February 8, 2013

6TH ANNUAL BEST OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ISSUE

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE FEBRUARY 8–21, 2013 FOUNDED IN 2002

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

Fiesta Association Cancels Beer Garden at Mercado

Rancho Mission Viejo Development to Expand CUSD

Tartans Boys Basketball Contends for League Title

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 17

EYE ON SJC/PAGE 17

SPORTS/PAGE 28

6 ANNUAL BEST OF th

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS IN THIS ISSUE Services ON THE

To-Do List Best...

Eateries

WATERING HOLES

and More...

Best...

Ambience Appetizers Bar - Our Local “Cheers” Breakfast Coffee Dessert Dinner International Eats Lunch Margarita Outdoor Patio Pizza Salsa Taco Wine Selection

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At the

SHOPS Best...

Antique/Second-hand Store Auto Dealership Clothing Home Décor Jewelry Nursery Flowers Spot for that “Perfect Gift” Shopping Plaza

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Car Repair 12 Customer Service 13 Dry Cleaner 12 Fitness Spot/Gym 12 Hair Salon/Barber 12 Manicure & Pedicure 12 Spa for Massages, Facials, etc. 12 Veterinarian 13

GETTING

Outside

Best...

Trail Stables Place to Take Children Park Place to Take Out-of-Towners Historical Spot Capistrano Tradition Place to Spot the Swallows

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the REGULAR ISSUE EYE ON SJC News Next Door Top 5 News Bites Sheriff’s Blotter SOAPBOX GETTING OUT SJC LIVING SPORTS

Top-notch facilities and staff keep equestrians and their horses happy at the Ortega Equestrian Center. Photo by Andrea Swayne

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OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE

In just three years since its opening, Hidden House Coffee has quickly become San Juan Capistrano’s choice for the best cup of joe. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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Eateries

6th ANNUAL BEST OF

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

WATERING HOLES

and More...

Best Breakfast

Golden horseshoe Mollie’s Famous Café

32033 Camino Capistrano, 949.240.9261, www.sanjuan capistrano.net/dining/mollies

Since opening in 1982, Mollie’s has become an institution in San Juan. Owner Georgia Kelley said she’s seen generations of families come through her doors to enjoy hearty, old-fashioned breakfasts. Mollie’s features all the classic staples, including bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy and pancakes. Folks rave about the waffles, which can be topped with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream. At Mollie’s, your coffee cup never goes empty. —BP

Silver horseshoe The Ramos House Café

31752 Los Rios Street, 949.443.1342, www.ramoshouse.com NOMINEES: 19 Sports Bar & Grill • A’s Burgers • Bravo Burgers • Cedar Creek Inn• Denny’s • Donut Hut • El Adobe de Capistrano • El Molino de Oro • Las Golondrinas • L’Hirondelle Restaurant • Marie Callender’s • Panera Bread • Ruby’s Diner • Sundried Tomato Café • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Ricardo’s Place • The Bagel Shack • The Dutch Bakery and Café • The Tea House on Los Rios • The Vintage Steakhouse • The Walnut Grove Restaurant 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Mollie’s Famous Café; Silver: The Bagel Shack

Mollie’s Famous Café server Victor Lopez, owner Georgia Kelley, server Nicolas Garcia Nizo and server Tami Adams have been filling the bellies of hungry customers with tasty breakfast items like their strawberry-and-whipped-cream-topped waffles since 1982.

Photo by Brian Park

Silver horseshoe Cedar Creek Inn

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com NOMINEES: 19 Sports Bar & Grill • Bad to the Bone • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • El Adobe de Capistrano • L’Hirondelle • Ramos House Café • Regency Theatre/ Rick’s Café • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Sol Del Sur Bistro • Tannin’s Restaurant and Wine Bar • Thai Juan On • Ruby’s Diner • The Bagel Shack • The Vintage Steakhouse • Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante • Mission Grill 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Sundried Tomato Café; Silver: Cedar Creek Inn

Best Lunch Golden horseshoe Cedar Creek Inn

Best Appetizers Golden horseshoe Sundried Tomato Café

31781 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.1167, www.sundriedtomatocafe.com

The spot for all things delicious, Sundried Tomato Café is where both locals and tourists head for a glass of wine with appetizers. Their favorites are crispy stuffed artichoke hearts with herbed goat cheese, tomato relish and the blackened chicken spring rolls with honey-cilantro pesto. Braised beef sliders get a nod too. The Happy Hour menu serves dinner starters and more from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. —RWD

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com

The Ayres family has been in the business of food for 30 years and it shows in the delicious food, great ambience and excellent service at Cedar Creek. Their plentiful lunch selection includes 11 salads—their signature being the Chicken Papaya stuffed with mildly-curried chicken—and 15 sandwiches—with the grilled ahi tuna with homemade jalapeno tartar sauce ranked most popular.

P.S. the patio is packed at lunch. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Sundried Tomato Café

31781 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.1167, www.sundriedtomatocafe.com NOMINEES: Aldo’s Sidewalk Caffe • Bad to the Bone • Bravo Burgers •Café Mozart • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • Donut Hut • El Adobe de Capistrano • El Maguey • El Molino de Oro • Mollie’s Famous Café • Hummingbird House Café • Las Golondrinas • L’Hirondelle Restaurant • Marbella Farmers Market • Mission Grill • NYC Café and Catering • Oeeshi Japanese Grill • Panera Bread • Ricardo’s Place • Ruby’s Diner • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • The Bagel Shack • The Dutch Bakery and Café • The Ramos House Café • The Vintage Steakhouse • Wendi’s Donuts and Deli 2011 WINNERS: Gold: NYC Café and Catering; Silver: The Bagel Shack

Best Dinner Golden horseshoe Sundried Tomato Café

31781 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.1167, www.sundriedtomatocafe.com

With a menu featuring signature dishes such as their creamy sundried tomato soup and creations made daily six days a week, diners have spoken and Sundried Tomato Café has won the gold. Their most popular dishes are Mary’s natural half-chicken marinated with preserved lemons and the fresh ahi tuna with mashed potatoes.

The root beer marinated ribs and lamb cheeseburgers generate a buzz too. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Cedar Creek Inn

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com The seared ahi tuna with mashed potatoes is a popular dinner choice at Sundried Tomato Café. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

NOMINEES: Bad to the Bone •Bravo Burgers • Café Mozart • Ciao Pasta

Trattoria • El Adobe de Capistrano • El Molino de Oro • Las Golondrinas • L’Hirondelle • Mission Grill • Mollie’s Famous Café • Oeeshi Japanese Grill • Ramos House Café • Ricardo’s Place • ROK Prime • Ruby’s Diner • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Tannin’s Restaurant and Wine Bar • Thai Juan On • The Vintage Steakhouse • Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Sundried Tomato Café; Silver: Cedar Creek Inn

Best International Eats Golden horseshoe L’Hirondelle

31631 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.0425, www.lhirondellesjc.com

L’Hirondelle specializes in French Continental cuisine.

Using only the finest ingredients, both local and from specialized regions, L’Hirondelle serves up palatepleasing dishes with class and style. For lunch, owner Ali Golesorkhi said the most popular items are the salmon sandwich, Kobe burger and picnic plate, which includes fruit, brie cheese, chicken and duck pâté. For dinner, Golesorkhi recommends the roast duck and beef bourguignon. —BP

Silver horseshoe Thai Juan On

31878 Del Obispo Street, 949.234.0332, www.thaijuanon.com NOMINEES: Aldo’s Sidewalk Caffe • Café Mozart • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • El Adobe de Capistrano • El Campeon • El Maguey • Hummingbird House Café • Las Golondrinas • Oeeshi Japanese Grill • Red Velvet Asian Café • Ricardo’s Place • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • The Bagel Shack • The Olives Branch • Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante 2011 WINNERS: This is a new category for 2012.

Best Dessert Golden horseshoe Cedar Creek Inn

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com

When we asked our waiter to recommend the best dessert on the menu, Ruben “Sandwich” Romano could not stop at just one. For starters, all desserts are homemade with eight to choose from, all priced at $8. The Coconut Supreme Cake is three layers thick and served warm with ice cream. “But the bomb,” said Romano, “is the seasonal fresh fruit lush.” —RWD

Silver horseshoe The Vintage Steakhouse 26701-B Verdugo Street, 949.661.3400, www.thevintagesteakhouse.com

NOMINEES: 3:16 Bakery Shop • Baskin Robbins •Café Mozart • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • El Molino de Oro • Frio Yogurt and Gelato • Golden Spoon • L’Hirondelle • Marie Callender’s • Panera Bread • Ruby’s Diner • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Sundried Tomato Café • Tannins Restaurant and Wine Bar • The Bagel Shack • The Dutch Bakery and Café 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Cedar Creek Inn; Silver; Marie Callender’s

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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Best Ambiance Golden horseshoe Cedar Creek Inn

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com

Cedar Creek scores again for all the right reasons. In addition to its patio garden party vibe, we find a relaxed and pampered mood inside their upscale family-style restaurant, decked with high cedar-planked ceilings and flagstone fireplaces. At night, the dining area is bathed in speckles of candlelight. In the bar, a roaring fire completes the very comfortable, well-appointed ski lodge ambience. —RWD

6th ANNUAL BEST OF

Silver horseshoe Las Golondrinas

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

NOMINEES: Agustin Mexican Food • El Adobe de Capistrano • El Campeon • El Maguey • El Molino de Oro • Mission Grill • Swallow’s Inn • Taco Bell • Taqueria El Coyotito 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Ricardo’s Place; Silver: Pedro’s Tacos

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

27124 Paseo Espada, 949.240.3440

Best Salsa Golden horseshoe Las Golondrinas 27124 Paseo Espada, 949.240.3440

In business since 1984 in San Juan Capistrano, many local residents have made Las Golandrinas their go-to spot for delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine. Made inhouse with only the freshest ingredients, the salsa is the perfect accompaniment to the restaurant’s varied menu options or simply enjoyed alongside the house-made tortilla chips and guacamole.—KD

Silver horseshoe The Ramos House Café

31752 Los Rios Street, 949.443.1342, www.ramoshouse.com NOMINEES: 19 Sports Bar & Grill • Café Mozart • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • El Adobe de Capistrano • Hummingbird House Café • L’Hirondelle • Regency Theatre/Rick’s Café • ROK Prime •Ruby’s Diner • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Sundried Tomato Café • Swallow’s Inn • The Coach House • The Tea House on Los Rios • The Vintage Steakhouse • Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Cedar Creek Inn; Silver: Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot

Silver horseshoe El Adobe de Capistrano

31891 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.1163, www.eladobedecapistrano.com

Best Outdoor Patio

NOMINEES: Agustin Mexican Food • Bravo Burgers • El Campeon • El Molino de Oro • El Maguey • Marbella Farmers Market • Ricardo’s Place •Taqueria El Coyotito 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Ricardo’s Place; Silver: El Adobe de Capistrano

Golden horseshoe Cedar Creek Inn

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com

This patio evokes the feeling of a summer party in a plush backyard. Festive flowers grow in pots everywhere. Birds tweet without twitter. People gather around banquet sized tables made for eating. Every seat gets a primo view of the Old Church at the San Juan Capistrano Mission. Live music sweetens evenings in summer. According to head waiter Ruben Romano, who’s been with the upscale joint for 13 years, “It’s so popular.” —RWD

Ricardo’s Place owner Ricardo Beas and sister/chef Rosa Ramos present a trio of their most popular tacos—shrimp, crispy beef and carnitas. Photo by Andrea Swayne

Silver horseshoe Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot

32082 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.4941, www.ricardosplace.net

26701 Verdugo St., 949.487.0065, www.capistranodepot.com

NOMINEES: Aldo’s Sidewalk Caffe • Bad to the Bone • Bravo Burgers •Café Mozart • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • Donut Hut • El Adobe de Capistrano • El Maguey • El Molino de Oro • Mollie’s Famous Café • Hummingbird House Café • Las Golondrinas • L’Hirondelle Restaurant • Marbella Farmers Market • Mission Grill • NYC Café and Catering • Oeeshi Japanese Grill • Panera Bread • Ricardo’s Place • Ruby’s Diner • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • The Bagel Shack • The Dutch Bakery and Café • The Ramos House Café • The Vintage Steakhouse • Wendi’s Donuts and Deli 2011 WINNERS: Gold: NYC Café and Catering; Silver: The Bagel Shack

Best Taco Golden horseshoe Ricardo's Place

Owner Ricardo Beas opened his restaurant in 2003 with a secret weapon—traditional family recipes handed down from generation to generation. Since then, a dedication to quality, flavor and value has earned him a reputation for serving some of the best tacos around.

Mix and match their most popular varieties—crispy shredded beef, carnitas or shrimp—with the selection of Ricardo’s Place homemade salsas for a fiesta of flavors.

—AS

Best Cup of Coffee Golden horseshoe Hidden House Coffee

The Deluxe Pizza at Vito’s is a local favorite and comes with Italian sausage, pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms, green peppers and onions. Photo by Brian Park

31791 Los Rios Street, 949.240.0200, www.hiddenhousecoffee.com

From a 1890s house in the historic Los Rios District, the Briggs family has created a cozy retreat where locals and visitors alike gather for great coffee and conversation. Now in its third year, the coffee house has begun roasting their own beans. “Everything is done in-house now,” said Ben Briggs. “We have also switched to direct trade sourcing—buying directly from farmers in El Salvador and Guatemala.” Try their most popular beverage—cappuccinos made from freshly ground, single-source coffee beans.—AS

Best Pizza Golden horseshoe Vito's Pizza & Italian Ristorante 31781 Camino Capistrano, 949.481.8300, www.vitospizza.com

Vito’s Pizza and Italian Ristorante uses a pizza recipe brought over from Italy (Ripacandia, to be exact) by Vito himself. Pizzas come in four sizes, and although Vito’s specializes in Chicago-style thin crust, customers who want a thicker pizza can ask for double crust. Among the set pizzas on the menu, deluxe and margherita are the most popular, but customers can also customize their own pizzas. —BP

Silver horseshoe Starbucks

31760 Camino Capistrano, 949.248.1598; 27211 Ortega Hwy., 949.661.5801; 32022 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.4809, www. starbucks.com NOMINEES: Cedar Creek Inn • Donut Hut • Hummingbird House Café • L’Hirondelle • Marbella Farmers Market • McDonald’s • Mollie’s Famous Café • Panera Bread • Ruby’s Diner • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • The Bagel Shack • The Dutch Bakery and Café • The Ramos House Café • 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Starbucks; Silver: The Bagel Shack

Silver horseshoe ZPizza

32341 Camino Capistrano, 949.429.8888, www.zpizza.com Hidden House Coffee grinds their own direct-trade sourced beans to brew the best coffee in town. Photo by Andrea Swayne

NOMINEES: Ball Park Pizza • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • Costco • NYC Café and Catering • Papa John’s Pizza• Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Swallow’s Inn • Tannins Restaurant and Wine Bar 2011 WINNERS: Gold: NYC Café and Catering; Silver: ZPizza

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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6th ANNUAL BEST OF

Best Local “Cheers”

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

Golden horseshoe Swallow’s Inn 31786 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com

There aren’t many bars in south Orange County quite like The Swallow’s Inn. “As far as the atmosphere goes, not much has changed since it opened in 1954,” bartender Cal Grimes said.

From bikers and cowboys to surfers and suits, an eclectic clientele, combined with good prices, live music and dancing, create an exuberant atmosphere on a nightly basis at The Swallow’s Inn— San Juan’s favorite watering hole. —BP

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Bad to the Bone 31738 Rancho Viejo Rd, 949.218.0227, www.badtothebone-bbq.com

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Cedar Creek Inn

26860 Ortega Hwy., 949.240.2229, www.cedarcreekinn.com NOMINEES: 19 Sports Bar & Grill • El Adobe de Capistrano • Regency Theatre/Rick’s Café • Ruby’s Diner/Sky Ranch • Sundried Tomato Café • Tannins Restaurant and Wine Bar • Thai Juan On • The Coach House • The Vintage Steakhouse • Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Swallow’s Inn; Silver: Bad to the Bone

Best Margarita Golden horseshoe El Adobe de Capistrano 31891 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.1163, www.eladobedecapistrano.com

El Adobe de Capistrano really lives up to its Best Margarita title. Fernando “Sammy” Portillo Campuzano, who has been behind the bar for two decades, said the restaurant serves an average of 800 margaritas on a Saturday night. Most popular is the Cadillac Margarita—Coralejo Reposado Tequila, Triple Sec, sweet and sour and Grand Marnier. Or try the fruity blended El Adobe, Strawberry Cilantro or Pepino Jalapeño Margaritas. Deliciosas.—AS

Silver horseshoe Ricardo’s Place 32082 Camino Capistrano, 949.403.4941, www.ricardosplace.net

NOMINEES: Cedar Creek • Ciao Pasta Trattoria • Ruby’s Diner/Sky Ranch • Swallow’s Inn 2011 WINNERS: Gold: El Adobe de Capistrano; Silver: Ricardo’s Place

At The Swallow’s Inn, the drinks are strong, the beer is cold and the atmosphere is always festive. Photo by Brian Park

Best Wine Selection Golden horseshoe Tannins Restaurant and Wine Bar

27211 Ortega Highway, #C, 949.661.8466, www.tanninsrestaurant.com

Tannins features between 500 to 600 different wines, by the glass and bottle, according to wine steward Jesse Clanton. “We have a unique atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re in an actual winery,” Clanton said. During the summer, Clanton said customers enjoy having a white wine on the patio, but the biggest sellers tend to be the California cabernets, red blends and pinot noirs.—BP

Silver horseshoe The Vintage Steakhouse 26701-B Verdugo Street, 949.661.3400, www.thevintagesteakhouse.com

NOMINEES: Café Mozart • Cedar Creek Inn • Five Vines • Hamilton Oaks Winery • L’hirondelle • Montego Restaurant and Bar • Ralphs • ROK Prime • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Sundried Tomato Café • Thai Juan On • Vons • Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Tannins Restaurant and Wine Bar; Silver: Sundried Tomato Café

At the

SHOPS

Silver horseshoe Marbella Plaza

31115 Rancho Viejo Road, 949.859.6012, www.marbellaplaza.com NOMINEES: Costco • Los Rios Street • Mission Promenade • Vermeulen Ranch Center 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Plaza Del Obispo; Silver: Marbella Plaza

Best Jewelry Golden horseshoe Zia Jewelry

31761 Camino Capistrano, Suite 3, 949.493.1322, www.ziajewelryonline.com

For 35 years Zia Jewelry has offered a wide selection of unique and artistic jewelry, custom design and jewelry repair. Owners Ron Cohan and wife Lee carry creative inlaid gemstone pieces by artists David Rosales, Kelly Charveaux and others, in both gold and silver. From Native American themes to sleek modernism, the selection includes plenty of choices. An amazing artist in her own right, Lee’s paintings are on display in the store, accentuating the wearable works of art.—AS

Silver horseshoe Mission Jewelers

31878 Del Obispo Street, Suite 115, 949.493.2020, www.sjc.net/shop/missionjewelers NOMINEES: Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design • Cottage Home and Garden • Mission Gift Shop • Ortega Trading Post • Salon Capistrano 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design; Silver: Zia Jewelry

Best Shopping Plaza

Best Clothing

Golden horseshoe (TIE): Plaza Del Rio

Golden horseshoe Chico’s

32301 Camino Capistrano

It’s a tie for the Gold with Plaza Del Rio occupying the west corner of SJC’s major commerce hub. At the Del Rio nerve center, a consumer can find such vital services as banking, insurance, food and electronics. Neighboring stores—dry cleaners, beauty supply stores and pharmacies—provide selection and convenience to community members. Best of all, there’s ample parking for SUVs and one-stop shoppers. —RWD

Golden horseshoe (TIE): Plaza Del Obispo 31878 Del Obispo Street Fernando “Sammy” Portillo Campuzano serves up a Cadillac Margarita at El Adobe. Photo by Andrea Swayne

from the heat and the rain. Medians and walkways bloom with flowers all year round. With ample parking and easy access, this is a user-friendly place to shop with cafés, boutiques, a pharmacy, a Marshalls store and more. —RWD

A consortium of red-tile roofed, whitewashed adobe buildings—Plaza Del Obispo—brings needed consumer services together in a beautifully maintained setting.

Shady trees and covered walkways protect customers

26850 Ortega Hwy., 949.488.7075, www.chicos.com

With style-setters like Diane Keaton as their originalmodel, no wonder Chico’s line of contemporary fashion in easy-to-wear fabrics and accessories seem so cheerful and fun. Great style, attention to detail and personal service have raised the company from a small boutique selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters on Sanibel Island to a nationwide chain of 600 stores. We’re lucky to have one serving us here. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Lolo

31730 Camino Capistrano, Suite B, 949.493.9055, www.facebook.com/loloboutiques NOMINEES: American Horse Products • Blu Echo • Blue Eyed Girl • Costco • Marshalls • Ross • The Carved Horse • The Nest 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Marshalls; Silver: Blue Eyed Girl

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

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6th ANNUAL BEST OF

Best Flowers

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

Golden horseshoe Mother Earth Florist 32158 Camino Capistrano, #105, 949.493.4400, www.motherearthflorist.com

From full service wedding florals to boutonnieres for the prom, Mother Earth Flowers has been serving San Juan Capistrano customers for 26 years. From exotic to traditional, their arrangements are pleasing to the eye and the pocketbook. “Service, quality and competitive pricing sets us apart,” owner Amir Zargar said. Zargar also dedicates a portion of his profits toward awarding a scholarship to a deserving San Juan Hills High School graduate each year since the school opened.—AS

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Cottage Home and Garden 31720 Los Rios Street, 949.493.3920, www.cottage-home-and-garden.com

Big box stores have nothing on the Plant Depot. For selection and customer service, the family-owned and operated nursery can’t be beat.

Photo by Andrea Swayne

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Panage

Best Antique/ Second-Hand Store

31876 Del Obispo, Ste. 3 949.661.1858, www.panage.com

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Costco

33961 Doheny Park Road, 949.240.3558, www.costco.com

The team of Eric Guenther and Daviell Maldonado have traveled the world in the name of design, assembling some of the best international and local artisans. The selection defines perfection. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Cottage Home and Garden

NOMINEES: Anna’s Florist • Floral Occasions • Vons • Mission Florists •Whim 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Mother Earth Florist; Silver: Panage

31720 Los Rios Street, 949.493.3920, www.cottage-home-and-garden.com

NOMINEES: American Horse Products • Brush Salon • DeNault’s Hardware • Los Rios Street • Marshalls • Old Barn Antique Mall • Paper Annex • Plant Depot • Ortega Animal Care Center • Salon Capistrano • The Ceramics Studio • The Gift Goddess • The Nest 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Whim Home; Silver: Abby’s Fine Jewelry Design

Best Home Décor Golden horseshoe Whim Home

Best Nursery

Before you step inside the Whim abode, you must pass through an enchanted courtyard of garden accessories. You’ll hear water making music with exotic birds, setting the stage for the best décor in town. Inside an elegant presentation and exquisite taste unfolds revealing a selection of unique furnishings, antiques and interior design savvy combined beautifully with magnificent textiles and bold, uncompromising colors. Whim is truly a retail museum of home design.—RWD

Golden horseshoe Plant Depot

31831 Camino Capistrano, 949.388.9600, www.whimhome.com

Silver horseshoe Cottage Home and Garden

31720 Los Rios Street, 949.493.3920, www.cottage-home-andgarden.com NOMINEES: Coastal Consignment & Boutique • Marshalls 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Whim Home; Silver: Marshalls

32413 San Juan Creek Rd., 949.240.2107, www.plantdepot.com

With 10,000 square feet filled to the brim with antiques and collectibles, the Old Barn is an antique collector’s dream.

Photo by Andrea Papagianis

Golden horseshoe Old Barn Antique Mall 31792 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.9144

You feel like you’re in a museum here. Approximately 70 vendors bring their wares to fill the 10,000-square-foot space. The majority of the pieces being sold represent a special era (the ’60s and ’70s) in California history and come from Orange and San Diego counties. The Old Barn is truly a treasure chest full of vintage goods that delight the eyes and are ready to be recycled, reused and enjoyed once more. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Funky Monkey Thrift Store 32272 Camino Capistrano, 949.661.2195, www.funkymonkeythriftstore.com

NOMINEES: Capistrano Consignment •Cottage Home and Garden • Children’s Orchard • Coastal Consignment & Boutique • Mission Hospital Thrift n’ Gift • St. Vincent de Paul Society Thrift Store 2011 WINNERS: This is a new category for 2012.

Best Spot for that Perfect Gift Golden horseshoe Whim Home

31831 Camino Capistrano, Suite A, 949.388.9600, www.whimhome.com

Whim Home is like a retail museum of home décor.

Photo by Andrea Papagianis

Looking for the perfect gift never got easier. In addition to their home accessories and fine rugs, Whim and Studio Pink carry design treasures such as original art, fine jewelry, books, and luxury candles.

Locally owned and operated by the Kittle family for 18 years, the Plant Depot offers a huge selection of plants, pottery and accessories. “Selection and customer service are what sets us apart from the big box stores,” said manager Kristina Kittle. The Plant Depot stocks an extra-large variety of succulents and citrus trees—two of their most popular items—and offers gardening classes taught by experts on a variety of horticultural topics.—AS

Silver horseshoe Armstrong Garden Center

32382 Del Obispo St., 949.661.6666, www.armstronggarden.com NOMINEES: Ito Nursery • Cottage Home and Garden • Tree of Life • San Juan Creek Nursery 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Plant Depot; Silver; Armstrong Garden Center

Best Auto Dealership Golden horseshoe Tuttle Click Capistrano Ford

33301 Camino Capistrano, 949.240.7000, www.capistranoford.com

Since Capistrano Ford became part of the Tuttle Click family in 2010, the dealership’s inventory has grown exponentially—five times for used cars and double for new vehicles, according to Shirley Dordell, business development manager. As times have changed, Dordell said one of the features she’s most proud of is Capistrano Ford’s website, where many potential buyers do their research before stepping into the dealership. —BP

Silver horseshoe Weseloh Honda

33555 Camino Capistrano, 888.445.9255, www.weselohhonda.com NOMINEES: Capistrano Toyota Scion • Capistrano Volkswagen • Family Classic Cars • Orange Coast Auto of San Juan Capistrano • Paradise Automotive Group • Star Motors • Weseloh Nissan 2011 WINNERS: This is a new category for 2012.

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

11

Services

6th ANNUAL BEST OF

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

ON THE

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

To-Do List BEST SPA FOR MASSAGES, FACIALS, ETC. Golden horseshoe Brush Salon

31770 Camino Capistrano, 949.496.8800, www.brushsalon.com

When it comes to pampering, Brush Salon does it best. Along with hair care, the salon offer facials to rejuvenate your beautiful skin, waxing services and fine hair and makeup products. Team Brush will glam you up even more with makeup application services—to boost beauty and selfconfidence—for that special event. Brush luxuriates clients in the comfort of a friendly, modern design studio space. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Salon Capistrano

32241 Camino Capistrano, Suite A-103, 949.493.2200 NOMINEES: Charisma Beauty Supply & Salon • Color Nails and Spa • Daniel Michael Salon • OC Sugaring • Pippa’s Place at the Ross Wellness Center • Renu Facial and Body Aesthetics • Sage Salon & Spa • SoLa Face & Body Studio • South County Skin & Body Center • The Massage Associates 2011 WINNERS: This is a new category for 2012.

Best Salon/ Barber Shop

Salon Capistrano manicurist Brandy Stevens works on hair stylist Elizabeth LaPlant’s nails. Photo by Andrea Swayne

Best Manicure/ Pedicure Golden horseshoe (Tie) Salon Capistrano 32241 Camino Capistrano, Suite A-103, 949.493.2200

When you’re good at what you do, news travels fast and the positive word of mouth of clients is helping Salon Capistrano’s popularity grow by leaps and bounds. The salon is a one stop shop for all of the best in hair, skin and nail care. Their space is immaculate, comfortable, modern and well-appointed—a top-notch choice for expert manicures and more. —RWD

Golden horseshoe (Tie) Happy Nails and Spa

32301 Camino Capistrano, 949.493.6888, www.happynails.com

Brush Salon Owner Maureen Scafuri.

Photo by Andrea Papagianis

Since 2004, Happy Nails has been bringing a full line of services—manicures, pedicures, wraps, skin care and hair removal—in a clean and friendly workspace. Cuticle treatments—using eucalyptus oil—nail art and designs for polished nail-tips are the services that set them apart. They’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and walk-ins are welcome. —RWD

NOMINEES: 24 Hour Fitness • Adelanto Studio Yoga & Life Arts • Anytime Fitness • Crossfit to the CORE • Historic Town Center Park • In Balance Pilates and Fitness • Ortega Equestrian Center • SJC Pilates & Spinning • TC Hot YogaTraining Camp • Yoga Bungalow 2011 WINNERS: Gold: 24 Hour Fitness; Silver: SeaFit Studio

Best Car Repair/Service Golden horseshoe Star Motors

32955 Calle Perfecto, 949.443.1970, www.star-motors.com

Star Motors offers a full range of vehicle repair services, from air-conditioning maintenance to water pump repairs. The shop features 12 service bays, four mechanics and two detailing specialists. Co-owners Chris Knuth said the shop only hires the best technicians, who must all go through a rigorous hiring process, and when other shops need help, they often come to Star Motors—“the expert’s experts.” —BP

Silver horseshoe CAARS

33011 Calle Aviador, Suite H, 949.240.9695, www.caarsautomotive.com NOMINEES: Brothers Auto Care • Caliber Collision Center • Camino Import Auto Service • Capistrano Tire and Brake/Goodyear • Capistrano Toyota Scion • Capistrano Volkswagen • California Desert Engines • Custom Auto Body • Family Classic Cars • Jensen Automotive Repair • Tuttle Click Capistrano Ford • Weseloh 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Star Motors; Silver: Family Classic Cars

Golden horseshoe Brush Salon

Silver horseshoe Color Nails and Spa 31876 Del Obispo Street, #4, 949.443.0125

Best Dry Cleaner

Owner Maureen Scafuri understands the importance of meeting her client’s expectation. Her standard is to create the perfect look for every client. Offering hair care and color services, her team is skilled at creating sophisticated, elegant and modern styles to fit each client’s needs. The secret behind Brush’s success? Being able to adapt to trends in beauty and clients’ busy and ever-changing lifestyles. —RWD

NOMINEES: Curtis Michael Salon • Club Nails & Spa • En Vogue Nails • Lily Nails • Lovely Nails • Sage Salon & Spa • The Natural Nail Care Clinic 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Happy Nails and Spa; Silver: Color Nails and Spa

Golden horseshoe Polo Cleaners

31770 Camino Capistrano, 949.496.8800, www.brushsalon.com

Silver horseshoe Charisma Beauty Supply & Salon 32301 Camino Capistrano #F, 949.240.1200,

www.charismabeautysalon.net

NOMINEES: Curtis Michael Salon • Daniel Michael Salon • Hair of the Dog • Isabel’s Beauty Salon Josie’s On Los Rios • Sage Salon & Spa • Salon Capistrano • Southwest Barbers • Attitudes A Salon • Vincent Michael Salon • W Salon Studio 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Charisma Beauty Supply & Salon; Silver: Curtis Michael Salon

Best Fitness Spot/Gym Golden horseshoe SeaFit Studio

31654 Rancho Viejo Rd., Suite A, 949.388.0002, www.seafitstudio.com

If you need a little extra push on that New Year’s resolution, SeaFit Studio could be just the ticket.

According to owner and fitness trainer Jessica Oltmans, the low-impact, high-intensity, full -body Pilates workouts are great for muscle strengthening and toning. A typical 45-minute workout will burn between 500 and 700 calories and your body will continue to burn calories for hours after you finish.—KD

Silver horseshoe Align Pilates Center

26850 Ortega Hwy., Suite K, 949.481.3577, www.alignpilatescenter.com

31105 Rancho Viejo Rd. Ste. C11, 949.496.7354, www.polocleaners.com

Have a nasty stain on that new shirt or dress? Take it to Polo Cleaners like legions of happy customers have been doing for over 30 years. Polo offers dry cleaning, tailoring, alterations and a free pickup and delivery service. Their state of the art cleaning system can make even faded clothing look new again. Log on to their website any time to see a full delivery map and schedule a convenient pick-up.—KD

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Ortega Highway Cleaners 27184 Ortega Hwy., 949.3405

Silver horseshoe (Tie) Shine Cleaners 32301 Camino Capistrano, Suite H, 949.661.2023

NOMINEES: Express Cleaners • Plaza Cleaners • Town & Country One Hour Cleaners 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Polo Cleaners; Silver: Ortega Highway Cleaners

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

12

Silver horseshoe Adjust Back to Health

6th ANNUAL BEST OF

32382 Del Obispo, Suite B4, 949.496.9355, www.adjustbacktohealth.com

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

NOMINEES: Align Pilates Center • Anytime Fitness• Brush Salon• Camino Imports• Camino Real Playhouse• Capistrano Car Wash• Cedar Creek Inn• Charisma Beauty Supply & Salon • Color Nails• Costco• Cottage Home & Garden • DeNault’s • Family Classic Cars • Funky Monkey Thrift Store• Hidden House Coffee• Independence Bank • L’Hirondelle • Marbella Farmer’s Market • Matt Gaffney Insurance • Mission San Juan Capistrano • Nordstrom • Old Barn Antique Mall • Plant Depot • Polo Cleaners • salon Capistrano • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot • Subway • Swallow’s Inn • The Bagel Shack • The Ceramics Studio • The Coach House • The Dutch Bakery and Café • The Nest• Paper Annex • Tuttle Click Ford • The Vintage Steakhouse • Vons • Wells Fargo Bank • Chase Bank• Whim Home• Zia Jewelry 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Family Classic Cars; Silver: Star Motors

GETTING San Juan Animal Hospital’s new head veterinarian Dr. Laura Searle-Barnes with Dolce, a boxer. Photo by Brian Park

Best Vet Golden horseshoe San Juan Animal Hospital 32391 San Juan Creek Rd., 949.493.1147, www.sjah.com

Pet owners were saddened to hear of Dr. Jack Mannix’s passing in December, but under new head veterinarian, Dr. Laura Searle-Barnes, San Juan Animal Hospital is carrying on under the same motto: “Loving care for your best friend.” From routine vaccinations to major surgical procedures, the hospital uses the best supplies, equipment and methods to provide everything pet owners need to keep their animals healthy. —BP

Silver horseshoe Ortega Animal Care Center

27341 Ortega Highway, 949.487.7600, www.ortegaanimalcare.com

NOMINEES: Mission Equine • Capistrano Veterinary Clinic • Banfield Pet Hospital • PetSmart 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Ortega Animal Care Center; Silver: San Juan Animal Hospital

Best Customer Service Golden horseshoe Star Motors

32959 Calle Perfecto, 949.443.1946, www.star-motors.com

Star Motors isn’t your average auto repair shop. In addition to making follow-up calls and sending out gifts and thank-you cards to their clients, Star Motors also offers free shuttle service and complimentary loaner vehicles, and the staff will even send digital photos to keep clients updated on repairs. Star Motors is also Ask Patty certified, meaning they’re trained to help and inform female clientele. —BP

Outside

Best Trail Golden horseshoe Patriot Trail (Flag on the Hill) On a clear day you can see forever. Patriot Trail earns the gold for its panoramic views and well-managed as well as marked dirt trail. At the top, an American flag flies proudly above fields and rolling hills overlooking San Juan. There’s a mailbox at the base of the flagpole.

The boys scouts keep a notebook inside filled with passages people have written and deposited there. —RWD

Silver horseshoe San Juan Creek Trail NOMINEES: Barking Dog • Colinas Ridge • Helicopter Hill •La Novia •La Ronda • Las Ramblas • Las Vaqueras• Peppertree • Trabuco Creek Trail • Whispering Hills 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Patriot Trail; Silver: San Juan Creek Trail

6th ANNUAL BEST OF

Best Park

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

PEOPLE’S CHOICE HORSESHOE AWARDS

Golden horseshoe Los Rios Park 31749 Los Rios St.

Nestled in the historic Los Rios District, Los Rios Park is a recent addition to the community. Founded in 2009, it provides walking paths, a play area for children, corridors of trees, park benches and picnic areas. To add to the feel of the Old West, vintage photographs—set in a sand tone wall enclosing a native plant garden—tell the story of SJC’s “local color.” —RWD

Silver horseshoe Cook Park 28202 Calle Arroyo

NOMINEES: Caspers Regional Park • Descanso Park • Historic Town Center Park • Reata Park• San Juan Sports Park • Veterans Park 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Los Rios Park; Silver: Cook Park

Best Stables Golden horseshoe Ortega Equestrian Center 27252 Calle Arroyo, 949.661.3130

Ortega Equestrian Center is a certified training and events facility that cares about people and their horses. Known for being helpful and down-to-earth, the center provides boarding services as well as instruction clinics for cross-country, dressage, eventing and jumping. Equipped with a jump course, rings, track and trails, they host riding competitions, sponsor riders at other events and support community fundraisers. —RWD

Silver horseshoe Tar Farms

28411 San Juan Creek Road, 949.306.6755, www.tarfarms.com NOMINEES: J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center • Mission Trails• Rancho Sierra Vista• Sycamore Trails Stables • The Oaks 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Ortega Equestrian Center; Silver: Sycamore Trails Stables

Los Rios Park offers outdoor activities for kids and a nice spot to relax for adults. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners

Church, gardens and docent tours are some highlights.

The “Serra’s Chapel” is still in use and the oldest building in California.

Golden horseshoe Mission San Juan Capistrano

Silver horseshoe Los Rios District

26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com

Los Rios Street, north of Del Obispo Street

This is truly the spot for out-of-towners. San Juan is blessed with a proud heritage of culturally diverse settlers, who came for farming and The Mission. Today, the Mission’s historic site spans 10 acres with extensive gardens, two fountains stocked with water lilies and koi, Serra’s Chapel and a museum. Their docent-guided tours, present a rich history of their role in San Juan Capistrano culture.

Best Capistrano Tradition

Silver horseshoe Los Rios District

Golden horseshoe Swallows Day Parade

Los Rios Street, north of Del Obispo Street

NOMINEES: Café Mozart• The Coach House• Cottage Home & Garden• El Campeon • Hummingbird House Café• Ortega Equestrian Center• Ramos House Café • San Juan Hills Golf Club• Swallow’s Inn• Train Depot • Zoomars Petting Zoo 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Mission San Juan Capistrano; Silver: Los Rios District

Best Place to Take Children Golden horseshoe Zoomars Petting Zoo 31791 Los Rios St., 949.831.6550, www.zoomars.com

Nestled in the picturesque Los Rios Historic District, Zoomars Petting Zoo draws kids and the youthfulat-heart from all around Orange County. Visitors are welcome to feed and pet animals, both large and small, including ponies, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs and more.

But it’s not all just about the animals. Zoomars caters to parties and also features other activities, such as panning for gemstones and fossils. —BP

Silver horseshoe Mission San Juan Capistrano 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com

NOMINEES: The Ceramics Studio • Children’s Orchard • Ortega Equestrian Center • Ruby’s Diner 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Zoomars Petting Zoo; Silver: Mission San Juan Capistrano

Best Historical Spot Golden horseshoe Mission San Juan Capistrano

NOMINEES: Forster Mansion• Los Rios Park• Mission Parish Church • Montanez Adobe• O’Neill Museum• San Juan Capistrano Library • Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Mission San Juan Capistrano; Silver: Los Rios District

www.swallowsparade.com

There’s perhaps no other event that best captures the city’s heritage than the Swallows Day Parade. Billed as the nation’s largest non-motorized parade, thousands of parade-goers flock to the city to watch a cavalcade of horses, floats and marching bands. The parade is the culminating event of the Fiesta Association’s Fiesta de las Golondrinas season, which celebrates the return of the swallows to the Mission. —BP

Silver horseshoe Christmas Tree Lighting NOMINEES: Christmas Train • Fiesta Grande • Ghost Stories Walking Tour • Hoos’gow Day • Los Rios Street• Mission Bells on Sunday •Pet Parade• Playhouse Melodrama •Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo •San Juan Summer Nights• St. Joseph’s Day at the Mission 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Swallows Day Parade; Silver: Mission San Juan Capistrano

Best Place to Spot Swallows Golden horseshoe Mission San Juan Capistrano 26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.org

With their celebrity status immortalized in a song, the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano every spring, marking a citywide celebration, known as the Swallows Day Parade. Once they land, they get to work raising their young in mud-caked nests they abandoned the year before. Found in the eaves of the roofs, The Mission has set up special viewing areas for guests to observe their escalating population.

26801 Ortega Hwy., 949.234.1300, www.missionsjc.com

A beautiful view of the water lilies in the courtyard pond at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Photo by Andrea Swayne.

The best-known of all 21 Alta California missions (founded by the Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order in 1776 ) this is truly the jewel of SJC, attracting a menagerie of birds, butterflies, swallows and tourists from all over the world annually. The Old

Silver horseshoe San Juan Creek NOMINEES: Caspers Park• Los Rios Street • San Juan Hills Golf Club• Trabuco Creek 2011 WINNERS: Gold: Mission San Juan Capistrano; Silver: San Juan Creek

www.thecapistranodispatch.com

14

SAN CLEMENTE

EYE ON SJC

1

The San Clemente City Council approved the city’s first beach ecology and maintenance policy Tuesday. Sharon Heider, Beaches, Parks and Recreation director told the council the city was trying to be a good steward of the ocean and protect one of its most valuable assets by creating the policy. With the city consistently losing sand for almost three decades, a number of issues, such as kelp cleanup and the growth of areas of cobble, had become a concern. During the high traffic period of late spring and summer (approximately May 15-September 15), the city will continue to groom sand and remove major build ups of kelp, but to not do so in the winters, to allow for the kelp to provide nutrients to the sand.

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

DANA POINT

NEWS

NEXT DOOR WH AT ’S GOING ON I N OU R NE IGH B ORIN G TOWNS

Friends of the Dana Point Library board members agreed to a licensing contract with the Orange County Public Library system allowing the nonprofit group to reopen its library bookstore last Thursday, which was shuttered by the county in November due to unresolved issues between members of the local branch. A draft of the agreement was approved in December and sent to all Friends of the Library groups that operate bookstores throughout the county—in county run libraries, but the Dana Point board held out—until now. County Librarian Helen Fried, met with local members last week to clear up language in the agreement and answer any lingering questions. A grand reopening of the bookstore is scheduled for 11 a.m., Saturday, February 9.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO’S TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS

What’s Up With...

1

…the Mercado?

THE LATEST: The Fiesta Association, the all-volunteer group which organizes the historic Swallows Day Parade, announced last Wednesday evening they will not be serving beer this year during the parade’s companion event, the Mercado.

Citing a rise in alcohol-related incidents during the Mercado over the last several years, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is restricting beer sales to two hours, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., according to Kathy Hooper, Mercado chairperson and Fiesta board member.

However, board members said it wasn’t financially prudent to open the Mercado’s beer garden for just two hours, so they decided to do away with beer sales entirely.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Fiesta Association believes cancelling the beer garden will make the Mercado a more familyfriendly event. Board members said the space that would have been reserved for the beer garden might now be used for up to three additional vendors. The 55th Swallows Day Parade and Mercado are scheduled to take place Saturday, March 23.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

—Brian Park

2

…a CUSD Expansion?

THE LATEST: Representatives from Rancho Mission Viejo met with the Capistrano Unified School District Board The Capistrano Dispatch February 8-21, 2013

of Trustees last Monday to discuss the impacts of the first of two sections of development slated to begin occupancy or construction next year.

With district enrollment already exceeding capacity, it’s likely that at least one new school would have to be constructed to accommodate an influx of 4,500 students in the coming years, according to Tim Holcomb, who previously served as an interim deputy superintendent with the district and now works with the developer.

on by electromagnetic radiation. Another major point of contention is the demolition of the historic substation and the new substation’s effect on the city’s aesthetics.

WHAT’S NEXT: The best fit would be to construct a new K-8 school, according to Holcomb. For a high school, Holcomb said the district could create a model for a new small high school, plan for a larger school when funding became available or potentially expand an existing school.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com. —BP

4

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

— Jim Shilander

3

WHAT’S NEXT: The project is anticipated to begin in November and will take four years to finish. SDG&E spokesman Duane Cave said the utility company would consider the city’s input on the design of the new substation to alleviate any concerns.

…SOCRE?

THE LATEST: The City Council submitted comments to the state Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday asking for more time to discuss San Diego Gas & Electric’s plan to demolish a historic 95-year-old electrical substation on Camino Capistrano and replace it with a new high-capacity system that could service south Orange County.

SDG&E’s plan, known as the South Orange County Reliability Enhancement project, has drawn the ire of many city leaders and residents. Among their grievances include the effects on nearby businesses, homes and traffic and the possible health effects brought

…SONGS?

THE LATEST: Senator Barbara Boxer, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is calling for a new investigation of Southern California Edison by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission based on information in a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries document that Boxer said indicated Edison and Mitsubishi were aware of potential safety problems with the replacement steam generators at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Boxer stated that the documents indicated that the two companies rejected further safety modifications because “among the difficulties associated with the potential changes was the possibility that making them could impede the ability to justify the RSG (replacement steam generator) design,” which contributed to the shutdown of Unit 3 at SONGS. Boxer’s letter asked that the issues be considered in any restart decision.

WHAT’S NEXT: Southern California

Page 17

Edison spokesperson Jennifer Manfre called the assertions of wrongdoing, “not accurate.” The NRC will be meeting with area residents Tuesday in Capistrano Beach to discuss the status of Edison’s restart plan for Unit 2.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

—JS

5

…Ortega Widening?

THE LATEST: San Juan Capistrano has submitted an application with the Orange County Transportation Authority to obtain $1.05 million in Measure M grant funding to complete Caltrans’ Ortega Highway Widening Project on a stretch of road that was previously tied up in litigation.

In 2009, the Hunt Club Community Association and the city challenged Caltrans’ final environmental impact report because of traffic safety, noise and aesthetic impacts of the project.

The lawsuit was settled in July 2011.

Part of the project, from the eastern city limits to Antonio Parkway/La Pata Avenue, has already been completed.

The scope of the remaining work will take place between Calle Entradero and the city’s eastern limits and includes widening Ortega Highway to four lanes and installing a traffic signal at Via Cordova.

WHAT’S NEXT: The city is also negotiating with the county and Rancho Mission Viejo to secure $450,000 in developer matching funds.

FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

—BP www.thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON SJC

SJC Sheriff’s Blotter COMPILED BY BRIAN PARK All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website. The calls represent what was told to the deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD Web site.

Tuesday, February 5 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT – NON INJURY Via La Pluma, 33100 Block (9:43 a.m.) A caller notified dispatch about a white truck from Sunny Hills Landscaping that had hit an electrical box.

TRAFFIC STOP Stonehill Drive/Camino Capistrano (2:25 a.m.)A traffic stop led to the arrest of a 23-year-old man, after deputies pulled a warrant for his arrest. The man, whose occupation was listed as a grocery worker, was taken

into custody at men’s intake release center, where he was held on $34,695 bail to await his court appearance on February 6.

scribed as having dark hair, wearing a black coat and carrying a backpack.

Monday, February 4

DISTURBANCE Del Obispo Street, 31900 Block (5:53 p.m.) A woman called dispatch after she said an unknown female came to her door, screamed at her and then left.

WELFARE CHECK Avenida Aeropuerto, 26000 Block (1:53 p.m.)A welfare check was requested for an 80- to 90-year-old couple at Capistrano Valley Mobile Estates. When deputies responded to the scene, an adult family member identified the couple as his or her parents and said they would take care of them.

Sunday, February 3 DRUNK IN CAR Del Obispo Street, 31800 Block (8:44 p.m.)A caller notified dispatch of a possible drunk driver who had just parked a silver Dodge pickup near the Round Table Pizza. The drive was described as a 55-year-old male, wearing a cowboy hat, a red-and-white plaid shirt, long pants and cowboy boots.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON Calle Arroyo, 27900 Block (8:28 p.m.)

A caller reported that a 40- to 50-yearold man had been sitting on a park bench since 7 a.m. The man was de-

NEWS BITES

Compiled by Brian Park

PROPS, RECOGNITIONS AND MORSELS OF INFO

Mayor Taylor to Speak at State of the City Dinner Mayor John Taylor will give the annual State of the City address at a dinner event hosted by the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, March 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at El Adobe de Capistrano.

In addition to the mayor’s presentation, St. Margaret’s Headmaster Marcus Hurlbut will be honored with the 2nd Annual Arts and Culture Award.

The cost to attend is $60 per person or $550 for a table of 10.

For $1,000, guests can receive recognition as a presenting sponsor, premium reserved seating for 10, their company name or logo placed on all promotional material and the event program, a flier insert in a promotional bag and a 6-inch event display table.

For $5000, guests can receive recognition as a supporting sponsor, their company name or logo placed on The Capistrano Dispatch February 8-21, 2013

all promotional material and the event program and a flier insert in a promotional bag.

RSVPs are required by Monday, March 4. Forms are available online by contacting the Chamber of Commerce at Jennifer@sanjuanchamber.com.

Completed forms can be submitted by email, via fax at 949.489.2695 or by mail or drop-off at the Chamber of Commerce office, located at 31421 La Matanza Street.

For more information, visit the Chamber of Commerce’s website at www.sanjuanchamber.com or call 949.493.4700.

Elks Lodge Honors South County Law Enforcement Officials and Firefighters Several of San Juan Capistrano’s finest were recently honored for their service and dedication to public safety during the Mission Viejo/Saddleback

Saturday, February 2

DRUNK IN PUBLIC Paseo El Arco, 30700 Block (5:59 p.m.) A caller reported that a group of drunk individuals were standing near two parked cars and loitering in the street.

DISTURBANCE Calle Conejo/Via Corta (1:05 p.m.)

Sheriff’s deputies were notified of a group of four male juveniles who were riding their skateboards downhill toward Avenida Banderas.

BURGLARY IN PROGRESS Calle Lorenzo, 26600 Block (6:28 a.m.) A call about a burglary in progress resulted in the apprehension of a 39-year-old man, whose occupation was listed as construction. After being taken to men’s intake release center, the man was cited and released.

Friday, February 1

Valley Elks Lodge’s South Orange County Law Enforcement and Firefighter Appreciation Awards Dinner.

Investigator Edward Manhart was recognized as San Juan Capistrano Deputy of the year. Officer Steve Miles was recognized as California Highway Patrol Officer of the Year and Capt.

Craig Covey and reserve firefighter Frank Freer were both recognized as the Orange County Fire Authority Battalion 6 Firefighters of the Year.

More than 150 firefighters and law enforcement officials attended the event. They were joined by their family, eleven top police officials, seven top OFCA officials and the mayors of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo.

Eighteen awards were presented to law enforcement and firefighter personnel representing nineteen south Orange County communities.

“All of the law enforcement and firefighters given awards tonight would say that they were just doing their job.

The rest of us know that putting your life on the line to serve and protect others is much more than just doing your job,” said Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler and San Juan Capistrano resident Harvey

Page 18

DISTURBANCE Valle Road, 32800 Block (8:40 a.m.)

A caller reported that her ex-boyfriend was blocking her driveway and refusing to leave. Deputies responded and arrested a 26-year-old man, whose occupation was listed as a server. He was held at the Theo Lacy Facility, with no bail amount set, to await his court date on February 5.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE San Juan Creek Road/Valle Road (2:06 a.m.)Dispatch received a call about two large utility trucks near a residence where the homeowner was usually not present. The caller called back to say the trucks were from San Diego Gas & Electric.

KEEP THE PEACE Calle La Purisma, 31400 Block (7:27 p.m.) A caller reported that his or her neighbors were purposely parked in front of his or her garage. Dispatch advised the caller to call a tow truck, but the caller wanted a deputy on hand to talk with the neighbors.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN VEHICLE El Camino Real, 31400 Block (6:40 p.m.) A caller reported that an occupied motorhome had been parked in the plot of the park for a week. The vehicle had been cited the day prior for parking on the roadway.

Boelts. “On behalf of the 923 members of this Elks Lodge, I say thank you.”

Fiesta Association Presents the Taste of San Juan on February 12 The Fiesta Association kicks off the 2013 Fiesta de las Golondrinas season with the Taste of San Juan on Tuesday, February 12, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at San Juan Hills Golf Club.

This popular annual event features samples of premium menu items from several local restaurants and eateries.

This year, 20 restaurants have signed up to participate, including El Adobe de Capistrano, L’Hirondelle, Mission Grill, Ricardo’s Place, Sundried Tomato Café, The Vintage Steakhouse and newcomers Five Vines Wine Bar and RokPrime Steakhouse & Grille.

Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce’s office, located at 31421 La Matanza Street, or on the day of the event.

For more information, visit www. swallowsparade.org. www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR STORIES, NEWS, CALENDAR, ETC.

Brian Park, 949.388.7700, x108 bpark@thecapistranodispatch.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

Debra Wells, 949.388.7700, x104 dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com DISTRIBUTION RACKS, DRIVEWAYS, SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tricia Zines, 949.388.7700, x107 tzines@thecapistranodispatch.com BILLING Alyssa Garrett, 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@thecapistranodispatch.com

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.thecapistranodispatch.com The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 11, Issue 2. The Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch ) is published twice monthly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (www.danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

ART/DESIGN

OPERATIONS

EDITORIAL

Senior Designer > Jasmine Smith

Finance Director > Mike Reed

ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING

Business Operations Manager > Alyssa Garrett

Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes

Accounting Manager Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines

Senior Group Editor > Andrea Swayne City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Brian Park Sports Editor > Steve Breazeale City Editor, SC Times > Jim Shilander City Editor, DP Times > Andrea Papagianis

> Michele Reddick (San Clemente) > Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano) Sales Associates > Angela Edwards

SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller, Jonathan Volzke CONTRIBUTORS Victor Carno, Kevin Dahlgren, Tawnee Prazak, Dana Schnell, Garrett Yancey

GUEST OPINION: San Juan Capistrano City Councilman Derek Reeve

Oh Jonathan, Now We Know Where You Have Gone In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editor@thecapistranodispatch.com

I

read with interest the column by editor-turned-paid-lobbyist Jonathan Volzke entitled, “My Turn: From Out of the Election Season, Changes and New Insights Emerge” in the January 25 edition of The Capistrano Dispatch.

My first thought was it is true— Jonathan Volzke is running for City Council in 2014. Oh, he may deny it, but this is San Juan: if you want to keep political secrets here it is best you move to the desert. You certainly do not proudly adopt the pre-election strategy of current council members by changing your political affiliation all the while preemptively attacking your grassroots opposition and inadequately justifying your failed policy positions.

Notable in the article was that Volzke focused his attack on just one of the Political Action Committees involved in our city council election.

Ironically, it was the only grassroots PAC made up of San Juan residents: Citizens For Sensible Development (CFSD).

The Capistrano Dispatch February 8-21, 2013

Volzke implied some type of nefarious action

by CFSD because they spent only a modest amount of money to send out three mailers about his lobbying firm’s clients during the Derek Reeve last election.

I likewise was curious about who was behind CFSD, until I received a phone call from an individual who identified himself as being affiliated with CFSD. In fact I learned that CFSD was made up of average San Juan residents, as opposed to the organization Volzke defends, “OCTaxPAC,” whose members include dishonest politicians, big money and lobbyists.

People affiliated with CFSD appeared fed up with the good ol’ boys ramming debt, traffic and the unnecessarily expensive Ground Water Recovery Plant down our throats.

If Volzke had done his homework he would know CFSD had already filed their required final disclosure long before it was due, and that they spent about $5,000; a reasonable amount for three mailers.

What Volzke hypocritically failed to question was the third party expenditures on behalf of his clients. Before the election OCTaxPAC had already reported $9,500 in expenditures, nearly double what CFSD spent in total.

OCTaxPAC is the political action committee of the OC Taxpayers Association, a misnomer if there ever was one. The group likes to portray itself as a taxpayer protection organization similar to real taxpayer protection

organizations like the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. However, OCTaxPAC routinely takes positions that actually increase taxes.

OCTax PAC is a who’s who of major power hitters in Orange County.

Notable members include the Rancho Mission Viejo Company and SDG&E. In fact Jonathan Volzke’s employer, Roger Faubel, served as president of OCTaxPAC. Faubel also signed its campaign filings and OCTaxPAC still shares his address. It is no surprise that OCTaxPAC took a very active interest in our last city council election, spending nearly $10,000 supporting Sam Allevato and Virginia Kerr.

So, let us connect the dots: Jonathan Volzke works for Faubel, has SDG&E as a client, and is courting the Rancho Mission Viejo Company. I can see why he failed to mention the PAC that he is tied to.

Jonathan Volzke also declared his advocacy for raising your taxes. He offered two examples of taxes that he supports: the Riding Park purchase which increased your property taxes to buy property that we are restricted from using, and OCTA’s Measure M sales tax increase, although since OCTA is his client it is no wonder.

For the record, I opposed both tax increases.

As for the Riding Park, for now let me just say that in my opinion, the taxpayers were defrauded in one of the worst land deals in the modern history of Orange County.

In regards to Measure M, it was sold as an allegedly “temporary” sales tax increase to improve traffic

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throughout Orange County. At least that was OCTA’s campaign promise.

You may have noticed new irrigation pipes covering the hillside on the west side of San Juan above the Shea Center. The hillside is being weeded and landscaped with native plants, paid in large part by your Measure M tax dollars and enthusiastically supported by Jonathan Volzke. You may ask, what does gardening a hillside that is nowhere near a street or freeway have to do with traffic mitigation? Ask Jonathan Volzke, because I have no idea. Those of you paying huge water bills know that watering this entire hillside will not come cheap. However it is your money paying for it, so I guess Volzke’s position is: What does it matter?

Did I mention that the OCTA is a Faubel client? In fact, Supervisor Pat Bates just announced that the OCTA is giving $108,000 of your tax dollars to Faubel, and by extension Jonathan Volzke, for work on the I-5/Ortega interchange project.

As we shall see, the power elites of San Juan will respond to this article with indignation and personal attacks against me for speaking the sad truth about Jonathan Volzke. He used to be a newspaper reporter, one who printed the facts about issues in San Juan. Now he is just another paid lobbyist and aspiring politician who pals around with the political power elites of Orange County in order to raise your taxes and wastefully spend your money.

Derek Reeve is currently serving in his first term as a City Councilman. CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT

YOUR TWO-WEEK EVENT PLANNER

AT THE MOVIES: ‘WARM BODIES’ A ZOMBIE LOVE STORY Just when people thought zombies were about to be as overexposed as vampires, Summit Entertainment and Jonathan Levine go and put a spin on the trend with Warm Bodies. We’ve seen horror with zombies in 28 Days Later…(2002) and Dawn of the Dead (2004), comedy in Shaun of the Dead (2004), and even Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012). Now, here comes a new romantic comedy about beauty and a different kind of beast. In a post-apocalyptic world, zombies outnumber humans and if there’s anything worse than zombies, it’s a “boney” (flesh eating skeleton). One zombie called “R” (Nicholas Hoult) sees a young girl named Julie (Teresa Palmer) and becomes strangely attached to her.

When Julie accepts R despite his lack of speech and skin, and befriends him, he © Summit Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. slowly starts feeling more human by the day. But not everyone is as accepting of a “nice” zombie, especially Julie’s zombie-killing leader father (John Malkovich). Dave Franco, Rob Corddry and Analeigh Tipton co-star. The Australian Palmer and English Hoult are not only good at their put-on American accents, but also give life to what could have easily been stiff characters emotionally. Though a love story involving a zombie sounds unbelievable in theory, Levine adapts Isaac Marion’s popular book with wit and fun from beginning to end. Warm Bodies is a kind of bloody valentine for young viewers. —Megan Bianco

THE LIST A day-by-day guide to what’s happening in and around town. COMPILED BY TAWNEE PRAZAK

friday

08

THE WAILERS 8 p.m. Reggae concert at The Coach House. Tickets $29.50. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

AMERICAN MADE 8:30 p.m. Live music at The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

saturday

MISSION BASILICA SCHOOL FUNDRAISER 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Annual dinner, dance and live and silent auction in support of Mission Basilica School at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott. 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point, www.missionbasilicaschool.org.

09

CAMPFIRE PROGRAM 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Families can enjoy activities, presentations and more at Caspers Wilderness Park. Free. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.923.2207, www.ocparks.com/caspers.

sunday

MUSHROOM WALK II 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Join the seasonal search for fungi popping up after winter rains at The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. $5-$10. 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

10

tuesday

TASTE OF SAN JUAN 6 p.m.-9 p.m .The Fiesta Association presents the kickoff to the Fiesta de las Golondrinas season with the food tasting event at San Juan Hills Golf Club featuring cuisine from local restaurants and more. Admission $20. 32120 San Juan Creek Road, 949.493.1976, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

12

The Capistrano Dispatch February 8-21, 2013

wednesday

JAZZ VOCALS

BY CHERYL 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Singing by Cheryl Silverstein and guest Stu Pearlman on piano at Montego Restaurant and Bar. 27211 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

13

OLD CAPISTRANO FARMERS MARKET 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Every Wednesday at El Camino Real and Yorba; 949.493.4700.

thursday

HART & SOUL 6 p.m.9:30 p.m. Special Valentine’s show and dinner at Montego Restaurant and Bar. Dinner including wine is $49.95 per couple. 27211 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.481.2723, www.montegorestaurant.com.

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HUNT FOR HEARTS IN NATURE 8:30 a.m.11 a.m. Hunt for heart-shaped natural objects at The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Cost $5-$10. Call for info and directions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

friday

BAD SEED 8 p.m.

New play at Camino Real Playhouse. Tickets $18.

Shows through Feb. 24.

31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

15

GUNBOAT KINGS 8 p.m. The Coach House. Tickets $15. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

saturday

WILL ROGERS: THE ROPIN’ FOOL 8 p.m.

Camino Real Playhouse presents this special onenight-only performance with wit and humor. $25-$35. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, 949.489.8082, www.caminorealplayhouse.org.

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ARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOUR 10 a.m. A 90-minute guided walk that includes adobes, Spanishera dwellings and modern buildings. Meet at Verdugo Street. A $5 donation supports the Friends of the Library. For more info, call 949.489.0736.

EVITTE PALMER 7:45 p.m.-11 p.m. Music at The Vintage Steak House, 26701-B Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.661.3400, www.thevintagesteakhouse.com.

sunday

17

COMMON SENSE 7 p.m. The Coach House.

Tickets $15. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.496.8930, www.thecoachhouse.com.

tuesday

LUNCH LOCAL 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch at Cancun Authentic Mexican Food with the San Juan Capistrano Chamber.

31952 Del Obispo, #300, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

19

wednesday

SIERRA SAGE HIKE 9 a.m.-noon.

Join the Sierra Club for a hike through The Reserve/Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy. Cost $5-$10. Call for info and directions, 949.489.9778, www.theconservancy.org.

20

EVENING NETWORKING MIXER 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. SJC Chamber mixer at Raymond Photography.

Cost $15-$25. 30800 Rancho Viejo Road, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.4700, www.sanjuanchamber.com.

thursday

21

VON COTTON 7:30 p.m.

The Swallow’s Inn. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.3188, www.swallowsinn.com.

*For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar” at www.thecapistranodispatch.com.

Have an event?

Send your listing to events@thecapistranodispatch.com www.thecapistranodispatch.com

2013 Festival of Whales Coloring Contest

Every child who enters

WINS one FREE

Whale Watching or Fishing Ticket for kids 9 & under ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN MARCH 13, 2013

GRAND PRIZE Let the seagulls sing you to sleep… with a one-night beach get-a-way for a family of four in a Ocean View Suite, at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Doheny Beach in beautiful Dana Point, CA. A warm DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie at check-in is the hotel’s promise of a warm and caring experience.

IN ADDITION, Breakfast for four at Proud Mary’s in the Dana Point Harbor! And a whale watching trip for four from Dana Wharf Sportfishing!

www.danawharf.com

COURTESY OF DANA WHARF SPORTFISHING AND WHALE WATCHING

DANAWHARF.COM *No photo copies will be entered.* Mail completed entry form & coloring page to: Dana Wharf Sportfishing, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629 Contestant’s Name

Age

Address Parent/Legal Guardian Email I would like to recieve a child’s PLEASE CHECK ONE

Phone Whale Watching Ticket

Fishing Ticket SJC

Contest is open to all children ages 9 and under. Two free kids with one paid adult. All entries must be received by March 13, 2013 for judging. Dana Point Times, San Clemente Times, The Capistrano Dispatch and Dana Wharf Sportfishing assume no responsibility for lost or late entries. All completed entries will receive one free kids tickets with one paid adult ticket, complaints of the Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching, mailed to the address on the contest entry. We do not accept the tickets on any group outing, and no copies are valid. The grand prize winner will be contacted by telephone. Some entries will be displayed around Dana Point Harbor during the 2013 Festival of Whales. The Grand Prize entry will be displayed at Dana Wharf Sportfishing. Contest entries will become the property of Dana Wharf Sportfishing and cannot be returned. Employees of Picket Fence Media, Dana Wharf Sportfishing and their families are not eligible to win. All winners are responsible for taxes and applicable fees. All parents/legal guardians of the winners will be required to verify identity through a signed affidavit, social security number and valid driver’s license. Contest void where prohibited. Entry into this contest will serve as entrant’s agreement of the above contest rules. Coloring contest winner will be announced at the Festival of Whales Concert Sunday, March 10th at Baby Beach.

SJC LIVING

4

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Tuesday 2.12

Friday 2.15

Planning Commission Meeting 6:30 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano. org.

Coffee Chat 8 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues, hosted by The Capistrano Dispatch founder Jonathan Volzke. Occurs every Friday. All are welcome. El Adobe Restaurant, 31891 Camino Capistrano.

Wednesday 2.13 Transportation Commission Meeting 6 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org

32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org Thursday 2.21 Design Review Committee Meeting 4:30 p.m. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. www.sanjuancapistrano.org

Tuesday 2.19

Friday 2.22

City Council and Successor Agency Meeting 6 p.m. City Hall,

Next regular issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes

GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 by Tom Blake

Beware of Online Romance Scams In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of The Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editor@thecapistranodispatch.com

M

anti Te’o, the University of Notre Dame linebacker, and runner-up in college football’s Heisman Trophy voting last December, will likely be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. What an exciting time for this young man.

Unfortunately, his football prowess has been overshadowed in the last few weeks as a result of an online, long-distance romance with a coed from Stanford University that turned out to be a hoax.

Te’o probably doesn’t realize or appreciate that he’s done a big favor for singles of all ages by getting caught up in a romance scam that became headline news around the globe.

In the beginning, my guess is all this youngster wanted was a girlfriend he could confide in, fall in love with and maybe someday marry. But the girlfriend didn’t exist. Some dude played a joke on him and the world heard about it.

What happened to Te’o has happened to lots of lonely older singles.

The culprit seems to be loneliness, which can cloud thinking. Singles meet someone online and slowly, The Capistrano Dispatch February 8-21, 2013

over time, start to believe the person on the other end is the love of their life.

And while Te’o’s situation drew the spotlight, hopeful and naïve singles ON LIFE AND age 50 and up are LOVE AFTER 50

By Tom Blake the ones who get caught up in online romance scams the most.

Long-distance relationships are a natural outgrowth of Internet dating.

Singles meet online and then spend hours, weeks, months, and even years communicating, sharing secrets and fantasies, establishing trust, exchanging photos, building hope and planning a life together.

The problem often grows from merely having an online friend to falling in love with—not with a person, but with an image—someone the single has never met in person, someone he or she thinks they know, but doesn’t because there has never been a face-to-face meeting. Chemistry cannot exist and compatibility cannot be judged without an in-person meeting.

Eventually, an event or a suspicion may make a single realize that the person on the other end of the telephone or computer isn’t who he or she says they are. They might ask for money, or keep making excuses why a face-to-face meeting isn’t possible.

The lonely person discovers the scam and her world—or his, like Te’o— comes crashing down. It’s sad, and it doesn’t have to happen.

Mature singles who meet online

must be diligent. They should use Skype to see the other person, insist on face-to-face meetings as soon as possible, trust their instincts and listen to the advice of friends and family members. Background checks are important as well.

Online romances can waste a great deal of a single’s time. Wouldn’t South County singles be better off to attend an age 50 plus singles meet and greet event at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point, where they can meet potential mates in person?

Page 26

The events are held the second and fourth Thursday of each month, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There is no cover charge. The next event is February 14, Valentine’s Day. For details, visit www.tutorandspunkys.com.

To comment: tompblake@gmail. com.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point business owner and San Clemente resident who has authored books on middle-aged dating. See his website at www.findingloveafter50.com. CD www.thecapistranodispatch.com

SPORTS

5

& OUTDOORS

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK CAPISTRANO VALLEY CHRISTIAN’S R.J THOMPSON

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES & MORE

Capistrano Valley Christian’s R.J Thompson had two double-doubles and a triple-double in his last three games. Courtesy photo

Over the last three games, Capistrano Valley Christian senior guard R.J Thompson has been on another level. His solid all-around performances in important San Joaquin League games at the end of the season have solidified him as our inaugural Athlete of the Week.

Thompson has recorded two double-doubles and a triple-double in his last three games, which were all Eagles (22-4, 7-3) wins.

The streak started on January 31, when Thompson tallied 10 points and 12 rebounds in a 62-41 win over

visiting Eastside Christian. He then had a game-high 17 points to go along with 15 rebounds and three blocks against Fairmont Prep on February 4.

Thompson saved his best for the Eagles last regular season game as he poured in 10 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, swiped 10 steals and had five blocks in a 58-52 win over Orangewood Academy on February 4.

The Eagles finished second in the San Joaquin League standings and will be in the CIF-SS playoffs.

—Steve Breazeale

National Signing Day in San Juan Capistrano

By Steve Brezeale The Capistrano Dispatch

T

hree athletes from the San Juan area schools signed their National Letter of Intent on February 6.

San Juan Hills’ senior defender Anjelyka Brown signed to play soccer for the University of South Carolina.

Brown, a three-year varsity player, has helped sure up the Stallions backline defense, which did not allow more than two goals to be scored against them all season. The Stallions (8-3-8, 2-2-4 league) finished second in the Sea View League standings and will play in the CIF-SS playoffs.

St. Margaret’s senior Alexis Leon officially signed with the University of California San Diego to play soccer. Leon, a midfielder for the

San Juan Hills senior Anjelyka Brown (dark blue) will play for the University of South Carolina soccer team. Courtesy photo

St. Margaret’s senior midfielder Alexis Leon will play for the University of California San Diego in the fall.

Courtesy photo

JSerra senior Andres Mendoza will join the Anteaters at the University of California Irvine. Courtesy photo

Tartans (12-4-4, 8-0), has played a role on a St. Margaret’s squad that is currently undefeated in league play.

Leon has one goal and three assists on the season.

Center midfielder Andres Mendoza, of the JSerra boys soccer team,

signed to played for the University of California Irvine soccer team.

Mendoza is a co-captain for the Lions (14-3-3, 6-2-1), who finished second in the Trinity League standings and will play in the CIF-SS playoffs.

“It has always been my goal to play

soccer in college, and now that all my hard work has paid off to meet my goal, I’d like to aspire to play professionally,” Mendoza said in an email.

“Continuing my success in soccer and my education is a big focus, and I believe I can continue this at UCI.” CD

Big Second Half Pushes Tritons Past Stallions

T

he San Juan Hills boys basketball team shot the lights out in the first half of a Sea View League matchup against visiting San Clemente on February 5, but it wasn’t enough to topple the first-place Tritons, who walked away with a 69-53 victory.

The Tritons (16-10, 6-1 league) started off the game against San Juan Hills (7-20, 1-6) looking sluggish by their standards. An offense that is on an historic scoring pace (averaging just under 70 points per game) managed to score only 28 first half points while the Stallions kept things close.

The Tritons were threatening to pull away while building a 12-6 lead The Capistrano Dispatch February 8–21, 2013

early in the first, but the streaky outside shooting of the Stallions pulled the home team back to within four with just over 40 seconds left in the quarter. Four of the Stallions six made shots in the first were from beyond the arc.

Things got tighter in the second, as San Juan Hills cut the Tritons lead to 23-20, but a dagger 3-point shot from Tritons sophomore forward Sam Darnold ended a 4-1 Stallions run and San Clemente closed out the half with a 28-24 advantage.

Full-court pressure defense has been a useful tool for the Tritons all season long and they stayed away from using it in the opening half. But

as the third quarter got underway, the Tritons began hounding the Stallions backcourt, eating up their shot clock. “(San Juan Hills) played really well in the second quarter controlling the tempo so we knew we had to get that tempo going to our speed…that’s where we want to be,” San Clemente head coach Marc Popovich said.

The San Clemente defense forced the Stallions to turn the ball over which led to transition buckets for Tritons senior forward Jake Terkoski, who scored 12 points in the third quarter and recorded one steal. The Tritons outscored the Stallions 19-13 in the third quarter.

Page 28

Twenty points separated the two teams midway through the fourth quarter as a result of a 10-0 Tritons run, which was highlighted by a nolook pass from senior Cody Bean to a cutting Anthony Pinelli that put San Clemente up 55-39.

The Tritons ended up scoring 41 points in the second half to claim their second win in a row. The Stallions are on a six-game losing skid.

Stallions senior Brandon Toigo scored a team-high 16 points while senior Ben Goldman poured in 13.

The Stallions last game of the season was against Laguna Hills on February 7. Results were not available at press time. CD —Steve Brezeale www.thecapistranodispatch.com