(image and customized surgical mask by Uriel Urban)

Daniel Hernandez might be addicted to Mexico City. Three years after writing a feature story on "el D.F." for the L.A. Weekly, the 28-year-old journalist – who previously wrote for the Los Angeles Times – couldn't resist going back. Now he's writing a book for Scribner about youth subcultures in the Mexican capital. Since his arrival, the self-described pocho has blogged about everything from emo riots to swine flu.

We swapped emails with Daniel and talked about pochos, hipsters and huitlacoche.

Why México? There are plenty of Mexicans in Los Angeles.

Ha! Yes this is true. But those are L.A. Mexicans. Part of the same family but a different breed. I think since I was very little I was always fascinated with the idea of getting to know the place where the idea of “Mexican” was created. Plus, less dumb laws and restrictions, everything is cheaper, the tacos are amazing, and the people are more friendly and just know more about the world than the average American.
 
How good are people in México at spotting pochos? Do you blend in?

They spot us from a mile away, I think because a lot of people here have been to the U.S. to work and came back. Usually it’s because of the way we talk Spanish, but a couple times it’s happened to me where they just look at you and can tell your from gringolandia, even if you’re brown. One night I was walking home and a drunk guy came up to me to ask for directions to a bar near my house. Not in Spanish but in English, and not just regular English, cholo English. Like, ‘Ey, ese, do you know where this place is, ese?’
 
Whose hipsters are more hardcore?

Mexican hipsters just have no boundaries. Parties don’t end at 2 in the morning they end at 2 the next afternoon. You know Mexicans love the fiesta, but when you combine that with a city as big and vibrant as New York, with so much going on, and all the everyday dangers, well, you’re just asking for trouble.
 
How's the food?

Very Mexican! You can get things here that you can’t get anywhere else and everything is super fresh and cheap because of all the mercados everywhere. The Aztec foods that still survive are interesting, like tlayudas, tlacoyos, huitlacoche (also known as corn smut) atole, and yes, chocolate. At the same time sometimes I miss Califonia Mexican food, and all the varieties we get back home with Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino food. (San Diego is real Filipino.)
 
Did you grow a moustache before or after you arrived in México?

As a proud pocho, I started growing whiskers when I was 12 or 13 and have rarely been without them ever since.
 
How's that surgical mask working out?

Apparently they don’t automatically prevent the spread of the swine flu. Most people are using them out of manners. Right now you don’t want to seem rude without a mask, shooting your germs everywhere. Because things are so freaky and depressing with the swine flu outbreak, people are using their masks as their creative outlet, decorating them in pretty cool ways.

What's the biggest adjustment you've had to make from L.A. to D.F.?

It's adjustment that I actually like: Walking! Being able to walk everywhere, or take the clean and efficient subway, or hop into an affordable cab, just not needing a car to live your everyday life. It’s so liberating. L.A. needs to step it up with the public transit. It’s going to be up to our generation of pochos to make sure L.A. catches up with D.F. in that respect.

Amanda Lalena, better known as Amandititita, is Mexican rock royalty. Her father, "Rockdrigo" González, is Mexico’s answer to folk legend Bob Dylan.

Favoring futuristic cumbia beats, the short and spunky Amandititita is the self-proclaimed "Queen of Anarcocumbia" (anarchic cumbia). On tracks like "El Balneario," clacking cowbells, a winding accordion and pulsating bass lines are punctuated by Amandititita's girly vocals.

Like her father, Amandititita uses sarcasm and kitsch to air out the ugly side of Mexico City, as on songs like La Mataviejitas, the story of a nurse that kills old ladies for kicks, Mecánico, a tale of fresas who fall in love with old car mechanics, and "La Cumbia de Telmex," which criticizes Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim:

El señor Slim
remodela mi pais
es tan generoso
vuelve al centro fabuloso
pero la gente se queda sin vivienda
porque es fea
se ve mal y eso molesta

Mr. Slim
remodels my country
he's so generous
turns downtown into something fabulous
but the people are still homeless
because they're ugly
they look bad and annoying

Political and playful, Amandititita's biggest hit to date is Metrosexual, a flirty single about a pretty-boy boyfriend. The track made her the toast of gossip shows and late night TV programs. Her eponymous debut, produced by Lino Nava of La Lupita, is scheduled for release in the U.S. later this year, and Amandititita says she's confident her father's legacy won't overshadow her music: "The YouTube and MySpace generation didn't know about [Rockdrigo]; I read lots of comments that say they've never heard of him but it doesn't bother me because I also have something to say."

Updated: April 11, 2008.

Mexico City band Motel isn't interested in just being "nice." Previously stuck somewhere between the delicate acoustic pop of Camila and the emo-influenced pop punk of Panda, they're starting to make some noise on the Latin alt pop circuit.

Originally a duo, Motel was founded in 2000 by guitarist Guillermo Méndez and singer Rodrigo Dávila Chapoy – son of Mexican TV personality Paty Chapoy. In 2002, the pair recruited their rhythm section, José Damian (drums) and Rubén Puente (bass), from the touring band of Timbiriche alumnus-turned-pop-rocker Benny Ibarra. In 2006, two years after signing to Warner Music, Motel released their self-titled debut. Produced by Aureo Baqueiro (Sin Bandera, Natalia LaFourcade) and Jay De La Cueva (Moderrato, Fobia) the album featured Dime Ven, a driving track with jangly guitars and a shamelessly romantic, pop chorus that – unsurprisingly – topped the charts in México. On Olvidame, Chapoy layers more catchy melodies over a pulsing bassline.

Last year, after touring México, Argentina and Spain – opening a few shows for Miguel Bosé – Motel reunited with producer Baquiero to work on their sophomore release. Titled 17, the album was named one of the "most anticipated releases of '08" by Billboard magazine, alongside records by The Mars Volta, Nas and Lil Wayne. The band flexes its rock muscles on lead single Y Te Vas, sounding a bit like harder U2 with vocals en Español.

With new songs as well as a video and live show featuring visuals influenced by Daft Punk and/or, possibly, Battles, it appears Motel isn't banking on its softcore reputation to keep fans entertained. Before producing 17, Chapoy insisted the band wasn't looking to make a carbon copy of its debut: "You just have to make the best album that you're capable of creating, without worrying if it's going to work or not, and choose songs that excite you."