AROUND TOWN

Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Dennis Hale discusses “Faith of the Head and Heart: A Delicate Dance” at this week’s meeting.

We live in a time of holy terror where irrational passionate faith has become dangerous. Hale believes humankind is great and lives by head and heart. His message does not critique organized religion, but defends humankind’s inherent spirituality as a gift of our evolutionary heritage.

Hale, a regular summer visitor to San Miguel, is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served 25 years in Europe as fraternal representative to Spain’s Baptist Evangelical Union and is now a freelance Spanish interpreter/translator.

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.

Midday Rotary Club

On Tuesday, August 11, Libby Spiro speaks about Israel’s economy, achievements, military service, education and falling Scuds. No politics—we will hear about Israel from a lighter, brighter side.

Born in Canada, Spiro immigrated to Israel 45 years ago. She married an Israeli there and raised two children. Both children and her grandchildren reside today in Tel Aviv. Recently, she has been working as a docent in the Tel Aviv Diaspora Museum and assisting in the genealogy department. She studies modern history and ancient Jewish history to help her tour groups in the museum.

She lived in San Miguel 2004–2006, and was completely enchanted with this city, a love that has remained constant.

The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday meets Tuesdays at Hotel Real de Minas, intersection of calles Ancha de San Antonio and Stirling Dickinson. Check-in time is 12–12:15pm and the meeting starts promptly at 12:30. The meeting is followed by a luncheon and visitors are invited to stay for lunch and fellowship. Visit www.rotarysma.org  for more information.

Lions Club International

The Lions Club next meets Thursday, August 20, at Don Quijote restaurant, Prolongación de Pila Seca 55. Check in time is 12:30pm and the meeting begins at 1pm. You may order lunch from the special menu and parking is ample. For additional information, contact Norma Robinson at 120-0726.

Classes & Workshops

Bereavement Support Groups available

Hospice San Miguel sponsors two free bereavement support groups for area residents who have lost loved ones. The groups are small, so reservations are necessary.

The first group is led by Dorie Beach, a Hospice board member and an experienced psychotherapist and counselor. It is for English speakers and meets on Wednesdays, 11:30am–1pm in Centro. Contact Dorie at 154-7605 or delaplaya3@yahoo.com to arrange to attend the group.

Leticia Gonzales, a Hospice staff member and experienced psychotherapist and thanatologist, leads the second group for Spanish speakers. It meets on Thursdays, 5–6:30pm at Hospice San Miguel, Manuel Rocha 35 in Col. La Lejona. Contact Leticia directly at 044 (415) 113-9806 or lego_2000_mx@yahoo.com.mx  to arrange to attend the group.

For more information about the groups or any Hospice service, call 154-4287, email mail@hospicesma.org or visit www.hospicesma.org. 

Invitation to a theater troupe

Ana Marìa Muñoz wants to form an improvisation theater troupe (not improv comedy). She has been teaching The Pleasure of Acting Workshop at Teatro Santa Ana and Shelter Theater for the past two years. Now, she invites people to a meeting Monday, August 10 at noon, in Sala Quetzal at the Biblioteca, about a theater troupe that creates its own plays (in English). Experience in acting is not important because she will teach the method for this kind of theater. For further information, contact Ana Marìa at ambodyart@gmail.com or call 044 (415) 151-7911.

Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventure Tours

Through the green countryside today to the ceramic factory of Raul and Lupe, who show us their first-class stoneware kilns. Raul takes us through the mixing of the special clay, the pouring, the molding, unmolding, cleaning the article, then painting with special paint and firing at over 1000° F. They produce beautiful vases, unusual lamp bases and colorful coffee mugs. Now you can add to your collection. Many lovely objects here make great gifts!

Farther into the countryside, we visit the sixteenth-century Rancho Puerto de Sosa. The old stone granary, with meter-thick walls and bovéda ceilings, is near a chapel with ancient frescos still visible. The original colonial home is built around a central patio, with arched corridors on two sides. We pass through a monstrous wooden door, open for easy entrance. To the left is the sala, furnished with antique colonial pieces. The many bedrooms are for visiting family members. This colonial ex-hacienda offers much to see. Cameras!

These tours benefit the Centro de Crecimiento school for disabled adults and children and leave the Jardín, across from the Parroquia, at 10:30am.

Botanical Garden Tour

A guided tour in English of El Charco del Ingenio each Tuesday and Thursday, 10am–12:30pm, is a fun and informative activity for people of all ages. Enjoy a stroll in nature while learning about our conservation project and garden. Entry is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. We suggest you wear a hat and closed shoes. Reservations are not necessary. Information: www.elcharco.org or 154-8838.

Haciendas in the Heart of Mexico

Mexico’s haciendas open their doors once again. Each Thursday, 9am–7pm, during July, August and September, the owners and staff of Hacienda de Monjas, Hacienda de San Juan Pan de Arriba and Hacienda La Jaula, in the municipality of San Diego de la Unión in Guanajuato, welcome tourists to learn about the richness of the history of these large dwellings. Visitors are treated to an intimate vision and engaging version of Mexican colonial history as the people of the haciendas share their customs, their knowledge and their food.

Tickets at 900 pesos are available at Teatro Santa Ana, or call the project’s headquarters at 045 (442) 274-3540 or 274-3541. The full-day tour includes transportation, guide/translator, explanations of each Hacienda, visit to production areas, meals and tastings.

Bird Walks

Starting August 5, Signe Hammer leads bird walks in El Charco del Ingenio on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. She has been birding in San Miguel since 1995.

The walks, for birders of all levels, begin at 9am and last about 2.5 hours. No reservations needed and feel free to leave the walk at any time. Bring binoculars and water, and wear comfortable walking shoes and a hat. Cost is 60 pesos for members of either El Charco or Audubon, 100 pesos for nonmembers (includes El Charco entrance fee).

Performances & Events

CEREKA lunch benefit

A benefit lunch for CEREKA is set for August 8, 1pm, at Restaurant El Padrino, Zacateros 52, 154-8841.

Summer arts and crafts fair

Instituto Allende hosts its summer season arts and crafts fair Saturday–Sunday, August 8–9, 10am–6pm. Admission is free. A hundred artists and crafts people from San Miguel, Guanajuato and surrounding Mexican states show their wares. The atmosphere is family-oriented and easy-going, with food and continuous entertainment.

Singles Social Group

San Miguel Wednesday Social Group now meets at the Sunset Bar in Casa Linda, Mesones 101, diagonally across the street from Teatro Ángela Peralta. Singles, couples and anyone interested in meeting new people are welcome every Wednesday, 5:30–7:30pm, for 2-for-1 national drinks, Mexican botanas and lively conversation.

Wine and Organic producers fair

The Feria de la Vendemia, August 21–23, is the second Encounter of Organic Producers at Rancho La Romita. To join the fair and display your organic products, call 152-8146 or Estela Barragán 045 (415) 153-3470.

Films & Videos

Meditation Center

The Meditation Center of San Miguel presents Video 4 in  the 12-week Eckhart Tolle series, Touching the Eternal, from a retreat in India in 2002. The series continues Thursday, August 6, at 5:30pm at Callejon Blanco 4. Presentations of the Center are free; donations are gratefully accepted.