If you’ve been to my Mexican restaurant in Washington, DC, you may understand. You see, the beautiful mobiles of butterflies twirling from the ceiling represent this forest located in Central Mexico filled with Oyamel fir trees, which is also the name of my restaurant. Every year, several hundred million Monarch butterflies make a journey to this very unique place located high up in the mountains of Michoacán. The butterflies travel over 2500 miles from Canada to seek refuge within the waxy needles of those fir trees, making a quiet “shhh” sound as they flap their wings.  It is truly an astonishing act of nature.

During my many visits to Mexico to learn more about its regions, its culture and cuisines in