May 17, 2024 by Born To Organize

A Week in Vancouver

We’re spending a week in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, celebrating Mike’s birthday and enjoying unscheduled time. It’s been terrific.

Mike’s never been to Vancouver, and I was last here in the early eighties with my friend, Stephanie. The city is as vibrant as I remember, but instead of staying in a youth hostel, we’re in a hotel. Walking to most places has been easy, and we’ve otherwise taken the local bus or train. I have loved being away from car culture for a while.

Walking around Gastown, Mike posing with a steam-powered clock

We lucked out with the weather and only needed a sweater or light jacket most days.

Mike’s birthday coincided with warm, clear skies and a fun adventure: time at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver. We boarded the free shuttle at Canada Place, and within 15 minutes, we entered the lush green park. Storyboards and artifacts from the early days describe the evolution of the bridge. Here’s a blurb from the website:

“The park has a rich history, getting its name, Capilano, from the Squamish Nation’s Kia’palano, which means beautiful river. The park’s story is one of engineering feats, appreciation for the land, and an eagerness to share its wondrous beauty with the world. It’s a testament to respect for cultural traditions and commitment to environmental conservation.”

https://www.capbridge.com

Crossing the bridge proved challenging in an unexpected way. The suspension bridge never stops swaying, making it impossible to cross without lurching toward one cable, getting your footing, and then inching forward before hanging on again. We could stop and look down below, but it wasn’t possible to linger with so many people traveling to the other side.

Once across the bridge, we were under a beautiful rainforest canopy with wooden walkways and gorgeous lush forest views. There are educational stations for children and adults, a chance to learn about raptors, and unlike the bridge, we could move at our own pace in an unhurried manner. We were there for a few hours.

We timed our return across the bridge so we could have a bite to eat before our next adventure: walking on a single-file walkway above the canyon, again offering magnificent views.

We’ve filled the rest of the week with a variety of activities, including an afternoon at VanDusen Botanical Gardens, where we spotted turtles, goslings, and the occasional fish. The collection of rhododendrons is extraordinary.

We laughed our way to the center of the VanDusen maze and back out. The maze walls feature 3,000 pyramidal cedars. Once in the maze, you can’t see the outer surroundings—such fun.

We attended Vancouver Writer’s Fest: An Evening with David Sedaris on Tuesday. I’ve long admired his writing and sense of humor, and we both enjoyed laughing out loud with a packed house at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Today we took a bus to Stanley Park where we walked along the shore, through wooded areas, pretty gardens and an outdoor cafe where we enjoyed salads and the view. Shortly after photographing the Great Blue Heron, the bird dipped its head in the water and plucked out a fish.

Our cozy hotel is home to a pair of labs, who lounge near the concierge desk for part of each day. I sent my postcards down a mail chute, a vintage relic embedded in the wall. One night, I indulged in room service, ordering chocolate cake to share, and a hot peppermint tea. We splurged on a dinner at the Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant.

All told, it’s been the perfect time away, with hours of sunshine and fresh air, delicious food, and a slower pace.

December 5, 2023 by Born To Organize

Misty Morning Musings

A misty morning fog settled over San Jose on Monday, a nice change of pace for this time of year and a gift to the otherwise dry garden. Autumn arrives in slow motion here in the Bay Area, so it’s strange to think that our winter solstice is just a few weeks away. The beautiful oranges, yellows, and reds of autumn are everywhere.

Mike has fully recovered from COVID-19 and is on a business trip again. Fortunately, his trip to Las Vegas is only three days long, just an hour away, and in the same time zone. I flew to Vegas with him Saturday morning, and our youngest son joined us for a 24-hour visit. We attended Cirque du Soleil, something we all enjoy, and a walk-through of the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio Hotel.

“Each season, the enormously talented Horticulture and Engineering teams transform the 14,000-square-foot Botanical Gardens into a showcase of inspiring sights, sounds, scents and colors. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter are all featured—along with a special display for Lunar New Year. When the seasons change so do the displays. The talented Conservatory team changes out the design and also replants and repurposes as much of the living plant material as possible, further celebrating Mother Nature and our commitment to sustainability.” –Bellagio Website

This year’s holiday theme is the Nutcracker. It opened the day before we arrived.

The designer creates a magical display with real trees, plants, and flowers. A model train ran through the brightly lit and inviting displays, and though crowded, I enjoyed the Christmas magic and time with my family. Las Vegas isn’t my scene, but it allowed us to be together.

We walked five miles on Saturday in between meals and the show. We had a strange incident at dinner, which put a damper on the meal, and we’re still unclear what happened. A few seconds after they served our meal, a security officer walked up to the side of our table and stood within a shoulder-tapping distance of my 23-year-old son. We expected the guard to say something, but he just stood there. A second security guard arrived, and we finally understood that they were “back up” for an incident playing out at a nearby table. Everyone fell silent, knowing something was amiss but not knowing what. My son overheard the security detail threaten a misdemeanor arrest if the party of four didn’t leave the restaurant. After some fanfare, they finally complied, but everyone felt unsettled.

I’m glad to be back home doing mundane things like raking leaves and laundry. Dorothy had it right; there is no place like home.

We’ve decked our Christmas tree with baubles from our travels, gifts from friends, and hand-made treasures from the boy’s grammar school years. New this season is a pair of marbled paper ornaments from our time in Florence and a funny cat decoration from my friend, Mary.

I bought branches of Christmas greenery from a nearby garden center and mixed in lavender from our garden, filling vases and glass jars for maximum effect. Soon, my family of four will be home. The nest is ready.

October 2, 2023 by Born To Organize

When in Rome

I found the perfect spot to share my age and birthday with a calendar at the Vatican Museum. Since we’re in Rome, I opted for Roman Numerals.

We started the day early with a quick breakfast and a Metro ride to Vatican City. We had tickets for a garden tour, so it was nice to get there before the heat descended.

The gardens show off English, French, and Italian styles, with a long history of donated trees, plants, and sculptures. The fountains are always refreshing, but my favorite is home to red-eared turtles, which we spotted swimming and sunning themselves.

Viewing the Sistine Chapel was the one let-down of the day. We jostled down several flights of stairs before being ushered in and pushed to the center of a room with shoulder-to-shoulder people. Guards kept yelling at us to clear the imaginary aisle of the room, moving us toward the center of a packed room. The limited time we had to try and enjoy and reflect on the magnificent art above felt fleeting. We stood together in that tightly packed, stuffy room, trying to appreciate the grandeur, but my instinct to flee took over, and we exited as quickly as possible.

Mike pictured in the Gallery of Geographic Maps. His father hailed from Rome, but immigrated to Argentina after the war.

It took another twenty minutes to exit the museum; by then, it was close to three, and we were exhausted.

A quiet sit-down with cold drinks and a shared Margherita pizza steadied the ship. The metro ride back was equally packed, but for that short duration and the welcoming cool air, it all worked well.

We arrived at the hotel with the loveliest surprise: the staff left us a bottle of Prosecco, a pair of glasses, and the nice note below.

I want to share one last thing before we head out to enjoy my birthday dinner and our delicious Prosecco. We ate at the same cafe for lunch and dinner when we arrived in Rome. It’s a stone’s throw from our hotel, so it seemed easier than looking for something else. For the rest of the trip, we’ve tried different places daily. When we returned to our hotel last night, one of the servers recognized me and waved from across the street! Tonight, another server called out to us and waved. I can’t tell you how warm and welcoming it’s been.

September 30, 2023 by Born To Organize

Five Days in Firenze

We said goodbye to Firenze today as we boarded our train. Getting your bearings in a new place often takes a few days, but we immediately felt at home in Florence.

While great cities are known for their museums and galleries, churches, and historically significant sites, the joy of travel for me is often the unexpected.

One example: I spotted what’s known as a wine window a short walk from our hotel. I snapped a photo, then looked it up and learned that: “They were created as far back as 1559, when Cosimo de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence, allowed wealthy, noble families to sell wine they produced out of their homes.” (via Atlas Obscura).

The Buchette del vino, or little wine doors, proved helpful for a different reason during the plague and adapted again during COVID. Pictured below: Designated wine door, probable wine door, wind door converted into resident names/buzzers, and an artistic rendering of one.

Another delight was an immersive art experience off of the main hall of the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. A friend recommended this perfumery, which is extraordinary in its own right, but the Blooming in Paradise experience was unexpected. As you enter the room, the rich scent of one of their florals draws you in as slowly changing projections of flowers surround you. Soft music and dim lights enhance the experience and fill your senses. It certainly appealed to my gardening soul.

We loved the profuma-farmaceutica’s rich history and gorgeous buildings. Like many things in Florence, it’s been there for hundreds of years.

One more fun surprise was our bed and breakfast. The building was recently remodeled and decorated in Art Deco themes and prints. Illustrations from Vogue magazine lined the walls, and replicas from the period greeted us when we returned each night.

Art Deco happens to be my favorite style of visual arts and architecture. Mike worried beforehand that he had booked a room too far out of the city. Imagine my delight when we checked in to this charmer for five days instead.

On our way home one evening, we heard a young opera singer in one of the piazzas. A sizable crowd had grown around him. We were fortunate to catch a glimpse and listen to the night’s last two songs.

We had more delicious meals than I can count and many tastes of regional gelato. Mike, a self-proclaimed coffee snob, enjoyed espressos and cafe lattes daily. The service has been spectacular throughout, and most days, we’ve enjoyed our meals outdoors. People-watching never gets old.

Of the “must see in Firenze” list, we toured the Uffizi, which “houses the Italian Renaissance art, featuring works by such masters as Botticelli, Titian, Michelangelo, and da Vinci.”

We spent an evening at the Galleria dell’Accademia: “Europe’s first school of drawing, this museum of art is chiefly famous for its several sculptures by Michelangelo, notably his David, in addition to an extensive collection of 15th- and 16th-century paintings.”

Seeing Michelangelo’s statue of David, a 17-foot masterpiece, has been a lifelong dream since taking art history in university over forty years ago. It’s humbling being in its presence.

We enjoyed a meal in front of the Palazzo Vecchio and again across from Piazza del Duomo.

Sharing narrow streets with intrepid taxi drivers and enthusiastic motorbikes kept us on our toes as we walked between five and seven miles daily.

I will remember the sound of crickets, the hum of humanity, flower boxes, and postcard stands. I haven’t taken one moment of this fantastic trip for granted. I’m so lucky to be here.

Parting shots:

September 26, 2023 by Born To Organize

Murano, Burano, Venezia, and More

On our last full day in Venezia, we took a boat ride to Murano, famous for blown glass, and then on to Burano, an even smaller island known for lace-making.

I’ve seen glassblowing demonstrations before, but not in Italy. Everything is magical in Italy. One glassblower made an intricate vase, and the second shaped a glass horse in minutes. It was a Sunday, so the factory was closed, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

In addition to lace-making, Burano is known for its colorfully painted houses; the house’s color designates the owner. Once a home is painted blue, for instance, any future buyer has to leave the house blue.

As we crossed one of the piazzas, I stopped to greet this charming pup who thoroughly enjoyed a back scratch. We were both reluctant to part company so soon.

As for this Burano resident, she’s a feline’s feline, so in other words, “get lost.”

The boat ride back made me feel young again. We got to sit on the upper deck while the captain played popular tunes from his phone. The guide passed out small plastic cups filled with Prosecco, and it seemed we were all smiling or laughing.

A replica of a galleon sailed by to our delight, and we learned that it is something you can hire for a wedding.

After eating and more walking, we returned to our hotel to pack our bags for the following day.

We took a vaporeto (water bus) to catch our train on Monday, landing in Firenze late afternoon. We walked forty minutes with our travel bags through narrow, cobbled streets and crowded courtyards and decided to take a taxi next time. We forgot that we’re in our sixties and not our thirties.

We’re staying in another charming hotel, part apartment building, part small business, and part hotel. Our room is on a “half-floor,” which means we step off the glass elevator on the floor below and then walk up a few steps. I love the large hotel windows that open, letting in fresh air and light. This morning, Mike spotted a neighbor’s cat on the adjacent balcony. I feel right at home.

We lunched on paninis before spending time at the Galleria Uffizi. It was incredible seeing famous artwork in a gorgeous setting; however, an aching back and fatigue got the better of me toward the end. We stopped for refreshments, and now I’m resting at our hotel while Mike ventured out for a new pair of shoes.

My goodness, there is so much more to see and do! Thank you for following along.

Goodnight from River Arno, Firenze.

September 24, 2023 by Born To Organize

To Italy at Last

While planning our wedding in 1995, we talked about going to Italy for our honeymoon. We came to our senses, knowing how tired we would be, and agreed to travel to Italy another time.

Twenty-eight years later, that time is now. The travel to Europe from San Jose is grueling. We took an Uber to San Francisco International Airport, flew ten hours to Zurich, waited three hours to board a one-hour flight to Venezia, and then took a 40-minute water taxi to Piazza San Marco. We walked, perhaps crawled, to our quaint hotel from there, exhausted yet happy to be here.

This morning, we wandered the narrow streets of Venezia, traversing several bridges as we crossed canals, peering into shop windows, and pausing for refreshments at a cafe. Mid-day, we took a docent-led three-hour tour of the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica San Marco.

I learned so much along the way and thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous architecture, tiled mosaics, and the fantastic views from virtually every window we passed. We had an engaging and knowledgeable guide. Pictured above: Basilica, tour tickets, Doge’s Palace ceiling covered with painted wood and gold leaf, the Bridge of Sighs, and interior shots of the St. Mark’s Basilica

After the tour, we sat in the Piazza San Marco, listening to live music and amusing ourselves with the antics of the local, dare I say, bold pigeons. The birds landed on tables, on a few straw hats, and wooshed by at close range. One presumptuous pigeon briefly looked up my dress, perhaps waiting for crumbs that never fell. I’m sure the staff have chased off the pigeons many times, and it is clear the restaurants and cafes work hard to keep tables and floors clean. With patrons and small children offering food on the ground, I imagine it’s a lost cause. I kept a close eye on my food and wondered if they, too, were addicted to carbs.

Mike booked a restaurant a month ago so we would have a nice place to celebrate our anniversary. We walked twenty minutes from our hotel to la Zucca, crossing the famous Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal and pausing to take pictures.

We enjoyed a lovely meal in a charming, cellar-like room, the wooden walls lined with bottled wine and decorative gourds. Fabulous wait staff helped us feel at home, and Mike’s ability to order dinner in Italian added to the evening’s fun.

We shared a pumpkin mousse and vegetable compote, and I savored a vegetarian plate with rice and a glass of crisp white wine. Instead of a restaurant dessert, we opted for gelato on our walk back. All buildings here have a water door and a street door. This is the water door to our restaurant, though we walked in the old-fashioned way. Entering by boat would have been great fun. We walked 7 miles over the day.

Sunday is our last full day in Venezia. On Monday, we board a train for Firenze to see more of this beautiful country. I hope to write more from there. Ciao!

July 2, 2019 by Born To Organize

My Garden Sows Content

Life is full.

Since my last post we’ve celebrated three family birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and my oldest son’s graduation from college. My youngest son came home from his first year away at college and my oldest son moved home mid-June. Somewhere in there we took a two-day getaway to Las Vegas after Mike finished a big work project. Next week I leave for a long-anticipated trip to British Columbia and Alberta. I’ll be traveling with my friend Kelly, a dear friend whom I met through blogging nearly eight years ago. I am really looking forward to this trip.

Through it all though, my garden continues to sow content.

We had some brutally hot days in the low 100’s (104 F or 40 C), but it has settled down into cooler temps. During the heat wave I arrived home to wilting hydrangeas and burnt ground cover. The flowers recovered but the ground cover is done till the rains return.

Pink hydrangea looking refreshed

Burnt ground cover after the heatwave

Burnt succulent during the triple digit heatwave

Pink hydrangea dominating the corner

On the subject of rain, we had the loveliest, late-season rain in May, bringing about larger and taller flowers, fuller blooms and a short-term delay in the unbearable heat. It was such a gift.

(name escapes me) purple flower

Miniature yellow roses, a long-ago gift from a friend

Kangaroo paw amid grasses, salvia and the last of the sweet peas

pin-cushion flowers

This gladiola grew twice as tall as last year

Gladiola closeup

I spent some early mornings this week pulling out the spent Nigella, also known as Love-in-a-mist and the sweet peas. I let both of them go to seed, reaping the benefits of a self seeded garden each spring. The cornflowers are the last of the self-seeded spring flowers. The bees are still pollinating the remaining blooms while the birds swoop in for the seeds.

Bee pollinating nigella bloom

Cornflower seeds equal happy birds

The darkest of the cornflowers

Sweet peas in rich purples, magenta and lavender

Sweet peas grow amid the perennials

Assorted sweet peas return year after year

I’ve been musing to myself that some of my garden favorites are the ones that return year after year with no effort on my part. They attract birds, bees and admiring neighbors. I get several month’s worth of small garden bouquets, and enjoy sharing the bounty with others.

Now that summer is here, our plums are ripening and the four o’clocks are about to bloom.

My miniature Hobbit garden, planted a year ago in celebration of my New Zealand friends and hosts is also robust.

Miniature succulents filling in

Tiny flower lights from Laura

A tiny violet self-seeded near the Hobbit door

Table and chairs

My miniature Hobbit garden in May, 2018

I’ve added a tiny rusted table and a few flower “lights”, a gift from my friend Laura. I noticed this week that a tiny violet has self-seeded near the Hobbit door. We’ll see how it grows.

The tomatoes are looking promising this year!

Mouse next to the Earthbox tomatoes

Three stages of ripeness

Tomatoes growing skyward

Still grayish green with the spent flowers attached

Red mulch keeps the soil warm and weed-free

Over the years people ask “is your garden a lot of work?” and the answer is always the same. Yes, it can be back-aching work, bending and lifting, pruning and pulling weeds, especially during the hot days of summer. But the work is joyful. It’s not so much the ends but the means. I love working in the dirt, discovering new things, seeing what works and learning from failures. Working closely with nature is uplifting. I marvel at the different shapes and sizes of the bees. I’m honored when a hummingbird comes close, inquisitive and open. I hear the rustle of the lizards and hope the cats will let them be. I laugh at myself when I’m startled by a spider, but I’ve learned to manage that fear while respecting the gifts they bring to the garden. A few ladybugs came for a visit last month and polished off the invading aphids. These are some of my favorite examples of nature at her finest.

I get dirt under my fingernails and sometimes in my teeth. Bruised knees and a sore neck mean I’ve stayed out too long. It takes me a lot longer to get up from the ground, and the pain in my hips reminds me of my advancing age. It’s all worth it for that time in the garden where I find a real connection to this earth.

Laboring in my garden sows content.

March 6, 2018 by Born To Organize

Loving New Zealand

Looking down over Queenstown, New Zealand

Every cliché you’ve heard about New Zealand is true. There really are more sheep than people, the hills really are that green, and the water really is that clear. New Zealanders are warm and friendly, epitomized by our hosts Pauline, Danella and Jo.

All the stresses of delayed flights and airport checks fell away with Pauline’s first embrace. I’ve been ensconced in a warm cocoon ever since.

Here’s what we’ve been up to since my last post Three Days in Dunedin.

Pauline organized a thrilling ride on a four-seater motor bike known as the trike. There are only seven of them in the world. Our charming guide Andrew met us at the city center known as the Octagon and graciously put up with all our picture-taking. We maneuvered through town, then along the harbour and into the hills for a breathtaking view. I should mention that we were also part of the view, as tourists waved and stared at this fascinating trike. I now have an inkling of what it must be like to be famous. Complete strangers smiled and waved and took pictures of us along the way. What fun!

Experience Dunedin: The Trike

Experience Dunedin Andrew

Trike ride through downtown Dunedin

Pauline and Andrew overlooking the Otago Harbour

Motorbike Mama (snort)

Born to ride

Sheep grazing above the Dunedin harbour

Blogging Babes on the trike

With Pauline, trying out my selfie stick

Heading back to Dunedin

If you’re ever in Dunedin

We were on the road for nearly an hour, wind in our hair, smiles on our faces, laughing much of the way. Experience Dunedin just celebrated their first anniversary. You can see some closeup shots of the trike on their Facebook page.

Back on terra firma, we stopped for lunch. While the others stayed on for drinks, Pauline organized a visit to her chiropractor to help with my gathering pain, the result of too many hours sitting on the long-haul flight. Did I mention the warm cocoon?

We rounded out the day with a walking tour of the University of Otago (Māori: Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo). Danella has worked at this beautiful university for a decade.

Danella the trooper, still recovering from a broken leg

I inadvertently set my camera to manual, so many of my photos turned out dark and grainy. Here are a few to give you a flavor of the place.

Clock Tower University of Otago

University of Otago

Beautiful architecture

A peaceful campus setting

If you want to see how a real photographer does it, please check out Laurie’s post University of Otago.

The following morning we were off to Wanaka (rhymes with Monica). We caravanned in two cars for the five-hour journey with several stops for lunch and photographs along the way. Steven is a CB radio enthusiast so he rigged the two cars with radios. We were in regular communication between cars, alerting each other for stops and other practical matters. There may also have been some singing in the round, just to keep things interesting.

As if! It’s all interesting and wonderful. I’m like a mum with a new baby, constantly gushing at the wonder of it all.

I’ll share details of Wanaka and Queenstown in a future post.

Above Queenstown

You can catch up on the start of our journey by reading Three Days in Dunedin, followed by The Drive to Wanaka.

Blogging Babes in New Zealand

Pauline: The Contented Crafter

Laurie: Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things

KPB: Boomdeeadda

February 6, 2018 by Born To Organize

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Unless The Camera is in Another Room

From the archives: Anna’s Hummingbird perched on the fountain, September, 2016

You’ve probably heard the expression “A picture is worth a thousand words.” I looked up the origin of the cliché this morning as I watched a hummingbird splashing about in the bubbler atop our fountain. The concept isn’t new, but the expression is only about one hundred years old.

BB (Before Blogging) I would have enjoyed the hummingbird experience for what it was: a gem of a moment that I might have missed if I hadn’t looked out the window at just the right time. Ten minutes earlier, as I watered the indoor plants, I mused that I really should get out there with the hose and top up the fountain.

Instead, the receding water slowed the fountain pump allowing the tiny bird a chance to sit in the bubbler and spin in a circle while splashing its wings. Pure joy!

AB (After Blogging) I’ve realized that I want to share these special moments with you. Our global blogging community fits neatly into another cliché; “It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

On the subject of gifts, I’m traveling to Oregon next week to spend time with blogger Marlene from In Search Of It All. We’ve connected for years through our blogs, then graduated to emailing, Facebook, phone calls, texts and finally our first face-to-face. I can hardly wait to give and receive the in-person hug we’ve been trading virtually for years.

In March I’ll be traveling again, a trip two years in the making: I’m off to New Zealand, where my friend Pauline of The Contented Crafter and her two daughters will host three blogger-turned-friends from Canada and the US. It’s a trip of a lifetime. I still can’t quite believe we’ve pulled it off.

While I hope to capture photos worth a thousand words, I know I’ll be gathering incredible memories with special women. I’m looking forward to sharing more of them with you.

January 16, 2018 by Born To Organize

Puerto Vallarta: An Exquisite Time Away

We’ve just returned from a three-day getaway to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. What an exquisite place! Mike traveled there on business earlier in the week, and I followed Friday and stayed through the long weekend. We flew home late Monday night.

View from the balcony of the Westin Hotel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Puerto Vallarta sunset the evening I arrived

After our protracted recovery from the flu, this trip was exactly what the proverbial doctor ordered.

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

We walked along the beach, read, took naps, and explored the grounds of the gorgeous resort hotel.

Mike next to the fountain outside of our room

Bougainvillea cascading over the hotel balcony

There were many cool places for lounging out of the hot sun

Puerto Vallarta trailing purple flowers on trellis

Mike posing near the pool

View of Old Town across the bay

Peaches and cream

We enjoyed fruity drinks with our tortilla chips and guacamole in the casita facing the sea. San Jose has a heavy Mexican influence, but it was still fun to enjoy a dish that originated in Mexico.

The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words—ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce).

Tropical cocktails with a plate of tortillas and guacamole

I’m always intrigued by the local wildlife, like this clever black bird, called a Great-tailed Grackle. He seemed to know that he could swoop in for a chip, after they cleared the dishes. He knew not to approach any of the tables with guests, but as soon as the dishes landed on a clearing tray, he made his move. Once he claimed the chip, he flew into the rafters, hopping and chirping from row to row.

Great-tailed Grackle

Great-tailed Grackle makes his move

Great-tailed Grackle claims a tortilla chip

Great-tailed Grackle takes off

On Saturday night, we ate a spectacular, five-course vegetarian meal at Café Des Artistes by Thierry Blouet. Their website describes it as

” French cuisine with Mexican inspiration. More than 25 years being the gourmet tradition in Puerto Vallarta.”

The Café Des Artistes is carved into the hillside and sits above Old Town, the heart of the city. The main floor is a bar, with the upper two stories featuring open-air dining under the trees. They seated us on the third floor surrounded by towering bamboo and ancient trees. From there we could look down on the garden terrace.

Stairs leading to the second floor of the Cafe Des Artistes

Descending the stone stairway after our meal

The garden

One of the tastes from the vegetarian menu

Another view

Happy us

I could go on and on about this place, but instead I’ll sum it up in one, long sentence: Dining in Puerto Vallarta with the man I love, sitting under a canopy of trees wearing a sleeveless dress with live music playing while enjoying a full-course vegetarian meal, served by a charming and devoted team of wait staff who delivered a story about each wine pairing left me breathless. What a night!

After our meal, we walked along the strand in Old Town Puerto Vallarta before heading back to the hotel.

Three days passed quickly. We hope to return for a longer stay, to experience whale watching, snorkeling and other local activities when we have more time.

Our hotel was an easy walk to the harbor filled with boats and lovely vistas, and of course we couldn’t help but price the local real estate. It never hurts to look, eh?

I’ll leave you with a few more pictures of our trip highlights.

Turtles sunning themselves in a pond next to a Japanese restaurant.