I’ve got a short piece on my experience at the FIL up at Publishing Perspectives, a website that covers international publishing. Check it out!
Guadalajara
Mercado San Juan de Dios, and other cool places to visit in Guadalajara
I know I’m getting to my Guadalajara wrap-up kinda late, but better late than never, I guess. First off: If you’re ever in Guadalajara, you absolutely must visit the Mercado San Juan de Dios. It’s three stories (!) of food stalls, produce, meat, jewelry, leather, boots, pottery, kitchen items.
A few other spots I’d recommend if you’re ever in GDL:
1. Casa Vilasanta: A small, clean hotel with free high-speed Internet, gorgeous patios and a communal kitchen. It’s also really cheap. I paid the equivalent of $30 USD a night.
2. Casa Bariachi: A group of new friends and I were looking for a place to catch live mariachi music on Tuesday night, and our taxi driver referred us here. I’d feared it would be touristy, but it wasn’t — it was actually pretty awesome. A mariachi band played partially on stage, and then amongst the crowd. Everyone else there was Mexican, and they sang along when they knew the words. We each had a bandera or two of tequila and split a few desserts. (Highly recommend the coconut ice cream.) Prices aren’t super cheap, but they’re reasonable.
3. Loncherita: A cute, Mexican-kitsch place with mini tortas smothered in salsa (they’re called “loncheritas” here), and Guadalajaran microbrews. We ordered tostadas de marlin and pata, one loncherita a piece, and a burrito stuffed with panela. Everything was good — above average but not insanely fantastic. That’s fine with me. I’d go back again for the drinks and ambience.
4. Zapópan: A suburb about 8km north of Guadalajara with a quaint plaza (that’s it in the picture above), a cool little museum — where I caught the fantastic “Phantom Sightings” exhibit, showcasing Chicano artists — and narrow, colonial-type streets. I ate some tacos de carnaza at the market there, and wanted to explore more, but I didn’t have time. Next time.
More pictures below!
Mercado San Juan de Dios from the outside -- it sits next to a big plaza
Puya chiles are similar to guajillo chiles, but hotter
These arbol chiles were grown in nearby Yahualica. Interestingly, the other arbol chiles for sale came from China.
Among the many strands of Christmas lights for sale in the back market area
More Guadalajara pictures, if you’re not too tired of looking at them, after the link…
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Wrap-up of the FIL in Guadalajara
I’ve got a post over at The Dallas Morning News’ books blog with a few highlights of my time at the FIL. Missing it there already. Although, you know, it’s good to finally not feel exhausted.
I have a few more pictures to share of Guadalajara, but I’m too tired to do anything today, so I’ll get to it next week. You’ve got to see Mercado San Juan de Dios, which is three stories tall and has everything you’ve ever wanted, and things you never even knew you wanted. (Like paper lanterns printed with poinsettas!)
The bravery of an American woman
Another Guadalajara cabbie and I struck up a conversation yesterday, while I was on my way to the book fair from an art musuem in Zapopan.
He’d asked where I was from — “Espana?” he guessed — and we chit-chatted about the differences between Guadalajara and Mexico City. I mentioned that I’d moved to Mexico for my husband’s job, and the cabbie, who looked no older than 30, asked how my husband was enjoying Guadalajara.
“Oh, he’s not here,” I said. “I came by myself.”
He looked surprised.
“Why didn’t he come?”
“Because he had to work.”
“So you’re here completely by yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
(Me, wondering whether I should continue further, lest he pull off the road and rob me): “Yes, really.”
He eyed me through the rearview mirror.
“Orale!” he finally said. “You’re brave.”
“I’m an American woman,” I said. “We’re very independent.”
That made him laugh.
Tacos in Guadalajara, 11 p.m. last night
They were as good as they looked. Interestingly, the process was a lot more orderly than I’m used to. We ordered from one person, who gave us a ticket, which we then handed to the taquero.
Most people also drove up in cars or SUVs. Some even ate inside their vehicles, which I personally think is blasphemy. Everyone knows that street tacos should be eaten while standing up, or sitting on a plastic stool.
First impressions of Guadalajara — pretty women and cleanliness
In a cab on the way to the FIL yesterday, the cabbie asked where I was from. I said I lived in Mexico City, but I was originally from the United States.
“How’d you guess?” I asked him. “My accent?”
“No,” he said. “You’re too pretty. The women from Mexico City generally aren’t that pretty.”
Of course it was a line. I know plenty of beautiful women in Mexico City. But then I realized… wait, the women I’d seen on the street in Guadalajara really were attractive and stylish. In fact, if we were in Mexico City, I would have placed them as Condesa residents. But these Guadalajarans stretched across all barrios — from the Centro down to the Expo Center. This cabbie was right. Pretty, hip Jaliscienses seemed to be everywhere. Was it something in the water? Or the tortas ahogadas?
Guadalajara also seems very clean, probably because it’s so much smaller than Mexico City. I don’t see as much trash in the gutters or smell as many foul sewer-type smells. The guesthouse where I’m staying, Casa Vilasanta, is full of plants and spotless. Here’s the view from my window.
First day at the FIL: Ray Bradbury, L.A. surrealists and Mexico City Noir
*Ray Bradbury, right, sits with his biographer Sam Weller, via videoconference at the Feria Internacional del Libro in Guadalajara
Before I get into Ray Bradbury, I must tell you how freaking kick-ass this event is. Thousands of people, hungry for books and literature, spend hours buying books, and discussing writing and literature. And this year they’re talking about L.A., a city close to my heart. It’s truly heaven.
Yesterday, in between browsing books about Chicano culture in L.A. (a subject I’m so intrigued by, I’d love to have my own Chicano-L.A. library someday, possibly as an ethnic companion to the Man Room) — I caught Ray Bradbury via videoconference in one of the event’s salon rooms. Maybe 200 people were there, and about a third of the crowd looked like young students, maybe late high school or early-college age. The girl behind me squealed when Bradbury’s face appeared on the screen.
I haven’t read a lot of Bradbury’s work, but I do respect the man as a legend. He’s 89 now and slightly hard of hearing, but he conveyed warmth and personality. He joked with the crowd, telling us he wished he could tango with everyone after the panel ended. He somehow managed to sounded humble and matter-of-fact when he mentioned that he pounded out the first version of Fahrenheit 451 in nine days, on a rented typewriter inside a library. A classic — nine days!
When asked about the secret to his longevity, Bradbury said he surrounds himself with love. Anyone who doesn’t believe in you, he warned the crowd, should be dismissed from your life.
“Tell them, Ray Bradbury told me to fire you,” he said, jutting a plump finger at the screen. “Get outta my life.”
I loved him. He also drank wine and ate crackers during the Q&A portion with the audience.
There’s really so much to see and do here, it’s hard to pick just one event. It’s like trying to choose a band at the ACL festival. Yesterday, after Ray Bradbury, I checked out a panel on surrealist writers of L.A., most of whom said they hated the title “surrealist.” (They’re loosely defined as writers who reject the traditional forms of writing, either by including fantastical sequences, playing with fonts and graphic design, etc.)
After that I browsed some more books, and headed to a discussion of a new book called “Mexico City Noir,” a series of short stories about crime and violence in el D.F. Bought a copy and can’t wait to read it, especially because one story focuses on the most dangerous street corner in Mexico, as deemed by local police. (It’s in Doctores.)
Today I’m headed to a Q&A with Cheech Marin, a discussion with award-winning LA Weekly food critic Jonathan Gold, and possibly a panel entitled “Los Angeles in a Tequila Shot.” Should be fun. Will be back later with more!
Off to Guadalajara!
Yes, I’m a traveling fool. I’m off to Guadalajara today for the Feria Internacional de Libros. It’s among the largest book fairs in the world — last year more than 600,000 people attended its various readings, events and panel discussions, spread out over eight days.
Los Angeles is this year’s invited city, so a bunch of interesting Latino writers with L.A. ties are scheduled to be there.
I’ll be posting updates, so stay tuned!