Tijuana still gets the bad rap even though Los Cabos has even a higher murder rate per capita than Tijuana, but Tijuana has long been associated with the decadence starting from the 1920's and 1930's. In the 1970's, we'd visit Comercial Mexicana (now Soriana Híper) at Plaza Zona Río and my mother's favorite Panaderia Suzette was at the same shopping plaza, it closed down sometimes in 1995. My brother and I would haggle with the sellers for the ceramic piggy bank of a skeleton wearing a Nazi helmet. A few months ago, I went around looking for one and this old Mexican coot chuckled, "Ohhhh, we haven't had that for 40 years!" Before the stop lights at traffic circles, it was just the "Ceda el Paso" (Yield) signs and it was always a mess especially with the inexperienced gringos navigating through Mexican traffic! I have been hearing good things about the Mexican wine, I'm so old the only good ones I know of are either añejo or extra añejo. Even I am surprised at how it is rapidly becoming a fine dining hotspot, Mexico City now has competition. Caesar's isn't run down anymore, my mother was impressed after not visiting Tijuana for over 30 years. I enjoy taking my friends down there, but it pains me to see it get the undeserving rap.