On the Road Again with Mrs. V: Grandma V's B-day

Wednesday, 1/21/15 Today is Grandma Valentini's birthday! Of course we must celebrate in Mexico! We started the day with a huge cupcake for Mom V. and a chorus of "Happy birthday to you, cha-cha-cha..."! I'm happy to report that Dallas ate the cupcake for breakfast! Hooray!

We planned to take Mom V. out to dinner at night for her birthday, so during the day she stayed at the casa to read and relax as Ladd and I went to explore a new "Wednesday Market" in our town of Bucerias. It is held at the Conrad Community Center and called "Roots: International Community Expo". The profits from this market all go to locals and local charities. It is relatively small at its start, but we imagine it will grow. And, as the saying goes: good things come in small packages! The crafts for sale and foods for sampling and sale were all homemade and beautiful/delicious! I bought a pair of handmade and hand-painted earrings. I broke my LCHF diet to indulge in a mini-beef empanada...yum! I also bought two homemade flourless peanut butter cookies, (one for Mom V. and one for me), and a piece of homemade chocolate cake for Mom V. and me to split. On my way out after shopping I heard a baby girl laughing and laughing. I then saw that it was Ladd that was making the Mexican baby girl laugh out loud. He was holding her and entertaining her by batting and having her bat a balloon hung in the doorway. Ladd and the baby were drawing a crowd with their fun. (I wish I had been holding the camera for this photo-op!) When Ladd passed the baby back to her father, she held out her arms to me. I held her and started to continue Ladd's game with her, but I can tell you she much preferred Ladd...ha! (Oh well, perhaps the "teacher in me" turned her off a little?? LOL)

At night we headed out to a highly-recommended restaurant called "Sonora a la Parrilla" steakhouse for Mom V.'s birthday dinner. Using both the GPS directions and hard-copy map, we could not find the restaurant. We were blocked by a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, etc. blocking the roads for the Bucerias Festival activities. We tried to "go around" but could not even spot a sign for the restaurant or the restaurant itself. "You can't get there from here"???! At our ages it seems frustration comes too quickly and too easily, so we turned around and headed back to our local corner bar/restaurant: "Mi Lola". Mario, a waiter who we met on our first visit there, remembered us and welcomed us as if we were "old friends"! We enjoyed a great meal of an on-the-house appetizer of tomato and mozzarella slices, bread with five different AWESOME dips, wine/beer, steak, and salmon. At the end of the meal a recording of "Happy Birthday to You" in BOTH English and Spanish started playing and the super wait-staff and diners all sang "Happy Birthday" to Mom V. as she was served a birthday dessert treat complete with candle! Mom V. just loved the dinner, place, people, and night, which made us very happy! A GREAT BIG THANKS to all the fantastic staff at "Mi Lola", especially Mario, Mia, Erica, for making Grandma Valentini's birthday so special! You have now become "our" place, and we will sing your praises to everyone!

Upon return to the casa, Grandma V. was exhausted and headed to bed. The doorbell then rang, and the fun continued. Karen and Glen, our Canadian friends, came to visit. Our glasses of wine and conversations were the perfect end to an awesome day!