Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 20 Years sdnorthparknews.com
Vol. 20 No. 12 December 2012
South Park: A Breeding Ground For Women In Business
South Bark Dog Wash co-owner Donna Walker (right) and assistant Stephanie Pusker give a black labrador loving attention.
Monta Briant of Baby Garten Studio with toddler Holland.
Maureen Ceccarelli, owner of Studio Maureen and The Next Door Gallery, has been a fixture in South Park for 25 years.
Female Entrepreneurs Dominate Neighborhood Shops There’s something about South Park. Something that causes women-owned stores to dominate South Park’s commercial area. Maybe it’s just that women attract other women, especially successful ones. Or maybe it’s the feel of the neighborhood — the tree-shaded sidewalks, the small shops that dot the streets, or the friendly smalltown atmosphere that attracts the businessminded woman who has some unique products to sell. Maybe it’s the ability to live close to where they work. To be part of an emerging neighborhood. To be among good old fashioned businesses with forward-thinking minds. Whatever that “something” is, of the 75 members in the South Park Business Group, 45 are owned or co-owned by women. Most have opened in the last five to seven years — a few longer, like Big Kitchen and Studio Maureen —and most are small retail businesses. Rebecca Zearing, one of the successful business owners, thinks it’s because women are brave … and strong.
Here are a few of the women who have carved successful careers in the neighborhood: South Bark Dog Wash Over the years South Park went to the dogs — dog as pets and as protectors. This was a perfect opportunity for South Park residents Donna Walker and Lisa Vella, who shared a dream of helping animals, especially the dogs and cats of South Park. Twelve years ago, when a laundromat went up for sale, Vella jumped on it. And the building transformed from a place that washes clothes to a place that washes dogs — South Bark Dog Wash. Conveniently located three blocks from Grape Street Dog Park, South Bark Dog Wash is South Park’s premier, locally owned companion-loving hot spot. A place where pet lovers can congregate and focus on quality bonding time with their pets. The shop’s self-serve wash tubs, organic shampoo and conditioners, drying and grooming stations promote fun and turn a chore into an enjoyable experience. Cus-
BY DELLE WILLETT
tomers can expect to find a polite and wellinformed staff; healthy products; a clean facility; and everything they need for their pets. “We only sell products that both we and our pets love,” said Walker. South Bark Dog Wash also offers training for puppies to teenage dogs “…who act out much as their human counterparts,” explained Vella. Dog owners can also take CPR and first aid classes for their dogs and cats. In this friendly and affordable spa-like atmosphere, over 1,200 dogs get a facial every month. “Our facials are so good, we’re recognized across the country,” said Walker. From their facial product, South Bark Blueberry Facial, came a full line of products now sold in almost every state in the U.S. and nine foreign countries. These products include the blueberry facial, shampoo, conditioner, cologne and nibbles. Walker and Vella were the first to create dog facial products. Seventeen brands are now on the market.
‘I love feeding people,’ says Rebecca Zearing, owner of Rebecca’s Coffeehouse.
Newcomer Melanie Michaud of Graffiti Beach helps artists launch their careers.
SEE WOMEN, Page 5
NORTH PARK SCENE Hillcrest Wind Ensemble Performs Holiday Concert Young and old are welcome at the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble’s Holiday Concert on Friday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m. at the Joan Kroc Theater, 6845 University Ave.The concert will feature music from “The Nutcracker.” Guests will include The San Diego Dance Company with The Wheel Chair Dancers doing modern and interpretive dance to this Tchaikovsky SEE SCENE, Page 12
Jerry Sanders’ Big Hurrah The mayor leaves office with an impressive portfolio At age 62, Jerry Sanders is not the same man who took office as mayor of San Diego in 2005, a job he vacated this month as newly elected mayor Bob Filner takes the reins at City Hall. But who would be the same? The city that has alternately been praised as “America’s Finest City” and then damned as “Enron-by-the-sea” can take its toll on any political leader ambitious enough to take on the job. Throughout his two terms in office, Sanders has presided over some of the city’s major accomplishments and disappointments, been humbled and excoriated at times, and has been reduced to tears over matters deeply personal to himself and his family. Yet he also has been widely admired for his political courage as when he — a moderate Republican — publicly voice support for marriage equality in 2007. Sanders will take that legacy with him when he joins the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce as its new
president and CEO, replacing Ruben Barrales. Physically, too, Sanders is a changed man. During his second term, his weight shot up to 276, perhaps from attending too many rubber chicken circuit dinners. But after indulging in a vigorous walking and diet regimen, he’s down to 186 — 90 pounds lighter and a whole lot healthier. His walks, incidentally, have been from his home in Kensington. Sanders’ career path has been quite amazing. After attending San Diego State, he joined the San Diego Police Department at age 22, following his dad, who was a cop in Los Angeles. He rose through the ranks to become police chief and retired in 1999, ending a 20-year law enforcement career that was considered progressive and innovative. After that, Sanders took on, in succession, a couple of restoration jobs — first as head of United Way San Diego SEE SANDERS, Page 6
Jerry Sanders relinquished his job and office this month to newly elected Mayor Bob Filner.
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(619) 889-5420 | www.aftonmiller.com | amiller786@aol.com
A F TO N S E L L S S A N D I E G O Specializing in North Park and Metro Area since 1986 SOLD - $546,000
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3655 31st St | 2br 1ba
4632 Marlborough | 2br 1.5ba
2914 Redwood St | 3br 3ba
2428 33rd St | 3br 2.5ba
4795 50th St | 2br 1ba
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3681 Grim | 3br 2.5ba
4869 Marlborough | 3br 2ba*
3415 Villa Terrace | 3br 2ba
4558 Delaware St | 2br 2ba
2438 33rd St | 3br 2.5ba
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2503 Bancroft St | 4br 2ba
3210-12 Felton St | 2br units
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3572 Marathon | 3br 2ba
4607 Janet Pl | 4br 3.5ba
2173 Haller St | 3br 2.5ba
4142 Lymer Dr | 3br 2ba
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2735 33rd St | 4br 4.5ba
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2515 30th St. | 2br 1ba
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Stunning classic Kensington Spanish 3br 2ba 1,532 ESF. Beautifully updated! Newly refinished gleaming HW floors, fully remodeled kitchen and baths. Custom paint, arches, sculpted fireplace, wonderful floorplan with vintage character intact. New roofing, electrical, furnace and AC. Double detached garage. Great location! 4677 Winona | 3br 2ba
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December 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 3
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Ask Dr. Z (Editor’s Note: South Park’s Dr. Tara Zandvliet -Dr. Z — answers common — and not so common — health questions for our readers.) Q. Are Fevers Dangerous? When Should I Worry? A. Ever wonder why we always try to lower a fever with medicines as though the fever were dangerous and the disease itself? Fever is a natural way your body fights off disease. We don’t want to get rid of it entirely. But we are scared of high fevers and confuse that with all fevers. So here is a good approach to help parents decide what to do during this flu season. Fevers don’t cause brain damage until they are over 107 degrees Fahrenheit. So don’t worry much about that. Fevers don’t cause seizures unless they rise very fast — so often you don’t even realize they have a fever. These seizures are not dangerous, almost always happens the first day of the illness, and children outgrow them generally by age 6, so don’t worry about that much either. DO worry about the CAUSE of the fever, and how your child FEELS. For the first day of fever, use Tylenol (acetaminophen, APAP) or Motrin (Advil, ibuprofen) to see how your child seems. If the medicine does not lower the fever within an hour, or if your child seems lethargic or very ill even when the fever goes down — Worry! Take them straight to the doctor. In this way, the medicine is a test to see how serious the illness is. After 24 hours, the illness generally improves, and we can relax a little. At that point, medicine for the fever is to help the children feel better. Who can sleep, drink enough fluids, or rest enough to get better when you are achy and feverish? If the fever is lower (under 103) and your child is handling it, let the fever do its job and fight off the illness. If they feel bad, can’t sleep or eat because of pain, or the fever is higher, consider the medicines for symptom relief. Q: How Can I Keep My Child Healthy This School Year? A. School time is a time when our little ones catch everything that is going around, and then pass it along to us! We always hear about washing our hands and covering our mouths and noses when we cough or sneeze to avoid the spread of the viruses that delight in making us ill. But what many of us don’t know is that it is our own immune systems that are the first defense that fights off whatever we are exposed to. The stronger it is, the less likely it is that we will actually fall ill with those bugs we breathe in. Ever have a child with a fever one night and in the morning they seem fine? Immune system at work and it won! The most important way to make your child a disease fighter is to make sure they get 10-11 hours of sleep a day. This is the average for a school-age child. This can be all at once at night, or split up with a nap. Eating lots of vegetables and fruits is next important — lots of vitamins and minerals are required for the immune cells to work. Dr. Tara Zandvliet welcomes your questions. Send them to doctor@southparkdoctor.com. She practices at 2991 Kalmia St. Phone: (619) 929-0030.
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Community Corner Vol V Our growth and our future For the past two years about two dozen volunteers have been working away in relative obscurity on what’s called the Greater North Park Community Plan Update. The Update is kind of like a blueprint for how we might like to see our community grow. The volunteers working on this Community Plan Update have been meeting and walking the various neighborhoods and researching all with an eye towards making sure North Park grows in a way that respects the values we hold dear. We may not all agree on what these values are, but some of them seem to be pretty universal. The group is working to ensure that the children of North Park have parks to play in, that we can leave our cars at home and walk to restaurants and shops, that we keep elements of our community’s character — such as its history and the uniqueness of its homes, and that the community grows in a way that respects the economic diversity that has defined us for a very long time. And of course we can probably all think of a few things we’d happily leave in the waste bin of days gone by — like the overhead wires and large utility boxes. Large Payoffs Updating community plans is no small feat, but there are a couple of very large payoffs. First, the approved plans are our opportunity to shape where we live. Although the process has been ongoing, its still not too late to make your voice heard. The Greater North Park Planning Committee always accepts
WOMEN CONTINUED FROM Page 1
Both Vella and Walker spend most of their time on the wholesale side of the business. Vella, a professor of photography at San Diego City College, is directly responsible for the co-development of South Bark’s products, while Walker, a retired Navy chief with 20 years of service, is on the lecture circuit and frequently travels to conventions. Walker and Vella care about animals as well as humans, supporting local causes and holding fundraisers at their shop. They do two to five adoption events a month, helping a variety of dog-rescue groups. “We love to find homes for the dogs,” said Walker, who added that dogs often come to the shop when they are lost and, most of the time, they are able to find the dog’s parents. (South Bark Dog Wash is at 2037 30th St. www.southbark.com. (619) 232-7387) Rebecca’s Coffeehouse When Zearing opened Rebecca’s Coffeehouse on Juniper and 30th at Fern 20 years ago, 30th Street was regarded as the most crime-ridden street in San Diego. In fact, Zearing herself had a couple closecall robberies. “It was a rough neighborhood,” she said. ”But now it’s a neighborhood of recovery. People dug in and made South Park what it is today — a highly desirable neighborhood with amazing schools and high-value homes — homes you couldn’t give away in the past.” Rebecca’s offers a menu of healthy soups, sandwiches, smoothies, pastries, and pies. Checking with Yelp, you’ll see that the scones and home-made straw-
Keeping elements of our community’s character is a goal of the community plan update.
comments from the public and you can even email your thoughts or ideas. Keep in mind that because so much time has been spent and the issues are complex, the idea you have might have been considered or might not be feasible for some other reason, but if you feel strongly about something there is a way to at least be sure it is discussed. The other big benefit of approved community plans is that, because they are legal documents, they give the community and people who build homes and buildings some consistency and expectations about what the ground rules are for doing new projects. According to a recent report, the San Diego region is going to grow by more than 1 million people in the next 20 years or so and many of those will be home grown, not people who move to the area. As a
result, we have to plan for more people, and since we don’t have more land to work with in North Park, it means we will have to be smart about increasing our density—the amount of people who can live in a certain area. Setting the Framework The community plan helps set this framework, along with thinking about what types of streets we want around any new buildings, how we want to accommodate our many bike riders and make it safer to encourage more. And all of these great goals are set against the backdrop of not being too restrictive to block all development. Joining in the discussion for our community plan updates is a great way to shape the North Park we’ll hand to our children and the one many of us will grow old in. As the group of volunteers continue to increase focus on
berry preserves are big — no, huge — favorites. Customers reflect the neighborhood: people from diverse backgrounds. “You wouldn’t believe the people who come together to sit at one of my tables,” said Zearing. “It would make you laugh.” One is her eighth grade speech teacher from Madison Junior High, another a leatherclad biker, and another, a San Diego Police Department RSVP Traffic volunteer. Also, a couple getting engaged at a quiet corner table. Complementing her healthy food for the body, Rebecca’s offers food for the soul with frequent live music nights, favorites being open mic on Thursdays and songwriters showcase of original music on the fourth Wednesday. Some acoustic, some jazz, and even some poetry. Days are long for Zearing, often starting at 4 a.m. and finishing at 4 p.m. or later, seven days a week, 365 days a year. And she loves it. “I’m really happy. It’s all I want to do. I never get tired of the smell of coffee and I love feeding people.” And Zearing feeds more than her customers. She regularly donates to the Warrior Foundation (“serving military heroes in transition”), to neighborhood schools, and to Humane Society benefits. She also does fundraisers at the coffee shop for those in need, often to help families who have lost loved ones. “I love to give food away,” she said. Zearing has a big heart for more than just humans; she is active in Second Chance Dog Rescue, one of San Diego’s largest and most successful organizations dedicated to saving homeless dogs. Zearing currently has four dogs, one a foster dog, and all from Second Chance Rescue.
Her favorite is Diesel, a 135-pound American Bull Dog formerly owned by a Marine Recon hero who had to give him up. Opening the doors of Rebecca’s Coffeehouse in 1992, Zearing continued to work full time to 2001 in the marketing department of a high-speed fiber optics company. One has to wonder where she gets her energy; maybe it comes from loving what she does. And being brave and strong. (Dog-friendly, Rebecca’s Coffeehouse is at 3015 Juniper St. www.rebeccascoffeehouse.com. (619) 284-3663). Studio Maureen and The Next Door Gallery Maureen Ceccarelli knows good art when she sees it. And she saw it on the building at 2963 Beech St. that now holds Studio Maureen and The Next Door Gallery, the oldest shop in South Park. The building has a façade of Batchelder tile, designed by Ernest A. Batchelder, master tile artist of the early Arts & Crafts period at the start of the 20th century. “It was a really cool building and a cool space,” she said. (Three of Batchelder’s spectacular installations can be seen today in downtown Los Angeles.) Through a serendipitous event 25 years ago, Ceccarelli took over the building’s lease from a friend and opened Studio Maureen. “At first I was lonely because there was nothing else going on in the neighborhood; only a hardware and liquor store in the area,” said Ceccarelli. “And early on, with safety concerns, I kept the door locked; customers had to ring the door bell to come in to shop.” Over time other stores have opened
areas that haven’t received as much attention or resources (like north of University and along North Park’s western boundary), now is a great time to find a voice to participate in these important efforts. How to Get Involved To get involved, you can choose from one of the many groups I’ve written about in previous posts (such as the North Park Maintenance Assessment District Advisory Committee or the North Park Community Association). If you are interested specifically in the future planning of the community, there are plenty of sub-committees of the Greater North Park Planning Committee in which you can make your voice heard even if you are not elected to the Committee itself. This is a great way to make sure that your immediate neighbors and friends in the community are able to get their thoughts to a larger group and, ultimately, to make a difference in what our community will look like well into the future. Many people bristle at the idea of putting more and more people in smaller areas, but we have to realize that San Diego is a desirable place to be — and increasingly so is North Park. So we can work together to get lots of voices to weigh in on where our community is headed and give developers and construction people clear guidance for the best ways to work in our community or we can let “progress” happen to us. Shaping the Future The upside of the tremendous progress at neighborhood schools like McKinley is that more young families are calling our community home. The challenge is that those families will grow and
around her in South Park, building on each other. An example is a very successful deli next door that was inspired by her being there and seeing the potential. Originally, Ceccarelli sold her own jewelry, and before long local people started selling their art through her. Now she has more than 50 mostly local artists selling their products on consignment. Shoppers can find one-of-a-kind pieces of pottery, paintings, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, hand-made cards, glassware, irresistible garden art, Mexican folk art and vintage items. Ceccarelli also creates and sells her own ceramics, jewelry, ornaments and most recently, mosaic picture frames. All at a very neighborly price. In 2006 Ceccarelli asked Johanna Hansen, who for years hung the art shows in The Next Door Gallery, to become its official curator. The Gallery centers on a big table filled with jars of tchotchkes that beg to be explored and purchased to use in art projects. The east wall in the gallery features a new grouping of local art every quarter. There is also an ongoing Artist Trading Card station and used art books for sale. Johanna also sells her brightly painted, whimsical and thought-provoking clay sculptures. A “huge labor of love,” Studio Maureen was “green” before it was the thing to do; her bags are recycled grocery bags that she has hand painted, and all of the gift boxes are recycled and painted or wrapped. Originally from San Francisco, Ceccarelli and her husband moved into South Park 30 years ago, loving the feel of the neighborhood — urban and neighborly. When newer shop owners talk about what brought them to South Park, they
BY OMAR PASSONS
We can probably all think of a few things we’d happily leave in the waste bin of days gone by — like the overhead wires and large utility boxes.
we have a real opportunity to shape the way North Park grows with them. If you absolutely can’t make it to one of the meetings, the chairpersons of each of them are earnest volunteers who welcome your thoughts by email. It is better to attend to really understand the complexities of the decisions involved, but you don’t have to wait until your schedule makes that more possible. Maybe take the small step of sending an email if you like and then get involved more later as time permits. Either way, our combined participation will help make sure we have the type of community we want in the future. Omar Passons is a local attorney and volunteer who writes a periodic column about community issues. Email him at opassons@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @omarpassons.
always recognize Maureen Ceccarelli as one of their biggest inspirations. (Studio Maureen is located at 2963 Beech St. www.studiomaureen.com. (619) 233-6679) Bad Madge & Co. For Tanya McAnear, opening her business in South Park was an easy decision. “South Park is a community of family, friends and partners. The merchants are interconnected; we help each other. We’re part of a family,” she explained. Bad Madge & Co. is a small retail store built on the mission of keeping things out of the landfill. McAnear specializes in “picking” from local sources, focusing her attention on vintage, resale and trendy items. The store carries a mix of furniture, art, fashion, accessories, collectibles, shoes, hats, home goods and anything else she thinks will make her customers happy. “Picker” friends with different specialties keep up her stock. They pick through estate and garage sales, flea markets and anywhere else they think they might find something to “flip.” Inspired by the History Channel’s “American Pickers,” McAnear started Bad Madge & Co. in March 2011. A 20-year veteran of “picking,” she filled her house with cool vintage stuff that she used as her store’s original inventory. Bad Madge & Co. was a natural evolution from McAnear’s Bad Madge Productions — a multi-faceted production company that specializes in fashion shows and special events, visual display and merchandising services, fashion presentations and private fashion consulting. “I started my fashion career when I SEE WOMEN, Page 8 & 9
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SANDERS CONTINUED FROM Page 1
and then as head of the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Both agencies suffered from administrative crises. Sanders was credited with pulling both of them out of their financial funk. By that time, Sanders’ reputation as a turnaround guy was sealed, and he was persuaded to run for mayor and put those skills to work as the pension underfunding scheme rocked the city. Today, the city is financially much healthier. Looking back over his multiple jobs, Sanders does not hesitate to say that being mayor has been the toughest. “This has been by far the hardest job I’ve ever even considered,” he said. “I thought being (police) chief was hard, really rewarding, loved every second of it. But one week of being chief of police is like about what I do before lunch over here on one day.” Sanders will leave office Dec. 3. During a recent interview with SD METRO, he answered questions on a number of topics:
really smart staff and tremendous community support so I think the successes have been stabilizing the financial situation so that we have surpluses going out for the next five years. I think that’s been a tremendous accomplishment for everybody. The new Downtown Library is certainly one. Moving ahead with the Convention Center expansion, Plaza de Panama, are all big things and then pension and retiree health care reforms. And all of those things required so many different people helping out, from the business community to the regular community, the staff and all that, so I think it’s been kind of team successes.
Q. What about major disappointments? Sanders: I have been asked that a lot and I think that probably the biggest one was the downtown City Hall. I think that was an important project that would have saved the city a lot of money in the long run. I think it would have redeveloped this end of Downtown where we have a lot of homeless issues out in front which could have been designed differently to alleviate all that. But, you know, you can only do so many things. And that’s just one that had to be Q. What are the biggest chaltaken off the table. lenges that your successor will face coming into office? Q. What was the major probSanders: You know I think that that lem with that? the strong mayor form of government is Sanders: Well, I think the major probgoing to be a big challenge in the lem is that we are in tough financial change. I was able to ease into it over the times. It is very easy to demagogue an last several years because I knew the city issue like that, you know, “Watching city prior, and I knew a lot about it and we employees have such a great place to were able to work with a (city) council work.” Well my response was, “would and put it together. I think the new you want your son or daughter in this mayor is going to come into it kind of building? The only non-sprinkler highcold and I don’t know if that’s going to rise in Downtown that’s full of be a massive change or a small change asbestos?” And it is not really ADA combut I think that’s going to be a chalpliant or anything else. So it was just a lenge, how you work with council in tough sell to the voters at that time and putting it altogether. we said we’d get a public vote and it just finally fell off the list because we were Q. What do you consider your working so hard and so long on other major successes during your projects. terms as mayor? Sanders: Well I guess I don’t considQ. Is there any interest to start er anything my success. We’ve had a
that whole thing over again? Sanders: Well, I think that council members would like to see that and we’re getting ready to do a new leasing plan and we lease about five buildings Downtown right now and what we showed was that having all the city employees all in one building could have saved money every year. But once again, that’s something they’re going to have to take up and push if they like it. Q. Do you think the mayor should have any say in the school district and how it is run? Sanders: That’s just something that we didn’t take on. And we had so many problems ourselves and the school district’s got deep, deep problems and that’s not something that I thought we could tackle. I always hate to see even more politics added on and the school district with the school board is as political as you can be and when you add another layer on, I’m just not sure how that benefits.
Q. Is this your last political shot? Sanders: Yeah, this is my last political stop. People say, “we’d like to see you run for something else,” but I say I’m way too smart for that. I’ve learned my lesson this time. Q. What was the hardest job that you’ve had? You were police chief, headed United Way and then mayor. Sanders: This has been by far the hardest job I’ve ever even considered. I thought being (police) chief was hard, really rewarding, loved every second of it. But one week of being chief of police is like about what I do before lunch over here on one day. This is so multi-dimensional, involving things that I don’t know about or didn’t know about and then you are dealing with politics also, which is a very strange art form just in and of itself . It’s been a real challenge for me, anyway.
Q. With the Chargers, the issue always keeps coming up, disappears, and then comes up again. Are they talking to you? Sanders: We talk to them all the time. They have a lease until 2022 or 2023, I think. I think the landscape’s changed a little bit. You know, if you go back five or 10 years ago, cities would bid anything to get a sports franchise, whether it was football, baseball, basketball. I mean they were throwing out massive amounts of money and we’ve seen a retrenching in that. Cities have gone through tough times and so we keep talking with the Chargers. I believe they want to stay here. Dean Spanos has never said anything else other than that. He’s been very up front. I think he’s been very patient. But you know this is a complicated thing to put together. We had a good plan and then the governor came and took away redevelopment at the last minute and some of the properties involved in that were redevelopment properties that they make take back Q. Will we still be talking from us. about the Chargers? A new stadium? Q. Makes it really complicated, Sanders: I would hope it would be doesn’t it? done before then. I think we had a good Sanders: It does because we had a list plan. I think it’s a plan that would have of things we were going to do in the last really done a lot for the east end of two years and then the governor came Downtown. I think that maybe by then, in and that was not even an issue on it will be coming into completion. But our plate and that has been a huge issue a Downtown multi-use stadium down that’s taken up an enormous amount on the 16th Street corridor, where it is of time and you are talking about literreally rough right now, with a live enter- ally billions of dollars that is just exiting tainment zone between Petco (Park), now that we’re having to fight over every Gaslamp and there, makes a tremen- penny and obligations we already have dous amount of sense. Look and see and pieces of property that we bought what Petco did for Gaslamp. I think that for parks; they want those back and it’s would have the same impetus there. So just a mess right now. I think that’s something that will be coming into completion at that point Q. Civic San Diego, the entity and create a lot of new jobs. that took over for CCDC (Center City Development Corp.) Is that Q. What are you going to do doing well? Sanders: We’ve combined the boards. after you leave? Sanders: My wife (Rana Sampson) We’ve taken some board members from and I are going away for about three CCDC and some from SEDC (Southmonths (to Italy) and we’re just going to eastern Economic Development Corp.) enjoy life. And then I’ll figure out what and combined them into one board to I’m going to do when I grow up. It’s a handle all the redevelopment areas in little hard to do that while you’re still in the city. Part of it’s a wind down office. The feelers are out all over; there’s because there is just not a lot of money talk about me coming onto this board to run it right now. And part of it is or that board, but you know I really them looking over Downtown and think that until Dec. 3, I just want to watching out and looking over the concentrate on what I’m doing and then SEDC area and seeing what they can make some decisions then, but the ten- still do there and then they’re also going dency is to say “oh yeah, I’m going on out for new market tax credits to try this nonprofit board and all that,” and and create some new things, so I think pretty soon you’ve loaded up and you they’re doing well and I think that they’ll don’t have time to do anything else. So pull out of it, but it is going to be a very I’ll be going back to work, but nothing different agency. in politics. Q. Put your thinking cap on and envision San Diego 10 years hence. What do you think it will be? Sanders: Well, I think what’s going to be happening in 10 years is people are going to be talking about expanding the Convention Center again. You know, San Diego is the No. 2 convention destination in the United States now, and we’re going to be adding about 1 million square feet of the largest contiguous convention center space on the West Coast of North America. And I think in 10 years people are going to be saying, “we should have added more” because I think, you know, that’s just the Golden Goose for San Diego. It’s bringing tremendous tourism, its bringing tremendous room nights. That’s what keeps Downtown alive in a lot of ways, having all those people all over and I think it’s going to continue becoming even more exciting for people, so I think that’s going to be a big one.
SEE SANDERS, Page 11
www.sdnorthparknews.com Serving San Diego’s Premier Bungalow Communities Chairman/CEO Bob Page BobPage@sandiegometro.com Publisher Rebeca Page RebecaPage@sandiegometro.com Editor Manny Cruz Manny@sandiegometro.com Art Director Chris Baker kurisub@gmail.com Advertising Sales Ada Laura Duff (858) 442-7766 adaduff@gmail.com -----------------------------Writers/Columnists Todd Gloria Ann Jarmusch Jennifer Kester Donna Marganella Bart Mendoza Katelyn O’Riordan Sandy Pasqua David Raines Delle Willett
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North Park News distributes copies monthly to residents and businesses of North Park, South Park, Golden Hill and Normal Heights. The entire contents of North Park News is copyrighted, 2012, by REP Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written consent. All rights reserved.
December 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 7
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‘We help each other. We’re part of a family,’ says Tanya McAnear (right, with customer) of South Park businesses.
Originally from San Francisco, Maureen Ceccarelli and her husband moved into South Park 30 years ago, loving the feel of the neighborhood. Studio Maureen is the result.
Monta Briant (center) with a little learner and mom, teaching sign language for babies.
Lisa Vella (left) and Donna Walker share a dream of helping animals, especially the dogs and cats of South Park, with South Bark Dog Wash.
Rebecca’s Coffeehouse offers a menu of healthy soups, sandwiches, smoothies, pastries and pies.
Dogs love the facials at South Bark Dog Wash.
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WOMEN CONTINUED FROM Page 5
was 5 years old. I put on fashion shows in my driveway, dressed up my pets and bossed my friends around,” she said. A self-proclaimed “plate spinner,” McAnear received her Associates of Arts degree in the early ’90s from San Diego’s Fashion Careers College, where she’s been an instructor ever since. And through those years she’s won “Instructor of the Year” four times. McAnear has also coordinated the college’s annual Golden Hanger Fashion Awards Gala. She also runs the After School All Stars Fashion Club at Mar Vista Middle School in National City. And she’s currently taking online classes toward a bachelor’s degree in fashion at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco. It’s easy to see how McAnear was influenced by her parents. Her mother was “always into costumes,” so McAnear spent her childhood dressing up, and eventually inherited her mother’s entire costume closet. Those same costumes are used in her classes. Her teaching career was inspired by her father, a high school teacher of 35 years. McAnear believes in shopping locally, keeping the money in the local economy. She buys all her gifts in the neighborhood and supports the other merchants. (Bad Madge & Co. is located at 2220 Fern St. www.badmadge.com. (619) 285-1668) Graffiti Beach Melanie Michaud was looking for a place to relocate her business — a community of like-minded business owners and customers with a shared passion for fashion, art, music and eco-conscious lifestyle. She found South Park. A new kid on the block since March of this year, Michaud’s Graffiti Beach is dedicated to revealing undiscovered talent, amazing artists who have yet to be discovered — helping to launch creatives, whether they are designers, stylists, or photographers, encouraging them to follow their passion and getting them to the next level. Offering clothing and accessories for men, women and children, plus art and furniture for the home, Graffiti Beach brings new product lines to life through weekly designer trunk shows and art showcases, and produces runway shows every season. The Graffiti Beach website also fea-
tures an online store, making products available from the store’s 50+ brands, 50 percent being local, and 70 percent California-based. “We showcase things you’ve never seen before, jewelry made from drum cymbals, skateboard belt buckles … and that is only the beginning,” said Michaud. Graffiti Beach started about three years ago in the Abbot Kinney area of Venice Beach as a traveling series of pop-up shops featuring emerging brands, runway shows, vendor booths and live performances. Recognizing that the area was in a more developed market, Michaud started looking for a tight-knit community that was emerging in the creative industry and felt like an up-tapped market for the Graffiti Beach concept. After much research, she selected South Park, joining a respected roster of progressive shops, including Bad Madge, Progress, Crow Thief and Junc Life & Style, among others. Michaud is thrilled to be living in South Park and being part of the South Park Merchants Association. “We have great business owners looking to progress, to be new and different. I love that my opinions can be heard, that I can help develop this area.” For Michaud, the most enjoyable thing about being a business owner is teaching others — employees, designers and customers. Her “trend team” of four college interns is learning all aspects of the business, each intern working 10 hours every week to get real career experience. Michaud’s teaching credentials were earned by achieving a marketing degree from the University of the Pacific, working in an Orange County-based ad agency, retail at Macy’s and as a marketing director for a chain of retail boutiques. Michaud’s goal is to launch locations in trendsetting neighborhoods around the world. South Park is the first of many to come. (Graffiti Beach is located at 2220 Fern St. www.shopgraffitibeach.com. (858) 433-0950) Baby Garten Studio Monta Briant’s goal for her Baby Garten Studio was driven by her sense of community and her desire to provide a place for families in South Park and the surrounding communities to gather, learn and make lasting friendships as they grow in their parenting journey
together. Twelve years ago, when Briant was a new mom, she noticed a lack of parenting classes. So she developed her own and now runs a school, Baby Garten Studio, which offers over 20 classes a week for newborns through preschool children. Student moms come in all ages. Baby Garten classes include Baby Sign Language, Spanish, toddler yoga, gentle sleep solutions, music and movement, CPR for infants, baby-care, prenatal classes, breast feeding support and parenting. Most Baby Garten classes are taught by women, many of them mothers and business owners in South Park. Briant’s specialty is Baby Sign Language, using American Sign Language (ASL), the official language of the deaf community. In her classes, families learn hundreds of signs, along with fun and practical signing strategies to use at home. By the end of six to 12 weeks, most babies begin to sign back. “The greatest benefit is the incredible bond that develops through two-way communication and opens up early communication for families,” said Briant. Sign language opens up a baby’s mind and personality. “It’s great for knowing what children are thinking about, asking questions, expressing fear. Before they can talk, it helps relieve frustration.” Briant is author of the world’s bestselling baby sign-language books, “Baby Sign Language Basics,” with over 200,000 copies sold. She also collaborated with her younger sister on “Songs for Little Hands,” a music CD and activity guide for signing with babies. Other products include flash cards and DVDs, all published and available through Hay House Publishers (www.hayhouse.com). For the best selection of her books and learning materials and the best price, Briant recommends going directly to the publisher through her website: www.babysigningbasics.com. (Baby Garten Studio is located at the corner of 30th and Grape. www.BabyGartenStudio.com (619) 987.4834) Whatever that “something” is that attracted these business-minded women to South Park, they are welcome. By being there they have changed what was once just a space between North Park and Golden Hills into one of the most eccentric and coolest neighborhoods in
San Diego and beyond. To discover more about South Park, try taking a South Park Walkabout. It’s a fun-filled evening festival, introducing the shops and cafes of South Park. From Kalmia to Beech Street, shops are open late, offering entertainment, specials and
surprises. Walkabouts are produced by the locally owned merchants of the South Park Business Group, partially funded by the city of San Diego’s Small Business Enhancement Program.
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Holiday Gifts and Services South Bark Style South Bark Dog Wash (at 2037 30th St.) is one of the community’s most popular businesses. For the past 10 years, South Bark has become “pet central,” providing services and products to pets and their parents. Not just a place to wash your dogs, South Bark stocks healthy foods for cats, dogs and other household pets, along with a clever array of toys, treats, collars, leashes and other necessities for the petloving household. “The holiday season is our favorite,” says Donna Walker, co-owner of South Bark. “We’re carrying gifting ideas that will make you extra kiss-able to your dogs and cats. I know that you are already the ‘cat’s meow,’ but who can resist the look of adoration that you get when you share the holiday love South Bark style?” Every bath comes with a complimentary South Bark Blueberry Facial. Our facial is an aroma therapeutic, brightening, cleansing and calming face wash as well as an over all body brighter. South Bark’s Blueberry Facial is a wonderful way to pamper your pet and promote social bonding, proper facial grooming, and a luxurious bath experience. South Bark offers multiple bath packages depending on the need of the pet. Depending on your pets’ skin and coat, there are multiple bath packages that suit their needs. The staff is knowledgeable about skin and coat problems, as well as breed specific coat concerns. South Bark also provides blow dryers, as well as heat cage drying.
Tuffy Dinosaurs: The extra tough design and Teflon incorporated in these toys make them extremely hard to become extinct.
The staff of South Bark carefully checks out the food lines and products to be sure they are safe and appealing. “You can shop with confidence here,” Walker adds. She adds this advice: “We all know that some of the gifts we choose for our pets are secretly for us, not them. Our dogs and cats really don’t care if they are photographed, are enrolled in one of our obedience classes, get brightened up with our awesome grooming products, or have a conversation with a pet clairvoyant, but South Bark offers those choices too.” A gift that makes all parties involved happy is that of adoption. South Bark offers monthly adoption events on the large private patio adjacent to the shop. “We have had dogs and cats of all ages, breeds, and temperaments. There is a very good chance that you will fall in love at South Bark, and that is our gift to you,” Walker says. Information on South Bark is available on the website: southbark.com, Flashing collars and leads. with frequent updates on upcoming events and “insider” specials on the shop’s Facebook page, at facebook.com/southbark. Upcoming Events at South Bark: • Terri Steuben, Pet Communicator (www.calmhealer.com). Saturday, Jan. 26. By appointment: $50 • Adult Dog Class: six-week class starts Saturday, Jan. 12, 9-10 a.m., $100. Visit www.facebook.com/southbark for Screamer Balls: South Bark’s Screamer Balls alerts on upcoming pet adoption events. are colorful little animal faces that squeak in different tones depending on the color.
Bag-o-marrow bones: A bag of marrowbones can keep Fido busy while you entertain.
Tiki Cat: This is a top of the line product that can be used as a full feed or added to your finicky cat’s meal.
BY MARSHA SMELKINSON
Zoom Groom. A comfortable, rubberized brush that provides massage, itch scratching, and dead hair removal.
December 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 11
SANDERS CONTINUED FROM Page 6
Q. What is the difference between Civic San Diego and CCDC, since there are no more redevelopment agencies. Do you consider that a redevelopment agency? Sanders: It is handling the wind down. So it’s still a redevelopment agency in that respect. The reason we changed it is because it doesn’t just cover CCDC anymore. It covers all 13 areas that we have. So they are winding down some of east San Diego, south San Diego, so we needed to change the name on it to reflect that it wasn’t just CCDC anymore, it was really about Civic San Diego. But they are looking for ways to continue to work in the Downtown area and the southeast area specifically to carry on some of the programs we have going and some of the development.
Q. How did you do it? What did you do? Sanders: It’s been a long, slow process. I started working out with a trainer a couple days a week. And he said, “You know, you’re working out really hard and you’re walking a lot and you’re not losing any weight, so something’s going on.” So he said, “We’re weighing you every Friday.” And once I started weighing in, I told him, “You know, fat boys don’t like to be on scales,” so I started losing about a pound or two every week for a long period of time. I walk between 60 and 70 miles a week. I got in six (miles) this morning before I came here.
Q. Where do you walk? Sanders: I live in Kensington, so I walk down to Park Boulevard, over to Meade and back. And that’s about a sixmile round trip for me. On Saturdays and Sundays, I’ll walk Downtown and back. That’s about 14 miles round trip. I go down Park Boulevard all the way to Q. There are other things you’ve Market Street and then over to First done since being mayor, you’ve and up First and then through Balboa lost a lot of weight. Park and back over to Park. Sanders: Yeah. I worked on it.
Sanders: Well, things would have occurred a lot quicker. I’m not sure people are comfortable with that and I use as an example Plaza de Panama. I think it is a no-brainer. We have philanthropy involved. We get these 7,000 car/pedesQ. If you had been a king or a dic- trian interactions per day out of Balboa tator, what could you have done Park ... We return it to its historical condifferently than what you had to text and it is not costing anybody any money and yet that has enflamed things do working with a city council? Q. What did you weigh when you first started? Sanders: I weighed 276. And now I’m down to about 186. That’s about 90 pounds.
in an unbelievable way. So as a dictator you could do that right away but I think you have to let the public process go through, even though it is slow and painful. But people have different ideas and my ideas are not always right. I found that out a few times. Well, you always think you have the best idea and I frequently find I don’t.
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Jerry Sanders Snapshot Birthplace: Born in 1950 in San Pedro, Calif. Education: San Diego State and National University Residence: Kensington Wife: Rana Sampson Children: Daughters Lisa and Jamie Sibling: Brother, Tom Sanders, a production designer • Joined San Diego Police Department while a senior at San Diego State. Served in police department from 1973 to 1999. Was chief of police from 1993 until 1999. • 1999: Left police department to become president and CEO of United Way of San Diego County. • 2002: Appointed to the board of the American Red Cross San Diego/Imperial Conties chapter after CEO was fired. Helped recruit retired Navy Rear Adm. Ronne Froman as CEO and oversaw turnaround of the chapter. • Nov. 8, 2005: Elected mayor of San Diego in a special runoff election following resignation of Mayor Dick Murphy. Polled 54 percent vs. Council woman Donna Frye. • Served as the first mayor in San Diego’s “strong mayor” form of government. • Sept. 19, 2007: Publicly reversed his opposition to same-sex marriage. Signed a City Council resolution aimed at overturning the state’s ban on same-sex weddings. • 2008: Won re-election over businessman Steve Francis.
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Progress will Continue
BY COUNCILMAN TODD GLORIA The results of the 2012 election can be summarized with one phrase: progress will continue. I congratulate President Barack Obama, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Congresswoman Susan A. Davis on their re-elections, and welcome Scott Peters and Juan Vargas as
the new representatives of California’s 52nd and 51st Congressional Districts. I know our region will be well-served by our entire federal delegation. Locally, I also congratulate Bob Filner on his election as San Diego’s new mayor, Councilwoman Sherri Lightner on her re-election, and Dave Roberts, who was victorious in his race for county Supervisor. I am proud that my San Diego neighbors chose progress and compassion over soundbites and negativity and believe much can be accomplished at all levels of government if we move strategically forward. The city of San Diego will be led by a new mayor and a larger City Council with two new members. Months of divisive punditry, explosive and outlandish advertising, and critical debates are over, and now our work will focus on further improving the lives of our neighbors. I am excited to work with Mayor Bob Filner and believe his energy and progressive mindset will challenge the council and all San Diegans to find ways
As we look at what may be a brighter financial picture, we need to remember the struggles of our recent past to ensure all decisions are prudent not just for today, but for the years ahead. San Diegans should be proud that their votes will ensure an honest and open city government with a keener focus on public involvement and critical services. As the city’s Budget and Finance Committee chair, I know that it has taken tremendous effort, dedication, and sacrifice to overcome our budget challenges. I hope our school district and our state government leaders use the coming months to develop and implement similar necessary reforms to stabilize their respective finances and Todd Gloria with Congresswoman Susan Davis at the Roosevelt Dinner last April. Davis won ensure sustainable funding sources for re-election in November. Gloria was unopposed for re-election. all critical services. to do more for our neighborhoods. I assure you that the reforms and efficiencies we have worked so diligently to implement with our employees will continue, and fiscal stability will remain of utmost importance. It has not been easy knowing that
most of our city employees have less take home pay today than they did when I took office four years ago. It was not easy to cut operating hours at recreation centers and libraries, or to eliminate some code enforcement activities and tree trimming.
Councilman Todd Gloria can be reached at ToddGloria@sandiego.gov; (619) 236-6633; 202 C Street, MS 10A, San Diego, CA 92101; and on Facebook and Twitter. Visit his website at www.sandiego.gov/cd3.
ings with modern, stylish appointments in San Diego’s highly desirable neighborhoods.”
SCENE CONTINUED FROM Page 1
masterpiece. Lighter holiday classics will also be performed. The band welcomes back local jazz vocalist Andrea Sperling, and classical vocalist Enrique Toral. A portion of the concert proceeds will go
Vocalist Andrea Sperling
to The Challenge Center of La Mesa, a physical rehabilitation facility for the disabled and those recovering from traumatic injuries.Tickets are $15 and are available at The Windsmith, 3875 Granada Ave. in North Park, or at the door. For more info go to hillcrestwindensemble.com.
New Apartments Sold for $1.25 Million A newly constructed four-unit apartment building at 3827-3833 Louisiana St. has been sold for $1.25 million to Christophe and Marie Fremont, who plan to hold the property for investment purposes. The seller was Pujji Development LLC. The building consists of four two-bedroom units, high celiings, outdoor living spaces, covered parking and gated driveway. The seller was represented by Colliers International. “The property sold at the highest price per unit ($312,500) of any other sale in North Park over the past several years,” said Peter Scepanovic of Colliers. “This shows a strong demand from both upscale renters and buyers looking for newly constructed apartment build-
Retail Condo Purchased for Use as a Hair Salon Eric & Leslie Scavone have purchased a 1,060 square foot retail condo for $357,500 or $337 per square foot. The building, which is located at 4640 Park Blvd. in University Heights, closed escrow on Oct. 23. The property, which will be used as a hair salon, included $120,000 worth of improvements and two underground parking spaces. The Buyers were represented by Richelle Szczygiel of Silvercrest Realty Group. Moby P. Torres, the seller, was represented by Katie Herrick of NAI San Diego. Family Trust Purchases 19 Units at Palm Terrace Condominiums The Karnazes Family Trust has purchased 19 units at Palm Terrace Condominiums in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego for $2.3 million. Located at 4654-4670 33rd St., Palm Terrace Condominiums was built in 1956 as a 28-unit apartment complex and was converted to condominiums in 2007. The other nine units were previously sold to individual buyers. CBRE San Diego represented the seller, Owens Financial Group Inc. Troop Real Estate represented the Karnazes Family Trust. The 19-unit bulk sale has a unit mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units totaling 12,080 rentable square feet. The existing DRE Final Subdivison Public Report and Final Map allow the units to be sold individually.
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Tales of the Maya Skies
Fleet Science Center digital show immerses visitors into the science, art and mythology of the ancient Mayan civilization “Tales of the Maya Skies,” a digital show now being offered at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, tells the story of how the ancient Maya interwove astronomy and culture to create a stable society that spanned 2,000 years, from 500 BCE to 1500 CE. Maya culture, life, architecture and legends were intertwined with the ancient Maya’s scientif-
ic observation and recording of planetary movements. The ancient Maya achieved an unparalleled understanding of astronomy. They developed an advanced system of mathematics that allowed them to create a set of calendars unrivaled in the ancient world. Their logo-syllabic (symbols representing either a syllable or a
word) writing system has fascinated linguists for centuries and has only recently been decoded. The show is set primarily at Chichén Itzá, one of the last great city states of the Maya classic/post classic period. This site is renowned for the alignment of its temples to the Sun and Venus and for the glyphs representing deities associ-
ated with the Sun and Venus. Grammy Award winner and Oscar nominee Lila Downs narrates the show, which brings viewers back to the ancient jungles of Mexico, where the Maya built cities and temples aligned to movements of the Sun, Moon and planets. Over many years they observed and documented astronomical events with
great accuracy. Funding for the production of “Tales of the Maya Skies” was provided by the National Science Foundation and the Instituto Politécnico Nacional. It is the first full-dome digital show highlighting a Latin American culture.
Mayan serpent
Ancient Maya writing used hieroglyphs, pictorial representations that were carved in stone or other materials, painted on pottery and murals or written in books.
The ancient Maya had the most advanced system of mathematics of any ancient civilization in the Americas, and quite possibly in Europe and Asia. The Maya were one of the first ancient cultures to use the concept of zero, which allowed them to write and calculate large sums.
Number glyphs were widely used in the inscriptions on Maya stone carvings and in their books. Many Maya gods and rulers have numbers as part of their names. Maya number glyphs were also used to write dates that would appear on calendars.
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thing new: an autism-friendly performance (Saturday, Dec. 15, 10:30 a.m.). In consultation with autism authorities, special features, including a pre-show visit and a friendly, supportive environment, will be provided. “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” runs through Dec. 29 at the Old Globe Theatre. Tickets are at (619) 234-5623 or theoldglobe.org.
Steve Blanchard returns as The Green Meanie in ‘Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ at The Old Globe. Photo: Henri DiRocco.
Without The Grinch, Would There be Christmas? It wouldn’t be Christmas in San Diego without the Grinch. The Green Meanie, that beloved anti-Christmas curmudgeon from the Dr. Seuss book (Theodor Geisel was a long-time La Jolla resident), will sled down his mountain to the Old Globe for the 15th year. Children of all
San Diego Museum of Man has selected 20 “ extraordinary” items from its vast collection of more than 450,000 artifacts to display in an exhibit now featured through Oct. 27, 2013. Each featured peace in “From the Vault: Rare Artifacts with Fascinating Stories” reflects a tale as unique as the artifact itself, the museum says. From the Vault highlights the many ways in which an artifact can be a treasure, emphasizing the artist’s attempt to Museum of Man Opens ‘From the make the object functional, beautiful, spiritual, or a combination of these Vault” attributes. Visitors will see pieces from numerous countries and several centuries displayed side by side. From an eighteen-foot sealskin kayak, to a trephined skull, to a set of samurai armor, the innovative presentation bridges the boundaries of space and time, incorporating vibrant pieces from diverse cultures. Visitors will discover the stories Caitlin McAuliffe is Cindy-Lou Who and Steve Blanchard is The Grinch. Photo: Henri behind each object and see how these DiRocco. treasures are linked both by history and the ways in which they were originally used. ages adore this swift-moving, irresistible musical (book and lyrics by Timothy Mason, music by Mel Marvin), that A Papier Mache Alebrije. The creature fea- History Center Digitizes Edward H. brings the cherished classic delightfully to tures real zoomorphic details that are clever- Davis Collection life – in all its black, white, pink and red ly blended with fanciful traits born in the Indian photographs and drawings made available to public imagination of the artist, Miguel Linares. splendor. Even the tiniest tots are wideeyed with wonder when they see the snow fall in the theater. This year, The Globe is offering some-
A primary goal of the project was to work with the San Diego Indian community to gather information and to gain a clearer understanding of the content and significance of each image. Tribal members attended community meetings which were held in Barona, Santa Ysabel, Viejas, Ewiiaapaayp, Pala, and Rincon. Images were presented to attendees who could then share information or memories about the locations, people, and items pictured. As a way to continue collecting information, there is a comments section at the bottom of each online record which allows viewers to post additional information if desired. The Edward H. Davis cataloging project was largely funded by a Museums for America grant awarded by the Institute of Museums and Library Services. Additional funding was provided by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Project partner Balboa Park Online Collaborative created the online database and supplied technical support over the course of the project.
A photographic print of five cowboys outside a line shack with mountains in the background. A dog stands nearby. A man standing in the doorway of the line shack holds a metal pitcher. Extremely rare, this 1,400-year-old vessel tells the story of a young prince and his bloodletting sacrifice. An outdoor portrait of an unidentified woman. She wears a scarf edged with small pompoms, blouse, and checkered-print skirt.
San Diego History Center has completed work on an 18-month, grant-funded project enhancing access to the Edward H. Davis Collection of Indian Photographs and Drawings with the addition of nearly 5,700 online images and records. The newly digitized collection is now viewable to the public through San Diego History Center’s web site: sandiegohistory.org/davis/collection. Edward Davis, a long-time resident of Mesa Grande, documented the life of the Indians of San Diego County, the Southwest, and parts of Mexico, from the early 1900s-1940s. Through photography, drawing, writing, and the collection of objects such as baskets, mortars, metates, bows, arrows, stone implements, and more, Davis compiled a unique record of A Navajo textile, affectionately nicknamed’The that time period in the West. Davis’ Railway Blanket,’ this piece fooled experts for years with a colorful tale about how it was efforts also gained notice on the East Coast and in 1917 he was hired as a field designed. collector by the Museum of the American Indian (now part of the Smithsonian). “This is a particularly significant project both because of its breadth and also its depth,” said history center grant project manager Therese Chung. “Davis documented the same groups for decades, in a variety of mediums, recording not just the day-to-day, but also the many changes that occurred in their way of life. An entire range of experiences, from the everyday to the ceremonial, are preserved in his work.”
Photographic print of Etta Sherry, a friend of the Davis family, on horseback. She wears a widebrimmed hat and leather clothing with fringe.
Photographic print of an outdoor portrait of Jose Calac (or Callac), a blind man. He has a short grey beard and mustache and wears suspenders and a cloth shirt.
December 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 15
Walking Tours to Show Off Pasadena’s Architectural Features Pasadena Heritage is offering four different walking tours on Dec. 30 featuring many of the city’s architectural features. Experts will show how Pasadena developed from a simple Indiana farm colony to the wealthiest resort community in the United States during the 1920s. Each tour departs at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for each tour for Pasadena Heritage members and $20 for nonmembers. To order by phone, call (626) 441-6333.
Pasadena Civic Center Walking Tour The Pasadena Civic Center tour will depart from the Westin Hotel lobby located at 191 North Los Robles Ave. This tour is great for local residents and visitors to learn the area’s intriguing architectural history. Pasadena’s Civic Center is a product of the “City Beautiful” movement which began at the 1893 World Columbia Exposition in Chicago. Pasadena’s 1925 plan was created by Edward H. Bennett, and in May 2012, the American Planning Association awarded it a National Planning Landmark Award. The tour will explore architectural details and examine the social history behind the construction and planning of the iconic buildings located at the heart of the city of Pasadena. One of the most prominent architectural buildings within the Civic Center is the magnificent Pasadena City Hall. The entire Civic Center district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, nominated by Pasadena Heritage.
Castle Green
Old Pasadena Walking Tour The Old Pasadena tour will begin at the lobby of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel located at 180 North Fair Oaks Ave. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Old Pasadena Historic District is Pasadena’s original downtown. The tour explores the architectural detail of the historic district as well as the struggles and triumphs of preservation and restoration efforts. Additionally, a look at the service streets and alleys of Old Pasadena give the city some of the best evidences of its Victorian past. Today the historic district, comprised of mostly commercial streets, serves as an important model for downtown revitalization.
Freeman House
Pasadena Hillcrest Neighborhood Walking Tour The Pasadena Hillcrest Neighborhood tour will depart from the Langham Hotel located at 1401 South Oak Knoll Ave. and allow tour goers to discover one of Pasadena’s most beautiful neighborhoods. The tour explores various architectural styles such as Mediterranean,
Victorian and the neighborhood’s ubiquitous Craftsman-inspired homes. Showcased on the tour are numerous grand estate mansions and Craftsman-era homes such as the Freeman House designed by architects Arthur and Alfred Heineman and the Blacker House designed by Charles and Henry Greene. Pasadena Playhouse District
Walking Tour The Pasadena Playhouse District tour will begin at the Sheraton Hotel located at 303 East Cordova St. The tour explores buildings of diverse architectural styles that are located along Green Street to Colorado Boulevard. The Historic District contains 34 buildings which represent the eastward growth of the city’s urban character and amenities during the 1920s and 1930s, after Pasadena’s economy had changed from agriculture to tourism. Development of this area was spurred by the construction of Pasadena’s grand and imposing Civic Center in the 1920s, promoting the construction of residential, religious and cultural facilities in the area.
16 | sdnorthparknews.com | December 2012
Fess Parker’s Los Olivos
BY BOB PAGE
A charming town made famous by the man who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone If you have an occasional affinity for going back in time without really going there, jump in your car and make a beeline for Los Olivos. To describe Los Olivos as unique might not do it justice, but considering the 27 wine tasting rooms, several superb restaurants and a world class hotel, all tucked within the confines of not much more than four city blocks and its 1,000 permanent residents, you’ve pretty much got the picture.
Swimming pool during the day.
The Wine Shop Bin 2860
Add three highly acclaimed and accredited private schools and you’ve found a treasury in the Santa Inez Valley. Los Olivos has been on the map since 1887 when land auctions were held in anticipation of the arrival of the Pacific Coast Railway. The town was first named after a nearby ranch made up of 5,000 olive trees. The Overland Coast Line Stage Coach was established 16 years earlier in nearby Ballard, but it was the coming of the
December 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 17
railroad that created Los Olivos. Modern day Los Olivos owes its newfound fame to the late, great actor Fess Parker, whose Fess Parker Wine Country Inn and Spa is the heartbeat of the community. One imagines that its peaceful streets, laid back cowboy culture and the genteel rolling hills surrounding the town appealed to Parker after a successful and rewarding Hollywood career. Los Olivos and Hollywood are as close to absolute opposites as you’ll find in Southern California. Close your eyes and images of the Wild West may come to mind but then you have to square that with today’s Los Olivos. You won’t find Wyatt Earp patrolling the streets or the Lone Ranger with his great white horse Silver riding up to the Wine Country Inn and Spa, but nothing might be unimaginable in Los Olivos. The schools are first class. The Dunn School and the Midland School both offer college preparatory classes, for boarding and day students, and the Family School, an independent co-educational preschool through fifth grade. Many of the buildings in town, some of which are representative of Midwestern prairie-style architecture, still stand. Parker remains very much a revered figure in the town and those who live in Los Olivos speak of him in reverent terms. Rare would be those whom he didn’t know by their first names. Fess, as he wanted everyone to call him, passed away two years ago but not before he turned his inn and spa into a luxurious retreat and the perfect spot from which to shake off the burdens of city life for a few days. Those of us who grew up watching television in the late 1950s and 1960s remember Fess for his portrayal of frontiersmen Davey Cockett and Daniel Boone. To the millions of young viewers in those days some 50 years ago, including this one, he was an American icon. If you were looking for a hero, Fess
would have come as close as anyone. His Daniel Boone network television series, which he launched in 1964, was one of the highest rated shows of its time. Fess not only starred in it but he co-produced it and directed its most popular episodes. His first foray into the hospitality business was a hotel facing the waterfront in Santa Barbara But it’s the Wine Country Inn and Spa in Los Olivos for which one suspects he was most proud. The facility was known as the Grand Hotel until he purchased it in 1998. The hotel was completely redone and the Champagne Spa and Boutique was added as well as Bin 2860, a wine retail shop whose shelves offer you a plethora of wines from around the world. The hotel consists of 19 marvelously decorated rooms and suites in two buildings across the street from each other. In keeping with the hotel’s Victorian architecture, the redesign of the hotel which was completed earlier this year was placed in the hands of Shannon
Fess Parker’s Pinot Noir.
The late Fess Parker with a photo of him as DavyCrockett.
Scott who brought in sleeker lines in the furniture while preserving the more traditional moldings and cabinetry. Scott, whose design firm is based in Los Olivos, said the “important key to our design selections and decisions centered around the focus on using environmentally sustainable materials wherever we possibly could.” Scott’s color scheme was to create a clean fresh (lime green, chocolate brown, cream and gold)look, “fairly neutral” she said, “with a splash of the lime green.” It’s safe to say she succeeded. The rooms are stunning. The main building includes the awardwinning Petros Los Olivos restaurant. The restaurant’s cuisine may seem unusual for its setting in a town which looks like a throwback to yesteryear, but its Mediterranean-inspired Hellenic California fare will keep you talking about it for days. It was Fess’ desire to honor the roots of the Santa Inez Valley’s still youthful wine region. However, the Inn’s wine shop’s universal selections of wines range from the great French wine regions of Burgundy and Bordeaux to
Rioja of Spain, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and, of course, the more fabled wines of Napa and Sonoma as well as Monterey and Santa Barbara. His love for the valley began in 1987 when he bought 714 acres immediately north of Los Olivos and promptly set about planning and establishing Fess Parker’s Winery and Vineyard. The winery produces award-winning Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Riesling and number of blends. A number of eclectic art galleries dot in and out between the multiplicity of the
wine-tasting rooms. One gallery not to be missed is the Wilding Museum of Art, which takes its name from the wilderness that has inspired American artists. The museum offers four exhibitions a year specializing in the art of America’s wilderness. Fess’ Wine Country Inn and Spa is the perfect weekend escape and no more than a five-hour drive from San Diego, even with the challenging LA traffic. Do yourself a favor. Go!
Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa Address: 2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, Calif. 93441
Contact: (800) 446-2455 or email: reservations@fessparker.com
Pet Policy: Pets are not allowed
Rates: Range from $345 to $495; suites from $555 to $705.
18 | sdnorthparknews.com | December 2012
FASHION TRENDS: NORTH PARK
WHAT DO YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO HAS EVERYTHING?
Blue Hat, $30, and Alpca Wool Gloves, $12, at Mimi & Red.
Carter Onesies $20.
Coffee Bag Pillows from Santos Coffee. $20 each.
BY ASHLEY CARATTINI Working with celebrities
from Carters at Mimi & Red.
can be a royal pain. Don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful and talented, however they can be impossible to shop for because they purchase everything for themselves that they could ever want. So how would you give them a gift; a gift surmountable to their level of prestige? You give them something uniquely made, something vintage, nostalgic, or simply hilarious. Every Christmas I watch the little kids open a Nerf Gun that shoots rubber darts out and I remember my youth. I remember how great it felt to shoot that soft dart out at my brothers and sisters while hearing my parents yell, “You could poke someone’s eye out with that” (despite their soft rubber composition).
Gift Giving Lesson 3 & 4: Give something unique. Don’t show up to a party empty-handed.
It is incredible fun to walk through the shops of North Park and rummage through the handmade items. There are so many talented artists and craftsmen and women who make unique gifts from their own hand. Take these Brown leather wallet by Union Leather Works. $50 at Home. coasters from West Coasters, by a local girl named Amanda who has taken photographs from all over the world. She places them on these mock Poloroid tiles, resins them and designed them to be the perfect hostess gift. The best part is you will know if they like them because you will see them used right away to keep the rings off their freshly Windexed glass coffee table during the party. Stop by To Hell in Gift-giving lesson No. 1: a Handbag off 32nd Street to pick through all Give a sense of nostalgia. Home, located on University Avenue, gives the locally made holiday items. you a sense of walking to the closets from the Gift Giving Lesson No. 5: late ’70s with its retro vibe and worn leather Shop in all the small places and unusual appeal. Any man who has it all is sure to look spaces. forward to whipping out these touch leather Santo’s Coffee is a frequent stop for North Antler Necklace by Alicia Hanson. $160 at Home. money clips and wallets from God Speed Park locals, especially as we pretend the weathLeather and Union Leather works. The silver er has transitioned into the frigid temperacast vintage Cadillac grill rings are handshake- tures of a California Winter. Brought in for the stopping show pieces. holidays are these handmade pillows composited from recycled coffee bags. Nothing Gift Giving Lesson No. 2: says, “I need caffeine to function” like these Give with a sense of humor and grace. It never ceases to amaze me how ridicu- adorable coffee bag pillows handmade locallously fun it is to shop for little kids. The ly and on special through the holiday season. While we all have our own holiday rituals, things they can pull off fashion-wise just impresses me. Giving a nod to the mustaches I hope you take one thing from this article: that probably added to their parent’s adora- shop small, shop local. May your holiday seation of one another, check out these onesies son be merry and bright. WestCoasters, $8.50 each or a set of four for $30. Located at To Hell in a Handbag.
December 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 19
By Bart Mendoza
Rock ‘n’ Roll With a Punk Attitude Fronted by acclaimed author Mike Stax, no band in San Diego plays rock ‘n’ roll with ’60s punk attitude quite like the Loons. Though they do include choice obscure covers, their best material is their killer originals, as heard on their most recent album, “Dissolving Rays of Light.” Appearing at Bar Pink on Dec. 22, the show will be opened by Sidewalk Scene, a local all-star cover band, which includes former Tell Tale Hearts frontman Ray Brandes and Crawdaddys bassist Mark Zadarnowski. Fans of vintage-influenced modern rock ‘n’ roll need look no further for their fix this month. . The Loons: Saturday, Dec. 22. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. www.barpink.com
Shaddox Brothers Originals Americana fans won’t want to miss a rare appearance from The Shaddox Brothers at Lestat’s on Dec. 27. Fronted by guitarist Billy and drummer Bobby Shaddox, the band would slot in well against the likes of CCR, but their strength is in their original songs, all of which more than hold their own against the tunes of their heroes. Formerly touring as Billy Midnight, why the Shaddox brothers didn’t find wider acclaim is one of the burning musical questions of the past decade. Even a cursory listen to their current music reveals big things may yet be ahead, as the pair remain two of the most driven musicians and town, and top songwriters to boot. The Shaddox Brothers: Thursday, Dec. 27, Lestats, 3343 Adams Ave. 9 p.m. All ages. Cover TBD. www.Lestats.com
Rendering of the USO building.
Hot Ticket: Dee Dee and Brandon
Classic Rock With Royer’s Destroyers
A Slack Key Christmas Show
No question about it, two of the hottest bands on the planet are the Dum Dum Girls and Crocodiles. So it stands to reason that a team up of these two combos front persons, Dee Dee Penny and Brandon Welchez, on Dec. 12 at the Soda Bar, will be one of the hottest tickets in town this month. The pair, who happen to be husband and wife, will perform in rare acoustic mode, playing songs from their various releases and a few choice covers. If you’re a fan of indie music in the slightest, than this show is the best Christmas gift you could hope for.
Claire de Lune is perhaps best known for singer-songwriter and jazz fare, but on Dec. 14, they’ll ramp up the proceedings a bit with a performance from Royer’s Destroyers. The trio plays a mix of blues and rock originals with select covers. Indeed, it’s unlikely any other band performing at the venue in recent memory could pull off a ZZ Top cover like “Just Got Paid.” With Claire de Lune’s easygoing ambience and no cover policy, anyone looking for an inexpensive night out soundtracked by classic rock will find this night to be one of the month’s best options.
For most music lovers, the holiday season can be filled with dread at the thought of having to hear “Jingle Bell Rock” one hundred more times. Luckily, AMSD Concerts is providing holiday music with a twist, with a special Slack Key Christmas Show on Dec. 15. On hand will be Hawaiian music favorites Keoki Kahumoku, Herb Ohta Jr. and Chino Montero performing a mix of traditional and contemporary music on ukulele and guitar. Currently on tour promoting their latest album, “Christmas Kanikapila,” the performers promise a full show, including hula dancers, for a truly different take on holiday sights and sounds.
Dee Dee & Brandon: Wednesday, Dec. 12, at The Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd. 8:30 p.m. 21 and up. $10. www.sodabarmusic.com
Royer’s Destroyers: Friday, Dec. 14 Claire de Lune, 2906 University Ave. 8 p.m. All ages. Free. www.clairedelune.com
A Slack Key Christmas: Saturday, Dec. 15 AMSD Concerts, 4650 Mansfield St. 7: 30 p.m. All ages. $22-$49. www.amsdconcerts.com
20 | sdnorthparknews.com | December 2012