Coronado 365 - April 2023

CORONADO 365

BARBARA MASSEY RIDES HIGH AS TARTINE’S PASTRY CHEF

Bountiful spring

While Coronado doesn’t have wildly changing seasons, signs are popping up that it’s springtime here. With all the rain we’ve had so far this year, even the most stubborn plants are growing. It feels like the town is starting to wake up and stretch as the weather warms up and we turn the corner toward summer.

April is a busy month with lots of community events that give Coronado the smalltown feel we love before the bustle of summertime sets in. Gardens are in full bloom, and after the Coronado Floral Association’s Home Front Judging is completed and ribbons are hung, part of the fun is critiquing the decisions of the judges. Coronado Flower Show tents sprout up in Spreckels Park on April 15-16. It’s a weekend of visiting with friends and neighbors as everyone peruses the plants and flowers or shops for books at the annual Friends of the Library Bookfair across the street.

Celebrate Earth Day with Emerald Keepers’ Chalk Walk on April 21 outside the Coronado Public Library. And at the end of the month, on April 30, MotorCars on MainStreet offers another opportunity for the community to gather.

In this issue, we feature more events, including the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Salute to Military Ball and the Kyle C. McArthur Memorial Regatta.

If you’re looking for solitude, read about the Grand Caribe Shoreline Park, a natural park in the Coronado Cays. And our cover story is for those who enjoy the European ambiance at Tartine. Barbara Massey is the business partner behind the scenes at the restaurant, orchestrating the baking of all the delicious offerings.

Time to gear up and get out and enjoy all Coronado has to offer.

Cheers, Leslie and Martina

APRIL 2023

4 12

COVER STORY

4 PURSUING HER PASSIONS

Tartine co-owner and baker Barbara Massey finds time for her other love, horse jumping.

FEATURES

12 MOVING TRIBUTE

KMAC Memorial Regatta celebrates son’s life as well as sailors with disabilities.

22 COMMUNITY EFFORT

Volunteers replant Grand Caribe Shoreline Park with natives to create sanctuary for birds.

DEPARTMENTS

20 DID YOU KNOW? Poppies in Coronado.

30 FROM THE GROUND UP

Enter your best blooms in the Coronado Flower Show.

34 LOOKING BACK

This month in Coronado history.

22

ON THE COVER

36 MADE IN CORONADO

Photographer Keith James finds fresh angle.

44 BEACHCOMBER

Giant sea star

46 MILITARY

The annual Salute to the Military Ball.

Barbara Massey and Amigo.

Photo by William Bryant.

CORONADO 365

PUBLISHER

Now and Then Publishing LLC

EDITOR

Leslie Crawford

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/MANAGING EDITOR

Martina Schimitschek

COPY EDITOR

Rose Wojnar

CONTRIBUTORS

Michelle Delaney, Catherine Gaugh, Caron Golden, Nicole Sours Larson, @coronadobeachcomber

Visit

CORONADO’S AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

APRIL 2023 » VOLUME 2 » ISSUE 4

CONTACT

editor@coronado365.com or (619) 435-0334

ADVERTISING

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CORONADO 365 is a division of Now and Then Publishing LLC, 830 Orange Ave., Suite B, Coronado, CA 92118

Copyright ©2023 Now and Then Publishing LLC

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Sweet success

Pastry chef Barbara Massey mixes passion for baking with love of horse jumping

By CARON GOLDEN

If you don’t yet know who Barbara Massey is, it’s pretty much by design. You’ve probably eaten her French-inspired pastries at Tartine, the homey cafe near the Ferry Landing. She’s the head pastry chef there and one of the restaurant’s partners, along with Jenny Freel and Mary Ann Berta. But unlike Freel and Berta, who are more visible fixtures in Coronado and were the longtime faces of the gourmet gift store In Good Taste, Massey prefers to fly under the radar — specifically in the kitchen.

The three women opened Tartine in October 2001. None had worked in or run a restaurant before. But Massey came to the project with a passion for baking and the patisserie skills she’d been honing since she was a child and later refined

« Barbara Massey trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to become a pastry chef and runs the kitchen at Tartine. She is one of three partners in the European-style cafe, which opened shortly after 9/11 on First Street. PHOTOS BY LESLIE CRAWFORD

as a student at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

“My maternal grandma was a baker,” Massey explained. “We’d make jam together. We’d make cookies together, all kinds of stuff.”

In fact, the coffee cake at Tartine is her grandmother’s recipe. But her baking experience expanded beyond her grandma’s teaching, even as a child.

Massey, who is in her 50s, was born at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California’s Central Valley, where her dad was a Navy pilot. When Massey was 8, her dad was assigned to a post in Germany, where the family lived for three years before moving to England. Weekly riding lessons in England developed her lifelong passion for horses.

“In England, we did a cookery class,” she recalled. “The scones here are an adaptation of a recipe from my sixth-grade cooking class.

“It’s just something I’ve always done to fill my time. It’s a fun, creative outlet. It’s a new way to express yourself, and there’s something very satisfying about creating things and sharing them,” she said. “And the reception is usually pretty good. No one complains when you bring them a sweet.”

When Massey was 14, the family settled in Coronado, the family’s longtime home base dating to her dad’s childhood when

his father was a naval officer.

Massey graduated from Coronado High School in 1987 and got a degree in communication studies and English literature at the University of San Diego, thinking she wanted to be a journalist.

“So, not at all the right basis for having a business and becoming a pastry chef,” she joked.

“The first thing I did when I got to USD was to go to all the study abroad meetings,” she said. “I spent my whole sophomore year in England at a small liberal arts college in Oxford called St. Clare’s.”

She may not have become a journalist, but her education, she said, did give her the tools to do all the written communications for Tartine.

It was in her junior year at USD that Massey realized she wanted to become a chef and study pastry in Paris. To make that happen required some strategic thinking.

“When I decided that I wanted to cook, I realized I should probably learn French,” she said. “So, the summer between my junior and senior year, I went to France and nannied for two different families to learn the language.”

In the fall of 1991, after she graduated from USD, she moved to Paris and lived with one of the families she had been a

“It’s just something I’ve always done to fill my time. It’s a fun, creative outlet.”

BARBARA MASSEY ON BAKING

Barbara Massey goes through a training session with her horse Amigo, a 17-year-old former jumping champion she boards in South Bay.

COURTESY OF BARBARA MASSEY

nanny for, taking care of the kids part time while attending Le Cordon Bleu.

For Massey, it was the beginning of a period of nomadism, which she attributes to her childhood moves. Her next adventure was in San Francisco working as a restaurant pastry chef for two years before her desire to roam struck again. She decided to join the Peace Corps and was sent to Jamaica, which she fell in love with, and stayed just over a year.

“Initially they wanted to send me to West Africa, which in hindsight probably would have been a better place for me to go,” she reflected. “But I ended up going to Jamaica, which is a very interesting country in itself. I still go multiple times a year because it’s like a second home to me.

You make these assumptions that because you’re in an English-speaking country, it’s going to be very similar to ours, but the

culture is completely different.”

And it won her over. Because Massey spent so much time in England, and Jamaica remains a Crown colony, she said she felt an immediate tie to it. She laughed and cited an old Jamaican tourism slogan: “Once you go, you know. If you go and you get it, it’s going to resonate with you forever.”

Massey was assigned to an “all age” knowledge school for students who weren’t going to university and would learn a vocation, likely in hospitality given Jamaica’s tourism industry. Her job was to write grant applications and raise money for a canteen. At the time, she explained, the government subsidized inexpensive ingredients like flour, sugar and chicken backs to make food for the students.

“The theory is that if the children are fed, they will learn better, and it’s also motivation for the parents to send their kids to school knowing they will get two meals a day,” Massey said. “The school wanted a proper area to prepare food.”

She also used her baking skills for income-generating projects with the kids, making brownies and other food they could sell. And the school’s principal sent a very intimidated Massey out to local businesses to ask for donations.

“I didn’t think they’d listen to me or pay any attention to me. But I was really amazed by the generosity of the people,” she said.

When Massey returned to Coronado, she was at loose ends and took a temporary holiday job at In Good Taste. It would be a gig that changed her life’s trajectory.

COURTESY OF BARBARA MASSEY Barbara Massey's taste for baking started when she was very young.

“That’s where I was working with my partners, Jenny and Mary Ann, and we started talking and kind of scheming about opening a restaurant.”

In 2001, they opened Tartine not long after 9/11.

“My idea with this was that it was like a European cafe, like ones in Paris where you could come at any time of day and meet with your friends for a meal or just a cup of coffee or a dessert or a glass of wine,” Massey said. “The intention was always that this was going to be a gathering place. And then the world just sort of created a situation where it needed a

gathering place and here we were.”

“Barbara was a really valuable asset from the start given her knowledge of the pastry world,” Berta said. “During her time at In Good Taste, she started to understand more about running a business.”

Berta explained that each of the partners has her own role in the business. She’s the company’s secretary and is engaged in customer interaction and, according to Massey, is the face of the team. As chief financial officer, Freel handles the finances. Massey is the CEO, running the kitchen and operations.

“Barbara’s grown into a savvy business

Barbara Massey's desserts are made from scratch with fresh ingredients.

LESLIE CRAWFORD

owner,” Berta said. “She trains and she manages the kitchen and the team seamlessly. She’s always bringing in top talent who are passionate and dedicated to Tartine. And she’s so thoughtful, and basically balanced about how and when to expand our operation and to meet customer demand while never compromising the team or our resources.

“Jenny and I know how lucky we are to have a partner like Barbara.”

One of the people Massey hired is chef de cuisine Billy Gilcrest, who has been with Tartine for 16 years. His wife, Elodie, is Massey’s morning baker. He believes Massey is perfect for what Tartine needs.

“She’s very sweet and loving, but she also has to be strict and make sure people are accountable,” he said. “When you walk in here and see the pastry displays, everything is identical and pretty. That takes consistency. She gets that because she runs a tight ship and enables the people who work for her to work as a team and make things better. She listens to her crew, and it’s made the restaurant a lot more successful.”

One benefit of having a tight crew is that Massey is now able to step back a little. That extra time has allowed her to indulge in her other great passion: horseback riding.

“I’ve always loved horses, and I rode when I was little,” Massey said. “When I go on vacation, I would always try to fit in horseback riding if it was offered. Our family would go up to a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley on a regular basis, and I’d go on trail rides there. Every time I’d come

back and say, ‘I need to figure out how to do this in San Diego.’”

Just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, a former employee put Massey in touch with her son’s riding teacher.

“It worked out perfectly because you could ride through the pandemic since it was outside,” Massey said. “Because work was so intense, I could go off and be outside and ride. And the more I got into it, the more I realized that I wanted to learn how to jump. My instructor said, ‘If you want to learn how to jump, you need to buy a well-trained jumping horse.’ And so I did and that’s how I spend almost all my spare time.”

Last September, Massey bought a 17-year-old former jumping champion, a 17-hand Dutch Warmblood named Amigo. She boards and rides him in the South Bay, which allows her quick access so she can spend more time with him.

“My beautiful boy,” she said, gazing at a photo of Amigo. “He’s so handsome. It was something I had wanted to do for a very long time, and I just didn’t really have the resources, the time or the means. And then the opportunity presented itself and I said, ‘Why not?’”

“The life I’ve had has afforded me to do a lot of different things,” she said. “Tartine is successful from a business and financial point, but it’s also successful in what I really wanted it to be — a gathering place that makes people happy. I think we put out a good product. We employ a bunch of people and that’s what makes me happy.” ■

Sea change

KMAC Memorial Regatta gives sailors with disabilities freedom on water

By NICOLE SOURS LARSON

Jamie McArthur bantered with his friend and fellow retired U.S Coast Guard officer Jeff Lee in the Coronado Yacht Club lounge. Close friends for 36 years, they comfortably traded insults and profanities as they updated plans for the Kyle C. McArthur Memorial Regatta in April.

McArthur created the accessible racing event for disabled sailors in 2015. The now three-day event at the Coronado Yacht Club runs April 28-30 this year and includes racing clinics and adaptive races in three classes, plus social events. It will draw about 20 sailors from around the region with wide-ranging disabilities, along with twice as many helpers and volunteers.

The goal is to provide satisfying, liberating experiences on the water through sailing and racing centered on the yacht club’s docks and clubhouse.

“I don’t care what the disability. I will get you a positive experience on the water,” McArthur explained.

The KMAC Foundation's mission is to expand accessible sailing in Coronado. The foundation and annual regatta for disabled sailors was founded in memory of Kyle McArthur (above), whose nickname was KMAC.

McArthur established the event as a memorial to his late son, Lt. j.g. Kyle McArthur, known as KMAC. Kyle was an avid sailor, star athlete, and football and lacrosse team captain at Coronado High School (2006) and the U.S. Naval Academy (2011). He died at age 25 in an automobile accident in Alabama in 2013, soon after qualifying to land jets on aircraft carrier decks.

“Kyle was a really special guy. At the memorial service, his (high school) friends said he was a ‘big man on campus’ who never acted that way. Naval Academy colleagues said he never hazed or pressured them but mentored them,” McArthur recalled.

Devastated by his son’s death, McArthur pursued counseling with Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and later volunteered with groups including the Good Grief Camp for bereaved children.

“He’s living with it (grief) but revisits it every day,” said Lee, who met McArthur on the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Point Stuart. “Jamie is one of those guys who, if he’s your friend, he’s your friend for life. How

many people do you know who still have your back 36 years later?”

Lee explained his old friend is skilled at deflecting and channeling his grief into positive pursuits.

The president of Challenged Sailors San Diego suggested the creation of the regatta to McArthur, who had been a regular volunteer at Challenged Sailors San Diego, repairing boats and accompanying program participants as a companion sailor. The regatta and the KMAC Foundation for Accessible Sailing, which McArthur founded in December 2021, expands accessible sailing opportunities in Coronado. Proceeds from the regatta benefit the foundation’s sailing programs.

Both embody the major themes dominating McArthur’s life: his passion for sailing, his love of children and his mission to improve the lives of the disabled.

“I am passionate about what I do. I’m a pain in the ass. Lead, follow or get out of the way,” he said.

McArthur, 66, has always loved to sail. He first discovered sailing as a young child when his oldest brother, John, 17

“I am passionate about what I do. I’m a pain in the ass. Lead, follow or get out of the way.”

JAMIE McARTHUR

« Jamie McArthur, who founded the KMAC Memorial Regatta, has been an avid sailor who loves to race since he was a young boy. He spent his career out on the water as an officer in the Coast Guard. COURTESY OF JAMIE McARTHUR

years his senior and now deceased, bought a sailboat and invited him aboard. He’s never been far from the water since. By the time he was 7 or 8, he was hanging out at the Coronado Yacht Club, racing with grizzled, retired World War II military vets who mentored the eager boy.

Growing up the fifth of six children in a crowded family, McArthur embraced sailing, which became his refuge and escape, his route to freedom and his passion, as well as his life’s underlying theme.

As president of the KMAC Foundation, McArthur and his volunteer board members — most of whom are disabled or have a disabled family member — work to share that sense of freedom on the water with sailors who face considerable limitations on land. The foundation acquired three special adaptive sailboats, called Hansa 303s, which they make available to disabled sailors, along with two essential dockside lifts to provide access to the boats. The regatta also offers racing opportunities with adaptive Martin 16 and Hansa Liberty boats. The sailboats, which range in length from about 10 feet to 16 feet, can accommodate up to two sailors.

The regatta’s focus on accessible sailing also honors McArthur’s developmentally disabled and medically fragile second daughter, Kalie. Now 37, she lives with her mother in Bellingham, Washington, where McArthur maintains a home and small sailboat, which Kalie still enjoys despite her declining health. McArthur’s eldest child, Jenny, 38, a nursing manager, also lives in Bellingham with her family.

Born in Seattle, McArthur moved with

A disabled sailor is lifted aboard an accessible sailboat. The KMAC Foundation has purchased three Hansa 303s, special vessels that allow sailors with limited mobility to feel a sense of freedom on the water.

COURTESY OF JAMIE McARTHUR

his family to Coronado in 1962, spending much of his youth at his grandmother’s longtime Adella Avenue home.

He graduated from Coronado High School in 1975, a self-described “respectable” athlete and committed sailor with a love of racing. With saltwater running through his veins, he raced whenever he could, wherever he could, especially while attending Long Beach State University, where he earned a degree in marketing and business in 1983.

“I just wanted to sail,” McArthur said.

He sailed as a semi-pro with top sailors who later won gold for the U.S. at the Olympics, and he crewed in the Congressional Cup in Long Beach. He also

was a crew member with the Defender/ Courageous Syndicate, but the team lost to Dennis Conner’s team in the 1983 America’s Cup races.

“I sailed with some unbelievably good teams and competed at the highest levels, but I wasn’t a rock star. I couldn’t make a living as a sailor. And I didn’t want to sit in a cubicle,” he said.

He opted to do the next best thing to sailing professionally— joining the U.S. Coast Guard. McArthur served 23 years as an officer on patrol boats and buoy tenders and also drove boats; he ultimately worked in port security before retiring in 2006 as a lieutenant commander. During that time, he and first wife, Cindy, had three chil-

dren, Jenny, Kalie and Kyle.

Kalie’s developmental challenges first appeared when she was about 18 months old, about the time of Kyle’s birth. As a passionate special-needs dad, McArthur became increasingly concerned with improving special education opportunities. He obtained the necessary credentials to become a special education teacher after leaving the Coast Guard, spending 15 years working with medically fragile and moderately to severely disabled children in Coronado and other San Diego-area school systems.

“It takes a sense of humor and trust for your helpers in the classroom. You have to understand you’re not going to cure a kid of autism or their disability,” McArthur said. “But what can we do? Each kid in special ed has an individual education plan.”

He has also made it his mission to change how people with disabilities are perceived.

“In the disabled world, it’s either ignorance or prejudice. Once you educate people, they understand the disabled and are no longer afraid of their disabilities. Once you start integrating the disabled, they are just part of the team. They are not scary or a bigger liability,” McArthur said.

Disabled sailors, he explained, are just like any other sailors who enjoy sharing a beer and camaraderie after a race. They want to be treated like everyone else.

Sean Godfrey, who uses a wheelchair after sustaining a career-ending spinal cord injury in 2008 while in the Navy, met McArthur while sailing with Challenged Sailors San Diego and was happy to join the

KMAC Foundation board. A former triathlete who lives in Yuma, Arizona, Godfrey is now in his second year of competitive sailing. He lauds McArthur’s efforts to pressure sailing organizations to add adaptive sailing to their regular regattas.

“Jamie welcomed me with open arms. He’s changed the way adaptive sailing is viewed. Liberation and freedom don’t begin to describe what it’s like to be sailing close to the wind,” Godfrey said.

Among the younger sailors benefiting from KMAC’s programs is Kai McDonald of Imperial Beach. The bright and sparkling 4-year-old, who is now KMAC’s “poster boy,” has spina bifida, uses a wheelchair and enjoys competitive sailing. His dad, Steve, previously an occasional recreational sailor, was looking for ways to get his son outdoors when he discovered adaptive sailing. Now he’s embraced competitive sailing with Kai and has joined the KMAC board.

“Jamie has such a huge heart for helping kids and disabled kids. There aren’t many places to let them be free and roam. They experience a great degree of freedom and independence, helping them to become masters of their own destiny,” McDonald said.

McArthur makes no excuses for his determined advocacy but downplays his skills.

“I’m just a dumbass sailor who knows how to fix boats. Now I’m running a foundation. I prefer to mess around on boats,” he said. ■

Nicole Sours Larson is a freelance writer.

Did you know?

The California poppy has been the official flower of California since 1903. In the early 1900s, North Island was a destination in the spring for visitors to see poppies in bloom. In 1913, Coronado trustees decided to have poppy seeds spread along the streetcar rails, which ran down the center of Orange Avenue, to create a memorable flower display for visitors. Residents were also encouraged to buy seed packets for five cents for their yards. In 1914, city trustees appropriated $25 to buy bulk seed for Coronado children to spread over vacant lots, resulting in spectacular spreads of spring color. The Strand newspaper reminded everyone not to pick the poppies. Coronado was nicknamed “Poppy City” for many years. ■

LESLIE CRAWFORD COLLECTION

Putting down roots

Community efforts help seed growth of Coronado Cays natural park

By MARTINA SCHIMITSCHEK

At first glance, Grand Caribe Shoreline Park in the Coronado Cays is much like other local open spaces with a grassy area, a piece of public art and nice views. But wander the pathway past the lawn and the park becomes a sensory experience among a native landscape.

Springtime blooms of bush sunflower, Cleveland sage and California buckwheat paint the landscape in yellow, purple and delicate shades of pink, while the air is filled with the fragrance of sage and laurel as well as sounds of birds chirping and trilling.

“It smells great. It’s peaceful. You get

to see from Tijuana to downtown (San Diego) and you get to see the birds,” said Mary Berube, who was instrumental in reviving the park in 2016.

The 3.7-acre park on a spit of land, overseen by the Port of San Diego, contains hundreds of native plant — thanks to grassroots volunteer efforts to create a small, healthy ecosystem where birds, plants, pollinators and small animals thrive.

“The park is important because of where it is in San Diego Bay. The coastal sage habitat is important for migratory birds,” Berube said.

San Diego County has more varieties

« California bush sunflower blooms at Grand Caribe Shoreline Park in the Coronado Cays. The park's native plants provide food and shelter for birds. MARTINA SCHIMITSCHEK

of birds than any other county in the U.S., according to the San Diego Audubon Society. The area is part of the Pacific Flyway, a major North American migration route for birds, especially waterfowl.

“They hang out on the shore and in shrubs. They use places like Grand Caribe for a couple of months while here,” said Andrew Meyer, director of conservation at the San Diego Audubon Society.

Berube said she has seen red tail hawks and falcons in the mornings. The raptors feed off the thriving rabbit population. Herons, osprey and egrets find plentiful food in the protected water just offshore, which is part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and hummingbirds feed off nectar-producing flowers.

Berube, who lives in the Cays, visits the park daily to walk her dog. She was part of a small group who started the restoration project after organizing the park’s 20th anniversary celebration in 2016.

That event created awareness and sparked community interest to make the

park the oasis it is today.

The park opened July 5, 1996, and was a joint project of the Port of San Diego and the Silver Strand Beautification Committee. Originally envisioned as a natural area, it included some native wildflowers as well as other indigenous plants that still survive such as the lemonade berry bush.

At that time, the bronze sculpture “Sheltering Wings” by Christopher Slatoff, was unveiled. It is still the centerpiece of the grassy area.

By the 20th anniversary of the park, most of the vegetation had died, said Berube, who has a degree in geology and a lifelong interest in the outdoors. She started replanting Grand Caribe with a $500 grant from the California Native Plant Society in 2016.

The nonprofit organization also helped select the plants, which include beach evening primrose, Coastal sagebrush, coyote brush and the San Diego sunflower. Over the next couple of years, other organizations came in to continue the plantings

“Biodiversity helps weather changes. If one plant goes down, the goal is to have five or six others to provide whatever the food chain needs.”

MARY BERUBE

» Mary Berube has been instrumental in creating a native landscape in Grand Caribe Shoreline Park. She got the project off the ground in 2016 with a $500 grant for plants from the California Native Plant Society. LESLIE CRAWFORD

Over the years, planting parties at Grand Caribe Shoreline Park have added hundreds of native varieties. The park opened in 1996 and by its 20th anniversary, most of the original plantings

including a Girl Scout troop from Otay Mesa and employees of Cummins, a diesel sales and service company in El Cajon, as part of a service project.

In 2019, the San Diego Audubon Society got involved, adding to the plant list. During the past four years, the Audubon Society has planted hundreds of native varieties, with grants from the Port of San Diego and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service to encourage birds to stop at the park, Meyer said.

“Biodiversity helps weather changes. If one plant goes down, the goal is to have five or six others to provide whatever the food chain needs,” Berube said. That’s why she’s working to eradicate the invasive crown daisy, which dies off after three months leaving black stocks that do not provide food or shelter to the park’s inhabitants and prevent other plants from growing. She would also like to replace the grass with native plantings.

Grand Caribe Isle, which is also home to the Coronado Cays Yacht Club, was created in 1968 with fill from dredging the channels for the Cays. Over the years, the park has lost about 30 feet on its southern end to erosion, caused by a variety of factors including overuse and storm surge, Berube said.

“The shoreline is eroding, and I won’t say gradually,” she said. Plants and a bench on the east side of the park have tumbled down to the beach.

“The shoreline needs protection,” said Meyer, who would like to see underwater habitat protection put in place to slow down the water and minimize wave

COURTESY OF MARY BERUBE

Native plants blooming at Grand Caribe Shorline Park include (clockwise from top left) bladderpod, lemonade berry, Cleveland sage and California buckwheat.

DREAMSTIME PHOTOS

action.

The Audubon Society has done much of its recent plantings on the west side of the park, next to Port-owned open space, which is a large swale. By reconfiguring that area, the park’s neighboring land to the west could become a tidal wetland habitat, Meyer said.

Stewards of Grand Caribe park were also envisioning expanding the park across the island's entire eastern shore all the way to the yacht club. But those plans might be thwarted by a proposed project to build 41 RV-style vacation rental units and a restaurant on the adjacent 7.3-acre site to the north, which currently houses a boatyard.

Port of San Diego commissioners voted in February to advance the project by Arizona-based developer Keith Mishkin, which needs an environmental analysis before final approval. The Port’s updated master plan calls for the land to be open recreational use.

The park is popular with anglers, paddleboarders, walkers and photographers, especially in the summer months.

“It’s beautiful. You see a lot of birds using it now,” Meyer said. “Part of what we do is to connect the community to a space. Lots of people find value at the park. It’s a great community asset for anyone who wants coastal access The park has a lot of folks who love it deeply.” ■

Storm surge and overuse have contributed to the erosion of Grand Caribe Isle. In Grand Caribe Shoreline Park, plants and a bench have fallen down to the beach.

COURTESY OF MARY BERUBE

Two days of wine and roses

Annual flower show brings blooms, bouquets and beverages

By LESLIE CRAWFORD

For many, April in Coronado is synonymous with the Coronado Flower Show, the city’s longest running tradition.

It’s come a long way since the early years when tents were borrowed from the Navy, the Hotel del Coronado provided trellises and tables, and the Boy Scouts camped in Spreckels Park to provide security for the show and earn merit badges.

It has been 101 years since the first flower show, and new leadership is setting the stage for the next 100 years by bringing in a new generation of volunteers and expanding the show’s social aspect.

“There's something special about an event that brings us together year after year. This show has been an integral part of my

« The Coronado Flower Show is a two-day event in Spreckels Park. It's the city's longest running tradition, celebrating 101 years this April.

LESLIE CRAWFORD

life and continues to motivate me to be a more active and productive member of my garden and the community,” said Jessica Mushovic, this year’s flower show chairperson. “Enter whatever you have that’s looking good, enjoy our amazing live music, try the bespoke Coronado hibiscus beer by CBC (Coronado Brewing Co.), check out all the garden-related vendors and remember to stop and smell all the roses.”

Two weeks before the show, the Coronado Floral Association sponsors Home Front Judging, which is March 31 to April 2 this year. Coronado is probably the only place in the country that organizes a citywide landscaping contest to spur residents

to beautify the neighborhoods.

New this year is the Earth Friendly Gardens category, a collaboration between the Coronado Floral Association and Emerald Keepers to spotlight gardens that focus on earth-friendly practices.

The flower show, which runs April 15 and April 16, is a collaboration between the city of Coronado and the Coronado Floral Association. This year’s theme is “Hollywood in Bloom.”

The show has five divisions — Horticulture, Design, Special Exhibits, Youth and Botanical Arts — and is open to everyone is San Diego County.

In contrast to Home Front judging,

Most Flower Show entries come from Coronado gardens, but participation is open to anyone in San Diego County, bringing a diversity of plants to the show.

LESLIE CRAWFORD

where all the judges are volunteers, the flower show judges are trained and accredited by the nonprofit National Garden Clubs, following a rigid set of rules.

In the Horticulture division, you might hear judges using terms like “cultural perfection” and “condition and grooming” to describe the level of condition and care of the plants. Judges also pay attention to plant labeling on the entry form, looking for proper genus and cultivar to be listed. Don’t worry; there are volunteers at the show to help you figure it out. Judges look at balance, rhythm, proportion and scale in the Design section arrangements.

Educational displays, part of the Special Exhibits, include a section on wildflowers, which have been gathered around San Diego County by volunteers who have permission to collect protected plantings. The Special Exhibit men’s section is always a crowd favorite with the winner chosen by popular vote.

The Youth Section always brims with excitement as kids look for winning ribbons on their entries. Entries include bean plates from preschool and kindergarten classes and Zoo’s Who animals made with fruits or vegetables. A Middle School Youth section has been added this year. Botanical Arts highlights floral photography and is a great opportunity for middle and high school students to participate.

There will also be musical entertainment, a beer and wine garden, and lots of vendors.

For details on how to enter, go to coronadoflowershow.com, or send inquiries to info@coronadoflowershow.com. ■

What: Coronado Flower Show

Where: Spreckels Park, 601 Orange Ave.

When: 1 to 5 p.m. April 15; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 16

Tickets: $10; free for children 12 and under and Coronado Floral Association members

Home Front Judging: March 31April 2

Entries: Items can be brought to the show 4-6 p.m. April 14 and 7-9 a.m. April 15.

Information: coronadoflowershow.com

This unusual orchid was carefully grown to achieve its peak bloom for the show.

LESLIE CRAWFORD

THIS MONTH IN CORONADO HISTORY

April 1, 1943

Construction started on First Street to provide housing facilities for 500 WAVE officers and enlisted Navy personnel. Estimated at a cost of $370,000, the barracks, on the bay side of First Street from E Avenue to G Avenue, consisted of seven buildings: three for enlisted WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Services), one each for officers, the dispensary, mess hall, galley and administration building. The grounds included boat landings so the women could be transported by to and from the 11th Naval District.

April 5, 1973

The Coronado office of the California American Water Co. unveiled plans to create a “mini-park” in the 300 block of E Avenue by planting grass and installing a sprinkler system in a vacant lot. The Water Company acquired the land in the 1920s and, at one time, it held an elevated water storage tank. In 1941, the tank was torn down and the storage site moved to C Avenue.

April 7, 1923

It was reported that the world-famous diva Madame Ernestine SchumannHeink purchased the home of Mrs. Harry L. Titus at 800 Orange Ave, which was commissioned in 1910 by the late Harry L. Titus, vice president of the San Diego and Arizona Railway and general attorney for the Spreckels’

interests. The 16-room home was built with reinforced concrete. SchumannHeink was expected to arrive in June to spend summer in Coronado.

April 16, 1930

Four years after John D. Spreckels died, his $37 million estate was finally settled. After creditors, inheritance tax and beneficiaries, which included close friends, loyal confidants and $300,000 to Mercy Hospital, were paid, the remaining $7 million was divided by the Spreckels family. Each of his surviving children — son Claus and daughters Grace and Lillie — received a fourth of the $7 million with the remaining fourth divided between the grand-

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink.

children who survived his son, John D. Spreckels Jr.

April 24, 1941

Anderson’s Bakery celebrated 30 years in business. Opened by Carl Anderson in 1911, the bakery was under management of his two sons, Clarence and Elwyn (Bud). Carl arrived in Coronado in 1898 to work as a baker at the Hotel Del, where he stayed for 11 years. He built a house F Avenue and in 1909 he opened a shop at the rear of the lot and installed an oven delivering his goods by means of a horse and wagon. In April 1911, the two-story bakery building on Orange Avenue was completed and Coronado Home Bakery opened.

April 25, 1963

The Coronado Surfing Club’s Surf Patrol became the first club of its kind in the nation, according to the United States Surfing Association. Brennan

McClelland, chairman of the USSA Surf Patrol Committee, had attempted to start this type of activity but had never been successful. “Coronado has done it, and we can now point to that city as an example for the rest of the cities and other organizations affiliated with us who have expressed an interest. We now see a way to have the surfers contribute to the welfare of an area in return for surfing privileges” McClelland told the local newspaper.

April 27, 1914

Rabies was identified in a few dogs in Coronado, and a dog muzzling ordinance was enacted by the Board of Health and city trustees. City leaders stated that “all dogs found roaming the streets after that date untagged and unmuzzled will be assumed to be ownerless and will be killed on sight. None will be impounded. If you love your dog it is up to you to protect him.” ■

The Coronado Surf Club and Surfing Patrol.

JOHN ELWELL COLLECTION

Photographer Keith James zooms in on buildings to create an abstract piece of art with geometric shapes and color contrasts.

COURTESY OF KEITH JAMES

Petite perspective

Keith James’ abstract photography gives Coronado its close-up

By CATHERINE GAUGH

The body of work displayed in Keith James’ Instagram account has a range of photo subjects from all over: architecture, landscapes, music performances, classic cars. Included is a growing collection of abstract images, which have been featured in two local art exhibitions.

He says he has long been interested in photography, and a couple of years back, he discovered the niche art of abstract photography.

You can hear a slight influence in his speech from his upbringing in Wales, although he’s worked in San Francisco for many years as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry. He settled in Coronado in 2020 and retired last fall.

Q: What exactly is abstract photography and why does it interest you?

A: Abstract art creates visual impact through its use of patterns, shapes and colors, rather than recognizable depictions of our world. Unlike an abstract painting that starts with a blank canvas, abstract photography captures an existing scene. Part of the scene is ‘abstracted’ from the resultant photograph, creating a new image, distinct from the original.

Abstract photography is also called geometric photography. Sometimes it is done by zooming in on something to get a juxtaposition of features like shadows, patterns and shapes.

Q: The first exhibit of your work opened in September at the Coronado Public Library, “Abstract Coronado: Our City from a Different Perspective.”

A: I thought it would be fun to present a perspective of Coronado a little differently than what people typically see, like the Hotel Del and palm trees waving in the breeze. I thought the locals might enjoy seeing Coronado from a different angle.

It took about six months walking and cycling looking for interesting scenes, using contrast, shape and shadow. When I had a small collection of images, I approached the city with a pitch. They found wall space in the library’s Teen area. We even had a grand opening in September. There has been a lot of good feedback. It looks pretty nice, like it was meant to be there.

Q: Could you tell us about a couple of

the images? I was intrigued by the closeup of a turquoise wall, called “Peeling Paint.” It’s poignant.

A: That was the favorite image of several people who were at the opening. It was along one of Coronado’s alleyways, where you see the backs of houses, the backyard and the garage. People tend to use brighter colors in the back, which you don’t generally see from the front of the house.

Somebody painted a brick wall turquoise, but as we know, the Coronado sunlight wreaks havoc with paint, so it was starting to peel. I decided to do a closeup of the wall with a bright blue sky as the background. It’s a simple image, with strong color contrast.

Q: The other photo that caught my eye is the circular pattern in “Radiating Waves,” also called “Black and Blue.”

A: Along one of the main roads, I saw that someone had nailed a bunch of surfboards on a wall and painted a lot of fun images on them, like targets and zigzags, all in blacks and blues. It’s unusual to see such bold colors, and I thought it was fantastic. I took the photo close-up so as not to reveal the entire pattern. I left a little of the surfboard shape.

Q: The images you display in “Who’s New? New Year/New Artists” at the C3 Gallery look a lot different.

A: The six pieces in this collection are abstract photographs of a single building in San Diego. While I was cycling around Coronado, I noticed a bright mural as part of the Coronado Bridge. That led me to

Keith James has found his niche in closeup photography, creating abstracts.

COURTESY OF KEITH JAMES

Barrio Logan, the largely Hispanic art-centric district known for its restaurants, food market and the murals of Chicano Park.

I explored a little more and made my discovery: a fairly new apartment building on National Avenue. The designers’ extravagant use of primary colors reflects the importance of murals to the local culture.

A member of the architecture team told me it was reminiscent of buildings in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was a real find.

From the original photograph, I focused in on the colors, geometric shapes and shadows to create separate images. They convey a futuristic, otherworldly impression.

COURTESY OF KEITH JAMES

"Peeling Paint" was taken in an alley in Coronado, contrasting the wall and sky.

Q: I think that people who view your work might be inspired to try this kind of photography, even if it’s just with camera phones. What advice would you give to get better pictures?

A: The crucial first step is to give some thought to composition of the subject. How close should you get? Will you be cutting off people’s feet? Check to see if

the background is distracting. Pay attention to the location of the sun, which will affect the richness of colors. These steps can make a big difference in the impact of the photograph.

James’ photos can be viewed on Instagram at instagram.com/dry.wry.brit.wit. ■

Catherine Gaugh is a freelance writer.

COURTESY OF KEITH JAMES

"Earth Toned Geometry" focuses on light, shadow and shapes.

Coronado restaurants

ALBACA

Coronado Island

Marriott Resort & Spa

2000 2nd St.

(619) 435-3000

Amalo Brew Coffee Coronado Public Library

640 Orange Ave.

(619) 537-9011

Avenue Liquor Wine & Subs

878 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-4663

Bluewater Grill

1701 Strand Way

(619) 435-0155

Boney’s Bayside Market

155 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-0776

The Brigantine

1333 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-4166

Burger King

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St.

(619) 435-8707

Burger Lounge

922 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-6835

Calypso Cafe

505 Grand Caribe Causeway

(619) 423-5144

Central Liquor & Deli

178 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-0118

Chez Loma

1132 Loma Ave.

(619) 435-0661

Chipotle

1360 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-7778

Clayton’s Bakery and Bistro

849 Orange Ave.

(619) 319-5001

Clayton’s Coffee Shop

979 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-5425

Clayton’s Mexican Takeout

1107 10th St.

(619) 437-8811

Cold Stone Creamery

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St. (619) 437-6919

Coronado Brewing Co.

170 Orange Ave.

(619) 437-4452

Coronado Coffee Co.

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St. (619) 522-0217

Coronado Tasting Room

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St. #101 (619) 534-5034

Costa Azul

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St. (619) 435-3525

Crown Bistro

Crown City Inn

520 Orange Ave. (619) 435-3678

Crown Landing

Loews Coronado Bay Resort

4000 Coronado Bay Road

(619) 424-4000

Crown Town Deli

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St.

(619) 675-0013

Danny’s Palm Bar & Grill

965 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-3171

Domino’s Pizza

1330 Orange Ave.

(619) 437-4241

Feast & Fareway

Coronado Golf Course

2000 Visalia Row

(619) 996-3322

Garage Buona Forchetta

1000 C Ave.

(619) 675-0079

Gelato Paradiso

918 Orange Ave.

(619) 629-5343

High Tide Bottle Shop & Kitchen

933 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-1380

Hotel del Coronado

1500 Ocean Blvd.

• Babcock & Story Bar

(619) 435-6611

• Eno Pizzeria

(619) 522-8546

• Serea Coastal Cuisine

(619) 435-6611

• Sheerwater

(619) 522-8490

• Sundeck

(619) 522-8039

• Beach Taco & Shack

• Sundae's Ice Cream & Gelateria

Il Fornaio

1333 1st St.

(619) 437-4911

Island Pasta

1202 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-4545

KFC/Taco Bell

100 B Ave.

(619) 435-2055

Le Parfait Ferry Landing

1201 1st St. (619) 819-7694

Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Q Ferry Landing

1201 1st St. (619) 522-0217

Little Club

132 Orange Ave. (619) 435-5885

Little Frenchie

1166 Orange Ave.

(619) 675-0041

Lobster West

1033 B Ave. #102

(619) 675-0002

McP's Irish Pub

1107 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-5280

Miguel’s Cocina

1351 Orange Ave. (619) 437-4237

Mindful Cafe

Sharp Coronado Hospital

250 Prospect Ave. (619) 522-3600

MooTime Creamery

1025 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-2422

Nado Gelato Cafe

1017 C Ave. (619) 522-9053

Nado Republic

1007 C Ave. (619) 996-3271

Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint

100 Orange Ave.

(619) 675-0094

Night & Day Cafe

847 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-9776

Panera

980 Orange Ave.

(619) 437-4288

Parakeet Cafe

1134 Orange Avenue

(619) 675-0104

Parakeet Juicery West

1138 Orange Ave.

(619) 537-0018

Parakeet Juicery East

943 Orange Avenue

(619) 319-5931

Park Place Liquor & Deli

1000 Park Place

(619) 435-0116

Poke123

1009 Orange Ave.

(571) 221-4649

Rosemary Trattoria

120 Orange Ave.

(619) 537-0054

Saiko Sushi

116 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-0868

Serrano

126 Orange Ave.

(619) 319-5955

Spiro’s Greek Cafe

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St.

(619) 435-1225

Starbucks

960 Orange Ave.

(619) 437-8306

Stake Chophouse & Bar

1309 Orange Ave.

(619) 522-0077

Subway

1330 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-8272

Swaddee Thai

1001 C Ave.

(619) 435-8110

Tartine

1106 1st St.

(619) 435-4323

Tavern

1310 Orange Ave.

(619) 437-0611

Tent City

1100 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-4611

The Henry

1031 Orange Ave.

(619) 762-1022

The Islander

1015 Orange Ave.

(619) 437-6087

Trident Coffee

942 Orange Ave.

(619) 509-7118

Villa Nueva Bakery Café

956 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-1256

Village Pizzeria

1206 Orange Ave.

(619) 522-0449

Village Pizzeria Bayside

Ferry Landing

1201 1st St.

(619) 437-0650

Which Wich

926 Orange Ave.

(619) 522-9424

Wine a Bit

928 Orange Ave.

(619) 365-4953

Yummy Sushi

1330 Orange Ave.

(619) 435-2771

The GIANT SEA STAR, also known as the knobby star or the jeweled star, is covered with white spines surrounded by blue rings. The tops of its thick body and five arms are colored brown, red or purple. If a sea star loses an arm, it can regenerate a new one. The giant sea star, whose scientific name is pisaster giganteus, grows up to 20 inches, measured diagonally from arm to arm.

Giant sea stars range from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to northern Baja California, Mexico, living on rocks and pilings in intertidal waters to 300 feet. With their mouth centered on the underside of their bodies, they feed on California and Pacific blue mussels, barnacles and snails, pushing their stomachs out through their mouths and slowly digesting their prey. Natural predators are seabirds, crabs and otters.

This variety of sea star is rarely seen on Coronado beaches, but this specimen was found near the rocks at the Hotel del Coronado. ■

Class: Asteroidea

Order: Forcipulatida

Family: Asteriidae

Genus: Pisaster

Species: Pisaster giganteus

Giant sea star

CORONADOBEACHCOMBER

Coronado’s shoreline changes with the weather, tides and time of year. Coronadobeachcomber explores our shores daily on the beach or at the bay, paying attention to the interesting animals, shells and sea life. Follow @coronadobeachcomber on Instagram.

The Marine Band San Diego is a regular feature at the Salute to the Military Ball.

KEL CASEY

Military tradition

Annual fete at Hotel Del celebrates local service members, remembers POWs

By MICHELLE DELANEY

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the return of the POWs. With these milestones in mind, the Coronado Chamber of Commerce is staging its 37th annual Salute to the Military Ball on April 15 at the Hotel del Coronado.

The theme this year is “Homecoming: Reconnecting and Reuniting,” and a special acknowledgement will be given to the return of Vietnam prisoners of war.

The black-tie event, which is expected to be attended by about 400, includes more than 100 active-duty couples as well as spouses of deployed service members, all of which are sponsored by the community. Since its beginning in 1986, the ball has been presented by the city of Coronado and the chamber as an opportunity for

residents and businesses the opportunity to show their support and gratitude for local military personnel and their families.

“Our goal is to create an event where active-duty service members can experience something they might otherwise not be able to: a memorable gala at the Hotel Del, an evening like no other full of festivities, dinner and dancing. We want our active duty to be able to celebrate a night out, while at the same time, give Coronado the opportunity to share this event with them in giving thanks,” said Michael Woiwode, who is a veteran and chairperson of the chamber’s board.

Keynote speakers at the event have included Sen. John McCain, retired Gen. James Mattis, who also served as the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Jon Huntsman,

a former ambassador to China. This year's keynote speaker was not available at press time.

The presentation of three awards is a centerpiece of the ball’s program.

The Capt. Harry T. Jenkins Memorial Award, an award for lifetime achievement, is named in honor of Jenkins, a naval aviator, Vietnam POW and Coronado resident. An active-duty service member is selected based on character and leadership qualities exemplified by Jenkins. The Vice Adm. James and Sybil Stockdale Award is presented to a military couple who are role models in the community. The third award, which debuted in 2019, is the Vice Adm. Edward H. Martin Distinguished Service Award. Martin, also a POW, was a huge supporter of all things Coronado and one of the founders of the Salute to the Military Ball. This award is given by the city of Coronado to an individual who has worked to strengthen the relationship

between the city and the military.

For many, the highlight of the ball is the joy felt throughout the evening.

“It is really special to see what a great night it is for the spouses who are currently living through deployment. They are all together, going through the same challenges day to day,” said Rena Clancy, executive director of the chamber. “But at the ball, they are all there together, laughing, dancing, celebrating and taking one carefree evening off for just themselves. It is truly special to witness this.”

After the first ball in 1986, Capt. Buddie Penn, commanding officer of North Island Naval Air Station, told the Coronado Eagle and Journal that he hoped the special evening would be repeated next year. It has turned into a Coronado tradition.

For information on the Salute the Military Ball, visit coronadochamber.com. ■

Michelle Delaney is a freelance writer.

The Salute the Military Ball is held in the Hotel del Coronado's Crown Room.

COURTESY OF CORONADO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE