A Glorious Day in Puerto Vallarta

Buenos Dias!
After a week of clouds, drizzly days and lots of rain....the sun came out, the tropical greenery is vibrant and Vallarta is fresh after a nice cool bath! There is even a lovely breeze as I watch the boats head out from the marina filled with tourists ready for a spectacular day.
Some of you may be wondering how Vallarta is doing given the avalanche of negative reporting involving the drug wars and violence. We are happy to report that Puerto Vallarta has remained a safe and friendly place and there are no signs of trouble.  Vallarta maintains her dignity, her soul and her beauty with the locals going about their daily lives, interacting with the visitors, tourists and the international community.
The city is spending the summer upgrading the malecon or "boardwalk", building a new pier at Playa los Muertos and providing wide sidewalks lined with flowers to stroll along Basilio Badillo in the Romantic Zone.  In the spirit of renovation, La Palapa has re-designed the bar area to feature more ocean view seating!
La Palapa continues to be the local go-to spot for a lovely breakfast, colorful lunch or romantic dinner. Where else can you experience a 5 star gourmet meal and service with your toes in the sand! Vista Grill is featuring live music on the weekends and the shows provided by lightening or fireworks always add to the unique dining experience.
So life goes on in our little town with the big city features....stay tuned for articles on our musicians, our staff, our new boutique and a first class concierge service!
Saludos!
Renee

Five Star Diamond Award for La Palapa and Vista Grill!

Hola amigos!
We are pleased to announce that La Palapa and Vista Grill were honored with the Five Star Diamond Award presented by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences to the top gourmet restaurants in Mexico! Puerto Vallarta boasts 8 restaurants who were granted this prestigious recognition, second only to Mexico City, proving PV to be a fabulous destination for foodies and those seeking a distinctive dining experience. The award is presented to those establishments that meet the high standards relating to culinary expertise and presentation, atmosphere, service and decor. Other restaurants that were awarded this honor were Cafe des Artistes, Thierry Blouet Steakhouse, Trio, Vitea, Kaiser Maximillian and Le Kliff.  The awards were given at a gala affair at Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta. Alberto and I were there to receive the awards for La Palapa and Vista Grill, and enjoyed a lovely cocktail party followed by a fabulous dinner with live latin music. We are very proud to be able to accept this award on behalf of our staff, who strive everyday to make each guest feel welcome and special. We hope to continue the tradition! (I tried to make a Academy Award style speech, but the music came on and I got the boot....oh well!)

Saludos from the beach!

Renee Perez

Children's Day, Labor Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Teacher's Day....the people of Mexico love a party!

Hola de Puerto Vallarta!
May is the month of celebration in Mexico....of children, of the worker, of battles won, and of our dear Mothers and Teachers. April 30 is technically not in May....but it starts the whole month long party ball rolling with Children's Day! Schools have parties and activities for the kids, and all of the adults get to join in the fun and revisit their inner child for the day. La Palapa celebrated with a new Kid's Club on the beach, with tables and umbrellas for the little ones, beach toys and boogie boards. Labor Day was celebrated on May 1st, the only day La Palapa and Vista Grill close for business out of the whole year. The staff are invited to relax and enjoy a party with "tacos al pastor",  DJ, a live "banda" for dancing and gifts to thank them for their hard work and dedication to our guests. Cinco de Mayo is a much bigger deal in the U.S., not really celebrated much in Mexico....just a day off school and work in honor of winning the battle of Puebla against the French. But a day off is a day off! And then we come to Mother's Day....always celebrated on May 10th in a big, big way with elaborate school performances and dedications, flowers, gifts and the pampering of Mothers who are treated to homemade cards and maybe even a serenade of "Las Mañanitas" at midnight outside her window....just as she was trying to get some sleep!  Teacher's Day is May 15th and this special day celebrates the people who are given the responsibility to shape the future of our world through education. Teachers are highly revered in Mexico, and all teachers are respected and addressed as Miss or Mr., no matter what their marital status. I was Miss Renee for many years as librarian at the American School, and even adults whose children I taught call me Miss Renee to this day...an endearment which I cherish.  As the sun gets a tad warmer, and the rains a bit closer....May is always a fun month in Mexico! We have so much to celebrate in this beautiful country!

And what about Vista Grill? Wasn't that Sr. Chico's?

Yes, many years ago Chico, Alberto's eldest brother built Sr. Chico's on the hill overlooking the bay. This is the same Chico Perez who created Chico's Paradise located on the drive south past Boca de Tomatlan. A true pioneer in the field of tourism and restaurants, Chico built, owned and operated Sr. Chico's which was known for the view and Vallarta spectacular table side cookery featuring Steak Diane, Bananas Flambe  and specialty coffees....which still entertain with fire and flash under the same roof.  In 2004 a facelift and update was conducted by Alberto Perez, to bring an upscale, jazzy ambiance and an elevated cuisine to match the fabulous view of the bay. Many a romance has been ignited or celebrated at one of the terrace tables which overlook the famous cathedral of Guadalupe, the sunsets over the Banderas Bay and the nightly fireworks show which dazzles from the Marigalante Pirate ship. The menu is a collection of the best recipes from many guest chefs who have left their mark through the Gourmet Festival and has earned many awards including the coveted 5 Star Diamond ranking. Live music nightly creates a mood of romance and jazz, and we know that Chico would have been proud of his little brother and all he has done to carry on the tradition of excellence. Salud!

How it all began....

For those of you who may not know the whole story about La Palapa....here it is, as I have heard it throughout my 28 years of being a part of the Perez family. Alberto is my husband, and he is the 11th of 11 children born to Enrique and Eduarda Perez Gonzalez. One of Alberto's older sisters, Rodelinda was a local native beauty, a very exotic and elegant Mexican girl. She fell in love and married a retired American war veteran from Oregon, Guy Dickey. Puerto Vallarta in the fifties was emerging as a jet setter's paradise, where private jets and wealthy adventure seekers could come and experience a true Mexican tropical culture in an unspoiled, flower filled village of cobblestones and horse drawn carts.  Playa los Muertos,  so named for archeological evidence of turf wars fought by pirates (ok, human bones...) was a beautiful wide beach where families would come to spend the day. Rodelinda and Guy decided to open the first restaurant on the beach in Puerto Vallarta.  Was there a bridge to cross the river to get to their new place? No. Were there cruise ships and tour companies or even airlines to bring tourists? No. But their business thrived as the two taxis in town forged the river to bring guests, to a huge "palapa" or "thatched roof" beach cafe.  In 1959 La Palapa was born, and so was Alberto...Rodelinda's youngest brother and the future caretaker of this family treasure.  Who knew? Story to be continued.....
Saludos de Puerto Vallarta!
Renee

WELCOME TO RENEE'S BLOG! A NEW ERA FOR LA PALAPA/VISTA GRILL

Welcome friends...bienvenidos!
As long standing institutions of Puerto Vallarta, La Palapa and our sister restaurant Vista Grill are thrilled to  become a part of the 21st century by sharing and creating a community with our BLOG! We are excited to be able to share with you what's new in our little paradise, the story behind the scenes, the history, the gossip, the latest news as well as profiles and updates on your favorite staff members. For those of you who live in Vallarta, you will be able to get info on the latest specials and events happening on the beach and on the hill. For those who are regular visitors, coming year after year and letting us be a part of your vacation....we would love to keep you in touch with your La Palapa/Vista Grill family during the year, when you might need a pick me up to remind you of your last vacation and a reminder of the one coming up! For those who are considering visiting us for the first time, we hope to give you some cool tips and a sense of what we have to offer with our outstanding and friendly service, excellent 5 Star award winning menu and our fabulous ambience on the beach, or overlooking the bay. We will keep you posted on our musical artist's performance schedule, give you a bit of history and background and even let you know what the lastest "chisme" is regarding the goings on of Puerto Vallarta!
Thank you for joining us....and check in now and then for an update from...
A Day at the Beach, A View of the Bay!

Salud!

Renee Perez