It's A Small World

Dying for a luxurious international weekend escape? Try Mexico City — yes, Mexico City

Just one short flight from any major hub in Texas will land a traveler in the lap of luxury. Though this city is often overlooked as a destination, and is used more commonly as a thoroughfare, Mexico City (known affectionately as "D.F.") is teeming with boundary-breaking art and design, a burgeoning culinary scene and reinvigorated neighborhoods diverse enough to stand up against those of other metropolises around the world.

With the growth and development of the past decade, you would be remiss to use the capital of Mexico simply as a means to an overrun coastal destination. The fear of crime in Mexico City also seems to have gone down, with suburbs experiencing more of the problem now.

Texans are fortunate stateside dwellers. A glamorous, international weekend getaway is easy to pull off owing to the wide selection of direct flights from Houston as well as Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. And though Mexico City holds the lofty title of the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere, it offers the unique fusion of relaxation and exploration — especially if you're staying at the urbanely elegant St. Regis Mexico City.

Mexico City holds the lofty title of the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere, it offers the unique fusion of relaxation and exploration.

The newly constructed St. Regis overlooks Paseo de la Reforma — an opulent thoroughfare that bisects the city and is re-fashioned into a pedestrian avenue on Sundays for the cyclists, runners and walkers of D.F. — and offers so many amenities that you won’t even miss sipping piña coladas by the coast.

With Mexico City undergoing an artistic renaissance, the hotel also pays homage to the contemporary art of the city, displaying a number of works that encourage thoughtful discussion, like a Ricardo Rigatzoni sculpture at the main entrance, a mural by Pablo Weisz and a handful of paintings by Mexican artist Gabriel Macotela.

The hotel's Remede Spa is seemingly situated in the sky with floor-to-ceiling windows encasing the treatment facilities and an infinity pool with views of the city and its surrounding mountains. Every detail is carefully attended to, including providing each guest with a personal butler who will do everything (including immaculately pack your suitcase upon departure). And after all that relaxation, you will certainly be left hankering for the chef’s tasting menu from the award-winning Diana Restaurant or J&G Grill.

But beyond the confines of the luxury pad (and no shame if you simply never want to leave — it’s your vacation) is a vibrant, rich community. Neighborhoods Zona Rosa and Colonia Roma are noted for their younger inhabitants and pre-Revolution architecture that’s French in style and evocative of the similarly European-influenced Buenos Aires. Nestled near Roma is La Condesa, an area populated with open-air restaurants, shopping, independent art galleries and nightlife.

Mexico City Restaurants — and Museums Galore

Azul Condesa, El Cardenal and Restaurante Antiguo San Angel Inn are just a few of the eateries that commonly take top honors, while live music club El Imperial, cocktails at Maison Artemisia and jazz at King Cole Bar serve as a good spread of locals' favorites. Alternatively, the weary traveler is advised to head over to cobblestoned Coyoacán for a quiet, bohemian reprieve from the bustling city center — especially to visit Frida Kahlo’s breathtaking home, Casa Azul.

Reverence for the Aztec, mixed with scars of the 1985 earthquake and opulent late-19th century mansions of the Porfirio Diaz era create a nearly indescribable sensory experience.

There are more than 105 museums in Mexico City, many of which are free on Sundays. Plaza de la Republica, an art deco structure designed by Parisians as a way to connect the city, and La Colección Jumex's lively contemporary collection are well-rounded starting points.

Should museums be too slow of a speed, there are plenty of other ways to soak up culture, specifically by way of open-air markets. Residents and tourists alike flock to San Angel's Saturday art market or the similar Jardin del Arte Sullivan, while the city's best chefs go to Mercado San Juan to lunch, sample and pick up fresh meat and produce.

Each corner you turn, no matter the area, seems to offer a whole new view of a city steeped in history. Reverence for the Aztec (which founded Teotihuacan outside of today's Mexico City in 1325) mixed with scars of the 1985 earthquake and opulent late-19th century mansions of the Porfirio Diaz era create a nearly indescribable sensory experience.

With a spirit that extends far beyond the city limits and into the surrounding countryside, a few days in Mexico City will hardly be sufficient. But thanks to its proximity to the United States, the opportunities to make good on your previous Mexican travels — and honor D.F. as the cultural epicenter that it is — are boundless.

The view from the St. Regis gym.

Photo by Caitlin Ryan

The view from the St. Regis gym.

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Now hear this

New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings