A New Month Begins
Not only the start of a new week, but the first day of September, Labor Day up north in Canada and the US, and therefore, a long weekend. Mexico celebrates Labor Day by not working on May 1, like most countries in Europe.
The whole time I was on vacation, at the mercy of restaurants for the most part, I didn’t eat beans because they did not appear on a single menu. How do people survive without beans? I am cooking a kilo of black beans as we speak, and the aroma has permeated the house, reminding me of my deprivation. In exchange, I ate fabulous Swedish pastries. O.M.G. Where surrounding countries are heavy on the bready part of pastry, Sweden throws itself magnificently into cream-filled, vanilla-laden, uber-rich concoctions I could try to live on. My sister and I even bought stuff at supermarkets we knew were packaged ”at the end of day” and went back the next morning to the same store to buy more. There were none.
While beans are great to come home to, pasta at Il Pesce. with mushrooms and truffle oil, almost made me weep with happiness. My dear and excellent smart friends, and the creator of Vallarta Calendar Kevin Feltner, and husband, Rob Dornan, took me to dinner last week. Owner Carlos and his great team were madly cleaning out their fridges for the big move up the street; more on that in future columns. I am happy they will soon have more space. The night we were there, there was not a seat to be had. Excellent for the end of August to be at maximum capacity.
Nacho Daddy reopens for Year 17 today. I am going on Wednesday for bingo to support the free Colina Spay and Neuter Clinics. That starts at 4 pm and continues all season long every other Wednesday. While all the dog and cat rescues in Vallarta are equally important, it makes sense to me not to let animals reproduce in the first place. Interrupt Conception and you are not faced with Adoption. Or worse. And it’s a blast with Lydia Damato calling the balls as only she can, and the prizes are terrific indeed.
I saw Lydia last night for a quick hug at Langostinos Restaurant on the beach. They were celebrating the end of another fabulous season with their annual Customer Appreciation Day, with free drinks and appetizers. The place was full for their last night with owner Colette Zarry, personally greeting everyone with her gorgeous smile and sincere gratitude for the fifteen years she has owned this iconic business on Los Muertos Beach. Colette is also co-founder of Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic. That grim story is another for the annals of Puerto Vallarta. Colette donates a percentage of all Langostinos sales to her charity, so after they reopen in mid-September, go and enjoy the terrific food and watch the waves come and go, knowing you are making a difference in the lives of Vallarta’s animals.