Open Circle
Ambassador Susana M. Allen presents “Revisiting the Dead Sea Scrolls” at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, June 23, 10:30 a.m. to noon on the patio of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).
Seventy-one years ago, some Bedouin shepherds threw rocks up into caves in Qumran, Israel, looking for a lost goat. They hit some earthen jars containing a treasure of scrolls dating back more than 2,000 years. Susana Allen became interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls when she toured Israel in 2009. Since then she has studied their history and researched them through Hebrew scholars and archaeologists. She will be revealing two stories left out of the Old Testament that she obtained from “Testaments of the Patriarchs,” one of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Susana and her husband, Paul Allen, are ordained ministers and together they started several churches and ministries in Texas. More recently they co-founded Home Church International with groups around the world. Her ebook, “And Your House,” is on Amazon.com.
Information: opencircleajijic.org.
LCS courses
These courses, for LCS members only, will keep you in the know:
• Study to get or renew your Jalisco driver’s license, Monday, June 24, 11:30 a.m. and then go to Guadalajara Tuesday, June 25, 7 a.m. to obtain your new or renewed license.
• Mexican hot cocktails: Tuesday, July 2, 1 to 3 p.m.
• Street Spanish, Monday, July 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Legal aspects of non-profit associations in Mexico, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Mexican Manners, July 25, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The costs and course descriptions for each course are available at lakechapalasociety.com or at the LCS office.
TED Talks
Researcher Elex Edmans presents “What to Trust in a ‘Post-Truth’ World” at the next Ted Talk, Tuesday, June 25, noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Lake Chapala Society Sala. Open to LCS members only.
Only if you are truly open to the possibility of being wrong can you ever learn, says researcher Alex Edmans. In an insightful talk, he explores how confirmation bias – the tendency to only accept information that supports your personal beliefs – can lead you astray on social media, in politics and beyond, and offers three practical tools for finding evidence you can actually trust.
Hosted by Susan Weeks.
Lakeside Singles
Single or not, join in the fun at a Lakeside Singles get-together upstairs at Manix, Wednesday, June 26, 4 to 6 p.m. RSVP 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..
Democrats Abroad
A special two-day “Debate Watch” television event has been organized at Club Exotica on the Ajijic Plaza by the Lake Chapala Chapter of Democrats Abroad to hear the Democratic presidential primary candidates speak in Miami from 8 to 10 p.m. central time.
Come early to get good seats and enjoy “Happy Hour” drink specials from 7 to 8 p.m. A 50-peso cover charge will include a welcome tequila shot, followed by a free beer or soft drink with botanas. Wednesday, June 26, the candidates will be: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren; former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar; former Maryland Rep. John Delaney; Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro; Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan; New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.
Thursday, June 27, the candidates will be: California Sen. Kamala Harris; former Vice President Joe Biden; Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet; author and speaker Marianne Williamson; California Rep. Eric Swalwell; entrepreneur Andrew Yang, and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Chapter members, visitors and newcomers are all welcome to come and cheer for their favorite candidates. The El Jardin Restaurant just below Club Exotica also welcomes those wishing to dine there first. For more information on Democrats Abroad activities at Lakeside, write to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Canada Day
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 1 Chapala is celebrating Canada’s 152nd birthday, Monday, July 1, at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo (old train station) on Avenida Gonzalez Gallo in Chapala. The party goes from noon to 4 p.m. with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads and birthday cake. Music is by DJ Phil with dancing and door prizes.
Special invited guests will include Dr. Carlos Lomeli, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s delegate in Jalisco and a former federal deputy; former Jalisco legislator Anahi Olguin; Chapala Mayor Moy Anaya and his wife Marianna Villenueva Ochoa; Canadian Vice Consul in Guadalajara Jonathan Steblin and U.S. Consulate General Robin Matthewman, among others.
Tickets, 250 pesos, are available through June 25 at O’Rourke & Asociados in Centro Laguna or email 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..
Spanish at LCS
Register through July 1 for Warren Hardy Spanish for the Curious Expat courses running July 2 to August 20 at the Lake Chapala Society. Several levels of instruction are available.
For more costs and other information call coordinator Vivian Sternfield at 376-766-1140. or register online at lakechapalasociety.com/public/spanish-classes.php.
LCS bus trips
The Lake Chapala Society is offering a bus trip to the town of Amatitan and a tour of the Tres Mujeres tequila distillery, Thursday, July 4. Tastings and a Mexican meal are planned in the distillery’s restaurant.
Check the LCS office or website to sign up and learn the departure times and cost of the trips. Registration and payment can now be made online at lakechapalasociety.com/public/bustrip_form.php.
July 4th celebration
Democrats Abroad Lake Chapala will hold a U.S. Independence Day celebration at the Hotel Montecarlo in Chapala, Thursday, July 4, 4-8 p.m. The Jamm Band will keep you on your toes. The menu is huge hamburgers and large, beef hot dogs, potato salad, watermelon and apple pie. A cash bar is available.
Tickets, 300 pesos, are at Yoli’s Beauty Salon, Diane Pearl and the Monte Carlo Hotel. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Vacation time for kids
If you know children from seven years of age up, invite them to the Chapala Public Library, which is offering a free summer program for children July 8 through August 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit the library at Juarez 508 in Chapala or call (376) 765-2571.
Medical professionals
The Lake Chapala Society is sponsoring a presentation by the Jalisco State Commission for Protection Against Sanitation Risks (Coprisjal) to help medical professionals of all stripes understand the forms and paperwork that must be completed to receive permission to advertise their services. The presentation will be given by Coprisjal staffers Ramon Avalos Huerta and Ana Maria Panduro on Wednesday, July 10, noon to 3 p.m. Each of the talks will last an hour and be followed by another 60 minutes of question-and-answer time.
Invited are doctors, dentists, therapists, massage therapists, retired living and nursing home administrators, pharmacists, laboratory managers, etcetera.
CASA
Picnic fare, pies and tarts were on the menu at the last meeting of the Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (CASA), where competitors outdid themselves.
In the main dish picnic basket category, Sally Meyer took first place for a Mediterranean picnic; Carol Westbrook second for her tourte de vallee de Munster with terrine de confit de legumes; and tied for third were Laure Hilden for Frankie’s Mumbai burritos with pickled onions and cilantro mint chutney and Dennis Brann, who prepared peaches, mustard and rosemary chilled pork tenderloin. Geanie Tilley took the presentation award for prosciutto, fig and almond filo squares. A three-way tie for people’s choice award went to Sally Meyer, Dennis Brann and Leslie Rogers for an open-faced spicy pimento cheese sandwich.
Patti Taylor won the dessert first place award for a green tomato pie; Darlene Pike took second for a chocolate pecan tart, and Jose Melendrez third and people’s choice for a strawberry, blueberry and rhubarb pie.
The society’s next meeting is July 15 at the Monte Carlo Hotel and categories are non-traditional Asian main dish and non-traditional Asian desserts. Information: ajijiccasa.org.
Insight Meditation
The Heart of Awareness Insight Meditation Community offers multiple opportunities each week for silent meditation: Sunday, 9 a.m., Wednesday, 4 p.m. and Thursday, 11 a.m. There are no fees and all sessions are open to the public, regardless of experience or affiliation. Chairs and cushions and brief written instructions on meditation for beginners are provided.
Wednesday, June 26, the meditation period will be followed by the last segment of a Retreat series titled “Compassion in Polarizing Times,” taught by Dungse Jampal Norbu, a teacher in the Mangala Shri Bhuti sangha. The video will be followed by a discussion period.
Every Monday in July the Community will screen a flim from the recent Buddhafest in Los Angles, California. Admission is free.
The Tuesday Practice/Study group has been taking a break but will resume beginning July 2. The book is “Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening” by Joseph Goldstein. The group meets weekly from 3 to 5 pm. Sessions begin with a silent meditation period followed by discussion of the week’s reading. Size is limited to 10 participants.
A yoga class suitable for beginners and advanced students, is offered Thursday, 9 to 10:45 a.m.
The center is at Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic. Information: heartofawareness.org.