On a recent Sunday in Mexico, on a whim, we decided to go to the park. And wow, it proved to be a great decision because we really had no idea all the wonderful surprises that were in store for us. One of the most amazing ones was seeing the park come alive with people young and old .... together .... celebrating life. A Japanese garden, children painting the littlest sweetest furniture pieces, dancers performing, ice cream and popcorn vendors, toddlers running around, young lovers holding hands, ... you get the picture. Whether at a park...
If you love Mexico like we do, no doubt you have your favorite stories, memories and experiences of Mexican beaches. Mexico has so very much to offer: great food, wonderful people, beautiful furniture, amazing history and so many ancestral traditions from which we can learn and be nourished by. Still, many of us think of beaches when we think of Mexico. One of my favorite memories is of a pink small hotel in Mazanillo, right on the ocean, where they used to give you old skeleton keys with which to access your hotel rooms. I remember an early mo...
Sometimes you hear the name of a place and it stays with you, almost in a haunting, persistent way. For me, one of those places is Akumal, Mexico. I have a sense of Akumal as a haven for American and Canadian expats, particularly those of a kindred persuasion to nature, conservation and ecology. It doesn’t surprise me because the name “Akumal” means “place of turtles” in ancient Mayan. These namesake turtle are actually green sea turtles and their populations thrive in the gorgeous waters of this area.
Our Gringo Furniture artisans have made b...
This morning, thanks to our friends at Yucatan Living, I was delighted to find out about a lovely Harper's Bazaar article featuring Merida. How exciting! I knew right away I had to share it with our Gringo Furniture contacts. I will always remember the first time we visited Merida and what a sweet impression it made on us. In a sense it is one of those places that is out of time ... yes, there is a certain and very charming timelessness to Merida. We have told you about this gorgeous city on previous posts. It is a friendly city with ...
Did you know that in Mexico there is such a thing as The Hacienda Route? Doesn't it sound like an adventurous, romantic, exciting idea for traveling through Mexico? I actually found out through our friends at Yucatan Living. As it turns out, the Hacienda Route is a tour or series of tours in which you can visit many of the stunningly beautiful Haciendas in the Yucatan. As you know, we love the whole hacienda style, look and feel. We have put together an entire furniture package in celebration of Mexican haciendas. So when planning y...
One of the things I enjoy the most in my work is the chance to do lots of armchair traveling. When clients call us to help them customize furniture packages for their Mexican condos and homes, I get to live vicariously. Love seeing the photos, the great views, the various styles of Mexican homes and the floor plans. Mexico is filled with gorgeous, warm (in people and in climate) destinations which capture the imagination and make us feel welcome. I was then not at all surprised to come across this Toronto Star article f...
When you travel in Mexico, you come to realize not only that Mexico has many great artisans, but that Mexico overall is an artisan culture.
Throughout this great country, you see how a large portion of the population fends for themselves as small businesses. They do this through their enterprise, their ingenuity, and many times above all through their skill and attention to craft.
For me, true craftsmanship is a blend of skill, knowledge and presence in the work. You see this in all kinds of artisanal craft, whether the expertis...
Here’s a great video which captures wonderfully the inspiration for our Hacienda Furniture Collection. As you watch it, you will feel like you have gone back in time; however, this hacienda is alive and thriving in Mexico, 45 km from Merida by car. This is unusual, as most of Mexico’s haciendas have now been abandoned and are no longer in operation. On the early portion of the video you will be able to see the colonial architecture we so love in Mexico, as well as examples of Hacienda furniture pieces, wrought iron a...
Once again we hear of a wonderful place in Mexico through our friends at Yucatan Living. Many thanks to the Working Gringos for everything they do to communicate their passion for Mexico and to share their advise, skills and expertise! In Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, one of our very favorite cities is Merida. We were so moved by how kind and friendly people in Merida are, by the beauty of the markets, the stunning colonial homes around the Centro, the hustle and bustle amidst an attitude of grace ... and the dynamism of this rapidl...
