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.

In online slang, “edge” generally refers to being bold, provocative, or  standing out! And our experience at “The Edge of the World” was exactly that.

Hugo does not have a long family history on Isla and yet I believe he understands that when you have an opportunity to work with all that Isla has to offer: its beauty, its seafood, its fruits and juices, its fresh herbs…you can create fresh inspired cuisine.

When asked about the origin of the name of this new venture, he shared this. “It’s from a graphic novel I was writing a while back as a kid and it referred to a bar that featured wonders through cutting edge technology that blurred the lines between reality and fantasy. And the location fit perfectly.”

Hugo started out as a mixologist, working alongside many prominent chefs. Often he was consulted to marry cocktail flavours with certain dishes. It was this experience that prompted his wonder of food creation. Each course that evening was either balanced by his signature cocktails or contrasted by them. More about that later.

On the night that we visited, two other tables arrived after us. The first thing that everybody does is take pictures of the view and the surroundings, us included.

Hugo indicates that he has a special relationship with the church in order to avail his guests of the setting. He is already planning for wedding celebrations that will take place on the property. Just imagine…

I now understand why there is nothing written down. How do you keep a record of your imagination? Hugo does say that he has a notebook with some cocktail notes in it. The rest is spontaneous and part of his creative process.

We started with a refreshing pear cocktail to accentuate our poached pear salad. I was so busy writing down the ingredients of the fabulous salad that I did not get a chance to note all the cocktail ingredients. But I do know that it was light and refreshing and the relationship between the cocktail and the salad was perfectly balanced as Hugo intended.

The poached pears were accompanied by chopped peppers and carrots and then crowned with a pepita brittle (like a peanut brittle but with pumpkin seeds). I poured every drop of the champagne and thyme dressing over top. In fact, when Hugo’s assistant Javier was clearing the plates, I was sipping the remains of the salad dressing in the bottom of my bowl with a spoon.

My favourite dish of the night was the Shrimp Ceviche (Penny had chicken). I really enjoy all kinds of ceviche, ever since I first tasted the dish on Cozumel decades ago, but I will admit that sometime the intensity of the lime juice is overpowering. (It must be intense in order to “cook” the seafood). But a combination of citrus juices (pineapple, orange and lime) can have the same effect. This is what Hugo discovered for his version of ceviche. In addition, there were tiny cubes of fresh coconut mixed with the abundant shrimp which provided a satisfying crunch to the dish.

Penny who is allergic to seafood was served chicken filets that had been marinated in beer, pineapple and jerk spices. Adorning the chicken were a variety of finely chopped vegetables that retained a smokiness but were not too spicy. A silky beet and plantain puree accompanied.

With two different appetizers came two different cocktails. Mine with the shrimp had the flavouring of a pina colada (coconut and pineapple) without the heaviness of the cream. Penny’s to balance with the chicken, appeared to have Aperol or a similar orange flavouring.

I truly could have stopped eating right at that point. I am just thinking ahead for my next visit to “The Edge of the World” and I would be perfectly content with the cocktails, the starters and the ambiance by the ocean and the church.

But onward we went. My entree was marinated tuna in a soy and citrus sauce. It was very pleasant but I must admit that the plantain puree on my plate was the highlight for me. Hugo makes all his own syrups and the one that flavoured the plantain was a cardamon elixir.  

Our accompanying cocktails were scientifically planned: Hugo said that because our entrees were so “lipid” rich, he planned something to contrast the meals, so he chose a more acidic drink which included St Germaine ( a French liqueur made from elderflowers) and rosemary syrup. He called the libation his version of a “sour”. I wondered then, if there was an egg white froth on the perimeter of the glass.  He replied that he had made the froth with chick peas! Go figure. I asked if there was any anise or ouzo in the concoction because I could swear there was a suggestion of licorice. That is probably why I liked it so much, in fact, enough to consume the designated driver’s glass as well.

Penny was delighted with her flank steak marinated in pineapple and mezcal, the asparagus spears and the mole enchiladas that made up her plate. She exclaimed that it was all unexpected and absolutely delicious and that the mole had just a little kick at the end.  

We hand to cry “uncle” at dessert time. Hugo suggest he provide two spoons for the chocolate cake bottomed flan. I don’t know if this is a common after dinner treat in Mexico but I have only tasted plain flans. Hugo’s version was so scrumptious that we split it easily.  

We didn’t have the same luck with the accompanying cocktails. It looked like a delicious version of the chocolate flan in a glass! I say “looked” because I couldn’t even manage a sip.

Hugo spends so much time engaging all three tables in conversation that I don’t know how he manages to put all the finishing touches on the dishes too. He says though that he gets in at around 9 am and walks home around eleven. I would imagine that his many syrups and sauces keep him prepping all day long. That is the degree of effort that must go into a food experience of this kind. If we were using a star rating system, I would give Hugo full marks!

Kath’s quote: “A great chef turns simple ingredients into unforgettable experiences. Cook with the heart, and the world will taste the difference.”-Authour unknown

Love never fails.