Spring Break Cancun Craziness

Well this past 3-day weekend was crazy, to say the least!

Friday night we went to Party Center in the Hotel Zone with some of Jorge’s guy friends to see some of the Spring Break 2012 action.

Line outside Coco Bongo

This shirt was a Christmas present, and it didn't fit me until this month! yay weight loss!

Mandala - filled up!

We wandered around Party Center for awhile, then decided on XX Bar because it was cheap, and the only place that wasn’t 100% packed yet.

**Note to my female readers: Dancing on bars is fun, but I recommend wearing jeans, not miniskirts. It may seem fun at the time, but you won’t like that YouTube video filmed by some stranger once you’re home from vacation.

**Note to my male readers: Don’t dance on bars. Ever. You may fall into the concrete bar pit like this one shirtless body builder we saw. Hilarious for us. Not an easy embarrassment to shake off for him.

The best part of the night: I got hit on! Since I’m always out with Jorge, I haven’t gotten hit on much in the past 5 years. 30 seconds by myself at the bar, and I was turning guys down. Nice to know I still got it!

We left XX Bar around 4 am and snuck into went to Plaza Forum for some late-night pizza. Yum!

What I’ve Been Up To

So the past few weekends I’ve taken tons of pictures to share with you guys! Things have been pretty busy at work, but I figure I’ll keep ya’ll updated. Here goes…

Last Weekend:

Went to my friend Dama's birthday party at Black Pub Friday night

Saturday: Went to another friend's birthday party, complete with palapa and a taco stand

My "gringas"... flour tortilla, pastor, onion, cilantro and pineapple

Saturday night: Burgers in a friend's backyard (it had very cool design, but I only managed to get a shot of this light-covered palm tree)

 

This Weekend:

On Saturday I bought this... I'll tell you why later!

Sunday afternoon: Puerto Morelos

Saturday night: Carnaval parade in Playa del Carmen (all pictures were either blurry or blocked by pedestrians, but the costumes were great!)

What did you do this weekend?

Christmas Questions!

Got this from Ang and Krysten! Enjoy some Christmas questions combined with photos from the posada at our house on Saturday. (Burgers and piñatas… good times!)

1. egg nog or hot chocolate?
Hot chocolate. I only had eggnog once and it was good, but nothing beats hot chocolate.

Jorge and the grill

2. does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Neither. The wrapped, under-the-tree presents are from cousins, grandparents, sisters and my parents. Santa fills our stockings and leaves our gifts out in the open for us to see when we go into the living room.

3. multi-colored or white lights on tree/house?
Any Christmas lights are good Christmas lights. (This year I found out Jorge dislikes multi-colored lights. Very disappointing.)

4. do you hang mistletoe? 
Not me or anyone in my family.

5. when do you put up decorations?
Beginning of December.

Thomas manning the grill

6. what is your favorite holiday dish?
My mom’s Christmas breakfast sausage and cheese casserole and venison sliders (thanks Jared!)

7. favorite holiday memory as a child.
Opening presents is always the best part. Not so much the presents, but watching everyone open theirs and laughing with the family.

8. when did you learn the truth about Santa?
What?

9. do you open a gift on Christmas eve?
Only at the occasional family get together with aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

It was a very Merry Christmas for all the guys present

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Jorge and I don’t have one because we’re never home on Christmas Day, but at my parents’ house it’s usually multi-colored lights and all of our family ornaments. Used to have an angel on top until it was destroyed by tree sap. Now they use a gold star.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? 
Love. (Then again I don’t have to live in it, so I might be biased.)

12. Can you ice skate?
Barely, but yes.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Probably an iPod classic Santa brought me 5 years ago. I may be the only person left in the world with an iPod classic, but that baby is still going strong! My sister gave me a hand-made photo album years ago that I still have as well. Bottom line, there have been many.

Nothing says "Mexican Christmas" like a miniature deep fryer

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?

Traditions and being with my family.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Chocolate fudge and Lord of the Rings-inspired Christmas cookies (courtesy of me and Sarah)

Me vs. Piñata

16. what is your favorite holiday tradition?

In our family we all open our gifts one at a time, taking turns. Christmas morning lasts hours, and it’s nice to see what everyone gets.

17. what tops your tree?
No tree

18. which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Both! Right now I’m more excited about seeing my family open their gifts from me, but once the gifts are opened I love playing with my new toys!

My brother-in-law vs Piñata

19. candy canes. yucky or yummy?
YUMMY! Especially traditional peppermint.

20. favorite Christmas show?
We used to watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer every year.

21. saddest Christmas song?
Blue Christmas (Like Ang said) is the only sad one I can think of right now. Jorge thinks Carol of the Bells is very eerie.

22. favorite Christmas song?
All I Want For Christmas Is You (original Mariah Carey version), O Holy Night, Mary Did You Know

Aaaand grown-ups fighting over piñata candy, including Jhonny hitting his girlfriend. Nice, guys.

This will be my last pre-Christmas post because I’m leaving for home TOMORROW! With Jorge! So incredibly excited.

Feliz Navidad to all of my readers. Thanks so much for your love and support.

My Christmas Posada Parties in Cancun

I’ll be straight with you… I’ve lived in Mexico for 6 years and I still don’t know much about what a traditional Mexican posada entails. I know they’re parties held in December, kind of like our Christmas parties in the US, but with more traditional elements like star-shaped piñatas and bowls of ponche to drink. People also go from house-to-house singing a traditional song to pedir posada (or “lodging”, a la Mary and Joseph looking for an inn) until they reach the home of their party host, who lets them in.

And yet, I have seen none of this in Cancun. No ponche, no donkeys, no songs and no star-shaped piñatas for this gringa.

I have, however been to several Cancun posadas in my time. Young people in Cancun just do things a bit differently than the rest of Mexico. Why? Because who needs tradition? Bring on the dancing and the crazy house parties!

Here are some pictures from my first ever Cancun posada at a house party with my univeristy friends, circa December 2008… whoa.

That's my logistics professor in the background!!

Gotta love living in a city where you can wear spaghetti straps outdoors in December.

In 2010, I was a bit more tame and I only went to my office’s posada. It’s nice to see everyone dressed up and out of uniform.

2011 promises to be the best year yet for posadas and me! I’ve been to two already, including yet another work posada. For our first posada of 2011, Jorge and I went to Muellecito bar with a group of his friends from elementary school, then the group headed out to Alebrije nightclub, which I hadn’t been to yet.

Jorge with his friends from elementary school

Screen in back translates "Welcome to Mexico Jesus!!" I like to think they're referring to Jesus Christ and the posadas tradition, but since we're in Mexico it's probably just some guy named Jesus.

Tomorrow night we’re hosting a posada party at our house. Just as with all my other Cancun posadas, it’s looking to be very untraditional with no singing, no donkeys, no piñatas… because apparently our friends want to grill burgers.

BURGERS.

Whatever, that’s how we roll in Cancun.

 

This post is part of a Blog Hop on posadas! Want to read more about Mexican posadas from some of my friends, or add your own posada post to our Blog Hop? Check it out below…

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Disclosure:  I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Community Manager for the Mexico Today Program.  All stories, opinions and passion for all things Mexico shared here are completely my own.

Mexican Independence Day Parties in the Riviera Maya

While all my fellow Americans are fast asleep in bed tonight, everyone in Mexico will be partying it up Independence Day style. Here, we don’t just shoot off some fireworks, eat some apple pie and call it a night… oh no. In Mexico, it’s not September 15th if you’re not staying up until the wee hours singing banda music with friends, family, or maybe even several thousand of your closest friends. I mean come on, the party doesn’t even officially start until El Grito just before midnight.

Home to some of the best nightlife in the world, Cancun and the Riviera Maya are no exception.

A local Independence Day show in downtown Cancun

In the early evening most Mexicans spend time with the family, maybe having dinner, going to a bar, or enjoying a local Independence Day show. At midnight, everyone crowds around the radio or TV to hear the president give El Grito. Cheers are made, hugs and kisses are given, and then it’s every man for himself. The older crowd will usually spend the rest of the night chatting, drinking and laughing at a friend’s house, while Cancun’s younger crowd will head out to the clubs in the Hotel Zone (if they’re not there already).

September 15 is a great night to explore Cancun’s Party Center since it fills up with both tourists and locals, all looking to celebrate Independence Day the best way they know how. Music, cheers and the green and red of the Mexican flag all come together in a rush of energy. Nightclubs like Coco Bongo, Dady O and The City host excited locals and visitors, and the thrill in the air becomes contagious. This is the best way to experience Cancun nightlife.

Another great spot to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day is in the laid-back city of Playa del Carmen in the Riviera Maya, where you’ll find a much more casual vibe along with excited crowds. Fifth Avenue and the surrounding streets overflow with partiers. Here, you can grab a beer at a local store and party in the street with crowds of thousands, or duck into a chic yet laid-back tropical bar to celebrate with your closest friends.

No matter where you are in the Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Independence Day, you’ll find exciting parties lasting all night. This is a country that really knows how to celebrate!

**Note: This is a blog hop! Feel free to check out any of the following blogs for more Mexican Independence Day fun! (Listed manually because WordPress is a jerk and won’t let me post the linky… WordPress, I think we need to talk.)

Mexico's El Grito de la Independencia

Celebrating Independence Day Around Mexico

Dolores Hidalgo: Cradle of Mexican Independence

The Story of El Grito and Mexico's Independence Day

United Mexico: Their Independence Day Traditions

16 Tips for a Great Mexican Independence Day

16 Little Known Mexican Facts

The Mexican Tequila Bandera

Viva la Independencia!

Mexican Independence Day Parties in the Riviera Maya

Where to Eat for Fiestas Patrias

10 Ways to Celebrate Mexican Independence

Mexican Independence Day in Cancun

 

 

Chiles en Nogada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure:  I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Community Manager for the Mexico Today Program.  All stories, opinions and passion for all things Mexico shared here are completely my own.

Juan and Viri’s Beach Wedding

My frequent readers will know that Jorge and my best friends are Juan and Viri. They already had their civil ceremony back in December, but this past weekend was their big Catholic wedding. It was SO MUCH FUN!

The wedding was held at Ocean Events, a beautiful outdoor venue set on the beach near Puerto Juarez, right in front of El Meco ruins. (Jorge and I almost chose this venue for our wedding last year, before deciding to get married in Merida.)

I got to be a bridesmaid (there were TWELVE of us!), and of course I took pictures… you know me.

The ceremony venue

Jorge and me (a vision in purple, if I do say so myself)

I told you there were 12 of us

It's a Mexican tradition for family and close friends to pay for certain parts of the wedding. Juan and Viri sponsored our wedding cake, so we sponsored their dessert table... money well spent.

Here's a Mexican wedding tradition for ya... the men carry the groom off to the restroom. They undress him (completely), and bring his clothes back to the bride, who then has to go to the restroom to dress him again.

Here they are bringing the clothes back.

The wedding was filled with great food (especially the cupcakes… ooooh, the cupcakes…), tons of dancing (the dance floor was NEVER empty, and the salsa music was the most popular), and tons of friends. We ended the night around 2 am.

Congratulations, Juan and Viri!

Play By Play of a Wednesday Evening

5:00 pm Jorge informs me he might hang out with his friends PG and Paco this evening.

10:00 pm PG calls Jorge. During this call, Jorge switched from “husband voice” to “party voice” (which involves frequent use of the word wey) They decide to hang out at our house.

10:30 pm Paco and Pege arrive at our house. Dogs flip out. I stay upstairs to watch Hoarders and catch up on some blogs.

10:45 pm I hear unrecognizable voices from outside. Disregard and continue in sloth-like state upstairs.

11:10 pm I send Jorge a text message asking him to make me a Caesar salad.

11:25 pm Jorge brings me my Caesar salad (awesome) and informs me that there are 5 people downstairs, including a girl he used to go to middle school with, a friend of his brother, and the owner of a large local gym.

12:00 am I hear loud cell phone conversations of our guests giving directions to our house. Sense of impending doom.

12:28 am Things have gone suspiciously quiet.

12:31 am Loud music and yelling commence. More phone calls.

12:34 am Cries of pain, followed by laughter and repeated use of the word wey.

12:36 am Chanting?

12:51 am Guy screams directions to my house while standing in my stairwell. Car alarm goes off. Pleasant.

12:55 am Noise has escalated. I text Jorge to remind him that we have neighbors and it’s a weekday.

12:58 am Oh my gosh, how many people are at my house?

1:01 am I can hear Spanish pronunciation and grammar lessons.

1:04 am I call Jorge to tell them to quiet down. I feel like an old lady, but the neighbors will hate me! (except the Cuban guy across the street. He’s pretty cool about noise.) Time for bed. Updates in the morning!

Update (Friday afternoon… update fail.): After iniciating soundproofing (aka air conditioning unit), I slept like a baby for the rest of the night. Jorge came upstairs to sleep at 4:00 am (this is surprisingly early  here in Cancun). I am later informed that there were 17 people at our house Wednesday night.

Does this happen in the States, too?

Pinatas on New Years

During our trip to Yucatan last weekend to visit Jorge’s family, I learned that pinatas aren’t just for birthday parties! Turns out they’re also popular at New Years.

On New Years Eve, around 2 am, there was a pinata at Jorge’s Uncle Mike’s house. Sorry about all the blurriness… I was still getting used to my new camera and action shots aren’t my forte.

On New Years Day, the cousins all got to participate in yet another pinata in the beach town of Chabihau.

Jorge might have grabbed some candy off the ground and hidden it in my purse. Cheater.

Cookout at Our Place

Last Saturday, Jorge and I had some friends over to watch the big Pacquiao vs. Margarito boxing match. I was worried about our space being too small, but it worked out really well!

Meat, quesadillas and cactus leaf all ready to go on the grill!

Making the pico de gallo

Chile, green tomato and red tomato being cooked for making salsa

We brought out TV downstairs and hooked up some rabbit ears to watch the match

Our friend Viri lent us her grill

Me and Jorge

Juan es 100% guapo!

Dolly enjoyed being pampered throughout the evening

Konan and Suki were also there... but Suki insists on staying in my lap the entire time, so it's hard to get pictures haha. Konan, however, was more than willing to pose.

After dinner (and Margarito getting his butt kicked), we cleared out the table and spent the rest of the evening salsa dancing.

Great friends, great food, great night, and great music!

Our Wedding: Professional Photos

Here are the links to all the rest of my wedding-related photos…

Out first visit to check out Hacienda Teya

Hacienda Teya at night (spooky!)

Visiting Hacienda Teya with Mom

Family vacation in Puerto Morelos the week of the wedding

Bachelorette party at Coco Bongo in Cancun

Bridal Shower

Getting ready before the wedding

Wedding bouquets

Ceremony (guest photos)

Reception (guest photos) Part 1 and Part 2

We finally got our professional photos! I tried to scale it down, but there were just so many great shots. Enjoy!

Jorge took about 30 seconds to cry before he could say his vows... then half of the guests broke into tears as well (so I hear).

My sister and dad singing "Rock of Ages"

Jorge's parents placing the "lazo" on us

This was later referred to as Jorge's "quincenera" photo 😉

"La Serpiente" a Mexican wedding tradition where all the single ladies form a sort of congo line, going all around the room and under the veil held by the bride and groom

My sister Sarah caught the bouquet! (and Aubrie, the gracious loser)

Another favorite Mexican wedding tradition... the men form a line and get tequila poured down their throat by the groom

My grandpa singing "Cielito Lindo" with my college buddies... Aaaah, weddings 🙂

Grandma and Grandpa dancing to the mariachis with my in-laws