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Jefferson Starship Rocks Vallarta
The Marriott CasaMagna was the place to be October 8 and 9 when this renowned band, now celebrating its fortieth anniversary, sparked lots of great memories during two concerts, an acoustic performance enjoyed with a great dinner indoors on Saturday night and a no-holds-barred rock concert Sunday that had young and old boogeying on the grass and even on the stage - a surprising number of them in that hippy fashion standby, tie-dye. Playing from the rich songbook of its legendary forefather, Jefferson Airplane, two original band members, songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Paul Kantner and vocalist/guitarist Marty Balin gave it their all and singer Diana Mangano certainly held her own when compared to the band's former female singer, Grace Slick. The set lasted well over two hours and included hits "White Rabbit," "Miracles," "Count on Me," "Jane, "Plastic Fantastic Lover" and many more golden oldies, folks flying in from as far away as Detroit just to groove for the weekend and enjoy the fabulous five-star Marriott resort on the beach. Concert promoter Benny Cukier says he plans to bring big-name concerts to Vallarta twice a year, the next one in April or May, the group not yet confirmed. 10/11/05

Telethon Golf Tournament Kicks Off Fund Raising
For the third year in a row, Puerto Vallarta hosted the kickoff event for Mexico's annual telethon for disabled children, the Telethon Golf Tournament drawing celebrities and media executives to the Marriott CasaMagna welcome cocktail and the Vista Vallarta course October 7 - 9, the event broadcast around the country. And while no one won a Mercedes Benz for getting a hole in one, players walked away with some great prizes, including top-of-the-line electronic equipment and the knowledge that they are contributing to a good cause. The tournament follows a Pro-Am format, with two teams of two players each competing against one another, one member of each team quite an experienced golfer while the other is not. Charitable events such as this will happen all over the country between now and the actual telethon, which will be broadcast on Televisa and other Mexican TV and radio stations for 24 hours straight December 2 - 3. Last year's telethon raised $305 million pesos. 10/11/05

America West-US Airways Merger Benefits Passengers
The recent merger of America West with US Airways on September 27 has already resulted in the announcement that, starting October 30, Puerto Vallarta passengers will fly on larger planes, the Airbus 320, which holds 150, replacing the current 737s, with a capacity of 134. Every day of the week, seven US Airways flights arrive at our Diaz Ordaz airport, four from Phoenix and one each from San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, with connections to all over the continental USA and Hawaii, Canada, Latin America, and soon the Caribbean and Europe. Regional manager Betty Fuentes says the America West name change gives it a higher and more international profile while maintaining its low cost to passengers, US Airways one of the world's largest airlines. 10/11/05

Mexico Earns a Place at the 2005 World Cup
The IV Paradise Village Nations Cup at the El Tigre course October 5 - 9 qualified Mexico, along with Venezuela and Colombia, to play the 2005 World Cup in Portugal November 17 - 20. Mexicans Alejandro Quiroz and Pablo del Olmo, the top two world-ranked Mexicans for two years in a row, will compete for the nearly $5-million USD purse. Here on the Nuevo Vallarta course, ESPN was filming as 20 teams from around the world competed and six – Uruguay, Guatamala, Costa Rica, Israel, Peru and Serbia – finished over par for the 72-hole tournament. A spectacular banquet wrapped up the event hosted by the El Tigre Country Club and the Paradise Village Hotel, official venues for the four-day qualifier conducted by the Tour de las Americas on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours. 10/11/05

Global Circumnavigator to Present Slide Show
Sailing school Coming About and the Vallarta Yacht Club will host a pasta dinner and slide show, “The Rescue of the Arion,” with Lloyd Halverson on October 17 at 6 pm Vallarta time at the Paradise Village yacht club in Nuevo Vallarta. Halverson enjoyed many adventures during his 12-year odyssey around the world with his wife, Judy, perhaps the most challenging and rewarding the rescue of a shipwrecked sailor on the remote South Pacific atoll of Suvarov. While sailing alone, Halverson found Ian McNair stranded on the island with his boat severely damaged having been three months aground on a reef. And during the four-month effort to salvage and rebuild the vessel with limited supplies and hand tools, the men lived off the land, spearing shark and foraging crab and seabird eggs and catching fresh water from passing rain squalls. The Halversons also shared many adventures with Coming About managing director Pat Henry, one of the world’s first female circumnavigators. Readers of her “By the Grace of the Sea” met Lloyd and Judy many times, in the Indian Ocean, Yemen, Eritrea and Turkey. Dinner reservations are required at (322) 297-2222 or office@vallartayachtclub.com. 10/04/05

Celebrity Chefs Share Secrets
For the first time ever, five top Vallarta restaurants joined forces to provide a novel and prestigious cooking course September 19 – 23 at the downtown CECATI auditorium. Hugo Ahumada of Café des Artistes, Luis Fitch of Los Xitomates, Ulf Henriksson and Bernard Guth of Trio, Eusebio Cuevas of the River Café and Claudio Marras of La Palapa prepared three-course menus, while giving the 16 participants from all walks of life plenty of opportunity to pitch in and ask questions, then everyone enjoyed the fruits of their labors along with harmonizing wines after. Each guest chef received a diploma of participation, an apron, chef’s hat, knife, recipe book and, most importantly, the know-how to create five great meals on his own. The cost of participating in what is to become an ongoing event is $3,500 pesos. For more information, contact the restaurant association, CANIRAC, at (322) 222-4858. 10/04/05

New Zoo for Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta now has a facility in Mismaloya, just south of town, where the public can view 250 animals from 70 different species at a cost of $60 pesos for adults and $30 for both children and seniors. Inaugurated September 15 with a star- and sports-studded guest list, many of whom helped sponsor the zoo’s creation, the initial phase of the 64-hectare facility covers four hectares, El Zoologico de Vallarta a 100% Mexican-owned business. Endangered species here include Mexican wolves and white tigers, the hope that with excellent care they will reproduce in captivity. Half the animals on display are indigenous to this country, and most every creature found in this area is represented – jaguars, pumas, coyotes, ocelots, tlacuaches, coatimundis and quite a few bird and reptile species among them, crocodiles and iguanas included. For more information, call Antonio or Martin Castaneda at (322) 222-6622 or email elpalaciodoro@aol.com. 10/04/05

Cornerstone Hospital Offers Flu Shots and More
Along with a regular roster of support groups and speakers, the progressive new Cornerstone Hospital – dubbed “Hospital Gigante” by the locals because it’s located right behind the well-known store of that name in Plaza Caracol – is offering flu shots during the first two weeks of October. Patient services coordinator Pamela Thompson says supply is limited, the cost $350 pesos, and you can pick up a discount card good for all outpatient lab work, physical therapy and radiology procedures when you go in. Among outreach programs for both residents and visitors are free blood pressure checks, diabetic support groups in both English and Spanish, and tours of the facility. This month’s speaker is family and addictions counselor Sueanne Lineberger, who will talk October 22 at 10 am about how to protect yourself when dealing with difficult people. Make your appointment to be vaccinated at 224-8122 or pmt15@hotmail.com. 10/04/05

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