Fiesta Blanca  a Great Success !

P.V. Garden Club has become known for its annual elegant, high-end fundraiser. With prior events at Casa Chickie and Hacienda Palo Maria, expectations were high, but guarded for the new venue, Oscar’s Restaurant on the Isla Cuale. But the artistic gifts of Mike Laking, David Muck, and Nicholas Pinney resulted in a magical setting that matched the highest standards.  White muslin curtains wafted softly in the breeze with hundreds of huge white paper camellias mounted throughout the dining hall.
Music during the cocktail hour on the lawn was provided by Pichakus Latin American folk musicians Carolina and Javiar.  During the sit down dinner, La Boquita Musicians Silvia and Paolo played.
Oscar’s food and service were excellent.  A silent auction had everyone enthusiastically bidding for items such as dinners at private homes, artwork, Vallarta experiences and dining at local restaurants.  An anonymous donor pledged $5000 U.S. as a matching challenge, and many patrons and supporters of beautification stepped up to pledge.  The evening was capped by dancing and celebration of all that the P.V. Garden club has accomplished. Thanks to everyone who helped!

Jungle Criters

 

"Jungle Critters" January 19 Garden Club meeting.What is that really yucky looking bug crawling through your house? What do you do if bitten by a scorpion? Is that snake poisonous? What is the treatment for a spider bite? Dr. Fernando Marquez, Emergency Room Physician in Puerto Vallarta gave a very good talk on how best to handle a bite once you are bitten.

“Do not use any home remedies. Head to an emergency room.” 

“Most river snakes are poisonous.  And why are you swimming in the river?  The crocodiles are likely to get you first."

We learned a nifty poem about poisonous snakes “Red touch black, good for Jack.  Red touch yellow, kill a fellow.”

Dr. Marquez also told us about a project he is working on to make Puerto Vallarta a Cardio safe city. How is that for a goal?  “Puerto Vallarta:  the Safe Cardio, Bougainvillea capital of the world.”

“Money”   
We still have a long way to go to meet our goal for 2015-16.  This year we plan to establish a secure financial base that assures the investment we have all made throughout the city, Avenida Mexico, Basilio Badillo, Lazaro Cardenas Park, etc. continues to grow and thrive through our maintenance program. We also want to expand thinking and programs.

We are keeping dues low at $500 pesos for one or $750 for a couple ($30/$45 USD) but encourage everyone to give more.

We’ve introduced an Annual Giving program with three levels: $1,500, $4,000, and $8,000 pesos- ($100/ $250/ $500 USD).

How to contribute: you have four options:

1.      PayPal: go to http://www.vallartagardenclub.com/donate.html and click on the PayPal button. Please add 50 Pesos for expenses.

2.      Galleria Dante where you can leave an envelope to the attention of PV GARDEN CLUB: Basilio Badillo 269, in the Zona Romantica.

3.      Intercam Bank: Plaza Molino de Agua at the corner of Vallarta and Aquiles Serdan in the Zona Romantica.: You can deposit CASH ONLY to the following account: P.V.GARDEN CLUB AC, account Nr. 007-99857-001-2… but you have to let us know the transaction number, otherwise we cannot find out who paid.

4.       OR even much simpler…call us at 322 222 4019 to pay over the phone with our new terminal. We enter your debit/credit card number, the amount to be paid and we then send you a receipt with the stub.

On December 17^th, 2015, the Vallarta Garden Club held it’s FIRST ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CAROL SING-ALONG at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens.  Noted PV musician Bob Bruneau accompanied us on the piano along with help from the Club’s own Chanteuse Suzanne Kirkpatrick.  Imagine yourself in the beautiful setting of the Gardens, singing White Christmas surrounded by palm trees and bougainvillea while thoughts fly north to friends and family stuck in the snow.   We had a very good time!! Watchfor our Second Annual  next year!

 

The Garden Club meeting for November was great!  Krystal Frost gave us good information on doing a small garden.

Gardens Elsewhere

GARDENS ELSEWHERE

Traveling away from our beloved Puerto Vallarta, many of us enjoy visiting gardens in other cities.  Vancouver, British Columbia has several world famous gardens, including the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden right in the heart of the city.  Built in 1985-1986, the garden is the first of its kind outside of China.  It is an authentic representation of an age-old garden tradition which reached its peak during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).  The garden is characteristic of the private spaces within a Ming scholar’s residence.  With its asymmetrical arrangement of rocks and plants, its corridors and winding paths, and the vistas that overlook its courtyards, the Garden emulates the rhythms of nature.  Ming dynasty scholars, the elite of their time, lived and worked in their garden, sharing these enchanted spaces with family and friends of all ages.  Like any home, a scholar’s garden was filled with energy, but also offered quiet moments for contemplation. 

The skyscrapers of Vancouver contrast with the peace of the garden.

 

The main focal point of the garden is the Pavilion.  It sits high on a pile of weathered rock.  Emulating a mountain, it represents humans in their natural place between heaven and earth

A classical Chinese garden reflects the Daoist philosophy of yin and yang.  The hand-laid pebbles in the courtyard are both smooth and rough.  Light is balanced by dark, rugged and hard are balanced by soft and flowing.