Grand Openings, Concerts, Parties and Free-Flowing Tequila
Last weekend was rich with diverse musical genres, from Cabaret to Bach Cantatas and back to Cabaret. But first, a Grand Opening of a new shop in a section of Vallarta undergoing a rebirth at Los Mercados. Tashara Smith Santana cut the ribbon at the front door of Usawa with her husband on one side, a stack of balloons on the other, and the tiny courtyard with its Cantera-stone fountain was full of family and well-wishers. Champagne flowed like Tash’s tears of joy as hugs enfolded everyone.
The shop is dramatically painted a deep, rich green, a lovely balance to all of Tash’s environmentally-friendly skincare and household products. Proud papa, the great Jamaican-born singer/songwriter and healer Kassiano was impressed with the look of the store and all of his daughter’s accomplishments. The family and ‘Team Usawa’ posed for photographs. Candles, soap, body scrubs (you can make your own), shampoo, lip balms, and much more are all suitably packaged for gift-giving to yourself or someone special. Look for Usawa (the Swahili word for Balance) at Los Mercados on Aquiles Serdan, just a block up from Intercam and two blocks from the beach. The four young women in this project conceive, make, package, and sell everything in the store. Usawa gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘hands-on’!
Arte Vallarta is 12 years old, so, of course, owner Nathalie Herllng had a party with 50 of her fave artists (including Bogie’s vet Doctora Claudia’s best photos) invited to show off their work. Then, she invited the rest of Vallarta over for a look-see. The wine, beer, and tequila flowed FREELY for hours as hundreds of residents and tourists roamed shoulder to shoulder through the warrens of galleries, up spiral staircases, down into the basement, through the theater, and maybe wound up back at the bar for more refreshments. Nathalie’s next shindig is February 14, a fundraiser for Arte Vallarta Museo.
I reluctantly left the party for a concert at Act2PV to hear the fantastic Ann Kittredge sing. A full report on that is in a separate article. From Ann, I flew over to our Church of Guadalupe for the 9th annual free classical concert. David Barss, who orchestrated these wonderful events for nearly a decade, was on hand with his piccolo trumpet, guitar, and voice. Monies received – nearly 20,000 pesos from passing the hat, will go towards repairing the dome at the church. Vanessa Amaro, soprano, recreated Bach’s Cantata #51 with Barss. It was electric. Vanessa sang a couple of versions of Ave Maria, plus other sacred music accompanied by concert pianist and Vallarta Symphony Orchestra Conductor Aquiles Morales on the organ. Or electric piano; in this case, the Church’s organ was not functioning. Vallarta’s strolling tenor, Rodolfo, blind from birth, was invited to sing a solo and to join the others in Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah as the finale. Bravo, bravo; I’m already looking forward to next year!
Come back tomorrow and find out how the Gay+ Community Center has done its first year, the results of Show #2 for RISE and Gloria Fiona on the Isla.