| mondän et al |: December 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

IN REVIEW {2013}

As 2013 rapidly draws to a close, I'm grateful to be sitting in one of the coolest, most posh hotels in Mexico City, reflecting on how good this past year has been to me.

I learned so much about myself and I got to cross off five (!) items on my bucket list //

Since Puebla, we've been on a lot of really amazing adventures in Tlaxco and Zacatlan de las Manzanas. Apparently no tourists really ever venture to that area! It was so idyllic and rustic -- people still travel by horses there and we rarely had internet connection, hence the lack of updates in the last week. We met some real Mexican cowboys who led us through the most beautiful landscape on caballos (my first time ever riding one). I'll post details and pictures later.

We just got to the Condesa DF in Mexico City and it's gorgeous -- right on the corner of two streets overlooking the Parque España in the Condesa borough. We're in the corner suite so the view of the park is amazing. Condesa DF is a member of the same hotel group as La Purificadora in Puebla -- the reason we're staying with this group is because they're one of the Very few hotels around this area that allow pets.

I loved La Purificadora (and its food) but Condesa DF beats them out by the WIFI connectivity (it was really bad at LP) and the fact that the amenities are from (MALIN+GOETZ) (!!!) just amazing.

(MALIN+GOETZ) makes skincare easy, starting with sensitive skin. Natural based treatments incorporate gentle technologies for ultimate performance. Each product performs as the single best, multi-tasking and value added item. Two steps, a cleanser and moisturizer, create perfect pH balance for either face, body or hair. [history.] (MALIN+GOETZ) family-owned and operated apothecary in New York's Chelsea neighborhood launched March 2004.

I am completely obsessed. I love the vitamin b5 body moisturizer (my hands are So soft right now) and the peppermint soap. The peppermint shampoo, cilantro conditioner, and rum body wash are the best things that have ever happened to my morning. The combination completely awakens the senses and they All smell amazing. I'm already on the website prowling for more goodies - right now, my eyes are on the mojito candle and grapefruit face cleanser.

Friday, December 20, 2013

LA PURIFICADORA

We're in the most amazing hotel in Puebla, Mexico. It's called La Purificadora - it's a former 19th century water purifying center. It's beautiful and full of history on the outside, but the interior is so chic and modern. I suspect the room we're staying in is the honeymoon suite (there's an enormous private terrace with a jacuzzi), but I would Love a little studio apartment modeled exactly after it. The hotel is really reasonably priced for how luxe it is (though it may just be that this is the slower season here) and the food in the restaurant and room service is so so good. I haven't had a single thing I didn't enjoy -- and the coffee is really good! {Huge deal}

Puebla itself is gorgeous. The hotel is only a few blocks from the zócalo, the city center, and the "must visit" Capilla del Rosario, or the Rosary Chapel, which is covered in 24k gold. And the city takes Christmas really seriously: I've never seen so many Christmas lights. They're literally everywhere. There have been nonstop celebrations since we've gotten here - yesterday was some sort of children's day and today it appears is a police/military appreciation day. Our first night, I enjoyed a huge fireworks show while taking a dip in the jacuzzi and watching the movie 21 on Netflix. Hello living.

Here are some pictures of La Purificadora from the Design Hotels website:

The garden courtyard next to the hotel restaurant where we like to have breakfast & dunch.

The open air sitting area next to the lobby.

The checkin area. Across is the library, or biblioteca.

The room we're staying in -- the terrace wraps around the entire length of the room and overlooks the garden on one side and the chapels of churches on the other.

The rooftop pool that we will definitely check out before we leave.

Will post our itinerary when we know it & my own pictures when I have a chance. The weather, service, and more importantly, the sights are perfect here. We just added two more nights to our stay because we love it so much!

We may travel up to Guanajuato to meet up with one of my old friends from Seattle closer to Christmas… it's becoming more and more exciting to take things one day at a time.