Communication
There is so much going on around me, so many people and places and different customs, signs I can’t read, I go to places only to find out I shouldn’t be there.
Living in Mexico has its challenges but nowadays its funny to hear myself at the bank or grocery store and in perfect Spanish ask for something while the clerk answers in English or asks for assistance.I encourage their willingness.
Some people are afraid to speak Spanish or even try to understand when someone converses with them.
When I need to call a hotel or a Mexican friend I usually find that I am speaking much louder on the telephone.
maybe I think they will understand better. They don’t!
Either way communication is probably the single most problematic issue for those living in a foreign country.
I have friends that have actually lived in Mexico for years and still don’t speak the language, then when they call and get flustered or feel taken advantage of I wonder to myself why don’t they just learn to communicate , then they wouldn’t feel so out of sorts.
The problem I see with communication is that people are afraid to use the right or wrong word.
For many years when I introduced someone, I used the word introducir, which I thought in Spanish meant introduce. Not so. The proper word is present( presentar) the other word actually insinuates, well , lets just say ,don’t use it lol.
I admit I use the same word for many things, this, that, those, they are all one word for me, and I am wrong all the time. But I do a lot of pointing and laughing and everyone seems to understand me,because joy is universal.
Forget the traffic signs , no one reads them or follows them anyway and as far as bill boards, you only have to know the difference between banks and beers and condoms to understand what they are selling.
I think the best remedy for poor communication is laughter. When someone knows your trying, people are usually happy to help.
So throw your frustrations out the window, put-on a smile and try today to communicate with those around you in a new and loving hand waving way.
Express and connect with a joyful eye and people will exchange with a wink of approval everytime.
Ole- Leonique
Guess Hu’s Coming To Dinner?!
Guess Hu’s Coming To Dinner!
On the 19th of January 2011, in the wintery cold of Washington of D.C, the who’s HU of the world gathered around eating from precious china, sipping wines from exquisite crystal goblets and dining on world cuisine.
What?
Okay lets try again.
President Hu Jintao of China was seated at a state dinner,eating from vintage and gold filled porcelain dinnerware at the White House drinking rare red wines and wondering what the heck black trumpet mushrooms are all about let alone how to eat them.
Looks like the White house choose a subtle, classic comfort food for tonight’s affair.
Poached Maine Lobster(1st red item),Dry aged Rib Eye(2nd red,good choice) with buttermilk crisp onions,double stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach, yes naturally a comfort food staple for dessert.
Good old fashioned apple (hopefully one more red item)pie with vanilla ice cream.
I googled back to last years visit of President Calderon for the state dinner and found,Sonoran beef smothered in Oaxacan mole or with a roasted pork covered in salsa verde,a jicama vinaigrette salad finally a chocolate cajeta tart.
I would think the Presidents from around the world would like to sample the foods of the visiting country and not eat what they can get at home. But hey, maybe there’s a feeling of making them feel at home.
Fortunately The Obamas have enough red food items on the menu.
no doubt a superb Cabernet in there somewhere.
I guess Hu’s going to like that! Everyone’s going to love it, I am sure.
Just getting the invitation,is going to out weigh the food but I would have liked the Obamas to serve more of a vegetable medley or something green, lets face it Hu’s country could use a lot of green thinking.
If President Hu Jintao came to Mexico I am almost sure we would serve him a fresh fish with every kind of salsa to inspire his taste buds. I agree with the White House chefs that making a visiting dignitary feel at home is meaningful but in this case, I am not sure Hu’s going to enjoy it more?
Sounds like ”Lets Chow Down” may be more apropos than Bon Appetite!
Leonique
Island Bliss or Blast?
Ah, the island life,palm trees swaying in the warm breezes. Gentle waves washing ashore over coral covered reefs. The quiet! Laying under palapa covered huts ,shaded from the sun while thinking of nothing other than the waiters return with our cool drinks.
Stop the press! Not so fast lazy one,open those weary travelers eyes, what about 700 taxis lined up in a procession along the waters edge waiting for one ride from 30 thousand anxious passengers crowded around the nearest Sr. Frogs. Riding down escalators to find hundreds of vendors prepared to make the deal of the day. So what amigo!
Welcome to Cozumel,Mexico my new favorite spot on earth or should I say in the sea?
Its easy to find the bliss here, only minutes in any direction and a few steps into a turquoise colored sea, the quiet under water is compelling. I took my snorkel and headed out around the rocks. I happen to know that all fish hang out around the rocks. Most divers will tell you its because of all the food, but my conversation with a baby squid was other wise.
They hide there,they know we are coming. And that we do! in droves and boats with tanks, fins and all kinds of funny looking equipment.
What a strange site we divers must be.
I remember once on the island of St.John,also in the Caribbean, we took a ride to a national park where the novice snorkelers could read signs planted underwater. We saw large brain coral and read about it while swimming to the next sign. At times it was hard to read with all the flapping fins of fellow snorkelers around us stirring up the sand. But once you venture out away from the crowds, the beauty of the underworld brings about a peacefulness unlike any other.
Cozumel offers that peace to those able to grasp the moment. The manta rays peeking out from under the sand, the stag horn coral and abundance of brightly colored,spotted and odd shaped fish, make for some of the best diving in the world. Yes ,now this is island bliss!
Now for the island Blast!
Whether your sitting with your feet dug in the sand or salsa dancing, your going to have a blast either way.
Its true there are hundreds of taxis and thousands of cruise ship passengers coming down 3 enormous piers. But one hardly notices them as the music and beauty on the island hide this intrusion.
Along with the hundreds of taxis there were also hundreds of poinsettias lining the streets. The main boulevard is so clean and painted a crisp white with built in benches that stretch for miles along the ocean front. The main square is loaded with ornaments and the holiday spirit in Cozumel is found in the islanders themselves rather than in the bottom of a margarita glass.
Wow what a place, what a wonderful adventure to see what paradise actually looks like. Both above and under the water.
Cozumel has everything for everybody.
The tour companies, impressive restaurants, the shops are modern and well appointed. You might think for a moment that you’re walking on Rodeo Blvd or 5th Ave. Every designer on the planet has a presence there and the stores are packed with eager shoppers, buying up the most modern Rolex watches to carved coconut heads.
The restaurants we tried like Kinta, offer distinct European flavors while a few steps away you can feast on yummy tacos in the street. Starbucks and Planet Hollywood,Mayan ruins and rare birds all welcome the island travelers.
What a pleasure to see a place that has everything and what a blast people have when they visit. We sure did.
Now I understand why our Salsa and Salsa Tour at the Hotel Cozumel Resort is going to be the highlight of a visit to Cozumel for anyone arriving in paradise. The food and dancing,the underwater experience,don’t forget about the largest pool on the island.
This is the bliss and blast all in one, the makings of lifelong memories..
Happy Holidays or should I saw Holidaze?
Leonique
The Dancing Chef
Get ready Cozumel, because we’re heeeeeere!
Wow! I can’t believe it’s taken me THIS long to write to you all about Cozumel!! Things have been a flurry of packing, unpacking, training, uniforms, new people, new friends, great new location, a new dancing chef partner and more!
I want to share all these moments with you all!
Since my departure from Mazatlan, I’ve gone through a whirlwind of changes in my life. From getting married in Vegas (more on that in a later post!), to packing up all my belongings in Mazatlan, to moving into a new place in Cozumel, to starting Salsa and Salsa in a brand new location…not bad for 4 weeks !
Cozumel is a magical place. I arrived late in the afternoon, after leaving Mazatlan at 5am (yep, that’s a 3am alarm clock!) with a stop-over in Mexico City and then Cancun. We caught a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport to our new home, a one bedroom apartment smack-bang in the centre of town, right on the ocean!
We dropped our bags off and went straight to the restaurant downstairs. Italian Cuisine has always been my favorite, so I was pleased to learn we had a fine-dining Italian place right below us!
Dinner and a bottle of wine…ahhhhh…..Cozumel.
The following day was straight to it, meeting with Cruise people, hotel people and so much more! Our new dancing chef Judy was right there with me, and you’ll all get to meet her soon enough…she’ll also be writing here from time to time 
Dancing Chefs Judy and Pamela
Training for the new Salsa Team was to begin the very next day, so I got right into OLE Mode, with Manuals, Questionaires and more. Training was a hoot! I want to share some pics with you from our training sessions. Our new Salsa Team are a fun, energetic and young team, that have proven to be quick learners and have all the enthusiasm we have looked for in our Dancing Chef culture.
Cozumel Team Training
I knew these guys were the “ones” when I rang that little bell for the first time and a roar of “OLE!” came from their smiling faces.
With training complete, we dared to invite hotel guests and friends to a “training show”, so our new team could practise and make perfect. A total success! I’m pleased to share with you the fact that we had nothing but good things said about the training show. Our guests left happy, yelling OLE and smiling and dancing down the stairs.
In the same week, Cozumel was filled with exciting events. Revolution Day (Nov 20th, 2010) surprised us with a glorious parade of young and old alike. We have a cute balcony overlooking the main street in Cozumel, so we happily sat there and watched the kids in their costumes. Here are a few pics of that day. So much color, so much music, and so much happiness – it’s all just so contagious, I love it!!
IronMan Cozumel from my balcony
Iron Man Cozumel 2010 was also upon us here that week, so again, we spent time on the balcony cheering on men and woman who had already gone for the swim and bike portion of the race. The running was the last leg and their run was on the main street of town. I spent 1 hour on the computer and 1 hour on the balcony yelling words of encouragement “Keep on going!”, “Don’t give up!” and to the ladies “YOU GO GIRL!” (I got a few giggles from a few for that one!).
Thursday was our first official show, and we have seen a total of nearly 60 people in 3 days…not bad for a new tour We know that in a matter of a few weeks, word will spread and the popularity we are so blessed to have in Mazatlan, will quickly follow us here. We’re humbled by all the comments and words of encouragement we receive from guests and friends alike, thank you all.
This has been a challenge…a life changing, exciting and glorious challenge. But we’ve done it!
We’ll have Lela here too – for the first 3 months in Cozumel, Lela will be collecting donations to help build a Blood Bank here on the Island. There is no Blood Bank and locals are required to catch the ferry to Playa del Carmen, then bus it to Cancun…a trip and expense that most locals are unable to afford. With a Blood Bank here on the island, we can hopefully save some lives and make a difference to those who need a helping hand.
Keep an eye on those Lela pictures and reports…it’s going to be exciting to see what she will accomplish here!
Lela Cozumel
Lela Cozumel
Lela Cozumel
Lela Cozumel
Well, I think you are up to date now with Cozumel. We are waiting on Tripadvisor to list us in Cozumel to start our new challenge…we want to get to #1 in Cozumel too! Hehehe. 169 things to do in Cozumel…we may start at the bottom, but by-golly, we’ll get to the top, just you wait and see
Head Chef Leonique made a cameo appearance this week at the Cozumel show…needless to say, we got a good injection of new energy there! Stay tuned for more fun Cozumel news!
Head Chef Leonique does the Conga in Cozumel!
Hope you all visit us in Cozumel soon!
xoxo
Pamela
VIVA MEXICO!
Well tomorrow is officially Mexican Independence Day (Sept 16th). We have a lot of fun with this holiday in Mazatlan. From festivities to parades, our little city has it all. The parties and music begin tonight, with Mexico’s famous “Cry of Independence”, held every year in most mayor cities in Mexico where there is a Plaza or Municipality.
The country celebrates what is called “El Grito”, which translated, is “The Yell”.
Extracted from Wikipedia,
“This event has since assumed an almost mythic status.[4][5] Since the late 20th century, Hidalgo y Costilla’s “cry of independence” has become emblematic of Mexican independence. Each year on the night of September 15, the President of Mexico rings the bell of the National Palace in Mexico City. He repeats a cry of patriotism (a Grito Mexicano) based upon the “Grito de Dolores” from the balcony of the palace to the assembled crowd in the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, one of the largest public plazas in the world. This event draws up to half a million spectators. On the dawn of September 16, or Independence Day, the national military parade starts in the Zócalo, passes the Hidalgo Memorial and ends on the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s main boulevard.
A similar celebration occurs in cities and towns all over Mexico. The mayor (or governor, in the case of state capitals), rings a bell and gives the traditional words. In the 19th century, it became common practice for Mexican presidents in their final year in office to re-enact the Grito in Dolores Hidalgo, rather than in the National Palace. President Calderón is expected to officiate the Grito in Dolores Hidalgo as part of the bicentennial celebrations in 2010.
The following day, September 16 is Independence Day in Mexico and is considered a patriotic holiday, or fiesta patria (literally, holiday of the Fatherland).”
Today and tomorrow, we have Mexican Flags and fun Mexican colors decorating our tables at Salsa and Salsa. We will have fun pics to share later in the week. We’re really getting into the spirit of it all…and hope you will too! OLE! Enjoy the You Tube video which gave me chills when I saw it, HOW FUN!! Hope you enjoy it 
VIVA MEXICO! VIVA!!
Being patriotic to Mexico means a lot to all the girls from Salsa and Salsa! Leonique and Maaike are from Holland, Pamela from Chile and Australia and Stephanie is born and raised in Mazatlan, so celebrating this holiday is a time of happiness!! We’re sharing the fun of this patriotic holiday with you and send you all happy vibes
OLE!
Pamela
Lela the Donating Pig helps PIGS in Shepherdstown, WV
Lela does it again. She found some relatives in West Virginia that needed some help! The month of August was dedicated to raising donations for an animal sanctuary named PIGS, A Sanctuary.
We had a lot of fun taking pictures and receiving donations from all our guests. You can find all the pictures for the month of August by <clicking here>.
Donation to PIGS from Lela
Founded in 1992, PIGS is a place of refuge for abused, abandoned, neglected and unwanted animals. They specialize in the care of potbellied pigs and farm pigs, but shelter other farm and domestic animals as well. The Sanctuary currently provides a safe haven for approx. 400 animals, including pigs, horses, cats, dogs, goats and many other animals. Considering August was a slow month (our low season) we were pleasantly surprised when we opened little Lela up and found $213USD!! It’s amazing to think we got that from 8 shows!! Thank you to everyone. The folks at PIGS are very grateful for your loving generosity.
September’s Lela cause will be supporting the group SURVIVAL. For more information on the group please visit :
A letter to Danny
Dear Danny,
We did it! On Thursday we opened up our donating pig, Lela. Our Monthly ritual of opening little Lela has become an exciting part of our routine. Leonique and I play a guessing game, as to how much Lela has collected for the month. As you know, Lela was collecting for your Danny Did Foundation. Your uncle and Executive Director of the Foundation, Tom Stanton, has been a great help, thanks to him, we were able to make this happen. He sent us an article regarding SUDEP and Epilepsy, which I’m sure you would find interesting.
The NY Times published an article regarding the death of a young teenage boy (he was 19…) due to SUDEP. Just like yourself, he was taken at a young age. The article raises several alarming issues regarding the stigma of SUDEP, how it is considered controversial for a doctor to mention it to his patient unless the patient is a high-risk candidate, as it may ‘burden‘ the patient. Maybe if it was mandatory for doctor’s to mention it and make families aware of the issue, we might find less occurrences. The article is a good read and very informative and we have posted it below. Also, the resources page on the Danny Did website is a great source of information for those who need answers to their questions regarding Epilepsy.
We are doing what we can in raising awareness through social media and through our donations page and we hope that past guests and future guests will continue spreading the word. We hope the little we donate this month will help someone, somewhere and give them a little more hope than they had yesterday Your smile gave us courage to speak up and tell people that something needs to be done.
Daniel George Stanton (2005-2009) and still making a difference.
Here is the link to the article on SUDEP : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/health/27epil.html
We are so so happy to say we collected $305USD for the Danny Did Foundation. These donations were made by cruise passengers from the Mariner of the Seas and Carnival Splendor. We had a total of 8 ships this month, so considering the majority of the donations are $1′s or the occasional $5, that’s an amazing accomplishment.
We had so many passengers come up to us and shake our hands, telling us they had a brother, or sister, or friend with Epilepsy and that raising awareness was so so important. So thank you Danny…thank you for giving us the opportunity to touch so many people’s lives, thank you for being there and thank you for having found your way into our hearts.
Danny, we hope that wherever you are, you are smiling, laughing, playing and seeing what an effect your life has made on so many lives. You can see the happiness here, a collection of pictures of everyone who donated to Lela the donating Pig for the month of July.
Best wishes,
TWO DANCING CHEFS
Pamela and Leonique
New Salsa Creation
Last Thursday, we had the loveliest group of people from Carnival, but one fellow made Leonique and I laugh so much. He had obviously had a few Margaritas, and every time we walked by his table, he was making his whole table laugh, as well as yelling across to other tables and making them laugh. We always have said that laughter is important, but from laughter comes joy and from joy comes creation…
So from the table of laughter, we bring you their Salsa Creation. At first, when we were called over to try it, we were hesitant. I personally thought the worst (hahaha) and I tried to get out of trying it by saying “Oh, I had a huge breakfast…” but that was to no avail. I was given a Totopo (corn chip) and my hand was motioned to dip and eat. So I dipped…and I ate! MMMMMMMMMMM! Truly. It was delicious, so I looked at Leonique and said “You gotta try this”, which she did, and she had the same reaction “Mmmmmmmmm”.
So I won’t keep you waiting any longer. We wanted to share it with you. It was a combination of several of the salsas we made, but with a little tweak here and a little tweak there. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. When prompted to write it down and “name” the salsa, we got a cheeky giggle and a napkin which read :
” What happens in Vegas ends up in Seattle Salsa” (Don’t ask, we have no idea!!)
1 tbls pineapple
1 tbls cantelope ( melon)
1 tbls coconut
1/2 tbls red pepper
1/2 chopped avocado
pinch of cilantro
splash of lime juice
Unfortunately, at the time, we didn’t think to take a picture, but we promise to make and post this delicious creation within the next few days. Enjoy salsa chefs!
TWO DANCING CHEFS
Salsa and Salsa (Mazatlan) has a new home
Who said word of mouth no longer works??!! Not us! Thanks to all your rave reviews on TripAdvisor, your photos on Facebook, your comments to your shore excursion representatives and last month’s article on msn.com naming us one of the best shore excursions in the world, we have grown in popularity and have found a newer and bigger location to accommodate the growing numbers!
Royal Villas Resort is now the new home of Salsa and Salsa, with stunning views, an undercover seating area, a large pool with a water slide, direct access to the beach, a games room, a fully stocked bar with some of the best Pina Colada’s in town and only minutes from the main shopping district.
We had our first show there with a record number of guests and the whole thing was just spectacular!
Nearly 150 guests from Carnival Splendor joined us this Thursday, all with the energy and anticipation we needed for our first show in our new home. What a blast we had! Free-pouring Margaritas, lots of mushing, plenty of laughter and lots of smiles…couldn’t have asked for a better group of people! Families, teenagers, couples, birthday girls and boys, and even a group of 21 “singles” joined us today. We even had a couple who had been married for 34 years (awww).
Here is a panoramic of the seating area just before we got started… a beautiful new setting for our salsa class, with a
giant stone wall, agave and cactus plants, enormous ceilings with great big pillars and of course, the hustle and bustle of
our new staff, which truly made today possible.
A big thanks to all those involved in making today a great success and we look forward to making Salsa and Salsa’s new home a welcoming venue to all our guests (past, present and future!). Be sure to see more pictures on our website and Facebook page.
Side Note : We’re totally stoked that we have reached 1,000 views on
our blog!! Keep coming back and be sure to comment on the posts
you like
Holland vs Spain
HOLLAND vs SPAIN
In or around 1544, Wikipedia says that a man by the name of Willem Van Orange lived in the Netherlands. A dutch hero. Hence the color Orange and the House of Orange was born. He became the main leader of the Dutch revolution against, you got it, the Spanish.
It set off the 80 yr War which resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces. The Spanish however continued to persecute the Dutch protestants and Good Old Williem led the revolution until Mr Balthasar Gerard declared him an outlaw and had him assassinated in 1580. Naughty, naughty thing to do!
Now some say that the World Cup soccer match this weekend between The Netherlands and Spain is going to be exciting because Holland hasn’t been in the playoffs since 1978. But guess what people, its really been 430 years. Pretty sure William didn’t have any idea that it would take this long for Holland to stand face to face again with their former masters.
Thats right, soccer matches ultimately have more to do than just dreaming about a date with Mr.Beckham. Although I could stop there and be happy never watching another game. But the truth is it brings out the spirits of the country. I probably wouldn’t be so excited if say,Slovakia was playing Serbia this weekend or Cameroon against Korea. But the fact is that I was born in a rural southern town in Holland. Probaby close by to where William is resting, since Holland is such a small country.
So in the spirit of the Dutch, today I will get my gardeners to start painting my house orange, go out and buy lots of carrots and persimmons and start dusting off all my old wooden shoes. I have one very large wooden shoe which I am going to attach to my car antenna for the next few days. On second thought maybe Ill just attach it to the hood of the car instead of that set of longhorns.
You’re not going to need your vuvuzela Mr.Willem of Orange, we hear you loud and clear!
Its pay back time Spain get ready to rock and watch us rollllllllllllllllllll those goalllllllllllllls!
Ole,
Leonique
Lela collects $515 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
We are glad to announce we just donated a whopping $515 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Thanks to the hundreds of people to sent in donations via our Lela page online. You can click and visit the page anytime and see how much little Lela has collected so far and keep up to date on the new causes
July will be dedicated to collecting donations for the Danny Did Foundation, a non-
profit organization that dedicates itself to the study, awareness and research of Epilepsy, in particular, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). DDF aggressively engages physicians and researchers in the fields of neurology and epileptology, meets with medical technology companies, and consults with epilepsy organizations.
We think it’s a great and amazing cause and we would like to show our support by making July our Epilepsy awareness month with Lela. All monies collected through Lela will go directly to the Danny Did Foundation (DDF) and hopefully the movement that exists on raising awareness of the illness. We hope you show your support too by visiting the Lela Page and making a small donation.
If you have a charity you are involved with closely, or have a suggestion to a cause that needs help, please contact us at salsamazatlan@gmail.com and let us know more
Imagine the Unimaginable!
Right, lets see, if it is unimaginable chances are I wont be able to wrap my mind around it. Why would I want to think about something unattainable, a feeling or thought out of my restricted boundaries, perhaps setting myself up for potential failure or remorse,sadness or grief?
What is unimaginable anyway? Is it that our oceans are dying and filling with oil, global warming that will sooner or later destroy lakes and streams and cover inhabited islands. Is it unimaginable to think that we have lost half of the rain forest in the last 20 years or that in 40 years there wont be any fish left swimming? It is unimaginable to me that people still sleep in gutters by the road side and have no food or families or a hand to the nearest shelter. That floods destroy everything a person has worked for their entire life. That earthquakes can level off the lives of good people minding their own business.
Okay! Then what is equally unimaginable is that a ceramic piggy bank, named Lela, sits with her painted smile and red cross on a chefs table during a cooking tour on a speck of land in the middle of nowhere called Mazatlan, Mexico.
For an unimaginable moment in time, Lela answers prayers for Haitian victims, she re-builds schools in Chile,provides medicine and care, food and shelter for those who have lost everything in West Virginia and Nashville. This little unimaginable piggy sits and waits daily for those who reach deep,to help the less fortunate.
Because she exists help arrives!
A woman stopped me once while I laying food and water next to a sleeping bum. She said,”why bother?” I continued with my service and wondered about that. It would be unimaginable not to help him. We never know where people come from or how they end up the way they do. If we begin to exist like Lela, if we connect rather than disconnect then I am sure about one thing, doing the unimaginable for someone else we can truly begin to let us dream about the unimaginable for ourselves.
Lets take off the armor and gloves and begin to massage love and compassion back into the thread of society. Regardless how little we have, our little is an unimaginable treasure for someone else.
This little piggy went to the market…this little piggy…
Old Fashioned Skills – who still has them?
We are slowly but surely, venturing into unknown territory when it comes to the world wide web. Like most people, we too find it hard to keep up with all the new gadgets, social networking sites, uploading, downloading, stats, news, and everything online!
- Salsa and Salsa on Facebook
Thankfully, I love it all! I can’t get enough of Facebook – my personal page allows certain games (Bejeweled, Lexulous, Geo Challenge and a few others) and I dare anyone to try and beat my scores hahaha! Our facebook page for Salsa and Salsa tends to stick to just Salsa and Salsa, with photos, videos (well, one for now, but I encourage you guys to send us your videos of the tour, so we can post and share it with other Facebookers!) as well as lots of fun comments.
- Review us on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is another forum which grabs a lot of my attention. As most of you know, we have been trying hard to reach #1 on Tripadvisor and we are just about there…this week we reached #2, we were stuck on #4 for months!! What a relief to jump from 4 to 3, then 3 to 2.
Now we’re knocking on #1′s door, ready to kick it down and take it off it’s hinges! hahaha. It’s all about the reviews on that site, so if you haven’t reviewed us, go ahead and take a second to do so, it might just be the review that gets us to #1!
Our blog, of course, is always enjoyable to write and we love reading the comments from our readers. The blog world is truly new to us both, and I myself (and I’m sure I can speak for Leonique) am amazed at how one person’s thoughts can reach another person who may just be on the other side of the world! Awesome.
To Twitter or not to Twitter?
We have yet to venture into Twitterland…so many guests on the tour have said “NOOOO! Don’t do it!” – I’d like to hear from you guys – should we Twitter or should we not?! What’s the biggest difference between Twitter and Facebook – aren’t they the same thing? My understanding is that Twitter is simply just status updates. No photos, no videos, no comments, just status reports… so if this is correct, what’s the point? But I am willing to hear you Twitterers out (ok, I just made that name up, I wonder what the real term is), I am certainly opened to hearing from you and being swayed to the dark side…
How did you hear about us?
Cruise Critic is another forum which we have yet to join, although I know A LOT of cruisers frequent there. Should we join Cruise Critic too? How did you hear about us?
Sometimes I feel it’s all too much – all the technology – but truth is, where would we be without it? I have yet to get an iPhone, although I had my eye on it months before its release, I am fighting the urge to just spring for it – I mean, who doesn’t need a gadget that can identify a song from simply holding the phone up in the air? Or want to see if your table is wonky, hold the iPhone up and use the Spirit Level app that comes with the phone (that one made me laugh!) I was actually out with a friend at a restaurant when she pulled it out, checked the level of the table, and called the waiter over to let him know (I’m not joking, the funniest part of the story is the waiter just looked at her and said “ok, thanks?” hahaha)
With that in mind, I take a step back and think where would we be without all this technology?
Skype Me!
Skype helps me communicate with friends and family overseas, for free (if you haven’t heard of Skype, check it out – show your phone company that you have had enough of their ridiculous prices! and add the words “Skype Me” to your web talk repertoire). I have to really rack my brain to think of items I can do without these days… I can certainly do without a car. Even living in Mexico, I can find my way around easily, cheaply and without the added cost of gas, insurance, license costs, highway tolls and all the other costs that are inflicted on drivers. I have been here for six years and have had no need (or desire) to buy a car. On top of that, I feel very proud of the fact that I am doing my part in not contributing to the world’s pollution problem.
Computer – gotta have it. No question about it – I could go without all the other things, but gotta have my laptop!
What can you go without? More importantly, what can’t you go without? Most of you will realize that it is hard to come up with the go without list…but try, it’s a good test on coming to terms with the fact that most of us surround ourselves with things we don’t really need. We are all very lucky to live in a world that allows us to buy buy buy, all in the name of keeping up with technology. I mean, I’ve fallen a victim to it – but I try hard to make up for it by giving back to the environment, spending time in nature (in other words, stepping away from the computer and getting outside!) and occasionally reverting back to the old fashioned ways, like riding a bike, drawing a picture (rather than taking a picture), whipping cream or eggs with a whisk (lol) and using a molcajete instead of a hand blender (double lol).
Food for thought…what old fashioned skills do you posses?
Till next time,
Pamela
A Molca-what?
A MOLCA- WHAT? 
This week we entertained hundreds of lively cruise ship passengers. Both Spring Break and Easter allows us to include children and teens along with their parents on the salsa and salsa tour.
We both agree as many parents do that teaching your children how to cook is equal to teaching them to manage money. The result is always a more prosperous, productive and healthy life.
At Salsa and Salsa we want people to walk away from our tour feeling like they can experiment with new foods and not feel intimidated while walking through the grocery store.
Imagine walking down the aisle and your son or daughter asking you if you have enough tomatillos (green tomatoes with husk)or cilantro. Now there is meaning of success. Understanding the foods we eat is essential in this day and age,teaching your children about nutrition should be on the top of your list as a Parent, Grand Parent,Auntie or Uncle.
Many of you have culinary gadgets and things your not sure how to use, what they do, or how to clean in your kitchens but here in our Mexican kitchen and in at least 4000 other kitchens that we know of, the Molcajete is the most valuable cooking utensil.
The molcajete was first used in pre-Hispanic cultures over a 1000 years ago. It was the main cooking utensil used by the Aztecs and Mayans. The first molcajetes were made out of clay and used to grind, spices,salsas, nuts and berries.
Today we keep that tradition alive in our show.
Have a fresh salsa ready and mixed in minutes.
People of all ages love using the molcajete because its fun, okay a bit tedious at times (to many margaritas) but the flavors are terrific. Kids enjoy sitting in the kitchen using the molcajete with you,while they learn about the different ingredients in the food.
I remember once a small boy at our show telling me how he hated guacamole. Strong words for a little one but none the less I am sure he never realized that avocados were the main ingredient. I showed him how to carefully open the avocado and take out the seed. Then we spooned out the meat and began to mush it in the molcajete. He loved the messy mashing part, what kid doesn’t? Then we took a taquito and dipped it in the bowl,just like that…. Mikey liked it! I giggled to myself how we as parents tend to sway our children at times with our opinions about food rather then to let them form their own. Many of you have written to us over the years on how your using your molcajete,below I will end with some of the fun uses we received. (Check out the Holy Guacamole inter-active kids cookbook)
When using your molcajete try and keep the food in the center of the bowl. Press and roll with your little pestle, the clay bat shaped object used to crush the ingredients. Do not stomp in your bowl as the food will splatter on you. The pestle also known as the manita (little hand) can become covered with foods as you begin the grinding process. Just lift the manita and scrape it on the lip of the bowl or use a knife to push the food back to the center of the bowl.
The bowls clean in just seconds with warm soapy water, ready for the next task.
Discover the joy of the molcajete, roast your ingredients before hand and keep them refrigerated. Then during the week get ready,press and you’ve got a salsa in minutes. Molcajetes stay out on the counter in our kitchens for daily use,like blenders, coffee makers or any other cooking utensil.
Other uses include: Facials, add yogurt and avocado for a super facial mask, try a banana and honey mask or papaya and cucumber. They are all great hydrating masks. The strangest one we received was the strawberry toothpaste but now one of my favorites. Put a couple of fresh strawberries in your molcajete and mush, after it turns into a paste ,scoop it up with your toothbrush. Crush walnuts, almonds, pecans in your molcajete and add as topping to ice cream or yogurt.
Molcajetes make great gifts,fill them with small bottles of salsas,little bags of spices or a lime squeezer and your ready for that Cinco De Mayo Celebration!
Also remember to check out the Kids cookbook on sale this summer called Holy Guacamole, its fun inter-active cookbook filled with puzzles,tips,recipes and a Mexican language guide.
Ole,
Leonique
Spring is here!
This week marks the beginning of Easter week. For us living here it means crowded beaches, lots and lots of families from the US and Mexico, everyone sharing in the spring spirit and of course the glorious weather.
In spring time our lives blossom, friendships bloom in celebration of life. It’s a time to come from within out, a time for gratitude, replenishing our thoughts with new creative ideas.
Spring time is also about color, everywhere the bougainvilleas are bursting in bright reds, oranges and yellows. The magnificent jacarandas, hibiscus flowers are peering out from the winter months, expressing growth in the light of day.
What I love about Mexico is the happiness people have in their lives. Eternal springtime!
The family unit alive and well,grandfathers to little siblings caring for each other.
Mexican people are so rich in spirit and this light exudes from them whether shopping or waiting at a street light or simply walking down the boulevard, people truly enjoy their lives. They live in the moment, relaxing, celebrating,and eating which is a huge part of any festivity.
At Salsa and Salsa we teach people how to open up to new ideas, try new foods and share in the joy of eating together. Like our Mexican hosts, eating should be the most important time of the day. Everyone comes together,sharing thoughts and feelings about school, or work.
Next time you feel like running through a meal or flying past the drive-thru stop for one second the think about how important food really is to our lives.
Like spring time, food colors inspire us to eat healthy.
Think about what your eating, take a moment to fill your mind with gratitude that you have food on your plate or lap or in your hands and remember that spring time is the time of renewal.
Be grateful for everything you think about, ideas you have and people who make you smile.
Have a party, use your molcajete and dream up your own spring salsas! Or just go by our store and flip through our spring time recipes in our Salsas For All Seasons cookbook!
Salsa for all Seasons
Fill your life with one new color this Easter and share your eternal springtime with others!
What a great life…
Ole, Leonique
Salsa and Salsa has officially launched their website!
It’s taken a lot of time and oh so much energy, but we are so excited to announce that our website is finally up and running! We have everything from Recipe of the Month, Photo of the Month, videos, information about Mazatlan and of course, the Salsa Store.
Our Homepage will keep you coming back with Recipe of the Month, Photo of the Month and Testimonials, as well as our Aspirin Count on LELA the PIG (more on LELA later!). Need stuff for your kitchen?! We got it all, with Salsa Products that will have you Salsa Making in no time!
Want to show your friends how much fun you had on the tour?! Send them a link to our Photo Gallery! You’ve heard us say it before, but we simply LOVE LOVE LOVE getting your Salsa photos. It reminds us everyday that we are bringing joy and laughter to thousands of people from across the globe!
Our Salsa Store has everything Salsa! Ask us about ‘Salsa in a Box’, it has everything you could possibly need to host your very own Salsa Party at home. From aprons to chef hats, we got you covered! Need more recipes? We have a variety of cookbooks that will have you Salsa making all year round. Our best-seller ‘Salsa for all Seasons’ takes you through every season and utilizes all the fruits and vegetables that come into season every year.
Your Two Dancing Chefs even have a page! We thought it would be fun to have a little info on us on the site…we get to know you all so well, it’s only fair you get to know us!
We look forward to hearing your feedback on the site. Send us your comments, tell us what you thought, what stood out and don’t forget to share your testimonials (if you’ve been to the show). We’d like to thank all our guests, past, present and future for all their support and encouragement…without you guys, this dream would never have become a reality
Keep your dreams alive,
TWO DANCING CHEFS
You’re our heroes!
Ever wonder where so many people come from, what they do, what they think?
I don’t either!
But I do think about how to make them smile. Maybe just a little laugh a minuscule jolt of joy. Making people feel good about themselves. We don’t know where all the 93 people are coming from this morning for our Salsa tour, but what we do know is how to show them a good time.
For the few hours we all get together we laugh and dance and cook and share songs, well sometimes we could do without the sharing songs part but above all our time together is about connecting. 
We like to bring attention to someone who may very likely be swept up in a world spinning at such a pace where most people are forgotten, neglected. Where we are left standing miraculously, clutching our computers with hurricane force winds surrounding our everyday duties and lives.
Vacations are about spending time with loved ones, meeting new loved ones and or forgetting about old loves!
Just like that our lives begin to bloom again.
Breath, your taking time out for yourself! what a concept! remember that person you grew up with, that survivor you became after the divorce, that illness,that hero you were helping strangers. Your the sister or brother, Mom or Dad to your crazy siblings and even crazier in-laws. Need I say more?
These 93 people sitting in front of us,with their chef hats on, wearing aprons ready for action are our heroes!
Travelers passing through teaching us, sharing with us and raising glasses, in the pursuit of happiness…
Salud! Dinero and mucho mucho Amor!
Leonique
Routines are like Old Friends…
One of the things I like about life, and our Salsa show, is a solid routine. There is something comforting in a routine. Knowing the pace, the time, the payoff. Some people don’t like routines, they want something different everyday, something exciting and challenging. But for me routines are like old friends, you can count on them.
I think what happens, like anything, we take our routines for granted. What was once an exciting ride to the beach can become boring. Some people don’t even see the ocean while driving along the shore. Come on people, start living your lives, quit waiting for all the stars to line up, they wont!
Showtime………………
First stop, Starbucks, hello to our friends, maybe a blueberry muffin, maybe a sandwich, today just the coffee.
Next stop the hotel. This is where the routine comes alive. Everything in its place, tequila shot glasses poured, fruit and vegetables cut and sliced and filled, and always a new face, a new waiter. Do we have to train him again?
Ingredients are ready, the drinks are poured and in a few minutes 50-100 people will be waiting in line to join the show.
“Your aprons and chef hats are on your chairs, please put them on when you are seated!”
All routine, all organized – but wait, then something starts to happen…that annoying little thing, like wind or rain, all interrupt our wonderful routine. The timing starts to change, I glance at my watch and realize we might have to move the entire show from outside to inside in 20 minutes. I call the dock to see if we can hold the passengers a few more minutes, then that gripping feeling ravishes my body when they say, “the buses just left!”
I notice rain falling over the ocean in the distance. I stop and look up at the clouds and waiting to see which way the rain is moving……then Holy Guacamole just like that its coming our way. Who would arrive first the passengers or the rain. No time to wonder, lets move inside fast! Wait , we are in Mexico nothing happens fast,Holy Guacamole again, lets just move!…………
I run to find help, anybody, everybody, I pass the hotel owners sitting comfortably having breakfast and with a shrill I ask them for all hands on deck.
The bellboys, the handymen, everybody starts to pick up round tables of 8 , entirely covered with dishes, food and drinks and table after table get moved over to a new enclosed area. Wooden bar chairs are flying out of the bar on one side and plastic table chairs are shuffled in through the other.
Everyone goes into first gear, Okay well, Pamela and I go into first gear, but since we are driving it is okay that everyone else rides alongside………..so much to do, we have to be ready, lets go……….. lets go….
The sound system is dragged in and the final touches are added to each table.
Pamela and I look at each other and realize we have just done the impossible AGAIN!
Last week we took over the lobby of the hotel. It was completely out of routine, our sweet wonderful routine. Hotel guests looked bewildered stepping off the elevator into a lobby of 86 chefs complete with chef hats ,aprons and those fantastic margarita smiles ,all of them shouting “OLE!’.
I wondered what the new arriving hotel guests thought when the taxi pulled up and close to a hundred chefs were all dancing in the lobby. They probably thought is was some kind of swinging place, this hotel. “Nah couldn’t be the welcoming committee.”
Routines are great and anytime we fall out of routine we are tested.
Next time you feel like complaining about your routine, stop and think about how lucky you really are to have a reasonably safe life without to much change in your routines.
Remember routines are responsibilities cousin, and when we can live a responsible life people can count on us. And when people can count on us they can trust us, after all isn’t that what we all want anyway, for people to trust us and depend on us.
What makes my life so great is that from the moment everyone arrives,while I search through my opening dialogue, I kiss my sweet routine for being there with me. I can count on my routine most days. But when routines are lost I realize it a passing adventure I need to stand up to.
So next time your bored or feeling dumpy, think about all the things that are routine in your life. Each one a friend, with a subtle tap on your shoulder that whispers ” hey lucky you” relax, everything is going according to routine.
OLE,
Leonique
Starbucks in Mazatlan
Although not new to Mazatlan, our local Starbucks has become a haven for your Two Dancing Chefs! Meetings, wind downs, wind ups and chance encounters frequently occur at our favorite coffee house. A lot of travelers don’t realize Mazatlan has a Starbucks…in fact, it’s been here a little over a year now, maybe a little more (late 2008?), however it is hidden from the main drag and therefore not easy to see.
There is nothing better than entering an establishment that greets you by your first name, with a smile (and sometimes a smart remark!) – it just makes you feel part of something… actually, I remember being a total coffee snob! Having grown up in Melbourne, Australia (and I say grown up lightly!), coffee is a part of the culture. But, I found a huge difference in the coffee culture in Nth America than that of Australia. When I spent one year in Canada, coffee was simply something you picked up on your way to somewhere. It needed to be quick, hot and preferably cheap.
In Melbourne, I found drinking coffee was more an experience. You had to sit and drink your coffee. You could read a little, whether it be a magazine, a favorite book or the daily paper. I remember sitting at a coffee house for hours, ordering two or three coffees. A latte had a milky/creamy head, just like a well poured beer…Espressos were rich in flavor, thick too, and a good barista knew that the pour had to be slow and served immediately. You would meet friends for coffee, catch up with old acquaintances with coffee and everyone had their favorite place to meet.
I found that traveling through the States, the same ‘had to be quick and on the go’ attitude applied around the country…it really made me miss Melbourne coffee. But then I re-discovered it at our Mazatlan Starbucks. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a Melbourne latte any day of the week, but as I said, that feeling of wanting to sit and enjoy a coffee has returned.
You can find Starbucks Mazatlan at Paseo Lomas de Mazatlán 102, corner of Cerro de Cubilete (behind HSBC). Their hours of operations are Monday-Sunday 07:00 to 23:00. From our Salsa and Salsa show, they are a 4 minute walk down the street! Be sure to ask us how to get there.
I’ve added two fun pics of the fellas at our Mazatlan Starbucks…they have really become more than just the guys who give us coffee, so a big hello to them all! If you happen to find your way there (oh, and btw, they all speak fluent English!) be sure to tell them we sent you
Geraldo (left), Leonique and Mauro
Geraldo, Pamela, Edgardo, Mauro
Looking forward to a busy week…6 ships in this week, so will need those extra shots of coffee and a double dose of energy! Till then,
SocialVibe