Tag Archives: Sinaloa

Help Us Find Oneil

14681859_10211225149723508_3995029327415111999_n.jpgMost of you know Oneil Patrick Carroll McGean. As owner/operator of Café Playa Sur, he is always ready with a smile and a hug. He includes so many of us in his wonderful parties, whether fireworks viewing or piñata busting. He has lived here in Mazatlán full time for 10 years, and still manages the Old Mazatlán Condominiums. He is a quintessential bridge-builder, with as many local as international friends.

Oneil’s a great guy. Last winter, when a local public school was vandalized, he worked tirelessly to raise money to repaint and buy new computers. Oneil’s the kind of person that’s there when you need something; he’s just good people.

Tuesday night, Oneil went missing. We know where he was headed—to meet a new acquaintance at Hotel Punta Pacífico, at the entrance to the Delfín area. Friends watched him leave. After that, we don’t know. It is heartbreaking.

Thanks to local connections, friends, and officials, we have moved mountains today and gotten the wheels in motion to find him. Obviously the longer the delay, the more fear we have. His brother will join us from Hawai’i tomorrow.

We are quite confident Oneil has met misfortune. He loves his dogs dearly, and has left them unattended. He would never do that in a million years. Thankfully, his friend Jorge has stepped in to make sure the dogs are well taken care of, and to spend two days without sleep mobilizing a search effort and investigation. No one could ask for a better friend. Janet Blaser has also been a huge help. I so admire her clear thinking in times of trauma. And her connections.

The local, state and US American authorities have been alerted that Oneil is missing under suspicious circumstances. I contacted Mayor Felton this evening, and he spoke with Governor Malova, who tomorrow will send a specialized group of personnel here to Mazatlán to search for Oneil. A small group of close friends are working with the family, US American consulate, local authorities, and police to try and expedite and help as much as possible.

Please, help to spread the word of his story. Use any connections you have to get everyone informed and helping with this. And help us hold him up in prayer or meditation for a safe return.

Please do NOT spread sensationalistic nonsense—this is most probably not narco or gang violence. We hold hope that Oneil will show up soon, perhaps with fewer pesos, and not too badly beaten.

We love you, my dear friend.

Our Beloved Malecón de Mazatlán

We all love the malecón, Mazatlán’s oceanside promenade. While Tourism sometimes says our malecón is 21 km long, that length would have to include the Zona Dorada as well, which is clearly not malecón. But from Valentino’s to Pedro Infante is 8-1/2 km. If we add in Paseo del Centenario and the real, original malecón in Olas Altas, our annual Carnavál party zone, it’s a few kilometers longer yet. The world’s longest uninterrupted oceanside path is said to be the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver.

Here in Mazatlán you can ride a bike, rollerblade, jog or walk amidst incredible views. When the tide is high you can even get refreshingly splashed. In the fall months you can often witness sea turtles coming into the beach to lay their eggs. You can watch parades, marathons, protests, and incredible fireworks along the malecón of Mazatlán.

Most of us realize how much our malecón has changed over the years: lengthening it, widening it, various concrete designs and paint jobs, different types and colors of benches, planters, lighting, and, most recently, the palmeras. Remember when we had to avoid dog excrement all the time? Fortunately that custom has mostly died out, and by and large pet owners are fairly responsible when using the malecón to walk their pets.

I’ve written previously about how the culture of the malecón has changed. Most significantly to me is how in the past ten years it’s become the world’s largest gymnasium, at the same time that Mazatlán has become a pulsating center of athleticism. Ocean-fed pools are a rarity worldwide, and our own malecón is home to the beautiful Carpa Olivera that’s both historic and refurbished, as well as the Swimming Club. In addition to the athletes, the mesmerizing views, and sunsets unlike no other, our malecón also houses a grand collection of statues and monuments.

malecon-usersOne of the newest efforts on the malecón are the signs to have walkers and runners use the side of the malecón closest to the ocean, and bicyclists, skateboarders and roller blades use the side closest to the traffic. With 14,000 people using the malecón on a daily basis, according to city figures, this can’t always happen, but already I’ve noticed it’s made a significant difference.

All you snowbirds, welcome back! Those who have survived the heat and humidity, rain and wind of this summer, we’re almost ready for cooler weather! I look forward to seeing you on the malecón! Sunrise, sunset, daytime and night views there are gorgeous. What better place to enjoy people watching and the beauty of our city, and get some exercise?

New Eats to Check Out!

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Chef Jaime Llanos at his new food truck stand, Casita María

My mouth’s been watering since May of this year, when I discovered the incredibly appetizing photos that Jaime Llanos has been posting on Facebook. He is a Mazatleco-born, Los Angeles-trained chef who was working out of his grandmother María’s home in La Juarez. Trouble was I was traveling so much, I couldn’t check him out. But, oh! The food! It looked soooooooo good! So completely different than anything we normally see here in Mazatlán and yet, at the same time, so typically Mazatleco. (Photos in the set below are all Jaime’s. Click on any pic to view larger or watch a slideshow.)

Mediterranean Octopus
Oaxacan Tamales with Black Mole
Beet Salad

Then, in late August, he started titillating us. “Coming soon!” “Próximamente!” “Cada día estamos más cerca!” What? What was coming soon? What was I waiting for?

I could tell from the pictures that he was making wine—his own label, artisanal wine. As if great food weren’t enough?

Despite the fact that he never said, “We’re open!”/”Ya abrimos,” I got Greg to head up towards Marina El Cid with me today to check out Jaime’s Casita María in the new food truck area, La Trockería. Luckily for us, Jaime was there, getting set up for his soft opening this evening.

He was embarrassed to have me take his photo, as he wasn’t dressed for work; we caught him setting things up. Even though his kitchen wasn’t ready, Jaime greeted us, explained his menu, and gave us a tasting of his white and red wines. They are both sweet but so refreshing; the red is a mix of Cabernet and Tempranillo, the white a blend of Chenin Blanc and uva de mango. There is nothing “mango” about the white wine, so I assume that is just the name of a grape variety. The wines are made for Jaime by a friend who owns a vineyard in the Guadalupe Valley.

Despite not yet being open, Jaime proceeded to cook us up a cazuela of mushrooms. OMG! They were awesome!

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His food truck menu is obviously simpler than the full Casa María menu. He’s aiming for that homemade Mexican taste, with two different cazuelitas or casserole dishes, one with octopus and the other the mushroom dish we ate; and a tuna tostada with Moroccan spices. Jaime gave us a taste of the spiced tuna that goes on the tostada, which he explained was not yet fully marinated. Even half-marinated, it was GOOD! He will change up the menu regularly, and he’s planning to add more of his artisanal wines, as well.

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Casita María officially opens at 6:00 this evening, and will be open evenings Wednesday through Sunday (Monday and Tuesday off). We had the honor of being his first customers! It is located in the new food truck area just south of the bowling alley, across from Marina El Cid. The official address is 1802 Marina Mazatlán (Camarón Sábalo).

Also in the Trockería food truck area are 4to Burguer from the Machado, the hot dog van that used to be in front of Gavias on the malecón, a shrimp place, hot wings, and a taco truck. Provecho! And mucho éxito to Jaime and Casita María!

Circo Machado

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The unicyclist and a performer on stilts watch the performance in the kiosk.

I was very excited to attend one of my beloved pasacalles, or street parade performances, last night in the Plazuela. It was called “Circo Machado,” and it was the closing event of this year’s International Theater Festival, Escena Mazatlán 2016. Can you believe the festival is finished already?? We all know how crowded the Machado gets on a Saturday night, filled with local families and tourists strolling about, so the event had a great crowd.

There were two performances, the first at 7:00 pm and the second following the theatrical performance in the TAP. That last one, just after 10:00, had fireworks, too. I had a party to attend, so the first one had to do it for me. And it did not disappoint!

I entered the Plazuela just before 7:00 to find it decorated with hanging umbrellas, as is so the fashion worldwide these past few years. The umbrellas were gorgeous amidst our colonial architecture, particularly with the lights of sunset in the sky overhead. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.

Promptly at seven 25 of the artists from Academia Dance, directed by Agustín Martínez and Aura Patrón, emerged from the Escuela de Artes de Cultura and marched joyously around all four sides of the Plaza Machado. We saw mimes, acrobats, dancers, a unicyclist, performers on stilts, and clowns.

After they made their way around the Plaza, a young woman got up on a small stage just outside the kiosk, and twirled fire for us. I happened to have a front-row view, which was fun, and I even caught Raúl Rico in a few of the shots, looking proud and happy.

Pasacalles are wonderful because the performers mingle with the people. Those on stilts danced with the crowd, particularly engaging the children. This is part of what I so love about Mazatlán: we have incredible talent, in huge variety, and so much of it is free to the public.

After the torch dance the festivities moved to the kiosk. There, we were treated to trapeze moves and aerial acrobatics, as well as dancing.

The Circo Machado ended just before 8:00, with a colorful burst of confetti.

 

News That Made My Day!

IMG_2472It’s been such a busy summer for us, with over twenty different beds in the past two months. We have absolutely loved seeing great friends and family, and working hard amidst the fun, but we are sooooo ready to be home, and so very tired! Loads and loads of work to do, and miles between us and home…

Then, the mail comes today and, hey, it totally makes my whole week!

You remember a year ago, when O’Neil McGean at Café Playa Sur hosted that wonderful USA Independence Day party where we got to bash not just one but TWO Donald Trump piñatas? Well, I posted a clip of the festivities to the VidaMaz YouTube channel.

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Back at the end of April I received a message from a guy named Mike Cram, who asked my permission to use part of that YouTube clip on the Trump Bashing. Evidently he is involved in a project called “Trump Growing Nose Watch.” Having no idea what that meant, I said, “Sure, you are welcome to use the clip. Just preserve our © and a link back to our site.” I didn’t think much more about it.

Low and behold, on my birthday, August 6, Mike emailed me the promotional clip that incorporated my video footage. It highlighted our son. And oh what a hoot it gave Greg and me! Wonderful birthday gift!

Today I received an even better gift: one of the watches! On the left, normal Trump. On the right, Pinocchio Trump!

Thank you, Mike! It is truly funny. Thank you, Oneil, for hosting this event. I’ll let you borrow my watch anytime, buddy. 😉