1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. mexico and central america

ISSUE
329
www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 329
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
February 2015
Need to Know
2
ISSUE
329
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.
If you look at the maps on this page, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, smack in the middle of the Bay of Banderas
- one of the largest bays in this country - which includes southern part of the
state of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.
Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre mountainsthe Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned in the Pacific.
Hurricane Kenna did come close on October 25, 2002, but actually touched
down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 kms north of PV.
The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian Islands,
thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.
AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers
POPULATION: Approx. 325,000
inhabitants
CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with
an average of 300 sunny days per year.
The temperature averages 28oC (82oF)
and the rainy season extends from late
June to early October.
allowed under certain circumstances
but fishing of any kind is prohibited.
Every year, the Bay receives the visit
of the humpback whales, dolphins and
manta rays in the winter. During the
summer, sea turtles, a protected species,
arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.
FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo
hosts a great variety of animal species
such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,
raccoon, etc.
ECONOMY: Local economy is
based mainly on tourism, construction
and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,
mainly tropical fruit such as mango,
papaya,
watermelon,
pineapple,
guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.
SANCTUARIES:
Bahía
de
Banderas encloses two Marine
National Parks - Los Arcos and the
Marieta Islands - where diving is
CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is
the legal currency in Mexico although
Canadian and American dollars are
widely accepted.
Index
BUSES: A system of urban buses
with different routes. Current fare is
$7.50 Pesos per ticket and passengers
must purchase a new ticket every time
they board another bus. There are no
“transfers”.
TAXIS: There are set rates within
defined zones of the town. Do not enter
a taxi without agreeing on the price with
the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a
hotel, you may want to check the rates
usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you
know which restaurant you want to go,
do not let the driver change your mind.
Many restaurateurs pay commissions to
taxi drivers and you may end up paying
more than you should, in a secondrate establishment! There are 2 kinds
of taxi cabs: those at the airport and
the maritime port are usually vans that
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
can only be boarded there. They have
pre-fixed rates per passenger. City cabs
are yellow cars that charge by the ride,
not by passenger. When you ask to go
downtown, many drivers let you off at
the beginning of the area, near Hidalgo
Park. However, your fare covers the
ENTIRE central area, so why walk 10 to
15 blocks to the main plaza, the Church
or the flea market? Pick up a free map,
and insist on your full value from the
driver! Note the number of your taxi in
case of any problem, or if you forget
something in the cab. Then your hotel or
travel rep can help you check it out or
lodge a complaint.
TIME ZONE: The entire State of
Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the
area of the State of Nayarit from Lo
de Marcos in the north to the Ameca
River, i.e.: Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías,
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Sayulita, San
Pancho, Punta Mita, etc. North of Lo
De Marcos, Guayabitos, La Peñita,
San Blas, etc. are on Mountain Time,
i.e.: one hour behind PV time.
TELEPHONE CALLS: Always
check on the cost of long distance
calls from your hotel room. Some
establishments charge as much as U.S.
$7.00 per minute!
CELL PHONES: Most cellular
phones from the U.S. and Canada may
be programmed for local use, through
Telcel and IUSAcell, the local carriers.
To dial cell to cell, use the prefix 322,
then the seven digit number of the
person you’re calling. Omit the prefix if
dialling a land line.
LOCAL CUSTOMS: Tipping is
usually 10%-15% of the bill at restaurants
and bars. Tip bellboys, taxis, waiters,
maids, etc. depending on the service.
Some businesses and offices close from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening until 7 p.m. or
later. In restaurants, it is considered poor
February 2015
WHAT TO DO: Even if your allinclusive hotel is everything you ever
dreamed of, you should experience at
least a little of all that Vallarta has to
offer - it is truly a condensed version of
all that is Mexican and existed before
«Planned Tourist Resorts», such as
Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, were
developed. Millions have been spent to
ensure that the original “small town”
flavor is maintained downtown, in the
Old Town and on the South Side.
DRINKING WATER: The false
belief that a Mexican vacation must
inevitably lead to an encounter with
Moctezuma’s revenge is just that:
false. For the 21st year in a row, Puerto
Vallarta’s water has been awarded
a certification of purity for human
consumption. It is one of only two
cities in Mexico that can boast of such
accomplishment. True, the quality of
the water tested at the purification plant
varies greatly from what comes out of
the tap at the other end. So do be careful.
On the other hand, most large hotels
have their own purification equipment
and most restaurants use purified water.
If you want to be doubly sure, you can
pick up purified bottled water just about
anywhere.
EXPORTING PETS: Canadian and
American tourists often fall in love with
one of the many stray dogs and cats in
Vallarta. Many would like to bring it
back with them, but believe that the laws
do not allow them to do so. Wrong. If
you would like to bring a cat or a dog
back home, call the local animal shelter
for more info: 293-3690.
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING: A good
beginning would be to take one of the City
Tours offered by the local tour agencies.
Before boarding, make sure you have a
map and take note of the places you want
to return to. Then venture off the beaten
path. Explore a little. Go farther than the
tour bus takes you. And don’t worry this is a safe place.
ISSUE
329
Your Comments
[email protected]
Dear Editor,
What a weekend!
Any remaining doubt about the richness of our
cultural choices was dispelled with the highly
professional staging of Equus on Friday, Piaf and
Much More, with Joëlle Rabu and her fabulous
accompanist/son at the Red Room on Saturday,
and our own Paco Ojeda’s erudite, funny and
totally enjoyable tribute to Carol King featuring
Kim Kuzma, Eduardo Leon and Joëlle Rabu at the
Palm on Sunday.
We are so fortunate to have people like Danny
Mininni, Mark, Tracy, Paco and so many others
who are devoted to making this more than just a
beach / tourist destination. No wonder PV continues
to receive acclaim as a great place to retire.
My heartfelt thanks to all who strive to better
our town. And incidentally, that includes you, PV
Mirror. Congratulations on your impressive - and
still free! - publication.
Suzanne Kirkpatrick
Dear Editor,
Alas, the difficult financial time of the Golden
Arches have reached the Malecon in PV!! It
seems that the management has adopted a new
policy that anyone wishing to use the washrooms
must present a receipt indicating that a purchase
has been made in order to use the washrooms.
The entrance is being guarded by an employee
who reviews your receipt and allows passage.
In these days of intense competition in the
food industry, this new policy merely irritates the
regular patrons and discourages any new patrons
from their first visit which often includes the use
of the washrooms prior to eating. We wanted
to purchase soft ice cream conos but could not
access the washrooms to clean our hands without
first paying. This process now required us to pay
for the conos, take our receipt to the washroom
police, then return to have our order filled!!
This is a very poor and negative form of
advertising for a large chain such as McDonald’s.
Management should review the first chapter of
advertising 101 which suggest you must get the
customer in the door to make the sale and not put
a sign outside that says “Take Your Nature Calls
Elsewhere” ...unless you have a receipt!!!
Yak
A McDonald’s shareholder
Dear Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to correct
the potentially libelous information that you printed
about me and the market last week. For the record,
this is the 6th season of the Old Town Farmers’
Market-Tianguis Cultural and since day one we have
always allowed for -even encouraged- our vendors to
bring their children to the market. In fact, last year
one of our most successful vendors was a 12-year
girl and her brother from our young entrepreneur
program. We are well aware that children of the
vendors are our potential future vendors.
The market has received a number of complaints
from other vendors and market goers about the
unruly behavior of some of the vendors’ children
and after many friendly attempts by the market to
resolve the issue failed, the market had no option
but to take further steps to enforce our policy that
all vendors’ children under 10 must be under the
direct supervision of an adult. We certainly are NOT
planning to ban children from the market.
The markets only objective is to respect and balance
the needs of all of our market stakeholders including
the vendors, the market goers, the neighborhood and
the greater community of Vallarta while fulfilling the
market’s obligations to the City of Vallarta. We have
been working with the parents over the past number
of weeks to find a solution to the problem.
In addition, ethical journalism is defined “as
practicing the principles of truthfulness, accuracy,
objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public
accountability as these apply to the acquisition
of newsworthy information and its subsequent
dissemination to the public.” Like many broader
ethical systems, journalism ethics include the
principle of “limitation of harm, including harm to
someone’s reputation”.
Since you do not appear to practice ethical
journalism, even though you claim to on your site,
may I suggest that you preface your letters to the
editor with the fact that no attempts have been made
to verify the contents expressed in the letters. I have
read many of your so-called “letters to the editor”
with horror knowing the havoc they have brought to
many businesses and individuals in our community.
If your objective is as an editor to build community, I
suggest you reconsider your policy regarding letters
to the editor.
Continued on Next Page
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Sound Off
3
4
Sound Off
ISSUE
329
Continued letters to editor...
In the future should you be interested in the other side of an issue, I
would be more than happy to meet with you.
Regards,
Charlotte Semple
Founder & Executive Director
Old Town Farmers’ Market - Tianguis Cultural
Dear Editor,
From my perspective, the PV Mirror is the face of Puerto Vallarta.
Each year thousands of tourists and residents rush to read a copy of
the Mirror. The Mexican culture, PV services and entertainments, and
lifestyle editorials fill its pages. All are greatly appreciated.
This letter is to suggest another editorial area. Tourists and PV residents
hunger for an extended knowledge of PV and Mexico’s history. Movies,
books, and a Dan Grippo lecture series on the history of PV and Mexico these
past three to four winters have helped my understanding of these topics. It
has occurred to me that the PV Mirror could benefit from a weekly article
highlighting this subject matter. Thanks for considering my thoughts.
Fin Wahl
Dear Editor,
Like many of your readers, we also have been coming to sunny Puerto
Vallarta for many years. We have been to other winter destinations:
Barbados, Cuba, Nice, Florida, St-Martin, Marguerita Island, etc. In
their own way, they have all been pleasant, but we keep coming back to
Puerto Vallarta. It is difficult to find a winter home with such friendly
people; a city where you meet new friends from so many different
places of the world; so many professional services; pleasant restaurants
that offer dishes for every budget & palate, and boutiques that have such
an array of souvenirs & gifts.
We want to share with you and your readers a most pleasant gift
boutique and dental office situated in the center of Zona Romantica.
Over the years one of us either needed a filling or a cleaning. This year,
a broken denture required a replacement. Dr. Francisco (Paco) Rincon
was able to have new dentures made within ten days. Well readers, I kid
you not, I have never had dentures that fit so comfortably and perfectly
in my life. Dr. Rincon and his technician (located in same building)
really took care, time and patience to ensure such a perfect fit. So, if
you require any dental attention, we strongly recommend that you pay
them a visit at 278 Lazaro Cardenas, 223-4182.
As an added surprise, the Dental Care reception is located in wonderful
gift shop. How pleasant to wait in such surroundings. Very reasonably
priced vases, wine glasses, pitchers and all kinds of objects you can
purchase for yourself, a diner invitation or a special occasion. One more
plus: hablan español, Pierre parle français, they speak perfect English.
Sus amigos,
Patrice et Raymond
Dear theatre-loving friends,
Larry and I attended opening night of a wonderful production, Equus,
offered by a new artistic company, Perro Bravo, utilizing the main stage
at Act II on Basilio Badillo.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Publisher / Editor:
Allyna Vineberg
[email protected]
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Harriet Murray
Stan Gabruk
Krystal Frost
Giselle Belanger
Gil Gevins
Ronnie Bravo
Tommy Clarkson
Luis Melgoza
Todd Ringness
Christina Larson
Dr. Fabio Cupul
Tim Wilson
John Warren
Bill Jory
Polly G. Vicars
Office & Sales: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
Cover Photo:
“Original Friends”
by Monroe Davids
PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.
Certificados de licitud de título y
contenido en tramite. Prohibida la
reproducción total o parcial de su
contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías sin
previa autorización por escrito del editor.
An important notice
The PVMIRROR wants your views and
comments. Please send them by e-mail to:
[email protected]
250 words max, full name, street or e-mail
address and/or tel. number for verification
purposes only. If you do not want your name
published, we will respect your wishes.
Letters & articles become the property of
the PVMIRROR and may be edited and/or
condensed for publication.
The articles in this publication are provided
for the purpose of entertainment and
information only. The PV Mirror City
Paper does not accept any responsibility or
liability for the content of the articles on
this site or reliance by any person on the
site’s contents. Any reliance placed on such
information is therefore strictly at such
person’s own risk.
Note:
To Advertisers & Contributors and those
with public interest announcements,
the deadline for publication is:
2:00 pm on Monday of the
week prior to publication.
ISSUE
329
Every aspect of the performance -from direction, lighting and
set, to acting, pacing and staging- was stellar. The proverbial
“bar” has been undeniably raised with this top-notch production,
directed by Alain Perreault, whose talents as an actor have also
delighted many of us in previous shows, including The Foreigner
and The Rocky Horror Show, among others.
While the plot of Equus is dark and controversial, it is
engaging, thought-provoking on many levels, and truly not
to be missed. Your attendance can help assure more such
professional-quality theatre in Vallarta, which is a gift to
those of us who so appreciate the magic / beauty / power of a
well-executed live drama or comedy. The show runs through
February 21st, and tickets are conveniently available on-line
through: http://vallartatickets.interticket.com
My best,
Norma
Dear Editor,
February is a busy month for all of us here in Puerto Vallarta.
There are fabulous shows and great entertainment to see. There
are incredible restaurants to go to. And there are, of course, the
countless charity events around town that not only are for great
causes, but are also different and fun gatherings to attend.
This weekend being Valentine’s Day, there are two events
a block away from each other. High Tea at the Chapel
(Puerto del Cielo, 366 Miramar across from the Hacienda
San Angel) which benefits the SPCA Sanctuary. This is at
12 noon February 14th, $650 pesos, with tickets available at
Cassandra Shaw Jewelry or the Hacienda San Angel. It is
suggested that you purchase yours beforehand. There will
be clothing designed by the very talented Laura Lopez and
jewelry designed by myself, Cassandra Shaw.
Down the street one block is the art exhibition from the
workshop of Lucille Shipley, at 414 Zaragoza, from 1 to 5
p.m. Lucille has been an art director here in PV for many
years (decades). All the art work is done by Lucille and her
participants, and 10% of the proceeds will benefit the Cleft
Palate Program run by the International Friendship Club.
Please try to make it to both for a fine afternoon of fashion
and art.
Thanks,
Cassandra Shaw
Dear Editor,
I really appreciate how the PV Mirror highlights the best
of PV for residents and visitors. I’ve read many letters to
the editor about Maurice Monette’s Confessions of a Gay
Married Priest and I want to add one more:
The book is an inspiration for how to live life and how
to love oneself and others fully - perfect for Valentine’s
Day or an easy read on the beach. I was very happy to see
Monette will be a featured speaker at the upcoming PV Writers’
Conference. Anyone wanting to write a memoir can learn a lot
from Monette’s straightforward and creative writing style.
David Kamp
Los Bambinos
Flashback Show
continues to sell out
Christina Larson
By
For the 4
consecutive Tuesday in a
row, the Roxy Rock House was packed
with music fans out for a good time with
friends and loved ones, at Los Bambinos
Flashback: A world favorites tour Show.
In this performance, the four Morales
brothers explore the ageless favorites
from the Rock and Roll past along with
contemporary international selections.
Peppered into the show are Los Bambinos
original songs, quick becoming song
requests at private parties, and dinnerside serenades.
On Friday nights, Los Bambinos
present their Unplugged show, appealing
to those wanting to savor the rich
offerings of Latin music. No mariachi
here, Los Bambinos take you on a
bohemian tour of ageless melodies,
replete with masterful guitar finger-work
and colorful harmonies. In the intimate,
cabaret-style setting their music shines
and inspires. Experience this easylistening Unplugged show this Friday
8-10 p.m. at the Roxy Rock House.
Whether planning a private event or
wanting a fun night out while in town,
Los Bambinos music delivers the heart
of Puerto Vallarta to you. The group
brings choice entertainment to each
and every event and show, melding
disciplined vocal study and inherent
musical talent with over ten years of
international performance experience.
Their memorable performances truly
bring the party to life!
See Los Bambinos Tuesday & Friday
nights 8-10 p.m. Show tickets and
event booking information at www.
losbambinosmusic.com or 222-4357,
English spoken. Reserve in advance
to ensure the best possible seats to the
show. The Roxy Rock House has live
music every night at 217 I.L. Vallarta in
the Romantic Zone on the south side of
town. See you at the show!
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
th
February 2015
Sound Off
5
Within PV
6
ISSUE
329
Los Mangos annual auction best ever!
T
his year’s Auction at the Biblioteca
Los Mangos Public Library was the
biggest ever, attended by nearly 500
people; it raised $220,000. pesos, about
10% more than last year.
While the event attracted donations from
220 artists mainly from Puerto Vallarta
and its region, we also had donations from
Guadalajara and Mexico City. There was
a total of 350 works / pieces, the greatest
ever. While the Live Auction sold 23 of
the 29 pieces it selected, the Fixed Priced
Room did not do so well, selling only
20% of the pieces.
The Board feels that the economic
recovery has not reached the pockets
of the common Vallarta man or woman,
however there were great signs of hope;
the Children’s Auction attracted 3 schools
and raised $8,000. pesos, plus the interest
of a new generation of parents and their
children; a catalogue online was ready
before the Auction, meaning artists could
donate earlier, making it easier to classify
and organize their work, and the public
could see their pieces. Leaders of the
community have come forward to be either
a part of the Library’s Board or a part of
the Auction’s organizing committee.
The Board has a new vision for the
event next year and they would like to
express their thanks to the community for
their continued support.
Xtreme Tours, a travel company
that has brought Spring-breakers only
to Puerto Vallarta, for the last 5 years,
wanted to share their success by giving
back to Los Mangos Public Library.
The support they have received from the
local community has been immense and
after careful revision of various charity
programs, they felt that education had to
be their cause.
Part of their donation will be applied to
the Scholarships for Reading program,
which reimburses the busfare twice a
week for a mother and a child to come and
participate in a reading group, for up to 6
weeks. The program is renewable and has
gifts for motivating parents to participate
and children to stick to it. Xtreme has
chosen well and this upcoming Springbreak season should be their best one yet.
Dear Editor,
This is to thank all the people and sponsors for their support of
the Sicilian Soiree fundraiser, making it possible to keep serving
our community.
We all definitely had a wonderful evening and enjoyed the great
food from Sapori di Sicilia and the spectacular live performance
by Bohemia Viva during this unique benefit to support the San
Juan Diego Senior Home.
For more information, please visit asilosanjuandiego@live.
com.mx or call (322) 113 3038.
Thanks for make this night come true.
Stratos Media
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
ISSUE
329
Within PV
7
Live, Give and Enjoy – Provecho style!
P
art playing cards – part insider’s guide to Vallarta, Provecho
Vallarta offers a “deck of a deal” to visitors and locals alike in search
of the area’s best businesses.
Back in 2012, Provecho Vallarta was developed as a creative vehicle
to support the ingenuity of local entrepreneurs. Something fun.
Something cool. Something easy to understand. Provecho Vallarta is
a deck of cards – like playing cards. Back for a fourth year with new
additions, this little package packs a punch and is wonderful way to
Live More and Spend Less!
Deliciously compact, Provecho Vallarta’s deck features 53+ cards.
Each card contains a description of a local restaurant or business and
doubles as a 100-peso gift certificate to the business it describes.
Retailing at $300 pesos, this $5,300.+ peso value is an innovative way
to introduce customers to new spots and encourage them to revisit old
favorites, including perennial favorites Vista Grill, Trio, La Palapa,
Joe Jack’s Fish Shack, El Arrayan, Barcelona Tapas, Archie’s Wok,
No Way José!, La Cigale and Coco’s Kitchen. This year there are
exciting new inclusions such as Antonio’s Seafood, Maia, 116 Pulpito
and Sapphire Ocean Club.
“Provecho Vallarta is a modern twist on the tired coupon. A way
to save money with style,” partner Michelle Mayer-Fulfer says
explaining the concept. “We realized that we are all creatures of habit
and sometimes we need to shake it up a bit. Vallarta is a fun town.
Why not create a cool and fun way to explore the city’s best dining
and entertainment at a great value?”
Driven by a love of quality food, friends and good times, Provecho
Vallarta’s focus is to increase the visibility and continued viability
of quality businesses. With this as the goal, they combed the region
looking for first-rate spots. Stacked in every Provecho deck are
businesses they love and vouch for. There are no “fillers” with a
broad selection of not only restaurants but also yoga studios, salons
and spas, tours, shopping and even a chiropractor!
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
They didn’t stop there. Deciding that they would donate a percentage
of sales to area charities was easy. For the past couple of years,
Michelle and partner Ana Uribe-Jack chose a wonderful charity to
donate a percentage of profits - Pasitos de Luz, a fantastic organization
providing free care to disabled children with limited means. They
have also teamed up with some wonderful volunteers at area charities
to fundraise. Last season, Pasitos de Luz’s impassioned volunteers
have garnered over $19,000 pesos for their extraordinary children.
One-third of all proceeds sold by Pasitos de Luz volunteers go directly
to this wonderful charity. Contact Ginger Carpenter (gingercarp@
hotmail.com), Barb Bremmer ([email protected]) or buy them
at Deja New Consignment shop (280 Jacarandas, 322-157-4965)
or Bang On T-shirts (1193-A Ave. Mexico) and 100 pesos of your
purchase will go to the Pasitos de Luz children.
Provecho Vallarta keeps the terms and conditions simple and
universal. The 2015deck is valid now through December 31, 2015.
The discount is 100 pesos off a purchase of 300 pesos or more at any
merchant partner (excluding other promotions, prix fixe menus and
during Restaurant Week). At 300 pesos a deck, customers have to use
3 cards and the deck has paid for itself. Who doesn’t treat themselves
at least three times a year?
The decks have become a must-have for PV residents and visitors.
Jonas, who sells them at Joe Jack’s Fish Shack and Mi Tienda, says
they are an easy sell. “With great savings at amazing restaurants and
businesses, people gobble it up. Then, you let customers know that
a percentage of sales goes to Pasitos de Luz and they understand the
community focus of the deck.”
Provecho Vallarta’s 2015 decks are available now and can be
purchased at various locations around town including: Joe Jack’s
Fish Shack, Page in the Sun, Mailbox Etc. (Molino de Agua), Bang
On T-shirts,, Curvas Peligrosas, Lucy’s Cucu Cabana, Deja New
Consignment, 116 Pulpito and Salud Superfood. Or contact Pasitos de
Luz’s Ginger Carpenter ([email protected]) or Barb Bremmer
([email protected]). Consider the Provecho Vallarta deck as your
Ultimate Guide to the best that Vallarta has to offer.
February 2015
8
Within PV
ISSUE
329
No GAY GLAAD Awards
civil rights organization. After all, Al Sharper’s
NAN (National Action Network) isn’t listed as a
hate group but Westboro Baptist Church is.
By
Tim Wilson and
Gary Lichtenstein
GAYPV Magazine has just been notified that
our NAAHG (National Association Against Hate
Groups) was placed on the Southern Poverty
Law Association hate group list. We are calling
an “emergency meeting” to protest this action
and are contacting Reverend Al Sharper (name
changed deliberately) for advice on a response.
GAYPV was hoping our non-violence, non-hate
group would not be targeted or suspect by the
Call to Order of our Emergency Meeting:
Agenda Item #1: Gay Nightclubs are getting
straighter by the minute! The gay nightclubs of
today are becoming too diverse. We are seeing
more and more straights enter our gay world.
There is a “noticeable absence” of gays-only
in our clubs at night. The lack of total gays is
“appalling” and while it is good that straight
people are integrating into the gay community,
it is ironic there is a total gay “shut-out” in our
fabulous nightlife, something that is great part of
our history. Like Rev Al Sharper, we are calling
for an “emergency meeting” with a task force
assembly of GAYPV all gay
advertisers to take “potential
actions” before our Gay Pride
event on May 22, 2015. What
happened to the good ole days
when straights didn’t want
anything to do with the LGBT
community? GAYPV makes
a motion to bring back more
gays into our clubs.
Agenda Item #2: GAYPV
is outraged at the last GLAAD
(Gay & Lesbian Advocates &
Defenders) award nominees
and performers. This event
is supposed to recognize and
honor LGBT performers.
Instead of choosing Little
Miss Hot Mess to perform,
they choose Jennifer Lopez
someone not rumored to be gay
at all. Instead of honoring a true
gay icon like Elton John, they
honor Kacey Musgraves. She
is another straight performer
not rumored to be gay that we
never even heard before the
awards. Our gay community
has been “snubbed” hence
#noGAYGLAAD.
GAYPV
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
crack statisticians did the math. 76% of the
GLAAD nominees and performers were not
rumored to be gay. We don’t need an emergency
meeting to lobby our congressmen to get gay
marriage approved in the rest of the 50 states or
help find a cure for AIDS. We hereby duly call
for an emergency meeting to protest “too many
straights” in the GLAAD awards.
To facilitate our recommended action and
follow up to the committee, GAYPV has contacted
Rev. Sharper by phone with a few questions. Are
you really a Reverend, Mr. Sharper? Do you
have your theological certification? We have
our gaydar id cards which are required to enter
the gay clubs to prove our gayness? May we see
your certification? How many gay whites are
employed at NAN? GAYPV staff reviewed your
staff and Board of Directors on your website and
we did not see one white person rumored to be
gay listed. We question whether NAN can be
truly diverse with only blacks employed there?
Do you provide same sex benefits for your staff
at NAN? We have referred this to the GAYPV
research team to look up your rating on the
recent HRC Corporate Equality Index. As your
Rocky Mountain statement goes: Your NAN tax
bill is like US corporate taxes: the higher your
earnings, the less you pay. How can GAYPV
take advantage of your strategies and make our
clubs and the GLAAD awards gay again? Our
final question, Rev. Sharper: do you know how
many gays have been nominated for the 87th
Academy Awards and do you care?
Tim Wilson
Is owner and editor of GAYPV Magazine (www.GAYPV.mx)
in Puerto Vallarta. This magazine features news,
a complete list of gay and friendly businesses and events,
interesting stories, and around town photos of gay and
friendly businesses and people in Mexico. It is available
in print, online and the new app on Apple newsstand in
December 2014. Tim is an official member of NATJA where
he and GAYPV contributors provide content and press
releases about Puerto Vallarta as a “beyond Gay Friendly”
destination to international LGBT media outlets.
ISSUE
329
PV Garden Club meeting
February 19th at 11 at No Way Jose! Restaurant
T
he guest speaker will be Troy Martz at our meeting this
Thursday, February 19th.
Troy, his wife Pilar and their three daughters, moved to Puerto
Vallarta in July of 2014. Their choice of Vallarta was because of
the ideal climate for growing and building their lives around their
passion of Permaculture. Permaculture is a branch of environmental design and integrated
water resource management that helps to regenerate and self
maintain habitats and agricultural systems. Troy is working to
organize regenerative and sustainable markets in Puerto Vallarta.
He is currently leading the effort to create a regional collective that
aims to synchronize the organic food requirements of restaurants,
hotels, and stores, with the production capabilities of city
gardeners and rural farmers and ranchers. With millions of acres
of surrounding Ejido land, the potential for transforming Puerto
Vallarta into a “beyond organic” destination is remarkable. He will be speaking on ways that you can develop an urban
garden on your decks. At our “Party of the Year”, An Evening under the Stars, in
addition to all the great food and entertainment, the Puerto Vallarta
Garden Club will also hold an auction of many exciting items,
including this painting entitled La Reina, 82 cm by 107 cm.
You can get your tickets at Carol’s Boutique, Galleria Dante,
R.K Supplements at 130 Rodolfo Gomez, and from any member of
the PVGC Board, especially Treasurer Matthias Vogt at Matthias.
[email protected], Tel.: 222-4019. This event was sold out last year so
don’t delay getting your tickets!
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Within PV
9
10
Within PV
ISSUE
329
By
I
remember when my beautiful
wife Sandra Gaye and I first started
talking about moving to Mexico; it
was 2002. The topic came up soon
after we told everyone we knew that
we were officially without a work
contract, and were open to whatever
our God had in store for us. We
received an unlikely invitation from
a fellow we did not know who asked
if we would consider joining him
and his wife in Puerto Vallarta to
start a retreat center.
The sequence of events that
followed played out like something
from a Hollywood blockbuster…
well that’s it how it felt to us,
anyway. Doors were flinging open.
Coincidental conversations. Strange
emails. Surprising offers. Bang,
bang, bang all day long for several
days. We needed to debrief each
day to discuss the conversations and
emails each of us had experienced
that day… it was an exhilarating
experience of alignment for us.
It simply could not be denied
that we would soon be heading
to Mexico. We planned a huge
garage sale and decided that most
Todd Ringness
everything would have to go, except
for what we could pack into our
Aerostar van. Most people who
heard about our plans thought we
were loco. Many commented on how
much courage was required to do
such a thing. Honestly, at the time,
there wasn’t much thought… it just
felt like what we were supposed to
do. So we stepped out in faith and put
things in motion. And our lives were
forever changed.
Surprisingly, the original plan did
not come to pass. In reality, our first
three months in Mexico were some
of the most difficult weeks our young
marriage had seen, including the
heartache of our third miscarriage
and the passing of Sandra Gaye’s
mother. My wife believes that we
followed the path that was indeed
meant for us, but the destination and
the path are often not the same, or
even connected. And I would add, at
least though our eyes anyway.
In the midst of the pain and
uncertainty,
something
else
unexpected
happened.
Puerto
Vallarta stole our hearts like an
innocent orphanage baby.
And we decided that after some
healing time up north that we would
try her again on new terms. The rest
of this story will be saved for another
time due to space restrictions, but
looking back, I would agree that a
certain amount of courage was needed
to make the leap. For us, it was simply
shared faith -- a powerful force indeed.
Speaking of leaps, we decided to
take one and experience the cutting
edge production of EQUUS playing
at the Act II Main Stage theater. In
case you haven’t heard, people are
talking about this dramatic play
because there is nudity, sexuality and
a disturbing theme. Directed by the
very courageous Alain Perreault
and produced by Michel Ferrari of
the Sapphire Ocean Club, EQUUS
is arguably one of the most important
Vallarta performing arts events ever.
The
beyond
noteworthy
performance of César Bravo as a
believable 17-year old with serious
issues was honest and true. How
actors get any more vulnerable than
being completely naked on a stage?
Talk about courage! But don’t be
deceived. The remarkable story and
this production’s creative excellence
combine to turn the nudity into
completely compelling theater. I left
totally impressed by the production…
and in need of time to reflect and
process what I had been told through
this play; truly, this is the hallmark of
achievement for drama on any stage.
The big question was whether or not
EQUUS would find a big audience
here in our town. While this remains
unclear, I dare say that attendance
numbers are not important. That’s
because even if you don’t go, it won’t
mean it didn’t happen. Monsieur
Perreault has aptly vaulted the theater
bar. And one day, this single stage
event may be pinpointed as the actual
date of birth for Vallarta’s Theater
District and the coming of age for a
vibrant multinational performing arts
community. Felicidades to everyone
involved!
EQUUS plays through February
21st on the Main Stage. You can get
e-tickets through VallartaTickets.
com or visit the Act II Stages box
office after 12 noon.
Don’t forget the 2015 Mardi Gras
Parade is Tuesday night (Feb 17),
starting at 8 p.m. Organizers say
this family-friendly event will have
more than 20,000 spectators with
dozens of parade entries… making it
a record-breaking year! The parade
starts at the Sheraton and heads
south through downtown along
the malecon. Take some chairs and
enjoy the spectacle of a nighttime
parade in our city.
It takes great courage to start
something
new…
especially
something big. The VallartaNayarit Classic Rock Festival
made its debut this past December.
There’s been recent online buzz for
a return of the Festival next year.
Check out posts on Facebook and
chime in on which classic rockers
you would like to see next time. This
event was heavily marketed through
the Hard Rock Hotel chain and it
holds great promise as a very high
profile annual event to entice people
to visit Vallarta and rock on!
If there’s something stirring in you,
I truly hope that you can muster the
courage to just say, “Si!” Find likeminded people and share your vision
whenever possible. You too may find
doors flinging open and exciting new
adventures just around the corner.
Blessings upon you!
Todd Ringness
Along with his wife Sandra Gaye are the founders of Vallarta Tickets, a Canadian online
ticketing agency serving the Banderas Bay region and beyond. You can usually see this man
about town, or you can email: [email protected]
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
ISSUE
329
Deja New presents
‘Fashion for Compassion’
Next
Saturday, February 21st, at 12:30 p.m.,
at Oscar’s Restaurant on the Isla Cuale, Kathleen
Palmer, owner of Deja New Consignment, is at
it again bringing great fashion, fun, good food,
entertainment, fabulous make-up and hair by Alex,
in a gorgeous venue together for one reason: to raise
money! This time Ms Palmer is giving back – with
your help – to the Colina Spay & Neuter Clinic.
The 3-course luncheon will be served while
beautiful models meander through Oscar’s restaurant
where the river meets the sea. Included among the
models is the one and only KIM KUZMA who will
also be singing, accompanied by Eduardo Leon on
guitar. Miss Conception, currently packing the Red
Room every night, will also appear to entertain you
as one (or maybe more?) of his fantastic characters
from his new Wonderful show (thank you Kim,
Eduardo and Kevin!)
As Kathleen’s Charity Fashion Events always sell
out – get your tickets fast. As well as being able to
buy clothes and jewelry by Cassandra Shaw while
you enjoy lunch, you can win a door prize, buy raffle
tickets, bid on silent auction items and try your luck
on the 50/50 raffle. You get tickets for the door prize
by donating gently used clothing for the Colina Spay
& Neuter account at Deja New. You will receive one
door prize ticket for each clothing item you bring
with you to donate. The raffle and silent auction
prize opportunities are unbelievable and include
restaurant certificates, entertainment passes, hotel
stays and more.
Join us for good food, entertainment and prizes and
mostly to further the important caring work done by
the Colina Spay & Neuter Clinic.
Tickets are available at Oscar’s Restaurant,
Langostinos on Los Muertos Beach, Deja New
Consignment Clothing: all three locations (280
Jacarandas on the south side; 31 de Octubre #171,
downtown near Woolworth’s; Plaza Marina, local
F9), Cassandra Shaw Jewelers, Nacho Daddy’s and
Alexander A Salon in Plaza Marina. Fashion show
tickets are $350 pesos and include a three-course
luncheon, a glass of sangria with tax and tip.
Colina Spay & Neuter is located on V. Carranza in
the Romantic Zone on the south side of town. This
is a FREE clinic for cats and dogs. Those able to
pay some or all, please do. If you cannot, then all
services provided are free.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Within PV
11
12
Within PV
ISSUE
329
Do you know Alex?
It’s a Bingo Party at Nacho Daddy’s
Wednesday, February 18th!
C
ards go on sale at 5 p.m. and
bingo starts at 6 p.m. At each bingo
night at Nacho Daddy’s, we have a
final cash blackout game with the
winner taking home half the pot
in pesos. At our last two bingos
the winners received an amazing
$4300 and $3500 pesos in cash!!!!
We use paper cards and bingo
daubers - we supply the daubers!
Buy a package of seven - three
card regular games for 100 pesos
and additional cards for the cash
blackout bingo at three for 100
pesos or singles for 50 pesos. It
only takes one to win! Increase
your chances of winning even more
by bringing clothing to donate to
the Pasitos de Luz or Colina Spay
& Neuter accounts at Deja New
Consignments; you will receive
one free bingo card for each of the
seven regular games.
C
Our raffle prizes and bingo bags
are amazing! At our last bingo,
winners left with gift certificates
for Coco’s Kitchen, scuba lessons
and sea dive from PV Sea Dive,
show tickets to Greater Tuna at
The Palm Cabaret, tickets and
dinner for the Boutique Theatre
with Mikki Prost, an overnight
stay at Casa Isabel, and more! We
also have more great sponsors that
include Barcelonas Tapas, Salud
Super Food, Joe Jack’s Fish Shack,
Cassandra Shaw Jewelry, Mascotas
Veterinario, Quetzalli Spa, Dr.
Rachel, Langostinos, Intelligent
Movement
Centre,
Cheeky
Monkey and Nacho Daddy’s, to
name a few. Our bingo bags have
over $1000 pesos in gift certificates
in every bag! Best of all, you are
supporting two great charities in
Puerto Vallarta.
All proceeds from your generosity
help the children of Pasitos de Luz a special needs centre in Pitillal - to
receive meals, therapy, compassion
and education; and you help Colina
Spay & Neuter who offer spay and
neuter services for cats and dogs
free of charge to those who are
unable to pay. Come out, try your
luck, help charity and enjoy a great
night of fun at Nacho Daddy’s –
287 Basilio Badillo!
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
reative artist Alex Daoud, originally from Jordan, has been styling
and coloring hair (with his specialty being blonds) all over the world for
nearly 20 years. He is always studying new hair products, colors and
keeps abreast of current fashion trends. Alex has studied to become the
Master Colorist he is in Germany, Italy, Jordan and with CHI USA.
Every Sunday at the La Cruz Market – this is his third year - you will
find Alex cutting hair and threading eyebrows and giving 50% of his
sales to Casa Hogar, Pasitos de Luz, Kids with Cancer and Corazon de
Niña. Alex is passionate about ‘giving back’ particularly when it comes
to children. He understands the importance of education as these very
children to whom his hand extends will, one day, run this paradise he now
calls home. Last season, Alex donated more than $15,000 pesos to his
favorite charities and at every Charity Bingo, Alex offers gift certificates
to his salon to be raffled off or given away as prizes. You can find Alex at
the Riverfest this March 7, cutting hair & threading eyebrows the entire
day and donating 100% of the proceeds to Pasitos de Luz.
Alex also offers 50% of the proceeds from Brazilian Blowouts (semipermanent straightening of the hair) to either Pasitos de Luz or the
Colina Spay & Neuter Clinic. Just let him know when you schedule or
when you are at the salon that you want 50% of the proceeds from your
Brazilian Blowout procedure to go to the charity of your choice.
Rhonda, who is involved with many fund raising events around Puerto
Vallarta, says Alex is the most giving hair stylist in town. “He never
says no, no matter how many events I ask him to donate to, the answer
is always yes.”
Alex and Kathleen Palmer (Deja New Consignment stores) team up
for charity fashion shows with Ms Palmer handling the clothes and Alex
the hair and makeup for the models. They are a formidable pair giving
up their time, energy and money to charities in Vallarta.
The next big event will be held at Oscar’s Restaurant on the Isla Cuale,
February 21st at 12:30 p.m., to raise funds for the Colina Spay & Neuter
Clinic. Clothes by Deja New and make-up and hair by the Magic Man
himself, Alex Daoud.
You can find Alexander A Salon at Plaza Marina Local 25D. To
schedule a service with Alex please call him at (322-169-8111) or email
[email protected] Go to his Facebook Alex Daoud to see his
Amazing “Before & After “ pictures if you need more convincing.
February 2015
ISSUE
329
Two dynamic IFC events coming up
By
John Warren
An in-town retreat: a mindful path from
difficult emotion to creative action
On February 26, 27, and 28, Kavindu, author
of Mindfulness and Director of Meditation
and Co-Founder of YogaEspacio.com, will be
leading an in-town retreat in mindfulness at the
IFC clubhouse on the theme: A Mindful Path
from Difficult Emotion to Creative Action.
Kavindu says, “Emotions urge the mindbody to action. Too often with difficult
emotions we choose the habitual
path and simply reinforce the
afflictive
emotion
through
repetition and proliferation. We
will closely examine the true
nature of emotional energy,
the underlying values being
expressed by our emotions, and
the many options for creative
action available when we choose
to live mindfully.”
The dates and times of the sessions are:
Thurs. Feb. 26: 7 to 9:30 p.m.; Fri. Feb. 27:
9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 7 to 9:30 p.m.;
Sat. Feb. 28: 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. All sessions
will be at the IFC. No meditation experience or
training required.
Discount for early registration: for entire
conference: $1,450 pesos or $100. US (includes
closing lunch!) Also possible to register for
individual sessions only. Cash and Paypal
accepted. For more information, please contact
Dan Grippo at [email protected]
Capturing and preserving family memories
Tuesday, February 24th at 7 p.m., the
International Friendship Club (IFC) is hosting
an interactive workshop led by Candace George
Thompson, author of the award-winning family
saga, Still Having Fun, a Portrait of a Military
Marriage. Candace will facilitate “The Gift
of Story: Capturing and Preserving Family
Memories.” Donation for IFC charities: $50
pesos at the door.
You are invited to discover easy ways to
capture family memories as Ms. Thompson
shares family traditions and habits such as
special event letters and a memory jar. Take
away concrete ideas and resources for engaging
your entire family. Handouts included.
We talked to Candace recently about what
inspired her to write her family saga. “The
short answer is grief. After my parents died a
week apart in 2007, I found solace in re-reading
my mother’s 1947-48 letters from post WWII
Okinawa.”
“Before she got Alzheimer’s, Mother had
mentioned wanting to publish those 30+ letters.
I decided I would take on her project and the
little project grew. It expanded back to my
parents’ courtship and my father’s Army Air
Corps days. It crept forward in
time as I delved into documents
and records, navigator logs
and travelogues, performance
evaluations, tax returns and
household expense ledgers. My
parents, it turned out, led welldocumented lives.”
“Much to my surprise, I
ended up writing an entire book
about their life adventures. Since the book
was published, I’ve become an evangelist for
capturing family stories and documenting
family life.”
Candace urges you to start collecting your
own family stories. “Don’t wait; don’t hesitate.
Do it now - before it’s too late. Record your
uncle’s memories about the Vietnam War. Ask
your mother or grandmother to tell you about
an early job or the origins of a favorite family
recipe. Decide to make saving memories a
family tradition.”
You can start by attending Candace’s lively
and informative workshop at the IFC on Tuesday
evening February 24 at 7 p.m. And bring your
pen!
“Of all the gifts people can give, the most
meaningful and lasting are love and the gift of
story.” - C. P. Estes
The International Friendship Club is a
registered charitable organization in Mexico
listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de
Puerto Vallarta A.C., located at the northeast
corner of the Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC
Bank downtown. Phone: 222-5466. Website:
ifcvallarta.com Email: [email protected]
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Within PV
13
14
Calendar / Directories
ISSUE
329
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
ISSUE
329
Airline Directory
AEROTRON
226-8440
AIR CANADA 01 800 719-2827
AIR TRANSAT 01 800 900-1431
ALASKA
01 800 252-7522
AMERICAN
01 800 904-6000
CONTINENTAL
See United
DELTA 01 800 266-0046
FRONTIER
01 800 432-1359
INTERJET
01 800 011-2345
SUN COUNTRY 01 800 924-6184
UNITED
01 800 864-8331
US AIRWAYS 01 800 428-4322
AEROMEXICO 01 800 021-4000
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Calendar / Directories
15
16
Beyond PV
ISSUE
329
At the Vallarta
Yacht Club…
On
February 23rd, the Vallarta
Yacht Club will be sponsoring the
Tom Coster and Friends dinner and
concert. Tom is a celebrated and award
winning composer. During Tom’s
decades-long career, he has played with
some of the finest artists in rock and
jazz, including Carlos Santana, Vital
Information, Gabor Szabo, Third Eye
Blind and Loading Zone. He has also
produced an incredible number of solo
projects. His knack for fusing rock and
jazz is unparalleled. Among his best
known compositions are Europa, Flor
D’Luna, Baila Mi Hermana and The Perfect Date.
Dinner, which will consist of Leek & Potato Cream Soup, Grilled
Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce or Roasted Chicked with Grilled
Pineapple Salsa, and Cheesecake for desert, shall begin at 6 p,m, with
the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $425 pesos for members
and $600 pesos for non-members by PREPAID ADMISSION ONLY.
*****
On March 11th, the VYC
will be sponsoring an encore
performance by Kassiano
and his musical director, Julie
Murillo. Kassiano is a well
known singer and recording
artist. Julie has been playing
classics
like
Beethoven’s
“Moonlight Sonata” by ear
and singing Pop, Jazz and
Rock in English, Spanish and
Portuguese. Her piano style
has been described as “simply
astounding”. She was born in Chihuahua, is an engineer by profession,
and graduated from Chihuahua University as well as Bellas Artes
University where she learned classical piano. Her piano interpretation
and soothing vocal style spans three decades and has taken her on tour
throughout Mexico, the US, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Thomas and Hawaii.
Hors-d’oeuvres will be served at 6 p.m. The show will commence at
7:30 p.m. in theater style seating. Cost is $275 pesos for members and
guests and $375 pesos for non-members by PREPAID ADMISSION
ONLY.
Please contact Rudy or Danny at VallartaYacht Club, 297-2222, for
tickets and additional information for both events.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
ISSUE
329
The 7 Arts
17
Magic, Memories and Mischievousness
in The Red Room Cabaret
Lorna Luft: Accentuating the Positive - Coming
from a ‘show biz’ family has its advantages.
But unless one is truly gifted, works hard and is
incredibly persistent, it’s very difficult to sustain a
career in entertainment. Lorna Luft, the daughter of
Judy Garland and the sister of Liza
Minnelli, has established a long
and successful career in her own
right. Puerto Vallarta is pleased
to welcome back Lorna Luft for
performances on February 12, 13
and 14 at The Red Room, Act II
Entertainment.
Cashetta - has delighted
audiences for over 18 years with
her outrageous wit, charm and
crossover appeal and remains
one of America’s most beloved,
unique and sought after female
impersonators.
As a Singer,
Comic, Emcee, Magician and
Fabulous
Psychic
Medium,
Cashetta is a one of a kind
entertainer that is not to be missed!
February 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Jason Brock - X-Factor’s break-out star! Jason
Brock wowed Vallarta with his rich soulful voice and
charming demeanor in 2014. We are so excited to
bring him back for a few limited dates in February.
February 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Banderas Bay Jazz Allstars - consist of Chas
Eller on keyboards, Bryan Savage on sax &
flute, Steve York on bass, and Lazaro Poey on drums. Individually these players have had successful
careers back in the States, Europe, Cuba, and around
the world. Now they are spending winters in the
greater PV area, and have joined forces to create an
amazing musical chemistry the likes of
which this area has not seen before.
Members of the group have played
with Dr. John, Paul Butterfield,
Kilimanjaro, Tom Coster, (Santana),
the Amazing Rhythm Aces, Al Stewart,
Marianne Faithful, Joan Armatrading,
and festivals in the U.S., Canada,
Europe, the Soviet Union, and Asia. The uniqueness of these four
individual’s musical roots makes for a
repertoire that covers the gamut of jazz,
blues, and funk style. February 20 at
7:30 p.m.
Luna Rumba - thrills audiences with
their sonic tapestry of Latin Fusion,
Gypsy Flamenco, Arabic Melodies,
Cuban Rhythms, Celtic Riffs and even
Latin Jazz. Their shows are a celebration
of musical fusion, human diversity,
creativity, warmth and virtuosity. Fiery violins,
rumba-flamenco guitar, hot keyboard riffs and cool
bass ride on top of the unstoppable polyrhythmic
grooves created by the exotic percussion instruments
and drums. If this weren’t enough, be prepared to
hear vocals that will melt your heart and warm your
soul. February 21 at 5 p.m.
Every week in the Red Room…
Miss Conception - will be launching her new show
called ” The Wonderful World Of Miss Conception”
this year, an all live singing show with your favorite
story book characters …with a twist. Started
from Cawthra Park high school for the performing
arts to Mississauga Youth Theater and now this
international female Delusionist is ready to take the
world by storm or take their heels. Mondays at 7:30
and 9:30 p.m., Thursdays 9:30 p.m.
Kim Kuzma - her extensive vocal range and
sassy stage presence have earned her a reputation
as a dynamic performer and a Puerto Vallarta
favorite. Her casual often candid conversations with
her audience have earned her a loyal and rapidly
growing following of fans. Enjoy two different
shows: Acoustico features Kim and her fantastic 5
piece band. Just Kim is an intimate show with all of
Kim’s favorites. Both shows are not to be missed.
Acoustico: Sundays at 7:30 p.m.,
Just
Kim: Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Elvis - Impersonator extraordinaire Rob Knight
is a Pacific Northwest Award Winning International
Elvis Tribute Artist. Rob’s performance provides an
opportunity to travel back in time to enjoy the music
from Elvis’ career. Rob most enjoys singing the songs
of the powerful 1968 Comeback TV Special and the
unforgettable Aloha and Las Vegas Concerts.
There will never be another ELVIS, but as an Elvis
Tribute Artist Rob is honored to pay tribute to the
most significant entertainer of all time the King of
Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley. Wednesdays at 4 p.m.
The Red Room Cabaret is located upstairs in the Act II Entertainment STAGES complex at 300 Insurgentes
(corner of Basilio Badillo) in the Romantic Zone on the south side of town. Tel.: 222-1512.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
18
The 7 Arts
ISSUE
329
Amy Armstrong’s new music & comedy show ‘Diva Loca’
plus Latcho and Andrea: The Blond Gypsies at The Palm!
C
hicago-based musical-comedy
icon Amy Armstrong debuts her
new music and comedy variety
show ‘Diva Loca’ with special
guests beginning Feb. 19th. Also,
Latcho & Andrea: The Blond
Gypsies, star in a special Valentine’s
Day show on Feb. 14th.
Amy Armstrong, affectionately
known as the gal with ‘the voice of
an angel, and the mouth of a sailor’,
will perform both music and
comedy in her new solo show ‘Diva
Loca’ (Crazy Diva). Celebrating
her 10th season at The Palm,
Amy’s popularity with regular
partner Freddy Allen have made
them two of Vallarta’s favorite
entertainers. Having performed
all over the USA and on many
RSVP cruises all over the world,
Amy is best known for her brassy,
bawdy, over-the-top comedy and
powerful vocals. In her own show
this season, she will be joined by
special guest accompanists and
performers, including Argentinean
duo ‘Bohemia Viva’ on guitar
and vocals. A variety of other
performers will also join her
throughout the run. ‘Diva Loca’
begins February 19, to March 1.
Latcho & Andrea - The Blond
Gypsies are European recording
artists who perform Gypsy Rumba
and Spanish Flamenco Guitar music
in Puerto Vallarta. Both of German
descent, Latcho & Andrea’s music
takes influences from around the
world and back through time,
authentically
producing
the
mysterious and passionate sounds
of Gypsy Flamenco music. They
have recorded nine albums and
a DVD chronicling their long
musical career. Their debut at The
Palm earlier this season has thrilled
audiences and their popularity
continues to soar.
In order to trace the origins of
their amazing sound, you have
to go back some 30 years to El
Sacromonte, the gypsy quarter
of Granada, Spain, where Latcho
lived and learned how to play
Spanish guitar from the masters of
Flamenco. Touring with his band
Lailo, Latcho played with Antonico
Reyes, and members of the ‘Gypsy
Kings’ family, and other notable
musicians of the time in Europe.
Latcho & Andrea decided to leave
Europe and relocate to Puerto
Vallarta. They will play a special
Valentine’s Day show on Feb.
14th at 9:30 p.m. and an additional
performance on Feb. 28th at 7 p.m.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Dragapella Quartet The Kinsey
Sicks are currently starring in two
different shows, ‘America’s Next
Top Bachelor Housewife Celebrity
Hoarder Makeover Star Gone Wild!’
Feb. 9 – 26 & ‘Chicks with Shticks’
Feb. 12 - March 1st. Their new show
is expected to cause the greatest
blow to Western Civilization since
the advent of Hello Kitty or the
bubonic plague. Doomsday cults
are already jockeying for tickets
to this Thursday’s world premiere
of “Kinsey Sicks: Chicks with
Shticks”. The 21 new songs in the
show are an equal mix of appalling
original songs and unforgivable
parodies of old favorites …and
something to mortify everyone.
The song list will vary every
night, giving an excuse to our most
debauched fans to see multiple
performances. (Fans in PV can also
subject themselves to “America’s
Next Top Bachelor Housewife
Celebrity
Hoarder
Makeover
Star Gone Wild” if they want to
see a show with something that
resembles a plot.)
Also currently playing at The
Palm is ‘Greater Tuna’, starring
Tracy Parks and Chaz Weathers,
ISSUE
329
The 7 Arts
19
Something new: Cinema DiVa!
Dear Editor,
Thank you so much for your interest
regarding Cinema DiVa (DI-versity /
VA-llarta), Films & Art Festival (films,
photography, painting, dancing & theater) on
its first edition, to be held in Puerto Vallarta
from February 14th to 21st, 2015.
As you know, February is the month where
every day, visitors are involved in cultural and
recreational activities. These thousands of tourists are the main target of our Film Festival.
Our mission is to promote new talents in Mexican and international cinema and other
art with this specific market and at the same time, to contribute to the cultural and tourist
activities in our beautiful town.
We will show 16 films (9 documentaries) and 16 short films. We also have special events:
now playing through Mar. 30. Drag comedy icon
Miss Richfield 1981 is now playing through Feb. 24.
The Palm is well-known for bringing top notch,
cutting-edge entertainment to Vallarta. Inside you’ll
find an intimate, completely refurbished 90-seat
cabaret with outstanding sound and lighting, creating
the ambiance of cabarets from days gone by. Shows
are scheduled seven days per week with two different
shows nightly through April, 2015. The Palm also
offers matinees at 4 p.m. on selected shows.
The Palm is non-smoking (a patio is provided for
smokers) and is located at 508 Olas Altas, in the
Romantic Zone on the south side of town. Tickets
may be purchased online 24 hours a day, and at The
Palm’s Box Office, open at 11 a.m. daily. A full
calendar of performances, information and online
tickets are available at www.ThePalmPV.com You
can also find the Palm on Facebook at The Palm
Cabaret and Bar.
Friday 13th - Tribute to actor Jose Carlos Ruiz at 10 a.m. at the CUC.
Film Screening: The dark side of the light, with the presence of director Hugo Carrillo,
and actors Jose Carlos Ruiz, Tania Angeles & Eduardo Mendizabal.
Script Reading & Theater Improv with actors Tania Angeles & Eduardo Mendizabal.
Director: Hugo Carrilo. At Universidad Los Arkos, 5 p.m.
Saturday 14th - Opening Ceremony at Cinemex Galerías, 4 p.m.
Film screening: We are many (Documentary with scenes of Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon
& Mark Rylance, with the presence of producer Wael Kabbani & director Amir Amirani.
Fashion Show at Los Muertos Pier, 7 p.m.
Sunday 15th - Photography exhibition theme “Diversity” at Johnny’s Diner, 6 p.m.
Monday 16th - Spectacular, Spectacular Cabaret & Burlesque Show at Act II, 5 p.m.
Feb. 18, 19, 20th - Spectacular, Spectacular Cabaret & Burlesque Show at Act II, 3 p.m.
Our website (www.cinema-diva.com) should be ready with all details, we already have
our daily program and more info about our festival online.
Warm regards.
Rodolfo Salazar G.
Director del Festival Cinema DiVa
Facebook. Cinema-Diva Office: 222-3428, Cell: 322 105-8319.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
20
The 7 Arts
ISSUE
329
EQUUS opens on the Main Stage
to the best reviews in Vallarta theater history
“Detaches your mind and soul from
your theater seat.” - Paco Ojeda “An extraordinary production;
flawless!” - Marcia Blondin “Equus ranks among the best live
theater Puerto Vallarta has seen.” Gary R. Beck
“I had the true pleasure of
seeing Equus opening night. This
is an outstanding production from
beginning to end featuring truly
talented actors... Congratulations to
Ron, Cesar, Alain and the rest of the
cast and crew!” - Chris Anderson
“Well done!! The production is
‘Great theatre’!” - Karrie M. Sebryk
M.A. The Boutique Theater
EQUUS tells the story of
a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a
young man who has a pathological,
religious fascination with horses. An
explosive play that took critics and
audiences by storm; Equus is Peter
Shaffer’s exploration of the way
modern society has destroyed our
ability to feel passion. Alan Strang is
a disturbed youth whose dangerous
obsession with horses leads him
to commit an unspeakable act of
violence. As psychiatrist Martin
Dysart struggles to understand the
motivation for Alan’s brutality, he is
increasingly drawn into Alan’s web
and eventually forced to question his
“Extraordinary Production”
Vallarta Tribune
“Flawless”
Marcia Blondin
“Best live theatre in Vallarta”
Gary R. Beck
“Detaches your mind and soul
from your theater seat”
Paco Ojeda
own sanity. Equus is a timeless classic
and a cornerstone of contemporary
drama that delves into the darkest
recesses of human existence plays
from February 4th until 21st on
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays at 8 p.m. There will
be a Saturday matinée on February
14th at 2 p.m.
The Voice of Vallarta returns to
the Main Stage with Fight for Your
Life Week. 13 sing, only 10 survive. Mark your Calendars now for Fight
for Your Life Week. We start the
show with 13 contestants but before
the night is over, we will introduce
the TOP 10. Yes, 3 participants go
home on Feb. 15th. Don’t miss Fight
for Your Life Week, hosted by
the most talented host in Vallarta,
Juan Pablo Hernandez, who turns
SPANGLISH into an art form! The
Voice of Vallarta every Sunday at
8 p.m. And who better to judge
than Special Guest Judge Alain
Perreault? Spectacula Spectacular - A
Cabaret Burlesque Show opens on
the Mainstage Feb. 16th at 5 p.m.
A modern interpretation of the
classic musical “Cabaret”, performed
by Vallarta’s foremost dance
troupe, Latin Team Productions.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Using the story that takes place in
Germany at the beginning of the
Nazi era and combining it with
their own Latin rhythms, the Latin
Team puts forth an impressive and
highly enjoyable dance spectacular. Beginning with the strong opening
“Cabaret” that evokes the turbulent
Thirties, as “decadent” lifestyles
and music were beginning to
be suppressed in Germany, the
program moves on to “Mein Herr”,
“Burlesque”, and the famous
“Roxanne”, ending as powerfully as
the beginning with “Moulin Rouge”.
All with a charming Latin touch - an
evening not to be missed. Feb. 16th
at 5 p.m., and Feb. 18, 19 and 20
at 3 p.m. Produced and directed
by Benedicto Rodriguez Ovalle &
“The Latin Brothers”.
The Main Stage theater is located
upstairs in the Act II Entertainment
STAGES complex at 300 Insurgentes
(corner of Basilio Badillo) in the
Romantic Zone on the south side of
town. Tel.: 222-1512.
ISSUE
329
The 7 Arts
21
Political comedy takes the Boutique stage Feb. 19-21
“Chatting with the Tea Party” is a documentarystyle comedy by a New York liberal playwright. It
will be presented in a readers’ theater-style Feb. 1921, 2015, at The Boutique Theater.
Rich Orloff is the award-winning author who
traveled around the U.S. interviewing leaders of local
“Tea Party” political movement groups. His goal
was to get to know people whose political beliefs are
diametrically opposed to his, and the conversations
he finds himself having
are as hilarious as they are
controversial.
The Boutique Theater
is proud to host the Puerto
Vallarta directorial debut of
Ralph Hyman, who is moving
here from Little Rock,
Arkansas. Ralph has been
the artistic director of The
Weekend Theater in Little
Rock for 23 years, having
founded it to present “social
issue theater”. He has been a practicing licensed
psychologist for 36 years, as well as having 53 years’
acting experience. He is already looking forward to
directing next season at the Boutique Theater.
Hyman described why PV audiences will enjoy
“Chatting with the Tea Party”: “Since theater can
be an opportunity not only to entertain but also to
educate, I chose it because Puerto Vallarta has a very
large democratic ex-pat population. People have been
reading about the Tea Party in American politics,
but have not had much chance to encounter this new
and strange element. I hope this readers’ theater
production not only is hilariously entertaining, but is
also giving the ex-pats here a chance to learn about
this new wave of conservative, sometimes libertarian,
and very grassroots politics.”
Ralph’s cast stars David Guilmette as Rich, the
narrator. Ensemble parts will be performed by
Catalina Meders, Bud Shafer, Joe Murphy, Alice
Averett, and Catherine Beeghly.
Background
For a year, the playwright attended Tea Party
meetings and events in cities large and small, in every
region of the country. “Chatting with the Tea Party”
highlights more than 63 hours of interviews, plus notes
from events the playwright
attended, to create a play that
goes beyond sound bytes
and stereotypes to show the
people behind the opinions.
In a journey that’s at
times disturbing, humorous,
moving, and always thoughtprovoking, the playwright
discovers not only how and
if he can affect the people
he meets, but also how they
may be influencing him.
A question-and-answer session will be offered after
each performance, time permitting, so the audience
can ask questions of the cast, and share their own
anecdotes about experiences with the Tea Party, or
any political view they want to espouse.
Rich Orloff is the author of 15 full-length plays,
including the documentary-style play “Vietnam 101:
The War on Campus,” which has had 30 productions
across the U.S. His comedy “Funny as a Crutch” was
a New York Times Critic’s Pick, and his comic revue
“Romantic Fools” has had more than 60 productions
around the world, including a 20-month run in Madrid.
His plays have been presented at such theaters as
Detroit Rep, Florida Studio Theatre, New Jersey Rep,
Phoenix Theatre Company, West Coast Ensemble,
Dayton Playhouse, Ensemble Theatre of Charlotte,
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
and three times at the Key West Theatre Festival.
His short comedies have been published in numerous
anthologies, including the annual Best American
Short Plays (six times) and Best Ten-Minute Plays
(three times), plus An Anthology of Contemporary
American Short Plays (published in China).
Rich began his writing career as a reporter, and his
articles and essays have appeared in such newspapers
and magazines as Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles
Herald-Examiner, Cosmopolitan and Adult Video.
Make it a dinner-and-a-show night for $425 pesos,
or just see the show for $200 pesos. Dinner is served
at 5:30 p.m. with the play at 6:30. The dinner package
includes a choice of steak, chicken, or vegetarian
entrée. Patrons may also order off of the regular
Nacho Daddy “Mex-Tex cuisine” menu. Tickets for
“Chatting with the Tea Party” can be purchased online
at www.vallartatickets.com Nacho Daddy is at 287
Basilio Badillo, with the Boutique Theater upstairs.
For information, please call 322-728-6878.
22
Map
ISSUE
329
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
ISSUE
329
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Map
23
The 7 Arts
24
Cocktails
6 to 10 pm
ISSUE
329
At Galleria Dante
Galleria Dante
is located at
269 Basilio Badillo.
Jean-Gabriel
Friday, February 20th, 2015
C
olors, movement, depth, light and colors again: Jean-Gabriel’s
paintings are thrilling and explosive. From his first ink and pastel
scribbles to his most recent acrylic canvases, this artist is telling us a
story that has begun more than two decades ago. A self-taught painter, Jean-Gabriel first studied Pharmacy. He then
enrolled in theater school upon earning his degree. Jean-Gabriel has
performed on stage and has also starred in a few movies. He later
added singing to his artistic accomplishments.
Driven by an irrepressible desire to create, it’s finally in the visual
arts that Jean-Gabriel finds his true passion. Drawing and painting
opened up the possibility for an unimpeded daily practice: it’s this great
freedom that Jean-Gabriel has long sought. From the moment that he
began painting, he knew that he’d pursue this endeavor for the rest of
his life.
For the following three years, Jean-Gabriel devoted himself seriously
to painting and took a few technical courses.
Alvaro Zardoni
He first acquainted himself with large-format oil painting before switching
to acrylics. As he had always desired, he starts practicing his art daily and
Alvaro Zardoni was born at Mexico City’s “Colonia Roma”
Friday, February 20th, 2015
neighborhood. He studied painting and drawing at Irene Lindroth’s
studio from 1975 to 1981 and from 1983 until 1988. He started
to work in sculpture in an independent way, experimenting with
various materials until his almost exclusive use of bronze in his
current work. His sculpture - figurative and of small format - is
usually accompanied by different found objects that reinforce the
original idea of each piece.
Zardoni’s reference to both Classical and Mediterranean sculpture
also takes into consideration mythological themes, literary characters
or those derived from legends. He exhibits regularly around Mexico
in various galleries, official sites, cultural centers and alternative
spaces. Zardoni graduated from the School of Architecture at
the Universidad Anahuac (Mexico City) in 1987, and has been a
member of the Salon de la Plástica Mexicana since 2006. He is
currently represented by Galleria Dante in Puerto Vallarta.
Recently Alvaro was asked if he was influenced by artist Louise
Nevelson. “When I was quite young, I read something Louise
Nevelson wrote and that has stayed with me ever since. I love
her work and admire the courage she had to give up everything
and become an artist... though obviously I’m more into figurative
sculptors. I have passed through various favorite ones and studied
their work, the first one was Rodin, then Aristide Maillol, Camille
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
The 7 Arts
ISSUE
329
gradually asserts his distinctive style. His numerous trips to Mexico,
which has become his second home, provide much of his inspiration.
Jean-Gabriel continually finds in his Montreal studio the same
energy that propels him towards his daily ritual: his improvised
movements are triggered by music and meditation. A tangible context
stemming from reality is at the core of each of his paintings.
Whether it’s Mexico’s colors or an emotion related to friendship
or love, each painting is the realization of a simple concept. It is
sometimes through series that the artist, with thoroughness and
wonderful freedom, creates his artwork such as his “Piedras preciosas”,
his finely crafted and colorfully sparkling gems.
Holding the secret to the personal story that he has been telling from
the very start, Jean-Gabriel gives us the clues through his canvases’
titles: El Espejo, La Fiesta, Reforma, La Pura Vida, Madeleine, Volver,
etc. The beauty in Jean-Gabriel Lambert’s art rests in the multitude of
layers in his paintings. There is the artist’s story and all the stories of
each spectator. If they differ, there is always however an emotion as
powerful that Jean-Gabriel’s artwork infuses to its public.
Since 2000 Jean-Gabriel has been represented by several art
galleries in Mexico and Canada. He sells on average sixty paintings
yearly to American, Mexican and Canadian collectors. His public has
remained faithful throughout the years which Jean-Gabriel greatly
appreciates. He enjoys meeting people and sharing with them. “Love
that we never tire of”, says the artist, enriched from these exchanges.
Claudel, Josep Clará, Subirachs, Arno Breker, Robert Graham and
Javier Marin. I’m not sure if I can see their direct influence on my
work... they all have marked me in some way, perhaps very subtly,
but I try not to copy anyone... I have tried to find my own way of
expression...” he replied.
“From earliest childhood I knew I was going to be an artist. I felt
like an artist. Some people are here on earth and never know what
they want. I call them ‘unfinished business’. I had a blueprint all
my life, from childhood, and I knew exactly what I demanded of
this world. Now, some people may not demand of life as much
as I did. But I wanted one thing that I thought belonged to me, I
wanted the whole show. For me that is living... Who is an artist?
I say, we take a title. No one gives it to us. We make our lives,”
Zardoni added.
Alvaro’s work forms part of private collections in Mexico,
Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York, Portland,
Eugene, Seattle, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Colonia, Stuttgart, Vienna,
Ambers, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Madrid, Milan, Como, Paris and
London. In the last 5 years, Alvaro has also been commissioned
to create several park sculptures. He’s currently working on
three 2-meter tall sculptures for the city of Ciudad del Carmen.
The title of the current show opening at Galleria Dante is titled:
“Soñadores” (“Dreamers”).
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
Writers’ conference
to offer Tweeting tips
By
Bill Jory
If you have written a book and you want to sell it, empowerment
writer Donna Dahl will be providing a marketing formula at the 9th
Puerto Vallarta International Writers’ Conference March 6-8.
The author of three self-help books will guide participants in the
use of social media as a means of promotion. The conference,
sponsored jointly by Puerto Vallarta Writers’ Group and Biblioteca
Los Mangos Public Library, will be held at the library.
“The use of social media is essential to publicity in
communications today,” she says. She suggests “learn one of the
big five and take it from there. Finding the one you like can be a
lot like swimming. First you have to get in the water. After a few
lessons you decide if you prefer the breast stroke or the butterfly.”
The focus of her presentation, she says, will be “learning the 5
Ws of Tweeting on Twitter in a hands-on setting.” The sessions
will involve small groups working over two hours in a lab setting
with plenty of one-on-one assistance. Participants should bring
their own laptops.
Dahl is an annual visitor to Vallarta and a member of the writer’s
group. For more, her webpage is www.donnadahl.ca
Texas writer Caleb Pirtle, author of more than 55 books,
also promises to motivate as keynote speaker. Apropos to the
conferences theme of Leaving Our Mark ... Awakening More than
Memoir, Puerto Vallarta’s Maurice Monette, author of Confessions
of a Gay Married Priest, will offer tips on memoir writing.
Other presenters -- Sarah Cortez, James Callan, Thomas Pulley
and Melissa Frost – will also offer an inspiring mix of seminars,
workshops and interaction. Evelyn Byrne of White Bird Publishing
and literary agent Elise Capron, representing the Sandra Dijkstra
Literary Agency, will be on hand to consider manuscripts.
Registration is $125 U.S. Registration forms and information are
available by email at [email protected]. Payment can be made
via Paypal.
February 2015
25
The 7 Arts
26
ISSUE
329
Miguel Lopez Vazquez at Galería Contempo
A
multi-talented artist like Lopez Vazquez
is able to convey his message and inspire
various emotions. It doesn’t have to adhere to
any specific rules, Lopez Vazquez is creating his
own rules.
Born in 1972, Lopez Vazquez is an Mexican
artist whose cultural roots can be found first
in the city of Leon, Guanajuato, where he
interrupted his studies in Architecture to study
Graphic Design instead.
During the years, Lopez Vazquez has
studied several expressional techniques using
alternatively pencil drawing, acrylic ink on
paper, wood and canvas. At present, the
representational technique he uses most often
is monotyping and hand-painted acrylic and
pastels on natural cotton paper and canvas. This
method gives a more modern touch to a type of
artworks that already are known for expressing
fresh and modern contents.
Monotyping is a type of printmaking made by
drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent
surface. The surface, or matrix, was historically a
copper etching plate, but in contemporary work it
can vary from zinc or glass to acrylic glass. The
image is then transferred onto a sheet of paper
by pressing the two together, usually using a
printing-press. Monotypes can also be created by
inking an entire surface and then, using brushes
or rags, removing ink to create a subtractive
image, e.g. creating lights from a field of opaque
colour. The inks used may be oil based or water
based. With oil-based inks, the paper may be dry,
in which case the image has more contrast, or the
paper may be damp, in which case the image has
a 10% greater range of tones.
Monotyping produces a unique print, or monotype;
most of the ink is removed during the initial pressing.
Although subsequent re printings are sometimes
possible, they differ greatly from the first print
and are generally considered inferior. These prints
from the original plate are called “ghost prints.” A
print made by pressing a new print onto another
surface, effectively making the print into a plate, is
called a “cognate”. Stencils, watercolor, solvents,
brushes, and other tools are often used to embellish
a monotype print. Monotypes can be spontaneously
executed and with no previous sketch.
Miguel López Vazquez projects his curiosity
and inquietude towards the human being and
the variables that determine personal traits; he
organizes a balance of harmony, dimension,
proportion, combination, volume and color and has
a gift of knowing what, when and how.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
When you witness one of López Vázquez’
paintings and take into consideration his
creative formation in design, interiorism and
visual merchandising, you are seduced by his
use of color and luminosity.
The abstraction of his motifs seems to sprout
color like a fountain of light that shrouds the
beholder even after leaving the room, gallery or
museum.
The visual and emotive memory of his work
is a subtle trace of color and form that enriches
the spectator like the aftertaste of a good wine,
a fine chocolate, the aroma of a perfume.
Reminiscences that fade but never disappear.
Recollections that might seem very mundane,
but at the end of the day, are the ones that have
more permanence.
Such is the emotion of his art, like brushstrokes
on the patina of our emotions.
Art is something that can elicit a single thought
or feeling such as simplicity or strength, love
or pain and the composition simply flows from
the hand of the artist. Lopez Vazquez is free
to express himself in different mediums and
color schemes, using any number of methods
to convey his message. No artist ever has to
explain why they did something a certain way
other than that this is what they felt would best
portray the feeling or emotion or message.
GALERIA CONTEMPO cordially invites you
to meet this multi talented artist on Friday the
20th of February at his Opening Reception from
6 to 10 p.m. The two-story gallery is located at
252 Basilio Badillo, in the South Side. Phone:
223-1925, www.galeriacontempo.com
ISSUE
329
Hugo Barajas
Opens at Galería Pacífico
The highly acclaimed artist Hugo Barajas will present his newest work in
consecutive cocktail inaugurations at Galeria Pacifico on February 18th and 25th,
both during the Wednesday night Art Walks held from 6 to 10 p.m. in the historical
center of downtown Vallarta.
This will be Hugo’s seventh annual exhibition at Galeria Pacifico, but it will
encompass more separate techniques than ever before, including oils on linen and
board, terra cotta sculptures, fused glass hangings, monotypes and tapestry. The
usual focus on female faces is evident, but Barajas has also included a series on nude
female torsos and even has the face of a jaguar. The artist has continued with his
use of polymer resins as textural components and as a way to add brilliant impact
to the colors in oil. However, this year Hugo also has experimented with using iron
filings sealed onto the linen with the resins,
both as three-dimensional projections and
in lieu of paint, where the image is totally
composed of rusty metal particles with the
color of the linen as contrast.
Barajas has been invited to participate in
the last three occurrences of the prestigious
Florence Biennial Art Exhibition in Italy,
and has participated in several museum
exhibits in Mexico and in Canada. He
currently shows his work in galleries in
Montreal and Guadalajara, as well as at
Galeria Pacifico’s location at 174 Aldama
and has paintings on display at the Four
Seasons Hotel in Punta Mita, Nayarit.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
The 7 Arts
27
28
The 7 Arts
ISSUE
329
ART VallARTa Doll Workshop
with Rebecca Roth of Original Friends
If you have had the privilege of seeing Rebecca Roth’s amazing project
of working with women in a Mexican prison to make Prison ART Dolls,
you will be very excited by this special Doll Making workshop being
held at ART VallARTa on Thursday, February 19th from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m., and Friday, February 20th, from 10 a.m. to 3+
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
Visit Rebecca’ website Original Friends Dolls at www.prisondolls.
com to read the full history of how this project originated out of a tragic
story of wrongful incarceration to becoming a very beautiful new art
form and hope for the women in this Mexican prison.
Rebecca has arranged for the women in the prison to make a special
group of fairy doll bodies for this ART VallARTa class, to decorate in
your own person style.
What fun to get together with friends and make your own ART Doll to
take home! You will experiment with painting doll faces and customize
your fairy with your own material (broken jewelry, buttons, bits of lace or
this and that, shells, etc.) Limited only by your imagination!
Cost: $650. pesos and includes basic materials.*
The class will be held on the 3rd floor of ART VallARTa in the
multimedia art studio located at 213 Pillitas in the Romantic Zone on the
south side of town.
As space is limited, we recommend that you reserve your space now by
emailing [email protected]
*ART VallARTa will supply paints, brushes, needles, thread, some
yarns and other creative odds and ends. The doll body will be provided.
Editor’s note: The dolls that grace our cover for this Valentine’s Day
issue were made by the ladies in the prison mentioned above.
February 2015
ISSUE
329
Jacobo and Maria Angeles at Colectika
Colectika
On Wednesday the 18
Pope Francis
and Jacobo
of February, from 6
to 10 p.m., Galería Colectika will be hosting
two of the most famous Oaxacan wood carvers,
Jacobo and Maria Angeles.
This was a very special year for Jacobo and
Maria, they participated in the creation of
a 1,200-piece nativity scene for the Vatican
Museum. 142 families were involved but Jacobo
and Maria were responsible for carving and
painting Mary, Joseph, the Angel and baby Jesus.
Their nativity scene was inaugurated on the 10th
of December by Pope Francis. Jacobo and Maria
were on hand to describe why they made Mary,
Joseph and baby Jesus darker than the Angel.
th
We hope that you will take the time to come
and see these two great artist demonstrate how
they carve the traditional Copal wood, create
the natural pigments that they use to decorate
their pieces, and tell us about their experience
creating the Nativity scene for the Vatican
Museum this year.
Beatriz and Kevin look forward to seeing
you at Galeria Colectika for this very special
event. The gallery is located at 858 G. Sanchez
& Allende downtown, tel.: 222-2302.
www.peyotepeople.com
Nacimiento
Jacobo
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
The 7 Arts
29
30
The 7 Arts
By
ISSUE
329
Joe Harrington
Reese Witherspoon vs Julianne Moore
A lot of nominated movies this
year were based on real people’s
lives. Think American Sniper, the
Imitation Game, Boyhood, Selma
and The Theory of Everything. What
struck me was that only one of those
movies’ actresses was nominated as
Best Leading Actress: Felicity Jones
in The Theory of Everything.
However, the choices this year
involving real people and their lives
continued on into other categories.
Consider Reese Witherspoon in Wild
and Julianne Moore in Still Alice.
Both women are fine, accomplished
and seasoned actresses. But the
stories are vastly different. So how
does one rate them, as this is very
apples to oranges?
The problem is one of intensity.
One faces the terror of the open
wilderness, the other the horror of
a disappearing mind. One ends her
journey when she reaches the Bridge
of the Gods; the other has no end
but a mind that is condemning her to
oblivion while still living.
Witherspoon delivers a great
performance, but Moore does the
same with a much more intense
character. I’ll be even more
blunt. In Wild the woman created
her own situation, done by
stupidity. She allowed herself to
fall into a life of drug abuse and
sexual proclivity. Then decides
to go for a 1,000-mile stroll
through the Pacific Coast Trail
to figure things out. This movie
could be shown as a training film
to infantry soldiers on what not to do
if in the wild.
I’d face a hungry bear in the woods
barehanded rather than a devil of
darkness stalking my mind. I actually
ran into a bear once in the woods. I
was armed with a golfing club - nine
iron - and a walking companion,
a Great Dane named Tie. The bear
wasn’t hungry – it was November
and, I assume, headed for a cave
with a full stomach. My supposed
protector and four-legged companion,
who weighed more than my bride
of decades, ended up whimpering
behind me as I was whimpering in
front of him. The bear, thankfully,
was only annoyed.
Back to the two movies being
analyzed. I can’t imagine the fear
if presented with question meant to
determine the speed of the mental
exteriorization involved things,
like, “what is your oldest daughter’s
name?’ Or, “What street do you live
on?”
I remember, when first watching
On Golden Pond, the scene where
Henry Fonda gets lost when he goes
out to pick strawberries near his cabin
by a lake. He can’t find his way back.
I thought, that situation would be hell
on earth. But I only had to think, hell
on earth, Julianne Moore had to act it,
and most of the time with no words or
very few. The word brilliant comes
to mind.
Both the women being portrayed
lost parents, both faced tragedies.
One went into the tank, the other
pulled herself together, got a career,
married, had a family.
Neither
movie
has
vast
confrontational scenes. Most are
slow played. In Wild, Witherspoon
never faces a hungry bear, just a cute
red fox. She does face a couple of bad
guys that you get the queasy feeling
she should not have trekked alone,
and was about to become a prey. But
nothing happens. Same thing with
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Moore, just scenes that wrench the
heart. Like when, unknowing that
she had found her daughter’s diary,
because she doesn’t recognize the
name on the cover, she read it. There
is a confrontation of accusation,
denial and disbelief. .
Why watch a movie that contains
something depressing? Because it
is a tour de force. And I think it can
help people whose family is facing
the same thing. How?
By
understanding
and
realizing what agony and terror
the one suffering from the
mental decay is actually going
through.
Near the end of the movie,
Moore gives a speech that
reminded me of the courage
behind the King’s Speech when
George IV overcomes his stutter.
Same thing involved in both scenes:
mesmerizing and did not make one
feel pity, only amazement at the
bravery of not only the words, but the
struggle to deliver those words.
What do I think Moore’s chances
are of bagging little Oscar? For Still
Alice she has already won a Golden
Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA and
SAG for Best Actress .
Joe Harrington
Is an internationally published true crime
writer and documentary filmmaker.
Send comments or criticism to
[email protected]
Artwork by Bob Crabb.
Good Bites
ISSUE
329
Your Comments
[email protected]
Greetings Anna [Reisman]!
While exploring new venues for our 2015
New Year’s Resolution of a weekly no sports
conflict “Tuesday Date Night,” we followed
your lead to Heidelberg near our home in 5
de Diciembre just down the hill from us a
few blocks at 115 Honduras. The restaurant
is located across the street from Captain
Don’s, a pub popular with Canadians. We
were welcomed by a polite young man who
later confirmed he is a member of the family
who owns the restaurant.
My husband should have sent flowers
on ahead, claiming he reserved the entire
restaurant for our lovely date night meal, as
we were the only dinner guests from 7:30
to almost 9 p.m. What a lovely choice for
us, a desirably quieter venue so close to the
ocean. The menu is well balanced with
more than usual selections of interesting
soups, salads and entrees. My husband
enjoyed a you-can’t-stop-me!.. choice of
meatloaf which arrived as two enormous
tennis ball sized portions served with
carrots in creamy Béchamel sauce. I
ordered the oven baked German Potato
Salad side with my Weiner Schnitzel
entrée. Last December, we cruised the
Danube River and my Vallarta Heidelberg
meal was as good if not more delicate than
the Schnitzel I had on-board ship.
Well, of course there was no room for
dessert! Our bill, including 3 beers and a
fun ‘over-poured’ glass of red wine, came
to exactly 500 pesos. We felt this was fair.
Personally, we consider venue amenities and
attendant staff a huge factor to our enjoyment
of a meal out. My husband’s height makes
it difficult for him to sit comfortably almost
anywhere, but the upholstered banquets are
high and the beautiful hand crafted wood
tables generous.
The business card given to us is in the
name of Gabriela Guerena Morelos, a
woman, hooray!
We will return with friends for another
opportunity to try more of the menu,
and hope you have a chance to dine at
Heidelberg as well.
Saludos and kind regards,
Linda Erin
Dear Editor,
Two or three months ago, I wrote
about my dining experiences this year
at Embarcadero Restaurant. I had eaten
there numerous times last year and the year
before. It had been consistently excellent
food, but when I returned twice, once in
October and once in November of this
year, it was terrible.
The same entrees that I had previously
ordered did not remotely taste like what
I had eaten. The chicken parmesan was
breaded chicken without cheese or sauce.
It seemed it was a “new chef” and he was
unable to cook to my satisfaction. So I did
not go back.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
31
But a friend mentioned that the “old
chef” Ken has returned so I decided to give
it another chance. Well last night we had
dinner at Embarcadero and it was back to
the excellent food we had experienced and
expected at Embarcadero. The chicken
parmesan was tasty, served over a perfectly
cooked bed of linguine and topped with
a delicious red sauce. My wife had steak
fajitas--the meat was medium rare as ordered;
the vegetables were tender--not mushy--and
the presentation was gourmet. The dinners
are plentiful. Kudos to chef Ken.
As always, the service was excellent - both
our waiters (Fernando and Sylvester) are
professional making sure that everything
was to our liking without hovering as we
ate. The décor is pleasant, light, airy in
a Mexican style. The new menu is quite
extensive and very reasonably priced. As
usual, desert was on the house. I plan to
return to Embarcadero frequently and
would strongly urge your readers to visit.
Mateo
32
Vallarta Voices
By
ISSUE
329
Anna Reisman
M
ethinks I’ve gotten squeezed
out again… I just received a dummy of
what “my” page looks like, and I realize
that there’s only space for a few words.
Not that I have much of importance to
share with you, mind you.
I did get to see “Equus” last week.
Oh my, my, my! I don’t know if anyone
breathed during the performance. It
was nothing short of superb. The
last time I saw a play of this caliber
in PV was the Boutique’s production
of David Mamet’s “Oleana”, and that
was quite a while ago.
Of course, this kind
of theater is not for
everyone.
And I’m
not sure that folks who are on holiday
represent the ideal audience, but for
those of us who live here year ‘round and who enjoy serious theatre - well, it’s
simply wonderful.
There are so many events this
weekend, that I urge you to go through
this issue very carefully in order to
decide where you’d most like to spend
your hours away from the beach.
They’re all good.
And then this week will feature a
once-a-year event you will NOT want
to miss: the Mardi Gras parade! This
year’s parade will hit the streets on
Tuesday, February 17th at 8 p.m. It will
start just south of the Sheraton (across
from the Municipal Stadium) and
will travel south along the Malecon,
through “Old Town” to Olas Altas in
the Romantic Zone on the south side.
Find yourself a good viewing spot and
enjoy! Sure, it’s not Rio de Janeiro, but
our Mardi Gras is very special …and
really great! Trust me.
As for me, I’m looking forward to
my dinner with my cousins at Roberto’s,
the first time since he reopened.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
And then as many of the movies
nominated for the Academy Awards as
I can at the IFC, the new show at the
Boutique… Oh boy! Fun, fun, fun.
This is the month of love and
friendship in Mexico. Love your
self and love each other. Hasta la
próxima! [email protected]
The Becas Ball social event of the season
By
Polly G. Vicars
A
fter the ball was over
in 2014, it was written
“Glamorous ballgoers agreed
that the March 8, 2014, Becas
Ball at the Club Regina more
than lived up to it billing
as the ‘social event of the
season.’ The garden was
filled with beautifully dressed
ladies along with men sipping unique
cocktails imagined and furnished by
the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita,
served by a cadre of their handsome
and efficient waiters for the first hour
of the event.”
The year 2015 will exceed that
kudos. The date is earlier than usual,
February 28th, a night that promises
to be a beautiful moonlit evening
by the sea at the Club Regina in the
Marina, Puerto Vallarta. The hour
to begin is 6 p.m. in the garden, with
the theme “Casablanca, Morocco.”
The suggested dress colors are black
and white. The cocktail party is
once again imagined and furnished
by the Four Seasons Resort in Punta
Mita with new unique concoctions
to surprise and please every palate.
Located next to the Cocktail Party
will be an amazing array of Silent
Auction items donated from as far
away as Guanajuato, Patzcuaro,
Manzanilla, Guadalajara, Mexico
City and of course, Puerto Vallarta.
Exotic hotels all over Mexico
support our becados (scholarship
recipients) year after year, as do the
hard working artists, businesses,
jewelers, restaurants of Puerto
Vallarta. There will be golf passes
from our prominent golf courses,
February 2015
Spanish lessons, Pilates lessons and
much, much more. Bidding will be
until 9 p.m. Collecting
and paying for winning
bids will start at 9:30.
We will be escorted to
our tables, awesomely
decorated by Rocco, at
7 o’clock, by a cadre of
university scholarship
students. Rocco always
takes our breath away
and this year will be no different. We
will be served wine, compliments
of Trio, and a 4-course dinner that
will tantalize our appetites. During
dinner, and afterwards, there will be
music for your listening pleasure and
for dancing on one of the two dance
floors. There will be entertainment,
introduction of the scholarship
students, and many surprises.
Tickets are $1,500. pesos or
$110. USD.
We take checks
made to Becas Vallarta, A. C.,
credit cards and, of course, cash in
pesos or dollars. Tickets must be
reserved and bought in advance by
contacting any member of Becas or
Polly Vicars at 223-1371 or e-mail
at [email protected] to make
arrangements for payment and
receive tickets.
Cocktails by Four Seasons,
decorations by Rocco, wine by Trio,
sit down gourmet dinner, music,
chance to chat with scholarship
students, chance to buy incredible
gifts or vacations, door prizes, and
most important to help the almost
400 students of little means, but
great ability to get the education
they desire and deserve. Get your
tickets now as you don’t want to
hear “Sold Out”
ISSUE
329
Adapting to Retirement
By
Giselle Belanger
S
RN, LCSW
uddenly, the world seems to
have slowed down, you wake up in
the morning and there is no job to go
rushing off to, no traffic to fight, no
huge project to finish or meeting to
prepare for… now what?
Some men adapt very easily and
have no trouble finding things to do
and ways of filling their days. They
don’t understand how anyone could
be bored. They’ve waited their entire
work life for this. They’ve embraced
it fully and life is good!
Other men struggle tremendously
with this even if they don’t realize it
(just ask their wives). They wake up
every day at a loss of what to do or
they do something that takes a few
hours and then they are bored the rest
of the day. This can lead to many
problems, especially between the
couple.
Women, on the other hand, for the
most part, adapt better to change.
They reach out, look for options and
solutions, and ask for help. As they
join their husband in retirement, many
did not have a job outside of raising
the children and have adapted to the
“empty nest” situation 10 or 15 years
prior. Typically, she has already built
a “retired” life; since her job ended
many years before, so she already
has her interests, activities, set of
friends… and she isn’t bored.
This scenario isn’t always that
different for the woman who did have
a career and then faces the life style
changes that accompany retirement.
They are usually more comfortable
seeking out new activities and
friendships than men.
Solution to crossword on page 43
Solution to Sudoku on page 43
Retirement challenges
Retirement definitely requires
adaptation to a new and different
lifestyle. This is often dictated by
a decrease (sometimes drastic) in
monthly income. Budgeting may be
a new concept and one that meets a
lot of resistance. Whether money
is an issue or not, finding friends
that have the same interests or are
of similar education or professional
background, or who have similar
economic situations so that they can
afford to do the same things, is quite a
challenge. This is especially common
when groups of people start to break
up, because they move away or spend
the winters somewhere else. The
gang may come back together every
summer, but that’s not enough.
Some people have not maintained
good physical health and are not
even capable of participating in the
same activities or degree of difficulty.
Because of this, many cannot even
travel the same way, walking and
going up and down stairs is painful and
limited, so how can this person join
you on a trip touring the Greek ruins,
for example? This happens among
friends and within couples where one
is much more limited than the other.
Now what?
No matter what set of circumstances
applies to you or your relationship,
you must tackle this new chapter
in your life with determination and
enthusiasm and most of all an open
mind. Things do not need to and
probably should not stay the same. So
now, how do you adapt?
The retirement phase of your life
will probably consist of 20 years or
more, so it is a significant amount of
time, which deserves and requires
careful consideration and planning.
At around age 18, most people set
themselves on a very intentional path
that may have included four years or
more of university education and then
a very specific job search. Imagine
putting that much time into figuring
out your retirement years! Hopefully
that isn’t necessary. I’m sure you’ve
asked yourself “what will I do when I
retire”. Now that it’s here, how have
you prepared for it?
Create a new life
Make your bucket list. Start by
asking yourself what you have always
wanted to do, dreamed of doing,
never had the time for. Keep that list
and as you make a budget based on
retirement income and expenses, you
can refer to it and see what’s possible
and realistic and then put your dreams
into action. Set goals.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Health Matters
33
Consider everyday activities as
well. What are you going to do to
stay active or become more active?
Is there a gym membership, a bike
riding club, a yoga class? How many
times a week or month can you eat
out, go the movies/plays/concerts?
Is there a class you want to attend;
ceramics, photography, cooking,
Spanish? Don’t be afraid to explore
new areas of interests. Leave your
comfort zone!
Consider where you want to live.
Can you afford a 2nd home? Do you
need to down-size? Are you going to
live 6 months somewhere else? What
kind of lifestyle are you looking for:
laid back or city-life busy, the beach,
the mountains, foreign country or
not? What is the culture like, are the
people friendly, accessibility, medical
care, etc? Most of you reading this
have chosen Vallarta. Is it working
for you? Are you happy? Do you
need to reconsider?
Consider what will give your life
meaning. What is your new purpose?
Are there charities or causes you’d
like to be involved in? Whatever your
desires, now you can do it, now is the
time! Retirement is a beautiful new
beginning of a very important chapter
in life. Make it great!
Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW (psychotherapist) is available
for appointments in person, by phone,
or by skype webcam. Contact info:
[email protected] Mex cell: 044
(322) 138-9552 or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
34
By
Health Matters
ISSUE
329
Krystal Frost
The Power of Love
Around this time of year, I pull
out this piece written 6 years ago for
a dust off and re-read it 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 have
come together to be stronger and
more committed in their relationship,
and others have suffered losses, and
walk alone or open their hearts to
new beginnings.
Affairs of the heart seem to have no
reason. We all have a chance 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.
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, then you fall in 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
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
from such closeness. 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 adolescence
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 heart-felt commitments first
to ourselves, then to the ones we
love. Let’s keep those promises, and
hope for some good weather.
ISSUE
329
Ask Luis
By
Luis Melgoza
Dear Luis: I enjoy your articles
in PV Mirror. I have a question
about reservation deposits requested
by rental agencies which handle
condominium rentals.
I have been told by an agent that it
is common practice in PV for a listing
agent to ask for a 50% deposit to hold a
reservation for one year. That seems high
to me, but if that is the usual practice it
would seem a renter has no choice.
So, my questions are what happens
if that rental agency goes bankrupt or
simply goes out of business during
that one-year period? Is the renter’s
deposit lost or is the deposit held in an
escrow account that is not affected by
the agent’s bankruptcy or going out of
business? What is the best way for a
renter to protect himself from losing
his deposit in this situation.
Thanks.
Dear Reader: As a consumer, you
always have choices.
A deposit equal to 50% of one year’s
rent is ludicrous. What is customary
is a security deposit equivalent to one
month’s rent, plus the first month’s
rent. In my experience, if the landlord
or agents asks for three months (first,
last and security deposit), it is giant red
flag; forget about 6 months in advance.
Particularly considering that, at the
end of the lease, most tenants who
want to get their security deposit back
must take the landlord to court.
Although there are countless
honest property owners and property
managers in the region, regrettably
there are also many unscrupulous
property owners and countless
scam artists posing as real estate
professionals. Tenant beware.
It is important to note that a
security deposit is not to be spent,
or otherwise used, by the recipient
under any circumstance other than
to satisfy deficiencies (i.e. unpaid
power or telephone bills, etc.) or
abnormal wear and tear caused by
the tenant at the end of the term
and, absent deficiencies or abnormal
wear and tear that security deposit
must be refunded immediately upon
fulfillment of the lease. Utilizing
that security deposit for any other
purpose is obtaining money under
false pretenses (see last week’s
column — http://pvmcitypaper.com/
download/328.pdf - for more on
this Abuso de Confianza and issue
321 — http://pvmcitypaper.com/
download/321.pdf - for a creditor’s
recourse in case of a corporate entity
bankruptcy —Concurso Mercantil).
A tenant is never liable for normal
wear and tear.
Dear Readers: The federal
government, through Immigration
announced the Temporary Program
for Immigration Regularization
(Programa
Temporal
de
Regularización Migratoria or PTRM)
to benefit undocumented and irregular
foreigners that entered Mexico prior
to November 9, 2012 and it is in
effect from January 13, 2015 though
December 18, 2015.
This program is meant for foreigners
permanently residing in Mexico that,
for one reason or another, have not
regularized their stay in Mexico
and currently must depend on thirdparties for many aspects of their lives,
even to get a job.
Those foreigners willing to live
in Mexico and participate in the
country’s national life, through the
PTRM, will be granted the status of
Temporary Resident for four years.
Program Benefits:
- Temporary Resident status
for four years
- Multiple departures and
arrivals from/to Mexico
- Family unit preservation
- Fines will not be assesed
- Possibility to obtain a work permit
- Once the 4-year Temporary
expires, the foreigner may apply for
Permanent Residence.
- Fees may be waived for those
below the poverty level or in
vulnerable situations.
Requirements:
Present the following to the nearest
Immigration office:
Application for immigration status
(http://www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/
page/Solicitud_de_Estancia)
Written statement, affirming to tell
the truth, requesting immigration
regularization and addressing your
irregular condition.
Passport, official documents issued
by your country of citizenship,
consular identifications or other
official documents (even if expired),
showing at least name, nationality,
date of birth and photograph.
Mexico’s Immigration document, if
any.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Legal Matters
35
Documentation proving regular or
irregular residence in Mexico prior
to November 9, 2012 (i.e. plane or
bus tickets, arrival stamp in passport,
utility bills —power, water, gas, among
others—, medical history, school
certificates or rental agreements and,
if applicable, Immigration document
granting regular stay in Mexico.
Any other documentation issued
by public institutions proving that the
foreigner has resided in Mexico, or
Written statement, affirming to tell the
truth, signed by two persons declaring
that they know the applicant and
asserting that the applicant has resided
in Mexico. These two signatories must
accompany the applicant and must
show government issued picture-ID to
ratify their statement.
Pay the corresponding fees, at any
Mexican bank, for the assessment
of the application and, in case
of a favorable resolution, for the
Immigration document.
In Puerto Vallarta, Immigration is
located across the cruise ship terminal,
for other locations in Mexico: http://
www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/page/
Oficinas_y_Horarios
This program applies to all
nationalities, as long as the applicant
has lived in Mexico since before
November 9, 2012.
Send me your questions to askluis@
pvgeeks.com, I am not able to answer
each message privately due to the
volume of mail I receive. I do not
take legal cases, I am retired from the
practice of Law.
Luis Melgoza
Is a former PRI (Mexico’s ruling party)
Head Counsel and Legal Adviser to the
Mexican Congress. Although retired
from the legal profession, he is a highly
respected consultant for both the foreign
and Mexican communities in Puerto
Vallarta. Luis’ PVGeeks is the premiere
wireless high-speed Internet provider in
Puerto Vallarta. For Internet service, you
can reach Luis at [email protected]
36
Real Estate
ISSUE
329
VIEWPOINT
By
Harriet Murray
As we enter 2015…
Updates on
real estate matters
We
are told the Mexican
government has made additional
changes to the laws with the
implementation
of
procedures
coming the first 6 months of 2015.
One of these most important to
know right now is the attitude toward
the permanent visa status for expats.
Last year, a permanent visa did not
work for a seller to be eligible for a
partial exemption on the sale of his
real estate.
Now the notaries are requiring
somewhat different details, as in
Guadalajara a notary will only require
a month of utility bills, compared to
notary in Vallarta requiring the last 6
months. In all cases, you need to have
not only your permanent visa, but your
RFC (registration ID in Hacienda)
and your CURP (immigration ID),
along with the utility bills, and to sign
a statement that you are a fiscal and
physical resident of this country.
This exemption equates to
approximately $250,000. USD as a
deduction against potential capital
gains tax on the sale of Mexican
residential property.
The actual
calculation, as are all calculations,
is done in pesos and not in foreign
currency. You need to realize this. If
you bought when the peso was 10 to
the US dollar and it is now 15 pesos,
you have a gain, at least on paper.
My sense of the visa interpretation
for partial exemptions for expats is
considering them as Mexican Nationals.
The principal theme throughout the
law is that we are treated under the law
as Mexican citizens with nearly all the
benefits and obligations that come with
this status.
Be familiar with the following:
1. CURP - The Clave Única de
Registro de Población (translated
into English as Unique Population
Registry Code or else as Personal ID
Code Number) (abbreviated CURP)
is a unique identity code for both
citizens and residents of Mexico.
2. RFC - A tax number, in Mexico,
assigned to legal persons.
The
acronym stands for Registro Federal
de Contribuyentes.
This number identification is a
natural progression for an increased
ability of Hacienda to monitor
individuals. In the past, Hacienda
(The Tax Secretariat of Mexico)
needed to make a formal request to a
financial institution asking for details
on a particular individual’s account.
Now all financial institutions in the
country, as well as Notary Publics,
must automatically provide financial
information on clients to the tax
authorities. Hacienda has the ability
to match tax returns with banking
information, for example. We expect
that if there is a large discrepancy
between the banking activity and
what is reported on the tax return,
Hacienda may want to take a closer
look at that person’s finances.
You must have a legitimate official
RFC from SAT* / Hacienda. Many
Mexican banks at one point made up
artificial RFCs for foreigners who did
not previously have an RFC, when
they started bank accounts in the
past. These old bank-issued RFCs are
not generally legitimate. The last three
digits of your RFC tell the tale, because
the other numbers just generically
describe your name and birth date.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
RFCs are 13 characters long.
The first four characters are for the
person’s name, the next six characters
list the date of birth (YYMMDD),
and SAT/Hacienda assigns the last
three characters.
* SAT stands for Service de
Administración Tibutaria.
So now we can be a number in
Mexico, as we are a number in Canada
or the USA. This is considered progress.
This article is based upon legal
opinions, current practices and my
personal experiences in the Puerto
Vallarta-Bahía de Banderas areas.
I recommend that each potential
buyer or seller conduct his own due
diligence and review.
Harriet Murray
Can be contacted at:
[email protected]
ISSUE
329
Dorado hang in unusually warm water,
abundant bait & a trash line
By
E
Stan Gabruk
ver since El Niño raised its
head again, the fishing has been
unpredictable and frankly strange.
Right now in the middle of winter,
we’re seeing warm, very warm water
temperatures which of course are
keeping out of season species like
Dorado in the area. Now I’m not going
to tell you they’re thick as thieves, but
there is a good shot you’ll boat one or
several of these delicious peces (fish,
pescados if they’re no longer alive).
For the normal guy or gal, the bay is
alive and doing its thing nicely, with
plenty of action to be had if you don’t
mind catching smaller fish. We’ve
transitioned into winter fishing species
as you’d expect. If you’re good with
that fact, then you’ll have a great time
n the beautiful Bay of Banderas.
First things first, if you’re targeting
Marlin, Sailfish or Yellowfin Tuna,
you’ll need to go to El Banco at the
very least. A private boat the other
day got a Blue Marlin hook-up and
a Sailfish, but they were at the first
island of the Tres Marias Islands,
which is right at the 70-mile point from
Marina Vallarta. I might add it was
an accident, they were shooting for
Yellowfin Tuna. This group took their
best shot at Yellowfin Tuna and came
up empty handed. Not unusual for the
Tres Marias (a.k.a. Prison Islands),
normally on overnight or longer trip to
this area will produce YF Tuna - if you
have the time and the deep pockets.
(Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle)
Corbeteña and El Banco are just
dead and the species that are there,
well, you can get them in the bay as
well, not a great place to head out to
unless you want to do some bottom
fishing. In that case the Cubera
Snapper at 60 lbs. are plentiful for the
jigging types. Amber Jacks as well,
around 45 to 60 lbs., but
that’s about it unless you
want to spend your day
catching Skip Jack Tuna,
Jack Crevalle, Bonito and
other smaller game you
can find in the bay.
El Moro and the Marieta
Islands are still in low
gear. I’ve been expecting
Rooster fish to move
in. With the abundant
Sardines, they could arrive
any minute now but for the
time being it’s not exactly the fishing
machine we’ve all come to expect.
Still, if in the area, Barracuda can still
be boated at El Moro at 60 lbs. Dorado
are between the Marieta Islands and
Punta Mita, but they’re spread out.
We had some rain last week and we’re
seeing a trash line of sorts out there,
look for a log and you’ll be in the chips
or I should say, Dorado anywhere from
3 to 10 miles off the point. One boat
this week came in with 8 Dorado over
35 lbs. Skip Jack Tuna at 25 to 40 lbs.,
Bonito to 40 lbs., Sierra Mackerel at
20 lbs., and of course the ever present
Jack Crevalle up to 50 lbs. and in the
30-inch range. Jack Crevalle aren’t
the best tasting fish, but they’ll tear
your arms off. That’s one reason
they’re also called Toros or Bull fish.
The bay is alive and well with tons
of action all over the place. Jack
Crevalle of course are everywhere
and a 4-hour trip will serve you well.
Fifteen minutes by boat from Marina
Vallarta you’ll find 50 pounders that
Fish Tales
37
will hit anything that resembles bait.
Skip Jack Tuna in the 35-lb range is
abundant at Yelapa. Sierra Mackerel
are on tap to 20 lbs. and great tasting.
For some reason Dorado of nice size
are running around 30 lbs. at La Cruz.
No worries when it comes to bay
fishing for the moment and this should
continue for the next few months to
come. So grab the kids, find a Super
Panga and have an experience on the
bay you’ll never forget.
The bite for now is happening
around 10 to 11 in the morning, no
need to get up too early, you won’t
be helping yourself any by being the
first to the fishing grounds. Water
temperatures are hovering around 77o,
of the Marina just a few doors down
from Victors Café Té Cuba. If you
ask my so called “competition”
where Master Baiter’s is, you’ll get
a blank stare or they’ll tell you I’m
dead, out of business or worse. I had
people just ask where we are so they
could pick up a PV Mirror and they
went straight into the “I don’t know
of them” statements, so these folks
couldn’t even get my article and the
other wonderful articles in the weekly
publication. So don’t be fooled
and don’t worry, I will always be
someplace in Marina Vallarta, check
my web page for the exact location
and we’ll be waiting to help you any
way we can…
unusually warm for this time of the
year. Bait is wildly abundant ranging
from Goggle Eyes, Bullet Skippies,
Sardines, flying fish and who knows
what else. Too much bait can pose a
problem as well, but for now it doesn’t
seem to be.
Remember, as I’ve told you before,
Master Baiter’s is alive and well in
Marina Vallarta at the western end
Until next time, don’t
forget to kiss your fish
and remember: at Master
Baiter’s Sportfishing &
Tackle “We Won’t Jerk
You Around!”
Master
Baiter’s
is
in
Marina
Vallarta,
between docks A and B
on the boardwalk. Email
your questions to me at:
CatchFish@MasterBaiters.
com.mx Web page: www.
MasterBaiters.com.mx , local Phone
at: (044) 322 779-7571 or if roaming:
011 521 322 779-7571 cell phone direct.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
pages/Master-Baiters-SportfishingTackle/88817121325 The trade name
Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and
Tackle is protected under trade mark
law and is the sole property of Stan
Gabruk.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Hi-Tech
38
Tech devices
in Mexico…
T
he days of not finding a laptop
down here in paradise for under
$1,000. US appear to be well behind
us. Five years ago, it was hard to find
a laptop under $10,000 pesos here
and with the exchange at 10 to 1 back
then, it made sense to buy in the US
and have it “muled” down.
That’s not the case anymore with
the exchange rate hovering near 15 to
1. A $7,500-peso laptop at Costco or
Office Depot is really only $500. US
including sales tax these days. Now
you still have the issue that most new
laptops come with Spanish Windows
and with the new Microsoft Single
Language license.
This new form of licensing from
Microsoft does not allow you to
simply add a language pack to get
English Windows on your screen like
previous generations. But fear not,
a computer tech who knows what
he’s doing, can format the hard drive
on the new laptop bought here and
install English Windows, while reactivating Windows to keep you legal
with Microsoft.
ISSUE
329
Many people are intimidated by the
Spanish keyboards on new laptops
down here, but really it’s not that
daunting. All the letters are in the same
place as a US keyboard; just some of
the punctuation is in different places.
i.e. the @ is “alt gr + q” (alt gr button
stands for alternate graphics) instead
of “shift + 2”… no big deal really.
Now snowbirds have noticed over
the past few years that their favorite
websites have begun appearing in
Spanish once you get off the plane
here. That’s because websites are
now detecting that you are using
the internet here in Mexico and gear
their websites accordingly for ads
and content. Most websites do have
a button to select a different country,
but you really have to look for it.
Sometimes this is in the form of the
word “Mexico” or sometimes just
a flag. If you click on that, you can
change the page to the US again.
Also, with some of the bigger
websites, you can bypass the
“country detecting” all together.
Some examples are: CNN= us.cnn.
com, Google in English is www.
google.com/ncr to get English search
results, us.yahoo.com to get US news
and content and www.msn.com/en-us
for the same from MSN.
Once you’ve manually entered the
new address one time in your browser
of choice, you can add it as a favorite
or make it your home page as well.
This way you do not have to type it
every time, while here in paradise.
The same location detection
happens often when you are
downloading a program from the
internet. Always look for options on
the webpage before downloading a
new program, to see if you can select
English.
Now if your tablet dies and you have
say 3 months still here in paradise,
you can easily pick up a new one here
without much language hassle. For
Samsung tablets and Apple iPads,
on the first part of the initial setup
wizard, the tablet will ask you what
language you want. Once you select
English, all will be in English as well
as the onscreen keyboard. Tablets are
produced with more of a universal
interface.
Most people don’t seem to realize
that if you buy a cellular phone here,
although the initial screen language
is Spanish by default, most cellular
phones can be changed to English.
Many a client has asked me at the end
of a house call if I know about cellular
phones and it turns out they’ve been
struggling with Spanish menus on
their phone - for years in some cases!
You just have to go under “ajustes”
or “configuración” and look for
“idioma” and choose “ingles”. Same
goes for changing printers bought
here with on screen menus and even
TV’s. Most can be switched to
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
English - you just have to navigate
through the menus to find “idioma”
and select “ingles”.
Speaking of TV’s… Telecable
recently changed the main audio
language for a number of US
channels to Spanish from English.
Many newer TV’s have the ability
to change audio to SAP (secondary
audio program). Some models have
SAP or an audio button on the remote
control to change audio streams.
On some other models, you need to
do the audio change from the settings
onscreen menu. So if you favorite
History, A&E or E! TV program has
switched to Spanish the past months;
you may be able to get English back
for those as well.
Hopefully some of these tips will
help make your time here in paradise
a little easier and take out some of
the confusion for those not fluent in
Español.
That’s all my time for now. See
you again next week...
Until then, remember: only safe
Internet!
Ronnie Bravo
Ron can be found at CANMEX Computers.
Sales, Repairs, Data Recovery,
Networking, Wi-Fi, Hardware upgrades,
Graphic Design, House-calls available.
www.RonnieBravo.com,
Cellular 044-322-157-0688 or just
email to [email protected]
ISSUE
329
Baby on / baby off:
A modest proposal
By
E
Gil Gevins
very year, under the aegis of
the Young Capitalists of America, the
Mississippi Chamber of Commerce
sponsors a science fair. The top prize is
awarded to the corporate cog-in-training
who invents the product with the greatest
commercial potential. The idea being, if
you can’t sell it, why invent it.
This year’s winner was a myopic,
overweight young capitalist named
Clyde Barrow.
Young Clyde’s
invention looked like a remote
control, but instead of using it with an
electronic device, you used it on your
baby brother - or, to be more precise,
on Clyde’s baby brother, with whom
he seemed to have some serious issues.
The baby-control device had several
settings: ‘Mute’, ‘Gay Gurgling’,
‘Ocean Waves’, ‘Happy Cooing’ and
‘Whispering Willows’. Instead of
listening to shrill unpleasant crying,
your ears were caressed with pleasant
soothing sounds, or no sounds at all.
Clyde had even put together a deluxe
model which played seventeen hundred
versions of the Beatles’ song Yesterday.
The entire Mississippi Chamber of
Commerce was sleeping off a hangover
when I attempted to reach them by
phone. Fortunately, the janitor was
awake, and once I’d informed him of
the fact that I was Mexico’s wealthiest
entrepreneur, Carlos Gordo, the
cleaning person readily forked over
young Clyde’s phone number.
“Clyde Barrow?” I asked.
“Yes?”
“The Clyde Barrow who invented
the remote control baby-muter?”
“Yes?”
“Well, hi, Clyde. My name is
Herbert Hoover.”
“The FBI man?” Clyde gasped in
the excited voice of a ten year-old.
“No, Clyde, I’m afraid he’s dead.
I’m the Hoover who invented the
vacuum cleaner.”
“Wow!”
“You know what our biggest
complaint is, Clyde? Customer-wise?
Noise. That’s why we’re so interested
in your baby muter. Tell me, Clyde,
how did you come up with the idea?”
“Well, I was trying to watch Duck
Dynasty on TV, but my baby brother
was making such a racket I couldn’t
concentrate. So I started to strangle
him. But my mom made me stop.
She said I had to find a way to make
him quiet without, you know, actually
killing him. So I came up with my
baby controller. Pretty neat, huh?”
“Awesome. Could you give a short
explanation as to how it works?”
“Sure. First you have to put two
little machines in the baby’s throat.”
“And does that require the
administration of anesthesia, Clyde?”
“No, you don’t have to go to Asia. You
could do it at the doctor’s office, or even
at home, while the baby’s sleeping.”
I could see now why the Mississippi
Chamber of Commerce thought so
highly of Clyde: Clearly, he was an
Idiot-Savant, while they were merely…
“And how long, Clyde, is the
effective life of the device?”
“Well,” Clyde said, “my mom says
that corporate punishment doesn’t work
on babies until they’re almost three.
That’s why I made it so it would mostly
dissolve by then. For the last week,
though, when it’s almost dissolved,
some kind of, like, weird noises might
come out of the brat’s mouth.”
“What kind of weird noises, Clyde?”
“I’m not sure, since I only tried it
out on the cat. Sylvester -that’s the
cat- he kind of sounded like an electric
pencil sharpener.”
“Would you recommend, then, that
the baby be kept home from preschool during the dissolving process,
to avoid any potential bullying?”
“What’s pre-school?”
“Never mind. Tell me about the
Beatles song. How did you pick
Yesterday as a setting on your device?”
“Well, I like to ride in elevators a
lot. And that’s the song they play the
most in elevators, so I thought, if it’s
good enough for elevators, it’s good
enough for babies.”
“Clyde, that might be the greatest
promotional slogan I have ever heard!
‘If it’s good enough for elevators, it’s
good enough for babies.’ Wow! I
can see you doing double-duty in our
marketing department.”
“I’ve been to lots of supermarkets,”
Clyde offered.
“That’s great, Clyde. What do you
do with the remote control, once the
apparatus in the baby’s throat has
mostly dissolved? Have you thought
of recycling it?”
“Recycling? I don’t know. Ever since
I ran my bicycle into that parked car,
my parents aren’t too crazy about…”
“No, Clyde, I meant, using the remote
control for muting something else.”
“Like what?”
“How about your parents? Wouldn’t
you like to shut them off once in a
while? Or the dog? Imagine, Clyde,
someone is trying to rob your house,
and Fido starts growling seventeen
hundred versions of ‘Yesterday’ at
‘em. That’d scare anybody.”
“Yeah, cool! You know, sometimes I
really want my mom to shut up. Like,
when she’s telling me to eat all my bacon.
I mean, I like bacon, when it’s cooked.
When it’s cooked, I can eat it all day.”
“Your mother gives you raw bacon?”
“My mom doesn’t like to cook
much. She’s too busy watching the
Shopping Channel.”
“What about your dad? How does
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Gil Gevins’ Page
39
he feel about it?” “Dad likes everything
barbecued. And I mean, everything!
Mom says it’s not natural to barbecue a
salad, but Dad’s real stubborn. Also, he’s
not home a lot, on account of his job.”
“And what does your father do for a
living, Clyde?”
“He,” Clyde beamed with pride,
“represents the third Congressional
District for the great state of Mississippi!”
“Your father is a US congressman?”
“I’m pretty sure. Yeah.”
“And is he in favor, or opposed to
baby-muting?”
“Dad says, it should be a parent’s
purgative to mute the baby or not.
And the same goes for vacations.
Dad says, if God wanted babies to
get vacations, he would’ve made ‘em
with needles in their arms.”
“?????????”
“So,” Clyde said, “are you really
going to make my baby-muter?”
“That depends, Clyde. First we’ll
have to give it the acid test.”
“What’s that?”
“We stick it in Donald Trump. You
shut him up, Clyde, you can write
your own ticket.”
“Cool!”
Gil Gevins
Is the author of four hilarious books,
including the cult-classic, PUERTO
VALLARTA ON 49 BRAIN CELLS A DAY,
and his latest and greatest, SLIME AND
PUNISHMENT. Signed copies of all Gil’s
books are available at LUCY’S CUCU
CABAÑA, located at 295 Basilio Badillo;
or as E-Books on Amazon.
40
Nature’s World
ISSUE
329
From the Botanical Gardens…
Vallarta Flower & Garden Show
Curator’s Corner
February 20th to 28th
Dear Friends of the Garden,
While my son Bob normally writes the Curator’s Corner of The
Leaflet, I’ve asked him for the opportunity to address you in this
month’s edition.
About twelve years ago, Bob first took me on a trip into the
mountains of Cabo Corrientes just south of Puerto Vallarta and
we both marveled at the incredibly diverse vegetation and overall
natural beauty of this truly unique region.
When Bob asked me to help support his vision of building a
botanical garden here as a gift to Mexico, I was happy to contribute
to his dream and trusted in his work ethic and business savvy to
produce what he intended, but remained reserved about the ability
of such a project to sustain itself for the long-term.
Nearly ten years after the doors of the Vallarta Botanical Garden
first opened to the public in November of 2005, this project continues
to thrive thanks to the work of the Garden’s staff and volunteers, the
crowds of visitors, and the financial support of generous patrons.
As a mother, I am proud of my son, as a donor, I am impressed and
happy with my gift.
I will be visiting our beloved Puerto Vallarta for the first time in
two years from February 12th through the 26th. To those of you in
Puerto Vallarta, please come up to the mountains and visit us soon;
to those of you in other places, keep Mexico in your hearts!
​Yours in friendship,
Each February and March, some
of the most popular flowers in the
Garden’s prized collections can be
found in their full bloom and glory.
This year we have an exciting lineup of entertainment, workshops, and
presentations for all to enjoy. Unless
otherwise noted, events during this
week are included with regular
Garden admission of $80. Pesos.
Feb. 20 (12 noon to 1 p.m.) Mexican Gardens Beyond Vallarta
The Vallarta Botanical Garden is
proud to be included on a list of the
“TOP 10 Gardens in North America
Worth Travelling For” (Canadian
Garden Tourism Council), but
especially flattered because our
country is home to dozens of amazing
gardens that merit making your
personal “must see” lists.
Neil Gerlowski, the VBG’s Executive
Director, will share photos and stories
of some of his top picks among
Mexican gardens along with travel tips
and info on nearby points of interest
for you to plan your own visits to these
botanically-blessed destinations.
Feb. 21 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Garden Photography Workshop
Expert photographers may look like
they simply point and shoot to create
incredible images, but an experienced
eye takes a host of considerations
into mind when “composing”
images. Improve your photography
skills under the instruction and
coaching of our volunteers and guest
photographers. Your images may be
donated for consideration of inclusion
in our Garden’s monthly magazine.
Feb. 21 (2 to 4 p.m.) Book Signing with Sandra Cesca
Betty Price,
Co-Founder,
Vallarta Botanical Garden
Garden Amenities and Services
Visit the Gardens’ Hacienda de Oro Restaurant for authentic Mexican
food and brick-oven pizza. Our new menu includes delicious dishes such
as fish and shrimp tacos. Hike the Gardens’ nature trails and bask in
tropical mountain scenery. Experience the Orchid Conservatory, Gift
Shop, plant nursery, tequila tasting and more. You can even shop the
Gardens remotely through our online store. The very best of Vallarta!
Spend the day in the Gardens for only $60 pesos. The Gardens are
about a 30-minute drive south of Old Town, Puerto Vallarta, on Carretera
a Barra Navidad at km 24, just past Las Juntas y Los Veranos, all easily
accessible by public transportation. Our world-class plant collections,
miles of hiking trails through native forests and a host of special activities
give you countless reasons to visit us soon. Tel.: 223-6182. Open from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday. Web site: www.vbgardens.org
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
ISSUE
329
The Dick & Dee
Daneri Vireya
Rhododendron
House
The Mangrove
By
Dr. Fabio Cupul
While the dust has barely
settled from the construction of
the new Vallarta Conservatory
of Orchids and Native Plants,
another construction is already
in the works and due to open
to the public by June or
earlier. This new project, The
Dick and Dee Daneri Vireya
Rhododendron House, will
serve the primary purpose
of showcasing the Peter
Gray Vireya Rhododendron
Collection.
These lovely
tropical Asian rhododendrons
are native to forests with
similar climatic conditions as
what is found in the Puerto
Vallarta region.
The Dick and Dee Daneri
Vireya Rhododendron House
will be adorned with cantera
columns and an elegant
roof that also serves to
control the soil humidity to
provide optimal conditions
for an exquisite collection
of beautiful plants. Vireyas
come in a range of stunning
colors from pinks and orange
to purple and vary widely
in form and size to provide
a range of delight to floral
enthusiasts. ​
The Vallarta Botanical
Garden is full of wonderful
collections
and
botanic
treasures from throughout
Mexico and the tropics of the
world. Considered, “One of
the TOP 10 North American
Gardens Worth Travelling
For”
(Canadian
Garden
Tourism Council), visitors
are amazed by the delights of
this hidden jewel and natural
paradise where “plants meet
the imagination.”
T
he mangrove community or ecosystem is the tree
vegetation found in coastal areas, especially near the
mouths of rivers, coastal lagoons and estuaries, in
what is called the “ecotone” - the area that marks the
border between land and water.
Mangroves are geographically distributed in tropical
zones, along coastlines that are subject to tides. They
are forests formed by trees that are extraordinarily
well-adapted to living in waters with highly-variable
salinity levels (ranging from sweet water to hypersalty) in soil whose oxygen content is very low. It is
important to note the biological role played by the
crabs that aerate the organically-rich soil present in
mangroves. As they dig into the substratum to build
their burrows, they allow the oxygen to penetrate the
sediment, thus benefiting the mangrove and other
species of plants and animals that depend on this gas
to survive.
Mangrove roots are partially submerged in the
substratum, while the visible parts are responsible for
acquiring the oxygen they need to maintain their vital
functions. There are also some glands on the leaves
that are used to expel excess salt. This is the final
stage of a process that begins with the acquisition of
nutrients from the seawater through the roots, from
where the salt circulates through the plant’s interior
until it reaches the leaves, where it is expelled and
accumulated on their surfaces. When the level of salt is
very high, the leaves break off and fall. The preceding
has led to the possibility that mangroves could be used
as biological filters to distill seawater in order to end
up with sweet, drinkable water.
From a scientific, social or economic viewpoint, such
possibility of being used as desalinating organisms is not
the sole justification for the conservation of mangroves.
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
Nature’s World
41
They also show many other functions beneficial to the
well-being of man and other living beings.
Firstly, they serve as stabilizers of the coastline and
protection against hurricanes, as their roots compact
the sediment, offering greater resistance to the erosion
caused by currents and tides. They also lessen the
damages caused by floods by acting as water reservoirs.
Furthermore, they are also very valuable as natural
nurseries for fish, shellfish and crustaceans, which form
the basis for commercial and sport fishing. Mangroves
are also the habitat of a great variety of forest flora and
fauna, some of which are in real danger of extinction.
Finally, they are a finite source of products of economic
value, such as wood, medicinal and tanning substances
and adequate areas for the practice of water farms for
oysters, fish and shrimp.
Although it is difficult to evaluate in economic terms,
it is a fact that in some places, mangroves are the
attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year
(like the Florida Everglades) whose sole purpose is the
observation of an infinite variety of bird and other animal
species, or just to see a mangrove forest. This translates
into an important source of income for the area.
For Mexicans, mangrove regions are intrinsically
linked to their culture. It is believed that the tribal
group that gave birth to the Aztec culture departed
from the mythical city of Aztlán, headed for the center
of Mexico. This group founded ancient Tenochtitlan,
known today as Mexico City. Aztlán was located in a
mangrove area near Mexcaltitan in the state of Nayarit
(about 250 km. - 155 miles - north of Puerto Vallarta).
In our region of the Bay of Banderas, the “El Salado”
estuary, “El Quelele” lagoon, “El Chino” estuary and
the mouth of the Ameca river (Boca Negra and Boca
de Tomates system) total approximately 250 hectares
of mangroves, which include three species: the red
mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), the black mangrove
(Avicennia germinans) and the white mangrove
(Laguncularia racemosa), among which the latter is the
most abundant. The fourth species of mangroves, the
button mangrove (Conocarpus erecta) is rare, found in
the small mouths of temporary streams and up to the
zones of Cabo Corrientes and Punta de Mita. These
species of mangroves represent four of the five species
reported along the Mexican Pacific coast. The fifth is
Rhizophora harrisonii. Finally, the mangroves in the
region reach 15 meters (45 ft.) in height and their trunks
can measure as much as two feet in diameter.
Dr. Fabio Germán Cupul-Magaña
Coastal University Center (CUC) of the University of
Guadalajara Email: [email protected]
Editor’s Note: For tours of Vallarta’s unique
El Salado Estuary, please visit
www.esterodelsalado.org or call 226-2870.
42
Nature’s World
ISSUE
329
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By
Tommy Clarkson
Arugula
(Eruca sativa)
Family: Brassicaceae
Also known as: Salad Rocket,
Rucola, Rucoli, Tugula,
Colewort or Roquette
A
rugula is a salad green
with plenty of pizazz and
probably, more for those with an
adventuresome palate! Long been
popular in France and Italy, these
days it can be found increasingly
in larger grocery stores labelled as
‘Baby Arugula.’
Should you find that you like it
and want to grow your own, it will
do so in a rosette of deeply lobed
leaves equally a foot wide and tall.
We have one on display and it
inevitably delights visitors to Ola
Brisa Gardens who taste it for the
first time while on tour here.
When cooked or consumed
like spinach, it is considered a
vegetable. However, it also can be
used more sparingly as an herb in
the flavoring of a salad, meat, or
pasta sauce. But take note - it is not
for those who seek the more mild
flavor like that of Iceberg Lettuce.
There are various delightful
recipes for Arugula leaves in
salads – easily found on-line - or
one can add its flowers when the
plants grow a tall bloom. A person
can also sauté or steam the leaves
as one might spinach or other
leafy greens. However, at the
point that it has the flowers, the
leaves may be more pungent than
may suit some folks taste. But
I’d encourage that you try them
nonetheless.
And for those watching their
calorie / fat intake, one-half cup
(10 grams) has 3 calories, 0 amount
of saturated fat, 0 polyunsaturated
fat, 0 monounsaturated fat and 0
amount of cholesterol!
Arugula grows fast.
Those
set in a sunny garden location in
early spring are ready for harvest
toward spring’s end and, in turn,
those planted late in the summer
are ready by fall harvest. It’s a
bit important to note that they
actually prefer the cooler days of
spring or fall – I can relate to that!
Just as other leafy greens, arugula
prefers mostly a rich, composty
soil to achieve its best growth.
If you can find such, I’d suggest
that you apply a timed-release
fertilizer at its label directed rate
for lettuce or other leafy greens.
Keep the soil evenly moist. When
growing several plants, space the
plants 12 to 18 inches (30.5 to 46
cm) apart.
One should pick only the outer
leaves. This allows the plant to
remain intact and usable for weeks
to come. This process of “cutand-come again” harvesting will
keep your arugula yielding lots of
leaves until it decides to flower.
Remember to harvest often so as
to encourage new growth.
Similar to leaf lettuce, mustard
and collards, during hot weather,
arugula reaches toward the
sky, soon blooming and setting
seeds. Some folks pull the plant
up when it starts to show its
center-based bloom stalk – 2436 inches (61 – 91.5 cm) tall.
However, other gardeners cut
the plants back to get yet one
Arugula grows in a rosette
of deeply lobed leaves equally
a foot wide and tall.
It’s a salad green with
plenty of pizazz!
upside down in a paper bag for
a week or so. It’s easy to know
when this is as one can hear a
rattling sound when the pods are
shaken.
Next, it’s threshing time. If the
seeds are already in a bag, simply
shake the bag or stick your hand
in the bag and crumble the dried
pods. Ultimately, you will have
a pile of quite small, dark seeds
mixed in with papery pod chaff.
To separate this out, simply put
everything in a shallow pan and
blow the chaff off as the seeds
weigh more than the chaff and
will stay put. A more neat, clean
(if not prissy) way is to place it all
in a sieve with holes bigger than
the seeds, but smaller than the
chaff, and then proceed to shake!
Once the seeds are separated, you
can store them in a zip-lock bag in
the refrigerator. I would encourage
you to label then with the date
and year. I know of other folks
who store them in old pill bottles,
envelopes or jars. (My favorite
is the small. clear plastic with
a white plastic top, rectangular
Tic Tac container.) Then, make
sure you store them in a cool, dry
environment.
Tommy Clarkson
… and I love it!
more harvest as it grows back.
After the flowering, the next step
is up to you. Some cover the
stems with paper bags or old nylon
stockings in order to catch the
seeds as the pods open. Whereas
others simply clip the stems and
take the pods to a more secure,
wind-free area until they’re ready
to harvest – perhaps hanging them
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
In Manzanillo, visit Ola Brisa Gardens,
Tommy and Patty’s verdant, multiterraced tropical paradise nestled on
a hill overlooking the magnificent vista
of Santiago Bay. Leisurely meander its
curved, paved path, experiencing, first
hand, a delicious array of palms, plants
and flowers from all over the world.
Or, e-mail questions to him at
[email protected]
For back issues of “Roots”, gardening tips,
tropical plant book reviews and videos of
numerous, highly unique eco/adventure/
nature tours, as well as memorable
“Ultimate Experiences” such a Tropical
Garden Brunches and Spa Services,
please visit www.olabrisagardens.com
ISSUE
329
Brain Teasers
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
by Harvey Estes / Will Shortz ©New York Times
Solution to Crossword
on Page 33
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 33
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015
43
ISSUE
329
Saturday 14 to Friday 20
February 2015