Mexican Lifestyles

Lee Hopper began visiting his father at Lake Chapala in the 1960s. Now in his sixties, the bilingual Mexican-American has returned to make the area his home and, he says, help make a difference.

In early March Hopper came up with an idea to help youngsters learn the old ways while getting different generations of families to socialize at the plaza. 

The first enormously successful Feria de Capirotada took place on the Ajijic plaza on Sunday, March 22. 

In a small warehouse off the highway in La Canacinta, Argentine native German Schilman is making some of the best beer you’ll find in Ajijic — or anywhere in Mexico. 

Schilman – like many a foreigner who came to travel and stayed for love – made Mexico his home eight years ago and began to discover the craft beer boom. He turned his brewing hobby into a business and began selling beer in September. His Corazon de Malta one-man brewery produces about 90 cases a month of three types of light, but complex tasting ales: English pale ale, American brown ale and American wheat ale. The recipes are his and come from his knowledge of beer making, not copies of some import. Business is booming — clients routinely sell out his product — and expansion to increase production by a factor of ten is in the cards soon. 

Enjoy Schilman’s ales at a variety of local venues: Ocampo 71, The Merendero, Hacienda del Lago, Ajijic Tango, Jardin de Ninete, Licoreria La Paz and La Catrina or visit corazondemaltacom to order direct (free shipping via FedEx in Mexico).

Cedric Defayes has changed the name of his European restaurant on Avenida Lopez Cotilla from Le Bistro to Heidi’s. 

Mexico’s Days of the Dead coincide with the Christian All Souls and All Saints Day, November 1 and November 2.

Tipping is woven into the fabric of Mexico’s social culture, chiefly because of its informal, cash-driven economy.

In this monthly series, we republish a few of the headlines from our August editions 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago.