Tijuana and the Baja Traveler

What do you think of when you think of Tijuana? Nice restaurants, luxury spas and modern art galleries? Not hardly, yet that is exactly what I found when I visited Tijuana with my friend Rick Stark. Rick is a Hollywood guy with high standards and a curious nature. I invited him to my local "fav" restaurant in Rosarito and afterwards he said,

"Now, let's go to mine."  I have been living in Baja California for awhile now so when Rick gave me a choice of restaurants and among them was a Chinese one, I didn't get my hopes up. I had tried Chinese in Mexico and I swore never to do that again. But Rick's a Chinese food lover so I knew he would not lead me astray. Chang's Cusine is in the equivalent of "Restaurant Row" in Tijuana and is an Asian jewel.

The menu offers several different styles of Chinese cuisine including Mongolian and Szechwan. The atmosphere is classic modern Asian and the other diners are a mixture of the "beautiful people" of Tijuana and San Diegoians that wisely cross the border for a meal here.

Now that I discovered a Tijuana I never knew, I decided to put my "Baja Traveler" hat on and investigate the rest of the city.

 

Tijuana, it seems, thrives not just on the frontier between nations, but also on the cutting edge of art and culture. Theorists, curators, and critics throw around labels like postmodern and vanguard/avante-garde, as well as proclaiming the re-imagination and transformation of traditional techniques and genres now taking place on this frontier between the 1st and 3rd worlds.

Recently a new group of small clubs have opened up, generically called centros culturales, a kind of a mix of artist cafe and performance space, where you can usually get a drink, whether coffee-type, alcohol, or fruit or soda, etc., and something tasty to snack on, while you talk and listen to music.  Many of these centers also put on alternative theatrical productions or dance, as well as hosting art exhibitions. 

The last time I saw anything like this was in Barcelona. I had heard that the Mexico City Art Galleries are even better, but for this "Baja Traveler," this is my idea of heaven.

Check out Galeria H&H in Tijuana to see some of the best of Mexico's Contemporary Artists including: Oswaldo Barahona, Mely Barragán, Alvaro Blancarte, Maximiliano Lizárraga, Roberto Rosique, Daniel Ruanova, José Hugo Sánchez.

 

Leaving the galleries behind, I took a ride over to Playas de Tijuana and found myself seat with a seaside view of Tijuana's beach community. Really hip local kids in their version of trendy fashion mixed in with hardworking Mexican parents enjoying a day of with the kids.  Great traditional seafood is on every corner and a combination of American and Mexican rap poured out of cafes.

My last stop in Playas was La Perla. I have been noticing the signs on the Toll Road but had no idea what was going on in there. This is the scoop. La Perla is building some amazing two story "casas" that would cost you $500,000.00 on the other side of the border. Wide streets, beach access and secure living are all here.  There are five models and it wasn't easy to choose a favorite. (I like #3). This stage is sold out, not a surprise at $200,000 for this fabulous home). The stage will be on the market in November. Keep an eye out for LA PERLA PACÍFICO which is going to be two story houses with ocean views to be released next year.  This is where the action is. Mexican Banks are now offering finance to American buyers.

The day has been one surprise after another and I have time for one more. I hear the spas in Tijuana are amazing, a combination of new style spa and old world remedy. I decide to try Vita-Spa Agua Caliente. This is the home of the "geothermal spa". There is also aromatherapy, Balneotherapy and Marine Therapy.

I will have to tell you more about the experience later. For now, this is Baja Traveler, sinking into the warm waters of Spa Treatment Baja Style.

Hasta la Vista, 

“The Baja Traveler”