CDMX: Where I went and what I brought
Recommendations found inside, baby.
I’m back, and I’ve got deets.
My best friend and I were in CDMX for Dia de Muertos, then hopped on a big bird over to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca to surf and bake in the sun, then back to CDMX for some cafe-hopping.
In this newsletter, I’m going to cover what I brought with me and highlight some places I went so you’ll have some recs when you go.
What I rocked:
Luggage:
This thing was unreal.
I’ve been so eager to get some miles on this thing and it over-performed. I’ve genuinely never seen a more thoughtful bag design in my life. One of the features I used multiple times was the removable liner bag, which is emergency yellow and made of X-Pac (which is siiiick).
We hit the ocean multiple times in Puerto Escondido, and I brought this bag with towels and used it as a place to store our phones and wallets when we hopped in the ocean. Carrizalillo can get busy at times and the emergency yellow color made it EASY to pinpoint where we were located. Another bonus is that this liner bag keeps the interior of the main canvas bag from getting gross.
Jacket:
Perfect jacket for CDMX. PERFECT.
It was routinely mid-50s in the morning and then mid-70s during the day. This jacket plays elevated casual, so it can really do anything.
Watch:
You already knew.
Partied throughout CDMX with me, was on my wrist surfing in Puerto, never had to worry that it’d catch anyone’s eyes.
I love this thing. Can’t recommend it enough as a watch for traveling.
If you haven’t watched my video on it yet, you should.
Shorts:
Outlier New Way Five-Fives. These have a great cut, look classy for shorts, and have clever aspects in the design and fabric that make them the perfect short for double-duty at the beach. Technical fabric that dries quickly, cord drawstring, mesh pockets. Love these things.
Pants:
J Crew Chinos - Really dig these. Nice cut and they are stretchy too (not in a weird technical way). What I wore to some nicer joints.
Outlier Slim Dungarees - Bought these a couple years ago for my motorcycle trip in Chiapas. Still love them. I have them in Navy. They are super comfortable with 2-way stretch and gusseted crotch and they’re durable too.
Shirts:
Gitman Vintage. Fun designs, high quality, attention to detail. GV has been my go-to for button-ups for several years now. GV, call me.
Sunspel Riviera polos. I’ve got so many of these. They look sleek and the breathable fabric is perfect for hot HOT heat.
Shoes:
Buck Mason x Moonstar Sneakers. Dickie Greenleaf vibes, baby.
Phone:
iPhone 16 Pro. Amazing camera. Awesome battery life. I upgraded from my iPhone 12 Pro right before the trip and I was so impressed by this thing. If you get one, definitely play with the camera styles - iPhone photos have been getting razor sharp but a bit soulless — the styles help add a little life to them. I like the Gold setting with some adjustments made to it.
Camera:
Fuji X100V. God damn, I love this camera.
It’s small enough to bring wherever. Isn’t imposing when you’re trying to get candid photos. And the photos have SOUL. The colors are just stunning. I’ve been rocking X100s since the first iteration came out, and I’m still in love with these.
Where I went:
CDMX:
We stayed in Centro the first part of the trip (everywhere was booked fro Dia de Muertos, so our pickins were small). I would not recommend staying there. It’s pretty chaotic and loud. The pro was we stayed only a few blocks from Zócalo which is where the big celebration happened.
Neighborhoods to stay:
La Condesa (vibey) <- Love staying in this neighborhood
Roma Norte (vibey)
Polanco (ritzy)
Food/Drink:
Rosetta - Beautiful restaurant and some of the most impressive service I’ve experienced. Staff worked in sync like a dance and they did it at warp speed.
El Tizoncito - Claim to be the originators of al pastor tacos. Who knows, but they’re solid.
Tlecan - Top 20 bar in the world. Standing room only. It was packed but it was an experience and the drinks were very good.
Taqueria Orinoco - 25 minute line and worth it. Fun and delicious.
No Bad Coffee Club - window cafe in Polanco. Owner was rad and this was some of the best coffee I had on the trip.
Tacos de Canasta Los Especiales - If you’re around Zocalo, definitely hit this place. It’s an institution. It’s packed with people, you stand and eat at communal tables, and there is even a sink in the dining area to wash your hands before you go (they will be messy in the best way). One of my favorite meals the entire trip.
Madre Cafe - Sexy brunch joint. Service blew this time around (so much so that I almost didn’t add it to the list) but I definitely had the best french toast of my fuggin LIFE.
Events:
Lucha Libre. Yes, you do need to experience it at least once. Buy tickets from the source so you don’t overpay. Ours were $3.50 USD (you read that right), and we had a business trying to sell us tickets for $45 USD.
Toured Teotihuacan. Hire a guide. Also worth doing once.
Puerto Escondido:
Cafe Binisa - Went here every morning. Owner is a solid dude, breakfast was great, coffee was great.
Antojitos Janeth - Went here a couple times. You sit outside on plastic stools. They cook things on an old car wheel that was converted into a grill. It’s delicious. Best quesadillas (Oaxaca cheese crushes) I’ve had. The tortillas were particularly great.
Beaches:
Zicatela - Where I surfed. This is also at La Punta, which is has a ton of rad shops and cafes.
Carrizalillo - My favorite. Came here a couple times.
Carrizalillo Playa de Coral - Pretty but ROCKY.
If you’ve got some rad recommendations for CDMX or Puerto Escondido, drop them in the comments. I’m really hoping to go back to CDMX in particular for an extended time next year. What a magical place.
p.s. Are you subscribed to my YouTube Channel??? You should be.
p.p.s. Some of these links may toss me a commission without costing you any extra. This goes to buying more things so I can talk about them.
Cheers!
Dominic
Hey, whats that pocket tee you're wearing in the first picture?
Have breakfast at the Four Seasons in CMX. Beautiful courtyard leading to the restaurant. It’s worth every penny. Food and atmosphere.