Food & Wine Festival in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo

We are having dinner at the Ixtapa Marina -- (L-R) Elizabeth, Pat, Kae, Joan and me

Having comida at Carmalita's in Zihuatanejo. This was a wonderful surprise we discovered from Rick Bayless who tweeted about finding this place. He told us about it at one of the events and Carmalita (in the purple blouse) was visited by many of us who attended the Food & Wine Festival. BEST real Mexican food I've ever eaten. Her recipes are from her Mom and Abeulita!

I had the pleasure of going to "Food & Wine" magazine's Food & Wine Festival in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo - 32 Tastes of Mexico the last week of March, 2011. I went with friends from Ajijic Pat Owens and Joan Brummitt, and a couple of Pat's friends from Seattle, Elizabeth and Kae.

Rick Bayless was the featured chef and we got to see him cook twice. He has the most amazing countenance and spirit ALL the time -- it is real, not forced. It was such fun to meet him and see him work. We ate some amazing food and drank wonderful new wines from Baja California.

Señor Rick Bayless at the Market to Table event

This sign was in the lobby of our hotel -- I didn't make this up!

We also got to tour through 3 new homes in Zihuatanejo in a very private gated community of four homes called Monte Cristo. Our taxi driver had to leave his driver's license at the gate when he came to pick us up to go back to our hotel.

Casa Conte - the couple who owned this house were from Orange County, CA and actually were here for the event.

Casa Tulum - view from the infinity pool overlooking Pacific Ocean

Casa Alegría master bedroom pool -- nice!

This house had 5 swimming pools, 5 bedrooms, an amazing outdoor living area facing the wide open Pacific Ocean, and 3 casitas. The "owner" was a really rich man from San Diego who has never been to the house, and according to the architect just sent him lots and lots of money to build and furnish the house. Can you say laundered money! That was our story about the house! These are 2 of the 5 pools! The one above is off the master bedroom and the one below is off the outdoor terraza/living room.

Because the house is built on top of a bill the breezes were strong! At each of the houses there was a different vineyard represented and lovely tapas.