A few weeks ago, I packed my bags and jetted off to a place I’d never been. I was on a trip with eight other girls, some of whom I’d never met before. I ate things I’d never tried, learned about people I’d never heard of, and was welcomed into places I never thought I’d be invited. I came into the country with an inkling of what to expect, and left with entirely different opinions as I looked up real estate in the city. I’m talking about my trip to Mexico City with Wild Terrains.
Wild Terrains is a boutique travel company for creative women, supporting creative women. The trips are small, perfectly planned, and so much fun. Not only does a percentage of each trip’s cost go toward helping local non-profits supporting women, but all the activities and locations on the trip’s itinerary were chock-full of girl power.
Where we stayed
I can’t even begin to tell you about how beautiful Ignacia Guest House is. Nestled in the chic Roma neighborhood, Ignacia is comprised of five suites, a gorgeous courtyard, a kitchen, a living room, and a library. Each room has a color theme (I stayed in the yellow room), the most amazing all-marble bathroom, a queen-sized bed, and a TV. The host Magda is so knowledgeable, nice, and helpful, and the owner Gina has really made sure her guests are well taken care of. We woke up every morning to the most delicious coffee, freshly baked pastries, and delicious breakfasts of my life, all enjoyed in the super photogenic courtyard. The neighborhood itself is lovely. There are tons of AMAZING restaurants just around the corner, and the streets are safe and quiet. Honestly, if I could just move in and live there forever, I’d be ok with that.
What we did
The thing about Mexico City is that it is huge. You could go back ten times and never do the same thing twice. For this first trip (because yes, I will be back), we started our first full day with a food tour with the insider tour guide extraordinaire Rocío. Now this wasn’t a food tour for the weak. We ate A LOT, and it was all amazing. From crickets, to street tacos, to exotic fruits, to different kinds of mole, our guide Rocío knew all the best places. I had the best fish taco of my life in the corner of a huge market, and I know for a fact that I never would have tried it without Rocío’s expertise. Plus, it seems like she knows half the people in the city!
The next day, we went to one of the biggest flower markets I’ve ever seen. We asked our guide, local florist Lucy, what they do with all the leftover flowers that don’t sell at the end of the day, and she said they actually sell out. Looking around, I was astonished. There were SO many flowers there! We then went to a gorgeous studio at a personal house and learned from expert Lucy how to arrange the perfect bouquet with the day’s flowers from the market. We got to take our arrangements with us, and Ignacia kindly put them on our breakfast tables!
The last full day we visited Frida Kahlo’s house Casa Azul for a tour with Natalia, a Frida expert who also knows a ton about fashion, textiles, and traditional cultural dresses of Mexico. We learned about Frida’s fascinating life and art, and got to see where she and her on again, off again husband Diego Rivera lived. One of my favorite parts was a wall with photos of her “pasiones,” which Natalia called her Tinder wall (lol). I didn’t know much about Frida before this trip, but that chick was incredible.
After the Frida museum, we went to the private studio of Colorindio, an amazing duo of women who curate and distribute the magnificent work of female textile artisans of Mexico. From pillow cases, to tablecloths, to blankets, I dare you to walk into this studio and try not to fall in love. This was so special, and I’m so glad I got the chance to meet one of the founders and shop her stash!
Where we ate
I ate like a QUEEN on this trip. Night one was a private rooftop dinner with Norma Listman of Masala and Maiz. She and her husband Saqib served us dish after dish of amazing Mexico/India fusion food like red snapper grilled in banana leaves with tamarind adobo and a cardamom merengue with lemon curd and mango. We got to try some natural wines from Mexico, too, which were different than any I’ve ever tried!
After our amazing food tour on day two, we took a little break. The next night, however, we had a fun group dinner at Lardo in the Condesa neighborhood. After nibbling on bread, stuffed squash blossoms, and hummus, we pigged out on pizza, grilled cauliflower, and chorizo. We left full and happy, once again.
The last night was bittersweet; bitter because we knew we were leaving the next day, but sweet because we got to eat at Meroma. Chef Mercedes Bernal, her charming husband, and her incredibly talented bartender served up my personal favorite meal of the trip. We literally walked in and said “We’ll have one of everything for the table please,” because it all looked INCREDIBLE. It delivered. Some of my all-stars were the roasted chicken, the fazzoletti pasta with black truffle butter, and the pavlova with blueberries and basil ice cream. I mean O…M…G.
Needless to say, my oatmeal breakfast was a sad sight my first day back home.
To sum up
Go to Mexico City. I came back well-fed, cultured, and with a lot of interior decorating inspo. Even better, go to Mexico City with Wild Terrains. I promise you they’re not paying me a cent for this, but I truly had a wonderful time, and I think that it’s because of the people Wild Terrains introduced me to. Natalia, Rocio, Norma, Libia, Lucy, Magda, and all the other amazing women who helped show me the soul of Mexico City made this trip truly special. And especially Lauren, Wild Terrains founder extraordinaire. Her attention to detail, passion for supporting women, and joie de vivre made this trip go smoothly in a place many people have reservations about visiting. Seriously. Visit Mexico City.
P.S. Please feel free to ask me any questions about traveling to Mexico City or my experience with Wild Terrains! I was only there for four days, but I’m more than happy to talk in more detail 🙂
