Around Town, June 29, 2007


Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Co-founder Lee Carter discusses the creation and mission of Hospice San Miguel at this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship service.

Hospice San Miguel, founded this year, is a non-profit community-based healthcare organization. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life of individuals with a life-threatening illness and support their families through the management of physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. It seeks to help the patient remain comfortable, alert and able to participate in life as fully as possible until death occurs naturally and peacefully. Hospice SMA affirms life and regards dying as a normal process and neither hastens nor postpones death.

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

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 Bernal and Querétaro

On Saturday, July 7, at 9am, Instituto’s weekly field trip heads to the quaint village of Bernal and then to the city of Querétaro. 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 good quality wool blankets, sweaters, wall hangings, shawls, vests, rugs and pillowcases. The town is also renowned for semi-precious stones.

Afterwards it’s off to nearby Querétaro. There are stops at the famous Aqueduct, the Cementerio 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. Lastly, there is a visit to the Hill of the Bells where stands the Benito Juarez Monument along with the Chapel of Archiduke Maximilano. Cost for this all-inclusive trips is US$55.

Each Wednesday, at 4pm Instituto Allende offers a free preview lecture on the upcoming weekend’s field trip. Native-speaking, bilingual guides lead all tours in a safe environment. Reservations are a must and fees must be paid in advance. Visa and MasterCard accepted. For more information, visit or call 152-0226.

Saturday Adventurers

The Adventurers are going to see Casa Encantada. Upon entering one sees a series of arches leading to a garden area, but we go up a few steps to the left first, and enter the living room, charmingly furnished with a couple chairs upholstered in fake leopard skin. Next we see the dining room with a corner cantera fireplace. On we go until we come to the jacuzzi room, with the mural of life-size bathing beauties in various stages of undress. It’s a favorite room for the men to have their picture taken. Upstairs there are more bedrooms and an incredible view. Afterwards, we go way out to Las Palmas, the beautiful estate of Michel Connors, a well-known artist. Her home is adobe, with a palm-thatched roof. It sounds primitive, but inside there is a more open, modern feel. Be sure to look up and notice the huge tree trunk, used as a supporting beam. The landscaping is divided by low walls of semi-precious stones. Finally we gather in the kiosko by the pool, for cookies and refreshments, courtesy of Centro de Crecim
iento. This tour leaves from inside the Jardín, across from the Parroquia, at 10:30am.

Performances & Events

4th of July party

The San Miguel Chapter of Democrats Abroad host a July 4 celebration from 1pm until 4pm at Casa de los Milagros Restaurant (Reloj 17). Hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, coleslaw and your first beer, wine, margarita or soft drink are included in the 150 peso admission. Tickets are limited and can be purchased in advance at La Conexión and Border Crossings.

Celebrating food and film

Hollywood’s top names, cutting-edge indie films and mouth-watering five-star Mexican cooking classes: is there a tastier combination for hungry film-buff gourmets? This July, Casa de Sierra Nevada has cooked up delectable fiestas to help celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the renowned Expresión en Corto Film Festival.

Throughout the month of July, film-based Mexican cooking classes at Sazón will be taught in English by Chef Montserrat Castro, who trained in Mexico City and Monte Carlo, Monaco. Sign-up through: www.sazon.com. The class schedule is as follows: July 5: Fried Green Tomatillos (Fried Green Tomatoes); July 12: Mystic Taco (Mystic Pizza); July 17: Attack of the Killer Tortillas (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes); July 18: My Cena With André (My Dinner With André); July 19: A Fish Called Wahoo (A Fish Called Wanda); July 20: Desayuno at Tiffany’s (Breakfast At Tiffany’s); and July 26: The Big Chile (The Big Chill).

A trio of Orient-Express executive chefs will create fabulous gourmet dinners at Casa de Sierra Nevada and teach cooking classes at Sazón, all related to delicious movie themes. Sierra Nevada’s own Gonzalo Martinez, native of San Miguel who spent 14 years perfecting his craft in the States, will be joined by award-winning Guillermo Gomez who worked in Argentina, Spain and Uruguay prior to taking on his current position at Maroma Resort and Spa in the Yucatán; and Craig Russell of Keswick Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia famous for east coast specialities like Salmon Wellington and Maryland Crabcakes. This event takes place July19–23. For reservations, go to: www.casadesierranevada.com. 

On Saturday July 21, Casa de Sierra Nevada hosts cinematic VIP’s at a five-star invitation-only reception for producers, directors, actors, and Mexican cultural and government officials. This spectacular evening features botanas prepared by three Orient-Express executive chefs, including the hotel’s own Gonzalo Martinez. Earn a VIP pass by joining the Festival’s Adopt-An-Event program and enjoy a night socializing with the stars. Info at: www.expresionencortofest.com. 

Films & Videos

Shalom SMA film forum

Shalom San Miguel presents the film Cast a Giant Shadow on Monday, July 2. In the film, Marcus (played by Kirk Douglas) served as an adviser in the war to establish the state of Israel in 1948. Marcus falls in love with a female Israeli soldier, Magda Simon (played by Senta Berger) in Palestine. Filmed mostly in the Middle Eastern locations in which they occurred, Cast a Giant Shadow is not entirely historically accurate but is based on actual events. It features appearances by Angie Dickinson, Yul Brynner, John Wayne, and Frank Sinatra. The film is shown at the Hotel Quinta Loreto, 4:30pm. Suggested donation: 50 pesos.

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.