Sean, age 14, wants to go to the Mint, which is a night club/disco in downtown San Miguel de Allende. When I used to go, in the early 90s, it was called Pancho and Lefty´s. Yes, you read right. Sean is FOURTEEN! The trouble is a lot of her friends go. The club doesn´t card underagers and the parents let them. So she thinks that means she should be allowed to go.
"Nothing will happen." "I just want to go and dance with my friends." Among other arguments.
Our firm stance is "You don´t go to bars."
Yesterday, Sean went to the Tutti Frutti on Mesones and got an ice cream and then stopped in the JardÃn after school and bought helium balloons with her friends. They of course unknotted them and sucked helium and walked around talking like cartoon characters. She came into our spa minutes later telling me and Carlos how hysterical it was.
A few days ago, when we drove to Parque Bicentenario, Sean and her friends opened Cokes in a cans. They moved the pull tab back and forth, reciting for each pull, A-B-C-D... Sean got as far as G.
"Gonzalo!" Ana shrieked.
"Giovani!" Jerusa yelled.
"Gerardo!" said Sofi.
The boys who are thinking of them at that moment, or who they are supposed to marry or some such ritual.
I love it when she acts her age. I hope Sean will stop and realize how much fun she has BEING FOURTEEN, and stop trying to be twenty years old. There are actually moments, I believe, when she does.
Blue Iguanas, Cold Caguamas, Blinking Jesus and other surprises found in Mexico diario
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Publishers Weekly reviewed Flirting in Spanish!
Can´t complain!
Secretly, I´m thrilled!!
Check it out.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-9828591-9-3
Secretly, I´m thrilled!!
Check it out.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-9828591-9-3
Friday, June 10, 2011
Final final fun fun
Last...huff, puff, pant, pant...edits are in on Flirting in Spanish. The book is now in galley form, ready to send to reviewers. Publishers Weekly wants to see it! El Sol (http://www.solliterarymagazine.com/), an online magazine based here in San Miguel, wants to run an excerpt.
Big wheel keep on turning...
Things are happening!
Back in Momlandia, I woke up crabby yesterday that I had to drive to Queretaro for a school trip. I don´t like to drive! I didn´t want to leave my cozy little business (http://www.jasminedayspasma.com/) where I sit with my computer when I am not doing massages! But there I was at 10 A.M. passing the new Presidencia and the glorieta and heading toward Highway 57 on our way to Santa Rosa Juaregui with, why, five laughing teenagers in my car. What a nifty day it was indeed...my 14 year old and her friends squished in, talking about school and friends and boys, music playing, elbows out the window in the sun!
Parque Bicentenario is the deal of the century. (http://www.parquebicentenarioqueretaro.gob.mx/)
You pay a 35 peso (about 3 dollars) entrance fee and then everything except the paddle boats is free. A giant tiled pool with skyscraper slides. Roller coasters, bumper cars and more rides. Tubing down a river that goes through a dripping tunnel. A skateboard park, green areas, kiddie rides. By the end of the day, I had exhausted, happy teens. But not exhausted enough. Later, with all the money they saved by going to Parque Bicentenario, they gathered at my spa at around 6 pm, and headed up to the movies.
Big wheel keep on turning...
Things are happening!
Back in Momlandia, I woke up crabby yesterday that I had to drive to Queretaro for a school trip. I don´t like to drive! I didn´t want to leave my cozy little business (http://www.jasminedayspasma.com/) where I sit with my computer when I am not doing massages! But there I was at 10 A.M. passing the new Presidencia and the glorieta and heading toward Highway 57 on our way to Santa Rosa Juaregui with, why, five laughing teenagers in my car. What a nifty day it was indeed...my 14 year old and her friends squished in, talking about school and friends and boys, music playing, elbows out the window in the sun!
Parque Bicentenario is the deal of the century. (http://www.parquebicentenarioqueretaro.gob.mx/)
You pay a 35 peso (about 3 dollars) entrance fee and then everything except the paddle boats is free. A giant tiled pool with skyscraper slides. Roller coasters, bumper cars and more rides. Tubing down a river that goes through a dripping tunnel. A skateboard park, green areas, kiddie rides. By the end of the day, I had exhausted, happy teens. But not exhausted enough. Later, with all the money they saved by going to Parque Bicentenario, they gathered at my spa at around 6 pm, and headed up to the movies.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
12 Reasons the 9-Hour Trip to the Beach Is Worth It
In random order:
1. Roads lined with mango trees
2. Waking to the sound of waves
3. Main means of transportation is the bicycle
4. Your waitress is barefoot
5. Snorkling the unspoiled coral reef
6. My anxiety burning off like the morning mist
7. Our girls getting along
8. The absence of Sean´s "you´re so annoying" face
9. The girls still body-surfing at 9 pm
10. Shrimp botana in Cuastecomate
11. Sea Kayaking with the chance some dolphins will join you
12. Going down to sea level means your blood fills with oxygen which
means the Pacifico beer you drink has little effect.
1. Roads lined with mango trees
2. Waking to the sound of waves
3. Main means of transportation is the bicycle
4. Your waitress is barefoot
5. Snorkling the unspoiled coral reef
6. My anxiety burning off like the morning mist
7. Our girls getting along
8. The absence of Sean´s "you´re so annoying" face
9. The girls still body-surfing at 9 pm
10. Shrimp botana in Cuastecomate
11. Sea Kayaking with the chance some dolphins will join you
12. Going down to sea level means your blood fills with oxygen which
means the Pacifico beer you drink has little effect.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Life in La Manz
The first day we saw a giant orange coin of a sunset. Monday we saw about two dozen iguanas, from baby green ones scurrying around in the grass to giant grey/green daddies blocking our path over at Warren and Tuli´s place at, where else, Boca de Iguana, an understated resort-and-condo development with one of the most fabulous infinity pools we've ever seen and also one of the coolest bathroom sinks...it's like flora and fauna and water, but it's a sink. Also Carlos and Sean took off for the little palapa-roofed store and had to skirt a crocodile. Oh yes, every day we see crocodiles. The crocodiles live in the manglar (mangrove) at the end of our street. There are dozens of them dozing in the mixture of fresh and salt water, where the river dumps into the sea. When we first came to La Manzanilla, about six years ago, there was a little rail separating the street from the crocs, only centimeters away. Now there is a real chain-link fence.
La Manzanilla is truly is one of the earth's most beautiful spots. Now, of course as soon as I say that, I have to modify it to tell you that yesterday and today again we went down to the road to an even more glorious beach....la de Tenacatita. When I came back yesterday and told the folks in Santana Real Estate office that we had gained accerss to Tenacatita, they were left speechless. Nine months ago, government soldiers forcibly tossed out of the town the fishermen, restaurant owners and vendors who had made their home there for years. They bulldozed businesses and palapa shacks, having been petitioned by the real owner of the beachfront land to do so, I'm told. The folks making their living there were in effect squatters. Apparently they had been asked to leave several times over the past 20 years, and didn-t. I have to say all my reporting comes from hearsay. I haven't journalistically backed any of it up on my own. I do know, because we were there over the last two days, that the entrance to town is now guarded by 6 to 8 armed state guards and two barking German Shepherds in cages. Once we showed some ID though, we were told we could enjoy the beaches but not take photos of anything BUT beach and sea, and we were waved through.
I know people lost their locations and their means to make a living (but not really, most of the vendors have relocated to La Manzanilla), and I feel for the upheaval in their lives, but as a tourist, I have to say the beach, without gals in folkloric dresses hawking necklaces, is breathtaking. We visited Tenacatita two days in a row for its major attraction - an unspoiled coral reef, through which we delightedly snorkled, spotting several species of colorful little fish.
This morning, I was about two minutes into meditation up on our palapa porch when Carlos said, "Dolphins!" He ran in and woke the girls and we watched half a dozen dolphins romp through our bay, often doing full-body leaps from the water.
Dolphin watching and coral reef snorkling before the day's first meal. Can you beat it? I need a nap.
La Manzanilla is truly is one of the earth's most beautiful spots. Now, of course as soon as I say that, I have to modify it to tell you that yesterday and today again we went down to the road to an even more glorious beach....la de Tenacatita. When I came back yesterday and told the folks in Santana Real Estate office that we had gained accerss to Tenacatita, they were left speechless. Nine months ago, government soldiers forcibly tossed out of the town the fishermen, restaurant owners and vendors who had made their home there for years. They bulldozed businesses and palapa shacks, having been petitioned by the real owner of the beachfront land to do so, I'm told. The folks making their living there were in effect squatters. Apparently they had been asked to leave several times over the past 20 years, and didn-t. I have to say all my reporting comes from hearsay. I haven't journalistically backed any of it up on my own. I do know, because we were there over the last two days, that the entrance to town is now guarded by 6 to 8 armed state guards and two barking German Shepherds in cages. Once we showed some ID though, we were told we could enjoy the beaches but not take photos of anything BUT beach and sea, and we were waved through.
I know people lost their locations and their means to make a living (but not really, most of the vendors have relocated to La Manzanilla), and I feel for the upheaval in their lives, but as a tourist, I have to say the beach, without gals in folkloric dresses hawking necklaces, is breathtaking. We visited Tenacatita two days in a row for its major attraction - an unspoiled coral reef, through which we delightedly snorkled, spotting several species of colorful little fish.
This morning, I was about two minutes into meditation up on our palapa porch when Carlos said, "Dolphins!" He ran in and woke the girls and we watched half a dozen dolphins romp through our bay, often doing full-body leaps from the water.
Dolphin watching and coral reef snorkling before the day's first meal. Can you beat it? I need a nap.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Vote Now!
Hey all!
First I don´t know why this is centered and not left flush and I can´t correct it. Next, two possible designs are in for the cover of my memoir, Flirting in Spanish to be released July 1, 2011, and I like them both! I need help!
If you would kindly comment me your favorite, I´d have an easier time deciding. Thank you, genuis readers!
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