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If you are looking for some thing different for Christmas presents this
year and want to avoid the crowded malls, Mazatlán off the beaten track
has treasures galore that will make your shopping a pleasant experience.
Here are a few suggestions…. MaLi Furniture When Linda and Max opened their
Soaring Eagle leather clothing store on Heriberto Frias in the Centro Historico
in September, 2005 everyone told them leather would not sell in Mazatlán.
They proved them wrong. In fact, Linda´s original leather designs sold so
well that she found herself working far too hard for a supposedly retired
lady. It was then her husband Max suggested a furniture store and MaLi Furniture
was born. Linda and Max have stocked their store with exotic, sturdy pieces
from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. No item is duplicated except, says
Linda, her gleaming teak benches which are popular with customers. The store
offers decorative touches to complement the furniture settings, all at 20-30%
below Guadalajara prices. To put everyone in the Christmas spirit, Linda
and Max have decorated the store´s Christmas tree with surprise discount
cards. Once you have chosen the item you can´t resist, simply pick a card
from the tree for a 5–15% discount. (Heriberto Frias 1505, open 10am-6pm
Mon-Fri, accepts Visa & Mastercard) Casa Etnika Casa Etnika in the Centro
Historico is housed in a bright, airy 1870s building which originated as
a hardware store boasting the first ceiling fan in Mazatlán. It then became
an elementary school, a music school, once again an elementary school until
today it has been remodeled by Helene Van der Heiden and Miquel Ruiz into
a charming boutique. The husband and wife team began selling Miquel´s unique
jewelry designs in the Plazuela Machado six years ago and when the historic
home became available, they jumped at the chance to rent it and open their
own shop. Dealing directly with Mexican artists, they have stocked their
store with unique Mexican crafts, furniture from Bali, photos by award winning
wildlife photographer Alwin Van der Heiden (Helene´s brother) and of course,
Miquel´s colorful jewelry. Miquel´s workshop is located in the second of
the seven Casa Etnika rooms and you can chat with him as he weaves stones,
beads and silver into his signature designs. Helene and Miquel are both
fluently bilingual, Miquel having worked in the States for many years and
Helene, originally from Belguim, having lived in Mazatlán for 28 years.
In 2007 they plan to open a café in the large courtyard of Casa Etnika.
But for now, the courtyard contains a couple of comfortable chairs where
you cansit for a moment and enjoy the ambiance of this Centro Historico
boutique. (Sixto Osuna No. 50, open 10am-8pm Mon-Sat, accepts Visa & Mastercard)
Tokio Tokio is the art gallery and studio of Eutiquio Valdez Maldonado,
an outgoing young Mazatlecan who began drawing from the moment his hands
could hold a pencil. His dream was to paint full-time, but with a young
family he knew he had to work to survive. Still, the dream haunted him.
Through serendipity and plain good luck, a year ago he was offered a storefront
space in the heart of the Golden Zone and he set about painting in earnest
while working part-time. Eutiquio´s studio is sparse, a large space |
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with few amenities.
The walls are covered with his finished canvasses, two or three easels sit
close to the window for the best light. A self-styled realist, his large
paintings reflect his interest and regard for human expression, Mexican
culture, landscapes and nature. The studio has been discovered by other
artists eager to improve their craft. Eutiquio gives them lessons, tourists
and residents, for 120 pesos for 3-4 hours. He supplies the paints and brushes
while the students bring their own canvasses. It is not unusual to walk
by Tokio and peek in to see two or three heads bent over an easel in concentration.
Eutiquio´s own paintings, a touch of Mexico, sell for between 2,000-5,000
pesos. (in the Diary Queen Plaza, open 9am-4pm) Madonna Cristina Vazquez
left Mexico at age 13 when her family moved to California, but when her
husband was offered a job in Mazatlán in 1980, she was delighted to be back
on her native soil. Unfortunately, the job fell through and while her husband
returned to the States, Cristina decided to stay. It was the beginning of
a long career in the jewelry business. In fact, hers was the only jewelry
store in Mazatlán in those days, and she roamed Mexico on buying trips enjoying
every minute of it. Her keen eye and stylish business sense soon led her
to incorporate native handicrafts into her inventory, opening up a market
for indigenous artists such as the Huichols of Nayarit. She built her business
conscientiously until today Cristina is the owner three Madonna Jewelry
stores in Mazatlán. Jewelry remains Cristina´s passion. Her stores reflect
her exquisite taste in custom made Tasco silver and gold earrings, bracelets
and necklaces. She recently added a new line of Italian gold and silver
filigree jewelry, as finely crafted as a spider´s web. But it is the Mexican
fire opals that make her eyes light up and hold pride of place in her showcases.
( Golden ZoneLa Garzas, Inn at Mazatlá, Av. Playa Gaviotas, open 9am-8pm,
Mon-Sat, accepts all major credit cards) Maz Book & Coffee Company What
does a former motorcycle dealership owner from Alberquerque, New Mexico
do when he runs out of reading material on a Mazatlán beach? He goes home,
packs up and returns to open a used book store. It was that leap of faith
nine years ago that began the Mazatlán Book and Coffee Company and made
owner, David Bodwell, a confirmed Mazatleco. Since then he has married a
lovely Mexican lady and settled down into a family life. An avid reader,
David has stocked his book store with over 5,000 used books, some classics,
some recent releases. Other than the two libraries in the city, David´s
store has the largest selection of reading material. It is actually a book
exchange with discounts when you bring in a book and buy another. For the
Mexican traveler, David´s store is one of the few that stocks difficult-to-find
Mexican maps, including the Guia Roji for Sinaloa, Highway Atlas of Mexico
and the latest Guia Roji Mazatlán map. Mexican flags, hard to come by except
from street vendors on national holidays, are also part of his stock. An
author of a Spanish language book himself, David offers books by local authors
of Mexican humor, cookbooks and guide books. (Across from Costa Oro Hotel,
open 9am-7pm 7 days a week, accepts Visa & Mastercard) |
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