2020 Census
Authorized personnel from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) are making a door–to-door survey nationwide through March 27.
INEGI has designed informational materials in English and developed special strategies to include foreign resident in the head count. For security reasons, every census-taker is supplied with an official uniform and photo ID badge sealed with a hologram. Their identities may be verified by calling the toll free number 800-111-4634, emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or consulting the website censo2020.mx.
British Luncheon
The Lakeside British and Commonwealth Society holds its monthly luncheon on Saturday, March 7, 1 p.m. at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic.
Ceri Dando will report on his attendance at the Regional Consular Conference held in Guatemala City on February 11.
Menu is a small salad, vegetable soup, fish and chips, asta fettucini with chicken or a large salad with protein. Dessert is chocolate cake and ice cream.
The cost is 180 pesos plus drinks and tip.
Contact Sue at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Arleen at 376-766-1742 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to confirm your attendance. Visitors welcome.
Gastronomic fest
Nine local restaurateurs will put on a tasting at the Chula Vista Golf Club Sunday, March 8, noon to 6 p.m. Get your tickets at Alex’s Pasta Bar, Tony’s, Letra CH, Machi Ma, Lake Taco, Dharma, Tomate, Gossips or Polé.
Open Circle
Historian Michael Hogan will present his latest Book, “Guns, Grit, and Glory: How the U.S. and Mexico Came Together to Defeat the Last Empire in The Americas” at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, March 8, 10:30 a.m. to noon, on the patio of the Lake Chapala Society.
In Hogan’s fourth appearance on the Open Circle stage, he will discuss this little known period that marked the end of the French Occupation of Mexico and entertain us with anecdotes and character sketches of the historical figures of the day. Among them will be a Mexican general who brought camels to the Sonoran Desert to transport US artillery to Mexico, and a 24-year-old Mexican lad who raised millions of dollars selling Mexican bonds with the help of Mary Todd Lincoln.
Hogan is the author of 25 books including one that inspired an MGM movie and six documentaries. Following the presentation, join Professor Hogan at a book signing and luncheon at La Nueva Posada, just a few blocks down the road.
Information: opencircleajijic.org.
LCS courses
LCS members can take advantage of a variety of courses and seminars.
• Mexican Salsas with Ana Moreno. Learn how some of the favorite Mexican salsas in the region are made, what ingredients you need, how and where to buy them, how Mexicans use them and what food you can dress with them. Monday, March 9, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• The Five Revolutions that Shaped Western Thought with Ted Rogers. A series of seven sessions, Wednesdays, March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15 and 22 from 1 - 2:30 pm. Registration required. This course focuses on how five revolutions, the Glorious Revolution, the U.S. Revolution, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and the Indian Revolution shaped western thought and politics, defining the contemporary Western world as we know it.
• Introduction to Lakeside. Topics include: banking, shopping, medical services, transportation, housing, utilities, maid and gardening services, social protocols, fiestas, holidays, and religious observations. Thursday, March 12, 9 a.m.
• A trip to Zapotlanejo, the capital for women’s clothing in Jalisco, with Alfredo Pérez. In Zapotlanejo there are various textile workshops that sell clothes for all tastes. Enjoy buying clothes, finding the monuments in the historic center and getting a drink at the Bicentennial Park, Tuesday, March 31. More 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..
Check the LCS office or website for costs and to sign up.
Democrats Abroad
The next meeting of Democrats Abroad Lake Chapala Chapter is Monday, March 9, 4 p.m. at La Bodega Restaurant in Ajijic. It will feature Brian Mattes, an Ajijic resident, who was a federal lobbyist for Vanguard, the largest mutual fund company in the US for more than a decade. In his presentation, he will discuss different types of lobbyists (both inside and outside), functions that lobbyists perform in Congress, and will elucidate some of the positive contributions lobbyists have made and continue to make. He will go on to discuss the role of PACs in Washington, who they are, how they are structured, how they operate, how they are regulated, and how their activities are reported publicly. Mattes will also speak about his personal involvement with specific legislation. One outstanding piece of legislation that he was intimately involved in was the creation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and the Consumer Protection Act.
Mattes holds a BA in Communications and an MBA from Temple University, where he has been a frequent guest lecturer on public affairs.
The Lake Chapala Chapter will also show “The Panama Papers” on Sunday, March 8, 1:30 p.m. as part of its 8th Annual Film Festival at the Cinemagic Theater in Plaza Bugambilias in Ajijic. The film investigates a massive data leak that exposed the largest global corruption scandal in history.
The not-for-profit series includes films to be shown every Sunday through April 26 on humanitarian and environmental issues. The next movies will be: “Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”, “Official Secrets”, “Women at War”, “The Laundromat”, “Merchants of Doubt”, “Parasite” and “The Great Hack”. Proceeds will support the chapter’s non-partisan absentee voter registration at Lakeside.
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..
Hot Science at LCS
Lake Chapala Society members can get the lowdown on new science, technology and medical news each Tuesday in the LCS Sala, 1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
Topics for March 10 include: biggest cosmic explosion ever detected left huge dent in space; eruption in black hole 390 million light years away punched a cavity the size of 15 Milky Ways; when should you eat to manage your weight? (breakfast, not late-night snacks.)
Moderated by Fred Harland and presented by Silicon Valley guy Richard Clarke.
TED Talks
The next Ted Talk is Tuesday, March 10, noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Lake Chapala Society Sala, when Andrew Forrest presents “A radical plan to end plastic waste.” Open to LCS members only.
Plastic is an incredible substance for the economy but the worst possible substance for the environment. Australian Forrest has an ambitious plan to team some of the wealthiest industries in the world with the very lowest rung of the world economy to eliminate plastic waste.
Hosted by Gary Thompson.
Purim
The Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation will celebrate Purim with two events: mask making with Diane Pearl, Monday, March 9, 1:30 p.m. and improvisational reading of the Megillah, Tuesday, March 10, 1:30 p.m. Sign up and pay for both events at Diane Pearl Colecciones.
Conexiones entre amigos
This monthly networking event sponsors the Zacatecas tourism office at the Lake Chapala Society Tuesday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. Free entrance.
Grief and loss workshop
Explore your experience of grief and gain support, clarity and tools to move forward in this workshop given by Adele St. Pierre, MA Pastoral Counseling, Grief Counselor. Tuesday, March 10, 2-3:30pm at Ken Gosh Pavilion in the Lake Chapala Society.
Register by email 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..
Canadian Club
Come hear Catherine-Clair Blythe speak of her 16 years living in Mexico at the next meeting of the Canadian Club, Wednesday, March 11 at La Nueva Posada. Social hour begins 3 p.m., program at 4 p.m. The program will be preceded by a brief annual general meeting. Everyone is welcome.
LCS bus trips
Thursday, March 12, the Lake Chapala Society bus heads Tlaquepaque. Wednesday, March 18, go to Galerias Mall and Thursday, March 19, the trip is to the Tres Mujeres Distillery in Amatitan/Tequila.
Check the LCS office or website to sign up and learn the departure time and cost of the trips. Registration and payment can now be made online at lakechapalasociety.com.
Lake Chapala Birders
Monday March 16, the Lake Chapala Birders will meet 8 a.m. to walk the one-mile long Allen Lloyd Trail, which has lots of underbrush in which birds love to hide. Expect to see stripe-headed sparrow and groove-billed ani and possibly hear the happy wren. At about 10:15 a.m. the group will head to Cafe Negro restaurant for breakfast and to complete the bird list.
How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half-mile from the traffic light at Walmart, and park on the north side of the road across from the El Dorado Condominium tower.
Mindfulness course
Regular meditation is vital for the brains of people in our stage of life. Maybe you have tried to meditate and it didn’t click. Maybe you never tried.
Riberas Meditation’s Ricahrd Clarke leads a course that gives you what you need to really get started. He is a long-time meditator, who has offered this course for the past three years.
The course focuses on the first stage of mindfulness practice – bringing awareness more fully into your life. You will learn mindful breathing, body-scan, mindful walking, and mindful eating. Each session has instruction and mindfulness meditation practices.
There is no cost. The course will be held on Wednesdays, with four sessions from March 18 to April 8, 1 to 2 p.m. in Riberas del Pilar. Registration and details: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 376-765-6976.
Stray dogs
A St. Patrick’s Doggone Lucky Fun raiser will be held to benefit Stray Dogs of Mexico, Tuesday, March 17, 1 to 4 p.m. at the Rancho San Francisco in San Nicholas de Ibarra, near the Chapala Country Club. Tickets, 325 pesos, are on sale at Diane Pearl and Maskotas Lake Veterinaria.
U.S. notarizations
A U.S. notary public will be available to notarize documents on the LCS campus Tuesday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to noon, and Thursday, March 19, noon to 2 p.m. Fees are $US35 for the first document and $US25 for each additional document. Payment is in U.S. currency or equivalent amount in pesos. You will be required to make a copy of each document in the LCS office at your expense to provide the notary for his protocol.
Mask Gala
Niños Incapacitados holds another fun gala fundraiser, A Mask Gala, Thursday, March 19, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Hotel Real de Chapala. See who’s behind the masks and enjoy music, a glass of wine, dinner, a raffle, silent and live auctions and a cash bar. Tickets, 650 pesos are available through Thursday, March 12 from Donna Arthurs, 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..
April Fools party
This year’s April Fools party is dedicating the majority of its proceeds to efforts by the Tepahua Community Center and Poco a Poco to combat childhood kidney disease in the lakeside area (second highest disease level in the world after Taiwan).
The event will be held at the Sunrise Restaurant in San Antonio Tlayacapan, Wednesday April 1, 2 to 5 p.m. The cost is 400 pesos and there will be special prizes for those in costume. Tickets are available at the Tepehua Treasures store in Riberas del Pilar and the Sunrise restaurant, or by contacting Harvey Bernier, 603-923-8893 (U.S. cell), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Kari Higgins, 333-820-4927, 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..
Insight Meditation
The Heart of Awareness (HOA) meditation center offers meditation sessions open to the public regardless of experience or affiliation. Periods for silent meditation are on Sunday at 9 a.m., Monday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 4 p.m. and Thursday at 11 a.m.
Chairs and cushions are provided and there are written instructions on meditation for beginners. There are no fees for practice opportunities, but donations are always welcome.
Wednesday, March 11, the 45-minute practice period will be followed by a reading from Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom by Joseph Goldstein and a discussion period.
A yoga class suitable for students at all levels is offered Thursdays from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Mats and blocks are provided.
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.. The center is at Guadalupe Victoria 101.