte. Athos Mte. Libano FUENTE DE PETROLEOS Mte. Tauro Health & Exercise Supermarket Market Taxis Paseo de la Reforma Ciclopista antiguo Ferrocarril de cuernavaca Mte.Himalaya LAGO MAYOR POLANCO CAMPO MARTE PARQUE ROSARIO CASTELLANOS MUSEO DE HISTORIA NATURAL AUDITORIO NACIONAL Blvr. Pdte. Adolfo Lopez Mateos 76 LA FERIA Calz. Chivatito MUSEO TECNOLÓGICO PAPALOTE MUSEO DEL NIÑO AUDITORIO Av. Constituyentes Worship 79 Chapultepec Chapultepec 74. Clúb Hipico de la Ciudad de México Cda. A. Ahumada 31 Section Board your horse, or bring him, to these stables with obstacle rings and riding trails. No horse rental offered. 75. La Feria Circuito Bosque de Chapultepec Ride the old wooden Montaña Rusa and hold on! Calz. Molino del Rey 76. Museo de Historia Natural Section , mx/mhn/ 77. Museo Tecnológico Comision Federal de Electricidad Av. Gde del Bosque 1 Circuito Principal Have hands-on fun with the history of electricity in this recently redesigned site. 78. Papalote Museo del Niño , Tons of stuff for kids to experiment with. 79. Fuente de Tláloc Diego Rivera crafted the bajorrelieve policromado that adorns the fountain. 80. Lago Mayor Featuring a grand fountain, the lake was created during Porfirio Diaz s park remodeling. Swan Lake ballet is performed here annually, February and March. 81. Lago Menor 23. El Lago de Los Cisnes Prado Norte 391 Su - We: 8 am - 2 am Th - Sa: 8 am - 6 am Cafes 24. Beretta Café & Bistrot Pedregal 17-D , Credit card minimum $100 pesos Home delivery Quiche, soups, salads and paninis to enjoy at the bar facing the street. 25. Café Emir Prado Norte 365-B Mo-Fr: 6:30 am-10 pm Sa: 9 am - 10 pm Su: 10 am - 8 pm Home delivery 26. Citio Rico + Natural Prado Norte Mo-Fr: 8 am - 8 pm Sa: 10 am-8 pm Su: 10 am-6 pm Home delivery Salads and smoothies 27. Giornale Caffé Palmas 820, PB , Mo - Fr: 7 am - 12 am Sa: 8 am - 1 am Su: 8 am - 11 pm Starbucks Prado Norte 324 Mo - Fr: 6 am - 10 pm Sa, Su: 8 am - 10 pm Gourmet Stores 29. Anexo Bakéa Sierra Ventana Tu - Sa: 11 am - 8:30 pm Su: 11 am - 4 pm Mo: closed Pates, quiche, desserts and wine, opened by the restaurant next door. 30. El Secreto Gourmet Prado Norte Mon - Fri: 10:30 am - 7:30 pm, Sat: 10:30 am - 4:30 pm, Sun: closed Dressings, spices, pastas, jams com.mx 31. La Criolla Monte Everest 760-D and 770-B , Mo-Fr: 10 am-8 pm, Sa: 10 am-7 pm, Su: 11 am -3 pm Cheese case, deli meats, wines, Twinings teas, pastas and peanut butter. 32. Le Chocolat Prado Norte Mo - Su: 10 am - 7 pm Columbian, Brazilian Belgian and Mexican chocolates, some painted, set in artistic boxes and tins. 33. Los Tulipanes Bakery and cake shop Prado Norte Mo - Sa: 10 am - 8 pm Su: 10 am - 4 pm If it smells like heaven, it must be. You won t leave without a cake, cookies or the tempting chocolates. The flourless chocolate con almendra was a recent birthday cake hit Av. Observatorio Paseo de la Reforma runs through the middle of the Lomas business district. Bookstores 34. Caza Libros American Benevolent Society Union Church, Mo Fr: 9 am 5 pm Sa: 10 am 1:30 pm A large source for inexpensive, used books in English. 35. Libros, Libros, Libros Monte Ararat 220, Mezzanine , Mo - Sa: 10 am - 7 pm Travel, fiction, classics, magazines in English. Courses 36. Boutique L.A. Cetto Monte Athos , boutique@gpocetto.com The biggest Baja California wine label offers wine tasting sessions. and courses. 37. Centro de diseño, cine y television Sierra Mojada April 2007 InsideMéxico [ G3 ] PHOTOGRAPHY: LUZ MONTERO

4 Organizations A university, also offers continuing education classes: design, film, jewelry making and photography on a trimester schedule. Shopping 38. Aquor Spas Palmas , Mo-Fr: 10 am-8 pm Sa: 10 am-3 pm Spa showroom 39. Boutique Amazonas Cda. de Monte Líbano 12-B Mo - Fr: 11 am - 7 pm Sa: 11 am - 3:30 pm Shawls (Indian and Mexican) and eclectic jewelry designed by the owner. 40. Cusi Cda. de Monte Líbano , Mo Fr: 10 am 6 pm Sa: 10 am 2 pm Upscale floral design for gardens, events and occasions, with touches such as replicas of antique talavera vases. 41. dic & co Monte Everest Mo- Fr: 10 am-7 pm, Su: 10 am-3 pm, Shoe store and outlet: Keds, Steve Madden, Sperry Top-Sider. 42. Distroller Prado Norte Mo-Fr: 11 am-7 pm Su: 12-6 pm Jewelry bracelets, cell phone charms, necklaces for cool kids. Check out Bistroller, next door, too. 43. dd doris duffour Monte Ararat 9-B , Mo - Fr: 11 am - 7 pm Sa: 11 am - 3pm Clothing boutique: sequined purses, dresses, shoes; guayaberas for men. Everything is from Vietnam, Cambodia and India. 44. Duval Monte Líbano , Mo - Fr: 10 am - 2:30 pm, 4-7 pm Sa: 11 am - 3 pm Fancy gifts: fine pens, silver, flatware, place settings, and cuff links. 45. Habitat Design Palmas Mo - Su: 11 am - 8 pm Catalogues, design for your space, carrying lines by Adolfo Domínguez and Agatha Ruíz de la Prada. 46. Homestyles Palmas Sa-Th: 10 am - 8:30 pm, Fr: 10 am - 5:30 pm Furniture and interior decor. 47. Kasi Prado Norte 427, PA Mo-Sa: 12-7 pm Vintage clothes, shoes, purses. 48. L Aguja Loca Vosgos Mo-Fr: 10 am-3 pm, 4-6:30 pm, Sa: 11 am - 2 pm Needlework shop offering materials and classes. 49. Lomas Bookshop Cda. de Monte Líbano 10-A, Papelería with office and schools supplies. 50. Nine West Outlet Cda. De Monte Líbano , Mo - Fr: 10 am - 7 pm Sa: 10 am - 5 pm Not exactly outlet prices, but ooohh, the shoes. Nine West and Ann Klein. Beauty/Spas 51. Cosmetika Prado Norte Mo-Su: 11 am-8 pm (store), Mo-Sa: 10 am - 6:30 pm (spa) Beauty and makeup brands include Dior, Lancome, Clinique, Estee Lauder and Chanel. Spa treatments include chocolate and wine massages Derma Dermatological pharmacy Monte Ararat 220-A , Mo - Fr: 9 am - 8 pm Sa: 9 am - 6pm Fussion Estilistas Prado Norte Tu - Sa: 9 am - 7 pm Facials, manicures, hair Mani e Piedi Nail spa Prado Norte 530, Local A , Mo - Fr: 9 am - 7 pm Sa: 9 am - 6 pm Hour-long manicures and pedicures that include reflexology massages. Health & Exercise 56. Psicoprofilaxis Center Prado Norte Yoga, pilates and belly dancing for moms-to-be. com 57. Sports Clinic Lomas Reforma 155, PB, Local B Physical therapy and rehabilitation, medical assessment available The Yoga Center Monte Athos Offers a full schedule of several types of yoga. Supermarkets 59. Super Gigante Aguiar y Siejas 5 Mo - Su: 7 am - 12 am Home delivery: , 8 am - 8 pm The American Society of Mexico Mo - Fr: 9 am - 5 pm americansociety2005@ prodigy.net.mx Hosts events such as the Networker, the first Monday of every month. American Benevolent Society Union Church Runs Caza Libros (see 34), hosts lunches, supports Americans in need. Hash House Harriers Bike, ride, run or walk Chapultepec, Every Sunday, 10:30 am Meet at Paco s juice stand, across El Lago restaurant s parking lot. Mexico City Quilt Guild Contact: Virginia Bush, Newcomers Club Union Church Monthly general meetings, supports charities, runs various activities and committees. Salvation Army Women s Auxiliary Contact: Bonnie Dillon, Zona International Contact: Dr. Rosita Roa, Superama Aguiar y Seijas 123 Open 24-hours Markets 61. Mi Mercado Prado Norte Prado Norte 465 Food stands: Mo - Sa, 9 am - 4 or 5 pm Try the enchiladas verdes and the sopes at Reymond Red. Rest of the market: Mo-Sa, 8 am-7 pm, Su 8 am-4 pm PHOTOGRAPHY: LUZ MONTERO The piano at Union Church, where the Newcomers Club and the American Benevolent Society have their offices. Worship All services listed are conducted in English. 66. Christ Anglican Episcopal Church Mts. Escandanavios Sun: 8:30 am & 10 am Wed: 7:30 pm 67. Beth Israel Community Center Jewish Conservative Synagogue Virreyes Fri: 8 pm, Sat: 9:30 am The synagogue requires making an appointment before attending services. 68. Capital City Baptist Church Sur 138 Col. Las Américas Sun: 9:45 am Bible study, 11 am service Flowers stalls, piñatas and grocery counters. 62. Mi Mercado Monte Athos Monte Athos 375 Mo-Fr: 9 am-6 pm Sa: 9 am-4 pm Su: 10 am-3 pm Small section of grocery counters, larger selection of flowers. Try Flores Anita, which also has a website: www. floresanita.com. 69. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Sierra Guadarrama Sun: 1 pm 70. Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Palmas 1910, Sun: 10 am, bilingual 71. Our Lady of Lourdes Church Roman Catholic Av. Castillo de Chapultepec Sun: 10:30 am 72. St. Patrick s Roman Catholic Church Calle Bondojitos Sun: 10 am and 12 pm 73. Union Evangelical Church Sun: 11 am Taxis 63. Sitio 107 Pedregal and Reforma Sitio 400 Prado Sur and Montes Pirineos , Sitio Barrilaco 114 Sierra Ventana, corner of Monte Ararat , Phone Directory All telephone numbers are local to Mexico City. City area code: 55 Country code: 52 Emergencies Ambulances, firefighters and police: 080 Police: 060 Red Cross: 060 Tourism Infotur: Secretary of Tourism s Tourist Orientation and Information Services Mexico City International Airport: , Embassies Australian Embassy: British Embassy: Consular section and emergencies involving British citizens Canadian Embassy: Consular Section: ext Emergencies involving Canadians, country-wide telephone: French Embassy & Consulate General: Irish Embassy: German Embassy: Japanese Embassy: , New Zealand Embassy: United States Embassy: Consular services and emergencies [ G4 ] InsideMéxico April 2007

5 APRIL 1Daylight Saving Time Ends Mexico Set clocks one hour forward Place your 6 bets Horse races Hipódromo de las Americas 3:30 pm Schedules: www. hipodromo.com.mx Races throughout the month 11 Sleeping Beauty La Bella Durmiente en Castillo de Chapultepec Performed by the National Dance Company Castillo de Chapultepec 8:30 pm Performances throughout April Bazaar del 14 Sábado Art and artesania Plaza de San Jacinto, Colonia San Ángel Every Saturday Starts at 9 a.m. Hash House 15 Harriers Bike ride, run or walk then drink Chapultepec Park, section 2 Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Meet at Paco s juice stand, across Del Lago restaurant s parking lot Silvio Rodriguez Famed for his trova cubana music Auditorio Nacional 8 pm 17 American Society General Assembly US Ambassador s Residence Only AMSOC Members Info: , Mon Fri: 9 am 5 pm *changed from original March 28 date 18 Africala 1er Festival de Cine Africano in the DF Schedule: org Runs until April Make friends Newcomers Club April open house & art show Union Church :30 am -12 pm 20 Fight night Lucha Libre Arena México 8:30 p.m. every Friday Dr. Lavista 189, between Carmona y Valle and Dr. Lucio, Col. Doctores Tickets: , Ay, papacito 21 Alejandro Sanz Auditorio Nacional 8 pm Walk this 22 way Aerosmith Foro Sol, 7 pm 24 Mexpat Mingle, drink and be merry 8 pm Find out where: Last Wednesday of every month 26 Newcomers event Mexico: a time for reflection and growth A talk by psycotherapist Marc I. Ehrlich. For info, newcomers@ newcomers.org.mx Photo courtesy Museo Tamayo Feb May 6 Museo Tamayo Reforma and Gandhi Bosque de Chapultepec Tu Su: 10 am 6 pm MACO International contemporary art fair April Residencial Palmas Park 515 Lomas de Chapultepec General admission: $70 pesos Aguascalientes Feria Nacional de San Marcos The mother of all Mexican fairs, this feria has been celebrated for more than 175 years. Events include cock fights, bull fights, rodeo, dance, theater, presentation of the National Poetry Prize and a golf tournament. April 14 - May 13 info@feriadesanmarcos.com 27 Festival Ollin Kan 2007 World music Main stages: Bosque de Tlalpan, Parque Snap Judgments: New Positions in Contemporary African Photography A conceptual art, documentary fashion emphasis depicts themes such as identity and postcolonial memory and questions typical depictions of Africa in western media. Oaxaca Ecológico Loreto, Peña Pobre, Zocalo gob.mx/ Runs until May 20 Procession of Silence Good Friday April 6, 7 pm Alcala and Garcia Vigil Carol Miller, Movie night Madame Satã ( Brazil, 2002) April 13, 5 pm URSE, Eulalio Gutierrez 1002, Col. Aleman For information on Oaxaca cultural events, Margie Barclay: barclayma@aol.com 40 years of sculpture Museo Dolores Olmedo Patiño Av. México 5843 La Noria, Xochimilco March 17 - June 17, Rosa Mexicano Cabaret style show by the singer-actressproducer Lunario del Auditorio San Luis Potosí Semana Santa The state capital city offers one of the best Semana Santa celebrations in the country from Good Friday, April 6 to Easter Sunday, April 8. For general information on the area: Cuernavaca Sor Juana, a la luz de los tiempos Exposition of painting, sculpture, graphic art and recordings in the beautiful Nacional, 10 pm All prices listed in Mexican pesos. Día del Niño Carrera Día del Niño Banamex 2007 April Hipódromo de las Americas 9:10 am Categories for children ages 5 14 years old Register until April 26, omiramontes@ asdeporte.com (55) Jardín Borda, once Maximiliano s vacation home. Sección Benito Juárez del Jardín Borda Av. Morelo 271 Col. Centro Histórico March 23 April 23 gob.mx/ Cine Club Brady 6 pm Every Thursday Museo de Robert Brady Netzahualcóyotl 4 Col. Centro For Ticketmaster sales, call or visit Got a date? Tell us about it. Send announcements to calendar@insidemex.com April 2007 InsideMéxico [ G5 ]

6 Smart safety advice from one of Mexico s leading authorities by Mario González-Román Securing your home and business Finding the right company for you Security companies in Mexico City are like dogs they re everywhere. In 2004 it was estimated that the security industry in this country is worth a billion dollars. With so many companies vying for the chance to guard your home and business, how can you be sure you re hiring a reliable and trustworthy service? Word of mouth is a good bet. If your friends or colleagues feel confident with their company, chances are you will too. Ask for a referral. If you have to go cold calling, here are a few things you should know: All security companies in Mexico City must be registered with the local police. There is no bonding system for individuals to prevent people with criminal records from working as security guards, but companies must still provide the police with personal information about all employees. Go to where you will find information on almost 200 companies who are either in good standing with the local police or who have been cited, or had their registration cancelled, for wrong doing. The federal government also tracks private security companies and provides information on why some have lost their licenses. Go to click on Servicios in the menu on the left hand side of the page and choose Secretaria de Seguridad Publica. For home and business security in Mexico City, I have worked with and can personally recommend the Mexico City Banking and Industrial Police (PBIDF). It s a branch of the city police department that can be contracted for private security services. You can contact them for an assessment at or ext If you live outside Mexico City, contact your local police department for information about which security companies they recommend in your area. Mario González-Román is a private security consultant who worked for 28 years as the Foreign Service national Senior Advisor for Security at the US Embassy in Mexico City. His website is and he can be reached at frog_mario@hotmail.com. Those BY Margot Lee Shetterly Photo BY Luz Montero For eight years, Andrea Blanco has been the creative force behind the exceptional cuisine at Cuernavaca-based La Gaia, a charming establishment in a house formerly owned by famed Mexican entertainer Cantiflas. She also developed the menu at its sister restaurant Villa de la Selva, in the Pacific coast resort town Ixtapa. When Blanco first proposed the idea of offering cooking classes on Mondays at the restaurant the kitchen s slowest day she wasn t sure what to expect, but they were an immediate hit. The evening classes, from 6 pm to 8 pm, tend to attract professionals, whereas the morning classes, between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm, are attended by well-to-do housewives, a group she calls The Ladies. The class was so popular among the ladies, that Blanco soon opened a separate class at their request for their housekeepers. Many of The Ladies hate cooking, says Blanco, but the maids like to cook. Sometimes I have to explain more things [to the maids], but they absorb the knowledge much faster. A member of the young generation of Mexican chefs storming the national and international gastronomic scene, Blanco combines classical training (she studied at the Culinary Institute of America, in New York) with a flair for innovation and a roll-up-your-sleeves practicality. In 2001, she won the Concurso Nacional de Joven Chef Méxicano (an Iron Chef-like competition The finest Properties who can Teach where entrants create entrees on the fly based on ingredients given to them). When she decided that she wanted to learn traditional Italian cooking, she showed up at one of Rome s most well-known restaurants in her whites and convinced the owner to let her work elbow-to-elbow with the staff. This year she ll be the guest chef at the Camelback, Arizona restaurant Elements. Cooking with Chef Andrea Blanco Class meets once a week for six weeks. Cuernavaca: Mondays, 10:30 am -12:30 pm and 6-8 pm Mexico City: Wed & Thurs, 10:30 am 12: 30 pm Cost: $2550 pesos, includes all ingredients. blancoandrea@ hotmail.com to enroll in April classes Visit and for more information on Blanco s restaurants. The curriculum for Blanco s class reflects her practical sensibility. The six-week course teaches cooking basics and gives an overview of different dishes and cuisines, from mole to risotto to stir fry. Each class covers three recipes, which students should then be able to recreate in their own kitchens. I like simple things, she says. I don t like recipes that take two days. She also offers courses to corporate executives and has developed a line of spices, called Spezia. The spices make it simple to add flavor to a variety of meals and are given as a gift in the corporate courses and sold in the Mexico City restaurant, Café Ó. It s clear that for the multitalented Blanco, the classes have become another way to indulge her fervor for the kitchen. I really love teaching, she says. I love seeing students pick up ideas. And I learn so much from them as well. The best Deals The finest Properties The Largest Selection 5 Star Concierge Service 01.(744) Years of Leadership in Acapulco Real Estate (744) [ G6 ] InsideMéxico April 2007

7 the bazaar is your marketspace! Reserve your space for the April issue: Call Alex Xolalpa Medicare in Mexico Dr. David Warner of the University of Texas at Austin is looking for people to share their experiences and opinions for a Medicare in Mexico survey. To participate, call +1 (512) or david.warner@mail.utexas.edu For more information on Medicare in Mexico, go to unasletras.com Tongue Tied? Multilingual Translation Services Deutsch English Español Specializing in Legal, Migratory, Medical, Bureaucratic, Transactional and Bank Documents Sabine Persicke K. S_persicke@yahoo.com.mx References available 70,000* lectores quieren comer, tomar, bailar, ir al cine, pedir un taxi, comprar libros, visitar un doctor, hacer ejercicio, estudiar español, y gozar la vida dentro de México. Diles como cuando y donde. Reserva tu espacio para marzo Alejandro Xolalpa, Director Comercial alejandro@insidemex.com inside.mexico@yahoo.com.mx *Este número representa la distribución de Inside México más el pass-along. April 2007 InsideMéxico [ G7 ]

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