Sayulita: Day 5

Winter mornings in Sayulita are cool and refreshing, so the five of us - Andi, Janie, Tory, Aden and I - decided to walk to breakfast at a nearby restaurant called North Side Café. It boasts a simple menu of gourmet omelets, banana pancakes, croissants and coffee. We ordered a plate of each to share. Unfortunately, there wasn't a high chair at the cafe, so Janie and I took turns balancing Aden on our laps as we fed him, which surely isn't the most convenient or relaxing way to eat a meal. Where are our hired Mexican cooks for breakfast? Kidding. (Kind of.)

By the way, I can't say enough about Sayulita's North Side for family accommodations. As I've mentioned, the entire town is walkable so staying on the North Side doesn't feel isolating, just farther removed from the hustle and bustle of the town's center. 

Shortly after breakfast, we headed to the beach for the morning. For us, it's the perfect time to sit by the water and dig sand castles in the sand when the sun isn't so hot and the beach is quiet. On this day, we went to the "turtle beach" closest to our condo -- coined as such because a group of volunteers rescues and releases turtles from a spot along the beach here. We picked a spot, set up an umbrella and played in the sand. 

Janie took Aden back the condo for his mid-day nap so Andi and I stayed at the beach with Tory. There aren't many beach peddlers here in Sayulita, but on this day there was one man selling donuts. Strange, I know. Who wants a warm pastry at the beach? Apparently, Tory does. The man asked if we wanted to buy one, and I politely shoo'd him away as you typically do in Mexico. But, the look on Tory's face was one of pure disbelief. Did you really tell that man we didn't want a donut, Mom?! So, Tory and Andi ran after him and bought Tory a chocolate-covered donut. She was in heaven. 

For dinner that evening, we dined out at La Rustica - a wood-fire pizza restaurant in town. The pizzas were absolutely delicious, and something different after eating Mexican tacos day after day. Sayulita was definitely booming on a Saturday night. There was a marching band in town moving from restaurant to restaurant, playing music in the streets and every one of the restaurants were packed with people.

Loving life in Sayulita ... 

Sayulita: Day 4

Day 4 in Sayulita, and vacation mode has truly set in. The "haven't looked at a clock for days" mode; the "no idea what's happening in the world" change of pace. Andi heard it was -14 at the lake cabin yesterday and that concept doesn't even seem possible to us when we're here enjoying 80 degree temperatures and sunshine every day.

The five of us woke up feeling rested and ready for a beautiful day in paradise. Aden finally adjusted to his surroundings and slept through the night in his pack-n-play tucked away in the master bathroom. His own personal "en suite" we call it. Our new arrangement work perfectly because he's still close to me if he needs something, but has his own sleeping space and we have ours.

Andi had a bit of work to do Friday morning, so Janie and I fed the kids pastries and fruit for breakfast in our condo. I like going to breakfast on vacation, but it's equally nice to wake up slow in the comforts of our own "home" with coffee and a simple meal. Speaking of pastries, they're actually quite good here. There are fresh bakery items and bread for sale everywhere, which I didn't expect to find in a small town and had yet to see when traveling elsewhere in Mexico. If you know me, you know I'm not complaining one bit. I could eat my body's weight in croissants!

Later that morning, we set out for Sayulita's farmer's market which takes place every Friday. The market is another gem full of small-town charm. There were 30-40 vendors selling fruits, vegetables, breads, jellies, homemade dog treats and other handmade items. And, there weren't only Mexican items; the market was a melting pot of goods and wares from all types of people who call Sayulita home. I bought a hand-carved wooden salsa bowl for the cabin, and Andi had a spring roll made with beef and cabbage. We also picked up some fresh strawberries and raspberries.

One vendor we spoke to at the market is a volunteer at a children's school located in another small town not far from here. We also spoke to a barrel rider promoting a rodeo taking place next week. Since we'll have left for home by the time of the event, she invited us to the fairgrounds later this week to watch their practice sessions. I continue to be amazed by the kindness of people in Sayulita.

After the market, Janie offered to stay back in the condo with Aden so he could take a nap while Andi, Tory and I adventured around town in the golf cart. It may seem like Janie's spent a lot of this vacation sitting in the condo with sleeping children while Andi and I gallivant around town, but she assures us she's perfectly content in doing so. Janie has a lovely balcony directly attached to her room, so she's spent quite a few hours reading and basking in the sunshine.

As has quickly become our daily ritual, Andi and I promised Tory a frozen treat as soon as we entered the center of town. We parked the golf cart on a side street and met two ladies walking along with frozen homemade popsicles. Andi asked where to get them, and they pointed us to Wakiki just down the road. On our walk there, we saw an iguana lounging on a branch in a tree above us.

There were easily 50 different varieties of ice cream and sorbet popsicles at Wakiki. Tory's eyes were the size of saucers as she carefully selected a flavor. Ultimately, she picked strawberry, Andi had salted caramel and I went with a mango sorbet infused with chili powder based on a recommendation from the ladies we spoke to on the street. 

Tory, Andi and I leisurely strolled through several shops on Sayulita's boardwalk in search of new sunglasses for Andi and new pair of flip flops for me. The mid-day sun is intense, especially in the center of town away from the water, so we decided to head back to the condo to cool down. There, the five of us -- Andi, Janie, Tory, Aden and I -- headed to the pool.

Baby's first surf lesson ...

A bit later, the kids were ready for afternoon naps so Janie offered to stay back with them while Andi and I scooted away for an hour of time together. We walked down to the beach and enjoyed the sounds of the surf. The pool's great for the kids, but the beach is where Andi and I love to be.

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Later back at the condo, Pancho and Beatrice (our hired cooks for the week) arrived to serve us dinner. They prepared paella filled with shrimp, clams, oysters, crab, pork, chicken, Spanish sausage, peppers, vegetables and rice. I’m not the biggest seafood fan, but the complex flavors of this dish were delicious, and it offered something for everyone. Janie and Andi especially loved the seafood, and the kids and I loved the creamy rice. Beatrice shared her secret for making rice, and it's so easy: she boils water, soaks the rice for 10-15 minutes (no heat), drains it, and then finishes the rice in a frying pan for 1-2 minutes. It's the creamiest rice I've ever tasted, and there's no butter or oil. She often adds vegetables (corn, green beans, peppers, peas, etc).    

Hiring cooks for dinners in the condo has been fabulous. It's fun to dine out in restaurants once in a while, but it's also a lot of work with kids and never very peaceful. Here in the comforts of our condo, we're able to feed Tory and Aden as they're hungry with a high chair, bibs and sippy cups at the ready. Then, the kids are able to get down and play while we finish our meal at a enjoyable pace. It's been perfect.

The five of us finished our fourth night in Sayulita with an evening golf cart ride through town. Andi stopped for fresh-made churros sold by a street vendor, but I was still too full from dinner to try one. They smelled delicious though. Another wonderful day in paradise. So thankful to be here. 

Sayulita: Day 3

Aden woke up at 4am for a very early start to Day 3 in Sayulita. I think teething was to blame, though it could've been a different environment, an adjustment to travel, new foods; who knows. Janie, Andi and Tory woke up around 7:30am and I made the executive decision to go back to bed when they did. I was tired and grumpy, and there was no need for all three of us to entertain the kids. I went back to bed, slept until 9am and felt much better for it. Meanwhile, Andi and Tory slipped out to grab breakfast for everyone at Orangy, a popular smoothie shop in town. 

Aden was ready for a morning nap by 9am since he was awake so early that morning. Janie offered to stay back at the condo with him while Andi and I took Tory to the pool to swim.

Aden woke up around Noon and we all decided to go into town for lunch. We stopped at a place called Tacos on the Street. Oddly enough, it's an actual restaurant, not a pop-up shop where they sell tacos on the street. The menu was simple; I ordered one chicken and one fish taco, Andi ordered one steak and one fish taco, and Janie had a chicken quesadilla. We asked the waiter for a plate of diced chicken for Aden and they brought it to our table immediately with a side of steamed vegetables which I thought was very considerate. It’s actually been fairly easy to feed Aden during our Mexican vacation, considering his dairy allergy. There are quite a few meal options without cheese, and most restaurants are accommodating when we ask for special plates of steamed veggies or diced meats for him.

After lunch, we stopped for gelato at Buousimmo, as promised if Tory’d eat her cheese quesadilla at lunch. As we left the restaurant in our golf cart, I said “To the beach!”  to which Tory responded, “No, Mom, ice cream first then the beach.” That kid doesn't miss a beat. At Buousimmo, Andi ordered a scoop of strawberry gelato for Tory and a scoop of berry sorbet for Aden. It was Aden's first encounter with an ice cold treat of the sort, and he absolutely loved it. In fact, he devoured the entire cup. 

Afterwards, the five of us walked down to the beach but decided against staying when we saw how crazy busy it was. Plus, the sun was blazing hot and we were all a little light-headed from the heat. We decided to cruise back to the condo and spend the afternoon at our complex pool instead. Back at the condo, Andi hopped on a conference call for work and Janie and I laid both Tory and Aden down for their afternoon naps. They each slept about 1 ½ hours, so we had plenty of quiet time to lay around the condo and chill.

When Tory was up from her nap, I took her down to the pool to swim while Janie stayed in the condo with a still-sleeping Aden. As soon as he woke up from his nap, Aden and Janie joined Tory and I at the pool. Suddenly, the skies turned overcast and it was actually a bit chilly in the water. We packed up shortly afterwards for dinner. 

As part of our stay in Sayulita, Andi arranged for a chef to come into our condo and prepare dinner for our family on several of the nights. He hired a couple named Pancho and Beatrice, someone highly recommended by his work associate who'd suggested vacationing in Sayulita. Pancho and Beatrice both speak English and Spanish, and are well traveled as they've lived in various parts of Mexico and the United States. We truly enjoyed our conversations with the couple as they cooked for us on Thursday evening. We'd hired a private chef to come in and cook for us one night on vacation in Cabo last year, and we found it much more enjoyable to eat in the comforts of our own space with the kids. That way, we're actually able to enjoy our meal while the kids play near us. 

Andi met Pancho earlier in the day on Thursday to determine our menu for the week. Then, Pancho went to the market to select fresh, local ingredients as well as a few other grocery items we'd asked him to procure (bottled water, Coca-Cola, yogurt for Tory, fruit, etc). Pancho prepared chicken with mole sauce for our dinner the first evening, accompanied by sides of rice and beans. The food was simply delicious; nothing fancy, but more like a traditional Mexican dinner they'd serve in their own home. The mole sauce was thick and chocolate-y, with a hint of spice. I'd never tasted anything like it. Pancho and Beatrice also made the kids chicken and vegetables, marinated in broth with spices. Tory and Aden each had two plates full of their meal for dinner, so it must've hit the spot. Then for dessert, Pancho purchased flan drizzled with caramel sauce from The Cake Lady in Sayulita's busy town square. This lady's business may officially be titled something else, but everywhere in town she's known as "the cake lady" who sets up a card table and sells home-baked cakes daily. I was too stuffed to eat any dessert but Janie, Tory and Aden each had a slice of flan after dinner, and loved it. 

Andi and I decided to scoot out for a quick golf cart ride after Janie and the kids were in bed for the evening. We drove around the town, checked out “Gringo hill” where many Expats have moved to Sayulita permanently and now live. Then, Andi and I stopped at the "Mexi Gras" carnival happening in Sayulita's baseball fields. The festival was such an interesting cultural experience. There were hundreds of Mexican families there, but very few tourists. Though, Andi and I felt welcome to walk around amongst the locals. We were drawn to a stage where a talent show of sorts was taking place. As we approached, two teenage Mexican boys were embattled in an MC rap battle. Of course we couldn't understand a word they were saying, but the crowd was going wild as they rapped back and forth to one another. Next, an announcer called a teenage square-dancing couple to the stage and then finally a set of traditional Mexican dancers wearing colorful, flowing skirts. The ladies performed a synchronized dance to traditional Mexican music, and then men wearing cowboy hats, button-up shirts and jeans joined them. Now the couples tapped danced to another song together, and it was seriously one of the neatest things I've seen in a long time. The crowd cheered for their local friends and family performing on stage, and Andi and I felt to privileged to have had the opportunity to take in the show first-hand. Of course, neither of us were carrying a cell phone or a camera so you'll just have to take my word for how moving it was.        

The small-town atmosphere of Sayulita has truly changed our perception of Mexican cities in general. This place is vibrant with culture, community-based, safe and welcoming. We haven't seen a bit drug abuse or prostitution, and there are very few peddlers on the streets and beaches. Finally, I continue to be amazed by the number of families with small children visiting Sayulita. There are kids everywhere, especially younger children Aden and Tory's age. So far, Sayulita is proving to be a great place to spend our week's vacation together.  

Sayulita: Day 2

Day 2 in Sayulita, Andi and I were up early between 1am - 3am with a very fussy Aden Bear. Our poor boy is teething which has him fairly uncomfortable at times. The reality of parenting happens no matter where you are; though I have to say, I'd rather be parenting here in the warm sunshine than back home in the cold. 

Our condo has two bedrooms so Andi, Aden and I took one room and Tory and Grandma Janie took another. It was quickly evident during our first night's stay we'd need to find other accommodations for Aden who noisily tosses and turns, grunts and murmurs throughout the night. The middle of the night was rocky, but then fortunately our entire group slept in until 7:30am Wednesday morning so we all felt rested and ready to tackle the day ahead.

Sayulita's not a big town, but it's filled with winding streets and little directional signage. While I'm more of a "stick to the same path for fear of getting lost" kind of gal, Andi's the complete opposite and loves to explore back alley roadways in search of something more. Picture the five of us sitting in our rented golf cart with Andi driving, me as the passenger, Aden on my lap and Tory sandwiched between Andi and I. Janie's perched on the bench seat facing behind us as we bounce along the bumpy dirt streets in town. On the way to breakfast, Andi decided to take a detour to the north side of our condo, Los Almendros. We discovered a yoga studio, some residential houses and a few other rental properties -- nothing too out of the ordinary. The road ended in a dead end and as Andi turned us around in a residential drive-way, a pit-bull charged from someone's covered garage after us. When traveling with Andi, I never know which moments I should be nervous because he always pushes me out of my comfort zone, so I take my cue by watching his actions. In a split second, Andi punched the gas petal and away we sped with a pit-bull's teeth nipping at Andi and Janie's legs on the side of our golf cart. Down the bumpy, pothole-laden road we sped laughing all the way. The adventure of discovering new places .... 

In the main area of town, we stopped at the popular Yah-Yah's for breakfast. This little cafe offers fresh pastries, omelets, bagels and waffles and several gluten-free and vegan options. Vegan to me = a solid bet in avoidance of dairy for Aden, so I was happy to see those items clearly marked on the menu. Andi and Aden shared a vegetarian omelet, Tory and I shared a "sensational" omelet (peppers, onions, zucchini and cheese) and Janie and Tory shared a chocolate strawberry waffle. Turns out if Tory's hungry enough, she'll actually eat those questionable things called green vegetables.

Though we ended up eating at Yah-Yah's for breakfast, we first stopped by a cafe along the beach and I'm including this picture solely for the purpose of showing the adorable (but completely sketchy) high chairs many restaurants have in Sayulita. I'm thankful for the availability of high chairs in general as it means Janie or/ I can eat a meal without holding Aden on our laps, but the wooden high chairs don't have tray latches or buckles so it's definitely user beware. Doesn't Aden look like he's made for this lifestyle?      

And then at Yah-Yah's a bit later ...

After breakfast, we wandered around the town square where Tory and Aden befriended a few little kids playing nearby. Next we stopped into a small grocery store to pick up bottled water, fruit and snacks for our condo. Never so glad to have the golf cart as when we're carrying groceries back to our place!

Janie offered to stay with Aden while he took a mid-day nap, and Andi and I took Tory down to the pool for some playtime. It was fun having her all to ourselves; rarely do we both have the chance to dote on Tory alone, and she to have the undivided attention of both her parents at once. At the pool, we made friends with a Canadian couple who have a 15-month old toddler. We chatted with them, swam and relaxed. 

Tory was beat from several hours in the sun, so we came back to our unit and made her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. Once again Janie offered to stay back with the kids while Andi and I scooted away for an hour of quiet time together. We are so very grateful for Janie's company on this trip. She is a perfect travel companion and it's wonderful to have an extra pair of helpful hands.

Andi and I drove our golf cart to the beach and ordered drinks at a beachside cafe overlooking the ocean. It was fun to let the warm breeze and smells of salt water wash over us as we daydreamed about our family's travel aspirations. 

Shortly after we returned to the condo and Tory and Aden were awake from their naps, we all decided to go to a beach called Playa de Los Muerotos. This beach is located on the opposite side of town from our condo (thank goodness for the golf cart!) and we passed through an above-ground cemetery to get there (hence, why we coined it "Beach of the Dead"), but it turned out to be a great spot to play in the surf and sand.

Aden absolutely adored the beach. He crawled and played for over an hour, completely covering his body in sand from head to toe. Tory and Andi had fun racing along the beachfront, building sand castles and playing in the water. By the end, we were all sandy, sun-kissed and sticky from the heat; the sign of a perfect afternoon at the beach.

Since we arrived in Mexico, Tory's done nothing but talk about drinking from a coconut. I'm not sure where she heard about it originally, but she requests a coconut "moovie" (smoothie) wherever we go. Andi bought her a fresh coconut at the beach and both Tory and Aden were big fans, though I don't think it's what either of them had in mind initially.

After we drank the juice, the man at the coconut stand cut out the white coconut meat contained inside the shell. It was juicy and tender and frankly, had the strangest flesh-like texture. The employee served it with salt and lime. Tory's initial reaction after the man prepared the coconut meat was "yuck!" and Janie and I couldn't have agreed more. Andi liked it and ate some while we watched and gagged nearby. Sadly, I think we've squashed Tory's desire for coconuts going forward. Later at a smoothie shop, she opted for her beloved strawberry.  

Next up, dinner. We left the beach and did a loop through the main town square in search of a place that struck our fancy, ultimately deciding on Los Corazone. It's a small Mexican-American fusion restaurant with a handful of tables, and we were fortunate to score one large enough for our group. Only after we were seated did I notice this was one of the "nicer" restaurants in town. Three ladies seated at the table next to us were dining on filet mignon, dressed in much nicer clothing than we were wearing. We, on the other hand, were sweaty and sandy from the beach. Aden was only wearing a sun shirt and a diaper! We were sandy and sweaty and ... whatever. Fortunately, the owner of the restaurant didn't seem to mind (and as Andi pointed out later, our money still spends the same) and we received some of the best food and service we've received so far in Sayulita. Los Corazone had a real high chair for Aden (which might not mean much to some, but was a huge bonus for me!), and the staff was so sweet catering to Tory. Our meals were excellent -- Andi had the surf and turf (lobster tail and petit filet mignon), Janie ordered the filet mignon as well, and I had the spinach and cheese-stuffed chicken. The restaurant was a bit on the pricy side compared to many other places in town, but so worth it. Delicious!

The kids were exhausted after a fun day in the sun, so Janie offered to stay back with the kids while Andi and I slipped out for a night-cap. We showered and then peeled off when the coast was clear for gelato at Buonissimo and drinks at Miro Vino. The perfect ending to a great day in Sayulita.