R.I.S.E. and Shine #2 – January 9th, At Casa Karma

By Chris Amo

Saturday, December 5th marked the first R.I.S.E. and Shine Gourmet Champagne Brunch at the stunning Villa Balboa with funds raised going to support the Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza (R.I.S.E.), a special shelter for children in Puerto Vallarta. Attendees were treated to eggs benedict, Challah French toast, Italian spinach and roast pepper frittata, and fresh fruit salad magnificently prepared and served by Chefs Seth Cloutman and Cristhian Rios, along with live entertainment (including a performance by some of the children from R.I.S.E.).

R.I.S.E. and Shine #2, the second in this unique monthly series of champagne brunches at featured premier properties, will be held at the amazing Casa Karma (right next to El Set and LindoMar) on Saturday, January 9th. Tickets, at $350 pesos each, will be available for limited seatings at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm beginning on Friday, December 11th at Daiquiri Dick’s, by calling Casa Tigre at 222-9081, or by contacting Chris at 221-5451 or email at keithamo@msn.com. Shuttle service to Casa Karma will be available upon request.

Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to help the children at R.I.S.E., enjoy a fabulous meal, and see Casa Karma.

For more information about R.I.S.E. please view the website at www.refugio-infantil.org or contact Sol at the Refugio at 222-7857 or by email at elsoldevallarta@hotmail.com

Let The Dogs Out

by Laura Gelezunas — Video Diva Productions

All canines and their human companions are invited to the fourth annual Pet Picnic at Daiquiri Dick’s Restaurant.

The event will be a howling good time on Saturday, December 5 starting at 11AM on the restaurant’s patio overlooking Los Muertos beach. Enjoy a gourmet, boxed lunch and there will be a special doggie bag for your pal.

Last year over 70 made an appearance at this fun-filled event. This year proceeds go to Ayuda a los Animales, Help The Animals, part of the PEACE non-profit association. They are responsible for the high volume spay and neuter clinics in Nayarit and Jalisco.

Audience participation is encouraged for the Best Costume and Best Trained contests. Competitions begin at 12:00. Don’t be late if you want to participate.

There’s going to be a raffle with all kinds of great gifts. This is also a great chance to meet other animal lovers and learn how you can help in the plight of local dogs and cats.

Tickets are $225 in advance and $275 at the door. You can purchase them at Daiquiri Dick’s Restaurant or The Deli. Space is limited, so get your tickets early. It promises to be another tale wagging event.

Enjoy a gourmet boxed lunch, a great silent auction and raffle and the pleasure of the company of lots of animal lovers. There will also be Best Costume and Best Trained contests at noon, with prizes for the winners. There will also be special doggie bag for your best friend.

• WHAT: FOURTH ANNUAL PET PICNIC FUNDRAISER
• WHEN: DECEMBER 5TH – BEGINNING AT 11 AM
• WHERE: AT DAIQUIRI DICK’S ON LOS MUERTOS BEACH IN PUERTO VALLARTA
• TO BENEFIT: “AYUDA A LOS ANIMALES,” A DIVISION OF PEACE, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERED IN NAYARIT
• WHY: TO RAISE MONIES FOR FREE SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS IN PUERTO VALLARTA
• DONATION: 225 PESOS IN ADVANCE; 275 PESOS AT THE DOOR.

TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT DAIQUIRI DICK’S AND AT THE DELI. SPACE IS LIMITED TO APPROXIMATELY 70 PEOPLE. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.

Have fun and support a great cause.

gretchen @ peacemexico.org
www.peacemexico.org

The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, on PBS, One of America’s most respected news anchors and journalists has picked up on the effort to bring Medicare to Mexico!

The News Hour is coming to Puerto Vallarta to film a segment for the program, and you are invited to be a part of it!

AMERICANS FOR MEDICARE IN MEXICO Has organized a
TOWN HALL MEETING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2O, 2009, AT 1PM AT HACIENDA SAN ANGEL “PUERTA DEL CIELO” EVENT SALON Miramar 363, Colonia Centro, Puerto Vallarta.

Puerta del Cielo is an open-air salon, magnificently decorated with Mexican antiques, overlooking the Bay of Banderas and the crowned spire of the Cathedral of Guadalupe, our city’s iconic symbol. It is truly one of the most spectacularly beautiful spaces in the entire region.

The event will begin at 1PM, with open wine/soft drinks bar and gourmet canapés prepared by Hacienda San Angel’s renowned chef.

The “Town Hall Meeting” will begin promptly at 2 PM.

Paul Crist, President of Americans for Medicare in Mexico, A.C. will discuss the campaign to bring Medicare coverage to Mexico, and take questions from attendees.

We expect to end the event by about 4 PM, depending on the numbers of questions and comments from attendees, and the interviews that The News Hour reporter will want to do with selected attendees.

THIS EVENT WILL BE STRICTLY LIMITED TO 80 ATTENDEES.

Tickets must be purchased in advance, and will sell out very quickly. The space will not accommodate more than 80, plus the presenters, and news crews. So no exceptions can be made to accommodate additional attendees.

TICKETS: $300 PESOS PER PERSON

Available at: Hotel Mercurio, Francisca Rodriguez #168, Col. Emiliano Zapata (1 ½ blocks above Playa Los Muertos, on the street that ends at the Los Muertos Pier).

For directions or additional information, please call Larry Canady at 322-222-2828, or email Info@MedicareInMexico.org

“Evening Under the Stars,” SPCA-PV Fundraiser Nov. 28

By Pegeen White

I can’t imagine a better way to spend an evening here in Puerto Vallarta. The third annual “Evening Under the Stars,” the first SPCA-PV fundraiser of the season, is scheduled for Nov. 28. Tickets will sell out fast, as the ambiance and quality of food, drinks and service at Janice Chatterton’s Hacienda San Angel is legendary.

Your evening will provide a memory of a lifetime and you will be helping rescue abandoned animals, too.

The dinner and auction is held at the Hacienda’s “Puerto del Cielo,” overlooking Banderas Bay, with one of the best views in the city of the fireworks, and within what seems like touching distance of the crown of the Cathedral de Guadalupe. All the fundraisers that have taken place here have been transporting and magical events. The Mariachis Joya de Mexico will perform, and their rich voices and sophisticated musical interpretations in this exquisite atmosphere are the height of the Mexican cultural experience.

The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers. Open seating, a sumptuous buffet dinner and open bar will make for a lively evening. The group Katmandu will also perform. Limited reserved seating is available for parties of 10, and a special table for 10 will be available on a private balcony overlooking the Cathedral in one of the luxury suites.

Among items in the auction will be luxury stays at the Mexico Boutique Hotels Verana in Yelapa (3-night stay), Careyes, Villa Ganz in Guadalajara, dinner and stay at Hacienda San Angel, dinners at some of your favorite restaurants and many other prizes.

Auction items are still needed. If you wish to donate, contact Mark McCoy, MMccoy777 @ aol.com.

Tickets, at $100 U.S. (or 1,300 pesos) are for sale at Hacienda San Angel, Miramar 336 in El Cerro and Cassandra Shaw Jewelry, Basillio Badillio 276 in the Romantic Zone.

On Saturday, October 31 at 7 pm, bite me! beach club will host Spooktacular, a Halloween costume party in support of the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Puerto Vallarta. Tickets are available at bite me! beach club and from the Puerto Vallarta chapter of Make-a-Wish Mexico.

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation’s mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 in the United States. It has since blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, reaching thousands of children around the world. Affiliates of Make-A-Wish Foundation International can now be found in 33 countries around the world.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has become the largest wish-granting organization in the world and can be found in over 34 countries on five continents. With the help of generous donors and over 30,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 225,000 wishes worldwide since inception. Although it has become one of the world’s most well-known charities, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has maintained the grassroots fulfillment of its mission.

Make-A-Wish Mexico is always looking for corporate sponsors, individual donors and volunteers whom serve as wish granters, fundraisers, special events assistants. As the Foundation continues to mature, its mission will remain steadfast. Wish children of the past, present and future will have an opportunity to share the power of a wish.

To become a volunteer, make a donation, adopt a wish, or to refer a child contact us directly at 01-800-DESEOS or email us at info(at)makeawishmexico.org.mx.

Spooktacular will feature a costume parade. The grand prize for best costume is a one-week stay at our resort, with breakfast at the beach club included. There will also be a 50/50 draw, and a buffet featuring treats from bite me! beach club’s talented chef.

So come on out and join the fun, and let’s keep the spirit of giving going. Tickets are $100 pesos and are available at bite me! beach club and from the Make-a-Wish Foundation. For more information, call (322) 223-1521, extension 234.

Diva, Vallarta’s legendary Female Illusionist, is recovering in a Guadalajara hospital from an attack last week in Vallarta. The Vallarta community is doing everything possible to help him get well. If you can help too, click the DONATE button below. Thank you!
– Tracy Parks (Chiartguy)

All money collected (minus any paypal fees they take) will be forwarded to Frank Sekercak at Blue Chairs to deliver to Diva. A receipt for each donation will be sent to you. Please write “Diva” as the comment on your donation.