General Reports

[Joe Arturo]

Does it ever make sense to cross the border back into the US at Otay Mesa (or even Tecate)? Otay Mesa looks like it is only 20-30 minutes east, but if there is a two hour line at San Ysidro, could it be faster to use a smaller crossing? Especially if I am coming from Ensenada and decide not to stop in Tijuana for a nightcap.

When the line to cross is long in San Ysidro, I cross in Tecate. It takes 45 minutes to get there from the zona and the line is usually at least an hour shorter than in San Ysidro. Be careful though as it closes at 11:00 PM

[HelpRules]

Tom, are those twins real? If so, they are incredible.

Whats her name?

I will have to look for her.

[TomJackin]

I decided to walk. I got to the border about 1:10. OMG! WTF? The line was longer than anything I had ever seen. It went all the way around the curve of the little road, and then doubled back to the taxi drop off point. Then it crossed the street and went all the way down the SENTRI road, past the bridge. I couldn't see the end of the line! Does anybody know what the hell was going on? This must have been a 3 hour wait, at a minimum. Holy Shit!

When I came back on Sunday at around 11 am, the line was the same. The Sentri card has become my best friend!

It's been fascinating watching Tijuana, specifically Revu, transform itself. It was a round the clock teenage gringo hangout for years. Then it became a scary ghost town for a couple of years. Now It's a throbbing nightlife destination again, but for locals.

Couldn't agree more, especially on Six Ave. The place is rocking! I had the pleasure of partying with Montti and Mercedez, two formal customer service ladies that worked in HK. We went to Cats, a short cab drive away, and the cover charge, was the only charge; every drink inside was free! The more I learn about Tijuana, the more I love!

So, did anybody else spend Saturday partying down with a bunch of 20-somethings?

I wanted to check out Mision 19, and I figured it would be impossible to get in without reservations if we went too late. I took the precaution of writing down the address, just in case the taxi didn't know where to go. As it turns out, he didn't, but immediately recognized the address.

First off, yes I did my share of partying down with a bunch of 20-somethings. But I felt the damage on Sunday for sure!

I also agree, that Tijuana has some great chow, and without all of the stuffiness that usual goes with it. I was back in Rodeo in La mesa (Tijuana) on Saturday and we had a fucking feast, between my friends and two HK girls. Plus they had a promotion going on, buy one shot of tequila (only bought 2, but the bar bought the other 3) , and get a free bottle per each shot! Love that place!

[KC Questor]

Does it ever make sense to cross the border back into the US at Otay Mesa (or even Tecate)? Otay Mesa looks like it is only 20-30 minutes east, but if there is a two hour line at San Ysidro, could it be faster to use a smaller crossing? Especially if I am coming from Ensenada and decide not to stop in Tijuana for a nightcap.

[Phordphan]

1. I found out from a couple of my different faves bar girls that sometimes after their shift is over at night and they're drunk off all the fichas they earned; they go to Malquerida on the corner. It's only been briefly mentioned on the forums here. The one time I went no one was there (early evening) and I never thought about going back but these bar girls make it seem like its a good place to party. I'm told they sometimes have a live band. Anyone know more about it? Is it similar to Las Chevalas where it's catered to a more local crowd. Is it all working girls or non-workers?

2. Question for Phordphan. What was the dress attire at Mision 19? I was thinking of taking one of my bar girls there but I wanted to advise her how to dress so she doesn't dress like a working girl at a nice restuarant since she actually is a working girl.

Don't want to turn this in a food blog but to be brief. The chef of Mision 19 came to San Diego one night to cook. For the tasting, he had a risotto and it sounds like the same one you had and it was phenominal. The first time I went to Gordan Ramsey it was great, but the 2nd time was awful. It would be interesting to hear what you think of Mision 19 after you go back and try other items.

1. La Malquerida has always seemed to me to be a bar looking for an identity, or a niche. I don't go in there much anymore, as I know one of the waitresses very well, and I really don't need that kind of drama, if you know what I mean. However, I know a bit about it. It really doesn't get going until later in the evening, rather like Chicago. Some nights they do have a live band, used to be on Wednesdays, IIRC, but maybe different nights now. THey do have a lesbian show. Occasionally, they'll have a male stripper, which some of the girls like, and some of the patrons, too. I understand they cater to gay clientele, too. The girls tend to be much more to the "local" tastes, especially the early shift. But, having said that, every time I've been there I've always seen at least one very do-able chica. The meseros aren't quite as pushy as the ones in HK. In their partial defense, I understand that their earnings are almost 100% tips. They do get a cut of any cubeta you buy. But I digress. The vibe is much calmer than HK, and you'll see a lot more local guys in there. All in all, it's a step up, if you will, from local joints like La Gloria or La Valentina. I can see why the girls would like to hang out in there after shift.

2. The attire might be described as smart casual. I was in jeans and a long sleeved oxford shirt, rather like all the local guys wear, and didn't feel out of place. My date had a regular blouse and skirt, wedgie sandals, and looked fine. The other early diners were ladies dressed much the same. As the evening progressed, the dress became a tiny bit classier, I. E. Sport coat and slacks, and regular dress and heels. But definitely no hooker-wear, and no club wear.

[Dave_Far]

1. I found out from a couple of my different faves bar girls that sometimes after their shift is over at night and they're drunk off all the fichas they earned; they go to Malquerida on the corner. It's only been briefly mentioned on the forums here. The one time I went no one was there (early evening) and I never thought about going back but these bar girls make it seem like its a good place to party. I'm told they sometimes have a live band. Anyone know more about it? Is it similar to Las Chevalas where it's catered to a more local crowd. Is it all working girls or non-workers?

2. Question for Phordphan. What was the dress attire at Mision 19? I was thinking of taking one of my bar girls there but I wanted to advise her how to dress so she doesn't dress like a working girl at a nice restuarant since she actually is a working girl.

Don't want to turn this in a food blog but to be brief. The chef of Mision 19 came to San Diego one night to cook. For the tasting, he had a risotto and it sounds like the same one you had and it was phenominal. The first time I went to Gordan Ramsey it was great, but the 2nd time was awful. It would be interesting to hear what you think of Mision 19 after you go back and try other items.

[Phordphan]

After the cab dropped us at the hotel. We headed upstairs, and headed to bed. It's now soemtime between 2:00 and 3:00.

Both of our phones started ringing rather early, around 7, which sucked. But we dozed off and on until about 9.

She needed to leave to take care of some things, but was kind enough to ask whither I wanted her to hang around until I left. I told her it was OK to go, if she needed to. We finished showering and dressing, I put 2, 000 pesos next to her purse, and she seemed very happy with it.

I walked her to the corner to hail a taxi. She cuddled on my shoulder and gave me lots of hugs until a taxi happened by.

ThenI went back to the room, finished packing up and checked out. I went down to Primero to see if my granny fave, who does great BBBJ, was around. I wandered and waited for her to show, but she never did. I guess I was to early.

So, I took the money I would have spent and went to that little restaurant just east of Revu on Primero. Had a beer, some chilaquiles and an earful of some pretty good mariachi music. THen, it being about 12:45, it was time to head to the border.

I decided to walk. I got to the border about 1:10. OMG! WTF? The line was longer than anything I had ever seen. It went all the way around the curve of the little road, and then doubled back to the taxi drop off point. Then it crossed the street and went all the way down the SENTRI road, past the bridge. I couldn't see the end of the line! Does anybody know what the hell was going on? THis must have been a 3 hour wait, at a minimum. Holy Shit!

I zipped through using my SENTRI card, got on the trolley, from there went to Union Station and hopped on the train for the trip home.

So, to each his own, but for what a lot of guys blow on a night buying fichas, I had a helluva good time, had some great food, great company, and a bit of a hangover. Total damage, not including train and hotel, was just over $350. I can't wait to go back.

[Phordphan]

The restaurant called us a cab. She and the cabbie discussed places to go, and we tried a couple but they were closed. So, we went to La Revancha. It was packed due to the Pacquiao fight. 30 peso cover.

BTW, did those judges watch the same fight that I did? WTF?

Anyway, after the fight the band started up. Interesting mixture of pop, English and Spanish. I knocked back a couple of Tecates, she did some sort of clamato and clam thing, of which I don't remember the name, and a couple of beers. She was kind enough to point out that I was the only gringo in the joint. After a few songs it was time to hit another club.

We went out the back door, which leads directly into another club in the complex. I didn't like the vibe and said to keep moving outside.

Well, outside is the "Shot Factory." Wow. They were three deep at the bar, and a long line outside. We weaseled in and watched the guys making every kind of shot under the sun. A very popular one was the Satana, a mixture of rum, tequila and vodka, I think. It had a sort of cinnamon flavor. The guy pours them, and covers the bar with more rum, and lights the whole mess on fire, after dimming the lights. Then you suck up the shot with a straw. 40 pesos. Talk about a gold mine. They couldn't make the drinks or collect the money fast enough. Great music, too. After our shots it was off to Calle Sexta.

It's been fascinating watching Tijuana, specifically Revu, transform itself. It was a round the clock teenage gringo hangout for years. Then it became a scary ghost town for a couple of years. Now It's a throbbing nightlife destination again, but for locals.

After the taxi dropped us I wanted to check out Dandy del Sur. Cool joint. Totally old school bar, wood paneling, mirrored walls, great jukebox. It was packed, but we got a table at the back. Prices are great. 2 tequila shots and 2 beers. 130 pesos. Nice.

Amy's idea of a great place includes hundreds of other people. So, we left after a drink and tried to get into Porky's. But the line was too long. We eventually went into Circo. Men had a 30 peso cover, which included 1 beer. We found a table on the second floor. Shit, I didn't know bass could go that loud. It's mostly loud techno-style music, very heavy on the bass. The kids gather in the Mexican version of the mosh pit and jump around. I had a couple of Tecates, she had a Sex on the Beach and a Motherfucker (whatever that is) and mixed them together.

After a while, we, too, were in the mosh pit. OMG. Not only was it packed and noisy, one of the dimb DJ fuckers actually threw himself into the pit. Of course this sent several drinks flying around, too. After getting stepped on a bunch of times, I decided to call it quits. It's fun, but in small doses.

Once outside and breathing some fresh air, we headed to La Ferreteria, but made a detour into La Choperia, as they had a band playing some Norteno stuff, I think. We did some dancing and had some tequila. Then it was off again.

We nabbed a couple of hot dogs and wandered a bit. She decided the wanted to score some mota. Then she decided she wanted to see friends at Las Chavelas. So, into the taxi we went. In the back she started singing with the radio. Ahh, she's getting ripped.

She had the cab take us to D&G first. We went in and sat with a couple of her friends. The manager stopped by and chatted. We had a couple of beers. She apparently asked a couple of meseros to call their connection and score some mota. She demanded $20 for it. I went into codo mode, because I know it doesn't cost a Jackson. I offered a few Washingtons, but that wouldn't do. So, I tried to get her to explain why a Hamilton wouldn't cover it. She kept insisting I'd get $16 in change. She wasn't thinking too clearly. I gave her the $20.

After a while, she was getting tired, and didn't want to wait any longer, so she returned the $20 and we left. We walked over the the new taco shop on the corner and had a seat. Great tacos! Try the carne asada with cheese. Oh, and the grilled peppers are delicious and really spicy. Two giant tacos and an iced tea later, it was time to push on.

We strolled through Las Chavelas, and she greeted several of her friends, who were sitting with local customers. Cute friends! We stopped to dance a couple of dances, and then went out the back. I told her she needed to walk around a bit more, so we headed east down the alley.

The music of La Valentina caught her ear, so in we went, popped onto the dance floor and did a few numbers. Then, out the door. Next stop was that place on the end, opposite La malquerida. In. 2 or 3 canciones, and then out the door. North down Constitucion, around the corner and in front of Adelita. We needed a taxi, so we cut back through Chavelas and into the alley, grabbed a libre and went back to Ticuan.

[Phordphan]

So, did anybody else spend Saturday partying down with a bunch of 20-somethings?

I hooked up on Saturday with a fave, Amy, I met in D&G last year, but hadn't seen for several months. She no longer works there, and spent the last month studying to be a manicurist. She couldn't take the 7-day-a-week drinking. We keep in contact and I finally had some free time. I think she's cute, but she's certainly not the prettiest chica in Tijuana. She's a bit taller than I usually like. But she has a very nice smile and a sparkling personality. She has a great way of cuddling on your shoulder, and she's very easy to get along with. As Jack Nicholson said, 'She could put steam in a man's stride. ' She showed up about an hour late, but I found out she was only getting about every third of my text messages.

Last time she got so shit-faced that she was unable to screw, so this time I didn't want to make the same mistake. We adjourned to the room. Wow, seems like lately I've been hooking up with wildly multi-orgasmic girls. She is no exception.

After some nice chatting and cuddling and kissing, we undress and she straddles my face. As soon as she gets warmed up a bit she goes into overdrive. She started moaning and grinding, and then suddenly started slamming her hips back and forth as fast as she could. It was all I could do to keep tongue on clit. She'the pound away for a bit, moaning louder and louder. Then she'the cum, and relax for about 20 seconds and then start again. I lost count after about 5. Then, she slides down, slips on the condom and goes into cowgirl. Now it's the same thing, only harder and faster. Over and over. I lost count after 6 times. She finally stopped and complained about being hot. So, I flipped her over and tried to go to mish. She askied if I liked perrito, so, she gets onto all fours. She's really good at this, and knows just how low to go, and how to position herself for maximum penetration. Then she starts the jackhammering again. I made her stop after 2 or 3, so I could slow things down, take longer strokes and finish. When I did, I collapsed into a heap. We relaxed and cat-napped for about an hour. Then it was time to get to an early dinner.

I wanted to check out Mision 19, and I figured it would be impossible to get in without reservations if we went too late. I took the precaution of writing down the address, just in case the taxi didn't know where to go. As it turns out, he didn't, but immediately recognized the address.

We got there just before 7, and there were only 3 others in the place, but the lady still dithered and fiddled. She said they were booked, but they put us at a 2-top. I think the bookings were for much later, as by 8 the place was only about half full. The table was the only down side to an otherwise excellent meal. It was under an a / see vent and we were both really cold throughout the meal.

As far as the meal goes, it ranks in the top 10, maybe the top 5. Too often you have a good experience, and then, when you go back, the place sucks. So, I won't put it into the top 5 until I visit again. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of food. All ingredients are organic and local, none coming from more than 200km away. The wine list is really heavy on the reds, but there are a few good whites. They say prices for the wine are 'market price' and they do seem a lot less pricey than other fancy places. A glass of a nice white (It may have been a pinot grigio, but I can't remember) was 33 pesos. Bottles ranged upward from around 400 pesos. They also have an interesting cocktail menu, and they are very, very well made. 80 pesos.

I won't go into tons of detail, as it's all available on their web site. For cocktails I had an interesting cucumber thing, and she had a vodka iced tea concoction. For entradas, I had the beef tongue (long, thin strip served warm, covered in a sort of vinaigrette and micro greens) , and she had a sort of deconstructed salad. For Entrée she had the duck breast (very small, no skin, very well cooked, delicious sauce poured tableside) and I had the risotto (smallish portion, unlike any risotto I've eaten, and delicious). For postre we split a killer crème brulee (vanilla with interesting fruits on top). We also had 2 glasses of wine. Total damage was about 925 pesos. At 13. 5 to 1, that comes to about $68, which is a helluva bargain in anybody's book. I think this food was better than, say, Water Grill in LA or Emeril's in Vegas. It was almost on par with Gordon Ramsey in West LA. The kicker is that it's about a half to a third of the price. This place is definitely worth a visit.

After dinner we left to do some serious partying.

[Texaz]

I will do a full report later, but for now I am at Hotel Cascadas in a master suite. If any mongers want to meet up, let me know.

[SeanBig]

I know I am dumb for thinking about my penpal so much.

How did you forget your "it sex working girl"

Since I won't be back in Tijuana for a while maybe I will look for local chicks.

And what tipped you off that your sex girl would never be a good gf?

[Uncle Al]

I purchased perscriptions in mexico the other day no problem bring back to the us.

I need a doctors perscription. They charge 25 dollars for 3 differnt ones, then go to pharmy to get it filled. Declare it at customs and go on your way just make sure you have recept and doctors script. Customs didn't blink twice about them.

[Dave_Far]

I caught up on my DVR viewing a couple of days ago. Did anybody catch the No Reservations episode where he went to Tijuana (and other parts of Baja)?

A few interesting shots of the streets, a few seconds of La Malquerida's neon, a few SGs.

But my question is, has anybody been to Mision 19? He loved it. I've looked it up on Google, and it's not far. Would a taxi driver know it?

Also, any experience with Dandy del Sur or Mezcalera? I know where they are on 6th, but never been inside. Maybe this Saturday I'll take my date and check 'them out.

Advice, comments, suggestions?

For Mision 19, this place has been on several other travels shows before Bourdain. I once asked a taxi driver if he knew where it was and he didn't but at that time I didn't even know what general area the restuarant was at. You're better off checking a foodie site such as Chowhound for more info about the place than here. But to save you time, reviews are generally positive and the meal is well worth the price.

[Artisttyp]

[QUOTE=ArcherAim; 1290574 If it's just a couple pills, do the border agents just figure it's for personal use, perhaps I had them with me when I came south of the border anyway, and no big deal?[/QUOTE]

Archer,

Never bring prescription meds back to the USA no matter how many you have. I sometimes bring back an anti fungal cream that is prescription only in the USA but I declare it. If it is something like that just declare it and have no more than a 1 month's supply on you. According to the law it is allowed. Other meds need a mandatory doctor's prescription.

Having viagra on you without a script in Mexico is a grey area. While it may not be illegal a cop might try to tell you otherwise. If you don't handle the situation the right way it could be a hassle and / or costly. Depends on who finds it. Some people will argue that I am wrong. Better safe than sorry in my book.

I carry a letter from my doctor and the pharmacy receipts but I am still cautious. If I go to the zona I try to take any meds before I go down if I can. Even with my letter etc. I know I would have to play it off well enough if the cops did search me. Add two beers and red eyes to the mix and it may get even harder to explain.

I would suggest that you buy them on a per pill basis while down there and swallow them before you hit the zona or the street for that matter.

Paranoid like you.

Welcome to ISG.

Artisttyp

[Phordphan]

I caught up on my DVR viewing a couple of days ago. Did anybody catch the No Reservations episode where he went to Tijuana (and other parts of Baja)?

A few interesting shots of the streets, a few seconds of La Malquerida's neon, a few SGs.

But my question is, has anybody been to Mision 19? He loved it. I've looked it up on Google, and it's not far. Would a taxi driver know it?

Also, any experience with Dandy del Sur or Mezcalera? I know where they are on 6th, but never been inside. Maybe this Saturday I'll take my date and check 'them out.

Advice, comments, suggestions?