Gastrovino 2019

Gastrovino Baja Food & Wine Festival ad in Journal del Pacifico, Baja, MexicoThis May 17, 18. and 19, GastroVino, southern Baja’s increasingly popular food and wine festival returns for its eighth season with plenty of surprises to inspire and delight the Baja food and wine community. For those who are unfamiliar with the festival, GastroVino celebrates the spectacular quality of Mexican wines and the equally delectable appeal of local cuisine via pairings, dinners, tours, and more. It’s also an important charity event, having raised over $15,000 USD last year alone for local nonprofits.

GastroVino’s illustrious founder and muse, Perla Garnica, has presided over the festival for eight consecutive years. “I’m particularly excited to see how much it’s growing,” says Garnica enthusiastically. “Every year the number of attendees grows, we raise more from the silent auction, and we are able to make an even bigger impact on how we give back to the community.”

Garnica, along with creative director and famed art photographer Kate Turning, and their devoted team of volunteers, have dreamed up perhaps the most exciting theme yet. Journal del Pacifico is pleased to share the exclusive reveal of this year’s theme for GastroVino 2019:

CIRCUS OF THE SENSES
As in previous years the festival will take place in the town of Todos Santos, a charming oasis that has increasingly become home to a diverse community of spirited residents, who contribute to its impressive array of culinary and artistic offerings. Whereas the event was originally designed to bring recognition to the 150-year tradition of winemaking in northern Baja, it has evolved into a multi-dimensional celebration.

For those who haven’t been to the festival in prior years, expect the town to buzz with activity for two days as winemakers, chefs, artists, and musicians throughout the peninsula join together to share their gifts. The venerable carnival that takes over the town each year is precisely what inspired this year’s theme.

“In a way, it feels like the circus is coming,” explains Kate Turning. “All of these amazingly gifted people come together in such a unique and special way. It’s not just about eating and drinking; there are artists, musicians, and dancers who have become an integral part of the event. Last year, we had a number of chefs actually cooking on site, in the plaza. There were incredible aromas wafting through the air as music played and people laughed and cavorted about. It’s truly a feast for the senses and that’s really what we wanted to explore for this year’s theme.”

When the team sat down to develop the poster art, they tried dutifully to develop a concept that explored a meaningful balance between food and wine. “We wanted to acknowledge the marriage of those two elements in a more intentional and celebratory way.” The founder, Perla Garnica, elaborates, “In fact, the Spanish term used to describe a wine and food pairing is the word ‘maridaje’ which actually means marriage.” Art is a powerful undercurrent of the culture of Todos Santos, so for this year’s poster, Turning curated a collaboration with local resident and sought-after tattoo artist, Tomato N Sal and his team. It took them four hours to artfully paint the chili pepper and grape tattoos—emblematic of two perfectly intrinsic elements of Baja wine and cuisine. The skewer was a literal reference to the increase in chefs who cook on site with locally sourced ingredients. There is a decidedly inclusive nature to the open kitchen. The smells and flavors that ensue create a culinary spectacle for all to enjoy.

The overall imagery and tone of the event’s artwork evokes a magical realism that typifies not only an important theme in Latin American culture but also a longtime trademark of Turning’s work. “I wanted it to cultivate a sense of mystery and enchantment, like antique circus posters of the gilded age,” says Turning. “Perla represents the figure of the ringleader, a concept that is both literal and figurative. The ringleader holds all the magic and the secrets.”

And yet, it is no secret that the GastroVino Festival has become one of the most anticipated events in southern Baja. This year promises more winemakers, more chefs, and more fun.

The celebration kicks off on Friday, May 17 from 7 to 11 pm, with a VIP Sunset Cocktail at El Mirador Ocean View Restaurant. Meet and greet the winemakers of GastroVino Baja Food & Wine Festival, while you savor the culinary creations of guest chefs Frankie Terzoli and Marina Garnica. Live music by Grammy award winner Terry Townson, Hollywood composer Bill Levine on the piano and DJ Marymoon. Tickets are 100 USD / 1,900 MX. Limited capacity, so please by your tickets online (gastrovino.mx) or at Guaycura Boutique Hotel Beach Club & Spa.

Saturday, May 18 at 6 pm, hit the town with the GastroTour. Attendees will be given a map of the historic town center and will be invited to visit over ten distinct restaurants. Each visiting winemaker is matched with a local chef and together they design the perfect gastronomic pairing to feature during the tour. The evening ends with live music and a chance to mingle with other gastronomic adventurers at the famed Hotel California. Tickets are 400 pesos in advance, $500 pesos at the door.

On Sunday, May 19 from 2 to 6 pm, the Todos Santos plaza principal will transform into a Circus of the Senses for the main event from 2 to 6 pm. Over 20 restaurants will be serving some of their best dishes while guests will have the opportunity to taste wines from over 15 of the most popular Baja producers. Live painting and performance art will bring the festival to life with appearances by Fabula Danza, international DJs, and the jazz band of Pepe Soza. Tickets are 700 pesos in advance. The evening continues with the afterparty on the sky lounge of Hotel Guaycura at dusk, with live DJ music.

Every year, GastroVino features a silent auction to raise funds for local charities and this year’s event will once again be devoted to the Padrino Children’s Foundation. Attendees can expect to bid on artwork, jewelry, gastronomic accessories, and once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences.

From oenophiles and foodies, to travelers and culture-seekers, there is truly something for everyone at GastroVino 2019. Come raise a glass, join the circus, and see what makes this event one of the most beloved celebrations in the region.

Tickets are available online and at El Tecolote Bookstore and Amor d’vino in Todos Santos, The Wine Market in Cabo San Lucas, Pez Gordo at The Shoppes at Palmilla in San José del Cabo, and Doce Cuarenta in La Paz. For more information, visit: www.GastroVino.mx or https://www.facebook.com/FestivalGastroVino/

Fall 2018

Journal del Pacifico Fall 2018 cover by Brian McGuffey, Todos Santos, Baja, MexicoWe are excited to be back for our 8th season as Journal del Pacifico! We have already received many, many compliments on the stunning Fall 2018 issue cover by one of our newer local artists, Brian McGuffey. Read more about him in “On the Cover.”

Brian was also one of the artists who contributed their work to Todos Santos’ new letter sign, located near the church on the plaza. The sign was installed this summer by the church on the plaza. The letters were painted by local artists; in letter order: Gabo, Erick Ochoa, Benito Ortega, Leif Holland, Gloria Ruenitz, Joel Cadena, Arturo Mendoza Elfeo, Maribel Nuñez, Michael Cope, Brian McGuffey, and Jill Logan.

In this issue, you can read about Saddling South’s film ride for La Recua / Dario’s Dream. The general intent of this Antigua California film is three-fold: to enlighten viewers to pre-road travel in Lower California, to espouse the history of Old California’s ranch culture still alive in the sierras of México, and to share how the present-day arrieros (herdsmen), were re-enacting an era of commerce, las recuas (traveling merchants with pack-trains), that was key to livelihood for centuries on the remote peninsula.

We are happy to welcome Ivonne Benítez of Hablando Mexicano Spanish language school who joins our team as one of our translators.

Looking to have a spooky good time on Halloween? Gallo Azul is holding their Halloween Costume Party on Saturday, October 27, starting at 8 pm. This benefit for the local Bomberos in includes live music, dancing and prizes for the best costumes.

The Oasis in Pescadero is holding a Monster Kid’s Bash on October 31, 6 pm. Prizes for the best costumes, trick or treating and more!

Dia de los Muertos, Todos Santos, Baja, MexicoThe 2nd annual Día de los Muertos Todos Santos will take place November 1 – 3, with fun cultural activities for the whole family. Check out their facebook page for more information!

November 2, is the 10th anniversary of Landi’s dream of opening a restaurant in Todos Santos. People from all over rave about her delicious Mexican specialties.

Internet is now available even in the most remote areas of Baja, thanks to Star Go–the new satellite internet provider that offers excellent service anywhere at all, at speeds of up to 1.5, 3, 5, 10 or 20 megabytes. Their satellite TV is included and offers a large variety of national and international channels, at lower prices than their competition. New subscribers in October will get their first month service free. For more information, call the Star Go agent for Baja California Sur, at (624) 688 7274.

The 3rd annual Women Awakening summit “Creating the Magic” will take place December 7 – 9, at Cuatro Vientos in Todos Santos. You can read more about this year’s conferences in our article this issue.

Amor D’vino is much more than a wine shop. In addition to sipping delicious wines on the patio, this season you can also enjoy tapas by area chefs, and picnic baskets to take to the beach.

Jester’s Sportfishing in Las Playitas, offers local sports fishing, surfcasting, bow fishing, and ATV adventures. Contact them for more information.

Dreaming of a wedding in Baja? Wanderlust Weddings Baja has been sharing the beauty of Baja with amazing bridal couples for 14 years now. They have had the pleasure of planning, designing and coordinating over 300 weddings that are unique, special, and full of the Baja spirit!

Cabo Premiere Investment & Real Estate has opened their new location in Pescadero, directly across the street from The Oasis Bar & Grill.

Gypsy’s Beach House Rental now Colibri Property Rental & Management Services. You can still visit them at their office at Baja Beans in Pescadero.

The 9th annual Writing Ranch “Writing Down the Baja” retreat takes places January 27 – February 3, 2019 in Todos Santos. Reserve your spot by November 16. See events for more details.

This December 29th, the 10th Palapa Society 5k walk/run will take place. You can reserve your spot online, or at El Tecolote Bookstore in Todos Santos. Race day registration is also available 7 – 8:30 am. Look for our feature story in the next issue, Holiday 2018/2019.

Reserve your ad space now! The deadline for Holiday 2018/2019 is November 10.

Spring 2018

JDP Spring 2018Gastrovino cover by Kate TurningThis May 19 & 20, once again people will flock to Todos Santos to celebrate the GastroVino Food & Wine Festival. Now in its seventh year, this popular festival honors and celebrates the traditions of great food and Mexican wines. Tickets go on sale May 3. You can read more about it in our article this issue, and the fun Loteria cards by our cover artist, Kate Turning.

Check out events for the upcoming Noche de Super Salud plant-based, locally sourced, fresh organic dinners at Pura Vida. They will also be having another Full Moon Community Farm Dinner at Rancho Buen Día on April 29. See Facebook: Noche de Super Salud for more details.

Amor D’Vino and Santo Vino have teamed up for an evening of Mexican wines paired with a trio of Chef Dany’s signature dishes Monday nights during April and May on the Wine Deck. See weekly events for more information.

In our Spring 2018 issue, we are celebrating the work of Dr. Robert K. Hall in a fascinating article by Bryan Jáuregui of Todos Santos Eco-Adventures. Translator Elena Ascencio-Ibáñez has studied and worked closely with Robert over the years; Elena provides Spanish translations to many of his Dharma Talks on his website. I have had the pleasure of producing the three books on Buddhism by Robert and translated by Elena: Buddha Now/Buda Ya, Everybody Now/Todos Ya, and Así Es. All are available at El Tecolote Bookstore in Todos Santos.

Congratulations to Besáme Mucho Bazaar on their first anniversary! You can see photos from their grand celebration in this issue.

Nomad Chic, will be popping up at various hotels in Cabo throughout April, visit www.nomadchic.mx for locations and dates.

We’d like to welcome The Agency, Los Cabos, to their newest home in Todos Santos–at the corner of Topete and Centenario in the historic district. Stop in to meet their diverse team of real estate professionals.

Pacifico Storage, at KM45 on Highway 19 outside Todos Santos, will be open soon for all your storage needs—RV, boat, ATV and enclosed storage. They also can help you move your local RV or vehicle. See their ad for more information.

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, where you have been or where you would like to see yourself–we can all benefit from support and guidance in times of our life. With academical, clinical and spiritual training and experience in Sweden, Hawaii and Mexico, Northern Light Healing offers services to suit individual needs and to help you on your path through life. Available for individuals, couples and groups. Emelie focuses on healing both past wounds, through counseling, and life coaching to creating a future that her clients would like to have and how to, in practical ways, reach those goals. Whatever you are struggling with there is help and support.

Las Olas Recovery in Pescadero is a sub-acute medical detoxification clinic for those who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. This unique facility offers a bed and breakfast vibe with personalized medical and psychological care. See our article in this issue for more information.

Nancy Joyce is a local distributor of ionized water filter systems. These medical devices produce filtered, hydrogen rich water using a solid 40-year technology with an amazing track record in the health industry. Nancy holds a Q&A session every Thursday from 11 am to 1 pm at Pura Vida Health Food Store and Deli. You can read more about Nancy’s healing journey at: http://nancyjoyce.com/about/my-story/

Also, in this issue, Patricia Baum interviews the filmmakers behind the controversial film, Patrimonio, which débuted at the Berlin Film Festival in March, was the opening night film for the Festival de Cine de Todos Santos and this April,was shown at the 21st Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina.

Casa Sur yoga lifestyle boutique in Cuatro Vientos on the otro lado of Todos Santos, has a colorful assortment of quality clothing, mats, jewelry and natural products.

Going somewhere? Pickle N Paws provides high quality pet care. See her ad for more information!

In the Summer 2018 issue of Journal del Pacifico, we’ll be doing a feature story on Baja Dream Properties. This issue—will cover June through September 2018. Deadline is May 10. Reserve your space today!

February 2018 in Todos Santos

February gets off to a great start with a lot of fun events in and around Todos Santos. Here are a few of the upcoming events.

Thursday, February 1, 3 pm, Todos Santos Writers Workshop Roundtable. “Inner and Outer Landscapes: Nature Writing in the First Person, with Christopher Merrill and Ellen Waterston, moderated by Jeanne McCulloch, at Casa Dracula on the otro lado. Open to public for a donation to the Palapa Society of Todos Santos.

Sunday, February 4, Catch the Superbowl LII at Chill N Grill in Todos Santos, The Oasis and Cerritos Beach Inn in Pescadero.

Friday, February 9 & Saturday, February 10, 5 – 8 pm, The Baja 100 Art Walk
The Art Walk will take place on Friday and Saturday afternoon/evening with live music from Zoe and the Mischief plus a raffle of 13 original pieces of work donated by The Baja 100 artists. Don’t miss your chance to win a painting or original work by local talented artists. This event is free of charge to attendees. We are also an event that is walkable. Park your car in town and start new Hotel Casa Tota where you’ll find Galería Jardin Alquimia and all the works for the raffle to benefit The Palalpa Society.

February 10 & 11, 10 am – 4 pm, The 9th Annual Todos Santos Open Studio Tour
Have you ever yearned for a glimpse into the private world of artists where ideas and inspirations are translated into dazzling creations of color, texture, shapes and forms? If so, the Todos Santos Open Studio Tour is designed to satisfy your curiosity. The 9th Annual Todos Santos Open Studio will be held the weekend of February 10 and 11, from 10 am to 4 pm. Once a year during this special event, a community of artists opens the doors to their studios, inviting you to explore down rambling dirt roads and discover what’s hidden behind their walls. The experience of visiting an artist’s studio is completely different from viewing the artist’s work in the formal setting of a gallery. It’s a chance to connect more intimately with the artist, ask questions, discuss observations, see his or her tools of the trade and even gain insights into the artist’s personal working process.

If this sounds intriguing, come and discover what attracts and sustains so many diverse artists from Mexico, the Unites States, Canada, South America and Europe to come and settle in Todos Santos! Over the years, artists have been influenced by many or all of the elements of their surroundings: the Baja desert landscape, the vast and dynamic ocean, the majestic Sierra de La Laguna, the distinctive quality of light and air and clouds. However, essential to all artists who have made Todos Santos their home is a pervasive, almost tangible, sense of artistic community.

For artist Steve Thurston, who has participated in every annual tour since its inception in 2010, establishing himself in Todos Santos has been total immersion into an “art world,” which exists in only a very few places. Encaustic artist Gloria Santoyo Ruenitz never imagined she would find such a supportive and curious community as the one here in Todos Santos. She describes the first Todos Santos Annual Artists Studio Tour which took place on March 10th, 2010: “The tour was created and organized by ARTS (Artists of Todos Santos), an informal group of artists and art lovers dedicated to the development and support of a vibrant, inclusive arts community and to inspiring and growing the visual arts talent in Todos Santos. Amongst these friends were Diane Knight, Vic Kirby, Michael McAllister, Steve Thurston, Tori Sepulveda, and Roxanne Sparks.”-Most of whom remain actively engaged and thriving in their artistic endeavors in Todos Santos today. Another painter, Peter Holden, loves being in such an idyllic location and creative community. He finds this context has been a great motivator to propel his work, encouraging him to explore open-ended artistic directions as well as focused work.

Now nine years later, approximately 40 artists participate in the Annual Open Studio Tour including painters, sculptors, photographers, ceramicists, encaustic and cold wax artists, jewelers, printmakers, mixed media artists, woodworkers and more. The spaces in which they work are as uniquely different as their type of craft. Some of their studios are well-established, others are more improvised or temporary, some expand into the outdoors or are entirely outside and some showcase a group of artists. At Marsha Dahlquist’s studio, a group of five to six artists have been meeting every Thursday for the last three years. According to Marsha, “we paint mostly from photo references–our own individual photos. We paint, laugh, drink coffee and encourage each other. It’s more than painting. We’ve all become such good friends. For me, it’s been a blessing. I love each and every one of these amazing, wonderful women.”

On the tour, you’ll find emerging artists as well as artists who have been working professionally for many years. It’s a wonderful opportunity to expand your familiarity beyond the collection of more-established artists, as well as learn about new and exciting directions evolving in the work of artists with whom you’re already well-acquainted. To find artists who are participating in the Todos Santos Open Studio Tour please visit www.facebook.com/todossantosopenstudiotour.

Now that you’ve chosen several artists’ studios to visit, the fun begins! You will need a car (or carpool with a friend) and the map provided with your ticket to lead you on a self-guided tour through the various neighborhoods of Todos Santos. Along the way, large colorful signs painted by the artists will help direct you to their individual studios. It has become a tradition amongst the artists to create their own distinctive and delightful signage. Don’t be concerned if you make a wrong turn. Most likely you’ll enjoy encountering an artist who was not on your original list. All artists will be pleased to discuss their work and will be displaying work available to purchase at various price ranges.

Your entry ticket will provide you with a map and a wristband that will be good for two days. Most participants appreciate the flexibility to wander about in different neighborhoods each day or return to their favorite studios a second time–perhaps to acquire something that caught their eye the day before. All proceeds from the sale of artwork go entirely to the individual artist, while all proceeds from ticket sales benefit the children’s art programs at the Palapa Society of Todos Santos, A.C.

The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, A.C., founded in 2003, is a multi-cultural non-profit Mexican civil association. Its mission is the development and administration of scholarship, educational, and environmental programs for the benefit of local children and their families. Visit www.palapasociety.org for more information.

Advance ticket sales begin January 28, 2018 and are $10 USD or $200 pesos. They can be purchased in Todos Santos at the El Tecolote Bookstore on calle Juárez, ordered online at ts.studiotour@gmail.com or purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets can also be purchased on event days from 9 am to 3 pm at La Cocina de Cleo in Las Tunas and The Palapa Learning Center (PLC) on calle del Huerto in town. The PLC will feature a sampling of the studio tour artists’ work for sale and children’s art on display.

See you with the new Spring 2018 issue of Journal del Pacifico soon!