The Perfect Storm

If you’re like us, the phrase “the perfect storm” conjures up giant rogue waves and a tiny boat thrashing about on a wild, dangerous ocean. Tropical Storm Ida, which passed this area last night on her path up north, is our version of the perfect storm…one that never even occurred!

Despite all the preparations for a good sized tropical storm (our first of the season) Ida veered east at the last moment–as storms sometimes do–and managed to have very little impact on Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya last night. There was barely any rain, and certainly no high winds to speak of. It was never going to be a huge storm, but nevertheless people here prepared for it, just in case. But in the end nothing happened. It passed peacefully between the Yucatan peninsula and Cuba…probably the best place a storm can go to avoid impact on human lives.

Even though there was barely any rain or wind, for some reason at least one airline, Jet Blue, cancelled their flights for today. We know this because some guests called last night saying their flights had been cancelled for today and they wouldn’t be arriving until Tuesday. We have NO idea why this would be. Surely Jet Blue had the same information we all had, and we knew by early last evening that this entire area–including Cancun–was completely out of Ida’s projected path. It’s hard to avoid mass panic when even the airlines make decisions like this.

Ida was a relatively late season storm, since hurricane season officially ends December 1. It has been an extremely slow season for us. We’ve had no hurricanes, no tropical storms and barely any rain. We figure it’s about time we got a break down here. We’re looking forward to the beautiful, balmy sunshiny weather that our winter brings, and the huge influx of tourists it brings with it.

In any event, we’re expecting another overcast day or so and then hopefully back to the warm sunshine and gorgeous waters of this magical place we call home, Playa del Carmen. Come and visit, if you can. You won’t regret it.

Tropical Storm/Hurricane Ida is Coming to Visit

Here’s a weather alert we’re giving to all of our guests of the Luna Blue Hotel today regarding Tropical Storm/Hurricane Ida, which is expected to pass through tomorrow:

Weather Alert
Saturday, November 7, 2009

Tropical Storm Ida is currently on a path to pass through this area sometime between 7 am Sunday morning and 7 pm Sunday night. A tropical storm will bring a lot of rain and thunderstorms, and winds are expected to be between 40 and 65 mph. It’s quite possible we will lose power during some portion of the storm’s passage, as Mexico sometimes turns off the power during storms for safety reasons. We will put candles in all of the rooms just in case. We will also be removing the outside furniture this afternoon in anticipation of strong winds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

There is a small chance that Ida may gain strength and become a Category 1 hurricane. THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A MAJOR HURRICANE. It will simply mean stronger winds and more rain.

At this point, there are no plans for closure of the Cancun airport. We strongly suggest that you check the internet with your particular airline if you’re flying out tomorrow. If you are unable to determine whether your flight is on time, come to the front desk and we will call the airline for you.

If for any reason you are unable to leave the area tomorrow, we have accommodations should you require or wish them.

We want to again emphasize this is NOT a major storm. There are no plans for evacuation, business closures or other safety precautions. It will simply be very windy and wet for about a 12 hour period. Please feel free to come to the front desk if you have any questions or need any assistance.

To take the sting out of the storm, we’re having 2 for 1 margaritas while the bar is open today (3 to 11 pm).

Tony & Cheri, Owners

Halloween at the Luna Blue 2009

It’s that time of year again….when untamed spirits roam the night, joining in wild, uncontrolled gatherings of reckless abandon beneath the full moon.

In other words, it’s time for the

LUNA BLUE BAR

HALLOWEEN FANTASY

COSTUME PARTY

This year we have pulled out all the stops. Musician MIKE GRABOW will be returning to the Luna Blue Bar that night. Mike’s mellow music and easygoing style has long been a hit with visitors and locals alike and we are thrilled to have him back.

And while you are listening to Mike sing, why not take advantage of our 2 X 1 MARGARITAS? People say our bartender Jorge makes some of the best…and strongest…margaritas around.

We will also be grilling up Papa T’s famous “BOO BURGERS” that night. Cheeseburgers with all the trimmings and a little Cajun spice added to ward off evil spirits!

This night will also be a chance to buy a PEANUT PET SHELTER REFRIGERATOR MAGNET! On November 13 one lucky person will have his name drawn from all those who bought a magnet and be given the fabulous thank you gift of a week long stay in Playa Del Carmen…FREE. Airfare, meals, tours, transportation, and a stay at the award winning LUNA BLUE HOTEL will all be part of this wonderful gift. So make sure to pick up a magnet or three at the party. Anyone buying a magnet that night gets a FREE shot of tequila and a FREE copy of the poster pictured here!

And what’s a Halloween Party without COSTUME CONTESTS? We are having not one, not two, but three contests that night. There will be CASH prizes for the Best Guy’s Costume, for the Best Girl’s Costume and one more for the WICKEDEST Costume of the night (your own good taste is the only restriction)!

The bar opens at 3:00, the 2 X 1 drink specials start at 7:00, the music starts at 8:00, the COSTUME CONTESTS begin at 9:30 and the party goes until the witching hour of MIDNIGHT.

There will be even more surprises, giveaways and fun stuff so make sure and stop by the LUNA BLUE BAR HALLOWEEN FANTASY COSTUME PARTY. Saturday, October 31st. On Calle 26 between 5th and 10th Avenues. You only have to ask yourself…

How Wicked Do You Want to Be?

All Shook Up…Twenty Years Ago Today

Twenty years ago today, the two of us stood in the middle of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the second largest earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area history. Here are our memories of that day.

~ Cheri ~
I can remember October 17, 1989 as clearly today as I did two decades ago. Twenty years ago today, at 5:04 pm, I had just left my job at a law firm in downtown Oakland, California. I was armed with my little portable TV and all my softball gear. The plan was to meet Tony for a drink at our favorite watering hole in downtown Oakland to watch the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s. Then I was going to go on to my late softball game in Oakland (with the TV in tow so as not to miss any of the Series), catching a ride back to San Francisco with my brother afterwards, and Tony was going to go home. This was the first ever World Series between the two Bay Area baseball teams, and we, like most everyone else, didn’t want to miss it, so Tony left work early to save us some bar stools.

I first heard glass breaking. My eyes followed the sound, and I saw panes of glass crashing onto the ground and others falling from the fifth or sixth floor of the large brick building I had just walked past. I jumped into the street and off the sidewalk to get further away from the building and the falling glass. What was going on?!? I looked at the little deli across the street, and the small sign in the window was swaying violently from side to side. I knew then that not only was this an earthquake, but it was by far the biggest one I had ever felt. I looked back at the brick building and saw it actually slither like a snake, only vertically. I was sure it was about to come down. Bricks started falling onto the street. I looked quickly to see if there were any people would be hurt by the falling debris, but the streets were amazingly clear for 5 pm. No one seemed to be on their regular schedules that day because of the baseball game. A guy on the street nearby yelled, “Earthquake!” and ran to hold onto a utility pole. I ran over and held on with him. The street I was standing on rolled like a magic carpet, rising about three feet up before coming back down again. That’s a sight I had never seen before or since.

When the shaking stopped, I just stood there, stunned. There was broken glass and bricks everywhere, and portions of the streets were cracked. I figured I’d better go to the bar and meet Tony, since he was waiting for me. I had no idea the extent of the damage, but I knew it had been a big one.

I got to Roy’s, but Tony wasn’t there. Roy, the bartender, said that Tony had been there during the earthquake but had rushed back to San Francisco to pick up his son from school. I sat down next to Tony’s Jack Daniel’s, ordered a margarita, and turned on the little TV. At that point the electricity was out, so everyone crowded around the tiny screen to get a glimpse of the news. The first news I heard was that the Bay Bridge had collapsed! OMIGOD!! I had a vision of the bridge falling into the water that I just couldn’t shake. Since the Bay Bridge is the only direct way to get from Oakland to San Francisco, I figured eventually Tony would come back to the bar to figure out what to do next. This was before cell phones, so we had no way to reach each other. I sat down and waited with the other people at Roy’s, our eyes glued to the little TV for news of how strong the quake had been and what other damage there was. Was this “the big one?” Everyone was clearly shaken by the experience. I know I sure was.

~ Tony ~
Twenty years ago today I snuck out of work early. The San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s were playing in the World Series in San Francisco. Knowing that getting back into San Francisco across the Bay Bridge back was going to be impossible for a couple of hours, Cheri and I agreed to go to a local bar near where we worked to watch the game and wait out the traffic.

The game was supposed to start around 5pm, and so I went down early to grab us a couple of seats at the bar in front of the TV. By the time I got to Roy’s, there were seven or eight people already there with the same idea. I sat down and ordered a Jack Daniel’s and began to watch the pregame show while waiting for Cheri. Suddenly the TV screens went blank. Everyone in the place assumed it was Roy’s TV and began to groan loudly and yell complaints. Then the quake hit us.

The bottles and glasses behind the bar suddenly came flying off. People were knocked off their feet and off their chairs as the floor seemed to tilt one way and then the next.

When you live in earthquake country, it becomes second nature how to react. You get into a reinforced doorway or under a table. Within a few seconds, all of us in the bar were scrambling to fill the small doorway that led into Roy’s from the street. We must have looked like a circus pyramid group climbing on top of each other to find space in the doorway. As I clung to the moving wall of Roy’s bar, I looked out onto a terrifying panorama. The buildings around us swayed to and fro, and with every movement sent bricks, concrete and glass crashing into the street and onto the parked cars. For a moment, I really thought that my life might end there. Then after a few second that literally seemed like an eternity (they always say that, and it’s true), the quake ended. There was an amazing stunned silence broken only by car alarms.

As we untangled ourselves from the doorway, my first thought was of my son, Chris, who was in day care back in San Francisco. I had no idea how great the damage was over there, whether he was in danger, or whether his mother would be able to find him and get to him. I told Roy to tell Cheri that I had left for San Francisco to find Chris. I jumped in the car but had only gone a few blocks when the car radio announced that a section of the Bay Bridge had collapsed. A few minutes later the radio also said that a large portion of the Cypress freeway (the freeway I would have taken to go home if I hadn’t stopped to watch the game) had also collapsed, crushing and pinning numerous cars beneath it. There was no way to get back across to San Francisco. I turned the car around, driving through rubble in the streets, and returned to Roy’s. When I walked in the door, I saw Cheri, pale and a little shaky, sipping a margarita at the bar.

~ Tony & Cheri ~
After exchanging stories of where we were and what happened during the quake, we agreed that our first priority was finding a phone and checking on Chris. None of the phones in the bar worked (remember, this was pre-cell phone), so we took off down the street. We each took a side of the street and began knocking on doors, stepping over broken glass and concrete as we went. We knocked on every door and asked at every storefront if they had a working phone we could use. Eventually someone said yes. Through some electronic miracle, we were able to connect across the Bay to San Francisco and find out that Chris was fine, there had been no damage to his school and that his mother had arrived there a few minutes after the quake. They were both safe and sound at home. We checked in with Cheri’s mom and other family members who lived in San Francisco and the East Bay and made sure they were all fine.

Having found out that the family had survived, we went back to Roy’s for another drink. It seemed like the thing to do. Roy was still sweeping up glass and replacing bottles but took time to give us another round. We didn’t stay long as it was beginning to get dark and there was no electricity. We wanted to go back to San Francisco but didn’t know how to do it. The Bay Bridge was closed, so no traffic could cross it and BART, the underground railway, was closed in case the tunnel beneath the bay had been damaged. Probably the safest thing to do would have been to spend the night in Oakland somewhere, but we both just wanted to go home to San Francisco.

Part of the problem was that we couldn’t get good information. We decided we’d drive around and see if we could find any part of Oakland that still had electricity, so we could find out what was happening. We ended up in a small section of the city called Rockridge and to our relief and delight found the main street, College Avenue, had power. We went into a small restaurant called the Rockridge Café (which is still there and still serves great food) and found a table. We joined a lot of other “refugees” watching the news on the café’s TV. It was pretty scary. The videos of the collapsed freeway, the damage to the Bay Bridge and the fires that had broken out in the Marina district of San Francisco (where the damage was the worst) were horrifying. The city was badly damaged, and in a strange way it made us want to get home even more.

Eventually a news report said there was a way back into San Francisco. The northernmost bridge across the bay, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, was open. So was the Golden Gate Bridge. We could get home by driving over to Marin and then south across the Golden Gate into San Francisco. The only problem was that no one knew if the bridges were damaged or not. There were no lights on the bridges, and emergency teams were so busy in San Francisco that there was no one to inspect them for damage. People were being warned that they could use the bridges but at their own risk.

We talked about it for a few minutes and both felt the same way. We wanted to go home. It was worth the risk.

We drove slowly across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. There were a few other cars, all of us driving slowly, wondering if at any minute the bottom of the bridge would fall out beneath us. Luckily it didn’t. Once across, we headed south over the Golden Gate Bridge.

If you’ve ever driven across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, you know it’s a spectacular sight, even at night. The lights of the buildings lining the rolling hills make for a beautiful skyline. This night, we gazed in amazement at a San Francisco which was completely dark. No lights were to be seen. The hills looked like giant shadows against the night sky. As we headed across the bridge, Cheri commented that there was a huge fog bank on the bridge ahead of us. As we drove into it, we realized it wasn’t fog, it was smoke from the fires that had broken out from ruptured gas lines in San Francisco.

We drove slowly through the smoke and into the City. The streets were deserted, with electric buses stopped dead in the middle of intersections. There were no people or cars on the street except for the occasional police or emergency vehicle. The only lights we saw came from candles in people’s apartments and houses. It was sad and it was frightening, but at least we had gotten home safely.

The next day the City started its recovery. Everyone had a story. Friends who had been downtown had to walk several miles back to their homes in the surrounding areas. There were no buses, no BART, no way to get there other than to walk. In true San Francisco style, however, the pain of the hike was lessened as bars along the main streets, having no electricity to keep their beer cold, were handing out free drinks to passersby. Most of the City was without electricity for several days, and the downtown business area was virtually closed. The City was forced to slow down, and it gave all of us a chance to look around us and once again appreciate where we lived.

In the weeks that followed, life slowly began to return to normal. However, for several weeks there was no way to get to the East Bay and back again except by ferry boat. We would take a ferry in the morning, drift across the bay to our jobs in Oakland and return in the evening. It was a slower, much more inconvenient way of rush hour travel, but in the end we actually came to love it. We were almost disappointed when the Bay Bridge reopened and we could drive to work again.

Of course, as with the first great San Francisco earthquake, out of the ashes came new beauty. The ugly old freeway that had lined the waterfront had to be torn down. The empty warehouses and rotting piers gave way to palm lined boulevards, restaurants, stores and new apartments. The Embarcadero, the area along the waterfront, is now one of the prettiest and most vibrant sections of the City (and is now home to San Francisco’s new ballpark).

San Francisco has had more than its fair share of tragedies–from the 1906 earthquake to Jonestown to the murders of Harvey Milk and George Moscone to the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake to the AIDS epidemic. The people of the Bay Area have had a lot of heartaches. They mourn and remember those who were lost in the Loma Prieta earthquake but also take pride in their rebuilding and survival.

San Francisco may sit on the shaky edge of the continent, but its inhabitants have long ago figured out that the pleasure is worth the pain. And they long ago realized it’s better to dance than to cry.

We may live in Mexico, but today our hearts are in San Francisco, which is still and always will be our home.

We Tasted Playa…and Not a Taco in Sight!

Today was the first of what we hope will be an annual food festival here in Playa Del Carmen…the Taste of Playa! The Luna Blue Hotel and Bar was proud to be an early supporter of the Taste of Playa and was an Executive Sponsor of this wonderful and unique event.

The Taste of Playa brought together over twenty five restaurants in one lovely outdoor setting to showcase the amazing variety and quality of foods available to locals and visitors alike. In the Parque Fundadores overlooking the Playa Del Carmen beach and the blue, blue Caribbean Sea, crisp white tents sheltered some of the region’s finest chefs as they prepared sampler “tastes” of their best cuisine.

Guests wandered from tent to tent and counter to counter tasting cucumber martinis, salmon and spinach salads, roast beef sandwiches, chicken in peanut sauce, raviolis, ceviche, sausages, shrimp skewers, steamed mussels, and dozens and dozens of other dishes and recipes. Visitors could purchase a “VIP Passport,” allowing them to sample the foods of every participating restaurant, or purchase individual tastes from specific restaurants. Most restaurants prepared from one to five different samples and would allow you to sample each one if you asked. Some restaurants changed their dishes throughout the day, so earlier arrivers tried different dishes than those who arrived later in the day.

We arrived as the festival opened at two o’clock and ate our way through half of the offerings, went home, took a nap and returned for the second half of the festival offerings this evening. (After sampling at ten different tables, we were stuffed!) We tried almost everything and it was all good. One of our favorites was the coconut shrimp from Zenzi Beach Club and restaurant. They were fantastic, and everyone was talking about them—definitely the best coconut shrimp we have ever tasted. And since we saw almost everyone carrying around plates full of them, it seemed like others shared our opinion.

We also enjoyed a dish from one of our favorite restaurants, Kalaka. They offered a shrimp cocktail with avocado in a sweet cream sauce. We also really liked the Thai coconut soup from Babes and the crème brulee from La Route des Vines. We finished off with chocolate and lime gelato from Ciao Gelato and incredible crepes with nutella and strawberries from a new restaurant, D’Light, which is very conveniently located near the Luna Blue Hotel (and which we definitely plan on checking out in the near future).

It was a great day for all. Most of the ex pat community showed up so it gave all of us locals a chance to see each other. Out of town visitors came and were able to truly experience the wide range of foods offered by Playa Del Carmen. We saw many of our own guests from the hotel happily munching away on delicacies. It was very hot, but there was plenty of shade and lots of cool beverages, which made the event even more enjoyable.

We often hear from people that they worry about the food on a visit south of the border. They wonder if they will have nothing but long lines at a buffet table at one extreme or tacos from a street cart at the other. One of the reasons we chose to sponsor this wonderful food festival was that it showed Playa has a large and diverse culinary community that can offer something for any taste or preference. The Taste of Playa festival showed positive proof that Playa has become a culinary capital of the Caribbean.

We can’t wait until next year!

Logos of the sponsors like the Luna Blue were on display

Our dear friend Michele Kinnon, one of the organizers of the event, looking stylish as always

Pretty girls from the Tequila Barrel making margaritas

A chef preparing his samplings

Popular restaurant Yaxche’s table

The chef from D’Light making us a nutella and strawberry crepe. Mmmmmmm.

Samplings from Kalaka and Chicago Don Jose

The chef from La Route des Vins caramelizing creme brulee

Our good friend Rick, wandering around in a food daze

The view from the festival

The Zenzi Beach Club & Restaurant sample table

The display at Zabor’s table

Samplings from El Bistro

The girls of the Dirty Martini making cucumber martinis

Preparing shrimp ceviche for Cafe Tropical. Notice the cool carved watermelon!

Luna Blue Hotel & Bar Proudly Sponsors Taste of Playa

We at the Luna Blue Hotel & Luna Blue Bar are proud to be Executive Sponsors of a new community culinary event happening this coming Saturday September 5, Taste of Playa. Taste of Playa promises to be a world-class culinary event. Top level chefs from the best restaurants in the area will be creating samples of their best dishes for the public to try at very reasonable prices. Local select food vendors will also be selling their specialty food products. And local bars will be showcasing some fine wines and tequilas, as well.

This is the first time we’ve put our sponsorship behind any major commercial event in Playa, but this one spoke to us on a couple of different levels. First off, Taste of Playa is a community focused event. When we asked one of the organizers why this event isn’t being held in high season, but rather one of the slowest times in the tourist year, the answer was, “We wanted the focus to be on the community, not on the tourists.” As most of you probably know, Mexico has been hard hit this year with tales of drug wars and most recently, the overblown media hype called swine flu. Our little part of Mexico has seen a huge decline in tourism since May, as scared tourists stayed away. While swine flu was never a problem in this area, the resulting drop is tourism has been a tough blow for many locals. Many small businesses have closed for the season and some permanently. Many, many local people have lost their jobs and are struggling just to feed their families. We liked the idea of supporting an event with a focus on the people of Playa. We felt that such a unique event would draw many people to Playa, and the more people who come to Playa and spend tourist dollars, the more the locals are able to get back to their normal lives. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from this year’s Taste of Playa will be used to provide a year’s worth of safe drinking water to a local school.

The other reason we wanted to support Taste of Playa is purely personal. Having come from San Francisco, a food-lover’s paradise, we both love to eat. One of the great things about living in Playa del Carmen is that Playa has become a place to find fantastic food. Some of the high end restaurants in Playa easily equal those we’ve come to love in San Francisco. Even many of the mid range restaurants have some amazing food. And we believe that some of the best food one could ever have can be found at the cheap off-the-beaten-path eateries just a few blocks outside the main tourist zone. We figured if all of this came together in one spot, how great would that be??

“VIP Passports” to Taste of Playa are currently being sold at only two venues: at our hotel, the Luna Blue, on Calle 26 between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue and Tropical Casablanca Hotel, on Avenida 1 between Calles 10 and 12. VIP passports cost $400 pesos each and entitle the bearer to one “taste” from each table/restaurant. Only a limited number of passports will be sold, so if you’re going to be in town and plan on being hungry Saturday afternoon, you may want to pick one up ahead of time. The event will be held at Parque Fundadores, the gorgeous little park down near the Cozumel ferry at the south end of town, from 3-9 pm. However, VIP Passport holders will be allowed entrance at 2 pm. If you have limited time or money, Taste of Playa “Pesos” will also be sold at the cost of $10 pesos each. Each “taste” will cost either 1 or 2 “Pesos,” or about $.80 to $1.60 US–a very reasonable price. A list of participating restaurants can be found here.

The event will also feature music and other surprises. If you’re in town and love to eat, don’t miss it. If you’re not in town, you might think about a last minute trip. We think Taste of Playa will be one of the best events of the year, and we’re proud to be associated with it.

Luna Blue Then and Now…Four Years and Counting

Happy Anniversary to us!

It was four years ago today that we arrived in Playa Del Carmen, completing the ultimate road trip: a 4000+ mile journey that began when we left our home in San Francisco to start a new life in Mexico.

To mark this occasion we have been looking at old photos of the hotel the way it was when we arrived, and comparing it to the way it is today. There is quite a difference. We thought people might enjoy knowing of the changes that have taken place over the years.

When we moved into the empty Hotel Zanzibar (with our four cats and Huggybear our faithful English Bulldog) in August of 2005, the eighteen rooms of the hotel were in pretty bad shape. Floors had been tiled in whatever had been cheap and available resulting in a rainbow of different colors, sometimes even in the same room! Cheap worn out bathroom fixtures like toilets, sinks and showers didn’t match and often didn’t work.

Most of the rooms had no furniture to speak of other than worn wood platforms holding broken mattresses and a few planks nailed together as shelves. Only about half of the rooms were air conditioned, and most of those units were failing. Rusty, noisy industrial ceiling fans were the way the rooms were cooled. And the rooms advertised as having “kitchen facilities” turned out to contain a gas tank hooked up by a hose to a hot plate!

The electricity was spotty, the water was often unheated and the sewage had a nasty tendency to overflow the tanks and spill into the yard. The walls, inside and out had not been painted in years, and the cenote “garden” was a swampy pile of rocks and a non useable pool of black water.

We knew we had our work cut out for us, and we jumped right to it. Truthfully the work and the changes have been non-stop ever since.

After repairing or replacing most of the water, electrical and sewage systems, we attacked the rooms. We stripped walls and floors bare. We put down new matching tiles; retiled the bathrooms; replaced the fixtures; put new air conditioning in every room; built entire kitchens in our deluxe rooms; hung new doors; bought new hand built furniture from Guadalajara; bought new mattresses, linens and towels; designed our own shelving and storage units and had them built and installed; painted and repainted; had special lamps and lighting fixtures made; redesigned the reception area; built new palapa awnings on the decks and porches; put down outdoor tiles; rebuilt stairways; installed four new water heaters; enlarged the on site laundry; joined two of the rooms with an interior staircase; arranged for two beach clubs for our guests; cleared out the old cenote and built a garden with walkways, decks and a waterfall. Let’s see… was there anything else? Oh yes, we built a bar.

And we aren’t finished yet. We take pride in the fact that we are constantly looking for new ideas to improve our hotel. There are many plans for more improvements in the future which we think will make a stay at the Luna Blue Hotel the best experience possible for our guests. But for today we wanted to take just a moment to reflect on all the we have accomplished and to offer our thanks to the many, many friends and guests who have had a part in making our little hotel such a giant success. Thank you all. We promise in the future to maintain the high standards you have come to expect at the Luna Blue Hotel.

And now here are some “before and after” pictures which you may enjoy:

The Bathtub in Room 9 Before: The Bathtub in Room 9 After:

A Typical Kitchen in the Garden View Deluxe Rooms Before: A Typical Kitchen in the Garden View Deluxe Rooms After:

Room 9 Before: Room 9 After:

Room 31 Before: Room 31 After:

The Deck Outside Room 36 Before: The Deck Outside Room 36 After:

The Sundeck Before: The Sundeck After:

The Reception Area Before: The Reception Area After:

Treetop Terrace #36 Before: Treetop Terrace #36 After:

The Cenote Garden Before: The Cenote Garden After:

Garden View Deluxe Room Before: Garden View Deluxe Room After:

The Bar Before: The Bar After:

A Typical Bathroom Before: A Typical Bathroom After:

Courtyard Nook Room #2 Before: Courtyard Nook Room #2 After:

Kalaka…A New ‘Must Try’ Restaurant in Playa

We were looking for a new restaurant to try the other night and ended up at Kalaka. It was an instant hit with us, and it’s already become one of our “must recommend” places. We enjoyed everything about this restaurant and have already eaten there twice in the last three days.

Kalaka bills itself as serving Italian/Mexican fusion food. We were a little dubious about that description and were unimpressed when we first read the menu. The entrees offered are pretty basic, i.e., steak, fish, fajitas, pasta. Basic Playa style restaurant fare. However, it was cute and intimate with only eight tables in an open storefront setting on Calle 4 between 15th and 20th Avenues, and it got points from us for being outside the resort zone. We decided to give it a try.

As soon as we sat down, we had a cute little free appetizer delivered to the table consisting of cheese and olives in a pool of olive oil. There is an extensive wine list but unfortunately only by the bottle. Wine by the glass is limited to your basic red and white “Chateau de Sam’s Club.” There is a full bar.

The first night Cheri ordered chicken in a mushroom cream sauce. It was a large chicken breast completely covered in a thick cream sauce full of very large sliced mushrooms (no canned stuff). In our opinion, cream sauces tend to be too thick and a little bland in taste. This one was flavorful and delicious. The chicken came with rice and some steamed vegetables which had been perfectly cooked and flavored with a whole lot of butter. Tony ordered shrimp fajitas. Rather than getting the standard bowl of shrimp with some overcooked onions and pepper strips, he got a plate full of well-spiced shrimp surrounded by huge amounts of steamed vegetables. The vegetables were fresh, well-cooked and perfectly set off the shrimps. This was accompanied by homemade tortillas and some of the best guacamole in Playa. We were both extremely impressed with our meals.

The next time we returned, Cheri had the shrimp brochette, which consisted of giant shrimps wrapped in bacon and grilled on skewers with various vegetables. This was covered by a light and very flavorful sauce. It was served with a baked potato and more of those delicious vegetables. Tony ordered one of the two filet mignons on the menu. It was a good sized steak grilled perfectly and covered with hollandaise and a tangy soy-based sauce. It was easily as good as any steak we’ve ever had in Playa. It was, frankly, better than the steaks we had at Chicago Don Jose’s and equal to the more expensive steaks we had at John Gray’s Place. It was served with fresh asparagus and a baked potato swimming in butter and sour cream. At the end of both meals, a small tray with two shots of tequila, lime, salt and watermelon chunks was placed on the table. It was a nice touch.

We met the owners, Sylvia and Max, who are from Milan. They were friendly and gracious and are obviously very enthusiastic about their restaurant. We really liked this place, as you can tell. The intimacy and soft lighting makes it a very romantic spot. The quality of the food makes it one of the better restaurants we have eaten at in Playa del Carmen. And because it is a couple blocks off of Fifth Avenue, the prices are not outrageous. The most expensive thing on the menu was the filet mignon Tony ordered at $225 pesos (about $17 US).

This place has style and is worth keeping around. We’re definitely going back (next time we’re ordering from the extensive pasta menu) and highly recommend that our readers give it a try when they visit Playa.

Shrimp Fajitas

Pollo con Champinones (Chicken with Mushrooms)

Inside Kalaka

And on a totally different topic…for those of you who have been worrying about the weather, the beaches, the sunshine, etc. (especially our friends, “the other Tony & Cheri”), here are some pictures we took this morning on Xpu-Ha beach. This is why we live here.

CLICK HERE FOR LUNA BLUE’S SUMMER SPECIAL – Pay for Three, Stay One for Free

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More Reasons to Visit Playa del Carmen

The weather is balmy, the ocean is a magnificent array of blues, the exchange rate is up again, and there are no crowds in town. Airlines are having specials to Cancun. Restaurants and businesses all over town are offering tantalizing discounts. NOW is the time to visit Playa del Carmen. And to add a little icing to the cake, this summer we’re having our first ever special at the Luna Blue Hotel & Bar. For every three nights you stay, you stay another night for free!! In other words, stay for four and pay for three; stay for eight and pay for six. And a free welcome margarita will await you at the bar on your arrival. You can barely afford not to come!

See you in paradise!

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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Nothing too exciting or important in today’s blog. We went to the Blucacao Beach Club today and just wanted to share. It was a stunningly beautiful day. Enjoy.

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