Good And Bad Changes

Ah yes, more changes here in Puerto Vallarta.  Some are, in my opinion, better than others.

A Good Change


I have never been a fan of Senor Frog's, a big generic barn of a place that you can find in just about every vacation place you can think of, from Cancun to Puerto Rico.  Maybe I would like it more if I was still in my teens and on spring break, but it has been a long time since I was in my teens and I could never afford to go on a spring break.  Call me crotchety.  Personally, I think their business model finally caught up with them.

Maybe Senor Frog's Was Wrong


But we found plenty of places that hadn't changed.  Cuate's Cuete's was one of them.  Another old-time beach-side place that still serves good food at reasonable prices.

An Old Favorite


Located right next to the old pier that three guys with a pick seem to be tearing down one chunk of cement at a time, it is the perfect place to have a beer and watch the world go by.

A Cold Beer On A Warm Day
 



And, as always, good food at very reasonable prices.

My Octopus Salad


Now, I don't know where they got this octopus, but I have been amazingly accurate in my ability to pick the outcome of soccer games since I ate it.  Poor Paul.

Another place that hasn't changed is La Palapa, easily the classiest restaurant on this stretch of Los Muertos.  And, because February 1st was another one of the Mysterious Chinese Woman's birthdays, we had dinner their to celebrate.

Ah, What A Cute Couple


Not only were the drinks and the meal delicious, as usual, the service was excellent as well. And the after-dinner flaming coffee drink presentation was as spectacular as well.

The Picture Doesn't Do The Flames Justice




Another favorite that remains the same is the fish lady on the beach right next to where we stay.  We stopped by the day after we arrived to say hello and ordered a whole red snapper for later in the week.  They won't even start to cook it until you arrive to make sure that you get it freshly cooked

About To Become Our Meal


And, believe me, it is worth waiting while they prepare it for you.

Beautifully Done, As Always


Certainly not the fanciest of places, but what can beat sitting right on the beach while eating your fish tacos and drinking a couple of cervezas.

Now This Is Living




And for anyone who thinks that Puerto Vallarta is getting a bit pricey, this meal, including the beers, was 160 pesos, or just a bit over thirteen bucks for the two of us.  Is there any question about why we have been going here for years?

Oh, back to changes,  This is one that I am not sure about, my Mexican haircut.

Before


After


At least it will grow back.  I hope.

This afternoon I am off to watch the Superbowl and all I can say is IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE JETS PLAYING THE PACKERS!!! One yard on the ground in the first half and less than that in four downs on the one-yard line. But I am over it, really I am. No, I'm not.

Happy New Year

The Year Of The Rabbit


The Mysterious Chinese Woman will kill me when she sees this.

Cha...Cha...Cha...Changes

As you probably gathered from my last post, Puerto Vallarta is a continually changing city.  And, yes, with a population of well over a quarter of a million it really is a city now. Certainly not the sleepy little fishing village that John Huston found when he began filming "Night Of The Iquana," and not even the same as it was last year.  Everywhere you look, it seems, things are changing.

The City, It Is A-Changin'








In most cases the changes result in something positive.  At least in my opinion.  Oh, there are those who would like to see Puerto Vallarta remain the same as whenever it was when they first arrivied.  But then they don't live here so they aren't worried about how a growing city has to change to accomodate growth and, yes, lure more tourists. And the permanent residents may not enjoy poor plumbing, electrical outages, clogged streets, and all the other things that short-term tourists might consider quaint.

But every once in awhile something changes that brings a tear to the Bar Man's eyes.  And this change was one of them.

My Dear La Gloria de Infierno


Well, from the outside it looks pretty much the same.  No loud music, though.  And a peek through the window revealed a disturbing sight.

A Sad Sight Indeed






Yes, one of my favorite dive bars, a place that has probably been here since before the arrival of Mr. Huston, is no more.  Rumor has it that it will be replaced by one of the omnipresent little Mexican 7-11 like stores that are popping up all over the place.  I will miss La Gloria de Infierno.

Is This The Future?


Luckily there are still hold-outs, and I am confident that, at least in my lifetime, there will always be these holdouts.

My Favorite Taco Stand


La Ballena Azul


Fresh Shucked Oysters From The Bay


Yes, change is inevitable, most of it good, some of it sad.  But isn't that like life itself.  And Puerto Vallarta is alive, and that is why I come back year after year.

We Have Arrived

The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I arrived safe and sound here in Puerto Vallarta late Sunday afternoon.  And, although I feel for all of you stuck in the cold and snow, let me tell you, it isn't all warm weather and sunshine here.  Oh, wait, yes it is.  Sorry about that.

Given that we were up early, 4:00 AM for me, we decided to head to our traditional first-night dinner at El Dorado a bit on the early side as well.  It has changed management, like many other places here.  In fact the first three places we have eaten have all changed hands or management.  The change at El Dorado was more, shall we say, glaring than the others, however.

The New El Dorado


Now when you realize that El Dorado was one of the first beach bars here and in fifty years had not really changed a lot, this change was, well, glaring.  It has gone from an old, kind of formal, Mexican place to what now looks like a Southern California beach bar.  I can't say I like it all that much, particularly the techno-beat music they now have blaring.  But, tradition is tradition so that is where we had our first-night's dinner.

Our First Cervezas In Puerto Vallarta




Happily, the food was still very good, although a bit different in its preparation.  The Mysterious Chinese Woman had a whole red snapper and I had a tuna cervice, very good with a nice tang to it.  Others have complained that the prices are somewhat high and I guess $8.50 for a hamburger might attest to that.  I didn't think our meals were too expensive, but I am from New York so what do I know.

Sadly my tranquility here was shattered upon leaving when I saw this sign:

The Big Game


I tried to convice people that the "big" game was the week before when the Jets played the Steelers but, as you can imagine, I got no sympathetic ear.

We were kind of pooped so we called it an early night and then went to one of our favorite places for breakfast the next morning.

Lagostinos


The food, as usual, was quite good.

Huevos Divorciado


In English this would be divorced eggs.  Two eggs, one with a green sauce and one with a red sauce.  Very tasty.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman had a vegetarian omelette and it came with two soft tortillas folded over melted cheese.  Also refried beans and a scoop of mashed potatoes.

Hmm, Yummy


Plenty to eat and very good.  Their coffee is good too.  It was only afterward that we learned that this place had also changed hands.  But at least not much else seemed to have changed.  I will have to check it out for dinner one night.

And, in keeping with the theme of change, the old pier that has been here forever is being torn down to be replaced with, well, with another pier.

The Old Pier Will Be No More


Apparently there was a large picture of what the new pier would look like, but it had been taken down.

Only The Frame Remains


A local wag suggested that they have to redo the picture every time the plans for the new pier change.  I suspect that it was kind of an eyesore and blocked a nice view of the bay.

Then, we ended up going to what once was Sweeny's for dinner.  But, again, it was no longer Sweeny's.

Que Pasa




This place, like Lagostinos, really hadn't changed.  Same menu, same specials, same great food and friendly service.  There is kind of a hstory behind the change in ownership.  I know Sweeny was trying to sell the place last year and whoever bought it also bought the rights to the menu as well.  Plus, I believe the new owner was somehow involved with Sweeny when he originally opened the place.  I think some of the staff is the same as well.  One guy who used to work there was in having a beer and he said he still bartends on Wednesday sfternoons.

So, there you have it, three restaurants and three changes of either management or ownership.

Some things don't change, however.  As we were having a beer before dinner a few friends that we hadn't seen since last year, Bella, Tom, Marie and Peter, spotted us from the street and hollered up a hello.  We hollered back and invited them to join us and we all had dinner together.  So the best part of Pueto Vallarta, making new friends, meeting old friends and spontaneous get-togethers, remains the same.

Sadly, except for Bella who is from Puerto Vallarta, the other three were from, arrgh, Wisconsin.  They were surpisingly sympathetic about the Jets loss to the Steelers, but that was just because they had wanted to watch the Super Bowl with me so we could root for our respective teams and hurl insults at each other.

Today is another one of the Mysterious Chinese Woman's birthdays so I am taking her to La Palapa for dinner.  As far as I know that place remains the same.

Adios

The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I are off to warmer weather.  I shall post again in a few days after we have settled into Puerto Vallarta a bit.

Until then, stay warm.

Day Ja View

Well, here we go again.  Sure, it looked like just a few flakes coming down yesterday, but the snow blew in last night.  Almost 16 inches in Central Park.  And in my neighborhood?

Our Sidewalk Was Shoveled


I still don't know why they park these two little police thingies in front of our place, but they have been there for months and I don't think the one by the mailbox has moved in all that time.

Not Going Anywhere Today, Either


At least this time around the streets were all plowed early.

Good Job


I think this guy should have taken advantage of the nearby parking garage.

Some Digging Out To Do


Once again, though, after schlepping my way to the nearby deli to pick up the morning paper I discovered they hadn't been delivered yet.

Just three more days and I will be heading to the sunshine and beaches of Puerto Vallarta and leaving all of this behind.  And I can hardly wait.  We have shattered the record for snow in January and that Christmas Day snowstorm was something else again too.

After years, and thanks to one of my Mysterious Sister-In-Laws, I have finally deciphered the rule for when Minnesota has its annual Fishing Opener.  It is, by law, two weekends before Memorial Day.  And, once again, it is not on Mothers Day this year.

Anyone think that Gil Meche had a touch more class than Brett Favre when it came to retiring?

Is it just me, or is Hillary Clinton begining to look more and more like the woman who lived under the radiator in the movie Eraserhead?

Just Asking


And, finally, after watching an episode of BBC's Law and Order I have to wonder, do they use prosthetics to make the actors teeth look bad, or do the actors really have bad teeth.  In the United States version even the bad guys have good teeth.

Snow Again

Arrgh, more snow here in Brooklyn.  We have already had more snow this so far this winter than we usually have for an entire winter.  And another major snowstorm moving in tonight. 

The View From My Window


Luckily it is all supposed to clear out by the weekend when I head out to Mexico with the Mysterious Chinese Woman.

Just saw the coolest thing on CNN, beer dispensers that fill up plastic glasses from the bottom.  They are designed primarily for sports stadiums because they are fast and there is no spillage.

Bottoms Up


And nothing says sports more than getting as much beer as you can into the fans as fast as you can.

There Is Always Next Year

Well, you can't spot a team 24 points and expcect to win. But you have to admit, the Jets did still manage to make it exciting at the end.

I didn't want go public with a dream that I had last week for fear of jinxing the Jets, but I thought I would share an email that I sent to a friend last Thursday:

From: Dan Freeman (dan_freeman_llc@hotmail.com)
Sent: Thu 1/20/11 12:50 PM
To: jersmrekar@hotmail.com (jersmrekar@hotmail.com)

Jer,

Bad enough that the Jets are on the cover of Sports Illustrated, I dreamt that they lose 19 to 28.

Dan

I am not looking forward to reading the papers or watching Sports Center today.

I saw where Jack Lalanne died the other day at age 96. I immediately thought that they should run him through one of his juicers and sell the extracted liquid as a vitamin supplement. Perhaps a bit macabre, but then I myself would like to be made into sausages. Beer sausages, of course.

Now that the Jets season is over I have only the Knicks to fall back on, and they have just lost six games in a roll.  Now the Associated Press, as reported in the New York Daily News, says that the Knicks "are in the midst of a six-game skid."  It seems to me that if you have just lost six-games you aren't in the midst of a six-game skid, you are at the end of it.  They were in the midst of a six-game skid after they lost three in a row.

Excuse me if I sound a bit grouchy, but did everyone but Brian Schottenheimer think it was a bad idea not to just run the ball when you had three downs to make one yard.  I know I was yelling at the televison after the first incomplete pass and was in agony after the second.  Of course given that the Jets only made one yard in the entire first half, I am guessing they weren't too confident in their running game.

Welcome To My House

Desert Islands and Books

The other day I happened to glance at an old Bible that I have. For some reason that triggered a thought about What book would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island? Usually, when people are asked that question, the will say "Oh, the Bible." Sometimes you will hear someone say something like "The complete works of Shakespear," although that would probably be more than one book.

Me, my book would be Boy Scouts of America Official Handbook for Boys, preferably the original 1911 edition.



Hey, I want to know how to start a fire with sticks, build a lean-to, and identify edible plants. Plus, maybe, I could finally learn how to tie a sheet's bend knot so I can bend the sheet to the clew of a sail. For some reason I think this would be important.

As promised, I stopped into the Waterfront Ale House and visited my friend Gaid. He failed in his attempt to quite smoking so I am still charged with bringing him cigarettes back from Mexico. Those unfiltered Camels he smokes are hard to come by but he said he would settle for Marlboros.

Oh, yes, he said to separate the glass from the Boston shaker you tap the Boston shaker, not the glass. I will make myself a Margarita this afternoon and check it out.

But, back to Waterfront Ale House. Now my one complaint about this place is that the beers are a bit pricey. On the other hand, they do have a nice selection. I started out with an Ommegang Adoration.

Adoring My Adoration


This is Ommegang's first seasonal winter ale and is a stiff (10% ABV) dark Belgian ale. It is quite spicy with corriander, cumin, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise included in the mixture. You get a good hit of alcohol but it is a very pleasing beer and perfect for a cold winter day.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman had a Rare VOS Belgian Ale. This is another Ommegang product and another tasty one. This one had, perhaps, a bit ore of a hint of orange and, at a relatively benign 6.5% ABV didn't knock the Mysterious Chinese Woman off her perch.

Another Good Winter Beer


In addition to the Pig Island festival on Governor's Island that I went to, there was also another event there called Meatopia.  At this event Sam won 1st place for beef and  he also won the top Grand Master award as well.

Another Blue Ribbon


Well, it's not a blue ribbon, exactly, but a nice piece of paper. Maybe there was a ribbon to go with it.

And, as promised, a closer look at the famous hot sauce.

Use With Caution


Now when I say this sauce is hot, I mean it.  I was telling Jim, the chef here, about how it was written up in Details.  He said it was so hot that he used it only sparingly.

Of course we then also ordered two appetizers that make use of the sauce, Buffalo Wings and, something different, Buffalo Calamari.

Squid And Chicken


Both were very good, but I thought the calamari was particularly good. Maybe because you don't see it too often. Definitely worth trying if you stop in. And the orders were large enough that we had plenty to take home.  Oh, and they were also plenty spicy.

Oh, yeah, the beer prices. Ten bucks for the Adoration and six bucks for the Rare VOS. As I said, a bit pricey, but you do have a nice selection. I think six bucks is the cheapest beer they have except for the special, which is usually four and a half bucks but you have to drink it at the bar. I think the are pretty lax about that rule, though.  You can't really blame Sam for the prices though, this neighborhood is really undergoing a change and, sadly, rents are going up, and steeply.  I have already mentioned how the really good Mexican restaurant nextdoor to Waterfront Ale House had to give it up.  Sadly, the only way you can afford to stick around, unless you own your own building, is to increase prices.

Today I have to tidy up my place because the Mysterious Chinese Woman is hosting a birthday party, for herself, tomorrow. I think she is combining it with a Chinese New Years celebration as well because we will be in Mexico both for her kind of actual birthday on February 1st (Mysterious Chinese Women tend to have "kind of actual birthdays") and the Chinese New Year which starts on February 3rd. It will be the year of the rabbit but my suggestion that we serve rabbit at the party was strongly rejected. I don't know what all we are having, but I am responsible for roasting a leg of lamb.

I did make it clear to everyone that no matter what else is taking place, at 6:30 the television goes on and I watch the Jets game. Either that or I leave to watch the game at one of the local watering holes. Probably not the Waterfront Ale House, though. They just have two little televisions.