tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87290620399772551922024-03-05T09:48:18.250-05:00La Belle BoulangerieInLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-13609317174907257792015-07-01T18:58:00.000-04:002015-07-01T18:58:00.307-04:00Leftovers and DumplingsThere's nothing I love more than the sight of brightly colored foods, and I'm always treated to that whenever my parents come over to visit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHw6-lX3ZIigzv_-DPNlbAuYkXl-Oo87fNuUCIst1zvXQUhRLH1QqRWaKuptcRLqO0pGU03Kpvz5MPPLdfrqeeCR9Tq631heBONeGmHf2-zttn94RNOX6onT59WTqo1WaeKGqeZmYaienb/s1600/2015-06-07+18.54.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHw6-lX3ZIigzv_-DPNlbAuYkXl-Oo87fNuUCIst1zvXQUhRLH1QqRWaKuptcRLqO0pGU03Kpvz5MPPLdfrqeeCR9Tq631heBONeGmHf2-zttn94RNOX6onT59WTqo1WaeKGqeZmYaienb/s320/2015-06-07+18.54.36.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Here we have stir-fried julienned carrots with chicken, julienned potatoes, purple cabbage and stir-fried palm vegetable (forgot the name).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuQ5pd__j6M8PklgvRzf5rANNZ7Sd6JMRVBsMU8BV_M-VrnQPKUSBVQZhYN9Ye4KCRmKHmMKE0fzoJE5h7jaMRr0tZm3ISZ44v_B9tbdLjRD0eM0RnhOkY_SOaCrh9crP64tOo3aA4rnh/s1600/2015-06-07+18.55.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuQ5pd__j6M8PklgvRzf5rANNZ7Sd6JMRVBsMU8BV_M-VrnQPKUSBVQZhYN9Ye4KCRmKHmMKE0fzoJE5h7jaMRr0tZm3ISZ44v_B9tbdLjRD0eM0RnhOkY_SOaCrh9crP64tOo3aA4rnh/s320/2015-06-07+18.55.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This kind of food goes down nicely with rice. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpTs_SkwgEIkVUB1iA5q9LD6GHLFVF88eAysheS03usrCs5-nlshBFlBITQpI3z_UfwwFbcVEAD40JTGTmKJbG04Sqros9lIJyJGVDZtg3OOvg7euqXIRvf8iz_l27vvdqJTG6fK_N6a1/s1600/2015-06-07+18.54.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpTs_SkwgEIkVUB1iA5q9LD6GHLFVF88eAysheS03usrCs5-nlshBFlBITQpI3z_UfwwFbcVEAD40JTGTmKJbG04Sqros9lIJyJGVDZtg3OOvg7euqXIRvf8iz_l27vvdqJTG6fK_N6a1/s320/2015-06-07+18.54.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And there's no reason to not indulge because it's mostly all healthy. That's probably why we never got fat when we grew up. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dSzs8iRHMqUISADkxzC8yWE26G5hyphenhyphenULAV_cNAgSuk1-FXwFeZL0T_bt_PTellKODO1LRVJ0Vb-yY0c29gKE6fPFI9w7BwnpcO73NwBD8sGPAt0U9TndUtlorTJHvVq3hyphenhyphenCZuHfqwWe1M/s1600/2015-06-08+19.41.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dSzs8iRHMqUISADkxzC8yWE26G5hyphenhyphenULAV_cNAgSuk1-FXwFeZL0T_bt_PTellKODO1LRVJ0Vb-yY0c29gKE6fPFI9w7BwnpcO73NwBD8sGPAt0U9TndUtlorTJHvVq3hyphenhyphenCZuHfqwWe1M/s320/2015-06-08+19.41.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The next day we made some dumplings. Now just to let you know our family is a bit of a dumpling snob, because we used to make it every Sunday (when most families hit the diner to McD's for their Sunday brunch). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2f9uMZ378t_JgvOv-cVB_Sr9cUxojxXM-yCN7oW_Mk44uJEluCgZIRKPmfH3e5V5aPxXk_MRQLICQPdOXbvIwhgFczZVzPWrbGuVyDsaKaOb6kRHDtmSFB8T4rJQu8T9bI9uq5-6jA2I/s1600/2015-06-08+19.41.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2f9uMZ378t_JgvOv-cVB_Sr9cUxojxXM-yCN7oW_Mk44uJEluCgZIRKPmfH3e5V5aPxXk_MRQLICQPdOXbvIwhgFczZVzPWrbGuVyDsaKaOb6kRHDtmSFB8T4rJQu8T9bI9uq5-6jA2I/s320/2015-06-08+19.41.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We like our dumplings handmade, from the dough to the innards, using nothing but the finest ingredients. This one is made with seafood, eggs and dill. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItxIwHue3dcrPwGeOezAHL7XmFJ-6U1iq4m2o6pEpuicBad1iJWMRuHlVN79aX7f-bRZHamAqbS61BMUSW2fgDMm0eQc68S0UwMBwsFav4J8q1qKEkwobRCfqDHroFIX7z1OxnjWr_oLm/s1600/2015-06-08+19.41.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItxIwHue3dcrPwGeOezAHL7XmFJ-6U1iq4m2o6pEpuicBad1iJWMRuHlVN79aX7f-bRZHamAqbS61BMUSW2fgDMm0eQc68S0UwMBwsFav4J8q1qKEkwobRCfqDHroFIX7z1OxnjWr_oLm/s320/2015-06-08+19.41.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I still haven't learned how to make the dough from scratch, probably because I don't know how to use the rolling pin ><<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGl5-b6ebvoUhXhrIboM-EIuvnlhzsCMx9t6ORwprMcjnYP5gSqMICtl4Pd5Q77D63XegzZIkxvPcDl09vO89OOBlFF92TWpvFgf2pCotx40ZwCBBHeAIi9embR4H3d6U1UrQ7EfhnTPH/s1600/2015-06-08+19.41.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGl5-b6ebvoUhXhrIboM-EIuvnlhzsCMx9t6ORwprMcjnYP5gSqMICtl4Pd5Q77D63XegzZIkxvPcDl09vO89OOBlFF92TWpvFgf2pCotx40ZwCBBHeAIi9embR4H3d6U1UrQ7EfhnTPH/s320/2015-06-08+19.41.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
But hopefully one day I'll be able to turn raw ingredients into this plate full of delishness:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9iam3yFQ3JGYM3MwDScHLAtnJuHuEdYzotDFW3YdnBPkyPE_Q2R5chuqd14qtCx6-djt6XKGBMaq6n8gl_7G2IiusR5Zr7vhIF7S6lG8ehtXe6-ieV0xZzHrIulMR14UNniKlWlJSVp2/s1600/2015-06-08+19.41.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9iam3yFQ3JGYM3MwDScHLAtnJuHuEdYzotDFW3YdnBPkyPE_Q2R5chuqd14qtCx6-djt6XKGBMaq6n8gl_7G2IiusR5Zr7vhIF7S6lG8ehtXe6-ieV0xZzHrIulMR14UNniKlWlJSVp2/s320/2015-06-08+19.41.11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Just a note about boiling the dumplings, you have to actually "boil" it three times for the perfect consistency and chew. First fill up your pot with water just barely covering the dumplings. When the water comes to a boil, drop in the dumpling, one at a time, giving the water a swirl counterclockwise as you do it. Then when the water comes to the second boil, add more water and more dumplings. Continue to do so for another boiling. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE78s3hdZAzb1UFCStEsfOLHMFjxpbMAb4coxg0qesyAtPc4HcSER9rrTUboDAROoJgsvyTFuc48UiNKpZrrp7Lpq4q0B_yA20rkTeUIPay_Hxwy9xWgbQ4j2yA_leFgOHoHotHv5HT1uY/s1600/2015-06-08+19.49.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE78s3hdZAzb1UFCStEsfOLHMFjxpbMAb4coxg0qesyAtPc4HcSER9rrTUboDAROoJgsvyTFuc48UiNKpZrrp7Lpq4q0B_yA20rkTeUIPay_Hxwy9xWgbQ4j2yA_leFgOHoHotHv5HT1uY/s320/2015-06-08+19.49.31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The next day we had some simple leftovers. The one on the top right is called 8-treasure rice, a mixture of glutinous rice with cranberries and dates.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOnYMxhwqE7Mim8qct-9fPrP8xrAX0dXtFhyphenhyphenjEkNZ3r2w0mm5PgefRtHMrrWU-KAEXryU3pjTx_4v0A6tvJoSR_n36TWOy1FkKsPY7tJiaB_QJQJ17QBAOOJtfkMBgSzXaaD9RhFjCsyq/s1600/2015-06-13+19.54.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOnYMxhwqE7Mim8qct-9fPrP8xrAX0dXtFhyphenhyphenjEkNZ3r2w0mm5PgefRtHMrrWU-KAEXryU3pjTx_4v0A6tvJoSR_n36TWOy1FkKsPY7tJiaB_QJQJ17QBAOOJtfkMBgSzXaaD9RhFjCsyq/s320/2015-06-13+19.54.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Then one of the weekends Hubby made this crockpot chicken with a pre-mixed Moroccan chicken mix. It was surprisingly pretty but, albeit a little greasy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tLm_6VQkg8sPOlIXpVJ6Xn-Rq2pXyvvfq163DGpsVUB3YsbFlTxttLF1QbYEGe42JHilIBpAsbOmJFagcNU-MlD4t7oRv4_wERHLLWd5u4c2FxrzlBngeoiIhw0xVRksrWPCR5eHiAzW/s1600/2015-06-14+19.39.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tLm_6VQkg8sPOlIXpVJ6Xn-Rq2pXyvvfq163DGpsVUB3YsbFlTxttLF1QbYEGe42JHilIBpAsbOmJFagcNU-MlD4t7oRv4_wERHLLWd5u4c2FxrzlBngeoiIhw0xVRksrWPCR5eHiAzW/s320/2015-06-14+19.39.08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Just a side note: make sure you have enough people to finish the chicken, because we made one pot and couldn't finish it until a week later. InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-24484675941413906362015-06-30T21:43:00.000-04:002015-06-30T21:43:00.097-04:00Homecooked GoodnessSo after getting home from the culinary heaven that was our vacation, we landed ourselves back in the thick and thin of things, starting with leftovers in the fridge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHUlQeUEVduQ8CcRhRlNegiN9uAZZYQOF5EPGrvxBS62v4rYUh4qR_vXQsY17dgYautC-LhGiJ5YEhzEcywydq9wgiGxQrMMIfHNAGoQSFe3q2iWiSa8sObkDgBnmU6a1mufur2A2JbjZ/s1600/2015-06-06+12.43.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHUlQeUEVduQ8CcRhRlNegiN9uAZZYQOF5EPGrvxBS62v4rYUh4qR_vXQsY17dgYautC-LhGiJ5YEhzEcywydq9wgiGxQrMMIfHNAGoQSFe3q2iWiSa8sObkDgBnmU6a1mufur2A2JbjZ/s320/2015-06-06+12.43.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thankfully, there wasn't very much leftovers in the fridge, so we made some congee from whatever rice that was leftover (note the cute monkey spoon I got in California).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sWCCBLIF8Ti3ni4zM5D3Hzyza5LeDHupi47DbQFf6EbGNeiuHiXyEQaUhOgt9bFV5-6CmEEkbwdXDQuWq0m7eNrpVhK2DyrAtbwkscdI50yla1BG4kBkILGhiRA51eppKbom9pRjuWyX/s1600/2015-06-06+12.43.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sWCCBLIF8Ti3ni4zM5D3Hzyza5LeDHupi47DbQFf6EbGNeiuHiXyEQaUhOgt9bFV5-6CmEEkbwdXDQuWq0m7eNrpVhK2DyrAtbwkscdI50yla1BG4kBkILGhiRA51eppKbom9pRjuWyX/s320/2015-06-06+12.43.21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And some honey mint tea with the homegrown mint:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-qpbG_5qD1mZix7gVIWiFATCanLFXHQ0ywCfNMDmiDvAvEpi_YxnsnIk4omkPkk7WjW3euxgikYv0gcTIHaXJcBhjnIllztJbICjQ31F11lwXAWhA4ugZO2TDJmyupDjGOFP9Ug00SKA/s1600/2015-06-06+19.01.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-qpbG_5qD1mZix7gVIWiFATCanLFXHQ0ywCfNMDmiDvAvEpi_YxnsnIk4omkPkk7WjW3euxgikYv0gcTIHaXJcBhjnIllztJbICjQ31F11lwXAWhA4ugZO2TDJmyupDjGOFP9Ug00SKA/s320/2015-06-06+19.01.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Look at that floating loveliness...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_3_YnHO4jZxnyQ7UECwOU9JLViXZBqdyHhPF6z_ozbI78qOfH7uwlbbGhsK-PRMs_tWlyowPyhYgI6lJ690yHzD_zQHWhdvFvpk95xR0Ia6bTzhq-1E_lDROCIEmBlkusCl6xW5ytzWB/s1600/2015-06-06+19.01.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_3_YnHO4jZxnyQ7UECwOU9JLViXZBqdyHhPF6z_ozbI78qOfH7uwlbbGhsK-PRMs_tWlyowPyhYgI6lJ690yHzD_zQHWhdvFvpk95xR0Ia6bTzhq-1E_lDROCIEmBlkusCl6xW5ytzWB/s320/2015-06-06+19.01.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And I have to say that even though the cocktails at the resort were nothing sort of amazing, it still pales in comparison to the simple taste of mint. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4l5mjq4HC6EKw1Ya5fmRo6ECcbr5C8Y_OfQ1hyphenhyphenn-6gk-9tlHudNcac1JKB551LYV4yCFJGeKesdISMMrM9oQBS36nVt6P5zkOtwG0xevoOK9IQ3tj1jhkmQYkCTUbCaLD5fdrHbAgmAA3/s1600/2015-06-06+10.00.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4l5mjq4HC6EKw1Ya5fmRo6ECcbr5C8Y_OfQ1hyphenhyphenn-6gk-9tlHudNcac1JKB551LYV4yCFJGeKesdISMMrM9oQBS36nVt6P5zkOtwG0xevoOK9IQ3tj1jhkmQYkCTUbCaLD5fdrHbAgmAA3/s320/2015-06-06+10.00.00.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I also cooked up some breakfast with the chives in the backyard (hubby didn't like it but I insisted on some "vegetables" in the eggs). The pancakes are from a mix, and Hubby complained it was too thick (roll eyes).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q0BV6PgHnO58hOdedajalFyhfvIL8zSfDdHRfubmvxhHtnucpaqGlcWjyRlIT9E4Ysyk4CCZ4GX8mRCXznLTQzhiFHOQskeL6SApNoAmZFcrogTS7RUoKGQPbJ6k1FPv4viLvc6Bh9jd/s1600/2015-06-06+10.01.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q0BV6PgHnO58hOdedajalFyhfvIL8zSfDdHRfubmvxhHtnucpaqGlcWjyRlIT9E4Ysyk4CCZ4GX8mRCXznLTQzhiFHOQskeL6SApNoAmZFcrogTS7RUoKGQPbJ6k1FPv4viLvc6Bh9jd/s320/2015-06-06+10.01.51.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I on the other hand settled from some cereal (I really missed the crunchy goodness of colorful flakes and cinnamon-ma-bobbers!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mMiktaBNMkT8wE9Ec8AWnfqX30CYM55DfHlRp5cFhXOUqOvinYSZeW4gr3QOAVHRYK3-f8xH0ERd1QiSnQ0MiNKutKQ8Zam4uRh7MV7tkc9kcAR2TduJ1NDbuhnn1_JEwRiAU9KmWav5/s1600/2015-06-06+12.43.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mMiktaBNMkT8wE9Ec8AWnfqX30CYM55DfHlRp5cFhXOUqOvinYSZeW4gr3QOAVHRYK3-f8xH0ERd1QiSnQ0MiNKutKQ8Zam4uRh7MV7tkc9kcAR2TduJ1NDbuhnn1_JEwRiAU9KmWav5/s320/2015-06-06+12.43.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Then for lunch I settled for some congee, homecooked burdock and a colorful plate of sweet bell peppers and bulgogi (store-bought marinated beef). The thing on the top right-hand side is spicy squid, which I also whipped up myself.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_yDFQ3UnYwvF16_yXDcsUh_GDjslS8bvrj2Zat8MRO_yeLupjsomCOy-rEpf_Ps2qKDezZVdbCA6bBgMvfSKSEbQjmbA8UYgmZTrvzQhnYMm5d6GJ36cuwQRShsqqyKkmnCx_2kqqS_L/s1600/2015-06-06+19.29.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_yDFQ3UnYwvF16_yXDcsUh_GDjslS8bvrj2Zat8MRO_yeLupjsomCOy-rEpf_Ps2qKDezZVdbCA6bBgMvfSKSEbQjmbA8UYgmZTrvzQhnYMm5d6GJ36cuwQRShsqqyKkmnCx_2kqqS_L/s320/2015-06-06+19.29.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For dinner, I settled on some braised tofu and mushrooms. To get it right this time, I actually googled a recipe as well as yes, how to cut the tofu so it's perfect for this dish.</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNfkvcKZcB2muy21iBFP_Ki12lII3o6tG3PRpd8C9Wf1DAzB8oEoLv_poMz35sdCGBxcOp7i2Nb2uMxCwDlv9EZ-hd9aL_KKVYXfleow98S-5oeSqyz62KSxlbODYi2Zf5QnvrVHBWYFq/s1600/2015-06-06+19.30.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNfkvcKZcB2muy21iBFP_Ki12lII3o6tG3PRpd8C9Wf1DAzB8oEoLv_poMz35sdCGBxcOp7i2Nb2uMxCwDlv9EZ-hd9aL_KKVYXfleow98S-5oeSqyz62KSxlbODYi2Zf5QnvrVHBWYFq/s320/2015-06-06+19.30.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So apparently, you're supposed to half it then cut it again into four long blocks, then for each block make 4 cuts to create 10 pieces each. In the meantime, soak some mushrooms in water to expand the meat of the mushroom.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjmxwwrMiqeGz8vHbmgB40wNkJnwSvHACXmkpjYe8qp6sNu7M9jBs29KUalQ45AmqWlbUfrrES2hCCikX2ZauU5fkBk3qmmitVLS2rhDDPnVuG571g-plzt8JCnJJ0N0Q26B60CbCKeZs/s1600/2015-06-06+19.23.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjmxwwrMiqeGz8vHbmgB40wNkJnwSvHACXmkpjYe8qp6sNu7M9jBs29KUalQ45AmqWlbUfrrES2hCCikX2ZauU5fkBk3qmmitVLS2rhDDPnVuG571g-plzt8JCnJJ0N0Q26B60CbCKeZs/s320/2015-06-06+19.23.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Once that's done, throw everything into a pan, along with some green onions. Cook on medium-high for about 3 minutes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xGGWHotpg0xbEOjEUfwh5opm0N42ae31EkqN_DjB36N63SscvoiHLuMtgDOYvLiDT-S5LDN_zFkY147agk5OCsJGXBm5RNSc31gMpkT4xTLMuHYjA3tTpfRFBz0dBY_7Fq8VZ9C8sniL/s1600/2015-06-06+19.39.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xGGWHotpg0xbEOjEUfwh5opm0N42ae31EkqN_DjB36N63SscvoiHLuMtgDOYvLiDT-S5LDN_zFkY147agk5OCsJGXBm5RNSc31gMpkT4xTLMuHYjA3tTpfRFBz0dBY_7Fq8VZ9C8sniL/s320/2015-06-06+19.39.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Then create a semi-glutinous mixture of soy sauce, corn starch, rice vinegar, salt and sugar (and a dash of spice if you'd like) and leave it there to cook on medium-high.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAd6mWmdQAvIqsDJTZLM7NcsUHZvuIKk29PQZnNT3t5oRHDm1OxJNm-mpwUS-UqKXJ9mtDzTDLHsEL4zVTANSV-cXz-GhpCs6afHBj6tUnCmGnxnS7urjW8Qqueh5X802hoE7X3bMnPN1/s1600/2015-06-06+19.45.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAd6mWmdQAvIqsDJTZLM7NcsUHZvuIKk29PQZnNT3t5oRHDm1OxJNm-mpwUS-UqKXJ9mtDzTDLHsEL4zVTANSV-cXz-GhpCs6afHBj6tUnCmGnxnS7urjW8Qqueh5X802hoE7X3bMnPN1/s320/2015-06-06+19.45.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You want to cook until most of the juice has been absorbed by the tofu. This makes the tofu both firm and juicy, exactly how Hubby likes his tofu. I dropped some goji berries in to add some color and nutrients to this meat-like dish.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5UpfdXT_6s0Hik9ta8cnFojK31ViSnhyphenhyphenqrzhiTNOMB_z3cPvsky4SWN7Rbv134WAJazYXOFCzFRF_09a5-_NheHXHBBO3MOUrzdljK-OGnV8o7IFnqF_kaiky-UsAR6QR89447fYCi4O/s1600/2015-06-06+19.50.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5UpfdXT_6s0Hik9ta8cnFojK31ViSnhyphenhyphenqrzhiTNOMB_z3cPvsky4SWN7Rbv134WAJazYXOFCzFRF_09a5-_NheHXHBBO3MOUrzdljK-OGnV8o7IFnqF_kaiky-UsAR6QR89447fYCi4O/s320/2015-06-06+19.50.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
In fact, he liked it so much he ate the whole thing, leaving none for me to even try. And that's okay, as long as he does the dishes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPS2VlpXs6ZR60me28gMEJ0MsU6MKSOcL8bmqghsYR4q8sAx2cw2pBKV-E7nknW2THIBXUWbdiNSzL2oxodOn_rdnWCAPCwOKzSY2Nt3gxa_We9kS2BRrxbflnFXw6AR_9vGjZ_qU5YIH/s1600/2015-06-06+19.58.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPS2VlpXs6ZR60me28gMEJ0MsU6MKSOcL8bmqghsYR4q8sAx2cw2pBKV-E7nknW2THIBXUWbdiNSzL2oxodOn_rdnWCAPCwOKzSY2Nt3gxa_We9kS2BRrxbflnFXw6AR_9vGjZ_qU5YIH/s320/2015-06-06+19.58.49.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjmxwwrMiqeGz8vHbmgB40wNkJnwSvHACXmkpjYe8qp6sNu7M9jBs29KUalQ45AmqWlbUfrrES2hCCikX2ZauU5fkBk3qmmitVLS2rhDDPnVuG571g-plzt8JCnJJ0N0Q26B60CbCKeZs/s1600/2015-06-06+19.23.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-77010371487479142792015-06-27T13:44:00.000-04:002015-06-27T13:44:00.047-04:00Welcome Back...to Sweet PotatoesOn our last day at the resort, Hubby and I woke up early to grab brekky, then waited around in the lobby for our cab. I was actually amazed at their punctual service up until our last day, because everything seemed quite orderly. Somehow on the last day, the cab that was supposed to show up at 10:30 came at 11am. I guess their cabs still run on vacation-time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVKORUwHCb_oqq8wTiQSpXGojpgDm0Wcw-c-V9ZzGj3vlx8ShkrRv6njq-HwWTS3PNZ7aTHyuQ6uRM9M2M5HLVmlM3x7qIe2ZMidHsjOjH2AgkztudVMP1teUHFO0FYZyB4M7XIuGvUC-/s1600/2015-05-31+10.10.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVKORUwHCb_oqq8wTiQSpXGojpgDm0Wcw-c-V9ZzGj3vlx8ShkrRv6njq-HwWTS3PNZ7aTHyuQ6uRM9M2M5HLVmlM3x7qIe2ZMidHsjOjH2AgkztudVMP1teUHFO0FYZyB4M7XIuGvUC-/s320/2015-05-31+10.10.15.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
So I took the time and liberty to snap a few last photos of our picturesque resort, including the flowers and leaves that amazingly seem to even line up beautifully.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VScSfjbGgD3YkBMc-do5dLAOVpVet0Qu0Jamq7D7-kWiwbWiiBwYNNCS1rB8w9RPNDLgj1cbctxbh6Fjpy3OMRGAubhsbJGJz3uQV4LDccd1wjuSYKEXiH3IukhOVWhaSp4taxHPH1Gi/s1600/2015-05-31+10.10.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VScSfjbGgD3YkBMc-do5dLAOVpVet0Qu0Jamq7D7-kWiwbWiiBwYNNCS1rB8w9RPNDLgj1cbctxbh6Fjpy3OMRGAubhsbJGJz3uQV4LDccd1wjuSYKEXiH3IukhOVWhaSp4taxHPH1Gi/s320/2015-05-31+10.10.49.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
If I ever built a house/hut, I would want to to look exactly like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JFIVQPuQoBYezWTRpMM3zb4Wqym_f9Wk2yaNWW-kFjZDAp1d9Ix-BY5VdaL7IoHw_-aDvage7EfN6p0ik3YG01kwX37ZFIviVePbNNyS-1nd-CNu9sR50U5-e-h0tz7QRkW0zNNwdI26/s1600/2015-05-31+10.11.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JFIVQPuQoBYezWTRpMM3zb4Wqym_f9Wk2yaNWW-kFjZDAp1d9Ix-BY5VdaL7IoHw_-aDvage7EfN6p0ik3YG01kwX37ZFIviVePbNNyS-1nd-CNu9sR50U5-e-h0tz7QRkW0zNNwdI26/s640/2015-05-31+10.11.05.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We got to the airport still about 2 hours early, so we wandered around the duty free shops amongst all the American tourists. The prices there are still pretty steep - the only thing I could afford was a bottle of vanilla, but even that was $5. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxh6D_AtIzyzScuxOvOL9f1sbrd_mBX16jEwZHnH3x9oGdeYLZ7ZzJoI4Eg9vRGV1yuK57OutWKruuKdcsK0OnJOvUH_8xpe-bW7pnjkFgjEjJ_Dj0xnfrSaiHzQ11W0OzqoH2J_wU8Gt/s1600/2015-05-31+15.31.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxh6D_AtIzyzScuxOvOL9f1sbrd_mBX16jEwZHnH3x9oGdeYLZ7ZzJoI4Eg9vRGV1yuK57OutWKruuKdcsK0OnJOvUH_8xpe-bW7pnjkFgjEjJ_Dj0xnfrSaiHzQ11W0OzqoH2J_wU8Gt/s320/2015-05-31+15.31.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
So I was pretty glad that I had this banana (and various other assortment of fruits) with me on the plane. We'd swiped it off the tree from the spa, and I left it inside the ice bucket for the duration of the week so it would ripen. I ate it on the plane, and it was probably the best small banana I've ever had. It was tart yet starchy, just the right combination of banana-ness for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJon_zeD__uShZ1vM3cVg6rpgAtrjlmvHTofONH0_pPP87n0mUSZSC583BoQRH4SrJNiL4dJs84mMggECQehGYMgb4X7-PWt2P28e8ZWzJdz-n0wuXf3cc_jheJ6OwwTd2DwK_gdTqWfV/s1600/2015-05-31+20.32.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJon_zeD__uShZ1vM3cVg6rpgAtrjlmvHTofONH0_pPP87n0mUSZSC583BoQRH4SrJNiL4dJs84mMggECQehGYMgb4X7-PWt2P28e8ZWzJdz-n0wuXf3cc_jheJ6OwwTd2DwK_gdTqWfV/s320/2015-05-31+20.32.42.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
After we got home, we made some ramen, just about the only thing we had left in the cupboard. I almost forgot how to make it lol. Compared to the food at the resort, this was definitely something from different realm.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1JxGRHXk7TlDigA9G1iAL6rFhyBbNphSkih2gvCsUspHEBF8bnw1IEgXgE1wXNHdACx3GiPbDeuZ6aw_BYqu36K3NSaZEuavicP6zw_yHLuHlNHVWQiT4umkBnwlYpgK7vSw_FCYCkCn/s1600/2015-06-01+20.24.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1JxGRHXk7TlDigA9G1iAL6rFhyBbNphSkih2gvCsUspHEBF8bnw1IEgXgE1wXNHdACx3GiPbDeuZ6aw_BYqu36K3NSaZEuavicP6zw_yHLuHlNHVWQiT4umkBnwlYpgK7vSw_FCYCkCn/s320/2015-06-01+20.24.31.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The next week it was back to domestic living. Hubby got off work early one day, and I made him some eggs n tomatoes, along with a cucumber, orange pepper and Korean seafood sausage stirfry. It was pretty yummy for the most part, except he complained that the sausage wasn't cooked still. So I had to go back to fry it again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TDgzkqAXzKiHEp0c103xHRt1gj34hd9W4qkdrEhSoMSWw2b1f3F_HSlZQcfpLH9bzHuRaonSlV_c_uTe_BHcPbJ7g_MVR6yvbpJies961Vre5qpN-Qzd08lIKRVQ7MWV9PD6eGmVykeS/s1600/2015-06-01+20.24.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TDgzkqAXzKiHEp0c103xHRt1gj34hd9W4qkdrEhSoMSWw2b1f3F_HSlZQcfpLH9bzHuRaonSlV_c_uTe_BHcPbJ7g_MVR6yvbpJies961Vre5qpN-Qzd08lIKRVQ7MWV9PD6eGmVykeS/s320/2015-06-01+20.24.35.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Color Stirfry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also reheated some pita bread, which went well the eggs n tomatoes to soak up the juices.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9U2OqDa1yXC2xkBRjZ5Xqi9QscZc7ul2z8ywRDJ2_ssgakpYDpXyqRG4F5Huw7-EtevI4lDHM-bcA4zAy7xZ15TRPdvcVr-niWz1-Q2COyS9hGuU2lgM3JntHDgRGtR6luJ3YnXEQYn5/s1600/2015-06-01+20.24.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9U2OqDa1yXC2xkBRjZ5Xqi9QscZc7ul2z8ywRDJ2_ssgakpYDpXyqRG4F5Huw7-EtevI4lDHM-bcA4zAy7xZ15TRPdvcVr-niWz1-Q2COyS9hGuU2lgM3JntHDgRGtR6luJ3YnXEQYn5/s320/2015-06-01+20.24.37.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I also popped some sweet potatoes in the oven to make sweet potato fries. It was pretty difficult to cut these babies, so I didn't manage to get it out on time. But it provided for a sweet ending to the meal.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-vzFoefzd18qNOPjoM4JqbwsKnyPJ179HqwHY1e0ncvEdFtPvgwkD5FK9o-x3DFiucHhmcQPTULLCD9dWgsY9gunWEnf11myoI8OYETToweEbgMOiOuDmToRjbu5-SqOvmFGwkWGijFm/s1600/2015-06-01+20.40.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-vzFoefzd18qNOPjoM4JqbwsKnyPJ179HqwHY1e0ncvEdFtPvgwkD5FK9o-x3DFiucHhmcQPTULLCD9dWgsY9gunWEnf11myoI8OYETToweEbgMOiOuDmToRjbu5-SqOvmFGwkWGijFm/s320/2015-06-01+20.40.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Potato Fries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-77630413719499136002015-06-25T13:40:00.000-04:002015-06-25T13:40:00.621-04:00Last Meal in Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">If had to eat your last meal tomorrow, what would it look like? If it looks something like this, would you still be afraid of the afterlife? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxwrnW-OM6QCJfCBUbfNJAUYReD5jXjibdRoFxzbh1IZujberxnjugYM4Z-46p4KfKu6jxRMuymdJyoFcmL1L2WgWtZdzoUn7a86jGZg-y1xLW7WDnfJAw9Zs30R_KgFQFLDA0mhEYjlx/s1600/2015-05-31+08.45.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxwrnW-OM6QCJfCBUbfNJAUYReD5jXjibdRoFxzbh1IZujberxnjugYM4Z-46p4KfKu6jxRMuymdJyoFcmL1L2WgWtZdzoUn7a86jGZg-y1xLW7WDnfJAw9Zs30R_KgFQFLDA0mhEYjlx/s320/2015-05-31+08.45.47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
To answer that question, I'd look forward to the first day of mine (afterlife). We started the day at Aquamarina for sit-down breakfast. I decided that since today was my last meal here, I would go all out and eat whatever without any reservations for the calories.<br />
<br />
I started with a cup of cappuccino and a cherry cream danish, the combination of which was pure bliss - the bitterness of the coffee complemented the sweetness of the danish wonderfully.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6t8h-aem5EjTXtd64ZuKh8DoDAUip7NKrP3721tw2IOTGDmsWn9-yfM0Bmk3CG81MuzVI_-G4-Ct6s4omYr9tbNz9-p4W7hlsmVeH5hRrW4Z-Sb6gb52-l5GrH7fb9zRjBvudZ1VoBIf/s1600/2015-05-31+08.50.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6t8h-aem5EjTXtd64ZuKh8DoDAUip7NKrP3721tw2IOTGDmsWn9-yfM0Bmk3CG81MuzVI_-G4-Ct6s4omYr9tbNz9-p4W7hlsmVeH5hRrW4Z-Sb6gb52-l5GrH7fb9zRjBvudZ1VoBIf/s320/2015-05-31+08.50.47.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tulum Juice: Pineapple, Pear and Guava </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Then I got a Tulum juice to imprint the flavors of the tropics into my tastebuds. The drink was freshly squeezed and savory as usual.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCIsOSEv-Vi4phs_NziZ0P4J4919heLPJB3bSmJjNf1NajjnntxbXaEKWri1AgJTuK_5GeDI5imEBXcEMRe73oJrHadBZDJRpmrFRZ0M79ZnrQPFpoWWUvA1CJG2C4u0ipVyNJD6W3nhf/s1600/2015-05-31+08.55.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCIsOSEv-Vi4phs_NziZ0P4J4919heLPJB3bSmJjNf1NajjnntxbXaEKWri1AgJTuK_5GeDI5imEBXcEMRe73oJrHadBZDJRpmrFRZ0M79ZnrQPFpoWWUvA1CJG2C4u0ipVyNJD6W3nhf/s320/2015-05-31+08.55.57.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motul Style Eggs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hubby got the Motul style eggs, sunny side up over fried tortilla, with a side of plantains, sweet peas, ham and fried beans. He also got a side of hash browns on the side. It's hard to believe that normally that's the amount of food and calories I would eat in a day!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLtJ7HxDDyVkXiBvCXqfCEa4MdNIZ0kZVF4Hqojgx0nSwMytBZpeLCTEUUnfFSB2FUMGmA1FDe0uuEwBmBPZnWai5KM0BIouySDH48EOS_HEgLMAm_w6c2eWxadzWoIqMHPkrH3EhxinI/s1600/2015-05-31+08.56.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLtJ7HxDDyVkXiBvCXqfCEa4MdNIZ0kZVF4Hqojgx0nSwMytBZpeLCTEUUnfFSB2FUMGmA1FDe0uuEwBmBPZnWai5KM0BIouySDH48EOS_HEgLMAm_w6c2eWxadzWoIqMHPkrH3EhxinI/s320/2015-05-31+08.56.18.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's a sideview of the Motul style eggs. It wasn't quite cooked the same as the one I'd ordered earlier, because the egg here was a tad on the runny side. It's also hard to eat this thing because when you bite down everything spills over, throwing out bits and pieces of tortilla chips and beans.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aYVoH-j3s-RDbNKCwnsJ6mDefHRgo6ngLmxDTcnFIk-9W-byE73MwOAKEOifwqEd3JS3Y2xF1_EiyBwr2UTqzSFkLUi1Pu6RPUOpqmRXnY5wn6C4mPtEcF4GkOKg2E0M9fpMG9Gb1uyH/s1600/2015-05-31+08.56.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aYVoH-j3s-RDbNKCwnsJ6mDefHRgo6ngLmxDTcnFIk-9W-byE73MwOAKEOifwqEd3JS3Y2xF1_EiyBwr2UTqzSFkLUi1Pu6RPUOpqmRXnY5wn6C4mPtEcF4GkOKg2E0M9fpMG9Gb1uyH/s320/2015-05-31+08.56.05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Eggs Benedictine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I went a bit boring on the side and got the eggs Benedictine with hollandaise over english muffin, with a side of cambray potatoes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ja-l5c29fOFVJJfNBB6m9cFNsa8RZ-ipCXTfXOJOsDAsC3yx8IRXZ7vwpklTZejHMxw6GYogY2jcWM5jufMi5mj9DfPcTSN34MOeEtQlfyxu_-hE1ZWUNppYvZeT4WpgTAelOc2JMIpZ/s1600/2015-05-31+08.56.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ja-l5c29fOFVJJfNBB6m9cFNsa8RZ-ipCXTfXOJOsDAsC3yx8IRXZ7vwpklTZejHMxw6GYogY2jcWM5jufMi5mj9DfPcTSN34MOeEtQlfyxu_-hE1ZWUNppYvZeT4WpgTAelOc2JMIpZ/s320/2015-05-31+08.56.20.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's another look at my beautiful eggs Benedictine. I really liked how the muffin absorbed the richness of the egg and sauce.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8rOjgzRelxrAz56W2y8bJYN0WAnWOuFOAdiFCSMS90j5z4j1KeWgBIcdF3cPHngh33l7AboMiiJn9pDdwf3K-DHD25tXX2Iva-Oj6lHs95tANk3Bmi7Wz9eSuvXNN_t0o1ZRBa_v-J1Y/s1600/2015-05-31+09.16.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8rOjgzRelxrAz56W2y8bJYN0WAnWOuFOAdiFCSMS90j5z4j1KeWgBIcdF3cPHngh33l7AboMiiJn9pDdwf3K-DHD25tXX2Iva-Oj6lHs95tANk3Bmi7Wz9eSuvXNN_t0o1ZRBa_v-J1Y/s640/2015-05-31+09.16.10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As we left to go, I took one last sweeping view of the beach. I also took a little dip into the ocean to remember the freshness of the waters.<br />
<br />
I'd never imagined my experience in Mexico would be like this - I'd always envisioned Mexico as a land of tacos and burritos. But now, Mexico will forever have a place in my heart as my little piece of R&R.InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-75334347513077818852015-06-23T13:56:00.000-04:002015-06-23T13:56:00.032-04:00Third Time's the Charm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It's funny how we have so many sayings about numbers in life, like "two's a party, three's a crowd", "sweet sixteen", "sixth sense", and the likes.<br />
<br />
But these aren't just a play on words - sometimes, they actually carry predictive meaning.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WPjawi04_OZH_r6sxxaT9qZ68PFOXpn5_2qILW7QCHGjY1-pYIjwZu5LnGNWw5HQii9A03Nx-LLcMcoo2mZFqeSBmyhr_x5ysOk0oSpKhTfVdeC-THaBCjFUK5NPu0QNNAgFXmsYmi1o/s1600/2015-05-30+19.04.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WPjawi04_OZH_r6sxxaT9qZ68PFOXpn5_2qILW7QCHGjY1-pYIjwZu5LnGNWw5HQii9A03Nx-LLcMcoo2mZFqeSBmyhr_x5ysOk0oSpKhTfVdeC-THaBCjFUK5NPu0QNNAgFXmsYmi1o/s320/2015-05-30+19.04.23.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
On our last night at the resort, we decided to have our last dinner at Amber. The first two times, if you recall, ended not-so-spectacularly. So we thought that third time has got to be the charm, and decided to venture again into the unknown space of fine dining.<br />
<br />
We decided to sit on the outside terrace this time overlooking the cenote, because I'd noticed that couples outside tend to be louder than the elderly couples inside. Or perhaps it's because of these round balls of decorations that make it more festive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyABtg2RpKY0H21FoKcX2gjOiUJzeCCJROkhX_KdSgaVnSvsw6lV_uJL5rpwCQAMuvFXRdOuKvhYIrrRcptPAQM4Vrl28BSewWvBhr5Vg5M8wQrOKAMXUMpGaPkLxXVhfpY1zkwpTrRZ0t/s1600/2015-05-30+19.04.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyABtg2RpKY0H21FoKcX2gjOiUJzeCCJROkhX_KdSgaVnSvsw6lV_uJL5rpwCQAMuvFXRdOuKvhYIrrRcptPAQM4Vrl28BSewWvBhr5Vg5M8wQrOKAMXUMpGaPkLxXVhfpY1zkwpTrRZ0t/s320/2015-05-30+19.04.29.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We noticed a lot of new face that evening. I noticed that the tourist turnover rate at the hotel is about a week. By Friday of every week there tends to be more and more new faces, like our fresh, untanned faces a Friday ago when we'd first arrived there. Sitting beside us was a couple from Montreal who probably have a few drinks too many before coming in. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2YJL3VM0IQCv9PEzjOUq-gZtp9nO8k0JfdXgruvfVNgSZo1LS11p9gfqqvdP90Hz3yr9F4MGjBb6CrHg6BCjCVn8jqwpcuJbSJQJ7jVbsomKjzzPv32JMy2XtevnevFeu1-duSQv_NTv/s1600/2015-05-30+18.59.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2YJL3VM0IQCv9PEzjOUq-gZtp9nO8k0JfdXgruvfVNgSZo1LS11p9gfqqvdP90Hz3yr9F4MGjBb6CrHg6BCjCVn8jqwpcuJbSJQJ7jVbsomKjzzPv32JMy2XtevnevFeu1-duSQv_NTv/s320/2015-05-30+18.59.19.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ9HxPPg8ExD6iah2sQ7d3TakSzv3HC2mpJoKsnBrGyQVthT2RQdL0yXA1MMKm5lt6D0qhS2i5h7-z_Zba_bhWrKu62e_MQE3sZ-mdzRaFH55uEU-_rmDOpWUvYDOzQpsuA3D8eLCPqw2/s1600/2015-05-30+18.59.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ9HxPPg8ExD6iah2sQ7d3TakSzv3HC2mpJoKsnBrGyQVthT2RQdL0yXA1MMKm5lt6D0qhS2i5h7-z_Zba_bhWrKu62e_MQE3sZ-mdzRaFH55uEU-_rmDOpWUvYDOzQpsuA3D8eLCPqw2/s320/2015-05-30+18.59.24.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Amber's menu pretty much remains consistent throughout the week, with daily specials now and then. They usually put the daily specials at the beginning of the menus so you can see right away what is new and different. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1naKh5r5XKONsQaXdU3kPCsoZLhuNCVFXlOvspmi0VWUFowKzoybuizPKI4bIhllxITRm-3ChLTaQGqfuJH7Gzhm4Nw56eFtzeXHp5LWMOLTbqR4BVfnH6nSPGiWpL-fCMfw-DPMKN7b3/s1600/2015-05-30+18.59.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1naKh5r5XKONsQaXdU3kPCsoZLhuNCVFXlOvspmi0VWUFowKzoybuizPKI4bIhllxITRm-3ChLTaQGqfuJH7Gzhm4Nw56eFtzeXHp5LWMOLTbqR4BVfnH6nSPGiWpL-fCMfw-DPMKN7b3/s320/2015-05-30+18.59.29.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9ty94wjdW3fk_roCG1ItqtSdn-aAZxeYxh3hBr8ldHZxKMRwOQLTrQ6ZdHUOAIwQ7XnaYyBLJYqSTvMnwMs1XIk4l7iYMLIqRiSv2TIzGDx2zdTmQqSsmxzQzRentu_pBgkBcOdMWZ8M/s1600/2015-05-30+18.59.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9ty94wjdW3fk_roCG1ItqtSdn-aAZxeYxh3hBr8ldHZxKMRwOQLTrQ6ZdHUOAIwQ7XnaYyBLJYqSTvMnwMs1XIk4l7iYMLIqRiSv2TIzGDx2zdTmQqSsmxzQzRentu_pBgkBcOdMWZ8M/s320/2015-05-30+18.59.32.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our waiter was ironically the same waiter who'd served us earlier that day at Ceviche when we grabbed some late-afternoon snacks. He told us that they change shifts in the afternoon, working at multiple locations around the resort. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By now we'd recognized all the service people's faces, and it was kind of sad to think that we'd leave their warm tutelage soon. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-4gP0NDz0EVXATkUCHfN7U_8QxFn4764L49ZLojb8XfSpY9A1ywisJyEYGgcGqPIjaFQlA6I7kG3RvBY8jN4ocW0DaIie1IiFB55uaO9t9q_Zjr7p9B4-mvqV_F3_NfZuIy9tYwvQi6N/s1600/2015-05-30+18.58.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-4gP0NDz0EVXATkUCHfN7U_8QxFn4764L49ZLojb8XfSpY9A1ywisJyEYGgcGqPIjaFQlA6I7kG3RvBY8jN4ocW0DaIie1IiFB55uaO9t9q_Zjr7p9B4-mvqV_F3_NfZuIy9tYwvQi6N/s320/2015-05-30+18.58.44.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHFKhrVmt3BsB4XOPtrB_Dh4Bbzu3Q_QwID6hAkkhXymxCogZOThk87yVmnBgNmVcE0GIauVSi3nFUSB0C8wrETZYFacma6qso1ItbT82SleQXh1xGy-ZUe2xMLebJnC-EOAhGpv3plWV/s1600/2015-05-30+18.59.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHFKhrVmt3BsB4XOPtrB_Dh4Bbzu3Q_QwID6hAkkhXymxCogZOThk87yVmnBgNmVcE0GIauVSi3nFUSB0C8wrETZYFacma6qso1ItbT82SleQXh1xGy-ZUe2xMLebJnC-EOAhGpv3plWV/s320/2015-05-30+18.59.01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<br />
After perusing the drinks menu, we settled and this and this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksx38aGK4rHwSOYkFnzgr_1sMkrxgJZHUj-uDA4XgXQN1qL_DirVze8jxBG0Pi7OkZ0s4ZYBeSbwu_W5BhpLMlojB8YSPr7P95Usmp9draDQeGNQn8pfH2XMeI6IyDD96N8LV5FcwRCKa/s1600/2015-05-30+18.57.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksx38aGK4rHwSOYkFnzgr_1sMkrxgJZHUj-uDA4XgXQN1qL_DirVze8jxBG0Pi7OkZ0s4ZYBeSbwu_W5BhpLMlojB8YSPr7P95Usmp9draDQeGNQn8pfH2XMeI6IyDD96N8LV5FcwRCKa/s320/2015-05-30+18.57.34.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED2jrmiYix3b97Ud-T8rH6-lkOZRdUGGO7h40K9e6JfDB75BPpxJbpJ3v6hR8Xbhd_PXiGf2lNPoFL1tgoXADhBk85K_iTjlpFOSMQFT1-8PU6DgMjx_rEzN2b0VNCqqXeHhbYcMTXsxh/s1600/2015-05-30+19.08.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED2jrmiYix3b97Ud-T8rH6-lkOZRdUGGO7h40K9e6JfDB75BPpxJbpJ3v6hR8Xbhd_PXiGf2lNPoFL1tgoXADhBk85K_iTjlpFOSMQFT1-8PU6DgMjx_rEzN2b0VNCqqXeHhbYcMTXsxh/s320/2015-05-30+19.08.05.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Yea I know what you're thinking, "Boring!" Trust me, we'd get booze if we could, because the entire drink menu is dedicated to the fine art of well, getting drunk. But we decided to be good-two-shoes and drink "healthier" options instead. I got the guavapple drink and Hubby his usual lemon water. Speaking of lemon water, I like how the waiters come around with a plate of lemons, limes and cucumber to ask you which one you'd like in your drink. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeo8-H1nFktBWeUbgmLLx-_7UVYkqqzOqp3PvKQNYx0-JcLJjMJEDXNi3a-VjaQRGvtiC5CGOXsqqRPVtWXo86mdiaxusYSOC-14gFS_plNnjVrkVOoh6tMXv6NqT2aSIidhxSEDXTc2F/s1600/2015-05-30+19.10.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeo8-H1nFktBWeUbgmLLx-_7UVYkqqzOqp3PvKQNYx0-JcLJjMJEDXNi3a-VjaQRGvtiC5CGOXsqqRPVtWXo86mdiaxusYSOC-14gFS_plNnjVrkVOoh6tMXv6NqT2aSIidhxSEDXTc2F/s320/2015-05-30+19.10.35.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguS0WGeI2XI33rwmUR2X4aQYqAPWG5oenRW04qq9Ci-dwXKwk3VyT9jB8dwwEa1pzLLVz5g4ftNjQE97SDo0Ygepy58HMi7XDBcsYsxlNYNj3YnDLXCf9DJT_9G1K4N7hXaE604pTZrExJ/s1600/2015-05-30+19.10.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguS0WGeI2XI33rwmUR2X4aQYqAPWG5oenRW04qq9Ci-dwXKwk3VyT9jB8dwwEa1pzLLVz5g4ftNjQE97SDo0Ygepy58HMi7XDBcsYsxlNYNj3YnDLXCf9DJT_9G1K4N7hXaE604pTZrExJ/s320/2015-05-30+19.10.38.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The meal started with some seared tuna croquette, which was dainty yet refreshing. I was worried that the tuna was raw, but when we bit into it (yea I know, I probably should have asked first), it was surprisingly warm. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFau5_INvL4EVuK1PFsa9Kxk_EpDl0qR15eDV47y5DocDAJUuJKSZcSJnxNLI5ux0-G0AwhEXlUeDiwtlqYRpY6cAth03A4WCRqegQCkFMJwr-ZdVZRVANZ2uZkHFwU7vzH7iS1DuY7fq7/s1600/2015-05-30+19.10.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFau5_INvL4EVuK1PFsa9Kxk_EpDl0qR15eDV47y5DocDAJUuJKSZcSJnxNLI5ux0-G0AwhEXlUeDiwtlqYRpY6cAth03A4WCRqegQCkFMJwr-ZdVZRVANZ2uZkHFwU7vzH7iS1DuY7fq7/s320/2015-05-30+19.10.41.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Since this was the last dinner here, Hubby told me to go without reservations and order whatever I wanted. I got this red bell pepper cream soup as my appetizer.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEVe6qQRr2FYB7UmHWqXF7rah4rYWqg9dFWrytu3PEDo4WLzwtoPPsJT279EbqcRzidm9OSFDunXrFEYwvPRlxLA1OgN8XPHLjX5BN723Lfc6RCivvx496kEOHTy-r2P8S4yBKmbo6oFS/s1600/2015-05-30+19.27.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEVe6qQRr2FYB7UmHWqXF7rah4rYWqg9dFWrytu3PEDo4WLzwtoPPsJT279EbqcRzidm9OSFDunXrFEYwvPRlxLA1OgN8XPHLjX5BN723Lfc6RCivvx496kEOHTy-r2P8S4yBKmbo6oFS/s320/2015-05-30+19.27.16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Bell Pepper Cream Soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was pretty creamy, so much so that I couldn't finish it. I had to dip my entire bread in it to dampen the flavor. Hubby chided me for being picky with my food, so I had to shove more of it into my mouth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPe60Bo6h87YEwJqFjR4Wv935Vyv9S4YhiZ6KDNk7tt3nt15vqtwd2Ny6n9ZteqyNKQyC0EAu2mkbwkTdfbco_TRUAhzmA0eN2d5lSDd-CXj57CIry9sSS43QpHL0CO1Yp-TY1kF2mG_qJ/s1600/2015-05-30+19.29.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPe60Bo6h87YEwJqFjR4Wv935Vyv9S4YhiZ6KDNk7tt3nt15vqtwd2Ny6n9ZteqyNKQyC0EAu2mkbwkTdfbco_TRUAhzmA0eN2d5lSDd-CXj57CIry9sSS43QpHL0CO1Yp-TY1kF2mG_qJ/s320/2015-05-30+19.29.42.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Surprisingly, the more spoonfuls I ate, the less heavy it became. I managed to finish all of it, albeit with some help of course.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSMdj5VugwO6u-6SPWGoEorvUfKcVgusXfAOmaTd6Q6KhD5-Mq_5fYb0Z1lS5FKBpfQIrPh5NFY1nwWByF-KpLZImOYm6iXDrfgyy7L0kE9Pxz7xGlQdRkUOrDD75pSc9_Dw2e_00rCJu/s1600/2015-05-30+19.27.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSMdj5VugwO6u-6SPWGoEorvUfKcVgusXfAOmaTd6Q6KhD5-Mq_5fYb0Z1lS5FKBpfQIrPh5NFY1nwWByF-KpLZImOYm6iXDrfgyy7L0kE9Pxz7xGlQdRkUOrDD75pSc9_Dw2e_00rCJu/s320/2015-05-30+19.27.22.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Hubby on the other hand got the endives salad with grapefruits, which was surprisingly light but flavorful.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3-87z9U61-2lAyFv-50ThnsUVmz1uVQpS8cyc3Q7XImajA5nSTJqI_U0IK489aqZBRWBk1RUlEvVuD7k_n7o2A1tquPjtvwV5Mg2tcqwa45klW6c9j12TYHZoWZGJ_oiRuvnBh4RMsLl/s1600/2015-05-30+19.47.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3-87z9U61-2lAyFv-50ThnsUVmz1uVQpS8cyc3Q7XImajA5nSTJqI_U0IK489aqZBRWBk1RUlEvVuD7k_n7o2A1tquPjtvwV5Mg2tcqwa45klW6c9j12TYHZoWZGJ_oiRuvnBh4RMsLl/s320/2015-05-30+19.47.21.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
For my main, I got the shrimp breaded with coconuts with a side or rice served in a cute dim sum basket with a plantain chip. Not sure why I didn't get this earlier, because not only did it look positively charming, it was delicious as well. Here's a closer look at that dim sum basket of rice-y goodness:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiko54TGCMqv1kvY4nt-AlyRa66-9vrk7CI5yyVSMLPGUy1Vx27sNG25aeqQK9pwWzb6dhCY9gw-ZecVyQ-TI2H4c1LQNCnKMrgoeuipX2vh0yq7x9Wnd1Xm7gpMgsPVq5UZYohnNTjIChm/s1600/2015-05-30+19.47.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiko54TGCMqv1kvY4nt-AlyRa66-9vrk7CI5yyVSMLPGUy1Vx27sNG25aeqQK9pwWzb6dhCY9gw-ZecVyQ-TI2H4c1LQNCnKMrgoeuipX2vh0yq7x9Wnd1Xm7gpMgsPVq5UZYohnNTjIChm/s320/2015-05-30+19.47.27.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I really couldn't get how they managed to make the shrimp so crispy yet tender. It was the perfect combination in terms of texture and taste. I actually managed to polish off the whole thing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o7wlCLFDSyBfwVsjuEwm71kesTRLMmX5YzHmZBX_yX8BM5nFWoOT7KpOj22ZONbbA_PYWYPrkR6_9luv2aTOITVqyWuNjJ7QF6EhFpz-fEBwnmjjUyMnUOkzt4A1Ga_YngGUgKjjv2hC/s1600/2015-05-30+19.47.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o7wlCLFDSyBfwVsjuEwm71kesTRLMmX5YzHmZBX_yX8BM5nFWoOT7KpOj22ZONbbA_PYWYPrkR6_9luv2aTOITVqyWuNjJ7QF6EhFpz-fEBwnmjjUyMnUOkzt4A1Ga_YngGUgKjjv2hC/s320/2015-05-30+19.47.31.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Hubby got the beef flank sad with chimichurri, beet puree, and grilled eggplant. I'm not sure why he didn't get it earlier either, because this was so flavorful and tender, even though he'd ordered it well-done.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAX0qgW6acqw_6Y1ctsrUlnlUUgg1fkv15qUOBOT6xPdHN-3ClErLy2xbHAELqPSqpoq1LofFaw_FfhBpkr7RB0JizAInNzqk8sourvEjvauf16to-DBYuSybbxvNfNKCAZjx_wpTJ8Sov/s1600/2015-05-30+19.47.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAX0qgW6acqw_6Y1ctsrUlnlUUgg1fkv15qUOBOT6xPdHN-3ClErLy2xbHAELqPSqpoq1LofFaw_FfhBpkr7RB0JizAInNzqk8sourvEjvauf16to-DBYuSybbxvNfNKCAZjx_wpTJ8Sov/s320/2015-05-30+19.47.43.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I also liked the pieces of eggplant and carrot on the side, because this time it was actually grilled to an edible state, unlike last time when it was still semi-raw.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1KC_fsO4HVoCYlqlqnioqSgf6T2YF4lcg9aIS9X_RTvedRlMOm6n33DtQfnhw6jOfo5XB2JJk_QFI0-rYyz23ShGYR2xwuj0FejPF1t_16_1F8q2CqGoW1kXABZO24xR8vTHTBXAAYz9/s1600/2015-05-30+19.49.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1KC_fsO4HVoCYlqlqnioqSgf6T2YF4lcg9aIS9X_RTvedRlMOm6n33DtQfnhw6jOfo5XB2JJk_QFI0-rYyz23ShGYR2xwuj0FejPF1t_16_1F8q2CqGoW1kXABZO24xR8vTHTBXAAYz9/s320/2015-05-30+19.49.35.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We thought we'd go all out with dessert as well. I got the chocolate torino with carmel sauce and vanilla ice cream, while hubby got passion fruit gelee.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhyphenhyphenKy4h3S836fkKYOuGU2loEdoYqe9xpow0Eh_dbjBsdjbTF9XnTrn1gkxPEfo8d09DamX1YuLpzwoCiOcOovTbutGDg0RcMYDSo0xwB2jCgfefcwGbyD-73BqDHGZhMVP4zrCsUa-XSZ/s1600/2015-05-30+20.04.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhyphenhyphenKy4h3S836fkKYOuGU2loEdoYqe9xpow0Eh_dbjBsdjbTF9XnTrn1gkxPEfo8d09DamX1YuLpzwoCiOcOovTbutGDg0RcMYDSo0xwB2jCgfefcwGbyD-73BqDHGZhMVP4zrCsUa-XSZ/s320/2015-05-30+20.04.00.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
While the passionfruit looked positively radiant in its presentation, it was devoid of much flavor, putting it on the bland side. Again, the only "good" part was the fig.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-VcI9E31va9_mUWyZe9onzVDW4Ad8eqvprmRC0xvvl1UtN3zJ8JOutQSJUSmMEgqbpTU_9WEvgqfo3P6GBI3FoEEpvDOhCRpVZNQsAus448oJJ7ZUW9Ed1O73wd_DF5HO1egYXXg8vAO/s1600/2015-05-30+20.11.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-VcI9E31va9_mUWyZe9onzVDW4Ad8eqvprmRC0xvvl1UtN3zJ8JOutQSJUSmMEgqbpTU_9WEvgqfo3P6GBI3FoEEpvDOhCRpVZNQsAus448oJJ7ZUW9Ed1O73wd_DF5HO1egYXXg8vAO/s320/2015-05-30+20.11.52.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The chocolate torino on the other hand was overwhelmingly sweet, but it worked with a cup of dark Americano. The ice cream? Nothing but divine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZ10lnA2KYE0iop7BbXPG2CWcOgC-oquYfryMTSFFxNrjAwZFLzNrwpYQsqEO02lKnDxwD6XD6S0OEefaRtsZoyTRXgMsNrRAKfX-fCoMCj5WVn6l8KJPC67NA2xvUEVS0ejpr46L6F8y/s1600/2015-05-30+20.12.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZ10lnA2KYE0iop7BbXPG2CWcOgC-oquYfryMTSFFxNrjAwZFLzNrwpYQsqEO02lKnDxwD6XD6S0OEefaRtsZoyTRXgMsNrRAKfX-fCoMCj5WVn6l8KJPC67NA2xvUEVS0ejpr46L6F8y/s320/2015-05-30+20.12.00.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
So after that long and filling meal, we lingered around, listening to the laughter and watching the (obese) chef cook up a storm with the guests who were pouring in (it was around 9pm already, but hey they operate on vacation-time there).<br />
<br />
You know it funny how we remember things - our memories have a place not only in our minds, but also in our heart. I know I'll remember this meal for a long time to come.InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-50973975033283269822015-06-20T09:21:00.000-04:002015-06-20T09:21:00.213-04:00Good Morning <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Food is about memories, it's about who we are as a people. Some would even say that it defines a civilization. It's also our way to channel out all our negative thoughts, daily stress, and pains from broken hearts. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DhsGYjEQc2WgQz1VKu2AaQVh6sGXG-ywCc94gh5V0AKx1-Z6HKcHbF9pKzwsI_6kUAEylPw9lfFDMXPaORRXWNgR13eAvHa8QZMNgCS7GiVKAlJOhAxRmMSE-m0EIgm-5OUPR2zDCZdH/s1600/2015-05-25+09.48.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DhsGYjEQc2WgQz1VKu2AaQVh6sGXG-ywCc94gh5V0AKx1-Z6HKcHbF9pKzwsI_6kUAEylPw9lfFDMXPaORRXWNgR13eAvHa8QZMNgCS7GiVKAlJOhAxRmMSE-m0EIgm-5OUPR2zDCZdH/s320/2015-05-25+09.48.19.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For me, food is life. Looking back now at this wonderful breakfast spread we had during our vacation, I can't help but reminisce the good times in a land free of worries from everyday life. I also wonder if I can bring that back to my daily life, that is, life at home. </div>
<br />
Enough of my ramblings, onto memories of a splendid breakfast. I woke up that morning feeling slightly groggy but happy to begin another day in paradise (but also dreading that the day would be over soon and I'd be sent back to reality before I knew it).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxfr_K4KVTJUKpxV84YYVWJMUEP9qaSEidlWVPQPpMZ5RLqqlHt-QKGMorFlh2isG0AzzWc9sq1BzO6G6oenpDFdOK-LtB5pDnLNB5bZt2u1DhaF4s7N9xhoF6eC0ZtQlKHRc0gNBAVyL/s1600/2015-05-25+09.50.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxfr_K4KVTJUKpxV84YYVWJMUEP9qaSEidlWVPQPpMZ5RLqqlHt-QKGMorFlh2isG0AzzWc9sq1BzO6G6oenpDFdOK-LtB5pDnLNB5bZt2u1DhaF4s7N9xhoF6eC0ZtQlKHRc0gNBAVyL/s320/2015-05-25+09.50.37.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detox Juice: Peach, Orange, Strawberry and Grapes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I started with some detoxing juice to cleanse the system from the previous night's hefty Mexican dinner - it's a fruity concoction filled with nutrients and vitamins. Actually, it's really just full of fruit juices that hits the spot because of its tangy sweetness.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2idFHj5V7oLQGsd7LoQDxMQ-9ToKv3YBOp3F1ewXFPaL9gd4n2Mb55kmKTphbClUzL_A3Iduo62Kyq83FwhT9-9QdMoLbS82ejf_aUyUsFKqcmuTQA_jbjtDLulJ2RVEZbNEcCX-wunH/s1600/2015-05-25+09.50.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2idFHj5V7oLQGsd7LoQDxMQ-9ToKv3YBOp3F1ewXFPaL9gd4n2Mb55kmKTphbClUzL_A3Iduo62Kyq83FwhT9-9QdMoLbS82ejf_aUyUsFKqcmuTQA_jbjtDLulJ2RVEZbNEcCX-wunH/s320/2015-05-25+09.50.34.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUrLtwoK8ArgcsgItsO-jwV0rM4oB7G4bJfwTH8a1cdl34dvEBkWBfuhUpR9VoA95VLD8TT0ZBD3iQoDfCA5ATxAZzg9D53HIsnj2SuOEXeQGa0XdgcsIU5iSYqFv8y66nK9wDWknuAm6/s1600/2015-05-25+09.50.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUrLtwoK8ArgcsgItsO-jwV0rM4oB7G4bJfwTH8a1cdl34dvEBkWBfuhUpR9VoA95VLD8TT0ZBD3iQoDfCA5ATxAZzg9D53HIsnj2SuOEXeQGa0XdgcsIU5iSYqFv8y66nK9wDWknuAm6/s320/2015-05-25+09.50.55.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Citric Plate - Grilled Grapefruit with Orange and Tangerine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Then I decided to go a bit healthier with a lighter fruit menu consisting of mandarin oranges and grapefruits, drizzled with honey.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UKBOOYTbRhpQm_TFPtu-NHJl6ErTSDemLU4wJWJ3YHwYbWBF746wVbj9QiKlnOAielkVGd83ILkiNQK2un7YvDthw2h-AI4EZVvDztioN7M-QcBtByWe6I5BvrlKZfj-wmXporz63IJK/s1600/2015-05-25+09.57.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UKBOOYTbRhpQm_TFPtu-NHJl6ErTSDemLU4wJWJ3YHwYbWBF746wVbj9QiKlnOAielkVGd83ILkiNQK2un7YvDthw2h-AI4EZVvDztioN7M-QcBtByWe6I5BvrlKZfj-wmXporz63IJK/s320/2015-05-25+09.57.17.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruits and Pastry Creme Crepes with Whipped Cream and Nuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I got the fruits and cream crepes with a side of Calabrese potatoes. I didn't know what they were until I bit into them - essentially pan-roasted potatoes infused with flavor, kind of like spiked up hash browns. The crepes themselves were delectable - a hot, gooey mess of soft deliciousness. Surprisingly, they hold up pretty well, so when you bite into them they don't break up like some other crepes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8o8qFqU9GNEvmiklKqnZdiG8UyU1UtXdnl722umTdiZUEO5C2bA2ZB4j_u2JreionQiSSHReocV9Ft56hJw44mRfj5N0zabHEBFv5xhOzSaBuOZRBqLiavKiF6zdRx9PvskytUCVjTCUf/s1600/2015-05-25+09.57.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8o8qFqU9GNEvmiklKqnZdiG8UyU1UtXdnl722umTdiZUEO5C2bA2ZB4j_u2JreionQiSSHReocV9Ft56hJw44mRfj5N0zabHEBFv5xhOzSaBuOZRBqLiavKiF6zdRx9PvskytUCVjTCUf/s320/2015-05-25+09.57.20.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Hubby got the egg benedictine with a side of sausage and hash browns. The hash browns dimmed greatly in comparison to my Calabrese. But now, my breakfast of Kellogg granola flakes dim greatly in comparison to that. So I guess in life, everything is relative after all.InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-61221546632774116942015-06-18T12:18:00.000-04:002015-06-18T12:18:00.184-04:00Mexican FiestaBeing in Mexican, you naturally have a craving for Mexican food. Unfortunately being at a resort, it's hard to get authentic Mexican fare.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCf3mydZOve2vqbjXm_BhElNsWGyzlSMu1ysFtLAaR_adgm4kJ5e9a2Fx6YDA0f-HHZbQB1N8D4JqlNyIiwUoyBkbDGojpe_OzZ-DMq9UMvbjwC943RB39o4_j_QmeJY6EZLWFVPGDrT8/s1600/2015-05-28+19.39.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCf3mydZOve2vqbjXm_BhElNsWGyzlSMu1ysFtLAaR_adgm4kJ5e9a2Fx6YDA0f-HHZbQB1N8D4JqlNyIiwUoyBkbDGojpe_OzZ-DMq9UMvbjwC943RB39o4_j_QmeJY6EZLWFVPGDrT8/s320/2015-05-28+19.39.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thankfully Aquamarina has alternating nights with differently themed menus. That evening, much to our delight, Mexican.<br />
<br />
We started with some shrimp ceviche, which was lovely when paired with the chip. My only complaint was that we could have used more housemade nachos like they serve at authentic Mexican joints.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiSOLUgbhZmV_mptVBjQK_xzAI9lq670cL25nBdYP5YVU74pGXNL38iLQlkvo6SVZgC-O1Ni5JSweIjF6j7z2YvJ7FoGxUVKAssOSh4j9iEfAVDfb2g12f17znSTjJs7VuUn97aHr_mNK/s1600/2015-05-28+19.47.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiSOLUgbhZmV_mptVBjQK_xzAI9lq670cL25nBdYP5YVU74pGXNL38iLQlkvo6SVZgC-O1Ni5JSweIjF6j7z2YvJ7FoGxUVKAssOSh4j9iEfAVDfb2g12f17znSTjJs7VuUn97aHr_mNK/s320/2015-05-28+19.47.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican Salad with Epazote Vinaigrette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I got the Mexican salad with baked tortilla chips on a bed of lettuce, brown beans, radish, coriander and julienned carrots. It was a nice combination of veggies and carbs, with the crunchy chips accenting the savory veggies, giving this nutritious plate an extra oomph. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgg7dpb4xWvNHk20Nyk8DrlZZiT-KL4YIMRkD04FyXMqtsaYtLDwV5JgcTGKGXNyGbr5aV1WefFX0nB02cmaD31xdRhEvqxEgT_5eFODRbHzPekG3JwzvX0BvvAqyvJQLfq4HuVnwk24N/s1600/2015-05-28+19.47.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgg7dpb4xWvNHk20Nyk8DrlZZiT-KL4YIMRkD04FyXMqtsaYtLDwV5JgcTGKGXNyGbr5aV1WefFX0nB02cmaD31xdRhEvqxEgT_5eFODRbHzPekG3JwzvX0BvvAqyvJQLfq4HuVnwk24N/s320/2015-05-28+19.47.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprouts Salad with Fruits</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hubby got the sprouts salad with lettuce, papaya, mango and annatto vinaigrette. I liked the fruits in this plate more than anything, because it added a tinge of sweetness to the bitter accents of the sprouts. Here's another look at the tiny little alfalfa sprout:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN3ra3Wh-p9Okyd-G8UseztcszsVA_fK0ZDNwBS7hkAdCQLUQF528HNQGlXSBIbGobq1EsaNApssXlowCjoCRzVzW0-Twdn15_IwApimar9SWoid3VGxBxmlQLkeAHBeebGTSFVbB7NFK/s1600/2015-05-28+19.47.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN3ra3Wh-p9Okyd-G8UseztcszsVA_fK0ZDNwBS7hkAdCQLUQF528HNQGlXSBIbGobq1EsaNApssXlowCjoCRzVzW0-Twdn15_IwApimar9SWoid3VGxBxmlQLkeAHBeebGTSFVbB7NFK/s320/2015-05-28+19.47.53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Hubby, being a stickler for things, actually ventured outside his comfort zone of enchiladas, choosing the "Chile en Nogada", essentially poblano chiles stuffed with pork, beef and fruits, covered with a warm nut sauce.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_zd5uMEFFHljgEI_JHLhex5L75Pxy1pIAMtFHtWC71FgS-kvAY3VvBU_cwxytN16vt3ZqOuFzZvsbc3osjMvZ0Ttv4DcV3kSU4ee0sKRZbxD4qYWXRU8FWaQv5mEhsZpQKizU64p-waC/s1600/2015-05-28+20.02.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_zd5uMEFFHljgEI_JHLhex5L75Pxy1pIAMtFHtWC71FgS-kvAY3VvBU_cwxytN16vt3ZqOuFzZvsbc3osjMvZ0Ttv4DcV3kSU4ee0sKRZbxD4qYWXRU8FWaQv5mEhsZpQKizU64p-waC/s320/2015-05-28+20.02.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chile en Nogada</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While I liked the stuffing, the chile carried way too much heat for me. I don't know how hubby managed to finish that thing when your whole mouth is exploding with spiciness (it took me a whole glass of water and another glass of mocktail to recover).<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5mFhTAfob0l5hev1-2DpcXC_5POhvbI4zls0g5a2npM8uTzba9F8ZAWT7y25Aj5w8pRpXgXorCSuhjel3cqxo4s49S4VnEKZSr7Pdf6ikR34QFVgqAgVo9adNN9LgRWvX7UTSQfqWnfy/s1600/2015-05-28+20.02.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5mFhTAfob0l5hev1-2DpcXC_5POhvbI4zls0g5a2npM8uTzba9F8ZAWT7y25Aj5w8pRpXgXorCSuhjel3cqxo4s49S4VnEKZSr7Pdf6ikR34QFVgqAgVo9adNN9LgRWvX7UTSQfqWnfy/s320/2015-05-28+20.02.22.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
I got the beef ribs with potatoes and onions, drizzled with "mocha salsa" and steamed tortillas. When the waiter set down the plate, I was amazed at the portions. Though I was already stuffed with the appetizer, somehow I found a determination to chow down.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepRJ6DPxc1O4jvb4Qe3lUuzAghcukhxGUgPXY-k4bgmFjlQd5tvejes0VQ2MPsW_65vBijUR2Qq9aw8rHxGb1Fyx5DRlcMTZyA9zWeMYNy1343JIdPyTvO02wSRQipw22pAJkYdM-0Hwd/s1600/2015-05-28+20.02.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepRJ6DPxc1O4jvb4Qe3lUuzAghcukhxGUgPXY-k4bgmFjlQd5tvejes0VQ2MPsW_65vBijUR2Qq9aw8rHxGb1Fyx5DRlcMTZyA9zWeMYNy1343JIdPyTvO02wSRQipw22pAJkYdM-0Hwd/s320/2015-05-28+20.02.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spiced and Braised Beef Ribs with Steamed Tortillas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My will was short-lived though, as the beef ribs were over-spiced, making it too salty for my liking. I really enjoyed the rice and beans though, since that's my go-to comfort tex-Mex food. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80oS57dYmtwbgQRyGbihsYhsTKVxb__-9bQSf8nuzq03ikhL_Jx8DDUSsk1p-05arZUiXtvr_GfgwvkYfsasoqrxQ1yo9uSr4Ob1Lt304JhAdK3UZn3E05AINdWyVwOSapmyuH5mUezDp/s1600/2015-05-28+20.06.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80oS57dYmtwbgQRyGbihsYhsTKVxb__-9bQSf8nuzq03ikhL_Jx8DDUSsk1p-05arZUiXtvr_GfgwvkYfsasoqrxQ1yo9uSr4Ob1Lt304JhAdK3UZn3E05AINdWyVwOSapmyuH5mUezDp/s320/2015-05-28+20.06.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I ate two tortillas, while hubby helped with me the third. But I still had a lot of ribs left over, and much to our mutual dismay, I didn't end up finishing it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmeyPWtvcq3VS0OrO7Um7MpOPS8jtrEWLGjCWbIN2ko0B_r4kE2ztAjwSXCxFMn4OuHXCACQftf-f0H9RSl9aQ1HQdASyX1weYTuD7Ksf0H0byuIJjEctcWViXcoXkzdidsSDsEn6mgtt/s1600/2015-05-28+20.13.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmeyPWtvcq3VS0OrO7Um7MpOPS8jtrEWLGjCWbIN2ko0B_r4kE2ztAjwSXCxFMn4OuHXCACQftf-f0H9RSl9aQ1HQdASyX1weYTuD7Ksf0H0byuIJjEctcWViXcoXkzdidsSDsEn6mgtt/s320/2015-05-28+20.13.51.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
At the end of the meal, I couldn't believe that we had dessert left over. I had to order some French press to help wash down the heaviness of meal and prepare room for the next course.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1btovub9A_UQz6qhwuJ6CcxH4B0vZ3BVb-dE-TKRrLacKPgfRwOec_yye8XNh7POTlcQLQvUc0rzrvTF4jDbHPFOlPR0Py9AklDaRcYf9_KQ-Ki8DFq3fOmVO1zZV5GUXGEhKv-S9MD12/s1600/2015-05-28+20.22.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1btovub9A_UQz6qhwuJ6CcxH4B0vZ3BVb-dE-TKRrLacKPgfRwOec_yye8XNh7POTlcQLQvUc0rzrvTF4jDbHPFOlPR0Py9AklDaRcYf9_KQ-Ki8DFq3fOmVO1zZV5GUXGEhKv-S9MD12/s320/2015-05-28+20.22.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
For dessert, Hubby and I got the dough fritters with dark chocolate sauce, which were essentially churros and chocolate ice cream. I really liked this pairing because the sweetness of the ice cream complemented the crunchy cocoa of the churros. Only downside was that the ice cream melted way too quickly.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkEQts0fUkLP41Ekd0Gx9kelrdlEb7t3WrV6j-G9FgG-okTUgdly-803em6xmbpv-2md6seCoIgVQ_jcXoMcPpAPdKmX25UQWcgCxl3MDY3RIpGCL9x0OpOC45adwfksK1ETo3ck4lipg/s1600/2015-05-28+20.26.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkEQts0fUkLP41Ekd0Gx9kelrdlEb7t3WrV6j-G9FgG-okTUgdly-803em6xmbpv-2md6seCoIgVQ_jcXoMcPpAPdKmX25UQWcgCxl3MDY3RIpGCL9x0OpOC45adwfksK1ETo3ck4lipg/s320/2015-05-28+20.26.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dough Fritters with Chocolate Ice Cream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We left that evening with our bellies full to the max. I wanted to walk or bike back, but it was dark so we took a cab instead. I must have done 10 laps in the bathroom when we got back because I was so full. Another downside of being too full? You can't fall asleep until 1am, which was the heavy consequence I had to face for being a fatty.InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-10231181173933480522015-06-15T15:06:00.000-04:002015-06-15T15:06:00.448-04:00Second Chance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Life, despite all its misgivings, it all about second chances. We embraced this principle as we headed back to Amber, bearing in mind that the <a href="https://labelleboulangerie.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=YRhq200BAAA.KCVlXLAowhSIDV7z9wJM9g.Wwboax90oHvEumtHIhH5lQ&postId=6805072582933421511&type=POST">first time</a> had been less than stellar. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8VdEh94qu2uYmiejqsh2hVWtTNofVyzPaGrGPNuLMp-qt7sFsaS6AYrG27erP0MT7R1PpAD8UQaeTYNEsBr9ieyY5OiooNQ6PSBcXMNLYqRKzWYjK1BuhYoNcpqDtAl_lQiWIBZSI_mv/s1600/2015-05-26+19.59.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8VdEh94qu2uYmiejqsh2hVWtTNofVyzPaGrGPNuLMp-qt7sFsaS6AYrG27erP0MT7R1PpAD8UQaeTYNEsBr9ieyY5OiooNQ6PSBcXMNLYqRKzWYjK1BuhYoNcpqDtAl_lQiWIBZSI_mv/s320/2015-05-26+19.59.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Bite-sized Appetizer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Dinner proceeded in the same format - bite-sized appetizer, first course, second course and dessert. Of course, we all know that dessert is the course that is the most important in meal - everything else is secondary.<br />
<br />
We started the dinner with a shrimp brochette garnished with mint extracts, which was a mini-explosion of flavors in your mouth. After the awful lunch we'd had earlier on the Chichen Itza tour, it was a treat to our tastebuds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7LCezXL-dvQaSdc0d0MQdysaGkP2JzMg4p5JVSzSKNZ63P8tdKyOroWZE4DNuJg-eShHHeAeQWTf9CW1ObjSCNTjS24WrWa2YXnRwFcgKCuZMloTAjbG_Mh6SjdlQtgT4C21lAvCa_tX/s1600/2015-05-26+19.59.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7LCezXL-dvQaSdc0d0MQdysaGkP2JzMg4p5JVSzSKNZ63P8tdKyOroWZE4DNuJg-eShHHeAeQWTf9CW1ObjSCNTjS24WrWa2YXnRwFcgKCuZMloTAjbG_Mh6SjdlQtgT4C21lAvCa_tX/s320/2015-05-26+19.59.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Next came the bread. I stuck with a basic sesame bread and regular butter, and saved it for my main dish, the pot-au-feu.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3p9GsJUPWGhUrJA_AtD_lynbj1jKIuptuZrTj1E9k4otk7dibfvCnLfmG2RgEc8ck2dcdRZfZSSGzZYLI5MBJHqgfYcovn3wzeAAW04rMkyZpEZUFnW_OiB-QHZ5TJeOuwcoIDe8ZNfzT/s1600/2015-05-26+20.05.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3p9GsJUPWGhUrJA_AtD_lynbj1jKIuptuZrTj1E9k4otk7dibfvCnLfmG2RgEc8ck2dcdRZfZSSGzZYLI5MBJHqgfYcovn3wzeAAW04rMkyZpEZUFnW_OiB-QHZ5TJeOuwcoIDe8ZNfzT/s320/2015-05-26+20.05.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I ordered another mocktail, this one called Rose Bay, a blend of tropical fruits and well, more fruits. It was a tad on the sweet side, but still pretty delicious.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdWwnujkoMF82wmI7KKJ7hVwR37Fz7PnDAUXo_kDMTJgqQyazKs4pQ26-9HgcXF6_ejVeFmfwQcmqxE0g6X1N-s9yLbqIMiq_DMkpE5o2XvGYIwTvBUqW8nyRa15ZxTtzvxjLXZCTq4Ge/s1600/2015-05-26+20.13.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdWwnujkoMF82wmI7KKJ7hVwR37Fz7PnDAUXo_kDMTJgqQyazKs4pQ26-9HgcXF6_ejVeFmfwQcmqxE0g6X1N-s9yLbqIMiq_DMkpE5o2XvGYIwTvBUqW8nyRa15ZxTtzvxjLXZCTq4Ge/s320/2015-05-26+20.13.57.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Octopus Carpaccio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After experiencing the octopus carpaccio last time, Hubby decided to order it again. I didn't have any this time because I was waiting for my main dish.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwSFqL9Pf-LSUUTfOoeW6sLp_yPVOwT_mD5kjip8y1-3a59fHZUmWS21xaedmb7gji-6CUoLByRTwHhtsKIQy_gRH5ep3idZAtEvgBHz08EysEXVrgxQJ560_FvrdY4AXcPeEU2XTaRfJ/s1600/2015-05-26+20.14.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwSFqL9Pf-LSUUTfOoeW6sLp_yPVOwT_mD5kjip8y1-3a59fHZUmWS21xaedmb7gji-6CUoLByRTwHhtsKIQy_gRH5ep3idZAtEvgBHz08EysEXVrgxQJ560_FvrdY4AXcPeEU2XTaRfJ/s320/2015-05-26+20.14.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixed Greens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I got the mixed greens, which was wonderfully presented. The best part was once again the figs on the side.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-TbBapkAE7H3-6m-4hgzBlSAi0447Da1lpfHOFzjxv-Tx6xeBI5HyEWcxoY5MYmj1yJy5MvhnABTsT8neqRgCaI6MEqiqk3j81d_scA00q9_LRrpPwPhwPWzUQSy9rcITbBcEmnrnEvL/s1600/2015-05-26+20.26.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-TbBapkAE7H3-6m-4hgzBlSAi0447Da1lpfHOFzjxv-Tx6xeBI5HyEWcxoY5MYmj1yJy5MvhnABTsT8neqRgCaI6MEqiqk3j81d_scA00q9_LRrpPwPhwPWzUQSy9rcITbBcEmnrnEvL/s320/2015-05-26+20.26.44.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pot-au-feu with Palm Heart</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For my main, I got the pot-au-feu, a heaping pile of veggies with a heart of palm filled with "fake marrow". The presentation was exquisite - colorful veggies surrounding a statue-like limestone heart of palm. Here's an aerial view:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyypJo5SG7HqMvIdEpjV3hEYa_kffgNedlSy5HGssCIFwpZozK45UZ_FQnSuWggAK7CNVqE3yfv8_i4UWV__ruYJsv2wlzQkuwCirGlszksfYJEZN1P5KMjih2oeGarKwHARZg44D6ZO_b/s1600/2015-05-26+20.26.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyypJo5SG7HqMvIdEpjV3hEYa_kffgNedlSy5HGssCIFwpZozK45UZ_FQnSuWggAK7CNVqE3yfv8_i4UWV__ruYJsv2wlzQkuwCirGlszksfYJEZN1P5KMjih2oeGarKwHARZg44D6ZO_b/s320/2015-05-26+20.26.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pot-au-Feu with Heart of Palm "Fake" Marrow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And that's the unfortunate thing about life and a lot of things - what's on the outside doesn't say much about the inside. The inside of this thing, my dear friends, was a heavy sour cream that filled your palate with nothing but, well, sourness.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8K0ow_MPT7zAEn_XsIIpy8GkHARvcmxqKSnsubiY0LICWKQ4z2zYBuE0gJGKeJm3po2ykeMG9oeLQb3B214b37dPsPvyM42vL_ZlEgmvhGqgc-A32NvGBHVtU6ax1MdmDVsJvEpQuhAt/s1600/2015-05-26+20.28.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8K0ow_MPT7zAEn_XsIIpy8GkHARvcmxqKSnsubiY0LICWKQ4z2zYBuE0gJGKeJm3po2ykeMG9oeLQb3B214b37dPsPvyM42vL_ZlEgmvhGqgc-A32NvGBHVtU6ax1MdmDVsJvEpQuhAt/s320/2015-05-26+20.28.55.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
So while I managed to finish off the vegetables, which btw were pretty plain and lacked flavor (I almost asked for a bottle of ketchup to go with), I really didn't get to finish the heart of palm. I even gave some away to Hubby, who refused to touch it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGK1rHVQksh1mTiysXc2Y5cTBeuGlC4JTtDQz8ayrsPFYzM_cZTT0oyMmQCrXF6fupPdYaIIj0J6antB993cgoCIUj3zCYmOntriBPQ5bPm_blTHN1NljNgdnFSf-VpOKfm81w2Vw0Vxm-/s1600/2015-05-26+20.26.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGK1rHVQksh1mTiysXc2Y5cTBeuGlC4JTtDQz8ayrsPFYzM_cZTT0oyMmQCrXF6fupPdYaIIj0J6antB993cgoCIUj3zCYmOntriBPQ5bPm_blTHN1NljNgdnFSf-VpOKfm81w2Vw0Vxm-/s320/2015-05-26+20.26.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Flank</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Turns out he was having trouble finishing his own dish, the beef flank steak with chimichurri, beet puree, grilled eggplant and carrot. Unfortunately his beef flank tanked like his last dish - it was way too tough, as were the vegetables. It was like eating cardboard, chips and all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bzdtHavSiEy30r0Euco3u9cF7no2wMIH9TBBBWkzMyFYILxuGjyzNqN6r689UPB458N3aMufG3u9NkeTJ7jzQ3Skbme397k1saDc3fJKCUNs619tH0qMPIXkM_oZFGslyW3sytg-VQoO/s1600/2015-05-26+20.27.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bzdtHavSiEy30r0Euco3u9cF7no2wMIH9TBBBWkzMyFYILxuGjyzNqN6r689UPB458N3aMufG3u9NkeTJ7jzQ3Skbme397k1saDc3fJKCUNs619tH0qMPIXkM_oZFGslyW3sytg-VQoO/s320/2015-05-26+20.27.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So with only the dessert left to salvage the meal, we held our breaths. I ordered the cassis custard while hubby got the pistachio mousse with vanilla sauce.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLYDu_mJpXmLzV22ime9dYm0TdH-ClAXjWNUVCpPAnne_yCasdk8LhpSTHEAlpie6JwQGkxW1rl1rcqDyxFputrBx2zntrSxEDePbw-0o5hN2cM0Z9JSPkrlrBlxosYk1t4QW_yqAYKHG/s1600/2015-05-26+20.44.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLYDu_mJpXmLzV22ime9dYm0TdH-ClAXjWNUVCpPAnne_yCasdk8LhpSTHEAlpie6JwQGkxW1rl1rcqDyxFputrBx2zntrSxEDePbw-0o5hN2cM0Z9JSPkrlrBlxosYk1t4QW_yqAYKHG/s320/2015-05-26+20.44.55.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
The pistachio mousse was the right degree of creaminess, but it was too heavy on the pistachio. The result was an interesting mix of heavy (and heavily flavored) cream that made it hard to swallow.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsvIa7icHeXxfZSBug3by8oMaoKyycM0AiyiOp3FEY30WjnBrxUYJh7or86dHTnLLrhg7JWSClYHPOoOaLxgT232BCiXJHgV8NuY1xYBfzXYaXT1eWjN3kA1JKKJkjPtFoCrZGNDcoEBT/s1600/2015-05-26+20.49.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsvIa7icHeXxfZSBug3by8oMaoKyycM0AiyiOp3FEY30WjnBrxUYJh7or86dHTnLLrhg7JWSClYHPOoOaLxgT232BCiXJHgV8NuY1xYBfzXYaXT1eWjN3kA1JKKJkjPtFoCrZGNDcoEBT/s320/2015-05-26+20.49.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pistachio Mousse with Vanilla Cream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The only edible thing was the wavy chocolate strip. Here's another look at the culprit in question:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyF9PYhQVsq3Y9p8OY9AFGxeEOo3_uKVClaTQyYdrz1tFgnTsDNy3qUwKcoIsDFZBTWW8pCBUTPSNCarGCNrabORaApKaavbmJ54TRZtrH8_tuJpsORL5XiYYAN3GyVj1qP58ZfER7Kdt/s1600/2015-05-26+20.49.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyF9PYhQVsq3Y9p8OY9AFGxeEOo3_uKVClaTQyYdrz1tFgnTsDNy3qUwKcoIsDFZBTWW8pCBUTPSNCarGCNrabORaApKaavbmJ54TRZtrH8_tuJpsORL5XiYYAN3GyVj1qP58ZfER7Kdt/s320/2015-05-26+20.49.50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Next and finally came my cassis custard with coconut daquoise, with a side of cranberry compote and mango sorbet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsHk8SJhQZq2XxKXUAc6fMCbrWhqUaVtFWTbXW9WEXej2S7d5iO1OGNoUF4KLd_C-D0HVq7oMeY9gdOZpTXiN1xdoOE6Uais0JReIMkr6IKCdiS-jMuaNxwgh17wUV5lPlYrcCgZUk2k6/s1600/2015-05-26+20.50.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsHk8SJhQZq2XxKXUAc6fMCbrWhqUaVtFWTbXW9WEXej2S7d5iO1OGNoUF4KLd_C-D0HVq7oMeY9gdOZpTXiN1xdoOE6Uais0JReIMkr6IKCdiS-jMuaNxwgh17wUV5lPlYrcCgZUk2k6/s320/2015-05-26+20.50.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Cassis Custard with Coconut Daquoise</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I didn't even know where to go with this dish, because though the presentation looked like it was deserving of Michelin stars, it was pretty much the apotheosis of creamy disgustingness (if that's even a word, oh apparently it is!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpU-tPhOuNkSCYZ8Z43gqErK-bHPMldiyal0HYB6hcH-btBQtpyhgTUb0_IJzLTwj5xUU9VeFnK0CpbNBOPM3APGjg6T9ayZavyN3_nLQp4r5g_nLM3ULTYL0PRA32YU-35bIve7ihNt4V/s1600/2015-05-26+20.51.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpU-tPhOuNkSCYZ8Z43gqErK-bHPMldiyal0HYB6hcH-btBQtpyhgTUb0_IJzLTwj5xUU9VeFnK0CpbNBOPM3APGjg6T9ayZavyN3_nLQp4r5g_nLM3ULTYL0PRA32YU-35bIve7ihNt4V/s320/2015-05-26+20.51.11.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
The problem was that the cassis was heavily infused with the liquid flavor, making it kind of mushy, with a texture similar to con leche cake, while the coconut was basically food coloring + jello. The best part was probably the sorbet, but that melted too quickly for me to enjoy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkDE3PRmEz4hYhyphenhyphenGqMe42fj3mfpWJ_2i2fTPyfLNb9muCWLkz7pP4dZR8tHFWG08zcgjFCzuUwLMBWaOBO5_JYDDjRj19SuGI_UMLa7NIgycS-DFx7hRDJMORGX8B855ewG4Uh0-bJfsh/s1600/2015-05-26+20.50.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkDE3PRmEz4hYhyphenhyphenGqMe42fj3mfpWJ_2i2fTPyfLNb9muCWLkz7pP4dZR8tHFWG08zcgjFCzuUwLMBWaOBO5_JYDDjRj19SuGI_UMLa7NIgycS-DFx7hRDJMORGX8B855ewG4Uh0-bJfsh/s320/2015-05-26+20.50.33.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At the end of the day, I walked away with the understanding that while you can't have everything go your way, you can at least have a cup of joe to wash away your sorrows.</div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-48941497316536489582015-06-12T12:47:00.000-04:002015-06-13T13:41:16.609-04:00Brunch by the OceanOne of the best things you can do at the beach is to sit by the lounge chairs, sipping a beverage of your choice, reading or staring into space, and then order food when you feel like it.<br />
<br />
At our resort, that practice is common - in fact, so common that no one even bothers to swim anymore. The regular routine for most the guests is to have to breakfast by the ocean, grab a beach chair and lounge around until it's dinnertime. Amazing and awfully fattening, right?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCc8TbUzsCoo3vyW95TmjaSMl9tSiyDMl0XGvkElXN9cUhc6IcNHxBE_lBQzliI836clNgDCTqM9VUlodrX8dBDkElgaA4EuUOqxMQOygX6WJhsIIGXsjuItDJDk0qG_8F2M1qPwQfR6PC/s1600/2015-05-29+12.28.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCc8TbUzsCoo3vyW95TmjaSMl9tSiyDMl0XGvkElXN9cUhc6IcNHxBE_lBQzliI836clNgDCTqM9VUlodrX8dBDkElgaA4EuUOqxMQOygX6WJhsIIGXsjuItDJDk0qG_8F2M1qPwQfR6PC/s320/2015-05-29+12.28.03.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
On this lovely day we decided to do the same. Believe it or not, we actually didn't "hit the beach" until our third day here, because neither of us were avid swimmers, so we were too scared of the ocean, especially what happened last time we went to the ocean.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJr87tCwozMSjo4MGzvg1brb1Vj1WI1zwYM3YZfqlv87a9psegEbkcuWy5rkV-Nbj809KB075g_FaeZGvtxomaFbFSRA0LS52IM4k2XWU4GvYzjPMQr1q3kaElDN-6zTJrEGm5DZyByGB/s1600/2015-05-29+12.28.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJr87tCwozMSjo4MGzvg1brb1Vj1WI1zwYM3YZfqlv87a9psegEbkcuWy5rkV-Nbj809KB075g_FaeZGvtxomaFbFSRA0LS52IM4k2XWU4GvYzjPMQr1q3kaElDN-6zTJrEGm5DZyByGB/s320/2015-05-29+12.28.09.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
One thing you have to remember here is that everyone, and I mean everyone, requires a tip. It's best if you can exchange a bunch of $1 bills (around 100 of them if you're here for a week), so that you can tip the golf cart driver, the waiters, the concierge, the list goes on and on. Or you can exchange some pesos when you get here, with the best exchange rate being 15 peso:$1 with the locals in town.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdlwLY7jYKJ8CuT_I0oDKv3uhEMBoNWmVsZ6jgKk6pPoCYjivW1D3JqpsB5qggrQc7ckcyb6fqiPNwsnkeuoKTNcQR6ZTOd8-6-b-xmUZr92SZTECEgxq7kw0QW0Z4jqaR20dCl_DWmog/s1600/2015-05-29+12.40.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdlwLY7jYKJ8CuT_I0oDKv3uhEMBoNWmVsZ6jgKk6pPoCYjivW1D3JqpsB5qggrQc7ckcyb6fqiPNwsnkeuoKTNcQR6ZTOd8-6-b-xmUZr92SZTECEgxq7kw0QW0Z4jqaR20dCl_DWmog/s320/2015-05-29+12.40.28.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Their bill kind of resembles the plastic Canadian bills that won't get damaged even if you put it through the washer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TGXehlCDEm-F_k3ZLVRfT9WOP3UL1MgIQOXR8gw6QTRtmVx1BuOMS4u6jJYbPRgGgVH8A6t9sjgO1I2n65cjO3Qz7ClYR1hnI0fz5fI1JIuWfYBo10E8Uo3fz8X9WQ6ak8cROK8AfSpz/s1600/2015-05-29+12.40.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TGXehlCDEm-F_k3ZLVRfT9WOP3UL1MgIQOXR8gw6QTRtmVx1BuOMS4u6jJYbPRgGgVH8A6t9sjgO1I2n65cjO3Qz7ClYR1hnI0fz5fI1JIuWfYBo10E8Uo3fz8X9WQ6ak8cROK8AfSpz/s320/2015-05-29+12.40.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
So we grabbed two lounge chairs, got our magazines ready, and started to bathe under the warm (sometimes overly so) sunlight. I actually really wanted to venture into the waters, and I did try, but there were patches of really rough stones in the water. So I borrowed a life jacket and some duck feet shoes and tried again, except it was really hard to walk in the duck feet shoes. I ended up returning both without swimming at all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1i7JC-P0igskp-PIyvGPpvKWnxYcH1em4dL78QTAPf9ljDM8e16o8xIQME0lXarY8VkodRUzCKJcae15Q_BvQPSo9OuKz2-qaCSsx47uPh897WE67LVPXWpMynW4iT0OElyXhRVRqEpc/s1600/2015-05-29+12.41.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1i7JC-P0igskp-PIyvGPpvKWnxYcH1em4dL78QTAPf9ljDM8e16o8xIQME0lXarY8VkodRUzCKJcae15Q_BvQPSo9OuKz2-qaCSsx47uPh897WE67LVPXWpMynW4iT0OElyXhRVRqEpc/s320/2015-05-29+12.41.03.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
By the time it was lunch we ordered a storm from Ceviche, the tapas restaurant - one because we were hungry and two because we were cheap and didn't want to double tip.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGbdckRcVMRLP30teTql-uDwu0T8-qWngDw5MsGbyzyEjCxor_mAIWOw-mzWqnn1oFD1pZdcwqQA-S7D-KkNI-fnDKpX7X5AL9hmyAHu7O71g_9d5o-Q7IZpo-3_pfcu4HnHXuE-kqyS0/s1600/2015-05-29+12.41.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGbdckRcVMRLP30teTql-uDwu0T8-qWngDw5MsGbyzyEjCxor_mAIWOw-mzWqnn1oFD1pZdcwqQA-S7D-KkNI-fnDKpX7X5AL9hmyAHu7O71g_9d5o-Q7IZpo-3_pfcu4HnHXuE-kqyS0/s320/2015-05-29+12.41.06.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
For starters, I got the fruit plate with a drizzle of honey.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_IURF7FrqGHTA-Vlk7e5bssrMRyMS-nX5wev_9ozcgUiSl7XDmSkFgGeEEpyyFd8PY7LfB9oPxWLacQ5qOLV5yX8CB3cnBBXu1tFFb4t_CkQoL4f9mmMxC_a46-MnQntcBGiCWh_KkZq/s1600/2015-05-29+12.41.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_IURF7FrqGHTA-Vlk7e5bssrMRyMS-nX5wev_9ozcgUiSl7XDmSkFgGeEEpyyFd8PY7LfB9oPxWLacQ5qOLV5yX8CB3cnBBXu1tFFb4t_CkQoL4f9mmMxC_a46-MnQntcBGiCWh_KkZq/s320/2015-05-29+12.41.08.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbYlp_N6RkhzYbcDXruVdHnPz2gksQtpsaNdlNyKtCGszL6F4XkieelUTBSyqhLrym-w8sa89O0f4wHgyps2G2wFIWX_7VPiE4O2JMK2z7eKd4lbl3LyPdPw_lFpDnoa-xOEG1HZRbOpB/s1600/2015-05-29+12.47.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbYlp_N6RkhzYbcDXruVdHnPz2gksQtpsaNdlNyKtCGszL6F4XkieelUTBSyqhLrym-w8sa89O0f4wHgyps2G2wFIWX_7VPiE4O2JMK2z7eKd4lbl3LyPdPw_lFpDnoa-xOEG1HZRbOpB/s320/2015-05-29+12.47.32.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
And some jalapeño cheese bits, which were super delish and hit the spot with the sweet and savory fillings. It's also not as spicy as the name suggests, and you can dip it in the berry sauce it came with.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6kB2MuHMy6HpuJJR7gMsqSKGLPbr5hSU96dyAOfuJ7by6WY8TevBdFLLoPCeaEKliKKFSy940BaDxAZDWJiFqsddMLUPCVknyRfBPZzFcbkpaocwV2qAnBXWB8HZMJkUSS8S7byu1CE2/s1600/2015-05-29+12.41.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6kB2MuHMy6HpuJJR7gMsqSKGLPbr5hSU96dyAOfuJ7by6WY8TevBdFLLoPCeaEKliKKFSy940BaDxAZDWJiFqsddMLUPCVknyRfBPZzFcbkpaocwV2qAnBXWB8HZMJkUSS8S7byu1CE2/s320/2015-05-29+12.41.20.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgLO0Zm4-ACm_zlhemBYhNMIn3aUP2kJoBtx0jHDiES2LtO4AW8NaGaRvMidOpUrg8Z0o10dY9qF-2KU0zL8uajlILjAltPk-VkhOVZrza0aePJ3Jh6xv6JwORQX6PsrgckSWZzBIUtCP/s1600/2015-05-29+12.44.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgLO0Zm4-ACm_zlhemBYhNMIn3aUP2kJoBtx0jHDiES2LtO4AW8NaGaRvMidOpUrg8Z0o10dY9qF-2KU0zL8uajlILjAltPk-VkhOVZrza0aePJ3Jh6xv6JwORQX6PsrgckSWZzBIUtCP/s320/2015-05-29+12.44.39.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Hubby went all healthy and ordered a strawberry walnut salad, which tasted nutty and crunchy, probably the best salad I've tasted so far.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lDz3dmFSzzjOqFb5786pCeSKz5WQgrFkeqZu5vM7wZpMsu2m8aZziLMo4nZYHcPNFSggcTI11rDCOzMy4PFt_fz0mS_n9PmrocJc69K0t39N_78zFYqhSlNefrsiI0qga4BILDTh-1e9/s1600/2015-05-29+12.41.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lDz3dmFSzzjOqFb5786pCeSKz5WQgrFkeqZu5vM7wZpMsu2m8aZziLMo4nZYHcPNFSggcTI11rDCOzMy4PFt_fz0mS_n9PmrocJc69K0t39N_78zFYqhSlNefrsiI0qga4BILDTh-1e9/s320/2015-05-29+12.41.23.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We went all out with the nachos and guacamole. On our way over, I read in the in-flight magazine that guacamoles have become somewhat of a rarity, even though it is so easy to grow in Mexico, most of the land is owned by the cartels, so it's hard to get irrigation to grow it. Now they're called blood guacs, kind of like the blood diamonds in Africa. I think the guacs at the resort were probably imported from California, because they taste exactly like the Haas kind back home.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7raCw-IXZ_JcBQbRBqMrQuNxrPvJz87f2TrhOXFnuRxOMVEl6whJM_F4Oa58wDymktXXS7jNWcOgW5IsPY__iN9HyiVulKUzyhVfFV5rj3GSv9Jyojigzup7LvRNvOzX_zJNdQGwSm57/s1600/2015-05-29+12.41.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7raCw-IXZ_JcBQbRBqMrQuNxrPvJz87f2TrhOXFnuRxOMVEl6whJM_F4Oa58wDymktXXS7jNWcOgW5IsPY__iN9HyiVulKUzyhVfFV5rj3GSv9Jyojigzup7LvRNvOzX_zJNdQGwSm57/s320/2015-05-29+12.41.24.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
To finish I got the lemon pie, which we had before and really liked, especially the crunchy caramel topping.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWaxOI1_gFHyNEjPTPsgIhheFmeg_tYcV1qSRkiyw3RTBNOgGczoU5FP3IbEDI-L2FH-MBPPevEDZz3PRydGGZyUb5RAxj3sTIgyJCmpnl2coBGqWRDtP22xQ1iqlDNc56XbQas1cv-4z/s1600/2015-05-29+12.42.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWaxOI1_gFHyNEjPTPsgIhheFmeg_tYcV1qSRkiyw3RTBNOgGczoU5FP3IbEDI-L2FH-MBPPevEDZz3PRydGGZyUb5RAxj3sTIgyJCmpnl2coBGqWRDtP22xQ1iqlDNc56XbQas1cv-4z/s320/2015-05-29+12.42.11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I ordered an ice coffee, and they over-delivered with a chocolate drizzled frappucino, which I really enjoyed, since you can actually taste the cocao in the chocolate sauce.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGNjAlKFhDtt15Zx-tZnDsL4ZBBCQqoFh2MguTbE31j9v0EAdYjiOLgmBcVs93ShtuVazm87sFqYzQ3PTA7kemRqLyw6k_LvJN-7cSwn0j3nWMFE6VbBjXhLjNGE90wbr9fORkJLLx-Qx/s1600/2015-05-29+12.58.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGNjAlKFhDtt15Zx-tZnDsL4ZBBCQqoFh2MguTbE31j9v0EAdYjiOLgmBcVs93ShtuVazm87sFqYzQ3PTA7kemRqLyw6k_LvJN-7cSwn0j3nWMFE6VbBjXhLjNGE90wbr9fORkJLLx-Qx/s320/2015-05-29+12.58.32.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Hubby got a mango slushie, which hit the right spot to go with this quick and delish meal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4L_pP_0xT3yCNHKLIcCuGSGTq57zKU8B-JaupowA8CWbiJ4BOS_gZoTGwfkdE9l7UNGKKmygWZD35ER82jYDvRVHHyZmkyAKBkavZDOYaPShyphenhyphenm5h1NILW4D6VoOZPfwt4-lBQ1sfx3zvP/s1600/2015-05-29+13.00.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4L_pP_0xT3yCNHKLIcCuGSGTq57zKU8B-JaupowA8CWbiJ4BOS_gZoTGwfkdE9l7UNGKKmygWZD35ER82jYDvRVHHyZmkyAKBkavZDOYaPShyphenhyphenm5h1NILW4D6VoOZPfwt4-lBQ1sfx3zvP/s320/2015-05-29+13.00.12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-68050725829334215112015-06-10T10:00:00.000-04:002015-06-10T10:00:02.739-04:00Romantic Disappointing Dinner at Amber<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On our second night, we decided to dine at Amber, the most upscale restaurant at the resort. It's only open for dinner, and dress code is pants for guys, which is saying a lot since the standard attire are beach shorts and sandals. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75ENsgGOCOIoRNGaICRJPWubiCBMw7MQLLB1pif8wZF-I25xQydG95fdDz2xLv6tZElxMrWkierbdKKE_1Ekr9a1Tqjx18I1ZZ1X5JoU49tLFq1CgOYSdICeQtk3BWQQf9OVpEVoL9SiX/s1600/2015-05-24+19.59.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75ENsgGOCOIoRNGaICRJPWubiCBMw7MQLLB1pif8wZF-I25xQydG95fdDz2xLv6tZElxMrWkierbdKKE_1Ekr9a1Tqjx18I1ZZ1X5JoU49tLFq1CgOYSdICeQtk3BWQQf9OVpEVoL9SiX/s320/2015-05-24+19.59.22.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLztqZOlDxDU64oWWxkBAvvRL3gmHeAJQyMYJCCIlLzihEZaoRCL7TI93vDBgvor0nH4ch0x1wwAajQlIiaUXgwEhAM0cYaRxhOoMw7x_Kya6qk-HzA2HHEuhZte9BUGOAhbbA8rQGgUvF/s1600/2015-05-24+20.35.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLztqZOlDxDU64oWWxkBAvvRL3gmHeAJQyMYJCCIlLzihEZaoRCL7TI93vDBgvor0nH4ch0x1wwAajQlIiaUXgwEhAM0cYaRxhOoMw7x_Kya6qk-HzA2HHEuhZte9BUGOAhbbA8rQGgUvF/s320/2015-05-24+20.35.53.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Hubby and I hopped on a golf/taxi cart and went on our way along the serpentine road to Amber. The ambiance there is what you'd expect from upscale New York jazz bar, with dim lighting and a live one-person saxophone band to set the mood.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK9qgKrE0u5VzNr-NpApTtTQza3yo4hiaflNVah_Rm3jSjDSTfjIu-MypBElq1y3_vrMtc-pyQCkEaaIfCMxVV50YhC30FGQwj0HIoo4-YrMOLaXA_8u5M1bYrKGoG4oB7oFETvYlszwc/s1600/2015-05-24+20.08.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK9qgKrE0u5VzNr-NpApTtTQza3yo4hiaflNVah_Rm3jSjDSTfjIu-MypBElq1y3_vrMtc-pyQCkEaaIfCMxVV50YhC30FGQwj0HIoo4-YrMOLaXA_8u5M1bYrKGoG4oB7oFETvYlszwc/s320/2015-05-24+20.08.26.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I started off with a guavapple mocktail, and hubby got another apple-ly cocktail as well. His was just grenadine with some apple slices, whereas mine was actually a cocktail with guava and apple juices. The waiters must have been pretty puzzled at 1. Our non-preference towards alcohol, because he kept on asking us if we wanted something to drink, and 2. At our age, because he kept on asking us if we were graduates or newlyweds (neither of which we were).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzlXrXeyca-s_tWVYORL9l6eUce9-iDVikH65lsyV7jgSc__rbZsN5qKmVNAiVq7tsy3kmwSUi9Gshi4qvQ0Fm3S2diJQ7P4KqcrC3KvMVVV02qZfoNVm5Mh79QfqI5_Lon_z7rMcOwKl/s1600/2015-05-24+20.13.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzlXrXeyca-s_tWVYORL9l6eUce9-iDVikH65lsyV7jgSc__rbZsN5qKmVNAiVq7tsy3kmwSUi9Gshi4qvQ0Fm3S2diJQ7P4KqcrC3KvMVVV02qZfoNVm5Mh79QfqI5_Lon_z7rMcOwKl/s320/2015-05-24+20.13.54.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Every meal starts with an on-the-house one-bite appetizer. I honestly don't remember what this was, but it probably tasted as good as it looks in the picture.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRCzrUTzbRP4gU9W0c2yMO4MfVqf4OwbyRIwLWdZ8nam2b3CRSzJ4b_wWnzYV3UN3xtbgHoB_uF81UV_SWlAvZ3MfBU5no43RHPTbIM19fS4kR80GgCpwuaPR6iAS9sua16I6AZC87z09/s1600/2015-05-24+20.13.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRCzrUTzbRP4gU9W0c2yMO4MfVqf4OwbyRIwLWdZ8nam2b3CRSzJ4b_wWnzYV3UN3xtbgHoB_uF81UV_SWlAvZ3MfBU5no43RHPTbIM19fS4kR80GgCpwuaPR6iAS9sua16I6AZC87z09/s320/2015-05-24+20.13.59.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
And of course some house bread. Here I had some whole-wheat bread with paprika butter, which tastes an awful like regular butter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnGhZLRYac8cKKzwmXHk5DmXMgpwqOEOUPF3VuZMs9TPTAvwRNIYP_oPeZvBx4rFc4JcrdRgbKow5DN3c3OsrfxdCL-x8nbNPdXI-vzvOYQyb5XXiRz9YxRv9LzRcnbr2Ev5yC8gvG_mh/s1600/2015-05-24+20.25.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnGhZLRYac8cKKzwmXHk5DmXMgpwqOEOUPF3VuZMs9TPTAvwRNIYP_oPeZvBx4rFc4JcrdRgbKow5DN3c3OsrfxdCL-x8nbNPdXI-vzvOYQyb5XXiRz9YxRv9LzRcnbr2Ev5yC8gvG_mh/s320/2015-05-24+20.25.13.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Every evening there is a daily special menu. We got the house special salad of the day, garnished with a mostly inedible cheesestick. I must say that although the presentation is excellent throughout the resort, the taste is a bit lacking at Amber. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3FIvRNbch1F0YX63Ao6mO7s2P4sq6SAPHIg6dxIXI85O_oiNgTenhSrskOt7sXUOhZ8f2Cj_vAnnsxued9kf8I9Iz-1jk2Gz5FV0Nxxg4yVIloOL-S8uB77XyYYAno-z9gLnfd-RN4X9/s1600/2015-05-24+20.25.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3FIvRNbch1F0YX63Ao6mO7s2P4sq6SAPHIg6dxIXI85O_oiNgTenhSrskOt7sXUOhZ8f2Cj_vAnnsxued9kf8I9Iz-1jk2Gz5FV0Nxxg4yVIloOL-S8uB77XyYYAno-z9gLnfd-RN4X9/s320/2015-05-24+20.25.17.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Octopus Carpaccio </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next came the octopus carpaccio with pepper oil and coal crumbles, whatever that is. It tasted excellent, the soft tenderness of the octopus complementing its savory crunchy garnishes, and Hubby agreed it's probably the best octopus anything he's ever had.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCTHcLyGuzcC-2qm4BLrrmd-nBacWEnXHk9VOZ4BHtcngQDVeiWQoQSPfiYEUaidxa7gCJuneVxt-lbsIxBdH5KiCcun9iORnW524FKiYye7B0H1uWzriUzFB54Lrx6xJfoDlThzzPpn7/s1600/2015-05-24+20.41.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCTHcLyGuzcC-2qm4BLrrmd-nBacWEnXHk9VOZ4BHtcngQDVeiWQoQSPfiYEUaidxa7gCJuneVxt-lbsIxBdH5KiCcun9iORnW524FKiYye7B0H1uWzriUzFB54Lrx6xJfoDlThzzPpn7/s320/2015-05-24+20.41.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Cauliflower Soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I think I double-upped on the appetizers, getting a cauliflower soup with marjoram and truffle essence. It was served in another smaller container at first, and the waiter poured it over the bowl and drizzled it with truffle essence. The result was a happy face on my bowl, which pretty much summarized the experience. Here's another look:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgd0WN4uf5mdeZgJDw8n6ocSjgHHGvrJa9xyo8ksh3Kx7MqQtoOh3zF-l5HHTVLfxanN7KZkTI2MuwKd2NLP6bljNrD1VwkDR8AABsJNqEENMYz-z8n60T3G8_BocDSKyYqH_Nul-XRHG/s1600/2015-05-24+20.41.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgd0WN4uf5mdeZgJDw8n6ocSjgHHGvrJa9xyo8ksh3Kx7MqQtoOh3zF-l5HHTVLfxanN7KZkTI2MuwKd2NLP6bljNrD1VwkDR8AABsJNqEENMYz-z8n60T3G8_BocDSKyYqH_Nul-XRHG/s320/2015-05-24+20.41.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The soup was creamy, but not overpoweringly so. The truffle oil added a nice smoky texture to the creaminess, which I thought was nice because otherwise it would have been flat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgihjOtnJyCHf4zSS2OToCQAKv19xWSy6HHul91_0oxLYo9SCCM3oA35RhuEK2GcwPK59Fnb5OF7CJyBez86FYexHMHIo2AGo43YZzoFVViAvKVlXkGsnSiHl7GKB3jALEeihG98fBVJJE/s1600/2015-05-24+21.39.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgihjOtnJyCHf4zSS2OToCQAKv19xWSy6HHul91_0oxLYo9SCCM3oA35RhuEK2GcwPK59Fnb5OF7CJyBez86FYexHMHIo2AGo43YZzoFVViAvKVlXkGsnSiHl7GKB3jALEeihG98fBVJJE/s320/2015-05-24+21.39.55.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The best part while waiting for your meal is watching the chefs scurry around in the kitchen. Since we don't drink, we spent most of our time commentating on their every move like a sports game. "He gets the order, he grabs the order and bam he's heats up the grill!"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbMNWVKOR4OCs0ZRUvaMKT78zOI2geVYs_r2-NwodoClGm7Jb5F2WbLs1X7Nk4NPRFx3aDefTfd9Dqy6aqnEJwhTX1lnh-GWgQOiqMUGTOoO_v4eplW1uHuNN5YWJ7ED_zyaId-tlkbh1/s1600/2015-05-24+21.09.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbMNWVKOR4OCs0ZRUvaMKT78zOI2geVYs_r2-NwodoClGm7Jb5F2WbLs1X7Nk4NPRFx3aDefTfd9Dqy6aqnEJwhTX1lnh-GWgQOiqMUGTOoO_v4eplW1uHuNN5YWJ7ED_zyaId-tlkbh1/s320/2015-05-24+21.09.53.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quail Risotto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For my main, I got the quail risotto, which despite its lovely presentation was way too salt-laden. I almost couldn't finish it because each bite had enough sodium to garnish a truckload of McDonald fries.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgihjOtnJyCHf4zSS2OToCQAKv19xWSy6HHul91_0oxLYo9SCCM3oA35RhuEK2GcwPK59Fnb5OF7CJyBez86FYexHMHIo2AGo43YZzoFVViAvKVlXkGsnSiHl7GKB3jALEeihG98fBVJJE/s1600/2015-05-24+21.39.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfhyB5K1QqF08jhiDHfgnPL7wZZukaBS5KkdonmIeCfUUzsi_nEbSY7W2WZRlOBDyjRodU4bu8kNWkLjJLrDpH3C7v5RPTuTNo7YccpF3YVgdYjV4pL7bFUsRZqwkInLnFp_fe2E0I6mJ/s1600/2015-05-24+21.10.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfhyB5K1QqF08jhiDHfgnPL7wZZukaBS5KkdonmIeCfUUzsi_nEbSY7W2WZRlOBDyjRodU4bu8kNWkLjJLrDpH3C7v5RPTuTNo7YccpF3YVgdYjV4pL7bFUsRZqwkInLnFp_fe2E0I6mJ/s320/2015-05-24+21.10.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grouper Fillet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hubby got the grouper with citrics buerre blanc and cardamom sweet peas. Again, lovely presentation but the grouper was so tough that every bite became a struggle. The only edible thing on his plate was probably the rice and asparagus. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubFM2ahEW5XTfoUcuHVgbht91NNt8HeXTdb6Cp0npJg50mBGNRMj2JLmCAmCuKVNbryXpgdNwxt4qDEtDbgoacRYck7349UAiXotzj28ZJN3GeieRnehBiCeVP3fLyu8wKGjiRNUk850H/s1600/2015-05-24+21.40.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxTdqx0sApVzoT9HMvJywuQGridm88oo9C46OmKu7vR_yb4t0gH3TGlxIPk5bsYDL-ZvFJb3oslVSgCZIVd3jAb6BZo9XVfr4HiFUIzeAztZ4imiAYDfyg3rm1z6u27S4cLHvsbPFo6SA/s1600/2015-05-24+21.43.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxTdqx0sApVzoT9HMvJywuQGridm88oo9C46OmKu7vR_yb4t0gH3TGlxIPk5bsYDL-ZvFJb3oslVSgCZIVd3jAb6BZo9XVfr4HiFUIzeAztZ4imiAYDfyg3rm1z6u27S4cLHvsbPFo6SA/s320/2015-05-24+21.43.51.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubFM2ahEW5XTfoUcuHVgbht91NNt8HeXTdb6Cp0npJg50mBGNRMj2JLmCAmCuKVNbryXpgdNwxt4qDEtDbgoacRYck7349UAiXotzj28ZJN3GeieRnehBiCeVP3fLyu8wKGjiRNUk850H/s1600/2015-05-24+21.40.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubFM2ahEW5XTfoUcuHVgbht91NNt8HeXTdb6Cp0npJg50mBGNRMj2JLmCAmCuKVNbryXpgdNwxt4qDEtDbgoacRYck7349UAiXotzj28ZJN3GeieRnehBiCeVP3fLyu8wKGjiRNUk850H/s320/2015-05-24+21.40.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Thankfully dessert came to the rescue. I got the hazelnut opera cake, and despite my best efforts to convince Hubby to get something, he didn't want to gain the extra pound (or two). <br />
<br />
I really liked the UN Chair-style presentation on the opera cake. The white chocolate was lovely as the chair backing, while the cake was lusciously rich. But what I liked the best was figs that added a nice kick on the side. The cake works well with a cup of strong coffee to wash it down.<br />
<br />
All and all, our first experience at Amber was not the best, but presentation and service-wise it was pretty much at the top 1% of all of our dining experiences.InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-2464585007705095422015-06-08T09:00:00.000-04:002015-06-08T09:00:07.744-04:00Out to TownAfter our huge luncheon, we hit the gym and the spa. After relaxing for a couple of hours, we wandered into the nearest town, Playa del Carmen. Playa, meaning beach in Spanish, is the basis of this community, attracting tourists from around the world and providing food and money for the local economy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaruA8TPjx2k9ti3ZXxgjC-7LUPBadGhL3rNyI-MQox6mXhSmhDLWx6s4-GSoTQ1kIDLrknIQogE_zwEs7hmJEi9NV_rtTq1AVxUNGk1fIwsQ9aIUiZ6J2CE-wc-znLnT9RkA-7nHd93I0/s1600/2015-05-24+16.33.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaruA8TPjx2k9ti3ZXxgjC-7LUPBadGhL3rNyI-MQox6mXhSmhDLWx6s4-GSoTQ1kIDLrknIQogE_zwEs7hmJEi9NV_rtTq1AVxUNGk1fIwsQ9aIUiZ6J2CE-wc-znLnT9RkA-7nHd93I0/s320/2015-05-24+16.33.11.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Lobby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I couldn't believe how few people there are at our resort, because as we walked through the lobby to grab a taxi, we did not see a soul. I really liked the Asian art they used to decorate the place, and later I found out that the hotel was actually owned by Mandarin Oriental, who had probably had just given them the artworks.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ1AD1aZIIM-zFjdH52eh4qB6-Sk52Yr1GUEC1X5xOVIEyc488VBAwmX5E7AgRW61KeNCXpv_65ulxbrOJCs9hyphenhyphen51LjDswM4B_t4TF0WeS0zsx7Rme0gkzMsFpKkaRzLteLXG2eOLM99Q/s1600/2015-05-24+16.55.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ1AD1aZIIM-zFjdH52eh4qB6-Sk52Yr1GUEC1X5xOVIEyc488VBAwmX5E7AgRW61KeNCXpv_65ulxbrOJCs9hyphenhyphen51LjDswM4B_t4TF0WeS0zsx7Rme0gkzMsFpKkaRzLteLXG2eOLM99Q/s320/2015-05-24+16.55.01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
It was a half hour drive into the city, which cost a hefty $30. It certainly pays to be a taxi cab driver here in Playa del Carmen, because there's no way for the tourists to get around other than taxis.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYh2yOJbCJgwUfTr-6Ej_WIljin787nQyf4rYKnKRC8g5qGzFpMOM7w7QpvMPWQjEysTE2QazC-PpbwbXy3AbQZGZKmFZ7NmFbV48lGg_LokdDrSXncr-OO6m7kSGkcFvFlv-QC2FnyajC/s1600/2015-05-24+17.10.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYh2yOJbCJgwUfTr-6Ej_WIljin787nQyf4rYKnKRC8g5qGzFpMOM7w7QpvMPWQjEysTE2QazC-PpbwbXy3AbQZGZKmFZ7NmFbV48lGg_LokdDrSXncr-OO6m7kSGkcFvFlv-QC2FnyajC/s320/2015-05-24+17.10.09.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We wandered onto Main Street, filled with souvenir shops and restaurants, most of which were Italian. It was the longest street full of touristy stuff, perhaps the longest I've ever seen.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-ZwfFnLcW6vuRE50x00-8dMLJWIlaVHvFB9vvzWVpRjbTQUk0Kc8Z86037a_udpyMCjABWD66eYtFKyLyxNi_lVWCcxFXoSB2mva12dNgJCgBpnf6aVqKJGI1HAZk7zm4kM_znFFav-i/s1600/2015-05-24+17.11.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-ZwfFnLcW6vuRE50x00-8dMLJWIlaVHvFB9vvzWVpRjbTQUk0Kc8Z86037a_udpyMCjABWD66eYtFKyLyxNi_lVWCcxFXoSB2mva12dNgJCgBpnf6aVqKJGI1HAZk7zm4kM_znFFav-i/s320/2015-05-24+17.11.28.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I really liked the pizza stands like this one situated at different spots along the street. They all looked really good - thin slices of cheesy pizza with your regular toppings like mushroom and pepperoni.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQm_JQSas3KLGwELndrqN-8oMwChN5NQUZVwL-CoN6IDlgbiPn9_BuwWju0XgvWJ7shDEitTn1st7fA3loK6Q-m_8t5oy7ksLWOzoPOy_vG4ft76BoHAXahdg062HAJ2WBrBNe6DvZ_O7w/s1600/2015-05-24+17.12.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQm_JQSas3KLGwELndrqN-8oMwChN5NQUZVwL-CoN6IDlgbiPn9_BuwWju0XgvWJ7shDEitTn1st7fA3loK6Q-m_8t5oy7ksLWOzoPOy_vG4ft76BoHAXahdg062HAJ2WBrBNe6DvZ_O7w/s320/2015-05-24+17.12.56.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I also liked how there were people dressed like Mayan natives to attract attention to their shops. But there were a lot of pushy owners as well, heckling down tourists to visit their shop or restaurant. I got mistaken for a Korean many times, as many people tried to get my attention by calling out, "Ye-puh-yo!" which means "beautiful" in Korean.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNeZHaMubPlxfgtnGiETFJ_GcJ9Jg1tBed4N2KQ4aW9R0GpkcEn2ypqbWxyPo9TMI6SLkPZRADmjTYnN5osECQqW1LsVLZLD6xBJzjUVKtB4uwowZMDgc2l6QBnqTMJuEIKxPzAbEIwBd/s1600/2015-05-24+17.36.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNeZHaMubPlxfgtnGiETFJ_GcJ9Jg1tBed4N2KQ4aW9R0GpkcEn2ypqbWxyPo9TMI6SLkPZRADmjTYnN5osECQqW1LsVLZLD6xBJzjUVKtB4uwowZMDgc2l6QBnqTMJuEIKxPzAbEIwBd/s320/2015-05-24+17.36.50.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So the whole street was literally filled with souvenirs, most of which like this Mexican hat were too big to carry home. Though they are pretty, I'm sure they are made in China. Thankfully we got our own hats, hubby's a made in Mexico fedora.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_32j52W19la39acEi62u5M4HVduhLnzvhhXMzmBVYk2VeCHfDjp9LQHA5lsd9r3cmDPR2jLVcpq298E9c3zfoVG37SxtpBxiLkvp9HH-_pyr_3iGzYXgwG28uasJQP_V1TgxaeJVCGnd/s1600/2015-05-24+17.57.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_32j52W19la39acEi62u5M4HVduhLnzvhhXMzmBVYk2VeCHfDjp9LQHA5lsd9r3cmDPR2jLVcpq298E9c3zfoVG37SxtpBxiLkvp9HH-_pyr_3iGzYXgwG28uasJQP_V1TgxaeJVCGnd/s320/2015-05-24+17.57.44.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I came across this little dog on the street. It actually didn't look like a dog at first, more like a little rat. As I snapped a picture of it, a couple of tourists came by and laughed at it =(What a cute and poor little thing. In comparison, I came across another cute mutt later, this one posing with a skeleton model of itself.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre4NbYfQHAUarM68ktbB55X6rVQ3IuCjND5-DPgO5nC1HbIH-uDxIf5KGUUue_hgrA9bucbmUUHAWTw5_Y4dM9anij27_mWVLNorR8ejgjpTzxpYLFLlAHEFxNAD37HLxX1c1ip_GzN7K/s1600/2015-05-24+18.42.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre4NbYfQHAUarM68ktbB55X6rVQ3IuCjND5-DPgO5nC1HbIH-uDxIf5KGUUue_hgrA9bucbmUUHAWTw5_Y4dM9anij27_mWVLNorR8ejgjpTzxpYLFLlAHEFxNAD37HLxX1c1ip_GzN7K/s320/2015-05-24+18.42.04.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The street goes on for about 3 miles before reaching its much anticipated destination - the giant statue of the intertwining mermaids with the loops, representing the ancient Mayan ballgame that was played for days at a time to determine who would become a sacrifice to the gods.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAls8ghEQYElcGCOVjfkrd50vNYwArNPJsVUYF-otSMd2AiH5pRp1SxbxIZvtL88TPxWRHkasPxiLzpsfSvlTBV6LEz6fWdGtS7CwO4C-TMyieCIC_QHAqqunaQITaDblvg-OPe8HAKBm6/s1600/2015-05-24+18.10.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAls8ghEQYElcGCOVjfkrd50vNYwArNPJsVUYF-otSMd2AiH5pRp1SxbxIZvtL88TPxWRHkasPxiLzpsfSvlTBV6LEz6fWdGtS7CwO4C-TMyieCIC_QHAqqunaQITaDblvg-OPe8HAKBm6/s320/2015-05-24+18.10.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A lot of people were gathered around for their daily dance show, where four traditional Mayan dancers jumped and twirled to the beat of the drums. There was one guy at the end who didn't really know his moves, and it was entertaining to see him try to catchup to his fellow dancers. It was actually really hot that day, so I'm not sure how the dancers were able to do that for hours under the smelting sun.</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwafIJvG_JPRFnjvMMv_C0_BwA1jjW5qCvrYW4FVc5OrhgMnz8KyfXEe3X1ch4czyD2w-iUln7pqpzg4LIJkmp8UHm3DxqqVcVvXS_Z6yJiRz-BWrYLG8rTlEiGJYLP9_oFR2sggM9utT3/s1600/2015-05-24+18.46.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwafIJvG_JPRFnjvMMv_C0_BwA1jjW5qCvrYW4FVc5OrhgMnz8KyfXEe3X1ch4czyD2w-iUln7pqpzg4LIJkmp8UHm3DxqqVcVvXS_Z6yJiRz-BWrYLG8rTlEiGJYLP9_oFR2sggM9utT3/s320/2015-05-24+18.46.06.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There is a small upscale mall at the end of the playa for tourists to splurge on, which is where I found this cute little thing. It actually costs money to pet it or even take a picture of it, so I was lucky to have snapped a photo before the man told me to stop.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LvZNM5n8M-JRhIh49IMNHirRU1W8zHM2mjpKJUYlTmaNEfv25Is2Mg1LSJ_RRYvgBWu1n6niofKekQ1wjv2yGObHcwBojbbB-Pn7C1SC4BxDwfym3HRAWUXLA1qtTYY-QlL07MtifttI/s1600/2015-05-24+18.46.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LvZNM5n8M-JRhIh49IMNHirRU1W8zHM2mjpKJUYlTmaNEfv25Is2Mg1LSJ_RRYvgBWu1n6niofKekQ1wjv2yGObHcwBojbbB-Pn7C1SC4BxDwfym3HRAWUXLA1qtTYY-QlL07MtifttI/s320/2015-05-24+18.46.12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
As the sun set in, we wondered whether to grab some local food or head back to the hotel. Hubby and I had snacked on some mandarin gelato and churros earlier, and though Hubby really wanted the local food, I thought it was too touristy and the prices were pretty steep (3 tacos for $12! You can't even find that in New York City!). So we walked a bit further down the street and caught sight of the famous pole twirlers - men dressed in traditional Mexican clothes hung upside down on a pole being twisted around. I'm not sure what the legend is behind this one, but I felt bad that they had to do this for a living. At least the distance to the group wasn't that high, because I'm sure they had no safety strings attached.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGJadznMMGcEBMHZsWvkOqJ_L4wj4UzOPN-6c3Ttet4zrmSFZbHOE8Po0qb1SK1zH_X59XnRo3emyHXxFKlvqmiFd2PuL3-P0DoEwWHn_bDJ8q35FgqCosEihnsc0S_eSIVSAH6qqIGTn/s1600/2015-05-24+19.14.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGJadznMMGcEBMHZsWvkOqJ_L4wj4UzOPN-6c3Ttet4zrmSFZbHOE8Po0qb1SK1zH_X59XnRo3emyHXxFKlvqmiFd2PuL3-P0DoEwWHn_bDJ8q35FgqCosEihnsc0S_eSIVSAH6qqIGTn/s320/2015-05-24+19.14.25.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnR11hjQZxnQDfZiQAZsoV5Lx_WEwqk_RQ3bFDo3sDrKb2waySE1A6OyEqsKnCn8ZjBbfuotuBDJPps_OqWinUuJnZPbyfozjXr8slxcjhG00Tuu3kAi-FR9XptmdY0xJ37CSU-tVUHAc/s1600/2015-05-24+19.14.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnR11hjQZxnQDfZiQAZsoV5Lx_WEwqk_RQ3bFDo3sDrKb2waySE1A6OyEqsKnCn8ZjBbfuotuBDJPps_OqWinUuJnZPbyfozjXr8slxcjhG00Tuu3kAi-FR9XptmdY0xJ37CSU-tVUHAc/s320/2015-05-24+19.14.42.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On our taxi cab back, we asked the driver where the locals eat, and he pointed to a square that was out of view from the main street, filled with street foods like tacos and quesadillas. We should have asked him to stop to grab a few, but we knew better than to look like two obvious tourists and headed back instead.</div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-85491226626169923432015-06-06T12:00:00.000-04:002015-06-06T12:00:13.476-04:00A Breezy Lunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDq-mmV3avPXLuAeLnfLxXucs-2BTzd_rPc6S9lR-Nw6hIlr7B0ZfjEwr365PYM4_yqoNMPRPC-bVY1PwDd6EhyTbQNJzZ4zB6M203Q0yI2RGzfE8iLeVF_vrvkDz0SleI5Mx6oPcC0TCi/s1600/2015-05-24+13.54.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDq-mmV3avPXLuAeLnfLxXucs-2BTzd_rPc6S9lR-Nw6hIlr7B0ZfjEwr365PYM4_yqoNMPRPC-bVY1PwDd6EhyTbQNJzZ4zB6M203Q0yI2RGzfE8iLeVF_vrvkDz0SleI5Mx6oPcC0TCi/s320/2015-05-24+13.54.34.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I wish I knew the Mayan word for good morning, because if every morning and afternoon and evening looked like this, I wouldn't be able to wait to get up every day and say good morning to everyone. Or perhaps the chirping (rather annoying) birds will get to you first, which is what it did to me on our second day in Mexico. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcdjaf66CsFLqaNcFoftlqOZU6ByG2kn6o8c_etKAVWawQ7WMIUuds8DjOaE4DzWh1ErfR6PAeP_yag05MIeepKEQBH8YbPlhZVPwd7UwakAOzUvjChPzmejOb8Mgstqhp8VGTYDwvXnT/s1600/2015-05-24+13.53.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcdjaf66CsFLqaNcFoftlqOZU6ByG2kn6o8c_etKAVWawQ7WMIUuds8DjOaE4DzWh1ErfR6PAeP_yag05MIeepKEQBH8YbPlhZVPwd7UwakAOzUvjChPzmejOb8Mgstqhp8VGTYDwvXnT/s320/2015-05-24+13.53.52.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I ended up waking up extremely early at 7, which shocked even me because I normally can't wake up that early. So we had an early breakfast, hung out a bit, and then went straight to lunch. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHigaEmIUWx3V-WTgZktsJUb-FA3V5VG3LL6gP7nbKmJGdnVXLs2eOtOvLA8XnAL6FbH0rWrgiJ4xZzcWmVvSyQQ1IaLBsp2Op7LDWSC1LPwe4zYmGlzRpuobpYJqb4Nyt9mzJrFWz70sN/s1600/2015-05-24+14.05.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHigaEmIUWx3V-WTgZktsJUb-FA3V5VG3LL6gP7nbKmJGdnVXLs2eOtOvLA8XnAL6FbH0rWrgiJ4xZzcWmVvSyQQ1IaLBsp2Op7LDWSC1LPwe4zYmGlzRpuobpYJqb4Nyt9mzJrFWz70sN/s320/2015-05-24+14.05.23.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sirloin Sushi with Chipotle Chile Cream Cheese</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I ordered the top sirloin sushi roll with chipotle chile cream cheese and grilled pineapple (whew that's a mouthful). Thankfully, the taste was not as complex as it sounds. It was like a creamy, crunchy mishmash of beef and cheese. You can't really taste the pineapple though, which was my own complaint about this dish.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_u2iP8nn9S2b-rW0tbjgDCKra2IdMG9MSlU5ge8Q9eJ3DarWXLjruHq2ozYONASWJL1fxTMYYJUlQPH0oiWaYciYHfVWo0fmvmxsXUsdjurbgLgEYnOCEEvR72VGPekLmbJQTxtcB0-rf/s1600/2015-05-24+14.05.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_u2iP8nn9S2b-rW0tbjgDCKra2IdMG9MSlU5ge8Q9eJ3DarWXLjruHq2ozYONASWJL1fxTMYYJUlQPH0oiWaYciYHfVWo0fmvmxsXUsdjurbgLgEYnOCEEvR72VGPekLmbJQTxtcB0-rf/s320/2015-05-24+14.05.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salad of the Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hubby ordered the salad of the day, which looked like a bunch of leaves with cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of salads, because it just looks and tastes like a bunch of leaves to me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEl60FQouStB8aOIazcu9ywaTl3xlM3FrU3LLTIahDXr7a1k_yZm8ZQ7_xsiEA9Vs-i-oCTeZOm5U85_XVx3tx3tFvxKuiztldHHynzGuaR9ikP1O-7UUZv4wmRSJ34Ia2hp_6XGDKS9I1/s1600/2015-05-24+14.14.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEl60FQouStB8aOIazcu9ywaTl3xlM3FrU3LLTIahDXr7a1k_yZm8ZQ7_xsiEA9Vs-i-oCTeZOm5U85_XVx3tx3tFvxKuiztldHHynzGuaR9ikP1O-7UUZv4wmRSJ34Ia2hp_6XGDKS9I1/s320/2015-05-24+14.14.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seafood Soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was greedy and ordered a side of soup - the Mexican seafood soup with fresh oysters, shrimp, squid and scallops. They actually served the soup in a separate bowl, then when it's like to eat pour it over the seafood. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGM3Eh1pN3doa6JODpVcL2qdw0CT73DVAJkYW_swseS_tT9LgN5dn9B9vsw6x5lZJ-LcHGmhueiNahyypcb8b9xWZEVLFDK383nXRTpA2bdDBIPZsCuQttew_UU-eBYC4GXRxyTMDlLm8K/s1600/2015-05-24+14.25.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGM3Eh1pN3doa6JODpVcL2qdw0CT73DVAJkYW_swseS_tT9LgN5dn9B9vsw6x5lZJ-LcHGmhueiNahyypcb8b9xWZEVLFDK383nXRTpA2bdDBIPZsCuQttew_UU-eBYC4GXRxyTMDlLm8K/s320/2015-05-24+14.25.46.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamb Chops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the main course I splurged on the mint herb marinated lamb chops with grilled veggies and mashed potatoes. It was absolutely divine. I normally have my lamb well-done, but for a well-done lamb steak it was tender with full flavor infused in.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Tk2xelLsbRDjv9z9qkCw6SvMVFHga8yjJU0q6PGAoWId7lNkkG3n7mfFLGmmhLzXj3t71K_L659ZHtw7wQusxVi23rdz8rjIA9DIC1AHtlN41kBgsYvgIjRTo_RL5XvHKD-Kr8cO1yuK/s1600/2015-05-24+14.25.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Tk2xelLsbRDjv9z9qkCw6SvMVFHga8yjJU0q6PGAoWId7lNkkG3n7mfFLGmmhLzXj3t71K_L659ZHtw7wQusxVi23rdz8rjIA9DIC1AHtlN41kBgsYvgIjRTo_RL5XvHKD-Kr8cO1yuK/s320/2015-05-24+14.25.49.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck Confit Tacos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hubby on the other hand ordered duck confit tacos, which were good but the duck was pretty rough and hard to bite. Here's another look at my delicious meal: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzqBwWE6IjO0t_FA5NwcRsnt9sp37nEF9-tLNFuyZ-8S1kYvw04OqBUZSMnMzBF9gPuh-m2s3OPNni9jo6efBW63HtJz72-6tXBYhGrAzsdadubg0vYkHWupSUYo0XqmwzWQksBVZCHoa/s1600/2015-05-24+14.26.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzqBwWE6IjO0t_FA5NwcRsnt9sp37nEF9-tLNFuyZ-8S1kYvw04OqBUZSMnMzBF9gPuh-m2s3OPNni9jo6efBW63HtJz72-6tXBYhGrAzsdadubg0vYkHWupSUYo0XqmwzWQksBVZCHoa/s320/2015-05-24+14.26.11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And its aftermath:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUje3nhEIlhEJF_v-K1ZolfAkYM1bmF4M90KIRqU5cP9edmRFArGSQ3P3MKvN2fovKDAYqo6oXnQwGacAQ_xhoNx6946E_5pCBn1VB4yfac7Zli4Jq8c41oH3zdUOEfmoNIK8zH1KX02C5/s1600/2015-05-24+14.34.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUje3nhEIlhEJF_v-K1ZolfAkYM1bmF4M90KIRqU5cP9edmRFArGSQ3P3MKvN2fovKDAYqo6oXnQwGacAQ_xhoNx6946E_5pCBn1VB4yfac7Zli4Jq8c41oH3zdUOEfmoNIK8zH1KX02C5/s320/2015-05-24+14.34.12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I should remind you that this is just lunch. I was just being greedy and splurging on everything that I could possibly eat, hoping to work it off in the gym later on.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYATFjAx03zbrH_Zk5-PkTMGLb4hCztH5hyphenhyphen5HHZlqMhNE5V2ZdpTtVe7r0KU-ELEplYcqm0BIiCnhqDsXECFZAc31ZOsM0T_qQzZPLcQ_IFCesFNCaGMTIOUcr66BNCKlbhMuIaUdYK9WG/s1600/2015-05-24+14.44.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYATFjAx03zbrH_Zk5-PkTMGLb4hCztH5hyphenhyphen5HHZlqMhNE5V2ZdpTtVe7r0KU-ELEplYcqm0BIiCnhqDsXECFZAc31ZOsM0T_qQzZPLcQ_IFCesFNCaGMTIOUcr66BNCKlbhMuIaUdYK9WG/s320/2015-05-24+14.44.10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raspberry Mousse cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For dessert, we got the special-of-the-day raspberry mousse, and the lemon pie done our way. I didn't like the texture of the mousse very much, as it was just too fluffy for me. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7TazUcAc46Jthg-fPmBoIW4VW-Bsue_dRC59WziYhXBKFk1um0hPV1bA2cCBBnPlee5NsOGpmpoV9a8JawNSvYWSv4sFBryh_7ru79mnUcDQsP9g0syNiE7PM8pL_zPpK4uFZ0RCM1zD/s1600/2015-05-24+14.44.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7TazUcAc46Jthg-fPmBoIW4VW-Bsue_dRC59WziYhXBKFk1um0hPV1bA2cCBBnPlee5NsOGpmpoV9a8JawNSvYWSv4sFBryh_7ru79mnUcDQsP9g0syNiE7PM8pL_zPpK4uFZ0RCM1zD/s320/2015-05-24+14.44.16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon Pie Our Way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The lemon pie on the other hand hit the sweet spot - it was tangy with lemony goodness and sweet at the same time, which went really well with a cup of expresso to finish the meal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLP0FEIzb8R24SCSSpupS048KMvfmJmodYXk9JvM1G65Sf01YygLpgXBDCCxTKOVwUWxH4ASeNQs-S5VjUsQ9CBDKKxkuNrrQVIKPCq8VLzTldRXmev7-n81J_AUqlQ0JUH6xuqpza8yn/s1600/2015-05-24+14.48.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLP0FEIzb8R24SCSSpupS048KMvfmJmodYXk9JvM1G65Sf01YygLpgXBDCCxTKOVwUWxH4ASeNQs-S5VjUsQ9CBDKKxkuNrrQVIKPCq8VLzTldRXmev7-n81J_AUqlQ0JUH6xuqpza8yn/s320/2015-05-24+14.48.44.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
And what a wonderful way to take in the meal than a view of the ocean, with the gentle breeze gently caressing your face.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CVhPFRxgYkRARMB_19PsA-5baOVHToC7qMcapDi2ZJFqerTMS3sndrGciWudmtPJHLHHQI2uP5i7QK1qxsDB3IPwoDs9VcYiiUDD-ro-0gN0L4rW1jD_s21BGPudzLdW2gPrwUsATixb/s1600/2015-05-24+15.02.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CVhPFRxgYkRARMB_19PsA-5baOVHToC7qMcapDi2ZJFqerTMS3sndrGciWudmtPJHLHHQI2uP5i7QK1qxsDB3IPwoDs9VcYiiUDD-ro-0gN0L4rW1jD_s21BGPudzLdW2gPrwUsATixb/s320/2015-05-24+15.02.08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-17512723917416160922015-06-04T21:47:00.002-04:002015-06-04T21:47:18.401-04:00The Chicken Pizza Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Tuesday marked our much anticipated trip to the major tour sight here in Mexico. There are actually two major sites near our hotel - Tulum and Chichen itza. While the former is closer to our resort, the latter is bigger and more well-known. So we signed up for a one-day trip to make the 4 hour trek there. Tickets costs $110 per person, which includes a buffet lunch and a toured guide to the Chichen Itza, a dip in a cenote and a trip to a traditional city.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKk2Lq1VEsPCzXSFezx-1LqeMsTRzgIP_xwKOkCEG58xMLYRIZd7eCawPJJsAxN4RyRFeG-1xdLC2uS9ivpP-6vJqb0hrup1vH3U3zTS0fgyHQbs8CorPaGdYELlqBbP8lq_dRwgK_IbZ2/s1600/2015-05-26+13.27.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKk2Lq1VEsPCzXSFezx-1LqeMsTRzgIP_xwKOkCEG58xMLYRIZd7eCawPJJsAxN4RyRFeG-1xdLC2uS9ivpP-6vJqb0hrup1vH3U3zTS0fgyHQbs8CorPaGdYELlqBbP8lq_dRwgK_IbZ2/s320/2015-05-26+13.27.53.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chichen Itza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We started the day with room service, since breakfast doesn't start until 7am. Hubby got the guacamole chicken quesadilla while I ordered a passion fruit cheesecake. But the room service didn't come until 7, so we had to gulp down our breakfast in literally 5 min, especially because they'd called us at 7 to let us know that the bus that was supposed to arrive at 7.30 would come earlier at 7.15 to pick us up.<br /><br />Thankfully I'd packed everything beforehand. We hurried out the door and got into the taxi which took us to the resort next door to shuffle us onto a large bus with more tourists. We stopped by a couple of other stops to pick up more people before heading off. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />Our tour guide was a friendly and rather large Mayan man who talked to us about the history behind the Mayans and "Chicken pizza". He talked about how some tourists didn't like him talking so much (lol), but he just wanted to share his knowledge. I actually don't blame the tourists because I'm sure no one got enough sleep the night before.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgcwECz8JufjxROnj-dEHLwJhZPYzTluuN84op9Z2Z_v-KA7HgBIeOy9Ob9kifhn7cIeT6BR2n-raSC7G8Xn3FA17vlaK_IEs6tUVYHzUHoE4b7Vzp5YsM25mTcJ6PdEq9tZWuS9IKO0i/s1600/2015-05-26+13.41.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgcwECz8JufjxROnj-dEHLwJhZPYzTluuN84op9Z2Z_v-KA7HgBIeOy9Ob9kifhn7cIeT6BR2n-raSC7G8Xn3FA17vlaK_IEs6tUVYHzUHoE4b7Vzp5YsM25mTcJ6PdEq9tZWuS9IKO0i/s320/2015-05-26+13.41.53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />Most of the talk was about maths and how the ancient Mayans came up with their advanced calendar. But it turned out he just wanted to sell everyone a Mayan calendar (which btw cost a hefty $25 for something you can easily compute at home).<br /><br />Thankfully I brought with us some snacks since both of us didn't eat enough for breakfast. As hubby flipped through our food stash he realized I didn't bring our Nikon. Though upset, he settled down after munching on his favorite japanese-style crunchy peanuts.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Three hours into the trip, we stopped at a gas station with a bunch of souvenir shops. It's an uber touristy site, but because the tour guide encouraged us to buy stuff to support the local economy, I got three souvenirs for $18.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />By the time we got there, everyone was eager to see the ruins. As we got off the bus, scorching heat greeted us. We were led through the Mayaland hotel, a run-down hotel with a 1900s charm reminiscent of films with the first archeologists and colonial settlers on this strange new land.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />Walking through the resort, I memorized by the large jungle huts that provided shade and shelter. There were groves of large mango trees, which one of the tourists picked up for a snack. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkOk0P8cwTBpdNGb8jgCuz_dfsSIuIfvdyf3Om4R7nQgOpHSv3phx4lixwhgiGXI_POvJwoZz3SVDjdSKnwuFJ4UC6nmeNTR8ZjQ9q_-jFKCAkYwRqsKYECZW7NRJVf_kKFwk5Jj2pRnx/s1600/2015-05-26+11.58.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkOk0P8cwTBpdNGb8jgCuz_dfsSIuIfvdyf3Om4R7nQgOpHSv3phx4lixwhgiGXI_POvJwoZz3SVDjdSKnwuFJ4UC6nmeNTR8ZjQ9q_-jFKCAkYwRqsKYECZW7NRJVf_kKFwk5Jj2pRnx/s320/2015-05-26+11.58.28.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQkrgqgrasANeAgg6EazLAUDxPoZVGRqVc97HUe-ZKM7VFlwIbvRt0DpXaPm5LLzJbXzV3VF8bMc9V0Wy_MigJblvz8Ro8AFHgbKnydFJE8AndnXsFHSMN3sR9tEwKjVgq4qiBCPcqkBG/s1600/2015-05-26+12.03.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQkrgqgrasANeAgg6EazLAUDxPoZVGRqVc97HUe-ZKM7VFlwIbvRt0DpXaPm5LLzJbXzV3VF8bMc9V0Wy_MigJblvz8Ro8AFHgbKnydFJE8AndnXsFHSMN3sR9tEwKjVgq4qiBCPcqkBG/s320/2015-05-26+12.03.23.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />We were led to the planetarium, where we watched an impressive video of the history of the Mayan skies projected onto the dome ceiling. The movie was pretty good, showing how the sun and the moon came about from an ancient Mayan legend of two brothers playing their traditional ball game. But haven woken up at 6, hubby fell asleep through most of it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn2kOgk6_vNfOW8bilWZQHkmNo0emXNoSiFB8hVmslha2dxeqiv39BF2mARrg4fHqRn6JCTJ2f71BHZaZGJJO3Wbrw0fpXKT7bh_0Nvy9CBT3zMRlmMudPGwGh84lwLCZ9tuL2qNfWJJY/s1600/2015-05-26+11.58.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn2kOgk6_vNfOW8bilWZQHkmNo0emXNoSiFB8hVmslha2dxeqiv39BF2mARrg4fHqRn6JCTJ2f71BHZaZGJJO3Wbrw0fpXKT7bh_0Nvy9CBT3zMRlmMudPGwGh84lwLCZ9tuL2qNfWJJY/s320/2015-05-26+11.58.30.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planetarium</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />By the time we were done the movie, we were both starving. Unfortunately lunch was not until after the tour, so we marched on.<br /><br />The tour guide took us around the ruins, and in broken English he explained to us the lives of the Mayans. The city was a historical site for the ancient Mayans, one where only privileged upper-class citizens could live in. I was fascinated by their mathematical and astronomical advances, so I asked a bunch of questions like how did they position their pyramids so it's exactly 27.6 degrees in the direction of Venus, while the tourists in our group were busy snapping selfies (I couldn't believe how many ppl carried those selfie sticks!) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXMHpC8UyVhFV0me8gSTm_FVW8dwQauq_91lQQp0ORIoODpECzGVMUHF47Ta5ee9Sru_lOos4qDpBABehBzL9aULFPA7yVTZiSrGTwhyphenhyphenyvKAoY7uetEuzw3ioMY4s4ZYgkn0dGD9LMpFj/s1600/2015-05-26+12.21.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXMHpC8UyVhFV0me8gSTm_FVW8dwQauq_91lQQp0ORIoODpECzGVMUHF47Ta5ee9Sru_lOos4qDpBABehBzL9aULFPA7yVTZiSrGTwhyphenhyphenyvKAoY7uetEuzw3ioMY4s4ZYgkn0dGD9LMpFj/s320/2015-05-26+12.21.36.jpg" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gFhagxQtqy5amjZ6LJkQiECq-iytiW4eU0huVnpXb57ayzgJmaeqlUtM7PQAb4qgmGPEHt2pcbVa2PRVc-fWpQnGu9tipegBGBsQQazsv93ST7zfX7gnqQFfH4TCdERUhekho2Dz0P-D/s1600/2015-05-26+12.37.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gFhagxQtqy5amjZ6LJkQiECq-iytiW4eU0huVnpXb57ayzgJmaeqlUtM7PQAb4qgmGPEHt2pcbVa2PRVc-fWpQnGu9tipegBGBsQQazsv93ST7zfX7gnqQFfH4TCdERUhekho2Dz0P-D/s320/2015-05-26+12.37.08.jpg" width="240" /></a><br /><br />We did meet some very friendly ppl at the tour, most were staying at the other Bluebay resort. I asked them about their experience there, and they said the food is okay with a pretty good buffet. I was surprised that it was just okay because ours was deserving of Michelin stars. But the couple were Chinese and said they weren't used to eating Mexican/Western style food.<br /><br />I felt sorry for the tour guide who was trying to explain to us how the Mayans built their city, because no one was listening to him. He had to get people's attention back many times by saying, "I know you guys don't want to listen, but..."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvCXsI-HFJe9aIrBPhNZ59pXOlBB0cFlrEUV05iwua4pK5AFTAuP16vbfTeXFY03sOxppZP3Z5yNNt370evL0ry5A1sDuiWMWHYMOJFCD44IUNobcdd-cf3gkGrYejReuVIqDAzr9dVrR/s1600/2015-05-26+12.40.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvCXsI-HFJe9aIrBPhNZ59pXOlBB0cFlrEUV05iwua4pK5AFTAuP16vbfTeXFY03sOxppZP3Z5yNNt370evL0ry5A1sDuiWMWHYMOJFCD44IUNobcdd-cf3gkGrYejReuVIqDAzr9dVrR/s320/2015-05-26+12.40.46.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw167YKGOwdNGBfuUhGOnDGtBPuUAExfuG1wjidS6ZIwDwAgR_xnGrihGLiKmTawsySM2j7DJXMXTkln3IcsrprckgptFq9s4URbjr7v4Q2Ij5VfX-o8g6ewya3Ct0CBVv-hUI4RjdDJp/s1600/2015-05-26+13.41.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw167YKGOwdNGBfuUhGOnDGtBPuUAExfuG1wjidS6ZIwDwAgR_xnGrihGLiKmTawsySM2j7DJXMXTkln3IcsrprckgptFq9s4URbjr7v4Q2Ij5VfX-o8g6ewya3Ct0CBVv-hUI4RjdDJp/s320/2015-05-26+13.41.23.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />There were a lot of local stands that were selling souvenirs for a fraction of the price at the tourist vendors we stopped at before. Hubby bought an obsidian knife for $30 after seeing one at the store for $70. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmg9Vcs2PyR9hB6Q8K3mPO5sQmJgAs6v4raEo3-ysOLjxe2Avj71IcIbjIvtJt78taHeQyfafNVdoFPSt3cMLto2yLXnq9hCbeeTSnHEvYqUA21oqcMjviBPw3z4EbPqGAc5gI_o4lvVqk/s1600/2015-05-26+13.31.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmg9Vcs2PyR9hB6Q8K3mPO5sQmJgAs6v4raEo3-ysOLjxe2Avj71IcIbjIvtJt78taHeQyfafNVdoFPSt3cMLto2yLXnq9hCbeeTSnHEvYqUA21oqcMjviBPw3z4EbPqGAc5gI_o4lvVqk/s320/2015-05-26+13.31.41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We ran out of money because hubby didn't think to bring so much. So we walked out of many bargains (including a handcrafted Mayan calendar).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BLnlX_thC5CFT3rU_kQEdeIhOGNd1ucIazzFiW6AA9PL-X_G5hNPtJvVWTYKyV0xiYbfb8RErDNOKVRdQs2Oazi0ke49tQ5eWL7sBBV3TC_BRoWty6ZE0g33nrUHR49FYYucUzTAbx8L/s1600/2015-05-26+12.32.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BLnlX_thC5CFT3rU_kQEdeIhOGNd1ucIazzFiW6AA9PL-X_G5hNPtJvVWTYKyV0xiYbfb8RErDNOKVRdQs2Oazi0ke49tQ5eWL7sBBV3TC_BRoWty6ZE0g33nrUHR49FYYucUzTAbx8L/s320/2015-05-26+12.32.14.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIfi3YPG_jUri5tWtr00CMy4SeLSWxeR3vQQcmksDNMqV6OgtfkwcBSV160MJzSaVo8yiSRzHgGvUbNKUc_u_cUi29cKrUcuBXHhlWauehQwheX3sH5K0M_T7WuiyMCaK7J4ws3WpAHlM/s1600/2015-05-26+12.32.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIfi3YPG_jUri5tWtr00CMy4SeLSWxeR3vQQcmksDNMqV6OgtfkwcBSV160MJzSaVo8yiSRzHgGvUbNKUc_u_cUi29cKrUcuBXHhlWauehQwheX3sH5K0M_T7WuiyMCaK7J4ws3WpAHlM/s320/2015-05-26+12.32.18.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Then we were given some self-exploration time, taking pictures with the ruins and endless selfies. It was cool to note that the pyramid was designed to be a microphone, so that when you made a sound at a certain spot the sound would reverberate. Really amazing how people way back then could figure out how to construct this amazing infrastructure. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvF5rF3XVpWYMFvjxaHIrEZRreugl8qcCiCB03NkRCcoXiCR0i-jt56MzuU5RINOdlkB1lJ0LlDU0anE128GNYhJ75nwf7tcM5AFlVmdhj-3PvsYA1P6ZOQJ2pRQSmPLAFa1UloI1hyPG/s1600/2015-05-26+13.28.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvF5rF3XVpWYMFvjxaHIrEZRreugl8qcCiCB03NkRCcoXiCR0i-jt56MzuU5RINOdlkB1lJ0LlDU0anE128GNYhJ75nwf7tcM5AFlVmdhj-3PvsYA1P6ZOQJ2pRQSmPLAFa1UloI1hyPG/s320/2015-05-26+13.28.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />By now we were (literally) dripping with sweat and starving. So we cut the visit short and headed to lunch at the hotel.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkQGrP45JfR0dpLbNg9BjUyjUnK0Gw_t-mZL5BTLBzFzZaEsxjDnBP8ZGwY2Iq7V5VJmor__VF6TBEQz2wKoVJR-qCjpkiX5OAFhFM0vZbPP3ahv21hR2FZkVhkJLRpsb_u_ASnWdGkJ3/s1600/2015-05-26+12.35.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkQGrP45JfR0dpLbNg9BjUyjUnK0Gw_t-mZL5BTLBzFzZaEsxjDnBP8ZGwY2Iq7V5VJmor__VF6TBEQz2wKoVJR-qCjpkiX5OAFhFM0vZbPP3ahv21hR2FZkVhkJLRpsb_u_ASnWdGkJ3/s320/2015-05-26+12.35.14.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynVc7fV2rYeQHt0NnSaj8PgZsAFhABapI4BQ4Qu6tGq7oji_UtJCXS4kyR5DRXKYSL2rOIy_TT573PzWpz1r1fUWrLhGi2t-E81kDUbKwIkYjP7w4coczz-0C9Nz1ZZnm3KE7KGNjc7gZ/s1600/2015-05-26+12.34.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynVc7fV2rYeQHt0NnSaj8PgZsAFhABapI4BQ4Qu6tGq7oji_UtJCXS4kyR5DRXKYSL2rOIy_TT573PzWpz1r1fUWrLhGi2t-E81kDUbKwIkYjP7w4coczz-0C9Nz1ZZnm3KE7KGNjc7gZ/s320/2015-05-26+12.34.04.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />Turns out the buffet was a haphazard mishmash of Mexican, Chinese and fast food. There was however an authentic looking taco bar with women flipped fresh tortillas. Hubby got both the Mayan and BBQ, while I got a plate of random Mexican food. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn86hp1uHuxQdPt7cgdSL7L31OvULhBIhazZ3fSYBHCCIBsA8cdKgOfV5jbOIwhgCHOsOecC_Nu9o5YCVJoHNF130WzKXgJL9MfWnFVukKE4oBrXMUsq1RhKjvuAP3_kpIMo_IWRcW8vGQ/s1600/2015-05-26+14.02.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn86hp1uHuxQdPt7cgdSL7L31OvULhBIhazZ3fSYBHCCIBsA8cdKgOfV5jbOIwhgCHOsOecC_Nu9o5YCVJoHNF130WzKXgJL9MfWnFVukKE4oBrXMUsq1RhKjvuAP3_kpIMo_IWRcW8vGQ/s320/2015-05-26+14.02.47.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />The restaurant was pretty bad in drinks. Guess we were just too used to our resort food, because they bathed us $3 for a sprite. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPl4-4ewOhgVEdZ0MWqKnudiObDeRqt5KEhGfYe8BheQPXwDQkLQra7-Biiw2qP3wzFSqDOI8JwNN7hG9nmeWZqZ0ccMatFfxeG8MF8os5PEMXWSe4hF2w2kmMgkTdbkJccg0h9MnRcoP/s1600/2015-05-26+14.08.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPl4-4ewOhgVEdZ0MWqKnudiObDeRqt5KEhGfYe8BheQPXwDQkLQra7-Biiw2qP3wzFSqDOI8JwNN7hG9nmeWZqZ0ccMatFfxeG8MF8os5PEMXWSe4hF2w2kmMgkTdbkJccg0h9MnRcoP/s320/2015-05-26+14.08.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The service was also pretty poor - one waiter tried to take away the plate I was working on three times in 5 minutes. Hubby didn't know why I got so upset, since it's a buffet and you could just get more food. He has a point, but it'll be just wasting food.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMQDhh_0-6cHsO-R4IXtlCVmWKTIu2hfa-KWUStdrn-LTSjYgC0P8-QIqfMc2fTaRTJzNzBg4qT5cD1V6aDygPfkb9bphiH6mZke9qvfrd76BeAmeT8ATCX4IGyt69kJEdFeYCEuXTLVc/s1600/2015-05-26+14.08.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMQDhh_0-6cHsO-R4IXtlCVmWKTIu2hfa-KWUStdrn-LTSjYgC0P8-QIqfMc2fTaRTJzNzBg4qT5cD1V6aDygPfkb9bphiH6mZke9qvfrd76BeAmeT8ATCX4IGyt69kJEdFeYCEuXTLVc/s320/2015-05-26+14.08.20.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />I didn't eat that much because of the heat, but I did have many bowls of sorbet, which was delightfully refreshing but not thirst-quenching. I guess the best part of the meal was watching the dancers with trays of alcohol on top of their heads as they cha-chaed to mariachi music. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_fdE6yP0sona5U5oRUBWirzRRXT13A-mtmBsVkkbOAWS_fRFQAfnh_FnVHqi5P6uDUXGKtkfNDj2qJB2h99sLH0y2LQOTyRtXzTAZvifMLp5ACpEbmMLlPyCrcpzfqWAafzyZBCjQkAW/s1600/2015-05-26+14.19.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_fdE6yP0sona5U5oRUBWirzRRXT13A-mtmBsVkkbOAWS_fRFQAfnh_FnVHqi5P6uDUXGKtkfNDj2qJB2h99sLH0y2LQOTyRtXzTAZvifMLp5ACpEbmMLlPyCrcpzfqWAafzyZBCjQkAW/s320/2015-05-26+14.19.45.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />After the meal, I was still hungry but afraid to get more of the Chinese-buffet quality food, so we got a frap at the hotel cafe. Surprisingly, it's not even sweet, because the chocolate drizzles is actually bitter chocolate, which was awesome.<br /> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4RYzTiepFW3UVVVqA1hnRRDuYDLko_8p07EbUIwWivirfrAkbE9Z2-B861lCO1IP6jUsZLnIFk-Uq8a9NM99kVCFFn4PS2Bx8IVY2Vwj5BYGeEy1fiPcsisG0jwrfULmw4VBohJB0lFD/s1600/2015-05-26+14.22.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4RYzTiepFW3UVVVqA1hnRRDuYDLko_8p07EbUIwWivirfrAkbE9Z2-B861lCO1IP6jUsZLnIFk-Uq8a9NM99kVCFFn4PS2Bx8IVY2Vwj5BYGeEy1fiPcsisG0jwrfULmw4VBohJB0lFD/s320/2015-05-26+14.22.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />Next stop was the cenote, about 2 hours away from the ancient ruins. I was pretty excited about this because I heard the cenote water was refreshing. Unfortunately hubby didn't bring a changes of clothes so he didn't take the dip. They offer life jackets, which I gladly took.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hKbgLMgCRLCbuRPgylbqw94gkIcioIxRaCgmO5o6zzFvUm0mADTt7YFw_-5m7RljOsCZwe2OZtt45cV_YfGRnKAdyHpe4M2ay4jYQla1QVCL_DXAPUgcMNKaoUqLwc9R1cfLlcuAnyqg/s1600/2015-05-26+14.50.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hKbgLMgCRLCbuRPgylbqw94gkIcioIxRaCgmO5o6zzFvUm0mADTt7YFw_-5m7RljOsCZwe2OZtt45cV_YfGRnKAdyHpe4M2ay4jYQla1QVCL_DXAPUgcMNKaoUqLwc9R1cfLlcuAnyqg/s320/2015-05-26+14.50.32.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />I should mention that on the way over they brought on a Mayan boy who tried selling everyone his own prepackaged tequilas with pictures of each couple that he took at the souvenir stop earlier. I have no idea what his relation was to the tour guide, but his sales pitch was heartfelt and funny, with broken English and cheesy jokes (like telling everyone to lick their cups, then thanking everyone for cleaning the cups for the next group). Most of the tourists tried the drink and brought the $20 spirit.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTd99RT1jh11plFzn47_76EZZx35ICarQDfohCC4BiJnjXvEAWA_sO13iaEXonaiH8lLtniIRvfoyP8ix4vINq3zdbeyHEqdL7PJc_lGn-iW4L_nJybBzqA4IT2pvfKnJlHedQ8CJEtc5x/s1600/2015-05-26+14.40.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTd99RT1jh11plFzn47_76EZZx35ICarQDfohCC4BiJnjXvEAWA_sO13iaEXonaiH8lLtniIRvfoyP8ix4vINq3zdbeyHEqdL7PJc_lGn-iW4L_nJybBzqA4IT2pvfKnJlHedQ8CJEtc5x/s320/2015-05-26+14.40.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />There's two places you can "jump" into - the regular entrance with stairs like a pool and another one like the jumping boards at the pool. I tried the smaller one before attempting the higher jump. The water was fresh and clean, with little tadpoles and fishes swimming around. The waterfall was also quite enchanting. Just imagine ages ago when the Mayans jumped into it like a dipping pool in their backyard. (Unfortunately other cenotes were used as sacrificial pools with the youngest and most prettiest women thrown in as live sacrifices.)<br /><br />Everyone was pretty much spent by the time we reached a quaint little Mexican town, apparently the site of a brutal battle between the Spaniards and Mayans long ago. You can't see remnants of the battle - what's left is the brightly colored fresco walls surrounding the town square with cute dainty couple chairs. A group of school kids were waved at us, causing an onslaught of tourists to take pictures with them.<br /><br />Then tour guide brought us to a little ice cream stand (probably his amigo), and everyone dashed to buy the ice cream. I got the corn flavor, while others got the coconut or chocolate. I really liked the corn flavor, because it had actual corn in there. By now it was around 5, and the square was getting busier with children getting off school and vendors setting up their tamale stands. I would have loved to buy some local street food, like fried cockroaches (no jokes).<br /><br />That marked our last stop, as an exhausted bus load of people were driven back to their resorts. The tour guide reminded us again to give him good ratings, because it was good for him and his family. I understand that he needed it as a living, but even so, he didn't need to plead with everyone to give him a good rating.(Sorry for believing in the value of hard work.)<br /><br />At the end of the day, I bid farewell to a couple of new buddies (and this cute little one who shook our hands). The tour company apparently gave top priority to the people at our resort (which apparently was just hubby and I), dropping us off first before the others. At the end of a long sojourn, I was just glad to be back in the comfort of our spacious hotel room, relaxing by our own cenote where (hopefully) no human sacrifices have been made.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrgoRkwEDTfEakTef7G2KsIr-2iob1cdmhoQ6X83s8iTL_V7TYFPHna_mWrlKVpNCeTwuFaB9Aocva4601fyITIGkH3EowE76mB1En5iB1wEWPNqt8dP2Xo5vN0ZGGEwyNg_gKRjuWLdt/s320/2015-05-26+16.27.44.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrgoRkwEDTfEakTef7G2KsIr-2iob1cdmhoQ6X83s8iTL_V7TYFPHna_mWrlKVpNCeTwuFaB9Aocva4601fyITIGkH3EowE76mB1En5iB1wEWPNqt8dP2Xo5vN0ZGGEwyNg_gKRjuWLdt/s1600/2015-05-26+16.27.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-83250243819687579842015-06-03T15:30:00.000-04:002015-06-03T15:30:00.772-04:00Breakfast in Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I want you to take a moment and close your eyes...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
....what do you see?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you are happy (and tranquil) enough to see this, then call yourself lucky...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFD4Bxy1fPznNCdoXmZ-bC84y9mT3ijW-0D1P9FEfT4PN-NrTVqLg847som5Eo8iUffAVT7AwvGSLm5o2YYpo9SvMB48v498sATCb0sYI-P__CQqEIFwYDILu37yN0b8AoBd_4RoJT-ik/s1600/2015-05-24+08.36.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFD4Bxy1fPznNCdoXmZ-bC84y9mT3ijW-0D1P9FEfT4PN-NrTVqLg847som5Eo8iUffAVT7AwvGSLm5o2YYpo9SvMB48v498sATCb0sYI-P__CQqEIFwYDILu37yN0b8AoBd_4RoJT-ik/s320/2015-05-24+08.36.13.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, I definitely considered myself lucky, because that's what I found myself waking up to every morning, along with a cup of...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmIASNQn944P2iVqKcliU31fAGjFmWVvNZta3wuHK47jl3hYM-yVp7H184fr4lt-ja0k735rnPzHwjnHBTMAvHGMPyffoMYgyDjg880VBrNJHCZOOwp2qm1YeFjqVjAJWIXZZ1QAJKGps/s1600/2015-05-24+08.42.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmIASNQn944P2iVqKcliU31fAGjFmWVvNZta3wuHK47jl3hYM-yVp7H184fr4lt-ja0k735rnPzHwjnHBTMAvHGMPyffoMYgyDjg880VBrNJHCZOOwp2qm1YeFjqVjAJWIXZZ1QAJKGps/s320/2015-05-24+08.42.02.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
...really creamy cappuccino, the ultimate way to start your day in this tropical paradise. The milk here is much more creamier than the water-flavor ones we have back home and carries a flagrant aroma similar to European milk.<br />
<br />
We began our day at Aquamarina, one of the resort's three a-la-carte restaurant that's open for breakfast. The breakfast menu is as extensive as the dinner we had yesterday, if not even more so.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxcOAu2yvX2o7JpdpH3MwaGgkn0Dg9IcygQ7ywZg2f7rSN2MgcZgWfS75jzBrTVTrxiNH2SkDJ1OnqsE5wK7NV1YsrZV4qp85zApuFEDlW5DvOJMMs62W61fX-3N8t_DdpHXjvdoBknnz/s1600/2015-05-24+08.43.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxcOAu2yvX2o7JpdpH3MwaGgkn0Dg9IcygQ7ywZg2f7rSN2MgcZgWfS75jzBrTVTrxiNH2SkDJ1OnqsE5wK7NV1YsrZV4qp85zApuFEDlW5DvOJMMs62W61fX-3N8t_DdpHXjvdoBknnz/s320/2015-05-24+08.43.41.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Our meal started with a pastry selection. On our first day in paradise I chose the ribbon pastry sprinkled with sugar. By yesterday's dinner I had already decided not to count the calories lest my heart stop from the shock of knowing how much I ate. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yWehjlN18v6ulw9u9uKSwo1wLY519gkwYi8eY1nvaju5qZE6i2oPp4ZgDS1ccSiOyoTUCiQKUIUPNOI7OK0cjA0j0g2fhSNcvOoH_zhD6bKf7NRddmg2YloA8TF5BO9JQTA2Jeb6H-AP/s1600/2015-05-24+08.44.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yWehjlN18v6ulw9u9uKSwo1wLY519gkwYi8eY1nvaju5qZE6i2oPp4ZgDS1ccSiOyoTUCiQKUIUPNOI7OK0cjA0j0g2fhSNcvOoH_zhD6bKf7NRddmg2YloA8TF5BO9JQTA2Jeb6H-AP/s320/2015-05-24+08.44.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thankfully, there are detox juices to prevent your heart from actually working. I got the Exotic Greens with spinach, cactus and a bunch of other goodies while hubby got the Tulum featuring fruits of the tropics like pineapple and guava. Both tasted really good, but the Exotic Greens had just the right balance of sweet and savory.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyX1-Qhs7v1cKY7EnWGsmDjWPdr-706t0mY1KAavdJI8-ygu5Ia4T5xx6WonpWMuJR74FMS6aofKytNzIUv2vWCJdxLuxZ3rSUG57a9GM6totqHLk6oScCzC4fbut7YM27zTQaStqFZAr/s1600/2015-05-24+08.54.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyX1-Qhs7v1cKY7EnWGsmDjWPdr-706t0mY1KAavdJI8-ygu5Ia4T5xx6WonpWMuJR74FMS6aofKytNzIUv2vWCJdxLuxZ3rSUG57a9GM6totqHLk6oScCzC4fbut7YM27zTQaStqFZAr/s320/2015-05-24+08.54.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Mayan Eggs</div>
<br />
For breakfast, I got the Mayan Eggs just because it sounded exotic. But I was pretty disappointed to find out it was actually just scrambled eggs with Chaya (kind of like Mexican spinach), plus a side of beans and avocado. I had to ask for a bottle of ketchup to down the flavorless eggs. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLF842RK4xKM17pdjFczKD0EnwXKaDS5SvCeLkvgZXCLE6UORedlQpfohdG_wCx8Cb9k1r1rLaB2_Yb-pd7iOKkqQR_5WlPKkjvpOzKI48zHQk5RA1irujMxB4CZ4fW0Bc21RRNfOPOvY/s1600/2015-05-24+08.54.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLF842RK4xKM17pdjFczKD0EnwXKaDS5SvCeLkvgZXCLE6UORedlQpfohdG_wCx8Cb9k1r1rLaB2_Yb-pd7iOKkqQR_5WlPKkjvpOzKI48zHQk5RA1irujMxB4CZ4fW0Bc21RRNfOPOvY/s320/2015-05-24+08.54.30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Mexican Crepe</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Hubby got the Mexican crepe, stuffed with pumpkin flower and huitlacoche with pablano chips, which tasted a lot better than mine. It was at once creamy and tangy inside, with the flowers adding a touch of sweetness to the otherwise cheesy filling.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIHoTYnAQHrjvZqI9togWGTk9uh13snSrElhFs4bCXTWSIwSuqdnL2uBftzPEkL4pnm8tGSBkwr2hDCnqKYAGkDtgQcCKgvwtKNb7utdODt7RimHeeHtY9Zl78HsvAnkbH3Bi_UrDshrM/s1600/2015-05-24+08.54.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIHoTYnAQHrjvZqI9togWGTk9uh13snSrElhFs4bCXTWSIwSuqdnL2uBftzPEkL4pnm8tGSBkwr2hDCnqKYAGkDtgQcCKgvwtKNb7utdODt7RimHeeHtY9Zl78HsvAnkbH3Bi_UrDshrM/s320/2015-05-24+08.54.34.jpg" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYstxf2VWhRoVI_N7r6BVDo162njjLCDRFQX_BP3uOJSuuLlTt9VUN2gbr1e63oq87xT0mVu3giCKpNfKemHxKm5EXV-oZ9V01phKq98mJKRKWQUDgDNDiGSm-YGWW2_JDSY6jxuBm_wn/s1600/2015-05-24+08.54.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYstxf2VWhRoVI_N7r6BVDo162njjLCDRFQX_BP3uOJSuuLlTt9VUN2gbr1e63oq87xT0mVu3giCKpNfKemHxKm5EXV-oZ9V01phKq98mJKRKWQUDgDNDiGSm-YGWW2_JDSY6jxuBm_wn/s320/2015-05-24+08.54.38.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
After our hearty breakfast, we decided to walk it off. Somewhere down the mile walk back to our room, we met this little guy.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LIo3nYMaCewd2O8mZHLYYNHL_VgnGH5PIjPJZcEyfPhEtOYDotgUCyCNSC6gpR4fEAwZWga-2m2LHliFKgdAWLjRyOc6jG94TIqrB5mmmVt9lD-oJRUZSctz1WGpkwqn1M1Vipfzw4OW/s1600/2015-05-24+12.48.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LIo3nYMaCewd2O8mZHLYYNHL_VgnGH5PIjPJZcEyfPhEtOYDotgUCyCNSC6gpR4fEAwZWga-2m2LHliFKgdAWLjRyOc6jG94TIqrB5mmmVt9lD-oJRUZSctz1WGpkwqn1M1Vipfzw4OW/s320/2015-05-24+12.48.13.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Apparently there are also crocodiles in the area too, since the resort is built around a real cenote. We walked a bit faster after seeing this sign.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-KvYzCYeSmBbUM7Nb5dcGUSRwutiw1HrdBbgUEC1d8RdFp_WThSGk4EA2KbKPQvWCWtL9gxK0bL_M9X9OW0gbTyevnGchcWhXiIBTAD1NYI3v8_qrWzpmf3PKR6j5Djf2pltLXmBIyD6/s1600/2015-05-24+09.29.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-KvYzCYeSmBbUM7Nb5dcGUSRwutiw1HrdBbgUEC1d8RdFp_WThSGk4EA2KbKPQvWCWtL9gxK0bL_M9X9OW0gbTyevnGchcWhXiIBTAD1NYI3v8_qrWzpmf3PKR6j5Djf2pltLXmBIyD6/s320/2015-05-24+09.29.30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When we got back, we found a little Muslin rag doll at the door handle. I had to take a picture of it because it was just so darn cute - the uniform is exactly the ones that the staff wears at the resort. I almost thought it was a joke but realized later that it's actually housekeeping telling you that they are inside. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuesWMPRb-czsf3Zgh4jVBtSQpTEpGElRzZV5yJeTCF8ZCpKciNiqqTWudx6HjMcZ_lV0MFhTFZuiK6VpxUj_HAKMSm7oobqUcm3WnO7Se5ak7PE_S-yvnYyN4uh00XcXuI_AcCyCvOjk/s1600/2015-05-24+12.50.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuesWMPRb-czsf3Zgh4jVBtSQpTEpGElRzZV5yJeTCF8ZCpKciNiqqTWudx6HjMcZ_lV0MFhTFZuiK6VpxUj_HAKMSm7oobqUcm3WnO7Se5ak7PE_S-yvnYyN4uh00XcXuI_AcCyCvOjk/s320/2015-05-24+12.50.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So. Cute.</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-73018493510151566872015-06-02T14:49:00.001-04:002015-06-02T14:49:12.894-04:00Welcome to Paradise<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">When we think of the word paradise, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?</span><br />
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
Does it look something like this?<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVPDs54jTDhDDeSUeqPSXO1yypeRE6SOk7xAwYX0ZKuWayrqs3NjglpUFquuWGdPQMW4XiU82Cfew9WcebQyNx2k6NNZEmwWRBFYMyTtuz-Rw1hXOIKs5U1CvMb6WQoWCIAqEYqmKHIMK/s1600/2015-05-28+12.19.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVPDs54jTDhDDeSUeqPSXO1yypeRE6SOk7xAwYX0ZKuWayrqs3NjglpUFquuWGdPQMW4XiU82Cfew9WcebQyNx2k6NNZEmwWRBFYMyTtuz-Rw1hXOIKs5U1CvMb6WQoWCIAqEYqmKHIMK/s320/2015-05-28+12.19.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
Or how about this?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_j-RlaBOTFTOXR63LkweleTaXQorXhvc2f9qZpGLWy55DwlQ9bOnTm1NggInsqQWC9cmXZEklK5ZQuUiL7rLCqr2UYz-CaPRLCntFi9HlbAgz-6pGtdCq9QW7uFPgoWpezeKkQWZlVLU/s1600/2015-05-31+08.56.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_j-RlaBOTFTOXR63LkweleTaXQorXhvc2f9qZpGLWy55DwlQ9bOnTm1NggInsqQWC9cmXZEklK5ZQuUiL7rLCqr2UYz-CaPRLCntFi9HlbAgz-6pGtdCq9QW7uFPgoWpezeKkQWZlVLU/s320/2015-05-31+08.56.20.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
If it does my friend, then you’d be mighty jealous of my vacation this year. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
We all know that material things cannot fulfill our desires for spiritual enlightenment, but since we’re stuck on this sad planet for the duration for a lifetime, we might as well enjoy a sliver of paradise on earth.</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
So this year for vacay, hubby and I went to the Riviera-Maya, home of the ancient Mayans. I’ve always been intrigued by their existence as a civilization. Their astronomical discoveries were almost unprecedented at the time, not to mention their admirable statues and creations.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6J59u__T1xWMVl97cuo-UDPNYlaE3O4HS94APYgtQXK5FuhReXlIOnS8xo5xatlYcekRaGuCq-Iurlk_AerybTYsfey0a6IEeQ6putrlLaEmhpJTpXkZzZcCtDbSAeUslFae2awCiMrV1/s1600/2015-05-26+13.41.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6J59u__T1xWMVl97cuo-UDPNYlaE3O4HS94APYgtQXK5FuhReXlIOnS8xo5xatlYcekRaGuCq-Iurlk_AerybTYsfey0a6IEeQ6putrlLaEmhpJTpXkZzZcCtDbSAeUslFae2awCiMrV1/s320/2015-05-26+13.41.53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
The home of the Mayans is now home to a plethora of resorts scattered along the beach.</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
The people here are friendly and always eager to help you (though not without compensation albeit). Upon arrival at Cancun International Airport, we quickly found the taxi company that we ordered online (you can do this beforehand) to take us to our resort.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NyDfJ8AkuCmA5F77yoHpYq8ICy_DqzslfkWkCzbpr7urYqSjxlP7CCcygDEbZpUQDhJjOU1Wg4btvDcMwW5IgJ0yN5kxgri5JhYFbl0wbmD-mIUyWc_pHajmBHavlSh3pqRzhyphenhyphenb4oYqL/s1600/2015-05-25+10.19.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NyDfJ8AkuCmA5F77yoHpYq8ICy_DqzslfkWkCzbpr7urYqSjxlP7CCcygDEbZpUQDhJjOU1Wg4btvDcMwW5IgJ0yN5kxgri5JhYFbl0wbmD-mIUyWc_pHajmBHavlSh3pqRzhyphenhyphenb4oYqL/s640/2015-05-25+10.19.02.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
I marvelled at the size of the gates of some of the resorts. Some were grandiose, while others were modern chic. I wondered what our resort would hold in sight. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
When we arrived though, I had to do a double-take, because it either looked like a secret getaway or a super shabby hotel. Thankfully, it was the former. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
The Blue Diamond is an uber secluded resort nestled in the heart of beach lane. We were greeted with sweet nectar and a one-bite treat upon check-in. This was when I knew that we were going to go back 5 pounds heavier.</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWzCuDIR8UC9imCCAAQDs04yIRdrIDvu4uWGvNvcBB_diZM-M7E0Ar1evD9gKj8Yd9ted5jf16KIp9qmet3Gjpe7k997YiIVGnWH5whrR9q-Pez69YVtQ4YfvwJ5T8EP-C8CVioahWfio/s1600/2015-05-23+13.09.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWzCuDIR8UC9imCCAAQDs04yIRdrIDvu4uWGvNvcBB_diZM-M7E0Ar1evD9gKj8Yd9ted5jf16KIp9qmet3Gjpe7k997YiIVGnWH5whrR9q-Pez69YVtQ4YfvwJ5T8EP-C8CVioahWfio/s320/2015-05-23+13.09.58.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
During the cart ride to our suite, our driver explained to us all the amenities at this all-adult, all-exclusive resort - basically everything you could possibly want is available at the touch of a button, and they encourage you to ring them whenever you are in need. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
What awaited us was something I’d never imagine in a million years (okay not true, just didn’t expect it to be like that). A bottle of champaign was already waiting for us (too bad we don’t drink) to take in with the breathtaking view of the natural cenote (Spanish for a sinking well) that marked the authenticity of this hotel as a Mayan getaway. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
Our rooms were not only spacious, they had ceiling-to-floor windows in the main living space and the bathroom. Plus they had a scale in the bathroom, which is perfect for tracking your weight during the soon-to-come binge eating.</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
The resort had 3 restaurant - Ceviche which were open for breakfast and lunch, Aquamarine which was open for all three meals, and Amber that was open for dinner only. None of the restaurants are buffets, much to my liking, as those of you who know me I have a thing against buffets. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
We decided to grab a late-lunch at Ceviche, which consisted of small-plate tapas. I ordered a cheese fingers which never materialized, but what I got instead - the BBQ chicken - was even better. We were amazed that even the small-sized tapas were a. not small that small and b. artfully decorated.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vL50XJnlAUwUE70TRClIjqSkGsb1tdlokbCnonL_uila2oXouKnwOf9yu9_c2LEouK2I-C_cQj4T7_eqfm6C7mil4CovM8LD_ym-SIstnVJUCVguhtuyelaNJIJ0q4NwD05LWIiR4whl/s1600/2015-05-23+19.21.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vL50XJnlAUwUE70TRClIjqSkGsb1tdlokbCnonL_uila2oXouKnwOf9yu9_c2LEouK2I-C_cQj4T7_eqfm6C7mil4CovM8LD_ym-SIstnVJUCVguhtuyelaNJIJ0q4NwD05LWIiR4whl/s320/2015-05-23+19.21.48.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
After an info session at the concierge where we we signed up for some activities at the resort, we learned that the night was a Grill Night at Ceviche (since Amber was closed for a private reception that night).</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu81aBrEFdJAzj7BjhoStnhm_qY6JtYUqkosDEIuKRRWABAV9cXqDkQBtYb7i3RlQdHBc7z3Rua9jLjPdfpHv4CmITmR_6FWqkzzlVLOLTidIzzQ9GsWh5h-wos1i5aSexqiQbZEjCEVd/s1600/2015-05-23+19.32.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu81aBrEFdJAzj7BjhoStnhm_qY6JtYUqkosDEIuKRRWABAV9cXqDkQBtYb7i3RlQdHBc7z3Rua9jLjPdfpHv4CmITmR_6FWqkzzlVLOLTidIzzQ9GsWh5h-wos1i5aSexqiQbZEjCEVd/s320/2015-05-23+19.32.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There was a wide selection of breads that accompanied our meal. Hubby was albeit a bit embarrassed when I took a picture of the bread offerings before deciding on the garlic knot that resembled a cinnamon raison pastry.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJ2UXyMdSW737c_O07OxEcRZn_qCRliJlo7TPGTFFDR-_j-xxsQdaTltWup4BzQrRCRVJdWmm5YWRDWaSCV4kuVlUNSTeFQ3a1jICUimNQH5ZIvsYLtEtANWRiCB_rC1vnDvKs-tltYJY/s1600/2015-05-23+19.33.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJ2UXyMdSW737c_O07OxEcRZn_qCRliJlo7TPGTFFDR-_j-xxsQdaTltWup4BzQrRCRVJdWmm5YWRDWaSCV4kuVlUNSTeFQ3a1jICUimNQH5ZIvsYLtEtANWRiCB_rC1vnDvKs-tltYJY/s320/2015-05-23+19.33.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Garlic knot bread</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
Hubby ordered the beef flank steak well-done, which I got the sea scallops and shrimp brochette. He got a side of vegetable brochette and the black pepper demigrace, while I got the sweet corn and the roquefort sauce.</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
As we watched the crimson skies, our bread plate came. It was an assortment of artisan breads. Hubby got a cheese bun while I got a garlic one that resembled a cinnamon bun. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
For starters, I got the potato salad with bacon and honey mustard dressing, while hubby got the arugula and apple salad with grapefruit vinaigrette and seeds (he actually ordered another salad but this was just as good).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ySxIAP_z0nd_QsLVfmW6rae13u1twq4YmWjZEUk54l7lTtp0IrB8K50TlLzMhv8Fta-g8QnYJpmVv6H-ntxZxA-F6nEUqIg8dhRihgfGuVxToJ3P0w1BDloaZDe_XnNqEfiMu1NLQjBT/s1600/2015-05-23+19.34.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ySxIAP_z0nd_QsLVfmW6rae13u1twq4YmWjZEUk54l7lTtp0IrB8K50TlLzMhv8Fta-g8QnYJpmVv6H-ntxZxA-F6nEUqIg8dhRihgfGuVxToJ3P0w1BDloaZDe_XnNqEfiMu1NLQjBT/s320/2015-05-23+19.34.36.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1qIQzaPEyzNQ3CrCu1MybRw9nC7iUGObQHigk5Zlck8c2zJYhAs60SXAFGtiDQz948tCWh1qWPZvfYcrIUTQIra7nMz8_AW5QPWS7nlcHFx7ikhFiqxEt4oXW1e2OPGdQsLuJG8cTxbp/s1600/2015-05-23+19.35.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1qIQzaPEyzNQ3CrCu1MybRw9nC7iUGObQHigk5Zlck8c2zJYhAs60SXAFGtiDQz948tCWh1qWPZvfYcrIUTQIra7nMz8_AW5QPWS7nlcHFx7ikhFiqxEt4oXW1e2OPGdQsLuJG8cTxbp/s320/2015-05-23+19.35.41.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Arugula and Apple Salad </span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
The potato were done just how I like it - not to soft with just the right enough chew to get the full flavor of the honey mustard. Hubby’s salad was pretty good, with the seeds complementing the soft (hopefully not canned) mandarin oranges and grapefruit. </div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
But the main course was the most unforgettable part. My shrimp and scallop skewers were done just right - with the tenderness of the scallops and the chewiness of the shrimp, complemented with roasted onions and peppers. The corn was pretty sweet and juicy as advertised. My only complaint was that the portion was pretty small for even me, let along people who can actually eat. Also the roquefort sauce didn’t contribute to anything because it was salty and the seafood already had enough flavor.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX_PHHh9X1vZAOXm4lUkx0k9NChm7l-xa26BAM8-owp24bh79xXq3a53VkJmoiul2JXmcSeaMz9PPbUigYYJjYXNo8WMKrjem5jfoArMzKgoKUs6U_1qKg7yWXG4MWgk5RNsU8HmzqU98/s1600/2015-05-23+19.55.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX_PHHh9X1vZAOXm4lUkx0k9NChm7l-xa26BAM8-owp24bh79xXq3a53VkJmoiul2JXmcSeaMz9PPbUigYYJjYXNo8WMKrjem5jfoArMzKgoKUs6U_1qKg7yWXG4MWgk5RNsU8HmzqU98/s320/2015-05-23+19.55.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Shrimp and Scallop Skewer</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
Hubby’s beef flank - well, what I can say? It was out of this world. The meat was marinated to the ninth degree, with the juiced oozing out with intense flavor. This was perhaps the most tender well-done flank I’ve ever had. Compliments to the chef for getting it right in one shot.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdbCuSwbIKKo-PW8MeMdBGSfg74fqtsn4gvXk0es9qToRQva0L-eES-b-B6IjNkJaFyPIGbxIx64WQ55CX_vBslqGTSK0vM6EpNvOR1hlcp3OOmuWF9f3LNpddDyEb0umthvOG9naJ6nI/s1600/2015-05-23+19.55.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdbCuSwbIKKo-PW8MeMdBGSfg74fqtsn4gvXk0es9qToRQva0L-eES-b-B6IjNkJaFyPIGbxIx64WQ55CX_vBslqGTSK0vM6EpNvOR1hlcp3OOmuWF9f3LNpddDyEb0umthvOG9naJ6nI/s400/2015-05-23+19.55.48.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Beef Flank</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-hfQbLeXTMwjL_L7tehF0eixiwU6TwYajfOndSq7-Dazlh2J4-Mk8X30_58QTsiLvOxjPl4Ss6NMJCRAcEvlJ0vIJV5z7QlqHBkwXyZKARBPEeD73d7PR6gl59Wqm_vcHI1alSLa-Vg8/s1600/2015-05-23+20.27.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>For desert, I got the fruit tart while hubby got the apple pie, which was as creative in design as it was in taste.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-hfQbLeXTMwjL_L7tehF0eixiwU6TwYajfOndSq7-Dazlh2J4-Mk8X30_58QTsiLvOxjPl4Ss6NMJCRAcEvlJ0vIJV5z7QlqHBkwXyZKARBPEeD73d7PR6gl59Wqm_vcHI1alSLa-Vg8/s1600/2015-05-23+20.27.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-hfQbLeXTMwjL_L7tehF0eixiwU6TwYajfOndSq7-Dazlh2J4-Mk8X30_58QTsiLvOxjPl4Ss6NMJCRAcEvlJ0vIJV5z7QlqHBkwXyZKARBPEeD73d7PR6gl59Wqm_vcHI1alSLa-Vg8/s320/2015-05-23+20.27.38.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Apple Pie<br />
<br />
My tart was a bit mechanical, with the usual setup of tropical fruits on a pre-assembled tart, drizzled with butter sauce. Hubby’s apple pie was a bit more creative with a handmade granola base and vanilla ice cream on the side.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFwO-jgNNDpHbZto7_0OabfKeL8uU_BbpeVfgrhuJhR1S-PtmZ4Z3zRfN6f7Z8RDAcsbsYvXB3qWrEilXN-3bBOzGy51oxcQlZE1rPKL6KfxhzalEl7CqpzkGRsKNp5F7-TXQpepDozq1/s1600/2015-05-23+20.27.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFwO-jgNNDpHbZto7_0OabfKeL8uU_BbpeVfgrhuJhR1S-PtmZ4Z3zRfN6f7Z8RDAcsbsYvXB3qWrEilXN-3bBOzGy51oxcQlZE1rPKL6KfxhzalEl7CqpzkGRsKNp5F7-TXQpepDozq1/s320/2015-05-23+20.27.32.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Fruit tart</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
It was a shame that we couldn’t have any tequila or margueritas (we don’t drink…dry as corn), or else the evening would have been even sweeter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOze7UTGZY5i3phSs_ItUXyycrsASr9CG1JLDPIQm9oiOuVQpPsuSUp7gmaLN6aCWENzGKi6K-vHVEyFExkDmNNjPosht0ZFk1x54IZ7Ij1el-RCFjo6qUB1pOXkBW8THWjP7eYj6WQO_e/s1600/2015-05-23+19.25.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOze7UTGZY5i3phSs_ItUXyycrsASr9CG1JLDPIQm9oiOuVQpPsuSUp7gmaLN6aCWENzGKi6K-vHVEyFExkDmNNjPosht0ZFk1x54IZ7Ij1el-RCFjo6qUB1pOXkBW8THWjP7eYj6WQO_e/s320/2015-05-23+19.25.38.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
The view of the pier and the falling sun was a perfect way to mark the end of our first day in paradise. </div>
</div>
</div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-81218080102391015202015-05-27T17:25:00.002-04:002015-05-27T17:25:58.412-04:00Nevermind….we’ll stay<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Due to popular demand, I have decided to keep this food blog. A couple of ardent fans were not pleased with the just-pictures format for the other food blog, and wanted me to continue this one. I didn’t think my narratives were up-to-par, but I guess the adokableness got to them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">So here I am - back in the bloggersphere with new food adventures to satisfy your palate. Hope you enjoy!</span><br />
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<br /></div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-40725268254069311222015-03-16T13:39:00.000-04:002015-03-16T13:39:07.483-04:00We've moved!Hi everyone, due to advances in technology (and de-evolution of the human mind), I've decided to move to a <a href="http://1mealaday.tumblr.com/">new blog site</a>. Hope you like it!InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-72304434942475619322014-05-26T23:33:00.000-04:002014-05-26T23:33:24.036-04:00Viva Brazilia...in Argentina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Two weeks ago I visited Argentina for the first time. It was my first time in South America, and although the atmosphere is definitely different than North America, I felt pretty much at home.</div>
<br />
For one, the streets are pretty wide and clean and the people are friendly. More importantly, their food quality surpasses that of our country, especially when it comes to steaks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAXqFcZ6ihx2eqk7oFQTu5uj5X-q6BbdINST4pQud_UTkfT2Of9E3v2X_fjWEN0gAxRRz27n5mTyQCG1AkGLhjazJ7-VZvh-h020MABuoEUiJkPolF6P5SH12gQjRyg7D0WBbgKpRcVra/s1600/2014-05-11+11.50.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAXqFcZ6ihx2eqk7oFQTu5uj5X-q6BbdINST4pQud_UTkfT2Of9E3v2X_fjWEN0gAxRRz27n5mTyQCG1AkGLhjazJ7-VZvh-h020MABuoEUiJkPolF6P5SH12gQjRyg7D0WBbgKpRcVra/s1600/2014-05-11+11.50.46.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We visited a Brazilian-style steakhouse by the river front (near the metal statue of the lotus flower than can bloom now and then). It's a lovely restaurant that can house about 200 guests with a view of the river. We arrived around 11:45am, which was too early for their lunch at 12pm. Mind you, everything here runs late - most restaurants don't open until 8pm for dinner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGs33pCff2jPpC8cxAYtMQ1i8OnZWTDmXYq2rjGf_HU5j_GLyAgZJi4okgjdpojY6k02lCIGW9kN8cc4w051e5akUn2qXBL9aG9Ml6RHLqG61ExRQemNk3BlcaMKT84uAXSvKuG1lNjZkR/s1600/2014-05-11+11.51.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGs33pCff2jPpC8cxAYtMQ1i8OnZWTDmXYq2rjGf_HU5j_GLyAgZJi4okgjdpojY6k02lCIGW9kN8cc4w051e5akUn2qXBL9aG9Ml6RHLqG61ExRQemNk3BlcaMKT84uAXSvKuG1lNjZkR/s1600/2014-05-11+11.51.00.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7PkhvJlC3-9nWSztH_GJOUAzzacSA2y9wcH8YXlmqKc0oEu12yL_mr_sBVl0Cwamb2CPPVse4YJ5ZDc78FJTMH1PBb2y2EfqGSHiqN5zyyvxrvmKohrJLoTxwDScub50u_XWspCQuyk_/s1600/2014-05-11+11.50.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7PkhvJlC3-9nWSztH_GJOUAzzacSA2y9wcH8YXlmqKc0oEu12yL_mr_sBVl0Cwamb2CPPVse4YJ5ZDc78FJTMH1PBb2y2EfqGSHiqN5zyyvxrvmKohrJLoTxwDScub50u_XWspCQuyk_/s1600/2014-05-11+11.50.13.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
To start, you load up on appetizers. I was surprised by their vast selection of salads and antipastos. The quality of food here parallels that of Europeans, especially because there are so many European settlers here. Even the packaging reminds me of European products.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9C6E5oBvkQ5JZw4oVMh08fA6VjC23hyphenhyphenf5aQPSXKQPxqDvQzdqcZoZP4zqrcweT_saaQV7ctIgKc_5FUW8SHCZRd39fPXXdiqEP3SNXi6w082Sv_NyCkc7N1N6QwLS2WE82Rz7KSCK6cOf/s1600/2014-05-11+11.57.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9C6E5oBvkQ5JZw4oVMh08fA6VjC23hyphenhyphenf5aQPSXKQPxqDvQzdqcZoZP4zqrcweT_saaQV7ctIgKc_5FUW8SHCZRd39fPXXdiqEP3SNXi6w082Sv_NyCkc7N1N6QwLS2WE82Rz7KSCK6cOf/s1600/2014-05-11+11.57.15.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl78_dQgprZmnGBHSYde84xx1ohZMLBXs2CUJyH6gJZdCXZvwEIs6Cn2QaeHjd_6tcm8aHW6Gnpe45z0pCPbcm7RYMKNi9t15Wz5wMBJsJ8vxyD0pkkpsnwIjZ5kXZ21_yWc5_dGUQYMdF/s1600/2014-05-11+11.50.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl78_dQgprZmnGBHSYde84xx1ohZMLBXs2CUJyH6gJZdCXZvwEIs6Cn2QaeHjd_6tcm8aHW6Gnpe45z0pCPbcm7RYMKNi9t15Wz5wMBJsJ8vxyD0pkkpsnwIjZ5kXZ21_yWc5_dGUQYMdF/s1600/2014-05-11+11.50.08.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There's also a vast selection of breads and cheeses, but I suggest you save them for another day when you have less meat and more stomach to handle it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjLILLFqT73Hnx427mBw4C3_I30amrWYq3EncOyIY1lm6eZfgGET90NWzRWrffo6UeQhbeHfbD-d17SrXKGvDxorcnU2OEUfIK-5Yb_UWJV9S3ZqO8ospI9Wlh5EFMNuK0FJKH3B3_i4S/s1600/2014-05-11+12.04.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjLILLFqT73Hnx427mBw4C3_I30amrWYq3EncOyIY1lm6eZfgGET90NWzRWrffo6UeQhbeHfbD-d17SrXKGvDxorcnU2OEUfIK-5Yb_UWJV9S3ZqO8ospI9Wlh5EFMNuK0FJKH3B3_i4S/s1600/2014-05-11+12.04.03.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
It starts with a hot empanada. If you can, share with a friend because it is quite filling. They also put a piece of bread and a plate of fries on every table. Don't skimp on the fries because man are they good! (Granted, I might be quite biased towards them because of my fries-petish. But do try them with ketchup because their ketchup is more sweet than sour, so it has just the right amount of tang.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZU4bUsgXBek6IB3mVkABrkhUPEivfmEz5kuMQFRMb36STYRcrfMuSBiU16Pk-f114rqVslqBFbI_QCu43V5pejldVN1BAdmjYAwOVXP_Ic2bPtFG-DkWtKwNJA7Q24PfJF3TWXCT8EL_/s1600/2014-05-11+12.46.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZU4bUsgXBek6IB3mVkABrkhUPEivfmEz5kuMQFRMb36STYRcrfMuSBiU16Pk-f114rqVslqBFbI_QCu43V5pejldVN1BAdmjYAwOVXP_Ic2bPtFG-DkWtKwNJA7Q24PfJF3TWXCT8EL_/s1600/2014-05-11+12.46.13.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
After a long time (your stomach hopefully is still half-empty), the waiters come with stacks of meat. The first one is a sausage. Although our local host told us it wasn't the best part, I thought it was amazing. It was so juicy and marinated with flavor. You can taste the bits of meat that are ungrounded, making it crunchy and soft at once. It's best savored though with the bread that they put on your table, because the soft texture of the bread makes it an amped-up hot dog.<br />
<br />
Then came the beef, which I thought was good but cooked too well-done. Apparently the beef here is like that. Unfortunately I'm not much of a meat-lover so that didn't go well with me. There's also a course of chicken followed by a part of the beef (beef throat I think?) that I opted to do without.<br />
<br />
The lamb on the other hand was tender and juicy, braised in rosemary and dripping with oil and fat. So good. I should have saved my stomach for that but instead, I opted for the...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF5VECYwFyzJlT0cH2dfC2049eSCo5q9Br_XJf8RQcwSkQv3Pup0kkGimF2xV9W12Xql5SnExm1sU4_ZyPaeV9NjcuomSxrEwjaWU97hpbrYE4XG9EViVl2fAl5FbW7_4amQicURA-k5J/s1600/2014-05-11+13.09.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF5VECYwFyzJlT0cH2dfC2049eSCo5q9Br_XJf8RQcwSkQv3Pup0kkGimF2xV9W12Xql5SnExm1sU4_ZyPaeV9NjcuomSxrEwjaWU97hpbrYE4XG9EViVl2fAl5FbW7_4amQicURA-k5J/s1600/2014-05-11+13.09.05.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
...best course of the day - ice cream in a waffle cone! While people say that you should fill up on their beef, I say their ice cream is the real deal. It's so creamy soft but not as sugary as American ice cream so you can actually taste the flavor of the cream. The candied nuts they sprinkle on top is a perfect complement to the soft creamy flavors.<br />
<br />
The best part of this meal is the price. For less than $30/person you can enjoy unlimited meat and delicious salads, and let's not forget the ice cream.<br />
<br />InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-9430213094108467882014-05-24T11:52:00.004-04:002014-05-24T11:53:00.623-04:00Apple-blehsMy impression of Applebee's has always been pretty positive up until my recent visit at the Brooklyn Atlantic mall.<br />
<br />
It was pretty late at night when we arrived, and the place was bustling with people. The bar was packed but there were some empty tables.<br />
<br />
We'd made a reservation but still had to wait about 20 minutes before getting a seat, and that's after pestering (and getting kicked out) by the hostess 3 times. She went as far as literally shooing me away from her stand. I later read on Yelp that many people documented her bad attitude as the number one reason not to visit the place.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz5eWvqwNF_rdMoiTz2luBDueE60xi7tREJzIXOIbDR6hhU-YgyKeiWdn89M4XV2QvaN9ScfznMhDJRJF9hcfArITqOiULFY2maiQvxtHdM0k96Vk_f7AvVWxT29xSwkFWw6alnpBCabz/s1600/2014-05-13+21.56.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz5eWvqwNF_rdMoiTz2luBDueE60xi7tREJzIXOIbDR6hhU-YgyKeiWdn89M4XV2QvaN9ScfznMhDJRJF9hcfArITqOiULFY2maiQvxtHdM0k96Vk_f7AvVWxT29xSwkFWw6alnpBCabz/s1600/2014-05-13+21.56.24.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We ordered the $20 special which was one appetizer and two entrees. Hubby and I ordered the spinach cheese dip and his parent ordered the mozzarella sticks. My parents ordered a soup and a shrimp pasta.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBYdE06XGGUnPG-Nso1PeetzyV2VjdRiI8JNHFx50ZtxscHfVVkDrkYFdP0Qi2CO0IKhInMOHxbzyIpQwG6ewAqiaP76MpWYoxF3jZJr5DJs0V5vq5UsHuDnG85It2g4c1mRekAHaEgaa/s1600/2014-05-13+21.56.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBYdE06XGGUnPG-Nso1PeetzyV2VjdRiI8JNHFx50ZtxscHfVVkDrkYFdP0Qi2CO0IKhInMOHxbzyIpQwG6ewAqiaP76MpWYoxF3jZJr5DJs0V5vq5UsHuDnG85It2g4c1mRekAHaEgaa/s1600/2014-05-13+21.56.26.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The service was pretty slow. When the chips finally came, I was shocked to see the small portion. Compared to the(exact same) one we ordered at an Applebee's in NJ this was not comparable. Plus the chips tasted stale, to the point of unchewable. The dip was way too creamy, not enough cheese.<br />
<br />
Mozzarella sticks were okay on the bland side, nothing memorable.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwk0OfJlN2fUeq6gNQyLbIGO3zOPN1x11JqMRBQ1AjG-zBgEvbmPzTHXhInURYyUyBrd59K4Gx_BKmpzCdpbjFwXXZyP5QUcZ3YVgEmWx-C9k74MPKzzCc5OZspMKpxAIBQV4VMDaFLEFr/s1600/2014-05-13+21.57.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwk0OfJlN2fUeq6gNQyLbIGO3zOPN1x11JqMRBQ1AjG-zBgEvbmPzTHXhInURYyUyBrd59K4Gx_BKmpzCdpbjFwXXZyP5QUcZ3YVgEmWx-C9k74MPKzzCc5OZspMKpxAIBQV4VMDaFLEFr/s1600/2014-05-13+21.57.07.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The soup size was pint-sized for babies, making me think whether I should complain.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rHsttrZwepqrvK4FAqqyP1Ydv3zvpDf3OKjYlnwrPyR79mwDcvxJmlm0PmumsySzZZowCCxDMmGk0wK1tELD8nsRn8CVty3ve6-CkXXThQwgQ3aXll2DBbUei3hIW-M2nRxSMudYbfNq/s1600/2014-05-13+22.15.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rHsttrZwepqrvK4FAqqyP1Ydv3zvpDf3OKjYlnwrPyR79mwDcvxJmlm0PmumsySzZZowCCxDMmGk0wK1tELD8nsRn8CVty3ve6-CkXXThQwgQ3aXll2DBbUei3hIW-M2nRxSMudYbfNq/s1600/2014-05-13+22.15.00.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
My chicken salad was probably the best thing on the menu, it actually tasted okay. There were generous amounts of chicken, albeit left-overs from the chicken and fries dish.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0R6frE9X9hZ_EE8zPdLYP9h7doXk54i8bMckgV9caLnHcJV9M67I93hyanPTRy0u9i1GzvmVZK8WLzbeLMb3VHiy9EGj-dNwh24sALxbGzjJpsUfoyCc9EIw36v3sDfQRZ49FaP09nZE/s1600/2014-05-13+22.15.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0R6frE9X9hZ_EE8zPdLYP9h7doXk54i8bMckgV9caLnHcJV9M67I93hyanPTRy0u9i1GzvmVZK8WLzbeLMb3VHiy9EGj-dNwh24sALxbGzjJpsUfoyCc9EIw36v3sDfQRZ49FaP09nZE/s1600/2014-05-13+22.15.43.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The shrimp fettucini tasted too milky for some reason. There weren't enough flavors other than that of steamed milk which I didn't enjoy at all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSn5r_iftXZRBPiXKgHjjVgXOwzSeGHxIxVjRot1VSP7XcxIRVhB4eFMi-xrKZkJJL5CHmLRCWVc9WcH-YTrL2E18jDrOtIPGmUUBReYtEH37OAOwG3PMCDHe7di537370SEHHaOus4Hu/s1600/2014-05-13+22.16.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSn5r_iftXZRBPiXKgHjjVgXOwzSeGHxIxVjRot1VSP7XcxIRVhB4eFMi-xrKZkJJL5CHmLRCWVc9WcH-YTrL2E18jDrOtIPGmUUBReYtEH37OAOwG3PMCDHe7di537370SEHHaOus4Hu/s1600/2014-05-13+22.16.47.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Chicken and fries were your standard fare. I'm sure other restaurants have better renditions.<br />
<br />
Hubby's burger looked like a poor attempt at McDonald's, with the patty falling out of the buns. The fries were meh, overcooked with too much oil.<br />
<br />
All and all, worst meal at Applebee's I've ever experienced, I hope this experience won't deter me from coming back...ever again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
$$<br />
<br />
Reservations needed in advance on weekends<br />
<br />
<b>Applebee's</b><br />
Atlantic Mall, BrooklynInLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-4883161042963462462014-05-23T19:30:00.001-04:002014-05-23T19:31:01.270-04:00New Bang's Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an effort to catch-up on the last five months, I’m going to try working backwards, starting with recent food adventures and traveling back in time.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s not the most conventional way to do things, but you’re going to have to put up with my time travels =)</span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week when the parents came for a visit, I was craving Korean food. So I Yelped my way thru NJ and found an home-cooking joint called New Bang Kitchen. It’s a funny name because in Korean Bang means room, so it’s like New Room Kitchen. Or maybe Bang is someone’s name. It also made me wonder if there was an Old Bang's Kitchen before it.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrived around 1pm on a Sunday, but there were hardly any guests. The front door sported a Satisfactory sign, which made it look a little sketchy. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCiC5_nQVb0cnq3ab1surqRugDJatENXOpmvNj-Cz49hTayr-XvXhZ54wVrrKLD7zy3R8hzxupx5ym4DUz9jnRi1KU_vRAoHmhXdFe3snk4vm_PaO-C_BwtKnznqNRsC4Vbgs6hwIxT6I/s1600/2014-05-18+13.03.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCiC5_nQVb0cnq3ab1surqRugDJatENXOpmvNj-Cz49hTayr-XvXhZ54wVrrKLD7zy3R8hzxupx5ym4DUz9jnRi1KU_vRAoHmhXdFe3snk4vm_PaO-C_BwtKnznqNRsC4Vbgs6hwIxT6I/s1600/2014-05-18+13.03.12.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nonetheless, we walked into an old school eatery that looks like someone’s kitchen. An ajumma greeted us and showed us the menu. I tried to ask her the special using my broken Korean, and she suggested us to order at least two orders of their famous black goat soup.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For four people, we ordered the seafood pancake, one order of black goat soup, and one samgyetang (ginseng chicken with stuffed sticky rice).</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The panchan that came in a loaded circular tray was plentiful, including their own kimchi marinated with green onions. It was refreshingly flavorful, with a burst of spiciness that left a sweet aftertaste. The soy beans were light and fresh, while the radish provided a good kick of spice. The grass jelly was all-right, though I’m not a fan of it. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglk4PwBbkmjfPIKSvK1kGFqsPd4keqpr_ktXjSJA2yQz8jbohRsRjaft6ATH8LgmUwt_K54ALy9kXgHRxQYgupnBQOMtpCRFnUYJkcmDDrsoSkipx9nIdx8HiL11PADoLFtLOuNIR6T3aJ/s1600/2014-05-18+13.21.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglk4PwBbkmjfPIKSvK1kGFqsPd4keqpr_ktXjSJA2yQz8jbohRsRjaft6ATH8LgmUwt_K54ALy9kXgHRxQYgupnBQOMtpCRFnUYJkcmDDrsoSkipx9nIdx8HiL11PADoLFtLOuNIR6T3aJ/s1600/2014-05-18+13.21.30.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next came the seafood pancake. It was huge and thick and piping hot. The ajumma cut it for us and left the rest. It was just the right amount of gooey-ness, with an abundance of seafood. The squid was cooked soft and chewy, which made it much more enjoyable. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJF0HuI9Ize0hEPM1yNdSuiWVDXnsrCJoslhBSLjAYolqtFQot03DmxRf-HyjcxSYGmbxebktxH5cyMhetAvCZ97GuqsN_J0oh217nN3lMOc_8iFjjiNvfkeg6jdYdLNvB3QmTyxH3IOV/s1600/2014-05-18+13.22.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJF0HuI9Ize0hEPM1yNdSuiWVDXnsrCJoslhBSLjAYolqtFQot03DmxRf-HyjcxSYGmbxebktxH5cyMhetAvCZ97GuqsN_J0oh217nN3lMOc_8iFjjiNvfkeg6jdYdLNvB3QmTyxH3IOV/s1600/2014-05-18+13.22.45.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I dipped mine in the spicy sauce, but it was too much laden with soy sauce that made it taste like a pancake drenched in soy sauce. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The samgyetang came with a young hen stuffed with sticky rice. The soup itself wasn’t flavorful, but that’s alright because my dad can’t eat spicy food. It comes with a dipping sauce for people who need an extra kick. This soup is good for the summer and for people recovering from colds, providing a boost of yang to the yin.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg461vnsFvMn4i4EnEhTJZ6ns8-IYKL3rhvRTQjGc5F4Nf1HcQq43LOceXMoMS9QDpz8ZdDeM12b4MVa_lxVGvWDXkA2m24asXUPVxSM0GjgP2lTsBpdMNyD_FkbLdNfH-v_4gJnmAyRRz0/s1600/2014-05-18+13.25.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg461vnsFvMn4i4EnEhTJZ6ns8-IYKL3rhvRTQjGc5F4Nf1HcQq43LOceXMoMS9QDpz8ZdDeM12b4MVa_lxVGvWDXkA2m24asXUPVxSM0GjgP2lTsBpdMNyD_FkbLdNfH-v_4gJnmAyRRz0/s1600/2014-05-18+13.25.56.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The black goat soup that Yelpers were raving about actually tastes more Middle-Eastern than Korean. There’s a medley of spices that make it strong, the biggest being something that tasted like parsley. I would have liked it better if they could lessen the spices and added more pepper to make the taste simpler. Nonetheless, hubby loved this dish and devoured it. The black goat soup comes with a dipping sauce with black seeds on it. I used the sauce for the chicken that was a bit bland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdSn1htSDM4Sonds8taCDVK4nfuPq3l2ByxPQhmAAP7qPCAtamgO2q2HSyJdu4MD5uao9gbhkcPKIeZ0V8qtvOa3dU_68V6U2Rj3ZhYHCE2v342laUHPBwpPay3ijDzFHStG4aRHAwRWg/s1600/2014-05-18+13.25.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdSn1htSDM4Sonds8taCDVK4nfuPq3l2ByxPQhmAAP7qPCAtamgO2q2HSyJdu4MD5uao9gbhkcPKIeZ0V8qtvOa3dU_68V6U2Rj3ZhYHCE2v342laUHPBwpPay3ijDzFHStG4aRHAwRWg/s1600/2014-05-18+13.25.59.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though we only ordered 3 dishes, it was enough for 4 people and then some. Both the black goat and chicken soup tastes great with rice. The black goat sauce tastes great with rice because its tangy and sweet, kind of like a Korean sweet + sour sauce.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiMJkamrsfl9aZnuByHhEkyZDaSk3H3YRKSfu1ZN4j2j6yQI2LYMa1v7qJ-iVqJH5y366BuyhTR7Um91sw-NGBBzWmyoxg78aNsGSBBfyORpTqT69aIURpCjcDLhU3J-bUH-FXPkn9Bfr/s1600/2014-05-18+13.33.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiMJkamrsfl9aZnuByHhEkyZDaSk3H3YRKSfu1ZN4j2j6yQI2LYMa1v7qJ-iVqJH5y366BuyhTR7Um91sw-NGBBzWmyoxg78aNsGSBBfyORpTqT69aIURpCjcDLhU3J-bUH-FXPkn9Bfr/s1600/2014-05-18+13.33.00.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, it was a pretty authentic meal. The ajummas kept on checking up on us (especially after hearing we weren’t Korean) to make sure we knew what we were doing. They refilled all the panchan that were empty, so we had a second helping of their delicious kimchee. The other patrons all seem to be regulars, as they greeted the ajummas pretty warmly. For 4 people, the tab came out to be $56 plus tips.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW76HxkRPbQXUA4zJfJcor1U5t4xqpCBV0JDhdgHu6-D3QgoBY3QwuWwJPHZXUGdFlLbjJEmAEIJAvG65p9SN_LsCWj_WZzQzY0_ao0xGugjTlzxzPh3d7xe2AWn1ylw14WtPbrj18dyjS/s1600/2014-05-18+13.27.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW76HxkRPbQXUA4zJfJcor1U5t4xqpCBV0JDhdgHu6-D3QgoBY3QwuWwJPHZXUGdFlLbjJEmAEIJAvG65p9SN_LsCWj_WZzQzY0_ao0xGugjTlzxzPh3d7xe2AWn1ylw14WtPbrj18dyjS/s1600/2014-05-18+13.27.50.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hubby said that although he thought the place was sketchy at first, he enjoyed the meal, which is rare because he rarely likes Korean food. Now that's a pretty good accomplishment - <span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4b4c; line-height: 22px;">수고하세요!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$$</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parties, babies-friendly</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Bang’s Kitchen</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1355 16th St</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fort Lee, NJ 07024</span></div>
InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-60448437225702523452013-11-14T20:19:00.005-05:002013-11-14T20:19:55.431-05:00Etsy - What Fate Has in Store for YouSo lately I've been busy (amongst other things) with the creation of a new business - <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ToutaFATE">Tout a Fate</a>.<br />
<br />
The idea came about when I met a friend who's into jewelry and design, and we decided to see where fate brings our ideas. Please take a look, and if you like what you see, support our shop and spread the word!<br />
<br />InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-39470808808411042342013-09-29T17:02:00.000-04:002013-09-29T17:02:00.459-04:00The Economics of Weight LossWeight loss is a huge topic for every health conscious person. Here's an <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/the-economics-weight-loss-12332172.html?cat=5">economic</a> perspective to effective dieting.InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-67837305467482902952013-09-28T17:00:00.004-04:002013-09-28T17:01:01.636-04:00Foolproof Hello Kitty MooncakesLast week was the Lunar Festival, and we made some foolproof <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/foolproof-hello-kitty-moon-cakes-12332902.html?cat=25">Hello Kitty moon cakes</a> to celebrate.<br />
<br />
<br />InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-71475775924636663492013-09-18T16:44:00.000-04:002013-09-23T22:35:30.589-04:005 Cheap and Delicious Flushing Street Snacks Under $1.50<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">Every time I visit Chinatown or Flushing, I can't help but stop at every food stall to savor the cheap, dirty but delicious street snacks. I've formed almost a habit now that I hit all my regular vendors in one trip. Here are my top <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/5-cheap-delicious-flushing-street-snacks-under-12309915.html?cat=25">all-time favorite street snacks</a> that you and your family will love. (It's also great for a fun and cheap date!) </span>InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8729062039977255192.post-58053207116012889722013-09-14T20:44:00.000-04:002013-09-14T20:44:00.917-04:00How to Lose 5 Pounds in a Week<span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: white;">We've all been in those situations before - your big event is in a week, and you've got to shed some weight to fit into that slim-fitting garment. I mean c'mon, this blog is about food. So here's how you can eat all you want, and get ready for that big event...<a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/how-lose-5-pounds-week-12297411.html?cat=5">fast</a>.</span></span>InLoveWithFoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17914070345345137425noreply@blogger.com0