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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
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Jack Smith
For any who enjoyed Jack Smith's musings there's an exhibit of some of his memorabilia at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, including a section on the
house in Santo Thomas (from 'God and Mr. Gomez' fame).
From the LA Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2008/04/jack-...
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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I loved Smith's writings. He opened the door to Baja for so many people, including me. I once met Mr. Gomez but never had the pleasure of meeting
Jack Smith. In spite of that, I read his book so many times, I feel as though I knew him.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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"God and Mr Gomez" should be required reading for anyone building or buying a house in Baja
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
"God and Mr Gomez" should be required reading for anyone building or buying a house in Baja |
If only life were so simple these days. It was another world down here then but, you're right, Terry. It should be required reading, a primer on
patience.
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Dennis
Amen! To patience!
When most of us older folks started building 'the' book was considered the bible of home building in Baja.......and what fun.
When one of the really older ladies in camp passed on she actually willed me her copy of God and Mr. Gomez along with every story by Jack Smith that
appeared in the L.A. Times.
When Mr. Gomez died (October 1994) we held a wake in his honor in the Cantina.
For you ladies our there Jack's wife, Denny, was really the one who decided to come to Baja and she was quite a woman.
Edit---"How will I know when I own the house" Answer by Mr. Gomez, "Iwill give you the key." So simple!!!!
[Edited on 4-2-2008 by Baja Bernie]
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
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Unless I miss my guess, I'd say that the left-most dog in the photo of the Smith house bears a strong resemblance to the Gomez's Chocolate, who was
the Alpha dog of La Bocana when I first started out with a trailer down there. Perhaps it's a relative, as the photo probably dates from the late
60's or early 70's and I met Chocolate in 1990. Chocolate lived a full life, but no Baja dog I'm aware of has ever lived to the ripe age of 20 or
more.
One of my (few) regrets is missing a book signing by Jack Smith in L.A. shortly before he passed. I had wanted to thank him for making it possible
for me to suspend my American sensibilities and take the plunge on a place in Baja, but, for some stupid reason I can't recall, I couldn't go.
His stories about the building of his place rang hilariously true for us as well. Did you know that an octagonal living room actually has nine sides?
Or that the best placement of a driveway is on the opposite side of the house from the garage door? If not, you don't have a place in Baja.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
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Around three years ago my former girlfriend's son wanted us to check out a house he was thinking of buying in LA...it turned out to be Jack Smith's
old house and upon Denny's passing they kids were putting it up for sale. We even got to meet one of the sons who showed us around the place--pretty
neat to see the Airdale's yard and other things Jack wrote about. There were literally bookshelves everywhere in the house.
Jack was quite a nice man--I once wrote him a response to one of his columns about the Baja house and he sent me an autographed copy of his book!
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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Jack Smith's book "God and Mr. Gomez" inspired me to build a home at LaBocana in '93. The position of my house was about 1/2 mile south of the Smith
home. The book was a good owners manual, as I passed it off to the new buyer.
I actually got to meet Romulo Gomez the year of his passing which was '93 or '94. I eventually sold that house to a friend that still owns it, but
unfortunatley does not use it much.
Truly a beautiful location.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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La Bocana
Visited a few weeks ago (after finishing "God and Mr. Gomez). It's a little more crowded than Smith described, but still a beautiful spot.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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On my first trip to Baja in the '70's, my girlfriend and I had Thanksgiving lunch with Mr. Gomez's pigs for company. Later I became a big fan of Jack
Smith's writing's. I miss him.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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Bajamigo,
I too enjoyed the book, I think I read it in 2 days.
I have wanted to visit it also, would you share a few directions, (I can find the turnoff of Mex 1)?
Thanks,
Ken
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
Member Is Offline
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Turnoff is between k47 and k48 south of Ensenada, at the bottom of the grade below the new checkpoint and a mile or so north of Santo Tomas. Take the
road all the way out to the coast. Note: the road forks just after a cattle guard about five miles in -- take the low road, to the left, as the high
road to the right was washed out by the rains earlier this year (the low road was pretty messed up too, but there was a grader working on it on my way
out a few weeks ago). Once you get out to the lagoon and the beach at La Bocana, the road will hump up the hill to the north, and it's another three
miles or so past the houses to Puerto Santo Tomas.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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Dano,
So the house is north of the lagoon on the road that follows the coast to Puerto Santo Tomas. We will try to find, thanks for the information.
By the way the San Diego Wine Bank is a wine store in the Gas Lamp section of San Diego on 5th ave. It is the lower section of 5th toward the
Convention Center if memory serves me.
Ken
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: hubimos llegado
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| Quote: | Originally posted by tripledigitken
Dano,
So the house is north of the lagoon on the road that follows the coast to Puerto Santo Tomas. We will try to find, thanks for the information.
By the way the San Diego Wine Bank is a wine store in the Gas Lamp section of San Diego on 5th ave. It is the lower section of 5th toward the
Convention Center if memory serves me.
Ken |
Can't miss it, Ken. There's actually a road sign pointing to La Bocana as you drive into the town of Santo Tomas.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
Member Is Offline
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Thanks Bajamigo. I've seen the sign for La Bocana and with LB GPS maps I could get there, just needed some help to get to the house once I reached
the coast.
The book is such a good read. Everyone visiting Baja Nomad surely would find the book a joy to read.
PS
I read the book after we bought our lot last year, and had to laugh many times over incidents in the book that weren't that different than what we
went through. I would have loved to have met Senior Gomez!
Ken
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajamigo
Can't miss it, Ken. There's actually a road sign pointing to La Bocana as you drive into the town of Santo Tomas. |
Maybe a couple of miles before? Sí?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajamigo
Can't miss it, Ken. There's actually a road sign pointing to La Bocana as you drive into the town of Santo Tomas. |
Maybe a couple of miles before? Sí? |
Yah, like at the bottom of the steep grade that drops into the Santo Tomas valley... just south of the military checkpoint... Well signed: La Bocana
& Punta China.
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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Here are some photos of the house I built in '94 in La Bocana, traditional style, front and rear views
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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A shot of the finished roof, 6 guys, 2 days. I'm holding a Skilsaw and a Nail gun.
Not bad working conditions!
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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A shot of the Lagoon looking south. Note the small incoming wave as it was high tide and filling the lagoon and backing up the river. When the tide
would go to a low, the lagoon would literally rip open the beach while draining.
[Edited on 4-4-2008 by BajaWarrior]
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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