KENT-TAL NEWS APRIL 2016

KEN-TAL NEWS A Positive Community Newspaper Created by Locals, for Locals, Supporting Local Businesses

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Megan’s Message Megan Beauvais, Realtor® CalBRE #01426805 Ascent Real Estate TO GO SOLAR OR NOT TO GO, THAT IS THE QUESTION… I get asked about solar panels a lot with regards to resale value. Solar energy certainly has its environmental benefits that are hugely impactful and my position has always been in support of sustaining and preserving our earth. That said, solar panel leases tend to hinder and complicate a real estate sale due to the terms and conditions, and lender requirements.

Unless these panels are bought outright, it will sometimes turn people away from a purchase. Sometimes homeowners don’t like the way they look, aren’t interested in dealing with the material once the lease is paid off, or don’t want to be burdened by an additional lease payment.

In my opinion, these leases really didn’t make much financial sense up until recently as the costs were often on par with the cost of your actual energy bill.

On top of that you have roof preparations, potential maintenance issues and the long terms of the leases. From a buyer perspective, the fact that buyers are required to be pre-approved to assume said lease as well as incorporate the lease into their debt to income ratio (as compared to regular utility bills which are not considered with DTI calculations) just complicates the loan approval process.

Currently, I am finally seeing a change in the way the solar panels are sold today that is starting to make better sense.

While I am not sure we are actually at a place where these panel sales actually enhance the value of a home, progress is progress. Some contractors are approved for the HERO program (Home Energy Renovation Opportunity), where the cost for the lease is incorporated into your tax bill as an assessment. While this is a great solution for homeowners who plan to remain in their homes for the duration of the lease/assessment payoff, this assessment is recorded against your tax bill and most lenders won’t lend on a property with this additional tax. You are thereby required to pay it in full prior to funding a loan as there is too much risk involved of non-payment for the lender.

There is a new program which I just learned of from a client that is offering a low fixed energy rate for a 20-year term and no additional cost to the homeowner, with zero down and actually a cost benefit.

That said, the future buyer of your home will still be faced with the approval process for taking over the lease payments. The best advice I can give you is to recognize the environmental benefits of generating your own power, but do not count on solar panels to enhance the value of your home when you go to sell it…yet. If you have any comments, call me I would love to discuss it with you!

Vol.1 No. 10 - April 2016

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

M

eet Your Neighbors, Bella and Stan Hollingsworth. Talmadge residents Bella & Stan Hollingworth have lived in the Mid-City area for 30 years. The Hollingsworths moved to the area as newlyweds, the first year after they married. Before settling in Talmadge, they lived in Solana Beach. Bella was originally born in Portugal (Madeira) and emigrated to the United States when she was 4. Her family settled in Boston, MA where she grew up and attended art school. Bella got her first job in Connecticut teaching art and eventually made her way out to California. She has been in San Diego specifically for the past 40 years.

Stan Hollingsworth is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah. After graduating from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Science, he joined the Peace Corps and had the opportunity to see the world. After travelling to parts of Africa and Somalia he returned to the is teaching career teaching Math for the San Diego City Schools. As fate would have it, this is where he met his love, Bella. While working for San Diego City Schools, Bella was a district counselor that mostly worked at John Adams Elementary and Stan taught junior high school at Kroc Middle School.

Stan Hollingsworth had lived in Talmadge before meeting Bella and always had a fondness for the area.

After their engagement, Stan told Bella that he really loved this neighborhood and he wanted to introduce her to the area. She immediately fell in love. Their search for the perfect house took them six months and in time they found their current home. When asked what they love most about Talmadge, Bella says she loves the “neighborliness - everyone is open and friendly” and they “love the feeling of being part of a close community” where everyone is “proud of the neighborhood.” She says Talmadge is a place with no “…exclusiveness, but rather an inclusiveness. People go out of their way to be neighborly especially retired people like us, everyone is so outgoing and friendly.”

If you weren’t already aware, Bella is an amazing artist. She paints commissioned art work that includes homes and pets and has painted dozens of homes in Kensington and Talmadge. She participates in art shows throughout San Diego and has painted several homes for me personally, and was a featured artist at the Art Around Adams event last year. A portrait painted by Bella of your home or beloved pet makes a great gift to yourself or a loved one and she will even frame it for you! According to Bella, it’s a great way to meet new people and what a great way to get to know them.

Stan enjoys playing the piano and belongs to a piano group in Balboa Park where they play for one another. You can often walk by their house on any given day and hear the piano melodies pouring through the windows. It is really quite lovely. The Hollingsworths enjoy studying languages (Bella French and Stan Spanish) and in addition to music and art Stan writes short stories (fiction) and Bela writes poetry. They both love the same things…art, music, literature meeting new people and of course, their shared love of Talmadge. Lastly, they say that the spirit of the community is second to none and they haven’t encountered anything like it anywhere else they have lived. In fact, several new neighbors have mentioned it to Bella…that is the spirit of Talmadge. The next time you see the Hollingsworths out on their daily morning walk of the neighborhood…be sure to introduce yourself and say Hi! For more information about commissioning a portrait, contact Bella Hollingsworth at (619)229-0650.

Everyone is conscientious about keeping up their property. The spirit of community is second to none - haven’t found this anywhere else she lived. New neighbors even mention this to her…that is the spirit of Talmadge.

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| APRIL 2016 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

MOVIES

WINNIE’S

PICKS! Hello everyone! I hope you have been watching my films. Here are my picks for April.

A LITTLE CHAOS - Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and Mathias Schoenaerts - Kate stars as

a strong willed and talented landscape designer. She is asked to design the main garden at the new palace of Versailles in the court of King Louis the 14th played by Alan Rickman.

Alan Rickman is not with us any longer, so you might like to see one of his last movies. It is very entertaining.

IRRATIONAL MAN - Jamie Blackley Joaquin Phoenix star in this WOW of a movie. I'm

watching the movie and Guy calls, so I stop it and tell him what I am watching and how dull it is. Then I continue the rest of the movie and that Woody Allen is a genius. Don't miss this one. I could not believe how the story took a turn and made it so good to watch.

BBC VEXED - Two bickering cops make one great team. Lucy Punch and Toby Stephens

star in this very entertaining comedy police story. I like this series a lot.

BROOKLYN - Saoirse Ronan, Domh Nall and Julie Walters - A true love story. Ellis Lacey,

a young Irish immigrant, comes to Brooklyn in 1950. This is about homesickness, romance and going back home and being pulled in two different directions. A feel good movie.

TRIAGE - Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma - Talk about hardship. This is a

real story of hardship in the worst way. He went and just gave and gave. Sometimes we have to watch a film like this to make us realize how very sad things are for so many people.

A very hard documentary to watch.

MARIE ANTOINETTE - by David Grubin. Relive the great revolution that shaped our

modern world. Her journey in the palaces of the Austro-Hungarian empire to the final hours in a French prison cell. This is history of the French Revolution so well told.

See you next month or maybe at Ken video! Winnie

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MUSIC

| APRIL 2016 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

MUSIC HOPPIN’ Adams Avenue Unplugged puts music on your plate Adams Avenue Unplugged is like a 2-milelong walkabout, but with music as the principal commodity.

The annual music fest takes place this year on the weekend of April 30 and May 1 along a two-mile stretch of Adams Avenue, from University Heights on the west through Normal Heights and into parts of Kensington to the east.

There will be 150 live musical performances.

Unlike many other festivals, where performers play on outside stages, these performers will do their musical numbers inside restaurants, bars, coffee houses and galleries.

“Being able to pair the Avenue’s unique dining and drinking establishments, each with their own special ambiances and selections, with free musical performances, makes Adams Avenue the place to be on the last weekend of April,” says the sponsoring Adams Avenue Business Association on its website. “The AABA hopes to treat musical aficionados and foodies to the rich neighborhood culture.”

Performances will be held from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 1. The business association says some artists will be playing multiple sets, allowing attendees more opportunity to see and hear their favorite performers.

Here’s biographical information on some of the performers, courtesy of the Adams Avenue Business Association:

Sam Outlaw

“The music I play, I call ‘SoCal country,’” says Outlaw. “It’s country music but with a Southern California spirit to it. What is it about Southern California that gives it that spirit, I don’t exactly know. But there’s an idea that I like that says — every song, even happy songs, are written from a place of sadness. If there’s a special sadness to Southern California it’s that there’s an abiding shadow of loss of what used to be. But then, like with any place, you have a resilient optimism as well.”

and “Love and Theft”) and John Hammond (“Wicked Grin”). Echoes of the Meyers’ style and sound can be heard in the music of the Doors, the Kinks, the Animals as well as the Beatles, just to name a few.

Rolling out of San Antonio, Texas in the early ’60s, the Sir Douglas Quintet, a musical partnership formed with Doug Sahm, brought such hit tunes as “Mendocino” and “She’s About a Mover.” Fusing Tex-Mex, Conjunto and soulful rock along with the power of Meyers’ distinctive Vox organ, is an impact still being felt in rock ‘n’ roll today.

There will be a cover charge at the Kensington Club for Augie Meyers’ performance

Augie Meyers’ style and his Vox Continental has become one of music’s most distinctive keyboard sounds around. Augie can be heard with the Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados, Meyers’ solo efforts as well as on landmark albums by Bob Dylan (”Time Out of Mind”

of metaphors from math, physics, biology, the supernatural, comic books, Tibetan Buddhism, and role-playing games, at coffeehouses and science fiction conventions.”

Enter the Blue Sky

Birdy and the Bow Tie

The Cactus Blossoms

“When my brother (Page Burkum) and I started making music as The Cactus Blossoms, there wasn’t a big plan,” says Jack Torrey. “We cut our teeth performing some well known and obscure country songs that were popular or unpopular pre-1960, partly out of curiosity and deep appreciation, but mostly because it was fun. Early on we were given a residency at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minn. We got a band together and it became our weekly practice-in-public where we would pull out every song we could think of, no matter how well we knew it. It was our first chance to play all night and do whatever we wanted. Over the course of our year and a half at the Turf Club our repertoire had snowballed into an amalgam of original songs and a bunch of gut wrenching, tongue-in-cheek heartbreakers, that were 30 years older than us. Not everyone could tell what was new and what was old, and it didn’t really matter. People just seemed to enjoy it. That’s when the wheel got going and gave the illusion of spinning backwards.

We weren’t born in the wrong era. We just got into some music from a different era and found a way to make it our own.”

Allison Lonsdale Augie Meyers

ALSO PERFORMING

“I am a singer-songwriter guitarist,” says Lonsdale. “I’ve been doing this since I was 12, and doing it competently since I was 16. I performed with San Diego Celtic folk band The Wild Oats (not to be confused with the Wild Oats band from the UK) during the 1990s and started performing solo in 1999. I play my original songs about sex, science and God, full

Birdy and the Bow Tie are inspired by early 20th century music, particularly vintage jazz from the 1920s through the 1940s. The duo’s appealing sound is a mix of Alison Marae’s contralto vocals and cheery ukulele with Wil Forbis’ tasty lead guitar and jazzy scat. Thrown into live shows are dreamy harmonies, soft shoe percussion and scat solos. The duo plays vintage acoustic jazz, swing, blues and originals inspired by generations past.

The duo hosts community ukulele events and workshops, where people gather to strum and sing along to different ukulele songbooks that they’ve arranged. They also teach ukulele, guitar, voice and piano out of their home studio in San Diego.

Fanny of Fanny and the Atta Boys

Juju Satori

Nathan and Jessie

Britt Doehring

“My name is Brittney Marie Doehring but most just call me Britt. I am 23 years old. I’m caught in between wanting time to slow down and being excited to enter into a new phase of my life. My life… blessed is the most appropriate adjective I can think of to describe it.

Whenever I couldn’t fall asleep when I was younger, my mom always used to tell me to try to count my blessings. Of course, I could never possibly do that which always ended up putting me right to sleep. Safe to say, my mom’s a smart woman. Music is where my heart’s been all my life and I doubt that anything will ever change that. My parents have home videos of me at around age three singing my little heart out to “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.”.I’ve been singing ever since I can remember. I learned to play the guitar when I was fourteen. It started as a jealousy thing when my mom got a guitar for her birthday. I ended up stealing it and haven’t been able to put it down since. . . I love to perform for people. It’s my absolute favorite feeling in the whole world to bring a smile to a face that was once frowning or bring a tear to someone’s eye.”

Robin Henkel

Christie Huff

Sara Petite Band

Alan Land (Photo: Dennis Anderson)

BUSINESS

Survey Shows Small Banks Providing Better Rates They’re also gaining young customers

BY JEFF MILCHEN

Celebrate Independent Bookstores April 30, 2016 marks celebrations of independent bookstores in both the U.S. (Independent Bookstore Day) and Canada (Authors for Indies).

You might think economies of scale and ongoing federal subsidies to the megabanks would mean they’d price services lower than community banks. Yet MoneyRate.com’s latest semiannual survey found small banks (holding $5 billion or less in deposits) were far more likely to offer totally free personal checking accounts than big banks (more than $10 billion in deposits).

Thirty-one percent of small banks surveyed provide this benefit, compared to 17.5 percent of big banks. Mid-sized banks ($5 – $10 billion) fell in-between at 28 percent.

And among banks charging monthly checking fees, small and medium-sized banks charged far less — $11.50 compared to $15.15 at big banks.

Ten banks and thrifts in each of 25 large U.S. metropolitan markets were included in the survey, conducted during July-August of 2015.

Using your bank card at a non-network ATM always comes with a fee these days, but the charge again varies with bank size. The big banks capture nearly 6 percent more in ATM fees than small banks from non-customers, and they charge account holders using out-of-network ATMs about 17 percent more for the service.

Mid-sized banks again fell between. You may find community banks offer unexpected value in this realm, too. Needham Bank (MA), one of just two we contacted for this story, not only offers free checking with no minimum balance, but also automatically reimburses customers for ATM fees charged by other banks! Vice President

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Eric Morse notes this is possible only because Needham is a mutual bank whose shareholders also are customers.

Despite the largest banks controlling more assets than ever before, the value and service smaller banks provide may be starting to pay off.

According to Accenture Plc, community banks saw a 5-percent increase in account holders aged 18 to 34, while credit unions gained 3 percent.

At the same time, large national and regional banking chains lost 16 percent of their millennial-age clients.

“Customers appreciate the personal attention they find at community banks, even if younger customers choose to do most day-to-day transactions online,” said one bank president. “The personal attention can’t be replaced.”

Of course, there are many other reasons to seek out community financial institutions rather than a megabank. You’ll likely receive more personal service, enable more loans to help local entrepreneurs and keep decision-making power rooted in your community.

Bob Marino of BankLocal, an online tool that measures the local economic impact of U.S. banks, noted, “our data demonstrate that smaller banks and credit unions lend substantially more to small businesses. And when you bank locally, a much larger portion of your deposit is reinvested back into your community.”

Jeff Milchen is co-director of the American Independent Business Alliance.

How SCORE Helps San Diego’s Small Businesses Succeed

BY SALLY BROFF

When one thinks about what drives the economy of San Diego County, the highly visible contributions of defense, biotech, medical, communications technology and tourism quickly come to mind. Small business is often overlooked, possibly because the products and services provided by these entrepreneurs are such an integral element in the fabric of the region.

Starting and operating a small business carries the same risks, rewards, challenges and dynamics as major corporations or industries, but without the benefit of the size, scale, and resources enjoyed by the big players. That’s why SCORE was established here 50 years ago.

SCORE is a national nonprofit volunteer organization with a clear mission: Use the hands-on business experience of our members to help small business owners succeed. SCORE is a resource partner of the Small Business Administration with 320 chapters and 11,000 volunteers across the country. The national organization started in 1964.

What does SCORE’s mission look like in practical term in San Diego?

Let’s imagine that you are thinking about starting an apparel business or are looking for advice on how to market to premium customers. Would it be valuable for you to get advice from someone who was one of the original six employees of Tommy Bahama?

Interested in doing business with the government? One of our mentors sits on the board of the major supplier council and can guide you through DUNS numbers, NAICS, CCR, ORCA, and the other acronyms used in that world to develop plans and make contacts.

Are you more comfortable discussing your business needs in Spanish, or want advice from someone who has experience in Mexico? SCORE has bilingual mentors who have operated businesses on both sides of the border.

Financial questions? Applying for a SBA loan?

How about meeting with a former Big Eight accounting firm partner, or an officer of a bank that served the needs of small businesses every day?

That’s a snapshot of who SCORE is in San Diego County—90 volunteers, a mix of women and men,

current and retired business owners and corporate executives, and a selection of ages spanning six decades. Collectively, the members have worked in virtually every industry and can share experience in all business functions.

SCORE volunteers are busy. During 2015 SCORE San Diego worked with 9,091 in mentoring sessions and workshops, and played a role in starting 751 new businesses and creating 1,044 jobs, according to research conducted for the SCORE Foundation by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Counseling is free, confidential, and customized to the needs of the client.

“Having SCORE as an on-call resource has been incredibly important as my business successfully evolved over several years from an idea, through prototypes and manufacturing to active sales,” says Yana Mohanty, founder of Geometiles, an innovative tool for math education. “I use SCORE mentors for reality checks and regular advice and specialized topics including manufacturing, finance, packaging, and sales and marketing. They are consistently accessible and helpful.”

SCORE also presents workshops on about 40 topics, ranging from exploring the basic question “Do you really want to start a business?” to topics including how to write a business plan, tax considerations for small businesses, intellectual property, and tools like QuickBooks. There are five workshops on different aspects of the wild world of e-commerce and social media.

SCORE San Diego is celebrating its 50th anniversary by telling the success stories of its clients who have contributed so much to San Diego County’s vibrant small business community and the region’s economy. If you can benefit from SCORE’s unique and valuable approach to business success, or think SCORE would be a great volunteer opportunity, please visit www.sandiego.score.org or call us at (619) 557-7272.

Sally Broff is president of SCORE San Diego. She has 35 years of experience in the electronics industry.

This opinion piece originally appeared in Times of San Diego.

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| APRIL 2016 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Automotive Museum Opens ‘British Invasion’ Auto Exhibit

Alan Land (Photo: Dennis Anderson)

PHOTOS BY PAUL BRANDES

Alan Land (Photo: Dennis Anderson)

The San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park has opened its new exhibit -- The British Invasion.

The exhibit, which runs until May 31, highlights British automotive manufacturing since the 1930s. The exhibit is enhanced with the cultural impact the British have also had on our fashion, music, and literature (the Beatles, Harry Potter, Twiggy, Downton Abbey, and such.)

Featured in the exhibit: a 1933 Austin Seven, 1937 MG VA Tourer, 1939 Lagonda V12, 1948 Bentley (prototype), 1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon, 1951 Jowett Jupiter, 1953 Jaguar XK 120, 1955 Triumph TR2, 1958 Austin A35, 1967 Austin Mini Cooper S, 1967 Austin London Cab FX4, 1967 Rolls Royce Phantom V,

1969 Jaguar E Type OTS, 1970 Morgan 4/4 1600, 1971 Jenson Interceptor, 1972 TVR Vixen, and a 2005 Aston Martin.

The London taxi was owned and driven by Frank Sinatra. The Rolls Royce Phantom was used by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Grace of Monaco, and several American astronauts.

The museum’s annual fundraiser is centered on this exhibit. That event will be Saturday, March 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. Call (619) 398-0301 for information or tickets.

Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission prices are: $9.00 for adults, $6 for seniors (65 and over), $5 students with ID, $4 children ages 6 –15. Children under the age of 6 are admitted free of charge.

Alan Land (Photo: Dennis Anderson)

Alan Land (Photo: Dennis Anderson)

Natural History Museum Chooses Smithsonian Veteran as New CEO The San Diego Natural History Museum has selected a 30-year veteran of the Smithsonian Institution and a native Californian to become its new president and CEO. Judith Gradwohl, the MacMillan asssociate director for education and public engagement at the National Museum of American History — the Smithsonian’s third largest museum — will assume the job on July 1, the start of the museum’s fiscal year.

Gradwohl will replace Michael “Mick” Hager, who will retire June 30 after 25 years at the helm of the museum.

“TheNAT is a gem -- it has superb staff and collections and is the best possible visitor center for the natural world in San Diego County and Baja,” said Gradwohl.

“This role is a perfect fit, as it brings together my work in field biology, environmental conservation, digital outreach, education, and museum

management at the Smithsonian.”

Gradwohl has held various leadership positions within the Smithsonian Institution. In 1985, she started at the National Zoo focusing on animal behavioral research, education, and exhibits, and then went on to establish the Smithsonian’s Office of Environmental Awareness where she curated large traveling exhibitions and raised major funding toward operations and projects.

Gradwohl developed the Smithsonian’s first exhibition website, after which she joined the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian’s third largest museum. There, she supervised the development of the museum’s web presence and, in 2004, became part of the senior leadership team, assuming her most recent role.

Judy Gradwohl will assume the post of president and CEO of the San Diego Natural History Museum on July 1.

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| APRIL 2016 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

MUSIC

Local Musicians Mourn Loss of Jazz Legend Joe Marillo

BY BART MENDOZA

Joe Marillo performing at the 2003 San Diego Music Awards.

San Diego has many wonderful musicians living in its midst, but few have had the impact on our local community as saxophonist Joe Marillo, who passed away on March 26 at age 83. He had been battling cancer.

Marillo, who lived in Normal Heights, was far more than a musician; he was a catalyst, a promoter, bringing together musicians and music fans and in the process helping to create this city’s jazz scene. He was also a beloved teacher and mentor to hundreds of local musicians. It’s safe to say his legacy will live on in his recordings and filmed appearances but even more so in his students playing.

Marillo moved to San Diego from his native New York in 1974, complete with an already impressive resume. Although known today for his love of jazz, early on Marillo played R&B, first in the Buffalo area with his own band, and then beginning in 1955 with Jimmy Cavallo & The Houserockers. It would be Marillo’s first taste of national fame as he and his band caught the initial wave of rock ’n’ roll and performed for legendary DJ Alan Freed, appearing in his 1956 movie, “Rock, Rock, Rock!” and scoring a recording contract with Coral Records — the same label as Buddy Holly — in the process.

It didn’t take long after his arrival in San Diego for Marillo to become an integral part of the music community, booking national talent at the Catamaran and bringing jazz to venues such as La Jolla’s Elario’s and Chuck’s Steakhouse, helping establish music as a draw locally. He also released several albums on his own and with pianist Mike Wofford, as well as guesting with numerous locals, including playing on several abums by guitarist Buddy Blue, who even recorded a track, “The Joe Marillo Story,” on his 1999 album, “Dipsomania.”

“I met Joe two years ago,” said Joe Flammini, owner of famed coffeehouse Java Joe’s, where Marillo held a residency. “He walked into Java Joe’s one day and said, ‘I want to play here.’ I

Joe Marillo 1932-2016 agreed without even knowing who he was. He had that vibe.” He played a weekly afternoon gig. “I don’t remember which day it was, because he showed up five times a week to practice,” Flammini with a smile. “So every day was a gig for Joe. What did I enjoy about his music? It was his enjoyment when he nailed a song. Which he would often do.”

Marillo was also a mainstay at local jazz venue Dizzy’s. “Joe loved everything about jazz,

the history, the process, the practice and the presentation,” said owner Chuck Perrin. “It’s hard not to like someone as passionate about the music as he was.”

“I got a chance to record Joe Marillo for Buddy Blue’s album, Dipsomania,” said producer Sven Erik Seaholm. “Buddy had gotten quite inspired by the idea that Joe was an amazing jazz musician whose genius had somehow not been given its due. So Buddy wrote a whole

spoken word piece that pretty much hit the bullet points on Joe’s resume, including his appearance in the Alan Freed film and his tenure in Buddy’s own band some years later.”

Blue called up Marillo and very respectfully asked if he would play his saxophone behind his words on the recording. “Not only was Joe totally on board with the concept, but his reply was so cool that Buddy added it into the piece word for word and had Joe speak it on the recording,” Seaholm recalled.

Violinist Jamie Shadowlight worked with Marillo in various projects for many years. “I loved his tone,” she said. “Strong and breathy and very much like Stan Getz. I most admired the fact that he was a totally unique human being, in every way. He was Joe Marillo and there is only one Joe Marillo, He lived outside of the system. He was a challenge and pleasure to work with, a lot of laughs, a lot of personality and a lot of helping others get their start. He was a true character. I met so many musicians through playing with Joe, most notably, Mikan Zlatkovich and Gilbert Castellanos. Joe was always giving people a chance to play.”

“He was history on the hoof,” noted Rebecca Zearing, owner of Rebecca’s Coffeehouse, where Marillo was a regular. “He spoke of Stan Kenton and Miles Davis as friends. He was like Jack Webb on the old ‘Dragnet’ TV show. No bull, just fact. He was a treat for me to talk to and if it was about music and history he was easy. I always loved him the most when he played his saxophone. It was rich, and the instrument looked heavy as heck,” she said.

“When he played sax, he let go and went somewhere else, maybe to his younger days?”

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in sdnews.com, San Diego Community Newspaper Group. Reprinted with permission.

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By Bart Mendoza April 23 Shadowlight: Accompanist of Choice There’s prolific and then there is violinist Jamie Shadowlight, who appears at Java Joe’s On April 23. The sheer number of artists she has performed with is staggering. Gifted at everything from classical to hard rock, in addition to her own groups, Shadowlight has been the accompanist of choice for dozens of performers ranging from jazz heroes Joe Marillo and Gilbert Castellanos to country combo, The Palominos and rocker Joey Harris. A beloved lynchpin of the local music community, this intimate performance at Java Joe’s will confirm that Shadowlight is truly one of San Diego’s musical treasures. www.javajoessd.com Subways

Jamie Shadowlight

May 2 April 24 Celebrate David Bowie’s Music with Holy Holy

Spiders from Mars

The music world is still in mourning over the recent passing of iconic musician David Bowie, so the appearance of tribute group, Holy Holy, at the Music Box on April 24, offers a wonderful opportunity for fans to get together and celebrate his life and music. But this is no mere gathering of players. A true all-star band, on hand will be Woody Woodmansey, original drummer for Bowie’s famed backing band, The Spiders from Mars, as well as famed bassist/producer,Tony Visconti, frontman Glenn Gregory, best known for his work with synthpop combo, Heaven 17, and Terry Edwards, who is a founding member of the UK group, the Higsons. Holy Holy, plays a changing set list that includes hits, but also deep catalog cuts, making this show a Bowie fanatics dream come true. musicboxsd.com

Solid Blend of Punk, Glam Stomp and Powerpop Hooks British rock trio The Subways returns to San Diego for a show at the Casbah on May 2. Touring behind their new, self-titled album, the key to the band’s sound is down to their manic energy and the vocal interplay between guitarist Billy Lunn and bassist Charlotte Cooper resulting in a solid blend of punk, glam stomp and powerpop hooks. The Subways rock hard enough to have been asked to open for AC/DC, but still pack enough hooks into their songs, such as “Good Times,” to appeal to crossover pop listeners. www.casbahmusic.com

April 28 ’60s Rock with a Touch of Punk Energy Rock ‘n’ roll fans will want to check out Gone Baby Gone, appearing at Bar Pink on April 28 on a bill with Bad Kids and Big Bloom. The event celebrates the release of their latest album, “Love Stories,” but it’s live where the band excels, turning in their own cool garage rockers such as “Miss Bossy” alongside occasional covers by the likes of The Animals or Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. Led by Dynamic frontwoman Dizzy Collins, the group is perfect for anyone who likes their ’60s-influenced rock infused with a touch of punk energy. www.barpink.com Modern English Gone Baby Gone

May 17 April 28 Warm Vocals and Cryin’-in-Your-Beer Weepers San Francisco Indie Pop/Americana duo Sugar Ponies performs at Lestat’s on April 28. Touring behind their second album, “Its A Sign,” the pair’s music is built around the warm vocals of Suzanne Kramer, with a broad palette of influences, including a pop edge that matches rock elements to country flourishes, infusing songs such as “Happy Is For Humans,” with melody to spare. Particularly striking is their sparse, crying-in-your-beer weeper, “Give A Girl A Break,” but anywhere you drop the needle on the Sugar Ponies latest will bring up a winner. www.lestatscoffeehouse.com

Sugarponies

Chance to See and Hear Modern English Tunes Live Although relegated to one-hit-wonder status, ’80s new wave favorites Modern English, who appear at the Hideout on May 17 were in truth more of an album band, their dense, guitar-led indie rock sound leading them through four now classic albums in their initial run. Testimony to the power of a great song, their signature tune, “I Melt With You,” actually never charted higher then No. 76 in the U.S., but the ensuing years have seen it become a standard, covered by bands worldwide and heard on soundtracks galore.

Only drummer Richard Brown is missing from the original lineup, which continues to release new music so longtime fans will be thrilled for a chance to see and hear Modern English’s classic tunes live. www.thehideoutsd.wordpress.com

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| APRIL 2016 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Living Reef Memorial The green alternative to traditional burials Adams Avenue News Bay Park Connection Clairemont Community News Hillcrest News • IB Local News Ken-TAL News • The Boulevard News North Park News • South Park News

northparknews.biz/digital MidCityNewspaperGroup.com Serving San Diego’s Premier Mid City Communities Chairman/CEO Bob Page BobPage@sandiegometro.com Publisher Rebeca Page RebecaPage@sandiegometro.com Associate Publisher Brad Weber ReachLocals@ MidCityNewspaperGroup.com Editor Manny Cruz Manny@sandiegometro.com Art Director Chris Baker cbaker@sandiegometro.com Marketing/Advertising Brad Weber ReachLocals@ MidCityNewspaperGroup.com -----------------------------Writers/Columnists Bart Mendoza Delle Willett Anna Lee Fleming Sara Wacker Media Consultant Tom Shess Social Media Ali Hunt Photography Manny Cruz Sande Lollis Jim Childers Letters/Opinion Pieces North Park News encourage letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please address correspondence to manny@sandiegometro.com or mail to Manny Cruz. Please include a phone number, address and name for verification purposes; no anonymous letters will be printed. We reserve the right to edit letters and editorials for brevity and accuracy.

Story ideas/Press Releases Do you have an idea for an article you would like to see covered in this newspaper? We welcome your ideas, calendar item listings and press releases. For breaking news, please call us at (619) 287-1865.

For all other news items, please email manny@sandiegometro.com.

ADDRESS PO Box 3679, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 PHONE (858) 461-4484 North Park News distributes copies monthly to residents and businesses of North Park, South Park, Golden Hill and Normal Heights.

The entire contents of North Park News is copyrighted, 2015, by REP Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written consent.

All rights reserved.

Cremation services and death rates are both experiencing large spikes.

Baby Boomers are going to be the next generation to pass and what will their survivors do with the ashes?

Fewer than 30 percent plan for after-life care and less than that ever plan for the final disposition of the cremation remains. One in six homes has cremation remains that are in storage with no final disposition.

Someone inherited a relatives urn or box of ashes and they sit in storage or on the mantle forever. At what point do these ashes reach a final resting place that meets the needs of the families and gives them closure at a time of mourning? While cremation is on the increase; so is the awareness of the impact we have on our environment.

Industry trends tell us that families are steering away from traditional burial and funerals, mostly due to cost. Another significant factor is that most folks are informed and want to leave this world a better place. Families want to have something that is special and fits the expectations of a meaningful and ecologically sound memorial.

In most situations, families must make a choice of what is best for their loved one in a very short period of time and during a time of grieving.

There is one company that has found a way to make the decision maker in the family a complete hero with the rest of the family and loved ones. Living Reef Memorial manufactures artificial reefs from those cremation remains. They market their artificial marine habitats as a green alternative to traditional burials. By doing so, they are able to fund a very important coastal habitat restoration project. Any proceeds left over after expenses goes to save endangered sea turtles and they have been doing this since 2002.

The reefs are made using broken sea shells, sand, cremains, and a little bit of concrete to construct. The company has obtained permits to deploy up to 100,000 of these artificial reefs off the Los Coronado Islands which lie in Mexican waters just off the coast and visible from San Diego. Within just a short time after installation onto the sea floor, the reefs absolutely bloom with an abundance of life. This product is not only green but, it is completely permanent and there is no economic motivation to remove, vandalize, or otherwise disturb them.

The cremation remains are molded into an object that resembles habitat of specific endangered species. After curing for 30 days they are taken on a wind-powered boat and deployed by scuba divers to the ocean floor. The reef is immediately inhabited by small fish and other marine life and within a week, kelp and other marine plant life take hold. In a very short period of time it blooms with abundant marine life.

In a video on youtube and the company’s website you can watch a deployment of one of these reefs and you will notice that there is lots of activity going on around it. A seal playfully does acrobatics while the divers deploy the reef. Native fish peer into the camera and eye the new habitat while large schools of fish swim by. Grandpa is not going to be lonely!

He has given back to the earth and the sea at the base of the food chain and will be surrounded by all the marine life that the reef now supports.

Profits from Living Reef Memorials go to The Coastal Preservation Project and fund their Sea Turtle Rescue.

So far they have saved over 40,000 endangered sea turtles.

For more information visit www.livingreefmemorial.com or call (800) 569-7333

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | APRIL 2016 |

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MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | APRIL 2016 |

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ART

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | APRIL 2016 |

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Ladybug Art Center hosts ‘7 Printmakers’ Julianne Ricksecker is featured artist in the month-long exhibit San Diego artist and printmaker Julianne B. Ricksecker will be featured artist at the Ladybug Art Center in Kensington in April.

The exibit — “7 Printmakers” — will run through April 30.

Ricksecker will show works celebrating the landscape of California, with new work focusing on our local Torrey Pines State Park. “Much of my work over the years has been inspired by trips I have taken, and I have sadly neglected some of the gems right here in San Diego,” she says.

Ricksecker works in a variety of media to express her vision of the serenity of natural spaces. Her creative process involves experiencing a place through hiking, making sketches and taking photographs. Then she returns to the studio to create work from these studies and her memories.

Some pieces are worked in direct methods, such as watercolor or pastel, but her original prints are created first on plates, which are then the inked by hand, and the ink is transferred to paper on an etching press.

Etching requires manipulating the surface of a metal plate with acid to create a repeatable image that can be printed (by hand by the artist) multiple times. An etching may take weeks to develop before the plate is ready for edition printing. Once the plate work is com-

Featured artist Julianne Ricksecker.

Torrey Pines Afternoon by Julianne Ricksecker.

plete, Ricksecker wipes the plate in several colors, in a process called “à la poupée.” All of the color is applied to the plate before it goes through the press. Then the plate must be completely cleaned before the color can be applied for the next print.

Monotypes, however, are one-of-a-kind prints, created rapidly with ink or oil or watercolor paint on a blank surface and then transferred to paper while the paint is still wet. Ricksecker began to explore the possibilities of monotype using a blank plexiglass plate and traditional oil paint. She found the transparent colors she desired to achieve used too much oil and thinner to be viable for printing on paper. About this time, oil paint appeared in art stores in a water-soluble formula. The printing paper is normally damp when passing through etching press, so water-soluble oils seemed like a perfect solution for monotype.

With a little experimentation, Ricksecker found this new paint to be a very satisfying and versatile medium for her landscape work.

It can be thinned with water for very transparent washes. This seemed ideally matched

Trolley Tour of Historic Kensington Travel back in time through the neighborhoods of Kensington aboard an old-fashioned trolley on May 7. Tours start at 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Refreshments will be served after the tour. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance at the Kensington Community Church office (4773 Marlborough Drive. (619284-1129) or at Ken Video (619-269-6998). Hop on and learn some fun and fascinating facts about this historic neighborhood.

Agave at Sunset by Julianne Ricksecker.

to her fascination with imagery of water and waterfalls.

There are many ways that artists approach monotype printmaking, sometimes called “painterly printmaking.” Ricksecker’s approach is to use a full palette to develop a realistic image. Through the use of additive mediums, she can emphasize the brush stroke or minimize it to create soft passages of color or pale washes. She uses rollers to apply a solid field of color, or rubber tipped sticks or very fine brushes to remove color. She presses tissues, paper towels or bits of lace into the paint to remove color in a textured pattern. The color may be printed all at once, or in several glazes.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa., Ricksecker has lived in Albuquerque, N.M., Newport, RI., Rouen, France and Yokosuka, Japan before settling in San Diego. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh, Universite de Rouen, the University of New Mexico, and the San Diego Academy of Fine Arts.

Ricksecker has exhibited in more than 200 exhibitions from the local to the international.

She has won numerous awards for her etchings, pastels and watercolors, including 2nd place at the 8th Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk Conn., and 3rd place in the Western Regional Printmaking Exhibition at Tarbox Gallery in San Diego.

She is a member of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild, the Pastel Society of San Diego, Allied Artists Association of San Diego, ADOGI, Oceanside Museum of Art Artists Alliance, and the Del Mar Art Center.

BY SUSAN MAE HULL

Lonely Woman by Angelika Villagrana.

Other Artists Other participating artists in the 7 Printmakers are Raymond Brownfield, Jacqueline Dotson, Robert Fritsch, Kathleen McCord, Sfona Pelah and Angelika Villagrana. The art will be available for sale.

The 7 Printmakers started exhibiting together in early 1990 to educate the public on the variety of printmaking techniques and the value and importance of original works of arts printed on paper. The group shows etchings, woodcuts, linoleum cuts, lithographs, collagraphs, and monotypes — all hand-pulled by the artists.

An Artists’ Reception for the 7 Printmakers will be held Saturday, April 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where the public will have the rare opportunity to meet this group of artists and speak to them about their art. The printmaking exhibit will hang in the Ladybug Art gallery 4685 Biona Drive in Kensington, directly off Adams Avenue.

Ricksecker will also offer a series of six classes in exclusive monoprint printmaking at the Ladybug Art Center Wednesday evenings, April 13 through May 18. This is an opportunity to learn an art form that is seldom taught in today’s fast-paced world, and, from a master in the craft.

Ladybug Art Center features the original work of local artist, offering classes in many mediums for beginning artists. Private instruction and Group Study is also available.

The center is free and open to the public 11 a.m.to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For additional information, call (619) 563-0082.

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MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | APRIL 2016 |

Electriquettes Coming to Balboa Park A small fleet of the Electriquettes is coming to Balboa Park in the spring.

The dapper gentleman in the photo is riding an Electriquette, a replica of the same motorized wicker carts widely used during San Diego’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition. The fleet of electric carts was supposed to be introduced to the park for the 2015 Balboa Park centennial celebration, but it, and many other ideas and proposals, fell through when the big civic party infamously imploded.

“The city did take a while to

get the agreement going,” said Kim Keeline, who’s doing the marketing for the Electriquettes. “But we’re thrilled that we’re able to get them to the park now.”

Keeline said the carts, the brainchild of San Diego developer Sandy Shapery, will be available for the public to rent out possibly as soon as March.

She said folks will only be allowed to cruise up and down El Prado pedestrian walkway and on the sidewalks in front of the Botanical Building. For now, a ride on one of the carts will cost you $10 for 15 min-

utes or $25 for an hour.

Part of the delayed roll-out of the carts was because the city had to put out a public request for proposals for “battery-powered wicker cart concessions.” It released the request last March and — big surprise — Shapery was the only one to respond.

Keeline said the carts, designed by architect and historian David Marshall to be historically accurate, were quite popular during the PanamaCalifornia Exposition.

“So, we hope they’ll be as popular today,” she said.

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unnels, u i ted the Cu Chi T igon. Visi Sa al riv ar t gh Fli / s. A private Sa S igon tore their supplie Jan 24 ~ Jan 27 / am hide and sto rly to s Ea E ce ~ r bserve ob f fo rt sta my e lta ne ent from th Mekong De to used by former en idence h beautiful lush k k VIP treatm e id res along s ’ g 20 rin 19 de er an rm fo me a while Jan b mmodation, setting, w com r ac gle fo r jun us ou to ed e iti apers ay oin cr jo , aw r ys d owne hi k city with sk arriva quaint villages in 2009 David, the tel in 2 day, vibrant, sprawling ho a ee l fr f is g the tifu is n th ein igo b Se On .

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EDUCATION

Changing the Future

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | APRIL 2016 |

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BY ANTHONY KING

Helen Griffith leads the ‘most innovative’ high school in San Diego’s Central Library

The e3 classrooms promote discussion. This room shows small-group tables, while others can be arranged in more traditional classroom style.

Helen Griffith had little interest in a career in education when she came to the UC San Diego campus as a transfer student. There was no way, she said, she would work around the clock like her mother did as a teacher and principal.

But one thing stuck: a passion for reading and, hand-in-hand, libraries. She grew up loving the iconic Geisel library at UC San Diego.

Even as an adult, there is something about the learning possibilities offered by a library that excite Griffith. Today, the 1981 Department of Communication graduate is the founding and current executive director of e3 Civic High School — located, ironically, in the unique and beautiful Dr. Helen Griffith, UC San Diego Department of Communication alumna 1981, now heads e3 San Diego Central Library Downtown.

Also the founding principal of Millennial Tech Civic High School.

Middle School, Griffith reflected on how she made it to where she is now, balanced on a foundation she built at UC San Diego: “The experience that I had as an undergraduate student gave me the strongest base, especially in communication, to go anywhere. It also provided me with a strong, strong base that I was able to later go to graduate school and be successful.”

Elizabeth Norby, left, shows Helen Griffith artwork Norby created to represent an element on the periodic table.

Students Monica Randolph, left, and Tracy Ray study in the high school’s common area, called ‘the park.’

Finding Passion

Innovation at its Core

In 2015, the charter high school Griffith directs was named to the first “Most Innovative K-12 Schools in America” list by Noodle, a website that provides educational resources to families. Noodle examined 140,000 schools to come up with its list, honoring those with “visionary methodologies” who challenge “well-established notions” of education, the site says.

“Innovation means doing whatever’s necessary to meet the end result and not being tied to the old way of doing business, but also being free to incorporate the old way if it meets the goal,” Griffith said. “Innovation to me really is thinking about, by any means necessary, achieving the goals for the students.”

The school was recognized, in part, because it is located within the Downtown library. It sits on the sixth and seventh floors, with a separate, private entrance, and Griffith calls the library the school’s “chief partner.” Not only does the location give these students fingertip access to a worldclass system, but it also serves as a partner for cutting-edge technology initiatives: for example, students are helping to test an augmented reality program, for example, as well as training and working in computer program internships.

What’s more, Griffith and the e3 Civic High faculty are teaching these kids to change the world.

“Within everything that we do, we try to weave in an element of civic engagement, giving back and leadership,” Griffith said, who was named

e3 Civic High School is located in the Downtown San Dieo Central Library, helping to earn it a ‘Most Innovative School’ honor.

one of San Diego’s 50 people to watch in 2013

by San Diego Magazine. Among her other honors are the 2010 – 2011 Educator of the Year award from the California League of Middle Schools and the 2007 Outstanding African-American Educator of the Year from Pi Delta Kappa.

“In our project-based learning, there’s always an element of giving back,” Griffith said. “There’s this relevance — this authenticity — that we like to build in. It’s not a college requirement for service; it’s a way of life.”

Representing STEAM

With a goal of providing an education alternative for the downtown San Diego core, e3 Civic High School enrolls students primarily from underserved and underrepresented communities.

Almost 90 percent of the students are of color and 77 percent are below the poverty level, Griffith said. With a curriculum focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — STEAM, not just STEM— the school has grand plans.

“We want to create the next generation of underrepresented students and female students in the STEAM professions,” she said matter-of-

assessment.

“We were attracted to the school because it was a bit different from other high schools,” Yu said.

The medical students also recognized that Griffith was a strong advocate for her students Now a fourth-year medical student having completed the clinical foundations course, Yu returns to e3 on her own time to tutor students in math. She said she hopes to work with underserved populations in the future, including at-risk youth.

“The administration wants to ensure that these [high school] students have the tools to succeed after graduation, and this includes planning, leadership and critical problem solving skills,” Yu said.

“Above all else, they support each and every individual student in achieving their dreams.”

Griffith has the option to take the community assessment findings and apply them directly to her school, similar to what she did with the curriculum from the first interaction with Yu and Egnatios that addressed nutrition and health, bullying, gender inequality and the communication that divides teens, among others. The high school students participated in a School of Medicineled “Doc for a Day” program, and even came to campus for a behind-the-scenes look at the school. Griffith said she hopes to have an e3 Civic High graduate as a UC San Diego med student one day.

“Our vision is really to put [students] in their place of passion. Not everybody’s going to be a teacher, or an executive director, or a principal, or an author, but if that’s what gives you pleasure and drive and passion, then you need to be there,” Griffith said. “We need to create the fertile ground by which they can grow and thrive.”

So far, the results have been phenomenal, she said. Now in their third year, the first graduating class will get their high school diplomas this year: more than 70 students who took a gigantic leap of faith in 10th grade to come to a charter school with no history. Griffith said that at the time, she and the team were “selling a promise” to the children and their families.

When that first group of students arrived at e3 they were, for the most part, doing poorly in their classes, with some outright failing. But Griffith said her school provided a place for students looking for a second, or better, chance.

“To see how they are thriving, speaking, performing, communicating, creating and owning their selves,” she said of those original students.

“They are taking ownership for their future.”

factly.

It’s not just talk. Griffith can discuss any number of ways they are innovating the way these students interact with the arts and sciences. They have a robotics program, a Central Libraryfocused partnership in computer programming, a mentoring program with engineers in the community and a multiple-year project with the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

UC San Diego medical school students Denise Yu and Jeremy Egnatios initially developed and helped secure the partnership with Griffith three years ago. The pair worked closely with Griffith and her students, ultimately providing a “Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Living” curriculum to implement. Based on the success with Yu and Egnatios, the relationship was then incorporated into the School of Medicine’s clinical foundations course.

One of the concepts for the course itself is for the School of Medicine Academic Communities to engage with outside, non-UC San Diego communities to look at social determinants of health, environmental and occupational health, cultural humility, and disparities. In this instance, groups From UC San Diego News Center — Photos of medical students engage with several high schools in the region to perform a community by Erika Johnson/University Communications)

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FUN & GAMES

CARTOON CAPTION CONTEST

© Barbara Fuscsick

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GOT A CAPTION FOR O THIS CARTOON? Welcome to our monthl ly neighborhood cartoon caption contest!

See wha at you can come up with and let us know

Solut l tion

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21

Farm to Table – Local Organic Farm Fresh Produce

Bulk Foods Section

Everything in the market was family designed.

For 50 years and three generations, the Stehly family has farmed with hard work and love. For the past 15 years, their passion for growing organic food is seen in the smiles and faces of brothers Jerome and Noel Stehly.

Recently I met with Jerome Stehly, to talk about the history and the goals of the family farm in Valley Center. He invited me to join him in the restaurant section of their beautiful new grocery store on Adams Avenue in Kensington.

The corner building which houses the Stehly Farms Market, is newly built and has never before been occupied . . . rather like a blank canvas upon which the artist can paint and create.

The “artists” in this case are Jerome and Noel. The specific tone of paint for the ceiling, different shade for the walls, the type of lighting, the construction of shelving and aisle units, are all family designed and built. As Jerome says, “farmers today have to know how to do everything!” The result is a store with a warm, friendly ambiance, much like shops I have seen in Paris. The artistic way the vegetables and fruit are stacked on the shelves ,

the beautifully prepared food to take out or eat on the premises, visually draws the customer in . . . like a beautiful painting.

I asked him what his favorite part of the entire store was: “The kitchen,” he laughed. “I taste everything first! Food is a fun thing to play with . . . it can be beautiful and it appeals to four senses. I love to cook!” He did admit, however, that he cooks very little now, because his wife rules the kitchen at home.

Stehly’s other market at 1231 Morena Blvd, San Diego, has the same excellent organic produce and products, but you have visit Kensington to enjoy their restaurant.

Since graduating from culinary school, Stehly’s Executive Chef, Craig Madden, has worked at four restaurants in Kensington and as a sous chef at a fine dining restaurant in Rancho Bernardo. This is where Jerome discovered him, and brought him back to Kensington, much to everyone’s delight. “We have a ‘from scratch’ kitchen, everything is prepared by hand,” Craig informed me, and also added that the food selections are his personal creations.

Chef Madden is planning to have demonstrations and cooking classes. The first demon-

Executive Chef Craig Madden

Entrees, Sandwiches, Salads

BY HEATHER R. FRIEDMAN

Fresh Organic Produce

stration will be with their family-made Meyer Lemon Preserves and a class for pickling cucumbers at home. More recipes? Ask the chef. He will be delighted to talk with you.

Inside Stehly Farm’s organic, gourmet market, you will find not only fresh foods but also aisles of canned, boxed, frozen, and packaged items. They have everything and anything that you could want, from specialty chocolate bars to bulk seeds and grains, from pasta and cheeses to beverages and breads. It is all here.

Stehly Farms has been very planet conscious for some time, not only on the farm but also energy efficient in the store. I asked Jerome about the changes in the history of Stehly Farms.

“Originally we were egg farmers, but 30 years ago we got out of the chicken business and 15 years ago we became organic; clean products — no nitrates, no preservatives and hormone free meats. We also diversified our products on the farm to need less water. Water is our biggest problem.”

Whatever products Stehly Farms doesn’t grow, such as apples, they buy from other local farms who farm as organically and efficiently as they do.

I wondered how they were able to keep their prices down, and Jerome told me that they only buy at good deals, passing it on to the consumer, so that their products are better priced than many other organic stores.

Jerome enjoys meeting his customers, so next time you come in, say hello.

Parking on Adams Avenue can be a challenge, but I am happy to say that there is plenty of parking in back of the market.

Stehly Farms Market 4142 Adams Ave. No. 101. (619) 280-7400 NOTE: There are three very special events held each year at the Stehly Farm in Valley Center. Strawberry Picking in March, Blackberry Picking in June, and Pumpkin Patch Day in October.

Each event is family friendly with a playground, petting corral, tractor driven tours of the farm, and good food.

If your school or organization wants your own special event at the Stehly Farm, please email: Jenn@stehlyfarmsorganics.com.

Fresh Organic Produce

Brothers Jerome, left, and Noel Stehly.

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| APRIL 2016 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

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