The 18th Annual Todos Santos Historic Home Tour

Diane Knight painting for Historic Home Tour, Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

Diane Knight painting for Historic Home Tour

A Glimpse of the Past
by Hal Butler

Revisit the unique past of Todos Santos and early Baja California Sur at the 18th Annual Todos Santos Historic Home Tour on Sunday, February 26, when residents and visitors will have a once-a-year opportunity to see many of the beautifully restored homes within the walls of several historic district buildings.

In addition to the houses, several other restored buildings housing boutique hotels or restaurants will be open for viewing and historical background. One examples is the beautifully restored,  newly opened, Hotel Casa Tota/La Santeña Restaurant, that was originally built for Carlotta Salgado de Arnaut, in the late 1800’s, as a combined tienda/home, another is the Casa Azul, which was constructed by Antonio Wong in the mid 1900’s.

Todos Santos boasts a history of sugar cane and ranching wealth, home to the earliest large community auditorium in Baja California Sur, and legends such as the Hotel California. Tour guides, site docents and maps will be available to enrich your visiting experience. The price of $20 USD includes the option to self-explore or to take one of the tours with guides who are knowledgeable in the pueblo’s fascinating history and local lore/legends. Registration is from 9:30 am to 1 pm in front of the Centro Cultural “Profe Nestor.” The homes are open from 10 am to 3 pm.

While in Todos Santos for the historic tour, add to your special day by dining at one of the town’s excellent and charming restaurants as well as by visiting the many art galleries and shops, several of which are located in historic buildings.

All Historic Home Tour proceeds will benefit the various programs of The Palapa Society of Todos Santos A.C., whose primary mission is to improve the lives of Todos Santos’ children. Current Palapa programs include: The Bridge to English for children, BECA (scholarships) for high school and college students, English for adults, the Chino program for ill or injured children and an extensive bi-lingual library for children and adults.

For more information email: info@palapasociety.org, visit our website at www.palapasociety.org or stop by the Palapa Center on Calle Obregon.

Last weekend in February

Feliz Día de la Bandera! It’s Mexican Flag Day.

“Los Otros Californios”/”The Other Californians”

“Los Otros Californios”/”The Other Californians,” Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

The Festival de Cine Todos Santos continues through Monday in Todos Santos and then moves to Galería Galería in La Paz. Sunday night enjoy “Oscar Night” at the Hotel California and support the Film Festival’s the “Youth in Video” Program. For more information, check out our Film Festival feature story.

You won’t want to miss La Paz native Cesar Talamantes’ film “Los Otros Californios” on Saturday night. This beautiful film captures the essence of the disappearing Ranchero culture of Baja California Sur.

Pura Vida at La Esquina, Todos Santos, Baja, MexicoThis Saturday, dance to Musica Latino,  Reggae and more with Pura Vida at La Esquina in Todos Santos. Doors open at 7 pm, 50 pesos cover.

 

Hotel Guaycura is also featuring live music every Saturday night starting at 8 pm at their Sky Bar.

7 Clouds to Heaven, La Encantada, La Paz, Baja, Mexico

7 Clouds to Heaven at La Encantada

In the mood for some cool Jazz? 7 Clouds to Heaven plays Saturday night at La Encantada in the La Paz historic district.

Diane Knight painting for Historic Home Tour, Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

Diane Knight painting for Historic Home Tour

The Palapa Society’s 19th annual Historic House Tour takes place this Sunday in Todos Santos.
The tour has the option to self-explore or to explore with guides who know the fascinating history, local lore and legends. Registration is from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Centro Cultural. The homes are open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All proceeds go directly to support the educational and medical programs for children.

For more information on these events and more, click on “Events.” Follow JournaldelPacifico on Facebook!

 

 

 

Festival de Cine Todos Santos

Festival de Cine Todos Santos logo, Todos Santos, Baja, MexicoThe 9th annual Festival de Cine Todos Santos will be taking place this year from Thursday, February 23 through Saturday, March 3, in Todos Santos and La Paz, BCS. Opening at the Teatro Manuel Márquez de León, on the plaza, on the 23rd, and will run until the 27th in Todos Santos, before continuing on to La Paz.

María Félix, Festival de Cine Todos Santos, Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

María Félix

CINE PARQUE February 19

Prior to the start of the festival will be Cine Parque at the Parque Los Pinos in Todos Santos on Sunday, February 19th at sundown. The entire town will have the opportunity  to enjoy “Enamorada” (Mexico, 1946) a classic film from the Golden Era of Mexican Cinema starring the Mexican diva of all time, María Félix, and Pedro Armendáriz Sr. In one scene, famed cinematographer, Gabriel Figueroa, focuses ever closer on María Félix ending with a shot of just her eyes—an iconic and beautiful image.

La Leccion de Pintura, Festival de Cine Todos Santos, Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

La Leccion de Pintura

OPENING NIGHT, February 23

The opening night film will be “La Lección de Pintura”/“The Painting Lesson” 2011 (Chile/Mexico) Director Pablo Perelman.

In 1960 Chile, a peasant son of a single, teenage mother, shows a prodigious talent for painting. He is discovered by a drugstore owner (Daniel Giménez Cacho) and amateur painter, who tries to make an artist out of the boy, like the artists he sees in his art books. Actor Daniel Giménez Cacho brilliant interpretation of this character, said, “it was nice to do a very tender interpretation of someone who creates his own little theater to live in it.”
From the memories of this old man, comes a story about someone who could have been an artistic genius—a story of the lost innocence that ends in 1973 at the time of the Pinochet coup d’état. The film is based on the novel by artist and writer Adolfo Couve and was awarded with the Audience Award at the 2011 Kerala Film Festival in India.

Oscar Award Party, Festival de Cine Todos Santos, Hotel California, Baja, MexicoOSCAR COMES TO TODOS SANTOS!
Sunday, February 26

An after film Academy Awards gala party is this year’s fundraiser benefiting the “Youth in Video” Program. The Oscars will be televised at the event at the legendary Hotel California. Join in the Hollywood glamour, great food and drink, with awards for the best Hollywood costume, Oscar bet “Who are the 2012 Oscar winners?” 50/50 raffle and much more. Tickets are 150 pesos pre-sale / 200 pesos (cash only) at the door and are available at El Tecolote Bookstore and the Hotel California in Todos Santos.

For more information, see our Film Festival story. For complete film listings and additional information and program schedule, click on “Events” or visit www.todossantoscinefest.com

 

Carnaval y mas…

Carnaval La Paz 2012, La Paz, Baja, MexicoCarnaval La Paz 2012 takes place February 16 through 21. Booths, rides, food, live music all take place on the Malecón. Parades along the Malecón are Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evening (February 19, 20 and 21), with even more floats! You can view the official program for La Paz’s biggest street party and entertainment festival at Roz in La Paz’s features page.

Thursday, February 16 is the opening of “Visiones de Asia — Colores de un Mundo Lejano” (Visions of Asia — Colors of a Distant Land) a photography exhibition of work by Elías García at La Encantada Galeria in the La Paz historic district.

Friday, La Encantada will have live music by “Pura Pulpa” from Veracruz. Modern “Jarocho” style Mexican music and Trova music of Demian Arcadia, singer/song writer. $50 pesos cover (includes a complementary shot of ambrosia). For reservations call 612 14 00 3 91 or 18 5 34 69. La Encantada is located at Belisario Dominguez 1245 between 5 de Mayo and Constitución.

Visiones Photography show invitation, La Paz, Baja, MexicoThis Friday, February 17, is also the opening of a Photography exhibition, “Visions,” featuring works by photographers Gary Batha and Thomas Ireton (Journal del Pacifico Holiday 2011/2012 cover). The show takes place at Centro de Artes y Culturas Populares, on Madero between Independencia and 5 de Mayo in the La Paz historic district. Works will be displayed until March 15.

Yoga Benefit at La Esquina, Todos Santos, Baja, MexicoSunday in Todos Santos, start your afternoon with a Yoga Benefit at La Esquina. Donations accepted for the Todos Santos orphanage and the Amigos de los Animales. Yoga led by Shane, Kate, Marimar, Kim, Lee, Mayra, Jessica and more. Live music and healthy snacks.

Maria Felix

Maria Felix

Cine Parque will be held this Sunday evening at sundown. The entire pueblo magico of Todos Santos will have the opportunity to enjoy “Enamorada” (Mexico, 1946) a classic film from the Golden Era of Mexican Cinema starring the Mexican diva of all time, María Félix, and Pedro Armendáriz Sr. For more information on this and the upcoming Festival de Cine Todos Santos, visit their website at: www.todossantoscinefest.com

You can read all about these events at more by clicking on “Events” and follow JournaldelPacifico on Facebook!