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Mark your calendars! The Sassy Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair is back, bringing a festive day of creativity, music, and delicious food to Hacienda 43 on Saturday, November 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This beloved event is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season, whether you’re on the hunt for unique gifts, a fan of live music, or just looking to savor some amazing food.
The day kicks off with Sweet Sixx, blending bohemian blues, reggae, swing, and Latin beats to set the vibe. Then, prepare to be captivated by Derek Wille, an internationally acclaimed musician, producer, and composer whose emotionally rich performances are unforgettable. Finally, soak in the artistry of José Enrique Tovar, a Venezuelan virtuoso with a stunning repertoire, including his “Beatles Tribute.” Proceeds from José’s tips directly support his Academy of Young Soloists in San Felipe, where he teaches music to children for free.
The fair features 35 talented artists and crafters, offering everything from hand-painted jean jackets by Emma Hernandez to stunning mosaic tile pieces by Mexicali artisans Rubi Guzman and Yaneth Montiel. Returning favorites like Narda Velasco and Marlen Castor will also showcase their exceptional works. Don’t forget to stop by the Facebook page “Sassy Events” to preview the artists and grab a program at the event (while supplies last).
As if the art and music weren’t enough, Chef Santos and his team are serving an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet for just 250 pesos, featuring dishes like Chicken Cordon Bleu, Fettuccini Alfredo, and decadent desserts.
Parking has been expanded this year, making it even easier to enjoy the festivities. Come for the art, stay for the music, and leave with a full stomach and holiday cheer! See you at Hacienda 43!
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The Wavve, a new luxury residential project by Estrategia Urbana, has officially begun construction on the scenic toll road to Rosarito.
Located in Punta Bandera, at kilometer 18 of the coastal highway, The Wavve will feature two towers, each with 150 apartments offering stunning panoramic views.
Today, Thursday, the ceremonial first stone was placed, with company executives from Estrategia Urbana, Bustamante Realty Group, local officials, and invited guests in attendance.
Notable figures at the event included Arturo Espinoza Jaramillo, Baja California’s Secretary of Infrastructure; Mónica Vega Aguirre, Secretary of Environment; Miguel Aguíñiga, Secretary of Tourism; and Tijuana’s Secretary of Urban Mobility, María del Pilar Vázquez, among others.
Leading the ceremony were Jonathan Cohen, CEO of Estrategia Urbana, and Moises Zapan, the company’s CCO. They expressed their gratitude to local authorities, their clients, and everyone who contributed to the company’s establishment in Baja California. Special thanks went to the construction team working on The Wavve.
Héctor Bustamante, the director of the company managing the sales, announced that 60% of the units have already been sold.
Mónica Vega highlighted the project’s environmental efforts, which include a water treatment plant and solar panels for common areas, showcasing the developer’s commitment to sustainability.
With an investment of nearly 1.5 billion pesos, The Wavve is expected to generate over 450 jobs. According to Jonathan Cohen, this is just the first of several projects planned for Baja California by Estrategia Urbana, a company with over 25 years of experience and more than 70 projects completed in Mexico and the U.S.
More information on the project can be found at www.thewavvebaja.com
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BY THE UNKNOWN GRINGO
International Trade
I’m a docent at the Autry Museum of the American West where I take kids on tours during the school year. Usually grade school but sometimes older. No matter what age they are I always start my tour in front of the huge, stuffed bison / American buffalo we have. He’s visually impressive and I tell the kids how the native Americans would use the bison’s meat, bones, organs, sinew, hooves, leather, and fur to make food, tools, clothes, shoes, blankets, weapons, containers, and shelters called teepees. Nothing went to waste and the products they made were often traded far and wide with tribes that didn’t live in the Great Plains area.
The Pacific Coast natives, of course, harvested ocean fish and shellfish. There is evidence that the sea shells they collected were traded from tribe to tribe to tribe going eastward all the way into Nevada. Traded, eventually, to people that would never understand or see an ocean. The shells were used for beads, jewelry, ornaments, and fish hooks. They were an object of great prestige and could be considered a form of money because of that.
Does any of this apply to me or you? It sure does when some of my friends know I’m going to Mexico soon. They want me to bring back STUFF FOR THEM. The latest thing is Voltaren, an arthritis pain relief gel. They can easily get it here in the States but it is usually at 1% strength. In Mexico I can get it at Extra Strength of 2.32% AND at a better price than regular strength up north. I made the mistake of telling two friends I was doing this for one friend. Bingo, now I have three customers!!
Coffee. I get ground coffee for the woman who was my father’s wound care nurse and now feeds my beloved kitty when I am gone. I get her a wide range of beans from Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. I tell her to save the empty bag of anything she wants more of. So far, she likes them all.
Cuban cigars. My mailman pushed me to do this many years ago. He didn’t want big fat ones. He wanted the small thin ones. I got him some, he said he liked them ……. and he wouldn’t pay me back. I kept reminding him. It took several months of me hounding him. He finally paid and then got transferred to another area of town. He was already off my list.
Olive oil. The oil made in the Guadalupe Valley by L.A.Cetto can be found at their winery in the valley, at their store in Ensenada, and sometimes at the large Calimax in Tecate. Again, I have three customers and packing 750ml bottles of olive oil on a motorcycle takes some delicate planning. (The Voltaren and coffee travel much easier.) Oddly enough, I haven’t even tried the local stuff because I buy small 250ml bottles of olive oil at Trader Joe’s.
Menthol cigarettes. Their getting banned in California in November, 2022 caused one desperate neighbor to ask me to get cartons of them EVERY TIME I went to Mexico. I had to turn him down. I did not want to have Customs at the border looking at me suspiciously and I wish there was no such thing as tobacco to harm good people. I would have felt guilty supplying him.
When I started going to Mexico over 30 years ago I would go to the first Costco that Tijuana had. This was years before Ensenada finally got one. I would see Americans buying DOZENS of cartons of American cigarettes and was told they sneak them back across the border because cigarettes made in the U.S. cost a lot less in Mexico because there is no tax on them there. They would hide them in their RV’s and make good money selling them to their friends back home. Help to pay for part of their vacation down south.
Mole. One year I sent surprise Christmas gifts to several friends that had salsa macha, Japanese peanuts, and mole in each box. Those packages went to friends in California, Utah, Oregon, and Alaska. The guy in Alaska sent me a desperate letter in return. Could I please send more mole because his estranged girlfriend loved the stuff and she was barely speaking to him even though they were still living together in the same house? Drama. That mole could solve? He got his wish but they remain “just friends”.
And this international trade goes in both directions. I have a buddy who works in a liquor store in Ensenada who asks me to bring un-baked buttermilk biscuits in a tube. Sure. Cheap, easy, small. Just pack them in a plastic bag in case a tube “blows”. No ruptures yet.
High-end American craft beer that isn’t exported down south. One guy swears the beer I brought him that’s made in Michigan is the best he’s ever tasted. For years I’ve given out my favorite IPA from Seattle to friends down there. It’s Elysian Space Dust IPA. The room I create for this stuff going south on my motorcycle makes room for olive oil going north.
Ice Cream. I tried taking Haagen-Dazs ice cream south ONCE over twenty years ago for a friend who works at my favorite hotel. With dry ice and lots of insulation in a cooler in my van. He had to rush it across the street to a restaurant’s freezer since it had turned too soft.
Drill bits. For a friend who worked in a gem shop and needed special drill bits for shaping his stones and minerals. A dear friend. Who never paid me back. I let it go because he was so much older than me and was probably struggling financially. I wrote about him before in the March 27, 2023 article about the Big Bottle of Mezcal – Part Two. He was almost a legend to me with all the stories he would tell me late at night over a bottle of mezcal about “lost Spanish gold mines, partnerships ending in murder, briefcases of money that would bring out the worst in men, eight foot tall human skeletons found in a cave, mining huge meteorites in the desert for big bucks, and how eating powdered rattlesnake helped him to please the ladies”. He’s passed now and when I go by his old shop I can get a little choked up. I wish I could buy him more drill bits.
A lot of things cross our border in both directions. People, ideas, music, food, products. Sometimes with conflict but also with convergence. International trade brings us closer. My motorcycle and I are a small part of that. I imagine most of you are.
Move over boys, there’s a new leadership trend sweeping Baja California—one led predominantly by women, and it’s a major shift. If you blinked, you might’ve missed the news: women are now leading at nearly all levels of government in our beloved Baja. It’s like the rest of Mexico finally got the memo that Baja’s ladies have been calling the shots at home long enough—now they’re officially taking the reins in city halls and beyond, too.
Rosarito’s got itself a new boss lady: Rocio Adame, stepping in as mayor and keeping the coastal vibes positive while showing the boys how it’s done. Not to be outdone, Ensenada welcomes Claudia Agaton as the new mayor—yes, the same Ensenada that’s known for its expansive coastline, fine wine, and, apparently, a no-nonsense approach to governance.
Moving further down to the beautiful desert city of Mexicali, Alicia Bustamante is ready to bring some much-needed feminine finesse. And over in San Quintin, we have Miriam Cano, who’s got her sleeves rolled up to take on whatever challenges the town throws her way.
If you’re starting to see a pattern here, you’re right. This new wave of leadership isn’t just a coincidence—it’s a carefully orchestrated revolution by the Morena party, who has seemingly decided that women’s time to lead has arrived. With Marina del Pilar already paving the way as the Governor of Baja California for three years now, and the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, stepping into office, it’s safe to say that Mexico’s political landscape is getting a much-needed dose of diversity and representation at every level.
Claudia Sheinbaum’s rise to the presidency is a historic moment—not just for Baja California, but for all of Mexico. As the first woman elected as President of Mexico, Sheinbaum brings a wealth of experience from her time as the Mayor of Mexico City, where she implemented groundbreaking social programs, strengthened environmental policies, and tackled the challenges of urban insecurity head-on. While she has made it clear that she intends to continue many of the initiatives started by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), her leadership offers a fresh perspective, especially as she builds on these foundations with her own approach and ideas.
Of course, let’s not forget our lone cowboys still holding it down. San Felipe’s José Luis Dagnino, Tecate’s Román Cota, and Tijuana’s Ismael Burgueño are the exceptions to the all-woman lineup—but they, too, carry the Morena banner. We’ll see if they can keep up with the ladies or if they’ll just be taking notes.
Now, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves; nobody’s saying this guarantees utopia overnight. Politics, after all, is a complex beast. But the Morena party has clearly decided it’s time for a different approach. And given the history of male-dominated leadership in Mexico, it’s hard not to feel a little bit hopeful. A little bit curious. Maybe even a little bit excited.
After all, there’s something undeniably refreshing about seeing Baja’s leadership reflect the women who’ve long been its backbone—whether it’s managing businesses, raising families, or, as of now, governing municipalities. This isn’t just about representation—it’s about tapping into a wealth of talent and perspective that’s been long overlooked in political spaces. And with Claudia Sheinbaum at the helm of the nation, it’s also about demonstrating that leadership isn’t a man’s game anymore.
Sheinbaum’s presidency also brings hope for tackling some of Baja’s ongoing issues. Baja’s security situation has been, shall we say, a bit of a rollercoaster. With this new wave of leadership—women who are known for their pragmatism, empathy, and strong will—perhaps we can finally start seeing meaningful, lasting improvements that make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Sheinbaum’s emphasis on community-oriented security measures and her previous work in reducing crime rates in Mexico City might just be what Baja needs to see more stability and safety at the local level.
So what does this mean for Baja? Hopefully, better policies for families, more community-focused initiatives, and an approach to leadership that values collaboration over conflict. And let’s be real—one thing we’re all hoping for is better security across the board. With leaders like Marina del Pilar and Claudia Sheinbaum setting the tone, we have reason to believe that a different kind of politics—one that focuses on the well-being of every citizen—might just be possible.
But let’s not forget—these women aren’t just there to play nice. They’re tough, they’re determined, and they’re ready to make waves.
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Lights, camera, action! The first edition of the Valle de Guadalupe Film Festival is kicking off with a well-deserved tribute to renowned Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Arau. Known for directing hits like A Walk in the Clouds (starring Keanu Reeves), Zapata: The Dream of a Hero, and the iconic Like Water for Chocolate, Arau has made a lasting impact on Mexican cinema. This special homage will take place on Friday, September 20, at 5:30 PM at the Museo de la Vid y el Vino.
Arau also holds the unique distinction of being the first to direct famed American director Woody Allen in the film Picking Up the Pieces. Intrigued?
You can learn more fascinating details like this at the film discussion led by critic Ernesto Diezmartínez, starting at 6:00 PM right after the tribute. Following this, the visual artist Julio Orozco will unveil his exhibition “Halls of the Past, Projections of the Future” at 7:00 PM.
To round off the festival’s opening day, there will be a concert of “Great Works of the Seventh Art” performed by the Wind Quintet of the Baja California Orchestra at 8:30 PM. And if that’s not enough, stick around for the video mapping presentation “Libélula” at 10:00 PM.
Best of all? Admission to all these activities is free! The festivities start on Friday, September 20, at 5:30 PM at the Museo de la Vid y el Vino in Valle de Guadalupe. The museum is located at Carr. Fed. Tecate-Ensenada Km 81.3371 Fracc. Norte, 22750 Francisco Zarco, B.C.
For the full festival program, visit: https://festivaldecinevalleguadalupe.com
