Recap: Good Morning, From Here, September 28 to October 04
Monday
I have a very cool week planned in my head, AND it’s also on paper, so I won’t jinx a thing by telling you about it beforehand. That way, you’ll have a couple of interesting things to read with coffee heading into October, or it’ll be completely different. Let’s move on!
If you are a venue that offers entertainment and wants sell-out houses every single performance, put Francesca Bavaro, aka Effie Passero, on the roster, and it’s a done deal. When she’s home, here with us in Vallarta, she has time for a single show that sells out within a day, and she will do a second one if her time allows.
Francesca has been touring with Postmodern Jukebox all over the world for the past two years and is often gone for months at a time (five months last tour!). In October, she will ‘do’ Carnegie Hall. More on that next week. A lot of people from here are planning to attend that performance; our entertainment ties with New York City are getting tighter and tighter.
Last Friday at Casita & Garden, a fundraiser for the Gay+Community Center filled the space to bursting so we could welcome our brilliant singer home. The weather caught her off-guard; she is usually away from Vallarta this time of year, so she was unprepared to be bathed in sweat. She laughed it off and ran through her repertoire, doing what she loves the best, accompanying herself on the piano with ease and a martini or two. On tour, she is backed by an orchestra and doesn’t get a chance to play often.
And, she is going to be making her first album early next year. So, 18 months or so, from now, the world will sing “You Make Me Simply Happy” and “Driftwood” as they commute to work.
On Saturday morning, I saw my herbalist Ricardo Mazcal at his Market on the Isla Cuale to pick up the usual goodies that keep me alive and kicking. I mentioned a bothersome knee that had nearly healed from some inexplicable injury, and he gave me some things to try.
The spray is fabulous! Within minutes, the pain was gone, and the next day, my mobility was 50% improved. I continue to get better, so if you are bothered by joint pain and don’t like smelling like a jar of arnica, get over and see Ricardo on Saturday; it is yet another miracle from my fourth-generation Mexican Medicine Man.
Join me at Casa Karma tomorrow night for Andy Sands’s first solo show with David Duvall accompanying on piano; it’s been a long time coming From Here.
Tuesday
Happy October! This month, one of my faves of the year will bring us the opening of The Palm Cabaret – one week from today. Traditionally, the Palm opens and closes its season with a charity event where all the “house entertainers” give their best on stage. And, to celebrate 25 years in the business, the owners will soon open their sister cabaret, Coco, a five-minute walk away. Workers are furiously finishing off this new space that is exactly three minutes from my house! I am so grateful for that! Especially after listening to Mark Rome, the Palm’s Entertainment Director, telling me what’s coming up at Coco’s in the wee morning hours (after 10 pm!). That secret will remain safe with me until after the ribbon/cutting, which is slated for next month. Looking at the playlists of both cabarets, I will be able to leave one show and make to the sister cabaret for the next one! It’ll be a straight Palm/Coco/bed routine!
First up to kick off Season 25 will be Daniel Celis in “Billy and Elton: Face to Face.” Celebrating Billy Joel and Elton John, of course. That show is at 7 pm, Wednesday, October 9. At 9 pm, Eva Jimenez reprises her Tribute to Pink. I saw this last season and was absolutely blown away by Eva’s mastery. “Let’s Get the Party Started” indeed, From Here.
Wednesday
A full and very happy house listened to E Andrew Sands sing his fave tunes in his first solo show at Casa Karma last night. Accompanied beautifully on piano by David Duvall, Andy took us through a range of musicals with a couple of standards from Sound of Music and Les Mis and lesser known Jekyll & Hyde and a terrific Sweet Transvestite from Rocky Horror. Andy, who currently plays Riff Raff with a vengeance in that uber-campy musical returning to Act2 this season, really wants to be Doctor Frank-N-Furter! Fellow entertainers turned out to support Andy, including Jordon Carnegie (star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, returning to The Palm, December 01), Kimberly G (Happy Hour Rico Indian), and Montse, whose solo show at Act2 will be announced soon.
Andy’s mother was there, and his partner and we, his audience who have become his extended family, enjoyed a couple of hours of song, good food, and wine in that gloriously acoustical heaven, the Living Room at Casa Karma.
It’s a gorgeous day for Scrabble; I’m not sure anyone is left in Vallarta to play with—complete report on what could be a non-event first thing in the morning From Here.
Thursday
A shout-out today for my friend and colleague David Duvall on his 67th birthday. David has been added to Vallarta Mirror’s growing list of writers, and I hope you enjoy his perspective as much as you enjoy his tremendous talent as a pianist and soulful singer. May you have many, many more, amigo!
The air in Vallarta is absolutely crackling with energy these days. Everyone is at a high pitch to get things ready for season. So many piles of things left undone until the last minute, including interviews with several of Vallarta’s superstars who cannot get away from work. The interviews will happen when they are supposed to or not; the only two things that can happen.
Today, I am brunching with Ms Francesca Bavaro, aka Effie Passaro, who has her tippy toes on the edge of international acclaim. Here is a curious but not atypical Vallarta situation: I moved here in February 1991. Francesca will be 33 this year on November 9th; my birthday was 40 years earlier. She is the only person I have ever met who shares that birthdate. So, we are birthday sisters. Full report in the morning!
I am exploring a new (to me) entertainment venue this weekend; read all about it Monday morning!
A lot to do before I meet Francesca, so enjoy another clear day in the city and remember we are a mere three weeks away from the end of the infernal stickiness and rain on the anniversary of Hurricane Kenna, October 25, 2002, From Here.
Friday
With a dozen questions in my head, I walked down to the beach to my fave breakfast restaurant, Langostinos, to meet Francesca Bavaro/Effie Passero. That was one of the questions.
I remember a few years ago at Incanto, she asked everyone to please start using her real name, Francesca, as she wanted to leave the American Idol part of her life behind. But, friends in California kept referring her as Effie to audition with Postmodern Jukebox, same with Branden and James (and Carnegie Hall this month!) So, she is fine with both. Her upcoming solo album, however, will be by Francesca. Details on that amazing adventure story remain sealed for now.
She talked a lot about Vallarta and how safe and sane she is here compared to Los Angeles. Her dear friend, ally, and colleague Spencer Day suggested a trip here back in the spring of 2020, trapping them when the world stopped that March. I first heard Francesca sing at The Palm with Spencer for the first time and have been to every concert of hers in Vallarta since.
She is so excited about Carnegie Hall; her entire family will be there and, Francesca has tickets for her and her twin brothers to see Lion King while they are in the City.
2025 is stacking up like a bucket list for her, with a recording session in Nashville and appearances at the Sydney Opera House and Covent Garden with PMJ. We laughed about places and arenas she has to add to the list, including the Kennedy Center, Madison Square Garden, and maybe even Wembley Stadium.
Heady stuff, all of it, and she is right there knowing how to maintain her balance, including time well spent at home in Vallarta to regroup. She will choose her tours wisely with PMJ; last year, she was in 55 countries with them, but five months away was too long.
Her next concert in Vallarta will be in early November at La Catrina Cantina to celebrate being back in Mexico from New York and Carnegie Hall and her (our!) birthday.
Have a wonderful weekend everybody. See you back here Monday morning From Here.
