May 31st, 2008
There certainly was no shortage of local news this past week. I don’t know which was more important, the explosion in El Pitillal or the “settling of accounts” in two of the outlying colonias. I know nothing about the latter other than the articles that appeared in the local papers, but I sure know all about the explosion. As I had to attend a meeting at the offices of the Tribune – way past El Pitillal, out in Lomas del Coapinole, where civilization meets the Sierra Madre Mountains - I was one of the thousands of people stuck for what seemed forever in bumper to bumper traffic.
As I reached the main square there, I realized why the congestion, and like everyone else, could not believe the destruction I witnessed. It looked as if the place had been hit by an earthquake way above the usual 5 point something this town is used to. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ll get off the subject. I just feel so bad for the gentleman who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time – and lost his life. My condolences to his family and friends.
On a positive note: it has been reported that the PV Fire Department will receive two ambulances of its own. Now, that would be a most welcome improvement. It has also been reported that a mega rainwater canal is being built to supposedly avoid the annual floods that occur as soon as we get a big rainstorm, especially in places like the infamous Francisco Villa Boulevard. The project is said to cost some $45 Million Pesos. The huge headline read “Adios to floods!” Forgive me for my skepticism … I’ll keep that front page –just in case- until I see the result with my own eyes.
On the south side of town where I live, it’s the opposite. All too quiet. As my friends and I continued our eating tour of the establishments participating in our annual “Restaurant Week(s)”, we wondered at the surprisingly small number of people we saw at some of the places we visited. They weren’t kidding when they were telling us how unusually slow the month of May has been. And yet, others were full to capacity all the time, i.e.: Archie’s Wok, Trio, Vitea, Teatro Limon, and of course, Café des Artistes! (The latter definitely deserves a double WOW!) We are truly blessed in this little town of ours. The quality of the restaurants we have is equal to any gastronomically-renowned cosmopolitan city that may come to mind.
On a very personal note, I was quite disappointed with Paco Renteria’s concert. Like most if not all the hundreds of folks gathered at Los Arcos Amphitheater, I was there to see HIM, to hear HIM play. Instead, he let the members of his group play solo while he only performed a couple of numbers where his talent could be appreciated and admired. On the other hand, after the all-too-short performance, he told me that they had put on a couple of concerts the previous days at some event for ambassadors out in Nayarit, and that they did so well that they were invited to come back very soon. I’m looking forward to a “real” concert, a two-hour deal, next time around. What talent this artist has! The good thing was that the rains held off until the end of Paco’s turn. Not much of a first rain it was, but still, better than nothing.
I read that the weekly flights from England have started up again. I remember some eight nine years ago, when there were regular flights from England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. And then little by little, they all but stopped, thanks to the indifference of our local Tourism Office. The airport authorities did a survey and published some statistics this past week too. Things haven’t changed much over the last few years. Americans still make up the majority, at some 58%, followed by Mexicans at around 29% (which includes a small percentage of Europeans transferring in Mexico City) and Canadians at 12%. Do the math. Doesn’t represent many from the rest of the world, does it? Anyways, I’m glad for the flights from London and Manchester. Welcome to all Brits!
And on matters of import and importations, I understand that more and more internationally-renowned shops are opening up at Galerias Vallarta, and that there will be seven additional movie screens opening up there too, around the end of the year. Among the names being bandied about: Restaurante Sirloin Stockade, Paul & Shark, The Linen Club, Pepe Jeans London, etc.
I received a lovely invitation to attend the unveiling of a new statue on the extension of the Malecon. It is of San Pascual Baylon, the patron of cooks and chefs around the world. Even though the ceremony will be followed by a dinner for the press, catered by none other than Vitea (in front of which the statue will be placed), Trio, Los Xitomates and Café des Artistes, I doubt that I will be able to attend as it conflicts with the last night of “Restaurant Week(s)”. So I figured you might be interested in a bit of trivia about this Saint. Here goes:
San Pascual Bayon was born on the 16th of May, 1540, in the town of Torrehermosa, a tiny village in the province of Zaragoza, Spain.
As an adult, he was a shepherd who became a Franciscan lay brother. He served his fellow Franciscans in various capacities and monasteries as shepherd, gardener, porter, and cook. Since childhood he had developed a deep sense of the presence of God and was particularly devoted to the Eucharist. San Pascual was known for his administrations to the poor and for his many miraculous cures.
Today, San Pascual is chiefly known as a patron of the kitchen in token of his work as a cook. In religious art, he is shown dressed in the brown robes of a Franciscan, kneeling in a kitchen while in rapt contemplation of the Eucharistic host suspended mid-air in a monstrance.
In New Mexico his image has become a ubiquitous element of “Santa Fe-inspired” décor. San Pascual is patron of shepherds, cooks, and Eucharistic Congresses and associations. His feast day is May 17.
As I write this, I still have plans to go to the River Café, Barrio Sur and Daiquiri Dick’s, in addition to the National Fireworks Competition, and making time to see Ironman, Indiana Jones and the Chronicles of Narnia somewhere in between. And there are so many other long-awaited movies coming up this summer… I just wish they hadn’t closed down the Cine Bahia theater. It was so conveniently located for us “southern” dwellers. Oh my… so much to do, so much to see, and so little time… Getting back to the topic of food –before I forget- more good news: the State of Jalisco is passing new regulations to ban the sale of sodas and chips in the public schools. Great news! Nothing sadder than to see a little one who’s way overweight due to inactivity and an overload of tortillas…
Well, that’s enough for now. I wish you all a lovely week (hoping for some real evening electrical thunderstorms) and maybe you can start thinking about what you’re going to get Dad for his big day. It’s coming up real fast! Boy, how time flies when you’re having fun… Hasta luego.
As I reached the main square there, I realized why the congestion, and like everyone else, could not believe the destruction I witnessed. It looked as if the place had been hit by an earthquake way above the usual 5 point something this town is used to. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ll get off the subject. I just feel so bad for the gentleman who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time – and lost his life. My condolences to his family and friends.
On a positive note: it has been reported that the PV Fire Department will receive two ambulances of its own. Now, that would be a most welcome improvement. It has also been reported that a mega rainwater canal is being built to supposedly avoid the annual floods that occur as soon as we get a big rainstorm, especially in places like the infamous Francisco Villa Boulevard. The project is said to cost some $45 Million Pesos. The huge headline read “Adios to floods!” Forgive me for my skepticism … I’ll keep that front page –just in case- until I see the result with my own eyes.
On the south side of town where I live, it’s the opposite. All too quiet. As my friends and I continued our eating tour of the establishments participating in our annual “Restaurant Week(s)”, we wondered at the surprisingly small number of people we saw at some of the places we visited. They weren’t kidding when they were telling us how unusually slow the month of May has been. And yet, others were full to capacity all the time, i.e.: Archie’s Wok, Trio, Vitea, Teatro Limon, and of course, Café des Artistes! (The latter definitely deserves a double WOW!) We are truly blessed in this little town of ours. The quality of the restaurants we have is equal to any gastronomically-renowned cosmopolitan city that may come to mind.
On a very personal note, I was quite disappointed with Paco Renteria’s concert. Like most if not all the hundreds of folks gathered at Los Arcos Amphitheater, I was there to see HIM, to hear HIM play. Instead, he let the members of his group play solo while he only performed a couple of numbers where his talent could be appreciated and admired. On the other hand, after the all-too-short performance, he told me that they had put on a couple of concerts the previous days at some event for ambassadors out in Nayarit, and that they did so well that they were invited to come back very soon. I’m looking forward to a “real” concert, a two-hour deal, next time around. What talent this artist has! The good thing was that the rains held off until the end of Paco’s turn. Not much of a first rain it was, but still, better than nothing.
I read that the weekly flights from England have started up again. I remember some eight nine years ago, when there were regular flights from England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. And then little by little, they all but stopped, thanks to the indifference of our local Tourism Office. The airport authorities did a survey and published some statistics this past week too. Things haven’t changed much over the last few years. Americans still make up the majority, at some 58%, followed by Mexicans at around 29% (which includes a small percentage of Europeans transferring in Mexico City) and Canadians at 12%. Do the math. Doesn’t represent many from the rest of the world, does it? Anyways, I’m glad for the flights from London and Manchester. Welcome to all Brits!
And on matters of import and importations, I understand that more and more internationally-renowned shops are opening up at Galerias Vallarta, and that there will be seven additional movie screens opening up there too, around the end of the year. Among the names being bandied about: Restaurante Sirloin Stockade, Paul & Shark, The Linen Club, Pepe Jeans London, etc.
I received a lovely invitation to attend the unveiling of a new statue on the extension of the Malecon. It is of San Pascual Baylon, the patron of cooks and chefs around the world. Even though the ceremony will be followed by a dinner for the press, catered by none other than Vitea (in front of which the statue will be placed), Trio, Los Xitomates and Café des Artistes, I doubt that I will be able to attend as it conflicts with the last night of “Restaurant Week(s)”. So I figured you might be interested in a bit of trivia about this Saint. Here goes:
San Pascual Bayon was born on the 16th of May, 1540, in the town of Torrehermosa, a tiny village in the province of Zaragoza, Spain.
As an adult, he was a shepherd who became a Franciscan lay brother. He served his fellow Franciscans in various capacities and monasteries as shepherd, gardener, porter, and cook. Since childhood he had developed a deep sense of the presence of God and was particularly devoted to the Eucharist. San Pascual was known for his administrations to the poor and for his many miraculous cures.
Today, San Pascual is chiefly known as a patron of the kitchen in token of his work as a cook. In religious art, he is shown dressed in the brown robes of a Franciscan, kneeling in a kitchen while in rapt contemplation of the Eucharistic host suspended mid-air in a monstrance.
In New Mexico his image has become a ubiquitous element of “Santa Fe-inspired” décor. San Pascual is patron of shepherds, cooks, and Eucharistic Congresses and associations. His feast day is May 17.
As I write this, I still have plans to go to the River Café, Barrio Sur and Daiquiri Dick’s, in addition to the National Fireworks Competition, and making time to see Ironman, Indiana Jones and the Chronicles of Narnia somewhere in between. And there are so many other long-awaited movies coming up this summer… I just wish they hadn’t closed down the Cine Bahia theater. It was so conveniently located for us “southern” dwellers. Oh my… so much to do, so much to see, and so little time… Getting back to the topic of food –before I forget- more good news: the State of Jalisco is passing new regulations to ban the sale of sodas and chips in the public schools. Great news! Nothing sadder than to see a little one who’s way overweight due to inactivity and an overload of tortillas…
Well, that’s enough for now. I wish you all a lovely week (hoping for some real evening electrical thunderstorms) and maybe you can start thinking about what you’re going to get Dad for his big day. It’s coming up real fast! Boy, how time flies when you’re having fun… Hasta luego.
posted by Anna Reisman @ 12:16 PM
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