New venue opens
Casa Colon, on the corner of Zaragoza and Colon in Ajijic, with five new businesses, celebrates its grand opening Friday, November 16, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Restaurant Dharma will have a menu of Mexican/Asian fusion and will feature organic and free-range products. Orihuela will offer leather products. Playa Maria boutique will entice the ladies, while Alamacen Central sells handmade bronze pieces and other decorative items. Meanwhile, O-Mart is an eco-market offering organic products.
Three suites for short stays will be ready next month. Hours for all the businesses are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.
Open Circle
Phil Rylett presents “Think Again… Because Thinking Once Might Not Be Enough!“ at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, November 18, 10:30 a.m., on the patio of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).
Want to be successful? Then study failure. Our great admiration for the successful makes us believe we can learn much from them. Unfortunately, a flaw in how we think, called “the survivorship bias,” makes us disregard their failures. Using examples, Rylett will reveal the consequences of ignoring this bias.
Born in England, Rylett earned a degree in pharmacology from the University of Leeds. After a disillusioning few years working for the pharmaceutical industry, he returned to school and earned a nursing degree. He moved to California and, after an unhappy stint working in the U.S. healthcare system, he went back to school again and came out a computer programmer, never to be disillusioned again.
Rylett remained in healthcare systems, finishing his working career developing a breast and cervical cancer screening program for uninsured women in California. He now lives in Ajijic full time.
Information: opencircleajijic.org.
TED Talks
Astronomer Stephen Webb presents “Where Are All the Aliens?” at the next TED Talk, Tuesday, November 20, noon to 1:15 p.m., at the Lake Chapala Society Sala. LCS members only.
The universe is incredibly old, astoundingly vast and populated by trillions of planets, so where are all the aliens?
Webb has an explanation: we are alone in the universe. In a mind-expanding talk, he spells out the remarkable barriers a planet would need to clear in order to host an extraterrestrial civilization – and makes a case for the beauty of our potential cosmic loneliness. “The silence of the universe is shouting ‘we are the creatures who got lucky,’” Webb says.
Hosted by Pete Soderman.
Focus on Mexico
Lake Chapala Society members can take advantage of various courses in November.
Ana Moreno teaches “Making Corn Tortillas” and “Other Dishes Mexicans Enjoy and Share with the World” on Tuesday, November 20, 1-4:30 p.m.
You can learn how to make a piñata Tuesday and Wednesday, December 4 and 5 and a course on Mexico’s traditional fermented beverage will be given on December 6.
December 10, 12 and 13 two courses will be given: Revolutionary Women in Modern Mexican History and Negotiating Paradise.
Enroll for any of these courses at the LCS office, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LCS bus trips
The Lake Chapala Society heads to Costco and Galerias Mall in Guadalajara Tuesday, November 20. On Friday November 23, the bus goes to the Guadalajara Zoo.
The bus departs 9:30 a.m. from the sculpture in La Floresta and returns from the outing at 3:30 p.m. for each trip. Tickets, 370 pesos for members and 470 pesos for non-members, must be purchased no later than two days before any LCS bus trip. The price of the zoo tirp doesn’t include the cost of the zoo tickets.
Lakeside Freethinkers
At the next meeting of the Lakeside Freethinkers, the following will be considered: deceit, hope and the truth. The placebo effect is real, but relies on deceit. What are the ethical consequences of deliberately deceiving patients when hope, albeit false, can improve quality of life?
The meeting is Wednesday, November 21, 4 to 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.
Information: 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..
Chapala Birders
The Lake Chapala Birders will meet Monday, November 26, 8 a.m., at Donas Donuts to car pool to the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the plateau above the south side of the lake – a 60-minute drive. Expect to see wood storks, osprey and possibly a white-tailed hawk. Bring refreshments for the morning and sandwiches for the 12:30 p.m. lunch stop. The group returns to Ajijic about 3 p.m.
Bird walks are open to all those interested in birds; just bring binoculars. If you plan on going, email John Keeling at least 48 hours ahead of time as to whether or not you can bring a vehicle to help with carpool planning: 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..
Christmas FOR Jaltepec
Due to the demolition and reconstruction of the Centro Educativo Jaltepec hospitality and hotel school, this year’s Christmas FOR Jaltepec will be held at La Bodega in Ajijic.
The dinner event Thursday, November 29, will start at 6 p.m. Donation of 650 pesos per person. The luncheon starts at noon, Friday, November 30. Donation of 550 pesos per person.
Well-known DJ Walt will play Christmas music during cocktails. Hors d’oeuvres will be prepared and served by the students, as well as a three-course roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings. And for those who wish, there will be dancing afterwards.
Information: Linda Buckthorp, (376) 766-1631, 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..
Lakeside Singles
The Lakeside Singles meet Thursday, November 29, 4 to 6 p.m. at El BarCo Bar and Restaurant, upstairs on the deck. A band will play at 7 p.m. for those who want to stay and dance. El BarCo is located at Carretera 33, just west of the Pemex station.
Scholarship fund
Los Niños de Chapala y Ajijic is celebrating 41 years as a registered educational charity helping lakeside children stay in school and get a higher education.
The event, Thursday, November 29, 3 p.m., at La Nueva Posada, features live music by Mariachi Tito Hinojosa, a snack, cash bar and birthday cake.
To join in the fun and give back to your community, RSVP by Wednesday, November 22, to 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..
Shriners dine to help kids
The Ajijic Shriner’s Club invites you to dine with them at Hacienda Don Pedro, Thursday, December 6, 2 to 7 p.m. All funds from the meal go to the club’s transportation fund to help children get to the Shriners Hospital in Mexico City. The cost is 300 pesos per person. Tickets available at the door.
Hanukkah
The Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation celebrates Hanukkah with food, friends and games at Gosha’s restaurant Sunday, December 9, 5:30 p.m. RSVP at Diane Pearl by November 30. Information: LakeChapalaJewishCongregation.com.
Insight Meditation
The Heart of Awareness Insight Meditation Community offers multiple opportunities each week for silent meditation. 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.
The “Monday Movie Matinee” November 19, 3 p.m. is a selection from the Tricycle Film Club series. No fee is charged but donations are welcome.
Wednesday, November 21, the meditation period will be followed by a reading from teachings by Gil Fronsdal, founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, and the Insight Retreat Center in Santa Cruz. His subject will be “How Mindfulness Works When It Doesn’t – and Other Brief Reflections” A discussion period will follow the reading.
The meditation center is at Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic.
Information: heartofawareness.org.