Remember taking your Red Cross Lifeguard Certification training down at the community pool when you were growing up. Well I did and when I got these photos from Monica, those memories just flooded back.
As we were closing for Season 3 (2011-2012), Monica Oyarzun lead our GIIRS re-certification. As part of this process, we engaged out team in several training and capacity building programs. These included fire safety, earthquake and tsunami evacuation and preparedness and basic training in water safety. These are just a few of the training programs that we conducted with our team and hope to conduct many more training both as a group and with individuals in particular areas of expertise. Training and capacity building for our team is core to our commitment to regeneration, community and especially the community that keeps Playa Viva vital.
Thank you Monica for arranging all the training and for taking the photographs.
During a recent visit to Playa Viva, we made our second batch of soap with Lorraine, currently on tour of duty as the Yoga/Massage/Host at Playa Viva. She just sent us this note related to continuing with our soap making efforts.
“I was able to make soap on Sunday with Gabriel. The minimum amount being 10 liters. After re-reading the information sheet on bio-diesel it states that for every 1 liter of soap 50 milligrams are required of essential oils. I experimented with one liter adding chocolate and peppermint. The remainder I left un-scented. This being the 3rd batch ready for use 2/21/13.
What I did do was re-melt the remaining pieces left over after cutting the 2nd batch and scenting two samples and adding oatmeal to one. I left the rest un-scented which smells nice and not overly fragrant. This will be ready for use 2/27/13.
I cut round pieces and asked the housekeeping team to place them in the rooms instead of the regular soap. We now make a point to inform the guest about Playa Viva soap in the rooms. Since then we have had a total 4 sales at $5.00 for a three pack. The guest love it!
The only thing I would make other than bar soap would be the liquid soap that is used for general cleaning because the glycerin would be good for all wooded surfaces.
My recommendation: in order for your soap product to come out, once the proportions are established would be to:
pay Gabriel [who currently runs the bio-diesel production] to make it
let it set for 3 weeks, then have the housekeeping staff reheat it, (I taught them how to do this)
at this time you can add fragrance (which can be costly) let it set another 3 weeks before using.
This process allows the Sosa [lye] to evaporate leaving a nicer product.
When John Ayliffe and family asked me to help them plan a trip to Playa Viva and Casa Viva recently I recommended that they add 3 days in Patzcuaro, inland in the state of Michoacan, Mexico, to their trip. They started with 1 night in Casa Viva, then a 3 hour drive to Patzcuaro, 3 nights in a local residence that we arranged for them and then 3 nights warming up on the beaches of Playa Viva. I prepared a google doc with recommendations on where to stay and these are their recommendations back to us below. Enjoy and check out the google doc for recommendations on Patzcuaro (feel free to give us your feedback and input so we can share with our guests traveling to the area):
The document that David at Playa Viva provided was full of great hints and recommendations of what to do and where to go in and around Patzcuaro. We spent 3 days soaking up the atmosphere of this heritage town and loved our morning (and evening) strolls through the town. Breakfast and coffee at La Surtidora was a firm favourite as was the market – bustling, with a great choice of hot food, fresh produce and local goods. The food at Lupita’s (near the Basilica) was also really good. The bakery on Romero (2 minutes from the main square just past the hospital) tempted us on more than occasion as our nostrils were filled with that heavenly just-baked smell. Also recommend visiting the Casa de los 11 Patios – really beautiful (http://www.patzcuaro.com/atractivos/5_once_patios.html).
Going out of town, we only managed to visit Tzintzuntzan (the potter is well worth a visit), Santa Clara del Cobre (the copper work is FANTASTIC – our favourite – visit the museum on the main street) and the quaint Bavarian restaurant near Erongaricuaro where the kids fished for trout and carp – a welcome break for them from the artisans.
Republished as originally appeared in HotelChatter
It’s no big secret that HotelChatter loves margaritas and in honor of our favorite holiday, Cinco De Mayo, we’ve found the most perfect margarita recipe–The Organic Basil Margarita from Playa Viva in Juluchuca, Mexico.
That’s right, our favorite drink has gone organic, using organic tequila and organic basil grown by local farmers. And what makes this marg extra special is that the salted rim is done using Sal Viva, the hotel’s very own brand of salt. Here’s how they cultivate it:
Originally gifted as tribute to Aztec kings, Sal Viva has been harvested by hand in Juluchuca, Mexico in the same fashion for centuries. Summer rains wash the rich minerals off the Sierra Madre range filling seaside lagoons, eventually bursting past sand barriers, fusing with the salty Pacific Ocean. As heat evaporates the lagoons, peasant farmers hand form calcium drying ponds and rake in Sal Viva.
We’ve already been impressed with Playa Viva’s “Every Day is Earth Day” philosophy at their property but it’s still a relief to know our margs are eco-friendly too. God knows, we drink a lot of them!
Wanna make the organic basil margarita at your place? Here’s how:
Playa Viva’s Organic Basil Margarita
Ingredients:
· 4 leaves of organic basil
· 1 lime
· 1 ½ oz of 4 Copas organic tequila (or other organic tequila)
· 1 teaspoon of agave nectar (agave honey – “Miel de Agave”)
· 5 large cubes of ice
· Thin layer of Sal Viva in a dish (for rimming glass)
Tools of the trade:
· Blender
· Shaker Glass
· Plate for salt to rim glass
· Glass
Blending the drink:
Start with the four leaves of organic basil. Place them in a blender, then squeeze in juice from lime, add the tequila and blend (without ice)
Once blended, pour the blended mix into a shaker glass with the ice and add the agave nectar
Margarita should be shaken (not stirred)
Take the remaining lime and rim the mouth of the glass to add moisture so when you dip the glass in a plate with Sal Viva, the salt sticks to the rim
Pour in the shaken mix into a glass for the perfect Playa Viva Organic Basil Margarita.
Recipe courtesy of Playa Viva. To purchase your own Sal Viva, send an email to info@PlayaViva.com and include the words “Sal Viva” in the subject line.
We have been asked many times to publish a Playa Viva cookbook. Well, we heard you and decided to make this happen and recruited two guests at Playa Viva who are taking on this project. Nathan and Amanda did such a great job with Playa Viva mole recipe that we invited them to take on publish a more complete list of Playa Viva recipes. If you have any favorite dishes from your stay at Playa Viva that are a “must include” in the book, please let us know. Below is one of my favorites, our Playa Viva Trail Mix bread inspired by Sadie Kaufman.
Ingredients:
1 cup of all purpose flour
2 cups of whole wheat flour (these can be switched to be 2 of white and 1 of whole wheat)
¼ teaspoon of organic active dry yeast
½ teaspoon of Sal Viva – or other kosher/sea salt
2 cups of water, use almost all the water until the mix is like moist “play dough.”
Then mix in the “trail mix ingredients”
This is the base mix to which any of the following ingredients can be added
½ cup of dried cranberries
½ cup of walnuts
½ pumpkin seeds
½ cup of sunflower seeds
(or be creative and add your own items including pistachios, almonds, even chocolate chips, etc.).
Mix ingredients into a ball and then set aside in the bowl covered with a cloth in a breeze free area for at least 12 hours.
NOTE: Use either glass or ceramic bowl and wooden spoon; do NOT use metal bowl or spoon.
Pre-heat the oven at 450 degrees. Place the Dutch oven with cover (Le Creuset Cast Iron Cookware is ideal) in the oven to pre-heat as well.
Take your bowl out and place the ball of mix on the counter sprinkled with a little flour. Give the ball two or four more folds.
Once pre-heated, take off the top of the Dutch oven, sprinkle some additional flour on the base of the Dutch oven so the cranberries don’t stick to the bottom and make it difficult to remove the bread once done.
Place the ball in the middle of the Dutch oven, cover and cook for 25 minutes with the top on the dutch oven (this is to retain the moisture in the bread). Then remove the top and cook for another 30 minutes without the top (this gives the bread a crunchy top). You can play with the times for more or less covered or uncovered to give you more moisture or crispier top on your bread.
Remove from oven and let sit. Remove from Dutch oven once it cools. Slice or tear off a piece and ENJOY!
Maya with her sister and a poster she made of the marine turtle rescue work by La Tortuga Viva
When Maya celebrated her birthday recently she did something very, very special. Rather than contribute to conspicuous consumption she made a sacrifice few kids would make. She forsook the treasure trove of toys in exchange for giving back to nature. Read the details in our interview with Maya below.
Playa Viva –” How did you get the idea to raise money for the turtle sanctuary?” Maya – “Because I always got presents and I knew how long I played with them which was just one day, and I thought maybe I should do something else for this birthday. “
Playa Viva – “How did you pick La Tortuga Viva?” Maya – “Because it is the only one I know of and I really like how it helps save the most endangered turtles.”
Playa Viva – “How did you raise the money?” Maya – “I asked everybody that came to my party not to bring gifts and to instead donate that money they would have been spending on presents.”
Playa Viva – “Did you learn anything about turtles and how people rescue turtles?” Maya – “Yes. I learned that turtles are very endangered because people eat them and take the eggs from their nests and eat them too. That causes there to be fewer turtles in the world, and their population is going down. To rescue them, they cut off the beaches from cars and people. After they hatch, they help the baby turtles into the ocean so they can be free.”
Playa Viva – “Was it fun and what did you enjoy about doing a fundraiser for your party?” Maya – “It was fun because I knew the turtles would be safe and I knew I was doing something good.”
Maya, we applaud you for your sacrifice and commitment to making a contribution to promoting biodiversity and improving the chances of survival for marine turtles. The funds raised by Maya were used to purchase cyclone fencing to expand the turtle sanctuary in order to have room to protect more eggs and thus more turtles. Thank you Maya and to all who attended your party and gave generously.
You definitely won’t spot the Statue of Liberty and you’re more likely to hear a cacophony of farm animals than the honking of horns and rumbles of the subway. Dusty dirt roads and towering palm trees fill in for Manhattan’s asphalt jungle and iconic skyscrapers. There are no world famous delis here, but the tacos at Doña Lupe’s aren’t bad. This is the city that definitely sleeps—mostly after 10pm and also usually a siesta in the late afternoon heat. Welcome to Julu York, population a few hundred give or take, and gateway to Playa Viva.
Juluchuca is no New York, so why all the comparisons? That’s the same question I asked when I first heard residents of this little town rechristening their pueblo with a moniker reminiscent of that most famous of cities. What in Juluchuca could possibly make someone think of New York? Sure, crossing the Juluchuca creek in the rainy season can be a little chancy, but it’s no East River. The truth is there’s not much in Julu York to remind you of New York, but that hasn’t stopped the spread of Juluchuca’s new name.
Julu York isn’t a PR stunt or even old-fashioned civic boosterism. It’s much more natural than that. Usually it’s just a joke over a beer: rural Mexico’s take on modern sarcasm. Who could confuse Julu York with New York, the big city’s bright lights with the flickering bare bulb holding the countryside’s nighttime shadows at bay? But behind the laughter, I think there’s something more aspirational about Julu York.
It seems that even in the smallest specks on the map of Mexico citizens are eager to define their towns themselves. I don’t think anyone in Juluchuca believes Julu York will ever rival New York (and many probably wouldn’t want it to). I think with the new name, joke or not, people are trying to tell the world that there’s more to Juluchuca than meets the eye. The 20-second stretch of Highway 200 that crosses the town from one end to the other doesn’t do it justice.
For me, looking for comparisons between New York and Julu York was a good reminder of all the interesting things I’ve been able to see and do in Juluchuca. From a local farm that’s a solitary outpost of certified organic agriculture to a ceiba tree so big locals call it the ‘Avatar tree’ on the road up into the Sierra Madre mountains, there are a few surprises in Julu York, and the town can even hold its own with the big city. Take a trip up the sierra to eat a home-cooked meal with a local family and you can boast to all your foodie friends about a meal measured not in the great distances of food miles, but in the short steps of food meters—fresh, hyper-local food to rival the best farmer’s market in the biggest city.
So, why not trade in your Empire State of Mind for an outlook that’s a tad more provincial? You might be surprised what a one-tope town has to offer. Yeah, maybe it’s not as catchy or exciting as the New York of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, but give it time. After all, how long can it be before some enterprising chavo down in the town square pulls out his iPhone and autotunes an anthem that will really put Julu York on the map? Watch out world.
This is my favorite new recipe from the Playa Viva kitchen, a vegan omelette. It looks so much like a real omelette that guests who aren’t vegan were putting it on their plate and enjoying it as if it were an egg omelette. Recipe by summer intern Hunter Conrad from Chef “Chuckie” with photos by summer intern Monica Oyarzun. Enjoy and let us know how it works for you.
Vegan Garbanzo Bean Frittatas (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
• 2 cups dry Garbanzo beans
• 4 cups Water
• Teaspoon on salt
• A pinch of black pepper
• 4 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 2 Tomatoes
Preparation:
Soak the garbanzo beans in the water, letting it sit over night in a covered container (canned garbanzo beans can also be substituted for dry and then no soaking is necessary)
The next day, pour water and garbanzo beans into blender with salt and black pepper and blend until batter appears homogeneous in color and texture
Place one teaspoon of vegetable oil into a medium-sized skillet on medium/high heat
When oil is hot place a pancake sized scoop of garbanzo bean mixture in skillet
Once the edges of the garbanzo bean batter is golden around the edges place 4 slices of tomato on the top, then put more garbanzo bean batter on top of tomatoes and flip the frittata on to it’s other side
Wait until the second side is golden brown, remove from skillet and serve hot
Repeat for every frittata made.
Note: For a real treat, add sweet potato, if you get the color just right, when you serve it will look like a cheddar cheese omelette.
Playa Viva will be ending our 3rd season of operations at the end of July, yet we are already excited about the upcoming season starting October 12th, 2012. We have already started our strategic planning initiative with programs that extend to our 4th and 5th seasons. What are these strategic initiatives and how do they build on the strong base we have already created?
At our end of season team meeting, we reviewed our team initiatives for the last few years and discussed the goals for the upcoming seasons.
Our goals this past year are (see below for difference between our team yearly goals and overall mission):
1) Security – due to insecurity felt by North American travelers, our goal was to make Security goal number one and make all guest feel 100% secure from time of arrival to departure.
2) Hygiene – Mexico is known for “Montenzuma’s revenge”, yet we do NOT want Playa Viva on that list, so we made Hygiene a major initiative for 2011-2012 and beyond (especially related to training team members who are new to the hospitality industry)
3) Sustainability – our goal was to continue to train our team on sustainability issues and have them be leaders at Playa Viva and in their communities.
Added for 2012-2013
4) Garden to Table – work harder to have more produce from our garden and deliver more fresh dishes from Garden to Table. This includes additional training and increased cooperation for and between our kitchen and permaculture teams.
5) Transparency – this includes more reporting and information provide to guests on-site and through our community via the Internet related to our sustainability activities, specifically in the following areas: Water, Energy (Solar, Gas LP, Gasoline & Diesel – use and production), Food and Compost.
Currently we have an intern on site, Monica Oyarzun (who is working on a project related to our GIIRS rating) we will be more transparent with information about our vendors and suppliers and asking them to be more socially and environmentally conscious and make efforts to improve their impact in both of these areas. Vendor and Supply chain ripple effect on sustainability will be an even bigger goal for 2013-2014.
Let us know what is important to you in social and environmental impact assessment. What is your feedback on our goals for upcoming seasons to improve our overall service offering. Note: These team annual goals differ from our overall mission of Creating Meaning Community, Transformational Experiences, Abundant Biodiversity, Clean Energy and Water and a Living Legacy.
Yes, the alphabet starts with ‘A’ – I can’t change that. But neither can I change that this story begins with ‘B,’ so that’s where I’ll start.
Beto Bravo began with basil, bringing a bunch of bodies together to build a business.
La Costa, the organic producers cooperative where I work, began with one man and one product. Since then, La Costa has followed a steady course growing its organic basil export business, but always with an eye on cracking the burgeoning local market for organic produce. After several previous attempts, this year we’ve redoubled our efforts and have begun supplying two hotels in Ixtapa and a number of restaurants in Zihuatanejo with fresh, local produce.
While basil was a great beginning, we went back to ‘A’ to get started in the local market.
Angelo asked for our assistance and after a short adjournment, arugula arrived at his eatery.
Unlike other local farmers, we wanted our approach to the local market to be demand-driven from the beginning. There’s still a lot of room to develop the market for local organic produce in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, so we started with owner-operated restaurants that cater to diners who already appreciate the unique characteristics of our products. After our first meeting with our first potential client, it was clear what our next product would be: arugula.
La Piazza d’Angelo is a small restaurant on a quiet pedestrian street about three blocks from the beach in downtown Zihuatanejo. Angelo, the restaurant’s namesake, faces the same problem as many other restaurateurs in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa—a lack of locally available high quality ingredients for the dishes that really draw the crowds. It’s a paradox that has perplexed me since I arrived on the Costa Grande. Why, in one of the world’s most productive ecosystems, is there a lack of such ingredients? But, that’s another blog.
Chefs like Angelo are our allies in the effort to promote local organic produce. It makes sense – we offer high quality ingredients he can’t find anywhere else. If he does find them, they’ve covered so many miles and passed through so many distributors’ hands that they cost too much for his clientele. Mexico’s food distribution system is very much hub and spoke. We’ve heard stories of fish from Zihuatanejo’s bayside market being bought by distributors, trucked 400 miles to Mexico City, sold to wholesalers, bought by their hotel customers, and then trucked back to Ixtapa, about 4 miles up the road from the market a week later.
Angelo reports that local customers are big fans of his arugula pizza, and even more so when they discover the arugula comes from right down the road. We’re fans too; it’s a tasty combination of hot pizza with a pile of fresh, virtually untouched organic arugula on top. And, demand keeps us busy cutting arugula out in the fields. Arugula appears to have been a success, and now we’re looking for our next hit. Maybe it’ll be one of the catchy stories below.
Cherry tomatoes charm choosy chefs?
Our cilantro seems standard, but surprises the senses with a super savory ‘sabor?’
Dill dominates downtown dining establishments, drawing diners day after day? –Well, maybe not. They can’t all be winners.
‘E’ might be hard, but we do have some eggplant seeds waiting to be planted…
Playa Viva promotes partnerships to popularize local organic produce? Luckily we didn’t have to wait until we got to ‘P’ to make that a reality.
Who knows where the rest of the alphabet will take us? If you have an idea, please pass it my way!
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