Jasmine—Bonito

Bonito 2022

L E O N G T O

Where memories last a lifetime

A native New Yorker, Maria was influenced by the bold music and fashion of the late ‘70s, ‘80s, and early ‘90s. She studied at Columbia University before moving abroad to attend King’s College in London. There she embraced the rebellion of the punk/goth scene with its asymmetrical looks, dramatic makeup, and unusual piercings. She carried this spirit back to New York where she honed her needle technique.

Maria viewed piercing as a form of beauty and wanted to couple it with delicate fine jewelry — a contrast to the thick, industrial styles that were popular at the time. Her penchant for interesting placements drew her to navel jewelry and soon she was designing custom pieces for all body locations at her first studio, which opened in Manhattan’s East Village in 1993.

contents Table of

Letter to the editor The Arc of peace In Leon

Los Musicos

The Kiss Of Luck

Imagine walking up narrow, hilly, cobblestone streets. Your footsteps echo against the small homes and shops, splashed with brilliant pinks, blues, yellows and greens.

Mateo Negrete

We interviewed a local who shared an inspiring story about being a Zapatero and all the struggles that come along with it. Heres mateos Story...

27

La Comida

Fine babes under the sun

I have loved magazines for as long as I can remem ber. When I was growing up, my bedroom walls were plastered with pages from Vogue, Italian Vogue, Interview, and W. When I applied to New York University,

instead of sending in the customary college application essay, I made a mini magazine; after grad uating, I was lucky enough to work at actual magazines. Now, writing my editor’s letter as the first female Editor in Chief of W, I feel incredibly honored to have worked for some of the smartest and most bound ary-pushing women throughout my ca reer, learning how to make fashion pictures, commission stories, and find my own point of view. When we started putting together this issue, we knew from the beginning that it should revolve around the idea of originality. Going through the ar chives of the 47 years of W, the theme that stood out through every era was the celebration of individuality.

Love, Jasmine Lugo Negrete

The Arc of peace in

Examine a symbol of Mexi co’s national pride at the Heroes’ Causeway Arch, also known as the Triumphal Arch, one of the endur ing icons of Leon. The Triumphal Arch was erected in 1883 as the Arc of Peace to commemorate the country’s declaration of indepen dence. Marvel at the stonework by Daniel Herrera Jiménez, the mason who also crafted the stones for the breathtaking Expiatorio Temple, which is located just a short walk from the arch.

Visit the arch to photograph one of Leon’s most iconic sights, a sym bol of the city’s fierce pride. Crane your neck upward to look at the bronze lion that stands proudly on top of the arch. Take a trip to Leon Zoo to see the original cement lion that decorated the column, be fore it was replaced by the bronze version. The lion is said to repre sent the strength and pride of the people who live here.

Stroll around the base of the arch, admiring the pink-stone Doric columns that decorate one of its sides. Visit at night to see the lion lit up, which makes the bronze figure appear even more majestic.

Wander along the Heroes’ Causeway to soak up the atmo

sphere of Leon. A wide pedestri anized space offers places to sit beneath trees and small garden areas within view of the arch. Find dining and accommodations along the edge of the road, as well as a series of eight bronze sculptures.

Occasionally, the city decorates the arch to give the iconic landmark a more patriotic look. Take a photo of the arch transformed into a huge Mexican flag, when the columns are colored with red, white and green tinsel and an eagle symbol is hung from the center.

Visit the Heroes’ Cause way Arch at any time. It is an easy destination to find while in Leon. Stroll here from the nearby Templo Expiatorio del Sa grado Corazon de Jesus, which is less than 5 minutes away. Walk east for 20 minutes to reach the artistic hub of Leon, home of the Bicen tennial Theatre and the Museum of Art and History. The Calzada de los Héroes is the more traditional ride of the City of León, Guanajuato. It extends along nearly 500 meters between the last block of Calle Madero and Avenida Lopez Ma

teos. Surrounded by trees, along the way you can see eight bronze sculptures on pedestals made from quarry. Its construction was com missioned in 1893 to the engineer Pedro Tejada marking the 83rd anniversary of the Independence of Mexico.

The lion of the Arch of the Calzada de los Héroes rep resents the pride and symbol of the strength ofthe people

At first the Triumphal Arch of the Calzada de los Héroes was built with wood and covered with plaster. It was known as the Arco de la Paz or the Arch of Peace, but a few years later, in 1896, the same artist added the pedestal and vases and since then, this neoclassi cal monument with Doric columns has been known as the Arch of the Calzada de los Heroes.

In 1943 the benefactor and industrial leader in Leon, Francisco Lozornio Castle, added a new ar tistic element to the arch: a sculp ture of a lion. This work was made with cement, rebar, and bricks by the expert hands of Daniel Herre ra Jiménez, the master mason in charge of construction of the Expi atorio Church. Currently, the arch is topped by a bronze lion placed 3 meters placed along the top on March 16, 1958.

One of the most iconic sights in Leon is this huge, lion-topped archway designed to celebrate Mexican’s declaration and achievement of independence.

Necessities when traveling

1

. Neck Wallet

This easily concealable little neck wallet will keep all your valu ables safe including your passport, smartphone, credit cards, cash, ID and travel documents. It also comes with RFID blocking materi al so E-thieves can’t steal your info from a distance. It’s perfect for going through international airports!

2. Universal Waterproof Phone Case

This case is amazing. I honestly would not go to the beach or poolside without it. Everyone is aware that getting your phone wet is a no-no, but few people realize how even a little bit of sand can really mess up your phone’s camera. Sadly, I experienced this firsthand when sand granules scratched my lens. This super-affordable little case also allows you to still use your phone’s touchscreen and takes killer underwater photos and videos with sound.

3

. Quick-Dry Travel Towel

This compact, lightweight, highly absorbent Travel Towel is a per fect size for the beach or pool and something I always include in my daypack. It has also come in handy as a picnic blanket while exploring Mexico’s ancient sites and protection when I was unex pectedly caught in a heavy downpour! I love the way I can wash and dry it in my room, ready for the next day’s adventure.

Traveling to Leon Guanajuato, Mexico? If you’re planning to go to Guanajuato, this article contains some important information about what to pack.

4. Rash Guard

The Mexican sun can be absolutely brutal. If you don’t want to look like an oversize tomato and be in agony on the first night of your trip, then you need a long-sleeved rash guard for those gorgeous beach days. Getting sun on your skin is nice, but I’ve found that if I’m out all day, I will be burned by day’s end even if I was generous with reapplying sunscreen. This one is both stylish and affordable.

5. Mosquito-Repelling Wristbands

Borne illnesses (such as the Zika virus) are still a problem in Mexi co. You’ll want to protect yourself against bites. Pack some of these DEET-free wristbands and some insect spray, and be especially vigilant about applying it

6. Charcoal Tablets

Mexican food is not known to be easy on the stomach. Even if you take precautions with the food and water, you can end up with the dreaded Montezuma’s revenge. If this happens, you will want to have some charcoal tablets with you before it becomes a problem. Taking 2-4 tablets at the first sign of issues will absorb the troublesome patho gens and help you stay healthy on your trip.

Los Musicos

As the murmurs of the day fade over the colonial curves of the tourist city of Guanajuato, the moon rises to challenge the sun’s command and a group of darkly-clad strangers prepares its nightly invasion: the bohemian estudiantinas emerge from the shadows, guitars in hand, ready to take on the night.

These roving musicians dressed proudly in regal attire that recalls the European Renaissance have prowled, plucked and chanted their way through Guanajuato’s alleyways for almost six decades. Armed with only acoustic stringed instruments and the power of their lungs, they belt out ballads recounting the tales of generations past.

Hey We Get It...

Just Go On Ahead and Yourself One Out

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TheKiss of Luck

he story behind El Callejon del Beso (the Alley of the Kiss), an enchanting narrow alleyway in the equally magical city of Guanajuato, is a Shakespearean tale of forbidden love and murder. Here’s how it goes…

The story of El Callejon del Beso Ana was the daughter of a controlling Spaniard who was determined she marry a wealthy man. He was so single-minded in his plans for her that he would go to great lengths to stop her speaking to anyone he deemed too poor.

However, one day, as she strolled through the streets of Guanajuato, she met a handsome but humble miner named Carlos, and the pair instantly fell in love.

Going against her father’s wishes, Ana met with Carlos in secret. However, after hearing rumors of the pair’s meet-ups, Ana’s father followed her and caught the pair together. Furious, the father threw Ana into her bedroom and locked the door, vowing to marry her to an old, rich nobleman from Spain.

Separated from his love, heartbroken Carlos went to visit Ana’s house. When he got there, he noticed Ana’s bedroom sat in a very narrow alleyway and, within touching distance, there was another home with a balcony facing her bedroom. With renewed hope, Carlos went to the owner of the home and offered to purchase it. The owner refused, asking for more money. Carlos raised his offer, again the owner refused. Carlos raised his offer again, but the owner refused once more.

Starting to get a little irritated with Carlos’ persistence, the owner raised the praise so high that he thought Carlos would leave him

alone.

However, Carlos accepted, gathering every last coin he had to pay the man.

Now the proud owner of a house within touching distance of Ana’s bedroom window he called to his love. The pair embraced and promised to see each other every night.

But one night, as the lovers were lost in a passionate kiss, Ana’s father entered her bedroom. Seeing his daughter in the arms of the humble miner, the father went into a violent frenzy, picking up a dagger and plunging it into his daughter’s chest, killing her.

Some say that, in his desperation to protect his love, Carlos attempted to jump from his window into Ana’s bedroom, but crashed to the floor, hitting the third step and breaking his neck.

Others say that, overcome with grief after seeing Ana’s lifeless body, he committed suicide in his place of work, La Valenciana Mine.

Visiting the Alley of the Kiss

Now, El Callejon del Beso is one of Guanajuato’s most famous tourist attractions. It’s said couples should stand on the third step (helpfully painted in red) and kiss to enjoy a lifetime of luck in love — which some say is delivered by the spirit of Carlos himself.

You can find the famous alley, which measures just 168cm (66 inches) wide, on the Cerro del Gallo hill, a gorgeous 18th century neighborhood of colonial architecture and winding cobblestone streets.

And, whether you choose to believe the story of Ana and Carlos or not, it’s undeniable that Guanajuato City has a romantic charm to it, found in few other

The heartbreaking story behind El Callejon del Beso, Here’s how it goes…

places around the world.

From high up, you will see a collection of brightly colored buildings colored in cobalt blue, terracotta, baby pinks, and more. Perhaps its most eye-catching feature, however, is its iconic yellow church, Our Lady of Guanajuato Basilica.

Explore Guanajuato and El Callejon de BesoFor a comprehensive tour of this fabulous city, take Journey Mexico’s sevenday tour of Guanajuato and San Miguel. You will experience a complete immersion into both of these celebrated cities, enjoying museum tours, cooking lessons, and art explorations.Alternatively, if you would prefer a personalized adventure, contact one of our expert Travel Advisors. Simply fill out our Trip Planner and a member of the Journey Mexico team will get back to you within 24 hours.

El Callejón del Beso

Bpara todo el que llega a Guanajuato con la pareja es un lugar que no se debe dejar de visitar.

Este debe su nombre ya que sus paredes entre sí son muy estrellas, y las paredes y los balcones están a menos de un metro de distancia.

Existe una leyenda que a través del tiempo ha viajado de boca en boca. Esta leyenda trata sobre dos personas enamoradas: Carmen y Don Carlos, aquí la historia: Carmen era la hija única de un padre celoso, estricto y violento que la tenía alejada y aislada de la sociedad para que el amor de otro hombre no se la arrebatara de su lado.

Pero como toda mujer inteligente, Carmen de vez en cuando se daba sus “esca padas”, en una de ellas fue que conoció a Don Carlos, un humilde minero, con el que se veía en una de las tantas iglesias de Guanajuato cerca de su casa.

Pero un día fue descubierta por su padre, quien sin pensarlo mucho la encerró y la amenazo con enviarla a un convento para después casarla con un rico y viejo noble Español, quien de paso haría un favor al padre pues este aumentaría su fortuna. En aquellos tiempos, la mayoría de las doncellas tenían como fiel sirviente a una

dama de compañía. Así que Carmen le pidió a su dama de compañía que le hiciera llegar una carta a Don Carlos en la cual le advertía sobre los planes de su padre.

Don Carlos, como todo enamorado, estuvo pensando sobre lo que tenía que hacer. Fue entonces que se dio cuenta que una de las ventanas de la casa de Carmen daba a un angosto callejón. Este era tan estrecho que con tan solo asomarse y estirarse un poco bien podía tocar la pared de la casa de enfrente. Así que si el lograba entrar a la casa de enfrente, podría hablar con su amada desde los balcones y así entre los dos poder encontrar una solución a su problema.

Preguntando y preguntando averiguo quién era el dueño de la casa y se la compro a “precio de oro”. Así, aún encerrada y sin que su padre lo supiera Carmen y Don Carlos pasaban largas noches platicando en los balcones. Hasta que un día el padre escucho murmullos en la habitación y encontró a la pareja reunida. Enfurecido y violento como era, clavo una daga en el pecho de su hija. Ante los hechos Don Carlos enmudeció de espanto y solamente dejo caer en las manos de su amada un tierno beso.

Pocos días después, Don Carlos al no poder soportar vivir sin el amor de Carmen se lanzó desde el tiro principal de la Mina de la Valenciana.

Cuenta la leyenda de El Callejón del Beso que si una pareja visita este lugar y se da un beso justo en el tercer escalón de este callejón, tendrá felicidad durante siete largos años. Pero quien no lo haga y pase por el lugar, tendrá siete años de muy, pero muy mala suerte.

Si vas solo y sin pareja, no te preocupes, no caerá ninguna

“Its said that if you kiss on the 3rd red step you’ll be granted many years of luck when it comes to love”

maldición sobre tí, pero se les recomienda busquen a una pareja lo más pronto posible y regresara este mágico lugar ubicado en la ciudad de Guanajuato.

S“El Callejón del Beso” apenas mide 69 centímetros de ancho, los balcones de las dos casas de este callejón prácticamente se tocan.

in duda, “El Callejón del Beso” es el lugar que por curiosidad, superstición o romanticismo se ha convertido en uno de los lugares más visitados de Guanajuato. A la fecha, cientos de estudiantes, turistas y pueblerinos solicitan a los dueños actuales subir a las habitaciones para prometerse amor eterno.

Nowadays, an “untrue” lover has no time for his girl simply because he has his own priorities. Still, the concept of true love exists. People love hearing stories of it and also flock to places connected with romantic legends.

El Callejon del Beso is one of the many interesting sites in Guanajuato, city full of legends and an impressive architectural legacy, venue to some of Mexico’s best cultural events, including the annual Cervantino International Festival.

Narrow alleys seem to be a romantic thing of the past… these days they’re much wider and optimized for function. However, back in the day in Central Mexico, alleys were narrow as heck and optimized for kissing. Such is the

case with El Callejon del Beso, the Alley of the Kiss.

There’s an area in the city of Guanajuato with many narrow streets and alleys. However, El Callejon del Beso is so narrow that residents living on opposite sides of the alley can kiss each other from their balconies.

Walking around in Guanajuato is beautiful and liberating. It’s retained some of the traditional charm that so many cities are missing in Mexico

these days. Taking a walking tour can help you to know and feel a part of Mexican history.

And of course you can visit the Alley of the Kiss! The good news is you can fly to Guanajuato, Mexico, and it’s not that far from Toronto. It’ll take you about seven hours, and as of the writing of this article, will cost you around $800 CAD. Not bad!

From there, you’ll have so many options for tours. The beauty with these is that you can customize them to add in a lot of other cool things, like dining experiences and other sights that will stay with you forever.

Where To Stay

The AirBNBs here are apparently amazing! Check here for a direct link, and you’ll see that there’s a variety of options of places to stay… at all different budgets.

If you’d like more of a full-service option, and you want to stay in a hotel, go here. The hotels, as well as the AirBNBs have lots of character, and there are some Englishspeaking locals who can help you around. Or, feel free to brush up on your Spanish for the real-deal experience.

Best of luck to you and your lover. May you have even more than 15 years of happiness!

Juárez Street is one of the few through streets on the surface. It is filled with stores and restaurants and has a constant flow of people

and traffic. The other through streets of town are either partially or fully underground, following the old drainage ditches and tunnels dug during colonial times. Originally they were used for flood control, but modern dams have controlled flooding and left them dry, so they have been turned into thoroughfares in a city with little surface area. The most important of these roads is Miguel Hidalgo or Belaunzarán, which carried the runoff from the river that used to divide the city in two.The streets and alleys of the city are filled with mostly colonial era buildings, restaurants, bars, cafes with terraces and small plazas. Buildings have been constructed of sandstone in pink and green, adobe and other stone, filling the streets with shades of pink, green, ocher and red.[19] Most of these plazas are in front of or to the side of the many churches, such as the Plaza San Fernando, Plaza San Roque, Plaza de la Valenciana, Plaza de los Ángeles, and Plaza de Mexiamora. Exceptions to these are Jardín Reforma and Jardín Unión.The most famous alley is the Callejón del Beso (Alley of the Kiss). Located on the slopes of the Cerro del Gallo hill in a neighborhood that dates back to the 18th century, it is only 168 cm (66 in) wide in places with balconies that nearly touch each other. Folklore states that couples who kiss on the third step (painted in red) are guaranteed seven years of happiness together. narrow streets and alleys have given rise to a pastime called “callejoneadas”. These are roving parties, traditionally held by the students of the University of Guanajuato with live musicians callejoneadas arranged for tourists as well.

THE STORY OF EL CALLEJON DEL BESO

Ana was the daughter of a controlling Spaniard who was determined she marry a wealthy man. He was so single-minded in his plans for her that he would go

to great lengths to stop her speaking to anyone he deemed too poor.

However, one day, as she strolled through the streets of Guanajuato, she met a handsome but humble miner named Carlos, and the pair instantly fell in love.

Going against her father’s wishes, Ana met with Carlos in secret. However, after hearing rumors of the pair’s meetups, Ana’s father followed her and caught the pair together. Furious, the father threw Ana into her bedroom and locked the door, vowing to marry her to an old, rich nobleman from Spain. Separated from his love, heartbroken Carlos went to visit Ana’s house. When he got there, he noticed Ana’s bedroom sat in a very narrow alleyway and, within touching distance, there was another home with a balcony facing her bedroom. With renewed hope, Carlos went to the owner of the home and offered to purchase it. The owner refused, asking for more money. Carlos raised his offer, again the owner refused. Carlos raised his offer again, but the owner refused once more.

Starting to get a little irritated with Carlos’ persistence, the owner raised the praise so high that he thought Carlos would leave him alone.However, Carlos accepted, gathering every last coin he had to pay the man.

Now the proud owner of a house within touching distance of Ana’s

bedroom window he called to his love. The pair embraced and promised to see each other every night.

But one night, as the lovers were lost in a passionate kiss, Ana’s father entered her bedroom. Seeing his daughter in the arms of the humble miner, the father went into a violent frenzy, picking up a dagger and plunging it into his daughter’s chest, killing her. Some say that, in his desperation to protect his love, Carlos attempted to jump from his window into Ana’s bedroom, but crashed to the floor, hitting the third step and breaking his neck.

Others say that, overcome with grief after seeing Ana’s lifeless body, he committed suicide in his place of work, La Valenciana Mine.

Handcrafted With Integrity

On Thursday we work hard, but it’s also the unofficial start of the weekend, and we design our products with that versatility in mind. Your life isn’t one-dimensional. Your footwear shouldn’t be either.

Mateo

At the age of 12 years old Mateo began working in order to help his family and their ranch. But in order to do that he had to leave from the ranch and work in the city. The frist thing he was working was as an aprentice shoe maker. Every day he woke up at 6AM to head to work on his bike and cut and shaped the Shoe size.

Mateo had a very well selling busnuess till he had recently retired 5 years ago. as made lovely film thoroughly showcasing all steps of making a pair of fully handmade shoes. With high quality footage and a great production, this can be one of the better films available for those who want to understand all the steps that goes into making handmade shoes.Youtube has a bunch of films showing how fully hand made, often bespoke, shoes are made. Ei ther they are nice looking but way too short and brief, or very thorough (sometimes too thorough for “regular shoe nerds”) but with

bad quality or very boring footage. all good things are brought together, and it’s understandable that I’ve heard from several bespoke makers that it’s one of the best films showcasing handmade shoe making they’ve seen.

There’s no fuss really. There’s just sharp, thought through footage following the making of a pair of fully handmade shoes, without any commentary or anything but still easily understandable and rewarding to watch. Length is 36 minutes, but the way it’s edited one really get a sense of how much work that goes into making these type of handmade welted shoes. See how thick the leather that is skived down to become stiffeners are, see how risky it looks when cut straight down halfway through the insole when carving out the holdfast, in many steps you understand the millimeter precision that is needed. The

Negrete

constant comparisons between the two

We interviewed a local who shared an inspiring story about being a Zapatero and all the struggles that come along with it. Heres mateos Story...

León, in full León de los Aldamas, city, northwestern Guanajuato esta do (state), central Mexico. It stands in a fertile plain on the Turbio River, 6,182 feet (1,884 metres) above sea level. Although León was first settled in 1552, it was not formally founded until 1576 and was given city status in 1830. At that time the words de los Aldamas were add ed to its name, in honour of Juan Aldama, a leader in the struggle for Mexican independence.

Once subject to disastrous floods, the city is now protected by a large dam. León has devel oped into an important industrial city and commercial centre for the surrounding hinterland, part of the Bajío (“Lowland”), one of Mexico’s most important cereal-produc ing districts (wheat, corn [maize], beans). The city’s industries pro duce steel products and textiles in addition to food products and leather goods. León is especially known for its production of leather shoes.

León, northwest of Mexico City and northeast of Guanajuato, can be reached by highway and rail, and it is the site of the regional international airport. Pop. (2010) 1,238,962; (2020) 1,579,803.

Travelers who love central Mexico are probably quite familiar with the charms of San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato, the two high est-profile tourism destinations in the state of Guanajuato.

But even well-traveled Mexi co-philes likely don’t know much about the state’s most-populous city: Leon.

During a recent trip around the region, I spent several days explor ing Leon and found a surprisingly diverse array of reasons to visit.

Historic Sites

Founded by Spanish colonizers in 1576, the city of Leon is steeped in history, as evidenced by the historic city center, which is graced with not one, but two main squares: Martyrs’ Plaza, which is lined with Neoclassi cal shopping arcades and features perfectly manicured landscaping; and Founders’ Plaza, which is centered around a large fountain with sculpted lion heads, each one representing a century of the city’s history (“leon” means “lion,” so it’s no wonder that the animal is used as a symbol of the city).

A Tradition in Leather Leon was originally famous for its tanneries. With the availability of high quality cattle hides, ready access to water, and close proximity to the US, Leon’s tanneries have been operating for centuries. The city’s reputation for leather was so well established that it became part of its identity - at football matches, Leon sports teams were nicknamed “panzaverde” or “green bellies” after the way early leathers would die a tanner’s skin. Fortunately, the industry has built on its tradi tions and come a long way toward

modernizing. Leon is now home to some of the most environmental ly-friendly and sustainable tanner ies in the world, with leaders like Le Farc and Alfamex submitting their facilities to international audit and accreditation.

Cowboy Boot Masters

The City of Leon in the State of Guanajuato is the Leather Capital of Mexico. People from Mexico and all over the world to either contract for the manufacture of leather goods or to do some serious personal shopping.

The quality of Leon’s leather naturally led to many talented shoemakers establishing factories in the same location. This being Mexico, cowboy boots were in high demand and became an early specialty for these craftsmen. Cow boy boots fit the needs for tough, everyday footwear that could be worn through rough terrain while still remaining comfortable. Those same boots needed to be reli able and last for years, which is why Leon-based bootmakers became experts at Goodyear Welt Construction as well, a method that made boots both resoleable and virtually waterproof. This focus on artisanal craftsmanship established Leon as one of the leading - and very possibly the best - overall city for producing high-quality boots of All different styles.

World Leaders in Footwear Leon built on its traditional strengths in leather and cowboy boots to evolve for the 21st centu ry. What used to be the Mecca of

teros

rugged cowboy boots, now crafts everything from lace-up dress shoes and dress boots to technical

the city was to guard the general area against the constant threat of the local Chichimecas tribe. These were a native tribe whose people resist ed the Spanish invasion.

Hardthe city of Leon looks upon leather work as part of their everyday lives. Cobblers and shoemakers pass on their knowledge to their apprentic es and offspring, thereby creating a community with a family history of leatherwork.

combat boots. It also hosts two of the world’s largest footwear conventions every year. While the cost of producing in Leon is still substantially higher than China or other low-cost locales, the unique advantages in bootmaking and finer leather make this a natural choice for building great boots.

Early History of the City of Leon

Founded in 1576 by the Spanish conquistadors, Leon was built un der the leadership of Juan Bautista de Orozco and through the orders of Viceroy Martin Enriquez de Almanza. The original purpose of

Soon, the Spanish settlers estab lished farming and cattle-raising in the city of Leon. Both of these in dustries have grown and continued up to the present day. There was also the surge and constant immi gration of different nationals who chose to reside in this small colonial town. This factor only contributed to the flow of goods in and out of Leon, hence con tributing to the growth of its economy.

From an Agricultural Town to a Global Shoe CapitalThere are econ omies where cattle-rais ing and farming might remain just that, but the people of Leon took their skills a step further. The large growth in cat tle-raising soon led the town people to manufac ture leather goods and build tanneries.

As early as 1645, shoe making became a part of the local industry. It then flourished and became stronger with each pass ing generation right up to the present. The local cobblers and shoemak ers passed their craftsmanship from one generation to another. Thus, each generation learned old skills and developed them to a new level. Technological advance ments probably played a large role in this development as well.

A Way of Life

According to reliable sources,

What’s more, the large shoemak ing industry in Leon has attracted several Spanish, Argentinean, and Italian immigrants. Since they also come from areas that are famous for their leatherwork, they have a lot to contribute. Hence, the quality and varieties of shoes you can find in Leon are unmatchable in any other part of the world.

Currently, Mexico produces up wards of 250 million pairs of shoes — 70 percent of which are made in León. With that amount of shoes, not every pair is a world-class build, but mass production, quick turnarounds and cheaper materials can be found in any manufacturing region. A number of shoemakers continue to produce incredible footwear, the kind of you’d expect in a region that’s specialized in the craft for centuries, and people have noticed.

Top-tier designers and brands look to León, not just for its margins, but for its skills. Good year-welt, Blake stitch and stitch down construction, along with higher stitch counts and faster lead teams are all attractive pro duction qualities. Frye, Wolverine and Lucchese all produce shoes of comparable quality to their stateside offerings in the region. For some brands, they’re even better. Yuketen’s most intricate and highest-pricepoint shoes are made in Mexico because of the level of quality and skill required for such ambitious designs. Along with

them, brands like Taylor Stitch and Tecovas aren’t shy about their Mexi can manufacturing. Rightly so.

And while many internation al brands turn to León with their designs, there are fewer Mexican brands that actually finding much success on their own outside of the country. Hugo Fonce, designer for León-based brand Unmarked says that part of the reason is that many Mexican factories don’t believe that they can have success selling their own designs, though they possess the skills to produce top-quality products. Instead, they’re more likely to contract their work to companies. But, Unmarked is just one brand making the case for the region. Lemon-wood pegs, invisible channels, leather-lining and intricate embroidery are just some of the de tails you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere and are just a few of the

asked if I was interest ed in teaming up with her to make a small shoe brand. My initial thought was, “Na, I have way too much on my plate as it is.” But, its one of those ideas that kind of takes root and wont let go. Before long, I found myself in Leon, Mexico, the shoemaking capital of the western hemi sphere.

Mexico produces about 250 million pairs of shoes annually, and about 70 of those are produced in Leon. It has a rich his tory of footwear manufacturing, and an entire ecosystem built around it with tanneries and suppliers for everything you can think of relating to shoes. It’s also conveniently close.

get scanned there. The modeller took a little bit of time examining it, then immediately told me that it was too short and should be extended a couple millimeters in the toe. The assessment was spot on. I had just made a pair of boots on that last, and was wearing them for the first time. When I first put them on, the

details inherent to the brand.

Mexican-made footwear isn’t good because other countries made it good. It’s good simply because it is. León’s shoemakers have built their prowess upon generations of shoemakers before them and centu ries of history. Guanajuato is paved with cobblers and stores dedicated to the product and the craft, and there’s nowhere else quite like it.

Shoemaking in Leon

Around the beginning of the year, my friend Christine reached out and

We had initially reached out to Ital ian manufacturers, but weren’t given the time of day. Mexico was a similar story while reaching out to the Footwear Chamber of Commerce in Leon, however after doing some research and sending out a ton of emails, we made a few contacts and decided to visit.

One of the first places we visited was a last factory called Hormas. Its a state of the art facility, and a part ner to Formifico Romagnolo in Italy. We were given a tour, shown where the modelers first make the last by hand, where it gets 3D scanned, and the machines that cut out the lasts from blanks made on site. They also have a processing facility where they repurpose the plastic shavings back into last blanks.

I was immediately impressed by the modeller’s skill and experience. I brought a last that I wanted to to

fit felt perfect, but after walking for a while, your feet swell a bit and they were pinching my small toe. A few millimeters there would be perfect to alleviate it. I ended up getting two other lasts designed there, a “service boot” style last, and a ladies last.

Here is their last library. You can select whichever style you like, and they’ll make whatever modifications you want to it, all for only $180 (which includes a last). Next was a visit to a small tannery in town. They receive “blue” skins already de-haired and chrome tanned from another tannery out of town. Here they do all of the post processing, infusing the leather with fats, oils, and waxes, then doing the finishing. This particular tannery had really nice lining leathers that customers such as Tecovas and Thursday Boots use. We also toured Wyny, one of

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Some Absolute MUST Haves When Visiting The Mercados

Imagine walking up narrow, hilly, cobblestone streets. Your footsteps echo against the small homes and shops, splashed with brilliant pinks, blues, yellows and greens. In the distance you can see gentle mountains rise, hear the faint sounds of guitar music and smell meat sizzling in skillets. You are in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, and it’s not your typical Mexican getaway.

La Comida

Where to stay

“There is a variety of hotel prod uct,” said Guanajuato Tourism Secretary Fernando Olivera. “In the state of Guanajuato there are 24,000 rooms. We’ve been opening an average of one new hotel every month for 37 months.”

There are an additional 36 hotels in the pipeline, meaning that over a four-year span Guanajuato will be receiving an investment of 73 new hotels. In the World Her itage Cities especially, travelers will find high-end names like the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende; Belmond, with its Casa de Sierra Nevada; and Relais & Chateaux, with Villa Maria Cristina.

“There are other kind of hotels, for example, ones in 18th-century haciendas, which have been remod eled, but still maintain their colonial essence,” Olivera said. Consider Hacienda San Cristobal, a hacien da that dates to 1614 and whose grounds served as a battlefield during the War of Independence in the 19th century. Today the hacien da has 32 rooms, a spa and restau rant and a bar.

For Foodies

Mexican food fanatics won’t go hungry in Guanajuato, where local specialties include enchiladas, stuffed chiles, tamales, empanadas and flambre estilo San Miguel de Allende (a mix of beef, chicken and pork with fruits and vegetables). If fine dining is your style, visit La Ca nica in San Miguel. This restaurant, helmed by a two-star Michelin chef, opened only two months ago.

Die-hard foodies will want to visit Guanajuato in June for the Cumbre Internacional de la Gastronomia de Guanjuato. This two-week-long festival receives the participation of eight to 10 countries, bringing chefs from all over the world. There are about 120 gastronomic activi ties, including festivals, dinners and conferences, and the event pulls more than 60,000 tourists. “This is the largest gastronomy festival in Mexico,” Olivera said. “It is 15 days in a row of great dinners and festi

vals, and it gives participants the opportunity to learn about Mexican beverages like tequila and mescal.”

Guanajuato is also a wonderful spot for travelers to sample Mexican wine. “For about 200 years Guana juato has been a wine region. Today travelers can go from the colonial cities to visit vineyards and sample our wine,” Olivera said. Visit the Vega Manchon winery, as well as the Rancho Santa Gloria and the Vinicola Toyan. These three wineries are along Guanajuato’s Wine Circuit.

A Safe Situation

“Guanajuato has always been considered one of the safer desti nations in Mexico,” Olivera said. “Guanajuato has never been con sidered a place not to visit, nor has it been placed in a travel warning or alert. We have 18,000 foreign people living in Guanajuato, around 16,000 of them are Americans.”

Getting There

Guanajuato is about a 2.5hour drive from Mexico City, or a 35-minute flight; there are eight daily flights from Mexico City. Still, travelers from several hubs in the U.S. can fly directly into Guanajuato. There are three daily flights from Dallas, one from Atlanta, five from Houston, three from Los Angeles and one from Chicago.

Enchiladas Mineras

This is the most famous regional Mexican dish from Guanajuato City. Being a former mining town, it only follows that its most famous dish is named after the people who used to work in those mines. Based on what I’ve read, the miners’ wives would often make them this dish at the end of each work day.

Enchiladas mineras translates to “miner’s enchiladas” and refers to a type of enchilada filled with cheese, onions, and a stew-like mix of pota toes and carrots. Typically served in portions of four, the enchiladas are baked and then served with a piece of grilled chicken, lettuce, salsa, cheese, and jalapeño peppers

Guacamaya

Gucamaya is a type of torta or Mexican sandwich. Originally from the neighboring city of León, it’s sold as street food in Guanajuato City, usually from roadside stands or market stalls. It’s a beast of a sandwich made with a bolillo bread roll stuffed to the hilt with roast pork, chicharron, avocado, salsa, and lime juice.

The other dish our server recom mended was this breakfast platter of chilaquiles. An’ca Carmen has an entire page of chilaquiles dishes on their menu but our server picked this one out for Ren, maybe be cause it’s called “Lady Chilaquiles“? Ha! Who knows. Whatever the

explosion with roast pork, chich arron, avocado, and salsa. It was incredible!

You can’t really tell just how big it is from this picture but keep scroll ing to get a better sense of its size.

This picture gives you a better sense of how big this sandwich is but it still doesn’t do it justice. I’m not even sure it still qualifies as a sandwich since the filings looked like they were erupting out of the bread! The guacamaya is an abso lute beast of a sandwich, and you can get one for just MXN 75.

Pro Tip When Ordering At Restaurants In Mexico:

One dish per person is usually enough. In our experience, servings at Mexican restaurants are fairly large and filling so there’s no need to order appetizers or anything else to go with your entree.

reason, it was delicious.

If you’ve never had it before, chi laquiles is made with corn tortillas cooked in salsa and topped with cheese and other ingredients. An’ca Carmen offers over ten variations of this popular Mexican breakfast dish. This version was topped with the house salsa and served with a side of grilled chicken and refried beans.

Mercado Hidalgo

I was eavesdropping on a conversation between a cook and his customer and he was telling her that the best guacamayas in Gua najuato can be found at Mercado Hidalgo. It doesn’t matter which particular stall you visit because they’re all good.

When I first read about guaca maya, I was expecting something that looked like a typical submarine sandwich but what got was some thing I had never seen before. The lady making our sandwich took a Mexican bolillo roll and stuffed it to the point of

Our favorite ingredient in the guacamaya is the chicharron. We’re used to eating deep-fried pork rinds in our home country but never like this. I didn’t take a picture but the lady was breaking off pieces chicharron that were crispy and much more delicate than regular chicharron.

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