On a recent evening my husband and I and two of our friends were imaginatively transported to Paris, where for several leisurely hours we savored a seven-course dinner with wine pairings at Chez Elliott. This charming bistro tucked away in a Guanajuato callejon is the creation of Jack and Jacquie Elliott, master chef and sous chef, who had offered the dinner as an auction prize at our annual Fiesta last year. We were the lucky winners.
Everything about the evening was extraordinary: the care devoted to creating and serving each authentic dish, the selection of wines, the beautiful table setting with candles and fresh flowers, the French cabaret music playing softly in the background, and of course our gracious hosts.
This was just one example of the generosity of Amigos donors, who unfailingly offer their support for our cause each year.
Other auction-prize winners have had similarly rewarding experiences. Here are just two more examples:
Lori Bierbrier has sent us the following testimonial about the one-day monoprint workshop she won from printmaker Hugo Anaya. “We were thrilled to be the top bidder for a day of printmaking with Hugo Anaya at his studio in the Centro of Guanajuato. Hugo warmly welcomed my husband Thomas, daughter Brooke, and me to his rooftop studio with its beautiful views, where he explained and demonstrated the printmaking process in an easy-to-understand manner. Although we were novices, he can adapt the printmaking lesson to all skill levels. We made several prints, using various techniques. We also enjoyed a delicious homemade lunch at midday. We highly recommend this experience to all.”
Dyan Amirault, who won a prize from Julián Gaxiola (“The Tree Doctor”), reported that Julián and his team came to her house and pruned dead branches from her trees, stacked the wood afterward—and did not damage a single flower in her garden!
We are indebted to every one of our generous donors.