Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen

On Sunday November 24^th, Taste of Playa was held once again in the beautiful Parque Fundadores on the shores of the Mexican Caribbean. Now in its 5th year, Taste of Playa has grown to be one of the most anticipated events of the year, drawing visitors to the city of Playa del Carmen to sample the cuisine of 40 or more international chefs who have come to the Riviera Maya from all across the globe. All year, Playa del Carmen foodies look forward to this culinary festival hoping to try the very best signature dishes from the regions very best chefs.

Once again, Taste of Playa did not disappoint! The park filled right up at 3pm with hungry visitors all anxious to sample their favorite dishes and find some new ones. Tables were well laid out and organized in several areas to offer people a place to sample all the dishes. The beautiful VIP area was completely transformed this year in vibrantly colors to comfortably accommodate the lucky VIP pass-holders.

There was a wide variety of cuisines represented: Thai, French, Alta Mexicana, Comida Corrida, Italian, Vegetarian, BBQ among many others. Guests could quench their thirst as numerous bar stations provided by iconic Playa watering holes like La Ranita, Tequila Barrel, Dirty Martini and Off the Vine. Whether you were looking for a cold cerveza, a fine wine or a good stiff martini, there was something for everyone!

As the day went on, the crowds even began to spill over into the neighboring beach area and children entertained themselves on the playground while their parents took a rest from the crowd and recharged their batteries. With its breathtaking location, nestled between 5th Avenue and the beach, Parque Fundadores provides the perfect environment with spectacular views over the ocean. This year we were treated to a magnificent sunset that got everyone's cameras snapping including mine.

As always, the Taste of Playa Executive Committee, the participating bars and restaurants and the volunteers all are to be congratulated for a job well done. Having served on the committee, I know exactly how much time and efforts goes into putting on an event of this size and caliber year after year. As local business owners, we feel like we have a responsibility to support events that promote the Riviera Maya as a destination and raise funds to help those less fortunate in our community. We are proud to have our companies, BuyPlaya and FurnitureMEX associated with an event that so many people attend and enjoy.

Michele Kinnon and her husband Rob are the owners of BuyPlaya Real Estate Advisors and FurnitureMEX, both based in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Michele is a member of Rotary Club of Playa del Carmen Seaside and participated on the founding committee for Taste of Playa, the Riviera Maya's largest and longest running culinary festival. She also blogs, writes local interest articles and administrates the Riviera Maya Events Calendar. Michele and Rob have lived in Playa del Carmen with their two children since 2004. Follow her updates on Google+.