From Here, With Love
Today is the last publication of Vallarta Mirror. I am grateful to the many contributors who have written on various topics from raising spiritual awareness, to where to go to catch roosterfish. From raising kids in paradise to Crayola colors, brilliant poetry to strolling back streets in a local barrio; growing exotic plants, real estate developments and herbal concoctions to keep you healthy. Almost a thousand articles written over the past two years with writers gleaned from the first large English newspaper, the Vallarta Tribune, the PV Mirror and now the Vallarta Mirror will join those two defunct sister publications.
There has been some interest shown in continuing to produce a similar, community-based collection. We will see what happens in the new year. Personally, I will continue to write about life in this city, particularly our expansive entertainment scene. My column From Here, will continue to be published at VallartaCalendar.com under the ‘Around Town’ heading, and on my Facebook page. So, you are not getting rid of me just yet!
A little over two years ago, I walked in Qulture to play Scrabble and announced that I would be takiing over the PV Mirror. One of our players congratulated me and said, ”If you ever need any help with a website or whatever, let me know.”
My reply to Kevin Feltner, ”Can you be at my house tomorrow morning at 10?” He could and he did, unleashing likely the biggest challenge in patience he has ever had to deal with. Kevin created the Vallarta Mirror website and when that was up and running, he created the Rearview Mirror to be a weekly compilation of all the articles submitted. When THAT was up and running, he began the arduous task of teaching me the intricacies of WordPress. Slowly but surely, I began to do everything myself, with him standing by constantly available to fix my screw-ups. There have been many.
During one of our countless meetings early on of what to take away from Vallarta Mirror and what to add, we realized a comprehensive calendar of events was critical and after a few iterations, VallartaCalendar.com, as you know it today, came to be and is so important that Google uses the information in VC, word for word, if you ask about what’s going on in Puerto Vallarta. I am so happy to be joining Vallarta Calendar with purpose to make it the single most important website in Vallarta.
Take a minute and have a look at this for even more background.
To Kevin Feltner and Rob Dornan at Vallarta Calendar, my heartfelt thanks; my love and devotion are infinite.
For Jerry Jones, publisher at Out & About Puerto Vallarta, who first printed From Here online with photographs and proved to me, before Vallarta Mirror was even a concept, that not publishing a hard copy, spending close to 100k a week for a throwaway, and killing at least 15 trees to do it, was okay. More than ‘okay’! I am so grateful.
Gratitude fills me up. To every writer, every reader, every tourist and expat resident, and everyone who had to listen to me moan about the learning curve of publishing Vallarta Mirror, thank you. To Puerto Vallarta, who inspires me daily, we will both keep growing and expanding in love until we are no more.
Marcia Blondin
Editor
VallartaMirror.com From Here
