Around Town, June 22, 2007

Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Rosita Roisinblit discusses “The Argentine Reign of Terror and Robbery of Small Children” at this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship service.

Señora Roisinblit is the founder of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo (Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo), a group organized to protest the disappearances of loved ones during Argentina’s military dictatorship and genocidal war from 1976-1983.

She is the mother of a young woman who was “disappeared” by the junta in 1978 when eight months pregnant. Held in captivity until her baby was born, her daughter was then killed so the child could be given to a military couple for adoption. Roisinblit tells the remarkable story of how she found and recovered her kidnapped and illegally adopted grandson, and how she has continued to fight for the return of other’s grandchildren and the prosecution of the responsible members of the military junta.

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15. People of all ages, races, religions and sexual orientation are welcome. 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.

Finding inner peace

On Friday, June 29 at 4pm Lifepath Retreat Center hosts a free, one-hour talk entitled “Finding Inner Peace,” presented by the Ishaya Monks of San Miguel. The Ishayas teach a series of powerful techniques, called Ascension, that lead you to experience your own inner source of peace, joy and unconditional love. The Ascension workshop immediately follows the talk Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. For details please call the SMA Ishayas at 152-2531, or email sma_ishayas@yahoo.com. 

Classes & Workshops

Maitri Space Awareness 

Maitri Space awareness is based on the traditional Buddhist teachings of the five buddha families, and a basic attitude of openness or friendliness called “maitri.”

It is a way to contact and begin to recognize the five basic elemental energies of being. These five are referred to as the Five Buddha Families and manifest in form as the five elements, Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Space, which are the building blocks of the phenomenal world.

The practice is done by maintaining a particular posture in a colored environment, either with glasses or in specifically designed rooms. Each posture evokes a specific pattern of energy.

The practice was created and first developed under the guidance of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and then called Maitri Space Awareness.

The Five Wisdom Energies Practice is a vehicle for self-discovery and a ground for working with others; it is for anyone who desires to live their life more fully and have skillful ways in relating with others including people interested in personal growth, educators, and artists.

Acharya Allyn Lyon teaches the course here in San Miguel on June 30 & 31. The program on Saturday, June 30 is from 9am to 9pm with Sunday being from 9am to 5pm.

Lyon has been a student of the dharma since the early 1970s. She attended The Naropa Institute in 1974 and Vajradhatu Seminary in 1979. Since her appointment as an Acharya (senior teacher) in 2000, she has been traveling and teaching while creating a home in Tepotzlan, Mexico where she is the resident Acharya. Lyon is also resident Acharya for Los Angeles, California and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

This program is open to all. No pre-requisites apply. Space is limited. Register early!

Contact Margaretta Sander at 415-120-0767 or msander@ca.inter.net. 

San Miguel de Saigon

Sagrada Wellness is offering an exciting three day retreat, “San Miguel de Saigon: Vietnamese Cooking & Yoga Workshop”where you can taste and learn authentic Vietnamese flavors with Ann Le, author of the popular Vietnamese cookbook, The Little Saigon Cookbook: Vietnamese Cuisine and Culture in Southern California’s Little Saigon. Le leads three hands-on cooking classes and teach guests how to prepare delicious fare and the Vietnamese principles behind the layering of flavors. For details, visit http://www.sagradawellness.com or call 044-415-101-8312 or 323-924-5950 (US number). Day rates are available. The workshop takes place from August 2–(N)5.

Ann Le has lived most of her life in the area of Southern California’s Orange County known as Little Saigon, home to the world’s largest population of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam. With the charm and ease of a natural community builder, Le, a twenty-something investment banker, set out to collect as many of Little Saigon’s recipes as possible, speaking to restaurant owners, family friends, and most importantly, her grandmother. She found that the recipes and the dishes couldn’t just be copied down without context, without explaining the history behind the food. 

“I wanted to tell the story of Little Saigon, and to hopefully preserve what I saw as the most important of our values—the lessons that made me who I am.” What resulted was a definitive collection of the recipes of the Southern Vietnamese kitchen, the tale of how they developed in Vietnam, and how they made it to America.

Fresh produce from San Miguel’s local markets will be used to recreate Vietnamese meals according to the principles of the Sagrada lifestyle: a dedication to healthy cuisine and living. Free time may be spent hiking in the surrounding mountains, or enjoying Sagrada’s acclaimed yoga, acupuncture and massage treatments. A delicious Vietnamese family-style dinner will conclude each evening.

How delicious, you might wonder? Farmer John Peterson recounts, “Ann has culinary magic. I sat down at the Sagrada table one evening, took my first bite of Ann’s savory Warm Shaking Beef Dish (“Bo Luc Lac”) and fell into a swoon. Her cooking takes a person beyond flavors, beyond textures, aromas, and colors. Besides that, she’s hilarious, so I imagine her workshop will be a riot of cooking and laughing. I’m sure Ann gets many marriage proposals.

Ann Le received her training from the New School of Cooking, California. Le and the Little Saigon Cookbook have appeared in over 30 publications including the Los Angeles Times, Gourmet Magazine, NPR, and Sunset Magazine. You can find out more about the cookbook at the website: http://www.littlesaigoncookbook.com.
 

Tours & Excursions

Botanical Garden tour

Every Tuesday morning, discover the marvels of cacti and other Mexican plants as well as the history of El Charco with Mario Mendoza, Assistant Director of the garden. The tour includes a visit to the nursery that contains many rare species and is not usually open to the public.

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, lasting about 2 hours. Bring a hat and water. Space is limited, so reserve by calling 154-8838 or email charcodelingenio@gmail.com.

Instituto Allende trip to Guanajuato

Instituto Allende Tours heads towards the Colonial city of Guanajuato, the State Capitol, on Saturday, June 30, departing at 9am. Guanajuato is just about an hour west of San Miguel.

Guanajuato is an astonishing eye opener. Its narrow streets wind their way between flower-filled plazas, and give way to unexpected balconies, bridges, and red-tiled roofs that lie level with the street above. Few places appear more exotic.

Guanajuato both eludes and inspires description. Travelers are reminded of the hill towns of Italy and jewels of places in southern Spain. The town boasts a peculiar combination of unrivaled Mexican and European qualities. 

The city of Guanajuato was once Mexico’s second largest city and was one of the wealthiest cities in the world due to local silver mining. Opulent built structures have become left behind art relics. It’s a somewhat flamboyant city, a maze of plazas, byways, dramatic tunnels and picturesque streets.

The city’s been deemed a World Heritage site by the United Nations. During this particular outing, special attention will be given to the preserved architecture of the colonial period in residential areas. Its underground tunnel system enables traffic to move beneath the busy city as to relieve congestion. Riding beneath the busy streets makes for a unique experience. The city’s center makes for a good place to stroll and shop. Time will be allotted for such.

Points of interest that will be visited include the university and the stately governmental buildings and the Iconographic Museum of El Quixote showcases a unique international collection of art (Sculpture, paintings, graphics etc.). A visit will be made to the home of native son and famous painter Diego Rivera that has been converted to a museum. Cost is US$55, all-inclusive.

A free lecture takes place at Instituto Allende on Wednesday, June 27 at 4pm previewing this trip. Bilingual, native-speaking guides lead all tours and offer rare insight in a secure environment. Visa and Master Card are accepted. Reservations are a must. For more information call Instituto Allende, 152-0226, Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 20.

Saturday Adventurers

This Saturday the Adventurers are off to “Guajuye,” where a lot of the beautiful glassware you see in shops and restaurants come from. We see how they recycle glass, turn it into molten liquid and various shapes Across the street is their shop, where you may purchase sets of glasses, colorful vases, fruit bowls, and much more. And at factory prices! Next we go to the beautiful ranch of José María Morera.. Here he raises the most beautiful of all animals, the horse. We will visit the stables where the future racehorses begin their life, before being sent off to the Hippodrome in Mexico City to be trained. These are purebloods, bred for racing. The ranch grows all the feed, so many acres are devoted to alfalfa. We also visit the beautiful home, full of exquiste furnishings. There is also a pool to complete the movie-like setting. This tour leaves from the Jardín, across from the Parroquia, at 10:30am.

Performances & Events

Open house and trail rides

Club Ecuestre is hosting an Open House every day from July 5–22 from 1:30–3pm. Bring the family and kids out for riding demonstrations, trial rides and to tour Club Ecuestre. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be served daily. Price is $150 pesos per adult. Kids are free. Visit the website www.clubecuestreallende.com  for maps and more information or call 044-415-103-1842.

Volunteer Opportunities

Casas Hogares volunteers needed

San Miguel’s three children’s refuges—casas hogares (Mexiquito, Santa Julia, and Sollano)—need the help of the community in order to meet their many volunteer and special event opportunities this summer. Please call 152-3709 in SMA, 925-418-8003 from the US, or email robin@robinloving.com  if you might be able to oversee an event or coordinate volunteers. You would be working with English-speaking volunteers and event participants and Spanish-speaking directors of each children’s home. Thank you!

Volunteering at the Biblioteca

If you would like to volunteer to assist in any of the following departments, please see Elia in the Sala Infantil, Monday-Friday, 4–5pm, or send an email to volunteers@bibliotecasma.com  and Judy Boston will get back to you. The departments with the most need are La Tienda, teaching English to kids, the Book Committee, English conversation with students, the computer room, the Sala Infantil with literacy programs and painting, administration, the Café, the House and Garden Tour, and Atencíon. A minimum commitment of 3 months is requested for most of these positions.

See you in the funny papers

Mark Saunders, creator of Atención’s “Más o Menos” cartoon, invites suggestions from readers for funny material about living in San Miguel that would lend itself to a cartoon. Selected ideas will be drawn by the cartoonist, and authors will be given credit as well as a signed copy of their cartoon. Please send your “expat” cartoon ideas to edit@atencionsanmiguel.org.