El Sofa Café Serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in a Comfortable relaxing Setting in Puerto Vallarta
Fresh Juices, Delicious Coffee, Salads, Panini Sandwiches, Homemade Soups and More at El Sofa Café Puerto Vallarta
Located in The Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta El Sofa Café is a Restaurant and Art Gallery
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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 our toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
This week we go to a sweet little restaurant in the Romantic Zone of Vallarta, it’s been there for 16 years and it’s called El Sofa Café. You will be meeting the owner of El Sofa, Amaranta Alcala. A lovely lady but before we get to Amaranta, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 8th of March, 2022.
Puerto Vallarta Commemorates International Women’s Day
Today in International Women’s day and events and marches are scheduled throughout the city.
From Vallarta Reporter…
And I have a link to that Vallarta Reporter online article in the shownotes.
To the women in all our lives. Love and respect.
https://puertovallartareporter.com/women-will-march-today-in-puerto-vallarta/
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The Malecon Sculpture Tour Continues, Don’t Miss It
Don’t Forget To Take The Malecon Sculpture Tour With Gary Thompson
From the Banderas News…
The very popular (and FREE!) Malecón Sculpture Walking Tour, created and conducted by Galería Pacifico owner Gary Thompson, will resume November 16 and be held weekly through the middle of April 2022. The tour begins every Tuesday at 9:30 am in front of the ‘Millennium’ sculpture, next to the Hotel Rosita in downtown Puerto Vallarta. The tour lasts about two hours and no reservations are necessary. Following the security protocol for Covid 19, masks are required to participate but they will be provided if you do not bring one with you. The tour is free, but donations are gratefully accepted to the benefit of our public library, Biblioteca Los Mangos.
I have a link to that article from the Banderas News in the shownotes…
https://banderasnews.com/event/puerto-vallarta-malecon-sculpture-walking-tours/2022-03-08/
The Inglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is Celebrating Their 100th Year Anniversary
I don’t know if you know this or not but I’m pretty sure I haven’t talked about it and that is that the big church in town, the Inglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is celebrating their 100th year anniversary
CENTENARY OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE PARISH
Start : 10-12-2021
End : 10-12-2022
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, an iconic symbol of Puerto Vallarta, is celebrating 100 years of strengthening the Vallartan community and astonishing both locals and visitors alike with its fascinating architecture and emblematic crown. The festivities to honor such an important date will take place from October 12th, 2021 to October 12th, 2022.
Cultural, religious, sport, and musical activities will take part in this calendar of joy and celebration of a century in Puerto Vallarta’s history.
If you have walked past the church lately you will see it’s festooned with banners signifying the 100 year anniversary.
For more information I have links to the website at the church and their facebook page in the show notes.
Parroquia de Guadalupe Website
Facebook Page of Parroquia de Guadalupe
Taco Fair at Puerto Magico Sunday March 27th, 4-11PM
This year 2022 we are back and ready to celebrate the 5th edition of this delicious and rich event that is already a tradition in #PuertoVallarta. Stay tuned for all the information and do not miss this SUNDAY MARCH 27 to Puerto Mágico from 4 till 11 PM.
I have a link to their FB Page and we will keep on top of the event as it comes closer.
https://www.facebook.com/Feria-del-Taco-PV-102838516734799
Don’t for get the upcoming Mexican wine and food pairing event Vinoma, also coming up at Puerto Magico March 19th and 20th both days 3 till 10 PM, Mexican wineries pairing fine Mexican wines with some of Vallarta’s best food. It will be magical so try to make it. There will be food wine entertainment and shopping. Admission is free.
It seems panhandling is a lucrative occupation in the Romantic zone…..From Vallarta Reporter online…
Panhandling Can Earn 1000 to 1,500 pesos a Day
And I have a link to that article from Vallarta Reporter online which is protected by a paywall.
Mexico Doesn’t Sanction Russia
With pressure being put on Russia from many countries all around the world for its invasion of Ukraine, , Mexico has decided to stay neutral in the conflict…President Manuel Lopez Obrador mentioned in comments found in an article from Mexico News Daily…February 26th,
“In terms of foreign policy we are going to continue to … promote dialogue. No use of force, no invasion. We are not in favor of any war. Mexico is a country that has always spoken out for peace and for the peaceful settlement of disputes,” he said.
He added that the government and the peso were prepared for volatile fuel markets due to the conflict.
Then on March 4th, AMLO said no to sending weapons to Ukraine…
…from infobae.com
AMLO: Mexico will not send weapons to Ukraine, but humanitarian aid
At the request of Ukrainian legislators; President ruled out sending weapons to Ukraine as requested by a letter delivered by Ambassador Oksana Dramaretska
Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured that his government will not send weapons to Ukraine as was requested through a letter by legislators from the European country. The president was blunt in saying that Mexico will not support in this way, but it will do so with humanitarian aid and protection for citizens to the extent possible.
During the closing of the morning press conference this Friday, March 4, the president launched: “ We do not send weapons anywhere . We are pacifists. He will be given protection and humanitarian aid”, after being questioned about what response he would give to the request.
In a letter delivered by Ambassador Oksana Dramaretska to Senate legislators and addressed to its president Olga Sánchez Cordero, Volodímir Zelenski ‘s parliament urgently requested military support. Among his specific requests were: anti-tank guided weapons, grenade launchers, bulletproof helmets and shawls.
“We believe that only massive military support from our allies can help us (to) push back the enemy. We are fighting the battles every second in almost every corner of Ukraine. If you can provide any other kind of military and humanitarian assistance, we would be very grateful,” the statement read.
SRE could send second plane for Mexican families
Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard assured that he has the authorization of President López Obrador to coordinate, if necessary, a second flight and bring to Mexico national citizens and families who are in Ukrainian territory.
“ If necessary, yes there would be (another flight). If it is required to go for Mexican families that we have to bring. We are going to continue operating from the border between Romania and Ukraine, since Kiev has increasingly difficult conditions and there are other families arriving,” said Ebrard.
Within the framework of the arrival of the Air Force plane to Mexico City with crew members assisted as a result of the armed conflict, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the work carried out by the institutions and the diplomats Olga García and Guillermo Ordorica .
In total, 81 people were repatriated: 44 Mexicans, 28 Ukrainians, seven Ecuadorians, one Peruvian and one Australian.
The article goes on to read as Obrador said last month….
Similarly, Ebrard reiterated Mexico’s position of not implementing unilateral sanctions against Russia, as well as its policy of non-intervention and intention of peaceful resolution of conflicts. The foreign minister assured that he will adhere to the United Nations protocols in case the body does impose punishments.
“Mexico has never applied unilateral sanctions against another country. Mexico is not going to participate in any type of non-multilateral sanctions approved by the UN Security Council. In that sense, there is no ambiguity”, commented the diplomat.
The article continues and you can read the rest…I have a link to the article from infobae.com…in the show notes.
https://www.infobae.com/america/mexico/2022/03/04/sre-enviara-segundo-avion-por-familias-mexicanas-en-ucrania-de-ser-necesario/
Have you looked at the price of a gallon of gas lately? Well Jalisco governor Enrique Alfaro Ramarez Spoke up about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine…..he made a statement regarding how the conflict will bring pain to the people of Jalisco…From Vallarta Reporter…
And I have a link to that article hidden behind a paywall at Vallarta Reporter in the show notes.
As far as foreign policy and Mexico, AMLO has his hands full with the Austrian Government over an artifact sitting in an Austrian Museum… From Mexico News Daily….
AMLO resumes efforts to have famous headdress returned to Mexico
The Austrian president ‘arrogantly’ rejected Mexico’s request to borrow it in 2020
Published on Thursday, February 24, 2022
Mexico will once again ask Austria to return the elaborate headdress that is believed to have belonged to the Aztec emperor at the time of the Spanish Conquest, President López Obrador said Wednesday.
Speaking at his regular news conference, the president acknowledged that efforts to have the penacho de Moctezuma (Moctezuma’s headdress) returned to Mexico have gotten nowhere, but asserted that his government is in the process of lobbying for the recovery of stolen art and cultural artifacts that belong to Mexico.
“We have to keep insisting that the penacho be returned to us and that everything that has been stolen that belongs to Mexicans is returned to us … [from] all countries,” López Obrador said.
The headdress – made of feathers from the quetzal and other birds – is on display at the Museum of Ethnology in Vienna.
Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, AMLO’s wife, met with the president of Austria in October 2020 and – armed with a letter from her husband – asked that the European nation lend the penacho to Mexico for exhibition during 2021, the bicentenary of independence from Spain.
A modern copy of the headdress is displayed in the National Museum of Anthropology and History, in Mexico City. THOMAS LEDL / CC BY-SA 4.0
López Obrador recalled that Austria rejected the request, arguing that the headdress wouldn’t withstand the long journey to Mexico.
“This meeting that Beatriz had with the president [Alexander Van der Bellen] was very unpleasant, … she tells me that he didn’t have much knowledge [of the penacho]. He was surrounded by men and a woman who feel they are the owners of the penacho. … They’d barely started talking about the issue and they were already saying no,” he said.
“… Beatriz very kindly said goodbye … and we didn’t continue with the issue because there was this refusal. It’s a very arrogant, high-handed attitude and there is no justification,” López Obrador said.
“… We weren’t even suggesting … that they return it to us [for good], that it’s ours, no. It was to exhibit it,” he said.
The president said he hoped Austria would change its way of thinking and allow the penacho to come back to Mexico.
“There are things in the relationship with Austria that are exceptional,” he added. “During the government of president Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico was the first country that condemned the Nazi invasion of Austria; there’s recognition for that.”
With reports from El Universal
And I have a link to that article from Mexico News Daily in the show notes.
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/amlo-moctezuma-headdress-returned-mexico/
Okay, enough of this nasty news, let’s get to our interview shall we?
El Sofa Café and Gallery in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
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Contact Information for El Sofa Café
- Phone Number: +52 322 223 8446
- Website: http://elsofacafe.restaurantwebexperts.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/El.Sofa.Cafe/?ref=page_internal
- Address: Venustiano Carranza 306 48380 Jalisco, Mexico
I heard about El Sofa Café from my friend Sharon Reynolds, who invited me for breakfast with her and her friend Alma. “Meet me at El Sofa Café she said, I want you to meet someone special.”
Well, I’d never been to El Sofa…it sure sounded…comfortable, so I said see you in the morning.
I walked up Venustiano Carranza to #306 where I found Sharon and Alma. I took a seat and ordered some pancakes and bacon and we all got to chatting when she introduces me to the owner Amaranta Alcala.
So, this is the first Amaranta I’ve ever met. I looked up the origin of the name and it seems the name Amaranta is a girl’s name of Spanish, Italian origin meaning “unfading”.
Amaranta is the unusual and intriguing Latinate form of the Greek botanical name Amarantha, whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal.
So…hey cool name.
Now I’m going to let Amaranta describe the restaurant to you, but I just want to add, that she has lovely art on the walls of the restaurant, which were painted by her…and I never got a chance to dive into her artwork with her because I didn’t do my homework. I should
have known that she was also a talented artist. So, I wanted to mention it now, and when you do go to El Sofa Café, you can take note. The lady making your food is also a talented artist. And you can also buy her artwork as well.
There are a couple tables set out in front of the Café, and inside you will find a cozy atmosphere with that artwork on the colorful walls. A couch sits in the rear of the restaurant where you can relax and read and sip a drink. It’s a lovely place for breakfast lunch or dinner so let’s go right now to Venustiano Carranza #306, and let’s have a conversation with a lovely and talented lady who you need to meet if you haven’t already. Let’s get comfortable with a couch and and some comfort food and let’s meet the unfading, Amaranta Alcala, the owner of El Sofa Café, and Gallery, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico….
Listen to The Podcast
Contact Information for El Sofa Café
- Phone Number: +52 322 223 8446
- Website: http://elsofacafe.restaurantwebexperts.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/El.Sofa.Cafe/?ref=page_internal
- Address: Venustiano Carranza 306 48380 Jalisco, Mexico
Okay, thank you Amaranta. You are a gem amiga. I love your food and your chill spot in the Romantic Zone in Puerto Vallarta.
I don’t know if you remember a while back, when I had Mapa Jeff on the show, the map maker of Puerto Vallarta, he mentioned Amaranta and the El Sofa Café and told us that she sells his maps there and that it’s the last place he stops before taking off back to California. Said he collapses on her sofa and regenerates for his flight out of paradise.
Amaranta tells me it’s the only place in Vallarta where his maps are sold. So now you have two reasons to visit El Sofa Café. My buddy Jeff Musto the PV Kid tells me he loves El Sofa for dinner. Remember she’s open till 9 so a great option for a healthy cozy late dinner right in a different spot, in the Zona Romantica in Puerto Vallarta. I have links to the Facebook page, Trip Advisor and all that stuff as well as contact information and a Google map that will take you to the front door of the El Sofa Café and Gallery.
Okay, that should do it for today…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 to Amaranta Acala from the El Sofa Café, stop in for a homemade soup a healthy salad, a fresh breakfast or a panini sandwich, maybe she will name one after you! Who knows? Breakfast lunch or dinner. Like her Facebook page to follow her goings on and her hours of operation. You will find a new favorite place, I’m telling you.
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.