Your tax dollars at work

For all of the complaining that happens in, around and about Mexico- the Mexican gov't - and that nothing ever happens and the gov't does nothing....I have some positive things to share.

In the states I remember these signs that would say, "Your tax dollars at work." usually posted in front of some horrible construction site and detour that you were about to deal with. I also remember thinking what a waste it was to have the sign at all. Clearly we can see that something is going on. This was basically the gov't way of saying..." see- see- we are doing something. "

Well, here is the sign for you guys Tulum. Tulum's gov't is working hard to get things in top shape for the busy holiday season. This season promises to bring many new people to the Tulum area - some again and many for the first time. One new development that these guys will see....

A new bike/walking path that goes all the way from the light in Tulum town to the beach and south for about 1/2 a km. This new bike path is great. Bikes are such a wonderful way to get around Tulum. Our flat terrine, easy going people and eco friendly attitude lend to bikes PEFECTLY! This great new path is wide and smooth and an absolutely perfect addition to our little town.

What I love too are the new little palapa bus stations that are up and down the road as well. This is perfect whether you are waiting for the collectivos that run the beach road or you are walking or biking and need to take a shade break.

This new path is great and is almost finished. I will bring more pics when it is done.

There is also being money spent in areas that no tourist will ever be. So it is not all being spent on those that come and leave our shores. In Villas Tulum what was once a waste land of nothing- old broken play equipment and rocks underneath is 3 blocks of wonderful park. The palapa at the entrance to Villas Tulum is being repaired and the floor expanded to hold more people. The 2nd block is now a fully paved basketball court- complete with beautiful planters filled with palms that will shade the park nicly in a few years and 3rd.... the park structures are getting new flooring as well. Rather then large jagged rocks under the swing there will now be a smooth - kid friendly floor. In addition the paths that lead through the kids park are safe for kids to run around and play.

It is so nice that we have decided that we are going to have our daughter's birthday party there. It is open, nice, easy and right next to the park!!!! I am really happy with the improvements that Tulum continues to make.

I cannot speak for the Mexican gov;t in general- or really the gov't of Quintana Roo but I can say that Tulum is doing something. And the something that they are doing is going to have immediate and lasting impressions of visitors and locals alike!

Tacos El Wero, Tulum Pueblo *** - NOW MONTERREY MEXICAN GRILL!!!)

**** These guys have a brand new location on the main Avenue of Tulum across from the ADO bus station!!   They are now called Monterrey Mexican Grill and are now serving a wonderful dinner menu. ***

I am often asked, "where are the best tacos in Tulum?" This is a very hard question to answer. The tacos around Tulum are all generally the same and made up of the same basic ingredients. Or are they???

I like different taco places for different things. But I have recently found a new taco places that satisfies the whole family in 1 stop. The new Taco El Wero in Tulum. Located just next to the Fruiteria Pool just 2 blocks off the main avenue. To get to this great spot simply make a left at the first glorietta (or roundabout) at the entrance of the main avenue. Rocca and Scotia bank are on the left corner.

The first thing that I loved about this spot was the fresh made FLOUR tortillas. Everything around here is corn tortillas which are awesome but fresh FLOUR tortillas. These are as worth it as fresh corn. And even better- rare around here. Remember how I said that tacos in Tulum are pretty much the same? Well, here is 1 spot where Tacos El Wero stands out.

The place is brightly painted and easy to find. Decorated with murals, near completion depicting the owners home state of Nuevo Leon. This young family from Monterrey really understands what to serve up to its hungry clientele. The options on the menu range from carne asada to chorizo and eggs, chicharon and Tinga. There are also a number of basics that are perfect for kids, picky eaters or simple snacks.

For this meal I had 1 carne asada, 1 Tinga - made of a shredded chicken, and a bean and cheese quesadilla as well as some fried bean quesadillas all made with their amazing fresh flour tortillas.

The Carne Asada was my favorite. The meat was thick and juicy. It was also not fatty which I liked. There are some taco stands that have very fatty meat- partly because that is what a lot of people like for their tacos. This meat was wonderful. In addition to the quality of the meat itself was the beautiful sauce that covered the meat. This taco was amazing. Especially with all the fixings..... ohhh baby!!!! the Tinga is also a fav. The meat is moist and full of flavor.

Now it was time to dress my little babies for lunch! The condiments, all displayed in classic molcajetes, range between a red jalapeno based salsa and a Serrano paste salsa with the traditional shredded cabbage and tomatoes. Both salsas had a bite but were full of spices and flavor. I heard another diner say to her friend, "they should bottle these salsas and sell them." I could not agree more. Especially the thick Serrano paste salsa. It was great. I am not sure if my husband would ever be able to kiss me again but I could eat a bottle of that alone.

Great location...CHECK!!!

Good quality ingredients and tasty food... CHECK!!!

Next is the price.... This is important here in Tulum- well everywhere I guess. The prices at Tacos El Wero are great. Only 7 pesos for a taco and only 7 pesos for a drink!!!! That is a great deal. Especially for the amount of meat that you get in your taco. Plus they have a killer deal 5 tacos vapor and a drink for only 30 pesos!!!! WOW! That is great!

This is a place that satisfies the whole family! Come by and check out this great spot for the whole family. Or grab a big order to go and take it down to the beach or to your favorite cenote. These guys will fill up your bag with plenty of fixings for that perfect lunch.

This is one of those spots that is perfect for the whole family. Food that satisfies everyone, salsa that make you sweat and prices that you can smile about. See you at Tacos El Wero. Open Monday thru Saturday 8-3!!!!

Amber Jewlery by Oscar***

Great jewelry can be found all over Tulum. People are selling in shops, on the avenue and up and down the beach. Every piece is different and reflects the artists that made it. I had the pleasure about a year and half ago becoming friends with 1 such artist.

Oscar Castell Blanch Tovilla is such an amazing artist and person. Before I even knew of his many talents, he struck me as a wonderful person. our kids are good friends and we have many mutual friends. I was lucky to get a lot of time to spend with this great guy. One day we were sitting at a friends house and I complimented him on his beautiful amber necklace that he was wearing. He replied- "thanks, I made it."

this particular piece of amber had a stunning carving and was threaded on a string of equally beautiful beads. It looked so amazing on him. Before moving to Tulum I had not seen such beautiful amber and now I see it all over. but very few pieces are as stunning as some of the ones that Oscar has. His son also has a beautiful necklace that looked so great on him. I really want to get one for my son.

Amber has been used in jewelry since the stone age. It is made of tree resin that has aged and hardened for millions of years. It's deep - well- amber color has made it a favorite for jewelry but! haha. Used in ancient Greece and throughout history for in medicines. Amber has many healing powers as well.



Oscar makes beautiful jewelry out of breathtaking pieces of Amber from Chiapas, Mexico. Some are smooth pebbles and others more raw. Many of the pieces hold natures treasures that have fossilized in the amber and others have been carved with breathtaking images of Mayan gods. In addition to the amber, Oscar uses prehistoric stones to accentuate these amazing pieces.



Perfect for adults and children, the healing and protective powers of these amber necklaces and stones are the perfect addition to any collection. I am getting one for my son for his birthday. It looks great on him and this powerful energy close to his heart is very good for him.



Oscar is a man of many talents. In addition to making beautiful jewelry- he is also a talented DJ. Known as DJ Rushcar, his beats can be heard in many locations around town. You can see where you can find him on the Tulum Living Events Calendar.



One project of Oscars that I am most excited to learn more about is Dos Palmas. This healing piece of land is where Oscar and his talented friends are creating a magical retreat location. This is a place where visitors can experience the culture and magic of this area. Highlighting the healing properties of mesoamerica utilizing massage, treatments, yoga, temezcals, and ceremonies, the experiences of Dos Palmas promises to be an unforgettable experience.



You can read more about this project very soon. I will report back with all of the details. You can check the calendar for times and dates of events and temezcals.

Halloween in Tulum

Halloween in Tulum is defiantly celebrated. Mexico in general celebrates the holiday of Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead. I will write that post in a little bit. But whether it is because of the large number of ex pats that live in the area or a trend through out Mexico- Halloween was in full force.

The festivities started as early as Friday. We chose to head north to Puerto Morelos where some friends live. It was a fun day in the main square- kids and adults all dressed up and artisans selling all of the traditional artisan favorites. One of my favorite bands was playing and that was great. The name of the band in Bandicaro. I need to check the spelling and get a cd of their music. They are great. After a great night in Puerto Morelos we headed back to Tulum.

Saturday was the big party day for Halloween in Tulum. There were parties heard all over the main avenue and the beach. We chose to head to Pepenero's first. We all got dressed up and headed out to town. Pepenero's was filled with many of our favorite people. And we all had a great time- dancing and laughing. There were many other parties this night as well. It was our plan to go to more then just 1 but we had such a good time we stayed in Pepenero's.

On Sunday all of the adults and kids in Tulum geared up for a big night! We chose to blow off some sugar induced craziness with a jont to the beach. You have to love a few hours at the beach. It just re centers you.

We had a large group of people meet up at our house to send the kids out for trick or treating. The band of kids that we had were like an army marching up the streets taking no prisoners. New kids seeing that they were clearly out numbered joined our brood. It was a great site.

As the evening went on it was time to rinse off the crazy make up and get the kiddies into bed and let the grown ups go out to play. Great costumes could be found all over the place. Great music and laughter could be heard from bars and restaurants all over the avenue and Bar 307 was no exception. That is where we chose to go. There was a cover which is not the norm in Tulum but on a night like this it is to be expected.

A good time was heard by all and we danced until the early morning hours. I did not hear any reports of craziness or any unsafe behavior. It seems that all Tuluminarians celebrated without any major problems and you have to love that.

Next up is the Day of the Dead- and that is 1 more excellent tradition. Stay tuned.

Ginger- Stunning food in Tulum Pueblo ***

Gourmet food in Tulum might not be what you would expect but it is what you can find. For my 5 year wedding anniversary we wanted to go a special dinner in Tulum. My husband and I have always loved food and the fancier the better. Well, I had wanted to go to Ginger since first moving to Tulum but had not gotten the chance in their first location. I was thrilled when I heard that it had reopened.

First I must say that I started my perfect evening with a great massage from my wonderful HEALER Friend Gina. And it was amazing. you can read more about it HERE.

Ginger is located just 1 block off the main avenue at the first round-a-bout- and it is a beautiful restaurant. A wide open space with clean lines and vibrant décor- this restaurant in Tulum would be easily at home in San Francisco or New York. Before I even get to the great food- one of the things that I love about Ginger is their support of local artists and musicians. With expositions for local photographers and artists- the local talent of Tulum creates an amazing space at Ginger.

Just the other day I heard that a very talented musician, Tasha was playing there and I have seen a number of facebook notes of great stuff happening at Ginger. They also have a ladies night and this place makes every lady feel like a queen and 2 for 1 drinks- is just icing on the cake. I am hoping they get on the calendar soon so I can know about all of the great things they are doing. I do not want to miss anything at this wonderful restaurant in Tulum.


I went to this spot a while back with a girlfriend of mine that was visiting and we had the amazing salad with goat cheese and strawberries. It was well- amazing. We also had the tropical civiche. Although not the traditional civiche which I love too- this one used more tropical fruits and was the perfect sweetness to work with the fish.

For this special night- we got all dressed up and headed to Ginger. I was very excited. This was my husbands first time seeing the location and he remarked how easily this could be in SF. I totally agree.
To start we ordered the Goat Cheese Tart. Something I had my eye on since the last time I was here. Although, I admit, it was hard not to get the fresa salad again. We also ordered a bottle or red wine that we had not yet tried.


Before the appetizer came, they brought us some bread and this amazing marinated oil. I am not sure what is in this oil- but it is great. We can tell that there are chilies and garlic and many other wonderful spices- but not exactly sure what. Knowing that the food was going to be amazing- we made sure not to fill up on bread- I do not care how good the oil is- the food is worth the wait.



The tart was as good as it sounded. It was perfect with the wine that we had chosen and we were off to a good start. While we waited for our entrées we enjoyed looking at the artwork on the walls. I love it when restaurants feature local artists and have it for sale. I have found some of my favorite artwork at restaurants on my travels. And here you are going to find amazing pieces of art for a great price and what more perfect memento of your vacation then a piece of art.

For our meals, I ordered pasta with shrimp sautéed in garlic and chili. It was perfect. I love shrimp and many times when I order the it the shrimp gets over cooked. That is not good. The chef at Ginger was amazing. The food was cooked perfectly with just the right blend of spices. And there was a great amount of shrimp in my dish. It is never fun to fish for fish on your plate.

My husband ordered the Filet Mignonin a red wine sauce. He was a little reluctant at first because sometimes a cut of meat is on the menu but it is not what is on your plate. Plus the price for this was great. But we had great confidence in this restaurant and we were proven right. The cut of meat was wonderful. It was in fact a filet mignon and was cooked perfectly. And such a thick cut is easy to do wrong. The sauce was also amazing and complimented the meat perfectly


We would have ordered dessert here but 1 thing my husband and I do on our dates is restaurant hop for courses. So dessert was going to be in town. But I cannot wait to go back and try 1 of the desserts. If the rest of the food in any indication – it will be amazing. I always love it when a chef comes out to talk to a table. Especially when the restaurant is quite. It really takes your dining experience to another level and I think it shows that the restaurant and the chef genuinely care how you like the food and want to know your opinion.

I have not even gotten to the best part.

When we got our bill we were floored. We ordered a nice bottle of red wine, an appetizer, and 2 nice entrees and our bill was like 800 pesos! I could not believe it. A great prices and for the food you are getting!!!! WOW!!!! This is a spot to try. And what is great is that it is not a place that needs to be fancy. We were and did not feel out of place. I came here with a girlfriend the other day in jeans and a t-shirt and easily fit in. It really is perfect for all occasions.

While you are in Tulum, or if you live here- you really need to check thi

Rotary Club Cloverdale, CA & Rotary Club Tulum help our School Project

The Tulum Living School Project which helps fixes the infrastructure of Tulum's schools while promoting recycling and recycling education received a wonderful donation from the Rotary Club of Cloverdale, CA with the assistance and support of Rotary Club Tulum.

This is a wonderful project that is very dear to our hearts here at Tulum Living.

I want to personally thank Elvia, The Rotary Club of Cloverdale, CA and the Rotary Clubs of Tulum as well as the clubs in Playa and Cancun. Together we can change the world. And your kindness and generosity is felt and appreciated. Thank you for everything.

If you want to know how you can help, please contact us. For more information about our Tulum Living School Project visit us at www.TulumSchools.blogspot.com

Tortuga Festival-And the lights came on! Just in time for the dancing

This past weekend Tulum and the Rivera Maya have celebrated the annual Festival de las Tortugas and it has been great. With 4 days of great events I have not been able to make it to all of them and I know that I really missed out. All of the events for this great festival are focused on conservation and protection of these amazing creatures.

A large group of young adults from Global Vision Initiative organized and executed events beautifully. This is from the main website for GVI. I think it gives the perfect description as to who they are. “Global Vision International (GVI) runs responsible volunteering programs in over 40 countries around the world. We offer volunteers the chance for a hands-on experience by personally contributing to important conservation initiatives and community projects. Volunteer programs run from one week to 2 years.”

They have many great trips and opportunities on their website. Check it out HERE http://www.gviusa.com/ for more information. This particular excursion was for people who were interested in Scuba diving and marine conservation. So our Tortuga Festival was perfect for them. They have participated for over 8 years and the whole event was amazing. Check out the Mexico website for more info http://www.gviusa.com/programs/central-america/mexico/marine-conservation-expedition-mexico/home

It was interesting this particular day because whether by accident or by design, the city was working on our street light. The 1 street light we have in town and it is out all day- well so is the rest of the power to the whole town. Tulum went dark for over 9 hours. The entire city of Tulum had no power. This went on mostly as normal but as the day went on and there was still no power things started to get interesting.
That evening was the big event at the casa de la culture. Not thinking much of it we got ready for the dance performance and headed down. It was great. The moment you walk in you see the energetic group from GVI with face painting, the egg dropping game, puzzles, pin the head on the Tortuga and dozens of other games and tables spread throughout and dozens of kids crowded around them learning about Tortugas, this special area and how to protect both of them.

Also throughout the cultural center were displays of amazing art, craft, jewelry, and food. It was an amazing array of color, smells, and kids in brightly colored clothing and face paint. But as we were about to start the dance performance- there still was no electricity- for the whole town!!! After a few hours and trying to find out what the plan was- the sun had set and it was getting dark fast-. Although it was sort of cool to see so many candles lit along the streets of Tulum- in little taco bars and windows. And then- wouldn’t you know it!!!!- BAM! The lights came on. Everyone was so thrilled and the show began.

The performances were amazing. Proud parents, friend’s family, the community of Tulum and the great group from GVI watched the talented individuals and cheered and praised. It was an amazing night. And we were in store for more. The sand castle beach day was in the morning so we headed home to get a good night sleep.

Salsa at Le Zebra ***

When asking around about nightlife in Tulum – depending on the night there are a few spots that you will hear over and over. If it is Sunday night you are sure to hear about La Zebra. La Zebra is already well known for having a great hotel and a great restaurant. But on Sunday’s!!!! Every Sunday the crowds come out for some live music and salsa dancing on La Zebra’s beach front dance floor.

We have been dancing at La Zebra a number of times. We love to salsa dance. When we lived in San Francisco we used to o dancing every Thursday. We loved it. And salsa dancing on the beaches of Tulum ain’t bad either. La Zebra also gives a free class – I think at 6. The class is nice because it gives you a refresh on some of the basics and then teaches you a few fun turns or tricks to use while you are out there.

The food is also very good at La Zebra. It is a little on the expensive side but it is a well known spot and it is right on a beautiful stretch of Tulum beach. For the ambiance and what you get though I think that the prices are good. This last time we ordered a mixed plate that had various favorites like sopes and what not on it and we got some tortilla soup. Both were awesome but the tortilla soup was the highlight for me.
Armed with a few margaritas I was ready for the dance floor. I always say that Salsa dancing and speaking a foreign language that you know only moderately well are both done a little better after a few margaritas.

The band is always great here. Up on the stage which is just above the dance floor and backed by the beautiful jungle setting, music on Sunday nights can be heard up and down the beach. Around the edge of the raised dance floor are several tables and some large beach beds. It is a very easy spot to gather and rest your feet between songs.

This last time that we went we even took the kids. It was not a very late night and they had a blast. There were many kids that were running around and my son grabbed himself a cutie and set out for the dance floor. At only 5 he is quite the ladies man. This is a spot where everyone can have a good time.

So if you are in Tulum – and it is Sunday- you do not even need to ask- the party is La Zebra for Salsa on the Beach!

Massages by Gina**

Getting a massage in Tulum is a wonderful experience. The sun and warmth, the sounds of the Caribbean Sea, the magical ingredients in the lotions and potions all combine to create the perfect massage. This week I celebrate my anniversary and my husband and I really wanted to celebrate and celebrate we did.

I surprised my husband when he came home from work by getting us each massages by my dear friend and wonderful massage artist, Gina. Gina is such an amazing woman. She lives near me and is the 1st person I go to with any sort of ailment because she always knows what to do and some all natural potion for it. It is truly amazing. She is also a great cook and we have grown to be wonderful friends.

I had heard that she was absolutely amazing and I was so excited to be getting this massage. Gina has created a very wonderful spa studio in her home that features artwork by her very talented husband. The feeling that she has created is amazing and really adds to the massage. For this special occasion she came to my home to do the massages, at my request and that was perfect. Hubby walked in and we were ready. I put on an iTunes playlist and we got started! The oil that Gina used was wonderful. It is a mix of her own creating and it has a wonderful smell of chocolate.

The massage was strong and deep and it felt so amazing. Gina packs some serious strength in her hands and I could feel the fibers in my muscles under her hands. Using her whole arm in this unbelievable pattern just sent me to a new world. Ever since my birthday I have been in need of some serious relaxing and this certainly did the trick.

When I was finished and hubby was getting his massage I just melted into happiness. I felt so great. The chocolate oil is even still intoxicating. What a perfect start to a wonderful evening. My husband does not get to many massages. He does a lot of physical work and forgets how great a massage feels. He absolutely loved his massage and felt so great afterwards. I can defiantly see more massages in his future.

Gina’s original background was as a social worker and it was working in hospitals with patients that she first started to incorporate touch and massage into her practice to help heal. It was at this point that she began to learn about Reiki and she found her true calling and passion. She had found an ideology of healing that matched how she felt healing should be and she dove into the practice and began to learn more and more. She began working with reflexology, hot stones and holistic massage. Her massages are a mix of these various techniques.

Gina, originally from Mexico City, has lived in the Rivera Maya for 30 years. She finds that there is a special healing energy in this area that combines the power of the ruins, the cenotes and the Caribbean Sea to create an intoxicating blend of healing energy. This powerful energy helps promote her art of healing in the area. She is an artist.

Not only does Gina get deep into your muscles, but her energy is so incredible. You feel this amazing lightning afterwards and it is amazing. I would be happy to help put you in touch with Gina if you are interested in getting a massage.

Mateo's! Great food on the beach road. ***

When Mateo’s opened on the beach road opened a while back and I was so excited to see a taco place on the beach road. The food on the beach can get very expensive and this looked like a great options for some good food on Tulum beach. In its original location it closed and I was sorry to see it close. But my unhappiness was short lived as I saw it reopen not far away from its original location- but even better.

The location of Mateo’s is on the jungle side of the beach road about 2 km south of the turn. The structure of the restaurant is a large open space and has a very comfortable feel. The space is also great for large groups because it is so open.

We ate here for my birthday before heading off to do some dancing and I must say that the food totally lived upto the great thing that I had hear about this place. Everyone in my family is totally obsessed with fajitas. It is one of my mom’s favorites so she ordered them at several locations around Tulum and these ones I think were the best ones that we had.

3 of us all ordered fajitas and hubby had fish tacos. The plates of fajitas were massive and so good. Served with rice, wonderful black beans and a killer guacamole. The meat was mixed with perfectly sautéed peppers and onions and tasted amazing. My mom is already planning her next trip down to come and eat at Mateo’s. My husband’s fish tacos were also amazing. Served with some great salsas and stuffed with large pieces of avocado- this is another dish we will be ordering again.

The margaritas at Mateo’s were very well made and if there is one thing that always impresses me about a restaurant or bar… it is a well done margarita. Mateo’s totally passed the test. So the next time you are on the beach road and looking for a great place to eat- check out Mateo’s. If you see a table that just keeps ordering fajitas and margaritas- that will be us- come over and say hi! jajaja

El Gourmet Tulum ***

So the other day we set out to find something new to eat in Tulum. We grabbed the kids and set out to town on our foodie adventure. We passed by a shop that we had heard wonderful things about but had not yet checked out ourselves. Here was the perfect opportunity. El Gourmet Tulum here we come.


After living in San Francisco for so many years, wine and cheese are a huge part of my diet. Well, I guess not so much diet as palate. We love wine and cheese. Moving to Tulum was a bit hard at first because there were not many options for cheese- and by that I mean ANY options for cheese. The option was Playa del Carmen. Enter El Gourmet Tulum.

From the sign on the door listing some of the many treats inside, we could tell that this was going to be a worthy stop. A proud announcement of cheeses like gorgonzola and provolone and various salamis and oils! Yummy!!! We could not wait to get inside.

The first thing we saw was a large deli case proudly showcasing cheeses and cured meats. We ended up getting 3 cheeses. We loved 2 of them and the 3rd was a bit salty for our taste. But that is the thing about cheese- like wine- you have to taste them all to really learn the ones that you like the most and why. There were not as many different cheeses as I would have dreamed but it is low low season and not every cheese eater in Tulum knows about this great spot yet. I cannot wait to go back in high season and see all the new things they are offering in their case. We specially asked if they had a semi soft triple cream- a typical favorite of ours. They did not but seemed willing to take input about cheeses we would like to see in the shop.

The rest of the shop also held some special treasures. Along neatly ordered shelves are various forms of stewed tomatoes, olives and capers-and many other gourmet condiments and kitchen needs including some wonderful looking gourmet mustards. I love a good mustard. A good mustard can totally change a recipe. With the plethora of noodles and other items here, you could make 1 killer dinner party with the ingredients from this store. In the future I think the plan is to sell wine as well and then I think I will shop nowhere else.

The basket of fresh baked bread is the perfect thing to round of our little snack. We chose to use some fresh fruits but almost got one of the fruit chutneys that they had to balance our budding cheese plate. We had a wonderful night of indulgence thanks to the shelves and more important the deli case of El Gourmet Tulum. We will defiantly be going back again.

El Gourmet Tulum is about 4 blocks off the main avenue. I will get the street names. This shop is defiantly worth finding. They speak English and Spanish and in fact the woman in the shop is also an English teacher. I would imagine she would also be able to do Spanish lessons as well.

If you need help getting touch with El Gourmet Tulum or you need help finding it- let me know. This is a shop that I really want to make sure stays open. I cannot go all the way to Playa del Carmen for cheese. I will lose my mind.

A perfect Tulum Sunday

Sundays in Tulum always bring with them a promise of something special. Of an especially good day. Families are waking up later then the required time for school and special breakfasts are prepared all over town - and many restaurants around Tulum prepare Barbacoa. This special dish is a real treat and is usually found only on Sunday's.

This Sunday was a particularly PERFECT Sunday in Tulum. We woke up early- although later then normal and that is always welcome. I spent a little time learning my way around I tunes and loading up the ipod that my mom had given me. After making a perfect- sit back and chill play list I headed out to hang in my new hammock. I have wanted a hammock for a long time. We used to have 1 but it was made of much thicker material (like the ones back in the states) and it really hurt to lay in. Then, a kitten staying at our house went to town on a few of the strings and it was never suitable again.

This year for my birthday- I had received a hammock as a gift and I was about to go and enjoy it. I literally laid in my hammock in my garden for about 2 hours listening to music and watching the clouds go by. Remember as a child when you would see so many great images in the sky? Well, there were a ton of great clouds and then floated past my little garden all morning. I saw all sort of great stuff... a dragon - a witch on a broom- a old man sucking on a tobacco pipe. It was a very nice morning.

After a little while I came into the house and we got all of our stuff ready for the week, picked up the house and got ready to head out to the jungle. Parties in the jungle here are always amazing but I knew that this particular party was going to be truly magical.

Our good friends live out on km 26 in the jungle and this family is the truest testament to eco living. A small structure sits in the front of the property where this amazing family lives. But as you walk back on the path into the jungle you come upon some really amazing finds. about 50 km back there is a beautiful clearing complete with campfires and a large open space to dance.

The purpose of this event is to celebrate the love that my dear friends have for one another. They were celebrating their 13 year anniversary and this party was filled with love, happiness and friends. All off the kids were running around the enchanting jungles of Tulum- and were rewarded by amazing sites of reindeer- tropical birds and cool bugs to follow around.

The rest of us were enjoying the sounds of Facuno's dj talents and enjoying the wonderful food and friends that had gathered around us. A real collection of some of the very best people in Tulum. Artists, musicians, massage therapists, parents, kids and friends!!! It was a gathering of people that surround their world with magic.

Just as the dark set in and the jungle was showing just how dark it can get - the beautiful voice of 1 young woman rings over the speaker. Her voice was so beautifully intoxicating. It had that tone from old French music from the 20s. It was beautiful. We could have easily listened to her all night but alas the generator had different plans. It ran out of gas but that was not going to be the end of our good time.

All of our other friends gathered up their instruments that were scattered around and started playing. The drums, guitar, the voices created this soft chant from everyone around. It was amazing.

In addition to just being filled with love, acceptance and friendship- this family is as eco friendly as you could possibly be. Gardens can be found through growing tomatoes, chilies and spices. Small pathways through the jungle lead to outdoor composting toilets, and others lead to naturally made temazcal. With the kids we did not get to stay for the temazcal this time but I am looking forward to the day that I do.

After coming home and putting the kids to bed I laid in my hammock once again- rather then the cup of coffee from the morning- this time I had a cold beer- a cool breeze- and the thoughts from a PERFECT Tulum Sunday.

I hope yours went well too!