My father passed away suddenly of heart failure when I was 12 years old. It happened only a few minutes after he arrived back home after dropping me off at school, waving me goodbye outside my 6th-grade classroom. Two hours later, I was picked up and told the news. My world was changed forever. 

My father had been the primary caregiver to my sister and me. While my mother was around, she was often preoccupied with her older children from another marriage and was just not as predictable as my father. We all tried to adjust to our new reality that year as our home evolved and we were met with a quickly approaching holiday season without my father. I think about my Dad often, especially during the holidays of course.

My father loved Mexico City which I learned only after his death. The summer after my dad’s passing, my mother decided to take us to Mexico City to revisit the sights they had seen on their honeymoon. So, the three of us boarded a plane and were whisked off to CDMX. For me, as a 12-year-old, it was like stepping into an entirely new world. I was enthralled  by the Art Deco hotel we stayed in, the lively, colorful streets we explored, our excursion to the pyramids, and the afternoons spent shopping.

On that trip, I reconnected with my father and inherited some of his love for Mexico City, too. Now, 40 years later, I have decided that a return was long overdue. 

Our Team’s Mexico City Design Trip

My father never had the chance to take me to Mexico City himself, but I know he wanted to share this special place with me. I thought it best to return to this enchanting world with my amazing team of Austin interior designers, so I could share its magic. I told them to pack their bags because we’re going on a Mexico City design trip!

As a seasoned designer and business owner, I strive to mentor the designers on my team and introduce them to new ways of thinking and problem-solving. I find that exploring new cultures and places is the perfect way to gain new design inspiration and learn how to better collaborate — especially in a new environment. So, what better way to bond as a team and break out of our comfort zone than through travel?

So far, I’ve taken the team to New York City, Barcelona, Granada, and now Mexico City. 

 

Our Favorite Excursions  

We stayed in La Condesa, a tree-lined neighborhood in Mexico City known for its stately Art Nouveau mansions and well-maintained Art Deco apartment buildings. Staying here took me back to that magical Art Deco hotel I stayed in as a kid, this time with even more appreciation for the architectural style. This spot served as a central point for exploring some of our favorite sights, as well as afternoon shopping trips and even a street food tour. 

Teotihuacan Pyramids 

Teotihuacan is the site of some of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas, including the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon. This ancient urban city was built between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D. and was home to over 25,000 residents. The Mesoamerican style has influenced architectural design throughout the world, including Art Deco motifs.

 

National Museum of Anthropology

The National Museum of Anthropology may not have been the top sight on every interior designer’s list. However, it’s the largest and most visited museum in Mexico. The museum houses artifacts from Mexico’s pre-Columbian heritage, including the Stone of the Sun (or the Aztec calendar stone) and the Aztec Xochipilli statue. I think we all found some inspiration from the age-old sculptures. 

BOTANICO Restaurant 

The team all met up for what would become one of the best dining experiences of our lives! BOTANICO is an Art Deco restaurant with a stunning outdoor space, which includes a 50-year-old cactus growing from the center and playful axolotls swimming in the courtyard pond. The space was inspiring, and the food was even better. Not-to-miss dishes by chefs Alejandra Navarro and Ernesto Hernández include crispy tuna tostadas, decadent grilled pork chops made creamy with white bean puree, cactus salad, and the ribeye burger. 

Casa Pedregal Residence by Luis Barragàn

Everyone on the team enjoyed our tour of the Casa Pedregal residence by Luis Barragàn. This pink home feels vibrant yet peaceful, much like Mexico City itself. The architect designed the house for his friend, mostly on-site rather than at a drafting table. The modern structure feels highly integrated with the land and utilizes old-world techniques for a truly unique and authentic feel. 

Tetetlán Restaurant 

Just next door to the home sits Tetetlán Restaurant, so of course, we had to stop in for lunch. Also designed by Barragàn, the structure, once used as horse stables, is now outfitted with a transparent floor to reveal natural lava stones beneath and eclectic furnishings. What better place to eat tacos?

Travel Lessons Learned 

The impact of traveling with your team cannot be overstated. Our days spent together in our Austin studio are lively and action packed but we are sometimes too busy to reconnect and feel inspired in the hurry of each day. The office can often feel static and monotonous. As designers, it’s so important to remain in touch with our creative side and explore new places that allow us to be inspired and be reflective. Traveling together builds relationships, trust, and collaboration, influencing us to do more interesting work.

For me, the return to Mexico was personal, as that initial trip allowed me to reconnect with my father and explore a place that meant so much to him. At this later time I’m my life What excites me most after this trip is seeing how these same sights of this magical world changed  my team — ideally it will become part of their design vernacular and effect in how they relate to each other in a positive way.

What can I say? Something magical happens when you meander the streets of Mexico City.