Fashion Look Spa - estetica & spa

When we first moved to Mexico I had no idea where to go for any of the beauty stuff in Tulum. I had seen a few places that cut hair in town but nothing salon like in the states. I was so excited when I went to my friends new cafe Melie and he told me about the spa upstairs.

As I climbed the stairs into the buildings second floor and walked through the glass doors on the spa, I felt like I was right back in San Francisco. The windows were very large and overlooked some very nice greenery outside which really added to the decor of the place. The breeze came in so nicely and moved through the space making it very comfortable to be in even on this very hot day.

The product wall was large, beautifully displayed and full of products that I recognized to be of very high quality. There was a nice little waiting area that was full of plants and had comfortable furniture. It was also right near the window which is always good for comfort.

There were 4 fully stocked hair stations. All of them had windows on the sides and the fresh air made the whole space very light and airy. The chairs were simple and confortable looking.

There were 3 manicurist tables. The best part of this that I saw was that they had OPI nail polish. I love OPI nail polish and I could tell that they used other high quality tools. Everything was so clean and sterile and I was iching to get a manicure but maybe next time.


There were also 2 washing stations and here again, I could tell that they used great products. All the areas were spotlessly clean and seemed to be brand new. The whole place has a very open, fresh and clean feeling and look to it.

The beautiful image that is on the glass wall that separates the treatment area is amazing and definitely adds to the ambiance. The rest of the artwork and decorative items bring a bit of color and movement and the candles and plants add a sense of life and peace.

The treatment room is large and open and draped with large soft white curtains. There is a large water fall in one corner and a large natural arrangement in a vase in another corner. The treatment room was also clean and calming.

I will be going back to get a list of services and get an idea of how much things cost. This is a place that I cannot wait to go and get a much needed pedicure. When I do I will tell you all about it.

This spa is located on the 2nd floor of Calle andromedia entre, centro y satelite.

Now if you are like me... that will be impossible to find. TodoTulum.com has probably the best maps in town. You can pick them up all over town. You can see where I am talking about here. The spa is directly across the street from Le Bistro on this map. Le Bistro is a little bit up the block from the corner and the spa is on the corner. It is really hard to tell that by looking at a map.

Once I get more info on the prices and services I will let you know!

Teetotum Hotel- Restaurant - Lounge ***

I love going to Teetotum Hotel. This was one of the first places that we went to when we moved to Tulum. We had not been many places or met many people yet and this place put a HUGE smile on our faces. From the very cool laid back style of the whole place, the great food and amazing people who worked and owned it- we knew we were going to love Tulum.


From the first impression of the restaurant you can tell you are in for a treat. The sign in front tells you all the good details... Breakfast all day, happy hour 5-7,King beds, a/c, ipod dock, wi-fi --Breakfast INCLUDED!!! What. I already loved this place! Then it occurred to me that this was the perfect place for our family and friends to stay at when they visit. Due to its location, it is an easy walk to my little neighborhood (Villa Tulum- behind Super San Francisco) It is also easy to walk to town or get a cab to town or the beach. Perfect! I also found out that they have free bike rentals which I thought was really great. Tulum is a great place to bike around.


Anyway. As we walked into the large open metal archway door we could see that the decor was very cool. There is a minimalist and simple feel about the place and all of the things that are in the room go together very well. There are very cool I guess 60s mod style painting on the wall. The use of a very good color scheme makes the place blend well with the Caribbean surroundings and yet uses pops of great color for reflect the lifestyle.


When we first ate here it was breakfast, we ordered a few huevos rancheros and a BLT sandwich. I had been craving a good BLT and had a good feeling about this place. The portions were large, clearly fresh and very well presented. After complimenting the chef we all started talking and having a really enjoyable time.

Once past the restaurant the archways open to this very nice courtyard and the plunge pool with a great palapa. The pool was very clean and sat above ground. I really liked this especially because it eliminated the concern for me that my kids were going to fall in. They may jump in voluntarily but they would not accidentlay fall. The palapa was large and had a great little sitting area as well as a hammock. We have had many enjoyable nights sipping cocktails and relaxing right here.



The courtyard that sits just beyond the palapa and just before the 4 rooms is so tranquil. There are wonderful little chairs and beautiful hurricane lanterns with candles. I could sit here and read for hours. Well, with out the kids obviously.

Above the restaurant there is a very large open deck. It would be the perfect place to catch some sun during the day but at night, a few nights a week the owners show hit movies up here. I have not gotten a chance to watch one all the way through. Anyone reading this with little kids can understand why. But while I was able to sit up there it was great. There area also some great snacks that you can get get from the restaurant.


I asked to see the rooms and was very impressed. The rooms are very large and have nice simple decor. There was a rack that you could put your cloths on (not always the case at hotels here) and on that rack was a small safe. The bathroom was large and clean and the sink and vanity were on the outside of the bathroom. I have always liked bathrooms with this type of design. The room also had a small bench that had an ipod dock, some hotel and town info as well as a candle. The colors that started in the restaurant carry threw very nicely to the rooms. I also liked that I could see some electric plug ins. This is not the easiest thing to find in some older hotels.


After talking to the owners a while we found out that they also do messages here as well as a morning yoga class. The class is open to anyone so call them and ask if you are interested. The owners are very nice and helpful and speak English. Everyone that we end up talking to when we are here always says how wonderful of a stay it has been.

I look forward to my family staying here when they come and visit.

Swine flu Free Guarantee in Mayan Rivera

The post below was written by a friend of mine in Playa del Carmen. Check out Life's a Beach for more information in the Playa del Carmen area. For those of you who read this as well as my other blog- Rosas Clan in Tulum- you get to see it twice!

Whether you already have a trip planned to visit the beautiful Riviera Maya or are considering taking advantage of the fabulous deals now available in the wake of the Swine Flu scare, this article in today's "Por Esto" newspaper will be of great interest to you. A link to the online article is above and I have taken the liberty of utilizing Google Translator for your reading convenience. The translation is not 100% grammatically correct, but it is reasonable enough to follow.

With the emblem "guarantee free of influenza" (Flu Free guarantee), assures the traveler three years travel free if they have symptoms of human influenza eight days after they return from their trip by Olivia Vázquez Hotel chains in the Mexican Caribbean began a more aggressive campaigns that have been internationally to revive international tourism. With the emblem "guarantee free of influenza (Flu Free guarantee) that assures the traveler three years travel free if they have symptoms of human influenza eight days after he returns from his trip, which seeks to demonstrate the confidence that exists by destino.Dentro of health promotion strategies, the hotel sector in coordination with the Resort, this week will be sending a personalized letter to U.S. President Barack Obama or Hilary Clinton Secretary of State, to be published in the U.S. newspaper circulation where it is requested adjournment of the alert (warning) indicates that travel to Mexico only if absolutely necessary because it inhibits the influx of tourism. Zalvidea Fernando Garcia, director of the Grand Resort Hotel and the Best Day tour operator, said that at least five thousand hotel rooms as Secrets, Royal Resort, Charisma and others who joined the campaign, but it is estimated as we go on to join other hotel chains to strengthen advocacy in Mexico. This promotion started yesterday and will run through the main cities of United States and Canada in order to revive the tourist markets, since it is in promoting the confidence of the Mexican Caribbean operates to the highest standards of hygiene and safety and ensures the health of the destination. Additional to this promotion, special packages are added to the hotel is offering value-added as a free night, tickets to recreational parks, archeological sites, free dinners, spa services, etc. The hotel considered a leader who is now the best time Mexican travel to the Caribbean, and that excellence in service is reflected directly in the personal and the atmosphere of trust that is generated. Hence also be sought this week to lift the warnings issued to the passenger who was referred to visit Mexico, and that still prevails announcement issued two weeks ago, and that conditions be changed. In fact it as well as shipping and airlines already provide for the revitalization and have started to sell the destination. The letter is prepared in the state's Tourism Council is expected to be released this week to further accelerate the process of recovery and moving on reservations, which for now remain at the minimum levels, although it began to flow.
By May 25, with the celebration of Memorial Week which is held in United States, you could earn points in hotel occupancy, which is still at levels 20 to 24% in most developments.
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Puerta del Cielo

I am so sorry for the long delay. Today is Mother's Day. Last night my husband got the night off work unexpectedly and met up with me and our friends in town. He told me that we were going to go home, get cute and go out for Mother's Day. This made me very happy.

We got all dolled up and headed to the beach road. It was our plan to have dinner at Playa Azul but the restaurant was unfortunately closed. Now Tulum beach road is not like the road in town. The road in town is active, full of people, well lit, and there are many open places all around you serving all sorts of stuff. Well, on the beach road, that is not the case. It is very dark, there are very few people around and many places are a good distance from each other. There are also not a ton of taxis driving by at this time. It is something to keep in mind when you come here. It is not like the beach road in Playa del Carmen. It is a good idea, especially if you are coming to Tulum during the low season that you check with the restaurant that they will be open, or have the taxi wait for you while you check. This has happened to us on more then 1 occasion.

Anyway... so we walked into Puerta del Cielo and it was very beautiful and simple and there was no one there. I love when that happens. It does add to the romance of it all. The waiter is so nice and made wonderful margaritas. And we are a little picky about our margaritas, far too often then are served in those HUGE fish bowl glasses. These were in the perfect short well salted glasses. Margaritas were not only well made but they are 2x1. Now this is not uncommon here in Tulum but I do not see it a lot in the evening.


Our table was just outside the bar on the ocean side. There was a huge moon reflecting on the water and there was a wonderful breeze. It was very romantic. We ate a breaded shrimp dish with a garlic aioli that once they brought some hot salsa was very tasty. We then shared a plate of cut steak and some tortillas. The food was not the best that I have ever had but it was okay.


There was a very cute little pool and I have heard that the place at very nice cabanas and bungalows. The grounds were certainly nice and the bathrooms well appointed. The beach here was so amazing. There are very nice beach chairs for day use and we will definitely be bringing the kids down here some time.
The waiter mentioned that there are great deals on drinks during the day as well. It sounds like a great spot to come during the day.

Cinco de Mayo en Tulum

This morning started like many other. Akilean came into our room and curled up next to me and Ruben curled up on the other side. It was quite the Rosas boy sandwich. After a little while of my not being able to move I made them both get up, although I did wait a while because we ran out of coffee the other day and there is no rush for me to get out of bed when we do not have coffee. First thing out of Ruben's mouth, "Happy Cinco de Mayo" to me.

Now first of all, I am sure everyone who reads this knows, but Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That is on the 16th of September. Cinco de Mayo is a celebration from when Mexico defeated the French army is 1862. This is also important for America as Mexico kept the French, specifically Napoleon III, out of the United States who was already very busy fighting its own Civil War. Had Mexico not been successful at defeating the French, the end of the Civil War could have gone very differently.

the kids and I walked to town, stopping off to pay our water bill. Here the bills are not delivered via the post office. The are delivered by a company hired driver to drop off each bill. When you want to pay, you go to the office and pay in cash. You can also pay at the bank. This is very different then in the USA. But I really like it. Then it was off to the park.


The kids and I had a great time at the park in town. This park has become one of our all time favorites. I am so glad that something was finally done with the space. When we first moved here it was a broken down park with hardly any working equipment that was all old splintery wood and a dirt parking lot. Once the election had been won and the former head of Tulum was on his way out, this park and the road through town got transformed with lightning speed. It is now a great space. We came here to see the Governor speak at the transition of power.

After playing for well over an hour the kids and I went to go ask the nursery a question about our tomatoes and why nothing seems to be growing. The were so nice and gave me a whole can of fertilizer. These guys are always so nice. They also gave me a house plant for Kennedy and Akilean's room which made them very happy.

We were walking over to the polloria to buy our chicken, we were all the way at the other end of town and here there are many pescaderias (fish stores) I decided that since Ruben was going to be home for dinner tonight (he was asked to come in and help for an AM shift) I thought that I would make his favorite fish Red Snapper. WE are trying to buy as much of our food as possible from only the fruiteria and the polloria or pescaderia. That way we only need to stock up on the milk, brown rice, wheat pasta, yogurt and coffee at the regular super. Although I am really excited because all of a sudden our super has brown rice, wheat pasta and now even wheat flour. YEAH!!!! the guy at the pescaderia cleaned and gutted the fish for me and gave me the idea of stuffing it. I then bought a fillet of grouper for the kids.

When I was visiting my grandmother in Fresno her gardener gave me a beautiful cookbook. It is actually called Mexico, The Beautiful Cookbook. I made a corn pudding, a zucchini something or other and the fish. Recipe and details are on my other blog

I got everything all set to put in the oven and waited for Ruben. I started to get really scared because he was not home yet and I thought that maybe they had asked him to stay. We do not have a Mexican phone number so he would have no way of calling me and telling me. But soon after I started to worry, in he walks.

The kids loved every bite of dinner which was great because it had tons of veggies and good foods. With a big "Salute!" we all finished our dinners. One thing that I am just getting more used to is that with the fresher the items (usually meat) there is a lot more work involved. We are much more used to ripping the chicken off the bones and sucking on the tiny fish bones. But that is a small price to pay for fresh caught Red Snapper. To finish the evening we had a dessert of vanilla ice cream, fresh mango and cajeta sauce which is a Carmel type sauce that was made famous in Ruben's state of Guanajuato.