Hedda Lettuce does a Comedy Drag Show at Act 2 Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and It’s Not to Be Missed

I Talk with Nat Moraga About Progress at Parque de Los Azulejos Puerto Vallarta

We Catch up With Gabino Sandoval, The Pull Tab Purse Maker on The Malecon

^{Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.}

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^{That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa,}

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^{Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with our toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.}

^{This week you will meet the truly funny Hedda Lettuce. Hedda does a comedy drag act at Act 2 and he is hilarious! We will hear from some of our local favorite personalities, Gabino the pull tab purse maker will join us, and Natasha Moraga from Tile Park PV will drop in to fill us in on what’s new at Parque de los Azulejos,  but first let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 1st of November, 2019.}

Dia De Los Muertos Celebrations in Puerto Vallarta

^{Dia de Los Muertos is what it’s all about this week In Vallarta, I have the times and lists of the events in the shownotes…The big deal is}

^{always the procession from the pantheon  Colonia de Cinco de Diciembre. It starts at 5 PM and goes to the Parque de Azulejos. Lazaro Cardenas Park. That’s the 2nd of November, dia de los Muertos, Most of the celebrations will be held at Plaza de Armas, the Los Arcos Amphitheater, and Lazaro Cardenas Park. I have a long list of events in the shownotes.}

^{Remember Los Muertos Brewing is having the Fiesta en la Calle, party in the street tomorrow Saturday November 2nd. Party from 2 in the afternoon till 11:30 with live music, tacos and cerveza.}

^{And speaking of Ghosts and Gobblins and blood sucking Vampires, I got an email reminding me of something I didn’t get to…}

Listener Email..

^{It’s from listener Sheila and it reads….Hi there, I listened to your Oct 2 podcast and you mentioned Dengue Fever and said you  would talk about it on your next podcast.  I just listened to the Oct 24 podcast but there was no mention of it.   The Oct 24 podcast was super, especially the update on damage caused by Narda and the relief efforts.  Will you be giving any updates on Dengue Fever in future podcasts?}

^{Thanks, Sheila}

^{Thank you for reminding me so let’s get to it}

^{Dengue is in the news again, this time, it’s being blamed on climate change. Oh yes….From Mexico News Daily….}

^{Governor says Jalisco facing dengue epidemic; blames climate change}

^{There have been over 4,000 cases and two confirmed deaths in the state}

^{Published on Friday, September 27, 2019}

^{Jalisco is facing “a dengue epidemic,” Governor Enrique Alfaro said on Thursday, explaining that the metropolitan area of Guadalajara is the worst affected area of the state. There were 4,290 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne tropical disease in Jalisco to September 15 and 25,000 probable cases. Only Veracruz has reported a higher number of confirmed cases.}

^{The state Secretariat of Health confirmed this week that two people have died of dengue in Jalisco this year, while 22 other deaths are being investigated to determine whether the disease was the cause.}

^{In a video posted to social media, Alfaro said that dengue is not only affecting Jalisco but most of Mexico and the greater region.}

^{He rejected the claim that his government is to blame for the high number of cases in the state this year, explaining that 116 million pesos (US $5.9 million) has been spent on anti-dengue measures such as mosquito spraying.}

^{The figure is 45 million pesos higher than the amount spent on spraying and other preventative measures in 2018, Alfaro said.}

^{“There’s no shortage of material [pesticides], personnel or equipment to fumigate,” he said.}

^{At the start of the video, the governor took aim at opponents of his government as well as media outlets who he claimed have been spreading misinformation about the dengue outbreak. “There has been a lot of speculation about this issue and as always there are those who are trying to spread fear and take a political advantage with something that is more dangerous than the disease itself: lies,” Alfaro said.}

^{“The same people as always have tried to generate the perception that the government is responsible . . . that it has been negligent and hasn’t acted on time. They’ve tried to make the public believe that it’s an issue of a lack of medicines when in fact there isn’t even a vaccine against dengue,” he added.}

^{“. . . We’re up against a systematic attempt by our adversaries and some manipulative media to land a blow against our government.”}

^{Alfaro said that climate change was to blame for the high number of dengue cases in Jalisco, pointing to higher temperatures and heavier rain this year. He also said that a new strain of dengue, serotype-2, has reached Mexico from South and Central America, explaining that people are more susceptible to it because there is no immunity among the population.}

^{“This is a serious and complex problem that hasn’t been created by government actions or negligence,” Alfaro said. There were more than 16,000 confirmed cases of dengue fever in 16 states during the first eight and a half months of the year, more than triple the number reported in the same period of 2018. Forty-three deaths have been reported across the country. It came to light earlier this month that federal health authorities didn’t spend a single peso on insecticides until early August despite a higher than user number of dengue cases.}

^{However, the director of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control Programs, Dr. Ruy López Ridaura, explained that states allocated their own funds to purchase pesticides and asserted that mosquito spraying has occurred throughout the year in all areas susceptible to dengue outbreaks.}

^{On September 5, Health Secretariat undersecretary Hugo López-Gatell accused insecticide vendors of conducting a disinformation campaign that links this year’s outbreak of dengue fever to the federal government’s later than usual purchase of the product.}

^{Two-thirds of insecticides for the control of dengue are purchased by state governments, he said, explaining that federal authorities buy the product later in the year because they only assist spraying efforts when the states’ own capacity to combat mosquitoes is exceeded.}

^{Source: El Sol de México (sp), Milenio (sp)}

 ^{https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/governor-says-jalisco-facing-dengue-epidemic/?fbclid=IwAR3QxZAjBhO6ygpE7K6B25pNOWTLnMR7NQ12oaIZoWCEZ_I9ADwZ2b_TtuY}

^{Locals of course call BS, saying that there has been scant spraying as opposed to years past. The fogging trucks have not been seen as in years past, and they do blame the governor for not getting the job done.}

^{It’s still very wet as I’VE BEEN REPORTING, SO THE MOSQUITOS ARE STILL IN FULL FORCE. Wear your mosquito repellent. The local Off is very effective for those of you who aren’t adversely effected by DEET.}

^{I must say I got only one mosquito bite the entire time I was in Vallarta, and I was all over the place. I will say that I always sprayed my legs and feet with off before I left the house, and that seemed to do the trick. So protect yourselves. The local Off works. Use it!}

Art Walk Puerto Vallarta

 

^{Okay well November 1st and Dia de los Muertos is always the kick off of high season here in Puerto Vallarta and all the events are getting underway. Artwalk returns every Wednesday from 6 to 10. You can get a map from any of the participating galleries downtown, and I’ll have a link to it in the shownotes.}

Parque De Los Azulejos Season 3

^{And things are getting ready for year three at Parque de Los Azulejos, Tile Park PV at Lazaro Cardenas Park on the Southside of Puerto Vallarta. And so, I thought I would wander down and talk with Nat Moraga about the progress at the park. Let’s join her now…}

 ^{Listen to The Podcast}

^{Wow, year three begins today. Go to their Facebook page and like it if you haven’t already. Emily Murray has been doing some wonderful}

^{writing about the park in their blog so catch it, and like the Facebook page when you get a chance. And make sure you include the Park, Tile Park PV, in your plans this year in Paradise. Thanks Natasha!}

Contact Information for Tile Park PV

• Website: https://www.tileparkpv.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parqueazulejospv/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parqueazulejospv/

Gabino Sandoval The Pulltab Purse Maker

^{Okay next, as I said things are opening again, the markets along the bay and so forth, so let’s hear about some of that from our friend Gabino}

^{Sandoval the pull tab purse maker on The Malecon, and if you don’t know Gabino, I have a link in the shownotes to his podcast episode. But let’s go right now to the Malecon where I caught Gabino and his wife busily selling their purses and hats too, yes, he’s making palm frond hats too, Let’s talk with our buddy Gabino Sandoval, the Pull Tab Hat Maker!}

 ^{Listen To The Podcast}

^{Okay, wow, Gabino really has his hands full. And the designs for his purses and bags and belts are really cool. He has so many options. Do your Christmas shopping for sure. And yes, it’s been a year since the fire at his home. I’ll get you those pics of his completed home including the windows soon.}

 ^{Hedda Lettuce, a Drag Show at Act 2 Entertainment Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico}

^{Okay, our next guest is a very interesting guy. He is known as Hedda Lettuce, and I’ll let Hedda let you know what he does in the upcoming conversation. I was fortunate to get the interview with Hedda and it was all because of Jamie Chamberlain at Black Dahlia Productions at}

^{Qulture. Jamie set up a bunch of interviews for me in his studio, and one I was surprise to hear was coming was Hedda, who has an office at Qulture, and who, is just about to open his 5th season at act at Act 2 on the 7th of November, so I thought I would get a little background}

^{on Hedda for you, and I want to encourage you all to see his show. So let’s go right now, to Black Dahlia Studios, Jamie’s place at Qulture, and let’s meet Hedda, Hedda Lettuce….}

Suggestions From Hedda Lettuce

Breakfast:

• Soco’s Place Puerto Vallarta: https://www.facebook.com/socosplace/
• Loncheria Map:

Lunch:

Mi Cafe: Facebook

Agua Dulche

• Best Bargain: 22 Peso soft ice cream hot fudge at McDonalds end of the Malecon
• Advice For First Time Visitor: Don’t stop in the Shark Tank at The Airport
• Day Trip: San Sebastian..Cool and small town feel
• Three Day Weekend: Guadalajara, because it’s a big city.

 ^{Listen to The Podcast}

^{Wow, I love that guy. And you all will too. Get on over the the Act 2 website, and reserve your date to see the show. I have pictures and links to all the fun. All in the shownotes.}

Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta

• Website: https://www.actiientertainment.com/
• Location and Phone #: https://www.actiientertainment.com/Location.php
• Buy a Ticket: https://www.actiientertainment.com/

Contact Information for Hedda Lettuce

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hedda-Lettuce-44392675843/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heddalettucenyc/?hl=en
• Twitter: Twitter Link 
• Website: http://www.heddalettuce.com/
• Website for Hedda Lettuce: http://www.heddalettuce.com/

^{Okay that should do it for today don’t you think?}

^{Next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.}

^{And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes.}

^{And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.}

^{And thank you Gabino Sandoval for filling us in on what’s going on with you and the markets. Make sure you do your holiday shopping with him when you see him, and thank you Nat Moraga from Tile Park PV. Make sure you get dirty this year at the park. Leave your make at the park, and I especially want to thank Hedda Lettuce for coming on the show. Make sure you see the show at Act 2. It’s a riot! I have links so reserve your show date now, or at least soon. And thank you all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!}

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