Tag Archives: melinda bates

The Baja Blondes A Lifestyle Reality Show

The Baja Blondes - A Lifestyle Realty Show

The Baja Blondes - A Lifestyle Reality Show

Written By Melinda Bates

To the eternal questions, “Why are we here?  What is the meaning of life?” and, “Do these pants make my butt look fat?” we can add the perennial, “Do blondes really have more fun?”

The answer is clear to all those privileged to be invited to last week’s screening of the pilot of The Baja Blondes, a Lifestyle Reality Show, and it is an unqualified “YES!”

Blondes was created by Susanne Stehr and Debbie Shine, permanent residents of Baja, Mexico, and directed and produced by Robin Mackenzie, a part time resident of Baja, through her company, Tatblue Productions, LLC .  These are women of a certain age who have designed a life here they could never have back in the USA. Lives of freedom, beauty, creativity and friendship.  Lives open to the positive and unexpected adventures of Mexico, a country they adopted and deeply love.  Their goal is to promote Baja to an American audience in a positive light, by showing American women living and working in their communities up and down the gorgeous coast.

The pilot introduces our three protagonists in their lives and careers in the Rosarito to Ensenada area, while making clear that in Mexico, life is NEVER all about work.  In fact, they show us the Mexican dream:  affordable luxury, easy living, accessible health care, an ancient culture, fabulous food, award-winning wine and the excitement of living in a foreign country.

The screening took place at Northern Baja’s premier community, Palacio del Mar.  Guests marveled at the elegant reception areas, lounges and gorgeous landscaping that draws the eye straight to the only indoor pool on the coast, with the infinity pool and ocean beyond.  All the outdoor surfaces are clad in simple and dramatic gray granite. The look is both Mexican and modern.  Indoors, ceilings disappear in the distance above and the sense of space conveys the height of luxury.  The private theater with its comfortable seating and huge screen was the perfect venue for this beautiful event.  Surely residents will equally enjoy hosting their own Super Bowl party there!

Many prominent members of Tijuana and Rosarito’s business and social communities attended, including Raul Aragon, Director of Tourism for Playas de Rosarito, Laura Wong, editor of the Baja Times, Dr. Alejandro Quiroz, one of the area’s top plastic surgeons, Melinda Bates, speaker and author of White House Story, a Democratic Memoir, and Michael and Nancy Rosenberg, who together owned and operated “MARCO Entertainment” for 25 Years, managing the careers of over 100 Olympic and world champion athletes and international stars including Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Lee, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Tai & Randy, David Brenner, Quincy Jones, and Oksana Baiul.

Sponsors for the evening’s cocktail party and screening included one of the area’s largest real estate brokerages:The Baja Real Estate Group, Click-On, an internet café and mail service for American residents of Baja, The William Hitt Center of Tijuana, offering specialized diagnosis and treatment medical services, Serena Senior Care, providing a wide variety of services, from nursing care to plumbing, for the American community along the coast, and the Rosarito Inn, generous hosts of the production crew for the Baja Blondes.  Their amazing hospitality convinced everyone to return to Baja every chance they get!

The Baja Blondes reality show will travel to Cabo San Lucas, Tijuana, the Valle de Guadalupe Wine Country, Loreto, San Felipe, and all over the Baja peninsula, all the while highlighting American women who live and work in this part of heaven, where their creativity can flourish in a safe and welcoming place.

In addition to producing further episodes, The Baja Blondes plan to establish a retail store and advisory travel arm to assist women traveling in Baja.

*The Baja Blondes is a non-profit Mexican corporation solely owned by Susanne Stehr, Debbie Shine and Robin Mackenzie.

Browse for Real Estate for Sale in Baja California and Real Estate in Mexico.

Thanksgiving from the White House to Calafia, Rosarito Beach, Mexico

By Melinda Bates

Melind Bates in The White House Rose Garden with the lucky turkey who got pardoned on Thanksgiving by President Bill Clinton

Melind Bates in The White House Rose Garden with the lucky turkey who got pardoned on Thanksgiving by President Bill Clinton

That’s me in the picture there, and you may wonder why I’m petting a turkey.  Good question!  (‘Cause, you know, who does that?  Not to mention, isn’t that the biggest turkey you’ve ever seen?)  Well, that’s not just ANY turkey.  That’s the official, White House turkey!  You’ve probably seen a video clip of a President smiling, laying his hand on a humongous white bird and officially “pardoning” it, as the beginning of Thanksgiving.

This happens every year in the White House Rose Garden, and there I am, just before President Bill Clinton steps out of the Oval Office (far left corner) to honor this tradition.

Why am I there?  That’s another good question.  I’m there because my office, for all eight years of the Clinton administration, was just across the House in the East Wing.  Every morning I’d see the President’s schedule for official events.  So, when the President was doing something fun and interesting, I’d walk on over to watch.  Just one of the incredible perks of being a Special Assistant to the President and Director, White House Visitors Office – and of being a lifelong friend of Bill.

For this particular event, the turkey farmer selected brings a van with not one, but two of these huge birds.  Why two?  Because 1) the birds are so darn top-heavy you never know if or when they might just topple over and lie there with their little feet in the air (NOT a great visual for TV) and 2) you also never know when they might keel over from the sheer excitement and stress of the moment, and then you’d have a DEAD turkey for the shot, and that would be horrible!  So there’s always a back-up turkey.  Just in case.  And POTUS pardons it, and it goes off to live in a petting zoo somewhere.  Probably just as well.  I always thought there could be no natural way to grow a turkey that size. read more »

Calafia Paradise Resort hosted a charity event to benefit Responsibility

Calafia Condos Club House

Calafia Condos Club House

By Melinda Bates

Recently, Calafia Paradise Resort hosted a charity event to benefit Responsibility, an organization that’s been educating the children who live at the Tijuana dump for over 20 years. They give hope and a chance for a better future to the poorest of the poor.

Guests enjoyed a fabulous paella lunch, sponsored by Ron and Marilyn Simon, and a speech by Melinda Bates, the Ultimate White House Insider. Melinda’s back-stage stories about her years in the heart of the Clinton White House entertained, engaged and informed a large and enthusiastic audience. After the speech she signed copies of her book, Clintonista, a White House Memoir. The event raised almost $1,000 – a respectable amount of money in Mexico!

Melinda travels extensively, speaking about the adventures of her life making history at the world’s most famous house.� When she’s not traveling, she makes her home in beautiful Baja.

For more information about Responsibility, see: http://www.responsibilityonline.org/

For more information about Melinda Bates and her book, and photos of her White House years see: http://www.WhiteHouseBook.com

read more »