Back in Santa Fe!

Yes, after a delightful trip north we arrived here today. Unpacking, unpacking, unpacking.

Ready for the highway!

After a full day of packing and closing up the bus, we are finally done! We'll be heading out at first light in the morning and thinking of the past months in Mexico on the road.

Cafe Crol

One does not enter a café crol lightly, but once we took ourselves seriously and started looking at how it would look, the first thing we did was rethink the part where we’d go

to all the cafes in one day – on our bikes. As soon as we stopped laughing we got to work.

But sin embargo, we did it – came up with the idea and were quite pleased with ourselves.  And with the results.  We had so much fun, even in the worst café in Mazatlan.

We began by compiling a list of all the cafes we were willing to try.  We came up with a questionnaire with lots of categories.  We were sure to document each stop with photos.

And we tried to take as many bike rides to our destinations as possible.

Each Café was rated on atmosphere, food (when appropriate), service, location, value, and quality of coffee.  We each rated our experience on a scale of 1 to 5 and added up points for each café.

We have 2 category winners:  best & worst and 2 honorable mentions.

Honorable Mention:  Café Chac Mool in Chacala and Café T in Guadalajara

We did this, for you, our loyal blog family.  It was a labor of love and an homage to coffee. 

We invite you to sit back and peruse the following: 

Seventh Place

7^th Place

Kafekali

Hal – café Viene with a shot of vanilla                Helene – café Viene

Nice name, crappy coffee.  Tasted like instant coffee.  Generic instant coffee. Awful service. The best thing it has going for it is the location.  

Sixth Place

6^th Place

Café Calypso

Hal –house coffee with a shot of vanilla            Helene – double shot Americano

You’d think a café at the marina would bend over backwards for its rich customers, but yukka patooie.  It sucked.  Even the location didn’t help.

Fifth Place

5^th Place

Sole Mare

Hal – Americano with hazelnut            Helene – double shot Americano

Coming in at 5^th place is Sole Mare – definitely a big step up from the two loser cafes.  It scored well in the service and value and quality of coffee.

Fourth Place

4^th Place

Quattros

Hal – Turco (Turkish coffee)                        Helene – Turco

We both really liked this place and will go back again next season.  The coffee was excellent and the location was THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

Third Place

3^rd Place

Allegro

Hal – Americano with vanilla               Helene – double shot Americano

We spent a lot of time in this café – met friends here a lot.  Really enjoyed their chocolate brownies. 

Second Place

2^nd Place

Rico’s

Hal – café Mexicano                     Helene – Mocha Blanco

This was the big upset of the crol.  I thought for sure Rico’s would take 3rd place.  I think of it as the Starbucks of Mazatlan.  But better. We gave the marina Rico’s big points for location – just a couple of miles from home.  And if you get the fancy drinks instead of the house cuppa, you will fare better.

First Place

1^st Place

The Looney Bean

Hal – Mocha                Helene – Mocha Blanco

This café has always been our favorite and beat out the competition by 7 points.  It is by far our favorite café/clubhouse in Mazatlan.  The staff are our friends/family. The coffee is the best – when we drink coffee at home, it’s their Chaipas beans that are roasted right there that we drink.  The food is the best.  Peanut butter cookies, carrot cake…yum yum yum.  We always see friends out and about here.  It is the heartbeat of our little community at the north end of town.  Bonus – we ride our bikes here a lot! When we are at the Looney Bean, we are home.   And they are the only café in town with a punch card. 

6 Days To Pack

Less than a week for us get ready to close up the bus and head north. Lots to do before then.

Tarot Class

My friend Emma has a shop downtown that turned out to be the perfect location for my class last Saturday. It was an all-day intensive and we all worked hard and had fun. You can see the glazed look in my eyes in the group photo that was taken at the end. I already have my next class scheduled for October.

You say its yer birthday!

For those of you who have issues with perfection and happiness, you want to skip the rest of this blog.


  My day started earlier than usual - 6 something a.m.  And when I walked into my kitchen, I walked into banners and sparklers and ribbons.  And a present.  And 3 birthday cards.  And coffee.  For those of you who know me well, you know that when I say I was crying, it was the PERFECT beginning to my new year and new decade.  I had breakfast with Hal at my favorite breakfast spot & cafe - the mighty mighty Looney Bean (where I got a free cuppa b day coffee).

I spoke to lots of my family.  I got a massage.  I took a nap.  I spent time trying on outfits in front of my boyfriend for approval.  I had the BEST Chicken Chop Suey at Karma Kitchen.  And then, to the rocking beat of Rock Creek Band, I danced the night away.  I danced to my wedding song (Not Fade Away), heard my class song - (Proud Mary - St. Mary's High School, Lancaster, New York)  - sex, drugs, beer, and wine, we're the class of 69) and and the greatest rock and roll song ever written (in my opinion of which I have several), Johnny B. Goode.  My Mazatlan family came by to dance and celebrate with me.  We stayed til the amplifiers were carried out!

Except for a couple teary (mostly joyful) outbursts, I was smiling the whole live long day.

Thanks to all my elders who have inspired me.

And to all of you in your 50's and younger.....  Call me if you need a party planner.