From Here, May 11, Monday
The Brick Oven gained a couple of hundred new fans for their uber-thin pizzas during the Gay Mixer last Tuesday. The inside space was quickly overwhelmed with dozens of bodies, so owner Bryan Stocks opened the rooftop terrace of the Social Club next door. It was a welcome relief! I had the pleasure of meeting up with publisher Julie Ann, who has been missing in action from Vallarta for the past two years but is back! I am halfway through reading her latest book, called 'The Healing Power of Mexico,' and enjoying it immensely. Julie and I walked over to Bar Frida for dinner and the splendid house tequila. BTW, Frida's 25th anniversary is June 1, with owner Tom Finley charging only 25 pesos a shot that day for his fabulous house tequila!
In two very, very close, back-to-back games, Sharon Gerber Scherer is the new Vallarta Scrabble Queen. 'Intense' does not quite describe both games. Well done, Missy Sharon!
Singer Alberto Ponce has launched a great new way to throw a dinner party! A bunch of invited patrons took over La Catrina Cantina's patio, learned how to make sushi, and then had the pleasure of trying to finish eating our gigantic creations! The idea is to invite some friends over to your house for dinner and spend about half an hour learning how to make sushi. A very unusual, but tasty and innovative way to share food with people you love! Alberto Ponce and his SushiXperience crew will bring everything, including plenty of patience, and lead you through every intricate step in making sushi that contains only what you want and nothing else. You may say 'no' to the cream cheese! All up to you! Mine ended up being full of fresh strawberries, mango slices, and avocado with a couple of fat, juicy shrimp for color. The seaweed (nori) added a perfect amount of saltiness. You will never again bemoan the price of sushi! It is an elaborate preparation, and the process was so much fun - I can see this becoming a great hands-on addition to Vallarta's already outstanding food scene.
Fellow invitees Kevin Feltner and Rob Dornan of ShowMePV and I stayed after sushi to listen to Angeloo, whose show begins at 8 pm every Wednesday at La Catrina Cantina. Angel is still trying to gather enough money to go to Los Angeles to audition for America's Got Talent.
I spent a lovely afternoon with dear friends from Calgary, Sandy and Merv Buchanan, last week over lunch way up the Rio Cuale at a lovely spot called Mis Raices Restaurante. Kurt Sinner joined us, as did our mutual friend Evelyn, from the old El Rio BBQ Bar days. This truly out-of-the-way resto also claimed Cassandra Shaw, who had lunch with Lars Sundberg and Nina Goodhope, whom I have not seen for a decade at least! And on our way out, I stopped and chatted briefly with Michael Harrity, who was lunching with friends. I would love to be there during a lush summer rain.
Christian Manly and Mitchell (Riva Rave) Rivadeneyra hosted the 'Wheel of Fortune' game show at La Catrina Cantina last Friday. It was the last 'Game On' show until June, and the suspense grew and grew as the computer-generated wheel kept landing on 'Lose a Turn' so often that players were starting to look at Mitchell kinda funny. I'm kidding! It's all random, but it did add to the excitement as lead teams went down over and over again!
Every Tuesday, from noon until 4 pm, you are welcome at Hyden Furniture Factory and Showroom, Prol. Colombia 1818 in Colonia Lazaro Cardenas, to pick up leftover pieces of hardwood for your fireplace, wood-burning oven, backyard firepit, or latest artistic project. These are sanded, planed, unvarnished, unpainted, seasoned Mexican hardwoods that burn hot and leave little ash, in manageable pieces that will go into the landfill if you don't go and fetch them. It's free, people! Owner Sacha Cantor welcomes anyone who will help him free up valuable workspace and avoid wasting the wood he has already paid for. Noon to 4, every Tuesday.
Happy Mother's Day - you know who you are! I celebrated with Georgia Darehshori at Evelina, the new gorgeous resto in her condominium, Avida. I have heard nothing but raves about this restaurant and was delighted to sit for hours with Georgia, graze on the lovely food, and enjoy the attentive service - gracias, Efrain! I chatted briefly with owners Maycoll and his wife, Marifer, international restaurateurs, very excited with their upcoming resto called 'Cuna' scheduled to open on October 1, three blocks away on Basilio Badillo. Everything about Evelina is a little bit different from anything in town. The decor is immediately restful, from the muted colors to the absence of hard edges. It is light and smooth, sinewy, with lots of bends, curves, and solid wood. They are open for lunch at 1 pm daily; go and show them some love.
My herbalist, Ricardo Mazcal, is taking 20% off his amazing Arthritis Relief capsules this week. Don't forget to buy some of Ricardo's organic honey to boost the turmeric's action. Find him on the Isla Cuale, 4 to 6 pm during the week and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm.
My sister Patrice arrives today. Clear a path, From Here!
