Carmel Cemetery is offering the gift of burial space for cremated remains to families who have kept the cremains of their loved ones at home More Catholics desire to cremate the bodies of the deceased and scatter their ashes according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the Vatican mandates that the deceased's ashes be preserved in a consecrated place "However, it also said family members could request a small part of the ashes be kept in a sacred place of significance for the deceased person," states the website's guidance on cremains The Rite of Committal will be celebrated following the All-Souls’ Day Mass Saturday Cremains for burial and proper documentation will be accepted until 2 p.m More: El Paso ranks No. 4 for Día de los Muertos celebrations in the US María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com @EPTMaria on Twitter; eptmariacg on Instagram Edible Monterey Bay 2024 – El Bistro by the Sea is one of those places where the menu snatches your appetite The loaded assemblage of French-tilted Mexican reminds me of the line an old colleague once composed when we were young(er) “This is the type of menu I could roll up and eat,” Ray Napolitano wrote right around when Taylor Swift was doing her first show at age 14 and “social media” meant watching the news together.  These days that type of menu lives most vividly on Instagram where Swift has 284 million followers.  a few recent posts make for cinematic food erotica chief among them the Nutella-cream cheese “lava cake French toast.” The host says her newest secret menu must is the bacon birria burger built on a half-pound Angus beef foundation with “a smaller portion options for your everyday meal!,” per the El Bistro IG.  It’s a beautiful counterpoint to the $$ main menu that gathers 11 items like butter-and-berry brioche French toast for $6 two slices of bacon and a piece of toast) and the plato ranchero for $10 (two scrambled eggs 2) The two-egg French toast bacon sandwich ($25) I shared with my dad was plenty for us to split The sweet of the maple and thick toast works nicely with the savory cheese as my choice of over-medium egg ties the messy-oh-yessy endeavor together.  Asking for the eggs on the inside and some of the garlicky homemade house salsa helps up the experience.  The aggressive affair bodes well for the waffle sandwich and croissant sandwich are among some of the best in a town stacked with quality breakfast spots The tidy and cute space was tapas spot Promesa for a spell after Casanova converted part of its old larger footprint into space to give to a separate restaurant.  accents and appearances suggested an international and moneyed clientele that was bigger than I would’ve guessed for an overcast Wednesday mid-morning Perhaps the word is out among the town’s concierge crew.  a sign at the host stand flagged El Bistro’s participation in the Carmel Restaurant Improvement District which carries a 0.25% “assessment” on checks (i.e Meanwhile, BBTS—which has been open about a month—is likely experiencing at least a little pop from its participation in the onrushing Carmel Culinary Week which wisely highlights recent restaurant additions like El Bistro Edible’s next visit for the seemingly mandatory volcanic Nutella-cream-cheese French toast never completely materialized because the Memorial Day wait was 45 minutes Also seemingly mandatory would be ending on an appropriate thought from Swift More at El Bistro by the Sea’s Instagram page Reach him by way of @MontereyMCA on Instagram or mark@ediblemontereybay.com Digital EditionText Edition our mission is to celebrate the local food cultures of Santa Cruz and that everyone has a right to healthful We think knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing website and events will inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers EMB is one of 80+ magazines in the award-winning and beloved Edible Communities family We hope you enjoy all that we have to offer Vons and Pavilions grocery stores in Carlsbad Del Mar and Carmel Valley would likely be sold to the parent company of Piggly Wiggly under an updated merger proposal between Kroger and Albertsons announced Tuesday alleging that the nation’s two largest supermarket chains operating as one would significantly reduce competition and lead to higher food prices eight distribution centers and two offices According to a map included with Tuesday’s updated merger plans a vast majority of the divested stores are in the West with the largest amount of stores in California (63) and Washington (124) The graphic also states that C&S would have exclusive licensing rights to the Albertsons brand name in California A list of proposed divested stores includes 11 locations in San Diego County The Rancho Bernardo Vons at 11986 Bernardo Plaza Drive is also on the list. All of the San Diego stores listed are Vons, Pavilions and Albertsons locations. There are no Kroger-owned Ralphs stores on the list Although C&S would have licensing rights to the Albertsons brand name it was not stated whether C&S would rebrand any stores as Piggly Wiggly or Grand Union “This is a significant step toward completion of our proposed merger,” Rodney McMullen C&S is committed to operating these stores as they are today.” said the proposed divestiture would make the grocery industry more competitive by giving C&S an opportunity for expansion “Their deep industry knowledge and experience gives us great confidence in their ability to become even fiercer competitors moving forward,” Sankaran said in the video “I’ve always been impressed by their company’s leadership and commitment to taking care of their associates.” C&S would continue to honor current collective bargaining agreements There would also be no layoffs as part of the agreement McMullen said that the companies remain confident that the merger can be achieved this year “Today’s announcement helps fulfill all the commitments Albertsons and Kroger made since we announced our merger,” he said stated that the merger would increase grocery prices and jeopardize workers’ employment stability “This supermarket mega merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years,” Henry Liu director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition said in a February news release announcing the lawsuit “Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal facing the threat of their wages dwindling and their working conditions deteriorating.” Bonta echoed those concerns in his announcement of California’s lawsuit back in February and for California communities,” he said in a news release at the time Kroger-Albertsons is expected to be the only one-stop grocery option … This merger will leave Californians with limited choices over where to shop — and for workers in this industry As many families continue to feel the burden of inflation fighting corporate consolidation that threatens to increase prices and reduce service is more important than ever.” The aroma of coffee mixed with cardamom wafts out of a shop selling spices Teenage girls are walking home from school others wearing traditional veils and skirts A cell phone store stands near a shop selling wooden molds for traditional pastries and the wall of graffiti has hip lettering next to a Druze man in a white keffiyeh The Druze town of Daliat el-Carmel (also spelled Daliyat al-Carmel) is what its Deputy Mayor Nisim Abu Hamad calls “a mixture of modernity based on our Druze culture and tradition.” On one end of the town is a large Druze flag with its star and five colors; the other end has a sign with the hashtag #Daliyatelcarmel Mixing the new with the old gives this Israeli Druze town its own brand Daliat el-Carmel started as a small settlement of houses on the hill in the Carmel Forest riding up the winding road through the forest are makeshift kiosks selling large “it will soon be registered as a city with our population of 18,000 people The soon-to-be city has also embarked on a renewal project Daliat el-Carmel is packed with visitors to its outdoor market that stretches along the main street People come to visit art galleries and stores and sample the cuisine an angel-hair pastry made with akawi cheese (originally named after the city of Akka topped with crushed pistachio nuts and sprinkled with rosewater There are also excellent hummus and shawarma restaurants director of business development in Daliat el-Carmel accompanied me on a walking tour along with Rabie Husese “We’re trying to be ‘glocal.’ That means we want to attract people globally while helping people locally.” The Druze number about one million worldwide and are a monotheistic offshoot of Islam but do not consider themselves Muslim There are approximately 143,000 Druze in Israel “The Druze in Israel are the most successful Druze group in the world.” They are loyal Israeli citizens The municipality is working hard to attract as many visitors as possible to Daliat el-Carmel 1,500 runners participated in an inaugural half-marathon through the city there are festivals that include performances Visitors don’t have to look hard to reach the studio of local artist Sam Halabi; they simply follow the sidewalk decorated with squares of different colors to reach the shop window “I was born after nine girls,” Halabi told ISRAEL21c “My parents didn’t stop until they got a son.” From the age of five “My mother used to send me to the local market when I was very little and I’d look at the designs on women’s traditional white Druze head scarves,” Halabi recounted “I’d come home and draw the designs and then she would sew them on her Singer sewing machine.” He has saved some of her embroidered scarves to use in one of his next art projects you see everything with vibrant colors,” he said Halabi has a display of the dining room table Havisham’s house in the novel Great Expectations where you’ll find paintings by Manar Khalifeh “I paint in acrylic and also in watercolors and I paint sketches with my left hand even though I am not left-handed,” Khalifeh said She explained that she wants to “create a connection between me and the viewer without me being present,” adding that her artwork is a way to express “my identity as a Druze woman.” Other artists with studios along the streets include Fadi Hamoudi There are also stores selling traditional Druze crafts “We’re not looking to go back in time,” said Majd Halabi at City Hall Everyone I met was proud of their heritage — and their city “I love it here and I support anything that will help advance it,” Nasreen Halabi said “And we also need to help the next generation.” who caters weddings and events in Daliat el-Carmel if she could cook for people in other places There’s always something going on,” she replied Further information on Daliyat al-Carmel can be found here Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Take your teens to Bunkers del Carmel a popular spot with Instagrammers looking for the perfect Barcelona panorama Barcelona's popularity as a tourist destination has surged in recent years but there are still many local barrios (neighbourhoods) to explore away from the crowds In the centre you’ll be jostling for space amongst tour groups bicycles and selfie sticks; visit these areas visit Gaudí buildings where you won’t have to queue and get to know areas of the city even many locals don’t know The neighbourhood of El Carmel sits just above Gaudí's famous Park Güell While almost all tourists visit Park Güell El Carmel is characterised by steep narrow streets and leafy residential areas; there aren’t many sights but the neighbourhood more than makes up for that by offering some incredible city views all framed by the deep blue of the Mediterranean If you’ve got kids, head over to the Parc de la Creueta del Coll which is home to a large shallow lagoon for swimming and kayaking Eduardo Chillida’s Praise of the Water sculpture – like a giant concrete claw – sits suspended in the air take metro line 5 and get out at El Carmel you’ll need to walk a further 1.2km up steep hills You can also get there on buses 22 and 119 Sarrià is Barcelona’s upmarket barrio for the well-heeled picturesque squares and elegant Catalan architecture It used to be a separate village until it was swallowed up by the city where little ones can enjoy a miniature train ride S2 or L6 from Plaça Catalunya or Provença and get out at Sarrià The quaint, quiet barrio of Horta lies to the north of the centre, and brims with cute plazas and narrow streets. Other than sitting down with the locals to enjoy a nice cold orxata (tiger nut milk) or two in a pretty square, your main reason for coming here will be the Jardins del Laberint d'Horta – a huge green expanse that sits high up among rolling hills it's the oldest garden in Barcelona and is both Neoclassical and Romantic in style and busts and statues inspired by Greek and Roman mythology its highlight is a huge central labyrinth – a proper cypress hedge maze you can really get lost in The Pedralbes barrio is characterised by wide leafy avenues and graceful mansions, backed by the green hills of the Collserola Natural Park. Make a stop at the Pavellons Güell fronted by Gaudí's exquisite Dragon Gate with its intricate curls of wrought iron including the world’s most fragrant – the Mister Lincoln take metro line 3 and get out at Maria Cristina or Palau Reial The village-like barrio of Sant Andreu de Palomar lies to the northeast of Barcelona's centre and is one of the most charming in the city Even locals don’t know this barrio unless they live there Despite not being well-known, Sant Andreu has some intriguing sights. At the heart sits the Plaza Orfila, and the striking Church of Sant Andreu, one of the most unique in the city. Built on the site of a 10th-century Romanesque church, it’s neo-Gothic in style and has become a symbol of the barrio. Just around the corner, you’ll find Fabra i Coats a large modern art gallery housed in a former thread and textile factory The neighbourhood is filled with quaint squares, lots of independent shops and cafes, and mesmerising Modernista architecture. Stop for a coffee at the historic Versalles bar with its shimmering green facade and undulating wrought-iron balconies before continuing to the Sant Andreu covered market another lovely neo-Gothic church with ribbed vaults and original tiles designed by none other than Antoni Gaudí take metro line 1 and get out at Sant Andreu The best free things to do in Barcelona A perfect weekend in Barcelona Top 10 day trips out of Barcelona Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our weekly newsletter. Make sure you're ready for anything with travel insurance from our trusted partners. Article first published October 2017, and updated July 2019. as well as in other coastal locations throughout Spain will honour the Virgen del Carmen with pilgrimages and processions to mark the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16 July Some of the smaller towns and villages mark the feast with a solemn parade through the streets while others hold lavish processions that culminate in the Virgin being escorted out to sea assisted by dozens of 'jábegas' the Virgin blesses the waters and remembers those who have died at sea in the previous year This is one of the oldest traditions in Malaga a festivity that combines its seafaring roots and the province's devotion to the patron of the sea while captivating locals and tourists alike with its historical significance and festivities This tradition goes back to the Old Testament prophet who lived as a hermit in a cave on Mount Carmel Legend says that the Virgin Mary appeared to the prophet on Mount Carmel a long piece of cloth worn as a religious sacrament it became popular with pilgrims heading to the 13th century chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin to ask for her protection The Virgin of Carmel is patron of the Carmelite order a mendicant order of the Roman Catholic Church which is thought to have been founded in the 12th century Carmen derives from the Hebrew Al-Karem (meaning the garden or vineyard of God) and her veneration has been spread throughout the world by the Carmelites a Carmelite named Simon Stock is said to have seen a vision of the Virgin of Carmel on 16 July 1251 Historical evidence concerning his life is inconsistent although medieval documents show he hosted the first general chapter of the Carmelite Order held outside the Holy Land and that he was responsible for expanding the order in southern and western Europe The Virgin is said to have given him the Carmelite habit promising him it would save those who wore it The scapular received papal recognition in 1587 the General Chapter of London gave permission for a Carmelite order to be founded in Spain Popular devotion to the Virgen del Carmen began to take hold in Spain around the end of the 13th century This veneration is demonstrated by the fact that the first names Carmen and María del Carmen are among the most popular girls' names in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries María Cristina de Habsburgo (mother of King Alfonso XIII) and the Duke of Veragua (minister of the Navy) endorsed a Royal Order by which the Virgen del Carmen was made patron of the Spanish Navy Although the feast day is mainly celebrated in coastal towns in Spain there are a few inland locations that also venerate the Virgen del Carmen Locations from Nerja to Estepona will host festivities in honour of the Virgen del Carmen on Tuesday hold a fair to coincide with the celebration processions take place in the district of Pedregalejo The festivities in El Palo include the image of the Virgin being taken to a specific point on the La Malagueta beach where it is submerged to a small niche located at the bottom of the bay the Malaga Divers Association which is home to Malaga province's largest fishing harbour in terms of number of boats the town's fishermen traditionally cook a giant paella which they share with locals and visitors as their way of giving thanks to the town that supports the industry The image of La Virgen del Carmen is then taken out to sea on a fishing boat before being brought back to the parish church La Virgen del Carmen was officially recognised as patron saint of the town by the Vatican in 2023 Here the image is carried around the streets of the town and then like in Caleta she is taken out to sea before being returned to the chapel Other processions take place in Benalmádena see the relevant town hall social media or websites Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados state-of-the-art escalators will be added to the urban landscape in the fall of 2025 marking a milestone in mobility in the El Carmel neighborhood and the evolution of the city’s mobility is a testament to Barcelona’s commitment to the constant improvement of its urban infrastructure With a projected budget of two million euros this ambitious project will not only introduce the new escalators but will also address a comprehensive intervention The main focus of this initiative will be on the Mulassa Passage a location that presents a unique challenge due to its 14-meter cumulative drop and complex topography This area will be connected in a vital way joining the end of Font de la Mulassa street with the area of Gran Vista street with the goal of completing the work in the summer of 2025 and commissioning the escalators in the fall of the same year it is expected that the transformation of the urban landscape and the improvement of mobility in the area will result in a more accessible and aesthetically pleasing environment The project encompasses several improvements to enhance the quality of life in El Carmel One of the key aspects of the intervention will be the renovation of the pavement which will not only improve the aesthetics of the environment but will also contribute to a smoother mobility experience creating a visually attractive and harmonious environment The project addresses visual and safety issues by burying the existing overhead wiring in the area providing a more orderly and safe environment an improvement in street lighting is planned to optimize the placement of streetlights and improve the intensity and uniformity of the space The intervened area will also undergo the renovation and incorporation of urban furniture These elements not only add convenience to mobility but also create living spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy the environment The Barcelona City Council has already given the green light to the project highlighting its importance for the improvement of mobility and the aesthetics of the neighborhood the Horta-Guinardó District will hold detailed information sessions to share all aspects of the project with the local community Stock images by Depositphotos La venta de la nuda propiedad Copyright © 2022 Salirporbarcelona , All rights Reserved. Created by JEZZ Media Already a member? Log in Not a member? Sign up Explore our Food Tours → the protagonist of Juan Marsé’s 1965 novel possibly the saddest Spanish love novel ever written spends a great deal of his time drinking and playing cards with the local elders in Las Delicias Well known to locals and Marsé’s devotees but unknown to many Barcelonans this bar was founded in the Carmel neighborhood in the mid-1920s using a natural cave that was turned into a bomb shelter built just below the republican air defenses during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) a working-class neighborhood on Rovira hill with spectacular views over the city Castilian and Extremaduran immigrants who moved to Barcelona looking for brighter futures during the postwar years Las Delicias soon became their favorite local eatery the bar is still a neighborhood institution and the menu still reflects the origins of those who once settled down here There are Andalucian specialties such as calamares a la andaluza (deep-fried squid €1.60) and pincho moruno (marinated chicken on a skewer €4.50); Galician specialties like pimientos de Padrón (€5.25) €7) and pulpo a la gallega (boiled octopus €13.95); Aragonese longaniza (pork sausage €5.25) and Castilian callos (beef tripe stew But if there is a tapa that makes it worth the trek – El Carmel is renowned for its steep streets and the lack of access to public transport – it’s the patatas suizas (€3.50) Las Delicias’ own version of patatas bravas the quintessential Spanish tapa: fried potatoes served warm with spicy tomato sauce and aioli What makes Las Delicias’ version so special is that its aioli sauce is less garlicky than usual and its tomato sauce is actually romesco (made from almonds and red pepper); the result is milder than the classic brava sauce but equally yummy Las Delicias’ “Swiss potatoes” are always ranked as one of the best tapas in Barcelona and they are probably the reason why the restaurant’s indoor dining room and outdoor terrace are always packed A good way to burn off the calories inevitably gained with Las Delicias’ tapas is to go for a stroll to the El Carmel bunkers – which offer arguably the best viewpoint in Barcelona and are little known to tourists – or to Guinardó Park or Gaudí’s Park Güell Or you can while away the evening with the regulars in tribute to Juan Marsé loading map - please wait...Map could not be loaded - please enable Javascript!→ more information By: 5:30 am on August 30 1766 El Camino Real wrapped around the Police Station 1766 El Camino Real overlooking California Street The 90-foot tall structure now contains over half a million square feet of floor area with 291,970 square feet for 311 apartments 131,390 square feet for the 319-car basement garage The project will feature around 25,725 square feet of open space across two courtyards Additional parking will be included for 172 bicycles 22 units will be designated as affordable to very low-income households earning around 50% of the Area’s Median Income The affordable units allowed the project to benefit from a 30% density bonus 1766 El Camino Real at the corner of Trousdale and El Camino TCA Architects is responsible for the design. The project is a podium-style design with the overall mass articulated to reduce the visual impact of the massing. Facade materials will include stucco, brick veneer, and metal panels. JETT Landscape Architecture + Design is responsible for the landscape architecture The level-one community space will include a pool and over 10,000 square feet of interior amenities The L-shaped building extends across several parcels from El Camino Real to California Avenue along Trousdale Drive. The 1.7-acre property will extend from El Camino to California Drive, just ten minutes from the Millbrae BART and Caltrain Station on foot The station is expected to be the penultimate stop on the Peninsula for the California High-Speed Rail line 1766 El Camino Real seen from along California Street 1766 El Camino Real seen from California Drive With the structure topped out and exterior work coming together the project appears on track for the scheduled July 2025 opening Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews er… it was way better than what was there before What is ‘hideous’ is the artificial housing shortage to preserve low-slung That high density housing near the all-important Millbrae transit center is being completed is cause for celebration which automatically proves that this is the right thing to advance the human condition Many NIMBYs have faces that are ‘off’ in some way Need some parks nearby for all the folks who move in The empty lot across the street could make nice open space There’s a park a few blocks down California Dr ga('send', 'event', ‘Robert ‘Becker, 'Impression', 'https://sfyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/desktop-ad.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'SF YIMBY', 'Impression', 'https://sfyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/sfyimbyadnews.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'SF YIMBY', 'Impression', 'https://sfyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/sf-yimby-dot-com-graphic.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY LLC, 2025 Wind gusts of 30+ mph along with afternoon and evening blowing dust, could reduce visibility. Weather MapsRadarEl Paso bishop celebrates All Souls Day Mass at Mt Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Catholic Diocese of El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz celebrated the All Souls Day Mass on Tuesday All Souls Day is the commemoration of all the faithful who have departed The faithful could register for the ashes of their loved ones to be buried as part of the internment of ashes following the Mass Send us your Dia de Muertos photos/videos to our ChimeIn. RECOMMENDED:Mexican villages try to preserve authentic Day of the Dead RECOMMENDED:Public can take non-perishable items, photos to Dia de Muertos altar at Ascarate Park Sign up to receive the topmost interesting stories from in and around our community once a day to your inbox By: 5:30 am on August 11 The 90-foot tall structure will yield 505,180 square feet with 291,970 square feet for 311 apartments The average apartment will span 934 square feet TCA Architects is responsible for the design. The project is a podium-style design with the overall mass articulated to reduce the visual impact of the massing. Facade materials will include stucco, brick veneer, and metal panels. BKF is consulting on civil engineering JETT Landscape Architecture + Design is responsible for the landscape architecture 1766 El Camino Real pedestrian view along El Camino including 1766 El Camino and the adjacent block of 1810 El Camino where ABC Tree Farms sells Christmas tree and pumpkins Another wonderful development underscoring the neighborhood character Before long everyone will be drinking toilet to tap water to accommodate the ever increasing population. Im a local resident in need of 2or3 bedroom…thank you Barcelona City Council will close nighttime access to the Carmel Bunkers from Tuesday The popular tourist spot will continue to open during the day from 9am to 7.30pm in the summer and from 9am to 5.30pm in the winter.  work to install a two-meter-high fence is being completed By preventing large crowds gathering at the bunker at night authorities aim to prevent the Civil War remains from being damaged further and to ensure that noise does not prevent nearby residents from getting to sleep.  Local police, the Guàrdia Urbana will be tasked with ensuring large crowds do not gather and that there is no uncivil behavior.  The Carmel Bunkers are a popular viewpoint on Barcelona's Turó de la Rovira hill 262 meters above sea level. It is common for large crowds to gather there to watch the sunset a councilor in the Horta-Guinardó district, said the closure aims to curb the "nighttime crowds and illegal parties" and to attract more cultural tourism.  "The idea now is to be able to manage the site and change visitors' culture," she said.  From May 2, Guàrdia Urbana will clear people from the area and close the access points daily at 7.30pm.  That system will remain in place until at least October when the measures put in place will be evaluated.  Alarcón admitted that closing time "is quite early," and said the council will study how the situation develops and Earlier in April Barcelona City Council said they could start fining people who drink and organize parties at the Carmel Bunkers viewpoint because many nearby residents had complained about the noise and crowds.  Many locals took to social media to complain about the situation, but social media is also their main enemy, with videos of sunset parties above the Barcelona skyline proving a hit online.  Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information. The four Mount Carmel caves (Tabun, Jamal, el-Wad and Skhul) and their terraces are clustered adjacent to each other along the south side of the Nahal Me’arot/Wadi el-Mughara valley. The steep-sided valley opening to the coastal plain on the west side of the Carmel range provides the visual setting of a prehistoric habitat. Located in one of the best preserved fossilised reefs of the Mediterranean region, the site contains cultural deposits representing half a million years of human evolution from the Lower Palaeolithic to the present. It is recognised as providing a definitive chronological framework at a key period of human development. Criterion (v): The Nahal Me'arot/ Wadi el-Mughara Caves are a central site of the Natufian culture in its Mediterranean core zone. This significant regional culture of the late Epi-Palaeolithic period presents the transition from Palaeolithic to Neolithic ways of life, from nomadic to complex, sedentary communities, bearing testimony to the last hunter-gatherer society and the various adaptations it underwent on the threshold of agriculture. Archaeological research over 90 years has established the authenticity of the Nahal Me’arot/Wadi el-Mughara site as a crucial record of human, biological, behavioural and cultural origins. The caves, terraces and excavated structures, together with excavated artefacts and human remains, truthfully and credibly express the values of the property. The authenticity of the habitat is impacted by the alien Eucalyptus trees and water pumping station. The Barcelona city council might start fining those who drink and organize popular parties at Carmel Bunkers viewpoint as many nearby residents have complained about the noise and the overcrowding officials have not fined anyone but rather have focused on seizing speakers or even stage lights the councilor for the neighborhood of Horta Guinardó explained in an interview with Els Matins de TV3 TV program Police patrols will continue over the upcoming months and the city council is installing fences to restrict access to the site at night is not the fences but the number of visitors as the only viable solution is to "change tourists' habits," Alarcón said Many locals have taken to social media to complain about the situation including the waste left behind and the transport issues caused by many taxis and ride-hailing companies as they drop tourists off in the area But while residents are using social media to ask for help social media is also their main enemy.  and TikTok that the Carmel Bunkers viewpoint is a place "worth" going to and consider it part of their "bucket list" of things to do in Barcelona A video recorded of a sunset from the Carmel Bunkers while a DJ plays music went viral recently with some reaching over 60,000 likes and many surpassing millions of views The Carmel Bunkers 360-degree viewpoint is located on top of the Turó de la Rovira hill But even though it is called the Carmel Bunkers it became one of the last shanty neighborhoods in the Catalan capital To learn more about how Barcelona protected itself from Civil War air raids, listen to our Filling the Sink podcast episode published on April 1, 2023. Texas (KFOX14) — One woman's determination to learn more about her ancestors has turned into a quest for answers from the owner of what she calls a dilapidated cemetery Karen Muñoz has returned to her hometown of El Paso in search of her great grandfather's headstone in an old plot of land at Mt Muñoz said her search began when she and her sibling researched their family tree Although she has been able to find her great grandmother's and even great grandfather's second wife's headstones there appears to be no sign of her great grandfather many of the graves you can't even decipher what they say and many don't have a stone or a marker anymore RECOMMENDED:Audit used to find fraud within Humane Society of El Paso wouldn't have uncovered theft Muñoz said her family records show her great grandfather is buried in a piece of land that's near the chapel at Mt "I've asked the church as well as Mt Carmel Cemetery office and evidently the records were burned in a fire and so this one-acre section of Mt Carmel there is no map and there is no list of who is buried here." her mission is to get the cemetery cleaned up but that has been hard to do since she does not know who it belongs to it’s no longer about my grandfather anymore it’s about all these people who have been forgotten and I can imagine there are probably thousands and thousands of descendants from the pioneers that moved here These are people who lived in Ysleta in the 1850s," said Muñoz KFOX14 Investigates asked the Catholic Diocese of El Paso Carmel Cemetery if the plot of land where Muñoz's family is said to be buried belongs to them the piece of land was bought by the diocese for $15 in the late 1800s "The last time a body was buried in this part of the cemetery the diocese does currently hold the rights to this land it's because of the nature of how delicate these particular gravestones are that we try and maintain just cleaning it for now," said Ceniceros." "For sure we have records from 1956 because that's when the cemetery was founded it was the Ysleta Cemetery that was managed through various entities and of course whenever there is a new entity sometimes the records don't get moved over or there is confusion as to who has those records the records are kept at a local funeral home So it's very possible that even the funeral homes might have shut down and those records may have gotten lost there." Ceniceros told KFOX14 Investigates the more than 200-year old cemetery gets maintenance twice a year because the pandemic has reduced their employee base by 50 percent He explained there is also hesitation to touch the land since the few records that do exist for the cemetery show there are some Tigua Tribe members buried there "The Tiguas very much consider any plot where one of their members is buried as sacred given the limitations that we have," Ceniceros said KFOX14 Investigated reached out to the Tigua Tribe for comment and were told the cemetery does not belong to them the diocese is working to remedy the issue "we do the best that we can with the resources that we have and hopefully we can start to begin a process of turning this particular plot of land into a situation where its state and federally acknowledged as a historical site." even if the Ysleta Cemetery gets historic designation that would not mean the diocese could get funds to fix it The Texas Cemeteries and Crematories Association told KFOX14 Investigates there are no federal funds that currently exist for the purpose of restoring a cemetery KFOX14 Investigates also learned there are no statutory standards to how a cemetery must be maintained according to the Texas Cemeteries and Crematories Association is for bodies to be buried at a certain depth and for records to be kept of when and where someone is buried since the diocese did not acquire the Ysleta Cemetery until years after bodies were buried there there is not much that can be done about the lost list of names Ceniceros added a fire could have contributed to the loss of documents "There was a fire in the early 1900s of the official Mt Carmel Church where a lot of those records were lost," he said The Texas Cemeteries and Crematories Association said the Ysleta Cemetery could easily get a historic designation since those are typically granted to cemeteries that are at least 50-years old the diocese said it was working to possibly get a plaque to honor those who are buried with no record or headstone "That's kind of the thinking there We do want to explore opportunities with the Tigua Reservation simply because there are a lot of Tigua members buried here and making sure that we of course honor the people that are buried here Those that we know and those that we don't know," he said but the diocese asks for visitors to be cognizant they are walking on sacred ground the reason the chain-linked fences were put up was simply because to prevent people from coming in and doing any form of vandalism I'm sure that is a problem in a lot of other cemeteries as well right now I think we're working on trying to figure out a good easy solution so that it looks a little more inviting and people are able to come and visit," said Ceniceros." Ceniceros said the diocese cannot have volunteers help clean up the cemetery but said anyone with a family member buried at the Ysleta Cemetery can visit the office of Mt Carmel Cemetery to work out a cleaning arrangement "We hope that the community can be a little more patient with us as to how we go about cleaning but we do work on making sure a lot of this brush gets cleaned out at least twice a year At the very minimum and hoping that in the future we can work with state and federal entities to maybe make this a historical ground so that we can get the actual funds to begin to really clean it out and maybe even put some sort of desert landscaping out here," said Ceniceros RECOMMENDED:Humane Society of El Paso audits financial records under former director Tina's Restaurant was a popular dive bar that stood at 4081 Route 52 for decades A popular watering hole for many area residents for years from Stormville Michelle Andriano grew up in Stormville and with the family that once owned Tina's She has fond memories of the establishment and says she had been drinking there for as far back as she could remember I always remember people talking about going to Tina's and saying how much of a fun time it always was After the owner lost his life tragically in 2021 The family eventually completely renovated the building and an ice cream shop called Emma's Cafe was opened Now a new restaurant has moved into the spot El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant recently opened up at 4081 Route 52 "Discover the vibrant flavors of Mexico at El Mariachi Our menu features traditional dishes like zesty tacos colorful setting that captures the spirit of a Mexican fiesta." Michelle Andriano took to Facebook and a Carmel area group called You Know You're from Carmel if.... and posted photos of the new Mexican restaurant that used to be Tina's A sign for El Mariachi hangs on the front of the building along with a large Mexican Food sign up on the balcony at 4081 Route 52 in Holmes A nice shot of the El Mariachi Restaurant building taken from the parking lot vibrant colors fill the room at El Mariachi The food looks absolutely delicious at El Mariachi! Check out their website and follow them on Facebook here Gallery Credit: Paty Quyn Gallery Credit: Loopnet.com The former spot that was the popular Tina's Bar off rt 52 in Holmes, NY gets new life.\nRead More Michelle Andriano took to Facebook and a Carmel area group called You Know You're from Carmel if.... and posted photos of the new Mexican restaurant that used to be Tina's The food looks absolutely delicious at El Mariachi! Check out their website and follow them on Facebook here By: 5:00 am on June 13 1766 El Camino Real aerial overview from the corner of Trousdale and California The 90-foot tall structure will yield 505,180 square feet with 291,970 square feet for housing TCA Architects is responsible for the design The project is a podium-style design with the overall mass articulated to reduce the visual impact of the massing 1766 El Camino Real along California Drive The new renderings provide greater visual detail for the facade materials’ appearance once complete The wood-look panels will feature a prominent decorative flair at two corners and along the inner wall The rest of the articulation has been refined to flow with the visual hierarchy of the building height Certosa Inc is the project owner represented by Carmel Partners. BKF is the civil engineer, and JETT Landscape Architecture + Design is responsible for the landscape architecture 1766 El Camino Real corner view at El Camino and Trousdale The property site is in a potential new high-density mixed-use neighborhood emanating from the Millbrae Station with BART and Caltrain providing commuters among the best regional transit across the Bay Area of any station. Construction work is wrapping up for the Gateway at Millbrae Station project for which YIMBY certainly needs to visit soon to update Demolition and site work is also started on a new Life Sciences office project 1766 El Camino Real site area approximately outlined The plans will be reviewed today, June 13th at 7 PM. For more information about the scheduled items, how to attend and participate, visit the city website here Totally missed opportunity to make a prominent attractive corner at “1766 El Camino Real corner view at El Camino and Trousdale” (5th photo) Follow on Instagram © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY LLC Most people go to the Galilee Druze village of Daliat el-Carmel to sample ethnic cuisine or bring home bargains from the bazaar located between the bucolic wine country in Zichron Yaakov and the high-tech hub of Haifa is also rich in history that Ragaa Mansour is eager to share “This is the southernmost Druze town in the world and the largest in Israel,” says Mansour a member of the Druze sect that is based mainly in Lebanon and Syria Two years ago, Mansour opened the Carmel Center for Druze Heritage a hands-on living museum dedicated to educating visitors about the Druze people religion and culture through exhibits on dress The religion started in 11th century Egypt as an offshoot of the Islamic Ismailia Movement But even if the faith is a bit of a mystery the culture is known for its friendly openness and for its members’ loyalty to Israel The Druze have served in the Israel Defense Forces since 1956 Daliat el-Carmel has a Druze military cemetery and the Beit Yad Labanim memorial site for fallen Druze soldiers Daliat el-Carmel’s residents welcome frequent Israeli weekend travelers who come to explore the region’s cuisine and learn more about a history that also resonates with Jews and Christians for its significance in the life of the prophet Elijah “The Druze are very polite and really welcome tourists no matter if they are English-speaking German-speaking or Hebrew-speaking,” tour guide Akiva Oren tells ISRAEL21c which means “Vine of the Carmel,” was established in the 17th century by Druze émigrés from Lebanon In 2003 it merged with Usfiya to its immediate south The combined municipality is officially called Carmel but natives still distinguish between the two as their makeup is slightly different “Usfiya has 10,200 people and is about 17 percent Christian and three percent Muslim and also there are some Jewish houses,” Mansour tells ISRAEL21c The 13,000 residents of Daliat el-Carmel are virtually all Druze There are also Druze villages scattered throughout the Golan farther to the northeast by the Syrian and Lebanese borders Oren recommends exploring these villages especially on weekends when Daliat el-Carmel’s main street is crowded with traffic What many of the hordes of visitors are seeking is ethnic cuisine Mansour says staple dishes include stuffed grape leaves mansaf (lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or groats) bulgur pilaf and fresh pita sprinkled with za’atar and hummus you can get some of these goodies on the go courtesy of villagers who bake and sell pita bread at roadside stands Mansour says few people know that the poet Naphtali Herz Imber put the finishing touches on his poem “Our Hope” while working as a secretary for Sir Laurence Oliphant That poem is the basis of Israel’s national anthem an English-style mansion on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean It houses an art collection documenting the signing of Israel’s peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan This is also where the soldiers memorial is found a Carmelite Monastery on a mountain on the main road of Daliat el-Carmel was built where the Prophet Elijah is believed to have battled with the followers of the pagan god Ba’al Nearby is the cave where the Bible records that Elijah was fed by ravens while hiding from the wicked Queen Jezebel The grounds of the monastery include a grove and garden and the rooftop is a popular observation point No matter from which direction you’re driving into Daliat el-Carmel which is where last year’s devastating fire began and burned down much of the Carmel forest Oren likes to take tourists on jeep excursions in the area and it’s also possible to press olives numerous B&Bs are situated in the village and offer warm Druze hospitality Some of the residents also welcome overnight guests in their private homes The main road and the alleyways leading from it contain many old houses of worship At the end of one of these lanes is a shrine to Abu-Ibrahim who was among the first emissaries sent out by the Egyptian Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakem in 996 CE to proclaim the Druze faith Modern Druze brides and grooms come to have their picture taken in front of the arched new prayer hall adjacent to the shrine But the jewel of Daliat el-Carmel is its old marketplace in the heart of the village when many Israeli retail centers are closed for the Jewish Sabbath the bazaar boasts dozens of stores offering varied wares alongside stalls featuring locally manufactured olive oil “You can find everything here in one spot,” says Mansour “and the market also has goods imported from the East That’s why so many people come here on the weekends.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Lea Beliaeva | Barcelona Around two-thirds of all travelers search for recommendations online while more than one-third use social media.  The use of these alternative sources are changing tourists’ traveling patterns converting previously lesser-known spots in Barcelona into tourist hotspots Catalan News has recently published a podcast on the issue: Anna is a first time visitor in Barcelona from Australia.When she travels she says she searches for recommendations on Google or on social media “Some of the Instagram pages I follow show you hidden unique things that are a bit different from all the tourist attractions” One of the places that Anna found when she googled “Best Views in Barcelona” was Els Bunkers del Carmel on el Turó de la Rovira in the Carmel neighborhood.  as an anti-aerial defense system to protect the city of Barcelona against Italian fascist airbombings they have become a popular place for locals to enjoy the 360° panoramic view of the city particularly at sunset when people gather to watch the sun go down on the other side of the Collserola Mountains.  the idyllic scene of a sunset has attracted more and more tourists causing what’s referred to as “overtourism,” in part because of social media a first-time visitor from Miami who found els Bunkers on TikTok primarily uses social media when looking for travel information:  “You hear a testimony directly from someone's voice rather than reviews online and you get to see video content of the actual location more than just select snapshots so you see a more true view of what you’re going to visit,.” he explains.  Another place where tourists have largely replaced the locals is the food market La Boqueria, located on la Rambla in the center of Barcelona. Here, tourists make up around 70% of all daily visitors.    “The first thing that pops up when you search online is la Boqueria”, explains Vy, an influencer from Vietnam, who is visiting the market for the third time with a group of friends.   Inaugurated in 1840, it is the largest and oldest food market in Catalonia. Now, over half of all the stalls sell products directed more at tourists than locals.  What’s typically found in the market are colorful and tempting displays of freshly squeezed juices, neatly cut up and packaged pieces of fruit, and cones filled with fried fish ready to bite into. But Miquel, a cod vendor, explains that the fried cod-cakes, els bunyols, that he sells are a typical catalan product, just packaged differently: “Now, they are just displayed in a more appealing way, so the customers can try one of our typical products: because if 2,000 or 3,000 people pass by our shop daily, you have to have a special offer to attract the customer, right?”  With the increasing use of social media, tourism can affect local spots in Barcelona and bring up issues for its residents.  The newly elected Socialist mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, has said that he wants tourism in Barcelona to be more sustainable, but has not yet presented a concrete plan.    a Mexican restaurant that serves authentic cuisine that’s easy on the wallet Opened in 2009 by employees of Carmel’s a neighborhood favorite that closed the previous year the eatery preserves much of the former restaurant’s heritage through its food A wall covered with photos offers additional items to the large hanging menu one meal you can try at any time is the huevos rancheros: a classic dish served with two fresh sunny-side up eggs with a flour tortilla Lunch and dinner items include steak picado as well as non-Mexican entries such as hamburgers Beer and assorted wines are also available The friendly waiting staff and a gentle atmosphere make this one of Lake Forest’s hidden gems Photo from Yelp, here. They say that Israel is a melting pot of different cultures and religions a minority who live mostly in villages in the Galilee and Golan have a unique culture including a secretive religion colorful markets and a cuisine that is to die for We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of how bestto experience Druze food A project of the Nations and Flavors tour company, El Carmel offers special meals (certified kosher) and tours for groups of 10 or more, with the purpose of connecting groups of tourists to the Druze people of the Carmel Mountain village of Usfiya. Contact info: 972-4-839-0125; avishlomo@012.net.il Local guides demystify the everyday life of this complex community You’ll find yourself heading down alleyways not usually frequented by tourists You willsee a village prayer house and olive press and experienceplate upon plate of homemade foodaround the tabun oven folklore and stories aboutthe Druze religion the Bishvil Habanim Hadruzim (For the Druze Boys) race was created as part of a larger project to raise awareness of the contribution that Druze soldiers have made to Israeli and memorialize those who have fallen in wars and conflicts with the 2019 race occurring on September 20 the extended 226-kilometer Shvil HaBanim path runs through 18 Galilean Druze villages and includes scenic lookouts and informative memorial sites It can be walked or biked any time of year בשביל הבנים 2019, אירוע הספורט הרשמי – יוצא לדרך! מגוון מקצים יחכו לכם במירוץ בשביל הבנים 2019 לרוץ ולרכב לצד הנופים המדהימים של הכנרת והגולן באירוע הספורט השנתי שכולם מחכים לו ❤????‍♂ צעידה 3 ק"מ ????‍♀ ריצה 5 ק"מ ????‍♀????‍♀ ריצה 10 ק"מ ????‍♂ רכיבה 25 ק"מ לרכישת כרטיסים במכירה מוקדמת (עד 24.7) > bit.ly/32jHTdG- – – בשביל הבנים מפעל הנצחה לאומי לזכרם של הלוחמים בני העדה הדרוזית שנפלו במערכות ישראל ??? Posted by ‎בשביל הבנים‎ on Sunday 3. Galileat Learn about village life in the Galilee from the Muslim Christian and Druze host families that welcome you into their homes via Galileat for a private or group cooking workshop and some strong cardamom infused Arab coffee later you’ll be sitting down to enjoy the feast you’ve just created Seasonal menus feature local delicacies such as stuffed zucchini and vine leaves majadra (bulgur wheat with fried onions and lentils) siniyah (lamb kebabs cooked in tahini sauce) 4. Fatma Shanan Art Studio An internationally recognized artist with striking paintings that represent her Druze culture Fatma Shanan recently moved her painting studio from Tel Aviv back to her home village of Julis in the Upper Galilee Having shown in solo and group exhibits in Tel Aviv Shanan focuses on realistic depictions of village life and snippets of the things that make life beautiful depictions of authentic colorful patterned rugs and interesting self-portraits.Visits by appointment only Perhaps the most authentic Druze experience you can have starts with an impromptu stop by the side of the road Drive around the Galilee and Golan and you will notice handmade signs along major roads and at the entrances to nature reserves and hiking trails,promising Druze pita Let the signs lure you in for what will probably be the best flatbread you’ve ever eaten always made fresh on site on the back of a wok-like saj oven Adventurous eaters can get the pita smeared with sour labane yogurt-like cheese and topped with the homemade zaatar spice blend of the proprietors Kids can simply enjoy theirs with chocolate spread Our favorites roadside pita stands are just before the entrance to Haifa University: and at the entrance of Har Bental, Golan Heights A piece of the Druze village in Haifa’s busy Carmel Center El Kheir is the perfect way to have a full Druze dining experience without having to venture farther out to the nearby villages of Daliyat al-Carmel and Usfiya Owner and chef El Kheir Halabi delights in spoiling you with treats that you didn’t even order Sit back and let him steer your meal to unexpected and delicious places with menu items created solely from the nearby villages’ homegrown products A trip to the Druze village of Julis can mean more than just procuring some beautiful artwork (see above) and delicious food for a peaceful afternoon stroll around this family-run estate that includes flowering trees a checkered tile courtyard and a working swing decorated with flowers The Israeli bed-and-breakfast (tzimmer) is the epitome of a romantic country cabin getaway these are the places where you can relax and take a break from life Tzimmerim run by Druze families are often set in some of the most scenic places and can include all the amenities of a people known for over-the-top hospitality. The family friendly tzimmer Mitzpe Hanof includes a private swimming pool Farther north, this larger inn set in the foothills of Hermon Mountain is comprised of small unitscalled “White Suites and a buffet breakfast featuring local delicacies as well as a view of the mountains along the Israel-Syria border A casual indoor/outdoor restaurant with a beautiful courtyard terrace five minutes from the western shores of the Sea of Galilee off Route 65 in the village of Migdal lunch and dinner spot run by Kassem and Burha Ibrahem must be booked in advance (050-309-5250) but the heart-filled hospitality is certainly worth the trouble Offering many vegetarian and vegan options as well as meat mains and even catering that can be ordered for an event or just as a dinner to take out to your tzimmer this is a place to stop off for an extended afternoon of relaxation among olive trees interactions with the property’s owners andan occasional horse or free-range duck Creating high-quality skincare products and soaps that are based on the fruits of the village olive oil press and the herbs that surround the village’s Galilean hills Aya Natural Cosmetics has a visitors’ center in Beit Jann You can make a day out of experiencing the products or simply pick some up on your way home at a few small area pharmacies Bonus: The Galilean Kitchen Cookbook you may want to recreate some of the Druze delicacies you’ve experienced in Israel The only English-language cookbook of its kind this award-winning project by British cookbook author Ruth Neiman chronicles the culinary treasures of rural Galilean cuisine It’s available in Israel at Steimatzky bookstores as well as at sites such as Yad Vashem and Ben-Gurion Airport We use cookies to personalize content and ads and to analyze our traffic and improve our service 1930) was supposed to have taken place last summer But Mexico’s political temperature was running so high it kept anyone from doing anything at all except read newspapers and experience anxiety over a post-electoral crisis that only managed to tear apart what was already divided Those who’d voted for the leftists believed either that the right had won or that the elections were fraudulent Among those who believed there had been a fraud some disapproved of the protesters paralyzing downtown Mexico City some wanted to hold a convention in order to structure a national resistance movement The ones who believed in the urgency of holding a Convention could have been for or against founding a new party or naming the leftist candidate Shadow President what happened is that no one had really believed the conservatives might make off with the presidency again We were suffering from universal irreconcilable differences: every single Mexican was in a rotten mood and on a mission to make the other 99 million 999 thousand 999 Mexicans give back what they owed him or whatever it takes to embark upon an interview Then she took off for a series of conferences in Australia and New Zealand We exchanged e-mails and set up an appointment for after her return I picked her up at her home address: Callejón del Horno and an autumn wind gusted through the city carrying with it the scent of the high sierra Margo was still readapting herself to the Northern Hemisphere after her Austral odyssey having slept 48 enviable hours that she had apparently earned the hard way among koalas heads of Latin American literature departments she looked like a slightly dazed princess: extremely elegant to visit where your parents lived after they arrived from Russia who has gained a certain degree of celebrity both for the product shots he takes for Purina and for his portraits of authors in their natural environments He’s also taken the time to become the strangest species of fauna in the visual arts: he’s a microphotographer While all his colleagues endeavor to publish their stuff in Wallpaper  he swells up with pride because his shots of natural fibers were featured in Nature  González’s quests are esoteric: for the past 15 years he’s been portraying basic natural structures in search of a secret aesthetic order in the world; he’s a Humboldt of sorts but on a molecular level which has led to a naturalist body of work that is quickly becoming seminal he tracks it from the mitochondria in rat hair to the aerial geometry in flocks of swallows or to soccer fields pictured from the skies it was fairly obvious that our conversation wasn’t going to begin with a brainy digression about the feminine body in literature—one of the topics that has made Margo a classic both in fiction and in theory—but rather I turned on the recorder as we descended from the tunnel on Chapultepec Avenue into the Historic Downtown area of Mexico City We were discussing some oyster-colored rodent when Margo observed that to her the strangest animal of all seemed to be the platypus Raúl asked her if she meant the one that looks like an ornitorrinco and but it has hair like a seal and it’s a mammal it’s the one with a beak and a beaver tail the platypus is nothing like an ornitorrinco  A silence is then perceived in the recording the noise from the street enters the scene: we’d exited the tunnel and were back in the sunlit world filled with Margo Glantz’s equivocations Corroboration that nothing is the same after Margo has intervened is evident in the statement she made as we advanced down Fray Servando Street: And there are possums thinking no doubt of Ezra Pound and the poems Eliot dedicated to him in Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats We were dealing with a mind whose references are exclusively literary She couldn’t care less about the anatomy of the ornitorrinco or the fauna of Veracruz it only served to prove that books are her whole universe She defines them as horrible dogs that don’t bark—she can’t be bothered with the fascinating cycle of de-domestication they represent and on which Raúl tries to insist: they behave like wolves but they’re descended from dogs and look like dogs; they’ve recovered their genetic memory what matters is the fact that they don’t bark because that’s what Columbus said he saw in America: dogs that don’t bark (and who knows what he saw) which demonstrates he didn’t have a clue about anything; he thought he was in India and he was in Santo Domingo watching Australian animals as for the authors of Baroque sainetes or 19th-century comedies of errors We talked a little longer about our travels: for example the time she and Raúl were marooned in a crematory in Venares You could really get high off all that smoke she said in reference to the exhalations of burnt human flesh issuing forth from the crematory making a macabre but perfect joke that I’m not sure will ever be found amusing in English where she’s planning to go on vacation with her daughters and grandchildren next winter then adds: Does the tour of The Genealogies [The Family Tree] count as naturalism He was referring to Glantz’s best-known book of narrative: a family history that begins in the Ukraine before the Bolshevik Revolution and ends in the Mexico City of the 1980s Aside from its extraordinary documentary character it was a major influence on Mexican literature during the second half of the 20th century The violent mixing of narrative genres—autobiography The Genealogies is also a treatise of black humor: Margo must be the only writer in the world capable of making her readers shake with silent laughter while she depicts characters—her father and her mother—exchanging memories regarding relatives who suffered atrocious deaths in the Soviet Union anything is an opportunity for equivocation—Columbus as the discoverer of Australia for example—a trick with mirrors that will We can’t do the whole Genealogies tour in one afternoon This is precisely because the book embraces the years in which Mexico City became unembraceable Shoes are another of Glantz’s literary obsessions Throughout her works of fiction she establishes their origin in the shoe store her family owned during her adolescence Her most recent book—of short stories—is titled The Story of a Woman Who Walked through Life Wearing Designer Shoes “Shoes: Variations on a Pedestrian,” is the story of a shoe designer and at the same time a very deep insightful meditation on the triple marginality of being a woman El Carmel was another family business that ended up being the fashionable café among the vigorous Mexican intellectual class of the 1950s and ’60s: it was located in the Zona Rosa equivalent to the East Village in New York and was managed by her mother and run by her father who aside from being an asymmetric businessman—a feature that apparently always drove him to bankruptcy—is Glantz showed his daughter all the pictures his clients at El Carmel took of him Don Jacobo answers; whenever Diego Rivera painted Trotsky for some mural he’d call me and have me model for him—that story is true I ask her whether the Carmel Cake Shop located in the San Angel neighborhood—on the other side of town—belongs to her family and says she doesn’t know where I got the idea that her parents’ business was a cake shop Because they were the best; there was a time and sculptors of Mexico were there: it was amazing Was that during the glory days of the Zona Rosa it was before then; El Carmel was the first restaurant in the Zona Rosa the only other establishment there was a hotel that doesn’t exist anymore either the chauffeur interrupts the conversation to say we’re very close to La Merced neighborhood Then she addresses us: And I mean that literally my mama never recalled whether I was born at 6:00 in the morning or 6:00 in the afternoon and I like the one from 6:00 in the morning better; according to that one I’m going to live for about a hundred years but I’m not sure; I haven’t come back here since the 1980s Later on she’ll tell us that she doesn’t remember much from when she lived there; the only thing that remains crystal clear is that there was a gelatin shop across the way—again desserts—but she’s not sure if that’s for real or not I ask her if La Merced was a predominantly Jewish neighborhood back then there were immigrants from all over because it was a poor neighborhood; like now Back then you only bought and sold downtown My papa used to say that when he arrived from Russia I don’t know whether or not the joke translates into English—it’s more about the abruptness of the city limits; you don’t have to know where Coahuila Street is to get it—but I swear in Spanish (and no doubt in Yiddish) it’s hysterical The first edict of the Spanish government of Mexico City dated September 1523—a few days after the fall of Tenochtitlan—is dedicated to the need to regulate street commerce in the urban zone although it was no longer the most populated due to the harsh siege that preceded its fall Some things never change: the La Merced neighborhood was a market in Tenochtitlan There are regular places of business and an immense mercado building; but there’s also an infinite number of street vendors who the sidewalks started filling up with stands where you could buy the most unbelievable objects from dolls’ eyes to imported bras or medicinal roots—everything that has fallen between the cracks of Western culture Only two blocks from Fray Servando—the main drag—there’s barely enough room on the causeway for our car to squeeze between the anthills of stands and shoppers behind people who stroll with their shopping bags as calmly as if it were Sunday afternoon In the recording you can tell that as we continue speaking of other things We noticed number 98 and we stopped paying attention for a while The chauffeur indicates that he hasn’t seen any convent yet that’s how the numbering is here—as if she were blaming Mexico City for her own literary equivocations they knock on my door and ask if my house is number 23 even though the doorbell is underneath a very large number four constantly plundering the patio in her home She says she’s had to separate her from the rest because she was picking fights with them you weren’t there the night there was a dogfight inside Margo’s house That dinner party was unforgettable: there was an abundance of very proper and elegant guests seated in the living room with coffee and desserts when suddenly the dogs burst in like a gale As the guests—ties and shawls flying—tried to pull some of them outside the rest started attacking the tray of chocolates While those in attendance dashed to rescue the marzipan Hilaria and another dog clashed tooth and nail between the Ming vases I tell Raúl that I’m afraid he was the one who wasn’t there that night: I don’t recall him being there I was there at the dinner party when they fought and you weren’t Goddammit—my voice sounds exasperated—I clearly recall it was Mario Bellatin the Peruvian writer who’s missing a left hand Margo clicks her tongue: You’re both right This is the first sentence that begins without her correcting us first with no She insists on her belief that across from her house they sold gelatins out of a drawer I thought she might mean a street vendor who displayed his merchandise on top of a big wooden box that’s what they’ve called the stores people had on the first floor of their houses but the ones who’d been here longer sold out of drawers Did your parents arrive directly from Russia to Mexico City and from there they took a steamer; they weren’t planning to come to Mexico they were on their way to Cuba even though they couldn’t speak a word of Spanish two different dialects; so between themselves they spoke Russian I point out to her that the first person I heard talking about Jacobo Glantz was Carlos Monsiváis so they knew him everywhere; sometimes I find people who see my last name and tell me on her own behalf and that of someone else as if she were writing an account: How did you meet my papa was a student involved in one of the political movements at the time And your papa hid me in the kitchen of El Carmel—he goes on—and when the cops came he told them that no one had come by that way He’d bring the whole world into the kitchen or sit them down in the restaurant and give them free food; then he’d give them money so that they could pay my mama would get really mad—she was the one cooking and charging all day while he chatted with his friends in the salon and it’s clear that the capacity to turn anything into comedy is a family trait that makes her proud I comment how it amazes me that in her books the duty of memory evolves into a picaresque exercise: it is always her father’s character who tells the most dreadful tales and who’s always capable of transforming them into parody who was a doctor who left behind in writing—before dying of cancer himself—that according to his research cancer wasn’t hereditary; but then all his sons died of cancer I don’t know if anyone will get the joke once it’s in English Because the sum total of Mexican and Jewish humor renders frankly macabre results Every chapter of The Genealogies is a different conversation between parents It’s all about equivocation and reconvention: one of the leitmotifs of the book consists of one parent talking about his or her childhood while the other makes corrections—even though they grew up in different parts of Russia and didn’t meet until they were teenagers I tell Margo there’s a lot that’s Mexican in that: the unending dinner conversations running in different directions at the same time Everyone seated at the table speaks with another two or three people about different subjects at the same time who wasn’t Jewish—never had a problem with those dinner conversations From there we make the leap to borrowed memories and the recording becomes garbled—Raúl and Margo talking about the murdered Amish girls Margo and me about my parents and their childhoods me with Raúl about the Lakota reservation my wife grew up on—until the chauffeur calls us to order pointing out that we’re already at the convent It’s a 17th-century building that stands out for its majesty even on a street filled with majestic houses I had the impression while we were closing in on the house where Margo was born that once in context it would be easy to guide the conversation toward some of the topics that have made her famous we were already discussing colonial literature: it was Sigüenza y Góngora—Sor Juana’s best friend—who wrote about the history of the Jesús María Convent Then Raúl noted that some of the best Arab restaurants in Mexico City were still located in La Merced I ate at one of them and they still speak Arabic in the kitchen despite the fact that most of the family members who wait on you are second or third generation already we would always come to El Miguel to eat it who seems to be the only one excited by the fact that we’d reached the Mecca of our tiny pilgrimage a cactus is growing out of the roof of that house It’s one of the old houses: big windows on the first floor scarcely visible behind the street vendors’ stands yet tall enough to be able to identify them as early 17th century The second floor must have been added later on The doors and windows are shuttered and the facade is held up by wooden planks We can’t read the number because the sidewalks are filled with stands the drawers in front of the colonial palaces and the masses selling stuff on the street My parents walked around here in their Russian clothes—my mama used to dress in white during the summer; she made everyone stare They had nothing; they came here with five dollars my Papa thought people in Mexico were the friendliest in the world it was because the five bucks wasn’t enough to get them to Philadelphia In the beginning he sold bread out of a basket on this street he sold bread on installment; then he got a boy to carry the basket on his head while he walked behind him but they were divided into vecindades they’d rent them out by the room The neighbors were very affectionate with us so they’d invite us to their piñata parties So immigrants were quickly assimilated by the community in La Merced They were assimilated immediately; my uncle who came to take care of Mamá when I was born they made him a special piñata during his first Christmas posada He’d just arrived and didn’t know what it was all about so when he saw how they broke the first piñata he signed right up for the next one it was all the same: the Jesús María parish was across the street there and the synagogue was two blocks away I guess my house actually is the one that’s falling to pieces The chauffeur’s voice notes that it’s number 42 The cactus on the cornice is too much for it not to be your house disappointed because the door is blocked and we couldn’t get in Margo stops by a drawer where they sell clothing She asks the two ladies in charge if they know who the house next door belongs to They say it’s been abandoned for a long time before that they used to sell gelatins here Margo’s face lights up: her memory was true she says with all the enthusiasm and fruition of a discoverer of continents if 30 years later everyone still remembers them My mama used to bring me here after dinner The coincidence makes them introduce themselves: the owner of the drawer is called Doña Lilia and yours must have been more or less the same Margo goes back to the posadas: the balconies were filled with flowers and they’d hang the piñatas from the second floor; there was a posada in every house every day from December 16th until Christmas she tells of a dramatic time when a wandering gang of Mexican fascists pursued her father across the Zócalo and he was saved by the intervention of a police officer I suspect that her taste for equivocation is embellished by a tendency to sweeten things in my opinion: knowing what to remember and what to forget Doña Lilia and her husband bought it a few years ago in ruins; they restored it and now they use it as a warehouse and for family gatherings but it was immense and had the highest ceilings I’ve ever seen Half of the apartment I live in with my wife and two sons which is quite roomy for current Mexico City standards Margo indicates that the bathrooms had to be very big because the water heaters ran on firewood as if what she’d just said made the least bit of sense to us The living rooms and bedrooms are truly immense: between the kitchen and the dining room is a hallway at least 20 yards long who has already become the new subject of our interview Margo is enraptured by a memory: my mama owned a marvelous art deco piece of furniture they bought a few years after they came here and one day She also had a very fine Viennese living room set and got rid of it Doña Lilia interrupts her reverie: It’s just that back then seems to cater to a secret meaning we understand upon entering the final room where mountains of jeans and sweatpants are stored to be sold in the drawer outside the lady of the house keeps an altar to the dead She’s been working on it for the past couple of months to have it ready in time for November 2 if an offering is prepared to their liking Doña Lilia’s offering is like the scale model of a stage where she has accumulated tiny representations of everything her dead enjoyed in life: miniature bread Everything capable of generating enthusiasm in their daily lives the altar will be arranged in the dining room of her home and complemented with photographs of all of her dead—which she shows us later on Before going to bed she and her husband will light candles and surround the altar with platters of real food: bread They will also set out sugar or chocolate skulls with the names of the living and a pathway of marigold petals connecting the offering to the door so that the spirits of their dead will be able to find the way back to their world: they wouldn’t want them to have too much to drink each one of them will eat the sweet skull bearing their name and thus The altars to the dead are a pre-Hispanic tradition that I had thought to be extinct in Mexico City: neither my parents nor my grandparents ever had one at home and my wife and I began setting them up only when we feared for the loss of our children’s identity during the years we lived in the United States—it wasn’t easy finding those little sugar skulls in Washington I ask Margo and Raúl if they make altars to the dead and they both look at me as if I’d just inquired about the composition of Saturn’s rings Margo takes advantage of the conversation to ask Doña Lilia about another altar—a Catholic one—in one of the patios She explains that the Virgin was already there when they arrived; they simply provide her with fresh flowers she looks just like María Victoria—an actress whose curves stopped traffic on the streets of Mexico City in the 1940s which Margo tells us was founded by Sor Juana for the barefoot nuns during the second half of the 17th century Raúl notes that the merchandise has become varied beyond any moral standards: behind the stands I let her focus on them despite the fact that I’m dying to ask her if it used to be a red light district when she lived there: she’s capable of summoning up a reflection that departs from the landscape of prostitution Most of her work as a literary critic is grounded in women’s studies and aside from the essays on Sor Juana that have made her famous she has also written canonical essays based on the feminine body in Santa a novel by Federico Gamboa—published in 1900—about a prostitute in Mexico City leaning on a public telephone and covered by something so tiny expectantly awaiting her next epiphanic meditation Raúl points out how paradoxical it is that our most elegant writer was born in a neighborhood of hookers then she thinks about it and concedes: Or at least not this early Translated from the Spanish by Tanya Huntington La muerte de un instalador (Joaquín Mortiz Prize 1996) and El cementerio de sillas (Lengua de Trapo and two books of short stories: Virtudes capitales (JM Enrigue has taught at the Universidad Iberoamericana and the University of Maryland