Posts Tagged ‘playa del carmen’

Indigo beach club

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

by Monica Hartlief

When I moved to Playa del Carmen more than 10 years ago there were only a few beach clubs to choose from. The places I used to hang out were first the Blue Parrot and later Costa del Mar (or El Pirata). Things have certainly changed for the better. We now have so many beach clubs it is hard to choose where to go. There’s Bad Boys, Fusion, Zenzi and El Faro / Wicky’s, Mamitas, KOOL, and Canibal Royal to name only a few.

Indigo 9 300x225 Indigo beach club

The beach at Indigo

Since 2010 there’s also Indigo Beach Club, located on Calle 14 and the beach. There are many things good at Indigo: the location (around the corner from my house), the sun beds, chairs and umbrellas (comfortable), the music (during the day it is low key lounge music with some exceptions), the food (Asian / Mexican fusion with Mediterranean influences), and the service (most of the time).

Indigo 276x300 Indigo beach club

Indigo restaurant terrace

Some things are exceptionally good like the breakfast buffet that is served on the weekends. It is an Italian style buffet that offers several types of (home-made) breads both sweet and savory, jams, cheeses, salamis, ham, olives, artichokes, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereals. You can also order a hot dish, ranging from the standard stuff, omelets and fried eggs, to the more adventurous like huevos a la Mexicana or chilaquiles (a typical Mexican comfort food breakfast dish). You can also try the Eggs Benedictine, perfectly cooked, served on a muffin. The price of the buffet is also very nice, 130 pesos with a coffee/tea and juice included. Not bad for a Saturday on the beach in Playa del Carmen.

Indigo 2 300x225 Indigo beach club

Indigo Beach Club

What annoys me however, and this is certainly not limited to Indigo, is the lack of transparency regarding the cost of the beach chairs. The beaches and beach clubs are all public in Playa, with the exception of the all inclusive hotels in Playacar, and most of them will be happy to have your business but nobody is ever able to tell you how much you will have to pay to use one or more beach chairs for the day. It seems to depend on how much you consume, how many other clients they have, how well the “season” is going, and if they like you (or not). It can happen that one day the chairs are for free and the next day they show up on your bill. It has been like this in Playa for as long as I can remember and if there’s one thing I’ve learned while living here, is that you don’t try to change, what you can’t change. So I just go with the flow. Grudgingly.

All in all Indigo is a wonderful beach club and restaurant, I’ll continue going there and not just because it is so close to my house.

Indigo 5 300x225 Indigo beach club

Indigo Beach Club at El Taj on the beach

Feel free to comment with your ‘Playa-beach-chair-rental-experiences’. I’d love to hear about it.

Indigo Beach Club on Calle 14 and the beach, open daily. For more information you can check out Indigo’s website or Facebook page.

How my tropical garden grows – I have dirt!

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

by Tyra Hamilton

I have always enjoyed gardening.  Well, not always.  I can still remember my mother asking me to water the plants and knowing this was the most horrendous chore that could be bestowed on a kid.  Time passes and things change.  Now, my favorite time of day is when I’m outside, quietly dragging the hose around the yard.

When I moved to Playa Del Carmen, I left the big yard, flower beds and lawn mower behind.  My first apartment in Playa had a cute little patio.  Tending a few ornamental plants in pots was the extent of my gardening during the first 5 years.   Now I live in an awesome little house with flower beds, a yard and lots and lots of weeds.  I couldn’t be happier.

image002 300x225 How my tropical garden grows – I have dirt!

view of the yard on the day we leased the house

We start with a small yard, towered over by a gigantic pine tree.  Yep, a PINE TREE growing only 5 blocks from the beach.  It seems a little out of place here in our tropical paradise, but I love this tree.  I love it not only because I think it is unique to the area, it also provides some nice shade for our house.  There is also another tree, covered in vine, toward the back of the yard.  A pergola has been built in this area and we like the jungle feel with the vines hanging just outside our bedroom slider.  There is nice sized flower bed that lines the wall from our front gate to the front door.  Another elevated bed runs along a big portion of the exterior property wall.

image004 225x300 How my tropical garden grows – I have dirt!

this pine tree towers over our house and garden

The yard is mostly weeds and dirt, with a little bit of overgrown grass and more weeds here and there.  Some of the yard and front flower bed have been free seeded with a plant producing blue (purple) flowers.  These plants grow like weeds (maybe they are) and left untended could probably take over the yard.   I like these flowers and plan to try to tame them and use them in the front bed.

image008 300x225 How my tropical garden grows – I have dirt!

these plants with purple flowers are everywhere

So that is pretty much what I start with. I think it is a good canvas to begin the art of gardening.  I am looking forward to my new hobby and the challenges it presents.  I don’t expect to create a showcase, but I do look forward to learning about the tropical plants, getting a little dirt under my fingernails and someday be able to sit back and enjoy my garden.  This will be my ongoing blog to chronicle the growth of my garden.  Along the way I also hope to receive, hints, suggestions and words of encouragement from you gardeners out there (help!).

image006 225x300 How my tropical garden grows – I have dirt!

vine covered tree and pergola

And the project begins…..

Mom’s Bar & Grill, where something good is always cooking

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

by Tyra Hamilton

I sat at the computer listening to it rain outside.   As often is the case on a rainy day, my mind went to food.  Not just any food, but comfort food.  In no mood to cook for myself, I checked the Facebook page for Mom’s Bar & Grill to see what was on the menu that night.  CHICKEN FRIED STEAK!  Perfect!  To a Texan, nothing says comfort food better than Chicken Fried Steak and mashed potatoes, smothered in gravy.

image002 300x225 Mom’s Bar & Grill, where something good is always cooking

Mom’s Bar and Grill is located on the corner of 30th Avenue and 4th Street, upstairs at Mom’s Hotel

So to Mom’s Bar and Grill I went.  After (over) filling my need for comfort food, I stuck around to socialize a bit.  Mom’s Bar & Grill is the ‘Cheers’ in Playa del Carmen.  It is the rare occasion to belly up to the bar and not find a group of expats telling stories, or a couple of tourists or hotel guests to meet and chat with.  Maybe a game of pool or throwing darts suits your fancy or if you happen to visit Mom’s Bar on a Tuesday or Thursday you can join in on a friendly game of Texas Hold ‘Em poker.

image003 300x225 Mom’s Bar & Grill, where something good is always cooking

My enormous serving of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and corn!

Mom’s Bar and Grill is located on the corner of 30th Avenue and 4th Street, upstairs at Mom’s Hotel.  In addition to being a full service bar, with great prices, Mom’s also offers a nightly dinner special.  The proprietor and chef at Mom’s Bar & Grill, Jurgen Janz , welcomes guests into his ‘living room’ Monday through Friday from 5 pm to 11 pm, with dinner served from 6 pm to 10 pm, or until the food runs out.   With a rotating menu of meals such as meatloaf, hickory smoked baby back ribs, bacon and portabella mushroom stuffed pork chops, just to name a few, you would swear they were cooked by mom herself.   The best part is that the prices won’t break the bank (half orders start at $50 pesos with full orders starting at $80 pesos).

image007 300x225 Mom’s Bar & Grill, where something good is always cooking

Jurgen and his beautiful bartenders, Tanya and Yessica

So the next time you feel the need for comfort food in Playa del Carmen, check out Mom’s Bar & Grill…. where something good is always cooking.

image005 300x225 Mom’s Bar & Grill, where something good is always cooking

Glad I saved room for the chocolate devil rum cake

Good Times at Bad Boys

Monday, February 28th, 2011

by Tyra Hamilton

By day, Bad Boys is a laid back beach club offering loungers, food and cool refreshing beverages.  But it is on Thursday and Saturday afternoons that the magic really happens and Bad Boys is transformed into a rocking good time.   Bad Boys, located on the beach between 4th and 2nd Streets (Calles) has become the place to be when JJ and the Nasty Bastards take the stage every Thursday and Saturday from 5 to 9 pm.

image0021 300x225 Good Times at Bad Boys

There is always a big crowd at Bad Boys Beach Bar on Thursdays and Saturdays

On a recent Thursday I found myself in need of some entertainment and naturally I decided a trip to Bad Boys was in order.   I was not to be disappointed this day.  I arrived around 6 pm and the festivities had already begun.  Every table was full and JJ and the Nasty Bastards were cranking out the tunes.

image004 300x225 Good Times at Bad Boys

JJ and the Nasty Bastards perform every Thursday and Saturday from 5 to 9 pm

The house band at Bad Boys, JJ and the Nasty Bastards, plays a mix of popular cover tunes that will have you out on the dance floor (or dancing on the bar) and singing along with the band.  The band welcomes visiting musicians and vocalists to sit in during their third set.  From bagpipes to washboards, from well known recording artists to a drunken bachelorette partiers, I have seen some super talented (and some not so talented) people sit in with the band.   A highlight of this particular evening was the performance of blues singer, song writer and recording artist, Angela Strehli.  I have enjoyed seeing Angela perform at various venues back home in Texas and it was a special treat to see her on stage at one of my favorite places here in Playa del Carmen.

image010 300x225 Good Times at Bad Boys

A group of Good Girls having a VERY good time at Bad Boys Beach Bar from left to right, Jana, Heather, Deb, Tyra, Kim, Judy and Karen

As usual, I totally enjoyed  my  evening at Bad Boys.   Good music, good drinks, good service, and good friends = GOOD TIME!

ComoComo

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

by Monica Hartlief

If you’ve had any conversation that involved restaurants in Playa over the last few months I’m sure you’ve been hearing the buzz as well …. ComoComo. The name kept popping up around me so I thought it was time to give it a try.

ComoComo is located on 5th Avenue between Calle 38 and 40, in the middle of the new and fashionable 38th street area. Everything that’s hip and hot at the moment seems to be there and I’m not talking about clubs or bars but I’m talking restaurants, small bars, a salon, nice furniture store, etc.

Como Como 5 300x225 ComoComo

ComoComo

ComoComo is a relatively small restaurant with comfortable seating inside and outside on a pretty wooden deck. It is nicely decorated, basic, not overdone with beautiful candles from Artevelas. I got the feeling that at ComoComo the focus is on the food rather than the interior.

I took only a few pictures and was planning on taking many more but got distracted and lost in the food pretty much as soon as my starter arrived (of which I did manage to take a picture). Mussels and clams prepared the traditional Italian way with white wine, tomato and lots of garlic. The menu is mostly Italian or Mediterranean cuisine with a lot of daily specials that are not on the menu. As a main course we had a special of meatballs and mashed potatoes and fettuccini with olive oil, tomato and lobster that we ordered off the menu. I was fully expecting pasta with a few pieces of lobster but no … it came with an entire (small) lobster, way to go ComoComo! Needless to say I loved it and my apologies for not taking any pictures. I’ll have to go back to take some (that’s my excuse). We weren’t very hungry after the 7 meatballs and a whole lobster so we shared a dessert of apfel strudel with vanilla ice cream and some good Italian coffee.

Como Como 2 300x225 ComoComo

mmm mussels and clams

With prices that are around 100 pesos for starters and desserts and no more than 200 pesos for a main course the bill was a pleasant surprise.  The service is also worth mentioning, very professional and friendly. I felt was eating at a place where people actually know what they’re doing and understand the restaurant business.

If you want to try it out for yourself don’t forget to make a reservation first: 9848591646. You can find more information on the restaurant’s facebook page or website.

Coco’s Cat Rescue introduces the Kitty Kottage

Sunday, February 6th, 2011

by Tyra Hamilton

I recently had the opportunity to attend a small BBQ for the inauguration of the Kitty Kottage, the newest Coco’s Cat Rescue facility.  Coco’s Cat Rescue is a non-profit agency dedicated to reducing the population of cats (dogs too!) in the Playa del Carmen area.  With two full time veterinarians on staff, Coco’s has implemented a very successful spay/neuter program – a total of 363 cats and dogs were sterilized in November and December 2010.  Additionally, Coco’s is a no-kill rescue facility with a focus on finding loving homes for the kittens in their care.

image002 300x225 Coco’s Cat Rescue introduces the Kitty Kottage

The Kitten Kottage is a light and airy building filled with all of the things that kittens love

The Kitty Kottage was built by Roz and Dave, two of Coco’s tireless volunteers.  This unique facility was created to care specifically for newborn and special needs kittens, as well as other Coco’s kittens when needed.  The kittens that will be housed in the Kottage will often times require almost round the clock care and feeding.  In this new facility, under the loving care of Roz, these lucky kittens will be given every chance to become healthy and grow up to find forever homes.

image006 300x225 Coco’s Cat Rescue introduces the Kitty Kottage

Roz, Kitten Kottage den mother, and Sherry, Coco’s Cat Rescue Board Member

The Kitten Kottage is not open to the public, however Coco’s hosts Kitten Cuddling every Friday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm at their main facility.  Kitten Cuddling is not only a fun way to spend a couple of hours, it also an important step in the taming and socialization of the kittens.

image003 300x224 Coco’s Cat Rescue introduces the Kitty Kottage

The tent currently serves as a play area for the kittens, but can also be used by Roz when the kittens in her care require feedings every two hours.

I was very happy to have the opportunity to enjoy the afternoon with an introduction to the new Kitty Kottage, a chance to love on the resident kittens and to stuff myself on some yummy burgers, BBQ chicken and salads galore.  Many thanks go out to Roz and Dave for their hospitality, all of their hard work and their devotion to the kittens.

image011 300x235 Coco’s Cat Rescue introduces the Kitty Kottage

I fell in love with this little ginger kitten!

For more information on Coco’s Cat Rescue, please visit their website or find them on FaceBook at CocosCatRescue.

Season Bistro

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

by Monica Hartlief

As you might have noticed I did very few restaurant reviews the last couple of months, ok I did none, but yesterday evening we decided it was time to try out a new place. We choose Season Bistro on 8th street. The place has many wonderful reviews on Tripadvisor and were participants in Taste of Playa 2010 (but unfortunately never made it to the actual event) so we were eager to check it out.

Season Bistro 002 300x264 Season Bistro

Season Bistro entrance

Season Bistro changes its menu with every season, hence the name, so it being January we were treated to the winter menu. Nothing is more wintery than soup in my opinion so we had the onion soup and the Dos Colores soup for starters. The soups came looking very pretty, smelling great (melted cheese will do that), and tasting even better. The onion soup was thick, sweet, well spiced and it could have been an entire meal that’s how filling it was.  The Dos Colores soup looked beautiful, poured into the cup like a yin and yang painting. It is 2 different soups together in a bowl, roasted poblano pepper and creamy corn soup and they tasted surprisingly really well together.

Season Bistro 005 300x259 Season Bistro

Dos Colores soup

The main courses were a bit disappointing. We had shrimp and lobster lasagna that tasted good, but it was covered in, a bit too much, creamy sauce which also didn’t do much for the presentation . The venison we ordered was presented beautifully and tasted ok but could’ve been so much better. So on to the desserts we went.

Season Bistro 008 300x225 Season Bistro

Venison in a chipotle sauce with masked potatoes and asparagus

If you’ve read some of my other reviews you know I’m a sucker for crème brûlée so when they mentioned the apricot crème brûlée I didn’t hesitate for a second. We also ordered a flourless chocolate – whisky cake with vanilla ice cream. Personally I don’t think you should mess with crème brûlée, it is hard enough to get it exactly right when making the classic version so I think you should just leave it as it is but in this case I was completely wrong! The apricot crème brûlée was fantastic, light and fluffy, possibly even better than when made with the classic vanilla flavored custard, the caramel on top was exactly right as well contrasting nicely with the creamy custard. An A+ on my crème brûlée list (yes, there’s a list). But not to forget about the chocolate cake which was absolutely wonderful too, rich dark sticky chocolate and plenty of whisky – cake with good vanilla ice cream on top, and a great presentation. After putting most of it away and gaining several pounds in the process we asked for the bill. The prices are not exactly “old Playa prices” but where do you get those these days and to be honest the meal wasn’t old Playa style either. Overall we were pretty happy with our dinner, the setting is wonderful, the wine and drink list original and pretty complete for a restaurant, the food creative, tasty and beautifully presented and the service is good and very friendly. Will we go back and try the next season? Absolutely!

Season Bistro 011 300x92 Season Bistro

Chocolate whisky cake and apricot crème brûlée

Season Bistro is located on Calle 8 between the beach and Fifth Avenue. They’re open daily from 4 – 11 PM, closed on Tuedays. For more info and the latest season menu you can check out the restaurant’s website http://www.seasonbistro.com

Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

Monday, November 8th, 2010

by Monica Hartlief

The last 5 years from Oct 30th to Nov 2nd Xcaret has been celebrating the traditional Mexican Day of Dead holiday with a festival called Festival de Tradiciones de Vida y Muerte. This year is Mexico’s bicentennial year so it was additionally called 200 años de Vida y Muerte.  The festivities started every day at 4 pm and lasted until almost midnight.

entrance 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

schedule 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

I was lucky to be invited to join a few friends to celebrate the holiday with them in Xcaret this year.  When we arrived around 5 pm on Monday the 1st the park was already packed with people. I was surprised to see mostly Mexicans, I was under the impression Xcaret was mainly a tourist park but this turned out not to be the case, at least not when it comes to the Day of the Dead celebrations.

dance 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

sing 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

During the 4 day festival Xcaret had more than 200 events planned, ranging from song and dance to elaborate concerts and theatrical shows. There are also many activities for kids, beautifully decorated traditional altars, elaborate tombs, displays and sales of artesanias, photography expositions, and much much more. This year the state of Chiapas was the “special guest” so there was a lot of emphasis on the arts and crafts of this state.

1 225x300 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

2 225x300 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

3 225x300 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

5 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

10 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

11 225x300 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

12 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

The food was also wonderful: empanadas, polcanes, churros, esquite, tamales, torta cochinita, etc. It is hard to get me to eat even the smallest piece of meat but for some reason I had no trouble wolfing down an entire cochinita sandwich. My friend did mention it was the best thing to eat when hung over… (we did celebrate Halloween the night before).

food 237x300 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

You can find more information about the Festival de Tradiciones de Vida y Muerte on the festival’s website. The Xcaret Eco-Archeological park is well worth a visit on other days and nights as well.

tombs 1 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

tombs 2 300x225 Dia de los Muertos in Xcaret

Latido de Mexico Takes LA!

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

by Susan de Lima

LA 0942 225x300 Latido de Mexico Takes LA!
Roof Top Pool, SLS Hotel – Beverly Hills

Over my years living and working in Playa del Carmen I have met countless amazing individuals from all walks of life. Moving from Canada to start a new life and business in Mexico took a leap of faith so when I was invited to go to Los Angeles, CA to meet, learn and shadow one of the best events companies in the business I took another leap! I have often heard the saying “Without risk, there is no gain” or something like that and I have embraced this whole heartedly.
Upon landing in LA and being greeting by my wonderful host, I knew I would love it there! We went for dinner in Manhattan Beach at a quaint restaurant, James Beach. Being tired from a day of travel we went home where California welcomed me officially with an earthquake. At first I thought I was over tired and perhaps had one too many glasses of wine! All was fine and I had lived through many hurricanes in the Caribbean so I took my queue from Lynn and relished the experience checking the news for the number on the Richter scale.

LA 012 300x225 Latido de Mexico Takes LA!
Good Gracious Team and Lynn my host

I was fortunate enough to observe and learn with GOOD GRACIOUS EVENTS, www.goodgraciousevents.com , during my stay. Each day I was greeted with a new and exciting experience. From attending a Sony Play station event for several thousand where my mentor, Pauline Parry, toured me through the catering process for an amazing spread of brunch goodies to a fabulous concept of food trucks to host several different types of foods. It was a hit and I was humbled by the ease the team conducted themselves. My brain still swims with inspiration and ideas for my own catering and events business in Playa.

LA 005 300x225 Latido de Mexico Takes LA!
Brussell Sprouts with Lime Foam, BAZAAR Restaurant

Then it was off to the SLS Hotel, Beverly Hills where I was again in awe and amazement. This luxurious hotel which was designed by Philippe Stark who definitely has the most interesting design imagination. Dining in BAZAAR by Jose Andres was a fantastic culinary experience for the remarkable flavours and stunning presentations. We actually went back a second time realizing that there was so much more to see and I am sure there is still more.

LA 0051 300x225 Latido de Mexico Takes LA!
Le Chateau Vineyard near Malibu

It was never dull, on a road trip to Le Chateau Vineyard as we transported the wedding cake (it arrived safe and sound!) while viewing the gorgeous countryside. There I was able to witness the Good Gracious Event team in action setting up a stunning wedding on a hill top. I watched in envy as there was an actual outdoor kitchen as we have had some interesting experiences with remote locations here in Mexico! We later dined on a picnic lunch in the cutest retro campground that is for rent at the Chateau outfitted with airstream campers and vintage cars.

We attended a wedding planning event held by “The Knot” which is a California based magazine and fabulous. From designers, florists and food this was another great learning opportunity for me not to mention FUN!

LA 125 300x225 Latido de Mexico Takes LA!
The Knot Event – Pauline Parry & Susan de Lima

And did I mention the shopping!? Just another thing I miss living in a touristic place where you can always find a T-shirt that says “Playa del Carmen” in any colour! From the downtown garment district to a quaint farmers market I truly shopped till I dropped! Note*buy and extra bag…cheaper than being extremely overweight at the airport! We spent a day perusing the famous Venice Beach followed by a lovely backyard barbque. It couldn’t be better.

LA 066 225x300 Latido de Mexico Takes LA!
Farmers Market – Asparagus & Baby Purple Artichokes

My fantastic trip ended with a night out at the House of Blues in Hollywood for a Gregory Isaacs concert. I am a huge reggae fan and this was the perfect ending to a perfect trip!

Thank you to everyone who made this adventure so memorable and I look forward to seeing you in Playa!

Wine tasting at Off the Vine

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

by Monica Hartlief

If you thought you only could drink tequila and beer in Playa, think again! At the Off the Vine store and bar you can get wines (and liquors) from all over the world and if they don’t have it they can order it for you or even better, make a suggestion for a similar or comparable wine. I suggest you try a Mexican wine, you’re in Mexico after all, and they have some fantastic wines here. Both the owner and staff are knowledgeable (much more than me), friendly and have customer service on top of their list.

Off the Vine is not just a wine store with a great selection of wines, they also do home delivery, organize wine tastings, wine courses, and participate in food and drink related events like Taste of Playa. If that’s all too much or too complicated, you can also have a glass of wine on the lovely terrace in front of the store.

Off the Vine 012 300x225 Wine tasting at Off the Vine

Off the Vine - wine tasting - Thursday's 8 PM

Last week I participated in one of the wine tastings with some friends and we had a wonderful evening. We tasted several reds and one white from Spain (they highlight a different country every week) and it is a good thing dinner is part of the tasting because my idea of tasting includes drinking the wine, not spitting it out (and I wasn’t the only one). The dinner was lovely, 3 courses which included a starter of some very nice Spanish Serrano ham and a variety of cheeses. The ambiance is informal and casual, so you can dress up but you don’t have to. Ricardo, the owner, explained about the wines we drank, where they were from, and what made them special. It is great to listen to someone talk about what they love while sipping on a good glass of wine. There is limited seating so it is a good idea to make a reservation before you go. The wine tastings are every Thursday at 8 PM, the cost is 35 USD (what a deal) and a 3 course dinner is included.

Off the Vine 008 300x225 Wine tasting at Off the Vine

wines and liquors from all over the world

Off the Vine is located on 1st Avenue between Calle 26 and 28, for reservations or delivery call 984 803 5244 or send them an email through the Off the Vine website.

Off the Vine 0151 300x225 Wine tasting at Off the Vine

Off the Vine wine & deli bar