If there is one day trip from southern California I just love, it is Baja California. And I love it a whole mucho more now that I have my Global Entry card and we can bypass waiting for four hours at the San Ysidro entrance. This leads to far fewer chances to end up possibly peeing in a Starbucks cup, again.
Ah Baja California
It’s a magical land where you can go from tacos, tequila, and endless sunshine to avocado toast, kale, and a serious questioning of your life choices in about 30 minutes. But lately, crossing this sacred line has become a bit more interesting.
You see, folks, the border has transformed into a high-stakes game of “What Are They Looking For Today?” Since the new tariffs on Mexico’s products (yes, apparently that avocado toast was getting too much of a deal), the border crossing has become a veritable spectacle. The number of cars being pulled over for searches has skyrocketed, and to be honest, I’m starting to wonder if they’re searching for weed—or, more likely, if they’re hunting down illegal contraband like… eggs?
Yes, you heard that right. Eggs. I’m not saying that Californians are smuggling eggs back over the border, but let’s just say… if you find yourself stuck in traffic and find yourself wondering if that bad egg smell is coming from the dog, or? California, known for its strict agricultural laws, is notorious for its obsession with keeping out foreign, potentially harmful fruits, vegetables, and yes, here in 2025, eggs. Because when eggs are almost ten dollars a carton in the United States, thanks to Bird Flu, Americans are looking for other options, and that answer may lie in Tijuana!
As you sit in that border waiting long at San Ysidro, you may just be wondering, is there a new underground network of egg smugglers running from Baja to California, making a profit off of one of Baja’s most precious resources? I’m just imagining a scene where the border agents pull over a van, and after checking the car’s trunk, their eyes widen in horror as they discover the illegal cargo: organic free-range eggs, sourced straight from the farms of Mexico. You can practically hear the dramatic music swelling in the background as the agent says, “This is a major bust. These eggs… are too fresh!”
Now, for those of us who’ve crossed this border more times than we’d care t
o admit, there’s a certain rhythm to it. You sit in line, inch forward, and try to play it cool while you stare at the agents, who stare back with a gaze that can only be described as “borderline suspicious.” And whatever you do, take off your sunglasses when a border agent talks to you or they will get really pissed and definitely give your car the old search!
Let’s not forget that the suspicion isn’t just about agricultural contraband. The post-tariff world has made things extra interesting. Sure, they’re still checking for drugs and other illegal items, but let’s talk about the other hot ticket items that might raise an eyebrow at the border:
- Avocados: Is it really just guacamole if it’s smuggled in?
- Tequila: Because who would willingly pay those insane California liquor taxes when you can bring it in from Mexico?
- Weed: Obviously.
Next time you cross the border, don’t be surprised if the agent asks you, “Any fruit, vegetables, or… eggs?” Just give a wink, say no, and remember: we’re all in this together. The egg-smuggling game may be real, this is life in 2025. Declare those huevos or risk a strip search at the border!
Safe travels, and may your avocado toast always be tariff-free.
Meanwhile, three hundred miles north of Baja at a little casita in Big Bear Lake, it’s time for a keto salad wrap straight from the beach town of Rosarito, California. This may just sound like the most random lettuce wrap ever however, Baja California is nothing but random! Where else can you find the best sushi joint with wild ahi that was just caught this morning off the beach over yonder? And did you know they have vineyards back here? In Mexico? Not to mention the giant Jesus that looks out over the coastal road. My whole life, I’ve never felt like I was really in Baja until I said “Hola, Jesus.” If road-tripping through Las Gaviota,s you gotta stop at Collective Surf. All of their menu changes daily,y just depending on what fresh fish is brought in that a.m. Man, do they do sushi right!
I’ve been road-tripping to Baja since I was well, way too young to road trip to Baja. Did I tell my parents I was crossing the border at San Ysidro for the weekend? Probably not. I grew up in the forest playing with squirrels in the 90s. Parenting was not as helicopter as it is today. Also, in 1998, you didn’t need a passport to cross the border into Tijuana and beyond. I’m not going to say that I was an ill-informed teenager, however, I had no idea what human trafficking was or that it could happen when teenage girls crossed the border into Tijuana. I was incredibly lucky that all our shenanigans south of the border turned out okay. And I do not recommend that eighteen-year-old girls road trip with their friends down Rosarito Beach way. Save that for when you are a responsible adult!
As an over forty-year-old adult, my south-of-the-border shenanigans have evolved from drinking Boone’s Farm on the beach to enjoying a way more classy lobster dinner at some of Baja’s finest restaurants. And possibly smuggling eggs across the border, some days.
A tasty lunch with Baja prices!
This lettuce wrap is based on my favorite Baja salad that you can find at Tapanco in Popotla. Baja blue cheese salad, Why Not? This fresh Baja lunch combo is based on fresh lettuces, beets and sunflower seeds with house-made blue cheese. It is the simplest fresh salad and just delicious. Most people don’t travel to Baja California for a beet salad, but I do! One thing about this delicious lunch: This salad is so inexpensive to put together. You’ll think you are still in Mexico!
In the springtime, I plant so many beet seeds in our garden. Beets grow just fantastically at over six thousand feet. By early summer, I am pulling plump beets out of my winter garden. Sure, I love to bake up a Dark Chocolate Beet Cake, but this summertime beet wrap is almost as good!
Baja-Style Chicken and Beet Lettuce Wrap with Blue Cheese Dressing
Cooked beets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Butter lettuce for wrapping
Sprouts
Parchment paper
Sunflower seeds
Your favorite rotisserie chicken (My favorite is the $4.99 rotisserie chicken from Costco)
So, just how easy is it to make a lettuce wrap at home?
- Lay out your parchment paper in a diamond shape.
- Pick out the best lettuce pieces. Cover your parchment paper with a thin layer. Then you can start layering your toppings. Basically, cover the entire parchment paper with lettuce. The more lettuce you use, the easier it will be to build your wrap later. And come on, all those veggies are very low in calories and good for you!
- When you layer on your other ingredients, leave space on the edge of your lettuce for the roll-up process.
- How you roll up the wrap is difficult to master. Watch this YouTube video to learn how!
- They say you have to use iceberg for these lettuce wraps. I find you can do it with a head of butter lettuce or a head of romaine, or green leaf as well.
- After you roll up your lettuce wrap, use a sharp knife to cut it in half. Of course, if you like things spicy like I do, you can throw in some Pickled Red Chiles.
