HAPPY! HAPPY! I am so very happy! Songbirds are singing…dolphins are frolicking and all is right in the world because today I am writing you from my back patio at Laguna Shores with the ocean to the west, a storm brewing in the east and I am in my pajamas with a sweater on! Hallelujah! I am taking a chance and saying the weather has turned. It tricked me a couple weeks ago, but I think after this storm passes we will come up smelling like carne asada tacos and margaritas at midnight. What a glorious life! Don’t you just love that smell as you drive through town? I remember coming to Puerto Peñasco as a tourist many, many years ago: I always arrived late coming in from California and I just couldn’t wait to drive through town and smell all of the taco stands cooking. Even though the town is much larger now and most of the streets are paved, that smell is still present if you drive down the street in the wee hours of the morn.
I have no idea how I transitioned from weather to the smell of tacos but let’s go with it…and we will switch to the smell of Thanksgiving dinner. I think it is one of my favorite weekends down here: my family visits and there is lots of food that I don’t have to cook. This year we are definitely going disposable dinnerware then I won’t have to clean either. Like myself, many of you will come down to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner here as well – some at your condo, home or trailer or even on the beach and others will choose their favorite restaurant. If you are dining out this year be sure to make your reservations as soon as you can. In this issue you will be able to tell if your favorite haunt is cooking up something special this month. And if you are cooking turkey dinner please remember what you can and cannot bring across the border. I really don’t think there is anything that you can’t get somewhere in town now – even turkeys. But if you wish to bring your own you will be allowed to during the month of November. They know how us gringos love our turkey. On our website at www.rptimes.com in the top right corner there is a link to the Mexican agricultural site where you can get a complete list of what you can and cannot bring across the border (legally). If you are stopped, and have copious amounts of food that you shouldn’t have, chances are it will be taken away so be prepared. You can also hit us up on Facebook if you have a quick question.
It’s gone again. Nope, it’s there. Nope, it’s gone. This has become a fun local game of “Is the Las Palomas Roundabout Stop Sign There Or Not”. As of this writing it is not, but we all know by now that an empty pole on a corner most likely means that there should be a stop sign there. Thanksgiving should be super busy around here so just remember to be extra careful when driving and look on all corners for empty poles (and stop signs). I know I sound like a broken record, but your vacation will be much more enjoyable without a traffic infraction or an accident. And we all want you to have the best time so you will come back and tell all of your friends.
Now that you have the RPTimes in your hands you will be able to see all of the stuff going on in November. If you’re down for Thanksgiving weekend don’t miss Mark Mulligan live at the Caribbean Parrot on Sinaloa. And Tim Swanson will be playing live at the Sky Bar (above FISH Restaurant) as well as at Laguna Shores Resort. Check out South Side Jillz – she always has live music and something fun going on as do many other local haunts. Read, read, read. If you know of something going on feel free to share it on our Facebook site.
If you see Bev and Casey Luna or Maureen and Bob Yantzer out on the town over the weekend you can send them a belated Happy 50th Anniversary. They both hit the big one in October.
Along with telling your friends and family how wonderful Rocky Point is, please tell them that there is no such thing as a hundred year lease on property in Mexico and the government isn’t likely to swoop in one day and confiscate all of our (foreigners) property…probably less of a chance than the U.S. enforcing imminent domain on your property there. Misinformation has to be my number 1 or 2 pet peeve and I only bring it up because I heard that conversation on a television show I was recently binge watching. That’ll teach me!
Did you see the Google (Map) car around town in September or October? Did you even know the Google Maps has something called “street view”? Check it out, they may have caught you walking down a street. Actually it is a great tool – I used it to pinpoint a carniceria on a street in Hermosillo – saw the buildings, people, traffic and all. And, I think somewhere around here the latest photo of our overpass will be inserted. You will probably be driving over it Thanksgiving weekend.
On a sad note…a Cholla Bay legend has passed. Poncho Villa, also known as “Poncho Claus” to many local kids at Christmastime, passed away in early October. He had been a friendly face at JJ’s Cantina for almost 40 years and will be missed by many. As will the beloved Benito (Benny) Bascelli – probably better known to many as Maria’s husband. He was probably hiding out upstairs at Guiseppis when you visited (haha). He and Maria were married for 56 years.
Cherish your family, friends and neighbors this holiday season and all of us here at the Rocky Point Times Newspaper wish you a super spectacular Thanksgiving.
