north park news, june 2013

sdnorthparknews.com

Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 21 Years

PHOTOS BY SANDÉ LOLLIS

Hot Diggity for Wiggity Bang Games!South Park couple make whimsicalboard games for fun and profit

Okapi Sun performs on June 29.

Dalia and Gordon Hunt (foreground) with researchers Kiley and Alexandra Wallace (top left) and contractor Jim Stafford.

Vol. 21 No. 6 June 2013

Pottery Guild Holds Spring SaleThousands of pieces of hand-made ceramics by manyof San Diego’s best potters will be featured at the SanDiego Pottery Guild’s spring sale June 8-9 in BalboaPark’s Spanish Village patio area. All of the items atthe sale are one-of-a-kind. Works range from func-tional ware such as plates, bowls and coffee cups tomore decorative and sculptural forms such as ceram-ic shoes, garden lanterns and conch shells. Pricesrange from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Inaddition to buying hand-made ceramics, you canalso meet the artists. Most of the Guild members willbe available to answer questionsabout ceramics in general or

Rockin’ and Dancin’in Bird Park11th annual concert seriesopens June 15

Can you recall the last time youplayed a board game? Sitting Indianstyle on the bare carpet behind a color-ful stack of money — dice in hand, con-templating your next move — the strat-egy — “Monopolizing” the board.

While Companies and Marketsreported a 6 percent increase in sales ofboard games in 2011, there are indica-tions that last year did not fare as well.In January, Gerrick Johnson, toy ana-lyst for BMO Capital Markets, was

SEE CONCERT, Page 6

Dalia and Gordon Hunt purchased the 1913 three-storyHenry and Lavina Nelson house in Mission Hills that theysaid had been “masquerading” as an updated Arts & Crafts-style home. It’s bad features: vinyl siding, fake rock veneerand Tex-Cote paint that smothered all the texture anddetails in the brick chimney and wood trim.

“Without flinching, (the Hunts) asked me to remove allof the aforementioned improvements and to bring thehouse back to its original condition,” said contractor JimStafford.

Stafford and his crew removed the vinyl siding and weretaken aback by what they found. Decades ago, the sidingcrew had knocked off many three-dimensional elements,such as corbels, knee braces and trim, to create a flat surfaceto install their product. Fortunately, old paint outlines ofthese elements and extant originals guided the restorationprocess, as did historic photographs of the house.

Restoration brought the home back to being a hand-some, English-influenced Arts & Crafts-style abode withhalf-timbering, wood shingle siding, exposed brick porchcolumns and 50 working windows, all freed from unattrac-tive coverings or neglect, and carefully restored or replicat-ed.

For this painstaking work, the Hunts and Stafford wereawarded a 2013 People in Preservation Award by the SaveOur Heritage Organisation. Stafford, who wrote an accountof the work, called it “From Muddled to Magnificent.”

Also honored at the May 23 awards ceremony at PointLoma Assembly:

Daniel RamirezAnother startling transformation of a mistreated house

and city of San Diego landmark — this one flirting with

SEE SCENE, Page 5

NORTH PARK SCENE

2013 People in Preservation Awards

SOHO pays tribute to individuals and groups who have helpedpreserve important aspects of the region’s heritage

SEE PRESERVATION, 3

The 2013 Bird Park Summer Concert Series opensJune 15 with a performance by Lenny “Fuzzy” Rankins,a Grammy Award-winning jazz and blues musicianwho should be most familiar to San Diego radio listen-ers.

The concert series — now in its 11th year, is pro-duced by the North Park Community Association

Entrepreneurs Matthew and Jean Rivaldi run Wiggity Bang Games in South Park.

FURT is a party game. SEE GAMES, Page 10

2 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2013

(619) 889-5420 | www.aftonmiller.com | [email protected]

AFTON SELL S SAN DIEGOSpecializing in North Park and Metro Area since 1986

SOLD - $649,000

4869 Marlborough | 3br 2ba*

SOLD - $675,000

3161 1st St #2N | 2br 2ba *

SOLD - $799,000

2503 Bancroft St | 4br 2ba

SOLD - $845,000

3415 Villa Terrace | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $600,000

3674-72 Texas | 2 units

SOLD - $441,000

4615 Altadena | 2br+den 2ba

SOLD - $469,000

4677 Winona | 3br 2ba

IN ESCROW - $462,500

3412 32nd D, 2br+loft

COMING SOON!

3585 Redwood St. | 2br 1ba


5621 Adelaide | 2br 2ba


4780 49th | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $665,000

4654 Natalie | 3br 2ba

NEW - $545,000

4535 49th | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $750,000

3795 Alabama | 4 units

SOLD - $682,500

4806 Sussex | 3br 1.5ba

SOLD - $769,000

2428 33rd St | 3br 2.5ba

SOLD - $632,000

4624 Lucille Dr | 3br 2ba


2504 54th | 3br 1ba

*BUYER

SOLD - $510,000

3788 Park #4 | work/live

SOLD - $640,000

3210-12 Felton St | 2br units

SOLD - $565,000

4365 Alder Dr | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $460,000

2515 30th St. | 2br 1ba

SOLD - $650,000

4558 Delaware St | 2br 2ba

IN ESCROW $665,000 | 4215 Alder Drive, Kensington

Beautifully upgraded Mid-Century 3br home on corner lot has been upgraded throughout with a remodeled kitchenwith granite counters. Refinished HW floors, new custom paint, remodeled bath, all new windows, private rear yard,gorgeous!

SOLD - $692,000

2914 Redwood St | 3br 3ba

AVAILABLE - $439,000

3521 Nile | 2br 1ba

SOLD - $387,000

4502 Euclid Ave | 2br 1ba

SOLD - $746,000

2735 33rd St | 4br 4.5ba

SOLD - $153,000

4545 Collwood #57 | 1br 1ba

SOLD! - $605,000

4632 Marlborough | 2br 1.5ba

SOLD - $800,500

4165 Middlesex | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $530,000

4720 51st | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $550,000

4912 Lorraine Drive | 2 br 1.5ba

SOLD - $452,000

2320 Landis | 2br 2ba

AVAILABLE - $695,000

4488 41st | 3br 2ba


3256 N Mtn View | 3br 2ba

SOLD - $559,000

4812 50th | 4br 2ba *

SOLD - $545,000

3687 4th #408 | 2br 2ba *

AVAILABLE! $725,000 | 2736 Teresita St.

Charming 3br 2ba St. Augustine area Spanish home. Remodeled kitchen, pristine baths, new landscaping and win-dows plus covered back patio.

SOLD - $746,000

4604 Edgeware | 3 units

NEW - $469,000

1044 Edgemont | 2br 2ba

June 2013 | sdnorthparknews.com | 3


Ask Dr. Z(Editor’s Note: South Park’s Dr. Tara Zandvliet -Dr. Z — answers common — andnot so common — health questions for our readers.)

Q. Why does my nose run when I cry?What comes out of your nose when you cry is not snot, it is your tears! Your tearsdrain from your eyes into your nose through the lacrimal duct at the inner cor-ner of your eyes. When you cry, they are coming too fast for your nose to reabsorbthem, so they drain right out, requiring that tissue!Q. How can I prevent my child from developing a food allergy?Quite frankly, I’m not sure anyone really knows. There are theories about thechanging genetics of our food and the use of pesticides on the food confusing ourimmune systems into attacking the food as foreign. There are theories about theworld being too clean and our children not getting exposed to enough viruses anddirt. And there are theories about there being an increase in immune diseases ingeneral. But the newest research has shown that it helps to do what grandma did— start solid foods at 4-6 months of age and go ahead and give them the “dangerfoods” early. This is a complete turnaround from the 2000 American Academy ofPediatrics recommendations to delay foods. They reversed their position in 2008,and just recently the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology confirmedwith new research that the later you give a danger food, the MORE likely they areto have a reaction. So, start giving yogurt/eggs/soy/wheat/shellfish/and nuts short-ly after starting solid foods. Obviously they need to be in a form that they cannotchoke on — including nut butters, because they stick at the back of the throat. Tryusing peanut oil to cook some noodles or flavor some rice cereal. Give that creamof wheat or some Greek yogurt for breakfast. Be adventurous, and know that youare developing a gourmet palette as well as doing your best to prevent an allergy.Q. What is the difference between arthritis and rheumatism?There are two main types of arthritis – the first is the common type that we call“arthritis” and is from age and use and general degeneration of the joints. It is alsocalled “degenerative joint disease.” It causes pain that worsens when it is rainingor there is high humidity. It often occurs in the joints that have sustained aninjury, or are used frequently. The joints hurt worse after using them a lot. Theycan cause enlargement of the joints that is hard and knobby. It is not dangerousand is limited to the joints. Medicines are for pain only, and some treatments suchas glucosamine sulfate can be helpful in some cases.The classically called “rheumatism” is generally considered to be RheumatoidArthritis. It is actually a whole body inflammation and has those systemic symp-toms of fevers, fatigue, rashes, etc., along with the arthritis. The joints are swollenwith a soft swelling of the lining of the joint, and the inflammation actuallydestroys the joints and causes severe deformities over time. It is an attack of theimmune system on the joint linings. The pain is worse in the morning, and stiff-ness is a main symptom. It can take over two hours every morning for the fingersto start working properly. The pain improves with movement. The medicinesused for this are directed at the immune system and reducing the inflammation.There is a version that affects children as well.

Dr. Tara Zandvliet welcomes your questions. Send them to [email protected]. She practices at 2991 Kalmia St. Phone: (619) 929-0032.

their own work in particular. There willalso be demonstrations of throwing potson the wheel.The Guild operates a studio and galleryyear-round in Spanish Village, wheremembers sell their work as well asthrow, glaze and fire pottery. Hours forthe sale are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.For information, call the Guild at (619)239-0507 or visit the web site atwww.sandiegopottersguild.org.For the last seven years Francisco heldthe executive chef position at SatelliteBistro in Austin, Texas. He was born inGermany while both his parents servedin the U.S. military. “My inspiration forfood comes from the places I’ve seen,the people I’ve met along the way, andmost importantly my family,” says Fran-cisco. David Cohen, co-owner of theWest Coast Tavern, opened UptownTavern with partners Mark Cirillo, JoeVaught and Eric Lingenfelder.

Jill Secard Appointed Executive Directorof the San Diego Diplomacy Council

Jill M. Secard has been appointedexecutive director of the San DiegoDiplomacy Council (SDDC), a NorthPark-based nonprofit that works withthe public and private sector to bringemerging world leaders to San Diegoeach year for professional and culturalexchanges. A former Foreign Service

officer, Secard brings more than 10 yearsof experience in nonprofit manage-ment, fundraising and development,public relations, and special events pro-duction. She has been associated withProject Concern International, Just LikeMy Child Foundation, and A Reason toSurvive, Inc. (ARTS). For 12 years sheserved in a variety of management posi-tions for Hewlett-Packard Co. in theUnited States and France. Secard has anMBA degree in international businessfrom the University of San Diego and abachelor’s degree in business financefrom California State University, Chico.She speaks French, Spanish and someArabic.

Union Bank Honors North Park Manas a Local Hero

Elmer Bisarra of North Park has beennamed a Local Hero by Union Bank, inpartnership with KPBS, as part of AsianPacific Heritage Month. The Local

Heroes program recognizes and paystribute to exemplary leaders who aremaking a difference and enriching thelives of others by improving their work-place, community, region and the world.Bisarra is dedicated to serving the HIVand AIDS community in San Diego.After retiring, he continues to volunteerfor Being Alive, San Diego’s provider ofcomprehensive support for people liv-ing with HIV and AIDS. For the pastyear, he has worked with associates toopen a hepatitis clinic. Bisarra, a certifieddrug and alcohol counselor, began hisvolunteer career with the Asian PacificIslander Community AIDS Project.

$1 Million Sale

The two-story, 6,300-square-footoffice and retail building at 3919 30th St.has been sold to WP Sierra LP for $1million. The seller was the Dick YoungTrust. The buyer plans to occupy thesecond floor later this year followingrenovations and lease out the first flooras additional office or retail use. Buyerand seller were represented in the trans-action by Marc Frederik of ColliersInternational.

Alchemy Becomes Whole Foods Supplier

South Park’s Alchemy restaurant hasbecome a supplier for Whole Foodsmarkets, which has agreed to use someof the business’s specialty preparationsfor their restaurants and within thestores. As Alchemy has broadened itsbusiness plan beyond just a full-service

restaurant, the notion of showcasing itsfood in a chain dedicated to healthy,locally sourced food made sense, co-owner Ron Troyano told U-T SanDiego. “It definitely will bring in morerevenue, but it’s more about improvingthe local food system and doing so at areasonable pricing structure,” he said.“A photo and info about us will be at thepoint of purchase, and the foot traffic ina Whole Foods is a couple thousand aday and times that by four, and we’rereally the only restaurant company withthis type of relationship.”

Zoo’s Garden FestivalSenior Horticulturist Paul Jarand

took guests on a tour of the OrchidHouse at the San Diego Zoo duringMay’s Garden Festival. The festivalshowcased the zoo’s foliage with plantdisplays, walking tours, and talks withzoo horticulturists.

Balboa Park CulturalPartnership Honored

The Balboa Park Cultural Partner-ship has been honored by SDG&E asan Energy Champion for its outstand-ing results in energy efficiency and con-servation. The group has achieved ener-gy savings through a variety of methodsincluding building audits, energy effi-ciency upgrades and education. In addi-tion to saving over 1 million kilowatts in2012 (or the environmental equivalentof removing 168 cars from our roads),the award recognizes the followinghighlights: lighting retrofits and controlsystems; HVAC retrofits; energy man-agement systems; and LEED-certifiedbuildings.

Diplomacy Council to Hold DiplomacyDay Luncheon

The North Park-based San DiegoDiplomacy Council (SDDC) will honorMarisa Ugarte, executive director of theBilateral Safety Corridor Coalition, andthe Downtown San Diego BreakfastRotary as global “Citizen Diplomats ofthe Year” at the annual Diplomacy DayLuncheon June 8 from 11 a.m. to 1:30p.m. at the Town & Country Resort’s TikiPavilion, in Mission Valley. CongressmanScott Peters will deliver the openingremarks and Congresswoman SusanDavis will deliver the keynote address.Ugarte founded the BSCC nonprofitorganization in 1997, after experiencingthe horrors of human trafficking first-hand as a case manager at a program forrunaway teens. The BSCC is an allianceof over 60 government and nonprofitagencies in the United States and LatinAmerica committed to combating slav-ery and human trafficking.

In addition to Rotary International’ssuccessful Polio Plus campaign and thework of its International Foundation, theDowntown San Diego Breakfast Rotarysupports a variety of international pro-grams, including several that support edu-cation, provide shelter, and access to bet-ter health care in Costa Rica, Uganda,Zambia, India and Baja California.

Tickets for the June 8 luncheon cele-bration, which is open to the public andincludes live entertainment, cost $50and are available atdiplomacyday2013.eventbrite.com.


For my 65thbirthday – whendid I get so old?— my sister gaveme a plane ticketto visit her in NewYork. She pointedout that we havelost Mom andDad and Uncle

Seymour and we’re pretty much all thatis left of our family.

It made me think about some othersiblings that once asked me to settle asquabble about how they were going tobury their dad. One insisted on an all-out military sendoff, while the otherheld firm for a small civilian ceremony.

I never heard what they decided, butI sure hope they took my advice. Ipointed out that the type of funeralthey had for their father wasn’t nearly asimportant as the two of them remain-ing close — after all, he was alreadygone.

Too many siblings argue their waythrough the caregiving years only tocome to blows when the estate is divid-ed up. Then, all they’re left with is badmemories and maybe some materialthings.

Fortunately, for my sister, Bobbe, andme, we were able to plod through ourcaregiving responsibilities with respectand love for each other. Although I wasthe primary caregiver because I brought

my parents to San Diego and my sisterlives in New York, she was always thereto lend moral support and perspective.She didn’t try to backseat drive or over-rule my daily decisions. When I gotstuck, she was a phone call or emailaway.

Caring for aging parents should be atime of family unity and mutual sup-port. Bobbe and I were fortunate: Look-ing out for our parents brought us clos-er than we had been since childhood.We commiserated and laughed at thecomplications of our new role as weonce giggled about the adults from thechildren’s table at our family parties.

Sure, we’re not immune to siblingrivalries. What sisters aren’t? I hate thatshe’s much slimmer than I am, that herhair grows faster and that she absolute-ly refuses to understand my politicalbeliefs. But so what? We’re old enough,too old, to slip into our old games, suchas who made the best grades (I did),who got more boyfriends (she did) andwho Mom and Dad loved more (I bet itwas equal).

And so we pushed the petty rivalriesaside in order to lift and support eachother while looking out for our parentsand after. Bobbe and I are each other’sconfidants and biggest supporters.

Some siblings get bogged down inresentment, especially the primary care-giver who believes the others are doingless work. An easy way around this, I’ve

discovered, is to make a list of thingsthat need to be done and divvy themup. Even out-of-town siblings can helpwith some tasks.

Some families draw up contracts,stating who does what and what theymight get paid out of the estate for theirwork if that becomes relevant.

It helps sometimes to plan familymeetings and invite a third party, suchas a psychologist or trusted friend, tomediate any disputes. To avoid poten-tial conflicts, it’s important to keep sib-lings informed about your parents’ever-changing circumstances and careplan, listen to your siblings’ opinionsabout caregiving decisions and be will-ing to bend.

When the primary caregiver needs avacation, it’s up to the others to step in.

The most important inheritance ourparents left was bringing my sister andme together. Sure, family photos — thatneither of us has room to hang — andthe little cash that remained after yearsin retirement homes are nice. But ourparents’ most precious gift was the loveof sisters, reconnected by adult respon-sibilities that offered us the chance toappreciate the unique gifts both of usbring to the family circle.

Sponsored by Right at Home, In-HomeCare & Assistance, www.rahlajolla.com,(858) 277-5900, [email protected].

BY MARSHA KAY SEFF

SCENECONTINUED FROM Page 1

The Caregivers’ JourneySibling harmony imperative

Marisa UgarteJill Secard

Elmer Bisarra

SEE SCENE, Page 7

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Big Papa and the TCB: Aug. 10.

Girl Scouts from Troops 5260 and 5965 create 100thanniversary mural with artist Berenice Badillo.

(NPCA), which is soliciting contributions from the public tofinance the series. (For information on how to contribute, visitthe website at northparksd.org.)

Each of the five concerts will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. atBird Park, located at 28th and Thorn Streets.The Concert Schedule:

• June 15 — Lenny Rankins, jazz• June 29 — Okapi Sun, Indie rock• July 13 — Todo Mundo, Latin jazz• July 27 — Kanan Road, country rock• Aug. 10 — Big Papa and the TCB, blues

From the North Park Community Association:The NPCA’s main message for these concerts is to encour-

age the entire community to come together, bring along a pic-nic, enjoy the music, dance, and mingle with friends ... andthat’s just what happens! Folks arrive by car, bicycle, and onfoot pulling their kids in wagons. A true neighborhood atmo-sphere can be felt at every concert, enhancing that specialNorth Park spirit. The criteria for music selection is based onmany factors — it has to be family friendly, good for dancing,a variety of music genres, while trying to feature local talentwho play original music. There is an NPCA booth set up ateach concert to provide information on all of its activities. Ifyou’d like to have a voice within your own community, stopby and become an NPCA member.

CONCERTCONTINUED FROM Page 1

Girl Scouts SanDiego launched the

next century of Girl Scouting … at amariachi festival! To mark the occasion,local Girl Scouts and artist BereniceBadillo unveiled their newly created “GirlScouts 100th Anniversary Mural” – aportable piece of art depicting the past,present and future of Girl Scouting. Theywere joined on stage by CongressmanJuan Vargas – a Girl Scout dad – whopresented a proclamation to Pam GrayPayton, representing Balboa Park-basedGirl Scouts San Diego.The mural celebration took place at theNational City Cinco de Mayo MariachiFestival and Competition, which show-cased the talents of student musicians.Sponsored by the National City Cham-ber of Commerce, Univision Radio andHMC Advertising, the event also featuredballet folklorico and Aztec dancing, Mex-ican foods, arts and crafts and a children’s

area. Girl Scouts from Chula Vista Troops5260 and 5965 designed and painted themural under the tutelage of Badillo, arenowned San Diego artist dedicated toempowering youth through art. She isalso a marriage and family art therapist.“The mural was girl-powered, developedby 12 inspiring 10- and 11-year old girls,”said Badillo. “As someone with limitedexperience with Girl Scouting, I wasfloored by the girls’ amazing ideas,knowledge and enthusiasm. It was evi-dent to me that this organization notonly nourishes these girls’ self-esteem,but also fuels their commitment to serv-ing the community.” Badillo and the girls collaborated for fourmonths to create the striking, richly col-ored mural. Although some of the girlshad never even picked up a paint brushbefore, they quickly learned to gesso acanvas, sketch, conceptualize, project

images, paint — and work as a team fora common goal. “I am so proud ofthem!” declared Badillo. A central theme was Girl Scouts “bridg-ing” or graduating from one level to thenext, with girls of all ages from one muralpanel giving guidance and support to thefuture generations. For the first panel,which represents “the past” of Girl Scout-ing, the girls unanimously voted to depicthow camping has traditionally transport-ed girls from urban settings to the greatoutdoors. For the middle panel piece(“the present”), they decided on a mes-sage of inclusion, and how everyonedeserves love and kindness — as por-trayed through a painting of girls of allages, cultures and backgrounds encir-cling the globe. The final panel — “the future” — illus-trates the expanded opportunities thatawait girls through Girl Scouts SanDiego’s five program themes: STEM,

arts/culture, financial literacy,health/wellness and outdoor/environ-ment. The centerpiece of those imagesis a Girl Scout peering into both a micro-scope … and her own future.Badillo and the girls also incorporatedhistoric news clippings and other arti-facts, such as 1950s-era badges into themural, applying resin to preserve them.“The girls thought of this as an archeo-logical dig and were excited to create apart of history,” noted Badillo. She addedthat the girls also signed their names onpolymer clay rocks mounted on a paint-ed road to “pave the way” for other GirlScouts.Funded by the city of Chula Vista and theChula Vista Performing & Visual ArtsGrant program, the mural project waspart of Girl Scouts San Diego’s 100thAnniversary Arts Initiative, directed byBankers Hill resident KathleenStoughton.

Girl Scouts Unveil 100th Anniversary Mural BY JANINE ROJAS

Girl Scouts with artist Berenice Badillo. Girl Scout Nicole Kellis is shown with one of the panels ofthe 100th Anniversary murals.

Girl Scouts view new mural at the NationalCity Cinco de Mayo Mariachi Festival.

Kanan Road: July 27.Todo Mundo: July 13.

3 South Park Residents Nominated for Leadership AwardThree South Park residents are among the seven members of the LEAD San Diego IMPACT San Diego Class

of 2013 who have been nominated for the 2013 Herbert G. Klein Award. The award is presented annually to anindividual who has not only made significant leadership contributions to the community, but has also demon-strated potential to effect further change upon graduation from the IMPACT San Diego program. The award isnamed for the late Herbert G. Klein, longtime newspaper executive, in recognition of his numerous contribu-tions of leadership and service. The three South Park residents nominated for the award are: Jared Aaker, direc-tor of business development, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp.; Jose Cruz, executive director,Barrio Logan College Institute; and James Lepanto, senior vice president, clinical services, Mental Health Systems.

The winner will be announced at the IMPACT San Diego Class of 2013 graduation and showcase to be heldon Friday, June 7, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego.


Jared Aaker Jose Cruz

SCENECONTINUED FROM Page 5

James Lepanto


Although actress Christina Hendricksof TV’s “Mad Men” won’t be attending,you might find the type of ’60s-inspiredjewelry she wears on the award-winningAMC show at a unique collection ofbooths at South Park’s Old House Fairon June 15.

Vintage Row is a new concept for the15th annual festival, with six vendorsselling vintage items and art piecesincluding vintage styles, from their owncorner of the event. Vintage fits in per-fectly with the theme of celebrating andrestoring old things, according to TanyaMcAnear, owner of the vintage storeBad Madge & Company at 2205 Fern St.

Along with Bad Madge & Company,the Vintage Row vendors will includethe R+M Designers Corner, which alsosells out of South Park’s Studio Maureenon Beech Street.

“This neighborhood is very muchinto vintage because the homes areolder,” said McAnear. In South Park, res-idents take pride in their Craftsman andSpanish-style houses, and they want todecorate their living spaces with objectsthat fit the era of their homes.

“Vintage” describes an item that is20 to 99 years old, and mid-centuryitems — from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s— are hot right now, McAnear said. The’50s aesthetic has always had a goodallure, but she credits the interest in’60s style to “Mad Men,” the hit TVshow about advertising executives onMadison Avenue.

While you might think it’s folks whogrew up in the mid-century as the onlyfan base of vintage, you’d be wrong.“Young people have nostalgia for thatera,” she said. But it’s not just an aesthet-ic that turns browsers into buyers. A

connection with one’s personal past willalso spur a purchase. As customers lookat merchandise in her shop, they’ll com-ment, “My grandmother had that” or“My favorite aunt used that same tele-phone.”

Vintage has another appeal too.“People are looking for that storybehind that item,” McAnear said. “Thatstory is what sells the item.”

For example, awhile ago, McAnearwent to Phoenix to go through thehouse of a friend’s parents who weremoving to San Diego. She filled up a U-Haul with objects she knew she couldsell, including a Native American kachi-na doll. One day, she brought the dollinto her shop, the same day an olderhippie couple ventured in. The womanwas looking for a kachina doll, becauseher dad liked them, and just then, amatch was made.

“I love selling an item that I pickedand that I thought it was cool and theythought it was cool,” McAnear said.

When you’re considering buying vin-tage, McAnear advises leaving a questfor perfection at the door. “When youget vintage furniture, people want it tobe perfect,” she said. But they have toaccept that “it’s going to have a patina,it’s going to have imperfections, it’sgoing to be aged.”

Another tip: you’re buying vintage,not antiques or retro. An antique is 100years old or older, while retro is some-thing new that appears old, such as awhite halter dress manufactured in 21stcentury China that looks like a frockworn by Marilyn Monroe in “TheSeven Year Itch.”

McAnear’s third and most importanttip, however, is this: When buying vin-

tage, go with your gut and buy the itemthat speaks to you.

Shop Vintage Row at the Old HouseFair at 30th & Beech St. on SaturdayJune 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Fern andBeech streets in South Park. For moreinformation, go the Old House Fairwebsite, www.theoldhousefair.com, orcall (619) 233-6679. Bad Madge &Company is located on Fern St. betweenIvy and Juniper, and may be reached at(619) 285-1668

Vintage Row Brings New Vibe to Old House Fair

Paesano's Neighborhood Specials(Mon thru Fri. 11am-2pm)

Lunch Special: Your Choice of Entree: Lasagna,Ravioli,Manicotti,orSpaghetti w/ meatballs. Served with salad and garlic

bread. Only $4.99

+10% of ALL TO GO ORDERSwill be donated to our

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Don't forget Tuesday Nights for live Italian music.

Wine Wednesday 20% off all our wines!

SINCE1967

Dine in or Take OutOpen 11-12/4:30-8:30

Sat 4:30 - 9:00 Sun 5:00 - 9:00

3647 30th St.291-4090

Visit our website: PaesanoOfNorthpark.com

BY BONNIE NICHOLLS

ABOVE Tanya McAnear is owner of the vintage storeBad Madge & Company at 2205 Fern St.

TOPVintage lamps and other home decor itemsare featured in the R+M Designers Corner atStudio Maureen on Beech Street. (Photo by Johanna Hansen.)

MIDDLEVintage teapots at Bad Madge.

BOTTOM Rotary phone from Bad Madge & Company.


The 15th annual Old House Fair thismonth will bring thousands of visitors to30th & Beech Street to enjoy the widerange of festivities and tours offeredthroughout the day.

“Our signature event is the HistoricHome Tour,” explains co-director Mau-reen Ceccarelli, “but that’s really onlyhalf the story of what’s happening thatday. In fact, probably two-thirds of thevisitors to the Old House Fair will bedoing something other than touring thehistoric homes.”

Also offered are hourly narrated Trol-ley Tours that guide visitors throughSouth Park and neighboring Golden Hilland Burlingame neighborhoods. “Wecan’t see everything in an hour, but peo-ple always discover streets and storiesthat they never knew before.” Tickets tothe Trolley Tour cost $5 per person.

Patty Fares of Urban Safaris conductsguided walking tours in the afternoon ofthe Old House Fair, free to join in.

Exhibit booths and vendors will line30th and Beech streets throughout theday. Exhibitors include SOHO SanDiego (the popular “Ask The Experts”booth), builders and services that spe-cialize in older homes, artisans andcraftspersons whose work complementsthe design aesthetics of San Diego’s his-toric neighborhoods. The French Gar-den Shoppe will give container garden-ing demonstrations throughout the day.

Free kids’ activities include a plantingworkshop by Home Depot, clay workwith Sylvia’s Ceramics, face-painting,juggling demos, and balloon twisting.

Throughout the day, food vendorswill offer refreshments, and entertain-ers will fill the air with music. The sched-ule features The Marcia Forman Band at10am, The School of Rock at Noon, and

Rian & The Roosters at 2 p.m. Nearbyrestaurants Buona Forchetta, Alchemy,Hamilton’s, and The Station will alsoserve specials throughout the Old HouseFair day.

Tickets for the Historic Home Tour($25, including free shuttle) are avail-able for advance purchase online atwww.theoldhousefair.com, or on the dayof the event at the Ticket Booth at theintersection of 30th and Beech. For moreinformation on all the activities, visit thewebsite or phone (619) 233-6679.

15th Annual Old House FairSaturday, June 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.30th and Beech streets in South Park

Schedule of EventsExhibitors, Vendors, Experts, Services— 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Kids Corner, Goldline Stage — Freeactivities on Beech Street Bike Corral (free) — Sponsored byThomas Bike Shop Second Chance Pets — 30th near AshSt. sponsored by Rebecca’s

Historic Home Tour10 a.m.- 4 p.m. ($25) Tickets at the Ticket Booth. Free shuttle. With ticket you will receivea Program and Resource Guide, whichincludes a detailed map, plus historicaldescriptions of each of the 5 addresseson the Tour.

Trolley Tour 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 p.m. ($5) Tickets at Ticket Booth.Board at 30th and Cedar.

Urban SafarisWalking Tours (Free)1p.m., 3 p.m. Meet at Info Booth, 30th and Beech.

Ask The ExpertsSOHO San DiegoMeet with experts. Answers aboutrestoration and preservation. 30th Stretbooth near Info.

Musical EntertainmentWhistle Stop Stage (Beech & Dale)10 a.m. - Marcia Forman Band Noon - The School of Rock2 p.m. - Rian & The Roosters

Kids’ Corner, Goldline Stage(Beech St. east to Fern Street)Flamenco Dancing, Clay for Kids

Old House Fair Offers History, Exploration, andFree Family Fun in South Park

South Park is home to several bungalow courts — individual cottages arranged around a com-munal garden space, a Southern California architectural phenomenon of the early 20th centure.The Old House Fair Historic Home Tour includes a guided visit to two residences in Elm Courtin South Park, plus four other single-family historic houses in the neighborhood. Photo by Bon-nie Nicholls.


quoted as saying board game sales havebeen slow — affected by the popularityof smartphones and tablets.

“The best time for board games iswhen you go into a recession, not whenyou pull out of it,” Johnson said.

The board game industry consistent-ly lags far behind the digital gamingindustry, but it still has its place in themarket, said South Park board gameentrepreneurs Matthew and Jean Rival-di. “When people get together to enjoytime with their family and friends, howare they doing that?” asked Matthew. “Istill think there’s a market for that. Idon’t think that’s ever going to die.There’s still the physical tactile experi-ence of it. That’s really what a boardgames is — it creates a way for people tosocialize.”

The Rivaldis have been in the boardgame business since 2004, when theystarted Wiggity Bang Games LLC.

Although their games will be featuredin a daily game show at the San DiegoCounty Fair (June 8-July 4) this year aspart of the fair’s “Game On” theme,Matthew admits the board game busi-ness is not the most lucrative, but it issomething they are not going to give upany time soon.

“Very few people in the board gameindustry do successfully,” he said.“There’s a lot of people like me who doit just because they like games.”

While Matthew and Jean like devel-oping board games it is not all fun andgames, they say.

“You would think it would be fun,

because it’s a fun thing, being an artist,doing board games,” said Matthew.“Well, that part I enjoy, but a lot of it isjust hard work — invoicing and sales,shipping products. The thing I like mostis taking an idea and making the fin-ished product and developing that.Once I get to the finished product, it’skind of — I’ve got to have somethingelse to do.”

“He doesn’t want to have anythingelse to do with it once it’s done,” Jeansaid.

Wiggity Bang Games got its start dur-ing Matthew’s undergrad days at UCSan Diego, when he got togetherwith a couple of college buddies whoenjoyed board games. They came upwith the idea of developing gamesthat would appeal to all ages. Soonafter graduating, Matthew and hisfriends came up with the money.“We just had to break even in thegames we sold — that’s how we start-ed. None of us were working fulltime.”

Since that time, Matthew and Jeanbought out one of the partners anddo most of the game board develop-ment right out of their South Parkhome. They have developed morethan a half dozen games. Two of theirgames, Quelf and FlapDoodle, didso good, they ended up selling themto a large company that could betterhandle the voluminous production.Quelf sold more than 800,000 unitsprior to changing hands.

That’s their intent, Matthew said— develop the games, build up thesales and if and when they get toobig for them to handle, sell them off.

When they are not developingboard games, Matthew teaches busi-ness classes at Miramar and South-western Colleges or helps Jean runtheir business promotions company,Promo Deli, while Jean works on get-ting her real estate license.

“It’s hard to gamble on,” saidMatthew. “Most of our sales, 75 per-cent of our sales are in the fourthquarter. It’s difficult. I don’t know ifthe industry is big enough to sup-port us right now. So, we kind ofcover our bases.”

One of the Rivaldis’ games, MagicFeather, recently received a lot ofattention as a result of the San DiegoCounty Fair’s promotional efforts

related to the game’s inclusion in thisseason’s activities. Magic Feather is agame based on personified animals thatlive in the Rivaldis’ South Park neigh-borhood. What is unique about thegame is the places the animals visit areall local, such as Grant’s Market, FireStation 9 and Balboa Park.

Following the fair’s promotionalactivities, the Rivaldis have receivedmore calls from people looking for thegame. One call came from a parentwhose child requested the game in lieuof money from the tooth fairy.

This August, Wiggity Bang Gameswill test run a new adult game called“Open Up.” The game promises to elic-it revealing, possibly embarrassing con-versations.

Wiggity Bang Games can be pur-chased through Amazon.com, selectGeppetto’s Toys and Barnes & Noblestores and online at wiggitybang.com.Game prices range from about $10 toabout $30. For more information visitwiggitybang.com.

1928 CRENSHAW ST FAIRMOUNT PARK

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Matthew and Jean do most of the game board development right out of their South Parkhome.

The Rivaldi’s games will be featured in a daily game show at the San Diego County Fair June8-July 4.

Magic Feather is a nutty rumpus game for kids and families.

If you can spell the name of this game, you’reahead of the game.

GAMESCONTINUED FROM Page 1


The North Park Water Tower is located at 4326 Idaho St.

Staying Safe This Summer

Summertime has many great charac-teristics: sun, warmer weather, neigh-borhood festivals, kids off from school,barbecues, and vacations. It’s also a timeto be vigilant to avoid accidents thatcould spoil the season’s fun.

Please keep reading for tips about howto stay safe this summer.

Wildland fires:While our biggest local wildland fires

have occurred in suburban areas, Dis-trict 3’s urban canyons have burned, andit’s critical to know how best to keepyour home safe.

Have an evacuation checklist of themost important and non-replaceableitems to take with you including insur-ance certificates and other importantdocuments, photos, and pets. If a fireapproaches, put those items in the carimmediately.

Sweep gutters, roofs, and eaves regu-larly, and remove dead branches aroundchimneys.

If a fire is approaching, remove com-bustible materials from around yourhome, including wood piles, lawn furni-ture, doormats, barbecue grills and tarps.

Evacuate before a fire gets dangerous-ly close to your home. Do not wait forofficials to announce mandatory evacu-ations if you feel in danger.

Close and protect your home’s open-ings, including attic doors and vents,windows, doors, and pet doors. Removeflammable drapes and curtains and closeall shutters, blinds, or heavy non-com-bustible drapes. Do not lock the doorsand windows in case firefighters have tomake a quick entry to fight the flames.

Close all the interior doors in yourhome and the fireplace screen. Open thefireplace damper.

Shut off any natural gas, propane, orfuel oil supplies at the source. Connectgarden hoses and fill any pools, hot tubs,garbage cans, tubs, or other large con-tainers with water.

Disconnect garage door openers sothe doors will open if there is no power.

If available, place a ladder against thehouse in clear view.

Turn on the outside lights and at leastone light in each room to make yourhouse more visible in heavy smoke.

Safety inside your home:Test your smoke detectors and car-

bon monoxide detectors. Two thirds offire deaths occur in homes without aworking smoke detector. Replace yourbatteries at least once per year, and ifyou can’t remember the last time youchanged them, do it today.

Develop a home escape plan to beused in case of emergency. Everyone inyour home should know two ways to getout of your house from every singleroom, making sure every door and win-dow is accessible. Choose an outsidemeeting place like a neighbor’s house ora streetlight that is a safe distance from

your home, so everyone knows whereto meet if you get separated in an emer-gency.

Safety outside your home:If you’re an avid griller, designate the

grilling area as a No Play Zone and keepall children and pets several feet awaywhile the grill is hot, keeping in mindthat it will remain hot after you’veremoved your food.

Before grilling, be sure your grill is atleast three feet away from the house,shrubs, or bushes.

Before using a gas grill, check to makesure there is a secure connection

between the propane tank and the grill.Use soapy water to check for leaks; neveruse a match.

Before you leave for vacation:While I generally advocate for people

to save energy, when you’re on vacation,use lighting liberally on the interior andexterior of your home. Purchase severallight timers, and program lights for dif-ferent rooms at varying times.

Ensure that all door and windowlocks are operable.

Do not leave house keys in any notice-able or obvious place. If you havearranged for someone to drop by occa-

sionally, give them keys ahead of time sothey aren’t available for potential bur-glars under your doormat or in the mail-box.

For more information and helpfultips, please visit the San Diego Fire-Res-cue Department’s website,www.sandiego.gov/fire"www.sandiego.gov/fire.

Councilman Gloria can be reached [email protected]; (619) 236-6633; 202 C Street, MS 10A, San Diego,CA 92101; and on Facebook and Twitter.Visit his website at sandiego.gov/cd3.

BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT TODD GLORIA

The state Historical ResourcesCommission has unanimouslyapproved listing the North ParkWater Tower on the CaliforniaRegister of Historical Resources,and recommended that they beplaced on the National Registerof Historic Places. The Water Tower, sometimesknown as the University HeightsWater Storage and Pumping Sta-tion, is located in the northwest-ern section of North Park andoccupies 7.67 acres of city-ownedland. While its 127-foot-tall, 1.2million gallon capacity, elevatedsteel water storage tank dominatesthe designated parcels, the sitealso contains a 4.9 million gallonwater storage reservoir, operatingpump house, three concrete watervalve vaults, and a caretaker’shouse. The State HistoricalResources Commission deter-mined the “sites possess sufficienthistoric value for their contribu-tions to what is still a vital link inthe city of San Diego’s currentwater storage, treatment, and dis-tribution system.”Located at 4326 Idaho St., thewater tower and surroundingareas are officially called the Uni-versity Heights Water Storage and

Pumping Station Historic Dis-trict. From 1898 to 1967, the Uni-versity Heights Water Storage andPumping Station evolved from asmall privately owned water reser-voir into one of the city of SanDiego’s major municipal waterstorage, filtration and distributionfacilities.The North Park CommunityAssociation noted that it contin-ues to provide safe, potable waterto the residents of Downtown andMid-city San Diego. “In additionto being a highly visible locallandmark, the 127-foot tall, 1.2-million-gallon capacity ‘Tin Man’is also the only known exampleof a 12-legged full hemisphericalbottom elevated metal water stor-age tank in Southern California,according to the association’swebsite. The association thankedAlex Bevil for donating his timeand energy to research and pre-pare the nomination. “Today, residents of North Parkand University Heights orientthemselves by looking up and see-ing where they are in relation tothe water tower, but I doubt manyof them know the history and sig-nificance of the tower,” saidAssembly Majority Leader Atkins,

who participated in theannouncement. “The historic des-ignation by the state of Califor-nia and the expected inclusion ofthe water tower in the NationalHistoric Register will help currentresidents know the rich history ofthis area and will ensure it willnot be lost to future generations.”The state designation providescertain protections so the site canbe preserved. The National Regis-ter of Historic Places is nowreviewing the Water Tower forpotential designation, whichshould be completed by the endof this summer.Steve Hon, president of the NorthPark Historical Society, state Sen.Marty Block and San Diego CityCouncil President Todd Gloriaalso took part in the announce-ment.“Historic resources like the WaterTower are worthy of recognitionand preservation,” said Gloria,who provided a letter of supportfor the designation. “I am gratefulthat the North Park HistoricalSociety pursued this effort so theWater Tower will remain a land-mark in San Diego’s Mid-Citycommunities.”

North Park Water Tower Given Historical Designation


It seems Mayor Bob Filner never meta task force he didn’t like.

Washington D.C. has its debt commis-sions and supercommittees, and SanDiego is quickly racking up its own cadreof group initiatives.

Filner’s go-to solution for makingheadway on his many campaign promis-es has often been to convene a panel tostudy a particular issue and etch out goalsand solutions.

He's created a Medical Marijuana TaskForce, the Livable Streets Coalition andthe Solar Summit. He’s also shared plansto host a summit of the region’s majoremployers to discuss job opportunitiesfor veterans create a craft beer task forceto cut red tape for beer lovers and to leada coalition of border politicians to pushfor border infrastructure funding.

The efforts already under way havecome without an immediate price tagbut the latest requires an upfront invest-ment.

Filner penciled in about $950,000 inhis proposed budget for the Civic andUrban Initiatives program, a formal pushto facilitate discussions about the city’sfuture.

“The mission for this new budget itemis to produce a platform where innova-tion occurs within the city,” Filner toldthe City Council at a recent meeting.

To do that, Filner said, the city willneed to hire six staffers to hear out plan-ners, educators, border advocates andartists, among others, and then helpbypass city bureaucracy to implementthe best ideas.

City leaders and residents have spent

years talking about their ideas. This is theway to implement them, Filner toldcouncil members.

Filner and Chief of Staff Vince Hallcited pedestrian-friendly and technolo-gy-savvy innovations in Portland and asfar away as Colombia and Brazil as inspi-rations for San Diego.

Hall also mentioned a Michigan foun-dation’s $150 million pledge to Detroit aspart of a large-scale effort to reshape thatshrinking city.

“We see (the nearly $1 million in thecity budget) as seed money with whichwe can draw grant dollars to do moregood work,” Hall said.

But some council members were skep-tical of whether another panel to mullover the future was the best solution toany problem.

Councilman Scott Sherman ques-tioned whether “more government”would really facilitate any progress.

Councilman Mark Kersey said SanDiego already has a group that does whatFilner’s suggesting, and it would be fool-ish for the city to duplicate efforts alreadyunder way at the San Diego Foundation’s

Malin Burnham Center for CivicEngagement.

He read an excerpt from a foundationnews release to make his point:

The Malin Burnham Center for CivicEngagement mobilizes the San Diegoregion in the quest for solutions to com-munity issues. It serves as the hub of civicleadership for San Diego – a place thatgenerates information and ideas, spursvigorous conversations about San Diego’sfuture, helps launch ambition initiativesand contributes to the development ofaction plans.

"I will want to be looking for how whatthe mayor is proposing is different and/orbetter than that and why we should do aseparate program rather than supportingwhat is in all likelihood a much betterfunded initiative that they have alreadystarted,” Kersey said.

Kersey and fellow council memberswill decide in coming weeks whether tosupport Filner’s latest initiative.

The mayor has already convened sev-eral similar efforts on a smaller scale.

His Medical Marijuana Task Forceprovided input on an ordinance the CityCouncil ultimately snubbed.

Other efforts have only just gotten offthe ground and haven’t produced con-crete results yet.

Samantha Ollinger, director of BikeSD, has attended a handful of meetingsthe mayor convened to spark collabora-tion and goal-setting among bicycle,pedestrian and planning advocates.

Ollinger said the group meets onceevery six weeks to compare notes anddiscuss key goals they can work ontogether.

Right now, the task force is focused onpromoting an upcoming bicycling eventin the city and helping to identify keyinfrastructure projects among the thou-sands the city has in the pipeline. The

latter effort, and larger discussions aboutpolicies and funding, will take more time.

“I think in a year we'll be able to showsome very good results,” Ollinger said.

Whether the mayor can deliverremains to be seen. Implementing taskforce recommendations requires budgetdollars, which have been in short supplyin recent years.

Steve Erie, a political science professorat UC San Diego, has seen many mayoralinitiatives come and go over the years.

He said Filner has promoted morethan any mayor since Pete Wilson,

who served in the city’s top post from1971 to 1983.

A lack of results to show for all thegroup efforts could dash Filner’s credibil-ity.

“There's great opportunity here butthere’s also risk,” Erie said.

Lisa Halverstadt is a reporter at Voiceof San Diego. ([email protected]).

Filner’s Motto: May the Task Force Be With You BY LISA HALVERSTADT | VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

Mayor Bob Filner (Photo by Annie Lane)

Samantha Ollinger, director of Bike SD, has attended a handful of meetings the mayor convenedto spark collaboration and goal-setting among bicycle, pedestrian and planning advocates.

San Diego Councilman Mark Kersey ques-tioned whether the mayor’s proposed Civicand Urban Initiatives program was necessary.

Former North Park Main StreetExecutive to Return to San Diegoto Advocate for Business

Elizabeth “Liz” Studebaker, formerexecutive director of North Park MainStreet, a business improvement district,is returning to San Diego to serve as anadvocate for all of the city’s 18 busi-ness improvement districts and 20micro-districts. Studebaker, who leftSan Diego 18 months ago to take theexecutive director position with theMidtown Business Association inSacramento, will be employed by thecity of San Diego in the EconomicDevelopment Department. She willbegin her new job this summer.While in North Park, Studebaker wascredited with making several signifi-cant improvements to advance theneighborhood’s business sector, includ-ing expanding the improvement dis-trict, reopening the farmers market andgrowing the annual Festival of the Arts,among others accomplishments.In Sacramento, she launched the Mid-town Business Association’s first farm-ers market.According to Beth Hassett, president ofthe board of the Midtown BusinessAssociation, Studebaker accomplished

similar success in Sacramento. “Liz hasplayed an integral role in elevating theMBA to a well-known, respected, andeffective organization,” said Hassett in arelease announcing her departure. “Herability to work with regional, city andcommunity partners has made a sig-nificant contribution to the quality oflife in Midtown. Without a doubt, Lizwill be missed in Sacramento, but thepositive impacts of her work will be feltfor years to come. Speaking on behalfof the entire board of directors, we wish

her much success in her next profes-sional endeavor.”Councilman Steve Hansen, whosecouncil district includes Midtown,noted, “In a short period of time, Lizhas strengthened and transformedMBA with her characteristic energyand sense of purpose. She has forged astronger community between the busi-ness and residents through a sharedvision of Midtown an eclectic, vibrant,walkable, and bike friendly neighbor-hood and business district.”

Elizabeth “Liz” Studebaker


demolition as a safety hazard — bringsa People In Preservation Award to itsowner, Daniel Ramirez. He brought theabandoned, ravaged Log Cabin House,as it is known in University Heights,back from the very brink. But savingthis 1908 structure, officially the JamesA. Creelman House, took a village, start-ing with the University Heights Histor-ical Society in 2004. It is now a greatsource of pride for the whole communi-ty.

The Wilson FamilyThe Wilson family is being honored

for their sensitive and loving restora-tion of a cottage in Ocean Beach. Builtin 1922, the cottage is one of four, orig-inally identical homes built in a row.The Wilsons repeatedly turned to thesesister cottages for dimensions, materialsand features, inside and out, as well ashistoric photographs during the restora-tion process. They researched the orig-inal exterior paint colors (yellow andgreen), wooden porch seat, trellis andgarden plantings, all of which are backin place. Because they knew the nextresident of the house uses a wheelchair,the Wilsons carefully considered how tomake the house ADA-compliant with-out disturbing its historic appearance.Their solution was to build a long rampthat can’t be seen from the street. Theramp leads to a deck and the back door,which they widened. Now the cottage isa shining, authentic example of the city’sdiminishing stock of historic beach cot-tages. Alterations made for today’s occu-pant have extended the life of the cot-tage without compromising its historicintegrity.

Rick Gentry and Carmen Pauli, SanDiego Housing Commission

The San Diego Housing Commissionspotted a four-story building ripe forrestoration and renovation in Down-town San Diego. The historic HotelSandford, which was designed by Henry

Lord Gay and built in 1914, had beenconverted to affordable senior housingunits in 1989. Remodeling done at thattime was not kind to the structure andoriginal features were lost. In 2010, thehousing commission hired preservationarchitects to restore and rehabilitate thebuilding inside and out, for a new gen-eration of low-income residents andstreet-level shoppers. The Hotel Sand-ford now sports its original exterior col-ors, a continuous row of festoon lights

under the cornice, restored arched win-dows and a rebuilt wood storefront atthe main entrance on Fifth Avenue.Inside the main lobby, historic furnish-ings have been restored and the originaldecorative painting and stenciling repli-cated. The work brought the buildingup to 21st-century needs with energyefficiencies and earthquake retrofitting.

Jacqelyn Littlefield A grand dame of Broadway that’s

PRESERVATIONCONTINUED FROM Page 1

Dalia and Gordon Hunt’s restored Mission Hills house.

SEE PRESERVATION, Page 14

attracted generations of San Diegans has been restored instages by its owner, Jacquelyn Littlefield, and the nonprofitgroup she founded, American Regional Theatre at the Spreck-els (ARTS). The grand Spreckels Theatre was designed byHarrison Albright and built in 1912 for John D. Spreckels. Ithas hosted live theater and then movies, and more recentlyconcerts and comedians, changing with the times. For thebuilding’s centennial last year, ARTS completed three majorrestoration projects, for which the People in Preservationaward is given. The grand lobby has been rehabilitated andpolished to a fine glow that provides evening patrons with aglamorous entrance. The mezzanine-level seating is all newand the neon marquee and blade sign visible up and downBroadway were restored by Blake Sign Co. of Stanton, Calif.

Craig Evanco, Property Manager, Loma TheatreThe restoration of another flashy theater blade sign in bril-

liant neon colors is cause for an award to owners, SOCOLLC. This sign lights up the night sky around the old LomaTheatre, now a Bookstar store on Rosecrans in Point Loma.The meticulous restoration delights SOHO member WaskaWhelan, who tried unsuccessfully to find funding to putthe shine back in the sign several years ago and who nomi-nated it for this award. “I’ve waited years for this sign to berestored to its former glory and now it’s here,” Whelan said.“They did a first-class job and made it perfect.”

Diane Welch of Solana BeachJournalist and historian Diane Welch is being recognized

for her book on Lilian J. Rice, a National City native born in1889 who knew she wanted to be an architect at an early age.For a time, she worked for architect Richard Requa and isprimarily responsible for the town planning that makes

Rancho Santa Fe so charming to this day. Rice also designeda number of rustic Spanish-style or Pueblo-style homes andcommercial buildings at the center of this village. Welchhas pursued her goal of raising Rice’s profile through orig-inal research, which is ongoing, public appearances and lec-tures, and a blog. The jurors commended Welch for advanc-ing public knowledge of architecture and regional historythrough Rice.

Chicano Park Steering CommitteeChicano Park Steering Committee will receive the high-

est honor that SOHO bestows, the Lifetime AchievementAward, for its 50 years of dedication to the legendary parkthat is central to life in Barrio Logan and its colorful muralsby artists active in the Chicano civil rights movement fromSan Diego and around the state. Chicano Park was born ofstruggle in 1970, when neighborhood sit-ins made clear thecommunity’s opposition to plans to insert a Highway Patrolsubstation under the city-side end of the San Diego-Coro-nado Bridge. The bridge’s massive concrete supports hadalready ripped Barrio Logan apart. After officials backeddown and agreed instead to the 7.4-acre park the residentsenvisioned, spirited artists began painting large murals cel-ebrating the park’s existence, Chicano heroes, the Virgin ofGuadalupe, Mexican pre-Columbian gods and other sub-jects on the bridge’s towering concrete pillars. The park thatbecame a vibrant outdoor gallery and recreational area opento all was declared a city of San Diego historic landmark only10 years after its creation.

Several years ago, Caltrans, which maintains the bridge,began a mural restoration project, hiring the original artists,when possible, to do the work. The last mural to be restoredwas finished last summer. On the heels of this achievement,the Chicano Park Steering Committee, which helped facil-itate the restoration, learned in January that the group’snomination for the park to be designated a National Historic



The Wilson Family house in Ocean Beach.

Porch view of the Dalia and Gordon Hunt house.

SEE PRESERVATION, Page 15

COMING IN JULYYou might say that North Park’s Bethel Nathan iswedded to her job. Very true. Bethel owns Ceremonies by Bethel, a business that conducts wedding ceremonies. “I’m not your typical clergy, byany stretch,” she says. Read about her next month.


Murals decorate Chicano Park in Barrio Logan.

The Chicano Park Steering Committee helped facilitate a mural restoration project.

District had been approved. “We are pleased to honor this diverse

group of eight winners, who perseveredin their preservation projects despite unfa-vorable economic conditions, unexpecteddiscoveries, and the necessity for highlyskilled craftspeople,” said Bruce Coons,SOHO’s executive director. “These peoplebreathed new life into historic structures aslarge as a four-story, 1914 Downtownhotel built for tourists coming to the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition and assmall as a charming, meticulously renovat-ed Ocean Beach cottage a block or so fromthe beach. San Diego benefits from theirhard work.”

This year’s People In PreservationAwards jury included John Eisenhart,preservation architect and SOHO officer;Erik Hanson, a rare books seller and experton San Diego architect Irving Gill andSOHO board member; Anthony Mendio-la, a SOHO board member with interna-tional preservation experience and a mas-ter’s degree in urban planning; and JanetO’Dea, a driving force behind the MissionHills Historic District and founding ofMission Hills Heritage, as well as an activeSOHO member.


Another view of the Wilson Family house.


Photo from Raúl Gonzalez exhibition.

The San Diego Natural History Museum pre-sents a new photography exhibition featuringnature photographer Raúl Gonzalez’s latest worksin the museum’s fourth floor Ordover Gallery.“The Log from the Sea of Cortez: Marine LifeImages by Raúl Gonzalez” will focus on themarine life in the Gulf of California, also knownas the Sea of Cortez, which is a major research andconservation area of the Natural History Muse-um. The exhibition, which opens May 7 and willbe on view at the museum until Sept. 10, isincluded with general museum admission. Theexhibition is produced in collaboration withNational Geographic and sponsored by SonyElectronics Inc.

Sixty plates will illustrate the magnificentmarine life that John Steinbeck and naturalistEdward Ricketts chronicled during their historicjourney there in 1940. Steinbeck’s book of theexcursion, “The Log from the Sea of Cortez,”remains a tribute to Baja California and an impor-tant scientific study of marine biodiversity that isused by travelers and biologists alike.

Gonzalez’s works have also appeared in Nation-al Geographic, Nature and other publications.

The exhibition is produced in collaborationwith National Geographic and sponsored by SonyElectronics Inc. Gonzalez exclusively uses Sonyequipment for his photography. More about Gon-zalez’s project, The Log from the Sea of Cortez, canbe found at raulgonzalez.com.mx/ logblog2.

Floral Association Spotlights‘Faux bois’ Artist

At the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena in March 2010, Ter-rance Egan began restoring the tree-like concrete structuresthat support the Wisteria and Roses forming arbors over thewalkways.

San Diego Floral Association will introduce artistand craftsman Terence Eagan at its annual dinnerand lecture June 18 at 6 p.m. in Casa del PradoBuilding 101. Eagan has fine tuned a techniquecalled faux bois, a unique and useful procedure thatboth creates garden art and preserves it in settingswith concrete and sculpture. He has found animportant niche at the Huntington Gardens. Herehe is making possible the restoration and preserva-tion of deteriorating garden settings that have beencherished for 100 years. He will share the history ofthe development of the unique skill and how hefound a place with the Huntington’s team that wasengaged in the restoration of the Japanese Gardensthat turned 100 in 2012. The restoration projectwith the use of Eagan’s faux bois is expected to liveon for perhaps another century. Admission is $20.For information, call (619) 232-5762.

Marine Life Images byRaúl Gonzalez

Thinking Shakespeare Live!, a 90-minute presentation exploring the language of Shakespeare, willbe presented June 15 at 11 a.m. at The Old Globe and will be led by Artistic Director Barry Edelsteinand assisted by three professional classical actors. The special program is based on Edelstein’s book,“Thinking Shakespeare: A How-To Guide for Student Actors, Directors and Anyone Else Who Wantsto Feel More Comfortable With the Bard.” The presentation will reveal a performer’s approach to Shake-spearean language so audiences may easily understand the poetry of the Bard.

Thinking Shakespeare Live! will take place on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, part of theGlobe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets are $10 for subscribers and full-time students and $15for general audiences and can be purchased online at www.theoldglobe.org by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way.

“I’ve devoted a great deal of my career to the notion that Shakespeare’s plays entertain, move andedify us more wonderfully than any other works of theater, and yet Iknow that for some the Bard can be a heavy lift,” says Edelstein. “I’veput together this program to show that with just a few hints and tricksthat are easy to learn and apply, Shakespeare’s language can be as imme-diate and alive as anything in today’s paper. Thinking ShakespeareLive! is a fun way to start a new relationship with my man William, orto learn new ways to spend time with him.”

Edelstein is a stage director, producer, author and educator. Widelyrecognized as one of the leading authorities on the works of Shakespearein the United States, he has directed nearly half of the Bard’s works. AsDirector of the Shakespeare Initiative at The Public Theater (2008-2012), he oversaw all of the company’s Shakespearean productions, aswell as its extensive educational, community outreach and artist-train-ing programs. At The Public, Edelstein staged “Julius Caesar” starringJeffrey Wright for Shakespeare in the Park and “The Merchant of Venice”featuring Ron Leibman’s Obie Award-winning portrayal of Shylock.

Exploring the Language of Shakespeare

Handcrafted Journeys: Japanese American Woodworkers In San Diego

Collections from the Japanese AmericanHistorical Society form the centerpiece forwoodworking exhibition on display throughJuly 28 at the Japanese Friendship Garden.The exhibition chronicles the evolution ofJapanese American woodworking from thefunctional objects made in the pre WWII era,through their refinement during the intern-ment camp experience, to post-war artisticwoodworks that reflect the aesthetically moti-vated use of traditional skills. This exhibitionpays homage to San Diego’s Japanese Ameri-can woodworkers and the stories they leftbehind through their craft. Pieces from localcollections including handmade tools madeby the woodworkers to create the objects areincluded in the exhibition.

Summertime music and dance returns to Bal-boa Park on June 18 featuring the Bi-NationalMambo Orchestra. Twilight in the Park’s livemusic under the stars has been delighting visitorsto the Park for 33 years, and programs range

from military bands and Dixieland jazz to bigband swing and Latin salsa. Concerts runthrough Aug. 29, on Tuesday, Wednesday andThursday evenings from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. onthe stage of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

All of the San Diego-based performancegroups showcase their talents to the communi-ty free-of-charge. These entertainers convey theunique and vibrant mix of San Diego’s musicaldiversity and include the Navy Show Band on

June 26, highlighting inspiring military music,and the popular Bayou Brothers exploring Cajunand Zydeco rhythms on Aug. 8. The LegendsBand closes Twilight in the Park on Aug. 29.

The Legends Band appears on Aug. 29.

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS

The Cat-illacs perform on June 19. Bayou Brothers perform on Aug. 8 The Corvelles will appear on July 30.

TWIL IGHT IN THE PARK DEBUTS ON JUNE 18


Old Globe 2013 Shakespeare Festival Under WayThe Old Globe’s 2013 Shakespeare

Festival opened June 2 and will runthrough Sept. 29, performing in reper-tory in the outdoor Lowell Davies Fes-tival Theatre. Single tickets start at $29and subscription tickets run from $66to $270.

Festival Artistic Director AdrianNoble returns to San Diego for hisfourth and final year of festival pro-gramming. He will helm productionsof “The Merchant of Venice” and TomStoddard’s classic farce, “Rosencrantzand Guildenstern Are Dead.” DirectorIan Talbot will make his Old Globedebut with “A Midsummer Night’sDream.”

“Seeing Shakespeare outdoors on abalmy summer night is one of themost magical experiences it’s possibleto have in the theater, and the Globe’sannual Shakespeare Festival is as goodas that experience gets,” said Old GlobeArtistic Director Barry Edelstein.

Noble has served as the ArtisticDirector of The Old Globe Shake-speare Festival since 2010. In additionto “The Merchant of Venice” and“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern AreDead,” he has directed the festival pro-

ductions of “King Lear,” “The Madnessof George III,” “The Tempest,”“Amadeus,” “As You Like It” and“Inherit the Wind.”

Ian Talbot was Artistic and Manag-ing Director of the Open Air Theatrein Regent’s Park, London from 1987to 2007. In addition to his numerousLaurence Olivier Award-nominatedproductions, he has many acting cred-its in television and theater includingthe Royal Shakespeare Company andthe West End. In 2007 Talbot wasawarded the Order of the BritishEmpire for his services to the OpenAir Theatre.

Performance Schedule:“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” directed by Ian Talbot, opens June 23and runs through Sept. 29.

“The Merchant of Venice,” directed by Adrian Noble, opens June28 and runs through Sept. 28.

“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern AreDead,” by Tom Stoddard and directedby Adrian Noble, Opens July 2 andruns through Sept. 26.Barry Edelstein Ian Talbot Adrian Noble


Rendering of the USO building.

By Bart Mendoza

The Best Dance Band in TownIf you like cool sounds from the ’50s and ’60s, then you won’t want to miss the best dance band intown, the Amandas. Looking as cool as the tunes they cover, the band has a residency at theWhistlestop, appearing the first Friday of each month, in this case June 7. Led by flame haired singerAmanda Suter, the band includes local heroes Tom Ward on bass and David Fleminger on keyboardsfor music that’s sure to keep the dance floor packed. With a slew of tunes like “Sunshine of Your Love”and “Have Love Will Travel,” any performance from the Amandas is an instant party.

The Amandas: Friday, June 7, at The Whistlestop, 2236 Fern St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. Cover TBD. www.whistlestopbar.com

The Donkeys Won’t Let You DownCurrently promoting their new single, “Won’t Let You Down,” rock ‘n roll combo, The Donkey’s appear

at the Soda Bar on June 8, 8:30 p.m. The Donkeys are a group with diverse influences, as song titlessuch as “West Coast Raga” and “Bullfrog Blues” attest. Their most recent album, “Born with Stripes,”shows the band’s music to be an eclectic mix that takes in Americana, psychedelia, pop, garage rock

and more, making for an album that’s a refreshing break from the indie rock template. The show is thekickoff to a six-date West Coast tour, but catch them whenever you can — this is one of San Diego’s

best band’s today.

The Donkeys: Saturday, June 8, at The Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd. 8:30 p.m.

21 and up. $10. www.sodabarmusic.com

Dave Alvin: Legend of Americana

Dave Alvin may be 15 albums and 26 years into his solo career, butit’s the five albums that he cut with his group the Blasters between1980 and 1985 that have cemented his status as a legend of Ameri-cana. Appearing at AMSD Concerts on June 21, 7:30 p.m. Alvin’smost recent album, “Eleven Eleven” shows him to be at the top of hisgame as both a songwriter and musician. Ironically, while Alvinremains a cult hero for the moment, and radio play is virtuallynonexistent, his music is still reaching millions, now heard via thesoundtrack to hit FX show, “Justified.”

Dave Alvin: Friday, June 2, at AMSD Concerts, 4650 Mansfield St. 7: 30 p.m. All ages. $25 - $52. www.amsdconcerts.com

Fractal Pterodactyl’s Infectious VibesA small combo that makes a big noise, Fractal Pterodactylwill appeal to anyone who enjoys music with jam band sen-sibilities, pop melodies and more than a touch of blues andreggae. Appearing on June 29, 9:30 p.m. at Rosie O’Grady’s,the band’s songs are built around guitarist Mark Schneider,who unleashes virtuoso licks like it’s as natural as breathing.Meanwhile, tunes like “Gravity” have an infectious vibe tothem, as well as rhythms that are sure to keep the dancefloor packed. Fans of groups as diverse as Buck o’Nine andthe Allman Brothers will find common ground in FractalPterodactyl’s sound.

Fractal Pterodactyl: Saturday, June 29, at Rosie O’Grady’s, 3402 Adams Ave. 9: 30 p.m. Cover TBD. www.rosieogradyspub.com

An Arsenal of Great Songs by Peter CasePerhaps best known for his work with ’80s hitmakers thePlimsouls, Peter Case continues to be one of California’s pre-miere songwriter’s, with an arsenal of great songs. Appearingat Bar Pink on June 14, Case will perform material fromthroughout his career, including work with the Nerves andclassic solo tunes, backed by the group Deep Ellum, who willalso play an opening set alongside Gasoline Silver. If you’re alongtime Case fan, than you know this show is a must. If youhaven’t heard him yet, make it a point to catch a set from oneof the best tunesmiths to emerge over the past 30 years.

Peter Case: Friday, June 14 at Bar Pink, 3829 30th St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. http://www.barpink.com.

north park news, june 2013

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