The Guadalajara Reporter

City Living - October 26, 2013

English ‘high tea’

Last week’s AMSOC Book Club meeting was highlighted with a serving of English “high tea.” 

“We were discussing Henry James’ novel ‘The Portrait of a Lady’ which concerns the encounters of a young American woman with British and European society.  The novel begins with the serving of high tea on the lawn of an English country home and so we thought it might be fun to try to replicate the experience as much as possible for our members,” said club member Franklyn Dunne.

“It was a challenge to track down the requisite ingredients but also a lot of fun.  The search took me to the far end of Avenida La Paz where there is a  cluster of stores that sell products for restaurants and coffee shops.  I was looking for a tiered table tea stand but was not successful. We ended up substituting stacked glass cake stands which seemed to work fine.” 

The refreshments included mini cup cakes from Dulce Mio (3817-0368) and macarons from Petit Macaron (3817-1868), both in Providencia.  “We had cucumber sandwiches and also ham and cheese sandwiches,” Dunne said.

This was not the first occasion where refreshments were themed to go with the book under discussion.  A detective novel set in Scandinavia prompted servings of pickle herring and Swedish meatballs. A South African novel called for rooibost and samosas. 

Said Dunne: “The book club members come from a variety  of backgrounds and many have lived in various countries and therefore had an interest in different cultures of the world as manifested by their knowledge in literature and culinary treats.” 

The meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month, from 10:30 a.m. Under discussion on Thursday, November 21 will be “The Empire of the Summer Moon” by S. C. Gwynne, a tome about the struggle and final defeat of the Comanche Nation.

Jane’s Walk

Anyone interested in discovering some of the less well-known nooks and crannies of Guadalajara is encouraged to register for the first “Camino Barrio,” a Jane’s Walk event scheduled for Sunday, November 3.

Walkers will meet at the small Plazoleta Andres Teran at the convergence of four streets – Andres Terán, Juan Manuel, Av. Chapultepec and San Felipe - in the barrio of Santa Tere at 10 a.m.

The tour will take in the series of parks on Jaime Nuno in the Mezquitan Country barrio, the murals in the Mezquitan Pantheon and the famous Santa Tere market. The walk will last about two and a half hours. Walk leaders are Christian Scott, Karla Preciado, Ana Gonzalez, Alfredo Romano.

Walkers are encouraged to bring their cameras to take advantage of photo opportunities. Dogs are welcome.

Organizers admit that pedestrian infrastructure in Guadalajara is poor, an anomaly in a city where the majority of citizens still get around on foot.  The walk will also provide an opportunity for community activists to assess the amenities (or lack of) for pedestrians on the selected route.

Registration for the Camino Barrio can be made on the Jane’s Walk website at www.janeswalk.net.

Jane’s Walks have traditionally been held annually in cities across North America during the first weekend in May to coincide with the birthday of American-Canadian urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs. 

However, a Jane’s Walk can now be enjoyed outside of the festival weekend at anytime throughout the year. The format of a walking conversation with community voices offers the opportunity to learn about new and often overlooked places within a city.  The online booking system can be used to register for Jane’s Walks or request a personal walk in a specific location within a city.

Jacobs (1916-2006) was an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building.

Junior League store

The Junior League of Guadalajara has new hours at its “Gently Used” thrift store located at the American Society (Amsoc). It is being revamped to better attend the buying public.

They are pleased to receive donations of clean washed clothing and household items, toys and decorative items from Monday to Friday. The store hours are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The proceeds go to supporting the League and projects in the community.

The Junior League is always looking for donations and volunteers. Check them out at Amsoc, San Francisco 3332, Colonia Chapalita or call (33) 3121-0887.