Cyclists, pedestrians traverse new trails

Every time I take a deep breath, I get a little giddy.

No, I’m not hyperventilating. It’s just that summer is here and I know this by the wonderful scents in the air.

Never mind the lavender, patchouli, and ylangylang. For me, summertime is always rife with unbottled, free, endorphin-producing aromatherapy.

It struck me as I drove down Coast Highway 101 with my windows down. I expected the glorious smell of the ocean, but I got the summer bonus of salt air mingled with a hint of campfire and roasting hot dogs. Nirvana. I think the perfume makers are missing a real moneymaker.

That night, I also breathed deeply of my blooming honeysuckle and was reminded again that much of the best memories of summer come to me from happy sniffs.

There are other things that can bring summers past to mind, but they seriously lack the same euphoria.

A painful sunburn, sand in my pants, a gallon of saltwater up my nose and the buzz of a mosquito or the itch of 12 bites on each leg are all solid summer memory joggers, but not the ones I seek to relive. On the good list, I have

small talk

jean gillette

to add the smell of that particular old-school suntan lotion, Sea & Ski, that never fails to take me to my happy place. I think it may have been the only sunscreen in 1955.

The scent I refer to is of the original product, but I think, bless them, that it still smells the same today. I need to buy some and dab it behind my ears.

My nose was equally tickled when my new gardenia bush actually popped out two flowers.

If I’m not careful, it could remind me of boys who scarcely spoke and the sweaty, goodnight handshakes from most of my high school formals. But somehow it has transcended that and instead smells like rustling taffeta and being young.

Another summertime feel-good smell is ripe peaches. I’m actually a nectarine fan for eating, but I will buy peaches to scent up the kitchen. I see my grandmother peeling a peach in one continuous ribbon, in preparation for the best-of-all pies.

Moving inland, I love the smell of the desert on a warm evening. It contains sage and mesquite and no doubt, a dozen other things, but it has an absolutely tranquilizing effect on me. Along those same lines is the smell of warm tent canvas mingled with pine.

If you branch out into man-made scents, add the smell of bacon cooking as you wake up in the chill of a mountain morning. Some, I suspect, might substitute coffee. It all qualifies.

Most of my happy smells come from summer, but not all. As years passed, I added the smell of a baby just out of the bath and the aroma of just about any meal someone besides me is cooking.

The oddest bit is that all this scent-memory comes from someone allergic, all her life, to way too many inhaled things. My schnoz was slammed shut as often as not, but somehow, the good stuff still seeped through.

All right, everyone. Deep cleansing breaths. Say aaaaah, sssuuummmerrrrr.

Jean Gillette is a freelance writer sniffing her way through summer. Contact her at jean@coastnewsgroup.com.

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Business news and special achievements for North San Diego County. Send information via email to community@ coastnewsgroup.com.

RED LOTUS OPENS

Celebrating diversity in business in Carlsbad, Yvonne K. Scarlett cut the ribbon in early June, launching the Red Lotus Wellness Center, 2890 Pio Pico Drive, Ste 104, Carlsbad. The center is owned by Scarlett, doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, functional medicine practitioner, California board-certified acupuncturist and licensed herbalist. It was applauded as a minority woman-owned business in integrative medicine.

LEAGUE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito recently awarded $30,000 in college scholarships to 20 students from the San Dieguito Union High School District. Twelve students are entering college freshmen and eight are ongoing students from last year’s awards now entering their college sophomore year. First-year awards were awarded to Lucas Amberg, Isaac Arana, David Castro, Pamela Deshayes, Avalon Fraser, Brett Jensen, Jesse Manfredi, Jenna Nelson, Diego Padilla, Evan Pauley, Jasmine Perez and Monique Sandoval. Second-year awards went to Brandon Eng, Jessica Gilbert, Malia Guillory, Brian Hall, Devon Hollingsworth, Kayla Hultgren, Dalia Salgado and Venkata Putta. The ALRSD Scholarship Committee is chaired by Penny Hauser.

RED LOTUS Wellness Center in Carlsbad, owned by Yvonne K. Scarlett, held its ribbon cutting this month. Scarlett, pictured here holding the ceremonial scissors, is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Courtesy photo

SMART COOKIES

• Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed Sabrina Pajarillo and Mackenzie Trask, both of San Marcos, and Antonio Chavez of Oceanside, initiated at University of Saint Katherine. • Victoria Dondanville, Forest Fisher, Sidney Hart, Sophia Imparato, Ella Stichler and Kyle Wada of Carlsbad; Abigail Roy of Encinitas; Mitchell Walden of Oceanside; Elijah Armendariz of Rancho Santa Fe; Erik Beer, Alison Byron, Blake Jarrett, Marisa Mitchell, Mia Weisman of San Diego; Brooke Willoughby of Carmel Valley; and Daphne Tenuto, Camryn Wick and May Crotty of San Marcos all were named to the dean’s list spring semester 2022 at the University of Alabama. • Skyla Nelson of Carlsbad, Rachel Wang of Carmel Valley and Erik Woolsey of Encinitas were named to the dean’s list for the 2022 spring semester at University of Iowa. On the president’s list were Kayla Cleland of San Marcos and Evita Woolsey of Encinitas. • University of Delaware dean’s list for the spring 2022 semester included Neve Brown of Del Mar and Morgan Adams of San Marcos. • Brittany Tate of Carmel Valley and Haley Johnson of Oceanside made the dean’s list at Harding University for the spring 2022 semester.

water spot

chris ahrens

Wandering the sand last weekend, I was struck not by the presence of something so much as I was its absence.

I saw no trash, no smoking, nobody drunk or disorderly, and not a single teen wearing what I have come to assume is the obligatory “I’m so bored” frown.

On the plus side there were cobalt blue skies, warm bodies and decent surf, things most of us spoiled people who call North County home consider a birthright.

Right then an announcer’s voice snapped me out of it to remind me that I was at Moonlight Beach for the annual Switchfoot Bro-Am, which by 9 a.m. was beginning to look like a postCOVID group hug.

All the local young rippers made their moves, turning hard and boosting airs. Then came North County’s favorite son, Rob Machado, who, well into his 40s, matched and surpassed every turn with a style not witnessed since Gerry Lo-

TOP GRADS

• Natalia Sarram of Carlsbad graduated summa cum laude in English and Adria Gorsuch of Oceanside graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in children’s literature at Hollins University. • Trent Arden Nyberg of Carlsbad, with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice, and Ryan Andrew Camarata of 4S Ranch, magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in finance, graduated from Elmhurst University.

NUSKIN APPOINTED

The San Dieguito Union High School District appointed Mary Anne Nuskin as its new Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, pending contract approval June 23. Nuskin will transition into the role after serving as the first and only principal at Pacific Trails Middle School since it opened in fall 2015.

NEW HERO

Kathy Kinane of the Move Your Feet Before You Eat® Foundation was named a Community Hero as part of the San Diego County Fair Salute to Heroes.

GOODBYE COACH

Cal State San Marcos head baseball coach Matt Guiliano has resigned from his position effective June 30. Guiliano has stepped down to pursue another professional opportunity.

SURF JOUSTING was a big hit, as always, at last weekend’s Switchfoot Bro-Am. File photo

pez ruled the Pipeline. (BTW, what did you think of the Lopez movie at La Paloma?)

Chad Butler, Tim Foreman and Jon Forman of the sponsoring band, Switchfoot, all made strong showings on the 2- to 4-foot waves. Arguably, they rank as the best surfers ever to make their livings as professional musicians.

But that’s just what you’d expect from a band named after a surfing maneuver meaning to ride left foot or right foot forward. That leads to the tricky part of the event, where each surfer is scored riding switchfoot on at least one wave. If you think that’s easily accomplished on a board under 6 feet long, you haven’t tried it.

There was a time when a surfer could make a reputation on how they rode switchfoot. The original Mr. Pipeline, Butch Van Artsdalen, the second Mr. Pipeline, Jock Sutherland, and our own Dale Dobson were all masters of this maneuver.

The food was good, the music was outstanding and the vibe was heavenly to the point where one observer was overheard saying, “This is life as it should be.” I couldn’t agree more.

In fact, it was everything the “Flower Power” generation promised while inviting people of all ages, keeping clothes on and the drugs absent, or at least hidden from the kids.

An event favorite, surf jousting, where Nerf weapons are assembled and two surfers ride the same wave, battling it out until only one of them is left standing, was a big hit, as always.

Yes, I am the godfather of surf jousting, an idea that occurred to me while speaking with former North County standout-turned Hawaiian charger Andrew Logreco a dozen or so years ago.

As much as I would like to, however, I can’t take all the credit — at least half of it goes to Butler, the Switchfoot drummer, who built the first helmets, forged the swords and the maces, and made up the rules, which are simple — do whatever you can short of injuring an opponent to knock them off their surfboard.

I know some of you want to know who won the contest, but to me that was never the point, any more than it was to see who could surf the best in 20 minutes. There you have my official excuse for bailing on the final and finding a nice patch of sand to watch and hear Switchfoot move their hometown like only they can.

Depending on who you talk to, COVID-19 is either over or just taking a break. Either way, this seemed like a great way to welcome the world back to a place of sanity and great joy where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the waves are not crowded all day.

Pet of the Week

Marvolo is pet of the week at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. She’s a 3-year-old, 8-pound, female domestic short hair cat with a buff and white tabby coat.

She’s shy, but she gets along with other cats and would be fine living with children 10 or older. She was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society from a shelter in Riverside County.

The $100 adoption fee includes medical exam, spay, up-to-date vaccinations, registered microchip, and a one-year license if her new home is in the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society’s Department of Animal Services.

For information about adoption or to become a virtual foster, stop by Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza St., Encinitas, call (760) 753-6413 or visit SDpets.org.