226 - pvmcitypaper

ISSUE 226
SATURDAY 16
SATURDAY 16
FEBRUARY, 2013
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
FRIDAY 22
2
Need to Know
considered poor 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
$6.50 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 second-rate
establishment! There are 2 kinds of taxi
SATURDAY 16
cabs: those at the airport and the maritime
port are usually vans that can only be
boarded there. They have pre-fixed rates
per passenger. City cabs are yellow cars
that charge by the ride, not by passenger.
When you ask to go downtown, many
drivers let you off at the beginning of the
area, near Hidalgo Park. However, your
fare covers the ENTIRE central area, so
why walk 10 to 15 blocks to the main
plaza, the Church or the flea market?
Pick up a free map, and insist on your full
value from the driver! Note the number
of your taxi in case of any problem, or
if you forget something in the cab. Then
your hotel or travel rep can help you
check it out or lodge a complaint.
TIME ZONE: The entire State of
Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the
southern part of the State of Nayarit
- from San Blas in the north through
to the Ameca River, i.e.: San Blas,
San Pancho, Sayulita, Punta Mita, La
Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bucerías, Nuevo
Vallarta, etc.)
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. Taking a siesta is a Mexican
tradition. Some businesses and offices
close from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening
until 7 p.m. or later. In restaurants, it is
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
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 17th 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
3
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
I love the artwork done on “The Wall” [see Issue
#224] so much better than awful graffiti. Besides
the art, I am thankful for so many donations made
to benefit many in this community.
Talking to the girl working on this project, I
heard about the teacher’s complaint. Today I read
the same in your paper.
I would invite this teacher to FOCUS his or her
attention to refer to the Department of Education
of the State of Jalisco a man (supposedly a teacher)
that sits inside the school that this beautiful wall
encloses, charging fees that should NOT be
charged.
He is a treacherous person that surprises people
with a big sign offering enrollment for PREPA
ABIERTA (this is a way people that work or have
no way of studying high school regularly can get
a high school degree). This access to education
should be free, but this man who calls himself a
teacher is sitting there charging a weekly fee plus
the first charge just for enrolling the innocent
people who want to study. This happened to me not
so long ago.
I paid for a girl I wanted to encourage to get a
high school education with this open method. She
started going and every Saturday had to pay $150.00
more FOR NOTHING. After several days going to
this school where teachers are dishonest, we found
out that the place to go for a placement test and
studying material was elsewhere. There they told
her Saturdays at that school were “assessment if
wanted but not necessary”.
Frustrated and deceived, we concluded that these
people are making our Secretary of Education, our
fabulous Mrs. Elba Esther Gordillo, even richer
than she is! I wanted to cry for the girl I enrolled
and for the many others that were cheated like this.
For them getting a high school degree was a
dream, a way of being and doing more in their lives.
One hundred and fifty pesos is their babies’ milk
maybe or who knows what they sacrifice to pay
this. I just wonder how much money is collected
so dishonestly.
“The WALL” bothers a teacher who surely knows
this is going on in the institution she works at.
I just wanted to send you a short message and thank
you for printing the article “Turkey Every Sunday”.
Many people are coming to the Paradise Community
Center to enjoy a real turkey dinner prepared by our
wonderful Chef AbueLinda.
I have heard people comment about how much they
have missed having turkey dinners ever since Mama
Dolores closed several years ago. Now everyone
who loves turkey has a great place to enjoy it at a very
reasonable price. The dinner includes a nice portion
of turkey with wonderful gravy, plus mashed potatoes
and vegetables. At the present time, AbueLinda only
serves this great special Sunday dinner between 12
noon and 2 p.m. So come and try it, you will love it.
By the way, Linda has many other fine entrées
on her menu which she serves on the days this fine
restaurant is open. The PCC is located on Pulpito 127
in the Romantic Zone.
Frank K. Meyer
Dear Editor,
I was returning from PV on the MismaloyaBoca bus after church on Sunday. As the bus was
heading up the hill out of town I sensed the bus
swerving toward one of those treacherous edges of
the roadway where a bus could easily tip over if a
tire left the roadway. It was then that I noticed that
the driver was texting on his phone...his head was
moving up and down as he tapped the phone while
trying to steer the bus. There were at least 40 souls
on board.
Fortunately, there was an elderly gentleman sitting
in the front seat to the right of the driver who saw
the same thing. The gentleman (I do not believe he
spoke Spanish, nor do I believe the driver understood
English) was quick to tell the driver, in some very
decent Spanglish -- “Hey, Amigo, no-texto, por
favor,” he shouted. “Drive-a the bus-a, por favor.”
The driver put his phone away and drove very
carefully thereafter.
Nevertheless, perhaps the authorities should issue
a policy to all drivers of public conveyances and have
stern penalties for violators. I do not believe many
passengers on this bus realized what had happened,
but they should be thankful that old guy in the front
seat was willing to speak up. This 12-year JanuaryFebruary resident loves PV and would not like to see
a tragedy on the highways here hurt the community
-- or, importantly, any of its residents and visitors.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Bus Rider
María Elena Guerrero
Nuevo Vallarta
Please go to next page for continuation...
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
4
Continued from previous page...
Dear Editor,
In response to the person who signed “A
disappointed rider” [Issue 224], concerning the bus
drivers of Puerto Vallarta, I have a few suggestions.
For starters, I don’t think the PV Mirror should
have printed this letter, since it is a blatant lie.
I take the bus regularly and have always met with
honest and kind drivers.
These men work extra-long hours for very little
money, yet are honest and helpful.
When you have the decency to smile and thank
them, they appreciate the human touch.
Letters such as the one only encourage narrowminded tourists in complaining against Mexican
people while using and abusing of their warm
welcome. Lots of tourists stick together and never
bother to learn Spanish since they don’t care about
the Mexicans.
My suggestions for this “disappointed rider”
person:
1- Since you use the bus so much, why not have
lots of spare change in advance, preparing your
fare?
2- Learn a little Spanish in order to speak to the
driver if ever there is a mistake.
In conclusion, Viva Mexico!
Marie Nadeau
Québec
Dear Editor,
My wife and I have been coming to Puerto
Vallarta for 15 years. We love living in a vibrant
city and after trying several locations we have
found a beautiful spot in Old Town called Selva
Romantica just above Basilio Badillo. Each year
we are greeted by the sound of busses, roosters and
dogs and quickly adjust to these familiar sounds of
our winter home.
This year has been a nightmare due to the extreme
noise of 2 nightclubs a few blocks from us. CC
Slaughter was the first. I got up at 2 a.m. after not
being able to sleep because of the noise. After not
sleeping at all for several weeks between midnight
and 6 a.m., I decided to make sure it was CC’s
on Vallarta. It was in fact. I was told to go to the
information center downtown to file a complaint
and ask our condo administrator to notify our
neighborhood association. Things seemed better for
several weeks.
The last few nights we are once again being
awakened even with all our doors and windows
closed and using earplugs. I once again went out
at 3am this time and found not only CC’s pounding
Sound Off
but a new club on Carranza called Enter which seems
to have the same percussion beat on cycle mode so
that it plays continuously for 6 straight hours.
WHAT CAN WE DO!? We love our condo but we
cannot continue with this problem. Any ideas?
Sincerely,
Dear Sleepless,
The first suggestion is to call Reglamentos at 2231500 immediately after 2 a.m.
The second: You may try to get a petition signed
by your fellow neighbors to deliver to the same
department where you filed the original complaint.
Other than that, you appear to have taken all the
right steps, but the pressure on the City to act on this
matter should be kept up.
The Ed.
Dear Editor,
Seems to me, after reading the article about the lack
of funds and equipment for the firefighters [Issue #
225], that with all the fundraisers happening in PV,
one could certainly be done for them! My husband
and I have been enjoying this area for twenty years
and would certainly help with this great cause.
All efforts for orphanages, food, schools, etc. are
great, but what happens when one of those buildings
is in trouble or a student or teacher need help? What
about emergency help needed quickly for all of us?
Let’s find a way to give them some help with
support and funds from all of us. Does not need
to be fancy or extravagant, just a good time for a
needed cause!
Sincerely,
Mary Zack
Dear Ms. Zack,
There have been a number of fundraisers for our
Bomberos over the years, more recently: beautiful
calendars featuring those good-looking fellows, and
two yearly “Spaghetti Friend-Raiser” lunches in
the springtime.
I’m sure that our community will continue
organizing them, with one this year as well. Keep
your eyes open; we will advertise it as soon as we
get the information.
The Ed.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
Allyna Vineberg
avineberg@yahoo.com
Contributors:
Sleepless in PV
SATURDAY 16
Publisher / Editor:
FRIDAY 22
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Harriet Murray
Stan Gabruk
Krystal Frost
Giselle Belanger
Ronnie Bravo
Gil Gevins
Tommy Clarkson
Bill Jory
Janie Albright Blank
Arlene Pervin
Jerry Lafferty
Brenda Rezlaff
Mike Altman
Michael MacGregor
John C. Strawn
Office: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R. R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER Online Team
Cover photo
“Up in Gringo Gulch”
by Anna Reisman
PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.
Certificados de licitud de título y
contenido en tramite. Prohibida la
reproducción total o parcial de su
contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías sin
previa autorización por escrito del editor.
Sound Off
Dear Allyna,
I’m feeling especially grateful,
having just enjoyed a wonderful
evening of entertainment the
likes of which one might expect
to experience in New York.
Mark Zeller and Dana
Zeller-Alexis have created an
engaging original show, “Love
and Insanity”, which delights
audiences on so many levels. In
a captivating musical review of
nearly two dozen numbers from
Leonard Bernstein to Leonard
Cohen, the duo - partners in life
and on stage - escort rapt theatregoers on a musical journey,
which visits the various nuances
and challenges of relationships
along the way.
Mark and
Dana - seasoned musicians and
performers - breathe life and
meaning into every number,
making lyrics resonate. Equally
mesmerizing are the personal
dynamics between the couple
(married 41 years), whose
admiration, respect and affection
for one another uniquely
enhances each song.
Accompanied by New York
pianist/composer/conductor
Woody Regan, the Zellers
are proof positive that quality
entertainment is alive and well
in Vallarta. Here’s hoping that
after its limited six-performance
run, “Love and Insanity” will
be reprised for more patrons to
savor.
Norma Schuh
Dear Editor,
Recent articles in a couple of
the Mexican newspapers and
on the radio have suggested
that operations at the Refugio
Infantil Santa Esperanza (RISE)
were carried out in a manner
that could jeopardize the safety
of the children who reside at
that facility. The allegations in
the news included “statements”
made by several people
previously employed at RISE.
The safety and well being of all
the children at RISE is the first
priority of the Board of Directors
and we take all allegations of
this nature very seriously. The
Board of Directors has been
cooperative and forthcoming
with the police, DIF and IJAS,
who have investigated all aspects
of these allegations.
The final result of all
investigations has concluded
that the allegations reported
in the news are false and
unsubstantiated. The operations
at the Refugio Infantil Santa
Esperanza provide consistent
and complete measures to ensure
the safety and well being of
every child at the facility.
To arrange for a visit at RISE,
please call 222-7857. Visiting
hours are 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Monday through Saturday.
The Board of Directors
Refugio Infantil
Santa Esperanza (RISE)
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
5
Within PV
6
We Certainly Did Celebrate!!
Oh, what a night!! On Saturday, February 2
the community
indeed came together for the Celebración Para Los Niños event
to support some of the needy children in Puerto Vallarta. The
new indoor venue, the Gran Salon of the SECRET Vallarta Bay
/ NOW Amber, was stunning! The food, provided by many of
the finest local restaurants, was plentiful and magnificent.
nd
SATURDAY 16
The live entertainment, including Los Bambinos, pianist
Salvatore Rodriguez, Ballet Folklorico Xiutla, and, of course,
some of the children from RISE, offered something wonderful
for everyone. Many happy bidders of the live and silent
auctions took home amazing items and services donated by
generous local shops or individuals.
And, most important, ALL of the money raised will help the
children at Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza (RISE), a shelter
for children in PV, and Sendero de Esperanza y Amor, a new
shelter for older children opening later this month in PV.
Thank you, thank you to the committee and volunteers who
worked tirelessly to put together this event. Thanks also to
Abraham Solares for these photos. And, thank you also to all
who were able to attend and enjoy this special evening. We
hope to 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 Cecilia_sendero_ea@hotmail.com
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
Within PV
Special presentation at the PCC!
H
orticulturist Tommy Clarkson
-whose column appears every
week in this publication- will be
giving a presentation to the Puerto
Vallarta Garden Club at 11 a.m.
on February 21st at the Paradise
Community Center located at
127 Pulpito, across from Coco’s
Kitchen.
The invitation is extended to one
and all interested in flowers and
plants of all types.
See you there!
7
Vallarta’s first Real Estate Fair!
Saturday, March 2nd
by CARL TIMOTHY
Timothy Real Estate Group
V
IFC Fashion Show & Luncheon at River Café
by JANIE ALBRIGHT BLANK
T
he International Friendship Club (IFC) is sponsoring a Spring
Fashion Show and Luncheon at the River Café on Saturday, March 2nd.
The event begins at 12:30 and includes lunch and fashions presented
by Deja New. The price is 300 pesos per person and includes the tip.
The River Café Menu looks delightful beginning with a Summer
Salad of organic green mix, carrot, jicama, pear tomato and citrus
segments with tamarind-chipotle vinaigrette. For the main course
you can choose between Pacific Roasted Mahi Mahi served over
ratatouille vegetables with confit garlic sauce, tomato coulis and
cremolata sauce, Sautéed Shrimp of the Bay served with potato puree
and roasted cauliflower with crispy garlic-orange sauce, or Roasted
Free Range Chicken served with roasted rosemary spring potato,
sautéed seasonal vegetables and Mediterranean Sauce. Dessert will
be a Mango Puff Pastry. You may make your entrée selection at the
table.
Deja New has developed a reputation for putting on a delightful
Fashion Show and IFC guests have enjoyed owner Kathleen Palmer’s
creativity and flair in the past. There will be fashions for men too so
bring along that man in your life. If you can’t get him off the couch
or the beach bring a friend. I brought my husband last time and he
surprised himself by having a great time!
As always, IFC proceeds go to fund the IFC Cleft Palate Program
and other educational and community services. Tickets may be
purchased in advance at the IFC Clubhouse using pesos. Tickets may
also be purchased at the door if the event is not sold out. For more
information you can go to www.ifcvallarta.com
The International Friendship Club is a registered charitable
organization in Mexico listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad
de Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is located at the northeast corner of the
Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC Bank, Colonia El Centro, Puerto
Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, 48300. Phone: 322-222-5466. Website:
ifcvallarta.com. Email: ifcvallarta@gmail.com
SATURDAY 16
allarta’s first Real Estate Fair
will be held at the Rivera Molino
Plaza corner of Aquiles Serdan and
Ignacio L. Vallarta in the Romantic
Zone on Saturday, March 2nd, from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Professionals from
every field will be there to help
answer your questions about home
ownership, maximizing on your real
estate investment, and many other
related topics that effect both national
and foreign residents.
Are you wondering about how the
changes in Mexico’s immigration
laws will effect you? Are you
wondering what loans are available
for mortgages in Mexico? How do
property management and rentals
effect my real estate investment? What
is medical care like in Puerto Vallarta
and what health insurance plans are
available? I just bought a new home.
How do I get great affordable interior
design help to furnish my new home?
How much is my home worth? Is now
a good time to sell?
Come to the Puerto Vallarta Real
Estate Fair to get these and any other
questions you may have answered.
You will see what exciting new
products are available and how you
can make the most of your experience
here on the Bahia de Banderas!
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
Some of the participants on hand to
answer your questions will be:
• Mexlend – Mortgage Broker
• Elements – Interior Design
• Bradport – Home Inspection
• Benjamin Ortegui – Insurance
• Irving Becerril – Immigration
• Robert Price – Home Gardening
• Casa Vallarta – Interior Design
• Marcelo Mico – Pilates and Health
• Timothy Real Estate Group – Real
Estate
• Pamela Thompson – Healthcare
Resources
• PVRPV - Property Management
and Rentals
• Lic. Jessica Reidesser - Real Estate
Attorney
• Stewart Title Latin America – Title
Ins. and Escrow
Don’t miss this super opportunity
for free counseling. Take advantage
of these experienced professionals
and make your experience in Puerto
Vallarta home ownership the most
pleasant and rewarding experience of
your life.
Timothy Real Estate Group is a fullservice real estate sales, rentals and
development agency representing some
of the most distinguished properties and
developments across Puerto Vallarta,
Bahía de Banderas, and the Riviera
Nayarit. For more information, please
visit TimothyRealEstateGroup.com
8
Within PV
W
ith over 1000 people attending the Puerto
Vallarta Mardi Gras Masquerade Party on
the new Los Muertos Pier, we can now safely
announce that Mardi Gras will continue to be a
Vallarta tradition.
The musical performances at the 2013
Masquerade Party opened with Sylvie Scopazzo
and Jorge who also continued through the
evening as the hosts of the show. Daniel Portela,
Diamente Negro and Cristian Ogaz, Alberto
Mejia, Miss Conception, Jorge Acosta, and Beata
and Eduardo Leon all gave those attending the
Pier Party the show of the year. The combination
of the music, the costumes and the lights on the
pier was magical.
The Carnaval Committee is comprised of Tim
Longpre of PVRPV, Tom Finley of Bar Frida,
Rick Hepting of PVScene, Bill Hevener of RK
Supplement and BuenFlex Clothing. Tracy Parks
of the Palm Theater helped with organizing the
entertainment.
American storyteller &
author visits bilingual schools in PV
S
herry Jacobs is more than an author. She is first and foremost a
storyteller. Her greatest joy is sharing her heartwarming message
laden stories with children in bilingual schools here in Puerto
Vallarta.
She writes for children ages 5-10 because she believes this is
when life lessons and good values are learned and established.
She interacts with the children using riddles, songs, rhyme,
props and lots of animation. And do the children ever love it! Just
ask some students at the British School in Fluvial Vallarta. They
were thrilled to have ‘Nana Sherry’ come and share her stories
with good values. She is anxious to return and share some new
stories this year.
Sherry has a 30-year musical theater background so it is easy for
her to share her stories with adults and children as well. She draws
on her acting experience to make her stories come alive.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
Within PV
Mardi Gras Masquerade Party
Puerto Vallarta, February 11, 2013
Many thanks are due to the Vallarta Police
Department, the Vallarta Bomberos (firefighters),
the many volunteers who worked behind the
scenes, the sound crew, and the local restaurants
and bars who joined in the party providing
masks and libations.
A very special thank you goes out to Carlos
Gerard Guzmán, the Puerto Vallarta Director
of Tourism, who, above anyone else, made this
show possible.
This year we did the pier. Next year we take it
to the streets …
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Sarah Hepting pictures from www.VallartaScene.com
(Source: http://www.pvrpv.com/blog/)
She is in the process of publishing her 7th book
which she wrote in Mexico last year, entitled
“The Miracle of the People of the Sea.” It is an
incredibly entertaining story, one that appeals
to children and adults alike. Sherry has written
51 children’s stories to date and is currently
illustrating her “Aloha the Cat” series. It is a
challenge for her but one she welcomes.
Sherry is very approachable and is available
for storytelling at bilingual schools in the
Puerto Vallarta area. She is also available
for other children and adult functions but the
audience must have a good command of the
English language.
Nana Sherry looks forward to hearing from
you! Please e-mail her at: nanasherry@
nanasherry.com or phone her at (322) 1011716. Be sure to visit her web site at: www.
nanasherry.com You are sure to love it!
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
9
10
Beyond PV
President of Mexico outlines plan
to rejuvenate passenger rail service
by NICK MIROFF
Washington Post
Mexico’s 19th-century leaders spent lavishly to
bring the railroad to their young republic, eager to
show the world that they were building a modern,
technologically advanced nation.
More than 100 years and a few upheavals later,
with Mexico’s economy barreling forward but its
pride in need of a boost, new President Enrique Peña
Nieto has outlined a grand vision to showcase the
country’s renewed prosperity and engineering might.
Peña Nieto surprised many at his Dec. 1 inauguration
when he announced a multibillion-dollar plan to
restore passenger rail service in Mexico, nearly 15
years after his own Institutional Revolutionary Party
(PRI) finished dismantling it.
His proposals start with the completion of a rail
line across the Yucatan Peninsula linking the colonial
city of Merida to the beach resorts of the Mayan
Riviera. As soon as next year, cruise ship passengers
and sunburned college kids may be swilling cold
beers in air-conditioned cars while the scenery zips
by at 110 mph, stopping at archaeological sites and
jungle lodges.
Far more ambitious will be a $4.5 billion highspeed line between Mexico City and Queretaro,
the booming manufacturing and aerospace hub 120
miles northwest of the capital. Long-term plans
would extend the route to Mexico’s second-largest
city, Guadalajara, eventually filling sleek rail cars
with business executives, tourists and families freed
up from the country’s clogged highways.
“In the history of Mexico, passenger trains have
been a symbol of modernity,” Peña Nieto declared
during an inaugural speech that laid out his top 10
presidential priorities. “We will once again have
passenger service to connect our cities.”
The 46-year-old Peña Nieto made his political
reputation as governor of the state of Mexico by
drafting to-do lists of major hard-hat projects and
then checking them off, casting himself as a deedsnot-words leader who stuck to his electoral promises.
Much of the infrastructure funding was raised by
luring private capital, and Peña Nieto officials say
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
they want the trains eventually to be run by private
concessions, not a state agency.
But his plans to revive Mexico’s railroad glory
have been big on boldness and short on details. In
an interview, Mexico’s secretary of transportation
and communications, Gerardo Ruiz Esparza,
acknowledged that engineers were still drawing up
feasibility studies and cost estimates for the Mexico
City-Queretaro project, which envisions 100,000
daily passengers riding the rails between the cities by
2016 and construction underway within a year.
“Our productivity depends on this,” Ruiz Esparza
said. “The rest of the world has its eye on Mexico.
This is critical to our competitiveness.”
He and other Mexican officials describe the
project as an environmentally minded solution to the
country’s growing traffic and pollution woes, and a
way to ensure that foreign investment in Mexican
industry keeps chugging along.
Mexico’s existing railroad network was essentially
completed more than a century ago, and today the
system is a backbone of the $1 billion-a-day trade
partnership between the United States and Mexico.
Rail lines link deep-water ports on Mexico’s Atlantic
and Pacific coasts to assembly plants in the central
and northern highlands, then feed directly into the
United States, the world’s most lucrative export
market.
Beyond PV
Concert at the VYC
A fashion night for the town’s open air library
On Saturday, March 2
, The Octopus’ Garden – Café Cultural, in La
Cruz de Huanacaxtle, is proud to present INTERNATIONALOCAL – a
benefit fashion show for the town’s open air library, featuring 6 designers
from Jalisco & Nayarit. The show starts at 7 p.m. All work is hand
made and original to the designers and calls attention to local, national
and international influences. The theme of the event, international
local, reflects how we are a world connected through our cultures,
histories and futures. It is with this that we inform the representation
of our individuality. Kitchen opens at 6 p.m., full bar serving drinks
until 11 p.m. Tickets for main floor seating are available at a suggested
100 peso donation. Half of the profits will go to support La Cruz de
Huanacaxtle’s Open Air Library, which brings children together through
books, art, educational materials and extracurricular activities and strives
to cultivate intelligent, self-directed young adults.
For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/
JardinDelPulpoLaCruz
Location: #66 Calle Coral, La Colonia Central, La Cruz de
Huanacaxtle, Nayarit. Tels: 01 (329) 295-5071 or 01 (329) 295-5367.
Designers’ sites:
SIRUELA ROPA DE AUTOR - www.facebook.com/siruelaropadeautor
GILLIAN LEONE - www.facebook.com/SiemprevivabyGillianLeone
MAWIK - www.facebook.com/mawikswimwear
GUZELY - www.facebook.com/guzely.moda
HUIPIL - www.huipilmoda.com/
11
nd
SATURDAY 16
I
nternationally acclaimed musician
and composer Tom Coster will
perform at the Vallarta Yacht Club on
Monday, March 4th, 2013.
Tom, who is currently on a world
tour with the Soul / Jazz / Funk /
Fusion super group Vital Information,
has been performing for over 50 years.
In the 70’s Tom was an important
member of Santana composing such
classic hits as “Europa” and “Flor
D’Luna”. He has played with and / or
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
composed for many other groups and
musicians including “The Loading
Zone”, Gabor Szabo, Boz Scaggs, and
“Third Eye Blind”.
Appearing on stage with Tom will
be Cuban drummer and now local
resident Lazaro Poey and Brazilian
Marco Milagres on electric bass
guitar. Marco now lives in Mexico
City and is a regular at the famous
Orleans Club in Mexico City’s San
Angel district.
The performance will be held on
Monday, March 4th, at the Vallarta
Yacht Club. Dinner will be served
at 6 p.m. with the concert starting at
approximately 7:30. Tickets for this
dinner show will be $400 pesos for
members and accompanied guests of
members, and $550 pesos for nonmembers.
This will be Tom’s fourth
performance at the Yacht Club. Both
Tom and his wife Donna are long time
VYC members.
12
The 7 Arts
Oscars in Paradise benefit local service programs
T
he Paradise Community Center will be transformed into a magical
place to welcome “celebrities” and movie fans to our celebration of the
85th Academy Awards - also a benefit to raise support for CompassioNet
Impact Mexico.
It all starts with your arrival on the red carpet as you help yourself to a
glass of bubbly. Then you can purchase a voting ballot for your chance at
a fabulous prize package - guess the most Oscar winners and you win! Or
try your luck at the 50/50 draw by purchasing voting tokens used to vote
for individual winners in various Oscar categories... the more you vote, the
better your chances at winning!
Special guest chef Rebekah Lehman has planned a scrumptious 4-course
progressive buffet for your enjoyment: a bruschetta bar, a crispy Caesar
salad, a top-it-yourself pasta bar, and to finish up, coffee with a delicious
artisan dessert handcrafted by local bakers.
Event presenters will entertain you with Oscar trivia during those
annoying commercial breaks, announcing the 50/50 winners as the Oscar
winners are revealed.
General admission tickets: only $275 pesos in advance; VIP reservedseating upgrades are available.
To help you prepare for the night (and increase your chances at winning!)
PCC is co-sponsoring a week-long screening event designed to help our
community experience the Oscar-nominated films before the Red Carpet
Gala event.
You can enjoy any of the screenings for a $75-peso donation in advance
(at the PCC box office). They are expecting all screenings to “sell out” so
you should get your tickets early. If there are seats available, the door price
is $100 pesos.
The Paradise Community Center is at 127 Pulpito in the Zona Romantica,
just up from La Palapa restaurant on Los Muertos beach. 100% of the
profits from this event go to support the good work of CompassioNet
Impact Mexico, including the operation of the Paradise Community Center.
Tickets are available at the PCC Box Office, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tues.
to Sat. and during special events. Call (322) 133-7263 or visit www.
ParadiseCommunityCenter.com to get your Red Carpet Gala tickets now.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
The 7 Arts
13
PCC Showcase Vallarta in search of musical talent
T
here is still time to get your act
together and maybe you could soon
be appearing LIVE on the Paradise
Stage! Or maybe you know a talented
musician who is in need of a break and
could use some exposure. Either way,
Friday, March 1st is the date to mark
on your calendar. It’s SHOWCASE
VALLARTA and it promises to be an
exceptional mixture of raw talent and
polished professionals.
Paradise Stage manager Todd
Ringness explains, “This is an
important tradition at our Paradise
Community Center.” Ringness says
their parent charity CompassioNet
Impact is all about giving a hand
up, versus a hand out. He says this
kind of event does just that for local
musicians who are struggling to find
or expand their audiences.
“Showcase Vallarta is the perfect
opportunity for a diamond in the rough,
or the accomplished musician who
wants to find new fans,” Ringness adds.
But Showcase Vallarta isn’t just
a tropical version of American Idol.
“It’s also a chance for professional
musicians to share their gifts with our
audience, and let them know about
upcoming shows or other events they
want to publicize,” Ringness says. He
explains that everyone in attendance
is already a fan of good music so there
is a very good chance they would
come to another concert of musicians
performing in Showcase Vallarta.
Participants will be given the
opportunity to sell CD’s, event tickets,
or other promotional merchandise.
Ringness says participants will share
a portion of ticket sales and all net
Did you know this?
T
he event propelling Puerto Vallarta to the
international spotlight was the filming of the Night of
the Iguana in 1963 - directed by Oscar-winning film
director John Huston, and starring Richard Burton,
Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner and Sue Lyon - mostly shot
at Mismaloya.
The making of the movie, more than the movie
itself, is what caught the attention of the world. The
notoriously published romance between Richard Burton
and Elizabeth Taylor (then married to popular singer
Eddie Fisher), which had started during the filming of
Cleopatra, brought Liz to accompany Burton during the
filming (Taylor was not in the film). Beside the film crew
and cast, were numerous reporters looking for the latest
scoop. Director John Huston said, “There were more
reporters than iguanas on the set.” The scandal-hungry
press daily narrated the couple’s lives. As a result, the
world received photos and stories, not only of Liz and
Dick, but of this tranquil, tropical haven.
Since the filming of Night of the Iguana, some 80
movies and TV productions have been filmed in PV
and surrounding areas. Among them: “Predator” with
Arnold Schwartzenegger, “Gunmen” with Mario Van
Peebles, Christopher Lambert, Denis Leary and Patrick
Stewart, “The Savage Is Loose” with George C. Scott,
“Le Magnifique” starring famous French heartthrob
proceeds go to CompassioNet Impact,
a local charity that helps bring social
change to the needy in our community
through their various outreach
programs.
All performers in Showcase Vallarta
must be pre-scheduled; this is not an
open-mic event. To book your act or
for more information, please contact
Todd Ringness directly by email:
todd@ParadiseCommunityCenter.
com
Tickets for Showcase Vallarta on
Friday, March 1st are only $150 pesos.
Doors open at 6:30 for purchasing
dinner and drinks. Show starts at 8
p.m. Please visit www.ParadiseStage.
com to buy tickets online, or visit
the PCC at 127 Pulpito in the Zona
Romantica,
Tuesdays
through
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jean-Paul Belmondo and beautiful Jacqueline Bisset,
“Swashbuckler,” a fun pirate flick with an all-star cast
including Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, Peter Boyle,
Genevieve Bujold, Angelica Huston (John’s daughter)
and Beau Bridges. Later came “The Domino Principle”
with Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, Richard Widmark,
Mickey Rooney and Eli Wallach. In the 80s, there was
Disney’s “Herbie Goes Bananas” and Ringo Starr in
“Caveman”. “I still know what you did last summer”
starred Jennifer Love-Hewitt, while “Puerto Vallarta
Squeeze” was based on the novel by best-selling author
Robert James Waller of “Bridges of Madison County”
fame. “Kill Bill Vol. 23 was directed by Quentin
Tarantino, starring Uma Thruman and the late David
Carradine.
Disney Studios filmed “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”
here, with Jamie Lee Curtis, and Roger Corman shot
“Dinoshark”, which was followed by “Sharktopus”,
starring Eric Roberts.
There were also a number of TV series filmed here,
including “The Love Boat”, “Acapulco HEAT” (and
you thought you were seeing Acapulco?), Conan the
Barbarian, etc., not to mention the numerous successful
Mexican telenovelas…
A few years ago, famous actor Kevin Costner who
starred in the movie “Revenge”, shot here in Vallarta
with Anthony Quinn and other great actors in the 80s,
received a “Distinguished Visitor” recognition from
then Mayor, Gustavo González Villaseñor.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
14
Art for Art’s sake is a phrase that gained
notoriety during the 19 century. Largely
attributed to the French writer Théophile Gautier,
in essence it proclaimed that art should be free of
the bonds of moral justification, religion or creed,
that it could stand alone on its own merits and
needn’t toe the line of a higher social relevance.
The racket produced in the wake of this phrase
has yet to cease. The modern art movements of
impressionism, non-representational abstracted
forms and later abstract expressionism added
further fuel to the fire. With the relatively
recent advent and high profile of conceptual and
performance art where the idea of the artwork
becomes perhaps more important than the
permanence of the final piece, we see the issue of
art and morality coming full circle: some believe
that art, to be valid, must speak to a higher ideal
and the didactic or instructive essence of the work
is what the viewer is meant to experience. Others
warn of the dangers of propaganda in that view
and are concerned by its challenges to the belief
that art is freedom.
th
The 7 Arts
In Art We Trust
At The Loft Galeria we understand the
importance of symbolism and beauty in art. Our
current exhibition featuring the paintings of
Wosene Kosrof embodies both: beautiful forms
abstracted from a basis of the symbols of his native
Ethiopian Amharic language, in which the outcome,
the work itself, may stand on its own merits. Yet
his reverence of life, words, music, spirit and love
are all relevant, and their meanings are of utmost
importance in his work. All combine to form a
language in his painting that rises to express that
which words alone cannot.
Sometimes words alone are inadequate. We
often need the colors expressed in paintings to
show us what lies between and behind them.
The exclamation of spirit and the beauty of new
beginnings may perhaps be felt more vividly via
the heat of color and the balance of form, found
uniquely in the spirited application of paint to
canvas, or the shaping of clay. But of course the
controversy will continue. After all, it’s art and
great art is meant to provoke as well as soothe.
The Color of Words; El Color De Las
Palabras by Wosene Kosrof continues at The
Loft Galeria through February, 2013. Wosene’s
works are also on permanent exhibition at the
gallery.
John C. Strawn, Director
The Loft Galeria is located at 176-A Calle Corona in downtown Puerto Vallarta. Tel: 222-6353.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
The 7 Arts
Galeria De Ollas 15th Anniversary
Dedicated to Mata Ortiz Pottery
The Mata Ortiz creative movement has been
deeply studied by experts due to the superb quality
of the pottery there been made and to the quantity of
artists involved in this form of art (approximately 400
in a small rural village).
It all started by the will of a man, Juan Quezada,
that while looking for wood for his family was driven
by the curiosity to search into a cave where he found
some pots that he thought were beautiful and then he
started to question himself how could the ancient men
create such beauty.
Assuming that the antique pots were made with
local materials he eagerly experimented with
different clays and minerals until he could get his first
pieces. So, based upon the culture of Casas Grandes
he started a new tradition.
When the piece has dried, they sand the pot and
polish it with a stone or a deer bone till they get a
smooth surface. Potters do not draw out the painted
designs in advance, instead, they create their intricate
designs as they paint freehand.
A FORTUNATE DISCOVERY
One day in 1976, Spencer MacCallum, an American
anthropologist, discovered in an antiques shop of
Deming New Mexico 3 pots that kept his attention.
He bought them and after taking pictures of them he
drove south of New Mexico and down to Chihuahua
State until he found Juan Quezada.
Juan was confused when he opened his door and
saw Spencer in the steps of his home with the pictures
of his pots. Then he showed him some other pieces
that he had finished. They were finely done, very light
and painted with intricate thin interlocking designs
covered with red and black colours.
Spencer then realized the importance to sponsor
this very promising potter and told him he would
return in 2 months and buy more pieces from him.
That started a relationship of 8 years in which Spencer
bought pieces from Juan and other family members
who learned from him. Spencer’s sponsorship gave
Juan the freedom he needed to develop as an artist.
The jobs at that time were scarce so many other
people in the town were convinced by Juan and
Spencer that doing pottery afforded them the
opportunity to improve their economical situation so
many families began to learn the craft.
THE PROCESS TO CREATE
AN EXQUISITE PIECE OF ART
First, they press into a plaster mold a tortilla of clay
to shape and support the bottom of the pot. Then they
pinch a clay sausage to and around the edge of the
tortilla. To form the pot, the potters continually turn,
pinch, and pull the clay of the sausage to give the pot
its desired shape. As they form the pot, the potters
smooth and compress the clay by scraping it with the
back of a hacksaw blade.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
15
The last step is to fire the pot under a mound of
dried cow dung or under a tent of cottonwood bark
for half an hour. And the result is a museum quality
thin walled piece of ceramic extremely fine.
GALERIA DE OLLAS’ 15th ANNIVERSARY
Galería de Ollas was established in February 1998
and since then has been dedicated to displaying and
selling the works of the finest Mata Ortiz potters.
We wish to thank our customers who over the years
have acquired this form of art in Galería de Ollas. A
piece of art is the perfect memoir of your vacation to
Mexico.
GRACIAS DE TODO CORAZON!!
We are at 176 Corona in downtown Puerto
Vallarta, tel.: 223-1045, cell: (322) 117-2213.
www.galeriadeollas.com
16
The 7 Arts
One night only: Jacobo & Maria Angeles at Colectika
On Wednesday, the 27
of February, from 6 to 10
p.m., we hope you can join us to meet Jacobo and Maria
Angeles, two legendary Oaxacan wood carvers, who
will be at Colectika for one night only, demonstrating
why they are two of the most collected artists today in
Mexico.
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 are
connecting villages once completely isolated
with the outside world, and with that comes
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 is
Jacobo Angeles and his wife Maria del Carmen.
Together they have single-handedly 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 45minutes from the
City of Oaxaca. When a baby is born in the village,
it is given a small animal that is their totem. Today’s
wood carvings, according to Jacobo, evolved out of
this tradition. Jacobo 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.
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
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 tones 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.
th
SATURDAY 16
Colectika Ancestral Contemporary is located
downtown at 858 Guadalupe Sanchez, corner of
Allende. Tel.: 222-2302 www.peyotepeople.com
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
The 7 Arts
“Stories I Can’t Tell Mama”
at The Palm
17
Guillermo Gomez opens at Galleria Dante
Friday, February 22, 6 to 10 pm cocktails
A
ctor and comedian, Leslie Jordan is
a small town man with a giant propensity
for scene stealing. Best known for his
raucous, outrageous recurring role as
Karen Walker’s nemesis Beverley Leslie
on the television classic Will & Grace
(garnering an Emmy for Best Guest Actor
in a Comedy Series, 2006) as well as his
career-defining role as ‘Brother Boy’ in
both the original film Sordid Lives and the
recent Logo TV sensation, Sordid Lives,
The Prequel, Leslie begins his long-awaited
run at The Palm on Friday, February 15th
with an already sold-out opening night
(don’t worry, there are 7 performances follow). Leslie is also well
known for his outrageous and memorable appearances in commercials
and hit television shows including Reba, Desperate Housewives, Ugly
Betty, Alley McBeal, Boston Legal, Murphy Brown, Monk and as a series
regular on the 80’s sitcom Hearts Afire. Most recently, Jordan gave us
a brief yet indelible splash performance (cartwheels anyone?) in the
Academy Award winning box office sensation The Help.
A veteran of the live stage as well, his one-man autobiographical
shows include Hysterical Blindness, and other Southern Maladies That
Have Affected My Life Thus Far, Full of Gin & Regret, Stories I Can’t
Tell Mama (which he’ll perform in Vallarta), Deck Them Halls Y’All
and My Trip Down the Pink Carpet which was based on the best-selling
autobiography of the same name and filmed as an HBO Special. Mr.
Jordan also won the Ovation Award, The Garland Award and The Los
Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his portrayal of Preston Leroy,
the aging, sodden barfly in Del Shores’ hit play, Southern Baptist Sissies.
Advance reservations are highly recommended. Tickets for ‘Stories I
Can’t Tell Mama’ are 350 pesos (plus two drinks minimum) and may be
purchased online at www.ThePalmPV.com or at the door starting 2 hours
before showtime each evening. The show will run on February 15 (sold
out), 17, 22, 24 at 10 p.m. and Feb. 18, 20, 25, 27 at 8 p.m. A warm-up
cocktail party is planned at Casa Cupula and their top-rated restaurant
TASTE (www.casacupula.com) as part of their 10th Anniversary
celebration on Friday, Feb. 15th at 8:30 p.m. just prior to the 10 p.m.
opening night performance. The public is invited. Leslie Jordan will be
on hand to say hello and share a laugh or two, before he heads down the
hill to The Palm that night.
The Palm is well known for bringing top notch, cutting edge
entertainment to Vallarta. Inside you’ll find an intimate, 80-seat cabaret
with outstanding sound and lighting, creating the ambience of cabarets
from days gone by. Shows are scheduled 7 nights per week with two
different shows nightly. A full calendar of performances is available
online at www.thepalmpv.com The Palm is non-smoking (a patio is
provided for smokers), located at 508 Olas Altas. You can also find the
Palm on Facebook at The Palm Cabaret and Bar.
SATURDAY 16
G
UILLERMO GOMEZ
comments, “Although I live in
Guadalajara, it’s in Puerto Vallarta
that I really feel alive.” He was born
in Guadalajara in 1959, the second
of nine brothers and sisters from a
conservative Mexican family. From
an early age, his admiration for
nature trapped his attention, and
with the interest of assimilating
that which he learned, he began to
draw. His participation in collective
shows, local art festivals as well
as single shows has won
him prizes and recognition,
and the commission of
monuments in his country
as well as others. The theme
of his works are primarily
characters that are a little
theatrical, recreational yet
somewhat solemn, having
the different facets of the
human condition sometimes
out of context, where their
attitudes and characteristics
forge another dimension,
and try to open dialogue with
the spectators to exchange
life experiences.
Gómez honors the ability
to navigate in life despite hardships
or happenstance. “We need to
appreciate those tiny details in our
daily life,” he says, “and not give
such great importance to the things
we can’t do anything about.” Never
lacking in humor, he not only pokes
fun at those around him but also at
himself. In fact, if there is a secret to
his work, it’s that he allows himself
to laugh.
The tragedy of chains, of life lived
in a cage, of bound hands and feet
might be depicted, but with humor.
With his sensitive use of bronze,
“the most malleable of materials”,
he speaks without words. “When
you are fortunate to get the attention
of the public, it becomes important
what you say. You have a certain
responsibility. Your work becomes
a testimony to that community.”
At 27 years old, he made the
decision to dedicate the rest of his
life to sculpture, to the creative
arts, to finding and speaking a new
language. With his hands he follows
the process through to the end,
finding a way to polish the bronze of
his newfound tongue that hopefully
will never cease to speak miracles.
His sculptures are painstakingly
created, no corners cut, perfection
is something Guillermo
strives for every day and
it is reflected in his work.
His monuments adorn such
cities as:
Guadalajara,
Sayula,
Yahualica
y
Concepcion de Buenas
Aires in the state of Jalisco.
Also in Lima, Peru / La
Paz, Baja California /
Villahermosa,
Tabasco.
His bust of Franklin D.
Roosevelt adorned the
oval office when President
Bill Clinton was in office.
A statue to commemorate
Cardinal
Juan
Jesus
Posados Ocampo, the
property of Pope John Paul II, now
in the Vatican collection. Many
of Guillermo’s sculptures are also
in the collection of the National
Treasury of Mexico. Please join us
Friday in welcoming him.
Galleria Dante is located at 269 Basilio Badillo in the Romantic Zone.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
18
The 7 Arts
I am certainly not advocating that
we should have turned the other
cheek with Osama. But if we could
have gotten his body out in a plastic
bag, couldn’t we have gotten him
out alive? Those soldiers who found
Saddam Hussein groveling like a
rodent in a rat hole could have saved
a tremendous amount of time and
energy if they had just squeezed off
a few rounds.
by JOE HARRINGTON
Zero Dark Thirty
I
n way of background before
tackling this Academy Award
nominated picture, I feel I should state
the following: I was in the military
ages ago. I served in advanced
infantry and heavy weapons. While
serving I learned the Code of
Conduct. I learned that if captured
I was to say no more than my name,
rank, and serial number.
This movie is about how we finally
evened the score with Osama Bin
Laden. Do I think the score needed
to be evened? You bet. But I couldn’t
help thinking about a woman I
interviewed when researching a
possible book. Her daughter had
been murdered by a serial killer. He
was finally captured and years, many
years later, executed.
At the time I was thinking about
writing a book called The Death Watch
Cell – the name given to the final cell
a prisoner waits in before execution
in California’s San Quentin. I was
interested in the idea of closure. I had
conducted interviews with people
like Francis Xavier Bellotti, former
Attorney General and Lt. Governor
of Massachusetts, and cops on horses
in Manhattan’s Central Park. The
woman told me that, at least in her
case, she didn’t believe in it. She felt
no joy when her daughter’s murderer
died. His guilt was absolute. Yet the
concept of an eye for an eye didn’t
help her grief.
SATURDAY 16
They didn’t. Hussein was tried by
his peers. He was justly hung.
What’s my point? I was very
disturbed by the scenes in this movie
involving torture. If it is all right to
instruct our lads to give only name,
rank and serial number, why is not
okay for our enemies? To stoop to
the level of the barbarity of those
enemies makes us the same.
I understand completely the
question: To save a million people
would you torture and kill one man?
In honesty, I would say, “Yes.” But
where do you draw the line? Two
men? Fifty? A thousand? Ten
thousand? It still sounds like a fair
trade, but it still doesn’t draw a line.
What we did was an act of revenge.
That bothers me. What doesn’t bother
me is if you factor into the equation
that by killing that psycho, you send a
message to a lot of old men who send
young men off to die but refuse to do
so themselves a message: you are not
safe. You are not beyond our wrath.
But at least call it was it was – an act
of vengeance pure and simple.
Obviously, this is a complex
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
question. Our president is a
Constitutional scholar.
He just denied giving weapons to
the rebels in Syria because of the fear
of whose hands they would eventually
end up in. I can only imagine how
difficult the “Go” decision was for
him involved in this film.
The movie Zero Dark Thirty is
disturbing and I think that is exactly
what director Kathryn Bigelow
tried to achieve. In my case she was
enormously successful. She has
been taken to task by many. Here’s
one and her answer: A group of
U.S. Senators criticized the film as
“grossly inaccurate and misleading”
by suggesting that torture led
investigators to the Al Qaeda leader.
The director said the movie was
based on first-hand accounts of the
hunt for bin Laden, amounting to an
honest telling of the story as we know
it. “It’s a movie,” she countered,
“and it’s accurate in the way a
movie can be accurate: it’s 10 years
compressed into two and a half hours
and there are many, many tactics
utilized. We wanted to tell the story
respectfully and honestly, and since
it’s part of the history, we had to
show a few sequences of enhanced
interrogation.
But again, there
were many techniques that led to
the compound in Abbottabad where
Navy SEALs killed bin Laden.”
Zero Dark Thirty is nominated
for five Academy Awards including
Best Picture and Best Actress for
star Jessica Chastain, who won a
Best Actress Golden Globe for her
performance. This movie received
a 94% approval rating on Rotten
Tomato’s meter.
Joe is an internationally published
author and documentary filmmaker.
You can send him comments or
criticism at JoeMovieMadness@
Yahoo.com. Artwork by Bob Crabb.
The 7 Arts
19
Explosions of color at
ColorPOD Gallery
by ARLENE PERVIN
P
ainting coconut pods is making
artist Kathryn Graves renowned
around the world. Her canvasses
are the wooden pods from the
coconut palms, and recycling
nature into useable, sophisticated
art is what Kathryn has been doing
for the past three years.
Transferring artistic expression
onto a natural cast-off has given
rise to a whole new art form and
her trademark name of ColorPOD.
Each painted pod is absolutely
crazy-unique. Each a different
shape, different weight, and
ultimately a different design.
The pods are first masterly
prepped, the initial process in this
very hands-on art. Some pods
are made into vertical sculptures .
Others stand alone as centerpieces,
or are featured as hanging pods.
“These look oh so sassy in a niche”,
and a ColorPOD hanging on your
front door has become the new
wreath” she says.
The shape of each pod
determines whether it will become
a tabletop display, a wall hanging
or a sculpture piece. A ColorPOD
is its own conversation piece at a
dinner party. I recently observed
her creating a pod in her studio
where she exhibited total abandon.
She held, twisted, and tilted up-
side-down each pod, teasing the
paint. “I paint with no lines, no
boundaries, no one’s rules, it’s all
very scientific”, she says, with her
signature chuckle.
These versatile pods can hold a
cornucopia of fruit or serve elegant
hors-d’oeuvres.
They have a
luminosity to them that comes from
“SHOUT! The Mod Musical”
S
HOUT! flips through the years like a musical
magazine and takes you back to the music, the
fashion and the freedom of the 60’s! This smashing
revue tracks five groovy gals as they come of age
during those liberating days that made England
swing!
Join this non-stop journey through the infectious
and soulful pop anthems and ballads that made
household names of stars like Petula Clark, Dusty
Springfield and Lulu with such chart-topping hits
as “To Sir With Love”, “Downtown”, “You Don’t
Have to Say You Love Me”, “Son of A Preacher
Man”, and “Goldfinger”.
With its irresistible blend of hip-swiveling hits,
eye-popping fashions and outrageous dances from
the 60’s, this fun-filled musical will surely make
you want to throw your head back and SHOUT!
Mark it down: Next week, Thursday, Friday &
Saturday, February 21st, 22nd and 23rd at the American
School. Show time: 8 PM. Tickets 100 pesos.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
the specific processes involved
in the finishing. Whether for
decorative purposes or for everyday
use, a ColorPOD is a unique work
of art, and you can definitely call it
“green”.
Kathryn’s first company in the
States was called “ColorJOY”
and her canvas then was painting
furniture in her same unabashed
style. She has now expanded into
painting small pieces of furniture
again.
Her new studio and gallery are
located at 363 Venustiano Carranza
in the Romantic Zone on the south
side of town, and you can also
find her at the Old Town Farmers’
Market on the corner of Pino
Suarez and Basilio Badillo every
Saturday. Kathryn is gregarious,
will always welcome you with
paint all over her, and loves to talk
about recycling, her art and the
latest Hollywood gossip. Her art
speaks for itself.
20
Map
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FRIDAY 22
Map
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
21
FRIDAY 22
22
The 7 Arts
“Artists of the Museum” draws large crowds
by JERRY LAFFERTY
A
n enthusiastic crowd estimated
at more than 300 attended the opening
of the newest special event at the
Peter Gray Art Museum, “Artist of
the Museum.” On Friday, February
8 thirty local artists were invited
to exhibit one of their more recent
creations, to display adjacent to their
earlier works on permanent display
within the museum. This was truly
an historic event for Puerto Vallarta,
as never before has such a broad
collection of artists had a venue
to exhibit their work as a single
collection. The spectrum of art being
produced in Puerto Vallarta was never
more apparent, with contemporary
mixing with naïf , oil with watercolor,
sculpture in bronze, stone and wood,
all beautifully displayed in the bright
confines of the impressive Peter Gray
Museum.
Artists represented in the exhibition
include legends such as Manuel
Lepe and Ramiz Barquet, along
with current favorites Ada Colorina,
Javier Nino, Rogelio Diaz, and many
more. Most were on hand to answer
questions and to talk art in general
with an enthusiastic crowd. Museum
curator Bill Megrail and University
President Dr. Max Greig provided
opening remarks.
The exhibit will remain on display
through March 23. Entrance is free
of charge to both members and the
general public. The museum is open
Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6
p.m. and on Saturday 11 a.m. 2 p.m.
The museum is located on the campus
of Centro Universitario de la Costa
(CUC) Coastal University
Center, a few miles north
of the airport. Proceed on
Highway 200 to the turnoff
to the right just past Home
Depot, heading toward
Ixtapa. After about 2
kilometers, turn right at the
intersection marked with a
CUC sign. The university
will be on the right, with
free parking just after
entering the main gate.
The museum is a short walk down a
tree lined walkway, with a beautifully
manicured sculpture garden pointing
the way to the museum on your left.
We encourage you to venture out to
the museum some sunny day, to view
not only the exhibition but the adjacent
Reptile Conservancy and surrounding
campus as well.
SATURDAY 16
PV Burro Sculpture Project
L
ocal sculptor Jim Demetro invites the public to join him at the
Gallery above Oscar’s Restaurant on the River Cuale Island as he creates
another life-size sculpture. He is the sculptor who created the iconic
“Vallarta Dancers” on the Malecon of a woman and man dancing in the
traditional Jalisco state costumes. He also sculpted “Los Amantes”, the
statue of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, among other works.
However, it was when he had an indigenous model for the “Washer
Woman” sculpture in front of Molina de Agua that he came upon the
idea for this next piece. Demetro said, “The elder 76-year old model had
actually washed her family’s clothes in the river Cuale, coming down
with her burro loaded with laundry baskets. She described how burros
were important in everyday life, hauling materials for the buildings on
the hillside more than 25 years ago, for example. I knew then that I
wanted to sculpt a life-size burro in bronze, especially since there are
only a couple of burros that are regularly brought into town now. I want
to preserve their history for future generations.”
The burro scene Demetro has chosen is a humorous one. He is sculpting
a burro taking one small step at a time, as two Mexican boys urge him
along. A boy coaxes the burro from the front with a carrot in hand and
a dog helps by tugging on the boy’s pant leg. Another boy pushes from
behind. Demetro reports, “The idea is for this playful sculpture to be
interactive, as well as educational. Locals and tourists can climb up on
the burro and get their picture taken.”
Demetro will donate the life-size bronze piece to the city, and is
funding it by selling collector limited editions of the small model cast
in bronze at a very favorable price. He is also seeking art patrons or
businesses who would like to get credit on a plaque placed along side of
the large sculpture.
He will be sculpting from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Gallery Oscar, and
welcomes others to join him to put some clay on the sculpture. He also
participates in the weekly Tuesday morning free walking tour directed by
Gary Thompson of Galería Pacifico, discussing the important Malecon
works of art.
Having sculpted professionally since 1992, Demetro has created
almost 50 public art pieces. Some of his larger works he has done as
a father-daughter team with his daughter Christina. “Puerto Vallarta is
known for its appreciation of artwork,” Demetro said. “I’m grateful so
many people have joined me in my mission to make meaningful art that
preserves the cultural heritage of this special place.”
Jim Demetro can be reached at jimdemetro1@gmail.com
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
The 7 Arts
Kathleen Carrillo & Andy Marcus at Galleria Dante
Friday, February 22nd, 6 to 10 p.m. cocktail
Kathleen Carrillo, along with her husband,
sculptor and writer, Andrew Marcus, reside in the
jungles just outside of Puerto Vallarta, along the
Rio Cuale River at the base of the Sierra Madre,
in Mexico. They also reside part of the year in
Sarasota, Fla., where she produces her many
giclée editions. “I never cease to be amazed
by the creative spirit, and will never take it for
granted. I love what I do. My work is to inspire by
my joy for life. Often, work begins with an idea
that can take many directions before it lands in
my heart.” Kathleen has her Masters degree in
fine art specializing in painting and printmaking.
She has been painting for over 20 years, and
has national and international acclaim. Her
works are found in public and private collections
throughout the world and she has won awards
too numerous to mention. Her original images
are sought after and sold quite frequently before
they are complete. She is often working on
commissions, and preparing for gallery shows.
Kathleen has several styles, she paints equally
well from Architectural Whimsy to Jungle
Magic, to Jazz / Speakeasy compositions, to
Passionate Figurative works to make you smile.
She is currently preparing for the New York
Artexpo opening March 21, 2013, where she’ll
be showing her Architectural Whimsy paintings
with depictions of New York iconic buildings
set in the 1940’s. Also showing will be her ever
favorite Jazz and speakeasy series.
Andrew Marcus has been working
with wood for many years. He has
taken his skills as a furniture maker and
employed them in developing a unique
form of constructed sculpture, which
is then painted by his wife, artist KC.
Self-taught, he began carving stone
ten years ago, and so familiar was this
feeling in his body and soul, that he
experienced a past life, where he was a
stone sculptor in ancient India, carving
gods in the temple city of Khajuraho. So
overwhelming was this experience, that
he started writing a novel about it, called
Feeding Strawberries to the Devil, which
is currently a work in progress. “Andy”,
as he is known to many, has a gentle soul
and is so at peace with himself that his
sculptures give off that same energy,
nothing is rushed, no detail overlooked.
His works are creative, but executed
in exacting detail. Worth a visit to see
his works and meet the man! He and
Kathleen are co-owners of an art retreat
B&B in the jungles of Puerto Vallarta.
For further info check their website at
www.houseofwindandwater.com
Galleria Dante is located at 269 Basilio Badillo.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
23
The 7 Arts
24
Fun is aim of writers’ conference
Great theater returns to PV!
by BILL JORY
O
by MIKE ALTMAN
N
o Name Productions is making a name
for themselves among Vallarta’s discriminating
theater-going public by delivering a level of
professionalism seldom seen in local theater.
There is nothing amateurish in their approach
to a piece, its production, delivery or the rave
reviews their work engenders!
Building on the success of their recent staging
of David Mamet’s Oleanna – considered by
many to be the most exquisite two hours 90
people ever spent in a dark room without
mariachis in the history of Puerto Vallarta!
Now No Name Productions thrills us again by
turning from high drama to rip-roaring comedy
with their staging of The Long Weekend by
Canada’s answer to Neil Simon: Norm Foster.
Some thought Oleanna was too serious, too
disturbing for Puerto Vallarta. They were wrong!
What might have been a disaster in other hands
was a triumph for No Name Productions and this
town!
In the wrong hands, The Long Weekend could
itself be a disaster. Comedy depends on timing,
surprise and delivery – skills not often found in
a typical local theater production, but there is
nothing “typical” about the quality entertainment
No Name Productions brings to the stage!
“It’s all about execution,” says director
Edoardo Rocha. “To rise above the ordinary,
everything you see and hear must be believable.
We are not doing stand-up comedy. We’re
presenting real people in real life situations and
because we recognize ourselves through their
humanity, The Long Weekend’s realism results
in hilarity!”
The Long Weekend’s plot sets up the action:
With considerable misgivings the husbands of
two long-time gal pals begrudgingly consent
to spend a weekend in the country together as a
foursome, an inevitable recipe for disaster, given
that the men secretly cannot stand one another,
and –- below the women’s shaky friendship
lurks petty jealousy, irritation and professional
insecurity.
The Long Weekend delivers a hilarious evening
of delightful entertainment exposing the ugly
under-belly of friendship. The Long Weekend
will suck you in with laughter and then calmly
turn the knife!
There’s just enough sex, just enough smart
talk, just enough unexpected plot twists to keep
your head spinning and your heart pounding!
The Long Weekend
A production of No Name Productions
(Michael Gibney, Norma Schuh and Edoardo
Rocha)
Starring: Michael Gibney, Norma Schuh, Ross
Shapiro and Patrice White, Directed by Edoardo
Rocha
Limited engagement at the Boutique Theatre
(Basilio Badillo & Naranjo in the Romantic Zone
on the south side of town). Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays: Feb. 28 to Mar. 2, Mar 7-9 & Mar
14-16 at 8 p.m.
Sunday Matinées: Mar. 3, 10 & 17 at 5 p.m.
Tickets: $250 pesos.
Purchase tickets online through the Boutique
Theatre Box Office at www.boutiquetheatre.ca or purchase Tickets at any of these local outlets:
Paradise Encounters, 134 Rodolfo Gomez,
Miralo Gallery, 236-A Iturbide, NV Bookstore,
216 Basilio Badillo, Farmers’ Market, Paradise
Community Center (Saturdays only), or at
the Boutique Theatre one hour before the
performance.
No Name Productions - committed to bringing
quality theatre to the Vallarta community.
www.nonameproductions.tk
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
ne might think a writers’ conference
would be a stodgy affair featuring egg-heads
pontificating pie-in-the-sky views.
Not so, says Doug Danielson, chairman of the
8th Annual Puerto Vallarta Writers’ Conference
and Book Fair scheduled for February 22nd to
24th at Biblioteca Los Mangos Public Library.
“The emphasis will be on fun,” he said. “We
want people to come and have a good time and
meet people.”
Mixing, mingling and interaction in a casual,
entertaining atmosphere are the words Danielson
bandies about in explaining that the goal of
conference is not lecturing but participation.
“Bring notebooks,” he says, “big ones for
big ideas, not small ones for small ideas.
This is going to be an intense three days. We
have designed the program so everyone can
participate in everything.”
The program will emphasize hands-on
workshops, seminars and panel discussions
concentrating on both the craft of writing and
how to get your foot in the publishing door after
you have completed the writing task.
“The presenters are successful authors who
have been where many participants are now and
they can show how to proceed to the next level,”
he says.
As well, readers who are just interested in
talking about authors and books are invited to
attend a gab-fest on that subject at 5 p.m. Friday,
then stay on for the keynote address by David
Lyons, Vallartan author of the thriller Ice Fire.
Cost is 250 pesos at the door with proceeds
going to the library. A cash-bar cocktail hour
will follow, providing more time to make friends
and meet authors. A free book fair will be held
on library grounds Sunday afternoon.
“To me, networking is everything at a
conference like this,” Danielson says.
For those interested in the full 3-day
conference, registration is $150 (U.S.) or 2,000
pesos. Registrants will receive emails outlining
the program of workshops and seminars. Online
registration is at http://www.pvwg.com/2013conference/
In addition to Lyons, presenters include, ghost
writer and editor Terra Mar, mystery writers
Jinx Schwartz and Beth Groundwater, author
and blogger James Callan, literary agent Suzie
Townsend and publisher’s representative Billie
Johnson.
Good Bites
25
And now… the Mediterranean Café is back too!
by ANNA REISMAN
L
ast week, I told you of one eatery that reopened its doors in our
town and, as promised, I will now tell you about the other.
Patty Saxonis’ Mediterranean Café has had a number of homes since
it first opened in Vallarta some three years ago. This latest is up on the
hill behind the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the corner of Mina
and Miramar.
It is a delightful tiny, quaint, cozy and comfortable place, with enough
room for 16 or so – for now. Patty tells us that she and Julio intend to do
some more remodeling in order to add a little more space by removing
the bar that is taking up too much space for her liking.
But that’s not why there were people lined up on the sidewalk outside,
waiting to get in, on the night my friends and I were there. They, like us,
were there for the food, Patty’s excellent, authentically Greek food …
and her company. And they didn’t mind waiting for it.
Patty is a perfectionist, and although her forte is baking (with lots of
it for sale), her menu is evidence of her attention to detail in every dish
she serves at her Café.
We were three and as usual, we all ordered something different, just so
we could get a taste of each other’s choice.
SATURDAY 16
The Café’s now famous Greek Lemon Chicken soup is still on the
menu, but having had it so often, including as extra take-out orders to
enjoy the next day, I had the taramosalata she had on special that night.
Honestly, it was very close to the one my mom used to make. Excellent!
If we’re lucky, she’ll add it to the menu. My friends had the Greek salad,
which they devoured.
None of the entrées exceed $150 Pesos –except for the lamb- and
they’re all generous in size. I had the Lamb Souvlaki, and got to bring
one of the brochettes home. Too much for me at one sitting.
One of my friends chose the Greek meatballs with Lemon Sauce. Her
plate was wiped clean too, and truth be told, she’s one picky eater! The
other went for the Pasta with Lemon, Spinach and Feta. Not a scrap left
in her plate either.
And then came the desserts. Oh my goodness, what decadence! I
decided not to have my usual chocolate roll (which my friend ordered),
opting for the immense Carrot Cake instead. The three of us shared
the two desserts, unable to decide which was best. And the espresso
was perfect. I should also mention that Patty will modify her dishes
according to the client’s needs, i.e.: allergies, substitution of ingredients,
etc. Never a problem.
If you love Greek food, or fabulous desserts for that matter, do
yourself a favor and check out the Mediterranean Café’s new digs at
419 Miramar, corner of Mina. Cell: 044 (322) 113-0134.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
26
Good Bites
Villa Azalea Inn & Organic Farm
by BRENDA RETZLAFF DE RIVERA
T
en years ago, I discovered a hidden gem in
Puerto Vallarta. Five years ago, I married him.
While on a quest to find the perfect place to
stay to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary,
we discovered another treasure: Villa Azalea
Inn and Organic Farm.
Located just two kilometers south of the
Botanical Gardens, on the way to El Tuito, this
recently opened, quaint luxury hotel was the
ideal place for our romantic get-away.
Upon our arrival, Dulce, the owner and
delightful hostess, met us as we entered the lush
and perfectly manicured grounds. She traded our
suitcase for drinks and led us out to the Organic
Farm. The farm consists of many fruit trees, and
long “greenhouses” filled with organic herbs and
vegetables. They also raise their own organic
chickens and laying hens and have a gander of
geese and ducks that swim in the small lake near
the Inn. Dulce gave us baskets and instructions to
pick items from the garden for our salad.
Once we had selected our bounty, we followed
her to a large screened-in outdoor kitchen and
dining area.
My husband thought I was joking when I told
him we were going to be part of a cooking class.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
Little did he know he would be in an apron and
learning how to make fresh cheese, a grilled
nopal salad, an Acapulco-style organic chicken
thigh wrapped in a banana leaf, and how to make
salmon in a pink mole sauce. Chef Wendy, our
instructor, was a great teacher, very informative
and patient. The highlight was watching my
husband truly enjoy the class, and of course,
getting to eat what we prepared.
Villa Azalea Inn and Organic Farm is truly a
hidden gem. The Inn is beautiful, with works of
art placed throughout, many entertainment and
seating areas that offer views of the pool, the
river and a romantic black pool in the walled
courtyard that allows for viewing of the moon
and stars at night.
Each room at the Inn is unique and lushly
appointed with luxury linens, comfortable
mattresses, beautiful works of art, turn down
service and other amenities such as robes,
slippers, flat screen television, mini-fridge, A/C
and seating area.
We stayed three days, two nights and enjoyed
a package deal that included breakfasts, lunches
and dinners - all freshly prepared, utterly
delicious and mostly created from ingredients
grown or produced at Villa Azalea, including a
taste of their own organic tequila.
Our romantic get-away from Vallarta was
wonderful and we highly recommend Villa
Azalea Inn. Even if you cannot go away for a
holiday, you can go there to enjoy a cooking
class or a freshly prepared lunch on the property.
They also offer Day Passes that include lunch,
use of the pool and tour of the farm and grounds.
For more information about Villa Azalea Inn,
rates and packages, please visit their website at
http://www.villaazalea.com.mx/
Editor’s Note: You can follow Brenda
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BRPR.
Marketing or check out her Bulletin Board at
www.allvallarta.com
Good Bites
27
At Los Cuatro Vientos & Chez Elena
T
by MICHAEL MAcGREGOR
hought some of you could
find this scene interesting.
I took mid-morning the other
day when the sun was just
beginning to reach down into the
courtyard. It shows how lush all
the greenery seems this year (not
that it isn’t every year).
Los Cuatro Vientos (The Four
Winds), a quaint Mexican hotel
only has 15 rooms, 10 of which
you see in the wing on the right.
The white building on the left is
not part of the hotel, nor is the
condo building across the street.
I’m standing on the balcony
of the 2nd floor, looking into the
courtyard below.
That’s our
favorite table, wrought iron,
where we often drink and dine
at night under the stars. There’s
a pool – 11 ft. deep, behind the
greenery in the middle – into
which I dive after a long hot bike
ride. The steps (hidden by the
greenery to the right) go down
another level to the cobblestone
street, Matamoros (Moor Slayer
in Spanish) below.
The restaurant Chez Elena, a
long-time landmark in Puerto
Vallarta, is on the ground floor
underneath the wing on the right.
In its heyday, people lined up
all the way down the stairs to
the street, waiting for a table.
John Huston, Richard Burton,
Elizabeth Taylor, among others,
were frequent inebriated patrons.
Elena, then the original hotel
owner, had to kick Peter O’Toole,
Burton, and Taylor out a number of
times because of their unruliness.
The hotel cat, Sushi, lies
languidly in the sun all day on the
warm red tiles of the courtyard,
and during the night often comes
into our room through the open
back window, curling up between
us on the bed.
The railing high above defines
the rooftop bar El Nido (The
Nest) with its splendid view of the
city below and the huge Banderas
Bay. Many guests and outsiders
come here every night, beginning
at 6 p.m., to view the sunset. They
invariably look for the Green
Flash and applaud when the sun’s
disk disappears into the Pacific
Ocean.
The skies are usually sun-filled
in this part of the world, the
subtropics, 18 degrees above the
Equator.
Another day in Paradise. What
could be better?
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
28
Good Bites
Dear Editor,
As long time snowbirds to this beautiful city of Puerto Vallarta we
are always looking for new and/or wonderful places to eat. As such, we
find reading the weekly editions of the PVMirror an invaluable guide in
helping us find these establishments. There is rarely a week without a
restaurant review sent in by one of your faithful readers and many times it
results in giving us a new place to try.
We would like to recommend a new restaurant for all to try called ‘Él
Sazon del Aca’, located at 173 Libertad, only 2 blocks south of the town
square. The taste and quality of the food was some of the best we’ve
had in PV, the portions overly generous and prices were very reasonable.
Being in a party of 10, it is sometimes hard to please everyone’s taste
but the menu here is varied enough to make sure there is something for
everyone. Kudos to Edwin, manager at ‘Él Sazon del Aca’, for making
this one of the most memorable meals this season in PV.
I know it’s hard to make a success of a new restaurant but I believe this
one will catch on fast and be around for years to come. Do yourself a
favour and check this place out.
Starting with freshly baked pita [pocket] bread, he stuffed them with
either shawarma or falafel ‘meat’ balls which followed a sampling of
several of his popular salads and vegetables. Diners were welcome to
bring their own wine [and cups!]
One guest made arrangements for him to cater an upcoming affair at
her building, so immediately he made one new friend and client. Others
were most pleased with the event and told him so. It is a great place to
stop by in a hurry and pick up a complete meal for lunch or dinner.
Open every day except Shabbat [Friday sunset to Saturday sunset]
from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cell:
(322) 116-7102.
Pita Loca is a little corner take-out place with small seating serving
Mediterranean / Israeli dishes. Chef/owner Avi makes homemade pita, 23
salads such as Moroccan carrot, cauliflower or tabouleh, couscous, lamb
shawarma, hummus, baba ghanoush, pita chips, meatballs, falafel, liver
and onions, 4 meat kebobs and chicken schnitzel. Free local delivery.
Private event catering with choices of 100’s of international dishes.
Become a friend on Facebook!
Gary R. Beck
Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Guide Beck’s Best, newly uploaded 2013
edition:
Kindle e-book: www.amazon.com/dp/B004NEVX7I
Rick and Irene
Dear Editor,
A huge Gracias to Avi, owner of Pita Loca on Aquiles Serdán at
Insurgentes in Southside PV, for presenting his Middle Eastern / Israeli
cuisine last night to many locals who were unfamiliar with its flavors and
preparations.
Dear Editor,
Finally, I found the illusive and authentic “Ensenada Style” taco right
here in Puerto Vallarta! Served with either fish or shrimp and at an
amazing price of 15 pesos for (2) two!
The family-run Zirahuen Café is located on the same street where
the Old Town Saturday Market is held: 217 Pino Suarez, between V.
Carranza and F. Madero. The Café is clean and nicely decorated and the
owner, Pablo has a great personality and is totally bi-lingual.
Imagine the fun with a budget saving, delicious, and filling lunch for
two (2) for 30 pesos. Plus they offer $1 dollar Pacifico beers and $1
Margaritas served during the same hours. These special prices are offered
6 days a week, 12 noon to 5 PM from Monday to Saturday, and run to the
end of March! Buen provecho!
James the Generous
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
Vallarta Voices
29
There’s more to our history
than just great flavors.
by ANNA REISMAN
A
bout one year ago, Ubardo
Aguilar published an article in
Vallarta Opina about the City’s
then ongoing debate regarding
the reopening of the Malecon to
traffic. In it, the local President of
the National Chamber of Commerce
said that the Chamber was not
against it being a pedestrian area,
but that the Malecon should be
converted into a natural attraction
for visitors to the center during the
day. “Not only for tourists who visit
the center when their ship calls
on our port, but also those
who arrive in buses and
taxis from the Marina
or the airport, going
towards Mismaloya.”
He pointed out that
opening the Malecon to
traffic would allow them
to see the Malecon,
restaurants, bars, shops
and other attractions
there [such as sculptures]
and then they would return.
He bemoaned the fact that
there are so many tourists who
are completely unaware of the
Malecon as they never drive by it
[since it’s been a pedestrian-only
area], insisting that the time had
come for it to be reopened to traffic,
suggesting 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. “That
is why the Malecon was rebuilt, for
tourists to see it and use it and not to
take the ‘back’ roads.”
I understood his point of view
then, and I still do, but personally,
I still dread the day when cars will
reappear along that stretch. Sure,
the Malecon has always been a
beautiful sight to see as we drove
alongside it, especially when we’d
just picked up friends or relatives at
the airport.
S
But with promenade, road and
sidewalk all on the same level, I’m
not so sure. I sincerely hope I’m
wrong.
I noticed that once again, like
they did last year, some of the
amapas trees (the ones with the
huge pink flower clusters) have been
blossoming months earlier than
what was normal for decades. They
are truly beautiful, no matter when
they put on their show, them and the
yellow-blossomed primaveras too.
Restaurant news: It appears
that the Polish Pub downtown
is now the Lord Pub. Guess
the Polish touch didn’t catch
on here. And there’s a
new sports bar on Basilio
Badillo, right across the
street from the old favorite,
Steve’s Bar...
You can tell that we’re
at the peak of our “high
season: there are special
events just about every
day, some of which are truly
exceptional, like the recent
Medical Matters Symposium, the
quasi spontaneous Mardi Gras
Party last week, the upcoming Bird
Watching Festival, not to mention
the many shows, or the fundraisers
all over the place with lots of fun
and prizes, all for great causes.
Did you know that in Mexico,
people celebrate St. Valentine
throughout the month of February?
So, as they say, when in Mexico do
as the Mexicans do: share loving
kindness all month long …and
beyond! Why not?
I wish you a wonderful week,
full of love, and I hope your Mirror
always reflects a happy, healthy
You.
Hasta luego. sheis@ymail.com
SATURDAY 16
ometimes we all need more than just chips, guacamole and
margaritas. Archie’s Wok is your haven for bold and innovative
flavors to get you out of that Mexican rut!
Since 1986, Archie’s Wok has been legendary in Banderas Bay
for serving-up original cuisine influenced by the exotic flavors of
Thailand, China, and the Philippines. Archie’s helped establish the
culinary foundation of Puerto Vallarta and continues to be one of the
bay’s most beloved, longtime established restaurants.
It all began in 1976 when Archie was asked to become Hollywood
director John Huston’s private chef at his personal retreat on Banderas
Bay’s south shore. Only reachable by boat, Las Caletas (The Coves)
was John Huston’s rustic jungle villa by the sea.
A WORLD OF FLAVORS: “Having feasted around the globe, I
can appreciate this wizardry. You bring the Orient, indeed the world,
to my table in the middle of the Mexican Jungle. Marvelous flavours
- I applaud you Archie!” Written by John Huston to Archie at Playa
Caletas, 1981.
Today, his family upholds Archie’s legacy of presenting a world of
flavors at this tranquil Asian-inspired restaurant.
So when you finally say “no more tacos”, head on over to Archie’s
Wok and discover a world of flavors. Named “Best Asian” in Vallarta
for the past 7 years. Ask about their “gluten free” options. Open
Monday through Saturday from 2 to 11 p.m. The ever-popular
d’Rachael continues to perform classical and contemporary music
on harp, flute & vocals each Friday and Saturday evenings from
7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Located in Vallarta’s South Side at 130 Francisca
Rodriguez. You know the street, the one that meets the new pier.
Tel.: 222-0411. No reservations needed.
You say you have allergies?
You say your grumpy Significant Other
won’t allow cats in the house?
You say your condo association rules declare ‘no pets’?
You say cleaning litter boxes gives you the ickies?
You say you don’t want cat hair all over
your new pink velvet couch?
Well, Bunkie, now’s your chance to have a cat
...without actually having a cat!
Just go to the Purr Project website (www.purrproject.com),
click on ‘Virtual Adoption’ and follow the easy directions.
It’s only $120usd per year -that’s just $10 a month- and you can
pay by credit card or PayPal. You’ll receive, via email,
periodic updates and pictures of your little virtual furball.
This small amount will make a big difference in the lives
of all the cats at Purr Project ...and no litter box to clean!
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
30
Nature’s World
Planting Roots in Mexico
by TOMMY CLARKSON
Hibiscus
Family: Malvaceae
(Also known as Rose of Sharon, Rose of China, Rose
Mallow, Rosella, flor de Jamaica, and Shrub Althaceae)
A brilliantly colored hibiscus is
to the tropics what beans, around
here, are to frijoles!
These sun loving beauties are of
the evergreen sort. Now, mind you,
not in the sense of cedar or pine
trees (as, years ago in my youth
back in Kansas, we called them)
but rather what the word says …
ever green, year around!
Throughout the warm, temperate,
subtropical and tropical regions of
the world, the vivid, five-petaled,
mallow-like
hibiscus
flowers
bloom in a wide array of colors and
of slightly differing configurations.
Popular as free standing plants or
landscape shrubs, they may also
be effectively incorporated into
tropical gardens or dramatically
placed on terraces or balconies in
pots. Both singular and double
varieties are readily available at
nearly all Mexican nurseries.
The large, showy and, usually,
trumpet-shaped flowers of this
species are what give these plants
their great allure. (Some of us,
slightly more seasoned sort, may
recall Dorothy Lamour wearing
one in her hair in the
Bing Crosby/Bob Hope
“Road” pictures of the
– dare I say it – 40’s!)
In its totality, this
genus
consists
of
around 250 different
annual and perennial
herbaceous plants sized
from smallish, woody
shrubs to the awesome,
70-80 foot hibiscus
macrophyllus trees.
With the flower itself
the general focus of
attention of this family, it is worthy
of note that the plant entirety of
the noble appearing hisbiscus
elatus is recognized as one of the
most strikingly attractive tropical
flowering trees is the world.
However, it is the eye striking
beauty of the blooms which most
of us seek. As mentioned earlier,
the majority of the hibiscus plants
sport five-petaled flowers - the
largest variety growing ones that
are nearly one foot across - with
longish, protruding central stamens
and pistols.
SATURDAY 16
In fact, beyond the blooms, a
few of larger species are singularly
magnificent
appearing
plants
wholly unto themselves. Some
have simply beautiful leaves. (In
fact, the leaves of the hibiscus
acetosella are purportedly edible
and can be cooked or used in
salads.)
In Mexico, an herbal tea, agua de
Flor de Jamaica, is made by boiling
the dehydrated hibiscus flowers with sugar it tastes somewhat like
cranberry juice. (At Casa Ola Brisa
it is the preferred drink of choice
after several hours of labor in the
gardens!) Jams are made from it in
the Caribbean.
In Polynesia, the hibiscus bark
fibers are used to make grass skirts
and even wigs. In Southern India a
ground paste shampoo of hibiscus
leaves and flowers solves dandruff
problems, while its petals are used
to cure fever and its roots stop
coughs.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
But for those who seek only the
beauty of its flowers, remember, it
requires regular moisture, sandy,
well-drained, loamy soil and
some peat or pulverized coconut
coir – more about that last item in
a later column or see the variety
of ways I employ it when touring
our gardens!
And, recurring
fertilization is a plus.
There is a wide array of cultivars
and hybrids spawned from
the hibiscus rosa-sinensis
and schizopetalus.
I
have found the cultivars,
generally, don’t grow as
fast or well as the originals
and simply, a bit more
difficult to grow.
Hibiscus
can
be
propagated
by
seed,
cuttings
or
simple
plantings – I’d encourage
the latter. As long as the
temperature stays warm,
most of these are perpetual
bloomers.
Plant, enjoy them, and
every morning upon
sighting your little beauties, greet
them with a hearty “Hi biscus”!
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
Nature’s World
31
This is a weekend of yoga with
classes in the Gardens’ Hall of
Flowers as well as in the garden
itself. Meditative strolls through
the Gardens, several classes all day
with the top instructors of Puerto
Vallarta. Bring your bathing suit and
take a dip in the river! Classes will
be for everyone: from beginners to
advanced. There will also be classes
for children. Package prices will be
made available. The event time on
both days is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You can always view our webpage at
www.vbgardens.org or call Steve at
223-6182.
Vallarta Botanical Gardens Upcoming Events Update
Febrero) from 6 to 8 p.m. For more
information, please contact Julie
Guerrero at 223-2853.
March 7th to the 10th - The Annual
Vallarta Bird Festival here at the
Vallarta Botanical Gardens. Different
speakers, guides and participants
will entertain you. With an overly
enthusiastic response to last year, this
year’s Festival should be even more
fantastic! See our website for more
details: www.vbgardens.org
February 22 through March 3
- The 5th Annual Flower & Garden
show. It takes place during the peak
of the season of the Gardens’ floral
displays and will feature products
from local vendors, originating
from the earth, floral designs,
vanilla orchid plants, plus blooming
orchids, rare plants and local pottery.
Everyone is invited to enjoy this
spectacular show. This week-long
event is 60 pesos, free for all V.B.G.
members.
Wednesday, March 20th - Another
Psychic Fair - from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
¨The Spring Equinox¨ begins!! The
Vallarta Botanical Gardens will host
a variety of spiritual professional in
the arts of Numerology, Tarot, and
Energy Cleansing. The entrance fee
to the gardens is $60 pesos and the
spiritual advice is done on a donation
basis. You can choose which one will
enlighten you. A ceremony will begin
at 12 noon as we welcome in Spring
and the Rebirth energy. Questions?
Call Steve 322-223-6182
Tuesday, February 26th - Sierra
Madre Excursion & Lunch with
the Gardens’ Curator.
This
excursion is for our Trustee Level
Membership. They will take you on
a safari tour of some of the lovely
back country exploring indigenous
plant life of Mexico. You will dine at
Hacienda Diversadero and enjoy the
taste of Raicilla and learn the cultural
history of the region. Return
transportation provided from
Lazaro Cardenas Park.
Thursday, March 14th - Salsa
Y Salsa. Learn some professional
dance steps with our Salsa instructors
as well as enjoy salsa! Our Guest
Chef will be preparing salsas during
the day in three half-hour workshops
at 12:45, 1:45 and 2:45. The cost
for this event is $250 pesos, with
members receiving a 10% discount.
Make your own tortilla and then
dance away to the sound of the
music! Instructors provided by Latin
Motion, P.V.
Tuesday, March 6th - The ¨Kick
Off¨ party for the upcoming
Bougambilias Festival in May.
The event will be hosted by the
Puerto Vallarta Garden Club and
will be held at No Way José (on 5 de
Sunday, March 21st – “Let it
Ride” - The Vallarta Motorcycle
Club “69-OVAAS-NEGRA” will be
on site at the Botanical Gardens to
showcase their collection of classic
and modern motorcycles.
nd
rd
SATURDAY 16
Enjoy photo ops on the bikes, a
stroll thru the Gardens, come to the
Hacienda De Oro for lunch… if you
have a bike… ride it up. The event
is from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The
cost of the event is only the entrance
fee of $60 pesos for non-members.
Saturday, March 23rd & Sunday,
March 24th - The Vallarta Yoga
Retreat at the Vallarta Botanical
Gardens.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
SAVE A TREE CAMPAIGN Have you ever thought that, for the
cost of a cup of coffee ($35 MXN
pesos... roughly $3.00 USD) you
can save a tree? We want to plant the
seed in your mind when you make
this small offering your actions helps
conserve, educate, preserve and
implement stopping the destruction
of our forests... www.vbgardens.org...
it starts here. Join our campaign!
32
Health Matters
What are you waiting for?!
by GISELLE BELANGER
RN, LCSW
M
any of you may have friends
and family who have asked “what
are you waiting for?!” It seems
obvious and unbelievable to them;
the ones on the outside looking in,
that your situation is ridiculous, that
it has hit the most extreme degrees
possible, and they are perplexed
and baffled why you have not done
something about it. Sometimes
it is very important to listen to
what everyone else is telling you,
especially when they all seem to
have the same opinion. How can
they all be wrong and you be right?
What is it going to take before
you do something about it?!
If you have heard it once you’ve
heard it one thousand times. And
you shamefully say “okay, okay”
just to shut them up and change
the subject, but secretly you may
wonder why, what in the world is
wrong with you? There are two
major reasons why someone might
continue to live or just exist in a
painful unhappy situation.
They are: increased tolerance and
poor boundaries and limit setting.
Another way to say “increased
tolerance”
is
“to
become
accustomed to” no matter if we
are talking about quantities of
drugs and alcohol, frequency and
intensity of partner/spousal abuse,
or infidelity; number of sexual
partners, mistresses, or long-term
love affairs your partner has had.
Somewhere along the way you
became so accustomed that you
may even be indifferent; not care
anymore, or feel helpless and
hopeless, and you may have even
convinced yourself that “it doesn’t
hurt.” But, we both know that it
does. It hurts like hell.
Poor boundaries and limit setting
is the inability to say “NO”. It’s
when you are unable to determine
when enough is enough because
you keep changing the previous
limit you set, giving someone
another chance, thereby re-drawing
the line further back allowing more
room for tolerance.
10% OFF
when you
mention
this ad
Valid until
March 1°,
2013
SATURDAY 16
Poor boundaries and increased
tolerance go hand-in-hand; one
feeds the other. We tolerate more
and more because we are unable to
enforce a firm boundary.
Fear is a huge obstacle. Being
afraid of consequences, of the
unknown, of life without xyz,
causes us to cling tightly to what is
familiar no matter how bad it is or
how much pain it causes us. This
is because we know what it’s like;
what it feels like, and we think it’s
better and easier than the pain that
we imagine must come with the
change; leaving that person or drug
behind, the pain of moving on into
the unknown and unfamiliar.
IF you stop denying and
minimizing your situation long
enough to consider the following
questions and scenarios and you
answer them honestly, you will
probably chose change over “mas
de lo mismo” (more of the same).
Note: I recognize that both the
male and female can be victims
of domestic violence (DV), be
addicted to drugs, and cheat on
their partner or spouse.
DV victim… does he have to
hurt you so badly that you are
hospitalized, permanently disabled,
or killed?! How many times have
you already walked around with
bruises or broken bones? Finish
the scenario… If he kills you, your
children will lose their mother;
no longer have you in their life,
not to mention, you will be dead!
Let’s assume he ends up in prison
for killing you, now your children
won’t have a father either! What
will happen to them? Who will they
live with? Who will take care of
them? How will you ever forgive
yourself for not getting out sooner?
How will they forgive you for not
protecting them and preventing
this?
Addict… do you need everyone
who still cares about you to finally
give up and shut you out of their
lives? Do you need to crash the car,
possibly disable or kill someone?
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
How would you like to end up in
prison? Do you need to be rushed
to the hospital for an overdose?
How many times have you started
over? How many times have you
been in debt, paid it off, made
money and then lost it all again?
How exhausted and miserable do
you need to be before you refuse to
feel that way anymore?
Infidelity… do you actually need
to catch him in bed with her before
you believe it or do something
about it? How many more times are
you going to believe his promises
that it’s over or this is the last
time? How many STD’s (Genital
Herpes, Trichimonis, Gonorrhea,
Chlamydia) have you already been
treated for? Do you think he’s using
a condom every time? Have you or
he been tested for HIV? IF you are
the one cheating, are you willing to
lose your partner or marriage over
it? Do you need to get her pregnant
or end up in a “Fatal Attraction”
scenario?
The need to feel angry
It is impossible to do anything
about it if you are only feeling
sad and/or afraid. Although those
feelings are expected and necessary,
they maintain you in a victim role,
powerless and hopeless. Until you
allow yourself to get angry; to feel
how angry you are that this has
happened to you and decide you
are not going to take it anymore,
then nothing will change. Anger
provokes action!
Change doesn’t come while you
sit waiting, you make it happen!
Giselle Belanger, RN, LCSW
(psychotherapist) is available for
appointments in person, by phone,
or by skype webcam. Contact info:
Mex cell: 044 (322) 138-9552 or
US cell: (312) 914-5203 NEW
e-mail: ggbelangerpv@gmail.com
Health Matters
A
round this time of year I pull out this piece
written 7 years ago for a dust off and re-read to
see if it still holds water. It was originally for
my estranged loved one, who now is by my side.
Like they say, “All is fair in love and war”.
It seems like love is in the air again, we see
some of our friends having moved through
tough times to come together in stronger and
more committed relationships, and others have
suffered loss, disappointments, self-doubt
and walk alone or open their hearts to new
beginnings.
There are no road maps for affairs of the heart.
Each relationship is its own journey regardless if
romantic, family or friends.
However, it seems we all have a chance in
finding true unconditional love. Some of us
don’t seem to recognize it, or believe it, or are
just plain afraid of it… and lose it… then we
go through life seemingly on the margins of
fulfilling happiness. Love and heartbreak have
been the inspiration of our deepest passions that
can even erupt into violent reactions that we
had thought not to be a part of our character.
Learning to love and allowing ourselves to
be loved is an art that is developed through
experience and history. We certainly are not
born with the knowledge of how to find it and
less on how to sustain it.
Love and its counterpart also have a profound
link to our ability to maintain health, or sustain
disease. Our emotional bodies are joined directly
to our physical bodies where the essential self
roots in the flesh.
When I see a patient who has been diagnosed
with a degenerative disease I will question them
on what was happening in their lives 18 to 24
months before the illness became manifest in the
physical body... ALWAYS they have confessed
to having been challenged emotionally and
suffered debilitating loss, pain, and anxiety.
Loving feels like magic: your heart soars,
on the physical level the heart actually swells
and relaxes. There’s great excitement and
anticipation. But being “in love” may or may
not overlap with really loving someone. Is
there a difference between “love” and “being in
love”? Some claim both can exist throughout a
relationship; others say the “in love” feeling is
an idealization of the partner during courtship,
and that it can evolve into love. I believe it is
the other way around, you love someone, you
respect them, you admire them, you observe
them, and then you fall in love.
Body & Sol
by KRYSTAL FROST
organic-select@hotmail.com
The Power of Love
It takes time and certainly a walk with a few
prospective beings to know what you need and
want in a life partner.
Of course we have our links of profound love
for our family, children and friends. These too
need to be nurtured, respected and allowed
to heal and progress. If you impose your own
perceptions and expectations onto another
person, if your love is based on projection,
it won’t last. Those feelings are erroneously
based on the condition that the person conforms
to your fantasized image of them. This image
can be highly deceptive, destructive and painful
when you both realize it and, the disappointment
can be enormous.
Some people love those who cannot love them
back, treat them well, or provide a compatible
partnership. Often there’s something familiar
about the way you’re not loved back. This occurs
on an unconscious first level, until you begin
to see a pattern of choosing wrong partners or
negative friendships. The familiar, even though
not fully satisfying, is more comfortable than
the unknown. To break this pattern, one can
first become aware of the negative cycle, then,
consciously make different choices.
Attachment is a by-product of love. It
comes from loving feelings toward the person,
spending time together, and sharing experiences
and activities. It’s hard to relinquish the sense
of security that develops from such closeness.
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
33
This is a positive thing; however, sometimes
controlling attachment may lead to obsession
and unfounded jealousy. The best attachment is
the feeling of being loved, and understood, cared
for and supported in exploring and developing
ones personal potential and dreams.
A wise friend of mine recently put it this
way: Life hurts, birth is painful, childhood
pain sometimes lasts a lifetime… then there is
adolescent and adulthood where we have to face
the real world. It is our human heritance to be in
pain. That is how we grow. We human beings
have a wonderful ability to refill ourselves with
joy and love after a painful event recreating
ourselves with new found knowledge. As all
mothers know when in the labor of child birth,
the more we resist the pain, the more we struggle
and hold back, the more stuck we get. But we go
through that labor of pain with the knowledge
that we will have a beautiful new baby to hold
and love when it is all over. It can be the same
with dealing with our own pain.
The trail of tears is one of observation,
cleansing and rebirth. Those stuck emotions can
very well be the cause of body aches and pains,
weight gain or loss, headaches, heart disease,
degenerative diseases, inflammation and many
more. As my professor of Chinese medicine
points out, “If you did not catch the illness, it
came from you, through negative thoughts and
repressed, conflicted emotions.” That explains
why one can have a reoccurring illness after
a ¨successful¨ medical treatment. You have
merely treated a physical symptom of a deeper
disharmony.
Keeping an open heart and mind takes practice,
meditation, constant evaluation, clear intention,
truth and communication.
Let’s work on making well thought out and
heartfelt commitments first to ourselves, then to
the ones we love. Let’s keep those promises.
And hope for some good weather.
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
34
Gil Gevins’ Page
Brokeback Beagle
by GIL GEVINS
www.gilgevins.com
“Honey,” I announced to my wife
over breakfast, “I’m coming out of the
bodega.”
Lucy looked up from her e-mail and
said, “What do you mean? We sold the
warehouse years ago.”
“That’s how they say it in Mexico,”
I explained.
“That’s how they say what?”
“Coming out of the closet. In
Mexico you say, ‘I’m coming out of
the bodega.’”
Used to the occasional odd
pronouncement, Lucy rolled her eyes
and resumed typing.
“It’s the only way to save the shop,”
I said.
Business had been growing
steadily worse for the past three
years, and merchants all over town
were searching desperately for ways
to improve sales. Lucy lowered the
screen on her laptop, took a deep
breath and said, “What in God’s name
are you talking about?”
“Honey… I’m marrying Bruce.”
“Bruce?” Lucy coughed. “Bruce the
Beagle?”
“Yes. We’re going to Mexico City.
It’s the only place south of Maryland
where gay marriage is legal. Think
about that: between Maryland and
Mexico City: one vast wasteland of
intolerance.”
My wife took several deep breaths.
“I have two problems with this,” she
said.
“Only two?”
“Number one, you’re already
married - to me. Number two, Bruce
the Beagle is a dog.”
“I know that, honey. And he’s
neutered, to boot. I’m not sure how I
feel about that. If I’m going to marry a
guy, don’t you think he should at least
have testicles?”
“Gil?”
“Yes, dear?”
“Have you taken your medication
today?”
“Every milligram. So I was thinking,
a simple ceremony. No elaborate meal
or anything. Just a cupcake and a
Milk-bone.”
“No one,” my wife said, “is going to
believe you’re gay.”
“Why not?”
“You’ve been married to a woman
for thirty years.”
“No problema. I can claim it’s one
of those ‘show marriages’. You know,
like Rock Hudson and Doris Day.”
“They weren’t married.”
“Sure they were. Didn’t you see
Pillow Talk?”
“That was a movie.”
“Bruce and I are filming our
wedding, too. With his i-Phone.”
“I’m calling Dr. Mendoza,” Lucy
said.
Dr. Mendoza was my psychiatrist.
“You leave Dr. Mendoza out of
this,” I warned her. “He’s a big fat
homophobe.”
“He is?”
“He’s the Mexican Rush Limbaugh.
I told him about my plan, and, guess
what--he was totally against it! He said
marriage is a sacred bond between a
man and a woman, not between a man
and a male dog. I said to him, ‘So, Dr.
Mendoza, if I married a female dog,
would that meet with your approval?’”
“What did he say?”
“‘Time’s up.’ Listen honey, you need
to prepare yourself, because people are
going to have a lot of questions when
the next issue of GAARP Magazine
comes out.”
“What?”
“I’ve submitted a photo of myself
for the centerfold.”
SATURDAY 16
“And they accepted it?”
“It was photo-shopped. And I had
to lie about my age. I told them I was
eighty-seven—you get extra points for
being older. And I just made it over the
minimum size-requirement, too.”
“Wait a minute. You mean…”
“Total unobstructed frontal, honey. I
begged the editor to let me hold Bruce
in my lap for the photo-shoot. But he
said that it would violate their editorial
policy.”
Lucy shook her head, said, “Why do
I ever believe anything you say,” and
went back to her mail.
In the end, Bruce reverted to his
intractable beagle ways, refusing to
go through with the ceremony until
I’d gone into heat--not likely anytime
soon. Also, he wanted me to sign a
pre-nup. I had no choice but to cancel
the engagement. Fortunately, that
didn’t stop the rumors.
Eventually word got out about
the GAARP centerfold, as well, and
before you could say, “Uno! Dos!
Tres! Ole! Ole! Ole!” the store was
swamped with gay clients, all of
whom wanted to know what the exact
size-requirements were for making the
GAARP centerfold. Naturally, I was
a little coy on the subject, but when
I finally did give out a number, I did
so in centimeters. My client, Harry,
an older American who thought a
centimeter was a multi-footed insect,
all but fainted.
“T-t-t-twenty-f-four?” he gasped.
Then Mrs. Smythe (a stodgy windbag
who worshipped the very receipts my
wife wrote upon) walked in.
“Is it true?” she asked, her voice a
menacing rumble.
“Is what true, Mrs. Smythe?”
“That you’ve married… someone
named Bruce?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?”
“Mrs. Smythe, the only Bruce
I know is… well… he’s missing
something. And like I told Lucy, if I
was going to marry someone of my
own gender, I’d expect the guy to have
at least one testicle. If not two.”
“No testicles!” Harry exclaimed in
horror.
“That poor woman,” Mrs. Smythe
barked.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
“What poor woman?”
“Your wife.”
“Which one?”
“You have more than one?” Mrs.
Smythe growled.
“Yes, well, there’s Lucy, of course.
And then there’s Bruce.”
“Who is this Bruce character,
anyway?”
“A neutered beagle. We’re very
close.”
“That poor woman.”
“Tell me,” Harry, who seemed to
think I’d been speaking metaphorically,
asked, “did Bruce meet the minimum
size-requirement, too?”
“I wouldn’t know; you’ll have to
ask Paul.”
“Who is Paul?” they both demanded.
“Bruce’s owner.”
“Bruce has an owner?”
“Yeah, him and Bruce are a pretty
kinky couple. You know, collars,
leashes, all that leather stuff.”
“I just don’t understand,” Mrs.
Smythe groaned, “why that wonderful
woman would…”
“Mrs. Smythe,” I said coyly, “please
wait till the GAARP centerfold comes
out, then ask that question again.”
“When is it coming out?” Harry
asked eagerly.
“When is what coming out?”
“The GAARP issue, with your
centerfold.”
“Not till next December. Guess
what, Harry… they’re saving me for
the Christmas issue!”
“No way!”
“I’m calling my attorney,” Mrs.
Smythe snapped. “His specialty is
spousal abuse.”
“No need for that, Mrs. Smythe. My
wife hasn’t slugged me in months.”
Gil Gevins is the author of four hilarious
books, including his latest and greatest,
SLIME AND PUNISHMENT. Signed copies
of all Gil’s books are available at his wife’s
wonderful folk-art shop, LUCY’S CUCU
CABAÑA, located at 295 Basilio Badillo.
You can also find Gil’s books on AMAZON
and AMAZON KINDLE.
Fish Tales
Off-season species hangin’
out at the Marieta Islands
Written by STAN GABRUK
of Master Baiter´s Sportfishing and Tackle
Spring-like
temperatures
continue here in Puerto
Vallarta which of course is
very welcome to the locals
and tourist as well. Fishing is
incredible as Dorado, Sailfish
and Striped Marlin have made
their minds up to hang out for
a while longer. Plenty of bait
in the water and perfect fishing
conditions means you can still
have that finned fantasy in an
8-hour trip. The good news is
the fishing is great and while the warm
water will eventually turn chilly, for
now, it’s time to go fishing!
If you’re looking for smaller fish and
a ton of action, then Jack Crevalle are
just what the doctor ordered. Inside the
bay, Jack Crevalle have turned into the
dominant species along with Bonito,
Skip Jack Tuna and the occasional
Snapper. In front of Yelapa there are
still Yellowfin Tuna Footballs in the 35
to 45-lb range, but they shouldn’t be
there. With the rivers and the structure
near the shore and under the water, the
fishing is great and to be frank, this
will be a cookie cutter paragraph for
the next few months.
The Marieta Islands are the place
to be for the time being. Those who
missed the Sailfish this summer have a
second chance off the islands with the
warm currents that are keeping them
in the area. Dorado can run anywhere
from 15 to 35 lbs., Rooster fish have
moved out, but they were replaced
by Jack Crevalle. Not exactly good
tasting fish, but they fight like demons
and the crew will make good use of
them. Some Snapper at 25 lbs., Plenty
of Bonito and there are just too many
fish to list here.
With these strange currents from
who knows where, we’re seeing some
interesting possibilities. Me, I want
the Rooster fish to come back. For an
8-hour day, you can have fun…
Corbeteña and El Banco are still
sporting Striped Marlin to 250 lbs.,
Dorado to 40 lbs., Jack Crevalle to 45
lbs., Wahoo of 60 lbs., Sailfish around
The Rock. I mean it’s like summer,
but better with the perfect weather
and sea conditions. Yellowfin Tuna
from 60 lbs. are still running The
Rock and the high spots. This is a
12-hour day, so you have to weigh
your options. At the Tres Marias
Islands the YF Tuna are still running
in the 200-lb plus range, not cheap,
but there you are, you fanatics!
Punta Mita and off the point
is still producing Stripe Marlin,
around 175 lbs., Dorado at the
buoys running 25 lbs., Rooster fish
possibilities around the reef off
Sayulita. I mean it’s like summer
fishing…
Just a simple reminder: there are
a lot of Mexican-owned boats now
putting very low end products out
to people who are only conscious of
price.
SATURDAY 16
35
Ask specifically if the crew includes
a captain and a first mate, who both
speak English. Nothing worse than
wanting something and the crew
pretends to speak anything but
English - not good. Make sure you’re
moving at a decent pace when heading
out, many boats charging going out of
business pricing go 8 to 10 miles/hr to
the fishing grounds, not acceptable for
anyone who knows fishing. My boats
go 25 mph. You are paying for time
with your line in the water, not a
tug boat ride to China. This can
mean as much as 3 to 4 hours
more fishing on an 8-hour trip.
So if you start trolling out of
the Marina, you got screwed.
Make sure you have a radio on
the boat, many of these illegal
captains and operators are using
cell phones as communication
tools. That may be great if the
captain’s wife wants to reach
him, but it falls short if there is
an emergency on the boat. Now
imagine the boat is sinking,
what are these guys going to
do, call the wife and have her send
someone 30 miles out to find you?
Sounds stupid, but it’s happening all
the time. If some guy sporting neck
tattoos walking down the street or
boardwalk wants to show you his 25boat fleet, ask him the captain’s name,
the owner’s name, and don’t pay any
more of a deposit than you have to.
This way, if the boat that shows up is
not what you wanted or they raise the
price, walk away and kiss the money
goodbye. If somebody rips you off
on tours or boats in Marina Vallarta,
come by and I will tell you how to get
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
your money back and how to make
sure this never happens again. But
just use common sense when doing
things in PV, it’s safe for sure, but
it’s still Mexico - different culture,
different way of thinking. Believe
me, I know. So be safe, have fun and
make sure your greed doesn’t cloud
your common sense. For those who
think this is sour grapes or trying to
squash my competition, that is not
the case. I have people come into my
shop everyday with horror stories.
So beware, be safe and have fun, just
don’t be stupid!
Until next time, don’t forget to kiss
your fish and remember: at Master
Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle “We
Won’t Jerk You Around!”
Master Baiter’s has changed
locations in Marina Vallarta and
are now near Victors Café Tecuba.
Look for me at the least traveled end
of Marina Vallarta and I will be there
in my new place! Everyone coming
by to see my new location will get a
FREE CITY or JUNGLE TOUR!
So I expect to see you all at my shop
soon! Master Baiter’s is still the
only real fishing company in Marina
Vallarta with its own exclusive boats
that are reliable, fast, with Englishspeaking, fish-catching professionals!
Questions on any subject, feel free
to ask at my email: CatchFish@
MasterBaiters.com.mx Web page:
www.MasterBaiters.com.mx or call
me directly locally at:
044 (322) 779-7571 or if
roaming: 011 521 (322)
779-7571 (this is my cell
phone directly until the
shop phone is working).
You can come be a
¨Fan¨ on Facebook here:
http://www.facebook.
com/pages/MasterBaiters-SportfishingTackle/88817121325
Facebook Fans get
special perks you won’t
find in my reports.
The trade name Master Baiter’s ®
Sportfishing and Tackle is protected
under trade mark law and is the sole
property of Stan Gabruk.
36
Calendar
Solution to crossword on page 39
Solution to Sudoku on page 39
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
Real Estate
37
by: HARRIET MURRAY
There is price and there is cost.
They are not the same.
For this discussion of Mexican
real estate, we will use price as
the amount of money you pay for
the villa or condo you purchase in
Mexico. Cost will be the entire
amount: the property, closing
costs of the notary and bank trust,
inspection, your attorney, as well as
your time and effort invested. After
your purchase, any further costs
and time involved in issues other
than normal maintenance should
also be considered part of the
overall amount of your investment.
In the rush and stress of
contemporary life, we tend to make
quick decisions using opinion and
not considered thought. We seemed
to have lost discipline to question
what we do from an objective
standpoint.
Sometimes, the cost of a purchase
is more than it should be, because
we failed to consider and analyze
certain things:
Have I organized the source
and amount of funds I will use to
purchase?
Is the price of the condo still too
high for one which needs a lot of
upgrading?
Am I being swayed by the fact
that it is beachfront?
Will my overall investment or
cost be too high if I overpay for the
location?
Should I really trust an estimated
cost for remodeling given to me
verbally?
Do I really want to skip the
step of using a qualified Mexican
attorney to be my advocate and to
analyze my purchase from a legal
standpoint?
Why would I think that a US/
Canadian attorney could do the
same detail and assist me?
Do I realize that knowledge and
experience in building trades and
repair is relevant since electricians,
SATURDAY 16
plumbers, builders, architects are
not licensed?
Do I understand that asking for
references from people I know
well is more important than asking
someone I do not know well?
Will I interview the person I am
considering for the job?
If I am not fluent in Spanish,
will I use a competent and ethical
interpreter who has no other agenda
than to help me with the translation?
Do I understand that the tropical
climate I love requires different
methods of building and caring for
my home?
Have I taken the time to learn
that products like appliances and
electronics bought here can have
more service support?
Is what I am buying designed and
built for high humidity, heat and
salt air and water?
Have I discussed with my agent
the different people and companies
involved in my transaction?
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
How are their roles different than
from what I know elsewhere?
Have I learned to anticipate and
ask questions because I am in a
different country, culture, language,
and legal system?
Do I understand that by being
here I agree to be under the rules of
this country?
It is important to think ahead and
realize that in the end, your choices
will make a difference in whether
the overall cost of your decision
has been worth it for long-term
benefits. These costs and benefits
are financial as well as emotional.
This article is based upon legal
opinions, current practices and my
personal experiences. I recommend
that each potential buyer or seller
of real estate conduct his own due
diligence and review.
Harriet Murray can be contacted at
harriet@casasandvillas.com
38
Hi-Tech
Closing the book on Facebook?
Are you getting tired of logging
into Facebook and trying to keep
up with everyone from high school
up to your extended family? You’re
not alone.
Recent surveys found that more
than half - 61% - of the members
of the social network have taken a
break from it from time to time, and
more than a quarter – 27% - told
researchers they planned to spend
less time there in the future.
In addition, a fifth of online
adults who were not Facebook
users said they had used the
network at one time but deserted it
and never returned. But how could
this powerhouse of social media be
losing users at such a pace?
While Facebook has been
criticized for how it uses its
members’ content and personal
information, as well as its tendency
to force changes upon users, none
of those things were cited as reasons
for taking a break by a significant
number of the social networkers
surveyed.
The top reason for taking a hiatus
from the site was time: 21% of
members said they were too busy
for it. There it is... TIME. I’ve seen
friends sit for hours sifting through
updates and new posts of news or
photos from friends far and wide.
I personally have never gotten
deeply into Facebook for that very
reason… I don’t have the time.
Many users admit Facebook
takes up too much time because
they let it, but many are slowly
weaning themselves off it. They
say they want real time with friends
and family. There’s a novel idea…
real time with real people! By far,
the main reason for cutting back
or leaving Facebook were things
going on in their lives that prevented
them from doing Facebook stuff.
It’s called a life!
Now it’s not unusual for
technology enthusiasm to ebb and
SATURDAY 16
flow within a person’s life. This is
in line with what we’ve seen with
a lot of other social media and
technologies. But like the “hot” club
to go to, moods and preferences can
change! Remember MySpace?
MySpace was created in 2003
and by 2005, it had been bought by
Robert Murdoch’s NewsCorp for
$580 Million U.S. By August 2006,
MySpace had their 100 millionth
account created! Not bad for 3
years work.
By late 2007 into 2008, MySpace
was considered the leading social
networking site, and consistently
beat out main competitor Facebook
in traffic. Initially, the emergence
of Facebook did little to diminish
MySpace’s popularity. Facebook
was targeted only at college
students initially. At its peak, when
NewsCorp attempted to merge it
with Yahoo! in 2007, MySpace was
valued at $12 Billion U.S.
A former MySpace executive
suggested that the late 2006, $900
Million Dollar 3-year advertisement
deal with Google, while being a
short-term cash windfall, was a
handicap in the long run. That deal
required MySpace to place even
more ads on its already heavily
advertised space, which made the
site slow, more difficult to use, and
less flexible.
MySpace could not experiment
with its own site without forfeiting
revenue, while rival Facebook was
rolling out a new clean site design.
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
With massive declines in users,
MySpace started bleeding red ink
and losses soared.
In February 2011, NewsCorp put
MySpace up for sale, but no one met
the $100 Million reserve bid. In July
2011, MySpace was sold to a private
group including Justin Timberlake
for a reported mere $35 Million
Dollars. How the mighty fall.
Facebook itself ended 2012 with
more than 1 billion monthly active
users and 618 million daily active
users. It was the most downloaded
app in 2012, according to a recent
ComScore report, and a whopping
20% of all the time users spent on a
mobile app was on Facebook.
So will Facebook go the path of
MySpace? I doubt it. Facebook is
constantly developing new things
for the user, whereas MySpace
was looking for ad revenue for its
shareholders. But taking a step back,
enjoying the real world and your
friends in person is not a bad thing.
Balance and moderation is the key.
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
Brain Teasers
39
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
Solution to Crossword on Page 36
SUDOKU!
Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle.
The aim of the puzzle is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each
row, column and group of squares enclosed by the bold lines (also called a
box). Each box must contain each number only once, starting with various
digits given in some cells (the “givens”). Each row, column, and region must
contain only one instance of each numeral.
Completing the puzzle requires patience.
It is recommended as therapy because some studies have suggested they
might improve memory, attention and problem solving while staving off
mental decline and perhaps reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Solution to Sudoku on Page 36
SATURDAY 16
ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
FRIDAY 22
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ISSUE 226 | FEBRUARY 2013
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