Ken-Tal Feb 2024

Sprinting, is more like it! As 2024 begins to unfold, it seems that the minor adjustment in interest rates in favor of a buyer has spurred an inßux in buyers emerging on to the market who may have been on the fence previously. January has seen multiple offers and only days to get a house sold, once again. With so many new, Þrst time buyers preparing to Òjump inÓ, I thought it might be helpful to explain the overall process of what to expect.

Happy New Year, Ken-Tal! The 2022 holiday season was full of much needed love, laughter, celebrations, and cheer in spite of the roller coaster of an economic ride we have all been on for the last two years. So many of us are anxious to see what 2023 brings, but only time (and the Fed) will tell.

Holiday Toy Drive organized by Megan Beauvais & Associates

What the heck is happening in San Diego real estate?! Are homes even selling? Can I even get a loan right now?

Many home buyers and sellers will try to time the market perfectly. I can’t tell you how many people I have heard relay to me recently that they are going to wait until the market crashes to buy. Having worked in the real estate industry for 25+ years, I can attest to the fact that we never know whether we were at an all-time “high” or “low” until we are on the other side of it. It is true that, as a home seller, one would have done much better if selling 6-9 months ago rather than right now. It is also true that as a home buyer, one would have benefitted from half the interest rate being charged now. The fact remains that people still need to move, and need housing, which will continue to push the movement in the real estate market in a forward direction, particularly in areas that benefit from vast and varied work sectors and suffer from a lack of sufficient housing units, such as our beloved San Diego.

I n 1991, Hannah and Allard embarked on a journey that would not only shape their lives but also leave a lasting impact on the communities they touched. Their decision to purchase their Þrst house together on Natalie Drive in Talmadge marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to architecture, community development, and a vibrant lifestyle that would become synonymous with their names in the years to come.

These are some of the questions I get on a daily basis in the midst of our COVID19 shelter in place period.

1. Contact a reputable, knowledgeable, experienced real estate agent (ahem) to get the process started. The initial call should take just about 20-30 minutes as you explain what you are looking for and why, what your timing needs are (do you need to move immediately, or is this a plan to execute a year from now?), how knowledgeable you are about the areas you are hoping to live in, and of course, price point. From there, your real estate agent will have some howework for you (see #2 below), and then will likely set up a time to meet in person and review how you might all work together.

2. If you are Þnancing a loan, you will need to get in touch with a loan ofÞcer. If you donÕt already have one you know and trust, the agent you engage with will likely have a few referrals for you so that you can explore your best options. Get pre-approved with the loan ofÞcer you select (after having spoken with a few to get a feel for who you may work best with, who offers the best service, and of course, who has the best loan program for you). This is extremely important to do early on and BEFORE you request to go look at property with your agent. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a property that may not be Þnancially in reach.

Our Ken Tal Holiday Toy Drive was a total success, we were able to collect over 65 toys with the help of my clients and our community! Special thanks to those who participated in the Toy Drive donations! These gifts really do make a difference in the lives of our community’s youth that would otherwise receive nothing for the holidays. This year was our first year partnering up with the YMCA & Toys for Tots for their annual toy drive, I look forward to next year, my goal will be to collect over 100 toys! Want to know what distribution day looked like at the Y?

Meet your neighbor Wendy Reynolds

Allard's journey into the world of architecture began at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he honed his skills and earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. His professional path led him from BakersÞeld to San Diego, where he gained valuable experience working in architectural Þrms before eventually founding his own successful business. However, his roots in Amsterdam, shaped by the tumultuous events of World War II, instilled in him a deep appreciation for community and a vision of architectural spaces that foster connection and vibrancy.

My advice is this:

and benefit thanks to their service!), and if you are borrowing $701,500 or less, which puts you in the conventional financing category, many lenders will still allow you to put as little as 5% down. All loans and all lenders are not created equal, nor are their financing programs. Contact me for a referral to a trustworthy lender that can provide you the information you need to get started in your research.

Visit https://www.instagram.com/ ymcasandiego/ to view their Holiday Party Toys for Tots Event!

3. Sign a Buyer Representation Agreement with your real estate agent. This is an agreement that sets out a timeline during which you will work exclusively with one another. It will outline expectations regarding commissions to be paid to the agent at close of escrow, what their duties are to you, and more. Traditionally, the commissions are paid by the seller, however in some cases, you may Þnd that there is no commission offered by the selling side and you will want to have that conversation and be prepared for that possibility in the event that the commission will need to be paid by you, the buyers. There are several ways to facilitate this, be it adding to the closing costs, Þnancing it, etc. Each situation is unique, and you want to have an open line of communication with your agent about this possibility so that you have a solution before it becomes a challenge.

4. Get out there and tour properties with your agent. ItÕs Þne to go to open houses also, if you are just looking casually. However, if you are seriously considering a home, you should always have your agent with you as they should have a somewhat trained eye to look for and point out any deÞciencies in a property to be aware of prior to writing an offer.

If you are considering buying a home this year, think LONG TERM. Gone are the days when you can count on making a profit within a 2 year time frame and then move on/up. This has always been the advice I gave to my clients, even prior to pandemic times and remains as such. 10 years from now, chances are you will be glad you paid that extra $10-$20k that the seller dug their heels in for. With that time frame in mind, consider the longevity the home offers. Is this a space your family can grow in, will you be able to be comfortable here for 7-10 years?

Hannah, a native of the Los Angeles area, brought her local sensibilities and a vibrant energy to the mix. Her journey from Escondido to various coastal neighborhoods and ultimately to meeting Allard in Talmadge reßects her adventurous spirit and her embrace of diverse communities.

The 8th Annual Holiday Lights Bike Ride

Their shared passion for classic homes and the old-fashioned character of neighborhoods like Mission Hills and Kensington led them to Talmadge, where they discovered a welcoming community with a shared love for well-maintained gardens and front-porch conversations. Talmadge became a discovery for them, as they had never been to the neighborhood before following some Open-House signs down Aldine canyon.

We had an amazing turnout at our Kensington Annual Holiday Lights Bike Ride! Despite the morning showers we still had around 200 riders and skies were cleared during the full and family rides! Congratulations to our House Deocration Winners at 4119 Palisades, 5341 Marlborough, & 4207 Hilldale, our team of judges voted these house as best decorated along our route, thank you to everyone who decoreated their beautiful homes it was hard narrowing it down to just 3. Special thanks to our community for coming out and joining us, hope you had a great time!

This annual event is organized by the Kensington Talmadge Business Association, for more information visit KenTalBiz.org.

5. Once you have selected a property, you will write an offer and, hopefully, have it accepted. Be prepared for competition out there. Your agent will give you advice about how to best position yourself and this is where their experience and connections in the industry will really come in to play for you.

6. Once your offer is accepted, you will be expected to deposit Òearnest moneyÓ in to escrow, which is usually about 1-3% of the purchase price and is part of your total down payment. This money sits safely in escrow while you do your due diligence, described in #7 below.

I am here to tell you that indeed, homes are selling and people are getting loans. It’s still a bit early to see any price adjustment trends as we tend to measure that trend over a 3–6 month time frame and we just don’t have that hindsight as of yet. But I can tell you that I am still consistently seeing multiple offers on properties in San Diego, particularly in the $1.2 million range and below with both my buyer and seller clients. Of course, this depends on the location and overall presentation, but with an already very limited set of housing inventory for buyers out there to choose from, it’s even tighter now. Those that can still qualify for a loan are able to take advantage of the still low rates and achieve their dream of homeownership, moving up, or downsizing.

7. You will have anywhere from 10-17 days (on average, however this time frame is negotiable) to complete your due diligence, including investigation of the property (this is your chance to learn everything you can about the physical aspects of the property to make sure itÕs a project you are comfortable taking on, for example), and get the loan and appraisal completed and approved (if applicable). Your agent should have referrals for you for the various tradespeople you may want to consult with. If there are deÞciencies in the property, unless negotiated that you will take the property Òas-isÓ, you will have an opportunity to request that the seller complete any necessary repairs or credit you in lieu of completing these repairs. This is referred to as the Òrequest for repairÓ process. The seller is not obligated to accept and if you are not satisÞed with their response, you, the buyer, typically may choose to cancel (and get your earnest money back) or accept their response and move on to complete the purchase.

If you would like to explore buying and/ or selling in this ever changing market, give me a call at 619.944.2798 or email me at Megan@MeganB.com. I’d be happy to discuss with you what sets my service apart from the rest!

If you are a home seller, get ready to rumble! Buyers have more negotiability these days, but that doesn’t mean you are getting the short end of the stick. Likely, you are still benefitting from a significant profit, albeit not what it would ave been in the spring of 2022. Remember that selling a property and buying a property is most successful when there is a win on both sides. Prepare yourself for this and be strategic - both in your pricing and in your preparations. It is imperative to set your property apart from the others. You can do so by following the advice of a real estate professional regarding premarketing suggestions (paint, repairs, inspections, and staging for example).

8. Once this 10-17 days is up, you will do what is referred to as Òremoving your contingenciesÓ. This contingency removal is a pivotal point in your purchase process as you basically commit yourself to buying the property. Once you sign off on your contingencies, your earnest money becomes at risk of being retained by the seller if you should cancel for ANY reason. Be sure and consult with your lender before doing this to be sure there is no risk of your loan not funding.

Their commitment to community planning and New Urbanism principles became evident as Allard dedicated himself to the Ken-Tal Planning Group and spent countless hours with committees on the Community Plan Update. His belief in creating pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhoods motivated him to buy the old gas station lot at the corner of Adams and Marlborough, where he built his own ofÞces and lofts, complete with a community plaza. To this day, Allard and Hannah still own and manage the building and remain staunch supporters of the mixed-use element of Kensington as members of the KTBA.

Their impact on the community extended beyond their professional pursuits. Hannah's dedication to caring for her 88-year-old mother Anna, who she moved to Kensington a few years ago, is a testament to her commitment to family and community. Anna's love for walking and admiring the gardens of Kensington, along with the amenities within walking distance, reßects the thoughtful and caring nature of the community they have become a part of.

Our spotlight this month is on Wendy Reynolds of Talmadge. A San Diego native, Reynolds grew up in Clairemont, went to Mission Bay High School and attended San Diego State for college, “GO AZTECS!” Along the way Reynolds moved to San Francisco and after 20 years in the Bay Area, she decided she needed a change and made the move back to her hometown of San Diego. After going to area open houses, she came across Talmadge. According to Reynolds, “I loved the friendly neighborhood vibe and all the planned activities. I haven’t seen a neighborhood quite like Talmadge.”

Beyond their professional and community engagement, Hannah and Allard found joy in an active and fulÞlling lifestyle. From Hannah's meticulous travel planning and her dedication to managing the Kensington Park Plaza lofts to Allard's passion for cycling and his recent foray into yoga teaching, their zest for life is evident in every aspect of their story.

The Annual Talmadge Caroling at the Circle

Loans can be a little tricky these days for a primary residence and trickier still for an investment property. For a primary residence loan, with many (but not all) lenders, you should count on having at least 20% down if you are needing to borrow $701,501 or higher as this puts you in the “jumbo loan” category. Most lenders are still processing VA loans up to $1 million $0 down (always an incredible opportunity

If you have been considering buying and/or selling real estate, I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss what my proven strategies can do for you in 2023. Contact me at Megan@MeganB.com or 619.944.2798!

9. You will conduct a Þnal walkthrough with your agent anytime within 5 days prior to close of escrow to ensure the condition of the property is in the same or better condition as it was when you opened escrow. This is also your opportunity to verify any repairs that were completed/requested during the investigation process.

10. Signing your loan documents (if applicable) will occur anywhere from a week to a day before close of escrow. At this time, you will be notiÞed of how much money you should be prepared to wire in for closing (the remainder of your down payment plus your closing costs).

11. CONGRATULATIONS! Close of escrow occurs once the loan has funded and the deed has been recorded. This is an exciting day! Your agent will likely meet you and get you your keys that same day. This is time to open champagne and celebrate your homeownership!

May this year prove to be prosperous and joyful! I look forward to seeing you around the neighborhood!

I work with both buyers and sellers all over San Diego. I LOVE to educate my clients and walk them through their unique experience step by step. If you are considering buying or selling, please give me a call! IÕd love to help you, too!

After over 40 years in architecture and property development, Allard's semi-retirement hasn't slowed down his passion for design and community engagement. His experience, covering a wide range of commercial and residential architecture, has left a lasting impact on the communities he has been a part of. Meanwhile, Hannah's Þnancial acumen and dedication to managing the Kensington Park Plaza lofts showcase her unwavering commitment to their shared vision.

Their story is one of resilience, creativity, and a deep-rooted connection to the neighborhoods they've called home. Their impact on Talmadge and Kensington is a testament to the power of community, architecture, and a shared love for creating spaces that inspire and uplift. For more on Allard and Hannah visit: www.teamaja.com

In May of 2019, Reynolds made Talmadge her home. A graphic designer for 25 years, she has owned her own design business, Olive Design for 20 years and is currently freelancing. Ultimately, she is looking for a permanent employee position (hint, hint). You can find her online portfolio at wendyreynolds.myportfolio. com. In her free time, Reynolds loves hiking, mountain biking, print making, art shows and happy hour. Her passions include travel, photography and she loves her adorable dog, Diego. If you see them out in the neighborhood, be sure to say hello! Happy to have you here, Wendy!

Another one for the books! The Annual Caroling at the Circle is one of my favorite neighborhood events in Talmadge, I love putting this event together for our community. had this year, it was a great time catching up with Friends & Neighbors, we laughed and we even sang some Hanukkah songs to kick off the first night of the festival of lights! Special thanks to all the Talmadge neighbors who decorated the traffic circle so beautifully, and to Tom Barb, who makes a terrific Saint Nick! Hope to see you December 2023!

FINDING YOUR PASSION & OVERCOMING ADVERSITY with Shannon Mac Millan - National Hall of Fame Athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion

CAREER FORWARD: STRATEGIES FROM WOMEN WHO'VE MADE IT with Grace Puma - former PepsiCo COO & Christiana Smith Shi - former Nike President of Consumer Direct

UNLEASHING YOUR LEADERSHIP AUTHORITY: A BLUEPRINT FOR WOMEN IN MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRIES with Dr. Alessandra Wall - Founder & Executive Coach - Noteworthy

YOUR FIRST MILLION: WHY YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BORN INTO A LEGACY OF WEALTH TO LEAVE ONE BEHIND with Arlan Hamilton - Venture Capitalist, Serial Entrepreneur, Author, and Prolific Speaker

THE NEUROSCIENCE OF USING EMOTIONAL ENERGY TO BUILD EXCEPTIONAL TEAMS with Dr. Julia DiGangi - Neuropsychologist

UNITY IN ACTION: NURTURING YOUR CAREER & PASSION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL with Dr. Kwane Stewart “The Street Vet“ - 2023 CNN Hero of the Year

PANEL DISCUSSION

STRENGTH IN UNITY: WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND NETWORKING

PANEL DISCUSSION

EMPOWERHER: ADVOCATING FOR ONESELF IN THE WORKPLACE

PANEL DISCUSSION

LEADING LADIES: MASTERING THE ART OF BUILDING AND LEADING TEAMS

KICK OFF LUNCH

Monday, February 26

University of San Diego TICKETS - $89

WOMEN & WINE

Wednesday, February 28

Bernardo Winery TICKETS - $45

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Friday, March 1

Rancho Bernardo Inn or Virtual TICKETS - $269

Drinking to Better Health with Modern-Day Elixirs

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

Only in the last decade have we seen some of the most creative beverages emerge that omit preservatives, alcohol and added sugars. We’re talking about flavorful, healthy concoctions that cover a gamut of drinks using fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and at times, vitamin and protein boosters.

Even today’s bar culture has jumped onto the bandwagon with a plethora of intriguing mocktails that carry all the panache of fancy cocktails, but minus the booze and commercial sodas.

Whether you’re sprinting out of the gym with an intense thirst, or looking for an alternative drink to wash down a meal, we found some wholesome options throughout San Diego County for refreshing your palate and improving your well-being.

Jane’s Cafe

591 Camino de la Reina, Mission Valley 619-380-2501, www.janescafemissionvalley.com

Located on the ground floor of a white high rise called Tower 591, this hidden cafe adheres to the mid-Century style seen in the building’s lobby. It also offers affordable prices that extend to smoothies and crafty fresh-juice concoctions. The “green apple detox” combines the semi-tart fruit with cucumbers, lemon, kale and ginger. Aside from a boatload of fiber, the vitamin-rich drink carries the heart benefits of green apples, which nutritionists say can also help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In addition, the pectin in green apples helps stabilize digestive issues.

Greens Please Wellness Kitchen

12202 Poway Road, Poway 858-842-1001, www.greensplease.com

nana crème smoothie, it is enhanced with dark greens, apples, hemp seed, vanilla, and a few other natural additives. Customers will also find bottled “wellness shots” on the menu such as the “tummy tamer” and “turmeric tonic.”

Trilogy Sanctuary

7650 Girard Ave., La Jolla 858-633-3893, www.trilogysanctuary.com

A hot spot for wellness, where yoga classes and vegan-vegetarian catering are part of the equation, Trilogy Sanctuary also features a rooftop restaurant and outdoor cafe. Fresh smoothies made with organic ingredients rule the day. They are each tailored to specific areas of well being. The “goddess” for example, delivers an immunity boost with gogi berries, blueberries, bananas and almond milk while the “lust” smoothie is meant to kick up your libido with cacao, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and other ingredients. There are more than a dozen healthy smoothies to choose from.

Vitality Tap

650 First Ave., Downtown San Diego 619-237-7625

If you’re feeling a little crispy the day after imbibing in Downtown San Diego’s nightlife, Vitality Tap comes to the rescue. Nestled inside a Discount Nutrition store, customers can kick start their days with immunity-boosting fresh ginger shots, or rely on the flavorful “lunch box smoothie,” which features a rich blend of almond milk, berries, banana, date paste, and chia. The menu extends to a large choice of juices, shooters and other smoothies in a variety of sizes.

Sipz Vegetarian Kitchen

protect the body against arthritis and diabetes. Other smoothies at the restaurant include mango and strawberry in addition to a meal-friendly watermelon-cucumber “refresher” accented with a touch of fresh mint.

Kindred

1503 30th St., South Park 619-546-9653, www.barkindred.com

Leave it to the hipster vegan haunt known as Kindred to be one of the first San Diego establishments to offer “zero-proof” cocktails from its stylish bar. Ingredients such as passion fruit, lemongrass and Thai basil find their way into the stimulating “miracle cure,” which at the very least wake up the senses. Even more intriguing is “the book of days,” which combines coconut water with matcha, lime and orange blossom. We’re not sure what bodily benefits the drink is supposed to provide, but you can bet that it’s a healthier option than Coke and Jack Daniels.

Senor Mango’s

4607 30th St., North Park 619-584-0041, www.senormangos.com

Imagine banana crème pie in the form of an ultra-healthy drink. This fast-casual vegan cafe offers a variety of “cleanse smoothies” that incorporate fresh fruits, leafy greens, flax seed, ginger and more. Their motto is: “We blend, not juice,” meaning the fiber is retained after breaking down many of the ingredients. And as we all know, fiber is a binding vehicle that moves toxins out of our bodies. As for the cafe’s ba-

3914 30th St., North Park 5501 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont 619-795-2889, www.sipz.com

The avocado smoothie at Sipz provides a good dose of fiber, potassium and healthy monounsaturated fat, considering that the greenish drink uses a medium-size avocado. It’s blended with almond milk, which is rich in Vitamin E to help

A cornucopia of fruit occupies the order

Juices that pack a healthy punch at Jane’s Cafe (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

The bottled “tummy tamer” shot at Greens Please Wellness Kitchen (Facebook)

Get your liquid health fix at Trilogy Sanctuary. (Facebook)

Vitality Tap’s popular “lunch box” smoothie (Vitality Tap)

A cleansing watermelon-cucumber refresher at Sipz. (Facebook)

The bar at Kindred slings crafty zero-proof cocktails. (Simpatika)

counter in a festive display of bananas, pineapples, mangos, papayas and more at Senor Mango’s. Throughout any given day the fruits are turned into agua frescas and licuados (thick smoothies made with low-fat milk and shaved ice). The drinks are rich in vitamins and nutrients and serve as the perfect come-on for washing down the eatery’s famous salads and tortas. If you weren’t craving a healthy, juicy drink before walking in, you certainly will upon entering.

The Kitchen

700 Prospect St., La Jolla 619-880-8719, www.thekitchenatmsasd.com

This bright, attractive restaurant located

within the renovated Contemporary Museum of Art San Diego in La Jolla conjures up equally eye-appealing elixirs under the menu’s “refresh” category. The rejuvenating drinks include the

popular “aquazul” made with strawberries, lime, mint, ginger beer and a restrained measure of soda water. Or the “vacation exhibit” offers a blast of Vitamin C with its delicious combination of passion fruit, oranges and pineapples. Most of the drinks receive small measures of soda water for effervescence. There are also a couple of hearty, healthy smoothies available, along with the option of adding to them collagen peptides or a reishi mushroom blend, which is believed to protect brain cells.

Mnemonic Coffee

2604 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill www.mnemonic.coffee

While dairy-free coffee drinks rule the day at this recently launched business, the owners were also adamant about offering a variety of cleverly named “mocktails” to the menu. “We love the cocktail culture and wanted to learn about drink styles, so we pulled from that by offering ‘zero-proof’ drinks made with coffee, tea or our housemade sodas and syrups,” said co-owner Gia Giambalvo. Among them is the soothing “lovesick punch” made with Assam tea, pomegranate, lime, and ginger-pepper syrup. Another, called “blue velvet” uses hibiscus foam to cap off a drink that brings

together house-made limeade, blue jasmine tea and Luxardo cherries.

Frutimania Juices & Delights

330 W. Felicita Ave., Escondido

760-294-4782, www.frutimania-juices-and-delights.business.site

A plethora of smoothies and juice blends can be found at this small, unassuming cafe in Escondido. The benefits behind some of their blended drinks speak for themselves when you consider their names such as the “eye fixer elixir” made with a base of carrot juice, or the

“alkaline fuel cell” containing cucumber, kale, parsley, lemon and green apple. If you prefer your juice straight up, the choices include cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberry and more.

Sharp HealthCare Names Susan Green as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sharp HealthCare has named Susan Green as the new Executive Vice President and System Chief Financial Officer of its comprehensive health care system. She will succeed interim chief financial officer, Doug Watson.

For the past 15 years, Green has served as the chief financial officer of Tufts Medicine in Burlington, Mass. There, she played a pivotal role in guiding the financial operations and growth of the system, which includes Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital and MelroseWakefield Hospital, and Tufts Medicine, Care at Home.

In her new role, Green will hold overall fiduciary responsibility, strategic leadership and operational management for financial services to assure the long-term success of Sharp HealthCare. Leading the strategic development, activation, alignment and monitoring of the system financial plan, Green will provide a financial perspective on innovation, cost management and profitable growth.

In her previous role as the senior financial executive, Green oversaw the nearly $3 billion, not-for-profit Tufts Medicine health care network, which spans eastern Massachusetts from Cape Cod to New Hampshire and includes an acclaimed Boston academic medical center, four community hospital campuses, a home care organization and a network of more than 3,000 physicians.

She has a proven track record in building positive, collaborative relationships with executive leadership and boards of trustees, gaining their respect and confidence.

She partnered with Tufts Medicine physicians and administrative leaders to bring together their physician groups under Tufts Medicine Integrated Network. She also led the efforts to ensure the system raised capital at the best rates possible, as well as led the system’s innovative efforts to implement and redefine their delivery of care, including through the use of Epic, a leading electronic medical record system, which will also be implemented throughout Sharp HealthCare in early March 2024.

Green was recently recognized in the Becker’s Healthcare 2023 lists of women hospital and health system CFOs to know and academic medical center CFOs to know.

About Sharp HealthCare

Sharp HealthCare, San Diego’s largest and most comprehensive health care delivery system, is recognized for clinical excellence in cardiac, cancer, multi-organ transplantation, orthopedics, rehabilitation, behavioral health, women’s health, home health and hospice services. Sharp HealthCare has been widely

acclaimed for its commitment to transform the health care experience for patients, physicians and staff through an organization-wide performance improvement initiative called The Sharp Experience. The Sharp HealthCare system includes four acute-care hospitals, three specialty hospitals, three affiliated medical groups, a health plan and numerous outpatient facilities and programs, including the Sharp Prebys Innovation & Education Center. To learn more about Sharp, visit Sharp Health News

Tasty, pretty elixirs at The Kitchen (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

A tiki-inspired mocktail with house-made almond sweetener at Mnemonic Coffee (Courtesy photo)

Healthy drink choices abound at Frutimania Juices & Delights. (Frutimania)

Transformative Nutrition: How RDN Brittany Werner Guides Clients Toward Healthy Eating at Working Against Gravity

When Brittany Werner was growing up in Ripley, Ohio — a tiny farming town nestled on the Ohio River — she desperately wanted to look like her peers. Growing up in the 80s, she says she felt out of place as an overweight child.

“I remember thinking that if I could just ‘figure this out,’ everything would fall into place for me,” says Werner. “Of course, it wasn’t quite that simple.”

But sorting out the nutrition puzzle is exactly what she did: Today, Werner is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Director of Coaching at Working Against Gravity, a 1-1 nutrition coaching program that has worked with over 30,000 members. She has spent the last 17 years guiding thousands of clients toward their health and nutrition goals, using her own personal experience as a foundation for a balanced approach.

Through her coaching at Working Against Gravity, Brittany creates tailored meal plans, empowers clients to build sustainable relationships with food, and uses the company’s cutting-edge technology to connect with people around the country.

“My approach is ‘rooted in science, custom to you,’” says Werner. “We are all unique and what works for one person may not work for the next. However, as a medical professional, I have an obligation to approach your care from a scientifically backed approach that is also custom to your needs.”

Fostering a Mindset for Healthy Eating

In Werner’s home office in Pennsylvania, you’ll see a quote by Zig Ziglar hanging on the wall: “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”

For someone who has worked with top athletes, including Olympians, and has a storied career as a registered dietitian nutritionist, Werner is remarkably adamant about staying humble and keeping an open mind — both when it comes to healthy eating and life in general.

“Take a moment to pause, check your ego at the door, and be willing to listen to other ideas,” says Werner. “Consider for a moment that your preconceived notions and ideas of what your body may need to reach your goal are not accurate. You may need to make some challenging changes in your life.”

Werner graduated with a B.S. in Dietetics and later an M.S. in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, but even she acknowledges that the nutrition space can be confusing. It’s difficult for many people to know what the “right” thing to do is in the midst of conflicting information on social media and beyond.

For instance, one common issue she’s noticed is that diet programs tend to be overly restrictive.

“While the intention behind these programs is often to promote positive health outcomes and fast progress, the strict limitations imposed on certain food groups or specific macronutrients can lead to clients feeling overwhelmed, deflated, and eventually giving up altogether,” she says.

Werner’s measured advice: Slow and steady really does win the race. It’s not a flashy approach, but sustainable changes that you can stick with and that fit into your lifestyle are the proven successful steps to long-term behavior change and healthier eating.

Go Ahead and Eat Your Favorite Foods

One day a few years back when Werner was watching Sesame Street with her daughters (now ages 12, 11, and 8), she had a lightbulb moment thanks to the Cookie Monster. He said: “A cookie is a sometimes food!” — the perfect way to explain balance.

Werner isn’t one to tell her clients to exclude their favorite treats. She believes that creating a plan that incorporates your favorite foods in

moderation helps to encourage sustainable eating habits. On the other hand, striving for absolute perfection is a recipe for failure.

“We know that extreme or restrictive diets are often challenging to maintain in the long term,” says Werner. “A balanced approach allows for flexibility, making it more feasible for individuals to adopt and maintain healthy eating patterns over time.”

In other words, if you love cookies or any other special treats, go ahead and munch on them. Just remember they’re an occasional add-on to staples like fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.

The Impact on Clients

It’s difficult for Werner to think of just one favorite story from her time with Working Against Gravity. She recounts several clients who have left their mark on her.

“Each client comes in with a goal, and I pride myself on making their goal mine,” says Werner. “Whether it’s to lose five pounds or

win an Olympic medal, that goal is the most important thing when we are working together.”

However, she does recount one client who came to Working Against Gravity with the goal of learning how to care for herself and fuel her body properly. She was eating all of her meals out or ordering in, so Werner started by teaching her how to make breakfast at home two to three days per week — and worked up from there. After months of working together, this client was eating most of her meals at home, a massive accomplishment for her.

“I’ve had clients go through knee replacements, win national medals in their sports, battle cancer, and sail across oceans,” says Werner. “But the most profound ones are those who walk away knowing that they can manage their nutrition and have learned what their bodies need. There’s nothing more special than that.”

To sign up for coaching with Werner at Working Against Gravity, visit www.workingagainstgravity.com/brittany.

Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla Offers an Exceptional Culinary Diversion

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

Looking for a breakfast-lunch spot with majestic ocean views?

San Diego’s well-established Urban Kitchen Group opened a restaurant last year inside the renovated Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Known as The Kitchen, it’s located in the museum’s flagship La Jolla location, where diners are perched above the sea overlooking the area’s stunning coastline.

Behold the whitecaps from continuous rolling waves below as you savor wholesome Mediterranean-inspired cuisine crafted by executive chef Tim Kolanko and his team.

Restaurateur Tracy Borkum adds her creative

flair to the menu as well, just as she does for the other restaurants within her Urban Kitchen Group. Those venues include the lauded Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill; Cucina Enoteca in Del Mar; the Urban Kitchen food pavilion at Rady Shell at Jacobs Park; and the global-driven Artifact inside Balboa Park’s Mingei International Museum.

A morning visit to The Kitchen potentially starts with an Americano using Dark Horse Coffee, or better yet, a latte spiced with turmeric, lavender or matcha. If smoothies are your kick starter, look no further than the fresh, tropical “Prospect” constructed with dragon fruit, mango, pineapple and banana. Another option named the “pearl” combines peanut butter with

blueberries, dates, chia seeds and oat milk.

Visiting as a twosome, we arrived at noon with a hankering for both breakfast and lunch. The menu accommodates with hearty dishes that are artfully presented and exquisitely flavored.

“We are very mindful that we’re in a museum—so we are creative,” Kolanko said when asked to summarize the gist of his menu. For that, he described the food as “general Mediterranean with style.”

And that is exactly what we encountered while kicking off our meal with two memorable elixirs from the “refresh” category. The top-selling “aquazul” is a palate-popping drink made with strawberries, lime, mint, ginger beer and

a splash of soda water. Equally enchanting is the “change,” which is a floral lemonade. Both drinks were love at first sip.

A breakfast sandwich capturing semi-spicy house-made sausage and a fried egg receives a gourmet boost with the additions of oven-roasted tomatoes, arugula, Provolone cheese, and garlic aioli. Served on a sesame bun, the sandwich comes with a generous side of smashed potatoes—the kind you see commonly demonstrated on social media but have yet to actually make at home.

Chilaquiles take a ravishing twist with chile morito mole sauce used in lieu of standard salsa. This gives the tortilla chips a dark coating and

deep flavor that play well with queso fresco, pickled onions, avocado and cilantro crema also on the plate.

The prettiest dish on our table was the avocado bowl, which is basically a deconstructed salad of pearl barley, spiced chickpeas, cubed sweet potato, carrots, and cucumber. At the center of it all was a halved avocado sprinkled with pistachio dust. Serving as the dressing was unique carrot molasses and garlic crème fraiche. This is one of those dishes that offer differing and delicious flavors with every forkful.

A sandwich of chicken salad layered with lightly brined artichoke leaves was a cut above

others, just as we expected. It offered a nice texture thanks to “pumpkin seed crunch” plus gem lettuce, pickles, and toasted sourdough bread. We also loved the accompanying za’atar-seasoned french fries, which delivered a delicate Persian essence to the spuds.

Beer, wine, champagne and spirits are also available, and the latter can be added to any of the “refresh” drinks for $5 extra.

The Kitchen offers indoor and outdoor seating in a clean, casual environment. It also features a monthly series of four-course dinners each based on a particular in-season food ingredient. Starting March 7, for example, the spotlighted ingredient will be cacao. That will be followed by shoots and sprouts on April 4; and then peas on May 2. The cost is $110 per person, with wine pairings available at an additional cost. Reservations are required.

The Kitchen at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is located at 700 Prospect St., La Jolla. For information, call 619-8808719 or visit www.urbankitchengroup.com.

The chicken-artichoke sandwich with za’atar fries (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

A zesty breakfast sandwich with smashed potatoes (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

Chilaquiles (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

The avocado bowl (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

(l to r) The “change” and “aquazul” drinks (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

A front section of the museum (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

A big-windowed dining room awaits inside The Kitchen (H2 Public Relations)

Password Managers are like vegetables of the internet: We know they’re good for us, but most of us are happier snacking on the password equivalent of junk food.

For nearly a decade, that’s been “123456” and “password”—the two most commonly used passwords on the web. The problem is, most of us don’t know what makes a good password and aren’t able to remember hundreds of them anyway.

The safest (if craziest) way to store your passwords is to memorize them all. (Make sure they are long, strong, and secure!) Just kidding. That might work for Memory Grand Master Ed Cooke, but most of us are not capable of such fantastic feats. We need to offload that work to password managers, which offer secure vaults that can stand in for our memory.

The whole internet will thank you. Silently.

A password manager offers convenience and, more importantly, helps you create better passwords, which makes your online existence less vulnerable to password-based attacks. Read our guide to VPN providers for more ideas on how you can upgrade your security, as well as our guide to backing up your data to make sure you don’t lose anything if the unexpected happens.

Need some help choosing, purchasing, or installing security software on your computer, tablet, or phone? Please visit www.KenTechCoach.com, email info@KenTechCoach.com or call (619) 832-7951.

Why Not Use Your Browser?

Most web browsers offer at least a rudimentary password manager. (This is where your passwords are stored when Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari or Mozilla Firefox ask if you’d like to save a password.)

This is better than reusing the same password everywhere, but browser-based password managers are limited. In recent years, Google has improved the password manager built into Chrome, and it’s better than the rest, but it’s still not as full-featured or widely supported as a dedicated password manager like those below.

The reason security experts recommend using a dedicated password manager comes down to focus. Web browsers have other priorities that haven’t left much time for improving their password manager. For instance, most of them won’t generate strong passwords for you, leaving you right back at “123456.” Dedicated password managers have a singular goal and have been adding helpful features for years. Ideally, this leads to better security.

Bitwarden

Free (Single)

$40 per year (Family)

Bitwarden is secure, open source, and free with no limits. The applications are polished and user-friendly, making the service the best choice for most users. Did I mention it’s open source? That means the code that powers Bitwarden is freely available for anyone to inspect, seek out flaws, and fix. In theory, the more eyes on the code, the more airtight it becomes. Bitwarden was also audited for 2022 by a third party to ensure it’s secure.

There are apps for Android, iOS, Windows,

macOS, and Linux, as well as extensions for all major web browsers. Bitwarden also has support for Windows Hello and Touch ID on its desktop apps for Windows and macOS, giving you the added security of those biometric authentication systems. Bitwarden recently introduced passwordless authentication support, meaning you can log in with a one-time code, biometric authentication, or a security key. There’s also support for Passkeys, a feature to securely share files (called Bitwarden Send), and an extremely active and helpful community.

I like Bitwarden’s semiautomated password fill-in tool. If you visit a site you’ve saved credentials for, Bitwarden’s browser icon shows the number of saved credentials from that site. Click the icon, and it will ask which account you want to use and then automatically fill in the login form. This makes it easy to switch between usernames and avoid the pitfalls of autofill that we mention at the bottom of this article. If you simply must have your fully automated form-filling feature, Bitwarden supports that as well.

Bitwarden offers a paid upgrade account. The cheapest of the bunch, Bitwarden Premium, is $10 per year. That gets you 1 GB of encrypted file storage and two-factor authentication with devices like YubiKey, FIDO U2F, and Duo, plus a password hygiene and vault health report. You also get priority customer support with a paid account.

Bitwarden Is Free ($40 per Year for Families)

After signing up, download the app for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions so it works within for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Vivaldi, and Brave.

Reduce your stress this new year!

Let Kensington Tech Coach handle your technology issues. Visit www. KenTechCoach.com, email info@ KenTechCoach.com or call (619) 832-7951.

1Password

$36 Per Year (Single)

$60 Per Year (Family)

What sets 1 Password apart from the rest of the options in this list is the number of extras it offers. Like other password managers, 1Password has apps that work just about everywhere, including on macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS. There’s even a command-line tool that will work anywhere. There are plugins for your favorite web browser too, which makes it easy to generate and edit new passwords on the fly.

1Password was previously my top pick, but the latest version of the 1Password app no longer provides the solid experience of the earlier version. I’ve had problems with autofill not working and keyboard shortcuts stopping until I relaunch the browser, among other issues. I don’t think the service itself is any worse than it was before. 1Password is still a good, secure choice; I just find BitWarden’s apps to offer a smoother experience.

1Password does have a few extras that might make it better for some though. If you frequently travel across national borders, you’ll appreciate my favorite 1Password feature: Travel Mode. This mode lets you delete any sensitive data

from your devices before you travel and then restore it with a click after you’ve crossed a border. This prevents anyone, including law enforcement at international borders, from accessing your complete password vault.

In addition to being a password manager, 1Password can act as an authentication app like Google Authenticator, and for added security it creates a secret key to the encryption key it uses, meaning no one can decrypt your passwords without that key. (The downside is that if you lose this key, no one, not even 1Password, can decrypt your passwords.)

1Password also offers tight integration with other mobile apps. Rather than needing to copy and paste passwords from your password manager to other apps (which puts your password on the clipboard at least for a moment), 1Password is integrated with many apps and can autofill. This is more noticeable on iOS, where inter-app communication is more restricted.

After signing up, download the app for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, Brave, and Edge.

Dashlane

$60 Per Year (Single)

$90 Per Year (Family)

I first encountered Dashlane several years ago. Back then, it was the same as its competitors, with no standout attributes. However, updates over time have added several helpful features. One of the best is Site Breach Alerts, something other services have since added as well. Dashlane actively monitors the darker corners of the web, looking for leaked or stolen personal data, and then alerts you if your information has been compromised.

Setup and migration from another password manager is simple, and you’ll use a secret key to encrypt your passwords, much like BitWarden’s setup process. In practice, Dashlane is very similar to the others on this list. The company doesn’t offer a desktop app, but I primarily use passwords in the web browser anyway, and Dashlane has add-ons for all the major browsers, along with iOS and Android apps. If a desktop app is important to you, that omission is something to be aware. Dashlane offers a 30-day free trial, so you can test it out before committing.

After signing up, download the app for Android and iOS, and grab the browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge.

Want “live” technical support or computer assistance within minutes?

Let Kensington Tech Coach handle your technology issues. Visit www. KenTechCoach.com, email info@ KenTechCoach.com or call (619) 832-7951.

What Are Passkeys?

A concerted effort to get rid of passwords began roughly two days after the password was invented. Passwords are a pain—you’ll get no argument here—but we don’t see them going away in the foreseeable future. The latest effort to eliminate the password comes from the FIDO Alliance, an industry group aimed at standardizing authentication methods online, but thanks to the monopolistic nature of devices, it might work this time.

Apple supports the FIDO specs and coined the term Passkeys, which has caught on. Passkeys are generated cryptographic keys managed by your device (usually your phone). They’re easy to create—you don’t need to do anything, your device handles the details. Your passkeys are stored on your device and usually protected by either biometrics or PIN. Since Passkeys are generated key pairs instead of passwords, there’s nothing to remember. If you are familiar with GPG keys, they’re somewhat similar in that there’s a public and private key; the website you want to log in to has a public key and sends it to your device. Your device compares that to the private key it has and you’re signed in (or not if the keys don’t match).

While passkeys aren’t a radical departure, they’re still an improvement by virtue of being a pre-installed tool for people who aren’t going to read this article and immediately sign up to use one of the services below. If millions of people suddenly stop using 12345678 as a password, that’s a win for security.

Almost all of the apps I’ve suggested here at least support storing Passkeys, which means you can store your Passkeys right alongside your passwords. My two favorites, Bitwarden and 1Password can both generate, save, store, and sync Passkeys. Generating new passkeys needs to be done using a browser, which is something of a pain, but it works. Once you have a passkey stored, it will automatically sync to all your devices the same way Bitwarden and 1Password sync your passwords. When you return to that site, your password manager will log you in using the passkey you generated.

Think of passkeys as credit cards next to the

cash (passwords) in your wallet. It’s possible that one day Passkeys will work everywhere and there will be no passwords, no password managers. In the meantime, I think it’s better to stick with a password manager, even if all you’re doing with that manager is storing Passkeys.

Password Manager Basics

Password managers are not a one-size-fitsall solution. My top picks cover most use cases and are the best choices for most people, but your needs may be different. Fortunately, there are plenty of good password managers out there.

A good password manager stores, generates, and updates passwords for you with the press of a button. If you’re willing to spend a few dollars a month, a password manager can sync your passwords across all of your devices. Here’s how they work.

Only one password to remember: To access all of your passwords, you only have to remember one password. When you type that into the password manager, it unlocks the vault containing all of your actual passwords. Only needing to remember one password is great, but it means there’s a lot riding on that password. Make sure it’s a good one.

Apps and extensions: Most password managers are full systems, rather than a single piece of software. They consist of apps or browser extensions for each of your devices (Windows, Mac, Android phones, iPhone, and tablets), which have tools to help you create secure passwords, safely store them, and evaluate the security of your existing passwords. All that information is then sent to a central server where your passwords are encrypted, stored, and shared between devices.

Fixing compromised passwords: While password managers can help you create more secure passwords and keep them safe from prying eyes, they can’t protect your password if the website itself is breached. That doesn’t mean they don’t help in this scenario though. All the cloudbased password managers I’ve mentioned offer tools to alert you to potentially compromised passwords. Password managers also make it easier to quickly change a compromised password and search through your passwords to ensure you didn’t reuse any compromised codes.

You should disable auto form-filling: Some password managers will automatically fill in and even submit web forms for you. This is super convenient, but for additional security, we suggest you disable this feature. Automatically filling forms in the browser has made password managers vulnerable to attacks in the past. For this reason, my favorite password manager, 1Password, requires you to opt into this feature. I suggest you don’t.

Daniel Allen is the owner of Kensington Tech Coach providing technical support, tutoring, and other technology services for residents & businesses in the Kensington neighborhood. For more information or article suggestions please visit www.KenTechCoach.com, email info@KenTechCoach.com or call (619) 832-7951.

Girl Scout Cookie Booths Begin in San Diego and Imperial Counties

More than 9,500 Girl Scouts from San Diego and Imperial counties are participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, which began on Sunday, Jan. 28. Starting Friday, Feb. 9 through Sunday, March 10, Girl Scouts will perfect new marketing skills as they host cookie booths outside of more than 200 local stores. Consumers can support the world’s largest girl-led entrepreneurial program by purchasing Girl Scout Cookies, which are $6 per package and available in nine varieties. Community members can use the Cookie Finder at sdgirlscouts.org/cookies to find a booth near them.

100 percent of Girl Scout Cookie Program proceeds stay local, making the magic of Girl Scouting available and affordable in San Diego and Imperial counties. Cookie program funding benefits more than 24,000 youth and adult members through year-round leadership development programs, volunteer training, outdoor adventures at Girl Scout summer camp, property upkeep, financial assistance, and more.

“This year, more than 9,500 resourceful Girl Scout entrepreneurs will engage in the cookie program,” said Carol Dedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego. “The 2024 program theme, Unbox the Future, speaks to overcoming the barriers that often keep girls boxed in. The impact of the cookie program is tremendous; Girl Scouts are equipped with vital and out-ofthe-box entrepreneurial and life skills that help prepare them for a limitless, equitable future.”

Through the cookie program, girls learn five essential life and business skills—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics—while growing in confidence and leadership. They also earn individual rewards and troop funding for travel, community service projects, and badge workshops.

Community members can also support local Girl Scouts this season by donating cookie packages for Operation Thin MintSM(OTM), a service project that originated in San Diego and has benefitted military troops and veterans for more than two decades. Since 2002, Girl Scout troops

and Imperial counties. Girls will accept orders in person and via Digital Cookie® to personally deliver cookies to local customers or for direct shipment.

Cookie Program Key Dates

Sunday, Jan. 28 – Girl Scout Cookie Program begins in San Diego and Imperial counties

Friday, Feb. 9 – Cookie booths open. Consumers can use the Cookie Finder to locate a booth near them

Friday-Sunday, Feb. 16-18 – Cookies on Tap Weekend, presented by Girl Scouts San Diego, takes place at breweries and brewpubs across San Diego County

Sunday, March 10 – Girl Scout Cookie Pro-

and their generous cookie customers have sent more than 4 million packages of America’s favorite cookies and handwritten notes of support to thousands of military veterans and deployed overseas troops via OTM.

The 2024 cookie program lineup includes classics like Thin Mints®, Samoas®, Trefoils ®, Tagalongs®, and other fan favorites. Starting Sunday, Jan. 28, unbox the future for young entrepreneurs by ordering Girl Scout Cookies, and support life-changing programs in San Diego

gram ends

Saturday, May 4 – OTM Sendoff and Family Festival returns aboard the USS Midway, where cookie program entrepreneurs and their families celebrate the success of the Operation Thin MintSM program

To learn more about Girl Scouts San Diego and its cookie program, visit sdgirlscouts.org/ cookies.

About Girl Scouts San Diego

Girl Scouts of the USA is the nation’s preem-

inent leadership development organization for girls, with a mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. As one of 111 councils, Girl Scouts San Diego provides year-round activities and volunteer training for more than 24,000 girls and adults in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Rancho Santa Fe Foundation Welcomes Linda Kitchens as Executive Board Chair

Linda brings a background in financial services and a passion for community to the role

Rancho Santa Fe Foundation celebrates the installation of its new executive board chair, Oceanside resident and longtime community advocate Linda Kitchens, who officially took the helm on January 1, 2024. As board chair, Linda will lead and engage Rancho Santa Fe Foundation’s 15-member board of directors, oversee a $14 million grants budget, supervise the Foundation’s chief executive officer, and represent the Foundation in the community, among other duties.

Linda’s involvement with Rancho Santa Fe Foundation began in January 2020 as a member of the Finance and Strategic Planning Committee. She was introduced to the Foundation through its former President and CEO, Christy Wilson, and grew to know the Foundation as the place to help people create and enhance their impact and family legacy. Linda hit the ground running by introducing and later implementing several enhancements to the Foundation’s budgeting and operational decision-making processes, which helped streamline grantmaking for greater impact. In January 2022, she ascended to the role of Finance Committee chair and also became the Foundation’s treasurer.

Linda brings investment and business acumen to her new leadership role—thanks in part to a successful career in wealth management—while maintaining a keen focus on the Foundation’s mission to connect philanthropists with nonprofits to amplify and accelerate the impact of both.

“Not only is Linda a brilliant leader and mentor, she is also someone who isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and get things done,” said Karen Sprigle, interim president and CEO, Rancho Santa Fe Foundation. “We are fortunate to work so closely with her, and I am confident that the wealth of experience and strategic vision she brings will propel the Foundation to new heights for even greater impact in our community.”

Linda has lived in North County since 1985. She currently resides in Oceanside, where she enjoys spending time with her grown children and granddaughter, practicing yoga, reading, cooking and enjoying the beach.

A history of giving back in San Diego (and around the world)

Over the years, Linda’s participation with nonprofit organizations in San Diego—including Girl Scouts San Diego, Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club, TERI Legacy Advisory Council and others—has served as a testament to her dedication to positively impacting and empowering local communities. While serving as president of Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club, Linda had opportunities to travel abroad and develop relationships and a sharp eye to best evaluate community needs and what’s needed to effect remarkable change. She is also a founding member of Hand to Hand, which focuses on empowering local women and girls to implement positive change in their lives, and served as head of the finance committee from 2008 to 2010.

In her career with financial services provider Aspiriant, Linda co-chairs the company’s Women Taking Charge initiative, which fosters mentorship and educational opportunities to empower women within and outside the organization. Additionally, Linda was recently recognized as a finalist in San Diego Magazine’s 2023 “Celebrating Women” awards, which spotlights extraordinary women who have greatly impacted various fields across San Diego.

“Linda is a shining example of a strong leader and she serves as a remarkable representative of the Foundation,” said Amy Myers, vice president of philanthropy, Rancho Santa Fe Foundation. “She is extremely dedicated to her family, her profession, and to growing Rancho Santa Fe

Foundation. We look forward to what the future holds for the Foundation with Linda at the helm!”

Spearheading goals for impactful giving at Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

For Linda, there is much to be excited about in her new role with Rancho Santa Fe Foundation. “I’m looking forward to leveraging our expertise and executing our growth plans so we can inspire others to come together to have an even greater impact in our community,” she shared. “At the Foundation, we creatively serve and exceed the expectations of our donors and fundholders. We are the place to help people enhance their impact.”

There are many ways to give through Rancho Santa Fe Foundation. The Foundation’s three collaborative grantmaking pillars can make a significant impact by providing a larger, collective fund that can be strategically directed toward

key community needs: Supporting Our Heroes (formerly, The Patriots Connection), Advancing Education and Building Healthy Communities. To grant a gift to one of the Impact Pillars, reach out to Rancho Santa Fe Foundation directly.

About Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

Rancho Santa Fe Foundation is the bridge that connects forward-thinking philanthropists in North County San Diego with outstanding nonprofit institutions. The Foundation serves as a convener, bringing the right people and organizations together to help donors leverage impact and nonprofits accelerate progress. Learn more at www.rsffoundation.org.

Healthy Recipe of the Month

Regis Philbin says, “The Clever Cleaver Brothers aren’t just clever. They’re funny and can cook, too.” Leeza Gibbons notes, “Anything these guys do promises to be fun.” And “Emmy Magazine” adds, “They’re what you might get if Martin and Lewis graduated from The Cordon Bleu.”

The Clever Cleaver Brothers were Lee N. Gerovitz and Steve Cassarino — professional chefs who have turned their love for food and laughter into a unique career as media personalities, cookbook authors, magazine columnists and, as one pundit called them, “stand-up chefs.”

These culinary cut-ups were regulars on the TV guest circuit with appearances on “The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno,” “Live! with Regis,” “Fox & Friends,” “The Other Half,” “CNN Headline News,” “Entertainment Tonight”, ‘The View”, and many others. The Chefs appeared on over 125 live TV Shows a year, for 25 years. Their syndicated TV cooking vignettes “KITCHEN CUT-UPS!®” have been broadcast in over 50 countries in five languages. Their 10th season of the national television feature “Tailgatin’ with The Clever Cleaver Brothers®” is seen weekly by more than 2.5-Million viewers during the pro-football season. Lee and Steve authored 3 cookbooks, a DVD plus a magazine column “Cutups” which appeared regularly in “BARBECUE & Beverage” magazine. In 1987 The Clever Cleaver Brothers were nominated for an EMMY.

After retiring as a Clever Cleaver Brother in 2012, Steve developed a new persona as Chef Roc. Chef Roc launched a TV series called Chef Roc and The Joc, airing locally on San Diego FOX 5 every Saturday at Noon. A cooking show tied in with the NFL Alumni.

In 2013, Chef Roc launched The Chef Roc TV Show in Hawaii. Now in its 7th Season the Chef Roc TV Show airs in Hawaii on KKAI TV50 twice a day, 7 days a week. The show reaches the whole State of Hawaii and in Las Vegas. The Chef Roc TV Show features spirits, wine, beer segments, local chefs, Organic local produce, meats and fish with live music from Hawaii’s Local Legend Johnny Valentine (Bruno Mars Uncle) all shot in front of a live audience. The Chef Roc Series is now seen weekly on The Roku Channel, Tubi TV, Zumo TV, Vizio TV, Stirr TV, Local Now and Distro TV and is seen in 4 countries. December 20, 2023 Chef Roc Productions launched a series called Chefs of Color featuring 4 young black chefs each getting their own series. The shows can be seen weekly on 16 platforms including FOX SOUL a National Streaming Channel.

Professional Background:

Current Activity

Partner in TRIO TV, LLC – A TV Development Company – 2018 to present

TRIO TV is in development on several new TV projects

CEO Pipe Dream Kitchen – 2018 to present Development food products infused with CBD Launched a tea and snack line and developed a White Label suite of products.

CEO of Chef Roc Productions – 2013 to present

Executive Producer/Host Chef Roc TV Series 7h Season – 130 Half Hour episodes

Chef Roc Kitchen Tip Series 100 episodes

KKAI TV50

Every day and night @ 3:30 pm and @ 3:30am

Syndicated around the world

Former activity

Executive Producer and Host of ESPN’s Chef Roc and CJ Live Radio Show 2018 Executive Chef for Dietz and Watson 75th Anniversary Flavor Tour 7 months on the Road. 35,000 miles, 50 Cities, 330 Events and over 240,000 samples Executive Chef for Dietz and Watson Pop Up Restaurant in Philadelphia. Developed the menu and managed the operation for the Summer of 2015 GM/Executive Chef Breakers Restaurant - Haleiwa, HI

The Clever Cleaver Brothers

Celebrity Television/Radio Chef, Partner, 28 years retired Content Distribution to over 50 countries in 5 languages via TV and Internet.

Created, Produced and Syndicated several TV series.

Regular guest appearances on National and Local TV shows.

Weekly content supplier for In Your Kitchen.com, dimensionweekly.com, Tailgatingtimes.com, AOL Video, Yahoo, Clip Syndicate, Blip TV.

Created, Published Cookbooks, DVD’s, Podcasts and company web site.

Writer, “Barbecue & Beverage” magazine. Owner, 5 years Cassarino Catering, San Diego, California

Developed recipes, menus, parties 2 to 400. Specialized in high-end clientele, including politicians, venture capitalists, doctors, lawyers.

Executive Chef, 2 years

Private yacht based in Monte Carlo

Sous Chef, 1 year

Melbourne Hotel, Brisbane, Australia

Client List Includes: American Plastics Council, Angostura Intl., Anheuser Busch, Bacardi, Boru Vodka, Cabot Cheese, Chalula Hot Sauce, Colavita, Coleman, Mrs. Dash, Egg Beaters, Georgia Pecan Council, Heinz, John Morrell Meats, Johnsonville Sausage, Jose Cuervo, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Morey’s Seafood, Morton Seasoning

Blends, Ocean Spray, Phillips Foods, Red Monkey Foods, Reynolds’s Wrap, Sam Adam’s, Star Olive Oil, Wesson Oil, VJ’s Sausage Company, FOG Safe Drain Guards, White Lion Tea

Client List Highlights:

White Lion Tea – Developed a CBD Infusing Program

Breakers Restaurant – organize and hire new management team, create a new menu

Burger King – BK Broiler – concept to launch.

Carl’s Jr. – 5 chicken sandwiches – concept to focus groups.

Carnie Wilson Cookbook – Food Stylist

Cholula Hot Sauce – Writer, “Grillin’ and Chillin’” cookbook.

Haagen Dazs – specialty ice cream sundae –concept development.

Johnsonville Sausage – ideation sessions for Ready to Eat concepts.

Krystal – Chili Pups – concept development.

Wesson Oil – Writer, “The Fear of Frying” cookbook

Community and Professional Affiliations:

Options For All – Chairman of Development Committee, Board Member

NFL Alumni Motorcycle Club – Past President, support Caring for Kids

NFL Alumni Superbowl of Golf – Support Caring for Kids

Out of the Darkness – Suicide Prevention

Rincon Head Start Program

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day Teen Challenge

Wounded Warriors

Holes for Heroes

Iraq Stars US Army Advisory Board

Education:

Johnson & Wales University School of Culinary Arts

Associate of Science – Culinary Arts

La Varenne Culinary School- Paris

Le Petite de Cuisine- London

Expert in the following Cuisines: Classic French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Indian, Mexican, English, German, Chinese, Mediterranean, Thai and Japanese.

Steve Cassarino aka Chef Roc

From 1984 to 2012, Steve Cassarino was known around the world as one of The Clever Cleaver Brothers.

JINKA TUNA STUFFED MUSHROOMSyields 12 mushrooms

Recipe developed by Chef Roc©

12 large mushrooms, rinsed & dried, stemmed and rubbed with olive oil

12 (1 inch cubes) smoked Mozzarella cheese

Tuna Stuffing

1/4 cup small diced red pepper

1/4 cup small diced onion

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon small capers

1 tablespoon Old Bay Spice Blend

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper paste

2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

1 cup JINKA Plant-Based Spicy Tuna Spread

1/2 teaspoon paprika for garnish

Remove the stem from the mushrooms. Rinse and dry each mushroom, then rub with olive oil. Stuff a cube of cheese into the opening of each mushroom. Give it a firm push into the mushroom.

In a bowl, combine the Tuna Stuffing ingredients. Carefully incorporate the spicy tuna throughout the stuffing. Divide the tuna mixture into 12 portions. Roll

into a meatball shape and press each crab ball into the top of each mushroom. Sprinkle with paprika.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the mushrooms for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove and enjoy.

For more healthy Jinka recipes go to: www.myjinka.com

The Face of

Banking

Adriana Brunner

Adriana “Adri” Brunner is a native of Medellín, Colombia. She is the Director of Business Development for MyPoint Credit Union. Adri has over 26 years of experience in banking, business development, marketing, PR, and partnership development.

She has championed business development, community relations, and partnership development for the credit union during the last 16 years. During her career, she has offered over 600 financial literacy workshops in English/Spanish and has worked closely with the small business community through education, activism, and leadership. She holds a B.S in Economics, Master’s in Strategic Management, and a Master’s in International Finances from Colombian Universities. She also holds an MBA with a Minor in Marketing and graduate certifications in communications, social media, and clean energy.

Adriana MyPoint Credit Union San Diego 858-495-3400 / mypointcu.com

Felena Hanson

My career has spanned everything from technology start-ups to higher education. In 2003, I set off to become an entrepreneur after my position as director of marketing was eliminated due to the sale of the venture-backed firm for which I worked. I have never looked back and proudly call myself unemployable!

When I launched my first business, Perspective Marketing, I found my passion for supporting other female entrepreneurs through leadership roles with several professional women’s organizations, including Women’s Global Network and Ladies Who Launch.

In 2010, I recognized the trend of the gig economy and the rise of coworking spaces. After nine months of research, I saw a gap in the market for a space that was especially welcoming to women. I launched my first coworking space in San Diego, California, in 2011 and have since built six additional locations across the country. Hera Hub, named after the Greek Goddess of Women, still stands out in the sea of thousands of coworking spaces. This is not only due to its spa-inspired elements but also because of the robust business support. In addition to in-person, communitybuilding events, our online platform provides members with daily mentoring, accountability, and educational sessions to keep them connected and productive.

Over the last decade, Hera Hub and its family of brands have helped over 13,000 women start or grow their businesses. I am on a mission to reach over 20,000 women. Hera Hub is a Certified Public Benefit Corporation, which commits our company to higher standards of purpose, accountability, and transparency.

In addition to just-in-time business acceleration through daily programming and GURUS, I created two virtual business accelerator programs, which are part of our

organization’s public-benefit mission. Each year, hundreds of business owners access these programs for free. In 2022, Hera Hub’s

The Green Flag Is Out, And The 2024 366 Begins!

It’s All About Romance and Fun!

THIS WILL BE A FAST AND FUN YEAR.

By Bob Morey

SIWelcome to 2024. Before you tell me ‘There are only 365 days in the year Bob’, it’s Leap year. But now that the green flag has dropped for the 2024 366, let’s make the most of it. While many of the performing arts companies took a short breather after a jampacked December, it’s now game on and some of the biggest shows of the year are coming through over the next month…and some that will be…well…just fun to see…so let’s get to it.

o far this month, you’ve already had fun with Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day, The Super Bowl, and the Daytona 500. If you took my advice last month, you got tickets for a show (which you can still do) and used them as a double-up during your romantic dinner. If you didn’t double up, you still have about 12 days left this month to recover. So here are some options for you to choose from.

humor, mystery, and heart. Outside Mullingar Has been extended through March 3rd.

Now playing in the park at The Old Globe on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage is Age of Innocence, Written By Edith Wharton, Adapted by Karen Zacarías, and Directed by Chay Yew. This Globe-commissioned world premiere , based on Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize–winning classic, is set in the 1870s Gilded Age New York City, where high society clashes with love. When the glamorous Countess Ellen Olenska sweeps into town, she upends the lives of everyone around her, especially the dashing lawyer Newland Archer. This new adaptation for the is the kind of lush period production for which The Old Globe is renowned. Age of Innocence plays through March 10 th .

Also currently playing at The San Diego Musical Theatre is Fiddler on the Roof, from a Book by Joseph Stein and Music by Jerry Bock with Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick . Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, Fiddler on the Roof’s universal theme of tradition cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality, and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy, and sadness. Fiddler runs until March 10 th

The lavish and stunning Shen Yun is passing through our county, starting in Escondido on January 16th through the 18th at the Center for the Arts and from the 19th to the 21st at the Civic Theatre. For those of you who haven’t seen the mass advertising campaign that started in November, here’s the back story. Over the past decades, the Chinese Communist Party has treated traditional culture as a threat to its rule. Through campaigns like the Cultural Revolution, it has systematically uprooted traditional beliefs and destroyed ancient treasures, bringing 5,000 years of civilization to the brink of extinction. Starting in 2006, a group of classical Chinese artists came together in New York with a mission: to revive the traditional, divinely inspired culture of China and share it with the world. They created Shen Yun. China’s ancient name, “The Land of the Divine” tells of a world where deities and mortals together walked the Earth. Music, medicine, calligraphy, clothing, language, and much more were said to have been brought down from above. Buddhism, Taoism, and other disciplines were at the heart of society. Emperors sought to follow the Way of Heaven, and daily life was replete with rituals connecting the human and the divine. From the Yellow Emperor of antiquity to the splendor of the Tang Dynasty all the way to the exquisite elegance of the Qing, the lineage of Chinese civilization runs five millennia deep. It is a story brimming with heroes real and imagined, their legacy preserved in tales of courage and sacrifice, integrity and loyalty, compassion, and virtue. The ruling communist regime has viewed China’s rich spiritual and artistic heritage as a threat to its ideology and, for decades, tried to erase it. Nothing like this can be seen in China today, and 5,000 years of Chinese civilization were almost lost. In fact, Shen Yun is still not allowed to perform there. But outside of China, through dance, music, costumes, and legends Shen Yun has sparked a cultural renaissance that can be seen worldwide.

Not to be outdone, The San Diego Opera is bringing one of the greatest operas ever composed to the Civic Theatre with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s epic Don Giovanni on February 2nd and 4th Don Giovanni, which is considered by many to be the most perfect opera ever, is a dramatic opera full of seduction and revenge that tells the story of the legendary libertine and seducer of the same name. The opera explores love, morality, and the consequences of people’s actions, and revolves around Don Giovanni’s amorous escapades. Don Giovanni should not be missed, especially if this would be your first time at the opera.

Making its San Diego premiere at the San Diego Civic Theatre starting on March 5 th is MJ. One of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to San Diego as MJ , the multi-Tony Award-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by Tony Award®-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage , MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status. MJ is startin’ somethin’ through the 10 th .

The Old Globe is back with its first of 2024 with English, from January 27th through February 18th at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre. Written By Sanaz Toossi and Directed by Arya Shahi. English is the winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize, the Obie Award, and the Lucille Lortel Award. Set in a classroom near Tehran, four adult students prepare for an English proficiency exam. They each have a reason for being there: a chance at opportunity, access, or a new calling. But as they bond over this new way to express themselves, they also grapple with the lives they must leave behind. Told with hilarious wit and genuine compassion, Sanaz Toossi’s English is both a buoyant comedy of communication and a subtle but probing exploration of what it means to speak and feel understood.

Across the bay in Coronado and already playing at The Lamb’s Players Theatre is Outside Mullingar, Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley and features two of the region’s leading theatre couples, Robert Smyth & Deborah Gilmour Smyth and Brian Mackey & Rachael Van Wormer. Outside Mullingar is a marvelous Irish story about family, love, and property boundaries. Filled with

Popping through for one night only is Michael Flatley’s

One of the hottest tickets in town playing right now is Redwood at The La Jolla Playhouse. Broadway icon Idina Menzel makes her La Jolla Playhouse debut in the world premiere of Redwood, a one-of-a-kind theatrical event about one woman’s journey into the precious and precarious world of the redwoods. Idina plays Jesse, a successful businesswoman, mother and wife. She seems to have it all, but inside, her heart is broken. Finding herself at a turning point, Jesse leaves everyone and everything behind, gets in her car and drives… and drives. Thousands of miles later, she hits the ancient forests of Northern California, where a chance meeting and a leap of faith changed her life forever. In the presence of the magnificent, towering redwoods, Jesse finds strange and powerful connections, an unexpected sense of community, and a chance at healing. Acclaimed writer and director Tina Landau ( Beauty ) brings this immersive and cinematic new work to life with lush visuals and a soaring score from Kate Diaz. You will travel with Jesse into an intoxicating environment of dense greenery, fractured light and dizzying heights – a place where nature can help us heal, if only we don’t destroy her first. Redwood is with us until March 31 st .

Lord of the Dance on February 6th at the Civic Theatre. For a quarter of a century, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance has been dazzling audiences across the globe with its unique combination of high-energy Irish dancing, original music, storytelling, and sensuality. Michael Flatley once said, “Everyone in the world will tell you, ‘No, it can’t be done.’ Every time I hear that, I know I’m close to success.” For the 25th anniversary of Lord of the Dance, Flatley has taken the show to the next level with new staging, costumes, and choreography, plus cutting-edge technology, special effects, and remarkable lighting. Since its premiere 25 years ago, it has become one the most successful touring productions in entertainment history, having been seen by over 60 million people. It’s one of the shows this year that will be just sheer fun and a celebration of one of the world’s great entertainment experiences.

The Cygnet has become one of my favorite theatre companies of late, as they turn out some of the best theatre productions show after show. On the 24th, they kick 2024 off with Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Written By Lanie Robertson and Directed by Wren T. Brown. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill recounts Billie Holiday’s life story through the songs that made her famous. Set in 1959, in a small, intimate bar in Philadelphia, Holiday puts on a show that unbeknownst to the audience, will leave them witnesses to one of the last performances of her lifetime. Through her poignant voice and moving songs, one of the greatest jazz singers of all time shares her loves and her losses. Emerson’s Bar & Grill is an inspiring, soulful story featuring Karole Foreman (A Little Night Music) as Billie Holiday in what should be a Tour de Force performance. Billie sings through February 18th.

The North Coast Rep is keeping the laughs rolling with Molière’s Tartuffe. Translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur and Directed by Richard Baird. Molière’s Tartuffe is acknowledged as one of the most enduring comedic masterpieces in the theatrical canon, is given an astonishingly clever translation by two-time Pulitzer Prize poet Richard Wilbur. The charlatan Tartuffe worms his way into a wealthy family, causing disruption and pandemonium. With wicked precision and brilliantly rhyming verses, this highly satiric comedy skewers religious hypocrisy, duplicity, lust, and self-inflicted chaos. Lovers of classic theatre and ingenious wordplay will not want to miss this inventively entertaining evening. This exciting take on a classic is not to be missed! Tartuffe plays from March 6th to March 31 st .

Across the bay in Coronado and already playing at The Lamb’s Players Theatre is Outside Mullingar, Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley and features two of the region’s leading theatre couples, Robert Smyth & Deborah Gilmour Smyth and Brian Mackey & Rachael Van Wormer. Outside Mullingar is a marvelous Irish story about family, love, and property boundaries. Filled with humor, mystery, and heart. Outside Mullingar runs through February 18th

Already playing at The North Coast Rep is Intimate Apparel, Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Lynn Nottage and Directed by Jasmine Bracey. Lynn Nottage has stitched together a powerful tale with an array of characters whose intertwining relationships are told with humor, heartbreak, and resiliency. In this deeply affecting story, we are taken into the world of a lonely, talented Black seamstress, living in a Manhattan boardinghouse in 1905 but dreaming of a more fulfilling life. This enduring favorite has enthralled, entertained, and touched audiences around the country for years. Intimate Apparel runs through February 4th.

And since we have a few shows that are just sheer fun for this month, I would be remiss if I left this one out: Ladies And Gentleman, Boys and Girls, Children of ALL ages! Circus Vargas, The Big One is Back! for another epic adventure under the big top for 2024 and something amazing is in the works!! More laughs, more thrills, and more priceless memories for all and it’s always a fun night at the circus. So See Circus Vargas Now! Circus Vargas is currently in National City and moves to Mission Valley on March 8 th

And since we have a few shows that are just sheer fun for this month, I would be remiss if I left this one out: Ladies And Gentleman, Boys and Girls, Children of ALL ages! Circus Vargas, The Big One is Back! for another epic adventure under the big top for 2024 with 3 stops starting on January 26th through February 12th at the North County Mall. Something amazing is in the works!! More laughs, more thrills, and more priceless memories for all and it’s always a fun night at the circus. So See Circus Vargas Now! Circus Vargas will move to National City starting on February 14th and Mission Valley on March 8th

As our 2024 season moves right along, it just seems to get better and better. There are some upcoming shows I have my eye on and have already marked my calendar. The next two months are going to go by in a blur, but I’ll do my best to keep track of the hot tickets for you. Until next month, Break-A-Leg.

This year is already off to a fast and fun start, and next month has several more shows slated to open that will match what’s playing this month. 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most memorable years that San Diego will recall for many years to come. Don’t miss out.

Our Ramona / A Community Unites in Song

BY BART MENDOZA ©

There are many fine music communities in San Diego, but currently nothing quite compares to what is happening in Ramona. The town’s musicians have banded together, creating new places and events to play, a new level of camaraderie amongst performers and recently released a compilation album, Our Ramona, celebrating both the town and its musical inhabitants. Helmed by the recently founded Ramona Music Alliance (RMA), numerous folks helped out in the process of getting the album to the public, with Doug Walker (funding), Jon Hasz (recording) and Ashley E Norton (organizing etc.), doing much of the heavy lifting. A total of sixteen artists are featured, including Chloe Lou, Desert Crossing, Thea the Band, Dusty Record and Danielle Hughes.

What was the inspiration for the Our Ramona compilation? “My first answer is … Ramona!”, Doug Walker said good naturedly. “The landscapes, the people, the town and the music scene collectively. Ramona, that was the inspiration. That’s what inspired us all to write Ramona songs.”

“But there’s more to it in terms of specifics,” Walker continued. “When my wife and I first moved to Ramona after 35+ years in a nice two-story tract home on a small lot in Scripps Ranch to a bigger single story custom home on 4.5 acres with almost 360-degree panoramic views, I was blown away. The mountains in the distance, the vast grasslands, the wildlife. All I could think of was that compared to any place else I’d ever lived… “it’s the Hills of Ramona for me” .“I sent, what now is just the first verse and chorus of a four verse and chorus song, “The Hills of Ramona”, to my realtor. He added pictures from Tim Connelly, posted it on his website and it got 20,000 views and hundreds of positive comments from so many people who love this town.” Walker sang his song at Wine and Jam, a monthly event at Three Hills Winery, co-founded with Danielle Hughes, Leah Keane and Steve Tally. “Then Danielle wrote a song about Ramona. I’d heard Ashley’s “Ramona Rockstar” song, so we had three Ramona songs. Then, at a Songbirds of Ramona concert, I heard (singer-songwriter) Thea’s “My Ramona” song so now four songs, four really good songs and it occurred to me we should do a CD of Ramona Songs… that was literally “the inspirational moment” for the Our Ramona compilation CD.”

Sharing that thought with Norton and Thea that evening, Walker also Jon Hasz how many songs would be needed to create a full CD. “Ashley put the word out to the RMA folks.

BAM! Twelve more Ramona songs showed up so now we had sixteen Ramona songs. I knew we had to do it, if only to have all of these songs together on one CD for the artists to enjoy, and maybe sell at their gigs. So I offered to fund the project having no idea it would explode into all it has become, not just a CD of great songs, not just an epic launch concert, not just a unifier of all kinds of people who supported this project, but a classic timeless recording that can be shared by businesses, realtors and citizens with customers, prospects, family and friends for decades to come.” Beyond being able to help promote

the artists and community itself, funds raised by album sales are being donated to the Ramona Town Hall Restoration Project. “They have an amazing performance hall that we are trying to raise awareness for,” said Hasz. “One day, it will be home to many concerts and community dances.” Norton concurs. “That and it has so much cool history!,” she said. “There’s a great story about when the Barnett family giving the town hall to Ramona in 1895. They were quite conservative and declared it dry. As in no alcohol.

So the Mason’s got mad and buried a bottle of whiskey into the adobe walls so there would always be alcohol at the townhall. This could just be folklore but I love the story and actually wrote a song about it. It kinda reminds me of the RMA. That’s definitely something we would do.”

Currently the album is available online via the RMA Bandcamp page, with CD’s available at shops throughout Ramona. “You can find it at Ramona Family Naturals, Pamo Valley Winery, Reds, Whites & Brews, Ramona Ranch Winery, Ramona Music Center, Cattle Dog Coffee, Ramona Chamber of Commerce and soon to be more,” Norton said.

Our Ramona was released with a special concert and more events surrounding the album are planned. “The event was a wild success.,” Hasz noted. “We sold over 250 albums by the end of the release date and sales continue to this day. In addition, it was our unofficial holiday party so there was a lot to celebrate and celebrate we did!” The performers all brought their A game “and we were so lucky to have Ramona Radio support the night. They coordinated a red carpet and limo entrance for all musicians and swinging sky lights to frame the night into something out of an old 40’s Hol-

lywood dream. Every song from the CD was performed by the musicians involved and set the bar very high for all our future events.”

Music fans will be happy to hear that a follow up album is under consideration. “Absolutely!.” Hasz said. “Our only question is about the theme. There are so many potential spin offs to possibly do, so we are very busy brainstorming.”

For her part, Norton is thrilled with the album’s success and community involvement. “I loved watching everyone come together and work towards a greater goal,” she said. “This project was never about single musicians; it was about a group of like-minded musicians and their love for their small town. People on the project donated their time for art direction (Cathryn Beeks), website development (Michael Dean Goodrich), funding (Doug Walker), and other volunteers at the show like Chloe Lou, Leah Keane, Dana Duplan, Leslie Liddie, Brett MacKinga and more!”

She is also grateful for gifts that organizers gave each other as thank you’s for their hard work “It was really cool. We printed out a big poster for Ramona Radio and everyone signed it, we gave Leslie a guitar shaped firepit, as she sold at least 150 of those CDs for us. Doug also gave some of us hats and shirts with the RMA logo and Brett MacKinga gave him a guitar signed by all of us. Plus, the party. Good luck to all of us in topping that one!” With the Our Ramona album now in the history books, Norton is looking towards the future. “The Ramona Music Alliance has only been around for a year and I can’t believe what we’ve accomplished. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

https://ramonamusicalliance.bandcamp. com/album/our-ramona

www.RamonaMusicCenter.com

The Game / 20 Years of New Songs

One of San Diego’s finest musical traditions, The Game, celebrates it’s 20th Anniversary this month, with a special show at the Ould Sod on February 25, from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.. The events premise? Write a song to one of the offered titles and present it to your peers at the concert. This time out the proposed song titles are: “Fish Tank” and “Pressing On.” Some of the tunes proffered at show time might be good, some might be great, but all in attendance will have fun listening to the new creations. Notably this edition will be sponsored by Dave Michaels of Sanctuary Lab who will be selecting his favorite song and offering to produce the song at no cost to the songwriter.”

Helmed by Catherine Beeks of Listen Local Radio since it’s 2004 inception, she took inspiration for The Game from a quartet of notable songwriters. “In 2003 Jeff Berkley invited me to participate in a small offshoot of, The Game, a songwriter challenge started by Bob Schneider that Jeff often played with Steve Poltz and Gregory Page while on tour. The Game offers title prompts to inspire songs. I was so inspired by the experience that I borrowed the idea and Listen Local held our first Game at The Honey Bee Hive on January 17, 2004. It continued every few months at various venues and house concerts and we’re still playing 20 years later.”

Beeks notes that many great songs have been written for The Game… “and many bands formed over the years thanks to The Game,” she said. “There is a Facebook group for

The Game with past prompts and submissions from participants that people can join and enjoy and even write songs to our past prompts, too.”

Is she surprised by The Game’s longevity? “Honestly, not really,” she said. “I mean, it’s such a great tool for songwriters of all skill levels. We all get writer’s block at some point. Listen Local’s Game events, like all of our events, are really relaxed, welcoming and encouraging so we get a lot of repeat participants.”

What’s the most difficult thing about organizing the event? “Finding the right venue has been the most challenging,” Beeks remarked. “I’ve always tried to host The Game on a Sunday afternoon and we like to support venues or restaurants

when possible. Sometimes sports get in the way, lol. The Game requires finding a place with a “listening room” atmosphere with decent parking where we can gather and share our songs, which we normally do unplugged.”

In addition to The Game, Beeks continues to be one of the busiest music supporters in town. “Besides the Game, which will continue every few months, I’ve started The Acoustic Alliance again and plan to host that every quarter. I’m also hosting song circles a few times a month in my hometown of Ramona and I’ll be heading into the studio with Jeff Berkley in March to record a new collection of songs, most of them Game songs, to be released this Spring/Summer. Listen Local

Motion, my vintage bread truck, will be back in action this Summer, too, up here in Ramona on our Thursday Cruise Nights on Main Street, offering vintage clothing, a. With two decades of experience with The Game behind her, what’s Beeks favorite thing about the event? “Hearing other songs written to the same title you just wrote to is always cool,” she said. “It’s so interesting to see how different folks interpret and create to the same phrase or title. It’s fascinating. Plus, the camaraderie and time spent playing for each other is beautiful. We have a core group of Gamers that always attend, and we welcome those first time gamers, too!”

www.ListenLocalRadio.com

www.CathrynBeeks.com

NAMM 2024 / San Diego Musicians in the Spotlight!

NAMM 2024 (aka The National Association for Music Merchandisers) was another one for the record books, as it made its annual return to the Anaheim Convention Center, January 25-28, in Anaheim, CA. The four-day event, which showcased the latest in musical innovation and gear for merchants and musicians alike, attracted thousands of attendees from around the world. Notably, NAMM’s headquarters are in Carlsbad, also hosting the Museum of Making Music. Along with the educational seminars and vast array of exhibits, including an impressive display of Prince’s stately grand

host to a plethora of musical talent, including many performers from San Diego. The Anthony Cullins Band, Slack Key ‘Ohana and Daring Greatly were among the artists that joined such international legends as music icon Stevie Wonder, Elton John guitarist Caleb Quaye and Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer and guitarist Larry Mitchell, just a few of the artists on hand at this year’s NAMM to entertain the masses. A great time was had by all. Sandra Castillo

piano, on loan from the late performer’s Paisley Park estate, NAMM 2024 played

Top 5 Concerts

February 24 – The Fred Benedetti Trio George Harrison Birthday Tribute / Dizzy’s, Bay Park

Benedetti and company’s excellent annual concert in honor of George Harrisons birthday, covers a lot of ground, taking in songs from The Beatles, The Traveling Wilburys and his solo years, with classic songs such as “Something,” “Here Comes the Sun,” and “The Inner Light” sure to be in the evening’s set list.

February 27 – Johnny Vernazza 74th Birthday Celebration / Rock and Roll San Diego, Midway District

Music fans won’t want to miss this opportunity to celebrate a true blues legend!

Vernazza has led a storied career, as a member of the Elvin Bishop Group (that’s him on the 1976 hit, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love”), playing with Jerry Garcia, Van Morrison, The Marshall Tucker Band and much more. Anthony Cullins and Ash Easton will open the proceedings. Happy Birthday Johnny V! RSVP at info@rockandrollsandiego. com

March 2 - Noche de Cumbia with Los Shadows, Los Sleepwalkers / Quartyard, Downtown San Diego

Hot on the heels of their new single release, “Locochon,” the Sleepwalkers are part of this amazing dance party. If you like cumbias and a dash of blues / rockabilly this is the gig for you. Decades in, The Sleepwalkers retain their crown

as one of the best bands in San Diego.

March 3 – Ed Kornhauser / Panama 66, Balboa Park

Jazz keyboardist Ed Kornhauser is a multiple San Diego Music Award winner, including “Best Jazz Album” (2021) and “Best Jazz Artist” (2022). A prolific musician, Kornhauser can be heard performing and recording

with many of the area’s top artists, but here he’ll be showcasing his own music with a top notch group. Bonus: Panama 66, located in Balboa Park’s Sculpture Garden, is one of the most beautiful settings for music in San Diego.

March 8 – The Shenanigans / Humphrey’s Backstage Live, Shelter Island

A rare case where the phrase “all-star band” is actually a bit of an understatement. On the set list is a host of classic blues and rock standards, while on stage you’ll find the likes of saxophonist Chris Klich, drummer Jack Pinney (Iron Butterfly / Glory), guitarist Mark DeCerbo (Four Eyes / True Stories) and radio icon, Jim McInnes. Loads of fun!

New San Diego Music Releases

New and Upcoming Singles: The Beard and The Bird -”Thankful,” Kimmi Bitter - “Old School” & “Vagabond Blues” (March 15), Door 13 – “Drowning,” Katie LaDubz – “Trust Me (Stuck Up In This Matrix),” Manuok - “Sui Generis”, Ingrid Michaelson & Jason Mraz - “Love Is,” MohaviSoul - “Get Lucky Again”, My Heart Your Knife – “Sunday Service,” P.O.D. – “Afraid to Die,” Spacehall Sound Machine – “Hold It Together,” Vokab Kompany & Safety Orange”Still Be Me”, Patrick Yandall – “Georgy Porgy” (feat. Darryl Walker) (Toto cover)

New and Upcoming Albums & EP’s: Bag-

well & Troy - Out of the Blue (March), Garrison Bailey – Best of Love Songs, Lori Bell - Recorda Me, Remembering Joe Henderson (April), Kimmi Bitter – Old School (March 29), Jeffrey Detrick - tbd, Eagles - To the Limit: The Essential Collection (includes Jack Tempchin’s “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Already Gone”), Fuzz Huzzi – Waiting on the Sun, The Goodies – s/t, Ron Houston –Real Outlaw Americana Music, Hullabaloo - Live from Sun Studio, Daniel Nielsen – Unearthed, Zack Oakley - Kommune 1, P.O.D. – Veritas (May 3), Spacehall Sound Machine – s/t, Stark Shay - Treasures,

New and Upcoming Videos: Bloodstone The Street Preacher – “Giddy Up,” Jeffrey Bloom – “The Return” & “Sun,” Dan Gindling – “Gotta Love All Day,” Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich – “Always Make It So,” Manganista – “Human Being,” Pink Eye – “Bar Stories,” Slack Key Ohana – Recording at Studio 606, Smoke and Mirrors Sound System –“Hollywood Boulevard” & “Beyond the Pale” & “Limbo the Law,” Sunday Morning Sidewalk –“My Hometown,” Super Buffet – “Zombie Love Song”

San Diego Music News

The 33rd annual San Diego Music Awards will take place on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Nominees and performers will be announced via a livestream at the SDMA website on February 26 at 7 p.m. www.sandiegomusicawards.com

The Meraki will be hosting a fundraising Spring Jazz Series, for and produced by students from Mission Bay High School’s music program and music director: JeanPaul “JP” Balmat. The concerts run through June with, Euphoria Brass Band (February 22), Gilbert Castellanos (March 21), Holly Hoffman (April 25) and Peter Sprague / Leonard Patton (May 30).

The 11th annual Fourth Friday Jazz Series hosted by The La Jolla Community Center, kicks off on February 23 with Los Angeles based singer Angie Wells. The series runs through October, with Dr. Marshall Hawkins (March 22), Rose Mallet (August 23) and Gilbert Castellanos (October 25) amongst the talent on the upcoming schedule.

Acclaimed flautist Lori Bell will be celebrating the April release of her new album, Recorda Me, Remembering Joe Henderson, with a West Coast tour, including opening night in San Francisco at SFJazz on April 20.

Country singer Kimmi Bitter’s upcoming album and single will both be titled “Old School.” “The inspiration was simply the sounds of the past, primarily my obsession with the 1960s and wanting to make a tried and true old school country soundtrack that transports listeners to a simpler time,” she said. “It was produced with Michael Gurley and recorded in Los Angeles after we found success with the first song we co-wrote together called “My Grass is Blue.”

Congrats to Andra Day - she scores two RIAA Sales Awards this month: “Rise Up” (4 X Platinum) and “Cheers To The Fall” (Gold). She also sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the opening of the 2024 Super Bowl. It’s a long way from Valencia Park Elementary!

Guitarist Warren DiMartini of 1980’s platinum selling hard rockers, Ratt, will take part in this year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, taking place in Los Angeles on March 14 -17. DiMartini will be joined by Michael Anthony (Van Halen) and Tommy Aldridge (Whitesnake).

Singer Rebecca Jade will be part of the Dave Koz and Friends at Sea Cruise, April 30 – May 14, taking place in Athens, Greece. Jade will be at numerous jazz festivals this year including Redding, PA (April 13), Panama City Beach, FL (April 26), Elkhart, In (June 21), Lubbock, TX (July 13), Norfolk, VA (August 16), and Daytona Beach, FL (October 31 – November 3).

Multi-Platinum selling singer-songwriter, Jewel, returns to San Diego for a show with Melissa Etheridge on July 23 at the Rady Shell.

The Loons head to Spain this June for an appearance at EspinaFest, set to take place in Madrid from Jun 28 – 30.

Marujah has signed with Texas based label, Ska Punk International (SPI). Look for their first vinyl release in April, a compilation titled, Dia de Los Muertos. “It’s an amalgamation of all our work,” said the band’s Komandante Kalavera. “The label picked their favorite tracks and we added a few new songs. It’s our history, in vinyl, and an introduction to the ska punk scene outside of San Diego.” Though the albums songs will come from various releases,

“the connective tissue of the work is that most songs were produced by John Avila from Oingo Boingo and he graced us with his bass playing on the track called, “Break 12.”

Progressive bluegrass trio Nickel Creek is on tour supporting their latest album, Celebrants, with shows wrapping up on July 20 in North Charleston, SC.

Saxophonist Daniel Nielsen’s latest album, Unearthed, is an all-star event, featurings guest appearances from fiddler Floyd Fronius (Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas) and bassist Glen Fisher as well as singers Ashley E Norton and Brooke Mackintosh.

Rookie Card, featuring Adam Gimbel (Geezer) and Dylan Martinez (Static Halo), once again reunite for a special Leap Year performance on February 29 at the Kensington Club, with John Meeks and Marie Haddad (Baby Bushka) also on the bill. The band has made a new video for their song “2/29,” originally released in 2004, featuring fellow “leapers,” aka folks born on leap day.

Pacific Records artist Kela Sako is releasing her new single titled “Promise to Return” on March 22. To celebrate the occasion, on that same day, prior to that evening’s Gulls game, she’ll be performing the single with Sean Witkin at Pechanga Arena’s Stella Artois Lounge. Then on March 24 she will return to Pechanga Arena to sing the national anthem at that evenings Gulls game, as well as join Slack Key Ohana for a few songs in the lounge.

The Schizophonics European tour wraps up on February 24 in Porsgrunn, Norway, with shows in England, Spain and Denmark along the way.

The Screamin YeeHaws celebrate their 20th anniversary with a show at the Casbah on March 9. Spitfire Torpedo, featuring Kevin Ring (Manual Scan), Tim Blankenship (rust) and Rich Travers (Saint Shameless), plus Behind the Wagon, are reforming to do reunion sets for the event.

invited to perform three songs at a Grammy Museum Benefit Concert hosted by Dukes La Jolla in between the scheduled performance by Grammy Winners Bobby Moderow Jr. and Kawika Kahiapo. “We attended as a band just to support the community and the two of them invited us on stage to perform two songs. When we finished, they asked us to do one more,” said SKO’s Brian Witkin. “It was impromptu, but amazing that they asked us to do that.”

On March 8, Spacehall Sound Machine host a release party for their new self-titled EP, at Winston’s. Their most recent single, “Hold It Together,” features guest guitar playing from Richie Orduno, best known for his work with The Sleepwalkers

Songwriter Jack Tempchin has two co-writes on the upcoming best of compilation from the Eagles, To the Limit: The Essential Collection. Unusually, “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Already Gone” are each included twice, once as the original studio track and again as a vintage live recording.

Multi-instrumentalist Archie Thompson has composed the score to the new film Murder & Cocktails, and also contributed the closing credit song, “Such A Wonderful Night”, featuring vocalist Sarah Ingraham Thompson has over 100 song placements in TV and film, and recently released a pair of albums. First up, Permanently Gone. “This is my country concept album,” Thompson said. “I went back to my roots on this one. My folks were big Country Western fans. It’s got a bit of everything, all original, from traditional country, Western swing, Spaghetti Western, Countrypolitan, many with horn arrangements and lots of saxophone!” Also new is Raw Soul: Volume 3. “This is a compilation of original soul/R&B songs featuring some of San Diego’s best singers. Rebecca Jade, Miriam Dance, Mercedes Moore, Ed Graves, and Dave Stanger are all featured. I sing a couple of tunes and play most of the instruments. It was great to get these amazing singers behind the mic!”

Slack Key Ohana’s new album, Hawaiian Cowboy, is out on April 15 via Pacific Records. Guests include Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top, The Moving Sidewalks) and slack key guitar virtuoso George Kahumoku Jr. The album’s first single, “One More Day,” featuring Brittni Paiva, is available now with pre-order’s on Apple / iTunes. SKO is also performing at the Alohana Festival in Palm Springs (March 19) and Tiki Oasis Arizona (April 25 –28). Meanwhile on February 3, Slack Key Ohana were

Vocalist extraordinaire Whitney Shay heads out on a tour of Europe next month, opening on March 12 in Differdange, Luxemberg.

Sean Witkin is in the studio working with Jonny Tarr on a new single, details tba.

“Megan is an absolutely fantastic agent to work with. The Þrst time we met she came ready to talk with an extremely professional presentation on the neighborhood, the comps, and what we could expect from the selling process. But beyond that, she is an absolute wizard with a home. She walked through and gave us tons of ideas on ways to present the home better and make it sell faster. She also provided some of her own items (at no cost to us) to help stage the home and make it look absolutely perfect. She engaged several outlets to market the house and was incredibly responsive. She also was wonderful to work with on a personal level, and was so patient with all of my questions and neuroses. In short, I cannot say enough about how great Megan is and how highly I recommend her.Ó

Crystal M., San Diego CA

MEGAN BEAUVAIS, REALTOR¨, GRI | DRE #01426805 619.944.2798 Megan@MeganB.comwww.MeganB.com

4734 Miracle Dr | Talmadge

2+ Bed/2 Bath | 1,373 ESF | $1,410,000

4714 49th Street | Talmadge

4605 49th Street | Talmadge

3 Bed/2 Bath | 1,554 ESF | $1,249,000

10239 Caminito Covewood | Scripps Ranch

4 Bed/2.5 Bath | 1,724 ESF | $904,000

4970 Adams Avenue | Talmadge

2 Bed/1 Bath | 692 ESF | $785,000

13775 Paseo Cevera | Rancho Penasquitos

4 Bed/2.5 Bath | 1,843 ESF | $1,400,000

4811 49th Street | Talmadge

3 Bed/2 Bath | 1,194 ESF | $1,311,500