Renee Perez: Putting It Together: I didn't think any grown woman could be so cute and perky, but Renée is like a ray of sunshine, bursting with enthusiasm about her family, her work and the world around her. And I guess that's part of why she brings out the best in each and every one of her theater students at the American School.

Fernando Baños: Renaissance Man: This true Renaissance man includes art, literature, history and humanities in his repertoire. Every week during the Malecon sculpture tour Fernando Baños meets the public at the foot of his “Millennium” sculpture, created under his artistic name, Mathis Lidice.

Juan Manuel Gómez Encarnación: The City’s New Chronicler: The city’s chronicler is very important to Puerto Vallarta. For many years, Carlos Munguia was responsible for documenting the city’s history, and his work left a profound mark on local society. After he passed away, Juan Manuel Gomez Encarnacion was chosen.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Real Estate in Vallarta But Never Knew Where to Look...: A reflection of the bay’s constantly evolving real estate market, “The Vallarta Real Estate Guide” now features a companion online publication, VREG Online at vallartarealestateguide.com. This new Website makes use of the most innovative Web techniques and the many options available for property buyers and sellers. Learn how to best take advantage of its features.

Best Reason to Explore the Bay: New Docks: Let’s face it: Getting on or off a small motorboat (or panga, as we call them) without the use of a dock is not for the faint hearted, particularly on a windy day. And yet, we’ve seen people using them regularly to explore Puerto Vallarta’s South Shore.

Best Business with Least Open Hours: Taqueria in La Cruz: At six o’ clock sharp, the smell of delicious roasting meat becomes noticeable and people are anxiously waiting in line for Tacos on the Street to open. This singular La Cruz de Huanacaxtle restaurant has been operated for the past 12 years by the husband and wife team of Jorge Armando Díaz and Raquel Gómez.

Best Infrastructure Development #1: La Cruz-Bucerias Malecon: Since everyone heads toward the malecon, it stands to reason that you can create another one. This is just what the government of Nayarit decided to do in bringing together two of their most flavorful towns along the bay, Bucerias and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

Best New Excuse to Walk Around Puerto Vallarta: Malecon Extension: Long a destination in itself, the Malecon meanders along the edge of Banderas Bay. And now it’s possible to stroll this “boardwalk” from the historic Hotel Rosita at the north end of town past the Los Muertos pier and farther south – all without having to shake sand out of shoes.

Best New Promising Event: Vallarta Wine Fest: The culture of good wines, their history and manufacturing process were the main topics of the Vallarta Wine Fest, Jalisco and Nayarit. This is the latest festival to reach our shores and a new option for promoting Banderas Bay worldwide.

Best New Boating Guide: Vallarta Nautica: Designed to make the cruising lifestyle a lot more fun and interesting on Banderas Bay, since being featured in the Seven Seas Cruising Association’s Commodore’s Newsletter, “Vallarta nautica” is being sought by folks the world over who want to get their hands on this helpful annual glossy!

Best Place to Develop a Green Thumb: Botanical Gardens: Historically, a garden was not only an escape from the enclosed interiors of impersonal construction, but also a way of creating an Eden by including Mother Nature in the embracing environment. Bob Price of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens focuses on “bringing native Mexican plants into safe contact with us so we can see them face to face.”

Best Baguette: Comercial Mexicana: Just above the bin of bolillos at Comercial Mexicana lie the baguettes, fragrant bayonets of bread with crispy crusts. At just $8 pesos each, this bread goes fast — especially on weekends because only 56 are baked each day in each of the two stores in Puerto Vallarta.

Best Place to Mingle and Support a Worthy Cause: Banana Cantina: Everybody has to eat, right? So why not do it where there’s a party going on with local celebrities? And your presence makes a difference because it’s in aid of worthy charities. Setting an altruistic tone we hope is contagious, this community-minded restaurant is the place to be Wednesday nights during high season, when guest hosts spice the night with fun and patrons enjoy award-winning Mexican food.

Best Excuse to Sin: Xocodiva: New on the PV scene is yet another temptation. And we recommend you not pass up this one: delectable, handcrafted artisan chocolates. Made in a gleaming little South Side shop by Canadian chocolatiers Carole Fast and Charlotte Semple, these confections are mind bogglers, activating every pleasure center, bar none.

Best New Canine Congregation: Daiquiri Dick’s Pet Picnic: Dogs ruled in December at PV’s first-ever charity picnic designed just for them, canines big and small and some 60 devoted owners sharing good times and delicious doggie bag lunches on the beach. The brainchild of videographer Laura Gelezunas and restaurant owners Peter and Tari Bowman, it shows that working out sparks great ideas.