Right off the bat, don’t let the label Beach Club fool you. This is not a place where Cancun day trippers spend the day. We found Loretta’s easily by golf cart as the signage is much improved. Remember though that you do have to walk through Maria’s Kan Kin to find it. Once at the picturesque restaurant with a swimming pool, there is a mix of the persons staying at the hotel, families who arrive by boat and people like us enjoying a sunset dinner.

We were guided to a lovely table in the evening breeze but soon a rain shower rolled through and we had to take shelter under the roofed area of the dining room. I am still on my mojito blitz so I ordered one to compare to all the others I have imbibed in on this visit. It was very good. Penny chose a Paradise. She said it was delicious. So was the sip I tried. It was made with pineapple, passion fruit, lime, and mint with Flor de Caña 7 Year Old Rum which is distilled in Nicaragua with rich notes of dark chocolate, honey and vanilla. No wonder it was so delicious!

We took a short break to admire the surroundings and capture the sunset. The setting at Lorettas is perfect! For eith a beach club day or a sunset dinner.

We shared a delicious starter from the salad section. For the Burrata Salad fresh arugula was tossed with cherry tomatoes and crowned with silky burrata cheese. Tomato jam adorned the top. The dressing was a balsamic reduction and basil oil. We loved the sweetness of the jam and the satiny cheese in contrast with the peppery arugula and dressing.

My friend Penny is seafood allergic, so her menu choices were limited which makes sense. With our handsome waiters assistance, she chose the Filet Mignon.  The perfectly prepared medium rare tenderloin arrived perched upon creamy mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach, el dente asparagus and a red wine reduction. She took tiny slices to savour the lovely steak and accruements.

Since we were dining in an Italian themed restaurant, overlooking the sea, it only made sense to order a pasta with seafood. The dish was called Penne Rigate Scoglio. I actually had to look up the meaning which didn’t help me at all! 

The penne was cooked to el dente and then tossed with mussels, clams (also known as chirlas), octopus, and calamari in tomato sauce. I think the definition of “Rigate Scoglio” meant delicious!

Our waiter apologised that they only had ice cream and chocolate cake for dessert. No apologies needed! We dived into a scrumptious finale.

Kath’s quote: “If wishes were filet mignon, we’d always eat well at dinner”. Dean Koontz

Love never fails

I have already used the saying “everything old is new again” on this particular trip. Here is another version of how this saying is so true for me.

The first time that I came to Isla Mujeres was with my sisters in 2005. The next year I brought my husband along. Soon after that I returned with my entire family.

Now adays there are 14 of us but in those earlier times there were 5.

We were also accompanied by a sister, her husband, their 2 kids, a former boyfriend and the boyfriend’s Mom. Since our eldest daughter utilizes a wheelchair/scooter for daily life, we needed very special accommodation. After much research, I ended up contacting Gladys, who once had apartments in Centro. The kids were on the main floor and an acquaintance of Gladys made a ramp for my daughter to enter the suite from the street. We rented the apartment above the kids which was also Gladys’s.

That year we were there over New Years Eve and decided to hold a party on the common area space that was accessed from our second floor apartment. We met the girls staying in the apartment across from us so they were invited along. They ended up bringing a fellow from Scandinavia and another from Mexico City. With the girls from the US and us from Canada it was a party of United Nations.

The one challenge was getting my eldest up a flight of stairs and then up what you could only describe as a ladder to the rooftop. The task was easily accepted by the “boyfriend” who tossed her over his shoulder “fireman” style. It was a wonderful party which holds special memories for us to this day.

Many year’s later, when D and I were on the island together we spent some time with friends Jan and Bruce who had a Centro apartment next to Gladys. We loved the full kitchen, spacious living room and sequestered bedroom but most of all, we loved taking a wooden staircase leading us up to a 3^rd floor rooftop. The same rooftop where we held that New Years Eve party!

So now we are in present day and I get invited to stay and write about Candes Apartment Mar over top of the laundry on a Centro corner. Sure enough, it all came full circle. I was once again staying at J & B’s apartment and through another ground floor locked gate, I was able to access the 3^rd floor common area space once again.

The modernized apartment has everything you might wish or need for a long term stay.

The kitchen is spacious and well-equipped with beautiful Mexican glasses and bright yellow earthenware. There are lots of sharp knives, a corkscrew, pasta strainer AND a big bowl to hold popcorn. The full sized fridge and gas stove with an oven would be a delightful place to make full meals.

You could dine by the counter next to the kitchen window or on the wrap around balcony.

I spent hours on that balcony to catch the early morning sun with my coffee or a late night treat.

I also used the common area space in the afternoon to read or snooze in the loungers.

The bathroom had a hook for my toiletries bag, an outlet for my hair styler and lots of water pressure in the shower with plenty of hot water.

The bedroom had an gigantic closet to store everything and hide it away. There was an enormous (King?) sized bed and beautiful reading lamps adorning each side of the bed. The sheets and towels were of high quality and had that wonderful, clean, “isla” fragrance. Amazingly I didn’t hear any street sounds from the traffic below or the bustling little restaurant. The bedroom stayed cool and dark and made for blissful sleeps. There were two air conditioning units and ceiling fans in both the living room and bedroom.

I have loved Isla Mujeres for over twenty years with cherished memories of family and old friends. I look forward to making more memories with the new friends I have made over the years. Isla Mujeres was and is, an important part of my life and I am deeply blessed.

Kath’s quote: “The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been, and the memories we’ve made along the way“.

Love never fails.

I love an excuse to get out of Centro. As the years of visits pass, it gets more and more hectic and crowded. I hopped into a cab and sat up front with the driver. That is when I really feel like a local. I don’t think I fooled him when I asked him to drop me at Isla 33. I am pretty sure he knew I was joining someone at the kantina as opposed to residing at the condos.

I was meeting a friend of a friend, who I also have known on line for many years. It was our first time to meet in person and it was a lovely visit.

The setting is wonderful near the cliffs of the Caribbean Sea. The breeze was refreshing and also a nice break from the heat of Centro.

It was Happy Hour so we took advantage of some very well priced drinks. I loved my Paloma.

Our waiter suggested that my dinner companion and I share a Molcajete. I was familiar with the ancient cooking tool that was traditionally made from volcanic rock. I had taken a cooking class in Puerto Moreles one year and we had used the dish (that is similar to a mortar & pestle) to make guacamole.  The stone’s rough texture breaks down food while releasing essential oils, which intensifies flavors in a way that metal or plastic simply can’t. Over time, chefs and home cooks realized that the stone bowl could also be used to hold and keep hot food warm at the table. Thus, the molcajete dish was born.

I had tasted a molcajete once before in one of the traditional Mexican restaurants on Hidalgo and loved it. The dish begins with a sizzling hot bowl that acts as a small stone oven. Once heated, the bowl is filled with vibrant ingredients, layered over a rich base of tomato sauce.

Grilled cactus, bell peppers, and onions are added for color and crunch. I know that Mexican Chorizo typically adds a spiciness and richness, but the sausage used in La Konita Kantina’s version was quite mild. Wedges of grilled Mexican cheese also bubbled in the hot bowl. Shrimp was added to this yummy version which brought a touch of the sea and a natural sweetness that balanced the spices. Tender strips of steak were also added to make the dish particularly hearty.

I took half the dish (repackaged, not in the stone bowl) which I enjoyed as leftovers. In fact there is still enough for another meal!

My dinner date lives and works on the island full time, so it was wonderful to share a dish that was authentically Mexican.

Kath’s quote: “Barriga ilena, corazon contendo“-“Full belly, healthy heart“. – Mexican Proverb

Love never fails.

In coming to Isla Mujeres for many years, I know exactly what I want in the way of accommodation and I am delighted to say that this little studio has it all. As the song goes: “These are a few of my favourite things!”

I love being close to the malecon to watch the sunrise each and every morning.

I have to have a window that opens for fresh air. Failing that, good AC that doesn’t rattle in the night.

A garrafon of water with a working spigot or pump is essential as well as a microwave to warm up leftovers. It sounds like a little thing but I am so impressed when a rental provides paper towels!

Enough hangers to hang all of my summer dresses and cubbies so that everything is hidden from sight. An iron is a bonus. A working safe for my passport and all my spending money!

A hook in the bathroom to hang my toiletry bag. Good water pressure in the shower and enough hot water so that I can rinse the cream rinse out of my hair. Extra rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom.

Key hooks by the door. Other hooks to hang my purse and beach bag,

A blender for smoothies or margaritas.

A full set of cooking utensils, a real wine glass and a corkscrew for my happy hour or nightcap glass of wine. Coffee cups and a coffee maker for lazy mornings.

An oven to make cookies or muffins is always nice.

A beside table to accommodate my kobo, reading glasses, my charging phone/alarm and a comfy bed with fresh “Isla” smelling sheets!

Chairs are nice so that you don’t always have to sit on the bed.

A counter or table top so that I can write on my laptop or have a sandwich during the day.

Outdoor space is wonderful to catch some fresh air or have a nap in a lounge chair.

The owners of Candes are very responsive and took great care of me. This space is very compact but also well-priced AND you cannot beat the location!

Kath’s quote. “A comfortable house is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience”. — Sydney Smith

Love never fails.

North Garden has long been on my favourite street in Centro-the street that leads to North Beach and perhaps that is one of the many reasons for their success. As you walk by, you can smell bacon being cooked to crispy, just the way I like it. That aroma sticks in your head but you are determined to get a prime spot on the beach (under a palm tree for shade) so you decide to visit on another day.

Well, that day had come! I was meeting a dear Isla friend, and we had a lot to get caught up on. We eventually got down to ordering and our breakfasts came before we knew it.

My friend is a careful eater. That is why he can play an 1 ½ of tennis and then another 1 ½ of pickle ball. His egg white omelet was piping hot and stuffed with sauteed zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, peppers and tomato. It was the goat cheese that put the omelet over the top.

On the other hand, I do not play 3 hours of court sports, but I do try to get out for a good long walk every day. Sometimes my destination is a restaurant so I don’t think that counts as exercise, does it? My choice of the Hotcakes Trio even sounds decadent, doesn’t it?

The Hotcakes Trio was my way of eating healthy protein with a little treat on the side. I chose over easy eggs that were cooked perfectly along with ham and potatoes. On top of those choices, I was able to pick from a selection of pancakes styles and Cinamon Roll sounded too good to be true!

It was a satisfying breakfast and an equally satisfying catch up with my friend. Drop in on your way to the beach or for no reason at all. The warm and attentive staff, mentored by my friends Brenda and Fernando, are waiting for you. Now why didn’t I order the bacon? I have to go back.

Kath’s quote: “Bacon: the main reason I am not a vegetarian.”-Authour unknown

Love never fails.