"Life's a Beach" - Observations on Expat Life and Real Estate in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Big News in Little Playa!

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:25:00 GMT

I've been getting quite a few messages over the past few weeks, Life's a Beach readers wondering “What's up?”. As many of you also follow this blog on Facebook and Twitter, you have undoubtedly seen the cryptic messages….the suggestion of clandestine meetings....rumors of a secret society. Finally, on Monday, all was revealed.

Just over a month ago, my dear friend Sara Moen approached me with an invitation. She and local business woman Nicola Inwood were planning a new exciting event to be held in Playa del Carmen. Of course, I was curious and agreed to attend the first committee meeting to investigate further. Uncertain who else would be involved and the scope of the event, I was understandably anxious about this first gathering. Having years of experience working on fundraisers and steering committees in the United States, I was familiar with the process and aware of the commitment required. My concerns lay in the logistics and the dedication of the other volunteers. When the first meeting convened, I was met with familiar faces, friends and fellow business women all. This eclectic group, thoughtfully selected by Sara and Nicola, would certainly be up to the task at hand, no matter what it was!

The proposal was this: create, from the ground up, Taste of Playa, a culinary festival the likes of which had never before been attempted in Playa del Carmen. 35 local chefs and specialty food merchants gathering to offer their signature dishes, the flavors that define them as world class chefs, to the residents and visitors of the Riviera Maya. In a previous life, Nicola had participated in the Toronto Taste, an annual fund raising event which supports Second Harvest. Taste of Playa would be modeled after this successful event. The festival would be open to everyone with food “samples” available for purchase from the various chefs and restaurateurs on hand. After some collaboration with the Riviera Maya Board of Tourism, the date was settled on, September 5, 2009, just three months away. How on earth could we pull all this together in such a short time?

A clear vision and mission agreed upon, the group was then charged with compiling a preliminary list of potential participants. I an effort to maintain the integrity of the event and prevent the logistics of this inaugural event from getting out of hand it was reluctantly but unanimously decided to limit the number of restaurants, beverage purveyors and specialty food vendors to a manageable number. With all the culinary talent in Playa, this task would prove to be difficult and one we would likely struggle with for the next two months. Our Restaurant and Marketplace Coordinators, Melissa Meno and Sherry Stevens, have risen to the occasion, enticing local chefs to participate in this fledgling festival and organizing their efforts to help ensure, not only the success of the event, but the success of each individual participant.

Planning a full scale community event in the US is complicated and time consuming. How on earth would we pull this off in Mexico? The logistics were daunting to me but not to Director of Operations, Monica Hartlief. She has embraced this project with the same gusto she exhibits rising to the daily challenges that face entrepreneurs in a foreign land. After some deliberation and a field trip, The newly renovated Parque Fundadores was selected as our preferred location, a decision that would now require stamps and signatures from the local municipality. Monica had her work cut out for her from the start!

Event concept?

Check.

Committee Heads?

Check.

Date?

Check.

Location?

Check.

We seemed to have things well in hand. But who would attend our event? How would anyone ever know to come? This, dear readers, is where yours truly jumps into the fray. I am tackling the daunting job of Marketing and Promotion for Taste of Playa 2009. With the collaboration of the whole committee and a remarkable effort by Gabi Waldert, our creative and detail oriented Graphics Coordinator, a spectacular marketing piece was created to show the Playa community and the world just what kind of world class event we were planning to execute. With the help of Nicola and Sara, a comprehensive local, national and global marketing plan was conceived. The long awaited media blitz kicked off on Monday with press releases and, as you have seen, a fairly aggressive online campaign.

In our quest to make this event fun and memorable, not only for the attendees but for the chefs and merchants as well, we have conferred with industry consultant, Russell Granger, to guide us as we pursue this lofty endeavor. Russell has been a font of knowledge, a calming force and a voice of reason for this team of fiercely independent, sometimes stubborn and opinionated women. We thank him for his wisdom and his deserts and for letting us conspire on his rooftop, often late into the evening.

Collectively, the committee has already solicited significant corporate sponsorship for Taste of Playa. Bric International, LocoGringo.com and our own Buy Playa Real Estate Advisors quickly jumped in to fill the three Executive Chef Sponsorship positions. Just today, we have had several more local businesses throw their support behind Taste of Playa – 1^st Annual Sampling. Those announcements will be coming soon!

So, this is the beginning of the Taste of Playa story. I hope you will all follow along with the “making of” this exciting event by reading the Taste of Playa Blog. I’ve got great contributing writers to help me with this task, each one eager to tell their own Taste of Playa tale. For up to the minute (well, almost) information, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Most importantly, come to Taste of Playa 2009. Bring your friends and your appetite!

Back to Belize - More Island Time

Rob Kinnon — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:11:00 GMT

The day following lobsterfest was another dreary windy day. Tacogirl had a whole list of fun events planned for the day, some of which were contingent on the weather. At this point, the parasailing trip and the Seaduced Sunset Cruise were both in jeopardy. After a relaxing breakfast at George's Kitchen with fellow bloggers and friends, we attemped to rendezvous for a snorkeling trip on the Chel Belle to a nearby wreck. I don't know how we messed that up, but we missed the boat and ended up spending the afternoon chilling in the hot tub and enjoying a mouthwatering BBQ at Caribbean Villas. In keeping with the season, lobster tails were added to the usual line up of ribs, pork chops, chicken, burgers and dogs. Laurie, Paul and Ciny joined us and we actually spent the entire afternoon, sipping Belikins and staring out at the sea, the perfect way to recover from the lobsterfest shenanigans.

Kicking back on island time.

The locals may be sick to death of it but we LOVE Belikin.

Molly the Timeshare Dog and Paul

Birdie and her new friend Lucy.

Taco soup!

Our new pal Alexis came by to say hello.

Cindy proving that hot tubs and cocktails DO mix.

Rob and his Dirty Monkey.

That drink made the rounds. Yummo!

After a thorough soaking and plenty of cold beers, we watched the sun set behind the palms and headed into town to shower up and reconvene for dinner at El Patio. The full crew turned up for our final evening together before Glen and the boys went back to Playa and everyone returned to their normal island schedules. Everyone was feeling pretty dopey from the hot tub but still managed to whip up a pretty good appetite. It was our fist visit to El Patio and they were quite accomodating to our large group, particularly the kids.

Caribbean Villas by night.

Group dinner at El Patio.

Tomorrow, our last day on the island and the road home. :(

Back to Belize - San Pedro Lobsterfest 2009

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:41:00 GMT

Blissfully hangover free, I met up with the Tacos, Cindy and other assorted bloggers for another hearty breakfast at Estel's. My brother in law, Dave, another early riser, joined our group as we soaked up some sun and made plans for the remainder of the day. Lobsterfest booth preparations have been in the works for months now, with many AmbergrisCaye.com message boarders and other frequent fliers bringing down trinkets and decorations galore in their suitcases. This year, a flashy casino bar has been planned, complete with mardi gras beads, devil ducks, glitter glasses, lobster hats and all manner of fun prizes for the players. Proceeds from this year's booth will go to support Holy Cross School in the San Matteo district, just north of the toll bridge. Good news! Cindy would be manning the bar, serving up several of her trademark toxins including watermelon jello shots. There's always room for jello!!

Early arrivals for breakfast on the beach enjoy the only sun of the day.

Stage preparations taking shape. Check out the ominous clouds overhead!

Tents and tables ready to go.

After breakfast, Laurie took several of us over to Middle Street to check out the Rum, Cigar and Coffee Shop. Here we were treated to free samples of their homemade brews all made with local rums. We sampled the "Jankunu Rum Cream" which is made with eggs and cream and tastes much like the "Rompopo" we found in Guatemala. Another favorite was the "Campesino Coffee Liqueur" which blows away Kahlua both in flavor and potency. Starting off the day with a "Panti Rippa" brought back horrible flash backs of my last trip to Caye Caulker but the guys at the shop were super nice and their concoctions were delicious. I particularly appreciated that all of the products they offer are packaged in recycled plastic bottles and coffee containers. If you are planning a visit to San Pedro, do make a point of stopping in the shop for a cup of coffee and tasting the products. I passed on the cigars but they do have a nice temperature controlled vault for you afficionados.

The clouds let loose late in the afternoon, about a half an hour before the event was scheduled to begin, with the wind whipping the rain into and around the booths and generally slowing the progress of our crew. I braved the weather to take some pictures of set up time and tried to take up as little space as possible under the tent and keep my camera dry. There were a few folks wandering among the stalls getting an early, albeit wet, start on the festivities, but for the most part the festival grounds were quiet until almost 7pm. Slowly, the wind abated, the rain stopped and the fairgrounds were set upon my a deluge of hungry

The main attraction: a Caribbean lobster.

Laurie and her organized chaos!

Place yer bets ladies!!

A break in the rain.

Sunset Grill getting a late start on an ambitious booth.

The girls from Lime setting up the S.A.G.A. booth. "Slime Cocktails" anyone?

Walter setting up for Pirate (Pedro's) Pizza.

Tacoboy, Rob and Pedro....early in the evening.

More cocktails please!!

San Pedro visitors enjoy a couple of grilled lobsters.

See? Respectable and well-behaved.

Glen Harris and new friend Judy.

Rob with the Carbunkle Trumpets, Shauna and John.

Tacoboy helps out behind the bar.

Damn sexy in those lobster hats and glasses!

The Direct Abundance girls and Alexis.

Island kids.

In all, there were about 15 booths representing San Pedro restaurants, bars and local non-profits. Despite the early rain, island residents and tourists came out in droves to enjoy the various lobster dishes, live music and clever themed cocktails! Rob and I did our best to sample as much as we could before most of booths ran out of food. Fido's lobster rangoon was delish as was the lobster stew from posh Red Ginger. The biggest surprise for us was the simple grilled lobster tail offered by the legendary Elvi's Kitchen. To b honest, we were not thrilled with the lobster we were served at the Lobsterfest in Placencia last season. I had resigned myself to believing that Caribbean lobster was dry, rather tasteless and almost chalky, not at all comparable to the succulent Maine lobster we are used to from the northeastern United States. Well, Elvi's absolutely proved us wrong serving up good sized, juicy tails, grilled in foil with butter. Oh my lord, they were good! Elvi's had so many tempting crustaceous creations, I was disappointed to have filled up before trying them all! I guess that just means a trip back next season. Yippee!!

Homemade tortillas in Elvi's booth.

The girls from Fido's did a brisk business all night.

The ladies from Sweet Basil served up a chilled shrimp cocktail, something for the lobster-averse.

Clever cocktails served up at the swank Rojo Lounge, winner of the "Best Booth" category.

It's not GAMBLING Mom. It's late night math tutoring...right?

Red Ginger's lobsterman with Rob and what's left of the menu.

Despite the rain and the apparent lack of involvement from the local government, San Pedro's 3rd annual Lobsterfest was a huge success. The organizers, the San Pedro Business Association and all the participants and supporters deserve a lot of credit for successfully pulling off an event of this scope in such a small village. In just three short years, this community based festival has grown into one of the world's most anticipated events.

The funds raised by all this running around and craziness will go a long way to continuing the efforts of the administrators and educators who dedicate so much of their time and energy to the children at Holy Cross School. Our friends, Laurie, Paul and Cindy all wrapped up the night vowing "Never again!". Yet, somehow, I think after a long hot shower, a good night's sleep and a thorough accounting of the proceeds from the bar/casino, they will rethink this decision. You can bet we will be there again next year!

San Pedro, consider yourself warned.

Back to Belize - On Island Time

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:02:00 GMT

Not surprisingly, our first full day on the island was a lazy one. The kids were sent off on a fishing excursion and the grownups recovered from the night before. Breakfast and Bloody Mary's at Estel's, our favorite place in San Pedro, brought us back to life somewhat and we filled the rest of the day puttering around the island on golf carts, looking for crocodiles in the lagoon, checking out the new homes and condo developments being built, taking note of interesting properties "For Sale" and noting all the new businesses that have opened since our last visit.

After the children returned from a day on the water, we enjoyed cocktail time by the pool and geared up for our first official Lobster/Blogfest activity, a Meet and Greet at Pedro's Backpackers Inn. Pedro (Peter) is a San Pedro legend, an infamous character who in all of our trips to the island, has somehow eluded us. I went into this party with some trepidation as I had been warned that I would either love him or hate him. There is apparently a reason you will see "Deport Pedro" t-shirts here and there on the backs of island residents. Granted, he prints up the shirts himself and it is all meant to be very tongue in cheek, but is is true that Peter's reputation precedes him and he knows it! Luckily, I got the introduction through Paul (Tacoboy), a good friend and one of the island's brighter minds, so I had a slight advantage and we got on just fine.

Tacoboy (Paul) and Rob...just getting started.

Walter and the Direct Abundance girls!

With Cindy behind the bar, our merry crew was served up stiff cocktails and mountains of all-you-can-eat lobster pizza. We attempted to play White Elephant, a spirited game in which participants are distributed gifts (mostly worthless junk) which they then exchange (take forcibly) with other players in attempt to the end the game holding the best (least crappy) prize. Well. we made it through the gift unveiling and distribution but there were so many people and we were all having so much fun talking and getting to know one another, that we forgot about trading (absconding with) any of the prizes. Fortunately, I came away with two sets of sake glasses imported from Japan (San Francisco). Yeah me!

Winner of the very popular, much coveted lobster hat!

Walter handing out some lobsterfest "bling".

Chris demonstrates his nifty new Lobster Claw Harmonica.

Lara shows off her new Coconut Bikini Top!

And a nice matching set for Tim!!

While I was meeting and greeting and getting to know my fellow bloggers, my family, with the assistance of Glen Harris, was deteriorating in the corner. A special "Thank you" to Cindy for serving up gallons of One Barrel and innumerable shots of Jagermeister to my usually well behaved and respectable sisters in law, rendering them unintelligible and unruly. Well done. Thank you also for substituting Rob's shots for less potent potions. He was called into service on the ride home!

The family that drinks Jager together......

....falls out of golf carts together on the way back home!

It was a great night and an excellent introduction to both the San Pedro Lobsterfest and the Blogfest painstakingly organized by Tacogirl. If this is the level of entertainment we can expect for the rest of the weekend, I'm going to need to contact Betty Ford for some support! Tomorrow, the big event: the Lobsterfest Blockparty! Stay tuned......

Back to Belize - Family Trip to San Pedro

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:21:00 GMT

Last year, Rob and I took a few much needed days to ourselves and headed south to check out the world famous Lobsterfest in Placencia. We had a great time, ate some great food and as we LOVE Belize, when the opportunity presented itself to attend Lobsterfest in San Pedro and a special BlogFest organized by my friend Tacogirl, well, we just couldn't say no. Little did I know when we booked this trip that it would become not just a vacation but also a chance to do some "market research". As Frommer's and WhatsOnWhen.com are currently in the process of compiling a book in which the San Pedro Lobsterfest has been distinguished as one of the 300 Greatest Events in the World, I felt compelled to see how the organizers of this event have achieved this landmark distinction in just two short years!

Packed in like sardines!

Silly self-portrait.

This trip has been in the works now for months and we have been counting down the days until our departure. My sister in law, Jill, has always wanted to go to Belize and has friends on Ambergris, so, as a special 30th birthday present, we asked her to come along with us. Not to be left out, Rob's other sister Kristie and her husband Dave decided to fly in from Colorado join us as well, making this a full on family roadtrip! And so, after a delicious breakfast at Java Joe's and some nail-biting minutes at immigration waiting for our FM3's to FINALLY get signed and stamped, all eight of us squeezed into the Expedition, strapped our bags on the roof, and headed south on 307.

Having made this trip to the border in Chetumal dozens of times, the ride was quiet and uneventful. Rob worked via iphone, I caught up on some writing and our passengers, all hooked into their ipods, happily enjoyed the scenery. In Filipe Carillo Puerto, our pal Glen Harris and his three boys caught up with us on the highway and we caravaned the rest of the way down. The border crossing itself was uneventful and we arrived at the Corozal airstrip well before our 5:30 flight on Tropicair. Glen and the boys were able to catch an early Maya Island flight and we cabbed it back to our favorite stop-over hotel, Tony's Inn, for a few cocktails and a quick bite to hold us over until dinner. Tony's has really tasty conch ceviche and fritters, ice cold Belikins and a beautiful view of the Corozal Bay.

Our crew at Tony's Inn

Corozal Bay

Conch ceviche

Connor and Cole getting ready to board.

Bon voyage!

Tiny seat. Big Rob.

A seasoned traveler.

Flying into San Pedro

The new Tropicair terminal being built in San Pedro.

Once on the island, we were greeted by our good friend Cindy and the transport van for Paradise Villas, our lodging of choice on Ambergris. Villa owners Paul and Cindy Beers are supporters of Holy Cross School in San Matteo and run a free eye care clinic for the residents of Ambergris Caye. We in turn support them with our vacation dollars. Once settled in and unpacked, we met up with Glen and headed over to The Tacklebox for 80's "Rock Lobster" night with DJ Debbie, a few One Barrels and a bite to eat. The younger kids had a blast running up and down the docks, spotting rays in the shallow water and catching crabs. Connor and Glen's eldest, Max, quickly disappeared to go see what San Pedro might have to offer teenage boys. Hmmm.

The Tacklebox.

Rob won one of the raffle drawings! A cocktail on the house, who doesn't want that?!

A few One Barrels later.......

As the boys had a fishing trip planned for 7am, we wandered through the park in town, checking out the late night food options then headed back to the condos to rest up for a fun-filled weekend ahead. Tomorrow, we introduce the rest of our clan to San Pedro and make friends at the Blogfest Meet and Greet at Pedro's Backpackers Inn.

Paradise Villas Pier, San Pedro.

Sunday BBQ at La Suegra de John Gray in Puerto Morelos

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:24:00 GMT

For the past few months we have been hearing some good things about the new Sunday family BBQ at John Gray's place on the beach in Puerto Morelos. So, last Sunday we broke from our traditional Sunday Funday in Playacar Phase 1 and made the drive north to check it out. In striking contrast to John's other culinary venues, La Suegra (which literally translates to the mother-in-law) de John Gray is a cozy, no-frills beach restaurant located just north of the town center, an easy walk from the zocalo by way of the beach or along the narrow streets of this still sleepy fishing village. This being our fist visit to La Suegra, we managed to walk right by the front door, completely unaware that the entrance is straight through the middle of the busy kitchen! The staff directed us inside where we were greeted by John's lovely wife Nora who was putting the finishing touches on a cake to celebrate their anniversary. Her mother, for whom the restaurant is named, was behind the line, head down, buried in work preparing the food for today's guests. The party was just getting started as we settled in to a table on the beach, kicked our shoes off and buried our feet deep in the sand.

The beach in "downtown" Puerto Morelos.

La Suegra de John Gray.

I had been given a "heads up" by John Gray's PR director, Karena Black, that the film crew from TV Azteca would be filming John and his family for several segments airing later this week. John has recently been chosen as one of the participants in the 2010 South Beach Food and Wine Festival and this recognition served as a perfect excuse to get in some valuable TV face time. We were just there to watch the action unfold and enjoy the BBQ!

John quickly dispatches a barracuda he caught just moments before!

Discussing the finer points of better BBQ over the enormous grill that he and Executive Chef Karl made themselves.

Fresh grilled snapper!

Lining up the final shot.

The kids played soccer on the beach as Rob and I tucked into the food. Pork and beef ribs, grilled chicken, spicy chorizo and shrimps were served up hot off the grill accompanied by baked beans, grilled onions and corn, creamy coleslaw and potato salad, everything you need for a BBQ feast, the homemade sauce for the ribs is worth the price of admission, a perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

At $175 pesos for unlimited servings (children pay by their weight!) it's not the least expensive of the recent all-you-can-eat BBQ offerings but the quality of the food well outweighs the difference in price. You can be sure our family will be back for more sun and fun at La Suegra.

Looking for Real Estate in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen or anywhere along the Riviera Maya? Visit our website www.BuyPlaya.com.

Free Spay/Neuter Clinic in Playa del Carmen

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:20:00 GMT

Coco's Cat Rescue in cooperation with Jen Smith with S.P.A.Y. in Akumal, Dra.Sandra Valdez from the perrera and the municipality will be holding a free sterilization clinic today, tomorrow and Sunday in the Centro Comunitario in Colonia Ejido, Playa del Carmen. 25 - 30 participating veterinarians and volunteers will be on hand to register pets, facilitate the procedures, care for the animals in recovery and administer free rabies vaccines to their furry patients. The clinic will be accepting dogs and cats for sterilization each day of the clinic from 9am - 12pm.

Dedicated members of another local animal charity, Malix Pek, will be also volunteering and supporting this spay and neuter clinic. Malix Pek has expressed an interest in collaborating with Coco's Cat Rescue on several exciting new projects as well.

This year, the volunteers and vets will be enjoying catered lunches generously provided by Hotel Tropical Casablanca, Carboncitos Restaurant and Buy Playa Real Estate Advisors. Beverages and snacks have also been donated by local CCR supporters.

Help spread the word! Tell your friends and neighbors to bring their dogs and pets to the clinic to be spayed or neutered.

The Centro Comunitario is located on Avenida 95 between calles 14 and 16. From 307, head west (away from the ocean) on Avenida Benito Juarez. When you see the big orange Construrama building on your right, you will take the next right. There is a sign at 95th for a car wash reading "Lavado de Autos a Una Cuadra" with an arrow pointing to the right. The Centro Comunitario, where the clinic is being held, will be on your left between Calles 14 and 16. It is a mostly white building with the Solidaridad logo on it.

This is a link to the Google Earth view of the location.

1st Coco's Cat Rescue Fundraiser a Huge Success!!

Rob Kinnon — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:47:00 GMT

Saturday evening at The Luna Blue Hotel, nearly 100 Playa del Carmen locals and visitors braved the oppressive heat and turned out to support Coco's Cat Rescue with it's first official fundraiser. Coco's Cat Rescue's is a non profit initiative in Playa del Carmen dedicated to controlling the feral cat population in Playa with an aggressive trap/spay/release program. They also care for and re-home kittens in need and, in coordination with local vets, provide free or low cost spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations and basic animal care for the pets of low income residents. In their first 18 months they have rescued 122 kittens, 100 of which have been successfully spayed/neutered and re-homed. In cooperation with Tony and Cheri, owners of The Luna Blue Hotel, Laura Raikes and countless volunteers organized a fun-filled evening with live music by Bad Brad of the Mojo Zone, hysterical caricature drawings, cool CCR t-shirts, totes and bumper stickers, delicious kitty cupcakes, tropical "Coco Catinis" and an exciting raffle with amazing prizes all donated by local business people and friends of Coco's Cat Rescue! It was a wonderful evening and over $35,000 pesos was raised, a huge success for this start up non profit! We congratulate them on their efforts and give special thanks to everyone who contributed to this event! With this kind of support from the community and animal lovers across the globe, Coco's Cat Rescue will undoubtedly have a significant impact on our local cats and kittens, those who share our homes as well as those who prefer to prowl the streets of Playa del Carmen.

Heather, Mark and Vanessa

Birdie with Marissa, Sarah and kittens!

Joe and Michael

Melissa and her sister Alicia

Caroline and Gary

Beth and Lucy

Paula and Honzo and friend

Donna and Bob

Cole and Birdie eyeing the cupcakes!

Melissa, Russell and Jez

Round one of the raffle!

Sherry manning the tables

Michelle and Gary

Ki Ke and Nicola

Laura announces round two of the raffle winners with a little help from Birdie and Cole.

Bad Brad rockin' the house

Joe and friend

Maureen, Joe, Claire, Judy and Randy

Tina with her furry friend and Cole.

Claudia, Rob and Mark

Keersten strikes a pretty pose.

Jonelle and friend

Jim, Janet, Susan and Scubadewd

Heather and Vanessa sit for their portrait.

Biride tries her hand a caricature work with Carlos as subject.

Hmmm. Princess Carlos?

Rob and Kat

Claire and Lena

Carlos and friend

Laura and Rob

A motley crew!

For more information about Coco's Cat Rescue, please visit www.CocosCatRescue.org.

Looking for Real Estate in Playa del Carmen?
Visit our website www.BuyPlaya.com .

Beautify Your Garden and Help Angel Notion

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:52:00 GMT

This just in from the Angel Notion Blog:

Trees, Palms and Plants Have Arrived at Angel Notion, Playa del Carmen

4 June 2009

Never before has Playa del Carmen seen the variety and sizes of palm trees, cocos, fruit trees and ornamental plants. And they are all for sale at approximately 30% market price. The fruit trees will bear fruit the first season. A few of the fruit trees we have are: mango, guanabana, cinnamon, zapote, chicozapote, guayaba, papaya and others. Some of the plants are: spider, tortuga, philodendron, baby tears, hibiscus, lilies, and scores of other varieties. A portion of each sale will be donated to Angel Notion. Buy a plant or tree and support Angel Notion.

The address of the Angel Notion Clinic and directions from Cancun and Playa are re-printed below.

Ayuda de los Angeles A.C.
Centro Medicina Alternativa
Ave 10 entre Electricista y Plomeros
Col. Nic te ha
Playa del Carmen

Directions from downtown Playa del Carmen:
Take 10th ave north(twards Cancun) all the way out to the dirt road. Go thru the dirt road and in 1.2 blocks the clinic sits on the left handside.

Directions from downtown Playa del Carmen via Hwy 307:
heading twards Cancun. After the only walking bridge you will take a right before the CEMEX plant you will follow this road out in an S shape you will see the military camp on the right hand side. First stop sign take a right first street a left you will pass thru two stop signs and take a right we are 1/2 block on the right.

Directions from Cancun:
Hwy 307 to the first walking bridge make a u-turn at the light returning back to Cancun you will take a right before the CEMEX plant you will follow this road out in an S shape you will see the military camp on the right hand side. First stop sign take a right first street a left you will pass thru two stop signs and take a right we are 1/2 block on the right.

5th Annual Andale Bazar the Best Yet!!!

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:28:00 GMT

I have had the pleasure of attending the Andale Bazar for four years running and I can say, without any hesitation, that this was the best year by far! I don't know if the slump in our local economy is driving local residents, craftsmen, artists and vendors to pull out all the stops in an effort to make up for the losses we all have recently incurred. Perhaps, this year Andale owners, Karen and Vianney, spent more time and money on marketing and advertising. Could be we all just needed a good excuse to get out and spend a nice day surrounded by our friends. Whatever the reason, this year, the streets were absolutely packed with vendors, shoppers and performers, all braving the hot sun and humidity to have a nice day downtown.

Maria and Skylar clean house!

'Da boyz from New York, Matt Shilowitz (Acanto Condominiums) and Jimmy Greenfield (Hotel Cielo)

Homemade chutneys from "Shardul".

I hung around with the girls at Coco's Cat Rescue for quite awhile and watched Laura work her magic with a batch of newborn kittens that had been dumped at the perrera. She fed, and cleaned and cared for them, all the while fielding questions about the organization, selling books and fetching stray balloons from trees! The CCR group had a good day and collected dozens of names of local people ready to welcome a new cat or kitten into their home. Coco's Cat Rescue will be holding their inaugural fundraiser on Saturday June 6 at The Luna Blue Hotel. Proceeds from the event will go toward the daily operating costs of the organization including food, medications, spay and neuter procedures among many other expenses. Coco's Cat Rescue is also instrumental in the regional catch/spay/release program in affect to control the feral cat population in Playa. Come join us at The Luna Blue and support this very worthy cause.

Laura promoting Coco's Cat Rescue.

Libby (In the Roo) and Maureen, tireless volunteers and pet lovers!

Russell (Hotel Cielo), Sherry (One Stop), Claudia (Promomap) and Miss Claire.

Laura and Carlos - too cute!

There was such an assortment of vendors this year. Of course, the requisite yard sale items abounded but they were out numbered this year by local artisans and craftsmen who came to show off and sell their wares. Handmade jewelry, glazed ceramics, bamboo furniture, homemade chutneys and jams, all natural bath and spa products, carved wooden bowls, decorative metalwork, gourd lamps, locally designed clothing items, imported items from Bali, India and Guatemala. The list of fascinating offerings went on and on, each booth or table more interesting than the next!

Kids' Party Planning and Face Painting!

Cool cotton bags from Sofia at "jaus".

Organic beauty products from "Green Intuition".

Hand rolled cigars

Hand woven belts.

Stacy (BambuSur) talking up their line of affordable, cool, eco-friendly bamboo furniture and building materials.

Fanciful beaded jewelry.

Rustic glazed pottery.

Handmade "Waldorf" dolls and fairies.

Of course, no Andale Bazar would be complete without the fabulous performers and this year was no exception! These drummers and the accompanying stilt walker and capoeira dancers thrilled the crowds! Click here for video of the performance!

Karen and Vianney gather some local kids to help pass out the raffle prizes!

This year's bazar was a rousing success and I feel like it has helped to mark a definitive end to the "swine flu disaster". Everyone was in good spirits and enjoying each others company. If there is a slump in our local economy you certainly couldn't see it today. Thanks to Karen and Vianney for making the effort to put this together every year. The Andale Bazar like Andale Magazine has now become ingrained in the Playa community. Bravo!

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Caminarte - Promoting the Arts in Playa del Carmen

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:14:00 GMT

This Thursday evening marked the inauguration of a new initiative to promote art and artists living in Playa del Carmen and all along the Riviera Maya. Caminarte, conceived and organized by the committee 5th Avenida Xaman Ha in cooperation with the local municipality, the Riviera Maya Fidecomiso, the 5th Avenue Neighborhood Association, local businesses, various Hotel Associations and the Chamber of Commerce of Solidaridad is an urban walking venue designed to provide a free exhibition space for painters, sculptors, photographers, performing artists and musicians and to increase exposure for Playa's lively and talented artistic community. Set up along 5th Avenue, running from Constituyentes to Calle 40, the open air exhibition is perfectly poised to delight the throngs of tourists and locals who stroll the world famous pedestrian boulevard everyday! All local artists, both Mexican and foreign born, are invited to participate promising a wide variety to styles, mediums and subjects. It is the hope of the organizers and the participants that placing a strong focus on the art and culture of this vibrant area will serve to increase global interest in the Riviera Maya and help to maintain this beautiful region as a world class destination for tourism.

Caminarte will host this exhibition every Thursday evening from 6:00pm on. If you are visiting Playa del Carmen or anywhere along the Riviera Maya, please come and spend some time appreciating the work of these talented artists.

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Wine Tasting at Cielo Hotel in Playa del Carmen

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:43:00 GMT

As the sun set over the roof tops of the city, several dozen Playa del Carmen residents and visitors took in the magnificent ocean views, enjoyed the cool Caribbean breeze and were treated to an excellent series of wine and food pairings and commentary from sommelier Jorge Valdes and Ricardo Garcia Gaxiola from Off the Vine wine shop. In close coordination with Russell Granger, managing partner of Cielo Hotel and Chef Edouardo from the Cielo restaurant Carboncitos, a delightful event was orchestrated and guests were treated to wines from Italy, Argentina, Chile and the United States expertly matched with items from Carboncitos' traditional Mexican menu. The guest list included guests of the hotel, distinguished local business people and emissaries from Playa del Carmen's top regional interest websites, www.playamayanews.com, www.intheroo.com and www.playa.info all eager to put their palates to the test!

Sara Moen (PlayaMayaNews), Francis Gingras, Libby and John Bekas (In the Roo)

Sandra Waller and Kylie Heck

Ricardo Garcia Gaxiola

Claudia Hurtado Valenzuela and Libby Bekas

The rooftop of Cielo Hotel was positively transformed into a chic outdoor dining room with charming gourd lamps strung overhead and tables draped with pretty, technicolor Mexican blankets. The tables were set with good quality stemware and each place setting included a placemat printed with the wine selections for the tasting including the vintage and cost per bottle. No detail was overlooked in the prepations for this special evening.

As acting emcee for this evening's event as well as translator for sommelier Valdes, Ricardo welcomed the guests, introduced the staff and presenters for this event and regaled the crowd with a bit of the history of wine making and information about the process. An aperitif of chilled "La Pinta", a pomegranite infused tequila served in a cute cucumber shot glass, stimulated our tastebuds, preparing us for the night's offerings.

This evening's wine selections and menu pairings were as follows:

Ravenswood Vintner's Blend Chardonnay 2006 from California paired with the Carboncito's famous salsa platter. Aged in oak barrels and stainless steel tanks, the faint nutty, buttery notes with hints of green apple and vanilla served to accent the pumkin salsa while the acid level held up well to the tomatoes and lime juice in the pica de gallo. The salsa aguacate was perhaps a bit overpowering for this particular white.

Carmen Carmenere 2007 from Chile paired with a Shrimp Alambre, shrimp sauteed with white onions, green bell peppers and bacon in a rich, mildly spiced cheese sauce. The up front dark fruit flavors with a hint of black pepper cut through the rich, buttery sauce and the fatty bacon without over powering the delicate shrimp and hints of chili peppers, proving that red wine can be successfully paired with seafood!

Umberto Cesare Refolo Spumante Brut from the Emilio-Romano region of Italy paired with chicken in a mole sauce. I would have never thought to pair a sparkling wine with mole but this light brut spumante lemony spumante was just right to contrast with the accents of chocolate and chili in the sauce.

Familia Zuccardi "Malamado" Malbec a Port Styled dessert wine from Argentina paired with a traditional dessert from Chiapas, a bunuelo with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. With bright ripe plum notes, this fortified wine spends 18 months in french oak making it complex and interesting despite its lighter body, yet not cloyingly sweet. It matched well and really brought out the dark chocolate and the cinnamon in the delicate dessert. This was a real crowd pleaser!

A highlight of the evening was the introduction of the "guest of honor", Ceneyda Guzman, celebrating four years of employment with Cielo Hotel, truly remarkable in this very transient city in an industry that is accustomed to regular and rapid staff turnover.

It was clear from the enthusiastic response to the menu offerings and the accompanying vintages as well as to Ricardo and Jorge's expert commentary that the people of Playa del Carmen are very much interested in experimenting with and learning more about good food and good wine. There is more to Playa than just buckets of beer on the beach and frozen margaritas. Events like this will help put Playa del Carmen on the map for as a destination for foodies and enofiles from all over the world.

The wines above and many more are all available for sale at Off the Vine Wine Shop and Deli located in the Royal Oasis Plaza on 1st Avenue and Calle 26 in the north end of Playa del Carmen, near Mamitas Beach. Ricardo also hosts wine and food pairings in his store location every Thursday evening from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. These events are open to the public and reservations can be made by calling Ricardo or Danielle at 984-803-5244 or via email to ricardogg_1999[at]yahoo.com.

Playa del Carmen Construction Update - May/June 2009

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:44:00 GMT

I will never cease to be surprised by the twists and turns of the development industry in Playa del Carmen. While the rest of Mexico is reeling from the whole Swine Flu debacle and most businesses are scrambling for money, it seems that Real Estate in Playa del Carmen is as hot as ever. Almost all of the projects that have sat dormant during the alleged "high season" are now back in the game with lots of movement on the work sites! This is completely unexpected and certainly a positive sign for those of us in the industry concerned about our earning potential this year. Investors take note: the drop in prices and fire-sales we have seen over the past few months may be coming to an end sooner than we anticipated! A new initiative to relax the restrictions for foreign property ownership may also drive prices up as more an more buyers flood in from the north.

Let's start with the project updates that "Life's a Beach" readers have requested:

Doca - From the developers of Akoya, Haab, Arena, Deva and Mamitas Village, this new project is getting a lot of attention from buyers who have already invested in their previous endeavors and are looking for the same top level finishes and attention to detail.

Sabbia - Moving along quickly with a lot of the exterior finishes completed and decorative woodwork being installed. The job site continues to go full on. Considering the scale of this project, the progress is dramatic.

Heliko - Just getting started a block off of Coco Beach. Not much to see just yet, but I was surprised, given the economic climate, that they had commenced building at all! This is a nicely designed and well located complex and should sell quickly.

Casa Bla nca - Working on exterior and interior finishes. If you were thinking of buying a unit here, you may be out of luck. This new intimate residence concept with just a few spacious apartments seems to have struck a chord with buyers tired of seeing the same old giant complexes with dozens of cookie cutter units.

El Faro - Still chugging along. The exterior finishes and painting appear nearly complete, but the pool remains dry. Big signs up everywhere soliciting staff for the new restaurant "Wicky's".

Acanto Condo-Hotel - Lots of action on site and moving along well. This project has such a pretty design and we are looking forward to its completion.

CostaFina - Looks to be very much in keeping with the design of Liv-Blue just next door. The advantage CostaFina will have is the width of the building. Liv-Blu has always felt a little tight inside. They are anticipating delivery in December 2009. I see no reason why they would miss that goal.

Zaphira - After months and months of inactivity, building has resumed. A small crew was on site working on the condos. Still no takers in the retail spaces.

The Building Loft II has also resumed construction. There were just a few guys on site but as least something is going on.

Kuuk Plaza or whatever they are calling it now. I am guessing that this stalled project was sold outright and is now under new ownership. An office has been set up in one of the locales and I will try to stop down again during business hours to see what's up.

In related construction news: In Fashion Hotel is now open for business.....

....and they are feeling so confident, they are building another In Fashion Hotel on the corner of Ave. 10 and calle 12.

Next to Playalingua on Calle 20, another new hotel is going up fast. The workers claim it will be called Hotel Playa del Carmen. I will try to confirm this info.

That's all for this month. I like getting all of your comments and requests, so keep them coming. Look for another update in July.

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Introducing Casa Louise Ixchel - A New Restaurant on Isla Mujeres

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:59:00 GMT

As many "Life's a Beach" readers will remember, Rob and I brokered the sale of Casa Ixchel, a lovely boutique hotel on Isla Mujeres last year. Last Thursday, on special invitation from the new owners, we made the trip across to Isla to attend the Grand Opening of the hotel's new restaurant. Never one to pass up an opportunity to visit the island, we had happily adjusted our schedules for the event a few months back! After dropping the kids at school, we headed up to Puerto Juarez, boarded one of the shiny new Ultramar ferries and made the 17 minute crossing to the island.

As is almost always the case, we ran into friends along the way, on their way to a sun and fun-filled day! Our friend Beth and a few of her gal pals from up north joined us on the ferry and then on to Ciro's to pick up our golf carts. It was a beautiful sunny day and we sent them off in the direction of Zama, our favorite beach club, to spend the day in style. We checked into our room at Casa Ixchel and then headed to Jax for some good old fashioned bar food and adult beverages. Let the mini-vacation begin!!

After lunch, we meandered back to Casa Ixchel for a swim and some prep time before the big party. I wandered down to the water to collect beach glass and shells for the kids and enjoyed a rare hour of quiet time on the beach. We met up with Frank, his cousin Emilio and his wife from Brooklyn and one of the partners, Frank Flood and his wife, visiting from Beaver Creek Colorado. More beers magically appeared from the bar upstairs and soon we were all in full party mode! One by one, smartly dressed island residents and members of the local press began streaming in, eager to check out this new casual yet elegant dining destination. Frank, Miguel and Head Chef Joel were on hand to greet the guests and welcome them to Casa Louise Ixchel. Named for Frank's wife, this intimate restaurant perched above the 12 bedroom suites, looking out west to the Caribbean, is the culmination of a year of careful planning, design and construction orchestrated by Frank's trusted team of consultants, architects and chefs. From the renovated dining area to the new kitchen to the bar every inch of previously under utilized space has been painstakingly reconfigured to get the most use out of the existing structure without changing its footprint or detracting from the original design. A new staircase has been built from the street level, leading up over an elegant new water feature, to a welcoming full service bar and lounge area. Guests can enjoy their cocktails either inside on the comfortable built-in sofas or outside at a table overlooking the sea. Up just a few more short steps is the main dining room with sweeping 360 degree views inviting diners to enjoy spectacular sunsets from this stunning vantage point. The restaurant now boasts attractive handcrafted windows that can either be left open to take advantage of the cool Caribbean breezes or closed against the elements in case of a tropical rain storm. I think we were almost as excited as Frank to see it completed.

The bartenders were certainly put to the test on this evening and the spirits flowed freely. The musicians knew just how to the the local ladies up and dancing and Chef Joel's crew efficiently put out platter after platter of artfull tapas and hors d'eouvres and bite sized deserts. The party was a huge hit and carried on well into the evening.

New friends Ashley and Curtis, proprietors of the B&B Villa las Brisas, famous for "Beer so cold, it'll make your teeth hurt!".

Rob, Frank and Chef Joel

As the party wound down to a close, a few of us old timers convinced Miguel to pack us into a cart and take us out for late night tacos. I have a picture of that merry crew, but I have promised not to post it. Really.... you can't make me. Let's just move on to the next day, shall we.

The next morning some of us slept in (Rob) while those of us who managed to not drink ALL of the beer on the island got up for an early swim and a walk on the beach. We rendezvoused for breakfast in the dining room with Patty and Frank Flood and reviewed the highlights of the night before. Breakfast was delicious with piping hot coffee, fresh orange juice, sliced fruit and regional favorites such as chilaquiles and huevos mutulenos. Despite all the tapas and tacos we had consumed just hours earlier, we were still ravenous.

Among the less obvious rewards of the sale of this hotel was a new friendship forged with the new owner, Frank, a fellow New Yorker and like-minded adventurer. His unbridled enthusiasm and persistently positive spirit carried him through the hotel deal and now on to a successful launch of the new restaurant. If you liked Casa Ixchel before, you are going to love it now. Miguel is still a constant presence onsite in charge of daily operations and making sure each guest feels right at home. The addition of the bar and restaurant can only serve to make guests of the hotel feel even more comfortable and pampered. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Happy Hour from 5pm to 7pm offering free tapas appetizers, Casa Louise is a nice feather in the cap of this already popular hotel. Judging from the great turnout and the positive remarks from the guests, Frank has already begun to endear himself to the residents and fellow business owners of Isla Mujeres who will help insure the success of this new endeavor. Rob and I are looking forward to many more wonderful nights and wonderful meals at Casa Ixchel!

Frank, Miguel and Rob

For more information about Hotel Casa Ixchel and the new restaurant, email to reserve@casaixchelisla.com or call (011-52) 998-888-0107. Miguel speaks excellent English and will be able to assist you in making a reservation for lodging or dining. When you go, and you will, tell them Big Rob and Michele sent you!

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Poolside BBQ with Friends at Tropical Casablanca and Dirty Martini

Rob Kinnon — Sun, 24 May 2009 14:45:00 GMT

Yesterday afternoon, The Hotel Tropical Casablanca and The Dirty Martini Lounge joined forces to host a wonderful pool party and BBQ for all their Playa del Carmen friends and visitors. With all you can eat BBQ chicken, sausage and sides for just $50 pesos for locals, (small children ate for free) this party drew quite a crowd. The kids splashed and played in the lovely courtyard pool long past dark while the parents cocktailed and chatted. For this special event, The Dirty Martini offered $15 peso beers which by my estimation is the best deal in town. It was a day spent catching up with old friends and making a few new ones. Here are a few pictures from what we hope will be the first of many regular gatherings.

Everyone cooling off in the pool at Hotel Tropical Casablanca

Birdie on her dragon

Ryder taking after his Dad.

Cole and Rob

Will at the lobster rodeo

Dr. Roy with Rodrigo and the new baby!!!

Little fish, Zoe

Pretty Claudia

Jan and Birdie jousting

Dave and Riley

Melisa

Mmmmmmm

Wings on the grill

Francis and Rob

Sara and Kim

Steve, Claudia and Randy

Debs and Sherry

Tony and Cheri and Kim

Sara, Rob and Monica

Bill, Cheri, Kim and Nicola

Caroline, Lisa and Debs

Jez, Kat and Deborah

Tall and fabulous, Claudia and Randy

Very serious, Francis and John

Not so serious, Greco and Monica

Keersten and Jez

Sherry and K.ike

Sara and Gus

Kick ass Kat and her man Syd

Steve and Rob

John and Penny

Judy and Sherry

Steve and Gary

Cole clubbing it downtown...again.

There was a great turnout for this event and if you missed it, you'll want to be there the next time. Bring the kids, bring the dog, bring your friends and have fun poolside in downtown Playa! Thanks to all the organizers and staff at The Hotel Tropical Casablanca and The Dirty Martini Lounge!!

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