There is a guy from New York who makes the best meatballs you have ever tasted.

Here are some more of the items available:

Handmade Crafts for Christmas
Necklaces
Scarves
Hats
Decorative Items
Soft Stuffed Animals
Jewelry
Organic Beauty Products
Purses

Sauces, soups, middle eastern food, cakes, pies, gluten free products, Weight Watchers food with points, cookies (my favorite were the delicious oatmeal), preserves and pickles, organic wine and coffee from Oaxaca and, of course, the simply spectacular Slice of Heaven cheesecakes.

All prices are very reasonable and it is a great place to do your Christmas shopping and perhaps indulge in a treat for you.

All the booths have friendly staff and are very eager to help and answer questions.

I liked a lot of the handmade Christmas decorations and wreaths which would adorn any home and make it very warm and Christmasy.

Come next Monday November 21st from 10:00 am – 12 noon and see all the wonderful selections for yourself.

See you there!

This year there are 6 concerts and an event at La Nueva Posada from February 19th to March 1at, 2011.

The Gala Opening is Cultures in Communication on Saturday, February 19th at 7:30 pm at the Auditorio de la Ribera, Ajijic and costs $300.00 pesos. All new this year. the largest orchestra ever. Beethoven;s 7th; Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major and a World Premiere commissioned for the Games, The Pan American overture by Gary Kulesha.

Guitango 2 with Guitarist Alvin Tung on Monday, February 21st, 7:30 pm also at the Auditorio de La Ribera, Ajijic at a cost of $150.00 pesos. Returning by popular demand after over-capacity crowds were overwhelmed by his virtuosity last year. See and hear things on the guitar that you thought impossible.

Drew Jurecka Jazz Quintet again at the Auditorio is on Wednesday, February 23rd, at 7:30 pm for $250.00 pesos. All new Jazz Band this year. Jazz Violin in the style of Stephane Grappelli.. Old tunes, new tunes and original tunes.

Intimate Settings The Attacca String Quartet is being held at El Dorado Private Residence Club (South Side of the Libramento #98, San Antonio Tlayacapan) on Friday, February 25th at 7:30pm for a cost of $150.00 pesos. From New York City and Julliard School, the Attacca String Quartet in concert. A very special intimate setting. Tickets limited Get them early.

An Evening with Jill Barber is being held at the Auditorio Saturday, February 26th at 7:30 pm for a cost of $250/00 pesos. An enchanting concert evening with the double Juno award nominee. Canadian singer,song writerand east coast star backed by the Hot Jazz Quintet. New to the festival this year.

GalaClosing War and Peace at the Auditorio Tuesday, March 1st, 7:30 pm for a cost of $300.00 pesos. The Festival Chanber Orchestra. A grand finale. Honegger’s Symphony #2 for String Orchestra and Trumpet. Dvorak;s famous Serenade for Strings.

Lastly there is a Special Event at La Nueva Posada which is a Hot Jazz Dinner concert on Thursday, February 24th at 6:00 pm for a cost of $400.00. All new jazz band and dinner under the stars with Drew Jurecka and guests. Tickets available at La Nueva Posada only and is a special event and is not included in any packages.

Tickets are on sale now at the Lake Chapala Society Ticket Booth from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and at Charter club Tours at Plaza Montana on the Carretera at Colon in Ajijic.

For more information on these wonderful concerts or to become a patron of the Festival please visit their website at: www.scotiabanknorthernlightsmusiccfestival.com

These concerts are always very well attended and we are lucky to have these very talented Canadian Musicians here to perform for our community again and we have Chris Wilshire to thank for this.

The Patron Saint of Ajijic, San Andres, the Fisherman, is honored for the last 9 days of November every year. These Fiestas are also called “The Fiestas de Noviembre”.

Gardeners, waiters, construction workers and the employees of a local hotel, the Nueva Posada, participate in the early morning and evening pilgrimages to the church in the plaza to mass, igniting loud skyrockets which tradition has it will frighten away evil spirits.

The large church of San Andres in the plaza is filled each day with musicians, flowers and candles and is very beautiful to behold.

For hours young people stroll around the bandstand and dance in the plaza. These walks are traditional and girls walk in one way and boys in the other and if you see someone that takes your fancy a rose may be proffered to show ones interest in the other person

Older family members congregate to enjoy conversation, watching the young people and to sample local cuisine and drinks available in the sidewalk cafes and bars set up for the fiestas. A favorite drink is Canela con Rompope which is a cinnamon flavored drink with a generous dollop of Mexico’s answer to eggnog.

Younger children are thrilled with the carnival rides and various booths selling games, toys, CD’s and other items from clothes to local folk art.

A highlight of each night is the Castillo which is an ancient Spanish and Chinese two story bamboo tower of fireworks which is lit sometime after 10:00 pm each evening built by a local family and paid for by participating local businesses.

One of the favorite pastimes of the fiestas is confetti filled eggs which are smashed over some unsuspecting person’s head bringing squeals of laughter from the young perpetrators.

If you live in the village of Ajijic the nightly noise of the festivities can be very loud and some residents choose to travel during this time. For us, however, the Fiestas are one of the highlights of the year.

Ajijic young people who work the United States sponsor the biggest night of the Fiestas which is November 29th by raising money during the year in their US communities and sending their donations to their Mexican families.

Each night is dedicated to a different business that sponsors their evening. For example the Nueva Posada hosts a parade from Seis Esquinas (Six Corners) at the west of Ajijic. There are Indian Dancers, bands, gifts of bread, fruit and wine for the church and of course the priest who marches along the street to the church with brightly it paper flower candles and all are welcome to join the march which ends up in the church for a special mass.

The a mass is held thanking the Eager Family for all they do for the community and all the Mexicans they employ.

Other similar activities mark each of the 9 days of the Fiestas for other participants.

For those of us lucky enough to be living in or visiting Ajijic, Lake Chapala, the Fiestas are a wonderful way to enjoy the warm, welcoming Mexican people and their traditions.

Many go every night as there is always something different to enjoy and I certainly recommend that you attend at least one evening of the festivities and to visit the beautifully decorated Church de San Andres. I know you will be glad you did.

Art in the Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mexico Area

We all have our favorites and I would like to tell you about two art shows this weekend for 2 of my favorite artists.

Judy Eager is an award winning artist here in Ajiic, Lake Chapala and has been painting since she arrived in the late 70’s. Although she has a busy job at La Nueva Posada she still finds time to paint several hours every day at her studio just below the carretera on Javier Mina in Ajijic.

Her paintings can also be seen gracing the elegant staircase at La Nueva Posada and are available for sale at that location too.

I am lucky enough to have 2 of her paintings in my home. Being Canadian the 2 flowers I miss the most are lilacs and tulips. In my living room I have a beautiful painting of cream tulips in an antique vase on a taupe background and I also have a painting of a glass bowl on a gold base which reflects the amazing deep purple lilacs it holds with an old Victorian book on a rose background in my main guest room. I love both of these paintings and they give me and my family a great deal of pleasure.

Today Feb. 6 and tomorrow Feb. 7 Judy is holding an art show from 11:00am to 4:00pm in her studio on Javier Mina. I urge you to attend and some very beautiful art and a glass of wine will be offered to you.

The other artist I would like to tell you about is Kiki Kaye (www.kikikaye.com) You can find her full bio on her website. Kiki had a very successful show at the studio of Enrique and Belva Valasquez on Contitucion in Ajiic in Dec. 2008.

Kiki has been chosen to show her work in The Book of Art: International Contemporary Masters of 2009 at the Centro Cultural Ajijic on the north side of the plaza in Sala I, Saturday Feb 7 from 5:00 – 8:00pm. There will be cocktails and music provided at this show.

We support also our local artists and the Collins Real Estate office across, from Superlake in San Antonio Tlayacapan is adorned with the creativity of a young Ajijic artist, Churro. Although the work in progress was a little frightening the end result was amazing and has garnered much acclaim.

Art is alive and well in Ajijic Lake Chapala and we invite you to support and enjoy what our extensive artist’ community have to offer.