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VALLARTA MEMORIES

Los Jardínes became the favorite place in town. The patrons were both Mexican and Americans. Liz Ruby, a sophisticated American movie star, became a regular at the club. She was a tall, skinny woman who always wore tight black pants. She had a feline, mysterious walk, and wore a wide brimmed hat. Blonde, beautiful hair framed her face. She smoked, taking puffs out of an elegant cigarette holder, and was the image of sophistication. This is the way she was captured by famous artist Edgar Starr. Her portrait adorned the walls of Los Jardínes.

After Los Jardínes came El Patio restaurant-bar. The proprietors were Angel Gutiérrez, a Mexican citizen, and Connie, a Canadian lady.

El Patio opened doors on February 8, 1955. Los Jardínes and El Patio opened the same year and marked the beginning of a new age in Puerto Vallarta.

El Patio décor was old Mexican style. The building was an old house across from the Malecón that was remodeled. The back patio was decorated with live tropical plants and the walls displayed leopard skins and stuffed deer heads. Angel, the partner proprietor, was a hunter.

El Patio was the first nightclub that had a live mariachi band playing every night. The music from the band made the tourists feel excited. It was lively music, which stirred the peace that otherwise prevailed on the port.

Among other successful nightclubs was Bagatelle. It became famous for its unique, worldly style. The décor was mysterious with dimmed purple lights. The nightclub was a hit when it introduced the Mambo and Cha-Cha, two of the most fashionable dances of all times. The nightclub was located in the property previously owned by Pancho Lepe. In Emiliano Zapata colony area. The owner of the nightclub was renowed Esteban de Guiseke, a tall, blonde, skinny man of restless personality. He was a chatterbox and a “Don Juan” (name given to womanizes after legendary Spanish gentleman, Don Juan Tenorio) from México city. He was set to make his business a successful nightclub.

Esteban de Guiseke had a controversial personality that didn’t agree with most people. He was harshly criticized after opening his big-city-life nightclub. When he first learned a lot of people disliked him, he put a sign on his Jeep that read; “I am not a gold coin for everybody to like me”. It was the verse of a popular song. I personally found Esteban a nice man. He was a lot of fun. He came often to buy magazines from our drugstore, and introduced me to his wife Malena. She was a beautiful girl who had worked in the movies. Although the de Guisekes’ were city people, they adapted easily to small town life. Unfortunately they did not stay in Vallarta for long as they found adapting to the taboos of the local people too difficult.

Among other people who came to Vallarta and helped promote tourism were Engineer Guillermo Wulff and his wife, Nelly, Architect Luis Alvarez, and the Escontrias. Among Among American people, I remember the Dinells. They built not only first. Laundromat but also one of the most beautiful homes along the river near the handging bridge. I remember the Evans, great concert musicians, as well as the Helmuts, the Gordons, and the Marshalls, who opened Nevería Americana, and American soda fountain business. The ice cream parlor was located in an old house where Iguana de Oro (Gold Iguana) jewelry shop is at present. I remember Italians Panchita Treamer and her husband, Juanito. They opened the first modern butcher shop in town where they sold Italian sausages. We met Clarita around the same time. She was another friend from Italy.

In 1958 La Palapa restaurant opened its doors at Los Muertos Beach. It was the first restaurant on the beach. Two mixed nationality couples, Guillermo and Nelly Wulff; Gay and Rodelinda Dickey and Mr. Smith an American, embarked into a joint venture to open La Palapa. Rodelina wa married to Gay Dickey, and American citizen. She was a local girl of ethnic, crossbred beauty. She had high cheekbones, green eyes and beautiful thick black hair, which she wore braided, making her look exotic.

It was the right time to open the restaurant on the beach. It became a success. The décor was rustic with tree trunks, palm frond cores tied with lianas. The restaurant was a combination of ocean and jungle. La Palapa restaurant became very popular with beachgoers. Many international personalities dined there.

How different those time were! In rainy season the restaurateurs would buy produce from peddlers who often carried their merchandise in baskets placed coiled on top of their heads. They went door to door offering their products. The hard rain from the getting through to Puerto Vallarta.

Among a group of local people gathered at "Los Comales" restaurant in 1962, we recognized some familiar faces; from left to right are, Engineer Astorga and wife, Rodelinda Pérez Adelita Reséndiz, Beula, (knelt on the floor), Felisa García, owner of "Los Comales", doctor Alfonso Rodríguez and wife. Among the group standing up in the back row, from the left to right, Lolita Calderón, Malena Lechón is dessed in black next to Gay Dickey and second to last Engineer, Marcial Reséndiz.

Gay and Rodelinda bought out the two other partners in La Palapa.

In 1959, Felisa García came to Puerto Vallarta and opened Los Comales restaurant. It was the first authentic Mexican food restaurant in town. Felisa was originally from the State of Durango, but the had lived in the United States most of her life. She remodeled an old home on Aldama Street that my daughter, Yolanda, sold to her. The house had a nice Mexican colonial patio and a beautiful garden with a variety of aromatic flowers. There was a pleasant smell of orange blossoms mixed with jasmine from the garden, and dimmed, colored lights were cleverly hidden in the shrubbery. Felisa gave Los Comales a unique, romantic, and Vallarta topic atmosphere.

A guitar trio of romantic music played nightly at Los Comales.

I met famous Mexican movie star Pedro Armendáriz at Los Comales. He was a tall man and although arrogant, he was nice with most people. I was saddened when I heard about his tragic death, which happened only a few days after I met him at Los Comales.

Los Comales became the favorite spot. Felisa had a witty personality, and the food was very good.

Shortley after Los Comales, other restaurants opened doors by the Malecón. Lynn, an American citizen who was married to my niece, Maria Elena, owned Del Mar restaurant. He invested in good restaurant equipment, and his international dishes were delicious.

The Mahers were an old foreign couple that owned Los Flamingos restaurant by the Malecón. They were always at the door with elbows resting on the rails, trying to lure people to go in. Although the Mahers were nice, their restaurant was not very successful. They left Vallarta after a short period of time.

In 1962, Las Margaritas was the first restaurant-bar of its kind. The first location was where El Punto Negro bar is at present. The proprietors were José Fonseca and an American lady called Rita. I do not recall her last name.

Las Margaritas restaurant moved to the Corner of Juárez and Galeana Streets. The business was sold to Señores Ernesto Ramírez, Guillermo Wulff and José Pimienta. The new ownership opened one of Vallarta’s first discotheques adjacent to the Mexican restaurant.

On November 29, 1962, the first Chinese food restaurant La Iguana opened its doors to the public. The proprietor Don Gustavo Fong was a good friend of ours. He invited a group of local families to the inauguration. Fong was the first restaurateur to build his own place. The décor was Mexican colonial with brick arches, heavy wood beams and red roof. The final touch was classical equipales (rustic furniture made from cowhide).

Los Muertos and El Dorado restaurants at the beach were also new in the area. The Wulffs were the owners of El Dorado.

Señora Elena Cortés came to Puerto Vallarta in 1954. She worked in public relations at Hotel Paraíso and was fluent in English. She opened the first by reservations only, Cuatro Vientos (Four Winds) restaurant on top of the hill. Her business became successful. Cortés participated in the Special Events Welcoming Committee.

Around 1960-1962, nightclub fever came back. Señor Carlos Arreola had a variety show at Los Muertos Beach. He represented popular artists such as singer Lucho Gatica who performed at Arreola’s place.

Other nightclubs followed. La Estancia owned by Tony Villegas from Los Angeles, California, and La Escondida owned by Alfonso de la Vega located on Juárez Avenue, next to where Bank of Mexico is at present. On one occasion, when famous bullfighter Manuel Capetillo was in town for bullfight, he surprised patrons at de la Vega’s place by singing a beautiful song.

The López Cabra Brothers, new in Vallarta at that time, formed Los Lobos, a music band that became very popular. They had a unique style and were quickly in demand at the nightclubs.

The new nightclub owners had to face Vallarta’s growing pains. Nightclub business was still taboo in Vallarta’s culture. Many nightclub owners struggled to make their businesses survive. Nightclubs marked a new age for the Port and brought jobs to local people.

I must mention the small diners that were in business since I came to Vallarta in 1918. This will help our readers understand the development of Puerto Vallarta’s small restaurants throughout the years. In particular, I remember Doña Rosa Madrigal Lepe’s diner. She was a relative of Lepe family, well known in this town. Her diner was located by the old road to Mascota. Mostly muleteers and horseback riders were her patrons. To my knowledge, she was the first person to open an eating-house in Vallarta. Doña Claudia García followed with another eatery. She used to make a delicious menudo (pork stomach stew). I also remember Señora Lupe, nicknamed La Cocula, from Cocula, Jalisco. She opened a diner that became very popular. Although fish was her specialty, other dishes on her menu were as popular.

Other popular eating-hourses were La Rorra’s place (The Doll), Margarita Andrade’s, and Chole Santana´s place. In later years, the Landeros sisters, Chabela and Estéfana, opened a Mexican restaurant. Their patrons were mostly government employees.

In 1947 the restaurant at Hotel Rosita became popular for its delicious food and family atmosphere. The cook was Doña Cuca Montes from Mascota. Local families and friends had Sunday after-church gatherings at Hotel Rosita. The restaurant became a hit. The ample corridors of the restaurant were ideal for wedding, first communion, and quinceañeras’ banquets. Once I saw famous singer Amalia. La Tariacuri, perform beautifully at Hotel Rosita.

Doña Cuca Montes left Hotel Rosita to open her own restaurant located where Las Margaritas restaurant is at present. She ran a boarding home adjacent to the restaurant.

Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar
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Note: The segments from the book "Puerto Vallarta en mis Recuerdos" -both versions- are published in PVMirror.com with the express authorization of Sra. Yolanda Contreras de Garduño, co-author of the work and owner of the copyrights thereto. Any reproduction thereof, partial or total, in any medium is prohibited.

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