Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Playa del Carmen , Mayan Riviera , Contest

2013 About.com Readers Choice Awards - Vote Riviera Maya!!

Rob Kinnon — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Greetings from sunny Playa del Carmen!!

Once again, our little blog "Life's a Beach" was nominated for the About.com Readers Choice Award for Favorite Mexico Blog. I just found out that I am now a finalist. Huzzah!!

But wait...it get's even better! "Life's a Beach" blog was not the only nod toward the Riviera Maya!

Tony and Cheri Head are in the race with Luna Blue Hotel in the running for Favorite Bargain Hotel!
Mitch and Shawn with Yucatreks have a fight on their hands to win Favorite Mexico Tour Company.
Matt Shilowitz from Acanto Boutique Hotel has his sights set on winning the award for Favorite Luxury Hotel.

Let's show the Riviera Maya some love and show the About.com readers that our little corner of Mexico is the very best place to be!

There are other fun categories to vote on as well. Votes are limited to one vote per award category per user per day. The winners will be announced on March 19th!

So please, take a minute to cast your votes and pass along these links to your friends, share them on Facebook, Twitter or your favorite social media platform! It would make me super happy and hopefully draw some good attention to the Riviera Maya!

Click here to vote for "Life's a Beach" for Favorite Mexico Blog:

Click here to vote for Luna Blue Hotel for Favorite Bargain Hotel:

Click here to vote for Yucatreks for Favorite Mexico Tour Company:

Click here to vote for Acanto Boutique Hotel for Favorite Luxury Hotel:

Thank you so much for your support!!

I moved to Mexico with my family in 2004 with the hope of offering our children a more global education and world view. Since then, we have traveled through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, gathering friends and life experiences and learning a lot about ourselves along the way. When we are not out and about exploring, Rob and I own and operate BuyPlaya, a Playa del Carmen real estate company and FurnitureMex. "Life's a Beach" is a catch-all blog where you may find anything from restaurant reviews, to recipes, gardening tips, commentary about expat daily life, local events, information about moving to Mexico and educating children in Playa del Carmen. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Vote for "Life's a Beach" in About.com 2012 Readers Choice Awards!

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:32:00 GMT

Greeting to all "Life's a Beach" readers! This blog was recently nominated for the About.com Readers Choice Award for Favorite Mexico Blog of 2012. I just found out that "Life's Beach" is now a finalist! We are in the company of some excellent blogs, so this is quite an honor.

If you have enjoyed "Life's a Beach" and find the information valuable and entertaining, please consider casting your vote for us. You can vote once a day for the next four weeks. There are other fun Mexico categories to vote on as well. The winners will be announced on March 30th!

"Life's a Beach" is the only blog representing the Riviera Maya. I am hoping that this contest will draw some good attention to the this beautiful region we call home, something we endeavor to do every day!

To vote for your Favorite Mexico Blog, please visit the About.com 2012 Readers Choice Award page.

2nd Annual Family Eco-Challenge at Ak Lu'um!

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:30:00 GMT

There are only a few days left before the 2nd annual Eco Reto 2011, a unique eco challenge where families are invited to build the greenest and most original toy or game. Ak Lu'um International School is preparing its jungle campus to receive environmentalists, government representatives and families from the Riviera Maya who will present their original creations to a select panel of judges. The contest and Eco-Fair will be held on December 11from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm at the Ak Lu'um International School in Playa del Carmen.

Families are invited to design and build a unique toy or game that encourages play without doing harm to the environment. Submissions must be constructed using organic materials, materials that come from sustainable sources and/or recycled objects. Toys and Games submitted will be judged in the following categories: Most original, most beautiful, longest lasting/most durable, greenest/eco-friendly. Confirmed to attend the event are environmental leaders from the municipio of Solidaridad, representatives from SEP, SEMARNAT and UNESCO and representatives from Flora y Fauna y Cultura de México A.C. Local businesses has generously supported the event by donating prizes for the four different categories.

Prizes to be awarded will include passes for Xcaret, a boat trip donated by Lucky too, a swim with dolphins from Delphinarium and an electric scooter courtesy of Carpe Diem Communications among other prizes.The grand prize for the family who meets the four categories is a year's free tuition at Ak Lu'um International School worth over $43,000 pesos and is transferable.

BuyPlaya Real Estate Advisors, a locally owned and operated Playa del Carmen real estate brokerage, is sponsoring this exciting eco-event for the second year in row. "In a time when technology seems to be taking over our lives by leaps and bounds, we need to be mindful that our children learn to connect "play" with the nature that surrounds them and develop a very real appreciation for its resources." stated Michele Kinnon, owner of BuyPlaya and Ak Lu'um parent. "Having children and parents to work together on a fun project like the Eco-Challenge encourages all of us to take a second look at the amazing bounty of natural resources around us and reinforces the need to protect it for future generations. We are thrilled to support this event and look forward to seeing increased participation year after year."

Event organizers invite local organizations and businesses to participate in this one of a kind event. There will be a marketplace pavilion where local retailers may offer their eco-friendly, natural or organic products and/or food services. Space is limited. For more information including directions to the school campus contact akluum@gmail.com or visit www.akluum.com/ecoreto

Ak Lu'um International School is a Waldorf Initiative founded in 2006 in the jungle close to Playa del Carmen. The main aims are to promote sustainability, develop ecological awareness and teach children from 2 to 12 to reconnect with our earth. Students at Ak Lu'um learn with their minds, hearts and hands, the curriculum is academically challenging and meaningful with many opportunities for hands-on learning and artistic development. Ak Lu'um also welcomes children with special needs and seeks to integrate them fully, giving all children an opportunity to better know, understand and love fellow human beings. The community at Ak Lu'um International school is bilingual (English-Spanish) and culturally rich with over 12 nationalities represented by staff and pupils.

The Riviera Maya Welcomes COP16 with a Series of Eco-Events!

Rob Kinnon — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:50:00 GMT

The Riviera Maya is abuzz with activity and excitement this week as Cancun welcomes the delegates of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. As the host country, Mexico is conduction an inclusive conference with the aim of building understanding among the Parties to ensure that COP16/CMP6 deliver concrete and effective results to tackle the global challenge of climate change. Mexico has encouraged broad participation in the conference as well as extensive dialogue in the collective search for common solutions.

Running concurrent with this important summit are dozens of festivals and events organized to compliment the theme of the conference in Cancun. Many of these activities are family oriented and all help to promote a way of life that is healthier for us and for the planet we all share. One of these events is the first of its kind Eco-Challenge 2010 hosted by Ak Lu'um, Mexico's first ecological school. The contest, which is free of charge, invites local families to design and build a unique toy or game that encourages play without doing harm to the environment. Each submission must be constructed using organic materials, materials that come from sustainable sources and/or recycled objects and will be judged in several categories: most original, most ecological, most durable and most beautiful. Confirmed on the panel of judges are delegates from the COP16 Climate Change Summit taking place now in Cancun, environmental leaders from the Municipality of Solidaridad and representatives from Flora, Fauna y Cultura.

Local businesses have generously supported this exciting event with donations of prizes for the winners in each of the four criteria. Among the prizes are family passes for Xcaret, a family snorkel excursion with Abyss Dive Center, a boat trip for up to five people donated by Bauer Compressors, a swim with dolphins experience at Dolphinaris, a weekend stay in Tulum at Villas Geminis and an electric scooter donated by Carpe Diem Communications. The grand prize, awarded to the family whose toy best meets all four criteria, will be a year of free tuition at Ak Lu’um International School. This scholarship is valued at over $43,000 mn and is transferable.

The contest and eco-fair will take place on December 5, 2010 from noon until 2:30 pm on the school grounds in Playa del Carmen. Event organizers have invited local organizations and businesses to participate in this one of a kind event. There will be a marketplace pavilion where local retailers will offer eco, natural or organic products and/or food services. Registration is still open for both the contest and the marketplace although the space is limited. For more information including directions to the school campus contact akluum@gmail.com.

Take a look at the complete list of events scheduled from now until January 7th and see if there might be something that would be fun and informative for you and your family!