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Casa Estrella de la Manana (House of the Morning Star), a 1690 colonial gem sharing a wall with the adjacent Convento de los Monjas, was lovingly restored in 1996. A home that seems right out of the pages of "Architectural Digest" or "Veranda", Casa Estrella has been frequently photographed and is featured in the recent books "Mexican Tile" and "Mexican Style Interiors" and its companion "Mexican Style Exteriors".
Hal Box, now retired to San Miguel, collaborated with noted designed Marsha Brown to produce what is undoubtedly one of San Miguel's premier destinations. Now the home of Southern artist Rhea Gary and her husband Leon, Casa Estrella is conveniently located in San Miguel's historical center ("Centro") at Calle Quebrada 22, minutes (three blocks) away from the excitement of the town's main square("El Jardin") and principal church ("La Parroquia").
Step behind the old mesquite doors and experience the intimacy and wonder of a place back in time. Enter into a sun-filled patio where the soothing sound of water from the fountain wall invites you to make yourself at home.
Our comfortable outside dining "sala" features a massive stone fireplace and will become the site of memorable meals prepared by our housekeeper Lourdes. An amazing tile kitchen, possibly the most photographed kitchen in San Miguel, is also gourmet-equipped.
While you will, no doubt, enjoy outdoor living in our near-perfect climate, you will also enjoy relaxing in our indoor living and dining room that contains much of our personal collection of Mexican and Spanish religious art, many books and a CD collection. There, you'll find above another massive stone fireplace, a 16th Century painting of the Holy Trinity that complements several Santos and tin paintings ("retablos").
Up the stone stairway on the second floor are the Jacaranda and Mariposa bedrooms both of which feature custom linens, down pillows and comforters. The Jacaranda bedroom is named for the view (in March and April) of a large, purple blossom-laden Jacaranda tree enjoyed through the large window across from the king bed. This bedroom has direct access to a garden terrace kept in bloom by noted San Miguel garden designer Joseph Turner.
The Mariposa (Butterfly) bedroom has a comfortable queen bed and a lovely view of the adjacent stone walls of the old convent. Both bedrooms feature working gas-log fireplaces --- wonderful on chilly nights.
Above on the third floor is a painting studio with a single bed, a fireplace with gas logs, a full bath and another flower-filled terrace garden. From here, relax in the large patio chairs and enjoy a 270 degree view of spectacular sunsets over the San Miguel hillsides or turn around and be amazed by the up-close view of the dome of the next-door La Conception Church.
Tactfully unobtrusive, Lourdes, our housekeeper and very good cook, will be there to maintain the home and attend to your every need. Fidel, our gardener will help whenever he is needed . . . and, PLEASE - no smoking! |
