Recap: Good Morning, From Here, July 12 – 18
Good Morning, From Here, July 14, Monday
It’s getting close to crunch time: two weeks from today, I’ll be leaving Vallarta for Canada and the start of a month off. It will go fast like lightning. The lists will grow longer as the amount of space in my suitcase diminishes. So, 14 more sleeps with my Bogie, but first – a conversation with Sargento Dan.
We met at the Vallarta Factory for mango smoothies and a rehash of his recent Great White North experience, mostly on Vancouver Island. He had flown up to join ‘Mother’ Gouda Gabor to recreate their take on the TV show Glee that ran to packed houses here at Nacho Daddy, and he also introduced Victoria residents to his fabulous Broadway sing-alongs that continue here on Wednesday nights at 10 at Garbo’s Bar.
I was anxious to hear about Richard Lucas, who has starred for decades as Gouda Gabor both here and in Canada, but had been suffering from some health issues at the end of last season. Sargento said she was doing great, took very good care of him at her gorgeous new home on the Island, and feels so well, she is planning to go back to work as Gouda one night a week at a nightclub in downtown Victoria.
Sargento was delighted to be home again in Puerto Vallarta. We both indeed agreed that this city is a microcosm that has little to do with the rest of Mexico or possibly the rest of the world. We are safe and happy within our bubble of community.
Sargento plans to revive The Mentiras Experience for the 2025/26 season, featuring new costumes, a revised script, and updated songs. He expects to perform his excerpts from Mexico’s oldest running musical, only once a month, as he did last year at Nacho Daddy. Of course, his wildly attended Broadway sing-alongs at Garbo’s Bar will continue, and a brand new show will be announced soon. He is already rehearsing a whack of new songs. Stay tuned for that proclamation!
Sargento’s favorite remembrance of Victoria was the baskets of flowers that hung from every lamp post in that gorgeous city. He thought they were breathtaking in the riot of colors, and he adored the Empress Hotel for drinks. He also loved the friendliness of the locals and was made to feel very much at home.
I think that feeling has to do with the idea that what you give is what you receive. Sargento, with his enormous amount of talent that springs from the core of his being, which says, “Here I am, World – I love you!” And, everyone in this world cannot help but respond with love for this brilliantly funny, natural comedian who sings from his heart, with brown eyes flashing at some innuendo. So very Gay. His flamboyance is barely contained, and often bubbles over as he looks you up and down, and with eyelashes fluttering, he squeaks a long, loud, drawn-out, “Hey! Guuuurl!” His arms wide open for hugs From Here.
Tuesday
Two of my dearest friends just got back to Vallarta after an exciting and unusual vacation that had me listening to them tell the story and had me on the edge of my seat all through dinner.
They picked me up at my house, and the chatter began instantly with Rob Burton at the helm and Jan Dorland in the back seat as we made our way to Versalles and dinner at Trattoria 111, owned by the same people as one of our fave restaurants on this side of town, Il Pesce.
As the rain started to fall, we were safely ensconced on their patio outside but under sufficient cover. They do have an air-conditioned indoor dining room.
Over martinis, Rob told of their boarding the ship here in Vallarta, where they would spend the next month and a half. No strangers to cruising, but this ship was on its way around the world and would take three and a half years to do it. AND, the people on the ship owned their cabins.
It was interesting because I had just toured Pacific Home, an assisted living facility up in the hills near Costco, and told them over pasta that I could envision them as neighbors to Patrice and me, down the hall. How awesome would that be?
Neither my sister nor I have ever been on a cruise ship, but we already know we would never take a gigantic ship anywhere, but the boat Rob and Jan were on holds 900 passengers max. And, they raved about the passengers, most of whom had a vested interest in the ship and because of that, had formed a warm and welcoming community with their fellow cabin mates, two of whom we all knew from living in Vallarta!
Chaz Manacsa and Alex McLauchlan made the decision to sell their home in Vallarta and board the Odyssey more than 18 months ago when a snafu or two delayed the maiden voyage from Dublin for months, but now they are sailing around the world and are, as we speak, currently freezing their butts off in Alaska!
This small ship can go places most of the big ones cannot and therefore leisurely dock at off-the-beaten-path stops and spend two to three days at each place… why it will take them nearly four years to circumnavigate the globe. But what an adventure!!
Rob and Jan enjoyed the food, the service, and the convenience. Imagine no more cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or grocery shopping. Or having to keep a car licensed and insured, or paying condo fees, that will never, ever include all your food and wine!
They went on and on about the eclectic mix of passengers, none of whom were on the boat full-time. Many worked remotely from the ship; most were single and often jumped ship, flying to wherever home was, and returning to the boat whenever they wanted. After all, their home awaited. Man, the Odyssey sounded so good, From Here.
Wednesday
The only thing better than sharing good food at a good restaurant with dear friends is to have a dear friend cook dinner at her home and invite you over to share and let you pick the wine.
Last week, lovely Sandra Bradley, author, painter, and contributor to Vallarta Mirror, had me over to her gorgeous condo to eat Italian ”hooker” food, ”puta”nesca pasta, one of our favorite dishes to share at Veggitalia. And warm bread, and a simple, glorious salad, and four uninterrupted hours of conversation.
I made a comment about Canada celebrating its 158th birthday on July 1 and how my ‘old country’ was a bit better than just twice as old as me, which, as countries go, is not very old, certainly compared to our current home, ancient Mexico. Sandra, who is a few years older than I, remembered sitting on the lap of Lester B. Pearson (born in 1897, when Canada was a mere 30 years old), a Nobel Prize winner and Prime Minister of Canada, when she was a child growing up in Ottawa.
He used to encourage her to sing – she has a dreadful voice that used to make him laugh. She has stories about liberal Liberals and remembers the first time she met Pierre Elliot Trudeau, playing a good jazzy piano. It’s strange, sitting across from my friend who had more than a casual, newspaper reader’s interest in the movers and shakers of the people that shaped a country almost from its beginnings. Staggering, really, and so very fascinating.
The Living Room at Casa Karma was filled with fans of Gloria Fiona (Adele Tribute) and David Maiocco (Liberace Tribute) for their first concert at this venerable villa and event space in Conchas Chinas. And DAMMIT! I forgot to take photos of the succulent appetizers again! Georgia Darehshori was finally back from her vacation and able to attend the third concert in her Summer Series of live music that she inaugurated a year ago. Her producer, Will Walker, appeared again, albeit briefly, but I got my hug at last!
The audience was treated to a string of love songs, many of which were performed for the first time in public, with Gloria singing to David Maiocco’s perfect accompaniment on the piano. Well, except for when Gloria put a spell on the piano and it went crazy for a minute or so. You had to have been there!
It was an easy concert, Gloria comfortably barefoot and in the midst of us, telling stories of arriving in Vallarta, busking on Pitillal buses, and living on the streets. And here she was, 11 years later, entertaining her beloved friends in the audience as the sun was setting on Casa Karma. And her. And us.
She ended her performance with a brave cover of ‘Never Enough’ which was, of course, not enough, so an encore – Otra! Otra! – was in order.
I caught an Uber back to Centro with my neighbor, David Sabella. We stopped for coffee, pie, and a long conversation, From Here.
Thursday
So, yesterday was Scrabble at Qulture and, for a change, I got there first so had the board set up by the time Sharon arrived at 12:30. We chatted as she handed over a foil-wrapped bunch of cookies; Sharon loves to bake but will not touch anything with sugar in it for her own diet. Suits me just fine! Just as we started to play, she asked what date I was flying to Canada. I told her the 28th. She asked my flight time, and I said 3-ish. All the while, she is checking her phone. Then she asked how I was getting to the airport. Taxi, I replied.
Then she said, ”Okay, why don’t I pick you up? I will park the car and go in with you because you don’t even know where Immigration is, right?” I don’t know where Immigration is, but I assumed it wouldn’t be hard to find. But, everybody knows what happens when you assume.
The enormity of what she was offering hit me like a ton of bricks, and for minutes, I couldn’t even speak. My heart literally jumped into my mouth as I tried to say thank you.
Until Sharon asked, I really hadn’t given getting to the airport a thought. A good and deep thought. The only time I ever go there is to pick up my sister and the odd friend who comes to visit, but I haven’t actually boarded an international flight in 15 years. There have been lots of changes in that industry in 15 years.
And, how wonderful it will be to be ‘seen off’ by a dear friend. The last time that happened was at Vancouver International when my friend Cat drove me from Vancouver Island to the mainland to catch my flight here in the middle of winter, almost 35 years ago. She was so sad I was leaving her and my country to start my life over full-time in Vallarta. I was, on the other hand, ecstatic to be merely five hours or so away from the warm sun and the rest of my life. It had taken me five long years of planning to reach that day, but I cried with Cat that morning, remembering every act of kindness she had given me throughout our many years of friendship. And I thought about her long, long drive back to the ferry, crossing Georgia Strait, sad and alone without her best friend who had just left her forever.
This trip is not nearly as dramatic and life-changing as that one, for sure, and I WILL come back to Vallarta in a month and resume my perfect life. And it is perfect: ”complete or correct in every way, conforming to a standard or ideal with no omissions, errors, flaws or extraneous elements.”
Just like my dear friend, Sharon Gerber Scherer, From Here.
Friday
It’s 2:30 in the morning and I have just completed and scheduled the Rearview Mirror to publish in a couple of hours. (I should have done this yesterday morning and forgot completely.)The violent storm woke me up an hour ago, lightning flashing red in my shut eyes, and Bogie, my cat, made me aware of thunder that sounded like the sky was coming apart, and I think I felt rain on my face. Oh, oh, new leaks in my roof?
I got up and started dropping rags on the floor to sop up the rainwater leaking through my roof in about six different places. The next dry day, I will have to climb my ladder and do my best to patch the holes, if I can find them. Water will always find its own way. I am grateful for duct tape and toothpaste for patching holes!
There’s a vehicle nearby whose alarm has been blaring for over an hour, making me wonder where the owner is and how far away from his house he had to park yesterday – obviously so far that he can’t hear his bloody car alarm! Welcome to living downtown in Puerto Vallarta in the thick of summertime monsoon rains.
I can’t believe I forgot to create the Rearview Mirror yesterday! I have been doing it for months, every Thursday, to be available for readers of Vallarta Mirror on Friday morning. I am ten sleeps from vacation, and clearly my brain is way ahead of me, wanting to stop working and start vacationing!
I did remember to keep my appointment with Deborah Cole, author, brilliant black and white photographer, and a grand new friend, whom I met for breakfast on the beach at Langostinos. We dug our toes in the sand and talked for three hours and said, “No, gracias!” at least a million times to the hardworking beach vendors selling everything from cigars and blender parts – really! – to foot massages, clothing, and jewelry.
We talked about Scrabble – Deborah wants to learn how to play. I invited her to come to Qulture this coming Wednesday at 12:30 to watch Sharon and me playing, which will be either educational or like watching paint dry. And it will be the last time I’ll be able to play before I head to Canada on the 28th.
I also got her to download Scrabble Go on her phone for practice and encouraged her to read Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis, published in 2001. It’s a fascinating look at the weird and quirky people who are obsessed with Scrabble. (Ahem).
It’s a quarter to four, the rain stopped for a bit, but has resumed, so I might as well refill my coffee cup and finish this. I doubt I can go back to sleep like Bogie.
Did you feel the earthquake yesterday afternoon? I was talking to my sister when the house jumped like something had hit it about midway up. No harm done, just a bump.
Okay, that’s it for me. Thanks for keeping me company in the middle of the night, and don’t forget to get your free copy of the Rearview Mirror https://vallartamirror.com/rearview-mirror-signup/ From Here.
