Oh, What a Beautiful Day!
This gorgeous, still cool morning follows on the heels of one of my dearest friends’ 75th birthday party last night. Garbo’s Piano Bar on Pulpito was packed with friends and well-wishers as we hugged, patted, squeezed, and piled love on Jan Dorland. Jan’s partner of over 20 years, Rob Burton, orchestrated the festivities with their friend and mentee, Sargento Dan, as host with Bing Young on piano.
With a lifetime spent in theatre, Jan’s contributions to Vallarta’s artistic community have been outstanding, and the outpouring of gratitude from each person who sang was absolutely heartfelt. Our combined emotions have been stressed to the max this week, and releasing some happy, joyous tears was sorely needed. The laughter following humorous stories about Jan added to the healing.
The attendees last night read like a who’s who of Vallarta’s entertainment industry, and then Vallarta did what Vallarta does best – play. All egos were left outside the bar, everyone onstage or off on the same level playing field, and love flowed like wine.
It was standing room only as our vibrant community cheered Jan and his accomplished life thus far, and by raising him, we too were raised, solidifying the fact that we are together in this magnificently lovely city on the sea.
That we are warm all the time (albeit sometimes a bit too warm!), surrounded by abundant nature at her finest, that the freshest food is grown nearby, and that we have found one another in this place. We create our lives to be sure, but it is so extraordinary to be in a place where an entire city feels the way we do individually. That makes us so incredibly strong and resilient. As long as we hold onto that thought, we will be just fine. Happy Birthday, with much love, Jan. Celebrating you was exactly what we all needed to get back on track.
Another birthday was celebrated yesterday over at Bar Frida, with owner Tom Finley turning 82! Bar Frida was full of people for dinner, with everybody who wasn’t at Garbo’s!
I walked home last night straight down a reasonably busy Olas Altas, in front of the tile park, over the pedestrian bridge, and turned right onto Calle Guerrero, at the Vallarta Dancers sculpture by Jim Demetro, almost home. The OXXO on Juarez was open for business; I stopped in my tracks and took a photo. It made me so damn happy. Then, a block from my house, I walked a few meters and checked the other OXXO around the corner on Calle Libertad. It too was open.
I buoyantly reached my freshly painted house thanks to the City that is refurbishing all the houses in Centro, and unlocked my front door. Bogie, my enormous Maine Coon kitty, was waiting and meowing his disapproval of the late hour as he always does. We walked upstairs together and went to bed. I slept like a baby, From Here.
