SOUTH PARK NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2015

A Positive Community Newspaper Created by Locals, for Locals, Supporting Local Businesses

SOUTH PARK NEWSWHAT’S INSIDE?

Jefferson, McKinley, Golden Hill and Roosevelt head back to school in style

It’s time to celebrate, because the happiest time of the year is upon us….back to school! New book smell perfumes the air, pencils are sharp, backpacks are clean, jeans don’t have holes or grass stains, and packed lunch containers are intact and ready to be filled.

As a parent, it means the end to summer camp carpooling, endless piles of sand in the couch and a break from answering the daily, ‘what are we going to do today?’ chant from kids who’ve been away from structure for just a little bit too long.

And kids who are heading back to neighborhood schools have a lot to be excited about this fall:

McKinley Elementary, an IB school in North Park’s Altadena neighborhood, warmly welcomes new principal, Deb Ganderton. Ganderton, whose last post was principal of Rose Elementary in Escondido, couldn’t be more thrilled about filling this position. She has even taken to driving around the Altadena neighborhood during the summer, introducing herself from her car window as McKinley’s new

school principal.

Ganderton has big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of beloved principal Julie Ashton Gray. But she is up to the task.

Teachers at McKinley Elementary got treated to a big surprise when they arrived back this fall. The McKinley Parent Teacher Club renovated and re-decorated the teacher’s lounge, complete with new laminate hardwood-look flooring (donated by Home Depot), custom rustic barn tables, new paint and a new kitchen area. The lounge is now, no doubt, the swankiest teacher’s lounge in town!

And McKinley parent volunteers are already hard at work gearing up for the 6th Annual SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off on Dec. 6, 2015 from 11am-5pm. This popular neighborhood street festival, held at 32nd & Thorn, features a restaurant chili competition, live music, craft beer and wine garden, kids fun festival and local handmade vendors.

Jefferson Elementary, an IB and STEAM magnet school in the heart of North Park opens its doors this fall to a plate full of activities including Friends of Jefferson & Waypoint Public Family Movie

Nights! Don’t miss October 13: Puss in Boots; November 10: Inside Out; December 8: Aladdin. Proceeeds from receipts of each evening benefit Jefferson Elementary.

Friends of Jefferson will also present the inaugural Homebrew Festival & Competition, Saturday, November 14 from noon-4pm at the North Park mini-park site south of The Observatory theatre. This brewing fest and competitive event will bring the best of San Diego’s home brewers together with the beer-loving public for a beer-tasting extravaganza. Proceeds benefit Friends of Jefferson and Jefferson Elementary. To enter go to www.sdhomebrewfest.com.

Golden Hill Elementary, began its second year this fall as a bi-lingual Spanish immersion school. This two-way bilingual immersion blends two language models: an immersion program for English-only speakers and a bilingual maintenance model for English learners. Students from two language groups attend classes together, learning from one another and supporting each others second language acquisition.

Students at Golden Hill will also have the opportunity to participate in ballet classes on campus provided by the generous donation of the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet.

Roosevelt Middle School also welcomed a new principal this fall – Christina Casillas. Casillas most recently served as principal at San Diego High School MVPA and as vice principal at University City High School and Home Hospital. Casillas’ goals include working with the community to create a quality neighborhood school. She says it is the “collective responsibility of administrators, teachers, parents, students and community members to improve student achievement and outcomes.”

On October 18th, get ready for Halloween and stay fit at Trick or Trot 3k & 5k Run. A fundraiser for the Roosevelt PTSA, this fun run takes participants on a course through Morley Field and Florida Canyon at the edge of Balboa Park. Prizes will be awarded for best costume! For more information go to www.rooseveltptsa.org.

And a sneak peek of a new event coming for spring 2016 – Pizza in the Park, a pizza and beer taste-off event to be held in Balboa Park. Details of this event can be found at www.rooseveltptsa.org.

School is now in session. Happy Fall!

www.MidCityNewspaperGroup.com Vol.1 No. 1 Sept./Oct. 2015

NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS RULE

IT’S A THROWATHON!Annual ritual produces ceramic bowls for December’s big SoNo Fest and Chili Cook-OffBrittanni Powell on the potter’s wheel is part of the Throwathon that Kouta Shimazaki, owner of San Diego Ceramic Connection, holds to produce the thousands of bowls that will be sold at the Dec. 6 SoNo Fest and Chili Cook-Off, a benefit for McKinley Elementary School. These things last far into the night and early morning hours. See story on PAGE 10

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UPDATE: THE CITY WILLREOPEN THE POOL LATERTHIS MONTH. The Bud KearnsMunicipal Swimming Pool in Mor-ley Field was empty this year, unlessyou count the piles of dirt and exca-vating equipment in the deep end.

North Park residents and otherswho would normally be cooling offat the pool were disappointed thisswim season as the facility remainedclosed well-past its usual Aprilopening.

For months a disheartening andlifeless sign on the chainlink fencehas read “Closed until furthernotice.”

No pool playdates for the tod-dlers, no lap swimming or wateraerobic — just one big bellyflop ofa swim season.

Bud Kearns Pool is the oldest in

the city, dating back to 1933. Ageand a policy of “deferred mainte-nance” have taken their toll, as prob-lems have exacerbated and repairsbecome more complex.

Tim Graham, senior public infor-mation officer for the city of SanDiego, was forthcoming in explain-ing the situation. During the normalannual closure period, the city con-ducted a comprehensive inspectionof the pump room and detected anoverly calcified eight-inch maindrain. The problem was causingpump motors and impellers to mal-function and burn out.

Steps were taken immediately, acontractor and plan were soon inplace. However, the drain was notdestined for a quick fix. Termed a“major plan submittal,” the pro-posed work is subject to code and

standard oversight by the CountyDepartment of EnvironmentalHealth. The plans remain underreview.

What has been done is demoli-tion and removal of the drainplumbing from the pool to the cir-culation pump. Inspection isrequired before a new drain can beinstalled.

After approval, the repairs will bephased in. When feasible, the drainwill be replaced so that public useof the pool can resume.

This is funded by Parks andRecreation, at a cost of $149,000. Inphase two, the perimeter curb willbe removed, the gutter systemrestructured, and the perimeterfence will be replaced. There are nocost estimates for this work as ofnow.

Stroll by the pool, set just southof the parking lot at Upas and Texasstreets, and, lacking swimmers, youmay see workers sheltered from thesun by a tarp and umbrella in thedeep end of the pool . It’s a waterlesspit. Mounds of dark brown soil hintat the big dig within.

“The pool is a major resource forthe neighborhood,” said Christo-pher Cunningham, who lives nearbyon 28th Street. His companion,Ronni, who swims at another publicpool in San Diego, said, “Swimmingis the next best thing to an anti-aging pill.”

And Nancy Kincaid of ArizonaStreet says she “really, really, misses

it.”Lifeguards, pool manager, and

staff have been relocated to othercity pools and given comparablehours of employment. Meanwhile,the word is that the pool will openas soon as possible, but there is nomention of any extended or extrahours to compensate for the loss ofuse this year.

Afer Labor Day, thoughts ofswimming may fade as school startsand the weather begins to cool, soas of this writing, North Park resi-dents can only look forward tosome splashing in 2016 if the BudKearns Municipal Pool repairs arefinally completed.

COMMUNITY4 | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Swimming Down the DrainClosure of Bud Kearns Municipal Pool leavesbathers dry and unhappy STORY AND PHOTOS BY SUSAN TAYLOR

Ask Dr. ZHow do I get rid of this acne?

Acne is just an infection of the pores.There are three main parts that mustoccur for acne, and all three are influ-enced by hormones, so that is why ado-lescence is the most common time foracne.

First, the skin does not shed as easilyas usual. The dead skin cells just stayas a layer on the newer skin below, andit will block the pores. This causes pim-ples, mainly blackheads and white-heads. Some people have a natural dif-ficulty shedding dead skin cells andmay have pimples their whole lives.

Second, there is an increase insebum, an oily secretion like oily sweatfrom the pores. This is affected by diet— sugar and grease tend to increase it.

Third, there is an increase in the bac-teria on the face, especially Propioni-bacterium.

The normal sequence of events isthat the pore gets blocked, the sebumcannot get out (pimples) and so itbuilds up, and the bacteria, which livesin the sebum, increases and causes theinfection of a zit (mini boil).

So to get rid of acne, you have tofocus on all three parts, and clearly themost important is the first one— getrid of dead skin cells. Without the porebeing blocked, it can’t get infected.Washing the face frequently with aslight abrasive is the way to go. Thesoap will also kill the bacteria for a great1-2 punch. Using a washcloth, or a padwith pockets like Stridex pads, helpwith the abrasive part. Also Benzoylperoxide is a wonderful abrasive as well

as an astringent that kills the bacteria,and also strips away the sebum on thesurface. Retinoids also “peel” the deadskin cells off.

Absolute minimum is THREE timesdaily. If you are not washing three timesa day, then no dermatologist will seeyou and no other methods will be pre-scribed because none of them will workif you are not stripping off the deadskin cells. If there is still significant acnedespite washing a lot with benzoyl per-oxide and scrub, then we use antibioticointment or cream topically to help. Itis added after the washing. After this, ifacne is still a problem, we use oralantibiotics for 4-6 weeks. You cannotstay on them long term as the sideeffects are cumulative.

For women, birth control pills cancontrol the hormonal effects on theacne, but cannot help the others, soface washing is still needed. For extremecases only, there is Accutane, whichsuppresses the immune response to thebacteria. This is dangerous, since thenyou can get all sorts of other infections.It is similar to being on Chemo.

So the approach to acne is a step wiseapproach. Washing always, then add incream, then add in an antibiotic bymouth, then consider birth control pillsor Accutane on top of it all. And a good,clean diet with eight hours of sleep anight will help keep your skin clear!

Dr. Tara Zandvliet welcomes your ques-tions. Send them to questions@ south-parkdoctor.com. She practices at 2991Kalmia St. Phone: (619) 929-0032.

The Bud Kearns Municipal Pool stands empty, waiting for repair work by the city.

The building at the Bud Kearns Municipal Pool could use some work.

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | 5

North Park Mixed-Use Property Sells for $1,065,000A mixed-use property on El

Cajon Boulevard in North Park hasbeen purchased by HTC Invest-ments LLC for $1.06 million.

The sellers were Emad and SarahMirgoli. The property is at 2029 El

Cajon Blvd.The total building area, which

includes two retail storefronts and adetached duplex, is 3,756 square feetand sits on a 7,118-square-foot lot.

The sellers originally purchased

the building in 2012 for $700,000. Limor Spilky, senior associate of

commercial property investmentsales for Location Matters BrokerageServices, represented the sellers inthe transaction.

A historic North Park two-storyhome on Kalmia Street in the historicBurlingame neighborhood has soldat a reported $1.38 million, a “recordfor Burlingame home sales,” saidMarty McDaniel who, along with hissister, Julie McDaniel Kellems, repre-senting the McDaniel Family Trust,were the sellers.

The Prairie-style home, completedin 1913, has been in the McDaniel

Family since 1963 when Rita andJulius McDaniel purchased it. SiblingsMarty and Julie have spent the past3.5 years restoring the family hometo get it ready for the private sale.

New owners are Alpine residentswith North Park ties. “I grew up inNorth Park and am really happy toreturn,” says Amy Bowen, who withher husband Dane closed escrow inmid-September.

Designed by icon San Diego archi-tect William Wheeler and built bycontractor W.A. McIntyre, the homeat 3113 Kalmia cost $6,000 to build.

First owners were Harry and VernaBenbough, who owned BenboughFurniture Co., Downtown. Harry wasthe brother of Percival Benbough, amayor of San Diego.

Burlingame HomeSale Tops $1.3 Million

Original staircase has been restained.

Marty McDaniel and his sister Julie McDaniel Kellems have soldthe family home they lived in since 1963 for a reported $1.38million.

With no design experience, the McDaniel siblings showed remarkable tastein the recently completed new look of an upstairs bathroom.

Front upstairs bedroom shows new oak flooring (throughout the home) plusa view of the terrace. ‘As kids we could see all the fireworks in San Diegofrom the wrap-around terrace,’ said Marty McDaniel, home seller.

Julie and Marty were project managers for the restoration. The added bath,shown here, was originally her childhood bedroom.

Prairie-style exterior of 3113 Kalmia, which was designed in1913 by San Diego icon architect William Wheeler.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TOM SHESS

UC San Diego has been namedthe 7th “Coolest School” by Sierramagazine, climbing 10 spots fromlast year in the publication’s annualranking of America’s greenest col-leges.

Sierra magazine is a publicationof the Sierra Club, the oldest andlargest environmental group in theU.S.

“It is an honor to be recognizedas one of the nation’s top collegesfor our commitment to protect theenvironment,” said UC San DiegoChancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “Sus-tainability is part of our institutionalDNA, imparted to us by UC SanDiego’s early scientists like RogerRevelle, one of the university’sfounders and a pioneer of climatechange research. We have built upontheir legacy to become a living lab-oratory of sustainable solutions thatbenefit our local and global com-munities.”

According to the editors at Sierramagazine, factors that helpedschools like UC San Diego land inthe top 10 included having dininghalls that serve organic and localfoods; waste systems that diverttrash from landfills; transportationoptions that keep students and staffout of cars; academic programs thatare heavily eco-focused; and strongmethods to conserve water andenergy.

“Sustainability is a top priority inUC San Diego’s education, researchand campus operations,” addedGary C. Matthews, vice chancellorfor Resource Management and

Planning. “From building green tosaving water to offering hundredsof sustainability related classes, ourefforts are changing not only thecampus, but also the minds of thestudents we’re educating.”

As California continues to sufferfrom one of the worst droughts onrecord, a key UC San Diego sustain-ability initiative is water conserva-tion, which editors at Sierra noted.“Since 2009, the campus hasreduced its water use by more than30 million gallons a year, and in thelast year has recycled 400,000 gal-lons,” they wrote. “All new landscap-ing uses drought-tolerant plants.There are many eco-groups on cam-pus, including Aquaholics Anony-mous, which hosts water-savingcompetitions in the dorms.”

Other eco-friendly accomplish-ments at UC San Diego highlightedby Sierra magazine include encour-aging campus commuters to usealternative transportation optionssuch as public transit, carpools, van-pools, bikes, car sharing, ride match-ing, campus shuttles and more. Theuniversity was recently recognizedwith a Diamond Award from theSan Diego Association of Govern-ment (SANDAG) for making stridesto promote alternative commutechoices in the workplace.

Additional UC San Diego sustain-able efforts lauded by the magazineinclude the following:

Food17 percent of all food purchased

in Housing, Dining and Hospitality

locations is locally grown and/orcertified organic or fair trade.

100 percent of coffee in in theselocations is certified fair trade.

The campus composts pre-con-sumer food waste in all dining halls.

UC San Diego is home to stu-dent-run gardens that also featurelocally grown produce.

Energy ConservationUC San Diego has an aggressive

goal to be climate neutral by 2025.The campus generates 92 percent

of its own electricity and has onethe largest, most advanced micro-grids in the world, which featuresalternative sources of energy such asphotovoltaics.

Waste DiversionOne of UC San Diego’s goals is to

be zero waste by 2020.During the spring 2015 student

move out, more than 25 tons ofdonations such as food and clotheswere sent to a local charity and foodpantry.

The campus avoided 86 tons ofplastic water bottles usage through

its hydration station refill program.UC San Diego’s graduation gowns

are made of 100 percent recycledproducts.

AcademicsUC San Diego offers a range of

“green” majors and minors fromenvironmental systems to urbanplanning to hundreds of sustainabil-ity-related courses.

As part of the campuswide strate-gic plan, UC San Diego producesresearch that helps to better under-stand and protect the planet.

Campus LifeUC San Diego is home to the Sus-

tainability Resource Center, a one-stop-sustainability-shop where thecampus community can learn aboutcourses on sustainability-relatedtopics, how to conserve energy andwater and how to get more involvedin sustainability on campus.

UC San Diego was the first UCcampus to launch a Staff Sustain-ability Network which providesgrants for sustainability projects.

EDUCATION6 | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

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As California continues to suffer from one of the worst droughts on record, a key UC San Diego sustainability initiative is water conservation. Since 2009, the campus hasreduced its water use by more than 30 million gallons a year, and in the last year has recycled 400,000 gallons. All new landscaping at the university uses drought-tolerantplants (above).

UC San Diego the 7th ‘Coolest School’ in nation for sustainability

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | 7

Guardians of the Park‘Friends’ and other groups work to keep Balboa

Park alive and well into the next centuryOn the last day of 1999, a group of

volunteers called The MillenniumSociety threw a fundraising gala forBalboa Park. All of the society’s chartermembers attended, paying $199.99 aticket.

Moving into the new century, TheMillennium Society rebranded itselfas the Friends of Balboa Park, dedi-cated to Balboa Park as a whole, initi-ating park-wide projects that tran-scend individual institutions, andaddressing human-scale needs, withthe vision of keeping the park aliveand well into the next century.

Leading the charge is Betty Peabody,who has been involved in Balboa Parksince 1969 when she heard andresponded to a radio spot: “Docentswanted to teach sex education at theMuseum of Man, no experience nec-essary.”

Over the years her volunteerismexpanded exponentially to encompassthe entire park and includes chairingthe board of the House of Hospitality,The Millennium Society, and Friendsof Balboa Park, and membership onthe boards of the Museum of Man andthe Central Balboa Park Association.

From a core group of six, the circleof Friends has grown to over 500 sup-porters, and their accomplishmentsnumber in the hundreds, some beinga one-time effort, others ongoing yearafter year.

Currently there are 20 members onthe Friends’ board, 30 members on theadvisory council, and 25 on the by-laws committee.

Since its inception, Friends of Bal-boa Park has invested and contributedover $4 million in private money toBalboa Park.

“Our greatest successes are notalways the most conspicuous: quietlyidentifying and meeting a need, seam-lessly integrating a new feature into anhistoric setting, and partnering withother organizations and public agen-cies to raise the park’s profile and giveits interests a voice in city govern-ment,” said Peabody, a founder ofFriends.

The Friend’s core programs includepreservation and enhancement ofparkland, structure and infrastructure,visitor safety and security, park accessand understanding, and preservationof the park’s legacy.

Peabody has her favorite projects.“Whatever we are doing at the time ismy favorite. Just knowing what we aredoing is the best for the future of thepark,” she said.

However she did pick a few to illus-trate current successes:

A true labor of love and example ofthe private/public partnership thatFriends has with the City of San Diegoare the five information kiosks conve-niently placed around the park. Thekiosks provide the visitor with mapsand information about the park’smany attractions and institutions andtheir offerings. They also have ATMmachines.

This project was seven years in the

making at a cost of $500,000. During the centennial year, the

Adopt-a-Plot Program invites individ-uals, families, organizations and busi-nesses to adopt a garden or landscapearea within Balboa Park. This programis so successful they are hoping to con-tinue it beyond the centennial year.

San Diego’s first Arbor Day celebra-tion was on March 17, 1904. Kate Ses-sions helped to organize that firstplanting, a community event attendedby 350 school children who came towhat was then called “City Park” toplant 60 pine and cypress trees.

The Friends brought back the tra-dition, and recently celebrated its 8thArbor Day at the War Memorial Build-ing when 11 American Tulip trees wereplanted with volunteer help from localarea students.

“Going into the centennial we askedourselves, ‘How can we be sure thepark is going to be here 100 years fromnow and into the next centennial?’—and the answer is water. And that’s whywe chose water as our 2015 project,”said Peabody.

The Friend’s Water-Wise programwas designed to optimize water use inthe parkland by 2020, to make the parkmore environmentally sustainablewhile keeping it healthy and fit forappropriate human enjoyment.

An example is the Zoro GardenWater Reclamation project currentlyunder construction, where water fromthe roof of the Casa de Balboa (rain,dew and HVAC condensation) will becaptured, stored and used to irrigatethe adjacent Zoro Garden and canyon.

Friends is also tackling the park’swater infrastructure, financing a doc-umentation of the park’s undergroundwater pipes which were laid in theearly 1900s with little or obsolete doc-umentation.

Over the last 2.5 years Dr. MattRahn, an environmental scientist andprofessor at San Diego State Universi-ty, and his students have been map-ping the water pipes and valves thatdeliver water into the park.

GPS is allowing Rahn and his stu-dents to develop an app that will helpcity workers locate weak points in thepark’s water pipes as well as enablingthem to stand anywhere in the parkat a broken water main, look at a map

of Google Earth in real time and say,“This is where the closest three valvesare to isolate that piece of pipe.” Oncea break is isolated, the city won’t haveto turn off water to the entire park,shutting it down. Using this technique,there’s a 90% labor-saving in thoseareas.

To date, 11 water sources (all drink-able) have been identified, supplyingwater to buildings, gardens, landscapesand fountains. Students are locatingthe pipes and trying to determine thesize, the age, the manufacturer, and thematerials the pipes are made of.

The survey will take another one totwo years to complete; it is critical fortroubleshooting leaks and digging forany reason.

Every year in October, since 2000,Friends of Balboa Park — an apoliticalorganization — holds a luncheon tohonor long-time park volunteers,many of whom have worked quietlybehind the scenes for years. All of thepark’s organizations support and valuethis event, which typically draws over300 participants to witness the givingof awards: five “Inspiration” awardsand one “Millennium” award.

Peabody, who has worked sevendays a week for the park for more than45 years, said, “A very generous bene-factor has given one million dollars toFriends of Balboa Park as a lead giftfor an endowment fund. In addition,in this centennial year we’ve been chal-lenged to raise $500,000 more whichwill be matched dollar for dollar byyear’s end. Thus our endowment willbe doubled. This will allow us to givemore support to the ever-challengingneeds of Balboa Park, from waterinfrastructure to the gardens to edu-cating school children for the future.”

Learn more about Friends of BalboaPark by visiting their website:http://friendsofbalboapark.org.

Delle Willett is a freelance writer with30 years’ experience in marketing andpublic relations. She can’t leave homewithout her: Nikon camera, runningshoes, sunglasses, ChapStick, Tums,and cell phone.

Some groups that support

Balboa Park as a whole, and

organizations within the park

include:

• The Committee of 100

Founded in 1967 to preserve

Balboa Park’s Spanish Colonial

Revival architecture from the 1915–1916 Panama-California Exposi-

tion, its mission has expanded to include the architecture, gardens,

and public spaces of both the 1915–1916 and 1935–1936 California

Pacific International Exposition. Since 1967 all four remaining “tem-

porary” 1915 buildings have been reconstructed in permanent mate-

rials and not a single building has been lost.

• The Balboa Park Trust is a family of nearly 40 endowment funds

managed by The San Diego Foundation and a dedicated committee

of volunteers. Since 1985, the Trust has supported the enrichment

and enhancement of the park and its cultural and recreational pro-

grams. Grants have totaled more than $1.7 million for a wide variety

of preservation, beautification and maintenance enhancements.

• The Balboa Park Conservancy promotes Balboa Park through

its programs, Balboa Park Visitors Center and Balboa Park Market-

ing. The Conservancy is also responsible for the National Historic

Landmark House of Hospitality building, the Balboa Park Visitors

Center, a police storefront, offices of cultural and educational orga-

nizations, and The Prado restaurant, all in the House of Hospitality.

• The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership includes 28 arts, science

and cultural institutions in Balboa Park who collaborate to achieve

greater organizational efficiency, innovation and excellence. The

partnership was formed in 2003 to provide a means for members

to identify and achieve collective goals and to speak with one voice

on issues of mutual benefit and importance.

• BPAL is a Balboa Park Alliance with members from the Com-

mittee of 100, Friends of Balboa Park and Balboa Park Trust of the

San Diego Foundation. They each raise money for the park and

each has a distinctive role but work collaboratively on projects of

mutual interest.

• Since 1997, Patrons of the Prado has provided over $2 million

and thousands of volunteer hours to benefit the distinguished array

of arts and cultural organizations that occupy the Prado.

• For nearly 100 years, The Thursday Club members have com-

bined social activities and volunteering their time for civic and

b e n e v o l e n t

projects bene-

fitting various

entities in Bal-

boa Park and

the San Diego

community.

Balboa Park Support Groups

Betty Peabody has been involved in BalboaPark since 1969.

Dr. Matt Rahn, an environmental scientist andprofessor at San Diego State University, andhis students have been mapping the waterpipes and valves that deliver water into thepark.

BY DELLE WILLETT

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By Bart Mendoza

September 25Blues-Oriented Hard Rock from Royal BloodYou’d think the two-man band trend would be played out by now—the very format seems limiting. But then a band like Royal Bloodcomes along and all bets are off. Appearing at the House of Blueson Sept. 25, the two play an intense, blues-oriented, hard rock setthat manages to have both intricacy as well as serious rock ‘n’ rollbombast. Though still relatively unknown Stateside, the band’s albumhit No. 1 in their native England, as well as hitting No. 17 here, soit’s safe to say Royal Blood is currently upwardly mobile. With ablistering attack and a ton of great singles such as “Figure It Out,”this is a band with real potential staying power.houseofblues.com/sandiego

SEPT. 24Stevie Harris to Recreate Marvin Gaye AlbumA new venue, The Music Box, has opened Downtown’s LittleItaly neighborhood, taking over the location formerly housingthe much missed Anthology nightspot. The Music Box seemsto have a more eclectic booking policy than the previous leaseholder, with more indie rock than jazz on it’s schedule at themoment. On Sept. 24, the club will host a free show fromdynamic soul singer, Stevie Harris. Backed by an eight-pieceband, Harris will recreate Marvin Gaye’s iconic 1971 album,“What’s Going On,” mixing in other soul classics as the nightprogresses. Harris is one of the area’s best front men, a com-manding presence every bit as good as the acts he will be cov-ering on this night.musicboxsd.com

October 9A Benedetti Tribute to John LennonVirtuoso guitarist Fred Benedetti performs a special birthday tributeto John Lennon at Dizzy’s on Oct. 9. Benedetti will be joined bydaughters Regina and Julia, as well as multi-instrumentalist/bassistJeff Pekarek for a set that will take in material from throughoutLennon’s career. Between Benedetti’s immense talent and what iseasily the greatest song catalog of all time, this show promises to becaptivating from start to finish. Songs will include such gems as “InMy Life” and “Help,” but whatever is chosen for the set list will pleaseeven the most jaded Beatles fan.dizzysjazz.com

September 23Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos’ Young Lions SeriesIt almost sounds impossible, but on Aug. 4, members of punk legendsThe Sex Pistols, Blondie, Gen X will be at the Soda Bar. Performingunder the name the International Swingers, the quartet features drum-mer Clem Burke (Blondie), bassist Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols),guitarist James Stevenson (Gen X) and frontman Gary Twinn, essen-tially performing their greatest hits, from “Dancing With Myself” to“Pretty Vacant.” It’s like an ultra-hip jukebox, with one classic trackreeled off after another, and stellar playing from all involved. But keepan eye on Burke — one of the world’s greatest drummer’s is also amaster showman. sodabarmusic.com

October 6With Paul Weller, A Concert Season HighlightOne of the most important songwriters of the 20th century,Paul Weller appears at the Observatory on Oct. 6. Through suchlegendary groups as the Jam and the Style Council, Weller’smod-influenced sounds have inspired generations of musicfans, with a slew of classic tunes to his credit, ranging from“Town Called Malice” to “Speak Like A Child.” Never one tostand still for very long, Weller is currently on tour behind hislatest album, “Saturns Pattern,” which, while still rooted in R&Binspired rock, finds him expanding his sonic palette. Long-timefans know this show will be one of the year’s concert highlights,while anyone who may not have yet been turned on to his music,should make this event a priority. You won’t be disappointed.jwww.observatorysd.com

September 23Redd Kross ReturnsSan Diego is blessed to have many great unique music venues, butthe coolest has to be Panama 66, located in the sculpture garden ofthe Museum of Contemporary Art in Balboa Park. The scenery isgreat, the food and drink are top notch, but it’s the no-cover musicsets that makes the place a stand out. Wednesday evenings are highlyrecommended for jazz fans as trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos presentsnew talent in his Young Lions series. On Sept. 23, Castellanos wel-comes singer and guitarist Kate Sprague. That last name alone shouldbe enough to entice any jazz aficionados into checking this out, asthe Sprague’s have been San Diego’s first family of jazz for decades.It’s wonderful to see a new generation take the stage. panama66.blogspot.com

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | 9

The 34th annual Adams AvenueStreet Fair — the largest free, two-day music festival in Southern Cal-ifornia — returns to the street onSept. 26-27 and brings 110 musicalacts on eight stages to the neighbor-hood.

The festival will be held from 10a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, andfrom 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Besides the musical entertain-ment, there will be beer gardens,beer tastings, carnival rides, exoticfoods and more than 350 arts andcrafts booths.

Headlining artists include: TheRugburns, The Wailing Souls, “TheStray Cat” Lee Rocker, Kid Ramos& the 44’s, HoneyHoney, Stranger,Steve Poltz, and the Creepy Creeps.A full list and bios can be viewedonline at www.adamsavenuebusi-ness.com.

The Adams Avenue BusinessAssociation sponsors the festivaleach year.

Beer connoisseurs will enjoy theStreet Fair’s Craft Beer Taste, (fromnoon to 4 p.m. Saturday only),across from the Starbucks Stage.

Visitors to the craft beer taste willhave the opportunity to sample 12,4-ounce tastes for $20. Last yearamong the 30 types of craft beersbeing featured from 16 breweriesduring the tasting included offeringsfrom Aztec Brewing Co., AutomaticBrewing Co., Ballast Point, BNS,Stone, Stumble Foot, Goose Island,Green Flash, Twisted Manzanita andMission Brewery..

Four additional beer gardens areopen throughout the two-day runof the street fair featuring full pourservings of San Diego’s best craftbeer selection.

WEEKEND MUSIC FEST Adams Avenue Street Fair to bring 110musical acts to the neighborhood

The Album Leaf.

Alice Wallace Big Jay McNeely

Burning of Rome Heartless Bastards

The Stray Coat Lee Rocker Pat Banton, Patrick Murray

Stranger The 44s with Kid Ramos

The Creepy Creeps The Rugburns

HoneyHoney

Alaina Blair The Wailing Souls

10 | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

IT’S A THROWATHON!Annual ritual produces ceramic bowls for December’s big SoNo Fest and Chili Cook-Off

This is not a typical Friday nightat Kouta Shimazaki’s San DiegoCeramic Connection. The place iscrawling with volunteers.

On one side of the shop on ThornStreet, people are crammed shoulderto shoulder on both sides of a longwooden table, each person kneadinga clump of clay into a shape resem-bling a big brown teardrop. Occasion-ally, Kouta will step in and givehands-on lessons on how to shapethe clay.

On the other side of the room, sev-eral seated volunteers are busy work-ing with clay on spinning potterywheels, shaping the clay into 4 and½-inch diameter bowls that later willbe fired and painted. The techniqueis called “throwing a bowl” andKouta’s Friday night spectacle is called

a “Throwathon” that will last untilthe very early hours of the next day.

The event attracts adults, teens andchildren who come to Kouta’s placeto work and have fun.

Several Throwathons are held eachyear to produce the thousands ofceramic bowls that will be sold to vis-itors at the annual SoNo Fest andChili Cook-Off, a December festivalthat has grown so huge in popularitythat Kouta is hard-pressed to makeenough bowls for the event.

During the festival — which willbe held on Sunday, Dec. 6 this year— chili recipes from competingrestaurants will be sampled by thecrowds of visitors, all eating from thebowls specifically made for the occa-sion. Everyone who samples the chilican vote for their favorites. Local

celebrities and politicians will crownthe winners.

The free event, sponsored by SanDiego Ceramic Connection and theMcKinley Elementary School Foun-dation, benefits McKinley ElementarySchool. It evolved from a chili cookoffthat Kouta had been running sincearound 1998. The SoNo name comesfrom a blending of the two commu-nities, South Park and North Park.

“This event has evolved from asmall group of friends and patronsgathering to eat chili and have a goodtime into a major street festival andfundraising event to benefit McKin-ley,” said Kouta. “The people in ourcommunity have really pulled togeth-er to make this a success and that’ssomething I’m proud to be part of.”

Mercy Southan (left) and Jessica Morris are among the several volunteers who show up tomake bowls for the chili cook-off.

Kouta Shimazaki and volunteers having fun at the throwathon.

Volunteer Katie Spencer.Kouta Shimazaki, owner of San DiegoCeramic Connection, presides over theannual Throwathons.

Bowls made during the Throwathon will befired and painted at a later date.

Scott Powell spins a bowl.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MANNY CRUZ

September 19 - Taste of South ParkOctober 3rd - South Park Walkabout, 6-10pmOctober 13 - FOJ & Waypoint Family Movie Night*October 18 - Trick or Trot 3k & 5k Run*November 10 - FOJ & Waypoint Family Movie Night*November 14 - FOJ Homebrew Festival & Competition*November 29 - South Park Tree Lighting Ceremony, 6pmDecember 5 - SPBG South Park Walkabout, 6-10pmDecember 5 - Makers Arcade at North Park Post OfficeDecember 6 - McKinley PTC SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off*December 8 - FOJ & Waypoint Family Movie Night*

*These events support neighborhood schools.

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As thousands of children prepare to embark on their trick-or-treating jaunts in neighborhoods near and far, it is best to once again revisit safety tips that can help ensure this Halloween is enjoyable and injury-free.

Visibility: Visibility is key when donning a Halloween costume. Children should be dressed in highly visible costumes so drivers can easily see them. Parents and chaperones also should be dressed in bright colors. Reflective tape and flashlights also make pedestrians more visible to oncoming cars.

Routes: Children and adults should plan their trick-or-treating routes ahead of time. This way they kids can be found quickly if they are separated from their groups, and parents can choose safe neighborhoods. Choose neighborhoods and paths that have the least amount of automobile traffic.

Walk, don’t run. Trick-or-treaters should stick to sidewalks and only cross the street at intersection crosswalks. Make sure kids know to avoid darting out between cars or cutting across lawns and driveways. When darkness sets in, fast-moving children can be difficult to see.

Visit only lit houses. Residents who don’t want to answer the door will typically leave their homes’ exterior lights off. Only visit homes that are decorated, bright and welcoming to trick-or-treaters.

Go in groups. Children should go out in groups and always be accompanied by an adult chaperone.

Costume safety: Everyone should wear well-fitted costumes that do not drag on the floor or impede mobility. Choose face paint over masks so that vision is not obscured.

Beware of fire hazards. Keep clear of jack-o-lanterns that are lit by real flames. Homeowners can opt for LED lights or other, safer methods of illumination rather than candles and open flames.Halloween is an exciting day for youngsters, and following a few safety can make the day both fun and safe.

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The Mission Hills neighborhoodof San Diego features a rich varietyof early 20th century architecturalstyles.

This year, Mission Hills Heritagewill showcase Prairie Style homesbuilt in the 1910s and 1920s on its11th annual Historic Home Tour Sat-urday, Sept. 27.

Six homes will be open for tourattendees to view the exterior andinterior details of the residences.

As an additional feature on thetour, there will be a showing of the1920s historic United Church ofChrist at 400 Jackdaw, a highly sub-stantial landmark in Mission Hills.

The Prairie Style was developed bya group of Chicago architects whohave become known as the “PrairieSchool.” Considered radical designfrom the perspective of VictorianAmerica, features of the Prairie Styleinclude a low-pitched, usually hippedroof, widely overhanging eaves withone-story wings or porches, cornices

and facade detailing emphasizinghorizontal lines, wide bands of win-dows and often massive, square porchsupports.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s early workwas in the Prairie Style and he wasacknowledged as a master designerof the Prairie house. Many of theother Prairie architects worked witheither Frank Lloyd Wright himself, orwith his earlier employer and teacher,Louis Sullivan.

How did the Prairie Style migrateto San Diego and Mission Hills? Itoriginated in Chicago and the land-mark examples are concentrated inthat city’s early 20th century suburbsand other large Midwestern cities.However, vernacular examples werespread widely in pattern books andpopular magazines such as “WesternArchitect.”

Seeking a new life in the West,numerous architects, builders andindividuals traveled from the Eastand arrived in San Diego, introducing

fresh and new home designs.Irving Gill, a prominent San Diego

architect, worked under Louis Sulli-van and Frank Lloyd Wright inChicago. Gill built several PrairieStyle homes and buildings in SanDiego and the style also influencedhis later designs.

The Prairie Style also caught onwith many local San Diego buildersworking in Mission Hills, includingNathan Rigdon, Martin Melhorn,Alexander Schreiber and Morris B.Irvin.

Local adaptations included hybridscombining elements of Craftsman,Mission, and even Mediterranean

Revival Styles. Our milder climateprovided designs for open balconiesand porches instead of the enclosedporches of Chicago and pergolas andporte-cocheres with climbing wiste-ria, instead of the built-in planterboxes seen in the Midwest.

The Spanish Revival Style replacedthe Arts & Crafts and Prairie Stylesin the 1920s; however, the PrairieStyle greatly influenced later Califor-nia styles such as Mid-Century Mod-ern and Ranch.

Attendees at the historic home tourcan experience how San Diego archi-tects and builders applied the PrairieStyle in San Diego.

Tickets are $20 for Mission HillsHeritage members and $25 for non-members.Advance reservations maybe mailed in by Sept. 19 to: MissionHills Heritage, 325 W. WashingtonStreet, Suite 2, Box 221, San Diego,CA 92103, or online by Sept. 25 at:www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2156710.

Ticket sales location at UnitedChurch of Christ, 4070 Jackdaw St.

For more information about Mis-sion Hills Heritage, visit: www.Mis-sionHillsHeritage.org Email:[email protected]: (619) 497-1193.

12 | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

This stately home is an example of one of the residences that have continued to grace the Mission Hills neighborhood for more than acentury. (Photo by Hugh Largey)

Historic Home Tour: Prairie Style to be showcased

The Road Ahead:Traveling Exhibition

Artists have played an important rolethroughout history — in every culture.This includes the history of persons withdevelopmental disabilities who havestepped into the limelight as their artplays an important role in shaping theiridentity and in claiming their place in theworld of contemporary art.

The Road Ahead is a collaborativeshow merging the artists and interests ofHozhoni Foundation, Project OnwardStudio & Gallery, Sophie’s Gallery andSuzi Cappa Art Center who together cel-ebrate the tremendous talents of personswith developmental disabilities.

Featuring the artwork of 12 individualartists, The Road Ahead will touch manylives across the United States as it travelsfor a year stopping in Chicago; Flagstaff,Ariz.; Rapid City, S.D.; and San Diego.

Sophie’s Gallery, an art program of St.Madeleine Sophie’s Center, premieredThe Road Ahead on Sept. 5 at Sophie’sKensington Gallery. The show will thentravel to the Martha Pace Swift Gallery atNTC Liberty Station for October andNovember.

The Road AheadA collaboration of four centers that

provide art programming for personswith developmental disabilities that willtravel nationally for over a year. Oct. 2through Nov. 30 Reception Oct. 2, 5-9p.m. and Nov. 6, 5-9 p.m. Martha PaceSwift Gallery, 2820 Roosevelt Road, SanDiego.

A passion for period design plusissues of mobility created this newhome in St. Paul.

“Our last one was a 1912 AmericanFoursquare,” says Mary Griffin, whoimagined this house along with herhusband, Raymond Dietman, andarchitect Jeremiah Battles. Built on anopen lot in the St. Anthony Park neigh-borhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, itimmediately fit in. “We wanted thebeautiful things about our old housetransferred to an accessible house,”Mary explains, “so the new house wasdesigned to feel like the old one. Ourarchitect and contractor understoodcompletely, and included the mould-ings, cabinets, and details found a cen-tury ago.”

Ray wears a leg brace and sometimesuses crutches for more stability; toomany falls made the couple realize theyneeded a place where he could avoidstairs and with an attached garage—ahouse that would suit the couple foryears to come. (The basement in thenew house can be turned into a care-giver apartment, for example.) “Wecould have moved half a mile northand found a lovely one-level rambler,but we wanted to stay where we knowpeople on every block,” Mary says.

“As a teenager, I lived in England andwent to a boarding school that hadbeen remodeled by Lutyens,” she says.“That became my reference point forthe architecture I love—I admit tobeing an Anglophile. Fortunately, Rayshares my taste.” The couple appreci-ated the old Foursquare’s Arts & Craftsdetails, the oak woodwork, beveledglass and built-ins, art-glass doors inthe dining-room buffet.

Incorporating architectural salvagein the new building contributed to itsalways-been-here feeling. During thedesign process, Mary found vintagelighting fixtures, a Tudor fireplace sur-round, and even beveled glass for win-dows and doors. “I started with one bigpiano window,” she says, referring toan ornamental horizontal windowunder which their upright piano nowsits. “Jeremiah said that if I stuck to

clear beveled glass, avoiding stained-and frosted-glass patterns, the windowswould seem to match.” Five interior(room to room) windows are fittedwith salvage. The salvaged front dooris a simpler version of an elaboratebeveled-glass door Mary has admiredon Summit Avenue in St. Paul: “Atnight, it glitters like a ballroom.”

The restoration company Light-works in Minneapolis made kitchenpendants and sconces to match a 1912Sheffield fixture that Mary had foundfor her dining room. And “I have 13antique glass shades collected over theyears, brought over from our oldhouse—they’re very graceful and I likethe way they diffuse light.” Mary hasalso made simple curtains out of vin-tage linens. With a long list of needs

and wants, Mary Griffin was veryinvolved in the design process. She’dbeen eyeing the building lot for adecade, dreaming up houses in herhead. Needs were obvious. Wantsincluded bedrooms with cross-venti-lation, a den for Ray right by thekitchen, and a coffeepot in the masterbathroom. She wanted the basementto open to a patio, and “an upstairs hallthat had windows and a place to dosomething instead of just passthrough.”(Theirs has bookshelves anda daybed, and leads to an upstairs bal-cony.)

The couple’s restoration contractorwas Ben Quie, who agreed to build thenew house. Ben suggested the young,talented architect Jeremiah Battles, just

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | 13

SEE DESIGN, Page 14

Universal Design in the Arts& Crafts Spirit BY PATRICIA POORE | ARTS & CRAFTS HOMES AND THE REVIVAL

PHOTOS BY TROY THIES

Decorative tile collected in England became the centerpiece of the range backsplash.

starting his own firm, Acacia Archi-tects. As it turned out, “I never calledanyone else,” Mary says; “…once westarted talking to him, Jeremiah clearlyunderstood, he was perfect for this job.

“God bless him, he involved me inevery decision, which I really enjoyed,but he didn’t let me screw up his beau-tiful design,” Mary laughs. The archi-tect and contractor liked workingtogether. Mary also called in coloristSusan Moore, who chose the paletteand also suggested the recessed sinkin the powder room.

The house takes maximum advan-tage of a southern exposure, stayinglight and warm in winter, while roofoverhangs shield the summer sun.Ample windows keep warm, rich col-ors in rooms downstairs from feelingdark. Upstairs, all the wood trim ispainted in the same off-white, leavingthe choice of wall colors up to Marywhile ensuring a flow through therooms.

For the landscape, want and needwere the same: low maintenance. “Isee no reason to grow grass on a 45-degree incline and then have to mowit,” Mary says. Though she’d love a cot-tage garden filled with blowsy flowers,she did not want to commit the timeto it long-term. The yard is primarilya native shortgrass prairie with mapleand oak shade trees, all designed totransition from sun to shade-tolerantsavanna as the trees mature. Land-scape designer Dan Peterson ofHabadapt put in as much color as hecould: red-twig dogwoods that standout in the snow, sugar maples for fallcolor, forsythia for spring, plus pinkhydrangeas and prairie flowers forsummer. Swales in the yard allowrunoff to zigzag down the yard, mak-ing it self-watering. A small vegetablegarden is easily managed from thesunken patio. The recessed patio’sfloor and its retaining walls capturethe house’s thermal mass for anextended growing season.

The interior is all that the couplehad hoped for. Woodwork downstairsmatches that in the 1912 Foursquare:quarter-sawn oak for the living room,dining room, and kitchen, with flat-sawn oak in the pantry, den, and pow-der room. Mary specified granitecountertops “for the way Ray cooks—he can put a 500-degree cast-iron panon it.” The absolute-black granite witha honed finish has the look of soap-stone, and is the same choice they’dmade in their previous house. NorthPrairie Tileworks in Minneapolismade the deep blue field tiles to setoff a decorative tile Mary had boughtin England.

The blue guest bathroom, alsoaccessible for Ray, was designedaround a marble sink console thatlooks like an Edwardian-era dresser—which came, oddly enough, from Pot-tery Barn. The master bath has darkgranite countertops to absorb coffeespills.

“Our architect never gave us onebad word of advice,” Mary says. “Earlyon, he said that we’d be living with theinterior fittings and finishes we chosefor a long time, and that we’d be hap-pier with the house if we chose betterquality over more square footage. Icouldn’t agree with him more.”

14 | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

DESIGNCONTINUED FROM Page 13

An Accessible HouseWhat used to be called handicap-accessible or disabilities designis now an aspect of universal design, which seeks to make build-ings and products function better for everyone: children andgrownups, short and tall and vision-impaired. Here the housewas set into the hillside for a modest street presence, yet itoffers access to the garage, the porches, and even a backyardpatio. If the program called for a “retirement home,” the resultis much more. Features include:

• On-grade garage and secondary entry door• Patio accessible from a door with a compliant threshold• Wide hallways, passages, kitchen clearances• Full-size elevator• ADA-compliant bathrooms

The contractor used low-clearance thresholds and wide door-ways for potential wheelchair access. A screened porch is imme-diately outside the kitchen (with a pass-through) and opens tothe grille deck. The dining room door also leads to that deck.“Our contractor Ben Quie has enjoyed treats from Ray’s smokerover the past 20 years,” Mary says, “so he was motivated tomake it easy for Ray to tend the barbecue ribs. On the porch,we have a shelf level  with the kitchen windows so Ray can justset out the gin and tonics.”

Guests approaching the house see only the main entry door, the owners’ inten-tion. Sheltered by the porch above, a basement-level entry to the right of thegarage door is hidden in a ‘grotto’ with an outdoor storage closet.

The travertine Tudor fireplace surround is an antique; it was the perfect shapeand size, easily altered to fit modern fire code.

The elevator is trimmed out like the rest ofthe stairhall.

With handsome woodwork and marble, thecurving (and space-efficient) sink recess inthe powder room has an old-fashioned air.The wide chair rail functions as a grab bar.

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | 15

‘Ephemeral Objects’Art, tech and innovation converge in San Diego

Art Institute exhibitionThe San Diego Art Institute

“Ephemeral Objects” — a cutting-edge exhibition of creativity at theintersection of art, technology andinnovation. Featuring the work of34 artists active in the Southern Cal-ifornia and Baja Norte region, theshow opened on Aug. 29 and runsthrough Sept. 27.

Over the past decade, San Diegohas becoming a hotbed of innova-tion and experimentation for artand technology. “EphemeralObjects” is San Diego’s first surveyexhibit of new and established artistsexploring this exciting new frontierof contemporary art.

Sometimes referred to as “post-material art,” the exhibit is organizedby SDAI’s Curator-in-ResidenceAndrew Horwitz as an extension ofhis blog, “Ephemeral Objects: ArtCriticism for the Post-MaterialWorld,” for which he was awarded aprestigious Warhol Foundation ArtsWriters Grant in 2014.

The exhibit includes a spectrumof adventurous and thought-pro-voking work such as an interactivepiece for app and video by SheldonBrown, director of the Arthur C.Clarke Center for Human Imagina-tion at UC San Diego, an immersivesound art installation fromrenowned sound artist and experi-mental musician Suzanne Thorpe,algorithmic and data-driven art byJustin Manor, environmental soundsculpture by composer/researcherDr. Chris Warren, ephemeral sugarsculptures by Andrea Chung, andkinetic-sound art by MargaretNoble. Interdisciplinary artist andfilmmaker Tara Knight will presentan episode of her Mikumentary, aseries of short films about the world-wide Hatsune Miku phenomenon.

Many of the artists in the exhibi-tion work across disciplines, defying

easy categorization. ComposerCeleste Oram has created an inter-active piece working with HTMLand digitally altered sound files;young up and coming conceptualartist and computational biologistMax Nanis has created interactivevideo sculpture; Marinta and AndréSkupin’s work projects visitors ontoa large- scale map of the world ofmusic. Cooper Baker’s interactiveaudio-visual piece turns text mes-sages into melodies.

Vijay Hingorani’s video piece pro-cesses live streaming tweets retrievedin real-time from Twitter servers.

The show will also include com-pelling audiovisual installations byShannnon Willis, Richard Gleaves,

Kathryn Zazenski, Lana Z. Caplanand Sean Noyce, sound art installa-tions from internationally renownedcomposer and sound designerSharokh Yadegarhi, Banrei, YelenaGluzman, Renae Barnard and BajaNorte artists Xareni Lizarraga andFrancisco Eme. In addition, therewill be performances from Nick Les-ley, Trevor Amery, Whitney Lynn,Larry Caveney, Bonnie Lander,Brendan Nguyen and Adam Tinkle.

“Ephemeral Objects”Participating artists: Andrea

Chung, Benjamin Gleitzman, Fer-nando Cwilich Gil, Celeste Oram,Chris Warren, Cooper Baker, Fran-cisco Eme, Banrei, Justin Manor,Kathryn Zazenski, Lana Z. Caplan,Margaret Noble, Marinta and AndréSkupin, Max Nanis, Patrick Cole-man, Renae Barnard, RichardGleaves, Sean Noyce, ShannonWillis, Sharokh Yadegarhi, SheldonBrown, Suzanne Thorpe, TaraKnight, Trevor Amery, Vijay Hingo-rani, Whitney Lynn, Xareni Lizarra-ga, Yelena Gluzman, Nick Lesley,Larry Caveney, Bonnie Lander,Adam Tinkle, and Brendan Nguyen.

For more information, call SDAIat (619) 236-0011.

A work by Marinta Skupin.

Work by Andrea Chung.

Aggrobatics

Passes are on sale now for the inau-gural Coronado Island Film Festival,to be held Jan 15-18, 2016, on Coro-nado Island.

The festival marks the first celebra-tion of film in the history of the city,where more than 100 movies havebeen filmed over its 125-year history,including the American Film Insti-tute’s No. 1-rated comedy of all time,“Some Like It Hot,” filmed at the his-toric Hotel del Coronado in 1958.

The four-day festival, held over the

Martin Luther King holiday weekend,will include juried competitions fornarrative film, documentaries, shorts(animated and live action) and stu-dent films. A special award, spanningall categories, will be presented for afilm that depicts “Service to Coun-try.”

Included in the festival is an Open-ing Night reception and a Saturdaynight industry tribute, both held atthe Presenting Sponsor property,Hotel del Coronado. An Awards

Night tented reception will be held inthe center of town and a closing nightBonfire on the Hotel del Coronado’sbeach will close out the festival.

Noted movie critic, author and filmhistorian Leonard Maltin will serveas Honorary Head Juror of the festi-val. Lisa Bruce, producer of the 2015Academy Award-winning film, “TheTheory of Everything,” is head juror,narrative films; Ira Wohl, recipient ofthe 1979 Academy Award for BestDocumentary for his film, “Best Boy,”is head juror for documentaries andJim Gallagher, head of marketing forDreamworks, SKG, is head juror for

shorts (animated and live action).“The caliber of our jurors is

unprecedented for a first-year filmfestival and speaks to the quality offilms that can be expected to bescreened here,” said CIFF’s ExecutiveDirector/Producer Andy Friedenberg.

Friedenberg, founder of the 30-year-old Cinema Society of SanDiego, and Doug St. Denis, foundingexecutive director of the festival, willalso present selected films under theheading of “Directors’ Picks.”

The City of Coronado is a MajorSponsor. One of the screening venuesis the historic Winn Room at the

Coronado Public Library and twopanel seminars will be held at theCity’s “Boathouse” auditorium onStrand Way.

All films will show multiple timesover the four days at four venues: thehistoric Village Theatre, the CoronadoSchool of the Arts theatre, the BlackBox theater and the Coronado PublicLibrary.

Passes can be purchased online atCIFF’s website, www.coronadoisland-filmfest.org.

FILM16 | SEPT. - OCT. 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

San Diego Film Festival Returns

More tham 100 films to be screened The 14th annual San Diego Film Festival —

one of the first stops on the Independent FilmCircuit for Academy Award contenders — returnson Sept. 30 with award-winning independentfilms, filmmakers, actors panels and parties. Thefestival runs through Oct. 4.

The festival will screen more than 100 films atthe Reading Theater in Downtown San Diego andArcLight Cinemas in La Jolla. It is produced bythe nonprofit San Diego Film Foundation.

“The San Diego Film Festival is the region’s pre-mier event for the best independent and studiofilms. It’s one of the first stops on the independentfilm festival circuit — and often hosts the NorthAmerican or U.S. premiere for major award con-tenders,” said Chairman and CEO Dale Strack,whose team began running the festival in 2012.

“Wild,” “The Imitation Game,” “Whiplash,” “12Years a Slave” and “Silver Linings Playbook” arejust a few of the recent Academy Award-nominat-ed movies that have played at the San Diego FilmFestival before their mainstream debut.

Festival passes ($255) include all five days ofscreenings, panels and workshops, and access tothe Opening Night and after-party presented byHarrah’s Resort Southern California, as well as theFriday night “Almost Famous” party.

VIP ($500) passes include everything in the fes-tival pass on top of exclusive perks, such as first-entry access to all film screenings; VIP loungeswith complimentary food and drinks; admissionto the red-carpet Celebrity Tribute night (the eventhonored Eli Roth, Alan Arkin, Beau Bridges, Sag-inaw Grant, Michelle Monaghan and Alison Pill,with appearances throughout the festival fromJosh Duhamel, Tom Berenger and Dennis Hays-bert, among others, in 2014); the chance to mixand mingle with filmmakers, industry and actors

at exclusive parties; and valet parking.Individual tickets start at $15. One-day passes

will be $75. The Patron Circle program is alsoavailable for guests who are interested in evenhigher levels of access and experiences.

For more information, passes/tickets or spon-sorship opportunities, visit www.sdfilmfest.com.

Two of the films to be screened are “He NamedMe Malala” and “Youth.”

“He Named Me Malala” (documentary): Anintimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize LaureateMalala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Talibanand severely wounded by a gunshot when return-ing home on her school bus in Pakistan’s SwatValley. The then 15-year-old (she turned 18 inJuly) was singled out, along with her father, foradvocating for girls’ education, and the attack onher sparked an outcry from supporters aroundthe world. She miraculously survived and is nowa leading campaigner for girls’ education globallyas co-founder of the Malala Fund.

“Youth:” Starring Academy Award winnerMichael Caine as Fred and Academy Award nom-inee Harvey Keitel as Mick,”Youth” explores thelifelong bond between two friends vacationing ina luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retire-ment. While Fred has no plans to resume his musi-cal career despite the urging of his loving daughterLena (Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz),Mick is intent on finishing the screenplay for whatmay be his last important film for his muse Brenda(Academy Award winner Jane Fonda). And wherewill inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy(Paul Dano), an actor grasping to make sense ofhis next performance? Set against a sprawling land-scape, “Youth” asks if our most important and life-changing experiences can come at any time – evenlate – in life.

Malala Yousafzai in ‘HeNamed Me Malala.’

‘Youth’ examines the lifelong bond between two friends, played by Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel.

Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel in ‘Youth.’

Malala Yousafzai appears before the media in ‘He Named Me Malala.’

Inaugural Coronado Island Film Festival

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Being eight months pregnantand anticipating the upcomingbirth of our first child, my mindwas understandably on all thingsbaby. However, I was surprisedwhen my husband came to me andsuggested we go on a “babymoon.”

I didn’t even know he knew whatthat was! We both agreed it was agood idea, but weren’t sure whereto go. I couldn’t fly anymore, nei-ther of us wanted to drive forextended hours, and we wantedsomething easy and affordable. Wealso wanted to simply disconnectfrom the world and relax withoutthe constant pull of our smart-phones.

I had heard of Borrego Springs,but had never been there. When Iresearched the peaceful desert com-munity’s La Casa Del Zorro Resortand Spa, I knew it was the perfectspot: remote enough to offerunique opportunities and not feellike a San Diego staycation, but stillclose enough to get to easily.

I was intrigued by La Casa DelZorro because of its old worldcharm and interesting history. Itwas originally founded in the 1930sout of necessity: folks were travelingthrough the desert and had noplace to stay. But in its heyday,1960-2007, it was purchased by theCopley family, former owners ofthe San Diego Union-Tribune.They modernized and made it adestination resort with all of thebells and whistles. And bells andwhistles abound, as we soon real-ized that everything we neededcould be had at the resort and wedidn’t need to step off the propertyto have a wonderful, relaxing expe-rience.

Our room was very comfortableand completely updated with allmodern amenities, which includeda flat-screen satellite television tomy husband’s delight. The roomsare spacious and inviting with bal-conies or patios. Our suite had ahuge sparkling bathroom, cozyseating area, and, best of all, a fire-place. The staff will come and lightthe fire for you nightly, which lendsa charming warmth to the room.

The property has 48 rooms and 19casitas. The rooms are clusteredaround small pools, which lend anintimate feel – almost like having apool all to yourself. If you reallywant your own, rent one of thecasitas, which range from one tofour bedrooms and are perfect forfamilies or groups. They each comewith their own pool and amenitieslike kitchenettes and dining rooms.

Right after checking in, I was offto the onsite Spa at La Casa delZorro. I was in need of a massageto put me in “vacation mode” whileshedding the stresses of work.

While not a spa snob by anymeans, I have participated in myshare of spa experiences and I was

curious how good this one wouldbe. After all, resort or no resort, wewere in the middle of a desert. ButI had little to worry about. My mas-sage therapist knew her stuff andgave an excellent pregnancy mas-sage. The table was heated, thesheets were soft, and my therapistmade sure I was comfortable andenjoying the experience through-out.

While the spa does “boast” theonly elevator in Borrego Springs, itwas a little odd to check in on onelevel and take an outside elevatorto my therapy room. Luckily, mytherapist led the way, and hercheery disposition made me forget

Babymoon in Borrego SpringsBY CYNTHIA MORGAN-REED

The Butterfield Room.

Fireplace in a guest room.

Entrance to La Casa del Zoro in Borrego Springs.

SEE BABYMOON, Page 18

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about the gloomy, cold elevator. Myhusband, who judges how good amassage is on whether he can fallasleep or not, thoroughly enjoyed hismassage (nap) as well.

While the property has numerousamenities ranging from a yoga studioto an Olympic-size pool, rock climb-ing wall, and nature paths to keep onebusy; my husband and I loved playingchess on their oversized outdoorchess board. We played for hours,having fun and getting a bit of aworkout lugging the large piecesaround the board. I may or may nothave had more of a workout remov-ing my husband’s pieces as I sailed tochess domination (not!).

Another true highlight for us wasthe food. The Butterfield Room servesdelicious, traditional food with a

modern flair. It is a perfect place tohave a romantic dinner with its crack-ling fireplace casting shadows on theadobe walls and beautiful woodbeams. The spinach lasagna withbéchamel cream sauce was one of ourfavorites. They also had a solid andlarge selection of wines by the glasswith a wait staff able to offer greatrecommendations on pairings. TheButterfield Room is open seasonallyfrom October to May, and the FoxDen Cantina offers year-round pool-side dining and a great bar. Duringthe summer, they even feature livemusic on Friday and Saturday nights.

We thought our desert visit wouldalso provide a great opportunity tosee stars we couldn’t normally see inSan Diego due to sky glow, which iscaused by the reflection of city lights.Since I was pregnant, we wanted tomake sure that I would be comfort-able if we booked a stargazing expe-rience. When we called to schedule a

Stargazing Tour with Borrego NightSky Tours, Proprietor Dennis Mam-mana was friendly and accommodat-ing. He agreed his normal route overbumpy terrain might be a problemso he agreed to find us “smoother”terrain to traverse. Unfortunately, dueto a forecast of overcast skies, Mam-mana called that afternoon and rec-ommended we not do the tour. Weappreciated him wanting to ensurewe had a good experience and agreed.This is something we will absolutelydo on our next trip, assuming theweather cooperates.

We enjoy golfing, so we decided tosee if we could check out the neigh-boring Rams Hill Golf Club. Since itwould have been hard for me toswing a full game, we opted for a tourinstead. Michael Setchell, the club’sconcierge and activities director, per-sonally gave us a tour. The new, TomFazio-designed course is set up higherthan Borrego Springs and offers

breathtaking views of the surround-ing mountains.

With bentgrass greens and Ryewith Bermuda base grass on the fair-ways, the club takes its golf seriously.In addition, many of the holes, sur-prisingly, have beautiful water fea-tures. Hole 11 has a flowing whitewater “river” running alongside it,while Hole 18 ends on a lake. Sincewe are in a desert, in a state with adrought, I had to ask about the waterusage. Michael assured me thatalthough they do not use recycledwater, they have aquifers on the prop-erty that adequately serve their waterneeds. In addition, the club is lookinginto installing solar panels and usu-ally closes the golf course down in thesummer months to conserve waterand wear and tear on the course.

The Rams Hill Clubhouse has aspacious and beautiful dining roomwith cathedral ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that draw in the

beauty of the mountains and course.When we were there, landscaperswere installing numerous outdoor firepits surrounded by half a dozenchairs overlooking the golf course. Itlooked like it would be a perfect placeto sip wine and stay warm on a cooldesert night. We look forward toreturning and playing this beautifulcourse and trying out their dining.

While our visit was short, La CasaDel Zorro and Rams Hill lived up toand exceeded our expectations for aweekend getaway. We left feelingrelaxed and ready for our next adven-

ture: baby.

Cynthia Morgan-Reeddelivered a baby girl,Stella Elizabeth, onFeb. 6, 2015. Reed isprincipal of the SanDiego law firm Mor-gan-Reed Law.

An inviting resort swimming pool.Oversized chess board.

The spa.

BABYMOON CONTINUED FROM Page 17

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