2018 Isla Mujeres Annual Progressive Dinner
We are a family who love to give the gift of experiences rather than things. Concerts, little getaways and restaurant gift cards top our list of gifts to give and to receive. This Christmas our son gave us a note that read:
J and I would like to sponsor your progressive evening on Isla this year. We have truly come to love this tradition and want to share in the experience with you.
The note came with a six pack of Sol and a wad of Mexican Pesos. He went on to say:
I imagine you having a practice sunset in the living room before the trip. I’d also like you to take this pen and paper in case you come up with a great life altering idea (we often do when we are on vacation and have the time to really talk something out) but the cervesas made your forget.
Merry Christmas. We cherish our friendship. Love J1 and J2
And so it was that we had been anticipating this particular dinner since December 25, 2017. In reality we don’t usually plan ahead. We usually mosey around Centro until a craving comes to us. We often have a golf cart for our dinner. But when we were on the island this year, there was some negative Facebook posts about a golf cart/taxi incident and we know that the police are pulling people over for random breathalyzers. It is not that we planned to drink in excess but we are particularly vigilant about not drinking and driving. D passed 2 breathalyzers in 2017 on Isla. One where he had to breathe in a policeman’s cupped hands and another with an actual machine. In our minds the test is so ineffectively managed, that it simply seems as if the police can decide without evidence if you have consumed too much liquor. We always go by the adage: “Better safe than sorry” So renting a golf cart was out. We strolled into town and took a cab home at the end of our wonderful evening.
While we are on the island, we spend a great deal of time with our friend Hortencia and her family. Brother #3 and his wife entertain Hortencia’s grandchildren on the beach a couple of times each visit. It is a big treat for them. Imagine living on the island and not being able to go to the beach on a regular basis? We often invite Hortencia and her extended family over to one of our places for dinner and other years, she invites us. This year, she extended the invitation. As we waited on the beach, we saw their pick up truck making its way down Medina. They piled out with two of the boys carrying 2 wooden chairs and Bro #3 Hortencia embracing a huge pot of Hortencia’s mole. As is often the case, she made the mole version that was typical of the area of Mexico that she came from.
We asked for a small bowl that D and I could share because of our plans for later that evening. Her expression said “who cares if you are going to eat again later on…eat now!” Her mole was masterful-full of flavour but not too spicy. The chicken was succulent and tender. It sure would be hard to top that taste off.
We typically commence our evening with a cocktail at sunset. We had left it too long, so we walked into the first place we came to off the beach. The beer were lovely and cold. Has anybody eaten there?
We did manage to catch the last rays of another glorious sunset.
We always seem to find our way to La Lomita at least once during our Isla stays. It was the first restaurant I ever ate at on the island. here are a number of posts from the Food Musings archive:
As it was, we were only able to share a dinner of garlic fish and their amazing French fries!
We decided to do some more walking so that we could fit in another spot. Try as we might, we only had room left for something very light and so we shared shrimp ceviche at Rubens.
It was the last night on the island for the entourage we were a part of, so we stopped for a last cocktail at Fredy’s before heading to our favourite ice cream place (corner of Hidalgo and the square) where I was over the moon for my scoop of coconut ice cream in a chocolate waffle cone.
Even though our restaurant circuit wasn’t lengthy and we didn’t cover off any new treats, it was a wonderful evening and we are already looking forward to next year’s.
Kath’s quote: “Our countries are great friends. We have given you Lafayette and French fried potatoes”.-O. Henry, ‘Rolling Stones’ (1894)
First reference to French fried potatoes
Love never fails.
golf carts
[…] D and I snuck away just as the sun was setting so that we could enjoy our traditional progressive dinner (the details are here). […]