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Terra Noble to Host Adal Ramones
Jorge Rubio's Terra Noble will be the scene of a whirlwind visit by Mexican talk-show host Adal Ramones this week. The group from Mexico City, composed of his Televisa staff and accompanying press, will fly in for a tenth anniversary experience that they may never forget. Rubio has prepared a program that includes an “Angel Walk,” an introduction to Temazcal, massages and body therapies, art classes and taste sensations. Terra Noble is a spa, healing and art center that focuses on Mother Earth with innovative concepts of living. For further information see www.terranoble.com or call (322) 223-3530. 4/26/05

Local Chefs Invited to Join Vatel Club
Luis Fitch of Los Xitomates and Herve Fucho of the Four Seasons in Punta Mita were recently inducted as members of the international Vatel Club, with current members Thierry Blouet of Café des Artistes and Gerard Dupont, president of the culinary academy of France, presenting them with the white chef’s jacket with the embroidered logo. Vatel Club was founded in New York in 1913 to promote and uphold the French culinary tradition abroad. The branch in Mexico was founded 13 years ago and includes a free referral for members, among other services. 4/26/05

Dancer Alicia Sánchez to Perform in Vallarta
Movement transforms Vallarta as dancer and choreographer Alicia Sánchez arrives next week for a contemporary dance workshop at the Isla Rio Cuale auditorium. Classes for beginners, taught by Neno Guzmán, will be held April 25 - 29, 10 am - noon, while Sánchez takes the advanced group 4 - 6 pm. The free classes will whet the appetite for those coming to see the free public performance of Entre tú, yo y los otros (Between you, me and the others) at Los Arcos Amphitheater April 29 at 8:30 pm. Sánchez, who directs her own company, El Teatro de Movimiento (Theater in Movement), has traveled widely, giving performances in New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Brussels, Prague, throughout Spain and all over Mexico and Latin America. She earned the National Dance Award in 1993-4 and won first place nationally as choreographer in 1999 with a piece inspired by Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.” Call 223-0095 for further information. 4/26/05

Sculptor Grosman Launches Monument to Tolerance
Local artist Alexander Grosman recently launched his “12 Monuments to Tolerance” in the Obelisk building in a worldwide release. His piece “La Herida que refortifica” (the wound that heals), a monument to tolerance, was inspired by the pre-Hispanic concept of “Tlanexiahueycitlalli,” or the splendor of Venus. This first of his series of 12 sculptures in distinct areas of the world was inaugurated in the presence of Secretary of Culture Manuel Santana Encarnación, who promises to continue promoting Vallarta as more than just a destination of sun and beach. Secretary of Communication Gloria Palacios was the first to take her place in the circle of tolerance. See www.cosmicart.net for further information on the artist. 4/26/05

Upcoming Music Festival Announced
With a focus on jazz and electronic fusion, the upcoming Music Festival May 8 - 12 was announced recently by Secretary of Culture Manuel Santana Encarnación, and City Hall Press Secretary Gloria Palacios presented the program. “We are concentrating specifically on jazz and electronic music in this festival for their great popularity with the public,” says Santana Encarnación of this annual, free public festival. With an international focus on Austria, several groups will be represented, including Forms of Plasticity, Attwenger, Sofa Surfers and the popular Peter Natterer Quartet. The free concert begins each evening at 8 at Los Arcos Amphitheater. See www.puertovallarta.gob.mx/cultura for further information in Spanish and a detailed program. 4/26/05

Six Vallarta Restaurants Receive Five Star Diamond Award
Six Vallarta restaurants were included in a ceremony held in Mexico City to present the Five Star Diamond award to leading Mexican restaurateurs. Those six from Puerto Vallarta were Bianco, Café des Artistes, Kaiser Maximillian, La Palapa, Los Xitomates and Trio. In addition, Los Xitomates’ Luis Fitch received the Star Diamond Award as one of the best chefs in Mexico. Frequent visitor Martha Chapa of Mexico’s Aguila y Sol received a special award for her vision in creating one of the most innovative concepts, and Jean Berthelot, honorary president and founder of La Chaine des Rotisseurs in Mexico, received a lifetime achievement award. Founded in Chicago in 1949 as the International Restaurant Rating Bureau, the AAHS (American Academy of Hospitality Sciences) is currently based in New York and directed by a counsel that supervises nominations and final selection. Focus continues to be on long-term dedication based on service to the client and the utmost attention to details. 4/26/05

China Moves Closer
China suddenly got closer with an agreement between Jalisco and Shanghai, announced by Jalisco Secretary of Tourism Horacio González Pardo. The first act of promotion between the two regions follows Shanghai’s invitation to Jalisco to take part in a cultural parade with mariachi during an international celebration in mid-September to early October. In the Tianguis Turístico de Negocios, to take place in Puerto Vallarta in 2006, some of the most important tour operators from China are expected to attend. In this exchange, facilitation of tourist visas will be one of the important steps attempted between the two federal governments. Further talks will discuss the possibility of charter flights from Shanghai. Guadalajara, a step ahead, is already looking into printing menus in Mandarin and Canton dialects, two of the major language groups in China. 4/19/05

Film Festival Honors Carmen Salinas
The 9th International Film Festival of Puerto Vallarta closed with an homage to Mexican actress/producer Carmen Salinas,the visibly emotional Salinas extending her arms to the packed auditorium after receiving the Golden Iguana for lifetime achievement. In her 50-plus years in movies and live theater, she appeared recently in “Man on Fire,” starring Denzel Washington. As producer of the popular “Aventurera,” Salinas promised to work on bringing the musical to Puerto Vallarta in the near future. The "best film of the festival" Golden Iguana went to Alejandro Gamboa’s “La Ultima Noche,” starring accompanying actors Paolo Hinojos, Juan Pablo Medina, Elizabeth Valdés and Juan Angel Esparza, who also starred in the acclaimed “El Mago” of Jaime Aparicio. 4/19/05

Taxis Reach Agreement
Taxis from both Jalisco and Nayarit have signed an agreement of services. Inclusive of the combis, or collective taxis that originate in some of the rural towns, the contract spells out 14 specific points, including pick up and discharge of passengers based on zone, and fines based on transgression of the agreement. The eventual intent is that the entire Banderas Bay, as far as Cabo Corrientes, be part of the covenant, said signing Vallarta Mayor Gustavo González Villaseñor, putting the needs of the public first. 4/19/05

Cornerstone Hospital Inaugurated
The most advanced surgical technology is now available at the newly inaugurated Cornerstone Hospital. To operate 24/7, this health center specializes in Orthopedics, Traumatology, Ophthalmology, Gynecology, Obstetrics and Pediatrics. Director Dr. Raúl Márquez says, “This hospital is my first in Mexico. I chose Puerto Vallarta because it represents the best that Mexico has to offer.” Based in Texas, Cornerstone has a sound reputation for acute healthcare needs, with modern facilities, highly trained bilingual staff and a philosophy of the utmost patient care. Cornerstone Hospital is located at Tules 136 in the Hotel Zone, just behind Plaza Caracol. 4/19/05

Special Flights to Costa Alegre
A special program of flights will connect Vallarta with Costa Alegre in May, allowing easy connections for guests of Mexico Boutique Hotels. The new Aerotron 14-passenger Cessna will provide the transfer directly from the terminal to the properties in Costa Alegre, which include Las Alamandas, El Careyes Beach Resort & Spa, El Tamarindo and Mesón Doña Paz. A combination of experiences will allow a stay at one of the five Vallarta properties: Hacienda San Angel above downtown, Quinta Real in the Marina and the beach resorts of Majahuitas, Verana and Casa las Brisas. After five years of operation, HBM has grown to include 31 members, with six more coming on board this year. The company, created by Producciones Viva’s John Youden, is a collection of delux small hotels and inns recognized for their unique style and ultimate level of customer service. See hotelesboutique.com for further information in English or Spanish, or call 01-800-508-7923 toll-free in Mexico. For flight information, contact Vallarta Adventures at (322) 297-1212. 4/19/05

Immigration to Expand at Airport
To the tune of one million pesos, the airport will receive more than a facelift in the proposed expansion of the immigration salon for international arrivals. With record numbers of flights and passengers this season, lines sometimes extended to the outside tarmac, causing increasing complaints. A total of 12 booths with modern passport readers will facilitate movement as demand increases. Records indicate that, despite the fact that the number of passengers has increased by at least 7%, the number of charter flights has actually decreased. Explanations may include larger planes with heavier passenger loads, as well as increased numbers of scheduled flights. 4/19/05

Mayor Promises to Reduce Buses Downtown
In a recent meeting with the downtown business association, Mayor Gustavo González Villaseñor announced the initiation of several important projects. Among them were the 75% reduction of local passenger buses through downtown, the upcoming completion of the transfer of city offices out of the current downtown space and the beginning of the parking projects in Benito Juárez Park and Plaza Lázaro Cárdenas. Only details remain to be ironed out, he explained, as he asked for the support of the community in these major changes. A mention was made of the promise of the governor of Jalisco, Francisco Ramírez Acuña, to help fund the two bridges over the Pitillal River and El Salado on Francisco Medina Ascencio. Other topics under discussion are changing the time for garbage collection downtown to a more appropriate time of the day, the appropriation of the entrance to Rio Amazonas to connect Fco. Medina Ascencio with Fco. Villa and the demolition of the Naval Hospital downtown to allow the Malecón expansion project to be completed. 4/12/05

Film Festival Heavily Attended
Actress Vanessa Bauche (Digna, hasta el ultimo aliento; Amores Perros) was one of the special guests of the ninth Festival Internacional de Cine de Puerto Vallarta. The festival opened with director Agustín Tapia's Club Eutanasia, a dark comedy that takes place in a retirement home. As Tapia recounts, “When I first proposed the idea, the producers said the idea would never get funding because no one, especially the young people, is interested in a movie about the elderly.” Looking around at the full university auditorium on Saturday, he adds, “I am overwhelmed to see this is not true.” The heartfelt response of the enthusiastic audience led one movie-goer to pronounce it the “best Mexican movie in the last several years.” The film festival continues through Thursday, April 14, with movies for every viewer, including children’s movies at Cine Bahía, free movies at Los Arcos Amphitheater and documentaries and short features, in addition to first-run full length movies, at Cine Versalles. A daily forum at noon at the Sheraton Buganvilias allows the press and public to meet with directors and actors. For further information, check http://cinefest.pv.udg.mx/ for times and schedules. A printed program is available in the Gazeta CUC, prepared by the sponsoring CUCosta University of Guadalajara. 4/12/05

Golf Event Benefits Red Cross
Bill Davis and Sergio Hinojoso at Flamingos Golf Course hosted a very successful event to raise funds for the Red Cross on the first weekend in April. The event brought in $120,000 pesos for the new Red Cross center in Mezcales, says public relations director Alejandra Lemus. “It’s very necessary, as up to now there has been no Red Cross office in this area of Nayarit.” Red Cross Vallarta also participated with the presence of an ambulance unit and four attendants in case of emergency. 4/12/05

Luis Alberto Topete Appointed as National Advisor of CANACO
Respect for the laws and institutions brought local business leader Luis Alberto Topete to the attention of the national level of CANACO (Cámara de Comercio y Servicios y Turismo, or Bureau of Commerce, Services and Tourism). Just last week he was sworn in as national advisor to this organization, which focuses on the legal development of business and commerce. In his acceptance, Topete indicated the importance of continuing the fight for human rights and transparency within the business community. 4/12/05

Local Steering Committee Announced for Port Authority
As the tourism industry grows, active involvement of the local business community in all aspects increases in importance. SECTUR, represented by Undersecretary of Tourism Oralia Rice Rodríguez, announced the creation of a local steering committee for API, the federal port authority. The fifth of its kind in the country, this committee provides a forum for local issues and the cruise industry, as reflected in current modifications and growth. As the municipality continues to expand, and the API moves along in its own plan of expansion, a committee formed by business leaders and headed by the mayor serves to create a social conscience and further the economic interests of the entire community. 4/12/05

Two Local Hotels Awarded Distinctive "H"
The Distinctive “H” was recently awarded to the Holiday Inn and La Jolla de Mismaloya. This special award program is based on inspection of hygiene and health in food and beverage handling in the program instituted by the World Health Organization (WHO), in operation in Mexico since 1988. The voluntary award requires the verification of the entire food and beverage operation at every point of handling, from the moment of purchase and delivery to storage and subsequent handling, including freezing and thawing and preparation, all the way to the final service to the client. The one-year certification is awarded after a series of inspections and training of personnel. 4/12/05

Westin Regina Named "Hotel of the Year"
The Westin Regina Resort & Spa was awarded "Hotel of the Year" in the Latin American region by Starwood. “The choice is based on a number of characteristics, including client, employee and member satisfaction, quality standards and financial success, as well as guidelines within the Starwood Spa Collection,” says Maripepa González, public relations. “It’s been a good year for us.” Starwood, with more than 750 properties worldwide, is present in over 80 countries with about 120,000 employees. Osvaldo Librizzi, president of Starwood Latin America, presented the award to general manager Haim Outmezguin. 4/05/05

Santo Des...Mind Draws 40,000
Even though Santo Des…Mind, the musical event last weekend at Playa “Holly” co-hosted by the city of Puerto Vallarta and Telehit, may not have hit the radar of many locals under 30, the event is important to the tourist market, being televised in more than 30 countries and advertised on national radio on over 40 stations. Televisa traditionally has focused on the youth market with its base in Acapulco, but recently is expanding to include Puerto Vallarta and the Banderas Bay region, possibly after the increase of local coverage by competing TV Azteca in the last few months. More than 40,000 young people attended the free public event. Tight security ensured no reported injuries during the entire two-day affair. With the beach cleanup completed, you’d never know there was an event of such magnitude. 4/5/05

Mascota - Las Palmas Highway Nearing Completion
The Mascota-Las Palmas highway is about 95% completed, with a termination date of the end of April. This “short cut” over the mountains has long been heralded as the new route to and from Guadalajara, but sources say that the driving time will still be about five hours over this pass. Since San Sebastián del Oeste is not included in this particular highway project, that separate 11 km section from La Estancia is expected to be finished some time next year. This highway has been over 60 years in the planning, going through some six different construction companies, says current overseeing project director Francisco Javier Pérez Martínez, secretary of urban development. 4/5/05

Rocky Horror Picture Show Live on Stage
The exciting, captivating, enervating Rocky Horror Picture Show shakes loose at The Palm in Puerto Vallarta with the participation of local and visiting actors. This throw-back to sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll hit the screens in the USA in 1975 and never looked back, considered one of the biggest cult classics of all time. The live performance includes all of the hit songs, such as the danceable “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me” and “Time Warp.” The entire story of a storm-stranded innocent suburban couple lost in the Gothic castle of Dr. Frank N. Furter, where human and chemical experiments are punctuated by lightning flashes and thunder rolls, takes place not only on stage but all over the entire bar. When it’s over, you’ll dance to “Time Warp” at the slightest invitation. With tickets at $100 pesos per person, call 222-4818 after 7 pm for reservations and information or show up early for the Tuesday and Saturday 11 pm performances at The Palm at Olas Altas 508. 4/5/05

USCG Hamilton Delivers Anesthesia Machine to Naval Hospital
Nearly 90 days after departing from San Diego, the USCG “Hamilton” arrived at the naval port in Vallarta with a long-awaited anesthesia machine. Unloading the precious cargo was the Navy League, having coordinated the delivery of the machine with the naval station in San Diego where it was stored awaiting departure. Warren Johnson, past president of the active Navy League, says, “This effort is truly a cooperative one among a number of individuals and groups, including Chuck and Sandy Israel, who split the cost of the machine with the IFC. Others involved are the Navy League, the Club de Club and the local Naval Station.” Primarily aimed to provide safer surgery for children born with a cleft palate, the machine should be up and operating within a month, special permission granted by the navy base for the use of the naval hospital for the charitable program. 4/5/05

President Fox Visits Litibú
Nearby Litibú recently was graced by the appearance of President Fox Quesada for the inauguration of the Corredor Turístico de Nayarit (Nayarit Tourist Corridor), the continuation of a major government project along the coast north of Banderas Bay. This planned venture will be financed in part by the state of Nayarit and the federal government, in addition to private investment, part of a plan proposed in the early '90s for appropriate sustainable development of the region. As such, it will include public services with a major hospital, schools, commercial centers and an aerodrome. Aimed for the top niche of the tourism market, the 14,500 rooms will be of smaller, tasteful establishments, including boutique-style hotels. A marina will provide 150 slips, a marine park similar to that of Xcaret will be incorporated, as will three world-class golf courses. Basic infrastructure, expected to be completed in December 2006, is projected at a cost of $522 million pesos. The entire enterprise, serviced by 36 thousand employees and planned for completion within five to eight years, is expected to generate a million visitors per year, bringing in about $900 million USD annually. 4/5/05

Committee for Cleaner Beaches Meets in Vallarta
The certification of Banderas Bay beaches is on the agenda for the first annual meeting of the Comité Playas Limpias Jalisco-Nayarit (committee for clean beaches in Jalisco and Nayarit) April 4 - 5. Currently, there are two entities that provide the “blue flag” that signifies not only cleanliness but sustainability of beaches. One originated in Australia, which is also in effect in Europe, while the other is the Comité Nacional Pro-Playas, the national organization currently managing investigations and data. Oralia Rice Rodriguez, undersecretary of the government tourism board SECTUR, emphasizes, “Clean beaches are synonymous with the possibility of being competitive on the market.” One of the challenges facing local authorities is the requirement that there be no beach vendors, while the first beach under consideration is the one right off the Malecón in downtown Puerto Vallarta. Other conditions include hygienic public bathrooms, trash receptacles, security and safety for swimmers. Possibly one of the most important prerequisites is proper drainage and management of waste, both solid and liquid, in addition to sanitary drinking water. This year, the federal government plans to invest $400 million pesos in the infrastructure of water treatment through new construction, rehabilitation and amplification. 4/5/05

Film Festival Around the Corner
With the imminent inauguration of the Ninth International Film Festival of Puerto Vallarta April 8 - 14, the focus is once again on films in the Spanish language. Last April during the Mexican film festival, one of the featured films was Fernando Eimbcke’s Temporada de Patos (duck season). Just this past week, it picked up a total of 11 Ariels at the award ceremony comparable to the Oscars in Mexico City, competing with Luis Mendoki’s Voces Inocentes (innocent voices), one of the award-winning entries at November’s PV Film Festival of the Americas. Both films have garnered attention and awards at festivals around the world. The fact that most of the festival films are not yet in circulation is precisely what makes attending the festival such an important event for movie-goers. It’s one way to see some of the most innovative work by upcoming directors, many of whom present their first full-length feature for festivals in the search for viable financing and marketing on a large scale. A special showing of Club Eutanasia will open the festival at Cine Versalles on April 7 at 7 pm with director Agustín Tapia attending. See http://cinefest.pv.udg.mx for further information and programming. Take special note of the forums scheduled daily, allowing the opportunity to meet the directors and some of the featured actors. 4/5/05

Gala Vallarta Inauguration Held at Terra Noble
Oralia Rice Rodríguez, undersecretary of the national tourism planning board SECTUR, says, “We see tourism as the solution to the national economy, not just one of the solutions, and are firmly behind the continued development of Puerto Vallarta, currently the second tourist destination in the country.” Sunday night’s inauguration of the third annual Gala Vallarta was indeed a gala affair, hosted by Jorge Rubio at sunset on the hilltop hideaway of Terra Noble. A delectable five-course meal plus dessert was provided by six Five Star Diamond Award restaurants in Puerto Vallarta: Bianco, Café des Artistes, Kaiser Maximilian, La Palapa, Los Xitomates and Trio. Producciones Viva’s Elsa Guadarrama MC’d the event, attended by local hoteliers, restaurateurs and officials, in addition to major tour operators from Canada, the USA and Mexico. Other special guests were Horacio González Pardo, secretary of tourism for Jalisco, Ludwig Estrada Virgen, regional tourism director, and Maria José Zorrilla Alcalá, president of the hotel and motel association. Recorded music by pianist Raul Díaz accompanied the photographs of Mark Callanan, while live sculptures represented the self-portraits of Frida Kahlo. This growing expo event seems to be making inroads to compete with the annual Tianguis in Acapulco, one of the biggest tourism expo events in Latin America. 4/5/05

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