I have had the best week! Doing almost nothing of import - just fun, that makes me feel only a little bit of guilt for not 'producing' anything of value. It's playtime, and I feel like unleashing a bunch of song lyrics to fill this space with my joy. However, I did manage to get out of the house a few times, umbrella tucked into my purse next to a small fan. (If you carry an umbrella, it's almost a guarantee there will be no rain.) Just sayin.'
Last Monday, Act2PV presented their new Main Stage sponsors, XOCODIVA owners Ron and Laura Storey. Cate Valcic outlined new show ideas they are working on for the balance of this year. XOCODIVA will be selling their amazing chocolates on-site; take a truffle-making class this summer at their production kitchen, and it will change everything you think you know about chocolate. A delicious course!
My dear housebound friend and writer, Sandra Bradley, cooked me dinner last week - baked beans, coleslaw, and she baked a lemon meringue pie! And there were leftovers for me to take home! We had a lovely visit.
Our monthly Scrabble Tournament pitted Sharon Gerber Scherer and me against each other. Again. Much like last month, the games were wildly disparate - I cleaned her clock game one, she did me in handily for game two. I won the third game by 8 or 9 points to reclaim the crown. An intense afternoon that could have gone either way.
I just started reading a new book called ''Adrift.'' It was written by Chiara Montante, a friend I adore to pieces. I swear Vallarta puts up barriers sometimes - Chiara and I tried all season long to get together and could not coordinate, and now she has flown away for the summer. I am enjoying the book thus far, amiga!
The First Saturday Fiesta for Arte Vallarta Museo took place once again at the sister property up on Pilitas. By popular demand, we kept the main-floor Speakeasy open an hour later than usual. The place was packed with friends, many of them discussing travel plans for later in the summer that will take them far away to cooler lands. Lots of cruises coming up.
I met up with Jack Berlin and Jodi Wolk, said hi to Mexican designer Armando Mafud, fabulous painter Javier Niño, and his wife, Nathalie Herling, director of Art Vallarta. The Makleys, who live just upstairs, were there, as was stylist Paul Gallegos, owner of Pelo Pelo, and so many more beautiful people, enjoying cocktails and the jazz trio.
I was so happy to be out late Saturday night when I met the most charming man on the street, Khaled Bakleh. Khaled is the founder of Petit Joys, which sponsored many shows at Coco Cabaret this past season. He kindly walked me home, and we chatted up a storm. Further text messages the next day revealed we both lived in Beirut and downtown Washington, D.C., not your typical addresses for most people! Bless Vallarta for being this magical place where conversations spring off the sidewalks and unite people from all over the world in exotic, wonderfully instant friendships!
Tomorrow, Sandra Bradley and I will be at the Tel Cel main office to register our respective cell phones; a full report on that next Monday.
The penultimate Bingo for Colina Spay & Neuter Clinic at Nacho Daddy is this coming Wednesday at 4 pm. Come and show your support, please. These games provide the bulk of funds to continue spaying 20 animals every Saturday, without fail. It's a long, foreign tourist-less season coming up, so join Lydia Damato as she calls the balls and announces the winners.
Nick Rogers debuts his new show this Friday at 5 pm at La Catrina Cantina. Join me and enjoy Nick's magnificent voice.
Tomorrow is the free hardwood giveaway at Hyden Custom Furniture in Colonia Lazaro Cardenas. Tuesday from noon to 4 pm, go load up the free hardwood and keep it out of the landfill. If you have a wood-burning pizza oven, take advantage, save some money, and free up space in owner Sacha Cantor's amazing factory.
My herbalist, Ricardo Mazcal, is lopping 20% off his herbal cure for viral infections. Find him at his Saturday Market on the Isla Cuale, from 10 am to 2 pm.
Our rainy season has another week to begin traditionally and should give us daily splashes until October 15 (ish). Let's pray for gentle, steady rainfall to keep our rivers full and the land (and roofs!) intact until the fall. Until next week, enjoy the early-summer reset and be kind to one another. Let's have a mango smoothie soon, From Here!
