In the company of new friends at the artist fair

Selection of original paintings by Damien Lemee.   

“When’s the next Artist Fair?”

“I’m coming back to Isla on (insert any date) will there be an Artist Fair that day?”

These are frequently asked questions on the various island-enthusiast Facebook pages.

The Artist Fairs are becoming at tourist draw and as of November 30^th the fairs are every Thursday until April of next year. However, it was deadly quiet night on December 14^th at the fair, the week before the Christmas rush.  

Val Jukosky bracelet

I was fortunate to have three very sociable and entertaining artisans beside me, to fill the quiet times with laughter. Val Jukosky, Liwlig Larsen, Damien Lemée and I were set-up along a concrete wall in the shadow of the life-threatening coco-bombing palms trees. Each of us had a colourful display of our wares, hoping to entice passersby to purchase an original piece of art, a beautiful bit of jewelry, or in my case one of my new paperback novels or bilingual book for children.

Until recently I seldom had the time to chat with these folks even though I saw them week after week for several years. On this night, there were very few people browsing the displays so we chatted, and joked, and I finally got to know them a little bit better.

Val Jukosky necklace

Val Jukosky is from London Ontario, Canada. She makes beautiful ocean-tumbled sea glass and semi-precious gemstone jewelry. Here's the link to her FB page: Val's Sea Glass 

This is Val’s fifth winter on Isla, her first three years were six months at a time, but now she is here for longer periods. Previously she wintered in Puerto Vallarta and Melaque on the west coast of Mexico. She got hooked on sea glass collecting during her first winter on Isla started participating in the Artist Fairs the next year. Val says she loves being surrounded by water. Me too!  During the quiet times at last week’s fair, Val got busy and created fun, colourful bookmarks for my novels. She made a few and sold them all. They seem to be a hit.

A selection of art by Liw Larsen.

Liw Larsen is from Denmark. She first discovered Isla in 2006. Travelling around the world, she was in California when a friend suggested Mexico. It wasn't on her bucket list but from the very first day on Isla she felt like this was home. She knew she had to come back and stay, but it was September 2013 before she finally returned to stay. Here's the link to her FB page: Art By Liw 

Liw loves the slow life here, just living in the moment with no stress, lovely people a beautiful island and country. “I just love Mexico.” Her paintings are fun, bright and lively. She also has a selection of colourful prints, and has recently started painting mermaids on driftwood.

Damien Lemée was born in France but while traveling in Canada at the age of seventeen he decided to live there. He now lives six months in Montreal and six months on the island.  Here's the link to his FB page: Damien Lemée

The first time he came to Isla Mujeres was in 1998 as part of a band that played a mix of fun, danceable Latino tunes. The band’s name was Proyecto Indica, and included vocalist Lenin Zurita, Andre Hamel on flute and saxophone with Damien as the percussionist. They performed during the winter season for ten years in a number of bars on the island, including La Peña.

Artist, Damien Lemee being James-Bond cool.

Damien’s art includes an intriguing variety of painted bird sculptures made from recycled tires, plus paintings, prints and photographs.

We recently purchased a fun print of a black cat sitting outside the store on Juarez that has three cats painted on the building. Damen said it took his three tries to get the photo. Every time he picked up his camera the cat would leave, finally on the third day the cat waited for him to take his photograph.

Damien's birds made from re-cycled tires

Started by Brad and Tiffany Wareing in the winter of 2011 at the original Barlito’s location on Hidalgo Avenue, the Artist Showcase moved from the crowded corner to spread across the Sócalo in front of City Hall in Centro. Renamed the Art and Food Fair it grew to a healthy seventy-some-odd artists and food-vendors by 2013. Then the municipality decided that inside the Casa de Cultura on the malécon was a better venue. After a short time inside the building, the fair was moved outside to the parking area across from M&J’s and beside what is now the new office of tourism. 

Both Brad and Tiffany have worked very hard for several years, to organize the events, promote them, and deal with the myriad of national, state, and municipal regulations.
  
For the past couple of years the Isla Brewing Company livened up the drab Casa de Cultura location with their mobile beer truck, selling their hand-crafted ales. They contributed an enormous about fun and energy to the event including stringing overhead lights and providing music. Of course when other vendors plugged in their lights, the musicians their amps, and the cooks their microwaves, the circuit breaker would trip plunging the entire fair into darkness. Amid laughter and loud groans adjustments would be made and the beer dispensing, lighting, music, and food prep would resume. Fingers-crossed Isla Brewing will come back this year. We miss their lively energy. Here's the link to their FB page: Isla Brewing Company

Isla Mujeres Mystery Book #1 Treasure Isla & Book #2 Trouble Isla

The evening of December 14^th wasn’t a total loss for me. Besides selling enough books to make it worthwhile and making new friends, I also had a very long and interesting chat with Dante Lopez, the owner of Mr. Opal on Madera Avenue in Centro. He told me a fascinating story about the Mayan culture that might just work its way into Isla Mujeres Mystery Book #4, Terror Isla.

And with that I’ll leave you hanging ……

There won’t be a blog on December 29^th, see you in the New Year!

Cheers from paradise

Lynda & Lawrie

~

Coming soon!  Isla Mujeres Mystery Book #3

Working on Book #3 Tormenta Isla

There's Trouble on Isla, Big Trouble!
  

Book #2 in the Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

5.0 out of 5 stars

Fast and furious

By CA reviews on September 26, 2017

Yasmin and Jessica are back and the gold they found in Treasure Isla is still haunting them, especially when Carlos, their boss at the Loco Lobo, and Yasmin’s new lover, is kidnapped. No spoilers here, but his captivity and the girls’ efforts to free him, with the help of Carlos’s pals—including local Isla Mujeres fishermen and a Mexico City cop—are the crux of this fast-paced story. Lock has created not only a compelling and authentic setting, but a well-developed ensemble cast. The next Isla mystery can’t come fast enough.

$2.99 USD on most e-book distribution systems.

 Book #1 Treasure Isla 

where the fun began!

5.0 out of 5 stars

Captivating and authentic

By CA reviews on September 26, 2017

This was a truly fun in the sun kind of mystery, with an authenticity that was simply captivating. Set on the island called Isla Mujeres, not far from the better-known Mexican resort of Cancun, it follows the misadventures of two girlfriends, who on a drunken binge manage to wander onto the grounds of a cemetery and find a treasure map stuck in a crevice of an old pirate tomb. Jessica, from Canada, and local pal Yasmin both work at a tourist bar/restaurant called the Loco Lobo. Soon their boss Carlos and a handsome attorney named Luis are involved in the girls’ illegal hunt for pirate gold. Toss in a bad dude running from a string of crimes in Key West, and it’s the start of an addictive new mystery series.

         $2.99 USD on most e-book distribution systems.

Enjoying yummy baked goods on a white sand beach - paradise

Alicia at Art Fair - yummy goodies

“Banana bread, my favourite!  No, wait, apple pie, that’s my favourite.” I say pointing at the display case at Cafeteando Coffee and Bread. 

Formerly located on Hidalgo Avenue, Alicia Giorello has recently re-located her bakery to the Palapa Leidy on Playa Norte in front of the IxChel condos.  It’s an excellent place to enjoy a freshly baked treat and to people-watch.

We got hooked on Alicia Giorello’s baked goodies at the weekly Isla Mujeres Art Fairs that take place in the winter season. We usually sell a stack of my children’s book at the fair, The Adventures of Thomas the Cat / Las Aventuras de Tomas el Gato, and my display space was frequently beside Alicia and her baked goodies.

Sparky & I at Art Fair selling books

In the beginning we had willpower, but over time, week after week, our resolve eroded and we were hooked. Every Thursday night a container holding two personal-sized loaves of banana bread or two individual apple pies would be carefully placed in the golf cart, to be enjoyed later on our upper deck. Wine and apple pie, or banana bread and beer. Yum!

Born in Argentina, Alicia Giorello moved with her two small children from Buenos Aires to Mexico twenty-seven years ago. She has worked and lived in several cities including Mexico City, Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Puebla and Acapulco before moving to Isla Mujeres.

Empanadas

Alicia said, when she was younger, she primarily worked as a waitress but she was also an ede con. If I understood her explanation correctly that is what we would call a beer-babe; the scantly-clad hot-looking young women who supply the sizzle for marketing guy-stuff like beer, cars, motorcycles and boats. She laughed, adding she was an ede con a long time ago when she was much younger.

Seventeen years ago while living in Mexico City she met Daniel Garnica who was working at the school where her teen-aged daughter attended classes. Once her children were grown and away from home she and Daniel moved to Isla Mujeres in 2012 to start a new life. 

Alicia spent the first two years on Isla Mujeres managing different restaurants; the Argentinian Grill on Hidalgo, Roosters Deli, and Roosters on the Go. Then she opened her original Cafeteando Coffee and Bread location on Hidalgo Avenue. Besides the apple pies, banana bread, and brownies Alicia makes Argentinian empanadas using her grandmother’s special recipe. She also offers smoothies, frapes and coffee drinks.

Daniel, Jeff, Rhett,and Yoyo at Art Fair

Alicia’s partner, Daniel Garnica, is equally well-known as one of the behind the scenes guys at Isla Brewing Company – Cerveza Isla. The island microbrewery, owned by the personable Jeff McGahee and his enchanting wife Rhett, dispenses hand-crafted ales to the thirsty crowds attending the wintertime Art Fairs. 

That’s another one of our weaknesses, micro-brewed ales. In a perfect world the spent grain from the beer could be made into fabulous wholesome breads by Alicia. Hmmm, maybe we should suggest that to her the next time we are craving a slice of her delicious banana bread.

The view from Cafeteando Coffee and Bread

If you are wandering around the island, take a few minutes to explore Cafeteando Coffee and Bread, located inside the big palapa on North Beach at the end of Hidalgo Avenue. You just might get hooked on Alicia’s baked goodies.

Apple Pie and Chocolate Pie

Just leave some for us!

Hasta Luego 

Lynda & Lawrie

~

Have you got yours yet?
$2.99 USD on Amazon e-books

Treasure Isla is a humorous Caribbean adventure set on Isla Mujeres, a tiny island off the eastern coast of Mexico. Two twenty-something women find themselves in possession of a seemingly authentic treasure map, which leads them on a chaotic search for buried treasure while navigating the dangers of too much tequila, disreputable men, and a killer. And there is a dog, a lovable rescue-mutt.

* The cover of Treasure Isla has a new look courtesy of one of my favourite mystery writers Carmen Amato. She is the creator of the popular Emilia Cruz Detective series set in Acapulco as well as Awakening MacBeth, and The Hidden Light of Mexico City, and The Insider's Guide to the Best of Mexico.  Thank you so much Carmen for your assistance. 

The most recent in the series! Great read.

Sometimes a last minute invite can be a fun one!

Late this Wednesday afternoon, Lawrie just happened to check his emails and discovered a message from Marla Bainbridge Martinez asking if we would consider helping out as bartenders at a fundraiser starting at four in the afternoon.

I heaved an unhappy sigh, and stared longingly at my just-poured glass of Malbec wine. Our afternoon plans had included reading a book on the ocean-side patio, with a glass of wine in hand. But it was a fundraiser put on by a group of island friends and business people in support of a badly injured islander. Julio Zapata had recently been in a horrific moto (motorcycle) accident in the nearby City of Mérida. Julio has two young children and a third on the way. He is facing large medical bills for multiple surgical operations.

We couldn’t say no. It’s what people in small communities do – help out. Lawrie and I scrambled to get to the fundraiser for the four o’clock start time, knowing full well that as eager-beaver expats we would be among the first to arrive.

Navy truck in front, providing an armed escort for the ice?

Driving to the venue at the Casa de la Culture via Guerreo Avenue, we trailed behind a golf cart, loaded with bags of ice. Apparently ice for a party is a valuable commodity on Isla Mujeres. Driving ahead of the golf cart was an armed escort in the form of a truck load of Navy marines – presumably protecting against the threat of ice-bandits.

Lawrie and Fernanda all set to sell beer and drinks

At the ocean-side esplanade for the Casa de la Culture busy hands were in the process of setting up the venue. Lights and sound systems installed. Band instruments un-packed. Beer organized in the cooler and covered with the precious ice. Bid pages were arranged for silent auction items donated by several island businesses. And then our favourite beer dispensers arrived: Isla Brewing.

La Banda Sin Nombre

Okay, we’re good to go! Now let’s hear some tunes from La Banda Sin Nombre, the Band with No Name!

The crowd was small but very generous in their donations. Thanks to everyone for helping out. Here’s a copy of Marla’s list of contributors: hopefully no one has been left out.

Javi's Cantina Restaurant Tapas Bar, Bobo's Grill & Bar, Isla Mujeres Bar Card, El Arrecife, Parque de los Sueños, Restaurant Asia Caribe, CARM Tours & Transfers, The Joint Reggae Bar & Grill, El Patio house of music, Gigi Kraycar, Nirit Ben David, Olivia Tastes from the Mediterranean, Catrina Restaurant, BE Wings Restaurant, Nisa Disco, and Michael (no last name given).

Aida signing up for an auction item

La Banda Sin Nombre, and Deejay Dani for the tunes. Cheryl Gabel and Kevin Gabel for running the auction. Isla Brewing Company - Cerveza Isla for showing up last minute. Emilio Fernando Sosa Delgado and Martin Burgos for setting up. Jason Williams and Fernanda.

Some of the silent auction winners include: Phil the new owner of the Bahai Tortuga Restaurant, Mark and Monica Macpherson, Sandra Murray, Tomas Christianson, Terri Huff, Dede Clark, Aida and Patricio Yam.

Phil, Barbara Beck, Chris Shannon, Jimmy Picuri

Between the beer sales, the silent auction items, and an earlier Go Fund Me campaign the group efforts have brought in about $41,000 pesos of the $70,000 pesos needed to pay for the operations. It’s a great start! Donations are still gratefully accepted. Contact Marla at Javi’s Cantina for details.

The weather was perfect, the music enjoyable, and the crowd was happy.

Thank you everyone for your generosity.

 

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

Organizing the silent auction items

~

Available as an e-book on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, or Nook. Paperback copies are available from Amazon. If you are on the island you can purchase a copy at  Jenny Penny Beach Boutique or Casa Sirena Hotel. 

Isla Mujeres Mysteries are the perfect beach-read for your next vacation.

Animas Festival - the Parade of Silence

Ghostly brides. Half-faced children. Phantom cowboys.  Gentlemen apparitions in formal wear.  

Ladies in flower bedecked headdresses and jeweled Catrina makeup – all gathered in centro for a relatively new event on Isla Mujeres, the Parade of Silence paying tribute to the souls of the departed.

Ru Perez Director Casa de la Cultura, on right

Organized by the Casa de la Cultura, and the Jean Piaget private school the procession was scheduled to start at six in the evening at the old cemetery located at the north end of Hidalgo Avenue, culminating at the Casa de la Cultura on Guerro Avenue.  

Six o’clock Mexican time: más o menos.  In this case the event was surprisingly not too far off schedule, starting at six-thirty.  

A group from our neighbourhood agreed we would meet downtown, watch the parade, and then go out for a light dinner.  It should be easy for seven people to meet up on a five mile long island…wouldn’t you think?  

However by the time I had snapped nearly a hundred photographs and the procession had passed us by, we realized that four of our friends had still not arrived.  We did see several other well-known locals who were enjoying the spectacle, relaxing street-side in the various bars and restaurants that line Hidalgo Avenue.

Lawrie and his sister Linda Grierson decided that they would head to The Reef, where the group had planned to pop in for a drink with our favourite island bar-tender, Freddy Medina.  In the meantime I scouted around Hidalgo Avenue for the others. 

It turns out they waited twenty minutes for a taxi, not wanting to risk the new Breathalyzer sobriety roadblocks that were initiated a week ago.  

For those of you unfamiliar with life in Mexico, drunk driving has been tolerated until very recently.  Open liquor in vehicles, on golf carts, or even motos – no problem.  

A few times we have witnessed moto-scooter drivers so bombed that when required to stop for traffic or pedestrian crosswalks, they forget to put their feet on the ground.  The result is a comical slow-motion toppling of driver and motorcycle into a heap on the hard pavement, in one case conveniently beside a police officer.  The Breathalyzer sobriety checks are a step in the right direction, however, according to the island coconut-telegraph the testers are re-using the same plastic ‘straw’ for every person.  It’s a very unsanitary practice to say the least.  Hopefully this is just a rumour.

Ashley Blogin

But I digress, Julie, Rob, Brent and Dé were about to start hoofing it into centro when an available taxi finally arrived.  Having rounded up the strays, we trailed after the procession, heading in the direction of the Municipal Square and The Reef Bar at the south end of Hidalgo Avenue.  

The colourful, but quiet group slowly wound its way between the tables and chairs pushed out into the street by restaurant managers trying to maximize every possible square inch of serving space. 

Hidalgo Avenue has a fun, chaotic atmosphere with cramped spaces, colourful tables and chairs, wait-staff hawking menu choices, and the delicious smells wafting from open-air kitchens.

The Parade of Silence continued a few more blocks, culminating at the Casa de la Cultura.  We turned a sharp left and up the stairs into The Reef for an adult beverage.  We finished up our fun evening with a yummy dinner at Javi’s Cantina on Juarez Avenue.  The beautiful live, background music was provided by Jorge and Martine.

  

Jorge with Javi on drums

We are already anticipating procession of the souls next year.  Sometimes life in paradise is just so darn difficult.

Cheers

Lynda & Lawrie

Julie and Linda G. with their new friend

Clothes for the nation

Three Amigos - fishing tournament shirts

Mexico is kinda unique in North America.  

Unlike its northern neighbours, who seem to love t-shirts emblazoned with sports team logos or various rock stars – Mexico relies heavily on political events to clothe the nation.  

Political rally for the Governor and Presidente (Mayor)

A favourite giveaway during election time is a t-shirt with the name and slogan of a political candidate featured prominently, perhaps accompanied by a photograph.  Even though we are residents, not citizens, and therefore cannot vote in the elections we have on numerous occasions been offered a t-shirt from a political party, but we can’t wear them.   As non-citizens we are not allowed to be involved in anything political. 

Crew & participants Fishing Tournament

Another source of free t-shirts for locals are their employers.  

Many of the tour boats or fishing charter boats outfit their crews in white, long-sleeved t-shirts emblazoned with the name of the boat.  It’s a great way to keep the crew looking professional, and to advertise the boat to tourists.  

The long-sleeved style is the preferred shirt when working out on the sun-reflecting water.  They are a hotter to wear, but do a better job preventing sunburn. We know from the half dozen or so times we have gone fishing with friends.   We usually returned in late afternoon hot and sweaty, and relatively burn free.

Local friends winners in Ladies Tournament 2015

A free t-shirt also comes with every entry fee for the numerous annual fishing tournaments.  

There are the standard white fishing shirts for the regular tournament and the prettier pale pink shirts for the ladies only annual tournament that took place this last weekend.  

A boat load of our friends participated in the ladies’ tournament last year and judging by the photographs it looked like they had a heck of a fun time.  Of course with fishing, there is always copious quantities of cold cerveza, bringing smiles to all of the participants.

Crews and particpants - long sleeved shirts

With the political giveaways, the locals are pretty savvy.  It’s a fairly common strategy to profess support for a number of different candidates until the t-shirts have been handed out.  We were out walking the other day, and spotted a clothes line with a number of t-shirts drying in the sun.  Wow!  We could go back at least nine years of political candidates, from all parties.  And best of all they are free.

Lots of different political candidates represented here.

We have amassed our own personal collection of free t-shirts gifted by business friends who wanted to spread the word about their company: restaurants, bars and brewery.  

Hey great!  Free clothes.  Thanks.

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie