Cantina El Toro
I made this as a companion piece to Casa Maria. One day, as I was enjoying one of my favorite past times. . . browsing in the Goodwill Store, I came across a wonderful little carved bull and Cantina El Toro was immediately born in my mind.
I envisioned a festive little Mexican cantina nestled in a small, but popular, “tourist village“. As such, my cantina features a bar area, local Mexican folk art “for sale” (everything from handwoven baskets and blankets to hand tooled genuine leather boots). Inside the cantina, there are many special features: handmade “stained glass” lamps, miniature Talavera tiles surrounding the windows and doors, a hand-painted Mexican folk art style screen door for the outdoor patio, genuine stone tile flooring, and even the owner’s beloved pet “Nacho“, who totally plays up to the tourists and gets fed far too much. For those hungry tourists, there is upstairs dining . . . including an outdoor patio room with a window box full of cascading Bougainvillea. Both rooms feature wrought iron tables and chairs which have comfortable seat cushions fashioned from genuine Mexican woven fabric, handmade “stained glass” cactus motif lamps, platters of luscious Mexican food , and colorful Mexican art. The front exterior of the cantina features a small stone courtyard with “El Toro” (complete with a leather Mexican saddle) which many of the tourists like to perch upon to have their pictures made. On a hot, muggy Mexican night, Cantina El Toro is the place to be . . . full of blazing light, Mariachi music, joyful laughter, and the aroma of spicy Mexican food drifting out into the night . . .
And, there is a secret . . . everyone in the village thinks that the old man who serves drinks in the bar is the owner. But he isn’t . . . Maria Hernandez, who owns Casa Maria is the owner!
