Out and About in Puerto Vallarta
 Twila Crawford - PVNN
| | Between book signings and lectures, concerts and theater performances, art openings and charity events to attend, and with the holidays just around the corner, there's always plenty to do when you are Out and About in Puerto Vallarta. | | |
Vallarta author Bob Lamb, the nicest and funniest general you will ever meet, will be signing his newly published book, Lone Tree, on Wednesday, December 3, from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at Barrio Sur restaurant and lounge, Pulpito 122. Lone Tree is filled with wisdom, humor and life in The Great Depression in Lone Tree, IN. Maybe more of a primer for us today with the global crisis than Bob Lamb ever knew when writing the book. A portion of proceeds will be donated to charity. The signing will include a cash bar.
The Vallarta Writers' Conference is February 20-22 at Los Mangos Public Library. Educators and some local writers are speakers. Author and television journalist Linda Ellerbee is keynote speaker. For further information, go to pvwg.com. The same weekend, the San Miguel Writers' Conference and Literary Festival features authors Erica Jong, who wrote Fear of Flying and other books, and Todd Gitlin, author of 10 books. For more information, email susan(at)susanpage.com. Susan was speaker at one of Vallarta's Writers' Conferences.
Eighty-year-old literary legend Carlos Fuentes is being honored at various events in Mexico. The country's elementary and secondary public schools are participating. The author describes himself as a pre-modern writer, using only pens, ink and paper. Fuentes says he "detests those authors who from the beginning, claim to have a recipe for success." In a speech on his writing process, he says that when he starts the writing process, he begins by asking, "Who am I writing for?" Old Gringo was the first American bestseller by a Mexican author. The film as we may remember starred Gregory Peck and Jane Fonda.
U.S. Consular Agent Kelly Trainor will speak at Vallarta Wise Wo-men on Wednesday, December 17 at 10:00 am at the International Friendship Club. She will answer questions about living here in Mexico.
Musical group Los Bambinos/Metamorsa performs on Mondays at 8 pm at Santa Barbara Theater, Olas Altas 351. Their new CD Imaginar under the name Metamorsa, produced by Blaine Selkirk, will be for sale. For tickets, call 223-2048.
Denver professional actress Alex Ryer will perform in Vallarta mid-January - mid-February. She always is a popular performer. Broadway performer Sol Rose also may appear in a show or two in the new year. This season, he has been creative at Cafe Bohemio preparing dishes requested by customers. New York and. Broadway actors Dana and Mark Zeller are here. Dana is on sabbatical, and Mark is painting.
The annual jazz fest at Cuatas y Cuetes featured first-rate musicians. A very talented jazz group from Mexico City called Faralae, with an outstanding female vocalist and scat-woman, set the tone. A band from the cruise ship Carnival entertained us with trumpet, saxophone, trombone and accompanying instruments. Other musicians from Vallarta took in the music. It was good to see Don and Rhonda, back from work in Canada, Beverly of Beverly and Willow at River Cafe, and the musicians who regularly perform at the venue. Martin and Tete were celebrating the restaurant's and music gathering spot's 15th anniversary.
Our thoughts are with musician and actress Kathleen Hennen, former Vallarta resident, at this time of her bereavement of her husband. You can express you condolences to kathleenhennen1(at)yahoo.com.
Galleria Dante, Basilio Badillo 209, owned by delightful Claire and Joe Guarniere, marks 20 years of business in Vallarta on December 21.
Galeria Corona at Corona 164 will be celebrating "Guadalupana" through December 13 with Karen Lahm's creation, and paintings of the Virgin de Guadalupe by several other artists. Also featured is local artist Edward Alejandre, who has completed a new set of ink drawings of Our Lady of Guadalupe church and familiar older buildings of the area. Owner Artemisa Hicks is celebrating Corona's seventh year in Vallarta.
Make-A-Wish Mexico will raise money for granting wishes of children with life threatening diseases in Mexico. A gala dinner and Las Vegas Fantasy will be on Saturday, December 20, at 7:30 pm at Oscar's Restaurant on the River Cuale. For further information, call (322) 293-7534.
The Vallarta Breakfast Club meets for breakfast at 9:30 am at the Lions Club, F.I. Madero 280, on Friday, December 5. Reservations at pmt15(at)hotmail.com.
The Pet Picnic will be Saturday, December 6, at 11:00 am at Daiquiri Dick's overlooking Los Muertos Beach.
Much-recognized Vallarta Adventures, as part of a community service program, is collecting clothing until December 20. "Vallarta Adventures tours often take place at the outskirts of outlying villages where new clothes will make a significant difference to families in need," clothing drive organizer Jessie Hopwood, says. Donations of clothing of all sizes can be dropped off at the Vallarta Adventures Center in Nuevo Vallarta or the office in Marina Vallarta. For more information, click HERE or call Jessie Hopwood at (322) 226-8400, ext. 425.
A group of us enjoyed an early Thanksgiving dinner at Dolores and Robert Brittingham's. As a journalist, I was in heaven sitting next to someone visiting from Houston who worked with NASA and the space shuttles. On the other side was someone who had been in California law enforcement. Interesting conversations.
The Mexican Revolution was a week-long celebration here. Last weekend was "big" with activity and noise. About 50 motorcycles, most Harleys, part of a club, were lined up inside and outside the Rosita Hotel. The riders were from Mazatlan. A number of the motorcycles are beautifully painted by a specialist in Mazatlan.
Holiday decorations and music are everywhere now. Take a stroll through Liverpool and the Galeria, beautifully decorated. You always can see what the secular part of the holiday is about at Woolworth's - items stacked to the ceiling. Here, we also have the beautiful processions of Mexico. I can enjoy them from my terrace.
Spam, the "hard times" food, news stories tell us, is very much "in" again. Check and see if it is around on grocery shelves here.
By the way, Banana Cantina is open 7 days per week. Tel: (322) 222-2114. This is the restaurant that helps so much with charities.
I get a massage every now and then. The person working on my muscles, Betty, sometimes gets right up on the table, straddling me. I remember this happened to me for the first time in Vietnam. (Gil and Lucy probably had their experiences there, too.) Unless it was a fantasy, for one of the massages, a young man hopped on the table, straddled me, and provided a massage. Also, while waiting for a last-minute hair appointment there, I was massaged on the head and shoulders with warm water running for an hour and a half. Absolutely no complaints... and I am in a stupor now, thinking about all of this relaxation.
Enjoy the holiday festivities!
 An award-winning journalist, Twila Crawford lives in Puerto Vallarta, where, in addition to contributing articles to BanderasNews, the PV Mirror and other local publications, she writes Out and About in Puerto Vallarta, an informative column that offers inside information about who, what, why, where and when it's happening around Banderas Bay.
Click HERE to read more articles by Twila Crawford. |
Vallarta Weddings
Vallarta Living | November 2008 
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