Coronado Magazine - September Issue by Coronado Magazine

CORONADO SEPTEMBER 2021

S e r v i c e

250th Issue

History

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table of contents 250th Issue:

Coronado Magazine Special Section

this issue

11 | Celebrating Service with CDR Dominic James DiMatteo, USN Ret.

16 | Picture-Perfect: Celebrating a Decade of Local Photography

26 | Upcoming Rotary Even Raises Funds for ‘End Polio Now’ & Salutes San Diego County Winemakers

your favorites

Cover photo by Kel Casey P6 | Coronado Magazine

The Official Magazine of Coronado, California

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The First Word With this edition we mark the 250th issue of the Coronado Magazine, a slice of Coronado that reaches back almost 40 years. Inside, local photographer Kel Casey reflects on more than a decade of capturing community images … a member of our Greatest Generation turns 100 … and the Rotary Club of Coronado continues its work to “End Polio Now.” What do these things have in common …

Perseverance A quick search for a definition of the word brings back the following: persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Hidden in plain sight in this definition is the most important aspect of the word … hard work. Photographing a community, serving a country, ending a disease … all require plenty of hard work, and we are all the richer for it. It’s easy to focus on big examples, the headline makers and spotlight grabbers, but the building blocks of a community are found in the individual. In every moment, as parents, educators and civic leaders, the work we put in facing life’s challenges serves to define Coronado. And, it is this perseverance, that provides an example for our children to follow. Let’s set a good example Dean K. Eckenroth, Jr. Editor and Associate Publisher

Photo by Kel Casey

Through sponsorship of CHS newspapers we have had the opportunity to work with some very talented students. Starting with the CHS Islander Times, one such student set her sight on being a journalist. Graduating in 2015, and attending the University of Washington, Alex Brady spent her summers interning here, or in Seattle. After college, and another summer writing here in Coronado, Brady entered a program at NYU … only to run smack into a global pandemic. Undeterred Brady continued to work hard, and persevered. This week Alex Brady will start her new position with The New Yorker Magazine. We could not be more proud of Alex achievement.

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The Official Magazine of Coronado, California

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Created by Coronadans

Publisher Dean Eckenroth publisher@eaglenewsca.com

Associate Publisher Dean K. Eckenroth Jr. editor@eaglenewsca.com Business Development Advertising Director Patricia Ross patricia@eaglenewsca.com Amanda Ramirez amanda@eaglenewsca.com Renee Schoen renee@eaglenewsca.com Editorial Alessandra Selgi-Harrigan alessandra@eaglenewsca.com Susie Clifford copyeditor@eaglenewsca.com Kel Casey kel@eaglenewsca.com Maria Simon maria@eaglenewsca.com Christine Johnson christine@eaglenewsca.com Brooke Clifford brooke@eaglenewsca.com Director of Operations Daniel Toennies daniel@eaglenewsca.com Production Andrew Koorey Printing Advanced Web Offset Distribution Roberto Gamez

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900 Orange Avenue

619-435-0076

Coronado Island Shell

We fill propane cylinders, motorhomes and vehicles

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“I saw the whole world. Thirty Years. Three Wars. I loved flying the Hellcats, Bearcats, and Corsairs. I am very proud I can wear the Navy wings.” P10 | Coronado Magazine

Celebrating Service with CDR Dominic James DiMatteo, USN Ret.

Fittingly, centenarian Dominic James DiMatteo will celebrate his 100th birthday on the flight deck of the USS Midway on San Diego Bay on Sept. 2, 2021. With over 600 carrier landings, the retired commander will be right at home on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. DiMatteo has a distinguished career in Naval Aviation with over 7,500 flight hours in 40 models of propeller and jet fighters. He flew in combat in three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. “My dad, his life, is all about two things; his family and Naval Aviation,” said his son, Coronado resident Capt. Jim “Guido” DiMatteo, USN Ret. Dominic “Dee’’ DiMatteo was born on Sept. 2, 1921, into what we now recognize unquestionably as the Greatest Generation. “We have always stood on the shoulders of the heroes who came before

us, and the heroes we all cherish are our World War II veterans. That war was really the most catastrophic and dangerous, and the perseverance and hardships that generation endured make us treasure them even more. Anytime we have the opportunity to honor those men we take it,” his son Jim commented. Dominic DiMatteo was raised in a large Italian family outside Cleveland, Ohio. He enlisted in the Navy in 1940 at age 19 as an aircraft metalsmith, and then served as a TBM tail-gunner. He went on to the V-5 Cadet program and attended flight school in Pensacola, Florida, where he earned his Wings of Gold, and set a path on a storied flying career that would eventually be recognized at the famed Palm Springs Air Museum with induction into the Aviation Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement.

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Along the way Dominic married the love of his life, Florence ferent places, including Coronado and San Diego. Dominic was “Florie,” and they made their own ‘large Italian family’ with their stationed at Naval Air Station North Island in the 1940s and then seven children; five daughters on and off again over the deand two sons, who both became cades. Integrity, humility, personal responsibility, career Naval Aviators. They self-sacrifice, and honor define his generation. DiMatteo’s first squadron were married 66 years when was the VF-11 SunDowners And define Dominic DiMatteo Florie passed away in 2018. flying F-6F Hellcats and F-8F They have 12 grandchildren and Bearcats. Following World War four great grandchildren. II, he attended Stanford University. When the Korean War broke Like most military families, the DiMatteo’s lived in many dif- out he transitioned to the F-4U-5N Corsair and deployed as a Night

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Fighter with the elite Fighter Squadron Composite 3 on multiple combat cruises onboard USS Boxer and USS Kearsarge. With a career that spanned three wars and three decades, ‘Dee’ has plenty of stories to tell. On a night heckler mission in Korea he was hit by anti-aircraft fire, forcing him to emergency crash land near a ‘friendly’ village in enemy territory. He patched his damaged aircraft with duct tape and flew back to the aircraft carrier the following morning. A week later he came back in the middle of the night with his F-4U Corsair, on a low-level mountain passage heckler mission, firing rockets and annihilating a train full of ammunition, destroying the key ammunition supply line for the North Koreans, and earning him a Distinguished Flying Cross. After the Korean War ended, for a few years he flew helicopters out of North Island and was named the Officer in Charge aboard USS Yorktown. He then returned to fly many of the early jet fighters. Unfortunately, he ruptured a disc in his back, restricting him from flying ejection seat aircraft. So, he transitioned to the E-1B as the Executive Officer of AEW Squadron 11 until another back injury forced him out of the cockpit for good. “I saw the whole world. Thirty years. Three wars. I loved flying the Hellcats, Bearcats, and Corsairs. I am very, very proud I can wear the Navy wings,” he reflected. DiMatteo still lives at his home, with caregivers, in Walnut Creek, California. He will fly (as a passenger) to San Diego for the first of his two centennial birthday celebrations. Over 1,000 people will be at the black-tie gala on the USS Midway on his actual birthday, where they will recognize his milestone and his accomplishments. The second will be for family and friends back at home in Walnut Creek. “We will have his family at both events, but most of his friends will be gathered up in Walnut Creek later in the week,” said Jim. Included in the Midway gala program will be a special recognition of DiMatteo. The tribute will include a video from Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Mike Gilday. “On behalf of the sailors of your United States Navy I want to join the chorus in wishing you a Happy 100th birthday,” says Admiral Gilday in his message. “Today, sir, we pay tribute to your service and your sacrifice. We are grateful for your selflessness and all you have done for our Navy and our nation. You’ve set the example for this generation.” CDR DiMatteo, in true tradition of those from the Greatest Generation, would prefer that he not be the center of attention. He humbly stated, “I’m so lucky to be here. Don’t you think it would be better to celebrate my wingmen that weren’t so lucky and didn’t make it home? Shouldn’t they be the ones we honor?” Integrity, humility, personal responsibility, self-sacrifice, and honor define his generation. And define Dominic DiMatteo. Lest we forget. The Midway American Patriot Award Gala is held annually to honor individuals who embody dedication and sacrifice in service to America. Proceeds from the event will benefit the ‘No Child Left Ashore’ scholarship fund.

Story - Maria Simon

Photos courtesy - Dominic DiMatteo Coronado Magazine | P13

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“It always seems impossible until it is done.” – Nelson Mandela

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Picture-Perfect: Celebrating a Decade of Local Photography

By Brooke Clifford

n Coronado we are blessed to be

surrounded by people from all walks of life with

so many different sets of skills and talents to share. Kelley (Kel) Casey is one such resident whose

photography has become a staple of the community through her work as a California Interscholastic

Federation (CIF) credentialed sports photographer for Coronado’s student athletes and at the

Coronado Eagle & Journal, capturing memorable

moments on the Island. Casey has been sharing her photos with the community for over a decade now

and I had a chance to ask her some questions about her work as a photographer over the years.

“When boys lacrosse played Poway in 2014, we were down going into the last seconds. We managed to tie it up, with just a few seconds on the clock. Cade (CHS Lax coach) had Trent Schulte do the face-off, and he came up with the ball, somehow got it in the goal for the win, and we all went wild. In 2019, also during the Poway game, pretty much the exact same scenario happened, and this time it was Trent’s younger brother Devin Schulte, pictured here, who got it in the goal and gave us the win.” - Kel Casey

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Have you always had an interest

in photography, and what got you

started as a photographer and then sports photographer, specifically? I didn’t really know what I was

Brennan started playing water polo

in 2006 that I took off with the sports

the game, and the polo parents seemed

500mm lens, and asked Coach Randy

it just kind of grew from there. I started

photography. I invested in a big 150Burgess if I could shoot the games

from the player side of the field, where

doing until I was in my 30s,

to him for getting me that

learned that recently.

start into covering sports and

I bought my first

eventually other events for the

SLR film Nikon in 1989,

Eagle, like the parades and the

when I lived in downtown

Flower Show.

Washington, D.C. and was working as a nanny. That

What is it that you enjoy

was my go-to camera for

most about photography and

many years, until I got

taking sports photos?

my first point and shoot

digital camera in 2004 or

The athletes. For me, it’s

2005. That camera was

always been about the kids. I

pretty rad at the time. It

love that they love my images.

had five megapixels, which

Sports photography is so much

at the time seemed pretty

more than a job. It’s personal.

remarkable. I took photos

I love the games, the coaches,

of everything, but I’d say

the fans, the parents – all of it.

my kids were my favorite

I have the opportunity to meet

subjects.

so many great young people.

I graduated to my first

I enjoy a good rapport with so

DSLR, a Nikon D80, in

many players, coaches, and

2006, which was when I

parents. I love getting to know

really started gaining an

from the time they were small, so I

was always out there with one of the

cameras. It was really when my stepson

to get me CIF credentials so

and I’ll always be indebted

photographer, but I only

own two kids, all played various sports

on occasion, and Dave Axelson worked

Dave and I were a great team,

and was a World War II

My kids, two stepsons and my

sending water polo shots to the Eagle

sports for the Eagle in 2010.

dad always had a camera

photography.

pleased with the images I provided, so

that I could start covering more

and I’m still learning. My

understanding of the components of

I seemed to have a good eye for

the light was better. I think he was

reluctant, but he agreed. I owe him a

lot, and will always be grateful that he

them. When we win, I cheer

along with them. When we lose a big game, I’ll cry right along with them. One of my favorite sports to

gave me the opportunity. Water polo

photograph is women’s volleyball. The

sports photography, especially when my

it’s mind-boggling to me how they set

was really where I delved deeply into

daughter Mary started playing the sport as well.

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pace is a bit slower than the guys’, and

up those shots, and can anticipate where

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the ball is going. But the best part about

it is the camaraderie. They cheer each other

on, they encourage each other, and just have great energy.

My other favorite photography is close

where you can see more context of a game.

The fans cheering, other players interacting, the scoreboard, the moments before and after the game.

up floral work. I had a beautiful garden with

What have been some rewarding

and columbines, and I would crawl around

as a photographer?

loads of shade-loving plants like fuchsias under my camellias and contort myself

to get those shots. It was very zen – the

moments for you throughout your time

It is all so rewarding. Most recently, I

exact opposite of sports photography,

think getting Alex Crawford’s winning shot

breathtaking.

a favorite. I don’t remember taking it, and

and the images were a different kind of

Is there anything you find most

challenging about photography and sports photography in particular?

Light is always my biggest issue.

Our field and gym have decent lighting, but a few other school sites don’t. The

most challenging sports I shoot are men’s volleyball, and maybe golf. In volleyball, the net is in the middle, with the referees

standing on ladders right in the middle. The

game is very fast, and unpredictable. Golf is a challenge because it’s miles of green, and I have to shoot from a distance in order to

be somewhat unobtrusive while the players are trying to focus.

I like my images to tell a story. With

sports photos, it’s more than just a close up shot of an athlete. Those are great, and I

take a lot of those, but my favorite ones are

during the State Championship game was had no idea that I had captured it.

Two other absolute favorite moments

were during the overtime wins during the 2011 and 2017 CIF water polo

championship games. Both games were

very close, and went into overtime. The games were intense, and I was having

trouble appearing neutral, so I went to sit

at the far end of the La Jolla pool deck, so that I was looking toward the goal. In the

2011 game vs. Bishops, we were in sudden death, and Van Burgess made a great steal and passed it down the line to Tommy

Grall, who threw it in the goal for the win.

I was sitting with my kids, crying, and had

no idea I’d gotten the shot. The scenario for

the 2017 game was exactly the same, vs. La Jolla, and this time it was my nephew Andy

Rodgers who found the back of the net with

just 11 seconds to go in the second overtime period. The two shots are almost identical. Other moments that are personally

rewarding are far less dramatic in nature.

Sometimes kids don’t get a lot of play time, or are just learning. I love capturing the

moments when these kids score their first goal or basket or get their first hit.

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I’ve known many of our athletes since they were babies, so

watching them grow and mature as players and young adults is

a “handler.” I was a nervous wreck, and the service was

emotional and wrenching. I think being asked to shoot it for the

really a privilege.

Eagle was the highest honor I’ve ever had as a photographer.

Civic Youth Ballet— I’ve done that since 2011. I’ve been able

High School and Village Elementary, was a beautiful thing.

high school seniors, and I’ve had a front row seat, so to speak,

from Orange Avenue down Sixth to where they made the turn

I also do all of the performance photography for San Diego

The processional, which was down Sixth Street past Coronado

to watch these dancers grow and mature from 4 year olds to

Thousands lined that sidewalk with flags and signs, all the way

to all of it. Dance is another favorite subject for me. It requires

to go out of town via 4th Street.

so much athleticism, which must appear effortless and graceful. It’s a joy to photograph.

Do you foresee yourself continuing your photography,

be it sports or in another direction, for some time to come?

To go along with that, are there any particularly

memorable moments you’ve captured, whether it was the photo you got or a story surrounding it?

I can’t imagine not continuing my photography. After

a busy season, I might take a break for a week or two, but I expect it to be part of my life for many years to come.

I will never forget the Charlie Keating memorial service

at Tidelands Park, or the procession following his funeral at

Sacred Heart. At Tidelands, I was the only still photographer there, and I had a Navy PAO (public affairs officer) as

As we head into a new school year, be on the lookout for

Casey’s work as she captures more of those picture-perfect moments!

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What’s in Season?

Snack Time, Cookie Time! Cookies, a worldwide favorite, have been around since the 7th century, when Persia (now Iran) began to farm and harvest sugar cane, used in cakes and desserts. In order to test an oven to see if the heat was just right to bake a cake, a small dollop of batter was dropped into a pan and baked as a tester. Voila! The first cookie was invented. The fact you could hold cookies in your hand and cookies had a longer shelf life than cakes when made with less moisture, they were baked for their own merit. Their popularity grew. In the 1930s Ruth Wakefield famously mixed in bits of chocolate into her sugar cookies, creating the Toll House Cookie, and the chocolate chip cookie took off. The idea of cookies and milk for Santa also came in the 1930s. During the depression families wanted to instill their children the idea of sharing, no matter how little you had. During World War II, it was common to send chocolate chip cookies to the troops, even though chocolate was expensive. It was thought to bring comfort to our boys overseas. While many manufacture cookies, there’s still nothing like a homemade cookie. Take a break and enjoy some fresh baked cookies with a glass of milk.

155 Orange Avenue

619.435.0776

Open 8:30 am to 9:00 pm Daily Coronado Magazine | P25

At the Hotel del Coronado

Upcoming Rotary Event Raises Funds for ‘End Polio Now’ and Salutes San Diego County Winemakers by Kris Grant

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Over the past 10 years, Rotary Club of Coronado has held a wine tasting and live auction fundraiser for Rotary International’s “End Polio Now” global campaign to wipe polio off the face of the earth. Now there are only two countries left on the planet – Afghanistan and Pakistan – where the virus still remains. And Rotary, as a founding member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, has those countries squarely in its sights. Coronado Rotary has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars toward the effort and with a two-for-one matching grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the amount raised has well surpassed $1 million. And so this year, with Coronado Rotary’s former President, Dan Gensler, serving as District Governor of the 62 Rotary Clubs and eight Rotaract Clubs in San Diego and Imperial counties, it was a natural fit to move the local wine-tasting into a premier slot – the Sept. 10 opening night event of the three-day District Conference at the Hotel del Coronado. The public is invited to attend the Rotary Wine Tasting; go to coronadorotary.org and register for the opening night. The price is $150 per person, which includes luscious Hotel del Coronado appetizers, unlimited wine-tasting, validated parking, and, best of all, funds that go toward polio eradication that will be matched two-for-

Dan Gensler one by the Gates Foundation. The wine tasting will be held on the Windsor Lawn, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and this year San Diego County winemakers will be saluted. And well they should be! After all, San Diego County is where California wine originated, with the first vines planted by Franciscan monks at Mission San Diego De Alcalá in 1778. San Diego County is now home to more than 250 vineyards. You’ll find nearly 100 tasting rooms from inland Oceanside to Escondido to Ramona (there are 45 tasting rooms in that vicinity alone) to Warner Springs. Trust me when I say that a day spent

Vineyard Grant James Fourteen years ago Susanne Sapier, her husband Jacques and four kids moved from Downtown San Diego to Ramona, with the intention of putting in a vineyard and a winery. And that’s just what they did. “Ramona had just gotten their AVA,” Susanne said. “I had gone wine tasting, but was not a wine connoisseur by any means. But I knew this was something I really wanted to do. And so, the very first thing I did – during escrow! – was go on Amazon where I bought every book on winemaking and ‘how to put in a vineyard’ that they had. I armed myself with a stack of legal pads and got to work.” Susanne Sapier Coronado Magazine | P27

wine tasting at two or three of our local vineyards is about the most relaxing activity one can do, especially in these trying times. All wineries have moved the majority of their tasting venues outside. There’s no better way to while away an afternoon than tasting our local vintages, while guitarists entertain and alwaysmellow winery dogs sprawl out on brick pavers, saying, “Pet me please!” Here’s a list of the participating wineries at this year’s Rotary event. Most of the wines will be served by the owners/winemakers themselves. So get to know them now, and plan to see them again when you visit their winery!

Susanne, who had previously run an outreach ministry for the Presbyterian Church in San Diego, kept the faith. Three weeks after moving to their new home in early 2009, the Sapiers planted their first vines. While waiting for the new vines to produce good grapes, Susanne started winemaking right away, using grapes from other Ramona vineyards. In 2011, she started using her estate grapes to make wine. In 2013 she opened the Vineyard Grant James tasting room to the public, using rocks that were augured from planting the vineyards in the patio construction. The winery is named after Susanne’s son Grant and her father James. Jacques has continued his law practice but is right at home greeting guests on the tasting room patio. “He’s the face of the winery and his hospitality is second to none,” Susanne said. “It was his idea to build a winery. Yup, his idea and I do all the work – it’s quite an arrangement!” she said with a wink and a grin. Grant went north to work with the humungous Gallo winery for a while. “We produce 32 tons of wine a year,” Susanne said. “At Gallo, they do 32 tons every eight seconds.” Among Grant James’ outstanding wines are its 2017 Rosé that won a double gold at the 2018 San Diego County Lum Eisenman Competition, and its 2017 Viognier and 2017 Syrah, both of which won Silver awards at the 2018 Toast of the Coast in Del Mar. Susanne is currently president of the Ramona Valley Vintners Association, with about 150 vineyards and 45 tasting rooms among its members. “And that’s just the ones registered with us,” she said, estimating there may be as many as 250 vineyards in the Ramona area. In addition to wine club member events, Susanne is inviting guests to join her on a seven-night Moselle and Rhine river cruise in November, 2022, with a Brussels pre-trip and Switzerland post-trip. Check out the website if you’re ready to float down castle-strewn rivers and drink wine…

Marilyn and Steve Kahle

Woof’n Rose Winery When Marilyn and Steve Kahle moved to San Diego from their native Missouri in the early 1990s, they purchased a five-acre property in Ramona with the idea of escaping tract-home living and just enjoying open space. They had a lot of burnable brush, and decided to clear it and plant some grape vines, since Marilyn liked the look of grape vines meandering down hillsides. Then they planted more. And more. They began selling their grapes to other wineries but bonded their own winery in 2007. Today their three acres yield nine varietals of red grapes – the oldest is Merlot, plus Cabernet Franc, Grenache Noir, Alicante Malbec, Cab Sauvignon, Petite Bordeaux, Montepulciamo and Carmenere. Their (white) Albariño is sourced from the Elliott Ranch vineyard in Escondido. “We’re the only employees and I have earned every grey hair,” proclaims Marilyn, noting that she and Steve and their three sons, Ehren, Travis and Zane and their families, handle everything from planting to pruning, harvesting, crushing, aging, bottling, but doing it all with love and passion.

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The winery is located on a hill on the northside of Ramona, overlooking the Ramona Valley and the Ramona Airport. The best way to find Woof’n Rose, is to put the winery’s address in your GPS. Because it’s classified a “boutique” winery, the smallest size of the four tiers of wineries classified by San Diego County, it is not allowed to have road signage. Marilyn serves as secretary of the San Diego County Vintners Association. Steve is the Association’s chair and also the Wine Institute’s regional director for much of San Diego and Riverside counties. All the tips received at the winery go to a charity, “Shelter to Soldier,” which takes in shelter dogs and trains them to be service dogs for PTSD soldiers and sailors. “This organization is really saving two lives at a time, the dog’s and the soldier,” said Marilyn. “All of our blended wines have a dog connection,” Marilyn said. “Eglantine is a variety of rosé, sometimes known as the dog rosé and its Latin name is rosa caninas.”

Shadow Mountain Winery

Alex and Pam McGeary “Come here to breathe clean mountain air, be enchanted by the views, slow down a little, and drink some of the best wine in the state,” urges Alex McGeary who, with wife Pam, has owned Shadow Mountain Winery since 1990. Along highway 79, beyond Warner Springs Resort, you’ll climb to Sunshine Summit, where you’ll find this delightful winery. There are a couple of lovely tent cabins on the property and you might

want to think about spending the night there. With your overnight stay, you’ll get a complimentary bottle to drink while stargazing on the patio. And you will see a lot of stars…the winery is in the shadow of Palomar Mountain where many decades ago, CalTech chose to place the Palomar Observatory. The winery dates back to 1945 when Helen and Gus Mase moved to the area from their native home in the Piedmont area of Northern Italy. The McGearys are veterans in the wine industry, working in the 1970s for one of California’s first wine bars, Brookside Winery, which had 32 tasting rooms throughout the state. “We learned our trade from a fifth generation winemaker,” Pam said. Brookside sent Alex to UC Davis to get his degrees in viticulture and enology. After Brookside, the McGearys opened and operated the Dana Point Café & Wine Bar for 14 years. But they found that the emphasis was on “café,” and wanted to return to winemaking. On a trip to Borrego Springs, they passed through Sunshine Summit and saw the Mases’ sign “Mini Winery for Sale; Turnkey

Operation” and made an abrupt u-turn. Shadow Mountain’s nine vineyards produce 12 varietals of wine, each planted at a slightly different altitude. The 3,500-foot elevation keeps the fruit fresh and limits over-ripening. The results are wines with delicate aromas and more nuanced expression. Shadow Mountain, known for its reds, recently garnered a Double Gold for its 2017 Sangiovese, a Gold for its 2016 Merlot and a Silver for its 2016 Tempranillo from the San Francisco Chronicle’s 2020 Wine Competition. Signature blend “Old Gus” is a Rhonestyled red table wine, 60 percent Syrah, the same grapes Gus Mase planted in 1945. The winery has two outdoor patios, with tables and chairs under live oaks. The tasting room is still graced by its long redwood wine bar, with wood milled down from a huge vat at the old Virginia Dare winery in Cucamonga. Alex and Pam will be on hand to greet you at the Rotary event. It’s a homecoming of sorts – they married at the Hotel del Coronado July 15, 1972.

Fallbrook Winery

Paul Fournier Coronado Magazine | P29

Now in its 31st year, Fallbrook Winery was purchased by Pepper and Ira Gourvitz in 1995. Pepper is a former executive assistant at the Hotel del Coronado; the winery’s Director of Sales, Paul Fournier, grew up in Coronado, where his family settled in 1974. Today the winery is one of the largest in San Diego County, with many of its wines featured at restaurants throughout the county, particularly in Escondido, La Mesa and Coronado. Last year, its production was only about 12,000 cases, as restaurants were shut down in large part but, Fournier notes, “We were lucky to have the wine club.” Wine clubs are offered at nearly all wineries with tasting rooms throughout the county. Wineries will either ship wines, usually

quarterly, to their customers, or customers can stop by to pick them up, sometimes at “pick up” parties. Plus, wine clubs often have special events, such as catered alfresco dinners. When the former Culbertson Winery was offered for sale, Fournier said that Ira Gourvitz was growing Chardonnay in the Sonoma area. “But he knew Chardonnay wouldn’t grow well here so he started with Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot, planting about four acres on the property where avocado trees and citrus, high water consumers, were prevalent,” said Fournier. “They knew it was good soil, decomposed granite, with good drainage and because the property sits on a nice rise here, it benefits from the coastal fog. We’re now up to 22 acres on the property and we buy from other farmers, but all the wines we mark with ‘33 Degrees North’

are estate grown.” Fallbrook’s winemaker, Eaun Parker, hails from New Zealand where his family owned a vineyard. He came to California by way of France and Spain, both areas where he worked and was educated in viticulture and enology. His philosophy on winemaking: “I like clean wines that represent the terroir and I don’t like a lot of sweetness; I prefer dry to match foods.” The winery’s flagship wine is the BDX. It’s a ‘Meritage’ – a blend of Bordeauxstyle grapes, always Cabernet Sauvignon, and then Merlot and the others, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, are about 3 percent. It’s harvest time now from the last week of August through the last week of October -- and Fournier notes that there are people in the field, starting at 2 a.m., with wines arriving for processing at

6 a.m. and running all day and night. “It’s best to pick the wines at night when the grapes come in cool. You need them cool to process.”

Cordiano Winery

Frank and Gerry Cordiano

Nestled in the hills of northern San Diego’s Highland Valley wine country is Cordiano Winery, a family-owned and operated vineyard featuring breathtaking views, fine wines, and authentic Italian cuisine. This is the first winery to open in the Highland Valley area and was able to do so because it got past the special

use permit by combining “eatery” with winery. Founders Gerado “Gerry” and Rosamaria Cordiano are originally from Calabria, in Southern Italy. They emigrated to the U.S. through Syracuse, New York, where Gerry found work in a pizzeria. After years of working 16-hour days, he took over ownership when the owner retired. Seeking a warmer climate like his native Italy, Gerry sold the pizzeria and moved to the New Orleans area. Armed with his treasured secret family recipe for wood-fired pizzas, he opened a pizzeria there and built 35 “Dante’s” pizzerias throughout the Southern States. Then he sold them to Sbarrro, and after visiting San Diego, knew this was where he wanted to be. Gerry bought the property where Cordiano Winery is today, but meanwhile established five Italian restaurants in San Diego. All the while, Gerry never forgot his first love – winemaking. As a youth, he spent time with his father working the vineyards in Italy, and promised himself that one day he would make wine for his family and friends. In 2008, he did so, P30 | Coronado Magazine

selling the five restaurants and opening Cordiano Winery. The winery features two expansive patios with tables and chairs overlooking the rolling hills of the San Pasqual Valley below. If you plan a day of wine tasting in the Highland Valley region of Escondido, enjoy lunch here (I recommend the woodfired pizzas!) with a glass of Duetta Rosa. Son Frank Cordiano now runs the operation, but Mom and Dad are often on-hand, loving to meet and greet their guests.

Espinosa Vineyards

Roberto and Noelle Espinosa This family-owned boutique winery’s niche is balanced wine made from grapes that are native to Spain. Owners Roberto and Noelle Espinosa are a special couple, warm, hospitable and knowledgeable about the history of wine making in Escondido, and the wines of Spain. As a matter of fact, they moved their family to Spain in 2019 and lived there, with their kids in public schools

there, through the pandemic. Espinosa Winery’s tiered patios, built under a canopy of Ponderosa pines, have a Spanish flair and are beautiful, inviting and intimate; they also have a wine cellar built into the side of a mountain on their property that can be an exceptional gathering spot for up to 30 for wine dinners. “The acoustics inside here are phenomenal,” says Roberto. Grapes were first planted on the property in 1893 by William Winn, and the first commercial winery was built in 1936 by Lewis and Alta Hart. Around 1950, the winery was converted to a machine shop and the vineyards lay fallow for more than 50 years. The old winery burned to the ground when the 2007 San Diego Guejito fire ripped through the San Pasqual Valley, just as the Witch fire roared through Ramona. Out of the ashes, the Espinosas began planting their new vineyard in 2008. With a background in microbiology and a love for all things delicious, Roberto uses science and intuition to craft small-lot single-vineyard wines. Espinosa’s flagship wine is the Estate Tempranillo, exhibiting plum and ripe

cherry, tobacco and spice with a long dry finish. Also delicious is the 2019 Rosado, a Grenache that is bright, tangy, crisp and refreshing, with notes of raspberry and citrus, a perfect wine for a summer evening overlooking the beach! On a recent Saturday visit, paella was ready to be served and Lucky, the small but mighty winery Chihuahua, was holding court. I gave Lucky a pat on the head, grabbed a glass of Garnacha Blanca, and all was right with the world.

If You Go Winery hours change seasonally, especially in the ‘age of Covid,’ so it’s best to call ahead or check the websites! Vineyard Grant/James 25260 East Old Julian Highway, Ramona 760 789-4818 www.vineyardgrantjames.com

Cordiano Winery 15732 Highland Valley Road, Escondido 760 469-9463 www.cordianowinery.com

Woof’n Rose 17073 Garjan Lane Road, Ramona 760 803-4818 www.woofnrose.com

Espinosa Winery 15360 Bandy Canyon Road, Escondido 619 772-0156 www.espinosavineyards.com

Fallbrook Winery 2554 Via Rancheros, Fallbrook 760 728-0156 www.fallbrookwinery.com

Shadow Mountain Vineyards 34680 Highway 79, Warner Springs 760 782-0778 www.shadowmountainvineyards.com

Coronado Magazine | P31

P32 | Coronado Magazine

CORONADO M

250th Issue Special Section In 1983 a Hotel del Coronado in-room magazine was created by a collaborative effort between myself, then publisher of the Coronado Journal, hotel owner M. Larry Lawrence and general manager Scott Anderson, and local advertising guru Don Larson. This fledgling effort was entitled Visitor Magazine, was carried in every room at the Hotel Del for years, and produced from the local office of the Coronado Journal. Today our CORONADO Magazine publishes its 250th edition. While the initial product has changed both in approach and ownership over the past four (4) decades, it remains the oldest continually produced magazine reflecting Coronado’s lifestyle and local charm. This magazine began under the auspices of Texas’ Harte-Hanks Communications, and subsequently was owned, in-turn, by Virginia based Worrell Enterprises, Rupert Murdoch’s Independent News out of New Jersey, then St, Louis based U.S. Media in 1994. I re-acquired it in 1998 bringing local ownership back to Coronado. At the same time I bought the Coronado Journal, which combined with my eight-year-old Coronado Eagle weekly newspaper becoming the renamed Coronado Eagle & Journal. These news products form the foundation of today’s Coronado based Eagle Newspapers. I was pleased to have brought back local ownership to Coronado and continue the legacy begun in 1983. We happily celebrated our 100th anniversary in 2012, and the start of our second centennial. On behalf of myself and the entire staff of Eagle Newspapers, we extend heartfelt thanks to Coronado for your support and constant input and readership during these 250 issues. Dean Eckenroth President Eagle Newspapers

Coronado Magazine | P33

1993

Mystery surrounds

Del’s most infamous guest By Laura O’Quinn Visitor Contributor Originally Published in 1993

s the sun sets in the Western sky leaving streaks of burnt ornage, magenta and deep blue hanging over the waters of the historic Hotel del Coronado, she is just waking up. As the earth’s light dims to descending shades of black, she mysteriously makes her presence known only to those she chooses. As she rises, sounds described as rattling, banging and soft whispers can be heard all over the room. She is no ordinary woman, in fact, she is rather extraordinary. After all, not many ghosts have drawn as much attention as the late Kate Morgan–a woman believed to have taken her life while staying at the Del after being jilted by her husband Tom. But closer examination by the late Alan May, a former San Fransico attorney, led him to believe that Kate did not commit suicide, but rather was shot by Tom, her once partner in crime. No one really knows exactly what happened to Kate the night of November P34 | Coronado Magazine

28, 1892, but one thing is for sure–Kate was much too strong a woman to take her own life. Born on September 23, 1865 to a poor Iowa family, Kate struggled throughout her early years after losing her mother, sister and grandmother. Raised by an alcoholic father, Kate learned to be tough at an early age. At the age of 20, Kate was swept off her feet by Tom Morgan, a cardshark and her husband to be. After winning Kate during a poker game with her father, Tom and she were married at the county seat. The two traveled around the States conning men out of their money during poker games for quite a few years. Dissatisfied with life on the road, Kate, who had become pregnant, pleaded with Tom to take the two of them to a place where they could settle down and start a family. Too greedy to be burdened with a nagging wife and newborn child, Tom told Kate to go to California where he would soon join up with her. On the night

of November 24, 1892, Kate checked into the Hotel del Coronado alone under the alias “ Lottie A. Bernard” to await the arrival of her husband. During her stay in the room 302, renumbered now as 3312, Kate either aborted her baby or miscarried, a secret she took with her to the grave. Maids and bellboys reported, however, that Kate, or Lottie, said she felt ill and stayed in her room throughout her four-day stay at the hotel. On the morning of No. 29, the body of the 24 year old Kate Morgan was found on the hotel’s steps leading to the water which is today between fifth and sixth tennis courts, with a gun in her hand and a bullet in her head. It wasn’t until almost 100 years later that more information was revealed about the death of the mysterious Lottie Bernard. After careful examination of autopsy records, May discovered that Kate had carried a .44 caliber American Bulldog, not a .38 caliber weapon like the bullet that killed Kate. Because Kate was found with a gun in her hand, it was hastily determined by the police that she had taken her own life. Rather, it was believed that Tom, who carried a Derringer (a .38 caliber weapon), had a confrontation with Kate at the hotel and subsequencetly took her life. Through his research into Kate’s death, May not only discovered Kate’s killer, but her family history, of which he was a part. Kate was May’s great great grandmother, which is why May claims he was irresistibly drawn to her case. In his book, May wrote that he encountered the ghost of Kate many times–once her eyes and lips appeared on the blank television screen, a few times in conversation and once he shared

a glass of Thanksgiving champagne. Other guests have reported hearing noises and seeing “strange things” in room 3312, however, room 3502 is believed to have some of its own ghostly activity. During redesign stages of the hotel, room numbering has gone through several changes. In its early days, room 3502 was believed to be the maid’s quarters and is now believed to have unexplained activity taking place. Nancy Weisinger, vice president and public relations director for the Del, said that guests and employees alike have reported poltergiest-type activity in the room. Almost 100 years later, visitors to the Del still inquire about the legend after reading about Kate Morgan in books and newspapers. Whatever the story may be, there is no doubt that the Victorian inspired Hotel del Coronado has some secrets of its own–secrets that will remain hidden to all mortals who visit.

Coronado Magazine | P35

Life on the court has been good for this

tennis pro Ben Press By Robert Trevino Visitor Contributor Originally Published in 1993

en Press has one of the most enviable jobs in the world. For the past 20 years, Press, 68, has served as the head tennis professional at the Hotel del Coronado. His office overlooks the beach, and you can hear the waves crashing outside, even over the sounds of the television set in his office. Press’s office is not spacious. He calls it “the dungeon.” “It’s not much but it’s home,” he said. His desk takes up half of his office space, while the rest is covered with all kinds of things that might accumulate after 20 years. Along with the television, Press’ office has a small refrigerator, dozens of rackets and cans of balls. A few changes of clothes hang from the back of the door, while paper work clutters the entire place. A few awards are visible, but one stands out in the center of his shelf behind him. It is his most recent award, the one he received for winning the 1992 United States Professional Tennis Association National Chamionships in the men’s over65 doubles division. Press has won many tennis tournaments and championships over the years, including 15 national titles. But the one that stands out the most happened 42 years ago. P36 | Coronado Magazine

“It was the San Diego Metropolitan Tournament at Morely Field (in Balboa Park),” Press said. “I had been the runnerup in that tournament for several years. The day my oldest daughter was born was the day that I finally won that tournament. The trophy I got was about two inches high, and I still have that trophy. “I’ve won 15 national titles, and they’ve all been important to me. But none is more important to me than that first one.” A team captain and top singles and doubles player at UCLA, Press served in the Navy before coming to work at the Hotel del Coronado. He’s been teaching tennis since 1948, and has worked with San Diego’s two world champions, Maureen Connolly-Brinker and Karen Hantze-Susman. “Maureen was the first female grand-slam winner,” Press said. “We lived across the street from each other, so I played with her all the time. We even turned professional together.” Another future sports star lived a few houses up from Press in his old San Diego neighborhood. “People always talk about Ted Williams’ hitting ability,” Press said of the

legendary Hall of Famer. “But he could have been a good tennis player as well. We used to shag his baseballs when he would hit, then we’d go and play tennis together. But there was no incentive in tennis except for the trophies. Baseball offered a future for him.” Press is quick to talk about the changes in the game since he first came on the scene. Among the most notable differences are in the number of players on the tour and the amount of money involved. “You used to play because you liked the game,” Press said. “Tennis has undergone a lot of changes. Not for the worse or for the better, but for the different.” “We didn’t have the same pressures that players today have. And there was more sportsmanship before. There were no John McEnroe-types. We argued (with the officials), but not with that kind of regularity. And today’s kids are bigger and stronger.”

Press is encouraged by the increasing popularity of tennis. He said the sport has been growing steadily over the years, unlike the 1970’s, when it mushroomed, then fell back just as quickly. Also an innovator, Press was the first to design the racket as it is today for racquetball. He also designed the Scepter, the first graphite tennis racket back when graphite was $500 per pound. Though he doesn’t like to namedrop, Press has played with then-President George Bush, Charlton Heston, Mike Wallace and Walter Cronkite, among others. “When I played with President Bush, the whole area was blocked off,” Press said. “There were so many Secret Service people, they were like a fan club. He was very nice, and afterwards, we sat and had ice tea. Because of Larry Lawrence and his political affiliations, I’ve had the opportunity to play with a lot of senators and congressmen.” Above all else, Press wouldn’t trade his job for any other. In fact, he wishes he could do it all over again. “I like what I’m doing,” he said. “I enjoy it, and I wish I could do it all over again. I wish I was 30 years younger. But I’m thankful for what I’ve done.”

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Birdwatching in Coronado: Walk with a mission and Brunilda Zaragoza 619.520.7799 DRE#00840495

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enoy the view and fresh air at the same time By Sean Casey Originally Published in 1999

Scenic, small, flat, and friendly– Coronado is made for walking. Add birdwatching to your walk, and it’s a walk with a mission and a few hours well spent. Birds are busiest in springtime. They stake territories, build nests, seek mates, lay eggs, forage for food, and raise chicks and squawk more than any other time of the year. Blooming gardens and wild flowers add a backdrop of dazzling color and fragrance to your birding experience. Moreover, hundreds of types of birds numbering in the thousands are now coming, going, or passing through the area. San Diego is an important stop on the bird migration route called the Pacific Flyway. In early spring, birds from South America arrive, while sand pipers start heading back to the Artcic. April and May are the height of the migration with the arrival of dozens of species that delight experienced and fledgling birdwatchers. By late August, most chicks are hatched and the last of the migrants are coming through. Placed between bay and ocean, Coronado and the Silver Strand offer a variety of nearby habitats–mudflats, beaches, dunes, gardens, bay, and ocean. Take a short walk in any direction and you are sure to see and hear the bustling birds of springtime. Around the Neighborhoods Color bursts of springtime flowers P42 | Coronado Magazine

frame classic California bungalows and oceanfront mansions on walks through Coronado neighborhoods. Stop long enough to see the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds pollinate the blooms. Look closely, and you’ll see other wildlife such as bees, rabbits, and reptiles are busy too. Do you hear the screeching, singing, and carrying on of mockingbirds? Every Coronado street has its share of these raucous birds with long tails and gray and white feathers. They act up to attract mates and protect their territories and nests. Look to the trees and bushes for colorful birds that winter in Central and south America, but come here to nest. They include orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks, and flycatchers. Great blue herons also command attention in the neighborhoods. While they feed in the bays, blue herons build their nests in tall trees throughout Coronado. Their broad wingspans are eyecatching in flight. One of their favorite trees is the Torrey Pine. Torrey Pines are ancient trees that are extinct everywhere but in San Diego and islands off the coast. Look for Torrey Pines and blue herons in front of the library (Orange and Sixth), across the street in Spreckels Park, and throughout neighborhoods. On the Bay Stroll, bike or rollerblade from the Ferry Landing Marketplace to the bridge. Head to the bay and check out a variety of ducks and Brant geese beefing up for their flight north. Many small sandpipers

are preparing to leave, while some larger ones will be here most of the year. Look for small least terns and larger Forester’s terns swooping around the bay looking for food. They’ll hover above the water, then plunge straight down for their catch. Large brown pelicans also nose dive and make big splashes for food. Great blue herons and great egrets are easy to spot standing in shallow waters. Both birds have long legs and long necks. The blue heron is gray-blue and the great egrets are white. Look for the duck ponds at the Marriott Resort. You’ll delight in exotic swans and other birds kept by the Marriott. Walking the Beach Enjoy the orange glow and shimmering sea on early morning or sundown beach strolls when birds forage for food. Look beyond the breakers for a variety of pelicans, terns, and gulls diving for fish dinners. You can’t miss the large, white-headed, slate-backed western gulls patrolling the shoreline. Other smaller gulls, are leaving for the summer. Sandpipers are seen in early spring. Pelicans often glide in formation and skim wave crests. Along the Strand from Glorietta Bay and running 10 miles to Imperial Beach, a bike path leads the way to dune and mudflat habitats as well as broad views of the South Bay. On the mudflats just south of the Naval Amphibious Base, least terns are arriving for their summer breeding. Least terns, the smallest of gulls and terns, are endangered due to habitat loss. Scraped atop sandy beaches, least tern nests are vulnerable to high tides, pollution, and predators such as birds of prey, feral cats and even ants.

Just south of the least tern preserve is a dune habitat with a boardwalk trail with educational plaques. In mornings and evenings, watch the terns fly between the bay and ocean with food in their beaks. The construction along the path is part of Strand Beautification Project that will make wildlife viewing easier when complete. At the other end of the Strand at Imperial Beach, salt flats showcase wading birds of all kinds. Large mounds of earth separating the flats make for easy exploration and provide closer looks at birds. Some parking is available. Local hint: Winds along the Strand usually blow steadily from the north to south. While biking or and rollerblading is a good option for this trip, the return trip to Coronado could be physically challenging. Take water and leave plenty of time for the trip. Car parking is scarce along the Strand. Guided Bird Walks and Resources The Chula Vista Nature Center and the Loews Coronado Resort sponsor guided weekend bird walks on the Silver Strand. The Nature Center also offers a variety of nature walks, children’s programs, interactive exhibits, and learning opportunities for all ages. Call (619)422-2481. The Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center offers weekly bird and nature walks on the Estuary as well as educational exhibits. Call (619)575-3613. The San Diego Audubon Society hosts birding trips throughout San Diego. Call (619)275-0557 or checkout their website: www.Audubon. org/chapter/ca/ sandiego.

Coronado Magazine | P43

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Sidewalk Stamps Give a

Glimpse into Local History E

veryone knows that in Coronado the streets are numbered and avenues are alaphabetized. But how often do we notice that many of the sidewalks are stamped with the dates of their formation? “ That’s a real common practice among cement contractors,” explains Rob Jordan of the Coronado Historical Association. “It’s a little advertising for themselves that’s going to stay there forever.” According to the Historical Association’s files, “forever” began about 103 years ago with the imprint into Coronado’s sidewalks by a contractor known as JF Over. Over was the first of 26 contractors to imprint the city’s walkways and his stamp can be seen outside the Association’s building on park Place as part of a display laid into the sidewalk there. Coronado Capital Projects Manager Bill Cecil explains that, during the recent sidewalk reconstruction along part of Orange Avenue, “residents came forward and pointed out that typically the year and contractor are placed in the sidewalk to maintain some link to the past and not destroy it.” “They cut out the old piece and set it aside,” explains Cecil of the work on Orange, “so it will be inserted back.” A few stamps that were not replaced in their original locations were collected and saved outside the Historical Association. “They’re not indigenous to that site, but it’s kind of interesting to see the names,” says Cecil. “Some may ring a bell.”

Originally Published in 1993

Reviewing the stamps on display at Park Place, Jordan points out that there’s more to be read there about Coronado’s history than the methodical laying of concrete. “You can see a lot of the Angloization of the West through these stamps,” Jordan says, pointing to a logo left 75 years ago by contractors recorded as the Camacho Brothers. “They could have come from San Ysidro or Chula Vista and they would surely have called themselves Camacho Hermanos, especially in 1926.” Another stamp on display outside the Historical Association is a record from 1909 by JW Waller, a company identifying itself as a Coronado business. “It’s as much an art form as a science, to be a good mason,” says Jordan, who happens also to have worked in the masonry business in New Mexcio and can’t help but to describe concrete as a “marvelous substance that’s been around for thousands of years.” “Most cement contractors tend to be a mom-and-pop operations,” he explains. “That’s sort of the profile for a small business; rugged, independent, and they love putting a brand on something.” A stroll along Coronado’s sidewalks, with the work of dozens of cement contractors collected here since the start of the 1900’s, serves as a mini history lesson. Through remodels and reworked regulations, they’ve managed to link the present to the past and now they wait for passing strollers to rediscover them.

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2010 Coronado Magazine | P47

The Bridge 9

Over 21,000 Tons of structural, reinforced, and pre-stressed steel in the bridge.

Proposals made before the final plan was accepted.

“It’s just something that’s very graceful, it’s elegant, it doesn’t shout at you, it kind of whispers out there.”

43,170

Gallons of paint on the bridge’s exterior. It’s painted in four coats: red primer, pink primer, dark blue, and then light blue.

–Larry Hoeksema

Caltrans employees that are dedicated to painting the bridge year-round, 5 days a week.

39,870 Cars passing over the bridge within the first 24 hours of its opening.

725,296 Cars passing over the bridge in the first month of its being open.

P48 | Coronado Magazine

90,000

Average number of cars crossing the bridge today.

in Numbers 67

Length of the girder and final piece of the bridge in feet. Robert Mosher and then governor Ronald Reagan stood on a barge on the bay watching its completion from below.

“He had a vision that this bridge was going to become a real icon in this community. And what his goal was: to make sure it was the absolute, most beautiful bridge it could be.” –Larry Hoeksema

Degrees of the bridge’s arch.

$47.6 million The price of the bond that would finance the bridge and be paid off by the toll.

2.2

Length of the bridge in miles.

Over 200

Height of the bridge at its tallest point in feet. This was required by the Navy so that its tallest ships could pass beneath it.

Concrete pillars supporting the bridge.

By Aly Brady

Originally Published in 2019

Photo Courtesy of Joany Mosher

Coronado Magazine | P49

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” - Dr. Seuss

P50 | Coronado Magazine

Small Gestures, Big Impacts by Denise Lyon and Susie Clifford

What does it take to make someone else’s day just a little bit brighter? It doesn’t come have to be expensive; it doesn’t have to take a lot of time. What it does need is thoughtfulness. It could be a compliment or a simple gesture of kindness, or just listening. Something small that says, “I see you and you are worth noticing.” In a world of big gestures and grand stances, sometimes it is the little moments in life that can turn someone’s day around. Maybe even their outlook on life. You never know the impact you may have on someone.

Coronado Magazine | P51

It’s easy to make the little moments in life just a little more special. Remember, too, that the calendar does not have to dictate celebrations. Let someone know you are thinking of them. A gesture as simple as opening the door can be uplifting. Share Bring a neighbor a latte Bring soup for someone under the weather Invite a friend for an afternoon tea or share a beer Bring treats to the office Pass along a good book Snail Mail Hand write a thank you note Send a card Compose and mail a letter Recognition Compliment someone Acknowledge accomplishments Notice a new haircut, etc. Make everyday special - use the good china Connect Call a friend you haven’t heard from in a while Be a good listener Say hello Share flowers from your garden Lend a Hand Hold the door for someone Drive a neighbor to the airport Help carry groceries Walk a friend’s dog Buy the person behind you coffee

P52 | Coronado Magazine

“

My grandmother and I wrote each other letters every few months, beginning when I was 14. We lived a few states away. I graduated high school, went away to college, married and moved again, but we continued the correspondence for 15 years. When she passed away, I found every single letter I had ever sent her. I had no idea that our correspondence had meant that much to her.

“

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” - Oscar Wilde Coronado Magazine | P53

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” - Winnie the Pooh

“

One day I answered a knock on the door. A mother and her four animated girls were waiting with smiles and a plate of homemade cookies. There was a note attached that listed the names of the girls and the parent's cell phone numbers. After introducing themselves they went to every house on the block. They learned more about the people living on our block that day than I ever knew. That small gesture inspired me to return the favor. We ended up having a fabulous dinner of pizza and pasta (the girl's favorites) together at our house. That plate of cookies turned into a lasting and sweet friendship.

“

P54 | Coronado Magazine

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies I always get compliments on these cookies. Some notes - be sure the butter is cold and make sure walnuts are very finely chopped – with some pieces as large as a pea, but with some almost a powder. This helps with the cookie’s texture. Servings: 20 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in 1/2 inch pieces 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt, or 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips * Optional 1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and very finely chopped Adjust the oven rack to the top third of the oven and preheat to 300º. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the sugars and butters together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter. Mix in the chocolate chips (*and nuts if desired). Scoop the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon balls and place 8 balls, spaced 4 inches apart, on each of the baking sheets. Bake for 18 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. Adapted from “The Great Book of Chocolate” by David Lebovitz. Sourced from https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/01/chocolate-chip-cookies/ Coronado Magazine | P55

“

I woke up feeling overwhelmed with all the work I had to do for this house remodel project and lo and behold… my good friend took the time to send me some photos and videos of her adorable granddaughter! Those pictures really cheered me up and put a big smile on my face. I was reminded that enjoying life with our loved ones is much more valuable than any house renovation. So her simple gesture of sharing photos put me in a much better frame of mind for the task ahead.

P56 | Coronado Magazine

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” - Caroline Flack Coronado Magazine | P57

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“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” – Walter Elliot

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Crystal Waters and Corning Glass … The Best of the Southern Finger Lakes

By Kris Grant

Photo courtesy of Corning and Southern Finger Lakes Visitors Bureau

It is said that God spread his fingers across New York State and when he lifted them, his impressions created what are now known as the Finger Lakes. Of course, there’s this teensy weensy little discrepancy, since there are 11 Finger Lakes! I stayed in Hammondsport in the Southern Finger Lakes on beautiful Keuka Lake. You could easily base your visit here and find much to do throughout the region! P60 | Coronado Magazine

On a visit to the Finger Lakes, you will want to make wine tasting a top activity. You’ll find it less expensive here than in California, usually around $8 to $10 for five or six tastings, and you often get to keep the glass. On the Keuka Wine Trail, I recommend three wineries: Make Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyards your first stop. Although there were already a number of wineries in the region, Dr. Frank was a pioneer of the area, bringing his native German-style Vinifera vines to the Finger Lakes in 1958 where they flourished. Dr. Frank’s grandson, Fred, is now president and Fred’s daughter (that would be Dr. Frank’s great granddaughter) Meaghan Frank is vice president of the winery, which is situated high on a southwestern hills overlooking Lake Keuka. My recommendation: Rkatsiteli 2020, named after a Georgian grape that dates back 3000 years. Weis Vineyards winemaker Hans Peter Weis grew up in the vineyards and cellar of his family winery in Zell, Mosel Germany. He spent many years learning and gaining experience in the traditional style of the Mosel. After receiving his degree in winemaking, business, and agriculture, he decided to travel to the United States on a quest to pursue his winemaking passion. After working and experiencing a vintage at Schug Carneros Estate Winey in Napa Valley, he visited a friend, Willie Frank, in Coronado Magazine | P61

Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

the Finger Lakes, and then worked for the next 11 years for Dr. Frank’s winery in a multitude of positions including vineyard manager and winemaker. Like Dr. Frank, Peter Weis found the minerality of the soil and climate similar to that of home and knew it would be the perfect place to pursue his passion of handcrafting traditional German-style wines. Both his winery and family are growing in the Finger Lakes: Peter and Ashleigh Weis last year welcomed their first child, Peter William Weis. And in its first four years of operation Weis Vineyards has expanded from its former schoolhouse tasting room, adding an enlarged tasting room, converting a barn into a tasting experience and now building a new production facility. All are located on the eastern side of Lake Keuka, allowing late afternoon sun to shine and ripen its vines to the fullest. Tip: try their unoaked Chardonnay, my favorite! Next door to Weis, Domaine LeSeurre Winery brings a touch of France to the Finger Lakes. Owner Sebastian LeSeurre hails from the Champagne region of France where he is a sixth generation winemaker; his wife and owner Celine is from the Toulouse region. The pair met while working at Clos Henri winery in New Zealand and they have since traveled the world, working harvests in the northern and southern hemispheres before opening their Finger Lakes winery in 2013.

Visit Corning, where you’ll see glass in a new light!

A visit to Corning, about 30 miles from Hammondsport, is a must! Here you can tour two wonderful museums that are connected with a free trolley that also will whisk you over to Corning’s historic Market Street district, filled with boutiques and great restaurants in 1800s-vintage buildings. At the Corning Museum of Glass, you’ll find glass works that are beautiful, whimsical, awe-inspiring and, well, just pick your adjective as there are hundreds of expressions in glass from the world’s top glass artists assembled here. But the museum is much more than this, as is the history of Corning glass. Do you use an iPhone? Who do you think made that nearly indestructible glass frame? Our world is connected via a fiber-optics network…Corning pioneered that technology. Corning continues to innovate, but sadly, not in the town of Corning. I found this out when I asked my shuttle driver to point out to me the factories and production areas of the city today. “Only the offices are here,” she said. “Production has moved to international sites, mostly Taiwan and Japan.”

Glass blowing demonstrations are ongoing daily at the Corning Museum.

Works of art in glass by artists from around the world are on display at the Corning Museum

The Rockwell Museum

What a splendid surprise this museum was! Entry can be purchased in tandem with the Corning Museum ($20 gets adults into the Corning Museum, another $8 adds the Rockwell) and the free shuttle plops you right at the entry. The Rockwell is housed in a former 1893 City Hall. Now don’t confuse it with the The Rockwell Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate housed in a Norman Rockwell Museum, which Corning’s eerly City Hall building, houses works that speak to is in Stockbridge, Massachusetts! our American heritage including Native American culture.

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This Rockwell was named after Bob and Hertha Rockwell who owned a local department store where they periodically exhibited their collection of American art and artifacts. Notable works are by Frederick Remington, James Earle Fraser, John Doddato, Andy Warhol, Thomas Hill and too many to name here. You’ll thank me, should you decide to add The Rockwell to your itinerary!

The town of Corning

All this museum viewing will surely build up an appetite. Fortunately you’ll find excellent restaurants right in the Market Street area of Corning and here are a few recommendations. For dinner, The Cellar offers great selections and half portions. Hand + Foot has an eclectic menu and next time I’ll visit the new Quincy Exchange, which has been positively reviewed by numerous media including the Food Network and Wine Enthusiast. The Butcher’s Son just won the award for Best Burger Joint in Steuben County and if barbeque is what you crave, you can visit Nickel’s Pit BBQ or Slammin’ Jammin’ Pit BBQ. Market Street in downtown Corning is filled with unique restaurants and boutiques

Get out on a Trail or Relax on the Waters

Wine trails, beer trails, hiking and biking trails, the Southern Finger Lakes is a region that’s meant for trails. The Finger Lakes were formed during the Ice Age when huge glaciers carved out the landscape, creating deep glens and grooves for waterfalls. Here you’ll find many Finger Lakes state parks to explore with easy access. Bring your camera, a picnic lunch and a bottle of Finger Lakes wine. Watkins Glen State Park, ranked by USA Today as the No. 3 State Park in the nation, has 19 waterfalls along its walkable Gorge Trail. Watkins Glen State Park is located about 20 miles from Hammondsport. If boating, fishing, or paddle boarding are of interest, you’ll find several rental facilities right in Hammondsport.

The gorge path at Watkins Glen State Park, the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, winds past 19 waterfalls. Photo courtesy of Corning and Southern Finger Lakes Visitors Bureau

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The Park Inn restaurant and hotel

I stayed at the Park Inn, right on the town square in Hammondsport, and its restaurant is by far the most popular in the city, with a large outdoor-tented structure that is likely to remain after Covid because it, like Park Inn’s culinary offerings, has proved to be very popular with locals. And with good reason, and that reason is Chef Dan Eaton. Eaton is renowned throughout the region, after hosting a television show and creating over 3000 recipes over the course of 12 years, Eaton is often stopped on the streets, with “I know you!” types of greetings. But his career in the restaurant industry stretches back another 20 years when he worked for some of Rochester’s eateries, chief among them, Rooney’s, where, “We did everything,” he said, and he continues to do so at the Park Inn. “We made our own desserts, breads, pastas. We served rabbit and then took the bones to make a specific sauce – we went deep.” Eaton has cooked at the James Beard house and staged (a French word that rhymes with lodge and means an unpaid sort of honorary internship) at such renowned restaurants as Bouley in New York and the French Laundry in Napa Valley. Chief among his success is his insistence on local ingredients and collaboration with local farmers and fishmongers.

A favorite on his menu: Mariscotta, a Portugese seafood stew. Eaton and his crew smoke their own salmon and make fish cakes from it. And he was excited about the squash blossoms coming into season. “We’ll stuff them with ricotta cheese,” he said. Eaton confesses to many 13 hours days but says “I’m so alive when I’m at work.” You might also want to try the Union Block Italian Bistro, also on the square, or drive a couple miles out of town to visit Snug Harbor, where you can enjoy Chef Roberto’s specialties while dining alfresco, overlooking Keuka Lake. My upstairs suite had been recently redone and overlooked the square. Marie, the innkeeper, inquired about my every need and invited me to an afternoon band concert in the square’s gazebo. Alas, I was visiting nearby Corning that day. But you get the picture: the innkeeper, like everyone I met in Hammondsport, including Dan Eaton, the local grocer, Dave Degolyer from the local visitor The Park Inn’s restaurant has moved outside in an all-weather tent that bureau and passersby on the street, were friendly and outgoing. I sensed may remain post Covid. they were all leading stress-free lives. Maybe it had something to do with being close to nature, overlooking a lake…and perhaps imbibing regularly in those great tasting Finger Lakes wines.

The Park Inn, circa 1861, overlooks the square in Hammondsport and has been redone into five wonderful suites with sitting areas.

Dan Eaton, Executive Chef at Park Inn

If You Go: Make www.CorningFingerLakes.com your one-stop shop for everything you’ll need for a wonderful vacation in the Southern Finger Lakes! P64 | Coronado Magazine

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The Mom “Bod” By Hattie Foote

ell, this is it. This may be where I finally cross

the line. If you have read this column before, you

know I tend to overshare. I don’t know why I’m like this and I’m sure there are times when my family/ friends wish I would zip it, but I am who I am!

Laughing about uncomfortable things is my specialty, and today’s topic is no exception. So please join me, or don’t, as I take you on the journey of a Mommy Makeover.

The phrase alone makes me cringe and seems

slightly problematic, but for those of you that are not

hot mess. I was literally so hot and sweaty as I stood naked in front of a doctor my age discussing how

he was going to slice and dice me. I finally was able to get dressed and then was given a rundown of the

price, which brought my perspiration to a whole new level. I had a ballpark in mind, and this was double. This is not the time to bargain shop, but I could not

in good conscious spend the amount of money I was

quoted. The doctor and staff were nice enough, but it was not the right fit. Thank you, next!

Another doctor and his team came highly

familiar, a Mommy Makeover is a series of procedures

recommended, so I was hopeful going into the initial

was self-conscious from years of ill-fitting bathing suit

my guy. He was knowledgeable and patient with my

to repair your body from pregnancy/breastfeeding. I

tops, dresses, bras and not to mention I was physically

uncomfortable. Having children made them even more cumbersome, so when I was done having babies my dream was to have a breast reduction. I finally felt I

was at a stage in my life where I was ready to do it. Now for as much as I preach about supporting

local businesses, I could not bring myself to use a

doctor in Coronado. This probably sounds dramatic but the thought of running into them at Vons while I was buying milk and bread panicked me. So, I

started doing my research, and started scheduling

consultations off island. My first appointment was a

Zoom call with him. Within 5 minutes, I knew he was questions, gave great advice, and most importantly wasn’t pushy which I appreciated. We decided

on a game plan of a breast reduction and a mini abdominoplasty with liposuction.

I was so excited I could hardly stand it; I wasn’t

the slightest bit nervous. The week before, I went

into the office in La Jolla for my pre-op and met with my nurse and the doctor. I got all my medication and info and prepared all week for the big day. The night before it hit me, I couldn’t believe I was actually

going through with it. I had been so excited about the results that I had kind of forgot about the actual

Coronado Magazine | P67

anesthesia/surgery part. I took the prescribed night before

through, I was a little hesitant to share my experience,

My angel mom took charge of the kids and Chris took

surgery. My goal was never to erase the markings of

valium and relaxed into a good night’s sleep.

me to the hospital. We went to the operating room and as

my anesthesiologist put me to sleep, all I remember is I kept

talking about how much I love Nicky Rottens, which is weird because I haven’t eaten there in years.

Then lights out. Next thing I know I’m waking up and

have no idea where I am or what is going on. I asked my

nurse if I was at the beach and then she explained that we

were all done! I told her to take a picture of me because I was going to write my next article about the surgery and wanted

to use that exact photo. I remember laying there confidently

thinking “wow I look gooooooood. This is going to be some groundbreaking work!”

because I believe there can still be a stigma around plastic motherhood, I still have my stretch marks and diastasis recti (separated stomach muscles) and I don’t aspire to look like the next Real Housewife of Coronado (but even if I did,

honestly who cares)? I love my mom bod, I’m proud of my mom bod, I just wanted to feel like myself. I do not think there is any shame in wanting to look and feel your best,

whether it be eating a vegan diet, coloring your hair, taking daily naps, or getting vampire facials (yes, that’s a thing).

A huge lesson I learned throughout this was after years of putting everyone before myself, it is so important to do things for yourself.

My 100-year-old Grannie was thrilled for me, but she

In hindsight, don’t do a photoshoot 10 minutes out of

did warn me not to “put your boobs on The Facebook.”

The recovery was tough the first week. Chris was up in

in a dark corner of Stake.)

anesthesia.

the middle of the night giving me pain pills and helping me to the bathroom, my mom was washing my Spanx I had to wear and cooking for the family. It was a group effort.

Now that I have had time to process what I’ve been

(Don’t tell her I flashed the finished products to my friends If you are still reading and wondering when this lady

will stop talking about her breasts, I promise you will never have to read another word about them, I just had to get that off my chest (ha-ha!).

P68 | Coronado Magazine

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529 Plans

Not Just for College Presented by Hayley Beard, financial advisor

P70 | Coronado Magazine

f you’ve heard of 529 plans, you might think they can only be used to help pay for college. And you wouldn’t be alone: less than one-third of adults properly identified that a 529 plan can be used for more than just higher education, according to a survey by Morning Consult and Edward Jones. But what are these other expenses? Before we get to them, let’s review the main benefits of 529 plans. Contribution limits are high and earnings can grow taxfree if withdrawals are used for qualified education expenses such as tuition and room and board. (Withdrawals for nonqualified distributions are subject to taxes and a 10% penalty on the earnings portion.) Plus, as the account owner, you maintain control of the plan, so you can switch beneficiaries to another qualified family member, if necessary. Now, let’s consider the other uses of 529 plans, which have been made possible by various pieces of legislation over the past few years: Student loan repayments – The average amount of student loan debt per borrower is well over $32,000, according to the Federal Reserve. So many people welcomed the news that 529 plans could be used to repay student loans. There’s an aggregate lifetime limit of $10,000 in qualified student loan repayments per 529 plan beneficiary, plus $10,000 for each of the beneficiary’s siblings. Being able to use 529 plans to repay student loans gives you some flexibility if your family members have excess balances in their accounts. K-12 expenses – A 529 plan can now be used to pay up to $10,000 per year in tuition expenses at private, public and religious elementary and secondary schools. This amount is per student, not per account. However, not all states allow 529 plans to be used for K-12 expenses

– or to be technical, some states consider K-12 tuition to be a nonqualified 529 plan expense, which means the earnings portion of a 529 plan is subject to state income taxes and possibly a “recapture” of other state income tax breaks connected with 529 plan withdrawals. So, make sure you understand your state’s rules on K-12 expenses before taking money out of your 529 plan. Apprenticeships – Not every child wants or needs to attend a college or university. And now, 529 funds can be used to pay for apprenticeship programs registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. These types of programs, which combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction, are offered at community colleges and trade schools. Once students complete their apprenticeships, they often go on to well-

Coronado Magazine | P71

paying careers in a variety of fields. And since these types of programs are typically far less expensive than a four-year college degree, a 529 plan can have a particularly long reach. The tax treatment of 529 plans for all these expenses can vary from state to state, so if you move to another state after you’ve established your plan, you’ll want to know the rules. Even if you don’t move, it’s still a good idea to consult with your tax advisor about how 529 plan withdrawals will be treated. Nonetheless, a 529 plan could be valuable to you in many ways. Consider how you might want to put it to work for you and your family. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC

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Island Icon

John L. Drehner

by Karen Scanlon

By Karen Scanlon

n old, beige princess phone with a curly cord is the most modern electronic in John Drehner’s North Park bungalow. Well, there’s also a TV with a chubby back on it, buried in the living room among his 16,000 books. John emerges with great enthusiasm and has many fond memories of Coronado. “I was born here, on May 8, 1938, at the old hospital on Orange Avenue,” he began. (His recall of dates is mesmerizing and reminds us that the Orange Avenue hospital had a short career from just 1937 to 1942.) School years were spent on the island, too, from Tiny Tots with teacher Bunny McKenzie to graduating Coronado High in 1956. John’s father, John Louis Drehner, was employed as a violinist at Hotel del Coronado from 1938 to 1952, mostly under the auspices of

Spreckels Corporation. “Dad played dinner music with a quartet on the Crown Room balcony. The Del gave lavish Christmas parties for employees and their families. We kids got ice cream, movies, and even a box of Whitman Samplers. The Crown Room in those days served three meals a day to guests and public, this until about the 1980s.” Having the run of the balcony was always merrymaking for John. “We’d climb to the second story and go through the linen storage room and just play up there.” (To the envy of many of us today.) The recent restoration of the hotel’s Laundry Building reminds John that his father also drove one of its four laundry trucks through 1962. It was a late 1930-40s red panel truck with the gold lettering of the hotel.

Coronado Magazine | P75

“As a four-year old, I rode on top of mounds of dirty laundry we’d pick up on the island and naval base. Dad called ‘em ‘fat pants.’” Officers would take a pair of pants and stuff the legs with dirty clothes. Fat pants! John’s father also played his violin in the Sky Room of El Cortez Hotel. “My vision of him is always in a tuxedo,” John said with a smile. “Even on his days off he wore a suit, tie, and hat. Sometimes I’d go to his rehearsals, but never at the Symphony or Star Light Bowl in Balboa Park. He often played the big Russ Auditorium at San Diego High School until the Civic Center was built in 1964.” Coronado in the 1940-60s was a great place to be a kid, John says. Trolleys ran, it was less crowded on the island, and anybody with a steady job could afford a house. “Kids had lots of places to play— football in the streets, war with soldiers in anybody’s back yard, build forts in vacant lots, it wasn’t congested. I always loved baseball, books, and movies. There were no traffic lights, only stop signs, and no oneway streets. This, of course, was way before the bridge came in.” “As far as I’m concerned,” John laments, “August 2, 1969 was D-Day. When that bridge opened, everything changed! If it hadn’t been for Navy SEALs and the State Park down the Strand, those high rises next to the Del would have been built all the way down to Imperial Beach, like in Miami Beach. I’m ashamed of the development in Coronado. I don’t like it!” When John was growing up in Coronado, there were two bowling alleys, two movie theaters, a lumberyard, nursery, four car dealerships, the Coronado Department Store, five gas stations, and, in the 1940-50s, a miniature golf course. “We had a courthouse until SANDAG dictated otherwise,” John says. At 19, John enrolled for college at Cal Western (on Point Loma), spent a year at Ontario’s Chaffey College, and finally graduated San Diego State College in 1962. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves and fulfilled a six-year military obligation. John continued his career working for, what was then, the Post Office Department through its 1971 transition to the U.S. Postal Service, and served 30 years at various locations. “I worked a couple of years in Coronado as mailman.”

Today John still owns the small house on Coronado’s F Street that his family purchased in 1929. “I visit a couple times each week, and let friends stay here. It’s fully furnished, two blocks from the water and three to the center of town.” John mentions that his parents, though separated much of his childhood and worked independent jobs, never ‘button-holed’ him with do’s and don’ts, that their parenting style felt balanced. Curiously, when asked, John’s advice to his 16-year old self would be, “Stay 16!” In that case, perhaps his beloved Coronado might have remained small and intimate.

P76 | Coronado Magazine

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Ryan Ara Koubeserian Koubeserian

Francine@sd-realtor.com

ryankoubeserian@yahoo.com arakoubeserian@yahoo.com

(619) 302-0234 DRE#01802654

RE/MAX Hometown Realtors

P78 | Coronado Magazine

(619) 339-9736 (619) 339-2383 DRE#01738738

DRE#0045410

CoronadoShoresCo.com Coronado Shores Co.

Find Your Agent

Neva Kaye

Myssie McCann

(619) 865-2019

(619) 435-6238

DRE#01925476

DRE#02145422

neva.kaye@sothebysrealty.com nevakayegroup.com Pacific Sotheby’s Realty

Molly Korson

(619) 808-6610

myssie@coronadoshoresco.com www.CoronadoShoresCo.com Coronado Shores Co.

Molly Haines McKay

(619) 985-2726

mollykorson1@aol.com

MollyHainesMcKay@gmail.com

DRE#01379254

DRE#01876062

Korson Properties

(619) 987-7725

mary.bowlby@compass.com DRE#01994278

Carrie Mickel (619) 630-3570

Laura Chisholm (619) 684-0040

carriemickel@bhhscal.com laurachisholm@bhhscal.com

DRE#01999494

DRE#01214452

DRE#01475331

Park Life | Compass

Ken May

(619) 254-7497

SocalKenm@gmail.com FindCoronadoRealEstate.com DRE#01260645

Compass Real Estate

(619) 279-1818

sclinton95@gmail.com DRE#01006292

Diego Ocampo (858) 200-5780

diego.ocampo@compass.com DRE#02015515

DRE#00595800

karisellscoastal.com kari@karisellscoastal.com

Steve Clinton

www.shopnadohomes.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

1200 Orange Ave LindaLomasCoronado@gmail.com

(619) 884-4193

zacharyj.thornton@outlook.com

(727) 692-6516

(619) 884-4499

Kari Lyons

(619) 209-0169

Mary H. Bowlby

Linda Lomas

Compass Real Estate

harold.nevin@compass.com DRE#00667220

Douglas Elliman

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Willis Allen Real Estate

(619) 846-1600

DRE#01911180

Olga.Lavalle@elliman.com www.HomesOlga.com DRE#01724705

karenlee.realtor@gmail.com DRE# 00962910

Harold Nevin

maryellenmcmahon.elliman.com DRE#01992431

(619) 995-6259

(619) 861-4133

DRE#01044960

Zack Thornton

Olga Lavalle

Karen Lee

kathypoundsteam@gmail.com www.KathyPoundsTeam.com

Maryellen McMahon (619) 252-4778

maryellen.mcmahon@elliman.com

CoronadoShoresCo.com mkuenhold@gmail.com Coronado Shores Co.

(619) 997-3171

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Martha Kuenhold

DRE#01369875

Kathy Pounds

Cheryl Morabito DRE#01183389

Dino Morabito DRE#01415017

Jaime Bea

(619) 357-5581

jaime.bea@compass.com DRE#01387894

(619) 987-3066

Dino@TheMorabitoGroup.com www.TheMorabitoGroup.com

Real Living Napolitano Real Estate

Meridith Metzger

(619) 850-8285

Victoria Wise (619) 519-0352

wiserealestateinfo@gmail.com DRE#01464951

meridithmetzger@gmail.com DRE#01435132 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Coronado Magazine | P79

THE KATHY POUNDS TEAM Compass Real Estate

Find Your Agent

Ken Pecus (619) 977-8419 ken@kenpecus.com

DRE#01144127

Beth Delano

DRE#0126197

(619) 847-3524 (619) 514-7740 Flagship.net

Flagship Properties, Inc.

Dalton Pepper

Tina Gavzie

daltonnado@gmail.com athomerealty.net

tinagav@aol.com MovetoCoronado.com

(619) 775-9585 DRE#02134109

At Home Realty

Carol Stanford

enoonan12@aol.com CoronadoCays LuxuryHomes.com

carol@carolstanford.com BuyCoronado.com

Noonan Properties

Compass Real Estate

DRE#00993300

Jon Palmieri

(619) 400-7583

Jon.Palmieri@compass.com www.Jonpalmieri.com DRE#01901955

ginaschnell@gmail.com

Compass Real Estate

Ed Noonan

(619) 252-1232

619-865-0650

DRE#01945038 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

DRE#: 01056969

Carrie O’Brien

Gina Schnell

(619) 987-8766 DRE#01390529

(619) 778-0955 DRE#01205962

Compass Real Estate

Suzanne Fahy (619) 841-5870 seashorepropertiescoronado@gmail.com

DRE#01454055

Tara Brown

Edith Salas

(619) 869-1547

edith@salasproperties.com

DRE#01452962

(619) 905-5780

tara92118@gmail.com

DRE#01966248

Compass Real Estate

Stephanie Baker (619) 306-6317 stephanie@salasproperties.com

Lisa Davenport (619) 261-5963

lindadavenport007@gmail.com DRE#01422713

DRE#01986654

Josh Barbera

Phyl Sarber

(619) 933-1276

(619) 957-5357

josh@salasproperties.com

(619) 865-0794 DRE#01435710

Frances MacCartee (619) 312-7466 DRE#0200954 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Nancy Parrett (619) 368-1898

Evan Piritz

(619) 600-7817

CAPT USN (ret) evan@salasproperties.com

At Home Realty

lehrpad@yahoo.com DRE#02035838

Hope Baker

(480) 221-0516

hopebake4@aol.com DRE#02030667

DRE#02022374

Ricardo Alvarez

619.302.7200

ricardo@salasproperties.com DRE #02138787

Seashorepropertiescoronado.com Seashore Properties

Tom Tilford

(619) 300-2218 tom@tomtilfordre.com

Nancyparrett@sd-realtor.com DRE#01256239

(619) 981-2750

DRE#02053563

DRE#00636519

Charlotte Rudowicz

Jill Lehr

www.salasproperties.com Salas Properties

P80 | Coronado Magazine

DRE#01897051 Real Living Napolitano Real Estate

Find Your Agent

ealth

& D

ellness

R E C T O

R Y

Crown Island Family Practice

Olga Stevens

Maria Garate

DRE#01105050

DRE#02090976

(619) 778-8011 (619) 991-5073 Olgaminvielle1@gmail.com mariagarate@willisallen.com

OlgaCoronado.com

Willis Allen Real Estate

David Udell

Chris Probasco

(619) 435-0988 (619) 435-0988

David@justlistedhomes.com Chris@justlistedhomes.com

DRE#01184568

DRE#02118648

Kevin Considine, DO 619-537-6910 230 Prospect Pl Suite 350 Coronado, CA 92118

Real Living Napolitano Real Estate

Jeff Tyler

Emily Wendell

Jtyler@cbwhomes.com JeffTylerCoronado.com

emilywendell@bhhscal.com DRE#02032915

(619) 865-7153

(619) 348-9212

DRE#01900337

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Coldwell Banker West

Dr. Suzanne Popp Dr Natalie Bailey 1010 8th Street 619-435-4444

Estela Williamson (619) 549-0501

estelawilliamson@gmail.com DRE #01394896

Prolific Real Estate

Zach Todaro

(619) 302-9239

171 C Avenue,Coronado

Erin Todaro

619-435-3155

(619) 302-0481

zach.todaro@compass.com erin.todaro@compass.com DRE#01881566 DRE#01947874

MULLINS

todarorealestate.com Compass Real Estate

Dr.Christopher W. Coulsby

Orthodontics

Renee Wilson

Scott Grimes

Joseph M. Mullins

Renee@parklifeproperties.com

Scott@parklifeproperties.com

D.D.S., M.S. (619) 510-7365

(619) 518-7501 (619) 847-4282 DRE #01192858

DRE #01391946

www.parklifeproperties.com Parklife | Compass

Kate Danilova

Chris Toogood

DRE#01997872

DRE#01882388

Dr. Stephen Moffett OD

(619) 865-3402 (619) 865-3334

Dr. Greg Giles OD

TooGoodRealty.com chris@christoogood.com Toogood Realty

Barbara Wamhoff (619) 517-8880

barbarawamhoff@gmail.com DRE#01225350

Compass Real Estate

619-435-6221

Brunilda Zaragoza

Dany Zaragoza

(619) 520-7799 (619) 520-0772 DRE#00840495

DRE#01826683

ZaragozaRealtors.com ZaragozaRealtors@gmail.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties

Coronado Magazine | P81

950 Orange Avenue Coronado, 92118

Advertise here! 619-437-8800 Patricia x203 • Amanda x204 • Renee x211

the final word Coronadans share their thoughts on

PERSEVERANCE

Perseverance is often contemplated on a large scale. Olympic athletes returning season after season to finally get their gold or the high school football team finally making it to the state championships after years of falling just shy. But perseverance is so much more than that. Perseverance is the little girl getting back on her bicycle after her 100th fall. Perseverance is the small business owner opening their shop each morning despite the uncertainty of a successful sales day. Perseverance is the flower growing between the cracks in the pavement, seemingly devoid of water or nutrients yet blooming just the same. We persevere when we dare to get back up and take one step closer to our goal, despite the obstacles laid out before us.

About perseverance some one once said “Perseverance gives power to weakness and opens to poverty the world’s wealth,” which amply defines the word: “to continue resolutely despite difficulties encountered.” We don’t have to look very far to see and think about the capital P the entire world has been living through (and with the new variant, it still is), to think of the world’s reaction to it, replacing Pandemic with the word Perseverance. Rarely, even in the World Wars of the last century has something touched the entire population of the worldregardless of political, cultural, and geographic differences. And with that has come the most inclusive and encompassing example of Perseverance. Remember the words “despite difficulties encountered,” and reflect on the human spirit and the all-encompassing will to live, exemplifying Winston Churchill’s unforgettable exclamation “Never, never give up!”

“Earn a scholarship!” The words my father would tell my three sisters and I every day as he left for work in the morning. The words I know he will continue to tell me this school year, my senior year. The words I will miss hearing from him post-graduation. Although they were always said lightheartedly and as a benediction of sorts, they reinforced an important ideal in my household: to persevere. Whichever side of the Atlantic the Navy sent my family to, wherever college sent my older sisters, perseverance as a family unit has kept me grounded. Although “earning a scholarship” didn’t mean anything to me as a third grader, I now take the phrase as a daily reminder of the importance of never giving up, the value of giving your all and giving your best so that one day, in the very close future, I will finally earn that scholarship.

Perseverance is a mindset with which I have an ongoing relationship. Like many people, I struggle with a mental illness, in my case depression, which can make day to day life a struggle. More often than not, perseverance means getting through the small things until I make it to better days. Of course, I’m also a writer which means, yes, this is heading towards an analogy. When I sit down to start a piece of writing, sometimes getting the first sentence or even word out is the hardest part while staring at a blank page. But word by word, sentence by sentence I continue building. It won’t be perfect, I’ll have to edit and rewrite, but eventually I create something ready to be published and shared with the world. And then I go back and do it again, and I hope it’s a little bit better each time. For me, hope and perseverance go hand in hand, for what are we persevering for if not in the hope of something yet to come?

Perseverance Highly successful people have failed miserably on their way to success. We all know them. What did they have in common? They all persevered. Steven Spielberg was rejected twice by the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. J.K. Rowling was a divorced, single mother down on her luck, but she penned a novel that made her richer than the Queen of England. President Lincoln failed in the military, failed at business and failed in politics only to go on to be arguably one of our best presidents. Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first TV job and Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Let’s face it – life isn’t easy and if it is, you probably aren’t living it to the fullest. We all face adversity, disappointment or defeat but we try again, we persevere - and that is the only way we ultimately succeed.

Danielle Adams, Officer, Coronado Police Dept.

Rich Brady, Brady’s Men’s Shop

Caroline Chesnut CHS Class of 2022 Editor, CHS Islander Times

Brooke Clifford Coronado Magazine Coronado Eagle & Journal

Kelly Purvis City of Coronado Arts Administrator

P82 | Coronado Magazine

We built them, We sell them, We lease them

NEW LISTINGS

El Mirador #201

$1,395,000 • 1BD/2BA

El Mirador #107

El Encanto #1001

Call Felicia Bell & Stacy Bell Begin

Call Ara Koubeserian or Ryan Koubeserian

$2,950,000 • 3BD/3BA

Call Martha Kuenhold

1BD/1BA • $1,288,000

IN ND

El Mirador PH02

El Camino #1605

357 E Avenue

$2,599,000 • 2BD/2BA

$3,500,000 • 2BD/2BA

$2,195,000 • 3BD/2.5BA

Call Ara Koubeserian or Ryan Koubeserian

Call Martha Kuenhold

Call Felicia Bell & Stacy Bell Begin

RECENT SALES ACTIVITY

Marina District PH

Cabrillo #1106

El Mirador #405

446 G Avenue

32 Catspaw Cape

Las Flores #1402

Las Flores #602

La Sierra #1608

2BD/2BA-$1,880,000 $1,699,000 • 4BD/3BA 3BD/3.5BA • $1,125,000 Ara Koubeserian and Ryan Koubeserian Felicia Bell & Stacy Bell Begin Represented Buyers Felicia Bell or Stacy Bell Begin Represented Buyer

1BD/1BA • $750,000 1BD/1BA • $1,100,000 Ara Koubeserian and Ryan Koubeserian - Rep. Buyer & Seller Felicia Bell or Stacy Bell Begin

2BD/2BA • $1,825,000 Martha Kuenhold

97 Tuna Puna

707 Orange Ave #1C

La Sierra #1207

La Sierra #405

The Cays 2BD/1.5BA • $949,000 Ara Koubeserian and Ryan Koubeserian Ara Koubeserian and Ryan Koubeserian - Rep. Buyer & Seller

3 bed/3 bath, $2,950,000, 1 bed/2 bath, $1,295,000, 2BD/2BA • $1,549,900 Felicia & Stacy • Representing Buyer John Harrington – Represented Buyer Felicia & Stacy – Represented Seller and Buyer

2 bed/2 bath, $2,687,000 Felicia & Stacy

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL? CALL US!

Myssie McCann

Felicia Bell

Stacy Bell Begin

Ara Koubeserian

Ryan Koubeserian

Raquel Fernandez

DRE#00429681 619-920-9124

DRE#02014995 619-200-9184

John Harrington

Martha Kuenhold

Broker DRE#02145422 Owner/President/Broker

DRE#00454510 619-399-2383

DRE#01738738 619-399-9736

DRE#01210260 619-200-8504

DRE#01369875 619-987-7725

DRE#453-4513 619-453-4513

Sales: 619-435-6234 • Vacation Rentals: 619-435-6238 • 800-677-5124 Veteran O wned CoronadoShoresCo.com

Coronado Magazine - September Issue

Articles inside

Celebrating Service with CDR Dominic James DiMatteo, USN Ret.

Crystal Waters & Corning Glass

Small Gestures, Big Impact

Picture-Perfect: Celebrating a Decade of Local Photography

The Final Word

529 Plans Not Just for College

The Mom “Bod”