www.pvmcitypaper.com Issue 281 Saturday 15 to Friday 21 March

Transcription

www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 281
Issue 281
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
March 2014
March 2014
2
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.
Look at the map in this issue, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, in the middle of the Bay of Banderas,
the largest bay in this country, that 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
mountains- the Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned
in the Pacific. Hurricane Kenna came close on October 25, 2002,
but actually touched down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 miles
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
Issue 281
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 2014
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,
We have often had great results trying places we’ve learned about from
your readers, so we hope that you’ll let us return the favour and use the
PV Mirror to tell people about Villa Azalea, where we recently had a
wonderful travel experience.
Villa Azalea is a small boutique hotel, just 7 rooms, which is only 10
minutes south of the Botanical Gardens. A small river runs along the
back of the property; the terrace and many of the rooms overlook the
river and the beautifully landscaped grounds. The rooms are very, very
comfortable, and are decorated with paintings by local artists. There is a
central courtyard and pool area with some very impressive sculptures. A
stay at Villa Azalea includes 3 meals - whenever possible, the meals are
made with fresh ingredients grown in the hotel’s organic greenhouses.
Host Dulce Arguero provides a wonderful welcome and is a fantastic cook
- we thoroughly enjoyed everything. We spent 2 nights at Villa Azalea
and have never felt more relaxed or spoiled than we did there.
Everyone who comes to Puerto Vallarta knows how spoiled we are for
wonderful variety and quality of things to do and places to stay, but we
think Villa Azalea is really something special.
Jane Cowan
Dear Ms. Cowan,
We totally agree with you! Having experienced it for ourselves, we
know that it is a most beautiful and unusual place to pamper one’s self.
Our readers can check out their web site at www.villaazalea.com.mx and
get in touch with Dulce at [email protected]
The Ed.
Dear Editor:
We are bringing to your attention the following serious matter. The
already diminished green zone in the Zona Romantica is under threat and
its large variety of fauna will disappear.
A tower of no less than 10 floors/42 condo units, well over what is
permitted by the law, will be built in our neighborhood in Callejon Cafeto
behind the Tropicana Hotel, with no consideration for the increased
density of buildings, houses and vehicular traffic, the latter in particular
will create even greater pollution.
This will result in severe consequences for public infrastructure,
hygiene, sewer systems and, above all, for the quality of life.
The neighbors learned of the D’Terrace project only a few weeks ago. Since
September, 2013, inquiries concerning the building permits have received
either evasive or indeed no answers whatsoever from the local administration.
We implore the developers and architects to respect the laws and
regulations of the Plan Parcial as approved by the municipal authorities
in 2012.
Concerned Neighbors in Amapas
Continued on Next Page
Issue 281
March 2014
3
4
Sound Off
Continued from Previous Page
Dear Editor,
I noticed in an article on “Pasitos de Luz” a reference to a bus route “Bus
route #4 to Paso Ancho or Paso de Guayabo drops you right at the gate”.
This reminded me of a question I was going to ask. Does anyone know
of a listing or maps of bus routes? I know they have destinations marked
on the front but if you don’t know where these destinations are it doesn’t
help very much.
Thanks
Bob Wheeler
Ontario
Dear Editor,
I just came back from a visit to my dentist here in PV. I’d like to recommend
him as he’s a wonderful dentist - Dr. Alejandro Sanchez at SMILE dental
office on Blvd. Fco. Medina Ascencio, close to Marina Vallarta.
I’ve had bridge work done by him and have never had a moment of
discomfort. He speaks perfect English and has a great personality. Why
not give him a call at 322 209-0499.
M. Willson
PV/OR
Solution to Sudoku on page 39
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Harriet Murray
Giselle Belanger
Krystal Frost
Stan Gabruk
Ronnie Bravo
Tommy Clarkson
Luis Melgoza
Dr. Fabio Cupul
Gil Gevins
Astrid Van Dam
Janie Albright Blank
Charlynn Robertson
Mary Stehley
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
Cover Photo:
“At Boca de Tomatlán”
by Anna Reisman
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.
An important notice
The PVMIRROR wants to hear your
views and comments. Please send
them as part of an e-mail to:
[email protected]
Not exceeding 250 words, and include
your full name, street or e-mail address
and/or telephone number
for verification purposesonly.
If you do not want your name published,
we will respect your wishes.
Letters and articles become the property
of the PVMIRROR and may be edited
and/or condensed for publication.
Note:
A most unhappy boater
Dear Editor,
I feel very fortunate to live in beautiful Puerto Vallarta in the winter and
even more so now that I have discovered a beautiful new yoga studio in the
Zona Romantica: Kupuri Yoga at 239 Francisco I. Madero.
[email protected]
Graphic Designer:
As a full time resident of Puerto Vallarta, there is a long list of things that
make living here an exceptional experience. Top of the list for me, is being
able to be in our beautiful bay in my boat.
As a boat owner, I have always launched my boat at the access ramp in
Marina Vallarta. The recent frustrations over proper licensing have been
difficult enough. Now the closing of the single launch ramp in Vallarta creates
another frustration for boaters. I have been told the reason is that the marina’s
new partner is Opequimar - which currently has a private ramp and the only
Pemex marine fuel station in Vallarta. What this has done has forced all
boaters to launch from Opequimar, a privately owned marina and dry dock.
The service requires boat owners to pay $380.00 pesos to launch and
retrieve a boat, and a further 44 pesos per person in the boat. I was also
informed that there is a fee of 440.00 pesos per day more if you leave your
trailer in the launch facility, or you must find a place to park your trailer
while you are out on the water. The problem is that it is a major tourist area,
and parking a car with a trailer is almost impossible.
I plan on pursuing this by way of visiting the marina offices to see if there
is more information that may make a difference to the boating community.
I personally find it hard to believe that a country that allows public access
to beaches for individuals does not allow the same for boaters. Needless to
say, I would guess I am not alone in my frustration at Puerto Vallarta for not
having a public boat launch ramp.
Issue 281
Allyna Vineberg
Office & Sales: 223-1128
Dear Editor,
Solution to crossword on page 39
Publisher / Editor:
March 2014
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.
Sound Off
Maria Abad and Paul Carrigan are both
amazing yoga instructors who lead a variety
of yoga classes each week including teacher
training and evening restorative candlelit
classes. What a great evening option over
eating and drinking to excess as we all tend to
do here in restaurant rich PV!
And what is not to love about a yoga studio
whose name Kupuri is taken from the Huichol
Indian word for SOUL? It is indeed a soulful
place. You can find their schedule at www.
kupuriyoga.com and on Facebook. Namaste.
Michelle Venance
Ottawa, Ontario
Dear Editor,
One evening when walking home from a
restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, my wife and I
were sprayed with pesticide three different
times on three streets by fumigation trucks
probably trying to control mosquitoes. Each
time we were trapped and could not avoid the
poisonous spray.
Ahead of us we could see people including
children running away from this terror. I
believe it’s possible we could have suffered
permanent damage. My wife and I got very
sick for several days before flying back home.
I’m not convinced such drastic sprayings are
necessary or effective against dengue-carrying
mosquitoes, but a lot of people are being
contaminated.
Aldo & Cheryl Statti
Dear Editor,
In February, I was unfortunate enough to be
sick in this paradise. Coming down with double
pneumonia. However, due my wife Christine’s
quick reaction, I was soon admitted into the
wonderful institution that is San Javier Hospital.
What can I say that I’m sure has been said many
times? The hospital, the doctors and of course,
the nurses, made sure that I was given everything
necessary for a speedy recovery. I have been
in hospitals in the United States and of course
Canada, and the care I received in those places
was excellent. But they don’t compare with the
wonderful care I received at the San Javier.
My grateful thanks to Doctor Peña Munoz
and Doctor Carlos. And of course to the
wonderful nurses who cared for me.
Dear Editor,
Being a lover of Mexico and experiencing
five glorious months here every year, I read
devoutly the PV Mirror each week in print and
at home. It is a publishing geared to tourists
without a doubt.
I have visited on occasion the two downtown
markets on Saturday and the Marina market on
Thursday where I am encouraged to buy a jar
of jam that I can buy at home for $2 for $8 at
these markets. I am surprised by the number
of booths that are owned and operated with
their overpriced goods by Norte Americanos
and not Mexicans. I am priced 45 Pesos for a
Arrachera that can be purchased for 25 Pesos
elsewhere. Yes, I am not impressed or pleased
by this experience.
I come to this wonderful country to enjoy
it and its people. Nowhere have I found this
experience to be more authentic and satisfying
than the Sunday Mojoneras Tiangus. This is
a Mexican market where all of the booths are
owned and operated by Mexicans, the goods
are priced right, and the experience amazing.
You mingle with Mexicans, eat their food at
reasonable prices, and find all kinds of stuff.
It is a flea market that takes up almost the
entire village, endless, with over 600 vendors
selling everything imaginable from new and
used clothing, shoes, electronics, kitchen
wares, DVD’s and CD’s, fruits and vegetables
- cheaper and fresher than the Mega, Soriana,
and Comercial stores, food booths with soups,
stews, quesadillas, tacos, etc. Street after
street, after street of booths. Be careful not to
trip over the chickens running free or forget to
pet the baby goat.
On the main street, take the Mojoneras bus
towards the airport. Past the Corona factory,
you’ll go up a 4-lane boulevard divided street,
the turn left into Mojoneras, and then turn
right to a beautiful park called the Zocolo. Get
off here and it’s right in front of you.
It’s on every Sunday and this is Mexico the
way it is meant to be seen.
Garry Hershberg
John Ward
Bowmanville, ON
Issue 281
5
March 2014
6
OBITUARY
LaVinda Coit
Hojalata - Tin Work
1932 – 2014
L
aVynda Coit was born in
Abilene, Texas, on January
2, 1932. She passed away
March 4, 2014, here in her
home in Puerto Vallarta.
LaVynda, known to many
friends as “Vanda” lived many
years in PV before deciding
(somewhere around 1982) to
build a “palapa home” in Las
Animas. That beautiful home,
built by well known architect
Salvador (Cachi) Perez, was
visited by many friends.
Some were famous, maybe a
few were “infamous”.
In or around 2001 due to
difficulties and declining
health, “Vanda” returned to
PV. Those of us who knew
and loved her, especially those
who were near her during the
“Las Animas period”, have
had their lives enriched and
been given unforgettable
memories.
Thank You, Vanda, now you
may REST in PEACE.
LaVynda Ann Coit is
survived by her two sons,
Michael and Bruce Coit, as
well as four grandchildren:
Katherine, Lindsey, Taylor
and Zachery.
Within PV
By Mary Stehley
H
ammering
designs
out
of tin that become frames for
photographs, mirrors and paintings,
treasure boxes and decorative
embellishment like Frida’s winged
heart, is a traditional art form in
San Miguel de Allende. You can’t
miss the tinkering of tools on metal
in San Miguel. It’s everywhere,
in all neighborhoods. Literally
hundreds, if not a thousand people
or more work in tin. Known as
hojalata, hand-hammered tin is
beautiful and lightweight.
Issue 281
There are a handful of families
that go back more than one hundred
years, to 1910, when a metal worker,
Aucensio Llamas moved to San
Miguel from Jerez Zacatecas. For
25 years, he made and repaired
milk cans, oil lamps and colanders
for making atole. There was no
tourism at that time, therefore,
there was no market for decorative
or religious tin work.
That all changed in 1934 when
Stirling Dickinson, an artist
from Chicago, made San Miguel
de Allende his home. In 1938
Dickinson became the director of
the Escuela Universitaria de Bellas
Artes in San Miguel.
March 2014
Dickinson actively promoted the
new school, visiting universities
and cultural centers and handing
out flyers in several U.S. cities.
The school mostly targeted foreign
students and wealthy Mexicans, but
also offered low-cost workshops
for local students, teaching
traditional weaving, tin work and
pottery techniques and thus helping
to preserve their cultural traditions.
It was during Dickinson’s time
at the university that a market for
decorative tin pieces developed
along with creative inspiration
and eventually an industry that put
almost all of San Miguel to work.
Most of the work in San Miguel
is still done the old way, hammered
on lead plugs or into indentations
on their palos – tree stumps with
smoothed out indentations from
the years of hammering and rolling
the ball edge of a hammer around a
piece of tin.
At Faith Colectiva, we have a
large collection of tin mirrors,
hearts and the winged heart made
famous by Frida Kahlo. Faith
Colectiva is located at 314 Basilio
Badillo in the Romantic Zone on
the south side of town.
Within PV
T
he Asociacion de Comercios y Turismo (ACT LGBT) is committed to form
a broad-based legal coalition, representative of the various interests of LGBT
owned and managed businesses, LGBT
friendly businesses and professionals
in Puerto Vallarta to promote economic
growth and prosperity through public and
private sector advocacy and to represent
the common business interests and opportunities of its members in decisions of the
city authorities.
“We are happy to announce that we
have recently obtained an official Deed of
Incorporation with the State of Jalisco”,
announnced Roberto Ortiz de Montellano,
ACT LGBT BOD President.
ACT LGBT is a non-profit organization
with no political ties and has the following
mandates:
1. To provide a networking platform that supports the development of
LGBT businesses
2.
To enhance and improve the image of the LGBT community in Puerto Vallarta’s business community
3.
To educate and collaborate with
local businesses and government to create
opportunities across the city
4. Create strategies to strengthen
the destination’s positioning as a worldclass LGBT-friendly resort
Puerto Vallarta Garden Club news
5. To enhance the experience of
the LGBT visitor to Puerto Vallarta by
promoting excellence in service delivery
Its board consists of ten committed
national and foreign professionals and
business owners, recognized for their
experience and their varied business expertise in PV’s LGBT community. In
order to ensure overall success and visibility, each member will head a committee with the purpose of identifying
issues of importance to all members and
develop a strategic plan to address them.
The Membership Committee has just
recently announced the kick-off of the
membership drive and the benefits of
becoming a member.
The Puerto Vallarta Garden
Club will be holding a meeting on
Thursday, March 20th at 11 a.m. at
the Paradise Community Center.
This time, the speaker will be
Bruce Beckler, landscape designer,
B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture.
He also worked for the Vancouver
parks system for twenty years.
Mr. Beckler will speak on “What to Plant and Where”.
*****
The overwhelming success of our cocktail party at Casa
Chickie to raise money for the upcoming Bugambilia
Festival May 9, 10 & 11, has opened yet another door.
An anonymous donor has put forth an interesting
challenge: he/she wants the PV Garden Club to have
their much needed water truck and will match funds up to
$80,000 pesos!!
The catch is: deadline is March 30th. Whoever this donor
is was impressed by the brief speech given by Bugambilia
Festival Chair Kimberley Bennett who spoke of all the
beautification advances already made by the PVGC, but
was stymied as to how to make sure all the plantings are
watered. Her plea for a used truck that we could refit with
a water tank did not fall on deaf ears.
So, ladies and gentlemen, kindly help us make this
gigantic $80,000-peso step forward a reality and give
whatever you can before the end of March.
A hundred Bougainvilleas thank you...
P.S. we have raised $40,000 pesos so we are HALF WAY
THERE!
For more information and to donate, please contact
Kimberley at [email protected] or Matthias at
[email protected]
Membership is open to all businesses
and individuals who align themselves with
the mission and goals of the association.
Membership is $1,500.00 pesos a year and
some of the main benefits include:
- Use of the ACT LGBT logo to add
credibility to your business
- Training in legal, marketing, development and employment issues
- Networking opportunities to make
useful business contacts
- Benefit from discounts offered to
fellow members
- Official representation with city authorities
Visit
https://www.facebook.com/
groups/GEGPV/ for more information
on how to become a member of the
strongest LGBT business association in
Mexico and start taking full advantage
of all its benefits.
Issue 281
7
March 2014
8
Within PV
From the Saturday Market Co-0p…
By Charlynn Robertson
D
istinctive. That is Alejandra
Landrón de Guevara Guerena’s
jewelry. Alejandra is distinctive,
too. She is a descendant of one of the
families of old Puerto Vallarta; 100%
Vallartenese.
Just as her family loves Puerto
Vallarta, Alejandra is in love with
its natural beauty and Mexican
art, overall. She is a self-taught
jewelry artist and her individuality is
characteristic in her lovely creations.
For over 10 years, she has been making
jewelry, choosing only the best quality
natural stones like quartz, turquoise,
onyx, the pearls of the river that are
always in vogue and, now, opal.
Alejandra is a self-described
romantic. As such, she likes to work
with all kinds of hearts and religious
themes. Her jewelry stands out because
all her pieces are unique, incorporating
vivid color.
Each necklace is
exceptional as no design is repeated.
This includes the beautiful rosaries she
designs. They are striking both in their
design and functionality. Her jeweled
mosaic hearts are popular because of
their extraordinary magnificence. Her
bracelets include the current global
interests, such as the mustache charms
that are currently popular.
In her second year at the market,
Alejandra loves being amongst the
distinctive group of vendors. Each
brings their unique talent to the
market, making it one of the best. She
loves the challenge of making sure
she continues to evolve her talent.
Alejandra speaks only Spanish, yet
her wonderful personality shines as
brightly as some of her jewelry and
she is a favorite at the market. She
communicates through her jewelry
and lovely personality. She, happily,
says that her family is very important
to her and she has their full support in
her jewelry business. Her confidence,
also, shows in her belief that there are
always good things to come in her life
and her work.
Oscar Santiago is another market
Issue 281
vendor with a distinctive family
history and art. Oscar is 100% Oaxaca
Indian, speaking the dialect to this day.
What may surprise customers at first
is that Oscar speaks fluent English and
has a wonderful sense of humor. His
kidding around is part of his fantastic
and easy-going personality.
Oscar jumped on the looms at 12,
learning from his older brother, who
holds a special piece of Oscar’s heart
as he passed away last year. Oscar
comes from a long lineage of weavers.
Both his father and uncle are expert
weavers. They learned from their
father, Oscar’s grandfather.
The family expertise is evident in
the Oaxaca textiles Oscar sells at the
market. His market business includes
vibrant rugs, pillows, placemats
and napkins, among other products.
Each has been expertly created with
intricate designs that will delightfully
grace any home. They are weaved on
the family looms with the knowledge
obtained from their years of learning
the family skill at the hands of other
family members before them.
While using skills from the long
family history, Oscar make sure he
keeps up on current products. He
offers exquisitely loomed notebook
March 2014
covers in both large and smaller sizes.
The intricate designs are colorful and
functional. The woven placemats
join lively shades of thread with welldesigned practicality.
Oscar is gratified to have joined
the market in its first year. He enjoys
the professionalism of all vendors,
along with their product uniqueness
and quality. He believes this offers
customers a market that is distinct
from some of the others.
An involved family man, Oscar’s
pride in his family heritage is evident.
It clearly extends, also, to his wife,
Veronica and their three children. The
Oaxaca culture provides the support
for both the family and their business
in creating distinctive, beautiful
Oaxaca textiles for those attending the
market to purchase and enjoy.
The Saturday Market Co-Op is open
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday of
the year at the Paradise Community
Center, 127 Pulpito, across from
Coco’s Kitchen.
Within PV
9
IFC celebrates International Waffle Day: Waffle Breakfast at River Café on March 25th
By Janie Albright Blank
T
he International Friendship Club (IFC) is
celebrating International Waffle Day by holding a
Waffle Breakfast at the River Café on March 25.
The breakfast will begin at 9:30 a.m. with tickets
available online, at the IFC Clubhouse, or at the
door for $200 pesos per person. It also happens to
be Pecan Day so the “signature” waffle will be a
Pecan Waffle.
The ticket includes your choice of a Pecan Waffle
topped with Banana Sauce, a Classic Waffle topped
with Chocolate and Strawberries or Apples and
Cinnamon, or for the traditionalist a Denver Omelet
with ham, bell pepper, onion and cheese served with
roasted potatoes will also be available. All meals
come with Juice, and coffee or tea. Your gratuity
is included in your ticket price. The breakfast will
have door prizes and raffle tickets for some great
items donated by generous local merchants.
The money raised from the Waffle Breakfast will
Issue 281
assist a very worthy food aid program, the IFC Rice
and Beans Program. This is a program that has been
in existence for many years. The program provides
food aid to community centers that support children
and families in economic need. Most of the centers
assist kids with homework, have a before or after
school program, and some have English or Math
classes or courses in nutrition and hygiene.
March 2014
Some centers have extended classes that teach
sewing, knitting, crochet, sandal/shoe making and
jewelry making to parents.
The rice and beans program reaches out to
hundreds each month and contributes to thousands
of meals throughout the Puerto Vallarta community.
Susan Harrie Davalos, RN, volunteer Chair of the
IFC Community Service Committee, says, “The IFC
is one of the rays of sunshine that radiates through
Puerto Vallarta and makes it the wonderful, caring
city it has become. The IFC is made up of these
same wonderful, caring people whose goal is to
make a change for the better in the lives of others.”
For more information you can go to: ifcvallarta.com
The International Friendship Club is a
registered charitable organization in Mexico
listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de
Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is located at the northeast
corner of the Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC
Bank downtown. Phone: 222-5466. Website:
ifcvallarta.com. Email: [email protected]
10
The 7 Arts
PV Men’s Chorus event
T
he marquis has been lit, the date has been set and the
show must go on - it’s the Puerto Vallarta Men’s Chorus
DE COLORES Dinner, Dance and Auction!
Join us Saturday, March 29th at Blanca Blue Restaurant
(Garza Blanca Resort) for one of our community’s most
unique and inspiring events.
DE COLORES will be a culinary delight that features
the musical talents of the PVMC. Upon arrival, guests
will be offered a welcome drink and ushered into Blanca
Blue’s elegant lobby. Enjoy the striking view of Los Arcos rocks and Banderas Bay while waiters
serve a variety of sumptuous hors-d’oeuvres and browse the intriguing variety of silent auction items.
A 3-course dinner with wine will be served in the luxurious bayfront dining room prepared by the
Garza Blanca chef. A Chorus concert and a live auction follow with surprising and exciting “live”
items. The evening will culminate with dancing to the beat of Los Bambinos! What an elegant way
to support the first gay men’s chorus in Mexico! Be prepared for a Noche Magica!
The PVMC is more than a chorus. With so many exciting concert venues and worthwhile causes, we
are increasingly looking for opportunities to fulfill our mission of building bridges of understanding
through quality concerts.
This season we sang twice at the PuRR Project Bingo, gave two free
concerts at Los Arcos amphitheater on the Malecon, performed at Teatro
Vallarta for our holiday concert - Magica Navidad, participated in a benefit
for the Bucerias Children’s Library at Los Arroyos Verdes and sang in the
Mardi Gras Parade. We will sing at the Bugambilia Festival on May 10 and
in two Pride concerts with Reveille, the Tucson Men’s Chorus, on May 23.
We are more than a Chorus; we are a part of this vibrant, caring community.
We know that this year’s De Colores event will be fabulous and fun!
Come and share this lovely evening with the PVMC!
Tickets are available at Mail Boxes Etc, in Molino Plaza in the Romantic
Zone (corner of I.L. Vallarta and Aquiles Serdan) and Cassandra Shaw
Jewelry, 276 Basilio Badillo. Ticket prices are $1000 pesos per person for
the PVMC’s DE COLORES Dinner, Dance and Auction!
Join Us!
Issue 281
March 2014
The 7 Arts
11
Bruce Vilanch: 6-time Emmy® Award winner
makes his PV debut at The Palm Cabaret!
L
egendary comedian Bruce Vilanch, the
6-time Emmy® Award-winning and hilarious
head writer for The Academy Awards,
accomplished film actor, Broadway Star and
TV personality, will perform a cabaret style
one-man comedy show beginning March 18
through 31, 2014.
As head comedy writer, Bruce has scripted
most of the Academy Award® telecasts over
the last two decades, collaborating with the
likes of Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, and
David Letterman. He’s won Emmy® awards
for co-writing back-to-back Oscar shows with
Billy Crystal, with one of them featuring the
now infamous Hannibal Lecter opening.
Bruce is perhaps best known to the public
for his 4-year stint on Hollywood Squares, as
a celebrity participant, also serving as the head
comedy writer for the show.
Issue 281
In 2000, he performed off-Broadway in his
self-penned, one-man show, Bruce Vilanch:
Almost Famous. Bruce also spent two years
playing Edna Turnblad, Baltimore housewife
and superstar, on tour and on Broadway, in the
smash musical adaptation of the John Waters
film, Hairspray.
In the early 70’s, Bruce met then-struggling
nightclub singer Bette Midler. She hired
him to write for her, which resulted in the
famed Sophie Tucker material she’s used in
her concerts and recordings. Over the years,
Bruce has maintained his friendship with
Bette, working on such projects with her as
the feature film “Divine Madness”, and the TV
special “Bette Midler - Diva Las Vegas”, as
well as writing for her sitcom, “Bette!” He’s
also provided material to Richard Pryor, Lily
Tomlin, Joan Rivers, Billy Crystal, Roseanne
Barr, Rosie O’Donnell, Paul Reiser, Dame
Elizabeth Taylor, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith,
and Robin Williams.
Bruce was nominated for an Emmy® as a
lyricist on Eartha Kitt’s gold-selling album,
“Where Is My Man”. He’s also written
for the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy awards
shows, and has roasted celebrities from Dame
Elizabeth Taylor to President Bill Clinton. He
also penned “You Made Me Watch You”, the
touching Emmy® winning song Bette Midler
sang to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show,
upon his retirement in 1992.
Bruce will join the stellar line-up of
performers who have appeared at The Palm
Cabaret and Bar this season. The Palm is wellknown for bringing top notch, cutting-edge
entertainment to Vallarta. Inside you’ll find
an intimate, completely refurbished 90-seat
cabaret with outstanding sound and lighting,
creating the ambience of cabarets from days
gone by. Shows are scheduled seven nights
per week, with two different shows nightly
through April 5, 2014. A full calendar of
shows, dates and times is available at www.
ThePalmPV.com
March 2014
12
Cocktails
6 to 10 pm
The 7 Arts
Opening at Galleria Dante
Juana Cortez
Galleria Dante
is located at
269 Basilio Badillo.
Oscar Solis
Friday, March 21 , 2014
Friday, March 21th, 2014
th
B
orn in Apatzingan, Michoacan, Juana began her journey in
paint under the teachings of artist Oscar Solis who, as her mentor,
was the person instrumental in helping her achieve images filled
with intense color. The artistic aim of Cortez’ paintings is to
convey the essence of her roots, to leave that information for
posterity of future generations.”
She has a university
degree in Biochemistry and
has worked as a chemist,
mother and housewife. Once
her husband became better
known, she started helping
him out with paintings until
she finally had her first solo
show in Ajijic in 2005 at the
Gathering Place Gallery.
Now Juana has her own
following and often she
and her husband switch
styles. Juana has a beauty
that radiates from within
and it is the same light that
she uses to paint breath in
the women she paints. Both
artists paint in photographic
realism. They are proud of
their culture and they love to paint their people.
“The work of artist Juana Cortez represents the reality of the
world she knew through her grandmother - a proud member of an
indigenous group rich in culture and rituals. “The great diversity
of themes within Oscar Solis’ paintings reflects his self taught
skills, as well as a need to communicate his emotions in a simple
and fascinating way.
Oscar & Juana, both great artists, like to paint different
cultures, but Juana says there is still some competition between
them. While Juana depicts the various Mexican cultures in their
traditional dress, detailing out the lace and fabrics, Oscar paints
everything from horses, birds, still life, nudes, Africans, anything
so as not to get bored or trapped with anyone subject.
They are such a delightful couple. Anyone who meets them
is impressed with their gentle, soft-spoken manners and their
incredible talent. Their paintings say it all, so we will say no more
- it is better said with photos, truly worth a thousand words.
Issue 281
Solis was born in Apatzingan, Michoacan in 1958, and started sketching
and coloring as a youth, excelling in the drawing classes at his primary and
secondary schools. As a teen, he knew he wanted to become a painter, so
he taught himself how to paint. With confidence and inspiration, he left
home and headed to Guadalajara to become an artist. This turned out to be
a very difficult task, as he had to earn a living by doing portraits – knocking
door to door.
Solis has experienced many ups and downs in his career as a painter.
One of the most dramatic and challenging periods occurred in 1986 when
he decided to give up painting, burning all his paintings, oils, paintbrushes
and easels. For the next ten years, he did not even touch a brush, but when
he started again, the results were amazing. After painting numerous styles
under various pseudonyms, he still believes his best works of art are his two
children, Oscar and Maria Libertad. And he and his beautiful wife, Juana
are inseparable, as they often paint together. Now they inspire each other.
Today, this is his primary way of expression and he continues the creative
process believing that more and more people will become familiar with and
admire his beautiful art.
Solis paints in the distinct style called photographic realism and the
themes of his paintings include indigenous tribes of Mexico, horses, birds,
still-life and Africans, Apaches...
He is proud of his culture and he loves to paint these images in his works.
However he is a restless man, always looking for new subject matter. Most
recently, he’s been tackling abstracts.
The great diversity of themes within Oscar Solis’ paintings reflect his
self-taught skills, as well as a need to communicate his emotions in a simple
and fascinating way.
Oscar Solis’ statement: “Today, for me, painting, is an activity of life, but
it is also a job and a language where everything is silent. In realism, there
exists something far more evident, a dialogue, a communication of multiple
ineffable relations. That is something small, but of the greatest importance
that exists in what we to do day to day.”
March 2014
The 7 Arts
13
Dionisio Theater Group Premieres Las Anécdotas del Miembro at Act II Stages
D
ionisio Theater Group premieres its third
play production: Las Anécdotas del Miembro,
in Spanish, next March 18th. Founded in 2012,
this local theater group had a great success with
La Ley del Ranchero and Abuelita de Batman.
For their third play, they have prepared a
project written by themselves, actors involved
and their new director.
“We were reading different authors to find
our third project and one day we found a text
with several monologues talking about male
sexuality and we got the idea for this play from
there. That text inspired us to start writing our
own version, more fresh and youthful” says
Cesar Trujillo who debuts with this play as a
theater director.
Las Anécdotas del Miembro will present
three actors on stage running short monologues
from the point of view of their own sexuality.
And under the premise: who dominates
whom? The man to his sex or the sex to the
Issue 281
man? In the cast are: Juan Pablo Hernandez
who is currently hosting The Voice of Vallarta,
Juan Carlos Ramírez who previously starred
in and directed La Ley del Ranchero, and
Oliver Michelena, also a member of La Ley
del Ranchero where he played a transsexual.
Debutant director Cesar Trujillo made his
first appearance on stage in 1995 under Alberto
Fabian´s direction for Puerto Vallarta’s
Municipal Group Theater.
March 2014
Since then he has participated in more than
ten plays and last year was awarded as an actor
for his role in La Ley del Ranchero during a
theater competition in Jalisco. He has also
made guest appearances on film, a series of
American television and more recently a
cameo in a Mexican soap opera.
Las Anécdotas del Miembro will be
presented at Stages on March 18, 24, 25 and
31. And April 6, 13, 19 and 26 at 8 pm. General
entrance is $80 pesos per person.
Helping SETAC
As it has since its first two projects, Dionisio
Group Theater will donate entrance proceeds
of one show to a civil association. And for the
second time, it has chosen SETAC, responsible
for promoting respect for the human rights of
people living with HIV, as well maintaining
other non-profit programs offered to the
community at large. The entrance proceeds of
March 31st will be donated to this association.
14
The 7 Arts
This week at Act II STAGES…
Act II is having so much fun with LORNA LUFT! If
you haven’t made it to her show, there may still be a few
tickets left! Don’t miss hearing Judy Garland’s daughter
sing! She definitely inherited gobs of talent! Only two
more performances-March 14 and 15! A lovely dinner
package at Daiquiri Dick’s is available for Ms. Luft’s
show. And don’t miss SCOTT NEVINS, the hilarious
hottie, Lorna’s friend and emcee in his One Performance
Only in The Red Room, on March 14th at 10 p.m.
Act II’s hit comedy, The Ritz, is back March
19-29. Full of laughter and suspense, the farce is
set in a gay bathhouse in Manhattan, where
unsuspecting heterosexual Cleveland businessman
Gaetano
Proclo
has
taken
refuge
from
his homicidal mobster brother-in-law, Carmine Vespucci.
There Gaetano stumbles across an assortment of oddball
characters, including a rabid chubby chaser, go-go boys,
a squeaky-voiced detective, and Googie Gomez, a thirdrate Puerto Rican entertainer with visions of Broadway glory who mistakes him for a famous producer and whom
he mistakes for a man in drag. Further complications arise
when Gaetano’s wife Vivian tracks him down and jumps
to all the wrong conclusions about his sexual preferences.
Issue 281
March 2014
Sunday, March 16th is another opportunity to see
the FRIDA SHOW on the Main Stage. This lovely
interpretive dance, based on the life of Frida Kahlo, has
been so successful that we are bringing it back for two
more Sundays, and then giving the Mexican national
show a permanent once a week home through the season!
Also on Sunday at 8 p.m., come join the fun and suspense
at The Voice Of Vallarta, the only reality show in town!
Eliminations have brought the field of contestants from 24
down to just 5. Who will be the “Voice” of Vallarta? You,
the audience, help decide their fate!
True to our promise to merge the expat and national
communities, Act II hosts LAS ANECDOTAS
DEL MIEMBRO, kicking off the Spanish language
programming this Tuesday on the Main Stage (see separate
article). We at Act II are proud to announce the opening of
ENCORE, our new, elegant piano bar! No more waiting
in a crowded lobby before a show! Come relax and have a
cocktail before and after your favorite show. You can also
enjoy very nice wines by the glass at Encore. Watch the
PV Mirror for upcoming schedules, drink specials, singalongs and other live talent performing there! There is no
cover charge for Encore Piano Bar.
This week in The Red Room Cabaret, we invite you to
hear the stunning music of Kim Kuzma and her live band
Acustico on Friday and Sunday. Kim is one of Vallarta’s
local stars and her show is always sold out - so get your
tickets early to hear this talented singer perform musical
magic that will leave you wanting more, more, more!
Miss Conception takes the stage with 2 hit shows on
Monday and another on Thursday. “Miss C” has more
energy than an active volcano, performing songs from
Broadway hits and entertaining the audience with spot on
impersonations of favorite stars.
Tuesday, The Red Room hosts Steve Elliott, an award
winning ELVIS impersonator. Steve performs as the
young Elvis and is dead-to-rights the best you will ever
see and hear - 3 shows only!
The later show on Tuesday at 10:30 is the delightful
Hollywood Legends, performed by Emmy Award Winner
Chi Chi Rones! Chi Chi performs your Broadway
favorites with all live singing and witty audience repartee.
You’ll think you are right in Manhattan!
In The Red Room on Wednesday, the very famous
impersonator LADY BUNNY makes her Puerto Vallarta
debut (see separate article). Wednesday and Saturday
catch Chi Chi Rones and Joanna as the DUELING
DRAG DIVAS. This show is a sell=out twice a week,
so come early to get seats. Trip Advisor has this show as
Vallarta’s #1 attraction!
For tickets and detailed information, please visit www.
actiientertainment.com or www.vallartatickets.com
The 7 Arts
15
NYC drag royalty appearing at Act II STAGES:
LADY BUNNY!!!
The
raunchy, demented drag diva of
Wigstock fame presents her first Puerto
Vallarta full-length one-woman show in The
Red Room Cabaret. Fast-paced and actionpacked with glitzy costumes and Bunny’s
trademark gravity-defying bouffant wig, That
Ain’t No Lady! is a cabaret designed for a night
club crowd; no lengthy monologues or sappy
show tunes here. For mature audiences who
enjoy irreverent humor! Since there are a lot
of pop music parodies, this show is especially
well-suited to audiences who have some
familiarity with pop music so that they’ll know
the original versions which are being parodied.
Unlike her position on Rupaul’s Drag U on
Logo as the Dean of Drag giving contestants
“Lady Lessons”, Bunny’s deliciously bawdy
brand humor is far from ladylike. Bunny
re-works pop songs into hysterical parodies,
using recent smashes and sprinkles in zany
Laugh-In style joke routines for added
politically incorrect fun.
Lady Bunny is a successful comedienne,
emcee, singer, songwriter, actress, DJ, and,
most famously, the founder, organizer, and
hostess of Wigstock, the outrageous festival
of drag and music that had been delighting
over 40,000 New Yorkers and tourists visiting
Issue 281
New York for the event, every Labor Day for
over 20 years. The feature film, Wigstock,
The Movie, which chronicled the event from
preparation to performance day, was produced
specifically about this popular event and Lady
Bunny, and has been re-released on DVD.
Bunny tours constantly, bringing down the
house from Cincinnati to Tel Aviv with her
bawdy, Dusty Springfield-meets-Don-Rickles
mix of potty-mouthed humor, Southern
charm, zany “Laugh-In”-style skits, and
X-rated pop song parodies. She has emceed
events around the world ranging from Van
Cleef Arpels corporate parties to Gay Pride
Parades and has shared the stage with the
likes of Pamela Anderson, Margaret Cho,
Dennis Rodman, Cyndi Lauper, k.d. Lang,
Rupaul and the B-52’s, just to name a few.
As a journalist, Bunny has written a weekly
“Star Style Report” for Star Magazine. She also
writes regularly for various other publications
such as Visionaire, Paper, Instinct, Genre, V,
Interview and Time Out New York. Frequent
TV and film appearances also bring Bunny’s
name to the worldwide masses. As a talking
head for TV networks like E! and VH1 and
with appearances on Comedy Central’s “Pam
Anderson Roast,” HBO’s “Sex and the City”;
Britney Spears’ MTV special “In the Zone &
Up All Night,” as well as feature films such
as Not Another Gay Movie 2, Dragtime,
Party Girl, and To Wong Foo, Thanks for
Everything! Julie Newmar, Lady Bunny
is no stranger to the various demographic
pools.
Bunny’s even been consistently
mentioned on the international hit show “Will
& Grace,” cementing her status as an icon.
That Ain’t No Lady provides over an hour of
laughs for a decidedly affordable price. Lady
Bunny’s singing has been known to drive
audiences to drink, and there is no better
place for that than Act II STAGES. Lady
Bunny opens in The Red Room on March
19th. For more information, please visit www.
actiientertainment.com For tickets please visit
www.vallartatickets.com, or stop by the Box
Office at Act II STAGES. Hours of Operation:
1 to 10 pm 7 days a week. Tels.: 222-2357 or
222-1512.
March 2014
16
The 7 Arts
On the Paradise Stage “The Best of the Bay”
P
aradise Stage has become the place to hear live
music in a comfortable concert setting. The stage at
Paradise Community Center on Vallarta’s south side
is overflowing with world class talent. Elisabeth Von
Trapp, Time 2 Play, The Blonde Gypsies and Luna
Rumba all grace the stage this week. Unbelievable!
On Saturday, March 15, at 8 p.m. we have Elisabeth
von Trapp. For Elisabeth, “the sounds of music“
are part of her earliest memories. Born and raised
in Vermont, Elisabeth is the granddaughter of the
legendary Maria and Baron von Trapp, whose story
inspired The Sound of Music. Singing professionally
since childhood, Elisabeth has enthralled audiences
from European cathedrals to Washington D.C.’s
Kennedy Center.
Just read these reviews: “Her voice is hauntingly
clear and her lyrics tender and romantic.” (New
York Times). “Before the concert is over she will
have the crowd gasping with the sheer beauty of her
voice.” (Boston Globe). “Von Trapp sings softly
with an astonishing clarity about disappointment,
the power of love and coming of age... Her music
reflects her classical training and her love of folk
music.” (Chicago Tribune). Note: Tickets for this
special, one-night engagement are $250 pesos
general and $350 pesos reserved. VIP tickets are
sold out. Purchase tickets online at VallartaTickets.
com or at the PCC box office, 127 Pulpito 127,
during Saturday Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tickets may
be available at the door at 6:30 p.m.
Next up with their special St. Patrick’s Day tribute
is Vallarta’s own Time 2 Play on Sunday, March
16th at 7pm and Monday, March 17 at 8pm. “Gettin’
Lucky” rocks Paradise Stage with the eclectic
sounds and Irish bantor of Time 2 Play’s popular
band of merry musicians.
Issue 281
Known for their tight harmonies and unique
instrumentals, multi- talented performers feature
romantic duets by Garry Carson (Guitar/Vocals) and
Joy Lehman (“Voice of an Angel”), light hearted
classics with Mary MacLachlan(Violin/Vocals) and
Lois Rogers (Keyboard/Vocals), comedic novelties
by Don MacLachlan (Bass/Vocals), favorite folk
medleys, and rockin’ rhythms of Enrique Jimenez on
Drums. Sounds and fun you can’t get anywhere else!
And it gets better! For these two nights, Peter from
our own BagelWorld will be cooking up some Irish
food. Here is the 3-course menu for only 125 pesos
and while it lasts: Appetizer: Choice of Irish potato
salad or potato leak soup, Dinner: Choice of Reuben
sandwich with pickles or Boiled dinner (corned
beef, potatoes, cabbage and carrots). Dessert: Irish
cream trifle.
On Wednesday, the Blonde Gypsies (Latcho and
Andrea) are back for their final performance of the
season. Their Gypsy-Flamenco-Rumba guitar licks
and rhythm along with their passion have been
a huge hit this season. In their own words, “Our
life purpose is to bring the heart and soul of Gypsy
music to audiences worldwide in live performances
and recordings. To inspire people with what inspired
us.”
And inspire they do! To wit: “You must hear the
Blond Gypsies, experience them… words will never
convey what gets us all up dancing and clapping.
Colourful comes to mind when I think of Latcho and
Andrea and as I listen to them play, even when I close
my eyes the colour is bright and powerful” (Cindy
Bouchard). “Heard you Jan 18 on the Paradise
Stage, sitting front row center. Best concert/music
I’ve heard in years in Puerto Vallarta, and we’ve live
here part of the year since 1985.
March 2014
Please add us to your mailing list, we will be back!”
(John & Judi Baldwin). “You will not want to miss
this show ...one of the best in PV” (Sue Rideout).
And there is more! On Thursday, our “Best of
the Bay” series continues with Luna Rumba. We
introduced them to Vallarta and their fan base
here continues to grow. Luna Rumba is a world
music group featuring Cheko Ruiz on vocals and
guitar, George “Geo” Uhrich on violin, mandolin
and guitars and Carlos Mancilla on drums and
percussion. Their music is a fusion of Gypsy,
Latin, Celtic, Flamenco, Middle Eastern and Rock,
all spiced up with hot Rumba and Cuban rhythms.
From beautiful, romantic ballads to fiery dance
pulsations, the group delights a diverse audience
with its infectious sounds.
Speaking of “world class” and the “Best of
the Bay” and excellent reviews, last year a song
that Cheko wrote won finalist in the World Music
Category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
This was literally out of thousands of entrants.
Another song off the CD entitled “Espiritu Amor”,
written by Geo, was awarded “Honorable Mention”
in the USA International Songwriting Contest number 2 in the world in the instrumental category!
Don’t miss this concert!
All shows start at 8 p.m. (except Time 2 Play,
Sunday at 7 p.m.) and, being good neighbors, end
by 10 p.m. General seating is only 200 pesos.
Reserved seats are 300 pesos and includes a free
drink. VIP seats sell out first at $350 pesos including
stage front seating and 2 free drinks. Tickets can
be purchased at the Paradise Community Center,
Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or
online at ParadiseCommunityCenter.com
The 7 Arts
Time 2 Play celebrates St. Pat’s Day by
“Gettin’ Lucky” on Paradise Stage
Back
by popular demand, Vallarta’s band of merry
musicians, Time 2 Play, heats up the stage, March 16 at 7
p.m., and March 17 at 8 p.m. at the Paradise Community
Center with a high energy toe tappin’ musical show topped off
with lots of Irish humor and on stage banter.
Time 2 Play’s unique brand of music delivers tight 4 part
vocals and their own instrumentation on piano, guitar, violin,
bass and drums. The six member ensemble’s very eclectic
repertoire spans blues, jazz, country, folk, and classical, all
delivered with virtuosity and heart. After giving the musicians standing ovations for their
February shows, audience members commented: “The fun/
enthusiasm among the group was infectious,” (N. Schuh), and
“I can’t remember smiling this much,” (J. Janson.) “Guest
drummer Enrique Jimenez brings rhythm and joy to all
concerts,” (G Beck.)
In “Gettin’ Lucky”, you’ll romp along to the fast pace and
fun of naughty novelty numbers by Don; romantic duets by Joy
and Garry; and the instrumental virtuosity of Mary and Lois.
“We want to reflect the diverse musical experiences of all our
members and also deliver crowd pleasing entertainment, tailor
made for our growing and enthusiastic audiences.”
There will be something here for everyone.” promises T2P
vocalist and guitar player, Garry Carson.
Get your tickets now for Time 2 Play at Paradise Community
Center, March 16 (7:00 PM) and March 17 at 8:00 PM. Doors
open early for the newly expanded Food Court and Bar. All
net proceeds for PCC are donated to outreach programs to
underserved communities near Puerto Vallarta. Services
include hot lunches, English lessons, no-interest loans for start
up businesses and much more. For information, please go
to: CompassioNetImpact.com
You’ll get lucky when you buy your tickets at the PCC
Box Office or on line at ParadiseCommunityCenter.
com and VallartaTickets.com
Issue 281
17
Yelapa returns to its roots in art
with Kyle Lind
T
he weather here is nothing short of perfect, the people warm and
kind, and the scenery no less than spectacular. There are no cars or
roads that lead to Yelapa, making the journey a magical one by boat.
Upon arrival, you will be greeted by warm ocean air and a beautiful
display of mountains and jungle. A short walk from the pier, and a
beautiful exhibit located on the beach will draw you in.
There you will find Kyle Lind, and fall in love with the arts.
With everything from collector grade original artwork, and signed
giclés, to prints of varying sizes, this show has something to offer
everyone. Also introducing “God Art Me Fun”, an immense book
chronicling Lind’s life and his times. Featuring stories untold, art
abundant, and beauty for all. There will be live entertainment, a
world class laser show, local cuisine, an open bar and other surprises
for those bold enough to journey to paradise and experience the first
annual Luv in Art Festival, featuring Kyle August Lind.
March 2014
18
The 7 Arts
By Joe Harrington
300: Rise of Empire
B
efore the movie review, another
issue revisited: Next month I will
reach the end of the eighth year of
writing this weekly column. In all that
time I have never received an email as
supportive as the one I received from
Steve and Kay Van Slyke.
This involved my monster error of
mixing up who Tom Hanks put his
hand out to at the end of Sleepless
in Seattle: Meg Ryan or Melanie
Griffith. Rising to my defense came
this couple who wrote me:
“Dear Joe: Haven’t contacted you in
awhile.
“Kay and I knew you were going
to get a lot of flack over the Melanie Griffith gaff and we chose not to pile
on. My question is, didn’t any of those
that did point it out to you mention that
you probably just got your wires
crossed? I’m sure you knew Hanks
and Griffith co-starred in Bonfire
of the Vanities. You probably had
that image association in your mind
when you thought Sleepless-Hanksblonde-Griffith. A lot of people have
probably done the same or similar kind
of thing. You just had the misfortune
a mine’s payroll. When they draw
of doing it in print. Just checked and down on each other, the scene turns to
Bonfire and Sleepless were released slow motion as the bandits die. This
only three years apart, 1990 and 1993 worked wonderfully in expressing the
respectively, so chances are those reality of death. And our two lovable
memories are stored in the same bank robbers know it instantly as they
decide to go back to robbing banks neighborhood in your noggin.”
I would like to publicly thank the where they never had to kill anyone.
300: Rise of an Empire uses this
Van Dykes for their support.
Now on to the 300: Rise of an tool over and over and when the blade
Empire. This moment in history is strikes home the blood spurts directly
an example of the Biblical David at the viewer making full use of the
v. Goliath theme. Three hundred power of 3-D imagery. Unfortunately,
Spartans, an elite warrior caste, stood for this bomb, there are elements to a
against an enormous Persian army presentation beyond blood and gore.
I started this column off with a
who wanted to destroy Greece.
Every once in awhile, I dust off my mistake of mine and defense of
own rating system that consists of same. This movie about a historical
excellence being six bouquets of red event makes more of a mistake than
roses all the way to worst which is six switching names. Even the title is
emaciated turkeys. This installment wrong. Rise of what empire? Persia
of the 300 story of Greeks versus was an empire but got its butt kicked.
Persians actually rates not only six Greece was a collection of city states
trying to see if democracy worked.
turkeys but a new born poult.
Another example: In this paragraph
This movie takes gratuitous violence
to where no man has gone before. In I am going to have to dance about a
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid bit as children may read this. In the
there’s a scene where Paul Newman movie a certain word for a certain
and Robert Redford face off against act is used. Greece v. Persia was
six Bolivian banditos trying to rob around 2,500 years ago. The origin
Issue 281
March 2014
for this particular word finds its roots
in the English navy when ships were
wood and men were iron. It was an
abbreviated entry in the punishment
log and read: For Unusual Carnal
Knowledge. Now someone explain
to me how some Persian gal, 2,300
years earlier, who is unsatisfied with
the way she’s been bedded by a Greek
guy, can say, “You’re a bad f…?????”
And I get taken to task for mixing
up two actresses’ names? This movie
is going to need better defenders than
the Van Slykes, it’s going to need
miracle workers.
Of course, the teenage male
population has sent ticket sales through
the roof. But to a mature audience I
categorically and venomously state:
Stay away, stay away, stay very far
away. And if forced to go by teenaged
relatives, bring a barf bag.
Joe
Is an internationally published
true crime writer and
documentary filmmaker.
Send comments or criticism to
[email protected]
Artwork by Bob Crabb.
The 7 Arts
March Madness at
The Loft Galeria
19
New figurative paintings by Carlos
Cortes, Mario Cinquemani and
Bill White. Grand jungle paintings
by Nicola Wheston. Exquisite
landscapes of the South of France by
Dean Gazeley. Energetic, wonderful
dancers and ribald festival scenes by
Susan Seaberry. Wosene Kosrof’s
stunning abstract work continues to
enthrall us and new to the gallery this
year, and Paulina Vilchis delights with
her unique hand rendered printworks.
Many of these artists are truly making
their mark in expanding art circles and
their works are represented in public
and private collections throughout the
world.
Visit us at The Loft Galeria at 176-A
Corona, just steps up from the Malecon
in the Central Historic District of Puerto
Vallarta and enjoy the variety of strong
works of power and beauty that have
become its signature. Tel.: 222-6353.
At
The Loft Galeria we are
observing our 8th season in Puerto
Vallarta and we are celebrating.
Every year is a milestone for us as
we continue our love of fine art and
wonderful designs of unique and
beautiful wearable art jewelry.
Spring has sprung, and The Loft
is pleased to announce great end of
season values. March Madness has
set in. Old friends and new collectors
alike can expect to find significant
well-positioned works of value that
will uniquely add to one’s everyday
enjoyment for years to come.
In a time in which the appreciation
of painting, drawing and fine
printwork has seen a resurgence in
the international markets, The Loft
Galeria continues to exhibit beautiful
works of art from some of the finest
practitioners throughout the Americas.
Every Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m.
Issue 281
March 2014
20
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Map
March 2014
Map
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March 2014
22
The 7 Arts
Another fabulous line-up for your entertainment continues as the
weather warms and the air conditioning becomes more appealing.
Here are the upcoming weeks’ shows:
Under the Lights
I
t has been a week! From Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat to Reggae Night to The New York Radio Show to the
closing of Mass Appeal, the Boutique has been humming. With
the Writers’ Group meetings on Saturday mornings, the PV Men’s
Chorus practice Monday evenings and rehearsals for Calendar
Girls in Studio ‘B’, the place is busting at the seams with people!
What a place to work! Talent, music, drama (both on stage and
off!) and comedy lift the spirit and engage the mind.
Of course, to complement those wonderful moments are
cleaning bathrooms, washing floors, filling the coolers, sound
cues, lighting cues and general maintenance of a very busy place.
But with the help of the active theatre community, things get built,
repaired and maintained. Thank you to all who help!
Those of you who would like to get involved with the Boutique
Performing Arts Centre, please call us at 044 (322) 728-6878, or
drop by the theatre and get to know the crew.
Saturday Mar 15th
Sunday Mar 16th
Monday Mar 17th Tuesday Mar 18th Wednesday Mar 19th Thursday Mar 20th Friday Mar 21st Saturday Mar 22nd Sunday Mar 23rd
You know as well as we do that every show ever produced was
listed as either “fabulous”, “fantastic”, “must see” and “best show
ever”. At The Boutique, we know our family friendly shows are
produced with best efforts from the actors, directors, producers, light
and sound operators and backstage crew. The result is a warm, living
room feeling as these performers light up your evening by just being
there and the joy you feel when they perform better than you expect.
Come play with us and experience “The Boutique Moment”.
We are at the corner of Basilio Badillo and Naranjo.
www.theboutiquepv.com
Steven King
S
teven King, one of Puerto Vallarta’s favorite artists, is
presenting “Brilliant Landscapes” on Wednesday, March 19th, at
Galería Vallarta, 187 Guerrero. He is a master of portraying the
beautiful scenery of Mexico in his own impressionistic style in
acrylics and oils, with unusual combinations of bright colors that
add drama to the scene. His glorious palm forests and boats in
harbor are favorites. He loves to paint scenes in small Mexican
towns such as Boca de Tomatlan, Sayulita, Lo de Marcos and on
the coast of Baja.
Steven was born in Los Angeles, CA, and was introduced to the
practice of art at an early age by his father who was a syndicated
cartoonist. He studied painting, ceramics and wood and bronze
sculpting using the lost wax process. He has a home in Baja
California, and Bend, OR, and exhibits his art in several galleries
in Baja as well as California and Oregon.
Steven King has been a permanent exhibitor in Galería Vallarta
for many years, with a successful show every year. One of his
paintings was selected for the Becas Ball poster a few years ago.
Don’t miss the cocktail opening of his show on Wednesday,
March 19, 6 to 9 p.m., at Galería Vallarta where you can meet the
artist. The show will continue through March.
Issue 281
The New York Radio Show 7 pm
Alberto Mejia in Concert 8 pm
Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat 7 pm
Patsy Side ‘B’ 7 pm
The New York Radio Show 7 pm
Opening Night Calendar Girls 7 pm
Calendar Girls 7 pm
Calendar Girls 7 pm
Calendar Girls 4 pm
March 2014
Good Bites
MEXPUP benefit dinner at EL ARRAYÁN
Your Comments
[email protected]
Dear Editor,
We come to PV for 5 months of every
year and always look forward to the
great restaurants. This year our new
favorite is Old Town Bistro on Basilio
Badillo, past Café de Olla. We have
been there several times and enjoyed
breakfast, lunch and dinner (for which
they have separate menus). We think
they have the most varied menu of any
restaurant.
On the dinner menu you can find
French onion soup, mushroom caps, a
great selection of pastas, poultry, duck,
beef, etc. While we love Mexican food,
we often enjoy a menu like this one that
reminds us of home. However, they
also have a page of Mexican fare which
includes my favorite Chili En Nogada and
great enchiladas. The lunch menu is very
extensive, including a great beef dip.
The ambience of the restaurant,
the presentation of all dishes and
the service are all superb. Old Town
Bistro is comparable to some of the
most expensive restaurants in town,
however, the prices are very low. We
know restaurants here sometime take a
while to get started and the tourists line
up for all the old popular ones, but we
hope everyone will try the Old Town
Bistro!
D. Richardson
23
“Touching your heart for a noble cause”
On
Saturday, March 22nd, EL ARRAYÁN
Restaurant opens its doors and its heart to support
MEXPUP, a non-profit organization that voluntarily
rescues street dogs to care for them and find them a
forever home where they will be full of love.
Claudia and Carmen, owners of EL ARRAYÁN,
are active volunteers and have worked with this group
since it was formed, both commented: “This is a cause
that is very close to our hearts and we have been able
to share it with both our staff and our customers who
selflessly have been supporting this noble cause.”
For the third time, EL ARRAYÁN Restaurant adds
to this great effort, donating the full cost
of food for this dinner to benefit Mexpup.
A two-course menu will be offered at two
different times: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
The menu that Chef Alfonso Corona will
be cooking for the attendees’ pleasure and
to support this noble cause, includes:
Appetizers:
Jamaica Flower Quesadillas
Corn tortilla wit hibiscus
flower and melting cheese
or
Lettuce salad with avocado, tomato,
crispy tortilla & panela cheese
With spearmint vinaigrette
Main Courses to make your own tacos:
Cochinita pibil
Pork leg marinated in spices form Yucatán,
slowly cooked & then pulled, with onions
& habanero relish and refried black beans
or
Chicken with Mole
Homemade Mole with 14 ingredients,
shredded chicken, with rice and refried black beans
Issue 281
March 2014
Includes homemade salsas: Tomatillo-cilantro,
Fire roasted tomato-morita pepper,
Smoked chipotle- garlic
Freshly made corn tortillas made
with fresh regional corn masa
The price of this menu is $200 pesos p/p (not
including drinks or desserts) which will go to the full
support of MEXPUP for veterinary expenses, spay
& neuter, food and transportation. We ask you to
purchase tickets and support this noble cause, at the
following establishments: Cassandra Shaw Jewelry,
Coco’s Kitchen, Café Canela and EL ARRAYÁN.
For more information about Mexpup and
their work, please visit www.mexpup.com
About EL ARRAYÁN:
It is a Mexican restaurant with soul and
intimate atmosphere. Established in Puerto
Vallarta since 2003, it offers a rich variety of
authentic Mexican dishes. Only the best cuisine
with traditional recipes and ingredients of the
highest quality in the region and the country,
which makes us a proud representative of
Mexican cuisine, which in 2010 was declared by UN´s
UNESCO “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.
* Elected as “Best Mexican Restaurant” for
8 consecutive years by Readers’ Choice www.
virtualvallarta.com
* Approved by the AAA 3 Diamond Award
* Certificate of Excellence TripAdvisor 4.5 Points
* Listed in the prestigious guide books: Fodor’s,
Frommer’s, Lonely Planet
* Located at 344 Allende, just 4 blocks from the
Malecón. Open from 5:30 to 11 PM. Closed on
Tuesdays. Reservations for dinner at www.elarrayan.
com.mx or call (322) 222-7195. We accept: Visa,
MasterCard and American Express.
24
Beyond PV
Destination of the week:
The Wine & Cheese Route of Queretaro
By Astrid Van Dam
Hola Astrid,
We went to Ensenada on a cruise
a few years ago where we visited
some nice wineries. We would love
to see more wineries in Mexico,
which one do you recommend?
Roy - Chicago and Vallarta
resident
Hola Roy!
Somehow there is a myth that
Mexico is not a wine country. I
have to admit that beer and Tequila
are much more popular among
Mexicans, but Mexico produces
some great wines!
During Colonial times, the
Spanish prohibited Mexicans
from making wine; but after the
Independence, Mexico started to
make more and more wine and,
over the last decade, the quality has
improved tremendously.
Indeed, the State of Baja
California has the honour
of being the “Wine State”
of Mexico. However, there
are several other states
where wine is produced
as well, among others:
Coahuila,
Querétaro,
Zacatecas,
Guanajuato,
Aguascalientes,
Sonora
and Chihuahua. Several
Mexican wineries have
won awards for the quality
of their products. In other
words, little by little, Mexico is
working on a great reputation as a
wine country and at this moment
there are approximately 400
different Mexican wines on the
market.
Personally, besides the wineries
in Baja California where you
Issue 281
have been already, I really like the
Wine & Cheese Route in the State
of Queretaro. This is just North
of Mexico City. The capital of
the State, also called Queretaro,
is a good base to stay, although
the villages of Bernal, Ezequiel
Montes and Tequisquiapan might
suite you better if wine is your
main purpose of this trip. In the
last village, you can visit the Wine
& Cheese Festival, which is usually
held in May or June. La Redonda
has another festival, usually in
March, which is called the “100
wines of Mexico”. Basically, all
good Mexican wines from all over
the country are featured those days.
One of my favorite wineries to
visit is Cavas Freixenet in the town
of Ezequiel Montes. You can take a
full-day course there for 800 pesos,
March 2014
which is truly a bargain for what
you get. They show you the whole
process, where you can help them
if you don’t mind to get dirty feet,
tell all about the history of Mexican
wine, and they serve a great lunch.
Needless to say, there are different
wines with every course. If you
don’t have the whole day, you can
also take a short tour for just 60
pesos. They keep their wine in a
bodega that is 25 meters deep and
they will proudly show it to you!
Close by, there are several
farms that make some excellent
cheeses. The combination of the
local cheeses and the wines makes
you almost forget that you are in
Mexico. The cheeses of
La Hondonada farm can be
considered as the most tasty
of the region - or maybe
even of the country, in my
opinion. And take that from
somebody that was born and
raised in the Netherlands!
If you are still here in May/
June, let me know, it will
be my pleasure to help you
out with an itinerary! Buen
Provecho y Salud!
Astrid Van Dam
Every week, Mexico expert Astrid
Van Dam writes about different
destinations in Mexico. Astrid is a
Federally-licensed guide for tours
in the whole country (!) who has
guided hundreds of trips in Mexico,
Guatemala, Belize and Honduras.
For any travel advice in Mexico, or
if you have any questions about a
specific destination in Mexico, just ask
her! Feel free to send her an email to:
[email protected]
Your question -and her responsemight be published in one of the
next issues of the Mirror.
Beyond PV
Issue 281
March 2014
25
26
Beyond PV
International celebrations this week
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 an age-old Irish tradition,
to the long awaited Spring Equinox, an event older than civilization itself.
The first, in chronological order,
is St. Patrick’s Day which falls on
Monday, March 17th, his religious
feast day and the anniversary of his
death in the 5th century. The Irish
have observed this day as a religious
holiday for over a thousand years.
St. Patrick, the patron saint of
Ireland, is one of Christianity’s
most widely known figures. But
for all his celebrity, his life remains
somewhat of a mystery. Many of
the stories traditionally associated
with St. Patrick, including the
famous account of his banishing all
the snakes from Ireland, are false,
the products of hundreds of years
of exaggerated storytelling.
It is known that Saint Patrick was
born in Britain to wealthy parents
near the end of the 4th century. He
is believed to have died on March
17, around 460 A.D. There is no
evidence that Patrick came from
a particularly religious family. At
16, Patrick was taken prisoner by
a group of Irish raiders who
were attacking his family’s
estate. They transported him
to Ireland where he spent six
years in captivity. During this
time, he worked as a shepherd,
outdoors and away from
people. Lonely and afraid,
he turned to his religion for
solace, becoming a devout
Christian.
After more than six years
as a prisoner, Patrick escaped.
According to his writing, a
voice -which he believed to
be God’s- spoke to him in a
dream, telling him it was time
to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked
nearly 200 miles from
County Mayo, where it is
believed he was held, to the
Irish coast. After escaping
to Britain, Patrick reported
that he experienced a second
revelation-an angel in a dream
Issue 281
tells him to return to Ireland as
a missionary. Soon after, Patrick
began religious training, a course
of study that lasted more than
fifteen years. After his ordination
as a priest, he was sent to Ireland
with a dual mission - to minister
to Christians already living in
Ireland and to begin to convert the
Irish. (Interestingly, this mission
contradicts the widely held notion
that Patrick introduced Christianity
to Ireland.)
Familiar with the Irish language
and culture, Patrick chose to
incorporate traditional ritual into
his lessons of Christianity instead
of attempting to eradicate native
Irish beliefs. For instance, he used
bonfires to celebrate Easter since
March 2014
the Irish were used to
honoring their gods with
fire. He also superimposed
a sun, a powerful Irish
symbol, onto the Christian
cross to create what is now
called a Celtic cross, so that
veneration of the symbol
would seem more natural
to the Irish. (Although
there were a small number
of Christians on the island
when Patrick arrived, most
Irish practiced a naturebased pagan religion.
The Irish culture centered
around a rich tradition
of oral legend and myth.
When this is considered,
it is no surprise that the
story of Patrick’s life
became exaggerated over
the
centuries-spinning
exciting tales to remember
history has always been a
part of the Irish way of life.)
As the day falls during the
Christian season of Lent, Irish
families
would
traditionally
attend church in the morning
and celebrate in the afternoon.
Lenten prohibitions against the
consumption of meat were waived
and people would dance, drink, and
feast - on the traditional meal of
Irish bacon and cabbage.
Today, St. Patrick’s Day is
celebrated by people of all
backgrounds in the U.S., Canada,
and Australia, as well as in
other locations including Japan,
Singapore, Russia ...and Puerto
Vallarta.
Beyond PV
This year, the Spring Equinox (a.k.a. the vernal equinox) will occur
at 10:57 a.m. on March 20th.
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.
Last but not least 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, 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 fullblooded indigenous national to serve as President of Mexico and to lead
a country in the Western Hemisphere in over 300 years.
Issue 281
27
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 almost-complete 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 locallyrun 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 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.
March 2014
28
Health Matters
When is enough enough?
By Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW
I
have written separate articles
on addiction, codependency, and
relationships and received many
responses and questions asking
more about the addict-codependent
relationship.
The amazing thing that I’ve noticed
about this dysfunctional destructive
cycle is that the addicts are very
aware of their role in this type of
relationship and the codependents
are very unaware. They don’t realize
why or how things happen in their
relationship despite their best efforts.
They (codependents) don’t realize
how their actions, responses, and
expectations provoke and maintain
the vicious cycle. Their role and the
damage they cause is disguised and
overshadowed by the addicts’ blatant
and inappropriate behavior.
Yes, despite the codependent’s best,
most sincere efforts, she is causing
damage to herself, to the addict by
enabling and rescuing, and to her
children by allowing this to continue,
often ignoring their pleas to do
something about it. (Note: I’m going
to refer to the addict as male and the
codependent as female)
Why?
If you are in a codependent
relationship with an addict, you
probably find yourself asking why
things don’t improve, why you are
always frustrated, or even miserable.
You probably also wonder why you
continue to tolerate it.
The answer is simple and complex.
As the addiction progresses so does
your codependency. You have both
had many years to develop your way
of being and interacting. You’ve had
years to develop tolerance; you to
your addict and him to his addiction.
You’ve figured out many ways to
adapt in order to maintain equilibrium
of the couple and of the family.
Your children have also adapted
and developed a certain degree of
tolerance. It has become familiar and
not every day is a bad day, you aren’t
always miserable. The good days inbetween re-instill hope and encourage
you to keep trying, to believe that
things and people can change.
Eventually things either improve or
they become much worse.
If they are worse, then you are
faced with the decision to end the
Issue 281
relationship. Consider the following
characteristics of an addict.
They are champion manipulators
They know what they are doing.
However, it is important to note that
these “skills” evolved over time
as a response to their progressing
addiction. They plan and strategize,
and have practiced and mastered their
manipulation skills. They have learned
to lie with a straight face, without
blinking, without remorse. They make
so many promises they cannot or have
no intention of keeping, that they no
longer give them a second thought.
They are full of excuses. Even if
they feel guilty, it is easily justified
and minimized. It usually takes an
accumulation of circumstances or
something that causes extreme guilt
to provoke change. Desperate times
require desperate measures!
Empty promises
They are always promising
something: I will “try harder next
time” or “not do it anymore” or “this
is the last time.” Doesn’t that sound
familiar? You have all heard, how
they will try harder to quit their drug
use or not have sex with other women
anymore or not spend all of the rent
money, or it may be the “last time” they
will ask you for a favor or to lend them
money or to give them a ride or a place
to stay. They may promise to “pay you
back,” or “never ask you again.”
Lies and more lies
They have to find a way to convince
you of their lies in order to protect
their truth, so they desperately insist
“this time I am telling you the truth” or
say “I swear to God” or “come on, do
you really think I would lie again after
what happened the last time?” They lie
about where they were, who they were
with, what they were doing, and how
much money they spent. The most
incredible and ridiculous part is how
they respond to your questions and
accusations like you are the one with
the problem, the one who is crazy to
think such things about them, the one
who needs to do a reality check. They
try (and usually succeed) to make you
feel guilty and as a result, you end up
retracting and/or apologizing for the
question or accusation.
March 2014
Always blaming
They have an excuse for everything.
Blaming other people and outside
circumstances comes naturally for
them; it is never their fault. They
blame their boss, the traffic, the
weather, or the way someone looked
at them. It rarely occurs to them to
consider their part in the situation and
they find it difficult to accept once
other people have pointed it out and
made it clear that they must own their
share of the guilt.
No more second chances
As much as you know not to
believe them this time, you’ve heard
it all before. It takes numerous times
(often years) of backing down, giving
another second chance, accepting
their excuses, lies, and promises,
before you finally put your foot down
and say “NO more,” before you realize
that there isn’t anything that they can
say that will change your mind, or
convince you, or make you feel guilty
enough, or sorry enough for them. You
must then set limits you are willing to
enforce, not make empty threats, and
remain true to your decisions even in
your most vulnerable weak moments.
Closing thoughts from an addict:
“Where are you in all of this? What
are your desires and your needs? It’s
not just about taking care of everyone
else’s needs and desires. Be careful!
You are not taking care of you. You are
putting yourself in the hands of those
who are not good for you. They are
inconsiderate and possibly incapable
of caring about you and your needs
and desires. This is not healthy. Do
you really want to be in a relationship
where you are the only one who gives,
without receiving anything?! Ask for
help! You have nothing to lose and
everything to gain.”
Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW (psychotherapist)
is available for appointments
in person, by phone, or by
skype webcam. Contact info:
[email protected]
Mex cell: 044 (322) 138-9552
or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
Health Matters
Body & Sol
By Krystal Frost
5 tips to make your beauty routine more green
T
he idea here is to make simple
changes, so that you can easily
adapt it into your beauty routine –
so let’s dive right in.
1 – Use less water. Join the
washcloth revolution! When you
clean your face, instead of letting
the water run as you splash your
face, get a sponge or wash cloth.
Saturate it with water, turn off the
tap, then use it to clean the product
off your face. Not only do you save
water, but you actually get better
results as you exfoliate dead skin
cells away.
2 – Give your water heater a
break. I love a hot shower. It really
makes me feel clean. But, not only
is cranking up the water heater bad
for our planet, it’s actually bad
for our body. It strips your skin
of natural oils, which are needed
to lock in moisture and leads to
dry itchy skin. And it makes hair
brittle! As if saving the planet isn’t
enough of a good reason, it’s the
brittle hair that really makes me
switch!
Try this… 5-minute shower. The
first 3 minutes should be warm.
The last 2 minutes should be cold,
(well, it never gets really cold
here…) Here’s why:
Better circulation – Warm water
causes vessels near the surface of
the skin to dilate, and cold water
causes the vessels to restrict. Just
like in hydrotherapy, this switching
between warm and cold triggers
better circulation, bringing oxygen
to your skin and muscles.
Better looking skin – The warm
water will open your pores.
This is where you want to use
your organic, enriching products,
then cold water will make the pores
close up – helping to keep them
from getting clogged (pimples!)
Healthier hair – Cold water
makes your hair look healthier and
shinier. The cold water works in
the same way as it does for your
skin. Closing the hair follicles,
it prevents dirt and sweat from
getting in and therefore keeps hair
strong. Strong hair will fall out less
during brushing, helping to reduce
hair loss.
It motivates you! – Ending your
morning shower with the rush of
cold water perks you up and makes
you feel energized, ready to seize
the day! Works better than a cup of
coffee! (It’s kind of a shock... I use
it when I need a pick me up… and
it works.)
3 – Read the labels. We really
need to start questioning the
products we’re putting on our skin
and not just assume they are safe.
Take some time to read the label and
put down any product that contains
phthalates,
mercury,
toluene,
lead, formaldehyde, petroleum
distillates, parabens (hormonedisrupting preservatives such as
methylparaben,
butylparaben,
ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, and
propylparaben), or BHA. These
chemicals are considered to be the
most detrimental to our health and
subsequently our planet.
4 – Use multi-purpose products.
It’s simple – less product means
less packaging, means less waste.
Look out for 2 in 1 products like a
Issue 281
29
lip and cheek stain or foundation to
powder. You can also get creative
with products that you already own
(beets work well and look natural.
A good beeswax lip balm can also
be used to soften and moisturize
cuticles and to keep fly-always
down. Choose a light weight oil for
face, body and hair conditioning…
a little goes a LONG WAY. Make
your own facial masks with yogurt,
oatmeal, almond flour and honey. If
you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your
face ...is a good rule of thumb passed
down from my Grandmother Alice.
5 - Reduce your Carbon Footprint.
We all know the effect that our gas
consumption has on our planet.
But, did you know you can also
help to reduce the greenhouse
effect just by choosing the right
products? Petroleum derivatives
are found in a surprising amount of
beauty products like lip balm and
lotions. Let’s not buy them. Here’s
what you can do -
March 2014
- pass on all the products
containing: paraffin oil, propylene
glycol and ethylene.
- look for alternatives: beeswax,
cocoa butter and vegetable oils
- choose natural products in non
aggressive packaging.
Krystal Frost
Is a long time resident of Puerto
Vallarta. Graduate of University
of Guadalajara, and specialized
in cosmetic acupuncture at
Bastyr University in Washington
State. She is the owner of Body
& Sol for over 15 years where
she practices traditional Chinese
medicine, acupuncture, massage
therapy, yoga, meditation and
nutritional counseling. She has
created healing programs for
individuals, retreats and spas.
Questions and comments
may be directed to
[email protected]
30
Vallarta Voices
By Anna Reisman
I
t’s happening again. First, I’m
told there’s no space for me (again),
then there is… a little bit. Well, ok, so
here goes.
The work on Francisca Rodriguez
by Archie’s Wok has been progressing
nicely. They seem to really want
to have it ready before the Easter
holidays – which are approaching
very quickly.
Here’s a bit of news no one seems
to be talking about: PV will welcome
the St. Patrick’s Battalion Tattoo band
this Friday and Saturday, Mar. 21 &
22, complete with kilts and bagpipes,
starting at 6 p.m. on Friday with a
parade along the Malecon, ending
up with a free concert at Los Arcos
Amphitheater! A number of other
bands will participate in the concert
as well. For more information about
this unusual event, just drop in to the
Tourism Office at the northeast corner
of the main square.
Spring has sprung down here,
folks. Our trees are in bloom, pinks
and reds and yellows and fluffy
Issue 281
whites… not to mention the cascading
bougainvillea and those delightful
little blue flowerets whose name I
have yet to find out. I love it. And the
sun is setting later and later every day
– something I look forward to ever
since the winter solstice. And
now here we are at the Spring
Equinox! Yippeyay!
This is also the time of year
when we start seeing huge groups
of youngsters, Spring Breakers,
invade the town, looking to shed
their inhibitions and have a good
time. A reporter once wrote
that the «phenomenon» began
in the mid-90s, when MTV started
to cover their beach parties, followed
soon after by E Entertainment with
its «Wild On!» series that followed
the youngsters all over the world.
That made me smirk. Obviously
the reporter must have been a whole
lot younger than me, and doesn’t
remember Connie Francis’ famous
song, «Where the boys are» (i.e.: Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.) She made that one
March 2014
famous back in 1960, when I myself
was just starting to wonder where the
boys were… Spring Breakers have
been around for a long, long time.
It’s been fun with my out of town
visitors – especially with regard to
food… We visited some of those
teeny tiny dining establishments
known only to us locals and
whose names I will not divulge
for fear of never being able to
get a seat there again… And
I still have a week or so to
go before the revolving door
quietens down for another year.
For you ladies who keep on
asking me who gave me such a super
hair cut, mark it down: his name is
Franc Gole and his salon is in Plaza
Caracol in front of Soriana’s cashier
#16, Cell: 044 (322) 180-9358.
I wish you a most wonderful
week. Please be generous, consider
sharing your good fortune with the
less fortunate around us, including the
little four-legged ones… Hasta luego!
[email protected]
Fish Tales
Reverse Season Fishing
Strangeness Continues
By Stan Gabruk
Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle
I
t’s all over the news now no matter
where you live. El Niño is here for
the next year or so and we’re seeing
the beginning stages in the form of
unusually warm water conditions
which are keeping summer species
in the area as winter comes to an
end. Weather patterns always follow
water temperatures, which of course
means things are upside down.
Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, even
huge Yellowfin Tuna possibilities
are alive and well at our deep
water locations of Ël Banco and
Corbeteña. As a local here in Puerto
Vallarta (PV) I’ve come to learn that
predicting fishing conditions are
impossible. So for now, we’re just
flying by the seat of our pants. One
good thing, PV´s winter visitors have
Sportfishing opportunities that don’t
exist in March unless El Niño is in
full force.
The fishing has been great, but
it’s anything but automatic. With
the bluest of blue water conditions,
visibility for baits is as good as it’s
going to get. Water temperatures
hovering around 80oF are perfect for
species like Yellowfin Tuna, Marlin,
Sailfish and Dorado. Although never
see these fish in predictable numbers
in February or March, that is not
the case right now. Corbeteña this
week had 300-lb Yellowfin Tuna just
off The Rock about 10 miles to the
north. El Banco is alive with 50-lb
Dorado and Black Marlin in the 450lb range. Sailfish all over the place
north of Punta Mita about ten miles.
It’s just a mixed bag and, depending
on the day, anything is possible,
even the seemingly impossible like
Monster Yellowfin Tuna. To be fair
there was a storm way north of us
here in PV and it pushed cool water
currents south down the California
coast. Well of course the cooler
water is uncomfortable and these
warm water species headed south as
would be expected. These two or
three days were just like summer with
Black Marlin and Yellowfin Tuna
being boated in the ¨Golden Triangle¨
between the Marieta Islands, El
Banco and Corbeteña. The good
news is we know they’re out there.
The bad news is we don’t know
exactly in which direction to point
the boat. Since fish move, where
they were yesterday is a good place
to start. But don’t linger if you don’t
have any action. Another plus and
negative are bait conditions. Plenty
of bait and a variety of baits mean
that you may find hungry fish taking
baits you don’t have. Google Eyes
are the standard bait here and they’re
available for sale every morning from
the local bait boats. The last few days
purchasing bait has been necessary of
course, but you will be making bait
once you arrive at the fishing grounds
to make sure you’re trolling what
they’re looking for. Baby Bonito or
Bullets are everywhere, a favorite
bait for all the species we have in the
area. What I call sardines, the locals
call Sardinas, they’re like candy to
our local fish and that’s a problem.
Jack Crevalle are just chowing
Issue 281
31
down on this delicious ¨fast food¨
so forget about turning their heads
if you come across a boil. Nothing
more frustrating that finding fish
and not being able to get a hook-up.
You could gaff them on the boat, but
that wouldn’t be sportsmanlike now,
would it?!
The Marieta Islands are alive with
action. Dorado in the 25 to 40-lb
range have moved back in and are
there for the moment. Of course this
could change in a heartbeat, but this
area is a great option for fish on a semishort full day of fishing. Rooster fish
are in schools all over the place and
are feeding on Sardinas as well, but
will take lures and more importantly,
if you can find bullet Bonito, you’ll
get Roosters for sure. No bullet baits,
you’ll be in the frustration boat like
the rest of us. Jack Crevalle, Bonito
in the 35-lb range, Snappers 15 to 30
lbs., Sierra Mackerel, Pompano, and
the list goes on. Plenty of action for
sure and great for kids to experience
Big Game fishing and not hook into
Moby Dick!
March 2014
The bite has been happening
between 9 and 10 a.m. so sleep in
a little. Live bait is king, but if you
can’t get the baits they’re looking
for, run 6-inch silver diamond jigs,
Poppers of grey and black or Rapalas
of any color, but in the 6-inch range
as well. The fishing is great, but you
will have to work for these fickle
creatures since they have plenty of
bait choices. So don’t get frustrated,
just keep changing baits, keep your
ears open and be ready. Locals can
take action when the conditions are
perfect, so keep a finger on the fishing
pulse, you could come in with
a world record fish, amigos!
YeHa!
Until next time don’t
forget to kiss your fish and
remember at Master Baiter’s
Sportfishing & Tackle “We
Won’t Jerk You Around!”
Master
Baiter’s
has
changed locations in Marina
Vallarta between docks A
and B on the boardwalk.
Email your questions to me
at: [email protected].
mx Web page: www.MasterBaiters.
com.mx, Local Phone at: (044) 322
779-7571 or if roaming: 011 521
322 779-7571 cell phone direct.
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.
c o m / p a g e s / M a s t e r- B a i t e r s Sportfishing-Tackle/88817121325
The trade name Master Baiter’s ®
Sportfishing and Tackle is protected
under trade mark law and is the sole
property of Stan Gabruk.
32
Legal Matters
Ask Luis
By Luis Melgoza
Dear Luis: Are you aware that
many of the ATMs in tourist areas of
Vallarta are compromised?
I was robbed of $2000 USD at an
ATM on Olas Altas near La Playa
store. I know of several friends
who have lost up to $6000 dollars
at various ATMs. The banks where
these are located on the outside do not
take any responsibility for the losses. I was finally reimbursed by my bank
in the USA. In the meantime, I had
to cancel my card once I became
aware of the robbery.
Do you know of any safe ATMs we
can use here in PV?
Dear Patricia: Yes, the PV Mirror
has reported this several times.
Personally, I avoid all ATMs in the
Olas Altas area and all those not
inside a bank or busy store.
You are one the few that received a
refund without a lengthy legal battle
with the card issuer. Most banks and
other financial institutions, including
ATM owners here, do everything
in their power to place the blame
squarely on you and refuse to refund
any lost moneys; operating under the
flawed premise that if a cardholder’s
PIN was used, the cardholder was
either complicit or grossly negligent.
Chances of getting the ATM
operator, if other than your own
bank, to assume responsibility for
any losses in which you might incur
for fraudulent use of your card are
all but non-existent. And, globally,
the law is on their side, unless insider
fraud is proven, in most countries.
After all, it is the cardholder’s and
the issuing financial institution’s
joint responsibility to safeguard the
card and PIN, the ATM operator is
only responsible for the security of
their machines and intra-institution
safeguards.
To further compound the issue, most
victims don’t report this crime to law
enforcement (at least. not in Mexico);
rendering authorities powerless to act.
Without a criminal complaint, it is
impossible to investigate the potential
liability of the ATM operator.
According to Scotland Yard and the
Secret Service, debit and credit cards
cloned by organized crime usually
surface up to eighteen months after the
card data and PIN have been acquired,
while small-time crooks tend to
use the cloned cards immediately;
which makes it extremely difficult to
pinpoint where the theft occurred.
Issue 281
Even in cases like the data breach
suffered by Target —where an
estimated 40 million debit and credit
cards were compromised between
November 27 and December 15 last
year, and that have been offered for
$30 USD to $100 USD each on various
illegal sites on what is known as the
“Dark Internet”—, banks are hesitant
to cancel all potentially affected cards
because it costs them between $3 and
$5 USD to replace each card and, in
some cases, because they didn’t want
to leave their cardholders without a
card during the busy holiday season despite the risk.
In a similar case, malware that was
installed in Neiman Marcus stores let
hackers harvest 1.1 million credit and
debit cards and exposed the personal
information of roughly 110 million
of its customers. This malware went
undetected for months, from July 16
to October 30 last year. At least 2,400
of these cards have been fraudulently
used to date. Neiman Marcus stated
that they were not aware of the
malware until mid-December when
its card processor informed them that
cards previously used at their stores
were being used fraudulently.
Target and Neiman Marcus, the
latter also owns Bergdorf Goodman,
is offering one year of free credit
monitoring to affected customers.
Nothing else.
Authorities suspect that an Eastern
European hacker syndicate is
responsible and they also believe that
more retailers will be targeted (no pun
intended).
European cards with EMV -for its
founders Eurocard, MasterCard and
VISA- technology are more secure,
but not hack-proof.
So, if you don’t have any defense
hackers penetrating retailers, how do
you protect your debit or credit card?
Never use it at an ATM outside a
bank or busy retailer.
Check the ATM for any signs of
tampering. Criminals may place
skimmers —devices that read and
store the card data— and tiny pinhole
cameras to capture your PIN.
March 2014
Always cover your hand when
keying your PIN, even when nobody
is around.
Never accept help while using an
ATM. If you feel cramped by anyone,
politely ask them to step back.
Never store your PIN with the card.
Do not lose sight of your card when
paying at a retailer —skimmers can
also be hand-held.
If, regardless of all precautions
your card is compromised, report the
theft to the authorities and to VISA,
MasterCard or any other logo on your
card; not only to the ATM operator
and your bank.
To your last question: ATMs inside
HSBC by the International Friendship
Club next to the Cuale River bridge,
in the Banco Santander by the parking
lot building and OXXO in Conchas
Chinas have been safe until now.
Send me your questions to askluis@
pvgeeks.com, I am not able to answer
each message privately due to the
volume of mail I receive. Should you
need personal attention, please call
me at (322) 164-4049 to schedule a
private consultation.
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
are the premiere commercial
and residential computer and
networks solutions experts in
Puerto Vallarta. For computer
or network issues, you can reach
Luis at [email protected]
Real Estate
33
VIEWPOINT
By Harriet Murray
Condominium associations in Jalisco State
We are fortunate in Jalisco and
Nayarit to have condominium law
which addresses in detail how to run
a homeowners’ association.
Vertical condominiums are the
most common type in the Bay,
but horizontal condominiums fall
under the same law. Horizontal
relates to individual homes and lots
with commonly owned areas such
as entrances, roads, parks, pools,
landscaping…
Associations in Jalisco are required
to meet each year, usually the first
quarter of the new year. In Nayarit,
formal meetings are twice a year.
There is no limit on proxies in
Jalisco, but there is in Nayarit. Some
condo associations limit the number
of proxies in their by-laws.
The usual business of a yearly
condo meeting is to adopt a budget
for the new year, elect the board
and appoint the administrator. The
agenda is announced and posted in
advance, and it needs to be followed
at the meeting. Any new issues
requiring discussion should be
addressed at a subsequent meeting,
legally called. Decisions which affect
a group need to be heard by all and
reviewed in advance of any formal
votes. Voting is usually determined
by the percentage of individual and
common area ownership for each
unit. Decisions are carried with a
simple majority. The quorum needed
for a vote is described in state condo
law.
Capital expenses are outside of
a regular budget, as are changes to
statutes affecting regulations. An
extraordinary meeting must be called
for any discussion and change.
Over the years, I have learned
about particular problems which may
occur:
Misuse or theft of funds happens
more than it should. The problem
may start when the board and owners
decide it is not necessary to have firm
controls over the bank account. Most
owners are not living here most of
the year, so it is easy to appoint too
few people to sign checks or audit
the accounts. It is a mistake to allow
the appointed administrator to be the
only signatory on the check book.
A problem which is unnecessary,
but all too common, is the attitude of
Issue 281
the owners. Depending on knowledge
of how condo associations are run
in the US or Canada is a mistake.
Illegal decisions may be voted in
which conflict with the law and are
non-enforceable. Some examples of
this are fining owners which, under
the tax code, violates the non- profit
status of the HOA. Condominium
fees voted upon which do not follow
the local law, and are not recorded
properly, are unenforceable. All too
late, the very parties who “made”
the rules are the ones most surprised
when a legal challenge is successful
and the illegal decision is overturned.
Spanish is the legal language for
spoken and written business. English
or French, or any other language may
be spoken or written as a courtesy.
Proper meetings are to be conducted
in Spanish and a professional
translator present to explain what
is being discussed. Many meetings
are run in English, but the idea that
this is proper or even a right of the
owners, is false. We need to be aware
March 2014
that what is decided, must be properly
recorded in Spanish.
It is a mistake to not check the
Spanish translation of the minutes
and decisions of a meeting, both
before and after it is registered. It is
important to be sure that decisions
made in the meeting are consistent
with the legally recognized version.
Problems of these types may be
avoided if owners are more thoughtful
and cognizant of the differences in
law and custom where they own real
estate.
This article is based upon legal
opinions, current practices and my
personal experiences. I recommend
that each potential buyer or seller
of real estate conduct his own due
diligence and review.
Harriet Murray
Can be contacted at
[email protected]
34
Issue 281
Calendar / Directories
March 2014
Gil Gevins’ Page
Another fan bites the dust
By Gil Gevins
www.gilgevins.com
S
ome clichés are just plain true.
For example: “A little knowledge
can be a dangerous thing.” Think of
a bomb maker who never learned
how to properly set a timer. But
the kind of trouble an incompetent
bomb maker can cause pales in
comparison to the train wrecks
created by folks who have learned
to speak only a little bit of a foreign
language.
When it comes to learning
Spanish, several risky linguistic
quagmires await the unsuspecting
neophyte. The worst of these
language-traps involves words
which appear to mean the same
thing in both languages, but don’t.
Here are a few examples.
Embarrassed and Embarazada.
When I began to learn Spanish,
I was a little ashamed of how
badly I spoke, and was continually
telling people how extremely
“embarazado” I was. Then I said
it to my wife, who replied, “You’re
very pregnant? Maybe you should
start using two condoms.”
Excited and Excitado. Shortly
after my arrival in Vallarta I was
offered a very good job by the
president of a large resort. My
response was to tell this august
figure that I was “muy excitado”.
When the job offer was abruptly
withdrawn, I went over the entire
interview with my wife, hoping
she could tell me where I’d gone
wrong.
“Probably,” Lucy said, “when you
told him how horny he makes you.”
Special and Especial. This is a
really tricky one. I mean, how do
you insult someone by calling them
special? Easily, it turns out, if you
are speaking Spanish. When I told
my topnotch car mechanic that I
thought he was “muy especial”, he
told me take my business elsewhere.
“What did I do now?” I asked
Lucy.
“In Spanish,” she explained,
“calling someone muy especial
is a polite way of saying that the
person is either a huge pain in the
ass, or else eccentric to the point of
being insane. In other words, it’s
not something you ordinarily tell
people to their faces.”
Another source of potential
self-humiliation for the beginning
Spanish speaker are words which
mean different things in different
countries. Most Spanish language
books are printed in Spain or
Argentina, where certain words
have widely varying meanings.
Perhaps the most radical example
of this is the Spanish verb coger.
In all the Spanish-speaking world
(except in Mexico) this word means
to get, to obtain, to grab or to catch
(as in, catching a bus). This was the
context in which I used the word in
my early days here in Vallarta, until
my wife overheard me telling our
maid that I was, “…going out to
have sex with a bus”.
This made me stop and think about
all the times I had used that word. It
was an impressive list. In only six
months, I had informed countless
Mexicans that I was having or was
about to have sex with a pencil, my
wallet, a telephone, a milk shake, a
butter dish and a donkey.
Several years later, I found
myself at a fruit stand in Caracas,
Issue 281
35
Venezuela. By now my Spanish
was pretty good, and I spoke with
confidence and authority. “Give
me a couple of your big papayas,”
I told the female proprietor. “And
make sure they’re ripe and juicy.”
The woman, who was wellendowed in the chest department,
took a swipe at my face with the
back of her hand. Apparently, I’d
just told her to give me her two
large, ripe juicy breasts. I never
did learn how to say papaya in
Venezuela.
Then there are the various forms
of shellfish which refer, in different
countries, to a certain portion of the
female anatomy. But I’m not going
to get into that. Instead, I’m going
to get something off my chest. It
involves people asking me to sign
inappropriate objects.
What, you may ask, is (signingwise) an appropriate object? Aside
from the obvious (checks, legal
documents, IOU’s), my favorite
objects to sign are my books. It
gives me great pleasure to sign my
books for people, especially when
they pay for them. Unfortunately,
there are some people who feel that
their money could be put to better
use elsewhere. That’s fine. No
problem. However…
However, I’ve been besieged
lately by non-book buyers who love
my columns in the paper. “I just
love your columns,” they tell me.
“Thank you,” I always say, “have
you read any of my books? I’ve got
four of them for sale right here.”
“Oh, uh, what time is it? Gee, I’ve
got a…a…dentist appointment.”
And, beep-beep, off they go in a cloud
of dust, just like the road runner.
Well, that’s all right, too. I don’t
expect everyone to buy a book. But
the other night a man approached
my desk with a PV Mirror in his
hand opened to my column.
“Could you sign this?” he asked.
“Right here under your name. I’m
a big fan.”
“Ever read one of my books?” I
asked.
March 2014
“No, but I love your columns.
Right under your name,” he added,
pointing to the newspaper, which
he had essentially thrust under my
nose.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “but I don’t
sign newspapers.”
Behind the man, two people were
anxiously waiting to buy a pair of
books.
“Why not?” he asked.
“Why not, what?”
“Why
don’t
you
sign
newspapers?”
“I’m not sure,” I said. “Somehow,
it feels demeaning, like signing
your jockey shorts, or something.”
The man became quite upset and
informed me that if I refused to
sign the newspaper, he would stop
reading my column.
That’s when I began to cry.
“No, no!” I sobbed at his
retreating back. “Please! Don’t
stop reading my column! I couldn’t
go on living. I’d go jump off a
curb. Or take a Mexican bus. Or
throw myself under the wheels of a
taco stand. Or…”
But by that time, he was already
out the door.
My wife thought I might have
been a little harsh.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “At
least I didn’t tell him to go have sex
with a bus.”
Gil Gevins
Is the author of four hilarious
books, including, PUERTO
VALLARTA ON 49 BRAIN
CELLS A DAY, and SLIME AND
PUNISHMENT. Signed copies of
all Gil’s books are available at
LUCY’S CUCU CABAÑA, located
at 295 Basilio Badillo, or as
E-Books on Amazon Kindle.
36
Email Etiquette…
Like
improving your online
passwords and backing up your
important documents and photos, this
topic bears repeating at least once
a year. Now we ALL took English
classes in school. Even Mrs. Hattie
(my old English teacher) would be
frowning at some of the emails I
write.
She used to scold me for “run-on”
sentences, let alone the run-on emails
I have a habit of sending! We all
need to take a few minutes before
clicking send and review what we’ve
written. Add a comma or period here
and there. Remember the paragraph?
It really doesn’t take much effort to
polish up your latest news to friends
and loved ones.
Apart from the overall layout of
your emails, here is some of the best
advice I’ve heard over the years, with
regards to good emailing habits.
Beware of forwarding hoaxes.
People may have the best intentions
by forwarding urgent warnings about
the latest computer virus that will eat
your hard drive or natural disaster
Hi-Tech
news, but the problem is that the vast
majority of e-mails about such topics
are total fiction.
If you receive an email of some
impending threat and are tempted
to forward that to everyone in your
address list, first visit Snopes.com
This is the Internet’s biggest repository
of what a hoax is and what isn’t. Do a
search before click forward to pass on
some doom and gloom.
Don’t add to your friends’ “junk
mail”. Don’t be that person that
needs to forward chain letters. Your
friends and family may be too polite
to ask you to stop, and everyone else
is far too busy dealing with important
messages to want to wade through
that nonsense. Don’t get yourself on
friends “annoying” list.
Get a permanent address. In the
early days of the Internet; people got
e-mail addresses through either their
Internet service provider like Prodigy
or their employer. But few jobs
or ISPs last forever, so that means
changing your address, which means
putting your friends through all the
annoyance and hassle of updating
their address books.
You can minimize the chances of
going through that change by utilizing
Issue 281
an e-mail from a source you believe
will be around a while. Gmail, Yahoo,
even Hotmail are all good bets. Time
to leave Prodigy mail and its antique
mail servers, behind.
Don’t hand out your personal email
address like candy. Your e-mail
address is a valuable commodity,
assuming you don’t want an inbox
filled with spam, phishing schemes
and advertisements. Give it only to
friends and coworkers.
Eventually all addresses get spammed,
but keeping it close to your vest will
minimize the problem. Spammers pay
big money for email address lists. Best
to set up an extra free email account
(Gmail...Hotmail or Yahoo) and hand
out that address when signing up for
something on the internet.
Use BCC when sending to multiple
people. CC once stood for “carbon
copy.” Some say today it stands for
“courtesy copy.” BCC is “blind”
carbon copy and the BCC field is
where you should put the addresses
when sending to multiple recipients.
This way no one sees everyone else’s
addresses and you’re not abusing
everyone’s privacy.
Avoid huge attachments. At one
time, sending photos to people was
done only by e-mail. It was the only
direct way to share your beautiful
sunset photo. Now, you have a many
options for sharing. As files get
bigger and bigger, it’s best to take
advantage of these options rather than
clog up a friend’s inbox.
First and best option is to share
a link rather than the actual file.
March 2014
For regular photos you can upload
and share them from the likes of
Photobucket.com, Dropbox.com or
Flickr.com
DO NOT USE ALL CAPS. This might
be the oldest bit of netiquette around, but
it’s still important to point out to people
who avoid the Shift key in favor of Caps
Lock: TYPING IN ALL CAPITAL
LETTERS IS THE INTERNET
EQUIVALENT OF SHOUTING.
Don’t e-mail angry. There are many
things not to do when angry- drink,
drive, call your significant other, or
your in-laws. Sending emails of any
kind when mad is also a big no-no.
If you really must vent, email
yourself things you’d like to say to
someone, then take a day and review
what you wrote before sending to the
object of your anger. Chances are
you’ll not feel as strongly as you did
when you first wrote it. You can edit
it and probably have a better chance
of getting your true point across.
That’s all my time for now. See
you again next week. Until then…
Remember: only safe Internet!
Ron
Can be found at CANMEX
Computers. Sales, Repairs,
Networking, Wi-Fi,
Hardware upgrades, Graphic
Design, Data Recovery,
House-calls available. www.
RonnieBravo.com Cellular
044-322-157-0688 or just
email to [email protected]
Nature’s World
enough reason for ancient Mexicans
to call this salamander axóltl, i.e.:
“monster of water” (atl = water;
xolotl = monstrous).
It is important to emphasize that we
get that feeling in seeing an animal
that is not yet fully developed because
some salamanders, especially those
of the species Ambystoma mexicanum
In our country, axolotl (of the
Ambystomatidae family) is the
name given to some 17 species
of salamanders that they are
grouped under the generic name of
Ambystoma. Except for Ambystoma
tigrinum, whose distribution includes
the U.S. and Canada, the rest of the
species are endemic to Mexico,
mainly distributed in the central
region of this territory. Of all of them,
A. mexicanum, originally of the lakes
of the Valley of Mexico (nowadays
only found in the canals and lakes
of Xochimilco), is the species best
well-known and popularized among
scientists and lovers of aquarism.
As for the etymology of the word
Ambystoma, it is widely accepted that
(see photos) and A. dumerilii, remain
in the larva state all their lives, going
so far as to reproduce while still
larvae. This phenomenon is known
by scientists as neoteny, a word of
Greek roots that means “to lengthen
or to extend youth”.
In today’s Mexico, the grotesque or
ugly image of the salamander is used
in an old wives’ tale to refer to those
persons who were not gifted with
beauty; telling them that “they are as
ugly as a salamander” or that “they
look like a salamander”. Also, there
is the curious belief that a woman
can get “magically” pregnant if she
bathes or simply gets into waters
where salamanders abound. The
myth surely arose for the resemblance
between the salamander’s general
body shape form of the body of the
axolotl and of the human phallus.
it comes from the Greek amblys =
obtuse or blunt and stoma = mouth,
i.e.: “that of the blunt or rounded
mouth”.
The salamander was an important
part of the Aztec diet, since it offered a
significant ration of protein. Also, its
consumption was associated with the
religious celebrations of the deities
related with providing sustenance
and nutritional maintenance. It is
reported that during the celebration of
the Xiuhtecutli (beautiful gentleman)
holiday, the god of fire and most
ancient deity of Mesoamerica,
couples with children would throw
large quantities of animals into the
fire, animals they had hunted in
advance, including salamanders.
Once the food was roasting, the
children would eat it, not without
saying the following prayer first:
The salamander –
magic and myth
By Dr. Fabio Cupul
T
he ancient peoples of Mexico
saw in nature the reflection of their
religious imagination, which is why
plants and animals occupied an
important place in their cosmogony.
Thus it is not strange that their deities
were incarnate or transfigured into
creatures big or small, fierce or
pleasant, beautiful or grotesque. For
its singularity, The Xólotl
stand out in the pantheon
of Aztec civilization,
a god considered as
twin of the cultural
hero Quetzalcóatl, and
identified as sick and
deformed. In the myth
of the creation of the
Fifth Sun in Teotihuacan,
Xólotl, represented in
codices with man’s body
and dog’s head, refused
to sacrifice himself for
fear that the new Sun
would move and take its normal
course. In order to survive, Xólotl
hid in the water and took the form of
a salamander. Nevertheless, he was
discovered and killed by the wind
that the gods sent to look for him.
It is possible that the god Xólotl
was unmasked and killed by the
wind because he chose the form of
the least convenient creature to hide
in the water, since the presence of a
few strange and peculiar red gills in
the shape of feather dusters on the
neck of the salamander make it stand
out in its environment. In fact, the
exposed gills, the wide mouth, the
flat tail sideways, the ribs that stand
out of the sides, those eyes without
eyelids that feign to look at us fixedly,
as well as the “feeling” of seeing an
animal that still has not developed
completely, represented perhaps
37
Issue 281
March 2014
“our father eats things roasted in the
fire”. Also as part of the worship, the
children were “stretched” to ensure
a healthy physical development
based on a constant, abundant and
nourishing ration of food.
This association between fire and
the salamander, which the Aztecs
considered religiously as a symbol
of good luck, has its parallel in the
Old World, in the ancient myth
of the salamander’s immunity to
fire. Aristotle and Plinius said that
not only did it walk on fire, but it
would suffocate it with the cold of
its body. This supernatural power
to resist and be protected from the
flames, resulted -in ancient times- in
the manufacture of a fabric made of
salamander skin used to protect the
“Holy Shroud” from the fire. It was
also said that an emperor of India and
Pope Alexander III possessed clothes
made of the amphibian’s skin. In
reality, it was not salamander skin,
but rather a fabric made of mineral
fibers woven into fire-resistant linens
and clothes. One thing we can be
sure of is that, in the cultures of the
New World as of the Old World,
the salamander and his relatives are
mystical symbols of the elemental
spirits of fire.
Dr. Fabio G. Cupul Magaña
Coastal University Center
(CUC) of the University
of Guadalajara Email:
[email protected]
38
Nature’s World
Fully describing the Spider
Flower in only a few words is
quite the challenge!
splitting open and then aggressively
disperse those seeds. The palmate
green leaves of my specimen smell
musty and are slightly rough to the
touch but do not have the stickiness or
spines on the lower stems described in
several botanical texts.
While, generally speaking, there are
no serious insect or disease problems
for these plants, keep an eye out for
aphids, spider mites and whiteflies as
well as mildew and rust.
These are superlative for adding
vertical interest to a perennial border or
used in floral beds, around foundations
or simply showcased in large containers.
They can also be effectively used along
fences, in background plantings and
effectively mixed with shrubs. The
spidery flowers are most attractive in a
cut flower presentation and seed heads
can be dried and added to bouquets as
well. There are numerous delightful
cultivars such as Cherry, Pink, Rose,
Violet, or Rose Queen in – as their names
insinuate - an array of pleasing colors.
Their nectar is attractive to
hummingbirds, birds enjoy its seeds,
Hummingbird Moths may come
near dusk just to confuse you, and
butterflies … well, they just appreciate
a pretty flower! Lastly, planting these
in your vegetable garden may help
attract beneficial insects and actually
deter some of the bad bugs which have
ill intent upon your crops!
This shows its long, slender
seedpods - not yet brown and
ready to burst open
Tommy Clarkson
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
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By Tommy Clarkson
Photos by Rowdy L. Williams
Spider Flower
Cleome hassleriana (possibly,
C. spinosa, C. houtteana, or
maybe even C. sesquiorygalis
– they’re all quite similar!)
Family: Cleomaceae
Also known as: Spider Plant,
Spider Legs, Grandpa’s
Whiskers, Rocky Mountain
Bee Plant, or Stinking Clover
A
s a rule, I don’t generally write
about annuals – particularly when I’m
not sure of the specific species which
I am striving to describe! But in this
eye-catching beauty’s case, let’s make
an exception!
We found ours just off a path in the
Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains on
one of our sojourns “into the interior”.
It had not yet been identified until two
knowledgeable visitors to Ola Brisa
Gardens – Dick Neiman and Glenn
Leach – helped narrow it down to the
correct genus of some 150 species.
(So much for me knowing all about
my plants, huh?)
All of these species are fast growers
and said to be native to South America.
But given where we found it - thriving
quite happily in the wild - it seems to
have immigrated further north into the
Mexican States of Colima and Jalisco.
Each of these varieties sport rigid
stems. They all have dense elongated
terminal
racemes
(technically
speaking, this is an unbranched,
indeterminate type of inflorescence
bearing flowers that have short floral
stalks … but for our purposes, let’s
just think “beautiful”) of pink, purple
or white spider-like flowers. These
uniformly sized flowers are comprised
of four petals and six long stamens.
They’ve a slight, subtly, sweet
fragrance but, if displayed in a vase
beware, as the flowers fast become
brittle.
They spread as wide as two feet
(30 cm) and grow to a height of 60”
(150 cm). Their spirally arranged
leaves are palmately compound with
five or seven leaflets up to five inches
(12 cm) long and two inches (4 cm)
broad. The plant’s leaf petioles are
up to six inches (15 cm) long. Said
to flower multiple months, mine
bloomed joyously from mid-January
through the month of February.
These are easily grown in moderately
rich, well-draining soil, in full sun but,
if necessary, can tolerate light shade.
During the growing season, they like
consistent watering but once established
they can handle some drought. Collect
seed pods from favorite plants for
replanting. If these are not promptly
removed, they will self-propagate
prolifically. But, as regards the C.
hassleriana, it can develop surprisingly
large thorns, so it’s best to keep them
away from walkways.
(Now I know you may be saying
to yourself, “If his plant doesn’t have
the thorns of which he just wrote, why
does he have it as an option of being
as one of the species which he might
have found and taken to his gardens?”
Well, in all candor, the answer’s rather
simple. The flowers of that variety
actually look the most similar to those
of mine! So, perhaps mine is one of
nature’s cultivars.)
Be careful with the amount of
fertilizer given to these plants as
should you do so too aggressively
they will become tall and floppy.
And, when planting, place in grouped
clusters of six or more to achieve the
optimal visual effect.
Their flowers are followed by thin
seed pods that ripen to brown before
Issue 281
The Parrot’s Beak Heliconia below
and Lemon Grass snuggled up
on its right, make it a bit difficult
for this healthy specimen found
up in the mountains.
March 2014
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a musicweb
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music59. Windsor's prov.
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39. Primary computer
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list
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Finn's
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for
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care
providers
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conveyance
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care providers
"Chicago" 43. ___ & Noble
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18. Med. care providers
9. Actress Sedgwick
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Small1bills
he aim of the puzzle10.
is to
enter
a numerical digit
through 9 in each
row,
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mustArt
contain
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with various digits given in some
64.
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cells (the “givens”). Each row, column, and region must
containcomputer
only one instance of
39. Primary
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list
each
numeral.
65.
Plays
for a sapCompleting the puzzle requires patience.
MS. enclosures
It is recommended as 13.
therapy
because some studies
suggested they might
43. ___have
& Noble
18. Med.
care providers
improve memory, attention
and problem
solving while staving off mental decline
Across
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
SUDOKU!
Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle.
T
and perhaps reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Solution to Sudoku on Page 4
Issue 281
March 2014
Issue 281
March 2014

www.pvmcitypaper.com Issue 281 Saturday 15 to Friday 21 March

Transcription

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