Around Town

Meetings & Lectures

Lectures and talks at LifePath

On Friday, March 16, at 6pm 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 and continues on Saturday and Sunday. For details, please call the SMA Ishayas at 154-9793 or email sma_ishayas@yahoo.com. 

On March 16–18, Lifepath hosts Ascension Meditation. This unique technique for stilling the mind, calming the heart, and centering the soul is gaining international recognition. Join the Ishaya Monks for the extraordinary practice of Ascension Meditation. It costs 2000 pesos and takes place on Friday 6–10pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am–6pm. For information and to register, call 154-5515 or email nataraj@ishaya.org. 


Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

The students of Jóvenes Adelante discuss how the program that sends highly qualified young men and women to University has changed their lives. The program, which began five years ago, has already produced seven graduates, now working in their chosen fields in Mexico, including chemistry, robotics and engineering. There are currently 21 additional sponsored students in school who, without help, would not otherwise be able to attend.

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. 


Shambala Meditation Group

The Shambhala Meditation Group of San Miguel de Allende invites meditation practitioners from all disciplines, as well as anyone interested in meditation, to join us for the first Sunday nynthun—an in-depth practice session of one day or less. Unlike Shambhala’s weekly Wednesday night sessions which offer sitting and walking meditation, the nynthun also will offer instruction and practice in contemplative meditation (loving kindness, compassion, basic goodness, the four reminders, etc.), chants, purification and empowerment practices, and other simple teachings from both the secular and religious aspects of the Shambhala Buddhist path.

Nynthun will continue to be offered monthly. There is no charge (although donations are welcome) and you may enter and leave without attending the entire program. Practice materials, if needed, are provided. A meditation instructor will be available to assist new practitioners. Nynthun takes place March 18, 11am–1:30pm, Callejon Blanco 4 (off Quebrada). For more information, contact Christina Hager at 152-5814.


Real estate lecture

Lane Simmons, principal broker and owner of the local Remax real estate franchise, gives his annual state of the state real estate in Mexico lecture at Instituto Allende, March 19 at 4 pm. Simmons touches on the present marketplace, land and housing availability, costs, new construction, taxes, foreigners rights, and many of the other do’s and don’ts related to real estate in this country. In layman’s terms he speaks about the highs and lows and risks when purchasing or selling local real estate. After his talk there is time for a question and answer session. Admission is 50 pesos.


Midday Rotary Club

On Tuesday, March 20, Donald Patterson, Director of Environment and Ecology for San Miguel de Allende, gives a PowerPoint presentation at the Midday Rotary Club. Donald was invited by Rotarian Larry Castriotta.

Patterson received his BA from Seattle Pacific University and did post-graduate work in administration at Western Washington University in Bellingham. He also earned a Master of Fine Arts at the Instituto Allende. During his time at the Instituto, he began reading about Mexican history, which led him to study archeology. This in turn led him to spend 10 years in Mexico and Guatemala on archeological projects.

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. 

Weird windows, dazzling doors: A lighthearted look at San Miguel’s architecture

San Miguel writer and photographer Robert de Gast has been roaming the streets and alleys of our fair city for years, examining its architecture and making pictures of many of the town’s beautiful (and sometimes bizarre) windows and doors. He presents a slide show of his extensive collection on Tuesday, March 20, at 5pm at the Teatro Santa Ana in the Biblioteca, located at Insurgentes 25.

“I remain fascinated by the highly individual ways in which doors and windows are used and decorated,” he said. “I have thousands of pictures from many barrios around San Miguel but I have never seen two identical doors or windows. While the windows may not be as imposing as the doors, the variety of styles and designs is just as mind-boggling.” The talk lasts about an hour. “Though not exactly a spoof, it will not be very serious either. Let’s call it ‘lighthearted,’” de Gast remarked.

De Gast, born in the Netherlands, is a long-time resident of San Miguel, and the author of nine books, including The Doors of San Miguel and Behind the Doors of San Miguel. He lectures frequently and teaches a photography course called “Point and Shoot with a Pro.”

Admission is 50 pesos and benefits the library’s many programs.

Classes & Workshops

Theater directing workshop

Allan Gross is offering a short course on directing for the theater entitled “Directing is NOT advanced acting.” Each of the four lecture/demonstrations are 1.5 hours in length commencing on Saturday, March 17; continuing Sunday March 18; Saturday, March 24 and concluding on Sunday, March 25. All days begin at 11am. The cost for the course is 700 pesos and the class size is limited.

These lectures demonstrate the elements necessary for direction of theatre. Gross is an honors graduate of New York’s School of Performing Arts on 46th St. & Broadway and holds both an MFA in directing performance and an MS in directing theory and practice.

The range of information referenced includes Aristotle’s Poetics, Brecht’s “Epic” theatre, Artaud, Grotoweski and today’s realities for the director. Included is a discussion of technical elements and simple rules for their proper use. Classes feature selections from his “Pearls of Theatre.” The pearls are concise, easily remembered tenets of directing practice. You’ll enjoy this stimulating examination of directing and become wiser with your craft.

Call Allan at 152-0462 to register.

Create your own altered book

An altered book is an unwanted book that has been creatively recycled, transforming it into a work of art. The book becomes the canvas for the artist’s ideas and creativity.

To alter a book, the artist starts with a hardback book chosen perhaps for its interesting cover or catchy title or personal significance. A background of paint, ink or paper is applied to pages. Pages are torn away to make room for ephemera such as old photos, postcards, tickets, and postage stamps. Charms, buttons and other embellishments can also be used to decorate the pages. Techniques such as cutting windows, doors, and niches and making pockets, pull-tabs and pop-ups add interest. The are no rules in making altered books.

Sandra Stone is giving several workshops on altered book-making in the following weeks in her studio in col. San Antonio. For more information, call Sandra at 154-9857 or email sandrastonesma@hotmail.com. 

Women as caretakers of everyone but themselves

Most women think of a makeover as something that changes their look. Lucy Z. Martin sees it as something that changes their life.

Martin, a prize-winning public relations and marketing professional, offers a weekend workshop—Friday, March 30, from 3–7pm and Saturday, March 31 & Sunday, April 1, from 10am–2pm—that’s designed for precisely that purpose. The LifePath course is modeled on the workshops she developed for “Now Is MY Time,” the business she designed to help women set goals and achieve them.

“Where do you want to go with your life?” she asks participants in her workshops. “And what will it take for you to get there?”

The course offers easy-to-implement strategies on how to make the necessary changes to achieve personal success and satisfaction. It can be adapted to any personality or lifestyle. According to Martin, most women are more accomplished than they realize. But they sabotage their own best efforts by either failing to appreciate their abilities or being too self-critical of their perceived shortcomings.

“If change were easy, we’d all be thin, bilingual, and HTML-literate,” Martin says, conceding that any new challenge, from becoming financially secure to submitting an article to a magazine, can be overwhelming and frightening. But women are used to handling more than they realize, she says. “Women are talented at multi-tasking. They are naturally flexible and resilient, which gives them a huge advantage in dealing with change and transition.”

Many women have been taught to be the peacemakers and not to make waves. As a result, Martin says, they often don’t ask for what they want or even know how to phrase it so they’re accurately understood. “I find women often say ‘I’m fine’ when they’re not, or ‘I don’t need anything’ when they do.”

In this setting, each participant learns to recognize how she may be sabotaging her own dreams. Martin offers time-tested ways to alter distorted thinking (all or nothing assumptions, glass half empty logic, etc), to overcome procrastination, and to manage time in order to move forward. She helps each woman to set realistic goals and measure progress.

“As I’ve spent over 30 years in marketing communications, I structure the course to give each participant all the components of a personal marketing plan,” explains Martin. “Everyone goes away with clearly stated goals, creative strategies to reach them, and action steps with their own deadlines.” 

Registration is through Lucy Martin at 152-4259 or lucyz@nowismtime.com. Questions also can be addressed to Beverly Nelson at LifePath at 154-8465 or Beverly@LifePathRetreats.com. 

The US$150 cost includes 12 hours of group workshop, including multiple handouts.

Early registration is recommended with payment due at LifePath before the first class. A website www.nowismytime.com offers comments from past participants and describes why women attend, with quotes as to specifically what they’ve learned. 

Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventurers

This Saturday, the Adventurers are going to see where rusty junk is a prized possession. Yes, Ana Thiel prizes anything old and rusty, such as old pieces of burnt wood or odd pieces of rusty machinery, which she incorporates with molten glass, creating exquisite modern sculptures. Displayed in her gallery are wall-hangings, colorful paper-weights and other artistic forms of glass.

Next, it’s off to a mountain-top, where Richard Leet is in the throes of completing yet another mansion. As we wander from room to room, trying to guess what they will be, we are stunned by the stupendous view. It is breath-taking. Part way down the mountain, we come to the finished stables. You can see who gets priority. It is here, in this beautiful stable, that Dick keeps his prized Andalusian horses, which we will be able to admire and pet. The tack room is so gorgeous you might want to live in it.

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


Audubon birdwalk

Last month’s birdwalk went to the new birding site on the way toward Guanajuato. It was an excellent trip, as many varieties of birds were seen, including a flock of Cedar Waxwings, not often seen here. There is still a wealth of birding to be done there, but it will have to wait a month. The birdwalk for March 18 goes to the bridge at Montecillo de Nieto.

This event, on the third Sunday of each month, is open to Audubon members and non-members alike. It is gratis to members of this chapter, and a donation of US$10 or 100 pesos is asked of non-members, to help support ecological projects in which Audubon is involved. People interested in taking part should be in front of the Instituto Allende by 8am, cars leave promptly at 8:15. Bring a hat and drinking water, as it may be hot. Binoculars and bird books are helpful, but not necessary, as there will be a scope among the birders.

People with questions may call Bob at 154-9856 or Fen at 044-415-153-5438.

Pozos House and Garden tour

Join us on Saturday, March 24, for the first Pozos House and Garden tour. Visit five places, some old, some new, see Pozos landscape filled with maguey, cactus and pepper trees; unobstructed 360-degree views with clear, blue skies and fresh air. Six cars stuck in any direction, constitutes a traffic jam, and some locals even opt to take a ride to the Jardín on horseback.

Those driving to Pozos should purchase tickets, in advance, for the tour only. Everyone meets in front of Hotel Casa Mexicana. Tour departs from the Jardín in Pozos at 11:30am and concludes around 1:30pm giving you plenty of time to have lunch and do some shopping. Round-trip transportation is provided. Bus leaves from the old Gigante parking lot at 10am. Bus returns to San Miguel at 5pm.

Tickets are 250 pesos for transportation and tour, or 100 pesos for the tour only and advance purchase is necessary. Tickets are available at Galería Pergola (inside Instituto Allende); Galería 19 (on Calle Jesús 19); and DeWayne Youts Showrooms (inside Fábrica la Aurora).

Proceed from ticket sales will go to Mineral de Pozos, AC, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of our historical heritage in Pozos. 

For additional information call Posada de las Minas at 01-442-293-0213 or Los Famosos de Pozos at 01-442-293-0112.

(Editor’s note: Please note this is a private tour and is NOT associated with the long-standing trademark San Miguel House and Garden Tour run by the charitable organization the Biblioteca Pública.)

Instituto Allende hosts field trip to Pozos

Instituto Allende hosts a field trip to Pozos, often referred to as a ghost town, and the surrounding area on Saturday, March 24 at 8am. Approximately 45 minutes from San Miguel is Pozos and Victoria. This outing is a camera buff’s delight, as the scenery is spectacular. There is some moderate hiking in order to view the ancient petroglyphs. Pozos was once a bustling silver-mining center. It has bottomless shafts and some of the ruins of the old mines will be explored. Pets and children are not permitted on this trip due to some dangerous areas. Sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats are suggested. Other highlights of the outing are the tour of the remains of giant hearths built by the Jesuits in 1597 plus being treated to a concert at the old musical instrument store.

Each Wednesday at 4 pm Instituto provides a free lecture previewing the weekend’s upcoming field trip. Bi-lingual guides lead all Instituto outings and field trips in a safe environment. Cost for this all-inclusive trip is US$55. Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 20, 152-0226.

Performances & Events

Friday symphony rides again

Joan Nagle, organizer of the Friday Symphony trips to Guanajuato, has switched the venue to Querétaro as the Guanajuato Symphony is on tour in China.

Trips to the Querétaro Symphony are every Friday night during March. Programs for for the month are listed online at www.ofeq.org.mx. Click on: “Nuestra Progamacion,” then “ver programacion.”

This year, your contributions help two young Mexicans attend the Summer Session at Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH), a private high school in Massachusetts. 

Email aquajoan@yahoo.com with your name and the number attending by the Tuesday of the week you plan to attend. Your reservation will be confirmed by email but will not be complete until your payment for transportation is received. Payment must be made by the Wednesday of the week you wish to attend. Transportation cost is US$25 or 260 pesos per person. There are no refunds, but you may send replacements. Put your money in an envelope along with your name, phone number, number of persons attending, amount paid (number of persons X $25 US or 260 pesos) and the date of the performance you wish to attend. Deposit your envelope with money and information in Box 185A, Border Crossings, 57 Mesones (another entrance on Reloj). Your money must be in Border Crossings by Wednesday at 4pm before the Friday concert that you wish to attend. Receipt of the money will be confirmed by email as soon as it is received.

Please note that the staff at Border Crossings do not have information about the trip, your reservations or the symphony, nor can they supply envelopes.

On the day of the concert vans depart at 5:30pm from St. Paul’s Church on Cardo and return to the same location. You will have time for comida before the 8:30pm concert at Teatro de la Republica in Querétaro. Tickets for the performance are sold at the door and range in price from 90 to 200 pesos.

Address questions to Joan Nagle at aquajoan@yahoo.com. 

Volunteer Opportunities

Library volunteers needed

The Biblioteca Pública needs volunteers in several departments. 

In the Tienda, we need two more people, preferably with retail experience, to work morning and evening shifts during the week (10am to 2pm and 3pm to 6). Volunteers with basic computer skills are needed in the computer center, hours are flexible. The Sunday House & Garden Tour needs a cashier (11am-12:30pm) and always welcomes house and bus guides on Sundays from noon to 2:30pm. The English program needs English teachers who will be here this April and May.

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.

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.