Mexico City: Mi Casa, Mi Casa

any questions. Oh. Also, I was looking over your receipts and you can't expense cocktails on non travel base and I'm going to assume that was a mistake. Okay, assimi, Ago, this is not lost. Each episode, a friend and I go somewhere to find ourselves and yeah, try to get invited to a dinner party. Um, Brendan, friends is this week? My friend is my frequent co conspirator, the writer Daniel Henderson,

and the somewhere Mexico City. Driving through a neighborhood, you see people kind of just going about their Friday morning routine and then you kind of turn on an avenue and it's very open and the city lake. Yeah, it's cool. After dropping our things off at our renter department, Danielle and I cruised the streets of Mexico City in the back of maneuver. We passed clusters of people gathered near food carts and coolers filled with twenty five cents Tomali's.

The streetscape shifts from neo colonial buildings and big trees to low slung auto repair shops baking in the sun. So where we go, we're taking this uperwear. I thought we started the Zokolo, the main square, which is the center of Mexico City, of the city of twenty million and growing. And so we're meeting Professor Pavel Maldonado and he's a professor of culture at the University of Mexico. So I thought he could kind of get us our bearings. Because I get to do this all day, I could

just be in the super Well. There's a lot of color here. It's like red grid white. Also, a woman wearing an aren't like he has a uniform with CDMX. It looks like she works for the city cleaning the sweeping the street. I like uniform culture. I feel like, don't don't expand on that that it's such a privilege in New York. No, it doesn't, or why I've warned

them like I don't. Danielle might not share my appreciation for chic workwear, but it was important she and I were on the same page about our mission in Mexico, because yes, we were going to learn about the secrets of masks, wrestling, eat great food, and get private dance lessons. Well. He also had a very specific objective. She was really adamant that we have to have a dinner party this trip. I mean, that's on you. It's just not realistic for a travel show. I think it's if we were here

for a week, sure, for two days. I mean, like, honestly, I feel like at the beginning of the show, I did think it was a good idea, But as you've pointed out to me, in other places, like we do get good conversations with people while we're meeting them, so it does seem a little superfluous maybe to go to their home, but I don't know that's the show they bought. In a moment, the light shifts in the back of our uber are dense surroundings, cars, peddlers, pedestrians give way

to sky and space. Yeah, it is legitimately the biggest flag I've ever seen in my life, Mexican flag. We've entered the Zokolo, one of the largest city squares in the world. Casually dressed in a Bart Simpson T shirt, Professor Pavel Maldonado fits right in with the other locals, just doing their thing in the Zokolo's vast, shadeless expanse.

You know, guys work here at the Socolo, the santric area, and this plast is supposed to hold one hundred thousand people if you want to be you know heard nowadays saying whatever this the play were used to come even from Mexicans that are now from Mexico City. Did he of coming to Socco? It's like wow, you know, like

the big deal. You know, you may think that it's kind of touristic, like I get a picture of selfie, you know, with a flat but actually I would say that probably nine out of ten Mexicans you know, have this picture as a Facebook profile, you know, at least once in their lives. What is it like to live in the middle of all these millions and millions of people? Is the city where everything can happen? You know, it's funny.

Salvador da Lee came here once only watching his life and he was like, um, I don't know, like kind of jealous because he was like, you know, the city like so surreal, you know, even more than my art. Do you guys know? By the way, what's the definition of the word Mexico do you guys know it? No? Well, the word Chico, like from Mexico, means center, So the word Mexico mins the belly, bottom of the universe, the center of the universe. What's going on? Well, you know,

this plas is like so popular. You know, people who you know have here or said some protests or some meetings and like, you know, people trying to get some more riots. You know, in general, get right, but also like the place where you have all these massive concerts, free concerts. I also think it's it's kind of interesting that there's such a rich history of heavy metal music here. Yeahs,

who are your bands? Guns and Roses and yes, you know kids like or Ozzie Osbourne, y alltise like heavy metal bands were like like you know, it's this white guy with his long hair. You know here in Mexico we carried to ideas a stigma like that brown skin people are not attractive. So yes, when the Spanish came here, of course, the idea of being indigenous, you know it would be brown skin was like, you know, that's not cool, you know, But the slash was like, yeah, this guy's bronsky.

I love that slash was the gateway. Yeah, we're literally, I mean so we're literally on top of a Naztec ruin, right, Yeah, that's right, you can see it. Actually, what does it feel like to live in a city where the past is underneath you and the future is rapidly being built around you? Many people they will say like, oh, you know, people here we have no memory. I think that's why we're not so aware of who we are. And if you're not aware of that, you're you're not aware of

who you can bet. We hear drums and follow their sound to a far corner of the Zokolo, we find a roped off area of dark stones and partial stairs remnants of a temple built in the fourteenth century for worshiping the God of Rain and the God of war. Nearby, a group of men and women dressed in n Aztec clothing with painted faces feathers and skull masks, bang on drums and dance. This place was so important before the

Aztec civilization. It was a place where you can get in contact to the you know, the gods, the gods you know paid reviews are do you are these people actual Aztecs? No? Uh, they are. They went to Nyu, most of these people are. They're really like shamans or you know, educated people you know in these fields. Which, yeah, there's such of the culture. This place is so important and so popular, not only among visitors but also among locals because it's the place. Would you get the olympias?

You know you have olympia, you know, to clean like negative vibes that you received from the order from your enemies. Olympia is an Aztec healing ritual meant to cleanse the spirit. It evolves being immersed in a percussive sound bath, rubbed with fresh herbs and the fog of insects. That's also a good preparation for chicken. You're heartbroken, you know, your job play as well. Come canna get olympia, man, Maybe I need to get one. Yeah, you know, I think

I need some bad vibe removal. How do you do. Pavel approaches the shaman and lets him know him in the market for Olympia, You're leaving everything behind. You know, this is the new Brands and you know, yes, I'm wishing for this show to succeed because i want this to be my new future. And then also I'm wishing for a dinner party to happen by the end of this weekend. Raid close your right, please. The sound of the shell is gonna made out the spirits. This bad vibes,

his bad souls escape from Brandon's body. But this rituals before and after the combats. It's the way that you can be protected. This is a new beginning for Brandson, you know, and it's a new beginning for all of us. Right now. I emerge ears ringing, smelling a bit like a hippie dorm room and invigorated. You're you're a new person now. That was smoky but interesting. I smelled a lot of sense. He made me close my eyes. I

feel ready to roll. Not wanting the effect to wear off, I decided to put some of my newly cleansed vibes to work. Part of the thing we're doing is we're trying to get invited to someone's house for dinner. The idea thinking that getting in someone's home will really understand the culture. So I wonder, Daniel and I maybe induced a dinner party. You can invite your friends over, and I would really like to have you on my blaze. But uh, I get it, it's a big ask. Well

how about this. I have faith that I'm going to find someone will be game if I do. Would you maybe be willing to join us? Yeah? You know, you can kind of meet with a a scalt man. Oh nice, I could do with a shot of mescal to Washtown Pavel's rejection for here in the belly button of Mexico, a huge space dedicated to social gatherings. You think people would jump at the idea of hosting a dinner party, but alas, it seems like good vibes alone aren't enough.

We need to up our game. So that's what we do, all right, So our next job is dance lessons. Wait, you're you're having dance lessons and I'm going to hang out. We are We are going to have dance lessons, hopefully, because we are in a city where apparently everyone dances all the time, all ages old, young, For formal occasions and NYM formal occasions. I'm so excited to watch you do that. I personally know dance because I cannot dance.

I have no moves. I've got great rhythm, I don't enjoy I don't know how to say it, but like, I'm at odds with my body and I don't want to do anything that I know will make me look and feel foolish. Dancing is for like beautiful people who like to be seen, and I don't like that. M I'm an old person with a sword back, and I like that. It's also a way to get lost. Let's let's think of it as a window into the culture, and we'll see. We'll take it from there. We'll go inside,

we'll meet Rosa. We'll definitely gonna good meet and check it out and and watch thank you, goodbye, goodbye. Let me take it advil just in case I feel the spirit hit me. I should also take my hand I depressed them in case I feel spirit happy Rosa, Hi, hi Thaniel. For the reason we wanted to come here, or I wanted to come here, is because it seems like dancing is a very big part of the culture here.

You usually like people come here to Mexico City. I don't know, like to know the city or the museums or the historic part, but not that like social aspect of life like in Mexico City. What are the most kind of common dances of this form? It would be salsa of course, dance on. I think it's one of the we're gonna learn how to do dance on here

in Mexico. You've seen maybe you've seen it since you were a kid, so maybe even if you don't dance, well, you kind of know how to do it, like you know how it feels, it moves more like in a natural organic way. Americans. It's really funny because they look really Americans, so it's really easy to see that you're not like made to dance. Now you're on her side. Hold on a second, but actually it's I know you're

saying Americans are just a little whatever stiffer. I would say trunk, like like you see that part of the tree trunk or like trunk. So you just moved like like a trunk. You know, you just walked like Frankenstein. Not to put you on the spot here, but what did you think about me when you saw me coming in I thought, okay, Brandon's American. God, Oh my god, you're right, And yet somehow I'm offended. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

I do walk like I came off a horse. You can be as great as you want, like because you're you can have fun and you can learn. And that's what this is all about, like having fun. No, I'm resistant to death. I didn't tell her we were coming until we were on your way, and then she said, already knew. And then she said that I will watch you dance because I'm not gonna dance, but I feel like Danielle will be an excellent dancer. Yeah, I think you're gonna be great. I'm so tall, I'm too big.

I don't think that's only like stereotypes. This is not ballet. We're not in Russia. You just have one right foot and one foot. You just have to like know how to use them. So I think everybody can have that kind of like redemption. All right, well, let's do it. You need to be a little bit closer than that. I know you hate this, but okay, at this point,

Danielle and I are standing nose to nose. We look like wax figures on a wedding cake, one arm around each other's back and the other stretched out in a right angle, poised to dance. So the basic step of dancer's a box. Okay, dan you know you're gonna start with your right foot backwards one two, three, four? Okay. So they are turning right now. They are doing it pretty much well. I would say they're dancing dance on

for almost five years, Danielle. She seems like like this gorgeous European girl with the ballroom tenderness in your body and Brendan postures. He really really needs to have more confidence while leading. They seem they're having fun. Also, are you are you sure you've never done this? You're sure? Okay? Okay? Who said in the car that you are going to get good at this? And I wasn't. Wow, it's so cool, like, see you can do this. Well, this has been amazing.

And I believe you when you say it's social therapy. Um. One of my forms of social therapy is entertaining at home. And so I'm wondering, yeah, are you interested in dinner parties? Yeah? I love dinner parties, So could like it could Danielle and I and if we found some other people who like come to your place like tomorrow and we could prepare dinner. A lot of people here in Mexico say, yeah, okay,

well but Mikasa. It's only Mikasa, okay, So, oh my god, I can't believe Mikasa's Tukasa is not a real thing. And I can't believe you're laughing. You know, I need to have a dinner party. That was hilarious though, because I told you that would happen. That was awesome. Well, I'm glad that you overcame your anst about it, but honestly, like it's Friday night and we have zero attraction on

the dinner party front, I'm a little concerned. Well let's say we don't get a dinner party tomorrow, mors, what should we do? I mean, are they going to cancel the show? I'm going to owe them all the money for all the shows? And then it's like, oh, two people just went on vacation and recorded a bunch of junk, Like that's crazy, Like have you ever seen that show? Like what's the log line on that show? Back at

our lodgings for a much needed siesta. I think back when something roads that told me, you need to lead with more confidence. If I really want to get people's troncos around a table for a dinner party, I'm going to need to assert myself. Fortunately for me, our next stop is a masterclass in power and grit. This is definitely the most hectic street life I've encountered since I've been here. Well, Friday night Friday night fights, all right,

So we're approaching the thing. So we're in Roma, and once we get on the other side of this drag woking in Doctores and Doctores is the home of Rana Amico where we're going to watch Luja. We're on our way to Luca Libre with Asa Merit, an American journalist who lives in Mexico City and spend a year working on a documentary about its infamous mask wrestlers. What does Lucca libre mean? Literally translated? So, Luca libre means free fighting. So, I mean, there's so much to be said about to

what extent its scripted. It's not scripted, but in its early days, much of Luca Libre wasn't as scripted as narrative based as it is as it is today, and so that's why it was called free fighting, and so what's up with the masks like that? To me? When I think of lucha libre, that's the thing that pops in my mind. Okay, So the masks are key to

each of the wrestler's identities, all right. So in the old tradition of luca libre in the golden era, was these luchadors who went their whole life without revealing their identity. So they would even wear their mask in public. They would wear their mask on the plane and the security they had passports they had their mask on and no

one really knew. And Alsanto, the most famous luch store of all time, he had like a closet in his house and his children thought he was a traveling businessman until he was like they were like eight, and he finally spilled the beans. So the mass traditionally is this symbol, and it's a way for the wrestlers to keep their anonymity. But it's also integral to the storytelling of lucha libre.

So Luca lira is all about good and evil. You have the rudos kind of like rude if you think of it that way, the bad guys, and then the technicos like technical and the technicos are the good guys, and so essentially what you're seeing in a Lucha Libre match is a very sort of mythic, archetypal, iconic battle

between like the very good and the very evil. I think the theater element is really important to understand that there's a certain catharsis that's happening for some audience members that's really different than the thrills of watching Game seven

of the NBA Playoff. Do you have any theories in your studies of this, like why these mass characters resonate so powerfully with people in Mexico and in Mexico City, specifically of the dozens of wrestlers and Luca Libre filmmakers and everyone I spoke to, Like, though, there's one anecdote that I will never forget, and it's this woman who described to me how she liked Luca Libre and the masks to Diodos Martos and so Diodo Swartzi's Day of the Dead is this annual holiday here in Mexico where

families get together and remember those who have passed away. So she was explaining that to me, and she said, hey, listen, like Day of the dead. It's it's not just like we're getting around thinking about her relatives. We really believe that they are there with us in the room. It's the same with Luca Libre, like we believe. And she described Mesco as this nation with imagination, and there were there were hints of that from so many of the people I talked to, that the mask was this incredible

tool for someone's imagination. We merge into a mass of humans squeezing their way into the arena and finally surface among thousands of hands surrounding an illuminated wrestling right. The air smells of booze and fried food. The energy is crackling. All eyes are focused on the center of the ring, where two topless, masked men repeatedly crashed into each other. So what you got going on right now is this is like you got the same thing as the w W,

where you got like tag team type situation. So the guy of the gold mask just stepped out and his partner, which I think is the dude with the blue bandana around his head, went in and he is getting double teamed, unsurprisingly by the poor sported. He's about the really hurt, he's about double job. Here comes the gold guy gold Mask is back. Oh that sounded like a hurt Oh I it, but I want the gold mask guy to win.

That's because since we've been here, he's been getting hurt the most, so I kind of want him to overcome that. You said earlier that you have a problem with the word xpat. You think of x pats and you kind of think of like people living around the world, and they're kind of like rich neighborhoods going to their American schools. If you come to Mexico to live in Mexico and are earning in a currency either in the United States or in Western Europe, the quality of life available to

you is like an entire social class hire. I mean, something also comes to mind, how many Mexicans are called expats in the news in America. They're called immigrants and there's a threat they're like invading us or they're immigrants. But there's never like, oh, there's a big XPACT community in Brooklyn, or there's a big XPACT community in Los Angeles. Yeah, no, exactly. You know, I prioritize being of this place, not of somewhere else who happens to be here. Yeah, Well, two

body slamming. I mean, look, they're made to be as dramatic as possible, right, so they're always really dramatic. Mucha libre, a made up social occasion that inspires camaraderie and provides an outlet for emotions and the imagination. Kind of like my idea of a good dinner party. Except at dinner parties the stakes are nothing less than body slammy are collective on we un till it begs the reff for mercy. I asked, as if he's ready to enter the arena

with me. Sorry, man, I just had a kid. No way, really, yeah, seven days ago, right, okay, Well, thanks for taking us on this stour. This wasn't good. We had only one more day left in Mexico City and still no plans for a grande dinner fiesta. During my flight down here, I read a book about screenplays. Apparently in every movie, from Harry Potter to Parasite, there comes in all is lost moment. This is the part of the story where our hero has no hope, his dreams have shattered, and

his chance of success is practically zero. Asa shutting us down for a dinner party wasn't that moment? No are all is lost moment would come the next morning when Danielle wakes up with a crippling stomach helmet. Yes, that's stomach helmet. The stomach helmet not uncommon to tourists in Mexico. This, this is the moment all is lost. After loud sobbing in the shower like an out of tune Mariachi band, I get dressed and drag mysel helf over to what was supposed to be our final meetup, but for our

triumphant dinner party. Omar. Yeah, yeah, hey, Brendan, nice to meet you. Thanks so much for meeting us. Now our pleasure. Tell me what our planets. Omar Rodriguez Graham is a successful local painter with very cool glasses frames. I thought it'd be good to meet up here because this is like the iconic spots see murals in Mexico, you know which, It has murals by the Dria Sicos and a couple of other guys. You know, it's a pretty beautiful building already. Yeah, stop,

and we haven't even looked at Meurle yet. Well, let's go take a look, all right. Cool? We pause in front of a huge abstract mural the size of a billboard. There's magenta feel, purple, lavender, gray, red color. I thought you were only a sound guy. So yeah, we're in like this big four story hall with a lot of like Art Deco motifs that have in Mexican and eyes that's like art Deco meets as tech. Yeah, exactly exactly.

I grew up here. I was born in Mexico. My father was a painter, but he also did a set design. So when I was a child that come to Baya to see his opera as he did, or to see the other plays that he worked on, and so like, there was always like a very special place in my heart for the murals, and I do think it's it's something very particular to Mexican art, if I remember or the history correctly. The first mural was done by Diabo Rivera, so is a Rivera and it basically shows like the

power of man, of science, of technology. The mural we're looking at is called Man Controller of the Universe. In the center is a worker wearing overalls and holding a lever, crowding him on all sides, or people, soldiers, workers, and scenes a laboratory, a battlefield, all meant to depict the modern condition. It's clearly political. In one corner, kids of different races hold hands one on the other, a group

of oblivion rich people sip cocktails. The murals seems to be saying, now that man can control the universe through technology, what is he going to do with it? A lot of the murals in this building really have a lot of social criticism there, really are trying to portray the fight of the common man, the upheavals of society, nationalism, globalization, war, and in a way it's also very relevant today, you

know what I mean. Social criticism in art in the commercial sphere is really complicated because, like I know a lot of artists that they're like, no, let's fight for the common man, like very socialist ideas at anti capitalist art works, but then they're like selling their works for like hundreds of thousand dollars, you know, like where's that money going. Listening to Omar, I thought about how traveling the world via dinner party wasn't exactly curing cancer or

moving the needle politically. And after taking in more murals, some depicting the hearts of colonization, others documenting social decay, I share some of my misgivings with Omar. Well, it's it's I think that's something that is always like hanging

on my shoulders as well. You know, it's tricky because, you know, like our privilege, like for me to be making paintings or for you to just be traveling around recording a podcast, is really due to the fact that we're kind of working on the shoulders of like masses of humanity. It's a problem to deal with. I don't know how to respond to it. You know, there is an equality, and I think the first step is to acknowledge it, you know, to understand that your privilege comes

from someone else's suffering in the end. You know, but that doesn't mean that you should waste your opportunities, you know. That's rather how do you take advantage of them responsibly? And how do you give back however you can? You know, this was good food for thought, just the type of conversation I'd hope to achieve if I'd successfully pulled off a dinner party. In fact, Omar was exactly the sort of guess I'd want there, and come to think of it, it was also so exactly the sort of person I'd

want to host it. What's your budget. I mean I think, I think I would. I I can make it work. The company specifically told me, like had of a dinner party, so it's budget for it. But yeah no, no, I could favor the food and like that, could you absorb us? Yes? Yes, why don't we do like a potluck type of thing? Okay, like everybody pinching a little bit, I need to call in a backup. With a possible pot luck pending and a co host unable to leave sight of a latrine.

It was time. I led with confidence. I put a call into a friend of a friend a food and wine with it, and I told him I needed dinner party fixings for a group that evening, and I do whatever it took. I'm Niels Bernstein. I split my time between Mexico City and New York. He told me to meet him at Mercado de Medagine one hour. Okay, here we are. This is my favorite carnita stand that it's looking good. There's a piggy bank here. Oh it's our humor right here. Oh there we go. Yeah, you need

lines and salsas. Just you gotta, you know, rig everything to taste. Brain case is whoa I've never eaten a brain brain eye uterus. Not my favorite. Here, I like a lot. There's these spicy pickled onions, which I think we might just make our own. Okay, okay, some haban arrows here which we can use for the marinated onions. Yeah, they're like little jewels, deathly spicy jewels. My Irish stomach is quaking. If you want to get some mail, larva is over. You're chaing that out. Okay, so let's go

get some salad fixings. Here we're looking at some star fruit, some pomegranate, various plums and cherries, a lot of different citrus. All right, thank you, Mercado. What is it again, Mercado medine gassias, Adios Mercado Medeline. And then showtime along with Omar, his wife Morgan, and their dog Nioki, a local friend, and a roommates, as well as Omar's downstairs neighbor who brought us guitar in a bottle of mescow old. Look these guys, they're excited you're here. Oh this way soon

dinner was served, So karamitas and mills brock. What else do you have for dinner? This is the solid of laga and cherry Tomato. We talked about the city. This is a friendly city. Are happening, everybody can feel that

you are income. We talked politics. Party in Power now was trying to cut financing for political parties, and I was happy and relieved, not only because I could return to New York and let my bosses know I'd pulled off an actual dinner party dinner party, but because I was reminded that my pensiont to break bread with strangers wasn't frivolous after all. Dinner parties a recess for grown ups, a rare space where people can gather and not be under the watchful eye of a ball us, a needy child,

or an impatient waiter. There are gatherings that are intimate and have the power to transcend cultural barriers. There are places where we get to play, entertain argue, and feed ourselves, not just their bodies, but our souls, newly cleansed or not. And dinner parties are a lot harder to manifest than you'd think, even at home. So when we are able to make them happen, we should relish it. Welcome to

all of our expats. Whatever I was sad, d wasn't with us can't you just picture her showing off her dans On moves in the corner. But I still feel triumphant, like a masked Luca Libre wrestler, topless and gold shorts, waving my clasped arms over one shoulder and then the other like a champion. The lead producer on this episode of Not Law was the unflappable Tally Abacasas. The show was also produced and written by me Brendan Francis Nunham.

Our associate producer was Jackson Musker. Our story editor for this episode was Mira bert Win Tonik. The show was mixed by Hannis Brown and a big thanks to my friend and this episode's travel partner, Daniel Henderson. Not Lost as a co production of Pushkin Industries, Topic Studios and iHeartMedia. It was developed at Topic Studios. The show's executive producers are me Christi Gressman, Maria Zuckerman, Lisa Langang, and La Tom Mullad. Production assistance on this episode also came from

Jacob Smith, Amy Gaines and Julia Barton at Pushkin. Our theme song was created by Alexis Georgiopolis rhymes with Metropolis and muchos gracias to Professor Pavel Maldonado, Rosa maracarman, Asa Merritt, the Great Nils Bernstein, and I am forever indebted to Omar Rodriguez Graham, his wife Morgan, and their dog Joki for their hospitality. If you want to see some pictures of where we went or learn more about our guests,

you can head to not Lawshow dot com. And if you could just take a moment right now you're not traveling, or maybe you are, if you just head on over to Apple Podcasts, rate and review us. Oh man, you are going to feel so great and we will too. It's an easy win win. You can learn more about Topic Studios at Topic studios dot com and to find more Pushkin podcasts, listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. I'm Brendan Francis, Newnham.

Until next time, bonvoyage