Mexico’s second largest airline, Interjet, now offers daily non-stop service to Mexico City and Guadalajara from the John Wayne International Airport in Orange County, California.

With an inauguration ceremony, the airline began operations last Thursday, October 11 at John Wayne Airport Terminal B.

This represents a great step for Interjet as it becomes the first Mexican airline to service this important region in California.

Additionally, Interjet is now covering the west coast of the United States, adding another great destination to its American portfolio of cities which include New York, Miami, and San Antonio.

José Luis Garza, CEO of Interjet, mentioned there are great advantages to operate from John Wayne Airport as it is smaller, convenient, simpler, and decongested. He added that travelers will also find custom clearance to be fast and easy here.

In addition, Garza said they are always innovating and invites people to discover the advantages of flying with Interjet. “There are plenty of differentiators apart from the price, like legroom, leather seating, 110 lbs. bag allowance, free onboard snacks and beverages, and a lot of flexibility in the ticketing.”

Alan Murphy, John Wayne Airport Director, also mentioned this partnership with Interjet will continue to build strong relationships in business and in tourism between Mexico and Orange County.

He added travelers can actually reach many more destinations with Interjet, as they can connect to the many cities that Interjet services in Mexico and Central America.

Following Interjet’s “we give you more for less” tagline, their inaugural promotion fares are $289 round trip to Mexico City and $299 round trip to Guadalajara.

For more information and booking visit Interjet website: www.interjet.com

The Mexico Tourism Board Office in Los Angeles announced the creation of “Boomer Fest Days” during a press conference last Friday, September 14 in Los Angeles.

“Boomer Fest Days” is a Music, Food & Wine Festival that will take place in the coastal town of Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Sonora, Mexico on May 1-5, 2013.

This five-day event will be a first of its kind and will include 24 top music bands and comedians from the 60s, 70’s, and 80’s. The organizers will be revealing some of the band names in the next few weeks.

The Managing Partner of the event, Henry Altman, is bringing together a world-class production team who has been involved in some of the most famous and spectacular events in the world.

Altman also mentioned the importance of “Boomer Fest Days” has to do with the fact that there are millions of baby boomers out there who have disposable income and who are at a time where they want to have fun and enjoy life.

With that in mind, some of the activities prepared for the visitors of “Boomer Fest Days” include:

• Celebrity & Sponsors Golf Tournament
• Celebrity & Sponsors Sport Fishing Tournament
• Food & Wine Festival
• Arts & Crafts Sales and Exhibitions
• Motor Sports Exhibit, featuring Vintage Cars & Motorcycles
• On-Stage Performances
• Laser Light Show & Mega Fireworks
• Carnival Games and Ferris Wheel
• And many more…

The organizers expect a crowd of about 50,000 people attending the five-day event and encourage visitors to make their reservations on time. Tickets for “Boomer Fest Days” will officially go on sale in mid-November through their website.

Why Rocky Point, Sonora? Because this area is not only a booming touristic attraction enjoying a beautiful coast line on the Sea of Cortes, but also because there are over 31 million Americans living within 400 miles of the Festival site.

“Boomer Fest Days” has the support of the Mexico Tourism Board, the Sonora Tourism Board, and Puerto Peñasco Visitors Bureau.

For more information please visit www.boomerfestdays.com

We recently had the chance to visit Loreto and discover the magic, the beauty, and the real paradise that this destination has to offer.

Located on the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) in the State of Baja California Sur in Mexico, Loreto is an ideal place for the perfect escape.

Whether you are looking for a quiet place to relax from it all or a more adventurous vacation full of fun and exciting things to do, Loreto will not disappoint you.

And the best place to stay just happens to be the only Five-Star resort in Loreto: Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa at the Islands of Loreto.

Villa del Palmar is a fantastic resort with 180 luxury rooms with a Jacuzzi tub in each suite and well equipped with full kitchens. It is located on 1,800 hectares of property surrounded by nature and its own beach cove at Ensenada Blanca Beach.

The resort also has 5 pools, a world-class spa, a mini market, a kids’ area, and three restaurants.

The entertainment at Villa del Palmar is endless. Every day there are fun activities scheduled all day long. Start early with a morning hike on one of the trails that overlook the beautiful islands of Loreto.

Throughout your hike, you will see the diversity of vegetation in the area, the amazing water colors of the Sea of Cortez, and if you are lucky, you could spot Baja condors flying around the coast. Just make sure you are wearing enough sunblock.

If you wish to enjoy the resort’s activities, you can join the aqua-aerobics classes at the main pool every day. On different nights, they have a variety of great shows. Don’t miss Mexican Night on Saturdays; it is a fun, colorful display of all the important traditional dances of Mexico.

As far as water activities, Loreto is a true paradise. Not only is Loreto one of the best whale-watching spots during the winter months, but all year round you can enjoy great kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and paddle boarding.

The late Sea Explorer Jacques Cousteau actually dubbed the Sea of Cortez “the aquarium of the world” due to the hundreds of species unique to the region.

Wild Loreto is a company with friendly staff and many years of experience who have an office in Villa del Palmar’s lobby.

Their staff can help you choose among all the fun activities and tours you can do during your stay in Loreto. They also have kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkeling equipment for rent.

If you wish to ride on a catamaran boat around the islands, they can help you as well.

We took a boat to Danzante Island and it was an incredible experience. We saw many dolphins on the way there and we snorkeled at Honeymoon Beach, where we saw starfish and other types of sea life.

Historic Downtown

Not many know that Loreto is of great importance in the history of California. Actually, of both Californias: the Alta California and the Baja California.

The first mission was established in 1697 in Loreto, which also became the capital of the Californias.

And it is from here that the Spanish went on to build missions and presidios that went all the way up north ending at the Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma following El Camino Real.

Furthermore, the famous “Camino Real” actually starts in Loreto. Despite this importance, the town of Loreto has remained small, with a population of about 10,000 people.

If you want to be closer to the historic downtown, Hotel Santa Fe Loreto is a great place to stay. The spacious rooms are equipped with full kitchens and the hotel offers a pool, hot tub, and plenty of parking. It’s only a short walk to visit the historical Mission of Loreto.

How to get there

Loreto is such an easy destination to get to. From LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) there are several airlines that fly there. You can get great specials on a charter flight with CalJet Airlines.

They have a fantastic schedule leaving and returning on Saturdays. And best of all, the flight only takes 1 hour 40 minutes. It’s that fast!

If you love adventure and beautiful scenic road trips, you can go by car. Driving from San Diego is about 13 hours.

Most people drive to the town of Guerrero Negro on the Pacific side and spend the night, arriving in Loreto the next day.

If you’re looking for a relaxing beach getaway paired with authentic Mexican charm, Loreto is a destination you won’t want to miss. But hurry before it’s discovered!

Still thinking what wines to get for your Thanksgiving party? These three great options offer an incredible value and will keep everyone happy.

2009 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages

This is a great wine to start your Thanksgiving party. It can very well be the wine you begin serving as soon as your guests arrive.

With nice fruit aromas, this Beaujolais-Villages is bright, smooth and a bit jammy.

Made from Gamay Noir grapes and with a 13% alcohol volume, it is medium body and very satisfying.

You can also pair it with your turkey dish or salads with dried cranberries and goat cheese, but it might not have the punch needed for more hearty foods. Perhaps pair it with a nice conversation with your guests while dinner is ready.

2007 St. Francis Old Vines Zinfandel – Sonoma County

Great Zinfandels come from Sonoma and this one is a must for your Thanksgiving dinner. With a great character and superb quality, this full bodied Zinfandel comes from vines that are 80 to 100 years old.

On the nose it’s peppery, with hints of tobacco and raspberry. On the palate it’s simply a delight, with dominant flavors of black cherry, dry fruit, vanilla bean, and walnut.

With a silky rich structure, this Zinfandel has a long luscious bouquet.

The Old Vines Zinfandel can pair well with your traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner or with dishes such as barbecued chicken, rib roast, and lamb dishes.

Fonseca Bin No. 27 Porto

Time for dessert or an after-dinner conversation? This Fonseca Port, a star of the Douro region in Portugal, will make you the star host.

Aged for four years in neutral oak before bottling, it has an intense depth of color and great fruit character. On the nose, this Bin No. 27 port offers fresh, rich blackberry and cassis aromas. The silky texture of this high quality port is reflected on the palate, showcasing delicious dry fruit and dark chocolate with an sophisticated finish.

This Fonseca Port with pair elegantly with desserts made with rich dark chocolate and strawberries.

Enjoy your wines, your great company, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Last night, Katie and myself had the opportunity to attend the premiere in Los Angeles of “Mexico: The Royal Tour” at the Regal LA Live cinemas in downtown LA.

The event was not only special because of the amazing production Emmy Award-winner Peter Greenberg achieved with this travel documentary, but also because of the honorable company of the President of México himself, Felipe Calderón, the First Lady Margarita Zavala, and other distinguished diplomats and special guests.

“Mexico: The Royal Tour” is a very unique travel documentary starring President Felipe Calderón as your tour guide as he takes you through some of the most fascinating places Mexico has to offer.

In the film you see President Calderón like you have never seen him before. He’s not only an amazing tour guide – he knows the country extremely well – but he has a very adventurous spirit and a great sense of humor.

The film begins as Peter Greenberg (see photo) is welcomed by President Calderón at Los Pinos, the official presidential residence in Mexico City.

He then takes you on his helicopter to discover a wealth of touristic possibilities around the country.

Some of the places and activities featured are the Mayan ruins of Palenque in Chiapas and Chichen-Itza in Yucatán, the President’s hometown of Morelia, Puerto Vallarta, rappelling the Cave of Swallows in San Luis Potosí, Tequila tasting in Jalisco, whale watching in Baja California, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, and a fantastic ride on a hot-air balloon over the archaeological site of Teotihuacan.

The film is very well done and throughout it you can see how well both President Calderón and Peter Greenberg got along. You could almost think they’ve been friends forever.

“Mexico: The Royal Tour” is a very enjoyable film that also represents an incredible opportunity to learn about one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Tonight is the TV premiere at 7pm PST on PBS. Please see the trailer below and don’t miss the show!