La Luna Mexicana

A couple of summers ago my mom, Gina Gallego, scored a role for the hit kids movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua as an animal shelter director. To give the movie its Mexican authenticity, parts of the film were shot in Puerto Vallarta. While my mother was working, I got to tag along as her “personal assistant” on a 5 day vacation in paradise. Like any other resort town in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta has gorgeous beaches that invite you to lie back, put some sunscreen on, and sip down a Corona with lime. But what made Puerto Vallarta special for me was the quaintness of Old Town culture. From early morning to late night, people are walking through Old Town – teenagers, viejitas, parents with their kids – everyone is out and about. There is activity everywhere: clowns performing in the outdoor amphitheater, vendors selling paintings and other knick knacks, and the smell of corn, churros, and other goodies permeate the air. Picture all of this backdropped by a Jaliscan sunset over the Pacific Ocean.