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Puerto VallartaHot Topics for Fall 2002ECO-TOUR: Vallarta Adventures' new Tree Top Canopy Tour debuted in July with rave reviews from guests. Visitors traverse from tree to tree and platform to platform using pulleys on horizontal cables, sailing through the treetops of the tropical rainforest canopy, and over the trails far below. Expert guides will assist in this exciting journey through the different layers of the virgin rain forests and explain what's going on all around from the time you leave the ground until you rappel back down to the forest floor. Modifying techniques and equipment originally used by spelunkers and canyon rapellers, The original Canopy Tour (created in Costa Rica) offers any adventurous tourist the opportunity to ascend into the forest canopy and see jungle life from a perspective available previously to only a select few researchers and photographers. The price is $65 per person for a three-hour adventure. For more information or booking call Vallarta Adventures at 011 52 3 22 22106 57 or log on at www.vallarta-adventures.com. AIRLINE NEWS: American Trans Air is launching nonstop service from Chicago (Midway) to Puerto Vallarta this winter. Ongoing Wednesday and Saturday service to Puerto Vallarta will begin December 21, 2002. For bookings call 800-IFLYATA. EVENTS: Puerto Vallarta Gourmet Festival, November 7-17, 2002: Tequila, art & haute cuisine at Mexico's premier culinary event, the 8th Annual Puerto Vallarta Gourmet Festival. The Puerto Vallarta Convention & Visitors' Bureau, in partnership with the organizers of the Puerto Vallarta Gourmet Festival, have announced the dates and program for Mexico's most prestigious culinary event. The festival will focus on authentic, gourmet Mexican specialties and Haute Cuisine at inspiring local venues, as well as showcase the culinary talents of 20 Invited Guest Chefs from internationally acclaimed restaurants and hotels throughout the world, as they pair up with Puerto Vallarta's top 20 chefs The program includes a kickoff and enchanted evening at Terra Noble Spa & Healing Center, VinExpo 2002, Gourmet Beach Brunch at La Palapa, Tequila Tastings, Gourmet Cooking Courses, a Chef Symposium and the Chef's Grand Gala Dinner. Log on at www.festivalgourmet.com for ticket prices and a complete program schedule, or contact Juan Carlos Balderas at 011 523 22 222 3228 or festivalgourmet@pvnet.com.mx. WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP-EMC World Cup, December 10-15 2002: Golf has never been hotter in Puerto Vallarta, as the city gears up for the third largest sporting event in Mexico's history! The arrival just last year of the new Vista Vallarta Club de Golf, a two-course Nicklaus & Weiskopf Signature Design property, and the growing excitement as the dates draw nearer, everyone's excited and spreading the word that Vista Vallarta is Mexico's newest premier golf destination. In October 2001, the PGA Federation selected the Nicklaus course at Vista Vallarta as the site of the World Golf Championships-EMC World Cup. Vallarta's new, world-class golf has received rave reviews from guests and golf writers. For tickets and accommodation during the event, call 866-809-3127. RESTAURANTS: La Bodeguita del Medio, also known as B de M, is one of Vallarta's best places to people-watch and enjoy delightful Cuban food and mojitos. The first B de M in Havana is the original home of Cuban's famous Mojito. Stop by at your first stroll along Vallarta's exciting boardwalk or Malecón. The address is Paseo Diaz Ordaz #858. For more information, call when you arrive in Puerto Vallarta at 223 1585. No reservations are required. Trio, an eccentric downtown eatery, serves delicious seafood, chicken and meat dishes all "cocinada con amor;" "cooked with love." Trio combines local, fresh ingredients with impressive culinary experience and the result is a blend of Mediterranean flavors with hints of Mexican spice. German owners Bernhard Guth & Ulf Hendricksson frequent table visits, enthusiasm and passion make guests feel especially welcome. The setting is cosmopolitan in this multi-level eatery with an open courtyard, Tiffany style windows, hand-painted doors and brilliant artwork by local painters. Try the sumptuous seafood ravioli. Soups, salads, entrees and desserts offer rich flavor and are beautifully presented. Trio is located at Guerrero #264 Centro. Make a reservation during busy weekend nights. Call 222 2196 for more information, or log onto www.triopv.com. La Palapa, located on Puerto Vallarta's famed Playa los Muertos beach, is a Mexican beachside eatery, and a favorite spot among locals and visitors, serving seafood fresh from the Pacific Ocean in front of you. Snapper is cooked to your liking and served on the fishbone. This restaurant is great any time of day or night. Log onto www.lapalapapv.com or call 222 5225 for more information. The address is South Shore, Pulpito #103. Evening reservations recommended. Remembranzas is an idyllic setting for a romantic evening and authentic Mexican cuisine under the stars, with their "convertible" roof top in the outdoor section of the open-air venue. Located on Vallarta's South Shore, you forget you've just walked in from the road and will feel as though you're in a lush, relaxing jungle from the moment you step foot inside. The delicious chimichangas and black bean soup are made with indigenous Mexican ingredients. No reservations are required. Proprietors Dora & Rene Macin continue to draw locals, visitors and ex-pats who've relocated to Puerto Vallarta. The address is Pulpito #242 Altos Col. Call 222 5342 or log onto www.remembranzas.com. COCKTAIL: "Play Blue," served at the Presidente Intercontinental. The resident mixologist at the Presidente Inter Continental tempts Puerto Vallarta with the new "Play Blue" cocktail. Interested in having a Play Blue at home? Here's the recipe. 1oz Curacao Azul (blue Curacao), ½ oz Ron Blanco (white rum), 1 oz Ron Añejo (aged rum), ½ oz Amaretto, orange juice, lime juice, Jarabe natural and crushed ice. To prepare: fill glass half full with ice, and half full with white rum add the blue Curacao. hasta la mitad de la copa con el Ron Blanco. Mix orange juice, lime juice, Jarabe, Amaretto. Top with Dark Rum and decorate with tropical fruits and flowers. Puerto Vallarta was selected by CONDE NAST TRAVELER readers as the eighth best destination in the world in their annual "Reader's Choice Awards" in the November 2001 issue, as well as number one international destination because of the "remarkable amiability of the local folk." Puerto Vallarta was the only destination in Mexico that made the list. Located on the Western Pacific coast of Mexico in the state of Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta's charm remains largely undiscovered, along with its cobblestone streets, stunning beaches, plentiful marine life, lush Sierra Madre Mountains, exceptional restaurants, fine Gourmet Festival, new golf courses and vibrant art culture. For more information about Puerto Vallarta, call your travel agent or toll-free at 888-384-6822, or direct at (52) 322 22 41175; fax: (52) 322 22 40915. Log on at www.visitpuertovallarta.com. Edited by Dave Shultz |
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