SUDOKU! - pvmcitypaper

www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 404
Saturday 30, July to Friday 5, August
2016
requested, so when you’re ready to leave,
ask «La cuenta, por favor» and your bill
will be delivered to you.
MONEY EXCHANGE: Although
you may have to wait in line for a few
minutes, remember that the banks will
give you a higher rate of exchange than the
exchange booths (caja de cambio). Better
yet, if you have a «bank card», withdraw
funds from your account back home. Try
to avoid exchanging money at your hotel.
Traditionally, those offer the worst rates.
I
f you’ve been meaning to find a little information on the region,
but never quite got around to it, we hope that the following will help.
If you look at the maps on this page, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, smack in the middle of the Bay of Banderas
- one of the largest bays in this country - which includes southern part of the
state of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.
Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre mountainsthe Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned in the Pacific.
Hurricane Kenna did come close on October 25, 2002, but actually touched
down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 kms north of PV.
The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian Islands,
thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.
AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers
POPULATION: Approx. 325,000
inhabitants
CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with
an average of 300 sunny days per year.
The temperature averages 28oC (82oF)
and the rainy season extends from late
June to early October.
allowed under certain circumstances
but fishing of any kind is prohibited.
Every year, the Bay receives the visit
of the humpback whales, dolphins and
manta rays in the winter. During the
summer, sea turtles, a protected species,
arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.
FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo
hosts a great variety of animal species
such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,
raccoon, etc.
ECONOMY: Local economy is
based mainly on tourism, construction
and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,
mainly tropical fruit such as mango,
papaya,
watermelon,
pineapple,
guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.
SANCTUARIES:
Bahía
de
Banderas encloses two Marine
National Parks - Los Arcos and the
Marieta Islands - where diving is
CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is
the legal currency in Mexico although
Canadian and American dollars are
widely accepted.
Index
BUSES: A system of urban buses with
different routes. Current fare is $7.50 Pesos
per ticket and passengers must purchase a
new ticket every time they board another
bus. There are no “transfers”.
TAXIS: There are set rates within
defined zones of the town. Do not enter
a taxi without agreeing on the price with
the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a
hotel, you may want to check the rates
usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you
know which restaurant you want to go,
do not let the driver change your mind.
Many restaurateurs pay commissions to
taxi drivers and you may end up paying
more than you should, in a secondrate establishment! There are 2 kinds
of taxi cabs: those at the airport and
the maritime port are usually vans that
can only be boarded there. They have
pre-fixed rates per passenger. City cabs
are yellow cars that charge by the ride,
not by passenger. When you ask to go
downtown, many drivers let you off at
the beginning of the area, near Hidalgo
Park. However, your fare covers the
ENTIRE central area, so why walk 10 to
15 blocks to the main plaza, the Church
or the flea market? Pick up a free map,
and insist on your full value from the
driver! Note the number of your taxi in
case of any problem, or if you forget
something in the cab. Then your hotel or
travel rep can help you check it out or
lodge a complaint.
TIME ZONE: The entire State of
Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the
area of the State of Nayarit from Lo
de Marcos in the north to the Ameca
River, i.e.: Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías,
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Sayulita, San
Pancho, Punta Mita, etc. North of Lo
De Marcos, Guayabitos, La Peñita,
San Blas, etc. are on Mountain Time,
i.e.: one hour behind PV time.
TELEPHONE CALLS: Always
check on the cost of long distance
calls from your hotel room. Some
establishments charge as much as U.S.
$7.00 per minute!
CELL PHONES: Most cellular
phones from the U.S. and Canada may
be programmed for local use, through
Telcel and IUSAcell, the local carriers.
To dial cell to cell, use the prefix 322,
then the seven digit number of the
person you’re calling. Omit the prefix if
dialling a land line.
LOCAL CUSTOMS: Tipping is
usually 10%-15% of the bill at restaurants
and bars. Tip bellboys, taxis, waiters,
maids, etc. depending on the service.
Some businesses and offices close from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening until 7 p.m. or
later. In restaurants, it is considered poor
manners to present the check before it is
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.
99% of city’s population
with access to drinking water
Dear Editor,
An update on the illegal, inconsiderate
condo construction here, right up against the
buildings of Loma del Mar, on the erstwhile
greenway extension of I. L. Vallarta between
Francisca Rodriguez and Pulpito.
Last week, the garden patio of my
downstairs neighbor was destroyed when
the entire northeast half of it fell into the
deep excavation “they” have made.... where
the stairs and pathways used by generations
used to be, until “they” demolished them
back in October.
They continue to move dirt around with
their humongous machines, filling our
condos with diesel fumes and insufferable
noises every day. Now they’ve begun
putting up re-bar castillos on the east side of
their site .... I’m right next to them, 3 stories
up here in Loma del Mar on this side and I
can almost touch the castillos, reaching out
my bedroom windows.
I’ve written to the local newspapers
requesting an exposé update story, but have
had little response .... “When money talks,
the truth and consideration shut up”.
Today, when asked by one of their workers
how I felt, knowing that I’m the crazy old
man always yelling out the windows to them
in protest, I first expressed my gratitude that
he had a job, and then asked him how he’d
feel if he and his family lived here amidst
this violation. His answer: “RICO”.
Tony F.
Over the last three years, the local water authorities
(SEAPAL Vallarta) have expanded the underground network
of water pipes to supply 98.8% of the city’s population,
estimated at approximately 300,000 inhabitants.
With regard to the town’s drainage system, its
infrastructure now services 96% of the population,
collecting sewage and stagnant water to recycle and
purify, thus contributing to the health and development
of the community and its environment.
In both water and sewage categories, Puerto Vallarta is
7% and 5% better than the national average, respectively.
Over the same time period, SEAPAL Vallarta was
awarded 3 separate national prizes for its achievements in
the field of innovative water treatment and management
processes. In addition, it is important to note that the
water leaving SEAPAL’s treatment plant has been
awarded Mexico’s certificate of purity every year since
1991 – the only city in Mexico to do so.
Obama, Mexican president stress importance
of U.S.-Mexico’s relationship
President Barack Obama and
Mexican President Enrique Peña
Nieto reaffirmed the importance of
the US-Mexico relationship Friday,
promoting the benefits of trade
and friendship in an election year
that has sometimes stressed that
alliance.
In a news conference with Peña
Nieto at the White House, Obama
said trade with Mexico brings
important investment and jobs to
the U.S. He said the United States
sells more to Mexico than to China,
India and Russia combined.
Obama said he has worked to
deepen the relationship during his
presidency.
“We’re not just strategic and
economic partners, we’re also
neighbors and we’re friends,”
Obama said.
The news conference came the
morning after the closing of the
Republican National Convention
and a speech by GOP nominee
Donald Trump, whose demands
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Stan Gabruk
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that Mexico pay for a U.S. border
wall and descriptions of Mexican
immigrants as criminals and rapists
has offended the neighboring
country.
Peña Nieto said a good
relationship with the United States
is “essential” for his country and
said he looks forward to a “frank,
open dialogue” with whomever
is elected. He avoided questions
about the wall, but has previously
said that Mexico will not pay for
the wall Trump proposes.
They said they have learned
from the two-decade-old North
American Free Trade Agreement,
which Trump has heavily criticized.
Obama said the global economy
is a fact, and “we’re not going to
be able to build a wall around that.”
The visit comes less than a
month after Peña Nieto and Obama
met in Canada during a summit of
North America’s leaders. Obama’s
meetings with visiting foreign
leaders are usually announced
weeks in advance, but this visit was
announced just last week.
The White House shrugged off
suggestions that the visit was timed
to highlight differences between
Democrats and Republicans,
particularly on attitudes toward
Latinos.
“I think it’s fair to say that almost
anything that President Obama did
on Friday would be viewed as a
sharp contrast to the agenda that’s
being put forward by the other
side,” said White House press
secretary Josh Earnest. “But in
this case, it’s been a while since the
president has hosted the president
of Mexico here at the White
House.”
Trump has also said Mexican
immigrants “have lots of problems”
and when they come to the U.S.
“they’re bringing drugs. They’re
bringing crime. They’re rapists.
And some, I assume, are good
people.”
(Source: www.union-bulletin.com)
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
Cover Photo:
“By the Rio Cuale”
by Sylvie Scopazzo
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Opening of Grand Sirenis Matlali brings announcement
of new development in Riviera Nayarit
Grupo Autofin Monterrey’s
future plans for the Puerto Bahía
tourist center include several
hotels from different chains,
residential properties, a golf
course, a hospital, a clinic for
anti-aging treatments, a school
specializing in hospitality and
tourism, and a shopping mall,
among other amenities and
entertainment attractions to be
set on 320 hectares in addition to
the Grand Sirenis Matlali’s 30.
(Source: http://blog.rivieranayarit.com)
On Friday, July 22nd, the
Grupo
Autofin
Monterrey
inaugurated the Grand Sirenis
Matlali Hills Resort & Spa,
which is perched on a mountain
in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle,
Riviera Nayarit. During the
event they also announced a
new beach development that
will complement this marvelous
resort, giving the audience
details of what will become the
Puerto Bahía tourist center.
Armando
Véjar
Cortés,
President
and
Managing
Director of the Grupo Autofin
Monterrey, and Enrique de
la Madrid Cordero, Mexico’s
Secretary of Tourism, were on
hand to deliver the plaque that
made the inauguration official.
Nayarit and Jalisco’s state
authorities and businessmen
were also in attendance.
This is the first time Grupo
Autofin Monterrey has made
inroads into the tourism industry.
The group chose the Riviera
Nayarit thanks to its many natural
attractions, as well as its growth
as a national and international
tourism destination.
Grand Sirenis Matlali was built
at a cost of US $100 Million and
currently offers 170 luxury villas
and suites, 109 of them located
on the mountainside with ocean
views and 61 set in the jungle.
It also boasts four gourmet
restaurants and snack bar, a spa,
beach club, gym, a linear park, a
kids’ club, botanical garden, two
pools and two yachts for guests.
The second stage of the Grand
Sirenis Matlali will be right
on the beach to one side of the
Marina Riviera Nayarit in the
area where the beach club, Eva
Mandarina, is located. The new
development will represent an
investment of US $28.5 Million
and is expected to open with 140
suites on December 1, 2017.
Ford’s tequila sunrise: Partnership with Jose Cuervo may turn agave waste into bioplastic
With most spirits, you don’t really want
them to come back for a second go-around,
especially the morning after, but in this case,
it’s a good thing.
Ford’s FarmToCar initiative, which seeks
to integrate more sustainable plant-based
materials in the construction of its cars and
trucks, is getting another boost, thanks to a
partnership with iconic tequila distiller Jose
Cuervo. The making of tequila from the agave
plant results in the production of a byproduct of
agave fibers, some of which end up as compost
for future agave crops, and some going to local
artisans to use as a craft material. But perhaps
someday soon, your new Ford vehicle may
include some of this agricultural waste in the
form of bioplastic, which is a less harmful
material than petroleum-based plastics.
Ford has a long history of experimenting with
different renewable materials in its vehicles,
from the WWII-era soy/hemp plastic Ford
prototype car to today’s inclusion of plantbased materials such as soy foam, kenaf fiber,
wheat straw, castor oil, coconut fiber, etc,. in
some of its car and truck components. The
reasoning behind moving toward bioplastics
and other plant-based materials is two-fold, as
these natural alternatives can reduce weight in
the vehicles (resulting in better fuel economy
and reduced materials shipping costs) as well
as reduce the quantity of petrochemicals used
in building its vehicles.
The agave lifecycle is a long one, leading
some to dub certain agave varieties as century
plants, and while it doesn’t take nearly as
long as a hundred years for them to grow to
maturity, those used in tequila making require
at least seven years before they are ready to
harvest. Compared to many of our other alcohol
feedstocks, such as barley or grapes, this growth
cycle is considerably longer, and requires
a bit more long-term planning, so finding a
way to repurpose some of the byproducts into
new materials is a commendable effort. And
considering that only the heart of the agave is
used in making tequila, giving the rest of the
agave plant a second life as bioplastics might
be a good start.
“As the world’s No. 1-selling tequila, we
could never have imagined the hundreds of
agave plants we were cultivating as a small
family business would eventually multiply to
millions. This collaboration brings two great
companies together to develop innovative,
earth-conscious materials.” - Sonia Espinola,
director of heritage for Cuervo Foundation and
master tequilera
According to Ford, the companies are
“exploring” the use of agave in the development
of sustainable bioplastics, and the automaker
is testing the material’s heat resistance and
durability for possible use in both exterior and
interior vehicle components, such as in wiring
harnesses, HVAC units, and storage bins.
Here’s a quick look at the project:
“At Ford, we aim to reduce our impact on the
environment. As a leader in the sustainability
space, we are developing new technologies
to efficiently employ discarded materials
and fibers, while potentially reducing the use
of petrochemicals and light-weighting our
vehicles for desired fuel economy.” - Debbie
Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader,
sustainability research department
Now, before the comments section gets
populated with the opinion that Ford ought to
build more electric vehicles as a way to reduce
its environmental footprint, instead of looking
to incremental improvements in materials,
it’s important that we all remember that
we’re the ones driving demand for new cars
and trucks, and we’re the ones driving them,
period. It’s obvious that many car companies,
tech companies, homebuilders, architects, city
planners, airline companies, and many other
industry leaders could do more, and we could
(and often do) offer plenty of unsolicited advice
to them, based on our own perspective, but
considering how slowly the wheels of change
turn, and how consumers and manufacturers
alike are complicit in the creation of our
current petro-based economy, the move to a
more sustainable economy is more likely to be
one full of baby steps, and not giant leaps.
(Source: www.treehugger.com)
By
Ice Age5:
Collision
The best way to review this latest
in the series is to go back in time.
In 2002 the first Ice Age came out.
Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it
77%. Storyline: The prehistoric
creatures, a wooly mammoth, a
saber-toothed tiger and a sloth band
together to return a human baby to
its tribe. Length was 80 minutes
with some very funny stuff.
Fast forward to 2006. Ice Age 2
the Meltdown. Critics = 57%. As
the title suggests, the glaciers are
melting and the animals, suited for
colder climes, are running out of
a place to call their own – kind of
like what the polar bear is currently
going through in real life.
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the
Dinosaurs.—2009. (For the life of
me can’t find the Rotten Tomatoes
Rating on this one but judging from
a few reviews I read it wasn’t good.)
The friendly wooly mammoth finds
three dinosaur eggs. As eggs will
do if left alone, they hatch. Wooly,
voiced by Ray Romano, adopts
them. Very loving, until mom dino
shows up and takes umbrage.
Ice Age 4: Continental Drift –
2012. Rotten Tomatoes 37%. Here
our acorn-fanatic loving toothy
critter slams an acorn down and lo
and behold the massive glacier he
is on splits in half and continues to
force its way throughout the world,
creating the continents as we know
them. Rest of the storyline thinner
than the opening.
Ice Age 5: Collision Course 2016. Rotten Tomatoes = 13%.
To give the movie a break, when
it ended, a little girl – five or six actually clapped. Not sure if it was
for the movie or because it finally
ended.
The movie is about the end of the
dinosaur era when science tells us
a massive meteor shower hit our
little planet and wiped most living
things. This 60-65 million years
ago. Okay, Ice Age numero cinco
starts out with the little miser Scrat
being (what else) the cause of this
monumental catastrophe. I started
wondering, about ten minutes in,
just how could this movie – aimed at
children and with four predecessors
that all ended happily, concludes
this time without weeping and
lamenting? Humungous meteor
hits – no more mammoth, no more
saber-toothed tiger – no more sloth.
Dead, dead, dead.
But
nope,
somehow
the
screenwriters didn’t care that they
had painted themselves into a tiny
corner. They just pretended that the
actual magnificent and monumental
meteor shower did little damage and
all creatures go on, happy and singing.
Bull.
The one constant that runs
through the earlier movies is Scrat,
the grasping, greedy, covetous
creature who looks like the runt
of a sabertooth’s litter. He craves
acorns beyond all else. He can have
a 1,000 acorns stacked besides him
and if he sees one more he must
possess it. And the antics this little
devil goes through are consistently
sidesplitting funny. This time? He
is funny, just not hugely. Hit antics
are forced or worse, predictable.
Remembering episodes from
early efforts there were always
moments when I wondered, how in
blazes is he going to get out of this
fix? Not this time. Mainly because
it was so contrived that one didn’t
really care.
Hard to imagine how, in a decade
and a half, a storyline can go from
77% to 13% except the march
was long, slow and steady in its
downward plunge.
On another note, because I know
people aren’t as faithful in reading
the Mirror online as they are
when they are in Mexico and it’s
hardcopy, I am going to repeat the
following each week.
I have written a book called
“An Execution’s Odyssey.” It is
available as an e-book on Kindle,
Nook, Smashwords etc. for six
bucks. Will be out in hardback
aftor Labor Day. Here’s one of the
dust jacket endorsements.
“Do you favor the death penalty?
Then you owe it to yourself to
read An Execution’s Odyssey.
Harrington masterfully reminds us
of the facts involving some of the
most horrific killers in California,
each facing execution –– facts that
would shock virtually any death
penalty proponent and cause them
to reevaluate their position. This
is a highly readable, interesting
and very persuasive book.” - Gil
Garcetti, LA County district
attorney from 1992-2000 and
current Cultural Ambassador for
UNESCO.
If you actually read my book I
would appreciate hearing from you
and your opinion. Thanks.
Act II Entertainment
the biggest entertainment venue in the Bay –
Summer Concert Series huge
success for Act II Entertainment Only 3 more concerts
Act II Entertainment has always
had a commitment to fostering new
and local talent. This commitment
has proven to be a very successful
venture for producers Danny
Mininni and Alfonso Lopez. Since
March 2016, Alfonso Lopez,
creator and director of the series
has been working every day with
three very talented performers,
all part of the hugely popular The
Voice of Vallarta, now going into
its 4th season. The summer concert
series began with Radio, a show
created to showcase the talent of
Job Hernandez, Gloria Fiona and
The Voice of Vallarta winner, Eli
Estrada. ¨This was a show we
created for them; little did we
know it would have such incredible
fanfare,¨ says Danny Mininni,
Owner of Act II Entertainment.
Radio was the first professional
show for all three performers, with
their solo shows “Be Italian”, ¨The
Book of Job¨ and ¨Broken English”. The task at hand was a “our eyes are
bigger than our stomach” moment
for Alfonso Lopez, so excited by the
potential of these three performers.
Creating, producing and directing 4
shows that were scheduled to open
one week after the next was no easy
task. But who better to take this
challenge than Alfonso Lopez? With
a Master’s degree in Music, Drama
and Voice, the former professor at
UTRGV - The University of Texas
Rio Grande Valley, Alfonso was
the perfect person for this project. When asked what he would do
with his first day off since March,
Alfonso replied: Sleep. Act II
Entertainment and its producing
team invite you to join them for
the last two shows scheduled over
the next two Saturdays at 7 p.m.
“What an incredible honor it’s been
working with this local talent!” say
the two producers.
Bob’s Karaoke Party
Where EVERYONE in Puerto
Vallarta goes to meet ‘n greet
Every Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Join us every Wednesday at 7
p.m. for the biggest party of the
summer. Encore bar is the place
where expats meet ‘n greet every
single Wednesday. It all starts at
6 p.m., to 8 p.m. when we start
the 2 x 1 drink special. At 7 p.m.
we start what has become the best
place to be all summer long. Join
Alfonso Lopez, PVGMC and ACT
II Musical Artistic Director host
each week and watch your friends
sing a song as you cheer them on.
Be Italian
Closing Night Saturday
July 30th at 7 p.m.
Starring Gloria
Be Italian, starring the hilarious
and talented Gloria Fiona who will
tell you she is not from Italy, she
is from Rome. Gloria first became
popular as someone in the crowd
who stepped up to sing Karaoke one
night in Encore last summer. The
crowd went wild and the next week
she won a contest that placed her as
a singer in the Act II Back-to-School
Fundraiser. Gloria went on to be the
crowd favorite and placed 2nd in the
Voice of Vallarta season 3, beating
out hundreds of contestants. Most
recently Gloria closed her show Radio
and she was the one everyone talked
about. ¨This girl is funny as hell and
she can sing, she should be in the
high season lin-up¨, said everyone in
attendance. Once again directed and
produced by PV show maker Alfonso
Lopez. Alfonso is quickly becoming
a top producer in Puerto Vallarta, not
only artistic director of the PVGMC,
but also artistic director for Act II.
Alfonso is now in pre-production for
the Tony Award-Winning Musical,
Avenue Q.
Broken English
Starring Eli –
Voice of Vallarta Winner
Opens to full house and cheers
Closing Night Aug 6th at 7 p.m.
Eli Estarada, the girl who would
take the prize. Crowned The Voice
of Vallarta 2016, Eli has not wasted
time. Eli has just finished a very
successful run of Radio performed
at Act II Red Room and has been
cast in a lead role in next season’s
Avenue Q. Eli was also the winner of the Voice of Vallarta much
coveted Cabaret Week, taking the
audience by storm with her humor
and incredible stage presence. The
prize for winning such a night
is this show. After 5 months of
rehearsal and private coaching
from producer and director Alfonso
Lopez, Eli has created a show that
will be sure to make you laugh, cry
and cheer. Performed in Broken
English, Eli is sure to be a high
season hit! The Act II Entertainment STAGES complex is located on the 2nd floor at 300 Insurgentes,
corner of Basilio Badillo in the Romantic Zone on the south side of town. Tel.: 222-1512. For show tickets and information:
www.actiientertainment.com for show details. Box office opens on show days at 4 p.m.
6 great restaurants
in Puerto Vallarta
For many people, one of the
best parts of any vacation is the
opportunity to indulge in a variety
of delicious meals, including those
you may not have the chance to
enjoy closer to home. For those
who tend to be more disciplined
about their diet in their everyday
lives, this is often the rare occasion
when they give themselves
permission to stray from their
usual dietary routine without guilt.
Here are a few restaurants that
we would strongly recommend
including in your list of
considerations.
Salud Super Food. Consistently
ranked at the top of the list by
online reviewers, this relatively
small place is big in appeal. As
you may be able to guess from
the name, this eatery has a heavy
emphasis on nutritious fare,
especially so-called superfoods.
Vitamin-rich
smoothies
and
exotic salads packed with local
ingredients are among the most indemand options.
Ocean Grill Vallarta.
It
probably won’t come as a surprise
that seafood is a major part of
the menu here. With such close
oceanside access, you can be sure
you will enjoy the very freshest
treats from the sea. Shrimp and
sea bass are some of the staples of
the selection. Off the beaten path,
this grill still offers a terrific view,
making for the perfect locale.
Bravos
Restaurant
Bar.
Seeking a more upscale dining
option? This may be the perfect
choice. The upscale décor creates
an air of luxury yet still manages
to be inviting and comfortable.
This is a great place to celebrate
a special occasion, or just enjoy
some fine drinks or delicious
cuisine in a quiet atmosphere.
The staff also earns raves for their
friendly approach and attentive
service.
Bella Napoli. Here’s a place that
is sure to please those seeking a
terrific Italian meal. You might be
surprised to discover this cozy little
Italian restaurant in the middle of
Puerto Vallarta , but any doubts you
may have will quickly be erased
as soon as you get your first taste
of this amazing food. Whether
you are in the mood for pizza or
want something more complicated
like homemade fettuccine, you
will leave satisfied. We suggest
wrapping up your meal with
decadent tiramisu and flavorful
coffees.
Chenan2 Restaurant.
One
of the best parts about going to
an exotic faraway location is the
opportunity to indulge in local
cuisine and that’s exactly what you
will get at this restaurant. This is
where you will find truly authentic
Mexican food with locally sourced
ingredients. For the best (and
most unforgettable) experience,
be daring and push your culinary
boundaries a little. Try something
unique such as the octopus.
Le Kliff. The food here is great
- we suggest trying the seafood –
but the real allure of this eatery is
the incredible view. It is unrivaled,
even among other nearby locales.
This is the perfect vantage point
from which to watch the scenery
while indulging in one of their
creative signature drinks, such as
the sweet potato martini.
(Source: www.travelpulse.com)
Editor’s Note: For information
about and photos of the restaurants
featured in this article, please visit
their Facebook pages.
Been there…
Archie’s Wok - “A feeling of serenity... very soothing... like an
Oriental patio... extremely comfortable... subtle, intriguing flavors...
care to detail... cuisine of the Philippines, with delicate touches of
Thai and Chinese... some of the best exotic cocktails around.”
Coco’s Kitchen – “… enchanting, romantic atmosphere,
welcoming, calm and relaxing no matter where you sit… some
of the best breakfast / brunches in town… eclectic and appealing
dinner menu… dishes to pamper the palates of the most discerning
diners... succulent homemade desserts, and the espresso is perfect
too.” Open for breakfast & lunch at 122 Pulpito,
D’z Route 66 – “…without doubt the most fun place…
totally renovated… soda bar, photos of the 50’s, 45 rpm records,
memorabilia …and the best music – especially if you’re a Baby
Boomer… familiar items like burgers (humungous), hot dogs
& pizzas, chicken wings & strips, finger-lickin’ good ribs, Philly
Cheese Steak & traditional Club sandwiches, Root Beer floats,
shakes, banana splits, sundaes, etc… Even passers-by stop to listen
and sing along to the music!”
El Arrayan – “Authentic traditional Mexican cuisine, voted Best
of its class 4 years in a row... true, inimitable delights to sight and
taste… spacious, welcoming and charming Hacienda patio style …
cool, casual atmosphere … attentive, friendly service promoting the
use of regionally-produced ingredients…”
Hacienda Alemana Frankfurt - “A beautiful open-air garden
setting and air-conditioned section as well... portions are huge...
the Apfelstrudel rated an “A”... authentic good and hearty German
fare at reasonable prices in an unexpectedly delightful little tropical
oasis of peace and serenity.” 378 Basilio Badillo.
Kaiser Maximilian – “A pioneer in the Olas Altas area, a
well-defined identity … a favorite among lovers of fine dining,
specializing in contemporary Austrian cuisine … quality ingredients
matched by excellent, amiable service … casual, elegant ambience
… a consistent participant in PV’s annual Gourmet Festival.
Trio – “Rich woods, frescoes reminiscent of Tuscany and trompe
l’oeil details, comfortable upholstered chairs, crisp white tablecloths
and napkins, glistening tableware, and the most mouth-watering
aromas wafting by as the courteous, efficient wait staff comes in
carrying one succulent dish after another… The Mediterranean fare
and décor of this Five Star Diamond Award winner stand alone in
Vallarta.”
ViteA Oceanfront Bistro – “… superb worldwide reputation
… always full, some of the best people watching in town, with an
unobstructed view of the bay beyond … lovely, European-style,
elegant yet bistro-like … portions are generous, service is truly
irreproachable; the bar is fully stocked, the desserts are decadent,
and the coffees superb. The panoramic view of the Bay of Banderas
is breathtakingly beautiful, and the prices are always reasonable.”
By
Over the past couple of weeks
we who have been living here year
‘round for a decade or more have
acknowledged that we are having a
good old-fashioned Vallarta summer:
hot, hot sunny days, clouding over
in the afternoon, followed by shortlived tropical downpours and ending
with the most spectacular sunsets
anywhere, almost always. Cool,
fresh nights.
Over the years, countless people
have asked me why I chose to live
in Puerto Vallarta. I won’t go into
all the charms of this place we like
to call paradise, and its people,
because most of you have already
discovered them, and because I
don’t have enough space to do so.
A gentleman by the name of Henry
Aubin who used to be the regional
affairs columnist for the Montreal
Gazette wrote an article many, many
years ago. I enjoyed so much that I
kept it. It was entitled “The Good
and Bad of Living in Montreal”
(where I come from). He expressed
it all, much better than I ever could.
Consequently, I would like to share
–once again- some excerpts of his
column with our readers, items that
applied to my personal decision to
undertake the “big move”.
“I started with the downside:
Unions – which claim 40 per cent
of Quebec’s workforce, the highest
share in North America – are among
the continent’s most disruptionprone; Aggravating the bitterness of
Montreal winters is the deteriorating
quality of snow removal; …hospital
waiting lists are still among Canada’s
longest; Quebecers as a whole paid
49% of their earnings in taxes to all
three levels of government last year,
more than any other people in North
America; The prospect of a shrinking
number of working-age Quebecers
paying for the care of booming ranks
of seniors guarantees a future of still
heavier fiscal burdens; Sovereignty,
a lively possibility, would drive many
mobile workers from Quebec and
deter would-be immigrants, thus
adding to the tax burden on those
who remain.
Then I turned to the positives:
Compared with most other North
Americans, Montrealers aren’t so
materialistic; The presence of two
principal languages is a plus. People
grow knowing there is more than
one way of thinking. People tend to
respect people who aren’t like them.
Cultural diversity thrives; this is a
tolerant city. Well-travelled blacks
and gays, for example, often say
that racism and homophobia are
less evident here than in most other
cities, including Toronto; Although
Montreal’s homicide rate tends to
be a just a tick below Toronto’s,
its streets are still among North
America’s safest; Along with San
Francisco and Boston, this is one of
the continent’s most congenial cities
for walking… The restaurants are
justly celebrated. Does any North
American city have more bring-yourown wine restos? Night outs are no
big deal budget-wise… My cousin
asked me to describe the soul of
Montreal. Mayor Jean Doré’s oneword description in the 1980s is more
fitting than ever: “convivial.” This
is one of the world’s great cities for
enjoying life – despite everything.”
I’ve included what Mr. Aubin
called his “positives” because I have
found them all, right here in Vallarta
- and more. (In addition, it’s always
warm and sunny and beautiful here!)
And look at those incredibly beautiful
mountains that surround us, God’s
architecture, definitely grandiose if
you ask me.
One of the points Mr. Aubin did
not mention -and which I consider
very important- was the generosity
of Montrealers. I have found that
same commendable altruistic quality
among the foreign community of
Vallarta. Charity is one of the main
pillars of all three monotheistic
religions. Having been brought up
according to its principles, I was
delighted to read about Richard
Reed’s huge -unsolicited- donations
to the PuRR Project and Puro
Gato. Another wonderful example
involving hundreds of local time
share owners is The Eagle’s Wings
Foundation that raised hundreds
of thousands of dollars from their
members over a few years - all
of which were donated to the
various organizations that help the
underprivileged in and around
Vallarta - accomplishments to be
proud of!
A typical Vallarta happening of
the kind I love: I went to the movies
this past week. A late afternoon
thunderstorm broke out. We could
hear it on the theater’s roof. (Forget
about taking Francisco Villa Blvd.
home…) Three-quarters of the way
through the film, the power went out.
An employee came to inform the
audience that they were working on
the problem. It came back on some
10 minutes later. The projectionist
tried to cue the movie to the point
where it went out by yelling out
to the audience: “Here?” “No, a
little later.” “Here?” “Yes!” we
responded. Don’t you just love it?
I’ve written about the varied
wildlife that surrounds my place –
iguanas and roosters, birds that sing
all day, crickets and frogs that sing all
night (finally!), bats and tlacuaches,
slugs and snails (very quiet), but I
forgot the most important, the ones
that live IN the house. Of course, I’m
referring to those cute little geckos,
called cuizas in Spanish, the ones
that make those “kissing” sounds, the
ones that keep my place nearly free
of mosquitoes and flies. I always try
to convince them to stay up near the
ceiling, where none of my kitty cats
can get them, but they don’t always
listen to me.
I was chatting politics with a friend
of mine the other day, telling her that
I had just turned off my TV, sickened
by what I was seeing and hearing.
Her response: “We put our T.V. on
the floor, in a corner, until it decided
to behave itself! It’s covered with a
beach towel.” Took me a while to
stop laughing. I’ll be glad when it’s
all over. In the meantime, I have to
get ready for the Olympic Games…
many hours of TV ahead!
Take care, dear reader, stay well,
and if you’re in PV, keep cool, and do
enjoy the incredibly dramatic sunsets
we’ve been having.
Hasta luego. [email protected]
VIEWPOINT
By
Reporting rental income on Mexican properties
Mexican tax law has become
more formal over the years and
Hacienda is currently seeking
to find those owners who are
not reporting income on their
properties here.
What property applies to the
current law?
All properties in Mexico, which
are rented and generate an income
for their owners, owe tax. When
owners are occupying their homes
or not charging their guests, there is no income.
Does it matter where the money is sent for payment?
Rental income on a Mexican property is taxable, regardless of
where the rental income comes from or where it is sent. If the
property is in Mexico and is rented, tax is due.
What tax is due?
IVA tax or sales is due. It is 16%. Some properties will be required
to pay an additional 2% room tax, similar to hotels. Income tax is
also owed. US citizens may pay 25% of the gross or 28% of the
net. Canadian citizens owe 25% of the gross. This rate may have
changed, so get professional advice.
What is deductible against income?
It is wise to get a list from a vetted Mexican accountant. You
may be able to register in the tax system to pay a flat fee, or have
deductions. Expenses which are part of the normal cost of doing
business may be deductible: utilities, repairs, cleaning supplies,
staff salaries, management fees, property taxes, trust payments, and
capital expenditures.
Does it matter what kind of expense receipt I receive for an
allowable deduction?
Absolutely yes, it matters! An acceptable receipt has 10
characteristics to it including a permit to be printed, an expiration
date, and a stamp of the tax ID of the taxpayer. The term used most
often for an eligible receipt is a “factura.” Learn how a factura is
different from a sales slip.
If I rent my own home out personally and don’t use an agent
or a rental company, am I exempt from paying taxes?
Absolutely not! You still owe IVA and tax. The expense for
commission is deductible.
What about developers who manage rental pools for their
owners within their development?
Taxes are owed.
How do I pay taxes?
You must register with Hacienda (Mexican IRS) after you
have notified Immigration that your property is earning income.
Immigration will give you permission to rent and will issue you
a permit. You register with Hacienda to become a taxpayer and
receive RFC or tax ID number.
What happens next?
You will need to use a Mexican accountant or someone qualified
to file returns and pay taxes. You can learn to file yourself.
What if I decide to ignore paying taxes?
If Hacienda finds out your situation and determines you are
renting the property illegally, you can be fined and charged for
unreported income retroactive to 5 years at a rental rate established
by the government tax authority.
This article is based upon legal opinions, current practices and
my personal experiences in the Puerto Vallarta-Bahía de Banderas
areas. I recommend that each potential buyer or seller conduct his
own due diligence and review.
Mobile device tips…
Not a week goes by that I don’t get
asked for some sort of advice with
regards to mobile devices, whether
it be general cleaning or improving
battery life. Let’s go over some of the
best tips I’ve found over the years for
getting the most out of your mobile
devices. One of the most common
questions I get deals with getting the
most out of the battery. Now first let’s
address the laptop user that generally
uses their laptop always connected to
a power source. Constantly charging
your laptop can lead to damaging the
battery over time.
I’ve had clients that say that they
never used their laptop on battery and
then went on a trip and found they
only had like 15 minutes of battery life
before need to find an electrical plug!
Some manufactures of laptops
have power management programs
that will help stop “overcharging”
batteries and drain small amounts of
battery for you. I personally think the
“old school” manual method is better.
If you are one of those users that
constantly use your laptop plugged
in then, once every couple of weeks,
unplug the power and run the laptop
on battery only.
Run on battery only right down
to the warning level of 20% before
plugging in the power again. Another
option for users who primarily use
their laptop connected to power, is to
take the battery out altogether (if your
model has a removable battery-many
new laptops don’t). Then maybe once
every month, put the battery in, charge
up the battery fully and run it down,
then charge fully and remove again for
a month or two.
This will ensure you have good
battery function when you travel
and you do need to use it on battery.
If your laptop battery has been
overcharging for a couple of years
already, it may already be too late,
but definitely worth the effort to try at
least. Definitely keep this tip in mind
for your next laptop purchase.
If you are away from a power source
for an extended period of time, there
are things you can tweak to extend the
battery time. The easiest tweak is to
turn off the Wi-Fi radio. If you don’t
need the internet on your laptop, tablet
or smartphone, you can just turn off
the Wi-Fi.
Another big hog of battery time
on all mobile devices is the screen
brightness. Turning down your screen
brightness to 50% (or even less in
evenings) can really help get the most
out of your battery time.
On tablets and smartphones, a couple
of additional battery hogs are the
Bluetooth radio and location services
being turned on by default. Unless
you use a Bluetooth headset / speakers
or keyboard with your device, there’s
no need for this radio to be turned on
and just draining the battery. Under
“settings”, the Bluetooth radio can be
turned off easily.
Now location services allows Apps on
your device to constantly communicate
where you are located geographically.
Again most often, this is just a battery
drain and can be turned off. If you
happen to run an App that “needs” to
know where you are, it will simply ask
you to turn it on again.
To turn off location services on
Apple devices, go to “settings” then
“privacy” and turn it off - On Android
it’s located under settings. BUT if
you do use tracking to recover a lost
or stolen device (which almost never
is successful), leave this setting turned
on. Apple has a feature called “low
power mode” which helps prolong
your battery usage time. On Android
it’s called “battery saver mode”.
You’ll find the setting on both types of
devices under “settings” and “battery”.
It basically reduces many features and
power usage to save you battery time.
The single most important advice I
can give, is the cleaning of your devices’
screen. Whether it’s a laptop screen,
desktop monitor, tablet, smartphone or
even your flat screen TV… DO NOT
grab the window cleaner!
The chemicals in window cleaners
may “quickly” clean dirt and smudges
from your screen, but over time those
same chemicals can “burn” your
screen. The harshness of using a
window cleaner can cause a greying or
discoloring of the most important part
of your device… the screen.
It’s best to just use a soft damp cloth
(having rung out excess water) on your
screen. Gentle pressure with a damp
cloth will clean just as well as windows
cleaners, but may just take a bit longer.
The end result will be a clean screen
without chemical damage over time.
You can also pick up a package of premoistened screen wipes in any store
computer accessory department.
As far as general dust removal
from your laptop keyboard and other
nooks and crannies, running a vacuum
(with the upholstery attachment) over
the keyboard, fan grills and USB
connectors will keep those parts clean
and dust free. Vacuums are not all that
common down here in paradise, so in a
pinch picking up a can of compressed
air will do just as good of a job with
a clean soft paint brush. Shut down
your laptop, disconnect all cables and
USB devices, and open the screen to 90
degrees place the laptop up on its side.
Just use short bursts of the compressed
air and make sure you keep the can
upright at all times, running along the
rows of the keyboard.
For really soiled areas of a laptop,
like where your wrists rest on the plastic
or the touchpad, you can use a small
amount of window cleaner on a cloth.
But only on the plastic areas - don’t get
tempted to go near the screen with it!
10 minutes of periodic light
cleaning, will help keep your laptop
in tip top shape and looking like new.
That’s all my time for now. If
you’d like to download this article
or previous ones, you can do so at
www.RonnieBravo.com and click
on “articles”. See you again next
week... until then, remember: only
safe Internet!
Legal Matters
Dear readers and friends of my late husband, Luis Melgoza:
First of all, I want to thank you for your kind words and condolences;
I have read and cherished every one of your notes, but it would be
monumentally impossible for me to answer over two hundred wonderful
letters privately. I also acknowledge that in almost half of your kind
notes, you have asked that I carry on Luis’ efforts to help the ex-pat
community. That, of course, will ultimately be up to our Editor in Chief.
The last column I wrote for Ask Luis was to share our experience in the
government health system (hoping to help readers in their decisions re
health care options in Puerto Vallarta and Mexico in general), although it
had been a nightmare up to that moment. For those who haven’t seen that
column, suffice it to say that finding him unconscious and not breathing
on the living room floor was only the beginning of the nightmare that
continued for three weeks from home CPR to the Emergency Room of
the IMSS, to hospitalization, from MRIs to biopsies, to a forced trip by
ambulance to Guadalajara.
When I last wrote from Guadalajara, I had just been given renewed
hope by the Chief of Pneumology, the Chief of Neurosurgery, the Chief
Oncologist and several other chiefs of staff in the Medical Center for
Specialization Care, IMSS, in Guadalajara.
A preppy little Internist at the IMSS Hospital on Francisco Medina
Ascencio Boulevard was the one who had insisted on sending Luis and
me to Guadalajara in an ambulance with no paramedic (the paramedic sat
up front so his girlfriend could fit in the back with her screaming infant),
no oxygen as had been prescribed, and his IVs closed off. Despite
my pounding on the window to the front several times, the driver and
paramedic heard only the pounding music in their ears from their IPhone
earplugs. I tried to irrigate the IVs myself, but they had been closed
off for so long that they were clogged. All this to satisfy a preppy little
internist who wanted a more invasive bronchoscopy because she did
not care for the non-malignant pathology results of the biopsy taken in
her hospital. The more poignant question, of course, would be how she
convinced the hospital director to approve her capricious demands.
Luis’ lung had collapsed by the time we arrived in Guadalajara.
Once he was admitted to a room and examined by several residents,
they decided to perform a middle-of-the-night Pleurisy Evacuation Unit
implant (which is very invasive), in a septic area... so septic, that several
hours later the room was evacuated because the man in the bed next to
Luis’ had a “very contagious disease.” They refused to tell us the nature
of the disease, nor whether it was viral or bacterial. That night, however,
the man was wheeled out in a body bag, so I assume the undisclosed
disease was deadly. At that point of the day, Luis felt well enough to
speak to several of his closest friends, hoping to alleviate their concerns
for his health. The only other person than me that he wanted there, of
course, was Sal, because he was more worried about me than himself
and knew Sal and his wife would make sure I at least ate something.
The following day they did the counter-indicated bronchoscopy. I
have since learned that this procedure should never be done when a
pleurodesis unit is in the lung, but after all, this was the best specialization
hospital of the entire IMSS system, right?
He never fully regained consciousness. DNRs are invalid anywhere but
in Mexico City, so they revived him three times. I was with him when he
finally passed, and promised him I would be with him soon.
The nightmare continued at the wake, but emotions were raw, everyone
there was in shock.
The following day we brought Luis’ ashes home. My daughter came to
give emotional support and help for a few days, but of course had to leave
because she works abroad. Sal, on the other hand, is my rock. I would
not be here if it were not for him. He not only runs PV Geeks, but he has
risen to the occasion, becoming as extraordinary a man as his dad was.
At first we wanted to bring criminal malpractice charges against the
preppy little internist, her hospital director and several dozen incompetent
residents and department chiefs in Guadalajara. However, that won’t
bring Luis back. Even if they were all removed, they would only be
replaced by similar beings, so what would be the point?
Researching extensively, I found the World Health Organization’s
international statistics on deaths caused by medical error, negligence or
misdiagnosis, and the statistics are frightening. In the United States alone,
negligent, misdiagnosis or simple “medical error” is the third cause
of death, exceeded only by cancer and heart disease (see https://www.
washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/03/researchersmedical-errors-now-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-united-states/). In
Europe, it runs from the third to the sixth cause of death, depending on
the reporting ethics of each country. Excluding South Africa, in Africa,
medical negligence is the first and/or second cause of death in all reporting
countries. There are practically no statistics on medical error deaths in
Mexico, of course. However, the above should give you a good idea
of how competently things are done, and how conveniently things are
swept under the proverbial rug. The scary reality seems to be that medical
care here is a crap shoot, albeit government healthcare, private healthcare,
homeopathic, chiropractic, Aztec, holistic or naturalistic.
The one Joyful Epilogue to this odyssey: Our youngest son, Luis V,
also flew to Guadalajara, even though his wife was due to give birth
any minute. If there is anything to be joyful about in this nightmare, it
surrounds our hopes, dreams and blessings for Luis VI, born one week
after his grandfather’s passing.
Erica Fuentes
Adult daughters of alcoholics…
and maybe the rest of us too!
(part 1 of 2)
By
There is a classic book in the
addiction field written specifically
about daughters who grow up in
alcoholic homes. Robert J Ackerman,
PhD, spent his career specializing
in alcoholic families and has written
numerous books. This one in particular
is “Perfect Daughters”. In it, he
describes the experience of growing
up in an alcoholic home, differentiates
between the impact of alcoholic
mothers and alcoholic fathers, and
describes the long-term effect into
adulthood. He focuses on the impact on
parenting, relationships, intimacy, selfesteem, the need to be perfect, the need
to be controlling, and much more. His
findings are based on years of research
and interviews with these women.
(NOTE: All information in this
article is from: ACKERMAN, Robert
(2002) Perfect Daughters (revised
edition). Deerfield Beach, FL, USA:
Health Communications, Inc., ch 10,
pgs 171-198.)
The rest of us
Interestingly, these traits do not
just apply to women nor do they only
apply to growing up in an alcoholic
home. I have known many people
who have very similar if not exact
traits growing up in homes with some
other stressor such as a bi-polar parent,
or a borderline parent, or a workaholic
parent. I think many of you relate to
and identify with these descriptions
and types. Many of the characteristics
also fit the descriptions of children
according to their birth order.
As a child, you probably adapted to
life the best you could which required
developing
certain
“adjustment
behaviors”. They probably: a) kept
you from feeling abandoned, b) met
the expectations of others, c) helped
you to create some balance in your
life, d) helped you to overcome
inconsistency and chaos. Although
they probably worked well for you
then, do you still need them now? Do
you even know what they are? If you
continue to implement these behaviors,
they prolong more of the same: same
pain, same crisis, same dysfunctional
relationships. Do you want to break
free from old childhood behaviors and
roles? Are they holding you back and
keeping you from growing?
You have to know what to change
Wanting to change is one thing;
knowing what to change is quite
another. Ackerman identifies eight
different patterns that carry over from
childhood and he identifies positive
and negative implications. He explains
that you, this adult woman, are a
survivor and you possess many positive
qualities. The negative qualities or
characteristics cause you pain and
keep you from enjoying life. The key
to recovery is to overcome the negative
characteristics. He then identifies a list
of things you need to do to transition
from those negative characteristics.
8 Types: (Keep in mind that no one
type completely describes anyone and
that you will probably identify with
several).
The Achiever: all-knowing, ever
competent, totally in control, very
responsible, accomplishment–oriented.
Her accomplishments are the basis
of her self-worth. Her self-worth is
always external, so that the only way
to be validated is to do things that
others recognize as worthwhile. She
is emotionally motivated by a sense
of inadequacy or not being good
enough. She compares herself to
others and always feels that they are
better. In relationships, she wants to
be in control and is usually willing to
do more than her share to achieve it.
Some of the negative characteristics
are: perfectionist, difficulty relaxing,
can’t express feelings, never wrong,
workaholic, marries a dependent
person, fears failure, and unable to play.
The Triangulator: never deals with
anyone or anything directly, always
has excuses; it’s never her fault. She
became the focal point in her parent’s
relationship by acting out in negative
unacceptable behavior so that they
could avoid dealing with each other.
She is courageous, creative, has lots
of friends, and is adventurous. Her
negative characteristics are: conduct
disorders, substance abuser, passiveaggressive, poor communication
skills, angry, and manipulative.
The Passive one: noticed more
for what she doesn’t or won’t do, for
example, she is never the player in
the game; always the spectator, she
is never the actor, but the reactor, she
goes along with everything and has
low self-esteem. In relationships,
she tolerates a tremendous amount of
inappropriate behavior, is willing to
be second, never expresses her needs,
and takes the path of least resistance.
She is tolerant, highly adaptable, a
loyal friend, empathic, a good listener.
The negative characteristics include:
low self-worth, eating disorders,
depressed, joyless, shy, lonely, and
won’t stand up for herself.
The Other-Directed One: relies
heavily on what other people think she
should do and is always trying to be the
person she thinks everyone expects her
to be. The emotional motivation is a
deeply rooted fear of being abandoned
if she exposed her feelings and needs.
She believes that in order to be accepted,
she should do what others want her
to do. If she is in pain, she will hide
it. She pretends she is always happy.
She does everything for everybody else
and has great difficulty doing anything
for herself. She has a very limited
self-identity. In relationships, she is
overly sensitive to criticism, denies
her own feelings, and has a terrible
time establishing boundaries. She is
charming, has a good sense of humor,
is adaptable, team player, cooperative,
energetic, joyful.
The negative
characteristics include: indecisive, no
sense of self, overly dependent, and
needs constant approval.
Well, so far, how many of you have
identified with any of these types or
maybe they remind you of a friend or
family member?
Note: Be sure to look for next
week’s article, which will continue
with the other four types.
By
Awakening Intuition
I was having lunch with a
friend of mine recently who is a
psychotherapist. During the course
of our conversation in dealing with
emotional intelligence, she mentioned
the deep connection of awaking the
power of intuition and getting in touch
with one’s personal spiritual gifts as
a tool in working through unsettled
situations. This statement got me
thinking that everyone seems to have
some closeted unsettled emotional
baggage. Also, her comment led
me to understand that we, as human
beings, have the inherent power of
intuition, spiritual gifts and capacities
that are meant to be used to guide and
direct our lives.
We have become conditioned to
using our physical senses and logical
thinking minds as the compass in any
given situation. Our natural intuition
is dulled by television, computers,
over work, and over saturation of our
physical senses - primarily through
food and sex. We all know that
emotional charges have very little
to do with logic. By fine-tuning our
intuition, we may be able to choose
more effortlessly and with less pain
the direction our lives could be taking.
This is called being ON PURPOSE
Spiritual gifts include intuition,
discernment, precognition, spiritual
empathy, visionary skills, working of
miracles, powers of healing, including
self-healing, and bringing our dreams
into reality. It may sound a little too New
Age to you, however may I say that your
gut feeling is your intuition kicking in
were your logic thought process leaves
off. Intuition alerts have a physical
alarm system feeling like butterflies in
the stomach, loss of appetite, anxiety,
depression and moodiness. Sit up and
take notice of these feelings which
is your intuition trying to tell you
something is out of whack with your
spirit and physical world
Intuition is a clear knowledge or
insight of what is right for you, free
of any logical or rational processes.
Intuition is a function of the sixth
chakra. Chakras are energy stations
in a line along the front of the body
and head. Accessing and developing
intuition is a natural gift we can all
develop more fully. With the natural
gifts of nurturing comes the sixth
sense, or “gut” feeling, which comes
easily to us all. If you are one of those
that practice yoga or mediation, you
already are working this sense
The sixth chakra is located in the
center of the brow, above both eyes,
just above the bridge of the nose. In
metaphysics, it is referred to as the
“third eye”. My friend claims you
can activate these areas of your body
and energy fields to increase levels of
intuition and pure knowing of right
action in tough situations.
Here are a couple of exercises and
observations you can practice to get
the energy flowing.
Imagine you have a third eye
situated at the point mentioned above.
Place your middle finger on the bridge
of your nose and push up a couple of
inches, breathing deeply, imagining
you are opening the eyelid. This is a
tool you can use before going into a
confusing and difficult situation.
Stop justifying, defending and
explaining yourself in your day-today conversations. Every time you
do, you discount what you “know”
to be true and right for you. These
encounters ring with simple truth and
honesty even in the most difficult
exchanges.
Stop using the phrase “I don’t
know”, or “I should”. Every time you
use this type of self doubt expressions
you shut down your intuition. Take a
moment to get in touch with yourself
and define what you do know and
how you really feel. It happens most
people are not USED to another
person taking a moment to reflect on
a question and may become impatient
for a quick reply. However if one asks
permission to think about it, usually
the questioner will respect this request
and actually feel good that one is
taking some time to figure it out and
not just reacting to the situation.
We are essentially spiritual and
highly intuitive beings. Sometimes
we run into trouble trusting what
we know, and all too often look
outside ourselves for permission or
validation. Confusion sets in when
actions and attitudes are in conflict
with your intuition. You may be able
to pull off this role playing for a while,
but sooner or later, your true nature
will unfold, like a caged bird taking
flight. Then everyone wonders what
happened, and those that are affected,
hurt develop feelings of betrayal... and
a whole ball of negativity can result.
I say trust your gut feelings. All
your answers are inside you waiting
to be awakened and shared. Those
who are willing to use their intuition
play a great role in the time in which
we live. Trust your inner knowing,
develop your intuition, and you will
not only enrich your life by being
true to yourself but the lives of those
around you.
Marlin, Sailfish, challenges exist:
Porpoises / Sharks!
By
(Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle)
It’s been another interesting week here in Puerto Vallarta’s fishing
grounds with big fish and big challenges. For the last couple of
weeks Corbeteña has been the place to be, unfortunately the
Porpoises and Lemon Sharks are of the same opinion. What does
this mean? Well for one thing, you’re playing cat and mouse with
the Porpoises or Dolphin of the flipper variety. With all the bait in
the water you’d think making bait (catching bait) would be a no
brainer. But in fact once you’re past the Marieta Islands you better
make bait or you’ll have issues (like I did the other day). With
Dolphin in the area, they love to get your free offerings and they
take it up to the hook! Shark are there as well, but you can’t see
them, they’re below the surface and they’re just sniping your baits.
You can always tell it was a shark when they rake the leader and
the line has little curly curls like butter does with a butter knife. If
you can get bait at The Rock, ok, but it’s time consuming! If you
can get bait around these ¨challenges¨ then you’ve got a decent shot
at big Blue Marlin or big Black Marlin. We’ve been hoping for
larger Yellowfin Tuna - - had a few over 180 lbs. boated last week
- but again, you have got to get the bait to them. There are always
Cubera Snapper, but again, challenges. As far as fish go you don’t
have many options at Corbeteña. If you ask me what’s happening
at El Banco, I can’t tell you. Nobody is heading out to this area
since the action has been so reliable at Corbeteña. Now don’t get
the wrong idea, it’s not a cake walk at Corbeteña, out of four boats
(only four boats the other day), three got Marlin hook-ups and they
were boated at 600 lbs. approx. each and one over 500 lbs. You’ll
get a strike, but you’ll also spend the whole day trying to get one
of these finned fantasies, so be patient. The Marlin were mostly
caught on lures, one on live bait. If running lures in this area make
sure you are using Guacamayos (orange, Green and Black stripes at
the top), Petroleros (Green, brown and purple) or Iguanas (Breen,
Black stripes, yellow belly. Start with these lure combinations, I
would be running at least two, maybe three around Corbeteña.
For the moment, the area 12 to 14 miles north off Corbeteña
are some channels where there is always tons of bait and the fish
density is pretty good, I think you have a better chance boating a big
Marlin in this area, so another option especially if bait is an issue!
Darn porpoises... Just west of El Moro and the Marieta Islands we have been
seeing Sailfish action pick up a little, but half way to Corbeteña
they’ll be dropping off. Striped Marlin begins eight miles off the
point of Punta Mita and from that point out anything is possible. So
don’t jam to Corbeteña and then wonder where the fish are, they’re
all over the area, drop baits early and pay attention, be ready, when
they strike you have to act quickly or they’ll drop the bait, happened
to me twice yesterday, nobody determined who would take the pole
first, beginner mistakes for sure. Around El Moro, Punta Mita and points west you’ll find
Sailfish, Striped Marlin. Farther out the Black Marlin and Blue
Marlin are picking up the slack. For now we have seen no Dorado,
Jack Crevalle are still around but they’re thinning in numbers.
Bonito are always here, Snapper around the reefs and structure. All
in all, the fishing this week is all about Marlin and Sailfish if outside
the bay. Continued on Next Page...
Inside the bay we’re still dealing with the rains, the trash line
and the weather. We’re seeing lots of tropical storms, which
means unexpected and unpredicted rains of decent intensity, in
other words it pours like Louisiana! Jack Crevalle everywhere,
Snapper and Snook at the river mouths and they’re
good fighters, and tasty! Bonito, Skip Jacks for sure.
Sails are slowing down a bit, but the rains are back
so this will draw in more Sails, which is already a
freaky situation. Smaller Tuna around Yelapa with a
host of other species to choose from.... With the rains
and the trash line comes dirty, coffee-colored water.
Don’t be alarmed, this water is just a few feet thick
and your captain should be running a planer to get
baits below this brown coffee water. It´s basically
blue and clean water under the surface, so don’t flip
out, it’s part of the plan! Bite - with the full moon on its way you’d think it
would be getting earlier and earlier in the day but that’s
not the case. For the last couple of weeks now the
bite has been after 12 noon or early, early afternoon.
The bite has been going until after 6 p.m. so getting
to the fishing grounds early will not do anything for
you… Use this information wisely, give yourself the
best chance to boat something memorable! Water
temps are still at 86 to 88 degrees, in the bay with all the cool rain
swollen rivers you can expect this. Live bait is always king, but in
the bay you may want to run the same lure colors to catch Marlin
at Corbeteña here they are again: Guacamayas (orange, green and
black stripes at the top), Petroleros (green, brown and purple) or
Iguanas (green, black stripes, yellow belly). Start with these lure
combinations. Also pink and white combinations worked well on
the hoochies the other day, something to think about. Master Baiter’s just got another freezer so this means we can
once again Freeze Your Fish! Master Baiter’s clients get this
service for free, non clients will pay $150 pesos ($7. USD/bag)
and can rest assured it won’t be stolen by the concierge, bell boy or
anyone passing your fish in the freezer with sticky fingers. And of
course we’re the only ones offering this service in Marina Vallarta
that I know of. If you get ten bags of fish it makes us the cheapest
fishing company in Puerto Vallarta.
I also have a new, smaller panga with a super superior captain
and for the next two weeks I am offering this 26-ft Panga for four
Solution to crossword on page 21
Solution to Sudoku on page 21
hours at $200 USD which is at a loss for me, but we’re introducing
this panga so we can earn your business in the future! However,
you have to mention you read it here in this article to get this deal or
mention you read this in the PV Mirror (www.pvmcitypaper.com ) !!
Smoke Your Fish: As another exclusive service
of Master Baiter’s we’re offering a Fish Smoking
Service where we’ll smoke your fish, bag it and
prepare it for shipping, we take half for payment.
People are loving this service and frankly I love
the taste of smoked Marlin / Smoked Sailfish,
Dorado, Rooster fish or any other fish you catch.
Even Jack Crevalle taste good smoked!! Just
call us and we’ll come to the boat and get it with
instructions on how to reach us, we’ll deliver it a
few days later or trade you what we have in stock,
but not the day of the trip, amigo. Call us, we’ll
fix you up! I can’t tell you how good this is with
a beer!!
July Fishing Special: Right now we’re running
a special for the month of July: 4 hours, four
people max, ice, bait, captain, crew, licenses, on
insured boats with English-speaking captains
is only $250 USD for a ¨Full Service¨ fishing
Trip. Option II: For those looking to just get
on the water and do some basic fishing our 4-hour trip from
Marina Vallarta to Los Arcos trolling for smaller game fish is
only $195 USD, four people, same as the $250 trip but you’ll
be limited on distance and how much fuel we use. Air fares are
cheap, hotels are all running specials and the fishing grounds for the
most part are still empty.
Until next time, don’t forget to ¨Kiss Your Fish¨. . .
Master Baiter’s is located in Marina Vallarta between docks A
and B on the boardwalk. Email your questions to me at: CatchFish@
MasterBaiters.com.mx Web page: www.MasterBaiters.com.mx ,
Local Phone at: (044) 322 779-7571 or if roaming: 011 521 322 7797571 cell phone direct. Come like me on Facebook: www.facebook.
com/pages/Master-Baiters-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.
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By
Split Leaf Philodendron
Philodendron Tree, Philodendron bipinnatifidum
Family: Araceae
Also known as Tree Philodendron, Lacy Tree
Philodendron, Selloum, Cut-Leaf Philodendron, Split
Leaf Philodendron or Self Header
(Well, maybe not quite a tree, like a Sequoia or Giant Redwood,
but for a fun, frilly leafed sort, it’ll grow up somewhere near
twelve feet with a trunk of more than six inches in diameter!)
Right
here and now, allow me to mention that some
Philodendrons are climbers. Others are self-heading. While
the former is somewhat self-explanatory, the latter means that
its foliage appears – much like a crown – at the top of its
rather thick, stout trunk.
By way of further preface, when seeking out this
“marvelously attractive” species, you might still see these
called a Philodendron selloum - its previously “known as”
Latin name - in some nurseries and viveros. Beyond that, as
the “also known as” names indicate, it is often confused with
and called by the names of its Philodendron relatives.
From Brazil and Paraguay, this attractive, slow growing
tropical plant has a tendency to mound and with age tends to
grow sprawling stems with age. Its leaves get larger and more
lobed as the plant whole grows.
In a solitary form or planted in groups, it provides the
quintessential tropical look. Accordingly, is can effectively be
used in any of a number of landscaping venues: ground cover,
accent plant, bank cover or displayed in a pot or container.
It grows well in both sun and shade, thriving in good welldraining soil and lots of water. Those last three words are
important as this is, most definitely, not a drought tolerant
plant … and doesn’t care a great deal for salt either!
But let’s back up a bit with some overall, generic background
information.
The Philodendron genus is comprised of around five hundred
herb, shrub and climbing species. Most all of these – though
Philodendrons have a boat shaped spathe
that encloses their spadix
sporting attractive foliage – should be considered poisonous
to children and pets in that their sap is, to say the least, quite
irritating. (We had a neighbor a lot like that once!)
An interesting aside to this plant is that plants of the
Philodendrons family have been used as house plants for
centuries.
Continued on Next Page...
Accordingly, these are popular container plants for
public buildings and offices, but – most definitely - not for
incorporation in small rooms. As an indoor container plant
this is what one might seek for a large hall or an ultra-spacious
room. Remember, this is a tropical plant, which most enjoys
a moist environment, so keep its soil moist - but neither oversaturate it nor let it dry out.
Referring to their epiphytic proclivities (growing harmlessly
upon another plants), their Greek name Philodendron,
appropriately, means “tree loving”.
The doubly divided leaves of the Tree Philodendron become
larger and more deeply lobed with age. These are spirally
arranged, rather heart-shaped and can grow up to four to five
feet in length! Its petiole is of nearly the same length. These
all prefer shaded to partially shaded environs.
The decumbent main stem (lying or growing on the ground
but with erect or rising tips stems) of the Philodendron
bipinnatifidum are marked with quite conspicuous leaf scars.
Between these scars, long aerial roots develop.
Actually, it requires little care other than some occasional
grooming as lower leaves become discolored. But take care
when planting a Tree Philodendron. What starts out small
can grow to be rather large.
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AIR TRANSAT 01 800 900-1431
ALASKA
01 800 252-7522
AMERICAN 01 800 904-6000
CONTINENTAL
See United
DELTA 01 800 266-0046
FRONTIER
01 800 432-1359
INTERJET
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SUN COUNTRY 01 800 924-6184
UNITED
01 800 864-8331
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WESTJET
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The Philodendron bipennifolium can be recognized
by its marginal indentations and lobes
So when selecting a home for yours, think of the space it may
well take up in but a short few years.
Difficult to propagate through cuttings, the easiest way to
acquire new ones – short of running out and buying new ones
or conning one from a friend - is by sprinkling seeds in a fibrous
medium and keeping them moist until they’ve germinated.
While Philodendron Trees that are indoors rarely flower, those
outside might just bloomin’ reward you! Their inflorescence
consists of a one foot (0.3 m) long purplish red spathe enclosing
an upright spadix with numerous tiny flowers lacking petals.
On first blush, from viewing it a ways back, Windowleaf
Philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) can be mistaken for a Tree
Philodendron. However, but it has actual windows - OK, OK,
maybe in all reality they’re really holes - in its leaves rather
than indentations and lobes.
In wrapping this up, there are numerous, somewhat similar,
hybrids that are interesting. But two that come immediately to
mind are ‘German Selloum’ which has very narrow leaf lobes
and ‘Variegatum’, whose leaves have yellow markings.
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
by S. Daily / B. Venzke / Will Shortz ©New York Times
Across
1. Rating a blue ribbon
5. Unceasingly
10. Sign over, as rights
14. Florence's river
15. Gossip's tidbit
16. W.W. II general
Bradley
17. "Uh-uh!"
20. "The Natural" role
Roy ___
21. Some parents
22. Sergeant once played
by Phil Silvers
23. Unlocks, poetically
25. Doctor's charge
26. "Uh-uh!"
31. Mideast grp.
34. Higher on the Mohs
scale
35. Basketball's ___
Ming
36. Words to an old
chap
37. Fact-filled volume
39. Cultural programs
they're not
41. Newshawk's source,
often
1
2
3
4
5
14
8
9
10
27
28
24
30
35
37
38
42
32
33
56
57
58
36
39
43
46
40
44
47
48
51
31
25
34
45
13
22
29
41
12
19
21
23
11
16
18
20
50
7
15
17
26
6
49
52
53
54
55
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
42. Tacit approval
44. Food or air
45. Hook shape
46. "Uh-uh!"
48. "Now I see!"
49. Pro foe
50. "So long, mon ami"
53. Farmer's sci.
54. Mall stand
59. "Uh-uh!"
62. Bit attachment
63. Muralist Rivera
64. Within reason
65. Singer James or
Jones
66. First name in
cosmetics
SUDOKU!
Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle.
The aim of the puzzle is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each row,
column and group of squares enclosed by the bold lines (also called a box). Each
box must contain each number only once, starting with various digits given in some
cells (the “givens”). Each row, column, and region must contain only one instance of
each numeral. Completing the puzzle requires patience.
It is recommended as therapy because some studies have suggested they might
improve memory, attention and problem solving while staving off mental decline
and perhaps reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Solution to Sudoku on Page 17
67. Part of many
"shoppe" names
Down
1. Sen. Evan of Indiana
2. Suffix with switch
3. Give the cold
shoulder
4. Pyramid, maybe
5. "Chicago Hope" sets,
for short
6. Pumpkin pie spice
7. Diplomat's post
8. Answers from a 49Across
9. Hoopster Erving's
nickname
10. Newswoman Roberts
11. Early Oscar winner
___ Jannings
12. Like a damp cellar
13. Hence
18. Ashe Stadium event
19. Outdated weddingvow word
24. Voracious fish
25. One making
arrangements
26. Jonah's swallower
27. Patriot Nathan and
others
28. "Aunt ___ Cope Book"
29. Bismarck's state:
Abbr.
30. ___ Tuesday (Mardi
Gras)
31. "Nonsense!"
32. Andy Kaufman's role
on "Taxi"
33. Yiddish "Egad!"
36. Analogist's words
38. Iowa college
40. Golf's Sorenstam
43. Where Friday was
once seen on Thursday
46. Hoodlum
47. Cause to see red
48. Big name in health
care
50. River of Bern
51. South Beach ___
52. "What's ___ for
me?"
53. Black cuckoos
55. ___ facto
56. Fire ___ (gem)
57. E-mail command
58. Tot's perch
60. Lines from Shelley
61. Clod chopper
Solution to Crossword
on Page 17