Around the Corner with Clara

A few days ago I played tennis for the first time in a while and reinjured my right ankle which had been strained from consistently playing tennis on hard court surface. In Canada, the surface I play on is soft, like clay and it is much more forgiving on the joints. I've been icing and hobbling along for a few days and today I woke up to find my left ankle in more pain than the right one, most likely due to the fact that I have been compensating for the injury of the right ankle. I'll be okay, I know, but as I am impatient by nature and as I am within the last third of my Mexico trip, it's hard for me to stop in my tracks and literally put my feet up. "Hmm, where should I do this, so it really counts?" I thought to myself. And then I remembered one of my must-see destinations was denied a few months ago by a security guard at the Grand Hotel Mexico City. I had been in the historic city centre, and wanted to go in the famous hotel lobby to take some pictures, but...

Written on Dec. 17, 2021- Have you ever walked into a space, and had your breath taken away by the magnitude of its indescribable beauty, its significance in this world? I've been fortunate to experience that unforgettable feeling a few times. The first was in 2001 when I stepped into St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. I was caught off guard by that arresting sensation, and my jaw dropped as I surveyed the area with both my eyes and my heart. The second time might sound corny, but it was in 2013 when I had just started working at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and I followed the red-carpeted stadium foyer into Southam Hall. Its 2000+ seats commanded a sense of awe and appreciation for all the spectacular artists who shared this view over the decades. I had been there before as a patron, but this time was different because the hall was empty and I was about to start a job that complemented my love for dance and the arts. Both times, I felt so blessed and humbled at the same...

It's been 8 weeks since I arrived in Mexico, and I think I left Ottawa at just the right time, Oct. 13, 2021. At that time, I did not require a COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination to hop on board my Air Canada plane and come to Mexico City. Of course, I have been "double vaxxed" since July 2021 but once you're in Mexico it is a free-for-all. People have been gathering more since the government opened up the country just in time for Easter, and as several of my wise local friends have said, it's like Mexico has forgotten we are still living through a pandemic.  For the most part, I stay at home, help my mom, play tennis at the local club (which happens to be the best in town). After a couple of weeks, I venture out for a change of scene and independence to Mexico City where I find cheap Airbnb lodging that gets me through the current round of visiting friends, museums, walking through the concrete jungle and of course drinking the nectar of the Gods in terra cott...

Today I am back in Cuernavaca, which is a relatively casual town in terms of fashion and image. But once in a while the large retiree community and ex-pats leave their linen shirts and sandals at home in exchange for more formal attire. Today's occasion is a fundraiser put on by a group of women who are building a breast cancer screening clinic in a nearby town called Tepozt l á n. The clinic will be called Tepoz Rosa ( rosa for the pink colour of the breast cancer awareness campaign).  My mom is on very familiar terms with the fundraising coordinator and also as a breast cancer survivor herself, she is very enthusiastic about the cause. Even more exciting was the fundraising activity itself. A $37 ticket bought limited seating at a talk about Mexico's art, food, and culture as well as a gourmet brunch in a very impressive setting. My mom reserved 3 tickets, one for each of us plus her sister, my Aunt Guadalupe who lives in Mexico City but was thrilled to make it to Cuernavaca...