Christmas Tree Festival
For eight years running the Christmas Tree Silent Auction Festival has marked the kick-off to La Manzanilla’s holiday season.
As the name suggests, the festival was a celebration of the holiday icon. Trees were the stars of the event, but donors all had unique visions of what actually constitutes a holiday tree. There were beautiful creations using found and recycled materials, such as a two-meter high tree made entirely of driftwood and a beach hat filled with brightly painted coconut seeds. More traditional versions included a delicate glass cylinder, filled with glass beads, supporting gracefully lit low voltage branches, adorned with crystals. Over 30 trees were donated for the silent auction. The prize for the highest bid item was a creation by Galeria La Manzanilla owner Aby Ramos and local carpenter Jimmy Garcia. Their beautiful tree, named A Talavera Christmas, was won in the silent auction by Roberto and Ibett Contreras, the owners of the Hotel Chantli Mare in nearby Boca de Iguanas, for 1,300 pesos.
This year the event was held at Magnolia’s Kitchen and Drinks. Guests noshed on Chef Alex’s famously popular “Blind Dates,” dates filled with blue cheese and nuts and wrapped in bacon. Other highlights included pretzel crusted chicken skewers with a honey mustard dipping sauce, sliders with homemade pickles and pickled red onions, Parmesan cheese puffs, and beef Brie bruschetta.
Activos, La Manzanilla’s community gym, was the beneficiary of this year’s event. The proceeds will go toward helping Activos continue its mission of offering low-cost memberships to La Manzanilla’s full-time residents, running a weekly physical education class at the primary school, fostering healthy exercise and eating habits through classes and seminars, and providing its resident teachers and staff opportunities for personal development though continued training. For more information about Activos, its hours, classes and community services, see www.ActivosLaManzanilla.com.
Artis Gallery and Café
Long-time La Manzanilla artist Ani Mac opened her show, “Reinvented,” featuring her newest acrylic collages at La Manzanilla’s Artis Gallery and Café this past week. Ani, whose work also includes weaving and textiles, discovered acrylic collage while living in La Manzanilla. The medium gave her more freedom than the loom and her current work is an extension of her personality: whimsical, colorful, with some hidden mystery. Not to worry if you missed the opening, the work will grace the walls for the next few weeks. Artis Gallery and Café is open nightly and features sushi to order and a tantalizing chocolate martini, among other adult libations.
Memorial Fund
Long-time local resident and business person Davison Collins recently lost his father, John Collins, who also frequented La Manzanilla with his wife Katharine. John was passionate about education and volunteered many hours at the local secondary school teaching English and helping to inspire students to learn more about the world.
Local gathering place, The Club, recently hosted an event to raise money for the John Collins Teacher Training Memorial Fund. The event was an acoustic night of song and sounds provided by local favorites Sam, Denise, Charlie and Robbie. The magnanimity of our small community was again on display and attendees raised roughly 5,000 pesos for the cause. Money is earmarked to help pay for La Manzanilla’s teachers and staff from the primary school to attend a Mindfulness Teacher Training workshop next month.
Upcoming events
Casa Luz will be hosting film editor Evan Warner on Sunday, December 28, 7 p.m. to view and discuss his film, “People of a Feather.” The film features stunning footage from seven winters in the Arctic. The film takes you through time into the world of the Inuit on the Belcher Islands in Canada’s Hudson Bay. Connecting past, present and future is a unique relationship with the eider duck. Eider down, the warmest feather in the world, allows both Inuit and bird to survive harsh Arctic winters. Traditional life is juxtaposed with modern challenges as both Inuit and eiders confront changing sea ice and ocean currents.
Ciscos Amigos 12th Annual Music Night, benefiting Cisco’s Amigos free spay and neuter clinic, will be held Monday, January 5, from 6:30-11 p.m. at Rusty and Julie’s house in La Manzanilla. The festive evening includes a set of music by Simone and Mike of Melaque and two sets from the La Manzanilla Lounge Lizards. Tickets can be bought in advance at Marisco’s Deli, Palapa Joe’s and Helping Hands bookstore and are $200 pesos per person. They go on sale December 26. Beer and wine will be sold. It’s a potluck, so bring a dish to share. Each year the free clinic serves over 200 area dogs and cats, greatly reducing the population of unwanted kittens and puppies.
Yoga Classes at Casa Luz feature yoga/chi kung with Brenda Dempsey Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings, 9-10:30 a.m. Ani Mac offers Vanda Scaravelli style yoga on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9-10:30 a.m.
Writers Group happens every Saturday at Martin’s Restaurant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are a lively group of about eight people and growing. If you’d like to participate bring a writing piece about seven minutes long to read and receive feedback on.
Open Mic Night at Palapa Joe’s is for anyone who thinks they have talent. Why not show it off at open mic night at Palapa Joe’s? Upcoming dates are Saturdays December 27, January 10 and January 24, 7-11 p.m. Sign-up sheet is at the bar at Palapa Joe’s. If you are just coming to enjoy the show arrive early to get a table and have dinner, the house is always packed.