Feliz Agosto, Rocky Point!!! Cheers to a great summer so far this year. The weather has been awesome with the consistent wind cooling the sun when you are out and about. Hey, the humidity finally kicked in a bit around the 4th of July, and I caved and turned on the air conditioning after being over at Scotty and Cathy Pea’s pad…hmmmm…nice and cool or sticky and damp. They were my deciding factors, so thank you, friends, as it was way better once I turned my A/C on! Special thank you to Scott and Sara for throwing another bang-up 4th of July event…it was so fun and the band was great again! July also brought another fun sunset cruise with a whole host of party peeps…thank you to everyone who organized the event, which I believe was Kiersten and Nick, but I was a last-minute attendee, so I am not positive, but good vibes to whomever it was! The fun on board was most entertaining, especially the dancers! Thank you as well to everyone at Leo’s Bar for your hospitality!

And speaking of fun, a super special shout out to the crew at WINGMAN OCEAN BAR!  If you have not tried out Wingman Ocean Bar, I highly recommend it to all. It is located in the Encantame Towers Resort. The drinks, cocktails, burgers, wings (yes, it is Wingman), salads, and everything I tried was awesome…And the staff is just the best! They are hustling hard to keep you watered down and fed, yet they are smiling, joking, and having a great time while they are hard at work. Special shout-outs to Luis, Caesar, Humberto, Michell, Jose, Israel (Where’s Jordan? I have a complaint…LOL), Gabriel, Janett, Daniel, Alex, Alejandro, and Miguel…. I am sure I left some peeps out, but you know I love your service! I thought it would be cool to sit down with one of my favorite servers in Rocky Point, Luis Gerardo Martinez so we can get to know him a little better…

Marco~ Hola, Luis!!! Hmmm…thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Tell me a little about yourself and where you are from and how you got to Rocky Point.

Luis~ I was born in Caborca, Sonora, and at the age of 7, my family left for the U.S., and I lived there for 21 years. Three and a half years ago, my mom had suggested I try out Rocky Point, so I left America to come back to Mexico and work in Peñasco.

Marco~ Ah ha, that’s why both your English and Spanish are so good. Where did you come to work first when you came to Rocky Point?

Luis~ I came directly to Encantame Towers. First, I worked at the Pool Bar at Encantame, and then I moved over to Wingman Ocean Bar at Encantame as well. So, I’ve been working here since I arrived back in Mexico.

Marco~ Awesome! What do you like best about your job at Wingman?

Luis~ Definitely the people I get to know…the regulars and owners, and also all of the renters. And of course, my amigos I work with, I am blessed with a great group!

Marco~ Indeed! I could not agree with you more. Is Wingman open to the public?

Luis~ Yes, it is. You just check in with the security guard and let them know that you are coming to the restaurant, and you are all set.

Marco~ What are your future plans in Peñasco?

Luis~ Definitely, I want to stay at Wingman, I am happy here, and it is a great location on the beach.

Marco~ What do you like best about living in Rocky Point?

Luis~ I would say the scenery is very beautiful, and it is way better here than where I was in America. I like to relax on my days off and go to the beach and into the sea.

Marco~ Si, amigo! You cannot beat these sunrises and sunsets and the sounds and scents of the salty air! I ask this question a lot in my interviews: Where do you see Peñasco in 10 years’ time?

Luis~ Oh, I can see it keep growing and growing and becoming more popular for people in Mexico, America, and even other countries.

Marco~ Well, I have been here for 20 years, and it is truly remarkable to see the progress and changes that have occurred in this time. When I first came, most of the roads were not paved, just sandy roads. I think there was like one resort in town way back then, and probably about 4 bars in town, and a handful of restaurants. It is amazing to see the changes that have occurred with not just the infrastructure but also the quality of the resorts and homes stretching from Islas Del Mar to the Mayan Palace. The number of resorts that have gone up in the last 20 years really only tells half of the story. During my time here, we had the housing crash of 2008, which lasted about 7 years. Few homes were being built in America due to all the foreclosures, and very little action happened here as well, so that is stunning that all this growth really happened in about 13 years. Luis, you are one of the most positive-natured and kind guys I know. What do you attribute this to?

Luis~ I think from the life that I have been through. I like to see people happy and bring some joy to their day. I really love people and interacting with them! It makes me happy when I can bring a smile to their face.

Marco~ You can tell for sure! Thank you, Luis, for your time, and may all the blessings come your way!

Here’s to a sensational August, and our Labor Day weekend will be here in no time! Remember, as Kenny Chesney sings…“it’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine…it’s summertime!”
ADIOS AMIGOS

GOD BLESS

Marco