Laguna Chapalac - Octubre 6, 2018

British Society

The Lakeside British Society holds its monthly luncheon Saturday, October 6, 12:45 p.m. at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic.

Inez Dayer will give her insight into sharing your ability to speak English with our hosts, the Mexican community.

Menu choices begin with a small salad or oxtail soup; choice of ribs, coleslaw and beans or fish pie or a large salad with protein. Dessert is apple pie with ice cream. The cost is 150 pesos plus tip.

Contact Sue Sterlini at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Sue Morris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to confirm your attendance and menu choice.

Open Circle

Julian Labadie, M.A., CADC III, will present “The Impact of Trauma on Families, Friends, and Intimate Relationships“ at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, October 7, 10:30 a.m., on the patio of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).

A family member gets bad news from the doctor. A longtime marriage begins to disintegrate. Your grown child is abusing drugs or alcohol. These kinds of experiences may qualify as “trauma” and leave traces on your mind and emotions, on your capacity for joy and intimacy and even on your biology and immune system. The speaker will increase our awareness of the broad scope of trauma, its impact on both those directly affected and on the people around them. He presents the opportunity for individuals to heal through a change in perspective and action.

Labadie holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling along with nearly 40 years of education and experience in treating addictions, marriage and family therapy and working with families affected by profound mental, emotional and physical illness.

Information: opencircleajijic.org.

pg12aDemocrats Abroad

Monday, October 8, the Lake Chapala Chapter of Democrats Abroad will hold its monthly meeting at 4:30 p.m. at Restaurante Maria Isabel, Morelos 1 at the end of Colon by the lake in Ajijic. Plenty of parking and a cash bar will be available. 

The program features Patrick Oden, who will speak on “The Unique Tax Compliance Challenges Faced by Expats and Foreigners.” He will cover particular issues faced by U.S. citizens living or working abroad in dealing with the IRS, and what the IRS could do to ease the burden of compliance. Oden is an entrepreneur and tax professional who has been doing business for over nine years in Mexico as Lakeside Tax Service based in Chapala. His specialty is taxation of U.S. citizens residing abroad and foreigners with U.S. income. 

All chapter members, visitors and new residents at Lakeside are welcome to attend Democrats Abroad monthly meetings and special events.

LCS TED Talks

Journalist Krista Tippett will discuss “Reconnecting with Compassion” at the next TED Talk, Tuesday, October 9, noon to 1:15 p.m., at the Lake Chapala Society Sala. LCS members only.

The term “compassion,”  typically reserved for the saintly or the sappy, has fallen out of touch with reality. At a special TEDPrize@UN, Tippett deconstructs the meaning of compassion through several moving stories and proposes a new, more attainable definition for the word.

pg12bU.S. Voter Assistance

The November 6 midterm elections are nearing. Need help to complete and submit your ballot? Still not registered to receive an absentee ballot? To assist all U.S. and dual-U.S. citizens at Lakeside who want their votes to count, the Lake Chapala Chapter of Democrats Abroad is continuing its non-partisan, absentee ballot support at the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) in Ajijic through Tuesday, October 23. The help sessions are every Tuesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers are available under the blue umbrellas with forms and printers. Submission of stamped ballots to be mailed to the United States by the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara may be made during their monthly visit to Lakeside on Wednesday, October 10, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the American Legion in Chapala and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at LCS. Individuals who are housebound and need personalized help can write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request special assistance with their ballots. Citizens can also directly register for absentee ballots online at either Votefromabroad.org or FVAP.GOV, where they will also find their country clerk contact details and deadline information for submission of ballots by e-mail if allowed by their state.

LCS bus trips

The Lake Chapala Society heads to the crafts center of Tonala Wednesday, October 10.

The bus departs 9 a.m. from the sculpture in La Floresta. Cost is 370 pesos for members and 470 pesos for non-members.

Thrill the World

Rehearsals for “Thrill the World Ajijic 2018” are ongoing Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 1-3 p.m., at the Ajijic Cultural Center. They continue until the show Saturday, October 27, 4 p.m., when hundreds of spectators will pack the plaza.

Anyone can come and learn the dance; no experience is necessary. Plenty of dance captains will be on hand to help you, so come and have fun and raise some money for the Red Cross.

Questions? Contact Val Jones or Dee Grant at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit facebook.com/TTWAjijic.

Basic Yoga

Learn how to safely move to maintain your alignment while becoming comfortable with yoga poses and transitions. Bring a mat. Chairs are available. Every Wednesday, 2-3  p.m., on the LCS gazebo. For LCS members.

Introduction to Lakeside

New to lakeside? You need this seminar. Topics include banking, shopping, medical services, transportation, housing, utilities, maid and gardening services, social protocols, fiestas, holidays and religious observations.

The seminar is held in the Lake Chapala Society Sala Thursday, October 11, 9 a.m. For LCS members only. Register in the office or on the LCS Web site.

People’s Choice Awards

Several hundred of Lakeside’s most prominent merchants and service providers are counting the days to see if they will be named People’s Choice winners for 2018. The polls are set to close at midnight, Sunday, October 14. 

To vote, go to BestofLakeChapala.com and register as a member. Registration is quick, easy and confidential. Members can then log in and vote once daily in any or all categories. A running total of vote percentages will automatically appear after a vote is cast.

Complete details can be found on the website. Up-to-date announcements are posted on the Best of Lake Chapala Facebook page.

First-, second- and third-place winners will be posted on Facebook and the Web site on October 30. The list of winners will also be published in the 2019 Chapala Directory.

First-place winners will receive a printed certificate suitable for framing and authorization to use the award emblem in print or Web publicity. 

This is the fifth online, annual People’s Choice Awards sponsored by Imagen, publishers of the Chapala Directory and StreetSmart map guide. Comments, suggestions and questions should be sent to 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.. 

LCS health day

The Lake Chapala Society will hold a health day event open to the public Tuesday, October 16, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m..

The following shots will be offered: Pneumonia for Life (Prevnar 13), Pneumonia - 5 year, Typhoid, DPT (Tetanus), Shingles (Zostavax). Sign up for shots in the LCS office and get shot price information. The flu shot may not be available at this date according to Mexican health authorities. If not, another LCS health day will be given in November.

There will also be blood pressure screenings, glucose/diabetes screenings, medication/supplement consultations and a presentation by Catherine Gonzales (SkyMed) on “Making a Health Care Plan … Before You Need It,” from 10-11 a.m. in the sala.

pg14This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.." class="caption" style="float: right;" width="493" height="243" />Lake Chapala Birders

Wednesday October 17, the Lake Chapala Birders will carpool at Donas Donuts in Ajijic, 8 a.m., leaving for the Cajititlan Marsh (a 30-minute drive). Expect to see a variety of marsh and lake birds such as Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet and perhaps a Wood Stork. At about 10:30 a.m. the group will head to Las Delicias restaurant in Chapala for breakfast and complete the bird list. E-mail John Keeling at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 48 hours ahead of time if you wish to go and mention if you can bring a vehicle.

Yappy Hour

Tails of Mexico will host its second annual Yappy Hour at Roberto’s restaurant Thursday, October 18, 4-7 p.m. This fundraiser helps defray the cost of sending dogs north of the border.

Expect wonderful appetizers, music, a silent auction from local merchants and more.

Tails of Mexico sends dogs north of the border to a shelter or rescue group that have a Web site and a large following. Most of the dogs are adopted out within days. Approximately 60 dogs have wonderful new homes north of the border thanks to Tails of Mexico.

Tickets, 350 pesos, are available at Roberto’s, and Diane Pearl for buy them online at tailsofmexico.weebly.com.

Tech classes

Lake Chapala Society members can take technology classes with Mike Goss Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m., in the LCS sala. Sign up at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your membership number and expiration date.

October 18: MS Word Features for Writers.

October 25: Introduction to Facebook.

Progressive Action Group

The Progressive Action Group will not have meetings in October and November. Remember to vote for the progressive candidate of your choice by November 6.

Fashion show

Programa Pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago will hold a fashion show and luncheon Wednesday, November 14, noon to 4 p.m. at the Hotel Real de Chapala. The latest fashions by Lynn Gilbank, Cugini’s Boutique and Barbara Milagros will be promenading on the catwalk. For tickets, 350 pesos, contact Jan Manning, (376) 766-5278 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Insight Meditation

The Heart of Awareness Insight Meditation Community offers multiple opportunities each week for silent meditation: Sundays, 9 a.m., Wednesdays, 4 p.m., and Thursdays, 11 a.m. All sessions are open to the public regardless of experience or affiliation. Chairs and cushions are provided as well as brief written instructions on meditation for beginners.

Sunday, October 7, the center is open from 9 a.m. to noon for three rounds of sitting and walking meditation.

Wednesday, October 10, the meditation period will be followed by by a reading of the short essay by Peter Doobinin titled “Course of Action.”  Doobinin was the guiding teacher of Downtown Meditation in New York City for 16 years and now teaches insight meditation in Berlin. 

The meditation center is at Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic. Information: heartofawareness.org.