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Who is Forrest Jones?

by tacogirl 31/08/2010
written by tacogirl 31/08/2010
San Pedro Belize beach pictures

I was excited when Forrest agreed to do a spotlight. He is a very interesting person and I knew what he had to say would be good reading and was looking forward to learning more about him. Feel free to leave comment for Forrest and say hi.

What’s your claim to fame?
Being able to listen to both sides of an argument and usually remaining much more attached to the people arguing both sides than to the the argument of one side or the other!

Where were you born?
I’m a generation 4th Californian. My great grandparents were pioneers, which places them in California in the 1850’s, just after the Gold Rush. I was born in San Francisco in 1943. By the time I was 8 we were living outside of New York City. That’s where I grew up. Dad’s job was teaching the East what to do with the redwood lumber the family’s mill produced, so his job and vacationing with grandparents, aunts & uncles, and cousins, brought us back to California almost every summer. Like me, my younger sister Mimi chose California when grown up, but my older sister Lynn is a true New Yorker and stayed there. Both are married with dynamite families; I’m divorced with 2 dynamite sons. The oldest is married and has provided me with a bright and stunning daughter-in-law and an outrageously cute granddaughter, Zoe, now three. Both of Zoe’s parents have interesting work in film production. My youngest son is currently getting paid to get his Ph.D. in structural engineering, and loving that.

Stuff about success & what I think makes it happen.
I had a store in San Francisco for 35 years. It started out as a very pure gourmet kitchenware store, when there were hardly any others, and evolved into a very eclectic general store. It became full of housewares, things you ‘need,’ and whatever else we thought was irresistible, imaginative, looked more expensive than it was, or all of the above. You never knew what you’d find there. lt’s success hinged on word of mouth. The thing we most frequently overheard people saying as they walked in was ‘uh oh; this store is dangerous.’ We had fun making it so, and I think that showed; but I’ve always considered success to be the result of hard work and common sense.

Coming to Belize.
In February, 2003, knowing virtually nada about Belize, I came to San Pedro to join a childhood friend from N.Y. and 3 other old fogeys, 2 of whose skipper’s licenses had allowed us to charter one of TMM’s big catamarans and go Caye hopping all by ourselves for 2 weeks. Loved it. I hate cold water, but never had a choice, where I lived. I had always loved the tropics, but living instead of just vacationing in them had been the stuff of dreams, not reality. So when the friend who got me to Belize started looking at property with the idea of an eventual offshore corporation for his successful shipping business, I pointed out the vaulted mahogany ceilings visible in the second story condo at the very northeast beachfront corner of the Belize Yacht Club’s beautifully gardened property and said, ‘that up there looks really nice; why don’t you get that?’ Not that it was for sale or anything, but it also had a great view and a virtually constant and unimpeded breeze, good for keeping cool and for keeping mosquitoes away, too, when necessary.

San Francisco’s summer was as cold and foggy in 2003 as it is this year. Home on a day off and bored, I googled ‘Real Estate, Ambergris Caye,’ and guess what was for sale? God is not making any more Caribbean beachfront, and yet the price was less than what you’d pay to buy a place to park your car in San Francisco. I love snorkeling, and I especially love sailing – small boats in particular – but never had enough opportunities. Here I could get my own Hobie Cat and park it right outside.

I may be a bit obtuse but it did dawn on me, right there and then, to get the place and do just that. So I did. It was for vacations at first, but then I was diagnosed with lung cancer, late in 2005. Thought I was a gonner for sure, but I became and remain one of the exceedingly lucky ones who is now cancer free. The half-year-long ‘cure’ experience had me pondering the shortness of life and determined to do other fun things, besides the store. Living on Ambergris Caye and doing everything there is to do here was at the top of the list. So I retired here in 2007.

What do you like most about living here?
The life style! Life Style is a factor of climate, scenery, people, pace, and things to do, but not necessarily in that order. I love warm weather, and I can get to where I hardly notice the humidity, particularly when the trade winds feel like a body massage, which is a lot of the time. I love the rustic charm of the place, and the tropical flora and warm crystal waters are stunning. The people are known for friendliness, and for one’s intimate social circle, the community to choose from is full of charismatic, creative, energetic, and interesting people from a variety of cultures. The pace of life here implores you to just relax. So, besides swimming, sailing, snorkeling, socializing, and occasional adventures off-island, I love my hammock! Just gently swinging in this soft breeze with the view of the reef from my balcony is as sublime as it gets.

One book or movie you recommend everyone should read or watch?
Book: John Fowles’ The Magus. Movie: The Gods Must Be Crazy.

Three things / places you would recommend people see, do, or eat when they come to Belize.

Well now, you can’t possibly narrow them down to 3! Must See at least one of the Mayan ruins. Must go snorkeling or diving. Must go to the Belize Zoo. On Ambergris Caye, must eat at Rojo Lounge, Wild Mango’s, and must go to Estelle’s for Charles’ BBQ ribs on Sunday!

If you could be doing anything right now what would it be?
What I’m doing right now. Any present moment is precious. I really like staying in the present, paying attention to the present moment; not living in the past or ignoring the ‘right now’ to get to something you think will be better in the future.

San Pedro Belize

San Pedro Belize

Lake Tahoe

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tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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23 comments

Bill Oman 18/09/2015 - 9:02 pm

Thanks, again Laurie. Never heard from Forrest or Mimi. We just had a great week up at Lake Tahoe after Labor Day. Have you ever been there ? Take care.

Reply
tacogirl 20/09/2015 - 8:04 am

Never been to Lake Tahoe after Labor Day Bill, bet it is nice.

Reply
Bill Oman 04/08/2015 - 8:23 pm

Hi Laurie, many thanks for your effort to reconnect me with Mimi and Forrest. Thank you, again. Bill

Reply
tacogirl 04/08/2015 - 11:05 pm

Anytime Bill.

Reply
Bill Oman 12/06/2015 - 11:38 am

Hi Forrest! I wonder if you remember me. I was one of your sister Mimi’s first boyfriends back in the late 1960s. I retired from UC Berkeley about four years ago and live in Walnut Creek. Would love to reconnect with both you and Mimi next time you are up at Brockway Point or here in the Bay Area. I lost all contact info for Mimi and don’t even know her married name. Please drop me a line at gymswim@aol.com.

Reply
tacogirl 14/06/2015 - 9:49 am

Bill I emailed Forrest your comment so hopefully he will re-connect with you.

Reply
Zach Peirce 08/10/2010 - 10:16 am

I miss Forrest and our awesome trivia team!!!

Reply
joanne 19/09/2010 - 10:24 am

Forrest I couldnt aggree with you more…those are the same qualities that drew me to the island and that keep me there…hugs and see u soon joanne

Reply
timmy 12/09/2010 - 11:56 pm

Forrest is a very nice man. Pedro’s is a fun place that many will enjoy.

Reply
Debra Milstead 06/09/2010 - 7:55 am

We look forward to being at the weekly trivia game.

Reply
tacogirl 06/09/2010 - 8:38 am

Great Debra will be fun.

Reply
Debra Milstead 04/09/2010 - 5:44 pm

When and where is the trivia game Laurie?

Reply
tacogirl 04/09/2010 - 6:11 pm

Trivia is every Thursday night 7pm and alternates weekly between Pedro’s and Roadkill with Cindy and Helda being the quiz girls and making us use our heads.

Reply
Forrest Jones 02/09/2010 - 2:54 pm

As Walter says, “Holy Moley!” Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

Reply
tacogirl 02/09/2010 - 5:34 pm

I knew you would be a big hit Forrest.

Reply
Debra Milstead 02/09/2010 - 1:31 pm

Great..I look forward to it…Trivia, as in a game? I am no good. But my husband Bill is a one man trivia team. LOL

Reply
tacogirl 02/09/2010 - 2:27 pm

We usually play weekly it is low key and a lot of fun.

Reply
Carbumkle Trumpet 02/09/2010 - 6:20 am

One of the nicest gentlemen I have ever met from my trips to San Pedro.

Reply
tacogirl 02/09/2010 - 6:25 am

I agree Carbunkle Trumpet.

Reply
Debra Milstead 01/09/2010 - 2:37 pm

That is a great story…would love to meet Forrest as well when we are in Belize this month.

Reply
tacogirl 01/09/2010 - 3:51 pm

Will work on that closer to the time you get here Debra. You like Trivia?

Reply
Todd 01/09/2010 - 9:38 am

What a great story. It would be great to talk with him on a visit there.

Reply
tacogirl 01/09/2010 - 10:44 am

That is within the realm of possibility Todd.

Reply

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I just returned from my trip to Belize in mid-June 2022. I had been planning the trip weeks / months in advance and... Laurie (taco girl) wasextremely helpful in preparation for my trip. Her intimate knowledge as an expat who was ONCE a tourist, really helps because she is able to share first hand knowledge of how a tourist can explore Ambergis Caye like a "temporary local". An example of this, was she recommended 2 yoga classes for my wife to enjoy while on vacation that we would not have known about otherwise and the class was far better than a class arranged by a hotel, as you get the local experience not a staged one. In addition, she was helpful in providing recommendations for dinner and sharing some discounts she has arranged with local retailers. Reviewing the taco girl blog and reaching out to Laurie is like having a tour guide, but more important a tour guide that KNOWS Belize.read more
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From the perspective of a couple preparing for a permanent move to Belize, Laurie has been enthusiastically helpful in... both answering our questions and connecting us with local resources for our move. Highly recommend you contact her and make use of her valuable services!!!read more
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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
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We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
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Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
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We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
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I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
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I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
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tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
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As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
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We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
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It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
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I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
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I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
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Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
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I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
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I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
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Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
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Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
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20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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