1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. mexico and central america

ISSUE
316
www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 316
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
November 2014
Need to Know
2
ISSUE
316
manners to present the check before it is
requested, so when you’re ready to leave,
ask «La cuenta, por favor» and your bill
will be delivered to you.
MONEY EXCHANGE: Although
you may have to wait in line for a few
minutes, remember that the banks will
give you a higher rate of exchange than
the exchange booths (caja de cambio).
Better yet, if you have a «bank card»,
withdraw funds from your account back
home. Try to avoid exchanging money at
your hotel. Traditionally, those offer the
worst rates.
I
f you’ve been meaning to find a little information on the region,
but never quite got around to it, we hope that the following will help.
Look at the map in this issue, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, in the middle of the Bay of Banderas,
the largest bay in this country, that includes southern part of the state
of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.
Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre
mountains- the Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned
in the Pacific. Hurricane Kenna came close on October 25, 2002,
but actually touched down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 miles
north of PV. The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian
Islands, thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.
AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers
POPULATION: Approx. 325,000
inhabitants
CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with
an average of 300 sunny days per year.
The temperature averages 28oC (82oF)
and the rainy season extends from late
June to early October.
allowed under certain circumstances
but fishing of any kind is prohibited.
Every year, the Bay receives the visit
of the humpback whales, dolphins and
manta rays in the winter. During the
summer, sea turtles, a protected species,
arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.
FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo
hosts a great variety of animal species
such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,
raccoon, etc.
ECONOMY: Local economy is
based mainly on tourism, construction
and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,
mainly tropical fruit such as mango,
papaya,
watermelon,
pineapple,
guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.
SANCTUARIES:
Bahía
de
Banderas encloses two Marine
National Parks - Los Arcos and the
Marieta Islands - where diving is
CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is
the legal currency in Mexico although
Canadian and American dollars are
widely accepted.
Index
BUSES: A system of urban buses
with different routes. Current fare is
$7.50 Pesos per ticket and passengers
must purchase a new ticket every time
they board another bus. There are no
“transfers”.
TAXIS: There are set rates within
defined zones of the town. Do not enter
a taxi without agreeing on the price with
the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a
hotel, you may want to check the rates
usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you
know which restaurant you want to go,
do not let the driver change your mind.
Many restaurateurs pay commissions to
taxi drivers and you may end up paying
more than you should, in a secondrate establishment! There are 2 kinds
of taxi cabs: those at the airport and
the maritime port are usually vans that
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
can only be boarded there. They have
pre-fixed rates per passenger. City cabs
are yellow cars that charge by the ride,
not by passenger. When you ask to go
downtown, many drivers let you off at
the beginning of the area, near Hidalgo
Park. However, your fare covers the
ENTIRE central area, so why walk 10 to
15 blocks to the main plaza, the Church
or the flea market? Pick up a free map,
and insist on your full value from the
driver! Note the number of your taxi in
case of any problem, or if you forget
something in the cab. Then your hotel or
travel rep can help you check it out or
lodge a complaint.
TIME ZONE: The entire State of
Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the
area of the State of Nayarit from Lo
de Marcos in the north to the Ameca
River, i.e.: Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías,
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Sayulita, San
Pancho, Punta Mita, etc. North of Lo
De Marcos, Guayabitos, La Peñita,
San Blas, etc. are on Mountain Time,
i.e.: one hour behind PV time.
TELEPHONE CALLS: Always
check on the cost of long distance
calls from your hotel room. Some
establishments charge as much as U.S.
$7.00 per minute!
CELL PHONES: Most cellular
phones from the U.S. and Canada may
be programmed for local use, through
Telcel and IUSAcell, the local carriers.
To dial cell to cell, use the prefix 322,
then the seven digit number of the
person you’re calling. Omit the prefix if
dialling a land line.
LOCAL CUSTOMS: Tipping is
usually 10%-15% of the bill at restaurants
and bars. Tip bellboys, taxis, waiters,
maids, etc. depending on the service.
Some businesses and offices close from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening until 7 p.m. or
later. In restaurants, it is considered poor
November - 2014
WHAT TO DO: Even if your allinclusive hotel is everything you ever
dreamed of, you should experience at
least a little of all that Vallarta has to
offer - it is truly a condensed version of
all that is Mexican and existed before
«Planned Tourist Resorts», such as
Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, were
developed. Millions have been spent to
ensure that the original “small town”
flavor is maintained downtown, in the
Old Town and on the South Side.
DRINKING WATER: The false
belief that a Mexican vacation must
inevitably lead to an encounter with
Moctezuma’s revenge is just that:
false. For the 21st year in a row, Puerto
Vallarta’s water has been awarded
a certification of purity for human
consumption. It is one of only two
cities in Mexico that can boast of such
accomplishment. True, 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.
On the other hand, most large hotels
have their own purification equipment
and most restaurants use purified water.
If you want to be doubly sure, you can
pick up purified bottled water just about
anywhere.
EXPORTING PETS: Canadian and
American tourists often fall in love with
one of the many stray dogs and cats in
Vallarta. Many would like to bring it
back with them, but believe that the laws
do not allow them to do so. Wrong. If
you would like to bring a cat or a dog
back home, call the local animal shelter
for more info: 293-3690.
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING: A good
beginning would be to take one of the City
Tours offered by the local tour agencies.
Before boarding, make sure you have a
map and take note of the places you want
to return to. Then venture off the beaten
path. Explore a little. Go farther than the
tour bus takes you. And don’t worry this is a safe place.
ISSUE
316
Your Comments
avineberg@yahoo.com
Dear Editor,
Hi. Like a lot of Canadians, we come to PV for the winter. I am hoping you would be able
to forward this letter to the businesses and restaurants in your great city...
They would do so much better if they offered Visa in their shops, restaurants, etc. again.
The reason being that Visa gives snowbirds points that they can use to fly back to PV... I’m
sure you get the gist of this letter and now, speaking for myself, if you don’t offer Visa, we
don’t go and find a place that does. I know the cost will be a little more but the big thing is
you offer a working Visa.
Thanks so much for passing this on to Spanish papers or where it would get read by shop
owners and restaurant owners. See ya soon!
Judy Gerber
Dear Judy,
Thank you for this observation, but we cannot guarantee that all those businesses you’re
referring to read the Mirror, or this letter.
There are some 1,000 big and small registered eating places in Puerto Vallarta, most of
which are very small, family-owned and run establishments. Getting Visa is no small matter
here in Mexico. Requirements can be quite stringent, and many cannot afford it.
The Ed
T
he image gracing our cover this week,
in honor of Mexico’s Día de la Revolución,
is a reproduction of one of artist Marta
Gilbert’s most famous paintings, entitled
“La Bandida” (the bandit).
Marta Gilbert’s original works are
exhibited at the gallery that bears her
name - Galería Marta Gilbert – located on
the beautiful Isla Cuale in the middle of
the River Cuale. It showcases the works
of one of Puerto Vallarta’s most endearing
artists. A fulltime local resident since
1975, Gilbert has devoted most of her
adult life to exploring native figures and
faces with extraordinary detail, capturing
their nuances on large canvases that have
found their place in fine art collectors’
homes worldwide.
You can also acquire giclées and prints
of Marta Gilbert’s most famous works at
Galería Vallarta located upstairs at 187
Guerrero, Suite 110, downtown. Please
email webart@prodigy.net.mx for prices
and photos of images available.
About our cover
Marta Gilbert
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
Sound Off
3
4
Within PV
ISSUE
316
Garden Club Membership kick-off
Thursday, November 20th
Join the PV Garden Club and
contribute to the beautification of
our city. The bougainvillea planters
along Basilio Badillo and Avenida
Mexico are two of the major
projects of the club. We want to do
more. And we need your help.
The first meeting of the season is
Thursday, November 20th at 11 a.m.
at Coco’s Kitchen, 122 Pulpito in the
Romantic Zone on the south side of
town. “Farmer” Krystal Frost will
share her views ranging from organic
growing to healthy living. Come
early and mingle; stay after the
meeting to socialize and enjoy lunch.
Annual dues are only $300 pesos
per person; $500 per couple. If you
are unable to come to the meeting,
you can leave your contribution
- Come to the next Garden Club
meeting November 20 (always the
3rd Thursday of the month at11:00
a.m.) Watch your e-mail for the
specific location.
Join or renew your
membership in the PVGC now
and help “embellecer” Vallarta
Welcome Everyone whether
you’ve been here all summer or
are just returning. We can’t wait
to have everyone back to enjoy
beautiful Puerto Vallarta!
Our PV Garden Club AC season
begins, as you may remember,
November 1st. The summer has
been long and hot. We have used
this time to get our trees and
bougainvillea, now well established,
into perfect shape. We took out lots
of old wood, spent sometimes more
than an hour just on one planter to
get it right. We do hope that you
are happy with the results. Avenida
Mexico and Avenida Basilio Badillo
are especially beautiful.
Please join or renew now and
let your membership contribution
contribute all year.
- Membership goes from
November 1 through October 31.
- Annual dues are only $300 pesos
per person. $500 per couple. Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Allyna Vineberg
avineberg@yahoo.com
It’s easy for you to do: along with your name and contact
information at Mailboxes Etc., 130
Ignacio L. Vallarta, c/o Vallarta
Garden Club, Box #298. Please
join us!
Publisher / Editor:
- Leave your contribution along
with your name and contact
information at Mailboxes Etc.,
Ignacio Vallarta 130, c/o Vallarta
Garden Club, Box #298. - Contact me, Club President
Bonnie Mott bonmott@hotmail.
com or Matthias Vogt matthias.
vogt@usa.net if you’d like to
arrange a special pick-up or would
like to give us a check.
- If you are not back yet, you can
send your dues via PayPal. Go to our
website www.vallartagardenclub.
com, click “donate and follow the
PayPal instructions. Using PayPal
does cost us more: if you can add
another $50 pesos to cover our costs
and make your contribution for
dues $350 pesos, which would be
appreciated.
Remember: additional
contributions are always welcome.
We are keeping membership low
but invite you cordially to give
whatever your means allow, so that
we can thrive yet another year. This
summer was the first in our history
we did not run out of money. We
were able to keep our gardener,
purchase necessary tools and order
a great amount of supporting poles.
All this thanks to your continuing
help, contributions and interest in
keeping Vallarta beautiful for all of
us to enjoy.
Please join or renew now.
Cordially,
Bonita Mott, Chair
Matthias Vogt, Treasurer
November - 2014
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Harriet Murray
Krystal Frost
Giselle Belanger
Gil Gevins
Stan Gabruk
Ronnie Bravo
Tommy Clarkson
Luis Melgoza
Todd Ringness
Tim Wilson
Christina Larson
Office & Sales: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
Cover Photo:
“La Bandida”
Painting by Marta
Gilbert - Copy of a photo.
See p. 3
PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.
Certificados de licitud de título y
contenido en tramite. Prohibida la
reproducción total o parcial de su
contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías sin
previa autorización por escrito del editor.
An important notice
The PVMIRROR wants your views and
comments. Please send them by e-mail to:
avineberg@yahoo.com
250 words max, full name, street or e-mail
address and/or tel. number for verification
purposes only. If you do not want your name
published, we will respect your wishes.
Letters & articles become the property of
the PVMIRROR and may be edited and/or
condensed for publication.
The articles in this publication are provided
for the purpose of entertainment and
information only. The PV Mirror City
Paper does not accept any responsibility or
liability for the content of the articles on
this site or reliance by any person on the
site’s contents. Any reliance placed on such
information is therefore strictly at such
person’s own risk.
Note:
To Advertisers & Contributors and those
with public interest announcements,
the deadline for publication is:
2:00 pm on Monday of the
week prior to publication.
ISSUE
316
Within PV
Junior Sailing Program Fundraiser Dinner Cirque du Soleil
T
he Vallarta Yacht Club (VYC) Junior
Sailing Program is holding their bi-annual
fundraiser on November 15 – the weekend
of the Regatta de la Revolución, November
15th & 16th. The event begins at 5:30 p.m.
and the price of dinner tickets is $350
pesos per adult and $175 pesos for children
under 12. The funds raised from ticket
sales, amazing auction items and raffle
prizes donated by local businesses goes
to funding the program and scholarships.
This year’s theme is a Cirque du Soleil with
jugglers and entertainers and promises to
be great fun for all.
Vallarta Yacht Club has attracted some
of the largest sailing events of the Western
Hemisphere to our bay and has inspired
young people to represent Mexico on
the international sailing arena. Vallarta
Yacht Club competitors from the Junior
Sailing program have represented the
club in international championships in
Italy, Ecuador, Uruguay, United States,
Argentina, New Zealand, Portugal and
Poland. The Junior Sailing program offers
the opportunity to sail to lower income children with good grades
and excellent conduct. The Vallarta Yacht Club provides the boats
and sails for beginners and maintains the docks, while providing
world-class coaching for the Junior Sailors.
Several major, international championships have been held in
Puerto Vallarta, including Optinam 2007, J24 Worlds 2007, 2011
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
PanAm Games, and just this past summer,
Optinam 2014. Additionally, each year
the Vallarta Yacht Club hosts the WesMex
International Small Boat Regatta. Each of
these events brings in 80­200 competitors,
their families and coaches from as far
away as New Zealand and Japan.
“Sailing is not only a sport, but a
life lesson in discipline, camaraderie,
organization and responsibility.
It
builds character, courage and security. It
develops abilities to deal with resistance,
increase concentration and meet goals,”
says Cuban coach Oscar Sanchez
Barreto. He adds, “Interaction with
nature also develops an appreciation for
the environment.”
The donations given by the local
businesses are fundamental to the
program, not to mention the publicity
it garners them. The media also has an
open invitation to send in their printed
publications for the VYC to distribute
among the attendees.
For more information please call (322)
297-2222 or email office@vallartayachtclub.org and direct your
inquiry to Rudy Trejo, VYC’s manager. Visit our website www.
vallartayachtclub.org and follow us at www.facebook.com/
Vallarta.Yacht.Club
Click here to watch a video about the program: www.youtube.
com/watch?v=JQz8tLjpiuc
November - 2014
5
Within PV
6
ISSUE
316
By
Tim Wilson
Let’s get our
terminology Straight
I
am very pleased to be part of the
PV Mirror family. It is a pleasure to
be included among the great list of
contributors and I am very grateful to the
editor Allyna for this opportunity.
My goal in this column is to keep
you guessing as to what will
be provided every week. One
week may be a descriptive article
about the gay traveler to Puerto
Vallarta, then a humorous tongue
in cheek article to hopefully have
the reader ROTFL (Rolling on
the floor laughing) about the GL or LGBT
or LGBTQ or LGBTTTTQQIAAP?????
community. Which is it?
Last week, the acronym LGBT and the
word gay were mentioned many times in our
article. The history behind the evolution of
this term is very interesting. Basically, until
as recently as the 1970’s there was not a
standard way to describe the gay community
that did not “offend” in our politically correct
society where you can get your pants sued
if you even say the wrong thing. The word
historically used was “homosexual” but that
became more offensive, so G&L developed
in the 1970’s with Gay denoting gay men
and Lesbian denoting lesbian women. The
bisexual and transgendered community felt
left out, so we added GLBT (Gay Lesbian
Bisexual and Transgendered). Then, in
an attempt to put women first, the letters
became LGBT which is the abbreviated
accepted term today.
It does not end there. Someone wanted
to add Q to reflect those “questioning”
their sexuality and a term that offends many
-”Queer”- was added, so you might see
LGBTQ(uestioning)Q(ueer). Additionally,
one might also come across GLBTIQQTA
for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered,
Intersexed, Questioning, Queer, Transsexual
and Asexual or fully blown out of proportion
‘LGBTTTQQIAAP: Lesbian Gay Bisexual
Transgendered Transsexual Two Spirited
Queer Questioning Intersex Asexual Ally
Panssexual... WTF, I can’t keep up with it.
Nonetheless, the gay community, a
collective term correctly used to refer to
all of these subgroups, spells diversity. We
should be thankful at the rapid speed of the
progression of gay rights compared to many
other historical minority groups.
We are also introducing in our weekly
column a list of who’s in and who’s out.
Who’s In this week
Tim Cook Apple CEO for coming out
publicly.
Orange is the new Black’s star Lea Delaria,
the 2015 PV GAY Pride Grand Marshall, for
publicly confronting an anti-gay preacher on
a NY subway.
Anderson Cooper for correcting Pat
Roberston who said you can catch AIDS
from towels.
Dolly Parton for supporting all her gay
fans in her recent Billboard interview.
Massachusetts voters who elected the first
openly gay state attorney general Maura
Healey.
Ricky Martin, featured in GAYPV issue
10, for stating “my children gave me the
strength to come out”.
Puerto Vallarta Amapas Neighborhood
Association for putting up blue trash cans all
around the Amapas neighborhood.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
Starbucks for producing its first LGBT
commercial with drag superstars Bianca Del
Rio and Adore Delano.
Voters who approved Proposition 4 making
Dallas, Texas the first Texas city to approve a
bill protecting against sexual discrimination.
Pope Francis for his recent attempts to
make the Catholic Church a more welcoming
place for gay people.
Who’s Out this week
#1 Out this week is the US Sixth Circuit
Court of Appeals which upheld Same-Sex
Marriage Bans in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio
and Tennessee.
Russia for dismantling Steve Jobs
Memorial in St. Petersburg because of the
Apple CEO coming out.
Colorado’s voters who elected
anti-gay
candidate
Gordon
Klingenschmitt to the State House,
who then performed an exorcism
of President Barack Obama.
The readers of Family Circle
Magazine who disapproved of the
magazine featuring the first LGBT
family in November 2014.
The SC congressional candidate who
called gay people “gremlins that will destroy
our way of life”.
Simon Lokodo, the Uganda Minister for
Ethics who says parents can not love their
children if they permit them to live in a
country where same sex marriage is legal.
The person or persons responsible for the
closure of the Paradise Community Center.
Tim Wilson
Is owner and editor of GAYPV Magazine (www.GAYPV.mx)
in Puerto Vallarta. This magazine features news,
a complete list of gay and friendly businesses and events,
interesting stories, and around town photos of gay and
friendly businesses and people in Mexico. It is available
in print, online and the new app on Apple newsstand in
December 2014. Tim is an official member of NATJA where
he and GAYPV contributors provide content and press
releases about Puerto Vallarta as a “beyond Gay Friendly”
destination to international LGBT media outlets.
ISSUE
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Within PV
7
Market days around the Bay
E
Amigos y amigas!
We are closing-in on our two primary fundraisers for Toys for
Tots: the Golf Scramble and the Gala Dinner/Dance! We have
your tickets for both events and we’re awaiting your orders!
** Golf Scramble on Saturday, December 6 at 11 a.m. at La
Vista Weiskopf Course. As always, we have prizes for: lowest
foursome score, highest foursome score, middlin’ drawn from all
others; closest to the pin, closest to the center line, drop within
the circle!! In addition we have for sure one hole-in-one award,
possibly two! And: delicious Mexican buffet in the clubhouse
after the game during the awarding of prizes! Make your own
foursome with your favorite golfers or show up and take a chance
on our pairings! Come for a day of fun! Cost per person: 1300
pesos or $100 USD.
** Gala Dinner/Dance on Sunday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m.
at the Marriott CasaMagna Resort and Spa. Featured this year:
Children’s Mariachi during cocktail hour, Patron Tequila in
live auction, and dancing to a hot, live band! And, as always, a
tastefully served delicious dinner with wine!! Cost per person:
1,000 pesos or $80 USD. First time ever: A 10% discount if you
buy a table for ten; cost per person drops to 900 pesos or $70
USD per person! What a deal for a fun event!
Let us know how many tickets you would like to reserve for the
golf event and, if possible, your preferred pairings or foursomes.
Also tell us how many tickets or how many tables you would
like for the Dinner/Dance.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Please get in touch with us, Fred and Dorothy, at (322) 2090064 or email pvdcp@yahoo.com
*****
The Puerto Vallarta Navy League / Toys for Tots, is celebrating
15 years, of providing “Smiles for a Child”. Everyone is invited
to join us as we celebrate15 years of serving the children of
Puerto Vallarta. Toys for Tots is a program that distributes toys to
the children in the Puerto Vallarta’s neediest communities. The
Navy League is sponsoring a Toy Drive, for friends to bring toys
for the children.
The restaurants who have joined us to receive toys at their
locations are Coco’s Kitchen at 122 Pulpito, and Oscar’s at Isla
Cuale. We are looking for other locations and will follow up next
week with their names.
We invite everyone who likes to golf or dance, to help us raise
funds for Toys for Tots. Please call Fred or Dorothy Piontkowski
for more information.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
very year, local vendors and businesses gather to sell their goods at
those markets, ranging from local grown organic fruit and vegetables,
homemade yogurt and cheeses, jams, local honey, soaps and lotions,
fresh cut flowers, jewelry, shoes and clothes, art creations, etc.
Different foods are always a big hit, as it’s fun to browse about while
eating a homemade pickle, probiotics, an empanada, slice of pizza,
tamales, salads, smoked meats or fish, cakes, breads, pastries, and just
about everything in-between. Most food vendors have a taste set out
for you to sample.
Mondays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Bucerías Monday Market at the Art Walk Plaza
Thursdays, 6 p.m.
- Marina Thursday Night Market
along the Malecon of Marina Vallarta.
Fridays,
Sayulita Market near the entrance
to the town on Revolución.
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. –
Tres Gallinas y Un Gallo Market
on Venustiano Carranza between
Aguacate & Jacarandas on the south side of PV
Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. –
Puerto Vallarta’s Old Town Farmers’ Market
at Lazaro Cardenas Park
Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. –
Lo de Marcos Market
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. –
Artisans’ Market in Nuevo Vallarta
behind the OXXO by Villa Varadero
Sundays - La Cruz de Huanacaxtle Market
Great fun, tons of samples and treats
…and a great way to support the LOCAL economy.
November - 2014
Beyond PV
8
ISSUE
316
Viva la
Revolución!
R
evolution Day, el Día de la Revolución, commemorates the start
of the Mexican Revolution by Francisco I. Madero in 1910. It is a
statutory national holiday in Mexico, normally celebrated on the 3rd
Monday of November. Most workers, public and private, are entitled
to take the day off with regular pay.
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started with
an uprising led by Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The
first of the major revolutions of the 20th century, it was characterized by
several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarian movements.
It progressed into a protracted and multi-sided civil war, leading to the
Mexican Constitution of 1917. The Revolution is generally considered
to have lasted until 1920. It triggered the creation of the National
Revolutionary Party in 1929 (renamed the Institutional Revolutionary
Party or PRI in 1946).
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Putting forward a variety of leaders, the PRI held power and led the
country until the general election of 2000, fifty-four years.
After Benito Juárez’s death in 1872, Porfirio Díaz wanted to take
over as Mexico’s leader. The two men were allies and had fought
against the French in the Battle of Puebla, but once Juárez rose to
power, Díaz tried to unseat him. Díaz began his reign as president in
1876, and ruled until 1910 when Francisco I. Madero succeeded him,
taking office in 1911. He worked to reduce the power of the Catholic
Church and expropriated some of their large property holdings.
The era of Porfirio Díaz’s government from 1876–1910 is known
as the Porfiriato. Díaz had a strict “No Re-election” policy by virtue
of which presidents could not serve consecutive terms in office. He
followed this rule when he stepped down after his first term and was
succeeded by Manuel González, one of his underlings. The new
president’s period in office was marked by corruption and official
incompetence. When Díaz ran in the next election, he was a welcome
replacement. In future elections, Díaz would conveniently put aside
his “No Re-election” slogan and ran for president in every election.
Díaz became the dictator he had warned the people against.
Through the army (the Rurales) and gangs of thugs, Diaz frightened
people into voting for him. If bullying citizens into voting for him
failed, he simply rigged the votes in his favor.
November - 2014
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While Díaz’ presidency was
characterized by promotion of
industry and the pacification
of the country, it came at
the expense of the working
class, farmers and peasants,
who
suffered
extreme
exploitation. The economy
took a great leap during
the Porfiriato, especially
through the encouragement
of construction such as
factories,
roads,
dams,
industries, and better farms.
This resulted in the rise of
an urban proletariat and the influx of foreign capital (principally from
the US). Progress came at a price though, since civil liberties such
as freedom of the press were suspended under the Porfiriato. The
growing influence of the United States was a constant problem for
Díaz, since a major portion of Mexico’s land had earlier been lost to
the US in the Mexican-American War.
Wealth, political power, and access to education were concentrated
among a handful of families, overwhelmingly of European descent,
who controlled much property in large estates. Most of the people
in Mexico were landless. Foreign companies, mostly from the U.K.,
France, and the U.S., also exercised power in Mexico.
Díaz changed land reform efforts started under previous leaders. His
new land laws virtually undid all the hard work by leaders such as
Juárez. No peasant or farmer could claim the land he occupied without
formal legal title. Small farmers were helpless and angry; change of
power would be necessary if Mexico was to continue being successful.
From this cause, many leaders including Francisco I. Madero, Francisco
(Pancho) Villa, and Emiliano Zapata would launch a rebellion against
Díaz, escalating into the eventual Mexican Revolution.
Most historians mark the end of the Porfiriato in 1911 as the
beginning of the Mexican Revolution. Madero decided to run against
Díaz in 1910. Diaz thought he could control the election as he had
the previous seven, and he did not approve of Madero, so he had him
jailed on election day in 1910. Díaz was announced the winner of the
election by a landslide, providing the initial impetus for the outbreak
of the Revolution.
Madero soon escaped and fled for a short period of time to Texas. On
October 5, 1910, Madero issued a “letter from jail” called the Plan de
San Luis Potosí, with its main slogan “free suffrage and no re-election.”
It declared the Díaz regime illegal and called for revolt against Díaz to
overthrow the Porfiriato, starting on November 20. Though Madero’s
letter was not a plan for major socioeconomic revolution, it offered the
hope of change for many disadvantaged Mexicans.
His vague promises of agrarian reforms attracted many of the
peasants throughout Mexico. He was able to gain much needed support
from them in order to remove Díaz from power. With the support of
the mostly peasant Indians, Madero’s army fought Díaz’s and had
some success. Díaz’s army gradually lost control of Mexico and his
administration started to fall apart. The desire to have him removed
was so great that many natives and different leaders supported Madero
and fought on his side.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Beyond PV
9
In late 1910, revolutionary movements broke out in response to
Madero’s letter. Pascual Orozco along with Governor Abraham
González formed a powerful military union in the north and took
Mexicali and Chihuahua City, although they were not especially
committed to Madero. These victories encouraged other military and
political alliances, including Pancho Villa. Against Madero’s wishes,
Orozco and Villa fought for and won Ciudad Juárez, bordering El Paso,
Texas, along the Rio Grande.
After Madero defeated the weak federal army on May 21, 1911, he signed
the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez with Diaz. It stated that Díaz would abdicate
his rule and be replaced by Madero. Insisting on a new election, Madero
won
overwhelmingly
in late 1911.
Some
supporters
criticized
him for appearing weak
by not assuming the
presidency and failing to
pass immediate reforms.
But Madero established
a liberal democracy and
received support from the
United States and popular
leaders such as Orozco,
Villa, and Zapata.
November - 2014
10
Good Bites
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316
At Trio during the International Gourmet Festival…
Culinary Theme: A natural approach to Swedish cuisine
Co–owner Ulf Henriksson, born
in Kalix in northern Sweden, is an
enthusiast of culinary photography
and a cuisine full of flavors. On one
of his trips to his homeland, he ran
into Chef Kristoffer Andersson;
delighted by his expressive natural
cuisine in his restaurant Jazzköket, he
invited him to share his culinary art
here in Trio.
Guest Chef Kristoffer Andersson
grew up on the east coast of Sweden,
studying cooking. After 7 years in
Norway, he returned to Östersund
in 2010. Now Jazzköket is rated
one of the top 10 marine restaurants
in the White Guide. Andersson is
passionate about old Swedish cooking
techniques and local raw materials.
Bernhard Güth, main Chef and coowner of Trio, is a native of Baden,
the famous culinary region between
the Black Forest in Germany and
Alsace in France. In 1995, arriving
Thanksgiving at Vitea
Vitea is celebrating 10 years!
W
from Italy and New York, he brought
a fresh perspective of Mediterranean
cuisine to Puerto Vallarta that has
contributed to what today are the
“Flavors of Vallarta”. His passion
for good food is reflected in Trio’s
extensive wine list and the best
Tequila and Mezcal in the region.
Trio is open every day from 6 p.m.
at 264 Guerrero downtown. Please
call for reservations: 222-2196 or
email trio@triopv.com
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
hat started out as a small oceanfront bistro open only for dinner
has grown and become a full fledged restaurant open for breakfast,
lunch and dinner 7 days a week. It has been like watching a child
growing up and suddenly it becomes beautiful and beloved by so
many, with its own character. There are so many people we would
to thank for helping us become better and better everyday... All of
our great staff which are the ones who handle the daily operation of
greeting, cooking, serving and cleaning... All our fantastic guests
with their praise, criticism and ideas have made our Vitea a part of
the culinary community of restaurants in Puerto Vallarta.
Many thought that we were crazy to open a restaurant on a spot
that had been a parking lot and forgotten for many years by many
residents and tourists. We always knew that it was a great spot,
just in front of the Pacific Ocean. The idea was to open up a place
like you find in southern Europe, around the Mediterranean, with a
casual bistro atmosphere, energetic food and personalized service.
Later, the local authorities built the pedestrian bridge over the River
Cuale, renovated that part of the Malecon, and suddenly everyone
understood and started to enjoy strolling by our restaurant.
As every year, we are preparing a Special Thanksgiving Menu
(we also serve our normal A La Carte menu):
Portobello stuffed w/ pumpkin couscous, cranberry & goat cheese
OR Spinach salad w/ roasted apple, homemade bacon & French
mustard vinaigrette; Grilled red snapper fillet w/ blackened shrimp,
sweet potato ravioli & white wine sauce OR Roasted turkey w/
roasted hasselback potatoes, fine vegetables & gravy; Crepes filled
w/ passion fruit cream & caramelized white chocolate OR Banana
& nutella bread pudding w/ whipped cream & Bourbon sauce.
$369. Pesos per person.
Wishing all of our guests and friends all the best, we look forward to
seeing you soon at Vitea, located on the Malecon at the foot of Libertad
St. Reservations: 222-8703 or email reservation@viteapv.com
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Good Bites
During the International Gourmet Festival
At Coco Tropical…
Culinary Theme: Orlando’s Swiss food affair
Chef Orlando Maria Hügli, originally from Basel, Switzerland,
the beautiful city located on the Rhine River in the three-countrycorner of Switzerland, Germany and Alsace-Lorraine of France, is a
very talented kitchen virtuoso of the three culinary cultures: AlsatianLorraine, Swiss and Southern German. His first steps in the kitchen
were at the HILTON HOTEL BASEL, where he graduated with honor
as the best apprentice of the State. On his next step, he joined the
extraordinary kitchen team of the GSTAAD PALACE, attending to the
World of the Rich and Famous.
The gourmet spots AQUA and the well-known HOTEL PALACE
LUZERN, both in Lucerne, were the next stages to achieve progress
in his profession. In 2009, Chef Orlando refined his talents at the
18-points Gault-Millau / One Michelin Star Restaurant, ZIRBELSTUBE
in Stuttgart. Back in Basel, he was promoted as Chef of one of the
best restaurants in the town, RESTAURANT ROLLERHOF, holding
14 points Gault-Millau. He also participated in numerous national
competitions; led the winning team in regional culinary creativity and
earning the Bronze medal in the national Rotisserie Contest 2008. He
is currently completing his Bachelor of Science in Food Technology at
the University of Zurich.
Coco Tropical and their crew give a warm welcome to this exciting
talent and without doubt he will evolve his current culinary standards
in favor to all our gourmet customers.
!Bienvenido a México, Orlando!
Coco Tropical is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, on the beach
at the foot of Basilio Badillo Street. Reservations: 222-5485, Email:
cocotropical@prodigy.net.mx
Until
next Sunday, you
have
every
opportunity
to enjoy the offerings of
the guest chefs at all your
favorite restaurants that
participate in the 20th edition
of our internationally famous
Gourmet Festival!
For the complete list
of
events,
participating
restaurants, special events (of
which there are many!), guest
chefs, menus, etc., please visit
www.festivalgourmet.com
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
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12
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Modern Jazz singer-songwriter Spencer Day and ‘Greater Tuna’
Kick off the entertainment season at The Palm Cabaret and Bar,
beginning Monday, November 17th and Wednesday, November 19th
The Palm Cabaret and Bar is
excited to announce the return
of popular contemporary jazz
singer and songwriter, Spencer
Day, opening on Monday,
November 17th at 7:00 p.m.,
and the debut of ‘Greater
Tuna’ starring Tracy Parks and
Chaz Weathers, opening on
Wednesday, November 19th also
at 7:00 p.m.
Originating from humble
beginnings in a small town in
Utah, Spencer Day began his
career singing and playing jazz
standards in piano bars and
retirement homes. He has since
released a total of six albums
to date, including the recently
released Daybreak in 2014.
Spencer is returning this season by
popular demand. He performs at
The Palm November 17th through
December 4th.
The Palm Cabaret and Bar
also presents a local production
of ‘Greater Tuna’ opening on
Wednesday, November 19th at
7:00 p.m. The play stars Tracy
Parks and Chaz Weathers, who
will have you laughing all the way
to the ‘Greater Tuna’ area as they
portray 20 men, women, children
and animals from the third-smallest
town in Texas, where the Lions’
Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline
never dies. ‘Greater Tuna’ is a big
comedy about a small town, small
minds and big hearts. Written by
Joe Sears, Jaston Williams and Ed
Howard, the original production
ran for more than 30 years all over
the world, with two command
performances for US Presidents in
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Washington, D.C. ‘Greater Tuna’
makes its Mexico debut at The Palm
this season, playing November 19th
through December 12th.
The Palm is well-known for
bringing top notch, cutting-edge
entertainment to Vallarta. Inside
you’ll find an intimate, completely
refurbished 90-seat cabaret club
with outstanding sound and
lighting, creating the ambience
of cabarets from days gone by.
Shows are scheduled seven nights
per week with two different shows
nightly through April 2014.
The Palm is non-smoking (a
patio is provided for smokers) and
is located at 508 Olas Altas, in the
heart of the Romantic Zone. Tickets
may be purchased online 24 hours
per day and at The Palm’s box office
between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily. A
full calendar of performances and
online tickets are available at www.
thepalmpv.com You can also find
the Palm on Facebook at The Palm
Cabaret and Bar.
November - 2014
Los Bambinos’
must-see new show
begins Tuesday nights
A
fantastic crowd of new
listeners and long-time fans
welcome Los Bambinos back to
the stage for their weekly Tuesday
night show. In their Surfin’ Safari
show, Los Bambinos invigorate
The Beach Boys’ easy-breezy
surfer rock and roll, bringing their
long time favored harmonies to
life - with a touch of Los Bambinos
signature Latin flavor.
Back to Seattle is a favorite
original song of the night. The
song tells the story of the group’s
experience traveling to Seattle for
a special celebration. Complete
with “wine under the stars” and a
“speed boat on Lake Washington,”
the song’s music really paints a
picture of some unique memories
that they cherish from Seattle. The
group’s affinity for this exceptional
place comes out in the song, so for
those of you who love Seattle, let
the group know. They do too!
A fun theme in the song reminds
friends and family to not worry if
Los Bambinos forget to answer
their phone, while they are in
Seattle - “Don’t think we’re poorly
educated, if we forget the phone, it
is the thrill of the wind, the time
just flew by… Partying in Seattle,
what lucky boys we are… Back to
Seattle, that’s all I want...”
“They just keep getting better
and better, I love their new songs!”,
comments a fan of many years.
“This truly is a show season to see.”
Get a sneak-peak of Back to Seattle
and Los Bambinos’ other original
songs from their newest album
Mundo Ideal on their Facebook
page, or at www.CDBaby.com, but
be sure not to miss the songs played
live at their shows Tuesdays from 8
to 10 p.m. at the Roxy Rock House,
located at 217 Ignacio L. Vallarta,
Old Town Vallarta.
For more information about
Los Bambinos, please visit www.
losbambinosmusic.com For show
tickets, call 222-4357 or visit
www.vallartatickets.com
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Traditional & modern ceramic art Luis Manuel Morales Gamez
F
orty minutes from Morelia, Tzintzuntzan,
Michoacán, the Purhépecha kingdom, the town is
still rich in the fascination of ancient tradition and
its modern interpretation.
Tzintzuntzan, which translates from the Purhépecha
language to ‘the place of the hummingbird’.
Best known for its Purhépecha Noche de Muertos
(Night of the Dead) celebrations, Tzintzuntzan is
also an artisans’ center. Clay pots, straw decorations,
wood, and hand-embroidered textiles fill the
marketplace and shops. It is one of many Michoacán
towns sustaining a living tradition - pottery making.
Clay is abundant in the Michoacán hills and many
Purhépecha dedicate their lives to creating both
utilitarian and artistic pots. Tzintzuntzan’s traditional
glaze colors and designs are unmistakable.About 50
years ago, Miguel Morales popularized the town’s
dish sets, glazed in white and dark brown. Designs
on these two bowls include ordinary local sights: the
burro carries firewood, the fish from Lake Pátzcuaro.
Rivera, Siqueiros, Clemente Orozco, Tamayo, and
Picasso. He studied the ancient cultures of South
America and Mexico, and in particular his own
Purhépecha culture, incorporating into his own work
ancient symbols found on the nearby pyramids.
Manuel’s pottery reflect his own world view,
Luis Manuel Morales Gámez, native of
Tzintzuntzan, artist and master potter, has created
high-fired ceramics for 25 years. His family has
worked clay for five generations.
In 1982, Manuel Morales’ father received a
government subsidy which made it possible to
purchase an electric-powered wheel and the only
gas-fired kiln in the village. Under his father’s
tutelage, Manuel began to work in clay at the age of
eight. Later, he studied painting and graphic design
at the University of Michoacán in Morelia, where he
was influenced by the great Mexican painters Diego
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
The 7 Arts
13
which integrates past and present and expresses the
vitality, soul and spirit of his village.
His greatest inspiration comes from the natural
world, in particular the lake where since childhood
he has watched the unchanging rituals of fishermen
as they set sail at dawn or under the full moon, in
expectation of their return with a full catch.
Few Mexican potters have achieved the level of
accomplishment that Morales enjoys. His work,
sold in a very few exclusive Mexican shops, is often
shipped to Europe and the U.S. for sale.
Some of his best pots have regularly won top
prizes at Mexican competitions.
The Morales family legacy continues, with
Manuel’s son and his three young daughters. Born
and raised in Tzintzuntzan, they have clay in their
blood and are already making pottery.
PV Santana is located at 186 Corona downtown.
Cell: (322) 172–7847. Email: pvsantana@live.com.mx
14
The 7 Arts
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ISSUE
316
The farmer turns out to be (what
else?) the best pilot ever and needed
to fly a desperate mission to Saturn
where a black hole lurks.
Enough of describing the plot
except things pretty much slow down
until the spaceship gets to where it
needs to go. Then things pick up
again as the farmer explores different
Joe Harrington
Interstellar
Slight spoiler alert, but not much
of one as what follows all happens
in the first few minutes. The movie
starts like a documentary, with an
old woman talking about how the
dust was everywhere. There are
cuts from her to a farmhouse and
I felt puzzled because the setting
looked like the Oklahoma dustbowl
of the Thirties. As she talks, what
she says is visually demonstrated.
She states that all the plates had
to placed face down and
we watch a man placing all
plates face down on an oldfashioned dining room table.
As this is played out, we learn
the dynamics of this farming
family - a widower, his son and
daughter and an older friend.
The pacing is impeccable.
Then comes a blow to the
mind as the camera pans to
something hard to make out
until the lid is opened and we
are looking at a very modern
computer laptop. Gone is the
past and hello dismal future.
The Earth is dying from blight
far worse than any that hit
the potatoes in Ireland 175
years ago. The pestilence
has attacked all forms of
vegetation leaving only corn
for mankind to eat. And
each year the corn crop is slowly
succumbing.
Great opening followed by
another where the father, with his
two children in a beat-up truck,
spots a drone. He is off in a chase
that makes most car chase scenes
through a metropolitan area pale.
Totally ignoring anything but the
flying unmanned plane, he plows
through his cornfield, mowing
down greenery like a Grim
Reaper’s scythe. This is exciting
stuff. Everything in the first act is
exciting, even when slow paced.
Unfortunately, Act Two arrives
and the pace becomes sleep
inducing. The farmer unearths
secret coordinates and goes
there to find (what else?) a secret
government installation – the
remnants of NASA.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
worlds that may or may not have the
potential to support all humans.
What does all this add up to? The
movie is long, 168 minutes. The
first and third acts running time is
normal for a two-hour movie. The
second act makes Richard Wagner’s
The Ring feel short. The problem
is the movie wants us to believe
the story is real, so it takes forever
tossing out jargon trying to prove
this, with most to justify that for
every hour spent on the distant
planet means years flow by on Earth.
The word ‘relativity’ is used like a
sacred mantra that explains all.
Except that Albert Einstein’s
Theory of Relativity mentions
nothing about this happening on a
planet. Go faster than the speed
of light, perhaps, but standing on a
planet?
November - 2014
This second act could have
been cut in half and still been
too long. There are other movies
with examples of making a long
time pass in only a few minutes or
seconds. Take the famous breakfast
scene in Citizen Kane. Orson Wells
and his young wife, animated,
loving. CUT TO: a little older and
not so loving. CUT TO:
older and barely talking.
CUT TO: much older, he
reading the newspaper,
she staring sullenly at
him. Great stuff. And
to use another wonderful
example, this time from
a SciFi flick, take the
ending of 2001: A Space
Odyssey. Our surviving
spaceman is alone in a
room waiting for what
he knows not. Again,
no dialogue. CUT TO:
eating a meal. CUT TO:
older, sitting in a chair.
CUT TO: Very old, lying
in bed. CUT TO: A baby
floating in space, looking
down at the universe.
Brilliant.
Interstellar is not a bad
movie, it’s just that it could
have been so much better. The
musical score is sensational, parts
right up there with Chariots of Fire.
The actors are fine and a stellar
cast: Matthew McConaughey, Ann
Hathaway, Matt Damon, Casey
Affleck, John Lithgow, Michael
Caine, Ellen Burstein, to name a
few.
Christopher Orr, top critic for
The Atlantic, summed it up best:
“Interstellar may be a preposterous
epic, but it is an epic nonetheless.”
Joe Harrington
Is an internationally published true crime
writer and documentary filmmaker.
Send comments or criticism to
JoeMovieMadness@Yahoo.com
Artwork by Bob Crabb.
ISSUE
316
By
W
hile many of our friends and
loved ones are further north and
already shovelling snow, we who are
blessed are here livin’ la vida loca.
Sure the rains over this past week
have been unusual, but I find myself
VERY grateful for another round
of road washing and some jungle
greenery insurance. The rains have
brought cooler nighttime temps…
I’ve been turning down the speed on
ceiling fans and wearing my slippers
again. It doesn’t take much! lol
All around town, finishing
touches have been placed on many
restaurants, shops, and entertainment
venues and staff are returning to their
seasonal routines. If you listen close
with more than your ears, you might
hear a very musical sigh, “Fa la la la
laaaaa, la la, la, laaaaaaaaaaaah!” The
new Winter season is here, and with
it the annual return of the hope and
promise of hundreds of thousands of
visitors ready to deck our halls and
maybe buy a tequila or two.
Speaking of tequila, it’s the
104th anniversary of the Mexican
revolution this week. We recently
got word of the Tequila Fiesta
Mexicana coming up on Saturday,
November 22nd at Hotel Puerto de
Luna, located next to the Fluvial
entrance in the Hotel Zone. This is
shaping up to be QUITE the gourmet
fiesta, featuring a 5-course Mexican
Revolutionary meal prepared by
Chef Ramiro Lopez and uniquely
served a la carte, at your table. The
meal features the fiesta favorites of
the who’s who of Mexican heroes,
including Pancho Villa and Emiliano
Z apata. True to the name, there will
also be tequila tastings as well as
cocktails included with your ticket.
Todd Ringness
There will be entertainment (Charro
cowboys and folkloric dancing) and
a costume contest with free cooking
classes from Chef Lopez for the most
authentic revolutionaries… Viva
Mexico! Tequila Fiesta Mexicana
tickets are only US $44 and are
available now at VallartaTickets.com
or at Hotel Puerto de Luna.
The Red Room Cabaret opens
this week for its second season of
quality entertainment.
Located
inside the Stages center at the corner
of Basilio Badillo and Insurgentes,
the Red Room is home to Vallarta
Tickets’ biggest selling artist of last
season: Kim Kuzma (she opens
Sunday, November 23rd). This week
you can catch Dwight Blake in his
return to the Red Room on Thursday,
November 20th. Dwight is a talented
singer, songwriter, composer, and
pianist who especially delights the
ladies with his high-energy Motown
and Sir Elton John tributes; this is a
GREAT girls night out :-) Dwight is
described by one fan as “a musician
with a beautiful smile, a loving
spirit and a great talent.” Tickets
range from only US $18 to $23 at
VallartaTickets.com.
After Monday’s 15th season
opener featuring Spencer Day, and
the opening of Greater Tuna, The
Palm Cabaret welcomes “America’s
Gaysian Sweetheart”, Alec Mapa,
on Friday, November 21st, in his
Baby Daddy show. Ellen Degeneres
has called Alec, “Smart, hilarious and
funny.” And Variety has said, “Alec
Mapa is a freak. No one should be
this talented.” Alec’s career was
launched with his performance in
the Tony Award winning production
of M. Butterfly, and he has guest
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
starred on over 40 TV series with
two recurring roles as Vern on
ABC’s Desperate Housewives, and
Suzuki St. Pierre on Ugly Betty. With
creds like that, this is an act worth
checking out. Tickets range from
US $23 to $28 and are on sale now at
VallartaTickets.com.
I think it’s time to talk turkey. In
a few sleeps, many of us honorary
and actual Americans are going to
be dining out or trying to whip up
a homemade turkey dinner as we
celebrate thankfulness. It seems
to me that every year, those who
are determined to stay home and
nostalgia up in the cocina are usually
in a flap about finding a tasty turkey
for the dinner table.
So here’s a little inside tip from
your man about town. Last month,
my wife Sandra Gaye and I were
in the new-last-season frozen meat
store on the south side searching
out the very elusive delicacy for our
Canadian Thanksgiving experience.
Pollo galore at the Carne Mart. Pavo?
Not so much. So we asked… well,
okay… remember that I am the MAN
about town… so my wife asked for
directions to a frozen turkey. Turns
out they have them, but they were
tucked away in the back. Now given
that the day was winding down and
we were at T-minus 5 or 6 hours, we
hadn’t left much time to thaw much
of anything. So for us, in a desperate
Canadian pinch, it was Turkey HAM
for delicious homemade sandwiches
(on gourmet bolillos of course!)
Don’t you be the victim of toolate-for-turkey on T-Day… get the
real thing before they are all gobbled
gobbled up :-) And blessings upon
you!
Todd Ringness
Along with his wife Sandra Gaye are the
founders of Vallarta Tickets, a Canadian
online ticketing agency serving the
Banderas Bay region and beyond. You can
usually see this man about town, or you
can email: Todd@VallartaTickets.com
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“Nunsense …On Vacation
in Vallarta”
Can acting
be taught?
The
W
The Barber of Seville
at Teatro Vallarta
In
its 3rd consecutive opera season,
Teatro Vallarta has already presented Verdi’s
Macbeth, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro
and Bizet’s Carmen; the series will continue
on selected Saturdays during the 2014-15
season, until April.
Thanks to state-of-the-art audio and
video broadcast technology, The Met: Live
in HD broadcasts offer audiences a unique
experience of enjoying the best virtual seat in
the house, along with interviews with cast and
crew, as well as glimpses behind the scenes
during intermissions.
hat does one do when the charges under
you up and drown? That is the position Mother
Mary is in in the hit play NUNSENSE... On
Vacation in Vallarta. It seems the insistent
Mother Mary wanted her charges to experience
the Banana Boat ride off the new pier. Lo and
behold, four Sisters drowned! What is she to
do? There is no money to bury them so she
stows them in a freezer at Nacho Daddy. They
approach Boutique Theatre who have a play
being rehearsed there and ask for an evening
to present the Sisters of Hoboken’s plight to
raise funds for the burial. Chaos ensues as the
Sisters try to make Mother Mary happy.
If you are coming for dinner, come hungry!
The fillet is mouth-watering and very tender
as is the chicken breast. Add a salad and
Key Lime pie for desert and you will have a
happy tummy lasting you through the evening.
Drinks and gratuities are extra. Come and
enjoy a wonderful evening of food, fun and
frolic. Tickets are available online at our
website www.boutiquetheatre.org or directly
at www.vallartatickets.com
The box office at Nacho Daddy’s is open
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 287 Basilio Badillo.
At 12 noon on Saturday, November 22nd,
Teatro Vallarta will present Gioacchino Rossini’s
The Barber of Seville starring Isabel Leonard
as the feisty Rosina, Lawrence Brownlee as her
conspiring flame, and Christopher Maltman as
the endlessly resourceful and charming barber.
Michele Mariotti conducts the score.
N.B.: One hour prior to each transmission,
you may want to attend a free lecture presented
by Vallarta Lifestyles Managing Editor, Paco
Ojeda, to know all about the opera you’re about
to see, its composer, its history, etc. Always
fascinating! www.teatrovallarta.com
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
answer is yes. Acting can
be taught and learned. Fine acting
demands a rare combination of talent,
intelligence, imagination. A good
voice is a bonus, as is emotional depth
and understanding. It is within this
balance and combination of talents
that acting becomes Art.
Acting is taught and learned
by doing.
This 3-dimensional
adventure will open new talents and
understanding of the human animal.
Your primary instrument is your voice
and body. No matter the age or the
physical capability you too can be on
stage and experience these wonderful
feelings.
Boutique Theatre’s Artistic Director,
Karrie Sebryk MA, will be conducting
classes starting Monday, November
17th at 11 a.m. at the Boutique Theatre
located upstairs at 287 Basilio Badillo.
The classes will be 90 minutes long and
run Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Fridays for two weeks. Fees are
$500 pesos and will be refunded if one
completes the course and auditions for
one of the many plays being cast in
Puerto Vallarta this year.
Come join the group of happy
thespians as they bring joy and
laughter to the public.
Call (322) 192-4616 or email:
karrie@boutiquetheatre.org
for more info.
ISSUE
316
The 7 Arts
Love Letters
Starring world renowned actors Linda Purl and Gregory Harrison, Love Letters
will be performed for two shows only: December 5th and 6th in the Main Stage
Theater at Act II Entertainment at 8 p.m. Special preferred seating plus tickets
now on sale at the box office or online at www.vallartatickets.com Preferred plus
seats include 2 drinks, seating in the first five rows and the catered after party with
the actors. $500. pesos. Seating is limited. General admission seats are 300 pesos.
Love Letters - The piece is
comprised of letters exchanged
over a lifetime between two people
who grew up together, went their
separate ways, but continued to
share confidences. As the actors
read the letters aloud, what is
created is an evocative, touching,
frequently funny but always telling
pair of character studies in which
what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down.
Gregory Harrison, actor and producer, is best known for his roles on Trapper
John, M.D.(1979), Los Colmillos del Infierno (1984) and Au Pair (1999) and
countless other television shows and movies.
Linda Purl is known to audiences as Ashley Pfister, Fonzie’s fiancée on Happy
Days, Charlene Matlock, Andy Griffith’s daughter on Matlock and more
recently from recurring roles opposite Gregory Harrison on Reckless, also True
Blood, The Office as Helene Beasley and the Golden Globe Award winning
series Homeland, as Elizabeth Gaines. She has starred in over 45 made-for-TV
movies and countless Broadway shows.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
19
20
Health Matters
ISSUE
316
Does dark chocolate
help your heart?
For a healthy mouth…
By
A
•
Avoid sticky, sugary food. The hardest
foods to remove from your teeth are the ones that
cling when you chew. Think raisins, granola bars,
or sticky candy. Sugary and starchy foods are some
of the most harmful to teeth, too. If sugar is not
removed from your teeth shortly after you eat it,
plaque uses it to help create tooth decay.
•
Go to the dentist. How often you have to
go will depend in part on how well you care for
your teeth. Most people have to visit only twice
a year. It’s key to have someone who knows teeth
keep tabs on yours. See your dentist and dental
hygienist on a regular basis, so they can look for
signs of disease.
In Puerto Vallarta, the JustSmiles clinic is located
at 311 Basilio Basilio, Tel.: 223-0505. The new
JustSmiles clinic in Bucerías, Nayarit, is located
at 600-1 Heroe de Nacozari in Plaza Riviera,
Tel.: 01 (329) 298-2591. Toll free number from
the U.S. & Canada: 1 (866) 208-8670. Email:
atencionaclientes@justsmiles.com.mx Web page:
justsmiles.com.mx
Dr. Martín Guillén Calderón
Is General Director of JUSTSMILES® Dental Clinics. He
specializes in reconstruction and implants. A dental
technician, he graduated from the Faculty of Odontology of
the University of Guadalajara. He is certified in Restorative
Odontology by the University Center of La Costa (USA),
Implantology & Oral Rehabilitation by the Independent
University of Puebla, and Oral Implantology by the University
of Loma Linda, California. He has also followed courses on
Dental Implants in New York and on Odontology Restorative
and Dental Aesthetics at the U. of Pennsylvania.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Marc Gillinov, M.D.
and Steven Nissen, M.D.
The average American already consumes
Dr. Martin Guillen
healthy mouth is one that can perform normal
duties with good aesthetics, nice breath and most
importantly: it must be disease free.
Gum disease is one of the principal causes of
tooth loss. Known as periodontal disease, it is a
severe bacterial disease that destroy the gums and
the bone that protects and holds the tooth.
This disease is caused by dental plaque. Plaque
is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria and sugars that
constantly forms on our teeth. It is the main cause
of cavities and gum disease, and can harden into
tartar if not removed daily.
Everyone develops plaque because bacteria are
constantly forming in our mouths. These bacteria
use ingredients found in our diet and saliva to grow.
Plaque causes cavities when the acids from plaque
attack teeth after eating. With repeated acid attacks,
the tooth enamel can break down and a cavity may
form. Plaque that is not removed can also irritate
the gums around your teeth, leading to gingivitis
(red, swollen, bleeding gums), periodontal disease
and tooth loss.
It’s easy to prevent plaque build-up with proper
care. Make sure to:
•
Brush thoroughly at least twice a day
with a fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque from
all surfaces of your teeth. Make sure you get to
all the areas of your mouth with your toothbrush,
including teeth, gums, tongue, and the insides of
your cheeks. In general, the process should take
about 2 minutes.
•
Floss daily to remove plaque from between
your teeth and under your gum line, where your
toothbrush may not reach. If you have a tough time
reaching certain parts of your mouth to floss, ask
your dentist about interdental brushes, floss aides,
or water- or air-flossing devices.
•
Use a mouth rinse. Know your terms:
mouth rinse and mouthwash are two different
things. Mouthwash is used to freshen breath.
However, an antiseptic mouth rinse actually helps
reduce the bacterial load found in plaque. Using
mouth rinse prevents plaque build-up more than
just brushing and flossing alone. We suggest a
30-second swish twice each day as part of your
tooth-cleaning routine.
By
November - 2014
14 pounds of chocolate per year.
When it comes to chocolate and the heart,
the focus is on the dark stuff. Small, shortterm studies suggest dark chocolate has some
potential heart health benefits, including
decreased blood pressure and blood clotting,
increased blood vessel health, and improved
LDL cholesterol.
Of these, chocolate’s effect on blood pressure
has gotten the most attention. In most studies,
short-term use of dark chocolate causes blood
vessels to expand, which in turn modestly
reduces blood pressure. A study of heart
transplant recipients also found that blood
flow to the heart increased after eating dark
chocolate. But we don’t really know if this
translates into a long-term health benefit.
Chocolate may lower your diabetes risk,
too: Dark chocolate is rich in a group of
antioxidants called flavanols - believed to be
the “active” ingredient that confers chocolate’s
cardiovascular
advantage.
Experimental
studies demonstrate several potential benefits
of flavanols, including lowering blood pressure
and reducing blood clotting.
But there’s a catch: Neither the color of the
chocolate nor the cocoa content (frequently
touted on the packaging) necessarily correlates
with its flavanol content. Flavanols impart a
bitter taste, so manufacturers often remove
them when processing the cocoa. Because
flavanols may be the most important health
feature of chocolate, we’d like to see them
listed on packaging but manufactures aren’t
likely to share this information anytime soon.
Here’s our verdict: In small amounts, chocolate
can be part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. But don’t
forget about the calories. A standard chocolate bar
contains 200 to 300 calories. And a single piece
of premium chocolate can have up to 70 calories.
So, enjoy your dark chocolate in moderation.
Marc Gillinov, M.D., and Steven Nissen, M.D.,
are the authors of Heart 411: The Only Guide
to Heart Health You’ll Ever Need
(Three Rivers Press). Both are affiliated
with the Cleveland Clinic.
ISSUE
316
Attention Deficit
and Addiction
By
The
Giselle Belanger
chances of developing an
addiction goes way up for people with
ADD and “untreated ADD, is one of
the leading causes of substance abuse
in America today”. Studies of adults
with ADD have found: a) co-occurring
alcohol abuse disorders at rates
ranging from 17% to 45%, b) drug
abuse or dependence at rates ranging
from 9% to 30%. As surprising as this
may seem, studies have shown that
people with ADD are a) “more likely
to develop a substance abuse problem
at a younger age, b) more likely to
require lifetime substance abuse
treatment and c) more likely to develop
prolonged substance abuse problems
throughout life.” However, the good
news is, “medication treatment of
ADD reduces the risks of substance
abuse by 85% amongst teen patients
with ADD.” (John Lee, Editor. “Why
ADD/ADHD Increases the Odds of
Addiction – And How to Get Better”,
June 21, 2011: web page: http://
www.choosehelp.com/mental-health/
why-add-adhd-increases-the-odds-ofaddiction-and-what-to-do.html)
I am no longer surprised at the
number of alcoholic/addicts that I see
in therapy who have an underlying
undiagnosed, untreated, ADD. It is so
sad to imagine all of the years they
have suffered not only from their
addiction but from the frustration
of having something else wrong
that caused them to feel different,
worthless, anxious, or depressed.
Just imagine how many of the adult
alcoholics and addicts actively using,
or walking into a 12-step program, or
into therapy, are part of that 85% of
undiagnosed teens with ADD!! Think
about that!
RN, LCSW
Brain function impaired
Frontal lobe impairment: There
has been a great deal of research
done revealing that brain function
of persons with ADD is impaired,
particularly in the frontal lobe. Many
of their symptoms are very similar to
people with closed head brain injury.
The frontal lobe is responsible for a)
“sequencing” handle information in
a sequential step by step manner, b)
“drive” ability to accomplish tasks,
c) “executive control” or social
appropriateness; a loss of this leads to
blurting out comments, impulsivity,
and distractibility. The ability to
logically organize and plan behavior,
which enable you to set and achieve
goals is impaired. Considering
the possible consequence of one’s
behavior and preventing “runaway”
emotional responses is a function of
the frontal lobe. Basically, frontal
lobe impairment affects attention,
impulse, and thinking capacity.
Dopamine deficiency: There is very
strong evidence which links dopamine
receptor deficiency (receptor D2)
to many behavioral abnormalities
including addiction (alcohol/drugs/
sex/pathological gambling), food
binging, and attention deficit. What
a double whammy! Growing up with
attention deficit and then developing
addictions all because of the same
dopamine deficiency in the brain!!
One research study revealed that
“52% of cocaine addicts” and “49%
of children with Attention Deficit”
had the abnormal dopamine receptor
D2 present. (Sudderth, David &
Kandel, Joseph. (1997) Adult ADD:
The Complete Handbook. New York,
NY. Three Rivers Press. pg 31)
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
Dopamine is the neuro chemical
responsible for reward or “feel
good” sensory response in the brain.
Therefore, if dopamine is released in
lesser amounts in the brains of those
with ADD/ADHD, causing them
a lessened ability to feel “normal
pleasure”, then it is completely
understandable and even expected
that they would seek out normal
pleasure levels through intoxication
or thrill seeking behaviors, which
increase the amount of dopamine
released in the brain.
Increased Norepinephrine: There
is also research supporting the idea
that another part of the brain called the
“locus coeruleus”, a group of neurons
located in the brainstem responsible
for norepinephrine release, may be
firing at an increased rate. This causes
sensory overload; too many thoughts
at once and the inability to sort or
filter them and focus.
Self-medicate
It is no surprise that undiagnosed and
therefore untreated individuals with
attention deficit would turn to cocaine
and marijuana to self-medicate. The
cocaine is a stimulant, which causes
increased dopamine release and the
marijuana slows down the rapid firing
of thoughts and helps concentration.
It is no wonder that most of
the current treatment for ADD is
stimulant-type
medications
like
“Ritalin”, “Adderall”, and “Concerta”,
which increase the dopamine levels.
Needless to say, these are much more
effective and safer than cocaine.
November - 2014
Health Matters
21
“Clonidine” (sustained release) is
used to specifically treat the rapid
firing of norepinephrine, achieving
a much safer and effective result
than marijuana. It is often used in
combination with the stimulants
mentioned above because it has a
calming effect enabling the person to
control their thoughts, impulses, and
sleep disorders.
One man with severe ADD says that
the constant stimuli is so distracting
that if he didn’t smoke marijuana
before he started his day, he wouldn’t
be able to drive because he’d be so
distracted, he’d have an accident for
sure. He not only has justified his
chronic long-term marijuana use, he
knows that it helps.
NOTE: Of course, absolutely do
NOT advocate the use of marijuana
or other illicit drugs to self-medicate
attention deficit (or depression and
other mental health issues). There are
too many unknown and uncontrolled
factors causing major health risks,
and unsafe mixtures and dosing,
and therefore inconstant effects on
the brain. (http://psychcentral.com/
lib/2010/adhd-and-marijuana/) This
is extremely dangerous!! Please seek
proper medication treatment.
Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW (psychotherapist) is available
for appointments in person, by phone,
or by skype webcam. Contact info:
ggbelangerpv@gmail.com Mex cell: 044
(322) 138-9552 or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
Health Matters
22
By
ISSUE
316
management for chemicals, growing,
harvesting,
transportation
and
storage.
Because organic growers don’t
use the same amounts of harmful
pesticides on their crops, they have
to look for other, manual methods of
controlling pests and diseases.
Small-scale local business
With few exceptions, organic
producers are operating and
marketing small local businesses,
which takes a significant amount of
Krystal Frost
The price of rice
A
lovely Mexican lady, mother
of 2 adolescents, came into the
Organic Select store last week. She
asked about the price of the organic
brown rice, which is about 50% more
expensive then the white commercial
rice at the super. She clearly was
interested in feeding her sons the best
food she could afford, and left with a
basket of goods. She asked... Why is
organic food more expensive..?
Let’s take a look at what they say
about organic agriculture…
There are many explanations and
definitions for organic agriculture,
but all seem to agree that it is a system
that relies on ecosystem management
rather than external industrial input.
It is a system that begins to consider
potential environmental and social
impacts by eliminating the use
of synthetics, such as synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary
drugs, genetically modified seeds
and breeds, preservatives, additives
and irradiation. These practices are
replaced with site-specific, many
times
traditional,
management
practices that maintain and increase
long-term soil fertility and prevent
pest and diseases.
Time is Money
Much of organic pricing can be
attributed to time issues. Time is
money after all, and organic growers
spend a lot more time on their crops
than conventional growers. The
organic price tag more closely
reflects the true cost of growing the
food, substituting labor and intensive
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
money and time. However, while
large companies often have set
marketing budgets and people who do
the marketing work for them, smaller
operations often do marketing on
their own and on a very low budget which can take some juggling of hats
and creativity.
Small companies, with or
without budgets, still have to pay
for consumer education, print ads,
business websites and more. Cheap synthetics
Organic food producers don’t use
the readily available cheap additives,
artificial
flavors,
enhancers,
texturizers, oils and preservatives
than industrial food producers do.
There’s a long list of known harmful
ingredients not acceptable in organic
foods, (many of which are linked to
cancer, heart disease, Alzhemer’s,
diabetes, obesity, etc.)
Organic
producers must use wholesome,
less available and more expensive
ingredients instead. Of course it
costs less to use synthetic food items,
so industrial food companies get
a real financial break that organic
companies do not.
Unfair subsidies
We don’t want to point any fingers...
November - 2014
and clearly these unfair subsidies are
not bound by borders, but having
said that… In most cases, subsidies
are very specifically geared towards
large-scale agribusiness operations,
not smaller, or even mid-sized organic
farms. When a crop does receive a
subsidy, it lowers the cost consumers
must pay for the end food item. Since
conventional food gets the bulk of
subsidies, organic prices seem higher
than they are because conventional
food prices are way lower than
they should be. In fact, American
taxpayers spent over $260 Billion in
agricultural subsidies, with most of
these subsidies given to the largest
farming operations in the United
States. Worse, most subsidies were
used to finance commodity crops
such as corn and soybeans that are
often processed into food additives
like high fructose corn syrup and
vegetable oil to be used in junk
food. Pointedly, the big bucks get
the big bucks. And I will add here: the
big bucks are getting into the organic
growing big time ...and paying big
time legislating to get laws passed
to EASE up on the Organic USDA
stamp! Maybe you heard about the
food packaging labelling dilemma.
Anyway, my answer is to EAT
LESS and EAT BETTER quality
locally grown foods.
Why would we support a huge
industrial food giant selling us
imported and subsidized food
products when we can support local
farmers and families?
That’s my question...
Krystal Frost
Is a long time resident of Puerto Vallarta.
Graduate of University of Guadalajara,
and specialized in cosmetic acupuncture
at Bastyr University in Washington State.
She is the owner of Body & Sol for over
15 years where she practices traditional
Chinese medicine, acupuncture, massage
therapy, yoga, meditation and nutritional
counseling. She has created healing
programs for individuals, retreats and
spas. Questions and comments may be
directed to organic-select@hotmail.com
ISSUE
316
By
Anna Reisman
We still don’t know what the
City has in store for us this month
as we haven’t received any notices
from them at the Mirror… as usual.
Mexico’s Día de la Revolución is
really on the 20th but the official
day off is the previous Monday,
i.e.: the 17th this year. I guess
they don’t want the long weekend
to be any longer than necessary,
as it would be if they had to give
workers Thursday and Friday off.
The beautiful parade will probably
take place on the 20th like always,
when working locals are enclosed
in their offices, unable to participate
or even see it…
I had a wonderful time, picking up
a good friend at the airport, eating
at my favorite spots with him, etc.
etc… until Monday, when the skies
decided that Vallarta needed more
rain, continuous rain until Tuesday
night!
In my more than twenty years
here, I don’t remember ever getting
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
so much rain in November.
I just felt bad for the
tourists, like I always do.
But they did wake up to
beautiful clear blue skies
on Wednesday – despite
the weather warnings that
we’d be rained upon for
days on end.
It always reminds me of
the time my director at the
Tribune, when I worked
there, suggested we publish a
Weather Section. We got lots of
good laughs at that one…
Now I’m just looking forward to
all the fun things scheduled for the
next couple of weeks, starting with
the opera this weekend. They may
all be fundraisers for one or another
worthy non-profit organization, but
they’re such fun!
Janice Chatterton’s super duper
annual fundraiser for the SPCA’s
furries is scheduled for the 29th
of November, probably the most
elegant affair second only to the
Becas Ball in March. Do call
Hacienda San Angel if you’d like
to attend, I think there still are
some tickets available… Amazing
auction prizes! Just like at the
Becas Ball.
And then the Pet Picnic, the
delightful fundraiser at the Rio
Bar-B-Q for Colina Spay & Neuter
November - 2014
Vallarta Voices
23
Clinic, Bingo games every
Wednesday afternoon, a whole
week more of the International
Gourmet Festival, and so on
until April! Loads of events
to look forward to…
Oh, before I forget, it
appears that the City is finally
going to fix the steps leading
down to the Isla Cuale, the
ones that crumbled due to a
fatal case of osteoporosis!
Yes, really! Our friend Denise
Deramee of banderasnews.com
wrote: “The executive project
will require an investment of over
$1,5 Million pesos in a plan that
includes a ramp for easy access
to the island for seniors, people
with disabilities, and families with
young children in strollers... the
financial resources to perform the
work are already being managed
by the municipal government…
The Rio Cuale Island is home to
about 35 established businesses
including restaurants, clothing and
artisan stores, as well as dozens of
permanent vendor stands.” Now
wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Gotta go. I have very little else
to share that’s worth sharing –
for now. Viva México! Viva la
Revolución! sheis@ymail.com
24
Gil Gevins’ Page
ISSUE
316
SAVING SIRI
By
The
Gil Gevins
scream, a flesh-prickling
gut-wrenching shriek, came from the
general direction of the bathroom.
In the middle of making a pot of
my award-winning Happy-Bowels
Oatmeal™, I was frozen in mid-stir
by that terrible sound, which could
have emanated from the lovely throat
of only one person - my wife.
The gluten-free dairy-free fat-free
steel-cut oats (with honey, pears,
bananas, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon,
blueberries and blackberries) would
have to wait. Setting down my prized
tablespoon (borrowed from the Plaza
Hotel in New York City in 1986), I
flew to the bathroom door, my chest
churning with dread.
“Honey,” I cried, “are you all
right?”
“No,” Lucy replied, “I am not all
right. I just dropped my cell phone in
the toilet. What should I do?”
Sighing with relief, I said, “Well,
that depends, honey. Were you
making number one, or number two?”
In a Universe where everything
seems to be connected to everything
else, there is surely no room for
coincidence. And yet, what other
word could describe the fact that
not forty-eight hours earlier I’d been
reading a helpful techie column in the
local paper, entitled, “What To Do If
Your Cell Phone Falls In the Toilet”.
“One or two?” Lucy said. “Does it
matter?”
“Not to the phone,” I replied
knowledgably. “Okay. First, you need
to fish the phone from the feces.”
“There weren’t any feces! And I
already did. It’s in the sink.”
“The sink? The sink where we
brush our teeth?”
“I’ll clean the sink later. What do I
do now?”
“Okay. Next, wipe the phone with a
clean paper towel.”
“I did.”
“God, you’re efficient. Is that why
I married you? Okay. Next, open the
phone and remove the battery and
SIM card.”
At this time we removed ourselves
as well, to the kitchen, where Lucy
placed several layers of clean paper
towel atop the counter.
“All right, honey,” I said, “now you
are supposed to bury the open phone,
along with the battery and the SIM
card in a bowl of ordinary rice.”
Lucy opened the cupboard and,
unbelievably, removed a bag of my
imported California Brown Rice.
“Wait a minute! That’s my imported
California Brown Rice. Don’t use
that! Use the cheap stuff, that Uncle
Pedro’s Converted Crap!”
“We don’t have any white rice,”
Lucy said, pouring a kilo of my
precious imported grain into a doggy
bowl.
Obtaining good brown rice in
Mexico, I should point out, is far
from easy. Locally, it is called arroz
integral, and it is just not up to the
job. Interestingly, the disparity
in quality between domestic and
imported brown rice is precisely
analogous to the quality-gap between
Mexican wines and California wines;
or between Mexican cannabis and
California cannabis. Like Mexican
wine, Mexican brown rice is a little
short in the robustness and bouquet
departments, and lacks altogether that
wonderful “nuttiness” which makes
‘California Brown’, as we like to call
it, such a treat.
“Honey,” I told my wife, “I’m just
not entirely convinced that using my
imported brown rice to sop the toilet
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
water out of your cell phone is the
way to go here. Don’t we have any of
that Basmati Yellow?”
“No, we ate it all with the chicken
curry.”
“Then how about the Cambodian
Red you were saving for your
birthday?”
“It’s from Bhutan, not Cambodia,”
Lucy corrected me, as she prepared to
inter the tainted electronic parts in the
brown rice-filled doggy bowl. “But
don’t worry,” she smiled, “after the
phone’s dry, I’ll disinfect the rice so
you can still eat it.”
“Disinfect it?”
“So,” Lucy said, once she’d
successfully immersed the phone,
“how long do we have to leave it
there?”
“One week.”
Lucy’s face clouded with spousal
doubt. In what recondite corner, I
knew she was thinking, of that non
compos mentis, has he been storing
all this technical data? Is this the
same man who requires the assistance
of his eight year-old godson to turn
off the alarm clock?
Then the cat walked in, gently
holding in her jaws a long skinny
snake. The cat and the snake were
followed by Rosa, our longtime
maid. Rosa, frowning with fear, was
carrying an ominous-looking manila
folder under her arm. The folder, I
soon learned, contained the deed to
her house. Rosa wanted to use her
home as collateral for a loan of twenty
thousand pesos, which happened to
be the amount her nefarious nephew
had charged to Rosa’s credit card
while pursuing a poorly conceived
scheme involving the purchase and
resale of expensive cell phones.
Rosa was desperate. They were
threatening to take away her house. I
was her only hope. Etc.
Meanwhile, Cee Cee the cat had
grown bored with the snake (who
had wisely decided to “play dead”),
dumping the seemingly inert serpent in
the corner by the kitchen table, where
she could keep it under a loose watch.
“Let’s sit down and talk this over,”
I told Rosa.
November - 2014
Torn between her urgent need for
the loan, and her fear of the snake,
Rosa bit her lip and sat down. I was
certain that the snake was harmless.
Nonetheless, it was under the table,
and it was a snake.
“Isn’t that your special brown
rice?” Rosa asked in alarm. “Why is
it just sitting out like that? Should I
put it away?” Rosa got up, eying the
snake.
“No, forget the rice, Rosa. Let’s
discuss your situation.”
Rosa sat down. The snake made a
tentative move towards the door. Cee
Cee sprang. The snake froze. Lucy
went off to rid her hands of residual
toilet germs.
“But why is the rice just sitting
there?” Rosa persisted, her eyes
locked on the snake.
“Lucy dropped her cell phone into
the toilet,” I explained with disgust.
“And then, to dry it off, she buried it
in my imported brown rice!”
“No!” Rosa exclaimed in horror.
“Yes! And I won’t even get into
whether she was making number one
or number two at the time.”
“No!”
“Yes! And after the phone’s dry, she
expects me to eat the rice!”
“No!”Rosa crossed herself. Then,
lowering her voice, she said, “Don’t
do it, señor Gil. Don’t eat that rice!”
Gil Gevins
Is the author of four hilarious books,
including the cult-classic, PUERTO
VALLARTA ON 49 BRAIN CELLS A DAY,
and his latest and greatest, SLIME AND
PUNISHMENT. Signed copies of all Gil’s
books are available at LUCY’S CUCU
CABAÑA, located at 295 Basilio Badillo;
or as E-Books on Amazon.
ISSUE
316
Ask Luis
By
Luis Melgoza
Dear Luis: You don’t have Internet
coverage to my location, Telmex
Infinitum is my only choice and I’m
at the end of my rope with them!
Most of the day I only get two bars
when I’m working even though their
modem is only one room away. At
those times, my speed barely gets to
1 Mbps download and 0.45 Mbps
upload (yes, that 0.45!) Even when
I get all bars the speed is just over 2
Mbps download, and never over 0.65
Mbps upload. I’m supposed to get 10
Mbps download.
Their technicians have come at least
six different times and they insist that
everything is as good as it gets.
Is there any way to improve this or to
have Telmex correct it? I’ve been told
that PROFECO doesn’t take complaints
against utilities, is this true?
Dear Jeff: PROFECO (Spanish
acronym for Mexico’s Consumer
Protection Agency), does accept
complaints against Telmex, indeed.
To validate your claim, you should
test your ISP speed from a desktop or
laptop computer connected directly to
their modem with an ethernet cable —
WiFi speed is lower than wired speed.
You should make at least four tests,
one after the other and saving your
results, to your ISP’s nearest server
in www.speedtest.net (in the case of
Telmex Infinitum, their PV server is
Triara). Repeat the set of four tests
at least two more times at different
hours (morning, mid-afternoon and
evening). Although, this won’t really
tell you your true speed, particularly
in the case of Telmex because their
Triara speed testing servers are very
slow, this will help you document
your claim. Telmex’s upload speeds
are supposed to be 0.5 to 0.7 Mbps
by design.
You should also test your speed to
Pavlov Media’s server in Phoenix,
AZ, Telecable’s in Puerto Vallarta
and Cablevisión Red in Zapopan (all
three better tuned than Triara’s). You
should include results from these
servers in your complaint too.
Regarding
the
poor
WiFi
connectivity (less than all bars). WiFi
speed is inversely proportional to
the distance and obstacles between
devices, and, Telmex Infinitum’s
modems only cover about 30 ft. (10
m) and they are not engineered to
go through concrete walls, floors or
ceilings (these are Chinese made
products developed for the US
residential market with its mostly
drywall and sheetrock). Your Telmex
modem should be located where you
use it most of the time. Alternatively,
you could purchase a commercial
grade or carrier class access point
(the residential types sold by retailers
throughout North America are the
same and, just as Telmex’s modems,
are not engineered for concrete and
rebar constructions, much less for
tropical weather).
The access points we carry and
install, for example, are modified
exclusively for us by their
manufacturer, specifically for our
weather and construction types
(which is why we can guarantee
their performance for 3 years), for
example. These access points are
100% US made, by the way.
For general information, there are
five basic parts of perceived Internet
speed:
1. Quality of the cable connecting
you to your ISP and length of that
cable (in the case of Telmex, Telecable
and CosmoRed; for PVGeeks this is
not an issue, since we connect our
clientele wirelessly to us).
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
2. The actual speed of your LAN
(Local Area Network: any devices
connected with ethernet cable within
your home or business) and WLAN
(Wireless Local Area Network:
devices connected via WiFi within
your home or business). Depending
on your devices network cards, the
actual LAN speed may be 10 Mbps,
100 Mbps or 1 Gbps (recent model
computer may support 1 Gbps
ethernet connections, with Cat-6
ethernet cable —the more common
CAT-5 and CAT-5e cables support a
maximum 100 Mbps throughput—.
Maximum cable length in all cases
should not exceed 300 ft./ 100 m.).
Many Telmex modems only support
up to 54 Mbps WLAN speed, while
some more recent models deployed
by them can handle up to 300 Mbps
WLAN speed. So, even if you have
a very old computer capable of only
10 Mbps ethernet speed, neither your
computer , nor Telmex’s modem
should decrease your perceived
Internet speed.
3. Capacity,
or
bandwidth,
available to your ISP at their
connection to the Internet backbone.
This is where Telmex is seriously
lacking, they don’t have enough
capacity to serve their existing client
base and this is why they are no longer
offering Internet service to some
new clients (with the new Telecom
laws, they don’t seem to have any
intentions to increase capacity, just to
let competitors use it for free later on).
November - 2014
Legal Matters
25
4. Internet proper speed: The
Internet is a loose, mostly unregulated,
network of servers. Connections from
point A must go through random
routes, some slower than others, to
reach point B, the return trip may take
a completely different route.
5. Target
host
(server)
capabilities, in terms of processor,
LAN and connection to the backbone
speeds, RAM, quality of storage
devices (hard drives), redundancy
and automatic-failover design and
fine tuning.
Again,
PROFECO
accepts
complaints against Telmex and has
fined them with millions of pesos.
Send me your questions to
askluis@pvgeeks.com, I am not able
to answer each message privately due
to the volume of mail I receive. I do
not take legal cases, I am retired from
the practice of Law.
Luis Melgoza
Is a former PRI (Mexico’s ruling party)
Head Counsel and Legal Adviser to the
Mexican Congress. Although retired
from the legal profession, he is a highly
respected consultant for both the foreign
and Mexican communities in Puerto
Vallarta. Luis’ PVGeeks is the premiere
wireless high-speed Internet provider in
Puerto Vallarta. For Internet service, you
can reach Luis at lumel@pvgeeks.com
26
Calendar / Directories
ISSUE
316
Solution to crossword on page 31
Solution to Sudoku on page 31
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
ISSUE
316
VIEWPOINT
By
Harriet Murray
Buyers worry about whether
HOA fees will go up
What do those condo fees include?
Common fees cover the expenses
outlined in the annual operating
budget of the condominium which
can be broadly described as follows:
- Administrative costs (professional
fees paid for the administration of
the condominium which also covers
staffing of the office)
- Office expense (office rent,
telephone, internet, fax, mail/
parcel expense, costs of repair and
replacement of office equipment,
office furniture, software etc.)
- Legal expenses (legal fees,
retainers, notary expenses, etc.)
Accounting
expenses
(professional fees for accounting,
financial analysis and audits)
- Wages, benefits, taxes, union fees
and social security expenses connected
with employees who service the
common
areas
(maintenance,
gardeners, security, etc.)
- Independent contractor expenses
(expenses of contracting services
from independent providers such
as painters, varnishers, gardeners,
electricians,
plumbers,
trash
hauling, erosion projects and other
projects required to maintain the
common elements, etc.)
- Costs of materials, supplies
tools and equipment needed to
provide maintenance, gardening
and security for the condos
- Maintenance of common
exterior lighting and common
electrical installations (including
office, street and hallway lighting,
water & sewage pumps)
- All common electricity expense
Costs
associated
with
maintaining our natural water
supply, water rights and water
delivery systems to the villas (but
not inside the villas); including
tubing, conduit, pumps, storage
tanks, testing, etc.
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
- Costs associated with sewage
systems; including sewage lines,
grey water, black water, treatment,
testing and compliance costs, etc.
- Maintenance of all common
area equipment, pumps, lines,
ducts, tubing, etc. which connect
to the individual units to deliver
plumbing,
electrical,
water
,telephone and gas services
(delivery to the unit but not inside
the unit)
Maintenance
of
halls,
passageways, sidewalks, steps,
interior roads, etc. leading to the units
- Maintenance of all common
areas/ common gardens
- Provision of security services
for the condo
- Maintenance of common
facilities, within the condominium
(maid’s room, guard house, office,
sheds, etc.)
- Maintenance of drainage and
water run off systems including
ducts, gutters, drains, etc.
- Routine maintenance of the
foundations and structural support
of the villas including erosion
containment
Ordinary
and
routine
maintenance of the exterior walls,
facades, roof tiles, and exterior
woodwork of all buildings as part of
a planned schedule of maintenance
defined by the administrator;
including prepping, painting and
varnishing of all exterior surfaces
and also including the railings and
November - 2014
Real Estate
27
woodwork on terraces or balconies
which are visible from the road or
from other units.
Ordinary and routine maintenance
does not mean that the condo
repairs or repaints anytime an
owner desires it, nor does it cover
major repairs or replacement of
masonry, woodwork or iron work
of a particular villa that that has
worn out over the years and needs
replacement or major repairs. It
also does not cover damage to any
of these elements caused by owner
neglect or accidents.
- Maintenance of anything else
that by its very essence or use is
common in nature
This article is based upon legal
opinions, current practices and my
personal experiences in the Puerto
Vallarta-Bahía de Banderas areas.
I recommend that each potential
buyer or seller conduct his own due
diligence and review.
Harriet Murray
Can be contacted at:
harriet@casasandvillas.com
28
Fish Tales
ISSUE
316
Finally, large Yellowfin Tuna
return to El Banco
By
I
Stan Gabruk
have deliberately not talked
much about El Niño conditions as
they existed this year because it can
be depressing to a guy like me. A
regular occurrence every 3 to 7 years,
El Niño sends warm currents farther
out to sea than normal. This means
our local fishing grounds can’t enjoy
the benefits of migrating Dorado or
Yellowfin tuna in our area. Fishing
reports from San Diego and even
Catalina have been full of Dorado
photos as well as Yellowfin Tuna who
thrive in warmer water temps. Just
looking at those reports got under my
skin with no relief as there is little
you can do about Mother Nature and
her ways. But it looks like El Niño is
pulling back, the water temperatures
up north have began cooling down
and we’re seeing our normal
Summer species return to the local
fishing grounds. This week, we’ve
seen large Yellowfin Tuna running
anywhere between 125 to 200 lbs. at
El Banco. For the moment YF Tuna
at Corbeteña is not happening, but
anything can change in a heartbeat,
and usually does. For those looking
to boat a trophy sized Yellowfin Tuna,
now is your chance.
(Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle)
After another week that witnessed
yet another hurricane pass PV, we’re
seeing larger Dorado and Yellowfin
Tuna return to the Bay of Banderas.
They may be late in the season, but
they’re here and we’re glad for that.
Since we’re talking about El Banco,
the Tuna turned up a few days ago
unannounced.
For the moment
there is no need to head to the Tres
Marias Islands and poach the islands
when you can find the same fish,
maybe a smidge smaller at El Banco.
That’s the good news, but other than
the occasional Marlin or Sailfish,
Yellowfin is the primary player around
the high spots. Dorado are just now
starting to move in so it’s hard to tell
the size ranges, but the ones boated
there recently have all been in the 30
to 40-lb range. If you’re targeting
larger Yellowfin, the only place to
find them for the moment is El Banco.
Locals speculate that there have been
no real visitors to El Banco and that
the lack of fishing boats in the area
could be one reason Yellowfin are
there now. Who knows? We’re just
plickeled Tink they’re back!
Since Corbeteña is only 25 miles to
the south, you’d think Yellowfin Tuna
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
would be here as well, but you’d be
like me - wrong! Now I’m not saying
YF Tuna are not on the way there
right now, I’m just saying yesterday
they weren’t there to be found, but
tomorrow is another day, amigo.
Still, if the draw of Black and Blue
Marlin gets your heart pounding then
you’re in luck. If you’re targeting
Marlin then Corbeteña has
been good for about 3 to 5being
boated per day, which is great
since we’re only seeing about
that many boats a day around
our world famous Corbeteña.
Dorado to 50 lbs. possible, but
the average is still between 35
and 40 lbs. Large and hungry
Sailfish, Cubera Snapper for the
bottom fishing guys, but don’t be
surprised if they take trolled bait.
Rainbow runners, a shot at Wahoo
and smaller Yellowfin in the 50-lb
range, but I expect this to change in
quick order. Perfect conditions with
blue water, plenty of bait and smooth
seas makes Corbeteña a primary
choice that will only get better by the
day.
El Moro and the Marieta Islands are
showing more signs of life. Sailfish
are moving back in, Dorado are
available in the 25-lb range, Rooster
fish have made an appearance around
El Moro and the Marieta Islands, but
don’t hold your breath. Skip Jack
tuna in the 30-lb range, Needle fish
and maybe some smaller Dorado,
if lucky. Compared to the point off
Punta Mita where Sailfish and Dorado
have been all but automatic, you’ll
have to make a morning decision as
both are toss-ups when determining
which is preferable.
The bay is great, Skip Jack Tuna are
abundant as are Bonito. If around the
Yelapa area for some reason there are
football sized Tuna to 50 lbs., Jack
Crevalle, small Dorado to 25 lbs. and
Sailfish around La Cruz round off the
bay fishing experience.
The water is blue, water temps are
perfect for every species we hope
for and the abundant bait in the form
of Flying fish, Goggle Eyes, Bullet
bonito and more ensure your fishing
November - 2014
day. Make sure you’re carrying
lures on your boat of rainbow colors
because Dorado are preferring lures
of yellow, pink or combination of
rainbow colors to live bait for some
reason. Marlin on the other hand are
only hitting Skip Jack Tuna or Bonito
baits, commonly grouped together as
¨chorras¨ - the only live bait working
for them. Naturally running at least
one lure is always a good idea, so give
it a shot. The bite should be happening
in the early morning hours, but the
cloud cover blocking the moon light
has messed with bite so for a few
days the bite was happening around
11 a.m. Now it looks like the bite is
stretching from 9 a.m. to about 2 p.m.
Wide open times I know, but if you
use this info, it can maximize your
fishing experience and help to make
sure you’re at the fishing grounds at
the right time. Hope this helps.
Until next time, don’t forget to kiss
your fish and remember: at Master
Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle “We
Won’t Jerk You Around!”
Master Baiter’s has changed
locations in Marina Vallarta,
now between docks A and B
on the boardwalk. Email your
questions to me at: CatchFish@
MasterBaiters.com.mx Web page:
www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , local
Phone at: (044) 322 779-7571 or if
roaming: 011 521 322 779-7571 cell
phone direct. Facebook: http://www.
facebook.com/pages/Master-BaitersSportfishing-Tackle/88817121325
The trade name Master Baiter’s ®
Sportfishing and Tackle is protected
under trade mark law and is the sole
property of Stan Gabruk.
ISSUE
316
To Touch or Not?
T
he most common question I
get these days when clients ask for
advice on buying their next laptop is,
“should I spend the extra money and
get a touch screen?” Well, the short
answer is the same as it is for “how
much RAM?” or “how powerful a
processor should I get?” It depends
on what you want to do with the new
computer.
As far as full disclosure goes, I
must admit my most recent laptop
purchase does have a touchscreen.
But do I use it? Not really. The
model I settled on just happened
to have a touchscreen. It certainly
was not on my “must have” list of
options.
To be honest, I’m a bit OCD
already as far as working on a clean
computer screen goes.
Greasy smears are the complaint
of every smartphone and tablet user
- and I am constantly cleaning my
iPhone screen to remove smudges.
It’s no different if you’re constantly
touching a computer screen. Getting
out the microfiber cloth more often
is a hassle.
Now touch screens have been
around for a long time in restaurants,
hotels and of course ATM’s. But for
many years, these little wonders were
very expensive and often running 3
or 4 times the cost of a comparable
regular screen cost. However,
as with all new technology, they
eventually make things smaller and
reduce the costs.
Fast forward to 2014 and tablets,
smart-phones with touch screen are
the norm. The cost of a touchscreen
has come down a lot the past couple
of years, to where it’s only one or two
hundred dollars more than the same
model without touch capabilities.
So... is a touchscreen something you
need or even want?
Depending on whom you talk to,
touch screen computers are either
the natural evolution of the PC or the
dumbest idea ever. On one side you
have Microsoft and Intel touting the
latest Windows 8 touch screen PCs
and on the other you have people
quoting the late Steve Jobs about
“touch” not belonging on laptops or
vertical displays. So who’s right?
In reality, both are right. As with
deciding on any other computer
feature, choosing to have a touch
screen or not is a matter of preference
and your needs.
Let’s take a look at the pros and
cons of touch screens on a computer
so you can make up your own mind
about them. Windows 8 was a BIG
change in the operating system and
was written to work very nicely
with a touchscreen. Hence the large
outcry from computer users who
only use a keyboard and mouse and
hate the Windows 8 interface.
Touchscreen is perfect for working
on a tablet or smart phone because
the screen is more convenient for
use with your hands than an upright
angle of a laptop or desktop screen.
I can already see a new strain of
carpal-tunnel syndrome looming on
the horizon - haha. There’s actually a
term already for the prolonged use of
vertical touch screens - Gorilla Arm!
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
If you’re continually holding up
your arm to point at a vertical display,
sure that’s going to hurt. However,
the truth is you’re probably not
going to be perpetually holding up
your arm. If you’re using a touch
screen desktop PC or laptop, you
might tap and swipe, then switch to
the keyboard and mouse, and back a sort of combo of the two types of
input methods.
One of the earliest criticisms about
touch screen PCs is that programs
and desktop windows are hard to
use with touch. The close button,
scrollbars, and other navigational
elements were too small and hard
to accurately hit. Windows 8 has
changed that to a big extent, with
things like the toolbars creating a
more touch-optimized interface in
desktop mode and of course, its new
full screen apps.
Another big reason as to why I
think touchscreen laptops won’t
become the norm yet is their power
usage. Touch screens require more
power. PC Magazine compared a
couple of touch screen laptops with
their non-touch counterparts (same
model and size) and found that the
non-touch laptops lasted over an
hour longer in terms of battery. This
is definitely something to keep in
mind if you need as much battery
life as possible for your next laptop.
Just when we’re getting the
technology of laptop batteries to a
point where we can easily pass the
November - 2014
Hi-Tech
29
5 or 6-hour mark, BAM... they add
a feature like touch, to drain it down
again!
So basically, the touchscreen is
really just another way to interact
with your computer. You will still
have your keyboard and your mouse/
touchpad when you want them and
can use the touch screen as little or
as much as you want.
If the added cost of the touch
screen and the possible battery drain
don’t matter much to you, then you
don’t have anything to lose - and you
might very well enjoy the computer
touch screen, as much as you do the
one on your tablet.
That’s all my time for now. See
you again next week...
Until then, remember: only safe
Internet!
Ronnie Bravo
Ron can be found at CANMEX Computers.
Sales, Repairs, Data Recovery,
Networking, Wi-Fi, Hardware upgrades,
Graphic Design, House-calls available.
www.RonnieBravo.com,
Cellular 044-322-157-0688 or just
email to Canmex@Gmail.com
30
Nature’s World
ISSUE
316
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By
Tommy Clarkson
Coral Tree
Erythrina coralloides
Family: Leguminosae,
Fabaceae, Papilionaceae or
Cleomaceae (It sorta’ depends
upon which botanist you ask!)
(Also known as: Naked
Coral Tree, Sunshine Tree or
Variegated Coral Tree)
The Erythrina genus consists of
around 100 various trees and shrubs.
The preponderance of these sport
spiny trunks and branches with a
number of them producing strikingly
beautiful flowers. But, of them all,
this one is probably my most favorite!
With the pure and simple, year ‘round
elegance of no more than its leaves,
it is to trees what Caladium are to
smallish plants and Crotons are to
bushes. And when it flowers… wow!
With wonderful variegated, broad,
and somewhat heart-shaped yellow
and green leaves (that may tend
to revert to green with age) the E.
caralloides and its kin originate in
a variety of locales. These stretch
from Madagascar, Tanzania and
India throughout Southeast Asia and
Indo-Malaysia to Australia and then
northward to the Philippines and
Taiwan as well as Northeastern and
Central Mexico – where I first found
them. They can now be found in
numerous other locations.
The Coral Tree is a deciduous,
perennial tree, which means that it
loses its leaves each year and, later,
grows new ones. This picturesque tree
is fast growing, broad and spreading
in nature and can attain a height of 20
feet (over six meters) with “a broad,
spreading and open crown with
usually contorted braches”.
These stout branches are armed
with curved “black tiger’s claw
spines” which also grow on the long
leaf stalks. The compound leaves
have three diamond shaped leaflets,
each approximately six inches (15.2
cm) long. But before these leaves
arrive in late winter or early spring,
the Erythrina variegata orientalis
puts on quite the show with bright
crimson flowers of 6 -12 inches (15¼
to 30½ cm) that are displayed in
dense terminal clusters.
Following this comes the fruit. “But
wait, there’s more!” This beauty may
provide yet more enjoyment for us by
flowering a bit during the summer as
well.
After those flowers come cylindrical
- about 15 in (38.1 cm) long – beanlike pods seeming rather constricted
between the reddish brown seeds.
The Coral Tree prefers well-drained
soil but is not all that picky about
the dirt which it calls home as it is a
nitrogen fixing tree and can tolerate
a home that’s acidic, alkaline, sandy,
clay or loam. Preferring full sun, it
is more prone to bloom best after a
period of drought and, salt tolerant, is
a good subject for coastal planting but
be aware, it can form surface roots.
It was introduced to the United
States by botanist Monroe Birdsey
and is a superlative standalone
specimen that I have effectively
utilized on landscaping projects.
The Coral Tree can grow as much as
five feet per year (1.5 meters). It can
be propagated through woody stem
cuttings, soft/semi-hard/hard wood
cuttings and from seeds – generally
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
And when it flowers… Wow!
The Erythrina coralloides
is to trees what Caladium
are to smallish plants
and Crotons are to bushes.
Beyond attractiveness and being
easy-to-grow, around the world the
Coral Tree is regarded as beneficial
and useful. In southern Florida
they’re employed as hedges. On the
other side of the world, in India, they
are used as support props for vine
crops such as black pepper, vanilla,
yam and betel with the added benefit
that during the hottest months their
leaves shade the vines and keep them
moist. In turn, when the climes get
cooler, their leaves fall and the vines
receive more direct sunlight, which is
exactly what they need at that time.
Besides their pure and simple
attractiveness, they are popular as
shade trees throughout their growing
area. They make excellent living
fence posts and – with 16-18% crude
protein - their leaves are good feed for
many species of livestock.
And in one of my sources I read
where “In Asia, juice from the
tree’s leaves is mixed with honey
to kill tapeworms, roundworms and
threadworms. Women take the juice to
stimulate lactation and menstruation.
A warm poultice of its leaves relieves
rheumatic joints. The bark is used as
a laxative, diuretic and expectorant.”
Last, a note for the vegans among
us: Its seeds – as well as other parts
- are poisonous if ingested. So you
may want to re-think that Coral Tree
salad!
Tommy Clarkson
“germinate(d) in vitro in gelatin, agar
or other medium.” If the latter form
is your preferred method, before
attempting to germinate them, allow
the pods to dry naturally on the tree,
then break them open to collect the
seeds and remove their fleshy coating
before storing.
November - 2014
In Manzanillo, visit Ola Brisa Gardens,
Tommy and Patty’s verdant, multiterraced tropical paradise nestled on
a hill overlooking the magnificent vista
of Santiago Bay. Leisurely meander its
curved, paved path, experiencing, first
hand, a delicious array of palms, plants
and flowers from all over the world.
Or, e-mail questions to him at
olabrisa@gmail.com
For back issues of “Roots”, gardening tips,
tropical plant book reviews and videos of
numerous, highly unique eco/adventure/
nature tours, as well as memorable
“Ultimate Experiences” such a Tropical
Garden Brunches and Spa Services,
please visit www.olabrisagardens.com
ISSUE
316
Brain Teasers
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
by Patrick Merrell / Will Shortz ©New York Times
Solution to Crossword on Page 26
SUDOKU!
Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle.
The aim of the puzzle is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each row,
column and group of squares enclosed by the bold lines (also called a box). Each
box must contain each number only once, starting with various digits given in some
cells (the “givens”). Each row, column, and region must contain only one instance of
each numeral. Completing the puzzle requires patience.
It is recommended as therapy because some studies have suggested they might
improve memory, attention and problem solving while staving off mental decline
and perhaps reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Solution to Sudoku on Page 26
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014
31
ISSUE
316
Saturday 15 to Friday 21
November - 2014