Open Mind Adventures

17/10/2024

The reason to travel is not just about great food, drinks, museums, and the typical stuff we all talk about, but to leave a positive footprint where you've been.

And that's what fell in our lap.

After a homestay with a Zapotec family in the weaving village of Teotilan de Valle (on the outskirts of Oaxaca), what started as a language immersion experience led to a wonderful friendship and leaving a positive footprint in Mexico.

The family's youngest daughter is smart and eager to learn; she has a smile that lights up a room. The local school does not teach English so her educational future had limits. Gary and I decided to sponsor the next 4 years of her high school education at a private school in Oaxaca. English, computer skills, chemistry, and more will provide a well-rounded education for building a better life for herself and her family. She goes to the end of the road to catch a 5:30 am bus into the city, returning home sometimes as late as 6 pm. She started practicing this get-up-early schedule a month before school started to ensure she was ready. How many kids do you know doing this?

This is the stuff that makes travel meaningful.

You can meet this lovely family at the Oaxaca Food and Wine Festival. They are one of several exclusive artisan tours we are offering to neighboring indigenous villages. Their beautiful wool textiles..wall tapestries, rugs, purses, etc.. are on display at their home/workshop and on IG @ laxha_textil (Laxha means loom in Zapotec)

03/10/2024

The publicity gods are shining on me this week.

On the heels of the recent 60 Minutes segment about the Oaxaca "mescaleros", my story in International Living is now live. The editor let me do my thing, and published a great piece exclusively on the Oaxaca Food and Wine Festival.

Mark and I have been all over Oaxaca this week, finalized the venues and, tickets are on sale! Ticket packages can be purchased with or without lodging, but I have just 7 lodging packages left. So if you want to book a complete ticket with lodging, get on it sooner rather than later. As always, DM with any questions or happy to jump on a call.

01/10/2024

All roads seem to be leading to Oaxaca right now.

A few days ago, 60 Minutes aired a segment on the booming Oaxaca-based mezcal business which is changing lives for the farmers and distillers producing the product in their ancestral ways. It's a fascinating story and one that we'll be telling during the Oaxaca Food and Wine Festival.

Demand for mezcal was low for years, but interest and sales have soared. The vast majority of the spirit is made in Oaxaca, Mexico, where family-owned distilleries dot the landscape.

01/09/2024

By now, most of you know I've fallen in love with Oaxaca, MX, the culinary capital of Mexico. But the good news doesn't end there.

I've partnered with Mark Certonio (who has produced the Key West Food and Wine Festival - Award Winning for the past 15 years) to bring you the Oaxaca Food and Wine Festival February 20-232025. Yep!

If you thought you knew Mexican cuisine, think again and join us for this inaugural 4-day festival. Oaxaca is known for its amazing food, the artisanal mezcal produced in the region, and the culturally rich neighboring villages. And most of you probably don't know that Mexico has several wine-producing regions so we'll be serving Mexican wines exclusively.

We've created VIP packages with and without lodging or you can purchase tickets for individual events. But honestly, you'll want to do the whole shebang. From a cacao & chocolate-making workshop to mezcal tastings to wine-pairing dinners to the infamous "moles", this is the perfect introduction if you're a fan of wonderful food and spirits. And if you're making the trip, better arrive early and stay later. We've put together pre and post festival customized tours showcasing artisan pottery, wool textiles, cheese making and more still being produced in the indigenous, nearby villages. It's really a step back in time.

All our venues are small and intimate to give everyone a first-rate, personal experience. Tickets go on sale to the general public November 1, but for you insiders we are selling a limited number starting October 15.

The website has all the details including flight advice, lodging, event descriptions and prices, but if you have more questions don't hesitate to DM. And please, I'd so appreciate it if you would like our Oaxaca Food and Wine Festival FB page to help us gain momentum.

This is one party you won't want to miss!

After 15 years of producing the award-winning Key West Food & Wine Festival, we've taken the show on the road with the inaugural launch of the Oaxaca Food & Wine Festival. 

24/06/2024

https://youtu.be/065oQS8rMyg
I just did an interview, about house hunting in Oaxaca, for the YouTube channel, Almost Retired in Mexico. If you have 30 minutes to hear some funny, real-world stories, check it out. As I had hoped, people are inquiring about the travel planning/relocation service I'm developing, as well as the food, wine & mezcal events also in the planning stages. DM for info on any of it.

Let's talk expats buying real estate and living in Oaxaca, Mexico! I'm joined by Donna Shields. Whether you're a seasoned digital nomad, an adventurous retir...

05/06/2024

Out-of-this-world candles. One of the many handcrafted gems to uncover from the Zapotec people in Teotitlan de Valle, just outside Oaxaca, MX # handcrafted candles # Teotitlan

02/05/2024

My current story in the May issue of International Living pretty much sums up what we've been doing the past 8 months. It's a leap of faith and one that we are taking...selling the Key West and Colorado houses and moving to Mexico, hopefully by the fall. I'm hoping to create a travel planning and relocation service for those coming to Oaxaca for a vacation or a life-change.