Puerto Vallarta Chamber Orchestra Concert

On Monday evening I decided to attend the annual Holiday Concert at the American School put on by the Puerto Vallarta Chamber Orchestra and Chorale.   Conducted by Donald Bieghler who many years of experience in conducting and teach music made the group come together for these events.  I have been looking for my classical symphonic 'fix' for a while now and took the opportunity to experience this group of volunteer musicians who perform only a couple of times per year in the area.   Made up of older full time and part time mostly expats they are from all walks of life but I think their common interest in playing classical music makes the group of about 30 musicians come together for these concerts at only 100 pesos per person.
The music ranged from classical holiday pieces by Bach to the usual classic American holiday songs such as "Deck the Halls", "O Holy Night", and "White Christmas".  The Chorale joined in a various songs and there were even a couple solos sung by their members.   A special treat was a medley of German Christmas songs sung by Kathy Overly and accompanied by a pair of recorders.
The show was entertaining mostly played by very talented musicians.  Sometimes the horn section was a little weak, but was quickly covered up by the rest of the group.   I would have loved to hear more classical music, but I understand that it was a holiday concert and all bases need to be covered.   I look forward to hearing them again in the Spring Concert!

Playa Tehuanmixtle

Another drive today south of Puerto Vallarta to the lovely town of El Tuito and beyond to the beaches of Cabo Corrientes had me going to the small fishing village of Tehuanmixtle.  Tehuanmixtle is located around the corner about 1 mile from Mayto Beach by keeping straight on the El Tuito to Mayto road and turning right down the steep road into the fishing village.   What makes this little village unique is that there are about 4 different restaurants to choose from and we decided to go to Cande's Place as the owner Candelano made a point of welcoming me to his village that he has been a part of for over 50 years!  He told us that his mother has been living here and had another restaurant down the beach a bit for over 120 years!
We were looking for some whole fresh Huachchinango (Red Snapper) and that is what we got!  Since the size of the fish were larger the server suggested we share one and I am glad we did!  That 2.2 kilo fish was huge and plenty for 3!  It was accompanied by pablano chile rice, salad, tortillas, and salsa.   It was wonderful and perfectly cooked with garlic and butter it just fell off the bone and we could not stop eating it!  After the wonderful lunch we moved over the beach side of the village and enjoyed some warming sun rays as it was a bit cool in the shade of the restaurant.
The village is very small on the steep down road and just provides a place to rest, enjoy lunch, and see some different views of the Cabo Corrientes area with miles and miles of beaches in the distant.  Tehuanmixtle is unique in that it is positioned in a very rocky area and has only a small beach, unlike Mayto and the other beaches around the area.
Located about 2 hours south of Puerto Vallarta this area is connected via a dirt road that is about 22 miles away from El Tuito.  The road continues to be improved and paved, but there is still plenty of dirt along the way.  The first 6.2 miles are paved, then dirt until a small town for 1 mile of paved, then back to dirt until you are about 4.5 miles away from Mayto, the road becomes paved again.   So plan on driving at least 1/2 the way on a dirt road that winds itself up and around the hills but steadily downhill to sea level.  El Tuito is at about 2000 feet of elevation, so you have to head back down to sea level.
Any good vehicle can make the drive, but take your time and do not rush.  There are some other small villages along the way and most have a place to stop and get a cold beverage.
It is easily a day trip but you have 4 hours total of driving back and forth.  Get out of PV and enjoy the other parts of Mexico, it is well worth the drive!

Car Legalization Part IV

LICENSE PLATES IN HAND!! We have finally come to the last chapter of my legalization process for my car here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.   I did not receive the promised phone call  from Jalisco motor vehicle department, so after 2 weeks I returned and my paperwork was complete.  So now everything was ready for the next step which involved going to the Marina on an upcoming Wednesday for another VIN verification by the State of Jalisco.  It would be scheduled in about 10-14 days as these inspections are only completed on Wednesdays.  My date was given to me to report November 16, however, I already knew I was not going to be in town that day so I immediately asked for the following week.  No, that could not be changed now, only upon my return after the missed appointment date.
Back in town on November 17, so on November 18 went back and rescheduled the VIN verification appointment for November 30th at 8am.   After another 12 day wait, I reported at my scheduled time and I was about 15th in line as the line kept getting longer and longer.  I estimate that 90 people were told to report at the same time!  Now I am wondering how this is all going to happen with a day?
Of course the government officials do not show up till 830am and they begin the process of taking our prepared paper envelopes and asked where we had parked.  Most people like myself parked in the closest and free space, but no, we had to park around the corner in the Marina parking lot and pay.   So everyone moved their vehicles to the proper location.
After about 45 minutes everyone was told to go their vehicles and open the hoods and wait for the inspector to show up.  Within 15 minutes he did and verified the VIN by looking at the dashboard VIN and the one under the hood.  Close the hood and report back to the outdoor canopy area to receive your signed report.   Another 45 minutes later we are gathered together and told to pickup our envelopes and signed VIN verification report in the order that we were in line, so 15th was not too deep on the wait list.  We were also told we had 15 days to get the plates and do not rush over the Jalisco municipal building today to get your plates as it will take a long time.  Hooray!  I did not want to spend the rest of the day doing that as it was the end of the month, payday, and I knew it was be a long long wait!
Returned yesterday after the weekend and went back to the window I thought I needed to go back, but no I should just go to the cashier line.   After a short wait and about 30 minutes of typing info, going to back office twice to get approvals, I was done!!  Of course I had to pay some tax based upon the value of the car plus the license plates fee for a total of 6200 pesos.  I was not prepared to pay that much more, so luckily my debit card was acceptable; paid the fee and was handed the plates.  The plates also came with a registration card, registration sticker, and license plate sticker.  All of the stickers now means I have 4 different stickers on the car; federal import sticker, emissions sticker, registration sticker, and license plate number sticker that have to all go inside the car in various locations.
All told the process was expensive and not for the faint of heart, but I persevered and got it done after about 6 months of working the Mexican government system.  They did not beat me!!  The total cost including transportation costs to the border and all the fees federal and state would have to exceed  $2500 USD.  Below is a photo to prove to you I have them!!!!

The New Malecon in PV & Halloween

Last night was Halloween here in Puerto Vallarta and I have enjoyed the craziness that it provides especially this year with the new boardwalk almost completed!   I am impressed with the work that was done and I think it is going to be a great place to gather in the evenings and weekends for all of the citizens and tourists in Puerto Vallarta.   With a nice smooth street level walkway, access points to the beach, and plenty of seating around planters; it is a fantastic improvement on the old one.   The famous sculptures are on their way back in their new homes of elevated platforms and lighting.
Like most projects of this sort, it was delayed in completion, but I see it coming together now in the coming weeks and it will the main attraction for the city for many many years to come!  
With its first Halloween under its belt, the Malecon provided just the right atmosphere and design that is going to make it a great gathering place for young and old.   Halloween is celebrated here in PV I think because the Americans brought it with them and they seemed to be the only ones who bring candy to hand out to the thousands of children dressed in their costumes.   The most popular ones this year seem to be brides, pumpkins, and skeletons as it has been in the many years past.

We usually enjoy the vantage point from a restaurant (The Cheeky Monkey) and are able to attract quite the crowd down below begging for our candy.    We make an attempt to toss it around, so everyone get's their share!  Happy Halloween PV!

Car Legalization-Part III

The saga continues as it took 10 days to get the factura (invoice) sent to me from Nuevo Laredo. It arrived on Wednesday, so Thursday I am back to the Jalisco Government Offices, thinking I am finally at set.......or was I?   Turns out the factura was made out to another person's name as I got a call from the owner that it would be best to avoid paying the IVA taxes associated with the factura, but I am not sure if that was true. So they did allow me to "sign over"the factura to myself and after copies of the front and back of the factura everything was ready to go, but now I am missing the Emissions Sticker!
Sure would have nice to know that while I was waiting for the factura to arrive, it could have been done any time.  So off I trapes to the nearest place and get the Emissions completed for another 250 pesos.  Return back to the Jalisco Offices and believe it or not I am ready to go now!  Paperwork approved and another 110 pesos for the filing fee, paid at the cashier.  
Now I must wait 2 weeks for a call from their office to tell me the 'paperwork' is ready for the license plates.  Why that could not all be done at the same time....who knows?   So upon my return another 2 copies of the US title, my passport, the legalization paperwork, and the infamous Factura are due.   I will write more in Part IV as soon as I get the call to return to the office.  Could that be the last part?   I certainly hope so!!

Car Legalization-Part II

Seems that things are always not as easy as the may seem in doing business with the governments of Mexico.  Thought I was all set to get the car registered today......but NOT!  I guess I am missing a piece of paper that is issued as an Factura (Invoice) from Hermanos Cuevas the import agency I used for the costs of the process of legalization.   Eventhough I have the receipt from the Banjercito Mexican Customs, that is not good enough!
So standing by, while I am to receive the Factura from them in the coming days!  I will keep you posted!

Legalizacion or Nacionalizacion Tu Carro!!

I just returned from the border yesterday from the "process" of importing a car into Mexico.   Here is the latest scoop and the real story about how to complete it first hand from a person who has just completed it.  I had originally begun the process back in May 2011 with the office Hermano Cuevas http://loshermanoscuevas.com/ and the owner Ernesto Cuevas located in Guadalajara as there are no agents in Puerto Vallarta.  They also had 2 offices in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo to facilitate the process.   At that time it was a process that could have been done WITHOUT presenting the vehicle at the border; which I thought was odd but I guess they had a system in place with payoffs that allowed that.  I paid a deposit of 16000 pesos as a part of the 22000 pesos charge for the taxes and their fees to complete the process.  I was assured that it would take 2-3 weeks and they would have the new title, federal sticker, and paperwork for me in Guadalajara then.
It was not to be, as the Federal Customs Office decided to revamp the program, including fee changes, procedure changes, etc. causing the legalization of vehicles to come to a complete halt, while they sorted out the new laws!  So I wait, wait, and wait some more.  Finally in September the process was restarted, however, it could now not be completed without presenting the vehicle at the border!   I decided to head that way last week and get things finished.  My title and paperwork was already in their Nuevo Laredo office, so it was easier to just deal with their sister office there.  I was a little worried about the drug violence that has occurred in that area of the past year, but designed my route to make it as secure as possible.  I departed PV on Sunday and drove about 12 hours to Saltillo for my 1st overnight, a safe town located outside of Monterrey.  The next morning I would cross in Colombia about 20 miles west of Nuevo Laredo that is a major truck crossing and friends have been using this crossing without incident for years.  After a 3 hour drive I was there, returned my Temporary Import sticker right at the Banjercito at the border,  did my immigration paperwork, and without any traffic was through the US border in 5 minutes.
Now off to the Hermanos Cuevas Laredo, Texas office to restart the process.  I met a lovely very helpful person by the name of Mari Villarreal who was bilingual and made things happen for me.  I find out that first of all the paperwork submission could not happen the next day as it usually takes 2-3 weeks (similar to the what Ernesto had told me).  I certainly was not going to spend 2-3 weeks hanging around the border, so it was agreed that the paperwork could be presented that day and it hopefully would be ready by Thursday or Friday, a few days away.  After  I paid my balance on the fees the file was sent to the Mexican   Customs office.
I decided I could live with that and I would head to San Antonio, Texas for some BMW service and visit the Alamo, Riverwalk, American Tower, etc. that I had never seen before.  After reconfirming with Mari the next morning that everything was in order I headed north the 2 1/2 hours to San Antonio BMW.  Spending 2 wonderful days in San Antonio, I called Mari on Thursday morning to see if my paperwork was ready.  She said the "approved list" was not available till around 11am, so she would call me then, and by 1130am she did and I was luckily on the list and could go now to the Customs office and complete the process. Seems that over 100 vehicles were on the list, so things may be really moving now.  Since I was 2 1/2 hours away, and knowing the process could take 3-4 hours, I decided to start it the next morning.  That would give me enough time to get back to Saltillo for my overnight location after the legalization.
I headed back to Laredo that afternoon and at 9 am on Friday morning, I go back to the Laredo office to pickup my "chauffeur" to assist me with the process that Ernesto assigned to assist me.  Edwin was bilingual, so it made things a little easier and we head to the US Customs office to get a "Export" stamp on my original title.  Then over to the International Bridge #2 as the Nuevo Laredo office was located right there and they would complete the final file for presentation to the Mexican Customs officials.  So by around 12pm we arrive at the complex where the whole process happens. It is actually located about 2 miles from the border in a place that would have been difficult to find without Edwin's help.  We arrived and he said the line was relatively short, but probably at least 2 hours.  There were probably over 100 cars in 4 lines waiting to be processed!  Very busy place as Mexican law prohibits Mexicans from legally driving foreign plated vehicles in Mexico, so all its citizens that wish to keep their US cars MUST legalize them!
Things were moving pretty well and I thought Edwin was correct, but all of a sudden nothing moved for about 45 minutes.  (I think it was break time!) We struggled along the line and I was not allowed to move the car, it is the law that the agents move the cars. This basically means you cannot do this process without an agent!  I was even encouraged to not even be in or near the vehicle.  The actual processing works via a Banjercito agent who scans the car and gives you back your paperwork and lets you depart.  There is another fee to be paid in the about of $60  USD or 828 pesos (based on the current exchange rate) and it is paid at the Banjercito office there.  In our case it was just not the simple, probably because it was a BMW we had a "temporary hold" after the sticker was applied to receive our final paperwork.  This seemed to happen to every luxury car that I saw and it meant that a real customs agent would have to review and re-certify the paperwork, VIN, etc.  We were finally handed or final paperwork Mexican title and they even returned my US title.  They also allowed me to keep my US plates, so that was interesting.  When it was all said and done and we actually departed the facility, we had been there about 3 1/2 hours!  In the blazing heat and sun of Laredo, Texas it was not fun!
Edwin suggested that I get a temporary license plate permit from the local police to get me 5 days to get my new license plates and I agreed.  Even though there is no more local police in Nuevo Laredo (the Mexican Army is in charge), we went to an "Public Security" office and for 300 pesos you get the temporary permit to be taped in your front window.  I dropped off Edwin for his trip back to Laredo, Texas and was told that 25 km down the road towards Monterrey was the main Customs and Immigration checkpoint, and I will need to stop there to get my "Final" customs stamp.  I arrived there, did my immigration paperwork right from the car and parked to get my "Final" customs stamp from their kiosk.    I was finally done!!!
I made to Saltillo by 7pm and was down the road back home to PV the next day about 12 hours later......safe and sound!
It was certainly not a simple process as most dealings with the Mexican government are not, this was certainly no different.  Just make sure you have all your paperwork in order, using an agent, and things can be done with minimal effort.......just time is all it costs you, so allow plenty of it!

Sabores Restaurant-San Vincente

I had the pleasure of eating last week a great restaurant located off the beaten path in the town of San Vincente.  San Vincente you ask?  Located just off the main highway 200 between Puerto Vallarta and Bucerias is the town of Metzcales  At the taffic signal, take the main road east that takes you to most of the housing developments for Mexican homeowners.  Only about 2.5 miles up the road you find a brand new shopping plaza anchored by a Farmacia Guadalajara.  Sabores is  behind the Farmacia and faces a large community Palapa that the restaurant uses to serve its clients.   Francisco the owner will rush out to greet you by bringing a cloth tablecloth, cloth napkins, and silverware to the table of your choice.
Why go this far out of the way for a restaurant?  It is because Sabores does an excellent job of preparing food with all fresh ingredients and a style developed by the Chef/Owner himself.  Whether you just want pizza, or an entravagant meal of Paella, Francisco can prepare it all!   The first time I went I ordered the Fish Filet with Currysauce and my friend ordered the Paella.   Since Paella takes about 45 minutes to prepare (as it should) we had a Fish Cerviche appetizer, that was a meal in itself and I highly recommend it.   My fish arrived on a china plate with a very large portion of fish, fresh sauteed vegetables and wild rice.......just delicious!  The curry sauce is unique in that it has a Caribbean flavor to it as it is sweetened slightly with pineapple.   The Paella was worth the wait!  Served in the Paella pan it was a generous portion enough for two with all the ingredients needed to make a proper Paella even Saffron.   Many restaurants in Mexico use an imitation Saffron from a root, but not Francisco! 
Francisco is of Peruvian heritage, but owned a catering company in the US for 20 years serving many clients in the state of California.   The menu reflects all of these flavors from Mexico, Peru, Caribbean, and the United States.  While simple, it has plenty of selections to choose from.
Enjoy Sabores and tell Francisco Edward sent you!!

Ron Morgan Properties

I recently joined Ron Morgan Properties as a minority partner in his real estate office located in Bucerias.   As a real estate specialist I can assist anyone interested in finding, selling, renting, or managing their properties in the north bay area including Bucerias, La Cruz Huanacaxtle, Sayulita, or San Francisco (San Pancho).  If you know any friends or relatives that need help with real estate in Mexico, as a multiple property owner I can help them with all of the details and intricacies involved in buying or selling real estate in Mexico. 

You can contact me anytime via email at edward@ronmorgan.net   Our website is full of choices and options at www.ronmorgan.net

Hurricane Beatriz

Just as I finished talking about the first Pacific Hurricane of the 2011 season, the next one creapt up very suddenly and was already making its impact in Acapulco, Zihuatenejo, and Manzanillo.  Heavy rains down south even though the hurricane now called Beatriz was making its way up the coast.  We got close as hurricane warnings stretched all the way up to Cabo Corrientes (Mayto Beach).  Waiting for its impact as it got closer, started out with a steady rain on Monday morning and all of a sudden just after lunch it stopped and the sky became clearer and clearer.
When I looked up the hurricane track, Beatriz had taken a sharp left turn out to sea.  No impact here although it started our summer rainy season and we now see rain almost daily as it should be!  Welcome back to the green forests and jungles of the hills.  It is so beautiful!

Hurricane & Rainy Season in Puerto Vallarta

Our first Pacific Hurricane of the 2011 season quickly appeared and dissappeared along the Pacific coast without any impact to the Mexico.  Hurrican Adrian began last weekend and strengthened to a Category 4 and this weekend it is already gone.   I originally thought it just might be the trigger to get the rainy season started this year, but it seems that it had no impact, however, last evening we a just a little lightening and thunder with a soft steady rain for a while.  Thank God!
It has just been so very hot and humid these last few weeks, and I hope that was the beginning of the rainy season.  The hills and jungles will quickly come alive again and change all of this dust and brown to the beauty of the summer season in Puerto Vallarta.  I hope so!
Back to Hurricanes and you have to quickly realize that the geographical configuration of the Bay of Banderas that we live in, does not really allow Hurricanes to come ashore.  The bay is about 40 miles deep to the Malecon and having a Hurricane make a right turn towards to the shore is a rare phenomenon, as only one Hurricane Kenna did so about 8 years ago.
So no worries and plan your vacation any time of year, but be prepared for the summer rains that usually only come in the evening hours and your sunny beach day will not be marred.

Guadalajara One More Time!

Spent another great weekend in the City of Guadalajara this past weekend!  This time I had to do some service for my BMW at the dealership as there are none in Puerto Vallarta, and working on importing the car to Mexico was part of the main reasons for the trip, however, I always make a point of going to the city a few days early to enjoy it.  The overnight stay this time was at the Frances Hotel www.hotelfrances.com about one block from the Main Cathedral.  This is the oldest hotel in Guadalajara and was built in 1610, so if affords the opportunity of a well built old hotel with wooden floors, basic gated elevator, and a great atrium lobby.  The have a large assortment of types of rooms ranging in price from 643 pesos-1200 pesos for a mini suite.  Some have air conditioning, but not all so be careful to get the type of accomodation you wish.  The covenient location is not too be beat for the price!
It was Childrens Day in Mexico, so there was lots of children all around with many stores offering free drinks and snacks to children.   Spending Saturday afternoon around the city again with a quick bite to eat next door for Tortas Ahogados, (the drunken sandwich specialty of Guadalajara) we walked around and spend some time in San Juan de Dios Flea Market a favorite place of mine.  Right next to Plaza Los Mariachis for a few beers and crowd watching makes a great afternoon.   Dinner would be at my favorite place again, Birrieria Las Nueves Esquinas  http://www.las9esquinas.com/inicio.html  that serves their own lamb and goat dishes with homemade salsas, tortillas, and all the fixings.  Fantastic!!
Sunday it was the day back in Tonala for the madness called the Sunday Flea Market.   Besides the usual sensory overload, I finally made it all the way through the market from beginning to end.  Only took me three visits!   This time I was more familiar with the area as know what I was looking for, so it becomes much easier.  Lunch was at a great Seafood restaurant across from the Flea Market Mariscos de Arandense  http://mariscoselarandense.com/ on the main road.  They have an extensive menu with large portions, fast service, reasonable prices, large seating area, and good quality of seafood.    They have been around since 1998 and provide 2 locations around Guadalajara.  I recommend it as it away from the flea market madness and crowd to provide a little oasis for your lunch.  There are however, many other vendors scattered about the Flea Market area and you can rest your feet, feed your hunger and thirst very easily through these small vendors that seem to have some great selections and quality of food.

Semana Santa (Easter Week)

This is the 2nd year that I am now living through the craziness of Puerto Vallarta during Semana Santa oaka Easter Week.  I quickly forget the madness of so many Mexicans heading to the coast mainly from Guadalajara to enjoy the beach for a few days.  This is the major spring holiday for most Mexicans and you can count on Government offices, banks, and some business being closed Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.  Make sure you have done all your business earlier in the week!
What makes this week so interesting is the amount of traffic, since most vacationers have arrived via cars causing congestion on these crowded streets, especially in the areas near the beaches.  But the every vigilant police departments are keeping thing under control!
It is acutally the slowest time of the year for most upscale restaurants, hotels, and condos as Mexicans cannot afford the higher prices of these places.  The beaches, however, are packed and you will hard pressed to find any space to call your own.  The beach vendors, taco stands, and reasonably priced hotels and restaurants do very well this week.  I just tend to stay away from the beaches and hang out at home for a few days as by Monday things will return to normal as we head into the summer months and the impeding change in the weather!

Battered Women Fundraiser

The Rocky Horror Picture Show became the focal point of a fundraiser last night by the PV Battered Womens Shelter.  It had been many many years since I religiously went to the 12 midnight showing in Denver at the Odgen Theater.  So when my friend told about the showing for 2 nights only, I had to jump on board.  The event was held at the Palms nightclub where so many shows are taking place now and the 100 pesos donation went to the charity.  They are close to building their own facility as none exists here in Puerto Vallarta and I was amazed at the statistics of how many women are victims of abuse in Mexico!
With raffles, door prizes, and of course the infamous movie it was a fun night.  I saw there were quite a few of the 'die hard' Rocky Horror Picture Show fans with all the accutrement including the toast, spray bottles, newspapers, confetti, rice, etc.  that I so fondly remember.   The lack of attendance at the event was the only downside and maybe they will have a better crowd tonite at the 1000pm showing?   I hope so as it is a worthwhile cause and a lot of fun to boot!

Las Carmelitas Restaurant

Very high above Puerto Vallarta lies one of the highest buildings in the surrounding area that serves as a restaurant called Las Carmelitas Restaurant.  I had been there many years ago so I was somewhat familiar with the steep road up that way as well as the food quality and view.  The road is quite manageable because most of it is cobblestoned.   However, to my surprise they have built a new restaurant even higher up above the old restaurant!  Only 3 months old the new location is even more spectacular and much larger.  While funds are still short to complete the project it was adequately finished to enjoy a pleasant meal in a pleasant enviroment.  The tile work is very detailed and is very upscale, so I can understand it is going to take a lot more money to finish it completely.
The old place had so-so Mexican food, but the view was what is was all about, so most people did not care.  The new place has transformed the whole experience into a first class restaurant with fantastic mango margaritas (150 pesos, expensive but very large), and a new menu that specializes in Continental cuisine such as seafood and steak.  No Mexican food to be had!
We ordered the "Carmelitas Special Fish"  and it was fantastic!  Between 2 layers of Mahi Mahi fish it was stuffed with onions, mushrooms, peppers, cheese, and shrimp, then a mole type sauce on top.  It was served with rice, vegetables, coleslaw, and garlic bread.  Very tasty!
Another person ordered the Seafood Stew which was a tomato based soup just loaded with seafood like shrimp, crab, scallops, fish, mussels, and oysters.....also very tasty.
Now to the view, as it is spectactular and there is no place else in the surrounding Banderas Bay area that you can see the whole bay!  We were there for sunset and it was spectacular!  With the birds flying around us because of the altitude, I would say we were around 1000 feet above sea level!
Las Carmelitas is not cheap and they do not accept credit cards, so bring plenty of cash, but the view, service, and food was well worth the entire experience.  Entrees are priced 200-400 pesos.

Old Dirty Bitches Show

Now renamed and revitalized, The Originals show that was at Blue Chairs for so many years has returned back to Puerto Vallarta in a new location a The Palms/Viva Show Bar!  Located at 508 Olas Altas next door to Sama Martini Lounge, the new location provides a large area to handle large audiences.    I am so pleased that the "ladies" have decided to keep PV in their hearts and find a location to perform their amazing shows.  Frank the MC, leader, and founder of the group continues to lead the ladies by being a great commentator and MC.   While there are other drag queen shows in PV, none compare to the talents and quality of Jackie, Angie, and Diva. 
The routines last night included Joan Crawford, Tina Turner, Katy Perry, Britany Spears, and an amazing Yodeling song by Diva were all well received by the small but enthusiast audience.    The show was about 1 1/4 hours long and was done very well.   Go see the new "Old Dirty Bitches" show as it is the best in PV!  They perform Wednesdays and Sundays at 8pm but don't be surprised if it 830pm before they hit the stage........remember its Mexican time.

Sayulita, Mexico

I decided to drive the back way into Sayulita for the first time since last year and this was via the turnoff road to Punta Mita.  Then there is a turn off to your right,  just before the back entrance to the Four Seasons Hotel that takes on a wonderful 4 lane road northward past Lumbia where it turns in a 2 lane road for the rest of the way to Sayulita. This part of the road has visible signs of damage including washed out bridges from the heavy rains last fall that also washed out the main bridges into Sayulita and San Francisco.  If you want to go there the quick way just follow the Federal Highway 200 out of Puerto Vallarta northward and the entrance from that direction is clearly marked.  Sayulita is well known in the area for its great surfing waves and that is evident by the many vendors and stores related to the surfing business including board rental and lessons.

Upon arrival in Sayulita on a Sunday, it was very busy and I was lucky to find parking.  It was also the flea market day, so many stands had been setup along a road towards the beach.  We decided to grab some drinks and appetizers, so we headed towards the beach and I was amazed at how many people where on the beach!  It felt like I was back on Los Muertos Beach in PV!  This could have all been because of the 3 day holiday weekend as well.   We enjoyed a bucket of beers (7 vs the usual 5), deluxe nachos, and shrimp cerviche all for a very cheap 250 pesos so about $20.00 at El Capitan Pablo Restaurant right on the edge of the beach.  Service was great and we enjoyed watching all the surfers and beach goers beyond.  
After our break, we decided to walk around and do a little shopping.  I had been looking for some cloth placemats around Mexico in my travels and had not found them, but walking into Galeria Hamaca and they had a wonderful selection from various parts of Mexico.  The ones I purchased were from the Chiapas region and I am very pleased to have finally found them.
Our drive back to PV was along the main 200 highway and we were back in about 40 minutes.

El Chivero Restaurant Bucerias

My favorite beachside restaurant has to be El Chivero located on Avenida Pacifico #9 just north of the small Malecon on the beach side of Bucerias near the Main Plaza.  I have been there countless times and have always enjoyed the ambiance, service, and food.  It always has a place to park in front and just walking a few steps through the restaurant you are on the wide open Bucerias beach that runs for miles in either direction.  They have nice palapas with dining tables and chairs as well as reclining lounge chairs situated on the beach in front.  So you can enjoy your day there as there is no rental charge for anything as long as you purchase food and beverages from them.
The menu provides a wide range of food from appetizers to full blown dinners at reasonable prices.  So order your 2x1 all day drink specials or a bucket of Cerveza and enjoy a wonderful day on the beach in Bucerias at El Chivero!

Blue Shrimp Restaurant

I finally made it back to The Blue Shrimp http://www.blueshrimp.mx/ last night at their new location on Los Muertos Beach next door to Daiquiri Dicks.  The location has always been a favorite of mine because of the massive Palapa roof and great ambience the place brings.  Unfortunately a few predecessors have not survived this location, but Blue Shrimp has a following from their old location off of the Malecon that I am sure will follow.  The new location seems to also provid them a lot more walk-by traffic as they were quite full last night.
Arriving about 20 minutes before sunset, it is a great location for the nightly event as we sat along the beach side railing overlooking the beach.   I was pleased that the food was a good as it has always been, eventhough the pricing seem a bit higher.  The service was a little inanttentive, but good and might have been due to a full restaurant.  We enjoyed the fresh tender Calamari appetizer and then ordered three different shrimp dishes; Tequila, Coconut, and Portuguese (cheese stuff & bacon wrapped).   The presentation was as great as it always was with the Coconut shrimp displayed on a tray with 1/2 a coconut filled with their awesome Green Goddess dipping sauce.  The Portuguese Shrimp dish was also displayed with  skewers stuck into 1/2 of a papaya and a little flaming tomato as a garnish!  All entrees come with rice, vegetables, and of course their great salad bar.
If you like great shrimp with a menu that allows you to buy it by weight and size, Blue Shrimp is not to be missed!

Marisma Taco Stand

My favorite fish taco stand and I know the favorite of many visitors and Vallartans is called Marisma Taco Stand. It is located in the short block behind El Brujo and the roads leading into (Basillo Badillo) and out (Venustiano Carranza) of the short tunnel in Zona Romantica.
A very simple menu of deep fried fish & shrimp, smoked Marlin, Crab, Spicy Squid, and various Quesadillas provides the perfect selection for that quick meal.  Made with homemade tortillas and all prepared to order it is excellent! While their pricing is a bit higher than most taco stands, it is worth the extra money for a high quality product.   Stop by and enjoy one, two, three, or more as there is no pressure to eat and go.  They even speak English!

Gemelas Beach

Another great beach that I have been to many times is called Playa Gemelas (The Twins), located just past Punta Negra Beach on Carr Barre de Navidad 200 between 2 condo complexes, the Playa Gemelas Condominios and the Intercontinental Hotel complex.  It is a little tricky to find as there is minimal signage with a gate and a staircase it is the only public access.  The beach is on a time schedule opening around 9am and closing at 8pm, so do not get caught down below as I once did and had to climb over a condo complex wall to get back up the main highway!
Parking is just along the main highway wherever you can find a space and not get towed away.  The walk down to the beach is about 100 steps in a zigzag pattern in fairly good shape, but due to storms and heavy rains there are sections that require a bigger jump to continue on the path, especially at the bottom to the beach there is a 2-3 foot drop.   There are no services here, so have to bring your own food and beverages, however, I often see food vendors on this beach.  The beach is lifeguard patroled as well.
What makes this beach so special and worth the walk down? It  must be the small size, the great soft yellowish sand, and of course the beautiful crystal clear waters!  There are some large shade trees against the wall to the condo complex, so there is shade all throughout the day if you do not have an umbrella.  On Sundays it is quite busy as it is a favorite beach for the Mexican locals as well.  Just enjoy it and I have been there through a fantastic sunset as well!

Bucerias Art Walk

Every Thursday evening from 7pm-9pm the Bucerias Art Walk is held in the beachside town of Bucerias about 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta.  www.thebuceriasartwalk.com/index.html
Considered the "Center of the Bay" Bucerias is a neat little town with lots of beachside hotels and condos for rent in a quiet sleepy setting with great beaches.  I have been to the Art Walk a few times already and have always enjoyed the leisurely stroll along the Main Street one block from the beach, where many shop owners open their doors to promote local Mexican art from the area.  This includes many other areas of Mexico as well such as Puebla, Oaxaca, and Veracruz.  At least 6 restaurants are located within the area so after your walk around to see the great works of art, a bite to eat is easy! 
The restaurants include infamous Marks Restaurant that has been a staple in the area for many years, providing an excellent menu, great wine list, and fine service.   I have enjoyed their Beef Carpacio with Ostrich Pate, the Calamari with Wasabi and Tomato Colis sauces, the Seafood Pasta, and of course their great choice of brick oven Pizzas. www.marksbucerias.com/
For a great evening of seeing great artwork as well as visit a difference place to be seen and eat, come to the Bucerias Art Walk on Thursday evenings.....it is worth the drive!

Careyeros Beach near Punta Mita

Yesterday I finally made it back to my favorite beach in the Puerto Vallarta, called Playa Careyeros.  I found it many years ago when I was looking for some boogie boarding waves and there were none in Punta Mita.   It is located on the back side of Punta Mita and is accessed along some dirt roads on the back road to Sayulita.  Surprisingly it is located below some very nice houses and villas along the coast and since it is outside the Bay of Banderas, it provides some larger but rolling waves.   Access is provided via staircase next to a B&B called Casa las Brisas.
Now what makes this beach my favorite?  It must the Caribbean-like sand, the crystal clear waters, and shallow depths.......what else makes a beach great!  Sundays are fairly busy as many of the Mexicans in the know go here and since there are no restaurants or public facilities, you really have to prepare.  By prepare I mean bring you own towels, chairs, food, beverages, etc. to make your day complete.  On occasion I have seen a few food vendors strolling the beach, but I would not rely on it as a source of a meal or beverages.
Even on the busier days, the beach goes for at least a mile toward Punta Mita and there is plenty of space to get away from the other beach goers.  It also happens to be a great place for collecting sea shells. There must be a coral reef not too far out as I always see pieces of white coral laying on the beach, sometimes very large ones.  Since it is a a small bay, there is an abundance of fish and I have even seen divers go near the rocks and pull out some very large oysters.
I have seen blowfish washed up on the beach as well as a small group of stingrays in the water, so I would caution swimming later in the afternoon or evenings.  Some say that the small sharks do come out later in the day, but I have never seen any and have been there through sunset and dusk hours.
It is a great beach in a secluded location and if you want to venture out of the ordinary, Careyeros Beach is the place to go!

2011 Puerto Vallarta Writers Conference

This past weekend I made the commitment and time to attend the 6th Annual Puerto Vallarta Writers Conference sponsored by Biblioteca Los Mangos and the Puerto Vallarta Writers Group.  I had been a faithful attendee at the group's weekly Saturday meetings, but in the last few months I found myself no longer attending. Why?  I do not know except the usual Saturday chores and activities started to get in the way and I allowed that!
I need to get reinspired and back to writing, so I decided to attend the conference at the last minute.   Since I was a late registrant the fee was 1300 pesos vs. the 1000 peso normal charge if I had booked and paid by the end of January. Friday evening begins with a general welcome and the guest speaker Rick Najera http://ricknajera.com/ with his "Becoming a Writer-Seriously & Pain of the Macho" speech.  Rick is a very funny guy as he is a comedian, writer, poet, screenplay writer, play writer and provided us with some funny stories with his wit and humor.   This was followed by a wine and cheese event to get to know each other.
Saturday morning started early with workshops by Susie Albin-Najera and Rick Najera ranging in topics from travel writing, blog writing, freelance writing, humor writing, etc.  Susie is the owner of the blog http://www.http//themexicoreport.blogspot.com/ and her blog is atypical as most of the news from Mexico by reporting only the positives about this great country.
After lunch, the 1st Panel Discussion was held by Sarah Cortezb http://poetacortez.com/  and Michael Bracken http://www.crimefictionwriter.com/ on the topic of "What does an Editor Really Want"
The afternoon workshop was conducted by Lisa Brackman http://www.lisabrackmann.com/
who recently published her first novel and it was in the top 100 Books on Amazon.com with her topic of "Writing the High Impact Novel".  The other workshop was conducted by Sunny Frazier http://www.sunnyfrazier.com/ "Finding a Publiser. What are they Looking for?
An afternoon break and then the 2nd Panel Discussion was held with Sunny Frazier, Michael Bracken, and Doug Danielson, "The Money's in Your Shorts: Writing and Selling Short Fiction"
The evening mixer concluded the day.
On Sunday we are up again early with morning workshops by Sarah Cortez "No Time to Forget: The Fundamentals of Writing of Memoir" which was of special interest to me as I am working on a novel about my Father's life as an escapee from Poland at the end of WWII.  Michel Bracken also conducted a seminar "Sin, Suffer, Cash the Checks: A Hands on Intro to Writing & Selling Confessions" which was writing short story essays in romance magazines.
For our final send off, Lisa Brackmann came back and did a closing speech "Becoming a Writer-Seriously & Rock Paper Tiger".  She was quite an inspiration as a newly accomplished writer.
That afternoon was the "BookFest" which was an opportunity to buy and meet not only the authors/speakers at the conference, but many other accomplished Puerto Vallarta published authors as well.  This was my first writers conference and I thouroughly enjoyed my experience and I think I got reinspired to write.  That is why my blog has been updated finally........after a year of no posts!
Let us now hope I can make the transition to novel writing and get to working on my book about my Father's life!!

Driving to Mayto Beach

The next day after a great breakfast at El Jardin Del Tuito, we were off mid morning to take the only road to Mayto Beach area.  It is partially paved and mostly still dirt, but it has greatly improved from the first 2 times I ventured out that way over the past few years!  I am sure someday it will be finally paved all the way to Mayto.
You drive past a few small farming towns going up and down the small hills and finally only downhill toward sea level.  Remember El Tuito is a high altitude desert town!  The last 5 miles are actually nicely paved and the drive is great.  We arrived at Mayto Beach, but I wanted to explore a little bit of the other beaches as I had only briefly stopped at the small fishing village of Tehuamixtle the last time I was out there.  I had only done the overlook, but decided to go down to the village itself today.  It has several restaurants and is a oyster fishing village with oysters served as the specialty in the restaurants.  For some reason a large stuffed shark was right at the edge of the pier and I am not sure why?
After leaving Tehaumixtle I saw a sign straight ahead for a restaurant and thought it might be a place to have dinner later.  So we followed the dirt road around the hillside of rocks and found overselves over on the other side of a very long beach we could see in the distance fromTehuamixtle.  Located there was a resort of bungalows for rent on the hillside.  It was a simple place with basic amenities, but a nice pool and restaurant was available.  It was quite a view from there to miles of beaches with nothing and no one on them!
Back to Mayto Beach where our Mayto Hotel was prearranged for the night.  This is a 12 room hotel that was fully equipped including AC, Sat TV, nice towels, full baths, and a great pool right on the Mayto Beach.  They had their own restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with palapas and lounge chairs on the beach.  The also provide massage services for an extra charge, full bar, and usually ATV rental eventhough they were out for repair.
It is just a wonderful beach with very few people and the ability to walk for miles and not see anyone!  There is a government run Turtle sanctuary on Mayto Beach with usage during the breeding season.  All of this will probably change one day as a large developer is beginning to sell lots for a rather large development just inland from the beach........so we will see how quickly that all changes!
If you are looking for unspoiled beaches miles long this is the place to go!