Pooch’s yard sale
“The Ranch” (aka Lakeside Spay & Neuter) will hold a fundraiser bazaar/yard sale, Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Paseo de La Colina 22 in Upper La Floresta.
Rotary fundraiser
The Rotary Club of Ajijic will hold a fundraiser dinner and art auction to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17. The fun takes place at the Hotel El Tapatio at Km. 6.5 Carretera Chapala in Tlaquepaque. Cocktails begin at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. A cash bar, art auction, draws and dinner are on the bill. Tickets, 500 pesos in advance, and more information are available via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 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..
St. Pat’s Day events
Restaurants holding St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at lakeside include Arileo in San Juan Cosala, with a special menu including corned beef and cabbage, (376) 106-1627; El Bar Co in Ajijic serves corned beef and cabbage, green beer and wine startingat 1 p.m. accompanied by live music, (376) 766-0452; Manix Restaurant at Ocampo 57 in Ajijic offers pea soup, corned beef and cabbage and other special menu items, (376) 766-0061; Roberto’s in West Ajijic will serve corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie and many other menu specialties,(376) 766-1616.
Red Cross auction
The Chapala Cruz Roja will hold a benefit live auction Saturday, March 17 at the Centro Cultural González Gallo in Chapala. Items up for bidding will be on view from 3 p.m., going on the block at 4:30 p.m.
Treasures already collected for the event include works by well-known artists, heirloom and hand-crafted jewelry items, a gently used motor scooter, a large gong from Indonesia and numerous vouchers for restaurant meals and at-home gourmet dinners, vacation rentals and personal care packages. Purchases may be paid by cash or credit card.
Admission, 150 pesos, includes wine and cheese tasting and non-alcoholic beverages for all patrons. Advance tickets are on sale at Yoly’s Unisex Salon, Diane Pearl Poncho’s Deli Market, Lake Taco, and Cosmopolitan Consignments shop.
Open Circle
Yann Kostic & Tom Zachystal will present “Crisis? What Crisis?” at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, March 18, 10:30 a.m. on the patio of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).
Financial crises are quite common in history and often cause economic tsunamis in affected economies (there has been at least one major financial crisis every decade since the 1970s). After reviewing what caused some of the greatest financial crises and their dramatic consequences, the Kostic and Zachystal will explore the current conditions, including the recent extreme volatility and compounding factors that have the potential to lead to the next financial crisis before the end of this decade.
Tom Zachystal CFP, CFA & Yann Kostic MBA are presidents of their respective assets management firms and both are U.S. Registered Investment Advisors (RIA). Zachystal is the president of the San Francisco Financial Planners Association. Both speakers cater to U.S. expats in Mexico.
For more information on Open Circle, see opencircle ajijic.org.
English folk dancing
The English Country Folk Dance group will meet Sunday, March 18, 2:45-5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Hidalgo 261 in Riberas del Pilar (the same building as “The Naked Stage”).
This dance will feature visiting teacher and caller Nan Evan. English country dance is like the dancing seen in movies from the 1700’s and 1800’s – such as in the Jane Austen or Masterpiece Theatre productions. The dancing is done to a walking step and all dances are taught first, then “called” (prompted). No experience is necessary and no partner is needed – come by yourself or bring a partner or a friend. For more information, contact Catherine or Eric Luria at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (376) 766-1552.
LCS TED talks
Psychologist Susan Pinker will speak on “The Secret to Living Longer May Be Your Social Life” Tuesday, March 20, noon to 1:15 p.m. at the LCS Sala. The talk is hosted by Pete Soderman. LCS members only.
The Italian island of Sardinia has more than six times as many centenarians as the mainland and ten times as many as North America. Why? According to Pinker, it’s their emphasis on close personal relationships and face-to-face interactions.
Bye Bye snowbirds
Patrick Holden of the Lakeside Great Northern Snowbird Association announces the yearly Snowbird flock-off, Tuesday, March 20, 4 p.m. at the Maria Isabel Restaurant. Say good bye to your snowbird friends and enjoy the buffet or menu service. For more information, 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..
Neill James Lecture
At the next Neill James Lecture, Tuesday, March 20, 3 to 3:30 p.m., “Conservative Versus Liberal: Is Trump Either?” examines President Donald Trump’s political stance: does he fall into one camp or the other, or is he a political animal of another breed altogether? How will this affect the American people and U.S. economic and political influence globally? LCS members only.
Lakeside Freethinkers
The Lakeside Freethinkers will feature a discussion on how positive thinking can fool and even endanger us, as well as the alternatives at their next meeting, Wednesday, March 21, 4-6 p.m. at La Nueva Posada. The Lakeside Freethinkers define a “freethinker” as a person who is an atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, or skeptic. Freethinkers reject supernatural and other unsupported claims, and rely instead on reason applied to evidence to guide their lives. If you would like to attend, or just obtain additional 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..
LCS health service
Wendy Jane Carrel will present ““Steps to Take at Lake Chapala for Healthcare Emergencies – How to Plan, Prepare, and Respond,” Wednesday. March 21, 2 p.m. in the LCS Sala. This talk will include an overview of the emergency system, the healthcare system, registries, legal documents and resources. Carrel has a MA in Spanish and is Senior Care Advisor & End of Life Planner for Mexico & Ecuador. This talk is open to the public.
Tequila tasting
Lake Chapala Society members are invited to sign up for a limited (25-participant) tequila tasting event, Thursday, March 22, 2 p.m. Explore your passion for tequila, learn all about the Mexico’s national drink, where it comes from, how it’s produced, and how to enjoy the flavors by sampling 100-percent agave tequila from both the Tequila Valley and the Jalisco Highlands. The event will highlight the diversity of the category and aroma and flavor differences based on terroir and production methods. Cost is 250 pesos per person.
Royal Canadian Legion
Friends of the Regiment, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) are invited to the Royal Canadian Legion, Lake Chapala Branch 18-182 on Friday, March 23, noon to 2 p.m. for a toast to the Regiment on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Moreuil Wood.
The Legion is located at Funky Finn’s, La Paz 59 in San Antonio, Tlayacapan. Contact David Iley for more information at 331-066-7534 For a brief description of the battle, Google it and you will also find that the Royal Canadian Dragoons and the Fort Garry Horse were involved as part of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade.
LCS bus trip
The Lake Chapala Society will take shoppers to Costco and Galerias Mall in Guadalajara, Wednesday, March 28. Tickets, 370 pesos for members and 470 pesos for non-members, are on sale at LCS. The bus departs promptly at 9:30 a.m. from the sculpture in La Floresta.
LCS history classes
Dan Grippo gives two classes April 2-6 at the Lake Chapala Society, “Negotiating Paradise: The History of Tourism in Mexico,” Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to noon, and “The Grand Sweep of Mexican History,” same days, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sign up at the LCS office.
Fundraiser
Viva Mexico restaurant in San Juan Cosala will host a dinner fundraiser for the Home for Abandoned and Elderly Women, Friday, April 6, 4 p.m. Tickets, 350 pesos, are available at Diane Pearl, Sunrise Restaurant, Viva Mexico and Lisa Le at 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..
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Insight Meditation Community offers multiple opportunities each week for silent mediation. All sessions are open to the public and chairs and cushions are provided. One-hour sessions are a mix of sitting and walking and the 45-minute session on Wednesday is a sitting meditation.
Hour-long meditation periods are offered Sunday and Monday at 9 a.m. and Thursdays at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, the 45-minute meditation period, which begins at 4 p.m., will be followed by a video presentation from a series titled “The Ten Perfections.” This week’s title is “Generosity,” by teacher Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The ten paramis, or perfections, provide a highly useful framework for guiding our conduct in daily life. Any activity or relationship approached wisely with the primary purpose of developing the perfections in a balanced way becomes part of the practice. Perfections of the character, once developed, are dependable and lasting. Individuals are welcome to come for just the meditation period (4-4:45), just the program and discussion period (4:50-5:50), or both.
The film “Soul on a String” will be screened Monday, March 19, 3 p.m. Adapted from novels by the Tibetan author Tashi Dawa, the film is an epic tale of karma, revenge, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of Tibet’s rolling steppes and scorching deserts. Admission is free. Donations are welcome.
The meditation center is located at Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic. For more information, see heartofawareness.org.