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| Puerto Vallarta | | November
4th to 10th, 2002 | Chef Patricia
Quintana in Puerto Vallarta Restaurant La Petite France
feel proud to inform you the participation of Chef Patricia Quintana recognized
as "Ambassador of Mexican Culinary in the World". During the VIII FESTIVAL
GOURMET in Puerto Vallarta. She is the guest chef at
La Petite France for the grand event "In the Times of Don Porfirio".
A Gala event presenting the best of the Mexican and the French culinary. Also
presenting a musical program according with the époque. You
are cordially invited from the 8Th to the 17th November 2002
R.V.S.P. 293-0900
and 293-0901 Sincerely, La Petite
France
Who is Patricia Quintana and
why is she so famous?  This
lovely young lady Chef has been called Mexico's Culinary Ambassador - and for
good reason. Although she appears too young to have accomplished all she has,
Patricia is a great artist of the culinary arts, she is a researcher, author of
numerous cook books (which have been translated into various languages), and consultant
to famous restaurants and hotels around the world.
She
has written for the New York and the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the
Chicago Tribune, the Fort Worth Telegram - to name but a few - as well as for
numerous dailies in Germany, Spain, Italy, Britain, mainland China and Hong Kong.
Entire multi-page reports were published about her in such famous magazines as
Bon Appétit, Art Culinaire, Gourmet, etc. During
her 25-year career, she has studied under the greatest chefs in France, Switzerland
and Canada. In Mexico City, she founded a cooking school where she taught for
10 years. All this activity led her to begin an in-depth
research project into native Mexican cuisine, for which she traveled the breadth
and length of this country, collecting the treasures of its gastronomical traditions. Is
she special? That's for sure! Will she be here for Puerto Vallarta's 8th International
Gourmet Festival? That's for sure. Where? At her friend's restaurant, La Petite
France. (Tel.: 293-0900)
From the Honorary
Consul of Canada Dear Friends, I
hope you are doing fine and I imagine - as everyone - that you have been running
around a lot. We dealt with requests and emergencies,
so we do think that all is under control now for Canadian citizens in Puerto Vallarta.
The Consulate was affected, but I was working fromhome and on Monday we were back
at our office. We cover the State of Nayarit and on that side - from Las Varas
to San Blas - the situation is critical. More than 40,000
persons lost everything, house, fishing boats and on the agricultural side, it
was a disaster. Today is the first day the phones and e-mails finally calmed down,
so I guess slowly but surely - at least on this side - we are getting back on
our feet. We are very sorry for all those who have suffered
losses, and if we can be of any help, please let us know. Regards, Lyne
Benoît
Honorary Consul / Consul Honoraire
Canada
Tel.- 222-5398
/ 223 0858
Fax.- 222-3517
E-mail: vallarta@canada.org.mx
19
Hotels Damaged by Kenna An official report from the
Hotel & Motel Association stated that 14 hotels were affected and 5 more that
are not members of the Association. They are: the Krystal with 80 rooms damaged,
it is expected to be operating at 100% efficiency by December 10th. The rest of
the hotel is operating normally. The Fiesta Americana reported considerable damage
in the pool area and the ground floor in general, but they expect to be okay by
December. The Villa del Palmar is operating at 95% efficiency. The Sun Resort
Club suffered severe damage in all the areas of the hotel, but mainly on the ground
floor. The Crown Paradise Resort reported damage in the pool area, the ground
floor, the convention center and 13 rooms. The Holiday Inn was damaged in all
the areas of the hotel, but mainly on the ground floor. It should reopen by December.
Damage at Los Tules is limited to the ground floors and 6 rooms. The Suites Ambassador
also suffered damages to the ground floor areas and 9 of their rooms. Las Palmas
reported damages mainly on the ground floor, but it is operating normally. Both
sections of Plaza Pelícanos were damaged, with severe damage in all areas
as well as 7 of their rooms. The Centro Vacacional Jalisco pool area was severely
damaged. The Rosita and the Pescador should re-open by December. Additionally,
Vallarta Tribune has found out that Las Glorias will be closed till mid-December
as will the Continental Plaza. Guests with reservations are being relocated to
other hotels. The Presidente Intercontinental, the Camino Real, the Meza del Mar,
the San Marino, the Tropicana and Costa Vida are all fine. The hotels in Marina
Vallarta were not affected and neither were the ones in Nuevo Vallarta - to the
best of our knowledge. The Sheraton Buganvilias does not
answer. Rumor has it that it was severely damaged.
Students
and State Transit Agents Help Out Hoping to help get
damaged hotels back up and running as quickly as possible, two thousand students
from the town's "preparatoria" school performed clean-up chores last
week. All were volunteers. Their representatives proudly stated: "We will
be wherever we are needed. We are available to help and although we may not be
too strong, if we work together, we will achieve much." Over
100 elements of the State Transit Department arrived in Vallarta last week to
help their counterparts in the municipal Transit Department. 44 units and over
100 agents spread out among the neighborhoods most heavily damaged by Hurricane
Kenna. More than 10 units were sent to El Tuito with a truck equipped with a Wincher
able to haul up to 8 tons; they also sent out paramedics and electric chainsaws.
Federal
& State Governments Promise Help The Federal Department
of Tourism promised that it would publicize the fact that Puerto Vallarta was
"de pie" (up and running). The Secretary of Tourism stated that the
measures included six different aspects, the first being help for the visual image
of the town. A program of financial credits was proposed to tourism service providers,
aimed at small, medium and large enterprises. She added that the Department would
begin a public relations campaign, nationally and internationally, to spread the
true (positive) status of Vallarta. She announced additional resources for an
advertising campaign amounting to U.S. $ 400,000. more than that originally promised
prior to the hurricane
4,000 Lines
Damaged TelMex, Mexico's telephone company, reported
damage to some 4,000 telephone lines, 60% of which were located in hotels that
were affected by the visit of Hurricane "Kenna".
Arts
Festival Postponed The Cultural Department of City
decided to postpone the celebration of the Arts Festival that was scheduled to
start last weekend with the performance of famous minstrel Armando Manzanero.
As plans stand today, the Festival will take place from December 1st to 14th,
with a hiatus for the most important days of the Virgin of Guadalupe pilgrimages
that culminate on December 12th.
LOS
ARCOS To Be Rebuilt Within Three Weeks City Hall has
announced that it will rebuild the arches commonly called "Los Arcos",
the famous symbol of Puerto Vallarta located next to the beach across from the
main square, before the end of this month. For generations, the arches have stood
as one of the most readily recognizable symbols of this tourist destination, along
with the crown of the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the little boy on the
seahorse statue. Sculptor Martín Distancia Barragán, graduate of
the University of Guadalajara will be the one responsible for the reconstruction
of this monument as he is one of the experts in this type of stone. The artist
is already busy at work on a model of the replica to be elaborated in a type of
stone different from the original - less porous, thus more resistant to damage.
…But There Are Still Good News
For Vallarta Renowned nouveau flamenco guitarist
Paco Renteria and his group Viento & Arena loves Puerto Vallarta. He always
has and the town has reciprocated by filling all the venues where this young man
has performed, every time he returns to delight us. Consequently,
although the Arts Festival has been officially postponed to December 1st according
to Maria José Zorrilla, head of the municipal Culture Department, Paco
and his group will perform this Thursday, November 7th, at the monthly cultural
event at the luxurious Camino Real Hotel located just 5 minutes south of town. The
concert is scheduled to begin at 8:00, admission is free and there will be cocktails
offered afterwards. Not to be missed! Paco Renteria's concerts are always a highlight
in Vallarta's cultural scene. For more information, call the hotel at 221-5000 Archives
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