The Week That Was: Mexico-Inspired Recommendations and Learnings
Plus how we spent Thanksgiving (hint: sweat lodge)
The Week That Was is a Sunday letter crafted for those who seek to live with intention and curiosity. In each edition, I share a curated collection of recommendations, a topic or idea to learn about, moments and musings from my week, and a question for you to take a moment of reverie.
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Hello! How are you? I hope you navigated the whirlwind of Black Friday in a way that felt aligned with your values and are continuing to focus on what truly matters as we move into the final month of the year.
I just returned from a week-long trip to Mexico City with my sister, and my heart is brimming with gratitude for the time and memories we shared. What an incredible city that I want to return to again and again. Our time there inspires today’s newsletter, which is brimming with Mexico-themed recommendations and notes about people, places, and things that I learnt about. Read on for:
Book, film, and music recommendations
A perfume brand that is unlike anything you have ever experienced
A volcano that emerged unexpectedly (!!!) from a cornfield in Michoacán
Mexican women writers, a furniture and interior designer who redefined everyday objects, and the country’s first woman president
Photos from Mexico City, including how we spent Thanksgiving
In the coming weeks, I’ll share detailed travel journals from Mexico City—everything we saw, tasted, and explored. As well as what I wore for the week and a shopping guide to the city. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!
curated finds that inspire, delight, and enrich
An Anthropologist to Know: Dive into the luminous world of Zelia Nuttall, a pioneering force in Mesoamerican archaeology, through In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl: Zelia Nuttall and the Search for Mexico’s Ancient Civilizations by Merilee Grindle. Nuttall’s indomitable spirit and groundbreaking discoveries illuminate the profound legacies of the Aztec and Maya civilizations. A woman ahead of her time, she navigated the male-dominated corridors of 19th-century academia with elegance and intellectual rigor. This book isn’t just a biography—it’s an invitation to rediscover the origins of anthropology and the enduring allure of Mexico’s ancient history. Utterly fascinating.
Mexican Film: Nora’s Will (2008) is a film that lingers in your heart long after the credits roll. Directed by Mariana Chenillo, the first woman to win Mexico’s coveted Ariel Award for Best Picture, it is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the unexpected ways life ties us together. Set against the rich backdrop of a Jewish community in Mexico City, the film follows José, a man who is unexpectedly tasked with carrying out his late ex-wife Nora’s final wishes—arranging her funeral and managing her belongings. Blending bittersweet humor with profound reflections on grief, it’s an enjoyable cinematic experience.
All Women Mariachi: Grammy-winning Flor de Toloache, a band named after the toloache flower, is reimagining mariachi. Their album Motherflower (2022) is an ode to the resilience and beauty of the Mexican music, infusing it with bold, contemporary energy. Each track feels like a love letter to the genre, a vivid celebration of its cultural roots and endless possibilities. Listen to them with a zero-alcohol mezcal cocktail in hand, and let yourself be swept away.
Perfumes As Experience: Xinu isn’t just a perfume house—it’s an art form. Nestled in Mexico City, their fragrances offer an olfactory exploration of Latin America’s botanical richness. Each of their six scents is meticulously crafted and thoughtfully composed to highlight the region’s natural beauty and celebrate the richness of their heritage. Visiting their boutique feels like stepping into an avant-garde gallery. My personal favorite? Copāla Xinū, a mesmerizing scent inspired by traditional mystical ceremonies. It’s a perfume that whispers stories of ancient rituals.
Tortillas For Every Meal: Transform your homemade Mexican dishes with Masienda’s heirloom corn masa harina. Produced in small batches directly from Mexico, they are available in white, yellow, blue, and red and will elevate even the simplest tortilla. Paired with a tortilla press (we have this one, and it is stunning) and a comal, you’ll have everything you need to make your own. For those eager to deepen their masa mastery, their founder’s cookbook is an essential companion, rich with history, recipes, and cultural insights.
While we were there, we repeatedly listened to this great playlist of ~ Mexico City Vibes ~, which provided the perfect background music for the city's rhythm.
where curiosity meets the art of discovery
Travel always leaves me brimming with curiosity, eager to delve deeper into the places, people, and stories that shaped the landscapes I’ve explored. Throughout the week, I was making notes of people, places, and things that I need to learn more about. Here are some of those things:
Luis Barragán and His Visionary Projects: The Mexican architect and engineer whose Casa Luis Barragán—a sublime interplay of color, light, and form—left me utterly spellbound. His work feels less like architecture and more like poetry.
Clara Porset: A Cuban-born furniture and interior designer (lived and worked mainly in Mexico), who redefined everyday objects as works of art. Her ethos, captured in her 1952 reflection, "There is design in everything… in a cloud, in a wall, in a chair, in the sea, in the sand, in a pot," is as timeless as her creations.
Popol Vuh: The Mayan creation myth I’ve been yearning to understand since my visit to Guatemala earlier this year. I stumbled upon an illustrated retelling while in Mexico—an ideal introduction to this sacred and storied text.
Mexican Women Writers: This excellent list has introduced me to nine more contemporary authors whose works promise to immerse me in Mexico’s literary landscape.
Colectivo Cine Mujer (1975–1986): A fearless collective of women filmmakers who used cinema as a revolutionary tool for women’s liberation across Latin America. Their work feels as vital now as it was then.
Tótem (2023): Directed by Lila Avilés, this award-winning film has captivated audiences and won this year’s Ariel Award for Best Picture. Available to stream on Kanopy (with a library card), I’m pairing this with a Criterion interview with Avilés, which includes her personal film recommendations.
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo: Mexico’s first woman president, whose policies and leadership mark a transformative moment in the nation’s history.
Paricutín Volcano: In 1943, this fiery marvel emerged unexpectedly (!!!) from a cornfield in Michoacán—an extraordinary reminder of Earth’s untamed power.
Axolotls: These enchanting amphibians, native to Lake Xochimilco, are symbols of Aztec mythology and scientific wonders. Known for their remarkable regenerative abilities and ever-present “smile,” they are endearing and extraordinary.
FURTHER READING
This article was a revelation - I’ve always gravitated toward the classic red heart emoji, blissfully unaware of any potential political connotations. My sister insists the hand-heart emoji is the superior choice. Inspired by her, I’m making the switch to that and my second favorite: the two pink hearts.
a glimpse into the little joys and moments of my week
I will be sharing full travel journals from Mexico City over the next couple of weeks. Make sure you are subscribed to receive them in your inbox!
Here are a few photos as a taster of this past week.
a pause to reflect, a moment to savor
What moment this week made you feel truly present?
This week, the moment I felt truly present was during our sweat lodge experience. Initially, my mind was swirling with worry and uncertainty about what we were doing. Plus, my brain was shouting that it was too uncomfortable to remain inside there. But, as the ceremony unfolded, I allowed myself to let go—relaxing both my body and mind. I focused on the rhythm of my breath and the calming voice of the shaman, and in that moment, everything else faded away. It was pure presence.
With warmth and gratitude,
Jennifer
xxx