Agatha for Ladies Lunch

I’m not sure if you noticed but there was no ladies lunch last week.  Last Wednesday was a rainy day and we had started out with a destination of the Bruja restaurant.   That didn’t thrill most of us so we changed it to Agatha but then almost everyone dropped out for one reason or another.  So….cancelled due to lack of enthusiasm! 

Today we were back on track and we were off to the Agatha restaurant which is on Playa Gaviotas in the south end of the GoldenZone/Hotel Zone. 

There are nine of us today and we’re just waiting for Sharen who is wearing a boot for her torn achilles tendon.  She says it’s pretty good now but she’s being a good girl and wearing the boot. 

We got off the bus a little south of where we wanted  as the bus driver wasn’t real co-operative but we all have legs and are capable of walking….even Sharen.  I do note as I travel the buses the amount of people who can hardly walk and can barely get on and off the buses.  Size does’t seem to be the issue just….inactivity!  Use it or lose it!  Yes I know some people have health and mobility issues but that isn’t the case for everyone. 

This is a newish looking restaurant that the “ Travelling Lunch Ladies” have never eaten at.  I believe this was Marilyn’s suggestion and it turned out to be a good one.

We are eating on the front patio as it was a bit warm inside.  They’d just opened the door at 1pm so the A/C hadn’t kicked in yet.

 

The interior is very modern and tastefully decorated.  The washroom was beautiful and spotless which is always nice to see. 

This restaurant has a very Asian influence to the menu.  The prices are a little bit above average but not out of line for a good restaurant.  The service was quick, professional and attentive.

I’m sitting with Ruth, Cathy, Marilyn and Jeannette.

        

The inside of the menu had a description of Agatha and her origins.

Ruth had a caesar and I had my usual pina colada.  It is one of the best ones I’ve ever tasted.  More fruity than coconutty!

While we waited for lunch we were served a bowl of warm bread with what appeared to be small pieces of olive in it.  There was a pesto of garlic, oil and olives to be used as a spread and it was a perfect appetizer.  Very nice. 

Here is one of the Asian choices.  Ruth and Cathy shared two dishes and you can see some of Cathy’s tuna on top of Ruth’s sushi rolls.

Some dishes were on the other table and I don’t know exactly what they are. Obviously some sort of sushi….right!

Ribs and onion rings to share for Marilyn and Jeannette. 

This looks like a pork shank….perhaps and it’s in front of Janice.

Now this looks delicious and it’s sitting in front of Sue. 

These are Connie’s tacos Gobernador.  They are a shrimp taco with bell peppers, onions, cheese etc. 

Funny enough I had made shrimp tacos the night before with mexican rice and salad.  I had onions, poblano peppers and salsa in mine so I guess they are Tacos Gobernador a la Kathy!  Funny, and yes they were delicious.

This roasted cauliflower was also in front of Sue but I’m guessing she was sharing it.

Connie, Sue, Janice, Pat, Robyn and Sharen.  Everyone looks pretty happy!

Both Sharen and Robyn had these ….and it looks to be salmon sushi slices.

This is Pat’s clam chowder.  After the meal she said it was the best clam chowder she’d ever eaten.  Now Pat is a really good cook so that is saying alot.

My tuna a la plancha with tempura vegetables.  The tempura was excellent and the tuna was good but not the best I have ever eaten.  I think I will have to give that honour to the Water’s Edge where I had it a few years ago although Hector’s was also very good.  Both of these restaurants served it in a steak which was cooked a little bit more but very tender and juicy so maybe it’s the style of cooking I prefer. 

When I finished there wasn’t anything left on my plate!

The meal is over and everyone is going their separate ways.  The consensus was that this was an excellent choice for lunch.  Not a place to drop in for a quick bite but a place to stop and enjoy the atmosphere, good service and a lovely dining experience.  Thumbs up!

Janice, Cathy, Marilyn, Pat and I wandered down to the Designer’s Bazaar to shop and I think almost everyone left with a purchase.  I did buy a nice white top that is a little different than others I have seen.  This shop has a good variety of clothes, jewellery etc. 

As we walked back up the street I noted this tourist attraction which I believe is some sort of a climbing tower or maybe it’s just a glorified treehouse….I don’t really know!

The hotels are on the left along the water and it’s a pretty street to wander along.

The hydro crew had the sidewalk blocked a bit as they were pulling electrical cable down the street and into manholes etc.  Always something going on. 

At this point we stopped in at another shop but we were all too tired and hot as it was already 4pm so it was off to the bus and home.  Dangerously close to happy hour! 

A good afternoon.

Frank’s Happy Birthday Potato Party and a small Caravan

Frank’s birthday is coming up soon and Sandi thought this was a good opportunity for a “ Happy Birthday potato party!”  In past years this was held at John and Geri’s but since they aren’t here this year  “ the potato has been passed to Sandi! ’’ 

The invitation was for 5pm but since happy hour usually starts around 4pm most of us showed up early.  Sandi, Nancy, Jeannette and Bill.

Our hosts for the evening….Frank and Sandi.   Yes, Eric did come and you can see him in the background.

Doug and Rocky have a chat.

Janice, George and Sharen in deep conversation.

When we arrived at Frank and Sandi’s we saw that the centre row was full.  A small caravan has arrived and the word is they are off to Teacapan and then Melaque.  The largest ones are double axle motorhomes and the smallest is a van.   The plates show that they are from Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, California, Arizona and even Maryland.  Very diverse.  Also, someone said that they fired their wagon master and now have a Mexican one.  I wonder what happened there!   I hope the wagon master is very familiar with the route south as you have to go through Esquinapa to get to Teacapan and it won’t be much fun trying to wiggle those big rigs through.  Also, the northbound route is dug up and apparently some are heading back north to Mazatlan after a week in Teacapan and some are heading south to Melaque .  I did mention the construction to them so they could have a look as they passed through.  It’s always nice to have a heads up about road construction.  

Tonight we are a group of  30ish and not a whole park extravaganza.  

Sandi chatting to Ruth and Jimmy.

        

The table is set with all the extras that we’ll need for our baked potatos.  The deal is that you bring a cooked hot potato, load it up with fixings and then pop it on the barbecue to heat up.  Both Frank and Rocky have their barbecues hot so the potatos can be reheated.

Carol and Cathy having a laugh.

That’s Jeannette’s plate and the chili on top is my contribution for tonight.  You can’t have a big sloppy potato without chili….right?

               

                    That’s Amy and Eddy loading up.

Some people like Eric and I didn’t even bother to reheat….just loaded up the potato and we were ready to eat.

That’s my dinner….looks pretty good eh!

I didn’t take a picture of the desserts but there were lots and they were delicious.  So….a nice meal with good friends, what more could you ask for. 

There was a card for Frank and we did sing Happy Birthday!

P.S. -  I won 300 pesos on Frank’s Super Bowl pool.  Well, actually it was only a 100 peso profit as I bought four squares at 50 pesos each! 

Velada de Las Artes at the Angela Peralta

Tonight was an evening of the arts at the Angela Peralta Theatre and I was uncertain as to what tonight’s performance was actually about.  I have not attended many cultural events over the years as they are not available in the small town where we live and even if they were they wouldn’t be of this calibre.  In the end it doesn’t matter whether you are a lover of classical music, ballet, opera, choir or anything else a live performance is an overwhelming cultural experience.  So…here we go.

Ruth, Eddie, Angie and I left the park around 5pm on a big green bus.  We were heading downtown early so we could have dinner at Hector’s before the concert which starts at 8pm.  The traffic is heavy at this time of day so it was slow going and then …the going got slower.  The bus was overfull and there wasn’t an inch left to squeeze another person in and as we travelled along it was obvious there was something wrong with the bus’s clutch….much grinding and wiggling of the gear shift by the driver.  I’m guessing it’s been a problem for quite awhile but the rule of thumb in Mexico is….don’t fix anything until it’s actually completely broken and won’t go another inch!  Well…that almost happened!  We got a mile or so away from the theatre and the driver couldn’t get it into gear.   The hood was up, the dash was off, the wrenches were out and he was really stressed out but….finally we were moving.  By this time we were late for our 6pm reservation and we still had to walk about six blocks to the restaurant.    Away we went.

We are still being let off a couple of blocks east of Benito Juarez because of paving and as we walked I noticed this building on Angele Flores.   Just beautiful.  As we hurried along a couple of guys were trying to sell their house and tried to get us to come and have a look!  No gracias…not today!

We were in a hurry and there was no time for dilly dallying so this picture is blurry as I didn’t even stop to focus.  Many buildings like this one by Revolution square are decorated for Carnival.

We made it to Hector’s and it seemed we had enough time for a leisurely dinner however service was a bit slow and it took some time to get a drink and order dinner. 

I ordered the duck breast as did Ruth.  Eddie had beef and Angie some sort of sandwich.  Now the dinner was good but in my mind it’s a little light for an entree. No vegetables, rice or even a potato.  Maybe I missed something and I was supposed to add this from another part of the menu but I don’t think so.  Definitely not enough for a hungry man like Eric!  We ended up by following dinner with a chocolomania dessert which had three items to share.  By this time we were running late and I forgot all about pictures….time to dash to the theatre. 

The Plazuela was all decorated and lit up.  Many, many people strolling and eating around the square.   Soft live music played here and there.  Just lovely!

Tonight’s program guide.

We were seated in row O.  Ruth and Eddie’s season’s tickets for Sundays are in row D so we are farther back tonight but…every seat is a good seat. 

Tonight the theatre was really full….even the balconies.

The first part of the program included this beautiful young woman who I think may be last year’s Carnival queen as the part of her sash that I could see says Reina del Carnival.

She was joined by another beauty with a similar sash.

And now for the awards.  As this was all in Spanish and I neither speak or read it I was a bit in the dark as to what was happening.  However I do know that the gentleman in the centre (Alberto Ruy Sanchez) was receiving the 2018 Mazatlan Literature award.  If you Google him you will see his many achievements.

At this point Senor Sanchez gave a rather lengthy speech which he did do partly in english.  

And now….on with the show!

The Sinaloa symphony orchestra is seated and ready.

The conductor is Mazatlan born ….Enrique Patron de Rueda.   “Music critics from Europe,  South and North America say he’s probably the best lyrical conductor of our time.”

The first half of the concert contains a backdrop on the screen and a light show!  There was also some sort of artsy fogging happening which burned my eyes a bit and had people coughing.  I’m guessing it’s something to do with the evenings score which is from Scheherazade and Carmen. 

Not sure what the significance of some of the images on the screen were about.

And now for the solo violinist….William Harvey.  I have heard that a good violinist can make the violin talk….well tonight we heard a whole conversation!  What a priviledge to be able to hear him.  

He was recently named concertmaster of Mexico’s premier orchestra, the “ Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional.”  Further information about his life and credits can also be found on Google.

At this point there was a short 15min intermission.

When the orchestra commenced for the second half Mr. Harvey popped up on the left hand lower balcony and then….

….at the end of our row!

Here he is playing on screen with a ballet dancer in the Fantasia de Carmen. 

The orchestra was absolutely wonderful!

Here we have another visual production of a ballet which was confusing at first.  After a little research I found out that it is the ballet Bolero and the orchestra was playing the score.  It started with one male ballet dancer who was naked on top and as it progressed more and more from the outer ring joined in. I don’t know which ballet troupe is performing.

“ Bolero is a one-movement orchestral piece by the French composer Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937.)  Originally composed as a ballet commissioned by Russian actress and dancer Ida Rubenstein, the piece which premiered in 1928, is Ravel’s most famous musical composition. 

The dance was as hypnotic as the music.

The applause was just thunderous as the program drew to a close and the audience was on it’s feet….

The orchestra concluded with an encore number that showed visual clips of Mexico in all it’s glory.   

Viva Mexico!

By the time we were done the audience was once again on their feet and there were beaming smiles on the faces of the performers, conductor and orchestra.   Thank-you so much ….it was just glorious!!

Another moving blurry shot as we wander into the Plazuela to find a ride home. 

We ended up in a taxi and the cost home was 150 pesos….cheap.  The interesting part of the ride was that the taxi driver seemed uncertain as to where we were going at one point. Angie was to get off first in the Golden Zone but the driver had avoided that route and was now confused as to where she actually needed to get go. 

Enter electronics!  He brought a young lady up on his mounted cellphone and opened video chat so she could help him out.  Funny enough she spoke perfect english and is presently residing in Victoria, B.C., Canada.  She is from Mazatlan but she is employed to help the cab drivers with directions and works remotely.  How wierd is that!  She chatted to us as she figured out his route and pretty soon everything was all in order.  We were dropped off at the park first and then Angie would be dropped off on his way back downtown.  We paid him 200 pesos and he left to deliver Angie to her condo. 

A perfectly lovely and eventful evening!