By Donna Lynes Miller Rosey’s Wish,   El Deseo de Rosey  is an NGO currently operating in San Miguel de Allende with the mission to end animal suffering through their free mobile sterilization clinics. Their story is below. Have you ever thought about the relationship between humans and animals? Did we shape them or did they shape us? The answer is most likely both; a symbiotic relationship that began at least 15,000 years ago. Whether you consider yourself a “dog person” or

By Judith Jenya Some people arrive in San Miguel de Allende and leave their mark quietly, over decades, through relationships, creativity, and an open door. Patsy Dubois  is one of those people. Having lived in San Miguel for more than 50 years, she has witnessed — and participated in — the city’s transformation from a small colonial town into the international cultural center it is today. Artist, cook, storyteller, and host, Patsy is one of San Miguel’s most interesting and

By Catherine Marenghi Last month, this column explored the economic and cultural benefits that the  San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival  brings to San Miguel. This month we spotlight four young Mexican writers who got a career boost from the Conference’s Scholarship Program. Each year the Conference invites local educational institutions to nominate talented young people with an interest in writing. These students receive a full scholarship to participate in

By Isabel Castrejón Pascacio In a world saturated with mass-produced fashion, the experience of buying a garment from a local designer is a breath of fresh air. It’s not just about what you wear, it’s about how you came to own it. When clients interact with the person behind the piece, explore customization options, and learn about the story stitched into the fabric, something magical happens: the clothing becomes more than an item, it becomes part of a personal story and sty

By Carolina de la Cajiga “So far, the best I’ve heard in 2026 is: ‘Nos encanta tocar las flautas dulces!’” (We love playing recorders!). This is what two of my fourth-grade students yelled when they saw me coming on a recent cold morning.” Since 2019, Barbara Lee Ungar , Barbarita , has been a volunteer music teacher at Pedro Moreno Primary School, in Salitrillo, a poor, rural community on the outskirts of San Miguel. “I teach a recorder class and a general music class using

By Jonathan Lockwood Six years ago I received an email from a mezcal maniac friend here in San Miguel de Allende. I had to go check out BEKEB . A young Mexican woman was in charge and had some impressive experience as a mezcal-savvy bartender in New York City. Cecilia and I went there 3 or 4 times, but Fabiola Padilla  wasn’t there. Maybe two years ago another mezcal maniac friend, in town for a while, wanted us to meet him at BEKEB . As a knowledgeable mixologist, he was blo

By Felecia Ford Mexican vocalist Alain Arroyo grew up listening to the voices of Pedro Vargas and Jorge Negrete, alongside artists like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Ray Charles. His voice was also shaped by country, soul, blues, pop, and even hip-hop. We are fortunate to hear his voice resonating through the streets of San Miguel de Allende on any given night. FF: When I first heard your voice, I thought to myself, who is this guy, and why is he not famous? What first in

By Linda Lin San Miguel de Allende is known around the world for its charm—cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, vibrant art scene. But beyond the beauty of its plazas and buildings lies another treasure: its food. Markets here overflow with colors and aromas that remind us of something essential—that food is, and always has been, medicine. Travelers and locals alike are greeted with a cornucopia of fresh produce that carries both flavor and healing power. Long before t

By Susan Knight York There is no chef that’s left more of an impact on the culinary profile of San Miguel de Allende than Chef Donnie Masterton  of The Restaurant . He has influenced so many people, including young people zwho are working in culinary careers in San Miguel. The level of respect for him runs deep. In the 14 years I’ve been writing about  the culinary scene in San Miguel, I’ve learned one thing: it’s hard to miss how many aspiring young cooks have passed through

By Lisa Muhn As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly woven into daily life, urgent questions arise about its impact on society, security, and human values. Will these powerful technologies deepen conflict—or can they be guided toward cooperation and peace? That question will be at the center of an upcoming public talk presented by i 3 : ideas that inform & inspire . A Conversation with Big Thinkers. On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 5:00 pm , i 3  welcomes Branka Pani

By Amy G. Rothlin February is, without question, tamal month; they are the rockstars of the season. Thanks to the beloved Rosca de Reyes ritual, we all know the rule: if you find the baby Jesús in your slice, you’re on tamal  duty come February 2 nd , Día de la Candelaria . But let’s be honest, tamales  don’t belong to just one date on the calendar. They are a year-round comfort, deeply woven into Mexican daily life, shared rituals, and everyday routines. But first, a bit of

By Sanderella Roy San Miguel de Allende is known for its dazzling energy—music drifting from cantinas, galleries tucked into cobblestone streets, and restaurants that seem to multiply every week. But for those of us who live just beyond the centro, a whole different rhythm has revealed itself. In the countryside outside the city limits, a quieter San Miguel waits to be discovered. Near La Luciérnaga, Restaurante Don Valente  offers a surprise: live music on weekends in a gorg

By Natalie Taylor A great city deserves a great museum. San Miguel de Allende, with all its history, culture, and art lacks museums to showcase them. Certainly, the Allende house museum—home of the eponymous hero—informs about his life and times. Within it, Sala Izquinapan has a fantastic (though by no means complete) collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts from the area. There are a few small, specialized museums, but not a comprehensive repository of the history and art of San

By Natalie Taylor Nadine Goodman  came to San Miguel from New York in the 1970s. A friend owned a house here and suggested she visit so that she could study Spanish. It was not intended to be a permanent move, but in 1981, Nadine  met her future husband, Alejandro González Rullán , and settled here. Alejandro was an actuary who had studied at UNAM. But he was also an activist, and his concern with social justice was in sync with Nadine’s beliefs. In the US, Nadine was always

By Dennis Taylor If you happen to walk along the banks of the Presa in El Charco when it’s full of water, or the shores of Presa Allende where the water is shallow, you will almost surely see one, if not all three, different types of wading birds. The White-faced Ibis , American Avocet , and Black-necked Stilt  all share the same habitat and have long skinny legs (good for wading). But that’s the extent of their similarities.  Aside from their divergent plumages, you will not

By Frank "Sugar" Hudson San Miguel de Allende is surrounded by a large wine growing area in the State of Guanajuato. I have visited several wineries outside of town on the roads to Querétaro and Comonfort.  Currently there are many wineries in the area with more being developed every day. My friends and I decided to visit Vinedo San Miguel , which is on the road to Comonfort about five miles south of town. Viñedo San Miguel is the largest winery in the state of Guanajuato.  T

By Jessie LaFalce Hygge  is more than a style of decorating; it’s a way of living. It’s about creating spaces that nurture the soul — spaces that invite us to slow down, savor a cup of coffee, and appreciate the small, quiet joys that make life feel full. Originating in Denmark, Hygge centers around the pursuit of contentment through simplicity and warmth. Candles, natural materials, layered textures, and soft lighting all play their part — but at its core, Hygge is about how

By Meryl Truett The past few weeks in San Miguel de Allende have been a happy little whirl of art openings— those golden-hour evenings when the streets feel extra cinematic, the galleries glow like lanterns, and you can’t walk two blocks without running into a familiar face (or a new one holding a plastic cup of vino blanco with a happy story about how they arrived to our unique pueblecito ). I’ve been popping into several shows around town—drifting from courtyard to white wa

By Colleen Sorenson ASfii RUbnck  is a San Miguel artist who truly loves his job at CASA A.C. Center for Adolescents in Santa Julia, where he teaches graffiti art and promotes the projects of the Ranchero Pandillero Program . This program was started in 2018 by artists from different neighborhoods with unique painting styles. The goal is to reduce the rates of violence among young people through art and hip-hop, and a focus on promoting peace between neighborhoods with respec

By Staff Writer Just how does a sculptor get the sculpting bug? There are many avenues that lead to the creation of art in three dimensions, but the most prevalent is undoubtedly the natural progression from making functional pottery to sculpting with clay. Jane  sold her own original tableware designs and pottery successfully all across Canada for twenty-five years. Then, after being inspired by visiting the Mask Museum in San Miguel in 2008, she began creating her first cla

By Lisa Babincsak If you're walking around San Miguel and stumble on a shop you like, here's my advice: Pin it. Write down the address. Take a photo of the front. Take a photo of the building next to it. Take a photo of the entire block. Because if you don't, you will never find it again. San Miguel is a maze. A beautiful, cobblestoned, flower-covered maze. But still—a maze. The streets twist and narrow. The alleys fork. Doorways could lead to a candle shop, an art gallery, o

By Doreen Cumberford January in San Miguel delivers us some cool misty mornings and the annual ritual of New Year’s resolutions. But for expats, the concept of cultural goal-setting often misses the mark. Moving to México and learning Spanish is way more than logistics and vocabulary, yes, it's about connection and day-by-day personal growth. We all arrived with eagerness and good intentions. Yes, of course we'll learn Spanish, make local friends, immerse ourselves in Mexican

By Carolina de la Cajiga The day Cris Solís  and her husband arrived in San Miguel as newlyweds, someone stole all their belongings—including their hammock and family photos. “That’s how we started our life here in 2015,” says Cris with a hearty laugh, typical of Veracruz, where she’s from. Luckily for San Miguel de Allende, they stayed. “The first few months were complicated, especially when I got pregnant,”  she recalls, “but I was fortunate to meet other women in similar s