Special
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Oktoberfest Issue
On the Internet at www.LaMesaCourier.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE La Mesa’s Oktoberfest
KPBS Honors Local Hero Bill Bodry
38 Years of Great Fun, Food and Music
Oktoberfest See special pull-out section inside
LM Chamber of Commerce
What was Marilyn doing at Grossmont Center? Page 3
Historic high school match-up Page 4
Volume I – Number 5
La Mesa’s Oktoberfest is the oldest, largest and most popular celebration in the East County. This year’s event will take place on September 30, October 1 and 2. Snapshots from The hours are Friday the La Mesa and Saturday, 11 Historical a.m. – 11:30 p.m., Society give a and Sunday, 12 glimpse back to noon – 5:00 p.m. 1980s La Mesa Over 300 booths Oktoberfests and vendors will fill the streets of the La Mesa Village area, offering food, festivities, the popular beer garden, and wonderful items for sale. The threeday event includes all things German – lederhosen, beer, polka, bratwurst, and oom-pah-pah bands. Vendor booths will sell arts and crafts, gifts and food. And as they have for 38 years, costumed folk dancers will perform traditional waltzes and polkas, and visitors will sample grilled bratwurst, sausage, desserts and lots of beer. Over 200,000 people from all over San Diego County attended the Oktoberfest last year. But it wasn’t always that way. The very first Oktoberfest was held in 1974, and the organizers had their fingers crossed in hopes that people would attend. The Village merchants got together to see if they could create some type of event that would bring people downtown and stimulate business. They talked with German-born Willie Gora and Arlene Moreau, La Mesa Boulevard merchants, and the idea was born to try an “Oktoberfest.” But they had only a vague notion of what that was, so they planned for only one night. They hired a German band that performed in the Florence Arts parking lot. About 300 people came, listened to the 2010 Oktoberfest band. music and drank some beer. The next day, the shop keepers held a one-day sidewalk sale and the event was judged a modest success. The next year in 1975, the Oktoberfest was moved to Palm Avenue, just south of La Mesa Boulevard. That year they put down a dance floor to go with the band. About 1978, they closed La Mesa Boulevard and moved east to Third Street. Each
In a quiet corner of northwest La Mesa, sits a special facility most La Mesans have never heard of—the Challenge Center. But for hundreds of people every year it’s a place that changes lives. Since its beginning in 1987, the Challenge Center has provided clinical post-acute rehabilitation by skilled physical therapists, to people living with severe disabilities due to spinal cord injury or serious illnesses affecting the central nervous system. These services are provided to County residents of all ages who are in need of long-term affordable physical therapy, regardless of ability to pay. The founder and president of the Challenge Center, La Mesan Bill Bodry, is being honored by KPBS-TV
Photo courtesy of KPBS
October 1, 2011
as a “Local Hero” during the month of October, Disability Awareness Month. A spinal cord injury from a surgery gone wrong left Bill Bodry paralyzed at the age of 27, in Washington State. See Bill Bodry, page 2
See Oktoberfest, page 6
Restaurants Blend Distinct Flavors into La Mesa’s Village Scene By Patti Anderson
Miss California visits Salon Marchessa Page 5 NEWS TIPS (619) 697-2500 x124 Editor@LaMesaCourier.com
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When the city founders chose the name La Mesa, they may not have envisioned the Spanish translation of “the table” as a banquet filled with food offerings from international cuisine to home-style cooking. But, that is precisely what has become the cornerstone of La Mesa’s quaint village, with restaurants, cafés, and bistros sprawled up and down the boulevard, tempting visitors with an array of culinary choices that rival any European urban scene. From cozy family-run diners to sleek contemporary eateries, ambling down the boutique-filled center of the revitalized village offers an extensive selection of foods, but it’s carried out with a warm kid-friendly air, reasonable prices and owners, managers and staff that serve loyal patrons year after year.
Here is just a taste of the destinations that will tempt your palate, ranging from decades old to glossy modern: La Torta Café. Owner Miguel Rojas and sister Pily Lomeli have reinvented the concept of the sandwich. And, the results are delicious. With Miguel’s guidance, special torta rolls are baked daily, and used as the
Por Favor
foundation of an intriguing variety of meats, fish and vegetables. The numerous torta choices, many named for family members, are the mainstay of this casual diner with a cozy treeshaded patio. The expansive menu also offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options including a killer tortilla soup. The nightly line- up of patrons attest to the café’s loyal following. Por Favor Restaurant. Nestled in a colonial-style historic opera building that showcases traditional carvings, art, murals, and architecture, Por Favor’s interior is reminiscent of many buildings throughout Mexico and creates an appropriate setting for its popular home-style Mexican regional fare. The Marrujo family has owned and operated various Por Favor restaurants for more than 30 years with an eye to family-style informal dining. See Restaurants, page 5