North Park News February 2017

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Vol. 26 No. 2 February 2017

LocalUmbrella.com

WHAT NOW FOR LEGALIZED POT?

WHAT’S INSIDE…

Girl Scout Cookie Sales It’s that time of year again — Girl Scout cookies for sale! This year the big new product is S’mores, crunchy graham sandwiches layered with creamy marshmallowy goodness and chocolate filling. All proceeds from the sales stay here in San Diego.

A lot of questions, but few answers

PG. 6

Master Jugglers Lauren Passero and her business partner Kate Grimes juggle three thriving restaurants, maintaining a steady flow of diners, which keeps business bustling. Passero credits her success to beginning with a knowledge of how the industry works.

PG. 21

When California voters voted to legalize the adult recreational use of cannabis last November, it sparked a lot of debate on how the new law was going to be applied. Months later, the debate continues. But a panel discussion moderated by Voice of San Diego in December gave voice to many of the people that will be affected.

Read writer Andrew Dyer’s report on the meeting on PAGE 10

Top Priorities for District 3 Newly elected City Councilman Chris Ward makes his debut in the newspaper with a monthly column devoted to District 3 news. Topics this month: Public safety, local business, repairing infrastructure.

PG. 21

CONTACT US ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Representatives of the agriculture and cannabis industries take part in a panel discussion put on by the C3 civic organization. Proposition 64, the cannabis measure, will take full effect in January 2018. (Photo by Andrew Dyer)

Kat Haney Kat@LocalUmbrella.com (619) 363-2042 EDITORIAL / LETTERS

Editor@LocalUmbrella.com

* OFFER EXPIRES MAR. 31ST

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| FEBRUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017 |

FROM DEXTER’S

CORNER

Just adopted a dog, now what? !

SOLD

It is an exciting journey in selecting a dog to adopt. As part of the process you are focused on picking out a leash and a collar to match, then finding a bed to give your dog that fresh start in their new home. What do you do once you bring them home? We reached out to Britta Wilson, an experienced animal trainer and specialist in animal behavior to ask her to share some tips on acclimating your dog to your home.

Britta’s approach was refreshingly different.

“Main thing I tell people is they should think ‘stay-cation’.

Especially when you adopt a rescue dog. I say this, as they have had an uncertain past, probably they have stayed in one or more shelters, and have moved around a lot, so it is as overwhelming for them as it is you. I suggest the following tips to make the ‘stay-cation’ fun for you and your dog.”

E E

E E E

◊ Keep it easy, simple, relaxed and calm. No dog parks, no dog beach, no farmer’s market, they don’t need to go everywhere with you in the first few weeks. Your dog needs to adjust to your home environment, know that this is their last move and settle in to know this is their new home and get comfortable with your family members.

4708 Gabriel Way, Mount Helix, La Mesa 5 BR/ 3.5 BA $1,100,000

830 21st Street, Golden Hill Beautifully remodeled 3 BR/2 BA Craftsman Sold above list price for $767,500 !

SOLD

!

SOLD

◊ Don’t think about training as much at first, but observing and getting to know your dog. It is important having the dog get to know you, and feel safe. I teach a class on Puppy Start Right class, where I focus on positive solutions to everyday dog behavior, and this practice applies to older dogs too.

We find many people come into our store to pick out toys in advance of getting their dog home. Britta, what are some of your go-to ideas that are good starter toys for most dogs? ◊ I am a big fan of mental stimulation – providing food puzzles where they have to work for the food and engage their mind. ◊ Kong Toys are also good for when you need to leave the dog at home and give them something to chew on (and hopefully not your shoes). Kong toys are great at keeping them busy looking for the treat. I always like to point out to get the right sized toy for your dog. If your dog’s mouth has to over extend their jaw to chew the toy, then it is too big; similarly make sure that is it not too small that they may choke on it.

3 Beautifully renovated units South Park, San Diego 92102 Sold at $1,160,000

3659 Florida Street, North Park, San Diego 92104 Detached Home All new construction 2 BR/ 2 BA Sold above list price at $570,000 !

SOLD

!

SOLD

◊ I also like Slo-Feeder Bowls for either feeding time, or to give treats in, as they really are a fun way to keep the dog’s mind working.

If you have further questions about training, check out training events happening at each of the Dexter’s Deli stores.

Dexter’s Deli has been leading in the health movement of natural, wholesome foods and holistic approach for the caring of your pet for the last 20 years. Dexter’s Deli is a community pet store with locations in North Park, Del Mar and Carlsbad. www.dextersdeli.com

Our February Fundraising Focus is for Frosted Faces Foundation and we wanted to feature an adorable adoptable pair.

Hansel & Gretel.

For more information about these two or others available to adopt visit: frostedfacesfoundation.org friends@frostedfacesfoundation.org

2 unit property overlooking Balboa Park 1339-1345 28th St, San Diego 92102 Sold at $772,000

4570 54th Street Unit 114 El Cerrito, San Diego 92115 2 BR/ 2 BA Sold at $298,000

Sally Schoeffel

Elizabeth Callaway

CalBRE #00523223 619.884.0701 Direct

CalBRE #00984247 619.820.0151 Direct

Sally and Elizabeth work with Buyers and Sellers throughout the County....Interest rates are at historic lows, inventory is tight. NOW is a great time to consider selling. Please call for a complimentary market evaluation.

Decades of Experience • Neighborhood Experts • How may we assist you?

3188 C St. San Diego, California 92102619/624-2052 telephone 619/624-2055 facsimile ©MMVIII Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. A Realogy Company. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office is Independently Owned And Operated. CalBRE #01767484

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4 Pairing Childhood Candy & Adulthood Beers | FEBRUARY 2017

Living the

HOPPY

LIFE

GUMMY BEARS + “FACTORY OF DREAMS” IPA 6.8%, Eppig Brewing Company, North Park

This is a very important topic. How else are you going to ruin that summer body?

“Factory of Dreams” IPA has huge tropical and citrus notes of pineapple and mango. The Gummy Bear flavors of raspberry (red), orange (orange), strawberry (green), pineapple (clear) and lemon (yellow) perfectly compliment the tropical bitterness in the IPA. Also, the dry finish of the IPA helps cut the jellylike consistency of the Gummy Bears.

SKITTLES + “PASSION ASSASSIN” KETTLE SOUR 4.8%, Pizza Port Brewing Company, Solana Beach

ALMOND JOY + “VACATION” COCONUT IPA 7%, Resident Brewing Company, Downtown San Diego

The sweet-then-sour flavor transformation is a mantra for many popular candies, but not Skittles. Original Skittles are simply sweet and fruity. “Passion Assassin” is a passion fruit kettle sour that is moderately sour, tart and refreshing. (A kettle sour is usually “soured” during the mashing process when lactobacillus bacteria convert sugars into acids.) Follow a handful of Skittles with a sip of “Passion Assassin” and you’ll create a whole new candy-like experience. Pucker up for this great pairing.

When the sweet coconut in Almond Joy combines with the toasted coconut in “Vacation” IPA, it will take you on a magical, islandstyle journey. Then, the bold citrusy bitterness of the IPA cuts the fat of the mouth-watering milk chocolate and almonds, leaving you with a dry, clean finish.

with Beau Schmitt

SOUR PATCH KIDS + “BRAND NEW NORMAL” BERLINER WEISSE 3.2%, Mikkeller Brewing Company, Miramar

Sour Patch Kids, now with the little blue dude, provide a mouthful of juicy tartness.

Their strong flavors of lime (green), lemon (yellow), orange (orange), raspberry (red) & blue raspberry (blue) require a strong beer counterpart. Mikkeller’s Berliner Weisse pairs perfectly. Like Sour Patch Kids, “Brand New Normal” starts off soft and light on the palate and ends with a dry, sensationally tart finish.

KIT KAT BAR + “HAZARDOUS HAZELNUT” PORTER 6.9%, Rip Current Brewing Company, San Marcos & North Park

Biting into Kit Kat’s sweet chocolate covered wafers only gets better when it’s followed a sip of “Hazardous Hazelnut.” This bready and chocolatey porter has a medium body with a sweet finish. It’s the beer version of Nutella.

Also, it’s produced by Rip Current Brewing Company, who recently won “Very Small Brewing Company & Brewer of the Year” at the Great American Beer Festival (one of the largest beer competitions in the world).

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUP + “ZUMBAR” IMPERIAL STOUT

9.3%, New English Brewing Company, Sorrento Valley

Yes, I know Karl Strauss has a Peanut Butter Cup Porter and Mother Earth has a Peanut Butter Stout (which we actually have on tap right now). While those pairings are great, this pairing is insane. “Zumbar” is an Imperial Chocolate & Coffee Stout that’s brewed with a rich blend of Indonesian & Latin American coffee beans and over 2lbs of 72% Belgian Dark Chocolate per barrel. Drink it with a Peanut Butter Cup and mail me a Thank You card.

CANDY CORN + “GARBAGE CAN” PAIL ALE Under the Kitchen Sink, Your Place

Under the Kitchen Sink, Your Place Candy Corn is gross. It doesn’t pair with anything. Please throw it all away in your garbage pail.

Cheers to a great 2017, Beau Beau@TheBrewProject.com

ASK THE TRAVEL EXPERT: Has Anyone Seen My Driver?

• Is there a meal plan and if so for which meals?

• Request a detailed list of inclusive and noninclusive features?

• If options are given, what if none of those listed are of interest?

The Risks:

Price compare the difference with private driver and guide and you would find that the return on investment would net out to be an unexpected bargain. Choosing wisely, you can rest assured that the memories will be grand, as well they should be, to be rekindled and enjoyed over a lifetime.

• Will the hotel be as promised or traded off to one “similar”?

• If something goes awry 600 miles north of the main office, who do you call?

• Will their response be timely and effective?

• If not, what might the cost be to effectively unravel the nightmare?

• Spending a majority of time correcting a failed itinerary en route.

Perhaps not, and it is the risk one takes when placing the responsibility for their long-awaited dream holiday into the hands of an unknown provider, many of which are to be found online.

If done in earnest, searching for a tour operator or an agency to handle the all-important services required upon arrival to a foreign destination can be an arduous task. Given the wealth of opportunities online, from the very large, well-established firms to a local resident

offering guide service in a Third World environs, one has an abundance of choices, some of which are at minimal cost.

Inquire Before Committing:

• How to make contact with your guide?

• What kind of vehicle to be used for transport?

• Is it a private transfer or shared with others?

• Name of the accommodation and is the reservation assured?

With certainty, if you have the option of traveling with a private driver and guide, arranged by a reputable ground operator, do so! You shall then have utmost control over each day’s activities. Reach a site and stay for however long you prefer, return early from tour to enjoy the amenities at your hotel or continue on and explore more of the sights within the itinerary. Choose to visit many shops or not at all. One need not accommodate for the night in a 5-star luxury hotel, albeit worth considering, however, neither should one spend their day awaiting the arrival of a guide and transport or the constant delay due to a habitually tardy traveler.

Robert Kenyon, a Marine Corps veteran who first visited Southeast Asia in 1963, thereafter returned to San Diego to serve 7 years as a Deputy District Attorney. His passion for travel overcame his love of the law, which led to the start of First Cabin Travel in 1989, offering luxury-styled travel to destinations worldwide. For special offers on custom tours for San Diego residents contact Robert at www.firstcabin.com / CA Reg: 2016168-40

FEBRUARY 2017 |

WINNIE’S

PICKS!

MONSIGNOR RENARD – John Thaw. This

NUN’S STORY - Audrey Hepburn. This

is a drama of the WWII German Occupation of France. The good priest must summon every ounce of courage, strength and faith he possesses to carry everyone through the storm of evil that lies ahead. 232 running time.

story is an unforgettable revelation of the seldom seen world within the convent. One of our great old movies that is worth seeing.

women and how they deal with war conditions.

A story about a group of women in a rural English community where the shadow of World War II is casting a dark cloud over their lives. 6 hours on 2 discs.

Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, John Lithgow. ACTION PACKED! I enjoyed Affleck’s performance. Ben plays the part of the accountant, who loves working with numbers rather than being with people. This story is about finding out things that are going on. Someone is going to have to come up with answers. A lot is going on!

THE CALL - Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin. There

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS - Meryl

are 188 million calls a year. This one made it personal. Very tense and scary. Halle Berry does a great job of acting. Don’t miss it!

Streep, Hugh Grant. Be sure and see Meryl Streep in this true story about a New York socialite who thinks she can sing. Be sure and enjoy the piano player as much as I did.

HOME FIRES - A very good drama about

THE ACCOUNTANT -

DEEPWATER HORIZON - Mark Wahlberg,

Kurt Russell and Kate Hudson. This powerful, suspenseful film is inspired by real life heroes.

It is a story about one of the greatest man-made disasters in U.S. history. A lot of brave men put their lives in danger to save someone they worked with.

WHEN ELEPHANTS WERE YOUNG -

Told by William Shatner. A true story of a young man and his elephant living in Thailand. They share a life of struggle on the streets of Bangkok.

This story offers an inspiring message of hope for the conservation of endangered Asian elephants.

BENEDICT ARNOLD – Aidan Quinn, Kelsey

Grammer. The greatest general of the Revolution. He became its most dangerous enemy. I don’t think many people knew he was perhaps the finest commander in the Continental Army.

He will go down in history as a traitor, who turned his back on America in its hour of need.

Please see this with your children, so you really know the entire story.

If you want to buy a film or need a copy made of a wedding or event, you will want to give contact Guy, my son, at 619-584-7725 or Kensingtonvideo.com. See you next month. Winnie

5

Developing your child’s emotional intelligence

BY LISA HOWE

The researcher Brené Brown has found that the average adult can only identify three feelings. To have real emotional intelligence, however, we should be able to identify thirty feelings. Why is there such a huge gap between what we know and what we should know -- and how do we begin to bridge that gap? How do we become more comfortable talking about our feelings? I would not be surprised if reading the word “feelings” four times already makes you want to stop reading this column, but please stick with me. I promise it will not hurt.

Emotional intelligence is extremely important in determining your success in life because it is closely linked to how well you will play with others. There are many studies now that indicate that high emotional intelligence is more important than IQ and is a better predictor of professional success, satisfying personal relationships, and overall contentment. How can we help our children to develop their emotional intelligence so that they grow up to be one of the adults who can identify more than three feelings?

1. Start by acknowledging your child’s perspective and empathizing with them.

We all want to be heard and this goes for your child as well. You do not need to have a solution for their problems or even do anything for them. All you should do is be there, see things from their point of view, and provide empathy.

2. Allow the expression of feelings.

All feelings are welcome. Of course, we limit behavior but we allow and welcome feelings. This is new and often uncomfortable for many parents who grew up in homes that followed the adage, “Children are seen and not heard.” Research tells us that denying feelings gives children the message that those feelings are shameful or unacceptable. Rather than denying or ignoring our children’s feelings, we can teach them that we all have a wide range of emotions.

3. Listen to your children’s feelings.

Do you remember the last time someone sat down with you and just listened to you talk about your feelings for as long as you needed to vent, share, and get it all out?

That person gave you a gift. Give your child that same gift the next time they are overwhelmed with feelings. Listen to them talk about the things that seem like little things to you now; as they get older, they will share the big things.

4. Teach problem solving.

Emotions are important to acknowledge, experience, and talk through but we do not have to live in them. We can teach our children to work through their feelings by breathing through them and experiencing them. Sometimes feelings can be so intense that we may worry they will never go away.

We can sit with our children and reassure them that feelings ebb and flow, and once the intensity of those feelings fades, we can assist them in solving any problems that remain. Often, even at a young age, children can begin to problem solve on their own. We always want to offer them the opportunity to initiate that process as a confidence builder.

5. Play!

We often forget that children, like little ones of all species, learn through playing.

Play is also a great way to work through or process emotions. Social interactions and peer conflicts can create big feelings which children do not yet have the skills to handle. Many adults still struggle to cope with their emotions in a productive way so we must remember to maintain realistic expectations of our children. We can roleplay using stuffed animals or act out challenging situations, giving our children the words to use and an opportunity to practice how to handle these relationships.

Imagine a world in which we were all raised this way -- with respect for our feelings, encouragement to talk about them, support in solving problems, and a playful response to what’s left over. What a gift we can give our children, ourselves and our families. When we help our children develop these invaluable skills, we are giving them tools for life.

Check out Lisa's upcoming events at, becomingpeaceful.com/event_ calendar BecomingPeaceful.com.

Email, Lisa@BecomingPeaceful.com Phone, 619-665-0637

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| FEBRUARY 2017

Girl Scouts Celebrate a Century in Cookie Dough S’mores are in the mix for the milestone annual cookie sale Girl Scouts across the nation are celebrating 100 years of selling cookies!

Local members will mark the landmark birthday during the cookie season, which starte on Sunday, Jan. 29.

In honor of the centennial, they’ll offer a brand new variety: Girl Scouts S’mores cookies. Inspired by the time-honored Girl Scout campfire treat, these crunchy graham sandwiches are layered with creamy marshmallowy goodness and chocolate filling. In keeping with the camp theme, each S'more cookie is imprinted with the image of a Girl Scout Outdoor badge.

Returning to the cookie lineup are perennial favorites Thin Mints, Samoas, Do-si-dos, Trefoils, Tagalongs and Savannah Smiles, priced at $5 per box. The S’mores as well as gluten-free Toffee-tastics will be $6 each, due to much higher production costs.

All proceeds from the 2017 Girl Scout Cookie Program stay in San Diego to fund troop activities, events, camps, volunteer training and financial aid for more than 35,000 girl and adult members.

An icon of American culture, Girl Scout Cookies were born 100 years ago in a family home kitchen. That December in 1917, an Oklahoma troop baked and sold cookies to cover costs for a service project. Girl Scouts throughout the country soon began making and selling their own sugar cookies. Production by commercial bakers started in 1936. Since

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and his wife, Katherine Stuart Faulconer, visited Girl Scouts San Diego’s Balboa Park campus to help launch the 2017 Girl Scout Cookie season. Juliet Law of South Park presented the mayor with a box of Thin Mints (his favorite) as Kensington resident Kiley Snook (in beanie) and other Girl Scouts looked on. Katherine Faulconer received a box of Trefoils, which she said brought back fond memories of selling cookies as a Girl Scout. Juliet and Kiley are members of Troop 4035, which will donate a portion of its cookie earnings to an animal shelter. The girls are also planning a trip to San Francisco.

then, generations of girls have built the cookie program into a beloved tradition … and Girl Scouting’s most important revenue source.

Today, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is the world’s largest girl-led business. When a girl participates, she is exposed to unique experiences and learns essential life lessons. Her confidence soars, and the leader in her begins to step up in powerful

ways.

She learns about goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Many successful women say they developed these aptitudes while selling cookies.

Through Operation Thin Mint, a local service project that started in 2002, customers can donate cookies to deployed U.S. military troops and

local veterans. Since the program’s inception, San Diegans have sent more than 2.7 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies, accompanied by countless notes of support, to troops far from home and veterans who served our country.

Girl Scouts may supplement their door-to-door and booth sales by marketing online to friends and family members (with parent permis-

sion) through Digital Cookie, which returns for a third year.

All girls in grades K-12 and adult volunteers are welcome to join Girl Scouts at any time during the year.

For information visit www.sdgirlscouts.org/membership, or contact Membership Recruitment Specialist Sarah Parish at sparish@sdgirlscouts.org or (619) 610-0702.

Got Milk? Who Cares? Girl Scout cookies + craft beer = Cookies on Tap Mike Hess Brewing, Stone Brewing and AleSmith Brewing Company will partner with Girl Scouts San Diego in February for the third annual Cookies on Tap event for adults.

Held during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend (Friday-Sunday, February 24-26), Cookies on Tap will pair craft beer with America’s favorite cookies. Flights will be priced at $15 for five Girl Scout Cookies and five beers.

During 2017, Girl Scouts across the country will celebrate 100 years of selling their iconic cookies. In addition, local members, alumnae and friends of Girl Scouts San Diego will observe a century of Girl Scouting in our city.

The participating brewers will donate a portion of the Cookies on Tap proceeds to Girl Scouts San Diego for programs, financial assistance, and Operation Thin Mints, a local Girl Scout program that sends “a taste of home and a note to show we care” to deployed military troops.

Since Operation Thin Mints originated here in 2002, generous San Diegans have donated more than 2.7 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies

to U.S. service members around the world. Cookies on Tap customers will have an opportunity to write notes of support to accompany the cookies overseas.

For its first-time participation in Cookies on Tap, AleSmith Brewing Company will pair lemon Savannah Smiles with X (an extra-pale ale), shortbread Trefoils with Lil’ Devil (Belgian-style pale ale), peanut butter and chocolate Tagalongs with Nut Brown (English-style brown ale), Thin Mints with English-style Robust Porter, and chocolate and coconut Samoas with Speedway Stout (Russian imperial stout with coffee). The tasting room is at 9990 AleSmith Court (formerly Empire Street) in Miramar.

Stone Brewing’s pairs include Savannah Smiles with Stone Go To IPA, Thin Mints with Stone Coffee Milk Stout, Trefoils with Stone Ripper, Samoas with Stone Pataskala Red X Double IPA, and Tagalongs with Stone Give Me Stout or Give Me Death. Stone Brewing locations participating Friday through Sunday are 1202 Kettner Blvd. in Downtown San Diego and 310 N. Tremont St. in

Oceanside. On Saturday, Feb. 25 only, the Stone Brewing World Bistros & Gardens at Liberty Station (2816 Historic Decatur) and Escondido (1999 Citracado Parkway) and the Stone Brewing Tap Room at Petco Park (795 J Street) will also participate in Cookies on Tap. Mike Hess Brewing will participate in Cookies on Tap for the third year.

Chief Brewing Officer Mike Hess — a retired naval officer — calls Cookies on Tap “a great opportunity to support a great cause.”

Hess will match the brand new, marshmallowy chocolate and graham Girl Scout S’mores cookie with Coffee Grazias Cream Ale. Other Hess cookie/beer combos include Trefoils with 8 West Orange Honey Wheat, Savannah Smiles with Session IPA, Thin Mints with Deceptio Black IPA and Samoas with Umbrix Rye Imperial Stout. Mike Hess Brewing is located at 3812 Grim Ave. in North Park, 7955 Silverton Ave. in Miramar, and 4893 Voltaire in Ocean Beach.

“Cookies on Tap is an experience adults won’t want to miss!” says Girl Scouts San Diego CEO Carol M. Dedrich. “Event proceeds will help us

Girl Scouts’ Cookies on Tap is set for Friday-Sunday, Feb. 24-26. The multi-venue event takes place at Mike Hess Brewing’s North Park Tasting Room (pictured) and other breweries.

provide exciting and relevant programs for nearly 23,000 local girls and treat our military troops far from home.”

Girl Scout Cookies went on sale locally on Jan. 29. All Girl Scout Cookie Program proceeds stay in San Diego to fund troop activities and service projects, events, camps, volunteer training and financial aid for more than 35,000 girl and adult

members.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the world. Future leaders learn key business skills while raising money to support troop activities and other Girl Scouting adventures! To learn more about Girl Scouting, or use the Cookie Finder app to locate the booth nearest you, visit sdgirlscouts.org.

FEBRUARY 2017 |

7

REAL ESTATE REPORT Eight-Unit Kensington Apartments Sold for $2.2 Million

The architect for the project is The McKinley Associates.

An eight-unit apartment project at 4352 Marlborough Ave. in Kensington has been sold for $2.2 million to the Newkirk Family Trust of San Diego. Vaerus Marlborough LLC was the seller.

The two-story, 5,272-square-foot property was constructed in 1970 and recently underwent significant interior and exterior renovations.

“This urban property’s recent upgrades and prime location in Kensington make it highly attractive to tenants, which creates a well-positioned investment for the new ownership,” said Peter Scepanovic, senior vice president and leader of the Multi-Family Advisory Group at Colliers International San Diego Region, which represented the buyer.

Trion Properties Rebrands CollegeArea Apartments

Construction Begins on Urban Townhomes in Bankers Hill

Construction is now underway at XPO, a collection of 21 urban townhomes at the edge of Balboa Park in Bankers Hill.

The name XPO is a nod to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition held at Balboa Park, the reason for the park’s recent centennial celebration. Located at Sixth and Hawthorn Street, the project created by CityMark Development is expected to open this summer.

“These homes will reflect Balboa Park’s spirit of innovation, community and modern thinking,” said Russ Haley, vice president of CityMark Development. “Residents will have the park’s many walking paths and natural features as their backyard and residents’ private view decks will provide an elevated view of the park’s majesty.”

The two-bedroom, two-and-one-half bath townhomes will live on two or three levels, offering 1,215 to 1,740 square feet of living space. There will be three floor plans to choose among, some offering an additional loft space.

Residents will have private garage parking with direct residence access. Pricing is expected to start from the $700,000s.

An urban color palette of neutrals and dark gray with stone accents will allow the contemporary architecture to blend gracefully into the existing streetscape. Interiors will be open and characterized by thoughtful and innovative architecture.

Trion Properties, a private equity real estate firm, has repositioned and rebranded Willow Glen, a 98-unit apartment community in the College Area San Diego, nearly doubling the value of the property within 18 months, accordingly to Max Sharkansky, Managing Partner of Trion Properties.

The property at 3635 College Ave. was purchased in June 2015. “San Diego remains one of the most desirable markets for multifamily investments,” says Sharkansky. “The limited supply of multifamily product, coupled with the growing demand for quality housing near major schools and employers, is placing upward pressure on rents throughout the region. Our niche strategy of targeting and repositioning highly distressed assets in strong, central locations enabled us to recognize this opportunity and implement a comprehensive renovation plan that would maximize the property’s potential in record time.”

“Willow Glen’s close proximity to San Diego State University has particularly attracted strong resident demand from students in the area,” said Sharkansky. “Our strategy was to leverage this demand and bring the asset up to market by converting it into a modern, high-quality community that would appeal to millennial renters in this submarket.”

Trion Properties invested approximately $2.6 million in renovations, including the installation of quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and new cabinetry in each of the units.

Exterior upgrades included a complete revamping of the façade with new paint, as well as the integration of drought-tolerant landscaping to minimize operating costs and improve the sustainability of the property.

“When we acquired this property in 2015, the asset was valued at $9.6 million. Today, it is appraised at approximately $19.4 million, nearly double its initial value,” said Sharkansky.

Continental Partners, a Los Angeles-based mortgage banking firm, secured a $12.85 million loan from Banc of California on behalf of Trion Properties to refinance the asset. The five year-loan was structured with a loan-tovalue of 67 percent with an amortization of 30 years.

Film Week Comes to San Diego San Diego has long enjoyed the presence of a multitude of film festivals, each catering to a wide variety of interests such as foreign affairs, horror, sexual orientation, animation and even undersea exploration.

For many, the pinnacle of San Diego’s year-round film scene is the annual San Diego Film Awards, an event organized by the Film Consortium San Diego, where local filmmakers are honored for their achievements and contributions to local cinema.

The Film Consortium has recently announced the first-ever San Diego Film Week, a joint venture between

BY JORDAN JACOBO

a number of local film festivals, showcasing some of the best films from around San Diego. The event, described as “a full week celebrating film in America’s Finest City,” will take place from Feb. 10-19 at both the Media Arts Center San Diego, as well as the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

“We couldn’t be happier to honor our seven festival partners,” said Jodi Cilley, president of the Film Consortium. “The San Diego International Film Festival, Latino Film Festival, Asian Film Festival, GI Film Festival San Diego, 48 hour Film Project San Diego, Horrible Imag-

Apartments at 4352 Marlborough Ave.

College Area apartments

Apartment interior

inings Film Festival and NewFilmmakers LA will be participating with their own curated evenings.”

The week-long event will kick off with an “Old Hollywood”-themed red carpet gala on the evening of Feb. 10 at the Lafayette Hotel, which was once a popular destination for such Hollywood notables as Bob Hope and Ava Gardner. Guests are invited to “look the part” while mingling with other film and television professionals from around San Diego.

The event will also feature a series of workshops covering such topics as funding, distribution, editing, writing and SAG procedures, as well as a very special workshop hosted

by Brandy Shimabukuro, the city of San Diego’s filming program man-

San Diego Film Awards Red Carpet

ager, who will be discussing tips and resources, as well as the city’s new electronic permitting process.

“We have a unique relationship with filmmakers, film festivals, and venues here in San Diego,” says Cilley. “The Film Consortium is all about bringing filmmakers together,

and a week-long celebration of film is just what this city needs to kickoff a great year of filmmaking here in San Diego.”

For more information about the films, filmmakers, sponsors, schedule of events, festival ticket prices or venues visit: sdfilmweek.com/2017/

8

| FEBRUARY 2017

ART EXHIBITIONS Ladybug Art Center ‘Love is in the Air’ Ladybug Art Center in Kensington presents “Love is in the Air,” an exhibition offering a variety of views on the mystical emotion of love.

The exhibit lasts through Feb. 28.

From the exquisite creations of glass artist Ann Carson and polymer clay artist Beth McClellan, to the exceptional gourds grown, harvested, painted and carved by Randy Storm, there will be something to appeal to all tastes.

Mae Crauder Davis will explain her extremely unique layered art style, while Julie Ann Ricksecker will demonstrate monoprinting.

Carver Deanne Tiffany and watercolorist Katy Reeve Weesner will be on hand to discuss their work.

Gallery owner, Susan Mae Hull show her specialty, calligraphy, and show how it is enhanced with her delicate watercolors. She will give away free sample bookmarks.

Ladybug Art Center in Kensington is located at the corner of Adams Avenue and Biona Drive, just east of the Kensington sign. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For further information, call (619) 563-0082.

The Studio Door

‘Coast Walk’ by Julianne Ricksecker

Love quote by Susan Mae Hull

Gourds by Randy Storm

‘Honeysuckle’ by Katy Reeve Weesner

‘The Crow Show’ The third annual visual arts exhibition celebrating our feathered neighbors returns by popular demand to The Studio Door, 3750 30th St. in North Park.

“The Crow Show’ exhibit runs through Feb. 26 “The Crow Show marks one of our most popular exhibits,” said Patric Stillman, director of The Studio Door.

“Besides being great fun to see, the exhibit allows local artists to hang side by side with national artists. The Crow Show offers something for both the artist and the patron.”

The visual arts exhibition will showcase diverse artworks from around the country as well as from greater San Diego.

The exhibition is being juried by Kathy Kelsey Foley, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum director. The Woodson Art Museum in well known for its Birds in Art international juried exhibition that has been taking place annually since 1976.

In addition to this exhibition, The Studio Door offers ongoing creative classes, professional development for artists and works by the studio artists working in the North Park facility.

‘The Observer,’ acrylic. Therese Misner, Crabtree, Ore.

‘Crow Study,’ oil. Kevin Fahey, Athens, Pa.

‘I’m not who you think I am,’ mixed media. Carol Seibold, Westlake Village.

FEBRUARY 2017 |

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By Bart Mendoza February 23 Enslaved by Robots to Perform

Captured by Robots

It’s safe to say no other “band” sounds like Captured by Robots. Performing at the Soda Bar on Feb. 23, the 10-piece band includes only one human, with nine robots as his backing group. The story goes that the robots have enslaved him to perform this music, complete with costumes and functional, talking and rocking robots. This is a unique night out that’s as much performance art as concert. There is original music in the show as well as comedy, but the most fun to be had is hearing robot covers of evergreens such as “Don’t Stop Believin’ and “Mississippi Queen.” www.sodabar.com

Skelpin

March 5 A Rare Skelpin Concert

February 24 A Healthy Mix of Alternative Sounds

Steve Schick

While it can sometimes seem that that the local music scene is mostly rock and cover bands, for those willing to dig just a little under the surface, there are numerous shows where a healthy mix of alternative sounds can be heard. One such event is The Fresh Sound Music Series that kicks off its 20th anniversary season at Bread & Salt on Feb. 24. The series runs through May, with a motto of, “We avoid the mainstream.”

Instead, organizers champion performers of experimental, electronic, contemporary classical and improvised music. In a nod to the 20th anniversary this show will feature percussionists Steve Schick and Vanessa Tomlinson, who performed at the very first Fresh Sound event in 1997. www.freshsoundmusic.com

Just ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, Celtic quintet Skelpin celebrates their 16th anniversary with a show on March 5 at Tio Leo’s. The lineup has seen many changes over the years, but it’s the current all-star combo of founder and fiddler Patric Petrie, pipes player Tim Foley, guitarist Jimmy Patton, percussionist Enrique Platas and bassist Wesley Forsberg, which came together in 2010 that made the band worldwide favorites. With all members focused on solo careers these days, a Skelpin concert is becoming a rare event, not to be missed by their fans or anyone who enjoys Celtic music. It will be clear from the first note that these five musicians love playing together, filling each show with manic energy and fun. www.tioleos.com

March 3 Tight Harmonies, Simple Guitar and Banjo

Dear Lemon Trees

If you enjoy the sounds of Americana, you won’t want to miss Dear Lemon Trees at Lestat’s on March 3. The Los Angeles trio, which includes songwriters Kathleen Grace, Jamie Drake and Leslie Stevens, specialize in tight harmonies, backed by simple guitar and banjo.

They certainly have good original material and solid covers such as Tom Waits “Briar and the Rose” in their repertoire, but it’s their singing that will thrill listeners. The simplicity of the backing focuses the ear on the vocals and they are wonderful. These three singers are perfectly matched, they could sing the phone book and still score major applause. www.lestats.coffee/#music-venue-section

UFO

Lori Bell

March 4

March 14

A New Crop of Jazz Performers

UFO Still in Top Form After All These Decades

It’s been said that jazz is in decline these days, but that’s certainly not the case in San Diego, where there is a great new crop of upand-comers as well as excellent new music from veterans of the music community. One such artist currently gaining much deserved worldwide acclaim is flautist Lori Bell who performs at Dizzy’s on March 4. The buzz is over her latest album, “Brooklyn Dreaming,” which is nominated for a “Best Jazz” San Diego Music Award this year, after already scoring four stars in such prestigious publications as Downbeat Magazine and The Los Angeles Times. For this performance, Bell will be joined by guitarist pianist/guitarist Ron Satterfield and drummer Duncan Moore. Those who enjoys jazz, ’70’s era soundtracks or instrumental music will love every second of this concert. www.dizzysjazz.com

Legendary ’70’s rock band UFO comes to the House of Blues on March 14. It’s a great double bill that also features the band Saxon, but the loudest cheers will be for UFO. The band started out in England, circa 1969, playing loud rock ‘n’ roll, complete with soaring lead guitar. But where UFO differed with so many of their contemporaries, is that they had great songs. Tunes like “Only You Can Rock Me,” “Doctor Doctor” and “Too Hot To Handle” manage to combine youthful energy, great riffs and hooks galore, for music that is both timeless and adrenaline inducing. The band still includes original members, singer Phil Mogg, drummer Andy Parker and keyboardist Paul Raymond, with recent performances showing the band to still be in top form after all these decades. www.houseofblues.com/sandiego/concert-events

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COVER STORY

| FEBRUARY 2017

The Future of Pot in San Diego Voters made it legal — Now What?

BY ANDREW DYER

Adams Ave News Bay Park Connection College Area Connection Hillcrest News IB Connection Ken-Tal News Mission Hills News North Park News Serra Mesa Connection South Park News Local Umbrella Media - your neighborhood source -

Group Publisher Brad Weber Brad@LocalUmbrella.com Associate Publisher Kat Haney Kat@LocalUmbrella.com Editor Manny Cruz Manny@sandiegometro.com Art Director Chris Baker cbaker@sandiegometro.com Writers/Columnists Bart Mendoza Delle Willett Jen Coburn Sara Wacker Nina Ruud Beau Schmidt Leo Christopher Shelby, Shelby's Gardens Lisa Howe Photography Manny Cruz Sande Lollis Jim Childers Media Consultant Tom Shess Marketing/Advertising Brad Weber Brad@LocalUmbrella.com Kat Haney Kat@LocalUmbrella.com Sales Associate Tina Canavan Tina@LocalUmbrella.com Social Media & Web Design Tina Canavan Tina@LocalUmbrella.com Chairman/CEO Bob Page BobPage@sandiegometro.com Associate Publisher Rebecca Page RebeccaPage@sandiegometro.com Letters/Opinion Pieces Local Umbrella Media 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.

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For breaking news, please call us at (619) 2871865. For all other news items, please email manny@sandiegometro.com. PO Box 3679, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 (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, 2016, by REP Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

‘Breakfast Dialogue’ panel discussion sponsored by C-3. (Photo by Andrew Dyer)

The bureaucratic waters through which San Diego marijuana retailers, cultivators and manufacturers must navigate were further complicated in November when voters passed Prop 64 and legalized the adult recreational use of cannabis throughout California.

On Dec. 8, representatives of the agriculture and cannabis industries held a panel discussion, moderated

by Voice of San Diego CEO and Editor-in-Chief Scott Lewis, on the impact of Prop 64 and what its implementation in San Diego will look like. The panel was part of a

series of monthly “Breakfast Dialogues” put on by C-3, a civic organization focused on development, urban design and planning.

The city of San Diego, which passed a medical marijuana ordinance in 2014, has yet to adopt rules for recreational marijuana. The 2014 ordinance authorized a handful of dispensaries in the city but industry representatives differ on whether these rules should also govern recreational marijuana. Prop. 64 will be in full effect in January 2018, and cities must explicitly authorize adult-use recreational marijuana

before a dispensary can open in their jurisdiction.

Panelist Phil Wrath, the executive director of United Medical Marijuana Coalition, represents 10 of the 15 traditional-use medical marijuana-licensed entities in San Diego.

Members of his organization want the current medical licensing system to govern recreational marijuana as well.

“The simplest solution — the shortest distance between where we are and where we should be about a year from now — is to allow the existing rules to not be medicinal anymore but (also) for recreational,” he said.

Wrath might get his way. On Thursday, Dec. 15, the San Diego Planning Commission recommended the City Council adopt an ordinance establishing rules for recreational marijuana just like those currently in effect for the medicinal product.

Cynara Velazquez, the political director of the Association of Cannabis Professionals, said the current zoning restrictions in San Diego were too strict.

“There’s very few areas in San Diego correctly zoned for this,” she said. “Unlike breweries, which can exist anywhere. I think it is an unfair disparity.”

Velazquez was also critical of the current Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process for medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego, which she said was “tight.”

“There are very strict limits on how many (dispensaries) are allowed per district,” she said. “We are open to lifting that cap of four per district. It’s allowed a very small number to exist.”

That “very small number” of legal medicinal marijuana dispensaries have the inside-track on providing recreational pot as well. Another area of the business they would like to control, said Wrath, is the delivery industry. Licensed or not, delivery comprises most of the operational dispensaries in the county.

“What we think would make sense is to allow deliveries that would be connected to existing CUPs,” Wrath said. “Our members paid, on average, about $1 million to get a CUP. Cost structure as a legal operator is off the charts.”

Wrath said current unlicensed delivery services were app-enabled drug dealing.

“Drug dealers with a trunk full of stuff that throw themselves on an app are not a legal dispensary,” he said.

Velazquez, who said her organization represented all parts of the

COVER STORY

FEBRUARY 2017 |

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Panelists Eric Larson, the executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau (left), and Phil Wrath, the executive director of United Medical Marijuana Coalition. (Photo by Andrew Dyer)

Susan Riggs, consultant with the California Growers Association (left), and Cynara Velazquez, political director of the Association of Cannabis Professionals, appear in panel talk. (Photo by Andrew Dyer)

supply chain, including CUP-holding dispensaries, disagreed with Wrath’s assessment of delivery services. “The law as it is today is that they are permitted,� she said.

Delivery regulation was also covered under changes recommended to the City Council.

Here, again, current CUP dispensaries have the inside track as the planning commission recommended the council clarify the ordinance to limit deliveries to those businesses operating with a CUP. In addition to its CUP amendments, the planning commission also proposed banning the cultivation of cannabis in the city.

Panelist Susan Riggs, a consultant with the California Growers Association, and Eric Larson, the executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, discussed the future of agriculture in regards to recreational cannabis.

In 2015, the California Legislature passed longawaited regulations on medical marijuana.

With Prop 64, the state is also faced with the question of adopting those existing regulations for recreational marijuana as well. “Some states require the two to be separate,�

Riggs said.� Some are doing it in a coordinated fashion. That’s added (a lot) of work to state agencies.�

Larson said there was much interest in the county’s farming industry. “It’s kind of a wait and see right now,� he said.

Larson also said those farmers were looking at cannabis as an opportunity to augment their incomes, and that greenhouse operators were especially interested in growing marijuana. They were concerned, however, with the current cash-only system the industry functions under, security and odor.

The problem of marijuana still being classified as a schedule 1 drug by the federal government was also of concern. “Farmers have a lot of federal connections,� he said. “They’re worried that if they invite cannabis production it could bring new federal scrutiny.�

Despite the proliferation of medical and recreational marijuana reforms across several states, the incoming Donald Trump administration has left many wondering what the future of legal cannabis is. President Trump, who has said marijuana policy should be a state issue, has named Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-

Velazquez, is zoning. “Not a single place is correctly zoned and (that) will need to change to see that in North Park again,� she said, adding that communities like Hillcrest and Ocean Beach might also be open to marijuana but, again, do not have correct zoning. “I would talk to your City Council member,� she said.

The panel discussion illuminated many of the complications that came along with Prop

Alabama) as his pick for attorney general. Sessions is an anti-marijuana hardliner. “We need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized, it ought not to be minimized, that it’s in fact a very real danger,�

Sessions said last April. “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.�

Larson said farm labor was another issue with large-scale cultivation. He said 60-70 percent of farm workers are employed with fraudulent documents. “The United States has failed to deal with immigration reform,� he said. “If farmers want to go into commercial production of cannabis, they’re going to need a force of workers.�

During an audience Q and A session, people asked the panel about different applications of Prop 64, including if the initiative process was one way citizens could go around local politicians hesitant to authorize recreational pot shops. “There are a few very vocal, very moralistic opponents to marijuana,� Velazquez said. “They don’t represent the majority but they are very loud. They come to a lot of city council meetings and they speak. Policy makers are afraid to go against the ‘moral minority’ in the community.�

Velazquez said elected officials might prefer the initiative process because although they support the cannabis industry due to the tax revenue, they do not want to face the potential electoral repercussions of that support.

San Diego voters approved Measure N this November which establishes a tax on non-medical cannabis. All that is left is regulatory guidance.

Velazquez said it would take some work before legal dispensary storefronts could return to North Park.

Many San Diego dispensaries were shut down in a series of 2012 raids. “I think they really fit in with the community,� she said. “Unfortunately the licensing wasn’t available at the time.�

The problem now, said

64, but the underlying them was uncertainty.

Although attitudes about marijuana have changed, there are significant hurdles and complications to the realization of a fully normalized marijuana industry. And as long as there is a disconnect between federal and state law, the future of recreational and even medicinal marijuana remains hazy at best — in the city, the state and the nation.

We are now in North Park!

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| FEBRUARY 2017

Valentine’s Day North Park

BY MARIA WILES

Ditch the chocolates and red roses… it’s time to give your Valentine a reason to be starryeyed this year! With Feb. 14 right around the corner, all of Cupid’s arrows are pointing to North Park for the perfect Valentine’s Day celebrations. Here are three ideas for the holiday that are sure to score you some brownie points (or another date!).

Love unique hops almost as much as your significant other? Head to North Park’s Bottlecraft for a Valentine’s Day Beer Bash on Feb. 13, from 6 -7 p.m. Enjoy samples of romantic beers paired with one-of-a-kind cheeses…a match made in heaven! Whether you’ve been dating for six years or six months, this fun and casual tasting event is sure to turn the heat up on any relationship.

You can grab your tickets here.

Need a last-minute Valentine’s Day surprise?

With so many local businesses, entrepreneurs and artists, it’s no surprise North Park is home to some of the most unique V-Day gifts. You’re sure to find something your Valentine’s heart desires at one of the neighborhood’s locally owned shops. Treat your loved one to Simply Local’s handmade necklaces or Mimi & Red’s little black dresses. Aloha Sunday’s trendy printed tees and Geographie Shop’s vintage leather

goods are the perfect gift for him. Or get crafty with Pigment’s build-your-own Eco Orb terrarium kits and cheeky Valentine cards. Just don’t forget to pick up a heart-shaped balloon and sparkler on your way out Have a bite of love this Valentine’s Day, one restaurant course at a time. North Park is known for their talented chefs and delicious bites, which is a recipe for a romantic night on the town. Book your Valentine’s Day reservations at Urban Solace where they will be serving a prix-fixe menu of Modern American cuisine created by Executive Chef Matt Gordon. Their dim-lighting and cozy atmosphere makes for an intimate night out. Adventure awaits at one of North Park’s newest restaurants, One Door North. Take a seat at a table under their rustic canvas tents and split an order from their vast Meat & Cheese menu. Looking to spice up the night with a craft cocktail? Get transported to a the romantic speakeasy era with a lounge-like atmosphere at West Coast Tavern, located in one of North Park’s most historic buildings.

Their Mommy Dearest cocktail that’s made with vodka, lemon, simple syrup, strawberry and basil, makes for a sweet drink and perfect addition to the Valentine’s Day date night.

Head to North Park for the ultimate V-Day celebrating and let Cupid do the rest!

Bottlecraft

One Door North

Flowers from Pigment.

Valentine’s Day Drink, West Coast Tavern.

FEBRUARY 2017 |

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| FEBRUARY 2017

Dunedin brings New Zealand Zest to North Park A gem at 30th and Myrtle

Dunedin has open and inviting beach house look with lots of foliage, sunset lighting and a bar with what looks to be hanging coral. The location felt almost tropical. (Courtesy Dunedin)

Dunedin, a surf town in New Zealand, is the name of a restaurant making waves for its beachy feel and fit in the urban neighborhood of North Park.

“Dunedin is a great town on the coast but also has an urban feel which felt fitting in North Park,” said PJ Lamont, co-owner.

From experienced San Diego restaurateurs PJ Lamont and Matt Baker comes this gem on the corner of 30th Street and Myrtle Avenue, which opened June 1. What used to be Eddie’s Philadelphia Steaks, Hoagies and Burgers transformed into an open and inviting beach house with lots of foliage, sunset lighting

and a bar with what looks to be hanging coral. With the recent rainy weather, the location felt almost tropical.

“The main goal is for every location to have its own unique neighborhood feel,” said Lamont. “With DNP (short for Dunedin), we found a place and had a vision right away.

The goal was something not typical to North Park. And luckily, our good friend and partner Michael Soriano was ready for the task of designing something different.”

Lamont and Baker own three other restaurants in San Diego: Queenstown Public House in Little Italy, Raglan Public House in Ocean

Sandwich

Beach and Bare Back Grill in Pacific Beach. Each contain glimpses of the others but can be taken as distinct in their locations. This particular location Baker spotted driving by and saw the potential of it.

With these locations though, comes a sense of responsibility, they say, to continue to change and to not be complacent or put out an average product. This discomfort contributes to their success in their newer locations.

“Right now the hope is to be sure Dunedin fits in and gives North Park a new place to call home,” Lamont said.

While service runs on the slow

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATIE CALLAHAN

‘Right now the hope is to be sure Dunedin fits in and gives North Park a new place to call home,’ said co-owner PJ Lamont.

Drinks

side, the food is absolutely worth the wait, providing a variety that ranges from an assortment of high-quality grass-fed burgers to New Zealand favorite (and owner recommended) lamb and plates like steak and chips.

Burgers are generally $9-$14, with “communals” like soup and toast, chili ‘n chips, calamari, lamb skewers and pretzels within the same range.

“Everything started with the lamb burger,” Lamont said. “That is still what influenced us to do this to begin with and started everything… we are influenced by the culture itself, which helps in these situations when we open something new and want to offer something unique and

different. It may work, like the sausage rolls and pies, or it may not.”

Their menu also features a “grown” section with beet salads, salmon and kale, steak and caesar salad, tomato and burrata, nicoise and shrimp and pineapple, which are $8-$16. With four different types of fries offered (with a small and large size), you’re sure to go home with a full stomach.

The happy hour at DNP Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. is also perfect for its young clientele with an offering of $8 flights (six beers per flight or three wines/sangrias per flight) and $3 sliders (four offered). All of these were offered in cupcake pans.

The drink menu is expansive with fresh lemonades, organic juice mimosas, champagne cocktails, beer cocktails and sangria, as well as other wine and beer options. The desserts also looked worth the 15-minute cook time with what looks to be s’mores on a cookie, peach cobbler and lemon curd.

While the menu is eclectic and filling, the fries and salads are side orders so one can easily run a tab, but the large portions more than make up for it and the ingredients all taste very fresh. This location seems to fill up. Even on a Tuesday night, there were 20-30 people. It seems to be a cool, hipster spot for young people after work, whether at the bar or catching up with friends.

Either way, its popularity almost forced some to come back later or another day.

“It’s been a great start,” Lamont said. “We are all so stoked with the community in general and hopefully they are with us. In one sense, it would be great to have more tables to help with the wait but at the same time that would take away from what we are, which is a small neighborhood restaurant.”

If you’re looking for a spot that can satisfy a hankering for some grass-fed burgers with a New Zealand twist, DNP will honor those cravings and make you feel like it’s a special occasion in the humble metro North Park neighborhood.

FEBRUARY 2017 |

Something for Everyone at The Haven A rare find that can satisfy just about any taste When my husband and I were first dating, we noticed we had very different approaches to dining out.

I was raised in New York City where my mother’s boyfriend was a hardcore foodie who took us to fancy restaurants most nights.

We never gave a second thought to asking questions about how food was prepared and requesting adjustments based on our tastes. William, on the other hand, was one of six children from a Midwestern family that prepared meals straight from the Army mess hall cook book. His main requirement for dinner was that it was on the table, preferably in large quantities.

Fast forward 25 years and William and I have added even more differences to our dining outlook. My husband is now an athlete who runs marathons and rock climbs. He needs his carbs and plenty of them.

I, on the other hand, joined Weight Watchers last January and am a meticulous point counter. I am two pounds away from my goal weight and there’s no pizza in the world worth blowing that for.

So considering all of this, my first inclination was to pass on the invitation to dine at The Haven, Kensington’s cozy upscale pizzeria. Then I realized that my husband and I couldn’t possibly be the only food

odd couple so we decided to see if the restaurant could meet the challenge of pleasing both an annoyingly high-maintenance dieting diva and her easy-going omnivorous hungry man.

Friday night was bustling with Kensington locals at The Haven, an open and inviting space on the corner of Adams Avenue and the I-15.

Couples on dates, friend groups, and families filled the stylish, rustic booths and tables topped with build-your-own pizzas, salads, and craft beer.

Per my usual annoying routine, I asked for the spinach salad with half the dressing tossed in, and the other half on the side. Instead of strangling me, our server asked what my food restrictions were and how The Haven could help create the perfect meal for me.

Relieved that they were fluent in the language of the high-needs diner, we talked about how to keep my Weight Watchers points to a minimum. I decided to stick with the goat cheese and candied walnuts because who could turn that down?

Our server suggested I add chicken because the protein would help fill me up with minimal calories. (Who was this magical woman and could she come live in my kitchen?)

William was running a half

marathon the following day and decided he’d have a large pizza with fresh basil and sliced tomatoes.

The spinach salad was one of the best I’d ever eaten, and if I weren’t dieting, I would have drowned it in The Haven’s insane homemade Italian dressing. Okay, truth: I’d do shots of that dressing if I could afford the calories, but as it stood, a half serving was plenty to make the salad delish.

I’m not going to lie, I ate a piece of William’s pizza (It’s my job, okay?!) “Have I just forgotten how amazing pizza is, or is this the best pizza you’ve ever eaten?� I asked William. He agreed that The Haven does, in fact, offer incredibly fresh, light pizza that would please any self-respecting food snob and his kids.

On my day of reckoning, otherwise known as Weight Watcher weigh-in Wednesday, my night at The Haven proved to be not only tasty, but sensible. I even lost a little weight, just two-tenths of a pound, but a victory nonetheless. And William finished his half-marathon just fine.

Verdict: We’ll definitely head back to The Haven, a rare find that can satisfy us both!

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| FEBRUARY 2017

KIDS KIDS’ KORNER 4BYKIDS

Heart Penguin Craft for Kids Valentines Craft ~ Heart Penguin Craft for Kids Winter is all about snowflakes, frosty windows, polar bears, and – of course – our favorite…cute, cuddly penguins! Penguins are one of our favorite winter animal craft. They are my favorite winter animals!

To make your own penguin, you will need: ▪ ▪ ▪

Black, White, Red and Orange Paper Scissors Glue

To make these little penguins, start by cutting a large oval, a few hearts, a couple of circles and a triangle. So easy!

The kids then glued and assembled their little heart shaped penguin.

This little penguin consists of heart tummies, heart feet and of course heart wings. Perfect for Valentines Day. Could these little chilly friends be any cuter? You could add a cute little “I think you’re cool” sentiment to the heart. Happy Valentines Day! Compliments of Tammy, writer of Housing a Forest Source: http://www.housingaforest.com/heart-penguin-craft-for-kids/

Cali Life Co. Kids is an art project inspiring local youth to develop their creative skills, building confidence and experience within and beyond their communities. Have FUN coloring! Share your work with us on facebook, twitter or instagram and be entered to WIN prizes for the new school year!

FEBRUARY 2017 |

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SOCAL FUN WITH RHOADS Hey its Rhoads, I am a thirteen year old outdoor enthusiast. I really love fun activities with friends. One of my favorite outdoor activities with friends is climbing. One of our favorite places to go climbing is Joshua Tree National Park. The former home of the now extinct Giant Shasta Ground Sloth, Joshua Tree National Park is now home to an amaz-

ing landscape. There is the beautifully peculiar Joshua Tree and Granite formed over 100 million years ago. The Granite which attracts climbers from all over the world makes for great climbing. You can camp, hike, climb, boulder, stargaze and birdwatch there. Anytime we can make the trip from San Diego its well worth the drive which is about three

hours. Don't forget to stop at one of the local fruit shops on the way to keep you healthy and strong for climbing. Outdoor climbing is awesome but when we can't make the trip or the weather is bad we enjoy going to Mesa Rim Climbing Gym. Its an awesome place to go for wall climbing and bouldering. They even have gear for you to rent and classes to

get you started. Climbing is a lot of fun but the most important thing to remember over fun is safety and respecting your surroundings and the environment. Don't forget your gear, helmets and crash pads are need to have items. Clean up after yourself and leave no more than footprints. Have fun out there and keep your hands rough. :)

Help Us Find Our Next Youth Hero!

Every Day our neighborhood kids do incredible things!

Do you know a wonderful kid who has done something special? Let’s celebrate by making him or her our next Youth Hero!

Contact us at Info@LocalUmbrella.com

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| FEBRUARY 2017

Big Year for Balboa Park

BY LISA HALVERSTADT | VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

City faces big challenges in effort to improve the San Diego icon If promises are kept, 2017 could be the year city leaders start etching out plans to address Balboa Park’s many needs and break ground on a controversial project some believe will chip away at a long-running park problem.

Here’s a guide to the public pledges and projects expected to play out in 2017.

New Focus on Needs

Recently released consultant’s assessments of city-owned buildings in Balboa Park concluded would take about $200 million to get park buildings in tip-top shape. City officials have since suggested it would cost $79 million to get those buildings into good condition.

City Councilman Mark Kersey, Independent Budget Analyst Andrea Tevlin and city staffers who attended a Dec. 7 infrastructure committee meeting emphasized the consultants’ surprising takeaway that many Balboa Park buildings were in better condition than expected.

But they also zeroed in on what that new

estimate didn’t factor in. It doesn’t include the potential for expansions or code upgrades. Nor does it include significant seismic issues that could be crucial to keeping Balboa Park’s iconic buildings intact in the event of an earthquake.

An engineering consultant who’s previously worked with the city on California Tower seismic upgrades told me retrofits for the Museum of Man and the Museum of Art buildings alone could total $5 million to $10 million each.

“These are both unique historical buildings with significant challenges, collections and logistical issues,” structural engineer Tony Court wrote in an email.

The new estimate also doesn’t account for yet-to-be started projects and expansions envisioned in the park’s master plan.

Kersey, who chairs the council’s infrastructure committee, said the outstanding questions should force a conversation about Balboa Park’s infrastructure and maintenance needs.

Now that the city has more data about

basic repairs, Kersey said, it’s important to have “a more in-depth discussion just on this particular topic.”

Kersey’s chief of staff told me the councilman hopes to schedule that discussion in February or March.

Identifying Priorities

City Councilman Chris Ward pledged on the campaign trail to assemble a group to assess the park’s top priorities and needs, as well as sustainable funding options, in his first 100 days in office.

That conversation would likely complement the infrastructure committee’s review. There’s currently no dedicated funding for the park despite its status as a tourism mecca. Nor is there anything official indicating which Balboa Park projects should go to the front of the line.

A handful of Balboa Park advocates say Ward has already chatted with them about his plans for a working group that would look at both issues.

In a statement, Ward said he’s interested

in addressing infrastructure needs and continuing to implement the park’s master plan.

“I want to have a robust public discussion that brings stakeholders together to find agreement on the needs, prioritization, and funding of park improvements – not just to address deferred maintenance but to implement many of the long-awaited improvements to the East Mesa and Golden Hill neighborhoods,” Ward wrote.

Vicki Estrada, a landscape architect who wrote the Balboa Park master plan, said she was excited about Ward’s enthusiasm and informed questions about the park’s needs after a (recent) meeting.

“I’ve got hope for Balboa Park that he’s going to do the right thing,” Estrada said.

Bruce Coons of the Save Our Heritage Organisation and Tomas Herrera-Mishler of the Balboa Park Conservancy were also optimistic about Ward’s commitment to Balboa Park’s needs —and what might result from his convening of Balboa Park stakeholders.

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FEBRUARY 2017 |

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“We’re really looking forward to meeting with (Ward) and his staff and continuing this conversation,” Herrera-Mishler said.

The Plaza de Panama Project

Philanthropists have long pushed a plan to make over the park’s central mesa with the goal of clearing the park’s core of cars and adding additional parking. They decry forced interactions between cars and park visitors and say there’s a need for more close-in parking.

A lawsuit stalled their plan to address those concerns for years.

Then Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Qualcomm cofounder Irwin Jacobs and other supporters announced they were reviving it. In November, the City Council approved a new financing plan for the project that largely relies on proceeds from paid parking at a new partially underground behind the Organ Pavilion. The city’s committing up to $50 million for the Plaza de Panama project while philanthropists will be working to raise about $25 million. Two foundations have already collectively pledged $6 million.

San Diego Air & Space Museum CEO Jim Kidrick, who serves on the committee backing the project, said additional fundraising will likely begin in early 2017.

If the city issues bonds for the project as expected and construction planning goes smoothly, the project could break ground next fall.

But a new lawsuit could complicate matters.

The Save Our Heritage Organisation sued the city on Dec. 21, alleging officials failed to undertake necessary environmental reviews for changes to the project since it was first approved in 2012.

A spokesman for City Attorney Mara Elliott dubbed the suit “an unjustified attempt at delay.”

19

David Lundin, who leads the fledgling Balboa Park Heritage Association, has said he’s weighing next steps too.

Those challenges could delay construction and create fundraising challenges.

Spotlight on Starlight

For more than five years, the Starlight Bowl has sat vacant and abandoned. Wedged between the municipal gym and the Air & Space Museum, the amphitheater had until recently been caught in limbo by a lease held by a now-defunct nonprofit.

It could get new life this year.

Steve Stopper, a former Starlight contractor who once sued the city, claiming it was wasting taxpayer resources by letting the venue sit dormant, has since helped marshal a movement to save it. He’s created a group called Save Starlight that’s drawn more attention to the venue.

More than 400 attended the group’s August clean-up effort and a spokeswoman said it’s received about $375,000 in donated sound and light equipment to help execute Stopper’s vision to host events there once again.

Now Save Starlight and the city are in talks about an arrangement that would allow the group to take further steps to try to revitalize the Starlight Bowl, a city spokesman said.

Stopper said he’s thrilled with the progress and excited about the wave of support he’s gotten from more established Balboa Park groups, such as the Committee of 100 and the Friends of Balboa Park, plus others in the arts community.

Retrofits for the Museum of Man (above) and the Museum of Art buildings alone could total $5 million to $10 million each, according to an engineering consultant. (Photo by Jim Childers)

Disclosure: Irwin Jacobs is a major donor to Voice of San Diego.

Lisa Halverstadt is a reporter at Voice of San Diego.

You can contact her directly at lisa@vosd.org or (619) 325-0528.

Tomas Herrera-Mishler of the Balboa Park Conservancy said he was optimistic about Councilman Chris Ward’s commitment to Balboa Park’s needs. (Photo by Delle Willett)

City Councilman Chris Ward pledged to assemble a group to assess Balboa Park’s top priorities and needs, as well as sustainable funding options.

Bruce Coons is head of the Save Our Heritage Organisation, which has sued the city, claming officials failed to undertake necessary environmental reviews for changes to the project since it was first approved in 2012.

A group called Save Starlight and the city are in talks about an arrangement that would allow the group to take further steps to try to revitalize the Starlight Bowl. (Photo by Jim Childers)

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From Hostess to Owner How restaurateur Lauren Passero juggles three restaurants Headlines reading “restaurant to shutter” are not uncommon and restaurateurs are aware of the alarming rate of failed concepts.

According to a study by Ohio State University, roughly 60 percent of restaurants don’t survive the first year and 80 percent close within five years.

Despite the odds being against them, South Park resident Lauren Passero and business partner Kate Grimes threw caution to the wind and opened Kensington Café eight and a half years ago. Today, the two own three successful restaurants and maintain a steady flow of diners, which keeps business bustling.

From the early days of childhood, Passero and her dad frequented his favorite restaurant that he visited daily to meet friends, have a drink after work and bring the family on weekends.

“Everyone knew him there and took such good care of us,” she said. “I always loved that feeling of a home away from home. When we started opening restaurants, I think I just wanted to recreate that feeling.”

Passero began working as a hostess in various restaurants throughout El Paso, Texas. From there, restaurants supported her through college as she waited tables in Boulder, Colo. She went to school at University of Colorado, Boulder and studied advertising, but after working in that field for a short while, she realized how much she had grown to love – and now miss – the restaurant industry. Once it hit, she was determined to work toward opening her own place.

About 15 years ago, she moved to San Diego and settled down in South Park. Flash forward

to today, she’s married, has two daughters and owns three successful restaurants.

Passero’s first concept was Kensington Café, located off Adams in the heart of Kensington.

She and Grimes conceptualized it as a go-to neighborhood spot where the community would feel at home when dining. They promoted happy hour specials throughout the week to get people in the door and steadily began seeing return customers.

“After that, first timers turned into regulars and many of them are now close friends,” said Passero.

With a few years under her belt, she was ready to make her childhood dream come true: opening a pizzeria. The Haven, also in Kensington, serves up slices, sandwiches, salads and more.

“We already established a clientele in Kensington, so we figured keeping business in the area would be a good thing – and luckily, we were right,” said Passero. “Our revenue is up, our diners are happy and business is bustling.

We have a lot of loyal customers who have been very good to us. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth.”

In 2016 the two opened Del Sur Mexican Cantina, located in the heart of South Park.

This neighborhood hot spot offers classic Mexican dishes with a healthy twist.

“South Park, like Kensington, has a really strong sense of community,” Passero said.

“When we saw that the space became available, we jumped on it. There has been a great shift in this neighborhood with places like The Station, where you can get good food and an adult beverage, and still find something your kids

Lauren Passero (above) and business partner Kate Grimes own Kensington Café, The Haven, and Del Sur Mexican Cantina. (Photo: Tim Hardy)

will enjoy. We wanted to be a part of that.”

Passero credits her success to beginning with a knowledge of how the industry works. Starting as a hostess and eventually moving into management prepared her on how to handle nearly every situation.

She also suggests expecting things to go wrong. The two have dealt with everything from electrical issues and plumbing emergencies, to handling upset customers after they’ve “86-ed” something on the menu.

“There is always something happening – the good, the bad and the ugly,” she said. “It’s not an easy job, but if you keep a cool head and know how to handle yourself in a variety of sit-

uations, you’ll already be off to a good start.”

Passero notes there will be long nights and very early mornings, which is challenging when you have a family. Now with two daughters, she’s thankful for having a husband who has supported her goals.

“Before the kids, the restaurants were my babies – now that role is split up a bit more,” said Passero. “With an amazing business partner and a stellar team of managers, I’m able to balance work and family.”

Their goal from day one still stands strong: making their restaurants a home away from home for customers, staff, friends and neighbors.

FROM YOUR COUNCILMAN: Top Priorities for District 3 Homelessness, public safety, local business, repairing infrastructure As your new City Council member, I’ve hit the ground running after being sworn in on Dec. 12. Core issues like protecting public safety, addressing homelessness, supporting our neighborhood businesses, and accelerating the repair of community infrastructure are at the top of my list for making City Hall work better for us.

But there’s more I have my eyes on to make District 3 even more dynamic than we know it today.

As a District 3 homeowner myself here and a proud decade-long member of my local community association, I’m personally invested in making all our neighborhoods safe, clean, livable and affordable. This needs to be a complete community where young people can thrive long-term, raise families, create and support businesses, and retire securely, and as your neighbor I look forward to making this a welcoming place that preserves the things that make our district so special already.

My top priority getting started is a major push to improve our city’s response to homelessness. The conditions on the ground have been declining in recent years, impacting all the communities in our district, and more has to be done.

I have been nominated to the Regional Continuum of Care Council which is responsible for distributing all federal funding for homelessness, and I am developing a work plan to help get more individuals off our streets and

into housing. District 3 is on the front lines of tackling this moral imperative and correcting this policy failure for those who are unsheltered, and it’s not something that the rest of the community should have to deal with every day either.

We also continue to face a statewide housing crunch that’s hit renters and interested homeowners hard. That’s why I’m also working hard for strong job opportunities that help San Diegans afford to stay here for the long haul, and for more housing at all price points to make a successful life in San Diego more attainable for all.

I love our communities and I walk our streets with my daughter and my terrier, so I know it’s important that our future growth doesn’t get ahead of the infrastructure to support it. And as our City Council deliberates each year on the priorities in which to invest, know that I have a keen understanding of the long overdue improvements needed in all our neighborhoods as we look ahead to a tougher budget season.

I’m excited to begin putting all of this into action, and I hope you’ll be in touch with my office to help achieve the best results for your neighborhood. If you need any assistance with city services or have ideas you’d like to share, please contact my liaison to the community, Chloe Madison, at (619) 236-6633 or cmadison@sandiego.gov.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you at City Hall.

Councilman Chris Ward

BY COUNCILMAN CHRIS WARD

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| FEBRUARY 2017

SALEP TIME OF YEAR

EURO TRAVEL— BY TOM SHESS, NORTH PARK NEWS, TRAVEL WRITER

Turkey’s hot winter beverage is delicious and indescribable.

This time of year my taste buds somehow remind me they’re in the mood for a delicious cup of hot salep.

We discovered this hot beverage in Istanbul on the Asian side of the Strait of Bosporus. Salep is only made in winter and is commonly found everywhere in Turkey.

We had left our tour guide to explore Istanbul’s eclectic Kadikoy neighborhood. It was still early in the morning when we noticed a nice looking outdoor café with a long row of café tables covered in festive red cloths. The waiter was standing next to a barrel sized metal container that

we learned contained hot Salep. He urged us to try the beverage, which was served in tea cups and at first looked like a warm cup of egg nog.

It was love at first taste.

Salep is as intriguing as Istanbul.

It’s an ancient drink that is made from a white powder extracted from the dried tubers of wild orchids found in the countryside.

Because real salep is so hard to make most buy powered salep—even the Turks. But those hospitable cafes all over Istanbul serve the real salep and tasting we did.

Like I mentioned it looks like egg

nog. Salep is creamy a bit thicker in texture than egg nog and not quite as sweet. The liquid is grainy and served with cinnamon and bits of pistachio nuts (don’t over do the pistachios).

More words of description escape me.

When in Turkey find yourself a salep serving café and enjoy one of life’s great beverage adventures.

In America, salep power is retailed by the Mado brand. It’s easier to order from Amazon.com.

There are other brands of salep, including Nestle but my trials in making homemade salep always return to the round tin of Mado.

MidCity couple Tom and Phyllis Shess are sipping Salep during winter at an outdoor café on Asian side of Istanbul.

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