From Here, August 10, Monday
It has been a kinda hectic week with two vocal competitions, our Scrabble Tournament, a fundraiser to help keep the doors open at La Catrina Cantina, and finding out what's going on with the Annual Summer Concert Series.
It took two days at Coco Cabaret to finally determine who among the 28 finalists would represent Mexico at the World Karaoke Contest this fall in Las Vegas, Nevada. May I have the envelope, please? And the winner is Losanna Diaz Avila. For more on this story, check Out & About Magazine and ShowMePV.com.
Our Scrabble Tournament turned out weirdly as three of us played - Jonathan Lander, Sharon Gerber Scherer, and me. We each won a game, so nobody technically took the crown off my head. With most of the regular players currently at far-flung places other than here, it'll be Sharon and me, and then just me.
Rob Burton, Jan Dorland and I went to Il Pesce on Wednesday to sample their two-for-one menu, which will be available only until the end of August. Owner Carlos Venegas laughed when he told me that Wednesdays - their regular day off - are now the busiest day of the week for the restaurant. And their new, much larger space was packed, completely sold out by 8 pm. That's what happens when you reduce your prices instead of doubling them to maintain your bottom line. I was so happy to see my favorite fettuccine with truffle oil and mushrooms on the 2x1 menu. Even some signature cocktails were 2-for-1. All of it was delicious as always, with wonderful service. Thanks, Manuel! Starting this Friday, from 7 to 9 pm, Il Pesce will have live music.
The three of us hurried over to La Catrina Cantina, a couple of blocks away, to catch Angeloo's show at 8 pm. It had been some time since Rob and Jan had heard Vallarta's wunderkid, and they had never heard Angeloo's interpretation of Dimash, in Russian.
The next night, Angeloo had to compete against a few singers from the coastal regions of Jalisco. Hundreds of people enjoyed the evening at the Los Arcos amphitheater, including two tables of judges from various governmental offices, both local and statewide. Angeloo won, much to the delight of family, friends, and us super fans in the audience.
La Catrina Cantina made a plea to the community for financial help to get through the balance of the summer. We listened, responded, and enjoyed a great two-hour concert. Again, you can read the whole story at ShowMePV.com and in Out & About Puerto Vallarta magazine.
A few years ago, Georgia Darehshori started the Summer Concert Series at Casa Karma as a stopgap for when the 'big' theaters were closed. She created a small, intimate space where weekly concerts would help local entertainers financially and also serve as a sounding board for potential new shows.
Vallarta loved the concept, and almost all the shows were a sellout. And they are coming back soon! The Mystic Circle Cafe, owned by Medium Kennedy Morgan, will host the new Summer Concert Series. Renovations to the Cafe - now Lounge - are almost complete, with new comfy chairs and a very chill vibe. Keep your eyes here and on ShowMePV.com for information on showtimes, etc.
Speaking of openings - I heard that maestro David Maiocco and Cate Elizabeth will officially open the new stage at Avida's Marketplace this coming Friday at 6:30 pm. Loads of cool things happening, Vallarta, so stay tuned, From Here.
