Recap: Good Morning, From Here, August 17 – 23
Monday
How was the weekend? It went by so damn fast I’m not sure there was one! I spent some time over mango smoothies with David Duvall on Friday. He is an incredibly good writer, and I am cajoling him to let me publish some of his spoken word videos. Stay tuned!
Freddy Otello, backed by Bing Young on piano and Aarón Hernández on percussion, played to a small crowd in Casa Karma’s Living Room. I love watching Aarón’s face when he’s playing; his eyes sparkle, and he smiles while listening to the words. He is also a guitarist and backup singer. We enjoyed the wonderful hors d’oeuvres prepared by Casa Karma’s chef – there is always at least one new variety with each show in Georgia Darehshori’s Summer Series of fabulous entertainment. Tomorrow David Maiocco accompanies Alberto Ponce on the piano. Yes, the elevator is working again at Casa Karma!
David Sabella’s Voice Workshop on Saturday continues to hold my attention like Crazy Glue. Guitarist and singer Jacob Ordoñez has a deep and powerful bass voice. Sabella showed him a couple of tricks and the color of his voice changed dramatically enough to soothe a colicky newborn. Small yet hugely impactful things like that happen every single week. I will be sorry to see this Workshop disappear in season. Perhaps it will reincarnate – I will keep you posted.
Bingo Saturday was great only because of Sharon’s air-fried blueberry cookies. My losing spiral continues, and you can see the photo, which is one away from the jackpot. Argh! Never mind, the cookies were outstanding!!!
Unfortunately, Andy Sands’ concert was postponed until October so I had a few extra hours on Sunday to complete a project of sewing two dresses together. When that was done, I made a collar out of some extra fabric I had left over. I can’t remember the last time I made one, but it came out well.
Supermoon tonight; I hope after Diego Guerrero, From Here.
Tuesday
The Dirties threw a pop-up rock concert last night at Bonito Kitchen. Wowza! Bonito Kitchen, the covered part, is tiny and was full of very happy people who ate, drank and didn’t bother with conversation because who goes to a rock concert to talk? It was perfectly loud, with lead singer Diego Guerrero in fine form; he nailed a particularly difficult Deep Purple tune, Child in Time.
Mike and Tricia Lyman and Nikki were there enjoying the hard, sometimes heavy metal rock. Francie and Alison Lo were working, of course, but Alison took a few minutes off to sing one song. Dear Sandra Bradley and I shared a peach, walnut, goat cheese pizza that was divine.
Two-plus hours later, the set was done. Diego kindly dedicated the last song to me – Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. The musicians were incredible and did not stop all night.
Diego told us of his upcoming show at Casa Karma in early September and he will be participating in the August 29th bash at La Catrina Cantina and Mary Ann’s Ovations Piano Bar at Act2PV. More on both those shows this week.
It’s Tuesday morning, early, and it isn’t raining, so I am off to the tianguis in Coapinole. See what I can scare up.
Remember, the Alberto Ponce/David Maiocco concert at Casa Karma has been canceled for tonight.
Have a terrific day in our gorgeous city. Keep an eye on where your feet are going, and say hello to everyone you pass and smile. From Here.
Wednesday
I spent an hour or so plundering the piles at the tianguis in Coapinole yesterday and came home with eight projects, one, beautifully beaded and three badly stained but so large that I could work around them. Happily, all the stains came out, so I have even more options. I got there around 10; it was a madhouse.
My sister Patrice saw an ad on Facebook that Veggitalia was having a sale on pizza and pasta. Their food is fabulous, and I am long overdue!
It’s humpday and Scrabble time over at Qulture this afternoon and the penultimate Greatest Show at Act2 at 7 pm. Find me for hugs at both locations!
Tomorrow, Thursday, August 22, at 6:30 pm, master illusionist Mauricio Andrade will take the stage at Casa Karma, a stunning venue on the southern end of Conchas Chinas Beach. For just 800 pesos, guests will be treated to a night of mesmerizing magic, complete with delicious appetizers in one of the most beautiful villas on the Mexican coast.
This exclusive event offers a rare opportunity to experience magic up close and personal in an intimate setting. The evening promises not only to entertain but to leave a lasting impression. A few tickets are still available via WhatsApp at +52 322 215 3656 or +52 322 350 6040. I will see you at Casa Karma for sunset, cocktails, and Mauricio magic From Here.
Thursday
Another fabulous Greatest Show last night at Act2; next week will be the ultimate until 2025. I suggest early reservations; it is bound to sell out. It is amazing to me that week after week, in the summer, Cate Valcic has produced such high-quality, two-plus hours shows in less than a week’s time. The Greatest Show has been a triumphant blend of new and seasoned talent, a sounding board to learn what the public wants, and then giving it to them with both barrels.
I can count on one hand how many tracks were used in The Greatest Show all summer; virtually all the accompaniment has been live, and nearly all of that performed by veteran virtuoso pianist David Maiocco. Do yourself a favor: run to the box office for tickets when Maiocco dusts off his sequins in season for his Liberace tribute show.
Meanwhile, Davids Sabella and Maiocco will present Classical Connections tomorrow night, which will showcase their years and years of study of “serious” music. Sabella gave us a taste of his countertenor’s voice that won Best in the World in 1993, if memory serves, and will share what the late, great Luciano Pavarotti had to say about him. I will see you there, From Here.
Friday
A full house at Casa Karma last night for sunset and Mexico City magician Mauricio Andrade brought to us by MAGIA, a division of Gloria Fiona Live Music Productions. What an outstanding debut! Mauricio was so engaging and hilarious as he carefully explained where the missing, disappearing, invisible coin went and the trick behind the hanky-in-an-egg, which was great until he cracked the egg into a glass. Hmmm.
The card tricks were magic. No other explanation: You had to be there to witness a trick that started at the very beginning of the show when he left a pack of cars that I chose in my care for the entire evening, and then WHAM! Magic! I watched everybody’s brain scrambling to understand. Nope, impossible. The most compelling trick was with my no-nonsense friend for years, Sterling O’Ran. It involved a glass of water he was supposed to dump over his own head after some minutes of “imagination training.” Except the glass was empty! No tables here, no capes with hidden pockets just Merlin, er, Mauricio, standing alone mesmerizing the bejabbers out of the audience.
An unusual night for us in Vallarta but so intriguing, and if the magic ever wears off, Mauricio is a shoo-in for stand-up comedy in two languages. Many thanks to Gloria Fiona, Irene Jimenez, Casa Karma and staff, and Mago Mauricio for putting us back in touch with those priceless childhood memories of knowing anything and everything is, indeed, possible if you believe in magic From Here.
