Tag Archives: Local lifestyle

Action Packed November Events in Playa del Carmen – Golf, Food, Music and Fun!

Posted on by

November is a busy month in Playa del Carmen!  As low season is nearing the end, and more people start to arrive in to the area, we have packed lots of events in our calendars starting this month!  November is a time for Golf Lovers, Food Lovers, and Music Lovers!  If you love all three you are in for an extra special treat!

What can you expect to see around Playa?


The OHL PGA Golf Tournament! Kicking off a slew of November events in Playa del Carmen is the annual OHL Classic PGA Golf Tournament at Maya Koba!  Come see the pros, and spend the day with your friends and family on one of the most prestigious golf courses in Mexico.  The PGA Golf Tournament will start off on Thursday November 14th and run through Sunday November 17th.

If you like to golf and want to get in on some golfing action, join in for the “Golf para todos” event on Saturday November 16th!  This fun event was a huge hit during the entire summer at Maya Koba!  This Saturday, as part of the PGA Tournament schedule, will be the final chance you have to partake in the fun for this season!

There will be lots of tourists flying in to be a part of the event so you may be noticing Playa a bit busier this coming weekend.  If you already live in Playa del Carmen this can be a great weekend activity to add to your agenda!

Annual Taste of Playa!  Get your mouths watering for Playa del Carmen’s annual Taste of Playa event coming Sunday November 24th at Parque Fundadores.  This is an annual event held in Playa and is one of the most popular, and geared up for, events of the year.    An incredible selection of Playa chefs, caterers and restaurants will be there to provide you samples of their best dishes.
You can pay for your samples by purchasing “Playa Pesos” which is a similar concept to buying tickets for a carnival ride.  Once you purchase your Playa pesos you can use them towards food samplings which range 2-3 pesos per sample.

If you like you can purchase VIP tickets which get you early entrance, special VIP seating and 20 Playa Pesos towards your samples!  The event will run from 3-9 pm!  This is a do not miss event if you are Playa.  Where else do you get to try the best of Playa del Carmen’s amazing selection of restaurants all one on place.

Taste of Playa Pre-Gaming!  Do not forget to pre-game for this exciting event by participating in some of the “Taste of Playa Kick off” events!  On November 16th Wah Wah Beach bar will be a hosting a Taste of Playa Pre party event!  Come and join in for National Open bar and Appetizer buffet for 450 pesos at the door (online tickets available for 400 pesos).  The party will include raffles and great live music as well.

Casa del Agua will also be hosting their yearly Taste of Playa food and wine paring dinner on Wednesday November 20th.  The dinner costs 750 pesos and can also be purchased online through the Taste of Playa Website.

Riviera Maya Jazz Festival!  All the fun and all the food all lead down to one well anticipated yearly event – The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival!  Here we will see amazing artists such as Earth Wind and Fire take the stage at Mamita’s Beach in Playa del Carmen.  This event starts off on November 28th and runs through November 30th.
This is often times the weekend that starts brining our friendly snowbirds down from the United States and Canada to spend the winter.  The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival has been an incredible success in past years and is expected to carry on the same great reputation and popularity for years to come.

If you are wondering time of year is great for travel in Playa del Carmen, November is your prime time.  On top of the fact that there are fun events going on throughout the entire month, you can also still take advantage of low season rates on airfare and hotel stays.

We, at Top Mexico Real Estate, hope to see you around town this November in Playa del Carmen!

Wildlife Wednesday – Top Mexico Real Estate’s “Dream a Little Dream of Mexico” Photo Contest Grand prize Winner!

Posted on by

Meet the famous monkey who gave everyone a run for their money in our “Dream a Little Dream of Mexico” Photo Contest!  He entered in the last few weeks of the contest and got an incredible amount of attention.  Congratulations to Kat Mendoza for winning the grand prize and for being so enthusiastic about the contest!  All of us at Top Mexico Real Estate would like to say thank you to all who participated and voted!

-By Bea Lozano
Livin' Playa video interview

A Sweet Treat – Why expats are raving about Café Martin!

Posted on by

Meet Lesley and Jody; the owners a charming café, new to Playa del Carmen, called Café Martin!  This very friendly Canadian couple moved to Playa del Carmen in 2005 with their 2 children!  They settled quite nice in Playa del Carmen and quickly felt that they were right at home.  They love living in Playa del Carmen and especially being so close to the beach.  So it was not a difficult decision to stay and live their lives in Playa!

Since then they have found their passion in cooking and baking and have wanted to share their creations with the whole community.

 

Sometimes if you want something done you have to do it yourself!
Playa del Carmen offers many options for delicious treats but Café Martin offers a special shine for the expat community.  When Lesley and Jody arrived, to live in Playa del Carmen, they found it difficult to find the things that they missed and loved to eat.  Lesley had a determination to still enjoy her favorite foods.  She said to herself “If I can’t find it, then I will learn how to make it”.  And that she did!

Lesley, and her husband Jody, starting experimenting cooking their favorite foods from back home in Canada until they got it all down to perfection.  Some of their favorites were pirogues, lasagna, meatballs, spaghetti sauce, shepherd’s pie, pizza, muffins, bagels, cookies, flavored cream cheese, and even ice cream!

 

Making Café Martin a reality!
They were soon to realize that they weren’t the only ones who were missing those delicious meals from back home!  Other expats from all over town started to contact Lesley to ask her to cook for them.  The excitement drew from the fact that they were making dishes that could not be found in other restaurants or cafes in Playa.  Some items like lasagna can be commonly found but other items like Pirogues or classic bagel breakfast sandwiches are unlikely to be found!  And with that, they started their delivery service!  The couple started to cook food in large batches and freeze them.  Then when and order came in they would have it on hand in ready for delivery!

Their delivery service became so popular that the demand for opening up a store was obvious!  They never had any intention to come to Playa del Carmen to open a business but after finding out their passion in food they knew they had to share it with the whole town.

 

Lesley’s theory – “Happiness is Homemade!”
We got a chance to try some of their delicious treats and I must say they have a gift!  We sampled cookies, muffins, bagels, pizza, lasagna, cheesecake and of course a Canadian loved dish, Pirogues!  YUM!  We took some items home to feed the family and it was a hit.  Fast, convenient, homemade fresh food made with love!

Café Martin opened its doors at the beginning of September and is very popular among the expat and local community! They are open every day at 7am serving excellent coffee, baked goods, sandwiches, and have a full freezer stocked with your favorite home cooked meals to take home!

In this video Lesley and Jody share their experience about living in Mexico, and give us a firsthand look inside Playa del Carmen’s newest food lovers craze, Café Martin!

Watch and enjoy!  For more information about what café Marin can bring to your table click here to go to their website or find them on Facebook!

 

 

-By Bea Lozano
Mexico Real Estate Testimonials

Falling in love with Fall in Playa del Carmen

Posted on by

This past weekend marked a new season of Fall all around the world!  For many the fall/autumn is associated with a slight chill in the air, changing colored leaves on the trees, pumpkin spiced coffee, comfy light jackets and the smell of apple pie!  Although many people are sad to see the summer come to an end, most will welcome fall with open arms!

This is a feeling that often gets missed if you are living in Playa del Carmen or other areas of the Caribbean!  Let’s face it; September doesn’t exactly scream autumn here, at least not in the way we are used to it!  But like anywhere else in the world the season does bring its own feeling no matter where you are!  There are plenty of ways to get you into that fall feeling!

Fill your senses!
Fragrances of cinnamon, apple or pumpkin can bring the life of fall right into your home!  Light a candle or use a fall scented air freshener!

Eat and drink your fall favorites! Don’t stop just because the weather is warm!  Go ahead and bake that pumpkin pie! Or choose your favorite fall flavored latte in your favorite coffee shop!  Fall is a feeling and it doesn’t have to be dictated by weather!

Decorate your home with fall colors and décor! In most stores you will find plenty of fall decorations!  The weather does not stop the retail industry from making these things available to you! Dressing your home in fall colors can bring the sweet autumn feeling right into your heart!

You can taste, smell and look at fall every day inside your house!

Get into the spirit with holidays!


Start creating your Halloween costume and get excited for your Thanksgiving dinner!  Getting excited for these fall holidays can put you right into that cozy comforting autumn mood.

Escape the Caribbean!

If you are truly itching for a taste of real fall then you might want to plan your vacations home during this time period.  Or if you have never traveled through Central Mexico it can be a perfect time of year to see the beauty of Mexico City, Guanajuato or San Miguel!  Taking a week or so in a cooler climate can do just the trick!

Natural changes the fall equinox brings to The Riviera Maya!
While it may still be quite warm in the Riviera Maya during the fall season, the weather and the amount of sunlight does start to change.  You may, every now and then, experience an evening or morning that becomes a little chilly!  If you love the fall take advantage of those moments!  Grab a sweater and go for a walk!  Take in the chill!  This is your time to drink a hot beverage and smell the cool air!  Fall is not non-existent here, it’s just sporadic!  So take advantage of the days that do come!

Each season brings new changes enter our lives. All of us here at Top Mexico Real Estate want to wish everyone a happy fall season in Paradise!

-By Thomas Lloyd
My real estate - Mexico real estate buyers tools

Churches, Pyramids, Volcanoes and Pure Colonial Charm: Cholula

Posted on by

Churches, Pyramids, Volcanoes and Pure Colonial Charm: Cholula
Just this week I posted a picture of one of Mexico’s most famous volcanoes – Itzaccihuatl, the one that looks like a sleeping woman.  Now, this volcano is right next to another one, Popocatepetl, which recently had a small eruption.  Some photographer captured a picture of a church on a hilltop with the erupting volcano behind it; the picture is so beautiful that I decided to make it my computer wallpaper.

Here’s the funny thing; I didn’t realize until today that I’ve actually visited this site!

This discovery has brought to mind another great place to visit in central Mexico – the town of Cholula.

Where is it?

Cholula is a town which has been swallowed up by metropolitan area of the larger (colonial) city of Puebla.  It would be misleading to say “suburb” since it’s much more like a town and not at all like the modern idea of a suburb.  This means it’s about 2 hours away from Mexico City, just on the other side of the famous volcanoes I’ve mentioned.

The colonial beauty

Like the city of Puebla, Cholula is full of pure colonial charm, with many churches and buildings with colonial architecture; the town is simply a lovely place to walk around and enjoy the scenery.  There are also good restaurants.


Mystery and Magic

While there are many sites worth seeing and writing about in Cholula, I want to focus specifically on the one I mentioned at the top – the church, called Nuestra Senora de los Remedios, on the hilltop with the view of the volcano (more correctly volcanoes, since besides those two, you can see 2 others further in the distance.)

First of all, it’s worth noting that it’s actually not on a hilltop.  If you look at any picture of the church and “hill,” you will notice that the sides are very straight and almost flat; what appears to be a hill at a first glance is actually a pyramid that has been overgrown.  The church was built on top of the pyramid!
The pyramid was from a more ancient civilization in the area, and was actually abandoned around the 12th century; by the time the Spanish arrived and built the church, the pyramid was long out of use and overgrown.

In recent decades, the bottom part of the pyramid was excavated, allowing you to see the bottom steps, and revealing a large network of secret tunnels in the bottom part of the pyramid!  The top has not been excavated because of the church on top, which is also a treasure!

The Church

After you check out the fascinating pyramid, you can make your way up the “hillside” to the church (walking only, 48 steps, 850 ft upward!).
First of all, the views of the volcanoes are stunning! You can look out over the green, patchwork countryside with the majestic volcanoes towering in the distance.

The views of the city of Puebla are also amazing. (Here’s a challenge; count how many churches you can see.  If you can visit all of them, you’ll know the entire city, and have seen some of the most beautiful architecture to be found!)

The church itself is spectacular.  The orange painting outside with white trim and elegant domes and arches is true to the best of colonial style.  In the interior, the painting, gold work, images, statues and structure are all very original and very beautiful.  It’s a place where you can just stand in silence, absorbing it!
It’s easy to see why the church, like the pyramid in ancient times before it, is one of the region’s most important pilgrimage sites.

If you are traveling in central Mexico, I would definitely recommend a trip to Puebla and the town of Cholula!  Among the many sights you will see in your life, few will be as specular is this one.

-by Bea Lozano
Mexico Closing Costs Kit

Keeping Kids in School; Playa del Carmen’s New School Year Starts

Posted on by

School started YESTERDAY in most areas of Playa del Carmen!  And with the help of the KKIS Project many deserving kids will be well equipped and ready to take on the new year!
Friday was a special day for us at Top Mexico as we were invited to help the KKIS Project put a lot of smiles on the faces of kids at Pelopidas School in the Guadaulpana neighborhood of Playa del Carmen in the morning.  As we have mentioned before, the KKIS Project works hard all year making various efforts to support keeping the kids of Playa del Carmen in school.
Their main effort his summer has been to collect school supplies and search sponsorships from people to help provide filled backpacks to the children in need before the start of school at the end of August.  Yesterday we visited one of the last schools on the list.  We loaded the back packs into the trucks and gathered into a room with 58 back packs and plenty of kids and parents.
One at a time the child’s name is called and the child or parent came to accept the back pack.  It was very touching because the kids showed so much appreciation in their face.  It was also very nice that each name that was called had a couple moments of fame as their photo was taken and everybody clapped.  It just made the experience so lovely for the kids!

Afterwards the KKIS project was thanked graciously by one of the parents who were speaking on behalf of all the families.  The kids even came around and hugged and thanked each one of the volunteers.
The efforts of KKIS are now coming to a close as the final deliveries are being made.  But they will not stop!  Come October they will continue their efforts with new projects all intended to help the kids in school and enjoy learning.

If you are looking for some way to give back to the community and get involved here in Playa the KKIS Project is a sure way to do it; and they are always happy to have more help!

-by Bea Lozano

Mexico Condo Hotel Kit

A Fair is More Than a Fair, It’s a Whole Affair! Playa del Carmen Fair 2013

Posted on by

The Playa del Carmen Fair is a summer event that many locals and expats look forward to all year!  The Fair will usually take place at some point in July and runs for a little over a week!  During that time the streets around Wal-Mart are closed down and packed up with rides, food vendors, craft and merchandise vendors, and entertainment areas.  This is normal for any fair that you will find in your own home town but anywhere you go each place will bring its own Flare!  Mexico certainly brings its own and I want to show you some of the ways we do it.

 


The Rides

Let’s start with the rides.  There is a nice selection of easy going or thrilling rides both for adults and kits.  Of course you will find the ever so famous BIG WHEEL; most know it as the Ferris Wheel!  This is a common ride among fairs everywhere and is sort of the landmark of the whole event!  Another favorite in the Playa Fair is the sky ride where many people wait in line for hours to take a ski slope type trip through a couple blocks of the town center.  Other rides include some fast adult thrillers whipping you around and upside down and some fun picks for the kids!

 


Games & Shows

If rides are not your thing there are plenty of other things to keep you busy!  There are many games to play that will offer prizes for the winners. Also there is a special entertainment tent where you can see many different kinds of shows put on locals in the community including dance and music which in most cases is rich in culture!

 

Shopping

There are plenty of shopping opportunities for local products and handcrafts. This is a good place to find a cheap colorful pair of shades, some nice decorative Mexican handcraft, plenty of jewelry, even shoes!  And that is just to name a few!

 

Mmmm … Food!

Now everyone’s favorite Fair subject!  The FOOD!  A fair would not be a fair without traditional fair food.  Depending on where you come from the food may change but the craze and eagerness to eat delicious things will stay the same.
Some common and traditional foods include corn on the cob that is smothered with mayo, parmesan cheese, lime and chili!  Also, churros which in my opinion are another version of a fried dough covered in sugar; they are simply amazing.

How many ways can you cook a banana?  Well at the fair you can fry it either to a crisp like chips and eat them as such or until soft and sweet to smother it in a sweet vanilla crème sauce called Lechera! Either way you are in for a treat!

Now on to the marquesitas!  Marquesitas are made with a batter almost like a crepe but when cooked the dough gets crunch like a soft waffle cone filled with cheese or sweets like nutella or sweet caramel.

Don’t have a sweet tooth? Well that’s ok.  There are like three different ways to eat hot dogs.  Try them small and cut up with fries, traditional or make it a corn dog! Here in Mexico we like variety!  Other traditional whole foods include hamburgers and of course tacos and quesadillas!!!  It is likely you will arrive home nice and full!

But don’t worry, you don’t have to wait until next July for these delicious treats because it’s likely you will see them again in February when Playa holds its annual carnival event!

To see some great photos of this year’s event please visit our album on Facebook

 

-by Bea Lozano
Mexico Real Estate Testimonials Continue reading →