day of the dead

San Diego is a very special place for a number of reasons. First, there’s the remarkable weather: mostly gentle and warm, with a Mediterranean climate and miles of the most glorious coastline anyone’s ever seen.  Then, there are the people: friendly and kind and — not to toot our own horns or anything — but San Diegans have been named some of the best looking people in the country for years, a combination of our lifestyle choices, the outdoor living, and… well, it’s probably something to do with our amazing craft beer scene! But there’s another reason San Diego is special, and that’s the proximity to the international border.  Our culture is deeply infused with all things Mexico, from our whitewashed, ranch-style homes to our delicious San Diego-style tacos to our slang… and our holidays.  All over San Diego, people are celebrating Dia…

October is here, again! Already! It’s a wonderful time of year.  Time to break out your best pumpkin carving skills and Halloween or Day of the Dead decorations, because the autumn winds are blowing away the last bits of El Nino humidity and making it the beautiful season it always is in San Diego! It’s possible to find some scary good wines out there to augment your grown-up costume party, and it doesn’t have to be a terrifying experience.  So if you’re looking around for something new, try one of these ideas on for size. If you’re rushing to the supermarket, don’t just grab the same tired old chardonnay you’ve been getting for the past couple of years. In fact, don’t get chardonnay at all. Everybody loves chardonnay, so try something different. Plus, it’s fall. Go for a big bold California red!…

It’s the spookiest time of the year! Halloween is on its way.  Kids are donning costumes, scary movies are all over Netflix, and ghosts are wailing in the trees (or is it just the Santa Ana?). But we haven’t forgotten about that other celebration of All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day: Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  That’s the Mexican celebration of the dead, where you can go to the graveyards and talk to your loved ones who have passed on. We are so close to Mexico here in southern California that we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Baja California’s vibrant beer and wine scene.  But you shouldn’t have to cross any international borders to sample them, if you don’t want to! First up, let’s talk about the craft beer scene, which in no…

Halloween is almost here, and another special day is just around the corner: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. In Mexico (and in other countries around the world!) it's a time that families remember their loved ones who have gone with altars and music. But it's not a sad holiday, at all – it's festive and happy, although it's perhaps just a little spooky. Anthropologists have traced the origin of the holiday to a festival for the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. It included marigolds and whatever things, including food and drink, the deceased person loved the best. If you see flower altars this October 31st and November 1st and 2nd, you'll see photographs, flowers, and sugar skulls and bread to help feed those loved ones in the afterlife. Luckily, like us, the Aztecs also believed…