August 20, 2008

Help Get FREE Money for the Peanut Pet Shelter!

Posted by heatherinparadise under Charity, Life in Mexico | Tags: , , , , , , |
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My friend Susie submitted our beloved Peanut Pet Shelter for consideration in the American Express Member’s Project 2008 competition. She was thrilled to find out her entry was approved, and now the shelter has a chance to win some of the 2.5 million usd American Express will be giving to winning projects.

Now, the 80+ dogs and cats that are being cared for at the Peanut Pet Shelter need your help, and it’s so easy to do it and won’t cost you a penny.

To nominate this project for potential funding, please go to Peanut Pet Shelter

Members Project is an exciting initiative that brings people together to make a difference in the world. It’s simple. People go online to share ideas for projects — and ultimately vote on which projects will share $2.5 million in funding from American Express.

You must register with your name and email address to be able to nominate the shelter, and while I know many of you might not care to give out your email address, American Express has stringent anti-spamming policies and won’t sell your information.

Please take a minute of your time and nominate the Peanut Pet Shelter and then send the link to everyone on your contact list asking them to do the same. Even winning the LEAST amount of money would be an almost otherworldly boon for the struggling shelter.

HURRY–we only have until September 1 to get the gazillions of nominations they need!

Thank you for helping to give shelter to starving, sick, and mistreated animals.
 

August 16, 2008

Playa del Carmen Police Presence

Posted by heatherinparadise under Life in Mexico | Tags: , , |
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In the aftermath of the brutal murder of Playa del Carmen’s Assistant Chief of Police and his bodyguard, we have noticed increased police presence around town. Yesterday, Michael saw around 60 or 70 uniformed officers marching down Juarez, one of our main streets. Pedestrians clapped respectfully and people in their cars honked their horns in support. If I had seen that, it would have really choked me up.

Last night, we also saw a cavalcade of both Federal and Local Police trucks driving around together with their lights flashing, but no sirens.

I initially thought it might be an attempt to show they are here in force to assuage any skittish tourists, but Michael thinks maybe they are trying to say, “Hey, give us some support, here we are, we are out here every single day doing this,” and I think I prefer his interpretation.

Riding my bike around town today, I smiled and waved at every soldier, police officer, tourist police officer, traffic cop, and federale I saw. Most of them looked at me like I was insane, but a good number of them smiled and waved back.

 

August 14, 2008

Tequila Fest 2008

Posted by heatherinparadise under Life in Mexico | Tags: , , , |
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Michael’s favorite event of the year is finally here once again–TEQUILA FEST 2008 is this weekend, August 16-19, on 5th Avenue and Calle 16 bis.

Dozens of vendors from Jalisco, the center of Mexico’s tequila industry, will set up booths and offer free samples of their products to tourists and locals alike. If past years are reliable indicators, there will also be some strange entertainment, loud, poorly-amplified music, and scantily-clad Corona girls.

How could you say no to all of that excitement in one place? I sure as hell can’t.

Every year, we get a group of locals together to wander the stalls of this expo to laugh and drink lots of free tequila. We have it down to a science: two passes and we’re set for the evening. Sometimes we even buy a nice bottle we can’t easily find in this part of Mexico.

I met the love of my life at one of the past Tequila Fests:

Isn’t she just beautiful? I have a date with her later tonight.

 

August 13, 2008

Poetry For No Reason At All

Posted by heatherinparadise under Poetry, Things I love | Tags: , |
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CHOICES
by Nikki Giovanni

If i can’t do
what i want to do
then my job is to not
do what i don’t want
to do

It’s not the same thing
but it’s the best i can
do

If i can’t have
what i want . . . then
my job is to want
what i’ve got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more to want

Since i can’t go
where i need
to go . . . then i must . . . go
where the signs point
through always understanding
parallel movement
isn’t lateral

When i can’t express
what i really feel
i practice feeling
what i can express
and none of it is equal

I know
but that’s why mankind
alone among the animals
learns to cry

 

August 13, 2008

Bomberos Catamaya Cruise cancelled

Posted by heatherinparadise under Charity, Life in Mexico | Tags: , , |
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I’m sad to report that the Bomberos Cruise scheduled for August 24 has been cancelled due to low ticket sales. This low season has been tough all around, but I commend Catamaya’s owner, Fabio, for his generosity and the organizers of this event for their efforts to help the Riviera Maya Bomberos.

This doesn’t mean the Bomberos aren’t an important cause and that Playa del Carmen doesn’t value its fire team, of course. Souvenir t-shirt sales are a great way you can help support our resident heroes. Locally, t-shirts can be purchased from Gar, who sets up shop daily on the ferry pier in PdC, or from Mayte, who mans (wo-mans?) a table on 5th avenue between calles 6 and 8 (near the Burger King) at night. Non-Playenses can now buy t-shirts online here.

 

August 11, 2008

Assistant Chief of Police shot and killed in Playa del Carmen!!

Posted by heatherinparadise under Insanity, Life in Mexico | Tags: , , |
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Cancun Canuck, resident expat-reporter extraordinaire, alerted me to the shocking and tragic news that the Assistant Chief of Police and another officer were shot and killed this morning by as-yet-at-large assailants.

According to this article, this surprise attack occurred on Calle 20 at Manzana 15, but I don’t know exactly where this is (don’t know the Manzanas). From the photos, it appears to be on the east side of the highway (not ejido) because of the paved streets, but it did not look like it was near the “tourist zone.”

The article says that at about 9 am today, the subdirector of Police was just leaving his home with another officer to go about his daily business when he was intercepted by 6 armed men dressed all in black, who proceeded to empty their weapons, firing more than 40 bullets into the two men, who were both killed. It is estimated that the men used AK-47 or R-15 weapons.

The asst. chief of police, named Manuel Jesús López Cantú, was 42 years old and had apparently been receiving death threats because of his work in trying to crack down on drug trafficking. The officer with him, José Alfredo Gordillo Maldonado, was 36 years old. My heart goes out to their families and friends.

In the followup article, they mention the assassins got away in two dark-colored Suburbans, and the Mexican Army has set up road blocks on the highway from Tulum to Cancun and on the way to Merida in an attempt to catch the killers.

Over the past couple of years I’ve read reports of these types of drug-related executions happening in Cancun and other parts of Mexico and I suppose I knew that with PdC’s rapid growth it was only a matter of time before it happened here, but it sure doesn’t lessen the shock and horror I felt reading about it.

Let’s discuss how difficult it must be to be a police officer in Mexico, shall we? Everyone makes nasty comments about police corruption, but what choice do they have? Be corrupt and live or do your job and die. Very sad.

Stay away from illegal drugs and drug-trafficking, ok, kids?

 

August 11, 2008

Bomberos Catamaya Sunset Cruise 2008

Posted by heatherinparadise under Charity, Life in Mexico, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , |
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As many of you already know from past blogs (like the Three Legged Bar Crawl for Bomberos), the Riviera Maya Bomberos (firemen) are one of my favorite organizations. A strong, trained, and well-equipped fire team is vitally important to not only Playenses, but also tourists. Sooner or later, we all have a fireman to whom we owe a great big “thank you.”

Since August 22 is Mexico’s Dia Nacional del Bombero (National Fireman’s Day), a Sunset Cruise aboard the Catamaya has been organized for Sunday, August 24, with all proceeds from ticket sales to benefit the Riviera Maya Bomberos.

The cruise aboard the amazing Catamaya costs 80 usd per person and will sail from 3.30 pm to 7.30 pm. This price includes transportation to and from Playa del Carmen, sailing, snorkeling, open bar, and hamburgers/side dishes. I’ve been lucky enough to sail with Catamaya’s crew several times and can say nothing but wonderful things about them. They are hard-working, pleasant, friendly, and a barrel of fun.

For more information or to sign up, click here.

Don’t miss your chance to mingle with Bomberos Chief Brian Borjesson and some of his firemen…hey, ladies, maybe you’ll get to see this guy:

*Edited to add:  any of my blogger friends want to go on this, let me know!!

 

August 9, 2008

It’s 1.10 am, Friday Night

Posted by heatherinparadise under Humor, Things I love | Tags: , |
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or technically, Saturday morning.

What does the garbage can next to YOUR computer look like this time of night?

Alternate title:  What I Have For Dinner Most Nights

 

August 8, 2008

I got my hair did!

Posted by heatherinparadise under Life in Mexico | Tags: , , |
[34] Comments 

And I LOVE it. I hadn’t had a haircut since last November and it was looking mangy, plus my bangs had grown out so far that the sun’s reflection off my massive forehead was blinding pilots flying overhead (overhead, haha, get it?) and causing plane crashes. I took myself to Salon Bleu yesterday, the foo-foo French place in town, located on the corner of Calle 20 and Avenida 10. The few times a year I get my hair cut, I always go there. First I was with French Audre, who left me and fled back to Paris. Then I was with Mexican Wendy, who also left me to go have a baby. I finally figured my best bet is to go with the French owner, Lionel, since it’s unlikely the owner will leave his salon, right? It’s always been harder to get an appointment with him, but after yesterday, I’m CURSING myself for not getting my hair cut by him from the start.

Why? The dude, he just GETS me.

All I did was show him about 4 photos of different types of styles I liked, and let him know I needed bangs, then just let him go to town. I am not a girl who is married to her hair and I LOVE to let the stylist work with what I’ve got and boy did he hit a homerun with this one. I was just planning on coloring it dark brown, but he stared at my head and with a dreamy look in his eye said, “I haz a vizshun for your hair” and put violet streaks in it. It was worth every freaking hard-earned peso.

These pictures were taken this morning, after going to the gym and sleeping on it. Messy and just my thing. I feel like such a girl again, so happy and healthy and with cute hair. Who the fuck am I?

 

August 6, 2008

Curse you, Paris Hilton!

Posted by heatherinparadise under Humor, Uncategorized | Tags: , , |
[7] Comments 

I never dreamed you could ever do ANYTHING that could make me like you, not even a little. Now where do I go with my smug condescension and biting derision?

EDIT:  The video, which was paid for by FunnyorDie.com, has already been yanked from you tube.

So I can’t embed it anymore, but you can view it here.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

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