Sitting at a bright-red table overlooking an estuary in the fabled village of Mexcaltitan in the Riviera Nayarit, we threw bits of tortillas in the air to acrobatic sea birds to catch mid-flight.

Dozens of great white pelicans floated by on the green water, while a family lustily sang Las Mananitas, Mexico’s birthday song, nearby.

Nayarit’s beloved “pescado zarandeado” — a whole snapper, caught that morning, grilled on aromatic mangrove wood and served with homemade corn tortillas, grilled scallions, cucumbers, tomatoes — plus a delectable shrimp paté with crackers were available. Icy cold Pacifica beers in hand, we marvelled that such a place still exists.

Never heard of Nayarit? It is Mexico’s 10th smallest state (out of 31) and incredibly diverse — birdwatchers, wildlife enthusiasts and those seeking the authentic, unsullied-by-tourism Mexico are drawn to it.

On a recent weeklong visit, we travelled through green rolling hills, endless sugarcane fields with fronds blowing in the breeze — and mango, banana, papaya and tobacco farms.

We were just a few yards from enormous crocodiles, inches from an exquisitely beautiful jaguar, viewed thousands of migratory birds in the emerald-green rainforest. We were also eating succulent dishes we had never heard of, and meeting fascinating people from all walks of life, such as elaborately adorned Huichol Indians still living their traditional lifestyle.

It’s easy to travel from one fascinating part of Nayarit to another. Nayarit’s southern border is just 10 minutes north from the Puerto Vallarta airport. The modern, intercoastal highway is serviced by comfortable, air-conditioned buses that stop in each town — with very reasonable fares.

If you want the mega all-inclusives overlooking the Pacific, luxury spas, fabulous surfing, world-class golfing and lie-on-the-beach vacations, it’s all in the Riviera Nayarit; but if you yearn for adventure, colonial architecture and art and a heady dip into other cultures, venture into the rest of the state and “know Nayarit.”

The Nayarit Colonial zone offers Spanish colonial architecture, history and museums of the capital city of Tepic (founded in 1542) as well as the delightful cobblestoned villages of Jala, Ixtlan del Rio and Bellavista. Tepic is a bustling, lively city perfect as a base for exploration of nearby Huichol Indian villages and other areas.

We enjoyed walking the lively Plaza de Armas with its enormous cathedral and beautiful Municipal Palace, as well as the Amado Nervo, Museo de las Cuatro Culturas (Museum of Four Cultures) and Juan Escutia museums, and gazed for a long while at a father and small son cutting, trimming and bagging sugar cane stalks at their street stand

Nayarit has several spectacular “enchanted lagoons” such as San Pedro, Tepetiltic and Santa Maria del Oro, where we spent the night in a rather swank, modern boutique 20-room hotel called Lago Encantado.

The morning there was breathtaking — with mist rising over the lake and layers of multi-hued mountains rising beyond. People come to these towns to fish, bike, water ski, boat, rest and to enjoy the area’s famous delicacies.

We started our Riviera Nayarit exploration in the large town of San Blas (founded in the 17th century,) renowned as one of the world’s most important natural bird refuges.

While birdwatching here is wonderful all year, its rich migratory display every winter season (November-April) brings an estimated 80 per cent of the migratory North American bird species to interact with local species, about 2½ hours north of the Puerto Vallarta airport. Caution — you will need insect repellent in this area!

In San Blas, we stayed at the very pretty Garza Canela, a garden-filled inn run by the four very friendly Vazquez sisters (one of whom is Betty Vazquez, an acclaimed Paris-educated chef, and the Culinary Ambassador for the Riviera Nayarit) and their brother.

This property caters to bird watching groups, provides very early breakfasts to birders, and is just a 15-minute walk from the town’s long sandy beach. The Delfin restaurant, with Chef Betty’s gastronomic marvels (written up in Bon Appétit and Gourmet) is well worth the trip. The Garza Canela sisters will help you book the services of a very reliable and knowledgeable taxi driver, Juan Martinez Velez, who regularly attends to international visitors and can be booked in advance for private trips in the area.

But there’s much more to San Blas — the nearby dense mangroves and hilly rainforest’s microclimate attract thousands of birds to mate, nest and feed in the nutrient-rich estuary. One morning, we arose before sunrise to climb up through the rocky paths at Tecuitata, through impossibly dense mango, jackfruit, banana and papaya trees, and as the first rays of sunlight hit us, so did the cacophony of sound — birds calling, singing, and cawing all around us, along with crickets and woodpeckers. Our bilingual guide, expert birdwatcher Francisco Garcia, called in excitement to us when he spotted a squirrel cuckoo.

The next morning, we skimmed the glasslike surface of the estuary in a small panga boat to enter the peaceful and beautiful La Tovara, a mangrove refuge filled with about 60 crocodiles, a multitude of turtles, lizards and herons, storks, hawks, eagles, egrets, ducks, falcons and more.

About a 45-minute drive from San Blas, small boats take visitors to the fascinating village of Mexcaltitan, mentioned above. This no-vehicle village of 1,800 residents is only reachable by boat; inside the estuary, this delightful town is completely walkable (after dining on that fabulous fish mentioned above — try La Alberca, about $25 per couple for enormous fish and shrimp lunch with beer). Everyone’s doors are open, children are outside playing, the church has an exceptionally bloody Jesus Christ statue, and there is a surprisingly well executed small historical museum (Museo del Origen).

Stroll the paths into yesteryear and slow down — what would it be like to live here, we wondered. In fact, we learned that some locals have never left — afraid to experience cars, noise and big city life.

As our magical day in Mexcaltitan drew to a close, we embarked onto the little boat alongside some 25 great white pelicans. It was a day like no other we’ve ever had.

For our time of sun and surf, we headed back to Riviera Nayarit. We chose picturesque San Pancho (formally called San Francisco), where we stayed at the lovely Cielo Rojo boutique hotel, perfectly decorated with Mexican folk art. In San Pancho, we visited the fabulous Entreamigos Community Center — a utopia-like non-profit established and run by a former Californian. It is well worth an hour of your time.

Moving on to Bucerias, we stayed in an outstanding ecoproperty. Los Arroyos Verdes is a botanical garden built around 36 private casitas, a restored Airstream trailer and small RV, with 26 staffers attending to the organic chef’s garden, nursery, authentic Temazcal sweat lodge, maintenance, activities (yoga, tai chi, salsa dancing, etc.). We explored the surrounding countryside on the cute vintage bicycles, and swam in the huge azure swimming pool.

Knowing Nayarit is a joy, one that takes much more than one trip there — this gloriously beautiful, lush, authentically Mexican destination will happily fill your minds, hearts and stomachs.

For more information, visit Riviera Nayarit

[readon1 url="http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Know+Nayarit/10288308/story.html"]Source:www.vancouversun.com[/readon1]

This contest gives away an all-expenses paid trip for two girlfriends sponsored by E! Entertainment, Aeroméxico, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and Vallarta Adventures. (Valid only in Mexico and Latin America.)
The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) invites you to participate in its new Facebook promotion titled #ViajaComoCelebrity (#TravelLikeACelebrity). This contest could be your free ticket to ride and enjoy the best of the Mexican Pacific.

The promotion is sponsored by E! Entertainment, Aeroméxico, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and Vallarta Adventures. You could travel like a celebrity with a round-trip ticket, a 5-night/6-day stay plus different activities and tours for two girlfriends—all on the house.

All you have to do is “Like” our official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/rivieranayarit.mx) anytime between October 13-17, upload a pic to the contest app and describe five experiences you think no celebrity should miss on their visit to the Riviera Nayarit.

The images with the most votes (Likes) will have the highest possibilities of winning. The results will be published on October 28, 2014. The trip will be valid from January 1 - December 31, 2015 (subject to availability). This is only valid for contestants living in Mexico or Latin America.

The Riviera Nayarit is currently a celebrity hot spot for many reasons, among them the excellent international flight connectivity and the amazing resorts that place the area among the top destinations in the world.

It currently offers four AAA 5 Diamond properties and ten AAA 4 Diamond hotels as well as several Virtuoso properties and a recent inductee into the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hotel group.

The luxury offered by the Riviera Nayarit along with the many unique experiences, including its eco diversity, have attracted celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and her sister Kourtney, Colombian actress Sofía Vergara and Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio, among others.

Unobtrusive and just 15 minutes away from the Malecón, there is a beautiful little beach called Las Gemelas. People who speak Spanish may wonder, and justifiably so, about the name: Las Gemelas means The Twins, and there are, in fact, two little beaches that lay side by side and look very similar. I went there this weekend and just have to share my discovery with you.

Getting there is quite simple, even for a person like me who has no good sense of direction. Downtown Puerto Vallarta consists of different zones, and I took a bus at Zona Romántica that said “Mismaloya”. It travels south of Puerto Vallarta, and along the way I have seen many beautiful beaches like the famous Conchas Chinas and Punta Negra. This day, however, I decided to visit the smaller twin beaches, and I immediately fell in love. It is less crowded than the other beaches I have seen so far, and the water and sand are very clean. An attentive life guard ensures safety, which is an important issue for me, since I am quite a poor swimmer.

Speaking of swimming, I just loved it. With an outdoor temperature of 33ºC, the water was totally refreshing at approx. 20-25ºC. My experience with the sea in Germany is that you can stay in the water for a maximum of 20 minutes and come back freezing and with chattering teeth. At Las Gemelas, I was able to swim and relax in the sea without feeling cold or uncomfortable. Drifting in the sea, gazing at the mountains and the coast of Puerto Vallarta, I felt like I was in an outdoor spa. Really awesome experience! I also enjoyed the number one favourite tourist activity at the beach: just lying down, lazing about, doing nothing but tanning in the sun. When it got too hot, I would just jump in the water. After this day, I felt like the most relaxed human on earth.

There are also some people selling stuff at the beach. Even if you don’t feel the urge to buy a watch, you should nevertheless try some of the delicious food. Mostly there is a broad variety of fresh fruits, mussels, roasted fish and other little snacks that are highly recommended. As far as I am concerned, go with something I tried that day--a Mexican dish called Ceviche. It is served on a tostada (a fried tortilla) and comes with a mix of fish and vegetables such as carrots, cilantro and avocado. As a topping, I added some lime juice and a traditional salsa. The result is a simple but incredibly tasty Mexican meal.

Sources: Vist Puerto Vallarta

As the star of Food Network's Chopped, and former judge on Bravo's Top Chef, Ted Allen can eat.

And eat. And eat.

But when he's not eating, or jamming out to David Bowie, he's traveling -- and currently looking for some vacation suggestions. That said, when he does take off, Ted has reading requirements for boarding a plane and refuses to purchase products from those in-flight magazines. We recently caught up with Ted while eating Thai food, as he, Pepcid, and Eater.com, hosted dinner at Pok Pok NY at its new Brooklyn location.

Read on for our exclusive interview...

Q: What are your must-have carry on items?
A: My noise-canceling headphones and lots of stuff to read. I'm always disturbed when I get on a plane -- I'm always next to a business guy who brings nothing to read, not even a newspaper! The plane takes off and he starts to look at the SkyMall catalog. I'm like, really? You're flying to Los Angeles [from NYC], and you're going to be nourished by the SkyMall catalog? The little speakers that look like rocks, and the massagers and stuff?

Q: Have you bought anything from the SkyMall catalog?
A: Has anybody ever bought anything from the SkyMall catalog?

Q: They must...
A: Yeah. Salesmen! I have not. It's kind of fun to look at the stupid stuff in there, but I like to have a book or two. I catch up on magazines on flights. I still love print magazines.

Q: What's the last thing you bought in an airport?
A: I often buy Rolling Stone [magazine] in airports because I don't subscribe to it, but I like to see it once in a while. I really love Vanity Fair. I just subscribed to The New Republic, which is great. I bought a sandwich at Subway lately, because that was absolutely the most food-like option.

Q: What airport were you in?
A: Puerto Vallarta, like a month ago.

Q: That was your last trip? What did you do there?
A: Yep. Sat on my ass and sunbathed! I went to a nice resort in Pura Vida and stayed in this amazing guesthouse in Puerto Vallarta Proper, part of it, which used to be part of the actor Richard Burton's home. I'm not sure I'd recommend Puerto Vallarta as a destination. It's a little played out, but it was a slice. I'd never been there before. I needed to get some sun. Our [New York] winter sucked. I was like, I don't care what it costs, I don't care where it is -- just get me there!

Q: Have you ever been stopped at customs?
A: [Laughs] No. That's a good question. Another good question: have you ever lied going through customs.

Q: Have you lied at customs?
A: I'm not going to answer that. No.

Q: What's your next trip?
A: I don't have one lined up! I've shot 8 episodes [of Chopped], so I have 31 more episodes to go. We wrap Chopped on July 2, so my next trip is to Chelsea Market [in NYC], and then home, and then to Chelsea Market and then home for several weeks. It's a good problem to have, and it's still fun to make it.

[readon1 url="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shermans-travel/qa-ted-allen-from-chopped_b_5692847.html"]Source:www.huffingtonpost.com[/readon1]

Sinergiarte, the annual San Pancho art festival organized every December by Colectivo San Pancho (their art collective) has launched a fundraising campaign to ensure that their upcoming festival will take place successfully. This year’s event will take place December 20 - 28.

The Voice of Vallarta (La Voz de Vallarta) Season 2 returns to Act II Entertainment.

Can you sing? The Voice of Vallarta is looking for the best singers in the bay.

On the anniversary of the birth of one of the Garden’s many inspirational spirits, that of Alexander Von Humboldt, we held our second annual awards ceremony to honor a few of the many modern pioneers working to conserve our region’s natural resources and protect the environment that cares for us all. I personally presented awards to honor two of the most diligent laborers on behalf of the Vallarta Botanical Garden — Ellen Zagory and Neil Gerlowski. Also, two other community leaders, Juan Espinoza and Isablela Cárdenas Oteiza, presented awards to two other important local conservationists, Dr. Helios Herández Hurtado and Oscar Aranda.

Ellen Zagory serves the Garden’s US-based Board as volunteer secretary and is the person who first proposed the creation of a conservatory focusing on native Mexican orchids here at the Garden.

During 2013, when the majority for the funding for this conservatory was raised, Ellen’s workload for the Garden quadrupled, yet she rose to the occasion even while maintaining her “real job” as Director of Horticulture the UC Davis Arboretum. Without her commendable service we wouldn’t have been able to accept the generous donations that made the conservatory’s construction possible for this facility to now serve as a living classroom and conservation center. Carlos Mendoza accepted Ellen’s award in her absence and we look forward to seeing her soon to present it to her in person.

Neil Gerlowski, the Garden’s Executive Director, continues to amaze me with his vision and drive for the Garden and its programs. This past year, while excelling at his other duties here, Neil has brought about outstanding new developments to our educational programming and has managed a constantly growing and increasingly skilled team of volunteers to work together with him. We are not only receiving more visitors and school groups than ever before for educational programs at the Garden, but are now offering teachers a range of meaningful activities and custom-tailored events,lectures, and workshops for their young learners.

Juan Espinoza, the Editor of Bay Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit, leads the quest for engaging content for his fine publication which includes an abundance of essays on the natural world, especially the wildlife of our region. We asked Juan to present an award to a local environmental hero, and he chose Oscar Aranda without hesitation.

Oscar’s commitment to sea turtle conservation and public education is inspiring. We were very blessed to hear of his accomplishments in this work and his goals for the long-term protection of these charismatic creatures. Dr. Liza Danielle Kelly Guitiérrez, the Career Coordinator of Biology at the University’s local coastal campus, was invited to nominate an award recipient as well. Her selection of Dr. Helios Herández Hurtado met our instant approval.

Dr. Helios has been laboring for the study and protection of the Bay of Banderas’ crocodiles for twenty years. From wrangling colossal crocs to careful monitoring of wild specimens and documenting their last remaining nest sites, Dr. Helios has shown a devotion to species conservation that rivals any others that I know. In Dr. Kelly’s absence, Isablela Cárdenas Oteiza presented Dr. Helios with his award.

[readon1 url="https://www.vbgardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/LEAFLET-2014-OCT.pdf"]Source:www.vbgardens.org[/readon1]

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. The word Halloween is a shortening of All Hallows' Evening also known as Hallowe'en or All Hallows' Eve.

Joe Francis is now a father.

The Girls Gone Wild creator and his girlfriend, Abbey Wilson, welcomed twin girls — named Alexandria Claire Francis and Athena Olivia Francis — on Tuesday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Francis has a villa in nearby Punta Mita.

The couple broke the news shortly after the birth of their daughters with a photo announcement featuring a pic of the couple and a scenic shot of Puerto Vallarta. Francis had teased the news hours earlier by posting a shot on Instagram of himself outfitted in hospital scrubs and a surgical mask with the caption, "Here we go!!! Babies are coming now!"

It wasn't a surprise that Wilson delivered girls as the couple revealed that they set out to have daughters through in-vitro fertilization. "I believe people will finally understand my love, respect, and admiration for women," Francis said in April when they announced the pregnancy. "I love girls."

The births are a bright spot for Francis, whose name is often attached to negative headlines. In August, a bankruptcy judge questioned whether an arrest warrant should be issued for the 41-year-old over his alleged tampering with GGW bankruptcy proceedings. And last year, Francis was sentenced to jail time for an assault case from 2011 involving three women at his Bel-Air mansion.

[readon1 url="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/girls-gone-wild-creator-joe-738824"]Source:www.hollywoodreporter.com[/readon1]

The Chef has participated in 13 events just in 2014, during which she champions the region’s cuisine, and has seven more scheduled before the end of the year. Since she began in 2008 she has participated in 50 events.

Gastronomy is a natural ally for any destination’s tourism promotion—thus Chef Betty Vázquez’s importance as the Gastronomic Ambassador of the Riviera Nayarit. Every year she participates in different events around the world, tirelessly promoting the destination with her timeless “taste of the sea.”

Since 2008 and in collaboration with the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau she has attended more than 50 events representing the region’s cuisine, including festivals, conferences, gastronomic presentations and many others.

In the intervening years she has increased the number of promotional activities to the point that this year she has already participated in 13 activities, with another seven still on her calendar before year’s end.

Betty, a native of Nayarit, is convinced that gastronomy conquers travelers. She’s very aware of her responsibilities and carries with her the delights of millenary recipes and tastes, because she knows that the culture of a state rich in nature and flavors will remain in the gustatory memory of tourists.

“To be an ambassador is to carry with me the essence of my land to the far reaches of the world; those who savor the taste of Nayarit are immediately transported to our destination. Their palate is conquered and they want to travel and experience the marvels of our destination for themselves,” said the Chef.

Her extraordinary vision allows her to identify the permanent traditions, because the “essence of serving and enjoying life via the palate is a top priority,” thus her commitment to strengthening the culinary tourism in the region.

“My challenge is to conquer palates simply, with love, delicately but with prudence, firmly and with determination, with talent and with humility, but above all, with passion for my work,” emphasized Vázquez.

The Riviera Nayarit CVB began working with Betty in 2008 and by 2010 had named her their gastronomic ambassador. After having achieved second place in the famous Iron Chef program during the Hot & Spicy Festival in Toronto, Canada, the Secretary of the Exterior included her on the list of top chefs of Mexico.

“The relationship with the CVB includes a long history of communication and commitment, we’re on the same boat and it’s very exciting to see we’re all rowing in the same direction. We know we have a fantastic, magical destination rife with talent, flavor and landscapes… This is a relationship that brings us together, that strengthens us and generates the energy needed to achieve grand goals,” she added.

The increase in our social media followers has been growing exponentially thanks to the successful marketing campaigns implemented by the Riviera Nayarit CVB; this includes an increase in website traffic as well as web sales that can be tracked back to the campaigns.

Gastronomy is the second element that most attracts tourists; restaurants are in second place among the top attractions of the region, right behind our famous “fun in the sun” attractions.