Isla Mujeres - Sept 2010~ Golf Cart Day

We spent Sunday morning in the courtyard of Casa Sirena, sipping coffee with Steve and Tio Bobby and then we all walked down to Cafe Hidalgo for fabulous crepes. Later we walked over to Posada del Mar to visit with Tim and Vee. They were feasting on some divine looking rotisserie chicken and sitting in the bar at Posada. (Which, by the way, has a wonderful view!) We were the only people there - it was slow season, after all - and Tim and Vee were making cracks about the loud music they were playing in the bar and how they were trying to attract a crowd and make it look like a happenin' place, but when they got there, all they would find is 'some old people eatin' chicken'. Too funny! The view from Posada - for the guys They built a life size shrine for me, how sweet! Back at Casa Sirena we lazed about the rooftop, reading, lounging in the plunge pool, listening to the rush of the ocean and watching the ferries come and go from a distance. Ahhhh...contentment. My 'Carol Merrill' imitation View from our balcony - Room #1 And the frigate glide like kites on the wind hovering above the endless sea... Sirena Steve on the hammock deck Kids running around with their new puppy Happy hour with Sara Jane and Robert from Casa el Pio, Steve and Bobby. Everyone else had left because Steve was supposed to have left town, but had changed his plans. Yep, we had the run of the place, lucky us! Family next door to Casa Sirena enjoying a big Sunday family meal Gerald and I had dinner at Bucanero's, which was good. We shared Sopa de Lima, some Guac and an entree of Tortilla Crusted Fish. The only complaint I had was that they put a 15% tip on our bill. For a party of two. When asked, we were told 'Oh, there are a lot of Israelis on the island and they don't tip." We look very Israeli, so I can understand the mix up. Whatever. We entertained ourselves by listening to the conversation going on behind us (which, in our defense was very loud indeed). Miss Overly-Enthusiastic-About-Everything was over the top flirting with Mr. Come-Eat-At-Bucaneros, while her date just sat there silently. It's like he wasn't even there!! We saw her walking alone the next day. No big surprise. Monday Morning, and it was time to get up and do something and to beautify ourselves! Tio Bobby gave us both haircuts after breakfast and then we hopped on a golf cart, our beautiful golden locks flowing in the breeze and took off in search of adventure. Or at least in search of fun. Huevos Montulenos and a Haircut...two pesos Our mission? To deliver cookbooks. We ended up on Daniel's front porch and since no one answered the door, we just yelled for him. Luckily none of his neighbors called the police. We crossed the street to pay a visit to La Gloria English School just as Tim and Vee pulled up. Marbella was there and we visited with her for a bit, then headed South (Because no visit to Isla is complete without a trip down South) to visit with Carmita and Jim and to drop off Carmita's cookbook. Guadalupana La Gloria English School Vee, Me and Marbella Jim and Carmita (The Queen of Isla) greeted us with hugs and a cold drink. We sat out on their deck and enjoyed their incredible view and fun conversation. Next stop? Tim's Birthday Lunch at Playa Lancheros! Carmita We feasted on Tix n Xic and drank Mojitos and had a fantastic time. We watched the 'Cancun Cattle' come and go, with thier cool neon wristbands and their big boats. Playa Lancheros is still a lovely place to lunch and we recalled many years ago when the Cuban Stand there made the best Mojitos that I've ever tasted. Unfortunately, it blew away in Hurricane Wilma. They have recently redone the bathrooms there, and they are really nice. Hanging out with Tim and Vee was such a treat, they are so sweet and so much fun. Very interesting and intelligent and we just love 'em. Cancun Cattle Tim plays the fish bones like a harmonica Gerald and I moved over to Playa Media Luna later that afternoon, as it was time for Steve to kick us out and leave town. We lazed around the pool and I searched the beach for sea glass. We had a delicious dinner that night at Comono (It was full of those 'non tipping' Israelis!!! LOL) I just love Comono. The owners, Chen and Lee are so nice and adorable (can't wait to see how beautiful their baby, which is on the way, will be), the staff is friendly and the food is fabulous. Hotties - Gerald and Lee Fed some Hidalgo kitties and headed back to Media Luna and fell into a blissful sleep to the sound of the crashing waves.

Isla~September 2010: Soothing the Soul at Sirena

Another glorious morning (of sleeping in - sunrise photos courtesy of Mr. Wonderful) and my favorite Casa Sirena breakfast (drum roll, please) Huevos Divorciados. Yep, divorced eggs. Deee-licious. After breakfast we wandered around the island and over to Posada del Mar to hang out with Tim and Vee at the pool. We had a wonderful and relaxing time and laughed at a couple of little kids, especially one little exhibitionist who was all of maybe three years old. New sculpture of La Triguena at the Malecon. I love it!!! Yummiest Catch We found Big Jim at Sancocho's (surprise) on the way back home and enjoyed his company and a beer. Chili Loco had recently closed up and they were selling off the plates and glassware. A sad sight. Sleepy Princess must wake up to go to Happy Hour Back at Casa Sirena we succumbed to a nap and then we were ready for another fun Happy Hour with Tim and Vee, Zina, Tio Bobby, Josh and Emily and of course our host with the most, Mr. Steve Broin. Anniversary gift from Steve Gerald and I had a very late supper at Ballyhoo, which is one of my favorite places to eat on the island. I had their incredible Fish Tacos and OH the green sauce and the tamarind sauce. Gerald wisely chose the Fish and Chips. Out of this world. It was a very quiet and relaxing dinner and we listened to Fleetwood Mac and the sound of the ocean, then wandered back to Casa Sirena and off to Dreamland. Another lazy and fantastic day! Let me take a moment here to count the ways I love Casa Sirena. Not only is it beautiful, conveniently located, and fabulously comfortable, it is also an amazing value - breakfast and happy hour are included! The breakfasts are HUGE and absolutely delicious and you don't even need lunch (just a little snacky). The sunset roof top happy hours are so much fun and we've met so many interesting people there. The name 'Sunset for the Funset' truly applies. The attention to detail is astounding. Comfy robes, handmade soaps, sanitizing gel, candles, and a moist cool washcloth upon arrival will spoil you. Services such as golf cart delivery, laundry service and massage services are available and can be arranged for you. You will want for nothing, as rooms include hair dryers, iron and ironing board, beach towels and a mini frig. All of this...and Steve, too! Steve is the perfect host and a good friend and you will be forever grateful that you have chosen to stay at his home. http://www.sirena.com.mx/ And, in case you're wondering...this trip report DOESN'T GET ANY MORE EXCITING THAN THIS!! This was the most lazy, relaxing, spoiled vacation of my life and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was recharging and doing exactly as I pleased, which was pretty much nothing. Steve!

Isla- Sept 2010 - Begin the Beguine

Twas four days before Christmas and all 'round the net, folks yelled 'POST YOUR TRIP REPORT BEFORE YOU FORGET!' Okay, someone once told me (Hi Nancy) that I couldn't go on another trip to Isla until I'd done a trip report from the last one. Wise words. So grab a glass of wine and let's head South of the border! Our trip began with an extended stay at DFW Airport. We boarded our plane, only to be kicked off due to an A/C problem. (Can't we just open a window and go already??). Our estimated two hour delay turned into a five hour delay, but we amused ourselves with $3 Mimosas and made new friends at the bar. I used our $20 in lunch vouchers to buy everyone ice cream sundaes, so it was really pretty fun, all things considered. I figure if you're gonna be stuck somewhere, you might as well have fun. Apparantly not everyone shares this view. Finally we took off, arrived in Cancun and whizzed seamlessly through immigration and customs. I was a little weirded out about being stopped in customs with about 20 cookbooks, but they let me through. Yay! USA transfers had been tracking our flight and were ready for us. We watched the sunset from the van as we drove through Cancun. Not ideal, but could be much, much worse. The ferry is pretty at night. We sat atop and watched the ocean go by, all lit up by the blue ferry lights and saw our beloved island come into view and the stars come out to play. We arrived at Casa Sirena in time for happy hour. God Bless Steve!! Tio Bobby was there and a lovely couple who I believe were newlyweds, Lars and Christina. A margarita has never tasted so good. Gerald and I enjoyed a very late supper at Brisas and it was a beautiful quiet night. I enjoyed shrimp tacos and another margarita and Gerald feasted on blackened grouper and drank a rum and Coke. It hit the spot and we really liked the habenero oil that was offered on the table. It was a delicious blend of oil, habenero, garlic, onion and spices. Sorry a couple of these pics are really out of focus. It was very late by the time we finished dinner and we strolled slowly back to Casa Sirena. A breeze blew through the empty streets. It was like a ghost town. So quiet and serene. Off to bed. Buenos Noches! Friday was a beautiful day to sleep in while Gerald rummaged around. I was so happy to be on Isla after such a busy summer. I had just mailed out about a hundred cookbooks and Chloe had been in two plays back to back, so I was tired. And I mean like I've never been tired before. I was exhausted. Being at Casa Sirena was so peaceful, so comfortable and I was incredibly happy. Breakfast was delicious Chicken Enchiladas, a lush plate of fresh fruit, coffee and fresh squeezed juice. It was cool on the patio and we leisurely dined and chatted with Steve and Tio Bobby. After breakfast we ran around the island for a while, went to the beach and went hunting for sea glass at Playa Media Luna (there was a man in business attire sitting on a big chunk of concrete on his cell phone. Nice place to spend your lunch break!) and then over to Qubano to visit with Vivian and refresh with some of her wonderful Watermelon water. After a grocery store run, we hung out on our beautiful Casa Sirena balcony and then, in a sudden but short lived burst of energy, managed to make it up to the rooftop where we lounged the rest of the afternoon away. We were all set with Habenero potato chips, drinks, a plunge pool, lounge chairs and I was reading a new Alice Hoffman book - The Story Sisters (which I really enjoyed). All was right with the world as we relaxed in our own private heaven four floors above the world. There was nothing in my life that demanded to be cleaned, cooked, driven anywhere, processed or answered. Ahhh.... That evening Tim and Vee joined us at Casa Sirena for happy hour. It was so great to finally meet them, as Vee and I have been friends on the internet for years. They were so much fun! Vee and I were like long lost sisters. Tim and Gerald hit it off, too with their quirky senses of humor and the fact that they are both musicians. We were lucky enough to have Zina join us, as well and another cute couple, Josh and Emily. We all dined at Brisas (two nights in a row and no complaints from me). I ordered Tequila Shrimp, which was delicious and we dined, laughed, drank wine and basked in the glow of the beginning of our vacation and wonderful friends with our feet in the sand. A Blue Seahorse talking to a Pink Bunny Tequila Shrimp at Brisas Huge Plate O Fish! Josh and Emily Tio Bobby and Lars Zina is serenaded

You and Your Paycheck

This is a public service announcement because I pay people for a living and it ain't always fun! Things you should know: 1) Death and Taxes - you know the saying...you can't get around 'em. No, I cannot pay your employees some mythical tax free bonus. Think for a minute...if I could do that, then EVERYONE would want to get paid that way ALL THE TIME. Right? 2) SUTA and FUTA are taxes. They are not Buddha's brothers. 3) I do not care how many allowances you claim on your W4. That's between you and the IRS. But if you claim 'EXEMPT', I will explain that to you. You won't like it, it's not good. Don't do it. In April you will call me and yell at me because I didn't take any taxes out of your check and you will want me to 'go back and fix that'. Now, Honey, if I had a time machine do you think I'd be sitting here? 4) Another note on that W4. You can't put a negative number in box #6 and get that amount added back into your check as a 'negative tax amount'. Nice try, tho. I like your style. 5) Yes, I'm brilliant, but I don't read minds. So, if you change your bank account, I don't magically know. Sorry. 6) I don't get to keep your tax deductions, insurance deductions or child support deductions. Again..would I be sitting here? And while we're talking about child support, when you call me and pretend you have no idea that you have a child, I don't believe you. I do, however say a prayer that you will never reproduce again. 7) I cannot make your check out to 'T-dog' if your name is Harold on your Social Security Card. Sorry, T-dog. 8) I've heard it all before. 9) Your Mexican Voter ID is not sufficient documentation to prove that you are an American citizen on your I9 form. I know...picky, picky. 10) Why have checked the 'Married' box and then listed your girlfriend as your emergency contact? Wait...I don't wanna know. 11) And about those Emergency Contacts? "John" with no phone number is not sufficient and '911' is funny, but this isn't a quiz.

Delusions of Sugar Plums Dance in My Head

I'm uncertain what it is about this time of year, but I always get delusional somewhere shortly after Thanksgiving. Maybe it's the beautiful Christmas displays in shop windows, maybe it's an overload of sugar lingering in my veins from the Pumpkin pie or maybe it's simply the arrival of cold weather that has frozen my brain. Whatever it is, it settles on me like an overnight dusting of Texas snow...it's CHRISTMAS DELUSION SYNDROME. I imagine myself about a week prior to the Christmas holiday, lounging on the couch in my black silk robe, sipping a cup of Kahlua spiked hot chocolate and admiring the festive surroundings of my holiday decorated (and clean) home while Christmas Carols play softly on the surround sound system. A fire is ablaze in the fireplace, the gifts are not only wrapped and under the tree, but properly tagged and within my set budget. I am leisurely leafing through a cookbook, deciding on what to lovingly create for the holiday meal. And even as I write this, I know it's insane. Oh, trust me...I know. But let me have my delusional perfection (did I mention that I look extremely thin and young as I am lounging on that couch?) because that dream? Probably not going to happen.

Secrets of Men at the Grocery Store-Revealed

As far as I can tell, men at the grocery store can basically be divided into three distinct categories. I have come to this conclusion because I spend an extraordinary amount of time there, let me tell you. All of the people at my local store know me, partly because my son works there and partly because they think I live back in a corner of the stockroom. Actually it may have been that big grape juice spill on aisle 10, but I digress. 1) Errand Boy for the Mrs. These men can easily be spotted by the cell phone glued to their ear and a wildy overwhelmed look in their eye. They have ventured into a strange land and are afraid to bring back the wrong thing. I've even seen one on the phone at the check out asking "Honey, paper or plastic?". I would categorize these men as more 'hunters' than 'gatherers'. 2) Lost Boys - These guys are lost, too, but instead of calling home, they ask random women at the store for directions. I have learned a lot about how people view me from these men and obviously, I look like a woman who knows where the Velveeta motherlode is kept. I've also been asked how to cook things and 'my wife sent me to get X, is this it?'. Being a good sport as well as a Grocery Goddess (Hell, I live there!), I always help them out. Kudos to them for asking directions. I know it's hard. 3. Man About Town - This man not only knows his way around the grocery store, but you can tell by the contents of his cart that he's got moves that put my cooking skills to shame. This, my Dear, is the man that you dream will say, "I would love to cook for you". The downside? He usually has another guy with him. BONUS GROCERY GUY: 'Mr. Friday Night' - He's a bonus category because he's like a super shopper special - only available for a limited time. I very rarely go to the store on Friday nights, but have had occasion to run by and pick up a few things. And I do mean 'pick up'. I had no idea, but apparantly (in my area) Friday night is Singles Night!! They're everywhere - nice looking men with shopping carts full of beer and frozen pizzas and that 'how YOU doin' look in their eyes. I counted once and had five guys said 'hello' to me. So, all you single ladies out there...now you know where they are. Get thee to a grocery store on a Friday evening! Since I'm happily married, I figured I'd pass this info on because I'm nice like that.