Our Man in Antigua

adios Nokiate….folded their tent and that’s allll fooks…no, folks..damn spelchuck….now a ‘sports bar’ aka Juan Caravelas…big black Beemer outside, mighta been a 700 series…didn’t look(i drove a 735i last)…’can’t recommend that location, given that Nokiate had a lock on that menu until they went weird 2-3 years ago…

lotta locals(gringos) did the Sumpango Kite Bash and came by smiling…yep, it’s a must, at least once, for the visuals…Ocelot’s new happy hour of 5-6 drawing a crowd of cheap…no, frugal…imbibers…hey, it works..everyone’s smiling and in this economic perfect storm that’ s as good as its gonna get.

La Casaca? a new coffee bar next to El Antigueno Flan…open…El Portal and Condesa Expresso already sucking up that crowd…what the hell were/are they thinking? let’s see…there’s already three coffee outlets on that side of the park…let’s go head to head with established places? kind of like the thinking(or lack of)re the ‘Livingston’ cafe on 5th calle, around the corner towards Chez Chris..o..right…the famed cuisine of Livingston, known around the world for it’s famous……. jerked chicken? that’s a dish, btw..not someone i know.

some grumbling/grumbleing/from the abode of the River Rats…boys…taking advantage, yet again…big surprise, eh? tis their M.O

the turists are still here!….walking the streets, cameras clicking…going out at night in small packs…to where? La Fonda de Peter, Sabor Tiempo, some at Caffe Bourbon…lotta prayers being uttered by restaurant owners for November to erase the deficits of Sept/October…A Bell’s Fusion 2 looking fine, the one bright spot on that block…such a tricky business, with location, rent and traffic flow. The owners don’t care about ‘market rates’ and if its vacant, i.e., like the old Reilly’s location, so? so what?

thanks again, to Yann/Mario and Nick for the La Reunion ‘thing’…i loved writing about it…is Monterrico still semi-landlocked?…the floods in ixtapa and other places..El Pumpo! great name for a village…’where ya from? El Pumpo’…end of conversation…Sobremesa having some kind of bash Saturday…Angie Angies first year anniversary approaching..her wine selection is ‘choice’ to me, anyway…what’s up or not with the newish deli on 4ta ave sur..el metiz? ay yay yay, carramba…another ‘location’ problem…the old Deliciosa location woulda been better, if only for the memories of previous clients..the Colonial Deli on 7th, between 3rd and 2nd avenidas? got some stuff you won’t find at Epicure or Culinaria and cheaper..well, tis is a fine kettle of fish…i’m blanking out on what’s up..pass the scotch…tomorrow is the beginning of the weekend for me..cu around this lovely burg we call home. Lori S of Guatemala Medical Travel relating that her plans of going to El Salvador to renew visas? the bridge is out…going to Copan instead….say hello to Twisted Tanya for me..