Field notes,
slowly written.
Renovation lessons, design we keep coming back to, the small dramas of permits and INAH, the dogs we couldn't leave behind, and the city we ended up in. Written by Sophia and Socrates.
All entries
Healing Hearts: Rescuing and Fostering Mazatlán's Furry Friends
A plea from the sanctuary. Over 350 animals in our care, and dwindling adoptions. How fostering — even briefly — changes the math.
What's Your Interior Design Style?
A short field guide to thirteen interior design styles — from minimalism to Japandi to Wabi Sabi — to help you name what you've been drawn to all along.
Unlocking Light: Innovative Solutions for Narrow Home Design
Mazatlán colonials are long and narrow. Here is how we bring light deep into rooms that the sun would otherwise miss.
The Allure of Color: Mazatlán's Exterior Palette Extravaganza
Why the streets of Centro Histórico look the way they look — and how to pick a facade color that lasts.
The Resilient Echoes of Art Deco Architecture
Art deco quietly shaped Mazatlán's twentieth century. A walking-tour of the details still standing.
Microcement: A Chic Architectural Trend
Seamless, soft, and surprisingly forgiving. Why microcement keeps showing up on our floors, walls, and counters.
Mexico's Seguro Social Is Chaos
A field-report from inside Mexico's public health system. What it actually feels like, and what we wish we'd known.
Pooches in Transit: Saving Lives One Dog at a Time
When COVID grounded flights, the sanctuary filled up. How a handful of volunteers built a north-of-the-border transport program — and 115 dogs found furever homes.
Mazatlán's Total Solar Eclipse: A Sky Spectacle You Won't Want to Miss
Why Mazatlán is the front-row seat for the April 2024 total eclipse, and what to plan for.
35 Agave: Four Years Later
A look back at four years of remodeling in Mazatlán — what changed, what stayed, and what we learned by doing.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Story
A personal essay on ALS, family, and what caring really looks like.
You're Stuck With Me: A Love Story
On marriage, partnership, and the strange and steady promise of "stuck with me."
Fertility Struggles Are Real — Even From Abroad
Navigating fertility treatments from another country — what worked, what didn't, and what we wish someone had told us.
Serendipity in Real Estate
Sometimes a sale becomes a friendship. A small story about selling a house and meeting the right person at the right time.
Molding with INAH: A Bust at Casa Santorini
On wanting to restore a 1920s neoclassical facade in Centro Histórico — and what happens when INAH says no.
Operation "Clownin' Pooches" at Hope Animal Sanctuary
A summer weekend, a kiddie pool, fifty dogs, and the best two hours of volunteering we've ever had.
Our First Child… Casa Santorini
Our very first project. The mistakes, the permit suspensions, the project manager who kept saying "oops," and the lessons that built the rest of 35 Agave.
Starting to Blog Again…
After a long pause, we're picking the journal back up. Here's what we plan to write about and why.
Support Our Local Businesses: La Fabula
A small love letter to one of our favorite Mazatlán shops, and a reminder of why local-first matters more than ever.
We send a quiet note every few months.
No spam, no hard sells. Just the projects we're wrapping, the rescue updates, and the occasional Mazatlán recommendation.
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