LAKESIDE LIVING

 

Sandy Olson
Phone: 331-283-8529
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

June 2015

 

PAST EVENTS

HAIKU FOR YOU

 


Mel Goldberg

 

We’re proud to announce that local writer Mel Goldberg has received notice that two of his haikus* were published in May, in Asahi Shimbuna national newspaper in Japan.  And here they are:

neighborhood shrine

the virgin of Guadalupe

stares benignly

ash from Colima

the herons on Lake Chapala

are confused

*Haiku: a 17 syllable verse form consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7 and 5 syllables

Mel has been promised future publication in Asahi Shimbun as well. Congratulations!

THEY’RE PAYING IT FORWARD

They’re already on board—and with their bikes, yet— with helping in the community. Los Güeros Motorcycle Club was formed a year ago from a chapter in Mazatlan that’s been around for ten years. They hosted their first fundraiser last month at the Hotel Montecarlo to help a member who needed surgery.

In just a year the club has grown to 40 members. They sponsor rides, social events, and had a toy run at Christmas for La Ola Orphanage.  They say, “Please join us on a ride or at a social event.” (I kind of wish I hadn’t sold my Harley). Their website is www.losgueros.com and email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 


Left to right: Dave Roberts, Vice President, Pam Lamb, Social Director, Mike Murphy, President, Doug Friend, Sergeant at Arms. Seated: Deborah Murphy, Secretary Treasurer.

 

MOTHERS AND MADRES

Our Mother’s Day coincided with Mexican Mother’s Day this year, which is always on May 10. How often does that happen?

The day started with a couple of bangs and then more bangs around 6:00 a.m., with bottle rocket salutes to all those moms out there, and then there were the serenades, heavy on the brasses. Flowers were for sale everywhere and the bakeries were almost sold out. We don’t know if the honored mothers were in the kitchen all day, cooking a big party meal for the family. We’ll have to ask about this next year.

We gringos have a good day, too, in our sedate way. We invite each other out to one of the many restaurants offering a rose to the ladies and a special brunch.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL ESL DAY

Family, friends and their teachers got to help some 125 students celebrate their achievement in studying English since last September, through the Lake Chapala Society sponsored program. After refreshments, Inez Dyer, Program Director, welcomed the teachers, students and their guests, and gave the students their achievement awards. The day was beautiful and the turnout was enthusiastic—let’s not miss it next year.

 


Past and Present Program Directors Carol Bowman and Inez Dyer

 

Regular ESL volunteer instructors, who deserve much credit, are Betha Arline, John (Bing) Munroe,  Bob and Sue Dietz, Carol Bowman, Chris Manning, Clare Gearhart, David Richardson, Deborah Elder,  Don and Barbara Pruitt, Harold Tracy, Inez Dyer, Jim Flynn, Joan Davis, Jo DiFilippo, John Kelly, Les Strong, Lorna Smith, Margaret Larson, Nikki Horne, Phil Rylett, Robert and Hyacinth Martlew, Robert Case, Sandy Jakubek, Susan Johnson and Travis Ashby.

WOMEN’S ART COLLECTIVE

It was a good night at La Rueda in San Juan Cosala last month and the coffee and wine was flowing at a reception for a collective of 24 women artists’ work.

 


La Rueda Owner Kristina Trejo

 

Kristina Trejo, owner of La Rueda, offered artists a chance to participate. Anyone who wanted to show her work was welcome.

Artists were Adriana Perez, Yadira Rios, Carol Lopez, Patricia Hemingway, Judy Dykstra-Brown, Phoebe Monroe, Nora Rios, Estafanía Iñiguez, Abril Iñiguez, Lola Galicia, Carmen Arechiga, Maria Guadalupe Vargas, Rita Harrington, Lupe Verar, Betty Peterson, Cathy Chalvignac, Kristina Trejo, Alexandra Valasquez, Veronica Hermosillo, Miriam Gutiérrez, Pat Apt and Patricia Reason.

BREAKING EVEN GOES KINDLE!

Our Ojo del Lago Editor-in Chief Alejandro Grattan is enjoying another success these days. His novel Breaking Even was first published in 1997, and at one time was in over 1400 libraries in the US and Canada. It was also sold in bookstores in many major cities in Europe and even in India.

 

 

A Typical  Review:  The author is a master at developing characters and issues with which we can easily identify.  Grattan shows great understanding of human nature, and of how one’s emotional history can affect future choices.  Lake Chapala Review

Fortunately for us here at Lakeside, we can now access his book in a Kindle version, just published by Mikel Miller’s Egret Books for $4.99. The link to Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X31YDUQ  Keep ‘em coming, Alex!

COMING EVENTS

A PERFECT AFTERNOON

What could be better….a day of folklorio music at the Centro Cultural González Gallo in Chapala. The event starts at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, and lasts until 10:00 p.m. There isn’t an entry fee and you can come and go as you please. Many groups will perform and instruments range from harps to trumpets. There will be food for sale (last year it was catered by Tony’s at San Antonio), also jewelry and other goods for sale. This will be a beautiful day.

 

 

AND MORE….

The Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo (the old train station) in Chapala will also host performances by talented students from the University of Guadalajara School of Music in an ongoing guitar series. Performances are free and it’s a good opportunity to support these young musicians. 

The recitals are on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Entry is free. There will be performances on June 11 and 18.

JAZZ AND NO COVER CHARGE

The Blue Velvet Jazz Quartet will play every Wednesday in June at  7:30, Ocampo 71 Snack Bar, Ajijic

 


Guitarist Juan Castañón

 

Juan Castañón performs solo jazz  guitar/standards set every Monday in June at Lago Café Ajijic. Carretera Poniente 29, starting at 6 p.m.

June 19 Castañón is in collaboration with Chakal Quartet—contemporary jazz from Mexico City, Casa de la Cultura de Jocotepec, starting at 8 p.m.

The Blue Velvet Jazz Quartet also will perform on Saturdays—June 6 and 27—at 7:30, Lago Cafe Ajijic, Carretera Poniente 29.

Find the Blue Velvet Jazz Quartet on Facebook: blue velvet.jazz trio

SUMMER NEWS FROM VIVA MUSICA

Viva Summer in the Village Concert Series

These performances are at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorio.

Thursday, June 18 Sergio Parra Piano Recital. Beethoven’s Pathetique Piano Sonata; Johannes Brahms, Prelude No.5; and Isaac Albeniz, Asturias.

Thursday, July 23 Daniel Estrada, clarinet, and Hans Peter Aull, piano.

Robert Schumann, Romances; Camille Saint-Saens, Sonata Opus 167; Francis PoulencSonata (1962) and Arturo Marquez, Zarabandeo

Thursday, August 20 The Serenata Piano Trio: Areli Medeles, cello; Robert Markus, violin; and Rosa Maria Valdez, piano, will perform works by Antonin Dvorak, Manuel Cerda, Alfredo Carrasco, Leo Janacek, Eugene Toussaint and Manuel Ponce’s Estrellita, written for Jascha Heifitz. 

Viva concert tickets are 200 pesos and are available June 1 at LCS Thursdays and Fridays 10-12 (not in May), at Diane Pearl Colecciones and the Auditorio.

Another Viva Event

The new professional ballet school in Guadalajara, Joven  Ballet de Jalisco, is presenting Romeo and Juliet at the Degollado Theatre. Reviews of their productions have been excellent.

 

 

Viva will have a bus for the performance on Sunday, June14. The bus leaves just east of Farmacia Guadalajara at 10.30 for the performance beginning at 12.30 Bus trip tickets will be 400 pesos for Viva members, and 500 for nonmembers. Please email Rosemary, rosemarykeeling@hotmail.com, or Marshall Krantz, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to arrange purchase of bus trip tickets.

BIZARRE AND HILARIOUS MURDERS

The next production of Naked Stage—June 26, 27 and 28— is The Psychic, by Sam Bobrick. It’s directed by Collette Clavadetscher.

 


The cast, left to right: Bob Ward, Barbara Pruitt, Jim Ryan, Judy Long, Allen McGill and Director Collette Clavadetscher.  Not pictured are Jon DeYoung and Michael Warren.

 

Here’s the plot: A down and out mystery writer, unable to pay his rent, hangs up a sign offering psychic readings in his window. To his surprise, he blurts out to his first customer, an attractive young woman, that her husband is planning to kill her. Much to his alarm and confusion he soon finds himself embroiled in a string of bizarre and hilarious murders.

Naked Stage is located at #10A Rio Bravo. The box office opens at 3:15 and the show starts at 4:00 p.m. The email address for reservations: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Reservations guarantee a seat until 3:50, after which seats will be sold to those waiting without reservations.

LAKESIDE LITTLE THEATRE

Season tickets are now available for the LLT 2015-16 season, which also promises to be exciting. The plays are as follows:

October 2-11 Murder by Misadventure

November 6-15  Stepping Out

December 4-12  Rumors

January 15-24  Good People

February 19-March 6 Nunsense

March 25-April 3  Other Desert Cities

To reserve season tickets, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact the Box Office at (376) 766-0954. The 1100 peso prices includes an annual membership and a reserved seat at each of the six shows.

ARTISTS AND MARGARITAS

The Lake Chapala Painting Guild will hold a “Meet the Artists” event on Saturday, July 25 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Arileo restaurant.

Members are Maryann Linhart, Nancy Gray, Marion Decker, Geraldine Classen, Lois Schroff, Ina Gieysztor, Anita Lee, Winnie Hunt, Carol Ann Owers, Stve Achs and Antonio Lopez Vega. Not shown: Sonia Mocnik.

The artists will introduce themselves and discuss their philosophies about art, their individual methods and media, as well as show their work, which will be on view until mid-August.

To celebrate this special event, Arileo will have 2-for-1 margaritas. Plan to stay for one of their superior dinners. For further information, email www.lakechapalapaintingguild.org.

THIS IN BETWEEN TIME

 

 

Snow Birds in Their Habitat

It’s that time of year. The snow birds have flocked off, bless them all, and the markets aren’t as crowded.  It’s been hard to get around but after they leave, and after the Easter festivities, we have a respite until next fall.

And now we’re waiting for the rain birds.  Newcomers might mistake that hum for electrical wiring, but the rest of us known that the rain birds, aka cicadas, are a welcome harbinger of cooler weather.  The locals say that the rains will come 42 days after the rain birds begin their song.

These prehistoric-looking, three inch long creatures— cousins of locusts—are sweeter to hear than to look at, but that’s just an editorial opinion (mine). At any rate, we Lakesiders are glad when we hear their promise of relief from summer heat.

ONGOING EVENTS

BRING ON THOSE BEES

Join others to share your expertise on growing vegetables and herbs in the Lake Chapala area. On June 10 the guest speaker at the Ajijic Organic Vegetable Growers will be member Kathy Stanford, who will give a presentation  regarding honey bees, pollinators  and other beneficial insects that we should attract to our gardens.

The club meets the gazebo at Tabarka Restaurant, Rio Zula #7. New members can contact John McWilliams at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or by phone at 376-766-0620.

LAKESIDE SINGLES

The next LCS Singles Get Together will be at Maria Isabel Restaurant (formerly the Old Posada). The Happy Hour Mixer is set for Wednesday, June 10 at 5:00 p.m. There will be some drink specials—2 for 1 on the house wine, margaritas, and beer.

The front room with the big windows overlooking the lake will be exclusively for the group. There’ll be lots of room for everybody to have a good time. 

THIS IS NOT A FUNNY HAT CONTEST

Lakeside Little Theatre and Lake Chapala Society are sponsoring an LCS/LLT Children’s Summer Theatre Camp, to be held the last two weeks of July. Adult volunteers have spent time experimenting with some different hat designs and construction so that they will know the best and easiest way to have the children do it.

Once the kids are out of school and join the camp, they will be making their own hats and masks, and participate in the making of their own costumes, set and props, to give them a full theatrical experience.

Volunteers are Antonio López Vega, Thom Weeks, Francisco Gonzales Nava, Brad Mowers, Suzanna Baillergeau and Jennifer Stanley.

 


Francisco Gonzales Nava

 

Other volunteers will very soon be called upon to help with preparations in the coming months. If you are interested in getting involved in this exciting project, please contact Kathleen Neal This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Jennifer Stanley This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 766-3543 in the coming months to help with preparations.

 

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