Oaxaca City, Mexico

AS we’ll talk about more in our upcoming entry about our time in Oaxaca, the Los Amantes mezcal bar became a nightly ritual.  One of our first nights, as we were enjoying another flight of delicious mezcal, Zenon was strumming his guitar in a corner on the other side of the cantina.  Seemingly in his own world, happily plucking out soothing tunes, he provided us an ethereal soundtrack for the night.  When we returned the next night he was tending bar, and we got to talking to him about his life.  Besides singing and meeting people over artisanal mezcal, he told about his hobby carving alebrijes.  These folk art fantastical creatures (pictured above) are ubiquitous all over Mexico, but especially in the Oaxaca state.  Zenon was a great person to chat with, and we love his idea of the Good Life.

Zenon
Santa Cruz, Oaxaca

WHAT’S YOUR CONCEPT OF THE GOOD LIFE?

“La Buena Vida?  Es cuando tomo mezcal!  Para todo mal; mezcal, para todo bien; también!  Pues… me hace feliz cuando hago mis alebrijes. Me gusta pasar el tiempo sin pensar en que hora es.  También me gusta conocer gente nueva sirviendo en Los Amantes, regresando a casa feliz por las experiencias e historias de cada día.” 

“The Good Life?  It’s when you drink mezcal!  For everything bad; mezcal, for everything good; the same!  Anyway…I’m happy to make my alebrijes. Pass the time without thinking what hour it is.  It’s also nice to meet new people bartending, returning home happy about the daily experiences and stories.”

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IN our upcoming entry about our time in Oaxaca, be assured we will talk at length about Los Amantes (we already mentioned it with an early post with Xavier).  The small mezcaleria is packed to the brim with folk art, Victorian era family photos, and mezcal paraphernalia.  It’s a magic feeling place, and talking to Zenon, with his uncomplicated outlook on life, left us enchanted and full of inspiration.