Controversy also followed her MTV Movie Awards appearance on April 14 during the first performance of her new single, Come and Get It. The choice of a Bollywood look, including a bindi on her forehead and vaguely Middle Eastern dance moves, was considered “culturally insensitive” by not a few viewers. Such is the price of fame.

The “new,” daring Selena is scheduled to begin her Stars Dance World Tour in October, which will feature extravagant musical numbers channeling the iconic spirits of Britney Spears and Janet Jackson.  

Fans should buy tickets early; the Tour has just a one-night stop in Phoenix on November 5 at the U.S. Airways Center. Tickets are $64.25.

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Photo by Adam Rodriguez, courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden

The popular Flashlight Tours return to the Desert Botanical Garden. Starting May 30, and continuing through August 31, visitors to the Garden can engage in a sensory adventure and see, hear, smell and feel the night desert. Tortoises, nighthawks, critters and night-blooming flowers add to the beauty of the Garden.

Flashlight Tours take place on Thursdays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. Tour price is included with Garden membership or with paid Garden admission: $18, adults; $15, seniors (60+); $10, students (13-18) and college students with ID; $8, children (3-12). Visitors should wear comfortable walking shoes and take their own flashlights. The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 North Galvin Parkway in Phoenix. Visit dbg.org to learn more.

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You will need:

1 bottle El Jimador blanco

1 bottle prosecco

4 oz. (.12 liter) Aperol (if you can’t find Aperol, Campari is a good substitute)

1.5 liters (about 6 cups) pink grapefruit juice

750 ml (about 3 cups) honey syrup

Garnish: pomegranate seeds, raspberries, lime and pink grapefruit discs

Method:

The best sort of ice for punch is lump or block ice – it reduces dilution and keeps the punch colder for much longer. One of the best ways of creating block ice is to fill a balloon with water, tie it off and place in a bowl in the freezer the night before. 

Before adding ingredients, place the punch bowl where you intend to serve from; otherwise, it will be too heavy to move. Place the ice block carefully into the punch bowl, then add all liquid ingredients. Stir gently but thoroughly, then introduce the garnishes. 

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Art of food preparation offers life lessons to children. Book cover courtesy of the author

Albert Monreal Quihuis released his first children’s book in 2011. Sofía’s Awesome Tamale Day is a tribute to the author’s parents and their tamale-making tradition. 

The Chandler resident, who is a financial planner by training and a storyteller at heart, tells LPM that he never thought he’d venture into writing children’s literature, much less a book series, but felt compelled to capture the camaraderie and bonding that occur when a family gathers around the kitchen to prepare food. “I want to inspire young and old readers to discover their history, culture and heritage so they can be proud of who they are.”

His latest book, In Search of the Lost Art of Making Tortillas, follows the travails of Sofía and her talkative parrot, Pepe (characters from his debut story) as they help Abuelita, travel to the Festival of Zapopan, and follow the path of the Jaguar looking for answers and The Lost Art.  

Sure, Sofía and Pepe could buy a packet of tortillas at the supermarket for under two dollars, but there’s no fun in that!

In Search of the Lost Art of Making Tortillas

$16.95, paperback; 38 pages 

Illustrated by Susan Klecka 

Perfect Bound Marketing + Press, 2012

ISBN-10: 0988457601

ISBN-13: 978-0988457607

To contact the author for the purchase of a single book or bulk sales, visit aquihuis@msn.com 

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Cano-Murillo’s latest novel combines fresh repartee, folksy philosophy and a free-wheeling approach to fashion

Phoenix’ own Kathy Cano-Murillo has brought her Crafty Chica brand to a national audience through her books, blogs and video classes. Her approach to handicrafts emphasizes the use of low-cost raw materials assembled with flamboyant Latina flair. More recently, Cano-Murillo’s surfeit of inventiveness has found an outlet in literature. 

The latest novel, Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing, is a jaunty, fast-paced narrative. The main characters are three strong-minded women whose lives intersect in a sewing class. In the process of challenging one another to pursue their most most cherished dreams, they tear away at one another’s delusions and secrets. It’s a wild ride for all concerned, but the subtext, as with all of the Crafty Chica’s creations, is fun. And, for a limited time, the book can be purchased for under $10.

Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing: ISBN 978-0-446-50923-7

Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: ISBN 978-0-466-50924-4

From Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group, available in paperback or Kindle editions at craftychica.com, a website celebrating its 12-year anniversay! 

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The opening reception on the First Friday in May (May 3) lasts from 6 to 10 p.m. and will include live entertainment as well as an opportunity to meet Latina artists. This is a juried exhibition and all the artworks will be for sale. 

ALAC is open from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Admission gratis.

See more at alac.org/calendar

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BagIT explores the pervasiveness of plastic in the modern world and how it endangers wildlife, waterways, oceans and other ecosystems, as well as human health. Tracking the misadventures of world tourist, Jeb Berrier, the documentary takes a surprisingly playful approach to this very serious problem, and has been widely praised. However, the film doesn’t stop at illustrating the negative impacts of plastic proliferation; it also offers recommendations for solutions.

The film is available for download on iTunes for $9.99 or for purchase as a DVD (including the version with Spanish subtitles) for $25 at bagitmovie.com/shop, where information about screening rights for public events can also be found. View the trailer at reelthing.us/bagit.

The Tempe Public Library (3500 S. Rural Rd., Tempe 85281; 480-350-5500) will be hosting a screening on Saturday, April 20, from 1-2 p.m. in Meeting Room B as part of their Earth Day celebration. Admission is free and appropriate for all ages.

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Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel Five, with their sophisticated Latin rhythms and jazz a la Django Reinhardt, will perform on Wednesday, May 1, at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets: $37.50–$47.50

The Los Angeles-based band, La Santa Cecilia, features a contemporary repertoire that represents a hybrid of Latin culture, rock and world music employing pan-American rhythms, including cumbia, bossa nova, rumba, bolero, tango, jazz, rock and klezmer music. La Santa Cecilia takes the stage on Thursday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $19.50-$27.50

Carla Morrison is a Mexican singer-songwriter whose powerful vocals and heart-wrenching lyrics have earned her two Latin Grammy Awards and multiple nominations. Morrison is scheduled to perform on Thursday, May 23, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $29.50-$37.50 

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Back to the future with reconstructed Da Vinci machines

“Da Vinci: The Genius,” the traveling exhibit currently at the Arizona Science Center, is a comprehensive look at the imaginative output of the most lauded and mysterious figure of the Renaissance. Most people know that Leonardo Da Vinci’s talents encompassed not only the arts (painting, sculpture and architecture) but also the sciences (astronomy, mathematics and engineering). This exhibit has found a way to display the immensity of Da Vinci’s creative vision.

The international team of Grande Exhibitions have assembled an exhibit that includes life-size mechanical inventions re-created from Da Vinci’s notebooks – a helicopter, a bicycle, a parachute, a tank and a submarine. Large, interactive screens allow visitors to comprehend Da Vinci’s understanding of anatomy and military strategy. A high-definition facsimile of The Last Supper has recently been added to the display of artworks accompanied by animated interpretative guides.

Audio-tours are available in Spanish. 

When: runs through June 9; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Where: 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix 85004

Cost (non-members): Adults, $26.95; Seniors, $22.95; Children (under 18), $8

Cost (members): Adults, $ 10; Children, $ 8

More info: azscience.org/exhibits_activities/exhibit/da_vinci_the_genius; 602-716-2000  

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Tracking missing border-crossers; some do care

PBS’ Independent Lens, a five-time Emmy award-winning series, brings new, independently produced, feature-length films to television viewers. The Undocumented will be one of the 22 films aired this season. The Undocumented follows the efforts of the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Mexican consulate and Border Patrol personnel to reunite the bodies of those who died attempting to cross the desert between Sonora and Tucson with their distraught families in Mexico. In the past fifteen years more than 2,500 migrants have died while crossing the border, and many of the bodies are never identified or returned to their homeland for burial.

Award-winning filmmaker and New York University professor, Marco Williams, directed The Undocumented. Williams has dealt with the brutal realities of contemporary racism in previous documentaries, such as The Towns of Jasper (2002) and Banished (2005).

The Undocumented is scheduled to be broadcast on Monday evening, April 29, on KAET, channel 8 at 11 p.m. 

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