Clearly the Taste of Home

My intention today was to write about Pet Friendly travel!  As you can see my taste buds have over ruled that notion!  That happens frequently!  Pretty certain you are now asking, "Where the hell is Scooters."?  More so, after you read the sign stating it's in Jarbo Gap, CA you are wondering, "Who the heck would ever want to go there?!" I know I thought the same thing!

About eight years ago we moved up to a little community outside of the Northern California towns of Chico, Paradise and Oroville.  Located along the Highway 70 Feather River Canyon, some 1,000 residents call either Concow or Yankee Hill home.  It depends on what side of the rode you are on as to where you live!  The local "convenient" store/gas station is nestled off the rode in Concow.  Less than a half mile on the other side of the rode is the Yankee Hill Hardware Store/Post Office.  Two miles past that is the Fire Station; now you are in Jarbo Gap! Look across the highway you will see Scooters... 11975 California Highway 70, to be exact!

Building up here in the forest brought fresh air, more land for less, equally fewer neighbors but it has a disadvantage...ONE SURE CAN'T GET A PIZZA DELIVERED!  We hadn't been up here too long before we had one of those nights where take out or a quick bite sounded enticing.  I knew there was a "Biker Hangout" about a mile up the road but the thought provoked a little fear in both Tara and I!  We aren't exactly the biker chick type but we have been known to poke our heads into crazy dives only to find mouth watering tasty morsels!  We prepared ourselves for the worst...in we went to this little spot called  Scooters !  This is not SOA's biker bar...quite the contrary...guess we should have read the word "Cafe" in their title!

Opening the glass doors of the little red building, we were quickly greeted by Bonnie; half of the husband/wife duo who own and run the "joint"!  Her hubby Dan was in the kitchen cooking up what turned out to be marvelous food!  

Scooters is our neighborhood burger and fries spot.  On Tuesdays it buck tacos.  If you're vegetarian, as Tara is, you're in luck they have items on their menu suited just for you!  Open at 10am you can also have breakfast hot off the griddle!  Omelets, thick sliced crispy bacon, you name it they cook it!  Cold beer, soda or a cup of hot coffee, they have it all right on the hill!

Friday nights Scooters becomes our entertainment establishment serving prime rib along side talented and local live entertainment!  Week day karaoke on the patio when it gets a bit warmer and always a smile!  

Sure Scooters sees its fair share of motorcycles; highway 70 is constantly flowing with bikers of all shapes and sizes; especially as the weather warms.   More often than not Scooters is the stopping point for weary bike riders on charity runs. The restaurant sponsors many a fund raiser for military, kids and families alike. 

With admission, I have been known to stop in at Scooters on those nights that Tara is out of town.  I can get my burger on! That's burger ground and personally made from Dan's ultimate mix of meats!  I often get a groan from Tara though when I confess my dinner adventure...per the cheese-aholic; Dan cooks up a darn good grilled cheese sandwich appropriately called The Trike!  Add a side of  house-made, thinly sliced fries and there's not much better!

                                           Truth is everything

at Scooters will delight the palate...from the chili burger (The Bagger) 

to the famous Fat Boy complete with their good ole' thick bacon!

This place rivals any place "down in the valley"!  I pretty much can't eat any ones fries after Dan's!  Perfect thickness, crispy yet airy in the center...the absolute spot on amount of salt...umm drooling here! 

So there you have it...even us "mountain dwellers" have a hot spot!  If you are ever out this way stop in and say hi to Dan and Bonnie; you won't be sorry you did.  Food to delight the taste buds and fill up the belly all with a side of Jarbo Gap Hospitality!  

Okay, that's it!  Enough writing I am off to get a burger!  Maybe tomorrow we'll talk Pet Friendly travel...oh...and by the way our dog Fenway is welcome to join us on Scooter's outside patio!!  

Clearly We Will Return

Okay; so I said I would be posting about the town of Puerto Vallarta yesterday.  Figured since it was President's Day, I would do nothing...that I did and I do nothing well!  Sorry about the delay but  I'm back and it's my goal to enlighten you about this little gem in Mexico!  I always hear folks rave about Cancun but I have to tell you....we spent eight days in Cancun two years ago and 'tho I did have a great time...it may not see me again...it just didn't have that intimate atmosphere to lull be back.  Puerto Vallarta on the other hand had us planning our next visit on the plane ride home!  The little village of PV wowed me.  I was staying in the Hilton Resort, located within a five minute taxi drive away...Five dollar ride or a 50 cent bus ride!  We decided to venture the city on a Saturday morning with the plan to rent scooters and tool around all day. That didn't happen. The cobblestone roads and rented scooters were trying enough in the busy weekend travel, we decided to travel to the rain forest area!  Rental scooters are not always in the best alignment! Add a scooter that pulls to the right, a narrow, winding downhill road and heavy traffic and you have the recipe for a disaster!  Let's just say, "I am lucky to be alive" and I know what it looks like to have a taxi almost run over my head!  Scooters returned and they had no scratches ~ and the exploration began!  

First off, PV is quaint, clean, charming and colorful!  It seems to be a place where folks visit and keep coming back!  It stretches the beach, has excellent restaurants, cheap drinks, friendly people, shopping and more!  It's a very eclectic crowd and made me wish all vacation spots had its diversity!  Initially a little known get away for Hollywood giants like John Houston, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton it has become a mecca for Canadian's, U.S. snowbirds seeking winter warmth, young and old, gay and straight.  Many have moved to become residents others return yearly.  Everyone; locals, returnees and tourist coexist with wonderful dynamics! Whether you are mid city, on the Malecon or in the Zona Romantica district this town has an abundance of good vibes!


We began our day having breakfast on the Malecon at Vieta's http://viteapv.com/  sitting outside people watching.  My all time favorite breakfast is Eggs Benedict.  Even though I cook it's not in my wheel well ; so whenever I am out, I order it.  Up until PV, my favorite for the past eight years has been at Fire Sign Cafe in Tahoe.  Well move over...Vieta's has taken over that top spot!   

  Okay so it wasn't the traditional

breakfast,  Tara had that and her's was equally as tasty!  Seems the huevos revueltos con totopos or Chilaquiles was equally the flavor burst for the pallet!   Just in case they ever read this..."I'LL BE BACK!"

Lots of restaurants to choose from and most just as good~ There was a lot of hype about Joe Jack's Crab Shack and it was probably my least favorite.  Tara is a non meat eater and they had little for her there.  Perhaps I ordered wrong but my fish tacos just didn't make me jump with joy but it may have been the timing...my camera had just survived a dropping and I was a little off!  Good thing that Nikon can take some jolts...first the scooter than...

One could say I ate my way through PV...there's food everywhere.  Try the local's shrimp on a stick!  

Tasty!!  

You might also want to try their food carts.  Street food is a booming business in PV.  They offer tours, with guides taking you to the best of the best or you can do it yourself.  Some of these places give new meaning to the local Taco Truck! http://www.vallartasource.com/street_food.php

You can even try out a delicious drink right on the corner.  Be brave and try it!!  How many fruits can one put in a drink...think of the nutrients?! 

We enjoyed eating in PV so much that we decided to skip the hotel food the following day and continue making our way through our new favorite beach town!  That night's dinner was highly recommended and it was excellent.  The Margarita Grill https://plus.google.com/111874992785404552413/about?gl=us&hl=en is an outside restaurant situated on a central corner under a thatch roof that will not disappoint.  From the moment your lips touch your hand mixed margarita or your server begins smashing ripe avocados at your table in the mort and pestle you will be relaxed, happy and glad you chose this hot spot!!  

Drinks are cheap almost everywhere you go...and nothing is better than a bucket of dollar beers, whether inside at a lively bar like The Cheeky Monkey http://www.cheekymonkeypv.com/    or outside beach side like Burro's Bar http://www.mexonline.com/burros.htm.  People watching is a must and if you are the friendly type you will meet all sorts of folk with just a little mingling!  If you are simply wanting to put your toes in the sand and watch the sun set, I highly recommend  purchasing a beer at the Oxxo (PV's 7/11 and they are everywhere) and pulling up a piece of sand.  We did this two nights in a row...the view is totally amazing!

Puerto Vallarta offers lots of shopping.  One can wander through the cobbled streets and find everything from high end shops to basic tourist traps.  Shopping brings about the other tourist trap...the Time Share Sharks!  From reviews I have read they are not as rampant as they used to be and for us they provided a little humor!  It was quite amusing that these staunch Mexican citizens have learned to adapt to their clientele...or Mexico has a larger gay population than I had realized.  Tara and I seem to look enough alike that some think we are sisters but the "Sharks" led with the opening line assuming we were a couple!  The friendly Mexican fellows would then add, "my husband and I..."  This tickled me because it may have been a ploy but these guys genuinely had found acceptance of the gay crowd that flock to their fine city!  I know if you bought into the time share sales these guys could be a pain in the butt, but the few that did catch our attention were fun and friendly!  Much better than the guys trolling the beach with their goods wanting you to buy...these folks were annoying!!

Once you get past the stores, I strongly urge you to hit the LOCAL Farmer's Market located in Parque Lazaro Cardenes  http://www.oldtownfm.com/pages/en/visit_the_market.html.  It's here you will most likely  find something you really want to take home.  Something one of a kind and made in Puerto Vallarta by the vendor who is selling it to you!  It's on Saturday's only but it's so worth the stroll!!  We came home with the most wonderful and useful reminder of our trip...A Color Pod made from local Palm waist.  We found these hand painted pods that were once headed to the land fill striking!  Kathryn has made recycling trendy, useful and art! Not only is she an artist but she is a transplant that has made PV her home.  Not only did we leave with a pod but we left feeling like we had made a friend.  http://colorpodpv.com/  Super Bowl Sunday saw ours holding the goods for guac!  

A  much more useful "trinket" to bring home than a refrigerator magnet!  These pods are waterproof and scooter proof!!   

Good food, good drink, good people, good stuff!  We were ready to come back before we ever left!  Bottom line...if you are seeking a get-away that is sun filled; maybe it's time to look at this side of Mexico rather than Cancun.  Sure the ocean is a different one, but its time zone is much closer for many vacationers, it offers a quaintness that Cancun is shy of...you can't help but be taken by this easy going community!!  

Have the tequila and Pacifica Light ready...We will be back next January!! 

  

The Clear Skies of PV

The many skies of Puerto Vallarta!  

Over Martin Luther King's holiday we decided to take a quick and warm get away!  It had come with a lot of thought.  We wanted good weather, but we wanted a closer time zone!  That made Cancun or the Caribbean out.  Cabo was an idea...but it soon became clear to us that PV was our destination!  
My spouse is in Pharma and has to stay away from home at least ten days each month.  With that comes hotels and points.  The thought was Hilton points could lead to a trip to Hawaii but my God, the Hawaii Hilton takes more points than any average person would ever gather!!  I looked into their web site and noticed an all-inclusive that had recently opened in PV.  We had enough points, it was new and free is good...no great!!  Room booked!!

That's when I began reading reviews.  That's when I began to get worried!  Some reviews were horrible!  Then I began to really read!  Folks were granting this hotel one star for its size, for the fact that they gave you canned beer at the pool side, that it was too quiet!!  The resort itself states it is small!  Bottled beer is not safe at pools...sometimes quiet is what you look for!  So we decided to think for ourselves!  

Our flight to PV got us there by 3pm and since all the flights arrive at the same time; it was chaos!   Same when entering any country!  I had read all the Trip Advisor hints such as how to avoid the time share fellows (they were not that bad....keep head down), how to walk out of the airport parking lot to the main road and hail a cab...easy and much cheaper ($5.00 to get to our hotel!).  We arrived, our upgraded room was ready!  Note to self:  when your hotel sends you emails prior to your trip, fill them out and send them back!  If reviews say things like make dinner reservations ahead of time ~ call the hotel and make the next few night's dinner reservations!  A vacation is to vacate thoughts...make that happen!!  


Into a gorgeous room we walked.  Hot tub on the balcony, claw foot in the bathroom, separate shower, great view!!  And again FREE!!  








We soon learned that PV is a hot spot in January for Canadian tourist!  They come down to get away from the freezing temps!  Can't blame them.  We felt quilty telling folks we had left a Northern California hot spell of mid 60's and 70's!  Crazy!  It quickly became apparent that this little gem of a hotel was perfect for us!  Yes, it was small but it had everything we needed...complete with all the food and alcohol one can consume...FREE!  Of course we thought of all those bad reviews...Hmmmm...yes we are in a different country...guess what they speak Spanish; something that pissed off many reviewers!  Yes beer was served at the pool in a can...a VERY COLD can!  I was quite happy to learn that Pacifica made a light beer! Who knew?!  I could not drink as fast as our server was delivering them...all for one $5.00 tip early in the morning! Kindness is such a valuable tool...we watched people boss the servers around, grunt and groan at them ~ basically ask them to kiss their ass ~ and then they wondered why they did not get big smiles and feel good service.  No complaints from us!  Throughout the long weekend we would discover that PV had tons to offer (all to be discussed later) but this little hotel could make one learn all about the act of relaxation!!

Italian food, Tapas, sushi, French, Brazilian and all American cuisine...sunsets to kill for, the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore...certainly good use of those Hilton Points!  Travelers out there you may want to give this some thought!!  More about the details tomorrow!! 

Finally getting with it...

Here goes nothing!  Back when no one was blogging, everyone said I should blog.  Well, as usual I never listen!  I find myself reading blogs, reviews, and articles about every place I travel, eat or even just drive through.  I read about everything!  Then I shuffle through the BS and biased opinions and make what I think is the "right" decision... Why?  Because I think many people write what they want you to hear, they often don't look at the situational picture, or they just don't know better.  Me...Let's just say I am not known for my shy, hold back approach.  I get in a lot of trouble for "telling it like I see it." I'm a photographer by trade and I guess verbally I believe in the same approach...showing what's really there!  So why not blog about what I see and add a few photos along the way!!  Hopefully both my words, thoughts, suggestions, and photos are "Clearly Candid".  Maybe even interesting, informative and fun.

About me...Small town girl, 53 years young.  Pretty average but with a twist.  You see, I am gay but have never really given it much thought.  I don't see me as different; why should you?  Chico, CA, where I grew up didn't seem to care that I was gay...I'm just CC;  so let's not make this blog about that.  But you have to know because I am married to a wonderful woman and she may be the topic from time to time and most certainly she is my traveling  companion!  I do have a BA in Public Administration and a Master's in Communication.  Never have used my education!  I am a photographer. I own a little business called "Clearly Candid Photography",  I have a camera with me everywhere I go.  It is my plan to use words and photos to take you along my journeys.  Join me in my discoveries! Tomorrow it's all about Puerto Vallarta our latest trip.  Best part of the trip was living!!

http://www.clearlycandid.com/