“There is no way I'm going back to Mexico. I can't stand to be in a country that is more surrealist than my paintings.” - Salvador Dalí Drinking a cantarito with a friend in la Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, we comment on how peculiar the nearby intersection is.
This essay has legitimately made me smile every time I’ve read and reread it. I’m excited you decided to explore it and that you leaned into it. You did a beautiful job capturing the surrealness—the magic and absurdity of it all is one of my favorite cultural aspects.
Really wishing there was video of the electric shocks moment. I want cantaritos and the toques guy experience followed by more cantaritos ASAP.
I feel utterly transported into the magic. This sentence "The highest concentration of magic per square meter of reality." should be licensed by you to the bureau of tourism. I'm on the verge of booking a flight to come see this for myself!
Oh my, Oscar!! What a beautifully magical piece! I’m in love with Mexico City and want to visit it and you and your wife.
Your lovely essay reminded me of the stories I love the most: the ones where there are two interweaving, co-existing worlds: the “real world” plus the “imaginary, magical world.” This is a key element in Studio Ghibli movies such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
You have so many exquisite phrases that remind us that there is more to what we can see, hear, touch, and taste: There is another world…if we’re willing to be open to experiencing it…And, when we do, life is richer and we begin to view life with the curious wonder of children who feel the joy that life has to offer.
Through this well-crafted, gorgeous essay, I got a glimpse of what your future videos will be like. I can’t wait to see how you capture life with a video camera.
"The highest concentration of magic per square meter of reality." I loved this line, and this piece! I will definitely be visiting in the near future ;). Thanks for capturing the surrealism, the magic so well. Through your words, it felt like I was there with you in part.
I love this piece so much Oscar. It's so amazing to see Mexico City through your eyes and you do a great job with what feels like a hard tasks, capturing the surrealism of a city. It does feel that way, and reading this piece makes me want to visit again and pay more attention to all the conflicting but coexisting details. Amazing essay!
Lovely tribute to a fascinating city. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that I've avoided the toques so far. Next time: modelos, mezcal, and car batteries! ;)
What a fantastic piece of writing, Oscar. You had me glued to the screen from start to finish, with a beautiful rhythm and colorful prose. And peace. I told you this already: your pieces give me peace and clarity of thought. “The highest concentration of magic per square meter of reality” -- this is so magical itself. Thank you for sharing this!
Jul 29, 2023·edited Jul 29, 2023Liked by Oscar Obregon
Wow, Oscar! This piece is fantastic. As I read it, I could hear you saying the words, which made me smile. I felt as if I watching a movie, and I could sense the magic leaping off the page.
This essay has legitimately made me smile every time I’ve read and reread it. I’m excited you decided to explore it and that you leaned into it. You did a beautiful job capturing the surrealness—the magic and absurdity of it all is one of my favorite cultural aspects.
Really wishing there was video of the electric shocks moment. I want cantaritos and the toques guy experience followed by more cantaritos ASAP.
Oscar, I know I’m late to the party but I came across this piece through Sandra and absolutely loved it.
The way you capture the vibrancy and surrealism and lived experience of Mexico City is just so good.
Really enjoyed this :) thank you for sharing
I feel utterly transported into the magic. This sentence "The highest concentration of magic per square meter of reality." should be licensed by you to the bureau of tourism. I'm on the verge of booking a flight to come see this for myself!
Oh my, Oscar!! What a beautifully magical piece! I’m in love with Mexico City and want to visit it and you and your wife.
Your lovely essay reminded me of the stories I love the most: the ones where there are two interweaving, co-existing worlds: the “real world” plus the “imaginary, magical world.” This is a key element in Studio Ghibli movies such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
You have so many exquisite phrases that remind us that there is more to what we can see, hear, touch, and taste: There is another world…if we’re willing to be open to experiencing it…And, when we do, life is richer and we begin to view life with the curious wonder of children who feel the joy that life has to offer.
Through this well-crafted, gorgeous essay, I got a glimpse of what your future videos will be like. I can’t wait to see how you capture life with a video camera.
"The highest concentration of magic per square meter of reality." I loved this line, and this piece! I will definitely be visiting in the near future ;). Thanks for capturing the surrealism, the magic so well. Through your words, it felt like I was there with you in part.
I love this piece so much Oscar. It's so amazing to see Mexico City through your eyes and you do a great job with what feels like a hard tasks, capturing the surrealism of a city. It does feel that way, and reading this piece makes me want to visit again and pay more attention to all the conflicting but coexisting details. Amazing essay!
Lovely tribute to a fascinating city. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that I've avoided the toques so far. Next time: modelos, mezcal, and car batteries! ;)
What a fantastic piece of writing, Oscar. You had me glued to the screen from start to finish, with a beautiful rhythm and colorful prose. And peace. I told you this already: your pieces give me peace and clarity of thought. “The highest concentration of magic per square meter of reality” -- this is so magical itself. Thank you for sharing this!
Wow, Oscar! This piece is fantastic. As I read it, I could hear you saying the words, which made me smile. I felt as if I watching a movie, and I could sense the magic leaping off the page.