Back to Paris
For our one year wedding anniversary/my husband's birthday, we decided to take a trip to Paris and Belgrade. We have not been back to Paris since 2015 and were so excited to finally be back again. Paris is one of my favorite cities and the place I have been to the most outside of the USA. SInce I have been here a lot I decided to try and do Paris like a local. It is actually amazing what you can accomplish in just two days in a city (if you try).
For the first two and a half days we stayed in the Rive Droite this time at the W Hotel near the Opera. The hotel is just around the corner from a ton of shopping too. On the 8th floor of Printemps there is a beautiful and free view of the city with a great food marketplace. We also decided to try some of the smaller museums that are a lot less touristy like Musée Gustav Moreau and Musée Jacquemart-André. The museums are always wonderful in Paris, but strolling through the city is the best thing to do! As we were walking we stumbled upon an amazing Cathedral called Eglise de la Trinité and had the entire place to ourseleves!
After Belgrade we went back to Paris for just one day in order to catch our direct flight back to DFW. We stayed at the quaint Le Dokhan near Trocadero. The location was very different. It was in a local neighborhood even though it was so close to the Eiffel Tower. I liked this hotel and location a lot better than the W. The room was small but it felt like I was living inside a French novella in the 1600's. Another fun part was the Louis Vuitton elevator! It felt like you were being transported in a large Vuitton luggage.
Now on to the food and drinks:
Coquette- Inside of the W hotel. We ate there for lunch while waiting for our room. It was very solid but not amazing. I had the Coquilles Saint Jaques and Milan had the truffle flatbread. We also had the breakfast buffet here in the morning which was again good, but not great.
Comptoir de la Gastronomie- We sat outside here for lunch on the most beautiful afternoon. This is THE place to order anything with duck. I ate the fois gras ravioli and Milan had the duck. The ravioli was probably the richest thing I ever ate in my life, but wow!
Les Afranchis- We stumbled on this Michelin Star restaurant near Pigalle. It was superb french cooking! I had the fois gras, chicken, and for desert an incredible dish with wasabi. I never had anything like that! I also ate most of Milan's mashed potatoes. Oh my, they were amazing! I have a thing for french mashed potatoes. I especially love them at Joel Robuchon and these were just as good!
L'Atelier Joel Robuchon- Of course we had to go here to celebrate Milan's birthday! This is one of our favorite restaurants in both Las Vegas and Paris. The food at the Paris location is very different than the one in Vegas so it is worth checking out both. We ordered the eggplant, spaghetti, shrimp ravioli, chicken ravioli soup, le burger, and a side of the best mashed potatoes in the universe! When I describe the food in English it doesn't sound at all that interested or special, but just imagine the most amazing kind of dishes you ever had.
Le Dokhan's Bar- On our last day we spent a few hours at this amazing Champagne bar in our hotel. They have a Champagne Sommelier who brings you 3 different glasses to pick for your Champagne. I got the coup glass each time. They also have these amazing cheese puffs.
Restaurant Victor- On our last night we wanted to stay close to our hotel for dinner. We had reservations at another place but our hotel messed up the time. While looking for another restaurant stumbled upon this place and it had good reviews. After waiting about 45 minutes for a table on a Wednesday we got seated. The food was very good, but VERY traditional french. I had scallops with some kind of mashed side dish. I had the hardest time figuring out what it was because it was not potatoes. I found our it was actually mashed Jerusalem artichokes, how weird! They were very good but so different. Milan ordered veal but didn't realize they were veal hearts. They were not for him. This was probably my least favorite of the bunch but still good, and unique!
A few takeaways/realizations about Paris:
- I guess I forgot how busy a city can be! Paris has a ton of relaxing corners but it is still such a bustling city that it can be overwhelming. It reminds me so much of New York.
- When you speak French or at least try to, people are REALLY nice! The French in general are mostly nice polite people. They say Bonjour, Merci, etc. to everyone in a restaurant or shop. I feel that in the US people a lot of the time do not say hello, please or thank you.
- Even though you try to speak French ( My husband's French is amazing) They still know you are American. We got ripped off by a cab driver one night. It was our fault though we hailed a cab on the street which you should not ever do, but it started raining.
- Paris seems even more touristy than it used to. I know it has only been 3 years but even in low season it seemed to be bursting at the seams with tourists (Probably because of Instagram/Social Media) A lot of the lesser known spots a few years ago were now packed. I wanted to take Milan to the Opera and in the morning there was a huge line out the door! I remember walking right in three years ago and it was empty.
- I love Paris, but it will probably be a while before we return. We went very hard!
Sunny San Diego
This past holiday I spent two amazing days in San Diego before celebrating New Years Eve in Vegas. We wanted to go somewhere warm and decided on San Diego because we had never been before. My husband and I stayed at the Kimpton Palomar in downtown with a beautiful terrace overlooking the city. One of my goals was to find the best fish tacos in the city. I am very picky when it comes to fish tacos but San Diego is probably the best place in the world to find them! We tried two different places, and while the tacos were good they were not amazing even though they had good reviews. The last place we tried was called Serrano's Street Tacos and bar- we hit the fish taco jackpot! I actually ate 5 tacos they were that good! The tacos themselves were perfect but also came with three delicious sauces.
In between our taco hunt, we explored La Jolla Cove and the sea lions that love to sleep on the rocks. We also of course went to the San Diego Zoo. The zoo was great but very crowded and expensive for a ticket. I am glad we went though. It was really a fantastic zoo that felt more like a safari than a typical zoo. There is so much to do in San Diego, I wish we had more time here but it was such an incredible experience.
British Airways First Class
Every year my husband and I love to go on at least one big Eurotrip, so the whole year we save up a ton of points to fly first class. We flew amazing British Airways First Class round trip to and from Europe. Just flying there is half the fun and you get the sleep that you need. I also hate flying and being in first class at least distracts me and puts my mind at ease. Located right in the nose, you don't even feel like you are on a plane. Leisurely you board the plane and the cheery British flight attendants welcome you. They immediately serve you a drink of choice as you settle in to your seat. Waiting there are noise cancelling headphones, magazines to choose from and my favorite, an essentials kit from Liberty London. The pretty pouch is filled with everything you need for the flight- eye mask, lotion, toothpaste, cleanser, pen, deodorant, cotton pads, comb, etc. By the time you get settled you are already in the air.
After take off, dinner is served. There is a full menu to choose from including amuse bouche, appetizer, main course, and dessert. Included is all the top shelf alcohol you can drink. Lately I have gotten motion sickness from drinking on flights so I just sipped on a glass of champagne while enjoying dinner. My favorite was the delicious pasta which was honestly just as good as pasta we had in Italy When you are ready to go to sleep they come over and "make your bed" for you. I didn't even watch a movie, by the time I woke up we were an hour out of London.I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on our connecting flight to Rome and enjoy the day. First class is truly an amazing experience and I am grateful to experience it.
Dreamy Venezia
Here we are at the end of our trip in last but certainty not least, Venice. This place is truly a dream, it feels like it just isn't a real place. Venice can get a bad wrap for being too touristy but again, not in November. I am still dreaming about being here and lusting over these photos. To begin our trip we took the Trenitalia from Milan to Venice in the business class. The train was empty and relaxing. As we got in we got to see the city on the water from the train windows. We left the train station and were immediately wowed! The hotel website said to take a boat from the train station but we decided to just walk as it was only 20 minutes and the most beautiful day. We got to see the real Venice, where people actually live and work on the way to our hotel across the Rialto Bridge.
We got to the Hotel Ai Reali and quickly freshened up before getting some lunch. We stopped at Cantina Do Mori, Venice's oldest bar founded in 1462. Similar to Rome where they have Apertivo, Venice has Cicchetti which is tapas and they serve it all day. Most bars you find will have tons of fresh delicious food to choose from including meats, cheeses, arancini, crostini, fish, etc. Our absolute favorite part of Venice besides seeing the sites, was enjoying wine and cicchetti. After that we went to a wine bar and did a tasting with a yummy pizza. A little tipsy, we stumbled upon the Peggy Guggenheim Collection which was such a treat! We finished the day at the beautiful restaurant Bistrot de Venise which has a Michelin star and 60 wines by the glass.
The next day as usual I woke up at 7am for sunrise and walked around St. Mark's square. I highly recommend doing this, you get to see the sunrise on the water over the gondolas. After we ate some complimentary hotel breakfast buffet and continued our day. We walked back to St. Mark's and kept going until we got lost in a few beautiful local neighborhoods. The best part of Venice is getting lost! Don't spend your whole trip figuring out where to go on your phone. We were pretty beat from the walk so I quickly went to our hotel spa which was very much needed! We continued to walk around for the rest of the day and enjoyed some mulled wine off the street vendors. After we got a gondola right from our hotel which was nice but underwhelming and so expensive! I am glad we did it though just once. Our last night we enjoyed more ciccheti and ate dinner at Cantina Do Spade where I had the most amazing ravioli and meatballs.
The next day we had to say goodbye to Venice, and did so in style with a private water taxi to the airport. Normally we would not have gotten a private taxi because it was very expensive but we had to leave at 5am. This was so much fun though having it all to ourselves and docking right at the airport! Till next time Venice... we will surely be back.
P.S. Thank you so much to my amazing husband for putting up with my photography OCD and taking pictures of me even though he hates it!
Ciao Milano
The second part of our journey through Italy was North to Milan via the Trenitalia. I loved riding the train and then arriving into Milan's beautiful train station. Right away when we arrived I noticed a huge shift between Rome and where we were now. It was a dreary rainy day but I expected that from Milan. The main city architecture was very brutalist and corporate until we got to the fashion district where our hotel was. The big attractions here are the Duomo, The Galleria, and of course shopping in the Fashion District Via Spiga. Milan felt a lot like a cross between Paris and Belgrade. The people were nice but not as friendly as in Rome and a little snobby. It is worth coming here also to just people watch because all the women wear outrageous outfits.
Our first half day we checked into the Mandarin Oriental which was a great mix of modern Italian decor with a little Asian flair. The room was sophisticated and minimalist with an enormous bathtub that we used quite a bit. We started the day off with a quick walk to look at the shopping center Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ii. The Galleria is filled with high end shops and restaurants and has two gigantic Prada stores. We stumbled upon a small Fondaizone Prada Osservatorio photography exhibit that took us to the top of the building. Aside from the cool exhibit we got to see the top of the Galleria which not a lot of people get to see. Afterward, we admired the beautiful Duomo which is right next door. Then we went to the Museo del Novecento which housed beautiful works of art as well as a nice view of the Duomo. Later that evening we enjoyed apertivo, cocktails, and pasta at the Armani Hotel. This was probably the chicest hotel I have ever seen including the clientele at the bar. To end the night we walked around the fashion district and admired the beautiful stores and christmas decor.
The next day I really wanted to check out the Fondaizone Prada museum and the attached Bar Luce designed by Wes Anderson. It was definitely out of the way, about a 20 minute UBER ride. We only saw one gallery before the attendants kept telling me to check my bag even though it was just a medium sized handbag. Apparently it was too large but I really didn't want to check it being that I had valuables inside including my passport. We decided to move on to eat at Bar Luce. We didn't have to wait too long for a table being that it is a very popular place. We ordered cocktails and sandwiches, and then I wanted some coffee and desert but our waiter never came back so we just paid the cashier and left. I was a little disappointed by the trip there. I would not highly recommend it if you don't have a lot of time in Milan. We decided to walk back because it was such a beautiful day. We got to see some great local neighborhoods in Milan including the University and a beautiful park. All in all I am really happy we got to see Milan, it is a great city to do in just a day or two!
Roman Holiday
The first part of our amazing 8 day romp through Italy was in Rome. You hear so much about this city but can never truly know until you have been. I can say it is definitely one of my favorite cities now. It really is the Paris of Italy in my opinion. Even though I am a Francophile, maybe I even liked it a little better than Paris?! Here is a synopsis of our time there. I don't write guides because I am not expert but I can say that it is possible to do Rome in just two and a half days!
The first day we got in around 2pm after an 8 hour flight and a 2 hour connection from London. We took a cab to our hotel with the nicest driver who's family was five generation Roman. On our way to our hotel we got to see many sites which was a great introduction. After we checked in we walked around to the Piazza Spagna and the Trevi Fountain which was close to our hotel. We definitely worked up an appetite so we went to dinner and I got my first bite of Italian Carbonara at a local restaurant. Later we drank delicious Sagrantino wine and then stumbled over to Harry's Bar for a nightcap. The funny thing about Rome is they never stop feeding you! Even though we were full after dinner we continued to devour the free snacks at Harry's and they even gave us free cookies.
The next day I woke up at sunrise as I do every trip for the beautiful light and empty city. After a beautiful walk we ate at the breakfast buffet at our hotel and saw Comedian Jim Gaffigan eating with his family! This was a huge day filled with stopping at all the tourist attractions including a tour of the lesser known Palazzo Doria Pamphilj which is still inhabited by the original family. After that I had to get some Gelato which became my lunch with a macaron on top (the Francophile in me of course). Then we cabbed to the Colosseum at sunset. To end the day we walked over to the Monti neighborhood and ate at Ai Tre Scalini. I had the most delicious pumpkin lasagna. It was still early, so a few hours later we sat outside at Taverna Dei Monti and got a pizza pie and more wine.
Our last day there we had to see the Vatican of course. Lines are the worst so we got tickets in advance and got right in. The Sistine Chapel was awe inspiring and the one place you cannot take photos, which I actually appreciated. It was nice to see everyone enjoying the moment. After that we walked to St. Peters but unfortunately there was the biggest line I had ever seen to get in. We decided to move on and not waste the day in line. Guess we will have to be back! We UBER'd over to the quaint Trastevere neighborhood and found a great spot for lunch. Percorsi Wine Bar was said to have the best burger in Rome and after two days of straight Italian I was ready for something different. It was honestly top 3 best burgers I ever had! After we were done with lunch I stopped to admire the huge chandelier in the restaurant and the waiter lowered the chandelier and told me to get in! I was raised to the ceiling on the chandelier like in a movie, it was so much fun! For dinner we ate a more high end Italian meal at Brunello which was fantasic!
This is probably the most I ever wrote in one blog post, but Rome was worth writing down each moment.
The Westin Excelsior- Rome
This November I turned 30 and wanted nothing more than to finally go to Italy! My husband took me on the most amazing 8 day trip through Rome, Milan, and Venice. Late fall is the perfect time to go to Italy or anywhere really. The weather is cooler, less tourists, and the trees are beautiful. Our first stop was in Rome staying at the Westin Excelsior. The hotel was in a great location right near the Piazza Spagna. I was able to wake up very early to go take photos at sunrise. Our room was gorgeous with a fantastic view. The breakfas buffet was fantastic and we also saw Comedian Jim Gaffigan eating there with his wife and kids! The best part of this hotel is that when I got home a few months later I was going through some old photos and memorabilia from my grandmother and found a postcard from her stay here years ago!
Venice Beach Part Two
One of my favorite things to do in LA is to go to Venice Beach and watch the surfers from the pier. This time I decided to wake up very early to get the beautiful light. You would not think it, but there were tons of surfers out at sunrise, I think that is when the best waves are! This is part two of my Venice series.
Palihouse Santa Monica
On the way to Vegas, we decided to stop in to LA just for two nights. We stayed at the famous and historic Palihouse hotel in Santa Monica. We got in late at night and checked in at the front desk where the concierge gave us actual room keys instead of cards.. The hotel definitely has a little bit of a haunting feeling but very cozy too. The room was very quaint and the bed was super comfortable. There is also a very nice outdoor patio. The hotel really feels like you are staying in LA during a golden age, with a hint of The Shining and Norman Bates :)
Fort Worth Car Show 2017
After being in Fort Worth for a few years now, I have definitely run out of things to photograph. It is a great little city, but it has many lulls and I feel like I have photographed almost everything. I always get excited though come fall for a few events a year including this one. The Fort Worth Car Show is such a fun event to photograph. I have a thing for old cars, I actually don't like the look of new ones and don't even own a car myself. If I did own one I would love to have one of these beauties!
Eiffel Tower Restaurant Las Vegas
My husband and I just celebrated our 6 month anniversary in Vegas. After meeting in Vegas, getting engaged and married there, it is an incredibly special for us. We both have been to many, many Vegas restaurants but never the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. After dining there we were so upset we never went before. Our friend Marc is the new wine director so we decided to visit him at lunch. He made sure we got the best seat in the house, the corner table over looking the Bellagio Fountains. Here are just a few snapshots of our wonderful lunch there. I only had my 50mm lens with me and it was too short to get the whole scene so I just focused on the fountains themselves. I realized when I got home how beautiful the water was so I edited everything else around them to isolate their beauty.
Mayakoba
I really do not know how we have not spent more time in Mexico since living in Texas. In 2 hours you are quickly transported to paradise. We got a great rate at the Fairmont Mayakoba since it is not high season, and it was perfect weather everyday. Mayakoba is located in Playa Del Carmen. It is known as the Venice of Mexico because of its man made lagoons with four hotels all connected by the lagoon- The Fairmont, Banyan Tree, Rosewood, and Andaz. We loved the Fairmont so much. The service could not have been better and the beach and multiple pools were amazing. The Willow Stream Spa is always a must and one of the best spas I have been to with an outdoor mineral pool area.
The highlight of our stay was definitely the boat ride. We took the one that goes around to all the resorts and lasts about an hour. We also enjoyed visiting the other resorts for drinks and dinner. If you do not want to use the boat, they have complimentary cars and golf carts to take you to the other properties- a quick 5 minute ride. The Banyan Tree was our favorite resort and the restaurant Cello had amazing Italian food. We also loved Casa Del Lago in The Rosewood with Mexican/Italian food. I highly recommend staying in Mayakoba for a luxurious and relaxing resort experience.
Sonoma Valley Part Deux
I have to say our second time around in Sonoma might have been better than our first during our honeymoon. Since we hit a lot of Vineyards the first time we decided to take it easy. We only hit two wineries (one a day) but they were incredible. The first was Kunde Winery with a tour lead by a descendant of Kunde. We scheduled the regular indoor tasting but decided instead when we got there to do the hilltop tasting which is totally worth it. First we explored the wine caves and then our guide lead us on a bus up the hill overlooking all of Sonoma where he began the tasting. It took a little over three hours so we decided to just not do another winery that day. We discovered it is better to just do one or maybe two in one day.
The second winery of our trip was to a more private estate called Repris. Repris is up on a mountain top with windy roads. I recommend taking a cab there because the Sonoma cabbies know where it is and UBER drivers tend to get lost. I didn't think anything could have topped Kunde, but this was truly amazing! They only do a few tours a day and we were lucky to have a completely private tour! Our guide Logan took us in an ATV on a hilltop through the vineyards then lead us through the wine caves. At the end he had a wine and cheese set up with a menu with our names on it. It was a fantastic personalized experience. I highly recommend both wineries, and to stay away from the touristy ones.
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
I first posted about the Fairmont Sonoma back in May after we spent a few days there for our honeymoon. We ended up staying there again after our time in LA because we loved it so much! It is one of the most relaxing hotels ever and all around a 5 star property from the service to the food and the spa. We took a prop plane to Santa Rosa Airport to the Fairmont which is a lot quicker than SFO if you can swing it. Upon arrival you are always greeted with a refreshing glass of sparkling wine. Every day they offer a wine tasting from a local vineyard. We also took part in the cheese cart right next to the tasting (was not free but worth it). During our stay we had free breakfast for two days and it was lovely. All the food at the Fairmont is SO good and all made with fresh local farm ingredients. Sante, their restaurant is one of our favorites in the world.
The Fairmont Willow Stream Spa is one of the best I have been (I would say I am a huge spa connoisseur) I got two treatments this time, a medium pressure massage and a deep cleansing facial. The prices are steep but so worth it. The spa is both indoor and outdoor and the pools are all natural mineral springs. Not only are there two pools in the outdoor spa, but there is also a regular pool next to the restaurant. There are more hot tubs than I can count. The hardest pool to move from is the relaxation pool where you relax on a pool noodle and dip your ears underwater water to listen to music. It is a fantastic almost sensory deprivation experience.
Venice Beach
Venice Beach is always a must see when in Los Angeles. A stark contrast to Santa Monica, Venice is gritty filled with panhandlers, drug addicts, weed shops, and tourist traps. However there is an amazing surfer lifestyle there. While walking to the beach you will see many tan, salty-haired, and barefoot dudes and dudettes on bikes with their boards getting ready to ride the waves. I walked on to the boardwalk in order to get a different view of the surfers down below. As I waited patiently to get the perfect shot of the surfers, they also waited along with me for the perfect wave to come.
Griffith Observatory
I decided this time in LA to finally visit the famous Griffith Observatory. It was a super hot day, I wish I didn't go on such a scorching day but it was still worth it. It is definitely a must see when in LA. I also thought about hiking to the Hollywood sign, but honestly I probably would have passed out before even getting there that day. The observatory has beautiful views of LA, but of course most of LA is covered in smog and pollution so that is super apparent when you are up this high. The smog tends to disperse later in the day so it is best to come during or before sunset. I would love to also see this place at night but alas, I did not have the time.
La La Land
I am back in LA for a few days, one of my favorite cities. After recently watching the movie La La Land, I decided to capture a little bit of the colorful beauty of this city inspired by the movie. I took these photos in Santa Monica and my first visit to the Griffith Observatory. Keep checking for more LA photos to come! I was only there 3 days but it is so spread out and there is so much to see.
Casa Luis Barragán
Casa Luis Barragán is another must see while in Mexico City. Book your tickets in advance to make sure you will get in here. The house itself is hard to find. I took an Uber from my hotel, and even the driver didn't know where it was. There is a small sign in the window of number 12, a grey building and you have to ring the doorbell to get in. The door is heavily guarded and locked. I was early and waited a few minutes and talked to another American who was studying abroad there. It turns out she was my English tour guide for the house. The tour was wonderful and very private, only myself and two other people.
Our guide let us inside the house through a small door that reminded me of the one in Willy Wonka. We entered through the door to the pink and white foyer. Then up the stairs we went to the living room and library. When you look outside the windows it looks like a jungle, and that was done on purpose. Then you get to see the dining room, studio, and both the guest bedroom and his own bedroom. Apparently Luis gave a small room to his maid who still lives there but hardly anyone sees her! Next was the rooftop led through a small yellow door. The roof is iconic with classic Luis Barragán colors and clean lines. I asked why all the pink, orange and yellow? Well if you look around town all the employees are wearing vests with those colors, they are the colors of Mexico City. The green tree you see hanging over goes from all way in the garden over the top of the roof. Luis Barragan designed this house with very specific things in mind. The way the light reflected certain surfaces and created shadows was very important. Symmetry and design compliments were also seen throughout the house. If you are an architect fan, a design fan, or neither, this house is a must see!
Roma/Condesa
Roma and Condesa are two of the nicest and most trendy neighborhoods in Mexico City. They are also two of the safest and have some of the best restaurants and bars. My husband and I did most of our eating and drinking there. I ventured from Chapultepec park after visiting the castle to Condesa. You just exit the park and walk through the underpass to the other side and there you will reach Condesa. I stopped for breakfast at Hotel Condesa, a very trendy hotel. From there I walked through the park to Roma. You will notice in all of the parks there are a ton of cute dogs and most off their leash. Both neighborhood's have some beautiful architecture, so it is worth to stop and admire all the colors. I ended my walk at El Moro Churreria. They were by far the best churros I ever had!
CDMX
Welcome to Mexico City AKA CDMX. Mexico City is a vibrant place that is an up-and-coming travel destination. More tourists are coming here as the city gets safer, and I had the chance to visit for a few days with my husband for his conference. While he worked, I woke up at 6:30am to take photos of the downtown Zocalo area. I may have overdone it a bit as I walked 13 miles, yes 30,000 steps in one day! I don't suggest doing that but at least I was able to see a great deal of the city in a short amount of time.
Unfortunately on our last day we both came down with food poisoning and had to go home. We were very disappointed, especially as we had been very careful: We drank bottled water the whole time and even brushed our teeth with it. We may have become too trusting in the food department and it was probably salad that got us. Anyway, aside from that I do recommend Mexico City as a great cultural destination with beautiful sites and cathedrals. I felt safe the whole time, but it is important, like with any large city, to stay in nicer areas and to be alert. I would also brush up on your Spanish, because a lot of people speak little to no English.
A few noteworthy places not to miss!
- The Zocalo of course, and the Metropolitan Cathedral shown in my last photo. You will know this area looks familiar from the recent James Bond movie Spectre
- The Grand Ciudad hotel. A block away from the main Zocalo Square, the stainless ceiling is breathtaking, also in the movie Spectre.
- The National Palace. I stumbled upon the location when I saw a line forming outside around 10am. I hopped in line and asked the tourists on line with me what this place was, and lucky me because the line got very long! They only allow a certain number of people at a time and are heavily guarded with security. In fact most museums or monuments will require a security check. Don't forget your ID.
- The Post Office. The inside is just beautiful. The House of Tiles is right next to it... not as amazing as it looks online but it is nice to get a peak at because you will pass by it.
- Museo Franz Mayer. The people of Mexico love their courtyards! Almost every building has a beautiful one especially here.
- Museo de Arte Popular. Do NOT miss this museum! It is just so cool and colorful.
- Last but not least... go inside the Sears building to the 8th floor cafe to get the best view of the Palacio de Bellas Artes! (Pictured in the first photo) Enjoy a hot beverage while admiring the view!