Issue 1009, Aug 4 - 10, 2016

Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com

Events

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Summer Bash

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Paradise and Parenting summer at home

Aug 4 - 10, 2016 Year 19 Free Issue 1009

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Real Estate buying a vacation property

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Photo by J. Carlos Andrade

welcome

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Welcome to Puerto Vallarta

and Riviera Nayarit Here is some advice to make your trip a little easier and more enjoyable.

TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the southern part of the State of Nayarit starting from Guayabitos in the north.

BUSES: A system of urban buses with different routes can bring you from one end of the bay to the other and all the spots in between.

Current fare in Puerto Vallarta 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 town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver first. Price is per trip not person.

MONEY EXCHANGE: Although you may have to wait in line for a few minutes, banks will give you a higher rate of exchange than the exchange booths (caja de cambio). You will need your passport. Better yet, use your bank card to withdraw funds from any ATM machine. Note that ATM’s in the banks are the safest to use and generally charge lower fees.

DRINKING WATER: For the 18th year in a row, Puerto Vallarta’s water has been awarded a certification of purity for human consumption.

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. If you want to be doubly sure, you can pick up bottled water just about anywhere.

EXPORTING PETS: Falling love with the street dog outside your hotel or a puppy on the Malecon doesn’t mean they can’t come home with you.

The process is fairly inexpensive and only takes a day or two. You need a certificate of health from a local vet among other things. The time of year that pets can travel in the cargo section of the plane may be your biggest challenge. For the most up-to-date information contact the Puerto Vallarta SPCA at spcapv@gmail.com.

COMMON SENSE: Just as you wouldn’t walk around your hometown drunk and beligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here. While Mexicans are a forgiving bunch, basic politeness is appreciated.

For the guys, peeing in public is a major faux pas and if you are caught, can get you tossed in jail or an expensive fine. Pay attention to your surroundings. Pay your bills. Be courteous. And have fun!

DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis are cheap and plentiful. Fines are as much as 10,000 pesos. You can be taken to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends and you will be asked to blow if they suspect you have been drinking.

LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not an valid excuse in Mexico or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation be aware that guilt is presumed until your innocence can be proven.

This is a very difficult lesson to learn if you are visiting from the United States or Canada in particular. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Director Noemi Zamora noemizamorareynoso@gmail.com Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Sales Team Rebeca Castellón rebeca.castellonn@gmail.com Information office ventastribuna7@yahoo.com Designer Cynthia E. Andrade G. cysandra@gmail.com cisandra@vallartatribune.com

Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

Calling in Mexico Calling phones in Mexico can be tricky as it is different than in the US or Canada. There are different codes you need to use depending if you are calling landlines or cellular phones and if they are local or long distance.

Long-distance calls from within Mexico For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number. For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (for the U.S. and Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

Calling Cell Phones (from a land line) If you are calling from a landline within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number dial 044, then the 10 digit number including area code. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. Cell phone to cell phone only requires the 10 digit number.

Phone Cards Phone cards (“tarjetas telefonicas”) for use in pay phones can be bought at newstands and in pharmacies in denominations of 30, 50 and 100 pesos. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a “tarjeta LADA,” because pre-paid cell phone cards are also sold in the same establishments.

Calling Toll-Free Numbers Some toll free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not.

You need to dial a different prefix. To call the following toll free prefixes, dial as follows: 800 numbers Dial 001-880-then the number 866 numbers Dial 001-883-then the number 877 numbers Dial 001-882-then the number 888 numbers Dial 001-881-then the number

Emergencies: 060 Red Cross: 065 Non-Emergency Police 322.290.0507 Fire Department: 322.223.9476

Ahoy Cruisers!

Day Ship 2-Aug Carnival Miracle 3-Aug Carnival Miracle 10-Aug Carnival Miracle 17-Aug Carnival Miracle 23-Aug Carnival Miracle 24-Aug Carnival Miracle 29-Aug Disney Wonder 31-Aug Carnival Miracle

Passengers 2,124 2,124 2,124 2,124 2,124 2,124 2,500 2,124

Ambulance: 322.222.1533

Consulates American Consulate Immigration: Nuevo Vallarta: 322.224.7719 322.222.0069 24 hrs Guadalajara: Consumer Protection: 333.268.2145 01.800.468.8722 Tourism Offices Canadian Consulate Jalisco: 322.221.2676 322.293.2894 Nayarit: 322.297.1006 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

In port this month

In the month of August Puerto Vallarta welcomes 17,368 passengers!

Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and merely publishes information as it is provided by the advertiser or event host. We do not assume responsibility in errors or omissions other than to correct them as soon as they are made known to us regarding event schedules, locations and/or prices. In addition, we do not assume any responsibility for erroneous inclusion or exclusion of information except to take reasonable care to ensure accuracy, that permission has been obtained to use it, and to remove it as soon as is practical upon receiving your notification of error. We recommend you always confirm prior to attending or visiting an event or establishment. Weekly publication edited, printed and distributed by Ediciones y Publicaciones Siete Junio, SA de CV Grupo Editorial Tribuna Calle 21 de Marzo # 1174 Col. Lomas del Coapinole Del. El Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco México CP 48290 Tel. 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

editorial

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Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

Editor’s

Note

editor@vallartatribune.com

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his weekend we have one of the very few organized charity events of the summer with the Cheryl’s Shoebox Summer Bash. This must-attend event on Sunday, August 7th fundraises for impoverished children.

Cheryl’s Shoebox initially gathered shoes for these children, but the mission has since grown to include school supplies and education support. Your $100 pesos donation will go towards purchasing school supplies, shoes and educational materials for classrooms.

This Sunday join in the festivities from 4pm-9pm at the Oasis de Holi Beach restaurant for live music, beach games, and food and drink (for purchase), plus all your favourite faces. To get to the restaurant and beach, you enter alongside the Pitillal River between Plaza Peninsula and the Grand Venetian Resort, across from the entrance to Fluvial. There is plenty

of parking at the beach. See you there!

On August 17th we have another CK Productions event, this time with Cuban fare and a dance floor. Doesn’t that sound great?

Stay tuned for more details.

There continues to be live music around town, most notably at Capt Dons, the Jazz Foundation, Patio de Mi Casa and the Roxy. I hear new owners have taken over Boleros, and maybe an English style pub is going in on that corner.

Those in the know assure me the pool table will remain. I suspect we will have plenty of new spaces to imbibe in the coming months; the town is hopping with tourists, construction and a heady sense that the drought is over.

I was in Guadalajara last week for a quick shopping trip. We took the road through Mascota which was terrible with potholes until the turn off for Talpa de Allende and then stopped at the Guachimontones Archeological site just before Jala. Gorgeous time of year to visit the site. The pyramids are covered in green grass, the grounds are bursting with new life, the valley is resplendent in its greens and golds with the twinkling lake below.

It’s not hard to see why the indi-

SPCA of Puerto Vallarta

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ome and spend a rewarding afternoon cuddling the animals at Puerto Vallarta’s SPCA Sanctuary. Our dogs and cats are awaiting “forever homes” and your help is needed to jump start their socialization. The goal is to get these animals adjusted and ready to interact in the real world. The majority of the SPCA animals either come from extremely abusive situations or they have been abandoned. Your love and attention can make up for that sad history. During your visit, you can interact with the animals and even take a dog (or two or three) for a walk.

During the low season (May through October), reservations to visit the sanctuary need to be made in advance. To make a reservation, contact us at spcapv@gmail.com.

We appreciate any donations you can bring for our rescues and also please feel free to bring treats for sanctuary staff as they truly appreciate it.

To see our animals available for adoption, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/spcapv.

Go to Photos where you will also find individual Albums for all the animals available as well as a bit of their history. Please be aware that our adoption fee within Mexico

genous people set up camp here 3500 years ago. If you’re making a trip to Guadalajara, this is a must stop destination. It’s only about 30 minutes outside Jala so even if you take the cuota to the city you can just make a small backtrack to get to the Guachimontones.

The town of Techuitlan (where the pyramids are located) is also home to hot springs and fantastic hiking in the near by volcano fields and forests. It’s is a weekend getaway for Guadalajara families, and there are many resort style hotels if you too would like to make a stay of it.

In Guadalajara, we hit the Sunday tianguis in Tonala. Usually, I caution against Tonala shopping as most of it is made in china junk of low quality. But there are specific things that are manufactured in the area and some imported items from Oaxaca and Chiapas that are difficult to find otherwise. We went off the main square into some of the back streets, and I found some great things. Then we headed over to Tlaquepaque for lunch and a stroll through the galleries. It really is one of the nicest areas in all of Mexico. I highly recommend a weekend trip to experience both of these places. Be brave and venture a little off the path and you’ll find

By Janice Gonzalez

is $1,500 pesos.

To make donations via PayPal, select the "Donate" option on our Facebook page www.facebook. com/spcapv or on our website at http://spcapv.com/donate/.

You can drop off any donations for the SPCA at Hacienda San Angel located at Calle Miramar 336, above Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in El Centro.

Get involved…rescue, adopt, foster, volunteer, donate or educate. Contact us at spcapv@ gmail.com. You can learn more about the SPCA Puerto Vallarta by checking us out at www.spcapv. com/home or on Facebook.

some real bargains!

On our way back Sunday evening we took the cuota because it was getting dark and saw the most stunning sunset behind the Tequila volcano. It lit up like a fireball with a rainstorm receding in the distance. Truly spectacular landscapes. I did take a moment to feel sorry for the horde of vacationers returning to Guadalajara in the oncoming lanes. Non-stop traffic for nearly five hours. Thousands of Tapatios returning home after visiting Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding areas. I bet they

had sand in uncomfortable places.

As usual, please support locally.

Big box stores don’t need your pesos like the small tiendsas, and the vendors do. Also, do you really need that straw? Don’t your lips work? That piece of one-time use nonbio-degradable plastic is perhaps the most harmful, least useful invention on the plant. Say no to the next straw in your drink.

In Spanish say, “Sin popopote, por favour. Gracias.”

Safe travels amigos, Madeline

Summer Beach Bash

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heryl's Shoebox is pleased to announce our 1st Annual Summer Beach Bash to be held on Sunday, August 7th from 4 PM to 9 PM at the Oasis del Holi restaurant (Av. Francisco Medina Ascencio in the Hotel Zone.

• Entry cost is only $100 pesos per person with all proceeds going to Cheryl's Shoebox.

• Live music, team relay games by sponsors and a no-host food and beverage menu.

We also encourage businesses to sponsor teams to compete in the games. Business sponsorship will include a space on our banner and a shared table on which to display advertisements. The team sponsorship forms can be found at www.downloads.cherylsshoebox.org EVENT DETAILS When: Sunday August 7th 4pm – 9pm Where: Oasis del Holi Restaurant Admission: $100 pesos Purpose: To raise funds to provide School Shoes and Supplies to the 200+ Children in Colonias: Progresso, Lomas de Enmedio & El Satrillo.

We have realized we can do much more than donating shoes and this year we have expanded to assist primary and secondary students in low-income areas with school supply kits. This fundraiser will be our kick-off event raising funds for the 200+ students in the colonias of Progresso, Lomas de Enmedio & El Satrillo.

Learn more at www.CherylsShoeBox.org

news

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Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

Another price hike: gasoline, diesel up

U.S., Mexico air transport accord enters in force, seen boosting travel

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ncrease reflects rebound in international crude prices Fuel prices went up today in response to a recent increase in the price of crude oil. It was the second time in two months that gasoline prices have risen.

Magna gasoline is now priced at a maximum of 13.96 pesos per liter, up 56 centavos, premium is 14.81 pesos, an increase of 44 centavos, and diesel, 13.98 pesos, which is up 21 centavos.

Gasoline prices are now 3% higher than they were a year ago.

In announcing the increase, the Finance Secretariat said the price hikes were within the range established for this year

by Congress, which allows for prices to be adjusted according to international oil prices, but not by more than 3%.

According to a State of México business organization, most of the impact will be felt in small corner stores, or abarrotes, due

to the cost of delivering dairy, bread and meat products.

The Industrial Union of the State of México, or Unidem, said a typical delivery route in urban areas has as many as 22 such stores to service.

The additional fuel costs could mean those products will cost 2%-4% more for such stores within one or two months, said Unidem director Francisco Cuevas Dobarganes.

He said the government is hiking fuel and electricity prices because it has pledged not to increase taxes during the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto.

The price increases, which are needed to help balance spending in the wake of economic damage caused by low oil prices and other factors, represent a hidden tax, Cuevas said.

Original: mexiconewsdaily.com

he United States and Mexico agreed to put into force a new air transportation agreement that is expected to boost travel and clear the way for any city to have direct airline service to the neighboring nation, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Monday.

It said the two countries exchanged diplomatic notes Friday to bring the agreement into effect after four years of talks. The final approval was announced by the White House during Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto's visit the same day to U.S. President Barack Obama.

The agreement will allow "increased market access for passenger and cargo airlines to fly between any city in Mexico and any city in the United States," the Transportation Department said, expanding on the brief White House announcement.

"Cargo carriers will now have expanded opportunities to provide

services," it added. The expanded access under the agreement starts Aug. 21. The accord, which modifies a 1960 agreement, removes the numerical limitations on the number

of airlines that may provide passenger service between all U.S.Mexico city pairs, a term referring to flights between localities in each country. As a result, some city-pair markets may new carriers for the first time, and airlines can consider offering new service in destinations that they could have never considered previously, the Transportation Department said.

The agreement removes a key hurdle to a closer tie-up between Delta Air Lines Incand Grupo Aeromexico SAB de CV. The carriers have asked the U.S. government to grant them immunity from antitrust law so they can coordinate better flight connection times as well as prices. Mexico approved the joint venture in May. Delta has said it expects to own up to 49 percent of the Mexican carrier by the end of the year.

(Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by W Simon) Original: Reuters.com

news

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Jalisco, British Columbia and California Top Destinations of Origin for Visitors to Riviera Nayarit

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alisco is the top Mexican state of origin for tourists to the destination with 33.2% of the total, British Columbia leads in number of visitors from Canada with 23.1% and California is the United States’ number one with 24.2%.

The 1st semester 2016 report from the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (CVB) Visitors Profile reconfirms that Mexico, Canada and the United States are the top markets of origin for tourists to the destination.

Mexico led the way with 42.3%, Canada is second with 27.4% and the United States is at 27.1%, followed by England with 2.0% and finally all other countries with 1.3%.

Among other nations, Colombia was first at 19.3% and Argentina second at 17.5%.

In Mexico, Jalisco leads with 33.2%, followed by Mexico City at 12.3%, Aguascalientes with 11.9%,

Guanajuato with 10.9% and Nuevo León completes the top-five list with 4.4%. Nayarit is in 6th place with 4.2%.

The Canadian provinces offered British Columbia in first place with 26.8% followed closely by Alberta at 23.1%, with Quebec third at 17.3%.

Next are Ontario at 13%, Saskatchewan at 11.8% and Manitoba with 8%.

California leads the way from the United States with 24.2% followed at a distance by Illinois at 10.1%, Texas at 7.7% and both Colorado and Washington at 6.9%.

Rest and relaxation are the top travel motivators for tourists coming in at a whopping 94.2%, however, the meetings and conventions segment is picking up steam at 3.7%—within that segment, weddings represent 26.9% of the total with sporting events representing 25.6%.

Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

Space conference in MX for the first time

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pace Olympics also coming, along with Elon Musk of SpaceX The Olympic Games of space are coming to Mexico when, for the first time in its history, the International Aeronautical Congress (IAC) is held in September in Guadalajara.

The state capital Jalisco will host IAC 2016 between September 26 and 30, which is expected to attract 3,000 delegates from around the world.

Organized by the Mexican Space Agency (AEM), the congress will be preceded by an event known as Space Generation, regarded as the Olympic Games of space.

With the support of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Space Generation will introduce worldwide leaders in the aerospace industry to the ingenuity of young Mexicans aged 18-35, with the goal of creating multinational networks and projects.

AEM general director Javier

Mendieta Jiménez said that one major goal of the event is to educate youths who will become the future leaders in their field, while stimulating their passion for space, study, science and technology.

Mendieta described Space Generation as an olympiad of knowledge and the space industry where the greatest minds of the field meet, giving young Mexicans a “vital” opportunity.

“The new generations in the field . . . will be able to create personal bonds with the most prominent players in the industry and with the public policy creators,” said Mendieta, who believes those bonds are essential in “this digital era that’s revolutionizing the world.”

In a break with tradition the

The World on Your TV

El Mundo en su TV is offering an about everything on our website at internet streaming device that allows almost all TV channels in the world (over 100 from the USA, thousands from Europe; over 80 countries in total), that are being streamed live, to be available on your TV, with no monthly fees.

www.elmundoensutv.com. If you are interested in our device, that is completely portable, please contact us to offer a demonstration of the capabilities.

We offer to demonstrate the unit in your house or condo, free of charge.

You would also have almost all live If you wish a demonstration in our sporting events, all movies and all TV office, that is free of charge. series. Again, with no monthly fees.

The purchase price is 1800 Pesos.

The most important aspect is this is If you decide to purchase it with a completely internet-based; you have to personal installation and demonstrahave 7 Mb/S of speed, more is better. tion, the additional charge is only 200 In my office, we only have 7 Mb/S and Pesos. it works fine.

If you are unsatisfied after 7 days, I will With 10, it is like watching TV, Period. refund your entire amount paid. The I also offer a complete manual of how installation charge is not refundable. to truly enjoy this experience, as well as instructions on how to even make Tel. 221 0111 Local 20, it better for you. We provide YouTube Las Palmas 2, Marina Vallarta. videos, as well as written instructions todd@remaxinpv.com

w w w. e l m u n d o e n s u t v. c o m

youths will have the chance to sit down and interact with industry leaders, presenting their ideas in hands-on working groups.

At last year’s event, Mexican youths won three of the six categories in the Mars Trekker Global Teen Summit, organized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States (NASA), prevailing over 120 teenagers from around the globe in disciplines such as robotics.

Among the industry leaders at IAC 2016 will be SpaceX CEO and business magnate, engineer and inventor Elon Musk, who will reportedly unveil his new super-heavy rocket and spacecraft for a Mars mission, along with his plans for a city on the red planet.

“I thought that would be a good venue to describe what we think would be a good approach . . . something that would be effective for establishing a city on Mars.

I think it’s going to sound pretty crazy,” said Musk about his Mars plans.

Original: mexiconewsdaily.com

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local

Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

What Impressed Me About Doctors in Mexico

Paradise

and Parenting Leza Warkentin

mommyinmexico.wordpress.com

Summer At Home

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or nearly two months of every year I get to be a stayat-home mom. This is a great perk of a job where I get to be a stay-at-school mom to other children for ten other months of the year.

It used to be pretty tiring to stay at home. Young babies and children require constant attention and supervision. I would have to make Special Learning Activities for my children each day or they would make their own Special Learning Activities while I wasn’t looking.

The last time that happened they redecorated the master bathroom using Crayola’s Shamrock Green poster paint.

Fortunately, this has changed.

I can sleep late and they will get their own cereal and watch Dan TDM on YouTube or make music videos on my phone.

These are also learning activities. I’m pretty sure.

Not only that, now they are capable of working and doing a (mostly) decent job of it. As long as I hold the key to the WiFi password, I don’t have to: a) wash dishes b) bag grass clippings c) put away clothes that aren’t mine. I have energy for the first time in years, and I have read at least five books without hearing a single crash in another room.

But probably my favorite part of summer vacation is the time we spend together as a family. If we aren’t traveling, a lot of the time is spent in the house together but in separate rooms, because there’s only so much I can take of Dan TDM’s voice (look him up if you don’t believe me).

But we also do fun things that we don’t have time for during the school year, and it’s wonderful.

Some of our favorites: 1) Making pie - At first my son was against the whole idea. While he did want pie (he always wants pie actually), he wanted to eat good pie, not some beginner’s version, even if the beginner was him. But I was there every step of

the way, because I also wanted good pie, and now he wants to make pie every day. We can’t do that, because I want to fit my pants when I go back to work, but I am happy for the enthusiasm.

2) Movie marathons – We finally got to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies with them, after waiting several years for them to be able to handle the wind-y plot and intense sword-play scenes. That’s when I realized that three nights in a row of Jack Sparrow are at least two too many. But at least we were together.

3) Crafts – My daughter loves crafts. I do too except for things that involve sewing, but that’s why she has a dad.

We have made cork boats, shell turtles, and snow globes. I won’t say they all worked out (I think we’ll just buy ourselves a snow globe),

but we enjoyed it.

4) Walks – It’s hot out, but evenings and mornings have been pretty nice, and, when you live in a tropical paradise, there’s always a beautiful place to walk the dogs with the promise of ice cream or a quick jump in the ocean on the way. P.S. Lix on Basilio Badillo, I’m coming your way for a frozen chocolate covered banana. Un. Real.

5) Food – We like to hit our favorite taco stands and breakfast places every once in awhile, but we also enjoy trying some new places that we’ve been eyeing all year as we drive by to do other things, like grocery shopping, bill paying, and soul stifling.

Last week we finally made it to Nutrihouse, a comida corrida place in the colonia Versalles where the menu changes each day. It was amazing.

We got soup or salad, a main dish with two sides that you could choose, and flavored water for seventy-five pesos. There’s a vegetarian option every day and dessert for twelve pesos.

6) Anywhere with A/C. I’ll go walk around a mall or store aimlessly for at least an hour and a half for the free air conditioning. I don’t care where it is.

As long as they have it set to twenty-one degrees Celsius it could be a medical supply store.

I’d even buy something to support their business.

Sometimes it’s all the difference between feeling human and feeling homicidal. If you really want to live it up, try Costco, they have the best free samples.

Paul Kurtzweil www.qroo.us

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grew up in the United States and lived there until moving to Mexico in August of 2015.

As a result, I am very familiar with the American health care system.

Living in the U.S., I had gotten accustomed to arriving on time for my appointment only to wait an additional 30 minutes before I saw the doctor.

Once the doctor did come in, I knew that I only had a few minutes to cover any health concerns I may have before he or she moved on to the next patient. I always assumed that this is how it worked everywhere in the world -- until I moved to Mexico.

I hate to paint an entire profession with a broad brush, so I will focus this article only on our experiences visiting dermatologists both in the United States and in Mexico.

Spending the majority of our lives living under the Florida sun, my wife and I both understand the importance of visiting the dermatologist on an annual basis.

In fact, we both went to a highly recommended dermatologist in Florida for skin checks prior to moving to the Riviera Maya.

So far, my wife is the only one of us who has been treated by a dermatologist in Mexico. The following is a comparison of her visits in both countries:

Dermatologist in the United States The Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) put on a pair of magnifying goggles and quickly went over my wife's skin from her scalp to her feet.

She then spent another couple of minutes talking to us about our upcoming move to Mexico. After that, she moved on to her next patient.

Time spent with doctor: approximately 5 minutes Cost: $30 insurance copay

Dermatologist in Mexico

The doctor, not a nurse or nurse

practitioner, conducted a very through interview with Linda to determine her past skin issues and pertinent family history.

He then conducted a very detailed examination of every mole, blemish, and dry area on her skin.

If there was a mole that he deemed "suspicious", he scanned it into the computer using a digital dermatoscope.

He studied a magnified version of the mole before adding it to the digital patient's file. He said that allows him to track any change in the size and/or shape of the mole during future visits.

A nurse then took Linda into another room and took pictures of her face using ultraviolet imaging technology to detect sun damage.

I was very impressed with the quality of the equipment.

As a result of the examination, the doctor had recommended a prescription cream. He then provided us with his personal cell phone number and told us we could contact him with any further questions or concerns.

Time spent with doctor: approximately 40 minutes Cost: $37 without insurance Let's Wrap This Up Just in case you think that the treatment that we received at the dermatologist's office in Mexico was atypical, I do not believe it was.

We have several expat friends who have received medical treatment while in Mexico and their experiences were all very similar.

The overwhelming majority report being treated by well-equipped, professional medical personnel who seemed to take a genuine interest in their well being.

Two of my friends were even visited in their homes by their doctor when they were too sick to go to his office.

Just like in the United States, doctors and medical facilities can vary quite a bit.

It is always a good idea to speak with expats in your area to get their recommendations.

local

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From Here Marcia Blondin

marciavallarta@gmail.com

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opero de Jovany is OPEN! The new space, twice as big as the old location, will be glorious once it’s completely finished. (Fabulous things take time!) The good news is, Jovany is open for business with two entrances – one on Venustiano Carranza (# 300) and the other on Constitucion, down the street from Los Muertos Brewing Company.

If you love vintage clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, movie posters go and see Jovany. Jovany will also take vintage items on consignment: but, be forewarned; he won’t simply take your word on the age or authenticity of anything until he verifies.

So, if you want a real Coco Chanel handbag, for example, and Jovany has one for sale, you are

assured due diligence has been done, and it’s genuine. Or he won’t sell it.

I spent a day at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens last week.

Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

New buildings have opened (it’s been over a year since my last visit), new plantings have been started, the early afternoon mist clung to the sides of the mountains covered in every shade of green.

That this is a sacred and revered space for Mexico’s indigenous people is celebrated at every glance.

Turn your head and a new delightful color/shape/size of something growing pops into vision.

I was going to say “It’s so quiet” but it isn’t; not when you can hear Mother Earth creating.

The sounds are different from the city, of course – combative hummingbirds, caciques, rushing river water, rumbles of thunder far, far off but coming; no, not quiet.

But, peaceful? Yes. Rejuvenating?

Yes. And delicious!

My dear friend, founder and curator, Robert Price, shared with us a taste of the chocolate he MADE from the cacao beans he grew from seed.

Seven years in the making and well worth the wait, I might add.

Thanks, FB, for another magical day in your exuberant gardens!

In a couple of weeks, CK Productions is having another concert, but with a twist: there will be dancing; there will be Cuban

food.

There will be swimming and sunbathing. As with all CK Productions – expect and receive the very best. More info as the date (August 17th) gets closer.

Next week, August 11th, Paco Ojeda presents another of his brilliant vocal essays on music featuring the inventor of the saxophone.

This interesting audio/visual journey will take place at our wonderful library, Los Mangos. You will be enthralled for 90 minutes, trust me!

Please, leave at least $30 pesos to help defray the cost of renting the space from the library and find out everything you will ever need to know about Adolfo Sax and his amazing invention. That’s at 7 pm, August 11.

This weekend, Sunday the 7th from 4 to 9 pm, is the First Annual Summer Beach Bash to raise money for Cheryl’s Shoebox. In a nutshell, in memory of Cheryl, please attend what is sure to become another “RIVERFEST -type ” celebration in Vallarta but with salt water!

Entry fee is $100 pesos to fund school supplies and yes, shoes, for hundreds of children. Please note

this well: even though the schools are remote there are still very strict criterion on school uniforms (including shoes) and on school supplies that are enforced.

So, instead of trying to figure out boy/girl sneakers/’school-type shoes’…sizes, colors, shapes and so on: give money, please!

It’s easier than packing up a bunch of workbooks that will be the wrong brand.

Seriously – the organizers know precisely what to buy and for whom so please, at the entrance, drop an extra few pesos into the donation box and have yourself a helluva great Beach Bash!

I will see you there and that’s it From Here.

accordingly.

Conchas Chinas: South of Vallarta Playa Conchas Chinas features a series of rocky coves with crystalline water and millions of white shells broken and polished by the waves forming the sand. The individual coves are ideal for secluded sunbathing and snorkeling.

Garza Blanca: White pristine sand, beautiful beach in front of the ritzy Garza Blanca resort.

Playa Las Gemelas: The cleanest and most accessible beach south of Vallarta. A huge swath of fine white sand with lots of families having picnics on the weekends.

Playa Mismaloya: Where the movie, The Night of the Iguana was made. Located in front of the excellent dive and snorkel spot of Los Arcos you can book snorkeling and jet skis off the beach. A couple beach restaurants and vendors will keep you content throughout the day.

Boca de Tomatlan: Mostly a boat launch there is a small beach/ tributary. This is where you hire water taxis to the beaches further south. Beaches south of Boca de Tomatlan are only accessible by boat or hiking, depending on your fitness level.

South of Boca de Tomatlan Colomitos: Many in the know hike to this beach, which is moderate 45 minute hike. It’s also home to the popular Ocean Grill restaurant.

Reservations are a must to eat at Ocean Grill.

Playa Caballo: A relatively new edition to the beach club scene, Maraika Beach Club makes this a popular spot for beautiful people.

Reservations during the weekends if you want a beach table.

Las Ánimas: Because of its

shallow waters, Playa last Animas is ideal for children and often fills up with families on weekends and holidays. A few seafood restaurants line the sand. You can also ride a banana boat or go parasailing.

Quimixto: Charming tiny town with just a couple restaurants and a beautiful waterfall hike. Rent horses and make a day of it.

Majahuitas: Often touted as the best snorkeling and dive spot in the Bay. The waters here are clear and there is plenty of fish and sea turtles to spy on.

Las Caletas: Former home of John Houston, this beach is the home of the Rhythms of the Night as well as a popular spot for weddings and a stopping point on many Vallarta Adventure tours.

Yelapa: This once tiny hippy haven has boomed in recent years and now sports both electricity and cell phone towers, but remains only accessible by boat.

Still a treat for a day or a week, the beach is lovely. The town is charming and there are two relatively accessible waterfalls. If you’re a nature enthusiast, the flora and fauna around Yelapa are amazing.

Beaches of Vallarta

T

his list offers a quick guide to the most popular beaches from the International Airport south to the village of Yelapa.

Boca de Tomates: A great spot to see crocodiles, eat fresh caught seafood and visit the Turtle Rescue Camp. The beach isn’t great for swimming as the Rio Ameca runs just north of it, making the waters muddy and the bottom silty.

El Holi: Located at the mouth of the Pitillal River in front of Plaza Peninsula this beach has a great oyster shack set up during season.

Playa Camarones: Sometimes rocky, sometimes sandy this beach hosts Barracudas and El Solar, two great beachfront places to hang, day or night.

Olas Altas: You may find the waters suitable for surfing or boogie boarding near the River Cuale.

Olas Altas starts at Daiquiri Dick's excellent restaurant and runs north to the River. It attracts fewer sunbathers then Los Muertos but gets lively during holidays.

Los Muertos: Puerto Vallarta’s original happening beach, Playa los Muertos (Beach of the Dead), is action central for both

locals and tourists alike. The flat stretch of sand starts south of the River Cuale and runs about 1.5 km (one mile) south while hugging the Romantic Zone. There is a non-stop parade of vendors hawking grilled fish on sticks, jewellery, sombreros and sarapes. You can take a banana-boat ride, rent a stand-up paddle board, try out the jet boots or go para-sailing. A string of restaurants run the length of the beach, most with umbrellas and lounges for daytime and romantic tables for candlelight dining.

Las Amapas: Rocky with coves great for snorkeling. Not many vendors or services. Pack

Visit the Marsol Hotel Summer Market by t

the Pier every Friday 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

charity

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Non - Profit and Milagros, Our Little Miracles Charitable Organizations For visitors to Puerto Vallarta who wish to support the less privileged in our paradise, this is a list of some of the many organizations that could benefit from such kind gestures.

If you would like your organization recognized here, please email details to editor@vallartatribune. com.

Acción En La Cruz aid residents of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle by providing provisions in exchange for community services performed.landon5120.wix.com/ accionenlacruz Alcoholics Anonymous: In English Puerto Vallarta Alanon Club - Basilio Badillo 329 recoverpv.com Amazing Grace Missions Assisting families in Magisterio & Progreso with necessities and job training and English. slw2014nv@gmail.com American Legion Post 14: raises resources and manpower to improve facilities needing building maintenance americanlegion14.org Amigos del Magisterio - Food delivered directly to workers at the PV dump, their families and schools in Magisterio and Volcanes. Also, food to New Beginnings, Pasitos de Luz, and Caritas. 100% of donations to the people, no overhead.amigosdelmagisterio.com lysephilrioux@ hotmail.com Asilo San Juan Diego Home for the Elderly - Contact: Lupita Sanchez Covarrubias 222-1257 or malupita88@hotmail.com or mexonline. com\asilosanjuandiego.htm Asociación Down - Assistance to persons with Down’s Syndrome – Contact: Ana Eisenring at 224-9577.

Banderas Bay Women’s Shelter Safe shelter for women & children victims of domestic violence. compassionforthefamily.org Becas Vallarta, A.C. – Provides scholarships to high school and university students. Tax-deductible in Mexico and USA. Polly Vicars at (322) 223-1371 or Buri Gray at (322) 221-5285.

CANICA - Centre for Children with Cancer. Provides aid for treatment and services including transportation to GDL. Contact Director, Evelia Basañes 322-123-5688.

Casa Hogar - A shelter for orphaned, abandoned, disadvantaged or vulnerable children. Luz Aurora Arredondo at 221 1908, casahogar_maximocor nejo@

hotmail.com Centro Comunitario SETACGLBT – Services the GLBT community, including treatment and referrals, education, English classes, HIV testing and counseling. Paco Arjona 224-1974 Clinica de Rehabilitación Santa Barbara - Rehabilitation of the handicapped.

Contact: Laura Lopez Portillo Rodriguez at 224-2754.

COLINA Spay and Neuter Clinic - Free and by-donation sterilization clinic in Old Town. Only open Saturdays, Contact: cez@rogers.com or 322-104-6609 CompassionNet Impact – Transforming the lives of people living in chronic poverty. Job creation, education, emergency & more. Tax-deductible. Cell: (322) 133-7263 or ric@4compassion.org Corazon de Nina A safe, loving, home-environment for 40+ children and youth rescued from high-risk situations. Donations & volunteers always welcome! Totally self-funded. www.fundacioncorazon.mx Cruz Roja (Red Cross) - Handles hospital and emergency service in Vallarta. It is the only facility that is authorized to offer assistance to injured people on the street.

Contact: 222-1533, 222-4973 Desayunos para los Niños de Vallarta A.C. Feeding programs, education programs, day care centers for single mothers. 2234311 or 22225 72 Discapacitados de Vallarta, A.C. (DIVAC) association of handicapped individuals dedicated to helping one another. Ivan Applegate at 221-5153.

Ecology and Conservation of Whales, AC. National Coordination Network for the Assistance of Entangled Whales. Biol. Astrid Frisch Jordán, Arce #541. Col. La Primavera Puerto Vallarta, Jal. 48325, Mexico, Tel/Fax: (322) 29 37 851 fibbcatalogo@yahoo.com Families At The Dump: Supporting families living in the landfill or garbage dump thru education and sustainable opportunities. familiesatthedump.org Fundacion Punta de Mita LDG. Ana Lilia Medina Varas de Valdés. ana@fundacionpuntademita.org Tel. (329) 291 5053

more found online www.vallartatribune.com

I

am sure many of us have seen the rustic and unique religious art coming out of Michoacan.

Wooden crosses and hearts, among other things, hand carved and painted, they are then festooned with little metal figures, taking the shape of many different things, from chickens to typewriters. These little figures are called ‘milagros’ and the folk art that is being made with them is steeped in ancient tradition.

Milagro is the Spanish word for a miracle or a pleasant surprise.

They are sometimes called ‘ex-votos’ or ‘dijes’, referring to the vow one takes in their traditional use.

The use of ‘milagros’ is a folk custom in México and the southwestern US that can be traced back to the pre-christian inhabitants of the Iberian peninsula along the coast, especially in Andalusia, Majorca, and Catalonia.

The Spanish ‘conquistadores’ brought ‘milagros’ with them from Europe as part of their Catholic faith.

The church has at least tacitly allowed the practice for centuries and in many places it actually promotes their use as a source of revenue and as a strong act of devotion on the part of the faithful.

Traditionally, milagros have been used by people to show their sincerity and piousness when asking God, Jesus, the Virgen Mary or a patron saint for help with a special need.

They are usually made up of a mix of silver and tin, but can be made of anything from clay to solid gold. Although the tradition has

faded in many places, they can still be found, selling in front of churches and cathedrals, or from street vendors in the square outside.

People buy them to leave on an altar, in a shrine, or pinned to the clothes of a statue of the saint to whom they wish to pray.

They serve as a reminder of the persons’ particular need or desire and their petition.

The symbolism is very personal.

A milagro in the shape of a leg can refer to a broken bone, running a marathon, learning to dance... according to what the petitioner has in mind.

Milagros are often used as talismans, and can be found in jewelry, or adorning some personal object.

Adorable Dog In The Spotlight...

FRECKLES

N

ow we ask you, how often have you seen a Chihuahua as cute as this!?!? Our boy Freckles has been appropriately named for his unique color pattern. He is just a year and a half old and weighs 17.6 pounds.

Freckles is very active and playful with both humans and other dogs.

He is fun to watch as he runs and jumps around the sanctuary but he is also a snuggler. Freckles has been neutered, dewormed and is current on all his vaccines. We just know there is someone who would love to make this joyful little boy a part of his or her life. If it’s you, contact us at spcapv@gmail. com for an application.

They are often carried in a purse or pocket for good luck and protection. A common use in México is to offer a milagro in the shape of eyes to the popular Santa Lucia, who is traditionally depicted carrying a tray with a pair of eyes on it. Sta. Lucia is the patron saint of good vision. Milagros in the shape of the Guadalupana, the Earth Mother, are found everywhere, left in shrines and pilgrimage places all over the country.

Priests and caretakers of these places often have to remove milagros quickly to make room for new ones.

Traditional healers, called ‘curanderos’, might also bless a milagro and tell their patient to carry it with them as part of the healing process or to ward off evil...or just to change their luck. In México, milagros are often used to pay a debt to a patron saint for answering ones’ prayers. This is known as a ‘Manda’. If a person needs help, say with an arduous journey, they pray to the Santo Niño de Atoche for protection.

When they successfully complete their journey, they are bound by the Manda to go to a shrine or church dedicated to El Niño and place a milagro, perhaps in the form of a walking man or a leg, along with a written note giving thanks.

This is taken very seriously, as the consequences to ones’ faith for not fulfilling the Manda could be spiritually catastrophic.

So, what do YOU need? Find an appropriate milagro, have it blessed and may your prayers be answered.

by Janice Gonzalez

real estate

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Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

Buying a Puerto Vallarta Vacation Rental Property, Part II

By Miguel Fernandez www.g3mex.com

N

ow you own your dream property in Puerto Vallarta!

Of course you would love to spend all year here, but you still have a job and a life elsewhere and are not ready to become a full-fledged ex-pat. As we discussed last week, buying a vacation home is an investment that can both pay for itself and become a revenue producing endeavor.

Where to start?

If you want to handle the rentals yourself, many folks choose Homeaway/VRBO or Flipkey/ Tripadvisor. These popular sites offer excellent exposure and rankings on the web. This is extremely important, as this is where most everyone shops around for dream vacations.

As an owner, the sites guide you easily through the set-up of a page dedicated to the promotion of your property. You can list rates, post a calendar, add pictures of your property and accept reviews from your delighted clients. They will also handle the payment process.

VRBO/Homeaway offers a non-refundable “insurance” fee (paid by the renter) which covers damage to your property. For instance $69 USD will buy you up to $3000 USD of damage protections, which is more than ample compensation for even the wildest drunken piñata accident. And, speaking from experience, the claims process is quite seamless, as long as you provide all of the necessary documentation of damage and repair work.

Cost: From $200-$900 per year.

FlipKey/TripAdvisor

Is a trusted travel information company. About the same as VRBO/HomeAway, as far as your listing goes. Good internet ranking, and fair customer support. Personally, we had some hassles when we purchased a property that was already listed, and tried to get the listing changed. We never actually had the good fortune of talking to a human being.

Cost: $299 per year, with a

monthly $25 fee.

Airbnb is all the rage now, and it also allows you to set up a nice profile and calendar for your property. It tends to attract bargain hunters, and a more adventurous clientele. The great thing about this site, is that it allows the owner to also post a review of the renter, which helps keep everyone on their best behavior.

Cost: A percentage of the rental amount when you get a successful booking, the renter also pays a fee.

Craigslist, in our opinion, is more of a crapshoot. There are renters out in that vast wonderland, of free sofas and one-nightstands, you just need to be more cautious and weed true clients out from the scam artists. It’s also a free service, so, in other words, you get what you pay for.

Cost: Free, save for the time you spend Googling the newest and most creative vacation rental scam.

It’s a Business

If you go with a full-service management company, the fee can be 20 percent or more of rental income. If you handle booking and marketing on your own, and hire people for specific needs such as housekeeping, be prepared to devote a lot of time to the endeavor.

If you’re not willing to handle e-mail inquiries promptly -- checking e-mail at least once a day -- you’re bound to lose out to more proactive homeowners.

A Warm Welcome

Vacation renters are looking for a fabulous experience. Look upon your guests as potential friends

and treat them like royalty. Answer all of their questions promptly and go out of your way to make their experience memorable. Many will want help with tours, private chefs, airport pick-ups, restaurant ideas, etc. Put together a comprehensive local guide of your property and your area. Vacationers don’t like surprises.

Be sure that you, or one of your staff is there to meet them upon arrival, with the keys and a few treats. No one likes to arrive after a long a flight, with kids and luggage in tow, to find out that the management had their arrival day wrong.

Lease Agreement

A must for both the renter and the owner. People like to see the rules and regulations in print. VRBO/ HomeAway has templates that you

can easily modify.

They also offer access to a handy Member’s Forum, for newbies, or even seasoned owners who need a bit of help from their peers. Ask for a nominal refundable security deposit if you are not using insurance protection. It makes everyone feel more confident in your professionalism.

Also, spell out your policies on smoking, pets and number of people, etc.

Once you have a prospective renter, take time for a chat. There’s plenty you can hear in a phone conversation that can help you vet a client.

In the end, renting can be an amazing experience. We’ve made friends, and established relationships with people from every part of the globe!

VALLARTA SHOPPI

Three Hens and A Rooster Market News

M

ore and more people are becoming interested in Three Hens – not just as a great place to shop, but as a great place to set up shop…permanently! Watch for news of coming additions (yes, before season!) that will bring you to our Marketplace far more often that just once a week… stay tuned!

Pat Wagner’s table and boutique sit between Marcia’s boutique and the Fabulous Fabric Fellows’. She sits and thinks up tantalizing new things to serve her faithful clients.

This week she will have: Sweet and tangy meatballs, honey and soy chicken kabobs with coconut/peanut sauce, jalapeño jam, lemon curd and roasted corn salsa. Instead of baking bread (it’s too humid), Pat is making chocolate chip/pretzel/peanut butter cookies and carrot cake cookies (with icing), and peach cobbler cookies. If you can get past her food, she has some lovely handmade bags and pillows inside her boutique.

Still on food: Gloria Sue has resigned herself to make matzoth ball soup and fried chicken forever. That’s a good thing. Mark’s pies and quiches

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP CLUB

Old Dogs, New tricks

Many members of IFC are passionate about learning new things.

Starting in November the club will be offering classes in Spanish and bridge.

In January, the Monday evening movie series and the Friday morning lectures start. Add Friday bridge, social hour and dine-around and you have a great place to learn and to meet new friends.

Everyone is welcome. www.ifcvallarta.com 322-222-5466

are a welcome Old-World flavour and comfort. Next to Mark is Vallarta’s Bagel King with various types of those and different breads.

And cinnamon buns that are sinful.

We have Alex’s sausages, Jeanine’s pastries, pizzas; often smoked tuna and/or marlin, and the delightful new deli run by Corazon de Niña.

Food, clothing of all sorts – new, used AND repurposed, silk jewellery, hand-painted tiles, used books, a bazaar, dog treats, herbal meds, a shamana and the ever-lovely Mimi.

Three Hens and a Rooster Market is every Saturday from 9 to 1 at Venustiano Carranza 466.

Day Pass 50% off PRESENT THIS COUPON

Wheeling Vallarta Segway Tours

Towel service / Pool / Lounge chairs Delightful cocktails / Superb Bistrot menu Pet-friendly

Fine Art and Furniture

MEXICO

www.sapphire.mx

Expires October 31, 2016

Malecon 1, Playa Los Muertos

Located across from McDonald’s

322-223-8014 31 de Octubre 107 Col. Centro Puerto Vallarta Malecon

ING AND SERVICES

www.vallartatribune.com

Marsol Market by the Pier

T

he aroma of chilli simmering might just be your first encounter with the Friday morning Marsol Market. It tastes as good as it smells.

Also to eat is vegan chilli and freshly baked muffins... banana and chocolate! Dog treats made either with liver or chicken will make your pooch happy, too.

Also new to our Market is Carol-lynn from Calgary,Canada. Carol-lynn’s company is called “Tattered Couture”.

She is a collector of bits and pieces of vintage fabrics and adds them to gently used clothing – by hand! – so you may find a pair of denim shorts with bits of satin or old lace edging the pockets.

They are as fanciful as they are practical. Upcycling makes sense; and it’s

fun and lovely! See tattered couture on Facebook.

Are you overweight? No energy? Sex life non-existent? Are mosquitoes finding you delicious? How is your skin? Glowing and bright or a bit gray around the edges?

Do you have allergies?

If any of these conditions are slowing you down, come and talk to Ricardo Mazcal who has (and makes) cures for all the above-mentioned maladies and much more.

Don’t be shy – the life you improve could be your own.

Marcia has new pendants and earrings; David and Elizabeth new silver bracelets, and Juan Manuel new iguanas that’ll look great in your garden or your house.

The Marsol Market by the Pier is open every Friday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.

“Remodeling and Renovations”

Juarez 599 El Centro 322 222 1383, 322 111 6359 www.colibridesignvallarta.com galeriacolibri@gmail.com

entertainment

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Joan Crawford

By Fred Jacobs

J

oan Crawford was born Lucille LeSueur in San Antonio on March 23 1906. Her reported birth father left the family a few months before Joan was born. Her mother remarried to Henry Cassin and the family moved to Oklahoma, where Henry ran an Opera House.

Joan thought Henry was her father until her older brother broke the news to Joan when she was 10. Joan (nick named Billie) loved watching Vaudeville acts in her step fathers’ theatre. Her dream was to become a dancer and school was never a priority.

Her dream of dancing was in jeopardy when Joan leapt out of a living room window to escape piano lessons and cut her foot on a broken milk bottle. Several surgeries and 18 months later, Joan recovered. Just when Joan managed to return to dancing, her step father was accused of embezzlement.

Although cleared, Henry was blacklisted and the family moved to Kansas City in 1916.

Joan was put into a Catholic school in Kansas City, but her mother and step father broke up shortly thereafter. Joan quickly realized she would never go to college and quit all schooling at the age of 15. Joan was however, seeing results with her dancing.

She danced in the choruses of traveling revues and was spotted dancing in Detroit by a producer.

He put her in the chorus line for his 1924 show ”Innocent Eyes”, on Broadway. Joan was always looking for extra work while on Broadway and got her break when a publicist for the Loew’s Theatre got her a screen test, which was sent to Hollywood producer Harry Rapf. MGM offered Joan a contract at $75 a week.

Joan borrowed $400 for travel expenses and within a week of getting the news, she arrived in California on January 1, 1925. Joan (Lucille LeSueur) first appeared onscreen as a body double for Norma Shearer in “Lady of the Night” (1925). Several more small roles in 1925 followed, but studio head Louis B Meyer hated her name. A contest was held in “Movie Weekly” magazine to “name a star”.

Readers voted for the name Joan Crawford-while not pleased, Joan accepted the change.

Joan was frustrated by the size of the roles she was getting.

The studio was doing nothing to promote her, so Joan decided to

promote herself. For months in 1925, Joan began attending dances in the afternoons and evenings at hotels around Hollywood, where she often won dance competitions with her performances of the Charleston. Joan’s strategy worked, and MGM cast her in a film where she first made an impression on audiences, “Sally, Irene and Mary” (1925).

While Joan admired Norma Shearer, who was MGM’s most popular actress, Joan considered her a nemesis. Norma was also married to the studio’s Head of Production. Norma had the first choice of scripts at MGM. Crawford was quoted to have said, "How can I compete with Norma? She sleeps with the boss!" But Joan did not give up-within a few years, Joan became the romantic female lead to many of MGM's top male stars.

On June 3, 1929, Joan married into Hollywood royalty with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Joan made a successful transition to talkies with her first starring role “Untamed” (1929). The film was a success at the box office. MGM began to put Joan in more sophisticated roles.

In 1931, MGM cast Joan in five films and in three of them she starred opposite the studio's biggest male star, Clark Gable.

“Dance, Fools”, “Laughing Sinners” and “Possessed”. These films were big hits with audiences, and pushed Joan's position up as one of MGM's top female stars, along with Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, and Jean Harlow.

MGM next cast Joan in the film “Grand Hotel” (1932) and she co-starred with Greta Garbo, John and Lionel Barrymore. It was the highest-grossing movie of the year, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1933 Joan divorced Douglas citing “mental cruelty”.

By 1936 Joan made her seventh film with Clark Gable “Love on the Run” and was another box office hit. In 1937, Life Magazine proclaimed Joan Crawford as the "Queen of the Movies". Despite this, Joan’s popularity would go downhill in the late 1930’s and she along with other former big names, were called “box office poison”.

During the war years, Joan moved to Warner Studios, but it wasn’t until 1945, that Joan made her comeback in “Mildred Pierce”, after Bette Davis turned down the role. The role earned Joan her first Oscar win. This led to “Possessed” (1947) which Joan got another Oscar nomination.

Joan worked steadily. ”Sudden Fear” (1952) earned her another Oscar nomination. The late 1950’s and early 1960’s were again a down turn for Joan. But in 1962 came the psycho thriller “Whatever happened to Baby Jane?” opposite Bette Davis. The two hated each other, but this made the film so great. Both women knew how important the film was to their careers, and would lead to a lifelong feud between the two. The film was a box office hit and led to a Best Oscar nomination for Davis, but she lost. Bette claimed for the

rest of her life that Joan had actively campaigned against her with Oscar voters.

That film would be Joan’s last big role. She made many TV appearances in the 1960’s but her health and drinking took its toll. In the 1970’s Joan was rarely seen outside her New York apartment.

Joan Crawford passed away on May 10, 1977 from a heart attack.

She left only $75,000 to her two youngest daughters and totally disinherited Christopher and Christina, whom she had not spoken to in years. The two million dollar

estate was divided up among various charities.

A year after Joan’s death, daughter Christina wrote a book called “Mommy Dearest” with allegations that her late adoptive mother was emotionally and physically abusive to Christina and her brother Christopher. The book became a best seller and later made into a movie.

A sad ending for a great talent who fought hard to make it.

Fred Jacobs is a full time resident of Puerto Vallarta and the author of 3 books.

Christ Church by the Sea Worldwide Anglican Communion

Services Sunday 10:00 a.m. Air-conditioned Now! Services held each Sunday year around English-Traditional Holy Communion All faiths welcome-Casual Dress Across from airport, northbound service road next to Sixt and Thrifty Car Rental Blvd. Fco. Medina 7936, Puerto Vallarta Questions? Call Father Michael cell: 044-322-303-3916 e mail kpadresoy@outlook.com

www.ChristChurchByTheSea.org www.IglesiaCristoDelMar.org

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Aug 4 - 10, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com

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