AROUND TOWN
Meetings & Lectures
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
This week Melanie Nance discusses “The Mission of the 24-Hour Society.” Founded in 1965, the 24-Hour Society provides a prepaid plan for cremation or burial in full compliance with current Mexican law. Its services include assistance with contacting family and friends, as well as arrangements for local funeral and memorial services, as desired and specified in the member’s application form. Dealing with a death in a foreign country can be confusing and stressful for survivors.
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.
A metaphysical spiritual service
Unity in Diversity minister Rev. Nancy Anderson speaks on the topic “A Marvelous Life through the Power of Positive Prayer” at the newly formed metaphysical spiritual service on Sunday, July 26, 11:30am at the Empowerment Center, Privada de La Aurora 5, in Col. Guadalupe. Rev. Anderson explores healing, of body or circumstances, an actual revealing of the inner abundant, whole, intelligent and innately perfect essence of an individual. Such a revelation is accomplished through a clear and spiritually correct activity of consciousness.
Original and inspirational music will be provided by Eugene and Suzanne Otis.
For information about the service or Unity in Diversity, call Rev. Anderson at 152-4606, or call Laura Shermer at 044 (415) 151-7007 for news about the Empowerment Center.
Midday Rotary Club
On Tuesday, July 28, the Rotary Club holds its club assembly and business meeting. Speakers resume next week.
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.
Taize service at St. Paul’s Church
Rev. Michael Long and Deacon Ida Johnson conduct a Taize service at St. Paul’s Church at Cardo 6, on July 30 at 7pm.
St. Paul’s joins the celebrations of the Taize community in France, founded by Brother Roger in 1940. This community of monks is committed to following a life of simplicity and devotion, with a particular focus on helping young citizens who visit them from all over the world. These young pilgrims are sent back into their own countries to spread the Taize philosophy of peaceful cooperation.
The service lasts about one hour and includes chanting in the Taize tradition, as well as prayer and meditation.
The Geology of San Miguel
Retired geologist Wayne Colony leads a one-hour audio-visual presentation on Friday, July 31, at 10am.
Colony has studied the geology of the botanical garden El Charco del Ingenio for several years, has participated in the latest scientific research about wildlife in the area and took the photos in the beautiful book, Wild & Wonderful: Nature Up Close in El Charco. He and his wife, Susan, have prepared the inventories of the birds and butterflies in El Charco. This presentation sells out early each time, so reserve soon by emailing:
nzerriffi@yahoo.com.
A shuttle (20 pesos) departs at 9:30am at the corner of calles San Francisco and Juárez. General admission is 100 pesos; members of the garden, 70 pesos. The site is the Botanical Garden’s Bóveda.
Lions Club International
The Lions Club next meets Thursday, August 6, 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.
Tours & Excursions
Saturday Adventure Tours
It’s fantastic! It’s crazy! It’s an Aztec-style Disneyland! It’s Timmyland! Several years ago Timothy Sullivan created the most outrageous property that reflects his wild sense of humor and love of Mexico. Monstrous rainbow-colored cement serpents encircle the property, exquisite decorative details appear inside and outside the unique house.
Next door is the equally amazing exhibit of Jennifer Haas’ Jaguar Museum. Discover rare Mexican crafts—tiny ceramic pots from Tonalá, enormous papier-mâché Mojigangas, costumes as well as hundreds of masks once worn in traditional dances. Wandering through this sunny museum, you will find amusing and unusual objects of Mexican folklore. Cameras a must!
These tours benefit the Centro de Crecimiento school for disabled 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. Entry is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. Wear a hat and closed shoes. A shuttle is available now from the corner of Juárez and San Francisco, leaving at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm. Return trips are available, 11am–5pm. The cost is 20 pesos per person per trip. Reservations are not necessary. Information:
www.elcharco.org or email nzerriffi@yahoo.com.
Performances & Events
Wine and Organic producers fair
The Feria de la Vendemia ‘09, the second Encounter of Organic Producers, at the beautiful Rancho La Romita, brings out the best of local and regional organic products at the three-day festival August 21–23. Festival highlights include conferences, workshops, the stomping of the grapes and, of course, food! To join the fair and display your organic products, call 152-8146 or Estela Barragán 045 (415) 153-3470.
Summer arts and crafts fair
Instituto Allende hosts its one and only arts and crafts fair for the summer season on Saturday and Sunday August 8–9, 10am–6pm. Admission is free.
Over a hundred artists and crafts people from San Miguel, Guanajuato and a number of surrounding Mexican states attend, show their wares and sell. Many say it’s the town’s best fair.
The atmosphere is family-oriented and easy-going, with food and continuous entertainment.
The eclectic fair produced by Lou Christine, Gabriela Zavala and Martin Villafranco has grown in stature and popularity.
Tables are now available to vendors at 650 pesos for the weekend. Visit Instituto Allende, Ancha San Antonio 20, or call 152-0226.
Singles Social Group
San Miguel Wednesday Social Group meets at Restaurant Bacco, Hotel Sautto, Hernández Macías 59. Singles, couples and anyone interested in meeting new people are welcome every Wednesday, 5:30–7:30pm, for 2-for-1 national drinks, delicious Mexican botanas and lively conversation.
Art workshop
When you mix art with meditation, you get an amazing combination! Artist Ted Barr reveals his multi-level technique in a three-day workshop at the peaceful Villas Xichu compound. This unique and magical art event is complemented by Tai Chi, and combines painting practice in the unique technique Barr developed. For information, call Alejandra at 044 (415) 103-0225, or visit
http://mx.video.yahoo.com/watch/5299865?fr=yvmtf
for a video taken at Barr’s Guadalajara workshop.
Films & Videos
Meditation Center
The Meditation Center of San Miguel presents a 12-week series of Eckhart Tolle videos, Touching the Eternal, from a retreat in India in 2002. Each video is about an hour and a half long.
Through the centuries countless people from around the world have been coming to India, thirsty in their search for truth. Considered the birthplace of spirituality, India has produced more great mystics and spiritual teachers than any other country. What more fitting place for Eckhart to speak of the eternal Now? It is here on the banks of the holy Ganga River, amidst the snow-capped Himalayas and the tremendous beauty of scarlet sunsets, that a group of determined souls from around the globe met to sit together in silence. Join them in this transformational experience and allow yourself to be guided through words and stillness into the state of presence.
The series continues Thursday, July 30, at 5:30pm at Callejon Blanco 4. Presentations of the Center are free; donations are gratefully accepted.
Volunteer Opportunities
Does your nonprofit need some extra help, perhaps for an upcoming event? Send new, short requests for volunteers to
edit@atencionsanmiguel.org
with “Volunteer Opportunities” in the subject line. Listings run for four issues.
San Miguel School of English
The San Miguel School of English seeks short-term assistance in two areas: 1. Teachers willing to teach one to three evenings per week for one or two months beginning September 1, until the winter residents return to San Miguel and take over. Those interested in teaching for longer periods are also most welcome. 2. Someone with Excel experience to assist director in registering students and recording their tuition payments. Can be a short- or long-term position, with help needed the most in September.
Contact Jean Yeager at 152-0916 or mexgenyus@hotmail.com
or Carole Whitney at 152-3050 or whitney@cybermatsa.com.mx
and dldcsw@yahoo.com.
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