By Rodrigo Diaz Guerrero
The residents of San Miguel are fortunate that our city has interesting nooks and obscure niches to discover and rediscover. You never know where you might find a new restaurant with a fabulous menu, an art, or a design gallery. It could be just around the next corner. This unique characteristic makes San Miguel de Allende such a pleasure for visitors and residents alike. A good example is Hacienda La Aurora. This is an excellent place for people searching for interesting design objects or those with an adventuresome palate. It is also a great place for art lovers and curious spirits generally.
To find the Hacienda, walk along Calzada de la Aurora toward the Fabrica. Just before crossing the bridge over the Arroyo de las Cachinches, on the left, you will find a little walkway that leads to the Hacienda. The walkway continues for about 50 meters. On each side are little shops displaying their artistic offerings and their tasty dishes. It emanates a friendly feeling filled with good taste and one feels an irresistible urge to investigate each little puesto.
Today, I will recommend some of my favorite shops but it is worth checking each one individually. At the end of the walkway is the restaurant Hierba Santa. It is small and specializes in southern Mexican cuisine. There are delicious recipes from Guerrero, Veracruz, Campeche, and Yucatán. My favorite is the cecina huarache. This is a plate made with quesillo, pureed bean, hierba santa—a culinary herb of the pepper family. The last, and main ingredient is delicious cecina—cured meat. I also recommend the roasted pumpkin bagel. It has avocado puree, goat cheese, roasted pumpkin, bacon, and fried egg. They also have an interesting cocktail bar. Hierba Santa can be found on Facebook at Hierba Santa-Cocina del Sur.
You should also visit Pánico Colectivo. This gallery-showroom showcases more than 10 local artists who work in different areas of art and design. You can find ceramics, engraving, jewelry, furniture design, textiles, and other types of art. This creative space seeks a fresh and different approach to the traditional art in San Miguel. Here you can purchase unique pieces from artists who are constantly experimenting and generating innovative ideas. Find them on Instagram as @panicoxcolectivo.
In front of Pánico, you find the studio of the Tamaulipas artist Estefanía Mongrell. Her art is from imagined, surreal worlds, and hallucinatorying, dreamlike landscapes. She also offers painting classes. To schedule with Mongrell, go to www.emongrell.com/classes.
The consignment shop Yellow Boutique is an ideal place to support the circular economy of clothing for both women and men. The Yellow Boutique offers an excellent collection of clothing, footwear, and accessories of all kinds. You can be part of the movement by visiting www.layellowboutique.com.
Spending time walking around the Hacienda La Aurora is an excellent activity for a weekend afternoon. If you are lucky, you might find some live music or some special event that frequently takes place. Take note and visit Hacienda La Aurora soon. It is located at Calzada de La Aurora 48. It is open seven days a week from 9am to 6pm. Some stores are closed on Tuesdays.
