Fall & Winter Lecture Series at the IFC

Writer and historian Dan Grippo will present two new lecture series at the International Friendship Club in coming months. Registration will begins Tuesday, November 10 at the IFC offices during office hours (generally, 9 am to 1 pm)

Fall Friday Lecture Series
Four Iconic Mexican Women
all lectures begin at 10:30 am

• November 20 – Frida Kahlo*
• November 27 – Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
• December 4 – La Malinche
• December 11 – La Virgen de Guadalupe**

*An evening presentation of the A&E Biography of Frida will also be scheduled, details on November 20.

**Just in time for her feast day December 12!

January Friday Lecture Series
World Religions: Shared Wisdom, East and West
all lectures begin at 10:30 am

This course will offer a very brief overview of the world’s great religious traditions. The series is based on the book The Illustrated World’s Religions: A Guide to Our Wisdom Traditions by Huston Smith, acclaimed expert on comparative religions.

• January 8 – Hinduism and Buddhism
• January 15 – Confucianism and Taoism
• January 22 – Judaism, Christianity, Islam (part 1)
• January 29 – Judaism, Christianity, Islam (part 2)

If you plan to attend, please try to obtain a copy of the book in advance. The paperback edition from HarperOne publishers, lavishly illustrated, is a bargain at $16.49 (USD) from Amazon.com. (Please note, this is the condensed version of Smith’s classic, The World’s Religions).

This year you will have the option of purchasing tickets for the entire series (at a substantial discount, especially for IFC members) or for an individual lecture.

Fall or January Series Pass (4 Lectures each): IFC Members: $300 pesos – Non Members: $350 pesos

Individual Lectures: $100 pesos (No discounts)

Series Registrations available starting Tuesday, November 10 at the International Friendship Club office, Libertad and Miramar on the south side of Puerto Vallarta, during IFC office hours.

If you have any registration questions, please call the IFC office at (322) 222-5466 or email them to ifcvallarta (at) gmail.com. If you have any questions related to the lecture content or format, please email dangrippo (at) yahoo.com.

The IFC Clubhouse is located at Edificio Parian del Puente #13 on Calle Libertad Esq. Miramar on the south side of Puerto Vallarta. Please pass the word along, and invite a friend to attend with you.

Condos, Casas & Cocktails
The 1st and 3rd Mondays of each Month, 5:30 pm, Garbo’s.

Puerto Vallarta – Buying a new home or navigating through the steps needed to obtain a mortgage can be a daunting task in the US or Canada, let alone in a foreign country. Combining their decades of experience, Tropicasa Realty and MEXLend Mortgages have come together to make the process an easy one by answering any and all questions in a relaxing, no pressure environment.

Announcing the creation of Condos, Casas & Cocktails, a free bi-monthly event at Garbo’s co-sponsored by Tropicasa Realty and MEXLend Mortgages. On the first and third Monday of every month at 5:30 pm, Tropicasa and MEXLend will host a 1 hour informal conversation and Q&A about purchasing and financing a home in Mexico. Garbo’s will offer drink specials and light snacks will be provided.

“We have discovered so many people that have questions about how to buy homes here in paradise and what loan options are available here, yet they didn’t want to take the time to set-up a formal meeting in our offices while on vacation, so we created and informal, fun and personal way to answer their questions” stated Wayne Franklin, President of Tropicasa Realty. “This allows one-on-one contact in a casual atmosphere” added David Schwendeman, co-founder and COO of MEXLend.

The public is invited to join in Condos, Casas & Cocktails every 1st & 3rd Monday of each month at Garbo’s for an informal, yet informative conversation and Q&A about purchasing and financing a home in Mexico.

Garbo’s is located at Pulpito 142, south side, across the street from Tropicasa Realty.

Wise Wo-Men in Vallarta Speakers Program

Explore new ideas, Growth in body, mind, and spirit. To connect and find support. These are just some of the reasons to join The Wise Wo-Men of Vallarta at the International Friendship Clubhouse every other Wednesday from 10 am to 12 Noon.

January and February 2009 Topics:

January 14, 2009: The Magnificent Migration
Presented by Oscar Fry, Oceanologist and Founder of Ocean Friendly Tours & Images and Keith May, Forum Coordinator, Puerto Vallarta Whale Watching Forum

January 28, 2009: Mexico on My Mind
Writer and educator Dan Grippo PH.D. will highlight aspects of Mexican Culture.

February 11, 2009: The Fabulous Quesa Divas
Join actress, writer, speaker, and founder of “Quesa Divas” Norma Schuh for a special Valentine’s Day presentation.

February 25, 2009: Breaking the Habit of People Pleasing
Presented by International conference speaker, spiritual director, workshop & retreat leader and author, Joy Carol, whose latest book is “The Fabric of Friendship.”

April 22, 2009, Legal Information on Real Estate in Mexico
A talk about real estate legalities in Vallarta by Maria O’Connor, a real estate lawyer.

The Wise Wo-Men of Vallarta meet every other Wednesday from 10 am to 12 Noon at the International Friendship Clubhouse, Parian del Puente, where Libertad and Miramar meet in downtown Puerto Vallarta.

There is no charge for Wise Wo-Men meetings, but donations of food, clothing, or toiletries for various local charities are appreciated. For more information, contact Anni Thiessen at wise_wo.menseminars(at)yahoo.com, Tish Halloway at 322-221-1505, or Darla Fowler at 322-209-1088.

Saturday, October 18th is presented a program about “Problems and Opportunities: Fundraising in Mexico.”

The informative program will be presented by Scott Ellliot, the Chief Financial Officer with the Vancouver Aquarium. He has wide experience in the developing world including consultant work with the Cities of Leon and Guanajuato and has held past seminars in Vallarta. The two hour program is free and will be held at the home of Jim Boland, 461 Lazaro Cardenas, in El Centro…just two blocks east of Farmacia Guadalajara on Insurgentes. If you have any questions, please call Jim Boland at 222 2866 or Gary Green at 322 150 7214.

The program starts at 10am. If you can make it, please RSVP to gary (@) greenandassociates.org

HANDS ON PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

• April 12, at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens, 12 to 3 pm.
• COST: $300 pesos (includes gardens entrance fee, lunch, handouts)
• WEBSITE: www.PaulVanVleckPhotography.com
  
• REGISTRATION: pvanvleck (at) mac.com or cell: 322.171.1163 (the Class size is limited to 10 people and reservations are required)

An introductory photography workshop entitled “Design in Nature” will be held at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens on Saturday, April 12th, from 12-3 p.m. The fee of 300 pesos for this workshop includes: Entrance Fee, Lunch, Lecture/Handout and Fieldwork.

Paul Van Vleck, a recent transplant from Los Cabos, Mexico, will present the workshop. Paul has been a professional photographer for over 20 yrs. with a degree from Brookes Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. He has worked, lived and been published all over the world. (For more information on him see his website: www.PaulVanVleckPhotography.com)

This workshop is for amateurs and enthusiasts interested in learning the basic operations of a Digital SLR camera and to be exposed to what cameras are available for purchase in a mid price range. You do not need to have a camera to partake in this workshop; one will be available for demonstration and use. The workshop will focus on capturing the design which nature provides and how to accomplish great composition and image; through focus, light, color, texture and exposure. You will be able to see what you are doing as you are doing it!

The workshop will start with a delightful lunch served by the Gardens incredible restaurant. We will discuss what camera you have or what you need to look for. Paul will provide information about different mid range cameras, lens and flash systems. This will not be too technical. There will be a handout. Paul will also discuss exposure, composition and design. After lunch, all participants will go out and shoot.

This is a fun and informative workshop. Paul will be available for questions throughout the day. Everyone will have the opportunity to shoot and look at his or her work and discuss it. The class is limited to 10 persons. Reservations are required. Please call cell # 322.171.1163 or email pvanvleck (at) mac.com to sign up.