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Aug. 4, 2005 - Issue #61
News and Features about Puerto Vallarta on Mexico´s Gold Coast
Tips and Topics on Living in Your Own Dream Location
[Go to the Archives]
CONTENTS:
• WHAT´S GOING ON IN AUGUST
• ART AUCTION AT HOTEL PREMIERE
• THE ISLA RIO CUALE
• SUMMER SPECIALS
WHAT´S GOING ON IN AUGUST
First of all I want to let everyone know that I did send out the "About Living Your Dream" newsletter in June and July, but I don´t think it arrived, due to some strange computer problem with my email address. I have changed it to: webart@galeriavallarta.com and hope this time it will reach you. All the back newsletters are filed on our website, www.galeriavallarta.com so you can always find them there.
We have had a very strange "rainy season"--it hasn´t been raining. Only one medium rain in the past week and very hot weather. We are missing our spectacular thunder and lightning storms, but the hordes of Mexican families visiting here before school starts again can wander around town and visit the beaches and restaurants without getting drenched.
Since the summer visitors are not spending much, you can find lots of good bargains and sales at the downtown stores, who are trying to survive until the high season. Parking lots are in progress but still not ready, so with all the Mexican tourists coming in their own cars, parking is almost impossible. The best way to get downtown now is by taxi or bus.
We heard they are still going to make a parking lot in the park in Olas Altas area, but hope this will not happen, since it is a pretty park with nice trees. It could be easily cleaned up with removal of the street stands and vendors, is located in an area where more people live and could be a good cultural area for music and other events.
Everyone is wondering who authorized the strange looking "sails" or teepees on the new section of the Malecon which connects Olas Altas with the Center of town. They don´t seem to have any function and are too modern looking to fit in with our "typical pueblo" image. We haven´t heard about any presentation to the public of this apparently expensive addition before they were installed.
What is missing from this area are directional signs to indicate where the shopping areas, restaurants, services and cultural events are located, as well as some information booths, so people will realize that the central area has such a fantastic selection of art galleries, craft shops, boutiques, restaurants and services which rivals any other Mexican coastal destination, and which are mostly located off the Malecon. However, if tourists are continually detoured with no true information, they will miss this most interesting area of Puerto Vallarta.
The Patronato to Rescue Central Puerto Vallarta is working hard to get legally established so urgent planning can be done and regulations that are established will be followed. There is much work to be done and if you have any comments to pass on to the authorities, please email me.
The new Peter Gray Art Museum at the Centro Universitario de la Costa, inaugurated this past April to house the permanent art collection of the University, just received an important donation of a five meter wide mobile by local artist Tellosa. The mobile gives a great splash of color to the cupola at the entrance to the museum. The museum is closed until the end of August, but please visit it when it has reopened.
There is a new theatrical group in town called Pen and Inc Entertainment which will present a series of workshops at the Cecatur, 300 Hidalgo, Colonia Centro. They will present various events during the coming season and will be holding auditions for actors and technical staff. It may be too late to enroll in the classes such as Acting, Design, Theatre history, and Theatre management this time, but more information can be had by emailing: karrie@penandinc.bc.ca or ken@spacecomm.ca. Karrie Sebryk, president of Pen and Inc has an honors MBA from the Univ. of Victoria, BC, Canada and has directed Shakespeare festivals as well as academic and community theatres. Ken Sebryk has career experience in broadcasting, "Smart" audio/visual technology, real estate and business consulting.
The cultural events presented by the city continue on the Malecon, with free movies on Friday at the cultural center. Also Tango classes start Aug. 4 at Plaza Caracol, upstairs next to the Cosmored offices, each Thursday from 8 - 9 p.m., with practice sessions each Tuesday night from 8-10 p.m. at the J &B dance club, 2043 Fco. M. Ascencio Blvd. Classes are taught in Spanish and English by Al and Barbara Garvey. Call 322-222-8895 or email alybarbara@yahoo.com for information. Check out our beautiful oil paintings of tango dancers by Carol Anne Owers at Galeria Vallarta.
ART AUCTION AT THE HOTEL PREMIERE
Mark your calendar for Friday, August 12 at 9 p.m. for a great art auction to be held at the Hotel Premiere, across the street from the Hotel Buenaventura near centro. The auction will benefit the artistic and athletic exchange programs of our sister city´s committee Puerto Vallarta/Highland Park, Illinois. Art galleries such as Arte Latinoamericano, Galeria Uno, Galeria Vallarta, Galeria des Artistes, Galeria Omar Alonso, and Galeria Corsica are participating with some great original art works at well below their actual value. You will have a chance to bid on paintings by Marta Gilbert, Sergio Martinez, Marenal, José Marca, Roberto Bermejo, Javier Zaragoza, Steven King, Dimitar Krustev, Cathy Von Rohr, Martina Goldberg, Ada Colorina, Agustin Castro Lopez, Santiago Carbonell, Bill White, Edgar Martinez and others, as well as a signed lithograph by the famous José Luis Cuevas. To receive your invitation please call Ruben Cham at 322-293-4143. This will be the art highlight of the summer season, so be sure to attend.
THE ISLA RIO CUALE
A proposal to make a crafts market on the Isla Rio Cuale to give a place for the "informal vendors" that were displaced from Parque Hidalgo and the park where they are building the central parking garage, has met with much opposition by local residents and businessmen on the Island, who do not want to see this lush, green area destroyed by more flea market stands. Those who have visited the island recently are appalled at the rows of stands, each having the same merchandise, obscuring the trees, and turning this once lovely area by the river into another dirty section for the use of those who wish to avoid paying rent, utilities, taxes, and other overhead, but want to be in the center of the tourist flow. It was the understanding of many people that once the vendors were removed from the parks which they basically ruined, they would have to find places to rent as any business has to do, not to be allowed to continue their disloyal competition in the streets and public areas.
When will the authorities learn that in order to have the type of business community suitable to serve a world wide tourist flow, we should not teach our children that the way to do business is to have a friend among the authorities to allow them to evade their responsibilities and regulations? The Isla Rio Cuale is home to several fine restaurants, the Centro Cultural, the Archeological Museum and some nice shops. It should remain that way.
SUMMER SPECIALS
With the Art Walk season coming up the end of October several of our artists are offering very special discounts on existing paintings in Galeria Vallarta, so they can prepare new works for their upcoming shows. Dimitar Krustev, Steven King, Claudia Nery, Dionicio Becerra, Javier Zaragoza and others have authorized special prices. If you would like to see photos via email of some of their paintings, please let me know. If you saw an artwork that you were interested in, try to describe it so I can check if it is still available.
We have received a great selection of prints by Octavio Ocampo, the Mexican "Dali" both on paper and prints on canvas. Also coming soon we will have prints on canvas by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, all at very low prices, including frames. Now is a good time to reframe and refresh your existing artworks if you live in Vallarta. Galeria Vallarta offers excellent framing and restoration service.
SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION:
About Living Your Dream is by free subscription to our own mailing list. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send an email to WebArt@GaleriaVallarta.com with "subscribe or unsubscribe to Dream" in the subject line. If you would like to place an ad or submit an article, please contact Barbara Peters, Galeria Vallarta, Juarez 263, (322) 222-0290 or at WebArt@GaleriaVallarta.com
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