Second Annual Baja By the Sea
Draws Crowd To Seaport Village
http://ping.fm/dy77F

Second Annual Baja By the Sea Draws Crowd To Seaport Village

SAN DIEGO---Hundreds of Baja lovers and government officials from both sides of the border flocked to Saturday’s second annual Baja By the Sea event at San Diego’s Seaport Village.

The eight-hour event featured exhibits --- and many free samples --- of signature Baja food and wine, as well as booths highlighting art, tourism, hotels, services and products of the popular region.

Each of Baja’s five cities had exhibits at the event. Several Baja mayors, including Hugo Torres of Rosarito, attended and pitched in to make a giant bowl of cerviche to help inaugurate Baja By The Sea.

The event also featured many statements of good will and the importance of partnership between Baja and neighboring Southern California.

Baja California Gov. Jose Guadalupe Osuna Milan thanked San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders for his great support, including assistance in helping train Baja’s recently launched Metropolitan Tourist Police force.

Steven Kashkett, U.S. general in Tijuana, spoke of the benefits from being in the region and being able to enjoy the things that Baja has to offer. “Ours is one region that is truly binational, bicultural and bilingual,” he said.

Being based in Tijuana, he is able to enjoy those things everyday, Kashkett said, while urging “those who live on this side of the border to come down and enjoy them soon.”

San Diego Port Commissioner Lee Burdick said of the region that “our partnership benefits both countries.” She added that Baja wines “rival some of the best made in California.”

Baja By The Sea was sponsored by the state of Baja, its restaurant association, cities and other groups.

This Memorial Day Weekend Offers
Two Ways To Enjoy Baja California
ROSARITO BEACH http://ping.fm/6Y9I6

This Memorial Day Weekend Offers Two Ways To Enjoy Baja California

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA MEXICO---For many Southern Californians Memorial Day marks the first of many summer trips they’ll make to Baja to enjoy surfing, lobster, local wines, spas, great prices and laid-back beauty by the sea.

But for anyone who can’t get down to Baja --- at least until Sunday --- there’s another way this Saturday to enjoy all this great region has to offer.

From noon to 6 on at Seaport Village in the Embacadero Park North, Baja By The Sea will highlight the tastes and activities of the popular tourist region. Each of the its five cities, including Rosarito, will have a booth featuring local flavors and other attractions.

In addition, displays will feature Baja California products, hotels, recreation and culture. Admission is free. Additional information is available at www.bajabythesea.org

Rosarito Tours | Travel Tips - USATODAY.com

Rosarito Tours | Travel Tips - USATODAY.com

• Overview

  Halfway between the wild border town of Tijuana and the bustling port city of Ensenada lies a small town that began has a hideaway for the rich and famous and has been a favorite tourist spot for more than 80 years: Rosarito. Where once you had to explore this lovely hamlet on your own, now there are plenty of guided tours, so grab your passport and head for the border.

• How To Get There

  San Diego visitors or residents will find that it is simple to book a bus excursion directly to Rosarito Beach from any number of hotels. If you choose to go by car, be purchase Mexican car insurance before crossing the border. Rosarito is a half-hour south of the Tijuana border.

• The Lobster Village

  Head a few miles south of Rosarito to the Lobster Village of Puerto Nuevo, where more than 40 restaurants serve pretty much the same fare: deep-fried lobster, unlimited beans and rice, chips and salsa and margaritas made with a variety of tequilas. You can book a lobster tour from San Diego, or just take a short cab ride from downtown Rosarito and make up your own tour.

• Personal Tour Guide

  Rosarito Beach Hotel has its own resident tour guide, Fernando, who will be happy to not only fill you in on the illustrious history of the hotel, but also take you on a tour of La Cetta vineyards, one of Mexico's most famous wineries, in nearby Ensenada. There, you can enjoy some wine and food pairing samples while taking in a panoramic view of the vineyards.

• Revisit Titanic

  Known in the 1920s as the Mexican Hollywood, Rosarito returned to the spotlight in 1996 when Twentieth Century Fox decided to build a studio on the beach 3 miles south of town in order to film James Cameron's "Titanic." Now, the movie studio is open to the public and fans can see pieces of the reconstructed ship used for the movie, along with replicas of the ship's china, lifeboats, salons, boiler room and staterooms.

• Art Route

  Rosarito takes pride in the number of art galleries that line its streets. From folk art to fine art and everything in between, you'll find it on the art route, whether you choose to drive or walk. A map of the galleries can be picked up at the Tourism Secretariat on the south end of town or downloaded from the Rosarito website.

• Beach Hotel History

  The town of Rosarito sprouted up around the famed Rosarito Beach Hotel, a movie star hangout since it opened its massive carved doors in 1926, through which, as the sign above the entrance boasts, passed "the most beautiful women in the world." Take in the history by wandering around the hotel, viewing the Mexican art and old photographs, and make a stop in the Beachcomber Bar for a Cocoloco (a pina colada inside a fresh coconut) before strolling out on the long pier to get a closer view of the seals basking in the sun on Seal Rock. Spend the rest of the day cruising the scores of shops and kiosks that line the downtown boulevard, or head down the beach for an hour of horseback riding and a dip in the ocean

rosaritostyle.blogspot.com

Tacos Yaqui - Rosarito Beach
The history of the traditional Rosarito tacoshop, featuring their famous "Tacos Perrones"

Tacos El Yaqui... Historia - Rosarito Beach

En 1967, a la edad de 16 años, Felipe Núñez originario del Estado de Zacatecas México, llega a Tijuana con la idea de cumplir sus tres mas grandes sueños; cruzar la frontera a EUA, hacer mucho dinero e irse a casar a su tierra. No cumplió ninguno de los tres.


Ese mismo año se establece en Playas de Rosarito y entra a trabajar de “mil usos” en Carnitas La Flor de Michoacán, empleo que conserva por siete años, en 1974 toma el puesto como ayudante de cocinero en Restaurante El Nido, labor que desempeña hasta 1984 cuando decide emprender un negocio propio.


El 3 de Febrero de 1984 en Playas de Rosarito, lugar que le adoptó y le bautizó como “El Yaqui”abre las puertas de su pequeño negocio, un puesto de tacos con paredes de madera y un pequeño asador tambalenate, que bailaba con el ir y venir de pipas y camiones que transitaban por su terregoza calle. 


Ubicado a dos cuadras de la avenida principal; que ya era visitada por cientos de turistas extranjeros, muchos pensaban que seria un fracaso por no estar sobre el boulevard, pero para sorpresa de muchos Tacos El Yaqui supera todas las expectativas y lo que en un principio era un puesto de tacos abrumado por el polvoriento y constante tráfico, se convertía en un negocio próspero que crecia cada día más gracias a clientes atraidos por el buen sazón y las agradables conversaciones con “El Yaqui”.


Tacos El Yaqui ha sido visitado por grandes personalidades del deporte, la política y la música. Su taco principal “el perrón” nombrado asi por un cliente, quien pidió que su taco llevara de todo, su expresión ...”está bien perrón” dió origen a este famoso taco, que muchos tratan de igualar y que le ha valido a Tacos El Yaqui un artículo en Vogue Magazine (1999), asi como menciones en The Union Tribune (1999) La Voz del Pacífico (1999), Escala de Aeroméxico (2001) Travel+Leisure (2001), It Must’ve Been Something I Ate ( Libro publicado en 2002 por Jeffrey Steingarten, crítico de comida para la revista Vogue en Nueva York), Baja Lifestyle (2008), asi como muchos periódicos locales.


Durante estos 25 años Tacos El Yaqui ha recibido el apoyo incondicional de sus clientes y amigos quienes lo recomiendan a propios y extranjeros.


Gracias a mis compadres quienes nos alentaron y confiaron en nosotros.
Atte. Felipe Núñez “El Yaqui”
http://www.losperronesdelyaqui.com/historia.php

Unity of the Californias Is Main Message For the 5th Binational Mayor’s Summit

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Taking advantage of the many opportunities shared between Southern California and Baja California was the main message delivered by speakers Friday at the Fifth Binational Mayors’ Summit here.

More than 220 civic and business leaders plus mayors from 14 cities on both sides of the border attended the summit, which had as its theme “Unifying the Californias.”

The summit, at which U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin was a keynote speaker, was the largest of the five inspired two years ago by an agreement between California Gov. Schwarzenegger and Baja Gov. Osuna.

Representatives of both governors attended Friday’s summit as did the consuls of several countries.

As well as welcoming and keynote speeches, the summit included workshops on border crossings, desalination/environment, economic development, public safety, education and a mayors’ roundtable.

The summit, which is held twice a year on alternating sides of the border, was hosted by Rosarito and Redondo Beach. The San Diego and San Ysidro chambers of commerce, plus Rancho Santiago Community College were among assisting groups.

Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres in opening remarks thanked all those who attended, while citing a recurring theme: “Having a shared border is not what separates us; it is what brings us together.”

While sharing the busiest border crossing in the world creates some challenges, including traffic congestion, it creates many more opportunities in a region that shares friends, family, environment and economy, Torres said.

Redondo Beach Mayor Pro Tem Steve Diels mentioned ways in which the region is closely linked, including by geography: “We’re 150 miles away, but when Mexicali shakes we feel it.”

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, noting the many vacation trips his family has taken south of the border, said “we view San Diego and Baja as one region in just about every respect.”

Sanders also mentioned San Diego’s assistance in helping train Baja’s new Metropolitan Tourist Police in an effort to ensure that tourists on both sides of the border are treated alike.

Mexican Congressman Gaston Luken Garza spoke of the southbound border crossing while Bersin cited actions that would improve the northbound flow of traffic.

Among those were more public and private partnerships for infrastructure, plus increasing trusted traveler programs, such as SENTRI, so that they are used by 75 percent of commuters rather than the current 24 percent.

Alternating between Spanish and English, Bersin said the Obama administration was troubled by recent legislation enacted by Arizona that allows police to seek residency status verification based on suspicion that someone might be an illegal immigrant.

He said the Obama administration was reviewing its options on the law, including a possible court challenge.

Bersin also said an organized, staffed and well funded binational organization was needed to advocate the interests of the region.

The next Binational Mayor’s Summit will be in six months in Redondo Beach, co-hosted by the city of Tijuana.

Customs and Border Protection head visits SoCal

The Associated Press

Posted: 05/06/2010 12:10:59 PM PDT

Updated: 05/06/2010 12:10:59 PM PDT

SAN DIEGO—The head of the Customs and Border Protection is back home in San Diego to talk about the nation's border.

Commissioner Alan Bersin is slated to host a public forum Thursday at Point Loma Nazarene University. His office says he will talk about how to improve the flow of goods and people at U.S. border crossings.

His visit comes as a new law in Arizona has helped return illegal immigration to the national spotlight.

Bersin will also visit Playas de Rosarito, Mexico, on Friday for an annual conference of mayors on the California-Mexico border.

Bersin is a former U.S. attorney in San Diego and former "border czar" for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

CBP Commissioner Bersin, 15 Mayors Confirmed For May 7 Binational Mayors’ Summit in Rosarito

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Newly appointed Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin this week was confirmed as a keynote speaker at the May 7 Fifth Binational Mayors’ Summit in this city.

Bersin, appointed in late March by President Barack Obama, will join Mexican Cong. Gaston Luken in keynote talks on the future of the northbound and southbound border crossings, including those at San Ysidro, the busiest in the world.

“We selected this as the keynote topic because it is of vital importance to the flow of commerce and people between these two closely linked nations,” said host Rosarito Mayor Hugo Torres. “We are very pleased to have Commissioner Bersin involved.”

Fifteen U.S. and Baja mayors as well as other binational leaders so far have confirmed. Mayors include Steve Diels of co-host Redondo Beach, Jerry Sanders of San Diego, Miguel Pulido of Santa Ana, and Deputy Mayor Rudy Ramirez of Chula Vista.

All five Baja mayors are expected to attend as is Steven Kashkett, U.S. Consul General in Tijuana.

Baja Gov. Jose Guadalupe Osuna Milan will inaugurate the summit Friday morning. The summits grew from a commitment between Osuna and California Gov. Schwarzenegger for greater interaction between the two states.

Five workshops will follow the keynote addresses. They will be on desalination and environment, public security, economic development, border crossings and a mayors’ roundtable. Binational experts will participate in the workshops.

The San Diego Regional and San Ysidro chambers of commerce and Rancho Santiago Community College are among sponsors. A May 6 reception will precede the summit.

“Although Southern California and Baja are in two separate countries, they truly are one region closely linked by friends, family, environment and economy,” Torres said. “The summit is an excellent opportunity to work together on challenges and opportunities.”

“We are very pleased by the response to this one,” he added.