Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 21 Years sdnorthparknews.com
Vol. 21 No. 1 January 2013
TO D D G LO R I A
r io r r a W d a o The R BY MANNY CRUZ
A Q&A With the San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria finds freshly paved streets sexy. Potholes, on the other hand, are ugly blemishes that can be dangerous. “Because of potholes, traveling in North Park or any other District 3 community can be rough. Literally,” said Gloria. To Gloria, the new president of the San Diego City Council, potholes are just one element in a whole host of other infrastructure blemishes — crumbling sidewalks, failing street lights, crummy roads,
delapidated public facilities — that plague the city of San Diego. Fixing them, according to one estimate, could cost taxpayers $900,000, a figure which many consider to be overly conservative. Gloria, freshly re-elected to his second term, has made solving the city’s infrastructure problems the centerpiece of his council presidency, obtaining a unanimous council vote for the creation of a standing committee on infrastructure
that will catalog the work that needs to be done and to develop a five-year construction schedule. We’re calling Gloria the “Road Warrior” here, which is meant as descriptive of the attitude that he brings to all of the city’s infrastructure problems. In a Q&A with the North Park News, Gloria discusses these and other city issues going forward into 2013: SEE GLORIA, Page 8
Council President Todd Gloria champions the fixing of streets, roads and other city infrastructure. Illustration by Jason Luper (www.starkwhitestudios.com).
NORTH PARK SCENE
center area with an open gathering space, a computer room, a tutoring room, and a homework room. The second floor will consist of a large fitness equipment area, four group exercise room, five bathrooms, an office space, and a roof deck. Outside will be a pool, a splash pad, a soccer arena, a synthetic turf warm up area, a play yard, and a picnic area. Construction is to begin in spring 2013. Aerial View
43rd Street, El Cajon Boulevard, Meade Avenue and Fairmount Avenue. The Copley-Price YMCA building will feature 7,200 square feet of roof deck and balcony space, a 7,300 square foot enclosed Street View pool, outdoor recreation space, and a 296-space parking structure. The first floor of the building YMCA Recreation Facility Approved will include a gymnasium, four classroom areas, The San Diego City Council has approved a pera day care area, 17 office spaces, storage areas, mit for construction of the new Copley-Price locker rooms for men and women, a community YMCA recreation facility on property bounded by room, two kitchen areas, a lunch room, and a teen
Shaw. Jacobs’ female singers, dressed in khaki Army costumes, will pay tribute to the Andrews Sisters. Dance admission is $20 at the door. Pete Jacobs’ Wartime Radio Revue was formed in 1997. “We are very much a dance band,” says Jacobs. “I wanted to re-create the music the way it was played back when big-bands would play for packed houses and dance halls.”
It’s Big Band Dance Time By popular request, Pete Jacobs and his 16piece “Wartime Radio Revue Swing Orchestra” will be coming to San Diego for one show only on Jan. 25 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the San diego Women’s Club, 2557 Third Ave. The band will provide the music for an evening of Big-Band Swing Dancing. All ages are invited. as Pete and the Wartime Radio Revue will be playing the classic Big Band music of Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and Artie
Making New Year’s Resolutions Stick Local fitness studios can help clients lead a healthier 2013 Christmas behind us — now is the time for nearly half of all Americans to begin focusing on their resolutions — how they plan to change their lives for the better in the new year. Losing weight ranks No. 1, and staying fit and healthy ranks No. 5 — outranking resolutions to quit smoking and fall in love, according to a University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology report published in December. While the concept of resolving to make positive change in life is good, statistics show that only about 8 percent of those made are kept. So what makes a resolution stick — keeps members coming back to businesses in the fitness and wellness industry? For a couple of local businesses, Ginseng Yoga and Boulevard Fitness, the common attraction seems kind of simple — the environment. Ginseng Yoga, owned by Cindy and Brad Bennett and open for more than a decade now, survived the economic downturn and the stigma of being in the same location as a few failed businesses — the corner of 30th and Beech BY CECILIA BUCKNER
Streets in South Park. “Everyone told us that this corner is jinxed . . . somehow we saw through it all,” Cindy said. The community really responded well to having a yoga studio in this neighborhood, she said. It’s a place for them to not only meet their fitness goals, but to relieve stress, and heal physically and emotionally. It’s a good thing she says, to hear their sighs of relief as they walk out the door. The word “yoga” originates from Sanskrit, an ancient India language, meaning “union of body, mind and spirit.” The basics of yoga rest primarily on breathing technique, meditation and body extensions. Ginseng Yoga offers several styles of yoga classes in beginning to advanced levels. Jean Rivaldi, who has been practicing yoga at Ginseng Yoga for about two years, credits yoga for helping her lose 40 pounds in about a 10-month period and says the environment keeps her coming. One of the reasons why people new to a gym may fail to keep up the routine, Rivaldi said, is because the equipment Ginseng Yoga instructor Laxmi DeLeo leads a class.
SEE FITNESS, Page 5
SEE SCENE, Page 6
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(619) 889-5420 | www.aftonmiller.com | amiller786@aol.com
A F TO N S E L L S S A N D I E G O Specializing in North Park and Metro Area since 1986 SOLD - $546,000
SOLD - $489,900
SOLD! - $605,000
SOLD - $692,000
SOLD - $769,000
SOLD - $449,000
3027 Granada | 3br 1ba
3655 31st St | 2br 1ba
4632 Marlborough | 2br 1.5ba
2914 Redwood St | 3br 3ba
2428 33rd St | 3br 2.5ba
4795 50th St | 2br 1ba
SOLD - $428,000
SOLD - $276,500
SOLD - $649,000
SOLD - $845,000
SOLD - $650,000
SOLD - $562,000
3311 Juniper St | 2br 1ba
3681 Grim | 3br 2.5ba
4869 Marlborough | 3br 2ba*
3415 Villa Terrace | 3br 2ba
4558 Delaware St | 2br 2ba
2438 33rd St | 3br 2.5ba
SOLD - $615,000
SOLD - $675,000
SOLD - $799,000
SOLD - $640,000
SOLD - $565,000
SOLD - $175,000
4806 Adams Ave | 2br + FR
3161 1st St #2N | 2br 2ba *
2503 Bancroft St | 4br 2ba
3210-12 Felton St | 2br units
4365 Alder Dr | 3br 2ba
3690 Florida | 1br condo
SOLD - $375,000
SOLD - $628,000
SOLD - $387,000
SOLD - $530,000
SOLD - $460,000
SOLD SHORT SALE - $595,000
3572 Marathon | 3br 2ba
4607 Janet Pl | 4br 3.5ba
4502 Euclid Ave | 2br 1ba
4720 51st | 3br 2ba
2515 30th St. | 2br 1ba
4142 Lymer Dr | 3br 2ba
SOLD SHORT SALE - $243,000
IN ESCROW - $779,000
IN ESCROW - $469,000
2173 Haller St | 3br 2.5ba
2735 33rd St | 4br 4.5ba
4751 Jean | 3br 2ba
IN ESCROW - $599-624K
IN ESCROW - $229,000
IN ESCROW - $539,000
4624 Lucille | 3br 2ba
3774 33rd St #5 | 2br 2ba
3788 Park #4 | work/live
IN ESCROW - $649,000
COMING SOON - $218,000
AVAILABLE - $499-525K
IN ESCROW! $799,000 | 4165 Middlesex Drive
Stunning classic Kensington Spanish 3br 2ba 1,532 ESF. Beautifully updated! Newly refinished gleaming HW floors, fully remodeled kitchen and baths. Custom paint, arches, sculpted fireplace, wonderful floorplan with vintage character intact. New roofing, electrical, furnace and AC. Double detached garage. Great location! 3674-72 Texas | 2 units
4549 33rd #4 | 2br 2ba
4677 Winona | 3br 2ba
*BUYER
Happy New Year! A big THANKS to my staff Pam Curtis, Nancy Sleaford and Kyndl Spencley and all of our clients for making 2012 a great year! I look forward to working with you in 2013, whether you're buying or selling a home!
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Ask Dr. Z (Editor’s Note: South Park’s Dr. Tara Zandvliet -Dr. Z — answers common — and not so common — health questions for our readers.) Q. Are Fevers Dangerous? When Should I Worry? The thing to remember is that you are sick and your body needs a lot of energy to fight that off. Remembering that, it will be easy to understand the standard rules we doctors use for this kind of advice. You need rest and pampering. But you have a big game coming up? You don’t want to slide backward in your fitness and weight loss goals? Understandable and admirable! One way to look at it is that if the cold is all above the neck; do half — half the amount of time and half the amount of intensity. If it is below the neck — including any cough or wheeze — back off entirely. If you don’t, you will surely pay for it later with twice as much time off when it turns into something even worse, like bronchitis or pneumonia. A few days off now will save your workout days next week. Have a two-day race tournament? Pick half the events to enter, or only do one day. Your child has a big game this weekend? Same rules. Stay home if he/she has a cough. Go ahead and play if it’s all in the nose, but have them take a few days off all exercise afterward to make up for it. Q: Can taking two different medicines with acetaminophen hurt you? In a word, Yes! Acetaminophen, otherwise known as Tylenol, APAP, Paracetamol, “fever reducer” or “non-aspirin pain reliever,” uses the liver and there is a specific amount that your body can handle, based on the amount of enzyme your liver has to break it down. If you take more than your liver can handle, it can poison the liver and cause liver failure. This is how children or adults who overdose on Tylenol can die, and it happens every year. Adults can only handle three grams a day (six extra strength Tylenol, or four doses of an acetaminophen containing cold medicine). If you drink alcohol daily, or take acetaminophen daily (for arthritis, for example), then you can only take two grams a day. Children can only take 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per dose, up to four times a day. For safety’s sake, I recommend taking your medicines individually, not in combination preparations. If you want an antihistamine for congestion or allergies, take just that. If you have body aches or fever, just take acetaminophen. If you have a cough, just take a cough syrup or cough drop. Try to avoid combination medicines so you can avoid accidental overdose. Your liver, and your doctor, will thank you. Q: Why do some foods make me gassy or burpy? Your body needs to have certain enzymes in your stomach and intestines to break down food. If you do not have these enzymes, or eat too much of certain foods, you can’t break down the food and so you pass gas. Beans, lentils, dairy products, onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, radishes, sweet potatoes, cashews, Jerusalem artichokes, oats, wheat, and yeast in breads contain inulin, a sugar that is hard to digest. Bean-O or Epozote can help digest inulin, so you can take it whenever you eat those foods. Other times, we just lack the good bacteria that help us digest carbohydrates and sugars. If you take a probiotic, or eat yogurt, you can help get some more of those good bacteria. And sometimes, you lose the enzymes and bacteria that help you digest food, and you become intolerant — such as those people with lactose or cane sugar intolerance. Dr. Tara Zandvliet welcomes your questions. Send them to doctor@southparkdoctor.com. She practices at 2991 Kalmia St. Phone: (619) 929-0030.
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FITNESS CONTINUED FROM Page 1
can be intimidating. “Sometimes people are afraid to use the machines in the gym. I never felt like that at Ginseng Yoga,” she said. “I felt it was okay not to know. Practicing yoga’s totally different than going to the gym. Nobody’s competing. Nobody’s looking at you, caring if you’re doing it right or wrong.” Evelyn Feliciano has an annual membership at Boulevard Fitness and says its environment sets it apart from the big gym chains. She makes the drive to North Park from her Point Loma home every day. The gym has an intimate setting and everyone there is very friendly, she said. “I feel more comfortable. You go in, get it done and move on,” she said. Feliciano thinks her regular workouts at Boulevard Fitness, including work with a physical trainer, helped her get
back on track after her husband died from brain cancer in 2003 and has also benefited her in her struggle with breast cancer — she is now five years cancer free. “The trainers know what they’re doing there,” Rivaldi said. “They give you an all-around workout that works out every aspect of your body.” Boulevard Fitness, owned by Adrian DaSilva and managed by Chula Vista resident Anthony Najera, opened its doors about two and a half years ago. DaSilva’s drive to provide an outlet for the community to get healthier was fueled in part by the fact that members of his family members battled with cancer. DaSilva previously operated Powerhouse Gym and The Gym @ 734 in Hillcrest before moving on to the larger North Park location of Boulevard Fitness on El Cajon Boulevard. Najera has a 16-year history in the fitness industry, including work as a SEE FITNESS, Page 17
Ginseng Yoga.
Some of the classes offered at Boulevard Fitness include Zumba, boxing and boot camp classes.
GFit is located across the street from Ginseng Yoga.
The Caregivers’ Journey Go ahead — toot your horn
BY MARSHA KAY SEFF
As a caregiver, having a big mouth is an asset. If you don’t already have one, you might want to develop one. Because opening your mouth – shouting until someone hears what you’re saying – is one of the biggest parts of being a caregiver. You are your parents’ advocate now. When they’re too ill to speak for them-
selves or can’t recall what they wanted to say, you need to speak up. That doesn’t mean you ignore their wishes. Understanding what they want is the first step in getting what they need. Unfortunately, too many people, including their own doctors, write off all older folks as being daffy. When the world ignores your loved ones, you need to remind people that older folks need to be treated with respect. After years of talking to one of my mother’s doctors on the phone, I finally met him in person. He walked into the office, shook my hand and looked perplexed. “I thought you were much taller.” Yes, I speak a lot louder than my 4foot-11 stature. As a dutiful daughter, it seemed I was always advocating for my aging parents. They weren’t even off the plane from their home in Miami Beach to San Diego, where I’d found them a retirement home, when I had to put on my advocate’s hat.
After waiting more than an hour for their plane to pull up to the gate (that was before airport security was tightened), I asked someone what the delay was. He said my parents’ plane couldn’t get in until another plane pulled out. So I simply informed the gate agent that there were two sick people on the inbound plane, that he would have to tell the other plane pull back. He did. When I climbed aboard to retrieve my parents, the captain asked if I’d had anything to do with the arrangements — and thanked me. When someone at mom’s health insurance company refused to talk to me on the phone about my mother’s bill, which I’d always paid, I hung up and redialed — and introduced myself as my mother. I got what I needed. I learned to work around a lot of things during the 12 years I was my parents’ dutiful daughter, their best friend and their liaison with a not-alwaysreceptive world.
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The Live Wire Act 20 years of music, beer and relationships The first time they walked through the doors of the dark, gutted, space on the corner of Alabama Street and El Cajon Boulevard in North Park, they could not imagine they would ever be in this position — looking back at 20 years of business. While the narrow pathway through Live Wire remains dimly-lit, nothing in the neighborhood dive says cold and empty. The infamous jukebox blaring indie rock and the awesome inventory of special and local beers on tap are just a couple reasons its owners, Sam Chammas and Joe Austin, say the bar has survived. “When we opened in ’92, the beers we loved were microbrewed — Sierra Nevada, Pete’s Wicked Ale, Sam Adams — we said, ‘lets just make this bar all about these beers,’” Chammas said. The bar’s jukebox — voted “Best Jukebox in a Bar” in City Beat for the past five years, often served as a catalyst for advertising for local bands who were able to get the okay from Chammas and Austin to play their demos. “You hear it on a bar sound system that kind of
BY CECILIA BUCKNER
rocks, and you could see the reaction from the crowd . . . that’s part of our reputation that’s never wavered,” Austin said. Aside from the great beer and music, relationships forged at the bar over the past two decades are also a big part of the bar’s success. “Sam and I have performed weddings of patrons. You don’t think about that being an offset of a bar — it’s really amazing to look back at,” Austin said. Chammas and Austin met 25 years ago at KCR — The Live Wire radio station at San Diego State University. Austin worked as a program director and Chammas in promotions. After graduating from SDSU, the two went their separate ways — Austin bartending his way through grad school and Chammas working for a medical device manufacturing company. Looking for someone with the know-how to help bring the old abandoned, boarded-up bar, The Eagle, back to life, Chammas located Austin by chance, and the beginning of their 20-year partnership began. They argued for months, while the liquor license was being processed, over the name of the bar. “It was
like naming a kid,” Austin said. Then, one day, walking down El Cajon Boulevard, after too much discussion on the issue, they decided to focus on what they wanted the feeling to be like. “Sam was like, ‘It would be rad if the space was built like the lobby at KCR but with beer!’ We had been arguing for six months and the name was right under our noses!” Austin said. "All of this whole thing is driven by the lobby at KCR.” The Live Wire is managed by long-time employee Thad Robles. Robles “does it all,” said Austin. Chammas and Austin also share a couple other businesses — the Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa and Krakatoa Coffee in Golden Hill. Chammas has two additional businesses on his own, The Whistle Stop and Station Tavern & Burgers in South Park. Austin and Chammas are dedicated to making the Live Wire original — not following the normal tap handles of other San Diego bars. Their philosophy is, “If you hear it on commercial radio stations, you won’t hear it here.” The Live Wire is located at 2103 El Cajon Blvd. For more information, visit livewirebar.com or call (619) 291-7450.
www.sdnorthparknews.com Serving San Diego’s Premier Bungalow Communities Chairman/CEO Bob Page BobPage@sandiegometro.com Publisher Rebeca Page RebecaPage@sandiegometro.com Editor Manny Cruz Manny@sandiegometro.com Art Director Chris Baker kurisub@gmail.com Advertising Sales Ada Laura Duff (858) 442-7766 adaduff@gmail.com -----------------------------Writers/Columnists Todd Gloria Ann Jarmusch Jennifer Kester Donna Marganella Bart Mendoza Katelyn O’Riordan Sandy Pasqua David Raines Delle Willett
The Live Wire began 20 years ago with $18,000 in savings from Sam Chammas’ employment with a medical device manufacturer.
Sam Chammas, left, takes a time out from a happy hour reunion with his former co-workers at Medtronics Joe Austin, right, and Thad Robles.
SCENE CONTINUED FROM Page 1
Sea Rocket Bistro Party Women’s Empowerment International invites you to “eat, drink and do some good” at a Jan. 31 benefit party at Sea Rocket Bistro, 3382 30th St. The 59 p.m. program will have appetizers, prizes and the sale of Women’s Empowerment t-shirts and clutches. Cost is $20 at the door. A portion of the proceeds will be used for Women’s Empowerment, an organization that works in partnership with nonprofit agencies to help the poor. Founded in 2003, Women’s International has engaged in five partnerships and is currently working with Grameen de la Frontera in Sonora, Mexico, Adelante Foundation in Intibuca, Honduras, and WomensTrust in Ghana. Girl Scout Cookies Sport New Look Local Girl Scouts are gearing up to debut new cookie boxes on Jan. 27. “Selling Girl Scout cookies has taught me to stand up, speak out and look people in the eye!” says troop member Maria Burritt, who lives in Kensington. Girl Scout cookie boxes have a fresh design for the new year. The newly revamped boxes now include pictures of Girl Scouts engaged in pursuits ranging from kayaking and dance to public speaking and community service, cap-
Jeff Motch
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition Awards The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition presented Golden Gear of Advocacy Awards for 2012 to local community leaders during its annual Holiday Joyride at Mission Brewery. tioned with quotes from the girls. The Award winners: recognitions girls can earn, such as the • Bike Friendly Business Advocate of Financial Literacy badge and Girl Scout the Year: Jeff Motch, owner of Blind Lady Gold Award, are also featured. “Troops fund their service projects and activities with cookie money,” says Girl Scouts San Diego CEO Jo Dee C. Jacob. “And our council uses its share of the proceeds to provide programs, camps, volunteer training and the financial assistance that keeps Girl Scouting available and affordable for 31,000 local girls.” The fifth grade girls in Junior Troop 3081 use their cookie proceeds to fund a “Mom and Me” event every year. They have also “adopted” a girl from the Philippines, whose school supplies and uniform they pay for.
AleHouse in Normal Heights and Tiger!Tiger! on El Cajon Boulevard. • Community Partner of the Year: Walk San Diego. • Volunteers of the Year: Howard LaGrange and Pete Penseyres of Oceanside. • Advocate of the Year: Nicole Burgess of Ocean Beach. • Public Partner of the Year: City Councilman Todd Gloria. The coalition was formed to support and help protect the rights of people who ride bicycles. “We’re putting San Diego on the path to becoming one of the most bike-friendly cities in the U.S., and we hope to continue this momentum to break more records in 2013,” said Andy Hanshaw, the executive director. SEE SCENE, Page 7
Photography Manny Cruz Sande Lollis 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, 2012, by REP Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written consent. All rights reserved.
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SDSU Enjoys Record Undergrad Applications San Diego State University received a record 74,458 undergraduate applications for the fall 2013 semester, the most applications ever received by the university and an 8 percent increase from last year at this time. Among the fall undergraduate applications are 53,913 freshmen, a seven percent increase over last year, including Joey Bautista, currently a senior at St. Augustine High School. Bautista has a 4.09 GPA and a 1350 SAT score and hopes to major in mechanical engineering. “SDSU is a name and an organization that is very familiar to me. Both my mother and sister are Aztec alumni, and the pride that they have in being part of SDSU leaves me a sort of legacy,” Bautista said.
math.” “Response to Imagine Engineering has been terrific,” said Sigma Gamma Rho National President Bonita Herring. “We surveyed 250 girls who took part in the program, and more than two thirds of them said they now understood how ‘someone like me’ could become an engineer.” For more information on GSUSA’s Imagine Engineering initiative visit www.girlscouts.org/imagineengineering. Safety and Effectiveness of Vitamins, Herbs and Minerals to be Explained at Jan. 30 Program Medical experts from Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine will offer San Diegans the latest practical insights about the safety and effectiveness of vitamins, herbs and minerals at the 10th annual Natural Supplements School, which will be held Jan. 30 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hilton San Diego Resort on Mission Bay. The event is open to the public, with a registration fee of $99. For more information or to register to attend, call Scripps Conference Services at (858) 652-5400 or visit scripps.org/conferenceservices. “When it comes to vitamins, herbs and minerals, consumers need reliable and timely information,” said Mimi Guarneri, founder of Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine and one of the event’s presenters. “This program is a great place for people to do their homework and get answers.”
Normal Heights Apartments Sold for $3.65 Million Blue Corner Capital has purchased a 20,758-square-foot, 32-unit apartment complex at 3162 Monroe Ave. in Normal Heights for $3.65 million. The sellers were Double RP Investments and AMB Capital. Blue Corner Capital already owned one-third of the property as a tenant- in-common. Blue Corner purchased the remaining ownership interest as part of a 1031 exchange. The building was built in 1972 by Ray Huffman. It was designed as a two-story courtyard style project that offers a mix of 26 one-bedroom/one bathroom units and six two-bedroom/one-bathroom units. The sellers were represented by Rita Lancaster-Hannah of Colliers Filner Signs Ordinance Creating International. The buyer was represent- Registry of Foreclosed Homes ed by Lancaster-Hannah. Mayor Bob Filner has signed into law an ordinance creating a registry of foreNorth Park Apartments Sold for $1.3 closed homes. The Property Value ProMillion tection Ordinance is designed to William and Anna Hicks have pur- prompt owners of homes going through chased a 5,554-square-foot apartment foreclosure to keep up their properties building at 4114 Swift Ave. in North so they don’t become blighted. Title Park for $1.3 million. The sellers were holders of such properties will have to the Carolyn A. Kutzke Trust, Karen Ann provide contact information to code Kapp Trust and Evanne D. Lill Trust. enforecement officers. They also will The seven unit, gated building is com- have to pay a fee to cover the expense of prised of one one-bedroom/one-bath- creating and maintaining the registraroom, five two-bedroom/one-bath- tion system and the cost of monitoring, room, and one three bedroom/one inspecting and investigating the properbathroom units. Building amenities include fireplaces in each unit, common laundry room, both open and covered onsite parking. Units were at 100 occupancy at the time of sale. Brokers in the transaction were Colliers International and Achievers Realty. Girl Scouts USA Forges Ties With African-American Sorority Girl Scouts of the USA has joined forces with Sigma Gamma Rho, one of the nation’s largest African-American sororities, to help build awareness of career possibilities in science, technology, and engineering among girls and parents in the African-American community. Working with local Girl Scout councils around the country, Sigma Gamma Rho’s alumnae chapters have made GSUSA’s Imagine Engineering initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, a focus of the sorority’s annual National Youth Symposium. “Girl Scouting and Sigma Gamma Rho have the same goal: to build the nation’s future leaders by helping girls dream big and accomplish much today,” said GSUSA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez. “We are delighted to be part of this partnership to help girls do great things in critical fields such as science, technology, engineering and
ties. Councilwoman Marti Emerald called it a proactive measure that will let code enforcement officers know who to contact when a property falls into blight. Filner said the ordinance was a significant step in implementing his campaign theme of putting neighborhoods first. Bicyclist-Counting Group to Work in San Diego County Cycling advocates in San Diego County looking for accurate counts of bicyclists so they can encourage the creation of bike lanes and paths will get the assistance of Bikes Count, the largest regional bicycle-counting project in the country. It is sponsored by the county of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, in partnership with San Diego State University and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). There are 28 bicyclecounter locations in 14 cities throughout the county mostly in urban settings, with more counters to be installed. “This project moves us closer to integrating cycling into mainstream planning, and transforming San Diego County into a cycling region,” said Sherry Ryan, professor at San Diego State University’s School of Public Affairs, and Bikes Count project principal investigator. City Selects Miami-Based DecoBike As Partner for Bike-Share Program Miami-based DecoBike has been selected as the operating partner for the city of San Diego’s new bike share program. The company currently operates the first and only privately funded, large-scale program in the nation and generates the most revenues per bike of any U.S. program. The company operates programs in Florida and New York and is in the process of expanding into other jurisdictions. Its plan calls for a deployment of 1,800 bicycles and 180 stations throughout the city. Once a contract has been finalized and submitted to the City Council for approval, the company and the city will ask the community for help in determining locations for station sites.
THE BEST of NORTH PARK COMING SOON! Look for our ballot online and in the February issue.
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Gloria with Bud Fischer, philanthropist, at the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center during the renaming of the computer lab to ‘Bud and Esther’s Cyber Café.’
GLORIA CONTINUED FROM Page 1
Q. What are your five major priorities for the City Council, now that you are president? As council president, I want to continue the positive, bipartisan efforts the City Council has made under Tony Young’s leadership. I’d like to further strengthen the City Council as a legislative body; use my experience as the Budget and Finance Committee chair to guide the council in making fiscally responsible decisions; work productively with Mayor Filner and the two new councilmembers to ensure a smooth transition and ensure the needs of all San Diegans are met. By creating the new Council Infrastructure Committee, we will see additional focus on developing comprehensive solutions to a citywide challenge.
to fix San Diego’s infrastructure. Can you be specific on how the city would finance such a proposal. And, besides streets, what other work should be tackled? A. The funding options and work list must be considered as part of the public dialog on the issue. Streets, sidewalks, streetlights, storm drains and public facilities could all be considered for investment. Depending on the list of priorities community members identify, the city’s general fund, general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, infrastructure financing districts, real estate transfer taxes, or other sources could be considered as funding mechanisms.
Q. Mayor Filner wants to “study” the practice of open bidding for city contracts. What is your position on this policy? There is much work that needs to be Q. Your first major proposal was done to improve our city’s purchasing and
contracting process, from technology upgrades to increasing transparency by posting contracts online. Anything that improves the process should be considered. I would be mindful of any practice that undermines any of our city’s policies, including Equal Opportunity Contracting, Living Wage, Equal Benefits Ordinance, and Managed Competition. Any new policy should work to strengthen and further our efforts in these areas. At the end of the day, taxpayers are also mindful of quality, not only cost. Q. For the last several years, you have spoken about the serious homeless problem in San Diego, noting that federal housing officials have said San Diego has the third highest homeless population in the country. What concrete steps can the city take to reduce the homeless problem? What are the financial ramifications? The city has taken solid steps which have made demonstrable progress addressing homelessness. This month, the city’s new year-round homeless services center, Connections Housing, will open. Coupled with other innovations like the Check-In Center, I can now see a day when we have ended homelessness in Downtown, where it is so prevalent. Obviously, central Downtown has been the focus of our
He just doesn’t like potholes.
efforts thus far. As we determine what investments yield results, we must replicate them in communities that are also impacted, like the Mid-City and Uptown neighborhoods. Q. Redistricting has given you Downtown as a new constituency, yet Mayor Filner campaigned on bringing more power to neighborhoods instead of Downtown special interests. Won’t that put you into a head-to-head conflict with the mayor almost immediately? There is no conflict; Downtown is a neighborhood, and residents there have the same concerns as people in other communities. They want to feel safe, a financially stable city, they want smooth streets and an efficient transportation system, and they want access to their government. Former Mayor Sanders left office regrettng that he could not get approval for building a new City Hall. What is your position on the subject?
Currently the city is spending millions to repair and retrofit the City Administration Building. These actions are expected to only briefly extend its useful life. On top of that, we pay millions more to lease additional space elsewhere because our building does not accommodate all of our current operations. This is not a fiscally responsible or financially sustainable situation. I would support a new civic building if a financing plan can be developed that is a good business decision for the city and saves money that would be used to rebuild our neighborhoods. Before and after you were elected council president, you have been showered with praise for your sharp mind, “self-effacing personality,” and great communication skills. Not many people have openly criticized you. With all that applause, how do you keep from getting a swelled head? There’s a reason why I ask folks to call me Todd and not councilmember. I never lose sight of the fact that the title is SEE GLORIA, Page 9
January 2013 | sdnorthparknews.com | 9
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Sign outside of Gloria’s City Hall office.
GLORIA
kind, and generous people who call this home.
CONTINUED FROM Page 8
only temporary. The praise you mentioned is gratifying but it is also temporary. I rely on my family and friends to keep me grounded. No matter what someone writes, my big brother will always be there to remind me that he’s older. A UT-San Diego writer said it is possible that you could be Council president for the next four year? Is that possible? Is it something you would entertain? The City Council selects the council president annually. I am beyond flattered that I am serving in the role now and will proudly serve as long as my leadership is right for San Diego. Considering all of San Diego’s fiscal, infrastructure and homelessproblems — among others — do you still think it is fair to keep the slogan “America’s Finest City”? San Diego is indeed America’s Finest City because of the amazingly dedicated,
What’s next for you after you are termed out of the City Council? A run for the Assembly, state Senate, Mayor of San Diego? I’m less than one month in to my second term serving the Third Council District, and I’m happy to focus on that and my council president responsibilities. And on a personal level, what is your New Year’s resolution — if you have one? I would like to be more reflective. We all get so busy living our lives that we forget to recognize and appreciate some of the little moments which should mean the most. I’d like to spend some of my time working on that in 2013.
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10 | sdnorthparknews.com | January 2013
San Diego Law Firm Receives Torch Award Better Business Bureau honor cites the North Park law firm for high ethical business practices The San Diego Law Firm in North Park prides itself in being the first, if not the only, law practice in San Diego that has gone paperless — storing all of its documents electronically. But the law firm also has another distinction. It was awarded a 2012 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics by the San Diego Better Business Bureau, which recognizes a business’ commitment to ethical business practices. That’s both in operations and in terms of being ethical, reliable and responsive to to employees, vendors and customers, said Sheryl Bilbrey, president and chief executive officer of the BBB. “Changing the way law firms do business” is the slogan of the law firm, which was founded in August 1988 by attorneys William Simon Jr. and Tom Parashos. “Changing the way law firms do business is all about looking at the role of a law firm through the eyes of the client, determining what the client wants, and then building the firm to meet the client’s demands,” said Simon. “This is a repetitive process and obviously a law firm cannot be built overnight. But if you consistently work at it you can
make gradual changes until one day you don’t look anything like the law firm you used to know. Instead, you look very much like the law firm your clients want to see.” San Diego Law Firm has established what it calls a “Personal Legal Representative” approach to its business, which means giving each client one representative — always one of its seasoned senior partners — to manage and coordinate all of their legal affairs. “A client’s Personal Legal Representative will remain their primary contact and be intimately involved in making sure they receive the legal counsel they need,” the founders said. The firm looks at how other law firms conduct business and then develops ways to do it better. “Opportunities are sought for early resolution that will minimize costs and unnecessary delay,” according to the parners. “San Diego Law Firm is highly experienced in a wide variety of litigation areas, including many difficult and complicated issues. The staff is required to respond to clients within 24 hours, which has increased client satisfaction.” The firm’s commitment to its clients
William Simon, co-founder of San Diego Law Firm in North Park, is shown in one of the office’s work stations.
‘Changing the way law firms do business is all about looking at the role of a law firm through the eyes of the client,’ says William Simon, cofounder of San Diego Law Firm.
also extends to its employees. Employees are offered a variety of extra benefits after working at the firm for more than three years and, after a probationary period, they generally work under a multi-year employment contract. At the beginning of 2012, the firm introduced a fixed-fee billing arrangement. Clients are offered a fixed fee for every legal matter, including lawsuits. The firm was awarded a Director’s Recycling Award from the city of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department for its waste reduction programs that significantly contribute to diverting waste from area landfills. Since all documents are stored electronically, it eliminates the need for file cabinets. Attorneys telecommute and have clean, uncluttered work stations. The firm employs about five independent contractors who only have to travel to the University Avenue office an average of once every couple of months.
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‘Cosmic Collisions’ Universal Force of Nature
Fleet Science Center show brings stunning images of space From subatomic particles to the largest galaxies, cosmic collisions are a universal force of nature, visualizations that will be presented beginning on Jan. 19 at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Dome Theater. Narrated by actor, director and producer Robert Redford, the digital “Cosmic Collisions” show brings to audiences stunning images from space and visualization based on scientific data that explain the explosive encounters that shaped the solar system, changed the course of life
on Earth and continue to transform the galaxy and dynamic universe. Collisions have resulted in many things we take for granted — the luminescent Moon, the Sun’s warmth and light, our changing seasons and waves washing up on a sandy shore. They’ve ended the age of dinosaurs and changed the very map of the cosmos, reforming galaxies and giving birth to new stars and new worlds. “Cosmic Collisions” provides an extraordinary view of these events—both catastrophic and constructive — that have shaped our world and
our universe. The show features scientific simulations and visualizations based on cutting-edge research developed by American Museum of Natural History astrophysicists, scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other international colleagues exploring the full range of space collisions, past, present and future. Viewers will witness the violent face of the Sun, imaged by NASA satellites, that produces enormous ejections of material from our star toward our planet. The
resulting subatomic clashes, as streams of charged particles from the Sun strike the Earth’s magnetic field, produce the eerie glow of the aurora borealis and the aurora australis. “Cosmic Collisions” also shows the creation of our Moon some five billion years ago when a wandering planetoid struck Earth; the violent meeting of two stars at the edge of the galaxy; and the future collision of our Milky Way galaxy with our closest neighbor, the Andromeda spiral galaxy, a cosmic crash that will produce a new giant elliptical galaxy billions of years from now.
Audiences will be shown the meteorite impact that hastened the end of the age of dinosaurs 65 million years ago and cleared the way for the human race. Another sequence highlights a frightening future scenario where humanity desperately attempts to divert the path of an oncoming “doomsday” asteroid headed on a collision course with Earth. The show focuses on the full range of collisions, from catastrophic planetary impacts and the merging of massive galaxies to the continual explosions SEE COSMIC, Page 12
Streams of charged particles from the fiery surface of the Sun race toward Earth at over a million miles an hour in this image taken by NASA satellites.
The surface of the sun.
A dramatic re-creation of the meteorite impact that hastened the end of the Age of Dinosaurs 65 million years ago is a highlight of Cosmic Collisions.
A possible ‘doomsday’ asteroid heads for a collision with Earth.
Pieces raining down on earth from collision believed to have caused the creation of the moon.
Space debris passing through the earth’s magnetic field.
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Maya: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth
Our Milky Way galaxy and its closest neighbor, the Andromeda spiral galaxy, swirl headlong into each other in an intergalactic collision predicted to occur billions of years in the future.
COSMIC CONTINUED FROM Page 11
occurring in the center of the Sun and the incessant barrage of small ionized particles in the solar wind ricocheting off Earth’s magnetic field, creating other-worldly conditions called “space weather.” “Cosmic Collisions” was developed by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, in collaboration with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science; GOTO Inc., Tokyo, Japan; and the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, China. It was created by the American Museum of Natural History with the major support and partnership of the Heliophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and was made possible with the support of CIT.
Stephanie Abrams, award-winning writer and director of documentaries for PBS and USA Networks, and Emmy Award-winner Louise A. Gikow, are the show’s writers, with music by Brazilian pianist and composer Marcelo Zarvos and award-winning composer Robert Miller. “Cosmic Collisions” opens Jan. 19 and will run in an open-ended engagement. Admission: Adults $15.75; Children $12.75; Seniors $12.75. The Fleet’s normal hours are Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.. For information on tickets and show times, call (619) 238-1233.
The ancient Maya left behind evidence of a sophisticated and complex culture. Using cycles of the moon, sun, and planets, they were able to develop accurate calendar systems. More than a thousand years ago, they used unique hieroglyphic writing to carve important dates, names of their rulers, and ceremonial events on stone monuments in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. The huge Maya monuments, or stelae, displayed in the Rotunda Gallery of the Museum of Man, are casts of the original monuments in Quirigua, a site in Guatemala. The casts were made for the
1915 Panama-California Exposition and have been on display since then, except during World War II, when the Navy turned the museum into a hospital. Today these casts are studied by researchers tracing the history of the Maya through their hieroglyphic writing. The casts are in better condition than the original monuments, which have suffered some weathering and erosion since the casts were made. The current exhibition, which runs through July 2015, includes archaeological discoveries highlighting the creativity and beliefs of the ancient Maya: masks, bowls, figurines, etc. Also on display is a
42-foot-wide mural of a rainforest set in the time after the Maya Classic Period (250–900 CE), after which the great ceremonial centers became overgrown by the jungle. In the center of the mural is the lofty ceiba tree, the sacred model for the Maya cosmos. Brilliant birds and animals such as quetzals and jaguars, are represented, as well as elements from many Maya sites. A frequent misconception is that the Maya no longer exist. Not so—more than 7 million descendants continue to carry on many of the traditions and cultural traits of their ancestors through weaving, woodcarving and ceramics.
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FOCUS ON THE ARTS & CRAFTS MOVEMENT Mission Hills Heritage hosts Jan. 19 lecture series “The Arts and Crafts Movement in Mission Hills,” is the theme for the annual lecture series hosted by Mission Hills Heritage (MMH), Saturday, January 19 from 1-4 p.m. at the Francis Parker Lower School. Guest speaker is noted New York architectural historian Leslie Fruedenheim, whose talk will focus on “The West Coast as a Center for Arts & Crafts in the U.S.A.” Hosted by MMH, the program includes three additional lectures. Ron May, archaeological preservation and consultant, will explore “The Arts
The 1933 Craftsman home is at 3629 28th St.
Eyebrow bungalow built by master builder Martin Melhorn
A 1911 Craftsman with a detached art studio/guest house in South Park.
The prominent flared columns with stone bases, combined with the sloped extended eaves, punctuate the Craftsman character of this San Diego house.
and Crafts Homes of Mission Hills,” and Tom Roetker, program events chair, will discuss “Emmor Brooke Weaver, a San Diego Architect,” who designed many of the homes in the community. Molly McClain, author of an upcoming book on the Scripps sisters and their influence in San Diego and the Women’s colony in La Jolla at the turn of the last century. Home restoration experts at table top displays will demonstrate techniques for rehabilitation of original window frames, light fixtures, fireplaces and woodwork in older homes. The craftsmen will be
available to discuss problems and solutions throughout the event. MMH is a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving the character, charm and historical resources of the Mission Hills community. Ticket sales are $10 for individuals and $15 for two and begin at 12:30 p.m. on the day of the event at Francis Parker Lower School, 420l Randolph Street in Mission Hills. Refreshments courtesy of Chism Brothers Painting. For more information visit www.MissionHills Heritage.org or phone (619) 497-1193.
Wood shingle bungalow built by master builder Nathan Rigdon. Mission Hills.
This century-old Craftsman home is one of many that were built in San Diego neighborhoods during the early 1900s. Hosted by Mission HIlls Heritage, an annual lectures series will present ‘The Arts and Crafts Movement in Mission HIlls,’ Jan. 19 at the Francis Parker Lower School.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS L.A. Art Deco Tours Ongoing, Los Angeles Tours of downtown Los Angeles are led on Saturdays; $5 admission. For reservations, call (213) 623-CITY.
Coronado Museum Of History And Art “Hotel del Coronado Tour”: The Coronado Museum of History and Art offers a one-hour, docent-led tour of the Hotel del Coroado and its history. It is the only tour to go inside the hotel. Make reservations through the Coronado Visitors Center by calling (619) 437-8788. The fee is $15. Tours run Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Stanley Ranch Museum Ongoing, Garden Grove A California bungalow built in 1916 is one focal point of this two-acre property, home to some of Garden Grove’s oldest homes and business buildings. Phone the Garden Grove Historical Society at (714) 530-8871.
“Promenade Through the Past”: Departs from the lobby of the Museum of History and Art, 1100 Orange Ave, Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Learn about some of Coronado’s famous buildings and architectural sites, including Tent City resort. Tour fee includes “Promenade through the Past – A Walking Tour Guidebook of Coronado” and covers admission into the Museum of History and Art. $10. (619) 437-8788. Reservations Required. Hebbard and Gill, with Gill as the lead designer, to design a large, boxy red brick house that broke with the English Arts and Crafts cottage style in favor of the more modern streamlined style of its neighbor, the Marston house. Mead and Requa designed a stripped-down, geometric home inspired by Pueblo architecture for Lorenze and Miriam Barney in 1913. It stands next to the house Lorenze’s parents had commissioned two years earlier from Pacific Building Company, a San Diego design and construction firm staffed by Gill’s former draftsmen Lummis Home Museum Ongoing, Highland Park The arroyo-stone home built by Charles Fletcher Lummis, founder of the Southwest Museum, is a state historic monument listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 200 E. Ave. 43. Friday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. For information, call (323) 222-0546.
Judson Studios Ongoing, Los Angeles The Judson Studios served as the turn-of-the-century core of the Arroyo Craftsman movement, located at 200 S. Ave. 66. For more information, call (800) 445-8376 or click on judsonstudios.com. Heritage Village Tour Ongoing, Claremont The first Saturday of each month. The 1 3/4 hour walk begins at 10 a.m. in front of the Historic Claremont Metrolink Depot, 200 W. First St. (Walk is canceled if it’s raining at 8 a.m.) Call (909) 621-8871. Riordan Mansion Park Ongoing, Flagstaff, Ariz. One of Arizona’s best examples of Craftsman architecture, the mansion was designed by Charles Whittlesey and built as a duplex. Original furnishings, including pieces by Ellis, Stickley and Tiffany Studios, are found at the house museum. Guided, handicapped-accessible tours are held daily. The house is located at 409 Riordan Road. Further details are available at (520) 779-4395.
Boettcher Mansion of Lookout Mountain Ongoing, Golden, Colo.
Gamble House Ongoing, Pasadena The David B. Gamble House, constructed in 1908, is an internationally recognized masterpiece of the turn-of-the-century Arts & Crafts movement in America. It is the most complete and original example of the work of architects Charles and Henry Greene and a National Historic Landmark. One-hour guided tours Thursday-Sunday noon to 3 p.m. Closed national holidays. General admission: $8; Students/65+: $5; Children under 12 with an adult, free. Group tours available by reservation. For Lanterman House Tour information call (626) 793-3334. Ongoing, La Canada The Craftsman-style house, built in 1914 by Arthur Haley, was the region’s first concrete residence. Located at 4420 Encinas Dr., it is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the first and third Sundays of the month, from 1-4 p.m. Adults, $3; students, $1; under 12, free. For more information, call (818) 790-1421.
Tour a 1917 Arts & Crafts mansion, a 10,000-square-foot summer home built by Charles Boettcher, famous Colorado entrepreneur. Dramatic cathedral ceilings with carved beams, massive stone walk-in fireplace, some original hardware and lighting. See permanent exhibit of early mansion photos and original blueprints, including an ink-on-linen drawing. Open all year, generally Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday varies. On 110 forested acres with views of the Continental Divide and the Colorado plains. Twenty minutes from Denver. Free for touring. Call (303) 5260855. Moss Mansion Ongoing, Billings, Mont. Nearly unchanged since 1903, Moss Mansion, designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, can be found on the National Register of Historical Places. Visitors will find original furniture, Oriental carpets, handmade light fixtures, and a variety of design styles inside the mansion. Contact (406) 256-5100.
Kell House Ongoing, Wichita Falls, Texas Frank Kell built one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Wichita Falls, the red-brick neoclassic Kell House in 1909. It features distinctive architecture, original family furnishings, textiles, decorative arts and early-20th-century costumes. Exhibitions change in April and September. Ask for directions to the Southland and Homestead Museum Floral Heights bungalow neighborhoods when you visit. The Kell House is open TuesOngoing, City Of Industry Documenting a century of Southern California history, the six- day, Wednesday and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Adults, $3; children 12 and under, $1. For acre museum features the Workman House, La Casa Nueva information, call (940) 723-2712. and El Campo Santo cemetery; 15415 E. Don Julian Road. Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. (626) 968-8492.
MUSEUM OF ART ONGOING, LONG BEACH The museum home includes a splendid, imposing example of the Craftsman bungalow. Built in 1912 as the summer home of heiress Elizabeth Milbank Anderson, it has the natural materials and rugged texture of wood shingles and clinker brick. The prominent gables and projecting rafter beams, like the rest of the main house and carriage house, retain their original integrity. The style is echoed by similar homes in the nearby Bluff Park Historic District. 2300 E. Ocean Blvd. (562) 439-2119.
January 2013 | sdnorthparknews.com | 15
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Van Briggle Pottery Ongoing, Colorado Springs Nearly unchanged since 1903, Moss Mansion, designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, can be found on the National Register of Historical Places. Visitors will find original furniture, Oriental carpets, handmade light fixtures, and a variety of design styles inside the mansion. Contact (406)
Frank Lloyd Wright Home And Studio Ongoing, Oak Park, Ill. These 45-minute guided tours of the restored Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio are offered year-round at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 951 Chicago, Oak Park, IL 60302, (708) 848-1976. Unity Temple Ongoing, Oak Park, Ill. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the temple is open weekdays, 1-4 p.m., with weekend guided tours. Call (708) 383-8873. More Craftsman gems are evident throughout Chicagoland neighborhoods Johnson Wax Co. Building Ongoing, Racine, Wis. Reservations are required for tours, held Fridays only, of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building. Call (262) 260-2000 for information.
Bryn Athyn Cathedral Ongoing, Bryn Athyn, Pa. Guided tours of the center of the Swedenborgian community. Specialty tours by request. The cathedral was built between 1919-1927 using a purist idea of the Arts & Crafts Artisan Guild System. Some of the original guild shops are still in use and continue to house craftsmen. This building and its environment are unique among Arts & Crafts communities in that the religious beliefs of the Swedenborgian community were blended with the Arts & Crafts ideology. Tours for individuals are free. Tours for large groups $2 per person. Contact the cathedral between the hours of 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at (215) 947-0266. Gustav Stickley Exhibit Ongoing, Syracuse, N.Y. A small ongoing exhibit of Gustav Stickley and the Arts & Crafts era. Showing period examples of his work along with his peers. At the Everson Museum, corner of Harrison and State streets. Call (315) 447-6064. Guggenheim Museum Ongoing, New York Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the museum is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call (212) 423-3500 for more.
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D E S E R T PA R A D I S E Miramonte Resort & Spa defines luxury BY BOB PAGE Next time you to decide to run out to the desert, you know the real one which runs from Palm Springs to La Quinta, book yourself into the Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. If you close your eyes and let your imagination roam, you could just as easily believe that you’ve tucked yourself into some romantic hideaway in faraway Italy. The Miramonte defines luxury, whether you’re just there to camp out in one of its beautifully appointed rooms or to spoil yourself in The Well spa whose readers to Conde Nast Traveler have voted it the No. 1 spa in North America. It gets our votes as well. How can you miss this. Activities are endless, starting with golf at its two 18-hole championship courses, located
adjacent to the resort grounds at the Indian Wells Golf Resort, home to the LG Skins game. You’ll be swept away by romantic architecture, Italian fountains, fine crafted stonework, tranquil piazzas and impeccable service. There are 215 rooms, suites and villas woven into 11 expansive acres of olive trees, fragrant citrus groves, roses and flower gardens. There are two pools, one that has been created for adult guests only. The spa is designed as a Tuscan Villa, with 13 treatment rooms, an impressive co-ed courtyard, four outdoor cabanas complete with open air showers, a Watsu pool and its signature river bench pool. Unique services at the spa include Aqua Well, bagno vino (wine baths) and Vichy showers provided on tables built from 100-year-old
Acacia cedar. M Distinctive river benches in the saltwater pool allows you to relax in a shallow stream of water while lounging on a chaise sculpted from stone. The spa features Comfort Zone products from a leading Italian-based skin company. Featured as well is Skinceuticals, an extensive line of pharmaceutical grade skin care products. The luxury brand Moroccanoil hair products are utilized. Moroccanoil takes care of unmanageable hair and restores shine and softness to dull lifeless hair. There is no need to venture beyond the resort’s signature restaurant, the Grove Artisan Kitchen for fine dining. It is known for its “farm to table” fresh, seasonal California cuisine . The menu features organic produce, fresh herbs, local ranch raised meats and poultry, fresh
Pacific seafood, house-made pastas and innovative vegetarian dishes. For more informal and lighter fare, the resort offers the Vineyard lounge featuring an impressive wine selection and an innovative cocktail and martini list. The hotel’s concierges are extremely attentive, armed with incredible skills and ideas for fun and stuff outside of the resort for those interested in venturing out. There is hot air ballooning, desert Jeep tours and the very classy and sophisticated El Paseo street shopping district in nearby Palm Desert. If you’re venturing our to eat, dine where the locals go at The Nest, which is a hop skip and a jump away, or Castelli’s in Palm Desert. The Nest has improved its attractiveness with a recent major renovation, but the lively bar scene remains unchanged.
The pool and surrounding suites and villas give the impression of a romantic hideaway in faraway Italy.
New Directions and Ongoing Progress
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT TODD GLORIA
I am incredibly proud that my colleagues unanimously selected me to serve as the City Council president. I am excited about the new position and responsibilities, and know it will only help me better serve the people of District 3. It is my goal to further strengthen the City Council as a legislative body; use my experience as the Budget and Finance Committee chair to guide the council in making fiscally responsible decisions; and work productively with Mayor Filner and the two new council members to ensure a smooth transition and ensure the needs of all San Diegans are met. So far, we are on the right path.
Headway is also going to be made on a critical issue: rebuilding our neighborhoods. Coordinating the ongoing efforts of community members, grassroots organizations, members of the business community, and the city’s work to streamline our process and projects, will be the work of the new standing City Council Infrastructure Committee, which I created. We’ve successfully trimmed the fat and found efficiencies in our contracting and public works processes, which are all reflected in our much improved finances and our smoother streets. The fact remains that our existing resources are not sufficient to make every street a
sexy street. It is time put forward a plan for the voters’ consideration that would dramatically increase our investment in repairing roads, sidewalks, streetlights, libraries and recreation centers. Modeled after successful efforts in other cities like Phoenix and San Antonio, and similar to local initiatives like TransNet and Proposition MM, I believe we can earn the public’s support, create jobs, and end decades of neighborhood neglect. Now is the time to invest in the future of our city. In the coming year, I also look forward to greater progress addressing homelessness in all of our neighbor-
hoods; moving forward with inventive plans for Balboa Park’s Centennial, EDGE2015; and advancing our transit network and active transportation options. My neighbors in North Park have been great partners in the last four years, and I depend on your continued input and participation to achieve more in 2013. Councilman Todd Gloria can be reached at ToddGloria@sandiego.gov; (619) 236-6633; 202 C Street, MS 10A, San Diego, CA 92101; and on Facebook and Twitter. Visit his website at www.sandiego.gov/cd3.
January 2013 | sdnorthparknews.com | 17
Ginseng Yoga owners Cindy and Brad Bennett were happy to find the studio’s location in the South Park community they live in.
FITNESS CONTINUED FROM Page 5
physical trainer, and a management position with 24-Hour Fitness, where he worked for 11 years. Flexibility with your workout — no required contracts and an intimate setting — are just a few of the qualities that set Boulevard Fitness apart from other gyms, said Najera. “We get to know you and develop a relationship with you, as opposed to just the hustle and bustle of the corporate gym, where you have the in and out.” Both businesses are offering New Year’s savings to help potential members kick off resolutions. Boulevard Fitness’ “Jump Start New Year’s Resolution” January special offers three personal trainer sessions for just $99 or $50 off a prepaid membership. Ginseng Yoga’s New Year’s Resolution New Stu-
Amber PeOa, an employee of Boulevard Fitness, with manager Anthony Najera.
dent Special offers 10 consecutive days of unlimited yoga for $20 (you must be a San Diego resident and new to the studio). The Bennetts have also opened up a new fitness studio adjacent to Ginseng Yoga called GFit San Diego, which offers group-style physical training classes. For more information on Boulevard Fitness, located at 2110 El Cajon Blvd., call (619) 296-7878 or visit www.blvdfit.com. For more information on Ginseng Yoga, located at 2985 Beech St., call (619) 338-YOGA (9642) or visit www.ginsengsandiego.com. More information on GFit San Diego, located at 1504 30th St.: call 338-8030 or visit www.gfitsandiego.com.
Cindy Bennett, owner of Ginseng Yoga.
Community Board Meetings Greater Golden Hill Community Development Corp. The CDC normally meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the SDYS Golden Hill Center, 2220 Broadway. For information, call (619) 696-9992. Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at the Balboa Golf Course clubhouse, 2600 Golf Course Drive. For information, call (619) 533-5284. The North Park Redevelopment Project Area Committee meets at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at the Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. Meetings focus on redevelopment projects in construction or planning. For information, visit sandiego.gov/redevelopment-agency. The North Park Main Street board meets at 7 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month at its storefront office,
3076 University Ave. North Park Main Street has more than 250 members, primarily businesses paying annual assessments in the city-authorized North Park BID. For information, call 294-2501.
Community Association provides a forum for issues and concerns about public safety, education, land use, public facilities and services, commercial revitalization, community image and cultural activities. For more informaThe North Park Maintenance Assess- tion, visit www.northparksd.org. ment District Committee normally meets at 6 p.m. the second Monday of The North Park Historical Society every other month at North Park Com- meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the third munity Adult Center, 2719 Howard Ave. Thursday of each month. The Historical Society conducts research and educaThe North Park Planning Committee tional outreach in order to facilitate meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of preservation of North Park's cultural the month at North Park Christian Fel- and architectural history. For more lowship, 2901 North Park Way. The information, visit www.northparkhiscommittee is an advisory group to the tory.org. city on North Park land use, including the general plan, infrastructure and den- The South Park Business Group sity. For information, visit northpark- meets on the last Wednesday of each planning.org. month at 8:30 a.m. at Alchemy Restaurant, 30th & Beech. The SPBG is comThe North Park Community Associa- prised of business owners with storetion meets from 6 to 8 p.m. the fourth fronts and service businesses located in Wednesday of each month at the South Park. The organization produces Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. The the quarterly South Park Walkabouts
and the annual Old House Fair. For more information, call (619) 233-6679 The Lions Club of North Park meets for lunch every Wednesday from noon to or email PBG@lucyslist.net. 1:30 p.m. at the club, 3927 Utah St. The University Heights Community Prospective members are welcome to Association meets at 7 p.m. the first enjoy their first lunch on the club. For Thursday of the month in the auditori- information, call (619) 692-0540. um of Birney Elementary School, 4345 Uptown Rotary welcomes prospective Campus Ave. For information, call 297- members at its 7 a.m. Thursday breakfasts at Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Café, 3166. 3172 Fifth Ave. For more, call (619) 500The Adams Avenue Business Associ- 3229 or visit sdurotary.org. ation board of directors normally meets at 7:30 a.m. the first Tuesday of The North Park Recreation Council the month at the Normal Heights Com- meets at 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of munity Center, 4649 Hawley Blvd. For every other month at North Park Recretime, place and more information, call ation Center, 4044 Idaho St. For infor(619) 282-7329 or visit adamsaveon- mation, call 235-1152. line.com. The Kensington/Talmadge Planning Group meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at Kensington Community Church, 4773 Marlborough Drive. For information, call 287-3157.
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Abraham Lincoln’s Last Day
Scene from ‘An American Story for Actor and Orchestra.’
Hershey Felder brings “An American Story” to the North Park Theatre Although the Birch North Park Theatre has been renovated from its 1928 beginnings, it has a vintage feel that seems the perfect venue for a stage play about the last day of Abraham Lincoln. Canadian-born Hershey Felder — actor, playwright, composer, pianist and producer, is in the central role of Dr. Charles Augustus Leale, the 23-year-old Union Army medic who was the first individual to reach the presidential box at Ford’s Theatre on the night President Lincoln was shot. Mrs. Lincoln placed Leale in charge to see the president through his last hours. The production, “An American Story for Actor and Orchestra,” opened Jan. 4 and will continue through Feb. 3 at the North Park Theatre. The production, set in New York City in 1932, has the 90-year-old Leale tell his story as
he travels back in time and recounts the events that, 67 years before, forever changed his life. “An American Story” is based both on Leale’s account, “Lincoln’s Last Hours,” as well as his original report of 1865, which was only recently discovered in a box at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. According to those reports, Leale was seated in Ford’s Theatre when Lincoln and his wife arrived. The stage play was interrupted when John Wilkes Booth jumped down from the presidential box to the stage. Leale, seeing this, immediately rushed to the president’s box. When he arrived, he found Lincoln slumped in his armchair supported by Mrs. Lincoln, who was weeping frantically. Leale received permission to take charge. Leale discovered Lincoln comatose, paralyzed and struggling to breathe. He laid the president down on the floor and initially
Production Credits: Scenic Design: David Buess, Trevor Hay Scenic Construction: Matt Marsden Lighting Design: Chris Rynne Projection Design: Greg Sowizdrzal, Andrew Wilder Sound Design: Erik Carstensen Costume Design: Abigail Caywood Production Management: Matt Marsden, Erik Carstensen General Management: Samantha Voxakis Stage Management: Don Adams Original Direction: Joel Zwick Associate Direction: Trevor Hay Dramaturgy: Cynthia Caywood
thinking that Lincoln had been stabbed in the shoulder, searched for wounds. Finding none, he later determined that the president had been shot. “An American Story” features an original book as well as score by Felder and is performed with live orchestra, with songs by American composer Stephen Foster — “Beatiful Dreamer,”“My Old Kentucky Home,”“Oh Susanna.” Felder’s past San Diego productions — at the Old Globe Theatre — have been “George Gershwin Alone,” “Monsieur Chopin,” “Beethoven as I Knew Him,” “Maestro: Leonard Bernstein” and “The Great American Songbook Sing-Along.” Felder is well acquainted with the historic Ford’s Theatre, the site of the assassination, through his extended appearances there in “George Gershwin Alone” in 2003 and 2004. Hershey Felder as Dr. Charles Augustus Leale, the 23-year-old unknown Union Army medic.
Tickets: All tickets are $58, on sale at the Birch North Park Theatre Box Office (619) 239-8836) or online at www.birchnorthparktheatre.net. Performance Schedule: Tuesdays through Fridays, 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sundays, 3 p.m.
Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in ‘Maestro: Leonard Bernstein.’ (Courtesy ArtsEmerson)
January 2013 | sdnorthparknews.com | 19
By Bart Mendoza
Jessica Hull’s Tunes Carry the Day Singer-songwriter fans will want to check out Jessica Hull, who hosts a special birthday show at Lestat’s on Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. Hull has put together a terrific bill that includes 22 Kings as well as the duo of Seaholm and Macintosh, but it’s her tunes that will carry the day. Live, she’s a particularly strong performer with a great, take-no-prisoners stage persona and a wonderful voice — it all adds up to a great listening experience. The evening will highlight songs from her recently released album, “Second Wind,” but Hull has lots of excellent material and a winning way with the occasional cover tunes that pepper her sets. Jessica Hull: Wednesday, Jan. 16 Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave. 9 p.m. All ages. Cover TBD. www.Lestats.com.
Surf, Punk and Rock with Spider Heart San Francisco rock ‘n’ roll group Spider Heart performs at Eleven on Jan. 14, 9 p.m. The quartet, led by guitarist and vocalist May Black, excels at atmospheric, dense and moody tunes, intense but with enough melody to keep things from leaning too far over into the metal genre. Spider Heart includes elements of surf, punk and rock in their music, but it’s a unique template they are following, where feedback can provide sonic hooks and band energy can carry the day. If you’re looking for something new to satisfy the need for loud, in -your-face rock tunes, look no further. Spider Heart: Monday, Jan. 14 Eleven, 3519 El Cajon Blvd. 9 p.m. 21 and up. $4. www.elevensandiego.com.
Rendering of the USO building.
’60s Tunesmith a Crowd Pleaser PF Sloan may not be a household name, but his music certainly is. One of the most successful tunesmiths of the 1960s, Sloan is responsible for penning a slew of era-defining hits for others, including such classics as “Eve of Destruction” (for Barry McGuire), “Can I Get To Know You Better” (The Turtles) and “Secret Agent Man” (Johnny Rivers). Appearing on Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. at AMSD Concerts, Sloan hasn’t released a new album since 2006, but with an arsenal of Top 40 hits in his repertoire, this is one show that will have no shortage of crowd pleasers in the set.
PF Sloan: Saturday, Jan. 12 AMSD Concerts, 4650 Mansfield St. 7: 30 p.m. All ages. $20-$47. www.amsdconcerts.com.
Virtuoso With the Ukulele Against all odds, the ukulele continues to grow in popularity. Until recent years, the instrument was considered a toy, but today, virtuosos can play just about anything, from metal to classical on the wooden wonder. Anyone wanting to hear and learn from one of the best players on the club circuit today will want to check out Jumpin’ Jim Beloff, appearing at New Expression Music on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. A renowned teacher and composer, Beloff has also produced such genre classics as the “Legends of Ukulele” albums from Rhino Records. A relatively easy instrument to play, in Beloff’s hands even with only four strings, it’s got unlimited potential. Jim Beloff: Wednesday Jan. 30 New Expression Music, 4434 30th St. 7 p.m. All ages. $35. www.sdoldtimemusic.com
Powerpop With Ken Stringfellow What do such legendary combos as The Posies, Big Star and R.E.M. have in common? Easy. They all include multi-instrumentalist Ken Stringfellow among their membership. One of the top musicians to emerge from the 1980s music scene, Stringfellow is currently touring in support of his latest solo album, “Danzing in the Moonlight,” with a stop at the Soda Bar on Jan. 27 at 8:30 p.m. Look for Stringfellow to include a few choice covers among the originals, but no matter what he plays, you can count on it being melodic, energetic and beautifully arranged, all key elements to excellent powerpop. Opening the show will be Adam Gimbel’s band Rookie Card, making a rare appearance and giving music fans two solid reasons not to miss this concert. Ken Stringfellow: Sunday, Jan. 27 The Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd. 8:30 p.m. 21 and up. $12. www.sodabarmusic.com.
20 | sdnorthparknews.com | January 2013