October 28, 2019 Edition
Baja Burns!
Wildfires have been a common sight in Baja for years, but we had never seen something as extreme as what has been going on for the last couple days.
Severe heat and dry Santa Ana winds have caused dry vegetation to burn.
4 people have been reported dead, 2 in Tecate, 1 in Tijuana, and another one in Rosarito. Almost 100 houses have been lost to the fires, most of them yesterday, which was the day that had the worst Santa Ana winds condition.
About 50 families were evacuated from Real Del Mar, which was impressively affected by the fire.
Incredible enough, two persons were detained for causing fires that, in one case, resulted in one death. One was detained in Rosarito and another one in Tijuana.
For a couple of hours on Friday, both the toll road and the free road were closed because of the fires that were making driving there dangerous.
Authorities are recommending drinking lots of water to and of course avoid being near fires, sometimes it doesn’t look as bad until its too late.
October 14, 2019 Edition
September 30, 2019 Edition
Gordon Ramsey, Gino D’Acampo and Tom Holland Spotted In Baja
It looks like it has been a busy week for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey and Gino D’Acampo, who were spotted by shoppers at Mercado Hidalgo in Tijuana.
Mercado Hidalgo is one of the few typical 100% Mexican “Mercados” in Baja, they offer a wide selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, spices and almost everything you need to make a proper meal. The “Mercado” concept, which is very popular in mainland Mexico, offers products from several small businesses that most of the times are specialized in certain items. They are located in open spaces which make the consumer feel as if they were going to only one store instead of a couple dozen.
Chef Ramsey was seen getting stuff from the local shops and was later tagged by Tom Holland, who was fishing in Ensenada, in a picture of some pretty good looking lamb shanks plate.
September 16, 2019 Edition
Another Dead Whale Beaches, Now In Ensenada
Herbe Ortega, head of ZOFEMAT in Ensenada (The Marine Federal Zone office), reported that another whale corpse was found in the Loma Dorada beach.
The animal was almost 50 feet long and weighted about 20 tons.
Authorities from the environmental office are already working with CEMEX on getting the required tools to move and bury the animal.
This is going to be a lot easier than the one in Rosarito last week since that one was in a very hard to access location.
Ortega stated that the whale was already dead by the time it got to the beach so he recommended people to stay away from the corpse in order to avoid any kind of sickness.
Another Dead Whale Found in Rosarito
A blue whale carcass, more than 60 feet long, was found yesterday beached near a cliff in Rosarito. This is the 5th whale found dead in northern Baja’s coastline this year.
Civil Protection office stated that they worked together with the Mexican army to move the carcass of the mammal and take it to a nearby beach to bury it.
They needed the extra help since the area where the whale was found, at K 38.5 of the Tijuana-Ensenada free road, was not easily accessible.
A researcher from Ensenadas’s Center for Scientific Research and Superior Studies (CICESE), Gisela Heckel, PhD, stated last January that local whales have seen their food sources considerably impaired because of global warming, although she also said that it is relatively normal to see a few whales stranded on our beaches when weather phenomenons like “El Niño” hit our state.
SOURCE: Proceso, Javier Cruz Aguirre.
‘¡Que Viva Cine Latino!’ Outdoor Film Series Returns this September with Selena, COCO, Ana Serradilla, y más!
San Ysidro, CA (August 27, 2019) – The San Diego Latino Film Festival is proud to announce the return of it’s Outdoor Latino film series, ¡Que Viva Cine Latino!, to San Ysidro this September. The series, presented by Las Americas Premium Outlets, will showcase some of the latest and best Latino films under the stars.
Movie lovers will enjoy outstanding and renowned Latino movies in a unique, outdoor setting. The event will take place every Wednesday in September (4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th) beginning at 6:30 p.m. with live entertainment, art exhibits and costume contests at select screenings at the Paseo del Arte corridor at Las Americas Premium Outlets, located between the Old Navy and Coach stores.
“We are pleased to host ¡Que Viva Cine Latino! for the third consecutive year. This is a phenomenal opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate Latinx culture in a family-friendly setting.” said Megan Madrigal, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Las Americas Premium Outlets. “We are proud of our partnership with the Media Arts Center San Diego and encourage guests to come enjoy live music, movies and much more.”
The film selection will feature this year’s romantic comedy La Boda de mi Mejor amigo starring Ana Serradilla (September 4th); the animated adventure film Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse (September 11th); Selena, the biographical drama about the Tejano music star Selena (September 18th); and Coco, the Pixar sensation and new animated classic celebrating Día de los Muertos (September 25th).
All screenings are free and open to the public, with seating available on a first-come basis. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets and grab a snack at one of the many food locations throughout the center.
About Las Americas Premium Outlets®
Las Americas Premium Outlets offers more than 125 outlet stores, including impressive savings at Adidas, Banana Republic, Kipling, Disney Outlet, Calvin Klein, Coach, Gap Factory Store, Guess, J.Crew Factory, kate spade new york, Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Bahama, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour and more. The property is located in the southern region of San Diego County, off I-5, the primary north-south corridor on Camino de la Plaza, the last exit before the international border crossing into Mexico. For more information, visit www.premiumoutlets.com/lasamericas or call 619-934-8400. Follow Las Americas Premium Outlets on Twitter and Instagram at @lasamericaspo, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lasamericaspremiumoutlets.
About Simon
Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and an S&P100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG). Our industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe, and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual sales. For more information, visit simon.com.
About Media Arts Center San Diego
Media Arts Center San Diego, a 501 c(3) non-profit organization, has been promoting independent cinema and teaching the art of filmmaking for over 24 years in the San Diego – Baja California Region. Its programs and services include Youth Media & Tech Camps, Teen Producers Project, the Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, Digital Gym CINEMA, iVIE Awards & Student Film Festival, and Community Video Production Services.
Creative Gastronomy Comes to Town
BY DANIELLE WILLIAMS
Tripping at Viaje is what I like to do on a mellow Sunday afternoon on the terrasse of the newer restaurant in town, VIAJE, COCINA DEL MUNDO. Cool jazz from a 4-piece ensemble, a glass of Chardonnay, and having just polished off an order of enfrijoladas – a sort of chicken crepes in a luscious bean sauce redolent of pasillas chiles – takes me close to Nirvana, or maybe pig’s heaven with an ocean view.
Open with much fanfare in February, Viaje is located midtown Rosarito in the Quinta del Mar complex. You drive through the arch and it is a straight shot around the fountain.
The building had been a restaurant in a former incarnation some 15 years ago when it burned down. In came Jerome Gombert, a talented and ambitious Frenchman with successful restaurant experience in San Diego (Vagabond in North Park). He had the vision to turn the structure into the stunning establishment it has become. Assisted by designer Roderick Shade of Architectural Digest fame, he has created an airy, elegant, yet hip space. The design takes advantage of existing exposed structural elements: the cellar, the vintage tile and wide plank wood floor, and wall niches. It has two distinct areas: a refectory style room around an oyster bar with two dozen huge lanterns to offset the bare bone feeling; in sharp contrast you then proceed to an explosion of colors and textures for a 1001-nights feeling provided by kilometers of draped sari fabrics in the two cozy rooms adjoining the patio.
When alone, I sit at the bar for a chat with Jeser, the amiable bartender. As a bonus, it affords a full view of the open kitchen with pedigreed chef, Jonathan Casas, and his team in action. Everything is prepared to order with mostly local ingredients: organic veggies from the Guadalupe Valley and seafood from Ensenada and San Quintin.
Viaje, meaning “travel” offers a culinary tour of the world with an eclectic selection of French, Peruvian, Moroccan, and Chinese preparations. I have not tried it all, but the steak tartare is for me a near addiction: chopped to order fresh sirloin with assorted spices. Jonathan’s rendition of bouillabaisse, the French fish soup, is another favorite. If you are fussy about your oysters, you’ll love these plump, sweet on the shell – the best anywhere. My companions have raved about the various ceviches which I have not tried yet, but looked like works of art.
Several times, the attendance was minimal making me think that Viaje has not yet appeared on everyone’s radar. I have heard that some folks are intimidated by the exotic touch and fear high prices. In reality, the prices are reasonable and the place is unpretentious as is Jerome whose hospitality makes you feel at home. As of this writing, there is a happy hour from 5-7 on weekdays with music on Friday. Try it, enjoy it, and why not toss a coin in the fountain on your way out.
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