Quick Escape: Savor a perfect weekend in Ensenada

Buried under the rubble of home improvement projects and work deadlines, my husband John and I needed a break, a quick getaway that would refresh and replenish us.

Searching for sun and sea, relaxation and a little stimulation, we decided to head to Ensenada.

Our late Friday morning 90-minute drive was a breeze. The ocean sparkled beside us all the way, an enticing fusion of azure blue and seafoam green.  Breathtaking vistas beckon around every bend, from bucolic scenes of cattle grazing on a hillside to dramatic, craggy cliffs reminiscent of Big Sur.

We stopped at km 84 on the Tijuana-Ensenada toll road, a viewing spot that some call El Mirador (the observation point), though it isn’t actually labeled as such. A cluster of cheerful, sherbet-toned concrete structures, all angles and curves, highlight a magnificent view of the coastline and the uninhabited Todos Santos Island 12 miles offshore.

Continuing on to Km 103, we arrived at a shimmering oasis amid a lineup of industrial-looking buildings.

Casa Natalie

Casa Natalie, in the El Sauzal area just outside Ensenada, is excellently situated between town and the Ruta de Vino (Wine Route) of the Guadalupe Valley.

When owner Marco Novelo says “Mi casa es su casa,” he isn’t kidding. With the help of San Diego architect Perry Jacobs, he converted his private oceanfront home, named for his 16-year-old daughter, Natalia, into an intimate luxury boutique hotel.

The inn opened in  February, 2006.  Currently there are seven suites; the plan is for a grand total of 16.

“I see a lot of stress in life,” says Marco, whose family has been in the hotel business since 1941. “People need to slow down, have a place to relax and not worry about anything. We’re offering top service. I want you to feel at home, like you’re at a friend’s house.”

We got just that kind of warm, jovial welcome from chef Luis Carvajal, an expansive man, quick to laugh, happy to cook and dying to know what guests think of his creations.

His food is wonderful and obviously prepared with love. Forget your diet; no unadorned fare here, though the complex sauces never overpower the dish. Don’t miss his mango shrimp, avocado omelette and filet mignon with pistachio sauce. The table settings are vibrantly colored, and the immaculate wood kitchen is in plain view; one could probably hop in and help Luis chop.

Myrna’s classy touch

Extraordinary care has gone into every design detail. Marco’s wife, Myrna, an interior designer, chooses each item, and she has impeccable taste. The floors are travertine, the walls dimensional, textured concrete or cantera stone.

In every suite, there are four-poster Heavenly beds, romantically draped with diaphanous white curtains. Each room has a different look, with wood furnishings, beautiful decorative objets, stunning vessel sinks and contemporary bath fixtures. It’s a lovely combination of modern and organic, all done in soothing earthtones. Only the striking, woven-rope Indonesian chairs are not created by Mexican artisans.

Each room is named for an indigenous plant; ours was Cactus. It’s a standard room; all the others are suites. (Sandra Bullock favors the Presidential Suite.)

Ours was the smallest room, but its view was spectacular, and we had our own table, chairs and umbrella on the grass just outside the door.

The infinity pool was steps away, and when we sat in the water, the edge of the pool met the horizon; it looked as if we could swim to the end of the world.  Instead, we lounged on the double-sized outdoor beds, packed with pillows and draped with gauzy curtains. Deliciously decadent.

Casa Natalie is designed for privacy, serenity, and adults only. (Families might try Marco’s other venue, Las Rosas, less than a mile down the road. The inviting pink-and-green inn has 48 rooms and two infinity pools.  And don’t miss the Sunday brunch there; it’s diverse and delicious.)

Start at the spa

We started our stay at Casa Natalie with spa treatments. We couldn’t get the advertised simultaneous ‘Massage Duet,’ since there was only one (on-call) masseuse available. Still, our massages were excellent, as was my caviar facial, a yummy experience — but the first time I’ve ever had a mask that covered my eyes and mouth; I felt mummified as it hardened.

Marco plans to expand the spa, adding a sauna, steam room and gym. “I’m taking it slow,” he says. “This is my dream, and I want to get it right.”

Guadalupe Valley

Eventually, we tore ourselves away from luxuriating - and ventured out to the Baja wine country.

Armed with maps, we got on the scenic Ensenada-Tecate Road (#3), but had a heckuva time finding various vineyards, most   inadequately marked.

L.A. Cetto Winery was easy to find. It’s one of the largest producers in the area a half-million cases a year). After an informative 20-minute tour and explanation of the wine-making, our handsome, articulate guide, Gilberto, took us to the tasting room.

We were delighted when he brought out the reserve, a Viognier called Don Luis Cetto, with its light, fresh taste, both fruity and dry, which he described as “chispitas … small sparks. When I drink it, there’s a tingling in my palate.”

L.A. Cetto’s 2004 Petite Syrah and 2001 Private Reserve Chardonnay have received international awards.

A wine critic from L.A. told me that when she first visited Ensenada in 2005, there were 15 wineries; now there are 27. Baja wines are competing with the best of the best worldwide. No trip to Ensenada would be complete without a vineyard visit.

Every August, the valley celebrates its annual Fiestas de la Vendimia. Savvy travelers know to book accommodations well in advance for the 17-day festival.

Downtown Ensenada

Our forays into downtown Ensenada focused on shopping and eating. We love Manzanilla, an informal place where the food is fresh, surprising and brilliantly paired with wine.

We searched out the un-advertised seisveintitres (623), owned by well-known vintner Hugo D’Acosta of Casa de Piedra Winery. It apparently doesn’t need the advertising; the place was booked solid. The chichi nouvelle Mexican food was variable, the service extremely attentive, the ambiance fantastic: high-tech, high-end, sleek, modern and minimalist.

One of my favorite Ensenada discoveries is a mega-talented young jewelry-maker, Cristina Rendón Calabú, who twists treated copper wire in exciting three-dimensional shapes, creating outrageous, awe-inspiring designs. I was thrilled to find her creations at Spirit Gallery on Lopez Mateos.

Equally unique, Galeria de Pérez Meillón displays magnificent earthenware by indigenous artists, including the Pai-Pai and Kumiai Indians of Baja, and the incredibly intricate Mata Ortiz pottery of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Stuffed, sated, stocked up and stress-free, we made our way home, already planning our next Baja breakout.

IF YOU GO

Know before you go: New rules that went into effect in June require U.S. citizens returning from Mexico to present either a U.S. Passport or a U.S. Passport Card – a new, limited-use travel document that fits in your wallet and costs less than a U.S. Passport. It is only valid for travel by land and sea.  Some states (not California) offer an “Enhanced Driver’s License “(EDL), which is specifically designed for cross-border travel into the U.S. by land or sea.  Learn how to get a passport in San Diego.

Staying there: Casa Natalie, km 103 on the Tijuana-Ensenada toll road. Rooms for two range from $180 to $380, including continental breakfast and a welcome cocktail.  (Prices seem fluid, so visitors might try negotiating.) 888-562-8254; www.casanatalie.com. Spa treatments range from $30 (manicure) to $170 (duet massage).

Las Rosas, Km. 105 on the Tijuana-Ensenada toll road. 48 rooms, from  for two start at $112 weekdays Setptember through June and go to $446 for the w0-bedroom penthouse suite in summer. 866-447-6727; www.lasrosas.com

Guadalupe Valley : Adobe Guadalupe, 6 rooms,  winery/B&B. Rooms for two run $168, plus tax per night, including breakfast. Dinner, with wines, costs $70 per person.  www.adobeguadalupe.com
La Villa del Valle, 6 rooms. Rooms for two, including breakfast,  run $175 per night weekdays, $195 on weekends. www.lavilladelvalle.com

Wineries: L.A. Cetto Winery, free wine tasting and tours, 10am-4pm daily. At Km. 73.5 in the Guadalupe Valley (Highway 3).  011-52-646-155-2264.
The 2009 Guadalupe Valley Wine Festival,  La Fiestas de la Vendimia, is set for Aug. 7-23. 011-52-646-178-30-38

Playing there: La Bufadora, one of the world’s three natural sea blowholes; newly renovated with gardens and observation decks; 22 miles south of Ensenada.
Rosarito Beach Pro Surf competition, August 7-9, 2009, outside the Rosarito Hotel.

Dining there: Manzanilla - 122 Riveroll in downtown Ensenada; exceptional cuisine paired with excellent wines; 011-52-646-175 7073.

Seisveintitreis (623) at 623Moctezuma in Ensenada; sleek design, interesting food, wonderful wine shop; 011-52-646-156-5030

Shopping there: Art & Stuff, next to Casa Natalie, km. 103, coast hwy.; modern and primitive Mexican folk/decorator art. 011-52-646-175-8859.

Galeria de Pérez Meillón, at the Centro Artesanal, Costero & Castillo Aves., Ensenada. Native Baja Indian crafts/pottery. 011-52-646-175-7848; adalbertopm@hotmail.com

Spirit Gallery, 871 Lopez Mateos; international items, including Baja jewelry-maker Cristina Rendón Calabú; 011-52-646-178-8492

More info: Ensenada

Tags: baja, beach, Ensenada, Guadalupe Valley, luxury, Mexico, oceanfront, SDNN

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