state tourism departments

Baja Meets New York: Mexico’s New Cuisine Hits the Big Apple

February 15, 2014 // 3 Comments

NEW YORK – Global gastrophile capital New York City is certainly aware of the culinary and wine scene happening in Baja California. Former Les Halles chef Anthony Bourdain has visited and duly recorded his droolingly delicious experiences in Mexico’s most northwestern state. The New York [Read More]

Night of the Radishes: Playing with Food in Oaxaca

December 25, 2013 // 0 Comments

OAXACA DE JUAREZ, OAXACA – In the 16th Century, the Spanish brought many new food staples to recently conquered Mexico. One of these staples was the radish, originally from China. In subsequent years, Mexican farmers grew and harvested the vegetable in the valley of Oaxaca. When taking their [Read More]

Urban Baja Cuisine Crosses the Border to San Diego

September 19, 2013 // 0 Comments

Hans Backhoff Sr., Fernando Gaxiola and Chef Martin San Roman

SAN DIEGO – On Tuesday, September 17th, the 7th Avenue Pub in Whole Foods Market’s Hillcrest location unveiled its new Urban Baja Menu to a crowd of eager (and hungry) food journalists and bloggers. Your Gringo and his photographer were there to sample various dishes created by Chef [Read More]

Rosarito Art Fest 2013: A Delight for the Senses

May 28, 2013 // 4 Comments

Rosarito Art Fest, Baja California, Mexico

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA – The Fourth Annual Rosarito Art Fest was a big success this year, with initial estimates forecasting an attendance of 18,000 people over the past Memorial Day weekend. This number has grown exponentially since the event’s inception in 2009. The actual [Read More]

Isla Espiritu Santo: The World’s Aquarium

April 25, 2013 // 3 Comments

LA PAZ, BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR – I slipped off my flip flops, hiked up my backpack and waded into the warm water of Bahia La Paz, just off the malecon in La Paz, Baja Sur. As the small covered panga backed toward me with four passengers already onboard and two smiling local crewmen, I knew that [Read More]

Valle de Guadalupe: Of Wine and Russians in Baja California

March 12, 2013 // 9 Comments

VALLE DE GUADALUPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA – In the 90’s and much of the 2000’s, your Gringo loved nothing more than a day spent with family and/or friends just south of the border in Baja California. The drive from San Diego was quick and transporting…taking an hour or two to [Read More]

Playa del Carmen: Cancun’s Laid-Back Next-Door Neighbor

February 9, 2013 // 0 Comments

Mahekal Beach Resort, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, QUINTANA ROO – When my sister Jen invited us to join her family for a vacation in Playa del Carmen last summer, I was suspect at first. After all, “Playa” (as it’s known to those in-the-know) is just south of Cancun on the Riviera Maya…a stretch of [Read More]

Dia de los Muertos in Michoacan

October 6, 2012 // 2 Comments

PATZCUARO, MICHOACAN – As the air begins to cool and the nighttime arrives much sooner, October and November herald the onset of Fall and the arrival of Halloween in the US. Like most other Holidays we observe here, the pagan origins of Halloween have become muddied amidst an onslaught of [Read More]

Tulum Ruins: The Gem of the Mayan Riviera

September 22, 2012 // 0 Comments

TULUM, QUINTANA ROO – As we near the end of the Mayan Calendar in December this year, I thought it would be a good time to take you back with your Gringo and his family to the two Mayan ruins we had the pleasure to visit during our trip through the Yucatan Peninsula last year, starting with [Read More]

Morelia: Around Michoacan’s Stately and Historic Capital

September 7, 2012 // 1 Comment

casa-de-artisanas-morelia-michoacan-mexico

MORELIA, MICHOACAN – Although our plans were originally to visit Oaxaca for Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos observance, political unrest there made us change our destination at the last minute. The quick rerouting was more than fortunate. We enjoyed the week-long celebration in Morelia and [Read More]