Is this the beginning of the end for trendy Mexico City? Last week, Daily Candy sent out "Mexico Pretty," a look at rapidly gentrifying boho-chic colonia Condesa. It's a leafy, stylish Art Deco oasis sometimes described as Mexico's Soho. Not far behind, the New York Times Travel section went to chilangolandia for "36 Hours," focusing on the Condesa as well. (The paper also recently let its Food section do the D.F.) The L.A. Times did the Condesa story last summer, only from the Home & Garden angle. LA Weekly film editor Scott Foundas was in the big city recently, covering the D.F.'s international film festival. He stayed in the Condesa, too.
Which all makes for great press for Mexico but bodes ill for people who actually live in Condesa, and more so for those who've lived there for some time, when it was a bit run-down (post the great earthquake of '85), lots more affordable, and actually had an energetic arts scene. Those days are gone. Condesa now suffers from a bridge-and-tunnel phenomenon. Seeking escape, the "cool kids" are moving, Condesa-izing the Centro Historico and Roma, the Beaux Arts district next-door.
That's not to say that good things don't happen in the Condesa anymore. It's still relatively tucked away. There are still beautiful parks and markets, a couple corners still stubbornly ruled by hookers, and excellent food. The N.Y. Times piece mentions el Tizoncito, my favorite taco spot in the city. A plate of al pastor alambres and a couple Victorias at a sidewalk table on a hot rainy evening = the bomb. Right around the corner from Tizoncito is the Black Horse, the pub part-owned by my homeboy Umair. If you're ever there, check out the hyper-creative fashion mavericks at Clinica, which was recently featured in Nylon:
In a way, nothing says a neighborhood has arrived more than hearing people who love it complain about all the visitors. I mean, would I ever live there? Totally.
* Photo on top from 4loves.com, displaying the reasons why the Condesa will never lose its charm. Coffee, fruit, magazines, a table outside, the city breathing. Now that's la condechi.