Retirement Before the Age of 59: March 2024

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Our 9 Favorite Restaurants in La Peñita de Jaltemba and Rincón de Guayabitos, Nayarit (So Far😊) (Updated June 8, 2024)

Our First Time at Las Koritas Restaurant

It’s tough for the small town of La Peñita de Jaltemba to compete with the many quality restaurants in nearby Puerto Vallarta. But we're finding some excellent food here and real value! We spend about half of our time in each city and have found that La Peñita has some great restaurants, and the food and wine are about half the price (or less) as in PV.

These restaurants are our favorites so far. They aren’t listed in any particular order, though La Vitola is our top choice at least once a week. We're still discovering new favorites every month.

1. Las Koritas

Las Koritas is an expat favorite, especially the BBQ Rib Special on Wednesday and Sunday. Unfortunately, it’s only open during the high season. The food is delicious, the prices are low, and the service is excellent. It’s a BYOB restaurant, so plan to bring your own wine, beer, or other alcohol—that saves money! The servers happily open wine bottles and provide the glasses. Reservations are a must!

Mummy Shrimp at Las Koritas Restaurant

BBQ Ribs Special Wednesdays & Sundays

2. Hanami Sushi & Bar

Hanami is the best sushi restaurant we’ve found in La Peñita, though we have two more to try. The mixed tempura and sushi are as good as anything we’ve eaten in Puerto Vallarta. We prefer the sushi rolls to the 10-Piece Sushi plate shown below. They deliver locally. Air conditioning during the hot months keeps us coming back all year!

Mixed Tempura with Fish and Shrimp

10-Piece Sushi Plate

3. Julio’s Steakhouse La Penita

Dining Room at Julio's Steakhouse La Penita

We’re regulars at Julio’s. The menu includes many options besides steak. The Huicholes Shrimp is outstanding! The name and ingredients are in honor of the Huichol natives from Nayarit. Jon enjoys the Chicken Parmigiana. The service is excellent.

Julio's Steakhouse Patio and Entry

Yummy Chicken Cordon Bleu at Julio's

Note on Facebook From Julio’s Steakhouse 3/27/24: Ok, many of our dear customers who stay longer are calling wondering 'till when we Will be Open? here is the information about it...

April and May we will be Open with our regular menu and starting June closed for one week and after Open for summer, only from Thursday to sunday just with regular menu (no nightly specials)

4. La Vitola

La Vitola is our favorite restaurant in La Peñita. It serves delicious Italian food, including Salmon a la Toscana, New York Angus Steak, Lasagna, and Wood-fired Pizza. The Pizza at La Vitola is one of our favorites in town! The service and prices are excellent!

New York Angus Steak, Baked Potato, Roasted Veges

Salmon a la Toscana with Roasted Vegetables

5. Cenaduría Lucy (called Pizza La Lena on Google Maps)

Jonathan and I discovered another hidden gem of a restaurant in La Peñita! Cenaduría Lucy (called Pizza La Lena on Google Maps) is a wonderful family-owned restaurant serving Mexican food on some nights and pizza on others. I had the delicious Mexican Mixed plated tostada, enchilada, sope, and taco. Jon was so hungry he ordered a second order of three enchiladas and a lava cake. With all of that food, the bill only came to 302p, about $17 US! No alcohol is served, but you can bring your own, and they will provide the glasses. That’s one way we save money in La Peñita.

Mexican Mixed Plate at Lucy's

6. Restaurant Yesi and Grill

Mexican Eggs for Breakfast

With A Side Order of Fruit, Cottage Cheese, and Granola

Yesi's Open-Air Patio with Water Feature Wall

Yesi is open until mid-afternoon, so it’s great for breakfast and lunch. We especially enjoy the back garden with it’s water feature.

7. La Casita de Irma

It took us a while to warm to La Casita de Irma, but after five months in La Peñita, it has become a favorite, both for breakfast and dinner.

Shrimp Crepes with a Dab of Yummy Salsa Added

The Best Flan We've Had... Maybe Ever!

Recently at Irma's, I had the Shrimp Crepes, and Jon had fried chicken. The flan was the kind we love! I found that it was cheaper to buy a bottle of wine and take half home (or slightly less than half). The musicians were very good, so we tipped them and paid extra for one more song. Prices are excellent at Irma's.

8. Dera’s Pizza

Our Table Was Tucked Next to the Lily Pond

After discovering Dera’s Pizza, I had to edit my blog article to add this restaurant. It may be our new favorite. We had a wonderful experience dining in their garden setting and listening to the musicians performing on a rooftop above the garden. The salad was delicious, with grilled pears, berries, nuts, and other fresh ingredients. The pizzas were excellent—we’re glad we ordered enough to take home leftovers.

Two Pizza will Feed Us for Three Meals!

9. Piña Colada

Thank you to the guy who gave me a tip about this restaurant in Rincón de Guayabitos. He said it has the best seafood in the area, and we agree. We loved the ambiance, service, and food!

Camarones al Ajo and Side Dishes Were Delicious!

Jon said Piña Colada's restaurant makes the best margaritas he's ever had. (He ordered them with Don Julio Blanco. We'll be back soon, as it's only a 50-peso taxi ride from La Penita.

I easily justify going out for dinner almost every night in this small town—we get a walk to the restaurant and home, which is healthy. And I can't prepare the food for that price! Oh, and I don't have to wash dishes.

Living half-time in La Peñita brings back good memories of moving to Sayulita ten years ago when Sayulita was still just a fishing village. La Peñita is real Mexico, where fishing is the main industry, not tourism. It has taken us months to learn our way around the village on foot and to love it.

To read about some of our early times in Sayulita, I recommend my book, Living In Mexico Lessons Learned: Healthy Living in Mexico eBook #3. The eBook is free with Kindle Unlimited on Amazon and available in all Amazon markets.

Healthy Living in Mexico eBook #3

Thank you for reading my books and blog articles. I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter, published monthly with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books. In case you missed the last newsletter, Two Homes Again: Condo and RV, And a Promo, you can view it HERE.

Terry and Jon Touring Mexico

Photo From My eBook

Living in Mexico Lessons Learned

Terry L Turrell, Author

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Sunday, March 17, 2024

Why We'll Now Have Our Air Conditioner Serviced Every 6 Months!

This Crew Did an Amazing Job!

Cleaning the Bedroom Indoor Mini Split AC Unit

Our indoor air quality was becoming unhealthy due to our air conditioners. I suspected this because two things were happening.

First of all, Jon’s asthma was getting worse. He now has to use two inhalers twice daily to improve his breathing. His slight cough worsened in the evening when we closed all of the windows and turned the bedroom air conditioner on. That was the first clue that it was time to have our three AC units serviced. (Jon needs to keep the bedroom cool to prevent Parkinson's night sweats.)

Jon's Inhalers to Prevent Asthma Attacks

Secondly, I smelled a mild moldy odor when we turned on the bedroom air conditioner. For the past few months, I have asked Jon several times to schedule a cleaning service for them. He couldn't smell the mold—he can’t smell much of anything because of Parkinson's disease, so it slipped his mind.

Finally, I insisted Jon call for service before most people took time off for Semana Santa. He called Gree Air Conditioning Service and they came that week. A few months ago, Jon watched their guys clean another unit in our condominium and was impressed with their work. I'm glad he asked for their business card!

Gree Air Condition Service Puerto Vallarta
They use an impressive technique for cleaning the interior AC units. The technician sprays clean, soapy water from one bucket into the interior AC components, catches the dirty water in a funnel, and drains it into another bucket.

They wrap a blue specially designed bag around the indoor AC unit to contain and capture the cleaning water. The clear plastic drain shows how dirty the water is at first. The technician cleaned until the draining water ran clear. Watch the video below to see this in action.

Spraying Sopy Water In, Draining Dirty Water Out

Watch This Video to See the AC Cleaning Process

When I saw the dirty, draining water, I knew cleaning the air conditioners once a year was not often enough. We'll start scheduling this crew every six months. The next service will be around September before the high season starts and the air conditioner service companies get too busy.

Not only will our indoor air quality be better, but I suspect the units will function more efficiently, which may also lower our electricity costs. See other tips at 10 Ways We Reduce Our Electricity Usage and Save Money in Retirement.

I appreciate all the Amazon reviews and ratings on my books. Thank you for this 5-Star review on Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2, Miriam!

Inspirational and Informative!

I loved reading all of the details about what inspired Terry and John to retire early in Mexico, and how they did it! Terry brings you along with her on a heartfelt journey, detailing her career as a pharmacist, and how she started so enthusiastic and energized to help people, which over the years turned to dread as the industry and people themselves changed. It was wonderful reading about the many places they visited, and the adventures and activities they experienced over their many years of traveling in Mexico. I especially loved learning more about Mexican culture, and how it differs (in many good ways!) from American culture. I also enjoyed reading about the process they employed to decide where to eventually retire in Mexico. If you're thinking about moving from another country to live or retire in Mexico, this book is a must-read!

Retirement Before the Age of 59

Healthy Living in Mexico #2

FREE with KindleUnlimited!

Terry L Turrell, Author

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Thursday, March 7, 2024

Pills, Pills, Pills! How Will We Find All of Our Medications in Mexico?

“Dammit! I already take thirty-eight pills a day! They barely fit in my weekly pillboxes, and now I have to add one more each day!”

This is an excerpt from my novel Mexico For Better or For Worse. While the story of expats Jake and Lindsay is fiction, it depicts many people's fears about moving to Mexico permanently. One of the most common questions I receive is, "How will I find the medication I need?" Jake and Lindsay discover that it's possible in most cases. I hope you enjoy the story and learn some things about life as an expat in Mexico at the same time.

Jake had the stock bottles for his vitamins, minerals, including magnesium for restless legs and sleep, fish oil, CoQ10, and other nutritional supplements, plus eight prescription medication bottles lined up in an arch, a rainbow of colors, on the Equipale dining table on their outdoor patio. His prescription meds included carbidopa/levodopa for Parkinson’s, l-methylfolate to aid in depression and Parkinson’s disease, a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant for bipolar disorder, one anti-cholesterol med, one to relieve urinary difficulty, and one for acid reflux. He had no desire ever to add another prescription medication to his regimen.

He faced the perfectly arranged bottles, labels turned precisely toward him, with his two weekly pillboxes settled within the arch. He had designed his routine for filling his pillboxes and never deviated so he wouldn’t make a mistake. He popped open the lids of all twenty-eight compartments and strapped a big pink rubber band around one week’s pillbox lids to hold them open and out of his way and a large purple rubber band to hold open the second week’s pillbox compartments. He flattened the wrinkled list of medications and supplements beside the pillboxes for his reference—ready to work. The scowl on his face made it clear he was annoyed about preparing his next two-week supply of pills. He worked from the top of his list and did not like to be interrupted once he started filling the boxes for fear of losing his place.

“What are you adding?” Lindsay asked, leaning over to peer at his Medication List.

“Wellbutrin SR 150 mg. We bought this two months ago at the local pharmacy so I could try it for two weeks instead of the Wellbutrin XL 300 mg we brought from Arizona. It’s high time I use it and see how it makes me feel.”

“That’s good. Hopefully, you won’t notice any difference. Remember that you’ll take one of the 150 mg tablets with your morning pills at around 9:00 AM, but you’ll take the second 150 mg dose in the early afternoon, no later than 3:00, or it might keep you awake at night. It’s for your depression and gives you energy during the day. So, you won’t put a tablet into your evening box.” Lindsay thought, I explained this to Jake in April when he bought the Wellbutrin 150 mg, but he doesn’t remember two months later.

“How will I remember to take it in the middle of the day? Why does this have to be so complicated?” Jake rested his forehead in his hand and shook his head slowly from side to side. He looked overwhelmed.

Any change in medication treatment or routine gets harder for Jake each year. All I can do is try to keep it simple for him. She replied, “You have your phone alarm set for 3:00 so you can remember to take your levodopa. You can take your Wellbutrin at the same time as your 3:00 carbidopa/levodopa dose.”

“So that means I have to carry more pills in my pocket for my 3:00 meds. It still means I’ll be taking thirty-nine pills each day now! I hate it!”

“I know. I’m sorry, babe. Try to think of the positive—Wellbutrin has been the best antidepressant you’ve ever taken, right?”

“Definitely. In the twenty years that I’ve taken drugs for depression, Wellbutrin was the first one that made me feel normal again.”

“And levodopa has helped your Parkinson’s symptoms, right?”

“Yeah, it has. Sorry I’m complaining. Thanks for your help with this.”

“It’s okay. So, after taking Wellbutrin 150 mg twice daily for a couple of days, let me know how you feel. I don’t expect you’ll notice any difference. The important thing is to remember to take that second dose no later than 3:00. I think I’ll set my phone alarm for 3:00, too, so I can help you remember to take it.”

“It’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

Lindsay leaned over and gave Jake a hug and a kiss on his cheek. “I love you,” she said with a smile.

“I love you, too. Now, don’t talk to me for the next hour while I’m fixing my pillboxes. I have to concentrate.”

Read more in Mexico For Better or For Worse: A Novel. The eBook is available in all Amazon markets and is FREE with KindleUnlimited. The paperback is now available as well!

Book 3 of 3 in the Series on Amazon.com

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Terry L Turrell, Author

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Sunday, March 3, 2024

We Love Having Two Homes Again--One a Motorhome! And a Book Promo📚

My Monthly Newsletter Has Been Published!

Hola from Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and La Peñita de Jaltemba, Nayarit!

Jon and I enjoy having two homes again. Our Puerto Vallarta Condo is still our primary home, and we love it. There’s so much to do in PV, such as touring the Madonnari Puerto Vallarta 2024 International Chalk Art Festival. If you missed that article, you can view it HERE.

Our second home is a casa rodante, a motorhome. We parked our rig in an RV Park on the beach in La Peñita in October, shortly after we purchased it in México. We spend a week or two there each month. The three towns along the Bay of Jaltemba provide a peaceful break from the big city, over an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. What a nice contrast the two places are!