Vallarta Tribune - Issue 1176 October 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

LOCAL VOICE

ENTERTAINMENT

Vallarta Occupancy Registered at Over 50%

Photography in the Paradise of Vallarta

Grand Opening Event this Monday at Bambinos Trattoria!

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Page 23 October 17-23, 2019 Year 22 Free Issue 1176

FR EE

GU ID E

ALL-INCLUSIVE NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FOR PUERTO VALLARTA AND RIVIERA NAYARIT

MAP OF BANDERAS BAY

PAGE 12-13

VALLARTA SHOPPING PAGES 14-15

ENTERTAINMENT PAGES19-22

CROSSWORD PAGE 21

WWW.VALLARTATRIBUNE.COM | FB/VTATRIBUNE | TWITTER @VALLARTATRIBUNE | INSTAGRAM @VALLARTATRIBUNE

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Welcome

Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

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t the Vallarta Tribune we want you to have the best experience possible while you explore Puerto Vallarta, the Bay of Banderas and Riviera Nayarit. Here are some helpful tips for traveling.

TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco and the southern part Nayarit are on Central time – if you’re heading further north than Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, remember the time change so you don’t miss your flight.

BUSES: A system of urban buses can bring you from El Tuito in the south to San Pancho in the north and all the spots in between.

Fares vary according to distances travelled, but the base fare is 10 pesos. If you’re going further than San Pancho, head to the main bus terminal to catch a ‘Pacifico’ bus.

TAXIS: There are set fares within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver. Make a note of the taxi number in case you leave something behind. Drivers typically do not carry change.

UBER: New in 2017 to Puerto Vallarta, Uber is still experiencing some growing pains particularly in the state of Nayarit. Uber is cheaper than a taxi usually.

GETTING AROUND: In many places such as Centro Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta there are paths for bikes and pedestrians. Please be respectful of these designations.

MONEY EXCHANGE: The most hassle-free way to exchange money is to use your debit card in the ATM to withdraw pesos.

Exchange houses offer higher rates and banks are remiss to change dollars to pesos if you don’t hold an account with them. Best to use ATM’s that are affiliated with a reputable bank located in well lit secure areas.

TIPPING: In general you should tip 10-20% in restaurants and bars. Taxi or Uber drivers – 10-20 pesos. The person who bags your groceries or helps load your car – 10-20 pesos. Don’t forget to tip

Cover by Ashley Werter

CALLING IN MEXICO

your maid, bell boy, masseuse, the band, the entertainment on your tour. And by all means, tip more if you want, wages are extremely low in Mexico.

DRINKING WATER: While Puerto Vallarta’s water has been awarded a certification of purity for the past two decades, the quality of the water tested at the source varies greatly from what comes out of the tap at the other end.

Don’t wreck your holiday – buy bottle water.

EXPORTING PETS: Falling in love with the street dog outside your hotel is easy to do and it’s also easy to bring them home with you.

The process is inexpensive and only takes a day or two. You only need a certificate of health from a local vet and check with your airline for additional requirements.

COMMON SENSE: Just as you wouldn’t walk around your hometown drunk and belligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here.

While Mexico is a tolerant culture, politeness is paramount. Don’t pee in the streets. Don’t flash your money or expensive gadgets. Pay attention to your surroundings.

Know where you are going. Pay your bills (and don’t forget to tip).

And have fun!

DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis or Ubers are cheap and plentiful. Fines are very expensive. You can go to jail and your vehicle impounded.

There are many checkstops on the weekends, and you will be asked to take a breathalizer test if they suspect you have been drinking.

LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not a valid excuse in Mexico, or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation, be aware that often 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. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Director Noemi Zamora noemi.zamora@cps.media Editor Neil Gerlowski neilg@vallartatribune.com Sales Team editor@vallartatribune.com Designer Cynthia Estela Andrade Gutiérrez cysandra@gmail.com

October 17-23, 2019 (UPDATED AUGUST 2019)

LOCAL CALLS WITHIN MEXICO All calls within Mexico can now be dialed using the 10-digit telephone number (usually a two- or three-digit area code plus an eight- or seven-digit number) from a landline or cell phone, eliminating the need for prefixes, such as 01, 044 or 045. In Mexico, most cities use a three-digit area code, notable exceptions being CDMX, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

LONG DISTANCE CALLS WITHIN MEXICO Same procedure as above applies.

LONG DISTANCE CALLS TO MEXICO FROM ABROAD If you are making a long-distance call to Mexico from abroad, simply add the country code (52) to the 10-digit number as described above.

CALLING TOLL-FREE NUMBERS (The following procedure predates the August 2019 update. We are waiting for specific information regarding toll-free calls within Mexico and to numbers elsewhere.)

Some toll-free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not. Those that do work are often not toll-free. 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

INTERNATIONAL LONG-DISTANCE CALLS FROM MEXICO US & Canada: Dial 001 + Area Code + Number Elsewhere: Dial 00 + Country Code + Area Code + Number

FIRE DEPARTMENT: 322.223.9476 AMBULANCE: 322.222.1533 IMMIGRATION: 322.224.7719 CONSUMER PROTECTION: 01.800.468.8722

Emergencies: 911 Red Cross: 065

Ahoy Cruisers!

In port this month

TOURISM OFFICES Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006 CONSULATES American Consulate 24 hrs 01-332-268-2100 Canadian Consulate 322.293.0098 322.293.0099 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

In the month October and November Puerto Vallarta & Riviera Nayarit welcomes 94,932 passengers!

Bienvenido!

NAME CARNIVAL CRYSTAL CRUISES LINE HOLLAND AMERICA PRINCESS CRUISES PRINCESS CRUISES WINDSTAR CRUISES NORWEGIAN CRUISES CARNIVAL PRINCESS CRUISES NORWEGIAN CRUISES CELEBRETY DISNEY CRUISES LINE ROYAL CARIBBEAN HOLLAND AMERICA HOLLAND AMERICA PRINCESS CRUISES DISNEY CRUISES LINE

PASS DATE 3,200 02.10.2019 940 03.10.2019 2,106 06.10.2019 2,600 07.10.2019 3,600 10.10.2019 212 11.10.2019 3,883 14.10.2018 2,680 15.10.2019 2,400 21.10.2019 2,240 22.10.2019 2,850 23.10.2019 2,500 24.10.2019 2,435 26.10.2019 1,820 27.10.2019 2,104 29.10.2019 3,600 30.10.2019 2,500 31.10.2019

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

2,435

02.11.2019

Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and 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 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

CARNIVAL CELEBRETY PRINCESS CRUISES DISNEY CRUISES LINE PRINCESS CRUISES CELEBRETY CARNIVAL HOLLAND AMERICA CARNIVAL NORWEGIAN CRUISES PRINCESS CRUISES NORWEGIAN CRUISES CELEBRETY CARNIVAL NORWEGIAN CRUISES PRINCESS CRUISES NORWEGIAN CRUISES ROYAL CARIBBEAN

2,680 05.11.2019 2,046 06.11.2019 3,600 06.11.2019 2,500 11.11.2019 3,080 11.11.2019 2,046 12.11.2019 2,680 13.11.2019 2,104 19.11.2019 2,680 20.11.2019 2,240 20.11.2019 3,600 20.11.2019 3,883 21.11.2019 2,850 23.11.2019 2,680 26.11.2019 2,240 27.11.2019 3,600 27.11.2019 3,883 28.11.2019 2,435 28.11.2019

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 Compañía Periodística Sudcaliforniana S.A. de C.V. Oficinas: 21 de Marzo 1174, Col. Lomas de Coapinole, CP48290, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

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Editorial

October 17-23, 2019

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Editor’s Note Neil Gerlowski

editor@vallartatribune.com

Over the Halfway Hump and Gearing Up for Winter

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ncient cultures created rituals to ensure that the sun would stop its southerly journey and bring back its life-sustaining light, heat, and promises of prosperity. Here in Puerto Vallarta, even scientifically informed individuals are actively encouraging the sun southward, much like a bowler wishing her ball onward towards the pins at the end of the lane.

Here, the sun’s southerly journey is associated with a break in the heat and humidity of the rainy season and the promises of prosperity as international tourists begin returning in droves.

A vital sign that we’re on track for success is that hotel occupancy has already climbed past its halfway mark. Residents and businesses take this as an indication that their preparations for

another winter season will garner all the abundance necessary to sustain another fruitful year.

Visitors at this time are met with the enthusiasm and warmth of a community celebrating their return.

Hotels, restaurants, attractions, activity providers, and all their supporting operations have been readied to deliver extraordinary amenities, cuisine, and entertainment. We encourage our visitors to explore all the wonders that Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay, Riviera Nayarit, and our entire region offer to provide you with a lifetime of exciting memories and beckon you back year after year, to visit, or even move here

permanently. Local businesses are encouraged to seize this occasion to promote their products and services to achieve their full potential of success this season. As the region’s largest and most widely distributed English newspaper, the Vallarta Tribune is uniquely poised to help our region’s businesses reach their advertising goals.

Reach out to us today to hear what we have to offer!

Wishing a season of success to our residents and dreamlike vacations to our visitors, Neil Gerlowski Editor Vallarta Tribune

Read the first edition of the Best of Banderas Bay and Riviera Nayarit guide online www.vallartatribune.com

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pages of information designed to make your stay in the area the best! From the best beaches to the best activities and more, you can download and view online at www.vallartatribune.com and watch for copies at your favourite VallartaTribune distribution points.

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News, Local Voices

Vallarta Occupancy Registered at Over 50% Everything and Everyone is Ready for Winter Brenda Beltran, Tribuna de La Bahía

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uerto Vallarta, Jalisco “High season” is already at the door and this tourist destination continues preparing to receive visitors, predominantly from the U.S. and Canada.

Meanwhile, the destination is already registering occupation above 50% and is forecast to continue increasing in the coming days, said Susana Rodríguez Mejía, director of Beach Tourism for Jalisco’s Coast. Vallarta Occupancy Registered at Over 50%; “The tourists that we await to receive for the winter season are

mostly from the United States and Canada and we see it clearly possible to exceed 2018 figures.

We’ve noticed this year has been a complicated one for tourism, but Puerto Vallarta has done well and this will be a successful season.”

Although Jalisco’s Secretariat of Tourism has not yet released an official projection, at this time occupation rates are between 50 and 55% and there is great anticipation for this winter season when occupation numbers will climb to their highest. The peak month for hotel occupancy in the region is February, yet in previous years even the next few months have registered occupations of

Photography in the Paradise of Vallarta Ashley Wertner

www.nomadfamilyphotogroup.com

Ashley Wertner and her husband Matt teach workshops and private photography lessons in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, and abroad through their business, Nomad Family Photo Group. Resident and visiting photographers looking to improve their skills, try new techniques, and engage with other like-minded shutterbugs are encouraged to reach out to them at www.nomadfamilyphotogroup.com.

First, choose the right time of day. While still lovely, in mid-day the sun is high and harsh, which can make for challenging conditions don’t know about you, but I to shoot in, and reflections on the find myself in constant awe of water are usually unflattering.

An exception to this rule are this paradise we call Puerto Vallarta—which means I just days with cloudy conditions— can’t stop taking pictures! If you bad weather can make for great can relate, here are some tips photography! So if it looks like on basics and composition for all it’s going to be a hot, dry one, try shooting in the early morning or levels of shutterbugs.

Photography

Basics & Composition

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over 70% and occupancy at the end of the year has often maxed out at 100%.

It was also indicted that there is a short-term forecast for passenger traffic at the Puerto Vallarta International Airport to reach 5 million, and that is very likely to be exceeded soon, even doubling once the second terminal is constructed.

It should be noted that the Puerto Vallarta hotelier, Marcelo Alcaraz González considers the upcoming 2019 - 2020 season to present several challenges, above all an uncertain environment since the removal of the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico, nevertheless he expects growth of 3% this season compared to 2018 numbers.

near sunset instead.

Improving your composition can make a big difference in the quality of your images!

• Remember the Rule of Thirds.

Meaning, when shooting landscapes or seascapes, place your horizon on the top third of the photo to allow the majority of the frame to showcase the scenery or the bottom third for dramatic skies.

Additionally, for other subjects, such as people and flowers, place them off to the left or right third of the photo. Save centering your images for symmetrical subjects, or when shooting reflections.

• Look for leading lines like roads, pathways, rivers, bridges, etc. to help guide the viewer’s eye throughout your photo. You should also be searching for framing elements within your scene. Place your subject in a doorway or shoot through a window for a natural frame within a frame.

• When you find a subject you like, explore it from all angles. Pay attention to what is happening in the background and change your perspective to avoid distractions.

• Look for complementary color combinations. In photography, these are red and cyan (light blue), green and magenta (pink), and blue and yellow. A pink hibiscus flower framed by green leaves is an excellent example of a complementary color combination!

careful not to get too close to your subjects, or you will start to distort them.

• If you place the foreground very close to your phone but focus on the subject in the back, this will help you mimic a shallow depth of field and create some blur. This technique is especially effective in portrait mode.

• Try shooting with vertical, horizontal, and square frames to force you to find and create different compositions.

• There is no shortage of applications you can download on your phone to enhance or edit your images. Try Snapseed for image editing, TouchRetouch to remove unwanted elements from your photos, or Enlight for creative editing effects, to name a few.

Tips for Camera-Phone Photographers: • It is extra important for phone photographers to include foregrounds as you are shooting with a naturally wide lens. Be

Tips for Point-and-Shoot, DSLR, and Mirrorless Photographers: • In addition to composition, try adjusting your white balance.

Choose the best preset for your environment to get accurate colors or experiment with them and change the mood of your photo with the different color shifts. Experimenting with this is especially fun for sunsets photography!

• Practice shooting with your tripod. It may not be necessary for your exposure, but it will help you slow down and compose a better image. Remember to try a new angle and don’t shoot only at eye level.

• Use a polarizing filter when shooting outdoors to help reduce glare and enhance colors.

October 17-23, 2019

On The Water

Capt. Gregory Pilkington greg@fishtfc.com

With Capt. Gregory Pilkington of www.FishTFC.com. FishTFC operates private bay tours, marine and whale encounters, and world-class sport fishing charters.

For more information contact greg@ FishTFC.com or call +1 (435) 901-4564.

“After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution...”

William R. Alger

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f forecasts are correct, by the time this goes to press, we will be getting rain from our 3rd storm system of the year. As with the other two storms, we aren’t expecting much wind just a day or so of rain.

And a couple days after the rain, the fishing should go from extremely good to off the charts red-hot again. I’d start making plans to be on the water next weekend or early next week if you want to have the best chance at non-stop action for Dorado (Mahi-Mahi), Marlin and Sailfish.

This Week’s Best Bet The runoff of debris from the last storm has mostly scattered all over the Pacific Ocean but the fish have largely remained from just off Punta Mita to El Banco and Roca Corbatena. The major difference is that the fish are no longer congregating, so you need to put in some time to catch a half dozen or so quality fish.

This will remain the case if the next forecasted storm fails to materialize. However, if as expected, we again are blessed with a tropical system Thursday or Friday, then debris will once again flush out of our rivers and wash out to sea where the currents will push the debris together.

And, under and near these lines of debris the fish will once again gather in numbers.

So, my ‘best bet’ this week doesn’t focus as much on where to fish, but when to fish. Which is optimally 2-5 days after the next decent rainstorm (hopefully Saturday to Wednesday). At this time you can expect to catch Dorado non-stop with a marlin, sailfish or wahoo a very real possibility.

Of course, weather forecasts have been known (on rare occasion - LOL) to be wrong.

In which case, you will need a good back-up plan. And, here is a suggestion for a great back-up plan. Take advantage of the great weather and add a few hours onto your trip and chase marlin as your primary target and you most likely will add a few Dorado on the side.

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Local Voices

October 17-23, 2019 Either way, you simply can’t lose being on the water!

Conservation Corner The International Game Fish Association has launched a major initiative to teach over 100,000 youth to become ethical anglers. Visit LEARN-TO-FISH. IGFA.ORG to enroll and receive a Certificate of Recognition.

Topless Tip Keep enough Dorado for dinner for your family and friends and bring it to a local restaurant to cook it up for you.

Better yet, keep enough for a couple dinners and see which restaurant has the best Dorado recipe. And, please share your experiences with our other readers.

Vibes & Vices

AJ Freeman

cosmiccapt@gmail.com

AJ Freeman is an adventurous spirit, serial friendmaker, and general enthusiast. He lives his everyday life hoping to demonstrate the nearly infinite potential for discovery and wonder on this small wet rock orbiting a dim yellow star in the backwoods of the Milky Way.

Nick's Bar

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t least for those of us privileged with birth in a developed nation, there’s very little that making an effort to enjoy life can’t fix. That’s why when I was having a bit of a rough week after saying a final goodbye to a friend (still missing ya JT), I happily accepted an invitation from Dave, a writing client and overall great guy, to spend an afternoon tooling around town on one of his ATVs. Having taken an ATV tour early in my Vallarta tenure, I already knew that revving a four-wheeler through the streets of the city was a great way to see the sights in this seaside Shangri-la, but this time around we’d be taking the trail up into the foothills of the Sierra Madre for scenic views, a few dirt donuts, and a stop at Nick’s Bar, a watering hole/ event venue hidden in the heights.

The Vibes: I arrived at Dave’s place that afternoon wearing my best beach clothes, ready to rip up a rocky road and make a new load of laundry along the way. Time was made in the day’s agenda to check out some fantastic finishes in college football, then I forced a helmet down atop my mop of multicolored locs and giddily took to the streets of Fluvial for an afternoon of acceleration and adventure.

We got out onto the main roads and I got a chance to gun it down the Libramiento, topping 60kph (about 40 freedom units for you returning Yanks) according to the speedometer on the Italika 250. I took immense pleasure in blowing by taxis and the little toy cars instantly identifiable as Uber vehicles as the engine roared off the walls of the long tunnel. Riding one of mankind’s most enjoyable diversions through one of its’ most determined innovations, I felt engaged with a moment in time on a uniquely human level.

The Vices: Rolling through the cobblestone streets of Paso Ancho on the ATV was a natural transition to the roughness of the mountain trail. We weaved past the ditches created by the torrential rainfall of the past couple of weeks and splashed through small streams until the path led to the parking lot of Nick’s, which is home to several private party spaces featuring natural pools fed by the river as it cascades down toward the city.

There’s even a paintball battlefield onsite, which will certainly become useful for my other jobs as chief social coordinator, lead lifestyle scout, and job title inventor.

All this I took in over a cold Corona while seated at the bar, the customer-accessible Bluetooth

speaker blasting the Chili Peppers as the ostensible business meeting unfolded. A few songs in, a small tour group arrived on their ATVs, visitors from the north who had also made all the right decisions that day. We chatted for a bit as another group kicked up dust in the parking lot with their visit, these arriving in a large van and prepared to split into teams and shoot each other.

Eventually I’d gone through as many bottles as I thought was wise, and as we started to saddle up to make our way back down to sea level I was given a sobriety test by the barkeep, which is totally a thing that happens because no one lies on the Internet. Overall, it was one of the better Saturdays I’ve had this year...and in this line of work, that’s saying something.

The Verdict: As a venue for special occasions--even if that occasion is just the weekend--Nick’s presents a compelling package of amenities. Secluded swimming holes, brews so cold I literally had to chip ice off the outside, and what has to be the only paintball course within half an hour of town...I only wish I had been more prepared to experience all it had to offer, but hey, you can’t plan for everything and I was having more than my share of good times anyway.

In any event, it’s a certainty that I’ll be back for one reason or another. Maybe I’ll catch you there.

Info: Av. Vallejo #120, Col. Paso Ancho.

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Local Voices

October 17-23, 2019

Insight

Martin Rosenberg, PhD

martysanmiguel@gmail.com

Marty journeyed from Anthropology Lecturer at the Museum of Natural History, N.Y.C., President of Illinois’ CPA Society, CEO Tomorrows Software, film producer, and author of three books and many articles. As Director of Posters International Gallery in Puerto Vallarta, he is surrounded daily by creativity and European history. www.rosenbergcollection.com

A Billion and Counting

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ow do we comprehend large numbers, and what values do we place on them? When numbers get very large or tiny, we tend to make analogies for comparison, so we better understand their relevance.

We use phrases such as, “heavy as an elephant,” or “as light as a hummingbird.” Carl Sagan described the age of our universe to a calendar year; we showed up around New Year’s Eve. Should we stack one billion U.S. dollar bills, it would reach a height of nearly sixty-eight miles.

One trillion dollar bills would reach one-fourth the way from earth to the moon. The U.S. government collected three trillion tax dollars

from its people in 2016. If I took that revenue to the mall and went bonkers spending $20 per second, it would take me more than 4,500 years to blow it all.

The largest prime number, discovered in 2016, has over 22 million digits. A prime number can only be divided evenly by 1 and itself. Therefore 5 is a prime number, but 6 can be divided by 1,2,3 and 6, so it is not a prime number. I wonder what effect our exposure to large and small numbers has on our brain? Did it, on a subconscious level, influence our reaction to information, beliefs, and how we automatically filter everything coming through our five senses? As a student, I turned off to equations and complex calculations. Multiplying or adding modestly sized columns of numbers in my head came

easily. As we now are bombarded with figures on people’s lives lost through natural disasters, war, crime, and illness, I felt my immediate reaction to such news involved mixed emotions.

Do my feelings about human tragedy fluctuate with numbers?

Was the loss of life comprehended differently by my brain as numbers varied? I believe we are all equal beings, so I didn’t want to judge the severity of deaths based on how many died.

If psychologists believe young people are impacted by watching violent video games and movies, how have I changed in reacting to the meaning of numbers?

A billion. A trillion. A googol.

From cells, micro-organisms, and galaxies, we also contemplate six degrees of separation, one pill three times a day, an avalanche burying three skiers, a child abandoned in the cold, an earthquake taking twenty lives.

Was I making a mountain out of a molehill?

I can’t visualize a million people without electricity. Seeing an image of five people perched on their roof during a flood, I can relate to emotionally. Our values, culture, and even mood will affect how we interpret numbers. My car payment over 180 months may appear easier to manage than one over 15 years. Maybe I respond automatically to prices that end with .99, as it seems less expensive.

Paul Slovic, University of Oregon professor, looked at how people respond to humanitarian tragedies. When a disaster claims many lives, he noted that we care

less than if a tragedy claims only a few. When there are many victims, we find it easier to look the other way. Slovic said people probably are inappropriately -- and unconsciously -- using a similar metric in humanitarian crises: Failing to save only half the victims in a tragedy seems less dreadful than failing to save 93 percent of the victims of another disaster.

The mathematical side of our brain could tell us the absolute number of victims saved is more important than the percentage of survivors, but our analytical side isn’t usually in charge.

Congratulations! Let’s imagine you have joined Forbes’ roster of the world’s billionaires. To count to only three billion would take you one hundred years.

Scientists estimate that my build of average body weight contains over thirty-seven trillion cells.

My brain has about one hundred billion cells.

I’m more conscious now of news reports, political statements, advertising, and financial experts whose authors are likely well versed in how we comprehend their information. Ironically, the murderous Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin is quoted as remarking that “A single death is a tragedy; the death of millions is a statistic.”

The power of ‘one’ begins with ourselves and how we choose to see the world around us. Instead of filling my head with media sound bites, I’m practicing being more discerning and observing.

Vallarta and its people reflect a paradise to go on such a journey.

Vanishing World Vanishing Home John Warren

john3984@me.com

John Warren is in charge of publicity for the International Friendship Club in Puerto Vallarta (IFC). During the summer, he writes about traveling while also raising environmental awareness.

“A” Is For Anthropocene

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hy did the dinosaurs go extinct? It was probably caused by a super-sized asteroid hitting Planet Earth right in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The resulting debris of fine dust in the atmosphere shut out the sun for many, many years. Dinosaurs’ dinners withered and died, as did three-quarters of all species on the Earth and in the oceans. That happened about 66 million years ago. Scientists call that the Cretaceous-Tertiary Mass Extinction (or K-T Extinction).

Since this planet came into existence about four and a half billion years ago, there have been five mass extinctions. All of them have occurred due to a cataclysmic natural event. The sixth extinction is happening right now and is being caused by us. Scientists have dubbed it “The Anthropocene.”

The Anthropocene defines Earth’s most recent period as “being influenced by humans.

“Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that the Earth’s atmosphere, geology, hydrology, and biosphere are being altered by humans and have been for thousands of years.

We are destroying the planet, and the cumulative effects of our actions are leading to the sixth extinction.

We are unlike any other living

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Local Voices

October 17-23, 2019

organism - we consume everything on the planet. Other creatures simply eat, mate, and die. They do not mine minerals, suck oil out of the Earth, impose agriculture on much of the Earth’s surface, or poison the oceans. We do.

Homo Erectus appeared almost two million years ago and a hundred thousand years ago got the wanderlust and left Africa to explore the world. Everywhere humans went, they killed things.

By 9000 BCE, the megafauna, like mammoths and saber-toothed tigers, had been decimated in the Americas and Australia. At about the same time, agriculture was started in Mesopotamia, South America, and North China. We began to alter the courses of rivers, cut down forests, and destroy the natural habitats of many animals and birds. At about the same time, we started to tame and domesticate dogs, goats, and sheep.

2000 years ago the Earth’s soils began showing signs of degradation, because of our use of natural phosphorus as a fertilizer.

The explosion of colonization

by European powers around five hundred years ago brought a global mixing of plants, animals, and diseases. Europeans got sugar, cotton, and tobacco, while Native Americans got smallpox.

The carnage in the America’s brought total agricultural acres

down, and forests started to regrow. This reduction in the world population caused the only dip in carbon dioxide levels in the last 11,000 years. We started to get smarter and smarter. In the middle of the sixteenth century, we developed new and more reliable ways of looking at science, including physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry. We started mining coal.

The Anthropocene is said to have started in the late 18th century.

Present-day analyses of air trapped in polar ice show the beginning of growing global concentrations of carbon dioxide. That just happens to coincide with the time of James Watt’s invention, in 1784, of the steam engine used for locomotives.

Twenty years later, in 1804, the number of homo sapiens (”Wise People”) passed one billion. Now we are over seven and climbing towards eleven by the end of the century.

Perhaps nothing has been as destructive to our health and our planet as the mining of hydrocarbons. The first modern oil well hit pay dirt on Saturday, August 27, 1859, in Pennsylvania, and the world changed. But fifty years later it changed again. A couple of German chemists invented the Haber-Bosch process that produced nitrogen artificially and allowed even more intensive farming practices. It is estimated that this process allows the world to feed two billion more people.

The Great Acceleration happened during my lifetime. The last sixty years have seen a profound transformation of our relationship with the natural world. Our drive for new things to consume has resulted in the proliferation of plastics and persistent organic pollutants. POP’s are organic chemical substances that are carbon-based and toxic to both humans and wildlife. These actions will leave their marks for hundreds or thousands of years.

By 2014 the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere exceeded 400 parts per million. The last time levels were this high was between 800,000 and 15,000,000 years ago. Then the sea levels and the temperatures were much higher than today. Where will ours be in a hundred years?

What do you see in your future?

What will Puerto Vallarta look like in a hundred or a thousand years? Who knows? We may be smart enough to avoid the thunder clouds on the horizon, but I’m not holding my breath. Let’s hope that the Anthropocene, somehow, reverses itself, and our children and grandchildren enjoy their lives too.

Paradise and Parenting Leza Warkentin

www.mommyinmexico.wordpress.com

Leza is a nursery teacher and preschool coordinator at the American School of Puerto Vallarta.

My “Gratitudes”

I

f you aren’t Canadian, you may not realize that we celebrated our Thanksgiving last weekend.

I won’t hold that against you. I am too busy holding a grudge against the Vallarta grocery stores for not stocking canned pumpkin early enough. I mean, Canadians bring a lot of tourist dinero here, and all we ask is to have the opportunity to eat pumpkin pie on our holiday.

Well, that’s not ALL we ask if I’m honest. I’d also like the opportunity to not drown in my sweat while I bake it, but I doubt that’s going to happen either.

Last weekend, our family gathered with several other Canadian-by-birth and Canadianby-awesomeness families to eat turkey and drink Fireball (you have your traditions, and we have ours). I had carefully hoarded the last can of pumpkin that my mom brought me last year, so we had the pie, too.

After all the eating, zipper-easing, and eating again, we packed it up and went home.

We may have been physically uncomfortable, but emotionally we were basking in the afterglow of fellowship with good people.

And that, to me, is Thanksgiving in a pie shell. When you live far from your family and your home country, often you have to change some of the customs you practiced around your favorite holiday.

We can’t always have pumpkin pie. We can’t walk around in our favorite sweaters kicking fall leaves around. I can’t even get into an argument with my brother, because neither one of us likes talking on the phone.

But you can get together with good people and eat great food. And, above all, you can experience the kind of gratitude that only comes with laughter and

Fireball. It doesn’t matter where you live and what the humidex says.

So, in keeping with the holiday, I thought I’d list some “gratitudes” in my column this week. However, I am the mother of teenagers, so I think gratitudes might be a bit grandiose for how I’m feeling.

Maybe we could call them Simple Pleasures: 1.) I’m here in Vallarta, watching news about a massive snowstorm in Winnipeg. My family is ok. So it’s fine to feel grateful for not being there.

2.) No one has asked me to make them anything to eat in over three hours.

3.) Never mind the above.

4.) I work with young children, which means I have one place I can go where people think I’m an expert, and I’m pretty.

5.) When you have teens, no one minds (in fact they prefer) if you go to bed at 9 pm.

6.) Tortillas. Beans. Salsa. Queso Oaxaca. Queso panela.

7.) Queso (it also deserves its own).

I suppose this is the point at which I should get serious and say that I’m thankful for my precious family, my health, and the bright blue sky. Ok, yes, in all seriousness, I’m grateful for all of those things. But I’m also thankful for the many ways that life hands me a good laugh when I need it. Sometimes (!) family life is chaotic, and I have to be a Mean Mom who everyone will hate forever (or at least until later in the evening). Sometimes my back hurts, and my head aches, and I can’t digest all the cheese.

Sometimes (not often in Vallarta, I grant you) the sky isn’t even blue.

But I can almost always find a reason to laugh about it. And that’s most definitely something for which I am forever grateful.

10

Local Voices

October 17-23, 2019

Welcome Home

Sheryl Novak

sa.novak@solutionsmexico.com

Sheryl Novak is an expat Canadian who has owned a home in Mexico for over ten years. She is the owner of SOLutions Mexico and The Furniture Store by SOLutions Mexico. She is an expert on sourcing all styles of furniture for all sizes of budgets, in Mexico. for your needs. Rather than looking at them all and trying to compare each one, it is best to narrow the field. I do this with almost all big-ticket purchases. It keeps me was waiting for it to happen. from being overwhelmed so that I About five months ago, our can purchase correctly and quickly. eleven-year-old fridge started Selecting from three options is making this loud, humming noise. less stressful than choosing from A few months prior, the water thirty. To eliminate options that dispenser on the door began won’t work, start with the size of leaking, and the ice dispenser the fridge.

If your fridge is for a new condo, completely stopped working. I knew that we were likely living you will want to measure the space on borrowed time because the allowance. Space allowance is the average life span of a fridge is size of the cut out in your kitchen about ten years. Sure enough, allocated for your fridge. Depth and this week, the humming noise height are not usually as important increased in volume for nearly as width, but it is a good idea to a minute and then went deathly get all measurements to be sure.

Pay special attention to your upper quiet.

With so many options available cabinetry and baseboards since for fridges, it can be overwhelming they can impact space allowance. to determine which one is the best Another word of advice – walls,

How to Buy a Fridge

I

ceilings, and floors in Mexico are not always flush. Check each dimension in a few spots.

This way, you can make sure there will be no surprises such

as one side sticking out or it not sliding in easily.

If you are replacing an existing fridge, like I am, and the fridge fits well in the space, you can measure

the dimensions of your current refrigerator.

When measuring depth, make sure to measure from the wall to the front face of your fridge.

It’s a good idea to leave an extra inch all around the fridge for circulation and ventilation. If you don’t, the fridge motor will have to work harder, and it may lessen its lifespan.

It’s equally important to measure your counter depth.

Some fridges can stick out far beyond your counters, jutting into your kitchen. If you have a kitchen island, check how much clearance there is to open the fridge doors or walk past the fridge.

Before you put away your measuring tape, also record the dimensions of any doorways.

Sometimes fridges come as part of a condo sales package and the developer might have put the refrigerator in the unit before the door jams. If you need to remove the jams, at least you will know ahead of time so you can plan for it.

The next decision to make is the style you prefer. There are four main styles from which to choose.

These are the french door, side by side, top freezer, or bottom freezer.

Check out next week’s column for more information on how to select the best style for your needs and some more tips, including where to get the best deal in Vallarta for appliances.

Need appliances for your home in Mexico? Email me at sa.novak@solutionsmexico.com.

Dog in the Spotlight: LIBRE Fiesta Mexicana

L

ibre is one sweet little dog!

We are not sure of his mix, a little bit of Labrador, a little bit of something smaller, make a perfectly cute Mexican mutt! Libre is a little over one year old, weighing 37lbs. He is the perfect family dog with a high energy level, is very playful and loves everyone he meets instantly! He gets along with

other dogs and engages everyone in play! He loves receiving cuddles from his humans. We think he would make a wonderful family pet.

Libre was fixed, dewormed, and vaccinated and is now available for adoption. If your family is looking for a new addition, contact us at spcapv@gmail.com to request an application to adopt him.

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CONDO GAVIOTAS II 2 beds, 2 baths 785 sq.ft. $90,000 USD

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Worldwide Anglican Communion Anglican Church in North America

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ADOPTION

16

Local Voices Life in the Slow Lane

Kelly Wilson

mybucerias404@gmail.com

Upon retiring in Ontario, Kelly and her husband finally arrived in Puerto Vallarta—via a one-way ticket during the summer of 2017—where they now call Bucerias home. As avid adventurers, they enjoy exploring the entire Banderas Bay area. Kelly owns an online career coaching business and spends time volunteering for various local organizations.

Come Celebrate Day of the Dead in Bucerias

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ften mistaken as the equivalent of Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos is a profoundly cultural tradition in Mexico. Dating back 3000 years, history suggests

it was first observed by the Aztec and Nahua peoples. They viewed death as an integral part of life itself, an occasion not to be sorrowful about but to be embraced. Welcoming their beloved, year after year for twenty-four hours, Day of the Dead is now celebrated all across Mexico in big cities and small

towns, as well as internationally among those of Mexican heritage.

On November 1st and 2nd, families assist spirits on their return journey by building altars in their homes or at gravesites, using vividly colorful and personal objects the loved ones favored in life to guide them.

Marigolds and candles, traditional food and drink interspersed with meaningful trinkets, the altars are decorated enticingly to welcome the departed.

Are you wondering where you can go to watch it all unfold? Do you want to see lovingly built altars, have your face painted, and catch a superb lineup of incredible FREE live entertainment, ending with a fabulous array of fireworks?

In Bucerias, Christy Beguesse, owner of A Broken Art Studio, is an event planner extraordinaire.

Christy and local volunteers have worked for weeks toward making this a day one to remember for all.

Taking place at the Bucerias Centro Plaza, on Friday, November 1st, join us for an evening of community camaraderie. You’ll witness the plaza transformed into a magical space, boasting many colorful decorations, including thousands of paper flowers.

Greet strangers and friends alike.

Meander along the walkways and observe the altars, built with care in honor of family members. Ponder which altars will win cash prizes for first, second, and third place. Never missing an opportunity to involve children, in preparation for the day, Christy and friends held art classes at local schools and the Manos de Amor home, resulting in great times and beautifully decorated Catrina cutouts you will find on display by the young artists. Older students are offering face painting, ”Calavera” style. All visitors under twelve years of age will receive FREE face painting, while adults pay reasonable fees for half- and full-face. The live entertainment begins at 7 pm, but ensure you’re there early to soak it all in.

Enjoy the sensational sights and sounds of the twelve-piece band, ”Mariachi International,” followed by the mesmerizing Ballet Folklorico Tradicionales, and the beautiful music of Cheko Ruiz. Did I mention fireworks? See you at the plaza.

You may not recognize me - I’ll be sporting a calavera face myself!

Many thanks to the event’s sponsors for their generosity. They include; El Divino; Victoria Pratt/ Timothy Real Estate; Refugio del Mar; Hearts for Arts; Riviera Nayarit; The Art of Peace; 6 Amigos, and the Parkers.

October 17-23, 2019

Thoughts from the Tile Park

Emily Murray

emilysbigadventure@gmail.com

Emily Murray writes about the stream of creativity at Puerto Vallarta’s Tile Park at Parque Lázaro Cárdenas in Puerto Vallarta.

A New Season Begins

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t’s already that time of year! Soon we’ll turn our clocks back and pull out our warm sweaters, as a low-hanging sun offers the sweet relief of more temperate days.

Autumn brings with it our beloved Day of the Dead celebrations, and with evidence of change all around us, we have a chance to reflect on our seasons’ changes where we’ve been and where we are going.

With bright marigolds, ornately painted faces, extravagant parades, and altars reflecting treasured memories, we celebrate the arrival of a new season in grand style. Right on schedule, the streets begin filling up with familiar faces. Snowbirds flock to the lush green hills and crystal blue waters of Banderas Bay, and Vallarta is once again abuzz with happiness.

People excited to flee the cold of the North, for the warm embrace of friends they’ve missed for months.

It’s time to get back into the groove at the Tile Park too! We’re all set for the 2019-20 season, and it’s going to be great.

We’ve got some exciting things planned; look forward to newly-formatted workshops, a more robust hands-on volunteer program, and community events, to name just a few.

Workshops: If you are interested in participating in a workshop this season, please email hola@ tileparkpv.com for more information.

The workshops this year are going to be more collaborative than in the past, so expect something new this season! If you previously took a workshop, consider participating again this year. See what changes the intervening seasons have brought to your creativity.

Volunteering: Already know you love the Tile Park? Already did your workshop, not interested in another, but interested in sticking

tiles at your leisure? We hear you, buddy. Buy yourself a bucket, and a few other supplies, and you’re one of us now. If you wouldn’t mind mentoring some of the newbies, we’d appreciate that too. Oh, and if you’re taller than us, and Bill isn’t around, could you reach that for us? Thanks.

Events: The whole intention of the Tile Park project is our community, creating a safe, bright, engaging space that welcomes all people. This park is everyone’s park, no matter where they come from, what color their skin is, or who they love. With its central location, it’s an essential part of Old Town’s story. Our park is a place where people start and end their day. They meet up here before going out. They meet up here to stay right here too.

It’s a great place to hang out, so we’ll be doing just that, and inviting you to do the same along with us. We are forever fundraising (shameless plug: https://www. tileparkpv.com/donate), but our events don’t always need to be fundraisers. Especially not when we want to show you what we’ve been doing, and we want to hear what you’ve been up to, too.

It’s an honor to be here again with you this season! Let’s make beautiful art together.

The Healing Power of Plants Ricardo Mazcal

mazcalteotl@gmail.com

Ricardo is a fourth-generation herbalist from Nayarit and is available year-round at Marsol Friday Market by the Pier.

Sex After 60-, 70-, 80-Years-Old Naturally

S

ex after 60 is great for your health. It’s not true that interest in intercourse fades as we reach 60 and older. Statistics from the National Institute of Aging show that a third of retirees have sex at least twice a month, so if you are part of that statistic, you are doing great! But what is not happening with the other 66% of the population? There are timetested natural solutions to join the lucky 33% that continue to enjoy sex after their 60th birthdays.

Sex can make us look younger, combat stress, and slow down chronic disease. There is no reason why we can’t have sex until we no longer have the physical ability or energy. Sex bonds us closer to our partner, providing an excellent cardiovascular workout, and there are many natural things we can do to boost testosterone and libido.

Here are some of the benefits of having sex: Couples who have sex twice a week have fewer colds

17

Local Voices

October 17-23, 2019

and 30% higher levels of IgA (Immunoglobulin A), which is a cold and flu-fighting antibody.

It’s a great exercise. Having sex raises the heart rate and gets the blood and oxygen flowing. It’s good for blood pressure, muscle tone, and the cardiovascular system. It also produces hormones that are good for restoring muscle tissue.

Sex can stop dementia because hormones like dopamine are released during sex, which leads to sharper cognitive function.

Sex releases endorphins, which are the “feel-good” neurotransmitters; also increases in production of oxytocin, called the “love hormone,” helps with pain relief and reduces stress.

Couples who maintain a healthy sex life are less likely to feel depressed and are more positive about life and aging.

Sex keeps you looking younger: three times a week can make us look up to 10 years younger. Sex for women helps trigger the production of a human growth hormone that keeps their skin youthful. Sex also pumps oxygen around the body, boosting circulation and the flow of nutrients giving us that healthy glow.

Sex improves heart health. Forget tales about sixty-somethings having mid-coitus heart attacks. Studies warn the opposite is true; regular sex can actually reduce the risk of a heart attack. In fact, sex can halve the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

Chronic conditions and problems that interfere with sex: Men experience impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction or ED, that can be caused or exacerbated by chronic pain, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, stress, and incontinence. Neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Alzheimer’s: all diseases affect sex negatively.

Substance abuse: Drugs like antidepressants and blood pressure medications can lead to ED in men and an inability for women to have an orgasm.

Menopause: 70 % of women have reduced libido because of hormonal changes triggered by menopause, which can be reversed with the right diet and herbal supplementation.

The good news is, there are natural plants, herbs, and spices that can cure many types of chronic conditions. People can find relief by using herbal formulas in teas, capsules, extracts, and tinctures. These supplements work better than many synthetic drugs and have fewer adverse side effects.

Taking care of yourself will go a long way toward invigorating your libido. The right tinctures and herbal formulas, exercise, and proper nutrition can restore you physically and emotionally, helping older adults be healthy and sexually active. The bottom line is: sex is good for you.

From Here

Marcia Blondin

marciavallarta@gmail.com

Aside from contributing to the Tribune for several years, Marcia is a skilled artisan, specialized in repurposing jewelry and selling her creations at the Marsol Friday Market by the Pier.

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ast week I had the good fortune to meet with Brett LaMar to talk about Health Insurance specifically for my upcoming trip to Canada, Europe, and Russia next spring. A few days later, I saw a seminar happening a couple of blocks from my house at Vallarta CoWork about health insurance for expats, starring Brett and his colleague from We Expats and Novamar. The information was well-delivered, and there was much of it. I am so grateful I have Mexican insurance (IMSS), but so many expats are not eligible for one reason or another, and often, they find out they do not qualify until AFTER they have paid the yearly fee. I left Co-Work that night feeling like these folks would work very hard to find a plan that would cover pre-existing conditions and not take your grandchildren’s legacy while doing so. It was very informative and delightful to see my colleague AJ Freeman using his Vallarta CoWork “event specialist” talents to make sure everyone had enough pizza and beer. Once I get a bit closer to being able to make flights and applying for a Russian visa, I will keep you informed on what I end up buying for my trip next year.

As I paraphrase what Brett says, “don’t leave your healthcare in the hands of a Go-Fund-Me page.”

Saturday afternoon at BabelBar was a fantastic celebration of autumn, el Dia de Raza, Columbus Day and Canadian Thanksgiving all rolled up into a Latin music love fest. We were treated to hours and hours of Tatewari, Moruno, Tajin, La Boquita, Raul, Oscar, and Bobby on flute and backup vocals.

So lovely to see the resto/bar packed halfway through October.

Loads of new faces! I didn’t know three-quarters of the people there; evidently, I don’t get out much?!

I had a long conversation with Barb Bremner today. She is still

in Canada but couldn’t wait to tell me about some of the ongoing work to benefit Vallarta’s favorite charity – Pasitos de Luz. I can’t go into details because I don’t have enough space BUT, let’s just say it involves flowers, great painters, some very cool events that will make everyone happy they went.

How ambiguous is that? Closer to the November 16th first great event for Pasitos is the grand opening this coming Saturday night of Abbraccio Sicilian restaurant at 8:30. Abbraccio is located right behind Outback Steakhouse, and yes, it is owned by them. The night will benefit Pasitos. Contact them just in case there is a table or two available info@pastitosdeluz.org Artist’s Co-op Update: We have narrowed down our choices to a street in downtown Vallarta and are negotiating with two landlords for two separate but similar locales.

They each have their good qualities, of course, and both are not exactly what we want, but season is like, this weekend so we are picking one or the other within hours. I am awash in ambiguity today; we have got to get started! I should have some hard data soon, but we plan to be open by November 15th.

Drop by Marsol Friday Market by the Pier Hugs are free, hope reigns eternal, and the music plays on, From Here.

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Local Voices Biking Around Vallarta

Ricardo Murrieta

ricardomurrieta@gmail.com

Ricardo Murrieta is the owner of Aequilibrium Bikes + in Puerto Vallarta’s Versalles neighborhood on Calle Vienna near its intersection with Francisco Villa. He’s also on the board of Vallarta En Bici, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting biking in and around Puerto Vallarta.

Tires — Where the Rubber Meets the Road

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neumatic tires, standard in most vehicles on our roads and most airplanes too for that matter, were first brought to us thanks to the bicycle, or, to be technically correct, the tricycle. Before that time, wheelwrights used to “dress” a wheel with a heated band of iron or steel, which would restrict when quenched to wrap tightly around the wheel. This “dressing” was also known as “attire,” which was later shortened to the English word most commonly used for una llanta.

In the late 1800s, John Boyd Dunlop invented the first practical pneumatic tire out of concern for his ten-year-old son Johnnie whose vigorous tricycle riding on the bumpy streets of Belfast, Ireland

were becoming a constant source of severe headaches. The cushion that was formed when the rubber tire was inflated absorbed much of the impacts of these bumpy roads, thus allowing Johnnie and billions of people to ride without rattling our teeth out.

Much like with other vehicles, maintaining proper air pressure in your bicycle tires helps get the most life out of them and keeping the right balance between absorbing the bumps of uneven surfaces and minimizing the drag of the rubber tire exposed to the surface of the terrain you travel over.

A danger with underinflated tires is something called a “pinch flat.”

Pinch flats occur most commonly when a tire passes over a crisp edge, like the corner of a concrete curb that you try to hop over. The inner tube (or sometimes even a tubeless tire) is pinched against rim so hard that it perforates it, usually

causing an instant flat.

The telltale sign of a pinch flat is that you will typically see two distinctive “snakebite-like” side-by-side holes in your inner tube. Not only will you have to repair or replace your innertube or tire, but you’ll also have to check your rim for damage… and those are more expensive to replace!

Avoiding pinch flats is easy if you stay aware of your tire pressure.

Sure, you can use a gauge, but with practice, you can develop an eye for it by a simple test. Before mounting your bike, just push down on your handlebars while looking at the front tire then push down on the seat while looking at your rear tire.

There should be just a little give, but the tire should not bulge much at the sides.

When out in the countryside, bring a tire repair kit with you in case of a flat. Here in town, fortunately, you’re hardly ever far away from a bike shop to push along your aluminum companion.

Are you an avid biker looking for an adventure this fall? Then mark your calendars for the weekend of November 16 and 17 for the annual Puerto Vallarta to San Sebastián Challenge—a 70-kilometer route climbing from our coast up to a Pueblo Mágico of nearly 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) in elevation.

Register today: www.aequilibriumbikes.com.mx. If you don’t feel quite in shape for that much of a climb, now just might be time to buy an e-bike or install a conversion kit!

Remember: keep Puerto Vallarta safe and friendly by always sharing the road with care and looking out for bicycles.

October 17-23, 2019

Starting over in Vallarta Jennifer Mann

jenniferwriter@gmail.com

Jennifer Mann is a long-time business writer who has covered everything from the maker of Twinkies to Hallmark Cards who now makes her home in Puerto Vallarta.

Don’t let the bedbugs bite?

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t was almost exactly a year ago I decided I was moving to Mexico.

The very first person I told, a lovely woman, a friend, screeched, “Oh my god! You’re going to be raped and murdered!”

And yet, here I am almost a year later, a year in which no crimes have been committed against me by any person.

To stay safe in Mexico, stay away from drug cartels, and stay away from dark alleys late at night while drunk.

And stay away from jungles, where jaguars, cougars, and bobcats lurk with claws and jaws that could tear you to pieces — ditto for rivers, bays, and the ocean where crocodiles, stingrays, and alligators lay in wait.

In other words, be smart, and you’ll probably be safe.

But what will get you, no matter what, are bugs and insects. They will eat you alive. They will make your life miserable. They will make you wish you’d merely been murdered.

I’m reminded of this misery as I sit here with six weeping, oozing noseeum wounds, all inflicted in about six seconds while standing in the garden, inflicted by disgusting virtually-invisible freaks in which females suck human (and other) blood to facilitate laying eggs. (Since moving here, I’ve never spent so much time researching various insects) Everyone in Vallarta, it seems, has bug and insect tales.

There’s my Canadian expat friend I was lunching with, recovering from dengue, describing that she watched the disease-carrying cretin bite her on her ankle amidst a swirl of mosquito-repellant smoke.

I listened intently as she shared her 30-years-of-living-in-Vallarta wisdom and the various ways in

which to try to avoid getting bit.

As she was sharing her secrets, I got bit by at least a half dozen mosquitos.

Then there were the wasps. I was at my desk minding my own business when I notice wasps on my veranda, dozens of angry, mean out-for-vengeance wasps.

As one swooped in my open door, I took a swing, with it stinging my right forefinger. Over the next week, I watched as the venom snaked from my finger to my hand, to my wrist, and then up to my elbow before finally, the swelling and aching abated.

When it’s not the wasps, noseeums, or mosquitos, it’s the scorpions. I credit my housekeeper, in part, for keeping me safe from scorpions by making my bed so tight you can bounce a quarter off of it. When asked why so tight, she explained it’s to keep the scorpions out. Oh. Good to know That same amiga and vecina recently got bit on the back of her hand by a spider mite. A bite by a mite – a mite, by definition, a teeny, tiny barely visible critter - that made the back of her hand swell to twice its normal size, covered by a dark, painful purple circle.

Then there’s mi amiga who owns a dress shop I frequent, who, when I told her told about my wasp encounter, shared she’s been stung twice by scorpions - and both times after attacking her, fell off dead as a doornail. I want what she has.

Then there’s the – oh wait --my neighbor just called up to me from below, issuing an alert, “Hey Jennifer, can you close your doors to the veranda – Pablo’s going to clear another (wasp) nest down here in the garden…”

And just now, I looked up at the wall above my doors to the veranda, and there’s a big, fat ugly spider!

Sigh.

Another glorious insect-ridden day here in Vallarta.

Entertainment

October 17-23, 2019

Music & Sounds of the Sea Christie Seeley

vallartasounds.com

From Oakland, California to Puerto Vallarta… lured by music of guitars and sounds of the sea.

Latin Festival in honor of Día de la Raza on October 12, but my good friend KC kept me in the loop with stunning videos of the celebration. fter a spectacular perfor- Everyone was great, but Moruno mance by Mexican American with Roberto Falcon on bass and singer-songwriter Lila “Jimmy Jaguar” Jaime Ramon on Downs last Saturday evening here percussion especially enthralled in Oakland, California, I decided to guests until well past closing time spend one more week in the north with inspired deliveries of jazz before returning to Puerto Vallarta. manouche (French Gypsy jazz in Lila was performing for an annual the tradition of Django Reinhardt) Day of the Dead celebration held at along with captivating variations of the historic Paramount Theater, site Mediterranean themes. Sorry to of many memorable performances have missed that!

I hear everyone is preparing in thriving downtown Oakland. The event was hosted by SF Jazz as inventive Halloween costumes, and anticipate being back in town in time part of their festival.

With the encouragement of SF to see them even though I am not Jazz organizers, Lila integrated the very good at dressing up! Between dancing of Grandeza Mexicana that and Day of the Dead, we have Folk Ballet Company out of Los a lot to celebrate.

Apparently, Los Bambinos are Angeles and the music of Mariachi Feminil Flores Mexicanas from El back in action for the season.

Paso, Texas. It made for a vibrant Immer Morales of the Bambinos and exciting show where the entire has announced delicious breakfasts audience of fervent Lila Downs fans at Trattoria Los Bambinos with sang and danced throughout the tempting photos on Facebook. Their performance celebrating Mexico’s regular dining and entertainment reverence for its deceased loved schedule should start up again ones with songs like “Son de los soon! Enjoying performances by Difuntos.” Lila is so masterful a Los Bambinos, locally celebrated communicator that you don’t have for their wonderful harmony and to understand Spanish to enjoy versatile nightly performances, her imaginative interpretations of great Mexican classics as well as dazzling deliveries of her original compositions. All of the costumes were incredible! I especially enjoyed those of the Chinelos, traditional folkloric characters from the state of Morelos, as they danced El Brincón.

Speaking of this great Tradition, I look forward to the ART VallARTa Day of the Dead celebration with art and music in the street starting Friday, October 25, from 6 to 9 PM. If you didn’t see the article last week (La Noche De Alebrijes – “’Til Death Does Us Art”) in the Vallarta Tribune, look it up! I think it will be a winner.

Unable to be two places at once, I missed the extraordinary music performed at Babel Bar’s

October Celebrations

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has become a popular tradition in Puerto Vallarta. I will be there soon for my favorite—Latin Fiesta night every Friday!

See you all soon!

For more details, visit my website vallartasounds.com.

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Entertainment

Evening Under The Stars SPCA Fundraiser

W

e invite you to join us for our annual “Evening under the Stars” Gala on Saturday, November 30, 2019.

This year’s venue is the romantic Oscar’s Restaurant, surrounded by natural beauty at the tip of Rio Cuale Island.

Our guests will be treated with cocktails and passed appetizers, beginning at 6 pm; followed by a three-course dinner at 7 pm. The Open Bar will feature a number of tasty house-drinks, and there will also be a cash bar for those who would like to try the restaurant’s extensive Tequila selections or other specialty cocktails.

A traditional Jalisco Mariachi band will provide entertainment.

Our Silent Auction will offer guests the opportunity to bid on many beautiful items. The exclusive Live Auction, hosted by world-famous charity auctioneer, John Curley, will feature a few very unique things for those of you looking for

something especially memorable.

Please consider donating items for either our Silent or Live Auctions. We would genuinely appreciate your support! All of our rescue work is funded 100% through private donations and the hard work of many volunteers. If you would like to help by donating an item, please contact us at spcapv@gmail.com Our mission to rescue abandoned and abused animals in Puerto Vallarta has led to the rehabilitation and adoption of approximately 200 animals a year!

Your generosity helps us continue to provide these beautiful babies with a sanctuary, medical care, and love until a permanent home can be found for each of them!

At only 2,000 pesos or 120 USD per person, tickets to this event sell out very quickly! We have limited seating available, so get your tickets now. For tickets or more information, please contact us at spcapv@gmail.com

October 17-23, 2019

Live Music Calendar

This list features bars and restaurants that may have live music and ongoing acts. We do not take responsibility for misinformation. Listings are published free of charge but are subject to space availability.

Email editor@vallartatribune.com to update or add your listings.

VALLARTA

Aloha Bar (Plaza Parabien #16) Thur: Dr. Groove 10 pm Captain Don’s (Honduras 126) Fri: Tequila Rush 8 - 11 pm Sat: Da Crew 8 - 11 pm Chasers Sports Bar (Avenida Mexico 570A) Fri: Gecko Band 8 - 11 pm El Oasis de Holi (River mouth by La Isla Mall) Sat: Dr. Groove 6 pm Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse (Lazaro Cardenas 245) Mon: Hoochie Coochie Men 8 - 11 pm Wed: Tequila Rush 8 - 11 pm Thur: 3Tones 8 - 11 pm Fri: Dr. Groove 8 - 11 pm Sat: Soul Trip 8 - 11 pm

NUEVO VALLARTA Eddies (Boulevard Nayarit 70) Weekly - Live music 6:30 - 9:30 pm

BUCERIAS Drunken Duck (Avenida Mexico, Centro | Bucerias) Wed: The Gecko Band 9 pm Sun: The Gecko Band 5pm

LA CRUZ DE HUANACAXTLE Ana Bananas (Tiburón #42 | La Cruz) Sun: Live Music 7 pm La Cruz Inn Tres Aires Thursdays 5pm

Murphy’s Irish Pub (484 Morelos, Malecon) Fri: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm Sat: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm

OSO’s Oyster Bar ( La Cruz Marina) Sat: The Remedy 7 pm

Que/Pasa (625 Aquiles Serdan) Tues: The Change at 7-10 pm Sun: Sylvie&The Zippers 7 - 10 pm

Britannia (Coral, La Cruz) Tues: Open mic with The Turn 7pm

Roxy Rockhouse (Ignacio L Vallarta 275) Nightly music after 11 pm with the house band

SAYULITA & SAN PANCHO Don Pato (Marlin 12, Sayulita) Live music nightly

Starwings (Avenida Fluvial 223) Wed: Black Mamba 9 pm

View these listings and more online at www.vallartatribune.com/eventos/live-music-calendar/

Purr Project’s Fall Garage Sale will be on Saturday, November 9!

We are beginning to schedule truck pick-ups of large items you’d like to donate. Please let me know (a) what you’re donating, (b) the approximate size/weight of your donations, (c) your address and phone contact. When the schedule is compiled, I will let you know when we’ll come by for your items. If you have small items (bags of clothing, small boxes of books, etc.) I can meet you at Los

Mercados and accept your items there.

FYI—already collected for the sale are motorcycle helmets, a dehumidifier, large-screen TVs, table and floor lamps, rolls of upholstery fabric (some Sunbrella), a microwave, coffee-maker, scuba gear, a professional juicer, artwork, books, towels and linens, and tons of kitchen and decorator stuff. It’s gonna be another GREAT sale!

Upcoming Events November 14-17 American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf For the ninth consecutive year, the ultra luxury residential community of Punta Mita, will host the American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf, one of the most sophisticated culinary and golf events in the country. The American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf will feature international guests such as Craig “The walrus” Stadler and Lorena Ochoa, two golf legends. Nayarit treasure and Chef Betty Vázquez and Antonio de Livier, founder and creator of the annual Pacific Cooks, as well 20 other nationally and internationally recognized chefs will create unique meals through the event as well as host cooking classes and more.

October 17-23, 2019

Games

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Local Voices

October 17-23, 2019

be an appropriate fit. Could their heights interfere with overhead power lines? Might their root systems potentially wreak havoc on sidewalks or threaten underground pipes or other nearby utilities?

Answering yes to any of these

few popular native plants, are often cropped back annually with aggressive trimmings to keep them to a certain size, a technique known as pollarding. Many purists cringe at the sight of seasonally bare stubby branches after such an onslaught, but to each their own.

As native plants and the animals which depend on them loose ground to urban and suburban sprawl, we also have the option to offer our lawns and greenspaces as a bit of a consolation prize.

This isn’t an alternative to much needed conservation measures, but it’s certainly a mitigating strategy to minimize our collective impact over once wild areas.

Strong pushes to create urban forests of native trees are happening all over the world. The movement still has yet to hit the mainstream here in the Puerto Vallarta region, but there are some small nurseries that specialize in native plants.

Please let me know if you’d like to get in on the native plant program and I’d be happy to send you some contacts to get you started: info@vbgardens.org.

Happy gardening!

Curator’s Clippings Horticultural Tips Robert Price

www.vbgardens.org Robert Price, Founder and Curator of the Vallarta Botanical Garden

Right Tree. Right Place.

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y planting our yards, easements, buffer zones, and green spaces properly, we can retain much of the lush “village in the jungle” kind of feel that can still be found in pockets of Puerto Vallarta and our surrounding region. By adding planter boxes, such as those the Puerto Vallarta Garden Club is installing, we can even help take back some of the encroaching concrete jungle that is

starting to replace an older greener era of our town.

If the area in mind is of sufficient size to consider a tree, you stand a good chance of introducing a plant that can outlast you and serve as a legacy for future residents and visitors. The first question to ask yourself before digging in though, is how might your planting look in that same spot in ten, twenty, or thirty years?

Knowing the potential sizes that various options of trees can reach will help determine if they would

Certified Hematologist in Puerto Vallarta

Hematology is the subdivision of internal medicine that is responsible for the study, diagnosis and treatment of all blood diseases, and the associated organs in the production of it, such as bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen.

As a Hematologis, I approach benign and malignant blood diseases, as well as coagulation disorders and everything related to trasfusional medicine.

DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND MONITORING OF BLOOD DISEASES: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia Multiple myeloma Lymphoma Anemia Thrombocytopenia

questions means you may want to consider plants of lesser potential stature. Otherwise, your planting could meet the fate of untimely demise from removal long before the end of its expected natural life.

Some species, including a

DERMATOLOGIST • SURGEON DERMATOLOGIST

A skilled professional in regular skin care, as well as in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the skin, hair and nails diseases, which include skin cancer and cosmetic concerns such as wrinkles, age spots, hair loss, and scars.

I am also highly experienced in the use of botox, dermal fillers, microneedling, microdermabrasion, chemical peels among others.

My advanced training in Surgical Dermatology and Onco-Dermatology makes me thoroughly qualified in the treatment of benign tumors such as moles, epidermal cysts, lipoma, etc, as well as on skin cancer treatment such as malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. Please note that my main focus is on skin cancer removal and I do so while preserving the harmony and aesthetics of the skin in surgical reconstruction.

As the largest and most visible organ, the skin directly reflects the health of our body. Hence, it is important to look after it.

It will be a pleasure to assist you.

Francisco Villa Avenue 1389 Int. 8 Col. Residencial Fluvial VallartaPhone: 322 596 01 01

Mail: dr.vega.hematologo@gmail.com

Mail: derma.esquivel@gmail.com

Entertainment

October 17-23, 2019

Grand Opening Event this Monday at Bambinos Trattoria!

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his upcoming Monday, October 21st, join your favorite quartet of brothers as they launch their new venture at their restaurant: Bambinos Trattoria. Now opening for breakfast, Bambino’s talented chef Chimi, will share his passion for cuisine with a tasty selection of traditional and international breakfast options and a team serving great coffee and fresh, sparkling mimosas. Mark your calendar for this opening event.

• Breakfast seating begins at 9 am; Brunch seating at 11 am.

• Free Admission • Two Bambinos Acoustic Performances • Free Welcome Drink Bambinos Trattoria is gaining momentum as a favorite spot to dine, drink, and listen to great music in Old Town Vallarta. The Trattoria experience has customers coming back for more with dinner menu selections such as Salmon in Lemon Cream Sauce and melt-inyour-mouth Carpaccio.

Los Bambinos Dinner and Show

start this week, October 23rd!

Don’t miss your chance to experience the Homestyle cooking of the Bambinos Trattoria, while listening to one of Los Bambinos shows. Shows begin Wednesday, October 23rd, with Beatlemania.

Friday evening, October 25th, come on down for a full evening of Latin music in their famous Fiesta Latina Show! On Monday night, October 28th, Los Bambinos perform “Hotel California,” featuring a special evening with songs by The Eagles.

Each of their shows highlights the tasteful mix of traditional and International tunes that keep bringing happy listeners back after almost 15 consecutive years of performing in the Romantic Zone.

Los Bambinos are pleased to offer their concerts at their casual restaurant venue: Bambinos Trattoria (bambinostrattoria.com).

Come hungry for an authentic Italian meal, and leave happy with the kitchen and talented and dedicated wait-staff. Stay tuned to Facebook @losbambinostrattoria and find unbiased reviews on Trip

Advisor®. Bambinos Trattoria is located at Aguacate #314, at the corner of Carranza street in Old Town Puerto Vallarta, just before Mundo de Azulejos.

For the show, reserve your tickets now: Online www.losbambinosmusic.com or 222-4357.

English is spoken.

Seating is limited at the show, so reserve now.

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