Living in San Diego, more specifi-cally, North Park, it’s easy to expectsunshine, friendly people, interestingplaces to walk to, and inviting venuesfor a great meal or just a good cup ofcoffee.

We locals are fortunate, but forthose who come here from harsherclimates and harder circumstances,the lifestyle inspires gratitude. Thatappreciation is apparent in the wordsof Belen Jacot and Jim Childers, who

have “forged the artistic and life part-nership that is Beans and Greens Stu-dio.”

The two met at Claire de Lune Cof-fee House — love at first sight, as Jimputs it. Belen says she knew from anearly age that art would be a focalpoint of her life. She grew up amongart books, galleries and museums andwas influenced by her Mexican andSwiss-French immigrant family.

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Jim Childers at work in a garage converted into a studio.

Benefits of Shopping LocalIndependent local businessesemploy an array of products andservices that are good argumentsfor shopping and buying local.PAGE 4

Paint Them GratefulBelen Jacot and Jim Childers forge an artistic andlife partnership

The Shess Familyin CubaCuba seemed such a far off andcomplicated adventure, but whenNorth Park residents Tom and Phyl-lis Shess learned of a legal tour tothe forbidden island, it was anopportunity too good to pass up.PAGE 6

Asset-BackedLoans

A new source of capital is availableand gaining in popularity — asset-backed loans. Personal-asset lenderstake personal luxury assets as collat-eral for a short-term personal orbusiness loan. PAGE 17

Veruca Salt Returnsto San Diego atSoda Bar

Touring in anticipation of theirforthcoming album, Ghost Notes,Chicago-based Veruca Salt returnsto San Diego with a show at theSoda Bar on July 8. PAGE 19

BY SUSAN TAYLOR

JustDesserts!

Growing up in Brazoria, Texas,Lisa Bailey — the blonde with thewide-open smile in the photo at right— watched endless episodes of JuliaChild on television and loved her vis-its to her grandmother’s home inLouisiana. She adored the woman’scopper pots and kitchenaid mixerand the refined Southern cuisine thatshe seemed to prepare so effortlessly.

When she was 12, Lisa wrote apoem titled “A Chef Is What I WantTo Be.”

Nothing more to be said. Lisa’sfuture was sealed.

That bowl that the grown-up Lisais holding in the photo is the trophyshe received on June 1 for beingnamed one of the Top Ten PastryChefs in America by Dessert Profes-sional Magazine. She’s posing withthe nine other winners at the 22ndannual Top Ten Pastry Chefs inAmerica Awards at the Institute ofCulinary Education in New York City.The event featured a walk-aroundtasting of desserts from some of themost talented chefs in the nation.

Lisa is owner (with husband Kee-gan Gerhard) of the D Bar Restaurantin Hillcrest, which they opened in2012, four years after establishing theD Bar Desserts in Denver, Colo.

The dessert that Lisa prepared forthe awards event was ButtermilkPanna cotta. Peaches marinated inRosemary, honey, lavender and vanil-la. Pecan crumble. White Peach sor-bet, garnished with white chocolate.It’s a Texas-style peaches and cream.It looks and tastes delicious.

“With more and more remarkabletalent filling the ranks of dessert pro-fessionals, being recognized as one ofbest has gained a new level of pres-tige,” noted Dessert ProfessionalMagazine Editor Tish Boyle.

“A talented and dedicated pastrychef is an invaluable asset in any

SEE ARTISTS, Page 10

SEE CHEF, Page 10The dessert Lisa Bailey served guests atthe awards ceremony.

MARIPOSA HOMEMADE ICE CREAM 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

JUNE 27th • 1-9 PM • 3450 ADAMS AVENUELive bands playing at Smitty’s Service across the street on Adams Ave. • Rolled back prices to the year 2000!

NEWS2 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Sweet Treats Panchita’sJust when you thought life couldn’t

get any sweeter in North Park, Pan-chita’s Kitchen & Bakery recentlyopened at 32nd and North Park Way.

Surprisingly, the shop has a drive-thru and a stylish patio, but pan dulceafficianados will want to go insideand gape at the wall of sweet treats.

Yes, there is a meal menu, too, andour sources say the non-sweet itemsneeded tweaking after first opening.

Now, the small kitchen is on a roll,adding its taco and ceviche items toNorth Park’s growing reputation asthe go to hood for great tacos.

Hillcrest Wind Ensemble Per-forms ‘Hollywood Hits’

The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble pre-

sents its 2015 Cabaret Concert, “Hol-lywood Hits,” on Friday, June 26, at 8p.m. in the Mississippi Room at theLafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd.

The ensemble will perform moviethemes and hit songs from moviesspanning seven decades from the1930s to 1990s. Highlights will includemusic from “Gone With The Wind,”“Wizard of Oz,” and “The Sound ofMusic,” and classic themes from“James Bond” and “Star Wars,” toname a few. The evening will featureraffle prizes and a no-host bar.

It’s a fitting venue as many of theHollywood stars in the 1940s wouldcome and stay at the Lafayette andattend events in the ballroom.

Doors will open at 7:30 with com-plimentary hors d’ oeuvres, and con-cert at 8

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20at the door and are available at sdart-stix.com and The Windsmith, 3875Granada Ave. in North Park.

Under the direction of JohnWinkelman, the 45-piece ensemble isin its 29th year of performing and is aprogram of the LGBT Center actingas a musical ambassador to the com-munity as a whole. www.hillcrest-windensemble.com.

North Park Coach Earns Dayin His Honor

North Park Little League Coach JoeSchloss, 88, has devoted 60 years of hislife to teaching baseball to local youth.His coaching has positively impactedhis players and helped them learn

integrity and the importance of phys-ical activity.

Because of his devotion to the kids,May 16 was named Joe Schloss Day bythe city of San Diego.. A ceremony washeld at the North Park Little League.

A World War II Navy veteran,Schloss has also owned A-B SportingGoods in North Park for decades andraised his family in the neighborhood.He has vowed to keep coaching base-ball for many more years.

Timken Museum Hires GeneralManager

The Timken Museum in BalboaPark has appointed Megan Pogue asits first general manager. Pogue was avice president of the San Diego Sym-phony.

“Megan's strong leadership, com-mitment to the arts and in-depthknowledge of the San Diego commu-nity provides the opportunity for anew direction for Timken Museum ofArt,” said Tim Zinn, president of theTimken’s board of directors, in a state-ment.

Pogue was with the San Diego Sym-

phony for 11 years, holding the posi-tion of vice president of business devel-opment.

The Art of Comic-ConSince it first convention in San

Diego 45 years ago, Comic-Con hasbeen bringing together comics, movieand science fiction fans and creatinga lot of art along the way.

Drawing from Comic-Con’sarchives, the San Diego Public Librarywill partner with Comic-Con Inter-national in presenting “The Art ofComic Con”

June 20 through Aug. 30 in the ArtGallery on the ninth floor of the SanDiego Central Library Downtown.

The exhibition celebrates art as anintegral tool in promoting the orga-nization’s mission of creating aware-ness of, and appreciation for, comicsand related popular art forms.

A reception is planned on openingday from noon to 2 p.m. The exhibi-tion and reception are open to thepublic and admission is free.

Providing unprecedented access tooriginal art by over 60 comic artists,the exhibition traces the history ofComic-Con through art and providesa sneak peek into the evolving processof creating comic art.

Visitors to the show will have theopportunity to see process drawings ina variety of mediums that were used insouvenir and program books forComic-Con, WonderCon, and APE, theAlternative Press Expo — artworks thatare representative of the comic booksand art that Comic-Con Internationalpresents to a growing audience.

“The Art of Comic-Con” presents

select pieces from the organization’sarchives, including works by SergioAragonés, Howard Chaykin, Cliff Chi-ang, Michael Cho, Colleen Coover,Rick Geary, Gilbert Hernandez, JimLee, Dave McKean, Frank Miller, Mar-shall Rogers, John Romita Jr., BillSienkiewicz, William Stout, Babs Tarr,and others.

The exhibition was developed andjointly organized by Kara West, theLibrary’s arts and culture exhibitionmanager and Gary Sassaman, Comic-Con International’s director of printand digital media.

Art Institute ShowcasesYouth & Professional Artists

The San Diego Art Institute (SDAI)has opened “What Remains: Debrisand Detritus in Fine Art” and “Dare toReuse,” in Balboa Park. The concept

COMMUNITY NEWS

Joe Schloss at the Little League park.

SEE COMMUNITY, Page 3

Justice League by Jim Lee (pencils) andScott Williams (inks), Alex Sinclair (color).2011 Souvenir Book 2011 cover. TM & ©DC Comics.

HEALTH MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 3

Ask Dr. ZWhat medicines should I bringwith me on my summer vaca-tion?

Every suitcase and duffle bag mov-ing to and fro this summer should havea few medical essentials in them. Mostapply to both children and adults, butthe appropriate children’s versions anddoses should apply.

Most important will be all of yourprescription medicines from the doc-tor (including any epi-pens andinhalers), along with a complete writ-ten list in your wallet, with a copy inyour luggage.

In case one is stolen, you will have alist available for a local doctor to giveyou new prescriptions to replace whatis lost.

Next is an assortment of handy overthe counter stuff. Benadryl for allergies,colds and drippy noses, sleep aid,cough suppression, itch, poison ivy,nausea, vomiting and the ever presentMontezuma’s revenge. Motrin for pain,headaches, earaches, ankle sprains andswollen bug bites (reduces theswelling). Hydrocortisone 0.1 percentcream (Cortaid or anti-itch cream) forrashes, poison ivy, bug bites includingbee stings.

Antibiotic ointment for cuts, sores,wounds, open blisters, boils or as alubricant for chafing. Pepto-Bismol

tablets and Imodium for traveler’s diar-rhea if you are traveling out of thecountry. Afrin nasal spray if you aretraveling by air (in case your ears don’tpop, you use the spray in the nose rightaway and up to a day later).

And if you will be away from doc-tors on the Appalachian trail or hikingthe Grand Canyon, then you will wantto get a prescription for an antibioticto have with you. I recommendBactrim if you are not allergic to sulfa,Z-pack if you are. They are good forskin infections, bronchitis, bladderinfections, sinus infections, and trav-eler’s diarrhea.

Make sure to have plenty of bandaids, too. If you are traveling to anothercountry, check the CDC website to seeif you need to go to a travel clinic toget malaria prophylaxis or a yellowfever vaccine, and pack mosquitorepellant. Don’t have ice cubes in yourdrinks when you are in other coun-tries, and drink only bottled water.

Have fun this summer and be pre-pared!

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

Decades of Experience • Neighborhood Experts • How may we assist you?

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for the exhibition grew from last sum-mer’s “Dare to Reuse” youth art exhi-bition, a countywide contest for stu-dents grades K-12 to create work outof discarded or recycled materials. Theexhibition runs through July 12. Tick-ets are $5. The Art Institute is at 1439El Prado.

The exhibition was so successful andpositively received that SDAI decidedto create an exhibition component foradults as well. The resulting programis an exhibition that combines thework of both youth and professionalartists in a comprehensive overview,showcasing the work of artists of allages, skills and backgrounds. Morethan 80 students across San DiegoCounty will have their work on displayalongside 28 San Diego-based artists.

The work for “What Remains:Debris and Detritus in Fine Art” wasselected by Bridget Rountree, arenowned San Diego-based artist andrecent Creative Catalyst recipient whofrequently incorporates found mate-rials into her work. The exhibition isaccompanied by several large-scale, sitespecific installations incorporating dis-carded materials, as well as the premierof a documentary about the TijuanaRiver watershed.

Participating artists in “WhatRemains: Debris and Detritus in FineArt” include: Luis Alderete, WickAlexander, Dia Bassett, Jon-LorenBazan, Brian Benfer, Larry Caveney,Joyce Corum, Gabriela Domville,Rachael Erwin, Carlos Grasso, IainGunn, Becky Guttin, Robert Jones,

Kathleen Kane-Murrell, Joshua Krause,Matthew Mahoney, Chris Martino,Meegan Nolan, Jaime Ruiz Otis, AmyPaul, Philip Petrie, Cat Chiu Phillips,Joel Pointon, Bridget Rountree,Zachary Royer Scholz, Jason Sherry,Kate Sikorski, Jane Szabo, and RobTobin.

Students in “Dare to Reuse” wereselected through a competitive process,and represent students from FusionAcademy, Civic High, Kearney HighSchool of International Business, LaJolla Country Day School, MuirlandsMiddle School, Taft Middle School, AllHallows Academy, Boone Elementary,Holmes Elementary, Myron B. GreenElementary, Del Sur Elementary,Encanto Elementary, Kate Sessions Ele-mentary, Godfrey G. Berry Elementary,and Grant K-8 School.

North Park Apartment BuildingSold

The nine unit apartment buildingat 3981 Oregon St. has sold for $1.7million. $1,700,000. The seller wasNeeson Family Trust. The buyer wasWest Coast Apartments LLC.

Krista Berger of Sperry Van Ness |Finest City Commercial representedthe buyer. John Andre Neeson ofCityScape Real Estate represented theseller.

The property in North Park wasbuilt in 1966, and consists of six one-bedroom, one-bath units and threetwo-bedroom, two bath units.

COMMUNITYCONTINUED FROM Page 2

Supporting an Independent RetailerCampaignIn the smallest towns,bustling cities, and everything inbetween, citizens lament losing a senseof community and local character.

Meanwhile, national chains andonline mega-stores continue gainingmarket and pushing independent busi-nesses to the margins in many sectors.This trend is considered symptomaticof our loss of community orientation,but could it also be a primary cause?And what are the economic costs toour communities as absentee-ownedcorporations displace locally-ownedbusinesses?

Of course, we usually choose to dobusiness where we perceive the bestvalue for our time and money. But inan age where we’re bombarded withthousands of corporate advertisementsdaily, perceptions may differ widelyfrom reality. The unrelenting emphasison cheapness above all other valuesleads many people to overlook the val-ues independent businesses provide us,both personally and in our communi-ties.

The disappearance of local business-es leaves a social and economic voidthat is palpable and real — even whenit goes unmeasured. And a communi-ty’s quality of life changes in ways thatmacroeconomics is slow to measure,or ignores completely.

Local officials often fall for theseductions and political appeal ofnational chains and may even use pub-lic funds or tax rebates to lure them.

They’re baited with promises of jobsand tax revenue, but they often fail toconsider the greater losses that occurwhen the local business base is under-mined.

A chain “superstore” may boast ofcreating 300 new jobs, but numerousstudies indicate they displace as manyjobs as they create. And when commu-nities like Barnstable, Mass. studied thefiscal impact of chains, they concludedsuch development actually costs more

taxpayer dollars to support in safetyand services than the communitywould reap.

In other words, when new big boxchains come to town, expect to paymore taxes soon.

But what about all the new sales taxrevenue those chains bring? That, too,is largely illusory. Unless an area isgrowing rapidly, retail spending (espe-cially for mass-produced items foundat the chains) is a relatively fixed pie.For example, the most thorough studyof Walmart’s impact on existing retail-ers (by Dr. Kenneth Stone of Iowa StateUniversity) found that 84 percent ofWalmart’s sales simply shifted dollarsaway from existing local (includingsome chains) retailers.

Economic Value of IndependentBusinesses

Independent local businessesemploy an array of supporting services.They hire architects, designers, cabinetshops, sign makers and contractors forconstruction. Local accountants, insur-ance brokers, computer consultants,attorneys, advertising agencies help runit. Local retailers and distributors alsocarry a higher percentage of locally-produced goods than chains, meaningmore jobs for local producers.

In contrast, a new chain store typi-cally is a clone of other units, eliminatesthe need for local planning, and uses aminimum of local goods and services.A company-owned store’s profits

COMMUNITY4 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

The Benefits of Shopping and Buying Locally

A&B Sporting Goods is a good example ofa local business that helps improve itsneighborhood. It has anchored the cornerof University Avenue and Ohio since 1940,when Joe Schloss’s parents bought it. Hestarted working there in 1946. Joe (pic-tured) is a North Park Little League coach,devoting 60 years of his life teaching young-sters.

When Big Box chains come to town, prepare to pay more taxes soon

The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) — a

national outreach networking hub and resource center for

independent business alliances and independent businesses

— has declared Saturday, July 1, through Friday, July 7, Inde-

pendents Week.

The national weeklong promotion serves to educate the pub-

lic about the importance of shopping at locally owned, inde-

pendent businesses.

“The annual celebration of our nation’s independence is a

perfect time to remind citizens that economic independence

and self-determination were founding principles of this coun-

try,” said Jennifer Rockne, the director of AMIBA. “It’s a time

to reflect on the importance of economic democracy and

community self-determination by celebrating our nation’s

locally owned independent businesses and the stake each

citizen has in shaping their hometown's future.”

AMIBA invites individual businesses and other organizations

to join the July celebration. Noting that an Independents

Week campaign can be as simple or as elaborate as a local

business or group wants to make it, Rockne explained, “We

provide templates and how-to’s for activities, buttons,

posters, press releases, and even a scavenger hunt game

board. Participants can pick and choose among the ideas for

what they want to do in their communities -- or they can

feel free to create their own ideas. The main thing is to get

lots of folks involved and make local and national news.”

More information is available at www.amiba.net

INDEPENDENTS WEEK: JULY 1-7

SEE LOCALS, Page 5

COMMUNITY

promptly are exported to corporateheadquarters. That’s simply good,efficient business for them, but notso good for our communities.

Dollars spent at community-basedmerchants create a multiplier in thelocal economy, meaning that fromeach dollar spent at a local indepen-dent merchant, up to 3.5 times asmuch wealth is generated in the localeconomy compared to a dollar spentat chain-owned businesses. This“local multiplier effect” means shift-ing more local purchasing to inde-pendent businesses is a key tool forcreating more local jobs.

Ensuring Choice and DiversityRetailers sift through competing

goods and services to find thoseappealing to their customers.Though a single local shop may carrya smaller selection than can be foundonline or at large chains, a multiplic-ity of independent retailers createsgreat diversity. When thousands ofshops serve the preferences of theircustomers tastes (and reflect differentowner’s interests), market opportu-nities are created for a wide varietyof goods and services. As fewergiant corporations dominate pro-duction, distribution and sales, afew executives and buyers choosewhat reaches customers.

Maintaining Community Character

When we’re asked to name ourfavorite restaurant, cafe, or shop,it’s invariably a unique local busi-ness. Your local paper’s “Best of”poll is proof. Those businesses

define our sense of place, but weoften forget their survival dependson our patronage.

Local owners, typically havinginvested much of their life savingsin their businesses, have a naturalinterest in the community's long-term health. Community-basedbusinesses are essential to charitableendeavors; their owners frequentlyserve on local boards and supportnumerous causes.

Yes, some chains give back totowns in which they locate, and notall local businesses are exemplarymodels. However, the overallimpacts are clear: locally-ownedbusinesses play a key role in ourcommunity that chains rarely do.

Despite the dismal trends, acounterforce is building. More than85 communities have launchedIndependent Business Alliances —coalitions of local businesses, non-profits and concerned citizens unit-ing to support local entrepreneursand prevent the loss of communi-ty-rooted businesses. (In some com-munities, chambers and downtownorganizations unafraid to promotelocal ownership can fulfill this role,too.) Working in multiple realms,including group purchasing, jointmarketing, public education and

political advocacy, these localalliances have succeeded in a diverserange of communities and are driv-ing major shifts in local culture andspending.

Their success bodes well for agrowing Localization Movementthat is reawakening people to thevalue of local self-reliance and cohe-sive communities. But for long-termprogress, a conceptual change alsois necessary. We must consciouslyplan that future with rules encour-aging the values we want reflectedin our communities. And each timewe spend a dollar, we would do wellto weigh the full value of our choic-es, not merely today, but for thefuture we want for our home towns.

(The author, Jeff Milchen, co-founded the first Independent Busi-ness Alliance in 1997 and co-directsthe American Independent BusinessAlliance AMIBA.)

Local businesses who would like toparticipate may contactB.Weber@ChooseLocalFirst.com

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 5

LOCALCONTINUED FROM Page 4

Supporting an Independent Retailer Campaign

What exactly is an independentretailer?

Independent retailers are businessesthat are privately owned. They are usu-ally thought of as single-store opera-tions but can be sizable chains. Innumbers of stores (but not sales), inde-pendents represent a majority of retail-ers and are the source of much of whatis new and different in retail.

Ensuring Choice and DiversityRetailers sift through competing goods

and services to find those appealing totheir customers. Though a single localshop may carry a smaller selection thancan be found online or at large chains, amultiplicity of independent retailers cre-ates great diversity. When thousands ofshops serve the preferences of their cus-tomers tastes (and reflect differentowner’s interests), market opportunitiesare created for a wide variety of goodsand services. As fewer giant corporationsdominate production, distribution andsales, a few executives and buyers choosewhat reaches customers.

What’s the difference between buy-ing from your local multiple storeor your independent?

The answer is that buying local isreally all about local ownership, whichis a really important factor in helpingto keep regional economies strong.More and more people understand thatsupporting independent businesses isessentially voting with your pounds fora healthy local economy.

Why are local independents so impor-tant to the local economy?

Independent businesses are moreaccountable to customers and the localcommunity, they ensure the uniquecharacter of an area, they are more likelyto support local charities and havegreater direct control over the environ-mental impact of their businesses. Sup-porting independent businesses createslocal jobs, preserves economic diversity,safeguards the environment.

Why is a offering a different shop-ping experience important?

Having a choice in what you buy isvery important. We are all unique indi-viduals with our own tastes and styles,which we want to represent. Our streetsand city centers are becoming cloned,losing any form of local

identity and offering uniformed goodsand services. Having a vibrant indepen-dent retail sector preserves choice, styleand identity.

• Retail outlets act as a focal point forcommunities to interact

• A vibrant retail sector can draw invisitors, and thus contribute significantlyto the economic prosperity of an area

• Appropriate signage and decorationcontribute positively to the wider visualenvironment, which supports other ini-tiatives.

Why is it important to supportlocal independent retailers?

We are hearing a lot about the benefitsof shopping for local foodstuffs. Manyof us don’t realize that the purchase oflocally produced food puts as much asfour to six times more money back intothe local economy than imported food-stuffs. That’s astonishing informationabout consumer power.

The same economic multiplier effectalso applies to the price of locally madeproducts, local furniture, local clothing

designs, and all kinds of goods that areactually made here in the local area.Locally produced goods and services alsomean less transportation and less burn-ing of fuel. Essentially, you vote with yourpounds to support your own local jobsand public services when you buy localfirst.

Money flowing round the localeconomy : How does this work?

This is perhaps the most exciting pointin this campaign. Money spent at locallyowned independent businesses goesaround longer in the local economy. Aslocal business people pay for all kinds oflocal services, spend their profits and paytaxes locally, this yields two to four timesthe economic benefit to you, the localresident, as comparable non-local busi-nesses. This means more local income,wealth, and jobs.

Multiple stores have all their moneysent back to their head office, so the onlymoney flowing through the local econ-omy is via the staff wages. With a locallyowned business, everything flowsthrough the local economy.

Studies: What did they find?American studies have found that

local businesses re-circulate 70 percentmore money locally than chain storesdo, per square foot occupied.

The San Francisco Retail DiversityStudy found that just a slight shift inconsumer purchasing behavior - divert-ing just 10 percent of purchases fromnational chain stores to locally ownedbusinesses - would, each year, create1,300 new jobs in the city and yieldnearly $200 million in incremental eco-nomic activity.

If this doesn’t convince you, considerthe quality of the shopping experience.

Whilst there’s inherently nothingwrong with the multiple stores in everystreet across the country, it’s the mix ofindependent retailers that make theshopping mix interesting.

How do we go forward andwhat do you want to do?

Retailing is all about image, It’s abouta vision for our city or town. Its aboutwhat makes our locality unique. We needto look at the vision for our towns

and city centers and the image we areportraying. There is overwhelming evi-dence that local businesses are the keyto pumping up local income, wealth,jobs, and taxes. The more residents, busi-nesses, and city officials support locallyowned businesses, the greater the eco-nomic rewards.

The issue of car parking must be prop-erly addressed as a priority. Out-of-townshopping centers benefit from the advan-tage of huge, free parking facilities, andthis has created an imbalance as themajority of town centre parking is cur-rently chargeable and hard to find. Thisfactor is often what makes the differencein a shopper’s choice of where to go andtherefore parking availability and pricingmust be a key element in regenerationplanning.

That sounds interesting, but whatcan I do?

You can vote with your purse or wal-let in favor of locally-owned, indepen-dent businesses. Don’t let your streetbecome another statistic — Join our“Thanks for supporting a local Inde-pendent retailer” campaign.

Choose Local First!

The Timken Museum of Art isexhibiting one of about 36 knownpaintings by world-class master artistJohannes Vermeer through Sept. 11,2015. The exhibition, “The PrivateWorld of Vermeer,” showcases hismasterpiece, “Woman in Blue Read-ing a Letter.”

Luminous and exquisitely ren-dered, “Woman in Blue Reading aLetter” (about 1663-1664) is one ofVermeer’s most captivating portrayalsof a young woman’s private world.This generous loan from theRijksmuseum in Amsterdam marksthe first appearance of this remark-able painting in San Diego. TheTimken’s special installation allowsvisitors to have an intimate experi-ence with “Woman in Blue Readinga Letter” and highlights one of themost celebrated painters of the DutchGolden Age.

Praised as one of Vermeer’s mostbeautiful paintings, “Woman in BlueReading a Letter” demonstrates the

artist’s exceptional command ofcolor, light and perspective. Onlyabout 36 of Vermeer’s paintings areknown. He is considered one of themost distinctive and influential mas-ters of the Golden Age.

The four-month exhibition alsofeatures a variety of events, whichinclude noted scholars on Vermeer.Many of the events are free to thepublic and are designed to give guestsan enhanced understanding of theVermeer and other masterpieces inthe Timken’s collection:

Wednesday, June 24 at 12:30 p.m.Art in the Afternoon Gallery Talk“The Unseen Window in Vermeer’s

“Woman in Blue Reading a Letter”Speaker: Karen Hellman, assistant

curator, department of photographs,J. Paul Getty Museum. Admission:Free

Although the canvases of Vermeerwere created two centuries prior tothe invention of photography, theirquiet, luminous depictions of interior

scenes have often been related to“photographic” qualities. This pre-sentation discusses a few ways inwhich photography can offer a newlens through which to view “Womanin Blue Reading a Letter.”

Wednesday, July 1 at 12:30 p.m.Art in the Afternoon Gallery Talk“Discordant Serenity and the

Painting of Vermeer”Speaker: Claudine Dixon, curato-

rial administrator, prints and draw-ings, Los Angeles County Museum ofArt. Admission: Free

Vermeer’s “Woman in Blue Read-ing a Letter” will be discussed in thecontext of some of the historical andcontemporary events surroundingthe painting and its fantastic journeyfrom 17th century Delft in the

Netherlands to recent visits to South-ern California.

Monday, July 13 at 10 a.m.Guest Lecture“The Interior Life of Vermeer”Speaker: Amy Walsh, curator of

European paintings, Los AngelesCounty Museum of Art. Admission:Free.

Gallery talks feature leading cura-tors, historians, scholars, and artists.Guests will walk, talk, and explore theTimken collection and special exhi-bitions. Registration is not required.

For more events and details about“The Private World of Vermeer,” visitthe website atwww.timkenmuseum.org or call(619) 239-5548.

6 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

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kellysdnews@gmail.com------------------------------

Writers/ColumnistsTodd Gloria

Bart MendozaDelle Willett

Anna Lee FlemingSara Wacker

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North Park News encourage letters to the edi-

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Timken on Vermeer Museum to show-case master artist Johannes Vermeer’sfamous ‘Woman in Blue Reading a Letter’

The Japanese Friendship Gardenin Balboa Park has undergone amajor expansion in anticipation ofthis year’s Balboa Park CentennialCelebration.

Included in this expansion is a newInamori Pavilion Building that wasdesigned by Kotaro Nakamura, theinterim director of the San DiegoState University School of Art andDesign.

The building was made possible bya donation from Kazuo Inamori, whois also the founder of the KyoceraCorporation and the InternationalKyoto Prize.

Nakamura’s visionSurrounded by a koi pond, the

building has been designed inauthentic Japanese style called Sukiyaand will serve as a multi-purposeroom for lectures, exhibitions andweddings. It is a project Nakamurahas taken great pride in.

“For the Japanese-American com-munity in San Diego and the SanDiego community at large, this willbe there many years for people toenjoy and to create a friendshipbetween the two countries,” Nakamu-ra said. “It’s a very meaningful projectfor me and I was fortunate to be ableto contribute to it.”

Nakamura grew up in Japan andcame to the SDSU as a graduate stu-dent, before embarking on a 30-year

career as an architect. Despite hisexperience, Nakamura explained thathe spent a lot of time studying tradi-tional Japanese architecture so hecould design the building to be asauthentic as possible.

“There are a lot of Japanese-look-ing buildings, but there are not toomany authentic post and beam struc-tures,” Nakamura said.

Authentic Japanese-stylearchitecture

He ensured this build-ing would be authenticby using Alaskan YellowCedar for the post andbeams that support thestructure. While thewood was more expen-sive, it is traditionallyused in Japanese build-ings because it is strongand can withstand theelements.

Originally, some people were con-cerned about the exposed wood look-ing aged over time, but Nakamuraexplained that was an important partof Japanese culture.

“Ageing is a part of the aestheticsin Japan,” Nakamura said. “It is aprinciple called “wabi-sabi” thatmeans accepting the beauty of ageand not going against natural order.The beauty is that we are a part ofthat time and life is not permanent;we are born and will die but this

building will stand.”More informationThe Japanese Friendship

Garden has been expanded to11-acres and now alsoincludes a 200 Cherry TreeGrove, a Tea and Herb Gardenand a Children’s Garden. It isopen seven days a week from10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

SDSU Director Designs Inamori Pavilion In Park’s Japanese Friendship GardenADAMS AVENUE NEWS

Kotaro Nakamura, interim director of theSDSU School of Art and Design.

Kazuo Inamori,founder of KyoceraCorporation.

COMMUNITY MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 7

My Town Community Calendars ispleased to announce the expanded 2016full-color edition of the highly success-ful wall calendars will be available toarea residents in the communities ofNorth Park, South Park, NormalHeights, Kensington, University Heightsand Hillcrest for the first time thisDecember.

The 2016 Community Calendar is alarge (12 x 22”) wall calendar that willbe mailed free of charge to virtuallyevery household in each neighborhood.Each My Town Calendar, which is pro-duced annually, includes coupon offersfrom local businesses, as well as impor-tant area phone numbers, websites,community events, holiday listings, andmore. The calendars also feature localneighborhood photographs and art-work from area photographers andartists.

My Town Community Calendarshave been distributed for years indozens of communities across the coun-try. Local businesses sponsor the cal-endars and many offer coupons andspecial offers throughout the year. Alarge focus of the calendars will be onpromoting local independent businessesand encourages residents to shop andbuy from local independent business-es.

In addition to receiving these free cal-endars in the mail, residents can findadditional copies at several businessesand other venues throughout eachneighborhood.

My Town Community Calendars arepublished by locally owned DiscoverCustom Media in cooperation with thenonprofit community support organi-zation Choose Local First.

Business sponsorship opportunitiesare limited and are reserved on a firstcome, first served basis, and more infor-mation, including business sponsorshipopportunities, please contact ReachLocals@MyTownCalendars.com.

2016 CommunityWall CalendarsMailed Free to

Local Residents

TRAVEL8 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Visiting Cuba seemed such a faroff and complicated adventure,but when North Park residentsTom and Phyllis Shess learnedof a legal tour to the forbiddenisland, it was a travel opportu-nity too good to pass up.

“We chose a tour companythat was sanctioned by our gov-ernment to offer cultural and

educational tours to Cuba,” said Phyllis, aretired deputy district attorney.

The couple liked what the tour offered: eightdays in Cuba and escorted by twoSpanish/English speaking tour guides: oneAmerican and one Cuban. Plus, the groupwas limited to 20 persons, which meant lotsof room on the 80-seat Chinese-made tourbus.

As everyone knows, the U.S. has embargoedCuba since the 1960s and only recently haveboth sides sat down to discuss normalizationof relations. For more than a decade, however,both countries have had in place a travel pro-gram allowing U.S. citizens to travel to Cubaas long as they participated in an escorted tour.

Called “people to people tours,” the U.S.Treasury-approved program has opened asmall window of travel opportunities for NorteAmericanos. Discovery Tours by Gate 1 is oneof the tour operators granted a license by theOffice of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ofthe U.S. Department of the Treasury to pro-vide People to People programs in Cuba.

Still, statistics offered by the tour operatorssay only three percent of Cuba’s annualtourism is made up of U.S. citizens.

With the possibility that the embargo wouldbe lifted soon (not as of this writing in lateMay), the couple decided to sign on to a Dis-covery Tours group “to see Cuba before PBStravel guru Rick Steves,” said Tom with a smile.

With passports in hand, they flew to Miaminon-stop from Lindbergh Field on American

Airlines. Gate1 put the group into a Miamihotel to orient all with two lectures: one ontrip logistics and one on what to expect. Priceof the tour included the tour operator takingcare of visas, tips, transfers, logistics, diningand insurance.

The next day, aboard Sun Country, a USAcharter 737, the couple landed in Cienfuegos,Cuba. There the modern Hotel Jaqua was used

as the group’s three-night base for trips tonearby Trinidad and Santa Clara.

From Cienfuegos, the group bussed toHavana to stay at the famed Hotel Nacional.En route they stopped at Playa Giron, a villagenoted for its recreational diving. It was alsothe landing beach, where the ill-fated Bay ofPigs anti-Castro invasion took place in theearly 1960s.

“Visiting the invasion museum was a must,”

said Phyllis, “But so was a fantastic lunch atnearby Hostel Enrique, named for a local fish-erman who operates a family-style restaurantin his home during the day. Space does notallow a mention of all the terrific mealsenjoyed, she said, but at Enrique’s casa, thered snapper was totally fresh from theCaribbean and served with rice, black beans,local vegetables, home-baked bread.

The Gate 1 trip wrapped up with four daysin Havana, where the streets are filled withcolorful vintage Detroit-made cars. Chevy’sseem to the most popular. Those old cars areeverywhere, but word has it only 60,000 stillexist. And those colorful, albeit recycled beau-ties dominate Havana streets, especially onthose plentiful sunny weekends in the trop-ics.

Havana’s 500-year old lineage has made it a

UNESCO world heritage site. The tour walkedover the cobblestones of Old Havana to beamazed at the disrepair of so many of the his-torical buildings, but at the same time in aweof the spirit of accomplishment by restorationarchitects, who have brought back historicstructures from decay with tiny budgets, saidTom.

“Of course, we visited old Hispanic fortsguarding the entrance to Havana’s port, butsome of us escaped the tour to shop at thebest cigar store in Havana (located in theCastillo del Morro),” said Tom.

Phyllis added that Cubans are very creativewhen it comes to dining. Zoning or some-times the lack of it allows for private homesto double as fine restaurants. Tour guidespicked the best ones, including Hostal Valencianear Plaza San Francisco, and further West wedined at ArtChef and La Moraleja Restaurant,two of the many splendid paladors (privatehome restaurants) near our hotel.

“Of course, there was the famed Restau-rante Café de Oriente on Plaza San Francisco,which is government run and world class,”said Phyllis. “It’s a jewel worth dining at withprices that were pleasantly low given the classyservice and menu offerings (filet mignon, lob-ster and salmon, for example), priced under$25.”

Tom offered, “On the one free night (on ourown) we visited all of the cliché bars of OldHavana: La Floridita, La Bodeguita del Medio(home of the Mojito), Sloppy Joe’s and theHall of Heroes (Hotel Nacional).

Craft beer from Factoria Cerveza on PlazaVieja was first rate. “And we ended the eveningwith cigars and a fine port in Bar Churchilllocated in a nook off the lobby of the HotelNacional (a 1930s edifice akin to San Diego’sLa Valencia hotel),” said Tom.

And, remember if you’re seeking a tour thatgives you lots of free time to go diving or rent-ing a car to tour the island, this current

NORTH PARK CUBATRAVELING TO THE FORBIDDEN ISLE IS LEGAL AND EASIER THAN EVER

TONORTH PARK CUBA

North Parkers Mike, Phyllis and Tom Shess in Cienfuegos.

Skyline of 500-year-old Havana is seen from the equally ancient fortress Castillo del Morro. In between is the entrance to Havana Harbor. (Photo: Gary Payne)

BY BRAD WEBER

TRAVEL MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 9

arrangement is not for you.The legal tours offered now (they’re the only

ones from the U.S.) are escorted and have anagenda. Tom added, “For the most part, whatwas on our plate were places and people wewould have missed if left on our own. Andthat would have been sad because we metsome genuinely nice Cubans in corners of thecountry that we would have missed.”

“Because the tour operators were so orga-nized,” said Phyllis, “we didn’t mind the lackof freedom to explore on our own. What theyshowed us was remarkable, especially the art,culture and the special concerts they arrangedon our behalf. And, we were shown shoppingareas and folk art galleries. We were notdeprived of places to spend our money.”

Speaking of money, the Cuban governmenthas two currencies. Most businesses won’t takeU.S. dollars. To spend you must convert dol-lars to the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC).For that transaction, Fidel takes 13 percent offthe top. Convert $100 U.S. and you get back87 CUC. The other currency is about 5:1 vs.U.S. dollar, but that is reserved for Cubansonly.

When the embargo is eventually lifted andunlimited travel between Cubans andNorteamericanos becomes the norm — Cubawill have to do something about the dualingPesos, said Tom. But for now, Fidel’s touristtax is mandatory and exists as one of the real-ities when visiting the Republic of Cuba, hesaid.

How poor is Cuba? “That’s a discussion thatwill be played out in the media for years tocome,” said Tom. “The fact is, Cubans earnabout $25 per month on top of free medical,dental, education, housing and a free monthlyfoodstuffs ration card. “But despite the social-istic perks, it will be a footrace between whocrumbles first — Castro, the Cuban economyor the infrastructure of the country.”

(Freelance writer Tom Shess also publishes adaily online magazine called Pillar to Post(www.Tomshess.blogspot.com) and beginningJune 1 through June 30 he will post articles, com-mentary and original photography of Cuba froma recent trip.)

The green flash you see here is a early 1950s Chevrolet zipping alongHavana’s iconic Malecon roadway. It may have a Russian diesel engine withNorth Korean tires and running on Venezuelan gasoline. (Photo: Gary Payne)

With public rehab dollars scarce, some scaffoldings have been up for decades waiting for funds to finish the job. Vines growing here are in Havana nearthe Capitol building. (Photo: Michael Shess)

As Tom and Phyllis learned from

researching Cuba, many Ameri-

can-run tour companies have

charters to run “average Joe and

Jane” tours to Cuba.

The packages offered are very

complete. Bring your checkbook

for about $3,500 per person and

have a valid passport (must be

good for six months before you

arrive in Cuba).

Tour groups offering legal travel

to Cuba have been operating for

more than a decade. Here are

three of the busiest.

• Discovery Tours / Gate1

www.discovery-tours.com

(877) 900-9777

• Insight Cuba

www.insightcuba.com

(800) 450.2822

• Road Scholar

www.roadscholar.org

HOW TO GET THERE LEGALLY

Dawn of a new day in Cuba. Sunrise over Cienfuegos Bay in Southern Cuba.(Photo: Phyllis Shess)

The People to People tour agenda included cultural stops such as listening to this modern string combo made up of area music teachers in Cienfuego,Cuba. When this photo was taken they were playing a tender version of ‘Shenendoah,’ a traditional American tune. (Photo: Phyllis Shess)

This idyllic beach next to the aquamarine Caribbean Sea is the NormandyBeach of Cuba. It is here on this shore the Bay of Pigs Invasion began andended. Anti-Castro forces were routed in 1961. (Photo: Tom Shess)

NEWS10 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Her paintings and reliefs, linocutsand prints reflect Mexican folk art,with many depicitons of animals andin particular, horses.

Belen graduated from UC SanDiegowith a bachelor’s degree in visu-al arts and has taught art with SanDiego Unified School District for 15years. She has exhibited her prize-winning mixed media pieces in publicbuildings in San Diego, as well as atLindbergh Field.

Before coming to San Diego in2012, Jim was a successful businessprofessional and part owner of a pro-fessiona Arena football team inAlabama. He is a veteran of the U.S.Army.

The palettes of their lives have notalways been so rosy. As a “prep time”art teacher, Belen’s livelihood isunpredictable and dependent onplacement from human resources.

Money for supplies is scarce, andsome school climates have been lessthan easy to work in. She lost herbeloved printing press in a divorce.

Jim’s background could not foretellthe talent he has for painting. Hurri-cane Katrina changed his life. Hismarriage dissolved, his business wasdestroyed and he found himself SanDiego-bound in search of a new start.

A traumatic brain injury left himparalyzed on his left side, but duringrehabilitation he learned to grasp, andmanipulate a paintbrush. His art wasa “spontaneously-acquired talent,” anew direction for him to pursue.

These days, Belen is happy with herteaching situation and looking for-ward to a trip to New York with hertwin sister. Visiting the Guggenheimand Metropolitan Museum are highon her list.

The couple is fixing up their home,and have converted the garage into abright studio. Jim repurposed whatwas probably a produce stand that he

found outside the old Albertson’s onLouisiana Street. It is now used as atable for drawing and painting.

Most of his work up to now is inwatercolors. Influenced by the South-ern Gulf Coast, he depicts jewel-tonedsea turtles, seahorses, crabs and othersea life. He playfully assigns whimsicalnames to his paintings. He is planningon doing some sculpting with a prod-uct he created, a proprietary formula.

Belen works in mixed media,acrylics, and paper mache. She alsoproduces linocut prints.

Both have created prints, hand-pulled, signed, and limited in repro-duction. Jim isn’t looking to make alot of money at this point … in thepast, he experienced wealth, but nowprefers the time to devote to his art andsome writing. The two artists comple-ment each other, managing household,career and creative activities.

A familiar freshman college courseis Art Appreciation. Perhaps debat-able is the idea that one can berequired to appreciate art, but Jimand Belen hope viewers are pleasedand even inspired by their work. Youcan see it (he paints under the nameArt James) on their website,BeansandGreensArt.com.

Jim has some pieces for sale onSanDiegoArt.com. He will exhibit atnext year’s Little Italy Art Walk. Bothhe and Belen are exhibiting on Ket-tner Boulevard at Casa Art Elexia.

ARTISTSCONTINUED FROM Page 1

Jim Childers and Belen Jacot have ‘forgedthe artistic and life partnership that isBeans and Greens Studio.’

Psychedelic Seahorse.

Fleet in Flight.

kitchen. Our 2015 Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America havealso distinguished themselves as innovators, leaders, andmentors in their chosen career paths. It is our honor torecognize them for their many and varied contributionsto our industry,” said Editor Matthew Stevens.

After graduating high school, Lisa won the AnneCriswell scholarship to attend the Art Institute of Houston.

She had the opportunity to work in the pristine kitchensof the Houston Country Club and Four Seasons Hotelwhere her love of pastry was ignited.

She continued her career as pastry chef for John Harrisat Lilette Restaurant in New Orleans after meeting hersoul mate — Keegan Gerhard — in love and pastry at theCoupe de Monde in Lyon, France.

The next important step in her pastry career was a moveto Las Vegas. Lisa once again joined the team at the FourSeasons before becoming the opening pastry chef forCorsa Restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas.

It was during their time in Vegas that Lisa, and nowhusband Keegan realized that their dream of opening aplace of their own wouldn’t always have to be just a dream.

In 2008, Lisa and Keegan brought their dream to realitywith the opening of D Bar Desserts in Denver. Lisa wasquickly named best new pastry chef in Denver by localmedia and D Bar named top 10 best new restaurants inDenver by 5280 magazine in its opening year.

D Bar has been awarded People’s Choice Best Dessertsin Denver every year since it opened. Lisa and Keegan’splan for D Bar was simple: only build them in cities thatthey love! And that’s when they opened the Hillcrestrestaurant in 2012.

The 2015 top chef winners will be featured in the Augustissue of Dessert Professional.

The Top Chefs:Lisa Bailey, D Bar Restaurant, HillcrestMichelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis, Minn.Jimmy Leclerk, Laduree USA, New York, N.Y.Salvatore Martone, Atelier Joel Robuchon, Las VegasMaura Metheny, Norman Love Confections, Ft. Meyers, Fla.Thomas Raquel, Le Bernardin, New York, N.Y.Thiago Silva, EMM Group, New York, N.Y.Miroslav Uskokovic, Gramercy Tavern, New York, N.Y.William Werner, Craftsman & Wolves, San FranciscoZac Yong, David Burke Group, New York, N.Y.

CHEFCONTINUED FROM Page 1

Thumbs up from Lisa Bailey in New York City with husband Keegan Gerhard.

Lisa sets the table in advance of the tasting session.

NEWS MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 11

Girl Scouts Salute the Military Operation Thin Mint Sendoff

Warren David Keith in ‘Be Here Now, The Journey of Ram Dass.’

Ten-year-old Girl Scout JasmineRomero of Hillcrest was among topcookie sellers who took center stageaboard the USS Midway Museumduring Girl Scouts San Diego’s14th annual Operation ThinMint (OTM) Sendoff.

Event highlights included livemusic, helicopter action, a rifle drillteam, and an all-woman color guardrepresenting the U.S. Air Force,Army, Marine Corps and Navy.

The Sendoff showcases GirlScouts San Diego’s OTM program,through which generous cookie cus-tomers “send a taste of home and anote to show we care” to deployedservice men and women.

This year, San Diegans celebratedsending the 2.5 millionth box ofcookies to U.S. military troops. WellsFargo, Cox Communications,SDG&E, KPBS and KSON wereFour Star sponsors. The USS Mid-way Museum provided key support.

Jasmine — from Girl ScoutJunior Troop 2037 — was one ofjust 20 top cookie sellers in theregion who sold 2,015 or moreboxes in 2015 (Jasmine sold 2,045,including 427 donated to the mili-tary).

The girls arrived and departed theSendoff by helicopter as a rewardfor their hard work. All cookie pro-ceeds stay local to fund troop activ-ities, community service projectsand other leadership experiences,like Girl Scout camp and careerdevelopment workshops.

The Sendoff festivities began onthe flight deck, which featured vin-tage aircraft displays, Uncle Sam onstilts and canine ambassadors forFreedom Dogs, a nonprofit organi-zation serving wounded warriors.

Military personnel from allbranches took part in a lively cere-mony emceed by KSON DJs Johnand Tammy. Spectators enjoyed per-formances by the Faultlines bandfeaturing The Voice contestant Ash-

ley Morgan, and the San Diego HighSchool JROTC drill team.

Attendees had the opportunity topersonally thank members of thearmed forces for serving their coun-try — and to write notes of supportfor deployed troops receiving cook-ies through OTM. Participants also

donated nonperishable groceries toThe Jacobs & Cushman San DiegoFood Bank, which held a food drivethat morning.

OTM Sendoff guests includedGirl Scouts taking part in a sleepoveraboard the historic ship, whichrecently marked its 70th anniver-

sary. Girls bunked below deck to geta taste of Navy life. While exploringthe world-class carrier, they learnedabout the nearly all-women crewwho built the ship.

BY JANINE ROJAS

Girl Scout Jasmine Romero of Hillcrestsold 2,045 boxes of Girl Scout cookies,helping support Operation Thin Mint andGirl Scouting.

Girl Scouts, military personnel and other community members gathered aboard the USS Midway Museum for the 14th annualOperation Thin Mint sendoff.

Community and Board MeetingsGreater Golden Hill Community Development Corp.The CDC normally meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Thurs-day of the month at the Golden Hill Recreation Center,2600 Golf Course Drive. Email: info@goldenhillcdc.org.

Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee meets at 6:30p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at the BalboaGolf Course clubhouse, 2600 Golf Course Drive. Forinformation, call (619) 533-5284.

The North Park Redevelopment Project Area Com-mittee meets at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the monthat the Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. Meetingsfocus on redevelopment projects in construction orplanning. For information, visit sandiego.gov/redevel-opment-agency.The North Park Main Street board meets at 7 a.m. thesecond Wednesday of the month at its storefront office,3076 University Ave. North Park Main Street has morethan 250 members, primarily businesses paying annualassessments in the city-authorized North Park BID. Forinformation, call 294-2501.

The North Park Maintenance Assessment DistrictCommittee normally meets at 6 p.m. the second Mon-day of every other month at North Park CommunityAdult Center, 2719 Howard Ave.

The North Park Planning Committee meets meets at6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month at North ParkChristian Fellowship, 2901 North Park Way. The com-mittee is an advisory group to the city on North Parkland use, including the general plan, infrastructure anddensity. For information, visit northparkplanning.org.

The North Park Community Association meets from6 to 8 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month at theLafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. The CommunityAssociation provides a forum for issues and concernsabout public safety, education, land use, public facilitiesand services, commercial revitalization, communityimage and cultural activities. For more information,visit northparksd.org.

The North Park Historical Society meets from 6:30to 8 p.m. the third Thursday of each month. The His-

torical Society conducts research and educational out-reach in order to facilitate preservation of North Park'scultural and architectural history. For more information,visit www.northparkhistory.org.

The South Park Business Group meets on the lastWednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at AlchemyRestaurant, 30th & Beech. The SPBG is comprised ofbusiness owners with storefronts and service businesseslocated in South Park. The organization produces thequarterly South Park Walkabouts and the annual OldHouse Fair. For more information, call (619) 233-6679or email PBG@lucyslist.net.

The University Heights Community Association meetsat 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month in the audito-rium of Birney Elementary School, 4345 Campus Ave.For information, call 297-3166.

The Adams Avenue Business Association board ofdirectors normally meets at 7:30 a.m. the first Tuesdayof the month at the Normal Heights Community Cen-ter, 4649 Hawley Blvd. For time, place and more infor-mation, call (619) 282-7329 or visitadamsaveonline.com.

The Kensington/Talmadge Planning Group meets at6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at Kens-ington Community Church, 4773 Marlborough Drive.For information, call 287-3157.

The Lions Club of North Park meets for lunch everyWednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the club, 3927Utah St. Prospective members are welcome to enjoytheir first lunch on the club. For information, call (619)692-0540.

Uptown Rotary welcomes prospective members at its 7a.m. Thursday breakfasts at Jimmy Carter’s MexicanCafé, 3172 Fifth Ave. For more, call (619) 500-3229 orvisit sdurotary.org.

The North Park Recreation Council meets at 6 p.m.the fourth Monday of every other month at North ParkRecreation Center, 4044 Idaho St. For information, call235-1152.

Vantage Theatre toPresent 2 PlaysPerformances July 23-31 in Swedenborg Hall

Vantage Theatre is offering twoproductions in July as part of theSan Diego International FringeFestival. The productions will be per-formed July 23-31at SwedenborgHall, 1531 Tyler St.“So Small A Thing” by DominiqueSalerno is a new, modern take onthe ancient story of Jason andMedea. Trapped in a stuck eleva-tor in the afterlife, this mythiccouple grapples with issues oflove, sex and loyalty, that still res-onate in today’s modern world. This brand new play is full ofhumor, wit, and passion. StarringSan Diego Rep’s very own JohnAnderson and the glamorous,sexy, yoga flexible, .Jennie OlsonSix. It’s sure to be a Fringe Festivalfavorite. “Be Here Now The Journey ofRam Dass” by Lynne Kaufman. Apsychedelic journey to enlighten-

ment with Ram Dass (aka,Richard Alpert, who, with Timo-thy Leary, was kicked out of Har-vard for LSD experiments.)After that glimpse behind the cur-tain of life, Richard Alpert traveledto India, studied intensively withhis guru, Neem Karoli Baba, andwas given the name Ram Dass,which means Servant of God.He came back and wrote thedefinitive book “Be Here Now”and became the spiritual father ofthe ’60s. Vantage Theatre is once again tak-ing San Diego audiences on anenlightened journey presentingWarren David Keith in this criti-cally acclaimed play. In 2014, allperformances sold out, and peo-ple had to be turned away. Toensure you get a seat buy early.Where : Swedenborg Hall 1531Tyler St. Free parking in the loton Campus drive.

DINING12 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

June 27th 1-9 PM, 3450 Adams Avenue. Owners Dick & Anna Van Ransomwelcome you to a with a fun filled celebration of 15 years on Adams Avenue fea-turing: • Live bands (to be announced) playing at Smitty’s Service across thestreet on Adams Ave. • Rolled back prices to the year 2000! • Fun, Fun, Fun• Bring the kids! • Come and join the party! For more information go towww.mariposaicecream.com and/or www.ChooseLocalFirst.org

Mariposa Homemade Ice Cream15 year Anniversary!

ARTS

When we visit museums and gal-leries, we are able to view great worksby master artists. In attending perfor-mance art, we can experience the mes-sage and emotion the artist aims tocommunicate. What is often missingin these exhibitions, though, is the per-sonal story behind the art: whatinspired the artists, how they create,and their personal stories.

Chris Fessenden is looking tochange that by introducing “The ArtistOdyssey,” a global arts network thattells the stories behind the art. The SanDiego-based organization, called TAO,is launching a network featuring aseries of artist interviews and discus-sions with photographers, filmmakers,musicians, visual artists, and perform-ing artists. They will share their artistic

inspiration and process, deliveredthrough visually rich storytelling thatputs the audience in the gallery or stu-dio with the artist.

When The Artist Odyssey launcheson Nov. 1, the arts network will deliverpremium arts television and supportschool arts programs. The artist inter-views are a lot like “Inside the Actor’sStudio,” but in addition to a conver-sation on the couch, viewers get to goinside the artists’ studios, see theirwork, and hear their music. The deliv-ery of programs is by subscription,much like Netflix, for the arts.

The network itself will launch in fallwith its flagship show, a series featur-ing artist interviews and discussionswith photographers, filmmakers,musicians, visual artists, and perform-ing artists. An additional part of TAO’smission is to support arts education,so each artist interview will includelessons that can be used by arts edu-cators in the classroom — or anyoneat home.

Longtime San Diego resident andUC San Diego alumnus Fessendensays inspiration for The Artist Odysseystemmed from being around artists.“I had a great-aunt who was a profes-sional photographer engaged in bothphotojournalism and fine art photog-raphy,” he said. “My parents were bothinvolved in the arts and now ourdaughter is a budding artist. But thebiggest inspiration was being fortunateenough to observe several friends takethe journey in the arts, as they grewfrom novice in their niche throughyears of struggle and explorationbefore finally evolving into accom-plished and professional artists. Shar-ing a look into that often-magicaljourney is our mission.”

TAO has established partnershipswith several arts organizations, includ-

ing UCSD ArtPower!, San Diego Visu-al Arts Network, Vanguard Culture,the Bronx Artist Documentary Pro-ject, and the Filmatic Festival, amongothers, to collaborate on arts events,content, and arts education initiatives.

“Our commitment to documentingartist stories and supporting arts edu-cation stems not just from our passionfor the arts. The arts can teach peoplehow to interact with others, how tocommunicate, how to feel good aboutthemselves, and how to becomethoughtful, productive members ofsociety,” Fessenden said. “The creativ-ity that the arts foster is vital across somany facets of our society — it’s fartoo important to neglect.”

CORE TEAMFounder

Chris Fessenden was fortunate tobe raised surrounded by the arts. Now,as a parent with a front row seat toboth the benefits of arts education andthe erosion of school arts programs,he is especially motivated to work fora better future. Chris brings highly rel-evant media experience as the founderof a video production and distributioncompany; financial experience fromover a decade helping large institu-tional investors with equity strategiesin the technology, media, and con-sumer sectors; and practicalentrepreneurial experience from twoprior startups.

Nena Anderson brings a wide vari-ety of creative skills including music,graphic design, directing and produc-ing photo and video shoots. Nenaspent years helping guide creativeefforts at Redsand and Electra, two

San Diego companies that grew fromthe garage to being sold. As an Amer-icana artist, Nena has been nominatedfor 10 San Diego Music Awards in thecategories of Jazz, Americana, Acous-tic, and New Artist. Her debut album“Beyond The Lights,” released fall2011, has earned comparisons to earlyLucinda Williams, Rickie Lee Jonesand Bob Dylan with its accessible anddeceptively uncomplicated lyrics andbluesy Alt. Country sound.

Host/Co-ProducerJames Brown is an innovative and

creative media professional with over

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 13

BY JENNIFER COBURN

The Artist Odyssey San Diegan to launch new global arts network

SEE ART, Page 14

a decade of digital and broadcast pro-duction experience. With a musicbackground that led to working forVH-1 in London, James has super-vised numerous international docu-mentary projects as the director, pro-

ducer, and host for Epic GlobalMedia. He has a breadth of experi-ence across all aspects of production— deal negotiation, internationalproduction logistics, executing pro-jects from script to screen, directing,editing, and client management.James is a two-time Emmy nomineein the Pacific Southwest chapter for“Outstanding Achievement in Cul-

tural Programming” and won the2011 “Award of Excellence” at the LosAngeles Movie Awards in the Docu-mentary Short category.

DirectorSilvin Morgan brings a blend of

technical expertise, two decades ofproduction experience, and artisticvision to The Artist Odyssey. He

studied film and photography atAcademy of Art University in SanFrancisco. Silvin’s wide breadth ofproduction background includeseverything from award-winningshort/comedy/horror films, Saturdaymorning kids’ cartoons, video mar-keting packages, and independentmusic videos to public serviceannouncements for the city of San

Francisco, feature-length narrative,and documentary films. His experi-ence also includes work on HGTV’sLandscape Smart series and all cre-ative duties for a surfing series onThe Water Channel.

ARTS & DINING14 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

Alexander Schaffer

ARTCONTINUED FROM Page 13

Artist Trinh Mai at work.

Marc Ford

Mario Torero at SD Museum of Art

CRAFTSMAN

Like everything else about style inthis post-Victorian period, double-hung and casement windows in Arts& Crafts houses were an unobtrusiveyet radical break with tradition. Forexample, the bilateral symmetry ofVictorian doors and windows —which often were grouped in twos, aswith side-by-side double doors andtwo-over-two window sash (double-hung windows with two narrow panesof glass in each sash) — was oftenabandoned for a less static rhythm ofthrees. A key example is the Chicagowindow, an early “picture window”with two narrow lights (panes) flank-ing a large center light.

This simple change in the mathresulted in the transition from tall andvertical (Second Empire, Queen Anne)to ground-hugging and horizontal(the Arts & Crafts Bungalow). You seethis geometry and massing in residen-tial architecture ranging from theJapanesque “ultimate bungalows” ofGreene and Greene to the thousandsof low-slung houses built by develop-ers.

Think of it this way: Rather thanthe tall, narrower windows seen onVictorian styles like Italianate or Stick,the typical Arts & Crafts window hasa three-light upper sash over a single-light sash. Variations include multiplesof three in the top sash: six, nine, or12 lights. On even modest storey-and-a-half bungalows, the living room’slarge square or rectangular window isusually flanked by narrow three-over-one sash windows. Another variationis a large pane with a transom-like rowof fixed, rectangular lights above. Dia-mond patterns formed by crossed orintersecting muntins are slightlydressier but not uncommon.

Amplifying the effect, double-hungand casement windows are oftenganged in rows of three or more undera plain but simple group header —usually a flat, fairly deep, square-edgedboard—and share a common sill. The

straight yet ample architectural linethis creates is unique, a signature ele-ment that marks a house as Arts &Crafts. In one configuration, a triplewindow alludes to the classical Palla-dian or Venetian window, three partswith hierarchy, but without curves.

Exceptions exist, of course: SomeAmerican Foursquare and PrairieSchool houses have windows groupedin twos and fours. Curves and archesenter the picture in Romantic styleslike Spanish and Tudor Revival.

Leaded and stained glass windowsare still in use in this period, but inrelatively simple styles and configura-tions. Prairie School architects, whoinclude Louis Sullivan and FrankLloyd Wright, were the exception, cre-ating geometric, never-before-seendesigns. While the motif might besimple—a sunburst or a cat-tail, forinstance—their designs were intricatecompositions. Tiny bits of glass are fit-

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 15

Windows Common to theArts & Crafts Era BY MARY ELLEN POLSON | ARTS & CRAFTS HOMES AND THE REVIVAL

The diamond pattern in the top sash of a vacation cottage likely came from a stock buildingsupply house ca. 1920.

Pella’s tall narrow lights in tall narrowsashes match period designs for thegrouped windows and sidelights ofthis English cottage.

SEE WINDOWS, Page 16

CRAFTSMAN16 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

ted into chevrons to compose leaves;diamond shapes interlock and seem tobe three-dimensional. It’s an architec-ture of light. Their tall and narrow win-dows are grouped together in rows offour to as many as 12, emphasizing thehorizontal lines inherent in the style.Leaded patterns provide decorativerelief as well as some screening betweenindoors and out.

The Good News in New Windows

The demand for Arts & Crafts-inspired windows for new builds andadditions is strong, and contemporarywindow manufacturers have paidattention. Marvin, for example, haslong made wood windows to order andwill match historic window sash. Thecompany recently redesigned its sashwindow to provide a deeper sill withrelief, more in character with those onhistoric buildings. Importantly, thelights (individual panes) are now tallerand narrower (not square or horizon-tal), bringing them closer to periodwindows.

Another key window detail is themuntin, the narrow bar that separatesthe glass into divided lights, or panes.For the most authentic results, copythe depth, width, and moulding pro-files of muntins on existing windowswhen ordering new ones. Whether truemuntins that separate individual piecesof glass, or an integrated grid, themuntins are important as they throwshadows that add relief to the façade.

For years, owners have settled forstock configurations, only to noticeafter the windows are replaced that thehouse looks dramatically different. For-tunately, computer capabilities nowmake it easier for a window manufac-turer to customize new windows of dif-ferent sizes to match the proportionsof older ones. Some preservationistsprefer a slight alteration between theoriginal windows and new ones, as onan addition, to make the record clearin the future.

WINDOWSCONTINUED FROM Page 15

Custom windows in a new brick Foursquare in Georgia are right out of a period millworkcatalog.

Three-over-one sash windows surround the breakfast nook in this new house.

Jeld-Wen’s Craftsman window uses intersecting corners to evoke a period Prairie Stylesash; the trimwork, too, is period style.

This restrained but decorative leaded-glass ensemble was discovered in the 1912 houseduring restoration, and re-installed. The large wood dividers between windows are calledmullions.

A blending of the Golden Hill Street Fair and the Balboa Park 1915Centennial is coming to the neighborhood on Saturday, June 20.

That’s the date for the “Golden Hill Community Balboa Park 1915 ExpoCentennial Festival.”

It will be held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Golden Hill Park on the EastMesa (at the end of 25th Street).

The festival, sponsored by the Greater Golden Hill Community Devel-opment Corp., will celebrate the rich culture and history of both BalboaPark and Golden Hill in a fun and interactive way for all ages.

The celebration features historical exhibitions, an antique car show, aWestcoaster Historic Beer Garden, a live music stage, food vendors, andmore. There will be an Urban Geo Tracking scavenger hunt and mustachecontest with prizes for participants.

For children, the Youth and Family Village offers kid-friendly activitiessuch as games, contests, lawn sports, and a talent showcase. Families areencouraged to learn about the history of our neighborhood while enjoyingthe live music and fresh food.

Main Stage Performance Schedule:11: 30 a.m. to Noon — SD School of Rock12:45 to 1:45 p.m. — Euphoria Brass Band2:15 to 3:15 p.m. — Bill Magee Blues Band3:45 to 4:30 p.m. — Marz Jukebox5:15 to 6:15 p.m. — The B-Side Players6:45 to 8 p.m. — Tribal Theory

Come Celebrate Golden Hilland Balboa Park Centennial

Most people don’t like to be insituations where they need to bor-row money, and when they do, theyoften have little choice beyond ask-ing their rich uncle for the 10thtime.

And it’s even more challenging ifthey don’t have the usual assets toborrow against such as a home,auto, savings, investments, securi-ties, and life insurance policies.

Fortunately, a new source of cap-ital is available and gaining in pop-ularity.

As credit tightened after 2008, anumber of personal-asset lendersstarted offering pawn-type loans toindividuals and small-business own-ers.

Usually online, these lenders willtake personal luxury assets like gold,diamond jewelry, luxury watches,classic cars, a wine or art collection,motorbikes, Fender guitars, stretchesof timberland, super yachts, high-speed aircraft, preciousmetals/stones, sports memorabilia,antiques, designer purses, accountsreceivable and inventory as collateralfor a short-term personal or busi-ness loan.

Luxury, asset-based loans can bea much-needed source of capital forcompanies that are rapidly growing,highly leveraged, and in the midstof a turnaround.

Sometimes a company simplyneeds that fusion of cash to get overa financial hump, prevent growthfrom faltering, or seriously damagetheir credit scores.

The transactions are often com-pleted within 24 hours and theydon’t require a credit check. Theasset secures the loan and there’s no

personal guarantee. If the borrowerdefaults on the loan, he loses hisasset.

Loan amounts range from $1,000to $2 million at loan rates as low as2 percent.

With luxury-backed loans bor-rowers do not have to contend with:

• Credit checks• Income verification• Financial reviews• Prepayment penalty

Regardless the asset, there’s a fewstrings attached:

• Luxury assets have to be able tobe readily shipped to lenders totheir secure storage locations.• The lenders only lend a portionof the asset’s total worth.• If the borrower cannot repay theloan, he promises to surrender theasset to the lender.

All of the items are generallystored as well as insured in specialistpremises and vaults for the entireduration of the loan.

Banks and other financial insti-tutions are focused on bankingwealthy families, and are encourag-ing some of these loans, particularlyfor art. They don’t provide theseluxury-asset loans unless the bor-rower has several million on deposit.The same for auction sites, galleriesor antique dealers.

U.S. Trust, the private wealthmanagement arm of Bank of Amer-ica that oversees around $350 billionin assets, says its portfolio for art-backed loans grew 25 percent inboth 2012 and 2013. Its loans can

range from $3 million to $56 mil-lion in value; and a typical borrowerwould already have an art collectionworth at least $10 million.

A survey of San Diego’s banks didnot turn up any bank that offers thislending program, although JohnMassab, executive vice president andchief credit officer of Torrey PinesBank, said the bank is willing to lookat it.

An alternative to bank loans isonline, luxury-asset lenders such asBorro, which is a platform for pro-viding liquidity against high-valuegoods.

Positioning itself to be the leadingluxury-asset lender, Borro offerssmall business owners,entrepreneurs and high-net worthclients loans from $5,000 to $2 mil-lion against assets.

Borro’s online platform allowsloans to be provided within 24hours, with no income or creditchecks and at a lower cost than if aclient were to sell his or her luxuryassets. Loans can be paid back soon-er than the loan term without earlyrepayment penalties.

Upon receiving an application,Borro offers appointments at theiroffice and valuation center, homevisits, and various premium collec-tion options including same-daycouriers. All of these services arefully insured and provided for byBorro, which is based in New YorkCity, with recently opened offices inLos Angeles.

The assets are stored in secure andinsured specialist vaults/premises.Fine art and antiques are stored atfine-art storage specialists and lux-ury cars are stored in climate-con-

trolled premises. All assets are fullyinsured while in storage with Borrofor the duration of the loan.

The loan term is six months, butthe customer has the right to renewthe loan by paying off the interestat which point the loan term beginsagain.

About 60 percent of Borro’s busi-ness comes from small businessowners who use the service for a liq-uidity solution. The average loan is$35,000, and it has issued over $150million in loans since launch.

Borro has loaned close to $20 mil-lion against almost 400 cars, the col-lection including a Mercedes-BenzSLR McLaren, a Ferrari California,a Lamborghini Diablo, an AstonMartin Vanquish and a Rolls-RoyceGhost.

The company loaned $1.2 million

for a signed Claude Monet painting;$226,000 for a Harry Houdini col-lection; $51,000 for Beatles memo-rabilia; and $18,000 for SteveMcQueen’s vintage motorcycle jack-et from the film “Bullit.”

“California is a perfect demo-graphic match for the customers weserve and has enormous growthpotential. While the economy isrecovering globally, many timesbanks aren’t as responsive as cus-tomers would like so people arelooking for alternative fundingsources,” said Paul Aitken, CEO ofBorro. “We provide a discreet optionin the form of loans based on expertasset evaluations on a variety of lux-ury items.”

Another alternative for smallbusinesses to obtain cash with col-

FINANCE MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 17

NORTH PARKCraftsman Ground Up Renovation $849,000

1914 Craftsman beauty! Authenticon the outside, modern amenitieson the inside. 1800 sq ft 4 bed 3bath 2 car garage w/yard. Laun-dry & lots of storage. West of30th & South of Univ Ave. Walk toeverything including BalboaPark!! 15 mins to beaches. Newelectrical, plumbing, kitchen,baths, windows, Furnace, ACready, updated foundation, etc.

The Chris Bedgood Team 858.480.5455Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty Chris.Bedgood@Sothebysrealty.com CaBRE 01380111

ASSET-BACKED LOANS A NEW WAY OF BORROWING MONEYBY DELLE WILLETT

CashCo will also take art, collectibles, and memorabilia if they have certificates of value and authenticity, said owner Moris Adato. (Photo/Delle Willett)

SEE LOANS, Page 18

FINANCE18 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP

lat-eral is pawn shops. Ninety-five percent of busi-nesses are small and they need small loans.

Pawn shops offer the customer roughly halfof the item’s wholesale value, or about onefourth of what they can re-sell it for in a store.

In recent years, some pawn shops haveimproved their image, with a newer, cleanerappearance, resulting in a more professionallooking shop, often located in a better part oftown, with a knowledgeable and professionalstaff focused on friendly customer service.

A good example of this upgraded breed ofpawn shops is CashCo, with three locationsin City Heights, Encanto and Escondido.

Owner Moris Adato, 40, has 24 years in theindustry, starting from cleaning and polishingjewelry to cleaning floors, setting up merchan-dise, getting his Gemological Institute ofAmerica (GIA) degree, and doingretail/wholesale business importing diamonds.

In business for 13 years as CashCo, Adatocurrently has 35 employees who help cus-tomers from their community: gardeners,small car dealers, at-home businesses, restau-rants, caterers and more.

Adato has two gemologists and 14 jewelryexperts on staff who have gone through train-ing at GIA.

CashCo takes just about everything butfirearms; 75 percent to 80 percent of its busi-ness is jewelry. Tools, especially welding equip-ment, can yield high loans. It doesn’t take thebig items for lack of room, but Adato is look-ing at a location with larger storage capacity.

The largest item he’s ever taken in is anindustrial floor cleaner. “Big stuff doesn’t nec-essarily mean big profits. I can get more for agold chain,” said Adato.

CashCo will also take art, collectibles, andmemorabilia if they have certificates of valueand authenticity.

Everything for sale in the store is also forsale online at the same time. The items thatdon’t sell are sold to wholesalers.

CashCo’s loans have been as low as $5, butaverage between $3,000–$5,000, with thelargest to date being $60,000. By Californialaw, the interest rate is 2.5 percent to 4.5 per-cent, depending on how much the customergets for the item. 80 percent of its customerstake out two or more loans a year.

To pay off their loan, legally, the customerhas four months plus 10 days in California.Adato gives 30 days extra because “things hap-pen.” Then the owner has some options: letthe item go, pay the interest to get it back, ortake out another loan. Ninety percent of thecustomers either redeem or roll over theirloans and eventually take the item back. 10percent lose the merchandise.

“Our business customers pawn for differentreasons: to cover payroll, to buy food and dec-orations for a catered event, to pay the rent,to buy groceries, to complete the purchase ofproperty, to pay Christmas bonuses,” saidAdato.

“Sometimes an initial investment to get abusiness going is as small as $600.”

Adato, who has helped a lot of businessesget started and still sees them 10 years later.“Most people who start small businesses justhave a dream,” he said. “They don’t havemoney or credit but they have valuables thatcan get them the initial capital to make theirdream come true. That’s why we are here.”

LOANSCONTINUED FROM Page 17

Everything for sale in the CashCo store, like this jewelry, is also for sale online at the same time.

‘California is a perfect demographic match for the customers we serve and has enormous growth potential.’ saysPaul Aitken, CEO of Borro.

MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP | JUNE 2015 | 19

By Bart Mendoza

Pandoras Return to a ’60s Soundat the Casbah

1980’s garage rock icons the Pandoras reunite for a show at theCasbah on June 26. The all-female band no longer has the latePaula Pierce at the helm, but with key members Kim Shattuck(lead vocals, guitar) and Melanie Vammen (keyboard), SherriKaplan (drums) and Karen Blankfield (bass), this promises tobe an intense, fun show. With Vammen on board that means areturn to the band’s ’60s leanings as opposed to their later, moremetal-oriented days. This is a particularly strong bill, with open-ers the Loons celebrating the release of their new album, “InsideOut your Mind” and appearances from Ron Silva’s new band,The Gargoyles, as well as The Mighty Manfred and the Magnif-icent. If ’60s garage is your thing, this is the show of the month.

Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd. casbahmusic.com

Rising Star Raelee Nikole Visits Lestat’sAnyone jaded by the singer-songwriter scene would do well toinvestigate the music of Raelee Nikole, who performs at Lestat’son June 26. Blessed with a sweet resonant voice tha is best ona moody ballad, Nikole recently released her debut album,“Answers,” but also has an arsenal of great cover tunes in herrepertoire including material by Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jonesand Ray Charles. Matched with a nice guitar picking style thatimmediately sets her apart from the more typical strummers,Nikole is the real deal and one of the local music community’sbrightest rising stars.

Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave. lestats.com

A Rare Appearance by Jose SinatraIt’s safe to say there is no other performer in Southern Californiaquite like Jose Sinatra. Appearing at Java Joe’s on June 24, Sinatramusic is a twist on a ’70s-era lounge singer, full of over the topperformances, often featuring risqué lyrical reworkings of every-thing from “MacArthur Park” to Gary Puckett’s immortal“Young Girl.” It’s a mix of both comedic gold and superb musicalarrangements. Sinatra has rarely performed in recent years, pre-ferring to host a karaoke night at Winston’s, making this rareappearance a must for anyone who has never experienced theSinatra magic in person.

Java Joe’s, 3536 Adams Ave. javajoessd.com

Veruca Salt Returns to San Diego at Soda BarTouring in anticipation of their forthcoming album, GhostNotes, Chicago-based Veruca Salt returns to San Diego with ashow at the Soda Bar on July 8. Formed in 1993, the alt rock-with powerpop-tendencies quartet never topped their debutsingle, “Seether,” but have continued to gain fans through aslew of excellent singles such as “Volcano Girls” and their lat-est, “Laughing In The Sugar Bowl,” as well as continued tour-ing. Fans will be happy to note that the new album (and tour)features the band’s original line up, the first time since 1997.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd. www.sodabarmusic.com

Rising Star Raelee Nikole VisitsLestat’sAnyone jaded by the singer-songwriter scene would do well toinvestigate the music of Raelee Nikole, who performs at Lestat’son June 26. Blessed with a sweet resonant voice tha is best on amoody ballad, Nikole recently released her debut album,“Answers,” but also has an arsenal of great cover tunes in herrepertoire including material by Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones andRay Charles. Matched with a nice guitar picking style that imme-diately sets her apart from the more typical strummers, Nikoleis the real deal and one of the local music community’s brightestrising stars.

Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave. lestats.com

Sometimes Julie Tops House of Blues’ Side StageThe House of Blues’ Salvation Alley side stage will be the locationfor a Listen Local Showcase on June 30. The free show starts at7 p.m. with sets from up and comers Aubryn, Chad Taggart,Enter The Blue Sky, Sometimes Julie and Love Bomb. Accordingto the Listen Local website, these shows are auditions for bandshoping to open for national acts on the bigger stage, so you canexpect top flight performances from all the contenders. All arewell worth checking out but Sometimes Julie is the night’s likelystandout with well-crafted bluesy rock tunes, highlighted byMonica Sorenson’s whiskey smooth vocals.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave.houseofblues.com/sandiego

20 | JUNE 2015 | MID CITY NEWSPAPER GROUP