We checked in to the Hotel Metropolitan last night after landing at Narita. It was an almost 11 hour flight during which I dozed some. It took over four hours to go through customs, immigration, get yen from the ATM, figure out directions to get from the airport to Tokyo Station and the hotel in Maronouchi. The train took almost an hour. And then we walked and walked to find the exit! Tired, we opted for a taxi to take us three blocks for 900 yen.
I slept nine and a half hours last night. Hallelujah.
we needed coffee this morning and opted to stay in the hotel for the buffet breakfast and unlimited cups.
Here is the amazing breakfast.
We kept going back for more. If we do nothing else today, it is perfect. So healthy. So delicious. Ouishi!
This amazing TINY restaurant is at the corner of Calle Reforma and Gomez Farias, across the street from Conzatti Park. It has six tables and seating for about 20 people. How do you say it? XAOK = Sha-Oh-K. The K is soft, barely the hard consonant we know in English.
Uriel Garcia, XAOK owner chef. Betabel (beet) hummus, bacon mermelada, goat cheese + more on crusty sourdough
Chef Uriel Garcia works the kitchen and the dining room with two staff members who assist in serving and cooking. Why do we love it? Everything is delicious and artfully presented. The food is innovative, fresh, and there are many vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options. There is no compromise on quality.
He came up with the name XAOK as a derivative of Oaxaca. An anagram, so to speak.
XAOK breakfast menuFresh mandarin juice with starfruit garnish
XAOK has been open for four months. While its a newbie on the restaurant scene, Uriel has deep experience in food preparation. He went to university in Oaxaca for four years to study culinary arts, then worked as a chef in Rodolfo Castellanos’ award-winning kitchen at Origen for six years before opening XAOK. No wonder each dish is special!
Close up: Beet Hummus + on SourdoughHorchata latte with almond milk
This is a must-visit foodie destination for residents and travelers alike. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, you will revel in the taste sensations and appreciate the value of this extraordinary food.
Huevos Fritos. We all ordered it!Sausage salsa, house made potatoes, roasted tomatoes
BTW, the sourdough bread here is as good as anything I’ve had in San Francisco, where I lived, ate, and reveled in the sourdough bread culture. It’s crustiness is sublime. Its soft center, pocked with fermented air pockets, is tangy and exactly what sourdough bread should taste and look like. It comes from Sagrado Filemon at the corner of Allende and Porfirio Diaz across the street from Gourmand Deli.
French toast with caramel drizzleThe check for three people – a total dealThe breakfast bunch with Chef UrielPink and Orange is a great color combo in Oaxaca — Janet Chavez Santiago
We know the culture! This is our land! We are locally owned and operated.
Eric Chavez Santiago is tri-lingual --Spanish, English, Zapotec.
Eric was founding director of education, Museo Textil de Oaxaca + folk art expert
Norma Schafer has lived in Oaxaca since 2005.
Norma is a seasoned university educator.
We have deep connections with artists and artisans.
63% of our travelers repeat -- high ratings, high satisfaction.
Wide ranging expertise: textiles, folk art, pottery, cultural wisdom.
We give you a deep immersion to best know Oaxaca and Mexico.
We organize private travel + tours for museums, arts, organizations, collectors + appreciators.
Creating Connectionand Meaning between travelers and with indigenous artisans. Meet makers where they live and work. Join small groups of like-minded explorers. Go deep into remote villages. Gain insights. Support cultural heritage and sustainable traditions. Create value and memories. Enjoy hands-on experiences. Make a difference.
What is a Study Tour: Our programs are learning experiences, and as such we talk with makers about how and why they create, what is meaningful to them, the ancient history of patterning and design, use of color, tradition and innovation, values and cultural continuity, and the social context within which they work. First and foremost, we are educators. Norma worked in top US universities for over 35 years and Eric founded the education department at Oaxaca’s textile museum. We create connection.
OCN Creates Student Scholarship at Oaxaca Learning Center Giving back is a core value. Read about it here
Meet Makers. Make a Difference
Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC has offered programs in Mexico since 2006. We have over 30 years of university, textile and artisan development experience. See About Us.
Programs can be scheduled to meet your independent travel plans. Send us your available dates.
Arts organizations, museums, designers, retailers, wholesalers, curators, universities and others come to us to develop artisan relationships, customized itineraries, meetings and conferences. It's our pleasure to make arrangements.
Select Clients *Abeja Boutique, Houston *North Carolina Museum of Art *Selvedge Magazine-London, UK *Esprit Travel and Tours *Penland School of Crafts *North Carolina State University *WARP Weave a Real Peace *Methodist University *MINNA-Goods *Smockingbird Kids *University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
December 6-14: Oaxaca Textile Tour and Workshopsincluding dye and weaving workshops, Tlacolula market, spinning village visits, plus lots more. With Fiber Circle Studio, Petaluma, California. Registration open!
January 11-17, Deep Dive Into Oaxaca: Cooking, Culture + Craft.Take a cooking class and printmaking workshop, visit artisan studios, weavers, and potteries, eat street tacos, taste artisanal mezcal, shop at markets, and explore the depths. SOLD OUT
February 6-15:Guatemala Textile Study Tour: Cloth and Culture. Discover Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Panajachel, Chichicastenango Market, and visit Coban where they weave fine gauze cloth called pikbil. SOLD OUT
March 12-17: Deep Into the Mixteca Alta: Oaxaca Textile + Folk Art Study Tour 2025. This is cultural immersion at its best! Following the Dominican Route, we visit potteries, churches, Triqui weavers working in natural dyes, a cooperative in Tijaltepec that makes smocked blouses, the expansive Tlaxiaco Saturday Tianguis. Experience another side of Oaxaca.
October: Japan Folk Art and Textile Tour.ONE SPACE OPEN! Email us.
Oaxaca has the largest and most diverse textile culture in Mexico! Learn about it.
When you visit Oaxaca immerse yourself in our textile culture: How is indigenous clothing made, what is the best value, most economical, finest available. Suitable for adults only. Set your own dates.
One-Day Tours: Schedule When YOU Want to Go!
Ruta del Mezcal One-Day Tour.We start the day with a pottery master and then have lunch with a traditional Oaxaca Cook, who is the mole-making expert. In Mitla, we meet with our favorite flying shuttle loom weaver, and then finish off with a mezcal tasting at a palenque you may NEVER find on your own! Schedule at your convenience!
Teotitlan del Valle Map with select rug weavers, restaurants, village attractions
Tlacolula Market Map -- where to find food, shopping, ATMs, and more
Our Favorite Things to Do in Oaxaca -- eating, shopping, gallery hopping + more
We require 48-hour advance notice for orders to be processed. We send a printable map via email PDF after your order is received. Please be sure to send your email address. You can click here to Buy Map. After you click, you can check PayPal to double-check you included your email address. We fulfill each order personally. It is not automatic.
