www.pvmcitypaper.com Issue 278 Saturday 22 to Friday 28

Transcription

www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 278
Saturday 22 to Friday 28
Issue 278
February 2014
February 2014
2
Need to Know
manners to present the check before it is
requested, so when you’re ready to leave,
ask «La cuenta, por favor» and your bill
will be delivered to you.
MONEY EXCHANGE: Although
you may have to wait in line for a few
minutes, remember that the banks will
give you a higher rate of exchange than
the exchange booths (caja de cambio).
Better yet, if you have a «bank card»,
withdraw funds from your account back
home. Try to avoid exchanging money at
your hotel. Traditionally, those offer the
worst rates.
I
f you’ve been meaning to find a little information on the region,
but never quite got around to it, we hope that the following will help.
Look at the map in this issue, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, in the middle of the Bay of Banderas,
the largest bay in this country, that includes southern part of the state
of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.
Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre
mountains- the Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned
in the Pacific. Hurricane Kenna came close on October 25, 2002,
but actually touched down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 miles
north of PV. The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian
Islands, thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.
AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers
POPULATION: Approx. 325,000
inhabitants
CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with
an average of 300 sunny days per year.
The temperature averages 28oC (82oF)
and the rainy season extends from late
June to early October.
allowed under certain circumstances
but fishing of any kind is prohibited.
Every year, the Bay receives the visit
of the humpback whales, dolphins and
manta rays in the winter. During the
summer, sea turtles, a protected species,
arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.
FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo
hosts a great variety of animal species
such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,
raccoon, etc.
ECONOMY: Local economy is
based mainly on tourism, construction
and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,
mainly tropical fruit such as mango,
papaya,
watermelon,
pineapple,
guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.
SANCTUARIES:
Bahía
de
Banderas encloses two Marine
National Parks - Los Arcos and the
Marieta Islands - where diving is
CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is
the legal currency in Mexico although
Canadian and American dollars are
widely accepted.
Index
BUSES: A system of urban buses
with different routes. Current fare is
$7.50 Pesos per ticket and passengers
must purchase a new ticket every time
they board another bus. There are no
“transfers”.
TAXIS: There are set rates within
defined zones of the town. Do not enter
a taxi without agreeing on the price with
the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a
hotel, you may want to check the rates
usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you
know which restaurant you want to go,
do not let the driver change your mind.
Many restaurateurs pay commissions to
taxi drivers and you may end up paying
more than you should, in a secondrate establishment! There are 2 kinds
of taxi cabs: those at the airport and
the maritime port are usually vans that
Issue 278
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
February 2014
WHAT TO DO: Even if your allinclusive hotel is everything you ever
dreamed of, you should experience at
least a little of all that Vallarta has to
offer - it is truly a condensed version of
all that is Mexican and existed before
«Planned Tourist Resorts», such as
Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, were
developed. Millions have been spent to
ensure that the original “small town”
flavor is maintained downtown, in the
Old Town and on the South Side.
DRINKING WATER: The false
belief that a Mexican vacation must
inevitably lead to an encounter with
Moctezuma’s revenge is just that:
false. For the 21st year in a row, Puerto
Vallarta’s water has been awarded
a certification of purity for human
consumption. It is one of only two
cities in Mexico that can boast of such
accomplishment. True, the quality of
the water tested at the purification plant
varies greatly from what comes out of
the tap at the other end. So do be careful.
On the other hand, most large hotels
have their own purification equipment
and most restaurants use purified water.
If you want to be doubly sure, you can
pick up purified bottled water just about
anywhere.
EXPORTING PETS: Canadian and
American tourists often fall in love with
one of the many stray dogs and cats in
Vallarta. Many would like to bring it
back with them, but believe that the laws
do not allow them to do so. Wrong. If
you would like to bring a cat or a dog
back home, call the local animal shelter
for more info: 293-3690.
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING: A good
beginning would be to take one of the City
Tours offered by the local tour agencies.
Before boarding, make sure you have a
map and take note of the places you want
to return to. Then venture off the beaten
path. Explore a little. Go farther than the
tour bus takes you. And don’t worry this is a safe place.
Sound Off
Your Comments
avineberg@yahoo.com
Dear Editor,
My wife and I have been enjoying the weather,
hospitality and friendship of Puerto Vallarta
since I retired eight years ago. We always
enjoy reading the PV Mirror when we are in
town. I often read online when back in Ontario,
but it is so much nicer with the hardcopy in my
hand (old school I guess…) The articles by the
regular contributors, as well as the Letters to
the Editor are very interesting.
Last week, my nephew was visiting from
Ontario and introduced me to an app he uses
regularly. The app is “picframe” and it lets you
make a collage of photos which can be saved
or emailed. There are several templates to
choose from and you can adjust the dimensions
of the frames after you make your selection.
The pictures can be repositioned, cropped or
changed later and there are some special effects
available. This app is an easy way to quickly
summarize an event, especially if you are
shooting the photos with your Ipad or [smart]
phone. It is available for Apple products as
well as Android devices. I have only used the
Apple version which was free but now has a
small fee. The boys in the pictures are William
and Alex, our grand nephews. They were here
visiting their grandparents last week and we
were all able to go out for dinner on Valentine’s
Day.
Angie and Bob Smith
Sudbury, ON
Issue 278
3
Dear Editor,
I wanted to make Puerto Vallarta Travelers
aware of the wonderful tour company we have
in Beyond Vallarta Tours. It is owned and run
by Jeana Dunphy who has 15 years of travel
experience in Mexico, as well as in 5 other
countries. Jeana is the perfect person to tour with
as she is a knowledgeable leader who is tuned
into her guests needs and unfailingly patient.
I have traveled with Jeana for the past 6 years
on 7 trips and have gone to Guadalajara, Chiapas,
Zacatecas, San Miguel, Colima, Oaxaca and
again to Oaxaca for Day of the Dead. The next
trip is to Puebla and I can’t wait.
All of the trips have been well planned
and organized and we stay at wonderful and
unique inns and hotels. Jeana accompanies
all the tours personally but hires the most
knowledgeable certified guides who live and
work in their home area. Special meals and
events help to teach one about the culture.
Time is divided between planned activities and
seeing and learning about the sites as well as
sharing Jeana´s hidden treasures.
There is always time to do your own
exploring. It is a perfect balance between group
and independent travel.
This country has much more to offer than I
ever realized and I have been fortunate to have
found Jeana and Beyond Vallarta Tours so that
I can learn more about this wonderful country
that I call home part of each year.
Patricia Lestz
Dear Ms. Vineberg,
Each winter, as my husband and I anticipate
trading frigid Chicago for the warmth of Puerto
Vallarta, we wonder what will have changed
and what will be the same.
February 2014
We appreciate changes such as the
beautification projects and the new tunnel, but
we hope all the good people we have met over
the years will still be there. Will dignified Javier
still be at Daiquiri Dick’s? Will Roberto order
our daily copy of the New York Times at his
shop on Olas Altas? Will juice-man Abraham
still be around to tease my husband that if he
orders his OJ “con pulpo” instead of “pulpa”,
he’s likely to find octopus in his cup?
I know that Lindsey and Gaby will still be at
their charming bookstore/cafe – A Page in the
Sun – because they’ve invited me to read and
discuss my gold medal awarded book, “Still
Having Fun, a Portrait of the Military Marriage
of Rex and Bettie George, 1941-2007.”
I would like to invite your readers to join
me at 6 PM on Thursday, March 6th, as I read
from the book and discuss my parents’ life
adventure. Readers have called “Still Having
Fun” a romance, a testament to the resilience
of military families, a history lesson and an
entertaining and enlightening read with a lot of
laughs and a few tears.
Hope to see you at A Page in the Sun, Lazaro
Cardenas #179.
Candace George Thompson
Dear Editor,
I am sure you have received many comments
prior to this letter re: the new pier. I always stay
at the San Marino Hotel, and as you are aware
the pier is directly in front of the hotel. I, along
with many other visitors, plus the San Marino
itself, suffered through the demolition of the old
pier and then the construction of the new pier.
We were honoured to be at the opening
ceremonies of the new pier... a wonderful sight,
Continued on Next Page
4
Sound Off
Continued from Previous Page
and then enjoyed the regular light show of the pier for the duration of
our stay. I returned this year with a small group of friends who had never
been to PV before, and I had promised them a beautiful sight... wow, I
was horrified at how the pier has been allowed to deteriorate. We had
all booked an ocean front suite to watch the gentle, colourful light show.
Instead we were bombarded with a tangled, strobe light all night. Why
on earth was this allowed to happen? Why do the authorities just not
disconnect the rambled lights that are remaining?
What was once a huge tourist draw has been allowed to become an
eye sore. I have been travelling to PV for 12 years and will continue to
do so, and it would be wonderful to see the pier returned to the gem it is
supposed to be.
Regards
David McAllister
Dear Allyna,
If your readers have never heard of or experienced the musical combo,
TIME 2 PLAY, I’d love to introduce them by way of this letter.
The six-member ensemble recently performed at Boutique Theatre, and
the show was wonderful. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed their
eclectic mix of NEW songs, and so appreciated the fine harmony of their
blended voices. T2P is the perfect ensemble - with such a great mix of
musical talents - both vocal and instrumental. The fun/enthusiasm among
the performers was infectious. These talented musicians provide a lovely,
evening of professional entertainment. Be sure to save St. Patrick’s Day,
to hear their new repertoire and special songs to commemorate the Irish!
If it’s half as good as their Valentine’s Day show, it promises to be a blast!
Norma Schuh
Office & Sales: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.
Certificados de licitud de título y contenido
en tramite. Prohibida la reproducción total o
parcial de su contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías
sin previa autorización por escrito del editor.
An important notice
The PVMIRROR wants to hear your
views and comments. Please send
them as part of an e-mail to:
Hi Anna (Reisman),
avineberg@yahoo.com
Sorry I didn’t write earlier last week to agree with your praise of Dr.
Cupul & his interesting & very knowledgeable columns in the Mirror.
He’s personally answered a couple of my email questions & even did
a column on one creature - the Jerusalem cricket. He is a wealth of
information. Thank you for including his column in your great paper!
Joanne Bryla
Not exceeding 250 words, and include
your full name, street or e-mail address
and/or telephone number
for verification purposesonly.
If you do not want your name published,
we will respect your wishes.
Letters and articles become the property
of the PVMIRROR and may be edited
and/or condensed for publication.
Note:
Dear Editor,
I’ve been vacationing in Puerto Vallarta for the last few years & I’ve
discovered some pretty decent theater happenings around town.
My favorite is The Boutique because of its intimate setting.
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Harriet Murray
Giselle Belanger
Krystal Frost
Stan Gabruk
Ronnie Bravo
Tommy Clarkson
Luis Melgoza
Dr. Fabio Cupul
Chris Amo
Gil Gevins
Astrid Van Dam
Janie Albright Blank
Marcia Blondin
Norma Schuh
Heather Wilson
by Anna Reisman
Here is a little warning. After arriving from Costco to our hotel with
groceries in the taxi trunk and unloading them, I have found that on 2
different occasions the taxi driver removed one item and left it in the trunk
while you wait at the curbside. Make sure that you stay by the trunk at all
times while your items are being removed.
Issue 278
avineberg@yahoo.com
“Millennium”
Avi
Solution to Sudoku on page 39
Allyna Vineberg
Cover Photo:
Dear fellow tourist,
Solution to crossword on page 39
Publisher / Editor:
February 2014
To Advertisers & Contributors
and those with public interest
announcements, the deadline
for publication is:
2:00 pm on Monday of the
week prior to publication.
Sound Off
Since first coming to PV I have found one
particular entertainer to be my favorite. Her name
is Mikki Prost.
This woman never ceases to amaze me with her
professionalism, talent & enthusiasm. This season
she’s doing 3 different shows. One called Shades of
the Blues Season II & Remembering Patsy Side A &
Side B. I saw Shades last season & loved it & was
thrilled to see she brought it back this season with
more surprises. The 2 Patsy shows introduce more of
her songs that haven’t normally been played. I’m a
HUGE Patsy Cline fan & for me that was amazing to
hear all these songs I hadn’t heard in a very long time.
I encourage people to get on over to The Boutique
to see Mikki’s shows. They’re fabulous!
Sincerely,
K. Gingerich
Santa Rosa, CA
Dear Editor,
My wife and I have done extensive travel over
the years to many places in Mexico as well as the
Caribbean and have come to the conclusion that the
Malecon in PV is by far the best there is regarding
“boardwalk-style” promenade and tourist attraction.
Our only concern is that we feel that skateboards
and bicycles should be banned from the Malecon
area. We have witnessed some injuries to pedestrians
and some very close calls that could have been very
serious. If any of your readers feel the same way
as we do, I hope that they will post their concerns
as well and maybe, with more tourists expressing
concerns about the safety on the Malecon, it might
convince the authorities to look seriously at banning
skateboards and bicycles on the Malecon.
Thank you.
5
Dear Editor,
I saw your article about Robert Dry. He is a
convicted felon in the USA. The DA revoked his
parole. He served time in prison in California.
I would like to share the lady’s name in San Francisco
who put Robert behind bars. She has made it her goal
to help others who have been taken advantage of by
Robert: Sheila Suckelmam-Lazerine.
Thanks again,
M. H.
Dear Editor,
I have been living in Puerto Vallarta on extended stays
for the last 6 years, from Canada. This year I am really
annoyed by this situation in all the Soriana stores in
PVR, where all of the “tarjetas de credito extranjeras”
are declined. What is their problem? Are we not
contributing to this economy? So, I encourage people
to whom this happens to invest their money in other
stores. After all, Soriana doesn’t carry such exclusive
merchandise that you cannot find it elsewhere.
Thank you for publishing my comment.
Yours truly!
Claude S.
Dear Claude,
To the best of my knowledge, this situation is caused
by their technology which is not able to read the chip
on your “foreign” credit card. But you are right, in a
city focused on tourists, this should be rectified. Have
you tried to speak to the store’s manager about it?
Perhaps if enough tourists complained, they would
update their card readers…
The Ed.
Barry Pittman
Dear Editor,
I read the RENTERS BEWARE notice placed by
Sheila Suckerman-Lazerine and was sorry to hear of
her loss of deposit money on her rented condo.
We had a similar experience in 2012 with Robert
Dry and Vallarta Escapes. We lost $1,000. of our
security deposit and were also told after many emails
that the issue had been referred to the lawyer and then
our emails were not answered.
We wholeheartedly agree with Sheila regarding her
dealings with Robert Dry and Vallarta Escapes.
We have all subsequently rented wonderful luxury
condos in PV with no problem.
Regards
Paul
Issue 278
New regional airline connects
Vallarta with Guadalajara
T
he new regional airline -Transportes Aereos
Regionales (TAR - tarmexico.com) - recently
announced new flights from Guadalajara to PV,
starting Monday, March 3rd.
The airline uses Embraer RJ145 jet planes with
a 50-passenger capacity, offering several flights
per week. A special introductory rate of $865
pesos (one-way) will be available during the first
month, after which the ticket price is expected to
increase. In comparison, the first-class, one-way
bus fare from PV to GDL (via ETN - etn.com.mx)
is presently priced at $555 pesos. It takes almost 5
hours for the bus to travel from PV to Guadalajara.
February 2014
6
Within PV
Each drop in the bucket
will eventually fill it!
Para Los Niños
By Chris Amo
February
W
ee babies, tiny tots, children and their families need our assistance.
Babies who are at risk of getting the virus through their mother’s milk and
those infected must have milk daily to stay as healthy and strong as possible.
As we are well aware, many families are struggling in PV and the
surrounding areas due to such things as poverty, poor housing, limited
income, and often devastating illness; families cannot afford to buy the
necessary cans of powdered milk, nor the vitamins and medications they
require. One can of powdered milk costs approximately $31. Dollars, NOT
pesos. Two cans of milk would be required to feed a wee babe for one week.
You can help! Please attend our Babies at Risk Milk / Leche Fundraiser
this Sunday, February 23, at beautiful La Cuiza’s Restaurante on the river.
5 hot, rockin’ bands, something for everyone’s taste, have donated their
time and their hearts to help the babies: Los Bambinos, The Zippers, Chris
Kenny Band, Jazz Bosa and Cantas Eterna, plus a surprise guest or two…
performing from 2:30 until 8 p.m.
Doors open at 2 p.m., come early. We expect a sell out event!
Tickets are also available at the door at La Cuiza and at The Paradise
Community Center, Saturday 22nd, event table at the front; as well as at
Cobblestones Consignment on Fco. Madero.
Only 200 pesos includes delicious Bar-B-Q, all you can eat, and a famous
La Cuiza Margarita., Drink tickets become your door prize number!!
For more info, on Facebook: Babies Benefit and SETAC. Please check
us out and share. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, editor and staff,
for helping us help another.
Yours Sincerely,
8th was a special
evening for children in need of
help in Puerto Vallarta. Some of
the 43 young boys and girls living
at Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza
(RISE), a children’s shelter, came
to the Celebración Para Los Niños
event at the SECRETS Vallarta
Bay / NOW Amber Resorts to sing
and dance to the delight of over
300 people attending.
Other children from Sendero de
Esperanza y Amor, a non-profit
organization supporting families
living at the site of the old dump
in Bosque de Progreso, also
performed and later joined into a
fun conga line snaking throughout
the Gran Salon. Even the children
dancers of the famous Ballet
Folklorico Xiutla benefited from
the generous hearts of the people
at this special event.
Kary-l and the Caring Hearts Volunteers
Issue 278
February 2014
Vallarta’s finest restaurants
provided delicious and plentiful
food for this spectacular evening
along with a constant flow of wine,
beer, sodas, etc. Over 200 donated
items or certificates went home
with lucky bidders at the silent and
live auctions, raising needed funds
for basic operating costs at RISE
and Sendero.
Thank you to the committee
members and volunteers for their
hard work and devotion to this
project; to SECRETS / NOW for
their amazing support; and to all
who attended this wonderful and
magical evening “para los niños”.
See you all again next year!!
For more information about
RISE, please call 222-7857.
Visiting hours are Monday through
Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For information about Sendero,
please email Cecilia Altamirano at
Cecialtdom@hotmail.com
Within PV
Vallarta Food Tours launches
3rd Food Tasting
& Cultural Walking Tour
Vallarta
Food Tours (VFT) has done it
again! Adding to its impressive repertoire of
Food and Cultural Tours, VFT announces their
newest tour, “The Street- An Evening Taco
Adventure”. This walking tour (with a brief, fun
bus ride) thoughtfully weaves its way through
some of the most authentic and delicious local
eateries in Emiliano Zapata and 5 de Diciembre
neighborhoods, all the while teaching you
about the people behind the carefully crafted,
delicious food and the vibrant night culture of
Puerto Vallarta. Mexico’s sophisticated flavors
and wide variety of regional cooking styles are
on full display on all of VFT’s tours, including
their Original Downtown Tour, Taste of Pitillal
and the newest: The Street - An Evening Taco
Adventure.
Issue 278
7
The focus is on family-owned businesses
where true artistry is paramount and things are
still made by hand.
“People often ask how to experience
authentic Mexico, but are at a loss of where
to begin.” Owner Lindsay Prime-Mayer
enthuses, “We did the homework for you. We
found all the best foods the town has to offer.
Even better, all dishes are served with a side
of history and culture!”
“The Street – An Evening Taco Adventure”
allows guests to experience life as a local and
see the city come alive at night. VFT’s The
Street visits eight authentic tasting locations
including:
- Hearty Pozole at long time family-owned
Cenaduria Celia
- Mouth-watering, gravity-defying Volcanes
- Exquisite Tacos de Cabeza
- Enriching and delicious Mezcal tasting
- Churros, a favorite Mexican sweet snack,
hot off the press
- The best Tacos al Pastor in town
- Delectable Sopes
- Adventure Tacos!
All of VFT’s Food Tasting & Cultural
Walking Tours are ideal for Puerto Vallarta
residents and travelers eager to discover more!
Whether vacationing in Puerto Vallarta for the
first time or a proud Vallarta
resident, VFT guarantees
guests will walk away with a
greater understanding of this
beloved town. Suitable for all
fitness levels.
Tours
are
offered
throughout
the
year
Wednesday, Thursday and
Saturday evenings from
7-10 p.m. Tickets may be
purchased online at www.
vallartafoodtours.com, by
phone at 1-678-778-5928
from the USA or Canada, or
(322) 181-7196.
February 2014
8
Within PV
IFC English Outreach Program Successfully Launched
By Janie Albright Blank
The
International Friendship
Club (IFC) has offered Spanish
classes several days a week for
many years. The classes are very
popular with expats and foreign
visitors spending a few winter
months in Vallarta. Now a new
language program is underway
which offers free English classes to
financially challenged members of
the Mexican community.
IFC President Dan Grippo was
discussing this idea last spring with
friend and fellow IFC member Dan
Adams when Adams mentioned
that he and another volunteer, Terry
Prill, had been teaching just such a
class at a local church.
They decided that the IFC would
be the perfect home for such a
program this season and after much
planning and recruiting, the program
has been successfully launched.
The intensive class runs for 10
weeks, three afternoons a week,
until late March and is filled to
capacity this season. Most of the
Mexican students are adults who
need English for the jobs and
the course focuses on basics and
practical, conversational English.
The goal is to help students get
comfortable with vocabulary,
verbs, and basic sentence structure.
Some students have a very limited
knowledge of English, and for
many this is their first opportunity
to study it.
Only two students of the
originally 25 who were accepted
have dropped out. I sat in on the
class on a recent Tuesday and
indeed, there were 23 enthusiastic
students present.
Dan Adams
said, “The students were notified
of the class through contacts with
members of the IFC. Some of the
members recommended students
for the class, and some of the
students themselves contacted us in
Spanish. We considered their needs
Issue 278
in learning English, and as it turned
out, we accepted pretty much every
student who applied up until a few
days before the first class.”
There is no charge for the
class. The IFC provides all the
materials and Dan and Terry are
both generously volunteering their
time and talent. They ask only that
the students make a commitment
to attend all the classes. So far,
attendance has been amazing,
beyond their expectations. And
the feedback Dan and Terry have
received from the students has been
very rewarding.
“This program is very dear to
my own heart, a longtime dream
come true, and I am grateful to Dan
and Terry for being willing to step
forward and dedicate many hours
to making it a reality,” said Grippo.
Dan and Terry keep the energy
level high and upbeat in the class
and do a great job of inspiring the
students, keeping them interested
so that they enjoy what they are
learning. Terry says, “We do end
up laughing a bit as my ‘Spanglish’
and Dan’s hesitant, but-muchbetter-than-mine Spanish, gets
them helping us too. We try to
make it feel a bit reciprocal which
February 2014
gives them a hand in the class
helping us improve our Spanish.”
Dan Adams has a BA in
Communication Studies from the
University of California at Santa
Barbara. For more than 30 years,
he was a television news journalist
/ reporter in Northern California.
The last 28 years of his career he
worked for the ABC affiliate in
Sacramento, until he retired and
moved to PV in 2008.
Terry Prill was a marketing
executive with Target Corporation
for 30 years.
Her teaching
experience was picked up teaching
basic English last year at a local
church and her career experience
gave her many opportunities to
hone her public speaking and
teaching skills in the workplace.
At this time dates have been
set for next season’s classes but
it is expected this will become an
ongoing program. Dan and Terry
said that they are very pleased that
the IFC has such a nice facility for
this class. They feel the investment
in these students will “pay itself
forward” not only for these students
but for the IFC as well. They
would like to thank Dan Grippo,
Josué Santiago, and Fred Forbes for
helping them get up and running so
smoothly. For more information
on the English Outreach program,
please email IFC member Dan
Adam at danadams10@gmail.com
The International Friendship
Club is a registered charitable
organization in Mexico listed as
Club Internacional de la Amistad
de Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is
located at the northeast corner
of the Rio Cuale Bridge above the
HSBC Bank downtown.
Phone: 222-5466. Website:
ifcvallarta.com. Email:
ifcvallarta@gmail.com
Within PV
9
Faith Colectiva offers jewelry with meaning
Have you ever thought that you are seeing the
points emanating from the spine and the key focal
points responsible for consciousness and the senses.
The bracelet has all the chakra colors—violet for
the crown which identifies with the infinite, indigo
for the third eye which channels intuition, blue for
the throat which enhances the ability to verbalize,
green for the heart which releases emotionally
suppressed trauma, yellow for the solar plex which
aids in the assimilation of experience and digestion,
orange for the sacral which utilizes creative forces
and red for the base which grounds spirit forces in
the body.
same merchandise when you are shopping and that
nothing is really special? Well, Faith Colectiva offers
something very unique - jewelry with meaning.
The Inner Peace Bracelet
This bracelet boasts eight handmade, sterling silver
charms. Each charm symbolizes peace and humanity.
The lady of Guadalupe is the protector, the heart is
for love, the dove and olive branch represent peace,
the OM is the essence of the entire universe, the rose
symbolizes love and beauty, the fish is a symbol of
abundance and faith and the crosses symbolize all of
Christianity.
The Sterling Silver Double Wrap Mala
The double wrap necklace includes two strands
of 108 sterling silver hearts. The number 108 is
considered sacred in many spiritual traditions-108
heart-shaped beads represent 108 streams of
consciousness, 108 deities and 108 Upanishads. This
necklace is meant for meditation and worn for beauty.
Faith Colectiva is located at 314 Basilio Badillo
in the Romantic Zone on the south side of town.
Please stop by and see our selection of malas and
the sterling silver jewelry with meaning. Or you
can visit our website at www.ladyfaith.net
The Total Faith Bracelet
This symbolic bracelet features 12 multi-cultural
crosses-which embraces all religions-and recognizes
all people. The number 12 is a symbol of peace, the
12 expressions of humanity and 12 different skin
colors, uniting all mankind.
The Sterling Silver Chakra Bracelet
The word chakra represents the seven energy
centers of the body. Each is situated over nerve
Issue 278
February 2014
10
Within PV
From the Saturday Market Co-0p…
By Marcia Blondin
T
From the Editor:
A
few tips to get the most out of your
experience when visiting any of the various
markets around the Bay of Banderas (see our
Calendar of Events for times and locations) –
a) Arrive as close to the opening time as
possible and prioritize where you go first
because the “good stuff” can run out fast.
Some of the farms are very small and cannot
grow big quantities.
b) On the other hand, if you show up at the
end of the market, you might find some great
deals as no one wants to take their product
back.
c) If you’re looking for something specific,
ask for it! Just because you don’t see it
doesn’t mean that it isn’t available.
d) Be adventurous. Try something new…
fruit, cheese, vegetable, sweet…
e) Use organic produce within 3 or 4 days
of purchase.
f) Bring small bills and change as many
vendors do not have change for larger bills.
Pesos only, please.
g) Don’t forget your reusable shopping
bags!
Issue 278
his week we are going to look into a corner
of our Market that has nothing at all to do with
food and everything to do with gorgeous, beautiful,
fun and downright usable everyday to make you
more gorgeous, beautiful and fun! Besides being
an expert interior designer,
furniture re-finisher and great
personal shopper, Sherry makes
and sells pashminas that will
pump up your wardrobe with
pizzazz. With numerous ways
to wear them depending on what
you want to show off and - more
importantly, what you want to
maybe camouflage - Sherry can
show you how a simple piece
of incredible fabric can change
everything that’s in your closet,
from a sexy intimate dinner out
to lunching with the girls. She
WILL make you look better.
Just next to Sherry is Paola, a wonderful painter abstract in bold acrylics and mixed media, and soft
and naïf in watercolors, but that’s another story.
What she brings to Market is boxes - all sizes,
shapes and colors, all handmade, put together and
painted and protected so you can USE them. It’s all
about the wood. Stop by and ask her how she feels
about hearts and what new things she is creating
and getting into.
Across from Sherry and Pao is our lovely
Michelle who designs and weaves scarves and
shawls. She uses the finest materials to create her
woven masterpieces that often take her an entire
week of work to complete just one piece.
February 2014
The colors are muted yet rich and her scarves are
also painstakingly accented with glass beads. For
cool evenings here in the tropics or wherever you
are from, you will be stunning in one of Michelle’s
soft, durable classics.
Next to Michelle is Barbara
who sews cotton tops then,
using dye, paints interesting
and bright designs to lighten up
any skirt or pair of shorts. The
style deliberately simple to do
one thing: keep you cool in
our tropical heat and festively
‘dressy’. She can make and
paint almost anything, so ask if
you don’t see your size or color.
Barbara also makes jewelry earrings and necklaces to match
her lightweight “Art to Wear”
line of women’s clothing.
The great thing about shopping
at our Market is knowing that change is possible.
You could ask Michelle to weave a specific color
scheme for you or have Barbara paint some lovely
bougainvilleas blossoms or a butterfly on a shirt for
your granddaughter. Or have Paola paint a pink
elephant to go on a box, or talk to Sherry to ask her
opinion on specific fabrics to reupholster your old
couch (which she can also do!) All these women
love challenges and they all LOVE what they do.
It shows, don’t you think?
The Saturday Co-op Market opens at 9 a.m. at
127 Pulpito in the Romantic Zone on the south side
of town.
Within PV
11
Here we go… again…
An
Artful
Event
Recent history of the Libramiento
February 2014 - With an investment of
$11,975,000. Pesos, Mayor Ramón Guerrero
Martínez started the resurfacing of 4.5 Km.
(110,000 sq. mts.) of the Libramiento, that will
benefit directly more than 250,000 people who use
this important road daily.
Vallarta’s Mayor pointed out that this project is
part of a series of 31 for the improvement of streets
that will be tackled in the following days to bring
social justice to the neighborhoods that have been
neglected for a long time.
“I announced that 2014 would be the year of
social justice; in 2013 we made a lot of progress,
doing more than was done in the last nine years, in
works and social programs, and we did it with less
resources. We demonstrated that this government’s
social vocation is clear as is its goal of changing
history and doing it for good, despite the economic
limitations, and enormous debt that they left us…”,
Guerrero added. The bus stops and sidewalks will
be rebuilt so that people will be safe. The Mayor
also thanked the State for its contribution of the
asphalt that will be used.
Representing his neighborhood, Sr. Sergio Flores
of Lázaro Cárdenas, pointed out that this was
the first time a Mayor was visiting his colonia,
something very telling of its neglect over the years,
despite the rows of hotels, restaurants and points of
interest along the route.
Breakfast Buffet
& Art Showing
M
ark it down in your agendas: Wednesday,
March 12th at 10 a.m. at the Old Town Bistro, 180
Basilio Badillo. $250 pesos in advance / $300
pesos at the door. The Breakfast Buffet includes:
Farm Fresh Scrambled Eggs, Home Fries / ReFried Beans, Smoked Bacon / Chorizo, French
Toast, Pancakes , Chilaquiles with Chicken,
Fresh Assorted Fruit Platters, Coffee - Orange
Juice, One Mimosa or Bloody Mary
Ticket includes breakfast buffet, artwork
from Galeria Vallarta on sale at special prices
featuring many artists such as Marta Gilbert,
Evelyne Boren, Pat Haley, Steven King, Peter
Max, Erte, Francisco Medina and Philippo
LoGrande; live music by Martine; and a raffle
for fabulous prizes (one-year memberships
to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens, original
artwork by local artists, gorgeous jewelry,
restaurant gift certificates, and mucho mas)!
Tickets are available at Old Town Bistro,
Galeria Vallarta (187 Guerrero 187, 2nd floor),
at the PuRR Project booth at the Paradise
Community Center Saturday Market, or by
emailing: exkhan@usfamily.net
Proceeds benefit the 150+ cats residing at
PuRR Project, a no-kill feline sanctuary north
of Puerto Vallarta. * Donations 501(c)(3) taxdeductible in the U.S. *
November 2012 – Mayor Sets Libramiento
Repair Works in Motion – The project, representing
an investment of $1.5 Million Pesos, will benefit the
thousands of people who use that road every day,
filling the potholes along 4.5 kms, thus extending
Issue 278
February 2014
the life, safety and image of this important
thoroughfare that has been ignored for a long time.
The State of Jalisco donated some material and
machinery to the project.
Mayor Ramon Guerrero pointed out that during
his administration, it was a priority to have
the city’s roads in the best possible condition.
The Department of Infrastructure and Services
calculated that $20 Million Pesos would be required
to complete all the work – which should be ready
by December.
December 2008 - Roadwork begins on Main
Avenue and Libramiento - Mayor Javier Bravo
Carbajal announced an investment of $3.7 Million
Pesos in the repair of Francisco Medina Ascencio
Avenue and the Libramiento, funds acquired
thanks to the agreement he reached with the State
government.
This will be one more project in the 250
developed this year for the well being of Puerto
Vallarta’s families, totaling an unprecedented $320
Million Peso investment in public works.
(Ref.: noticiaspv.com and vallartaopina.net)
12
The 7 Arts
Steven Brinberg
IS
‘Simply Barbra!’
At The Palm Cabaret
February 24th - March 8th
S
teven Brinberg is
an acclaimed vocalist and
impressionist who is best
known for being the premier
impersonator of music legend
Barbra Streisand. He literally
appears to transform into
Barbra, both physically and
vocally, in an extraordinary
musical experience. His
performances on stage include
Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center,
the Kennedy Center, and
on Broadway in a benefit
production of Funny Girl,
featuring Whoopi Goldberg.
Many have tried to
impersonate the music icon
over the years, but Steven
Brinberg brings it to an entirely
new level with all-live vocals,
and by having perfected
the voice, mannerisms and
nuances of the mega-star. In
fact, he’s so good that many
find it difficult to tell them apart
vocally. Steven has performed
Simply Barbra throughout the
United States and has toured
the world for over a decade.
He has recorded two albums
and has appeared in several
feature films and numerous
times on television.
Steven also appeared in
concert with the late Academy
Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch,
who was a close friend and frequent collaborator
of Streisand’s, and the Symphony Orchestras of
Dallas, Milwaukee, Buffalo and Norfolk. Prior
appearances with Mr. Hamlisch include one
with Barbara Cook and the National Symphony
Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and another
at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh.
Issue 278
February 2014
«When you hear Steven’s
Simply Barbra CD, for
the first brief moment, you
almost think, ‘My God!
Is that really her?’ It’s so
captivating! Not only does
he have a wonderful take
on her — not at all meanspirited — and this ability to
imitate her, he also captures
a lot of moments and nuances
that are terrific. It was very
impressive.» ~ Marvin
Hamlisch
Steven is thrilled to be
making his Puerto Vallarta
debut at The Palm with the
talented John D. Randall,
who will accompany him
at the piano. Performances
of Simply Barbra will be
in the evenings beginning
February
24th
through
th
March 8 .
The Palm is well-known
for bringing top notch,
cutting-edge entertainment
to Vallarta. Inside you’ll
find an intimate, completely
refurbished 90-seat cabaret
with outstanding sound
and lighting, creating the
ambience of cabarets from
days gone by. Shows are
scheduled seven nights per
week with two different
shows nightly. A full calendar of performances
and tickets are available online at www.
ThePalmPV.com The Palm is non-smoking (a
patio is provided for smokers) and is located
at 508 Olas Altas. You can also find The Palm
on Facebook at The Palm Cabaret and Bar.
The 7 Arts
Held over by popular demand!
Act II STAGES celebrates Frida Kahlo
Dance, Music and Theatre
T
his show has been so
warmly received and selling
out, that Act II has added more
performances! FRIDA is such
a hit at Act II Stages that we are
extending the run, adding two
Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. on
Feb 23 and March 9th!
Act II’s commitment to
diversity brings back the
FRIDA SHOW! This is the
newest version of the show that
sold out Teatro Vallarta a year
ago! Come relax as the sights
and sounds of Mexican folk
art, music and dance entertain
and transport you into the life
of one of Mexico’s most beloved
historical figures.
The Mexican Dance Company
Choreography Dance Theatre
uses contemporary dance, folk,
flamenco, theater and live music
to capture on stage the life of Frida
Kahlo. This work celebrates the
life of this early feminist woman
who revolutionized painting in
such a unique style that it opened
the doors of Mexican culture to
the world.
Adriana Quinto, choreographer
and dancer, arrived to PV six
JOANNA!
Four nights only at
Act II STAGES
L
ong a Vallarta favorite, Joanna
will bring her zany, crazy, hilarious
solo show to Act II STAGES!
Come join the fun!
JOANNA (a.k.a. Joe Schmitz)
was born and raised on a goat farm
in Hartland, Wisconsin. The middle
child of 10 kids, Jo moved to NYC
at age 19 to attend The American
Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Soon afterwards, he was cast
in numerous drag musicals such
as La Cage Aux Folles and The
Ball (loosely based on the film
Paris Is Burning). Early on, he
realized he had the knack for drag
and in particular impressions after
winning first place as a Patsy Cline
impressionist at The Cowgirl Hall
of Fame. Jo worked as a show hostess
at NYC’s Lucky Cheng’s for
6 years followed by 8 summer
seasons in Provincetown at
both The Crown and Anchor
and The Post Office Cabaret.
Currently, Joanna performs in
Ogunquit, Maine, California, and
of course, right here, in Puerto
Vallarta.
www.vallartatickets.com
www.actiientertainment.com
Issue 278
13
February 2014
years ago after studying dance
and choreography in Mexico
and Germany. The Frida Show
is the result of Adriana’s and
her students’ efforts to bring
a Mexican icon to life. It is a
feast for the senses!
Act II STAGES box office
hours are 1 to 10 p.m. daily.
Tickets may also be purchased
at www.vallarttickets.com
Please visit our website www.actientertainment.com for a quick view of all the great
shows being offered!
14
The 7 Arts
Glitzy Glam Gala, Sunday, March 2 ,
Ellen Degeneres, eat your heart out!
nd
By Norma Schuh
Y
ou know what makes me melt like a dark
chocolate truffle on a smoldering summer night?
Seeing my husband handsomely attired in a suit or better yet - a tuxedo. (Oh, be still, my heart!) So
imagine my excitement as I anticipate the upcoming
Academy Awards Glitzy Glamorous Gala at Paradise
Community Center that we’ll be attending March 2nd
with ninety of the best dressed, hippest people in town!
We’re talking a night of fabulous fun, salivating
cuisine, every-day stars (you!), surprise celebrities and
paparazzi, to rival Hollywood’s finest. So break out
your sequins, polish up your patent wingtips, and get
ready to shimmer and shine.
The fun starts early with a complimentary glass of
bubbly, yummy hors-d’oeuvres, red carpet interviews,
professional photo-taking and conviviality, beginning
at 5:30 p.m. when the doors open. (Be forewarned,
those who tarry may miss out on celebrity sittings, so
punctuality is a priority!) A multi-course buffet dinner,
catered by chef extraordinaire Kathy Overly, follows
the cocktail hour mingling, allowing plenty of time
to dine and schmooze before settling in to watch this
year’s exciting awards ceremony on the Center’s huge
overhead screen. If you’re feeling clairvoyant, purchase
a ballot and predict this season’s award winners in
nine of the top categories - best film, actor, actress,
supporting actor/actress, director, costume design and
song. If you’re right, you’ll win the grand prize, and if
Issue 278
you’re not - no worries - there are lots more chances to
garner a great prize throughout the evening. Should you
feel thirsty, a cash bar awaits you.
Net profits from tickets benefit the local community
through CompassioNet Impact Mexico, which serves
500 meals each week to children living in underresourced neighborhoods, among many other initiatives,
including a new children’s home for orphaned youth.
With so much going for it, this Glitzy Glam Gala is
not to be missed!
Tickets can be purchased on-line (Vallartatickets.
com) or in person at Paradise Community Center (127
Pulpito), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, and on
Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the Saturday
Market. Three different price ranges - $400, $450 and
$500 pesos, based on seating, - are available. If you’ve
attended any of the Tuesday evening Democrats
Abroad films, you know there really is not a bad seat in
the house. For this event, Paradise will be transformed
into a glittery golden cabaret featuring ornately draped
tables for dining and viewing the 86th Academy Awards
ceremony, with everyone receiving VIP treatment.
! The code for this gala is bodacious attire-! dressing up as yourself or a star you admire...
! but itʼs not a deal breaker, if you prefer your jeans,
! just show up, in whatever---by all means!
Seating is limited to under 100 attendees, so purchase
your tickets NOW!
For more information, please e-mail:
Joy@paradisecommunitycenter.com
February 2014
WOOHOOO!
S
tarting Saturday, February
22nd - one week prior to the
Glitzy Glam Gala - Paradise
Community Center will offer
8 back-to-back nights of 2013
academy
award-nominated
films for your viewing
pleasure, each commencing at
7 p.m.!
The cost for the series of
eight is $500 pesos, although
packages of six tickets are
also available for $400 pesos.
Individual
pre-purchased
tickets are $75 pesos. There are
also VIP tickets for $200 pesos
per movie, which come with
cushy chairs and two drinks.
Regular individual tickets,
purchased at the door, are $100
pesos. Tickets are available
for pre-purchase (which is
advised) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tuesdays through Fridays, and
at the Saturday market from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. at the PCC. So
come on down!!!!
This year’s nominated films,
which will be shown nightly
in the order below, starting
with “Her” on Feb. 22nd are:
Her, American Hustle, Captain
Phillips, Blue Jasmine, Dallas
Buyers Club, Gravity, The Wolf
of Wall Street and Twelve Years
a Slave.
The 7 Arts
At Colectika…
Virtually everyone in the village is in the wood
carving business but it’s Jacobo and Maria’s natural
paints and incredible attention to detail however
that make their pieces even more attractive to
collectors. It is absolutely incredible to watch Jacobo
demonstrate how some of the natural pigments are
created. From the bark of the copal tree he can create
yellow by adding lime and honey. Black is created
by adding calcium and purple by adding baking soda.
The most important and probably best recognized
natural pigment is the cochinilla, an insect that grows
on the nopal cactus, over 60 tons of red can be created
using this insect.
Jacobo and Maria’s pieces are prominently
displayed in galleries and museums including the
National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, the
Smithsonian Native American Museum and the Santa
Fe International Museum of Folk Art, to name just a
few.
Gracias,
Beatriz and Kevin
Colectika Ancestral Contemporary
858 G. Sanchez & Allende Tel. : 222-2302
www.peyotepeople.com
On Wednesday, February 26 , from 6 to 10 p.m., we hope
th
you can join us to meet Jacobo and Maria Angeles. These two
legendary Oaxacan wood carvers will be at Colectika (858
Guadalupe Sanchez, corner of Allende) for one night only,
demonstrating why they are two of the most collected artists
in Mexico today.
Mexico has always been a treasure trove for folk art.
Collectors from around the world have learned to appreciate
the primitive art created in small villages by a number of
ethnic groups around Mexico. New infrastructure, cellular
technology and satellite TV however are making villages once
completely isolated, connected with the outside world and with
that come new ideas. Ancestral contemporary is a movement
headed by a handful of artists who are taking the traditional
folk art that their ancestors have done for years and making it
modern. Undoubtedly one of the best examples today of the
Ancestral Contemporary movement are Jacobo Angeles and
his wife Maria del
Carmen.
Together
they have singlehandedly taken the
traditional Oaxacan
wood carving to a
whole new level.
Manuel
Jimenez
may be considered the
founder of the wood
carving tradition in
Oaxaca, but it was
Jacobo and Maria
who took the primitive
carvings and turned
them into what can
only be considered
fine art because of the
amazing detail in their
painting.
Jacobo and Maria
live in San Martin Tilcajete, a Zapotec Indian village about
45 min. from the City of Oaxaca. When a baby is born in
the village, it is given a small animal that is his/her totem.
Today’s wood carvings, according to Jacobo, evolved out of
this tradition. He began carving with his father but when he
was 12 his father passed away, which catapulted him into the
limelight. Jacobo was forced to go out on his own to provide
for his family. His indigenous or Zapotec style has been
heavily influenced by the patterns found in Mitla, the ancient
Zapotec city famous for its geometric patterns. The copal
wood that Jacobo uses for all of his carvings has always been
considered sacred.
Large trunks are used to make big carvings but Jacobo
prefers branches because he can use the natural curves to bring
his carvings to life.
Issue 278
15
Every Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m.”
February 2014
16
The 7 Arts
This week at the Boutique
Issue 278
February 2014
The 7 Arts
Mass Appeal:
a Drama Desk Award-nominated play by Bill C. Davis
The
terrific team who
brought theatrical excellence
to Puerto Vallarta last season
with “Oleanna” and “The
Long Weekend” return to the
Boutique Theatre for a short
run – just eleven performances
– of Bill C. Davis’ Drama Desk
Award-nominated play MASS
APPEAL beginning Friday,
February 21,2014.
While the characters are
a Catholic priest and the
deacon he is mentoring, you
don’t have to be Catholic to
recognize the conflict when an
older, established (and perhaps
somewhat complacent) person
seeks to help a “high spirited
“, idealistic (and perhaps
somewhat rebellious) person
make important life choices.
Sharing
one’s
hardwon wisdom and realistic
appreciation for what is possible
in life with a feisty, would-berenegade, trapped in their own
shallow conformity, is a dance
we’ve all danced at one time or
another - sometimes leading;
sometimes following.
“There are three things in
life of which we can be certain:
God; human folly and laughter.
The first two are beyond our
comprehension, so we must do
the best we can with the latter.”
- John F. Kennedy
MASS APPEAL is a powerful
drama with many comic
moments. It will make you laugh
and it will make you think. What
more can you ask of intelligent
theater?
You won’t have to suspend
disbelief while enjoying MASS
APPEAL. You’ll recognize the
characters and the character traits
on display.
The story is about the
relationship between priest and
deacon in the roles of teacher
and student; the former a
prisoner of his desire to be loved
while the latter’s inexperienced
righteousness drives him to create
controversy in order to upset what
he perceives as complacency.
The priest struggles with his
character defects and, perhaps,
wished he was a better man
and a better priest. The naive
seminarian is full of brash
self-assurance, bordering on
righteousness.
MASS APPEAL asks timeless
questions about power, faith and
sexuality.
Balancing serious
topics and humor takes skilled
performances, so we are blessed
to have such talented actors
as Michael Gibney and Alain
Perreault to lead us through a
minefield of mood swings. They
are a delight!
Issue 278
17
La Guelaguetza tradition in PV
This
presentation was part of
the 6 “Artisanal Encounter”, a
joint effort between the Vallarta
Institute of Culture, led by Sergio
Zepeda, the Mexican Artisans
Federation and a large group of
local sponsors who brought in
part of this traditional celebration
that the audience applauded from
beginning to end.
th
The Guelaguetza fiesta invaded
Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon with its
tradition and colors, delighting the
senses of hundreds of people gathered
at El Faro to familiarize themselves
with the culture of different regions
of the State of Oaxaca.
The Guelaguetza is considered to
be the most important ethnic fiesta
in Latin America, and the greatest
expression of Oaxaca’s folklore,
a fiesta held annually at the Cerro
del Fortin on the two Mondays
following July 16. It is held over
two weeks and involves the seven
regions of that state: La cañada,
Sierra Juárez, Valles Centrales,
La Mixteca, La Costa, Istmo de
Tehuantepec y Tuxtepec.
(Source: www.puertovallarta.gob.mx)
February 2014
18
The 7 Arts
By Joe Harrington
12 Years a Slave
Finally got around to seen this
movie. For those who don’t know
the plot here it is: A black yet free
man lives in Saratoga Springs, upstate
New York. He has a talent with the
violin. He is introduced to two men
who claim to want to hire him to play
in Washington. What they really
are up to is selling him into slavery
with the intent of shipping him, as an
escaped slave, back to a plantation in
Georgia.
This man is married, has children,
and is prosperous, living well in a
nice home in a beautiful area. What
happens to him is horrible, but it is
only a backdrop to the horror so many
other slaves face from birth.
The movie demonstrates the
difference between the acceptance of
a person born into slavery – meaning
taught from birth – and one thrust into
this life for the first time as an adult.
There are many very well done
scenes to demonstrate this without
slamming a viewer’s head with the
reality. My favorite is when a free
man, a.k.a. Platt, for not only defying a
‘Master’ but also giving him a licking
with a belt, is hung. If the hanging had
been successful, that would have been
the end of the story, but, obviously as
it was not, it was not successful. The
overseer arrives just in time to save the
free man’s / slave’s life, yet, to make
some obscure point that I apparently
missed, leaves him still hanging from
his noose, toes barely touching the
muddy soil. This is hard to watch
because, for an excruciatingly long
time, not much happens. Platt tiptoes
about trying to find purchase, trying
not to slip and hang himself, trying to
survive. For minutes, that’s it, tiptoe
in a circle – close up shots of the
noose, his eyes, the terror he is facing.
Then something moves in the distant
background. It takes a moment to
realize that it is another slave leaving
a shanty. He looks down the field
to where Platt is desperately trying
to survive, and then goes about his
business. Women leave other shanties
and, noticing him, still go about their
business in the fields.
A female, who cares deeply for
our hero, dares to approach and give
him some water. But does not dare
release the noose that is his potential
executioner.
The scene drags on, except that,
even with almost nothing happening,
Issue 278
it does not drag. My heart was racing.
Intellectually, I knew he was not going
to strangle to death, the movie wasn’t
into the second half. But it was a still
horrifying to watch the terror in the
potential victim’s eyes. Finally, the
plantation owner discovers what’s
happening, rides up on his horse and
cuts the rope.
Great scene. Well acted.
But what it does more than that is
demonstrate that a picture may be
worth a thousand words, but a wellcrafted scene can –with no words– be
worth ten thousand, twenty thousand
or even more words.
With that simple scene we –
meaning us in the 21st century, are
given a glimpse into the past which,
sadly, is only a little over 150 years
ago. Hopefully, movies like 12 Years
a Slave will remind us of the horrors
of the past. Someday hopefully
the beauty of the person will shine
brighter than the color of the skin.
This movie, and the one I wrote
about last week –The Wolf of Wall
Street– demonstrate just how hard it
is to judge two brilliant performances.
Both are stellar, both deserve the
February 2014
grand prize. But only one can win. I
don’t see anyone else in contention,
not even Captain Phillips, another
gripping movie based on a true story.
It can’t compete with a free man turned
slave and a covetous, grasping greedy
man. The slave did nothing but trust
and paid the price. The stockbroker
followed a life that should be used as
an example involving the definition of
the word hedonist.
Chiwetel Ejiofor’s job was far
different that Leonardo DiCaprio’s.
One got to act flamboyant, jubilant, out
of control crazy. The other suffered
in chains, picked cotton, played the
fiddle for the masters, and dreamed of
a life that was once free.
Who knows which will win? I just
wish they both could.
Joe
Is an internationally published
true crime writer and
documentary filmmaker.
Send comments or criticism to
JoeMovieMadness@Yahoo.com
Artwork by Bob Crabb.
The 7 Arts
Burro statue unveiling
Friday, February 28th at 6 p.m.
The latest bronze statue is to be unveiled on Friday, the 28
of
February in Lazaro Cardenas Park at 6 p.m. on the west (ocean side) of
the gazebo. All art lovers and friends are hereby invited to come join
local sculptor Jim Demetro (who also created the “Vallarta Dancers” on
the new Malecon and “The Washer Woman” near the Pedestrian bridge)
when he will donate the Burro sculpture “Andale Bernardo” to the City
of Puerto Vallarta.
Burros used to be instrumental in the building of Puerto Vallarta,
hauling sand, rocks, and cement up and down the hills. Jim wanted to
preserve their history for future generations. He sculpted the original
statue in clay at the Gallery above Oscar’s restaurant on the river Cuale
Island for several months last spring using local models. Many persons
had a chance to donate money and helped sculpt the clay donkey, boys
or the little dog.
th
The statue is now ready in bronze, thanks to the generosity of Mrs.
Isabel Manore of Casa Isabel Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, and
numerous donors. Jim is also extending the deepest gratitude to others
who were instrumental in getting the sculpture to its permanent home:
City of Puerto Vallarta Mayor Lic. Ramon Demetrio Guerrero Martinez,
Cultural Director Sergio Zepeda Moreno, Architect Francisco Marugan,
President of Neighborhood Association of Emiliano Zapata Maria
Magdalena Avelar Mondragon of Hotel Eloisa, Oscar’s Restaurant and
Gallery, Galeria Pacifico and its owner Gary Thompson (who guides the
weekly Tuesday morning Sculpture Walks and represents Jim’s work),
Prof. Enrique Barrios Limon (the founder / leader / choreographer of
the youth folkloric ballet Xuitla), and gallery owner Ruben Cham of La
Quiza. This statue honors all the workers, burros, residents, and visitors
who make PV such a wonderful place, and we hope that it will bring
enjoyment for all who see it.
Please come and join us for the unveiling! Afterwards the Xiutla
dancers will perform as they do every Friday (Nov-April) at 7:30 pm,
and this Friday there is also the bimonthly Viva Mexico food booths
with delicious food for sale from local restaurants, all happening in
Lazaro Cardenas Park, South Side Old Town/ Zona Romantica.
WELCOME! BIENVENIDOS!
Issue 278
February 2014
19
20
Issue 278
Map
February 2014
Map
Issue 278
21
February 2014
22
The 7 Arts
Circo de los Niños returns to San Pancho
Since their inaugural sold
out show in 2011, everyone
in Riviera Nayarit has been
waiting for the return of
Circo de Los Niños (the
Children’s Circus). Now,
after two years of workshops
and training, 50 kids will
once again bring the circus
to San Pancho in a 2-day
event, March 21 and 22, in
San Francisco (San Pancho),
Riviera Nayarit.
The Circo de los Niños
is the result of a generous
contribution of creative
energy and support by Gilles
Ste-Croix, one of the founders
and the current Creative
Director for Cirque du Soleil.
The project initiated in 2011
when Gilles flew in a team
of professionals to work
and train with the children
of San Pancho. For the past
few years, he has continued
to support workshops and
trainings at the Entreamigos
Community Center and
this year, Gilles Ste-Croix
is expected to contribute
heavily to the creative design
of the March show.
The children selected
to participate in the show
all live in San Pancho and
Sayulita, many of whom
have been part of the program
since its inception.
The
children participate five days
a week from 1 to 3 hours
a day depending on their
age, interest and skill level.
Children practice diverse circus techniques
including trapeze, aerial silks, tightrope,
acrobatics and others but the real purpose of
the project is to instill skills in communication,
teamwork, discipline and self esteem… all
while having fun!
Issue 278
February 2014
The Circo de los Niños
program is under the direction
of Leonardo Rinaldi Figueroa
(Condor), with the current
active mentorship of André
Simard, who is an icon in
the world of gymnastics, and
responsible for designing
most of the aerial acrobatic
acts of Cirque du Soleil.
The convergence of such
spectacular talent is an
opportunity even bigger than
most dreams and San Pancho
kids are getting ready to share
it all in their show in March.
Entreamigos is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community education
center that operates out of
an impressive sustainablydesigned 16,000 sq. ft. facility
in San Pancho, less than an
hour north of Puerto Vallarta.
The organization works to
build bridges between cultures
and community by creating
educational opportunities for
children and families. The
center operates a library and
computer center, supports
60 children in a scholarship
program, and works to
create diverse and interesting
educational opportunities for
everyone. All Circo de los
Niños classes happen in the
center’s sports facility and this
show is a fundraiser benefit for
the organization.
Ticket are on sale now. The
Circo show will be held on
March 21st with the followup Children’s art benefit
scheduled at Entreamigos on March 22nd. The
show and benefit are expected to sell out. For
more information, please contact Entreamigos
at info@entreamigos.org.mx
(Published Jan. 31, 2014, in virtualvallarta.com)
Good Bites
Your Comments
avineberg@yahoo.com
23
It isn’t often that a place provides an
experience that rates so high on the ‘boy am I
glad we did this’ scale. La Esquina aced it, we
have gone back multiple times and it has never
failed to live up to our expectations.
Mike.
Dear Editor,
I don’t ever write this sort of thing, but I am
going to make an exception for a place which
I consider to be well worth the effort. There
is a small tapas restaurant a few blocks above
the downtown area that offers a wonderful
eating experience. It is called La Esquina De
Los Caprichos and is located on the corner of
Miramar and Iturbide. The owners, Octavio
and Miren (who hail from Spain), work their
butts off to create an ambiance of gourmet food
in a very humble and personal setting. Foodies
search long and hard for places like this one.
I’m going to mention a few of the best things
that we enjoyed there…
A cold, white gazpacho, made with grapes
and almonds. All I am going to say is that it is
one of the best soups that I have tasted in this
town. Refreshing and creative.
They have a great assortment of small tapas,
pinchos, served on homemade bread. Our three
favorites were the pesto, one with a roasted red
pepper filled with surimi, and one that is made
with dates and pecans (which my wife set aside
to have as her ‘second dessert’).
The tortilla española is simple and tasty –
we asked for some extra aioli sauce to eat it
with since the aioli there is perfect.
We also enjoyed a plate of chickpeas cooked
with garlic. So simple, yet so nice.
Miren prepares some delicious desserts too.
We opted for the chocolate mousse and it was
the final touch on a memorable meal.
Issue 278
Dear Editor,
I just wanted to let your readers know about
this little breakfast place we use.
It’s called RICOS and is on Ignacio L.
Vallarta just up from Basilio Badillo, opposite
V999 condominium.
They do a nice little breakfast very well
presented and at a reasonable price. I am just
afraid that they are slightly out of sight from
the main stream and may not survive.
So give them a try, you never know.
Bob Wheeler
Dear Editor,
My wife and I have been coming to P.V. for
the past 30 years.
Recently, we visited a new restaurant which
just opened in the hotel zone. It is called
Mama Rita’s.
We must say, after many visits and trying
several different dinners, that the food is
excellent, from the thin crust pizza to her
spaghetti and meat balls, just to mention a
few. The salads are crisp, the service is fast
and the prices are very fair.
We have sent many of our friends there and
they have sent their friends and we only get
good comments. This small restaurant is a
great addition to the area for lunch and dinner.
February 2014
Mama Rita’s Pizzeria is in Plaza Las Glorias
by Gold’s Gym (157 Pablo Picasso) in the
Hotel Zone. Happy Eating!
Rick and Sandy
Chicago, IL
Ms. Reisman,
I have read your column online from the
USA for many years and now we are starting
to spend some time at our newly purchased
condo in Vallarta.
I have a question. I believe I read in one of
your past columns about a fresh fish market in
the romantic zone. Can you please tell me the
name, and where it is? We are interested in
purchasing fresh salmon and shrimp.
Regards,
Patrick Parks
Dear Mr. Parks,
I don’t recall mentioning a fresh fish market
in the Romantic Zone in the last few years.
There used to be a big one across the street
from the now-defunct Rizo’s, but it was moved
to 5 de diciembre some years ago. The one
that’s left is a small one, on the same side of
the street as Rizo’s, called Corbeteña, but I
don’t know if their selection is worth a visit.
Sorry.
Anna
24
Beyond PV
Destination of the week: Patzcuaro
By Astrid Van Dam
Dear Astrid,
We saw the folkloric group of
Xiutla not too long ago and they
were dancing a funny dance where
the children were dressed as old
men. A Mexican man standing next
to us said it’s a traditional dance
from Patzcuaro, he was originally
close from there. What’s there to
see and do and is it worth a visit?
Bob and Sandra-Edmonton
Hola Bob and Sandra!
Patzcuaro is a beautiful village in
the mountains about one hour from
Morelia, the Capital of the State of
Michoacan.
It is 2,100 meters above sea
level and one of Mexico’s “Magic
Towns” according to UNESCO. The
architecture is typical of a mountain
village in Mexico: Colonial white
buildings with clay tiled roofs,
cobblestone streets and beautiful
patios. The house of the Eleven Patios
is a great example of the architecture
there. This is a former building of
Dominican Nuns that serves now as
a workshop / art gallery. It is just
few steps from the main square - the
Plaza Vasco de Quiroga. Don Vasco
de Quiroga was a Spanish Bishop and
is considered as the founder of the
village, although people have been
living there since at least two hundred
years before the Spanish came. To this
day, the area has a high population of
indigenous people, the Tarascan as the
Spanish called them, or Purèpechas as
they call themselves.
Around the plaza, you will find
several neat stores that sell all
different kinds of handicrafts, most of
which are made in the villages close
to Patzcuaro. You will see mostly
wooden handicrafts, as well as typical
Issue 278
Christmas decoration (yes, the whole
year round), baskets, copper and
guitars. Ah, and very likely you will
see the same dances you saw in Puerto
Vallarta, the dance of the “Viejitos”.
Not too far from the second plaza,
just few blocks from the main plaza,
make sure you visit the library with
the enormous mural made by Juan
O`Gorman. This was a very famous
Irish / Mexican artist from Mexico
City, who also painted the mural of the
UNAM, the University of Mexico City,
and the house of Frida Kahlo and Diego
Rivera. Later he even became the
Head of the Architectural Office of the
Administration of Public Education.
Patzcuaro is also the name of the
lake; make sure you make the boat
trip to the Island of Janitzio. On top
of the island there is a huge statue of
Josè Maria Morelos. If you are in
good condition you can climb into the
statue, and also here you can see some
beautiful murals. This island is one of
the best places in Mexico to celebrate
the Day of the Dead.
Another great side trip is to the
archeological site of Tzintzuntzan -
February 2014
the Place of the Hummingbirds. You
can see the semi-circled pyramids
there, which are very likely from the
Post Classical Period (900-1500 AD).
And last but not least, make sure you
visit the close by villages Quiroga and
Santa Clara del Cobre.
My tips for your visit: bring a jacket
for the cold nights and a large suitcase
for all the beautiful things you will
very likely buy! Enjoy!
Astrid Van Dam
Every week, Mexico expert Astrid
Van Dam writes about different
destinations in Mexico. Astrid is a
Federally-licensed guide for tours
in the whole country (!) who has
guided hundreds of trips in Mexico,
Guatemala, Belize and Honduras.
For any travel advice in Mexico, or
if you have any questions about a
specific destination in Mexico, just ask
her! Feel free to send her an email to:
astrid@superiortoursvallarta.com
Your question -and her responsemight be published in one of the
next issues of the Mirror.
Vallarta Voices
25
By Anna Reisman
The Winter Olympics
are much easier for me to
watch than the Summer
Games. That’s because
I know who I’m cheering
for …most of the time.
True, my parents were
both born in the former
Soviet Union, but I lived
most of my life in Canada,
so Canada it is. And I’m
far from being the only
one. Lots of Canucks in
town nowadays. Check
out the photo that Kim Martin
posted on her Facebook page,
taken in front of Steve’s Bar on
Basilio Badillo.
I tip my hat to the sole Mexican
competing in these Games, but
I didn’t even see him compete.
His name is Prince Hubertus of
Hohenlohe-Langenburg – an heir
to the Fiat empire, and at 55 years
of age, the second oldest Winter
Olympian ever, breaking the
longest span of competing at the
winter Olympics (30 years). Ya
gotta hand it to the man!
The Romanians didn’t do
anything worth reporting, and the
Israelis didn’t even participate, so
there you have it, much easier.
As I look at the
beautiful,
impressive
mountains surrounding
the ski sites near Sochi,
I remember my years on
the Canadian Ski Patrol,
the early mornings at 30o
below zero, the blue ice
and the whiteouts …and
I thank heaven that I live
here, in the warmth of
Puerto Vallarta.
My life’s been a little
hectic lately as more and
more friends and family have been
coming down to get away from the
cold and snow and ice and slush
up in the Great White North, and
to share in our beautiful weather.
Lots of trips to and from the
airport, all requiring me to navigate
the great slalom course along the
Libramiento by-pass road…
Sure, we see work crews digging
up the soft (?) shoulders north of
the tunnels -purportedly to build
sidewalks- but why don’t they fill
the potholes first? Am I missing
something here or am I just
committing that terrible mistake
of asking why? After the unusual
heavy rains we experienced at the
beginning of the year, those little
holes appeared, as if overnight.
Then they grew. Then some of
them became deep little craters.
So the City painted yellow circles
around them. (Don’t laugh. They
did.) Now, nearly two months later,
the yellow lines have practically
disappeared …as has the yellow
line indicating the separation
between the southbound and
northbound lanes.
Issue 278
I think that this latter
development is even scarier than
the craters. We don’t really know
whether we’ve gone out of bounds
or not, ‘till we see an oncoming
vehicle way too close to us…
Oh well, I’m sure someone will
point out these little details to
the authorities before the Easter
holidays. After all, Christmas
and Easter always seem to be the
deadlines for all the work projects
they undertake …for the Mexican
tourists who flock to PV on those
dates. The rest of us, furrners,
well, we’re just not so important…
True, they did fix the northbound
bridge over the Rio Cuale, and
it looks nice, but now I think it’s
time for the owners of the little
plaza where my Santander Bank is
located to fix their planter. Lots of
tourists use that ATM. I remember
when that great little ice cream
parlor used to be there, aptly called
“Once Upon a Time”, with little
tables and parasols and yummy ice
creams… But that was then. Now
it’s a pharmacy. And Benito Juarez
Park is now Benito Juarez parking
garage.
Talking about parks, I hear that
all sorts of good things have been
taking place at Lazaro Cardenas
Park and Los Arcos Amphitheater,
but all my friends who saw
them only did so because they
February 2014
happened to be passing by at the
right time. No one informed this
medium nor any other that I know
of. How sad, especially for those
gifted youngsters from all over
who presented an amazing Jazz
performance last week.
So where have I taken my visitors
to eat recently? Actually, quite a
few good spots: El Mole de Jovita,
Grill O, Sapori de Sicilia, Vitea (of
course!), Tony’s Please, El Cafecito
for their incredible coffee, and I
can’t remember any others right
now. Sorry. Sunday we’re taking
everyone to Ocean Grill. I just love
that place.
I’m also planning –still- to attend
some of the fabulous live shows
going on around town (check out
the full listing on the Calendar
page); I’ll just have to juggle my
agenda to get away…
Enjoy our sunshine, don’t forget
your sunblock (!) and may your
Mirror always reflect a happy,
healthy you. Hasta luego.
sheis@ymail.com
26
Vallarta Voices
By Heather Wilson
H
ome. An uplifting four-letter word invoking feelings of safety and
contentment for most.
I’ve always been curious about what goes on behind closed doors, about
how others live, both on the far side of the globe and the other side of the
street. In times of reverie, I even imagine myself an architect, a supporter/
nurturer of dreams.
So, I was delighted to be invited to go on an International Friendship
Club Home Tour recently, and found it a much more comprehensive and
enjoyable experience than I had anticipated.
MI CASA ES SU CASA
Right from the get-go, super friendly IFC volunteers in their easily
recognizable red shirts handled everything like a well-oiled machine,
guiding me through the simple registration process at Sea Monkey and even
suggesting where I might get a coffee or something to eat before we set out.
Within mere minutes of settling into a super comfy bus, our group of 35
or so strangers was joking around like good old friends, thanks to the easy
going tone set by the guides. (And yet, as the tour progressed, it became
abundantly clear to me just how seriously they took their role of ensuring
our safety and enjoyment, never failing to point out a dip in a path, a stair
one might not expect, and so on.)
As we travelled, we were told about the next home we would visit,
interspersed with intriguing factoids about the neighborhoods and various
Vallarta goings on. And I was surprised to learn that, like me, many if not
most of those taking the tour either lived here or had taken one several
times previously! I guess up until then I had thought of a home tour as
a great way for a tourist to get a better sense of a place while enjoying a
nice outing and doing good for a charity, but it turned out to be about so
much more than that.
Each home distinctive and fabulous, once I had checked out the spaces for
myself I became fascinated with what it was that drew most of the attention.
While an oceanfront villa might boast a to-die-for view, surprisingly enough
the bulk of oohs and aahs might be directed at an unusual candlestick or a
simple, tile shower wall in a rich burgundy. So it would seem that taking a
home tour or two would be a smart move for any would-be interior designer
or homebuyer looking to glean some great ideas.
Before the tour was over, emails and phone numbers were exchanged,
plans made to meet for dinner and another home tour the following week,
and I had enjoyed a revitalizing day away from my usual routines.
Consider taking a bottle of water, a pen and a notebook with you; with
so many interesting tidbits shared, you may just want to remember some
of them! And it’s nice to know that at the end of the tour, when the bus
returns to PV’s South Side, you can opt to join some of your IFC guides
for lunch at a nice inexpensive eatery should the spirit move you.
Ifcvallarta.com 222-5466
Issue 278
HAVE YOU MET ALL YOUR NEIGHBORS YET?
And no, I don’t mean the Hernandez or Smith families. I’m referring to
the nearly 300 incredible avian species that either call Vallarta home or
visit it every year, just as many of you do.
I find it so amazing that we have everything from Blue-Footed Boobies
and Military Macaws to Lilac-Crested Parrots and Elegant Trogons in our
own backyard, yet so many of us have still not seen them!
What are we waiting for? An invitation? If so, here it is:
Third Annual Vallarta Bird Festival
Thursday, March 6 through Sunday, March 9
Bird watching tours to your choice of 20 locations in PV and
Cabo Corrientes led by leading ornithologists, and so much more…
This is a world-class festival in both English and Spanish put on by a
dedicated group whose primary mission is conservation and education, these
annual festivals a way to raise interest and funds to ensure the long-term
enjoyment of these amazing birds we have the privilege to live amongst.
Please, do yourself a favor, and go to www.VallartaBirdFestival.org
to see detailed information. And remember, a flock of Yellow-Crowned
Night Herons will take your breath away every bit as much as a beautiful
breaching Humpback, so let’s not waste the opportunity to discover for
ourselves the bounty of nature we are surrounded by right here in Vallarta!
222-7407 or 293-7052
BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES
The Puerto Vallarta Garden Club could not have chosen a better venue
for a gala cocktail party announcing the Bugambilia Festival in May than
that of the beautiful Casa Chickie.
Beloved by a great many of us, Chickie and Irwin Alter both passed away
last year, but so many loving thoughts went into the building of this home
that was to be a community center for culture and good works that I just
know that February 27 will be a very special evening for all in attendance.
www.bougambiliafestival.com Ccrumps8241@gmail.com
Making beautiful music to stir the soul, along with at the Marival
Convention Center in Nuevo Vallarta, this year the Puerto Vallarta
Chamber Orchestra will present its March spring concert at Teatro Vallarta
in downtown Puerto Vallarta. Which means that so many more will get to
experience timeless classical works in a setting truly befitting the genre.
Congratulations to this hard working, super talented chamber orchestra
we are proud to call our very own!
More details coming soon
Heather Wilson
In Mexico, Heather has worked for Vallarta Lifestyles,
Vallarta Tribune, and myriad other newspapers, magazines
and destination guides. In Canada, employers included The
Canadian Press, Toronto Star, Second City and Leo Burnett.
Widely traveled, she has interviewed everyone from Masai elders
and newspaper vendors to world leaders. Writing and editing
obituaries, memoirs, speeches, ads, brochures, web sites…
you name it! Facebook: Vallarta Heather Wilson
Email: journalistheatherwilson@gmail.com
February 2014
Health Matters
Body & Sol
By Krystal Frost
The 20-second hug… and more...
I
t turns out the 3 minute hug does
not make it… Now they say, and
they can prove it, that 20 seconds
is the ideal length of time for an
embrace. The reason is that the
pressure of a good snuggle gets the
oxytocin and endorphins flowing.
We typically think of the hormone
oxytocin -- the “love drug”. But
it turns out that men and women
produce the hormone on a daily
basis in our blood and brains, and
petting your dog or cat, dancing,
knocking boots and singing together
are just a few ways we can get
this good-times hormone flowing.
Hugging is one of the fastest ways
to get a kick of oxytocin. We are a
family of huggers. Usually sending
off friends and clients with a hug.
It seems to be the right thing to do
after sharing the same space for a
short but meaningful time.
We are not surprised to hear that
the health benefits of the huggy
/ kissy face action are many.
Oxytocin is the bonding hormone
that allows you to establish a deep
connection with others; it’s the glue
of society. Cats do it, dogs do it.,
elephants and most mammals do it if you catch them at the right time...
The 20-second hug also calms your
nervous system and lowers levels
of the stress hormone, cortisol,
which can wreak havoc on your
mind and body - not to mention
sleep patterns.
Here are some other super
charged moments to consider…
1. A 10-second kiss every day
- 10 second kiss says, “I’m still in
love with you!” A kiss is the core of
a relationship and the most intimate
act a couple can engage in. It is a
barometer of how things are going.
It’s the kiss that makes you feel
warm, close and connected!”
2. A 20-second hug every day –
Research indicates that receiving
hugs significantly increases the
supply of oxygen to all the organs in
our bodies. A hug causes our body
to release endorphins. A hug can be
a refuge, a sanctuary, a safe haven
to go to when you need to know
that you are cared about. There will
be times in your relationship when
your mate is crabby, argumentative
and unreasonable. At times like
this, the last thing you’ll want to do
is hug him. There is nothing like a
warm embrace to calm and soothe
a cranky person. It takes at least 5
seconds to block out all the outside
distractions and another 15 seconds
to exchange that loving energy with
one another.
3. A 5-second compliment every
day –If you concentrate on your
mate’s strengths, notice the little
things he or she does for you, praise
them for their accomplishments
and reinforce their capabilities,
your payoff will be a warm, loving,
passionate, and devoted partner.
4. 30 minutes of dialogue every
day -Share your day. You need to
spend 30 minutes of uninterrupted
time talking to each other every
day. If you don’t, then the days
become weeks, and weeks become
months and before you know
it, you’re sitting across from a
Issue 278
27
stranger. When or where you talk
doesn’t matter. What counts is that
you do it! If you are at home, keep
distractions to a minimum
5. Do something spontaneous
every 6 months – There is nothing
more boring than knowing a person
so well that you can predict his
or her every move. Inside every
man and woman, no matter how
powerful or successful, there’s a
little boy and a little girl who is
waiting to come out and play. When
you do something unexpected and
unpredictable, not only does that
excite your mate because they
never know what to expect, but it
also makes your heart beat faster
and puts butterflies in your stomach
...and that’s feels good right?
6. Once a year, take a one-week
vacation – For just the two of you.
You never would have fallen in
love in the first place if you hadn’t
spent quality time with each other.
February 2014
7. Make a “do not disturb”
sign for your door. Setting up
boundaries is all about taking care
of ourselves. It’s a valuable lesson
that children and adults need to
incorporate in their daily lives.
Krystal Frost
Is a long time resident of Puerto
Vallarta. Graduate of University
of Guadalajara, and specialized
in cosmetic acupuncture at
Bastyr University in Washington
State. She is the owner of Body
& Sol for over 15 years where
she practices traditional Chinese
medicine, acupuncture, massage
therapy, yoga, meditation and
nutritional counseling. She has
created healing programs for
individuals, retreats and spas.
Questions and comments
may be directed to
organic-select@hotmail.com
28
Health Matters
Is Someone You Love
a “Borderline”?
By Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW
(Part 1 of 2)
Is
someone you love a
“Borderline”? Did you grow
up with a “Borderline” Parent?
Is your partner a “Borderline”?
Are you “Borderline”? What is a
“Borderline”? The diagnostic name
is “Borderline Personality Disorder”.
There is a specific list of DSM-IV
(mental health diagnostic manual)
diagnostic criteria. As with any
diagnosis, some people have traits
or characteristics without fitting the
complete description. You may have
grown up with a full-blown textbook
“Borderline” parent and you learned
some of the traits but aren’t as
extreme as your “crazy” parent. If
you grew up with one or are involved
with one now, you certainly must
feel like you walk(ed) on eggshells.
One woman described growing up
with her mother as never knowing
“when the other shoe was going to
drop”.
So
what
is
“Borderline
Personality” (BP)? I am only going
to focus on some of the characteristics
from the diagnostic criteria. Like
many other illnesses, each person
can be affected in varying degrees.
“Frantic efforts to avoid real
or imagined abandonment”
They are terrified at the thought
being alone. The moment the BP
person thinks someone is going to
leave them, they panic and react.
Often times, they learned to cope
with this fear by responding with
anger instead. They cannot tolerate
feeling vulnerable or out of control.
Does this sound familiar?
“Pattern of unstable and intense
relationships alternating between
extremes of idealization and
devaluation”
Borderlines look to others to
provide what they cannot provide
for themselves, such as: self-esteem,
approval, and a sense of identity.
“They are looking for a caregiver
whose never-ending love and
compassion will fill the black hole
of emptiness and despair they feel
inside” (Stop Walking On Eggshells,
2nd ed, Mason, Paul and Kreger,
Randi, (2010) New Harbinger
Publications, Inc. pg 25). The
potential loss of a relationship is like
losing an arm. At the same time, they
have such low self-esteem that they
really don’t understand why anyone
would want to be with them. “What
do they see in me?” So they look for
reasons (defects) why that person
would probably leave them and often
sabotage the friendship/relationship
by pushing that person away.
The central irony of BP is: They
desperately want closeness and
intimacy but the things they do to
achieve that, are exactly the things
that drive people away.
Fluctuating between the extremes
of idealization and devaluation is
called “splitting”. They have a hard
time integrating a person’s good
and bad traits. Their current opinion
of a person is based on their last
interaction with him. One minute
they are the superhero and the next
they are the villain. “Don’t leave me,
I love you, I need you, --- go away, I
can’t stand you”
“All or nothing” thinking is very
typical. Things are black or white;
there is no gray; no in between.
Things are right or wrong. There is
only one solution. It is very rigid,
unforgiving, inflexible, and causes
them and the people involved with
them a great deal of frustration
and pain. They can be impossible
to please. Once you work to fulfill
one of their expectations, they want
something else.
Never good enough
The feeling that they are never
good enough is very common. Their
entire sense of self is externally
based on what others think of them
or on how they compare themselves
to others or on receiving recognition
or not. They have often been verbally
and emotionally abused and have
come to believe and internalize all
of the negativity. Their parent(s)
were impossible to please, no matter
how hard they tried, and they are still
waiting for that positive recognition.
Issue 278
February 2014
Often times when they do receive it
from friends, co-workers, or lovers,
they don’t believe it. They reject
or minimize the compliment. They
judge others as harshly as they judge
themselves.
Impulsivity
Most people have varying abilities
to control impulses and delay the
need for immediate gratification and
are aware of potential consequences,
but Borderline’s
are impulsive
and reckless. They may create an
identity for themselves through
such behaviors including binging,
purging, alcohol and drug abuse or
addiction, indiscriminate sex, and
compulsive shopping.
Very poor boundaries
They never learned to set
boundaries or to say “no” for fear of
rejection or abandonment. They are
usually “people pleasers”. They do
not know how to protect themselves
from abuse or from their own
reckless and impulsive behavior. A
good example is unprotected sex.
It’s no wonder that many
characteristics of an alcoholic or
addict, a codependent, an adult child
of an alcoholic, all sound so similar
to Borderline Personality Disorder.
A significant percentage of BP’s
also have substance abuse problems.
Therefore, if your parent was
obviously an alcoholic for example,
he/she may also be Borderline.
Growing up with both problems so
overlapping, may have made things
more extreme and confusing.
Next week’s article will continue
with an explanation of the impact on
anyone involved with a Borderline.
Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW (psychotherapist)
is available for appointments
in person, by phone, or by
skype webcam. Contact info:
ggbelangerpv@gmail.com
Mex cell: 044 (322) 138-9552
or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
Fish Tales
29
Summer fishing in mid-winter,
El Niño arrives
By Stan Gabruk
Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle
W
ell folks, we’re seeing things
that just don’t make sense, specieswise, as we are still experiencing
unusually warm water temperatures.
Sailfish, Dorado, Marlin, sizeable
Yellowfin Tuna, Cubera Snapper,
Rooster fish, and the list goes on as
if it were late summer fishing. Such
are the results of an El Niño year.
The news services announce that
El Niño is alive and well, meaning
water temperatures are going to
remain warm - which of course
affects weather patterns around
the world, including those folks in
Chicago, Atlanta and New York.
Yes, folks, the fishing is going to be
anything but normal from this point
out until about the same time next
year. So sit back and keep an eye on
the reports, nothing can be taken for
granted when it comes to fishing here
in Puerto Vallarta’s world famous
fishing grounds during El Niño.
http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/ http://
www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_
climate/el_nino_and_la_nina/
Ok, first things first, the water
is warm, very warm. Come midFebruary, we should be seeing
low 70s (degrees) not upper 70s
bordering on 80 degrees. Because
of these warm and very comfortable
water temperatures, we have summer
species like Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado
and yes, large Yellowfin Tuna in the
80 to 120-lb range. Now we don’t
want you to think this is an automatic
fishing in a barrel sort of thing. It can
be hot or cold and it’s nothing like in
the summer, for the summer species
that is. Jack Crevalle, Snapper,
Bonito and many others are still
on the menu as normal winter fish
species. So the action couldn’t be
better for ¨winter¨ fishing. With these
summer species out there, well that is
just icing on the cupcake.
The Golden Triangle, that’s what I
call it, is alive and producing nicely.
The area between the Marieta
Islands to Corbeteña, then out
to El Banco is a fertile area that
is greatly ignored. The old timers
know that dropping baits on the way
to Corbeteña (outside the Marieta
Islands) and trolling to The Rock
many times will have better results
fishing than the primary destination.
For now, starting at El Banco, 10
to 15 miles off the high spots north,
you’ll find Yellowfin Tuna in the 80
to 120 lb range. This is an opportunity
that won’t last long and it may
already be too late if you’re reading
this. If that’s not enough reason to
head to El Banco, the 50-lb Dorado
may sway you. Sailfish are in the
mix and jigging for Cubera Snapper
and Amber Jacks will produce a nice
dinnertime conversation as you chow
down on the day’s catch. Striped
Marlin, Blue Marlin and even Black
Marlin are in this same area. So you
can understand why basically this
week’s report is focused on this area.
Issue 278
Now if you can’t afford the time, or
you plain don’t feel like an hour plus
travel time to Corbeteña or El Banco,
then the Marieta Islands are just
what the doctor ordered. An 8-hour
day will produce 50-lb Rooster Fish,
Snapper to 50 lbs., Bonito, Skip
Jack Tuna, Jack Crevalle all in
the 35 to 45-lb range. Needle fish,
Grouper, large African Pompano
(great tasting) and Amber Jack!
In fact, Capt. Tory of Guanatuna
caught an 80-lb Amber Jack jigging
the bottom near the islands and 10
minutes later, got a Snapper in the 50lb range as pictured. So if you have
8 hours, we’ve got action for you,
amigo, YeeHa!
The Punta Mita Point is still alive
with Sailfish, Striped Marlin (250
lbs.) about 10 miles off the point,
Sailfish and of course, Rooster Fish
off the Anclote reef. Great action,
but for my dollar, the Marieta
Islands are a better option. Inside the
bay, it’s wonderful! Jack Crevalle
everywhere, Bonito, Skip Jack Tuna
and the list goes on.
We’re coming out of the full
moon, so the bite will be happening
February 2014
a little later in the morning, figure
on an 8 a.m. / mid-afternoon bite, so
plan accordingly. Bait is abundant
everywhere, but you should be
warned, the boats are averaging about
two fish a day and sometimes none.
Being a hot / cold situation you don’t
know which day you’ll have until
you get out there. With small squids
baits abundant, trolled baits could be
ignored. But on the whole, the fishing
is great and you will catch fish, no
worries there. With blue water, blue
runners as lures are your best tool if
not fishing with live Google Eyes or
Chorras (generic name for Bonito or
Skip Jack Tuna).
Until next time don’t forget to kiss
your fish and remember: at Master
Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle “We
Won’t Jerk You Around!”
Master Baiter’s is still in Marina
Vallarta, now near Victor’s Café
Tecuba. Look for me at the least
traveled end of Marina Vallarta and I
will be there in my new place. Email
your questions to me at: CatchFish@
MasterBaiters.com.mx Web page:
www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , local
phone: (044) 322 779-7571 or if
roaming: 011 521 322 779-7571 (this
is my cell phone directly until the
shop phone is working. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Master-Baiters-SportfishingTackle/88817121325 The trade name
Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and
Tackle is protected under trade mark
law and is the sole property of Stan
Gabruk.
30
Legal Matters
Ask Luis
By Luis Melgoza
Dear Luis: I noticed in a recent
column you had a line saying “... in
Mexico you are innocent until proven
guilty in criminal and administrative
cases ...” I had the impression that
at least in some cases in Mexico the
burden of proof is upon the accused to
prove his or her innocence. Something
to do with having inherited a legal
system based in part on the Napoleonic
Code? Can you clarify this?
Dear Dan: Until June 2009, anyone
accused of a crime or misdemeanor in
Mexico was presumed guilty. Since
then, the “Security and Justice Reform”
passed by Congress in March 2008,
grants the presumption of innocence to
all accused of a crime or misdemeanor.
This doesn’t mean that a person
brought up on charges will remain free
until and unless a conviction is secured
by the prosecution. Unfortunately, as
in almost every country in the world,
a court may impose preventive prison
pending trial —with or without bail,
depending on the seriousness of
the charges—, and, on suspicion of
organized crime, the accused may be
held for 40 days and up to 80 days at
the request of a federal prosecutor,
without charges, pending investigation.
This is known as Arraigo (literally
“hold”). For comparison purposes,
in Israel a suspect may be held up to
12 days without charges and, in the
US, “enemy combatants” can and are
hold indefinitely without charges. If
convicted, any time spent in preventive
prison counts as time served, but the
time spent in arraigo doesn’t count.
Dear Readers: An unfounded rumor
stated that the bill sent to the Senate by the
lower chamber, amending Article 27 of
the Constitution to abolish fideicomisos
in Mexico’s restricted zone and granting
foreigners the right to acquire real
property in these restricted zones (100
kms. from the national borders and 50
kms. from coast lines) was killed due to
inactivity in the Senate.
This rumor was even published
locally by another weekly.
Nothing farther from the truth.
The bill is still pending analysis and
determination in Senate commissions.
The Rules of the Chamber of Deputies
(Diputados) cited by the erroneous
source do not apply to the Senate. It
is the Senate Rules that are in effect
because the bill is in the Senate.
Just to confirm what I already knew, I
spoke with the Senate Commissions on
Constitutional Points and Legislative
Studies (Senator Alejandro Encinas’
office. Senator Encinas is Chairman
of Legislative Studies and Secretary
of Constitutional Points) just prior
Issue 278
to writing this column Monday, and
received incontrovertible confirmation
that the bill is alive and well. It is still
pending analysis and determination by
those commissions.
If the commissions pass it, it will
go to the full Senate for a vote. The
commissions or the Senate may pass it,
reject it, or send it back to the lower
chamber with modifications.
If passed by the Senate, it goes to the
states legislatures for approval. Once 17
states approve it, it goes to the President
for promulgation and becomes Law
when published.If rejected, the lower
chamber may modify it themselves and
resubmit to the Senate.
If returned with modifications by the
Senate, the Chamber of Deputies may
approve the modifications or resubmit
it demanding that it is approved by the
Senate without changes.
In the best of cases, legislation is a
lengthy process; this particular bill has
been further delayed because other higher
priority legislation took precedence (the
Education Reform, the Energy Reform,
the Telecommunications Reform and the
Political Reform were all deemed higher
priority. Secondary laws to complement
these Constitutional amendments are
also in the works). This amendment may
pass or not, but it is alive.
satisfaction from any assets held by
the loser, including any interest the
losing party may hold in a fideicomiso.
It may be more complicated for the
plaintiff, nothing more. The obligation
of the trustee to defend the fideicomiso
assets does not extend, by any stretch
of the imagination to defending the
beneficiary’s interest in those assets.
Speaking of fideicomisos, there is the
just as erroneous idea that a fideicomiso
shields the beneficiary from legal
actions similar to mechanics’ liens in
British Law. Again, nothing farther
from the truth; any person or entity
with a valid claim against any other
person may seek legal action and,
if prevailing in court, may obtain
Is a former PRI (Mexico’s ruling party) Head
Counsel and Legal Adviser to the Mexican
Congress. Although retired from the legal
profession, he is a highly respected consultant
for both the foreign and Mexican communities
in Puerto Vallarta. Luis’ PVGeeks are the
premiere commercial and residential computer
and networks solutions experts in Puerto
Vallarta. For computer or network issues, you
can reach Luis at lumel@pvgeeks.com
February 2014
Summarizing:
a)
The abolition of the fideicomiso
in Mexico’s restricted zone is still
pending debate in the Senate and is
anything but dead. It will be determined
at the earliest date permitted by other
higher priority legislation.
b)
A fideicomiso does not shield
the beneficiary from legal action. The
plaintiff may have to jump through
additional hurdles but can get the assets
in fideicomiso if prevailing in court.
Send me your questions to askluis@
pvgeeks.com, I am not able to answer
each message privately due to the
volume of mail I receive. Should you
need personal attention, please call me
at (322) 164-4049 to schedule a private
consultation.
Luis Melgoza
Real Estate
31
Rivera Cuale – Old town charm, new town luxury
February is here and the high season is in full swing. We are now
in the process of building our last available 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom
units (unit 101-A and unit 101-B), and to make it even sweeter, we are
offering 20% off on both throughout the remainder of the month. Be
sure to act soon to capture this great deal before someone else beats
you to it! If you haven’t had a chance to check them out yet, we invite
you to visit us and see them for yourself.
Remaining units available We have now only four units left! This article will bring you all our
remaining condos available. You can visit the link of your choice to
read more details and see the floor plans.
* Unit 101-A (www.riveracuale.com/the-homes-2/2-bedroom/) is
our last best selling 2-bedroom – 2-bath limited edition unit. Located
on the garden level, it offers extra high ceilings, a huge, almost 700
sq. ft. wrap-around terrace with private jetted dipping pool, and a
direct walk out to the swimming pool and lush gardens. This is the
last one left in this layout on the first floor.
* Unit 101-B (www.riveracuale.com/the-homes-2/1-bedroom/)
is the perfect pied-à-terre, easy to maintain. It is a practical and
affordable 1-bedroom – 2-bath.
Issue 278
* Unit 201 (www.riveracuale.com/the-homes-2/penthouse/) is
our 3-bedroom – 3-bath + den model unit. Purchase includes an
impressive list of upgrades, and inspiring furniture.
* Unit 701 (www.riveracuale.com/the-homes-2/3-bedroom-den/)
is a deluxe corner unit of 2,677 sq ft. of comfortable living space,
surrounded with dynamic views of lush mountains, the Cuale River,
Pacific Ocean and sparkling city lights from the large wrap-around
terrace, living and dining rooms, as well from the master suite. Private
direct access from the elevator, opens into a vestibule with cove ceiling,
just waiting to display some art or a great piece of furniture.
Rivera Cuale offers one of the last opportunities to own riverfront
property in all of Puerto Vallarta. This unique location is just walking
distance to downtown’s finest restaurants, art galleries, and the beach.
Rivera Cuale is luxury, at a reasonable price, offering the following
features and services: Pet friendly, No rental restrictions, 24-hour
security, On-site property management and much more... come see for
yourself!
For an appointment to visit us, please call 223-3770. Email: info@
riveracuale.com Web site: www.riveracuale.com
February 2014
32
Real Estate
VIEWPOINT
By Harriet Murray
Moving to Another Country
M
oving to another country
may appear to be an adventure of a
lifetime, but it is a decision which
should be made carefully. What
you decide can affect your longtime happiness. There are important
issues to consider.
•
Second homes are often
bought with the thought of
potentially using them later for
retirement. Many people split their
time between homes and rent the
property when they are not there.
•
Cost: Do you have a good
handle on total costs?
•
Distance: How far away are
you from your family and what is the
fastest and best way to travel back?
•
Health Care:
Is good
medical care available and what
is the cost? If you are not near a
hospital, is there a medevac service?
•
Language: Will you need
to learn a new language? Will you
limit your search to speaking only
your native language?
•
Second Career: What are
you allowed to do if you want to
work in this new location?
•
Tax Considerations: Be
familiar with tax laws but have
someone who is an expert to give
you professional advice. Please do
not rely on information you receive
at a social gathering of expats
sharing bits of information. Much
of it may be gossip or wrong.
•
Real
estate
practices:
There can be restrictions on
foreign ownership.
In most
countries, real estate agents are not
licensed. It is important to find
honest, knowledgeable, reputable
professionals
who
understand
property law and transfer procedures.
•
Weather:
What is the
weather for all the seasons? Will
you want to be there only certain
times of the year? Will you be
vulnerable to extreme weather or
natural hazards?
•
Familiar Faces:
Is it
important to you to live among
expats from your home country?
Are you interested in making new
cross-cultural connections?
•
Covenants and restrictions:
If you are considering a planned
Issue 278
community
or
condominium
ownership, you need to be familiar
with the rules and regulations.
You need a competent attorney
with known experience in the
area to review all the ownership
responsibility.
•
Financing: Financing can
be more difficult or unavailable
abroad. The concept of borrowing
via a mortgage is relatively new.
In Mexico, financing is generally
available. You will be expected to
make a substantial down payment
and interest rates are not as low as
you expect if you are from the USA.
•
Country specific risks: You
want to be sure you are going to live
in an area of low crime rates with
political and economic stability.
Every country encounters economic
swings and political shifts. You
need to use reliable sources to
evaluate these factors.
February 2014
•
Rent option: Owning and
moving to another country is a serious
decision. It is not simple. If there
are concerns, it would be wise to
first rent. If you are able to purchase
a property as a second home before
retiring, this ownership can give you
an opportunity to learn about living
abroad before a major move.
This article is based upon legal
opinions, current practices and my
personal experiences. I recommend
that each potential buyer or seller
of real estate conduct his own due
diligence and review. Additional
material has been furnished for this
article by “Global Perspectives,’’
magazine for CIPS members.
Harriet Murray
Can be contacted at
harriet@casasandvillas.com
Gil Gevins’ Page
TEN SIGNS YOU’RE
A PSYCHOPATH
By Gil Gevins
www.gilgevins.com
This
was not exactly the title
of an article I read recently on the
Huffington Post, in their Divorce
section. The actual title was, Ten
Signs Your Man is a Psychopath.
Personally, I don’t have a man. But
I do have a woman. And what, I
thought with a stab of fear, if she is
involved with a psychopath? Was
it not my sworn duty to stand my
ground (worst law ever) against just
such a gruesome eventuality?
So I read the article and was,
forthwith, frightened out of my
moccasins. According to the woman
who wrote this psycho-babble scrap
of tripe, a psychopathic male does
the following: 1. Flatters his mate
excessively. 2. Provides her with
incredibly great sex. 3. Makes her
feel sorry for him. 4. Engages in a
practice known as ‘Hoovering’.
By the time I had partially
unraveled the significance of
‘Hoovering’, my heart was pounding
too hard to read the other six signs. It
appeared, from this cursory analysis,
that my wife might indeed be in the
clutches of a genuine, blue-blooded,
AAA USDA-inspected psychopath.
And her only hope for salvation was
(gulp) me!
Wasting no time, I put away my
favorite pair of thumbscrews and
called my longtime psychiatrist, Dr.
Seymour Mendoza Mendoza.
Dr. Mendoza Mendoza’s office is
located behind a massage parlor in
Puerto Vallarta’s so-called Romantic
Zone. The doctor, though Mexican,
insists on speaking to me in English
in a strange Spanish/Austrian accent.
Half the time I have no idea what
he’s talking about. But he gives me
fifty per cent off in exchange for
harmonica lessons, so it all works
out in the end.
“Vat seems to be zee problem?”
he asked in his weirdly accented
English.
“Here, read this,” I said, handing
him a printed copy of the short
article. With a growing expression
of horror on his goateed face, he
read it twice. “Holy Garbanzos!” he
exclaimed. “Zis is serious. Ve must
valk through dis one time at a step.
Number vone: Do you excessively
flatter your vife?”
“Well, I’m always saying nice
things about her, but…”
“Why?” Dr. Mendoza Mendoza
demanded with a frown. “Why do
you always say nice things about
her?”
“Well, Dr. Mendoza Mendoza, she
is pretty nice, so…”
“Yes, yes, enough with number
one. Let us make number two: Do
you provide your vife vith incredibly
good sex?”
This was a difficult question to
answer, for several reasons. I tried to
think back—back to the days when
men and women under the age of
seventy still found me attractive. “I
don’t know, Dr. Mendoza Mendoza,”
I said finally, “that’s hard to say.”
“Not so hard,” the doctor said.
“Ven you and your vife are making
love, do you hear a lot of ‘oom-pahpah’?”
“No, Dr. Mendoza Mendoza, I
stopped hallucinating right after
college.”
“Hmm. Okay, vee need to explore
sign number three. Zis pity business.
It says here that zee psychopath
loves zee pity and is talking all zee
time about his illnesses, injuries—
Issue 278
33
all zee terrible things what have
happened to him. Does zis describe
yourselves?”
“Well, doctor, the other day my
back was bothering me and I did
mention it to Lucy.”
“Aha! Zat poor woman! Zis is not
looking well. In my professional
opinion, nonezeeless, zee key to
all of everything is zis ‘Hoovering’
business. Tell me, point-blunt: do
you Hoover? Are you now, or have
you ever been a Hooverer?”
If only, I thought, I was qualified to
respond to such a question. Only Ted
Cruz, or some similar moron, would
have his floors carpeted in a tropical
place like Puerto Vallarta (mould,
mildew, fungi, broadloom-eating
roaches). And without carpets…
“We don’t even own a vacuum
cleaner,” I told my bearded shrink.
“And so, in the unlikely event that
I felt like Hoovering my wife, I’d
have to go out and get an appropriate
appliance first.”
“An appliance?” Dr. Mendoza
said, furrowing his bushy brow. “If
you are subjected to problems in
zat department, vat is wrong vith a
little Viagra? Why resort to deviated
septums?”
Not for the first time, I begged Dr.
Mendoza Mendoza to speak to me in
Spanish. Naturally, he refused. “Zere
is no place wrong vith my English!”
he declared proudly. “Now, no more
devious septums. Yes, or no. Do you
Hoover your vife?”
In the article, the writer defined
Hoovering as the act of drawing the
woman back into a relationship, after
first rejecting her. Just like a vacuum
cleaner sucking up lint? Is that what
the writer was trying to say? Maybe
she needed a psychiatrist.
“I’ve never rejected my wife, Dr.
Mendoza,” I replied. “So how could
I Hoover her?”
“Perhaps,” the doctor said,
“you are mis-constricting zee true
meaning of zee Hoover. Vee vill try
a little experimentation. I vill say the
vord ‘Hoover’, and you tell me the
first things zat come on your head.
Ready?”
February 2014
“Ready.”
“Hoover!”
“Um, Hoover Dam.”
“Hoover!”
“Um, Herbert Hoover.”
“Hoover!”
“Vacuum cleaner.”
“Vacuum
cleaner?
Jiminey
Crackpot, you are nuts! Okay, here
ve go again. Hoover!”
“Depression.”
“Stop! Stop right there! Did you
say, ‘depression’? You are depressed!
I knew it! I knew it!”
Dr. Mendoza had been trying to
convince me for the past ten years
that I was suffering from ‘terminated
depression’.
“I am not depressed, Dr. Mendoza
Mendoza! When I said ‘depression’,
I was thinking of how President
Herbert Hoover (a Republican,
naturally) helped push the US into
the Great Depression back in…”
“No, no, no, don’t feed me zis
garbage vith zee presidents and zee
republicans. When you say zee word
‘Hoover’ to me, I do not think of
depression. Zhere are too many other
possibilities.”
“Such as?”
“Vell…”
“Well, what?”
“Say it!”
“Oh, right. Hoover!” I yelled.
“Okay, give me zee minute…
yes, yes, I have it!” the doctor cried
with excitement. “Piano Hoover!
Hooving Van! Hoovered Vindows!
Beggars can’t be Hoovers! Neither
a borrower, nor a Hooverer be!
Hoovers are a girl’s best friend. Once
a Hoover, always a…”
Gil Gevins
Is the author of four hilarious
books, including, PUERTO
VALLARTA ON 49 BRAIN
CELLS A DAY, and SLIME AND
PUNISHMENT. Signed copies of
all Gil’s books are available at
LUCY’S CUCU CABAÑA, located
at 295 Basilio Badillo, or as
E-Books on Amazon Kindle.
34
Issue 278
Calendar / Directories
February 2014
Hi-Tech
Russian bear… Waiting to pounce?
F
or years Russia has been a hot
bed of computer hacking, but never
has it been magnified as much as
during the Olympics going on in
Sochi right now. The first big news
making incident Russian hacking was
back in 1994 when Vladimir Levin, a
Russian mathematician, hacked into
Citibank and stole 10 million dollars!
Ever since then, it seems to be the
“Russian Dream” to replicate this and
catapult to instant riches and fame.
Countless Trojans and computer
hacking incidents have come out of
Russia ever since.
Even the US State Department
issued a travelers warning to all
attending the Winter Olympics going
on in Russia, that they “should have
no expectation of privacy on their
laptops, tablets and smart-phones.”
The first instinct of any traveler
arriving in a foreign land is to get
“connected”.
Well, in Russia,
apparently that may be a mistake
as hackers are lying in wait. That
first connection to a public Wi-Fi in
Russia may lead to their device and all
information on it to be compromised
within minutes.
I was watching an NBC news report
last week where the reporter loaded a
smart phone with fake contacts and
personal information before going to
Sochi. Well, that phone was hacked
with malicious software within
minutes of connecting to a Russian
Wi-Fi network. The reporter didn’t
even have time to finish his coffee!
Next, the reporter unpackaged
a brand NEW MacBook Air after
arriving in Russia. He fired it up for
the first time and also within minutes
of connecting to the internet for the
first time ever, it was hacked.
The computer started acting weird
and web pages would open on their
own.
A scan for malicious software
showed 3 Trojans installed on the
NEW laptop within an hour of first
being turned on! The speed of this
is amazing. It appears to be a mine
field to get online there.
Issue 278
35
Now of course the Russian
government and Olympic organizers
claim this story and similar reports
are all fabrications and that there is no
truth to the stories. I’m reminded of
the Russian governments’ statements
back in 1982 when then President
Leonid Brezhnev hadn’t been seen in
public for weeks, and the government
said he had a cold. Two days later it
was announced he had died.
Even if we give Russia the benefit
of the doubt on this one, I’m sure the
truth lies somewhere in the middle
here. But there is a lesson to be
learned even if the stories coming out
of Russia are not as bad as is being
reported. BE CAREFUL WITH
YOUR INFORMATION.
So, how can you protect yourself
and the information on your devices
while you are away from home? The
best way is to use a VPN. A VPN
is a virtual private network that once
you’re connected to it, all your data
and online communication is sent and
received in a secure “tunnel”. The
VPN will not protect you if you click
on a malicious link or download and
infected email attachment, but it will
protect you from your data flowing
openly for anyone to tap into.
I’ve written about VPN’s before but
more in regards to their “by-product”
with respect to their built-in privacy
to hide the fact that we are in Mexico,
in order to make viewing US video
content online possible. In fact, the
true purpose of a VPN is really for
secure privacy when online.
February 2014
The most popular VPN companies
do now have versions now for PC
and Mac laptops as well as tablets
(both android and Apple) and for
smartphones.
Hotspotshield (which I’ve written
about before) has a free version
available for PC’s, Mac’s, tablets and
smartphones with a small amount of
advertising. The paid version (Elite)
eliminates the associated advertising.
(www.hotspotshield.com)
HMA
(www.hidemyass.com)
only has a paid version for the same
devices as above, but I do like the
flexibility of server locations to
choose from. The US, Canada, U.K
all can be set with a click or two.
But no protected computer is
complete without a decent antivirus.
Owner diligence is key. Make sure
your antivirus is functioning, updated
and doing a scan regularly. It’s your
data; it’s your digital life. Protect it!
That’s all my time for now. See
you again next week... until then,
Remember: only safe Internet!
Ron
Can be found at CANMEX
Computers. Sales, Repairs,
Networking, Wi-Fi,
Hardware upgrades, Graphic
Design, Data Recovery,
House-calls available. www.
RonnieBravo.com Cellular
044-322-157-0688 or just
email to CanMex@Gmail.com
New Tillandsia
Exhibition House
coming soon
to the Gardens!
Another
fund-raising
success
for the Gardens is the receipt of a
$10,000 USD grant from the Stanley
Smith Horticultural Trust towards
construction of a one-of-a-kind
Tillandsia Exhibition House and
other bromeliad displays at the VBG.
Tillandsias are a genus of bromeliad
which includes the emblematic
Tillandsia jaliscomonticola, whose
form and colors are the inspiration
for our logo. Tillandsias are most
commonly our found in nature as
air-plants or epiphytes that inhabit
the topmost branches of our forests
much like orchids do. The unique
adaptations of these plants results
in their otherworldly shapes and
colorations, some of which served
as inspiration for the dream-world
landscape for the movie Avatar.
Mexico is a hotspot for Tillandsia
biodiversity and the upper reaches of
our local forest canopy provide refuge
for some of the most exquisite of these
plants. These marvels of western
Mexico’s tropical forests will finally
receive a suitable public display.
Construction will begin soon on this
important project.
36
Nature’s World
From the Vallarta Botanical Gardens…
Curator’s Corner
Dear Friends of the Gardens,
February is the month during which we
especially thank those who allow our Gardens
to thrive… our Members! The original dream
and vision that created the Gardens is carried
on by those whose visits here inspire them
to support our project through purchasing
a membership. If you’re not yet a member
of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens you are
welcome to join us as member at any time the best way to do so is by dropping by and
visiting our membership desk.
Thanks to the generous contributions of members and donors to the
Gardens, we’re about to begin construction of the Vallarta Conservatory of
Mexican Orchids! Please read on for an update about the start of this longanticipated project. Without the direct government funding that many of the
other “TOP 10 Gardens in North America Worth Traveling For” receive,
we thank our members and donors for allowing us to continue our mission,
“to create Mexico’s foremost botanical garden for the discovery, study,
propagation, conservation and display of native and exotic plants for the
enjoyment of Puerto Vallarta’s residents and our visitors.”
To those of you in Puerto Vallarta, please come up to the mountains and
visit us soon; to those of you in other places, keep Mexico in your hearts!
From the Gardens,
Bob Price,
Curator and Founder
Vallarta Flower & Garden Show
February 21 – March 2, 2014
Enjoy a full week of garden-related lectures, presentations and demonstrations.
Break up the day with lunch at the Hacienda de Oro Restaurant as you enjoy the
Gardens’ beauty and learn about local plants in their natural environment.
Issue 278
February 2014
Garden Amenities
and Services
Visit
the
Gardens’
Hacienda de Oro Restaurant
for authentic Mexican food
and brick-oven pizza. Our
new menu includes delicious
dishes such as fish and shrimp
tacos. Hike the Gardens’
nature trails and bask in
tropical mountain scenery.
Experience
the
Orchid
Conservatory, Gift Shop,
plant nursery, tequila tasting
and more. You can even shop
the Gardens remotely through
our online store. The very
best of Vallarta!
Spend the day in the
Gardens for only $60 pesos.
The Gardens are about a
30-minute drive south of Old
Town, Puerto Vallarta, on
Carretera a Barra Navidad
at km 24, just past Las
Juntas y Los Veranos, all
easily accessible by public
transportation. Our worldclass plant collections, miles
of hiking trails through native
forests and a host of special
activities give you countless
reasons to visit us soon.
Telephone (322) 223-6182.
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Tuesday to Sunday. Web site:
www.vbgardens.org
Nature’s World
gilt-head bream, Sparus aurata,
better growth (in some sizes)
was documented when cultivated
in laboratory conditions and
exposed to Mozart’s music (with
combinations of exposure times
to the melodies and different
light intensities).
Also, the
effects of music on the different
three types of stimulation. On the
contrary, when exposed to heavy
rock, they were more apt to spend
their time barking. It appears that
classical music offers well being to
dogs, especially those in shelters
waiting for someone to take them
home. Furthermore, seeing dogs
relaxing in a peaceful music
environment such as the classical
genre, increases the desire to adopt
them among visitors to the shelter.
For their part, another group of
32 dogs hospitalized following
surgery or for periods greater or
lesser than 8 hours, received onehour sessions of harp therapy.
It was noted that their levels of
discomfort, anxiety and breathing
physiological aspects of this fish
(for example: digestive enzymes,
composition of fatty acids and
cerebral neurotransmitters) imply
that they could benefit with better
quality and well being during the
cultivation process.
Another interesting example
is dogs. We know that they can
perceive high and low frequency
sounds, which enables them to
quickly detect their points of origin.
They can also hear sounds from
four times farther than humans can.
Thus, the results of an auditory
stimulation experiment where 50
dogs in a shelter were exposed to
human conversations, classical
music, heavy rock and pop music,
showed that they spent more of
their time resting when listening
to classical music than the other
rate were lowered after the therapy
as a result of the relaxation they
felt. One aspect that impressed
the scientists was that large size
dogs showed greater interest in the
music than small ones. Apparently,
in this like in other experiments,
music plays an important role in
raising the endorphin levels (neurotransmitters produced by the central
nervous system that stimulate the
pleasure centers of the body) and
lowering stress hormones (such as
cortisol, produced by the body in
emergency situations).
While still in the field of
musicology, the research done by
Dr. Charles Snowden, professor
of psychology and zoology at
Wisconsin University in Madison,
has gone much further.
The
Doctor devotes his research to how
The effect of music
on animals
By Dr. Fabio Cupul
B
efore we start, it is important
to acknowledge that although some
may believe the contrary, there
are examples of animals showing
sensitivity to music and even
musical abilities, i.e.: it is believed
that they may have an esthetic sense
of their environment. However we
will not deal with the execution or
interpretation of music by the
animals, but rather with the
effect it has on them.
One study of lactating
Holstein cows revealed that
their voluntary disposition to be
milked by automatic machines
was significantly higher if they
were exposed to music (through
speakers installed in their
stables). In other words, the
number of cows that voluntarily
approached the milking area
was significantly higher when
the music was playing than on days
when there was none.
For their part, specialists at
Leicester University in the U.K.
found that the production of milk
can be increased by as much as 3%
simply by playing certain types of
music. Thus the cows registered
greater milk production when
listening to “Everybody hurts” by
the now defunct American band,
R.E.M., or the Pastoral Symphony
by Beethoven. On the contrary,
their milk production decreased
when exposed to songs such as
“Size of a Cow by the British
alternative band, The Wonder
Stuff, and “Back in the U.S.S.R.”
by the Beatles.
Fish have also been studied to
observe their reactions to music.
In the coastal fish known as the
37
Issue 278
February 2014
animals respond to music created
specifically for them, preferring to
call it “species-specific music”.
As example of that research, it
is believed that cotton-top tamarin
monkeys do not respond
emotionally when listening to
music composed for humans, but
they do so when the music they
are listening to was composed
specially for them, using their
vocalizations. Thus Dr. Snowden
and his colleague, musician
David Teielos, composed two
songs for the tamarins, using
their vocalizations – which are
three octaves higher than ours.
At 1.1 lb, they are one of the
smallest primates; their hearts
also beat twice as fast as ours do.
Consequently, playing a faster
rhythm for the “song” inspired and
composed in the tones of excited
monkeys, caused great agitation and
more active behavior. On the other
hand, they became calm, turning
into especially sociable animals in
response to a ballad-type melody
with slower rhythm, to which
were incorporated vocalizations by
happy monkeys.
Dr. Fabio G. Cupul Magaña
Coastal University Center
(CUC) of the University
of Guadalajara Email:
fabio_cupul@yahoo.com.mx
38
Nature’s World
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By Tommy Clarkson
Photos by Rowdy L. Williams
Tropical Almond Tree
Terminalia catappa
Family: Combretum
Also known as: Sea Almond,
Indian Almond, Malabar
Almond, Barbados Almond,
Bastard Almond, Bengal
Almond, Country Almond,
Demarara Almond, Fijian
Almond and False Kamani.
O
riginally from Madagascar,
Malaysia and the East Indies, the
Tropical Almond Tree is now
ubiquitous throughout the world’s
tropics. Some assert that in 1793, the
infamous British Navy officer, Captain
William Bligh - of “Mutiny on the
Bounty” renown - introduced both the
breadfruit and the tropical almond to
the West Indies. Others contend that it
first came to Jamaica in 1790.
The tasty and nutritious kernel –
protected within a thin (but hard and
leathery) husk – is edible. It has a
similar texture and oiliness, as well as
appearance and taste to the “almonds”
with which most of us are familiar and
have often munched - Prunus dulcis.
But, with no fear of going out on a limb,
I can assure you that upon looking into
their respective family trees (double
groan!) we find that the Tropical Almond
and Northern Almonds are in entirely
different plant families. The latter is
closely related to plums, cherries and
peaches in the Rose family. Their kin,
the Tropical Almonds, are related to
Black Gum Trees and Eucalyptuses.
Interesting, huh?
What other nifty nuggets of
knowledge might we enjoy knowing
about this intriguing tropical,
deciduous tree?
Well, extracted from the fruit can
be a black dye and tannin (even in
its natural state, tannic acid can stain
cars, pavement and sidewalks, so
remember that when planting one); in
South America, oil is extracted from
the dried nuts and used in cooking;
the fruit has been used to treat leprosy
and headaches in traditional Indian
medicine, as well as making dressings
for rheumatic joints; out in the Pacific,
Samoans believe the fruits relieve
coughs; yet further west, in parts of
South-East Asia, the fruit is effectively
employed to treat dysentery; and, here
in Mexico, ripe Indian almond fruits
are used as a folk remedy to thwart
travel nausea as well as, purportedly,
curing or, at least, hampering asthma.
Beyond the afore cited, I’ve read
that it has numerous additional folk
medicine usages including: that of
an antibacterial agent as well as a
contraceptive, treatment for cancer,
colic, eye problems, intestinal
parasites, leprosy, liver disease, nausea,
scabies, sickle cell disorders, and
upset stomach. Additionally, extract
from the leaves has been shown to
possess anti-diabetic and antioxidant
properties. And on top of that, there is
some research that indicates it might
even help treat high blood pressure.
With a healthy Terminalia catappa in
the backyard who needs a pharmacy?
Why, if you live on a coast, it will
even come to you, as when the fruit
dries it is quite light and buoyant and
navigates the globe via ocean currents
to move around, find new homes and
plant itself!
(Before proceeding much further,
allow me to give credit to Roger Lynn,
of Hotel Casa Mexilio in “the heart
of downtown Merida, Yucatan”, from
whom I derived great data – confirmed
by multiple others sources – through his
Issue 278
The small, edible kernel – protected
within a rather hard to open, hard and
leathery husk – is tasty and nutritious.
In maturity, the Tropical Almond
can grow to 55 feet or higher and
35 feet in branch width.
Its rather inconspicuous, green
and white blossoms sport sixinch-long terminal clusters.
superlative article on this tree. Check
out his site: http://casamexilio.com/)
What else about this “Wonder
Tree”? Among other things, its hard,
attractive, strong wood is used in the
February 2014
construction of barrels, boxes, boats,
bridges, buildings, bridges (a lot
of “B” things I note!), carts, crates,
floors, planks, water troughs and
wheelbarrows. In Fiji and Samoa it is
the favorite wood used in the building
of native drums.
With its foliage being somewhat
pagoda shaped, it has a single trunk,
growing – usually - to around 30 to
55 feet tall. It has whorls of nearly
horizontal,
slightly
ascending,
branches (reaching up to 35 feet in
width) that droop at the tips. The
leaves are short stemmed, dark-green
above, paler beneath, leathery and
glossy. They are spirally clustered at
the branch tips, obovate – meaning
they are “egg-shaped and flat, with
the narrow end attached to the stalk” and up to 11 inches long and 6 inches
wide. During the dry season, they can
turn to colors of red, yellow, purple
or copper and, without water, will fall
from the tree.
Its rather inconspicuous blossoms are
green and white, arranged in groups of
5 with 10 to 12 stamens each - all of
them on 6-inch-long terminal clusters.
It is tolerant of strong winds and
salt spray, preferring freely drained,
well aerated, sandy soils, enjoys
being mulched and deeply appreciates
regular fertilization.
Want a somewhat pedestrian but
hardy, utilitarian tree? This is it!
Tommy Clarkson
In Manzanillo, visit Ola Brisa
Gardens, Tommy and Patty’s
verdant, multi-terraced tropical
paradise nestled on a hill
overlooking the magnificent vista of
Santiago Bay. Leisurely meander
its curved, paved path, experiencing,
first hand, a delicious array of palms,
plants and flowers from all over the
world. Or, e-mail questions to him at
olabrisa@gmail.com
For back issues of “Roots”, gardening
tips, tropical plant book reviews
and videos of numerous, highly
unique eco/adventure/nature tours,
as well as memorable “Ultimate
Experiences” such a Tropical Garden
Brunches and Spa Services, please
visit www.olabrisagardens.com
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59. "Laughing" animals
59. "Laughing" animals
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in Tours
the
most
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be,"
in
Tours
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of
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Atticful
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Remove,
as a hat
9. Smartwork
aleck
56.video
1960's
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was one video maker 29.9.Melted-cheese
maker
64. What a psychologist
order?
Smart
aleck
65. Composer Rorem
40. Far from elite
What
7. Erstwhile
times,
for a psychologist
and Mrs.35.
___"
does at midnight in a motel 10. Wake-up
Cake
decorator
2. 64.
Communications
officer
30.10.
Genetic
strand
59.
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animals
40. Far from
elite
50.
Grope
Wake-up
times, for
short
does
at
midnight
motel
pool?
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Haggard
novel
on "Star Trek"
"To be," in Tours 58. "Fine36.
by Best-selling
me"
"Workout"
Win 8.
over
short
11. Gets tiresome
pool? 62. Atticful
42. H. Rider
66. Helper
Haggard novel
45. American or 31.
Swiss
51.
Actor Stephen
video
maker
3. Sharply piquant
9.
Smart
aleck
60. Polite response from a
32.11.
New
Year's
Eve
party
Gets
tiresome
64. What a psychologist
66. Helper
45. American or Swiss
52. "Now I see!"
ranch
hand
40. Far from elite
4. to
Pond
organism
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Wake-up
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enter
a
numerical
digit
from
1
through
9
in
each
row,
hat, essentially
does at midnight in a motel
55. ___, amas, amat ...
short
61.
Humorist
pool?
Rider Haggard novel
column and group of squares
enclosed
lines
(also called a box). Each 42. H.Bombeck
5. Glazier's
oven by the bold 33.
Shades
57.box
Themust
Tower
of
London
11.
Gets
tiresome
contain each number
only
once,
starting
with
various
digits
given
in
some
63.
Critical
66.
Helper
45.
American
or Swiss
6. W.C.
34. Remove, as a hat
was one
cells (the “givens”). Each row,
column,
and
region
must
contain
only
one
instance
of
65. Composer Rorem
7. Erstwhile
35. Cake decorator
59.each
"Laughing"
animals
numeral.
Completing the puzzle requires patience.
36. Best-selling "Workout"
62. Atticful
It is recommended as therapy because some studies
have suggested they might
video maker
9.
Smart
aleck
memory, attention and problem solving while staving off mental decline
64.improve
What a psychologist
40. Far from elite
Wake-up
times, for disease.
does
midnight reducing
in a motel the10.
andatperhaps
risk
of Alzheimer’s
short
pool?
42. H. Rider Haggard novel
11. Gets tiresome
66. Helper
45. American
or Swiss
Solution
to Sudoku
on Page 4
Brain Teasers
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
SUDOKU!
Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle.
T
Issue 278
February 2014
Issue 278
February 2014

www.pvmcitypaper.com Issue 278 Saturday 22 to Friday 28

Transcription

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