Baja’s beer scene has grown exponentially since I first wrote about it for the Reader six years ago, and I’ve been obsessing over it ever since. Back in October of this year, at the most …
December 22, 2021
Mexico
New breweries make Tijuana unrecognizable from 10 years ago
Historic St. Francis Hotel burns down in Tijuana
On December 9 the oldest building in Tijuana burned down, after 117 years of history. The Hotel St. Francis witnessed the transformation of the Tia Juana rancheria into one of the cities in Mexico that …
December 17, 2021
Truck drivers at U.S. border lose visas because of stowaways
Last January, 12 heavy cargo drivers have had their visas taken by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol; they were caught with undocumented migrants hidden on their trucks. The waiting lane for these trailers can …
December 7, 2021
Wahoo send anglers to the ER
Dock Totals 11/28 – 12/4: 826 anglers aboard 49 half-day to three-day trips out of San Diego landings this past week caught 466 bluefin tuna (up to 70 pounds), 16 bonito, 1 cabezon, 829 calico …
December 5, 2021
Reasons the line has slowed at San Ysidro gate
On November 22, Kathy Harren was stuck in traffic at the San Ysidro Port of Entry for 2.5 hours after returning from the Baja 1000 races. “We arrived at the border at 11 a.m.,” she …
December 1, 2021
How Black Friday worked for Tijuana shoppers
The re-opening of the border brought back the binational economy, especially in the U.S. due to lifting restrictions for tourists with visas. Even though Covid hasn't let up yet, Tijuana citizens still chose to take …
November 30, 2021
Stuck on Russian ship in Ensenada, in Baja for the eclipse
Ship of Fools “She poured wine for all of us. I picked up a glass and raised it in a toast and said, ‘Nostrovia ... Gorbachev... Nostro-via.’ The place erupted. The damn first engineer comes …
November 28, 2021
Lawyer kidnapped at 12 noon in front of Tijuana court
On November 3 at 12 noon, two armed men in a SUV with California plates broke into Tijuana’s Civil Courts and kidnapped a lawyer in front of the building. The courts are guarded by armed …
November 15, 2021
Tijuana installs fence around El Chaparral migrant camp
On Thursday, October 28 120 policemen and a contingent from the municipal welfare department showed up at El Chaparral migrant camp and put up a chain-link fence around the tents. This was part of an …
November 1, 2021
Where the marigolds come from for Dia de los Muertos
Local farmers south of Tijuana used to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, and peppers, but starting eight years ago they have devoted one-quarter of their land to marigolds. This flower is considered as the flower of …
October 29, 2021
Guadalupe Valley draws the line at an amphitheater
On October 8 more than 300 neighbors held a demonstration against the construction of an amphitheater for massive events in the wine tourist area of Valle de Guadalupe. The Facebook group Por un Valle de …
October 19, 2021
Baja Beach Fest: Ozuna, Karol G, Lunay, El Alfa, Dalex, Anuel AA, Farruko, Myke Towers, Balvin, Agudelo 888, Rauw Alejandro
Baja Beach Fest, known to many Gen-Z San Diegans simply as “BBF,” is an annual music festival held just north of the Muelle De Rosarito fishing pier. The festival, which started in 2018, is a …
October 13, 2021
Chaos in Tijuana's city council
On Wednesday, September 29 the last session of Tijuana's city council under the administration of Arturo Gonzalez was disrupted by a bomb threat. This happened during a discussion for voting over a law that aims …
October 12, 2021
Valle del Redondo squatters sneak onto liquified gas field
Squatters sneaked into a lot that is used for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) near Valle del Redondo, on the east side of Tijuana. According to the gas company’s lawyer Esteban Capella, around 8 pm on …
October 4, 2021
Paella Toñico: past and present
I jump out of the cab. Cab burps off. What am I seeing? Oh yes. The red and blue Washmobile car wash. And the little slot in their building that accomodates Tortas Washmobile Originales. Been …