Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo. Let’s all bid 2024 a buh-bye and welcome in a super fabulous 2025. December is typically slow as everyone spends the holidays with their family, but we still have a lot going on in Peñasco. If you’re feeling charitable, there are tons of organizations that put on Christmas parties for local families and children and deliver toys and clothes to the barrios and in Cholla Bay. The Santa Claus Club is always a favorite and I believe the American Legion takes Santa for a spin to hand out goodies to local children. Check out our Clubs and Organizations Page if you’d like to donate time, money, or goods – you can choose your own or drop donations off at our office. If you want to go spread cheer, volunteers are always welcome to join caravans and help hand out donations to needy families in the barrio areas of town. It is very heartwarming when you see all the kids and families running to the trucks to get bags of food, toys, candy, clothing, and bedding – it definitely makes you feel grateful for what you have. Always a good reality check. Donations dropped off at our office will be taken to the charity of your choice or we will pass them along to those in need. Just about everything can be used, but this time of the year blankets, warm clothing, jackets, toys, food, and school supplies are particularly helpful. We accept donations all year long.
If you’re in town this month you will want to check out the Cholla Bay Light Parade and the Nautical Parade. And toward the end of the month there will be the 6th Edition of the Art Walk in the Old Port. We have more goings-on listed on our Events Page and check our Facebook Page as well for last minute fun.
As a reminder, our office is closed on all Mexican holidays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well as New Year’s Day. And most of the time we close between Christmas and New Year’s, but one of us is always available by email or WhatsApp. For you newbies, we do have set office hours of 9am to 5pm, but sometimes life and fun gets in the way and we open late and close early or go to breakfast or lunch and just never make it back to the office 😊 So, if you are looking to use our lending library, which also has kids’ books, DVD movies and audiobooks, or need assistance you can always call first before you make the trek over to Samuel Ocaña…638-383-6325.
I’ve been driving Hwy. 8 a lot these past few months and am sad to say that the potholes are back. Not with vengeance, but they are back. We are supposed to be getting a new bypass/toll road from the border (Sonoyta) to Puerto Peñasco, so that will be very nice. The tolls we will (gladly) pay will hopefully keep it in tip-top shape like everywhere else in Mexico I’ve travelled. I will be very happy if they sell a yearly pass to frequent travelers and residents with foreign plated vehicles. One can dream. Side note: It is official now that we will not be having a home port anytime soon. Word came down the pipeline that the deal is “officially” dead, which I know a lot of you called years ago, but we did have the cruises, so some of it came to fruition.
Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got parties to get to, events to attend, people to visit and trips to take. I have a great article coming in January about the new restaurant out at Encántame Towers – Wingman. Absolutely love it! Was out there for the first time to watch the Tyson fight and OMG it was fun and soooo delicious. It was so good that I’m going to give my old column, “The Eats” another go because there are so many new restaurants I need to try and tell you about.
On a final note, I’ll be heading to Alamos at the end of the month with Mark Mulligan. He gets groups together a couple times a year and we all stay at Hacienda de Los Santos in Alamos for 3 nights are treated to a live show and fabulous dinner. It’s a great trip that I’ve been on several times. I thought this was going to be his last organized trip so I jumped on it, but as it turns out, he has added another one in March so if you’re interested check out his website where you can get all the details. Alamos is absolutely delightful and if you go with Mark you get a “twofer” (3rd night free) at Hacienda de Los Santos which is a great deal. The property is gorgeous, and the town is so quaint and beautiful.
We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks again to all our advertisers, contributing writers, loyal readers and subscribers. And don’t forget, an annual subscription to the RPTimes makes a fantastic holiday gift!!! And be sure to patronize our advertisers!!
