Thursday, January 29, 2015

Roof terrace furnishings in San Miguel....delivered

I've been doing a little design consulting with some friends on minor matters such as new dining room chairs to go with the new round glass dining table they recently purchased.  Also, some rearranging of furnishings and adding some accent tables here and there.

Yesterday was a fun day.  I took them to a chair manufacturer to look at the different styles that he makes.
It is a modest retail space.  Right behind the retail space is where he makes the chairs and tables among other things.

Mostly made out of mesquite, the wood is beautiful when finished.  The furniture is very sturdy as well.
The casual style chair that was what I wanted to show to them is not only used by eight restaurants in Houston but was featured in a design magazine about a year ago!  The owner had never seen the color photos from the magazine article until I was able to share them with him yesterday.  He grinned from ear to ear.

Then when I mentioned that I had known either his aunt or grandmother, Ninfa Laurenzo, a very famous woman in Texas who has passed on, he again was grinning.  Needless to say, we established a relationship.  He also remembered and mentioned that I had brought someone else about a year ago to look at furniture and placed a sizable order.  I was surprised that he remembered me.

After we finished looking at the chairs, talking about modifications to the seat size and finishes and pricing, we left to head back to San Miguel.

We passed a vendor with chairs sitting on the side of the road.  Webbed chairs that I have only seen in beach communities on the Pacific Ocean.  We did a turnaround and went back.  I grabbed my camera.

 I had spotted the orange, pink and black webbed chairs.  My friends Ron and Fred were testing the others.
 This amazing hanging chair was there.  It is made with a metal frame that is then covered with bamboo and reed.  Very sturdy chairs as long as you have a very sturdy tree limb.   Here on the side of the road, with the current exchange rate it was about $130USD.  In the USA these chairs are well over $1000USD.
 Then, Tio the owner, asked if I wanted to see how they are made.  I LOVE to see the process.  Down into the yard I went where a young man was wetting this heavy rope to make it pliable in order to weave it on this chair.  That blue container is nothing but water.
                                                     It is going to be beautiful when complete.
 I went back up the stairs to the road, turned around and my friend Fred was trying out the reed chair.  (He'll end up going back and buying one some day.)
 With no delay, I negotiated a price for TWO of the web chairs with the black iron frame.  Not only did I buy them, but Tio offered to deliver them to San Miguel to my house and put them on the roof for me!
                    These are such comfortable chairs because they are pliable.  Love the colors.
                             Cost per chair around $30USD each delivered.  Such a deal.........

17 comments:

Hannibal said...

I remember The Ninfa Mexican Restaurants. Very famous in Houston.

Babs said...

Indeed Hannibal. I could write a whole blog on Ninfa Laurenzo. Her contributions to the industry, her family and of course, her famous green sauce.
When I president of a national food service organization in Houston, if I called and asked her to be at an event, she ALWAYS graciously agreed. Quite a woman.
Now the family restaurants are called El Tiempo........

lauriec said...

Babs, I so love these stories that tell us about the people behind the items- thanks for sharing both the chairs and also your interaction with Senor Tio!

Here's a question for you - do you know anything about the making of those wonderful Mexican candles - Santa Rosa and others? I always bring them back with me on every trip.

thanks,

Laurie
"coming to SMA very soon for 2 months- cannot wait!)

Calypso said...

We have two of those same chairs. I think they are called Acapulco chairs;
http://www.vivaveracruz.com/blog/?p=3227

We paid 23.00 usd - but then I drive a hard bargain - maybe too hard. ;-0

In any case they are rugged and comfortable - we like them.

Babs said...

Laurie, thanks. Yes, the Santa Rosa candles used to be made in Patzcuaro but are now made at a candle factory outside of town. I wrote a blog about them a couple of years ago.
Enjoy San Miguel. The weather is spectacular now.

Babs said...

Calypso, thanks for the info.
Heck, for once, I didn't even bargain with him about the chairs.
Except that I asked for a descuenta since I was buying two.....They were so inexpensive, I was happy.
Cost more over in Melaque!

Calypso said...

A real bargain when you consider those chairs are 450 usd in New York ;-0 you can Google them and see they are a BUNDLE in the U.S.

The best part is they really work.

Babs said...

OMG, $450.00USD? How ridiculous.
Well, that's about right though.
Markup from Mexico to US is 10 times.
At one point Neiman Marcus was selling the green pineapples from Michoacan that I paid $50USD for in Tzinzunzan for $500USD in their catalog.......
How sweet it is. That's how I made so much money shipping 18 wheeler loads of stuff all over the USA for 20 years.......BUT, don't tell anyone,ha

Retired Teacher said...

Just the other day I saw some fellow hauling one of those web chairs down the street on his back.

And referring back to one of your earlier posts, I saw one of those vertical gardens in D.F. this week. Tall ladders were propped up against the wall... two gardeners were giving it a haircut.

Billie Mercer said...

Barbara, a great story and the chairs look fabulous on your terrace.
Billie

Babs said...

Bill, the vertical gardens look wonderful, but I feel they must require some maintenance. NO ladders for me, other then a stepladder any more.

Thanks for the info.

Babs said...

Thanks Billie. I like the funkiness and architectural aspect as well.

After Calypso told me they are called Acapulco chairs and sell for $450 in NYC, I went online. I was so shocked. Even on Amazon the prices range from $400 to $550USD!
Who knew?

Dana Hill said...

Wow, what great chairs! Lucky lucky!!

mackyton said...
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Unknown said...

Hi Barbara -

We would like to try to find the vendor who sells the Acapulco chairs outside of SMA, but we'll be taking a taxi so I'm hoping to get a better idea of the location. Can you help?

- Lori

Babs said...

Lori - All I can tell you is to get on the road headed toward Delores, pass the Atotonilco exit and keep driving. It will be on the right hand side of the road, if he is still there. It's been quite a while since I purchased these chairs. He hasn't always been there.

Buen suerte

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