Rosarito Beautification Effort Underway With Popotla Boulevard Projects & Others

A section of the city best known for housing the creation of beautiful things is the first to benefit from a new volunteer city beautification effort.

Sculptures including Neptune and others created by local artists have been installed along Popotla Boulevard, south of the main downtown, over the past several years.

Popotla is a section of Rosarito known for handmade furniture, metal sculpting, tile and glass work, art galleries and much more. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Rosarito.

Now the effort, organized by Juan Bosco president of AFAMARO, the Rosarito artisans’ association, is expanding to include Benito Juarez, which is the name of Popotla as it runs though the center and north of Rosarito.

A non-profit group is being formed to lead the project. It will consist of four subcommittees, one each for Rosarito north, Rosarito downtown, Popotla Boulevard and the Puerto Nuevo area.

Along the boulevard three murals will be painted, several fountains, old doors, sculptures and more will be installed, as well as plants, pots, banners and more.

Donations including materials are being sought to assist in the project. Anyone wanting to help can contact Laura Wong at bajatimes@prodigy.net.mx, Citlalitl Pereda at presidente@rosarito.org, or Bosco at juanbosco@afamaro.com

Baja Charity Golf Tournament

AMPI, Rosarito Board of Realtors invites you to enjoy a fabulous day of October golf over the Columbus Day weekend at the beautiful Real Del Mar Golf Course. Your day will include 18 holes of golf with cart, continental breakfast, lunch at the turn and ending with a catered steak and shrimp dinner plus dancing to the sounds of a big band. Save the date of Sunday, October 11th. Golf is open to all who want to play for $125 USD pre-registration, or $150 USD day of the event.

Please register at www.BajaCharity.com

This will be a 4 person scramble with check in at 8:30 AM. Play begins at 10:00 AM. There will be prizes, contests, silent auctions and all around great fun for a field of 144 golfers.

Dinner and dancing will be open for non golfers as well and we encourage the community to join us for this festive evening. Dinner and dancing for non-golfers is $40 USD.

The tournament will benefit three of the City’s most involved charities; DIF Rosarito, Flying Samaritans, and Boys & Girls Club of Mexico.

Summary

What: AMPI Charity Golf Tournament & Dinner Ball
Where: Real Del Mar Golf Course – just 12 miles south of the border - www.realdelmar.com
When: Sunday, October 11, 2009
For: To Benefit the children and their families from Rosarito Beach
Charities: DIF Rosarito, Flying Samaritans and Boys & Girls Club of Mexico
Price: Pre-registration is $125 USD. $150 at the day of the event
Time: Check-in at 8:30 am. Play starts at 10:00 am

The Mexico Promotional Event to take place in San Diego, California

SAN DIEGO,CA — THE MEXICO PROMOTIONAL EVENT, presented by the Mexico Tourism Board and AeroMexico Airlines, will take place at Liberty Station in San Diego on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Event will feature exhibitors promoting Mexico travel/tourism, culture, and real estate products from over 20 destinations. Entertainment will include traditional music and dancers plus authentic Mexican food samplings.

Sponsors include: AeroMexico Airlines and the Mexico Tourism Board.

Exhibitors to date from 20 destinations including Baja California, Colonial Mexico, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Los Cabos, Nayarit, Puerto Vallarta, the Riviera Maya, Rocky Point, San Miguel de Allende and the Yucatan will be present. More destinations are expected to be announced in the near future.

In addition to the Event, a series of complimentary seminar presentations on tourism destinations, Mexican culture, authors, and real estate in Mexico will be offered throughout the day. Various raffle prizes will also be given away throughout the Expo including round-trip tickets on AeroMexico Airlines and hotel stays.

For additional information including exhibit and sponsorship availability, contact Ana Bravo at 619.584.0829 or by email at mexicoexpo@yahoo.com. Information can be accessed at www.themexicoevent.com. The event will be held at Liberty Station Convention Center in Point Loma near the San Diego Int'l. Airport.

Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride To Top 20 Million Mile Mark This Sept. 26

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Now in its 30th year the Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride will surpass 20 million total miles covered with its Sept. 26 event.

About 5,000 riders are expected for the festive scenic ride, much of it along a coastal route from Rosarito to Ensenada, said ride organizer Gary Foster.

During the past 30 years since 1979, the iconic twice-yearly event has been held 52 times and almost 400,000 riders have participated, Foster said.

“This great anniversary edition of the ride will be as festive as years past, both for our many riders and the thousands of people who come to view the event and cheer on the participants,”

Foster said.

Added Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, whose city hosts the event:

“The ride is one of the signature events for Rosarito and this region of Baja. It attracts excellent people and creates a great atmosphere. We’re greatly looking forward to it.”

Participants can register online for $45 through www.BetterSignUp.com, or they can register on the day of the event for $50 at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. More information is available at www.RosaritoEnsenada.com as well as www.rosarito.org

The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Parents tow children.

Racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007. Other participants just ride for the enjoyment and atmosphere.

Transportation packages from the United States are available, Foster said. Tour companies transport riders’ bicycles at no extra charge, and because the buses return to the United State through the rapid SENTRI lane, cyclists avoid a wait at the border.

Many hotels offer special rates and are participating in the Border Fast Pass program which can cut border waits by half, especially on the weekends, Foster said.

The Finish Line Fiesta is free for participants and spectators, overlooking the Ensenada harbor with panoramic views of the cruise ships at sunset. Live rock-n-roll, jazz and salsa plays into the night while local chefs serve their best.

Massage therapists are available to work out every knot, and there will be a lot
of celebrating with ice cold beer and award-winning wines from Baja’s wine country, Foster said.

Shuttles are available on the event course from the finish line to the start line before and after the event. So if participants stay in Rosarito Beach, they can take the shuttle back to Rosarito after the event.

“The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family," Foster added.

Foster said that this recent e-mail from a frequent ride participant summed up the spirit of the event:

“Thanks for another great experience! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve done this ride since the early 1990’s. All I know is they keep getting better!”

Baja California Forms Public-Private Partnership To Promote Filmmaking In The Diverse Region

ROSARITO, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---A major public-private partnership has been formed to promote filmmaking in the diverse region and make it more competitive with other countries in attracting international productions.

The Cinematographic Cluster of Baja California (Cluster Cinematografico De Baja California) will include industry representatives, heads of the business councils of Baja’s five cities as well as their convention and visitors bureaus.

Baja Film Commissioner Gabriel Del Valle also will be a member, said Conrado Acevedo, president of the group that formed in July and is finalizing its formal structure. Acevedo’s family has been involved in production in Mexico and the United States.

Acevedo also is owner of Rosarito’s Calafia hotel and an historian.

“This group is a very important step for Baja in realizing its filmmaking potential,” said Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres. “The region has had some major successes but there is room for tremendous growth. It can be a major segment of our economy.”

Acevedo said the group’s goal is to create $1 billion in annual spending from filmmaking in 10 years.

Baja has had some major filmmaking successes in the past. Rosarito is home to Baja Studios, which has huge salt-water tanks and where Titanic, Master & Commander and other blockbusters were produced.

Also, the region offers great diversity of settings, from the sea to mountains to deserts, a skilled workforce and is about two hours from Los Angeles, where many of those involved in the industry live.

But Mexico must get more competitive with other countries including Australia, Canada and India. Baja Studios recently lost the latest installment of the Chronicles of Narnia because of security concerns and because Australia offered $15 million in tax breaks.

The security concerns were caused by Mexico’s crackdown on drug cartels but “we can prove that no actor or anyone involved in a production has ever been affected,” Acevedo said.

Rediscover Rosarito Project Recognizes Achivements By Students of 2009 Class

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---In a Sunday screening at Baja Studios the 10 students who participated in this year’s Rediscover Rosarito Film Project were honored and best films from the session selected.

Mayor Hugo Torres gave the welcoming remarks to those attending, and thanked both the participants and the organizers of the film project.

The seven-day filmmaking class was organized by Emerson College Professor Gregory Payne, who leads a project dedicated to conveying an accurate picture of the city in the United States. Students ranged from ages 17 to 28.

“You’re all leaders,” Payne told the student film makers Sunday night.

This year’s intensive class, the second annual, was led by independent Hollywood producer Michael McManus, who worked closely with students on scripts, production and editing of the short films.

Campus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival, provided HD Panasonic Cameras supplied cameras, Apple laptops, and other equipment for the local and high school and college students.

The LA Program, a private international student exchange, also assisted. Emerson College students and alumni also participate.

Payne and others donate their time for the class and there is no cost to students or to Rosarito. The Rosarito Beach Hotel donates facilities, lodging and food. Baja Studios, where Titanic and Master & Commander were filmed, donated it theater facility.

Taking the class this year were Armando Calderon, Viktor Gonzalez, Lucas Seamanduras, Alberto Martinez, Guillermo Jimenez, Antonio Mendoza, Dalia Salazar, Samuel Paredes and Michelle Hinojo.

Corina Martinez, who took the class last year, also participated and served as an assistant instructor.

Most students worked as two-person teams and produced six short films of several minutes each. A behind-the-scenes look at this year’s project also was produced and shown to the 80 people at the two-hour ceremony at the Baja Studios auditorium.

The best film award was shared by two works. One was Rediscover Rosarito by Hinojo and Parales; the other was Pasado Meridiana by Martinez and Jimenez.

Judging the entries were Payne; McManus; Janice Payne of the LA Program, Baja Studios manager Rolando Navarro; Pedro Rodrigues, a master’s candidate at Superior Escuela de Communicaciones in Lisbon, Portugal; and Ron Raposa, Rosarito’s international public relations representative.

The David Twomey Award for Creativity in Advocacy went to Paredes and Hinojo and the Michael McManus Acting Award to Calderon.

Payne, whose family has a vacation home in Rosarito and who has visited the city for years, said he started the RediscoveRosarito project because many people in the U.S. were not receiving a full and accurate picture of life in area.

PROXIMOS EVENTOS EN ROSARITO

>Rosarito Beach Pro-Am / Agosto 22 y 23 | Primer Evento Anual de Surfing Pro-AM, el cual reunirá a los Surfistas profesionales de América que competirán por una bolsa repartida de $10,000 dolares. A celebrarse en el Muelle de Rosarito. >Más información

>Noche Flamenca / Agosto 22 | Presentando Guitarra y cantante españoles, danzantes flamencos. Bajo las estrellas en la alberca Azul de la nueva Torre Pacifico del Hotel Rosarito Beach. >Más información

>Festival de la Comida Mexicana / Septiembre 5 | Festival de la Comida Mexicana, mismo que se desarrollará sobre el Blvd. Benito Juárez, frente al hotel Festival Plaza en Playas de Rosarito, el sábado 5 de septiembre de 1:00 a 10:00 de la noche. >Más información

>Serie Motocross Otoño / Septiembre 5 | Los mejores competidores de ambos lados de la frontera, compitiendo en una pisa de rampas y obstáculos especialmente diseñada a circuito de aproximadamente 2 millas. Participantes de todos los niveles compiten, niños en categoría peewee, hasta los adultos en categorías profesionales. >Más información

City of Rosarito gearing up for Rosarito Beach- Pro AM, Aug 22-23

Aug 5th, 2009- The City of Rosarito Beach and FDt Marketing, organizers of the 1st Annual Rosarito Beach Pro-Am presented by Monster Energy, are gearing up for the surf contest on Aug 22-23, and anticipate a huge success in its first year. The city has not had much to get excited about in the way of new events over the last year or so, due to all the media attention surrounding Mexico.

“As always we are ready for the challenge of a new event. We feel the table is set for success, we have promotional parties set up for Saturday Aug 22nd , and beach activities happening during the event. I think everyone will be excited to be a part of this event. I know me and my staff are excited to be working with this event, and look forward to the day the contest starts”, said Jeff Stoner President and event organizer for FDt Marketing.

Event will be webcast live on www.surfshot.com . Registration for the contest is still open, and still has spots remaining for all those surfers interested in competing for the prize of $10,000. Registration is available on www.active.com (keyword search: Rosarito Beach), or by contacting the FDt Marketing offices directly at 858.272.2191. Registration fees are $100. Hotel accommodations and discounts are provided by the Rosarito Beach Hotel, and can be made by calling (866) ROSARITO. Shuttle services provided to and from the US Border to Rosarito Beach Hotel. Passports are required.

For more information on the Rosarito Beach Pro-AM surf contest, please visit www.rosarito.org/surf or call FDt Marketing at 858.272.2191

CONTACT:
FDt Marketing
858.200.7619 (P)
858.408.2495 (F)
info@fdtmarketing.com

Rosarito Beach Tourism Hits Summer High

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Tourism hit its summer high here this past weekend with hotels recording 65 percent occupancy on Friday and 93 percent on Saturday, city and tourism officials said.

The occupancy figures topped even Fourth of July weekend, which was the best weekend of the year to that point.

“It has been a challenging year for tourism so we’re very encouraged to see this ongoing rebound,” Mayor Hugo Torres said of the popular resort city 30 miles of south of San Diego, where the economy is largely dependent on tourism.

Convention & Visitors Bureau President Laura Wong praised both private and government promotional efforts for helping bring about the rebound. Businesses also have been offering some exceptional deals to attract visitors.

A slow U.S. economy has contributed to the decline, but Torres and others say publicity about violence among rival drug cartels and authorities as the Mexican government cracks down on organized crime has been the main factor in the decline.

“But as time passes, people have realized the scattered violence in Mexico does not affect them nor is it anything they will even see,” Torres said.

“Tourists are not targets. In fact, our visitors are safer and more secure than ever, and they’re passing that information on to friends and relatives who in turn are coming to visit us and having a wonderful time.”

Rosarito’s estimated 14,000 expatriate residents also have helped greatly in getting the positive and accurate message out about the attractions and benefits of the seaside city, the mayor said.

“We look forward to an even stronger rebound as more people realize this,” he said. “We still have ground to gain to reach our past level of tourism and repair the economic damage that has hit many of our businesses and residents.”

Rosarito last year started a special Tourist Police Force, city office for tourist assistance and created an ombudsman to help visitors with any problems.

Rosarito Beach! Your Nearway Getaway!

So close yet so different from the ordinary!
Check out this San Diego Channel 6 Segment
on Rosarito Day Trips