Open Circle
Glorine Barnhardt (above) will give a presentation on “The Career Project: Opening Windows to a Better Future” at Open Circle Sunday, February 5, 10:30 a.m. in the garden of the Lake Chapala Society.
Barnhardt will talk about The Career Project, which she initiated in early 2015 to help fulfill the Lake Chapala Society’s expanded mission to “become more active in the Mexican community.”
The Career Project’s mission is to encourage students to stay in school, to visualize chosen careers, and to identify appropriate educational pathways to realize their ambitions. She will describe various elements of the program.
Barnhardt taught high school for over 25 years and was also a computer software trainer for the banking industry.
Barnhardt and her husband started wintering Lakeside in 2007. With Wendee Hill she started the ACA (Asociación Comunitaria de Autosuficiencia) Tuesday Lecture Series at LCS in in 2008.
For more information, see opencircleajijic.org.
LCS seminar
Lake Chapala Society (LCS) members are invited to attend a TED seminar, Tuesday, February 7, noon to 1:15 p.m. This seminar features time management expert Laura Vanderkam speaking on “How to gain control of your free time.”
“There are 168 hours in each week. How do we find time for what matters most?” Vanderkam studies how busy people spend their lives, and she’s discovered that many of us drastically overestimate our commitments each week, while underestimating the time we have to ourselves. She offers a few practical strategies to help find more time for what matters to us, so we can “build the lives we want in the time we’ve got.”
Neill James Lecture
The public is invited to the next Neill James Lecture, Tuesday, February 7, 2-4 p.m. at the LCS. Charles Coleman will speak on “9/11: the Improbable Official Narrative — from Engineering and Aeronautical Perspectives.”
Coleman will take a critical look at the official explanation of the 9/11 event, with respect to the principals of steel frame building construction; properties of materials; fuel sources of the fires; and the limitations and characteristics of transport category aircraft.
Coleman is a retired American Airlines 767 captain and a registered civil engineer in California and Washington. His experience includes work on the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline, projects in Saudi Arabia, and design and construction of various harbor projects for the Alaska State DOT. He has been a consulting engineering since 1977 in California and Washington. A former flight instructor and charter pilot, he was also a bush pilot in Alaska.
Super Bowl Sunday
Lakesiders can watch the big game this Sunday at The Iron Horse, Maria Isabel, American Legion Post 7, La Bodega Ajijic, Adelita’s, Ocampo 71, El Barco, Wings Army, and Sports Bar Exotica upstairs above the Jardin Plaza, among other venues.
Legion events
During February, American Legion Post 7 hosts a number of events geared to expats.
Saturday, February 4, the Legion holds a flea-market style bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, February 5, the Super Bowl begins with an early happy hour at 3 p.m. and kick off at 5 p.m. Get in on the Super Bowl pool. Bring botanas. On Tuesday, February 14 come with your loved one to enjoy Renaciendo Al Amour (A Romantic Interlude) with Rondalla Chapala. Social hour begins 2 p.m. and dinner is served at 3 p.m. The menu is roast pork loin, with gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad and chocolate cake. All for 200 pesos. Tuesday February 28, the Legion hosts a Mardi Gas celebration with the social hour/DJ Howard beginning 3 p.m. and dinner served at 4 p.m. The menu is jambalaya with candied carrots, tomatoes vinaigrette, corn bread and Ice cream. Tickets are 175 pesos.
British Society
The Lakeside British Society will hold its monthly luncheon meeting Saturday, February 4, 1 p.m. at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic. Sue Burbury will give a talk entitled, An English midwife’s journey of Life: a lighthearted reflection.
Menu choices begin with a small salad or zucchini flower soup, choice of steak pie with mashed potatoes and gravy or frilled maji-maji with rice and beans or chile relleno with rice and beans or a large salad. Dessert is Neopolitan flan. The cost is 150 pesos plus tip. Call Arleen at 766-1742 or contact Sue Sterlini at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to confirm your attendance and choice of menu. All visitors welcome.
English Country Dancing
The new English Country Folk Dance group will meet Sunday afternoons, February 5 and 19 from 2:45 to 5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 261 Hidalgo in Riberas del Pilar. English Country Dance is like the dancing seen in movies from the 1700s and 1800s – such as in the Jane Austen or Masterpiece Theatre productions.
Even people who think they have “two left feet” can do this. The dancing is done to a walking step and all dances are taught first, then they “called” (prompted) while you are doing the dance. No experience is necessary and partners are not needed. Contact Catherine or Eric Luria at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (376) 766-6119 for further information.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha offers meditation opportunities several times each week.
The Sangha’s regular meditation and teaching session is on Wednesdays when the center is open from 3:30 pm, welcoming arrival from 3:30. To 4 p.m. for those who wish to begin their practice early. The formal schedule begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday, February 8, the meditation period will be followed by a presentation on a Buddhist perspective on current events with a discussion period after. The Wednesday sangha ends by 6 p.m.
Sunday, February 5 (and every month on the first Sunday) the Center is open from 9 a.m. until noon for three rounds of sitting and walking meditation. Participants are welcome to come for all or part of this extended practice period. There is an hour-long silent meditation each week on Mondays from 9-10 a.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon.
The Heart of Awareness is grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Prior experience or affiliation is not required. The sangha’s location is at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. For information on the community and scheduled activities, visit www.heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert, (331) 043-4669.
Trivia Quiz
Niños Incapacitados brings back the popular Trivia Quiz fundraiser, Tuesday, February 7, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Hotel Real in Ajijic. As part of the fun, teams are recognized not only for their success with the brain-teasers but also for their creativity, originality and wit in their choices of team names, attire, table decorations and snack.
So make your teams of eight or partial teams, bring your own munchies and have a great time. The bar opens one hour before each quiz. For tickets, 350 pesos, contact Debra McDermott, 765-3757. For more information, see www.programaninos.com.
Dining in the Dark
Enjoy a unique sensory experience at the Cena a Ciegas dinner gala scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 7 p.m., at Chapala City Hall, a dual benefit for Cruz Roja Chapala and DIF programs.
Guests will start out next door at the Municipal Archives where they will be blindfolded. Personal escorts will then guide them one-by-one by to seating in the City Hall lobby.
The concept is to gain understanding of living with sight-impairments, tucking into a four-course gourmet meal with eyes covered to heighten the senses of taste, smell, touch and hearing. During dessert, service diners will remove their blindfolds to have a look at the faces of their tablemates, the dining area decor and the string ensemble providing the evening’s low-key musical entertainment.
Tickets are available at Yoly’s Estetica in Plaza Bugambilias and from Cristina Flores at the Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia (former town hall), Chapala. The donation of 390 pesos includes a beverage with the meal.
Teaching kids a trade
Have Hammers Will Travel puts on its eighth annual Dinner Dance Thursday, February 9 at La Huerta Eventos in West Ajijic from 6 to 10 p.m. with music by The Ajijic Jamm Band featuring Paul Brier, Jonathan Guzman, Sergio Casas and Chelo González. Tony’s Restaurant is catering the fundraiser, serving up ribs and chicken. Tickets, 350 pesos, are available from Richard or Cindy, (331) 895-6866.
Scholarship dinner-dance
Los Niños de Chapala and Ajijic (NCA) celebrate their 40th anniversary by holding their biggest fundraiser: the annual Valentine’s dinner, auction and dance at the Montecarlo hotel in Chapala, Saturday, February 11, 5-10 p.m. Slated is a fabulous buffet with three main dishes, three sides, two salads and three desserts along with wine, beer, Margaritas, and other spirits. There will be a live and silent auction (the live auction will offer catering for a group of 20 by Juan “Texas Ranger” Mata). Entertainment is courtesy of rock and blues band Mike and the Suspects. Free valet parking.
Tickets, 500 pesos, are available at NCA’s Bazaar in Riberas del Pilar, call 765-7032, (331) 069-0084 or email 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..
Community pet care
Companions and Compassion is a group dedicated to the spay and neutering of dogs and cats in Jocotepec. The group was founded by Dee Mistrik and Linda Hines in 2012. Each clinic spays and neuters approximately 100 animals, including street dogs, cats and pets of the disadvantaged villagers that need the most help.
The group’s annual Spay-ghetti No Balls dinner is held Saturday, February 25, 5-10 p.m. at the Raquet Club terraza. An all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner (vegetarian or Bolognese), salad, garlic bread and dessert is offered for 300 pesos, all of which goes to the cost of the clinics. Dana Douin will give a performance as Neil Diamond.
For tickets call Gail, (331) 325-6227, Dee, (387) 761-0041 or go to Diane Pearl or the Raquet Club office.