Casa de Arte is a new artists’ co-op and gallery located next to Sharkey’s at Km. 10.5 on the road to La Bufadora in the community of Cantú on the Punta Banda peninsula.
 
Casa de Arte’s first show, featuring fine art and crafts by co-op members, will run from September 18-November 20, 2010. There will be a Grand Opening Event on September 18 from 5-7pm. Come meet the artists and enjoy refreshments. Admission is free and open to the public.
 
Work on display will include pottery and glasswork by Claire Saint James, hand painted gourds by Cecilia Bamberg, handcrafted textiles by Marie-Pierre Kennedy (http://sewandsowhat.blogspot.com), original paintings and prints by Scott Kennedy (www.scottkennedy.com), fine art photography by Melanie Lamaga and José Angel Sanchez Pacheco of Willow River Studio (www.willowriverstudio.com), genuine gemstones and jewelry by Mark and Alejandra Lurie of Joy as Jewels, sculpture and drawings by Mark Lurie (www.treesculpt.com), paintings by Luis Cervantes, paintings by Janika Scott and art by other co-op members TBA.
 
After the inaugural show, Casa de Arte will host bi-monthly art shows, featuring a different guest artist each time. The co-op will also host events and art classes to benefit the local communities of Cantú, Punta Banda and La Bufadora. Normal gallery hours will be 11am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday. For more information please contact Cecilia Bamberg, cell tel. (646)121-7834; e-mail or Melanie Lamaga, tel. (646)154-3085 or U.S. tel. (877)265-4994; e-mail

ROSARITO BEACH, Baja California - The Rosarito Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride® is named an “Official Event” of Mexico’s 2010 Bicentenario. Bicyclists are getting ready to roll on September 25 at the historic bike ride that attracts thousands of riders from around the world.
 
“I am honored and thrilled to be part of your nation's Bicentennial celebration,” said event promoter Gary Foster of San Diego, attending a press conference in Tijuana with Baja State Secretary of Tourism Oscar Escobedo at which his Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride was named an official event of Mexico's 2010 celebration. “We have been warmly welcomed by the people of Baja for 31 years, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for many years to come.”
 
Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, whose city hosts the event said: “The ride is one of the signature events for Rosarito and this region of Baja. It attracts excellent people and creates a great atmosphere. We are greatly looking forward to it.”
 
The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Parents tow children in bike trailers. And racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007.
 
“In addition to the tourism revenue that is generated for the local Baja California economy, the Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride also benefits the people of Baja with its ‘One Way Ride Program,’” Foster explained.
 
“Participants have the opportunity of making a positive difference on the life of less fortunate people, by donating a gently used bicycle at the event.” Many riders volunteer to bring a bike for donation to the Start Line or Finish Line Fiesta, and event organizers distribute the bicycles to charity organizations. (For more information, contact event organizers through the website at www.RosaritoEnsenada.com)
 
U.S. citizens can register to ride for a reduced price of only $35dlls. (available online through September 22, 2010 at www.bettersignup.com) or they can register on the day of the event at the Rosarito Beach Hotel for $40dlls. Mexican citizens can register in advance for $300 pesos at local Baja bike shops and gyms, or on the day of the event for $350 pesos. The event also offers commemorative t-shirts, cycling jerseys, and a free finishers medal for each rider.
 
“Transportation packages are available from the United States for anyone who doesn't want to drive,” Foster said. “Our tour partner buses riders and their bicycles, and because they return to the United State through the rapid SENTRI lane, our riders enjoy a quick trip back across the border.” Round-trip bus rides from San Diego's Balboa Park are available with early online registration for $89dlls. Many hotels offer special rates and are also participating in the Border Fast Pass program which can cut border waits in half, especially on the weekends.
 
Shuttles are available on the event course from the finish line to the start line before and after the event. So if participants stay in Rosarito Beach, they can take the shuttle back to Rosarito after the event, or if they stay in Ensenada, they can take the shuttle to the start in Rosarito before the ride.
 
The Finish Line Fiesta is free for participants and spectators, overlooking the Ensenada harbor with panoramic views of the cruise ships at sunset. Live rock-n-roll, jazz and salsa plays into the night while local chefs serve their best. The Finish Line Fiesta is located at Hotel Corona, on Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas, just south of the giant Mexican flag.
 
Foster continues to see an increase in event attendance compared to years past. “The media is finally reporting that crime has declined and that Northern Baja has never been as dangerous as other areas like Arizona and Texas,” said Foster, who expects 5,000 cyclists in September. “The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family.” For more information visit www.RosaritoEnsenada.com or e-mail

SAN DIEGO, California – After surviving two rounds, the three finalists of Orchestra Nova’s The Next Star amateur talent competition performed with the orchestra in their third and last concert on Monday, March 8 in La Jolla. Internet voters and audience members at the three concerts were the judges – even the orchestra’s musicians got to vote – in what transpired to be one of the closest races ever for a talent competition. The winner was Ensenada soprano María Esther González Lozano, under her stage name of Maria Lozano, a graduate student at San Diego State University. Hei-ock Kim and Gorden Cheng, both pianists, were “neck and neck” with Maria to the very end. Audience members at all three concerts expressed their joy and enthusiasm for the performances through shouts of “bravo,” applause and standing ovations.
 
There was no age limit for this competition but it was limited to amateurs living in San Diego County. It’s the first known classical music talent competition where audience and Internet voters were the judges. The winner will perform with Orchestra Nova in the future.
 
Maria, who was featured in the September 2006 edition of EnsenadaGazette.com, was born and raised in Ensenada, Baja California. With four older brothers and a younger sister, she learned to love music from her opera-loving father who listened to opera on KPBS on his only day off from work and studying. After secondary school, she moved to Mexico City and joined the Mexican Navy where she sang with the Navy chorus. She subsequently studied computer engineering at Baja California University before switching to music, the great love of her life. She spent a grueling year taking a nine-hour round-trip bus trip every day to study voice with Mary MacKenzie at San Diego State University and earned her B.A. degree. She is now living in San Diego as a graduate student at SDSU.
  
Congratulations, María (aka Esther)!!!