Toes in the Sand and a Quirky Fundraiser in PV
I spent a couple of delicious hours yesterday with Diana Frances on the beach for breakfast at Langostinos. With our toes in the sand and Diana’s working vacation rapidly coming to a close, we dissected her Improv workshop and the outstanding presentation made by her five students at the theater at Arte Vallarta. She loved doing Match That Snatch in drag as Gene Gayburn, alongside Gouda Gabor, aka Richard Lucas, who will be returning to his fabulous home on Vancouver Island shortly. Diana has brought great joy to Vallarta and would dearly love to spend winters out of Toronto. She is putting it out to the universe for ways to make that happen. Now, if we just had a venue for laughter.
Open Mic at Nacho Daddy is expected to continue on Tuesdays with guest hosts and Captain Lydia Damato, of course, steering that sometimes tippy ship! Speaking of Ms. Lydia, she will be calling bingo today, again at Nacho Daddy for Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic. That starts at 4 pm. Get there a bit earlier, or you will not find a seat. Prizes are awesome, and Lydia is funny as, you know the rest!
There must have been 50 of us on the labyrinth at Casa Karma Private Villa & Event Space yesterday afternoon for an unusual event and fundraiser. Local artist Rene Nieto was to paint a large canvas in front of us and auction off the finished masterpiece for charity. The ingenious part of the painting’s creation was that Rene wore a blindfold the entire time!
This idea sprang from the fertile brain of Gloria Fiona, whose production company put together this quirky event. There were two other demonstrations – a martial arts display and Fusion 91, the dance troupe that won the So, You Think You Can RISE? talent contest last month.
Gloria Fiona hosted – it was her first time, and she aced the job perfectly, of course.
The martial art of Tao Te Chia incorporates “the power of balance, path, and virtue of life,” and the students took our collective breath away with their concentration and fluidity of motion. They are super strong, flexible, and agile as children playing. From Tao Te Chia, that originated in Samoa, to Brazil, about half the group demonstrated Capoeira, a gorgeous blend of dance mixed with martial arts. The students really enjoyed showing off their hip-hop skills in this less rigid physical regimen. Truly delightful.
The girls of Fusion 91 performed their longest-choreographed piece to date just as the sun was beginning to set behind us.
Two darling waiters from La Catrina Cantina served Casa Karma’s exquisite hors d’oeuvres and made dozens of trips for cocktails from the labyrinth up the stairs to the bar.
As soon as Rene’s painting was unveiled and the auction began, Rob Burton, Jan Dorland, Robert M. Ryan, and I had to leave quickly to get to Coco Cabaret for Burlesque.
For a review of this outstanding parody that finished its run last night, come back tomorrow morning.
Georgia Darehshori is having a fundraiser today at 5:30 at Avida to help the victims of wildfires around El Tuito and the Vallarta Botanical Garden. Then, at 7 pm, at the Gay+Community Center, is the first showing of Joyce Pate’s movie “Jive Erotica,” which will be shown this year at the Montreal Film Festival. And don’t forget Scrabble at 12:30 today at Qulture.