THE ARTISANS OF SAN MIGUEL

The next couple of days in San Miguel were devoted to scouting out the local artisans, both at Fábrica La Aurora (a converted cotton mill housing many galleries and studios where you can actually see the artists at work and, if you have time and plan ahead, take a workshop yourself) and at the Mercado de Artesanias ( a couple of pedestrian streets filled with booths selling all sorts of local handicrafts), and on all the streets in between.

Setting off for Fábrica La Aurora with Patty and Outdoor Woman

Fiber Woman, of course, was entranced by one of a kind ensembles featuring hand-painted fabrics.

Pottery by husband and wife duo DaNisha

So much eye-candy, so little time.

LEANING PEAR LOVE

You have no idea how much I missed this little goober while I was away! So much has changed in such a short time. When I left he was just starting to walk, and still felt the need to keep one hand on the wall or furniture most of the time. Now he's totally hands free, and he no longer walks, he runs. Nonstop. All day!

Modeling his new Guayabera going-out-to-dinner-shirt from Mexico. Size 2 barely fits him, and he's not even 1 yet!

A couple of new teeth have grown in since I saw him last.

Lex offered to bring him down for a visit, and when I asked where she'd like to meet for lunch, she said what she always says these days. "The Leaning Pear." Why is she so enamored with it? Well, for one thing, it's the only place in town with a decent hi-chair! Everywhere else has the square wooden things, usually with missing or broken straps, where you spend all of your time trying to keep the kid from ooching out the bottom. Leaning Pear has these beauties, which keep him perfectly in place.

What she really loves, however, is the children's menu. Do you know how difficult it is to find a kid's menu with anything on it besides chicken nuggets or mac & cheese? When she was pregnant she stumbled across a book called French Kids Eat Everything, by Karen LeBillon, about a brave couple who moved two picky-eater kids into a small French town and converted them into foodie omnivores. She's been using that as her guideline when introducing solid foods to Calvin and, so far, he's really loving his fruits and veggies. Which is why she really appreciates their menu item called "Small Bites", where you can choose any three from a list including chicken, bacon, avocado, chayote, tomatoes, cucumber, dried fig, chips and fruit. He loves it all!

In fact, he was even digging around in that pocket on his bib for missed bits of avocado, when he ran out of stuff on the table.

And that is why we've fallen in love with The Leaning Pear all over again!

P.S. Another great book she just stumbled across at the library, and promptly ordered for herself, is a cookbook called Little Foodie, by Michelle Olivier. She said everything in it looked yummy, even the purees, plus there were lots of recipes for things they can all eat, which is often a struggle for harried moms who don't have the time or energy to make separate meals for everyone.

SMdA: DAY ONE

One of the many spectacular views from La Vista, the room Fiber Woman and I shared, which was at the tippy top of the inn. That's an art studio behind the patio tables, where visiting instructors sometimes teach workshops.

Paint-Pouring Woman waves from her room down below us.

One of my favorite things about our inn, Casa de la Noche (beside the fact that it used to be a bordello) is that the tea kettle is always out, and there are a dozen or more cozy little corners for me to hang out with a cup of tea, while waiting for the rest of my group to drag themselves down to breakfast in the main courtyard. That first day breakfast was called something like "entomada", which turned out to be three little cheese enchiladas topped with salsa verde. Plus there were always fresh fruit platters, yogurt, and granola, to go with the day's two entree options. Yum! Afterwards we all headed to the square to meet up with one of the volunteer ex-pat guides who raise money to send dental vans out to the villages by leading architectural/historical tours around town.

Since I had heard the spiel before, I was able to focus more on the sights this time, and less on the guide.

A Very Old Pharmacy

One thing I couldn't help but notice was all the anti-Trump t-shirts and buttons being sold in the shops. Fortunately, everyone was very cordial to us, though they occasionally asked "Why? Why Trump?" Our only disturbing incident was outside one of the oldest churches, where our guide had stopped to talk to us. We kept getting splashed by a man who was washing bird poop off the sidewalk. We'd scoot away, then it would happen again. Finally we realized he was doing it on purpose, to get our attention. Once he had it, he went into a long rant that we couldn't understand at all, except for the words "Norté Americanos", which popped up frequently.

La Biblioteca -- the heart of the ex-pat community.

 Lunch was at Café Martin, just behind La Biblioteca, then it was back to our hotel for a siesta.

Café Martin

The two above were still feeling a bit jet-lagged come dinner time (though we hadn't actually changed time zones, the change in altitude can get to you) but the rest of us managed to pull ourselves together to head out on the town. Dinner was here, at La Mezcaleria -- a place specializing in unusually-flavored mescal margaritas.

Believe it or not, I tried every one they had -- as in, one sip from each of the six the other girls had. They insisted on taking this photo for proof, saying no one would believe they actually saw me drinking hard liquor.

The food was amazing.

We finished the evening off with a stroll around the square, which was fairly quiet compared to high summer.

Then it was back to our little table in the courtyard, to sip tea or a cold beer, and go over the days events.

THE LURE OF SAN MIGUEL

One of the best things about San Miguel de Allende is that, much like our own little town here in the Texas Hill Country, it's kind of hard to get to. I first fell in love with the idea of San Miguel when I picked up a book called On Mexico Time, by Tony Cohan -- written back in the day when only a few artists and writers from the U.S. had discovered it and decided to make it their home. Of course, it's not that sleepy little place anymore. But it's no smog-smothered Mexico City, either!

Last time we went to San Miguel (almost two years ago, with a local yoga group) we flew Southwest Airlines from San Antonio to Mexico City -- a humongous, somewhat scary airport packed wall-to-wall with people -- then had a four hour bus ride to get to San Miguel. Not fun.

This time we decided to try option B: flying Interjet (a lovely airline with a no overbooking warranty, wider seats, and lots more legroom) into the Guanajuato International Airport in Leon, then making the 1-1/2 hr. drive from there to San Miguel via private shuttle service. Not bad. Not bad at all. We did have a 2 or 3 hour layover in Monterrey both ways, but at least it's a nice, clean, easily navigable airport.

Fiber Woman and Outdoor Woman enjoy our layover in Monterrey from the balcony of Starbucks.

Paint-Pouring Woman (on the right) and her BFF, Jennie. PPW's big 6-0 was the motivation behind this epic adventure.

Dinner at the Airport

We've since heard that they are planning to build a big new airport much closer to San Miguel. And, just as we cringe every time they widen one of the roads leading into our own little town of Wimberley, or write about its charms in a national publication, we can't help but wonder. Could this be the beginning of the end?

It was after dark when we finally made it to Casa de la Noche -- the same charming inn that John and I stayed in last time. Since one of the Muses (Spirit Woman) was not able to come on this adventure, Outdoor Woman invited an old friend from California to be her roomie. Unfortunately, Patty's flight was delayed three hours, and she didn't get in until the middle of the night. Meanwhile, the rest of us gathered around this little table in the courtyard that our three rooms surrounded -- a daily habit that ended up becoming one of our favorite parts of the trip!

IT'S MY THING

The youngest member of the group I refer to as my Muses -- Pouring Paint Woman -- has finally reached the big 6-0, and she invited us all to take a little trip with her to help celebrate. Where are we going? San Miguel de Allende!

We'll even be staying in the same marvelous hotel that John and I stayed at August before last, when we tagged along with a local yoga group. I think my Hubby is pretty sad that it's going to be a girls only trip this time.

Since I am the only one in the group who has been there before, I dug out my folder from the last trip and let them take turns browsing through it. Perhaps I should have curated what was in it first, and removed this little jewel -- my list of clothes and accessories to pack.

Apparently they all shared it with their hubbies and got a good laugh out of it! What can I say? It's my "thing".

I can remember, at 9 or 10, pouring over a J.C. Penney's catalog with my cousin, as we cut out all the clothes we wanted to have when we were teenagers. What did I do with my clippings? I immediately began to pare them down, to see how I could get the most combinations from the fewest number of pieces.

When I was at UT studying fashion merchandising, I had to take a fashion design class. Not easy for someone who couldn't draw stick figures at the time! What did I do for my final project? I designed a travel wardrobe, of course, where I could get numerous outfits from just a few pieces.

Which is why my bedroom always looks like this just before I leave on a trip:

It starts with me hanging everything I might possibly want to take from our bed rails. Then over the next week or two I mix, match, add, then pare the pieces down to a reasonable number. I was inspired last time by a friend who wore nothing but black, and fit it all into the smallest of carry-ons, but managed to look Paris-Smart the entire trip. I tried. I failed.

I just had to have some color-madness mixed in with it.

What can I say? It's my thing!

AN EASTER BIRTHDAY

Love Lexi's new summer 'do, and this lovely park in Cedar Park.

Hope everyone had a marvelous weekend filled with good food, fun, friends and family. We combined our Easter celebration with the special 10th birthday celebration of our first grandchild, Miss Guinness.

She has been our son's best buddy since he was in college, and is such an alpha-dog and so possessive of him that we were all somewhat shocked when she allowed him to bring home a wife!

Guinness had her own special cupcake from a doggie bakery.

Of course, the other kids and grandkids were there to celebrate with us -- all except for Miss Izzy, due to that alpha-dog thing.

Beards On A Windy Day

Little Calvin says "I don't do hats!"

He is, however, quite tickled with his first pair of real shoes.

The celebration was held at Brushy Creek Lake Park, in far north Austin. We feasted on gourmet sandwiches (mine was the Knuckle Sandwich) and the most amazing slaw and roasted Brussels sprouts from Noble Pig and, of course, cupcakes from The Sugar Shack, right here in Wimberley.

Does it get any better?