Vallarta Cares Benefit
Coming up in a little less than a week’s time is a benefit for Vallarta Cares With a catchy title, Raise a Glass, Lift a Cause, the organizer – and my dear friend – Brian Bott, is hoping to pack the The Social Club PV and raise enough money for Vallarta Cares to continue to help those most in need.
What started as a soup kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vallarta Food Bank evolved over the ensuing years to become Vallarta Cares, expanding its reach from feeding people to also providing hurricane relief and firefighting support.
About a year and a half ago, I toured their facility during an Open House and was blown away by the changes. There was a hot shower and new plantings (donated by the Vallarta Garden Club), a doctor and dentist’s office, a washer and dryer, and so many services to help Vallarta’s citizens get back on their feet. It was impressive to say the least.
I haven’t been to the Social Club yet, so I’m excited to scout it for future events! Join me on Thursday, September 04, at Basilio Badillo 447, Zona Romantica, at 8 pm. There will be live entertainment, fabulous cocktails, and valuable raffle prizes. For more information, click here. It’s 500 pesos at the door (cash only, please!). Space is limited, so reserve fast!
While I was away with Patrice, we went and toured Buckingham Palace. It is only open to the public for about eight or ten weeks per year. Photos were not allowed, so I kept a relic that sits on my bulletin board by my desk to constantly remind me of where I am not.
Words are insufficient to describe the splendor and um, majesty of this great pile at the end of the Mall (pronounced Mel) in London, England. Backpacks were confiscated during the tours, and chewing gum was strictly prohibited! Can you imagine the King of England reaching out to settle a teacup and discovering some boob from the provinces had stuck gum to one of his gilded tables? Our thanks go to Sharon Gerber Scherer and Alain Perreault for suggesting we not miss this gloriously appointed Royal non-residence. It was a highlight of London.
Not a speck of Princess Diana in the gift shop, or anywhere else in the Palace that I saw, at least. I understand why, on one hand, and was saddened by it on the other. Her footsteps, however, are embedded throughout Hyde Park and on the Mall where she would escape her handlers and seek peace by taking a walk in the park adjacent to the Palace. As I came to the end of yet another grand staircase, I paused on the last step, looking out onto a ballroom crowded with tourists, and felt a sudden cold shiver.
Anyway, if you are in Merry Olde in the summer and have a chance, just looking at the original paintings is worth the admission price.