Recap: Good Morning, From Here, April 5 – 11
Monday
What do peaches, brie, mushrooms, and salted caramel espresso have in common? La Casita & Garden for pizza and martinis! Last Friday, we explored those food groups while awaiting Dabit and Ale to entertain a comfortably full house of friends and a few people from out of town at C & G.
Ale(jandra) Matus was sparkling in a fabulous sequined dress that must have weighed a ton, but she carried it like a runway model. Her partner onstage and in life, Dabit Azofeifa, accompanied her on accordion and guitar while she sang in various languages and genres. This lovely couple from Costa Rica spent the intermission going to each table in the house, saying hello to friends with heartfelt hugs, and introducing themselves with panache and love to anyone they had not met before. Ale and Dabit are consummate professionals with so many fingers in as many entertainment pies. It was lovely to relax with them in the serenity of Francie Nguyen’s Casita & Garden, to sit and just listen. Thank you for that, my dear friends. Oh, and that martini…
Saturday morning Patrice and I were on the Isla Cuale at the Weekend Market headed by herbalist and Vallarta Mirror columnist Ricardo Mazcal. Ricardo’s Market runs 52 weeks/year, and other vendors can be found at his storefront every Saturday from 10 am until 2 pm, close by Frida’s Garden on the Island. We stocked up on spices and condiments, all organically grown and produced in Vallarta and MazMix, Ricardo’s pre/and pro-biotic formula that has saved me (and countless others) over the past dozen years or so. If you have any ailments, believe me, Ricardo has a solution. He has been in the healing arts his entire life, has cured his own stage-four cancer with his great-grandmother’s tinctures and potions, and can do the same for you. Now in his eighties, Ricardo has no intentions of slowing down and indeed, has more energy than men half his age. Talk to him about libido if yours is lacking or has disappeared entirely.
Late Saturday afternoon, Patrice and I walked to Arte Vallarta Museo along with Sandra Bradley to celebrate the First Saturday Fiesta. It is a monthly gathering I have not missed in over two years. There is always fresh food cooking on the grill, sometimes manned by Museum Director Nathalie Herling herself, live music, and loads of art, artists, and those who love and support the two in the mix of partygoers.
An interesting workshop is coming up later in April by an extraordinary artist from Cuba, who is represented by Vallarta resident Kimberley Bennett. More information on times, dates, etc., this week.
The Palm Cabaret is hosting a fundraiser for Jordon Carnegie this Wednesday at 8 pm. Jordon had to cancel the run of his hard-fought-for Hedwig and the Angry Inch Musical due to a savage attack from one of his dogs. The entertainment community has banded together, donating their formidable talents for your star-studded enjoyment and to ease the financial burden this has caused Jordon and his husband, Richard. Admission is 500 pesos (feel free to donate more) in cash only at the door, but reserve your seats beforehand From Here.
Tuesday
A couple of decades ago, one of the guys who used to walk the Malecon with a bunch of us early in the morning said the only good thing about meat was that it tasted good.
Patrice and I climbed the stairs from Guerrero up to Gringo Gulch and around the corner to Hacienda San Angel on Sunday morning for brunch with one motivation: to eat prime rib. It is a guilty pleasure, to be sure, for a couple of vegetarians. But, if you are to venture into carnivore territory, there is no place better than Hacienda San Angel on a clear day with a violinist playing Vivaldi, mimosas sparkling in the sunlight, and a slab of rare roast beast on a plate with horseradish and au jus.
The service at this boutique hotel dining room is superb, with crisp white linens and enormous embossed napkins. The coffee is good and strong, and the atmosphere is elegant but not fussy. Richard Burton lived there with his wife, Susan, a block or so from his other house, which he shared with Elizabeth Taylor. Vallarta’s history is in every paving stone and canterra fountain.
We ran into dear friends Jan Dorland and Rob Burton, dining with Martin Methot and Robert Ryan. Only one or two Sunday brunches are left in April before they stop serving for the summer. You can still enjoy the views of the city, mountains, and the sea for dinner. Details at Vallartacalendar.com
After a long prime rib-induced coma of a siesta, Patrice and I crossed over two swinging bridges to Coco Cabaret for Chris Lopez’s tribute to Sam Smith. Jan and Rob joined us in the front row; I was the only one seeing this show for a second time, and I loved that it was at 7 pm instead of 9 or 10!
The stage was crowded with six dancers, Nacho Granados and Eva Jimenez singing backup vocals, and a couple of Chris’s dresses took up a lot of floor space. Of course, everything was smooth as silk – it was a Chris Lopez Production, after all.
Every project Chris takes on becomes a spectacular event with videos that he makes and costumes that are precise copies if he is re-creating a scene. His vocal range stretches from deep bass to stratosphere – exactly like Sam Smith’s. And he is as coquettish! AND, it is because of Sam Smith that we get to enjoy Chris Lopez as a singer, dancer, and actor. He is usually behind the stage making other stars shine. Chris performed his first tribute to Sam Smith at The Palm a couple of years ago. I remember its brilliance and afterward hugging Chris as he cried; he was so relieved that his first show as a solo artist went well. It was fabulous!
This bigger, better, expanded edition will knock your proverbial socks off; do not miss it From Here.
Wednesday
Today is busy, starting with a walk and workout, then Scrabble at Qulture at 12:30, followed by Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic Bingo at Nacho Daddy at 4 pm. Patrice and I will go directly from there to Il Pesce for dinner with Kevin and Rob at 6, and then the four of us will hike to The Palm for “Midnight Radio,” the fundraiser for Jordon Carnegie, at 8 pm. And my darling kitty Bogie made sure I was up an hour earlier this morning, at five instead of six. He doesn’t want me to miss anything!
The tianguis at Coapinole was far less busy than a week ago, which made shopping less frantic and more enjoyable, and we did well. Patrice finds her favorite winter clothes here in Mexico!
My sister and I are planning a major trip to Europe this summer. One of our nieces is getting married in Sweden, and we have not seen our brother for years, and I have never been to Scandinavia, so… it’s time. The plan is to fly to London for 3 or 4 days, wander around and undo the jetlag before proceeding to Stockholm. If anybody has fave hotels, restaurants we shouldn’t miss, and sights, museums, etc., we would love to hear all about them. It has been so long since I have been overseas my knowledge is likely useless.
I am gunshy with the planning thing. The last time we made a concerted effort to go visit our brother Mark, who has lived in Sweden for close to 40 years – a couple of years longer than I have been in Vallarta, COVID reared its ugly head and canceled everything including our trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, for the ballet and Hermitage bucket-list visit. And, even our last closer-to-home trip to Guadalajara a couple of years ago was thwarted the night before when my wallet was stolen with all our spending money in it. So, I am reticent and, honestly, never happy to leave Vallarta.
This month off for a real vacation will entail shutting Vallarta Mirror and the Rearview Mirror down when I am literally away from my desk. I thought about packing my computer and continuing to work on the road but it makes no sense. So, that’s the plan for August – spending time with my family, seeing a part of the world I have never experienced, and revisiting a few fave places in London. And I have not seen my sister’s new house nor her new kitties in southern Alberta, so I will do that on the backside of our trip to visit our Swedes.
After our shopping spree in Coapinole, we caught a bus to town and had a fabulous lunch of puttanesca spaghetti and pizza at Veggitalia, one of Vallarta’s best vegetarian restaurants. More pasta to be consumed today at Il Pesce, From Here.
Thursday
I am still reeling from Midnight Radio, the benefit held last night at The Palm Cabaret to help Jordon Carnegie recoup expenses due to the cancelation of his blockbuster musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The outpouring of love was almost overwhelming, with every performer in town who was not working last night showing up with their support for their fellow singer, actor, and producer. What happened to Jordon could have happened to any one of us; there is some comfort in knowing the strength and devotion of our community.
Jordon is recovering from a savage dog attack and, on the outside, seems to be healing well; the internal pain of being hurt by a favorite family pet will take longer, plus cosmetic surgery to fix dislodged teeth will likely take all summer. Jordon will return to the stage stronger than ever; his support group of talented, loving individuals will help carry him back to the top of his game and return as Hedwig in all her tortured glory.
Midnight Radio, the show named after a title of a song from Hedwig, was emceed by Vallarta’s new darling, Sargento Dan, who can now add ‘Host’ to his burgeoning list of recent accomplishments. His innocent mangling of names and words in two languages was hilarious. He is a natural prankster with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, an imp waiting to surprise with his antics, and an unusual speaking voice that makes people smile on the verge of laughter whenever he opens his mouth.
We saw a taste of “Sweet Dreams” starring Delilah Beaucoup and her backup singers, Stephanie Wright Watts and Patriz Fomitchev. Jordon Carnegie is producing this Tribute to Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics, which opens at Coco Cabaret on April 18 at 8 pm for two performances only.
A couple of heartfelt videos were shown, sent from the US, and obviously made with much love and admiration for their friend and, oftentimes, mentor, Jordon.
The roster of entertainers read like a who’s who of Vallarta, and I won’t try and list all of them – sure as hell I will miss someone, or what songs they sang solo or in duets and trios and ensemble conga line-gorgeous, raucous, loving chaotic joy at the finale.
Thanks go to The Palm Cabaret for offering the venue and to the staff who worked their butts off trying to keep the SRO crowd well-watered. Thank you, Maru Prado Conti, in her fourth season as the divine Lady Gaga, who pitched the idea of throwing a benefit to help Jordon and Richard cover their formidable medical expenses and their livelihood impacted by the cancelation of their major production mid-season that also trickled down to so many others involved with Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Jordon’s costar, Yoalli Guerrero, was in fine voice, as was Effie Passero, whose rendition of “Never Enough” created a standing ovation (as it always does) and has almost become her signature song From Here.
Friday
Dinner at Il Pesce has been long overdue and wildly anticipated. As we suspected it would be – everything was perfectly cooked and delivered to the table by expert, caring wait staff. I ordered what I always do – the homemade fettuccini with three kinds of mushrooms and truffle oil. My superlatives for ‘perfect’ have all been used over the past two years since I first discovered this tiny Sicilian resto on Constitucion, around the corner from Los Muertos Brewing. We were there early – at 6 pm, an hour after they open, and by 6:45 they were packed, so reservations are still a must even though season is winding down.
Another restaurant we are looking forward to indulging in again is Let’s Pho PV Vietnamese Kitchen. Owner Charlie Huynh graciously made a reservation for us 90 minutes before the upcoming Gay Mixer next Tuesday. More on those shenanigans next week. The portions at Let’s Pho (pronounced Fa) are enormous and so fresh. And I have to give a shout-out to the carrot cake made in-house daily. The last time I was there with my sweet friend Zhander P’ng, I ordered it for my main course and had pho for dessert. Always good to change the order of things sometimes! I did, however, have to carry the pho home after overdosing on carrot cake!
Other adventures in food will continue tomorrow as we head to Vallarta Botanical Garden for lunch and a wander through the award-winning public gardens that are so gorgeous all year round, particularly in spring, with exuberant growth everywhere. The walk from the entrance of VBG to the restaurant is just long enough to decompress completely, and each footfall away from the highway leads to birdsong and gentle conversations. It is glorious out there.
The highlight of the trip south is hugs from Curator and Founder Bob Price, whose vision with his mom, Betty, for a public garden 20 years ago has led to winning every major botanical prize in North America. Bob is buying up properties surrounding the Garden as they become available – not to increase the size of the Garden but to leave the lands wild and protected for local flora and fauna. The hidden cameras show extensive wildlife like deer, ocelot, jaguar, and many more species living unafraid and safely.
My Vallarta Garden Club Gala friend of two years and counting, Brian Bott, had Patrice and me over to his condo building, Avida, for cocktails and conversation last night. The tequila and wine were plentiful and delish, as were the bread, cheese, and deli meats spread out next to plates of fresh fruit and nuts to nibble on. Meeting new-to-Vallarta people is refreshing, and it is wonderful to hear about other love affairs with this city I adore.
Tomorrow night at 9, Patrice and I head over the bridges to Coco Cabaret for Boys on Fire. If you have not seen this romp through Superhero Comic Book territory, join us. It is much fun, with great demonstrations of strength and agility From Here.
