The Mija Chronicles

Mexican food and culture, on both sides of the border

On leaving Mexico City

by

I have some pretty big news to share: after four years in Mexico City, we’re moving to New York City.

Crayton got a promotion, which is the reason for the move. We’ll be there in mid-January. I’m not getting all nostalgic about eating my last taco and visiting my last market — which would be too painful — because I already know I’m coming back often. I am going to be the gal who splits her time between DF and NY, or at least that’s the plan. I already bought a ticket to come back in March.

My plan is to continue Eat Mexico, continue this blog, and keep writing. And just remain open to whatever opportunities the universe decides to pass my way.

I read a line in a powerful story by Alfredo Corchado several weeks ago:

Do I belong to the United States, this powerful country built on principles of rule of law, yet still faced with contradictions—the insatiable appetite for guns, cash and drugs, or do I belong to Mexico, the country of my roots, where my umbilical cord is buried, where we use nationalism and patriotism to more often than not mask our corruption, our poverty and inequality?

I wasn’t born in Mexico like Corchado, but I do feel like my umbilical cord is buried here — in Mexico City, underneath the mountains and the smog, the pesero buses that nearly run me over, and the street stands with homemade tortillas inflating on the comal. I can’t leave this place.

And in my heart I won’t, but I will be open to the awesomeness of New York. I will buy a winter coat and clothes I can layer, things I haven’t bought since college. We will order things online again. We will hear hip-hop and R&B at bars, and we’ll stuff ourselves with Thai, Indian and Vietnamese food. Maybe we’ll jet off on the weekend to some cute upstate New York B&B. (Or maybe we won’t, because those things are expensive.) We will most definitely be hanging with our family there, and our friends.

Who knows if we won’t permanently be back in DF someday in the future? It might be when I have gray hair and grandkids. But this city will still feel like home to me.

Thank you for joining me on this journey for the past four years. I hope you’ll be there with me for the next chapter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lesley, I’ve so enjoyed your postings, and I do hope you continue your blog. Your personality really shines through in your writings and I look forward to more! Best of luck in your move.

  2. I’ve been following your blog for the last couple of years and enjoyed it so much. Thanks, Leslie. It’s sad to see you leave the lovely DF. That means you will not be reporting on DF and the live in Mexico. The Big Apple is even more vibrant than DF. But in my view, it is faster, less personable, more expensive, less culture and history than DF. Best of luck to you and Crayton.

    • Hi Joe: Both cities have their ups and downs. I do anticipate still writing about Mexico, especially on my return trips. And who knows what hidden corners of New York have yet to be discovered? Thanks for your kind words about the blog and I hope you keep reading.

  4. Lesley – Felt the same way on leaving DF and returning to NY. Will miss your regular postings – have enjoyed them!

    • Hi Lucinda: I plan to keep posting, most likely still about Mexican food (and whatever else inspires me in New York) — hope you’ll continue to enjoy them. 🙂

  5. I’ve enjoyed all your posts and I’m sure I’ll like to learn now about NYC. The next lines are intended in Spanish.

    Ha sido un placer y un gusto poder leerte hasta ahora. Es muy interesante saber como nos ve una persona que viene de fuera y reafirmar aquello que siempre decimos con seguridad, ¡Qué bonito es México!, ¡Viva México!. Muchas Gracias, por compartirnos tus experiencias, y ojalá vuelvas pronto. Recibe un fuerte abrazo y mis mejores deseos.

    • Muchísimas gracias, Alfredo. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the blog. Mexico will *always* be a part of my heart and I hope to have many more years writing about qué tan bonito es México. Saludos y un abrazo!

  6. Congratulations to Crayton on the promotion! Luckily, New York is chocked full of good stuff, not the least of which is food. I can’t wait to read all about your new adventures.

    Also, practically speaking as someone who just moved to a colder city (holler if you’re in SF!) and needed to buy a more robust winter coat, I can tell you that REI is having a great sale right now!

    • Thanks for the tip Katie! Wishing you all the best in your new city as well. Te mando un abrazo.

  7. Congratulations, but I’m sure that we will miss you here as much as you’ll miss el D.F.

    My heart belongs to Michoacán and to México, although I was born in Brooklyn, NYC, over 70 years ago.

    Saludos,
    Don Cuevas

    • Thanks Don Cuevas. Hoping to make it back to Michoacán on one of my return trips…. we’ll see. Appreciate all your comments over the past four years. Saludos y feliz año.

  8. Lesley…haven’t commented much but have enjoyed your blog for a long time. Just went to San Francisco and it tugged at my heartstrings but I think I belong in Mexico. At least for a while longer. But you will love being in New York too. There are so many great places around the world and enough to write about to keep you busy forever. Felicidades

    • Thanks David. Appreciate your optimism! I think we’ll love New York, too. It’s all about what you make of things.

  9. Leslie, what a great adventure. How exciting that you can do all you are doing. Mexico City, New York City, next London? You never know what’s around the next corner. I’ve enjoyed reading of your adventures in Mexico City. Although my husband and I retired to Mazatlan from Seattle, we’ve not been to DF yet and you’ve given us a birds eye view and hope we can see it in person one day. Safe travels!

    • Thank you Janice! Who knows what the future holds. 🙂 I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the blog, and I hope you continue reading. If you do end up making it to Mexico City, let me know, I can put you in touch with some of my foodie friends.

  10. Congratulations to Crayton, Hope you will love NY.
    As relatively newcomers to real Mexican food we really enjoyed your blog.
    Hopefully you will still keep inspired to keep educating us about the flavours of Mexico.
    Best Regards

    • Thank you Mark! I do indeed plan to keep writing about Mexican food, although I’ll be using ingredients I can find in New York. I’d also love to write more about the vendors and small taco stands there, and the chefs at the top Mexican restaurants. We’ll see the kinds of stories I can hunt down, but I can assure you that Mexican food will continue to be a part of it.

  11. Yes yes yes yes yes!

    Leaving the best city in the world for the second best really can’t be so bad, surely. As a temporary resident of the second best city in the world, allow me to welcome you. You may find our tortillas disappointingly unaromatic, but you’d be amazed how many things we can cram into a burrito.

    And let me know if there’s anything you need as you make the move. Can’t claim expertise here by any stretch, but would be very happy to do what I can.

    • Glad you’re excited! I guess this means we gotta go for a burrito once I get into town? I’ve had some Cali burritos (which I love), and I’m not sure NY can compare. You’ll have to educate me. Re: unaromatic tortillas, that’s what my Nixtamatic is for. I’m making my OWN tortillas from scratch, baby. You will have to put in your weekly order.

  12. Oh, I am happy for you but really sad for all of the rest of us. When you get to NYC, please go to La Sirena, owned and run by Dina Leor , at 27 E. 3rd St., btwn. 2nd Ave and Bowery. She has a wonderful MX artisan store and buys directly from MX artisans in MX. She is a wonderful lady, and in warmer months she runs awesome MX food tours of Jackson Heights, the heavily Hispanic area in Queens, much like your food tours in MX. She will turn you on to where to get the best homemade mole pastes in Jackson Heights, the best MX music store, the best panaderia, best paletas, best grocery stores w/all things mexican, on and on. Do not miss out on her, you will love her and find her a fantastic resource as much as I do.
    http://lasirenanyc.com/store.html

    Who is going to be running your tours in PUebla and DF and Oaxaca now that you are leaving?

    Hasta la vista, Lesley.

    • Thank you Lesley for your informative,and colourful words and photos. I will miss my regular Mexican Fix via your blog. Having lived in Mexico City many years ago I am now that grandmother with the grey(ish)hair living back in Australia, still surrounded by memories, Mexican colour and objects and often cooking Mexican food. We go back whenever possible but it’s a long way from Australia. Last August we took our grandchildren aged 12 and 9 for their first visit with our daughter (who was four when we left) to Mexico City, San Miguel Allende and a resort in Yucatan near Tulum. We all loved it.
      Have a great new life in New York and I’m pleased
      that you will be returning to Mexico on a regular basis.

      • Thank you Carolyn! I promise to keep posting about Mexico as much as my travels allow me. Saludos!

    • Thanks for the tip, Eileen. I wasn’t aware there was someone doing Mexican food tours in New York — I will definitely look her up.

      The Eat Mexico tours will continue in Mexico City with my staff of three guides. Rebecca Smith Hurd, my fabulous guide (and friend) in Puebla, will continue to do the tours there. And my manager, Rebekah Treviño, will be handling the company’s day-to-day operations. The Oaxaca tour I’ve put on hold for a bit. I also plan to come back once a quarter at least just to check in. We’ll see how it goes!

  13. Hi, Lesley,

    Sorry to see you go but, hey, NYC! That ain’t all bad. Luckily, in the last few years, the food scene there, that used to be just about solely Manhattan, has expanded into several of the other boroughs. Unfortunately, much of it in Brooklyn was in the area immediately adjacent to the East River and hence was devastated by recent Hurricane Sandy. But, I suspect that much of it will be rebuilt, although doing so in the same high-water prone area is problematical at best. I grew up in the “Canadian part of NY state”, along the St. Lawrence River in the 1000 Islands. Which, by the way, is a great place to visit in June, July or August. Even September can be nice. And Montreal, one of North America’s great cities, is just a few hours away. So, you’ll have great access to two of North America’s multilingual cities, NYC and Montreal. There are many areas in NYC that will seem more Latino than many areas in D.F., and you’ll see less Spanglish on the signs, although the Puerto Rican and other accents will likely take some getting used to.

    Have fun!

    Buene suerte y nos vemos,

    Doug Schryver

    • Thanks Doug. Yes, I’ve read a lot about Brooklyn being “the new Manhattan” as far as the restaurant scene goes. My sister-in-law lives there so I’m sure we’ll get a chance to try some great restaurants. And thanks for the tip on the 1000 Islands and Montreal. I’m sure we’ll be looking for weekend escapes out of the city, especially when the weather gets better. Saludos y un abrazo!

  14. Dear Leslie,
    Thank you for having been such a generous blogger with all your readers. I so much enjoyed reading you. Please continue to write when you move to NY,perhaps you can do little pieces of the many mexican chefs that run uber chic french restaurants (Les Halles, on 5 John Street) or do a chronicle of the BEST mexican restaurants in NY so when we happen to be there, we know were to go go. I live in Santa Barbara, and I am proud to say that there are enough mexican super markets to find everything you need to make a mexican feast, even a BIMBO truck full of Marinela and Bimbo pan, but I have yet to see a really really REALLY good mexican restaurant.

    All the best to you and your move.

    • Hi Isa: Thank you for your kind words, and I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed reading my blog. I’d love to write about Mexican restaurants in New York — we’ll see what I end up finding. I will keep you updated!

  15. Bittersweet indeed! Please share my congratulations with Crayton! It is no surprise that they have recognized his genius! I am sure that you will hit the ground running and will make your mark in NY just like you have in DF. No matter where you are, I look forward to reading your blog.

    • Peggy, I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed your comments over the past few years. Your support means a lot to me! Next time Crayton and I are in Huntsville, I’d love to get together.

    • Dude, I would LOVE to visit your cabin! We’ll see if we make it before the little one comes.

  18. I wish you the best of luck. Your posts have made me feel a connection with the Big Taco and other well-loved parts of Mexico in a very special way. After living there for 30 years, I miss it…so maybe my cord is buried there too. ¡Suerte!

  19. Bittersweet, I imagine! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts, and have turned many friends onto them, including the one who wrote the metafilter post which referenced your post 🙂

    • Ahh, so that’s where the elusive Metafilter link came from. I was wondering. THANK YOU for passing that on… it was a big day for me to be referenced on Metafilter. 🙂 I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the blog!

    • Thank you Adriana. I’d love to take one of your tours in Malinalco when I’m back in town in March. Saludos!

  21. WOW! I only read this today. Such is the expat life. But I wish you goodluck. I pray that you still stumble upon loads of Mexican food in NYC.

    I’ve never been there, but I think, from the blogs I’ve read and TV shows I’ve watched, there is something for everyone there 🙂

    Still looking forward to your writing.

    Goodluck!

  22. Lesley, I never comment here, but have enjoyed your blog for a long time. Maybe I felt like I could live vicariously in DF for a little bit every day. I will miss that! But maybe it will be one more impetus to get out of my armchair and spend some serious time in Mexico! You will really be missed. Best wishes to you!

    • Hi Anne: Thanks for coming out of the shadows. 🙂 This blog is not over, and I do plan to keep writing about what interests me — in New York I’m sure that will be finding Mexican food abroad, and the ups and downs of living in a new city all over again. I appreciate your comment and the well wishes!

  23. **sigh** does it feel like you’ve been woken up from the most fantastic dream? looking forward to seeing what’s in store for you in NYC.

    • Norma: Awesome! I will get in touch once things settled down. Would love to get together. Saludos!

  25. I just came upon your blog today as I looked for Chaya recipes which I just learned about and just read you’ll move to NY. So exciting! Brooklyn is “home” for me. You’ll see, it’s its own culinary universe – very creative DIY locavore culture. And people in the food community care about the source of their food. Roberta’s in Brooklyn (Bushwick) has backyard chickens where they pick their own eggs, a small farm where they grow their own food and have a food-related radio station called Heritage Radio. Rooftop farms abound. Very inspiring. There is tortilleria in Brooklyn that makes tacos, etc. and also a burrito spot in Brooklyn that is quite good but the name escapes me (if I remember, I’ll return to post again :)) Regional Mexican in NY seems to be a lot closer to Puebla and some, Oaxacan. The majority of Mexicans I’ve met in NY hail from Puebla. Jackson Heights, Queens is also another Central and South American neighborhood where Mexican grocery stores abound. You have to search a bit but authentic Mexican food can be found in NY. The exploration for me was part of the fun. So glad to have discovered the blog, best of luck and looking forward to following your new adventures.. 🙂

    • Hi Gia: Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I may have to get in touch with you for some Mexican food explorations if you don’t mind? Would love to know more about the tortillería in Brooklyn and the burrito spot. Thanks again and I’m glad you found me!

      • Hi Leslie!
        I’d love it if you got in touch with me. I’m away from Brooklyn until late March when I return. But sure, please get in touch anyways for anything even before then! Don’t hesitate to drop me an email at the gmail address I registered with. When I get a moment I will find the name of the tortilleria and post it. Best with the move!

    • Thanks so much Robyn. I hope we can meet, too — let me know the next time you’re here and you have some free time.

  28. I’ve been out of the loop, but congrats on the move. Mexico is patient, and will gracefully wait for your return and also, EVERYWHERE, esp. when you’re in a place like NYC. Mexico loves you, and thanks you for your beautiful writing and joyful experiences about and with her.

    No es un adios, si no un hasta la proxima, mijis!

    TE QUEREMOS LESLIE, TE QUEREMOS!

    • Esperanza: Muchísimas gracias, con toda mi corazón. (Y gracias por siempre hacerme sonreír con tus comentarios.) If you are ever in New York we will go food-tasting in Queens! Or perhaps we will coincidir in SLP someday?

      • Todo en este mundo se puede! I would love a food tasting in NYC! And to take you to all my favorite places here in SLP? An honour!

        I’m going to start saving my pesos! 😀

  29. I read your blog and it sounds like you are very rooted in Mexico. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about the culture in Mexico, like daily routines and such.