The terraced cactus garden at the entrance may prepare you for the visual delights to find inside. 

Finished a year ago, this contemporary home was designed to expose the wide vista, features photographic art by Jennifer and highlight the talent and culinary skills of Chef Gaby.  

Working with their architect, the modern design is warmed with wooden doors and ceilings, stone walls in baths and common rooms. 

As you enter, note the Korean butcher block table – first hint that a chef lives here!  Above is a photo taken in Porto, Portugal by Jennifer. 

The main floor guest room has a stone “green wall” on the terrace filled with succulents. The colorful photo of hands was done by Jennifer of the small fountain on Codo street here in San Miguel.

There are other artists represented throughout the main floor – a colorful floral by the well known painter, Leonard Brooks, a black and white photo by Jock Sturges, a crocheted still-life by Daniela Edburg and a stunning color photo by Kate McKenna over the fireplace.

The large great room is anchored by a chef kitchen on the left and the striking wall of stone backing the stairwell and elevator on the right. 

Continue to the window wall opening to the outdoor terrace to see a vista that seems to stretch forever. 

Looking over the raised planter filled with Gaby’s herbs, you see San Miguel Viejo, the presa reservoir to the left and views toward Dolores Hidalgo to the right. 

Above the grill area is a metal screen Jennifer designed using a sunflower motif and fabricated by FunArt here in San Miguel.

Upstairs is a second guest room, an office lounge space and the primary bedroom.  

An amazing woolen weaving by Nellie Lorenzo graces one wall and three small, charming Huipol weavings from Peru on the opposite side. Three landscapes were done by Juan Zaragoza. 

Again, the expansive view is the highlight – until you enter the walk-in dressing room, which will make any lady green with envy! 

The large garden shower is a finishing touch.

The elevator or stairs take you down to the lower level for a special inside view of a chef’s working and teaching space. 

Gaby gives cooking lessons for small groups where one participates in the preparation and then sits down to enjoy the delicious results complete with full bar. 

More art is on display, but a grand pine butcher block work table and a specialty Coriat stove with angled mirror above to allow you to view work in progress tell you this is a different kind of kitchen. 

Gaby hopes in the future to create an indigenous kitchen in the small enclosed terrace, which now contains a grill. This means we shall have to plan another tour when this is completed!

If you take the exterior stairs down to the garden level, there is a two tiered lawn and inviting sitting area to rest after spending activity time in the workout room just off the patio.

“ It is behind the walls you see how we live