Around Town

Meetings & Lectures, March 2, 2007

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

“The Poet and Poetry of Robert Frost” is the topic for this Sunday’s service at the UU Fellowship led by part-time San Miguel resident Glenn Zipp.

Frost, the four-time Pulitzer-Prize-winning American writer, has been described as a subjective lyric poet extremely gifted in the use of the common spoken-word conversational style to set moods and create imagery of action and sound. Zipp will focus briefly on some of the contrary aspects of Frost’s life and read selected poems from his published works that tease, if not question, orthodox Christian dogma on nature and mankind in the divine scheme of the universe. 

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

On Tuesday, March 6, the Midday Rotary Club guest speaker Jack Watson shares his reflections on the Presidential Primaries and Election of 2008.

Watson, currently a resident of San Miguel de Allende, was Chief of Staff in the Carter Presidency. He chaired a National Commission on the Vice Presidency which produced the book A Heart Beat Away. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute in New York and as Commissioner of the National Portrait Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

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, please check our website: www.rotarysma.org. 

Garden lecture series

El Charco (Botanical gardens) garden lecture series continues on Thursday, March 8, at 9:30am when Fen Taylor opens her country home and Alfonso Alarcon of Terra about water features for a city garden. In addition, we will have a chance to see other aspects of environmentally friendly living at Fen’s ranch, including how to capture rain water, solar energy use, etc. 

Cost is 70 pesos for members of El Charco and 100 pesos for nonmembers. Reserve a space by emailing nzerriffi@yahoo.com. 

If you missed last month’s seminar on medicinal plants, you still have a chance to get the information: the DVD will be available in March at the store at the Garden—the first in a series covering our garden workshops. 

Gathering of facilitators for healing

The last Gathering of Facilitators for Healing, an “energy exchange,” takes place at noon on Thursday, March 8 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.

Classes & Workshops

Experience the colorful San Miguel Market with our chef as your guide. You will get pointers for selecting the best of the crop and bring unfamiliar items back to the Sazón kitchen. Your market items then become the ingredients for making delicious salsas and salads, served with hand made tortillas. 

The Regional Cuisines of Mexico series brings the flavors of Oaxaca to Sazón on Wednesday, March 7, from 11am to 1pm. The class and tasting cost 550 pesos.

On Thursday, March 8 our class and tasting is: “San Miguel de Allende Tradicional Home Cooking.” The class and tasting is from 11am to 1pm and costs 550 pesos.

La Cocina cooking classes

On Wednesday, March 7 discover “The Art of Chiles Rellenos” with Mercedes Arteaga, owner of La Bugambilia restaurant. The class highlights the fundamentals of working with chiles and national favorites Chiles en Nogada, chile poblano soup, 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 2–5 and costs US$55 per person.

This week special guest chef is Susana Trilling, author of Seasons of my Heart cookbook and television host of a PBS series on Mexican cuisine. Her classes on traditional Oaxacan food run March 8 and 9. March 10 is devoted to Mexican Fusion cuisine (inquire at El Buen Café for menus). The class is from 11–2 and costs US$65 per person, including lunch.

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, Jesus 23, between 9 and 4.

More than play with clay

Learn to create original jewelry at the polymer clay workshop March 12 to 16, 9am–1:30pm, at the Instituto Allende. Finished pieces in polymer clay appear to be made of stone, ivory and wood, and it’s also possible to transfer images directly onto the surface of this type of clay.

Myriam Bardoul is a visiting instructor and an old friend of Instituto Allende. Bardoul teaches mixed media jewelry at the Visual Art Institute in Montreal, Canada. She’s been working with clay for over ten years. Cost for the workshop is US$200 plus materials. For further information, visit Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 20 or call 152-0226. 

Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventurers

On March 3, the Saturday Adventurers will learn about the art of papel maché (papier mâché) from the finest producer in San Miguel. Watch how old paper is transformed into luscious-looking fruit and pan dulces that are exported worldwide. Afterwards, we are off to a setting where a fairy godmother must have waved her wand to create the green oasis called “Las Hadas Madrinas,” home of Patsy Du Bois, well-known caterer and cooking teacher. Her home is a delight to the eye, and her tacos and other tidbits are mouth-watering. 

Tour leaves from inside the Jardín, across from the Parroquia, at 10:30am

Global Justice trip

Visit the rural town of El Moral on March 10, where some dynamic women, including organizer Angelina Sotto Rios, are helping to develop their community—they have created a cooperative sewing factory. Faced with the common dilemma of needing cash income and having to choose between sending a family member north or selling ejido land (legal since 1992), Angelina and the women in El Moral decided to try another solution—organize a cooperative to produce clothes and sell them. This is an inspiring story of poor people helping themselves through imagination, hard work and persistence.

The trip leaves for El Moral at 9am and returns at 4pm. Cost is 300 pesos. Advanced registration required at the Center for Global Justice, Calzada de la Luz 42 or call 150-0025.

Insituto Allende field trip

On Saturday, March 10, at 9 am, Instituto Allende visits Atotonilco, Dolores Hidalgo and the city of Guanajuato. 

The sanctuary at Atotonilco is famous for its unusual murals, the Señor de la Columna—a statue of Christ that holds a special place during San Miguel’s Easter celebrations, and the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which was taken from the church by Padre Hidalgo to lead the people in the march for independence. Next stop is Dolores Hidalgo, a center for talavera, the local ceramic pottery and tilework, with a visit to the cathedral, another focal point of Mexican independence. The cathedral sits on the town’s main square, which famously offers ice cream with unique flavors such as avocado, shrimp and tequila along with the more traditional varieties. 

Then on to Guanajuato, the city deemed a World Heritage site by the United Nations. Special attention will be given to the colonial architecture preserved in residential areas. 

The cost for the all-inclusive trips is US$55. A preview lecture is held on Wednesday, 4pm. For more information, visit Instituto Allende at Ancha de San Antonio 20 or call 152-0226.

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, Director of the garden. The tour includes a visit to the nursery which 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. 

Performances & Events

Shalom San Miguel Purim celebrations

Shalom San Miguel celebrates Purim this year with two special events. On Saturday, March 3, there is a Havdalah service and community Megillah reading at 7:30pm in the Salon TV of the Quinta Loreto Hotel, Loreto 15. All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served. On Sunday, March 4, at noon there is a Purim costume party/luncheon at Patsy’s Place (near Atotonilco). Costumes are optional, but highly recommended to keep us in the spirit of this happy holiday! In addition to another opportunity to take part in our community Megillah reading, there will be a short Purim play presented by the children of the Shalom San Miguel Hebrew School, followed by a festive meal, including home-baked hamentaschen cookies. All this for only 200 pesos per person, bus transportation included. Please call Doris Tolpen at 154-5438 for reservations and further details. 

Magic and Charm of Oaxaca

On Saturday, March 3, San Miguel has the opportunity to view the beautiful new works of seven Oaxacan artists. The specialized Oaxacan works include outstanding hand-painted animals, hand made textiles and rugs, embroidered clothing, and the ever popular Oaxcan black clay items. 

Exhibition and cocktails from 7 to 9 pm, at “Corazón Gitano”, Hernández Macías 96. For more information call 044- 415-150-0092.

International Potluck

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church hosts an Oriental Potluck on March 17. Please make a dish for 8 to 10 people. It can be Vietnamese, Thai, Czechuan, etc. Everybody is welcome and there will be a talk afterwards. Reservations are necessary. Bring your on beverage. If you need recipes or to make reservations contact 152-7663. If you need recipe ideas see the cooking section at the Biblioteca Pública.

Films & Videos

An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore’s Academy Award winning film screens Monday, March 5 at 5:30pm, at the Ángela Peralta Theater and admission is free. This is a stunning film about the global climate crisis. The theater will probably fill up, so if you have seen the film, consider letting those who have NOT seen it have the first seats. 

Volunteer Opportunities


House & Garden Tour volunteers needed

The House & Garden Tour desperately needs volunteer cashiers to work on Sundays. This sensitive work requires familiarity with handling and counting money, numbering tickets and consolidation. Cashiers should be year-round residents willing to work most Sundays of the year. Hours are 10am until 12:30 or 1pm. The current cashier is leaving in mid-April and will offer training to any applicants. The position calls for two cashiers (with backups when needed) on a regular basis as soon as possible. Thank you!



Library volunteers needed

The Biblioteca Pública still needs volunteers in several departments. In the Tienda, we need 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 email Judy Boston at volunteers@bibliotecasma.com. 

Atención volunteers needed

Atención seeks volunteer proofreaders. If you are obsessive about grammar, spelling and punctuation and would like to contribute your expertise, contact Atención at edit@atencionsanmiguel.org. 

Teachers needed for English classes

The Biblioteca Pública needs people who are willing to volunteer just three hours a week to teach English to children or adults. To volunteer or to get more information, call Gerald Camp, coordinator of the Biblioteca English program, at 120-0951 or email at smacasamilagro@yahoo.com.


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.