night sounds in Zihuatanejo

JIMI MAMOU SINGER MUSICIAN SOUL MAN

Jimi has always been a bit of a Zihuatanejo legend. Starting when he and wife Judy came to Zihuatanejo at the invitation of Guitarfest and never turned back. Jimi plays, blues, soul, and rock and role from it’s heydays of the 50’s and 60’s into the 2000’s and still draws a crowd. It’s the music we grew up with and many believe, as I do, we had the best music ever.

Wednesday night a film crew was here from California to complete a documentary about the music scene in the North Beach area of San Francisco which Jimi was a big part of.

Jimi with a painting of himself, a gift from a friend and fan

North Beach was the “happening place” with great clubs that gave many a star their start. Places like The Hungry I, and the Purple Onion, Big Al’s and of course the Condor, famous for Carol Doda who originated topless dancing. It was also the home of the Keene Art Gallery among others. An exciting vibrant place during simpler times. My sister was a chorus girl, dancing at Bimbo’s 365 club the summer of 61.

I grew up in a small town 40 Miles north of San Francisco, and even though we were under age and couldn’t get in to many of the clubs it was still a thrill on a Saturday night to roam the streets of North Beach and listen from the sidewalks and alley ways.

I imagine only a small handfull of those musicians are still around and not many would still be playing. But here in Zihuatanejo we have had the pleasure of spending our winters listening and dancing to the music of our youth, with one of the greats, Jimi Mamou.

I would be remiss not to mention that not only has Jimi blessed this community with his music but he and Judy have been a vital part of the community, one of the original and continuing sponsors of Sailfest serving on boards and committees, working in the background helping to strengthen this community for all the citizens here.

Signing off KO

ECOTIANGUIS SANKA Y MAS

Ecotianguis Sanka very loosely translated is a local, ecologically/organic farmers market that is held each Saturday morning it what I call the artist plaza at the waterfront. It’s a fascinating array of food, some vegetarian, some organic, all local and all very good just depending on your personal tastes. It also hosts a variety of crafts people with a very creative area of items to purchase. Many of the food items you can taste to help you make your decisions. My friend Sylvia and I made our first stop for a cup of local coffee. We then headed to the food

table where we had our breakfast served on a banana leaf for a plate. We choose to sample all three of the organic vegetarian choices, one was a tofu in barbacoa seasoning, one was a shredded egg-plant dish and the third I can’t remember. Three tortillas were spread with a small amount of refried beans then a serving of each was placed the tortillas. We each ended up with 3 tortillas one of each flavor on a banana leaf plate. We both thought the egg-plant was fantastic, the one we can’t remember the name of was good and we weren’t crazy about the seasoning on the tofu. Other things we tasted was apple slices with a tamarind, a hibiscus jelly, and date/nut/fruit ball that is marketed as an energy snack very good and no sugar and small rolled candies that have nuts and a bite of a maple flavor. We bought papayas, and grapefruit and I bought a pair of earrings that are actual lime slices. Very interesting! We saw everything from beautiful jewelry made from coiled paper to coconut soap. All made here locally.

We visited with friends, people watched and only wished there were more sitting space as we might have lingered longer. On our returned, the fruit cart vendor was in front of our apartment so we purchased

bananas and strawberries. This is cart is basically a

wheelbarrow with a board on top, then loaded with boxes of beautifully displayed fruit. He has to be immensely strong to wheel this around.

The Senor and I waited until after dark to head out for dinner, we browsed several menus along the malecon and decided on Casa Elvira as the rib eye steak was reasonably priced for the Senor. the waiters remembered us from last year and the service was very good. Next on to the Zocolo as I had heard that Zihuatanejo was going to be a sub venue for an international film festival based in Acapulco. There was a large crowd and many chairs had been set out. It appeared that what was being played was a Japanese animated film. The music from the Baracruda drew us in for the Steve Allen Show, that soon becomes a jam session as other musicians join in. The music we hear in Zihuatanejo is beyond comparison, we love it. signing off KO

SUPER BUSY DAY IN ZIHUATANEJO

Yesterday was just a very busy day, after the usual breakfasting and news watching the Senor and I sorted or laundry, I did up a couple of hand wash items and we put the rest of the laundry in a rolling suitcase and headed off to the “laundaria” where for about $6 they do a weeks worth of laundry for us. All we have to do is remember to go pick it up at the end of the day. After dropping it off we head out to get pedicures, $12 each. Next we visit the telephone store and for about $60 we are now the proud owners of 2 phones, each with 100 pesos loaded on them. I still have no idea how long we can talk on 100 pesos, but now we have means of communicating with each other as aren’t always together. Each year when we return we will reload the phone with more pesos, but will need new numbers Then back to apartment for lunch and siesta and then it’s time to pick up our laundry so to conserve our energy on this busy day we get the laundry, stop to have dinner, then on to the “Flop House” bar to listen to some great blues with guitar and harmonica while still dragging the laundry behind us. As usual we met new friends and were joined by some of our old friends.

We finally get back to our apartment, still dragging our laundry, put it away and and call it a wonderful, fantastic, but busy day. Signing off KO

PS I’m getting closer on these pictures, but still can’t get them quite where I want them

El doctor en Zihuatanejo

1 31 11 Yesterday while at a beach side restaurant this young girl about 6 plopped one of the items she was selling on the cover of my Kindle and began to fiddle with the buttons like she was invited. She was about 6 years old and found the numbers and poked them and counted to 10 for me. This little girl,with her mother not far away, will sell these little bobble head animals until the bars close for 20 pesos each (about $2 ) and unless she gets more that an a basic education she will do that for the rest of her life. She has probably been doing this for 2 or 3 years already. Want to talk about child labor laws ?? She was very sweet and of course I bought.

The Senor paid a visit to El Doctor Grayeb today as he has a “wimpy” digestive system. This seems to be an annual event, but this year caught it quicker so just pills no need for a shot. Already he is better. Me being the wonderful nurse that I am abandoned him to go swimming at La Madera Beach this afternoon. I had some of the best nachos I’ve ever had. definitely my style, chips refried beans and chopped tomatoes and grated cheese. Super yummy and of course dos margaritas. After a brief siesta we watched a movie supplied by my daughter April. While sitting on the balcony this evening listening to the evening sounds of Zihua I noticed a crowd of folks about a 1/2 block up the street. So I went to investigate, it was definitely a private Mexican party, and I think maybe wedding, but across the street at Rafa’s bar I heard the most haunting music in the vein of Peggie Lee and Julie London. Her name is Josie Kuhn, a true blues singer I caught just the last songs of her act ,Fever and Moonglow. But let me tell you I will be back tomorrow night. The Senor spent most of his day with the news of Egypt. I hate to say it , but I’m on vacation and a modicum of news is welcome, not hours of it. But he likes it and his old westerns. Thankfully our sling box has worked great and has kept him happy with American TV. Our neighbors have invited me to go to Las Gatas beach with them tomorrow. I will surely take them up on this invite, maybe the Senor will be well enough to go also.

It’s 10:30 here, but still lots of street activity, not noisy, but sounds coming up from several different areas, some music, some the clang of the “garage” doors being rolled down to close up their business as almost all of them are only walls on 3 sides with the street side being wide open untill the doors roll down, there is a roof dog barking a couple of buildings away, children calling out, happy conversations as people head for home. Somewhere a game is being played, either on TV or a field as a cheering crowd in the distance can be heard. Night time in Zihuatanejo. Signing off KO