Friday, January 30, 2009
Made another trip to LaPeñita yesterday. (see Jan 16th entry for more details) Rode along with Loren & Norma. Eastern Canadian and proud of it. It was primarily a meat & fish run. Picked up 2 kg of the best tocino (bacon) in the world, a kg of fresh ground hamburguesa, and 2.5 kg of Dorado (MahiMahi). No, not all for me, but for several others as you try to put your orders in whenever you hear somebody is going up there.
Also stopped at one of my favorite jewelry stores Armando’s and bought a silver money clip, not that I have much to put in the clip, but it looks nice. (see photo) Great store to find good Mexican silver jewelry for a fair price.
Armando is also building some rental bungalows behind his store. Maybe 10 or 12 and I was given a tour. Very nice, large, clean, but not on the ocean, but in downtown LaPeñita, which is a short walk to the ocean. The best thing that appeals to me is that they are very affordable. $20-$25/day with a month long rental. They include a fridge, stove/oven, microwave, kitchen table/chairs, large bedroom with two queen sized beds. Very nice.
A new Italian restaurant opened up in Sayulita yesterday, and our friend Steve the carpenter, who did some of the work, asked us to drop in. No sitting room, full! So P&S and I went next door to the tequila bar and had a taste. Dropped back to the new place, still couldn’t get a seat, so we called it a night. Perhaps mañana!

January 25, 2009
Back to the Tequila Bar. I stopped there last night to add one more the list (#5) and to copy the list that we leave there. Here’s where we stand:

1. Redondel Diamante Reposado
2. El Tesoro Platinum Blanco
3. Centenario Añejo ***** This one was not only our favorite, we found a bottle in a local shop.
4. Don Julio Reposado
5. Mi Tiera Añejo

January 29,2009

P&S and I dropped in at the Tequila Bar and each had one. These three were added #6, #7, & #8. The Espolon Añejo was very good and earned 4 stars.

6. Tres Generaciones Añejo
7. Don Fernando Añejo
8. Espolon Añejo ****

Now some of you may wonder what’s the difference between a blanco, reposado, and an Añejo tequila. For you, I have added the following History of Tequila. It's a long one, so I've only included part 1 of 3. Stay tuned for more interesting facts about tequila. Oh, tequila is spelled with one L, not two.

Tequila - A Bit of History:

No other liquid is surrounded by as many stories, myths, legends and lore as tequila and its sister beverage mezcal. As wine and whisky have taken their place in modernized western culture, so too has tequila. Once only a drink for bandidos and rancheros, tequila is as much at home in the fist of today’s business yuppie as a cup of Starbuck’s coffee. While plenty have sampled various breeds of this zesty spirit in the form of a margarita, many more are discovering that good tequila is a drink to be enjoyed like a fine cognac or scotch. Many have put away the salt shakers and sliced limes—they sit down, relax and savor the taste of liquid fire…sip by sip!

As North America’s first distilled drink, and its first commercially produced alcohol, the history of tequila is long and rich. Its roots reach back into pre-Hispanic times when the natives fermented sap from the local maguey plants into a drink called pulque. The history of tequila’s development from the traditional beverage to the modern spirit parallels the often turbulent, chaotic growth of Mexico herself, and is equally obscure to outsiders.

Mezcal wine, tequila’s grandparent, was first produced only a few decades after the Conquest that brought the Spaniards to the New World in 1521. It was variously called mezcal brandy, agave wine, mezcal tequila and finally simply tequila—appropriately named after Tequila, a small town in a valley in Jalisco state, México.

The word tequila itself is a mystery. It is said to be an ancient Nahuatl term. The Nahuatl were the original people who lived in the area. The word means “the place of harvesting plants.”Agave, the plant from which tequila is distilled, played a much larger role than just being the source of an alcoholic drink. Its leaves were used for a hemp-like fiber to make mats, clothing, rope and paper. It was also the source of the nutrient and vitamin-rich brew, pulque.

Distillation of pulque, tequila’s distant ancestor, into something stronger may have originated by the Conquistadors as early as the 1520s. After the Conquest, the area around today’s Jalisco state was originally called New Galicia by the Spanish conquerors. The community we now know as Tequila officially became a village in 1656. In the 1700s, mezcal wines became an important product for export because the town of Tequila lay on the route to the newly opened Pacific port of San Blas.

(stay tuned for part 2 of 3 later this......)

Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The coffee tasted good this morning, as the tequila was flowing strong last night at the Bocce Tournament Celebration. A potluck celebration seems to bring out the best in everyone and the food was incredible. What a variety! Incredible guacamole dip with tostadas, grilled Dorado, sandwiches, eggs, ……can’t even remember half the items. Then the awards to the bocce champions and players. Doug, the organizer, once again did a fantastic job. Thanks! Then the dancing began with a cool dj setup, on the beach, waves crashing in, and the warm breezes from the ocean and a starry night…perfect. Here are a few pics in my attempt to capture the moments. 10pm came quickly, and it was lights out for this reveler. No comments on getting old or the ever present pen in my shirt pocket. One never knows when a brief flash of brilliance might descend and one should never be without a writing instrument should this occur. Ok, 52 years later, still no flash! Enjoy the pics. More to follow.

More Bocce photos. 5 pics just can't capture the tournament, so I've added another half dozen. Enjoy.

Bocce 2009 Sayulita Style!

The Sayulita trailer park is the home of the infamous annual Bocce tournament, and 2009 promised to be bigger and better. 24 teams (48 people) were entered and my brother Pete & I were teamed up for the first time. A side note here...4 years ago, Pete and his partner won the tournament. 2 years ago, my partner & I won the tournament. So with that, Pete & I had some confidence as we signed up. Practice happens everyday at 4pm, rain or shine. (oh, it rarely rains here in winter)

The two day tournament began on Monday when each team had to play 3 games of one hour in duration. 21 pts wins unless you run out of time. The competition was fierce and it appeared that everyone was at the top of their game, except us. WE SUCKED! Two former champions could not win a single game. My quote of the day "There is no L in winners" and it takes losers like us to make you a winner. lol The good news: we didn't have to play on Tuesday. Mucho fun was had by all, even us, or especially us.

Sharon and her partner did a little better than us. (everybody did) She won her last match on Monday, but was also eliminated from the finals on Tuesday.

So enjoy the pics.

Saturday, January 23, 2009
But now a word on TEQUILA! Last night P&S, Alaskan Gail, and myself visited the Fish Taco Place and afterwards, the Tequila Bar. (see photo from Jan 18th post)
What a place as the photos attest. The owner, Alberto, tells me that he now has over 200 different kinds of tequila. We sampled maybe 4 last night. You can request a card where you keep track of the different ones and rate them. That’s a good idea because it’s easy too forget, even after only 2 or 3. Oh, the orange wedge is to cleanse the palate. Many of the tequilas are served in their own special glass. Prices range from as low as 20 pesos to 100 pesos ($2-$8) for most of them, but he does have a few that are 400, 600, and 1200 pesos. ($35-$100) It was my first visit which I suspect will become a weekly ritual. (No, not nightly. Just a special treat.)

Picked up laundry and a chicken(pollo) dinner this morning, if you call 11:30 still morning. Exhausted, time for a siesta! A person can get a whole roasted chicken with potatoes(papas), rice, tortillas and red sauce(rojo salsa) for about $5.50. This can easily feed three adults or in my case, at least 4 meals using the tortillas. Easily. So is Mexico expensive, as some of you have asked? Not if you know what’s good in the area you’re visiting. Chicken, fish, and shrimp are the three big items for Sayulita, and they are cheap. (see photo of my pollo meal)
Laundry is another thing that might spoil a person. A full week’s worth of laundry cost about $5.00. You might argue that you can do that in the states for about the same price. However, down here, you drop it off, they wash it, they dry it, they fold it nicely, and all you do is pick it up the next day. Spoiled? That’s one reason I come here. Now for that siesta….

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Mahimahi (in Hawaiian), Coryphaena hippurus, also known as common dolphin-fish or dorado, calitos maverikos, or lampuki (in Maltese) are surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. They are one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the Pompano dolphinfish. Called by the common name, dolphinfish, the mahi-mahi is a fish, and is unrelated to the Delphinidae family of mammals correctly referred to by the common name, dolphin. Although technically incorrect, it is also common to refer to the mahi-mahi simply as dolphin, rather than dolphinfish.

That might be the category of TMI (to much information) but I learned something the other day. (really!) One of the local fish here in Sayulita is the Dorado, also known as mahi mahi which is NOT dolphin, even though it is called dolphin fish. Does that make sense?
My plans are to make Pacana Encostrado Dorado tonight. (Pecan Crusted Dorado) We shall see how it turns out. This morning I am making Sayulita Francesa Tostada con LaPeñita Tocino. Sayulita French Toast with LaPeñita Bacon.
I love cooking (can you tell!) and Pete & Sharon and I are taking turns trying new dishes. It’s a blast. This week I will be focusing on Spanish lesson review, more cooking, and a Stock Market refresher.
I’ve attached a few pics of the sights of Sayulita. One of them is breakfast at Gails. (not Tiffany's) Alaskan Gail made her infamous sourdough pancakes. Yum! The other is P&S enjoying the NFC playoffs at a local sports bar. (yes, it was in Spanish) Enjoy.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Another beautiful sunset over Mexico. Took a picture of the newest establishment in town, The Tequila Bar which is right next to the Fish Taco Place. (same owner) The claim that they have over 150 different tequilas. No, I haven't tried them all. The most expensive one is Clase Azul Ultra Extra Anejo for 1200 pesos or about $88 usd a shot.

Our friend Gail, from Alaska, is cooking breakfast this morning, so we're off to do that.

Several of you have been asking for pics of my bungalow here in Sayulita. One way to show you is to have you go to the web site for Macondo, which is the name of the restaurant over which I am staying. I’m in the Terrace bungalow for 4 weeks, then I move to 2 other units during the last 5 weeks. http://www.macondosayulita.com/
Another is to take some photos and add them to my blog. (see photos, above) Note the ornate ceilings which you find throughout Mexico. Check out the incredibly beautiful woodwork in the doors.
And a third way is to invite you down here so you can experience all the difficulties of living in Sayulita.
Your choice.

Just when you think you've seen it all, Bin Laden comes riding down the beach on a horse. I was watching the sunset yesterday, and from a distance a group of riders came galluping down the beach. It was a wedding procession complete with a white wedding gown and a bridesmaid wearing a dress while riding a horse. It truely was a Kodak moment.

Saturday, January 17th, 2009
Finally, the weekend! Having survived the week here in Sayulita, Mexico, it’s time to relax during my first weekend. Lol How does one know if it's the weekend? Answer: no construction and new gringos.
Again, the sunsets continue to amaze me. I shall not tire of them and my blog will be filled with many of them. Like the Rose parade, they are best observed in person. Enjoy.

Friday, January 16, 2009
My 4th day in Mexico!! On Monday the 12th of January I left the frozen tundra of Fond du Lac at midnight-thirty. What would normally take about 3 hours to drive to Chicago Ohare, with the snow and blowing conditions, ended up taking…about 3 hours. So I had a 6 hour wait in the terminal. The flight attendants were crabby, I had to beg just to get water, and if you wanted peanuts, you had to buy them. Arrived in beautiful Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico on Tuesday afternoon. A bone chillin’ 82 degrees. Wow! A huge relief from the sub-zero temperatures in Wisconsin. Completely forgot about the drive, wait, and flight. Amazing how that happens.
The sunsets are absolutely stunning here in Sayulita and each one is pleasantly unique. That’s probably my greatest attraction to this area of the world. (see photo, Pete took that one)
My brother Pete met me at the airport and we rented a car so that we could stop and get some groceries at the new Mega store just north of Puerto Vallarta. Returned the car the next day which meant that I had to take the bus back to Sayulita. What a cultural experience! For 20 pesos or $1.48 it picked me up across the street from the airport and after about an hour and several dozen grade school children, I arrived a block and a half away from my bungalow. On that long walk, I stopped at the local tienda (small convenience store) for a cerveza. 11 (once) pesos or 74 cents with the good exchange rate. (13.5 pesos/dollar) I asked for an opener and all the owner said was “tree”. Huh? “Tree”. Sure enough, outside, nailed to the tree was a bottle opener. Sweet!
Day two in Sayuilta began with my newly found omelet-in-a-bag recipe. Ham, onions, red peppers, poblano chili peppers, cheese, (recipe next week) We were invited to our friends (Richardo & Leslie) place for an evening social. 50 or 60 friends showed up at there new house overlooking the Sayulita bay. What a view. I tried to capture the moment/view. Richardo and friends even had a jam session which was way cool. The tequila flowed heavily that night.
Drove to LaPeñita yesterday thanks to our friends Joe & Rita. Pete & Sharon, and Alaskan Gail road along. LaPeñita is about 30 miles north of Sayulita and is known for its huge outdoor market on Thursdays. It was crowded. A person can find just about anything there. Blankets, jewelry, glassware (which is what I was looking for) Found 4 hand-blown glasses, 2 brandy snifters and two shot glasses, for 100 pesos or $7.75. Sweet! Also found a lime press so that margarita’s are easier. (see photo) A recipe on next week’s blog.
Also bought some incredible bacon, nice pork chops, fresh ground lean hamburger, and a kilo of fresh fish. (dorado & tuna) A kilo (2.2 pounds) of fish cost 70 pesos ($5.18) which is only $2.35/pound. How cool is that. Another reason I like this part of Mexico. Did I mention that Coronas were $3.75/six-pack?
For dinner, P&S and I dined on grilled blue-cheese burgers served on toasted 7-grain bread (which we can buy fresh right here) and a fresh salad. Sweet! (see photo)
It’s time to either walk to town (5 blocks) or prepare for the sunset (which is 8 hours away) or take a siesta (nap). Many decisions!