the PUERTO VALLARTA DAILY CALENDAR
January 21 to 27, 2008
Archives for January 2008
Writing Best Sellers by Cell
Thumbs Race as Japan’s Best Sellers Go Cellular
Original Source
By NORIMITSU ONISHI
TOKYO — Until recently, cellphone novels — composed on phone keypads by young women wielding dexterous thumbs and read by fans on their tiny screens — had been dismissed in Japan as a subgenre unworthy of the country that gave the world its first novel, “The Tale of Genji,” a millennium ago. Then last month, the year-end best-seller tally showed that cellphone novels, republished in book form, have not only infiltrated the mainstream but have come to dominate it.
Of last year’s 10 best-selling novels, five were originally cellphone novels, mostly love stories written in the short sentences characteristic of text messaging but containing little of the plotting or character development found in traditional novels. What is more, the top three spots were occupied by first-time cellphone novelists, touching off debates in the news media and blogosphere.
[Read more…]
Oysters of Los Muertos
There is always a lot of chatter by tourists in Puerto Vallarta over the lack of “authenticity” in Mexican cuisine and culture in this rapidly developing resort town…
One day in January we set out to find “real” Méxican food in the middle of tourista Los Muertos Beach in Puerto Vallarta. It was there, right in front of our eyes, as we crossed the Malécon bridge over the Cuale River. Vallarta has a way of dishing up surprises like this. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, another sense, idea or emotion is stimulated.
I’ve tried these oysters while drinking in a beach-front bar on Los Muertos. They are sold by wandering vendors for between 80 and 120 pesos a plate of 12 (depending on the season and your bargaining ability). They’re good. Freshest I’ve had. And sweet. And salty.
Fresh Oysters, with wet-suits and floats sitting next to the oyster shuckers.
The shuckers each had his own bottle of Huichol Hot Sauce and almost every tenth oyster was eaten before it could make it on to the plates.
No more complaints about the lack of authentic Mexican food. OK?
by the PVScene Staff
Saint Anthony’s Feast Pet Blessing » January 17
Traditionally, on the Feast Day Saint Anthony Abbot (Saint Anthony the Great) animals, goats, chickens, you name it, are taken to churches around the country to be blessed by a priest. And this year, the SPCA de PV is sponsoring a blessing to be given at Puerta del Cielo, the new chapel of Hacienda San Angel at 363 Miramar.
The Thursday morning event is free and open to the public (human), but restricted to household pets only. Dogs must be on leashes and cats in cages. This is the modern yuppie version of the traditional Mexican pet blessing.
Father Juan Francisco Gradilla Gutierrez will give the blessing at 11 am sharp, so please arrive early, 10:30 ideally, so as not to interrupt the service.
Following the blessing there will be refreshments for pets and their owners offered in the garden of Hacienda San Angel, which promises to be a fun time for all.
Becas Breakfasts » Jan 22 & Feb 26
How to Fill Your Spirit and Your Stomach and Make the World a Better Place
by Polly G. Vicars
There are “how to” books on everything from “How to Lose 10 pounds in 10 days” to “How to Become an Overnight Millionaire” and probably most don’t really work. But I guarantee this “How To” and it will be ‘Oh So Easy!’
Your part is to buy an advance $150 peso ticket to Becas Vallarta’s fund-raising breakfast for January 22 at the prestigious Restaurant La Palapa and arrive at 9:30 am. Then while ‘filling your stomach’ with delicious breakfasts prepared by gourmet chefs and served by smiling, courteous and efficient waiters, buy some raffle tickets for dinners in fine restaurants, jewelry, stays at Boutique Hotels, divine chocolates, pewter and glass wares and a few surprises all donated by wonderful Vallarta business people. Now how easy is that?
And how better to fill ones spirit than to share the largess we have that enables us to live or vacation in this paradise by the sea? And who better to share with than the ambitious and bright, but severely economically challenged, 250 or so Vallarta girls and boys?
Your pesos will fund yearly stipends of $450 USD to senior high and $600 USD to university scholarship students; uniforms, school and gym shoes, calculators, dictionaries, paper and pens to junior high scholarship students.
That really fills my spirit and puts a smile on my face and will yours as well, as we in Becas Vallarta have a strong conviction that education of the populous is the first step in ridding this old world of some of its many woes.
Certainly, the owners of the restaurants who are participating in our monthly fund-raising breakfasts and the businesses that are contributing the raffle items must believe that as they regularly go all out to make the events memorable!
Our thanks to Vitae and La Hacienda who hosted the first two breakfasts, and of course to La Palapa for this one and to Le Bistro which will be hosting the February 26 event.
For tickets to the January 22nd La Palapa Breakfast or the February 26th Becas Breakfast at Le Bistro, call:
- Conchas Chinas » Buri Gray at 221-528
- Old Town » Polly Vicars at 223-1371 or Margi Tolton at 223-1835
- Marina » Mariel Fregoso 221-0789
See ya’ll there!
WEBSITE: http://www.puerto-vallarta.com/amf/index.htm
EMAIL: becasvallarta (at) gmail.com