Mexico City’s Historic Center Offers Lessons in Craftmanship

Learning the ropes behind framing photographs

Palacio de Correos de México (Postal Palace of Mexico City). Photo by Matthew Bamberg

As my summer in Mexico City ended in 2023, I immersed myself in one of my usual wild ideas — building a false economy. This strange obsession led me to spend more time and money than I had planned, all in pursuit of an eccentric yet exciting vision. As it often does, my mind began racing at breakneck speeds, especially with an art exhibition at the Desert Art Center in Palm Springs looming on the horizon.

For those unfamiliar, Palm Springs sits in the scorching Coachella Valley, just 100 miles east of LA, where summer temperatures can be unbearable — pushing the limits of human endurance. For me and my partner, escaping the city heat is a non-negotiable priority every summer.

That’s where Mexico’s mountain-filled interior came in as the perfect escape. It offered a cool respite from the punishing heat of Southern California. That year, Palm Springs was nearing its all-time high temperature, breaking rec…