About me
Hi, I'm Manuel Alemán.
I'm from Ojocaliente, a small town in Zacatecas, Mexico, and I've lived in several parts of the country. Maybe that's why I value it so much when a place shows quality, authenticity and, above all, warmth toward its guests.
I work in global Supply Chain. Thanks to my job, over the last year I've been able to travel constantly, and in every conversation people ask me the same thing: where did you go? what do you recommend? what was the best thing you ate? That's how Mane Explora was born: a hobby to share my opinion about the places I visit, built with the same structure and standards I use at work every day.
I've been lucky enough to eat in different parts of the world, but I'll always remember a place in El Cielo, in Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas. A guide took us to a lady who cooked exquisitely. The place was humble but warm, and the pork asado with rice she served us was something else. That meal sums up what I look for in every visit.
My method
I rate from 1 to 5 stars, with half points, just like Google or TripAdvisor. The overall rating is a weighted average: each criterion counts according to its importance, and the result is rounded to the nearest half point.
Restaurants and cafés
| Order | Criterion | Weight | What I evaluate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service | 35% | Being welcomed warmly and well looked after |
| 2 | Flavor | 30% | The heart of any meal |
| 3 | Ambience and presentation | 15% | The place and how the dishes arrive at the table |
| 4 | Value for money | 20% | Whether what you pay matches what you get |
On value for money, as my mother used to say: how nice it is to spend when you enjoy the food, and how awful when you pay a lot and didn't enjoy it.
Museums and culture
| Order | Criterion | Weight | What I evaluate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exhibition | 35% | The quality and interest of the works |
| 2 | Experience and curation | 20% | How the visit is presented and experienced |
| 3 | Building | 15% | Architecture, facilities and comfort |
| 4 | Guidance and assistance | 15% | Information, signage and guides |
| 5 | Value for money | 15% | What the ticket is worth |
Museums end with a verdict:
| Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 4.5 to 5 | Worth the trip |
| 3.5 to 4 | Worth a detour |
| Below 3.5 | Interesting |
Every review includes quick facts with the approximate spend, whether you should book and what occasion it's ideal for.
Transparency
I write in the first person, although I often share what we liked most, meaning the people who come with me. I pay for my own visits. If a visit is ever by invitation, I'll say so clearly at the start of the review.
Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest to see every review as soon as it's out.