When you think about tacos, do you imagine a crunchy shell loaded with grated cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, etc? Your preference may be exactly that. But, if you travel to Mexico where tacos originate, you would never find a version like the one mentioned above. In Mexico (and I don’t mean at an all inclusive buffet but an authentic Mexican tienda), we order tacos for snacks and light meals when we are on vacation. The tortilla is always made with a corn flour which gives the wrapping a distinctive taste. Typically tortillas are eaten like flat bread to mop up what is on your plate but are also stuffed with a variety of fillings.

Our family prefers shrimp or fish tacos but we also enjoy fillings like shredded chicken, el pastor (pork and pineapple sliced off a spit) and even chorizo sausage. If you are lucky, you may find a convenient spot that will serve three tacos for $5 (US). We consider the discovery of these places a significant one. There is a singular restaurant in Winnipeg where you can find this style of fare. They are called BMC Market and Taqueria at 722 South Osborne St.

The façade of their building is an electric blue, similar to the vibrant building colours you will find in Mexico.

Upon entering the restaurant, you go directly to the kitchen window where you make your selection and pay for your snack or lunch. They have a taco trio for $5 and another for $7. I ordered the $5 trio itemized above. This is a significant bargain, as we pay the same amount but in US funds in Mexico. Mind you, some little places will also through in a Mexican beer for that price.

There is cheerful table aroud the corner from the kitchen.

At BMC Market and Taqueria the only garnishes you will find will be cilantro and some chopped white onion and this too is genuine fare. There will also be a bit of lime for you to squeeze fresh juice over the tacos and a salsa which can be ordered, mild, medium or hot! Unless you eat spicy Mexican fare on an ongoing basis, I would warn you against the hot as it is very picante! All the fillings I sampled were carefully prepared, void of fat and absolutely delicious.

The BMC Market – Taqueria is open Monday to Saturday 11:30 am -8 pm and Sundays 12-6 pm when they have an all day menu available. They are wheelchair accessible.

Kath’s quote: “Don’t tell me you miss me. Tell me you are outside my door with tacos.”-

Love never fails.

D set the alarm so that I could watch the sunrise.

J1 and Wee One2 were already on the malecon when I arrived.

J2 and the Wee One2  joined us a short time later for a lovely visit.

This was our view from the yoga platform.

The groom was taking a well-deserved cat nap before the yoga class.

Enjoyed a breakfast of yoghurt at the hotel and then I headed to yoga which was another of the group events co-ordinated by the wedding party.

Another wonderful day. The forecast was not good but after yoga (which was as good as a 62 year old could manage) I walked to the beach and met the gang i.e. Kel & Lor, Susan, Judi Aaron, Pinky and Serena. Walked home with Pat and Doug then rejoined my gang at the beach.

By this time Belle was asleep in Bekah’s arms.

The Wee One & Momma

I bought some cheese to go with my garlic rice crackers from home, a mango and a banana and had a lovely picnic lunch on the beach. Spent the last of the afternoon visiting with Kel & Lor under the palms.

I walked home and decided to explore the roof of our hotel. The view to the north,

to the east,

and to the south.

When I went back down the stairs, I saw that a gang had gathered for Happy Hour while the little girls partook of an early dinner.

Then we were off to an amazing family dinner at Fredy’s. Read all about it in the Fredy’s link. His pork chops got rave reviews as usual.

After dinner we took walks down Hildalgo and then a wee gathering was held at our place with Kel and Lor, Rod and Roxanne, Doug and Pat and us. At 11 pm it was lights out as we all had the big wedding day Wednesday.

Kath’s quote: “Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them.” Anne in Anne of Green Gables

Love never fails.

What struck me immediately about an anticipated visit to Beet Happenings (818 Notre Dame Ave.) was that the food would be wholesome and healthy as depicted by its name and my hunch was accurate. The cheery spot on Notre Dame and Tecumseh serves gluten free, vegetarian and vegan offerings.

There were a number of comfortable booths which lined one wall and we were encouraged to find our spot and then return to the counter to order. Owner Justin might even take care of you himself. As we had arrived, we were encouraged to order our dessert as well, because the counter gets very busy over the lunch hour. The philosophy of Beet Happening is that exciting, nutritious food should be accessible to all people, even busy ones.

My lunch date immediately spied the pizzettes like the ones that you might see at a French style bakery. But first she had been tempted by the weekly special of pulled pork with corn bread. She remarked that the personal pizzas were top notch from the deliciously chewy crust, to the gooey cheese and a sprinkling of greens.

I asked what their most popular salad was and received the emphatic answer that the Beet Happening Salad was by far the most popular. Perhaps the restaurant itself was named for the salad, I mused. I felt healthy just gazing at the array of red quinoa, chickpeas, beetroot, carrot, grape tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, currants and seasonal greens. Consuming the salad was just as satisfying. I am always impressed when you do not have to sacrifice flavor for healthy choices.

Having eaten lightly I was not concerned about ordering dessert and had already selected a strawberry/lemon fruit crumble bar. Reminiscent of the classic Matrimonial Cake, the bar retained a crunchy bottom and a top layer of brown sugary rolled oats as well as a scattering of pumpkin seeds to make me feel good about my choice.

My lunch date selected a gluten free tart with lemon curd and berries and was delighted with the cool lemony flavours. Beet Happenings is open Monday-Friday from 9 am -4 pm with breakfast & lunch menus available. There is street parking available and the building is wheelchair accessible.

Kath’s quote: “The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.”-Tom Robbins

Love never fails.

Up early but out of bed after D. I was so jealous that he got to see the sunrise from the malecon! I vowed to get up with the alarm thereafter.

Some early morning shopping in the fresh market.

With an opportunity to show the Wee Ones how tortillas are made.

An early dip at North Beach with with J1 and J2 and the little girls. We almost had the beach entirely to ourselves!

Shrieks of excitement!

We stopped for Breakfast at Rubens. Read all about it in this link.

The day was lovely and lazy. I showered and got ready for the wedding rehearsal on the beach. Met up with the gang who had completed the golf cart scavenger hunt at Jax.

It was a windy rehearsal at Playa Sol.

I imbibed in a second Happy Hour at Tres Mentiras.  We went because it is the only place that we can order the beer from Isla Brewing. Winnipeg friends Rudy, Carol, Margaret, Donna, and family Sue, Kelly, Lorraine joined Doug and I. Turned out that J1 & J2, babies, Kate & Lori were all there for dinner with good reports.

From there we ventured across the street for a fabulous rehearsal dinner at Lola Valentina’s. Separate post and food photos in this link.

Another round of wonderful speeches and tributes were made by all the wedding party but especially my nephew Jon. I was struck by how emotional the groom’s friends were when trying to express what his friendship meant to them.

The rest of the extended  family were gathering all along Hidalgo. Often when we walk Hidalgo in the evening, we will be greeted with a shout or a wave. But this stroll was especially sweet as we knew someone at almost every restaurant along the street. D stayed out with the guys including a dear old friend of his from Cambridge Ontario who also happened to be uncle to the bride. I took a “Glamma” shift and slept on J1 & J’2s futon to be near the little girls until everyone arrived home.

Kath’s quote: “Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.”- Henri Nouwen

Love never fails.

We have been visiting Isla Mujeres since 2005 when my sisters and I booked at Villas Punta Sur not knowing that we were the opposite direction from Playa Norte. In spite of our short time on the island and our inconvenient locale, the three of us instantly fell in love with Isla. Since that time husbands, other siblings, extended family and friends have visited too. Some have been enchanted and others not so much.

Our entourage minus the grandbabies.

But our 2017 visit was a very special one, because we accumulated for the wedding of my niece/goddaughter.

We arrived a couple of days before the wedding, right on the day that a welcome party had been planned at the two villa property where the bride and groom’s families were staying, but I am getting ahead of myself.

The early morning departure did not go all that smoothly and so our eventual arrival was especially sweet.

The grandbabies did particularly well considering that had been plucked out of bed in the middle of the night.

The port was really busy so we missed a couple of ferries and eventually caught the 1:30 pm.

D took the golf cart full of our luggage

and everyone else walked to the Xbulu-Ha hotel. We had booked four suites and everyone settled in quite nicely. I went to the Supermercado to buy some lunch supplies to sustain us until the party that evening.

Boo at the party.

The Welcome Party was a perfect time. The guests included all the Kapilik/Resch/Gray families, as well as Isla friends Jan and Bruce

and long-time Toronto friends Richard and Melinda (who just happened to be on the island at the same time AND staying at the hotel right next door!).

Dinner was a Taco Bar featuring Cochinita Pibil (authentic Mexican pulled pork which is typically available from locals on Sundays), (thanks to Isla friend Wanda) , locally made tortillas, pico de gallo and guacamole made by chef/friend Ziggy and all lovingly assembled by Sister #3.

The bride and groom.

As we broke bread together we were introduced to various Australians (the groom is Australian) who we had often heard of but had never met in person. As speeches commenced, we all soon realized that this was not going to be a typical wedding or even a typical destination wedding. This was gong to be an opportunity for new lifelong friendships to be created and cemented. I personally was not surprised as every perfect detail had been in the planning for months.

As the merriment continued a beautiful orange moon rose from the ocean. I for one felt as if our assembly was being divinely blessed.

Kath’s quote: “For love is a celestial harmony
Of likely hearts compos’d of stars’ concent,
Which join together in sweet sympathy,
To work each other’s joy and true content,
Which they have harbour’d since their first descent
Out of their heavenly bowers, where they did see
And know each other here belov’d to be.” -Edmund Spenser

Love never fails.