Saturday, June 28, 2014

Tour Alert: Escape to Baja's Wine Country





A Gringo in Mexico (W. Scott Koenig) will lead a tour to Valle de Guadalupe on July 26.

Escape to Baja's Wine Country - July 26

Hacienda Guadalupe's Vendemia Event


We invite you to our 2014 official Vendemia event! 
An evening at Hacienda Guadalupe with stations of food prepared with ingredients from our beautiful region and glasses of our house wine, Melchum. 

Live music and other surprises. 

Hacienda Guadalupe (646) 155-2859 / (646) 155-2860Tickets:  (646) 178-3038


Friday, June 27, 2014

New Website Alert: Visit Valle de Guadalupe


Well, well, well.  

Here's a brand new web site under construction that has the potential to be extremely useful.  It has most of the qualities I want:  a nicely written mission statement,  a clean design, and an intuitive user interface.  All that it needs now is to be populated with timely information.   

Visit Valle de Guadalupe - Explore Mexico's Wine Country

Thursday, June 26, 2014

New Restaurant Alert: Olivia El Asador del Porvenir


Poking around the inter-tubes I found news of a restaurant opening next month in Valle de Guadalupe.  No other details to report other than they currently plan to open on Friday, July 4th.

Facebook

Instagram

Update:  I did a little more poking and discovered that Olivia's chef is Giannina Gavaldon

Giannina Gavaldon's Facebook page

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Annotated List - Restaurants of Valle de Guadalupe

Trip Report: Club Tengo Hambre



Valle de Guadalupe Wine + Baja Cookout

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Valle de Guadalupe - Internet Resources


So, for those of you who are planning a trip to Valle to Guadalupe I aggregated a bunch of resources onto a single page.  If you know of a site that I am missing, let me know.

Internet Planning Resources

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Monday, June 23, 2014

New Restaurant: Convivia


Those that find their way to Encuentro Guadalupe (the pod hotel) this summer are going to have to answer a tough question.  Where are we going to eat?  

The restaurant in the main building, Origen has been open for awhile.  The complications begin this summer when Chef Flor Franco opens two new spots.  Convivia which will be located under the main building opens in July. and Reguardo, her poolside project starts serving guests soon thereafter.

Choices, choices, choices.



Sunday, June 22, 2014

Trip Report: Tazza Kitchen



The people in charge of the Tazza Kitchen restaurants located in he southeastern part of the US love to go on culinary adventures.  Last fall their destination was Baja.  Judging from their photo gallery they hit almost all of my favorite spots.

Baja Fall 2013 - Journal
Baja Fall 2013 - Gallery

Tour Alert: Yoga and Wine Tasting



Looks like Mandy Burstein of The Zen Girl Chronicles is leading a yoga retreat in August that will include a visit to Valle de Guadalupe.

Baja Yoga Soul Retreat

Update 6/23  

Zen Girl has updated her blog with some additional information.

Zen Girl: Baja Yoga Soul Retreat


Friday, June 20, 2014

Winery Report: Senorita Vino - Alximia


Senorita Vino files a report about the Alximia Winery, the Valle's "spaceship".

Alximia Winery of Baja California - It's Rocket Science

Toll Road Update: El Vigia 6/20



El Vigia has an update on the toll road repairs.  Officials maintain that although the entire repair project will not be completed until April 2015 the toll road will be open on September 15.  Based upon their picture I posted above, I have my doubts.

Recorre Escenica Titular de Capufe

Flor Franco and Snake Oil Cocktail Co.


Chef Flor Franco is working with Snake Oil Cocktail Co. on a couple of upcoming restaurant projects at Hotel Encuentro.  Looks like hard work, but I guess somebody has to do it  



Thursday, June 19, 2014

Kickstarter Project: Terra Mare Cocina Campestre



Rafa Cuadras is using Kickstarter, the crowdfunding site, to his fulfill his dream of creating an organic and sustainable restaurant/winery in Valle de Guadalupe.

Details here: 




Baja Wine Nights at Dobson's with Chef Martin San Roman


On Thursday, June 26th Chef Martin San Roman takes over Dobson's in San Diego.  It will be the first dinner of Baja Wine Nights series of events.  A multi-course dinner paired with wines from Valle de Guadalupe will be served.  Price $80.

Evidently, Chef San Roman will also be announcing his new restaurant at this event.  The restaurant to be called La Terrasse will be located on the Alximia Winery property

A Gringo in Mexico has the details:

Martin San Roman Announces New Valle restaurant at Dobson's on 6/26

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Valle de Guadalupe - Food Trucks


In San Diego the pairing of craft breweries and food trucks has been a win win combination.  It's starting to look like this trend is coming to the Valle de Guadalupe.  Vena Cava has had Troika parked outside its doors serving tostados and sliders for almost a year.  A month or so ago Tru Miller told me a Adobe Guadalupe's new tasting room due to open this summer has been designed to have a food truck, and now Vinos Emeve is jumping on board.  They will have The Lunchbox a food truck that usually serves Tijuana on site at the winery starting on Friday, June 20. (It's a bit unclear what their schedule at the winery will be going forward.)









  

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Hot Air Balloon Pictures - Valle de Guadalupe


FronteraEnsenada.info has the first pictures of Valle de Guadalupe's hot air balloon rides.

Hot Air Balloon Pictures

Hot Air Balloon Rides Info

Deckman's En El Mogor - Valle de Guadalupe



Drew Deckman's campestre opened for its third season on Saturday, June 15  

You can see some pictures here:  Deckman's Facebook pictures

Deckmans En El Mogor
Km 89.5 Highway 4 Tecate-Ensenada
(646) 188-3960

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More Valle de Guadalupe Restaurant Information here:  VdG Restaurants





Sunday, June 15, 2014

Trip Report: San Diegoville


I missed this trip report from last November.  They certainly visited most of the Valle's best dining establishments.

An Inspirational Tour of Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe

Saturday, June 14, 2014

La Contra Wine Store



Julie Hassett of the Ultimate Guide to Ensenada Wine Country writes about discovering La Contra Vinos, a wine store Ensenada.  The owner of the store is Gloria D'Acosta (wife of Hugh D'Acosta) so you know it will have the Valle's best stuff.

Beautiful Wine Shop in Downtown Ensenada.... Plus, Hot Restaurant Recommendation

  

New Restaurant Alert: Tahal



Little bits of information have been slowly leaking out about this very interesting project.  

Here's what we now know:

Name:  Tahal
Location:  Baron Balche Winery
Chef:  Roberto Alcocer (Malva)
Opening:  July

Friday, June 13, 2014

Valle de Guadalupe Restaurant News: San Diego's Snake Oil Cocktail Co.


San Diego Magazine has an interview with of the Snake Oil Cocktail Company's Michael Esposito. Snake Oil will be working with Flor Franco on her Resguardo project at Hotel Encuentro.

Raising the Bar

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Bill Esparza's 2014 Valle de Guadalupe Summer Dining Guide


Bill Esparza's summary of Valle's summer dining options.


Two Campestres to Open This Weekend

Valle de Guadalupe is famous for its seasonal outdoor restaurants known as campestres.  Two of the more popular ones will open this weekend.




1)  Deckman's En El Mogor

Drew Deckman's campestre opens for its third season on Saturday, June 14.

Deckman's En El Mogor - Facebook
Deckman's Reservations via emai
Life + Food - Deckman's En El Mogor



2)  Tre Galline

We were returning to San Diego from the Valle a couple weeks ago and ran into Paolo Paolini, the owner of Villa Montefiori at a rest stop on the toll road.  His Valle de Guadalupe winery that specializes in Italian varietals was threatened by the recent fires but survived with very minor damage thanks to the help of his neighbors.

Paolo also told us that his northern Italian inspired campestre Tre Galline would begin its second season this weekend.

Update:  Tre Galine opens today!

Villa Montefiori
Carla White - Tre Galline

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Tour Alert: A Gringo in Mexico 6/22



W. Scott Koenig will be taking a group to Valle de Guadalupe on June 22.

The tour will include wine tasting stops at three wineries, Vintango, Baron Balche, and L.A. Cetto.  It also includes a late lunch at the Italian inspired restaurant on the Montefiori property, Tre Galline.

Details here:

Escape to Baja Wine Country Tour - Sunday June 22

W. Scott Koenig's blog:

A Gringo in Mexico

Vendemia Event: Celso Pina at Baron Balche

Baron Balche presents Celso Pina and Ronda de Bogata
Saturday, August 2
Doors at 5:00 PM  Show at 8:00 PM   
$850 MXN to $1150 MXN

Call (646) 155-2141 or (664) 622-5276



Some video


Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Shout Out: 4L Magazine



Poolside Breakfast - Quinta Bugumbilias - June 21


Quinta Bugumbilias is an inn and event venue in San Antonio de las Minas.  They will be open to the public on Saturday, June 21 for breakfast from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM.

Looks like the first 50 people will get free mimosas 



Monday, June 9, 2014

Trip Report: Club Tengo Hambre



Valle de Guadalupe Wine + Baja Cookout - June 7, 2014

New Restaurant Alert: La Terrasse San Roman at Alximia Winery


The Alximia Winery is bringing Chef Martin San Roman formerly of Tour de France in Tijuana and Candelas in San Diego to the Valle de Guadalupe to open a restaurant on their property.

Not a lot of details have been released, but the restaurant does have a Facebook page you can see here:   


Friday, June 6, 2014

Adventure People Tour of Baja Includes a Day in Valle de Guadalupe



Baja Beaches and Wine Country

Finca Altozano's Vendimia Dinner Announcement


Chef Roberto Alcocer's New Restaurant Project (Updated)

Chef Roberto Alcocer of Malva Cocina de Baja California posted a couple of pictures on Instagram Thursday indicating he is working on a new restaurant.  The pictures are hashtagged julio2014 and valledeguadalupe.

Update:  Roberto told me via Facebook that this project is being built on the Baron Balche Winery property.



Thursday, June 5, 2014

Lozhka Bistrot de Cocina Local


Evidently Lozhka, the new restaurant at the Bibayoff Winery,  is now open.  They have been posting a lot of pictures of their food on Facebook.


Monday, June 2, 2014

New Pictures - La Esperanza Baja Med

Via Facebook

New pictures of the progress being made at La Esperanza, Chef Miguel Angel Guerrero's new restaurant on the LA Cetto property.