A few days earlier I had reached out to my friends in Nuevo Vallarta to let them know I was finally getting down in their area. I was excited to learn that their oldest daughter was graduating college and that Saturday night was the graduation party. To top it off they invited me to join them!
I suppose it was Thursday that I thought to ask the dress code, um formal was the reply. Oh boy. Thankfully Augustin offered to loan me a jacket and tie. That just left me with slacks, dress shirt, and dress shoes… Saturday afternoon it was off to the mall for some shopping. Of course a stop at Walmart for a clothes iron needed to be added to the agenda, but I was ready to party!
They picked me up at 8:00pm and off we went to a nice resort that was hosting the party. Upon arrival we were handed cocktails, off to the race out of the gate. We took a chance for family and friends photos to memorialize the occasion before the doors opened and we were escorted to our table. I had heard that these parties could last until 5am so I did my best to pace myself with water and non-alcoholic drinks but when I ordered a tequila I never expected an 8oz glass fill only with tequila and a tiny bit of ice. Oh boy. Around 10:00 a filet mingon dinner was served.
Bellies full it was time to work off the calories and I was convinced to join everyone on the dance floor. Let me just state, I am not a good dancer. And let me also state that everyone else at the event is a very good dancer. Ugh, well embarrass myself I will. Alin did her best to teach me a dance but I was not a good student and I was left to my own “style.” A cycle of dance, drink, dance, rest was repeated until the lights were turned on at 3:00am and the staff started breaking down the tables. Guess that is the sign the party is over. It was such a great night and I feel so lucky to have been a part of the celebration. Good luck Alin as you begin your career helping abused women and their children!
But my time with the Dominguez’s was not over yet, nope. Next up was Super Bowl Sunday! Little did I know but Augustin was new to grilling but was stepping it up for his first Super Bowl party with a new Weber grill and a massive amount of steak. It took a bit of trial and error to get the charcoal started but after that it was smooth sailing. Hours of different cuts of meat drifting off the grill to go along with some great sides, my favorites being a cactus salad and a grilled potato crema/cheese. It was impossible to not be stuffed bringing on sleepiness for an already boring game. I powered through and even with a lack of sleep the night before managed to keep my eyes open. It was fun watching the game with a group of friends in a foreign country. Brought an entirely different perspective, the only downside was the lack of American commercials. Worth the trade off.
I feel lucky to have friends who take me in and include me like family. It was such a special opportunity to share in the celebration of Alin and to experience their culture. Too bad my stay in Nuevo Vallarta had to be so short.
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