Life Morro
February 2016
Bay
Everything Morro Bay
New CEO for Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce
Inside ... New Chamber chairperson 3 Saint Valentine
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Morro Bay general plan 4 Sweet Offerings
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Oysters 6 Community Calendar
7
Summer Cottage
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An Evening with Heart set for Feb. 13 Photo by Allyson Oken
The Tyler family has owned The Morro Bay Aquarium, located at 595 Embarcadero, since the 1960s but the building may soon be refurbished as the nonprofit Central Coast.
City working with nonprofit to refurbish aquarium By RUTH ANN ANGUS
By ALLYSON OKEN
Rotary Club of Morro Bay holds its fifth annual “An Evening with Heart” dinner at the Morro Bay Community Center on Saturday, Feb. 13. This year’s theme is “Rat Pack Night Club Las Vegas Style” and attendees are encouraged to dress to the nines. You can keep in mind stars like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and Sammy Davis Jr. This event is Morro Bay Rotary’s largest fundraiser and monies raised go to award scholarships to high school seniors and many donations to charitable organizations. This Rotary club has given prominent support to the community for more than 60 years. It works in conjunction with
Central Coast Aquarium, a nonprofit out of Avila Beach, took the first steps toward replacing the aging Morro Bay Aquarium at a City of Morro Bay Council meeting Jan. 12, with a deadline of Dec. 31 to submit a conceptual plan for the project. The project would require CCA to raise an estimated $7 to $10 million. The intent would be to create a new environment to house fish, invertebrates such as crab and sea stars and touch tanks. The facility would not house marine mammals, as the location does now. Current owners the Tyler family have owned and operated the aquarium since the 1960s. “With the lease up in 2018 we have hopes to be able to break ground in 2019,” CCA Executive Director Tara Malzone said. “Our Goal is not to just teach children but engage them. With a new facility like that we have in Avila, this will be a positive experience for visitors.” According to the meeting agenda, the aquarium could include large sea life tanks, a second-story multipurpose space, new docks, a visitor’s center and public restrooms. Research
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and ocean ecological tours could also be expanded. All City Council members were excited by the idea. John Heading said in open discussion at the meeting that “It (the aquarium) will put Morro Bay on the map.” The CCA is also partnered with Cal Poly’s Center for Coastal Marine Science and if the project is approved and they break ground, Cal Poly students and staff will be a big part of the work there. The only stipulation arose from public comment, after a local resident expressed concern about parking. The council discussed this and determined that the parking issues would be addressed in the conceptual plan. Buckingham reiterated that this was the only group at the table to partner with and suggested that the city not tax the nonprofit for parking. “The organization could walk away if they feel the cost of parking is too high,” Buckingham said. To learn more about this project, visit morrobay.ca.us. To make a donation or learn more about the Central Coast Aquarium nonprofit, visit centralcoastaquarium.com.
New bar under construction in Morro Bay
By ALLYSON OKEN
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The board of directors of the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce has hired Erica Crawford as its new Chief Executive Officer/President. Crawford began her duties in January and is already striding forward to strengthen the work the Chamber does for its members. Crawford comes to the Chamber with an interesting background, most recently having worked at Linne Calodo, a boutique winery in Paso Robles, where she oversaw the direct-to-consumer sales of their wines and hospitality. Her functions included emphasis on representing their brand to the thousands of visitors to San Luis Obispo County from areas all over the world. Crawford was born in Virginia, but grew up in Boston. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Columbia University in New York. Crawford operated independently owned restaurants in Brooklyn for seven years. She was involved with labor relations, city and state business compliance, and marketing. Working in these urban environments gave her a broad and holistic understanding of the relationship between community development and economic vitality. She added to her skill set by studying with
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Artist Renter contributed by Paul and Kelly Boisclair.
The Boisclairs will have Dale Evers local artist create the sign for The Siren that is being vetted at the city for design and size.
What began as an infamous fisherman’s bar known as Happy Jacks in 1929 has gone through several incarnations including turns as the Fuel Dock and now The Siren. This is the dream come true for husband and wife duo Paul and Kelly Boisclair who plan to have The Siren open in late May if all goes as planned. The Boisclairs said that they both fell in love with Morro Bay and when previous owner Casey Kelso expressed interest in selling The Fuel Dock, they
jumped at the opportunity to buy it. “This is a collaboration of my wife Kelly and I and she and I had been coming into the bar for years,” Paul said. “We have lived in Morro Bay for nine years now and we have always loved this bar. When it came up for sale about a year ago we thought, ‘lets do it.’ We wanted to create a community center of sorts, a place that the locals can be proud of and visitors can have a great time. Our goal is to expand it, make it a much more welcoming friendly place and create a
For Morro Bay Life
Monthly publication dedicated to covering everything in Morro Bay, CA.
Of Morro Bay Life
By RUTH ANN ANGUS
2 - Morro Bay Life - February 2016
Rotary
The Siren
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
Photo By Allyson Oken
Paul and Kelly Boisclair are the new owners of The Fuel Dock, soon to be renamed The Siren Rhythm and Booze Bar.
other clubs from around the world raising money to aid in Rotary’s successful effort to eradicate polio worldwide, to implement water installations and develop educational facilities in third world countries, and much more. People attending this event will enjoy a delicious gourmet dinner prepared by Sandee Helow, owner of Something’s Cooking. There will be great “Rat Pack” style music and dancing and a free door prize. A live and silent auction will be held with many interesting, useful, and artistic items for folks to bid on. One special thing in the live auction that may have fans salivating will be two plaza
Crawford
to call it Happy Jacks after the first bar in the location. They said that they wanted to preserve Happy Jacks and so The Siren was born. “The bar was notorious,” Paul said. “It was a rough bar, a fisherman’s bar and there have been murders in the bar. It has a lurid past and was a rough and tumble bar. It scared a lot of people away and we want to make the location much more user-friendly. We thought The Siren being the seductress of the sea we could excite some people and create a place where everyone feels welcome.” The plan is to serve gastro pub food, have outstanding live music, and add games, pool tables and more. The siren will be depicted all over the bar and Dale Evers will be creating the sign for The Siren. To follow the progress of The Siren, visit thesirenmorrobay.com.
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the American Sommelier Association and is a certified Sommelier. All of this education and experience is now brought to fruition in her new position as CEO/President of the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce. This organization has suffered in recent years with organizational changes and differing leadership. So Crawford and new Board Chairperson, Cyndee Edwards, have their
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level tickets to see the San Diego Chargers play the Oakland Raiders with the time and date of the game to be determined in April. This package also offers two invitations to a pregame VIP tailgate party including food and beverages and two pregame field passes. The winner and guest will have a chance to be down on the sidelines as the teams prepare for the game. Tickets are just $50 per person and are available at Coast Electronics and the Edward Jones office on Harbor across from the post office. You can also ask any Rotary member for tickets or call Morro Bay Rotary President, Carol Furtado at 319-3108.
musical vibe here that is unparalleled on the Central Coast. It is a passion and it is kind of a thrill at the end of our working carriers to be able to jump in head first and do it.” Plans for The Siren include expanding into the location that was a restaurant next door, building new bars, full kitchen, stage area, games area and even an outdoor area. “The design idea is to stay with the historic feel of the building,” Kelly said. “We are exposing any brick that we can expose and it is look great. We want to upgrade things and make things new but not modern and trendy we want the look and feel of a cozy friendly bar. We are really excited about the design and exposing the rafters in the ceiling there is some really cool red wood up their. We are just so excited to see our dream come true.” The duo said that they bounced quite a few names around and said many people wanted
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work cut out for them. “I am excited to promote the economic vitality and community cohesion that comes from a healthy business climate,” Crawford said. The Chamber is facing 2016 knowing it is being called upon to modernize, to supply better customer service with more technological capacity and for everyone to have a greater voice in discussions about the economic development of the city. “My singular voice matters not,” Crawford said, “Rather, I speak for the aggregate voice of the business community.” Crawford feels she has a strong board of directors and that they will work together to enhance the efficiency of the Chamber and to strengthen its programs. It already has revamped the Business Forums reaching out to businesses asking what they want to see and learn about. “We want to work collaboratively and in partnership with existing public and member-based organizations along the Central Coast,” she said. More variety of members can look forward to greater representation and promotion than has happened in the past. Crawford believes this Chamber can best serve its membership by being a grounding force and that there are greater possibilities to be achieved. She encourages members to communicate with her and the board and hopes more businesses will consider joining this year. She is also looking for citizens who would like to be involved by joining the Chamber’s Ambassador Program. “I wake up every day excited to promote this healthy business climate,” she said, “and am thrilled that it is my charge to help grow the reach of Morro Bay’s business community. It is the best thing that has happened in my working life to date.” The public is welcomed to be in touch by visiting the Chamber office at 695 Harbor St. or by e-mailing Crawford at erica@ morrochamber.org or phoning 772-4467.
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Morro Bay Life - February 2016 - 3
New Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce Chairperson takes the helm By RUTH ANN ANGUS For Morro Bay Life
Cyndee Edwards is an incurable optimist. She has to be. She is the new Chairperson for the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce. Edwards admits she has an up attitude about pretty much everything and she looks forward to a really productive year for the Chamber board. A degree from Cal Poly University in Speech Communications led Edwards to her first career in television news. She interned locally at KSBY and KTLA. She went on to produce television programs including a news magazine for the City of El Segundo. In 2000 she discovered the world of skincare and set about to become a licensed skin care therapist. She honed her skills working for several renowned skin care companies until finally opening her own business, The Skin Stop, with offices in Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. As a resident and business owner in Morro Bay it was inevitable that Edwards would get involved into helping the business community at large. She served as Secretary and President of the Morro Bay Merchant’s Association, and as a Director on the board of the Estero Bay Radio station (FM 97.3), and also as a Director on the Chamber board for the past three years. The Chamber board currently exists of nine members some of whom have been on the board for a few years. Members include Bill Shewchuk, owner of Suite 1 Gallery, as Vice Chairperson, Robert Davis, of the Morro Bay Bike Committee, as Secretary, and Directors, Sandi Twist of
The Paddleboard Company, Joshua Bergen of Wells Fargo, Ken Macmillan, owner of DiStasio’s on the Bay, Jon Elliot, owner of Mike’s Barber Shop, Travis Ford, owner of Rock Harbor Marketing, and Walter Heath of Morro Bay in Bloom. While there are about three Director positions unfilled on the board, Edwards is not in a hurry to fill the spots but wants to work with existing members while looking for the right complement of people to fill the spots. “Right now we are looking to obtain interested people who would like to serve as Ambassadors,” Edwards explained. Ambassadors help by hosting at Chamber Mixers and Ribbon Cuttings and other Chamber events. The Chamber has gone through quite a change in its daily operations in the past few years with the development of the Tourism Bureau, the moving of the Visitor’s Center to the Tourism Bureau, and some of the changeover in the staff at the city. This year the Chamber was awarded the contract to operate the Visitor’s Center which is now located at their office on Harbor Street and Piney Way. Some internal staff changes are taking place and the board has hired a brand new CEO/President, Erica Crawford. Edwards believes the answer to many of the problems that have existed between the Chamber and the business community really comes down to communications issues. The development of the weekly E-Blast that is emailed to every member and a revamping of the Business Forum meetings are just two of the promising elements taking place. “We have excellent communication with the city manager and the city staff,”
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New Chairperson of the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, Cyndee Edwards at her salon, The Skin Stop, in Morro Bay.
Edwards said. “We look forward to a great collaboration with them in regards to our yearly fundraiser, the Avocado/Margarita Festival.” Edwards also plans to be more proactive in better communications and representation for service businesses and other organizations that are not retail
oriented. “I believe we have to represent and promote all the different types of member businesses,” she said. Edwards hopes that members who have fallen away and new people will consider joining the Chamber this year. “There is a lot of work we need to do,” she said, “and we need to do it together.”
4 - Morro Bay Life - February 2016
Love is in the Air
Join the journey to update Morro Bay’s general plan By RUTH ANN ANGUS For Morro Bay Life
The story of Saint Valentine
By RUTH ANN ANGUS For Morro Bay Life
Thanks to Saint Valentine we celebrate February as the month of love. What started as a religious observance on Feb. 14th for the Feast of Saint Valentine has exploded into a full-scale holiday based on love. Saint Valentine was an early saint in the Catholic Church although there are a number of stories about several Valentines some of whom were martyrs. Saint Valentine of Rome was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who at the time were forbidden to marry. Perhaps this is where the love connection began. Saint Valentine also performed healings and during his imprisonment he healed the daughter of the jailer. He later wrote to her and signed the letter, “Your Valentine” and people all over the world have been doing the same ever since. The romantic connection to the saint took hold during the 14th century thanks to Geoffrey Chaucer’s poetry about “Valentines.” Prior to that there were no romantic connections to any saints named Valentine. Some February celebrations
were centered around fertility such as Lupercalia that was observed in ancient Rome on Feb. 13 to 15. During the middle ages the day became more associated with romantic love. In 18th Century England people celebrated by presenting flowers, greeting cards, and confectioneries to their loved ones. This tradition still exists today in many countries around the world. Exchanging cards grew over the years with paper valentines becoming popular in England in the 19th century. These fancy valentines were decorated with ribbons and lace and sent by post. Mass produced cards came next and by the 20th century Valentines greeting expanded to include exchanging gifts or giving a loved one flowers and chocolates wrapped in heart shaped boxes. Nowadays people take advantage of sending cards via the Internet, but school children still enjoy exchanging greeting cards. Valentine’s Day has progressed from a holy day to a holiday and as long as love lasts it will continue to do so.
Soon residents of Morro Bay will have an excellent opportunity to have their voices heard as to how they want their city to progress. The city is beginning a two year journey to complete its update of the General Plan/Local Coastal Program and they need your input. The General Plan/Local Coastal Program is an unwieldy 1100 page document that hasn’t been updated in the past 20 years. Community Development Manager Scot Graham said the time has come and at least 16 meetings will be held over the two year time period to bring the plan into modern times. “The plan consists of all the service the city provides,” Graham commented, “and we look forward to receiving some guidance as to what the community sees for the city’s future.” The recent City Voice survey issued by the city brought an unexpected result in that more people who had never before responded came forward with their opinions. The General Plan Advisory Committee made up of nine local citizens will work in conjunction with a consultant, most likely, Michael Baker International, a multi-disciplinary firm specializing in developing general plans for cities. The committee will reach out to residents in a variety of ways by holding community study sessions, stakeholder interviews, City Voice surveys, and neighborhood coffee meetings. Some of the things mentioned in the City Voice survey dealt with retaining Morro Bay’s small town character and
natural open spaces and preservation of the wildlife of the area. Other items noted were concerns for investment for improvements to the downtown section and an interest in developing better renewable energy. Issues to think about: How will the city go forward with housing and commercial development? Can we put some energy into attracting technical and light industrial jobs so that more young people can find employment that pays a wage enabling them to purchase homes here? Can we move away from only offering low wage retail jobs? Will tourism continue to grow and should this be the only industry available to Morro Bay? How will we address environmental concerns? Will the increase in water sports activities on the bay adversely impact the birds, otters, sea lions, and seals that people love to see? What about ongoing water conservation? Can we as a city continue to fund a city police force and fire department? These are just some of the questions that need your input. So watch for announcements of the planned for meetings. Take part. Let the committee know what you think the future of Morro Bay should look like. Your opinion counts! To review the current General Plan and Local Coastal Plan go to morro-bay. ca.us/218/Planning-Division . To view the city request for proposal (RFP) sent out for the update go to morro-bay.ca.us/ DocumentCenter/View/9184 . To follow the GPAC’s work go to morro-bay.ca.us and click on “Agenda” and “Minutes.” Then click on “Notify Me” to register to receive Information.
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Morro Bay Life - February 2016 - 5
Candy for your Valentine
Photo By Ruth Ann Angus
By RUTH ANN ANGUS
The variety of chocolates at Sweet Offerings.
For Morro Bay Life
Looking for a nice gift for Valentine’s Day? Think candy! Sweet Offerings has everything you might desire for that special person. Owner and premier chocolatemaker Janet Lewis creates a variety of tasty candy goodies that are sure to delight your Valentine. Lewis opened her Morro Bay business originally on Morro Bay Boulevard, but moved to 571 Embarcadero about a year and half ago. She specializes in handmade chocolate candies and fudges and also carries a variety of ice creams.
The chocolate is sourced from Guittard, a French chocolate firm that has been exporting to the United States since the late 1800s. In mid-January Lewis was busy creating Valentine treats pouring white chocolate into molds shaped like lips. She then did the same thing using heart shaped molds. The lovely lips have a stem inserted and become white chocolate lip lollipops. Both the lips and hearts are made not only with white chocolate but dark and milk chocolate too. “I think my most popular Valentine
candies are my large strawberries dipped in chocolate,” Lewis commented, “and I also offer chocolate covered cherries.” A really great Valentine treat would be Lewis’ assortment of truffles. You can choose Orange Cream, Tiramisu, Red Velvet, Pina Colada, Black Cherry, Espresso, or Amaretto. Another popular item is her chocolate cherry pecan fudge or for that matter any of the fudge flavors. Lewis will box your assortment and trim it with a red bow for free. She also offers a special where if you buy a pound of fudge
you get another quarter pound for free. Should you buy six pounds of one flavor fudge she will reduce the price. Sweet Offerings is also in Cambria at 4070 Burton Dr. where there are even more selections of goodies with more options for Valentine gifts. You might choose the Valentine Mix or Sour Kisses, items that are great for people who don’t like chocolate. You can choose any type of candy at both stores and Lewis will ship it for you out of the Cambria store.
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6 - Morro Bay Life - February 2016
Oysters are the food of love
Photos By Ruth Ann Angus
Grassy Bar Oyster barge in back bay. Photos By Ruth Ann Angus
Morro Bay Oyster Company in the bay.
By RUTH ANN ANGUS For Morro Bay Life
Oysters have the reputation of being an aphrodisiac so choosing them as a Valentine’s Day gift might be appropriate for you. The nice thing is you can obtain oysters right here in Morro Bay. Two oyster-farming companies operate out in the back bay. One is Morro Bay Oyster Company, owned and operated by Neil Maloney and the other is Grassy Bar Oyster Company owned and operated by George Trevelyan. Both are family businesses and they farm across from each other on the wide expanse of the bay with
Maloney situated at the beginning of the salt marsh area and Trevelyan over nearer to the sandspit. Competition doesn’t seem to be a problem as both sell their product locally as well as to a variety of outlets throughout the state. Oyster farming goes back a long way in Morro Bay waters and probably began in the early 1900s. Over the years different operators took charge on the bay with the lease changing hands with each new owner. Maloney started his business in 2004 doing production farming for the Tomales Bay
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Oyster Company located 50 miles north of San Francisco. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon in Marine Biology and has done specialized studies in conservation, business and aquaculture. When TBOC’s owner retired in 2008 Maloney set up his own business in Morro Bay. Pacific Gold Oysters are the product of Morro Bay Oyster Company and these oysters do well here with changes in salinity, temperature, nutrients and tidal flow. They spend six to eight months in the nursery being tended daily and are submerged all the time in the tank. After maturing somewhat they are transferred into the growing area in the bay, kept in mesh bags and affixed to long floating lines. The Pacific Golds reach their full potential just before being harvested at around 12 to 18 months. They are kept submerged until customers are ready to buy them. The Grassy Bar Oyster Company began business on the bay in 2009. Owner, George Trevelyan brings 21 years of shellfish experience to the business. Their oysters are cultivated and harvested by hand first being planted as a tiny seed oyster. They are grown in mesh bags directly on the natural
mudflats of the bay in the intertidal zone. Harvesting is done by raising the oysters off the bottom onto racks and left for a few days to purge any silt that might be on their shells. Trevelyan says, “We do what we do, but the magic is in the water.” Health department officials do monitor oyster farming and the beds are closed down during the rainy season or at any time any contaminant is found in the water in the bay. You can buy Morro Bay Oyster Company’s oysters at Dockside Fish Market at 1245 Embarcadero or enjoy them as a meal at the Dockside 3 Smokehouse, Oyster Bar and Pub, and also at Dutchman Seafood House at 701 Embarcadero. They are also available at Morro Bay Oyster Company, 1287 Embarcadero and you can call 234-7102 to order or visit their web site morrobayoysters.com . Grassy Bar Oysters are available in Morro Bay at Giovanni’s Fish Market on the Embarcadero and also at Dockside III. To obtain their oysters visit their web site at grassybaroyster.com or e-mail gboysterco@gmail.com . Treat your loved one to a special treat of aphrodisiac oysters for Valentine’s Day.
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Morro Bay Life - February 2016 - 7
ONGOING EVENTS
Farmers Market The Morro Bay weekly Saturday farmers market is open to the public beginning at 3 to 6 p.m. There will be all kinds of wonderful artisan wares and produce for purchase. The event is located in downtown Morro Bay at Main and Harbor Street. For more information, or to become a vendor call 772-4467. Farmers Market 2 The Morro Bay weekly Thursday farmers market is open to the public beginning at 3 to 5 p.m. There will be all kinds of wonderful artisan wares and produce for purchase. The event is located at Spencer’s Market, located at 2650 Main Street in Morro Bay. For more information, or to become a vendor call 772-8103. Live Music Thursdays at STAX Come listen to cool music at STAX with a glass of wine and tasty treats from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, to book a band and see what is happening for the month of events visit, staxwine.com or e-mail staxwine@yahoo.com. Saturday Scientists Come to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History in Morro Bay to learn about science and microscopes in these hands on up close looks at everyday objects. Hosted the 3rd Saturday of the month at 2 p.m. It is family oriented and if people come especially to do the program, there is no charge for entry. The Museum is located at 20 State Park Road in Morro Bay and is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 772-2694 or visit ccspa.info/ morrobay. Beginning Belly Dance Classes Morro Bay Bellydance troupe Benat Serat invites you to join them and learn original dances sets to current music as well as traditional Middle Eastern rhythms at Beginning Belly dance classes, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. through the Morro Bay Community Center located at 1000 Kennedy Way in Morro Bay. The cost to attend is $20 per month and $15 per month to Morro Bay residence and to drop in the cost is $7 and $5 to residence of Morro Bay. To learn more about Benat Serat visit benatserat.wordpress.com. Morro Bay Embarcadero Art Walk On the second Friday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. Art Galleries and Shops located in the Marina Square Complex on the waterfront side of the Embarcadero. Spend an enjoyable evening along the waterfront free! Converse with many talented local artists about their fine art, jewelry, crafts and more! Have a work of art, signed by the artist! Listen to local guitarist, Mike Swanberg. Enjoy refreshments provided by participating galleries and shops. Marina Square Complex, 601 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442 contact Marina Square Complex 772-1068. Morro Bay Art Center Oil Painting Class Jason Mayr’s ongoing classes meet each Monday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. for the cost of $30 per session. Open to the public. For more information or to register e-mail Jason at jkmayr@aol.com. To learn more about Art Center classes and more visit, artcentermorrobay.com. Morro Bay Art Center Gouache & Acrylic Class Diana Manseau classes meet on Fridays from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. The cost per class is $25. Some materials are available for student use. Students are welcome to drop in. For more info call Diana at: 772-2102. To learn more about Art Center classes and more visit, artcentermorrobay.com. TAROT TUESDAYS Calling all Empresses, Magicians, Lovers, and Seekers on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 2:00-4:00 p.m. for the cost of $20. A fun afternoon of interactive tarot play! Relax with a cup of tea. Bring your favorite deck. Enhance your intuitive reading skills, learn new spreads, practice reading with each other. For more information, visit rubydragon.info. ANGEL HEALING CIRCLE On the second and fourth Wednesday, from 6 8:30 p.m. for the cost of $20 each to enjoy class with Mary Hiestand, ATP Feb. 10 and 24. The Angel Healing Circle at Ruby Dragon is a peaceful time designed to help you relax, meditate, and connect to your Angels. For more information, visit rubydragon.info.
Community Calendar AARP TaxAide Join the TaxAide program for the free tax service beginning Monday, February 1. The tax program will run through April 13.To make an appointment for the Morro Bay site, call 805-9316308. Scheduling of appointments takes place Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you do not get a live person, please leave a message and the schedulers will get back to you. The Morro Bay Church of Christ is the host site of the Morro Bay AARP TaxAide Site. S.L.O.P.E. San Luis Outdoor Painters for the Environment SHOW! A Visual Celebration of Montaña de Oro as a Commemorative Art Exhibit will kick off Feb. 1-29. Enjoy an opening Reception on Thursday, February 4, 5-7:30 p.m. as S.L.O.P.E. honors Montaña de Oro’s 50-Year Anniversary with a tribute exhibit and sale of inspired paintings dedicated to the park’s enduring beauty. A portion of art sales will benefit Central Coast State Parks Association. Located at the Morro Bay State Park’s Museum of Natural History at 20 State Park Road in Morro Bay. For more information, call 772- 2694 or visit ccspa.info/morrobay Women’s Fitness for Body, Spirit, Mind & Health Join certified Bellyfit(R) instructor Leslie Thompson for a one hour cardio, yoga and Pilates work out that combines dance moves and music from around the world to give participant a holistic fitness experience that leaves them feeling energized and focused. Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 - 10 a.m., located at Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way. The cost with a Punch pass is 8 for $50 or $8 drop in.
To be included in the Community Calendar please contact Allyson Oken at
aoken@atascaderonews.com
Feb.
INTEGRATED ENERGY THERAPY® CERTIFICATION COURSES
February 5, 6 and 7 come to the classroom and learn with Mary Hiestand, IET Master Instructor. There are three levels to join: Basic level, February 5 (Friday) / 5:30-9:30 p.m. / $205, Intermediate level, February 6 (Saturday) / 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. / $230 and Advanced level, February 7 (Sunday) / 10:30 a.m.-5: 30 p.m. / $230. Preregistration and payment is required. Credit cards are accepted. To register call Ruby Dragon at 772-1100.
Saturday, Feb. 6 Otter Rock Live Music
Debra Winsong, Tim Jackson and Freeman Lee are playing at Morro Bays’ Otter Rock Cafe from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Otter Rock Cafe offers tasty cuisine, libation and an open dance floor to get your groove on with one of many live bands that make this a hip spot and pit stop on their tours. For more information, visit otterrockcafe.com.
Thursday, Feb. 11
Morro bay women’s connection luncheon
From noon to 1:30 p.m. enjoy learning, “What’s a Luffa” Learn where they grow, how they grow and why you need one, with speaker Judy Scharfenberg. Hosted at the Rock Harbor, 1475 Quintana Road in Morro Bay. All for the cost of $5 that includes lunch and program. First time guests are free and for reservations contact Rita by calling 5341739 or emailing morrobaywc@gmail.com.
Friday, Feb. 12
Concert at Coalesce Bookstore
Come out to Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main Street at 7 p.m. to welcome Joe Craven and the Sometimers a SLO Folks production, all for the cost of $20 per person. To reserve a ticket call Coalesce Books at 772-2880 or visit slofolks.org.
Friday, Feb. 12-14
Nature Corp Morro Bay & Hearst Castle Valentine Volun-tour
Help preserve coastal wildlife and then enjoy a romantic
Valentine’s weekend while wine tasting on the Central Coast. Join Nature Corps to preserve the habitat of the threatened Snowy Plovers and then explore the best of the Central Coast. Enjoy exquisite cuisine, fine wine, and VIP tours of famous attractions while you help to restore critical coastal dunes habitat. For more information, about cost and registration for these events visit, thenaturecorps.org.
Saturday, Feb. 13 Otter Rock Live Music
EASY IN Ska Band is playing at Morro Bays’ Otter Rock Cafe from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Otter Rock Cafe offers tasty cuisine, libation and an open dance floor to get your groove on with one of many live bands that make this a hip spot and pit stop on their tours. For more information, visit otterrockcafe.com.
Saturday, Feb. 20 Otter Rock Live Music
Mama Tumba is playing at Morro Bays’ Otter Rock Cafe from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Otter Rock Cafe offers tasty cuisine, libation and an open dance floor to get your groove on with one of many live bands that make this a hip spot and pit stop on their tours. For more information, visit otterrockcafe.com.
Saturday, Feb. 27 Otter Rock Live Music
Simple Creation/ Reggae is playing at Morro Bays’ Otter Rock Cafe from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Otter Rock Cafe offers tasty cuisine, libation and an open dance floor to get your groove on with one of many live bands that make this a hip spot and pit stop on their tours. For more information, visit otterrockcafe.com.
Senior Happenings Seniors age 55 and older make up more than half the population of Morro Bay, and City Recreation Services along with Morro Bay Senior Citizens, Inc., provide activities and services catering specifically to this large demographic. In November 2015, MBSCI helped host the annual Community Thanksgiving meal. More than four hundred dinners were served at the Community Center, and volunteers delivered additional meals to those unable to leave their homes. It was a great show of community spirit as local retailers and restaurants donated food, while other organizations helped prepare the meal. Scores of volunteers took time away from their own families to serve and clean up. So much food was generously donated by local vendors that the surplus fed everyone who came to the Vets Hall the following Monday for the regular Monday night community dinner! Looking forward, in March, MBSCI will partner with City Recreation Services to host the annual Dixon Family Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser… date to be announced soon. A number of activities and classes are routinely offered through MBSCI and City Recreation Services, including
ongoing physical fitness classes, art and music courses. Billiards, darts, Ping-Pong, Mah Jong and various card games take place during the week. Movies are shown every Monday afternoon and informational lectures, workshops and the extremely popular Bingo game (at the Vet’s Hall) happen monthly. Many new activities have recently sprung to life. Since Pickleball games began being played at del Mar Park in 2014, participation has dynamically grown, and Pickleball is now the most popular adult sport in the city! A Bocce ball clinic is being offered at City Park on the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 23 and this sport has the potential to take off like Pickleball. These are only some of the many great activities currently happening in Morro Bay for those age 55 and older more activities and events are planned for the future. Visit the Senior Center at 1001 Kennedy Way and enjoy what we have to offer! The Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and MBSCI volunteers may also be reached by phone at 772-4421 during those hours.
Free to the Public
WRITERS GROUP Every Thursday from 6:00-8:30 p.m. for the cost of $200 per month (pro-rated depending on when you join) limited to 6 people in the classroom with Tobey Crockett, PhD. Hosted Feb. 4, 11, 18, and 25. The weekly sessions establish a commitment to steady production and provide invaluable feedback to facilitate your rapid progress through whatever fiction, non-fiction, memoir, long form or short story projects you have chosen to develop. For more information, visit rubydragon. info. DREAM CIRCLE: Universal dream and the power of collective Join the dreamwork circle every 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 5:00-6:30 p.m. in the classroom for a cost of $10 suggested offering with Martien and Teressena Bakens. Hosted Feb 2 and 16, dreaming is an opportunity to access other realms and states of consciousness through our energetic dream body. For more information, visit rubydragon.info.
Save the Date:
February 28th, 2016
Atascadero Lakeside Pavilion
Booth Space Limited Contact Michael ncweddingexpo@gmail.com
www.NCWeddingExpo.com
8 - Morro Bay Life - February 2016
A treasure trove for all seasons By RUTH ANN ANGUS For Morro Bay Life
Don’t forget gifts when you think about your Valentine’s Day purchases. When flowers and candy are not enough, you can always come in to Summer Cottage in Old Town on Main Street and are sure to find the perfect gift. To start off with you can choose from their selection of vintage Valentine cards for your loved one. Take it a step forward and pick up the hottest thing for the lady of your choice – a tiara. “Crowns and tiaras are hot right now,” manager Kay Crocker said. “What woman or girl doesn’t need a crown?” Crocker and her sister, Carrie Aguirre, own the shop for 10 years now. They bought it including the existing merchandise from the previous owner who did interior decorating. “We had to sell off that merchandise and gradually change it over to gift items,” Crocker said. Crocker has 42 years in retail business and has worked for many large stores. Aguirre attended the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising obtaining a degree in fashion design. So these two women bring both sides of what is necessary for a successful retail business to the plate. Crocker gets involved with buying their merchandise and regularly attends the large gift shows. Aguirre adds some flair to displays of the variety of items this eclectic shop carries. Crocker says the key to making it all look good has a lot to do with color. “It’s the look of things that attracts people,” she said, “so we work in color themes.” There is a beach element to the store and many of those items would work well for interior decorating. Many visitors to town purchase items to take home to create their own “beach themed” room. The color
theme to this display is soft blues and beige accented with shells giving off a sandy, beach feel. “We do every seasonal thing,” Crocker said, “like Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July, and also to celebrate the bird festival. That’s why we say we are the treasure trove for all seasons.” You have to take your time discovering all the elements that make up the merchandise. There are hand-picked vintage things and collectibles. Making miniature or fairy gardens is a popular pastime now and to add to your plantings, you can choose some of the tiny bird and animal figurines they have. To go along with highlighting Morro Bay, there are small otters, pelicans, sea lions, and even falcons in honor of the peregrine falcons that nest on Morro Rock. They also have small fairy figurines complete with fairy wings. “We try to have things that reflect local things,” Crocker said, “and we carry locally crafted items too.” Your Valentine may delight in a nice piece of handmade jewelry, or heart shaped necklaces. There are also imported chocolates in vintage wrappers and vintage cake toppers that hold candles. Perhaps some homemade honey would sweeten your love life. Produced from local bees, this honey can also help alleviate some allergy symptoms. For kids there are games Photos by Ruth Ann Angus and puzzles and they have their very own Front of Summer Cottage shop. section of the store. Some unusual fair trade imported items are the small felt bags Summer Cottage is not just for the handmade by the people of Nepal in the summer but definitely perfect for any shapes of animals like cats and owls. season and might just be the right place to Crocker and Aguirre try to find high find that perfect Valentine gift. end merchandise while still keeping prices reasonable. Kids like to come to the store because the merchandise is displayed Photos by Ruth Ann Angus Beach type merchandise at Summer at kid’s level. “The kids often drag their Cottage parents in,” Crocker said with a smile.
Congratulations to Business of the Month: Jim’s Automotive 899 Piney Way Morro Bay, CA 93442
Jim’s Automotive is celebrating 50 years of automotive service excellence in Morro Bay, and have been members of the Chamber of Commerce for over 28 years. Jim’s is now the only automotive shop in the county using Clear Mechanic Technology, allowing them to offer visual explanations in their service department. Photos and videos are taken by their certified technicians in real time during the inspection process. During your visit, they may post photos and videos of your vehicle to explain their recommendations. Support this local business offering this modern technological service.
Morro Bay Community and Farmer’s Market Winter Hours 2p-5p
Drop by and see what’s new! Welcome our new market vendor, Razzle Dazzle.
We proudly recognize our New Chamber Members: Linda Harris, CPA Glenn Burdette Yoga Center of Morro Bay Law Offices of Jane Heath
We appreciate your loyalty and support of the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce!
A reverse mortgage could help you stay in your own home. Call today to learn more about this government insured program for accessing your home’s equity.
Bob Gayle
Reverse Mortgage Consultant
805/772-3658
Reverse Mortgage Professionals is an Aegean Financial Company, CA BRE 1478751, NMLS 157935
NMLS License 582948 • CA BRE Broker License 466813