Around Town, Jan 19, 2007

Meetings & Lectures

Shalom San Miguel annual membership meeting

The annual membership meeting of Shalom San Miguel will take place Sunday, January 21, in the TV room of the Hotel Quinta Loreto from 3 to 4pm. The agenda includes a brief president’s report and an Interim Outreach Task Force report. Questions and discussion on these and any other topics follow. All are welcome to attend, although only members can vote on any issue that comes before the group. Membership is open to any interested resident. After the business meeting, all are invited to stay for coffee, tea and schmoozing. For information on membership, Shalom San Miguel or the January 21 meeting, call 154-6761 or email shalomsanmiguel@yahoo.com.mx.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Hal Logan, longtime San Miguel winter visitor, addresses the topic “What is This Thing Called Consciousness?” at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Sunday, January 21.

Over the past several decades, writers and scientists have started to realize that the world can’t be described simply in physical terms and that consciousness is more than we once thought it was. Mr. Logan will discuss new ways of looking at the metaphysics of consciousness and the implications it poses to world culture.

The Canadian-born speaker has lived in Mexico off and on since 1972. He is a former lawyer, architect, and member of the Futurist Society and World Business Academy.

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15. Visitors are invited to attend the service and then join the UUs in the hotel restaurant for brunch. For more information about Mexico’s only chartered UU Fellowship visit portalsanmiguel.com/lifestyle/unitarians/unitarians.html.

Midday Rotary Club

Need some motivation for your New Year’s resolution? On Tuesday, January 23, at 12:30pm, Ross McDonald will be the guest speaker at the Midday Rotary Club, at the invitation of Rotarian Farley Wheelwright. He will speak on the benefits of exercise for slowing down the aging process and in physical rehabilitation.

About 20 years ago, McDonald began arranging financing for minorities to open gyms in Houston, Texas. He became certified as a personal trainer and as a specialist with the disabled and seniors. At the age of 60, he went into competitive power lifting and possibly still holds four Texas records and one American record. 

He moved to SMA 10 years ago and started training seniors here. Four years ago he purchased a gym. The average age of his clientele is 78—with two members over 90! 

The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday meets every Tuesday at 12:30pm at the Villa Jacaranda Hotel, Aldama 53. Visiting Rotarians and others interested in Rotary are invited to attend. Lunch follows at 1:30pm in the hotel dining room. For more information, see www.rotarysma.org 

Robert de Gast talks on Pozos

Mineral de Pozos, the abandoned mining center east of San Miguel, is only an hour’s drive away via excellent roads, but for residents and visitors to San Miguel without a car (or a guide) it is a three-hour, four-bus expedition, a difficult and demanding enterprise. But you can experience Pozos vicariously with a slide show called “The Romance of Ruins: A Visit to Pozos.”

For a long time, Pozos was wealthy with mining operations yielding silver, copper, lead, magnesium, mercury and many other metals, but after the Revolution the town was virtually abandoned and mining was suspended due to a lack of manpower, capital and spare parts for the mining machinery. Today, fewer than 2,000 people live in Pozos. In the last few years, however, a number of foreigners have begun new businesses: there are several bed-and breakfast hotels, three small restaurants, a half-dozen art galleries and studios. Still, the overall sense of the place is one of utter abandonment.

On Friday, January 26, at 5 pm, long-time San Miguel resident Robert de Gast will present a talk and show his photographs of Pozos in the Teatro Santa Ana at the Biblioteca. The talk and slide show will last about an hour, with a question-and-answer session. The admission charge is 50 pesos and benefits the library’s many programs.

Third Gathering of Facilitators for Healing

The fourth 2007 Gathering of Facilitators for Healing, an “energy exchange,” takes place at noon on Thursday, January 25, at Privada de Pila Seca 5 (turn into cul de sac opposite Pila Seca 45.) Every meeting is different. The meeting is free and open to the public, including those in need. Facilitators are invited to participate. Call 152-0376 to reserve a place on the program.

San Miguel science camp meetings

Join Rita and Alicia, two professional teachers from New York, for coffee and discussion Wednesdays at 4pm during January at the Café Santa Ana in the La Biblioteca Publica. Their science camp is looking for the help and interest of scientists, as well as all others, who wish to be involved in a fun local project. Science Camp San Miguel is a summer day camp that offers children in-depth studies of the natural world (i.e., animal adaptation, habitats, microorganisms, plant species, insects and arachnids, etc.). They hope to find amateurs and professionals who would be willing to contribute their ideas to enrich the science-based curriculum and help raise funds for local San Miguel children. You can contact them at sciencecampsma@gmail.com  or visit www.sciencecampsanmiguel.com  to learn more. 

Classes & Workshops

Creative recovery course for women

A 10-week creative recovery course for women will be offered at Lifepath Retreat Center starting Friday, February 2, based on the highly successful book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The bedrock of this guided course focuses on creating pathways into your consciousness where blocks (we all have them) are dissolved, allowing you to regain your creativity. The author states: “no matter your age or lifepath, creativity is your true nature.”

Patricia Mahan will be the facilitator. She has been involved in the arts for over 25 years and led Artist’s Way courses last year at LifePath in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; and Sayulita, Nayarit. She reinvented herself as a visual artist after taking the course herself in 1998.

The workshop is held on Fridays beginning February 2 from 1 to 2:30pm. Cost is US$120. For more information contact Beverly Nelson at Docbeverly@aol.com or 154-8465.

La Cocina cooking classes

On Wednesday, January 24, discover “The Art of Chiles Rellenos.” This popular class, taught by Mercedes Arteaga, owner of La Bugambilia restaurant, highlights the fundamentals of working with chiles. Bugambilia’s famed Chiles en Nogada, the national dish of Mexico, is on the menu, as well as chile poblano soup, traditional cheese chile rellenos, and stuffed ancho chiles. The cooking portion is followed by a small feast, so come with a big appetite. The class runs from 2 to 5pm and costs US$55 per person.

The Friday, January 26, class is devoted to “Empanadas and the Mexican Bakery.” This will be Melissa Sumner’s first class at La Cocina. As the owner of La Buena Vida Café and Bakery, she has been perfecting her baking skills for over 20 years. In class you’ll make different types of empanadas, both sweet and savory, followed by a few dessert items, including Guava Mousse. The class includes a full lunch and costs $55 per person.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are devoted to traditional Mexican cooking. Hands-on classes are taught by Kris Rudolph, owner of El Buen Café, and encompass such dishes as sopes, moles, chile rellenos, cactus salad and tres leches cake. It’s not just a cooking class, but a fun evening out with a full dinner and margaritas. The cost is US$45 per person.

For more information and registration, stop by El Buen Café, Jesús 23, between 9am and 4pm.

Sazón cooking classes

Sazón will host classes on “Cooking in Cazuelas and Ollas” on Friday, January 19, from 11am to 1pm; cost is US$55. “Taquiza Taco Party!” will take place Saturday, January 20, from 11am to 1pm (US$55). A market tour and class will be held Tuesday, January 23, from 11am to 1pm at a cost of US$45.

On Wednesday, January 24, a class called “The Three Sisters—Corn, Squash and Beans” will be held 11am to 1pm; cost is US$55. Dishes include elote asado, pipián verde de calabasita, frijoles rojas con chile ancho, and membrillo con queso fresco.

On Thursday, January 25, a new class and tasting on Mexico’s regional cuisines will be held from 11am to 1pm (US$55). The neighboring state of Michoacán will be the first presentation in this new Sazón series of classes, offered throughout the year. You will learn to create botano pátzquaro with charanda, crema fría de aguacate, trucha bautista and helado de pasta. 

On Friday, January 26, the class and tasting features a menu for elegant entertaining, Mexican-style (11am to 1pm, US$55). A formal Mexican meal can have as many courses as a traditional French meal, but you need many busy hands in the kitchen! We have created a menu you can prepare with a minimum of fuss, but a maximum of elegance. We will also give you wine pairing suggestions and tips for creating a festive table. Recipes include sopa de albóndigas de camarones, chile poblano relleno de elote, pato asado en escabeche, and pay de coco. 

Sazón is located at Correo 22. See the website at www.sazonsanmiguel.com 

Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventurers

On January 20, the Adventurers are off to see Lother Mueller’s gallery, studio and home. The exhibits in the gallery are always interesting and different—sometimes even shocking. Concrete is featured throughout, from the rough, unfinished walls to the smooth, polished table and counter tops. His roof-top cactus garden is extraordinary in its variety—one of the best cactus collections in town. It’s a great view, from a different angle.

From there we will go on to see Marta Molina and family’s beautiful Organic farm, TOYAN. We will see greenhouses filled with seedlings gathering their strength for transplanting to the big fields as well as the building where the vegetables are washed and sorted. Some of these sorting machines were particularly designed for the type of vegetables that they sort. Acres of these growing vegetables abound, all grown with natural fertilizer and using absolutely no chemical insecticide. 


Next, we’ll head for the wine cellar. Starting down a steep concrete walkway, in semi-darkness and passing a number of life-size cantera saints, we will finally reach the bottom, in almost total darkness. 

The tour leaves from inside the Jardín, across from the Parroquia, at 10:30am. 

Audubon January birdwalk

The January birdwalk is due to take place on January 21, the third Sunday of the month. Because the botanical garden is a sure place to see a grand variety of birds, and because there is bound to be a large quantity of visitors in San Miguel during January, many of whom are not familiar with El Charco del Ingenio, the plan is to go to that beautiful location

Those interested in taking part in this event should be in front of the Instituto Allende at 8am to sign in. The cars will leave promptly at 8:15am. Hats and drinking water are recommended, and binoculars and bird books, if available. However, there is usually a scope among the birders, and frequently an extra pair of binoculars.

The birdwalk is free to members of Audubon de Mexico, and a donation of 100 pesos or US$10 is asked of nonmembers, to help support the ecological projects in which Audubon is involved.

We hope many people will take part, if not to see the birds, then to visit and enjoy the beauties of El Charco del Ingenio. 

Call Bob at 154-9856 or Fen at 044-415-153-5438 with questions.

Botanical garden tour

Every Tuesday morning discover the marvels of cacti and other Mexican plants as well as the history of El Charco with Martin Smith, curator of plants. An additional privilege of this visit is the opportunity to see the plants in the nursery that is not ordinarily open to the public. Many rare species and plants threatened with extinction are protected and propagated at El Charco. 

Entrance fee is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. All proceeds benefit the garden. The tour is in English and starts at the main entrance at 9am and lasts about 2 hours. Bring a hat and water. Space is limited, so reserve by calling Martin at 154-8838 or 154-4715 or email charco@unisono.net.mx 

Instituto Allende field trips

On Saturday, January 27, Instituto Allende’s weekly field trips head in two different directions. The first outing goes to the quaint village of Bernal and then to the city of Queretaro, departing at 9am. The second tour departs at 8am and is an overnight stay in the nearby state of Michoacán that includes time in the beautiful city of Morelia.

Bernal is a small town that boasts a significant landmark in the form of a towering boulder that looms over the village. Local weavers produce quality wool blankets, sweaters, wall hangings, shawls, vests, rugs and pillowcases. The town is also renowned for semiprecious stones. Afterward, it’s off to nearby Querétaro. There will be stops at the famous aqueduct, the Cemeterio de los Hombres Illustres, the Plaza de Armas and Querétaro’s centerpiece, the Villa del Villar del Aquila fountain. Querétaro’s popular outdoor market is on the schedule, as is a walking tour through the typical colonial streets with preserved gardens, churches, fountains and the house of La Marquesa, now a luxury hotel. Finally, there will be a visit to the Hill of the Bells, where the Benito Juárez monument stands, along with the Chapel of Archiduke Maximilian. The all-inclusive field trip costs US$55.

The second trip is an overnight stay in the state of Michoacán and departs at 8am, heading to Morelia via Yuriria. At Yuriria the famous monastery will be toured, and the Instituto’s guide will explain its history. In Morelia we tour the cathedral, the Clavijero palace, the government palace and Plaza de los Maritires. The nation of Mexico long ago decided to preserve Morelia, keeping it much the same as it was in the 17th century. 

After lunch, the tour heads to Patzcuaro, known for its picturesque lake. This area is renowned for its crafts, furniture and many other exported items. During late afternoon and early evening, plenty of time will be allocated for individual shopping or sightseeing.

On Sunday, we visit the ancient Tzintzintzan archeological site. 

The cost of the all-inclusive trip is US$225 (includes transportation, museum fees, hotel, five restaurant meals, snacks, etc). Bilingual guides in a secure environment lead the Instituto’s field trips. 

The Instituto offers a free lecture every Wednesday at 4pm to preview the upcoming field trips. Reservations must be made in advance. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. For more information visit or call Instituto Allende at 152-0226.

Films & Videos

Shalom SMA film

On Monday, January 22, The Shalom SMA Forum is pleased to present the movie Nowhere in Africa, based on Stefanie Zweig's autobiographical novel. The movie describes the joys and depravations of a German-Jewish family that escapes Nazi Germany in 1938 to live as caretakers on two desolate farms in Kenya.

Abandoning their once-comfortable existence in Germany, Walter Redlich, his wife Jettel and their five-year-old daughter Regina deal with the harsh realities of their new life in different ways. Attorney Walter is resigned to working the farm as a caretaker; pampered Jettel resists adjustment at every turn and the shy yet curious Regina immediately embraces the country, learning the local language and customs and finding a friend in Owuor, the farm’s cook. 

The movie is 140 minutes long and will be shown at 4pm in the TV Room of the Quinta Loreto Hotel, Loreto 15. A 50-peso donation is requested.

Volunteer Opportunities

Library volunteers needed

The Biblioteca Publíca needs volunteers in several departments. In the Tienda, we are looking for people, preferably with retail experience, to work morning and evening shifts during the week (10am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm).

In Teatro Santa Ana, we need hands-on gadget men to help José Luis with ticket sales and other tasks from 10:30am to 3pm. Volunteers with basic computer skills are needed in the computer center from 4pm to 7pm. Bus guides for the House & Garden Tour are needed on Sundays from noon to 2:30pm.

A minimum three-month commitment is requested for these positions.

If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to Judy Boston at volunteers@bibliotecasma.com