So it had been almost 1 year 5 months since I last left Vallarta, which was I guess was far too long, because when I arrived I almost didn't recognize my little town. Since I left Vallarta received 4 Starbucks (yuck), a new Costco (more Seattle), Penisula and Venetian high rises in the hotel district along with a huge mall with Liverpool (Mexico's Nordy's)-Benetons-Nine 
West, the demolishment of the quaint historic Molina del Aqua in old town replaced by a huge monstrosity, but most of all the closing of Viva, my old work place where I spent 2+ straight years 6 days a week (due to the passing of Mary Sue, god rest her soul - see my 3/17/08 blog entry). Vallarta hasn't seem to see much change for the good...but thank god the good was also still there...So I won’t go much into the flight there, but never again will a get a cheaper ticket and do a 8 hour layover in LAX…a sort of red eye flight from hell. Let’s just say LAX’s carpeted floor is not semi-comfortable for more than an hour. LOL.
So I left on Easter night and arrived in Vallarta by noon the next day. By the time I got through the newly remodeled PVR airport, through 4 plane loads of spring vacationer and such in customs and immigrations, I arrived at my destination in old town (Viejo Vallarta/Zona Romantica) at 1:30pm. I went straight Amy and Ben’s Café du Soliel on Carranza and Constitucion. 
It was amazing to see my old Chicagoan buddies again, hard at work schlepping the yummy sandwiches and coffee drinks to the local Mexican businesses and such. I dropped off my luggage and knew I had about 3 hours to do my rounds downtown before Terry and Noel arrived on their DIRECT flight from Seattle (whatever – LOL). My first stop was Picnic restaurant to drop off the Abercrombie/Gap/Banana Republic loot that Luis had ordered via email for me to mule down to PV for him. Damn his 4 shirts and 3 shorts were heavy…and I wanted to drop them off before I carted my luggage to the villa. It was awesome to see Luisito. He looked good and gave me the longest strongest hug ever. I miss him some much but am so glad he is not directly in my life anymore (just too flirty and still loves to play with my emotions – More on that and Noel’s understandable jealosy later). After Picnic, walking by the defunked Viva was hard, and very sad…so quickly I went around the corner from Viva to Elements furniture/accessories on Emiliano Vallarta to see Ana Margarita and Miguel (for more Viva reunions). They both looked great and it was amazing to see them! Then to Amaranta and El Soft. (this is all a circle of 6 blocks or so) When I walked into El Sofa Café not only was Amaranta there, but on the sofa was Brenda, Isel and Karin! I was so excited…the four of us were like those annoying teenage girls in a mall who hadn’t seen each other since Friday at school and had so much gossip to tell a day later…in their high pitched “oh my god” exzurberant voices. 
Ahhh…I was so apprehensive, nervous of sorts, to come back, but here I was…home again. My cobblestone streets, my pepino lady on the corner, my lavanderia next door, my beach, my wonderful Mexican friends. I once again felt so loved, my heart so full. Did I want to move back, probably not, but visit more often than I had, most definitely. Would I run into part of my apprehension, Zac and his mom, only time would tell. Not that we will ever agree on what happened with our falling out, but it was ridiculous that I stayed away this long for the fear of comfirtation. What ever happens, I thought, this is a week of good friends, relaxing and no drama.
So back at Café du Soleil I hung until 5pm-ish when the boys drove up in a lovely new silver Infiniti SUV owned by Eric and Ken, friends of Noel who now live in PV permanently. To Villa del Cielo we went in Conchas Chinas (www.villadelcielo.com). Wow! Simply amazing! So this is what it is like for tourist to come and vacation for a week, with a maid, a gardner, a pool, an amazing view, and no worries in the world huh? Brad was waiting our arrival, since he got there at noonish, flying in from Austin. Terry and Brad took a dip in the pool and mixed some drinks from our fully stocked bar, and Noel and I walked down to Cuates y Cuantes by the pier to meet up with Deana and Vanessa. The sun sat while we listened to the loud festival live samba music, but no girls. Finally they showed up and the boys joined us, we all had dinner at the old Chilies next to Kit Kat. It was so awesome catching up with Bean and Vanny, and Brad and Terry for that matter. Our fun dinner ended up at Garbos up the street, though Deana went home, Vanny whooped it up with us, where of course I had to do a couple rounds of tequila shots with my dear sweet Texan Vanny. It was great to see Garbo’s owner Javier and Luis…and no sign of Zac even though this was his “Cheers”. It was a wonderful day, I was only saddened by the fact that Tracy wasn’t there to join us. At sunset Deana and Vanny had filled me in that Tracy was in a deep depression for the last month and not leaving her house. I wanted to reach out to her all week, but didn’t want to rock the boat. I never did see her my entire trip…which did leave a little hole in my heart. I just wanted to give her a big hug and tell her everythings okay. I wish I could get her 9 cats adopted and drag her ass back to Seattle. I really think she needs to be taken out of her surroundings and maybe that would wake her up, take her out of her stooper???So the whole vacation was pretty much the following for us:
- out till 1am, 2am, 3am...eating, drinking, dancing, galavanting...
- sleep in till 10am, 11am and awaken to Lupita our housekeeper banging on our pool house door “buenas dias chiquitos...listo para mi?” We’d through a swim trunk or something on, so we could roll out to pool side and she could come into the room and make the bed and mop and clean the bathroom.
- The four of us would make some toast and eggs or whatever, and then we’d hang around the pool with the iPod blaring trying to decide what to do that night. This went on for a good many days. 
Tuesday the 25th we got our butts downtown and went to Barcelona on Calle 31st de Octubre (Halloween Street – LOL), for what ended up being a post-sunset dinner. It was amazing Spanish food like always…sizzling garlic shrimp from heaven. Then off to La Noche for a after-dinner drink (and to see Kevin the owner and peeps) and to kill an hour before Bar Manana opened. We met Amy, Ben, Amaranta, Isel, Karin, Christal and peeps at Manana for Joanna (drag impersonator show) http://joannajoe.com/. This was Joanna’s final show on a 3 month stint and we were lucky enough to catch her/him. Joe was a great guy we later found out at our pool party. Joanna was friggen hilarious…Noel and I have never laughed so hard. I was crying…I can’t tell you how funny ...watch a snibbit of her: http://celebrityinsanity.com/celebrityfilm.htm (and if we play our cards right, Joe might be in Province Town this summer when we go).
Wednesday, Deana wanted us to go with her and her Mom Carol (and Aunt) to the Blue Chair rooftop sunset drag show "The Dirty Bitches". Carol (lovely lady from St.John, Newfoundland, Canada...who I call 'the lady from the iceberg'...and I spent Christmas 2005 
and New Years Eve), was a drag show virgin and always wanted to go. As for me, I love the Dirty Bitches, especially Diva's comedy and Jacqueline's legs dancing.We especially liked both Diva's geisha to "I just wanna fucking dance" and her Shirley Bassey's "Life". So the 4 boys and 3 ladies watched the awesome show under an amazing sunset sky. Then after Ter and the ladies went home, and I took Brad and Noel to the straight side of Vallarta I love. First we went to La Cantina, but they didn't love the scene like I do, so then to De Santos but it was 250 pesos for guys on ladies night, so we ended up down the road at the new Ztai. It was such a cool space, massive with a restaurant on one street thru an open courtyard under the trees and graphic lights, to the Malecon street on the other side. We sat above the Malecon and people watched (one of my favorite things to do in PV). Finally we decided we needed a little gay, so back south across the bridge to La Noche and lots of Tequila.
Thursday we had a BBQ the four of us, for lunch and Ter and Brad has a message (the messeuse came to the villa) after. I took Noel on a little walking tour. We walked down the Malecon to the Cathedral Guadalupe and checked it out. Then up the steep Iturbide steps up to Le Esquina del Caprichio and Hacienda del Angel. Then I showed Noel Mary Sue's casa, and then my old casa (the top, not the 88 steps up from the bottom). Finally we walked around the corner to Casa Kimberly, Elizabeth Taylor's house with the famous pink bridge. Once home and after freshing up we went to Archie's Wok...YUM! I always loved that restaurant and it has a cool history...Archie was John Houston's chef and settled her after.
Friday, the Ter, Noel and I got up in a decent hour and went to the Green Chairs on the beach. Brad met up with us after his breakfast with his new vacation boyfriend he hooked up with. It was fun hanging on the beach again, and people watching all the hottie boys, okay and all the fat hairy men that shouldn't wear thongs. 
We were home by 4pm to clean up and such, and by 6pm it was time for our big sunset pool party. We had a great turn out and all my peeps came. Ter manned the blender and made some mean Margs...and we partied until 11pm in which after much chip and salsa and cervezas and margs...we decided we needed food and end up at late night De Santos. Before we were off to downtown for late night eats there was some dipping into the pool by Terry and Amy, along with Vanny and Ter getting down at pool side...to a little Nelly Furtada (see photo for more shananagans). We were all a little buzzed having dinner at midnight, but the rich (fresas) Guadalajaran Mexicans were fun people watching. Ter had to leave during dinner because he expired, and Vanny hit a tequila wall. What a night it was!
Saturday, we had a try pool party with Amy, Ben, Amaranta, Isel, Christal, Donna and Karin coming over and floating on the pool and tanning and drinking. It was fun. Donna brought lunch from Pollo Feliz, like the good ole days. 
By the night we met up with Juliana, Rob and her bro and wife at El Arrayan. They flew in earlier that day, and I am so glad our days coincided. Juliana, Rob, Noel and I ended up at La Noche for a night cap. They had to leave soon after since they had been up since 4am. As soon as they left Luis showed up and hung with Noel and I. The three of us then worked our way over to Manana. Luis soon after the Stripper show disappeared. But Noel and I boogied the night away and got home at 4am-ish. It was another blast of a day. I loved hanging with Noel all week. We did well in London and now in Vallarta. Damn I love him. 
Sunday, got up at noon...and pool, pool, pool! We had a cocktail party with Eric and Ken at their Horizon condo (amazingly beautiful) and then off to a tiny new cafe downtown called Cafe Lorraine...fabulous french food. Eric, Noel and I met up with Ter and Brad back at Garbos for our last nights drinks. The show tunes were outta control and Noel proceeded to kick over a little table with drinks...ooops. He couldn't help it, it was Chicago's 'All that Jazz'. I heard that we just had missed Zac, but I had a nice talk with his BF Marco.
Monday Noel and I walked down to the beach at 9am...and enjoyed the morning. Just us, a couple beach joggers, and the beachbar waiters setting up their chairs and umbrellas/palapas. We then hung at El Sofa for XOXO and then Cafe du Soleil for more XOXO. Off to the airport by 1pm.
While the week happened, back in Seattle they had a couple days of hail and more so of snow. SNOW!!! How tragic with the 80 sunny degrees we had everyday. LOL.
1 comment:
It was great seeing you two again. Which country will we do next??? Jammie xoxo
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