Pipi’s Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Paola Fregoso the Owner’s Daughter Tells Us about the Menu and The History of Pipi’s Restaurant Puerto Vallarta

Pipi’s The Original is a Fun Place With Live Music and Big Margaritas

Puerto Vallarta Seeing an Influx of Tourists From The United States

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Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.

Pipi’s The Original Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant

La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.

This week we are celebrating food and fun and good times. We are going to Pipi’s, the Original Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta’s Downtown District. You will meet the lovely Paola Fregoso, daughter of the owner of Pipi’s where they warn you “don’t drink the water, drink the margaritas”…but before we get to Paola and Pipi’s, let’s see what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta the 2nd of April, 2021.

Contact information For Pipi’s The Original Puerto Vallarta

Tourism is Picking Up in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Things are hopping according to friends on the ground in Puerto Vallarta. The bars and restaurants and nightclubs are all open.

North Americans, tired of the long winter lockdowns, especially travelers from the golden state of California are flocking to Puerto Vallarta. Folks are feeling more secure and confident about traveling after being vaccinated as well as those who have already experienced the rona and are ready to get away.

I just looked over the costs of flights out of LAX for April and May and you can fly Delta or Alaska for under $300 US. Like bare bones for $265 per person round trip. So, this is great news for Californians but maybe we have some good news for our brethren in the locked down country to the north, Canadia, we’ll see if they mean it or just dangling a Maple leaf….

Air Canada Returns to Mexico

SANTINI BRACHO  26 MARCH 2021

After suspending flights, the airline will return starting with a flight from Toronto.

After suspending flights to summer destinations in January at the request of the Canadian government, Air Canada announced yesterday on its “current and upcoming routes” website that it will resume flights from Toronto to Mexico beginning Monday, May 3, with a weekly frequency. The summer schedule includes destinations to Mexico suspended from January 31 to April 30 at the government’s request to Air Transat, Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing airlines because of the new Covid-19 variants.

With Canada’s veto to all flights to Mexico, Mexico’s tourism had consequences, especially for destinations such as Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, two of the destinations par excellence for Canadian tourism. Additionally, Air Canada will fly from Toronto to other international beach destinations starting May 9 and will have a weekly flight to Jamaica starting May 5. “We have begun to ramp up our summer schedule as we normally do at this time of year and that includes resuming services to certain destinations that are seasonal or that were suspended due to Covid-19,” Air Canada reported.

Flights from the country called the maple leaf are not the strongest during the summer; however there are some that are maintained on weekends, according to trends in certain well-identified cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Montreal. Mexico’s tourism sector raised the alarm about the notable drop in tourism from Canada resulting in lost economic revenue for the business sector occurring for a prolonged period of time. Canadian tourism, after the United States, is one of the strongest sources of tourism revenue for thousands of service providers throughout the bay.

And I have a link to that Vallarta Today Article in the shownotes. Welcome back Canada! We hope!

https://www.vallartatoday.com/puerto-vallarta-headline-news/transportation/air-canada-returns-to-mexico

Daiquiri Dicks is Closing This Month?

Meet and Greet Location to Nacho Daddy

Word from JR is that he’s changing his Meet and Greet Location to Nacho Daddy beginning in May. So, I have dibs on his meet and greet this May 11th . I’ll be crashing his Meet and Greet with my microphones beginning at 6:30, and we will go till 8, so we can get out in time for a Vallarta Sunset.  Sunset is at 8:30 that Tuesday.

Meet and Greet at Nacho Daddy

By the way I’m going to be bringing you the meet and greet we had on the roof of La Traviata in a couple of weeks so stay tuned for that. And Michael and Becky, thanks for being at the meet and greet and I just mailed you some t-shirts. I hope they fit, and you too Reggie, be looking for your t-shirts in the mail too. So, don’t forget, if you are in town the beginning of May, stop in and participate in our open microphone Meet and Greet Podcast at Nacho Daddy, Tuesday May 11th from 6:30 till 8. Basilio Badillo 287 in The Emiliano Zapata Neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta. JR will be there, all properly

vaccinated and everything. And of course, JR will be there every Tuesday at 6:30 till the time changes again. And with that in mind get ready to set your clocks forward in Puerto Vallarta April 4th. In a couple of days this Sunday.

Puerto Vallarta Traffic Light Green Tier

Looks like traffic lights are a changing in Jalisco. The rona is on the decline so…from Tribuna de la Bahia Noticias…

Jalisco changes to a green traffic light in the middle of Holy Week

March 26, 2021

Jalisco and Nayarit change to green traffic lights according to the information released today by the undersecretary of health Hugo López Gatel. This supposes a low level of contagion risk in our entity, which will become an opportunity for the tourist destinations of Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit.

At the moment Puerto Vallarta operates with its own restrictions of the yellow traffic light , but it is to be expected that starting this Monday, the beginning of the Easter holiday period, these restrictions may be relaxed. There is still no reaction in this regard from the government of the state of Jalisco . Neither from the government of Nayarit.

The local hotel industry had projected to face the vacations that are about to start with 66% of its capacity , which could be modified to benefit the tourism industry.

The sector authorities had projected that during this holiday period some 50,000 people could arrive in VALLARTA as visitors, now with the green traffic light this number could skyrocket.

Tribuna De la Bahía and CPS NOTICIAS will be on the lookout for possible new instructions from state authorities.

I have a link to that article from Tribuna de la Bahia in the shownotes…

https://tribunadelabahia.com.mx/noticias/jalisco/jalisco-cambia-a-semaforo-verde-en-plena-semana-santa-44392?fbclid=IwAR3TPIPnNllPYHI4c4xKMrjEQGh0TNC7dRXXXrU2TOy5WbJhUMC18RQ7rPs

and we go from the green light to the brown light with this next story….

Beaches Close Due to Unsafe Bacteria Levels

From Tribuna de la Bahia….

In the middle of Easter holidays, health and civil protection authorities prohibited the recreational use of the most popular beaches in Puerto Vallarta: Los Muertos and Olas Altas, by failing the quality of sea water, finding over 200 enterococci for each 100 milliliters and that could put the health of bathers at risk.

Lifeguards and personnel from the Fire Department and Civil Protection of the city raised red flags on these beaches and have carried out a permanent operation to educate tourists and locals not to enter the sea.

Dr. Vladimir Atilano Barraza, director of the Sanitary Jurisdiction 8, declared that it is a multifactorial issue, where the Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks of the State of Jalisco, COPRISJAL, has carried out the corresponding investigations, take and measures.

THEY EXCEEDED THE LIMITS, THEY WILL ANALYZE THE WATER AGAIN

“COPRISJAL is the institution in charge of monitoring the ten beaches of this tourist spot, normally it is done periodically and when they go above 200 the measurement is not recommended for recreational activity” he stated.

He recalled that, in the measurement of March 5, it was when the limit was exceeded: “In which the investigation has always been implemented, of a multifactorial nature, and therefore there will be samples this week, both by Seapal Puerto Vallarta and by COPRISJAL , to test these beaches again and thus be able to give a better measurement ”.

The state official warned: “The recommendations issued by COPRISJAL is not to use it for recreational purposes until we obtain the corresponding measurements that we are going to do again.”

LIFEGUARDS MAKE BATHERS AWARE OF GETTING OUT OF THE WATER

He pointed out that these recommendations are made directly to the municipality, who have to see the priority measures on those beaches, he announced that they would take new tests to have a favorable result, probably next Wednesday.

For his part, Adrián Bobadilla, director of Civil Protection of the municipality, announced that they have already taken action on the matter, raising the red flag, explained that it warns of the danger, so as not to enter the water due to fauna or waves, and that in this case is for a health issue.

“This study was done at the beginning of March, we are going to request or our mayor is in that process, to see the possibilities of doing another study, to see if the conditions have already changed, we have to abide by the recommendation of the experts”, he pondered.

And he announced the measures: “Red flag, which is what the use of flags is for, and to be able to give recommendations to our bathers …. we have to be with the recommendations, emphasizing the conditions that the authority tells us, and on that we are going to see what decisions we make ”.

Commander Bobadilla warned that the social and civil responsibility of visitors and locals is important in this matter. He reiterated that they are working on their investigation, to give a better service and protection to the community.

This weekend, while touring the designated beaches, the CPS Noticias cameras verified personnel from this Civil Protection unit, persuading bathers to get out of the sea, which was visibly cloudy and with brown foam. They gathered by groups of people, to inform them of the situation, and most chose to stay in the sand and no longer swim.

And I have a link to that article again from Tribuna de la Bahia in the shownotes

Poo

https://tribunadelabahia.com.mx/noticias/puerto-vallarta/prohiben-en-vallarta-banarse-en-playa-de-los-muertos-y-olas-altas-44411?fbclid=IwAR3GnovEUDYA8MTlXjIniDLt3HPjWr2tameLokij5Dwkr0KCbhHPtrjcPSA

I never get in the water near the pier. Look, I know what you guys are doing. I watch. You drink, eat, lay on your back, flip over on your stomach, then you mozie on down to the waves, wade in, pretending to cool off, and take a wiz. I know what you’re doing…you ain’t fooling anyone.

Seriously, can you imagine if the town was actually full of tourists right now instead of a rona ghost town?

Vallarta to Wait For Second Vaccine Doses

The second batch of happy juice isn’t coming to Vallarta any time soon…From Vallarta Independiente…

There will be no vaccines for Vallarta, reports the SSJ

Of the more than 100,000 doses that reached the state, all will be for Guadalajara and a small number for medical personnel.

We will have to wait in Puerto Vallarta for the second booster vaccine for adults over 60 to arrive.

After the arrival of more than 100,000 vaccines against Covid-19 was announced, the Jalisco Health Secretariat announced that all of them will be destined for older adults in the city of Guadalajara, in addition to a few for medical personnel.

With this announcement it is confirmed that Puerto Vallarta will have to wait to place the booster vaccine, despite the fact that we are already in the period indicated by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

As for the rest of the municipalities in the region, the second dose has not been applied either, this one from Astra Zeneca, and it was not announced if there will be a next batch.

And I have a link to that article in the shownotes…

https://vallartaindependiente.com/2021/03/25/no-habra-vacunas-para-vallarta-informa-la-ssj/?fbclid=IwAR0UoB8GqiURSdtxiju-i2Y34CIi6asSgUlVVj7-7uJsPWL5mPshgYE_fA8

I’ve been getting some great emails lately and this one…I don’t know…Is this a compliment?..

Thanks for Your Emails to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show

The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show “Thank you Great Show !”

Wyn

Mon, Mar 1, 4:43 PM

Subject: Thank you Great Show !

Message Body:

Dear Barry, My partner and I have traveled to PV 3 times and love it, but have waited to return until the pandemic eases.   I downloaded your show from Audible 3 months ago; during this time I have had insomnia, lying awake form 2-4am; nothing helped; a shot of tequila, no; chewable pot, no; then a month ago I set up you show on my iPhone, then when I awoke at 2am, I’d listen to an episode; I would fall asleep in 10 minutes; then I trained my self to complete the episode then fall sleep. It worked. So now I have 12 different restaurants I plan to visit; trips up the coast to Sayulita; and so much more. Your website has all the links for your show notes. What a find. I’m sending the link for your show to my brother and his husband in Denver as they love PV. Spreading the love! Wyn

Well thank you Wyn….I think….It’s my pleasure to help out.

and to the rest of you, sorry if I put you to sleep. You people out there who aren’t insomniacs. Although these days there are lots more of us now aren’t there? Okay, let’s get to our guest, shall we?

Pipi’s The Original Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Contact information For Pipi’s The Original Puerto Vallarta

We all love to have fun right? When you are on vacation you want to have a good time. And food is very important. You want to have variety to choose from and you want a good, strong drink….well some of us do. But nobody wants to leave a restaurant hungry

Pipi’s Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

and unsatisfied. Well, I’ve never left this restaurant unsatisfied I can tell you that. The restaurant is Pipi’s The Original Mexican Restaurant and Bar and Pipi’s is located in Downtown Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. And the thing I like about Pipi’s is the fun atmosphere with live mariachi music, happy and eager wait staff and it’s great for people watching because it’s usually hopping with people just there to have fun, good food and drink. Pipi’s is four blocks up from the Malecon on the corner of Pipila and Calle Guadalupe Sanchez, just a minute’s walk or 99 meters from Café des Artistes for a landmark.

Don’t Drink The Water, Drink The Margaritas

I was staying just up the road from Pipi’s my last visit, so packed up my recording equipment in the old trusty daypack, and I wandered on down from the La Siesta Hotel, down to Calle Guadalupe Sanchez, 804, where I was guided to a table where I set up for a conversation with a lovely young lady who is a member of the familia Pipi’s…Her name is Paola Fregoso, who will now tell you the story of her family and the legend of Pipi’s The Original Mexican restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Pipi’s Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Thanks Paola. Drink the margaritas. For sure! Have you seen what water does to the streets? That’s what one of my college Spanish professors used to say….she was funny. Thank you Paola for telling us about Pipi’s. Listen, if you haven’t been, you really need to go. And if you have been….don’t forget to get back there and have one of their huge margaritas. And me? Love their burritos. Talk about huge. I have pictures and maps and links that will take you to the front door of Pipi’s in the shownotes.

Pipi’s Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

As listeners to the show know I have a soft spot for charity work and works of giving and one of the reasons I chose to introduce you to Pipi’s, is because they are very generous in a quiet way, what they do for the local community. I have a soft spot in my heart for

Mariachis at Pipi’s Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

individuals and businesses who give back to the community, what can I say. It’s something that was instilled in me at a very young age by my parents so I get it.  So thank you to the wonderful family at Pipi’s.

Okay, that should do it for this week,

Tableside Guacamole at Pipi’s Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.

And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through

Pipi’s Menu
Pipi’s Menu
Pipi’s Menu
Pipi’s Menu
Pipi’s Menu

him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes.

And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more

people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.

Thank you so much to Paola Fregoso from Pipi’s Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, The Original. The best! The Margaritas! The Music! I really love this place. Get over there for lunch or dinner the next time you are craving big food and big drink. You will have a great time.

Paola Fregoso

And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!

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