AROUND TOWN


Meetings & Lectures

Trends in international law and you

Can you buy a house in Mexico under jurisdiction of US law? How do new investment laws affect your ability to set up “off-shore” investment strategies? Can you collect a US judgment in a Mexican court? Does a will or estate plan written in English, under jurisdiction of US law, direct distribution of your effects in Mexico, or vice versa?

How do you set up a business that will operate in more than one country?

The answers to these questions may well be surprising to US expatriates living in Mexico. Although a lot of “information” and “opinion” is perpetuated on these subjects, very little of it comes from sources with expertise in international law. This, however, is one of the main areas of practice of US attorney David R. Barrow, who has over 25 years experience in international estate, business and real property law. In a free presentation to be held on May 23at 5:30pm in the Biblioteca Publica’s Sala Quetzal, Barrow will address these questions and others of interest to the English-speaking expatriate.

Attorney David Barrow can be reached at 154-8975, or at smalawyer@gmail.com. 

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Jennifer and Michael Grais introduce the concept of the Oneness Blessing, a nondenominational benediction that uses the transfer of Divine Energy to assist in spiritual evolution, at this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meeting.

The blessing is intended to help recipients experience more joy and less suffering as their illusions are dissipated when they begin to see the world with an open heart. The Oneness Blessing is transferred by a facilitator who has received the training at the Oneness University in India or Fiji. The Graises say that once one has received the blessing, some may immediately go into a peak experience of bliss, deep silence, or unconditional love. Both of them have been initiated at the Oneness University to give the Oneness Blessing and are committed to sharing this energy of Divine Grace.

Jennifer is an intuitive healer at the LifePath Center and a professional singer who has toured with Jackson Browne and Tom Petty. She sometimes uses her voice to transfer Divine Energy. Michael is an internationally acclaimed screenwriter and producer for film and television whose credits include Poltergeist, Great Balls of Fire, Marked for Death and Stephen King’s Sleepwalker.

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.

Midday Rotary Club 

On Tuesday, May 27, we are pleased to have journalist Beverly Russell as our guest speaker. The topic of her presentation will be “The Sacred Geometry of the Labyrinth.”

The labyrinth is a large, complex spiral circle which is an ancient symbol for the ultimate mystery of life: The labyrinth is found in many different cultures and religions around the world, dating back 5,000 years. After 300 years of dormancy in western culture, it is being rediscovered.

Beverly Russell was born and educated in London. She trained as a journalist and is the recipient of over 20 awards for creative excellence. She has been recognized with honorary doctorate degrees in fine arts from Kendall College of Art & Design and Parsons School of Design, who described her as a master educator. Before moving to San Miguel in 2006, she managed Beverly Russell Enterprises, a well-known industry consulting firm in Los Angeles, with a reputation for creative thinking and extraordinary event coordination.

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 12:00–12:25pm 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, the website is www.rotarysma.org. 

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. 

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 (niños have classes there Wednesday and Friday evenings). 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.

Poltergeist screenwriter teaches Screenwriting 101 workshop

Michael Grais, who has written and produced movies that have grossed over half a billion dollars, is offering Screenwriting 101 starting June 4. The course meets twice a week, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am–1pm.

Grais teaches his students how to identify a story for film, how to formulate a plot for that idea and to create characters that actors will want to play. Students will begin writing the first act of a commercial screenplay during the course.

Grais is the writer and/or producer of such box office successes as Poltergeist, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Marked for Death, Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers, Great Balls of Fire, Cool World and Death Hunt. 

Tuition is US$295 or peso equivalent, payable in advance. The class is limited to six people. For more information, call  152-6062 or email michaelgrais@yahoo.com. 

Tours & Excursions

Instituto Allende field trip

On Saturday, May 31, at 9am, Instituto Allende Tours leads a day-long field trip to Dolores Hidalgo and the city of Guanajuato. Dolores Hidalgo, a center for Talavera style ceramics, is where Miguel Hidalgo uttered El Grito, his famous and historical cry for freedom. The quest for independence began on the night of September 15, 1810. The center part of Dolores will be toured including the town’s square that offers unique flavored ice creams with unusual flavors such as avocado, shrimp and tequila along with more traditional types. 

Later the tour heads to Guanajuato, the state’s charming capital city, with its great cultural tradition and home of the University of Guanajuato. Famed painter Diego Rivera’s home is on the bill along with an easy-going walking tour of other sites of interest like the Plazas de la Paz and the main Jardín.

Instituto Allende tours are all-inclusive; including transportation, museum fees and restaurant-served meals. Cost for this trip is $65US. Native-speaking, bilingual guides lead all tours and offer further insight within a secure environment.

A free preview lecture of the upcoming weekend’s field trips is offered each Wednesday at 4pm at the Instituto. One-time San Miguel mayor Jaime Fernandez often leads tours. Reservations are a must and fees must be paid in advance. Visa and MasterCard accepted. For more information, visit or call 152-0226. Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 20.

Botanical Garden Tour

Every Tuesday morning discover the marvels of cacti and other Mexican plants as well as the history of El Charco through a guided tour in English. Entrance fee is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. All proceeds benefit the garden. The tour starts at the main entrance at 9:00a.m. and lasts about 2.5 hours. Bring a hat and water. Space is limited, so reserve by calling 154-8838 or email charcodelingenio@gmail.com.