Ana María’ wins Marlin category

• A 152.7 kilo Marlin catch on Friday 15th, owner Mark Martin and his crew got their second crown of the year at Riviera Nayarit’s fishing tournament
• Complicated but fun was the second day of competition at Bahía de Banderas

The crew of Ana Maria worked hard on Friday 15th to get the best catch at the 5th International Tuna and Marlin Fishing Tournament at Bahia de Banderas, and did well with their 152.7 kg Marlin that was enough to win their second championship of the year. Just last month, they also won the San Blas Tournament.
Rainfall on Friday night made things difficult for Saturday fishing, the runner ups in the Marlin category for the second and third place of the competition were caught, and only one out of three tunas caught qualified for the minimum weight, a 51 kilograms yellow finned caught by Hold On that sufficed to give them the third place in the competition. The 65.5 kg catch presented on Friday by “My Way” and the 65 kg tuna also presented on Friday by the “Guayabitos” Team, made first and second place.
“Two years ago I bought this boat and decided to spend my time fishing in the Mexican Pacific during the Winter. I’m from Germany but live in Pennsylvania, I have been coming to Nayarit ever since and have already won six Marlin Tournaments, including this year´s at San Blas and now Bahia de Banderas. Today (Sunday) we had no luck, but we are still happy because we have won the tournament”, said Mark Martin.
The crew of 007, that arrived early on Sunday with a 105.4 kilo Marlin –just over the minimum weight—said that the last day of competition wasn´t easy at all. “We were out looking for fish the whole day and could only get a catch at La Corbeteña with enough time to get back on the marina”, they were excited about making third place.
Nayarit is one of the best fishing destinations in the world, as it offers great fishing year-round and a great variety of fish like wahoo, sailfish, tuna, three different species of marlin, sawfish, and snapper, among many others.
FINAL RESULTS
Marlyn
1 Ana Maria. 152.7 kg
2 Animal House. 143.4 kg
3. 007 TEAM. 105.4 kg
Tuna
1 My Way. 65.5 kg
2 Guayabitos. 65 kg
3 Hold On. 51 kg
4 My Way. 48.8 kg
5 Los Matadores. 42.7 kg
Mahi Mahi (special)
1 Drink Team. 12.6 kg
2 Sierra. Acayapan. 10.3 kg

Gourmet Experience

Chef Eugenio Villafaña and Somelier Eduardo Zapata - Restaurante La Casona

Riviera Nayarit, promoting the regional Cuisine creates a one of a kind tour for locals and visitors to the Puerto Vallarta area. The merger of three prestigious Restuarants, La Casona de Villa la Estancia, Nicksan and Lucca Residences Marival Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, offers a unique culinary experience. Casa Madero who operates the oldest vineyard and winery in the Americas provides an exquisite selection of the best wines for the gastronomic tour.
In each restaurant visited, with an approximate time of 50 minutes at each, participating chefs and sommelier will give an explanation of textures and flavors of the courses in each restaurant. Participants are transported between restaurants aboard Turibus Fibber.

The start time is 6pm at the restaurant of the particular Tour, finishing at approximately 9pm. The starting price per person is $ 1,100.00 m / n. Including VAT and local residents receive a 15% discount.

Puerto Vallarta to host the International LGBT Expo and Business Conference

The International LGBT Expo & Business Conference will serve as a showcase and business platform for buyers and sellers who drive national and international products and services to the LGBT community.
Among the industry professionals are service providers such as airlines, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, car rental agencies, travel operators, travel agents and tourism boards, CVB’s, and leading companies currently serving the global LGBT community as well as companies interested in leveraging the business opportunities of the LGBT market
The event will host business exchanges with the opportunity of having 24 appointments over two days between buyers and sellers nationally and internationally to discuss sale and trade opportunities.
The conference will feature seminars for those interested in learning about the buying tendencies and new market trends within the LGBT community.
The International LGBT Expo & Business Conference, Puerto Vallarta 2011 will take place on November 20th through the 23rd at the Presidente Intercontinental Resort located in one of Puerto Vallarta’s most exclusive areas.

Virgin America Sets Its Sights on Puerto Vallarta Route

Last week, Virgin America, California’s hometown airline, announced its intent to launch flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) in Mexico. Virgin America filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the authority to fly to PVR and subject to approval from both the U.S. DOT and the Mexican government, the airline plans to begin flying to Puerto Vallarta this winter. The announcement of the Company’s third U.S. – Mexico route comes as the low-fare airline has expanded service to Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun and Chicago in the past eight months alone.
“We’ve seen a strong demand for travel to our Mexican destinations and we’re looking forward to giving our flyers another world-class leisure option,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. “We’re proud to be growing and offering travelers a very unique flight experience at a time when most airlines are shrinking their schedules and reducing the amenities provided to flyers.”
With top-notch guest service, beautiful design and a host of high-tech amenities, Virgin America has captured a list of industry best-in-class awards in only four years of operation. The airline offers unrivalled value with low fares and innovative features like touch-screen personal seatback entertainment, power outlets at every seat, fleet wide WiFi, mood-lit cabins and custom-designed leather seating with a deeper and more comfortable pitch. The Red™ in-flight entertainment platform offers 30 films, live and premium TV, interactive Google Maps, music videos, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, a 3000 MP3 library, a first-of-its-kind digital Shop section and an on-demand menu — so guests can order a cocktail or meal from their seatback any time during a flight.
Virgin America has captured a string of industry best-in-class awards, including “Best Domestic Airline” in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards, best-in-class in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Zagat Global Airline survey and recently won “Best Domestic Airline” in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for the fourth consecutive year. Earlier this year, the airline also took top honors for “Passenger Service” in Air Transport World’s Industry Achievement Awards and “Best Low-Cost Service” and “Best Staff Service” among North American competitors in the 2011 World Airline Awards.
Since its launch in August 2007, Virgin America has created 2000 new jobs and grown to serve multiple destinations across North America. As one of the few growing U.S. airlines, Virgin America continues to expand its fleet, growing from its current 39 aircraft to a projected fleet of 52 aircraft by mid-2012. The airline will add 500 new jobs on annual basis and expand to two-to-three new destinations per year over the next several years.
Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun and Chicago.
About Virgin America: Headquartered in California, Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel. In just over three years flying, Virgin America was named “Best Domestic Airline” in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards and “Best Domestic Airline” in Travel + Leisure’s 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 World’s Best Awards. Virgin America is a U.S. owned and operated airline that has created 2,000 jobs and welcomed more than 12 million guests since its August 2007 launch. The airline’s new aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat. Virgin America offers Gogo™ WiFi on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment library in the North American skies via the touch-screen Red™ platform. In 2011, the airline announced plans to nearly triple its fleet size by 2019 and placed the first orders for the new eco-efficient Airbus A320neo and CFM LEAP engine. In April, the airline opened its new home as an anchor tenant at SFO’s sleek and sustainable new Terminal 2 (T2). For more: www.virginamerica.com

Ask a Realtor...

Q: What are the biggest mistakes you see sellers making in the market right now? Joan O. California

A: With mortgage financing now a reality, and many home prices being reduced dramatically, we are seeing a strong return of buyers to the market. There is still a plenty of bad press, economic uncertainty, and frankly, buyers are now getting their “revenge” from what many saw as irrational price increases in the previous several years. Therefore, the biggest mistake seller’s can make is to not listen to the market. Many sellers form an emotional attachment to their property and are not willing to price appropriately. They make comments to justify outlandish pricing such as; “my cousin Vinnie said…” “It was appraised at…” “I paid this…”; but guess what, the only “real” price for a property is the price that a qualified buyer is willing to pay! One reason that so many properties are overpriced is that many sellers do not scout the competition. It is critical to not only know the exact market conditions in the area and have a firm grasp on pricing and sales trends; but they must also see firsthand the other properties. Open houses are a perfect opportunity to do this. There is a new dedicated website for open homes in our area, it is: www.openhouse.com.mx.
Another big mistake is not prepping the property for showing. Buyers have a lot of choices these days and can be very picky. So sellers need to make sure that their property shines. Indoors and outdoors should be immaculate, and all clutter should be removed. Many sellers believe that they need to be present during showings. Wow, what a big mistake this is! Nothing gives a buyer a more uneasy feeling than a clingy seller following them around and not allowing the agent to do their job. The next big deal killer is for the seller to take negotiations personally. Buyers are routinely being tough on sellers and asking for larger price reductions, help on closing costs or perhaps even seller’s financing. It is important for sellers to take this with a grain of salt (or tequila as the case may be!) and understand that this is just part of the business transaction. It is not about the seller, it is about the buyer being careful and trying to get the best deal possible. Therefore, sellers should not sneer at offers. Sure, many buyers are making “lowball” offers right now. But that does not mean they do not want to buy the property! It means that they DO have interest and they DO want to buy the property! So negotiate Mr. Seller! Do not procrastinate and do not obstinate. Finally the sellers need to check up on their agent. Gone are the days when an agent could just throw a sign up in front of a property and expect multiple offers in a matter of days. Market conditions are much tougher now and making a sale requires sound marketing, dedication, knowledge, and superb communication and negotiation skills. Sellers should make sure their agent is a member of AMPI in good standing, get references from previous clients and interview their agent in depth before selecting the best person for the job. And once that is done, they should listen to their agent and trust their knowledge and expertise. OK, time is up for now, but don’t worry Mr. Buyer, we will have some advice for you next week!
Do you have a question about Real Estate in Puerto Vallarta? Just ask!

Active in local and national Real Estate boards; published author and acknowledged expert on Puerto Vallarta Real Estate, Michael Green moved here in 1997 to take advantage of the unsurpassed lifestyle PV offers. Mike can be reached at: pvgetaways@hotmail.com

Ask The Mortgage Experts

Home 

With mortgages becoming more of the norm in Mexico and with ever-increasing loan options, The Tribune is helping sort through the confusion by having your personal Financing/Mortgage questions answered by our local experts – David Schwendeman and Terence Reilly, Founder’s of MEXLend, an industry-leading Mortgage Broker based in Vallarta. We invite you to e-mail your questions regarding buying or financing Real Estate in Mexico to buyinginmexico@hotmail.com.
Q: “How Can I Fix Problem Credit If I Live In Mexico?” Anna Garcia, Puerto Vallarta, MX
A: Part 1
The best way to ensure good credit is to manage debt wisely from the start. Borrowing within your means, using credit cards responsibly, and most importantly – making monthly payments ON TIME is the key to keeping those all important credit scores where they need to be.
However, it would be naïve to expect everyone, everywhere to follow that advice consistently. In fact, it is rare that we as mortgage professionals come across a client who hasn’t, at least at some point in their life, had a credit issue to contend with. The good news is bad credit – depending on how bad – can sometimes be repaired. However, it can take time patience and often cash to get the job done.
Typically, a mortgage broker will run what is known as a tri-merge credit report very early on in the borrower’s applications process. Often clients will provide their own as a basis - since these days it is much easier for the general public to have access to their personal credit information. Though, it should be emphasized that mortgage brokers are required by our lenders to provide a specific, specialized type of report that most people do not have access to on their own.
This, comprehensive, tri-merge report gives data from Experian, Equifax and Trans Union – the 3 major credit reporting agencies. Each of these agencies issues its own version of scoring credit – anywhere from 300 to 850. Most Banks will use the middle score when determining loan approval. So if the lending bank’s middle score requirement is 680 (typically required for Cross Border Loans, however, occasionally we can work with lower numbers) and a borrower’s scores come in at 672 – 686 and 690, respectively, then the borrower will likely qualify – 686 being the middle score. The reasons scores and data can differ between the 3 agencies are complex and could require a book or at least several articles to explain. But let it suffice that credit data can be interpreted differently, particularly when computer analysis is involved.


MEXLend, Inc. is a Mexican mortgage brokerage that currently represents 8 different lenders offering 75 different loan options in Dollars, Pesos and Euros for buyers looking to purchase vacation or investment property throughout Mexico – including products specifically for Canadian citizens. In announced results based upon post-closing client interviews conducted by Mexico’s largest US lender, MEXLend won the #1 mark of distinction for both client satisfaction and fastest closings for the second straight cycle. MEXLend can be reached at 322-132-7991 (in Vallarta), 917-779-9061 (while in the US or Canada), toll–free in Mexico by calling 1-800-3-Mi-Casa or go online at www.mexlend.com (For US and Euro loans) or www.mexlend.com.mx for Peso loans.

Eat Your Greens Dude!

Home 

My brother has just gone through a physical and emotional trying time with dealing with prostrate cancer. I want you guys to know, there is a couple of things you can do for yourself to PREVENT it.
Here goes…first the scary stats.
Prostate cancer kills more men than any other kind except for lung cancer. Each year, 680,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with the disease and about 220,000 will die from it.
Now the info…
Just a few additional portions of broccoli each week could protect men from prostate cancer. Researchers believe a substance called isothiocyanate in the broccoli sparks hundreds of genetic changes, activating some genes that fight cancer and switching off others that fuel tumors.
Broccoli (as compared to other cruciferous vegetables) has a particularly powerful type of sulforaphane, which the researchers believe gives broccoli its particular cancer-fighting properties. It appears that broccoli contains the necessary ingredients to switch ON genes that prevent cancer development, and switch OFF other ones that help it spread
The benefit derived from broccoli would likely also be available from other cruciferous vegetables that contain isothiocyanate, including Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, watercress and horseradish.
How Much Broccoli do You Have to Eat to Reap These Benefits?
Studies have indicated that people who consume more than one portion of cruciferous vegetables per week are at lower risk of prostate cancer. In the study I mentioned above, the control group ate four extra servings of broccoli for 1 year…then, the researchers collected tissue samples over the course of the study and found that the men who ate broccoli showed hundreds of beneficial changes in genes known to play a role in fighting cancer!
That’s pretty impressive. What’s even more impressive is the fact that you don’t have to make that drastic of a change to reap the benefits. After all, one serving of broccoli equates to about two spears. So we’re only talking approximately 10 spears a week, big deal, right? You can exchange potatoes for steamed broccoli …steak and broccoli, not a bad combo.
Best type of veggies..
While I believe foods, especially vegetables, are a far smarter choice to treat serious health challenges like cancer than using most drugs, all foods may still not be the right choice for you. And even though vegetables are one of the healthiest food categories on the planet, not all vegetables are beneficial for everyone.
This is where a deep appreciation of nutritional typing will assist you in selecting the best vegetables for you.
One of the most serious mistakes is for a protein type,(meat eater type O blood) to consume many dark green vegetables. This tends to over-alkaline your system and worsens rather than improves your health if you’re a protein type.
However, other vegetables such as cauliflower, which happen to be beneficial for protein types, can also have a similar effect.
I want you to be aware of just how important it is to understand your body at a deeper level, because if you are a protein type and were to eat broccoli, the other effects of broccoli might push your metabolic biochemistry in the wrong direction and thus override its benefits.
The best way to understand specifically what foods are ideal for your body in particular is to learn your nutritional type. When you eat properly for your particular type, you will experience increased daily energy, improved emotional well-being, a feeling of satiety and satisfaction, and, of course, optimized health and weight so you live longer with a better quality of life.
However, even if you were a mixed or vegetarian/carb type and broccoli are good for you, ( smaller muscle mass, A, B, AB blood types) there may be an even better way to get these cancer-fighting benefits than eating whole broccoli!
Better Than Broccoli?
Small quantities of fresh broccoli sprouts contain as much cancer protection as larger amounts of the mature vegetable sold in local food markets.
Just 5 grams (0.17 ounces) of sprouts contain concentrations of the compound glucoraphanin (a precursor to sulforaphane) equal to that found in 150 grams (5.2 ounces) of mature broccoli. Another major benefit is that the sprouts don’t smell since you don’t have to cook them. They are eaten raw, usually as an addition to salad. (Local source, www.organic-select.com )
NITTY GRITTY
1. Optimize your vitamin D levels with appropriate sun exposure.by taking morning sun before 11a.m., or after 4 p.m.
2. Cut out processed sugars…that means honey and sugar substitutes too.,. Eliminate sugar as much as possible as it’s been shown again and again that sugar feeds cancer. Use Agave or stivia to satisfy your sweet tooth.
3. Get appropriate exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks.
4. IP6 (phytic acid) is a powerful tool to lower high iron levels (serum ferritin levels). Excess iron can be a major cause of many cancers.
5. Selenium - 400 mcg per day.
6. Consume freshly ground flaxseeds or chia seeds - two ounces every other day.
7. Vitamin E - 400 units per day. (Please note: Only natural vitamin E should be used, not synthetic. Additionally, mixed tocopherol is more preferable than alpha-tocopherol, as the gamma tocopherols are particularly useful antioxidants.)
8. Consume fresh vegetable juice daily - including one small tomato (lycopene) if you do not have arthritis, other good ones are wheat grass and beet juice…invest in a good juicer and the Juice Man book.
9. Eat broccoli or cauliflower sprouts, depending on your nutritional type.
10. Have a tool to permanently erase the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. My favorite tool is meditation, yoga, down time.
11. Get enough high-quality sleep!
12. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins heavy metals and pesticides
13. Boil, poach or steam your foods, rather than frying or charbroiling them.
14. Eliminate your intake of processed foods, chips, dips, salsas, canned soup, etc. etc.
15. Cut out the processed salt and turn to the natural salt, there are some local salts from the coast of Jalisco that are good.
16. Avoid IMPORTED FOODS, its gassed at the border with some very nasty stuff.
The power of food in normalizing chronic disease and helping you achieve optimal health is quite profound and the reason that I am so obsessed with diet among other things.