Ocean Inspiration League of Wives Soprano’s Story
OCTOBER 2019
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IN FOCUS | SEA DREAMS
Giant kelp is an algae that grows in the cool shallower waters off our coast at a rate of 18 inches a day. Attached by holdfasts to rocks on the ocean floor, kelp forms canopies that provide a thriving ocean ecosystem.
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LESLIE CRAWFORD
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CO N T E N TS | O C TO B E R 2 01 9
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In Focus
10 Team Note 12 Notables 14 Art through Chemistry 20 League of Wives 26 Soprano's High Notes 34 Crown City History 40 Offering a Warm Welcome
The Del by Bill Pavlacka, thesandcastleman.com
44 Creative Classroom
Photo by Leslie Crawford
50 Island Girl Gets Artistic at Liberty Station
On the Back Cover: The City of Coronado's newest
54 Burger Basics
in September.
58 Finding the Right Wall Art 62 Dragon Trees
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On the Front Cover: Sand O'Lanterns in front of
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public art piece, Penelope, debuted at Tidelands Park Photo by Peter Fait Background photo: A calm morning at North Beach. Photo by Leslie Crawford
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( 619 ) 435-3185 1 2 0 C Av e n u e , S u i t e 1 5 0 , C o r o n a d o Between First & Second on C w w w. d r c o p p . c o m
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PUBLISHER | Amy Slack amy@crowncitypublishing.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER | Heather Canton heather@crowncitypublishing.com
EDITOR | Leslie Crawford leslie@crowncitypublishing.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Amy Stirnkorb MANAGING EDITOR | Martina Schimitschek PROOFREADER | Rose Wojnar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Samantha Bey, Mary Grace Braun, Karyn Frazier, Catherine Gaugh, Jessica Nicholls, Gina Petrone, Kelly Purvis, Clyde Van Arsdall IV, Christine Van Tuyl CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER John Gastaldo
Amy Slack Publisher
ADVERTISING SALES Heather Canton Advertising Director
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CROWN CITY MAGAZINE & WELCOME TO CORONADO 830 Orange Ave., Suite B • Coronado, CA 92118 (619) 435-0334 • hello@crowncitypublishing.com
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We make every effort to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If you find any, please bring them to our attention and accept our sincerest apologies.Thanks! Crown City Magazine is proudly printed by: SOUTHWEST OFFSET PRINTIING 13650 Gramercy Place • Gardena, CA 90249 (310) 323-0112 • southwestoffset.com Crown City Magazine is published monthly. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. ©2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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F R O M T H E C R OW N C I T Y M AG A Z I N E T E A M | O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
The Sweet Piece, on the Coronado High School campus, showcases Southern California sealife. It was created by Kirstin Green and high school students in 2006.
Creative Community
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rt has an amazing effect on people. It can relax the mind, inspire deep thoughts and evoke emotion. Coronado has always been a gathering place and inspiration for artists. The Coronado Art Association is celebrating its 75th year. Early photographs highlight the same scenes that still captivate us today. Opera singers from around the world have had homes in town, and music is still a big part of our culture. In 2011, the City of Coronado formed the Cultural Arts Commission, giving art a solid foothold in Coronado. The Commission consists of seven volunteer commissioners serving threeyear terms, who are appointed by the City Council through a public application process, and is staffed by Kelly Purvis, a senior analyst with the City of Coronado. It’s an understatement to say that Kelly is doing a fantastic job. Watching her in action, it is obvious her work is a labor of love. With her strong and active group of commissioners, she works hard to promote the creative men and women behind the art we see all over town. Her 10
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ability to connect different organizations to develop creative collaborations has added to the culture and quality of life in our city. Kelly is one of the jewels in Coronado’s crown. In our October issue, we meet artist Michele Pruyn, soprano Diane Alexander and Coronado High School art teacher Anna Woerman, who is inspiring a new generation of artists. We learn the history of Donal Hord’s public art, and in the Spaces feature we get tips for hanging art in our homes. Island Girl takes us over the bridge to soak up the art scene at Liberty Station. To round out the issue, we learn the “Art of the Burger,” and in our Giving Back feature see the good works happening at Coronado SAFE as they welcome new families into Coronado via the Aloha Club. Coronado’s art community is thriving. We all benefit from the creativity of our fellow residents, so take some time to immerse yourself in the inspiration that surrounds us. — Leslie Crawford, Editor
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Oct. 4 SAIL WITH THE MAYOR 5:30-7:30pm Aolani Catamaran Sailing is hosting a sail to benefit the Coronado Schools Foundation. Mayor Richard Bailey will be attending along with Coronado Schools Foundation members. The two-hour sail will pick up guests at Peohe’s dock at the Ferry Landing. Tickets, which need to be purchased in advance, are $110 and include two drinks and appetizers by Chef Drew of Second Nature Catering. Information: eventbrite.com Through Summer 2020 DEL ON THE ROCKS The Hotel Del’s Main Pool and Sun Deck restaurant will be closed as part of the hotel’s $200 million transformation. During this time, guests will be provided complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas, and the Coronado Community Pool will be available for use. On The Rocks, The Del’s new food-truck and
beverage trailer will be open next to Del Beach. Open to the public, On The Rocks offers beach favorites from yellowfin tuna poke bowls and fries, to sandwiches and salads. Beverage Bar and Trailer has a selection of local beers on tap as well as wines and cocktails. Or hop on the bicycle blender and cycle up a batch of PeachMango Morning Sunshine any time of day. Oct. 10 TASTE OF CORONADO 5-9pm Take a culinary trip around the world during the 10th annual Taste of Coronado, presented by Coronado Junior Woman’s Club. This year’s beneficiary is Camp Able, a non-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment of the disabled community through an increased appreciation and awareness of abilities in a fun and safe aquatic environment. Tickets are $45 in advance, $50 the day of the event. Information: atasteofcoronado.com.
For a complete listing of events, visit CoronadoCalendar.com
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Story by SAMANTHA BEY
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ichele Pruyn’s goal was to become a dentist as she studied toward a double major in English literature and chemistry at UC San Diego. “I’ve always really liked chemistry because it’s a lot like math – it’s very analytical and there’s always a right answer,” Pruyn explained. But as her graduation approached in 2004, she was having trouble finding the right answer. She had been working for the UCSD free dental clinics and the 1000 Smiles Project providing dental care for those in need. She had also been accepted to four different dental schools. But her work in the clinics had shown her that, while she really loved the people and the detailed-oriented work, she found little joy in the practice. In a bit of serendipity, she attended a wedding the summer after graduation, still questioning her next move. There, she ran into her beloved high school art teacher, Mary Ussery. Pruyn had
Artist finds career path through chemistry
Going with the Flow 14
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“I’m always at the beach and my pieces just remind me of it.”
JOHN GASTALDO
MICHELE PRUYN
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COURTESY OF MICHELE PRUYN
The artist holds up a newly finished shape of Coronado.
taken art class at Coronado High School with Ussery all four years, dabbling in everything from silk screening T-shirts to ceramics and painting, which became the medium she enjoyed most. Ussery came right out and told Pruyn, a 1990 CHA graduate, she was disappointed Pruyn hadn’t gone into something art related. “I was really surprised to hear that,” said Pruyn, who hadn’t really ever considered that an option. But she was intrigued. The two exchanged numbers and shortly thereafter got together at Ussery’s home to have some wine and paint together. “It felt really funny to drink wine with my former teacher,” Pruyn said. “But we really had a lot of fun and it got me back into painting.” She also remarked, laughing, that the wine 16
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helps to soften her perfectionism and relax into the artistic process. Appropriately, in those painting sessions she began an oversized acrylic painting of a wine bottle with two wine glasses, which she finished at home and hung on a wall. A visitor saw the piece asked where she had bought it. Between that inquiry and her revelation that she wouldn’t be happy going to dental school, she realized this art thing might be something to pursue professionally. Pruyn had always been an active volunteer with the San Diego Humane Society as a cat companion, and she’s had pets all her life. In another turn of events on her newfound path, a fellow volunteer commissioned her to do a painting of his dog. He was very pleased with her work, the word spread | O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
and she began receiving frequent commissions for pet paintings. At the same time, she began experimenting with silversmithing jewelry, hand stamping her pieces. She gave them out as thank yous to those who hired her to do pets portraits. Once again, that venture took on a life of its own and soon she was busier than ever. In fact, Pruyn said, a little too busy. She pulled away from pet portraits but continues making jewelry, which she began selling wholesale. In 2011, she wanted to start creating more functional pieces like serving platters, cheeseboards, dishes and coasters. “I love making beautiful pieces that celebrate happenings and make the everyday more special.” Tapping in to her love for chemistry, she experimented with resin to coat the pieces.
COURTESY OF MICHELE PRUYN
Each piece Michele creates is a unique mixture of color pigments JOHN GASTALDO
One day, she poured resin over a coaster that she had painted, but the paint had not fully dried. To her happy surprise, “it all mixed together in this crazy fluid movement,” she said. She was immediately excited to play with this new medium. “Working with resin is like one big science experiment,” Pruyn said. “Different resins have different densities and viscosities, and their thickness dictates how pigment reacts and moves. Every day I’m learning something new.” Now, Pruyn mixes all her own color pigments. She then adds the pigments to resin and either pours, paints and even uses her hands to apply the mixture to functional art pieces or fine art. She also works with Jenna’s Custom Signs of Coronado, owned by a Jenna Boraby who cuts wood into shapes of Coronado and California, which Pruyn lays over with her resin mixtures. As a Coronado native and someone who loves the beach, her pieces have taken on a primarily ocean and coastal aesthetic. “I’m always at the beach and my pieces just remind me of it,” Pruyn said. She explained that about 80 percent of her pieces are ocean colors of deep blues and greens, and 20 percent are other colors, with names like “Coronado Golden Sands.” “People love the ocean – and these pieces are a way to bring it and its soothing elements indoors,” she said. “The resin really has the flow, and depth that you can see in the movement of the ocean.” It’s hard for Pruyn to choose a favorite piece: “I think I have a new favorite every week,” she said, though she recently did a tabletop that she loves. Another special project was done on a wood carving of California. She cut out a heart shape from an abalone shell and inlaid it in the resin right over San Diego for a customer who was moving away. “Art is about losing yourself in the best way possible. Lost in a memory, a dream, a moment, an escape, a fantasy,” she said. But along the winding road of her artistic career, Pruyn has very much found her way.
she mixes with resin, applying the mixture by painting, pouring or using her hands.
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RICHARD NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM
From left, Carole Hanson, Louise Mulligan, Sybil Stockdale, President Richard Nixon, Andrea Rander and Pat Mearns at a news conference.
Fighting for a Cause Exhibition recounts women’s campaign to bring home POWs By KELLY PURVIS
B
y 1969, after almost a decade and a half of involvement, the Vietnam War was losing support as horrific images of the war came into living rooms daily via television. While the anti-war movement triggered violent protests in America, a drama involving captured American pilots was unfolding, and Coronado had several military families involved. Coronado was in the spotlight with the capture and imprisonment of James Bond Stockdale, a senior naval officer. His wife, Sybil, stepped out of the shadows of the traditional role of military spouse and organized a campaign to bring Jim and many more prisoners of war home. 20
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In April 1970, an article in the Coronado Journal announced the formation of a committee of Coronado citizens to help local POW families promote humane treatment for POWs, called I Care. Sybil Stockdale served on that committee. Coronado women were starting to organizie to do what the American government was unable to do – bring their husbands and fathers home. The League of Wives: Vietnam’s POW/MIA Advocates& Allies, a new exhibition at the Coronado Historical Association, focuses on the work of these warrior wives. The display focuses on the primary role played by Sybil Stockdale and other Navy wives in the | O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
community. Curated by Heath Hardage Lee, the 2017 Dole Archives Curatorial Fellow, the exhibition is based on her recently released book The League of Wives: The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the U.S. Government to Bring their Husbands Home. (2019/St. Martin’s Press). The exhibition features photographs, artifacts and oral histories. The Vietnam War challenged the role of military spouse, proving that “the right wife” was not only an asset for a man in the military, but also the difference between life and death. Sybil Stockdale founded the National League of Families and worked tirelessly for the re-
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Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale cowrote their book In Love & War: The Story of a Family’s Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam Years in 1984.
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DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS ARCHIVES, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
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Sybil Bailey and Jim Stockdale met in Annapolis, Maryland in 1946, marrying a year later.
lease of America’s POWs. Hardage’s story begins with an idyllic description of Coronado. A Coronado in the pre-bridge early 1960s, where children played unattended and where the Stockdale family with four boys lived in a shingled Craftsman home on the 500 block of A Avenue. It was unthinkable that the families of this quaint community would soon endure one of the biggest dramas of the Vietnam War. The book traces the courtship of James and Sybil, from their first date in Annapolis, Maryland, on Easter weekend 1946 to their brief courtship and marriage in June 1947. According to Hardage, “Sybil slid right into her new role as a wife, mother and hostess. The relatively peaceful and prosperous fifties made for a fortunate time to gain her footing as a Navy wife.” But the ’50s wife turned advocate despite the government’s efforts to keep wives quiet, dealing with multiple layers of government and presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon. Sybil commented that there were dark days under Johnson and bright days under Nixon. Henry Kissinger, who served as secretary of state and national security advisor under Nixon and 22
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Sybil Stockdale, a leader of the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, meets with Senator Bob Dole to discuss the mistreatment of POWs.
The League of Wives: Vietnam’s POW/MIA Advocates & Allies Oct. 5 through March 31, 2020, Coronado Historical Association, 1100 Orange Ave. Free. coronadohistory.org
A Conversation with Heath Hardage Lee Oct. 4, 5:30pm, Coronado Performing Arts Center, 650 D Ave. The author will be interviewed by Dean Nelson, founder of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea and author of “Talk to Me: How to Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers, and Interview Anyone Like a Pro.” The event will include an audience Q&A, an author book signing and refreshments. Books will be available for purchase. Information and tickets: CoronadoHistory.org. Presented by Coronado Historical Association, Coronado Cultural Arts and Coronado Public Library
President Gerald Ford commented to one military husband, “Your wife, she gave me so much trouble.” Spoiler alert for those who don’t know how the story ends: Sybil was awarded the Navy’s Distinguished | O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
Public Service Award for her efforts on behalf of the POWs and their wives during the Vietnam War. She is the only wife of an active-duty officer ever awarded the medal, and she wore it proudly at Jim’s memo-
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Sybil and Jim Stockdale – In Love and War
rial service. Sybil and Jim remained active in Coronado until their deaths. Jim passed away in 2005 and Sybil in 2015. The Stockdales loved this community. Jim confirmed their stake in a homecoming interview. “When I first came home from prison, my sons each took me aside,” he said, “one by one they asked me not to sell the house. This is their home and our home.” Sybil’s obituary states she was “the driving force behind the national movement to end the torture and mistreatment of American POWs in Vietnam and ensure that they were able to return home with honor.” After that, it says she was the wife of Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale. Like her husband, she made her mark in this world for her service but was never forgotten as the wife of Jim. • Kelly Purvis is a senior management analyst for the city of Coronado and works in support of arts and culture and the Cultural Arts Commission. CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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Soprano’s career fueled by grit and determination
High Notes B y CATHERINE GAUGH
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BENJAMIN STREET
ow great would it be to live next door to Diane Alexander? The opera singer and voice teacher exercises her voice every day, whether running through the scales or singing a favorite song. What a glorious voice it is, too, a high dramatic coloratura soprano. In the opera world, this is considered rare, expressive and powerful. “My voice is part of my identity,” Alexander said. “It is a big part of me. If I don’t warm up every day, I feel incomplete. When I do, it makes my day amazing.” Hearing her sing would also be a mood-lifter for the neighbors. Alexander had a 30-year career in opera and musical theater, a life she describes as both wonderful and difficult. While she has settled into a quieter life in Coronado, she still performs. Her most recent appearance was a 90-minute recital in the Coronado Public Library in August. It was the final concert of the library’s Summer Festival, and 175 people filled the foyer and two adjacent rooms to hear her tell a little of her life story
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My voice is part “ of my identity. It is a big part of me. If I don’t warm up every day, I feel incomplete. When I do, it makes my day amazing.
”
DIANE ALEXANDER
Diane Alexander performs in Susannah with the Nashville
DENIS RYAN KELLY JR
Opera.
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Diane Alexander and her husband, Jim Scanlon. Left: Diane performs in The Merry Widow, a production with the Nevada Opera.
and sing songs that had significant meaning for her at various stages of her career. When did she know she wanted to be a singer? “I think I came out of the womb singing,” Alexander said. Born, raised and schooled in Rhode Island, Alexander sang in both the children’s and the adult’s choir in her church. She took voice lessons starting at age 15. That’s when she discovered that her powerful soprano belonged in opera. “I sang with a few rock bands when I was young, but I was always drawn to classical singing and liturgical music,” she said. 28
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After graduating from Rhode Island College in 1985, Alexander set out to audition for work and opportunities to develop her skills. She was selected for two prestigious young artist programs. The first was the Tanglewood Music Festival in western Massachusetts, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. “It was my first taste of being around the greats,” she said. “I met (legendary composer and conductor) Leonard Bernstein, who conducted a program of music by Aaron Copland. It was Copland’s 80th birthday, and he was in the | O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
audience.” Next was three months of intensive study, practice and coaching in San Francisco. She learned roles and kept refining her techniques. After that, she traveled to New York City and other parts of the country to audition. Between gigs, she returned home to work so she could pay her bills, mostly in the office of a real estate appraiser. “It’s the artist’s life, isn’t it? I never waited tables, though,” she said. “The opera world can be very tough,” Alexander said. “It is a challenging art form, and it is frustrating. A lot of times you’ll audition, and you won’t get the part. There is a lot of rejection, and you need to be able to handle it. “I had a successful career because I had commitment and discipline in addition to my passion,” she continued. “It is not enough to be talented. It’s not your talent that moves you ahead, but your grit.” Alexander has appeared in numerous productions of The Merry
TRACI ARNEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Diane, pictured here in the production A Little Night Music in North Carolina, traveled extensively in her career as an opera singer.
Wives of Windsor, La Traviata, Cosi Fan Tutte, Pearl Fishers, and many more. Shortly after a New York audition for the famed theatrical producer and director Hal Prince, she was invited to sing the part of Carlotta in Phantom of the Opera in San Francisco. “Eight performances a week for a year,” she said. “It was brutal.” She appeared in San Diego Opera’s Of Mice and Men, 20 years ago, and rented a condo in the Coronado Shores. She called on the building manager, Jim Scanlon, to fix a few things. “Later, I married him,” Alexander said. For the first 10 years of their marriage, she was on the road almost constantly. “I have sung on stage in every state except Alaska,” she said. Scanlon would fly to different cities to watch her perform, and they would spend vacation time together. The 2008 economic recession, however, forced opera companies all
• For more about Diane Alexander’s art, awards and voice academy, go to dianealexandervoiceacademy. com • View her performance at the Coronado Public Library at youtu.be/yi6z8Cux3EM
over the country to cut costs; some closed down. Roles were scarce. Alexander started to spend more time at home. She’s devoted herself to living a healthy lifestyle, and Coronado is perfect for that: yoga, the gym, bicycling and walking the dogs – a black Labrador retriever and a tiny Brussels Griffon. Alexander has a number of gal pals she hangs out with and a 6-year-old grandson, who lives with his mother, Scanlon’s daughter, in Orange County. Scanlon is still the building manager at Coronado Shores and comes
home for lunch every day. “It takes a special kind of person to do that job,” she said. “He’s worked there 38 years and I think he’s in it until retirement.” Alexander at first missed the bustle and excitement of the opera world, but eventually let her feelings about it go. “I found other opportunities to express my art,” she said. One way was to use her experience and her voice to teach others. She opened a voice academy in her home in 2012. “My students range in age from 10 to 77,” Alexander said. “They have different reasons for coming to me. The very young ones see themselves having a stage career; I was like that at their age. Some students just want to sound better when they sing in the church choir. And a few of them don’t ever sing in front of anyone but think voice lessons are a lot of fun. “I am so blessed to have them all.” CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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This beautiful October birthstone is an Australian opal set in a 14-karat white gold
Muhl Jewelers Since 1941
handmade, one-of-a-kind pendant.
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Crown City History I N C O L L A B O R AT I O N W I T H H O T E L D E L C O R O N A D O & C O R O N A D O H I S T O R I C A L A S S O C I AT I O N HOTEL DEL CORONADO
Taking the Plunge By GINA PETRONE, H E R I TA G E M A N A G E R HOTEL DEL CORONADO
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hen Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888, one of its most popular attractions was surf and still-water bathing. According to an 1889 brochure, “the temperature of the air and of the sea is about equal both in winter and summer; consequently there are extraordinary inducements for surf bathing all year round.” Originally a bathhouse had been built onto the hotel’s boathouse. By 1890, it was replaced just south of the hotel where the parking lot is now with a larger, more permanent version with high ceilings, windows and two saltwater swimming tanks with sloping cement bottoms. Called plunges, the cold tank was kept at about 70 degrees and the hot tank at about 84 degrees. The San Diego Union reported variations in temperatures on a daily basis. After Tent City opened in
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Guests enjoy the warm bathhouse at the turn of the 20th century.
1900, an open-air, cement-lined swimming tank was added and dedicated “for the exclusive use of the little tots and ladies who are too timid for surf bathing.” For more experienced swimmers, floats with springboards and a high diving tower were placed in Glorietta Bay. A young man named George Griffiths came to work at Tent City in the 1920s and oversaw all water activities. He also performed in weekend water shows and entertained the crowds with his acrobatic high dives. In 1934, the old landmark bathhouse gave way to progress when The Del built its first oceanside swimming pool. Construction
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began in May, and a commemorative cornerstone, placed by Lillie Spreckels Wegeforth, daughter of longtime Del owner John D. Spreckels, was laid in June. By July, a growing anticipation for the new pool led to a rumor that a local man “took matters in his own hands and christened the pool quite early one morning last week by swimming au natural.” The new outdoor “Turquoise Pool,” was, like the bathhouse, filled with warmed ocean water. According to a 1959 publication, the pool could hold 200,000 gallons of seawater, which was pumped through filters from an adjoining well sunk down 250 feet. The pool was drained, cleaned and
Oct. 1, 1935
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
President Franklin Roosevelt stayed at the Hotel del Coronado after visiting the California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park. During his stay, the four-star presidential flag flew from the hotel’s center flagpole, making the hotel the official White House for the short time he was in residence. The next day, Roosevelt visited Naval Air Station San Diego, aka North Island, before departing Coronado.
Oct. 5, 1936 The first PBY-1 “Flying Boat” came to North Island’s VP-11 squadron. “PB” stood for Patrol Bomber and the “Y” designated the manufacturer. This new seaplane was constructed across San Diego Bay at the Consolidated Aircraft plant, owned by Maj. Reuben H. Fleet. In 1937, the U.S. Navy ordered 60 PBY aircraft from Consolidated, the largest single order of military aircraft since World War I.
Oct. 6, 1890 LESLIE CRAWFORD COLLECTION
refilled with fresh ocean water every night, heated by steam. The sand that surrounded the pool was warmed by steam pipes beneath the surface and canvas-covered cabanas were constructed on the far side of the pool where guests could catch an ocean breeze by raising the back panels. Griffiths, of Tent City fame, was placed in charge of the new pool facilities, and children’s recreation revolved around the pool for many years, including diving and swimming lessons, diving exhibitions, water races and “penny diving” where children dove in after pennies tossed in the pool. Celebrities also discovered The Del’s new swimming pool, starting with Mae West, who inspected the pool during a visit in July 1934. Over the years, guests such as Helen Hayes, Kirk Douglas, Rosalind Russell, Robert Stack, Johnny Weissmuller, Esther Williams and Eleanor Roosevelt all enjoyed time at the iconic pool. In 1961, the cabanas and pool area were renovated, and the pool was converted to freshwater in 1967. In 1976, construction started on the poolside addition. When it opened 1979, the 86,000-squarefoot project added 96 guestrooms, a snack bar with kitchen, beverage service and more than two acres of outdoor lounging space around the pool. The sand and diving board were removed, the pool became shorter, narrower and shallower, but it has remained a refreshing retreat for 85 years.
San Diego residents voted to segregate Coronado from San Diego with 1,577 ayes and 1,095 nays, allowing Coronado to govern itself.
Oct. 7, 1936 Tent City advertised new, beautifully furnished twobedroom cottages, ocean or bay front, complete electric refrigeration, light, water and garage for $37.50/month. Others cottages could be leased for $15/month.
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The first apartment building with a swimming pool opened at 840 G Ave. Besides the heated pool, there were 11 two-bedroom units with garbage disposals, built-ins, carpeting and offstreet parking on a 75-by-140-foot lot. LESLIE CRAWFORD COLLECTION
Oct. 12, 1961
Albert Bram opened the La Avenida restaurant at 1301 Orange Ave., on the corner of B Avenue. The restaurant debuted in a newly built Spanish-style building that was designed by Walter Vestal. Renowned artist Alfredo Ramos Martinez painted murals that hung in the restaurant. (Two of the murals are preserved in our library as public art). Bram also brought in Jack Clapp, who was known for his romaine salad that became famous at Tijuana's Caesar's restaurant. At La Avenida, the salad was a big hit and was known as “Jack’s” romaine salad. The adjoining hotel was constructed in 1956.
Oct. 13, 1938
President Roosevelt authorized the Navy to formally take custody of Rockwell Field on North Island. Rockwell Field officially became the Navy’s South Field at noon, increasing the Navy base from 567 acres to 1,320 acres.
Oct. 25, 1935
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Donal Hord’s enduring legacy By M A RY G RAC E B RAU N C O R O N A D O H I S T O R I C A L A S S O C I AT I O N
H
ave you ever wondered who created the elaborate architectural panels on the 7th Street side of Coronado High School? These limestone panels, known as The Legend of California, were done by acclaimed sculptor Donal Hord in 1939. They depict Hord’s creative vision of the founding of California. At the center of the artwork sits the mythical Amazonian Queen Calafia, after whom California was named. Flocking toward her from both sides are members of various ethnic groups that have made up the population of the state, as explained in the San Diego History Center’s description of this artwork. Hord was born Donald Horr in Prentice, Wisconsin, in 1902. According to the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission, his mother changed his name when he was 6 years old, following his parents’ divorce. She took the second “d” from “Donald” and replaced it with the second “r” in Horr to form the name Donal Hord, which he adopted from that point on. Hord moved to San Diego in 1916. He honed
CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
The final Coronado High School football game was played on Cutler Field. Home to the present Coronado Middle School and playing field, the original field covered an entire block from 5th to 6th streets between F and G avenues. For 70 years, the field hosted over 500 football games and yearly high school graduations, as well as countless other sports and community activities.
Oct. 9, 1995
LESLIE CRAWFORD
Donal Hord sculpted the Legends of California panels at Coronado High School in 1939.
his artistic skills at the Santa Barbara School of Arts, according to information gathered by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. A recipient of the Gould Scholarship, he spent a year in Mexico studying traditional Olmec and Zapotec art. Hord was ahead of his time with his mastery of a wide variety of materials. “Hord was a part of the ‘direct carving’ school of sculpture, meaning that rather than carving from a previously produced model, Hord allowed his work to be influenced by the grain of the material he was carving,” according to the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission. Another local Hord treasure is the 1959 granite sculpture of the Mourning Woman, inside the Coronado Public Library. In addition to bronze, limestone and granite, Hord created sculptures using minerals such as diorite, jade, obsidian. He also experimented with various tropical woods including mahogany, ebony and eucalyptus. These unusual ma-
terials were difficult to work with, proving just how skilled Hord was. He was willing to take risks, leading to many stunning sculptures that have endured through the decades. Hord created nearly a dozen sculptures throughout San Diego, many funded by the Work Projects Administration. According to the San Diego History Center, Hord’s 23-foot Guardian of the Waters at the west entrance to the San Diego County Administration Building is his largest U.S. sculpture. Constructed from 1937 to 1939, this granite piece weighs 16 tons. At San Diego State University, Hord’s Aztec sculpture from black diorite, created from 1936 to 1937, influenced the school’s mascot. In Balboa Park, Hord’s Woman of Tehuantepec limestone sculpture is a popular treasure, created in 1935. The San Diego artist died in 1966, but his legacy lives on through his stunning artwork throughout the community.
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GIVING BACK | CORONADO SAFE
Aloha Spirit Club extends a warm welcome and a helping hand to newcomers BY CATHERINE GAUGH
E
very one of us has been the new person at some point in life. New on a job, new member of a club or new to a neighborhood. Recall how relieved you were when someone stepped up to you to show you the ropes and introduce you around. “A warm welcome is a real gift,” said Jennifer Shoemaker, who for two years chaired a program that makes sure newcomers to Coronado are made to feel welcome and connected with their new community. It is called the Aloha Club; the name suggests the Hawaiian way of saying hello in the spirit of peace, love and harmony. “Moving is stressful,” Shoemaker said. “You don’t know anyone. You might be in the middle of unpacking boxes, but you have to find your way
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around. You have to register the kids in school. You have a lot of questions and don’t know who to call.” The Aloha Club is a support system aimed at helping newcomers with all these issues, starting with a welcome gift delivered by volunteers: a bag filled with information on schools, the recreation department, the library, available family services and, perhaps the most immediately useful item, a map of the island. This may be reminiscent of the old Welcome Wagon efforts that were generally sponsored by chambers of commerce to advertise businesses in town. The Aloha Club, which is managed by Coronado SAFE (Student And Family Enrichment), has a different purpose altogether. The goal of the Aloha Club is to ensure that new families are connected. Research shows that connection is a key protective factor in preventing issues such as anxiety, depression, suicide and drug abuse, all of which impact our community.
LESLIE CRAWFORD
Aloha Club volunteers fill welcome bags with all kinds of useful information for new arrivals to Coronado.
It is the mission of Coronado SAFE to provide preventions and interventions to improve the social and emotional health of youth and their families in Coronado. The Aloha Club is one of the pathways to that goal. How it started Several years ago, Amy Byrne, a military mom, suggested mobilizing community volunteers to welcome each new family with a basket of information and insider tips about living in Coronado. Coronado SAFE launched it as the Ambassador program in 2012, said Georgia Chakos Ferrell, the executive director of
Coronado SAFE. SAFE partners with the Navy, the public schools and the private schools to reach the new families. “Sometimes we get 100 new families in a year,” said Gia Del George, the director of programs and clinical counseling for Coronado SAFE. About 65 percent of newcomers are attached to the Navy, and of those, few stay longer than two or three years, she said. When Shoemaker and her family arrived in Coronado three years ago, she received a welcome bag and a visit from a local volunteer. “I was so grateful,” Shoemaker said. “It really made me feel welcomed.” CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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LESLIE CRAWFORD
Each new family receives a handwritten note from the Aloha Club.
After her first year in town, she offered to help and was quickly appointed chairman. She expanded the number of volunteers and founded a family-match program, in which volunteers offer to be mentors for one or two families for a year. She also came up with the new club name. How it works “Several volunteers get materials for the welcome baskets,” Del George said. “The recreation department usually contributes a schedule of activities and a day pass for free use of the pool. The Cultural Arts Commission this year gave us bookmarks. We have 42
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information on the library, the senior center and the police department. In addition, Coronado SAFE puts together a packet with tips for connecting to the community along with programs and resources available for families that might be struggling. “The volunteers gather on a | O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
Friday afternoon early in September to pack the bags and get them ready for delivery,” she continued. “That’s also when they all look through the list of new families to find those with similar interests and to become a family match. “It could be geographic, that the family is moving into their neighborhood, or that the kids will go to the same school,” Del George said. “It could even be something like an interest in volleyball or Little League.” The volunteers write letters to their “match” families, welcoming them and offering to be their guide to the community during their first year here. The match volunteers
also invite the newcomers to gatherings so they can meet some of their neighbors. Last year, 25 volunteers stepped forward to help 50 new families.
COURTESY OF KRISTINA QUESADA
Community Involvement “Coronado SAFE is a small organization. It is the community volunteers that makes the Aloha Club so successful.” Ferrell said. “The truth is that any member of the community can take on the Aloha Club spirit and welcome new neighbors, reach out to new co-workers or simply say hello to people walking by. Even if you still haven’t met your neighbor that moved in across the street last year, tell them you read this article and it inspired you knock on their door to introduce yourself. Of course, bringing a homemade treat is always wonderful, but store-bought cookies are good, too. When we as a community understand the impact of connection and how it plays a role in our lives and our overall happiness, maybe we will all just reach out to each other a little more.” For more information about Coronado SAFE and the Aloha Club, call (619) 522-6884 or go to www. CoronadoSAFE.org
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LESLIE CRAWFORD
CREATIVE SPACE
Art Teacher Fosters Imagination and Connection
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By SAMANTHA BEY
A
CHS art teacher Anna Woerman instructs her students, paying forward the mentoring she received from her CHS art teacher Laura Hill.
s far back as first grade, Anna Woerman remembers getting a flutter of excitement in her stomach when art time approached. “I always looked forward to that time of day,” she said. “It was my happy time.” Woerman was raised in a Navy family, so growing up she never spent more than two years in one spot. When she came to Coronado and started high school in 11th grade, she had a difficult time adjusting. “It was a tough year,” she remembered. But she signed up for Laura Hill’s art class and immediately felt a sense of belonging. “I was really struggling, but in Laura’s class I felt confident and happy. She really helped me find my groove.” Woerman said. “She had an amazing way of guiding and teaching us while also giving us autonomy to explore our art. She gave us the autonomy to do things like planning our own art shows. More than anything, she was a turning point in my otherwise unhappy transition to the school by really fostering a special place for me.” Woerman continued on to advanced art with Hill in her senior year, focusing primarily on acrylic painting. After she graduated in 1997, she attended Mesa College, earning a degree
in interior design. She then enrolled at San Diego State University and went straight into an international art program in Italy that would give her college credit. The year-long intensive course in Florence focused on drawing. She returned to SDSU her senior year, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in art with an emphasis on painting as well as a minor in Italian. After graduating from SDSU, Woerman got a job with an interior design firm that worked with model homes. “I knew it may be hard to get a job in art, so I pursued interior design for about five years, all while still drawing, painting, and doing photography on the side,” Woerman said. But Woerman began to feel a bit bored with interior design. “My real passion was in art,” she said. She learned of a free continuing-education class in graphic design and editing; a rigorous one-year course that required attendance five nights a week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. She enrolled hoping to learn something new and soon found that she’d made a good choice. Just as she finished the year, the impending housing crash began gutting the interior design industry, and she was laid off. While grappling with what to do CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANNA WOERMAN
next, she received a phone call, from Kris McClung, the founder of the Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) who knew her from high school and needed someone immediately to teach a course in digital media arts. “I was not a teacher, and I was really not interested,” Woerman said. “Besides Laura’s art class, I really didn’t have a great experience there, plus I had no experience in teaching. But she really pushed me to do it. Since I didn’t have a whole lot else going on, I went for it.” Woerman was able to begin teaching with a Career Technical Education (CTE) Credential, which allows people with industry experience to teach in their field and pursue a teaching credential while they work. The assignment was for only one class a day from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., but it was a start. About a week later, then-principal Karl Mueller asked her to take on the first period photography course as well. Shortly thereafter, a long-term substitute position came up for a yearbook teacher, which she also took on. Before she knew it, she was a first-year teacher with three different classes. “I was really launched into teaching, but I decided to just lean into it.” Feeling a bit overwhelmed, she received a phone call from another Coronado alum and CHS teacher, Matt Heinecke. “He shared a lot of tips about classroom management and what to expect and how to deal with things that might come up,” Woerman said. “It was so helpful and really meaningful that he made that effort to reach out.” Despite her initial resistance, Woerman had found her niche at CHS. The following year, she was hired as the full-time yearbook teacher as well
Top: Woerman with a group of study-abroad students in Japan, one of many places she has traveled with students to study and practice art. Bottom: With her Coronado High School art teacher, Laura Hill.
as the graphic design teacher for CoSA Digital Arts. She’s now in her 12th year at CHS. “If I ever hired a creative mind to help me with something, it would be Ms. Woerman. She is an extremely talented artist with an eye for design and beauty,” said Shane Schmeichel, Coronado High School’s principal. She is regularly commissioned for paintings and photography, and often participates in art shows. And she manages an Instagram account highlighting the beauty in her dayto-day experiences, including her adventures as a foodie, her dream| O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9
LESLIE CRAWFORD
ily decorated Bankers Hill apartment and a series she calls “Shoes with Something Yellow,” featuring her shoed feet in all sorts of quirky locations involving the color yellow. Remembering the way Hill had forged a meaningful connection for her in high school, cultivating a classroom that is a safe space for her students to grow and thrive has always been a priority for Woerman. She wanted to know more education theory, so she pursued a Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of San Diego on the side, graduating in 2017 and completing her “Action Research Project” (akin to a thesis) on creating a classroom environment that fosters connection and creativity. “I want my classroom to be a place where students can take risks with their art. That means building a culture where we listen to each other, hear what is important to one another and find out meaningful things about each other,” she explained. One activity she does is a “culture bag,” asking students to bring in three items that say some
Woerman's goal is to foster connection and creativity in her classroom.
thing about who they are and share with the class. “You really learn a lot about them,” Woerman said. Pursuing connections with her students doesn’t stop in the classroom. A passionate world traveler, she has arranged several international trips (not affiliated with CHS) through student study-abroad programs and taken students to Italy, Iceland and, most recently, Japan. She develops art-based curricula for the trips,
having students work on sketching and photography throughout their adventures abroad. On a trip to Italy, while standing in line with her students to see Michelangelo’s David, she ran into the professor she had while she studied in Florence. “It was a really neat moment to see my former teacher,” Woerman said. “I’m standing there, now a teacher, with my students there to open their eyes to the art I’d learned about from him.”
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When you think of Liberty Station, you may think of Trader Joe’s, Buona Forchetta or Stone Brewery. But there’s lots more than savory eats and treats. Liberty Station has a killer arts scene: everything from gallery hopping to pottery making, from “sip and dip” paint nights to colorful knitting and contemporary quilting. You can also shop for inventive artisan fare in stylish, A RO UN D TOW N | C H R I ST I N E VAN T U Y L
imaginative settings. Here’s a sampling of some of the best places to indulge your inner visionary.
Getting Crafty at Liberty Station
C U LT U R E A N D C U I S I N E C O L L I D E Where can you shop for stylish jewelry and clothing, nosh on an Argentinian empanada, check out scented candles and admire the original art of more than 100 local artists? Why, Liberty Public Market! The bustling marketplace features more than 30 vendors, from debut brick-and-mortar outposts to local food truck vendors. The best part? The walls are lined with original artwork, all for sale and curated by Liberty Station’s own portrait artist, Nancy Tokos.
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• Liberty Public Market 2820 Historic Decatur Road 619-756-7992 BlueBridgeHospitality.com/ libertypublicmarket
MAKE A SPLASH It’s an art studio with a bar. What’s not to love? At Pinot’s Palette, you’re invited to unleash your inner Van Gogh in a welcoming setting. The pricing (most classes are between $35-$39) includes all instruction and supplies (think paint, brushes and easel). You can sign up online for the date and the exact painting you want to work on. The best part? If you get thirsty, the wine and beer is served right to your seat. Cheers! • Pinot’s Palette 2820 Roosevelt Road, Ste 106 619-675-0058 Pinotspalette.com/libertystation
H I G H F I B E R A N D FA B U L O U S If you’ve got a yen for yarn, there’s no sweeter spot than Apricot Yarn & Supply. Colorful and quirky, the shop is packed full of—yes, you guessed it—every color and style of yarn. Knitting groups and classes chat it up at the tables, turning out beanies, scarves, sweaters and more. Even if you’re a knitting newbie, this fetching little store is worth a visit. • Apricot Yarn & Supply, 2690 Historic Decatur Road, Ste 101 619-223-3603; apricotyarn.com
R O L L U P YO U R S L E E V E S You don’t have to be an artist to make a masterpiece at the Hot Spot. Paint your own pottery, create colorful candles, dabble in the ancient art of mosaics, plant your own fairy garden or even make your own slime. The spacious, airy studio setting makes it easy to get creative with no additional fees, just the price of the individual piece. • The Hot Spot 2770 Historic Decatur Road, Ste 101 619-223-1339 thehotspotstudio.com
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MIX IT UP From flora and furniture to gifts galore, you’ll find it all at Pigment. Shoppers go gaga over earrings, clothing, cards and home decor. Artfully curated, the shop’s vibe is organic and homegrown; modern and friendly. You’ll love the custom T-shirt design bar and hands-on “plant lab” with a wraparound deck. Pigment makes shopping fun and playful. • Pigment, 2885 Perry Road 619-795-6300; shoppigment.com
Gillian Moss San Diego "A Word in your Ear"
N OT YO U R G R A N D M A’ S Q U I LT S
Hilde Morin, Portland "El Vecindario"
Didn’t think quilting was cool? Think again. At Visions Art Museum you’ll find fresh contemporary creations from artists spanning the globe. The pieces in this small, three-room gallery pack a big punch. They’re modern and unconventional – more social commentary than decor, more surprising than cozy. It’s amazing what can be done with a needle, thread and fabric. • Visions Art Museum 2825 Dewey Road, Ste 100 619-546-4872; visionsartmuseum.org
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Building a Better Burger By CLYDE VAN ARSDALL IV
T
he year was 1974, I was 6 years old, and though I don’t remember much about that year, I do remember Char-Burger coming to town. The small building was fully built and towed on a trailer, moving slowly up the Silver Strand, to its final resting place at 1323 Orange Ave., between the Brigantine and the La Avenida Inn. Char-Burger was my earliest burger memory. If I close my eyes and concentrate, I can almost smell it now. The name Char-Burger told you everything you needed to know. The burgers were charbroiled, a relatively new way of cooking a fast-food burger at the time. And you could smell them cooking from down the block. Char is in fact flavor, which I learned after years of being a chef. It’s a flavor that was seared into my psyche at an early age and something I still strive to perfect. Here are a few tricks of the trade to make a memorable burger at home. The 80/20 rule is good for burger meat; 20% fat means flavor. Always use fresh ground beef and try to avoid pre-made patties or those logs of hamburger meat that seem to make financial sense when cooking for a large group. Compressed, overworked ground meat doesn’t make an ideal burger. Make a nice ball with
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SONYAKAMOZ
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CLYDE VAN ARSDALL IV
Homemade sliders start with fresh beef cooked in an iron skillet and served on Kings Hawaiian buns.
the ground beef and press it down to form a patty. Just don’t press too hard. The less compact the patty, the better it will cook and taste. If you are using fresh ground beef, you simply need add seasoning to bring out its natural flavor. After the patties are made, add salt and pepper or use a seasoning like Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. There are two methods for cooking a great burger: in an iron skillet or on the grill. Iron skillets can take high heat, and you want to have the skillet hot when cooking a burger. The flat surface gives the meat the best contact, which produces a good char. (Fun fact: Char is the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that browns food and give it a distinct flavor.) Start the skillet hot to get that char. When you flip the burger, turn the heat down to let it finish cooking. The grilling method is ideal if you are cooking for a larger group. Grilling also gives you some additional flavor options. Adding wood chips to the fire gives burgers a great smoky flavor. Simply soak the wood 56
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chips, put them in a foil pouch and poke holes in it. Place the pouch to the far side of the grill and close the lid during some of the cooking time. If you have a rosemary bush, trim off some branches to burn to add flavor. Always make sure the grill is a hot as possible when putting on the meat. Once the burgers are cooking, don’t press on them. It will make them loose moisture, and you’ll get dry burgers. Place the patty on the cooking surface and chill. And only flip it once. When grilling, I give the burger a quarter turn half way through the cooking time on the first side. This will not only produce great looking grill marks, but it allows the grate to touch more of the meat giving a better char. Once you get a good char on the first side, flip the patty and cook until you get the desired temperature. Just like with the iron skillet, once you flip the burger turn the heat down or move the burger to a cooler area on the grill and let it finish cooking Now it’s time to add some fun toppings and condiments. Try a fried egg, caramelized onions, kim-
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chi, shoshito peppers, arugula or pastrami. Condiments can include everything from bacon or tomato jam to horseradish sauce, bearnaise sauce, pesto, sriracha mayonnaise, hoisin sauce and dijonnaise. If you choose cheese on your burger, the variety is endless. (While it may not be real cheese, Kraft Singles are still the best melting product on the market and what made the good old American cheeseburger famous.) With all these great options, try making my favorite burger, the slider. It takes three or four to equal an average restaurant burger, so you have more opportunities to play with toppings. Plus, they cook quickly and consistently. The best buns I have found for sliders are King’s Hawaiian rolls – the size is perfect, they are readily available and come in four packs or by the dozen. Burgers are part of the American DNA. Have some fun with them and take some chances. • Clyde Van Arsdall IV is executive chef and general manager of the Neiman Marcus Café.
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S PAC E S | K A R Y N F R A Z I E R + J E S S I C A N I C O L L S
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Abstract
Sketch
Setting the Tone Decorative art is a crucial aspect of a room’s overall design. It not only sets the tone and personality, but also adds texture, color and depth to a space. By engaging the eye and mind, art transforms an area into something far more enriching than a plain white cube. So, what type of art is right for your space? • ABSTRACT. Abstract art
• PHOTOGRAPHS. One of
is the use of shapes and colors
the most widely used forms of art,
to create a suggestive, openly
photographs enable anyone to
interpreted visual. It is great for use
freeze a moment in time. Whether
in a space needing a bold pop of
a formal family portrait or a casual
color, texture or movement.
snapshot from a favorite trip, pho-
• BOTANICAL PRINTS. These are one of our favorite art styles, especially when added to a dining room or bedroom. Evoking the 18th-century scientific Age of Enlightenment, we love the organic, whimsically explorative feel they bring to a room. • LANDSCAPE PAINTING.
tographs are a great way to preserve and honor shared memories while personalizing a space. • SKETCH. A rawer form of art, pen and pencil sketches bring a touch of artisanal hand-crafting to the table with the suggestion of spontaneity. These sometimes seemingly incomplete art pieces
There is something special in a
are more than just a painter’s
landscape painting’s ability to
preparatory work. For decorative
transport the viewer to another
purposes, sketches function just
time and place. These windows
as effectively (and possibly even
to elsewhere are versatile ways to
more so) as any other mode in
open an interior space to the world
elevating and expanding interiors
beyond.
to their full visual potential.
• TEXTURAL WALL ART Hanging a multi-media, threedimensional art object on the wall adds texture, dimension and dynamism to a room. By moving beyond a two-dimensional canvas, textural wall art engages the tangible, sculptural elements of decoration and adds a hint of playfulness to flat surfaces. • GEOMETRIC ART - A type of abstraction harkening back to ancient Greek pottery, geometric prints are a sure-fire way to create a delightful and energetic space. Though a far cry from its Greek roots, modern geometric decoration is an uninhibited and spirited way to add life and shape the character of an interior. • Karyn Frazier and Jessica
Nicolls are the owners of interior design firm Bungalow 56. CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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Better Than Ever! Welcoming Guests Since 1930
1351 ORANGE AVENUE (619) 435-4131
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FREE DELIVERY TO CORONADO! ($100 min.order)
Veal Parmigiana • Ravioli Veal Scallopini • Spaghetti Lasagna • Torpedo Sandwich 285 Palm Ave., Imperial Beach, CA 91932 Open Daily 11am-10pm • Orders to Go Menu Online at RealCheesePizza.com WWW.BBQBOSSUSA.COM • (619) 432-2677
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IN THE GARDEN | L BE Y SLLEI ES LCI E R ACW RF AO WRFDO R D
Dragon Trees Remnants of Early Gardens
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LESLIE CRAWFORD
LESLIE CRAWFORD PHOTOS
In addition to the iconic Dragon Tree at Hotel del Coronado (left), specimens are growing all over Coronado.
O
ne of Coronado’s most iconic horticultural image is the dragon tree. Dragon trees (Dracaena draco) are succulents under the same horticulture family classification as asparagus. Native to the Canary Islands, they are drought tolerant and well suited to our climate. Dragon trees can be seen all around Coronado, the most famous specimen residing at the Hotel del Coronado. Popularized in the early 1900s, the first trees were brought to San Diego by traveling horticulturalists, with Kate Sessions being one of the more famous intrepid gatherers. The unusual plants were brought into the spotlight during the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. At the time, gardening was becoming a hobby for the masses, and many Coronado residents had the means to spend time and money to cultivate their interest and acquire unusual plants for their properties – including the dragon tree. The slow-growing dragon trees were a popular planting choice for their novelty with their unusual shape, branches that looked like lizard skin, and the red sap that oozed from broken branches. In ancient Rome, the sap was used as a pigment to dye marble and wood. In the Canary Islands, it was
used in the mummification process. Another reason for their popularity was their drought tolerance. A century ago, gardeners had to be thoughtful about water use because irrigation was virtually nonexistent and hand-watering larger properties was an indulgence. Since their native environment is a dry climate, Southern California is an ideal spot for them to grow. In their native environment, the trees are known to grow for hundreds of years. Many of the large dragon trees around Coronado are over 100 years old, typically sitting on larger properties of older homes. Over the past few years, we’ve lost a few historic specimens to construction or age. Dragon trees aren’t planted by landscapers much now due to much smaller lot sizes and the need for faster growth to fill out gardens. It’s likely these trees will become very rare over time. For now, beautiful specimens are still thriving all over town and can be seen along Ocean, Alameda, Glorietta and Monterey boulevards, on Flora Avenue and, of course, at Hotel del Coronado. Dragon trees are still very impressive with their mass and unique shapes. As some of Coronado’s earliest residents, they are lasting legacies of early horticulture we can still appreciate today. CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
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“Creativity
takes courage.”
— HENRI MATISSE
