MAZ MISCELLANY How I Spent My Summer Winter Holidays From time-to-time people call to ask how we’re doing (perhaps curious as to whether we’ve succumbed to Covid) so here’s a Mazatlán update. We are fine (and hope you are too). We’ve been taking precautions but aren’t hermits. We recently went to a bar in Centro, about a… Read More
More or Less? You know what artistic and designer types are like. They hang around art openings, dress in black, and make pronouncements like, “Less is more”. Well between us, I can tell you they have it all wrong. Firstly, little do they know the phrase comes from a Browning poem about the 16th century painter, Andrea del… Read More
The Green Flash: Part II Last month’s blog covered the Flash and now I want to talk about preparation. When preparing for the Flash you don’t need the hallucinogenic drugs used by the Beat Poets in the 1950s as they sat on Olas Altas beach in Centro. We have a Made in Mexico solution for you. You’re at the beach,… Read More
The Green Flash 5 Essential Tips (Part I) by Ken Martens as published in Mazatlán’s Pacific Pearl, March 2018 Have you seen the Green Flash? Nope–not one of those old comic book characters like the Flash or the Green Lantern. And I’m not talking about some perv in a green raincoat or anything like that. I’m talking about… Read More
Valentine’s Ingredients As published in Mazatlán’s Pacific Pearl: February 2018 V25, #6 Valentine’s is right around the corner so time is short. Most of you will end up going through the motions, just buying a card with a heart on it but that’s too simplistic. Let’s face it, it’s been done before–probably even by you. Now’s the… Read More
Happy Returns As published in Mazatlán’s Pacific Pearl: January 2018 Vol 25 #5 When I wake up in the morning I expect to find things (my watch or glasses for example) exactly where I left them the night before. And, I am told, if someone has moved your dentures during the night, it can be disconcerting. The… Read More
A Ladies’ Man If there’s a garment district in Mazatlán it’s in Centro Historico with the epicenter for ladies lingerie at the intersection of Azueta and Melchor Ocampo. Garage 33 is a surfer/skate board place. Fashion conscious dudes shop here. But look harder. Keeping with the theme at his neighbours, this young man’s shop also… Read More
Ash Wednesday After the excesses of Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) this Wednesday was the start of Lent – Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, adherents go to Mass where a priest paints a cross on their foreheads using ashes. I know it’s the thought that counts but some of the priests could benefit from an art class.… Read More
Winter & The Tropic of Cancer When I say “Tropic of Cancer” I’m talking about one of those imaginary lines that runs around the earth in the same way the Equator runs around the earth; not to be confused with a book of the same name by Henry Miller, notorious for its sexuality. Anyway, as the crow flies, The Tropic of… Read More
Heads Up Insights from the Mexican culture – How to compete in an overcrowded market – Specialization. In Mexico, tacos are soft tortillas made from maize (that’s corn – sort of) with a filling and then you finish it off with chopped tomato/raw onion/grilled onion/pickled onion/cilantro/radish/cucumber/peppers/guacamole/hot sauce/really really hot sauce/fresh squeezed lime – whatever strikes your fancy If… Read More