“Memory is the one true agony carried in the body.” Doug Rice’s An Erotics of Seeing is witness to the purest of all enigmas, memory. I take slower steps, wander the streets of Mexico City, look closely at small things. Forgotten things. Remembering beauty. “Ghosts haunt the streets, the alleys. Words replace people. Names.” “Most times, a word never becomes more than a shape to … Continue reading A Visual Book Review: Part 2
Doug Rice’s An Erotics of Seeing is a gift of observation. A peek through a crack. A breeze. Makes it hard to keep your your eyes open. Makes tears fall. My response: a practice of seeing. A Saturday morning walk through the streets of México City. “The longer you live, the more you die.” What you see becomes you. Find questions in the image. Is the after more real than the before? … Continue reading A Visual Book Review: Part 1
I didn’t expect to make it to this café. Didn’t really have time to battle a busy midday Metro. Today was my last day in DF and I had to get to the airport by 4:00pm. And that was preceded by a full schedule including a visit to the National Museum of Anthropology, a stop at Palacio Postal to mail some cards, and a once-over … Continue reading Tour de Espresso: Chiquitito Café (Cuauhtémoc)
I had barely walked into Espressarte and I could tell it was different. No music, no fancy lighting or artwork, no distracting decor. Just a barista behind the bar weighing scoops of coffee to the nearest bean while three mesmerized customers studied her every move. They watched as one might watch a street artist etch a name onto a piece of rice, or a sculptor … Continue reading Espressarte (Roma Norte)
I must have arrived between morning rushes because two employees were scrambling to sweep, mop and bus tables covered in ceramic cups and shiny sppons. But that didn’t stop them from greeting me as I entered. Brooms in hand, both looked up and said hola. Okay, now we’re talking. I was impressed with their use of space. Sort of reminded me of a tiny house. … Continue reading Gradios Deli-Café (Roma Norte)
Yesterday I made an attempt to try Café Passmar’s highly recommended coffee, but contrary to information on their Facebook page, they were closed. Cerrado. I got a sense of the layout though—a compact bar and cozy seating area tucked into Mercado Lázaro Cárdenas in Del Valle. There was even a mysterious upstairs nook that could be accessed by a steep wooden staircase. Maybe they eventually … Continue reading Café Passmar (Del Valle)
I’ve decided that when I return to Mexico City I’ll find a place to stay in the Roma neighborhood. Probably somewhere near Cardinal. Yesterday during my visit, Shak, my barista, told me, “When you come back, this [café] is your home.” I believe he meant it. Cardinal is tucked into the heart of Roma, surrounded by charming architecture and a progressive, vibrant atmosphere. Something about … Continue reading Tour de Espresso: Cardinal, Casa de Café (Roma)
Café Comuna is one of the two coffee vendors at Mercado el Cien. Their placement at the end of one of the two rows likely attracts more action than Café Irecrís, but that’s just a lucky accident. I wanted Comuna to knock my socks off, and maybe my expectations raised the bar unrealistically. Café Comuna is a collective of sorts, or that’s what I gather … Continue reading Café Comuna (Roma Sur)
Café Irecrís wasn’t on Arturo Hernandez’s list. But had I not been wandering en route to one of his recommendations, I’d never have found this gem. Funny how things work out. Irecrís doesn’t have a proper storefront. Currently it is a vendor at the Sundays-only Mercado el Cien in Colonia Roma Sur. Mercado el Cien isn’t your typical market. It’s a high end and high … Continue reading Café Irecrís (Roma Sur)
This place is so small I almost missed it. It’s on a side street to a busy market and about the size of a one car garage. Within, however, is a professional espresso setup and happy people. Good start. A narrow bar with room for eight runs right down the middle of the space. The stools are welded artistically, and must have been comfortable since … Continue reading Café Avellaneda (Coyoacán)
Tom Griffen 
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