Chatter

Meet Shastia Azulay. She’s offering free personal tech help. Shastia waiting for you at Mazatlan Film and Theater, El Recreo, Constitucion #209 on Wednesdays from 11 am – 1 pm. and on Sundays from 1 – 3 pm. It’s a drop in, first come first served. Having trouble downloading a translation app? Facebook, photos or strange settings giving you a headache? Not receiving e mails? How do I turn the sound notification on my WhatsApp? Is it really in the cloud? Problems with your phone, tablet or computer – Shastia’s ready to help, fix and explain it to you in plain English. Go on – have a tech-talk with this lovely young woman who wants to contribute her computer skills to Mazatlan’s community. For free.

Magic happens up close with magician Art Johnson. No stage, no smoke, Art’s magic is personal, playful with just enough mischief. His magic fingers have performed for 35 years in Las Vegas and now “Magic Fingers” lives in Mazatlan. This is just the kind of energy and fun every party needs. With magic, there are no language barriers. For your next fiesta contact Art via WhatsApp, +1 702 665 1297.

 

Ever wish you had your very own sewing room—without the mess at home? Linda Hannawalt of the San Francisco Quilt Shop, has opened the Rainbow Room, and it’s sew good. The Rainbow Room features four fully equipped sewing stations, each with sewing machines, cutting tools, and rulers in all shapes and sizes. Just bring your project and get straight to the fun. The cost is $100 a day – please call for an appointment 669 668 3247 [to secure your spot], it is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 am. to 5 pm. The San Francisco Quilt Shop is located in Centro on Libertad #414.

 

Some shipping news: DHL has opened a new location in  “Beatle Alley” – on Olas Altas, north side of Luka Sushi & Cocina de Mar. Office hours are: Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm, closed from 1 pm to 2 pm for lunch. Saturdays- 9 am to 1 pm. Closed on Sunday and all public holidays.

Centro Chatter – a fresh pour of what’s new:  Surprise! Inside Imaginese Design Store there is now a small, but well stocked wine/liquor store. I believe it’s the only one in Centro. There’s a good selection of Condessa gin, tequila from Jalisco, mezcal from Durango, Bullet Bourbon and many high-end wines such as Bread and Butter, Dark Horse, Trapiche, and Kim Crawford. Reds, whites and roses. The store is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am – 5 pm. and on Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm.,Belisario Dominguez #1206. Ideal for a last minute hostess gift or treat yourself to a Bread and Butter Pinot Noir or a Dark Horse Chardonnay. The home decor section is beautifully curated – take your time shopping. Cheers to this new venture and long may it last.

Openings: BOXHA Bistro & Galería Artesanal , located on 5 de Mayo and Genaro Estrada, opened on December 5. Co-owner Gina Gonzalez Romero says this: “It is an incredible space where coffee and art merge. You’ll find everything in one place: delicious coffee, scrumptious desserts, a craft shop, and an art gallery all go hand in hand, giving several artisans the opportunity to showcase their products, which are their passion. We also realized that this is the corner frequented by creative, empowered, and immensely sensitive women. BOXHA Bistro & Galería Artesanal, along with CARMELA COCINA CASERA (Judith Burgueño), will make you want to visit them daily to make life beautiful, because that’s what life is all about: living new experiences every day and being happy… what more could one ask for?” 

Upstairs at Héctor’s Bistro…Tacuba 1505 Cocina Mexicana, is now open, all the details are here.

Are you a pulque fan? That’s the fermented drink made from agave sap that is often mixed with fruits and other flavours. This is a fun cozy bar, Pulques de Altura, located on Angel Flores #922.  Often live music, and it’s described as an artsy, social atmosphere, a “community gathering place”.[The maguey plant is cut to extract its sweet sap, called aguamiel, “honey water”..That sap is then allowed to naturally ferment, creating a slightly thick, milky, mildly alcoholic drink. It’s one of Mexico’s oldest beverages—centuries older than tequila and mezcal.] Inspired to try this potent cocktail? Closed Sundays and Mondays, open from 4 pm. – 11 pm, 669 110 3311.

 

Cheers- beer and wine bars:   Apricot Wine Bar  and Bruma Bar located upstairs and downstairs at El Presidio. New to La Roosevelt is Vinitivo Wine Bar, closed Tuesdays, opens at 3 pm. They have indoor and outdoor seating and a small menu of appetizers. Eight reds by the bottle, and five reds by the glass – $95-$170; the list is growing and changes every day. Vinitivo also offers white, sparkling and rose, Aperol Spritz and an artisanal cheese tasting paired with a red and rosé, for $390. You can take Vinitivo home – buy their Italian olives, wine, and their selection of five cheeses you won’t find anywhere else.  Reminder! Casa Hindi has been quietly serving delicious dinners since June — and it’s far more than a breakfast/brunch place. By night, the space transforms into a calm oasis with beautiful lighting, no background music, and a thoughtfully varied menu: gourmet tacos, a truly delicious chicken curry, pasta, plus fresh salads and soups. Bonus: some of the fairest wine prices in all of Centro.

Happy Hours: Water’s Edge [ double pour wines on Fridays and Saturdays!], Gaia Bistrot’s Friday happy hour – beer, wine, cocktails, 4 – 6 pm. And it looks we have another microbrewery, Marea Cerveceria, Libertad #405, 5 pm – 10 pm., Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays. Reyna’s Restaurant and Bar, serves 2 x1 Margaritas and Cosmos, Monday to Sunday.

Coming to soon to Centro:  PuraVida Restaurant is slated to open…soon… in the space where Belisario Bar and Grill was, on Belisario Dominguez and Sixto Osuna, across from Panama...Hashi Winebar, 21 de Marzo #613, soon! Doña Carmen Gastronomic Hall opens on February 24. Located on Romanita de la Peña #114, they have kept the bones of the old school and transformed the street level into a food court. The various “classrooms” will be different restaurants – hamburgers, seafood, a full bar, tacos, all under different ownerships. The “recess” area is a courtyard where you can enjoy your food in the open air. Handicap accessible, with baños on the same level. And look for Efimero Restaurant and Bar on Niños Héroes behind the old Military Hospital – Tourism now. Manolo, a young chef from Barcelona, has a dream of his Spanish/European food meeting Mexican cuisine. It will be an intimate venue with about 30 seats. A set of stairs leads you upstairs to the dining area and kitchen with dove grey banquettes and black marble tables. So far, the lighting is just perfect, can’t wait to see the menu and the finished product – maybe in mid March.

Let’s talk cigars: that’s the tag line for a new store called Cigar Dogma. Owned by bilingual mazatleco, Oswaldo Campista Diaz, his store is located on Carnaval #706 in Playa Sur, [ beside Euro Bakery] closed Sundays open 10 am. to  7 pm.  How long does it last? How strong is it? How is the taste? That’s what cigar smokers “taste”  – hazelnut, chocolate,  leather? There’s a humidor, of course! -offering a wide range of Mexican, Cuban and Nicaraguan  cigars. The most expensive is a Cuban Churchill [custom blend] for $750 to a $20 for a “Clint Eastwood” Mexican smoke.Oswaldo says ” I started from zero and now I am registered as an official Havanos seller – perhaps three of us in Sinaloa.” Pipe tobacco is coming “down the pipe”.   Drop by for a taste of these pure leaves with no additives. If you want to talk about cigars, for you, or as a present, Oswaldo is happy to explain the differences, just call  669 160 2334 to make an appointment.

New Looks: With thanks to Chris Davidson, she offers this news: La Fonda de Chalio,a perennial favorite for sunset watching, has been folded into a new boutique hotel and is now open. “La Fonda has 62 years of history, and Chalío, 60 years working there, watching the sea of Mazatlán almost every day, serving with consistency, taste and character” Mala Copa Social Club now has a second location, Niños Heroes in Centro. METL Mezcaleria has moved to Vicente Guerrero and it’s called Ribereñx, a new place for lunch, open from 12:00 – 6 pm. Mano Santa has a new location in Villa Vicario on Angel Flores. Janis Cole writes this about Mano Santa :”A friend and I had a terrific lunch today at a lovely spot on Niños Héroes called Mano Santa. There are a few outdoor tables but we chose to sit inside where it’s light filled and spacious with fine attention to every detail. The booth we shared was so comfortable we stayed almost three hours. Open for desayuno, lunch and cena. The lunch menu offerings were vast. I had a perfect grilled cheese and tomato soup, my friend had the shrimp bowl. Both were delicious. Service was spot on. Full bar menu and espresso drinks. Prices are fair. Baños clean. We plan to revisit soon!” Mi Chelo La Cenaderia, a new family style restaurant, now occupies El Mosto’s old space in the Machado. Fabrizzio Gelato [across from the Angela Peralta Theatre] has opened a 2nd floor patio, Terraza Italiana.

Frenesi Arte en Xocolate Mazatlan just opened on Constitución 7064, just east of Benito Juarez, open every day from 10 am. – 8 pm.  669 165 0411. It’s a chocolate lovers haven with hand decorate truffles – the artisanal chocolates are all 100% Mexican. The owner, Mariana Torres, has stores in Durango and Torreón. Visit their FB page or Insta and you’ll be running to Frenesi for a chocolate fix.

Moving south out of Centro to Observatorio 1873: If you don’t want to have a tour and simply stroll through the beautiful grounds, watch the sunset or visit the SkyBar, the fee for the funicular/tram has been waived, it’s now free, until it isn’t! The Brewery Cats are playing every Wednesday at 5, until they aren’t. “We’ve curated a special set list featuring everything from the legendary vibes of Neil Young and Van Morrison to the upbeat energy of Eric Idol, the soul of Lionel Richie and the acoustic heart of Tracy Chapman.” To read about Observatorio’s history please click here.

The Breakfast Club[s] and more:  Janis Cole is a solo snowbird who takes every opportunity to meet new people and learn as much as she can about Mazatlan and life here. She especially enjoys a breakfast group in Centro. Here are her thoughts and perhaps this may inspire you to join as well. “It started when a friend invited me four years ago and has become a highlight of my week. Last Sunday I asked what everyone enjoys most about our group — to a unanimous, “The friendships”. We welcome visiting family members, celebrate birthdays, gather for cocktails — including a fabulous cocktail party, travel outside Mazatlan, share tips on all kinds of topics and dine together beyond breakfast. We go through each other’s ups and downs, hear what play, book or movie is recommended, laugh a lot, and shed a tear from time to time over a health crisis or loss.

When a large group like ours lands at a restaurant it’s good for the business but we also realize the extra work it takes to accommodate us. We brush up on restaurant Spanish and show extra gratitude to the servers. Restaurants accommodate the dining groups efficiently. Discovering like-minded friends while dining out can make a meal extra fun. If you like meeting new folks and exploring the plethora of restaurants in Mazatlan you’ll ‘kill two birds with one stone’ by joining a breakfast, lunch or dinner group. Many can be found on platforms like Facebook, in groups such as Mazatlan Centro Breakfast Club, Ladies Lunch in Centro Too, Mazatlan Snowbirds (& Expats] Activity Group and Mazatlan Expats The Original. “ For single or married women, ladies only, this platform on FB is called, Solo Damas Dinner Club Mazatlan. You could also try mazatlan.social – all you need to do is enter your e mail and you can join.

As an Expat, please stop doing these things in Mexico. An article by Mauro Escalante Lopez, May 25,2025.

 

Do you have “an in a case of emergency” wallet card? What’s in your pocket when you take your dog for a walk, go for a morning stroll on the beach, or a run on Malecon? The consulate suggests something like this:

It will surprise you how much it takes to become a certified tourist guide.

[KM had this to say, March 2022:”if you are looking for an exceptional tour guide, I highly recommend Akino Montiel. He is a certified tour guide and the most knowledgeable and pleasant guy you’ll ever meet. We spent the day with him seeing dancing horses, visiting a tequila distillery and learning about the process in Osuna, and ending with a great meal and shopping in La Noria. Akino knows a lot about the area and the one question he couldn’t answer he researched and followed up with me soon after we returned. The whole experience was such a pleasure!”]

Many of you have “your guy” the person you turn to for day trips and for city tours. I always knew, to receive this designation, that it took time and money. A friend who has know him for 18 years introduced me to Akino Montiel  – a certified tour guide. He kindly gave me all the details of what it takes to become a certified tourist guide/Guia Turistas General. I think you’ll find the dedication and cost to be an eye-opener.

• The certification allows a tour guide to work in any city in Mexico, but you must be a Mexican National and have finished high school.
• To be certified requires 510 hours and costs between $30,000 to $40,000 pesos and you must past the bilingual [English/Spanish] test, as well as the CPR course.
• Every teacher is an expert in their subject [architecture, wild life etc.] and has a master’s degree which is partly what makes the course so expensive.
• Every four years Akino must renew his license, which involves 160 hours and approximately another $10,000 pesos.
• Akino must renew his CPR course every two years.
• If you have a federal driving license with a federal plate [which Akino has] he must pass a medical test every two years and every six months there is a mandatory engine and pollution inspection.

“I love to be a good host, it’s like when you have a new friend visiting your house, you just want them to feel comfortable and you want to show the best part of your place. It’s super fun and to give good service is my passion. For me it’s the best job in the world.” [These are all Akino’s quotes with no editing so you can see his English is excellent.]

He’s been tour guide since 1997, and his van holds six passengers. Not a requirement but Akino also has a degree in Tourism from Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa. Akino will take you wherever you want to go, but his two personal favourite tours are the Tequila Factory with El Quelite, and Concordia and Copala. If “your guy” is busy or you want another recommendation for a tour guide judging from his FP page and all the rave reviews he’s your man. You can reach him on WhatsApp 669 912 8999, e mail akinomntl@gmail.com and on FB, Akino Montiel.[ SM, November 2018, his contact info is from 2026.]

[Updated December, 2024: over the years Noë has trained a team, he’s no working alone.  The cost for a a very large and well-used sofa is $850.]

If you have ever thought about giving your mattress a deep cleaning then Noë Guadiana Villareal is your man. He started his business, Deep Extraction Cleaning [yes, that’s the name – “Mexicans love English names”.] opened its cleaning services in 2014.  A deep cleaning takes about 1 1/2 hours depending on your mattress size and stains. Noë begins with a Hepa filter vacuum [oh, the dust bunnies you would not believe!], then a soil remover and finally an injection suction for the deep clean. Allow a four to five hour drying time, with an approximate cost of $500. You may have two mattresses and there is a discount, or you may just need a light cleaning, for $250. He also cleans furniture, rugs, and car interiors. Noë’s team is very punctual and texts right on the dot of the appointed time, “I’m here.” The English-speaking Noë can be reached at 669 134 8864, or 669 986 1314 or e: decmazatlan@gmail.com. Sweet dreams.

If you want to say it with flowers, then Luz Elena is the florist for you. She’s owned Floreria Jardin de Rosas for 35 + years and specializes in fresh flowers and creative arrangements; for years she has had her flowers shipped from south of Mexico City four times a week. Many are unique to Mazatlan! Wish to have a delivery? No problem, free delivery with a minimum order of $1000. Luz Elena also accepts most major credit cards. If you don’t speak flower-Spanish don’t worry, Luz Elena’s English is perfect. In fact, you don’t have to worry about anything with Luz Elena, she’s just so professional. Jardin de Rosas is located on Paseo Lomas #248 [past Starbucks and the school], call 914 1754,or WhatsApp, 669 912 0415 and the hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.and on Saturdays 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Like every florist in the world, plan your order way ahead for Mother’s Day [May 10] and Valentines.