NORTH PARK NEWS SEPTEMBER 2016

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DIVERSIONARY THEATRE

Vol. 25 No. 9 September 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Celebrating 30 years of giving voice to LGBT culture

Back to School — Books or Looks

Starting school means hitting the books, and hitting the stores, in search of that perfect back to school outfit.

Who doesn’t remember that first day of class — seeing old friends, sizing up the teacher — and wearing new clothes? PG. 12

Paying Homage to the Greats

Tribute Pizza wants nothing more than to provide quality pizza, not to rival its tributes but to revel in the tastes of the accomplished traveler and pizza connoisseur. Owner Matthew Lyons started delivering from a skateboard. PG. 14

‘Hidden’ Treasures on Display A collection of rare books, art, photographs and historical docu- ments that the San Diego Natural History Museum has kept “hidden” from the general public have now been put on display for everyone to see in a new permanent exhibition. PG. 13

Scene from ‘Lizard Boy,’ the opening production of Diversionary Theatre’s upcoming season.

(Alabaster Photography)

Most theater companies today feature productions about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender life — which couldn’t be said some 30 years ago, when Diversionary Theatre first opened its doors in North Park. “It’s great that LGBT issues are more accepted in the mainstream community and that our voices are being heard,” says Matt Morrow, executive artistic director of the theater. Read Jennifer Coburn’s theater article on Page PAGE 10

CONTACT US ‘We have a culture all to ourselves, we’ve been outsiders and change-makers, and we’ve been able to find the beauty and poetry and craft great stories about that individuality,’ says Diversionary Theatre Executive Artistic Director Matt Morrow.

EDITORIAL/LETTERS

Manny Cruz manny@sandiegometro.com ADVERTISING

Brad Weber

Brad@LocalUmbrella.com

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| SEPTEMBER 2016

Friday Night Potlucks

BY SUSAN TAYLOR PHOTOS BY JIM CHILDERS

Neighbors getting together for food and conversation It’s Friday night, the end of the month, and you’re looking for something fun and relaxing to do.

Problem solved ‌ attend a Finale Friday Potluck! At least that’s what neighbors who live on or around Arnold Street are doing these days.

Coordinated by Cara Allen and Dan Demers, who have lived in the North Park area since 1998, the get-togethers are friendly and easy.

The hosts only need to provide paper plates, cups, knives and forks, and everyone brings a

snack and drink to share. Slap a name tag on your shoulder, find that person you have already met, or start up a conversation with someone new, and you are on your way to having a good evening. “I think it creates a feeling of safety, trust and community that we all crave,� said Cara.

The first potluck, in the spring of 2015, was a success with some 30 people attending. Cara and Dan distributed flyers to homes in each direction from their Arnold Street house, and since then the events have attracted more and more people.

Each month, about a week before the final Friday, Cara sends out information including the address and name of the next host.

The email list is growing. Each one is a little

The potlucks can be a family affair. Heather and Rick Laird and baby Emmett attending a recent event.

Potluck guests, from left, are: Bob Carney, Julie McCarthy, Jeff Whitmore

different. Laura’s potluck had a Hawaiian theme; she provided ham and pineapple, and people arrived in aloha shirts and brought salads, desserts, wine, and beer.

The patio was a perfect place for her beagle, Valentine, and the other visiting dogs. Sometimes people are afraid to host the potluck, thinking their house is too small, but then people just spill outside or get real cozy inside.

Kids and babies are welcome, and of course, the host has the option of requesting that dogs stay home.

Cara and Dan can be credited with initiating the Morley Field area potlucks, although Cara remarks that she heard about similar First Friday events on Pershing Street. Neighbors on 28th Street also have a block party in the summer.

When she was in college, Cara coordinated Ladies Nights for students in her dormitory, and later she brought people together in condo complexes where she lived.

As a child, she remembers going to progressive dinners, and Dan’s family in Michigan used to have neighborhood happy hours that rotated to different houses each month. Just recently, Cara’s parents moved from Pennsylvania to Pershing Street, so they are able to share in the potlucks, too.

One reason people like living in North Park is because it is friendly. Houses are close together and many people have to park on the street, so it is only natural to greet people as you leave for work or come back home. Contrast that with parts of town where people drive into a large garage and go in or out of their house without seeing the people next door. “Being neighborly� also comes easily when out walking the dog. Dogs just invite conversations about breed and habits, and eventually the humans at the end of the leash exchange names with strangers.

People of a certain age will recall Mr. Rodgers asking, “Won’t you be my neighbor?�

Sharing food and stories, the potluck meal is a little of this, a little of that. You’ll hear, “How is your job going and how was that trip you took?�

From Cara, “I think people like the idea of knowing who lives where and what these people are like.�

People become friends, communicate, and feel connected.. Maybe your block is ready for a Friday or other night party with neighbors, and if you’re lucky, there might just be some tasty leftover salsa or brownies!

Writer Sue Taylor, left, and Genevra and Rick Allen.

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FROM

DEXTER’S CORNER

Is your Pet’s Diet affecting their Urinary Health?

If your dog or cat has ever experienced bladder or urinary tract issues, it can be scary and expensive.

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protein diet. The carbohydrate level RI PRVW FDQQHG IRRGV LV ORZHU WKDQ WKDW RI PRVW GU\ IRRGV How to decipher the ingredients on the label to know if you are getting quality canned pet food?

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• Urinating inappropriately (outside the litterbox for cats, indoors or on furniture for dogs) • Straining to urinate and or crying out during urination If these symptoms are observed - take your pet to the vet immediately - toxic buildup from a urinary blockage can be very painful and deadly if not treated. ,QÀDPPDWLRQ RI WKH EODGGHU RU urethra, called CYSTITIS, is FRPPRQO\ VHHQ ZLWK VWUHVVHG SHWV SDUWLFXODUO\ FDWV D QHZ KRPH RU QHZ FDW LQ WKH KRXVHKROG ¿JKWLQJ LQ WKH KRPH RU DQ\ FKDQJHV FDQ be a factor. Causes vary and can LQFOXGH LPSURSHU XULQDU\ S+ dehydration, stress, diabetes, old DJH ORQJ WHUP FRUWLFRVWHURLG XVH DQG FHUWDLQ PHGLFDWLRQV 2IWHQ cystitis is referred to as an infection, EXW LQÀDPPDWLRQ FDQ RFFXU ZLWKRXW there being a bacterial infection. )RU PRUH GHWDLO RQ WKH YDULRXV W\SHV of stones or urinary crystals see 'H[WHUœV 'HOL 3HW +HDOWK *XLGH DW KWWS ZZZ GH[WHUVGHOL FRP SHW health-guides. :H UHFRPPHQG D TXDOLW\ FOHDQ GLHW DV LW FDQ SOD\ D YHU\ LPSRUWDQW UROH in your pets’ urinary tract health.

Although dry pet food is convenient and cost effective, they can be a factor in pets’ urinary tract disease and are not the best option.

Most veterinarians agree, that a diet of just dry food is not healthy, particularly for dogs or cats with urinary tract issues, and now UHFRPPHQG PRLVW GLHWV OLNH UDZ KRPH FRRNHG RU D TXDOLW\ FDQQHG SHW IRRG WR KHOS SHWV PDLQWDLQ SURSHU 3+ DQG K\GUDWLRQ OHYHOV All bagged dry pet foods contain carbohydrates (including grainfree food), which can negatively HIIHFW WKH ERG\œV DELOLW\ WR PDLQWDLQ a proper ph level and they create low-level dehydration, especially in FDWV ZKLFK DJDLQ LPSDFWV WKH XULQDU\ V\VWHPœV EDODQFH Why quality canned diet is best for pets’ with urinary tract health ?

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:H UHFRPPHQG XVLQJ WKHP sparingly, particularly if your pet KDV KDG XULQDU\ WUDFW LVVXHV )LVK XVHG LQ SHW IRRG PDQXIDFWXULQJ RIWHQ FRQWDLQV ZKROH ¿VK JXWV DQG ERQHV which can increase phosphorus levels of the food. This can be a SUREOHP IRU FDWV ZLWK NLGQH\ GLVHDVH 6RPH FDWV DUH VHQVLWLYH WR ¿VK EDVHG diets and develop urinary tract SUREOHPV WKDW UHVROYH ZKHQ ¿VK LV UHPRYHG IURP WKHLU GLHW Brands we like and are Excellent high-protein, grain-free, low carb CANNED options – l (YDQJHUV ¹ 86$ FRPSDQ\ ZLWK ORWV RI PHDW\ FKRLFHV IRU GRJ DQG cats l /RWXV ¹ :H ORYH WKLV EUDQG ¹ 86$ PDGH LQ 7RUUDQFH &$ l 3DUW\ $QLPDO¹ 2UJDQLF PDGH LQ 86$ ¹ MXVW GRJ IRUPXODV

3 Beautifully renovated units South Park, San Diego 92102 Price to be determined

W CRO S E IN

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4708 Gabriel Way, Mount Helix, La Mesa 5 BR/ 3.5 BA $1,199,900 !

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l 7LNL &DW ¹ 'RJV DQG &DWV ORYH WKLV RQH ZH UHFRPPHQG RQO\ WKH SRXOWU\ EDVHG IRUPXODV IRU SHWV with urinary tract issues. l :HUXYD 'H[WHUœV 'HOL PRVW SRSXODU EUDQG ¹ ORWV RI YDULHWLHV ÀDYRUV l :LOG &DOOLQJ ¹ PHDW FDQQHG GLHW WKDW FRPHV LQ D YDULHW\ RI PHDW FKRLFHV l =LZL3HDN ¹ 1LFH KLJK SURWHLQ PHDW RUJDQ DQG ERQH ¹ ethically raised Stop in our store or visit us online for more information and suggested products for a happier, healthier pet - www.dextersdeli. com/pet-health-guides/ References:

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(2) Does Your Cat Love Fish, 7KH&RQVFLRXV&DW QHW 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

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

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COMMUNITY

| SEPTEMBER 2016

SAN DIEGO CHAMBER AWARDS 5 small businesses and 1 nonprofit are honored at annual awards Reality Changers, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income, low-performing high school students achieve successful college educations, took top honors along with five local small businesses at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Small Business Awards reception Tuesday night.

Presented annually, the awards honor local small businesses with fewer than 50 employees for their significant contributions as drivers of economic growth throughout the region. Reality Changers was the only nonprofit selected for an award.

“Small businesses are really a driving force of our region’s economy and the role they play is truly anything but small,” said Jerry Sanders, chamber president and CEO. “In fact, here in San Diego, half of our region’s workforce is employed by companies with fewer than 50 employees.

The 2016 Small Business Awards winners are:

Tech Savvy:

GroundMetrics Inc. because their proprietary electromagnetic sensor has become a world leader in the oil and gas technology market, helping its customers to use less fracking and drill fewer bad wells.

Only in San Diego:

Moniker Group for the owner’s ability to think beyond the “beaches and sunshine” and harness San Diego’s cooperative entrepreneurial spirit to provide a community where designers, makers, artists and tech professionals can thrive.

Cinderella Story:

San Diego Sports Entertainment Center for the owner’s ability to revitalize the business into a thriving company — with plans to expand nationwide — after losing everything during the 2008 financial crisis.

Customer Service Star:

Outstanding Nonprofit:

Reality Changers for their incredible success in helping low-income students — many of whom joined the program with less than a 2.0 high school GPA — graduate college at an 86 percent success rate. Since its founding, Reality Changers has recorded a total of over $100 million in earned scholarships.

Innovative Employee Solutions for delivering on their motto that “excellent service isn’t something you should do, but something you want to do.”

Best For Vets:

Miramar Federal Credit Union because their team has demonstrated that — to best serve the military community and fulfill their motto, “Where Military Matters!” —they need

John Griffith is a partner at Griffith, Young & Lass Family Law in San Diego.

veterans on staff who will connect with their customers on a level most civilians cannot.

All award nominations were evaluated by a panel of four judges who reviewed applications based on criteria for each award category. After rating each submission, the small business with the highest score in each category was selected as the winner.

pany and a 2015 Small Business Awards Winner.

Dale Ganzow, sales manager at the San Diego Business Journal.

Felena Hanson, founder of Hera Hub: Collaborative Workspace for Women.

Greg Kassardjian, senior marketing manager at Confirm BioSciences and a 2015 Small Business Awards Winner.

Judges for the awards competition were:

Jim Berdeguez, owner of James Gang Com-

URBAN GARDENING Successful gardening techniques for all who choose to inquire Gardening is something we can all benefit from, but even I admit, it can seem complicated your first time around. I began to farm and garden 12 years ago. My learning to grow food and flowers has taken me to cities and small villages all around the world. From running an urban nursery in Minneapolis to working on farms in Central America and Southeast Asia, and, even owning an organic garden supply in Houston, I’ve tried it all! This column is here for simple and successful gardening methods to share with you so that you can join me on the journey of eating fresh!

You don’t have to have a “green thumb” to harvest the benefits of having fresh produce grown outside your window sill. In fact, you might even forget a tomato was growing over there until one day when a cherry sized fruit catches your eye. Smallscale gardening can take place in nearly all outdoor situations, and for the lucky ones with a yard in San Diego, the possibilities indeed are endless!

Urban living can be tricky when it comes to sharing your outdoor spaces. It might be an exciting adventure, or it can feel like a game of Tetris! With a little knowledge, creativity, and patience, you can grow many different crops in quantities suitable to your family, and to your neighbors! Growing not only food, but also flowers and foliage are great for attracting birds and improving air

quality. Plants add value to properties, and when planted smartly, can save on monthly bills.

If your outdoor space is blessed with having shade, but too much of it, consider growing leafy greens like spinach, kale and lettuce, or try foliage like hostas and ivy. Mint can grow abundantly in both sunny and shade conditions, and with container gardens it won’t be invasive like when it’s planted in the ground. It’s best to identify the amount of time your space gets direct sunlight, and research applicable plant species. Seed packets always have planting suggestions and information, as well as plant starts from the nursery.

Did you know many varieties of produce can be re-grown from scraps or seeds collected right in your own refrigerator? Growing your own is not an expensive hobby! In a future edition we will discuss examples of how to grow with what you already have.

In last month’s “Urban Gardens” article, we learned the process of making

healthy soil and finding suitable growing containers. I suggest visiting your local nursery to purchase equal parts organic soil, peat moss, vermiculite and clean sand, and an arable clean container, to ensure the health and vitality of your plants.

If playing with soil doesn’t suit your fancy, you might consider a Hydroponic or Aeroponic system for less mess and time-saving technology.

Using clay beads, timers, pumps and liquid nutrients, you can grow various delicious crops right in your sunlit kitchen!

By growing even just one kind of herb, you are able to enhance staple foods, which when purchased in bulk, will save you money at the grocery store. Pastas, beans, salads, soups, nachos, tacos, all taste better with fresh herbs. Salad dressings, meat marinades, dips, and cocktails can be made using basic ingredients with fresh and simple flavors. Reduce your processed ingredients intake, and savor the taste of fresh!

My favorite summer cocktail involves a mortar and pestle, basil leaves, lime juice, simple syrup, and whatever fresh berries are left from the farmer’s market. I muddle them and mix with vodka or gin. It’s almost worth having a party for! For the kids, try lavender lemonade, or basil mac n’ cheese. I mix fresh marjoram with red wine vinegar and broth for a beef, tofu, or veggie marinade. It’s these simple additions that keep our meals fun, and offer less sugar and salt filled additives.

For homesteaders and conscientious renters who desire to improve your outdoor environment and the time spent using it, and would like some common sense guidance from an experienced farmer, stay tuned for this article in future publications! No matter how big or small your space may be, you just have to start to know the sincere benefits! From a small south-facing balcony to a concrete slab, to a wooden porch or walkway, let your home’s outdoor environment reflect the beauty you have within.

Your days will start and end with thoughtful abundance and nourishment!

Cali Life Co. is a San Diego-based company, employing local artists to create unique designs for sunglasses, hats, and accessories.

Sourcing high-quality lenses with polarized, UV-400 protection, our sunglasses not only look good, they also provide stellar eye protection from the gleaming SoCal sun!

Check us out at, CaliLifeCo.com Or, come and see us in person!

9/10 South Bay Pride Chula Vista 9/10 Ray at Night 9/10 Long Beach Beer & Music Festival 9/11 Hillcrest Farmers Market 9/11 Pool Party @ Hotel La Jolla 9/18 Hillcrest Farmers Market 9/23 Top Artists La Jolla 9/24 Hot Dawgs N Hand Rails, Big Bear Mountain 9/25 Hillcrest Farmers Market

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BUSINESS

| SEPTEMBER 2016

ACCION ACADEMY IGNITES SMALL BUSINESSES Giving entrepreneurs a boost up the success ladder

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDREW DYER

Manuel Basabe, owner of boutique Mesheeka, completed the Accion Academy for Entrepreneurial Success, an eightt-week crash course in business management.

Manuel Basabe begins his work day like many small shop owners — he places a hand-chalked sign on the sidewalk outside his storefront, carries out racks of clothes for passersby to peruse and sits down at his laptop inside his small boutique Mesheeka on Logan Avenue.

Vibrant paintings adorn the walls, their motifs reproduced on some of the t-shirts for sale. Basabe began his clothing line in 2009 and settled into his brick-and-mortar location in November 2015.

A few doors south on Logan Avenue, sisters Elizabeth Rodriguez and Danielle Cisneros also operate a small sidewalk business, the Chicanista Boutique. The sisters have sold their hand-made and repurposed items throughout San Diego at farmer’s markets and festivals, but only opened their Logan Heights sidewalk stall in the summer of 2016.

Both business owners credit their recent expansions to their involvement with Accion San Diego, a nonprofit micro-lender. Accion serves San Diego, Imperial, San Bernadino and Riverside counties. Accion’s goal, said CEO Elizabeth Schott, is to provide resources for businesses and start-ups that do not qualify for capital loans from traditional banks.

Borrowers can qualify for up to a $75,000 loan.

“Our goal is to work with

entrepreneurs that have some type of barrier with accessing financing,” Schott said. “We also offer different types of workshops and training.”

Basabe and Rodriguez both completed the Accion Academy for Entrepreneurial Success, an eighttweek crash course in business management.

“It’s basically from A-Z everything you need to know to start a business,” Schott said. “From (creating) a business plan, financial projections, permitting and licensing issues to digital and social marketing.”

Graduates also have access to up to a $5,000 loan to start their businesses. Schott said Accion clients were 65 to 70 percent low to moderate income and 50 percent women, and ran the gamut in ages, from college graduates to retirees.

The academy is not just for traditional brick-and-mortar shops.

Chrisi Hard said she has always loved baking. When a divorce and a daughter with special needs kept her at home, she began taking orders from friends.

“Daycare was not an option and I needed to be with her,” she said.

“Friends just started calling and ordering baked goods. I know how to bake, but did not know the business side so well.”

It was about 15 years later Hard found out about the academy at

The Mesheeka boutique operated by Manual Basabe.

Accion, and she credits the course with changing the way she approaches her business.

“I am more efficient,” she said. “I have mentors I can call when I have questions about things.”

Hard said the loan from Accion has also been helpful.

“It helped me buy supplies in bulk and upgrade my brochures and business cards. My website is also getting upgraded right now,” she said. “I can’t say enough good about my experience with (Accion).”

People with poor to no credit can be susceptible to predatory lending practices, and Schott said Accion is aware of the issue.

“We helped spearhead the borrower’s bill of rights (to) make sure that pricing, fees and interest rates are transparent,” she said. “We’re always educating our clients that sometimes the quickest loans are not the best structured loans.”

Schott said some clients come to Accion already paying off bad loans.

“In some cases we’ve been able to refinance them out with our loan program,” she said.

Accion is funded by a menagerie of government and private entities, including federal and local grants as well as banking partnerships. A grant from Wells Fargo launched the entrepreneur’s academy three years

ago and continues to fund it today.

“Small businesses in San Diego comprise over 90 percent of all businesses so they’re powerful in our local economy, creating jobs and contributing to our tax base,” Schott said.

“We see a lot of people looking to donate to our organization because of the impact we’re making on the economy.”

Basabe said the academy changed his approach to business, especially his bookkeeping.

“I would just throw it in a box,” he said. “I had a bookkeeping box. Now I have a ledger, a file and everything is super organized.”

As an artist, he said he struggled at first with the numbers part of the business.

“That’s not the fun part of having a business,” Basabe said. “The fun part is making money, meeting people and talking and laughing. That’s the fun part.”

He also took out a loan upon graduation in order to fund the next phase of Mesheeka: ice cream.

“In five years we’re going to be the ice cream king of San Diego,” he said.

“It’s going to be culturally inspired flavors, stuff that’s normally seen in Mexico. Horchata, abuelita’s chocolate and spicy flavors like jalapeno and habanero.”

He said he was not going to give up on his fashion line, however.

BUSINESS

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

7

Sisters Elizabeth Rodriguez, left, and Danielle Cisneros operate Chicanista Boutique in Logan Heights.

Chicanista Boutique is the sidewalk business of sisters Elizabeth Rodriguez and Danielle Cisneros.

“There’s going to be an ice cream shop but with a gift shop,” Basabe said.

“We’re going to keep everything but it’s going to be a different look, the focus is going to be on the ice cream.”

Rodriguez and Cisneros have similar goals for growth for Chicanista Boutique, now located in front of ThChrch on Logan Avenue.

“We’d like to have multiple locations with carts,” Cisneros said. “We want to have different workshops, like sewing and piñata-making classes.”

Chicanista’s first piñata-making class is scheduled for Oct. 15.

“We learned to sew from our aunts and our mom,” Rodriguez said. “These are things close to our culture, and we want to continue these traditions.”

Rodriguez, who graduated from Accion’s Entrepenuer’s Academy one year ago, said the course has helped her hone in and focus on her busi-

ness.

“Having a business counselor available who has real world experience who is not disrespectful, but honest and straightforward really changed the game,” she said. “They teach you how to succeed using skills and techniques that might push you out of your comfort zone, but that’s where you learn the most, and that’s where you become successful.”

Making the leap into entrepreneurship can be intimidating. Schott said fear and lack of preparation are common roadblocks for aspiring entrepreneurs. She said education and being familiar with one’s credit were key in launching a business.

“Surround yourself with experts and find a trusted accountant,” she said.

Basabe, Rodriguez and Hard all said they would recommend the Accion

Women’s products display at Chicanista Boutique.

academy to anyone planning on starting a business.

“I think anyone who is just starting or considering starting a business should consider participating,” Rodriguez said.

“The loan (from Accion) has helped me grow and improve my business,” Basabe said. “Big banks are kind of heartless, and Accion is for the people.

I’m really blessed.”

‘Small businesses in San Diego comprise over 90 percent of all businesses so they’re powerful in our local economy, creating jobs and contributing to our tax base,” says Accion CEO Elizabeth Schott. ‘We see a lot of people looking to donate to our organization because of the impact we’re making on the economy.

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BUSINESS

| SEPTEMBER 2016

JPMorgan Chase Awards $600,000 Grant To San Diego-Based Accion Accion, the San Diego-based microlender, has been awarded a $600,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to support the continued expansion of the agency’s program providing capital to entrepreneurs in Southern California.

The grant will be awarded in two $300,000 installments in 2016 and 2017 and will be used to increase lending activities to grow the loan portfolio across the organization’s four-county territory, as well as help

ident of corporate responsibility for JPMorgan Chase in Southern California. “Microlenders, like Accion, provide small businesses with the consulting and financing they need to grow their operations. We’re very proud to partner with Accion and enhance their efforts to provide access to the capital and assistance that Southern California entrepreneurs need most."

“This grant comes at a time of expansion for our organization and

This grant will be instrumental in supporting the expansion of our microlending program to the new counties we serve. ELIZABETH SCHOTT, CEO OF ACCION. to raise additional loan capital for Accion to serve more entrepreneurs.

Accion has been serving entrepreneurs in San Diego County since 1994, before expanding into Imperial County in July 2015 and Riverside and San Bernardino counties in January 2016.

“Small business owners have identified flexible capital as a critical resource for growth, but they face a shortage of this kind of support,” said Myeisha Peguero Gamino, vice pres-

will support us in boosting organizational capacity,” said Accion CEO Elizabeth Schott. “We look forward to empowering even more entrepreneurs with these funds, and we are thrilled that JPMorgan Chase recognizes our work in the community to help small business owners achieve their dreams, while creating true economic impact.

“This grant will be instrumental in supporting the expansion of our microlending program to the new

counties we serve. With these funds, we will be able to build new strategic partnerships, diversify revenue streams, hire new staff and invest in new technology and systems, so that our organization can increase the dollars we loan into the community to the entrepreneurs that need it the most.”

Accion enables clients to increase their inventory, buy equipment or raw materials, and pursue new business opportunities. Accion creates access to jobs for local business owners by providing support and access to capital. On average, three jobs are created for every business funded by Accion.

The organization also helps entrepreneurs build favorable credit histories and improve their business skills through resource events, such as the Small Business Boot Camp in San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 1. All of Accion’s events are specially tailored toward the needs and questions of small business owners.

Accion works strategically with local partners, such as banking institutions, and nonprofit organizations, like JPMorgan Chase, to support main street businesses, from restaurants and retail shops to home-based daycares and web-based businesses.

Elizabeth Schott, CEO of Accion.

SBA Launches New Website for America’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Certify.sba.gov will assist small firms doing business with federal government The Small Business Administration has launched certify.sba.gov — a new website to further streamline and improve the application processes for small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to do business with the federal government.

“SBA is committed to being as nimble and agile as the small businesses we serve. In addition to LINC, our Start Up in a Day Initiative, and Small Business Tech Coali-

With this website, SBA’s contracting application and certification process for women-owned small businesses is now completely accessible online and easier than ever to complete. Women contractors can now easily manage the certification process, including Third Party Certifications as part of the WOSB Federal Contract Program.

The new website will eventually serve additional SBA contracting

Small businesses often get too little credit for their work as our nation’s leading job-creators, generating nearly two out of three net new jobs in our economy. SBA ADMINISTRATOR MARIA CONTRERAS-SWEET tion, the aunch of certify.sba.gov is another way SBA is leveraging the power of technology for Americans,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “This new website first focuses on closing market gaps for women entrepreneurs in the federal marketplace by featuring the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program as we work toward breaking federal contracting goals for a second year in fiscal year 2016.”

programs, including the 8(a) Business Development Program, the HUBZone Program, and others.

The site will allow several forms to be filled out electronically, reducing the burden of printing, scanning, and uploading. As additional certifications like the 8(a) Business Development Program are moved into the new system, documents uploaded for one program may be reused for another.

The site also has a tool called “Am

I Eligible?” which allows a small business to answer approximately 15 questions and to determine if the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program, the HUBZone Program, and/or the 8(a) Business Development Program are a good fit for their business.

“Small businesses often get too little credit for their work as our nation’s leading job-creators, generating nearly two out of three net new jobs in our economy,” Contreras-Sweet added. “Last fiscal year the federal government awarded its highest percentage of contracting dollars to small businesses in the history of the United States, totaling more than $90 billion. Those resources supported more than half a million jobs in communities across this country. When these federal dollars churn in local communities, they create a multiplier effect that strengthens the local tax base and leads to better government services and better schools. That’s the promise of our work.”

SBA is coordinating additional public announcements to amplify the system’s launch. Questions about the WOSB Federal Contract Program should be directed to wosb@sba.gov.

SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

9

By Bart Mendoza September 23 The Acoustic Troubador

PeterCase

Legendary acoustic troubadour Peter Case performs at the Whistle Stop on Sept. 23. One of the greatest musicians to emerge from the late 1970s California punk rock/powerpop scene, Case has been a part of such iconic bands as The Nerves and The Plimsouls, giving the world such radio staples as “Now” and “A Million Miles Away.”

These days, he is in solo mode, playing an incredible mix of blues and folk, as heard on his latest album, “Highway 62,” but the music is no less vital and inspiring. If you haven’t seen Case before, this intimate show will have you searching his back catalog for the many gems in his repertoire. www.whistlestopbar.com

The Selector

September 29 The Return of Camille Bloom

Jeff Bloom

Seattle-based singer-songwriter Camille Bloom returns to San Diego with a show at Lestats on September 29. Currently touring behind her new album, “Pieces of Me,” Bloom will be performing in solo acoustic mode. In many cases, stripping away the backing band as heard on an album is a negative, but not so much here. Bloom is a wonderful live performer, with a knack for songs that hold up, whatever the format, full of melody and wordplay. Make sure to get to the show early — the whole evening is a particularly strong bill that also includes dynamic guitar and cajon duo, Sister Speak. www.lestats.com

Camille Bloom

October 13 Passion that will Inspire a Packed Dance Floor Anyone who enjoys ska won’t want to miss ’80s hitmakers The Selecter at the Casbah on October 13. Though the band never had much commercial impact in the U.S., they are one of the most influential bands of the era, alongside such like-minded compatriots as Madness and the Specials, spearheading a ska revival that is still thriving today. The Selecter will be playing it’s classic “Too Much Pressure” album in its entirety, but this is no mere nostalgia fest — they will also be playing material from their excellent new disc, “Subculture.” The band currently only incudes singers Pauline Black and Arthur “Gaps” Hendrickson from their heyday, but the new lineup plays with passion that will inspire a packed dance floor. www.casbahmusic.com

October 1 Violin and Trumpet Love Story Broadway and jazz comes together at Dizzy’s on October 1 with the all-star concert “Westside Story Goes Latin Jazz.” The classic love story is now set between the violin and trumpet in a Latin-jazz setting, with a band that includes violinist Jamie Shadowlight, trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, pianist Mikan Zlatkovich and percussionist Monette Marino. One of Leonard Bernstein’s finest works, the show will feature the entire soundtrack including such classics as “America,” and “I Feel Pretty.” Special guests are promised, but any would be mere icing on the cake, as the four virtuosos in the core group are among the finest musicians to ever call San Diego home. . www.dizzysjazz.com Jet West

Nina Francis

Point North

October 9

October 14

‘Jazz Singers in the Round’

Special Fundraiser for Carly’s Cause

Jazz fans will want to check out Nina Francis’s monthly showcase at Java Joe’s on October 9. Dubbed “Jazz Singers in the Round,” the night will feature Francis alongside guitarist Peter Sprague, singer-songwriter Gregory Page and vocalist Leonard Patton — all three headliners in their own right. Francis is a wonderful musician with an engaging performing style and plaintive voice, topped by a vocal range that can cover Stevie Nicks or more modern pop such as the Cardigans.

However, what will make the night truly special is it’s collaborative nature, with highlights likely to include new pairings, such as Sprague backing Francis and Patton. www.javajoessd.com

On Oct. 14, Brick by Brick will host a special fundraiser for Carly’s Cause, who are dedicated to providing technology, therapeutic services and financial assistance to children with physical disabilities and neurological disorders. Opening up the night will be cover band Get Groovin with appearances from guitarist Fred Barchetta in a Rush tribute with rock trio Points North, Black Sabbath impersonators, Lords Of Sabbath and Iron Maiden doppelgangers, Up The Irons. Anyone who enjoys classic hard rock will love every second of this show, but it’s also a chance to help out a great cause.

Funds raised from the event will go towards an after school program launching this school semester at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary in Clairemont. www.brickbybrick.com

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COVER STORY

| SEPTEMBER 2016

Adams Avenue 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

DIVERSIONARY THEATRE

Local Umbrella Media - your neighborhood source -

Chairman/CEO Bob Page BobPage@sandiegometro.com Publisher Rebeca Page RebecaPage@sandiegometro.com Associate Publisher Brad Weber ReachLocals@ MidCityNewspaperGroup.com

The original cast and director from ‘Lizard Boy’ will be appearing in the Diversionary production, the second run ever after a successful debut in Seattle.

Editor Manny Cruz Manny@sandiegometro.com Art Director Chris Baker cbaker@sandiegometro.com Marketing/Advertising Brad Weber ReachLocals@ MidCityNewspaperGroup.com Director of Sales & Marketing Kat Haney Kat@LocalUmbrella.com -----------------------------Writers/Columnists Bart Mendoza Delle Willett Anna Lee Fleming Sara Wacker Nina Ruud Media Consultant Tom Shess Social Media Ali Hunt Photography Manny Cruz Sande Lollis Jim Childers 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. 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 breaking news, please call us at (619) 287-1865.

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.

Celebrating 30 Years of Giving Voice to LGBT Culture

BY JENNIFER COBURN

When Diversionary Theatre first opened its doors 30 years ago, the idea of an LGBT theatre was a radical idea. But today most theater companies feature productions about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender life. It’s also quite common to see shows with LGBT characters and/or penned by LGBT playwrights. So does San Diego still need a theatre company focused on this community?

“Absolutely,” according to Matt Morrow, executive artistic director at Diversionary. “It’s great that LGBT issues are more accepted in the mainstream community and that our voices are being heard,” said Morrow, who was auditioning actors in New York for an upcoming production. “For a long time, it was about gaining acceptance, but now it’s time to honor our differences too.

We have a culture all to ourselves,

we’ve been outsiders and changemakers, and we’ve been able to find the beauty and poetry and craft great stories about that individuality.”

The Diversionary five-show season will kick off in late September with “Lizard Boy,” which Morrow calls a “fusion of different genres.”

Part comic book, part musical horror tale, the show is making its second-ever run, and will feature the original Seattle cast and director. “It’s radically original and funny, but also completely earnest, thrilling, and shocking,” said Morrow. “It’s a wild ride and a very explosive way to start the season.”

Morrow said he is looking forward to the entire season which, in addition to “Lizard Boy,” will include “The Mystery of Love and Sex,” a romantic comedy, and “Ballast,” a transgender drama. But he is especially excited about bringing two plays by Fun Home playwright Lisa Kron to the Diversionary stage. Performed on alternating days of the week, the “Kron Rep” includes “2.5 Minute Ride” and “Well,” both of which take a humorous and poignant look at parental relationships. Morrow is a fan of Kron’s SEE THEATER, Page 11

COVER STORY

11

about is ‘Lizard Boy’ and what’s next or what we could try the next time around. We all spend way too much time together. Justin and I have a band together and we perform often in Seattle. When Bill is in town he absolutely joins us. The three of us call ourselves The Lizards. Our happiest place is playing music together.�

THE PRODUCTION “Lizard Boyâ€? follows an unlikely hero in Trevor (Huertas), who hasn’t left his house in a year. After being disfigured in a freak accident as a child (A playground, kids, dragon blood‌ it was messy) he’s too uncomfortable with the way he looks to go out in public.

When asked why audiences should choose “Lizard Boy’ over another San Diego show, the team all insist on the show’s funky uniqueness. “You’ve literally never seen anything like it,â€? says Director Brandon Ivie – â€œâ€Śit’s very hard to classify.â€? Huertas describes the show as “A coming of age quirky romantic comedy comic book superhero adventure folk rock concert with sick vocal harmonies,â€? and deLohr Helland is confident that audiences will fall for this unique show – “You will laugh, cry, hum along, and gasp. I guarantee you will have a fantastic time.â€?

But the night we meet Trevor he is motivated to take a chance: using Grindr as a lifeline he ends up meeting a cute stranger named Cary (William A. Williams) who does his best to get the shy guy to open up.

Weird doesn’t begin to describe the kind of night Trevor embarks upon, where he must confront a stranger from his dreams (Siren, played by Kirsten deLohr Helland) and is challenged to transform from Freak to Hero. The show illuminates a fantastical comic book world where individuality is celebrated to the tune of a wild assortment of instruments from kazoos to cellos and guitars to ukuleles.

‘Lizard Boy plays Sept. 29 through Oct. 30 on the Diversionary Theatre Mainstage, 4545 Park Blvd.

Performances run Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. More information is available at .diversionary.org/lizardboy Performances run approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

Recommended for audiences 16 and older.

Although Huertas is solely credited with the book and lyrics for ‘Lizard Boy,� the entire team insists this is a collaborative piece. “We’re best friends,� says Huertas.

Kirsten deLohr Helland agrees: “All we ever want to talk

work, but also said this issue is close to his heart lately. “My parents are getting older and my mother had a debilitating stroke so the idea of my parents’ mortality has been prevalent in my life,� Morrow said. “I think a lot of people face this

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

and theatre can be incredibly healing‌the stories we tell are mostly about LGBT characters, but they reflect the human condition across the spectrum and Diversionary offers an intimate setting where people can feel connected to these universal

experiences.�

As committed as Morrow is to telling LGBT stories, he is equally dedicated to showcasing female playwrights. In fact, four of the shows in the upcoming season were written by women. “That’s really cool when you

consider that only 22 percent of plays in the last three years of American theater were written by women,� said Cara Hanhurst, Diversionary connectivity manager. “Matt is very conscious of the lack of parity in theater and he took it upon

himself as a challenge to make sure we had work on stage that was representative of the community.�

This is an ideal Diversionary has adhered to throughout its 30-year history — and plans to embrace into its next 30..

We are now in North Park!

Justin Huertas portrays Trevor in ‘Lizard Boy.’

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Kristen deLohr Helland portrays Siren.

Brandon Ivie originally staged the show at Seattle Repertory and will return to stage it fresh for Diversionary Theatre

William A. Williams as Cary.

Matt Morrow, executive artistic director.

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12

| SEPTEMBER 2016

Hunt and Gather on University Avenue stocks a variety of clothing for students attending school after a “too short” summer. (Photo: Jim Childers)

Custom-made t-shirts are a specialty of Garbgoods owner Gina Grossini. (Photo: Jim Childers)

BAC K TO S C H O O L BOOKS OR LOOKS?

Starting school means hitting the books, and hitting the stores, in search of that perfect back to school outfit. Who doesn’t remember that first day of class — seeing old friends, sizing up the teacher — and wearing new clothes?

Here, North Park students, their moms, and some store owners share what’s trending and where to find some good deals.

Brothers Kane and Ando Naruishi have individual tastes in school attire. Kane, a fifth-grader, says that longish, lightweight athletic shorts are his pick, paired with comfortable t-shirts.

He can go from the classroom to the play yard effortlessly. Mom Lisa says that younger brother Ando likes Star Wars-themed shirts. For shoes, Kane favors Vans, tied or slip-ons, to round out the look. For a nice occasion, he will choose a button down printed short-sleeved shirt.

Such shirts are also popular sellers at Hunt and Gather on University Avenue in North Park and at Buffalo Exchange on Fifth in Hillcrest.

Both stores stock vintage, second-hand clothing, and appeal to shoppers who want value and the chance to sell unwanted clothes for cash. Kate, who goes to Kearny High, and her friend, Harper, a student at Patrick Henry High School, were checking out the women’s knit tops a couple of weeks before school started, looking for inexpensive, but trending styles.

“Shop local” is the neighborhood slogan, not only to find great merchandise, but also to support the area’s many small businesses and entrepreneurs. Fortunately, there are boutiques such as Mimi and Red and Freshyard in North Park that cater to students and professionals wanting the newest look. Burnt orange, offthe-shoulder tops, and tunic tees are selling well

BY SUSAN TAYLOR

for women, and baseball caps for the guys continue to move. Retro florals, kimonos, joggers, and even the old-favorite cut-off denim shorts are making a comeback. There is hope for those who haven’t cleaned out the closet in quite a while!

Another great option is to have a customprinted t-shirt made by Gina Grossini of Garbgoods. She sells attractive and unique shirts at the Thursday North Park Farmer’s Market and is open to working with schools for large quantity orders. A former high school teacher, she knows that back to school clothes choices can be tricky. Her popular charcoal black, soft, wellfitting, t-shirt is popular, and would “make a good first impression.” Her daughter is only 2 years old so really doesn’t worry about such things, but most students would like to have something to wear that isn’t found in the bigger retail stores.

Some schools require uniforms and there are places to buy those without even leaving home.

Albert Einstein Academy in South Park shows the various girls’ and boys’ choices for proper uniform wear on a handy online page. Ordering is easy so that the kids can return to school looking good and in line with the school’s standards.

Back to School specials are always a welcome event. They can be found at Target in South Park and at several stores in Westfield Center/Mission Valley mall.

The end of summer is a bit of a letdown, but back to school shopping can put a smile on a student’s face. It’s back to learning, plus the fun of cool clothes, and it seems this year that just about anything goes. For an individual look, some students may add a sky blue or lavender tint to their hair, just to keep current.

Buffalo Exchange on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest stocks vintage, second-hand clothing and appeals to shoppers who want value and the chance to sell unwanted clothes for cash. Photo: Jim Childers

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

SoNo Neighborhood Alliance Sets Oct. 11 Inaugural Forum Donna Frye to be keynote speaker The SoNo Neighborhood Alliance, a nonprofit coalition formed to empower residents of North Park and South Park, will hold its Inaugural Community Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd.

Former San Diego City Council member Donna Frye will deliver keynote remarks.

As part of its formal launch, the SoNo Alliance is conducting an extensive survey of residents (homeowners and renters) with technical support from Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) San Diego. The survey will assess how residents prioritize issues that affect neighborhood quality of life, including densification and development, traffic and parking, alcohol licenses and sales, green spaces, code compliance, and historic preservation.

Preliminary survey results will be shared at the community forum, and a full report will be posted on the group’s website, sonoalliance.org.

The SoNo website states: “As individual residents, we lack the financial resources and political clout to have a real voice in deter-

Twinkle Lights Turned On Trees lighted along a stretch of University Avenue

mining the future of our neighborhoods. But together, we can occupy a seat at the table with property and business owners, developers, planners, and government officials at the earliest stage of projects to present novel ideas, build consensus, and achieve compromise.”

The SoNo Alliance’s goals are: • Open a new dialogue that explores a range of solutions to urban challenges. SoNo will update members about pending neighborhood projects and organize public forums to exchange views.

• Strive to ensure that laws are obeyed and enforced. SoNo will call on elected officials and municipal agencies to be transparent in all their dealings and accountable to all their constituents.

• Seek to foster membership diversity through outreach to underrepresented groups.

• Help K-12 students prepare for their roles as future neighborhood leaders.

The North Park Business District now boasts white lights in 16 trees on both sides of University Avenue, between 30th Street and Granada Avenue.

That’s thanks to a collaborative effort between city Councilman Todd Gloria’s office, North Park Main Street and the North Park MAD. An Aug. 5 ceremony was held to announce the program.

Besides providing nighttime beautification to the North Park urban space, this project is part of a sustainable effort to increase the safety and walkability of the community.

In making a commitment to both to safety and sustainability in the business district, the project features LED tree lights that operate at the highest energy-efficiency available.

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| SEPTEMBER 2016

Tribute Pizza

BY KATIE CALLAHAN

Tribute Pizza in North Park wants nothing more than to provide quality pizza, not to rival its tributes but to revel in the tastes of the accomplished traveler and pizza connoisseur.

Matthew Lyons, Tribute’s owner, started out delivering pizza from a skateboard.

“I convinced the cook to teach this 15-year-old to cook pizza, and it’s all I’ve done ever since,” Lyons said. “I really care about finding the next best thing and I really, really care about pizza, which is stupid, my life as a pizza guy. But any time I travel, I seek out the best pizza in any city or in any place, and that’s how you start to aggregate your own personal hierarchy of what you enjoy the most or what you see fitting to try to recreate and pay homage or pay tribute to.”

Lyons has since been mentored by the likes of the late Stephen Carson at La Jolla’s Regents Pizzeria, Rob DiNapoli of DiNapoli Specialty Foods & Bianco DiNapoli Tomatoes, and Chris Bianco, the chef/owner of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.

He opened Tribute Pizza in 2013 from his garage, first as a pop-up and caterer. Lyons spent several months in Nairobi as the executive consulting chef at 360 Degrees Artisan Pizza (Tribute features a photo of chef Gilbert’s hands).

The spot on the corner of Grim Avenue soft-opened July 19. As an

Paying homage to the greats

homage to the greats, it seems only right that the former North Park Post Office would be transformed to highlight reds, blues, light oak and Andy Warhol-style paintings — with a comfortable jazziness that is all too European.

Featuring menu items attributed to Oregon, Italy, New York, Arizona, San Francisco and Mexico pizza favorites, Tribute Pizza’s claim to fame is “not the greatest and best pizza in the world, just a tribute.”

“I think that Tribute is founded on that idea of when you’re in a place, and you’re like, ‘man, one day when I own my restaurant it’s going to be like this’ or going to have this aspect.

And I’m a pizza guy so every time I would eat, I would eat pizza around the world, it would be like, ‘oh man, that’s the pizza that I want on my menu,” Lyons said. “At a certain juncture, it’s like, wow, I love creating original ideas, but what inspires me the most is trying to make something as good as the best there is and that’s what Tribute is.”

Restaurant-goers order from a register and seat themselves in this open, inviting and lighted space under oldschool copper lights hanging over a feng shui plant and fake candle on the table.

Soft-opening evening hours keep this spot hipster, millennial-relevant, while appealing to all ages.

Most options are crafted with natural (organic and local) ingredients

and peppered with toppings, focusing primarily on the quality of the dough as it emerges from the wood-fired, ceramic-tiled oven in the assemblyline style exhibition kitchen.

The menu offers $4 and $5 small plates with almonds, cheese, meats and focaccia (still toasted and lightly salted — the delight of all gluten lovers!), and the cheapest appetizer is $7. The pizzas range from $11 to $16. Lyons hopes to add more woodfired protein to the menu in the future, namely chicken and bone-in pork chop, as well as a vegetarian entrée. He also wants to open for lunch with wood-fired focaccia sandwiches. The menu recently added soft-serve ice cream flavors and nonalcoholic refreshments, and will continue to change seasonally.

The choice of the Cadillac margherita pizza, “a tribute to the Pinnacle of 1950s Heyday of American Craftsmanship” was tasty in its own right, with other tempting tributes, like the moto autentico, “a tribute to greezy cardboard pizza nostalgia” and Al Pastor, “tribute to Tacos El Gordo, Tijuana.”

With 20-30 people on a Wednesday, this new location is finding such popularity among North Park people who enjoy local craft beer offerings (and there are aplenty — 15 options not including the ambitious wine menu — and traditional, simplistic pizza.

Tribute patrons enjoy a wide open dining area.

Working the wood-fired oven.

MAXX MOSES BOOK LAUNCH Local artist unveils ‘Say Word, Art & Affirmations’ Local muralist Daniel Hopkins, aka Mr. Maxx Moses, will hold a book launch for his latest release, “Say Word, Art & Affirmations,” on Oct. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Studio Door, 3750 30th St. “Say Word” is the latest effort for Hopkins to bring positivity and creativity into our communities. The book of affirmations sends a message that words and images can propel lives towards goodness.

It’s a natural extension of the message that comes through the artist’s murals, workshops and activism, which can be reviewed at posetwo.com, the artist’s website.

“Affirmations are here as reminders, for we are forgetful. We’ve forgotten the beauty from which we’ve been created. We need constant reminders of our oneness with everything in creation to alleviate the pain of loneliness,” said Hopkins. “I hope that people will use ‘Say Word’ to help visualize and affirm their inner strength and mental magnetism.”

Remaining uncomfortable is a life practice for the artist. His formal edu-

cation and “exile” from his beloved New York was at SUNY Brockport College, where he fused subway art with surrealism, creating his own artistic identities. Creating large-scale spraypainted murals across the globe and forging deep connections with communities is how he examines the depth of his learning and the quality of his art.

Hopkins currently resides in Rosarito, Mexico and many of his local murals can be seen throughout the border region.

His most current persona, Mr. Maxx Moses, is a “Concrete Alchemist” whose mission is to transform blank walls into contrasting ideas of beauty, ultimately encouraging the viewer to look at death as inspiration.

In October 2012, he organized some of the region’s best muralists to participate in “The Alliance Project,” painting murals on the building that The Studio Door now operates. Recently, Maxx, along with Gloria Muriel, aka Glow, and Monty Montgomery, have returned to the building to repair, revise and reimagine their murals.

“Creativity takes many forms. Part of The Studio Door philosophy is to create an accepting atmosphere where artistic expression is encouraged to be expressed on its own terms,” said Patric Stillman, director of The Studio Door.

“This is a place of possibilities where street art is exhibited alongside of fine art, where emerging artists work alongside of master artists, and where local artists can hang with national artists.

Maxx understands this idea at its core.

His own work across the globe has been inclusive and inspirational.”

Teaming up a second time in October, Daniel and The Studio Door will be presenting a one-shot workshop, Making a Mural with Maxx, on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Maxx will lead a team of artists to create a collaborative mural at The Studio Door. Teens and adults are encourage to participate.

For more details, visit The Studio Door’s website at www.thestudiodoor.com or stop by during gallery hours (Tuesday-Saturday noon to 7 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.) While there you can see the diverse works of Galactic Pleasures, a national exhibition exploring the imagination of art and science featuring local collage artist Roman Szczerba.

The Studio Door, 3750 30th St. (619) 255-4920.

Maxx Moses mural

Maxx Moses

Maxx Moses original Mural at The Studio Door

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

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Solution

15

16

| SEPTEMBER 2016

KIDS’ KORNER

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!

HEY KIDS, YOU CAN GROW YOUR OWN VEGGIES! Did you know that you can grow you very own organic tomatoes even if you live in an apartment? Cherry tomatoes are very easy to grow. They will grow in the ground or in a pot.

Cherry tomatoes can also grow from a seed or plant. They also need little attention to grow. Plus, you may have supplies such as a bucket that you a recycle as a planter for your tomato plant.

inches around the bottom of the container, allowing water to drain.

Gather these supplies:

Step 3: Water well and watch for your tomato plant to grow.

• Pot or bucket for the plant or seed At least 3 gallons or bigger for a larger yield.

• Organic potting soil.

• Organic plant food (optional) • Seeds or plant That’s right.

That is all you need.

Step 1: Grab your planter. If you are recycling a container, make sure you make holes every few

Step 2: Fill your container with the organic soil. For a seed simply poke a small hole about 1⁄2inch deep, drop seed in and lightly cover with soil. For a plant, dig a hole deep enough to plant your plant up to the first set of leaves from the roots. Place plant in hole and fill with soil.

You should see your tomato plant in 7-10 days from seed.

Place in full sun. Water as needed and enjoy your delicious tomatoes.

Fun Fact: You can grow your next cherry tomato plant from seeds from your current cherry tomatoes plant.

They are from the heirloom family.

The heirloom family is an open-pollinated variety.

What’s Happening, Shelby?

BY SHELBY NIXON | EDITED BY SHELBY NIXON AND MAMA

Have you started your new school, K12, yet?

No. I start September 7th.

Are you excited?

Yes I am because I get to take my classes on the computer at home.

What have you been reading?

I love to read Dr. Seuss. I read Wacky Wednesday, Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog, Go Dog Go, I Want o Be Somebody New!, Stop That Ball!, all the Frozen books I can find and more.

What are some exciting things have you done since last month’s Kid Korner?

I took swim lessons at the YMCA with my friend Anastasia. Anastasia and I also went to Urban Jungle. It was so much fun that I wished that I never had to leave. They have an obstacle course that you can easily get lost in, but once you get use to it, you are good. I also went to Ceramic Heights. I made a clay bat with Amanda. It was so much fun because you can carve and use the spinning wheel.

What do you have planned for this month?

In September I am throwing a kids art event at Ceramic Heights with Amanda.

I will be going to some famers markets.

I hope to make plans with some of my friends to hangout. (See the details for this event under Shelby’s Gardens’ schedule.)

What have you been growing for the farmers market?

I have been growing peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, and zucchini.

Which is your favorite vegetable?

My favorite vegetables are carrots.

Do you grow carrots?

Yes, I do. I grow them in a big, big purple pot.

What are your other favorite activities?

Well, gymnastics is one of my other favorite things to do. I take classes at the YMCA. My favorite move is Skin the Cat. I love to hangout with my family also. We garden together all the time.

My mom and I cook the vegetables we grow. They are yummy.

Shelby’s Gardens’ Events and Farmers Market Schedule La Mesa Certified Farmers Market 4901 Spring Street La Mesa, CA 91941 Every Friday 2pm – 6pm Come hangout with Shelby. She would love to give you a sample of her delicious veggies.

Clay Play with Shelby at Ceramic Heights

Tell us about your KK art this month?

4105 El Cajon Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92105 Tuesday, September 27th 4pm – 6pm Join Shelby and friends to create your very own clay masterpiece for only $10. There will be healthy snacks and refreshment provided by Shelby’s Gardens and Cali Life Co.

This is the firework from my aunt’s, Auntie, old house in Little Italy. Have fun coloring it.

*Additional farmers markets are being added to Shelby’s Gardens’ schedule. Please find them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date for your fresh veggie needs.

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

17

Locals Recognizing Locals – strengthening friendships and connections Ruth Bible and, co-owner of Nickelodeon Records, a 30 year old landmark business in Normal Heights, was surprised one June morning when she was recognized on the street by a gentleman who had seen her photo on the cover of the June 2016 issue of the Adams Avenue News.

The gentlemen informed Bible that he had received the local paper in his mailbox and had read the article just as he had a significant amount of his old vinyl records and he had been planning to donate his collection. He immediately packed them into his car and drove to Nickelodeon. He told Ruth “here, these are yours”. Ruth went through the collection and insisted on paying him for the records.

“The man gave us a LOT of records so we had to pay him something even though he wanted to donate them to us” exclaimed Bible.

Other people started telling told Ruth that too had received a copy in the mail or picked one at a local business and had read the article. “I was shocked” added Bible “and so was Betsy (co-owner Betsy Scarborough)! I hadn’t even been home to get my mail so I wasn’t even aware of the article. We had honestly sort of forgotten about being interviewed because it was done quite a while prior to its being published”.

Shortly thereafter, “A whole lot of other people started coming into the store and calling us about the article.

It looked like a Seniors Woodstock in here!” added Bible.

Ruth said the calls and visits continued to snowball the next day and thereafter. When she and Scarborough went to their regular haunts

around Adams Avenue like Ponce’s and Vons, people of all ages were coming up to them that recognized them from their photograph in the article. “We we were frankly amazed, and amused, as many people asked us to sign a copy of the newspaper” laughed Bible, “They were treating us like we were The Beatles!”

Nickelodeon is no stranger to the local spotlight. On November 15, 2013 she was featured on the CBS 8 nightly news show, San Diego at Large, hosted by the late and iconic Larry Himmel. When Larry Himmel visited Nickelodeon Records to film the show, he described their shop as a being a “blast from the

Being featured in our local newspaper has let people know that they can trust us, and they are more likely to come in and do business with us. RUTH BIBLE past”. That description was prompted not only for their selling of vinyl records but because the walls are covered with vintage photographs of San Diego as well a treasure trove of local memorabilia from the past.

Ruth added that the couple has even been approached to do a reality television series but insisted “nothing

has come even close to the response we got from that newspaper article!”

Bible added that since the article, their sales have really increased, and they are seeing new customers who continue to drop in and say that they never knew Nickelodeon Records was even here until they read the article.

“There is just something about a community newspaper that makes people feel with their hearts, and that’s something that Adams Avenue hasn’t had in years” added Bible.

“Being featured in our local newspaper has let people know that they can trust us, and they are more likely to come in and do business with us”.

Ruthie and Betsy both say they are spreading the word to people, “We tell them “If you want attention, get in that local newspaper” said Bible, “the calls and new customers continue coming into to this day, months later, thanks to the exposure from the paper – it was simply overwhelming!”

2017 Normal Heights community calendars slated to be mailed free to local residents Thousands on Normal Heights residents are in for another pleasant surprise in the form of a free 2017 community wall calendar, which will arrive in mail boxes later this year.

The large, full-color glossy 2017 Normal Heights calendar that features neighborhood scenes, data on area businesses, images of community landmarks, advertisements and artwork created by local watercolor artist Blair Thornley, was made possible through sponsorship of area businesses led by local Realtors Joanie and John Selby of Selby & Associates. The firm spearheaded a similar gift in earlier this year by mailing over 5,000 free copies to area homes.

"I live and work in Normal Heights and want to really be a part of the community," John Selby said, "and the calendars seem... like a great way to give the community something special. It’s also a great way for us to brand Selby & Associates as the

neighborhood experts we are."

"I love Blair’s artwork," added Joanie Selby, "and I think she depicted the area very well. We have received lots of great feedback from area residents who received the [2016] calendars in the mail, and we... plan to add several things next year that we weren’t able to this year.

I think it’s only going to get better!"

"I’m getting coupons from the calendars," said Dan Haddad, of San Diego Auto Star on Adams Avenue, "and they are new customers. We have the calendar hanging on our wall, too!"

Robert Kenyon, of calendar cosponsor First Cabin Travel, added: "Local residents really seem to love the calendars. I have definitely seen results with my insertions on the calendars and plan to continue with the marketing program in sponsorship of the Normal Heights calendars, as well as other San Diego community calendars, in 2017."

The Normal Heights calendars were produced by My Town Community Calendars, which has helped produce and distribute calendars across the country for more than 13 years. The company is reserving space for the 2017 items in several other area communities, including Kensington, Talmadge, the College Area, University Heights, North Park, South Park, Mission Hills, Hillcrest, Serra Mesa, and Bay Park.

If you are a local business wishing to inquire about sponsorship, please contact the company at ReachLocals@MyTownCalendars.com .

Sponsorship opportunities are limited, and space reservations are accepted on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Wall Calendars Remain Popular Facts And Figures

The more things change, the more they stay the same -- sometimes right before your eyes. The

wall calendar, alive with the scrawls and doodles by which its users live and die, has been around at least since ancient Rome, with its 10 months and 304 days; it's not lost a step in usefulness and popularity even as its 365-day Gregorian successor and its Internet applications hold sway in our world.

Surveys show that 85 percent of families and 64 percent of offices use the wall calendar to check school and sports schedules -meanwhile, according to Pew Research, 92 percent of the country's population owns at least one cell phone while fewer than 1 percent call on an electronic calendar app more than once a day. A glance at the wall gives you everything you need to know as your smartphone wastes precious seconds booting up.

According to a Forrester Research report, 80 percent of smartphone users spend time on just five apps every 24 hours, none of which is

calendar-specific. Meanwhile, the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents reports that people who use a wall calendar are 49 percent more likely to refer the advertiser who gave them the calendar to a friend or an associate -that translates to roughly one lead for every two calendars. And several studies show that the potential for advertising is already in place.

For the advertising community, then, the wall calendar is king. It offers a quick, attractive look at goods and services without the digital glut that can often surround the exchange of ideas and commerce.

"Shouldn't our calendar," the World Calendar Association asks in agreement, "be as simple as our clock?"

18

| SEPTEMBER 2016

SDSU DOWNTOWN GALLERY PRESENTS

‘With Abandon: Works by SDSU Alumni 2011-2016 The SDSU Downtown Gallery presents “With Abandon: Works by SDSU Alumni 2011-2016” — five years of work from alumni of the SDSU School of Art + Design.

The exhibit runs from Thursday, Sept.15 through Sunday, Nov. 6.

With representation from vast areas of study and approaches, the exhibition highlights the programs within the SDSU School of Art + Design, while conveying the individual voice of each artist. “With Abandon” is guest-curated by Ginger Shulick Porcella, executive director of the San Diego Art Institute.

“With Abandon” provides an overview of the tangible aesthetic being fostered within the SDSU School of Art + Design, one that celebrates the hand-made and high level craftsmanship, focusing on the tool and process, while simultaneously being grounded in conceptualism.

Through the selection of work created by artists who graduated between 2011 and 2016, the exhibition presents multiple approaches, from incorporating fabrication and craft, to the repurposing of found objects. As a whole, viewers can almost feel the strain to break away from

the object, a desire to abandon technique altogether for something perhaps more heartfelt and earnest.

“There is a clear aesthetic that distinguishes the SDSU Art + Design program from area schools, both in craftsmanship and conceptualism,” said curator Porcella. “It was exciting for me to see the work created by the graduates. I look forward to seeing how these artists’ careers progress in the future.”

The affinity for industrial materials, such as wood and concrete aligns with the school’s deeply embedded technical background and foundation. Many of the alumni pay homage to the influence of their mentors in a multidisciplinary application. Throughout the exhibition there is an underlying interest in decay and decomposition, as well as a deliberate collaboration with both natural and constructed environments. In addition, there is a level of solemnity and sorrow seen in much of the work, perhaps at the confrontation of moving on from student life to that of a working, professional artist.

Alumna Kaiya Rainbolt’s work activates this solemnity, as form becomes the intermediary

between the viewer, and the language required for meaningful and productive dialogue about the social issue of sexual abuse. “My current work represents emotions and outcomes of sexual abuse that endure long after the physical and mental trauma of abuse has ended,” she says.

“By bringing the emotions of this particular human struggle into the realm of the tangible, I hope to create an occasion for dialogue and empathy, and a forum for understanding the fact that our becoming silent in the face of challenging social issues actually allows them to continue.”

Lee M. Lavy’s Outposts is an ongoing collection of posts that uses satellite mapping for an installation layout. According to Lavy, “the posts’ placement references the points of origin in which they were discovered. The scale and orientation of the installation will change as the collection grows, dependent on the size of the room or location in which the work is placed.

Acting as markers, the posts are left to inform / misinform a landscape that no longer offers a context for understanding due to the inevitable passage of time, language, and evolution of the beings sharing space with the markers.”

‘Aposiopesis #3 Confusion.” Artist: Kaiya Rainbolt

‘Coffee Shop’ by Marisa Scheinfeld.

Map Layout. Artist: Lee Lavy.

Work by artist John Manley.

The alumni brought together in this exhibition continue the legacy of technique and design. Artists include Adam John Manley, Lee M. Lavy, Kaiya Rainbolt, and Marisa Scheinfeld, among others.

Support for the exhibition and events are sponsored by the San Diego State University Art Council, the School of Art + Design, the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, the fund for Instructionally Related Activities, and Arts Alive SDSU. Downtown Gallery is located at 725 West Broadway. Hours are Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is open to the public and admission is free.

Special Public Events

Thursday, Sept. 15: Opening Reception, 5 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 20: Downtown at Sundown, 5 to 8 p.m., an afterhours offering activating the Core-Columbia neighborhood with a host of perks to pique your interest on the third Thursday of every month.

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

Living the

HOPPY

LIFE with Beau Schmitt In the growing competitive beer market, large commercial brewers like Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABInBev) and MillerCoors are either absorbing or muscling out locally owned, independent brewers. While overall national beer sales declined by .2% in 2015, craft beer sales were up 12.8%. So guess who's been losing sales? The issue is that San Diego still falls short for supporting local breweries on tap. And, unfortunately, many local establishments are grossly misinformed with who actually owns the sub-companies they're putting on tap.

This references the “craft” vs “crafty” phenomenon. “Craft” refers to honest, locally owned and independently operated breweries. There are over 125 craft breweries in San Diego. “Crafty” refers to companies like 10 Barrel Brewing Company that are manipulatively marketed and branded as “craft”. 10 Barrel is currently building an establishment in San Diego under their crafty disguise.

The issue is that 10 Barrel is actually owned by AB-InBev while none of their cans show the parent logo or

19

San Diego Needs More Craft Lagers Why Breakwater Brewing Company Bandidos Yanquis Lager is so important to the San Diego craft beer industry name. The impact is easy to see. 10 Barrel Brewing’s cans have been bumping honest, San Diego craft breweries off grocery store and bottle shop shelves since they were acquired in 2014. It’s simply not good for the local economy.

Another Crafty Example: When Elysian is put on tap as a craft brewery, those keg proceeds actually end up in Europe under Belgian-owned Anheuser Busch-InBev. And when Elysian is put on tap, it takes away draft space from San Diego breweries that employ your friends, neighbors and fellow San Diegans. So we, as an industry, need to be proactive. One of the most important aspects of increasing local draft presence is having craft "gateway beers" that can replace mass produced beers. A bar won't take Guinness off tap unless they have a local Dry Stout to replace it. Right?

In our local portfolio, San Diego has a handful of "gateway" beers, which we actually enjoy calling "commercial killers." Here are some of our top suggestion: - Instead of buying Newcastle Brown

Ale (Heineken), San Diego establishments should support AleSmith Brewing Company Nut Brown or New English Brewing Brewers Special Brown.

- Instead of Blue Moon (MillerCoors) and Shock Top (AB-InBev), locals should support Thorn St. Brewery Hipster's Wit or Mike Hess Brewing 8 West Orange Honey Wheat.

- Instead of Guinness (Diageo), San Diego bars should serve Societe Brewing Company The Pugilist Dry Stout or Bagby Beer Asphalt Jungle Dry Stout.

- Instead of Bud Light (AB-InBev), Coors Light (MillerCoors) and Miller Light (MillerCoors), local establishments should serve Barrel Harbor Brewing Sun Dog Lager or Coronado Brewing Company Seacoast Pilsner.

- Instead of Goose Island, 10 Barrel or Elysian IPAs (all AB-InBev brands), local establishments should serve IPAs like Rip Current Brewing Impact Zone IPA and Alpine Beer Company Duet IPA. - Instead of Stella (AB-InBev), local

establishments should serve Pilsners like Green Flash Brewing Co. East Village Pilsner and Fall Brewing Company Plenty For All Pilsner.

BUT for so long, San Diego has been short on Mexican Lagers. Every once in a while a San Diego brewery would make a specialty lager, but never as a core beer. In San Diego, Corona and Pacifico (both ABInBev) dominate the Mexican Lager market. And for a long time there has been no local "gateway beer" or "commercial killer." Until now.

Breakwater Brewing Company Bandidos Yanquis Mexican Lager w/ Key Limes is the answer we've been looking for. And at ~$158/keg, retail accounts will be more than satisfied w/ the price. Ban-

didos is an important infusion into the San Diego craft beer portfolio. A locally produced Mexican-style Lager will help support local jobs and income. Plus, it tastes better. At The Brew Project, we’ve been looking for this beer for over 3 years now and are thrilled to have it on tap. Bandidos comes in at 5.5% with a light body, crisp finish and slight notes of citrus bitterness on the palate. We understand Breakwater won't be able to support and supply all San Diego draft accounts (or even a fraction).

But this is a step in the right direction.

Drink Local & Enjoy, Beau About The Brew Project:

The Brew Project, located on 5th Ave in Hillcrest, is a restaurant that specializes in San Diego craft beer and upscal bar food. If you're not into beer, we've got liquor. If you're not into kids, we're dog friendly. If you're not into dogs, we're kid friendly. We hope you'll come by for an IPA or Mac-N0-Cheese Bacon Burger soon! Contact: Beau@TheBrewProject.com"

20

| SEPTEMBER 2016

“HIDDEN’ TREASURES PUT ON DISPLAY For the first time, the Natural History Museum shares vault items with the general public

Mallard duck print

Colorful bird exhibit

Old book volumes

Larger-than-life artwork

A collection of rare books, art, photographs and historical documents that the San Diego Natural History Museum has kept “hidden” from the general public have now been put on display for everyone to see in a new permanent exhibition.

Those items will be displayed alongside plant and animal specimens and brought to life through multimedia interactives abd touchable models.

Titled “Extraordinary Ideas from Ordinary People: A History of Citizen Science,” the exhibit is in the new Eleanor and Jerome Navarra Special Collections Gallery.

The exhibition uses 3,100 square feet of the 7,300-square-foot Research Library, which was previously accessible by appointment only. The museum converted space that was once back-of-house into an exhibition open to all. It will be included with general admission and is free for members.

“After decades of working with the library’s treasures behind closed doors, it’s a great honor to be able to share these historic artifacts with the public,” said Margaret “Margi” Dykens, curator of Extraordinary

Ideas and director of the Research Library. “The objects on display convey the impact citizen science has had not only on our organization, but the world at large. I think visitors will be impressed by how well some of these rare books have been preserved — some of them date back to the 1500s and are in great condition.”

The NAT was founded in 1874 as the San Diego Society of Natural History by a small group of citizen scientists who had a passion for the natural world. They dedicated their life’s work to documenting their observations on an array of species in San Diego County. Laurence Klauber, Joe Sefton, Charles Orcutt, Laurence Huey, and Ethel Bailey Higgins are some of the locally-known naturalists featured in the exhibition.

The upper mezzanine of the newly renovated space will feature two smaller galleries, one that showcases original watercolors of California wildflowers by A.R. Valentien and one housing a children’s book nook, comfortable seating, and rare books depicting dragons and other mythical creatures. The

A.R. Valentien gallery will display approximately 10 paintings at one time from the 1,094 pieces the museum has in its collection. These works were painted from 1908 to 1918, but until about 15 years ago, they had been languishing in improper storage due to a lack of funds.

In 1999, local philanthropist Eleanor Navarra first learned of the art collection. Shortly thereafter, she and her husband Jerome “Jerry” Navarra committed to long-term financial support, which allowed the museum to photograph, conserve, re-house, curate, appraise, and exhibit these works of art.

To protect the integrity of the featured objects, each gallery will be climate- and light-controlled. In an effort to keep the exhibition fresh and preserve the pieces on display, the pages of the rare books will be turned and artworks will be rotated periodically, making it a new experience each time visitors come to enjoy the space.

The rest of the collection in the Research Library will be closed to the public; however, the books and resources will still be available by

appointment for research purposes.

For more information, visit theNAT’s website or call (877) 946-7797.

As visitors approach, they will notice larger-than-life natural history books, replicas of 10 books in the museum’s collection. Once visitors enter the space, they are greeted by wallpaper murals of marbled end papers, a design detail included in many of the museum’s rare books.

Visitors will encounter many other impressive exhibition highlights, including: • An extremely rare copy of the gigantic Double Elephant Folio of John James Audubon’s “Birds of America.” The folio, one of only a few copies in existence, depicts lifesize renditions of a wide variety of North America’s birds.

• Gorgeous, oversized murals featuring illustrations from rare books, including a Reddish Egret from the aforementioned “Birds of America” as well as a stunning mural from Historia Naturalis Ranarum, a book from 1758 about the natural history of frogs.

• Exhibits on naturalists — both past and present — featuring rare books alongside specimens from the

museum’s research collections, touchable objects, and multimedia experiences that allow deeper access to the works on display.

• The top of the Foucault pendulum, which was installed in the 1950s and has been restored and adorned with a new, modern casing.

• Exposed skylights and other architectural elements from the original 1930s building.

“It’s important to make the connection between the fact that the museum was founded by citizen scientists in 1874 and the subject matter in this gallery,” said Dr. Michael “Mick” Hager, president and CEO at the San Diego Natural History Museum. “The goal of the exhibition is twofold: to share our Research Library special collections with the public and to inform our visitors that they do not need to be a scientist to participate in science.

We hope each guest walks away feeling empowered to observe and document the natural world on their own accord.”

(All photos provided by the San Diego Natural History Museum)

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

21

Flexible Wearable Electronic Skin Patch Offers New Way to Monitor Alcohol Levels

BY LIEZEL LABIOS | UC SAN DIEGO

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a flexible wearable sensor that can accurately measure a person’s blood alcohol level from sweat and transmit the data wirelessly to a laptop, smartphone or other mobile device. The device can be worn on the skin and could be used by doctors and police officers for continuous, non-invasive and realtime monitoring of blood alcohol content.

The device consists of a temporary tattoo— which sticks to the skin, induces sweat and electrochemically detects the alcohol level—and a portable flexible electronic circuit board, which is connected to the tattoo by a magnet and can communicate the information to a mobile device via Bluetooth. The work, led by nanoengineering professor Joseph Wang and electrical engineering professor Patrick Mercier, both at UC San Diego, was published recently in the journal ACS Sensors.

“Lots of accidents on the road are caused by drunk driving. This technology provides an accurate, convenient and quick way to monitor alcohol consumption to help prevent people from driving while intoxicated,” Wang said. The device could be integrated with a car’s alcohol ignition interlocks, or friends could use it to check up on each other before handing over the car keys, he added.

“When you’re out at a party or at a bar, this sensor could send alerts to your phone to let you know how much you’ve been drinking,” said Jayoung Kim, a materials science and engineering PhD student in Wang’s group and one of the paper’s co-first authors.

Blood alcohol concentration is the most accurate indicator of a person’s alcohol level, but measuring it requires pricking a finger. Breathalyzers, which are the most commonly used devices to indirectly estimate blood alcohol concentration, are noninvasive, but they can give false readouts.

For example, the alcohol level detected in a person’s breath right after taking a drink would typically appear higher than that person’s actual blood alcohol concentration. A person could also fool a breathalyzer into detecting a lower alcohol level by using mouthwash.

Recent research has shown that blood alcohol concentration can also be estimated by measuring alcohol levels in what’s called insensible sweat—perspiration that happens before it’s perceived as moisture on the skin. But this measurement can be up to two hours behind the actual blood alcohol reading. On the other hand, the

alcohol level in sensible sweat—the sweat that’s typically seen—is a better real-time indicator of the blood alcohol concentration, but so far the systems that can measure this are neither portable nor fit for wearing on the body.

Now, UC San Diego researchers have developed an alcohol sensor that’s wearable, portable and could accurately monitor alcohol level in sweat within 15 minutes.

“What’s also innovative about this technology is that the wearer doesn’t need to be exercising or sweating already. The user can put on the patch and within a few minutes get a reading that’s well correlated to his or her blood alcohol concentration. Such a device hasn’t been available until now,” Mercier said.

How It Works Wang and Mercier, the director and co-director, respectively, of the UC San Diego Center for Wearable Sensors, collaborated to develop the device. Wang’s group fabricated the tattoo, equipped with screen-printed electrodes and a small hydrogel patch containing pilocarpine, a drug that passes through the skin and induces sweat.

Mercier’s group developed the printed flexible electronic circuit board that powers the tattoo and can communicate wirelessly with a mobile

device. His team also developed the magnetic connector that attaches the electronic circuit board to the tattoo, as well as the device’s phone app.

“This device can use a Bluetooth connection, which is something a breathalyzer can’t do.

We’ve found a way to make the electronics portable and wireless, which are important for practical, real-life use,” said Somayeh Imani, an electrical engineering PhD student in Mercier’s lab and a co-first author on the paper.

The tattoo works first by releasing pilocarpine to induce sweat. Then, the sweat comes into contact with an electrode coated with alcohol oxidase, an enzyme that selectively reacts with alcohol to generate hydrogen peroxide, which is electrochemically detected. That information is sent to the electronic circuit board as electrical signals. The data are communicated wirelessly to a mobile device.

Putting the Tatoo to the Test

Researchers tested the alcohol sensor on 9 healthy volunteers who wore the tattoo on their arms before and after consuming an alcoholic beverage (either a bottle of beer or glass of red wine). The readouts accurately reflected the wearers’ blood alcohol concentrations.

The device also gave accurate readouts even after repeated bending and shaking. This shows that the sensor won’t be affected by the wearer’s movements, researchers said.

As a next step, the team is developing a device that could continuously monitor alcohol levels for 24 hours.

Flexible wearable sensor for detecting alcohol level can be worn on the arm. (UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering)

The alcohol sensor consists of a temporary tattoo (left) developed by the Wang lab and a flexible printed electronic circuit board (right) developed by the Mercier lab. (UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering)

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| SEPTEMBER 2016

The Bike is King for the Day CicloSDias comes to North Park, Normal Heights and City Heights Back by popular demand, San Diego’s only open streets celebration returns on Sunday, Oct. 30, with an expected 15,000 bicyclist and revelers hit the North Park, Normal Heights and City Heights neighborhoods.

The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, an organization advocating for and protecting the rights of all people who ride bicycles, hosts its fourth CicloSDias to give communities a break from the stress of car traffic, promote local business and encourage people to experience the neighborhood sans cars.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., select streets in North Park, Normal Heights and City Heights will close to automobiles and open for any and everyone to roll, skate, bike, scoot, stroll and dance along a course highlighting the heart of North Park’s local business community.

The route begins at Hamilton Street and branches off along parts of 30th Street, Adams Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and University Avenue for a total of three miles.

According to Executive Director Andy Hanshaw, CicloSDias is much more than a street fair — it’s a chance to experience our communities, small businesses and neighbors in a refresh-

ing and enjoyable way.

“Participants in past have described CicloSDias as the day they fall back in love with their neighborhood,” says Hanshaw. “For one day, we want people of San Diego to rediscover the nooks and crannies that make North Park a hub for local shopping and remember how carefree life can be outside of the car.

CicloSDias is for everyone.”

The first-ever CicloSDias brought nearly 10,000 San Diegans out of their cars and into the street on Aug. 11, 2013 for a 5.2-mile route through Golden Hill, North Park and South Park. The following two CicloSDias events continued the momentum,

hosting 12,000-15,000 people in Pacific Beach and Hillcrest.

At previous celebrations, everything from four-person bicycles to roller derby teams made appearances as streets came to life and local businesses — and local bike racks — overflowed. The Bike Coalition welcomes anyone outside of a car to join the casual neighborhood celebration.

For more information on the San Diego Bike Coalition and other twowheeled San Diego events, visit http://www.sdbikecoalition.org.

Partners Include: San Diego County Bicycle Coalition; City Heights Community Development Corporation; Bike San Diego; North Park Business Association; Adams Avenue Business Association; City Heights Business Association; City of San Diego; County of San Diego; El Cajon Boulevard Business Association; California Office of Traffic Safety; San Diego Police Department.

SEPTEMBER 2016 |

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