Los Altos Te Quiero

Según yo, there's no other place on earth more beautiful than Los Altos in the middle of the rainy season. Although the turquoise agave fields outlined with rust-colored soil are marvelous to behold, it's the generous and hospitable people that really make it worth the trip.

Herdez Salsa Halucination

This is the most frightening piece of advertising I have ever seen from any county, or any known universe whether parallel or otherwise. I think the Herdez people have been eating too many jalapeños.

Mexico City: Shadows and Primary Colors

Happiness

Tonight I was supposed to go watch The Shining at The Ex Convento Del Carmen with a friend but she got stuck in traffic. I was too scared to watch Jack Nicholson wield an ax by myself, so I decided to roam the city. Instead of watching a creepy Stanley Kubric film, I got some great shots of shiny, happy Tapatíos.




This homeless man, who looks strikingly like Tracy Morgan's Woodrow the Bum character, was showing these kids how to fly an airplane on a string.

One crazy bag lady at a time.

Contrary to popular belief, there are hippies in Mexico.

They just get stared at and mocked by small children.
On Saturday Mexico's Environmental Ministry orchestrated the planting of 9 million trees across the country.Organizations like Greenpeace are saying it wasn't good enough. I'm saying, it's one giant freaking leap.
I wanted to celebrate the tree planting by going out and buying a canvas shopping bag because I go to the super at least three times a week and every time I end up with like 17 different plastic bags.I picked out a super lame gray bag with a picture of an earth with a Band-Aid on it. I'm trying to be as literal as possible, ok, and I'll tell you why. After I bought the bag the woman at the cash register told me that I couldn't leave the store without putting my new canvas bag in a plastic bag. I told her, I was buying the bag because I don't like plastic bags.
She had to staple the receipt to my new earth Band-Aid tote and personally escort me to the security guard who gave me permission to leave the store. It's an uphill battle here folks, and I haven't even taken it to the grocery store yet. I have a feeling that the little old ladies who get paid loose change to bag groceries are going to chase me down with a pitchfork.

Dancin' in the Street

Here's a group of Aztec warriors in their street clothes. Every year the Grupo Ritual Azteca de los Hermanos Placencia practices three nights a week for three months to prepare for the tribute to the Virgen de Guadalupe in Zapopan.

I promise I'll get better at video soon!

Salmonella Sandwich

You know me, always willing to put my life on the line in the name of journalism. After reading report after report about people freaking out about the salmonella tomatoes coming from Mexico I decided to be like "12 on Your Side" and take action. Alegría Tapatía went to the streets to see what it's actually like to eat a sandwich filled with killer Mexican tomatoes.


The sandwich in question, served with a side of tasty lime and pepper potato chips.


Contemplating Mortality


Not bad, although I could have done with less of the jalapeño flavored carrots.BTW this shirt is the mandatory fashion for Mexico. ALL HAND-EMBROIDERED ALL THE TIME!


Here I am two hours later, still alive and back at work serving the public good.


It's not that I don't believe that the evil tomatoes are coming from down here - lord knows I've been to many a tianguis where the vendor stacked produce and car batteries like one giant lasagna. However, it seems to be getting to the point where we had an "Africanized killer bees"situation. It's like, "oh no, don't let in the Mexican tomatoes they'll steal your lawn mower and date your daughter." The FDA still can't even figure out where the outbreak is coming from.
“It’s important to control expectations, and it’s possible that this investigation will not ultimately provide a smoking gun,” David Acheson, the FDA’s associate commissioner for foods, said at a recent news conference, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. “That’s not that unusual with tomato outbreaks.”
At least now they can count out my loncheria, GDL Frutylact.