Our favorite thing about equipales is the way they smell. The odors of leather and rosewood linger for years and are usually so strong at the point of purchase; we usually allow them to air out on the patio for a day or two, especially the larger pieces. There are few styles of furniture as durable and sturdy. At our home in Puerto Vallarta, we have our equipales indoors and out and are often complimented on our formal furniture in the living room. It has beautifully stained covers and soft hand painted scenes on the chair backs.

Equipales (pronounced eh-kee-pal-eez) is defined as a type of reed or wicker chair with a leather-sheathed seat and back. The word comes from icpalli, which is Nahuatl for “a place to sit.” Historically they are known to be [ground level seats used by Aztec rulers in the manner of a throne.] Equipales is the plural of equipal. It is said that Moctezuma sat upon an equipal chair. The more superior rank of hierarchy, the higher the pedestal and therefore the creation of the high back of this famed design. Moctezuma’s would have been quite elaborate and greater than existing chairs one might find in Puerto Vallarta. The origin of equipales is old enough that they are illustrated in the ancient Codex books of Aztec history.

Equipales are definitively Mexican and in this century made from pigskin and strips of rosewood and sweet wood. This type of furniture is very popular in restaurants and commercial settings due to the resiliency and comfort, not to mention affordability.

The manufacturing of equipales is a multi-family business in the village of Zacoalco de Torres, Jalisco. About an hour’s drive south of Guadalajara, along the Highway 417 on the way to Ciudad Guzmán, one will find a large portion of the town’s population devoted to the creation of equipales. These groups send truckloads to Puerto Vallarta several times a year where they sell sofas, loveseats, chairs, tables of all sizes, benches and stools at phenomenal prices. The driver, who is one of the craftsmen, will take special orders, no money down, and come back to a designated place and time in the following weeks. It is a lucky person who finds themselves on this list; we have purchased all of our equipales in this manner and never been disappointed. Many

pieces have been custom made with buyer’s sketches and material samples involved. If you decide to make the trip yourself to Zacoalco de Torres you will find the equipales talleres (shops) in the “Barrio de Las Cebollas”, the Onion Quarter, which is across the railroad tracks. They will ship/deliver for a nominal extra cost.

Que es cómo es.

Hummingbirds

We love the return of the hummingbirds to Puerto Vallarta. They are magical little creatures who begin to appear when they migrate south for the winter. This long journey has taken place for hundreds of years and begins in August from as far away as the Yukon, where sunshine and flora attract the little birds a few months of the year. There are so many species of hummingbirds; it’s said there are millions, but the most recognizable and often sighted in Puerto Vallarta is the Rufus Hummingbird. They can show up on our patios in July, though the largest population usually arrive a couple of months later.

The Rufus Hummingbird is the little guy who looks like he got to the paint bucket right before the Robin, and got the best of the coppery red color that covers most of his body for the exception of a white ring around his neck. The Rufus Hummingbird is very aggressive towards other potential visitors and we have noticed them taking on much larger birds in defense of the both the sugary fluid we offer and the petals in our garden.

Their flight south to places like Puerto Vallarta normally takes an entire day of flying, through night and inclement weather so they are pretty hungry when they arrive. We find them nourishing themselves to the point we can fill our containers two or three times a day, and check in the morning to find them empty again. The trip often takes them over large bodies of water, traversing mountains, and facing predators.

To get an idea of how hummingbirds feed, we watched videos and suggest you do, as well. They do not feed with their long beaks. They have lengthy tongues that shoot out, approximately 12 times per second and suck nectar from flowers and your feeders. On a daily basis they consume twice their body weight, and have the highest metabolism of all the warm blooded animals on earth. A high calorie diet is essential to their existence.

Since hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, most feeders on the market are this color and we have seen them in many of the local stores, such as Soriana and Wal-Mart in Puerto Vallarta. Make sure you never use red food coloring to attract them. It’s not just harmful but can be deadly, in that it does something to the biological makeup of tiny hummingbird eggshells. They will be too hard for the wee birds to peck their way out and hence, there will be less of them to grace our gardens in Puerto Vallarta.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Boats in Our Harbor

The cruise ship marina often has visitors. Sometimes yachts are huge, with heliports and large tenders to transport passengers from the boat to shore, or another vessel. Such luminaries as Bill Gates, David Geffen, Carlos Slim and other well-known seafarers have moored here in Puerto Vallarta, and managed to create mystery and curiosity, initiating the wagging of resident tongues.

When ships of foreign navies dock, their homelands are announced by the flag that flies off their bow and their presence can often seem ominous but it’s reassuring to know that any ship in the port of Puerto Vallarta has arrived with friendly intentions. As a matter of fact, these are intentional visits, meant to build on already well established good relationships. The Mexican Navy welcomes those with focus on exchanging professional goals. Regardless of comments and attitudes coming from the current administration in Washington DC, the Mexican and USA militaries, by virtue of being neighbors, have had an ongoing sociable interaction for decades.

Currently the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego is visiting Puerto Vallarta and the crew will be working within the community on cooperative projects. This ship has recently returned from a deployment in the Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean, Horn of Africa and Middle East, where they spent seven months successfully performing maneuvers and activities. The USS San Diego is from the US 3^rd Fleet and happens to be the fourth US Navy vessel to be named after the California city and saint, being the only ship harbored in her signature city in the United States. This ship’s mission is to transport and deploy combat and support elements from the Marine Expeditionary Units and Brigades. She can carry up to 800 Marines and able to act as a debarkation for air cushion and conventional landing craft. Some have mentioned she is odd looking but her shape and design define her purpose. The basic motivation is to promote stability throughout the Pacific area of operations, to advance peace and security.

These US sailors will be checking out neighborhoods of our beautiful Puerto Vallarta and we’ll be opening our arms to them, considering their assistance to the community during their stay. Make sure to say hello, tip your hat and let them know they are appreciated. They won’t always be in uniform but US Military aren’t too difficult to indentify. These men and women are learning about many cultures and ours will be one they shall remember with warmth and kindness.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

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