Recap: Good Morning, From Here, July 05 – 11
Monday
I finally got in to see Pacific Home last week – a new assisted living facility up in the mountainous jungle overlooking Puerto Vallarta. There are currently eight permanent residents, with space for 40 and potential for future development to accommodate up to 60.
The nice thing is that now you can reserve your room, paint it your favorite color, and furnish it precisely as you want. With your bed and favorite chair if you like, and a small kitchenette if you prefer to make your own lunch.
Rooms are available in two sizes: medium and large, and the rent varies depending on whether you are alone or sharing.
Bear in mind, the whole time I was at Pacific Home, I was putting myself and my sister Patrice in the thick of it, although, down the road a few years, god willing.
The surroundings are lush and rural, with eggs, for example, purchased from the next-door neighbor every day. There is a dog sanctuary down the road, and residents are encouraged to volunteer to walk the dogs, which helps the charity, provides exercise for the residents, and brings happiness to the dogs.
We had a delicious brunch of fresh fruit, whole-wheat pancakes, scrambled eggs, yogurt and granola, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice. The dining room is exactly like inside your house; there is nothing “industrial” looking or feeling in the entire space.
Just off the pool is an outdoor space for parties, and residents are encouraged to invite their extended families to come over for an afternoon of quiet enjoyment. There’s a large fridge and food prep area, and an outdoor dining room under a palapa.
The swimming pool is heated and looks so very inviting. Plans to create an herb garden for the chef to harvest and a large vegetable garden will be implemented eventually, allowing residents to tend to and lend expertise to the garden if they wish to participate. As the population of Pacific Home grows, programs will be added to suit.
As far as medical and personal care goes, it is available 24/7. The best thing about Pacific Home is that the price you pay depends on what you need. (Prices are roughly half what would be spent in Canada or the US.) There is no one-size-fits-all approach because residents are individuals and are treated as such, each with their own particular needs.
For example, there is a perfectly healthy married couple in their 60s living on-site in their private room, close to the husband’s mother, who requires 24-hour care. The couple can visit her for as long as she is able to do so comfortably, tend to their remote jobs (WiFi is available throughout all buildings and included in the rent), and know their mom is being cared for beautifully. Their stress levels are reduced tremendously, as is their mother’s.
Will the situation work for you? You can make arrangements to move in for a month and try it out. Three meals and two snacks are prepared daily. You can choose to eat in the dining room, on the patio poolside, or in your room.
When all was said and done, I found nothing lacking and told my sister we had a backup plan that we could afford and would work out just fine for us, From Here.
Tuesday
There is something electrifying about seeing two people deeply in love, interacting wth one another. First, they are as rare as hen’s teeth and often you will find them sitting close together on a beach, heads touching, sharing a quiet moment, or speaking in indiscernible murmurs. They are also the ones engaged in a kiss in a crowded airport when the world stops turning, and the only real things at that moment are the connected lips and the sea of humanity parts, swirls around the two lovers, and converges, once again, on the other side.
They create rarified air, and that evokes a number of emotions from the outsiders looking in – envy topping the list. Who would not want to be that clearly adored?
When these lovers are also in show business, they can also draw on a wealth of learned details, wardrobe coordination, hair and makeup plays a significant role, and a singer may serenade her darling, the words of a sweet ballad suddenly getting caught in her throat as she understands the lyrics are saying fully how much she loves him. Acting ability teaches when to make your face silly and when to be tortured and sad.
Our pair of lovers in this decidedly envious state are also classically trained musicians: they are Costa Rican immigrants to Mexico, Dabit Azofeifa and Alejandra Matus.
We have loved them in Circoncierto for their clownishness, great sense of fun, unbelievable contortions, and magical scenes, all delivered with childlike awe and wonder. The fantasy play/musical Vacare unleashed acting skills through their exchanges onstage, closely mimicking how and when they initially met and got to know one another. Finally, their hearts formed an unbreakable bond that endures years later.
Sandra Bradley and I got caught in a rainstorm last week on our way to Arte Vallarta Museo, specifically to see and listen to Ale and Dabit. The upper gallery of the Museum was full of like-minded people.
Director Nathalie Herling ensured everyone’s glasses were full as the concert commenced, and her husband, painter Javier Niño, videotaped parts of the show. Artist David Jones, whose exhibit is nearing the end of its run, gave a talk during intermission, and Sandra and I chatted with Dabit and Ale. We told them how blessed we felt sitting in the same room with them, with their sweet energy slowly but surely enveloping each one of us in the audience like a Springtime hug.
They are enchanting performers who often appear around the Bay of Banderas separately. Still, they truly shine brightest in each other’s company, where they gift their love for one another to their audiences. Enjoy Dabit and Ale as Tromba Vetusta through songs in multiple languages, dance, music of the guitar, saw (yes, a saw…), accordion, and love. You too will be blessed From Here.
Wednesday
Happy Humpday! Today looks like it will be a dry one; that’ll be two in a row, which means it will be beastly hot and humid by the time Scrabble is over at Qulture late this afternoon. On my way home, I’ll start buying small things, like a miniature tube of toothpaste to take on my impending vacation in 19 more sleeps. My sister is determined that we can do it with carry-ons only. Remember – I said “small things!”
What a fabulous show last night at Casa Karma! It was the best-attended of any of the summer music series I have been to, with standing room only overflow enjoying the 90-minute concert by Eva and Mau Jimenez.
“On Repeat” was filled with the brother and sister team’s favorite songs, some from their childhood and most from their adulthood. Many of them I had never heard before, and those I knew had been Eva and Mau’d somewhat to make them fit their style. Each song was a grand adventure, and the crowd ate up every cover.
The two switched guitars, one playing electric, the other acoustic, song by song. A lifetime of singing English tunes together was evident in the sensational festival of harmony and interpretation. The odd time they invited audience participation resulted in a loud outpouring of lyrics, robustly offered up to Casa Karma’s Living Room ceiling!
The sunset was extraordinary as our summer sunsets often are, with cloud coverage making all the difference in the world. It was so spectacular that Eva asked if we wanted a break to take pictures. A resounding ‘no’ kept the concert rolling in full swing.
The food was, once again, outstanding, and I forgot (again) to take photos of the gorgeously presented hors d’oeuvres. My favorite this week was made with apples and tasted like a teeny piece of apple pie – lovely.
I am sure the happy crowd at Casa Karma was there partly because of Eva and Mau’s two extraordinary tributes last season to Pink at Coco Cabaret and Bruce Springsteen at The Palm, respectively. Neither one of those artists was sung last night, and these two musicians could have gotten away with doing half their songs from Pink and Springsteen, but they didn’t.
Instead, they curated a show that grew out of deep family connections – the whole crew is loaded with talent, starting with their mom, Maria. So, yes, they come by it honestly and have run with it, creating countless hours of joy at the venues mentioned above, including Incanto, where they got their start in Puerto Vallarta, and Nacho Daddy, where Mau had a weekly show prior to Bruce.
They are incredibly bright stars in Vallarta’s plethora of entertainers, and the upcoming season will challenge them and make them even better performers. But for now, for sure, they definitely have this brother and sister routine down pat, From Here.
Thursday
I am excited about a few things today. First, I am partaking in a cacao ceremony this afternoon at Casa Karma. That’s the brief explanation; I really don’t know what to expect, and I will let you know tomorrow what transpired over the more than two hours we have allocated. We are a small group of eight women, and I don’t know if I know any of them. Anyway, come back tomorrow for a full report!
Second thing is, I am meeting Sargento Dan tomorrow at noon for mango smoothies and chisme about Gouda Gabor, and his shows that debuted in my (Old) Country of Canada. I am looking forward to hearing his take on the weather, cost of living, and more. What really makes my skin tingle is the opportunity to talk to him one-on-one, something we have never done before. There has always been a sea of people around, or he’s been on the other side of an invisible curtain onstage, and I’ve been in an audience. That article will be out early next week.
Lastly, and I don’t know if other people keep such close (ADHD!) track as I have been on my impending vacation, but, in 18 more sleeps I will be in Canada, at my sister Patrice’s house, meeting her pets and friends, many of whom I already know from way-past visits to the North.
I have lists all over the place of things I MUST pack including stuff for Patrice that she left here that really encroaches on the amount of space I have for my stuff. I mean, she could have taken these things with her when she left a couple of months ago. Anyway….
I have to bring everything in off my patio in case a hurricane springs up in my absence. I have a list of what to unplug, unscrew, take in, replant and a list of what to throw out but not until the very last second.
And then there are my supplements (AND, my sister’s!!!) most of which are concocted by my (our) herbalist, Ricardo Mazcal. A lot of white powder in ziplock bags… (baking soda and creatine) and not-so-white food-grade diatomaceous earth, and loads of tinctures, which by their nature contain alcohol and must be stored in glass. So, lots of space-invading bubble wrap. And more Ziplock bags!
I stopped at Farmacia Guadalajara yesterday after Scrabble (yes, Quine Sharon beat me 2-1, again!) to buy a travel-size tube of toothpaste, but I couldn’t. I must have spent 10 minutes perusing an entire aisle. I could buy travel-size toothpaste in a package that came with a collapsible toothbrush, which I already own. So, I looked at kids’ size tubes of toothpaste that are smaller than the smallest adult-sized tubes, with their protective cardboard coverings spattered with unrecognizable cartoon characters, and cost twice as much. Patrice has assured me that we can hit any Walmart in Alberta, and there will be choices on teeny tubes of toothpaste. One thing crossed off my list From Here.
Friday
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Yesterday, I attended Casa Karma to participate in ‘Open Your Heart’ with a small group of women, led by Maria Felix Macias. I arrived a bit early and watched as Maria cleansed the entire Living Room with copal and sage. She stepped carefully around the yoga mats that were laid down like hands on a clock, for eight of us, creating an oasis inside the circular border made with dozens of fresh flowers.
Maria explained everything about the cacao ceremony in both languages as it unfolded, although Alison Lo and I were the only two non-Mexicans present.
Once the cleansing of the space was complete, we filed out of the living room and lined up in order of age (I got to be first!), and were cleansed and reentered to begin.
Maria explained the history and importance of cacao in detail, and the particular batch we were about to drink was made at Maria Felix’s Infinity Women’s Wellness Retreat Center, located south of Vallarta in Aquiles Serdan, using cacao beans from Oaxaca, the Mexican state where Maria Felix learned this ritual.
The only thing added was a little natural honey, for which I was grateful, as roasted and ground cacao beans bear no resemblance whatsoever to chocolate!
Cups were passed to each of us, and we slowly inhaled the earthy aroma and enjoyed the taste and texture of the cacao nibs, giving quiet thanks as we drank the thick, flavorful liquid of the gods.
We all then got comfortable on our backs and covered our eyes. At the same time, music played softly in the background, a woman’s voice periodically repeating phrases like “You are love,” “You are abundance,” “You are strength.”
Maria Felix then began with the sound bowls. There were three with different tones and frequencies. After the ceremony, Maria Felix said the strangest thing had happened that she could hardly ‘manage’ the bowls, and her hands and forearms were aching from the stress. The frequency of the saltwater crashing just below us on the rocky shoreline, combined with the rising full moon (the first one of the summer), our energy, and that of the bowls themselves, was overwhelming.
Eva Jimenez told me later that the highest-pitched bowl, which was very close to her head, made her uncomfortable to the point of tears. But she also recognized that tears are an integral part of cleansing and letting go of everything that no longer serves a purpose in our lives. Maria Felix noticed her tears, and a few other women shed tears as well.
I lost track of time completely. My ears followed a myriad of sounds; I soon stopped searching for a melody or cadence outside of my heart beating and let the notes carry me wherever they were going, knowing I was safe, with lovely companions who were healing like me, to better tread softly on Mother Earth, From Here.
