Film festival
The Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation presents the fourth annual Jewish Film Festival, with screenings every Sunday at 3 p.m. from January 6 to February 10.
The Jewish-related films to be shown at the Movie Space Cinema in the Centro Laguna Mall are: “The Names of Love” (January 6), “The Human Resources Manager” (January 13), “The Roundup” (January 20), “Europa Europa” (January 27), “Nora’s Will” (February 3, 2 p.m.) and in its Latin America premiere, “Nava Nagila the Movie” (February 10). Tickets cost 60 pesos, with a portion of proceeds going to the Tepehua Centro Comunitario.
Sponsors of the festival include Michael Rosenblum, Absolut Fenix, Roberto’s Restaurant, Dana and Chuck, DanaArts, Diane Pearl Colecciones, Dr. Pinto Optica, Pretty Elli & The Robe, Maureen and Greg Davis and John and Tamara Theroux.
ASA
The Ajijic Society of the Arts (ASA) will meet Monday, January 7, 10 a.m. at La Bodega Restaurant, (16 de Septiembre 124, Ajijic). The “virtual” speaker will be Marian Bantjes of Intricate Beauty by Design. She employs seeing with your right brain and listening to your left brain, encouraging all to change their approaches to personal work. She explores connecting what we do to why we do it.
This program is being made possible through ASA “techie” Ken Caldwell.
Get there early. The coffee is on at 9:30 a.m.
Collective
Three artists will share the limelight when Centro Cultural de Ajijic opens a new show with a reception on Saturday, January 12, 4-8 p.m.
Sala I of the center hosts “Amor de Lejos,” a display of abstract acrylic paintings by Patrick Kemal. Up in Sala II will be “Relatos Oniricos,” magic realism oil paintings and acrylics by Jesus Lopez Vega, along with some of his etchings. Watercolors, acrylic paintings and etchings by Jesus Eduardo Lopez Garcia (Lopez Vega’s son) are also showcased in Sala II.
The event will also feature live music, cocktails and botanas.
CASA
The Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (CASA) held its annual holiday part and competition at the beautifully decorated home of Beth Cathcart on December 17. The categories were Holiday Botanas (A) and Holiday Desserts (B). The judges were Ginger Perkins, Mary Ann Waite and Tim Carroll.
The winners in Category A were Carole Wolff in first place for her Cream Cheese Meatballs, Lois Cugini for her pork ribs with plumb ginger sauce and Monica Molloy for her Chinese chicken lettuce wraps with Hoisin sauce tied for second place and Erik Phariss for his Christmas Pepper Jelly in third place.
Winners in category B were Nancy Traill for her Mocha Dream aux biscuits roses de Reims, Rick Feldman in second place for his Holiday Pumpkin Roll and Diane Pretty in third place for her Ricotta, Caramelized Pear Cassatas.
People’s choice awards went to Monica Molly and to Howard Feldstein for his Triple Layer Mint Brownies. By winning first place in category A, Nancy Traill was awarded her BING award (three first-place wins in the same calendar year).
The first CASA meeting/competition of 2013 will be held Monday, January 21 at Min Wah Restaurant. For additional information on joining CASA, please contact 2013 President Pat Carroll at 766-3144 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please visit the CASA website at www.ajijiccasa.org.