Mística is a way of living—a way of seeing the world through instinct, curiosity, and heart. It’s what inspired us to start traveling, creating, and searching for something more. It’s not something you find in the guidebooks, and it doesn’t show up with a nice, neat bow. It’s the spark that sneaks up on you in the middle of a crowded market, over a plate of tacos that’s a little too messy to eat gracefully. It’s in the laugh of a stranger, in the unexpected quiet after a chaotic day, in the connection you didn’t see coming. It’s what pulls you toward the things that matter: food, people, stories, adventure.

The Intuition That Guides Us

Living the mística way starts with letting go—of plans, maps, even reason sometimes. It’s about following the pull of your heart, trusting that it knows something your head doesn’t. That’s how you find the places you’d never think to look for.

Once, in Mexico City, intuition led us to El Vilsito, a mechanic shop by day, taco shrine by night. The trompo—the spinning tower of marinated pork—glowed under fluorescent lights, flames licking at its edges. The tacos al pastor that followed were pure magic. The pineapple was perfectly caramelized, the pork was smoky and tender, the salsa cut through it all like a whisper of heat. Standing there, surrounded by grease-stained napkins and strangers nodding in tacit agreement, we knew we’d stumbled into something unforgettable.

And it’s not always the big moments. Sometimes it’s a simple side street, the smell of charring masa pulling you toward a stall where a woman is flipping tortillas with a rhythm that feels like poetry. She hands you a sope, piled high with fresh cheese and chicharrón, and suddenly, you’re part of the story.

Food as Creative Expression

Mística can find you in food—in the people who make it, the ones who pour their lives into every dish. It’s the vendor in Oaxaca who swore her salsa roja tasted different depending on the mood of the person making it. Or the chef in Tulum blending traditional Yucatecan ingredients with flavors he discovered while living in Paris.

Food, when it’s done with intention, is art. It’s intuition and creativity, the alchemy of bringing flavors together until they’re something more. It’s why we’re drawn to these Mexican spots—the unassuming ones where a burrito or taco carries the weight of someone’s story, where the hot sauce is made by hand every morning, not poured from a bottle.

Take the legendary Mariscos Jalisco in Los Angeles. Raul Ortega didn’t overthink it. He trusted his instincts, frying shrimp tacos and topping them with avocado and salsa until they became the stuff of local legend. It’s not about being flashy; it’s about being true.

Seeking Magic in Everyday Life

Mística doesn’t only live in far-flung places. It’s in the local Mexican restaurants near you, the ones you might overlook because they don’t have a line out the door. It’s in the food truck parked near the auto shop, where the tortillas are fresh and the salsa has a kick you’ll remember for days. It’s in the act of slowing down and noticing—how the flavors come together, how the people around you connect, how food turns into something bigger.

Trusting your instincts might take you somewhere new or help you rediscover the familiar. It might lead you to a hidden gem or show you a new side of something you’ve tasted a hundred times. Either way, it’s the search that matters, the willingness to look for magic in the ordinary.

The Heart of Mística

At its core, mística is about more than food or travel. It’s a way of approaching life with open hands and a curious heart. It’s about letting your instincts guide you toward connection—whether that’s through a meal, a conversation, or a moment of stillness. It’s not always comfortable or predictable, but it’s always worth it.

Because the truth is, the magic is already there. You just have to be willing to find it.