By Barbara Kingstone

Mexico Mexico

Riviera Maya is quickly becoming Mexico’s French Riviera with rapid explosion of the very chicest hotels like the Grand Velas and The Mandarin. But getting to my main point in this segment is the grand experience of shopping. The play pen for fashionistas is the very long pedestrian walk, La Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), one block from the beach. It’s here that some of the best (read not entirely kitschy,) Mexican designs and crafts are found and also the meeting place at the several fine restaurants and cafes with local and very international atmosphere is a cacophony of different languages. KIN MAYABO has typical men’s’ shirts called Guayaberas and DE BEATRIZ BOUTIQUE is where the fashions are made from “manta” (white cotton). Since the emphasis is on beaches in this area, ZINGARA has some of the zingiest, stylish bathing suits, summer clothing and major ‘today ‘accessories. Of course, Mexico is known for their great silver jewellery but of course gold is shown too. And perhaps my favorite find is the small but totally creative, contemporary jewellery of precious and semi precious stones in the most sensational and original setting is at IDE located on the new section of La Quinta. If you want just one stunning memory, besides the powdery white sandy beaches, don’t take another step. Fernando Rodriquez is the man of the moment and I can see him soon being showcased at top stores around the world. PLATAFORMAAS for extraordinary papier mache and pottery and of course, tequila at CASA TEQUILA and CAVA TEQUILA – nothing seems to be omitted from this buzzy, busy boulevard. . And it’s a good thing to know that the shops are opened 365 days a year from 10am until 10PM. Wow, now that’s my kind of street.

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