Polanco, which extends along the north side
of Chapultepec Park, is home to some of the wealthiest people in Mexico. It has
some of the best hotels, restaurants and shops in the city and is the location
of choice for many foreign embassies, international corporations, and a large
portion of the city’s Jewish community
Near to many of the top museums, the air of
sophisticated culture extends even to its streets, named after philosophers,
writers and scientists. Avenida Presidente
Masaryk (named after a former Czech leader), is often compared to New
York’s Fifth Avenue or Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive, with its line up of status
conscious stores like Tiffany’s, Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
Development of the area began back in the
1930’s, but the big building boom happened in the 1950’s, and it still
continues. Designed as a purely residential area at first, homes in Polanco
were marketed to those wishing to emulate an American lifestyle—freestanding
houses had front and back yards, a novelty back then. Examples of the original
architecture, a florid style with ornately sculpted doorways and windows known
as Colonial Californiano, are scattered throughout the neighborhood, although
many have been turned into stores and offices.
Polanco suffers a bit from a reputation as
a snooty place—there’s even a popular restaurant named ‘Snob’. A few years
back, the ‘Ladies of Polanco’ became famous after a video on youtube went viral
showing two wealthy residents berating a dark-skinned transit policeman for
daring to give them a ticket. It was the talk of the town for several weeks. But
there’s no denying that Polanco is a defining element of Mexico City, and well
worth a visit to see how ‘the other half’ (or at least the top 2%) lives.
WALKING TOUR #13: Polanco
Two metro stops (Polanco and Auditorio)
serve Polanco on the #7 line, but neither is very convenient for a walking
tour. Arriving by taxi, ask your driver to take you via Campos Eliseos, a lovely tree-lined street that gives you a quick
overview of the luxurious life-styles enjoyed by many here. Ask the driver to
leave you at the corner of Julio Verne
and Parque Lincoln, just next to a taxi sitio you can use later on this
tour.
Polanquito, the area around Parque
Lincoln, is the closest thing to a town center, and the best place to walk
around and get a feel for the neighborhood. In the park you’ll find an art
gallery, an aviary, and a small pool where kids play with toy sailboats. The
nearby streets, Virgilio, Julio Verne, Oscar Wilde and Alexandre Dumas are
lined with stores and restaurants, and lots of well-heeled customers. At
Masaryk 360, walk into the Pasaje
Masaryk, a former apartment complex turned into a shopping mall, which
feels like a bit of old Palm Beach in Mexico City (‘Snob’ is here). It was
designed in 1939 by Francisco Serrano, the architect of many of the best Art
Deco buildings in Colonia Condesa.
Emilio
Castelar runs along the north side of Parque
Lincoln. There are some great examples of extravagant Colonial Californiano
architecture here. It’s worth poking inside to get a glimpse of the splendor of
these former residences, even though they've been remodelled as stores and
reataurants--the glamour of yesteryear is still evident amidst the layers of
comtemporary posh. As you walk west on Emilio Castelar (toward Edgar Allan Poe)
you'll find these old houses at #135, #149 and #163.
Other than Polanquito, the other area well
worth visiting is the ultra-modern development of stores, offices and museums
in the northwest corner of Polanco. Here you'll see a futurist verison of
Mexico that stands in extreme contrast to its image of old-style colonial
charm.
It's a long hike from Polanquito, so take a
taxi from the sitio in the middle of Parque Lincoln (on Julio Verne, in front
of the statue of Martin Luther King). Go to the main entrance of the Centro Commercial Antara (Ejercito
Nacional near Moliere), the snazziest shopping mall in town--very deluxe. During
one visit I heard the voice of Ella Fitzgerald singing ‘My Heart Stood Still.’
Mine almost did, too, when I saw some of the price tags. There’s a pleasant
open-air food court--better for people watching that dining. The Cinemex movie
theater upstairs features reclining leather seats and waiter service—you can
order from a 10-page menu.
Leave the mall by the passageway to the
left where you entered, across from the Hugo Boss store. Outside, across the
street, you'll see Plaza Carso, a
recent development of shops, offices and apartments. The big draw here is the Jumex Collection, Mexico City’s most important
contemporary art museum. It features big-name artists in exhibitions that change
every month or so. Check their website for information (www.fundacionjumex.org).
There are great views from the second floor terrace.
Next door to the Jumex Collection is the Museo Soumaya, pet project of Mexican
billionaire Carlos Slim (his son-in-law designed the sinuous, metal-clad
structure). The collection is a grab bag of masterworks to kitsch, but there
are some notable European paintings (by El Greco, Reubens, Tintoretto, and
Zurburan for example), a number of Rodin sculptures, and a delightful selection
of pre-Hispanic ceramic vases and sculptures on the fifth floor. The best way
to see this museum is to take the elevator from the lobby to the top floor and
work your way down.
ALSO
WORTH A LOOK IN POLANCO
El
Péndulo (Alejandro Dumas 81) is a bookstore/cafe
with a small, but savvy selection in English books.
David Alfaro
Siquerios Museum (Tres
Picos No.29). Contemporary art museum with changing exhibits.
W
Hotel (Campos Eliseos 252). The bar here is one of
the top ‘beautiful people’ spots in the city.
MAP
store (Emilio
Castelar at Temístocles). The store of the Museo de
Arte Popular in the centro carries good quality Mexican handicrafts.
Kurson
Kosher, Emilio Castelar 204. Kosher food products, canned and fresh.
Da Silva (Oscar Wilde
12). The bread and pastries at this Portuguese style bakery are excellent.
Museum Store Books (Aristoteles 8,
near Campos Eliseos) has a good selection of books on art and culture.
