Undercover Coronado 1888 Home Comes Alive Watersports Then & Now
CONTENTS | AUGUST 2018 | VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2
Coronado Calendar...........................6 Summertime Then.............................8 Summertime Now............................ 14 Coronado Undercover.................... 16 Over the Bridge to Balboa Park... 17 An Old Home Comes To Life........ 24 Coronado Cays Charmer............... 32 Q&A with Brian Smock.................. 36 El Cordova Hotel’s New Look......40 Change of Command..................... 44 An Ode To Palms............................. 46
ON THE COVER Relax on a Beach Cabana managed by the Boucher Brothers at the Hotel Del. Photo courtesy Hotel del Coronado. BACKGROUND PHOTO Courtesy of Hansen Family
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PUBLISHER Amy Slack amy@crowncitypublishing.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Heather Canton heather@crowncitypublishing.com EDITOR Leslie Crawford leslie@crowncitypublishing.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amy Stirnkorb design@crowncitypublishing.com ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN Gina Falletta Design Martina Schimitschek CONTRIBUTORS John Cunningham, Karyn Frazier, Hansen Family, Jessica Nicolls, Deborah Nordlie, Martina Schimitschek, Adam Slack, Eric Stein Photography, Christine Van Tuyl, Kristen Vincent Photography FOR ADVERTISING SALES AMY SLACK amy@crowncitypublishing.com; (619) 288-8050 HEATHER CANTON heather@crowncitypublishing.com; (619) 565-7789
TROY GILMORE REALTOR®
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cell 619-322-8825
troy@gilmorepropertiessd.com
FRANCINE HOWARD REALTOR
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HOW TO REACH US (619) 435-0334 hello@crowncitypublishing.com www.crowncitymagazine.com www.coronadocalendar.com www.welcometocoronado.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 published monthly. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. ©2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
cell 619-302-0234
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getmobile.remax.net/troygilmore or/francinehoward
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FROM THE CROWN CITY MAGAZINE TEAM
Kids of Tent City put summertime fun on pause to pose for a timeless photo.
D
uring the debut of Crown City Magazine this past month, we have been so grateful for the many kind words and accolades we have received. With overwhelming positive feedback from the community, the first issue has been a hit! Thank you so much! Summertime is in full swing in Coronado, bustling with people and activities. In the final stretch of summer, before the kids go back to school, Island Girl Christine Van Tuyl shares little-known things to do and places to go in her Undercover Coronado feature. Thanks to the Hansen family, we are honored to highlight some images from their collection of old photos of Coronado, giving us a glimpse of Tent City and itchy bathing suits. Times change but enjoying watersports with friends has been part of summer fun for over 100 years in Coronado. Our golf pro, Brian Smock at Coronado Golf Course, is another story of “hometown kid makes the big time.� We have a Q&A with Brian
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about being the pro at CGC and qualifying for a second time in the PGA Championships. Good luck, Brian! Coronado says farewell to CAPT Scott Mulvehill, the 48th Commanding Officer of Naval Base Coronado who left his mark on our city, and we welcome the new Commanding Officer, CAPT Timothy Slentz. We thank CAPT Mulvehill for his outstanding service to our community. Next, we go OTB (Over the Bridge) to Balboa Park where an interesting piece of Coronado history now resides. We also visit some homes in Coronado, old and new. Our August issue has something for everyone. We, the team at Crown City Magazine, are privileged to hear your stories and be able to share those stories and images of this city we love so much. Thank you! The Crown City Magazine Team, Amy Slack, Heather Canton, Leslie Crawford and Amy Stirnkorb
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C O R O N A D O C A L E N D A R | A U G U S T- S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
ONGOING Coronado Promenade Concerts: Sundays, Spreckels Park Art in the Park: 1st & 3rd Sundays, Spreckels Park Farmer’s Market: Weekly Tuesday afternoon, Coronado Ferry Landing Rotary Club: Weekly Wednesday at noon, Hotel del Coronado Optimist Club: Weekly Thursday at 7 am, Coronado Community Center AUGUST 10: CHA Wine & Lecture 21: Armchair Travel 23: CUSD First Day of School 24: Sharp Hospital Benefit Dinner 25: Sharp Hospital Benefit Regatta 26: Bike the Bay 26: Full Moon Paddle 29: Classic Movie Series SEPTEMBER 7: Loews Resort Play on the Bay 7-9: Beach Polo at the Hotel del Coronado 8: MainStreet Party in the Garden 13: Coronado Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament 16: SuperFrog Triathlon 21: 92118 Day! 26: Classic Movie Series
S AV E T H E D A T E October 1-5: Bulky Trash Week October 7: Fire Department Open House October 20: CSF Gala Auction October 20-28: Fleet Week For more details and a complete listing of events, visit CoronadoCalendar.com
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John Cunningham photo
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H I S T O R I C | H A N S E N F A M I LY C O L L E C T I O N
Summertime
Then...
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Aquaplaning was the precursor to water skiing, gaining popularity in the 1920s.
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Tent City provides the backdrop for this dynamic duo on Glorietta Bay
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All you needed was some wood, rope and friends for aquaplaning acrobatics.
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Boating fun and a gathering of friends, not much has changed over the years from then to now.
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S U M M E R F U N | L E S L I E C R AW F O R D
Summertime
...and
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Now
AUGUST 2018
Bear cools off with a quick swim after a long paddle with dog’s best friend.
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It’s pretty toasty out, and the island is still brimming with locals and tourists alike. Where do you go to take it down a notch, and kick it incognitoA RO UN D TOW N | C H R I ST I NE VA N T U Y L
style? From a swanky stay-cation to a beguiling secluded retreat, there are
Coronado
plenty of ways to get in your summer fun without blowing your cover.
Undercover
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Hidden Picnic on the Bay With stunning views of the San Diego Bay and downtown skyline, Bay View Park serves up serenity on a silver picnic blanket. Peaceful, quiet and tucked away off 1st Street, this secluded spot is particularly enchanting when the summertime breezes blow and the purple flowers are in bloom. Grab something to drink from High Tide Bottle Shop & Kitchen (933 Orange Avenue, 619-435-1380) and a charcuterie board from Scratch Gourmet (Scratch-gourmet.com or 619-987-4912) and make a date of it. No one will find you here! BAY VIEW PARK, I AVENUE AND 1ST STREET
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Stay-cation at the Loews It’s only a 10-minute drive down the Strand, but sometimes that’s all you need to feel worlds away. Set apart from the hustle and bustle of the Village, the Loews Coronado Bay Resort serves up escapism at its finest — it’s like your own island oasis! Take a refreshing dip in the pool, cozy up in a plush robe at the Sea Spa, or rent a stand-up paddle board and take in the breathtaking scenery of sensational waterfront homes. Or sip on a watermelon mojito, nibble on a pork-shoulder taco and savor the backdrop of the sparkling ocean from behind your over-sized sunnies. Emerge feeling refreshed and ultra-chill! LOEWS CORONADO BAY RESORT 4000 CORONADO BAY ROAD 619-424-4000
Low-Profile and Literary Need to escape the lively rush of Orange Avenue? Grab a coffee at Café Madrid, slip into Bay Books, and lose yourself in a timeless, calming reverie of title-browsing and page-turning. Packed with tried-and-true classics and the hottest best-sellers, Bay Books invites you to meander and linger over hand-written, employee created reviews. Need to grab a quick gift? The store is bursting with stylish finds for young and old alike. (Did I mention free gift wrapping?) In business for more than 25 years, Bay Books proves that a clever, innovative bookstore is never a dying breed...even against the inception of discount, online book-buying. BAY BOOKS 1029 ORANGE AVENUE 619-435-0070
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Brunch at Chez Loma Duck for brunch? Why not? If you didn’t know Chez Loma serves a Saturday and Sunday brunch, you’re not alone! Nestled off Orange Avenue, the sunny cottage beckons with warm service and a morning flair a la francais. You can indulge in strawberry pancakes with lemon zest, sink your fork into an asparagus and goat cheese omelet or get totally crazy and order the duck tacos with avocado cream! Fantastique! Top it off with some bubbly or a Bloody Mary, and your day is off to a new beginning, old world-style. Salute! CHEZ LOMA 1132 LOMA AVENUE 619-435-0661
Happy Hour at the Boathouse Wander upstairs to the bar at the Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill (affectionately called the “Boathouse” by most of us) and get hooked on the killer seafood happy hour. From 3pm-6pm Sunday through Thursday, the Boathouse serves up everything from $4 oyster shooters and crispy calamari to $6 ceviche and glasses of wine. The upstairs bar area overlooks the Glorietta Bay Marina and always feels quaint, cozy, and a bit removed from the happenings at sea level. Want to sail in, secret agent-style? Tie up at the Seaforth dock next door, pick your poison and order up. The Boathouse — built in 1887 — has seen many moons and is lovely in high tide or low. (Insider tip…slip in right at 3pm and soak up the calming ocean views in relative tranquility!) BLUEWATER BOATHOUSE SEAFOOD GRILL 1701 STRAND WAY 619-435-0155
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OV E R T H E B R I D G E | B A L B OA PA R K
Balboa Park Carousel with a bit of Coronado History
M
ost people don’t notice the Balboa Park Carousel as they are speeding down Park Boulevard, but the carousel in Balboa Park has history dating back to 1910. Some of that history includes Coronado with a connection to Balboa Park via Tent City and the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-16. The Balboa Park Carousel is 108 years old, built in 1910 by the Her-
schell Spillman Company in North Tonawanda, New York. The parts and pieces of the carousel were shipped to Los Angeles where it was constructed and operated for a couple of years before being sold to a new owner and moved to Coronado’s Tent City in 1912. When the Panama-California Exposition opened in 1915 the carousel was moved to Balboa Park for two years before it went back to Tent City.
The first home for the Balboa Park Carousel was at Coronado’s Tent City in 1912.
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But it wasn’t done moving yet! In 1922 the carousel made the transit over the bay again, back to Balboa Park, this time to the current location of the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater. In 1968 it was moved to its permanent location at the corner of Park Boulevard and Zoo Place.
The carousel was recognized in 1994 as a “Historically Significant Carousel in North America.” This version of carousel is known as a menagerie model because other than horses, the seats include; a camel, cats, deer, dogs, dragon, frogs, giraffes, goat, lion, mules, ostriches, pigs, roosters, stork, tiger, zebras, and chariots, all original. Factoid: Merry-go-rounds go clockwise while carousels go counter-clockwise. All the seats are hand-carved from English Lindenwood. The ride revolves at 13 miles per hour,
PHO TO AN D C COUR TE ORO NA SY FR DO I HIS ENDS O TOR ICA F BAL B LA SSO OA PA CIA R TIO K N
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BALBOA PARK CAROUSEL 1889 Zoo Place, San Diego, CA 92101, (619) 232-2282 www.friendsofbalboapark.org
powered by the same General Electric motor installed in 1910. The carousel requires an elevator/roller coaster certification to operate. Also original on the carousel is the classic
brass ring game for riders, the painted murals and the restored military band organ with 120 paper music rolls that are still played. The Balboa Park Carousel,
which has always has been privately owned, was acquired by Friends of Balboa Park in 2017. The nonprofit’s mission is to preserve Balboa Park’s legacy for future generations. In acquiring the Balboa Park Carousel, the organization’s goal is to raise $3 million to finalize the purchase and repair, refurbish and preserve the carousel as an important part of Balboa Park’s history, eventually leveraging the income from the operation of the carousel to pay for other capital improvements in Balboa Park. The Balboa Park Carousel is in good hands and needs our help. For more information about how you can contribute to preserving this history, go to friendsofbalboapark.org. In this fast-paced world, a carousel ride is something we should all enjoy on occasion. To experience the carousel is truly a step back in time. The next time you go to Balboa Park stop by and marvel at this incredible piece of history. With over 15 million rides so far, it’s your turn to be a part of Balboa Park Carousel’s history. Take a ride!
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P R E S E R VA T I O N | H U T C H I N G S H O U S E
Deep Roots Third-generation homeowner restores Victorian landmark
The restoration of Gary and Jennifer Pitts’ 130-year-old home transformed the living room into a welcoming place to greet guests.
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Story by MARTINA SCHIMITSCHEK Photos by KRISTEN VINCENT
E
verything changed once Gary Pitts started stripping years of paint off the fluted trim around the entry to the living room of his Victorian-era home on Orange Avenue. “It was the moment of truth,” said his wife, Jennifer. The house, built in1888 in the Queen Anne style, has been a part of Gary’s family since 1936. The couple gained ownership 11 years ago. They had been living in the Phoenix area, and Gary wanted to return to Coronado and the home where he
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The Pitts call their upstairs guest room the Hotel Del room.
spent much of his childhood. “For me, it was to bring the family back to Coronado,” Gary said. “The house was in serious disrepair. When it rained, the kitchen cupboards became water features.” His idea was to make the home livable within six months while Jennifer and their four daughters stayed in Arizona. He had the roof replaced and then started on the interior. “The fluted casings had 120 years of paint. I didn’t even know they were fluted. I thought I’d rip off the casings and buy new ones at Home Depot,” he said. But then he stripped the paint off one section and realized the house was built with redwood. The craftsmanship of the home inspired Gary, and he decided the house deserved better than a
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quick makeover, “not realizing what an incredible effort that was.” He and Jennifer started on a labor of love to bring the home back to its former splendor. “Part of it was fun because Gary grew up in the house,” Jennifer said. “Each room held memories.” Records state the 1,400-square-foot house was originally built for W.S. Hutchings the same year the Hotel del Coronado opened. The house was made from the same building materials as the Del, Gary said, because the hotel developers struck a deal making the material available to people who wanted to build a home in Coronado. “The Hotel Del became like a Home Depot,” Gary said. The home remained in the Hutchings family until 1930, when it was sold to Frances Trout.
The restoration of the Queen Anne style home included repairing redwood siding and shingles.
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Years of paint was stripped away to uncover the fluting on the door trim and the redwood stairs and railing.
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Gary’s grandparents, Torsten and Synove Volkman bought the property in 1936. The Volkmans were both from Sweden. Synove came to San Diego in 1921 to join her father, Henrik Carlson, a master craftsman and stone sculptor. He created molds for the ornamentation of buildings, and his work included the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park and Coronado’s Spreckels Building. Torsten Volkman, a family friend, came to San Diego in 1922 and married Synove the same year. Torsten joined his father-in-law’s business, and Synove became Coronado’s first physical therapist. They had two children, Henrik and Elsie. In 1960, Elsie, who was then Elsie Pitts, moved back into the house with her two children, Gary (a 1970 graduate of Coronado High School) and Roy Martin (a 1969 CHS grad). By that time the house had been divided into two apartments, one upstairs and one downstairs. Gary’s family lived downstairs and his grandmother upstairs. Toresten died in 1958, and Synove continued to live in the house until her death in 1984. After Elsie (who became Elsie Peterson) died in 2006, the house was in a family trust until the Gary and Jennifer Pitts bought the property in 2007. The Pittses returned the house into a single-family home. But they preserved the downstairs “front” door between the foyer and the living room. The solid-wood door is now a pocket door to the office,
which was once the downstairs bedroom. The restoration of the four-bedroom, 1½-bathroom house included shoring up the sloping home. “Everything had to get leveled. Nothing was square and plumb,” said Gary, who is a civil engineer. Some of the windows casings, which were not made of redwood, were eaten by termites and needed to be replaced, carpeting was pulled up and new mahogany floors were installed because the old floors were beyond repair and layers and layers of wallpaper were removed. “It had to be modern enough for us to live in,” Jennifer said. The footprint of the home was retained as much as possible. The bathrooms and the kitchen, which were altered through the years, were upgraded using material that remained true to the character of the home. Black and white tiles were used for the bathroom floors and the kitchen backsplash was created from 100-year-old bricks obtained from the East Coast. “We tried to keep the integrity of the history of the house,” Jennifer said. That often lead to costly and time-consuming projects. The finial at the bottom of the stair rail needed to be replaced, but it was made out of old-growth redwood, which is no longer available. Gary scoured antique and restoration places until he found a block of old-growth redwood to make an exact replica. Replacing the gas floor heat-
The original flooring, which could not be salvaged, was replaced with mahogany throughout the home.
er, which got hot enough to grill feet, with central heating required excavating three feet underneath the house using a bucket. “Once you touch the house, everything needs to get up to code,” he said. Upstairs, which has three bedrooms and the main bathroom, the restoration project uncovered bits of history. One bedroom had been converted into a kitchen during the home’s apartment phase. Underneath the old kitchen siding, the couple discovered newspaper on the
walls with headlines about Hitler and King George VI’s acceptance speech. The room, which is now used by the youngest of the couple’s four adult daughters, is furnished with the bedroom set Synove received as wedding present. The upstairs landing also has a framed handwritten letter from Synove leaving the home to her children and their children. “This is such as treasure to know it was her wish for her family to have the house,” Jennifer said.
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H O M E + G A R D E N | C O R O N A D O C AY S
Coronado Cays Charmer Remodel turns dated rental house from drab to fab
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Story by KARYN FRAZIER & JESSICA NICOLLS Photos by KRISTEN VINCENT
W
hen we walked into this dated, dark home in the Coronado Cays we instantly saw its amazing potential. The high ceilings,
the natural light and the fun spiral staircase were features we knew we wanted to showcase in our design. Initially the kitchen was closed off
Wood-looking porcelain floors make this home more renter friendly and are also gorgeous, durable and affordable.
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from the dining room/living room area so we removed that wall and raised the ceilings. Our design concept for this home was to create a welcoming, bright and relaxed beach house that was renter friendly and functional. In the kitchen we layered shades of white and gray and added contrast in the lighting and sink faucet with a pop of black. The backsplash is an elongated subway tile with a textured finish and adds a fun dimensional aspect. To add a fun beachy element we trimmed out the kitchen hood with wood. The large kitchen island has a shiplap look underneath that is actually extra storage! The living room boasts 20 foot ceilings so we grounded the space by facing out the fireplace in concrete and doing a shiplap up the rest of the wall in white. Before the remodel the kitchen and dining space were tile and the living room was carpet, which chopped up the space so we ran a wood looking porcelain floor throughout the entire home to help the opening living areas flow together. One of our favorite spaces in this home is the guest bathroom. We had a louvered door vanity custom made for the space in a beach wood which we paired with a black trimmed round mirror and a fun chrome light. The floor is a fun textured hexagon which makes the space feel relaxed. The master bathroom was very spacious and had room for the coveted double vanity. To add a bit of dimension to the long vanity wall we inset the bank of drawers. One of our favorite design tricks is to add a fun vintage run in a bathroom to give it a pop of color and texture. Who says bath mats have to be boring? We kept both the
Two favorite spots in the house: the guest bathroom with a custom made vanity (above) and the fun spiral staircase (left).
showers in this home as a white subway so that it is easy to maintain and clean and added the show stopper tiles on the bathroom floors and in the kitchen where they would be more on display. A couple of ways we kept this remodel budget and renter friendly were 1. Using engineered countertops that come in larger slabs so that we were able to use them in multiple places in the home. 2. Installing wood looking porcelain floors that are not only gorgeous but durable and affordable. 3. Selecting less expensive tiles for the heavily tiled areas (main floors and shower walls) and the more expensive tiles on the kitchen backsplash and bathroom floors. We couldn’t be more delighted with how this project came together. From the moment you walk into this home you feel relaxed and happy. »Construction: Nicolls Design Build »Interior Design: Bungalow 56
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PROFILE | CORONADO GOLF PRO
Brian Smock, the head pro at Coronado Municipal Golf Course and a 1991 graduate of Coronado High School, has qualified for the PGA Championship — one of golf’s four major tournaments. Smock will compete against Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and the rest of the world’s best golfers in the PGA, which will be played Aug. 9-12 in St. Louis. It’s the second year in a row Smock has taken advantage of the tournament reserving 20 slots for local club professionals, who spend their time teaching and running pro shops instead of playing professional golf in tournaments. Club professionals from across the country compete each year in a qualifying tournament for the scarce spots, and Smock has finished in the top 20 two years in a row. Smock, 45, took over as Coronado’s head pro in February 2017. He played professionally for 18 years, achieving a career high ranking of 251. Smock lives in town with his wife Aidan and two young sons. He sat down recently with Crown City Magazine for a short question-and-answer session. Here’s what he said: What’s it like being the head pro at the golf course where you played as a junior? Somewhat surreal, but I’m proud to be big part of our golfers’ experience here at the course. We have had three great head professionals before me, so to be the fourth is an honor that I don’t take for granted. What’s been the best part of your first year-plus as head pro? For me, it’s been my staff that I hired. You can’t do this alone and you need team players. How have your new responsibilities as head pro affected the time you have to practice and work on your own game? Not much, actually. I don’t practice anymore and I play on average once a week. Less is more for me now. With limited practice, how have you managed to play well enough two years in a row to qualify for the PGA Championship? I have learned from my mistakes. I keep things simple on the course now. I don’t over practice or over prepare. I focus more on getting rest, making a good game plan and committing to the execution of each shot. Last year a back injury forced you to withdraw during the tournament. How is your back now?
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Better, knock on wood. I have been more proactive with fitness this year and I see a local chiropractor, Dr. Kerry Keiser, on a regular basis. Describe what it means to you to play against the world’s best players on one of the biggest stages in golf? It’s actually a blast — I have nothing to lose. Being a club pro, this is the pinnacle. What’s it like having your wife caddy for you? Will she be on your bag in the PGA? It’s been fun. We are a good team. She’s pretty chatty and upbeat while I’m playing. My brother is going to caddy for me at the PGA. What are some of your favorite things to do in Coronado? I enjoy going to my kids’ games, soccer and baseball. What are some of your favorite restaurants in Coronado? The Brigantine is always solid and family-friendly. Stake is awesome for special occasions. And I always love to go to McP’s — they have a great staff and I always stay too long. What’s the best thing about living in Coronado, and why? It’s being in a small town, having citizens who deeply care about our community, and being able to raise my family here.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PGA OF AMERICA
Q&A WITH BRIAN SMOCK
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F R E S H | E L C O R D O VA H O T E L
New Look Makeover blends modern style with hotel’s Spanish heritage By MARTINA SCHIMITSCHEK Photos by ERIC STEIN
T
he venerable El Cordova Hotel is undergoing a major facelift with a new coat of paint on the façade and a new look for the guest rooms. All 43 rooms have been completely redecorated, from the carpet to the ceiling fans and everything in between. “The renovation has been a complete room transformation. We did everything we could without doing any construction,”
El Cordova Hotel opened in May 1930 and has been welcoming guests ever since. A recent renovation updated the rooms without losing the original Spanish feel.
got rid of all those dust collectors,” DeGroot said of the curtains. The coastal feel continues with sand-colored walls, white trim – including new, white baseboards – and blue accents. Espresso-colored furniture adds contrast and the warmth of wood. In the bathroom, the tubs were refinished and the
said Tim DeGroot, the hotel’s general manager. The project was completed in May. One of the most dramatic changes was replacing the curtains with white shutters, which give the rooms a bright, beachy look. “We 40
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fixtures are now all chrome for a clean, modern look. But while the goal was to update the rooms, the renovation also wanted to respect the hotel’s long heritage and its Spanish hacienda theme. Lamps have wrought-iron-like trim and sofas come with nail-head accents. All the old tile, some of it hand painted and original, was kept intact in the bathrooms and kitchens. “We wanted to keep that unique Spanish feel,” DeGroot said. The Spanish-style hotel opened in May 1930 and has been welcoming guests ever since. Designed by architect Frank L. Hope, it was built for Thomas H. Pickford, incorporating
the retirement mansion of Elisha Babcock, one of the founders of the Hotel del Coronado. Babcock, who died in Coronado in 1922, built the estate in 1902. The Casa Grande Suite and two one-bedroom suites upstairs from the lobby are remnants of Babcock’s
original home. Pickford, a widower from Washington, D.C., bought Babcock’s house a year before he converted it into El Cordova, which served both as a hotel and apartments when it opened. The establishment had three buildings around a central court-
The hotel’s lobby was completely redone, mixing contemporary accents with Spanish details.
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yard with 23 apartments, including Pickford’s, and 38 hotel rooms, plus servants’ quarters, a dining room and the manager’s rooms. A Coronado Journal story from May 7, 1930, states “Both the hotel rooms and the apartments are beautifully furnished and complete in every detail. No expense has been spared to make El Cordova Hotel a comfortable place to visit or live permanently.” Over the years, world travelers, socialites and military officers have called the hotel home. Cmdr. Earl Winfield Spencer stayed at the hotel in May 1950 with his wife, Lillian Phillips Spencer. While there, he suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 61. Spencer was the first husband of Wallis Simpson, who later became the Duchess of Windsor, after marrying Edward the Prince of Wales, who abdicated the British throne for her. Miguel’s Cocina opened in 1982 and has become part of the property’s Spanish village ambiance. “There’s a lot of history out there,” DeGroot said of the hotel.
Blue accents and sand colored walls give the guests rooms a coastal feel.
For now, the general manager is focusing on the future — but always with an eye on the past. During the recent renovation of the lobby area, which has a new porcelain tile floor and a modernized front desk, DeGroot made sure the tilework on the walls was kept intact. And, he said, there is more work to be done at the hotel, which is part of the RAR Hospitality group. “In addition to the rooms,
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we’re trying to update the landscaping and the overall appearance,” he said. The painting of the exterior of the hotel will continue, and DeGroot is looking to replace the windows to make them more energy-efficient. “Over the last 10 to 20 years the hotel has been piecemealed together, eight to 10 rooms at a time,” he said. “In the end, we’re looking for a complete transformation.”
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S A L U T E | C A P T S C O T T T. M U LV E H I L L
CAPT, U.S. Navy, Departing
C
APT Timothy J. Slentz
48th commanding officer.
relieves CAPT Scott T.
Many people don’t realize that
Mulvehill as the Com-
Naval Base Coronado isn’t just
manding Officer of Naval Base
Naval Air Station North Island
Coronado (NBC) during a change
and Naval Amphibious Base
of command ceremony Aug. 1 at
Coronado. It is, in fact, the largest
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Base on the west coast
(NASNI).
consisting of eight Navy instal-
Since December 2016 CAPT
lations: Naval Air Station North
Mulvehill has been the commanding
Island, Coronado; Naval Am-
officer of Naval Base Coronado,
phibious Base, Coronado; Naval
which is home to 16 helicopter
Outlying Landing Field, Imperial
squadrons, 2 aircraft carriers, 4
Beach; Naval Auxiliary Landing
SEAL Teams, BUD/S, and SWCC
Field, San Clemente Island; Silver
training, Navy Expeditionary
Strand Training Complex-South,
Combat Command squadrons, and
Coronado, formerly known as the
and the Remote Training Site, Warner
over 140 air, surface and subsur-
Naval Radio Receiving Facility;
Springs.
face tenant commands that provide
Camp Michael Monsoor Moun-
support and training areas. In the
tain Warfare Training Center, La
NBC has safely conducted more than
history of North Island, he is the
Posta; Camp Morena, La Posta
360,000 sorties at three airfields,
CAPT Scott T. Mulvehill
PHOTOS COURTESY U.S. NAVY
Under Mulvehill’s leadership,
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while remaining a good steward of the environment through the proactive management of 29 threatened and endangered species. NBC has received recognition through the SANDAG iCommute Diamond Awards program in San Diego County for outstanding efforts in encouraging employees to use alternative transportation choices, such as public transit, carpooling, biking, and walking to work with a variety of commuter assistance and employer services to help reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier this year NBC was awarded
the base staff including active
weekends dealing with the emergen-
the Commander, Navy Installations
duty, civilian and contractors.
cies that arise.”
Command 2018 Installation Excel-
“No one person can run a
Mulvehill, accompanied by his
lence Award, placing second among
base, especially one that has eight
wife and two sons will depart for
71 installations worldwide for out-
different geographic locations
Naples, Italy directly after the cere-
standing efforts in installation man-
across two counties and multiple
mony where he will be the Chief of
agement and warfighting readiness.
cities,” said Mulvehill. “My staff
Staff for European Command.
Mulvehill credits the many awards
are out there every day engaged in
Fair Winds and Following Seas,
and accomplishments NBC received
the daily running of the base and
CAPT Mulvehill. Arrivederci e
to the hard work and dedication of
they are often out at night and on
buona fortuna! CROWNCITYMAGAZINE.COM
45
POETRY | DEBORAH NORDLIE
The Palms The palm trees stand like birthday candles above the rooflines, or actually, more like sentinels guarding the village below. The fronds, though few in number, murmur among themselves about the lives beneath them. They have their own language, these palms, that is unknown to us below. They hush their voices so as not to disturb events in their sight. They might gossip, but who would know of it? Even gardeners and arborists are unaware of what the palms have to say. Palms are attuned to the weather. They love the sun. They want to grow taller to reach what rain might fall before the others drink it up through their trunk straws. They dislike the creatures that sometimes make their way to
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sit in their midst, making themselves comfortable, tiny toenails marking ridges on the leaves. As expected, windstorms make them nervous. They sway in submission to accommodate the wind’s path. They want no trouble. Yearly, they are manicured with brash saws to avoid power lines. No one knows if they have agreed to this surgery. The palms won’t release that information, even in sotto voce. Nonetheless, palms are undeniably happy and quietly wave in greeting to their friends across the street. They try hard not to be a nuisance. So who could deny their poise? They stand, tall and alert, and mostly silent, doing their job. They seem content up there too, disclosing their thoughts only to each other. And in whispers too.
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