Welcome to Kat's Korner El Rincon de la Gata - The San Felipe Scoop

30th Annual Poker Run >> Click the Sea for Joya del Mar

The highway driving up here is excellent and if you were wondering how they were going to get around the parts of the highway where there are bridges, I pulled over on the way up to take a few photos. It looks as though they are going up and around on both sides, so I believe they will be putting in splits which are as high as the bridges, but one never knows. Here are a couple of photos and you can click on the arrows to see the others. It's going to be an excellent road to travel when they finish and make the trip up and back not quite as long. Please click the arrows here >> to see the rest of the story (photos).

Tonight is Name That Tune with Denny Flannigan and as always, teams form at 6:30 and the games begin around 7:00 p.m. Check out Val's Event list for dinner specials. I just took my head outside and it's raining quite hard and I just pray the road to San Felipe is in good shape. I'm glad we got a bit of rain in San Felipe, but California is getting hit hard. I have to hurry and post because my program is a trial (Dreamweaver) on this laptop and I have to get my serial number from my machine at home. In the meantime, I'll try and get these flowers and plants posted which Anita took in my yard the other day. It still amazes me that we can grow green and flowering trees in the middle of Winter. I just love the Baja! Please click here for more or rather, click the arrows >>.

20 January 2010 - Wednesday. It's hump day in San Felipe and what a beautiful day. The rain we had last night has packed down the sand and the skies are blue and clear. That could change as the day goes on, but for now, you couldn't ask for better January weather. I just finished trimming the pages down on Kat's Korner. If I let it go, as I have for over a month, too many graphics show up on one page and it makes for longer loading time. I think over 40 graphics on one page is quite enough. Bubba called this morning to let us know he is playing for the SFAR Hoe Down this weekend out at the Las Manitas site. He'll spin some tunes so everyone can dance. Tonight at the El Cortez, they have their $10 filet mignon special which includes a margarita and desert or a glass of wine. I'll post again as the day moves along but it looks like a great day ahead of us.

This is another "safety in San Felipe" email I received this morning for the kids who want to come down for Spring Break and it's from Mac of Mac and Nan Karaoke: "Kat.. Despite what the US media wants people to believe, we feel that San Felipe and the area between us and the border is safer than most places that we traveled to in California.  Nan has been going on shopping trips to El Centro and Yuma by her self for years and I have no concern for her safety on these trips.  We've only lived here for 4 years, but in that time we've never seen a bandit, heard gun fire or felt in any kind of danger. We've never felt anything but comfortable with the roads or the people when traveling in Baja.  I feel a lot safer walking down the streets in San Felipe at night than I did on the streets of Fresno during the day.. Mac."

19 January 2010 - Tuesday late. Tomorrow night at Brian's Beach Bar and Grill you'll find Karaoke with Mac 'n Nan (every Wednesday and Saturday night) at the Beach Bar at Playa de Oro from 6 p.m. until 10:00, unless you want to keep on singing and drinking and if that's the case, Brian will keep it open. I heard this evening that the winner of the "Taste of San Felipe" held today amidst the wind and traffic was "La Vaquita Restaurant". They had a beautiful display and Mike Byrne of Vatos Locos played music for the tasters. Good job Sergio (even though we know you made everyone else do all the work jaja). Just kidding Sergio!

Regarding the Food Bank Thrift Store: "We are now accepting donations of furniture, appliances, tools, electronics, televisions, computers, etc. Please no clothing. The store will be open to the public and we will pick up large items. Give us anything of value to sell and all proceeds go to the "Food Bank" which will help feed poor and hungry families in San Felipe. We can issue facturasa for your taxes. If you're interested in learning more about the Food Bank, meetings are Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. at the new El Capitan Restaurant. You may also call Mark LaPointe at the auction site (next door to the San Felipe Title Book Store) at 577-2005." This is a photo of the food bank give away on Sunday. Photo by Kat.

I received an email from a reader asking about the 2010 40th Midwinter's West, Bahia de San Felipe, B.C. Regatta and the Headquarters are again at: El Cortez Hotel - Room 134. This year it will be held Friday March 26 through 28, 2010. We are so glad they are having their 40th regatta here as there was some talk of them not coming this year! Don't miss this event as the colorful sails out on the Sea of Cortez are a site to behold. We just need to pray for wind, but not too much. This is a photo taken by Victor R. Ratliff of the beautiful sunrise (must be; I see water).

A big huge Happy Birthday to Kay Gabbard who hit the big seven-o today. Kay is enjoying time away from the farm and Hop-a-Long is watching her place and feeding her dogs, but we both and all of San Felipe hope this is a great one for you Kay. You don't look a day over 60! An announcement from Carlos Bono: "Dear Kat: I'm writing to invite you out to Baja Java at Playa San Rafael this coming Sunday, Jan 24th for a classical guitar musical brunch from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm featuring myself on guitar. Please pass this invitation on to your friends, and I'd be most grateful if you could kindly post something about it on Kat's Korner too. Also, congrats on taking over things at the Net! I hope you can make it! Best wishes, Carlos Bono.” Also, we have put up our calendar of events and you can look on this page for current and future events in addition to "Val's Schedule of Upcoming Events" on Kat's Korner where you'll find dinner specials and event specials, like Valentine's Day. Also, our Calendar of Events for 2010 is up and it's different than you're used to, but change is good. Here it is: http://sanfelipe.com.mx/news/calendar.html. It's raining right now at 7:01 p.m. and we are getting some big drops. My friend Sybil wrote from Southern California and she tells me it's pouring there, so hunker down! Photo by VRR.

Here is another testimonial for the kids who want to come down on a chartered bus (it's for their parents and keep in mind these are adults writing these): "Hola Kat, regarding safety for the 'Spring Break' kids; I wrote last year that I was more worried about getting buried alive by flying plastic bags than being shot in a drug war. That sentiment still stands. A week or two ago (one tends to lose track down here) someone wrote to you about 6 Americans getting pulled out of a bar and shot, for no reason. Tragic indeed! The same day I checked my hometown newspaper and noted that a man was found shot in the local parking garage, along with several stories about missing women, domestic violence, arson, etc. Within the week prior to that the national news carried stories of the 'underwear bomber', several US airports having incidents,  8 people shot at their place of employment, and on & on. This Fall, 4 Seattle area police were shot in a donut shop. Are those cities no longer safe places to travel? Forget about Seattle, Detroit, St Louis. Newark,Los Angeles, ...not safe.   In the world we lived in 20 years ago, I sent my 22 year old daughter to travel Europe for 3 months - by herself! I was not worried, she was not worried, she was homesick but safe. Two years ago, I stood aside while my 18 year old went to L. A. with his church to minister to the homeless - but I was horrified! He came back safe and had a wonderful experience (even had an earthquake to tell about). To the parents of college age kids contemplating Spring Break in San Felipe; if you have taught your child to mind his manners and mind his business, to be responsible for his actions, to choose companions wisely, and most of all to remember he is in someone else's country and watch his mouth - then pack his swimming trunks, give him a kiss and put him on the bus! It's as safe as anywhere in the US. Faith Middleton." This photo is beautiful that Victor took. Tie die clouds.

And, here is another one for the parents to read regarding the safety of their college kids coming to San Felipe: "Hi Kat, We wanted to add our experience with regards to safety in San Felipe.  We've always felt safe here...so much so, that last fall, we invited two of our sons and their families to come down.  One son has three little ones, the other son has two teenagers.  They all had a wonderful time, felt very safe, and were amazed, as we are, at the way the press in the States distorts things, making Baja sound like something it's not.  (Even the wives from the city loved it and felt very safe.)  We would never have invited them had we thought there was even the most remote chance that they would be in danger!  Thanks, Cari and Walt." Thank you for your emails and hopefully, the parents of the kids who want to charter the bus will read your emails and allow them to come down. We are a safe little village by the sea. You often hear me talk about by good friend Sybil Stanton from Newport Beach and her beaux of many years, Pierre Pepe la Pue. This is a photo of Sybil's mother, whose name may be Gern but I'm not sure. Isn't she cute. Sybil was chosen to meet Walt Disney and go in before they opened it officially and she was invited back for their 50th anniversary.

I just realized that I forgot to post yesterday on Kat's Korner. I was too busy with Hop-a-Long's 53rd birthday and the return of Luis to San Felipe, we all went to an early dinner at El Nido on Mar de Cortez. Juan Torres had the bar side closed down, but opened it for us and Hop-a-Long was feeling no pain after drinking Tequila. While I was there, San Felipe's newest retirees from Portland Oregon, the Aults and their guests. Steve and Becky have had a place at El Dorado Ranch for many years and Steve just retired in January so they will spend winters in San Felipe and summers in a cooler place.

My back is killing me today; I did have to go to the bank to try and pay the seguro social, but their system is down for the second day and I couldn't pay them, but I did run into a few people fighting the wind for the Taste of San Felipe. There were not that many people downtown, but with the wind, they were probably in the different restaurants. If you have some good photos, please send me a couple and I'll post them. This is an annual event and it's too bad that the weather didn't cooperate. Also, sitting on the other side of El Nido was Ronda Wadpole and her party. Ronda came and talked to me about the San Felipe Animal Rescue at Las Manitas. They are accepting puppies and have done 400 spay and neuters. If you can help them out, please click on the logo to the left and a bit down. Ronda is the founder of the animal rescue and has spent thousands of her own money to keep it running, so any help will be appreciated.

I was feeding my dogs outside last night and on the ceiling there was a little Lizard trying to stay warm against the board on the ceiling. It took me ten different attempts to get this shot. We were just having a discussion to determine whether this was an Iguana or a Lizard and we've decided this is a Lizard, San Felipe style.

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