The Day of the Innocents on December 28, roughly equivalent to our April Fool’s Day but so much more fun because people of all ages really get into it, caught me off guard yet again this year. Kudos to Angela Corelis, editor of the local English-language weekly “The Times,” for her tongue-in-cheek “news” items, including one stating that Vallarta’s getting not only 500 rickshaws from Hong Kong, but 50 rickshaw drivers to train the locals to expedite us around busy El Centro. To my chagrin, I rolled my eyes, shook my head and muttered several times before realizing I’d been had! Maybe next year I’ll remember not to believe anything I hear or read on December 28!

With Christmas over, most of us who exchange presents during the holiday season have already done so. But in Mexico, Three Kings’ Day on January 6 is the traditional day of gift giving. Several local charities raise funds to give toys to as many kids as possible that might otherwise go without. And hats off to the Navy League of Puerto Vallarta which, with a great deal of cooperation and assistance, raised nearly $20,000 USD – enough to put smiles on the faces of 3,000 youngsters. There’s nothing stopping any one of us, however, from taking the initiative of buying a few toys and giving them away – the spirit of the season in action!

New Year’s resolutions were something I used to take seriously, plotting them days ahead, writing them down for posterity, and telling all and sundry what brilliant plans I had. And although I no longer “officially” make any, I still muse about changes I could choose to make in my life.

Well, one overriding desire took shape last night, two days into the New Year: to let myself get out more. Sounds funny, I know, particularly considering my line of work and that I do attend more social events than most. But I get lazy, forgetting how energizing new soul-enhancing experiences can be. And here in Vallarta I am privy to so many possibilities, many quite spontaneous, like yesterday’s New England Symphonic Ensemble’s free sunset concert at the Hotel Krystal, which I found out about quite by coincidence just hours before. And what a magical heart-warming evening it was!
This 55-piece orchestra that has played Carnegie Hall and in 40 countries shared its message of peace with Vallarta through the music of Mozart, Strauss, Rossini and other masters of composition. It was the best of all worlds, cultural entertainment worthy of a world-class city in the spellbinding ambiance of this place I love. Held outdoors against an impressive backdrop of seven columns, ships, frigate birds, even falling stars drifted by to the strains of harp and violin, the heavens morphing from tangerines to fuchsias to transcendent mauves. We’re blessed with quality entertainment here, and it’s a shame not to take advantage of it.

The town’s humming, and feedback from business owners is very positive this past week, art galleries reporting brisk sales and restaurants waiting lines. And I was happy to see a caravan of Vallarta Adventure jeeps packed with partying explorers. Hurrah! We’re back in business, this season promising to be as good as any, despite that uninvited rascal Kenna. The new and improved Malecon is once again brimming with strollers, cotton candy sellers and picture takers. All that’s missing are the several fallen sculptures, but I expect they too will soon be back in place.

With all the film production going on here of late, we in Vallarta have a much better chance of spotting a big star – like Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah or David Carradine, all of whom are here for the filming of “Kill Bill,” directed by Quentin Tarantino – than we would in, say, New York or Toronto. Lots of heady cinema stuff is slated for this year, including the John Huston film festival in April. “People Magazine,” get ready for my scintillating reports – especially the one planned for next December 28!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about what you’re reading, you’re encouraged to let me know at heather@mexmags.com.