Author: Marcia Blondin

It’s impossible that a full month of the new year is nearly over or will be tomorrow. The first thing out of my mouth when I bump into snowbirds on the street these days after welcome back, is Happy New Year. Nobody wants to hear it anymore. It was a MONTH ago, for god’s sake,…

I finally had time to go early to Paso Guayabo to catch a bit of my friend Kurt Sinner, singer and frontman for Perros del Rio band at Rancho Santiago. They sounded good and are happy to be playing together again every Tuesday at 3 pm. There is no cover, so go, play in the…

The best way to describe the Leading Ladies concert last night at Nacho Daddy is to start at the finale and work backward to the beginning of this joyous collaboration of three singers and a musical director. Gouda Gabor hosted the show and teamed with Broadway star Nicolas King, with Maestro David Maiocco (legendary Liberace…

The Electric Light Orchestra appeared once again on Coco Cabaret’s stage with little lead time to get the word out, but the audience there was thrilled! ELO was one of hundreds of new bands 50 years ago struggling to become known, and, while nearly every song played during this great tribute show was recognizable, everyone…

What a glorious night at Oscar’s on the Isla to celebrate another year of work done in the city by the Vallarta Garden Club. Dozens of raffle prizes and silent auction items were donated; I will let you know how much money was raised by this vibrant group when the dust settles. The volunteers deserve…

Keenan Steiner and I spent a couple of hours in the sun drinking mango smoothies and catching up on post-COVID goings-on in his life. And laughing. It is what he does: make people laugh. Or tries. When he moved to Mexico City a couple of years ago, and set up stand-up shop in a place…

Tribute Tuesday, upriver in Paso Guayabo, starred ABBA and all their greatest hits. Canadians Amberley Beatty and Kara Promise, each one an international touring tribute artist star, joined together for the first time here in Mexico with this ABBA show. The vocals were pure, fun, and joyous. It was impossible to sit still with the…

I wandered into the Gay+Community Center on Morelos in advance of their Open House and landed a private tour led by fundraiser wunderkind Matt Karimi. The Community Center started a year ago, with a small area, then Vallarta CoWork moved out, and the CC spread their wings and assumed the space. With some anticipated renovation,…

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,…

Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic Bingo at Nacho Daddy was good, broke my losing streak, and won the second game – Langostinos; here I come (again!) for vegetarian pasta. This weekend is full of great things to do and listen to, including: Tonight, Friday, is the Grand Opening of Tash Smith Santana’s (yes, that Santana!)…

There is something incredible about being out of the city, right by the Rio Cuale with green mountains in the distance shining in the late afternoon sun, and some of the best music of your life being sung mere feet away by a tremendously talented musician. And so it was, last Tribute Tuesday, out in…

Sargento is funny and doesn’t have to tell jokes to make people laugh. He just has to step into a room or step on a stage; he requires attention like the perfect extrovert he is. In return, you will laugh and be joyous because that’s how Sargento flies through life. He is meticulously coquettish, and…

Sunday is the new Saturday, with dance class at noon at the International Friendship Club, taught by Deborah Darr. Even though this is non-impact stuff, I am grateful for the end where we are on the floor on cushions relaxing; I do that best! Round One (of two) of Season Four of the So, You…

To Adele, a Tribute by Gloria Fiona at Teatro Vallarta was… Grand. From the sequins glittering like stars under the intense lights to the string quartet, it was a concert played at Vallarta’s highest possible level. Gloria’s voice soared over the stage and was touched with emotion that ran high all evening. Her musicians were…

For the first time in years, I heard from an old client and friend from Vallarta Tribune days, Kassiano Smith, a Jamaican-born, internationally famous singer, entrepreneur, environmentalist, healer, and dad. He wanted me to know about the launch of his daughter’s new storefront. I first met Kass’s daughter, Tashara, about 10 years ago when she…

The highly-anticipated season opener of Airotic at Coco Cabaret finally materialized last night. Every new, plushly upholstered club chair was filled. This show, originally from the men’s club Industry that lifted its ban on women for Airotic’s run for the past two seasons, has found a new home at Coco Cabaret. The expansive, six-meter-high stage…

It rained for about a minute this morning around 6:15; I hope that’s not a preview for the rest of the day. Do you have your tickets for Blooming Together, the annual Vallarta Garden Club Gala? It’s three weeks tomorrow, January 23rd, at Oscar’s, and after our last board meeting on Monday, it is shaping…

My multi-talented dear friend Deborah Darr, painter, ex-Broadway dancer, singer, and snowbird for three months every year, is also a certified N.I.A. teacher. Her classes are held at the International Friendship Club across from the Municipal Market every Sunday at noon. The fee, 120 pesos, is a donation to the IFC. The workout is gentle,…

Does everybody have a nice big chunk of Rosca, Three Kings bread, with coffee this Epiphany morning? (Don’t break a tooth on baby Jesus.) I read that Mexico City residents will spend 4 billion pesos on gifts for their kids today; Christmas just keeps on giving. The Palm Cabaret has premiered a new show called…

I had the best time at Casa Cupula last night at Out & About Puerto Vallarta Magazine’s Gay Mixer. I was met at the door by owner/publisher Jerry Jones and his whole crew there to greet everyone, photograph the absolutely gorgeous surroundings overlooking the city, Bay of Banderas and every now and again, a naked…