By Adriana Mendez Acosta
“Buenas tardes.”
“Hello, how are you? … I know you!”
«Mmmm … from where?»
The eyes of the two distinguished ladies looked at me curiously.
“What do you do?”
“I am a painter.”
“I, tennis player.”
They made it easy for me. I quickly worked out where I had met them. A few months ago, I went to have breakfast with my friend Tere at Luna de Queso. While we were talking, a woman approached and sat down next to us. Laura is one of those people you turn around to see because of her bearing—because of her style. Her soft features are framed by a trendy haircut and some of the prettiest gray hair I’ve ever seen. Her hair was the pretext to start a conversation with her. It was obvious that she played tennis. She was wearing the full outfit. As we talked, I felt a bit nostalgic. I remembered one of my past lives—my time as a club lady during which I dressed, for several years, just like her.
I met Maru—whose gray hair is also beautiful—about a month ago at Sisal, a furniture and accessory store and art gallery in Fabrica La Aurora. She introduced me to Rosy, who generously lent me some furniture for an open house in Alborada. We were choosing the pieces when Maru came to greet her.
Both women, who in addition to having good hair also have a good vibe, invited me to sit at their table until the arrival of my friend Evangelina, with whom I had arranged to eat. They seemed friendly and intelligent. It was a chance meeting and very fortuitous. It turned out that Laura, Maru’s friend, and Evangelina are neighbors, common coincidences in this small town. We sat at the next table, so during the afternoon we made comments from table to table, and on a couple of occasions we raised our glasses in a toast. At the end of the afternoon, we exchanged phone numbers.
We spent a very pleasant afternoon and ate deliciously at the newly opened Fuego y Agua restaurant in the Viñedo Patria vineyard. We ordered crab cakes and an artichoke salad. Everything was finger-licking good.
Fuego y Agua is one of five restaurants that Miguel Torres has opened over the last seven years. He came to live in San Miguel together with a team of people with whom he set up a kind of restaurant cooperative. I met him when they were setting up the first one: Mi Bistro 300, on Calle de Quebrada.
At that time, I was remodeling a house very nearby in the center, on Pila Seca. I visited them regularly to eat and talk. They were always very kind to me. I remember that he and his restaurant partners helped me on several occasions with matters related to construction. They gave me ideas, they lent me materials, and, little by little, we became friends. They are good and brave people. They left their jobs in Mexico City to start up in San Miguel de Allende. Their menus are creative and achieve something quite difficult: the balance between price and quality. They know the ins and outs of their business: ingredients, cooking, and good service. Miguel’s years of experience, the smile on his face, and his desire to work hard have captivated the palates of locals and visitors.
“Hi, Adriana. How are you? I’m calling you because I want to invite you to my birthday party. Several friends and I are going to eat at Sollano 18. Hopefully you can join the group; we’re going to have a great time.”
I felt happy and flattered by Maru’s invitation. I shared a very fun afternoon on a terrace with one of the most beautiful views of the old part of town. I met a group of happy women who have broadened their horizons in this little corner of the world—women who talk about their projects while their eyes light up and a smile appears on their lips. Fortunately, in these parts, this type of people and experiences abound. I sat next to Sofía, who I already knew because I am a client of her boutique. She was wearing very cool glasses that she lent me for her souvenir photo.
Once again, I felt embraced by San Miguel. I remembered that this magical place offered me an opportunity to reinvent myself; it gave me a new life in which I feel happy and safe. I have discovered myself as a businesswoman, and I am in the process of developing skills as an acrobat, writer, and flamenco dancer … and salsa. And why not? Fifty-seven, or any age, is perfect for taking the first steps towards new projects.
What has San Miguel given you?
