CASA holiday fiesta
More than 60 members and guests of the Culinary Society of Ajijic (CASA) attended the club’s holiday party at La Mision restaurant December 12.
Surprise guests Cindy Paul and her octet acapella group delivered some serious seasonal cheer. No one left hungry, thanks to the plentiful appetizers and holiday desserts prepared by the members, as well as a delicious meal provided by La Mision.
Winners in the appetizer category were Judith Greenberg, who took first place and people’s choice with her smoked salmon prepared alongside a Japanese guacamole; second place went to Margaret Quinn for herbed sun-dried tomato with cheese; Jerry Smith with three-cheese Christmas balls took third place, while Laurie Hilden won presentation for her caviar tart.
In the holiday desserts category Garth Bogart took first place for his chocolate truffle-cream shortbread bites with chilled cranberries; Jose Melendrez won second place with a white cake with cranberry filling and third place and presentation went to Meredith Miller for her buche de Noel. The people’s choice presentation was a tie between Leslie Yanko for her holiday mint chocolate cake and Avril Stephenson for a sticky toffee pudding. Judges for the event were Hazel Tash, Marina Benz and Sean Godfrey.
The next meeting of CASA is January 16, 3:30 p.m. at La Mision and the two categories are soups and stews, and pies, tarts and cobblers. For more information about CASA, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Toys for Tots Run
The third annual Toys for Tots Run sponsored by Chapala’s American Legion Post 7 and Los Gueros Motorcycle Club was a rousing and merry success. After collecting toys for more than 1,000 children, the group met at the Legion for breakfast before departing for Mezcala at noon. As they rode alongside the lake, the bikers and other volunteers in cars, led by a Chapala firetruck and flanked by the Chapala Transit police, threw candy to children they encountered. In Mezcala, Santa (Lee Gardner) gave out Christmas gifts to each smiling child with the help of his many elves. A special thanks to Pam Lamb, chief organizer of the event.
Open Circle
There are no Open Circle presentations on December 25 or January 1.
Christmas festivitie
For Mexican kids whacking colorful papier mache figures stuffed with candies, peanuts and seasonal fruits is the high point of Christmas festivities. It’s an ancient custom with religious overtones symbolizing blind faith in the power of good overcoming evil.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha meets weekly on Wednesdays. The center opens at 3:30 p.m. for silent meditation. A 30-minute formal meditation period begins at 4 p.m. December 28, the meditation period will be followed with teaching by Marty Janowitz (live) – the last in a series of talks he will give this month on the “Paramitas,” aspirations for perfecting the way in which we conduct our lives and perceive the world. The six paramitas are concerned with the effort to step out of the egocentric mentality.
The center is open for hour-long silent meditation periods Sunday and Monday, from 9 to 10 a.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon.
The Dharma movie matinee features, “Golden Kingdom,” Monday, December 19, 3 p.m. Golden Kingdom is the first international feature shot in Burma since the Buddhist nation opened again to the outside world.
A yoga class suitable for all levels of experience is offered at Heart of Awareness on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. There will be a class on both December 24 and 31.
The workshop “Minding Our Own Business” will be offered on four Tuesdays in January from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Beginning Tuesday, January 10, participants will work together to become better prepared for the eventualities of illness, accident and death. There will be “homework” consisting of completion of documents which will be helpful to those who need to act on our behalf in cases where we are unable to do so ourselves. The workshops are designed to support participants in working through their natural resistance to these critical tasks. The workshop fee for materials is 350 pesos for Heart of Awareness members and 450 pesos for non-members. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants and advance registration is required. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register.
Heart of Awareness is at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. For information, visit heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert at (331) 043-4669.
Bird Walk
Wednesday, December 28, the Chapala Birders will meet 8 a.m. at Donas Donuts, to carpool to the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the plateau above the south side of the lake (a 60-minute drive).
Expect to see higher altitude and pasture birds such as Eastern Meadowlark, Redwing Blackbird and, maybe, a Roadrunner. Bring refreshments for the morning and sandwiches for the 12.30 p.m. lunch stop. The group returns to Ajijic about 3 p.m.
Email Keeling ahead of time at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. about whether you can bring a vehicle, to help in carpool planning.
Upcoming water program
Water is one of our most necessary commodities and yet its availability is often taken for granted. Introducing us to discovering the spiritual qualities in the movement of water, January 6 (Epiphany) weekend workshop entitled Water’s Own Voice will take place at Flora Exotica (corner of the Carreterra and Libramiento in Ajijic) and will be led by Jennifer Greene, founder and 40-year director of the Water Research Institute in Blue Hill, Maine. Highlights include a slide lecture presenting the scientific research, an all-day participatory demonstration of experiments revealing water’s natural tendencies to move and change its environment – and continuing revelations of water’s miracles. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Home tours
The Behind the Walls home tours of some of Lakeside’s most gorgeous residences that benefit the School for Special Children have sold out their Christmas home tour. But tickets for the once a month winter and spring tours are still on sale at Diane Pearl or Charter Club Tours for only 200 pesos.
Gardening
The Lake Chapala Society’s Personal Enrichment Program kicks off with the first of three seminars, Introduction to Lakeside Gardening by instructor Francisco Gonzalez Nava, on January 10. The course covers the area’s monthly garden calendar, effective communication with your gardener, beginning vocabulary and phrases of Spanish gardening terms, different plants for different sun/shade conditions, formal vs. casual and organic gardens, pest and disease management, drought tolerant garden, pruning, weeding, composting, mulching and a host of other concepts, as well as a guided tour of the LCS garden. The eight classes are held Tuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. Cost is 500 pesos.
Two other seminars to come are a history of the Mexican Revolution with Judy King beginning January 18, and an overview of Mexican history by Daniel Grippo beginning February 27. The classes are open to the public.
LCS Spanish classes
The Lake Chapala Society offers introduction to Spanish-language classes for members. This is a casual class offered for the beginner that covers the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary and phrases to use about town for shopping, and other useful information about the area and Mexican culture.
Classes start Tuesday, January 10 at the LCS campus, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Learning materials are provided, and the tuition for the classes is 175 pesos.
Sign up is available at the LCS office during regular office hours, Monday through Saturday or via lakechapalasociety.com.
The bard returns
Time to take the kilt to the dry cleaners in time for the annual Rabbie Burns supper Wednesday, January 25, 5 p.m. at the Hotel Real de Chapala. This yearly benefit event for Niños Incapacitados includes dancing, bagpipes, tributes and toasts, a traditional dinner including Haggis, singing and a wee dram of Scotch (or maybe a bit more). Tickets, 400 pesos, are available contacting Mary Steele, 765-3226, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via programaninos.com.