Souvenir ideas?

[DandyDon]

I stopped bringing liquor home when they stopped letting us carry it on after changing planes in the US. The bubble wrap idea might work for baggage handlers, but if TSA unwraps it - lose...!!

I hope this isn't too OT, but is the silver jewelry you see in the better Mexican shops really decent stuff? My wife and I looked at it while we were on Coz a couple of years ago, but I had no way of knowing whether it was of reliable quality, or just plated white metal. Is there any way of separating the good quality from junk?

I doubt it. I've seen pro jewelers post about how badly their friends and customers got taken while traveling. NAFTA made high demand Mexican goods generally available in the US, with reasonable prices. There may be exceptions more than a block from Melgar, but how can you tell?

If your friend is likes to bake, Mexican vanilla is really good. You can get it in most of the tourist stores. I like the different varieties....vanilla with vanilla bean bits, clear vanilla, and just plain ol' vanilla. Real vanilla in the States is expensive!

Now that sounds appealing, along with local spices and chocolate.

 

[judydivescoz]

I guess I have always been lucky with bringing back liquor. I stash it in whatever bag has room and its never been a problem.

 

[cvchief]

I hope this isn't too OT, but is the silver jewelry you see in the better Mexican shops really decent stuff? My wife and I looked at it while we were on Coz a couple of years ago, but I had no way of knowing whether it was of reliable quality, or just plated white metal. Is there any way of separating the good quality from junk?

If you want good silver jewelry at a good price, you gotta go see Sergio. He has a little shop just off the plaza. Head out east the pedestrian walkway in the north east corner of the plaza. Cross 10 Ave at the Catholic Church and continue east into the next block (which has cars) of Avenida Benito Juarez. He is on the left. He has always treated me well. His son is in the business now and has a place in the plaza I believe, but I have not visited it.

What he can do is make you custom silver stuff. Lots of people send him design ideas and he make them custom jewelry. For instance the missus and I have a truckfish thing, so I got a custom trunkfish necklace made:



Later I got her matching earring. They weren't expensive. He makes alot of custom stuff like that. He has been in Coz for quite a while. You can also search for him on Facebook:
[h=2]Sergio's Silver from Taxco[/h]That pic would be the son's store I believe. His son handles the FB and emails I think.

 

[DandyDon]

I guess I have always been lucky with bringing back liquor. I stash it in whatever bag has room and its never been a problem.

Yeah, lucky. TSA is better at unpacking than repacking. They're more likely to dig around, pull the bottle out, then leave it on top - or keep it.

Looks like you can order D'aristi Xtabentun at Amazon: Amazon.com: D'aristi Xtabentun Liqueur Honey 750ML: Grocery & Gourmet Food and other sites have it at higher prices.

 

[ggunn]

I guess I have always been lucky with bringing back liquor. I stash it in whatever bag has room and its never been a problem.

Yo tambien. In the past 20 years I have probably brought back 30+ bottles of liquor and wine wrapped in clothes or towels in my luggage, and none of them have been compromised. My bags have been searched by TSA numerous times, and nothing has ever been broken or missing. I know it's fashionable to bash airport security for carelessness or malice, but I've never had a problem with them.

 

[cvchief]

Looks like you can order D'aristi Xtabentun at Amazon: Amazon.com: D'aristi Xtabentun Liqueur Honey 750ML: Grocery & Gourmet Food and other sites have it at higher prices.

Thanks for getting my hopes up. That is an ad that links to another site. Can't order through Amazon. I was going to order a case so I could skip self import. No shipping to PA.....

Crash and burn......

 

[Mossman]

My local go-to liquor store has D'Aristi Xtabentun Honey Liqueur Ceramic Bottle 750ML for $37.99. Sounds expensive. I'll stick with getting shots of it for free at Secrets in June.

 

[cvchief]

My local go-to liquor store has D'Aristi Xtabentun Honey Liqueur Ceramic Bottle 750ML for $37.99. Sounds expensive. I'll stick with getting shots of it for free at Secrets in June.

That looks like the fancy bottle. Of course it looks like you have a fancy liquor store. No Boone, no 20/20, no manischewitz...... At least they got Evan Williams....

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks for getting my hopes up. That is an ad that links to another site. Can't order through Amazon. I was going to order a case so I could skip self import. No shipping to PA.....

Crash and burn......

It's your state, your laws. They say they cannot ship to Texas either, but I have shipped bottles here. Might be a mistake?

My local go-to liquor store has D'Aristi Xtabentun Honey Liqueur Ceramic Bottle 750ML for $37.99. Sounds expensive. I'll stick with getting shots of it for free at Secrets in June.

$16 for a 750, $22 more in a ceramic bottle.

 

[cvchief]

It's your state, your laws. They say they cannot ship to Texas either, but I have shipped bottles here. Might be a mistake?

.

Well, PA owns the liquor franchise. Apparently it can be shipped to VA though.... Muhahahaha.....