AROUND TOWN

Meetings & Lectures

UU Fellowship Service

At this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Service, Merrily Beyreuther addresses the mission and successes of Mujeres en Cambio, a nonprofit organization committed to developing economic sustainability and education for women living in the rural communities of central Mexico.

Public education in Mexico is not free past the sixth grade. Junior high and high school are beyond the means of poor families.

It is common in the rural communities around San Miguel for girls to drop out of school after sixth grade, or even before, to help out with the work at home. The organization currently supports more than 130 young girls and women, mainly in elementary through high school, as well as some in college or technical schools. Scholarships pay for things that families cannot afford: books, materials, transportation, food and even shoes and clothing, making it easier for them to let go of the extra pair of hands that contributes to daily survival.

Additionally, Mujeres en Cambio was instrumental in the creation of a women’s cooperative in 1998 that produces rugs made from wool scraps. It supports their efforts by helping them market their rugs in San Miguel and the US.

Beyreuther, a full-time San Miguel resident, is a core member of the group and sits on the scholarship committee.

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15. All are invited to attend the service and then join the UUs in the hotel restaurant for brunch.

Midday Rotary Club

On Tuesday, March 25, visiting Rotarian Don Kwait speaks on the Rotary Foundation. The mission of this foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty. Every amount contributed to The Rotary Foundation is spent in support of humanitarian, educational and cultural programs and their operations. Clubs and districts apply for and receive foundation grants to carry out worthy projects worldwide. The foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the foundation who share its vision of a better world.

Kwait has served the Rotary Foundation as a trustee and Rotary International as director, treasurer, International Assembly discussion leader, moderator of the International Assembly, International Institute chairman, committee chairman and member, task force coordinator, Rotary information counselor and district governor. He has received the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, the Distinguished Service Award, the PolioPlus Pioneers Award, the Legacy to Children Award and is a charter member of the Rotary Foundation Bequest Society.

The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday meets every Tuesday at their new location, the Hotel Real de Minas at the intersection of calles Ancha de San Antonio and Stirling Dickinson. Check-in time is 12–12:25pm and the meeting starts promptly at 12:30. Visiting Rotarians and others interested in Rotary are invited to attend this meeting. Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. For more information, please go to the website: www.rotarysma.org.  

How to age well, stay fit and be happy

An expert on successful aging, Harriet Vines, Ph.D. is an experienced author, lecturer and retired college professor who has appeared on radio and TV. Intrinsically motivated to research aging, Dr. Vines quickly discovered that most of us do not exercise the power we have over the process. Now she is sharing results from 15 years of consultation, workshops and lectures at Leisure World, Canyon Ranch, independent retirement communities and adult education programs in her new book and animated PowerPoint presentation.

It’s never too late to start—nor too soon to begin. Live better as you live longer. Her book, Age Smart, has the information and techniques you’ve been looking for so you can age the way you want to. 

Learn to apply the power you have to control your own aging. Overcome obstacles to successful aging. Enhance and sustain your precious mental acuity. Do fun, interesting workouts to improve your mind and memory. Guard against Alzheimer’s. Be happy.

The lecture is held Tuesday, March 25 at 10:30am at Sala Quetzal, in the Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25. Suggested donation of 50 pesos.

Weird windows and 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 taking pictures of the town’s beautiful (and sometimes bizarre) windows and doors. He presents a slide show of his extensive collection on Tuesday, March 25 at 5pm at Teatro Santa Ana in the Biblioteca Pública, 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 will last 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 authorof 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

Chess workshops

Free chess workshops for adults meet Mondays 5–6:30pm in the central patio of the Biblioteca Pública. The Biblioteca has good chess sets, but bring your own if you like. More than a dozen players occupy the north portal of the patio each week. Some players meet in the patio informally other days of the week.

About 10 players gather at Mama Mia, Umarán 8, on Wednesdays, 5–7pm. Assistant manager Martín opens the rooftop terraces so we can play chess like aristocrats. The restaurant has tournament-class sets, long inlaid tables, attentive waiters and spectacular views of churches, mountains and sunsets.

Adults also play chess at Casa de la Cultura on Chorro, 10am–2pm on Saturdays.

The view is extraordinary and you’ll know you’ve earned it after you climb the last switchback on the road to the top of the hill.

Authors’ Sala

The Authors’ Sala invites you to join a writers’ critique group, open to experienced and beginner writers who would benefit from supportive feedback. The organizational meeting will take place Thursday, March 27 from 2–3pm in the Biblioteca’s Sala Quetzal, Insurgentes 25. If you are interested but can’t make this meeting, write Jan Baross at bmi@easystreet.com. 

Final gathering of facilitators for healing

“I’ve seen true beauty, a feeling of oneness and came away with a peaceful, easy feeling and a little ‘spaced out’.”

This was one reaction from an earlier session. One never knows what will happen. This year’s final Gathering of Facilitators for Healing, an “energy exchange,” takes place at noon on Thursday, March 27, at Privada de Pila Seca 5 (turn into cul-de-sac opposite Pila Seca 45). The meeting is free and open to the public, including those in need. Facilitators are invited to participate. For more information, call 152-0376.



Trips & Tours

Instituto Allende trip

Instituto Allende hosts a trip on Saturday, March 29, to what is often referred to as the ghost town of Pozos and the surrounding area. This trip embarks at 8am. Pozos and Victoria lie approximately 45 minutes from San Miguel. Boasting spectacular scenery, this adventure is a camera buff’s delight. Some moderate hiking is required to view the ancient petroglyphs. Pozos, once a bustling silver-mining center, has bottomless shafts and ruins of old mines to explore. Other highlights include the remains of giant hearths built by the Jesuits in 1597 and a concert at the old musical instrument store.

Pets and children are not permitted on this trip due to some dangerous areas. Sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats are suggested. 

Bilingual, native-speaking guides lead all Instituto outings and trips in a safe environment. Cost is US $65 (includes museum fees, transportation, meal, cocktails, etc.). Reservations are a must. Visa and Mastercard accepted. Each Wednesday at 4pm Instituto provides a free lecture previewing the upcoming weekend’s trip. Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 20, 152-0226.

CEDESA and sustainable campo housing

The last of this season’s ever-popular campo trips is Saturday, March 29, when the Center for Global Justice visits CEDESA. The Centro para el Desarrollo Social y Agropecuaria helps campesinos in the northern part of the state of Guanajuato survive and prosper on the land. Located in Dolores Hidalgo, CEDESA was founded 40 years ago by the Catholic priest Father Memmo.

Since 2000, CEDESA has been building a model sustainable housing unit complete with rain water catchment, recycled water, home garden plot for raising vegetables with natural fertilizers, nopal greenhouse, dry toilets and passive solar construction. These new sustainable techniques are helping the local campesinos survive. The goal of CEDESA is that no family member be compelled by necessity to emigrate north just to help the family survive. One contribution that the Center for Global Justice hopes to make to CEDESA is to introduce them to solar water heaters and solar stoves which use very small amounts of combustible material.

We can learn from CEDESA about how some Mexicans are working to beat NAFTA and stay on their own land despite changes wrought by so-called free trade and the collapse of markets for their agricultural products.

The center will visit CEDESA Saturday, March 29, from 9am–4pm. Cost is 400 pesos for transportation, entrance to CEDESA, lunch, translation and guides. Please meet at the Center for Global Justice, Calzada de la Luz 42. Tickets can be purchased at the center’s office 9am–1pm on weekdays. For more information, call 150-0025.



Films & Videos

Bioneers film series

A credo of the Bioneers Conference is that there is no environmental justice without social justice. This Tuesday, March 25, 3–4pm, the last of the films of the winter series are shown.

Of the many Bioneers speakers, no one personifies this philosophy better than activist Van Jones. After founding the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in 1996, Jones has garnered a reputation for being a dynamic speaker and potent activist in the environmental and urban renewal movements. He is recognized for his promotion of alternatives to violence and incarceration and now serves on the boards of many groups such as Apollo Alliance, Rainforest Action Network and Bioneers. Van is currently pushing to create the first-ever Green Enterprise Zone in Oakland, CA. He speaks strongly of the need for the US to recognize its moral obligation to build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

The second film features Judy Wicks of the famous White Dog Cafe of Philadelphia. Wicks is one of the pioneers of the national move toward local living economies. While running the café for the last 24 years, she also co-founded the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies and founded the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia. She has won many awards including the Living Economy Award from Business Ethics magazine. Her story serves as a wonderful example of what many communities will need to do as “going local” becomes more and more necessary. The films screen at Teatro Santa Ana in the Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25. Cost is 50 pesos.

Zen video series

The documentary, Zen Buddhism: In Search of Self, concludes the Zen Video Series. Following a tradition dating back over 1000 years, two dozen Buddhist nuns gather for a 90-day period of meditation, fasting and contemplation deep in the mountains of South Korea. In the first-ever documentary on the practice of Dong Ahn Geo (Winter Zen Retreat), you’ll be invited into the Baek Hung Buddhist Temple to witness not only the nuns’ strict meditation practice, but their daily lives in which we see a deep spiritual discipline that embodies an almost childlike joy and simplicity. For the first time we can enjoy the austere beauty of the Korean countryside and the long-secret traditions of this Zen Buddhist retreat.

Seating is limited; early arrival is recommended. 20 pesos admission. 

The screening is Thursday, March 27 at 5:30pm at the Meditation Center, Callejon Blanco 4, off Quebrada.



Performances & Events 

Arts and Crafts Fair

Instituto Allende wraps up its winter season arts and crafts fairs with a three-day event, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 21–23, 10am–6pm. Many of San Miguel’s best artists and craftspeople show and sell their wares, along with many who come from other regions of Mexico. All-day entertainment and food make for good family fun. Admission is free.

Libra full moon
This full moon in Libra has the sun opposite in Aries. The revolutionary and transformative energy of Pluto is available to us now in Capricorn with an opposition of Mars in Cancer forming a cardinal Grand Cross, a dynamic energy configuration creating two oppositions and four squares. Oppositions stimulate balance and integration, while squares represent turning points.

It is important we become conscious of the importance of this full moon and the opportunity of this cardinal Grand Cross. It is saying that for us to take the next step in our path of evolution, it’s time for us to resolve four different areas in our life. This is the support system of the universe letting us know that it’s time to shift and let go of whatever blocks our creative manifestation.


Join us at El Charco del Ingenio (Jardin Botánico) on Friday, March 21, at 7pm. Bonfire, incense, chanting and drumming are included. Bring a flute, drum or any other instrument. A donation of 30 pesos is requested to fund El Charco del Ingenio. For more information, call Alicia Mayo at 152-0376.