Trees for the hills
Attention hikers and nature lovers! Salvajes Ajijic athletic club is calling for helpers to assist in a one-day reforestation campaign set for Sunday, July 3.
Members of the running club can use extra hands to plant 100 flowering trees along to trail to La Crucita, the cross set in the hills overlooking the village. Participants will meet at Farmacias Guadalajara, opposite Donas Donuts on the highway at calle Encarnación Rosas, 8:30 a.m., bringing along their shovels, iron digging bars and other work tools. The Vivero Flora Exotica nursery is donating all of the trees to support the cause.
Canada Day
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 1, 904 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association and the Canadian Club of Lake Chapala are throwing a party celebrating Canada’s 149th birthday Friday, July 1, noon until 4 p.m. at the Nuevo Chapala Club House (Zaragoza 731, Chapala.
On tap will be burgers, hot dogs, door prizes, birthday cake and dancing.
Easy directions are to go north on the main street of Chapala and turn to the right at the Pemex, then go straight through until you come to a fork in the road, bear right and through by the guardhouse to the club house.
Tickets available at the door are 150 pesos per person.
Democrats July 4th
Democrats Abroad welcomes all to an Independence Day picnic, Saturday, July 2, 3-7 p.m. at the Hotel Montecarlo in Chapala.
Enjoy great American food, music by Jimmy Barto and Noe Raygoza, a cash bar, swimming in a thermal pool, games and more.
Advance sales are 250 pesos at Diane Pearl, Yoli’s and the hotel. For locations in Guadalajara email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">.
British Society
The next Lakeside British Society lunch is Saturday, July 2, 1 p.m. at Manix Restaurant when
Mary Ellen Rushworth from El Corazòn Creativa (The Creative Heart) will speak on “The untapped vast array of skills of Mexican artisans.” El Corazon Creativa store now represents over 50 artisans and Rushworth is gaining interesting insights into the possibilities of this creative community.
Menu choices for the luncheon include zucchini flower soup or a small salad, brisket with mashed potatoes and vegetables, Salmon in a teriyaki sauce with rice and vegetables or cheese and onion pie with salad. Dessert is apple pie and ice cream.
For reservations call Sue, 766-0847 or Arlene, 766-1742.
Open Circle
La Cochera Cultural Creative Children’s Writing & Theatre Workshops present “Midnight Travelers of the Universe – Past, Present, and Future,” at the Sunday, July 3, 10:30 a.m. meeting of Open Circle in the garden of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).
In May, La Cochera Cultural held four weekend creative writing workshops for local kids. From the stories they developed, six were selected to be told by the children at the Lakeside Little Theatre in July. At Open Circle the kids will share excerpts from their stories and maestros will provide some background about the program.
The experimental La Cochera dreams up cultural projects on an ad hoc basis with the assistance of many volunteers. Co-founders Jennifer Stanley and local artist Maestro Antonio Lopez Vega will be present, along with choreographer and puppet teacher Abril Iñiguez and production manager Thom Weeks. Stop by the Sala before or after the presentation to see projected images of highlights from last year’s performance, “La Leyenda de la Reina Xochitl-Michi-Cihualli.”
For more information on this event or Open Circle, see opencircleajijic.org
LCS bus trips
The Lake Chapala Society heads to the crafts suburbs of Tonala and Tlaquepaque on Wednesday, July 6.
Shop in Tonala for home decor and handicrafts, while find upscale retailers and fine dining in Tlaquepaque’s architecturally significant, pedestrian-only zone. Accommodations will be made for those who wish to shop at the nearby Forum Mall (including a Home Depot store). Thursday, July 21 the bus goes to Galerias Mall in Zapopan. Major retailers include Costco, Sam’s and Super Walmart, Best Buy, Sears and restaurants Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang and more.
The bus departs promptly at 9:30 a.m. from the sculpture in La Floresta. The cost for either trip is 300 pesos for members and 350 pesos for non-members.
LCS Singles
Start thinking now about the LCS Singles Happy Hour Mixer scheduled for Wednesday, July 6, 5 to 7 p.m. at the LCS campus. For members it is free. Non-members can pay 20 pesos at the entrance. If you want to attend, send a note to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Fundraiser
Pizza for the Pooches, a fundraiser for Rene Alvaro Dog Rescuer, will be held Sunday, July 10, 5 p.m. at at Perry’s Pizza. The event includes all you can eat pizza, entertainment by DJ Phil, dancing and raffle prizes. Tickets, at 275 pesos per person, are available at Diane Pearl, Mia’s or 331-219-9735.
Querétaro wine trip
Sommelier Rebecca Martin Casa will be leading a journey with the Lake Chapala Society into Mexico’s wine producing region in Querétaro – a three-day excursion experiencing a new vineyard each day. The trip is from Thursday, July 14 to Saturday, July 16. Sign-up at the LCS service office by July 6.
Cost for LCS members is 4,500 pesos (double occupancy). Add another 500 pesos for non-members or 1,500 pesos for single occupancy.
Photography Club
The new Photography Club of Ajijic, aimed at both amateur and professional photographers, met June 13 and made some substantial changes. The club will now be held on the second Tuesday of the month from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Cultural Center of Ajijic. The next meeting will be July 12.
Other changes include: the monthly fee is reduced to 100 pesos and food and drink will not be provided; members will decide each month on a photo theme for the subsequent meeting; the club will schedule photo group trips at interesting locales; club members can bring in their photos for constructive review; the club will explore having a group exhibit and a Facebook page to draw more attention to the club and to people’s work and will continue to explore having talks by professional photographers and possibly slideshows and movies.
For more information, call Jill at 766-3025 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CASA
At the June 20 meeting of the Culinary Arts Socity of Ajijic (CASA), fusion dishes were introduced as a category for the first time and it was deemed wildly successful.
In the fusion main dish category Catherine Suter won first place and a People’s Choice tie for her Korean Bulgogi tacos (Korea/Mexico). George Lindahl took second place and the other half of the People’s Choice award for his filet of beef with chipotle blue cheese sauce (Mexico/Denmark). Amy Friend won third place and the presentation award for her gravlax spring rolls with sweet-mustard dill sauce (Sweden/Asia).
In the Fusion Desserts category Carol Westbrook took first place for her semi-naked Mexican chocolate Guinness cake (Mexico/Ireland); Beverly Denton won second place and the presentation award for her Swedish almond tarts with Indonesian sweet potato pudding (Sweden/Indonesia); while Judith Greenberg’s Mexican chocolate creampuffs (Mexico/France) took third place. Paulette Coburn won the People’s Choice award for her chocolate dulce de leche cheesecake bites (Mexico/North America).
The next meeting of CASA is Monday, July 18 and the categories are Mediterranean main dish and three ingredient dessert (must include nuts, a fruit and a liqueur). CASA meets at the La Mision Restaurant on Rio Bravo in West Ajijic. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">.
Buddhists
Noble Silence begins at 4 p.m. at Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha Wednesday, July 6, followed at 4:30 p.m. by a formal meditation period, dharma teachings and discussion. The teaching this week will be part one of a Tricycle Retreat titled “Recognizing the Self” with Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara.
The center is open for hour-long silent meditation periods on Sunday, Monday, from 9 to 10 a.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon. Arrive by ten minutes early to prepare for three rounds of 40 minutes sitting and 20 minutes walking meditation.
The Dharma Movie Matinee, Monday, July 4, 3 p.m. is “Painting Peace,” the second selection from the Lion’s Roar Buddhafest Film Festival. The film features 80-year-old Berkeley-based Kazuaki Tanahashi, a Japanese Zen teacher, translator, artist and activist, known as much for his extraordinary calligraphy works as for his masterful translations.
A “Drop-In” Practice/Study group meets every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. All are welcome.
A yoga class suitable for all levels of experience is offered at Heart of Awareness on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 9 to 11 a.m. A donation of 50 pesos is requested for the class.
The Heart of Awareness is a non-sectarian community grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Prior experience or affiliation is not required. The sangha’s location is Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic. For more information, visit www.heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert, (376) 766-6069.
Gardening
LCS and the Lake Chapala Garden Club have teamed-up to offer, in English, an eight-week class called “Introduction to Gardening Lakeside” to be taught by Francisco Nava.
The LCS gardens will be used as a living classroom and classes include: effective communication with your gardener; pruning; full sun/shade plants; what blooms when; organic vegetable gardens; and more.
The classes will be held in the LCS Sala Wednesdays, beginning August 3 through September 21, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The class is limited to the first 20 people who register and pay at LCS office. The cost is 550 pesos to the general public. LCS and Garden Club members showing their 2016 membership cards are charged only 500 pesos. A cut-off date to register is July 30.