In the Belly of Baja

Discovering Balandra Beach Through Food

‘Is there anyplace else left to discover?' I’ve been traversing Baja for over fifteen years and it’s a question I ask myself each and every time I make a journey down. What else is there to unearth in a mostly barren land that I feel I know like the back of my hand? And, you know what... Read more...

Jazamango

There are restaurants that take the farm to table movement to heart and source locally, with a keen eye kept on serving organic produce and sustainable practices and then there are restaurants that are full on culinary compounds – made to bring you back time and time again... Read more...

Taste Testing San Felipe For The First Time

The infamous Mexico 5. I’ve never been down her way before. But this trip down to Baja was going to be different. We were departing from New Mexico and a good pal – a real Baja aficionado - informed me that all but the last 20 miles of the Mexico 5 hookup to Highway 1 was newly paved so why not traverse her route in getting to Southern Baja for our usual annual... Read more...

Baja Breakfast of Champions

I’ve never really been a breakfast person. Perhaps because I usually wake up hours before sunrise and by the time the morning meal is due, it feels like it should be lunchtime. That all changes for me in Baja where breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are eaten daily - like a real person should. Chow time in the morning becomes a fantastic leisurely event ... Read more...

Loreto Gets A Gastroteca. Applause!

Drifting into Loreto these days is a study in current day commerce. The streets are being judiciously swept the moment the sun rises. The merchant smiles are welcoming and sudden – they are flashed like a gold coin once you make eye contact. And, around the traditional town square, the suddenly packed restaurants ... Read more...

You Can Always Go Deeper South In Baja

There’s an old saying where I come from: You can take the girl out of the south but you can never take the south out of the girl. That is a statement that hit close to home on this last epic trip through Baja. It was like out of nowhere my childhood memories kicked in and every which way I turned I was looking for a taste of home…a link back to my wily youth spent running wild ... Read more...

A Summertime San Carlos Getaway

Earlier this year, my boyfriend and I bought a rural 6-acre ranch in Northern New Mexico. I never thought the Southwest is where I would finally have my own patch of land, but somehow the call of the wild was too enticing,... Read more...

Going Shrimp, Fish, and Grain in the Desert

here comes a time in everyone's travels where the eating marathons must end - where the portions have to become smaller and the eyes a little less big. It must stop at some point and when that time... Read more...

Pit Stops And Carne Obsessions

When you are in Baja for long spurts of time such as much as I am, it’s rather easy to become obsessed. Not only with the next great village you’re headed to, but with the simple home-style meals that the folks up and down the peninsula... Read more...

Breaking The Baja Heat Wave

When May rolls around the corner down South, it brings two things – the cheer of Cinco de Mayo and start of major heat waves across the peninsula. Most of the snowbirds have either left or begun their migration back north by early summer, but for those that stick around... Read more...

Where Wind Meets Water

The reason I hit the road every few months is quite simple. I go for the food. And with that food quest comes the path I traverse to get there – it’s just a simple outline of movement to get me to a new taste portal. The soul of the deserts and waters of Baja have epic food ties... Read more...

Eating And Laughing In Baja

Epic battles have been raged on the roads that crisscross the Baja; at least in my dusty truck they have. And every single battle revolves around food. Should we eat here at this tasty looking fish taco stand? Or do we keep cruising to see if something else has popped up “just down the way?” Our simple daily desire... Read more...

New Bites For The Baja Culinary Junkie

The flavors that I seek out while on expeditions in Baja can (and do) change day-by-day, even minute-by- minute. And, thankfully, there are enough innovators and chefs up and down the peninsula to keep up with my intricate tastebuds demands; more so now that ever. I just spent six glorious weeks enjoying the thrills of Baja while dining out every single day and here are a few of the bites I could not get enough of... Read more...

Best Little Things In Baja

Oh Orlando’s – how many times have I sung your praises? Let me count the ways I love you. The blended margaritas at 9 am. The piping hot – and homemade - tortillas. The never-ending coffee refills. The Yucatan style tostadas. The overzealous coconut... Read more...

Foodie Finds and Furry Friends

I always knew that when it came time to rescue another puppy, it would have to be done in Baja. There is something reassuring about the born-on-the-streets nature of Mexican mutts that I relish – you just know they are going to make it in this world... Read more...

Quickie Fall Eats For The Baja Obsessed

Fall will come with a roar this year. Here in Southern California, all anyone can speak about is the weather turning from blazing hot to torrential downpours – a weather situation that late 2015 should bring us. It will be a most welcome one... Read more...

Guaranteed Good Baja Grub

My stomach and her demands are governed by a different compass - one that leads me down forgotten backroads, through dark alleys and into overlooked street side cafes. The real reason that I adore Baja so much is that it has just one main road, the one that spits you out in Cabo... Read more...

Wine Valley Foodie Finds

In my nomadic mind, Baja is made up of quadrants, and all of them serve my hungry soul. The southern triangle is for seafood lovers (La Ventana); sport fishing fanatics (Los Barriles); and farm-to-table seekers (Todos Santos). Just north of there are the sun dappled townships of Loreto, Bahia Conception and Mulege... Read more...

Breaking Bread In Todos Santos

Todos Santos is a very tolerant village. She dusts off nasty hurricanes, she kisses the faces of exhausted tourists, and mostly she welcomes all levels of epicureans into her sun-dappled streets. Once you get to know her, you’ll come to find that the patchwork dirt roads that make up this tiny town literally drip with top notch meals... Read more...

Roaming The Baja - One Tip At A Time

o matter where I land in the world, I’m the gal who searches out the funkiest dive bar, the most remote farm to table restaurant, the sauciest cantina, and the tiniest shack of goodness that I can find. This past trip to Baja, I decided to see what other folks hunt down when it comes to food using random word of mouth, tripadvisor.com and other such internet buzz words. I hit up as many #1 rated restaurants up and down the peninsula as I could... Read more...

Rancho La Puerta - Fun, Food and Fitness

Border towns are not generally known as sanctuaries for harried travellers, but in the case of award- winning destination resort/spa Rancho la Puerta, the typical conceptions about these usually dusty towns Rancho La Puerta Kitchen are simply thrown to the wind. Here are a few enticing ways to experience this age-old wonderland just across the border in Tecate. No matter which path you choose... Read more...

Delicious Baja Bites Worth Braking For

The clip at which I move through Baja is a lot like that of a jackrabbit; constantly in motion, with very little time in between for leisurely meanders toward new frontiers. There’s usually a place to be, a reservation to hit, a meal to be had, or a solid timeframe to stick to. Not this trip. In late May, it was time for another road trip to Loreto, but I wanted to experience things differently. Take a slower path down Highway 1... Read more...

Baja on the Cheap - A 36 Hour Getaway

Per usual, my adventure in Baja began and ended with food. 36 hours before, I’d crossed the border – with no real destination in mind, not much coin in my pocket, and just a short bit of time to explore new spots. It was just an internal craving I was trying to fill...because let’s face it - a day and a half isn’t much time when there’s so much to see... Read more...

More to Crave in Loreto? Always...

The stats on Loreto, a Sea of Cortez based expat haven, are somewhat mind-boggling. Colonial village atmosphere? Check. Shimmering ocean front perch? Check. Usually deserted international airport? Check. Affordable casitas for rent/sale? Check. Friendly folks and delicious food? Double check. Even with all those boxes checked, it’s real easy to crave more... Read more...

All Faraway Dreams Can Come True in Baja

As one hits a certain crossroads in life, an unruly wanderlust type perspective starts to take the place of the day-to-day reality that makes up most folks existence. For me, it’s been that way since my mom joined the army and I became a world traveler at the tender age of ten...and it’s continued to rule my every waking moment. Baja has fueled that desire since the first time I crossed the border in Tijuana... Read more...

Amazing Meals on the Road

Just because you are passing through a particular town doesn’t mean you can't find a killer meal there. The spots I usually fly through without a second thought have some surprisingly good food happening – here’s a quick roundup...starting in the North and weaving on down the peninsula... Read more...

Flora Farms - The Trip You Must Make in 2014

If there is one trip that should be on your radar in the upcoming months, it’s absolutely got to be to the magical estate that is Flora Farms. This dreamlike culinary institute is tucked way beyond the edge of a dirt road on the cusp of San Jose del Cabo and is truly a taste of the good life. Celebs and locals both rave about it...now I can finally say, I know why... Read more...

Unexpected Baja...for the Curious Kind

Intrepid wanderers have flocked to Baja for centuries and who can blame them? Dirt roads that meander off to stellar oceanside fish shacks; seaside palapas for less than $10; simple folks found living off-grid existences with multi-million dollar views; and unspoiled Steinbeckian adventures around most corners are just a couple of the reasons why. I discover something miraculous each and every trip I take... Read more...

A Shortie Fall Weekend in Baja's Wine Valley

Fall food escapes are the best and there is no better place to disappear than Valle de Guadalupe – a Napa-like wine valley a mere 3.5 hours drive time from my front door in Marina del Rey, CA. Crackling fires with cozy blankets, copious amounts of lush local wine, tingly dips in the still warm Pacific, and a whole new crop of fresh vegetables spurs the start of a fresh season down in Baja and it can all be done in a weekend... Read more...

Plotting & Planning for the Start of Snowbird Season

Summer is starting to wind down in the U.S. and October is just around the corner - and I think we all know what this means! The beginning of the high season all throughout Baja. The weather cools down tremendously, the RVs and caravans start plowing through the border and the time is ripe to start planning a road trip. I know my yearly adventures tend to revolve around old memories I’ve had up and down the peninsula... Read more...

Saving Your Road Weary Soul in Todos Santos

I first landed in the quaint seaside village of Todos Santos just over ten years ago. Me and a small film crew were blazing through Baja filming stories of expats – tracking them down and seeing what kind of life they were squeaking out on a budget south of the border. After weeks of laughing with saucy transplants all up and down the peninsula, we headed over the Tropic of Cancer toward a fabled artist village... Read more...

Minka the One-Year-Old Pup Goes Into the Belly of Baja

As a dog, there are a couple of things I will always know to be true when I hop in the truck with my mom and dad. There will always be a big adventure when we finally stop. There will always be lots of new friends to kiss. And, there will certainly always be blissful bits of road scraps to be wolfed down. My folks like to eat like kings and most times, I just follow their bellies... Read more...

4 Food & Drink Excursions That Demand a Magazine Cover

All my trips to Baja revolve around one thing and one thing only. Meals…and the drinks that go with them. Through this simple love affair with food, I’ve managed to discover a flip side of Mexico that might have gone by the wayside. Especially since I carry my camera with me every step of the way. Every road trip down the peninsula, my camera bag is always at the ready, my right foot is always just a twitch away from... Read more...

"Next Time" Surprises to Experience in Baja

Road trips to Baja always start off a thing of beauty. You say to yourself – "This time I'm definitely going to kayak over to Espiritu Santo and camp in a protected cove with the incredible wildlife. No, really...this next trip, I truly do intend on surfing a break besides Cerritos. Honestly, I really believe that this trip I'm gonna finally track down that lady who lives at the top of an enormous mountain and slaps up the best tamales ever... Read more...

Baja's Perfect Mid-Winter Escape

f you're like most of America in the achingly long winter months of January to April, all you're dreaming about is warm weather and the onslaught of spring. Snowy day imaginations float to deep pockets of sunshine, the sound of crashing waves and perhaps some meaningful explorations...but where in the world can you have all that without taking a week off from work? Enter Baja... Read more...

4 Mouthwatering Reasons To Head South of the Border Right Now

Most confuse Baja with renegades, fish tacos and dirt roads. Sure, these do exist south of the border, but these days the descriptions of what's happening in Baja are a bit more refined - think basement tequila crafters, renaissance vintners and dusty back roads leading to culinary genius. Baja has become a darling for food lovers but where to begin if you are new to the food scene? Read more...