Recap Good Morning, From Here: February 03 – February 09, 2024
Monday
How was everybody’s weekend? I had a great time at the Arte Vallarta Museo – the first Saturday fiesta drew a packed house. My date was dear bff Sandra Bradley, who hosts small Lightworkers’ Gatherings at her home every Friday. We are opening up chakras and thoroughly enjoying one another’s company.
On Sunday morning, a quick trip to the tianguis in Mojoneras yielded a gigantic, perfect pineapple for a mere 40 pesos. It smells divine, and I haven’t cut it yet!
The last preliminary round in the So, You Think You Can Rise? Variety show contest took place at the Palm Cabaret yesterday.
Roy Cruz, the fabulous channeler of Epic Freddie Mercury, hosted the sold-out crowd as the last two contestants were chosen to compete with six others for 20k in prize money on the 18th. An unusual duo – a mom, Olga, and her son, Gabriel – won the singing portion of the show, while New Generation won as performers. The illustrious Kevin Anthony coached both winners.
All eight contestants will work like mad for the next two weeks, creating brand-new material for the Finale. If you still need tickets, get on it – it will be a spectacular show that will sell out at the 900-seat Teatro Vallarta.
Effie Passero sings at La Catrina Cantina tomorrow; I must miss it as they are sold out.
Have an extraordinary day, and spread the love; all you have to do is smile From Here.
Tuesday
We were about 20 last night, gathered at Casa Karma to celebrate the life of pianist and friend Dennis Crow.
Canapes were passed, and rose wine was poured as we chatted in the outside bar of the gorgeous event space, waiting for the sun to set.
We were evenly split between being entertainers and the audience, and that status changed frequently throughout the night.
Stories were told, and a million tears were shed quietly and often unexpectedly when a musical note or phrase hit someone’s emotions just right, and when that happens, all you can do is cry.
But mostly we sang. Not songs Dennis loved necessarily, but songs he insisted certain singers would do well to learn. How right he was with that perfect ear of his.
There was, of course, an undercurrent of melancholy. The amazing talent in the living room at Casa Karma would have delighted an old-time Broadway impresario, casting shows with so-and-so in the lead in his head. It was magic; it was unfortunate that Dennis wasn’t there to keep the music playing on and on; he would have approved of the entire night. Rest well, dear Dennis. You inspired many and helped so many more on their musical quests. Through them, your legacy will live on.
An open-to-the-public Celebration of Life for Dennis Crow will be at Casita & Garden on Tuesday, February 13, from 2 to 4 pm. It will be informal: drop in, have a drink, say a few words if you want, and share some hugs; it will be easy, the same way Dennis played the piano From Here.
Wednesday
I stayed in last night and practiced new things on the computer. Effie was sold out at La Catrina Cantina, and I thought Gouda Gabor could do without me for a week at Nacho Daddy at Open Mic. And I have to learn these new skills.
And I love it! Any eight-year-old would laugh at me struggling with new, techie things but happily have none of them around.
I am plodding and have stopped the pointless resisting of technology. I will not be a dinosaur. And neither will Vallarta Mirror.
Together, we will go forward; we have stopped killing about 375 trees annually. That is substantial, no? And, never mind the other costs of printing – the transportation pollution, ink dyes, paper bleaching, and so on and so forth.
And, after three months, we are humming right along. All we need from you is sharing and following, exponentially improving our readership.
Scrabble Tournament today at Qulture; join us, and bring your pom poms. That starts at 1; Bingo for Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic at 4 pm at Nacho Daddy; then Luis Villanueva’s birthday bash starts at 6:30 at La Catrina Cantina.
If you see me out and about, say hello and let’s get some hugs happening, From Here.
Thursday
This morning, I give you three photos of yesterday. They are in Google order; I can’t change that, and they are self-explanatory!
One shows the packed house at Nacho Daddy for Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic Bingo that garnered me absolutely nothing but the pleasure of supporting a fabulous cause.
Puerto Vallarta’s Air Fryer Queen also gets to wear the Scrabble crown for at least 30 more days. Yep, she beat me two games straight. To Sharon Gerber Scherer, congratulations, chica. Many have tried over the past year, but only you succeeded. To take a phrase you often use and return it with love: Mazel Tov!
The third photo showcases the best part of my diet, in my quest to add a few pounds to my frame. I highly recommend it and share the recipe:
Start with a generous slab of cheesecake. Add an entire mango peeled and diced; a whole banana, sliced; a few chunks of fresh pineapple; fresh strawberries and raspberries; a generous handful of frozen berries for the iciness and antioxidants; drizzle heavy cream, then add lots of real whipped cream. Finally, remove a big, expensive chocolate bar from the freezer, smash one-third of it with your handy kitchen hammer, and carefully sprinkle the chunks on top of the gigantic pile of fabulousness.
There. With all my love, enjoy! From Here.
Friday
I had the great pleasure of sharing some time with my friend Juan Carlos over always fabulous mango smoothies at the Cigar Factory around the corner from my house. JC and I met two years ago, just prior to, and because of, the Lightworkers Gathering at Casa Karma. Enormous bonds were made then that we still gently nurture and enjoy.
What a concert last night at the Casa Karma Red Room at Act2PV! With the illustrious Mark Hartman on piano, David Sabella captured every heart in the nearly sold-out room. David’s voice is clear, precise, and perfectly modulated to touch every emotion just so. He would be brilliant as an actor – all his parts connect with enormous humanity. And he portrays humanness with equal parts of bravery and uncertainty; he is a hero.
I had the pleasure of hearing David pre-pandemic at Incanto, so I knew a bit of his backstory of being a father to two adopted African American daughters who are now grown. David wove stories of them with a couple of political side notes mixed in the pandemic and delivered a masterpiece of musical theater; we were spellbound.
This show deserves at least one encore performance. Maestro Mark Hartman played to perfection as he always does, but more than once, it occurred to me that I didn’t hear him playing at all; the notes simply flew behind the lyrics like magic.
Bravos, gentlemen, please do this again From Here.
