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Mixing Money and Magic in Todos Santos-Baja SurBy Barbara WiltshireThe Chinese have a saying that magic happens on the edges of things and the tiny farming village of Todos Santos, Baja Sur has well earned its magical edge in the hearts of migrating North American artists.
It was the first time the circus had brought it’s sparkled magic to town, with high wire trapeze performers, clowns, 12 magnificent lions, and more. While the magic of the circus was appreciated by the residents, it was superfluous to a place famous for its own magic. A book to be released this fall titled ‘Magical Places of the Baja’, will include Todos Santos. You can also ask any of the 750 or so foreigners who have migrated to this town in the last ten years about that magic. The Chinese have a saying that magic happens at the edges of things and Todos Santos, on the western most edge of the Americas, smack dab on the Tropic of Cancer has earned its geographical dues for magic. Because of that special quality, this town of 7,500 is feeling the effect of an influx of foreigners and their money. Todos Santos is now viewed as an artistic Baja oasis with a growing number of foreigners choosing to establish homes either in or nearby Todos Santos. One local realtor pegs the foreign origins as mainly Canadian, American and Italian and estimates that 10% of the population is non-Mexican. “Property prices have doubled in the last 4 -5 years,” says local realtor Dale Townsend. “One can expect a steady 10% raise in property values at current market prices. The prices are still extremely reasonable when you consider you can buy a 1/3 acre lot on the interior side of the beach road for $50k usd. Think about what that would be worth along the US Pacific coast. “ Townsend says property ownership is a smooth sail these days with realtors offering professional title searches that lead to U.S. title insurance. Not risky in the least according to Townsend and you can still buy beach front property.
“Light travels right off the page,” claims Stewart who has renovated an abandoned building into a gallery, and at 85 still paints in a sun bedazzled courtyard next to his home. His gallery/home is an artistic icon of sorts both for locals and other artists. Mary mostly deals with the marketing end and says it’s lucky the Smithsonian Institute has catalogued most of Stewart’s art, as it disappears quickly into buyers homes.
“We stumbled on the Hotel California in 1998 during a home and garden tour in Todos Santos,” says owner Debbie Stewart. “Our daughter thought the place was great and suggested we buy it...to my surprise we did.” The falsely fabled Eagles rendition of Hotel California referred to a broken down old boarding house. Today’s Hotel California, nestled beneath the historic Mission del Pilar, where you can sometimes hear celestial singing from a practicing choir, is a delightful mixing of money with the existing magic. John and Debbie Stewart say they try very hard to keep their hotel affordable for locals and tourists alike. “Our daughter goes to school here,” says Debbie, “and we count many locals as our friends.”
“I have a wine rack and the internet now, “ says Iker.
Formerly a lawyer, Iker has positive and high hopes for the melting pot mixture of Todos Santos. He embraces the artists and recently spearheaded a project, ‘Dia de Tambos’ getting kids to paint trash cans. He is now working on restoring the towns public swimming pool. Iker and his wife are also on the Latino Film Festival Committee, the Palapa Society and Iker helped with the 3rd Reggae Festival in Todos. Iker is also responsible for getting the restoration project of the murals in the Casa de Cultura (the local museum).
Combine miles of pristine beaches, increasingly becoming a mecca for surfers, with the sweetly growing ambience of a Baja village relatively unspoiled by tourism and turned artistic and throw in some local heart such as Senor Brown and the possible recipe could be unparalleled. |
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“The circus is in town”...blared the loudspeaker atop a
dented Renaut, as it drove through the tiny village of Todos Santos, last
summer. Todos Santos is a farming town located in Baja Sur California, 45 miles
north of Cabo San Lucas. The circus promoters paraded their magnificent and
obliging elephant right through the dusty four block heart of the sleepy
village.
One of the original artists, in a town now full of artists,
is Ohio born painter, Charles Stewart who found his way to the Baja village in
the late 80’s. He says it’s the quality of the light which drew he and his wife
Mary.
Since the Stewarts arrival in 1986, Todos Santos, which
means all saints, has been known as the Baja Sur town without the tequila shots.
Walk it’s quaint European style streets and one is spared the vendor-assault
experienced in other tourist cities, such as nearby Cabo San Lucas.
The recent influx of North Americans seeking a more
fulfilling life-style, mixing their money with the existing magic of this
place...results in a fascinating melange of indigenous and foreign. The Gabo
Gallery featuring work of Aquascalientes born Charles Gabo sits a half block
from the fabled Hotel California owned and operated by a Canadian couple.
Established in 1793, by the missionaries, Todos Santos was
originally a sugar cane production center. The locals also used to harvest
turtles off the coast for a prized turtle soup. Now known as an artistic mecca,
North American influence has lent an upscale Santa Fe flavor to the town...with
fabulous and pricy restaurants, galleries and of course the gem centerpiece,
Hotel California, painstakingly renovated by Canadians John and Debbie Stewart.
The hotel, restaurant and newly opened tequila tasting room
featuring a Hotel California tequila, is a must see and must stay place with a
definite eye focused on local flavor.
While the Hotel California sits as an opulent jewel in the
city, there also exists the more indigenous establishments like street vendor
‘Taco George’s’ offering the best all day lunch deal in town, 10 pesos or about
$1 for a fresh fish taco with all the poco gallo (salsa) trimmings.
The street stand is juxtaposed less than half a block from
the high end Los Adobes, which features ,not only fine food, in the vicinity of
$10-$18 for lunch) but an internet cafe where you can sip a corona or a latte
within an elaborate lava/cactus garden and keep up with e-mail at the same time
for about $5.
The locals are not blind to the opportunities presented by
foreign dollars. 20 year resident and owner of Senor Brown’s Cafe, Iker Camacho,
says he visits the town’s fancy places and then tries to incorporate those ideas
into his moderately priced restaurant.
Iker tries so hard to offer what the tourists seem to
want, that his place, tucked obscurely behind the Comex paint store, and
underneath a $25/night hotel, is beginning to resemble a comfortable but
eclectically filled living room. The fruit crates stocked with toys and books
are his daughter’s idea he says. And the paintings, done by his wife Sibila
cover the walls of the restaurant giving it a gallery appearance.
“I would like to see the incoming artists not only sell
their work here, but also involve themselves with the local people,” says Iker.
He envisions artist workshops juxtaposed with the many galleries in Todos
Santos.