Happy New Year Rocky Point! Wow, what a 2023 it has been and after finally making through the pandemic, who could have saw a border closure in our future? Hopefully, the border issues are resolved once and for all. I am sure by now almost everyone has heard about the temporary border closure that came on December 4th. Having been a Rocky Point property owner for almost 2 decades, the only other time I can remember this occurring is when Covid 19 first broke out and borders closed everywhere around the world. My best advice is to take a chill pill and relax… it’s most likely a message to us all to take it as a hint for a little siesta that is well deserved! Ahhhh, some R and R!!! And what goes best with some R and R… a good bevy at one of our local watering holes. Personally, I have many favorite bartenders and servers around town and one for sure is Ray Galvez… aka “Ray Ray”. I am sure many of you have seen him around town at an array of venues over the last decade or more… sooooooooooo let’s get to know Ray a little better!
Marco~ Hey, Ray… Where are you from and how did you get to Rocky Point?
Ray~ I am originally from Hermosillo but my mom and her side of the family are from Rocky Point. When I was 4 years old, I moved to the U.S. which is where I learned English. I did almost all of my schooling in America with the exception of studying AC units at UTP here in Peñasco. I have an older sister Pam and a younger brother Eric who both live in Phoenix.
Marco~ Nice, so when did you come back to Mexico from America?
Ray~ It was in 2011. My dad met me at the border in Nogales and we moved into a home by the police station in town. I started my first waiting job soon after and worked at Sr. Amigos in the Malecon for about 6 months. From there, I went to work at Brother’s Pizza for about 2 years. They are no longer open but they had amazing pizza! I then worked at the Beach Bum for about 3 years and from there I went to work at the Swim Bar at Bella Sirena. After 2016, I had known Jorge Goana from around town and he offered me a job and I have been with him since. Shayna and Jorge have been my longest employers. I started out at Tekila Bar, then I moved onto Shark Bite, then to Manny’s Beach Club, then back to Tekila Bar and finally I have been the bar manager at Manny’s for the past year and a half.
Marco~ Well, no wonder I see you all over town… I have been known to pop in to those establishments sometimes. Eh, Tom Tom? What do you like best about Manny’s Beach Club?
Ray~ I really love going to work. Most of the people I work with I have worked with for many years. I love the salty air, fresh ocean scents and the amazing views! I have gotten to know people from all over… people from Alaska to New York. I truly love the connections I make with my clientele and I do my best to treat every person like, “when you found Manny’s, you found home”. I really work for a bunch of good people. Jorge has always been good to me and Shayna is the best. I like to make them proud of me and always try to put a good face on for everyone coming to Manny’s Beach Club.
Marco~ That’s awesome, when you love to come to work and love what you do, WORK isn’t a four-letter word… it becomes JOB… only 3 😊. Tell me what you like to do when you’re not working.
Ray~ I am generally a low-key kind of guy. I like to chill near the water with my dog and some tennis balls and a cold beer. When I am not working, I am more interested in relaxing. It is necessary to harvest yourself and your energy and it rejuvenates me to chill out by myself sometimes.
Marco~ This is so true. Sometimes I have to put myself down and ground myself so I do have my energy! What are some of your favorite restaurants and bars in town?
Ray~ Really anywhere friends are working such as Barracho’s, Leo’s, Gatos….really anywhere to support my friends… Shark Bite, Manny’s, Tekila.
Marco~ I heard you are giving some bartending classes now…
Ray~ Yes, I have been training guys to be better bartenders with the classes as I think I have something to offer having been doing this for over 10 years. I teach that not only do you need to make a good drink but it is also about service, a smile and a good vibe that keep people coming back. We have the opportunity to build friendships where people then want to come back to see you. It’s all about getting to know the customer and soon they get to know you and you are friends and they come back and see you. Then, when you accumulate enough friends, you don’t have a slow season. It only takes one person to make your whole day!
Marco~ Love this… Probably why your bar is always full when you are working! Where do you see Peñasco in 5 years or more?
Ray~ Well, it has grown so much since I have been here in the last 12 years. It has grown from about 40,000 people to 90,000 today. I look forward to seeing other types of businesses open up such as bowling alleys and other entertainment opportunities for families to do. I see more and more people finding out about Rocky Point as it gets more popular by the year.
Marco~ So true, the amount of buildings, roads, restaurants, condos, homes that have come to town is truly reMARCOable. Thank you so much for your input Ray and before we go, what is your motto in life?
Ray~ Be kind to everyone, you never know how it is going to change them. A little bit of kindness goes so far! Be the good you want to see in the world and just be real!
AMEN to Ray Ray, KINDNESS ALWAYS WINS! And so, it is time to make our new year’s resolutions. What is yours going to be? I think I am sticking with Ray’s theme and choosing kindness each day I arise and opting for good things to come my way rather than focusing on any negative energy. There is enough of that energy on most news channels… we have plenty of that kind of “news”. Let’s all help to make positive news by helping each other and by the way, Ray… can you help me with another? 😊. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! FELIZ ANO NUEVO!
ADIOS AMIGOS
GOD BLESS
Marco
