This year there are over 100 exhibitors lined up along with three days of workshops and lectures from all aspects of home design … decor, color selection, furnishing, illumination, etc.

This should be a great event and I look forward to posting photos and blogging from the show!!

Here in Zihuatanejo you don’t have to go far to encounter this exotic tropical treat. Purplish red and roundish mangos are a pretty common site in the local market, as well as the more yellowy teardrop shaped mango, which has a slightly sweeter and richer pulp along with a thinner seed. Either can be used in a plethora of recipes from mango flan to jams & preserves to salsas and dressing.

So yet another wonderful reason to travel to Zihuatanejo in the off-season. If you are a mango lover like me you will be hard-pressed to find a better time to visit

Ripe Purple Mangos picked fresh from the tree

… Which we quickly turned into a delicious mango salsa!!

Beyond it’s colorful cities, there is also it’s rich food culture. Tacos al pastor, fresh seafood, chocolate infused mole, sweet tomales … you could spend an entire year just eating your way through each region’s local fare.

And then there is coastal Mexico … costa chica, costa grande, costa caribe … the entire country is bordered by water. On one side lies the Carribean and the other the majestic Pacific with it’s sweeping sierras and breathtaking sunsets. A coast that is dotted by tiny fishing villages, planned tourist resorts and international shipping ports. Here, along the coast in the state of Guerrero is where the town of Zihuatanejo lies. Nestled in between the foot of the sierra madres and the lapping waves of the Pacific is this small town that was once a fishing village and is now something between quaint & rustic and touristy & bustling.

It’s still a small town, boasting only about 18,000 residents with some population of mainly snowbirds that fluctuates between the winter and summer months. Here we have a few nice restaurants overlooking a beautiful bay and a downtown that’s made up of about 6 criss-crossing streets in total.

We have no McDonalds, no Burger King … the closest to fast food around these parts is Ruben’s, Subway and Dominos Pizza all of which are located in Zihuatanejo’s sister city of Ixtapa. Ixtapa is where you’ll find the plush marina, two manicured golf courses, beachfront high rise hotels & condo developments, an outdoor shopping center (wouldn’t go so far as to call it a mall) and some very exclusive private homes built into the cliffs on Ixtapa’s north end away from the slight hustle and bustle of the hotel zone.

Ixtapa was planned by Fonatur in the early 70s and has catered to the all-inclusive kind of beach goer. It’s also where you’ll find all the night clubs and loud music should you want to get your groove on after dark.

Life in Zihuatanejo (or Zihua for short) is much more calm, tranquil and relaxing. Not too many people other than the tourists are in a hurry. And if you lived here, why would you be? Everything you could possibly need or want is within arm’s reach. Well, the basic necessities are covered, along with a sweeping ocean view. You can stroll along Zihua’s four main beaches … Playa Principal, La Madera, La Ropa and Las Gatas. As a vacationer or visitor to this beach paradise, there are plenty of things to do here … fishing, sailing, surfing, scuba, bird watching, kayak, sight seeing … perhaps I might be missing a few. There is certainly no shortage of enjoyment to be had here.

As for Zihuatanejo’s expat residents, we are a fairly mixed community of Americans, Canadians and Europeans. During the winter months there is no shortage of parties or events to attend. Some are lavishly catered and held in exquisite private homes overlooking the bay while others are more casual backyard BBQ type affairs where the only dress code is flip-flops and a cold beer. Meeting people and making friends in Zihua is pretty easy … between the locals and the foreigners, most people are very outgoing and friendly. It must be something about living in a tropical place near the beach that makes us all so darn happy!!