Vallarta Mirror, Puerto Vallarta (2025)

25/07/2025

With Gina Hendrix – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

25/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 25, Friday
This will be my last 'From Here' post (I think) until I get back from Europe. I am juggling so many work-related things in my head, but I did remember to put together the Rearview Mirror yesterday that will be published online in 15 minutes from now - check it out. You can read past issues of Vallarta Mirror in a week-by-week format. https://vallartamirror.com/rearview-mirror-signup/ It's free, and you can unsubscribe anytime, but why would you? Asking for a friend!
Yesterday I met Jerry Jones at Vallarta Factory for smoothies. Jerry is the owner/editor/publisher of Out & About Puerto Vallarta magazine and is partly responsible for Vallarta Mirror. Because of his kindness a few years ago, he gave me the confidence to think I could actually follow in his footsteps to some degree when I acquired the old PV Mirror publication. It would take far too long to express my gratitude, but it is undoubtedly there. We talked for over an hour, enjoying our smoothies and each other's company, when he said something about sweetness while handing me a 'Have a Great Trip' white shopping bag from Xocodiva, complete with a gorgeous box of their exquisite Belgian chocolates inside. My sister and I will share this bounty on the overnight flight from Calgary to London. Thank you, Jerry, for everything lovely you do in my life.
These over-the-top, random acts of kindness started with Brian Bott, again at the Vallarta Factory for smoothies. He was heading home to Washington State weeks ago and wanted to get together beforehand to wish me bon voyage. He too had a bag with so many thoughtful and practical items, like a notebook and pen, that would take the place of my laptop. I will think of him every day. Then, out of the blue last week, he asked for my return flight info so he could send his driver to pick me up at the airport when I come back in August. I feel like a princess for god sake! A grateful princess. Thank you, Brian, for everything lovely you do in my life.
Even though I will see her this afternoon at Derek Carkners Christmas in July at La Catrina Cantina, Sharon Ge**er Scherer, in another extraordinary act of kindness, will be picking me up on Monday, driving me to the airport, guiding me through Immigration, and getting me to Westjet. Thank you, Sharon, for everything lovely you do in my life. She will get my very last possible hug.
That just took my breath away.
To all of you here in Vallarta, take care of yourselves and one another and take care of this city with all the love you can muster. Vallarta is the best place in the world, and I will miss her and all of you as much as I will miss my Bogie. I love you with all my heart. So adiós until Monday, August 25, From Here.
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

24/07/2025

With Awaysis – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

24/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 24, Thursday
When I got Humphrey Bogart, aka Bogie, my giant Maine C**n kitty, over a year ago, I knew the first day we had a lot of unlearning to do. I desperately wanted a loving, sweet cat to curl up with at night and had instead brought home a pi**ed off caged lion shrunk down to house cat-size. He bit (hard, breaking skin) and scratched first and asked questions later. More than once, I considered rehoming him. But, there was something so adorable about him, and stumbling upon a simple remedy by accident that precluded drugs and therapy (for me) and has turned his aggressions around.
I spent lots of time quizzing the few people who were close to Bogie in his eight formative years before he moved in with me, and all but one bore scars from his attacks, and only because he smacked Bogie before he could bite. It wasn't a path I wanted to walk down, but it worked, and now it's unnecessary (she said, hopefully!).
The answer is grass, wild, long strands that include roots, spattered with dirt (the key ingredient) and likely dog p*e. I have fed all my cats grass occasionally to help with fur balls, but it wasn't until I watched Bogie dive headfirst into a recently emptied rain bucket to lick the damp dirt that had settled to the bottom of the pail that I began bringing dirt-attached grass into the house. I put the clumps into disposable yoghurt containers or whatever, fill them with water, and watch Bogie enjoy his salad course.
People get the 'Happy Vitamin' D from sunshine and dirt, and because we sanitize the bejesus out of everything, and lots of people are afraid of sunshine, they are often more aggressive than they might be if they caught 15 minutes of sun/day and bought 'papas sucios' instead of potato chips. I am just sayin'!
I realize all of the above is oversimplified. I also know that in the past couple of weeks, there has been an abrupt (and good!) behavioral change in him. Some people's houses are full of vases of fresh flowers, but mine is full of carefully curated plastic bins of crab grass!
What a fun day we had at Qulture playing Scrabble yesterday. We had a couple of new players, and Deborah Cole came to observe. Sharon Ge**er Scherer and I welcomed Jonathan Lander back after he had been away in the States for weeks, and we played a couple of games with the three of us. I am not fond of three-ways because the scores are so low!
Deb wrote this to me in the night, which I dedicate to all Scrabble/word lovers out there: "Thank you for the great wordfest today. You guys are incredible. I'm committed to learning to play with the big kids!"
And, we will be committed to helping you do just that. In the meantime, work your way up the ladder in Scrabble Go! It will help you immensely! I can't wait to learn who will wear the Bingo crown for Scrabble after the tournament on August 06. I want pictures, Sharon, From Here!
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

23/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 23, Wednesday
Only the three witches of Eastwich could spend so much time eating and yakking until way past our collective bedtime. Georgia Darehshori, Sandra Bradley, and I huddled over an enormous table at Il Pesce., where we had our last witches' convention, which was two years ago, after Sandra's epic venture to Bolivia and Peru, and also held at Il Pesce. This grand occasion was to celebrate Georgia's return from Scotland, where she had attended her grandson's graduation from the University of St Andrews, a venerable institution founded in 1413.
We had a delightful new waiter, 'Henry,' who discussed alternatives to crème de cassis with Georgia (they don't carry it in their bar) and mezcals with me and Sandra. With cocktails ordered, our conversations flew around ex-husbands, very grown children, and grandchildren briefly, and then got down to the nitty-gritty of how each of us was in that particular space of time.
We, all three of us, have feet firmly planted, eyes forward, and a good, gentle wind at our backs moving us to... where? Well: there. On a path lined with metaphysics and the air filled with live music and our extraordinary community of Mexican Nationals and expatriates whose souls live in Vallarta, each adding drops of love into our lives every day. We are full of smiles and hugs, and we're eager to share them with you, so just ask!
The food was up to Il Pesce's high standards, of course. I had the funghi with truffle oil, as I do every time I eat there, and so did Sandra. It is the most glorious dish of pasta - I would cherish eating it every day of my life. We split an appetizer and dessert, and only Georgia had leftovers to take home.
Derek Carkner came in with Mary Zack holding her darling doggie and sat a couple of tables away for dinner. We are all going to La Catrina Cantina this Friday at 5 for Derek's ''Christmas in July,'' a tradition he started years ago at Incanto. He says he has more than 20 guest artists dropping in throughout the evening! So make a reservation and join us for a decidedly non-Silent Night!
Scrabble at Qulture in a couple of hours. We have two newbies coming, for sure, which'll be great for Sharon, who insists she will miss me while I am on vacation. Our other diehard Scrabblers, Rob and Kevin, are still away but should be back in action in August.
Speaking of vacation, I only have five more sleeps until I fly away. Fortunately, I work better under pressure, and everything will either get done or it won't. Lots of cleaning to do still and proactive-putting-stuff-away-in-case-of-hurricanes. It will all boil down to last-minute flurry.
I am not even thinking about saying goodbye to Bogie. He has made such strides in the past couple of months... I've discovered something that has turned him around, and I'll share it with you tomorrow morning. Enjoy this amazingly lovely day and be sure to smile at everybody you pass on the street From Here.
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

22/07/2025

With Gloria Fiona Productions – I just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers! 🎉

22/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 22, Tuesday
Another rainless night, which means the humidity and heat this afternoon will be fierce and unrelenting—a good reason to rest under a fan and snooze away a couple of hours.
So, I had an enjoyable and even profitable evening last night. I went to play bingo at Awaysis on the river. I knew a few people who were there having dinner and conversation and waiting for Robert Henry, the ball caller, to finish setting up his electronic board with his laptop. I joined Kateri Brown at her invitation, who helped Tracy Parks, er, rather, Aunt Pearl, with bingo at Incanto for years. She was a godsend, explaining the intricacies of secret bingo playing I had not heard of before. Hey! I am a Scrabble player!
We had a lucky table as it turns out, Kateri and Randy each won a game, and I won two! For money! Woo hoo! The stakes can be high - over 10,000 pesos in one instance, which keeps growing week by week (one of those intricacies!) until it is won. That didn't happen last night, so next week, Monday at 7 pm, y'all know where you gotta be. I will be in Canada getting ready for Europe.
A good way to keep up with bingo and other fun things to do, like Trivia Nights, is to join Robert Henry's private page 'Puerto Vallarta Fun & Games PVFG.'
One of the nice things about this bingo is the regulars who take a couple of hours a week to get together in a truly chill(y) space, with good food (more on that in a second) and the fact that they are all there for the same purpose, so it's quiet when numbers are being called and, it's great to have a big screen so you can double-check the numbers that have been called already.
There's a new item on Awaysis's menu - potato chips with French Onion Dip. OMG! The dip is every bit as good as what we made growing up in Canada with Lipton's (?) dry French onion soup mix (which we still can't buy in Vallarta!) and sour cream. Good for Gina Hendrix on the addition. Kateri tried them last night, shared with the table, and they were terrific!
Tonight I am having dinner with two very special women in my life; it is rare when just the three of us can get together, just to be the three of us together. I owe so much to these two - Sandra Bradley and Georgia Darehshori, my extraordinary mentors and teachers. They are my soul sisters who have opened my eyes and my heart, saved me in the nick of time from drowning in anger and sorrow, and showed me that life can and should be lived in Peace and that it's okay not to fight. Rather, to be still, to listen, to breathe, to be about love and most of all to be grateful for every part of my life. The best part of my life has had those two remarkable women in it, so thank you both, with my love, From Here.
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

21/07/2025

See you tonight for bingo at Awaysis at 7 pm!

21/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 21, Monday
I have known Kathleen Palmer for at least 15 years. Kathleen is the doyenne of Deja New, the cleverly named, go-to, second-hand, gently used consignment clothing store in Vallarta. She was not the first to open a Value Village-inspired store in Vallarta, but she has lasted longer than all of them put together. She has an excellent staff that allows her the freedom to travel and spend time with her beau in the US, but you will sometimes find her at work in her jammed-to-the-ceiling shop on Venustiano Carranza, surrounded by clothes and accessories.
I even worked for Kathleen for a while when she opened a satellite store down by Woolworth's so many years ago, before writing the then-weekly column took hold and I was still making things to sell at the local markets.
We met for lunch outside Mi Cafe, but ended up going to Soco's Place, which is just down the block, because we couldn't get in to the extremely busy Cafe. Good for them to be packed with a line outside at the end of July!
Newcomer to the block, Soto's was also busy, but a table was found for us. A pair of citrus salads was delivered, and a long-overdue conversation between two old friends ensued.
What I found so remarkable was how happy we both were. Our combined memories of much past drama were so gone! We have each chosen different paths, of course, but in the middle of it are two aging women doing exactly what we want—having fun and creating things with our hands and brains every single day. Kathleen rediscovered tie-dying and is making fabulous, wearable art pieces.
We talked about respective upcoming trips. Hers to Southeast Asia in January and mine starting one week from today. It will be curious to not get up at 6 am, make coffee, and go straight to work after I feed Bogie. I am concerned about him, but also know that cats are capable of sleeping 20 hours a day without any side effects. I'm happy to have a lovely friend coming over daily to feed him and make sure my house is okay.
For sure, I will have great company every day I am away with my sister Patrice, who also gets to wear the best-friend hat. We have been fearless explorers together since we were little kids.
Our first adventure without parental guidance took place on Cape Breton Island one time, when we were visiting our mother's family and staying at Grandma's house. We had gone out to play, leaving Mom, Dad, grandparents, and a bunch of aunts, uncles, and cousins in the house. I decided we should walk to the ocean where we had been a day or two before, so we did.
It was a couple of kilometers away, but we found it at high tide, which completely threw me for a loop. We were born in landlocked Calgary and had no idea about ocean tides, but the beach we had stood on was gone, and what was a huge cliff from down there looking up was the edge of the ocean! Astounding! And freaking creepy. So we made our way home through abandoned fields with the odd World War Two concrete bunkers just sitting there. Also very creepy.
We arrived at grandma's full of stories to tell, but had to settle for a spanking instead of cookies. Still doesn't seem fair, but I was the oldest (at 8) and shouldn't have taken my baby sister, who was only 4, on such a long, lovely walk From Here.
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

18/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 18, Friday
It's 2:30 in the morning and I have just completed and scheduled the Rearview MIrror to publish in a couple of hours. (I should have done this yesterday morning and forgot completely.)The violent storm woke me up an hour ago, lightning flashing red in my shut eyes, and Bogie, my cat, made me aware of thunder that sounded like the sky was coming apart, and I think I felt rain on my face. Oh, oh, new leaks in my roof?
I got up and started dropping rags on the floor to sop up the rainwater leaking through my roof in about six different places. The next dry day, I will have to climb my ladder and do my best to patch the holes, if I can find them. Water will always find its own way. I am grateful for duct tape and toothpaste for patching holes!
There's a vehicle nearby whose alarm has been blaring for over an hour, making me wonder where the owner is and how far away from his house he had to park yesterday - obviously so far that he can't hear his bloody car alarm! Welcome to living downtown in Puerto Vallarta in the thick of summertime monsoon rains.
I can't believe I forgot to create the Rearview Mirror yesterday! I have been doing it for months, every Thursday, to be available for readers of Vallarta Mirror on Friday morning. I am ten sleeps from vacation, and clearly my brain is way ahead of me, wanting to stop working and start vacationing!.
I did remember to keep my appointment with Deborah Cole, author, brilliant black and white photographer, and a grand new friend, whom I met for breakfast on the beach at Langostinos. We dug our toes in the sand and talked for three hours and said, "No, gracias!'' at least a million times to the hardworking beach vendors selling everything from ci**rs and blender parts - really! - to foot massages, clothing, and jewelry.
We talked about Scrabble - Deborah wants to learn how to play. I invited her to come to Qulture this coming Wednesday at 12:30 to watch Sharon and me playing, which will be either educational or like watching paint dry. And it will be the last time I'll be able to play before I head to Canada on the 28th.
I also got her to download Scrabble Go on her phone for practice and encouraged her to read Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis, published in 2001. It's a fascinating look at the weird and quirky people who are obsessed with Scrabble. (Ahem).
It's a quarter to four, the rain stopped for a bit, but has resumed, so I might as well refill my coffee cup and finish this. I doubt I can go back to sleep like Bogie.
Did you feel the earthquake yesterday afternoon? I was talking to my sister when the house jumped like something had hit it about midway up. No harm done, just a bump.
Okay, that's it for me. Thanks for keeping me company in the middle of the night, and don't forget to get your free copy of the Rearview Mirror https://vallartamirror.com/rearview-mirror-signup/ From Here.

17/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 17, Thursday
So, yesterday was Scrabble at Qulture and, for a change, I got there first so had the board set up by the time Sharon arrived at 12:30. We chatted as she handed over a foil-wrapped bunch of cookies; Sharon loves to bake but will not touch anything with sugar in it for her own diet. Suits me just fine! Just as we started to play, she asked what date I was flying to Canada. I told her the 28th. She asked my flight time, and I said 3-ish. All the while, she is checking her phone. Then she asked how I was getting to the airport. Taxi, I replied.
Then she said, ''Okay, why don't I pick you up? I will park the car and go in with you because you don't even know where Immigration is, right?'' I don't know where Immigration is, but I assumed it wouldn't be hard to find. But, everybody knows what happens when you assume.
The enormity of what she was offering hit me like a ton of bricks, and for minutes, I couldn't even speak. My heart literally jumped into my mouth as I tried to say thank you.
Until Sharon asked, I really hadn't given getting to the airport a thought. A good and deep thought. The only time I ever go there is to pick up my sister and the odd friend who comes to visit, but I haven't actually boarded an international flight in 15 years. There have been lots of changes in that industry in 15 years.
And, how wonderful it will be to be 'seen off' by a dear friend. The last time that happened was at Vancouver International when my friend Cat drove me from Vancouver Island to the mainland to catch my flight here in the middle of winter, almost 35 years ago. She was so sad I was leaving her and my country to start my life over full-time in Vallarta. I was, on the other hand, ecstatic to be merely five hours or so away from the warm sun and the rest of my life. It had taken me five long years of planning to reach that day, but I cried with Cat that morning, remembering every act of kindness she had given me throughout our many years of friendship. And I thought about her long, long drive back to the ferry, crossing Georgia Strait, sad and alone without her best friend who had just left her forever.
This trip is not nearly as dramatic and life-changing as that one, for sure, and I WILL come back to Vallarta in a month and resume my perfect life. And it is perfect: ''complete or correct in every way, conforming to a standard or ideal with no omissions, errors, flaws or extraneous elements.''
Just like my dear friend, Sharon Ge**er Scherer, From Here.
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

16/07/2025

Good Morning, From Here, July 16, Wednesday
The only thing better than sharing good food at a good restaurant with dear friends is to have a dear friend cook dinner at her home and invite you over to share and let you pick the wine.
Last week, lovely Sandra Bradley, author, painter, and contributor to Vallarta Mirror, had me over to her gorgeous condo to eat Italian ''ho**er'' food, ''puta''nesca pasta, one of our favorite dishes to share at Veggitalia. And warm bread, and a simple, glorious salad, and four uninterrupted hours of conversation.
I made a comment about Canada celebrating its 158th birthday on July 1 and how my 'old country' was a bit better than just twice as old as me, which, as countries go, is not very old, certainly compared to our current home, ancient Mexico. Sandra, who is a few years older than I, remembered sitting on the lap of Lester B. Pearson (born in 1897, when Canada was a mere 30 years old), a Nobel Prize winner and Prime Minister of Canada, when she was a child growing up in Ottawa. He used to encourage her to sing - she has a dreadful voice that used to make him laugh. She has stories about liberal Liberals and remembers the first time she met Pierre Elliot Trudeau, playing a good jazzy piano. It's strange, sitting across from my friend who had more than a casual, newspaper reader's interest in the movers and shakers of the people that shaped a country almost from its beginnings. Staggering, really, and so very fascinating.
The Living Room at Casa Karma was filled with fans of Gloria Fiona (Adele Tribute) and David Maiocco (Liberace Tribute) for their first concert at this venerable villa and event space in Conchas Chinas. And DAMMIT! I forgot to take photos of the succulent appetizers again! Georgia Darehshori was finally back from her vacation and able to attend the third concert in her Summer Series of live music that she inaugurated a year ago. Her producer, Will Walker, appeared again, albeit briefly, but I got my hug at last!
The audience was treated to a string of love songs, many of which were performed for the first time in public, with Gloria singing to David Maiocco's perfect accompaniment on the piano. Well, except for when Gloria put a spell on the piano and it went crazy for a minute or so. You had to have been there!
It was an easy concert, Gloria comfortably barefoot and in the midst of us, telling stories of arriving in Vallarta, busking on Pitillal buses, and living on the streets. And here she was, 11 years later, entertaining her beloved friends in the audience as the sun was setting on Casa Karma. And her. And us.
She ended her performance with a brave cover of 'Never Enough' which was, of course, not enough, so an encore - Otra! Otra! - was in order.
I caught an Uber back to Centro with my neighbor, David Sabella. We stopped for coffee, pie, and a long conversation, From Here.
Marcia Blondin Editor VallartaMirror.com

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