Interviews

One of my favorite spots, and the focus of this issue's entry, is a restaurant that opened this season, "YAH-YAH".  When I came here in October, Yah-Yah Cafe was in the final stages of preparing to open.  Run by two amazing people, the restaurant is slowly but surely becoming one of the fixtures on the plaza here in Sayulita.

I can't think of anyone in Sayulita who better typifies the "in-your-face" mindset than Tracie Willis. You may know her as the owner of Choco Banana, or you may know her as the woman who single-handedly took on the wedding planners of Sayulita in an effort to get them to switch from polluting pyrotechnics to the much quieter floating wedding lanterns. Two years ago, you would have known Tracie for her dauntless efforts to get a recycling program implemented here in Sayulita. And, you would definitely know her for her tireless efforts in getting large trash bins built and situated around our pueblo. Often using her own money, she is not bashful about asking for help with any project she finds herself involved with. Nor should she be. Tracie could be called the "conscience of Sayulita", whether you agree with her or not.

Good morning from Sayulita one more time. Today, I want to share with you the story of a friend I met a few years back when I first visited Sayulita with my "Mexican Brother", Efrin Garcia. This is a story of a young man with very large dreams, and very little to start with other than a very big heart. Sergio Enrique Gonzales was born 27years ago, and has lived almost all of those years here in Sayulita.

I met Hortencia quite by accident at the gym one morning when I first came to Sayulita, but have since come to know and love her for her strength, beauty, purpose, and dedication to her family. "Tencha" was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and spent virtually all of her childhood there. Some of her favorite memories are of the sports club where she played soccer and tennis. Always athletic, she still plays soccer, surfs when she has time, and runs on the beach. If you're out early enough, you may see Tencha running with her chihuahua, Clarita.

“Sayulita Café Chile Relleno is my favorite place to go eat, and I love their tortilla soup!”

“A mi favorito se llama Sayulita Café Chile Relleno y me encanta su sopa de tortilla.”

-Zoey Glavicich, Sayulita

Dear Reader: This is what, I hope, will be a series of articles on some of the wonderfully different people who help to make our beautiful pueblo the multi-cultural oasis that it is. Here, you will find the stories of those people, and their reasons for choosing to put down roots in Sayulita. Some of them you will know well. Some of them you will know less well. And some of them you will not know at all. But, the next time you bump into one of them, reach out your hand and tell them you enjoyed getting to know them thru the interview. Just think of how many friendships you could start that way! Enjoy.

"Mi resolución del Año Nuevo es hacer Sayulita un lugar más limpio."

-Andrew Willis, Sayulita