Teresa Shields - The Baja Citizen

January 24th, 2011.
The Interview with
Teresa Shields
On Page 3
YEAR: 2 Nº: 50 PUBLISHER: Hally J. Productions S. de R.L. EDITOR: Gari-Ellen Donohoe
One Thing
is Certain:
BCS Elections
are not Boring
TBC
They are partying on street corners dressed in electric
blues, yellows or in the colors of the Mexican flag,
with music blaming, banners a wave and political
pamphlets in hand. Jumping out into traffic when
the cars have to stop for a light, they thrust political
propaganda through the open windows, plaster
cars with stickers and chat up potential supporters. The promotional campaign, SI NO VOTAS, NO CUENTAS, If you don’t vote, you don’t count, was started in Monterrey, Nuevo
Leon in 2006 in a bid to get citizens out to vote. For the February 6th elections, a community group with no ties to any political
party here in La Paz started promoting the need for all citizens to get out and vote and to help put an end to the apathetic voter.
Remember, if you are a proud carrier of the IFE card, excercise your democratic right and get out and vote.
Will Ley Seca put a damper on
Super Bowl celebrations?
TBC
In Mexico, according to the law, ley seca, or
prohibition, is applied before an election and
throughout election day. The sale of alcohol in
restaurants, grocery stores, beer venders and any
other establishment that sells alcohol is prohibited
generally from midnight Saturday until 9:00 am
on Monday, as elections here are always held on a
Sunday. Consumers are advised to buy their alcohol
beforehand to avoid disappointment.
With municipal and state elections this year in Baja
California Sur falling on February 6th, which happens
to be Super Bowl Sunday and during high tourist
season, CANIRAC La Paz, the National Chamber of
Restaurants and Condimented Food Industry in La
Paz, has sent a letter to the municipality of La Paz
asking for permission to sell alcohol in registered
establishments on election day. Members feel, and
rightly so, that during days of ley seca, important
economic resources will be lost.
Continues on page 18
These people are party supporters and this is all
part of election campaigning in Mexico. Ready at a
moment’s notice, they often hit the streets and the
malecon in La Paz, dressed in party colors, ready to
make noise in support of their candidate.
State and municipal elections in Baja California Sur
will be taking place on Sunday, February 6th, 2011 and
so far, like the partying in the streets, the campaigns
have been, entertaining, loud and colorful.
During these elections, voters will be choosing
a new Governor to replace Narciso Agundez
Montaño from the Party of the Democratic
Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática,
PRD). Agundez Montaño has governed the state for
nearly the past six years. Voters will also be going to
the polls to elect mayors for the five municipalities
in Baja California Sur, which include Los Cabos, La
Paz, Comundo, Loreto and Mulege and to elect
state congressman/women from Baja California
Sur’s 16 districts.
Continues on page 18
2
January 24th, 2011
We did it! We are finally on-line!
After many months of pure frustration
and tears, I am back on-line at www.
bajacitizen.com. Make sure you check
it out and check back often.
I was at another domain name but
unfortunately, I had problems with
my web master and to make a long
story short, I lost control of the page.
It was my fault for being naïve. After
several months of trying to get it back,
my new computer guy, Mike, and I
decided it was time to cut our losses
and move over to another domain
name and start from square one.
So we did and I am so excited. Not
really sure how I am going to fit all of
this into my day but there is so much
going on in La Paz that a bi-weekly
paper barely scratches the surface.
With a webpage, I can easily post all
the last minute doings in La Paz and
in return, you can help me with letting
me know how you really feel!
New postings will go up daily
concerning local news, community
events and feature stories. You can
all access the latest edition of The Baja
Citizen on-line as well. Stay tuned and
please, have some patience with me.
That is not all. I have more good
news. My friend, Maureen Ryan, has
agreed to help me with sales. As of
last week, Maureen has been hitting
the town, finding those advertisers
that we all want to know more about.
So thank-you Maureen for taking on a
fun but huge undertaking. I hope with
Maureen now on board, I can dedicate
more time to doing what I love; getting
the story. It has been difficult doing
both but both are necessary and one
does not go without the other. Trust
me.
So my lessons learned this week?
1. Any information given to you in
regards to your webpage, especially
information in regards to your control
panel, save! That includes all user
names, numbers and passwords. I will
not make that mistake again. Never.
2. When drowning, ask for help. You
never know when someone you know
can easily, and happily, save you.
* * *
Two new columns have started up
recently and I would love to hear your
feedback on them. Kathy Bezy will be
offering us a look at the Art Scene in La
Paz. Several very talented artists call
La Paz home and it is time we celebrate
them and find out what they are up to.
Also, super shopper Donneley McCann
has offered up her expertise on what
you can find out and about in La Paz’s
stores in the Shopping 101 column. I
look forward to hearing from you.
* * *
I received sad news last week that a
new friend I had just recently made,
George Reynolds, had passed away
from a short battle with cancer.
George was commonly known as
The Tree Doctor and was a long time
resident of La Paz. George had inspired
me to enjoy the plants around me and
learn more about not only their care
but about their life, their story. I will
remember George for his passion of
all things trees and for his love and
admiration for Ana. I will miss you
George.
Yours,
Gari-Ellen
Publisher: Hally J. Productions S. de R. L.
La Paz, BCS 23090 Mexico
Editor
Gari-Ellen Donohoe
gari-ellen@thebajacitizen.com
Gari-Ellen’s cell (612) 159 13 88
Graphic Design
Gabriela Inzunza Salgado
The Baja Citizen is a free circulation community newspaper that is distributed in La Paz and
the communities of Centenario, Todos Santos, Pescadero, El Sargento/La Ventana and Los Barriles every second Monday.
The views of contributers to The Baja Citizen do not necesarily reflect those of the Publishers.
3
January 24th, 2011
An Interview With
Teresa Shields
It has been a long time coming but I
finally made it to Centro Mujeres, A.C.
located at 480B Marquez de Leon in
La Paz. More than one reader had
e-mailed me about the Centro and
asked me to feature the NGO and
embarrassingly, I never made it. I
finally made an appointment to meet
with Teresa Shields with the help of my
friend Sidne. I spoke with Teresa, the
co-director of Centro Mujeres and she
patiently explained to me all the work
she and the crew try to accomplish
in our community. Originally from
Washington State, Teresa once read
an article in National Geographic about
the whales, and in 1989 she came to La
Paz to finally check things out. She has
been here ever since. Enjoy our chat.
providing information adolescent to adolescent
The Baja Citizen: What is Centro
Mujeres, Teresa?
Teresa Shields: We are a human rights
organization and our mission is to
empower women, youth and migrant
workers to improve the quality of
life. We want to contribute to making
this state and our society democratic
and to promote gender equality and
justice.
We have three lines of work. One is
research, one is public policy and the
other is community programs. This
leads to the services we offer. Dr.
Monica Jasis, the co-director of Centro
Mujeres, leads the research that is
done in the clinic. She is actually world
famous in the work she has published,
and with that research, we are able to
form programs that are needed in the
community.
The Baja Citizen: How long has the
Centro Mujeres been running?
Teresa Shields: 16 years. Monica and
I have been here from the beginning.
When we started, there were two
other NGO’s in La Paz. Niparaja and
Cruz Roja. People thought maybe
we were a social club. We had a
hard time with the Notario because
he didn’t know how to classify us.
We started everything from scratch.
We were pioneers here. No one
understood the terms gender or
gender perspective. We broke new
ground and we worked hard, really
hard in getting the government to
respond.
The Baja Citizen: It sounds like
you brought the term NGO (nongovernmental organization) to Baja?
Teresa Shields: Yes, there really
was nothing here. We brought our
strategies and went to work and
paved the way for others. We are
still the only NGO in the state to deal
with reproductive rights. There is
still a lot of work to do.
The Baja Citizen: Have you had any
success in you work on gender equality
in the state?
Teresa Shields: From our work in
public policy, we authored some very
important laws here. For example,
violence against woman for a long time
Presenting at forum on gender and education
was not considered a crime. That was a
six-year process to get the congress to
recognize our work. We authored the
law against discrimination. We have
had some very important successes
and we will continue to work with
whoever is in power here in La Paz.
There is still more to do.
The Baja Citizen: Have you ever had
people upset with you over some of
the work you are doing? It seems like
La Paz is a very conservative town.
Teresa Shields: I don’t find people are
against us. We have been distributing
free condoms to young people in our
effort against AIDS because we have a
serious, serious problem here in Baja
especially with women and youth. We
distribute condoms in public schools
and we have not once had a complaint.
On the contrary, people come to us
Continues on page 10
January 24th, 2011
4
REDONDEO EN OXXO
Judy Peterson
All of you have noticed
the OXXO stores which
have sprung up all over
the city the last couple
of years. They are much
like the 7-11 stores we
find in the United States.
They have a program of
®redondeo®, in which
you may donate the
small change coming to
you when you make a
purchase at one of their
stores.
The employees of OXXO are very
enthused about helping various
community civil associations. For
example in 2010, Ciudad de NiÒos
received a check upwards of 350,000
pesos, an association in Cabo San
Lucas which has a day care center for
children of single women received
a check for 508,000 pesos, and the
most recent, a blood bank in Cabo San
Lucas received 517,000 pesos for the
redondeo which terminated the end
of December.
The public resources committee
of OXXO, located in Monterrey,
chose FANLAP to be
the recipient for the
first four months of
2011. We were asked
to make a presentation
of our programs to the
managers of the La Paz
stores two weeks ago,
and to the managers
of the Cabo San Lucas
and San Jose del Cabo
stores last week. I was
surprised to find that
those stores located in
Los Cabos have many
foreign clients, where those in La Paz
have zero.
We respectfully would like to ask
you to stop in at an OXXO, make a
purchase and tell them you would like
to support FANLAP in this important
campaign by donating your centavos.
They do have great coffee, although
the cost for a cup is 12 pesos, leaving
no centavos to donate.
The proceeds for this campaign will be
used for our scholarship program for
2011-2012, and for purchases for our
dining room and library.
5
Greatest Appetizer Ever!
eI attended a party last
eweek and was amazed
fto discover a delicious
dtreat I was devouring
nwas made with Spam.
eAna passed on the recipe
zand said, “This recipe
,was passed on to me by a
sboating friend in the San
sFrancisco area. This was
onot my invention! The
srecipe is called “rib bits”
tand is always a huge hit
nat parties. The surprise
yalways comes when a person bites into
zit, enjoys it and then finds out what the
ingredients are!” It happened to me. I
had no idea it was Spam!! Enjoy.
k
aRIB BITS
e
tPreheat oven to 350 degrees
.
hIngredients:
g
1 can of Spam
8 TBSP Brown Sugar
e
r2 TBSP Vinegar
r
1 TBSP Red Chili Sauce (your choice
and make it as mild or spicy as you like)
Quarter the Spam in three directions
making small, bite size pieces.
Mix other ingredients and pour over
Spam in a baking pan or cookie sheet
that is large enough to single layer
Spam chunks. Stir well to cover and
bake for one to one-and-a half hours. WARNING! There is a fine line between
done and charred so keep an eye on
your “bits”, I like to stir every fifteen
minutes and always return the meat
to the thin layer. Meat will darken and
start to firm up; that’s when you know
your “Rib Bits” are done!
Serve with toothpicks and listen
for the raves!
We are headed to Corazon Cafe
for Valentine’s Day!
Corazon Café cordially invites you to
the Valentine’s Day edition of the La
Paz Ladies Luncheon on February 10th,
2011 starting with the meet & greet at
12:15 pm followed by the main event
at 1:00pm. Corazon Café is located
downtown La Paz, on the corner of
Revolution and Constitucion.
Send in your reservation now to
luizalanoy@yahoo.com.
All
are
welcome. It is a great way to catch up
with friends both new and old!
La Paz Ladies Luncheon Menu
Salmon Mousse with corn crackers
*****
CHICKEN, accompanied by a heart
made of mashed potatoes and a side
green salad.
*****
Ibiscus and strawberry pana cotta
*****
Agua Corazon, super refreshing rose
lemonade with heart watermelon
There will be a 50/50 draw for the
Ciudad de los Niños, the youth
orphanage in La Paz. See you on the 10th. It will be fun
sharing a special day with
special friends!
January 24th, 2011
January 24th, 2011
Valet parking? Check.
Fast and efficient
registration? Check.
Fabulous food? Check.
Great
company?
Double check.
Eighty women had
the pleasure of dining
at Palermo’s, located
on the malecon in La
Paz, on January 13th,
2011. The restaurant
was happily packed
with enthusiastic and
charming women. If
Dripping with elegance.
you haven’t had a
meal at Palermo’s, you are missing out was one of the best Greet and Meet
sessions we have had where the women
on a great restaurant.
were engaged in active conversations
The organization of the registration while circulating. The focus here
and payment and obtaining the was on meeting new women and
nametags was the best yet. It seemed reconnecting with friends as well
as networking among the women. The ambiance of this
restaurant is dripping
with elegance. When
you walk into this
restaurant,
one
cannot help but to be
impressed.
The buffet menu was
delicious. The roasted
potatoes were crisp
and
the
melody
of
vegetables
was
Hostess Luiza thanking Palermo’s staff.
outstanding. The
lasagna
and
chicken
that everyone was processed in very
little time. Congratulations to the dishes were fabulous. The Caesar
salad excellent with lots of cheese and
restaurant staff for a job well done.
We started our event with the Greet bacon. This restaurant sure knows
and Meet outside on the patio. This how to make a Caesar salad. Dessert
6
was sinful chocolate brownies
with a side of fruit. Many
went for seconds.
I personally went around to
every table to see how the
ladies were enjoying their
lunch. Everyone loved it and
many proclaimed that this
was the best ladies luncheon
ever! The whole event was
perfectly orchestrated by the
restaurant. They have the
Early arrivals.
Raffle winners Barbara and Gaby with Azereth and Benita.
Fabulous dishes!
experience and it showed. Palermo’s
has been one of the few restaurants
prepared to handle a large group with
such organization and care.
No doubt, this means that we will all
be going back with our husbands
or significant others to enjoy this
restaurant’s very unique evening
menu prepared by
Chef Alessandro
Mansuco.
A special thank
you to Palermo’s
for donating a
bottle of wine for
the raffle, with
proceeds, totaling
3,650
pesos,
going towards the
Shelter for Women
and Children.
Thank you again ladies for
spending your afternoon
with us at Palermo’s.
Palermo’s, thank-you for
hosting a very special day
for us. Your generosity
shone throughout the
afternoon! We plan on
coming back.
7
January 24th, 2011
Shiraz or Syrah
Hello, my name is Andres Peñaranda
Jr. and I will be your wine guide in this
edition of the Sudcaliforniano Wine
Club where wine lovers of La Paz can
become aware and informed about
this interesting subject and share their
experiences with others. Today, we
will briefly discuss the Shiraz grape.
The Shiraz was generated in the Rhone
region in Southeastern France. Before
the French became aware of the
virtues of the grape, the name Shiraz
became popular for this grape variety
in Australia, where it has long been
established as the most grown darkskinned variety. The Australians had
instant success in the international
markets with the grape. During the
late 70s and 80s, all this great success
for the Australians with the Shiraz not
only inspired the winemakers of the
Rhone region but also in other parts of
the world such as California and South
Africa. Internationally, there are now
may Shiraz vineyards.
Wine Club.
The Shiraz grape.
Wines made from Shiraz are often
powerfully flavoured and full-bodied.
The variety produces wines with a
wide range of flavor notes, depending
on the climate and soils where it is
grown. Aroma characters can range
from violets to berries (usually dark as
opposed to red), chocolate, espresso
and black pepper.
At the end of the meal, Shiraz wines
can accompany red meats and other
similar dishes that are full of flavor,
as they are large and expressive and
are best enjoyed with well-seasoned
dishes. Don’t confuse the grape Shiraz
with the grape Petit Shiraz. Although
the name is similar, they are two
different grapes. The Petit Shiraz can
be defined as a
Shiraz but softer,
and it is obvious
that it is not the
same grape. The
Shiraz grape is
like a Merlot on
steroids but it
doesn’t contain
the amount of
tannins
that
the
Cabernet
Sauvignon has.
On this occasion,
your homework
is to try out 3
Last but not least
the Tall Horse South
African Shiraz, which
has the qualities of
European
wines;
elegant and fragrant.
Vineyard.
different types of Shiraz wines. The
first one is the most famous and most
produced in the world, The Yellow Tail
Shiraz. The second is a national wine,
highly regarded and very rare to find
because it is a special edition from Valle
de Guadalupe, Monte Xanic Syrah.
All these products
can be found at La
Cava del Patron,
your specialized wine
store in La Paz that
carries the largest
number of brands at
the best prices. Also
do not forget to write. You can order
back issues of this section or ask for
information about wine tastings and
events at clubdelvinolapaz@hotmail.
com.
January 24th, 2011
8
We are not Mexican.
Many of us enjoy Mexican food and
music and we’ve even learned to
speak some Spanish (with heavy
accents), and we celebrate the local
holidays but we’re still not Mexican.
There’s at least one thing that sets us
apart from our Mexican friends – our
sense of time.
No, I’m not talking about the
“manana” phenomenon. I’m talking
about our sense of Party Time.
The holiday season in La Paz runs from
mid-December through Carnaval. And
each occasion is a reason to throw a
house party.
Our first Christmas in La Paz we were
invited to Marta and Gabo’s home on
Dec. 24th. They said to come at 8 p.m.
We arrived at 8:10. The house was dark.
We sat in the car for twenty minutes
and wondered if we’d misunderstood.
At 8:30 we knocked. Gabo opened the
door, invited us into the living room
and said, “Marta will be downstairs
soon; she’s in the shower.” I sat on
the edge of the chair and gripped the
Cuba Libre that Gabo had placed in my
hand. Alex drained his in three gulps.
And we waited.
Soon other ex-pats began to arrive.
We exchanged looks and shrugged
our shoulders. Together we waited.
At 9:00 Marta hurried down the stairs.
She looked beautiful. Hair, make-up
and high heels – all perfect. At 9:45
(over an hour after we’d knocked on
the door) Mexicans began to arrive.
By 10:30 the party was in full swing.
The Mexicans were laughing and
telling stories but I noticed that our
extranjero friends were beginning
to droop. At eleven o’clock Sally and
Mike stood. Marta said to them, “You
can’t leave yet. We’re going to have
dinner soon.” They sat down. At
midnight a delicious calorie-rich dinner
was served. At 2 we drank espresso
and ate chocolate rum cake. When
we left the party at 4:15 a.m. Marta’s
parents, who were in their late 70s,
walked us to our car. They were wideeyed and seemed energized.
We assumed that we’d be the only
people on the road at that hour but
we were wrong. Traffic was heavy.
And the taco and hot dog stands were
crowded. I said to Alex, “Look at all
these people – can you believe it?”
We weren’t in another dimension; we
were in Party Time – Mexican Style.
That was fourteen years ago. And
every Mexican party it’s been the
same. Arrive at ten. Eat at midnight.
Don’t expect to climb into bed before
three o’clock.
party clock ca
What must Mexicans think when they
come to the typical extranjero party?
Arrive at five o’clock, dinner served
at six, dessert at seven, and on your
way home by eight. We laugh and can
tell jokes, too, but we subscribe to a
Readers Digest version of Partying.
Some of us regularly go to bed by 9
p.m. but it’s not like we need to go
to work in the morning. Others admit
that they like to leave a party early so
they can go home to relax and unwind.
Could attending a party be an effort
for us?
Perhaps it’s a cultural difference?
We’ve been fortunate enough to
travel to Argentina, Greece and Italy
and in each of these countries dinner
(whether at home or at a restaurant) is
normally enjoyed after 10 p.m. and live
music doesn’t begin until midnight. Yet
people go to work, clean their houses,
play with their children and still have
time for friends.
People in those countries usually
work until late in the evening. Is that
a factor? Could living in extended
families inject people with more
energy? Maybe drinking strong coffee
in the afternoon and again in the
evening has something to do with it?
I have many questions but very few
answers. But I realize that there’s no
right way or no wrong way to enjoy a
party. Just different ways. So, I’ll be
happy to come to your party whether
it starts at 5 or 10 p.m. Please, invite
me. Just don’t call after nine.
For more of Judy’s
Ramblings head to http://
ramblingsofanolderamericanwoman.
blogspot.com.
9
He’s Back & Good
as New!
Kathy Bezy
Frank Hills returned
home to La Paz
this week, after a
lengthy absence
and serious illness.
The past few
months spent in
Phoenix, Arizona,
at the Mayo Clinic
and
extended
family visit with
his son, Mike Hills,
refreshed his spirit,
and also his longing for his home in
Mexico.
Frank, who in his own words is a
“nearly famous artist”, is back to fine
fettle, and once again passionate
about resuming his painting career.
Many may remember some Armando
Manriquez and Frank Hills collaborative
murals still to be seen around La Paz
depicting nature and history of Baja
California Sur. Frank and friends also
initiated a group of local painters who
called themselves Grupo Cali-Fornax
(roughly translated, ‘group of the hot
oven’) who met weekly to exhibit art
and paint at the elegant old La Posada/
Posada del Cortez hotel on the beach
across from El Mogote’s El Mision….
history now lost to La Paz. This group
of local Mexican artists and American
expatriates sharing experience and
critique of one another’s style created
a unique opportunity for artistic
growth. Friendships were formed that
continue to this day, permitting artists
here to have a bilingual integrated
support system different from other
communities.
Frank Hills
During the past year, Frank could be
found in the shady gardens of Hotel
La Concha with yet another group en
plein air painters and students making
art on Tuesday mornings: sometimes
augmented by lunch at the hotel, and
a swim. Hotel guests were treated
to an experience of art in the making
and an opportunity to visit with local
artists who take great pride in the
ambience that is La Paz.
Ever full of community spirit, Frank
has participated in holiday activities in
the past, such as sharing his art with
children, face painting, craft projects,
and helping to foster a love of the
creative media among the young.
The art scene in La Paz is always full
of surprises, and the return of Frank
Hills is a pleasant addition to its everchanging kaleidoscope. Watch for
the tall older guy in a straw hat who
sometimes paints along the Malecon.
If you stop to say hello, you may be
treated to some interesting stories.
January 24th, 2011
10
January 24th, 2011
FIRST EVER TOURNAMENT AT COSTABAJA GOLF COURSE
both a challenging and
fun game. The golf course
was designed in harmony
with the environment,
respecting the natural
topography.
The proceeds from this
tournament, which still
haven’t been announced,
will go to Fundación Ayuda
Niños La Paz, A.C., (FANLAP)
a non-profit organization
Practising at the driving range.
Carl Rygg, General Manager of CostaBaja Golf Course.
TBC
After a week of cold, cloudy weather, the
skies were blue on Saturday, January 8th, 2011.
Beginning at 9:00 a.m., 58 golfers teed off at
the first ever golf tournament held at the newly
inaugurated Gary Player golf course at CostaBaja.
CostaBaja Golf Club is the first Gary Player
Signature golf course in Mexico and Latin America.
It’s an 18-hole par 72 golf course with a total length
of 7,187 yards. The course features panoramic sea
views in 14 of its 18 greens. The desert and sea
design is completely unique and offers the player
that helps provide food and scholarships to
underprivileged children. Funds will be used for
scholarships to students of junior and senior high
school in the 2010 2011 school year. You may read
about other programs supported by FANLAP by
visiting their website at www.lapazninos.org
Many, including the Costabaja Golf Course and
FANLAP, were happy to see a rather large turnout
from the Mexican community of La Paz, to whom
golf is a rather new sport.
Golfers and Carts, lined up to get started.
Continues from page 3
and ask us to help them. We have had
big events promoting reproductive
health and not once have we had a
people working against us.
The Baja Citizen: What services do
you folks offer?
Teresa Shields: For services we have
the pap smear (papanicolaou test)
clinic and cancer prevention for
women. It is across the street from
the downtown post office. There is a
large sign to let you know where it is.
It is unfortunately not free. We have
to pay for the lab fees so we charge
250 pesos. We give the results the
next day and the office is clean, with
disposable gowns. We have had great
feedback from our users of the clinic.
It is open to the population. We also
have psychological services open to
women and youth here at the office.
The Baja Citizen: How many women
come in here a year?
Teresa Shields: 1200 to 1500 women
and young people come here on
average. But honestly, the majority of
our work is out in the community. We
go out to them. For example, at the
schools, we can get a message out to
Community health promotion
hundreds of youth at one time. We help
migrant workers in their communities.
We train educational professionals to
deal with abused children.
All photos courtesy of Oscar Cabrera.
it is very difficult to find them
a specific job where they fit.
We do need volunteers to
help us with fundraising. To
hold an event we need a ton
of people and because of
that, we haven’t been able to.
We don’t go out and explain
to the general population
what work we do and that has
to change; it just hasn’t been
a priority because we have so
many other things do. I am
trying to do more. I am on facebook
and I try to post information there that
I feel is important.
The Baja Citizen: How many are on
staff here Teresa?
Teresa Shields: Monica and I are codirectors and we have 7 full-time
positions and others who come in and
hold specific workshops.
The Baja Citizen:
Do you have
volunteers here to help you with all
this work you have?
Teresa Shields: We do but a lot of our
volunteers here at the Centro have
been with us since the beginning. We
have some come and want to help but
Involving young people in public policy work
The Baja Citizen: Where do you get
your funding?
Teresa Shields: Where ever we can.
It is very hard to get money here. If
you are not related to helping the
environment here, there is very
little money available. The large
foundations send their money to
Mexico City for example, where there
are larger concentrations of poverty
or to the states in the south. We do
the garage sales and have had a few
concerts with the help of Samantha
Rae and Bruce Brugger, but we don’t
have one big fundraising event. We
have some donors that are monthly
donors and give us money every
month and others who give an annual
donation. We are also receive grants
from international foundations.
For more information about Centro
Mujeres,
www.centromujeres.org
is the place to go to learn more
about the community organization.
On another note, Allende Books,
on Independencia between Prieto
and Serdan, has a large selection of
postcards featuring works by George
Hitchcock, with all proceeds from their
purchase donated to Centro Mujeres,
per his request.
11
January 24th, 2011
January 24th, 2011
12
13
The website www.rozinlapaz.com
features a schedule of arts and cultural
events in La Paz. Here’s a sample of
what you’ll find there. On the website
you’ll find valuable updates, venue
information and listings for live music
and classes.
CONTINUING EVENTS
Until Jan. 26, art exhibition: Paintings
by Margarita Cecilia Clemente are
on display at the Roger de Conynck
cultural centre of Alianza Francesa de
La Paz on Revolución 635, between
Morelos and Guadalupe Victoria. This
collective exhibition also features the
work of three fellow painters: Carla
Cecilia, Alejandra Lorena and Miguel
Mateo Contreras Clemente. Admission
is free.
Until Jan. 30, photography exhibition:
A show of photographs by Tina Modotti
is at the Centro de Artes y Culturas
Populares de Baja California Sur, the
old Casa de Gobierno del Territorio on
Madero across from Jardín Velasco,
between Independencia and 5 de
Mayo.. Admission is free. The show
continues until Jan. 31.
Until Jan. 31, Francisco Toledo art
show: An exhibition of engravings
by Francisco Toledo is at Galería
de Arte Carlos Olachea, the gallery
adjoining Teatro de la Ciudad. Toledo
is considered one of Mexico’s
most important living artists. He’s
a printmaker, painter and sculptor
whose work depicts worlds of the
spirit where animals and humans
freely commingle. Admission is free.
Until Jan. 31, photography exhibition:
archival photographs of 100 years
of Sudcalifornia are on display in the
esplanade of Unidad Cultural Profr.
Jesús Castro Agúndez, on the grounds
of Teatro de la Ciudad.
Until Feb. 21, in Todos Santos,
juried photo show: Selected pieces
submitted to this juried photography
exhibition will be on display in Visions
Gallery through Feb. 21. The show is
presented by The Artists of Todos
Santos (ARTS) and Visions Gallery. All
Baja photographers, locals, part-time
residents and visitors were eligible
to enter up to five photos to the
competition.
Continuing, Watercolours show:
Presencia is the title of this strikingly
beautiful exhibition of work by the
Sociedad Mexicana de Acuarelistas en
BCS. in the recently restored Centro
Cultural La Paz, on 16 de Septiembre
near the corner of Belisario
Dominguez. Admission is free. Hours
listed are Tuesday through Sunday,
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Exact closing date
not available, but the show is listed
on the cultural centre’s program for
December and January.
Ongoing, exhibits at the Museo
Regional de Antropología e Historia:
Exhibitions include a reproduction
of a panel of Altamira in Spain, one
of the world’s best-known cave
painting sites; and the new Sala de
Independencia, Revolución y Siglo
XX. Admission to the museum is 31
pesos (free Sundays and holidays for
the general public and free daily for
students and senior citizens). Exhibit
hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
DAY TO DAY
Monday, Jan. 24
Lecture series on Noam Chomsky:
The Monday night series at Alianza
Francesa, Revolución 635, starts at 7
p.m.. Jan. 24: Moralidad Contradictoria
(contradictory reality). The series is
coordinated by Silvia Yee. For more
information, contact the French
cultural centre at Revolución 635
between Morelos and Guadalupe
Victoria. Phone number: 122-28-88.
Tuesday, Jan. 25
Cultural presentation: There’s a onehour cultural talk in simple Spanish
Tuesdays at 1:15 p.m. at Se Habla…
La Paz Spanish Language school. For
more information, call the school at
122-7763. The presentation, which
includes handouts, is open to the public
and is free. Walk-ins are welcome.
French film series: The Tuesday night
series at Alianza Francesa, Revolución
635, starts at 6 p.m. and admission
is free. Jan. 25: La Comedia de la
Inocencia, by Raoul Ruiz. For more
information, contact the French
cultural centre at Revolución 635
between Morelos and Guadalupe
Victoria. Phone number: 122-28-88.
Dance performance: The dance
academy Jussad presents this
performance under the direction of
Adela Juárez Salcedo at 8 p.m. at
Teatro de la Ciudad. Admission is 50
pesos.
Wednesday, Jan. 26
International
film
series:
The
Wednesday night series at Alianza
Francesa, Revolución 635, starts at 6
p.m. and admission is free. This month,
there is a presentation of the series
January 24th, 2011
Berlin Alexanderplatz, adapted from
the Alfred Doblin novel of the same
name and directed by Rainer Werner
Fasbinder for German television. The
series continues through February.
For more information, contact the
French cultural centre at Revolución
635 between Morelos and Guadalupe
Victoria. Phone number: 122-28-88.
Thursday, Jan. 27
“Jam Literario” at Centro Cultural
La Paz: The program describes this
literary event as “literature en vivo.”
It’s at 7 p.m. in the open-air patio of the
cultural centre on 16 de Septiembre
near Belisario Dominguez.
Art show opens: An exhibition of
drawings by Diego Avilés opens at 8:30
p.m. at the Roger de Conynck cultural
centre of Alianza Francesa de La Paz
on Revolución 635, between Morelos
and Guadalupe Victoria. The show
continues until Feb. 9. Admission is
free.
Friday, Jan. 28
Concert: The group Jazz-tazz Bus-ban,
under the direction of Rubén Barranco,
performs at 8:30 p.m. at TeatroEspacio Angular Esterito on Valentín
Gómez-Farías 525, between República
and Guerrero in Colonia Esterito.
Admission is 75 pesos. Refreshments
will be served.
Saturday, Jan. 29
Children’s library workshop: The
“Library workshop” from 10:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. offers stories and crafts and
the cost, including materials and light
refreshments, is 80 pesos. It’s one
of several activities at AbraPalabra,
a non-profit children’s library on the
grounds of the Galería Galería art
gallery on Revolución at the corner
of Juárez. The library is free and open
Monday through Friday from 3 to 7
p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
See the CLASSES page for a full list of
activities at AbraPalabra.
Organic market expands: The
Tuesday sidewalk market of organic
and natural foods has expanded to
Saturday on a trial basis. Look for the
market at 10 a.m. in the park at the
corner of Revolución and Constitución
(across the street from the post
office and Corazón restaurant). The
Tuesday market is still at 10 a.m. on
Madero Street between 5 de Mayo
and Constitución. For information, call
612-142-0725.
CineClub at Centro Cultural La Paz: Los
Nuevos Comienzos (new beginnings)
is the theme of this month’s film series.
This week: Elsa and Fred, a SpanishArgentine film about two people who,
Continues on page 19
14
January 24th, 2011
Mexican Gestural Language
Lee Moore
I became aware that Mexicans had a whole different
set of hand gestures than Americans and Canadians
during a trip to Oaxaca with my boyfriend Jake,
back in the 1960’s. When he walked through the
plaza alone in the mornings, the shoeshine boys
invariably harassed him all the way across the park,
despite his increasingly emphatic verbal refusals.
One morning when I happened to be walking with
him, I turned on the boleros, exasperated, and
chased them off.
“How on earth did you do that?” he asked me,
amazed. “They never pay any attention to what I
say!” “Simple. I just said NO.” Unconsciously, I
again wagged my forefinger back and forth like
a windshield wiper. I’d picked this up in summer
school in Mexico as a teenager...and didn’t even
realize that I was doing it.
This useful gesture means “absolutely not.” You
don’t have to say a single word.
The forefinger tapped against your temple means,
of course, the very same thing as up north: “He’s
nuts.”
A waggle of the whole hand, side to side and palm
down, means “mas o menos” (“more or less”).
This is obviously closely related to the gringo “soso” gesture, but somehow seems to get used more
often in Mexico!
Commonly seen is a tap on a bent elbow, often
behind someone’s back. This means, “he’s stingy.”
An elbow is called “un codo” in Spanish and a cheap
person is described verbally as being “codo.”
While a limp wrist indicates a gay guy north of
the border, in Mexico the common gesture is a
forefinger rotated in the cheek.
To indicate that a man is a cuckold, the thumb holds
the middle two fingers down, creating “horns”
which are held to the forehead, palm outwards.
The same horns can be pointed emphatically at
someone to indicate a very severe NO. This is very
grosero, or vulgar. Use with care.
Another vulgar gesture not used to someone’s
face, is the thumb and forefinger forming a very
small circle. This indicates, “he’s an a--hole.” (This,
needless to say, is not a gesture a woman should
make.) Don’t confuse it with the Yankee sign for
“okay”--thumb and forefinger forming a large
circle. This has been assimilated into Mexican body
language from American movies. It means “all
right” in Mexico too.
“Just a minute” is indicated by holding the thumb
and forefinger about half an inch apart, the rest of
the fingers tucked in.
The gesture for “come here” is just the opposite of
the gringo one: the fingers point downward instead
of up, moving in a “pawing the ground” movement.
To indicate a drunk, the three middle fingers are
closed with the thumb and little finger out. Tilt the
thumb toward the mouth as if it were the mouth of
a bottle.
A point of the finger at someone, followed by this
gesture, is asking, “Do you want a drink?”
The “bottle” becomes a telephone when held with
the thumb to the ear, little finger to the mouth.
“You call me,” or “I’ll call you.”
The forefinger under the eye pulling the lid down
slightly means, “Look out!” This translates to an
informal warning sign you’ll sometime see around
town, which can either read, “OJO!” or can simply
be a crude drawing of an eye.
The same gesture, with an inconspicuous point
of the finger, can be used to mean, “Get a load of
that!”
15
Shopping 101
With Donneley Mccann
I recently read that there are four
kinds of grocery shoppers: Super
Savers (as much and any way they
can); Planners (a list in hand with
specific items); Sacrificers (only
true needs) and Spectators (a
full wallet would be useful). I fall
into the latter – just throw into
your cart whatever tickles your
fancy and then wonder, in weeks
to come, just how tickled your
fancy was when you find it in your
pantry. Which shopper are you?
On a quest for wax paper (why is
it “wax” paper instead of “waxed”
when it is not made of wax but only
coated with the stuff) I found a godly
supply in Aramburos on Forjadores
along with parchment paper. Never
saw that paper for baking purposes
here before.
The messy job of searing poblano
peppers to peel and slice them for
rajas con crema among other dishes
was never undertaken by me. Much to
my delight, I found these 100% natural
poblano slices in the frozen foods
section of several stores, all asadas
and peladas (roasted and peeled). If
you chop and sauté onion in butter,
then add the rajas until they are hot
and thoroughly mixed in and stir in a
coating of media crema (in that cute
little unrefrigerated box) you have the
most tasty of vegetable dishes!
Unfortunately, it is the season for
colds and I have the experience to
prove it. If you are searching for a
remedy to lessen the symptoms – we
know there is no known cure don’t
we? – try Chedraui Palacio. A whole
aisle is dedicated to providing you
some comfort.
Ever wanted to hide, disguise,
protect or shade something fairly
large but knew using those familiar,
blue tarps would just point out you
were hiding, disguising, protecting
or shading? The tienda Ramirez on
5 de Mayo, has two heavy duty tarps
in a package, a warm shade of brown
with silver on the reverse. These are
nicely made with brown grommets
every 2 feet, corners reinforced and
said to withstand the sun’s rays. Ahh!
The versatility of S hooks! For two
years I searched for hooks to hang
the cups on my punch bowl and found
zip, except if you were purchasing a
brand-new-in-the-box punch bowl.
Mine, including the matching 20 cups,
was found in a second hand store.
Never mind the bowl has a slight
slant to it. By chance, in Home Depot
I found small shiny gold S hooks that
work perfectly. This week in Ley, I
spotted a package containing three
5” sturdy white S hooks that could
have a multitude of uses … over the
door hook, shower door hook for
towel or bathrobe, to hang up plants,
just to name a few and for around 15
pesos.
I will keep shopping and let you
know of what is out there!
January 24th, 2011
January 24th, 2011
16
US CONSULATE HOLDING TOWN
HALL MEETING
The Deputy Consul General from
the US Consulate General in Tijuana,
Lynne Skeirik, will be holding a Town
Hall Meeting for American Citizens at
10 AM on Tuesday, January 25 at the
Club Campestre Beach Club in San
Jose del Cabo, BCS. She will talk about
services for American Citizens and will
be available to answer questions.
The Beach Club is located on the
Transpeninsular Highway, opposite
Plaza
Peninsula.
For
driving
instructions, please call the Consular
Agency at 624 143 3566. The meeting
will begin promptly at 10 AM. Food
and beverages will be available for
purchase.
INFORMAL ART GROUP
17
1st, 2011 at Jean’s home once again
starting at 1:00 pm, one hour before
the usual time. The book to read
is The Lacuna: A Novel by Barbara
Kingsolver. For March, we will be
reviewing The Perfect Red, a novel
by Amy Butler Greenfield. For more
information, contact Allende Books on
Independencia #518, between Serdan
and Prieto or call 12 59114.
an hour. The call is out for producers
(as opposed to resellers) to bring their
ware to the market. Fruit. Veggies.
Lettuces. Flowers. Bread. Herbs.
Poultry. Eggs. Cheeses. Plans are to
have a market every Tuesday, from
10:00 am until 2 pm. The location is the
length of Madero street from Cinco de
Mayo to Constitucion. For information,
call 612-142-0725.
FOREIGN BUSINESS GROUP MEETING
LA PAZ LADIES LUNCHEON
A kind reminder that the February
meeting of BFBG is scheduled for
Tuesday, the 8th starting at 6:00 at
the Dinghy Dock, Marina Palmira. The
subject is to be announced. If you
have colleagues who are interested in
attending or need more information,
please contact Juli at info@
sehablalapaz.com.
The La Paz Ladies Luncheon February
edition will be held at Corazon Café,
on the corner of Revolution and
Constitucion, downtown La Paz
on February 10th, 2011. All women
are welcome. The meet and greet
begins at 12:15 and Mexican and
expat women business owners are
encouraged to come to promote their
businesses. Lunch will be served at
1:00 pm. It is important to note that
you must make your reservation with
Luiza at luizalanoy@yahoo.com. If
you find that you cannot attend after
making a reservation, a cancellation
Frank Hills and Patricia Solem
encourage all artists to them on
Thursday mornings at the new space
at Mariana de La Paz, for informal
painting, conversation and coffee.
They usually meet at around 9:00 am
until 1:00pm. For information, Frank
can be reached at 612 154 1050 or
zorba1360@yahoo.com. There are
no rules, no membership fees and no
classes. Everyone welcome.
INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE NEWS
OPEN HOUSE AT WOMEN AND
CHILDREN’S SHELTAR
CHRISTIAN WORSHIP IN ENGLISH IN
LA PAZ
Founder Luiza Lanoy cordially invites to
the grand opening of the Women and
Children’s Sheltar on on January 29,
2011 at 2:00 p.m. A view of the house
will be given after the completion of
Phase 1, which included the repainting
of the house (inside and out), the
refurbished living/dinning rooms, the
new kitchen, and new office. All are
welcome. Please RSVP to luizalanoy@
yahoo.com. Cake and punch will be
served.
Crossroads Christian Worship has
worship services every Sunday at
9:00 am. Bible study classes are
also available. Everyone is welcome.
Crossroads is located on Abasolo
between Sonora and Sinaloa. For
more information, please contact
Milton and Susu Sanders at 122 5538 or
check out the Crossroads webpage at
www.crossroadslapaz.org.
PALABRA POR PALABRA BOOK CLUB
A fledgling organic/natural product
market took its first flight Tuesday,
January 8th in La Paz. Three vendors
participated and everything sold out in
The next Palabra por Palabra book
club meeting will be Tuesday, February
January 24th, 2011
John Glaab, CIPS of The Settlement
Company recently traveled to Mexico,
D.F. There he attended a meeting of the
Mexico Section of The International
Real Estate Federation. (FIABCI) The
organization has its headquarters
in Paris. If you would like to learn
more, contact John at john.glaab@
settlement-co.com.
NEW STREET MARKET IN LA PAZ
notice is required to give notice to the
restaurant.
CHOIR
We would like to create the finest
children’s choir in Mexico. We need
volunteers with experience who could
help us out. Kids need music in their
life and we can offer that. Don’t worry;
we won’t ask you to go to church.
Please call 612 153-4035.
CARNAVAL 2011
Mark your calendars! The municipality
of La Paz has released the dates for
their annual CARNAVAL for March 3rd
to March 8th, 2011. The malecón in La
Paz will be closed to traffic for 5 days
to make room for booths, tables,
tents and makeshift stages set up
along both sides of the street to sell
unusual wares or fantastic food, or to
host carnival games and music. It is a
fun event for the young and old. Don’t
miss it!
January 24th, 2011
18
Continues from front page
Mayors and congressmen/women
are elected for a single, 3-year term
while the president and governors
are elected for a single 6-year term.
However, in order to streamline the
various levels of elections to cut down
on costs, all those elected on February
6th in BCS will serve 4 and a half-year
term, including the governor.
Marcos Alberto Covarrubias Villaseñor,
a former mayor of Comundo and
a prominent member of the PRD,
switched parties to become candidate
for the National Action Party (Partido
Acción Nacional, PAN). He went from
the left to the right on the political
spectrum overnight. Allegedly, he was
the standout candidate for the PRD,
but after dealings behind closed doors
didn’t sit well with him, he moved over
to another party, the PAN, to control
his own destiny. Ricardo Barroso Agramont, a political
newcomer with a political family, is
the candidate for the Institutional
Revolutionary
Party
(Partido
Revolucionario Institucional, PRI)
and is the surprise candidate of the
bunch. Coming out of nowhere, he
has a long line of supporters and with
voters tired of the same old thing;
his freshness and youthfulness could
surprise pundits on the 6th.
After Covarrubias stepped away from
the PRD, Agundez Montaño’s secretary
general Luis Armando Diaz was
tapped as the PRD candidate. Diaz,
earlier this month, had to deal with
his very own birther conspiracy. To
put aside persistent rumors that he is
not Mexican, Diaz presented his birth
certificate from the State of Nayarit, a
Continues from front page
The ley seca has its origins from
1915, when General Elias Calles,
who at the time was governor
of Sonora, prohibited the sale
and movement of alcoholic
beverages as a consequence
of the social and political
unrest occurring throughout
the state at the time.
Precedent has already been set in
La Paz. In previous elections, the
municipality allowed restaurants and
bars to sell alcohol on election day.
During the state elections in February
of 2008, bars and restaurants in La Paz
were allowed to sell alcohol but with
state over in mainland Mexico, to the
local media, officially declaring himself
100% Mexican. As the candidate of the
ruling party, Diaz is dealing with voter
discontent with the same old.
Two smaller political parties are also
running candidates. Martin Inzunza
with Convergencia and Blanca Meza
Torres for Nueva Alianza are also
campaigning for governor but are
polling in the single digits.
To add to the drama, pre-election
polls are coming out and to sum it up,
the results of the 6th are anybodies
guess. According to a Testa Marketing
poll released on the 2nd of January,
Covarrubias is coming in with 47%
of the vote with Barroso and Diaz
polling in with 14% and 23% of the
vote respectively. However, another
polling company, GRAUS, published
their pre election numbers on January
19th giving Covarrubias 39% of the vote,
Diaz with 23% of the vote and Barroso
just slightly behind with 21%.
But the poll that made headlines in
the popular local newspaper was
neither. Polling numbers put out by
the College of Lawyers in Mexico
(CEMAC) have the young Barroso of
the PRI ahead with 42% of the vote
followed by Covarrubias with 32% and
Luis Armando Díaz with just 6%. 7%
were undecided with 70% polling that
they will go and vote on the 6th and 11%
saying they will not.
The new Governor will take office
on the first Monday of April, 2011.
The newly elected Mayors of the 5
municipalities of BCS will take
office on May 1st, 2011.
some restrictions. Those
restrictions
included
that alcohol can only be
served with food, they
could not sell drinks “ to
go” and alcohol could
not be served to those
already in an intoxicated
state. Alcohol was not
allowed to be sold at
local super markets or beer venders.
The official decision concerning the
“ley seca” in La Paz will probably not be
announced until days before election
day. Check out www. bajacitizen.com
closer to election day to find out
what has been decided by the city
for February 6th.
19
January 24th, 2011
20% Property Tax
Discount Until February 18th, 2011
El Carro / El coche:
Please unscramble the Spanish meaning of these words (not
in the same order)
Oil, battery, tire, spark plug, cylinder, radiator, brakes,
windshield, tools, gas/petrol.
1. ieetac
2. jbuía
3. tmaserhierna
4. sbrraapsia
5. tbareía
6. talanl
7. addoriar
8. aagosiln
9. frenos
10. oniicrld
Answers : Let’s play with matches … (cerillos)
Let’s start this New Year with numbers. Instructions are in
Spanish because it’s the Spanish column; have fun (by the
way, there are words …)
Mueve los
fósforos
(cerillos)
para obtener
el doble
del número
formado
Ahora para
obtener el
triple
Con 10 cerillos
obtenga el
número UNO
7+7=8?
TBC
The City of La Paz has extended its
temporary tax discount program
that is now in effect until February
18th, 2011. If you pay your 2011
property taxes before the 18th, in
one payment, you will receive a 20%
discount on the total amount. The
Municipality of La Paz offices are
located on Blvd. Luis Donoldo Colosio
and the corner of de los Deportistas.
An 80% discount is available on all fines
that were applied for not paying your
taxes on time in previous years. The
total property tax payment must be
made in one payment for the discount
to apply.
Continues from page 13
at the end of the road, discover that
it’s never too late to love or to dream.
The movie starts at 6:30 p.m. at the
cultural centre on 16 de Septiembre
near Belisario Dominguez. Admission
is free.
Sunday, Jan. 30
Theatre: The theatre group La Hostería
performs La Zapatera Prodigiosa
(the shoemaker’s wonderful wife),
by Federico García Lorca, at 7 p.m. in
the open-air patio at Centro Cultural
La Paz. The play is directed by Diego
Barajas. Admission is free.
Monday, Jan. 31
LOOKING AHEAD
Feb. 1, La Paz book group: The group
gets together the first Tuesday of
each month at the home of one of its
members. This month, the meeting
starts at 1 p.m., one hour earlier than
usual. The group discusses La Lacuna
Have your clave catastra or cadastral
number handy to help you with the
process at Servicios Catastrales offices
on the second floor of the Municipality
of La Paz building. This number can be
found on your notary papers of the
properties you have in La Paz.
Also, you can head to the City of La
Paz webpage www.lapaz.gob.mx to
make your payment on-line. Payments
on-line help you avoid the sometimeslong line-ups that can be found at the
end of the month. On-line payments
can be done safely from your own
home.
by Barbara Kingsolver. Everyone is
welcome. For more more information
contact Allende Books of La Paz at
Independencia #518, between Serdan
and G. Prieto, (612) 125 9114.
Feb. 6, Voting day: Citizens of Baja
California Sur vote today for a new
governor and municipal mayors.
Feb. 12−19, Todos Santos Arts Festival:
The festival features folkloric ballet, a
classical guitar concert, musical theatre
and more. For more information, go to
the website www.todossantoscultura.
com or e-mail Heriberto Parra Hake,
hparra@prodigy.net.mx
Feb. 27, Baja Love Ride is in La Paz: This
1,000-mile bicycle ride from Rosarito
to Cabo San Lucas, scheduled to last
15 days, will be in La Paz Feb. 27. The
goal is to raise money for children’s
charities. For more information,
contact:
john@theprintsupplier.com
January 24th, 2011
20