Did you all enjoy yourselves last month? With so much music happening in Centro, it was hard to decide what to do every weekend. I’d have to say the most spectacular was the third annual Dia de la Musica, with free music from multiple bands on six outdoor stages on a not-yet-uncomfortably-hot Saturday night. This event also included public art, and our cover by Tomas Guarena is one of the pieces created as part of "A la Vuelta de Venus 2." Thousands of folks of all ages happily wandered the streets of Centro Historico, enjoying all kinds of music from 7pm till after 11. Did I mention it was all free?! See Que Pasa? for a more detailed wrap-up of this wonderful event.

This month marks M!’s first travel issue, with a plethora of stories and travelogues for you to peruse and ponder. Perhaps a trip is on your agenda, and you’re looking for somewhere new to visit or a different perspective on an old favorite you’ve been to many times before. Whether or not we write about a place you’re interested in going to, I’d encourage you to just do it - go! Life is too short to wait or worry - there’s no time like the present.

M!’s regular writers threw in their proverbial two-cents worth: Lisa Lankins’ travel-oriented vocabulary is full of useful words and phrases; Bodie Kellogg, our intrepid “buscadero,” shares a rather hair-raising experience of driving into Mexico with his teenage son, a trip that involved a rattlesnake, unexpected car repair and, of course, lots of beer. And there’s more: artist Darian Day’s chance encounter on a road trip will inspire you, too, to take the not-so-well-beaten path and discover what lies there - in her case, an ancient convent in the tiny puebla of Yuriria, between Guanajato and Morelia A little closer to home, NoMa writer Nola Dyck explores the Estero del Yugo in Cerritos, a birder’s wonderland where more than 200 species can be spotted, including the bright pink flamingo-like Roseate Spoonbill. Sheila Madsen lets herself be surprised by the beauty of the heritage town of San Miguel Allende and comes away with the conclusion that it is, indeed, worth visiting. And Zoe Jussell takes a bus ride south to Sayulita, to enjoy some beachside fun in this chic surf town that felt like her former home on the California coast.

Do check out our back cover this month - you’ll find NidArt’s fabulous walking map of Centro Historico. Many thanks to local artisans Rak and Loa for taking the initiative to create this wonderful map and resource, which you’ll also find available in a pocket-size and posted at various spots in Centro.

And so, there you have it...another month of M! Enjoy, y que te vaya bien!

Janet