A day (off) in the life
Shadowing Riviera Nayarit PR rep Richard Zarkin for an up-close and personal tour of the land he’s paid to promote
The weather forecast reads 84 degrees and sunny, another typical day around these parts. Richard Zarkin, public relations director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention & Visitors Bureau, gets up, dons the region’s usual attire—khaki shorts, a linen button-up shirt and sandals—and begins his day off.
At his home in Nuevo Vallarta, Zarkin has a quick breakfast of freshly caught seafood ceviche marinated with lime and local spices, then hops into his car for a drive up the coast, top down to enjoy the salty breezes from the Pacific. Ten minutes later, he arrives at the small fishing town of Bucerias.
Although still early, the town plaza is already brimming with activity, and tourists have started to browse through the wall-to-wall handicraft stalls on the surrounding streets. On Avenida Mexico, weaving past artisans selling local Huichol beaded art, fresh fruit stands and bicyclists hawking peanuts roasted in sugar, Zarkin makes his way to the Galeria Rincones Magicos de Mexico, one of the area's many art galleries. There's a new exhibit in the gallery that Zarkin wants to see—an impressive collection of “calacas,” brightly dressed skeletons symbolizing Mexico’s nationally celebrated holiday, Day of the Dead. He chats with the gallery's curator and departs for La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, another little town a few minutes up the coast.
At La Cruz, as the locals call it, several new yachts are anchored in the once-sleepy village's recently opened 400-slip marina. What's more, Zarkin notes a handful of new restaurants have lately opened. This is fusion dining at its height—German, Japanese and British menus that are fast becoming culinary standouts for the Riviera.
Bella boula
Next, Zarkin decides to get a taste of thatched roof luxury at the Villa Bella B&B (www.villabella-lacruz.com). Perched on a cliff hundreds of feet over Banderas Bay, the inn is known for offering just four guest suites, but with some of the most charming neo-tropical decors in Mexico.
Outside, guests frolic around an infinity pool that appears to pour over the cliff, and which later on will provide a front-row seat for the spectacular Pacific sunset. Zarkin's quick “hello” to owner Elsa Alba turns into a leisurely lunch at her restaurant, Frascati, and a chance to sample her Italian and Mediterranean menu. After a tasty dish called Tortellini Fatto in Casa (homemade tortellini filled with ricotta, spinach and goat cheese, topped with sage butter and parmesan), Zarkin heads further north to the eclectic surfing town of Sayulita. What was once a well-kept secret among professional surfers, Sayulita has broken its silence and now is popular with expats, global travelers, artists and Mexicans from across the country. Today, this bohemian chic town, replete with cobblestone streets, is filled with visitors shopping its boutiques and galleries and sipping drinks in open air cafes.
Bohemian chic—Baby boomers settled in Sayulita enjoy surfing and snacks in beachfront cafes. Photo by Bob Schulman.
Zarkin ducks into Sayulita Gypsy, known for its eye-popping ceramic dishes and decorative accessories. After picking up a quirky trinket for his niece, a glass ornament with a portrait of the store’s namesake, he heads toward the beach to check out the waves where he watches a surf instructor give a visiting family from Nebraska the low-down on how to balance on the long board on the beginner side of the beach. Accomplished international surfers ride the waves on the expert side.
As the sun sets, Zarkin strolls back to his car, on the way swapping news tidbits with shopkeepers and restaurant owners, all familiar acquaintances of his.
Driving back, he stops at Punta de Mita for dinner at Mariscos Tino's (www.tinosvallarta.com), a popular seafood restaurant. His meal starts with a shot of tequila to cleanse the palate, followed by an appetizer of grilled scallops and prawns. The main dish is pescado zarandeado (red snapper or seabass marinated in lime and chilies then slowly grilled over charcoal). Zarkin sits back, soaking up the gorgeous seaside setting of the restaurant as a local trio croons out romantic ballads. Under a full moon, no less.