Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com
Frankie’s Italian
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Reopens Sept 8
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Sept 1st - 7, 2016 Year 19 Free Issue 1013
Riviera Nayarit It takes a village
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Entertainment crossword
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Photo by Madeline Milne
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
Sept 1st - 7, 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 07-sep Carnival Miracle 13-sep Carnival Miracle 14-sep Carnival Miracle 21-sep Carnival Miracle 26-sep Costa Luminosa 27-sep Coral Princess 28-sep Carnival Miracle 29-sep Grand Princess
Passengers 2,124 Carnival 2,124 Carnival 2,124 Carnival 2,124 Carnival 2,828 Costa 1,975 Princess 2,124 Carnival 2,600 Princess
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 September Puerto Vallarta welcomes 18, 023 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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Editor’s
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editor@vallartatribune.com
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his week is a sort of by-week with the majority of tourists back home and many local businesses closed for a short break or to take care of renovations and upgrades. So when I received word that Frankies Italian restaurant is reopening on September 8th I thought, “Wow! The summer break keeps getting shorter.” In the past couple days I have received notice of upcoming events, calls to save the date for charity fundraisers, art openings, festivals and cultural events. I suspect all our calendars will be overflowing this coming winter season. If you are in town, don’t forget to book your ticket to the CANICA fundraising breakfast at the River Café on September 9th. The funds raised from your $200 peso ticket goes towards helping 22 families in the Bay of Banderas whose child suffers from cancer. The funds are used to provide bus fares, medications and for five lucky kids a weeklong trip
to Disney Land. The past couple issues we have featured the stories of these children, you can always read back issues at issuu. com/vallartatribune. If you can’t make the breakfast, consider donating regardless. If you are at a loss for what to do this weekend I came across this excellent seminar/class hosted by the Vallarta Cultural Centre located on the Isla Cuale – Understanding Artisanal Chocolate. Being held Saturday, September 3rd from 5-9pm and open to the public of all ages (held in Spanish) While roasting cacao seeds you will learn about traditional medicinal uses, history, and myths surrounding chocolate. All the materials are supplied, and you will head home with your own delicious creations. Now doesn’t this sound like a great way to immerse yourself in the Spanish language and Mexican culture? More information: Ricardo Morales 322 217-4986 Cost is $350 pesos per person. The following week is packed with Independence Day (week) events which will be held around the city but mostly in the main plaza with an excellent Charro Parade along the Malecon on the 14th, the Grito on the 15th and the actual Day of Independence on the 16th. There will be cake, fireworks, and live music as well as plenty of parties around town. It is a long weekend, and the bay should be full of visitors again. Look for the official schedule in the coming days and more details in next week’s Vallarta Tribune. Turtle Hatching and Releasing season is upon us. As we progress through the end of Summer and into the Fall more and more clut-
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
ches will be born and released. It will soon be a daily occurrence. If you are staying in a resort, ask your hotel concierge where you can go to be involved in a release. Baby turtles rank right up there with kittens and puppies for cutest baby animals. It’s a wonderful educational experience for your children and, for many, a once in a lifetime opportunity. In Puerto Vallarta, we have the Campamento Tortuguero Boca de Tomates which you can find on Facebook and who posts each morning when there will be a turtle release. The event is by donation and occurs just before sunset. There are release centers in Nuevo Vallarta, Sayulita, and San Pancho as well. Isla Marietas and the Secret Beach or Beach of Love as it has been recently renamed is again open after being closed to tourism since May. Apparently, the rehabilitation efforts have been reasonably successful, and the powers that be feel the beach can handle visitors again. Albeit the restrictions are tight with only 116 visitors a day, limited to a 30-minute stay. I expect prices for this trip will soon skyrocket. If you haven’t been to the islands before, I recommend you do it quickly before the
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.
Sept 1st - 7, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com
crowds descend in November. If you’re planning on doing it this winter season, consider booking your tour as soon as possible to ensure availability. I’m on a mini-staycation. At home for a bit, catching up on some Netflix and working on my suntan. Hopefully, I’ll see some of you around town in the coming weeks. As usual, please support the local service industry workers. September and early October are tough months financially for those who earn a daily wage through tips and fares. Respect the space of any turtle you may see on the beach laying eggs and alert the officials. Pick up your garbage so the rains won’t wash it into the bay and please, say no to straws. Terrible nasty bits of near useless plastic. Unless you don’t have two lips, in which case, go for it! Enjoy paradise. Safe travels, Madeline
Letters to the Editor CANICA FUNRAISING BEAKFAST September 9 – River Café Dear Madeline, We want to introduce Luis Alberto Garcia, a fifteen year old who will travel to Disney with the CANICA Program. At age 14 Luis Alberto was diagnosed with a Glandular Tumor Pineal Germinoma Intracraneal. He was hospitalized in Guadalajara where he received twenty-five chemotherapy treatments. He continues treatment once a month and travels to the hospital in Guadalajara for follow-ups as needed. Luis Alberto joined the Puerto Vallarta CANICA Program in 2015. He is in his second year of High School. He will resume school as soon as he gets stronger, as his dream is to become a nurse to help other children get well. He lives with his Mom and his little seven-year old sister in Colonia Coapinole. Luis Alberto has a hard time walking, but he is looking forward to his trip to the magic Land of Disney. Please join us and meet this brave child who is looking forward to having some good time after so many months of treatment, pain and anguish. Please join us for breakfast at The River Café on September 9th at 9:a.m. to meet the five children who will be traveling in September, thanks to the kindness of many friends in Puerto Vallarta, who will provide funds for this trip for
our CANICA Children. The River Café has offered a breakfast to help with the trip and for medical treatment for the children. The breakfast funds will be used to help all of the 22 children in our Cancer Center in Puerto Vallarta, a Program under the leadership of Puerto Vallarta Women’s Association, for the last ten years. We have a new 8-month-old baby who has joined our program this month. Price per ticket is $200 pesos or $15 USD. Lots of wonderful prizes will be available to be raffled, thanks to the kindness of many business owners in P.V. who donate gifts. For reservation or to buy your tickets, please stop by or call the River Café at: 322-223-0788. Muchas gracias Madeline, Aurora CANICA – Children with Cancer Puerto Vallarta CANICA supports children with cancer and their families with funds for medical treatment and basic necessities such as bus fares to travel to Guadalajara, food, medication and specialized requests. They currently support 22 children and their families.
news
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Battling the potholes has gone high-tech
Flights Between U.S. and Mexico Expected to Soar After Bilateral Agreement
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smartphone app receives pothole reports, triggers brigade's response Potholes are among the obstacles and hindrances that drivers in Mexico can expect in spite of million-peso road maintenance budgets in many states. But that might change thanks to modern communications technologies. Mexico City’s office of urban services has created a smartphone app dubbed Bache24 (bache is Spanish for pothole), that enables citizens to report new potholes to authorities. According to director Jaime Slomianski, the mobile app, available for iOS and Android devices, has been downloaded 20,900 times. During the program’s first week, 2,204 potholes on Mexico City’s main streets were reported and subsequently filled, while information about an additional 3,362 located on secondary roads, which do not come under the
urban services office’s jurisdiction, was passed on to their respective borough offices. The urban services office has created 25 quick-response brigades to take care of the reports under its jurisdiction, enabling it to fill a pothole within 24 hours of its being reported. The brigades use a two-stage approach — a cold process followed by a high-pressure one — to repair the fractures to the asphalt paving. The Bache24 program repre-
Sept 1st - 7, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com
sents a 190-million-peso (US $10.5 million) investment, explained Slomianski. Of the reports received during Bache24’s first week in operation, 900 corresponded to what the urban services office calls “false potholes,” or small sinkholes that require a different kind of operation but were repaired nonetheless. Ed.: Here is hoping the powers that be adopt this or a similar program in Puerto Vallarta. Original: mexiconewsdaily.com
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f you’re planning a trip south of the border, you can expect to save a little on your flight to Mexico. An agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that took effect Aug. 21 will drop restrictions on the number of airlines that can fly between the two countries, thus increasing competition and lowering fares. Thanks to the agreement that followed four years of negotiations, U.S. and Mexican airlines seeking to fly between the two countries will only be limited by the number
of slots — a scheduled time to land or takeoff — available at various airports. “The new agreement will benefit U.S. and Mexican airlines, travelers, businesses, airports, and communities by allowing increased market access for passenger and cargo airlines to fly between any city in Mexico and any city in the United States,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. He added that the increased competition should lead to lower airfares. Original: LA Times
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Sept 1st - 7, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com
Liberalized gas prices coming in January? remain unchanged. The Finance Secretariat said the price adjustments followed a recovery in oil prices. Electricity rates are also going up in September, with industrial, commercial and high-consumption domestic consumers seeing the biggest hikes. Industrial tariffs will be between 6.5
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inance Secretariat to propose moving the date forward by one year Free-market gasoline prices could be coming to Mexico as early as next January, a year earlier than planned. An undersecretary in the Finance Secretariat said today that a proposal will be made to Congress by September 8 at the latest that the January 1, 2018 date for the liberalization of gas prices be moved forward to the beginning of 2017 instead. It would be the second change to the timetable for the opening of the gasoline market, a major shift in energy policy that was part of the federal administration’s energy reform package. Gas companies have been allowed to import
fuel themselves since last April when the timeline was changed, moving the date forward by nine months. But as the Mexico head of Gulf Oil said a month later, it didn’t make much sense for petroleum companies to import fuel if government continued to set the prices. Sergio de la Vega predicted that the government might discontinue doing so earlier than expected. If Congress goes along, the fuel price increase announced last week, which takes effect Thursday, could be the last to be dictated by authorities. Magna gasoline will rise slightly by two centavos to 13.98 per liter. Diesel will increase by 3.36% to 14.45, while premium gasoline will
Enjoy a Margarita Pizza and bottle of red wine for only $350 pesos
The day you have all been waiting for is finally here! Your favourite Italian restaurant reopens Thursday, September 8th.
Open from 5-11pm Venustiano Carranza 276 Zona Romántica 223 2267
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.
and 8.4% more than last September, while the commercial sector will pay between 8.6 and 9.4% more. High-use domestic customers, charged under the tariff known as DAC, for doméstico de alto consumo, will see their electricity costs rise 9.3% compared to a year earlier. Original:mexiconewsdaily.com
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
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Finding
From
your happy
Marcia Blondin
Rhonda Zarate
marciavallarta@gmail.com
rhondazaratelifestyle@gmail.com
Returning to Your Roots
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re you feeling stressed or disconnected? Do you feel like you just cannot get yourself planted or strong? What does one do when you have these unsettling feelings? Well, the good news is it can be as simple as planting yourself in nature. It is a simple matter of changing your state of being and getting up off the couch and your butt out the door. You can go for a walk down the street, a stroll on the beach or go one step further and plan your yearly vacation around the many wonders of the world with all its diversity and splendor. As I write this, I am cruising through the massive, breathtakingly captivating Rocky Mountains in Canada. The windows are open with the crisp air filling my lungs with purity. It is amazing when a person realizes how their environment that surrounds them can seemingly change the DNA of their cells. At this moment I feel like my entire body, cell by cell, is plugged into the energies that surround me. Gratitude fills my heart for these moments. When you’re basking in awe of nature, it tends to heal any wounds in your soul. Looking around at new visual sites your heartbeat slows and your breath finds its natural rhythm. This is the greatest gift one can give themselves.
Here
What if you made a conscious effort to gift yourself the daily experience of nature? How would that little change alter your life? Getting outside with deliberate thought is imperative to stable mental health. There is so much focus on how to strengthen our bodies, hearts, eating better but we must give equal attention to taking care of our mental health too! The combination of the two is a solid plan. Just do it! What would your walk about on our beautiful planet look like for you? Making a plan of action is the first step to improving your life. Not matter what your budget is, your location at this moment or your ability to be mobile, all you have to do is take a step out your front door. One step at a time; walk barefoot on the cold sand first thing in the morning, lay in a meadow of grass, hug a tree to feel its strength, let a snowflake dance on your tongue. The bottom line is take the time to ground yourself so you can feel connected with the power of Mother Earth. Homework: Plan this year’s vacation around going to a new destination where nature’s beauty will leave an imprint on your soul.
Rhonda Zarate is a Lifestyle Expert. She is all about helping others find their HAPPY! She helps people find their “Happy Home,” as a Realtor. She is an Author “ Find Your Happy Planner.” Lifestyle Coach & Speaker. You can find Rhonda at rhondazarate.com
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nyone who has read this column knows how much I love going to Sapphire Ocean Club on those rare days I can. Now there is another reason to add to the long list of ‘amenities’ if you will, of the Sapphire Ocean Club. Owner Michel Pascal Ferrari has been working closely with the City of Vallarta’s Ecology department, reporting when a sea turtle comes ashore at his Ocean Club to lay her hundred or so eggs. The city comes, removes the eggs to a sanctuary and when they hatch, returns them to where they were laid and releases the babies into the sea. They are instinctive, like salmon. (That’s the simple version.) Michel’s birthday was Sunday and he knew one clutch should be hatching around that date so he planned a birthday party to coincide with a release of the endangered sea turtles. A few friends participated under the guidance of the ecologist who brought the hatchlings in a big container. After careful instructions (washing our hands with sand so as to not contaminate the babies with hand creams or suntan lotions, etc.) He gave us each two and on the count of three we knelt and put our charges on their very own tiny piece of sandy beach and urged them forward over the packed sand still coloured by the sunset. If they stopped moving, we crept forward carefully on our knees and gently nudged them. A crowd quickly gathered with all of us protecting the babies from unleashed dogs and young children and adults who wanted to see what we were doing. SO – FYI – NEVER use a flash when photographing a release – the light disorients the babies and they will turn around and head away from the water to find the light. ALWAYS keep your dogs on a leash and away from the turtles. And, most important of all: STOP WALKING. By the time our 80 plus babies finally made it into the water it was pitch dark and they are very hard to see being the same color
as the sand. The waves can and do bring them back to shore; and the process begins again. When they were finally all gone, the excitement stopped abruptly and we stood still, looking out over the water, while urgent silent prayers of hope went along with our little babies; on average only one will survive to adulthood.
A blessed way to spend Sunday night! Thank you, Michel, for inviting us to share your birthday along with the birthday turtles (hatched that morning) released at your Sapphire Ocean Club. Dinner and champagne, superb; releasing the turtles? Unforgettable! And that WONDER is it, From Here.
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Paradise
and Parenting Leza Warkentin
mommyinmexico.wordpress.com
It’s the Simple Things
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have always appreciated the simple pleasures of life. I’ve never been that difficult to please, so when circumstances in my life are going marginally right, I am pretty happy. I think that this makes me a pretty laid-back co-worker and spouse. This would be great for lazy colleagues and slobby husbands, I guess. I wouldn’t know, because I have neither. Lucky for me, I am surrounded by a lot of love, a lot of patience, and a lot of stifled sighing. I imagine that they often wish I would reach for an expectation beyond simply being glad I only knocked down half the kilo bag of sugar instead of the entire thing. My husband is painstakingly neat and a bit of a perfectionist. Living with me also probably makes him eligible for sainthood, because I’m honestly ok as long as I have some free work space on the kitchen counter. Plus, if everything is put away, how can I even FIND it? But still, I think being easy-going is a good quality. Because once you become a parent, and things get squirrelly for years on end, the simple things in life will get you through. When the oven mitt has a hole you didn’t know about until you reach for the hot lasagna, when the dog receives a free haircut from the current Barber in Residence, when it’s 6:02am on a weekend, your husband is beside you and there are chopping noises coming from the kitchen, you can look over and see that your sheets have stayed tucked into your bed and still feel good about the way your life is going. If you ever need to remember the singular joys in life, you are welcome to take a look at my list and realize that, indeed, you really do have it all. These are going to sound ridiculous to people who aren’t constantly trying (and, at times, failing) to do six things at once, but I actually don’t know any people like that, so I feel like most of us can relate.
Divo of Juárez was icon of Mexican music Tell me that you don’t feel better about yourself when: - you are cooking a pot of rice and the lid you grab first is the one that actually fits - everyone in the family eats the same things at the same meal (and you are all physically present) - you boil an egg and the whole peel comes off, taking NONE of the white with it, a disfigurement which would have rendered it completely inedible to your children - you are late to drop off your daughter at a party, so you pull out the first outfit that you see in the closet and she agrees to wear it (this one’s a rare gem) - you actually wield the hair gel successfully in your son’s new spiky-cool haircut (no one does the messy look like someone who really lives the philosophy) - you go a week without wearing one clothing item inside out (that one might just be me) - your child’s friend says that your homemade mac and cheese is their new favorite food (they are now doomed to eat this every time they play together) - you tell your children to get out their homework and they tell you they did it at school. Pleasure level: Nirvana - your husband asks you where the car keys are and you tell him and you are right - your son asks you a question about science and you actually know the answer instead of telling him, “that sounds like a good research project for you!” - you look around your table and realize that you spend each day with your favorite people (who don’t always do your favorite things, but then again, your shirt’s on inside out and no one’s said a word).
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uan Gabriel, Mexico’s best-selling recording artist, dead of a heart attack at 66 Juan Gabriel, a prolific songwriter, flamboyant showman and icon of Mexican music, died Sunday, August 28 after suffering a heart attack in Santa Monica, California. The 66-year-old artist, who wrote more than 1,700 songs during a career that spanned close to 50 years, was known as the Divo of Juárez, having spent much of his childhood in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. He was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez in Michoacán to a farming family that moved to Juárez after his father was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Unable to support the family of ten children on her own, Gabriel’s mother sent him, her youngest child, to an orphanage, where he spent eight years. It was in Juárez he wrote his first song at the age of 13. At 15, he debuted on a television program and began working as a singer at a local bar. In 1971, after signing a recording contract with RCA Victor, he released his first studio album and the song No Tengo Dinero (I Have No Money), written after spending time looking for work in Mexico City, where he slept in bus and train stations. No Tengo Dinero became his first hit. Gabriel’s records have sold over 100 million copies worldwide, making him the best-selling artist in Mexico’s history. He wrote and performed pop, rock, disco and mariachi, easily crossing genre lines, appearing in concerts with full orchestras and mariachi bands with marathon shows of three hours or more. His 1984 album called
Recuerdos, Vol. II, was Mexico’s best-selling album with 8 million copies, and contained what has been described as Gabriel’s biggest hit, Querida. His last concert, part of a 20-city tour was on Friday August 26. Accompanied by 60 musicians and dancers he performed with his trademark energy and emotion for two hours and 35 minutes before an audience of 17,500 in Inglewood, California. Reported to have been suffering complications with a knee injury, Gabriel showed no sign that he was suffering anything, dancing in his traditional sensual style and captivating his admirers. “Juan Gabriel was very effeminate on stage, yet he was one of these artists where if you went to a Juan Gabriel concert you would see these macho guys in tears
and you would see girls in tears,” said Leila Cobo, who directs coverage of Latin music for Billboard Magazine. “He was very sexually ambiguous and yet he was able to reach everybody,” Cobo said. “And I think it’s a little bit the power of the songs, too. His songs were easy to relate with. And this guy, he really kind of lived his songs.” Cobo also said Gabriel’s music was making a big comeback this year. “He was having the year of his life.” He had the top-selling Latin album in the U.S., she said. President Enrique Peña Nieto yesterday described him as one Mexico’s “greatest musical icons.” Tweeting his condolences, Peña Nieto said his music was a legacy for the world. Gabriel never married but he leaves four children. Original: mexiconewsdaily.com
Visit the Marsol Hotel Summer Market by t
VALLARTA GARDENS
the Pier every Friday 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
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Mundo Golf Tour 2016 coming to Bay of Banderas
Bucerias Art
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District Beat By Gordon Mayer
It Takes a Village
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hose of you who have been kind enough to read a few of these weekly columns will know that a common theme has been the unique community found in the Bucerias Art District (BAD). It is unique, in that there is the presence of cooperation and the coming together of people from Mexico and around the world to work together and not solely for themselves, to do community in the truest sense of the word. It shows up in many forms as artist and entrepreneur promote each other and spills over, as all tides of blessing do, into the greater community of Bucerias. The BAD has a long standing history of giving back to the community thanks to the work of artists like Christy Anne Beguesse who began and has hosted the “Chalk Walk” where local kids get the opportunity to mingle and be mentored by world-class chalk artists and receive a takeaway pack of materials to continue to express their art. But the list is much longer than that and often is not ‘listed’ at all as community members reach out to those in need as they see opportunity. This last week Teri and I found opportunity to follow in the footsteps of other BAD community members at the Loving Arms AC orphanage. Loving Arms was founded when Nicole Buisse was enjoying a spa day when word came to her that a family of 11 children ranging in
age from 17 – 2 who were living on the street had just suffered the tragic loss of their mother to a car accident. The search began to find them and with the help of Brenda Power, an experienced volunteer working with the poor and homeless, the children were found and the process began to try to keep them together as a family while providing them with medical care, education, safety and love. Many changes have taken place to find the right mix of care and support and now the 6 youngest siblings live together in a home here in Bucerias just outside the BAD with regular interaction with the rest of the family. It was there at the house that Teri and I were
Marietas Islands Reopen
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he National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (Conanp, by its acronym in Spanish) announced via press release the reopening of the Playa del Amor, part of the Islas Marietas National to start August 31, 2016. Playa del Amor was closed to tourism May 9th of this year in order to begin a coral restoration program. The Conanp designed a
more orderly, sustainable program for visits, including a special agreement with tour operators. The established criteria for visits to Playa del Amor includes a maximum of 116 visitors per day; 15 people maximum per boat; no more than 15 people at a time are allowed on the beach and they can only remain for 30 minutes; access will be via a corridor marked by
privileged to lend a hand. Enter one of our kids, Megan, who is 18 and a dance instructor back in Canada. While visiting for a couple of weeks and having heard about Loving Arms through a friend, it struck us that Megan could spend some time with the kids and show them some popular dance moves. After extending the offer to Brenda, the date was made and we attended at the home for Megan to bust a move with first the younger kids and later in the day the older ones. What a thrill it was to meet these kids and to see further evidence of the community of Bucerias at its best. The girls were front and center to learn and the
buoys and passengers must wear life jackets and no fins. Scuba and/ or diving of any kind are prohibited. The official press release states, “Conanp established the reopening of Playa del Amor thanks a successful recovery and the agreements reached with local tourism providers. The monitoring and restoration of the coral reefs shall be permanent. The new rules will
boys, after some encouragement and some very awkward moves by yours truly, joined in with smiles and laughter. As I took a moment to wipe my brow and take a much needed sip of water, I watched as the kids interacted with Megan and saw how they accepted her offering with gratitude and joy which in turn caused Megan to smile broadly and beautifully as she did what she loved with great purpose. It was a joy to watch and participate and a confirmation of one of the main reasons we have made Bucerias and the BAD our home. Our story is just a droplet in the ocean of love that outpours from the BAD each year. As you walk through the district you will feel it. Entering a gallery like Sone, you will see it as they display and share works of local artists who do not have the means to promote themselves beyond their small sphere of influence whom the artist of Sone have sought to promote. You will hear it in the conversations from entrepreneurs like Hector of La Negra Cerveceria and Sabor as he discusses planting his growing family here to have them thrive in the environment. So much more than just a place of manufacturing art, the BAD is a community of people working together to make an artistic community where creativity and care are the pillars that newcomers and visitors can build upon from the footings of a fishing village that fostered that ethos of acceptance to the first artists who gathered here. May it ever be so.
help guarantee the health of the ecosystems and the satisfaction of visitors.” The document went on to detail that both natural phenomena and tourism practices affected the
he gorgeous Jack Nicklaus-designed Vidanta Golf Nuevo Vallarta will host the third stop of the Mundo Golf Tour 2016 on September 3rd; the tournament is returning to the Riviera Nayarit for the second consecutive year. There are many high end prizes for those who achieve a hole in one: Hole 8 receives an Audi A3 Sedan (whoever wins must pay a 15% deductible; not valid for professionals or caddies), Hole 12 takes home a golf cart and Hole 17 a Stella Pro executive chair. The O’Yes prizes are for Holes 4, 8, 12 and 17; the first to make them will receive a 40” LED TV and the four subsequent players will receive other electronics, accessories and gift certificates. There’s only one category and participants can be men or women with handicaps from 0 to 28 (HCP). They will play 18 holes A-Go-Go with four-person teams with HCP’s from 0 to 28 per player; the handicaps from each player are then added together and the resulting number is added to 10% of the HCP. There are medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places; the winner and second place teams will be able to continue on to play the finals during the May 2017 Mundo Golf Tour at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta. The winners will receive registration in the tournament as well as three days and two nights in a Master Suite at the Grand Mayan for four people, not including food and beverage. The tournament committee reserves the right to make any modifications or changes necessary to improve the development of the tournament. In case of a tie it will be broken using scores beginning in the 18th original hole on the course and counting backwards. This is for teams in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. The recovery fee is MX$1,800 (plus VAT if a receipt is required). For registration information, questions and details please contact Hiram Castillo via phone at 3312175891 or 3331463424 or by email at mundo. golf.hiram@gmail.com.
coral colonies in the area, and that thanks to the restoration program over 50% of the coral planted had adhered successfully to the marine substratum.
art and culture
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Sept 1st - 7, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com
Priceless feathers By Leigh Thelmadatter
A
t one time in Mesoamerica, feathers, especially those of birds such as the quetzal, were valued like jade and gold, similar to the value feathers had for many indigenous peoples of the Americas. In Mesoamerica, much of the value was tied to religion, especially to the feathered-serpent god Quetzalcoatl. By the time the Spanish arrived, the most varied and intricate use of feathers in this region was among the Aztecs. the Purhepecha and the Tlaxcaltecs, whose territories were all in central Mexico. The feathers used were from local and distant sources, with the most prized coming from trade routes leading from Central America. They had a similar value to cocoa beans as a kind of money, since they were light and easy to trade. The use of feathers varied from being woven into fabric, as decorative elements in garments, as flags to float in the breeze and headdresses. One use of feathers that caught the attention of the conquering Spanish was the painstaking placement of tiny pieces of feathers on a surface to create a kind of painting, often on shield and headdresses. Cortes sent examples of these to Spain as gifts to the king and others, and even sent a number to Asia. Eventually feathered garments and paintings made their way to a number of European royal families and even to the Vatican. For this reason, most of oldest and best surviving pieces of Mexican featherwork are in European museums. Instead of destroying the craft (given its religious significance), the Europeans decided to co-opt it in the first century of the colonial period. Native artisans, however, had to stop creating the old designs in favor of images related to the new religion. Sometimes old indigenous abstract elements can be detected along the edges. The “golden age” of featherwork in colonial Mexico lasted only until the very beginning of the 17th century. The main reason for this was that the Spanish upper caste began to disdain indigenous handcrafts, and much of the religious imagery was produced using oils. Another problem was the serious depletion of the fine feathers of tropical wild birds which gave pre
Portrait of Christ made with parrot and hummingbird feathers by Juan Bautists Cuiris (1550-1580) (photo credit Kunsthistoriches Museum)
Aztec Dancers, Puerto Vallarta Malecon
Editor, Madeline Milne posing with the replica of Montezuma’s headdress in the Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Feathered fringe of a rebozo by Rosa Pascual Bautista of Aihuiran, Michoacan (Credit Alejandro Linares Garcia)
Hispanic and early colonial feather paintings their color and shine. Featherwork never completely died out, but has never regained its former stature. Feathers are still used on some traditional garments, especially the edges of
There are even some places that still make feather painting and similar items, but mostly use dyed feathers from domesticated fowl. It is not possible to return to the making of the early colonial work with tropical bird feathers, primarily
huipils in Chiapas and the fringes of rebozos in Michoacan. They can also be seen in the garb worn by many traditional dancers, such as the concheros, who can be regularly seen on Mexico City’s main plaza (Zocalo) and other areas.
because of environmental reasons. Fortunately, the museums which do have these irreplaceable centuries-old relics have been able to preserve them fairly well. Original: Creative Hands of Mexico
VALLARTA SHOPPI
Marsol Market by the Pier
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e had a bunch of long-time residents pop into our Friday Market last week including Michelle, now living happily in San Pancho; Steven Fischer, painter of abstracts, most notably at Roberto’s Puerto Nuevo Restaurant on Basilio Badillo; and Jan Lavender, lovely owner and still operator of Vallarta’s very first art gallery: Galeria Uno. She is also mother to Jason Lavender of everyone’s favourite bank, Intercam! Great seeing everyone having fun and visiting with each other at our small Mercado. Some news: David and Elizabeth Ruesga of Davy Crockett Jewellers are on hiatus for the month of September but will be back in their same spot in the lobby of the Marsol Hotel, October 7th. Have a great vacation, both of you! From herbalist Ricardo Mazcal: he has perfected a mosquito repellent/ deodorant – that’s how natural, safe and effective all his products are. The best news yet: he is working on a flea/ tick spray for dogs and cats that only needs to be applied once or twice a month. Anyone buying veterinary-su-
pplied flea and tick powders/sprays/ collars will be overjoyed with Ricardo’s latest invention: non-toxic to everything but fleas and ticks. Juan Manuel is making big iguanas out of metal and hand-picked stones. Whole families of these wonderful creations are popping up all over the world – super for a coffee table conversation piece or keeping watch in your garden. Marcia’s shoes, sandals and purses are still only $50 pesos and fabulous jewellery has been made especially for September 16th Independence Day celebrations. The Marsol Market by the Pier is open every Friday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP CLUB
Can you help, please?
Each winter IFC runs its Home Tours. All profits from the tours are used to support IFC’s cleft palate program, its nutrition program and many local charities. We are always looking for new, interesting homes to show. If you would open your home to us for two hours, once a month, we and hundreds of needy kids would appreciate it.
Thank you – Muchas gracias!
Contact: Henry Golas … hrnry462146@gmail.com
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Three Hens and a Rooster Market
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eanine Frank is Founder/Mother/Grandmother Hen of Three Hens and a Rooster Market. She brings warmth and friendliness to our atmosphere and in everything
she cooks, bakes and creates. One of her salads is loaded with proteins: black beans (perfectly cooked), shredded chicken (again, perfectly cooked), chopped cheese, sliced tiny tomatoes and corn served with dressing on the side. Healthy, beautifully coloured and delightfully fresh to eat. Enjoy then get a lemon bar for dessert; it’s important to balance these things! Pat Wagner is giving pound cake a refreshing new take: sliced and iced with lemon-lime/cream cheese frosting. Moist and dense at the same time – a miracle of baking. Her entrée this week is blackberry balsamic chicken salad with goat cheese. And, if that isn’t enough: sweet potato salad with crumbled bacon. If you can tear yourself away from her food, Pat is offering all her bright, colourful throw pillows for half price this Saturday ONLY! And there’s more! A whole bazaar stuffed full of furniture; cooling ties for your doggie and you; fabulous fashions in denim, rayon, 100% cotton and pure silk, coffee or cappuccino, imaginative jewellery, herbal creams and lotions, fried chicken, bagels, Mark’s amazing crumble Dutch apple pie and quiches oh, and butter tarts… Plan to spend some time…Three Hens & a Rooster Market is every Saturday 9 to 1 at Venustiano Carranza 466
What to do if you see a turtle laying eggs Maintain a minimum 10m distance If you take photos, don’t use a flash Don’t block the turtle from returning to the ocean Don’t step on or dig around the nest area
“Remodeling and Renovations” Report it to the Department of Ecology at 322 160 3279
Enjoy this miracle of nature! Juarez 599 El Centro 322 222 1383, 322 111 6359 www.colibridesignvallarta.com galeriacolibri@gmail.com
entertainment
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Katharine Hepburn – Part 2 Queen of 20th Century Cinema By Fred Jacobs
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hen we left off last week, a scout for a Hollywood studio saw Katharine in a Broadway play and got her a screen test. The studio liked her, but Katherine demanded $1,500 a week, which was a large amount for an unknown actress. RKO Studio did finally accept her demands. So Katharine arrived in California in July 1932, at 25 years old. Her first role was in “A Bill of Divorcement” costarring John Barrymore. The picture was a success, and Katharine received positive reviews. The studio then signed Katharine to a long-term contract. One of the next films Katharine made under her new contract was “Morning Glory” (1933) starring opposite Douglas Fairbanks Jr. She won the best actress Oscar for the role but did not attend the ceremony nor did she attend any Oscar ceremonies when she was nominated, throughout her career. Katharine’s success continued with the film “Little Women” (1933) which was a box office hit. The next three films were not successful but with “Alice Adams” (1935), Katharine proved she was more than just a one-hit wonder, and received her second Oscar nomination, losing to Bette Davis. In 1935, Katharine made “Sylvia Scarlett”, which was her first of four films with Cary Grant. While the chemistry onscreen between the two was spell-binding, the film itself did not do well. Her next three films also flopped, and it did not help that she had a bad relationship with the press. She would not give interviews and denied requests for autographs by fans. The press called her "Katharine of Arrogance." Discouraged with Hollywood, Katharine decided to head back to the stage for a while. Late in 1936, she did try to get the role of Scarlett O'Hara in “Gone with the Wind” but producer David O. Selznick refused to offer her the part because he felt she had no sex appeal. 1938 saw Katharine opposite Cary Grant again in the screwball comedy “Bringing up Baby.” The film was acclaimed by
critics, but it was not successful at the box office, despite Cary Grant being very successful. Katharine became popular quickly and unpopular even more quickly. Katharine decided to take her career into her own hands and looked for a stage play to make her comeback. She found the play “The Philadelphia Story,” which would become a Broadway smash. Howard Hughes, who was Katharine’s lover at the time, sensed the play could be her ticket back to Hollywood and bought the rights to the play for her. Hollywood studios wanted to turn the play into a movie. Katharine sold the rights to MGM with the condition she is the star and had choice of the director. “The Philadelphia Story” (1940) was one of the biggest hits of 1940 and brought Katharine back to the big screen opposite Cary Grant and James Stewart. It broke box office breaking records and earned Katharine another Oscar nomination. Katharine also developed her next picture “Woman of the Year”
(1942) and chose Spencer Tracey as her costar. This would be the first of 9 films for the two and the start of a 25-year love affair off screen for the duo, despite Spencer remaining married to
Sept 1st - 7, 2016 www.vallartatribune.com
someone else until his death in 1967. It was not until after Spencer’s widow died in 1983, that Katharine publically admitted the long-term love affair. By the 1950’s Katherine wanted to stretch her acting roles. In 1951, she made “The African Queen” (her first movie in color). Costarring Humphrey Bogart, the film was shot mostly on location in the Belgian Congo. It proved a difficult experience and Hepburn became ill during filming, but it gave Katherine her fifth Oscar nomination. It was the first successful film she had made without Tracy since The Philadelphia Story a decade earlier, it proved that she could be a hit without Tracey and fully revived her popularity. Throughout the 1950’s Katharine had freedom to choose when and what she wanted to work in. In 1955 Katharine made “Summertime”, which as filmed in Venice and earned her another Oscar nomination. “The Rainmaker” (1956), costarring Burt Lancaster saw another hit and Oscar nomination. Katharine had found her niche in playing "love-starved spinsters." After two years away from the big screen, Katharine starred in “Suddenly, Last Summer” (1959) with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. Filmed in London, Katharine described the filming a “completely miserable experience”, including big fights with the director, but the film was a box office hit and earned her an eighth Oscar nomination.
In the 1960’s Katharine took a break in her career to care for ailing Spencer Tracy. She did not work again until 1967's “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner”, her ninth film with Tracy. The movie dealt with the subject of interracial marriage. Tracy was very ill by this point and died 17 days after filming his last scene. The film was Katharine’s biggest hit and won her a second Oscar statue. In the 1970’s Katharine did a fair bit of TV movie work and earned Emmy nominations as well. By 1980, Katharine had developed a noticeable tremor when she spoke. She did pursue one last big role in 1981 opposite Henry Fonda in “On Golden Pond”. The film was a final tribute to both actors and the Oscars rewarded it with ten nominations and both Katharine and Henry with Oscars. Katharine continued with some stage work and TV appearances from the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s. Failing health took its toll in her final years, and Katharine Hepburn finally passed away in 2003 at the age of 96. During her 66-year acting career, Katharine Hepburn had 12 Oscar nominations and won four Oscars, and she never once came to a ceremony to receive them. “As for me, prizes are nothing,” she once said. “My prize is my work.” Fred Jacobs is a full-time resident of Puerto Vallarta and the author of three 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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