Issue 843, May 31 - June 6, 2013

Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com

Increasing development

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Rescue Horses The hilltop refugio

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Tourism Dollars

May 31 - June 6, 2013 Free Issue 843

Future TreeHuggers!

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Go Outside

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

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 San Blas 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 is $6.50 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 17th 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: Fall in 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-todate 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

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.

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

PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fernando Gonzalez Corona DIRECTOR Lic. Arturo Martinez Rojas EDITOR Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@vallartatribune.com SALES ventastribuna7@yahoo.com EDITORIAL BOARD Marcia Blondin Raymond C. Beaty Lois Ellison John & Christie Forget Landon Hollander Nancy Van Landingham Robina Oliver DESIGNER Cynthia Estela Andrade G. cisandra@vallartatribune.com

Promote Your Next Event

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.

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 assitance.

Calling in Mexico

Long-distance calls from within Mexico

Cover Photo Gabriele Guzman

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.

Within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number dial 044, then the area code, then the phone number. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number.

Phone Cards Phone cards (“tarjetas telefonicas”) for use in pay phones can be bought at news-

tands 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

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. (322) 226-0829, 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com

www.vallartatribune.com www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

Free calendar listings in the Vallarta Tribune

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Editors Note

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an you believe there is only a month left of school? The end of school is for me the true start of summer, despite not having had a summer-long vacation in nearly 20 years. As an adult, summer still means daily toil but there is something about our general attitude that changes. Laidback, relaxed, eager to spend time with friends and family and become a tourist in our backyard. Someone recently asked (on a local chat site) what was summer really like in the Bay? and would they be able to handle it?

As I hesitantly prepare for my third

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summer in Mexico (plenty of defrizzer, loose cotton tank tops, and standing reservation at the local mojito spot) I was impressed with the responses to this woman’s question. All were positive and some were really thoughtful. Those of us who choose to live here in the coming months do so for a number of reasons but, it would appear we appreciate the summer for the quiet, the vibrancy of the jungle and its natural beauty, the warm waters of the bay and taking the time to get together with friends, reconnect with why we are here in the first place and get out and explore Mexico.

Myself, I have a couple of road trips planned, some spa days booked, some restaurants I want to check out, pools to lounge in, all in the name of research, of course. As I learn more about this area I will share my tales here with you and hopefully you can make time this summer to appreciate the bay of Banderas for its many wonders.

Coming up we have a number of summer features to keep you engage and coming back each week. We are rolling out a series on how to Be Cool in the Summer, a section for Father’s Day, interviews with locals about life in Puerto Vallarta as well as the usual sections and features. I seem to always be busy lately perhaps it’s the madness before the calm…but regardless, I can make time for you. Let’s grab one of those mojitos and have a chat. Send me an email at mmilne@vallartatribune.com

The idyllic coastal town of Sayulita provides a scenic, bohemian background perfect for this international festival. Creative and provocative films will be shown in various venues throughout the town. Additional events include tequila and food pairings, master tastings, beach-front film venues, private screenings, lecture series, and live music.

Once known only for its fishing business and scenic beaches, Sayulita now boasts a thriving community of local, Mexican restaurants and craftsman alongside trendsetting establishments.

Surfing, paddle boarding, yoga, mountain biking and other outdoor activities helps make Sayulita an irresistible destination. Festival Sayulita will highlight these many assets while spicing up the town with new and never-been-seen international films in the genres of Action, Short Feature, Documentary and Animation. Tequila vendors will be offering tastings of locally made, specialty spirits and sharing some of their knowledge on the growing and processing methods and local restaurants are planning pairing menus.

Don’t miss the start of something authentic, magical and far-out as only Sayulita can offer. Stay tuned to El Sayulero for ongoing announcements of Festival events, ticket sales and special travel arrangements.

You can also follow Festival news at www.festivalsayulita.com

Landon Hollander ell-traveled, Landon resides today in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. He is active in the community and supports the Amigos de La Cruz charity and the Taste of La Cruz events, among others. He is the editor of the local site InsideLaCruz.com

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Vallarta Tribune 843

Introducing…

These fine residents of the Bay stepped up to the plate and have taken on the herculean task of overseeing the editorial of the Vallarta Tribune. We have a diverse group of members that include residents from around Puerto Vallarta, Bucerias and La Cruz wearing many hats including artists, business owners, retirees, writers and readers. Truth be told, we received about fifty requests to become members of the Tribune board and while we would appreciate everyone’s input, our meeting room really only holds 10 comfortably!

But, not one to shy away from an opportunity to listen to the readers of the Tribune, we have also created a Readers group that will be surveyed monthly for feedback on the paper. If you are interested in being a part of this group, please email mmilne@vallartatribune.com Please give a big welcome to our Editorial Board. We are very excited to see the growth of the paper through their guidance.

Lois Ellison

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ois and her husband first came to Puerto Vallarta in 1987 after purchasing a week’s vacation at a charity auction. It was love at first sight. Countless trips later, PV became their permanent home. Lois has a background in public sector management, as a small business owner and has served on several community boards.

Now happily retired, the love affair with PV continues as she looks forward to contributing to her chosen community.

Marcia Blondin

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orn in Calgary, Canada. First visited Vallarta in 1986 and moved here permanently in 1991. Found artist, freelance writer, ex-advertising copy writer, do mosaics, make silk capes and scarves and beeswax candles.

Raymond C. Beaty, Ph.D.

Sayulita Festival

estival Sayulita 2014 is calling you to our paradise! The first annual Festival Sayulita is a unique gathering for all lovers of Mexico, Film, Tequila, Food, Music and Surf to be held January 16-18th.

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Editorial

May 31 - June 6, 2013

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fter forty years of providing communication counseling at Ohio University, at an ad agency in NYC, and at his own company Development Systems International Ray retired and with his partner of 36 years, David Rohde, moved to Puerto Vallarta permanently in 2008.

Nancy Van Landingham

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isiting, traveling and vacationing in Mexico for 40 years, today Nancy and her husband will be celebrating 5 years of full-time living in Mexico. An artist, Nancy has a studio out of her home in Marina Vallarta. As a member of this board, Nancy hopes to improve the Tribune for residents and visitors alike.

Robina Oliver

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obina is the driving force behind Curvas Peligrosas, Puerto Vallarta’s place for Quality Swimwear for Women of ALL sizes. An expert at matching women with the perfect swimsuit for their body shape, she also has years of experience in the Food & Beverage Industry. She and her husband have lived in Puerto Vallarta for seven years, along with their rescue dogs, feral cats, and the occasional iguana.

John & Christie Forget

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ohn and Christie are passionate about Mexico. In 2003, they and their four young children moved to Mexico...never having even visited before. They found Bucerias and immediately fell in love. In 2007 John and Christie started Elements Realty Group and are very active in their community with local charities and the Bucerias Map.

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

News

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Dear Editor: Each year myself and friends travel to some part of Mexico.

We love the country, the temperature and most especially the people that we have met there. It had been five years since we had returned to Puerto Vallerta and how surprised we were to find the “new and improved version”.

I returned home from Puerta Vallerta on May 2, after a delightful week’s stay in a condo located on Olas Altas, a perfect location for my traveling partner and I. From the moment we deplaned we were delightully surprised.

The changes to the airport, street improvements and new shops were a great change from our last visit. We loved all of the outdoor local entertainment and artisans, especially along the oceanfront.

Stay Healthy this Summer

By Madeline Milne

Skin Clinic June 11, 2013 Have your body checked from the top of your head/scalp to the bottoms of your feet. This is performed by an oncologist (not a dermatologist).

Price: 300 pesos

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hy worry yourself this summer? Be proactive and take charge of your health. Medical Services in Mexico are a bargain compared to prices in Canada and the United States and the services are equal in terms of quality, care and cleanliness. Pam Thompson and HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta are offering a number of clinics this summer at incredibly low prices that are available to anyone interested. You only need to make a reservation. The Skin care clinic is an excellent opportunity to have those little bumps and spots checked out. Take the time now and you won’t regret it.

There are plenty of other clinics happening throughout June and July. Check out their website for more information and to make an appointment at www.healthcareresourcespv.com

Promote Your Next Event

Eye Clinic June 17, 2013 A complete vision exam and check for glaucoma/pressure exam. Performed by an eye doctor. Note: This physician will soon be doing Lasik surgery here in the area.

Price: 400 pesos

Women’s Bone Density Clinic June 18, 2013 Women, especially pre, post and menopausal women run the risk of “weak bones”. We will have a special company here on this date to check bone densities, along with Dra. Laura Garcia.

Price: 450 pesos

As you can imagine it was impossible to see everything in only one week but we attempted to sample as many types of entertainment and to experience local points of in-

terest as we could squeeze in.

We met Carlos on the city bus one day as we traveled to the village of Sayulita. We so enjoyed our discussion with Carlos about Puerta Vallerta and actually ended up that night dancing in the square, as Carlos had told us about.

It was a wonderful experience and we had no problem having dance partners. Another evening we went back to experience the Cuban restaurant located on the Malecon Some of the experiences and people that we enjoyed were: Rythms of the Night show, the water taxi ride to Yelapa (and the strong young men that carried us to the boats). Blues music and tacos at Nacho Daddies, Hector Carrillo, a wonderful host and tequila officiado that works at

Tequila Arrecife ( very knowledgeable), more than one scrumptous dinner at Si Senor’s and of course our favorite evening haunt at Andale’s for music, dancing and new friends.

This was in no way a complete list of the experiences and businesses that we enjoyed during our stay, but a good representation of businesses that made it their goal to assure our visit was memorable. Gracious.

We had a great time in your wonderful city and will not wait so long to return. Until we meet again.

The best way to remember us is that there were two of us (Linda’s) so I will sign this as Dos Linda’s

Seven trees slated for removal

School stands up for their neighbourhood trees

By Michele Mayer

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n 2004, Gabriela Guzmán opened up her Pre-K and Kindergarten, Casa Azul in Versalles, with several well-entrenched goals in mind. One of them was to teach kids at a young age the importance of being mindful of their environment – to be stewards of sustainability and ecological protection. The school composts, uses recycled household items for school projects, plants a wide-variety of vegetables and herbs in their backyard garden and even sells their nutrient rich soil for the benefit of the community.

Recently, this commitment to the environment became more urgent when developers bought a piece of land in front of the school and then received permission from the municipal government, specifically the Department of Ecology, to take down seven 30-year-old trees.

Though the trees are not diseased or dead and, in fact, are on the sidewalk, permission was still granted.

“I feel like my hands are tied and my heart has been stomped,” Guzmán says. “Puerto Vallarta’s environment is changing precisely because of this type of wholesale taking down of healthy trees. How can we be part of the solution rather than the problem?

How can we conserve our beautiful city and its gorgeous trees?

Complaining without action does

nothing.” Guzmán is hoping for a groundswell of support from the community.

For her part, Guzmán has solicited the help of neighbors and parents in a letter-writing campaign directed at authorities.

She has made phone calls and reached out to contacts. Teachers and students created signs and hung them on the trees imploring the aforementioned developers not to take down their neighboring trees.

As of this week, the developers, which are also the developers of Plaza Genovesa, have not taken down the trees. Breathing

a sigh of relief, Guzmán was able to delay one scheduled date, but is unsure if her and others efforts can avert another. She remains hopeful.

“It is possible and, in this day and age, necessary to construct urban projects taking into account their natural surroundings. In this case, the owners of this land want to build 13 homes and claim that the trees located on the sidewalk impede this project. Why not adjust the project slightly and protect the trees?”

The property is located on Calle Roma, between Yugoslavia and Palm Springs.

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Business

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Mexico sees increased tourism dollars for development Translated by Michele Mayer

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ourism-based entrepreneurs have pledged to invest 4.5 billion dollars in tourism infrastructure projects. This proposed investment represents a further step toward consolidating Mexico as a world class destination and strengthens various niche markets, including the tourism business.

Claudia Ruiz Massieu, head of the Ministry of Tourism, asserts that Mexico is undoubtedly a safe destination, particularly in terms of tourism and investment. Additionally, Ruiz Massieu continues, this investment guarantees economic stability and development of business in this vital sector.

According to Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Undersecretary of Tourism, during the previous federal administration, between 3.5 and 4 billion dollars of private capital was invested in this sector. The goal is to increase this amount during the current administration’s sixyear term.

In March’s Tianguis Turistico, held in Puebla, tourism entrepreneurs pledged to invest 4.5

Translated by Michele Mayer

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ccording to Price Waterhouse Coopers Automotive, building cars in Mexico is 20% cheaper than doing so in the U.S. or Canada.

Foreign investment in Mexico’s automotive sector has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. Among this investment’s chief proponents are firms from Germany and Japan. Focusing operations mainly in the Mexican central region of Bajio, these firms have collectively built production plants totaling over 5.9 billion US dollars.

Among the Japanese companies, Nissan announced last year the construction of the Aguascalientes II complex in the state of Aguascalientes. With an investment of 2 billion US dollars, Nissan plans to produce 175,000 cars. This facility will begin operations later this year.

In the same industrial complex, a Jatco-subsidiary and supplier of Nissan-built compo-

billion dollars in tourism infrastructure - a significant amount, especially when considering that during the latest economic crisis, investments such as real estate came to a virtual stand-still, the official said.

According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Mexico is the chief destination in all of Latin America. In the WTO’s report, Mexico was the 13th country in world-wide tourism in terms of number of tourists, dropping from a 10th place ranking in 2011.

Last year, federal government information indicates that there were over 24 million international visitors, representing over 13 billion dollars in tourism revenue and generating 2.5 million direct jobs. Perhaps most importantly, this activity repre-

sents 9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Although the global tourism market is increasingly competitive, Mexico has good infrastructure, skilled human resources, history, culture and nature.

In other words, it is more than just sun and sand. Because of this multi-dimensional quality, Gonzalez believes that Mexico’s “tourism has prosperity and market opportunities “.

Recently while in Frankfurt, Germany Ruiz Massieu echoed this sentiment. Declaring that Mexico is a major player in the tourism business, the country’s top tourism official asserted that Mexico’s tourism “ still has more room and opportunity for growth.”

Currently, the federal government’s goal is to place Mexico in the “elite” of world tourism. Although Mexico is currently out of the WTO’s Top Ten, that same agency noted that the Aztec nation has improved its competitiveness in the tourism market on a global level.

(Ricardo Vazquez / Mexican Business Web)

May 31 - June 6, 2013

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Vallarta Tribune 843

Companies in Mexico report improved security conditions Translated by Madeline Milne

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n a positive upswing 84% of companies operating in Mexico either improved or remained the same in their perception of safety, and this improvement was attributed to the actions carried out by the various levels of government, as well as the improvements made by the surveyed companies.

According to Enterprise Security Survey in Mexico , developed by the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (AmCham) - an organization of more than 1,500 domestic and foreign firms-, 42% of companies said that 2012 was a more secure environment than 2011, while 42% reported that their safety remained the same and 12% claimed to be less protected.

Tom Guillen, president of the security committee of AmCham/Mexico, said the percentage of respondents who perceived deterioration in the security of Mexico decreased, from 25% in the previous survey to 13% reported in the current survey.

Daniel Contreras, vice president of the security committee of AmCham/Mexico, explained that this year’s survey questio-

ned domestic and foreign companies with Mexican operations in the areas of logistics and transport, manufacturing, service and trade.

The survey found that firms perceived deterioration in the security situation attributed this sentiment to corruption and impunity and organized crime. States that faced major challenges and felt the most deterioration were Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Mexico DF, the State of Mexico and Chihuahua.

(Eduardo Hernandez / Mexican Business Web)

Japanese and German automakers concentrate investments in Mexico

nents and transmissions will invest 220 million US dollars. According to the company, the new factory will be ready in August 2014.

Last May, Japanese-owned Honda reported that they will invest 470 million US dollars to build its fourth plant in Mexico.

Located in Celaya, Guanajuato, the chief focus of this fourth plant will be the production of transmissions. Tetsuo Iwamura, Honda’s executive vice president, stated that the factory will generate 1,500 direct jobs and be operational during the second half of 2015.

This new investment by Honda is in addition to the 800 million US dollars that Honda has already invested in the construction of its second assembly plant in Mexico, also in Celaya.

Expected to begin operations in the spring of 2014, this assem-

WANT THE NEWS IN PUERTO VALLARTA?

bly plant is expected to employ 3,200 people.

Mazda, another Japanese automaker, also chose the Bajio as the site for its first assembly plant in Mexico. Announcing progress in the construction of its Salamanca, Guanajuato-based plant, Mazda stated that they expect a 2015 opening and the plant to generate 4,500 jobs.

In addition, German firms in the automotive sector have also announced major investments in the country.

Earlier this year, Volkswagen (VW) inaugurated its engine plant in Silao, Guanajuato - an over 500 million US dollars investment. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the executive board of Volkswagen, said that the new complex will build up to 330,000 engines slated to be sent to VW assembly plants located in Puebla and the United States.

On May 4th, federal and state authorities in the country, along with company executives at German automaker Audi, laid the foundation stone for a factory that the company will build in the municipality of San José Chiapa, Puebla. Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, will make an investment of 1.3 billion US dollars.Scheduled for a mid2016 opening, this 400-acre industrial complex will be the first for Audi in America and is expected to produce 150,000 cars per year.

Though German automaker BMW currently has no plants in Mexico, this could reportedly change. Fernando Macias Morales, head of the Ministry of Economic Development of San Luis Potosi (Sedeco), told local newspapers that BMW is interested in investing in his state. BMW, Macias Morales states, has reques-

ted financial support from the Mexican federal government in terms of investment incentives.

According to the source, BMW’s motive is to launch its first assembly plant in Mexico.

This plant is reportedly intended to produce their 3-Series sedan and launch one of the company’s new front-wheel drive models.

The capacity of the plant is reported to be 40,000 cars in the initial stage.

Last year, the Mexico-based automotive manufacturing production sector reported production of 3,001,974 cars, a figure that ranked Mexico as the eighth largest producer for a second consecutive year, according to the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA).

(Eduardo Hernandez / Mexican Business Web)

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

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Locals

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By Erin Staley oldtownfm.com

By Sue Keevil pvseadive.com

Summer Sizzle

Check out these “cool” producer-only Market Vendors during the month of June:

Ric Chamblee

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he summer is sizzlin’ at the Old Town Farmers’ Market, and now they have extended their season through the last Saturday in July.

This means you have nine more Saturdays to scoop up your favorite farm-to-table ingredients, ready-to-eat delectables, artwork, freshly-cut flowers, fashions, and more.

Artisan Bakery Artisan breads, cinnamon buns, focaccia, pretzels & scones Bags of Natural Fiber Fiber totes Bickel’s Pickles Pickles, pickled veggies & pickled beets Cacahuate Carlos Peanut products Café Yolanda Superior del Pacifico Hot coffee & bagged organic coffee beans Carlos Rosas Hand blown glass designs Carnes del Mundo Meats, cold cuts, sausages, sauces & prepared foods Chef Jorge’s Home Made Products Pies, cookies & squares Cigar Don Martin Hand rolled cigars Cooperativa Germinal Medicinal plants & honey Eder Flores Arte Floral Fresh cut flowers El Fortin de San Sebastian Jams, jellies, chutneys, dressings & coffee Erica Maree Handbags & accessories Gran Ola de Sabor Granola Huichol Art Artwork Joaquín and Blanca’s Greek Yoghurt Homemade Greek yoghurt Jugos y Aguas Gloria Juice & aguas frescas The Leek and Thistle Pie Company Meat pies, quiche, sausage rolls & British baked treats Luis Romero Potted plants, flowers & edible herbs Maria Reyes Corn Flan Traditional Mexican baked goods Nestor Villasenor Garcia Pre-Hispanic musical instruments Organic Superfoods Prepared foods, baked goods & salad dressings Organ-ick Jerky for dogs & cats Shining Sprouts Non-dairy vegetable milk, sprouts, dressings & more Sun Virgin Bio Organic Organic coconut products Tamales Empanadas Angel Tamales & empanadas Tellografias Photograph paper art Breads by Sebastian Wholegrain artisan bread The following vendors will be at the Market on select days in June: Begoña Sandalias (1, 15, 22, 29) Artisan sandals Banderas SoapBlends (8, 15, 22, 29) Soaps, creams, shower gels & sea salt scrubs Chelow Jewelry (8, 15, 22, 29) Jewelry Creations by Chantel (1, 8, 29) Jewelry Give your summer a little sizzle by visiting the “make it, bake it, grow it” vendors of Old Town Farmer’s Market–Tianguis Cultural this weekend. They have everything you need for a fun-filled summer in paradise. Located along Basilio Badillo between Olas Altas and Pino Suarez, the summer Market is open 9:30 am to 2 pm until the last Saturday in July. For more information, visit www.oldtownfm.com or “like” us on Facebook.

REACH LOCALS AND VACTIONERS

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unny story. This past week, I was snorkelling with some guests at Los Arcos.

One of my guests, who was snorkelling with his wife, was trying to describe a fish he kept seeing, but every time he went to show his wife this fish, it vanished. He started to describe it for her, but the description made her laugh at him and probably think he had one too many tequila´s.

“It´s about 3 foot long, green, no grey, no blue and it is clear with blue spots, and long pouting mouth and a long wire like thing sticking out from its bottom.”

She swam away from him in search of some normal people. I had to put him out of his misery and let his wife know he wasn´t crazy. What he had seen was a Cornetfish, also called Fistularia, meaning pipe in Latin. They are plentiful in the area and you if you know what to look for you can spot them nearly every time you put your face in the water.

The Cornetfish is a stalking predator that actively small blennioid fishes, halfbeaks, herrings and snake eels. It swims in the open both during the day and night. Slim and tricky, they are hard to spot with their ability to camouflage rapidly to blend into their surroundings. This explains our snorkelers’ inability to correctly describe the color of the fish. The blue spots are actually stripes, but I didn´t mention this.

As for the tail, it was once believed the Cornetfish’s fila-

ment tail was a stinger, but that’s correct. We still cannot find any explanation for the use this filament. My best guess is that it makes the fish look bigger to potential predators.

Cornetfish get close to their prey in several ways. Sometimes they hang or drift motionless in the water like a stick. When an unwary fish swims by, the “stick” comes alive and vacuums up a meal. Fish that hunt like this are called water-column stalkers and include the Cornetfish’s’ close cousins, the Trumpetfish. Cornetfish also hunt by “riding” on top of a parrotfish.

In this fashion, the Cornetfish uses the herbivorous parrotfish as a mobile cover from which they can ambush small fish. This is a good example of a type of symbiosis called commensalism, where one organism benefits and the other are unaffected. One researcher even found a Lionfish inside the stomach of a Cornetfish. Apparently, they are unharmed by the Lionfish toxins.

On the flip side, they are considered a tasty snack for other fish to eat and have no weapons to defend themselves with, which is probably the reason they appear to be slightly skittish and vanish in the blink of an eye. I once saw a Cornetfish sticking out of the jaws of a giant Hawkfish. The poor little thing looked scared, and rightly so, as I was the last thing it saw!

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

Parenting and Paradise

This is Paradise...

By Marcia Blondin

By Leza Warkentin rhythm2rain@gmail.com

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aking a break from our vendor list this week to introduce two stellar women vendors at the Paradise Community Center´s Saturday Co-op Market.

Mavi has been involved with our Market for four years delighting visitors and residents with her extensive array of ¨musthaves¨ for your kitchen. She grows, roasts, grinds and blends much of her herb/spice lines in small batches insuring quality and freshness and her saucy oil infusions will have your salads jumping and singing in Italian and French! Mavi´s cooking classes will continue all summer long and in between, she is available to cater your events with a minimum of six friends. Stop by ¨Mavi Arte Culinario¨ at the PCC for more information and while you´re at it sample some quiche (and take one or two home!) and be sure to try Mavi´s pestos and dips for veggies. Sweet tastes include agave syrup (incredible!) and exotic jams.

The most elegant vendor at our Co-op has to be Sherry; always exquisitely stylish in black. If you think she is put together beautifully imagine what she is capable of doing to your house or condo! A complete renovation? No problem. Just

The New 30

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some matching throw pillows?

Okay! You want to buy a fabulous fridge but are on a budget?

Fine! Sherry knows where they are and will have the right color delivered to you. ¨Sherry Vallarta Home Décor¨ has been in business unraveling design mysteries and defusing problems for her happy clients for more than five years.

Recently a villa in Amapas - originally listed for sale at $750,000 USD - was renovated by Sherry and sold four months later for a

cool one million dollars.

No job is too big or too small for Sherry to undertake. Her offerings for sale at the Saturday Co-op Market include Pashmina scarves (that she makes), fancy belts and fans, shawls and answers to any and all your home décor questions.

All of us at the Co-op Market extend a warm welcome to you to come and visit every Saturday at the Paradise Community Center in the Romantic Zone right across the street from Coco´s Kitchen.

his week has been an eventful one for me in that I celebrated a landmark birthday, turning what is often called “the new thirty”. This means that I will once again be thirty, plus ten. My friends and family have been helpful and supportive with this transition.

Those who are not yet the new thirty will cautiously ask me how I’m doing wearing facial expressions like Wendy’s from the movie The Shining when Jack begins to converse with invisible hotel guests. Those who have hit this magic number offer helpful tips such as “Stop announcing to people that you are turning fourty” or “Wait until you hit fifty and then see if you want to shout it from the rooftops.”

My big brother, who is obviously past fourty by a long shot, helpfully posted the number of days left to go on my Facebook timeline in a quirky, creative fashion based on the song “The twelve Days of Christmas” with posts such as “three old hens”.

Did I mention that he himself is well past fourty?

I found it exciting to read that model and designer Molly Sims ALSO turned fourty on May 25. Wondering what classy, cool comment my birthday twin would make about the incredible spiritual clarity she has gained upon entering into a new decade, I eagerly read the article to find that she described the feeling as “I kind of want to vomit in my mouth.” Slightly pessimistic, wouldn’t you say?

Well, I’ve decided to give it all a positive spin instead and list here some nuggets of wisdom that I have acquired in these last four decades. And THEN I’ll throw up.

No matter how sophisticated, bohemian, or quirky you feel you are, sooner or later you will either own or recognize the need to own a mi-

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nivan. Dress it up like an SUV if you must. It’s a minivan, alright.

You will eventually say all the things your parents said, even though you thought you wouldn’t (I have actually heard, in an out-of-body experience, the words “wait ‘til your father gets home” pass my lips). And you will understand quite clearly why they said them.

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I love my children more than life and don’t regret having them for a second. However, the saying “children keep you young” is false.

Nothing will ever age you faster.

Try hearing your not-yet-sevenyear-old tell you for the first time that you don’t know anything and then see how young you feel.

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It’s ridiculous to keep a full wardrobe of clothing that you will never fit into again. It’s over, my friend. It’s not even in style anymore.

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It really IS a good idea to eat breakfast.

Your kids will not likely look back on their childhoods and remember that you spent 3 days and $200 making Pinterest-inspired, fizzy, scented soap party favors for your daughter’s 5th birthday.

They will remember the voice you did of the White Witch when you read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe every night. They will remember that you had something stuck in your eye for five minutes at the end of Charlotte’s Web. They will remember that you dressed up as 5 different people and spent 150 pesos so that they would have customers at their iced tea stand.

Gotta go.

It’s time for breakfast. You know, I think I’ll wait on the vomit in my mouth thing for the new 40.

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{Riviera Nayarit{ Acción En La Cruz Benefit: Casia Tapas & Wine Cocktail Part

May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

Event Coordinator Connie Hollander, La Cruz residents Loren & Suzanne Gollhardt, “Capt.” Paul Mixon (Black Cruiser’s Summit)

Marianne Jacobs (Simply Baku B&B), Event Coordinator Landon Hollander (Inside La Cruz.Com)

Emi Martin (Emi’s Boutique) samples Casiano’s dese

La Cruz residents Bill & Shirley McGrath with Amy Welch (PEACE Punta de Mita)

La Cruz resident JoAnn Lloyd & Philo Hayward. Philo’s Studio & Bar and President of Amigos de La Cruz.

La Cruz residents Bill & Amy Welch (PEACE Anima

La Cruz residents Jim Martin, Judy Del’Aire and Emi Martin (Emi’s Boutique)

Casiano’s Gerente Enrique Guzman, Sergio Haro (Fundación Punta de Mita) and Elena Munguia (Coordinator Acción En La Cruz)

La Cruz residents Al Lloyd and Bill McGrath

The cooking staff at Casiano’s- Chef Barlos Rojas 2nd from left

La Cruz residents Steve Cross & Mindy Morgan with Deborah Kanarek

La Cruz residents Mary Anne and Richard Hodge

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Fun on the Riviera Nayarit

By Cat Morgan www.rivieranayaritfun.com

The Beaches of Sayulita

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als/PEACE Punta de Mita)

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his week we are discovering the many beaches of Sayulita. Playa, is the spanish word for beach, and Sayulita has several breath-taking playas to discover. Most tourists play and hang out on the main beach, learning how to surf and SUP, or have fun boogie-boarding. Get off the beaten path and you will find amazing beaches with hardly a soul to be found.

This week the SURF IS UP! So grab your board and come catch a wave in Sayulita!

Playa de Los Muertos is the first beach to the south, and the easiest to get to. Farther south you will find Playa Carricitos and Playas Patzcuaro and Patzcuarito.

On the north end you can discover the pristine beaches of Playas Las Cuevas & Playa Malpasos. There are not any rivers flowing into the ocean on the north side, so the water is cleaner, especially during the summer months when the river flows.

It is also very important to note that there are RIP TIDES and currents on the north side of town in Sayulita. There are signs on the playa...however, people have lost their lives being swept out to sea from a RIP TIDE. If you are ever caught in a rip tide, swim sideways, along the beach until you are out! Rip tides can also have powerful undertows....so please, look for signs in the water, and for signs on the beach and do don’t swim in those areas!

Playa de Los Muertos: Walk to the south (left when facing the ocean) around the curve of Sayulita bay past Villa Amor and follow the dirt road left up the hill under an arch and through the cemetery. At the far side of the cemetery, turn right to Playa de Los Muertos. Many families

bring their children here as it’s a safe swimming beach. Large rocks protect it on both sides creating a nice cove. You can drive or walk there.

Playa Las Cargadas is the tiny beach past the rocks to the south of Playa Los Muertos.

There are other small beaches there that are best accessed by kayak.

Playa Carricitos: Here, you’ll find huge waves and it’s very possible that you’ll be alone on this wild, windswept beach.

There are homes here but most are well hidden in the wooded hills above the water. There are almost always waves to bodysurf at this beach.

Directions: Starting at the Playa de Los Muertos side of the cemetery, follow the dirt road into the jungle and take the second right turn. This is a 20 minute up and downhill walk.

the right. At the 5km marker take a right towards Playa Patzcuaro.

There are no signs. About 1km down this road you will come to a ranch. Just beyond there is a creek leading to Playa Patzcuaro.

The very adventurous can also reach Playa Patzcuaro by climbing the rocks from Carrizitos.

Playas Las Cuevas & Playa Malpasos: These beaches are to the north of Sayulita and offer more privacy, jungle hikes, white sand, and beautiful clear water. Two miles north (to the right when facing the bay) of Sayulita, surrounded by rocky cliffs, this tiny horseshoe-shaped bay is perfect for a romantic outing. Check the schedule for HIGH TIDES!

Playas Patzcuaro and Patzcuarito: These are even more remote Sayulita-area beaches that take a bit more effort to get to, but provide amazing beauty, and you can usually find yourself alone.

Directions: From the plaza in Sayulita, these beaches are an hour walk or 10-minute drive from town. Take Av. Revolucion (past Rollie’s) out of town and onto the road to Punta de Mita (Camino Punta de Mita), go to

and pay attention to the ocean so you don’t get washed away when the tide comes in. Access is by a path through the jungle.

Directions: To find it, as Sayulita’s main beach ends and before the house built into the small headland, walk inland along the right-hand side of the arroyo (river valley) and get on to the jungle road. Follow this north (left) and shortly you will cross a small river (dry in the

winter) the main path looks to follow the river to the right but look straight ahead and you will see several large boulders. Clamber over or go around the rocks and follow the path across a cobblestone road (which is a private road from the beach-house to the main highway) and continue straight. You will go over a small rise and a dirt road will join from the right. Approximately 50 meters further the path splits, take the smaller left fork to Las Cuevas. The path ducks under the trees going down hill and you will come upon a wall, continue to the left past a small white graffiti covered concrete block building and over a small bridge. You will see the cove open up before you. To the right of the cove there are poorly maintained steps which lead up onto the bluff which overlooks the long wild beach of Playa Malpasos.

Playa Malpasos - If you are at Las Cuevas Cove either take the steps up the hill or walk up alongside the wall and down onto the long, usually deserted Playa Malpasos or to get there avoiding Las Cuevas back where the path splits, and goes left to Las Cuevas Cove, go straight ahead down the wide track for 50 meters and through an open gate and follow the path as it angles left and towards the beach.This beach is not that great for swimming due to the strong undertow but come in the early morning or evening to enjoy solitude on the beach.

See ya on the beach!

Cat Morgan is founder and owner of RivieraNayaritFun Regional Network; focusing on vacation and relocation on the amazing Riviera Nayarit. Visit RivieraNayaritFun.com today!

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

by Donna Brownfield Originally published on www.jaltembabaylife.com

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he Hilltop Refugio in La Peñita has been bustling with activity the past few months. In addition to the usual morning routine of cleaning stalls, feeding, watering and grooming, the Jaltemba Equine Education Project (J.E.E.P.) rescue horses and junior instructors have been doing a lot of riding and training. A few dedicated neighborhood kids have been chosen to be instructors-intraining and have each been assigned to a specific horse. They are learning how to care for and handle the horses, and in the future they will help teach new students how to do the same.

Billy Biscuit is my personal favorite and we have had more than a few excellent adventures.

One of my most memorable is his first beach sand experience. I had no idea how he would handle the ocean waves, so when I followed the lead horse over the first sand dune I was thinking about noise and the action of the waves being of concern to him. Apparently, he was thinking about how nice and soft that sand looked because he hadn’t taken more than two steps in it and he was down. I found myself standing beside him while he contemplated a nice roll in the sand, saddle and all. It wasn’t easy getting him up either.

Shadow is everyone’s favorite. He is such a gentleman and the oldest of the group. Now that he has regained most of his health and vitality, he prances everywhere with his head held high. Julie, one of the instructors-in-training, has taken over the care and exercise of Shadow since Kathy’s return to Canada.

Julie is 11-years-old and Shadow is her first hands-on experience with horses. She has gone from timidly brushing him from maximum arms length to being a confident rider. He takes good care of her and the other students. He has become the teacher.

Hermosa is mainly being schooled by Tommy, a 13-yearold who loves to ride. Hermosa used to make mean faces when people came near but now she enjoys a nice rub on the head.

She has big, kind eyes and a sweet and willing disposition.

Hermosa stays quiet and calm and takes Tommy anywhere he wants to go. She is taking the week off to rest and has been laying down a lot.

George, Tommy and Christian dug all the old hard dirt out

Riviera Nayarit

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J.E.E.P. Rescue Horses and Junior Instructors are in Training Together

Christian on Flash, Julie on Shadow, Tommy on Hermosa and George on Peso.

Shadow

Christian and Tommy on Hermosa

Tommy teaching Billy Biscuit to circle

of Hermosa’s stall and replaced it with soft sand. It is our habit to let Alma, the filly, loose to wander and explore when we are working at the Hilltop Refugio.

She watched the new sand go in Hermosa’s stall, and as soon as we finished she ran in there and started pawing and digging it all up then she rolled and rolled. I think it was a hint that she would like some sand in her stall. It is a lot of hard work but each horse will eventually get new sand to lay on.

Speaking of Alma, what a little character she is. One day we had Flash, George’s older gelding that he rescued years ago, tied up waiting for Christian to finish his chores. We let Alma out and she ran straight to Flash, gave him a sniff then turned around and gave him a swift kick with both hind feet. She is so small she didn’t hurt him and he just gave her a “look.”

If she can reach through her stall rails to her neighbors food she will eat it first and save hers

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for later. She does the same with their water. I guess this plucky attitude is what has helped Alma survive her previous harsh conditions.

Christian is 10-years-old and is one of our first students at the refugio. His favorite mount is Flash whom he rides every chance he gets. He arrives at George’s house first thing in the morning and waits on the step until George is ready to come down and saddle Flashy. He then rides Flashy up to the refugio where we saddle the rest of the horses.

George has been schooling Peso on a regular basis. Peso came to us very afraid of people.

He is thick with scars on his hindquarters, but we don’t know what has happened to him. He has made the most improvement of all the horses. His eyes are much softer now and he is gaining confidence in people. He seems to have the most trouble with the mounting and dismounting process, so Christian and

Tommy have been spending time getting on and off over and over until he realized it was nothing to worry about.

Canelo is gorgeous and athletic. He does not appear to have had much schooling in the past. George has sat on him bareback a few times and we put Tommy on him while we led him around. He will need some more training before he is ready to be ridden. He is a sweet horse and enjoys being brushed and petted.

Local vet Dr. Cueva came up to the refugio last week to give the horses tetanus injections and some dewormer.

Having all of these horses in our lives is a special gift and it is so rewarding to see their progress both in health and in their acceptance of us.

And if Billy Biscuit would get up out of the sand, Carlos and his construction crew could get a lot more work done on the new bathrooms and gift shop!

About Jaltemba Equine Education Project (J.E.E.P.): Jaltemba Equine Education Project (J.E.E.P.) was established in December 2012 by George & Loretta Leavitt to help large animals like horses, donkeys and mules who are ill, malnourished or being mistreated in Jaltemba Bay, Nayarit, Mexico.

To learn more and to make a one-time gift or recurring donation, visit Jaltemba Equine Education Project (J.E.E.P.) Your donation will help J.E.E.P. buy food, shelter, medication and the equipment necessary to care for our rescue horses. Remember, donations of tack and gear, both new and used are always needed and much appreciated.

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Shopping & Restaurant Guide May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

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{ 多PLEASURE OR BUSINESS?

RESERVACIONES 293.09.00 / ZONA HOTELERA NORTE, PUERTO VALLARTA / WWW.LALECHERESTAURANT.COM

Francisco I Madero # 202, corner Pino Suarez, Emiliano Zapata Olas Altas Reservations 222 6593 www.latiavallarta.com e-mail latiavallarta@hotmail.com

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India Gate Allende 124 near Malecón Downtown Vallarta 223-2424 www.indiagatefood.com Open3-11pm Closed Sunday

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he enormous draw of this restaurant is Andrea Hernández Villegas’ Hindu dishes from Punjabi, North India. She prepares many of her dishes by slowly cooking in a tandoor, the traditional Indian cylindrical clay oven. Her family is steeped in the history of operating places for good authentic Indian cuisine and Puerto Vallarta welcomed this addition to our culinary lineup. The eatery was awarded Virtual Vallarta 2012 “Best New Restaurant”. Indian cuisine is very complex. Chefs blend their own seasoning mixtures as curry, using up to 20 ingredients. The exact amount of each spice contributes to the final all-around flavors. The house blend may include coriander, turmeric, cumin, ginger, various ground peppers, fenugreek, fennel seed, cardamom, nutmeg and garlic.

Three choices were offered in three courses. After the arrival of drinks, some exotic and enticing, diners opted for their starters. Samosas with sweetsour tamarind chutney were two crisp golden brown empanadas (patties) filled with puréed vegetables including potato and peas.

Seekh kabob was a plate of tandoori minced mildly spiced roasted chicken prepared with yogurt

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and spices. Alongside was refreshing mint chutney. Vegetable pakoras were stuffed with a good mix of shredded spinach, diced onions, herbs and spices. They were deep-fried, the resulting was crisp on the outside with a moist inside. Tamarind chutney added a sparkling zest.

After a conversation break, entrées were placed accurately in front of the proper guest. Butter chicken (Murg Makhani) is a popular traditional Indian dish and here the sauce was mild but perked up with Indian spices to the level you desire. Opting for a lower heat pleased those guests who do not relish much hotness on their taste-buds. Boneless chicken breast was marinated, then cooked with fresh tomatoes, cream and butter.

Pulau rice and mint chutney completed the creation. Creamy shrimp curry may have been the evening’s highlight. A generous portion of seafood was covered in a wonderfully spicy curry sauce, enhanced by pulverized almonds, pecans and coconut.

It was fantastic. Lamb Vindaloo

(Portuguese for “garlic wine”) was made with thin slices of meat mixed with nicely spiced medium-hot curry and potatoes.

The heat may be adjusted milder when ordering. Plates of freshly baked warm naan, a white flour tandoori-baked leavened bread, served as the starch of the meal.

Traditionally, breads are baked in one oven and the meats placed in a separate oven. Especially the garlic flavored naan enhanced whatever portions were scooped. Papadum, thin and crisp disc-shaped (India’s version of a tostada) is made from seasoned dough of flour, lentils, chickpeas, rice or potato, then fried.

Desserts were prepared to order and brought. Gulab Jaman are deep-fried milk balls floating on a cardamom syrup. Crisp and soft inside, the dessert is a sweet pleasure.

Mango Kulfi is a housemade Indian ice cream flavored with cardamom and nuts, but during this mango season, pieces of fresh very sweet and ripe fruit soared the cold refreshment to new heights. Kheer, a chilled

Indian rice pudding with cardamom and almonds, was a luscious repast.

For the warm evenings, air conditioning is offered so when you open the glass front door, aromas of herbs and spices greet

you and usher you in for a special experience. Open yourself to a cuisine new to you or for those diners who have knowledge of Indian foods, popular from Vancouver, British Columbia to London, England this is the place to frequent.

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

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Cuisine

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The River Café Brings Back their Legendary ‘For the Love of Garlic and Mango’ Festival

By Erin Staley

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s the summer heats up, what could be cooler than the tantalizing combination of succulent mangos and savory garlic? Join The River Café as they bring back their legendary ‘For the Love of Garlic and Mango’ festival for the month of June. For 30 days, you and your loved ones can delight in the unique coupling of this dynamic ingredient duo while indulging in the natural ambiance of Puerto Vallarta’s favorite dining destination.

Make your reservations today by calling (322) 223-0788 or visiting RiverCafe.com.mx.

Located on the Isla Rio Cuale L-4 Centro in downtown Puerto Vallarta, The River Café is open daily from 8 am to 11:30 pm. The $299 pesos per person price is not valid with other promotions or discounts. Beverages and gratuity not included.

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Celebrating Gay Pride in Vallarta

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uerto Vallarta’s LGBT community held the city’s first Gay Pride Festival with assistance from the municipal government. From May 24th to 26th, 2013; various hotels, beach clubs, restaurants and bars in the iconic Romantic Zone, Vallarta’s most popular gay district, held events to celebrate diversity in the city.

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Photos by Cristian Serrano

he Lido Beach Club hosted a mass ceremony in which same-sex couples symbolically committed their love or reaffirmed their marriage vows in front of friends and families in front of ministers, Marivel Mendoza and Maurice Monette, who led the symbolic commitment ceremony.

For the newlywed couples, the Lido Beach Club offered a glass of champagne to celebrate and an invitation to enjoy the day at the beach club. Each couple received a certificate as a symbol of their commitment and was professionally photographed to preserve the moment.

This event was designed to promote LGBT rights and LGBT tourism in Puerto Vallarta. While gay marriage is not recognized in the state of Jalisco, organizers are interested in promoting Puerto Vallarta as a destination for LGBT symbolic weddings and honeymoons.

at the corner of Aquiles Serdan and Ignacio L. Vallarta for the 4:00 PM start of the much anticipated Pride Parade. Featuring more than 20 floats and hundreds of people, the parade route continued down the streets of Ignacio L. Vallarta, Basilio Badillo, Insurgentes and finally Venustiano Carranza to finish at Lazaro Cardenas Park.

ACT II was commissioned to

produce a 4-hour musical event that started at 5:00 PM and was hosted by La Supermana and Edgar Sanchez, bringing together some of the best local talent to put on a fantastic open air concert. The talented DJ Marco, one of the most popular in Vallarta, was in charge of spinning the opening set and he put out a fabulous mix of beats that had festival-goers on the dance floor.

There were also numerous food stalls, community organizations and local businesses participating in the park festivities, joining in the celebration of equality.

In conjunction with the sponsors, the Vallarta Pride Organizing Committee raffled fabulous prizes to raise funds and continue to promote Pride events for 2014.

Although the festival at Lazaro Cardenas Park ended

promptly at 9:30 PM (out of respect for the neighbors), the party went on until dawn at bars and clubs nearby.

Organizers, sponsors, participants and the LGBT community were pleased with the acceptance and success of what was the first Gay Pride Festival in Puerto Vallarta.

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

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Nature

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Go outside!

Children who play outdoors show increased concentration and academic performance, less incidences of depression and a heightened sense of empathy.

By Minerva Zamora

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hink about the quintessential conversation between a grandfather and his grandchild; it would undoubtedly start something like this, “Back in my day…” And many of the stories compared would involve the experiences most generations, even before my own, treasure so dearly—the infinite amount of time spent outside, discovering trees to climb, frogs and insects to catch, mud-pies to bake, and waterholes to swim.

In comparison, according to a study by the United States Center for Disease Control, kids today are six times more likely to be found inside, playing a videogame or watching TV, than outside riding a bike on any given day (this study was conducted in 2005, and I would venture to say this has gotten much worse with the increasing popularity of smartphones, even for the smallest ones in our families).

predictor of the attitudes a person will have to the environment later in life, and their involvement and opinions on matters of conservation.

One of Mexico’s gems of wisdom (and who also happens to live and teach in this paradise we call Vallarta), Dr. Juan Luis Cifuentes, often reminds us that “what is understood is loved, and what is loved is protected.” How can we expect future generations to understand, love and protect nature if we do not even take the time to introduce it to them?

Disregarding the feelings of nostalgia this might elicit in those of us who were fortunate enough to have these outdoor experiences as a daily occurrence, what does it matter? Does it make a difference to a child’s development how much time they spend outside?

For many years, the importance of the environment for childhood development has been studied. It has been shown that even small changes in air and noise pollution can have significant effects on children’s IQ (at least one of these studies even compared children living in the same buildings, simply changing the proximity to the ambient pollution).

It is not surprising therefore, that exposure to open spaces, and specifically natural and green spaces, might also have an effect on their development. What is increasingly surprising are the findings showing just how much and in how many ways this exposure, or lack thereof, can affect a child’s development. There are some effects that are seemingly straightforward, such as reduced

“what is understood is loved, and what is loved is protected.” rates in asthma attacks, and lower rates of obesity. Other effects are slightly more surprising. Playing regularly in natural areas dramatically improves symptoms and behavior issues of ADHD, it benefits motor coordination skills, it heightens creativity, even language skills are enhanced as children push themselves to understand, describe, and interact with a more complex environment- with multitudes of colors, temperatures, textures, movement, and obstacles- than a sheltered indoor space.

However, new studies are finding that exposure to nature

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has even deeper and more unexpected effects in our development and happiness.

Children who play in nature turn out to show increased concentration and academic performance, less incidences of depression, heightened sense of empathy. Contact with nature seems to create a “buffer” to stress, making stressful life events easier to handle and recover from. Schools with nature programs or natural playground areas show reduced rates in bullying and violent behavior, as well as better, more prolonged interactions with adults.

It is important to note here that while time spent in a traditional asphalt playground or urban outdoor settings (due to the positive effect of playing in open spaces in general), natural settings, with trees, grass, bushes, brooks, etc. has a significantly higher effect in all the areas mentioned above, even when controlling for all other variables.

Additionally, it has been shown that exposure to nature increases environmental concern and awareness among children, an effect that lasts into adulthood.

Early childhood interaction with natural environments is a strong

Take your children, your grandchildren, or even your inner-child to a hike in the cloud forests near El Tuito, go tidepooling on the Mismaloya beaches, take a birdwatching (and crocwatching) tour of the El Salado estuary, enjoy snorkeling the rocky-reefs of the Marietas Islands, or take a dip in the cool rivers just outside the city!

In a city that is surrounded on all sides with unique and well preserved natural habitats, go out to explore and reap the benefits of the environment and help preserve it for future generations.

Sources 1 Cauchon D., (2005) Childhood pastimes are increasingly moving indoors. USA Today.

2 Strife S, Downey L., (2009) Childhood Development and Access to Nature. Organization & Environment Journal

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May 31 - June 6, 2013

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Vallarta Tribune 843

The Scourge in Puerto Vallarta

by Janice Gonzalez SPCA de PV www.spcapv.com

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s a rescue organization, our mission is to find forever homes for as many dogs as we can and welcome similar efforts by others. Unfortunately, sometimes the best intentions can lead to disastrous outcomes. We feel it important to educate dog owners and rescuers alike about a potentially deadly disease called ehrlichiosis (or ehrlichia), a disease not familiar to everyone.

Based on available information and our own experience, over 80% of street or homeless dogs have contracted ehrlichia here in Puerto Vallarta which is transmitted through the bite of the brown tick.

Maybe you or someone you know has reached out and rescued one of our many unfortunate canines. Being conscientious you more than likely took the poor animal to the vet to be treated for parasites.

The vet should also test for moquillo (Canine distemper) or parvo (Canine parvovirus, a highly contagious viral disease).

Unfortunately dogs are not regularly tested for the presence of ehrlichia.

Please beware! Ehrlichia is insidious and, unfortunately, it is not always apparent that a dog has been infected. As a result, some dogs are living with an internal time bomb. Undiagnosed and untreated, this disease can ultimately kill your companion animal as internal organs shut down accompanied with internal hemorrhaging.

The good news is that when/

if the disease is treated, there is a high probability the dog will recover without any further health issues. The key here is early detection and treatment.

This is a cautionary tale warning everyone to also have the vet administer a SNAP test to screen for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis.

(Note: SNAP tests are a group of quick, convenient, blood tests that can be performed at your veterinarian’s office.)

Finally, because clinical signs are not always apparent, periodic testing is a good way to identify dogs that have been infected. Even dogs that receive year-round tick control products and don’t spend a lot of time outside are at risk for exposure to tick-borne diseases.

Testing helps identify dogs that need treatment. Since dogs can be re-infected, ALL canines should be tested on a regular basis. Read on for more information about this menace in our midst.

Ehrlichiosis

There are three phases of illness with ehrlichiosis: acute, subclinical, and chronic.

ACUTE PHASE: This is generally a mild phase and occurs 1 to 3 weeks after the host is bitten by the tick. The dog may have some or all of the following symptoms or may exhibit no noticeable symptoms.

The dog may be listless, off food, and may have enlarged lymph nodes.

There may be fever as well but rarely does this phase kill a dog. Most dogs clear the organism if they are treated in this stage but those that do not receive adequate treatment will go on to the next phase.

SPCA ADORABLE DOG IN THE SPOTLIGHT...FRECKLES Say hello to FRECKLES. We couldn’t think of a more appropriate name for this speckled rescue. He is very sweet and loving. However, FRECKLES tends to see himself as the top dog.

Consequently we recommend either no other dogs or at least a home with no alpha dogs.

He also is a bit of an escape artist so he needs a secure home.

Please contact us at spcapv@ gmail.com.

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SUBCLINICAL PHASE: In this phase, the dog appears normal. The organism has sequestered in the spleen and is essentially hiding out there. During this phase you may be able to feel the enlarged spleen. Dogs can stay in this phase for months or even years. CHRONIC PHASE: In this phase the dog gets sick again. Up to 60% of dogs infected will have abnormal bleeding.

There may be deep inflammation in the eyes. Neurologic effects may also be seen as well as urinary problems. It can also lead to arthritis. Untreated it can lead to death.

Treatment Doxycycline, an antibiotic effective in the treatment against ehrlichia, has a convenient dosing schedule. Expect at least a month of treatment to be needed. Response is initially rapid (improvement is notable in the first few days). Based on the progression of the disease additional treatment with corticosteroids may also be used to palliate the situation while the antibiotics are starting to work.

After infection, it is possible to become re-infected; immunity is not lasting after a previous infection.

Summary Dogs get ehrlichiosis from the brown dog tick, which passes an ehrlichia organism into the bloodstream when it bites. There are three stages of ehrlichiosis, each varying in severity.

The best way to prevent infection is to check your dog daily for the presence of ticks. Infection is unlikely to occur within the first 24-48 hours of exposu-

re. You can easily remove newly attached ticks from your canine.

If the tick has become blood engorged, please take him to the vet for professional tick removal as well as testing for the presence of ehrlichia.

It is strongly encouraged that SNAP tests be given to all rescues and periodically given to

all dogs in order that proactive treatment for the infection can begin immediately. The earlier the detection, the more successful the chance of recovery.

Credits: Some of the information contained herein was taken from articles published by the Veterinary Information Network.

Rusty Fantastic, small-sized, house-trained, gentle, quiet, affectionate, golden-eyed, mature, vaccinated, sterilized, healthy, but lonely rescue dog looking for a loving forever home.

322 149 7025 carolyn.unck@gmail.com This photo was taken on the day he was rescued, hes is now in much better health!

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

{

Calendar Events

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Sea Fishing Tournaments in the country. www.clubdepescadeportivatepic.com Runs until June 2nd

the Malecon. 9 pm. Bike rentals are available in Marina and around Puerto Vallarta

May 31: Yoga with Stability Ball 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. Vallarta Yoga / Pilates Studio PV Basilio Badillo 325 - South Side 322-2221706 / info@yogavallarta.com

June 1st: SPCA Pet Adoptions, Looking for a new fur-ever friend?

Los Mangos Library, Las Gaviotas, Puerto Vallarta 10 to 2 pm.

June 2nd: 53rd Annual San Blas Deep Sea Fishing Tournament One of the most important Deep Sea Fishing Tournaments in the country. www.clubdepescadeportivatepic.com Closes June 2nd

June 6: Ladies Night 10pm 2am $50 pesos all you can drink $20 pesos with a short skirt - La Ingrata, Mariano Abasolo 169, Puerto Vallarta www.facebook. com/laingratapv

June 1st: 53rd Annual San Blas Deep Sea Fishing Tournament One of the most important Deep

June 5: VALLARTA EN BICI 100’s of bicyclists ride from the Whale sculpture at the Marina to

If you would like to have your music or cultural event added to this calendar please email editor@vallartatribune.com The Tribune is published on Fridays and all events need to be submitted by the preceding Wednesday.

June 12: VALLARTA EN BICI 100’s of bicyclists ride from the Whale sculpture at the Marina to the Malecon. 9 pm. Bike rentals are available in Marina and around Puerto Vallarta

Acclaimed Mexican Composer/ Sound Healer Visits Puerto Vallarta

M

exican composer and sound healer Humberto Alvarez will visit Puerto Vallarta this coming weekend for a short but productive series of appearances that will appeal to many, from stage actors and singers to those simply looking to experience a musical performance that promises to be far from ordinary. “I am very excited about my trip to Puerto Vallarta,” commented the Mexico City-based artist in a telephone interview. “Connecting with as many people as possible is my primary goal.”

The prolific artist’s credentials read like a “who’s who” as far as Mexico’s film and music world is concerned. Alvarez studied harpsichord and ancient music in the National Conservatory of Music under renowned composition teachers, including Mario Lavista and Rodolfo Halffter.

He has composed music for over 100 short films, collaborating with important artists, such as Lila Downs, Eugenia Leon and Betsy Pecanins. He collaborated in the recently-released “Hecho en México,” a 2012 documentary by Duncan Bridgeman on some of Mexico’s most iconic artists and performers. His recorded output includes 10 audio CDs, five as a soloist.

A member of the Sound Healers Association, Alvarez has developed a niche through intense performances involving the use of tibetan and quartz bowls along with several native percussion instruments, along with lyrics written in Náhuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Away from the concert stage, the same instruments play a vital role in

June 13: Ladies Night 10pm 2am $50 pesos all you can drink $20 pesos with a short skirt - La Ingrata, Mariano Abasolo 169, Puerto Vallarta www.facebook. com/laingratapv

June 19: VALLARTA EN BICI 100’s of bicyclists ride from the Whale sculpture at the Marina to the Malecon. 9 pm. Bike rentals are available in Marina and around Puerto Vallarta

June 14: MUSICAL Brothers in Song by the PV Men’s Choir 8pm $250p at the Boutique Theater, Naranjo 330, Old Town www.boutiquetheater.ca

June 20: LADIES NIGHT 10pm 2am $50 pesos all you can drink $20 pesos with a short skirt - La Ingrata, Mariano Abasolo 169, Puerto Vallarta www.facebook.com/laingratapv

June 15: MUSICAL Brothers in Song by the PV Men’s Choir 8pm $250p at the Boutique Theater, Naranjo 330, Old Town www.boutiquetheater.ca

June 26: VALLARTA EN BICI 100’s of bicyclists ride from the Whale sculpture at the Marina to the Malecon. 9 pm. Bike rentals are available in Marina and around Puerto Vallarta

June 16: MUSICAL Brothers in Song by the PV Men’s Choir 5pm $250p at the Boutique Theater, Naranjo 330, Old Town www.boutiquetheater.ca

June 27: Ladies Night 10pm - 2am $50 pesos all you can drink $20 pesos with a short skirt - La Ingrata, Mariano Abasolo 169, Puerto Vallarta www.facebook.com/laingratapv

LIVE MUSIC VENUES Please be sure to contact the venue to confirm all events.

La Bodeguita Del Medio Paseo Diaz Ordaz 858, Malecon” 322.223.1583 Tues-Sun 9:30 2:00 am El Jardin del Pulpo Coral 66, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle” 329.295.5071 10:30 am 12.30 pm

his sought-after sound healing treatments. Humberto Alvarez will be in Puerto Vallarta, Thursday, May 30 - Sunday, June 2, offering the following performances and workshops: Friday, May 31: The Cartelera Escénica Performance Humberto Alvarez will participate in Melissa Castillo’s successful concert series at the CECATUR Auditorium, offering his “Concierto de Armónicos con Cuencos Tibetanos, Cuencos de Cuarzo y Mantras en Náhuatl” (Harmonics Concert with Tibetan and Quartz Bowls and Nahuatl Mantras). “The small venue will prove to be ideal for this type of performance,” commented Castillo, who has already reported successful ticket pre-sales. Admission is $50 pesos per person, with tickets available at Los Mangos Library, or at the CECATUR auditorium, starting at 7 pm on the evening of the performance. The CECATUR Auditorium is located at the corner of Zaragoza and Matamoros streets in El Centro.

9 pm • $50 pesos

WANT THE NEWS IN PUERTO VALLARTA?

Saturday, June 1 & Sunday, June 2: The Workshops Humberto Alvarez will offer two workshops during the weekend at La Cuiza in Isla Río Cuale. Saturday’s workshop, “Free Your Voice,” will explore the use of the voice to express a variety of emotions, and should appeal to singers and performers, not to mention the general public.

More information is available at La Cuiza’s website. La Cuiza is located at Isla Río Cuale behind Oscar’s Restaurant.

10 am - 2 pm • $650 pesos Sunday’s workshop, also at La Cuiza, is titled “Stress Management and Meditation.” Its aim is to develop a discipline of positive actions and to implement daily behaviors that benefit mind, body and spirit with positive, encouraging thoughts.

More information is available at La Cuiza’s website.

10 am - 2 pm • $650 pesos Learn more about Humberto Alvarez by visiting his website, www.humbertoalvarez.mx

La Palapa Pulpito#103, Playa los Muertos” 322.222.5225 Mon-Sun 8:00am 1:00pm Oso’s Oyster Bar Del Mar 4, Marina Riviera Nayarit, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle” 329.295.5426

Benito’s Paninoteca Bar Nima Bay, Local 12, Marina Vallarta” 322.209.0287

El Patio de mi Casa Guerrero 311 esq.

Matamoros 322.222.0743 Encore Lazaro Cardenas51, Bucerias 329.298.0140 Wed-Mon 9:00 am 10:00 pm The River Café Isla del Rio Cuale Local4 Centro 322.223.0788

Vitea Libertad Edificio Malecon 2, Centro” 322.222.8703 El Rio BBQ Bar Felipe Angeles 245 Col Paso Ancho 322.184.1200 Tue-Sun 11:00 am 7:00pm

Las Adelitas Av. Fluvial Vallarta 234 322.293.7778 Beboteros Diaz Ordaz 565 Malecon 322.113.0099 Café Roma Encino 287 Centro Mon-Sun 10:pm -3:00 am Murphy’s Irish Pub Morelos 484 Altos 1, Centro 322.113.0373 Philo’s Delfin15, La Cruz de Huanacaxle”329.295.5068 Thu-Sat 8:30 pm Barcelona Tapas Matamoros esq 31 de Octubre Centro 322.223.0831

Daiquiri Dick’s Olas Altas, Playa Los Muertos 322.222.0566 Don Pedro’s Marlin 2, Sayulita 329.291.3090 El Dorado Pulpito # 102, Playa los Muertos”322.222.4124

Que? Pasa Aquiles Serdan 625, Col Emiliano Zapata 322.223.4006 Trio Guerrero 264 Centro 322.222.2196 Mon-Sat 7:30 pm

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{

By Joel Hansen

F

or instance, you have plans to meet with a realtor friend in Lake Chapala for the afternoon. You get up early and head out the door of your casa only to run straight into the Puerto Vallarta triathlon.

“On a week day?,” you ask yourself as you bake in the morning traffic and add an hour to the four hour drive already in front of you.

But once you are past Sayulita all the bad energy is behind you and it is smooth sailing, good music and almost no traffic and by the time you reach Chapala you are feeling great.

However that mood quickly changes when you reach your friends office, only to find out that he on tour with some walkin clients! Walk-ins for crying out loud? In June?

“Oh well,” it’s hard to begrudge the guy making a living, a serious buyer is a serious buyer and you make plans to get together for a round of golf the next day.

Sports

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May 31 - June 6, 2013

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Vallarta Tribune 843

Sometimes things don’t work out the way they should Flying solo you make the easy decision to visit one of your favourite restaurants in all of Mexico. Only to find out that it is closed for renovations. For the two days you are in town!

So, here I sit overlooking Lake Chapala, a cold michelada on the table in front of me, a crystal clear blue sky above me and a couple of kids laughing and chasing a dog on the beach in front of me. I contemplate the state of both the NHL and NBA semi-finals and I come to the realization that sometimes the universe does have a habit of working itself out.

In the NHL we are down to the final four teams: Boston, Pittsburg, Chicago and LA. These are easily the most deserving. It is only the second occasion in NHL history that the last four teams standing are also the four teams who have most recently won the Stanley Cup. Of course, three of the four

REACH LOCALS AND VACTIONERS

have been the team that buried a hatchet into my beloved Vancouver Canucks the last couple of years so it means I am cheering for a Pittsburg championship.

In the NBA it looks like we will get the Heat and the Spurs in the finals, two teams that deserve to be there and will give us the best possible final match-up.

Wouldn’t it be great if things worked out like they should and infinitely likeable Tim Duncan defeated the easy to hate, but impossible not to watch Lebron James.

If these two things were to happen I think I could forgive the universe for all my obstacles today. See you on game day at the Los Muertos Brew Pub. If you have a son or daughter who would like to play American Style Football for the Puerto Vallarta Torpedoes please contact Coach Manuel at 322.889.3300 *Editors note: Joel’s realtor friend just texted him to let him

know his clients are touring properties all day tomorrow as well so he will not be able to get together for that round of golf after all.

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

{ Philanthropy{

Non-Profit and Charitable Organizations For visitors to Puerto Vallarta who wish to do a good deed for the less privileged in our paradise, this is a list of some of the many organizations that could benefit from such kind gestures. If you would like your organization recognized here, please email details to editor @vallartatribune. com American Legion Post 14: contributes to the community through fund raising and providing resources and manpower to improve Day Cares, Senior Homes, Schools for the Disabled and Deaf, Public Schools in rural areas and other private institutions needing building maintenance www.americanlegion14.org Asilo San Juan Diego home for the elderly - Contact: Lupita Sanchez Covarrubias Tel. 222-1257 or malupita88@hotmail.com or visit the website www.mexonline.com\asilosanjuandiego.htm Asociación Down - The Foundation for assistance to persons with Down’s Syndrome – Contact: Ana Catalina Eisenring at 224-9577.

Banderas Bay Women’s Shelter Safe shelter for women & children victims of domestic violence. Enables women to become financially independent through jobs, education and non-interest micro loans, professional counseling for them & their children. www.compassionforthefamily.org Becas Vallarta, A.C. – provides scholarships to approximately 300 high school and university students. Donations are tax-deductible in Mexico and the USA. Polly Vicars at (322) 223-1371 or Buri Gray at (322) 221-5285. www.puerto-vallarta.com/amf Bucerias Bilingual Community Center Support local families in Bucerias. 16 de Septiembre at calle Matamoros www. buceriasbilingualcommunitycenter.org Casa Hogar - a shelter dedicated to improving the lives of orphaned, abandoned, disadvantaged or vulnerable children.- Contact: Luz Aurora Arredondo at

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221-1908, Rita Millan (322) 141-6974. casamaximocornejo@gmail.com Centro Comunitario SETAC-GLBT - provides essential services to the GLBT community, including physical & mental health treatment and referrals, education & recreation, free AA meetings, English classes, HIV testing and counseling. Paco Arjona 224-1974 or paco@setac.com.mx Clinica de Rehabilitación Santa Barbara - Rehabilitation of the handicapped. Contact: Laura Lopez Portillo Rodriguez at 224-2754.

CompassionNet Impact - forms strategic partnerships & initiates programs that provide opportunities for people living in chronic poverty to transform their own lives. Bookmobile, homes, jobs creation, loans, English & computer classes, emergency food, medicine & clothing, etc. Taxdeductible in Canada & the U.S. Cell: (322) 133-7263. ric@4compassion.org Cruz Roja (Red Cross) - handles hospital and emergency service in Vallarta. It is the only facility that is authorized to offer assistance to injured people on the street, transport them to their facility or other ones indicated by the injured person.

Contact: 222-1533, 222-4973 Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) A municipal service, part of the federal System of Family Services that assists not only in times of emergency, but also with ongoing education, health, and training programs for the whole family.

Contact City Hall 222-0058 Discapacitados de Vallarta, A.C. (DIVAC) association of handicapped individuals dedicated to helping one another. Contact: Ivan Applegate at 221-5153.

GrupoEcològico de Puerto Vallarta – Contact: R.C. Walker at 222-0897, rc_walkermx@yahoo.com.mx

The IFC supports the Cleft Palate Surgery Program & families in need. Funds are raised through Membership & Home Tours.

- Contact:322-222-5466. www.ifcvallarta. com. ifcvallarta@gmail.com.

Navy League - Meets and greets visiting Naval vessels from all nations, assists in the transportation of donated medical supplies from the U.S., organizes work groups to paint and repair schools and other public/charitable facilities, and operates the local Toys for Tots program.

Contacts: Bill Clark at 222 3616 or Jerry Lafferty at 221 6156. www.vallartanavyleague.org.

New Life Mexico - a British Charity working in Mexico. Challenging Child Poverty with Health and Education Programmes. Contact: Philippa.VernonPowell@facebook.com Pasitos de Luz (Mamas Unidas por la Rehabilitación de sus Hijos) - substitute home for low income children with any type of handicap, offers rehabilitation services and special support to their families.

299-4146. www.pasitosdeluz.org Pro Biblioteca de Vallarta - raises fundsfor Los Mangos Public Library. Taxdeductible receipts for Mexico and USA. Contacts: Ricardo Murrieta at 224-9966 or Jimmie Ellis at 222-1478.

Proyecto Pitillal, “Busca un Amigo” - association created by underprivileged mothers of paralyzed children who need society’s help. Contact: 299-4495.

Puerto Vallarta Garden Club: Beautify and protecting the environment. Open to all: Mtgs held at Paradise Community Center, third Thursday every month at 11am from October to May. www.vallartagardenclub.com PuRR Project - a no-kill cat shelter with approx. 250 resident felines living in

a natural environment, un-caged, kittens in the Kitten Nursery, on-site clinic with daily veterinarian services. www.purrproject.com Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza Shelter for children. Donations are taxdeductible in Canada and the U.S. Contact: Madre Mari at 222-7857 or Sudy Coy at 222-5765. www.ccshf.ca Roma’s Kids - educate the children of the Volcanes and surrounding area, to provide them with the skills necessary to become employable by the major industry here in Puerto Vallarta – tourism: math, English and computer programs a priority.

100% goes to the kids. www.kids.romamexico.com Toys for Tots Vallarta - is a non-profit organization that is celebrating 15 years in Puerto Vallarta. Distributes toys and constructs playgrounds for less-advantaged kids in the Puerto Vallarta area during the Christmas holiday period. Contact: Jerry Lafferty 322 221 6156 or Lourdes Bizarro lourdes.bizarro@marriotthotels.com.

SPCA PV – provides private vet costs for rescued animals, volunteers to create & maintain a data base of adoptions, to walk dogs at the foster home, Casita de Guadalupe, foster homes for dogs & cats, trap & release program for feral cats, etc. www.spcapv.com Un MañanaBrillante (A Brighter Tomorrow) - partnership of Americans and Canadians to support the ColegioMexicoAmericano. Contact: Margi Baughman mach1@prodigy.net.mx or David Bender dbender@prodigy.net.mx Vallarta Botanical Gardens - To build Mexico’s greatest botanical, rwesearch & education of plant life, city beautification programs, bird watching, etc. Donations to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens are tax deductible in the USA. Contact: 223-6182 or info@vallartabotanicalgardensac.org.

The International Friendship Club (IFC) - a registered charitable organization in Mexico listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de Puerto Vallarta A.C.

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{Brain Teasers{ SUDOKU easy

May 31 - June 6, 2013

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Vallarta Tribune 843

Challenge your brain! Sudoku is easy to play and the rules are simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain only one of each of the numbers 1 through 9.

medium

HUB-WORDS How many words can you make from the letters in the wheel?

Each word must contain the hub letter A. Can you find a 9-letter word and at least 20 other words of five letters or more avoiding proper nouns?

hard

Broadway Shows A CHORUS LINE, AIDA, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, CABARET, CAMELOT, CAROUSEL, CATS, CHICAGO, COPACABANA, EVITA, GUYS AND DOLLS, GYPSY, HELLO DOLLY, JOLSON, KISS ME KATE, LES MISERABLES, MISS SAIGON, RAGTIME, RIVERDANCE, SHOWBOAT, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, SOUTH PACIFIC, SUNSET BOULEVARD, THE KING AND I, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, WESTSIDE STORY.

IMPARTIAL Some other words of five letters or more containing the hub letter A: alarm, altar,apart, atria, atrip, maria, matai, plait, prima, raita, riata, tiara, tapir, tiara, trail, tramp, trial, armpit, impair, impala, impart, lariat, primal, airmail, marital, martial, partial.

EDUCATION Some other words of five letters or more containing the hub letter I: actin, adieu, antic, audio, audit, canid, cited, coati, cutie, dicot, dicta, edict, indue, nicad, tenia, tonic, tunic, unite, untie, action, atonic, auntie, coined, detain, induce, induct, notice, united, untied, aconite, auction, caution, conduit, noctuid, noticed

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May 31 - June 6, 2013 Vallarta Tribune 843

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