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Posts Tagged ‘Lava’

Is It El Verano Yet?

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Travel Safety, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , on March 6, 2015| Leave a Comment »

you know, that month or so between now and the start of the rainy season? kinda feels like, as my firewood sits unused (like me, in many ways).

This just in, compliments of Nelson Lunding! besides all of his regular gigs, today he’s playing up on the hill, at Franks Place (El Cerro etc) he and Zeduardo, plus..drum roll…Hector Castro! the Hector? 1::30-5pm….this I gotta go see/hear.

Last night, at the Spanish Cultural Center? GG Foto’s exhibit of great fotos…was s’posed to start at 7pm but it got pushed back until the arrival of the ‘ambassador.’….which ‘ambassador’ I didn’t wait for, so i slipped under the rope and had my own viewing…damn, what an eye she has…Linnitt and Korey there, early, like me.

Our own inimitable Tono, having fun at La Taverna with a nice lady, who was having fun also. Mayra and Marbel at Mayra’s Mamma’s…two very hot mamas, indeed…and the old Avesa Spa, on 6th ave sur, the ozone/aroma spa? now advertising laser surgery for liposuction…is there any kind of training required? this being Guatemala, they won’t have to worry about lawsuits when they suck out too much fat…hey…let’s open up a little slit here and turn on the laser? oops!

Picante, that motorcycle themed place on 6th calle, by Travel Menu? gonzo…probably a smart decision…Hogan/Hap, back today from a trip up north, tubing the Candelaria Caves…monday, ponzi bob, duane and nazi john going out to the mighty Motagua…why? adventure lurks, I s’pose. 

and yes, 5th calle westward? if it’s not dusty, it’s damn damp…’guess they’ll wait and see if any more leaks start leaking..fUBAR, in other words..or train another crew in ditch-digging and connecting PVC pipe…even for Antigua, this is a claim to shame.

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Horse Apples

Posted in Living in Antigua, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

‘she was only the stableman’s daughter, but all the horsemen knew her’….repeat after me, but slowly…manure, ok? Yesterday, the sprawling semi-derelict Rancho San Fe, past Ciudad Vieja was the site of a Special Olympics event sponsored by Maria D and Norma M, both acclaimed practitioners in ‘equine therapy’…the first local, the 2nd a disciple and with biz in the City…I showed up on time….gave Balin the Wonder Horse a handful of apples…the %$#@! slobbered on me, the only ‘event’ that took place, other than signups for a future event. The kids had three choices: futbol, athletics or equinoterapia(horse back riding)….the latter took the cake, with over 20 signing up…when? dunno…you’ll know when  I know…

http://www.examiner.com/article/four-horses-one-dog-and-a-flock-of-chickens

Tonight? another ’round table’ of questions at La Taverna…last year, the question was ‘who’s ever been in jail?’…100% response…tonight? who’s ever been in trouble with the IRS? yep…outa 8? 100%…me included..tomorrow? two events! 7pm, Reilly’s La Esquina, a fund raiser for one of my two favorite NGO’s, ‘As Green As it Gets’….my other fave? with the death of the founder, Joe Collins last year…’I’m not sure what’s up with From Houses to Homes’….if you know, tell me…they did incredible good works..oh! Lava, 8pm for Jason’s famous birthday party celebrations…a pig on the barbie! no, not her…a swine…ah, hell..

Is Adolfo, our ex-mayor really out of jail? been a while..how long? 2 years or so? has he paid his ‘debt to society or the judges?…and the music scene in town? ever changing..luckily I ran into Wayne Hooper at Michos, nursing a glass of wine…per Neil, the proposed times on Sunday are changed(temporarily)from 2-4 Sunday to 3-5 Sunday..something about Bobby D’s schedule…christ…Lori Shea, fed up with old information in our two local magazines, is creating/or has(my hearing aid is in the shop, yet again)to deal with this ever shifting schedule..Wayne’s at Panza Verde tonight, for example.

Earth Lodge! answer my emails…Saturday is their 9th Annual Cornhole Tournament…now, that’s a headline, eh?

Shaun of O’lot, spattered literally with paint from head to toe…painting the new La Morena…yes, another ‘f5$#@! bar in Antigua…’the ‘Frenchman’ and lady at Metiz….his initials are very similar to a famed FBI person…said he walks around town in a disguise…a wig and make-up..would I make this s#@! up? no…and if you see a new watch on my arm…it’s a $15 Casio knock-off…Hogan will schlep my old Rolex and Movado to Portand when he departs on the 6th…R&R ($$) for the Rolex, I’m afraid..I dropped the sucker on the tile floor last month…oopsy…no likee that move..

 

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Bohemian Rhapsody

Posted in Living in Antigua, tagged , , , , , , , on January 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Bobby Darling nailed it again tonight…what a show, what a showman! packed? SRO, folks on the  sidewalk..he starts promptly at 7, but if you want a seat, show  up at 6:30….Neal was dishing out the food but the staff might want to think about pushing drinks(they don’t)…Grace, the new singer, has promise…California Joe should stick with karaoke…the lady who did the tambourine duet showed great moves…’Dueling Banjos’, except with Bobby on guitar and she did all the right moves…fun, big time…only in Antigua and, as I’ve said before, I won’t miss any more of these shows..

whew…the wind/the cold…why did I add an ice cube to my post-prandial cocktail? hey, the fire is ready to light…Metiz, the deli on 4th Ave, doing a good crowd..and I’ve put my finger on Pan e Fantasia’s problem….pricing…I was wanting a sandwich this week…Metiz has great ones for 40q…Pan e Fantasia? 68q!….Epicure does a simple one for 17 or 25q….which way would you go? Lava/Ocelot doing just fine…food comin’ down from above, to O’lot…

Studio 54 is gone…there’s some kinda art stuff in the door…the usual bad paintings of the Arch and the volcanoes…Los Tres Tiempos empty…the winds blow thru…and they were/did…

Mario of Johnny’s Place hanging at La Taverna with Henrik, who was fresh off the golf course at La ReUnion…he, Dave Hoffman,Nicky Z and a fourth, whose name escaped me.

Dan Terzuola…sp? of Ay Robot, smiling over the successful move of his biz($$)to 6th Ave…great news..it’s been an uphill battle for location/weird landlords…enjoy the almost full moon…clouds, stars and that special Antigua magic…I’m gonna light the fire, have another pop and reflect on the great show that Bobby Darling(and Piano Mike)put on tonight…karaoke? that’s what they call pall bearers in Oklahoma..drum roll…

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A Pithy Tuesday

Posted in Living in Antigua, tagged , , , , , , , on November 26, 2013| Leave a Comment »

no, I didn’t have a helmet to pith it but it seems that Reilly’s La Esquina was the site of a slug-fest between the managers (sic) Sunday afternoon…naturally, ‘security” couldn’t break it up because it was managers slugging it out..was it the bbq or the brewskis? ‘B’ is the answer..

Tomorrow night, 7pm/Michos’….’One Man, One Song, One Drink’, Bobby Darlings’ 3rd week boffo act…followed by Jessy, Antigua’s new ‘singing sensation’ 8pm,at Ocelot, mas or menos…GST, you know..

word is that the City Council, that long-time den of thieves of which most are in jail or on the run, has been augmented by new appointees…so? so what? once their relatives get the word, the deal will continue but maybe…drum roll, maybe some city stuff will get  done…right, after they get sworn in, paid and the New Year rolls over…as in, don’t hold your breath for anything immediate to happen, other than some preening/photo ops…

Mike C, seen at the Mercado, shopping for a used machete…por que? used? don’t ask/I didn’t…too wierd, even for Antigua/Mike C…imagine the conversation about the ‘used’ part…and these last few nights of superb sunsets, cloud formations….most xlnt…perfect weather, all day long…

and thank you, Copia Fiel!….copied my flash drive of the ‘winter’ version of Our Man in Antigua, new price stickers also…50q!…’said they’d be ready this Friday! wow..CF’s prices have allowed me to cut the price…super service!

Amazon.com won’t let me cut the price of ‘A Year of Driving Dangerously’, so I’ll run a half or less price special til the cows come home (or New Years, whichever comes first)…go to http://www.amazon.com/author/michaelsherer and order a ton or a gross…gross, that’s the ticket..and last but not least…Ocelot’s fabled ‘Happy Hour’…5q or 60 cents a drink for the cheap stuff? ends as of December the Fist..no, First…Sunday…Lava, their  co-operation, will continue the  concept but from 6-7….Ocelot’s changing to a 2 for 1 drinky-poo concept from 7-8 (the fancy drinks)…alas…the lower level of the patio is becoming even more of a dried up oasis…Whisky Den, 13, the bad concept bar and the vacant space in front…

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Lava Flow

Posted in Living in Antigua, tagged , , , , , , on October 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

the 7pm rain shower didn’t do much to dampen any spirits last night, except to pack the crowd even further in Lava (upstairs in the Ocelot compound)..at the magic hour (8pm/free drinks)even more folks straggled in to help celebrate their 2nd anniversary…not a lot of gringos showed or maybe they did after I stumbled down the stairs at 9 or so….Matt of Old Town, Henrik of Reilly’s, Mike D aka the ‘Perfesser’ and Lori Shea (ask her about the Time magazine thing)…of course, Shaun and Jason (it’s their most succesful bar)….Jason! ask  him about the Imam of Mauretania putting a miner’s strike down (or out)…and thanks for the special whiskey from the keg/barrel that’s been maturing for awhile now…

Today, the reconstipated…. no, reconstituted 4 some of the ‘Year of Driving Dangerously’ forms up once more: the dreaded trip to the  gritty City….yeah, ‘real’ men do go shopping but only when it’s absolutely necessary…in my case to have the little tube replaced (agin)in my un-hearing aid…screw…gotta learn not to do that, whatever it is that I’m doing..

news of a wedding tomorrow, by a guy who told a lady friend of mine that he was married, with a child up north…hope the new bride has an iron-clad pre-up but hey, who am I to give advice about marriage? 3.5 and counting….no, make that not counting: I’m over that stuff.

Tomorrow, the local post of the American Legion goes up the hill to Santa Maria de Jesus, distributing even more free water filters…these guys never quit and btw, go join the AL Library, next to the Jardin Bavaria on  7th norte…100q a year, open to any and all…35000 books, open 7 days a week, 11-3….100q is 12 bucks, right? a dollar a month, right? ok, fine…I’ll get off the Sap Box….usually the saop box but in my case…

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Pass The Kool-Aid

Posted in Living in Antigua, tagged , , , , on October 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

this is only a personal observation: two months ago or so, the Butt Police busted the Whiskey Den for smoking on the patio…and they, WD people, enforced it..since then, attendance at the O’lot happy hour died, as did Whiskey Den’s business…the demise of 13’s dumb-ass concept hasn’t added anything to the patio..so, the question? since I suck diesel smoke daily, the smog-control program in this country isn’t happening, the volcanic ash continues and why are we/they concerned about a few(mostly gringos who can afford to smoke)concerned about smoking? how about a law mandating installing smoke extractors?

just asking, ok?..off the soap box..fine…back to La Taverna to ask the Irish blond aka Blathnaid to pronounce her name for her…yeah, twice..’still didnt’ get it…even, maybe with my soon to repaired hearing aid..yeah, I tweaked the tube but on Thursday, the reconstituted team of last year, “a Year of Driving Ripped’ will go into the big bad City…the Cougar has a bad power steering pump, per HBT…but how would he know? o, it’s hard to turn and it squeaks…I’ve had girlfriends who fit that description..

go by Nim P’ot and check out Korey D’s new Maximon kit…waaay cool..60q and you’ve got your own shrine/church/christmas gift…back in the back, with the Maximon stuff…

and more unverified stuff…I’m told that LL Bean has what they call ‘Mayan Fat Wood or Mayan Fire Starters’ for sale…$49.95 for a small box of ocote…which i buy for 1.95q per bundle at Bodo..jeez..’marketing, eh’..and the Mono Loco just fired a bunch of staff…sticky fingers, etc..typical of  bar/wait staff, anywhere, btw..the bartenders always skim 25%…an ‘industry standard.’

Tomorrow night? 8pm, Lava’s 2nd anniversary and rumor has it that Jason will come up for air then…ah, youth…by now, the oaken barrels full of tasty likkers…no, lickers..er, liquors will be even better..Shaun said something about ‘free stuff’ but he was busy learning the new cash register system…who knows? ‘guess I gotta go, if only to..

 

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El Mes del Muerto

Posted in Living in Antigua, tagged , , , , , on October 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »

October hasn’t been a good month for business in Antigua, aside from McDonalds and Burger King…old time tour guides lamenting, bars/restaurants sucking…maybe, at the end of the month and the Day of the Dead rolls around, it’ll signal a change in $$..one of our mall people had a silent partner die unexpectedly…the family, of course, swooped in looking for $$…rotsa ruck, folks, as it there ain’t any.

Jackson’s ‘off the wagon’ party last night? yep, per Audi, they drank up the 1000q he put up…knowing the crew in this town, I got there early, finished off the Grey Goose, started on the Absolut and then knew that it was absolutely time to bail…music? yep…and no sign of any of the attendees anywhere today…probably in a rest home some where.

Lex, pulling a shift at Tabacos y Vinos, fresh off his movie gig…the title? I forget…probably ‘Lex Does Dallas’ or something..Jason of Lava/Mauritania, back in town, but ‘holed up’…’been a long time without women, you know. The delayed plan for celebrating Lava’s 2nd anniversary is said to be next Wednesday, around the 23rd…no word on if Jason plans to haul out the Russian-style stainless bbq/grill things like last year…but…even better is that those wooden kegs behind the bar have had even more time to mature(get better)…that’s where i’ll be, btw..

these guys around town, with the ties and little straw hats? Jehovah’s Witnesses but since i bought the insurance policy (Jehovah’s witness protection plan) it ain’t my problem..approach at your own discretion.

Ocelot has installed a new cash register! with printed receipts! I got the first one…jack and water…it’s the touch screen rather than the old hand-written pieces of paper…and so, still here? go to http://www.amazon.com/author/michaelsherer for the latest…yeah, they’re buying the books, all over…pounds and euros, even…pray for tourists with money…Antigua needs a transfusion/infusion…or, by the end of the year, there’ll be a few more vacancies..

and what bar owner is sporting a bruised eye? nope, I didn’t ask..Jerome of Travel Menu says that ‘they’ are going to start monday on the expansion…right…which monday? hey, there’s always hope (but she’s busy on Mondays)

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