Good party
The “Hollywood on the Lake” bash held March 15 to benefit Programa pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago was a smashing success, with 380 guests reveling at Hotel Real de Chapala in La Floresta.
Some of the highlights of the party were surprise appearances by Britney Spears (a.k.a. Edith of Edith’s Salon) singing “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and Marilyn Monroe (a.k.a.) Luci Merritt singing a sultry “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to Niños Incapacitados President David McNiven.
Bill Dingwall was an excellent master of ceremonies and Nicole Sergent and Pat Carroll ran a fast-paced live auction. Congratulations to Kari Higgins and Carmen Bentivoglio and their fantastic team of volunteers for a job well done.
Green group
The Lake Chapala Green Group will meet Tuesday, April 3, 3 p.m. on the back patio of the Lake Chapala Society. The speaker will be Alicia Chavez, who will introduce the new Lake Chapala Seed Network.
Many Lakesiders save vegetable seeds and may even trade with others now and then when they can find them. The new Seed Network will provide and organized system to make seed savers known to one another and will promote seed keeping and exchange for everyone. Beyond that, the newly forming group seeks to develop a low-tech but effective seed bank to provide insurance against disaster. Workshops on seed producing and storage, contribution to a regional seed collective and an annual Seed Exchange Fest are part of the vision. All will be explained at the meeting.
Brits
The British Society will meet next on Saturday, April 7, 1 p.m. at Manix Restaurant (Ocampo 57, Ajijic). The speaker will be Dr. Todd Stong talking about fish farming in the Lakeside area. The special menu for the luncheon meeting includes two entrees, ham with scalloped potatoes and mixed veggies or white fish topped with pineapple, scalloped potatoes and mixed veggies, both with a small green salad, for 120 pesos, including tip. Also available will be a large salad for 80 pesos. Dessert will be lemon pudding with fresh fruit.
Contact Alicia McNiff at 765-4786 or Ceri Dando at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you wish to attend. Please state your menu preference.
Canadians
The Canadian Club of Lake Chapala invites everyone to come and hear Alberto Costales speak about the most important security problem in the Lake Chapala area on Wednesday, April 11, at La Nueva Posada in Ajijic.
Also on the program are the introduction of nominees and the election of new club officers. Take the opportunity to say goodbye to your Canadian friends gearing up to head north for the summer.
Social hour begins at 3 p.m. and the program at 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome. There is a 50-peso charge for non-members. That charge includes one 25-peso drink ticket. For more information go to www.canadianclubmx.com.
General meeting
The 904 (Lake Chapala-Mexico) Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada will hold its annual general meeting on Thursday, April 12, 4-6 p.m. at Hotel La Nueva Posada (Donato Guerra 9, Ajijic).
President John Prichard and members of the Executive Council will present their annual reports and talk about activities that took place during the past year. Past President Mike Briscoe, chairperson of the nominating committee will present the nominees for the 2012-2013 Executive Council.
The guest speaker will be Col. (ret) E.W. “Rick” Hardy, Officer of the Order of Military Merit, United States Air Medal (awarded twice) and Canadian Forces Service medal for more than 32 years of service.
Shrine dining
The next Dine with the Shrine event will be held Friday, April 13 at Hacienda Ajijic’s steak house. The special lunches/dinners will be served from noon to 9 p.m. Restaurant owner Jorge Ancona Noriega has planned two great entrees at a cost of only 150 pesos each.
The meals will open with a house green salad. The first entrée is beef fillet with baked potato or fettuccini. The second is fish fillet (sea bass) with rice or fettuccini. Tip, drinks and dessert are not included.
One hundred percent of money raised from the special meals will be donated to the Lake Chapala Shrine Club to benefit their activities, most importantly helping Lakeside children with medical needs.
Make reservations by calling (376) 766-4906 or at the restaurant. Indicate that you will be coming for the special Shrine dinner.
Due to sustained community support, the Lake Chapala Shrine Club has helped nearly 500 kids with more than 1.2 million pesos over the past six years.
Donation
Worthy Matron and Patron of the Eastern Star, Betty Anne and Ron Burdenuk donated a check for 10,000 pesos towards Anezeh Temple’s First Ladies program at the Mexico City Shriners’ Hospital. The project, to supply a casting table, is the special project of Anezeh’s Lady Sheila Paull for 2012.
Singles
The Lake Chapala Society Singles Group is holding a “for fun” event on Thursday, April 19, 5-7 p.m. at La Tasca Restaurant (Donato Guerra 22, on the Ajijic lake front).
Roberto Cerda will entertain with his classical guitar music and a band for dancing will play from 7:30 p.m.
Two for one drinks (wine, beer and margaritas) can be purchased from 5-6 p.m. and salsa and chips will be on the table (buy other appetizers from the menu). Door prizes will be awarded. The telephone number for La Tasca is (376) 766-5269.
Spring fling
Residents of the Riviera Alta subdivision held their annual Spring Fiesta on March 21 that featured a five-course meal catered by Manix Restaurant and a five-piece “Jam Band” with Jay Shuffle, Galen Harris, Paul Brier, Rob Fedorak and Dale Hetler keeping the beat for dancing. Brian Quinn was this year’s master of ceremonies.
A special feature was the celebration of golden wedding anniversaries for Riviera Alta couples Bob and Beryl Owen, Jim and Donna Scherer, Jim and Rhoda Wamboldt and Don and Kathleen Argabright. Congratulations to all four of the happy couples.
A great time was had by all and the Riviera Alta Social Committee is to be congratulated.
Anniversary
Before they were feted at the Riviera Alta Spring Fiesta, Beryl and Bob Owen threw a big party with 70 of their closest friends at Manix Restaurant on March 17. The couple, both born in Blackpool, England, married on St. Patrick’s Day in 1962.
The Riviera Alta residents moved to Ajijic permanently in 2008 after visiting here for 20 years from their home and business in Niagara on the Lake in Canada. Many happy returns of the day!
Love
Dixie and Flip Nicholson of San Juan Cosala and Julia Galindo and Giovanni Militello, both of Guadalajara, were present as parents of the bride and groom, respectively, as Cassie Valenti Anselmo and Christian Militello were married on Saturday, March 3. The couple exchanged vows in front of nearly 200 invited guests. The outdoor event was held in Riberas del Pilar on the shores of Lake Chapala, with the couple standing under a lavishly decorated arbor and Pastor Raul Frutos of Chapala presiding.
The vows exchanged, the crowd enjoyed a “sit down” meal, plenty of beverages and the usual cake cutting and other traditional customs. Bryan James, brother of the bride, and his band played dance music until stepfather Flip Nicholson and the Tallboys Band took over and finished the night with rock and roll. Everyone thought it was a perfect day.
Best wishes to the happy couple.
Democrats Abroad
The International Executive Committee of Democrats Abroad has announced that the 2012 Annual Meeting and Global Convention will be held at the Fiesta Americana Hotel in Puerto Vallarta on Thursday, May 17 to Sunday, May 20. A meeting agenda will be announced on April 2. Registration information for the hotel can be found at www.DemocratsAbroad.org at the 2012 Global Primary link.