POSTCARD: Greetings from Cabo San Lucas

Dear Mi Amigos:

I've been a busy little bee lately.  Last weekend I was learning how to make soba and completing my very first triathlon.  Now I'm back from Cabo San Lucas, a very welcome reprieve from my oh-so-difficult-life [especially before my Griswald Family Adventure].  I haven't been here since 2004.  Boy, has it changed a lot. The streets are so much wider than what I rememberd.

People have been asking me if I was afraid to travel to Mexico.  Seriously?? Have you seen my neighborhood [ok, probably (hopefully) not for most of you, but I live in Los Angeles. Enough said.]?  I'm more afraid of walking around after dark in my 'hood than walking buck nekkid down the beaches in Mexico [which seriously, is a scarier sight for everyone else involved].

Plus the people here were so friendly [and really, how can you be afraid of these guys]!  They all seemed to be waiting for me with a drink in hand...

Besides, how can you beat THESE views.  It's absolutely amazing.  

And the food.  I love Mexican food.   Of course, I sampled some taquitos [small tacos, not the rolled up deep fried cigar shaped things we eat here in 'Merica] from Gardenia's:

and some wonderful twist on shrimp cocktail with a Beer Foam:

 ...and dessert...you know, my favorite part of the meal.  My favorite by far was the green ones on the right  - pistachio chocolate.  Yummm.

My favorite view was from Sunset da Mona Lisa Restaurant...It gives you a breathtaking view of famed Los Arcos.  They also have a dish that uses a lava rock to cook your meat on.  It was fantastic!

One new thing that I learned while I was in Cabo was that Mexico provides about 30% of all organic produce sold in the United States! I had no idea but I decided to go down and take a look at one of the organic farms while I was there. 

Flora Farms was amazing.  It was a haven in the midst of the dusty desert for the road weary travelers that we were.  It was so refreshingly green with shade trees and herbs everywhere, despite the fact that it was not growing season!  Not only was it a haven for me, but it was also a haven for stray dogs, the very first Humane Society in Los Cabos [see below. i love that crazy dog]. One feature of this farm that I was not able to partake in was the cooking classes that were offered. I need to make another trip down there soon so I can correct that!

All in all - a very wonderful getaway!

Tacos, Tacos, Tacos

One of the major perks of my job is the travel.  I get to travel to some pretty great destinations - Bahamas, Grand Caymans, Hawaii, Cabo, and Cancun to name a few.  Over the years, one of the most important aspects of travel for me has become the food.  When I first started, the one thing my President said was, "you need to taste the food.  it has to be good."  That was one sacrifice I was willing to make.

I love restaurants that serve the rare, exotic, unusual fares that I can't get at just any restaurant.  I also love the dirty-hole-in-the-wall-I-may-get-food-poisoning-here types of places too.  On my last trip to Cancun, I asked my handlers [my destination management company] to take me to a taqueria.  I said, "don't waste my time on nice, fancy places where you take the gringos...take me to the authentic place that you like to eat at."  He warned, "ok, but cash only...and don't be afraid...have a beer and be prepared."

With that, he took me to a local taqueria.  I loved it.  No air conditioning...flies flying all over me...and this guy at the counter chopping up more onions than I'd ever seen before in my life. 

ok, i'm not crazy - there's a huge bucket of onions outside this photo.  i swear.

We ordered our tacos [sans beer...i was working, after all] - he ordered 2...so I felt like I had to order 2 [that's snack for me].  After my first bite, my head snapped up, i looked across the room to the taco man seen above and held 2 fingers up and said, "dos mas, por favor!"  It was juicy, flavorful, and the tortillas had just the right consistency - not too grainy, not too dry...just perfect.  I was one happy chica.  Needless to say, my handlers were quite shocked that a gentle lady, such as myself, could down so many tacos in one sitting.  I decided not to scare them with another 2...besides, i was still supposed to have dinner in a couple of hours at a few restaurants.  Need to save my appetite!

Taqueria: Billy the Kid
Calle 4 and 15th Ave
Playa del Carmen, Mexico