Expresion en Corto 2009 - International Film Festival 2009

We at Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast are honored to be a part of Adopt a Filmmaker, a program that provides accommodations for up-and-coming filmmakers that will be showcasing their work at the 12th annual International Short Film Festival, Expresion en Corto. These artists travel all over the world in hopes of being discovered, and paying for hotels and accommodations can get quite costly.

This year’s short film festival will take place from July 24th to July 28th in San Miguel de Allende, and July 29th to August 2nd in Guanajuato, and will host filmmakers from all over the world. If you stay at our San Miguel de Allende B&B this July, you might just meet the next Guillermo del Toro!

Shopping Local in San Miguel de Allende

Images of the "Tianguis," San Miguel de Allende's Tuesday Market

San Miguel de Allende has a great outdoor market every Tuesday known locally as “el Tianguis.” Like so many markets throughout the world, this is where you experience the true essence of the local culture.

You’ll find everything at the Tianguis from fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables to all of the staples of Mexican cuisine to appliances, house wares, clothes, etc. Come explore this place and take it all in. If you’re hungry, stop by one of the many food vendors and try something local, like a huarache, a sandal shaped flat bread made from corn dough and topped with your choice of Mexican goodness. Think "Mexican pizza".

The “Tuesday Market”, as local expats call it, is less than a mile away from our bed and breakfast in San Miguel de Allende. Walk or take a taxi...or come with us! We're there every week.

Summer Calendar of Festivals and Events 2009

Mexican Independence Day Celebration at the Jardin Sept 15

Summer is a great time to come and spend some time with us at Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast. There are tons of things to do to keep you entertained. Here’s a calendar of events to help you plan your visit to San Miguel de Allende. The feasts mentioned are all about religious celebration, music and dance, and some last for days.

• June 26 - Anniversary of the death of General Ignacio Allende
  

• June 28 - Global Extreme Car Show - Car competition and exhibition at El Alamo.
  

• June 30 to July 4– Festival International de Coro de Niños. After a successful 12-year run in Florence Italy, Children Choirs from the US and Canada will be performing for the first time in Mexico. For more information email alicesperling@hotmail.com

• July 11 - Feast of Atotonilco

• July 16 - Feast of the Virgin del Carmen

• July 24 to August 2 – Expresion en Corto - Short Film Festival. The largest of its kind in Mexico. Films will be shown throughout San Miguel de Allende.
  

• July 30 - Anniversary of the death of Father Hidalgo

• August 5 -16 – 31st annual Chamber Music Festival, Festival de Musica de Camara de San Miguel de Allende - World renowned groups will perform at the Angela Peralta Theater.

• August 8 - Feast of Santo Domingo

• Sept 13 - Commemoration of the death of Child Heroes

• September 15 – Mexican Independence Day. Celebrate Mexican Independence at the Jardin and see the reenactment of the “Cry for Independence” followed by a fireworks display.

• September 16 – Independence Day Parade and National Holiday

Consider staying with us this summer at our San Miguel de Allende Bed and Brekfast.

El Escondido Hot Springs

The other day we treated ourselves to a dip at El Escondido, one of several hot springs, or “balnearios,” located just a few miles from Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast along the road between San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo.

One of the many outdoor pools - Can you see Antonieta?

We went on a Wednesday and practically had the whole place to ourselves.

Entering the first of three pools

El Escondido has several pools throughout the grounds. Francisco's favorite is a series of interconnecting interior pools. You enter a room and walk through a rain shower before entering the first pool. You can then continue on to one of two additional pools. The further in you go, the warmer the water becomes.

The first interior pool

El Escondido also has picnic and barbecue areas and a snack shop. The entry fee is $90 Pesos.

Before deciding on just any San Miguel de Allende hotel, visit our website.

Dia de Los Locos ( Day of the Crazy People) 2009

This year’s Dia de Los Locos (Day of the Crazy People), San Miguel’s version of Mardi Gras, took place on June 14th. An estimated 10,000 plus people celebrated with colorful costumes and paraded through the streets of San Miguel de Allende.

Dia de los Locos began in the 1700’s with orchard workers dancing to give thanks and to ask San Pasqual Bailón for a prosperous year. Soon, people wearing frightening costumes joined the celebration and danced around holding snakes and rats. It is said that the early onlookers would see them coming and scream “here come the crazy people!” The modern version of Dia de Los Locos is a combination of multiple celebrations, Day of San Isidro, the patron saint of peasants and laborers, Day of San Pascual Bailón, Corpus Christi and Day of San Antonio, the saint of marriage. The controlled chaos that is Dia de los Locos is actually well organized. The dancers are divided into four main groups, which in turn are subdivided into smaller groups, each with its own theme and dance. The theme is chosen several months before the event, and the participants spend up to half a year preparing their costumes.
Every year, thousands of onlookers will crowd the sidewalks, and a lucky few will gather on second story balconies and rooftops of buildings for a better view of the parade. The parade participants throw out candy, and the smart ones will catch the candy with inverted umbrellas. This year, Antonieta walked from Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast to meet with friends and view the parade from a second story window above the new restaurant, El Gozo, which, by the way, serves delicious chicken wings and ribs and one liter Micheladas…yum!
If your considering a hotel in San Miguel de Allende, consider staying at Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast.

Festival de la Cruz (Festival of the Cross) 2009

San Miguel de Allende is famous for is its festivals, and Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast is right in the thick of it. This year the Festival de la Cruz, one of our two neighborhood festivals, occurred on the weekend of June 6th. It began early Saturday morning with the decoration of Callejon de Chepito with blue and white banners.

Callejon de Chepito

Saturday was all about the neighbors coming together and welcoming each other into their homes for some good home cooked meals of posole, menudo, tamales and other typical Mexican dishes. The party went on all night, and continued into the morning culminating with a fireworks show that started at 5AM and went on for an entire hour!

Sunday’s activities included a foot race, a raffle, a greased pole with prizes at the very top for those brave enough to climb it, music, a parade through the center of town, and more fireworks. Here are some images of the parade staging area on Callejon de Chepito and Cuesta de San Jose.

Neighborhood boys in drag

A Giant Mojiganga

An Indian Dancer

Aztec Dancers

The Virgin of Guadalupe holding a not-so-baby Jesus

San Miguel de Allende Accommodations

Exploring the Back Roads of San Miguel de Allende

Francisco’s brother and his girlfriend were in town recently and wanted to try something new. He suggested a four-hour guided ATV excursion. Having never done this before, we decided to come along.
The group consisted of just the four of us and the guide. We rode through different neighborhoods and farms, through streams and dirt roads to destinations such as the Allende reservoir and Atotonilco.
June was the perfect time to go, as the rainy season was just beginning and the reservoir was still low. This gave us ample room to ride around and visit with the farm animals. It was a real blast.

ATV's can be rented within walking distance from our San Miguel Accommodations.

Wendy Moyer, a San Miguel de Allende Textile Artist

We met Wendy Moyer back in 2006 when we hired her to design our logo and website. Since then, she has shifted her focus from web designer to textile artist.

Wendy’s creations are made entirely from recycled materials taken from top-name designer “seconds” that have made their way to the Mexican markets. She cuts, singes and manipulates these materials into her one-of-a-kind creations.

Like many others in San Miguel de Allende, Wendy Moyer has rediscovered her true love and calling in this magical town we call "home." Visit her website at www.textileartistmx.com.

When you stay at our accommodations in San Miguel de Allende, we'll be happy to put you in contact with Wendy for a private showing.

BedandBreakfast.com’s Editors’ Picks to Celebrate the Special Times in your Life

Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast was selected by BedandBreakfast.com editors as one of the best inns outside the United States for celebrating love. According to editors of BedandBreakfast.com, a June 2008 survey conducted by Peter Yesawich’s Y Partnership, found that 70% of respondents celebrated a special occasion with a vacation, while 75% vacationed in celebration of their honeymoon or a significant anniversary. Similarly, a May 2009 survey compiled by hotels.com, found that honeymooners are not cutting back, despite the recession; its survey of 500 brides-to-be found that 98% are still planning to honeymoon after their wedding. This makes the honor of being chosen as one of the best “celebration vacation” inns in the world a particular tribute to Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast.

“Antigua Capilla Bed and Breakfast was singled out by one or more of the BedandBreakfast.com editors and associates as being a romantic destination enhanced by its pampering amenities, quality décor, hospitality, and cuisine,” stated Sandy Soule, Editor of BedandBreakfast.com and one of the most highly recognized authors in the B&B industry. “Offering fantastic views of the city center from the rooftop terrace, this B&B is an easy walk to the popular local Mexican artisans’ market and San Miguel’s historic town square, and is a perfect place to explore Mexico’s colorful history together,” Soule stated.

We are delighted to have been chosen and proud to be in such good company on BedandBreakfast.com’s list of great places for celebrating love.

To read the article, go to http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/about/press.aspx?pressItem=2009-015

Try our accommodations in San Miguel for yourself and experience the magic.

Return Visitors to our Mexico B&B - The Barn Swallows

The swallows are back in town and have been spotted scouting Antigua Capilla B&B for possible accommodations in San Miguel de Allende.We have seen groups of up to five come to check out the place. As you can see, they like hanging out on our lamps and column caps. We have also seen them on our emergency lamps and hanging lamps just outside the guestrooms.Swallows are such beautiful birds, and they will always be welcome as temporary visitors, but they sure can be messy if they stick around for too long! Hopefully they’ll find a nice private area nearby to call home and continue to stop by for short visits.

Visit our B&B in San Miguel.