Happy Holidays from Baja Life Realty

Hi Friend,

Seasons greetings from La Paz, Baja California Sur. That's right, the holiday season is upon us! It has been a strange year for so many reasons, but we are so very grateful to be safe, healthy, and celebrating this season in what we think is one of the best places on earth. We hope this holiday finds you healthy, happy and safe, no matter where you spend the season or how you celebrate. As always, you can get updates on how the state of Baja California Sur is handling the COVID pandemic on the state government web site here: https://coronavirus.bcs.gob.mx/.

The La Paz real estate market continues to move at a brisk pace. Many of the listings that were on the market this summer have sold. This month, we bring you two new property listings located right here in El Centenario: Casa Bonita and Casa Tranquila. Both homes offer gorgeous ocean views, outdoor living areas for enjoying the lovely weather, pools, and spacious lots. Follow the links below for pricing, pictures and more details.

Although we recognize that holiday shopping will be very different this year, we still get lots of questions from folks who are relocating to La Paz about where to shop. To help, this month we are bringing you our La Paz Area Shopping Guide. We love to support local businesses, so we’ve included local, family owned stores in our list, as well as larger retail and online shopping options.

In our Spotlight on El Centenario this month we feature Angye’s, a friendly, local shop where you can find an impressive array of holiday décor, gifts and more. Get your gifts wrapped here, have the owners assemble a gift basket of tasty gourmet foods to give, or find the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table.

In the winter, the wind shifts around to come from the north, bringing cooler temperatures to our area. We welcome the change. Our morning walks around the neighborhood with our dogs are a bit easier, and the cool, crisp nights are perfect for stargazing on your rooftop terrace. To help counter the chill, our writer, Fern, has included a recipe for traditional Christmas ponche, a delicious drink made with local ingredients, served hot to keep you toasty and warm.

Feliz Navidad, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jim & Rebecca MacDonald
Baja Life Realty

Gorgeous 3BR, 3.5 bath home on a large 1500 M2 lot available in the premier gated community of Haciendas Palo Verde. The former model for this sought-after community, this home is lovingly maintained and includes 2 master suites, plus a separate guest casita suite. Inside, the spacious interior features a huge, open kitchen with granite countertops, custom cabinetry and stainless appliances. The living area has 11' ceilings with crown molding, a soaring cupola, and includes living, dining, office, separate laundry room and a half bath. Huge sliding doors open onto the stone terrace, where an infinity edge pool invites you to relax and enjoy the ocean view. Climb the stairs to the rooftop sundeck, and enjoy stunning, expansive views of the Bay of La Paz and the city lights beyond. The house is immaculate and hardly lived-in, shows like a new house! The house is fully furnished except for a few personal items.

See complete details and photos here.

Beautiful 2BR/2BA home with stunning ocean views at an amazing price! Nestled on a quiet street in the hills of El Centenario, this home offers sweeping views of the Bay of La Paz from the large, natural stone terrace. Inside, this fully furnished home features high ceilings, decorative crown molding and a traditional cupola for a spacious, elegant feel. The kitchen opens to the living area and includes granite counters and modern appliances. Two master suites feature separate baths with tumbled stone counters and decorative tile accents. The living area and both bedrooms open onto the large shaded terrace with a sparkling pool, BBQ area and pizza oven. The 1,605 m2 property is fenced on three sides, and includes a garage/laundry and separate storage for ATVs.

See complete details and photos here.

When you move to La Paz from another country, part of the challenge is figuring out where to shop. Most of us rely on word of mouth, but when you’re new to the area and don’t know anyone, it can be tough to find what you need, when you need it. So whether you need to shop for necessities, for gifts for your friends and family back home, or you just love shopping, we’ve compiled our La Paz Area Shopping Guide.

This list is by no means exhaustive. La Paz is a big city, and there are literally hundreds of stores, so in the spirit of the holidays, we’ve focused our list on places to buy gifts. We've also included online options specific to Mexico. Don’t see a store or resource in our list? Leave your recommendation in the comments – we love discovering new places!

Get the La Paz Area Shopping Guide here.

As the holiday season approaches, what better time of year to introduce you to Angye's, a new gift store in El Centenario? The store’s namesake, Angelica, and her bilingual husband, Fernando, will welcome you like an old friend. As December progresses, you will have plenty of excuses to go visit Angye’s. Need a unique gift for your neighbor or hairdresser? You’re more than likely to find it here. Time for a new Christmas wreath for your front door? You can even take your favorite centerpiece in to be spruced up! Or maybe you’d like someone else to decorate your tree and wrap your presents? Head over to Angye’s and check out her unique creations and services.

In addition to unique arrangements of artificial flowers and succulents, Angye’s has an impressive assortment of tall artificial plants and trees. These are not your "Made in China" variety. Rather, they are lovingly made by this creative couple. Fernando finds, strips, sands and stains real tree limbs, and Angye designs the foliage to create the full plants and trees. Perfect for a bland spot in your home, patio or garden, no watering necessary. Or, decorate one with fairy lights and use it as a tropical Christmas tree!

For more about Angye's, including hours and directions,
read the rest of the article here.

Monica comes from a long line of excellent cooks, and I feel lucky to have the time-honored recipe of the Leon Lopez family to share with you here.

You might know this family...they own Loncheria Chata's, the little breakfast and lunch place on the highway in El Centenario. Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients:
For 3 liters of water:
2 small pieces of cinnamon stick
2 pieces of star anise
6 whole cloves
1 piece of piloncillo (this is raw cane sugar in a cone form. To substitute, start with 1/3 cup dark brown sugar and adjust to your taste)
8 tejocotes, washed chopped in 4 (small yellow plums. No substitution for these, so don’t bother looking for them in a grocery store up north)
2 pieces of sugar cane, approximately 8 cm long, peeled and split into 6 long bars each
1 red apple, washed and cut in medium chunks, with the peel
1 green apple, divided into medium chunks, with the peel
5 ripe guavas, divided into 6 or 8 pieces, seeds removed (or canned)
1 small orange, sliced, with the peel
15 pecans, broken into pieces
6 or 8 Jamaica flower petals for color

Preparation:
All the ingredients previously washed and chopped are put in a pot over medium heat. Allow to boil for 40 minutes, check the flavor, add sugar to taste if you wish.
After you remove from the heat, you serve both the juice and the fruit together in clay jars or cups. You can also add a little tequila, rum or brandy.
I hope you enjoy it.
Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!

- Mónica Rosario León López

See Monica's original recipe in Spanish here on our blog.

We can't say enough about our fantastic experience with Jim & Rebecca MacDonald of Baja Life Reality. From the time they spent with us touring homes to their knowledge and communication during the purchasing process, we always felt comfortable and informed. Because of this, we felt safe purchasing our dream home from the US! We highly recommend Jim & Rebecca to find your new La Paz home.
- Jack & Tanya Elliott