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Lakeside Living
By Kay Davis

Phone: (376) 766-4774
or 765-3676 to leave messages
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

August 2010

PAST EVENTS:

Throughout July, the old Train Station in Chapala (Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo) has displayed trains of World War II. The display included photos and models, some familiar in appearance and some European models that reflected the Art Deco era, sleek and sexy in their styling. Uniforms were also displayed, and the feeling of Nazi domination of that time, though subtle, was evident.

The story about the train station goes back to the beginning of the last century. An abundance of wealthy people began developing several projects. The station was built by a civil engineer in the 1920s. The Chapala-Guadalajara train ran a busy route daily–an engine, five red wagons with red velvet seats–carrying passengers morning and afternoon to and from Chapala and La Capilla where connections could be made to Mexico City. Then, in 1925 Lake Chapala rose a full meter and flooded the station. The train operated for only a short time, not only because of the flood, but because a paved road was built from Guadalajara to Chapala through Ixtlahuacán de Membrillos. In 1926 railroad operations ceased. Today it is a museum, offering shows of art, music, anthropology and history.


One of model WWII trains on display at the Old Train Station

 

In July there was a Garden Seed Party held in Chapala, along with a Veggie Potluck and a movie on the topic. Following a Seed and Stuff Swap using garden tools, discussion focused on Bio-dynamic Gardening: problems, needs and resources. If natural gardening is something you know, or want to know, contact Lea Ament at 765-4779 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CASA (Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic) awarded an early BING to Mary Ann Waite, celebrating her 1st place dish, Mustard Roasted Beef & Vegetables with Horseradish Sauce. A BING award requires winning first place three times within a year. The theme at this meeting was French food with two categories, a French main dish or a French dessert. Mary Ann Waite won 1st place in the main dish category, followed by Cheryl Davis for her Shortribs of Beef Bourguinon with Lentils while third place was won by Monica Malloy for her Stuffed Sea Bass in Puff Pastry. Karen Rowell won People’s Choice for her Cuisses de Volaille aux Cerises, Olives Verts Sauce Porto.

After these scrumptious entrees, French desserts wowed the crowd and the judges who awarded Lydia Cortez 1st place for her Delice Aux Mangues et aux Bananes. Crepes Cerese with Cherry Rum Sauce won second place for Phil Posner while third place went to first time presenter Nancy Webb for her Espresso Glazed Profiteroles. People’s Choice went to Christine L’Ecluse for her Strawberry Croquembouche.

Hugues Coude du Foresto, a French citizen who lives with his family in Ajijic, shared his knowledge of French wines and their histories. Known as Hugo, he was a consultant for the Pernod Ricard Group before starting his own wine and liquor distribution company.

All who would like to join in learning about, preparing and enjoying good food are encouraged to call Patrick Winn at 766-4842. He can also be reached by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. He would be delighted to invite those interested to come as his guest to the next monthly meeting.


CASA winners: Mary Ann Waite, Cheryl Davis, Monica Malloy

 

EVENTS TO COME:

August 5 at 3 p.m. the Cruz Roja BBQ will begin at the Country Club de Chapala. There will be great food, music, dancing and plenty of fun. Raffle tickets will be drawn at 5 p.m. for big winnings, and you do not have to be there to win: 1st place is $15,000 pesos; 2nd place is $7,000 pesos; and 3rd place is $3,000 pesos. Raffle tickets are still available for $100 pesos each from Cruz Roja representatives at their table at the Lake Chapala Society, at Trattoria Axixic Restaurant or from any Cruz Roja volunteer. 


Cruz Roja BBQ and Lottery – Be a Winner!

November 12 – 14 the Feria Maestros del Lago (Artisan Fair) will return to the Chapala Yacht Club (Club de Yates) in Chapala. More details later. Just keep it in mind and maybe mark your calendar.

Multiple Events:

The American Legion post #7 schedule for August:

Sundays: 12 – 3 p.m. Legion grill burgers              

Aug   4 – No US Consulate

Aug   6 – 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Yard Sale

Aug 12 – 5 p.m. – Auxiliary event: Smarter than a 5th Grader

Aug 14 – 3 p.m. Maple Leaf Club: bring botanas

Aug 21 – 5 p.m. Candlelight Dinner

Aug 26 – 3 p.m. Lone Star

Aug 27 – 5 p.m. Facility event: Sausage Night

For information, call 765-2259 or www.americanlegionchapalapost7.org


At the Feria, Prison Dolls, each unique, will make their first appearance

In early July the Lake Chapala Society hosted a Book Fair and Bake Sale. The bake sale table offered such treats as homemade ice cream, pies, muffins and cakes. Tables were also set up on the patio and around the coffee bar, covered with books – an appealing and accessible arrangement for authors and buyers to talk with each other. Videos and DVDs were on sale, as well as books from the library. Rain may have discouraged some potential visitors, but those who turned out had a chance to find excellent reading material by local authors. In the photo of Mayita Levy, notice there are brochures on that table from HumanaMente, the voice for mental health in Jalisco, a worthy cause. For more information on LCS, check www.lakechapalasociety.org.

Mayita Levy proudly offers the cookbook A La Mesa

Lakeside Little Theatre news:

The Lakeside Little Theatre thanks facilitator Graham Miller and all those involved in the Summer Studio 2010 “Developing Your Imagination & Creativity” Acting Workshop and presentation.  Many new and past performers showed their talent to enthusiastic audiences.

Audition announcement for LLT’s second show of Season 46: Blithe Spirit, written by Noel Coward and directed by Shirley Appelbaum. Auditions for this classic, supernatural comedy are scheduled for August 20-21. Five women and five men are needed for this play. Performances are November 6-14. For scripts and information, contact Shirley Appelbaum at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If you would like to volunteer behind the scenes, the LLT is always looking for people to train in lighting, sound, wardrobe, props, make-up, stage managing and other positions. Contact Don Chaloner at 766-1975 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Lakeside Little Theatre’s Season Ticket Renewals and New Sales Event for Season 46, 2010-2011 is on Tuesday & Wednesday, September 7-8 in the LLT Lobby from 10-1. The Season Ticket price is $800 pesos for six shows. Individual tickets are $150 pesos. Season ticket holders who DO NOT WISH TO RENEW, please notify Paula McTavish at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 766-0954 (leave message) as soon as possible.

Season Ticket Holders are invited to the LLT Members’ Kickoff Party September 18 from 5-7 p.m.

The Lakeside Little Theatre encourages and welcomes everyone interested in acting, new or experienced, to attend auditions for any of this season’s plays.


At the back patio Angel Bar prior to the performance July 9th

 

Love in Action Center has reported that two vegetable gardens were planted, thanks to a visiting team of dedicated volunteers, young people and parents from a United Church in Wilsonville, Oregon. Work was done under the supervision of Joe deLeon, project coordinator for LIA. Joe stated, “I am very proud of the project. The Oregon group did a terrific job on the gardens and irrigation system, and they also donated 10 soccer balls for the kids.”

One of the children from LIA has become director of a rehab center to help addicted people get their lives back. Having grown up in a barrio where drugs were too readily available and wasted too many lives, this young man decided to make help just as available to his friends and neighbors.

Love in Action is a home for orphaned young children. They started in Tepehua, the barrio on top of the mountain in central Chapala. Now they have a facility, also in central Chapala, where there is room for the gardens that were just planted and, more especially, room for children to learn, play and grow. You can read more about this facility at www.loveinactioncenter.org.

MAS MUSICA (Music Appreciation Society) gets the 2010-2011 concert season off to an exciting start with a gratis Gala Kick-off Party for Season Ticket holders on October 15 at La Nueva Posada. The soprano,

Jillian Cox, from San Antonio, Texas, will perform opera arias and popular songs as patrons enjoy wine and botanas on the lovely garden terrace of the hotel’s lakeside restaurant, starting at 4:30 p.m.

Season tickets will be sold September 7 – October 15 at the Tickets booth at LCS. Prices remain the same as last year at $1500 pesos, $1200 pesos and $1000 pesos. All performances will be at the Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta.

The scheduled season is:

Oct. 26 – Flamenco Dance Gala with Spanish dancer Antonio Jimenez and his talented ensemble of three dancers and four musicians who enthralled the audience last year.

Nov. 16 – Jalisco Classical Ballet Company presents a Suite from the “Nutcracker” and several “Pas de Dix o Quatra” - a Stunning evening of dance

Dec. 14 – Chris Wilshire and his 18 piece Chamber Orchestra delight guests with unforgettable performances of the works of Corelli, Grieg, Holst, and Copeland           

Jan. 13 – Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, Guadalajara’s world-class symphony with an “Enchanted Evening in Paris – 1910”

Feb. 15 – Bob Milne, Ragtime and Jazz piano virtuoso and historian, is sure to hold us spellbound during this final exciting event of the concert season

MAS MUSICA is always happy to welcome new volunteers to help with ticket sales, hospitality and other concert related duties. Please contact Beverly at 765-6409, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Also, refer to web site MASajijic.com.

Open Circle meets on the LCS back patio each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Coffee and tea are offered at 10 a.m. along with little sandwiches. The guest speaker on June 4 was Jim Collums who read some of his short stories. The schedule for August is:

Aug.   8            Dr. Corbova – chelation water therapy

Aug. 15            Chuck Giles – story telling for caregivers

Aug. 22            Robert Krakoff – computer games and the brain

Aug. 29            David Truly

Jim Collums with a guest at Open Circle

 

VIVA! La Musica Season tickets (auditorium, 7:30 p.m.) are still for sale at LCS (10 – 12): Single tickets are $250 pesos for members and $300 pesos for non-members. Add $50 pesos for the opera.

Aug. 19            Issac Ramirez, cello; Andres Sarre, piano

Sep.  14           Ensemble Filarmonica: Luciano Perez; soprano, Dolores Moreno

                          Note: this is a Tuesday.

Oct.  21            Rigoletto, a fully staged opera, conducted by Luís Rodriquez

VIVA will hold auditions for promising music students seeking Viva educational grants on August 24 at St. Andrews Church. Members are welcome to attend and listen. For information, please call Rosemary at 766-1801, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Opera Rigoletto

 

Sometimes we see signs in Spanish that make us smile or relate to something back home. Here is one found along the edge of the lake. “Please do not disturb the plants, the gardeners or the rocks. Thank you.”

Every so often someone asks me if I feel safe in Mexico. They are, of course, concerned about cartel wars and the government’s ongoing battle to break them up. Besides knowing that the vast majority of those battles are near the border, I feel at least as safe in Mexico as I did when I lived in the USA or in Canada.

In California there was a battle taking place in Los Angles between blacks and another minority group, and police were turning cars around to keep them out of dangerous neighborhoods. That happened more than once. And in New York while I was crossing Manhattan, young men attempted to open my car doors when I stopped for a red light. I hit the master lock and the gas pedal. I got away.

In British Columbia there was one neighborhood I refused to drive through at night when I was alone, but there were safe alternative routes where I had no qualms. The problem was rapid immigration and people without the language skills needed to work. They formed gangs, but in time they adapted.

Here, in Mexico, I have been advised to keep moving when there are federal troops dealing with hostiles. I felt protected.

Some people think I am naïve – at my age, naïve does not apply. But I do think this is a rapidly developing country with a promising future. There are always problems that go with change.

Lakeside, are we safe? If we pay attention, we should be. I believe that applies everywhere. I like it here, and I’m staying.

There are many organizations here that help people. Why not get involved and share your skills and your warmth?

 


A miniature garden

 

Past Lakeside Living