Just north of Puerto Vallarta in the Town of Bucerias, Mezzogiorno Serves Fine Traditional Italian Food With a Seaside View of The Bahia de Banderas
Co-Owner of Mezzogiorno Bucerias, Sidney Lecther Talks About The History of This Beautiful Restaurant and about the town of Bucerias
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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.
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 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 going north across state lines to Bucerias in the Mexican State of Nayarit, just 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta for some delicious Italian food at a beautiful seaside Restaurant Mezzogiorno. We will be meeting one of the owner
partners, Sidney Lecther, and Sidney will give you the scoop on Bucerias and Mezzogiorno, but before we get to Sidney, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 27th of August, 2021…..
Contact Information For Mezzogirono Italian Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico
Address: Avenida del Pacífico 33, Colonia Centro, 63732 Bucerías, Nayarit, Mexico
Phone: 329-298-0350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mezzogiorno.bucerias/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mezzogiorno.bucerias/
Website: Mezzogiorno Website
Two fires in Town..
One was just yesterday morning at Restaurant Florio’s Looks like it may not be a total loss but we will wait and see. I liked Florio’s. I hope they can put it all back together.
The other fire happened on Sunday night. The fire seemed to have started in the offices along the periphery of Malecon 2. One of the twin condo buildings on the Malecon extension, right where the Devil’s Bar sits on that corner. The fire quickly spread to the shops along the outside along Avenida Morelos, the little tiendas inside where they sell clothing, trinkets, all the little stands and stalls, many of them were wiped out due to the fire, the smoke and the water damage caused by the fire fighters attempting to douse the flames. Let me read from this report in Noticias PV…
Click Link to see article: http://www.noticiaspv.com.mx/se-quemaron-12-locales-en-el-mercado-malecon-2/?fbclid=IwAR07Ds9Ia6EgteBbpU_6cEvXFf8yTIAdhHs0ZwM8fMCiwP4s9tqqiqobg1E
I have a link to both of these stories in the shownotes.
Luckily the Devil’s Bar was not damaged. None of the shops on the Malecon were affected, and I’m pretty sure none of the condos were damaged.
I was a bit worried not just for all those shops and stores and Melinda and the Devil’s Bar, but I’m staying right next door at Malecon 1 starting on Sunday for 10 days. That would have been a drag.
So I yes, I found a nice Airbnb in Malecon 1 with an ocean view and a balcony for $65 a night. I’m in the process of packing and collecting all kinds of stuff for my friends to mule down. I have a fan, oven mitts, beauty products, spices…I’m bringing Francie from Bonito Kitchen some sesame oil and teriyaki sauce…shhh don’t tell her. A have a dedicated muleing check-in bag. But wait…there’s more, my youngest son will be joining me. I got a text from him. He’s in a masters program in Milwaukee WI and he says I’m between jobs and have some time, when are you going to Mexico again and I answered back the end of the month. So, he’ll be flying in from Wisconsin and he lands 12 minutes before my flight from Los Angeles lands. So, he’s a Puerto Vallarta Virgin. Well, he was there when he was 18 months old but he doesn’t remember that.
I picked out an Airbnb for him at $35 a night in the building where Salud Super Food is over on Olas Altas, right in the middle of town. I’m bringing him earplugs just in case. I’ll be taking videos of both places for you to see. So ,stay tuned for that.
I have a bunch of great interviews lined up this trip down and I’ll be posting Facebook live stuff and on my Instagram page. I’m going to try to put my son to work, you know, maybe add some video to the podcast. Just as a cameraman but he asked me to steer him to the beach and a volleyball court, and to introduce him to a few of my favorite watering holes. Truth is the kid can hold his own. 26 years old, Athletic, collegiate volleyball player, 6’ 7”, good looking, smart. No doubt he’ll take his ukulele down to the beach and play a couple of Jack Johnson tunes and it will be all over. I’ll never see him…..well, maybe for some pesos…but no, I’ll never see him again…..Anyway…that reminds me I need to deflate a couple of Volleyballs for my luggage.
Governor of Jalisco Enrique Alfaro Ramirez talks about the next steps…
Last we checked the Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro had announced all bars, and nightclubs closed for the month of August. He ordered restaurants to remain at 50% capacity, proper covid protocols to be followed, restaurants to close by midnight as cases of the dreaded rona continued to climb in Jalisco, even as thousands lined up for vaccine from all over the globe.
Mexico has been receiving a smorgasbord of the happy juice….including, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, CanSino, The Sputnik 5, the Janssen J&J, The Oxford AstraZececa, Covaxin and Sinovac Corona Vac, as well as two of their own in trial phase…Curevac and Recombiant NDV Vectored Vaccine.
So…with all these brands out these…when you need the third jab, will there be spare parts? Are we going to be mixing and matching? Inquiring minds would like to know…I guess…
Back to the governor…. The Jalisco Governor stated that cases and hospitalizations have dropped, although not significantly, but enough so that no further restrictions are planned. He said he would return to review the situation with the health advisors every week instead of every 2 weeks. He suggested the bars and clubs would reopen the 1st of September…yay…and they would watch and see.
And although there calls and demands coming from all four corners of the globe for vaccine passports and proof of getting the jab… it seems the Mexican President has weighed in on this very weighty and controversial subject…. from Travel Pulse.com
This article from Donald Wood dated August 4th 2021…
The president of Mexico announced on Monday that his country has no plans of asking residents and arriving tourists for proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced during a press conference hosted by the Mazatlán Tourism Promotion Office that despite the recent surge in confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide, vaccine mandates are not part of the government’s long-term health and safety plans.
“There are currently some protests in Europe, very significant protests, because vaccination proof is being required to move around or visit shopping centers or restaurants and people are opposing that,” Lopez Obrador said. “As for Mexico, we won’t require such types of proof whatsoever. I want to be very clear about that.”
Last week, the Quintana Roo Tourism Board debunked erroneous reports from media outlets that the Mexican state’s Governor Carlos Joaquin enacted a policy mandating proof of vaccination and a negative COVID for entry into hotels, restaurants and bars.
“This is not a mandate. Unfortunately, this information was misinterpreted by local news outlets and picked up by international media,” a Quintana Roo Tourism Board spokesperson told TravelPulse’s Claudette Covey. “The government stated that in order for restaurants and bars to operate at a higher capacity, they would have to create a ‘safe health space,’ which would mean vaccinating and testing all their employees, requiring guests to present proof of vaccination or antigen tests.”
“This was a suggestion on how to create a safer environment, but it was never a state mandate or requirement,” the spokesperson continued. “As of today, no restaurant, bar or hotel has announced implementing these measures.”
Despite the U.S. government extending the closure of land borders with Mexico to non-essential travel through August 21, the country predicts international tourist numbers will rebound this summer as COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available worldwide.
Mexican Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco Marques announced SECTUR’s projected visitor numbers for July and August, saying the nation expects an estimated 20.2 million tourists.
In addition, Mexican officials revealed that 99.5 percent of the country’s beaches are classified as suitable for recreational use, according to data from the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris).
Cruise Ships Return To Puerto Vallarta
And from no passports necessary to roll up your sleeves and show us your papers…The first cruise ships are returning to Puerto Vallarta. And you need to be jabbed to participate.
That’s right, This Tuesday The Carnival Panorama sailed into the Bahia de Banderas with 2,450 passengers, about 70% of capacity. The ship departed Long Beach California, just south of me to great fanfare…let’s listen to this report from CBS Channel 2 in Los Angeles…
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I have that video from Chanel 2 CBS in the shownotes.
August Brought Lots of Rain To Puerto Vallarta
More to come
According to Angela we have had over 25.58 inches this month, and a total of 49.61 inches total for the year. Compare that with last year with 9.93 inches for the month of August and 34.27 inches for the year. 15 inches ahead of last year.
Hurricane Nora Approaching Puerto Vallarta
There has been a ton of rain, and we have more on the way in the form of Tropical Storm soon to be hurricane Nora. Just in time for my arrival…..
From Associated Press…
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A strengthening Tropical Storm Nora is rolling toward a hurricane hit on Mexico’s Pacific Coast over the weekend and later on the Baja California Peninsula. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm could bring dangerous flash floods and mudslides through the weekend. It’s likely to graze the point below the Puerto Vallarta region on Saturday and then possibly the Los Cabos resort region on Monday. Nora had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) Thursday afternoon, and it’s expected to reach hurricane force on Saturday. It’s a big system, with tropical storm-force winds extending as far as 205 miles (335 kilometers) from the center.
I have a link to that AP report in the shownotes.
https://hoiabc.com/2021/08/26/tropical-storm-nora-a-hurricane-threat-to-mexicos-coast/
I’ll be reporting storm watch from the Malecon…Stay tuned.
Vallarta City Council Meets About The Landslide and Hillsides
Speaking of flooding and raining and hillside slides…. We spoke last week about a portion of Calle Santa Barbara crashing into a construction site on Playa de Los Muertos, the city council has convened They talked about the issues facing those places built on hillsides….bla…bla…bla…We’ll be old and grey by the time this is figured out….but stay tuned…
Covid Tests Available at Marina Vallarta
Good news for those staying in the Marina Vallarta area, Covid tests for your flight out of Mexico are now available right in Marina Vallarta. Look for the pop-up test center and have them stick it up your nose….Well, that’s what they do.
Vincente Fox Leaves The Hospital After Contracting Covid
Former Mexican President, Vincente Fox, age 78 and his wife are Out of The Hospital in case you were wondering, both recovered from the rona, both had minor cases of the virus. So good for them.
No Way Jose is Closing
I got a very sad message from our friend Jose Alfredo at No Way Jose…it reads…
Saludos querido hermano Barry Bendiciones Bill Well i’ll be safe I just want to tell you how sad I feel what happen with the covi Kill my baby, I will have to close the doors of No way Jose! talk to you about it later.
Jose Alfredo
So yes, the virus has killed many businesses. I’ll be having a few tequilas with Jose Alfredo next week. We’ll see what his plans are. I also see that Coco Tropical was bulldozed. After almost 30 years they have leased the property to Hotel Playa Los Arcos to make it into a beach club. So just a few changes. A sad day for fans of Coco Tropical.
One of the interviews I have planned is with the folks at the Hotel Playa Los Arcos. The first place I stayed in Puerto Vallarta back in 1984.
And speaking of restaurants….
Restaurant Week 2021 Vallarta Lifestyles
Even with the pandemic raging on Puerto Vallarta is planning the next edition of Restaurant Week….
From Vallarta Lifestyles…
Welcome to Restaurant Week by Vallarta Lifestyles!
Our gastronomic festival in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit will take place from September 15 to October 10, 2021. During these three weeks, participating restaurants offer innovative three-course menus (with three options each) to delight both residents and visitors who seek to know the gastronomic offer of our tourist destination at a reduced price.
Meet the restaurants participating in the 2021 edition and their special menus.
So if you are in town for restaurant week September 15th through October 10th look for the banners in the windows of the participating restaurants or click the link in the shownotes to see who’s participating…
And speaking of restaurant week, let’s get to our guest, shall we?
Mezzogiorno Italian Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico
The first time I heard of Mezzogiorno was during my first on the ground interview with Gary Beck, who wrote the guide on restaurants in Puerto Vallarta. I had to go back to my files from January 2017 where Gary Beck Said….
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Then, I was doing a real estate roundtable and one of the panelists, David Pullin talked about Mezzogiorno, and I asked him after the panel if he knew the owner. He said do I know them? Absolutely! So the introductions were done and finally after 4 years, I made it to Mezzogiorno.
If you are a regular listener to the show you know that rarely does the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show venture north Bucerias way. So finally, January 2021, I took a bus ride from in front of the Walmart on Francisco Villa, took the ATM Bus north, and hopped off at
Valle de Banderas not too far from the statue of the diver and Bucerias letters, and took a stroll past the beachfront restaurants that line the shore from El Buzo…the diver statue
north. When I arrived at the very last restaurant, that’s where I found Mezzogiorno. It’s beautifully situated, designed, and laid out in a way where you can eat either outdoors or inside, on the sand or at an outdoor table off the sand. The smell of Italian food, the whirling of the blender at the bar, sound of the waves, the lighting and architecture make it a real pleasurable experience for the senses.
I was given a tour of the property by a young man who then guided me to a table outside, so we can have that sound of the waves in the background. Out came Sidney who also
grabbed a bottle of water, sat down and we chatted, got to know one another a bit better. He had searched my Facebook profile and noticed I was a gemologist. He wondered if I had ever met some of his family who are colored stone dealers, and I had surprisingly enough…Small world.
Eventually we got around to talking about his passion, his restaurant built by him and his partner in business and in life Enrique Cremaschi, out of his former home…on the beach…so let’s go right now to a table with a beautiful view of the Bahia de Banderas, and a lovely restaurant… Mezzogiorno, Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico…
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Contact Information For Mezzogirono Italian Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico
- Address: Avenida del Pacífico 33, Colonia Centro, 63732 Bucerías, Nayarit, Mexico
- Phone: 329-298-0350
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mezzogiorno.bucerias/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mezzogiorno.bucerias/
- Website: Mezzogiorno Website
Thank you so much Sidney. I really like him, and you will too.
Now I was in contact with Sidney, and he has finally gotten away for a vacation. He and Enrique have purchased a vacation home in the Italian Countryside. Imagine the recipes he will be gathering…Oh my.
I have pictures of the beautiful restaurant, the incredible food and of Sidney, and Enrique too. You will find them in the shownotes as well as a map that will take you to the front door of Mezzogiorno.
Go there, the food is absolutely lovely.
https://foodandpleasure.com/restaurantes-italianos-en-la-playa/
Okay, that should do it for this week,
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 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 Sidney Lecther from Mezzogiorno Italian Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico…Just north of the city of Puerto Vallarta. Stop in for a dinner you will remember for a long time. I’m sure you will keep coming back again and again. Like their Facebook Page, their Instagram page and see the links in the shownotes as well as pictures.
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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