07272016Wed
Last updateFri, 22 Jul 2016 8am

Laguna Chapalac - July 23, 2016

Ixtlahuacan fiestas 

Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos continues its festivities of Santo Santiago (St. James) through Monday July 25, including colorful religious processions taking place every evening around 6 p.m., nighttime entertainment and fireworks at the central plaza and round-the-clock street fair booths stocked with food, drink and crafts.

Special activities will extend through the end of the month with the Feria del Membrillo set for July 29 to August 3, showcasing products made with the quince, the town’s namesake fruit, and culinary specialties from other municipalities. Entertainment events include the three-day Globos de Cantoya paper balloon festival, auto and motorcycle shows, and exhibitions of dancing horses.

Children’s art sale

The Lake Chapala Society (LCS) summer art camp for children finishes with a sale of their work, Saturday, July 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the gazebo.  Admission is free. The children receive the large portion of sale proceeds and the rest is used to purchase art supplies for the 62-year-old LCS children’s art program.

Open Circle

Jim Cook presents “St. James the Moor Slayer” at the Sunday, July 24, 10:30 a.m. meeting of Open Circle in the garden of the Lake Chapala Society. 

Monday, July 25, is Mexico’s Fiesta of St. James the Apostle, also known as Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moor Slayer), patron saint of Spain and the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. Cook will tell us how St. James came to be the patron of Spain and of the Conquistadors, and how this day is celebrated in Mexico.

Cook retired after 30 years as a union and community organizer in Oregon and California, and moved with his wife Carole to Ajijic in 2007. Since coming here the couple has visited many of Mexico’s colonial cities and ancient ruins. They chronicle their journeys in their blog, Jim and Carole’s Mexico Adventure. Since 2007, the blog has attracted more than one million visitors from over 130 countries. A documentary film company will use his photos of ancient Toltec ruins on a feature to be aired on the History Channel.

Genealogy Forum

The Genealogy Forum will meet Monday, July 25, 1 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Riberas del Pilar.  Phyl Gaskell will present a slideshow entitled “Philadelphia Roots,” which will cover a family involved in events leading up to the Revolutionary period and subsequent Republican era in the United States. Many intriguing facts and stories have come to light through this research. The purpose will be to demonstrate and discuss methods of sharing family history, stories and heirlooms. Please bring your ideas for sharing your discoveries and participate in the discussion. For more information, contact Fran Murphy, 766-0067.

CASA

The Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (CASA) had an action-packed meeting this past Monday. Moonyeen King from the Tepehua Community Center was there to receive a donation from the club of 3,000 pesos for the center’s new Maternal Health Clinic. This came from profits from the club’s last cooking class. CASA hopes to repeat this in September after their next cooking classes. 

At the meeting, several new CASA members presented their dishes for the first time and placed among the winners. 

New member Garth Bogart won first place and people’s choice in the Mediterranean main dish category for his Greek riblets with grilled lemon and brown butter sauce. Catherine Suter won second place and new member Lizzie Conover came in third. Another new member, Laure Hilden, won for presentation.

George Cheatham, a first-time presenter, won first place in the three-ingredient dessert category for his pecan and orange pie; Robert Hilleman came in second; Leslie Yanko won both the presentation award and a third place tie with Amy Friend. 

CASA’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 15 and the categories are seafood and filled pastries. 

For more information about CASA meetings or to register for their upcoming cooking class with Chef Oscar from El Jardin de Ninette, contact 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.. (Although the September 26 class is sold out, there are still spaces open for the next day’s class.)

Buddhists

The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha meets weekly on Wednesdays. Noble Silence begins at 4 p.m., followed at 4:30 by a formal meditation period, dharma teachings and discussion.   This week, on July 27, the teaching will be a video presentation from a Tricycle retreat titled “Recognizing the Self,” with Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara.

The center is open for hour-long silent meditation periods on Sunday, Monday, from 9 to 10 a.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon. A “Drop-In” Practice/Study group meets every Friday at 2 p.m. All are welcome.

A yoga class suitable for all levels of experience is offered at Heart of Awareness on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 9 to 11 a.m. A donation of 50 pesos is requested for the class.

The Heart of Awareness is a non-sectarian community grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition.  Prior experience or affiliation is not required.  The sangha’s location is Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic. For more information, visit heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert, (376) 766-6069.

Pooches bazaar

Lakeside Spay & Neuter (The Ranch) is having a yard sale/bazar, selling all sorts of wonderful stuff. Proceeds will help with the expenses of the dogs that live at the Ranch while waiting for that special someone to adopt them. The Bazaar is Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paseo de las Canoas, 18B in Lower la Floresta.

LCS Spanish classes

The Lake Chapala Society begins its next round of Introduction to Spanish-language classes for members Tuesday, August 2. This is a casual class offered for the beginner that covers the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary and phrases for shopping, and other useful information about the area and Mexican culture. Classes are held at the LCS campus from noon to 1:30 p.m. each month starting the second Tuesday of the month and continue for three weeks. Learning materials are provided. Sign up is available at the LCS office during regular office hours, Monday to Saturday. Or you can sign up at www.lakechapalasociety.com. LCS is located at 16 de Septiembre 16-A, in Ajijic. Telephone: (376) 766-1140.

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