After the catrinas: ships, stages, and a busy midweek
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¡Feliz miércoles, amigos!
Catrina week is done. The Malecón is clear again, schools are back in rhythm, and the calendar flips from altars to cabaret stages and new dinner tables. Here is what matters through the weekend.
📌 Need to know
🕯 Día de Muertos, wrapped. The city's final count is more than 31,000 visitors across the five municipal cemeteries on Nov. 1st and 2nd, with only four minor incidents (and six bee swarms removed)😳. The catrinas are coming down, so the waterfront walk feels like itself again.
🚧 Pothole watch. A city councilor says street repair crews are short on asphalt and fuel despite an 11 million peso materials contract. The rough stretches she named: Av. México from Federación to Las Palmas, Av. Politécnico Nacional from Medina Ascencio to Av. México, and Exiquio Corona in El Pitillal. Drive (and scooter) carefully.
🌉 Amado Nervo Bridge. The new toll-free crossing over the Ameca is open between Ixtapa (Puerto Vallarta side) and San Vicente (Bahía de Banderas). It is another route to Nuevo Nayarit when the old bridges are jammed.
🚢 Cruise ships today and Thursday. Today is a two-ship day, with Discovery Princess and Koningsdam in port. Tomorrow, Nov. 5th, brings Norwegian Encore and Carnival Firenze. Centro and the Malecón get busier around midday when tours and buses move in.
☀️ Weather: warm and mostly sunny today, high around 31°C (87°F), nights near 19°C (66°F). A light afternoon shower is possible later today or Thursday; Friday looks clearer.
📅 Midweek and into the weekend
Today, Wednesday, Nov. 4th
3 to 6pm: Velvet Storm plays classic rock, blues, and pop at Awaysis (Aquiles Serdán 625). An easy midweek patio afternoon if you want live music without a big production.
Thursday, Nov. 5th
The HEAT Latin Music Awards al Estilo Jalisco lands at the convention center (CICPV) in Marina Vallarta, closing HEAT Week. Watch from home on LosHeat.tv. Expect Marina traffic later in the day.
7pm: NYC drag legend Hedda Lettuce brings "Hedda's Here!" to Coco Cabaret (Francisco I. Madero 289). Our pick for a big laugh this week.
Friday, Nov. 6th
Turtle season is still on. The city's environmental office runs supervised hatchling releases at Playa del Holly. Spots are limited and dates are posted on their Facebook page, where you register. Bring comfy clothes and sandals.
7pm: Roy Cruz returns as Freddie Mercury in "A Legendary Tribute" at The Palm Cabaret & Bar (Olas Altas 508).
Weekend, Nov. 7th and 8th
Saturday, 9pm: Mama Tits brings the band back for "Sweet Release," with jazz, blues, and a lot of heart, at Coco Cabaret (Francisco I. Madero 289).
Sunday, Nov. 8th: the 3rd Torneo Internacional de Pesca de Basura. Up to 40 boats head out to fish for trash, not fish, organized by Limpia Tu Mar A.C. Boats and volunteers can sign up through the organizers.
Runners, heads up: the 21st Medio Maratón Puerto Vallarta (21K and 5K) is Sunday, Nov. 15th, starting at the Unidad Deportiva Agustín Flores Contreras across from the Sheraton. Registration is open now (details).
🍽️ Eat and drink
Evelina anchors the Avida building. The chef-driven restaurant at Avida Market (Insurgentes 193, at Madero) does handmade pasta, slow-fermented doughs, and wood-fired cooking. Lunch 1 to 4:30pm, dinner 5 to 11pm, Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays). It fills up, so reserve.
Or graze the food hall. The open-air hall on the building's ground floor has a raw bar, Japanese, fish tacos, and Oaxacan tlayudas among its stalls, plus a cocktail bar. Thursdays from 6 to 8pm there is live jazz on the market stage. Easy pick when the group can't agree.
Brunch is back at Di Vino Dante. The wine and tapas bar inside Galleria Dante (Basilio Badillo 269) reopened with a new menu and cocktails, and brunch returned this week, 10am to 2pm, Monday through Saturday. The bar runs 3 to 11pm.
Palabra del día
ahorita (ah-oh-REE-tah): "in a little while," or sometimes "right now," depending on the speaker's tone. It is the most useful and most confusing word in local Spanish. When someone says they will do something ahorita, ask if they mean in five minutes or after lunch.
Example: "Voy ahorita." (I'm coming in a bit. / I'm coming now.)
That's the midweek brief, amigos. Mind the potholes, book a table, and we'll see you Friday with the weekend and the Festival Gourmet guide.
The Vallarta Confidential crew
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