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My Cabo
Story by: Brian Jessel
Brian Jessel on finding paradise, building a life in Baja and why he has no intention of slowing down
Ifirst came to Cabo San Lucas in 1975. I was travelling through Mexico, visiting different cities and regions, and Cabo was a stop on my way to La Paz. Even then, there was something about the place that stayed with me. I liked the people. I loved the weather. And the scenery was—and still is—unbelievable.
For years, I owned in Cabo at a timeshare. Then I heard about a development that would become Hacienda Beach Club & Residences. I read everything I could about it, studied the drawings and eventually made an offer on a home here in 2007.
Then 2008 arrived and, as we all remember, the world more or less ended.
More than half a century later, I’m still coming back.
Suddenly, instead of struggling to find a property, I had my choice of perhaps 20 different units. There was an opportunity in the middle of all that uncertainty, and I took it. I moved into Hacienda in January 2010.
To me, Los Arcos is one of the wonders of the world. I never get tired of looking at it. People travel from all over the world just to catch a glimpse of those famous rocks rising out of the sea. I have the privilege of seeing them every day. Most mornings, I’m up early enough to watch the sun rise over them.
Sixteen years later, I can honestly say I love living here more today than I did when I arrived.
That never gets old.
A LIFE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
Cabo has changed enormously. Development has accelerated, particularly during the years I’ve lived here, and occasionally the traffic can be frustrating. But where I live, I can avoid most of it.
discover extraordinary scenery, little communities and some fantastic restaurants.
What makes the place special, though, is the people.
I genuinely like the people who live around me, but I have particular affection for those who work at Hacienda. They are wonderful. After all these years, I’m still struck by the warmth of Mexican hospitality and the genuine desire people have to look after their guests.
Hacienda is remarkably self-contained. I can go to the gym, have lunch at home, spend some time on the beach and have dinner without ever leaving the property. Some days, I don’t.
When I do venture out, some of the best restaurants in Baja are within a 10-minute walk. Or I can get in the car, drive for an hour and
There is a graciousness to it that is increasingly difficult to find elsewhere.
My favourite bar. 1 Homes Beach Bar at sunset.
My rental penthouse condo at 1 Homes
SUNRISE, TEA & A FEW EARLY EMAILS
My days start early.
Sometimes it’s as simple as a salad. Other days, it might be an elaborate Mexican dish. Whatever it is, it’s always delicious.
I’m usually up around six because I like watching the sunrise. I make some tea, look out at the water and catch up on my emails. Then I start sending messages to the office in Vancouver, which probably freaks everybody out because they’re arriving so early.
The afternoons are fairly relaxed. I’ll answer more emails, take a walk, perhaps do some grocery shopping. Everything I need is close by, so I hardly drive anymore.
Lunch is at one o’clock at my house.
In the evening, my girlfriend usually comes over and we cook at home. About twice a week, we’ll go out for dinner. One night a week, we often walk over to 1 Homes Cabo, have a cocktail by the water, then come home and cook.
My housekeeper, Jenny, has worked with me for 16 years and she is a fabulous cook—a little blessing all by herself. In the morning, I tell her what I feel like eating. She shops for it, brings everything back and prepares lunch.
It’s a pretty good routine.
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WHERE I EAT
is Rooftop 360 at Corazón Cabo, just a short walk away. The views are terrific, the cocktails are good and there’s entertainment.
If you ask me for a favourite restaurant, Tres Sirenas is definitely near the top of the list.
I’m not really a bar person anymore. I’d rather sit in a good restaurant, have a drink, listen to some music and enjoy the evening.
It’s part of restaurateur Edith Jiménez’s group, which also includes Edith’s and The Office on the Beach. Tres Sirenas has the combination I like: excellent food, great service and entertainment that adds to the evening without overwhelming it.
And the weather certainly helps.
There have been years when I’ve gone through the entire month of November and into the first week of December without putting on long pants. No sweater. No long-sleeved shirt. Nothing.
I particularly like the fish. There was also a curried lobster I loved that disappeared from the menu— but they’re still kind enough to make it for me.
For a drink, I love sitting beside the water and pool at 1 Homes Cabo. Another option
It’s warm during the day, warm at night and, for me, pretty close to perfect.
LOOKING BEYOND CABO
It’s smaller, simpler and, in my experience, remarkably quick to get through.
I’ve bought quite a few properties in Baja over the years and kept a number of them. Personally, I’m more interested in land than condominiums, although I’ve owned condos as well.
Once you get accustomed to that, it’s difficult to go back.
WHY I KEEP WORKING
I still believe there are opportunities here.
The market is going through a temporary moment, but I think it will strengthen. There can be particularly good opportunities in lower-priced condominiums, and I’m very interested in the Pacific side north of Cabo.
Living in Cabo doesn’t mean I’ve retired.
In fact, I think continuing to work is important.
I meet people who retired at 65 and, 10 years later, seem a little lost. They don’t work, they don’t go to the gym, and gradually their world becomes television, the newspaper and not much else.
Todos Santos, Cerritos and Pescadero are areas I watch closely. They are still relatively inexpensive compared with Cabo and not nearly as crowded. That’s where I think some very interesting opportunities can be found.
That isn’t for me.
I want to know what’s happening in the world. I keep an eye on my business. I talk to my business partner and my managers. Sometimes I have an idea I want to discuss with them; sometimes they have an idea they want to discuss with me.
The restaurants are another reason to go. Some of the best dining in Baja is now in that entire corridor.
I also loveTodos Santos. I’ll occasionally spend a weekend there. The islands are spectacular, the boating in La Paz is some of the best in the region, and it’s close enough to make an easy escape. There are good restaurants throughout the area as well.
The important thing is keeping your mind active.
Even technology helps. I’m certainly not brilliant with a computer, but the fact that I have to use one, learn things and stay connected keeps my mind working.
In fact, I’ve put an offer on a property in the Todos Santos area that hasn’t even been built yet. If everything works out, that will become my second Baja home.
I think that matters enormously as we get older.
Baja has become a heritage destination for my entire family.
Maybe that is part of what Cabo has given me. It isn’t simply a place to escape winter. It’s a place where I can have both worlds.
My business partner already has a home in the area, and we both love it.
I can wake before sunrise, drink tea while looking toward Los Arcos and send emails to Vancouver before anyone there wants to hear from me. I can work, go to the gym, walk the beach, enjoy lunch at home and have dinner at one of Baja’s best restaurants.
THE AIRPORT SECRET
I’ve also discovered one of the tricks to enjoying Cabo: using the smaller Cabo San Lucas International Airport whenever I can.
I’m not sure I should even tell you this.
And when I want something different, I can head north toward Todos Santos, Cerritos or Pescadero.
It has a limited number of destinations, so increasingly I’ll plan a trip around where I can fly directly from there. For me, it’s a much easier experience than travelling out to the larger Los Cabos International Airport near San José del Cabo.
I first arrived here in 1975, never imagining Cabo would become such an important part of my life.
More than 50 years later, I can still wake up, watch the sun come up over Los Arcos and feel fortunate that this is part of my everyday life.
Cabo has changed enormously since I first saw it. So have I. But the things that brought me here in the first place—the weather, the scenery, the people and that extraordinary view across the water—haven’t lost their appeal.
If anything, I appreciate them more now.
And after all these years, I still look out at Los Arcos and think the same thing:
This is a pretty fantastic place. T
