I’ll just let our next blogger introduce himself. Here he is, the guru of good eats in San Miguel de Allende–Don Day in SMA.
My real name is Glenn Griffin and I’m guessing most people who read the blog know that. So some people call me Don, some people call me Glenn, some people call me #*%~¥€!, and most people know to not call me late for dinner (or cocktails). Using a pseudonym goes back to my freelance days when I would be working for two competing publications; cashing cheques in someone else’s name was a frequent problem.
What brought you to Mexico?
I originally came for sun, sand, sex and cerveza in the seventies. Living vicariously through newspaper columnist Paul Rimstead, who spent his winters here in the seventies, is what brought me to San Miguel de Allende in 2004.
What was the inspiration behind the name of your blog?
Don Day in SMA. It was a Spanglish attempt at Where in San Miguel de Allende but obviously not the best of puns as the number of people that “got it” I can count on one hand. (¿Dónde en San Miguel de Allende?)
What area of Mexico and topics does your blog primarily focus on?
Central Mexico, more specifically San Miguel de Allende, and mostly good food and good wine.
Why do you blog?
I was lured away from journalism to the big bucks of advertising very early in my career and always had regrets. Retirement and the birth of blogging gave me the opportunity to sneak back in the side door. Food and wine have always been a big part of my life; writing about it was a natural choice. I like to think that I’m the advice column for anyone looking for the best things to eat and drink in San Miguel. My primary target audience…hard to totally take the boy away from the advertisingese…are the expats and snowbirds of central Mexico.
What is your favorite blog post?
After hundreds and hundreds, it’s hard to name one. My greatest joy comes from discovering a little hole in the wall with very good food that is starving for customers, writing about it and returning to see a lot of asses on a lot of chairs.
What has been the most difficult for you to blog about?
Wine has always been a struggle. I thought that over time…I’ve had an extraordinary amount of practice…I might develop a palate like some of the experts. I haven’t and still might confuse a Cabernet Franc with a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Sauvignon Blanc with a Chenin Blanc. It is also difficult to write about wine in San Miguel because our supplies of individual brands are so small; if I rave about something it disappears off the shelf leaving my readers frustrated and angry (including me if I haven’t stocked up).
What has been the best experience you’ve had in Mexico?
My best experience in Mexico has been making new friends…of which the blog is mostly responsible. I now have more great people to hang out with after 13 years in Mexico than I have after 60 years in Canada. Mexico resulted in a renaissance of my social life when I thought I was going to be spending my days in an easy chair, getting fat and bald, while reading dog-eared recipe books.
What has been the worst experience you’ve had in Mexico?
I can’t think of one really bad thing. Really. Well maybe once sitting on a cactus.
If you are no longer in Mexico, do you plan on returning?
I spend six months in Mexico, six months in Canada each year. If I didn’t have a giant-sized family in Canada, I might spend every day of my life in Mexico. I am currently in Canada. Back in Mexico for the month of August and then there from October to April.
Where do you see your blog going?
My blog has gone as far as I hoped it would go. I wanted to become a knowledgeable, entertaining and respected critic of San Miguel de Allende’s culinary scene and I think I’ve accomplished that. I wanted to be followed by most of central Mexico’s “foodies” and my number of subscribers suggests that. I’m delving deeper into Mexican cuisine but otherwise, my subject matter and style won’t probably change.
Surviving Mexico 