March 20 - pvmcitypaper

Transcription

385
www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 385
Saturday 19 to Friday 25
March - 2016
March - 2016
2 385
Need to Know
manners to present the check before it is
requested, so when you’re ready to leave,
ask «La cuenta, por favor» and your bill
will be delivered to you.
MONEY EXCHANGE: Although
you may have to wait in line for a few
minutes, remember that the banks will
give you a higher rate of exchange than
the exchange booths (caja de cambio).
Better yet, if you have a «bank card»,
withdraw funds from your account back
home. Try to avoid exchanging money at
your hotel. Traditionally, those offer the
worst rates.
I
f you’ve been meaning to find a little information on the region,
but never quite got around to it, we hope that the following will help.
If you look at the maps on this page, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, smack in the middle of the Bay of Banderas
- one of the largest bays in this country - which includes southern part of the
state of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.
Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre mountainsthe Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned in the Pacific.
Hurricane Kenna did come close on October 25, 2002, but actually touched
down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 kms north of PV.
The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian Islands,
thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.
AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers
POPULATION: Approx. 325,000
inhabitants
CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with
an average of 300 sunny days per year.
The temperature averages 28oC (82oF)
and the rainy season extends from late
June to early October.
allowed under certain circumstances
but fishing of any kind is prohibited.
Every year, the Bay receives the visit
of the humpback whales, dolphins and
manta rays in the winter. During the
summer, sea turtles, a protected species,
arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.
FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo
hosts a great variety of animal species
such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,
raccoon, etc.
ECONOMY: Local economy is
based mainly on tourism, construction
and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,
mainly tropical fruit such as mango,
papaya,
watermelon,
pineapple,
guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.
SANCTUARIES:
Bahía
de
Banderas encloses two Marine
National Parks - Los Arcos and the
Marieta Islands - where diving is
CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is
the legal currency in Mexico although
Canadian and American dollars are
widely accepted.
Index
BUSES: A system of urban buses
with different routes. Current fare is
$7.50 Pesos per ticket and passengers
must purchase a new ticket every time
they board another bus. There are no
“transfers”.
TAXIS: There are set rates within
defined zones of the town. Do not enter
a taxi without agreeing on the price with
the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a
hotel, you may want to check the rates
usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you
know which restaurant you want to go,
do not let the driver change your mind.
Many restaurateurs pay commissions to
taxi drivers and you may end up paying
more than you should, in a secondrate establishment! There are 2 kinds
of taxi cabs: those at the airport and
the maritime port are usually vans that
can only be boarded there. They have
pre-fixed rates per passenger. City cabs
are yellow cars that charge by the ride,
not by passenger. When you ask to go
downtown, many drivers let you off at
the beginning of the area, near Hidalgo
Park. However, your fare covers the
ENTIRE central area, so why walk 10 to
15 blocks to the main plaza, the Church
or the flea market? Pick up a free map,
and insist on your full value from the
driver! Note the number of your taxi in
case of any problem, or if you forget
something in the cab. Then your hotel or
travel rep can help you check it out or
lodge a complaint.
TIME ZONE: The entire State of
Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the
area of the State of Nayarit from Lo
de Marcos in the north to the Ameca
River, i.e.: Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías,
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Sayulita, San
Pancho, Punta Mita, etc. North of Lo
De Marcos, Guayabitos, La Peñita,
San Blas, etc. are on Mountain Time,
i.e.: one hour behind PV time.
TELEPHONE CALLS: Always
check on the cost of long distance
calls from your hotel room. Some
establishments charge as much as U.S.
$7.00 per minute!
CELL PHONES: Most cellular
phones from the U.S. and Canada may
be programmed for local use, through
Telcel and IUSAcell, the local carriers.
To dial cell to cell, use the prefix 322,
then the seven digit number of the
person you’re calling. Omit the prefix if
dialling a land line.
LOCAL CUSTOMS: Tipping is
usually 10%-15% of the bill at restaurants
and bars. Tip bellboys, taxis, waiters,
maids, etc. depending on the service.
Some businesses and offices close from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening until 7 p.m. or
later. In restaurants, it is considered poor
March - 2016
WHAT TO DO: Even if your allinclusive hotel is everything you ever
dreamed of, you should experience at
least a little of all that Vallarta has to
offer - it is truly a condensed version of
all that is Mexican and existed before
«Planned Tourist Resorts», such as
Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, were
developed. Millions have been spent to
ensure that the original “small town”
flavor is maintained downtown, in the
Old Town and on the South Side.
DRINKING WATER: The false
belief that a Mexican vacation must
inevitably lead to an encounter with
Moctezuma’s revenge is just that:
false. For the 21st year in a row, Puerto
Vallarta’s water has been awarded
a certification of purity for human
consumption. It is one of only two
cities in Mexico that can boast of such
accomplishment. True, the quality of
the water tested at the purification plant
varies greatly from what comes out of
the tap at the other end. So do be careful.
On the other hand, most large hotels
have their own purification equipment
and most restaurants use purified water.
If you want to be doubly sure, you can
pick up purified bottled water just about
anywhere.
EXPORTING PETS: Canadian and
American tourists often fall in love with
one of the many stray dogs and cats in
Vallarta. Many would like to bring it
back with them, but believe that the laws
do not allow them to do so. Wrong. If
you would like to bring a cat or a dog
back home, call the local animal shelter
for more info: 293-3690.
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING: A good
beginning would be to take one of the City
Tours offered by the local tour agencies.
Before boarding, make sure you have a
map and take note of the places you want
to return to. Then venture off the beaten
path. Explore a little. Go farther than the
tour bus takes you. And don’t worry this is a safe place.
Sound Off
Your Comments
[email protected]
Dear Editor,
For those of you who are not aware of the
Cultural Center and have read the letters about
a possible casino going in there and why this
should not happen, read on.
First and foremost, there are at least 4
casinos a short distance in Puerto Vallarta.
Next and most important is what the Cultural
Center gives to the community. Just east of
the bridge, stroll along towards the mountain
on any Monday, Wednesday and Friday from
4 to 7 p.m. or Tuesday and Thursday from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m., and you will come across one
of the most important areas in PV. If you have
ever wondered about some of the great artists,
musicians, clowns who put on the great shows
in the town square, then this is the place to see
where it all starts. On any given day, you can
watch Sergio the talented art teacher take young,
old, Mexican, Americans and Canadians from
starting painters to the yearly art show where
everyone’s art is on display.
Stop and listen to the sounds of young guitars
create their first songs with their proud parents
looking on and the up and coming guitarists
who will go on to bring joy to visitors to PV.
You can also watch young clowns learning
their skills that some day will wow the audience
at the town center. You can sit out and enjoy
a relaxing drink at the great restaurants there
while viewing the magnificent homes in Gringo
Gulch.
This is a part of Mexico that, if lost, would
not only take away a great hidden gem but
also a place where the young Mexican youth
are doing something to enlighten their lives.
When you see the joy on their faces at their art
show when they see their art work on display
and have family members and the public there
encouraging them, then this is something that
you will take home and know that you have truly
been in Mexico. The young take away from
this pride, the old take away a new experience
that they never thought they could do, and the
most important thing is that no matter what
nationality you are for those few hours, you are
all one - Mexican.
Lynda Jones
Dear Editor,
On March 7, I was at Mega. I saw my special
tequila, Don Julio 70, was marked 472 pesos!
Great price! I bought 2 bottles.
Later that evening I looked at my receipt and
saw I was charged 590 pesos! Next morning,
back at Mega I checked again the sticker on the
shelf: Don Julio Cristaliono 70 for $472.
At customer service, they were going to check
the price. She came back and told me 590 was
right; 472 was some other brand! I grabbed my
receipt and went back to the tequila aisle.
They had REMOVED the sticker from shelf.
I asked the female employee standing there what
the price was; she didn’t know. Neither did the
next guy. I didn’t think to take a photo because I
never thought they would remove the price tag.
Couldn’t believe it!
I had noticed this practice before, but thought
I had misread. I went back in the afternoon to
return the tequila.
Customer service pointed to the sign: no
returns for liquor. I will never spend another
peso in Mega. Let me tell you how bitter that
over-charged tequila will taste!
Make sure to check your prices. It maybe
only 200+ pesos, but that’s just one transaction.
You’re next...
Charlotte Schaffer
Dear Editor,
Based on stories and recent ‘Letters to the
Editor’ in the PV Mirror, I rushed out to buy
tickets for Mark Zeller’s upcoming performance
and the Boutique Theatre.
We’re going Thursday and Saturday nights
and I hear both shows are already sold out Friday not yet, and I hear other shows are being
added. I’m also looking forward to experiencing
the new Boutique Theatre. I’ve heard there’s
not a bad seat in the house.
Being a story teller myself, I am looking
forward to all the stories in the songs that Zeller
brings from American and Russian composers.
I’m especially interested in anything he’ll sing
from his Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof.
As always, thank you PV Mirror for spreading
the word on the “must-see” events like this in
Puerto Vallarta.
Warmly,
Lynn Rogers
Continued on Next Page...
March - 2016
385
3
4 385
Sound Off
Dear Editor,
My wife and I have been coming to PV for 25 years. We live in the
Romantic Zone for four months. We love the sounds and sights of this
vibrant diverse city. We frequently walk home from Centro [downtown]
through Cardenas Park. Last night, as we went through along with families
and skateboarding teenagers, we saw on the jumbo screen a pornographic
gay film being shown. We love this part of town and the wonderful gay
community who lives here, but what was that film dong on a jumbo screen
at 10:30 at night with families walking by? Does anyone know anything
about this? I can’t believe the gay community would ever think this was
anything but a poor reflection on a wonderful part of our community.
Bob and Mary Fitzgerald
Hola!
I have noticed the memorial tiles around old town on the planters &
walls. I would like to investigate having one installed. I do not know how
to go about this. Would you be able to put me in touch with someone who
could help me? Thank you so much for your help.
Suzanne Nield
Dear Ms. Nield,
All the planters around town and the beautiful plants that fill them are
the work of the Puerto Vallarta Garden Club. You can get in touch with it
by emailing them at [email protected]
The Ed.
Allyna Vineberg
[email protected]
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Stan Gabruk
Krystal Frost
Giselle Belanger
Ronnie Bravo
Tommy Clarkson
Luis Melgoza
Gil Gevins
Harriet Murray
Catherine Beeghly
Todd Ringness
John Warren
Helena Paivinen
Dr. Rafael Guzman
Virginia Fox
Office & Sales: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
Dear Editor,
What a shock it was to have an unknown charge on my credit card bill
for $4,999. USD from PVMX International PTO Vallarta! (Whatever that
is, even Visa did not know.) The previous charge on the bill was done the
day before, at the large membership store in Fluvial, that we all use. That
was my charge and it was authentic. I never let my card out of my hand
at Soriana and Mega. During my last visit to the membership store, there
were 2 people leaning over the card reader area and the cashier took the
card out of the chip reader and handed it to me. I remember being a bit
uncomfortable about 2 persons there, not enough to ask about it. The extra
young man came up and departed, was there only during the time span that
the lady was using my card. Now, thinking back, it seems very strange.
They did not speak, and I sort of wonder why he was there.
The fraudulent charge was made the very next day! I never take my
credit card out of my safe, unless I’m going directly to the store and then
right home. After calling VISA and registering fraudulent charge, they
had to close my account. Now, I have to notify all of my automatic payers
in USA. Not fun. Tonight I was on the phone with my friend who lives
here, too. She said, “Your card was cloned”, and that it had happened to
her here in PV two times, adding that she suspected it was the same store.
Now she says that she uses only cash in all stores.
My secretary recommended buying one of those wallets that protects
your cards from being read, by an evil character who has the apparatus-tosteal-your-credit-card-info, when they are just standing next to you, as it
is getting more and more common.
A word to the wise is sufficient. I just wanted to let people know that
this danger is everywhere, in USA and Canada too. So be careful.
Guy
Publisher / Editor:
March - 2016
Cover Painting:
“The Wave”
by Rick Shepard
PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.
Certificados de licitud de título y
contenido en tramite. Prohibida la
reproducción total o parcial de su
contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías sin
previa autorización por escrito del editor.
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comments. Please send them by e-mail to:
[email protected]
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address and/or tel. number for verification
purposes only. If you do not want your name
published, we will respect your wishes.
Letters & articles become the property of
the PVMIRROR and may be edited and/or
condensed for publication.
The articles in this publication are provided
for the purpose of entertainment and
information only. The PV Mirror City
Paper does not accept any responsibility or
liability for the content of the articles on
this site or reliance by any person on the
site’s contents. Any reliance placed on such
information is therefore strictly at such
person’s own risk.
Note:
To Advertisers & Contributors and those
with public interest announcements,
the deadline for publication is:
2:00 pm on Monday of the
week prior to publication.
Within PV
Puerto Vallarta exhibited at 23rd original LGBT Expo
T
he Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board
exhibited at this year’s Original GLBT
Expo held in New York City’s Jacob K.
Javits Convention Center from March 12
& 13, 2016, marking the destination’s
fifth year to participate in the fair which
targets gay consumers.
This year, participating properties
included Almar Luxury Suites, Costa
Sur Resort & Spa, Hotel Mousai and
San Marino Hotel. The Puerto Vallarta
Tourism Board was also joined by the
Mexico Tourism Board’s regional office.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico’s leading
LGBT beach destination, is currently
celebrating the approval of same-sex
marriage in the state of Jalisco - where
Puerto Vallarta is located - which
passed on January 27 of this year. The
legalization of same-sex weddings
in Jalisco means that gay and lesbian
couples wishing to register and make
their unions legal in Mexico can now do
so just like any other couple.
Brought into the tourism spotlight by
celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and
Tennessee Williams, Puerto Vallarta
organically grew to become North
America’s favorite LGBT winter
beach destination and is now home to
Mexico’s only beach gayborhood in its
Romantic Zone. Home to a broad array
of gay bars and nightclubs, gay-owned
restaurants, hotels, stores, services, and
entertainment, la Zona Romantica is in
the center of the city’s downtown area.
In addition, hotels across the city, such
as Costa Sur Resort & Spa and Hotel
San Marino are T.A.G. Certified and
members of the IGLTA, putting Puerto
Vallarta in a league of its own.
This year also marks the fourth
consecutive year Puerto Vallarta will
be hosting its annual LGBTTIQ pride
festival, Vallarta Pride, taking place
from May 16th to 29th, 2016, under the
motto “We are One Family”. With over
15,000 national and international visitors
in 2015, Vallarta Pride is the largest
LGBTTIQ festival in the region and
will host several events that include: art,
culture, concerts, entertainment, movies,
parties, a grand gay pride parade, and
fun for everyone.
In recent years, the Puerto Vallarta
Tourism Board, the entity responsible
for promoting the destination in the US
and Canada, has partnered with the Gay
& Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation,
GMHC and the International Gay
Lesbian Travel Association to promote
the destination to the LGBT market. In
2014, Vallarta became the first Mexican
destination to participate in a World
Pride with its Noche Alegre event during
the World Pride celebrations in Toronto,
Canada. And in 2015, the tourism board
became the first destination to sponsor
the Human Rights Campaign on a
national level.
Puerto Vallarta is home to an array
of gay lodging possibilities including
T.A.G. gay friendly resorts, hotels,
lodges, bed and breakfasts, and guest
houses, some are even gay-owned.
(Source: latitude-intl.com)
EXPRESS
March - 2016
385
5
Five things I love most
about wintering in Vallarta
By
Michelle Papineau-Stoen
BanderasNews.com
1. Undoubtedly of course the great beaches, and
consistent wonderful SUNSHINE! When making plans,
one rarely hears the words “pending on the weather.”
2. The variety of interesting places to go, and things to
do, such as the variety of fabulous restaurants, water/land
sports, live theater, art lessons, etc., all at a fraction of the
cost back home! Not to mention all the free things one can
take in such as art galleries, outdoor concerts and dances,
exotic nature hikes, and the list goes boundlessly on! And,
if you want a way to “give back” into the community,
volunteering is always a wonderful and fulfilling option.
It’s just impossible to be bored in this eclectic city!
3. Undoubtedly the most killer sunsets in the whole
world! Especially from my balcony over hanging a cliff
sipping on a margarita! Ahh...
4. Here, in Puerto Vallarta, it doesn’t matter if you’re
“flying solo” like me, as everyone is very inclusive, and
accepting. Its a great feeling!
Which leads me to my last point.
5. This is a VERY easy place to meet people, make new
friends, and even start a new life if that’s your goal. Expats
and snow birds have realized that they’re not here (on
earth) for a long time, but for a good time, so they drop the
pretenses and formalities all together. It’s a lot like little
kids making friends in a park who meet for the first time!
“Hi, what’s your name, wanna be friends”? “Okay”! And
off they go! It’s that simple, and so refreshing!
Rarely a day goes by when I don’t run into people I
know just walking down the street or eating at a sidewalk
cafe. Shop owners, restaurateurs, and street vendors get
to know you and greet you with a big “Hola!” and a
smile. In fact, that’s what I love most about being here.
It’s “community living” at its best!
Eye exam and lens tting by specialists
Contact lenses and Large collection of modern
European frames
We are your best option in quality and prices!
Francisco I. Madero #396
SERVICE
(Corner of Aguacate)
Tel. (322) 223 2995 [email protected]
6 385
Within PV
Market days around the Bay
Every year, local vendors and businesses gather to sell their goods at
those markets, ranging from local grown organic fruit and vegetables,
homemade yogurt and cheeses, jams, local honey, soaps and lotions,
fresh cut flowers, jewelry, shoes and clothes, art creations, etc.
Mondays - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bucerías Monday Market at the Art Walk Plaza
Wednesdays – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. –
Three Hens and a Rooster Market – 466 V. Carranza
Thursdays - 6 to 10 p.m. Marina Thursday Night Market along the Malecon of Marina Vallarta.
Fridays – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sayulita Market near the entrance to the town on Revolución.
Fridays – 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Marsol Market in the lobby of the Marsol Hotel, by the Pier
Saturdays – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. –
Three Hens and a Rooster Market – 466 V. Carranza
Saturdays - 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. –
Old Town Farmers’ Market at Lazaro Cardenas Park
Saturdays - 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Lo de Marcos Market
Saturdays - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. –
Artisans’ Market in Nuevo Vallarta behind the OXXO by Villa Varadero
Sundays – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. La Cruz Sunday Market along the Malecon of the La Cruz Marina
Great fun, tons of samples and treats
…and a great way to support the LOCAL economy.
Democrats Abroad held Global
Presidential Primary
T
he Costa Banderas chapter of Democrats Abroad held a Global
Presidential primary at voting centers established on March 1 and 3 at the
International Friendship Club in Puerto Vallarta. The primary took place online as well from March 1 through 8th.  Mexico’s official countrywide results
will be communicated as soon as they are tallied and compiled. Preliminary
results show Bernie Sanders with 54.7 % of the vote to Hillary Clinton’s
45.3 %. However, those results are from votes made at voting centers
only and not a full tabulation of votes made on-line as well as in person.
Voting centers were staffed around the world in 112 cities, at 120 distinct
sites, with a total number of 136 voting center dates. We have members
in every single country in the world, and we have organized country
committees in 53 countries. Democrats Abroad is regarded as the 12th biggest “state” for delegates
since more than 8.7 Million Americans live abroad (according to State
Department). Our Democrats Abroad Primary, held between March 1
and 8, is not a winner-take-all primary. We hold our Global Presidential
Primary to ask the large number of Democrats living abroad to tell us their
preferences among the Democratic candidates. Democrats Abroad then
calculates those results as percentages. For example, in 2008, Barack Obama received 66% of our vote while
Hillary Clinton received 33%. We then selected our Delegates to the
National Convention according to those results in our Global Presidential
Primary, i.e., 66% of our Delegates were assigned to then-candidate Obama
while 33% were assigned to then-candidate Clinton. We are required to
award Delegates only to those candidates who receive at least 15% of the
votes in our Global Presidential Primary. Democrats Abroad will send a total of 21 delegates to the Democratic
National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25-28, 2016. The thirteen elected
delegates will be pledged to a candidate. Eight more of these delegates will
be Democrats Abroad’s members on the Democratic National Committee.
These eight ‘superdelegates’ each have half a vote at the convention, therefore
giving Democrats Abroad a total of 17 votes at the convention. For more information, contact your local Democrats Abroad chapter here
in Puerto Vallarta at [email protected] Also, check our Democrats Abroad Facebook page and website for
ongoing election information. https://www.facebook.com/DemocratsAbroad-Mexico and http://www.democratsabroad.org/ March - 2016
Within PV
Little steps of light
By
M
John Warren
any of us who spend a few days, a few months or
a lifetime in Puerto Vallarta, love being here. What’s not
to love about this beautiful city on the Bay of Banderas?
We enjoy the wonderful Mexican people, the excellent
climate, lots of good places to eat and drink, great music
and theatres. We are lucky to be able to enjoy this.
But life is not always this good for everyone. A few weeks
ago a group of friends and I were invited to visit a daycare
that provides the specialized care that is needed to improve
the lives of young children from Puerto Vallarta who suffer
from disabilities such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis,
Down’s syndrome, autism blindness, hydrocephaly and
other physical and developmental conditions.
Pasitos De Luz (Little Steps of Light) is a ten-minute
drive from Liverpool shopping centre. It is open Monday
through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers free
day care, pediatric medical services, therapy, special
education, music, dance, art, balanced meals, nutritional
aid and specialized care.
Yolanda Sanchez founded the organization 17 years
ago in 1999 and as soon as the doors were open, word
got around and more families came to ask for assistance.
Parents, the majority being single mothers, rushed in
begging for help, for advice, for supplies, for a friendly
face and, most importantly, for a safe place to leave their
children so they could go to work. Yolanda has worked
full time at Pasitos De Luz since its inception and has
never received any financial compensation. It is simply
a labour of love. Her son, Arturo Ayala, was appointed as
chief operating officer recently and is largely responsible
for the efficient systems and cost controls that have helped
Pasitos to achieve a break-even financial result for the
last two years. He also provided our group with a very
informative and open tour of the facilities.
All the children we saw in the therapy sessions and in
the tiny classrooms were happy and smiling and the staff
was welcoming and friendly. Because of the wide range
of disabilities of the children, a low staff to child ratio
is essential. We met the nannies, Perla and Cassandra,
who provide the personal hygiene, positioning, feeding,
administration of medicine and diaper changes. In the
classrooms we watched Martha and Lili as they provide
education for the huge range of abilities and help the kids
with normal daily activities such as tying their shoes,
brushing their teeth and using cutlery.
Pasitos de Luz has two physiotherapists, Lulu and
Brenda, on staff who diagnose the children, treat them
and provide rehabilitation with the help of electrosensorial stimulation, treadmills, hydrotherapy, heat and
cold therapy and, most importantly, love. The place is
spotlessly clean and smells like it too. That’s because
there are two cleaners and a laundry person who work
tirelessly to ensure that the bibs, sheets, staff uniforms,
pillows and cushions are clean and that the children are
as safe as possible in a germ free environment.
Pasitos receives no ongoing government funding and,
consequently, the organization relies on fundraising
events and donations to pay its expenses. Heading into
the summer, when few tourists are in PV, is always a
difficult time for organizations like Pasitos, so any
donation that you make through the website would be
very much appreciated. (www.pasitosdeluz.org/donate/)
100% of your donated pesos and dollars go directly to
the center itself! The staff and the board ensure that all
donations are put to good use. It is amazing to see how
many children’s lives can be positively impacted and
how far PDL can stretch its small budget. One of the local donors to Pasitos de Luz is the
International Friendship Club (IFC). Its members and
volunteers raise money for local charities in a number of
ways throughout the winter. We play bridge, we have a
social hour and dinner on Friday evenings, we organize
lectures and we run our famous Home Tours. Everyone
is welcome. Please check out our website at www.
ifcvallarta.com or visit our clubhouse at the corner of
the streets Libertad and Miramar. We are just above the
HSBC bank by the northbound bridge.
North of here, spring is springing and PV will soon be
losing many of its snowbirds. The IFC’s end-of-season
brunch will be held on Sunday, April 3rd at 10:30 at
Oscar’s Restaurant. As well as a lovely buffet, there will
be a cash bar serving mimosas and other choice libations;
live piano music will soothe the soul. Member or not,
everyone is welcome.
The International Friendship Club is a registered
charitable organization in Mexico listed as Club
Internacional de la Amistad de Puerto Vallarta A.C.,
located at the northeast corner of the Rio Cuale Bridge
above the HSBC Bank downtown. Phone: 222-5466.
Website: ifcvallarta.com Email: [email protected]
March - 2016
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8 385
Within PV
By
It’s around this time of year –
after the peak of the winter season
– when it’s difficult to not get a little
melancholic. The thrills and crazy
madness of a high season is slipping
away; some years, it falls off like the
polling numbers of a controversial
candidate. It’s already time to say
farewell to much of what has been
keeping many of us hopping for the
past few months.
Earlier this week, the last buses of
the season left on the International
Friendship Club luxury home
tours. The IFC reports it was another
record-breaking season for their
charity, which is wonderful news
since these tours are the primary
funding for most of their outreach
programs in our community. Very
few initiatives have spanned three
decades in this town, which is a
testament to the original vision for
the IFC and these tours. Sombreros
off to all the faithful volunteers
at the IFC for another fantastic
season, and for making a difference
that makes all of us better.
The Boutique Dinner Theatre
above Nacho Daddy’s is also
Todd Ringness
finishing the winter season well.
Their Mark Zeller Sings event has
broken this season’s advance sellout record previously held by Well
Strung at The Palm Cabaret.
The Boutique had scheduled the
Broadway performer (Fiddler on
the Roof) for three shows only, but
they all sold out earlier this week...
ten days before the show opens. An
extended run has been announced,
with two bonus opportunities to
enjoy Mr. Zeller on March 31st or
April 1st. Tickets for Mark Zeller
Sings are available at the Boutique
box office at 287 Basilio Badillo, or
call 222-9192.
They continue to do what they
do best, and you’ve got just one
chance left to catch Los Bambinos
in concert at the Roxy Rock House
in the Romantic Zone on Tuesday,
March 29th. The boys have been
singing classics from the King’s of
Rock n’ Roll every week all season,
and keep adding to their already
large fan base. Tickets and info:
VallartaTickets.com/bambinos
There’s an exciting new tour in
Vallarta, and the price is right! If
you enjoy great food, an open bar,
and real casino action, then you
might want to try out the Odyssey
VIP Experience. The VIP pass
is offered by the Odyssey Grand
Casino in Nuevo Vallarta (across
from the Hard Rock Hotel) and
can now be booked on any day you
choose, all year long.
The Odyssey VIP pass is only
$500 pesos (under USD $30), and
includes a delicious dinner a la
carte and an open bar from 8:00
pm to midnight. The VIP pass also
includes $300 pesos in free slots play.
This VIP experience is perfect for a
bachelor party, or a wild girls night
out. You can book your group VIP
Odyssey Experience by calling 2229192 or click on VallartaTickets.
com/vip to buy your passes. The
Grand Odyssey Casino in Nuevo
Vallarta features live gaming tables
so you can play Texas Hold ‘Em,
blackjack, craps, or roulette with
their very friendly staff.
Preparations continue for the
beachfront Vallarta Reggae Festival
on Friday, March 25th. This event
features Bob Marley’s son and
other reggae performers and groups
throughout the evening. It’s sure
to be a jammin’ night never to be
forgotten. But if you forgot to get
your early bird discount, there is very
good news: organizers have extended
the early bird discount deadline
through Tuesday, March 22nd. Get
your tickets now by calling 222-9192,
or visit VallartaTickets.com/reggae
My beautiful wife Sandra Gaye
and I had the chance to get out of
town recently, with a day trip south
to El Tuito. Our friends Don and
Joanne always seem to know the
perfect timing for a little getaway.
The four of us enjoyed a delicious
lunch at El Patio de Mario, with
fresh-made corn tortillas and
traditional Mexican food in a lovely
garden setting. I enjoyed the short
ribs in a light and zesty tomato
sauce. Gaye and Joanne both
had the deep, dark, and delicious
chicken mole.
March - 2016
And Don had his usual diablo
shrimp, which according to him is
one of the best versions in the bay.
The highway panaderia called
out to us on the way home. This
very rustic bakery serves up firebaked pastries with various fillings,
including piña, coco, cream cheese,
and more, for $5 pesos each. If you
choose the ones that are fresh from
their magical oven, you won’t want
to get back in your car. And you
can just forget about taking some
home... unless you have willpower
of solid steel.
I hope there is power in your
will this week, and that you also
experience some perfect timing with
a touch of serendipity. Blessings
upon you!
Todd Ringness
Todd Ringness along with his wife Sandra
Gaye are the founders of Vallarta Tickets,
a Canadian online ticketing agency serving
the Banderas Bay region and beyond. You
can usually see this man about town, or
you can email: [email protected]
Within PV
385
9
From the PV Garden Club...
Dear Supporter of “Beautification Vallarta”,
We are writing today to let you know of the exciting
plans the PV Garden Club has for the immediate
future. Because of your generosity and because of
the success of our various fundraising events, as
well as the hard work of our board and volunteers,
very soon you will be able to see dramatic changes
in Puerto Vallarta; from the north end of Avenida
Mexico to the south end of Olas Altas.
Our planters now number in the hundreds. We
have a plan for landscaping Avenida Morelos, the
street many of us have watched with trepidation as
mature primavera trees were ruthlessly removed.
We will also be placing new palms and bougainvillea
and augmenting ground cover throughout the city.
We have a refreshingly cooperative relationship
with PV Tourism personnel and city officials, which
gives us hope for a partnership so necessary for our
beautification initiatives.
The planters need yearly repainting. Because
we have a healthy bank balance, for the first time
we don’t need to depend on volunteers to do this
onerous job; we can hire local workers to do it.
Look for this in the next few weeks.
The board is determined to tackle the landscaping
of the “Pier Street” (Francisca Rodriguez). The
merchants and the city have all dabbled in the
landscaping plan and we acknowledge it needs
work. We intend to pursue this with diligence.
The “Fiesta Blanca” at Oscar’s was a memorable
event and we thank all who supported the auction
and the event itself. Along with our follow-up
fundraiser on February 26th at Villa Bahia, both of
which were SOLD OUT, we are creating a buzz
in Vallarta that beautification and the tourism it
generates are the way to support all other worthy
charities in town.
We want to welcome all who have been
instrumental in this exciting adventure to a
reception at Molina De Agua on March 21st from
5 to 7 p.m. We had to postpone this event from
March 9th to the 21st because of heavy rains. We
are sold out but members and donors who could
not make it to the March 9th event, are more than
welcome to join us on the 21st… just let us know,
since Molino de Agua has strict security rules.
Entrance from the Malecon only.
Kind regards,
P.V. Garden Club Board
Jalisco Art Expo
& Auction
Save the date of Wednesday, March
23rd for the Jalisco Art Expo featuring
artworks for sale by Jalisco and Puerto
Vallarta artists at the Hotel Marsol by
Los Muertos pier from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A special addition to the exposition will
be a live auction of a private art collection
featuring such artists as Picasso, Salvador
Dali, Siquieros, Toulouse Lautrec prints,
Gestel, James Ward, Luciano, and others
which have been collected over the years
in Los Angeles.
The auction will take place at 2 p.m.
and the items can be viewed from 11 a.m.
Opening bids promise to be very reasonable.
There will be live music, food by
local restaurants, and a great selection
of paintings and sculptures for sale by
local and Guadalajara artists plus some
designer jewelry. Admission is free.
Come out on March 23 and help support
these talented artists at Hotel Marsol,
103 Francisca Rodriguez, by the pier.
March - 2016
Pet Tales
10 385
Liz and Dick
By
Helena Paivinen
F
or the past several weeks, this
legendary couple had been the talk of
Old Town! Whenever they went out
in public (always accompanied by
their ‘people’), many locals stopped in
their tracks and responded with awe.
This notorious pair (Liz and Dick),
could walk no further than a block
without being recognized. Several
even cried when they spotted Liz and
her ‘handlers’.
They exclaimed: “We tried so hard
to love her, but she never let us come
near!”
Liz, the great beauty, was unreachable.
But she wanted love; her eyes clearly
indicated this. She was all alone until
Dick came along. Liz felt safe with
Dick; he was dark and strong while she
was weak and afraid. Dick became her
lover, her guardian and protector. The
love affair between this troubled pair
was infamous; many knew these two
shared a past of hard living.
Before we go further, please let
me clarify that this story is not about
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
(a different PV pair). The names of Liz
and Dick are nicknames; names which
locals of Puerto Vallarta lovingly
bestowed upon two mismatched stray
dogs. Yes, Liz and Dick are two dogs.
Liz is “famous” in Old Town; she
had many prior names; aliases some
would say, as any person of notoriety
might have. To some, Liz was known
as “Mariposa” (for her beautiful
two-legged dancing) and to others,
“Mamacita” (for her constant states
of pregnancy). Each name was given
by a different person, all of whom had
tried in vain, to befriend lonely Liz.
One woman even stated she tried over
for two years, to gain the trust of this
perpetually pregnant, dog.
‘Dick’, Liz’ partner, is a large, older
black lab. He is a laid back type of
dude. Whenever Dick was offered
kibble, he deferred to the starving,
bone-thin Liz. He stepped back from
his food and calmly observed as Liz
gobbled up his share. Unlike Liz, Dick
allowed humans to touch him.
Whenever someone tried to gently
reach out their hand, Liz violently
recoiled as though it was a scalding hot
flame. Liz allowed no one to get close;
no one that is, until Joanne, Mike and
Colette Zarry (the ‘dog whisperer’ of
Puerto Vallarta), entered her life.
I first met Joanne and Mike on the
Malecon. They were feeding Liz
and Dick with the intention of saving
these dogs. The first dog these two
kind humans rescued was Liz’s pup.
Liz had recently given birth and all
but one of her pups had died. The vet
told Joanne & Mike that had they not
brought him in, this pup would also
have died within days. When Joanne
and Mike took pup on daily walks,
Mamacita (I call her this now to reflect
her motherly love), followed them
around. Joanne and Mike planned to
adopt pup; but Mamacita and Dick
remained in their minds.
One day, while volunteering at
Colette Zarry’s Colina Spay and
Neuter clinic, I saw both Liz and
Dick, quietly resting in side by side
kennels. I was amazed! I later learned
that Mike and Joanne had frequently
brought the pup to visit Colette’s
clinic. When they did so, Mamacita
followed.
Colette knew that several people
(and now Joanne and Mike), had for
years, tried to rescue Liz.
One evening Colette came home,
only to discover Mamacita (Liz)
curled up in her doorway!
Colette knew it was now or never.
She carefully placed a fence around
Liz and well, the rest is history… but
not quite yet.
When Joanne and Mike learned of
Liz’s capture, they were of course
overjoyed! They became Liz and
Dick’s guardians and took them for
twice daily walks. They fed, cared and
paid for all vet bills. Slowly with time,
patience and great love, Liz allowed
Joanne to touch her. While out on their
strolls, people who for years had tried
to rescue Liz, were astounded by her
change! I was told that many began to
cry when they saw Liz out with Joanne.
After their years of trying to help, Liz
finally allowed the hands of these kind
souls, to stroke her small head.
Earlier in this story, I mentioned that
Joanne and Mike’s initial plan was to
adopt only one dog:
Liz’ pup. However, the more they
came to know Dick and Liz, the more
they grew to love them. Dick had
grown especially close to Mike and it
was apparent that Liz trusted Joanne.
In addition to this attachment, Mike
and Joanne learned from Colette that
puppies were easier to adopt out;
but two older dogs - and especially
together?
After time and some
talking, Joanne and Mike decided they
cared too much for Liz and Dick to
not personally adopt them. Thus, the
decision was made. The pup was to
be taken by someone else, and Liz and
Dick happily remained together, under
the loving care of their ‘people’, Mike
and Joanne.
March - 2016
Some of you may know that I
write stories about “Stars” of Puerto
Vallarta. Well, to me, these two
people are most certainly deserving
of this title. Joanne and Mike focused
their entire time in
Puerto Vallarta to saving these dogs.
They asked for nothing. I am certain
you will agree, that it doesn’t take
years to become a “Star” …only a
big, generous heart with lots of love,
to share.
Beyond PV
Bank fraud on rise,
especially debit cards
M
exican banks registered almost 2.9
million cases of suspected fraud totaling 7.3
billion pesos, or US $480 million, during 2014.
A study by the consumer protection agency
Condusef indicates that although the number of
cases decreased by 2% last year, the financial
impact increased by 3% from 7.14 billion pesos.
Credit card fraud accounted for 48% of the
total, or 3.56 billion pesos. Savings deposits
were next at 2.15 billion pesos, debit card fraud
totaled 1.6 billion, 49 million pesos were from
from certificates of deposit and prepaid card
fraud amounted to 10 million pesos.
The banks with the highest number of
registered fraud claims were Banamex (800,046),
Bancomer (713,486), Santander (534,245),
Banorte (261,862), HSBC (172,081), Banco
Azteca (137,463), Scotiabank (99,450), and
Inbursa (52,345). Banco Azteca saw a 130%
increase in cases, up from 59,657 claims in 2013.
Between debit and credit cards alone,
fraudulent charges grew to 5.16 billion pesos.
Banks returned 3 billion pesos of that amount
to cardholders, leaving a loss of 2 billion pesos
that cardholders had to absorb.
Credit cards are the bank product most
susceptible to fraud. Even so, Condusef head
Mario di Costanzo worries about the rapid rise
in debit card fraud, which has seen increases
between 6% and 17% in the past few years.
Between 2012 and 2014, traceable claims
for debit card fraud have grown from 785,091
to 971,268. By contrast, credit card claims
decreased by 8% during the same period, down
from 1.94 million to 1.78 million. Di Costanzo
says the principal reason for the increase in
debit card fraud is the rapid increase in the use
of alternatives to cash.
He pointed out that not all of the responsibility
for fraud falls on financial institutions.
Cardholders need to be careful when using their
cards in stores, at ATMs or when shopping online.
Card transactions at point-of-sale (POS)
terminals are the riskiest. Last year, about 1.85
million fraud cases transpired at POS terminals,
1.2 million with credit cards and 650,000 more
with debit cards. In addition, the growth in
digital banking and commerce via the Internet,
telephone and mobile banking have contributed
greatly to the increase in fraud.
The Bank of Mexico says there are 128.85
million debit cards and 27.2 million credit cards
issued in Mexico. (Source: mexiconewsdaily.com Milenio)
GM ruling allows
experimental crops
T
he optimism shown by biotech companies
regarding the cultivation of genetically modified
(GM) crops three weeks ago wasn’t unfounded,
even if the ban hasn’t been completely lifted.
Following the verdict of a federal judge last
week, biotech firms in Mexico are now allowed
to cultivate GM corn for experimental purposes,
but not for its commercialization.
The judge’s decision allows authorities to grant
permits for the experimental and trial growth of
the crops.
His reasoning was that experimental corn
cultivars, due to their inherent containment
measures, don’t represent a risk for the biological
diversity of native strains of corn, the Mexican
staple cereal, or for the health of the general public.
For AgroBio México, an organization that
represents leading biotech firms in the country
such as Monsanto, Syngenta, Dow AgroScience,
DuPont Pioneer and Bayer CropScience, the
decision represents a positive precedent for the
development of biotechnology in Mexico.
“[The judge’s decision] gives rise to a
continuation of public and private scientific
research, as well as to the development of
biotechnological products that will benefit the
Mexican people,” said the organization through
a communique.
Normally, for a GM crop to be fully approved
for commercialization, it has to go through two
different evaluation stages and experimental
planting, followed by trial programs. The
authorities can then grant permission to go
forward with the third and last stage, the sale of
GM products.
Before the 2013 suspension on all kinds of
GM plantations, several companies were able
to begin working with experimental and trial
cultivars, said AgroBio. To date, no GM crop has
been approved in Mexico for commercialization.
The same judge decided to retain the ban on
all commercialization of GM corn, as “there is
a greater probability of contact between those
crops and the population and environment.”
AgroBio disagreed with the judge’s decision
on commercial crops.”We will continue doing
everything necessary to bring this technology, as
fast as we can, to the hands of the producers who
demand it.”
(Source: mexicodailynews.com, CNN Expansión)
March - 2016
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Beyond PV
One celebration after another...
This is a very busy week, not only in Mexico, but around the world, with celebrations of all types, ranging from those honoring
a famous Mexican hero, to the long awaited Spring Equinox, an event older than civilization itself, and of course, Easter!
In Puerto Vallarta this year, the Spring Equinox
(a.k.a. the vernal equinox) will occur at 10:30 p.m.
on March 19th.
It is an event that occurs once a year, when the
Sun reaches a point in the constellation of Pisces.
Equinoxes (Spring & Autumn) occur twice a year,
when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is inclined neither
away from nor toward the Sun, causing the Sun to
be located vertically above a point on the equator.
The name is derived from the Latin aequus (equal)
and nox (night), because around the equinox, the
night and day are approximately equally long.
Every year, thousands travel to Chichen Itza in
Mexico’s Yucatan to witness a unique event, the
ancient Maya’s tribute to the god Kukulcan: as the
sun moves across the heavens on the day of the
Spring Equinox, it looks as if a serpent’s shadow
travels down the steps, finally reaching the head of
Kukulcan at the base of the structure.
Easter… Semana Santa… Pascua…
In Mexico, Easter celebrations are held over a
period of two weeks: Semana Santa (Holy Week
- Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday) and Pascua
(Resurrection Sunday until the following Saturday).
This year, Semana Santa is celebrated from March
20th to the 26th, and Pascua from March 27th to April 2nd.
The Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) set the date of
Easter as the Sunday following the 14th day of the
paschal full moon, which is the full moon whose 14th
day falls on or after the vernal (spring) equinox.
We know that Easter must always occur on a
Sunday, because Sunday was the day of Christ’s
Resurrection; and the 14th day of the paschal full
moon because that was the date of Passover in the
Jewish calendar, and the Last Supper (Holy Thursday)
occurred on the Passover. Therefore, Easter was the
Sunday after Passover. Thus Easter is linked to the
Jewish Passover not only for much of its symbolism,
but also for its position in the calendar. The Church
does not use the exact date of the paschal full moon
but an approximation, because the paschal full moon
can fall on different days in different time zones,
so the Church set the date of the vernal equinox at
March 21, even though it can occur on March 19th or
March - 2016
20th. Both approximations allow the Church to set a
universal date for Easter.
Still, Easter isn’t celebrated universally on that
date. While Western Christians use the Gregorian
calendar (the calendar that’s used throughout the
West today, in both the secular and religious worlds)
to calculate the date of Easter, the Eastern Orthodox
continue to use the older, astronomically inaccurate
Julian calendar. Since Mexico is predominantly a
Catholic country (over 90% of Mexicans practice
Catholicism to some extent), Holy Week is a very
important holiday, as is the Christmas season.
During Semana Santa, worshippers participate in
reenactments of the Passion, from Jesus’ arrival in
Jerusalem to his crucifixion and resurrection.
Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) takes its name
from Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem where crowds laid
palms at his feet. Outside churches throughout the
country, weavers create and sell elaborate woven
fronts which are later hung on doors of Mexican
homes to ward off evil.
Holy Wednesday (Miercoles Santo) Zaachila
celebrates Holy Wednesday by decorating the city
churches with vegetation carried to town from the
Sierra Madre mountains.
Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo)
commemorates the Last Supper shared by Jesus with
his disciples and Jesus’ betrayal by Judas (Passover).
Good Friday (Santo Viernes) commemorates the
trial, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus, with
silent processions in the streets of many cities.
Holy Saturday (Sabado de Gloria) commemorates
the day when Jesus rested in the grave. Some
communities celebrate by burning paper maché
effigies of Judas.
Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección or
Pascua) commemorates the resurrection of Jesus.
Semana Santa and Pascua are THE time when
half of Mexico flocks to the beaches - a Mexican
spring break …and the time when most PV residents
go into a form of cocooning to avoid it, as they often
do during the Christmas holidays.
Then comes Benito Juarez’ birthday, Mexico’s
national holiday celebration on March 21st. Benito
Pablo Juárez García was a Zapotec Amerindian
who served five terms as President of Mexico, from
1858 to 1872. For resisting the French occupation,
overthrowing the Empire, and restoring the Republic,
Beyond PV
government under liberal gowns. The Porfiriato
(Porfirist era), in turn, collapsed at the beginning of
the Mexican Revolution.
A great number of cities, towns, neighborhoods,
streets, institutions, and other things are named after
Benito Juarez throughout Mexico.
Tuesday, March 22nd
The Jewish community
of Puerto Vallarta
is invited to celebrate
PURIM
at Los Mangos Library
1001 Ave. Francisco Villa
Info: [email protected]
Doors open at 6 p.m.
as well as for his efforts to modernize the country,
Juárez is often regarded as Mexico’s greatest and most
beloved leader. He was recognized by the United
States as a ruler in exile during the French-controlled
Second Mexican Empire, and got their support in
reclaiming Mexico under the Monroe Doctrine after
the United States’ Civil War ended. Benito Juárez
was the first full-blooded indigenous national to serve
as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the
Western Hemisphere in over 300 years.
Today, Juárez is remembered as being a
progressive reformer dedicated to democracy, equal
rights for his nation’s indigenous peoples, lessening
the great power that the Roman Catholic Church
then held over Mexican politics, and the defense of
national sovereignty. The period of his leadership
is known in Mexican history as La Reforma (the
reform), and constituted a liberal political and social
revolution with major institutional consequences:
the expropriation of church lands, bringing the
army under civilian control, liquidation of peasant
communal land holdings, the separation of church
and state in public affairs, and also led to the almostcomplete disenfranchisement of bishops, priests,
nuns and lay brothers.
La Reforma represented the triumph of Mexico’s
liberal, federalist, anti-clerical, and pro-capitalist
forces over the conservative, centralist, corporatist,
and theocratic elements that sought to reconstitute
a locally-run version of the old colonial system. It
replaced a semi-feudal social system with a more
market-driven one, but following Juarez’ death,
the lack of adequate democratic and institutional
stability soon led to a return to levels of centralized
autocracy and economic exploitation under the
regime of Porfirio Díaz that surpassed anything from
the colonial or conservative eras; a conservative
Next comes Purim, March 24th, one of Judaism’s
most festive and popular, happy holidays. It
celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their
imminent doom at the hands of their enemies in the
biblical Book of Esther.
Purim is such a popular holiday that the ancient
rabbis declared that it alone would continue to
be celebrated after the Messiah comes (Midrash
Mishlei 9). All other holidays will not be celebrated
in the messianic days.
Purim is so-called because the villain of the story,
Haman, cast the “pur” (the lot) against the Jews yet
failed to destroy them. Reading the story of Purim
(called the Megillah) is a central part of the Purim
celebration.
Jews usually attend synagogue for this special
reading. Whenever Haman (the villain’s) name
is mentioned people will boo, howl, hoot and
shake noisemakers (groggers) to express their
dislike of him. Hearing the Megillah reading is a
commandment that applies to both women and men.
Purim costumes and carnivals
Unlike more serious synagogue occasions, both
children and adults often attend the Megillah reading
in costume. Traditionally, people would dress up
as characters from the Purim story, for example,
as Esther or Mordechai. However, nowadays
people enjoy dressing up as all manner of different
characters. The tradition of dressing up is based upon
the way Esther concealed her Jewish identity at the
beginning of the Purim Story. At the conclusion of
the Megillah reading, many synagogues will put on
plays (shpiels) that reenact the Purim Story and poke
fun at the villain. Many also host Purim Carnivals.
Purim Food Customs
As with most Jewish holidays, food plays an
important role in Purim. For instance, people are
March - 2016
385 13
commanded to send mishloach manot to other
Jews. These are baskets filled with food and drink.
According to Jewish law, each mishloach manot
must contain at least two different kinds of food that
is ready to eat.
On Purim Jews are also supposed to enjoy a festive
meal, called the Purim se’udah (meal), as part of
their holiday celebration. Oftentimes people will
serve hamantaschen, special Purim cookies shaped
like Haman’s purse.
One of the most interesting commandments
related to Purim has to do with drinking. According
to Jewish law, adults of drinking age are supposed to
get so drunk that they can’t tell the difference between
Mordechai and Haman. Recovering alcoholics and
people with health problems are exempt altogether.
This drinking tradition stems from the joyous nature
of Purim. (Of course, it goes without saying that if
you choose to participate in this custom you should
drink responsibly by arranging for a safe ride after
your celebrations!)
Charity on Purim
In addition to sending food baskets, Jews are
also commanded to be especially charitable during
Purim. Jews will often make monetary donations to
charities they support during this time or will give
money to needy people.
14 385
Beyond PV
Opening of the Chapel
“Nuestra Señora del Jardín” - March 20
By
Dr. Rafael Guzmán Mejía
Communication Officer,
Science Advisory Board, VBG
The
Garden’s new chapel,
Nuestra Señora del Jardín (Our
Lady of the Garden) will be opened
to the public on March 20th with
a special ceremony to bless and
dedicate this sanctuary within a
natural paradise. All are invited to
join us for this special occasion. The
mission of the Nuestra Señora del
Jardín is to rejuvenate and inspire
the human spirit to live in harmony
with the natural world while
promoting peace and understanding
among diverse cultures and faiths.
Almost 500 years ago, the first
Christian church in the Municipio
de Cabo Corrientes was blessed
by Catholic missionaries on a Palm
Sunday. The ceremony of blessing
and dedication for the Nuestra
Señora del Jardín chapel has been
planned to coincide with this
auspicious historic event.
Our blessing event will commence
with a Palm Sunday Palm Walk
Procession starting from the
Hacienda de Oro Visitor Center’s
Hall of Flowers Ballroom at 1 p.m.
The blessing of the Chapel will
follow at about 2 p.m. Several local
clergy, including Father Saúl of the
Iglesia el Refugio, have generously
donated their time to make this day a
very special occasion for all. Chapel
patrons and Garden board members
will be available afterwards to speak
with garden guests about this project
and uses for this new facility.
This March 2016 marks 491
years since the Spanish conquest
of Banderas Bay and El Tuito and
the introduction of Christianity to
this region. A few hundred soldiers
commanded by Francisco Cortez de
San Buenaventura and accompanied
by Friar Juan de Villadiego arrived
to what is now known as Boca
March - 2016
de Tomatlán on Monday, March
27th, 1525. The following day,
they followed the Horcones River,
passing right along where the Vallarta
Botanical Garden now stands and
then marched through the mountains
to a village called Teoitoc in the
native Nahuatl language. This name,
meaning “where God appeared”,
is the origin of the current name of
the town of El Tuito. Upon their
arrival in El Tuito, the group quickly
began construction of a Catholic
church through forced native
labor. On April 9th, of 1525, a Palm
Sunday, they blessed and named the
unfinished chapel as Santa Cruz de
los Ramos. The following day, the
military group continued its journey
onward towards Colima passing by
the Tomatlán River, Satira, Chola,
Chiamila, Cuxmalán,
Xirostro, and Villa de Purificación.
The chapel that these men founded
has been lost to the passing of time
and now lives on only in history
books, yet the Palm Sunday on
which it was blessed has inspired the
selected date for the blessing of the
new chapel at the Garden.
Here a spiritual nexus now rises in
the middle of a natural sanctuary where
strangers come together in friendship.
Source:
Tello, A.1997. Libro
segundo de la crónica miscelánea
en que se trata dela conquista
espiritual y temporal de la santa
provincia de Jalisco en el nuevo
reino de la Nueva Galicia y Nueva
Vizcaya y descubrimiento del Nuevo
Mundo. México. Porrúa.
The 7 Arts
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Drag personality & comedian Kay Sedia
offers ‘Taco Kisses’ at The Palm
and comedy in her show, ‘Spanglish II’, with Argentine
duo Bohemia Viva through April 3. Amy also stars in her
all new show, ‘Mama’s Big Ones’ The Life and Music
of Cass Elliot (Mama Cass) accompanied by Jean-Guy
Comeau at the piano through March 29. Bohemia Viva
continues to star in their own show, featuring fiery acoustic
Latin guitar and sensuous vocals and harmonies through
April 2. Their next show will be March 19th at 7 p.m., and
they will make a guest appearance at Luna Rumba’s next
show on March 18th at 7 p.m. (see calendar).
Miss Conception - Kevin Levesque (a.k.a. Miss
Conception) stars in ‘Miss Conception Goes To The
Movies’. In this music/comedy extravaganza, Miss C.
thrills audiences with her tribute to the movies with all
live singing, high-energy dance numbers and Vegasworthy original costumes. To date, Miss C. has sold out
every scheduled performance. Now playing Mondays and
Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. through April 4. Kim Kuzma - stars with her band of talented musicians
in ‘Acústico’. They play their signature ‘mashups’ of pop
hits and classic favorites and continue to be one of the
Palm’s most popular shows. ‘Acústico’ plays Sundays
and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. through April 3.
Kim also stars in the all-new hugely popular, ‘Diva’
Celebrating the Music of Annie Lennox with JeanGuy Comeau at the piano. Next performances March 18
at 9:30 p.m., March 22 at 4 p.m. & March 25 at 7 p.m.
(added show).
Luna Rumba - Award-winning live band Luna Rumba’s
popularity in Banderas Bay is soaring, selling out show
after show. A tapestry of Latin Fusion, Gypsy-Flamenco,
and more, this band is on fire! Final two performances of
the season at The Palm on March 18 with Special Guests
Argentine duo Bohemia Viva! & a final performance on
April 1st at 7 p.m.
Kay Sedia’s hilarious comedy, ‘Taco Kisses’, takes
audiences on a spicy journey through comical stories and
live singing parodies in her all-new “juan woman cho”,
beginning March 22nd to 31st at The Palm Cabaret.
Popular Los Angeles-based drag personality and
comedian Kay Sedia (a.k.a. Oscar Quintero), a founding
member of the well-known comedy crime-fighting troupe
‘Chico’s Angels’ (based on the 70’s TV hit Charlie’s
Angels), and a favorite featured guest on local Los Angeles
area television news programs, is making her solo Puerto
Vallarta debut just in time for Semana Santa.
“Best cho eber!” - Tia Maria
Kay Sedia is a frequent entertainer at The Cavern Club in
the Silverlake district of Los Angeles, where she performs
her famous drag-comedy cooking shows, among many
others. She has also made guest appearances on television,
including Bravo TV’s hit show, ‘The Real Housewives of
Orange County’, and also happens to be one of the top
Tupperware sales “ladies” in the Los Angeles area.
Known for her legendary purchasing parties, while in
character, she has been featured several times in lighter
segments on LA-based KTLA 5 during their popular
Morning News program (see YouTube), successfully
hocking everything from state-of-the-art salad spinners to
new world tortilla warmers, all with a hilarious twist!
Perhaps best known for her exaggerated Latina accent
and fun bubbly personality, the wildly talented actorsinger-entertainer behind Kay Sedia, Oscar Quintero, was
born the youngest of six children in Hacienda Heights,
CA, a suburb of LA.
Today, his character Kay Sedia is a triple threat ‘Hot
Tamale’ that has garnered widespread popularity serving
up an extra helping of comedy all over Southern California.
‘Taco Kisses’ begins March 22nd at 7 p.m. Please see the
link below for online tickets and more information about
all of the current offerings at The Palm.
The Palm is well-known for bringing high-quality,
cutting-edge entertainment to Vallarta. Inside you’ll find
an intimate 90-seat cabaret with outstanding sound and
lighting, creating the ambiance of cabarets from days
gone by. Two shows are scheduled nightly seven days per
week, with matinées at 4 p.m. for select shows through
early April, 2016. The Palm is located at 508 Olas Altas
in the Romantic Zone. Tickets may be purchased online
and at the box office, open at 10 a.m. daily (222-0200).
A full calendar of performances, information and online
tickets are available at www.ThePalmPV.com You can
also find The Palm Cabaret and Bar on Facebook at www.
facebook.com/ThePalmPV/ Now Playing
Zoë Lewis - Described as ‘a band in a body’, Zoë Lewis
stars in ‘Vaudeville to Vallarta’. She plays everything from
original jazz and jump jive, to Latin grooves, international
folk, and more on everything from the piano to the spoons!
Troubadour, vaudevillian, singer-songwriter, and the list
goes on. For remaining performances to March 22nd,
please see calendar.
Amy Armstrong & Bohemia Viva - Amy Armstrong,
affectionately known as the gal with ‘the voice of an
angel, and the mouth of a sailor’, performs both music
March - 2016
16 385
The 7 Arts
Los Bambinos
present FINAL Kings of Rock n’ Roll Show!
Puerto Vallarta’s favorite group of musician brothers, Los Bambinos, will
present their final show of the season Tuesday March 29th, 8 p.m., on the
Roxy Rock House stage. The season presentation has been a hit with a
record sell-out 18-show run, adding a brand new Rock n’ Roll repertoire to
the brother’s musical offerings. Each week, fans appreciate the varied show,
including Los Bambinos’ original Latin Rock Fusion, international favorites,
and a few Latin selections. All this alongside a loose chronology of Rock
legends from the Rolling Stones, the Doors, the Eagles, the Monkees, Elvis,
to Little Richard and Chuck Berry, among many others!
As a facet of the Old Town Puerto Vallarta experience for the past decade,
Los Bambinos represent a must-see for many visitors. Whether for private
parties, their show or a few songs, their consistency producing high-quality
music year after year is impressive. Even as so many things change each
year, this group of four brothers always comes back for singing and smiling.
Come see Los Bambinos’ brotherly love and musical creativity in their
season concert: Los Bambinos Present | the Kings of Rock n’ Roll Tuesday
March 29th from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Roxy Rock House (no show March 22nd).
Bring friends and reserve your table early for the best seats in the house. VIP
available. Info and tickets at www.losbambinosmusic.com or 222-4357,
English spoken. Tickets only available at the Roxy on the evening of the
show. The Roxy Rock House has live music every night at 217 I.L. Vallarta
in the Romantic Zone on the south side of town. See you at the show!
Did You Know?…
The event propelling Puerto
Vallarta to the international
spotlight was the filming of the
movie Night of the Iguana in
1963 - directed by Oscar-winning
film director John Huston,
and starring Richard Burton,
Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner and
Sue Lyon. The film was mostly
shot at Mismaloya with beautiful
settings viewing the mountains,
the sea, the deserted beaches and
magnificent sunsets.
The making of the movie,
more than the movie itself, is
what caught the attention of
the world. The notoriously
published romance between
Richard Burton and Elizabeth
Taylor (then married to popular
singer Eddie Fisher), which
had started during the filming
of Cleopatra, brought Liz to
accompany Burton during the
filming (Taylor was not in the
film). Beside the film crew and
cast, were numerous reporters
looking for the latest scoop.
Director John Huston said,
“There were more reporters
than iguanas on the set.” The
scandal-hungry press daily
narrated the couple’s lives. As a
result, the world received photos
and stories, not only of Liz
and Dick, but of this tranquil,
tropical haven.
Since the filming of Night of
the Iguana, more than 70 movie
and television productions have
been filmed in Puerto Vallarta
and the surrounding area.
Among them were Predator
with Arnold Schwartzenegger,
Gunmen with Mario Van Peebles,
Christopher Lambert, Denis
Leary and Patrick Stewart, The
Savage Is Loose with George
C. Scott, Le Magnifique starring
March - 2016
famous French heartthrob JeanPaul Belmondo and beautiful
Jacqueline Bisset, Swashbuckler,
a fun pirate flick with an all-star
cast including Robert Shaw,
James Earl Jones, Peter Boyle,
Genevieve Bujold, Angelica
Huston (John’s daughter) and
Beau Bridges. Later came The
Domino Principle with Gene
Hackman, Candice Bergen,
Richard Widmark, Mickey
Rooney and Eli Wallach. In the
80s, there was Disney’s Herbie
Goes Bananas and Ringo Starr
in Caveman - among others.
Another movie to be filmed right
in downtown PV and surrounding
areas was Puerto Vallarta
Squeeze, based on the novel by
best-selling author Robert James
Waller of Bridges of Madison
County fame. There was also a
number of TV series, including
“The Love Boat”, “Acapulco
HEAT” (and you thought you
were seeing Acapulco?), “Conan
the Barbarian”, etc., all of which
were filmed here.
A couple of years ago, famous
actor Kevin Costner who starred
in the movie “Revenge”, shot
here with Anthony Quinn,
received
a
“Distinguished
Visitor” recognition from the
then Mayor, Gustavo González
Villaseñor.
Tourists can go visit some
remaining parts of the Predator
set in the nearby jungle. Almost
the entire action-horror flick was
filmed in Jalisco.
Blind Side was filmed in
Vallarta in 1993 and Deadly
Swarm in 2003. Beverly Hills
Chihuahua was not filmed in
Chihuahua, but in PV, in 2008.
One of the latest was Limitless
with Bradley Cooper in 2011.
The 7 Arts
Radio-style drama, Hollywood whispers, open mic, and Connie Francis tributes
Treat yourself to dinner and a great show at The Boutique
Friday & Saturday, March
18 & 19 - “Good-Bye, Mama”
- Created and directed by David
Barton, “Good-Bye, Mama” is an
original retro radio-style drama.
Barton studied at
the
prestigious
Goodman
Theater
at the Art Institute
of Chicago, and has
directed,
designed
and produced more
than 200 shows.
After a 40-year hiatus
from the theater,
this show checks an
item off Barton’s
bucket list - getting
back to the stage.
“This show started out with a very
simple concept of a readers’ theater
- with actors in costumes reading
the roles, no sets and props, giving
the audience an opportunity to get
involved with the characters rather
than the surroundings,” he said. “As
we began reading the original draft,
through the creativity of the cast,
we expanded to a retro, stylized
version of the old radio serial-type
theater. Our goal is to create the
‘Boutique Radio Network,’ and be
able to present a series of short radio
dramas and comedies. It also gives
less experienced actors a chance to
ease into the craft with seasoned
actors.”
This production will be staged two
nights only. All-star cast of local
performers: Stephen Dellinger,
Lynne Dellinger, Debra Barton,
Josie MacGillivray, Catherine
Beeghly, Jim Jacobs and Alice
Averett. Tickets just 200 pesos.
Two new shows added – Friday,
March 31 & Saturday, April 1.
Shows for March 24, 25 and 26 are
SOLD OUT! - “Mark Zeller Sings”
- “A brilliant solo performance” is
what the New York Tribune said
about singing sensation Mark
Zeller. Zeller is has been an actor
and singer on Broadway, offBroadway and in regional theater.
He is also a director and playwright
now developing three scripts.
He performed in his first
Broadway show at the age of
19. He will be performing
in Puerto Vallarta with his
musical director, New York
pianist Woody Regan.
The
Hartford
Courant
praised
Zeller’s
voice
as “Large, passionate, and
consummately human.” And
the New York Times gave
this praise, “A distinguished
performance
blending
worldliness with a rare godliness.”
A Tribute to Connie Francis,” is
the popular original show. Learn
more about the incredible life and
career of singing sensation Connie
Francis, while looking back at
catchy songs from yesteryear, like
“Lipstick On Your Collar.”
Wednesday, March 30 - Open
Mic night - Come sing and play
along with local musicians at a
special time, 7:30 p.m.
April 14 to 23 - “The Tomorrow
Box” - A heart-warming, funny
and ultimately illuminating family
comedy-drama by one of Canada’s
leading playwrights, will be directed
by Ralph Hyman. It’s about the
revolt of a previously compliant
farm wife, against the highhanded
behavior of her well-meaning but
authoritarian husband. The play
brings engaging new insights to
a vital topic, women’s liberation.
Written by Anne Chislett, “The
Tomorrow” Box begins when Jack,
a gruff no-nonsense farmer sells his
farm to his son, Jack, with plans to
retire to Florida, but he fails to talk
it over with his wife, Maureen, who
is pushed to her limits. In addition
to the parents and the son, the play
includes two sisters: the new wife of
the son, a law student, and her sister,
a feminist lawyer, who together
attempt to convince the mother-in-
Tuesdays - The star and creator of
her own tribute shows, Mikki Prost
performs. “Where The Boys Are:
March - 2016
385 17
About The Boutique
Dinner Theatre
P
uerto Vallarta’s only dinner
theatre, The Boutique offers
exciting evenings of dinner-anda-show options.
The theatre is host to many
entertaining events, located
upstairs at Nacho Daddy’s,
287 Basilio Badillo. Delicious
3-course dinners are served at 5
p.m., with the shows at 6 p.m.
Diners can choose a steak,
chicken, or vegetarian meal, or
order from the Nacho Daddy
“Mex-Tex”-style menu. Tickets
can be ordered for dinner and
a show, or the show only,
at www.vallartatickets.com, or
by calling 1 562-336-4552. You can also stop by in person
to pick up your tickets at Nacho
Daddy daily, from 11 a.m. to
closing. Check for ongoing
updates and fun facts from The
Boutique Dinner Theatre and
Nacho Daddy’s on Facebook.
law to stand up for herself. When
pushed too far by circumstances
seemingly out of her control, the
mother revolts against her husband,
her upbringing, and her very nature
and ultimately discovers her true
worth. The play’s exploration of
family life will appeal to a wide
audience.
The 7 Arts
18 385
Concierto de Primavera
Second of Terra Noble’s Concert Series
The second Terra Noble concert
featuring master violinist Diego de
Jesus Mondragon will take place
on Wednesday,
March 23rd, at 8
p.m. on the unique
site of Terra Noble.
Diego de Jesus Mondragon
is a world-class performer who
has played for presidents of the
U.S. and Mexico, and performed
in Cuba, England, Italy, France,
Spain and Japan. Born in Mexico
City and raised in California,
Mondragon has a deep respect and
value for his French, Spanish and
Mexican heritage. This virtuoso
was offered a full scholarship to
the Royal British Conservatory in
England at the age of 15!
The first concert, which featured
Janette Mason of the UK, a
Parliamentary Jazz Award nominee
and world class entertainer, and
the opening act - Moruno - was a
great success, from the spectacular
setting and top notch sound &
lights to the wonderful appetizers
from Celebrations Vallarta.
This second show, featuring
Diego, also includes a special
appearance by Flamenco dancer
Marijosé Maraña. For more
information and a taste of what’s
in store for you, watch and listen
to the video at www.youtube.com/
watch?v=fRBOFLGXMVU
Or visit www.Tickets.CK-Prod.
com for additional details, ticket
prices, etc.
Terra Noble is a $60-70 peso
taxi ride up the hill. Access from
the Libramiento (tunnel road) is
easiest. Calle Parvial is the closest
intersection to the South end of the
‘big’ tunnel, on your right just after
you exit the tunnel heading toward
Old Town, or on your left, coming
from Old Town.
After turning on Parvial, go
a short distance up the hill to the
traffic circle, then take a sharp right.
In about a minute, you will come
to a funny concrete ‘Flintstone’ car,
with big letters on it, “Terra Noble
Spa,” on your right... you can’t
miss it! You can also get to that
same traffic circle from the ocean
side by taking Calle Allende all the
way up to it.
Cuates y Cuetes blow-out 20th Anniversary Spring Jazz Festival
Let the jazz begin!
M
artine Montenegro’s and Esther Zermeno’s
passionate love of jazz gave birth to Puerto Vallarta’s
Cuates y Cuetes’ first jazz festival in 1996.
Martine Montenegro, Paco Baranjas, Willow Brizio,
Beverly Moore, Memo Suarez, Tito Rodriguez, Daniel
Lopez, Raoul Herrera and Bon Tansen were part of this
original group whose roots have grown into a 20-year
jazz history. This atmospheric Mexican-owned and
operated restaurant & bar on the playa just north of
Los Muertos Pier, mesmerizes their audiences with
their live music every night during the high season.
But the CUATES y CUETES 20th ANNIVERSARY
ANNUAL SPRING JAZZ FESTIVAL is the climax
of their high season in Puerto Vallarta. There are three
nights left of the Anniversary Jazz festival which began
on Sunday, March 13th. The remaining concerts, tonight,
Friday, March 18, Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March
20th will be from 8 to 10 p.m. inside Cuates & Cuetes.
The final blow out concert will bring us all together
March - 2016
outside the restaurant on Monday, March 21st from 4 to 10
p.m. on Los Muertos beach by the pier. An extra special
treat will be the sophisticated international saxophonist,
Martine Montenegro, who will be returning to open and
close this last festival performance.
Cuates y Cuetes asks no cover for the jazz festival
nor are there reservations taken, so come early. The
community energy of this Spring Jazz Festival is what
Puerto Vallarta is all about.
Let the jazz begin as you enjoy a drink and/or
dinner and as you watch the sun set over our seductive
Banderas Bay. Tel.: 223-2724.
The 7 Arts
March - 2016
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Map
March - 2016
Map
March - 2016
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The 7 Arts
The results are in! Act II, the only 5-star theater in Vallarta,
triples last season’s ticket sales!
Act II Now selling tickets ONLINE at www.actiientertainment.com
March Madness, Mayhem and More...
Playing This Week
Friday 3/18
The Long Weekend 7 p.m.
Married and Looking 7:30 p.m.
Mayhem with Mama 9:45 p.m.
Saturday 3/19
Elviz Martinez - All of Me 7:30
Sutton Lee Seymour 9:30 p.m.
Mayhem with Mama 9:45
Sunday 3/20
Legends of
The 50´S And 60´S 7:30 p.m.
The Voice of Vallarta 8 Final!
Dueling Drag Divas 9:30 p.m.
Monday 3/21
The Mamas and The Papas 7 p.m.
Brittney Kingery 7:30 p.m.
Sutton Lee Seymour 9:30
Tuesday 3/22
Mayhem with Mama – Special - 7 p.m.
Married and Looking Lorena and Ray Jon 7:30 PM
Just Jo Anna 9:30
Wednesday 3/23
Walk Like A Man 7:30 p.m.
Dueling Drag Divas 9:30
Closing Night!
Thursday 3/24
Country Queens, Bonnie Kilroe 5 p.m. Special Time
Respect - The Musical 7 p.m.
At the Drive-In with Lorena 7:30
Closing Night!
Special - Sutton Lee Seymour
Special Show 9:30 Best of Show
Mayhem with Mama 9:45 p.m.
Friday 3/25
Marrried and Looking Closing Night! 7:30 p.m.
Mayhem with Mama 3 Mini Musicals 9:45 p.m.
The largest Entertainment complex in PV with The Red Room Cabaret,
the Main Stage Theater and Encore Entertainment Lounge
stories, fashions of the times and
issues of the day, Respect will take
you on a musical journey spanning
10 decades.
Funny, heartfelt,
informative and poignant... Respect
will have you leaving the theater
with a head full of memories and a
song(s) in your heart. IN THE MAINSTAGE AT
ACT II ENTERTAINMENT!
The Voice of Vallarta
Season 3 Final
Lorena Peril to Guest Judge
and perform Closing Night - Sunday 8 p.m. Finals - Abba Week Who will be the
next voice of Vallarta?
After 17 weeks of competition it
comes down to the top 3 fighting
it out for the title - VOICE
OF VALLARTA 2016. We
congratulate the three ladies of the
Voice for coming so far. Taking the
top 3 slots are:
Miroslava Rubio Romero,
Gloria Fiona AND Elizabeth
Estrada Peña. The Voice of
Vallarta is an 18-week elimination
singing contest created to find the
best of the best in Puerto Vallarta.
Each week we have a new genre
and the contestants sing the judges
and audience votes and at the end
of the show, someone goes home.
We are down to the top 3. Who will
win a produced CD and vacation
package?
Hosted once again
by Juan Pablo Hernandez who
turns SPANGLISH into an art
form! This year taking the judges
chairs were: Act II Musical
director and VOV producer, Head
judge Alfonso Lopez, Vallarta
showman Edgar Sanchez and
weekly guest judges. The Voice of
Vallarta ran every Sunday till this
big closing night, March 20th.
Respect - The Musical
Back by popular demand
March 24th at 7 p.m.
After very successful run in
November, Respect - the Musical
returns to the Main stage for 3 shows
only Thursdays at 7 p.m. in March. Respect... A Musical Journey of
Women. From “Someone to Watch
over Me” to “I will survive”,
Respect tells the historical journey of
women, told through top 40 songs. Featuring 3 of Vallarta’s “must see”
performers, Elizabeth WigginsEnsor, Joan Houston and Patrice
White, and a special guest star from
the original touring company, Eileen
Matthews. Respect is destined to
become a Vallarta favorite. From the
co-dependency of “I will follow him”
to the independence of “These boots
are made for walking” to the strength
and exuberance of “New Attitude”,
Respect - The Musical is both a must
see and a must hear. Combining
excerpts of 60 songs with personal
March - 2016
Mayhem with Mama
3 mini musicals in one show
Mama Mia - Little Shop
of Horrors - Hairspray
“You have to see it to believe it!”
March 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 at 10 p.m.
Mayhem with Mama is a new
concept show from the creators of
Mimosas with Mama, the #1 Drag
Brunch in Seattle. Mimosas with
Mama, the show’s cast and creators
were awarded “Best Theater Group”
in 2014 and 2015 by Seattle’s King
5 Television’s Best of Western
Washington viewer poll. Mimosas
with Mama has been a destination
in the Seattle scene for over 3½
The 7 Arts
years, changing the way Seattle
enjoys cabaret entertainment. The
show and its creators are always
thinking out of the box and coming
up with new twists on how to tell
your favorite stories and now, with
the creation of the touring show
Mayhem with Mama, the show
comes to you! With Mayhem with
Mama we started with some of the
most popular Broadway musicals
of all time and went at them with
our own glitzed weed whacker
to trim all the fat, cut the minutia
and shrink each show and even
sprinkled in a touch of something
completely unexpected! Mayhem
with Mama is a mash-up of 3 shows
rolled into 1, first we start off in
Greece with 15 minute Mama Mia,
then it’s off to Baltimore for 30
Minute Hairspray, and finally we
end up down on Skid Row in 30
Minute-ish Little Shop. Slammed
together, these revamped musicals
become one zany roller coaster
ride of a show, it’s a quick change
extravaganza! Mayhem with Mama,
You have to see it to believe it!
Mamas and the Papas,
California Dreamin’
Extended due to popular
demand after 8 sold out houses
Every Monday at 7 p.m.
California Dreamin’ is the music
of the Mamas and the Papas,
presented LIVE, in the songs and
the characters of the 4 singers, with
revealing personal monologues.
The show is a musical time machine
that takes you back to when the folk
era turns on and the psychedelic
60s pop hits and acid hits shaped
a generation. The music scene
from Laurel Canyon to the flower
children of San Francisco. craving more Lorena. In Lorena
and Ray Jon at the Drive-In, they
will be singing songs from your
favorite movies like Flash Dance,
Grease, Dirty Dancing, Body
Guard, Footloose and much much
more. See you at the drive-in! The Long Weekend
March 18, 19, 25, 26 at 7 p.m.
The comedy “The Long Weekend”
is a hilarious look at the craziness
of friendship and marriage. Two
couples spend a weekend together
and you will die laughing at how
that turns out. “The Long Weekend”
opens Thursday, March 3rd at Act
II Stages. Directed by Edoardo
Rocha, it features performances
by Emmy Award Winner Eileen
Matthews, Michael Gibney, Patrice
White and Ross Shapiro. You can’t
miss this one!
IN THE RED ROOM
CABARET
Sutton Lee Seymour The Way Off Broad!
“Sutton Lee Seymour had me
laughing so hard I cried and
soiled my pants!” -TripAdvisor
Every Monday and Saturday 9:30
Special Show Thursday, March 24th
Best of Sutton Lee Seymour and
all new material at 9:30
A night of mischief, mayhem, and
musicals. Sutton Lee Seymour is the
creation of NYC classically trained
Actor , dancer and singer Prescott
Seymour. She has set the bar high
with a multitude of costume and wig
Lorena and Ray Jon at the Drive-In
Closing Night!
March 24th at 7:30
Las
Vegas
HEADLINERS
Lorena Peril and Ray Jon appeared
on the PV performing arts scene in
November and quickly became the
most successful show in Vallarta
this season, becoming PV Darlings
from the first day. Audiences
have returned time and time again
385 21
changes, All live singing fit for the
Broadway stage. Sutton goes from
Hollywood to Broadway to Disney
and all places in-between. Never
before has a show of this caliber been
performed on the Red room stage. “Sutton Lee Seymour... can be
everything you want!” 5 star review
TripAdvisor
Excellent drag performance
that brought a great mixture of
comedy and emotion. Sutton was
one of the top performers I’ve seen.
I was particularly impressed
how well rehearsed the show was
considering the free flowing lose
format of the theater and this kind
of drag theater. Making is look
that way takes a huge amount
of preparation. Kudos Sutton.
Regardless of where or when you
see Sutton, be prepared to get
blown...away!
Lorena Peril and Ray Jon Star
in Married and Looking
Every Tuesday and Friday at 7:30
Closing Night March 25th at 7:30
Latina Las Vegas headliner Lorena
Peril has been entertaining audiences
on the Las Vegas Strip since her
arrival in 2005. She headlined as
the Lead Singer in Anita Mann’s hit
production “Fantasy” at the Luxor
Hotel and Casino. The self-taught
performer headlined in Michael
Chambers’ “Sin City Bad Girls” at
the Las Vegas Hilton where she met
her talented lead male Vocalist and
Guitar Player Ray Jon Narbaitz III.
Lorena also performed as the Lead
Principal in “American Superstars”
at the Stratosphere Hotel and
Casino! And performed the role of
Sandy in the Las Vegas production
of ¨Grease”.
“Lorena Peril - Best Show in
PV” 5 star review TripAdvisor
– “Wow! Lorena Peril is simply
the best show in PV. She has a
magnificent voice and can sing a
wide range of songs, along with her
talented husband Ray.”
Continued on Page 22
March - 2016
22 385
“Energy
and
versatility
make for a super show” 5 star
review TripAdvisor – “Lorena
Peril and Ray Jon are a perfect fit
for live music lovers of Vallarta...
The energy they bring to the room
sustains throughout... I’ll buy
tickets for anything you two put
together. Just keep playing and
making us all happy...”
Brittney Kingery - 3 Time 2015
Horizon Tropic Rock Award Winner Every Monday at 7:30 “Brittany Kingery tropical rock
singer” 5 star review TripAdvisor
“What a show!!” 5 star
review TripAdvisor
Brittney Kingery is the one show
NOT to miss, quickly becoming a
Red Room favorite; never before has
Vallarta seen a talent like Brittney;
with her sold out houses it’s no
wonder that this 3-time Horizon
Tropic Rock award winner has taken
Vallarta by storm selling as many
award-winning CDs as tickets. Her
music is addicting and you will find
yourself singing her songs long
after the show has ended. ¨Brittney
Kingery is truly a star¨ Brittney
and her band have a chemistry and
together they are a Vallarta hit you
will see for many years to come. The 7 Arts
Dueling Drag Divas Sundays & Wednesdays at 9:30
Closing Night March 23rd 9:30
Dueling Drag Divas is a live
singing (absolutely no lip sync), full
octane, back to back comic celebrity
impersonation show. Emmy Award
winner Chi Chi Rones and NY
Times acclaimed impressionist
Joanna are proud to be returning
to the Red Room. Come see them
duke it out onstage as Dueling Tina
Turners, Adele vs. Amy Winehouse,
battling Judy Garlands, Kris Jenner
vs. Caitlyn Jenner, Streisand vs.
Midler, bombastic Bette Davis,
Karen Carpenter vs. Mama Cass,
The Witches of Wicked and Frozen,
Liza Minelli, Madonna, Cher,
Ursula from The Little Mermaid!
Joanna and Chi Chi Rones perform
their shows all over the world to
sold-out houses!
Paul Fracassi celebrates 22 sold out shows!
Legends of the 50s and 60s Sundays at 7:30
and Walk Like A Man Wednesdays at 7:30
“Paul Fracassi - Walk Like A
Man” - This young man is one of the
most talented singers I have EVER
SEEN ... Can’t Wait to see this show
Again! This kid going to be a STAR!
– TripAdvisor “Paul Fracassi
Sings” - He sounds just like Frankie
Valli. If you get a chance to see him
don’t miss it... - TripAdvisor “Run, don’t walk!” Totally a
star. He stunned his audience,
I am unofficially adopting Paul
Fracassi to be my grandson. - Evy
Pixley 5-star review - TripAdvisor
Paul Fracassi, the Jersey Kid has
managed to create a big fuss up in
Canada as a previous “Canadian
Idol” finalist and soon after Puerto
Vallarta fell in love with this new
singing sensation! His vocal range
has been compared to the great
crooners of the American songbook
and especially the high vocal range
of Frankie Valli. It is no wonder that
this artist chose the music of The
Four Seasons to pay tribute to and
Paul Fracassi handles the Frankie
Valli songs as if Frankie Vall himself
was on stage singing them in his
early years on the Ed Sullivan show.
Backed by the fabulous Paulettes
and incorporating the look,
instrumentation, and harmonies of
the original Four Seasons, this group
will bring back memories and songs
like Sherry Baby, Walk Like a Man,
Dawn, Rag Doll and Can’t Take My
Eyes Off Of You with ease and the
nostalgic flair of those years gone
by. Sundays brings you the Legends
of the 50´s and 60´s. Join Paul as
he brings to life all the greats from a
time gone bye. Frank Sinatra, Buddy
Holly, Elvis and many, many others. All of Me, starring Elviz Martinez
Saturdays March 19 - April 9 at 7:30
Opening Night:
Saturday March 19th at 7:30
Elviz Martinez has captured the
heart of Puerto Vallarta and The Red
Room with his sexy looks and his
sultry voice, he is planning on giving
All of himself. Returning for his
third season at Act II. In this show,
Elviz will expose himself in a way
he has never done in the past. He
will share his stories, take on Bobby
Darin and new songs never before
preformed in public. Once again
joined on stage with his Musical
Director, Bob Bruneau, together
they give you Everything they have. Country Queens starring Bonnie Kilroe March 24 and 26 at 5 p.m.
Never in music history have
such legends of country music
such as Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline,
Tanya Tucker, Crystal Gayle, Reba
McIntyre, Dolly Parton and Shania
Twain all shared the same stage.
And they likely never will, but
local music fans can experience
the next best thing on March
24th & 26th in Puerto Vallarta as
Vancouver’s Bonnie Kilroe presents
her acclaimed one-woman show
called Country Queens.
Just Jo Anna Tuesdays, March 22 and 29 at 9:30
Act II Entertainment welcomes
back to The Red Room Cabaret
Jo Anna. Joanna celebrates her
10th season in Vallarta with an all
new game show gone wild theme!
“Beyond impressions, parody, and
burlesque” - Florida Sun Sentinel
Act II Entertainment STAGES complex is located on the 2nd floor at 300 Insurgentes (corner of Basilio Badillo &
Insurgentes). Tel.: 222-1512. Go to www.actiientertainment.com to purchase tickets and for show details. Box office
open daily at 11 a.m. with a 2nd box office location across the street from Garbo’s on Pulpito street in the Romantic Zone.
March - 2016
The 7 Arts
385 23
Extended run for world class entertainer, Mark Zeller, at PV’s Boutique Theatre
By
Virginia Fox
If you’ve got any interest in “the
best Vallarta shows,” I hope you’ve
heard the buzz around Broadway
singer, actor, playwright, Mark
Zeller, bringing to town his highly
anticipated solo show, “Mark Zeller
Sings”. And if you’ve been treated to
performances in the past, as have I,
you may already be in his “posse of
raving fans.” Zeller’s newest show,
scheduled for March 24, 25 and 26
at the Boutique Theatre, will take us
on his incredible life journey through
song and insights, along with his
engaging wit and wisdom. “This is
who I am,” he says. I say, “this is one
show that is selling out!”
Years ago when he was producing
his first PV show, I had never heard
of Mark Zeller, and looked up is
bio. “Fiddler on the Roof “ on
Broadway? Really? Living and
performing in Vallarta? Zeller’s
performance in this first show and
every following production has
far exceeded my expectations, and
judging by audience curtain call
“bravos,” everyone in the audience as
well. To watch Mark Zeller on stage
is to be highly entertained, while
being treated to a performer who is
brilliantly talented, passionate about
his craft, and dedicated to a lifetime
of perfecting the art.
Zeller’s sold out performances in
PV for “Love and Insanity” led to one
reviewer to say: “I was mesmerized
by Mr. Zeller’s performance. This is
a rare opportunity to see Broadway
quality on a PV stage.”
Entertaining audiences from New
York to Puerto Vallarta, with many stages
in between, Zeller’s reviews never fail to
praise. Here are a few examples:
(For “Fiddler on the Roof”) The
Advocate: “Zeller is a truly joyful
Tevye, deftly handling the humor
and pathos of the little milkman’s
March - 2016
life with intelligence, authority and
unrestrained energy.”
New York Times: “Mark Zeller’s
big number, ‘A Little Learning,’ is a
smasher.”
(For “Freud”) The Village Voice:
“The singing and dancing mesh
elegantly with the production’s witty
tone.”
The New York Times: “Mark
Zeller has a wordly wisdom that, with
true comic ingenuity, he embellishes
with waggling eyebrows, sensitive
timing and a raspy voice.”
Mark Zeller Sings has sold out!
Consequently, two additional shows
have been scheduled: March 31st and
April 1st. Don’t miss your opportunity
to see this amazing entertainer.
Tickets available at Nacho’s Daddy’s
or Vallartatickets.com Dinner & Show
$ 450 pesos. Show only, $ 250 pesos.
Dinner at 5 p.m. Show 6 p.m.
26 385
The 7 Arts
Puerto Vallarta Reggae Festival 2016
The
Puerto Vallarta Reggae
Festival 2016 will take place on
Friday, March 25th from 4 to 10:30
p.m. Approximately 10,000 reggae
lovers are expected to come together
for this unique event. The festival
is located in the ocean side Mega
Flamingos event area, in the south
Hotel Zone behind the Mega grocery
store beside the Secrets Now Amber
hotel.
Organizers Kassiano and long time
friend Jorge Nuñez stated that they
are very pleased with the response of
the international and local press so far.
They will be flying in representatives
of Sirius FM and other international
broadcasters to cover the event.
This
festival will feature
performances by Kymani Marley
(son of legendary reggae artist, Bob
Marley), award-winning Kassiano,
Mexican reggae band La Yaga,
Maurice English and The Profile
band, DJ Cesar Cosio and Barrio
Zumba. Gates open at 3 p.m. with DJ
Cesar Cosio kicking off the party at 4
p.m. with the best of Dub, Dance Hall,
Lovers rock, Ska and Rock steady.
The area will also feature a
commercial area where patrons can
buy drinks, food, snacks, T-shirts and
other goodies.
Tickets in the general area are $280.
pesos pre-sold and $350. pesos at the
gate. There is also a VIP Area close
to the stage with open bar (from 6 to
10 p.m.) Cost: $1500. pesos pre-sold
$2000. at the gate. www.vallartatickets.
com and Medisim pharmacies.
Born Roger Kassiano Smith in
Hanover, Jamaica, in a family of
five, Kassiano began singing and
performing at six years of age. His
father, an architect, and mother a
school principal, instilled hard work
and focused determination to achieve
preset goals.
At nine, he won his first gold medal
in the national performing arts festival.
This was the genesis of a prolific
career as a recording artist, writer,
musician and actor. In the years to
follow, Kassiano performed at various
theatres across the island and received
several gold, silver and bronze medals
in the national festival awards. He
also acted alongside Christopher
Walken in “Going to Extremes” and
Maxi Priest in “SCAM”.
Kassiano studied painting, Jazz
piano and vocals at Cornwall College.
He went on to study Management
at the University of the West Indies
where he graduated with honors.
While there, Kassiano continued to
make waves on the entertainment
scene and opened for artists like
Grammy-winning reggae artists
Shabba Ranks and Gregory Isaacs.
His performances, punctuated with
spontaneity and a stage presence that
commanded the full attention of his
audiences, won him the “Best New
Artist Award” in 1990.
In 1992 Kassiano moved to
Mexico, learned Spanish, and landed
a successful 4-year, 3-album deal with
Emi – Music Records. His 1996
album Kukaramakara which includes
ten original songs and four covers, was
produced by Midi Ortega (Grupo
Moeña). Single “Ay Cosita Linda”
became a hit, not only in Mexico but
also in Chile and Colombia. That
mega hit gave way to performances
at international events such as
the Miss Mexico World Beauty
Pageant, Siempre en Domingo,
Octoberfest, The Acapulco 96 and
97 Festivals, Merida Carnival,
Coca Cola Tour, Veracruz Carnival
, Hard Rock Live, and the annual
Teleton, a benefit concert for
disabled children. Additionally he
March - 2016
has performed alongside Paul Anka
and Julio Iglesias. His notoriety has
exposed him to over 150 countries
worldwide via Televisa’s International
Broadcasting Network.
Ten years after releasing his album,
Kassiano is back and sharing the
stage with artists like Juan Gabriel
and Los Pericos from Argentina. He
recently recorded his hit single Bote
De Bananas under the watchful eye
of Charlie Santana (Banda Recodo).
The success of the single prompted
a promotional media tour, which
landed him on Telemundo’s “Sabado
Gigante” with Don Francisco,
Desayuno Alegre, Un Nuevo Dia and
CNN Latino.
Not forgetting his roots, Kassiano
went back to Jamaica to produce his
English album “Journeys“ with Dean
Frazer, Sax player for Bob Marley and
Mikie Bennett, renowned producer
of the remix of Cindy Lauper’s hit,
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”.
In 2015 Kassiano remade classic
“Besame Mucho” in Reggae and
“Room in My Father’s House.” Both
singles will be the focus of his world
tour with Kymani Marley. The tour
will kick off with the Puerto Vallarta
Reggae Festival on March 25, 2016 and
will extend to Central America, the US,
Canada, Europe and Africa.
With an ever-growing concern for
the energy imbalance on the planet,
Kassiano transmits a message of peace
and well-being through his music
and the creation of abundance on all
levels of consciousness. This concern
prompted him to create an ecological
spiritual resort, Real de Talpa (www.
realdetalpa.com), where he teaches
how to create abundance.
Now signed to New York-based
entertainment company, Vicrae Inc.,
Kassiano is committed to taking
his career to the next level with no
signs of slowing down. For more
information, please visit www.
vallartareggaefestival.com
The 7 Arts
385 27
With meticulous attention to excellence and
pricing as well as a noted and diverse selection,
The Loft Galeria has garnered a reputation as
one of the best art galleries in Puerto Vallarta.
We offer value in assisting individuals and
corporations in developing their collections
with personalized and confidential service.
New acquisitions include paintings of
Juan Carlos Cortez, Rita Vega, Nicola
Wheston, Susan Seaberry, Bill White and
Wosene Kosrof.
The Loft Galeria is located at 176-A Calle
Corona, just steps up from the Malecon, in the
Central Historic District of Puerto Vallarta.
We are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday
through Friday. Wednesday until 10 p.m.
during the ArtWalk and Saturday from 11
a.m. to 3 p.m. Also, by appointment: 2226353, [email protected],
www.theloftgaleriastore.com
The Loft Galeria
- The celebration continues
This season marks the 10
Anniversary of
The Loft Galeria and we invite you to continue
celebrating with us.
The Loft Galeria is a destination “boutique”
fine art gallery in the Centro Historico of
Puerto Vallarta (downtown). Avid collectors,
individuals new to the art scene, students,
families, and interior designers, have the
opportunity to acquire unique and significant
artwork of internationally acclaimed artiststs.
The Loft has also developed a reputation for our
beautiful selection of unique jewelry.
Our body of work has been a 10-year process of
curating, taking pains to represent only the highest
quality works that show technique and depth of
abilities from a wide range of great artists.
th
Aldama No. 174 Centro
2nd Floor / Piso
Tel.: (322) 222 1982
Fax: (322) 222 5502
www.galeriapaciﬁco.com
galeriapaciﬁ[email protected]
March - 2016
The 7 Arts
28 385
By
Joe Harrington
Gods of Egypt
W
hen I was growing up I was
taught by parents and grandparents to
not just accept things because others
told me they were the truth – research
and learn. This made me a pain
for a lot of people later on – folks
like teachers and military officers.
I’d listen to someone pontificate
something as absolute truth and I’d
be off to the library – no Internet
available way back when.
As a teen I became fascinated
with mythology. The richness of
those beliefs and the stories about
their gods was so different from
my Catholic upbringing.
Think
Scandinavia’s Odin and Thor,
Greek’s Zeus and Athena, the Celts’
Balor - god of death and Queen
Mauve, Rome’s Mars, Venus and my
favorite, Bacchus – god of wine.
Then there’s Egypt. When the
movie Gods of Egypt started, I was
dredging through the dusty, remnants
of ancient memories resurrecting
names like Ra and Isis.
A movie is made up of various
things like plot and acting. Here are a
few lines of dialogue which are fairly
indicative of what’s there throughout.
Ra: “Have you gotten so lazy that
you’ve forgotten that every god’s
life is a journey?” Next – Thoth: “If
I attempted to explain, your brain
would liquefy and explode.” Now
Set: “Bow before me. Or die.”
Not exactly, “To be or not to be,
that is the question.” But this is
mythology, not Shakespeare. This
film creates its own mythology and
does not follow the tales of yore,
except for the names and powers of
those ancient gods.
This flick received a woeful
13% from the top critics. Here’s a
sampling. Peter Travers of Rolling
Stone wrote: “What raises Gods of
Egypt above all other historically
botched FX epics is the stupefying
schlock of its visual effects, they’re
like something out of Video Aps for
Dummies. Come back, Clash of the
Titans, all is forgiven.” Ouch. Next
up with a hatchet is Rafer Guzman
of Newsday. “If it didn’t make you
constantly wonder whether some of
the actors are standing closer to the
camera than others, Gods of Egypt
might pass muster as an occasionally
lively and frequently campy B
movie.”
Rebuttal on that last one. All the
gods in this movie are intentionally
presented as being about twice as
big as we mere mortals. Here is one
of the few critics who gave thumbs
up: David Sims of The Atlantic:
“Gods of Egypt gets lost in its own
budget, constantly shooting to outdo
its visual grandeur but forgetting to
lend it any depth. But there’s a mad
emotion at work.”
Exactly. This is a fun movie. I don’t
enter a movie about Leprechauns
(Happy Saint Patrick’s Day by the
way) and expect the logic of a movie
like The Theory of Everything. I
wanted Gods of Egypt to deliver
flaming gods and winged gods and
evil gods and good gods. This movie
presents what it’s supposed to – not
knockout acting or coherent plot
– but a transportation to the time
of legends. All these mythologies
have that in common – whisking us
to a land of immortals and humans
and violent conflicts and sublime or
thwarted love.
March - 2016
I believe in God. But there’s a small
part of me that gives a nod to the Q
of Star Trek the Next Generation.
Who knows if there is only one
Intelligent Design Designer? Much
of the world’s various tribes have
their own cherished beliefs. I firmly
believe that the immensity of the
universe – which has expanded in
my lifetime from a belief that the
Milky Way Galaxy was all there was
to now, with the belief that there are
billions of galaxies – has a supreme
intelligence behind it all.
I leave you with the following image:
at the end of the first Men in Black
movie, which featured a cat wearing
a jewel that looks like a marble, the
camera - focusing on that shiny little
orb - pans backwards, straight up ever outward, past the moon and outer
planets, out of our home galaxy, past
unbelievable images like the Pillars
of Heaven and the Eye of God, then
telescopes almost instantly, ending up
looking like a marble that is picked up
by a three-fingered hand and deposited
in a small pouch.
Funny? Sure. But who knows?
There are two things I am absolutely
sure of: No one alive knows; but
someday each of us will know.
Joe Harrington
Is an internationally published true crime
writer and documentary filmmaker.
Send comments or criticism to
[email protected]
Artwork by Bob Crabb.
Gil Gevins’ Page
Failsafe
By
Gil Gevins
It was, I realized with a thrill of
icy fear, up to me to save Western
Civilization - at least, what was left of
it. Seventeen had tried, and seventeen
had failed.
Jeb lacked the energy. Marco was
too thirsty. Carly? A self-loathing
hockey stick. Ben? Too much
anesthesia. Mitt? An android, and a
two-time loser. Ted? A sleaze-ball
huckster with “second place” written
in snake oil all over his bloodless face.
No, it was up to me, the ultimate
outsider, the only candidate so
disgusted with the government he was
running his entire campaign from a
foreign country. Only I (with my zero
un-favorability rating) was positioned
to take The Donald down. Even my
voting record (non-existent) was a
plus, since no one could accuse me of
being for or against anything.
And I knew just how to poke a hole
in that blimpy orange bully’s balloon.
From behind the desk of my wife’s
shop in Puerto Vallarta, I would convert
every misbegotten Trump supporter,
one by one, as they walked in the door,
by appealing to their inner chimpanzee.
But it took a while to find a Donald
booster. Finally, on the seventh day
of my quest an angry seventy-five
year-old woman wandered in; and
when I asked her if she was a Trump
supporter, instead of spitting on me,
she said, “Oh yes!”
“So, what would Trump have to do,”
I asked, “for you not to vote for him.”
“Oh, I can’t imagine,” she said.
“He’d have to - have to run over my
daughter, and my grandchildren for
me not to vote for him!”
“Hey, I think I read about you.”
“Yes,” she said proudly, “I’m
Mildred Bachman, and I was the one
interviewed by KSOB. And later I was
on the Google.”
“Mrs. Bachman, it is a real honor to
meet you. Please have a seat. I’d like
to ask you a few questions.”
Delighted with the attention, the
angry grandmother took a seat opposite
my desk. “Now, Mrs. Bachman, you
said that Donald could run over your
daughter, and you’d still vote for him; but
if he also ran over your grandchildren,
then and only then, would you not vote
for him. Is that correct?”
“Well… my daughter and I don’t get
along very well. She’s a Democrat,
you see. I do love my grandchildren,
though, and…”
“Excuse me,” I broke in, “why
don’t we rephrase the question.
Let’s suppose that instead of killing
your daughter with a car - kind of
impersonal, after all - he bludgeoned
her to death. In that case, would you
still vote for him?”
“What’s a ‘bludgeon’?”
“To bludgeon, Mrs. Bachman, means
to club someone over the head repeatedly
with a hard heavy object, such as a
hammer or a washing machine.”
“Bludgeon… um… I’m not sure. I’d
have to think about it.”
“Fair enough, Mrs. Bachman. Now,
what is it exactly about Donald Trump
that you so admire?”
Her jaw set firmly in cement, the
grandmother said, “He’s strong. He
says what’s on his mind. He’s not
beholden to big money. He doesn’t
believe in this political correctness
nonsense and…”
“I’m strong, Mrs. Bachman,” I cut
in. “Look at these hands. And I say
what’s on my mind. And I am no fan
of political correctness.”
“But you’re not running for
president.”
“But, I am. I’m running for the
republican nomination.”
“But don’t you live in Mexico?”
“That’s right. Those Washington
lobbyists want to influence me, they’re
going to have to fly to Puerto Vallarta.
Or, I suppose, they could just send the
cash FedEx. Either way, it’d be a big
inconvenience.”
“I think I’ll stick with Trump.”
“But Trump is soft on immigration.”
“No he’s not. What about that wall
he’s going to build?”
“Listen, Mrs. Bachman, when I’m
elected I’m going to build two walls.
First, a wall on the Mexico/Guatemala
border, which Mexico is going to build,
and Guatemala is going to pay for.
Then one on the American/Canadian
border, which Guatemala is going to
build, and Japan is going to pay for.”
“Why Japan?”
“Do you have any idea, Mrs.
Bachman, how much money World
War II cost?”
“You’re right. I never thought about
it that way.”
“And take political correctness,
Mrs. Bachman. I’m not just against
it; I’m going to pee on it, flush it down
the toilet, and then spray it all over
North Korea!”
“I’m impressed!” Mrs. Bachman said.
“What did you say your name was?”
“Donald Reagan.”
“Are you related to Donald Trump?”
she asked hopefully.
“No, but I am Ronald Reagan’s
nephew. On his father’s side. How
about it, Mrs. Bachman, will you switch
your vote from Trump to me? Please!”
“No, I’m still going with Trump. I
like your ideas, but he seems stronger.”
“Mrs. Bachman, don’t be deceived
by appearances. I may be skinny, but I
can bench press almost twelve pounds.
March - 2016
385 29
And I don’t just punch protestors in the
face with these huuuuuuuuuge hands; I
disembowel them, Mrs. Bachman. I cut
out their vital organs and feed them to
giant hogs, just like Hannibal Lecter.”
“That’s all well and good,” Mrs.
Bachman said, “but what about the
Moslums? Are you going to keep
letting them into the United States?”
“Of course not! In fact, I go much
further than the other Donald. Instead
of just stopping them at the border, I’m
going to stop them at their huts. First,
we implant a GPS in every Muslim’s
left buttock. Then, if one of them tries
to leave his hut in Saudi Arabia, we
send a drone over there and nuke him
and his whole family and his neighbors
and all their goats into fried jello!”
“Oh, I like that!” Mrs. Bachman
said. “Yes. Now our Anti-Immigration
Service can forget about the Muslims,
and focus on keeping out the Albanians.”
“It’s about time!” she huffed. “We
have an Albanian living on our street!”
“Oh, you poor thing!
Mrs.
Bachman, you and I are definitely on
the same page… too bad the book is
Mein Kampf.”
Gil Gevins
Is the author of four hilarious books,
including the cult-classic, PUERTO VALLARTA
ON 49 BRAIN CELLS A DAY, and the sidesplitting novel, SLIME AND PUNISHMENT.
Signed copies of all Gil’s books are available
at his wife’s wonderful shop, LUCY’S CUCU
CABANA, located at 295 Basilio Badillo,
or as E-Books on Amazon.
Health Matters
30 385
When your way
isn’t working
By
Giselle Belanger
Most of us are probably familiar
with the cliché “when your way isn’t
working, try something else,” but
that is much easier said than done.
By nature we resist change, we
become extremely comfortable and
secure in what is familiar, whether
it is good for us or not, makes us
happy or causes us a great deal of
pain (physical or emotional). We
become so accustomed to “our way”
that we can’t even imagine that there
is another way.
Well, there is another way, in
fact there are many other ways
of doing something, or behaving,
or thinking, or treating people, or
approaching life. The way you are,
the way you treat yourself, the way
you do things, as well as the way
you interact and relate with others
in intimate relationships, as a parent,
or at work, all must be reviewed
when considering what to change in
order to improve your life and create
happiness. Your way hasn’t worked
yet, so what makes you think it’s
going to work now?
“Try something else”
A common saying from the 12step program is “the definition of
RN, LCSW
insanity is doing the same thing
over and over expecting different
results”. How many of you can
relate to that?! If you are fighting
addiction, struggling with codependency, are in an abusive
or unhappy relationship, are
overweight or always dieting, you
may feel like that. An addict who
is trying to quit using or who is a
chronic relapser may not be able
to get better and stay clean because
there are still some things they
repeatedly/continually do that they
need to let go of or change.
It can be very frustrating to
continue to tolerate the same thing
day after day or year after year and
depending on what it is, it may be
very detrimental, dangerous, and
even life threatening. It may even
leave some of you feeling helpless
and/or hopeless.
For example,
someone considering leaving an
abusive relationship may stay for
the children, for financial reasons, or
believing the situation will get better.
It is important to note that
some of you have made efforts to
try different ways of handling a
situation or changing something
about yourself and still have not
found the way that works for you. It
may be due to circumstances outside
of your control or due to other
people involved who are unwilling
to change. There are always other
factors or variables that you may
be unaware of or are out of your
control. All of this must be carefully
considered and clarified.
“Your way is what got you here”
“Here”…, to this point in time, to
this problem or crisis, or to therapy.
In the process, you may have
rejected many opportunities, many
people who tried to help, or advice
and guidance because it wasn’t what
you liked or wanted to do, or it didn’t
feel good, or maybe it required too
much effort. Maybe you are the
type to rebel and absolutely must do
it your way no matter what.
If your way is what got you here,
it obviously isn’t working and you
must try something else. You need
to be humble enough to ask for help,
to follow advice, to learn new ways
however uncomfortable or anxious
they make you feel. You must find
the strength to resist your old “sick,
dysfunctional” instincts and allow
those whom you’ve chosen either in
12-step programs, support groups,
or therapists, to guide you and teach
you new instincts and ways of being
as you let go of the old. Remind
yourself every day or every hour
that they figured it out, they made it,
they must have something valuable
to teach me. This requires that you
learn to surrender.
March - 2016
Surrender your ways, your
instincts, your impulsive reactions,
your way of thinking, your point(s)
of view, and agree to follow and learn
new ways. This is especially true
if you are paying for professional
help. You need to think “no matter
how much I don’t agree or how
ridiculous their ideas/advice sounds,
I’m paying them to show me a new
way” and turn it over; surrender.
Wait to see how it turns out. You
will most likely find that it works,
things are improving, and you will
feel a sense of calm.
Embrace change
It will be very difficult at first, but
it will eventually bring relief and a
certain lightness and freedom. You
will finally feel empowered and
hopeful. You will believe that things
can improve and change and you
will enthusiastically look forward to
your future! The Chinese character
for “crisis” and “opportunity” is
exactly the same. Think about it.
What if you viewed every crisis as
an opportunity? What a positive
perspective
and
empowering
motivator. Embrace the new, choose
to grow, and get to know yourself
better than ever before.
Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW (psychotherapist) can be
contacted at: [email protected]
Mex cell: (322) 138-9552
or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
Health Matters
By
Krystal Frost
10 cures for a spider bite
It happened that my sweet, pretty,
super-white-skinned niece was bitten
by a spider while sleeping in our
adobe house in San Sebastian. That
set us on a cure for the swelling and
itching that followed.
Hey… they are around and can be
identified by those two fang marks
they leave. Here are the top 10 home
remedies for spider bites.
1. Ice Pack
When bitten by a spider, the first thing
you need to do is clean the wound with
mild soap and water. Then, apply an
ice pack on the affected area. The cold
temperature will help numb the nerve
endings, soothe the itching sensation
and reduce swelling and inflammation.
Wrap a few ice cubes in a thin towel
and place it on the affected area for 10
minutes at a time. Repeat as needed
during the initial 24 hours.
You can also put the affected area
under cool running water for a few
minutes. Note: Never put ice directly
on the skin.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda, an alkaline substance,
can help draw out the venom, which
will help reduce pain, itching and
inflammation. Mix 1 teaspoon of
baking soda with 3 teaspoons of water.
With the help of a cotton ball, apply
this mixture on the affected area for 5
minutes. Wash the area with lukewarm
water. If the discomfort persists, repeat
after a few hours.
3. Salt
Salt can effectively draw the venom
out of a spider bite to promote quick
recovery. In addition, it reduces
inflammation and redness.
Wash the affected area thoroughly
with lukewarm water. Sprinkle some
table salt on a wet washcloth. (You
can also use kosher or sea salt.)
Bandage this washcloth to the
affected part for a couple of hours,
then remove it. Reapply as needed.
4. Potatoes
Potatoes can bring down the itching
and inflammation, largely due to its
anti-irritating and soothing properties.
In addition, it keeps the affected area
moisturized to encourage quick healing.
Peel 1 large potato and wash it
thoroughly. Grate the potato using a
grater. Put a handful of the wet potato
shreds into a piece of thin cloth and tie
it securely.
Clean the affected area with rubbing
alcohol, then put the potato poultice
on it. Leave it until the potato begins
to dry. Discard the old potato poultice,
and clean the area with warm water.
Reapply a fresh poultice, repeating
until the symptoms are gone.
6. Aspirin
It can neutralize the venom to
promote quick recovery. In addition,
its strong anti-inflammatory properties
can effectively control swelling and
inflammation. Soak 1 to 2 aspirin
tablets in a little water to form a paste.
Apply this paste on the affected
area. Leave it on for a couple of hours,
then wash it off with lukewarm water.
Repeat 1 or 2 more times, if needed..
7. Turmeric Powder
Is a natural painkiller containing
anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and
antioxidant properties. It can promote
recovery by reducing pain, swelling
and inflammation.
Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of turmeric
powder with enough olive oil to form a
paste. Apply this paste on the affected
area. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes
before rinsing it off with warm water.
Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon
of turmeric powder, a handful of
thoroughly washed Indian lilac
(neem) leaves and a little water in a
blender to make a thick paste. Apply
it on the affected area, leave it on for
20 minutes and then rinse it off with
warm water. Repeat either of these
remedies a few times.
8.
Lemon Juice
Use lemon juice to keep itching,
swelling and inflammation at bay.
Being a natural astringent, it also helps
quickly dry out skin rashes caused
by spider bites as well as prevent
infection. Use juice from a fresh lemon
and apply it on the affected area using
a cotton ball. Let it dry, then rinse it
off with lukewarm water.
Alternatively, you can take a
piece of lemon and rub it against the
affected area for 2 to 3 minutes. Wait
another 5 minutes, then rinse it off
(local favorite). Follow either of these
remedies a few times a day.
9. Aloe Vera
This gel has natural antiseptic as well
as anti-inflammatory and soothing
properties that can help reduce pain,
swelling and itching. It can even aid in
faster healing by keeping the affected
area moisturized.
Thoroughly wash an aloe vera leaf.
Slit it open to extract the gel.
Apply this fresh gel on the affected
area. Reapply a few times a day for a
few days. Note: Store the remaining gel
in the refrigerator. It’s easy to find as
most neighbors have some in the garden
Additional Tips
Monitor the bite for a couple of
days to keep a check on how well the
symptoms are healing.
Try to memorize the appearance of
the spider that has bitten you. This
will help in the treatment plan.
To prevent spider bites, wear a longsleeve shirt and pants, a hat, gloves
and boots when handling stored
385 31
boxes or firewood. Be extra careful
when cleaning out sheds, garages,
basements, attics and crawl spaces.
Inspect and shake out gardening
tools that are not in use for a while.
Keep spiders out of the house by
installing tight-fitting screens on
windows and door. This spice is a natural
painkiller containing anti-inflammatory,
antiseptic and antioxidant properties. It
can promote recovery by reducing pain,
swelling and inflammation.
- Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of turmeric
powder with enough olive oil to form a
paste. Apply this paste on the affected
area. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes
before rinsing it off with warm water.
- Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon
of turmeric powder, a handful of
thoroughly washed Indian lilac (neem)
leaves and a little water in a blender
to make a thick paste. Apply it on the
affected area, leave it on for 20 minutes
and then rinse it off with warm water.
Repeat either of these remedies a
few times.
8. Lemon Juice
You can also use lemon juice to keep
itching, swelling and inflammation
at bay. Being a natural astringent, it
also helps quickly dry out skin rashes
caused by spider bites as well as
prevent infection.
- Extract the juice from a fresh
lemon and apply it on the affected area
using a cotton ball. Let it dry, then
rinse it off with lukewarm water.
- Alternatively, you can take a piece
of lemon and rub it against the affected
area for 2 to 3 minutes. Wait another 5
minutes, then rinse it off.
Follow either of these remedies a
few times a day.
Krystal Frost
For questions and comments Cell: 322 116-9645,
Email: [email protected]
March - 2016
32 385
Legal Matters
Ask Luis
By
Luis Melgoza
Dear Luis: We were trying to obtain INAPAM
cards at the State Bldg. on Ave. Grandes Lagos as
per Internet instructions. Arriving there we were
told INAPM has moved to the location where
DIF is, behind SAM’s. Arriving there, we were
advised that they had run out of cards the prior
Friday. No information as to when they would
resume service or when and if new cards are
available from Guadalajara.
Can you give more accurate information?
Among documents needed is CURP, what does
it stand for?
We do not have a Mexican resident’s card,
would the Tourist card qualify?
We have the remaining documents.
We are longtime residents of PV Nov. to April
each year.
Dear Reader: INAPAM cards, as most federal
programs in Mexico are reserved for Mexicans
and foreign temporary or permanent residents and
are not available for tourists.
CURP is the Spanish acronym for Unique
Code of Population Registry, a number issued
exclusively to Mexicans and foreign temporary
and permanent residents.
However, some Mexican airlines, particularly
Interjet, and some bus lines offer the same
INAPAM discount to anyone over 60, even
without a card; you just have to ask.
Regarding the replenishment of cards, there is no
rule about that. Batches arrive when they arrive
and they are usually gone in a matter of days.
Sorry for the bad news!
Dear Luis: A friend passed an article to me
that you wrote concerning leases in Jalisco.
This is very pertinent information for me given
my current situation. I would like to seek your
counsel.
Can I meet you to discuss further? Dear Reader: Thank you for your trust. Other
than my answers in this column, I am completely
retired from practicing Law.
Dear Luis: My lawyer said to me that we should
keep all the original Mexican documents here in
Puerto Vallarta where we have been spending about
3 months of the year here, January through the
beginning of April. We have been keeping all the
original Mexico documents in Seattle, Washington,
USA where we spend the rest of the year.
If you agree that we should keep the original
copies here in Mexico, where is the safer place
to keep them? We would appreciate your advice. Dear Reader: There is no legal reason to keep
in Mexico any original documents pertaining to
a fideicomiso; but it might be the most practical
location to keep them. You never know when you
would need those documents in Mexico.
Personally, I keep all my important documents in
the location where I am, for as long as I stay in that
location; in a fire-proof safe (while the safe would
be largely intact, depending on a fire temperature,
its contents might still be charred, though).
Some others prefer to have a copy of critical
documents, notarized by a Mexican notary
public, in a safe-deposit box abroad, but keep
the originals here (I don’t believe Mexican banks
offer safe-deposit boxes to their clients, but I may
be wrong).
Dear Luis: In reviewing the 30-year trust
pertaining to the property I have lived in for
the past 26 years, the fact that 4 years remain is
becoming a stark reality. How concerned should
I be with a 4-year clock
ticking? Are extensions
realistic? What is the
best way to proceed
with the trust holder to
avoid any surprises? Is
now the time to start? If
not now, when?
Dear Reader: 20-year
extensions of 30-year
fideicomisos are very
normal.
March - 2016
This is was my answer to a similar question in
PV Mirror’s issue #352, last July:
In order to extend yours from its original 30
years to the maximum 50 years, you must submit
an application to the Foreign Relations Secretariat,
through your trustee, requesting the extension.
You’ll have to pay $6,295.00 MXN in
government fees for the reception and processing
of your application to modify the term, and
your bank will charge you other fees (all in all,
including government and bank fees, this should
cost less than $1,000.00 USD in 2016). The
application for extension is resolved in 5 business
days if submitted in Mexico City and 30 business
days if submitted at any of the Foreign Relations
Secretariat’s agencies elsewhere in Mexico.
If your 20-year extension request is granted, near
the end of that extension, you or your substitute
beneficiaries will have a one-time opportunity to
apply for a 50-year renewal, assuming that there
aren’t any changes to the Law.
Contact your bank for detailed information
about their fees and times to prepare and submit
your extension application.
Dear Luis: I am a tourist and have been here
since January, staying until the middle of March.
When we got here we got a Provisional card
from Soriana. You need this card to get their
specials advertised in their flyers. Canadians
spend thousands of dollars at Soriana’s. Lately
we’ve not been able to get the special prices as
advertised. The cashier wants plastic. When we
get to customer service no one speaks English but
they make it quite clear we need a passport. There
are so many in our complex that are annoyed and
frustrated. Can you please shed some light on the
problem we are having?
Dear Reader: I would go to Soriana with
someone who speaks Spanish, something
apparently was lost with both parties’ inability to
speak the other’s language.
Luis Melgoza
Is a former PRI (Mexico’s ruling party) Head Counsel and
Legal Adviser to the Mexican Congress. Although retired
from the legal profession, he is a highly respected consultant
for both the foreign and Mexican communities in Puerto
Vallarta. Luis’ PVGeeks is the premiere wireless high-speed
Internet provider in Puerto Vallarta. For Internet service,
you can reach Luis at: [email protected]
Real Estate
385 33
VIEWPOINT
By
Harriet Murray
When you buy real estate here
in Mexico, your primary source of
information about the market and
specific properties is your real estate
agent. Certification requirements and
rules of conduct we rely on in the US
and Canada are not the same here.
Prepare and protect yourself in
advance. Manage your expectations
and be aware of important differences
between real estate agents in the
United States and Canada from agents
here. Interview before you choose.
Consider these points:
1. Do not take for granted that
every real estate agent in our market
is a licensed, trained professional. An
agent may have no office, no landline
phone, no car and no licensing. He
may find clients by frequenting hotel
lobbies and bars. If an agent doesn’t
have an office, a website or a car, s/
he’s not a professional. If the sun
is shining, the ocean warm, and the
margaritas are flowing, your judgment
may be impaired.
2. There is usually no multiple
listing service. Buying real estate
in the United States and Canada
is straightforward, transparent and
efficient, thanks to the multiple listing
service. The real value of a true MLS
is that it establishes an official price
for every property that’s on it. You
can work with a single agent that you
like and trust and still have access to
the entire market.
In markets like San Miguel de
Allende, where there is no MLS, you
need to go to several different agents
to see all options. You can’t just pick a
good agent and see everything. Most
of the world does not have an MLS.
3. Without a real MLS, agents can
manipulate the asking price. In many
markets, local agents don’t post prices
at all; preferring to assess the client and
then price the house according to what
they believe the client can pay. All of
this is possible when there’s no MLS to
keep everyone honest.
4. We HAVE a genuine MLS in
the Bay of Banderas. It is not MLV,
it is FBS MLS used by AMPI agents
http://www.vallartanayaritmls.com
This database of listings is also on
participating agents’ websites. Each
property is an exclusive listing with
a legitimate asking price and due
diligence has be done to determine the
salability of the property.
5. An agent may not present your
offer. This is common in markets
where there’s no official requirement
to present every offer. We require
presenting an offer, but even wellmeaning agents will become casual
and accept the listing agent’s word that
the seller rejected the offer. If your
agent does not get the seller’s response
in writing from the listing agent, the
offer may never have been presented.
Get this straight with your agent before
making an offer. Do not assume.
6. An agent may not manage all
the items required for closing. In the
United States and Canada, a real estate
agent generally manages everything
required for closing. Here, it requires a
team: the notary, transaction manager
for the notary, escrow company, the
agents, and buyer’s attorney.
7. Familiarize yourself with the
property purchase process before
you begin shopping and engage an
experienced local attorney. Choose
March - 2016
someone with experience helping
foreign buyers. Do not expect the
notary, who is a specialized attorney
in notary law, to be your advocate, as
this would be a conflict of interest.
8. An agent may speak Spanish
and English, but this does not mean
that you and s/he think the same
way. There are differences - cultural
and education-wise - which can be
a barrier to overcome. Discuss how
you understand the offer and closing
process to be. Have your agent explain
to you how it is done here, and why.
This article is based upon legal
opinions, current practices and my
personal experiences. I recommend that
each potential buyer or seller conduct
his own due diligence and review.
Harriet Cochran Murray
Can be contacted at:
[email protected]
34 385
Calendar / Directories
March - 2016
Calendar / Directories
385 35
International Friendship Club
ACTIVITIES CALENDAR
Airline Directory
AEROTRON
226-8440
AIR CANADA 01 800 719-2827
AIR TRANSAT 01 800 900-1431
ALASKA
01 800 252-7522
AMERICAN 01 800 904-6000
CONTINENTAL
See United
DELTA 01 800 266-0046
FRONTIER
01 800 432-1359
INTERJET
01 800 011-2345
SUN COUNTRY 01 800 924-6184
UNITED
01 800 864-8331
US AIRWAYS 01 800 428-4322
AEROMEXICO 01 800 021-4000
SOUTHWEST 01 800 435 9792
WESTJET
01 800 514 7288
MONDAY
Bridge Lessons 9 a.m. free to members.
Guests $50 pesos.
Spanish Lessons - Intermediate 1,
Intermediate 2, Advanced, Tourist Spanish.
Go to IFCvallarta.com activities
calendar for class times & details.
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Home Tours depart Sea Monkey
at 10:30. See ad in this issue for details.
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Social Bridge - 2 to 5 p.m.
Free for members.
Guests $50 pesos.
Social Hour - 5 to 6 p.m.
SATURDAY
Mindful Meditation 9:15 to 10:15 with Dan Grippo.
Free-will donation to the IFC.
Dharma Yoga - 10:30-11:15 a.m.
No prior training necessary.
Chairs provided or bring a mat.
Voluntary donation of $50 pesos
minimum requested.
Solution to Sudoku on page 39
PLEASE call the IFC office
to check if still available:
222-5466
March - 2016
Solution to crossword on page 39
Fish Tales
36 385
Big Black Marlin at
El Banco, they’re back!
By
Stan Gabruk
(Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle)
W
hat a difference a week
can make and what a week it’s
been! With the cold front that
came through, closed the port and
messed with the fishing, it was little
more than a nightmare for a few
days there. But with the cold front
came a cold current that ¨pushed¨
Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna and other
species into the area in decent
numbers. For the lucky soul that
is here in Puerto Vallarta looking to
go fishing, you just hit the jackpot!
El Banco is the place to be if
looking for out of season Billfish
and Yellowfin Tuna. Located fifty
miles out of Marina Vallarta, this
world famous fishing location
is living up to its reputation.
Right now, this very minute, Big
Black Marlin tipping the scales
anywhere from 600 to over 800
lbs. is available to the guy with the
¨bones¨ to be fishing a spot that just
last week was pronounced DOA!
Today it’s the life of the party so to
speak. Blue Marlin over 500 lbs.,
Cubera Snapper to 65 lbs., Sailfish
are in the area, Wahoo for sure to
80 lbs., no Dorado for the moment
but could change quickly. Natural
live bait in the area are 7-inch
Flying Fish, Sardines, Skippies
over 6 lbs. and huge and the list
goes on. Remember, if they’re out
there, they’re always bigger at The
Bank! Corbeteña for the week
has been mostly dead, still… there
are Yellowfin Tuna 13 to 20 miles
off The Rock anywhere between
60 and 200 lbs., it just depends
on how your luck is. There have
been fields of spinner Dolphin in
the area, always a welcome sight to
fishermen with football Tuna from
60 to 75 lbs.
So keep an eye peeled! Sailfish
have been seen in the area, some
Blue Marlin, not many. For the
moment your best option is El
Banco, but this could change before
this ink dries!
Off the point of Punta Mita
at the 7-mile point are Sailfish!
Rooster fish are around the shore
line to the Anclote Reef area. With
Sardines finally picking up in
numbers, the Rooster Fish should
be a more common occurrence
but for now they’re work, mucho
trabajo amigos! A Dorado or two
have been boated in this area, but
don’t expect one, then again it’s
happening! Surprised no Stripers
in the area, but this could change
shortly. The Marieta Islands
have also come to life with some
Rooster fish (not easy) around 45
lbs., Jack Crevalle to 50 lbs. and
picking up in numbers, Pompano to
40 lbs., Bonito 35 lbs., Skippies for
bait, Needle fish, Sierra Mackerel,
and more! .One trick, if targeting
Wahoo - and you should, be sure to
run wire leader even if this species
is line shy. Troll at a faster pace
and be at the fishing grounds before
sunrise. 80-lb Wahoo are around El
Moro so you don’t even need to go
too far out to hit this coveted fish!
Inside the bay not too much
changes, yet the fishing’s great
for the guy looking for a short day
and smaller gamefish to keep an
experienced or first time angler
happy. Jack Crevalle avg. 35 lbs.,
Bonito 30 lbs., Sierra Mackerel 22
lbs., Needle fish, an off shot at a
freak Sailfish. You and the family
can’t go wrong in the bay for now.
Water temps are still between
78o and 80oF. Water is blue ten
miles off Punta Mita, but the clean
green water hasn’t interfered with
fishing anywhere. Bait: Sardines
are moving in finally, Roosters like
that. Bullet Bonito and Skip Jacks
are filling the area. Flying fish of 7
inches are from the point of Punta
Mita to El Banco and Corbeteña,
not to mention Goggle eyes bait is
March - 2016
great. Lures: Obviously blue with
silver specks or dots with Flying
fish. But Gold & Blue are doing well
mimicking YF Tuna, start with those.
Finally, the cold front pushed
down some warm water species
that have been hanging out in
Southern Cal, and we should see
some interesting developments in
the coming days. If we see these
errand fish coming back to their
home waters then we could have
a spring fishing season that could
blow your fishing mind. Stay tuned,
we’ll put you on fish, amigos!
Shared boats for 8 hours
targeting Dorado have been very
popular (½ Super Panga, 2 person
max. per half the boat)! Just
fire me an email so I know when
you’ll be here and we’ll do the
rest. The Downtown Store on
Basilio Badillo and Insurgentes is
open for the season. Call Chris (El
Centro Mgr) at (044) 322 112-9558
for fishing, tours or T-shirts, amigo.
I am still in Marina Vallarta so take
your pick. YeeHa! We are also
Smoking your fish, we keep half,
but man is this stuff good! Call
Chris for details at my El Centro
store. Contact us about a week
before coming to PV so we can get
you set up early on a shared boat!
Until next time, don’t forget to
¨Kiss Your Fish¨. . .
Master Baiter’s is located in
Marina Vallarta between docks
A and B on the boardwalk.
Email your Questions to me at:
[email protected]
Web page: www.MasterBaiters.
com.mx , Local Phone at: (044)
322 779-7571 or if roaming: 011
521 322 779-7571 cell phone
direct. Come like me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Master-Baiters-SportfishingTackle/88817121325
The trade name Master Baiter’s
® Sportfishing and Tackle is
protected under trade mark law and
is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.
Hi-Tech
Are you addicted to social media…?
T
he past 10 years, we’ve become
more and more “addicted” to our
online life and particularly with
mobile devices as they can now do
more and more. The biggest culprit
seems to be social media. But what
are the costs of this since it has
become such a big part of our lives?
Back in 2004, Facebook was
still a closed social network at the
University level and MySpace was
only a year old itself, while social
media was in its infancy. Back then,
we used the internet mainly for email
and getting the news. But between
2005 and 2015 all that changed.
Over those 10 years, social media
exploded along with online video
streaming and photo sharing which
is now commonplace.
Fast forward to 2016 and MySpace
is all but gone, meanwhile Facebook
has over 1.6 BILLION active
monthly users. Facebook added 200
million new users in 2015. It also
has over 1 Billion users logging in
daily and of that, over 800 million
daily users login with mobile device.
These numbers are staggering.
Relatively “young” WhatsApp,
which is a free smartphone to
smartphone text messaging app, has
already taken the world by storm
and was at 900 million users by the
end of 2015. Started in 2010 by two
former Yahoo employees, WhatsApp
has tapped into the huge smartphone
user market, making text message
charges from cellular companies
almost a thing of the past.
Having added free voice calls
between WhatsApp users as well
late last year, again helps the world’s
consumers keep excess cellular call
charges down, much to the dismay
of cellular companies everywhere.
Skype (bought by Microsoft in 2011)
is definitely worried by this newest
competitor.
Twitter seems to have stalled
in new users. Founded in 2006,
Twitter active user base sits around
320 million. Tumblr, started in 2007
and owned by Yahoo since 2013, is
around 550 million users. Instagram,
which is primarily a mobile photo/
video sharing site has gone from
start-up in 2010 to 400 million users
by the end of 2015 - adding 100
million new users annually.
Recent surveys found that 61
percent of Facebook users have
taken a break from it from time to
time, and more than 27 percent said
they planned to spend less time there
in the future.
In addition, a fifth of online adults
who were not Facebook users said
they had used Facebook at one time,
but dropped it and never returned.
The top reason for taking a break
from the site was time. 21 percent of
members said they were too busy for
it. There it is... TIME.
I’ve seen some friends sit for hours
sifting through updates and new
posts of news or photos from friends
far and wide. I personally have
never gotten deeply into Facebook
for that very reason… I just don’t
have the time.
Many users admit Facebook takes
up too much time because they let
it, but many are slowly weaning
themselves off it. They say they want
real time with friends and family.
There’s a novel idea… real time with
real people! By far, the main reason
for cutting back or leaving Facebook
were things going on in their lives
that prevented them from doing
Facebook stuff. It’s called a life!
So… to find out (unscientifically)
if you’re a bit “too connected” ask
yourself a few questions to see if you
should take a step back. Out of these
social media networks I mentioned
above, how many are you active
in? How many hours a day, week
or month, do you spend pouring
March - 2016
385 37
over posts from friends, families and
colleagues?
Would you be able to stop your
social media use if you wanted to?
Would you go into a meltdown if you
lost your tablet or smartphone, leaving
you unconnected? Do you have more
online friends than real ones? When is
the last time you read a book?
If you find your answers to some of
these questions a bit worrying, don’t
panic. Just take a step back. Put your
laptop, tablet or smart phone away a
few more hours a day and enjoy the real
world a bit more. Enjoy your friends
in person more often. Enjoying the
“virtual world” is not a bad thing, but
if it takes up a good part of your day,
it may be time for a “recalibration”
of your habits. Recognizing a good
balance and moderation, is the key to
everything in life.
That’s all my time for now. If
you’d like to download this article
or previous ones, you can do so at
www.RonnieBravo.com and click
on “articles”. See you again next
week... until then, remember: only
safe Internet!
Ronnie Bravo
Ron can be found at CANMEX Computers.
Sales, Repairs, Data Recovery,
Networking, Wi-Fi, Hardware upgrades,
Graphic Design, House-calls available.
www.RonnieBravo.com
Cellular 044-322-157-0688 or just
email to [email protected]
Nature’s World
38 385
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By
Tommy Clarkson
The fig tree
Ficus carica
Family: Moraceae
No other names
(When you really boil it down to
basics, with all things considered,
who really gives a fig! Well,
actually, our great pal Laurie does
as she’s the one who gave us this
particular plant.)
It’s thought that the fig originated
in the Asia Minor and/or Turkey
area. But many folks are familiar
with them as a result of their
spreading into the Mediterranean
realm and, now, well beyond. As
members of Moraceae family
they’ve some 2,000 tropical and
subtropical species as close kin.
Figs are self-fruiting - you need
but one plant to produce your own
grown fruit. They can grow to
fifteen to thirty feet (4.57 - 9.14
meters) tall. Dependent upon the
variety one has, figs can differ in
size, shape, flavor, texture, and
time for harvesting. Their color
can be black, brown, green, purple,
violet, or yellow.
Some, in the cooler climes, prefer
to grow their figs in large pots and
store them during chilly times, in a
cool garage or basement. Should
you acquire one, during its first
year, give it water regularly, mulch
around it and ensure that your
moisture retentive, free draining
soil contains well-rotted organic
matter, so as to hold moisture.
Once established, they are very
drought tolerant. They most like a
fertilizer of a 5-2-6 combination.
It’s probably not necessary to say
– but I will anyway - full sun is the
foremost factor in attaining both
an abundant harvest and having
the sweetest fruit. Remember, it is
important to water regularly when
fruit is developing. Harvesting?
Don’t dally. Check daily for ripe
fruit, pick and enjoy!
If you don’t care to share your
abundance with our feathered,
avian friends you may wish to hang
reflective tape or such on the tree
boughs.
Generally speaking, figs thrive
in warm regions with long periods
of cold weather thwarting their
growth and fruit production. It
would come as no surprise to note
that a lengthy freeze will kill them.
Ours, however, is a Chicago
Hardy cultivar that can withstand
temperatures - way lower than
Patty and me – down to (I even hate
to type this sort of frigid fact) -20
(F) (-28.33 C). I’ve seen pictures
with snow sitting atop its figs.
At the sake of sounding like a
commercial for them, I understand
this particular species is the “cold
hardiest” fig presently available, is
drought tolerant, pest resistant and
while requiring little maintenance,
produces high fruit yields.
As I understand it, it’ll achieve a
height of up to 30 feet (9.14 meters)
but can be trimmed and maintained
to as small as six feet (1.83 meters)
tall - which is what we’re doing.
Growing in a large pot we made
from a formerly rooftop tinaco it sits
quite happily on our Entry Terrace.
By the way, its sap is an irritant,
so I encourage that you wear
protective gloves while pruning.
When you do so, start at the bottom
of the plant and work upwards.
Ours happily grows in a large
pot we made from an old tinaco,
once atop a roof holding water.
Ripe and ready - you!
Simply do so when the skin is
soft. They will split when gently
squeezed. Worry not if – as
occasionally can happen - a tear of
sugary liquid is secreted from the
‘eye’ at the base of the fig.
Though this is but our first year
to have bountiful numbers of figs,
I eat them right from the tree, sun
warmed and great tasting. If you
wish to preserve some figs, dry
them on trays in an airing cupboard
(or something else that will keep
the bugs off of them) turning them
once a day for a week.
There are several fig cultivars
that are now popular. Presently in
the U.S. the most commonly grown
varieties are “Brown Turkey”,
“Conadria”, “Kadota’, and ‘Black
Mission’.
Figs
have
long
been
recommended to treat cancer,
constipation, scurvy, hemorrhoids,
gangrene, liver conditions and
boils. They’re low in calories,
contain health benefiting soluble
dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins,
pigment anti-oxidants and research
suggests that chlorogenic acid in
figs help lower blood sugar levels
and control blood-glucose levels.
(So, maybe you, too, should really
give (or better yet, grow) a fig!)
Tommy Clarkson
A look at Adam’s wardrobe.
Ours has large, attractive threefingered leaves and bountiful –
slightly smaller than golf ball sized
(quite yummy) - figs. Purportedly,
this Chicago Hardy fig tree will
yield as many as 100 pints of figs
each season! But, in that this is the
first season it has really produced, I
can’t confirm this.
When should one pick their figs?
Well, that answer is rather short
(and definitely sweet!
March - 2016
In Manzanillo, visit Ola Brisa Gardens,
Tommy and Patty’s verdant, multi-terraced
tropical paradise nestled on a hill overlooking
the magnificent vista of Santiago Bay.
Leisurely meander its curved, paved path,
experiencing, first hand, a delicious array
of palms, plants and flowers from all over
the world. Or, e-mail questions to him at
[email protected]
For back issues of “Roots”, gardening tips,
tropical plant book reviews and videos of
numerous, highly unique eco/adventure/
nature tours, as well as memorable
“Ultimate Experiences” such a Tropical
Garden Brunches and Spa Services, please
visit www.olabrisagardens.com
https://www.facebook.com/
olabrisagardens?ref=hl
Brain Teasers
385 39
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
by Stella Daily / Bruce Venzke / Will Shortz ©New York Times
Solution to Crossword
on Page 35
SUDOKU!
Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle.
The aim of the puzzle is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each row,
column and group of squares enclosed by the bold lines (also called a box). Each
box must contain each number only once, starting with various digits given in some
cells (the “givens”). Each row, column, and region must contain only one instance of
each numeral. Completing the puzzle requires patience.
It is recommended as therapy because some studies have suggested they might
improve memory, attention and problem solving while staving off mental decline
and perhaps reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Solution to Sudoku on Page 35
March - 2016
385
March - 2016

March 20 - pvmcitypaper

Transcription

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