Tick or Treat

Boo! I just had to share some interesting things that happened yesterday...

Trick: "official" complex notices
On my way to work yesterday morning, I saw the work of some of my students who live in my complex informing residents that kids were coming to say "Halloween, Halloween!" and to have candy ready because kids were coming at 7:30!
Ha-larious! Crafty!


Treat: Altars
They are all over town.

This is for Mexican singer Francisco Gabilondo Soler or Cri-Cri, “the Singing cricket.” He had a very popular children's radio show during the 1940s through 60s. I remember mom playing his records when I was a kid. The 6th and 1st grade classes collaborated and made this altar at school.


This altar is for Patrick Denour, an artist who lived here in Vallarta and passed away last April in a fatal motorcycle accident. (I had read about him last week at Cafe Canela.) They had his brushes out beside his picture. There was as mirror on a small coffin. I imagine to get you to think about your own mortality...

Trick: Frida Kahlo!
The lights went out on campus yesterday, during 4th grade art. The kids screamed and got a big kick out of it. The funny part was that they were convinced it was because it was Halloween and the spirit of Frida Kahlo had come to haunt them!

Treat?: Coke in a bag

After taking the wrong bus and walking home, I decided to end my evening with some tacos de cameron y carne asado to go (para llevar). I asked for a Coke, and the woman asked me if I would like a cup (vaso) or a bag (bolsa). I thought I was going to get a can, so I asked for una bolsa. After a minute, she came back and handed me a plastic bag of Coke and a straw ???

Where have I landed? What planet is this?
Oh Mexico, you fooled me again...

Otra Vez ~ Skirt 55

Happy Halloween!

Although, Halloween isn't really celebrated here in Mexico, it's more about Dia de los Muertos... In any case, the next couple of days should be really exciting, at least it will be a new experience. But, I am an American girl and a teacher, so today I am wearing orange and black to commemorate this "holiday." Next year I'm sure I'll be wearing the crocheted vest with Jack-O-Lanterns and black cats, and the matching earrings... just kidding...
God, help me if I ever dress like that... (sigh)

I'm wearing Skirt 55. The interview skirt. The skirt that gets me jobs! I last wore this skirt on my interview to work in here in Puerto Vallarta, and on the first day of school a couple of months back. Hard to believe it's almost November...
For about a month now the stores have been selling calaveras and pan de muertos, which is actually pretty good. I've peeked in a neighborhood cemetery, and they are so different than those in the States. They are so colorful, full of flowers, pictures and figurines. Mexicans celebrate the lives of their deceased loved ones on All Saints Day, November 1 and 2. It's a really special time to honor and remember their lives, and I am really looking forward to experiencing it here in Mexico.

Skirt 74

Today's skirt is a new one, a gift I received from Lauren before I left for Mexico. It's vintage and I could tell by the tag it's from Ahab Bowen... sniff, sniff... I miss Ahab Bowen.
Anyway, it's super cute and totally teacher-y. It's bright Kelly Green with electric blue elephants appliqued on the bottom. Buddhist symbolism states that the elephant symbolizes strength and power, which is good because sometimes I feel like I could use a little more strength... The elephants go all around the skirt and the pattern attaches a pair by the trunk. It looks like they are on parade. I know what you're thinking... Hot! right?


Actually, it looks pretty spectacular as a strapless dress as well.

P.S. I can't help thinking what this skirt would symbolize by changing the green color to red... That's right, it would be a Republican party skirt.
Scary...



This is different... They are retiling the pool...
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Wonder of wonder, miracles of miracles!
I talked to my friend Lauren today AND I wore her skirt. It's cosmic, some psychic connection. I need my friends today especially in this time of pain, and I'm talking about my back! It's really starting to get annoying now. Sheesh!

Mucho mas estres

Otra Vez... Skirt 4

I am wearing on of my favorite skirts and favorite shirts today. In fact I've worn the same thing on the blog before, Skirt 4. Oh well, who cares? No one knows that here in Vallarta.

We are on Day Light Savings Time here. We set our clocks back one hour, so I feel rested and ready for the week. This is going to be a crazy one!
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Howdy Y'all!


We drew our scary silhouettes by using nuestras sombras (our shadows). I think they turned out pretty fantastic, except that we really need some practice using nuestro tijeras (our scissors)...




After school I was craving Tacon de Marlin, but I didn't want to leave mi barrio. That, and my back is really bothering me. (I think I pulled a muscle schelpping my groceries around last Friday.) So, I tried my neighborhood Taco Stand, Tacos de mar y tierra "the best tacos in Vallarta." I tried tres tacos: carne asado (bistec: beef), camaron (shrimp) y marlin (marlin). They were pretty good... All for $4.00 USD, and that included my Coca-Cola.

I ♥ PV

I ♥ PV! Just a few pics (more than normal actually) of some things that I did this weekend to keep myself busy...

More art by Chase. This is a mural they were working on a couple of weeks ago. It's finished now.
Recuerda quien eres ~ remember who you are...


To check out more of this artist's work, visit http://www.theartofchase.com/



Sayulita

I went to Sayulita this weekend, and fell in LOVE with the town. When I think of Mexico, this would be the town that I think of. Sure it's crawling with tourists and is a little bit like Disney World, but it's a great town with a great bohemian vibe. (2 greats... must be really great! ;-))

For me, Sayulita has it all: fantastic food, shopping and beautiful people. I will definitely have to go back for the shopping and a massage... As for the shopping, I totally had to restrain myself. There are too many cute boutiques with Mexican arts and crafts, and lots of great stuff. I was jonsing to shop and finally broke down and bought some organic coffee from Manuel on the beach. It's whole bean too, which is very hard to find here. The burlap sack that the coffee came in gave me an idea...

The church in the square... so cute!


Here is a shot of Sayulita Fish Taco (the yellow building), a great place to eat. I love the painted buildings. So colorful!


Another shot of the town square from our lunch table...


La playa!
Sayulita is known for its' surfing. All I surf are the TV channels these days...
Oh well, it was still nice and relaxing.


Check me out!


I don't know if you can really see it, but the sand is amazing in Sayulita. It's black with flecks of gold, as if someone had dumped a ton of gold glitter in the ocean ~ the water revealed this great pattern in the sand as I picked up sea shells and sea glass. So pretty...

Back on the Malecon...

Mmmmmm! Paletas! Me gusta el sabor de coco!

This woman provided some lovely musica underneath the palapa on the beach.

Te amo ~ I love you. By the Rio Cuale.

This place is really starting to grow on me...

Yes, I did wear the same thing all weekend...
Viva Red Sox!

Subject: Skirts in Japan...

Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan...

Some lyrics from the latest Wilco album Sky Blue Sky, which I am loving here in Vallarta...

I recieved a link for an article from Pam earlier this week.
Anti-Mugging "Skirt" Transforms Would-Be Victim Into Soda Machine

URL: http://www.switched.com/2007/10/22/anti-mugging-skirt-transforms-would-be-victim-into-soda-machin/

I had never once considered the safety factor of a skirt, and safety is something that is foremost on my mind as I get accustomed to living in another country. Locals tell me that Vallarta is one of the safest cities they've lived in, which is nice to hear. Maybe, I should make a skirt that transforms to a taco stand...

This article reminded me of an e-mail that I had received about 5 or 6 years ago about skirts in Japan. So, I looked it up again, out of curiosity... It turns out to be an urban myth now, but it still "cracks" me up...

Thanks for the article Pam! Have fun tonight at Pawn Gallery! I'm really proud of you for getting it done and putting it out there.

xoxo

Skirt 73

I saw this wordwall today in a teacher's room and it reminded me of a certain someone and a
24 hour skirt...


After finishing their ghosts and goblins, we went outside to draw with chalk. Some of my kids found a snake skin. Eeeeeeeeeew!
Boys will be boys...


Cutting paper in the dungeon... I got class!

I've actually worn this skirt before, but I called it Sick Skirt. It's from J.Crew and I bought it on sale for $14.99 before I came to work down here. I bought it because of the light weight linen fabric, the buttons, pockets and the fact that it reminded me of a skirt that my then BFF had.

While being away, I have learned that many things change... people change and situations change, but those that are true remain constant. Sometimes there is nothing you can do about it but let go. Also, as far as friends go: it's all about quality, not quantity. But even that can change... Not holding on to the past is a challenge. Accepting things the way they are is for the best, but tough to boot! At least for me... I guess I just need to be more thankful for who I have in my life instead of fretting over who isn't here anymore.

Anyway, back to my skirt. I'm also wearing this simple brown skirt so that I can wear my blouse, a red and white sleeveless number. We are learning about motifs, repetition and pattern in 7th grade and I thought this blouse best illustrated the point with all of its' circles and lines. PLUS, it's red: Go Red Sox! Yay for love!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Otra vez... Skirt 32

I'm wearing Skirt 32 today, one of my favorites. It's light and airy with a black and white western influenced paisley print. It's feminine, fluttery and comfortable to wear. I have a lot of work to do today and need to be at my best - comfortable. It's still very warm here, but definitely breezy. It's hard to imagine Autumn is here in other parts of the world.

It's Thursday, so I know I'm over the hump of the work week, but my heart is back in Dallas... I miss my love.

I'm also wearing red today... the color of love,
the color of the Red Sox! Go Boston!
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Ugh! So tired today. The cool weather IS finally here, at least in the morning. I may have to break out my sweater soon. We drew outside again this morning.

Hanging with my very talented AP kids.


They posed me by this strange Autumnal tropical still life they set up. Only in Vallarta...

I went to watch the sunset, it reminds me why I am here...


At the beach, I miss my love...


Walking back home, I thought I had seen what I set out to see tonight, until...

I saw the moon. It's so full and gorgeous! It's huge!
Eight more until I'm with my love...
(sigh...)

Otra vez... Skirt 14

Skirt 14 or Mariposas, has been featured before on Skirt Project. I wore it last May, and it's hard to believe that was 5 months ago. I love today's skirt, it's from Target and full of butterflies (mariposas). It used to be my only skirt with butterflies, but now it is one of many... :)

I still think butterflies are a symbol of change and metamorphosis. I like the idea of something NOT so beautiful turning into something beautiful. It's nature's real life Ugly Duckling story, and there are so many mariposas here in Mexico. Big ones, small ones and they are all so colorful! I'm still waiting for one to come and land on me. Not that I'm superstitious or anything ;-), but I've always heard, or believed that that was good luck. While I am here in Mexico, I would like to visit the Santuario Mariposa Monarca, the winter resort for (millions!) of migratory butterflies. Can you imagine? Millions of monarchs!


This skirt belongs to our art history teacher. She bought it in Boca de Tomatlan, which is about 10 miles south of Vallarta. I love the petticoat under the skirt, tres chic! She said she bought it because the design reminded her of Matisse's cut outs.


Boo! We made fantasmas with our feet in nursery today.

After school I went to a salon and got a French pedicure. It's about time and it was nice and relaxing... I had white paint all over my feet from my play date.

Later that night, at the first Art Walk of the season...


There are some graffiti artists leaving their mark around Vallarta... This is a small portion of a long wall and one of about three works around town that I have seen so far... good stuff. Different.


At Thierry Blouet Fine Art Collection, right across from Café des Artistes. From what I understand, Café des Artistes is one of the best restaurants in Vallarta. Maybe I can check it out during the Gourmet Festival in November 2007...

F.Y.I. ~ There are 15 galeries that participate in Art Walk.
Other places I checked out this evening:
Galeria Omar Alonso
Galerie des Artistes

This is my friend Liv. She teaches drama at our school.

She's wearing a skirt similar to Skirt 22, except she's wearing hers as a dress.

Well if I had known they had a Mexican pedicure, I never would have gotten the French!

These festive Dia de los Muer~"toes" belong to artist Karen Wight.


I went to a great coffee shop last night that is in mi colonia: Cafe Canela. It's not Murray Street, but it's here...

Here's to new beginnings and metamorphosis!
Happy Birthday Gigi! I love and believe in you!

Skirt 72

I was running so late to school this morning, I had to take a cab.

Skirt 72 is a new one, but it's a gift from Pam. I love this skirt because of the bright green color (reminds me of last night's dinner with fresh avocados) and the double ruffle at the bottom. It's very flouncy, flouncy - feminine and girlish at the same time. I love it! Mil gracias Pamelita!

I understand that it's very cold and rainy in Dallas, but I am here in Vallarta and today calls for some positive rays. There are lots of things that I miss...
Like my alarm this morning. Luckily the phone woke me with good news from Boston: My family just got bigger!

Two healthy baby girls arrived this morning!

Hoo-ray for girls!

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The weather is much nicer and cooler in the mornings, so I took my AP kids outside to draw. We are spending more time with value in different kinds of media. We worked with ink today... (Note to self: I need to order better supplies: brushes, paper, etc.) I sketched the stage, but something was missing. Then I stuck my skirt on it and thought I messed it up. But...


I drew the picture first, took the picture later. It was great just to draw en plein eir.


In pre-first and kindergarten we made scary Halloween decorations. We tried directive draw, and the results were so much better than I imagined. Children are so free and just excited to try anything. They delight in working with new materials and trying new things and lucky me, they love art!


"You look like a frosted cake!" he he he. Well, I am sweet!
I was going for a tinted complimentary color scheme.


I learned how to podcast today...
Since I've moved to Mexico, I have been more aware of the sounds around me. I have always been especially moved and motivated by music, and the soundtrack of my life is always evolving. However, here it's more than music. It's the language, the street noises, the ocean, the mariachis, the sound of children laughing, tropical birds & lizards, etc. Did you know lizards chirped? I'm going to play around with this new knowledge and hopefully soon I'll be able to share the sounds of the magical country.