Vallarta's Marina Area Part II

AFTER I published my last blog on the Marina area, my friend Jenny wrote to say I had missed some important businesses and right she is!
An establishment that always gets a good crowd during the lunch hour is "8-Tosdadas." This is a friendly spot owned by the Macedo family and specializes in really fresh seafood "cazuelas" and tostadas loaded with ceviche, smoked marlin or shrimp among other possibilities. Wash it down with an icy cold beer and you are set for the day. The price is right, too.

If you are looking for a more formal dining experience with LIVE JAZZ music, then Tikul is an excellent option. Tikul is owned and operated by Alberto Perez of La Palapa fame and he has done some nice work at Tikul in terms of creating a really pleasant atmosphere. He has an eclectic menu with such delights as lobster risotto and charred venison and surely the only walk in wine fridge in the Marina. This is a perfect place for a romantic dinner a deux or a family celebration.

One of the newer members of the Marina is a spot I call "Baby Rizo's." The well know grocery family has opened a small version of their flagship store with an impressive variety of items. If you're looking for that elusive peanut oil, coconut milk or Panela cheese from El Tuito, then Baby Rizo's is your one stop shop. It's located on the east side of the boardwalk next to El Coleguita.

Well, I think that wraps up the best of the Marina's offerings and before I close, I have one sad piece of news to share. My friend and I passed by "Once Upon a Bean" this morning and noticed the doors are closed and all the installations have been ripped out. It's pretty clear they have shut down forever. It's a real loss for the Marina since they had fabulous service, great coffee and wonderful desserts. I wish them well wherever they went!

The Marina Area of Vallarta is Growing Quickly!

Over twenty years ago when my friend first bought her condo in the Marina area of Vallarta, she said she could water-ski out front because there was nothing there! Well, as you can well see--times have changed.

The Marina is now full of yachts of all sizes from all destinations; there are shops, restaurants, salons, and tour outlets. I've had the opportunity to try pretty much all the eateries at one time or another and can make a few confident recommendations. The best Fajitas are at "Fajita Banana" and this little spot also has a great ambience. The best desserts are at "Once Upon A Bean," a Canadian owned coffee shop that features Naniamo bars, butter tarts, and freshly made cinnamon buns among other homemade treats. The best seafood pizza and pastas are found at "La Terraza" owned and operated by Esteban Gangoitti and a delicious breakfast can be found at "Las Palomas Doradas" owned by the Flammant family. On the other hand, beware of the restaurant "Las Palomas" which attempted to rip off a group of students I took out for breakfast by padding the bill, adding the tip without letting us know and to add insult to injury, a number of my students were sick the next day! I certainly won't be darkening their doorstep any time soon!

All in all, the Marina is a great place to gather for any meal, to take a stroll or to just sip a coffee or cocktail while you ponder life. Que sigue la buena vida!

Olas Altas/Los Muertos Beach

It was a particularly blustery Friday yesterday; the kind of day that sweeps the air clean of haze and pollutants and makes everything look especially detailed. It was a good day to take a photo or two of the beautiful view from my friend's terrace at La Palapa. She has one of the best views I know of. The Sierras, the islands of Los Arcos, the sweeping beach and the palms swaying make for quite the attractive combination. Couple the view with a refreshing coctail and some tasty "botanas" and you've got a fantastic Friday evening on your hands. It really is the quintessential tropical view and I never get tired of looking at it. Granted, the good always contains a little bad and such was the case last night when the Restaurant El Dorado set up an outdoor disco/reception on the beach next to her terrace and thumped the music until 4:00 am. Noise pollution reigns free in Vallarta and most people will tell you: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." One definitely has to have a "roll with the punches attitude" down here--it's not for the uptight or anal retentive. One thing I've acquired over the 20 odd years I've lived here is a certain "live and let live" attitude which saves me from developing life threatening stress attacks. Or maybe that's from the Bacardi? Whatever it is, one quickly learns to "chillax" and say "ni modo." It's just another day in Mexico.

Mexican Stair Master and Coco's Kitchen

The only way not to feel too guilty about eating the breakfast at Coco's Kitchen over the holidays is to put on the miles! This morning we managed a solid 10,799 steps or 5.11 miles and that included the dreaded Mexican stairmaster!! I'm not one for stairs but I succembed to peer group pressure and got dragged into the climb. It's only 211 steps (says Candace) to which I replied, "only?!" Huff, puff and a way we go. The way I get this all accomplished is through visualization. What am I visualizing? Breakfast, of course and not just any old breakfast but the serenity of Coco's back patio. I've been talking a lot about this establishment on Calle Pulpito just a block or so up from the beach but it's because they make some wicked eggs Benedict with spinach, tomato and bacon. I finally remembered to photograph them BEFORE I messed them up with my fork. I get excited by a good breakfast as it's always been a tradition in my family to enjoy some bacon and eggs on the weekends. Over the Easter holidays I've had the luxury of enjoying quite a few good brekkies but the largesse has to come to an end (God knows what my cholestrol count is!) and the holidays are drawing to a close. It's certainly been great to share all this walking/talking time with my friends and now that I'm all caught up on the affairs of most everyone in town, I can resume my normal life. Back to the Steel cut Irish Oats and lowfat lifestyle. It's been a nice ride!

Hiking in the Marina Area (9,223 steps or 4.36 miles)

Every morning during the holidays we have tried to get out and do our 10,000 steps. Sometimes we get downtown and include a little breakfast but most times we walk through Vallarta's Marina area. This walk includes skirting the golf course (where the crocodiles roam) and making our way to the beach.

This is a moody beach. Some mornings it's heaped with slippery rocks and soggy sand and other days the waves have acted like a vaccume cleaner and sucked most of the rocks away to their underwater lair. Still other times, like today, there is smooth sand then a hillock of rocks followed by more smooth sand. It's never really an easy walking beach but we still enjoy the expanse of blue water, the waves and the boats.

We generally cut through the grounds of the Marriott Hotel (where security has been very nice of late) to get back to terra firma and make our way to the docks, our coffee shop and all the yachts. It's definitely a pleasant trip but not quite as challenging or interesting as weaving our way downtown. Then there is the famous hike from Boca de Tomatlan to the beach at Las Animas. That's my walking pal Candace's fave hike and she's planning to do it this Sunday. I'm not big on the hills and the rickety wooden "bridges" but the final destination is certainly attractive. I still rather get there by boat!

Power Walking in Downtown Vallarta

Power Walking downtown before the crowds surface is one of the most enjoyable ways to take advantage of the sights and sounds of the City. The "carrot" to motivate us is usually breakfast at one of the many delicious outdoor breakfast spots. This morning we decided to return to "Coco's Kitchen" on Pulpito just about a block up from the ocean. They have a really attractive back patio and certainly some of the best Eggs Benedict in town. Not only do we walk faster to get there but we can afford a few extra calories since we usually clock in at around 10,000 steps when all is said and done.

There are always lots of things to see along the way such as the arrival of one of the cruise ships, giant sand sculptures of The Last Supper (during the Easter hols) and much more. The bonus of getting out early is the lack of crowds and the cooler air which tends to heat up rather quickly after about 9:30 am. My friend Candace always brings along her dog Honey and many other people are walking their pooches so it's a doggie social outing too. You can see some pretty unusual breeds around town! Maybe I'll take some pictures of the odd dogs for the next blog...

Hasta the next time! The MPWS (Morning Power Walkers.)

Family Update...

I am WAAAAAAY overdue on this Blog with new news! I've been spending too much time on Facebook and need to get back to my writing on the Burning Burrito. Here's the Ruesga update:

Jacqui is wrapping up her first year at Carleton in Ottawa and has a couple more exams to write before she truly smells freedom. Her plans are to move into a four bedroom house with some friends near campus and find a good summer job to replenish her bank account.

Steffani is working the Easter holiday at "Once Upon a Bean" in Vallarta and fufilling the stringent requirements for the Communications Studies program at Concordia. She really wants to be in this program and has had to jump through quite a few hoops to get there. We are sure she'll make it and that means one daughter in Montreal and one in Ottawa. I know Jacqui will be thrilled to have her sister closer!