Part I of 2 Parts

You know the old saying "The impossible we do at once – miracles take a little longer"? The Navy League of Puerto Vallarta got close to achieving a miracle this past week. The creation of a children's playground in a rural village from start to finish in four working days!

While this was a combined Toys for Tots project, most of the heavy-lifting was accomplished by Navy-Leaguers. Here's how it was done.
Once the Navy League team, led by Fred Piontkowski, received the O.K. to go ahead with the project, they accepted the challenge of having the playground inaugurated on El Dia del Nino (April 30). Pulling that off was a triumph typical of the determination and optimism that tends to be a characteristic of the local Navy League.

The village of San Vicente de Los Angeles is an agricultural community some 5 kilometers east of Mezcales in the State of Nayarit. This community is home to around 1.000 children. The only amenity for them has been a soccer field for the older kids. It was time to give the smaller children their own place in the village.

The site selected for the playground lies within a stand of tall mango trees which will provide shade for the smaller children through the summer. It is close by an area earmarked for a new church, bordered by fields of albahaca and platanos. When the village heard of the installation plan, their Padre held a special mass on the site, while appreciative mothers and grandmothers turned out to pledge their support.

For three days – Friday, Saturday and Monday (April 25, 26, 28) nine workers provided by the Municipality prepared the site under the direction of Roberto Zamorano. This required building 12 by 18 meter construction walls which were then filled with a 12 inch cushion of sand. On Tuesday morning, April 29th, a truck arrived from Guadalajara, carrying the playground equipment. The community turned out to welcome the crew with tortillas and jugos. Then a willing team got to work getting the various playground items unloaded, unpacked, unwrapped, assembled and installed.

Alongside Fred Piontkoski, fellow Navy-Leaguer John Moore was on hand to give some expert assistance when part of the equipment needed some on the spot modifications.

Wednesday April 30th. – The Day of the Children - at 2 p.m. Nayarit time, the San Vicente de Los Angeles playground was dedicated. It was a wonderful, happy celebration for the whole village.

The neighborhood women provided jugos and
frutas (juice and fruit) for the visitors. There were speeches of welcome and thanks from the Presidente (Mayor) Municipal of Bahia Banderas, Dr. Jaime Alonso Cuevas Tello, Kelly Trainor, USA Consular Agent, Jeff Miltenberger, President, Navy League, and representatives of the local mothers. Josefina Naya represented the Marriott Hotel, which is one of the strongest pillars supporting all Toys for Tots endeavors.

Finally, when the grown-ups were done talking, the children were invited to swing, slide, see-saw and climb the monkey-walk to their hearts content. To say they were ecstatic would be an understatement.

Among the other participants from the Navy League were Warren Johnson, Bill Clark, Judy Sorrell, Dale and Marion Hansen, Jim and Mary DeVaney, Dorothy and Fred Piontkowski. And from Obras
Publicas (Public Works), Ing. Felipe Burgueno.

PIE IN THE SKY IS INTRODUCING OUR NEW EARLY MORNING HAPPY (social) HOUR every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 NOON beginning April 1, 2008 at our Bucerias and P.V. locations.

At this time we will be offering 2x1 COFFEE AND 20% off our new GOURMET OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES.

During this "HAPPY HOUR" we will also offer OATMEAL RAISIN AND STRAWBERRY CREAM SCONES, plus our APPLE TURNOVERS - made fresh daily at 20% off.

You and your friend can also share a RUM RAISIN CARROT LOAF, BANANA NUT LOAF, or ALMOND LOAF (wheat free) with a lemon glaze on top.

Of course we also have our famous "Besos" for those of you who need a chocolate pick me up in the morning.

Bring your friend for the 2x1 coffee and chat about HAPPY Times or use this hour to have your important meetings.

WHILE HERE, TAKE ONE OF OUR FROZEN GOURMET CHICKEN PIES, CHICKEN OR SPINACH/CHEESE EMPENADAS, OR INDIVIDUAL SIZE PIZZAS HOME TO ENJOY LATER.

Our Bucerias phone number is 329-298-0838, and is located at 202 Heroe de Nacozari. In Vallarta, we are located at 247 Lazaro Cardenas, and available by calling 322-223-8183.

If you want us to bake one of our "Gourmet to Go" items, simply call us 45 minutes before you arrive.

A group of men and women gathered on the patio of The Yasmin Hotel on Basilio Badillo late Sunday afternoon for the reading of a new play. Most were members of The Puerto Vallarta Writers Group. One of their number, Eileen Obser of New York, an occasional visitor to Puerto Vallarta, had offered up her new one act play, "Water Taxi to Yelapa," for a reading and critique.

Hearing the dialogue read out loud highlighted the play's strengths and power but also revealed some weaknesses. In response, the group made a number of constructive suggestions for tightening the dialogue and sharpening the action.

The readers were: Dee Dee Camhi, Bud Grundlach, Donna Feldman, Dino (Daryl) McFadden, Larry Canady and, Stage Director, John Markuson.

Encouraging members to present readings such as this is just one of the range of activities of The Puerto Vallarta Writers Group. Open to anyone interested, there are no dues or attendance requirements. Many of the 75 members meet every Saturday morning from 10.30 – 12.00 noon at the International Friendship Club. It's located above the HSBC Bank on Insurgentes Ave. just north of the bridge over the Rio Cuale in El Centro.

To learn more, check out their website: http://www.puerto-vallarta-writers-group.com
and consider joining them on a Saturday morning.

By Barbara Bode

Manager and owners are offering specials deals for Easter week.

Here are the details:

$25
per person a night.

Villa
Celeste 5 br, 7 ba located right on Conchas Chinas beach, fully staffed with
a great pool area.

From 3/23 through 3/29/08.

Villa
Azul 4 br, 6 ba located in upper Conchas Chinas, fully staffed with private
pool with swim up bar and the most beautiful views of Banderas Bay.
From
3/24 through 3/29.

For
additional information and bookings you can contact:

Jorge
Perez

Vallarta Shores International

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

US
& CAN

1 (800) 228-4552 phone

1 (866) 873-1565 fax

México

(322)223-0785

www.VallartaShores.com

New updated look of the Madre Perlas Arch and Entrance, including the white light post bases, and curbing. I think the boys did a fine job.

By Jones,Doug

Up until a couple of years ago if you wanted to purchase a home in Mexico, your only option was to pay cash. The first piece of great news is that situation has changed and US-style mortgage loans are now readily available for those purchasing in Mexico.
That's the old news....here's the new headline...

Refinances are now finally available. We've been hoping to have them for months and now they're finally a reality.

If you already own a home or condo in Mexico, you're probably sitting on a lot of equity in the property. Up until now, it has been next to impossible to convert this equity into cash that you can use for whatever purpose you choose – including the possibility of purchasing another property in Mexico. There has been a recent introduction of a new cash-out refinance loan specifically for properties in Mexico.

This benefits not only those who currently own property in Mexico, but also those planning to buy as it enables them to take advantage of property appreciation in the future.

The leading lender of Mexico mortgage money, has announced an excellent loan program that allows you to turn your existing Mexican equity into cash. You may borrow up to 70% of your initial purchase price, or 50% of your current value with a maximum of $1 million cash out. These loan programs are all 30 year terms and include a 3 year fixed/27 year adjustable, 5 fixed/25 adjustable, 10 fixed/20 year adjustable, and even a 30 year fixed loan.

If you are concerned about pre-payment penalties, these loans have no prepayment penalties after the first 3 years. There is only a .25% add-on for the refinance loan versus a new purchase, and closing costs can be taken out of the proceeds of the loan.

This US-based lender only loans their money in Mexico through authorized mortgage brokers – they do not loan any money directly to the borrower. Because of this, it is extremely important that you choose your loan broker wisely. Looking on the internet is a place to start, but you will want to do your due-diligence to make sure you are working with not only an authorized broker, but also a broker who knows what they are doing in Mexico.

Some authorized loan brokers have closed fewer than 10 loans and most haven't closed any at all. So, just because someone looks good on the internet doesn't mean they can deliver in the real world. An important question to ask any mortgage broker purporting to do business in Mexico is, "How many loans have you actually closed in Mexico?"

With a real estate market that has softened in many sections of the US, many loan brokers are looking to "greener pastures" and consider Mexico as an area where they can originate loans from the convenience of their office in the US. Mortgage loans are still a challenging procedure in Mexico, and if you do not work with an experienced loan broker, who is actively on-the-ground and has closed loans in Mexico, you are opening yourself up to frustration and likely disappointment in the processing and funding of your loan. Just because a loan broker is authorized by one of the US lenders loaning money here doesn't mean they all know what they are doing. Loan brokers are not licensed in Mexico, so it is very much a "buyer beware" type of market.

How can you assure yourself you are working with a knowledgeable loan broker? The best way is to ask for referrals from the borrowers and the real estate agents they are working with. Individual websites are all self-promoting, so you can't always believe everything you read. Ask your loan broker how much time they devote to their Mexico mortgage business – is it a part time endeavor for them, or are they doing it as their full-time profession? How long have they been working their Mexico mortgage business? Talk to your prospective loan broker on the phone and you will get a good sense that they know, or don't know, what they're talking about. Make sure they talk specifically about the mortgage process in Mexico, and not the US – these are entirely different animals. Avoid any broker who asks you for a significant up-front fee for their services. A reputable broker will receive their compensation when the loan actually closes...not before. A small application fee of approximately $200 is common and acceptable.

You can expect to receive the proceeds from your loan in approximately 90 days, depending on the time of year. There are delays that occur through the Mexican bureaucracy because of holiday closures. You will need to be able to show current income, that you file tax returns in the US, and that you still have credit accounts in the US. At this point-in-time, Canadians are not eligible for these loan programs, but by 1st or 2nd quarter '07, we may see Canadian eligibility. We will be looking forward to making that announcement as we know how many people will be benefited.

So, what's the bottom line? If you've been wishing there were a way you could tap into the equity in your Mexican property, that day has finally arrived. Refinances are here.

Doug Jones is the founder and President of Mortgages In Mexico, and has been working the mortgage business exclusively in Mexico since Sept 2004. He is considered a pioneer and a well respected expert in mortgage financing in Mexico. He owns a home in Puerto Vallarta. You can reach Doug by calling (US) 918-398-9588, or in Mexico, 555-350-6331 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Copyright 2007.

by Sands,Barbara

Vallartans are accustomed to cocktails at 7:30, but BREAKFAST at 7:30? AM? It happened on Friday morning at the Hacienda San Angel, Janice Chatterton's boutique hotel on Miramar when a crew showed up from Manhattan to tape a new reality show called Meal Ticket that will be broadcast beginning in October 2007. To be honest, the concept is a little silly, but a number of lucky ones did enjoy breakfast since it was up to Janice to invite the breakfast guests.

Presumably we were all to be tourists, but I'm not sure we seemed like tourists with half the guests speaking Spanish and half resolutely
speaking English.

The guests first assembled downstairs in the lounge area where coffee was served. We then went upstairs to the restaurant dining room overlooking all Vallarta to enjoy more juice and coffee along with gorgeous, perfectly ripe fruit and pastries that I can only say came from Pitillal and were delicious. Then it was back to the dining table by the kitchen for the chef's pièce de résistance.

The Chef's Name is Ralph Pagano, and he has been cast by Helicon Media of New York as the chef who gets a one-way ticket to a mystery location and must "buy" his way home by preparing a meal with what he finds at his destination. His first event was in Iceland ; this was his second and he was taken (presumably blindfolded) to Mismaloya. However, since he had been here a year ago on his honeymoon, Vallarta was not unknown to him and he apparently DID hear the announcement at JFK. Ralph is told at least what the weather will be so that he may pack appropriate gear.

So, what did Ralph cook for breakfast? His idea of Mexican Eggs Benedict that had some breakfasters wondering if the food too was to be a mystery. Instead of English muffins, there were rather chewy pieces of toast for a base, but the food piled on top was quite tasty to some, or at least that's what we all told Chef Pagano. I personally would only have objected to the eggs being overpoached and found the rest quite good including spinach and chorizo and a very zesty hollandaise made with lime and a bit of cilantro.

The show will be a feature on a new HDTV network. MOJO—a new 100% hi-definition channel "tailored to fit" a targeted predominantly male audience "from exceptional food to extreme locales, from high tech toys to high stakes antics, from Wall Street to easy street and the best of sports, music, movies and more." It will be reached via a number of top cable channels. To read more about it, go to MOJOHD.COM.

Jesus Carmona, Golf Club general manager. informs us that El Tigre’s "Lluvia" gave birth to tiger cubs this past Thursday. Everyone is fine and healthy. Felicidades! In the past 4 weeks, the exotic feline population here has increased by an astounding 13 members.

PV Airport Satellite Terminal Underway
While touring the expansion works at the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, its director, José Gómez Díaz mentioned the unusual investment going into the satellite terminal for international arrivals and departures.

He said the development plan, based on the growth standards of the past four years called for an expansion by the year 2012 but the managing group decided to advance its construction to cater to an increasing demand.

"Both last year and this year we have been investing higher amounts than those diagnosed by our research, this will ensure we will not lag behind," Gómez Diáz said.

According to Gómez Díaz "the first stage of the satellite terminal, the pink building, has been concluded, as well as the firemen's quarters and the parking spaces for tourism vehicles."

The new satellite building will have four skyways, pedestrians' conveyor belts, closed circuit TV, phones and intercoms, air conditioning, emergency power units and other sophisticated equipment - all requiring very specialized technologies in order to comply with international regulations.

About 100 interchangeable acts from show to show involve 180 Tihany personnel. When this circus in its
huge pink vinyl anti-flammable tent comes to town, about 200 local persons are employed to help set up and otherwise work.<br>

With popcorn and drinks in hand, while avoiding buying lighted, high-tech-looking glowing toys, we settled in for this circus.<br>

The show we saw opened with air-bound acrobats, flying like comets, challenging gravity and landing in
a "net of dreams."  They definitely had our attention as did the rest of the performances. In between excellent jugglers, acrobats and illusionists are the glamerous men and women in Paris'
glamour and Las Vegas' glitz, with all of the technological color, lights and action around us. <br>
Richard Massone is at the heart of it all, directing action with his humor. Some children from the audience
become wonderful participants.<br>
 
One act that stands out for me is one of body balancing with Enkhbat and Amara from Mongolia. As they say, "Reaching mutation from their human self to that of steel and iron powerful giants." Of course we
loved the few animals in the show. A simple "duck act" with a child participating from the audience was one
of the most delightful. That duck is talented as well as mighty brave!<br>
 
One of the closing acts is alone worth the price of the ticket. As described, "Drawing great brilliant
figures in the air turning to glowing display, achieving the audience's astonishment as they graze their heads at speeds that surpass the light."

Just go! Don`t hesitate. Enjoy and have fun.
 
The 2,000-seat tent is set up at the corner of Francisco M. Ascencio Blvd., and the corner of Fluvial Vallarta, just north of Plaza Caracol, until May

Ticket prices range from $130 to $370 pesos (Show times are Monday-Thursday at 8:30 p.m. and Friday-Sunday at 5:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

April 29 and 30th. The III Rally of the Puerto Vallarta Moto Cross was announced and will be held on April 29th and 30th, Saturday and Sunday. Officially named Moto TT III Desfio a Las Guacas 2006 at a press conference held at the La Explosiva Sports Bar by Benito Castillo, the Director of Sports for Televisa radio 94.3 FM. <br>

There will be three categories for both novices and more experienced competitors that will compete for cash prizes. One will be the motor cross for motorcycles, the second will be for 4 wheel drive vehicles and the third category will be for off road cars. The actual rally will be run on Sunday over a magnificent 160 kilometer course that begins in Ixtapa and continues into the stunning Sierra Madres. The course will go from Ixtapa through Las Palmas before the climb to San Sebastian at the 87 KM mark, then continues through surrounding mountain towns and finishes in La Desembocada, close to the Rio Mascota.<br>

The day prior, on Saturday, all vehicles will be on display at the Agustin Flores Contreras Sports Stadium across from the Sheraton. Expected are 80-100 competitors and inexperienced riders that will come from Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima and Disrticto Federal (Mexico City). <br>

The cost to participate will be 650 pesos, which will include shirts, dinner, trophies and cash prizes. For the competitors, first prize in each category will be 5000 pesos, 3000 pesos for 2nd and 2000 pesos for third place. For the others, it will be a four - five hour day of off road riding with spectacular views and terrain. Sunday’s start is scheduled for 10 AM. If you are a rider or have never participated in such an event, it promises to be a day of fun.<br>

For registration, call cell phone 044-322-105-0817 for information in English or one can contact Benito Castillo at 044-322-137-1974, but be prepared to speak Spanish. The Moto TT has many sponsors that include Pepsi, Gold’s Gym, Corona, Yamaha and Pipi’s restaurant among at least a dozen others.

Teachers, moms & dads, and kids of all grades at American School, just love this day. With great enthusiasm, our older students, moms and dads, and teachers made sure that our younger set had the best time ever.<br>

Team activities included mud, water slides, water balloon toss, bobbing for apples, and to top it off, the tug-of-war.<br>

Lunch provided by the moms followed by a surprise show presented by the Primary teachers that all the kids just loved!