For one night, the community of San Diego had the opportunity to enjoy all the godness of Baja California without crossing the border.
Last Friday, the event "Looking south" (Mirando al Sur) took place at the Mingei International Museum. It was a binational effort to promote the art, gastronomy, wine and music from Mexico at the United States.
"We are two big cities but one neighborhood" declared the director of the museum, Rob Sidner. "There is so much on both sides of the border that people are missing on both directions, San Diego gets weak by not really knowing what Tijuana and Baja California are".
The assistants of the event could taste the BajaMed cuisine of the chef from Tijuana, Miguel Ángel Guerrero, also the wines from the houses of Monte Xanic, L.A. Cetto, La Lomita y and the beer from Cervecería Tijuana.
"This is just a little taste, the true dish is at the south of the border" added Sidner.
"Looking South" was an effort from the Mingei International Museum, the Municipal Institute of Arts and Culture in Tijuana (IMAC), the General Consulate of Mexico in San Diego and the Secretary of Tourism of Baja California.
The director of the museum mentioned that there will be more binational events on this year and that after the success of "Looking South" they were thinking about doing the event every year.
Juan Tintos, the Secretary of Tourism of Baja California, described the night as an "excellent opportunity" to promote the state.
"The power of bringing this little piece, this little taste of Tijuana, a city that has been developing a huge artistic and cultural movement, that thanks to the economic and industrial development offers this excellent BajaMed cuisine that has made us famous internationally" emphasized the government official.
He reminded that the food in Baja California has evolved into a new touristic attraction that has caught the attention of recognized chefs like Ricky Bayless of KPBS or Anthony Bourdain of the Travel Channel who have come to record their shows in the region.
He also emphasized the commitment with the authorities from the United States of working together, mentioning that what benefits one side of the border, has repercussions on the other side.
"We are just one region, besides the economic ties, we also have this huge cultural link and we can remind the residents of San Diego how we are related and how are so many things unknown or forgotten" said Tintos Funcke.
The musical amusement was the work of Bostich and Fussible from Nortec Collective who surprised the assistants with a synthesizing table that offered a visual show.
Their electric sound, already characteristic of the border, made everyone dance and the people also had the opportunity of interacting with the musicians.
Ramón Amezcua, "Bostich", took the chance of the event to invite the citizens of San Diego to Baja California.
"Tijuana is living a nice time" he said. "There is much more security and we have a lot to offer, is an opportunity to support both cities mutually".
Video by Micaela Arroyo.
alexandra.mendoza@sandiegored.com
Original Text: Alexandra Mendoza
Translation : Brenda Colón Navar
