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Posts Tagged ‘pangea’

Dingleberries

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , , , on January 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

in a way, kind of a metaphor for stuff going on around town…the signs are off at what was Riki’s and Ixcot….Braulio’s is four months behind in their rent and even worse…wurst? that old time place at the end of 1st Avenida with the great terrace views? nailed/stickered with a big SAT tax poster(so I was told)….alas…if so, another low blow to an already bad year of tax/paperwork/screwups…

a movie being shot in A-Town? interiors this morning along 3rd calle and this evening…the City Hall closed off, with chicken buses, extras and so on…wtf? judging from the equipment, a low budget kinda flick..yeah, I’ve been around movie making/makers for awhile…the clue is the number of cameras, the dollies(not the ones in spandex) and the director and his staff…

and yes, the ‘beat’ goes on…tomorrow the big City for topo maps…searching for the long lost Spanish Fly Silver Mines by Hue Hue next weekend..oops…spanish fly? did they fly or did they use buttons? who cares?

David Hoffman was questioning my count of 8 times that Pinata Boy was thrown out of Lava…he was too busy kicking the stuffing outa PB, who is supposedly at the Lake today…and yes, the so-called ‘security guard’ got canned that night for non-performance of his duties..

Piano Mike outa here Friday for a month…back to the YouEssof A for another stab at romance..applause, please…just like Woody Allen once said, 90% of life is just showing up and as one who’s been down that rocky path of hopes, mopes and dopes…let there be luck!

and thanks, one and all, for comments on my health ‘issues’…the cold, that beast, has apparently been banished from my bod…no meds today…well, almost none…’maintenance’, you know…ask Hogan about that stuff..

supposedly the old Pangea space had a looky loo…a potential renter, ok? a lady with a white little dog on a leash, a t-shirt that read “I Love Las Vegas’, a sugar daddy and no…no sign of gold lame slippers..lame’, not lame…altho one is as good as the other..Allen at the ‘Menu’ dishing out the dinners, Scott S/Pablo A at El Cazadore for an early dinner, Luciano workin’ the bar…Marcel probably laughing a lot, somewhere, at getting out while the getting was good..dos Reilly’s with as many staff as drinkers..and when will the old Reilly’s on 5th ave norte ever reopen? they keep dragging in trucks of sand, gravel and what-not…has it been two years since?..1st calle by Merced…lights out at the bars/restaurants…a quiet night in town..and yes, a few more familiar faces from the frozen north in town…welcome back!

Fusion dead, El Nido Antigua, the shopping mall in back equally so…altho the Choco Museo across the street? maybe its the hats or the staff but they continue to drag in people..and on…the proposed expedition to Puerto Quetzal this week? off…had to leave at 5am Wednesday…wrong, scotch-breath..the only thing i do at 5am is make another visit to the….WC..and yes, for those who are into pork…jameswdurham2@ gmail.com is still in business…the very best in pork chops,sausage and so on..pork me? no, pork you..have a great week…yeah, the weather is weird but.. 

 

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A Fifth for the Fourth

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , on July 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

hell, who knew? thanks, to Korey D for setting me straight on the perversion…no, the conversion rate for the real numbers that Da Mayor is being charged with…uh, appropriating? taking? ….somewhere east of $300000, depending on one’s counting apparatus….mine sucked, obviously….$40000? hah!….he really does have enough $$ to pay his attorneys, unless of course that aforesaid $300K is not around or not in cash….and just how much is a ‘get out of jail free’ card in this town?

Saturday night, last chance to hear/see Nelson the Lunding who departs shortly thereafter for two/three months in the ‘States…Angie Angie’s…8ish? Wayne the Urbane Mr Hooper, Adan the Amazing Cuban on piano, Willie Gomez on guitar..as mentioned somewhere, the music scene in this town is/has shrunk: next we’ll paying to hear the mariachis or there’ll be a three way playoff between the various Andean-style bands who work the park or 5ta…I know, I’m dissing the marimba groups and the Friday 5pm band at the Palacio: maybe if they added go-go girls…white boots, bouffant hair-dos…now, ask yourself the question: how long has it been since you’ve seen a really great bouffant hairdo? oddly enough(don’t ask)there was a time when i can remember taking bets on how many one would see in the course of a day…

and what’s with the new stand  up/brass rail bar in front of Braulios? looks like it’s seen use…another try, another gimmick and it still ain’t workin’…give it up, folks..the Bud Room failed, the Pangea sign is off the outside of the building and its history. Stick a fork in it…you’re done.

so…a recap…tonight theCargo Room at 8 or so…Angie Angie’s Saturday night…did i miss anything? yeah…a lot, i know…will Sangre every take down the Estrella sign? if only to let Djinn move their sign in its place?…Wokco? yeah…going back, soon…has Hugo’s Ceviche made it, in the old Rum/Scum Bar location? ‘forgot to ask Claudia on Monday night about it, but the kiss…nope, not tellin’…kinda erased my RAM for the evening..

the latest version(locally printed)comes out next week…Our Man in Antiguastan…assuming that Frener actually produces on time…tis why I’ve quit paying part of the $$ upfront… Amazon.com already has it…buy some now, in time for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hannukah…last months’ 25 went like Belgian pancakes…er, waffles? whatever…down to five and worst-case scenario is that I light off either the fire or the bbq with ’em..

www.createspace.com/3755222 and tell ’em Groucho sent you…’obscure reference #6…and yes, I found the ‘Groucho’ glasses/nose/mustache disguise in town..so if you see me…and i’m weirder than usual…hello!

a fool on a stool? at the entrance to the Condesa Expresa, a new guide service is set up….for $35? yep….take the Bell Tour…$20 and worth every bit and then some…4 hours of history, Antigua-style.

And tonight…8ish? the Cargo Room, the setting for some kinda deal involving the new Miss Antigua contestants…show and tell? dunno, but i’m goin…maybe the marvelous miss m will come along, keep me outa trouble..

yesh, Part 1 of the Race Track story up on the Ex.com site…Part 2 manana…yesh, more babe photos but ‘tasteful’…it wasn’t my fault that they wore such tight outfits or bent over so far…jeez, you’d think I was some kinda prevert.

http://www.examiner.com/article/sweet-sixteen-and-the-fast-lane

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In The Swill of the Night

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , , , , on February 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Monica of Jungle Party back!…no, i don’t know from where but she’s looking for a new manager/manageress…is that a real word? do i care? it’s the concept..someone ‘younger’ to deal with the age group that goes there..

ah..the Venetian Masked Ball? whew…there’s a ‘production’ goin’ on…stage, sound systems, costumes/masks for rent and a swirl of activity…yep, got my mask…no need for the brown paper bag as feared..

coming next weekend on Satuday the 25th…a charity thing at Joe’s Grill..on the way to Ciudad Vieja..starts at 11:30, 25% of gross goes to Charity..no, not her…ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, baked potato…the American Legion will provide free transportation from the Condesa by the park, starting at 11:15…tickets? 100q and call Bill @ 7934-6576 for same..or buy ’em on the way..Fabrizio must’ve got Da Mayor to do something about the road repairs out there..and thanks, Frank, for pointing out the proper spelling of  La Antigua Galeria de Arte…hey, i’m only hooman…well, maybe..the changes will go up/out into cyberspace to amazon.com for the latest version of the bookette..

wierd night, restaurant-wise…some local faves doin’ tables, some not…El Cazadore Italiano taking the nightly prize for biz..other’s slow/quiet…tres strange how the diners flow one night and then the other..B5 doing fine, Fusion dead..go figure..

Whisky Den, under the watchful eye of Karla doing brewskis..Braulio’s, the reinvented version of Pangea? half a dozen beer drinkers..Lava? quiet…guate’s checking their cell phones for messages..

Riki’s? dead…Red’s? lo mismo…Angies? quiet…not quite dead..but quiet..Ricardo’s Tabacos y Vinos? only the staff there..lotta turistas walking 5ta norte..o shit..’just remembered that i promised Victoria of Cafe Flor that i’d come hear her sing…damn…gotta get another notebook for writin’ stuff down…if i can remember to buy the notebook..CRS is me…mental pause, i guess..

Nelson and Ron Fortin at Cafe No Se earlier…two of our better musicians in town..Carla Berryhill back in town…’had it with West End/Roatan and Rio Dulce…gotta job for her? she’d probably take it…knows her stuff, bar-wise…so..the VMB tomorrow night? gotta feeling its gonna be totally different this year…how, i’m not sure…Gabi is amazing, to say the least..Alex and Rita’s wedding on Saturday…his folks are in town and met ’em at Sobremesa..’haven’t been to a wedding since the early 2000’s…daughter #1, in Carmel..’been the kinda things i shy away from, given my track record..

got no plans for tomorrow night? go do the VMB…weirdness personified, folks in costumes, masks and acting out..if Panza Verde’s 25th was any measure of fun, this might be in the same category..

 

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Just Another Tequila Monday

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , , on January 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

as opposed to a Tequila Sunrise…’might not have to light off the usual night fire tonight…the jury is still out…jeez, Ocelot’s 5 O’Clock Lush Hour packed…SRO and the patio…Lava taking the overflow..Braulio, the new improved version of Pangea(they’re gone, stick a fork in ’em)empty..”Ginski”, aka Marty the Aussie staying on top of the cocktails and more importantly, the tabs..thanks, Reed, for the cocktail…whew…

Claudia #1 aka the Delicious, sighted going up 5ta before her 6 o’clock start at Da Vinci..is this still Monday? i have to ask, given that I skipped a day last week…per my daily journal, which is usually good…yep, skipped Wed or Thursday,which ran me a day ahead til sunday…brain damage? CRS..can’t remember shit…

this weeks first local press run of 25 is oversold..damn..Our Man in Antigua is taking off…25 next week and so on and so forth…place your orders for personal delivery…hell, i might even sign ’em…Ron Fortin(the sax guy)has a killer concept about spanish schooling…i’ll keep you informed, after the interview manana..Luis, my inside guy at INGUAT, now driving the tour buses from Puerto Quetzal…yeah, he’s stoked..

what became a minor observation about Reed’s jungle boots…the latest version in desert tan..became a very unusual chat between a few of us Viet Nam vets…who never, ever talk about ‘those times’…great stories, laughter and memories galore…I gave him two prescriptions for stuff he acquired there…medics are known for their sick humor..of which i’m no exception.

ran into Lori S of Gautemala Medical Travel…gotta add an expanded piece about her good works..’thinkin’ that the First Edition is about to be the 2nd Edition..yeah, i skimped on people, here and there…’walked back from O’lot to the Finca…it’s an ok walk but…evenings are easier in a tuk-tuk..

and i’ m back to writing again: this place, this minor paradise, is good for me…i’m noticed that there are remainders of jade boulders slabbed by the Ridingers, here and there..that stuff is heavy..take it from me, as i’ve left more than one boulder by the river rather than carry it up hill…and i thought that carrying 50kgs of ruby was a bitch…not even close..a giant tip of the panama to jay and mary lou..pioneers and the guatemalan version of indiana jones, mr and mrs…

read an article about colombia’s president saying ‘let’s decriminalize drugs’…a mexican author commented by saying that Guatemala is the ‘front office for Hell’..ooh…good comments, great press..go INGUAT! spin that one..come to Hell and have a great time..honk twice when they’re reloading..light my fire? c’mon, baby, light my fire…alas, jim morrison..ah, the doors..you remember, right?

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Gung Hoy, Fat Boy

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , , , on January 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

tomorrow…Chinese New Year’s…as with a lotta calendars, this is s’posed to be an auspicious year, assuming that one isn’t buying into the 2012 hysteria…last year, the Year of the Rabbit? totally sucked for most everyone, so any kind of improvement will be gratefully accepted…

ah, the old Pangea space? now transformed into something called Braulio, hosted/paid for by the demised Hot Road people(Fusion’s old space)…the Lounge? up for being rented out…they asked me how Ocelot worked…i said that Shaun worked it from Day One, personally handing out flyers on the streets and never ever quitting…a simple formula: show up and work your ass off eight days a week..and keep smiling..case in point..the 5-6 Happy Hour? drags in a crowd every day…some stay, some stagger home..ah, speaking of such, who was behind the bar tonight?

Neil Fucking Craig!…wearing a Movado twice the size of mine(and twice the price)…class, dude..is Maggie M getting a little broad across the beam? who cares? she smells great and gives great hugs.

ah…the ‘unauthorized ATM withdrawals aren’t over…CD,  a long time A-Town person had her card dinged for some 14K but the bank froze the deal…hint: change your pin #..

thanks and a tip of the panama to Piano Mike for noting that I’d called Antigua’s elevation at 4500 feet…he corrected the altitude with a real meter/feet correlation…actually closer to 5000 feet..no doubt about it, we’re high…one way or the other..

a quiet night on 5ta norte…lotta places closed: cashbar, studio 35, sangre…gaia with their lights on, hoping..caffe bourbon doing a few tables…

ah..thanks to Rich Neel, who showed me his printers…three different offices, three different stories, prices…Frener, on 5ta sur is gonna get my biziness, assuming that the proof copy out tomorrow is reasonably close..yep, the idea of having the booklet printed on the east coast and shipped there, here and so on…sucks..but, as with everything else, one must learn the ropes/dopes/hopes..its all been a major learning curve/experience but with a little help from my friends, it’s getting queer…no, clear…and yes, I’m getting used to being in the new location…funny how being a few feet higher and in the shadow of a minor hill drops the temperatures but with a bit of firewood, all is exceedingly bueno..one of the guard dogs has adopted me and sleeps at the foot of my bed…

Reilly’s! noted as being the top dispenser of liquor/booze/alcohol in Central America! is this a Guinness thing?..nope, can’t spell Guiness one way or the other but the concept is there..and a belated thank you to Pat Farrell, whereever you are…the outdated concept of having mules schlepp in the booklet was okay at first but subsequent moves have proved otherwise..gracias, Pat… 

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Blissfully Ignorant

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

and proud of it: Unfounded Rumor #49 has it that there’s this ‘guru’ who’s into ‘mysticism’ (gotta be a given)who’s building a hotel at the Lake..considering the source via a 2nd source…ah, jezuss..what are these people smokin’ and can I get some?..some of the “unindicted co-conspirators on the O’lot patio…nope, no sign of JR or the others…Ron Fortin! back from a sojourn(trip)into the wilds of Texas…Houston, San Antonio, Austin…

I’ve wondering where he’s been….and great to have one on the two best sex..no, sax players in town…Adan the Cuban pianist? sitting in with a duo at Los Arcos…Piano Mike and Moriah on deck at Caffe Bourbon…

whew…a vision in black leather…Flor M…walking around with little sister and the ever elegant Gina C….El Cazadore Italiano taking the evening sweepstakes for most diners…Fusion fine, Sobremesa doing tables, Shaun of O’lot/Lava waiting on a party of 20 doctors for Lava…and waiting…Las Palmas/dos Reilly’s oddly quiet…’ran into Lori or was it Dori? the ever tasty height-callenged Filipina of Reilly’s fame..I suspect she’s hell on wheels..but  a nice hell…

Nelson pulling the 2nd shift, musically speaking at O’lot…Karla keeping an eye on the Whisky Den..Robto and Barb…she’s so septical…no, skeptical…and a good thing…the yearly ‘mining project’ is about to kick in/off..backho’s…no, back hoes…this year..back ho’s? pull that lever…raise the….

tomorrow, they’re climbing Volcan Agua for publicity…a human chain..am i going? RU crazy? if there were a horse large enough..nah, not even then..and thank you, Diane, long time reader of this mishmash blog…’hope you found the spanish school Ix…IxChel on 4th avenida norte..Pangea? WTF are they thinking with the change from a classy restaurant to to a down and dirty beer bar? and even worse, an empty bar…the old Fusion building on 6th avenida? getting some serious roof repairs…$$$…Studio 35 and Gaia hoping for biz…Cashbar gearing up for the City crowd..rock on…or as Wayne said to Garth..’party on’..(obscure reference #61..Wayne’s World)

a few absinthe minded folks at Bistrot Cinq/B5…one of these days, i gotta try that stuff…and it’s a perfect evening…clear, cool and stars visible…we live in  paradise…

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Shots Fired

Posted in Guatemala, Living in Antigua, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, central america, guatemala, tagged , , , , , , on January 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

last night, 6th Avenida…dos Reilly’s block…near misses, no blood seen..a belated New Year’s celebration? as i’m wont to say, always honk twice when you’re reloading..

local eateries? some full, some empty…La Pena del Sold out? apparently…packed early and a catered party for 85 in someone’s house..Crash Harriss smiling a lot…Las Palmas packed, even the japanese place, Kabuki, doing tables…’that’ place on 5ta, the one that’s been closed for two days now? ooh…if Machiavelli were alive, he’d be taking notes on the latest twist..nope, can’t tell and don’t smell…and it does..’wish i hadn’t heard it..yep, that bad..

Ocelot packed, dos Reilly’s jammed…Los Cebollinas adding more decor and getting more action..Travel Menu running just fine, El Caz lo mismo, Cafe Flor doing some tables…Nelson doing an opening gig at Pangea, followed by a set at Ocelot.

is it time for a return to the days of yesteryear? you know how things come and go(no, not my girlfriends)…at Bodegona this week, hula hoops…got to thinking(so to speak) about a poster shop…blow ups of local scenes…cheap, roll ups for the suitcase..ooh, Lake Atitlan, Volcan Agua, Monterrico, Lucy Luscious…’here’s a great rumor for the files: Gallo Beer is fading, business-wise…various examples given but this is like Budweiser going under…bring me the reality check, please..

found a new a new TIGO shop today, after shopping for a TIGO modem..the finca doesn’t have wi-fi..’cross the street, on 4th from Bodegona…a shop that cranks, rocks and does the job..o good..firecrackers in my street at 8pm? yep…i won’t miss the noise but i’ll miss the neighborhood…screw..now rockets/mortars…no, don’t go get the flare pistol or Beretta..patience, Prudence..this too, shall pass..

ran into Uwe in the park earlier…enjoying the brass band in the Palacio…he hates the Peruvians…the mime..no, ‘our mime’, wowing the crowds…he’s great…we spoke about the proposed commercialization of the Palacio..I suggested that if that’s what ‘they’ really want to do, go the whole route and do a casino on the first floor and a brothel on the second floor…a strict dress code, guards and class…gotta wear a tie just to get in, etc..

on other fronts, yesterday was the birthday for three people i know…all different..makes one wonder about asstrology..Luis Miguel of Da Vinci, der Henrik of dos Reilly’s and MDC, with whom i had dinner last night..yep..a foursome..Juana, Bob and us…Queso y Vino…i was expecting better but…didn’t happen…pizza crust perfect, topping so so..the last bottle of screwtop Lambrusco worked..and lastly, thanks for the comments about the chisme in this town…too many people with nothing else to do except make up shit, throw it against the wall and see who it sticks too..and yes…ka ching…more books sold! lets see…two cubas at O’lot..10 q..pack of cig’s..13q…yay…’up tonight by 20 q…rock on!

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