What I Made for Thanksgiving Dinner.....

Reservations! Old joke. Great idea. We had a very full day with friends and friends of friends at two different restaurants. Included in the company was an extremely photogenic five-year old, Marina. She appropriated my hat, as well as lots of hearts.

It was a full but slow-paced, satisfying day. First we introduced everyone to the wonders of the Thursday tianguis in La Peñita. Then adjourned for lunch to Un Rincon del Cielo, literally, a Corner of Heaven, the tiny little restaurant up on the bluffs above Punta Raza. Some of you may remember a previous blog I posted on this place. It's been a five star favorite of our guests this whole past year. You can see more pictures of it stored in an album. Go over to the sidebar on this blog, and click on the link that says "Susan's Photo Albums." Pick the album "Un Rincon del Cielo." (Incidentally, the photos from Tuesday's parade in La Peñita are up now, as well.)

In the evening, we joined other Americans at the brand new Xaltemba (old spelling of Jaltemba) Gallery and Restaurant for a traditional Thanksgiving buffet dinner.

Partners Eduardo Dominguez and Roberto Gil de Montes live six months in Los Angeles and six months in La Peñita. They recently opened their art and eating establishment just off the plaza, transforming a ruin and a wreck of a building as well as a dismal little alley into one of the trendiest spots on the Riviera Nayarit. Their professional chef, Oregonian Marisa, creates and presents dishes that could easily grace the pages of the foodie section of either the New York or LA Times.

Bleakness turned to blessing -- officially! Last November 2, at their opening party, the priest from the church across the plaza came to seal the deal. :-)

British friend Lucy, back from her Oxford graduation and re-thinking her mini-career as a Decameron Resort dancer, pronounced her first Thanksgiving dinner delicious. Why don't we have this holiday in England? she asked. Nothing like a history lesson over dinner. Lucy had to leave early because she had a show last night. There's nothing like putting on a costume and feathers and dancing on stage after a Thanksgiving dinner, is there? The REST of us went to bed!