June 2013 Journal Plus Magazine

ARCHIE MCL AREN | COLLINS BROTHERS | DR. SASHA SZY TEL | JAZZ IN SLO COUNT Y

Journal JUNE 2013

PLUS

MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

BASS FISHING ON THE CENTRAL COAST

Larry D. Smyth Owner/Broker

805-543-2172 San Luis Obispo

www.farrellsmyth.com

www.ZinVineyard.com

805-904-6616 Arroyo Grande

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Jennifer Hamilton

Linda Aiello-Madison

Relocation Director

Broker-Associate

Ken Arritt

Broker-Associate

Gentleman’s Ranch 3.76 acres with vineyard and fully insulated 4900+ square foot steel shop with living quarters. Electric gate + alarm system with cameras.

Great opportunity for a car collector or nicely located for potential tasting room. $1,275,000

Former Model Home with Great City and Mountain views. Two private decks in a Mediterranean setting. Spacious 2378sqft, 3 bedroom, 3 bath. Tiled entry, Ceiling fans, fireplace, plumbed for vacuum system, and wired for surround sound. Large Master suite with private deck. $719,000

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SLO Downtown Bungalow REALTOR®

Mary Rosenthal

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An investor’s dream! Lovely home close to town and shopping. Mature landscaping on large corner lot with sprinkler system. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Nice flow, tile flooring from kitchen to rec room and on to the 200sqft sunroom, two wood burning fireplaces and hardwood floors in bedrooms. $649,000 New Listing – San Luis Obispo Theresa Carroll

DOWNTOWN SLO. Single level. Creekside. Zoned Office w/ multiple uses. Currently used as residence. Original bungalow floorplan w/ full kitchen, formal dining w/ built in buffet, parlor doors, fireplace, hardwood floors, A/C added w/some elec. upgrades. Off-street parking. Located just around the corner from the SLO downtown experience and adjacent to SLO’s serene Cheng Park. $450,000 Arroyo Grande: 55+ Complex

REALTOR®

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Janet Shaner REALTOR®

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Vicky Hall

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Chris Stanley

Jerry Collins

REALTOR®

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Deane Naylor

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Broker-Associate

Patricia Garrison

Annette Mullen

Three Bedroom Two bath Laguna Lake Home.

New paint new carpet. Fireplace, two car garage. Nice location. 1130 Atascadero Ave. $449,000.00

55+ Senior Complex. Located within walking distance to theatre, restaurant, grocer y, pharmacy, coffee shop and many other stores.

Awesome Clubhouse (with full kitchen). 2 bedroom, 2 bath End unit contains granite counter tops, storage, patio and fireplace. $263,900

Conveniently located in the heart of SLO & the Village of Arroyo Grande 21 Santa Rosa Street, Suite 100, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 110 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

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CONTENTS

Journal PLUS MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST

The People, Community, and Business of Our Beautiful Central Coast ADDRESS

654 Osos Street San Luis Obispo California 93401

12 THE COLLINS BROTHERS

PHONE 805.546.0609 E-MAIL slojournal@fix.net WEBSITE www.slojournal.com

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Steve Owens ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Erin Mott GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dora Mountain COPY EDITOR Susan Stewart PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Meinhold DISTRIBUTION Keith Malcomson

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ARCHIE MCLAREN

DR. SASHA SZYTEL

ADVERTISING Jan Owens CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Stewart, Natasha Dalton, Joseph Carotenuti, Dr. Julian Crocker, Sarah Hedger, Maggie Cox, Deborah Cash, Ruth Starr, Will Jones, Taylor Coffman, Dawn Starr, Bob Huttle, Gordon Fuglie, and John Ashbaugh.

Mail subscriptions are available at $20 per year. Back issues are $2 each. Inquires concerning advertising or other information made by writing to Steve Owens, JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE, 654 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. You can call us at 546-0609, our fax line is 546-8827, and our e-mail is slojournal@fix.net. View the entire magazine on our website at www.slojournal.com JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE is a free monthly distributed to over 600 locations throughout the Central Coast and is also available online at slojournal.com Editorial submissions are welcome but are published at the discretion of the publisher. Submissions will be returned if accompanied by a stamped self addressed envelope. No material published in the magazine can be reproduced without written permission.

Opinions expressed in the byline articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the JOURNAL PLUS MAGAZINE. Cover photo by Kyle Gregg

PEOPLE 8 12 14 16

ARCHIE MCLAREN COLLINS BROTHERS DR. SASHA SZYTEL THELMA BOLLER

HOME & OUTDOOR 18 20 22 24 26

OSO LIBRE WINERY JAZZ ON THE CENTRAL COAST BASS FISHING ON THE CENTRAL COAST FOOD / AT THE MARKET SLO ART SCENE Patty Arnold

COMMUNITY 28 29 30 32 34 36 42

OUR SCHOOLS–Dr. Julian Crocker FIRE DISASTER RESPONSE TRAILER HISTORY: JULIA MORGAN HISTORY: JOHN JACOB SIMMLER HOSPICE CORNER / CROSSWORD PUZZLE PALM STREET–SLO Councilman Ashbaugh COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

BUSINESS

37 DOWNTOWN SLO What’s Happening 46 EYE ON BUSINESS

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A proud tradition of serving our community for over 26 years

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Located in one of the prime banana belt areas of SLO. This 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2254 sq. ft. home has been recently updated & remodeled. Newer amenities include double pane windows, beechwood cabinetry, granite counters, new appliances, ceramic tile flooring, new paint to name a few. Family room features wood burning brick fireplace & built-in bookshelves, while the large living room features outstanding views toward Edna Valley.

There is a huge landscaped front yard area, private fenced side, 400 sq. ft. wrap-around deck & rear yard with pergola & room for a spa. Large 2-car garage with built-in storage.

Walking distance to Sinsheimer school & park.

This is a must see home. Hurry! $799,000 #3134

De Tolosa SAN LUIS OBISPO – This beautiful single family home features 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms plus an office/den located downstairs. Featuring an open living floor plan downstairs, nicely landscaped front and back yard, ample storage throughout the home, loads of natural light and views of the surrounding hills and mountains.

With a park located right down the street with a children’s play area, close to shopping and hiking trails, this is a wonderful location close to many amenities. $635,000 #3137

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Beautiful parcel waiting

for your custom home. Lot split estimated to be 3.0 acres. Flat and usable with seasonal creek and majestic oaks/trees just outside of SLO city limits in the prestigious Perozzi Ranch Subdivision off of Orcutt. Private entrance/drive off of Tanglewood.

Country feeling but just a couple minutes from downtown SLO. Approximate building envelope identified on photo. Mutual water company serves the parcel. $350,000 #3129

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Chumash Mobile Home

Park. Spacious and comfortable floor plan with two large bedrooms. Beautiful Master Bath has separate tub and shower. There is a living room, family room, sun room, dining room and breakfast nook. There is guest parking right next door. It is an Age Restricted Park. $224,600 #3132

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Exceptional quality 3 bedroom 2 bath home. Chumash Village is one of the most secure and desirable 55+ parks in San Luis Obispo! No space rent. Monthly HOA fees of $111. Enjoy the pool, workout center, spa and clubhouse. This is a Westwood model with an open floor plan, large master suite, two guest rooms, spacious kitchen and efficient appliances. Have morning coffee by the kitchen breakfast area and enjoy mountain views. This well maintained home is immaculate and features cathedral windows, custom double pane windows, ceiling fans, indoor laundry room and lots of storage.

Wonderful and convenient location close to downtown SLO, restaurants, shopping, hiking trails, and the freeway. $290,000 #3064

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Well-maintained 4 bedroom,

Prefumo Creek Estates SAN LUIS OBISPO – This beautiful home is located in the prestigious Prefumo Creek Estates development, backing up to a wooded creek.

This was the model home with over $100K worth of upgrades. Some of the amenities include scraped hardwood floors, stunning kitchen cabinets, granite counters, wine refrigerator, center island w/breakfast bar, wood plantation shutters, laundry room w/full cabinets, sink and granite. The patio is great for entertaining with a large fountain and its own wood burning fireplace. There is a large loft with built-ins. The floor plan is perfect with two master suites, one up and one down. The color scheme throughout the home is warm and inviting. These are just a few of the features you will enjoy in your new 3,400 sq. ft. 4 bedroom home. $1,100,000 #3135

3 bath home in one of SLO's most desirable neighborhoods. With almost 2700 square feet, this beautiful home is ready for you to come in and make it your own. Master suite with fireplace, open kitchen and family room, formal dining room, french doors to outside deck and backyard, central air conditioning and much more. Located in the banana belt, this home is close to downtown, shopping and wineries. $749,900 #3136

MORRO BAY – Architecturally appealing, wellmaintained condo in premiere location close to the Embarcadero and beach. Napa Gardens is a small 6-unit complex of upscale condos. Open floorplan features vaulted ceilings and an abundance of natural light. New carpet, baseboards, interior paint and roof. Beautifully landscaped common area gardens. $479,900 #3131

For more information on these and other Real Estate Group of SLO listings call us at

805.541.2888

962 Mill Street • San Luis Obispo, California 93401 • www.RealEstateGroup.com

From the publisher

Purchase Units

Refinance Units

Total Units

We Believe in SLO. Thanks for Believing in Us.

Ron Penir

Ben Lerner

Bill Mott

Rick Kirk

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I

am proud to be a member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) High School Memorial Scholarship Committee, now in its 45th year. This year fifteen $1100 scholarships were awarded (ten of the 15 winners pictured above). The funds generated come from an annual Chicken BBQ in San Luis Obispo each Super Bowl Sunday. The students fill out an application for the potential scholarship and committee members interview the finalists. It’s amazing what these students have accomplished at such an early age. There is no doubt that the future of this community is in good hands. At the MLK award ceremony last month, two recognition awards were given out. U.S. Agriseed’s, Danny Fernandez (pictured left) received the Community Service Award for his continued support of the program. Martha Steward also received a special award for her volunteer work above and beyond the call of duty.

Pictured below is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Board of Directors.

There’s plenty of good reading again this month, including Susan Stewart’s profile on Archie McLaren. Our cover story this month features the Gregg brothers and their love of bass fishing. We also caught up with a couple of past high school graduates who are doing good things on the Central Coast. Enjoy the magazine!

Commerce Mortgage proudly supports Homes for Our Troops, a foundation building specially adapted homes for our severely injured veterans at no cost to the veteran. Visit www.commercemtg.com/homesforourtroops for more information.

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Steve Owens

COMING UP AT THE

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Cal Poly Symphony Spring Concert: Music and Word 6/1 • 8 p.m.

CP Wind Band Masterworks Vol. II: The British Isles 6/7 • 8 p.m.

Christopher Cohan Center Presented by CP Music Dept.

Christopher Cohan Center

Variable Velocity: Voices 6/1 • 8 p.m.

Arab Music Ensemble 6/8 • 8 p.m.

Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre

Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre

Infusion 6/2 • 6 p.m.

Encore 6/9 • 4 p.m.

Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre

Alex & Faye Spanos Theare

Presented by Variable Velocity

Presented by CP Music Dept.

Presented by CP Music Dept.

Presented by San Luis Jazz

Presented by CORE Dance Company

RSVP XVIII: Jonah's 6/4 & 6/6 • 8 p.m.

Studio @ 6/22 • 7 p.m. & 6/23 • 2 p.m.

Pavilion Presented by CP Music Dept.

Alex & Faye Spanos Theare

Presented by Ryan's American Dance

S an

Lui s

O bi s po

WWW.PACSLO.ORG | 805-756-4TIX (4849)

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PEOPLE

the central coast wine classic’s

archie mclaren

...a class act with a whole lotta soul

By Susan Stewart

I

t was an obvious question, with a provocative answer—an answer that gave just the smallest of glimpses into the life and times of Archie McLaren, best known publicly as the founder of the Central Coast Wine Classic. Now in its 29th year, the Classic—to be held this year from July 11 to July 14 —is one of the longest-standing and best-respected wine events of its kind in the world. No small feat in today’s competitive and event-heavy wine industry. So the obvious question was:

“What was your first introduction to the world of wine?” we asked.

“Various things,” came the answer’s prologue, “Everything from members of the Black Panther Party, to the man who co-wrote ‘Soul Man,’ to a black belt karate master,” McLaren explained.

Really? The answer begged more questions and led to the unfolding of an extraordinary life with an unlikely trajectory. Born in Atlanta and raised in Memphis, McLaren (whose parents never went to college and “scraped to make ends meet”) earned his BA in English Literature and Philosophy from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He later earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis and did post-graduate work in the Humanities, English Lit and International Marketing.

Just out of law school (representing venerable legal publisher West Publishing Company in West Tennessee and Arkansas), and just a bit bored, McLaren wandered into a clothing store in midtown Memphis one day, and began chatting with the owners. One was a black belt karate master and the other, his wife, was a very good cook. The idea of pairing fine wine with great food was a nonexistent notion in Memphis during the early ’70s but this couple decided to try it and invited McLaren to participate in the adventure. They started meeting on weekends, cooking and experimenting with the wines that might best complement the meals. “The experience grew our palates,” said McLaren, “and it stuck.”

Archie McLaren with partner-in-life Carissa Chappellet at the Hearst Castle dinner in 2011.

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About the same time, McLaren made friends with a Harvard law school graduate who was a close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s. “This fellow was a human rights activist who founded the first interracial law firm in the South. He was obviously very bright and he was also incredibly gracious,” said McLaren. “I was invited to a function at his home one evening and there were members of the Black Panther Party there, as well as the Vanderbilt Law School grad who founded the Memphis Blues Festival.” The dinner that evening was a memorable European-style meal (long before that style was fashionable) and soon, the same group began meeting at McLaren’s home to discuss politics, literature, and music over food and wine. One night, the songwriter David Porter showed up (Porter co-wrote the huge R&B hit “Soul Man”—among a string of others—with Isaac Hayes) and brought along a bottle of Asti Spumante, which, at the time, was a big step up from the popular sweet fizzy wines the group had been drinking previously. And so McLaren’s education in wine continued, even as his love for rhythm and blues—initially generated when he was in high school in the 1950s—continued to grow.

PEOPLE

Frank Ostini of Buellton’s Hitching Post and Hitching Post Wines pours at the 2011 Classic for John Fry, Carissa Chappellet and Ali Meijer.

In 1974, West Publishing Company asked McLaren to move to the Central Coast. Originally assigned to Nevada and Central California, he eventually became the Administrator of International Marketing for The Orient for West, a job that took him to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia.

During that time, McLaren continued to nurture his burgeoning passion for rare wine and fine food, racking up a long list of international wine experiences, with the titles to prove them. Among others, McLaren is the founder of the Central Coast chapter of the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, a member of the Vintners’ Club of San Francisco, the Wine & Food Society of San Francisco, and the Marin County Chapter of the International Wine & Food Society. He is also the former Cellarmaster of the Avila Bay Wine Society and the for-

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Steve Hearst (L) receives a specially blended wine in an etched bottle holding a complete case of Hearst Ranch Winery Red.

mer President of the Central Coast Wine Society. McLaren is one of only two Americans inducted into the Austrian Wine Brotherhood, and one of a just a handful inducted into a prestigious wine society in Bordeaux, France—the Commanderie du Bontemps, where his sponsor was the owner of Chateau Pichon-Lalande.

Having served for many years as a consultant to the American Institute of Wine & Food’s Rare & Fine Wine Auction, as well as a director on its board, McLaren brought formidable experience to the Central Coast Wine Classic he founded in 1985 to support KCBX, our local public radio station. From the beginning, The Classic boasted the definitive publication on wine, Wine Spectator, among its many significant sponsors. Over time, the Classic’s list of charitable beneficiaries has grown to now include 103 nonprofits in the heal-

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BUSINESS TO HOME TO LIFE: WE WRITE IT ALL. Front Row left to right: Steve Hein, Kisa Maxwell, Linda Euler, Mary Schrader, Mary Lucido, Steve Devericks Back Row left to right: Gary Sage, Linda Doust, Field Gibson, Jim Lau, Michelle Dortch, Julie Black, Leonore Woolpert, Gary Andreini, Anna Echevarria, Tom Callahan, Jeff Priolo

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PEOPLE sic is not a bunch of snooty one-percenters standing around beside marble statues discussing wine in terms of its “tears” versus “legs,” its peppery undertones or peachy overtones, whether this wine is fruit-forward or that wine is earth-driven, and throwing around insider terms like “mog,” “mud,” and “must” as they sip judiciously and evaluate the wine’s structure, terroir, and mouthfeel.

No, McLaren would agree, let’s save all that for the classroom.

A Wine Classic dinner at the enchanting Hearst Castle

ing, performing, and studio arts, for grants totaling just more than $2,100,000. When the Central Coast Wine Classic reached its quarter-century mark, McLaren received the San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau’s Annual Tourism Award for its conception and continuously expanding success. Recently, McLaren and his Wine Classic received special recognition from the SLO County Board of Supervisors and the California State Assembly.

Kicking off this year’s Classic on Thursday July 11, is a six-course, black-tie dinner held at the enchanted hilltop’s Hearst Castle. The following day features two symposia: SLO County Chardonnay from 10 to 11:30 am, and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from 2 – 3:30 pm; and two evening events from 7 – 10 pm: a Justin Vineyards Winemaker dinner and a VIP Outdoor Winery Dinner Dance. Saturday offers a French Burgundy Symposium in the morning and a Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Live Auction, Silent Auction and Luncheon. The four-day event wraps up on Sunday, July 14, with the Santa Barbara County Syrah Symposium in the morning, and a Reserve wine tasting of 50 California wines paired with culinary samplings from around the county and the eclectic sounds of Soul Sauce at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. Visit the official website at www.centralcoastwineclassic.org for all the enticing details and make reservations for any or all by calling 805.544.1285 or emailing archie@slonet.org.

Despite the word symposium in many of the event titles, The Central Coast Wine ClasJ U N E

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Packed into four carefully planned days, at some of the county’s sunniest, most relaxing venues, this is an immensely social experience filled to overflowing with passionate people from every walk of life, the best food the central coast has to offer, fabulous world-class wines, provocative conversation, and great fun—all with the added benefit of knowing that these exceptionally good times are actually helping others.

With revenues exceeding $1,000,000, the Classic is one of the country’s most successful charity wine auctions. The net proceeds support a growing list of deserving nonprofits, selected each year by the Wine Classic Foundation’s board of directors.

Last year, the recipients included nonprofits serving the disabled, the environment, music programs for children, the Santa Barbara Symphony, a mediation center, arts foundations, and at-risk youth, among others.

Yes, the Wine Classic is McLaren’s most public contribution to our community. But there are many, many others for which he maintains a lower profile. For example, he served as President of the Mozart Festival (now Festival Mozaic) for two years; as President of the Board for the Avila Beach Water District, and Chairman of the Avila Beach Front Street Enhancement Committee that designed the promenade and park that replaced the old town following the Union Oil spill and clean-up. In fact, McLaren was determined to help restore the collective psyche of the town, which had been torn apart by years of divisive talks about how best to address the damage. McLaren presented Avila Drum Day, a healing “rhythmic happening” that brought world-renowned percussionists Airto Moreira, Walfredo Reyes, and Richie Garcia together, who donated their time and talent to the event.

Today, McLaren shares his life with writer, painter, photographer, musician, and fellow adventurer Carissa Chappellet, co-owner and director of Napa Valley’s Chappellet Winery. Together, they enjoy traveling, hiking, bicycling, water and court sports, and of

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A hand-painted barrel from the 2012 Auction by artist Robert Burridge.

course, regularly raiding their wine cellars for special dinners and celebrations with family and friends.

While wine and food remain a constant source of interest (and undeniable passion) for McLaren, it’s the early musical influences of his life that he continues to revere the most. “I have a deep, deep emotional connection to the blues,” he said, citing an especially fond memory of seeing the great Tina Turner performing in a bowling alley-turned-nightclub when she was barely out of her teens. He is, in fact, currently at work on a book about “rhythm … in all its various manifestations,” he said, admitting it’s a difficult concept to describe adequately.

Perhaps one of the verses from his friend, David Porter’s song “Soul Man” says it best: Got what I got the hard way And I’ll make it better each and every day So honey don’t you fret Cause you ain’t seen nothing yet I’m a soul man I’m a soul man The lyrics seem to reflect McLaren’s hardwon education, as well as his dedication to making the Wine Classic better every year. You might even say that Archie McLaren is the Central Coast’s “Soul Man” of wonderful wines, exceptional food, and super-fine times.

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PEOPLE

jazzed:

the musical careers of

sean and josh collins

By Will Jones

owned by Steve Hilstein. Josh was so young that it was hard for him to find a teacher. “I was just exploring sounds and writing songs. I probably wrote a song every day.” Both brothers laughed when Josh said, “I would take them to Sean, and he would say, ‘That’s terrible, you’ve got to stop,’ but I always thought they would sound good if the right person was playing them.”

While their paths have led them to the same opportunities, Sean and Josh approached their development as musicians differently. “I really didn’t start taking music seriously until after I graduated from high school,” said Sean. “I played in the high school band and started practicing a lot when I was a sophomore because I wasn’t comfortable socially, I felt like I couldn’t talk to people. I spent lunch time practicing marimba. My whole life became about music, but I didn’t realize that until I started Cuesta as a philosophy major and wondered why.

A new environment gave me a new clarity.”

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heir jazz trio, Five Minus Two, which includes bassist James Gallardo, hosts jazz night at Linnaea’s Café on Tuesday nights for the San Luis Obispo Jazz Federation.

The trio is also the house band at the Sidecar Café during brunch every Sunday morning from 11-2. They play in the Cuesta College Day Big Band and also the Cuesta College Combo A, also known as Strong Hand, and it’s clear that the Collins brothers, Sean and Josh, are both dedicated to jazz and in demand as musicians. Former San Luis Obispo High School students, Sean, 20, and Josh, 18, have been studying and playing music for ten years.

According to Josh, who plays guitar and bass, “I started daydreaming of playing guitar when I was seven. My biggest aspiration was to be able to sit around a campfire with a few friends and have them admire my ability.” Sean, who specializes in drums and vibraphone, doesn’t have as clear a memory of his motivation. “I just thought it would be fun. If my brother was playing guitar I had to play something else.”

Josh received his first guitar when he was eight and Sean his first drum set a few months later when he was ten. “There wasn’t enough money for both of us to get instruments at the same time.” It wasn’t long before they were playing together, writing their own songs and eventually starting small groups with friends.

“We never played covers. We always wanted to play original music.”

Sean started taking lessons at the Drum Circuit when it was still J U N E

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Josh knew from the beginning that he wanted to be impressive at something. “When I wasn’t getting much encouragement about my song writing, it was almost out of spite that I wanted to prove everyone wrong. Soon I realized I was getting better than those around me, that I could become a professional musician and express myself.”

Their commitment to practice reflected their different attitudes. Sean practiced reluctantly, while Josh practiced up to six hours a day. “I always wanted to be the best.” Josh admired the talent and commitment of another San Luis Obispo High School musician, trumpeter Caleb Hensinger. “He introduced me to jazz and he practiced all the time for the right reasons, because it was fun and he wanted to improve. I was addicted to progressing, but I wasn’t having as much fun. I had to build a good relationship with practicing, which I also learned from one of my teachers, Aaron Wolf.” Josh went to independent study after his sophomore year so he could simultaneously study music at Cuesta.

ing. It was a good experience.” Sean named Joe Morello, the drummer for the Dave Brubeck Quartet, as an inspiration, and Josh mentioned Pat Matheny, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and others.

Sean Collins

With Shoemake, their jazz and scale theory training is based on the jazz genre called bebop, made famous in the late ’40s and ’50s by jazz legends like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Much of their work is based on learning great solos that Shoemake has transcribed over the years, close to 700 of them, like Sonny Stitt on “Cherokee” and Milt Jackson on “How High the Moon.” “We’re learning the vocabulary, the whole language of bebop and the head space required to play these solos, the beginning, middle and end.

It transcends to all genres. Everything else seems like a breeze,” Josh said.

In addition to attending Cuesta and playing locally, Sean and Josh are scholarship students of the Central Coast Jazz Institute, a Cambria based 501 C3 nonprofit founded by renowned jazz vibraphonist, Charlie Shoemake. For eighteen years Charlie taught over 1500 hundred students at his Los Angeles jazz school, and now he has brought that expertise to the central coast. “Sean and Josh are terrific musicians. They are talented, bright and a joy to work with. Both of them absolutely have the ability to be professional musicians at a high level.”

Sean and Josh also recognize local musicians like Gary Drysdale and Louie Ortega as important influences. Gary taught Josh “theory, voicings and basic jazz fundamentals.” From Louie, whose daughter Talia frequently plays with the Collins brothers, they learned not just about music, but about “how to act.

Louie is such a loving guy, so happy, so open

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to life.” And without question their mother Joanne, who teaches Spanish at SLOHS, has been their biggest supporter. “She has always known what is good for us and has always protected us from things that are bad even if we didn’t know that she was,” said Sean.

After years of playing in the same bands and learning how to communicate their ideas with other musicians, Sean and Josh work well together, have gone beyond sibling rivalry. “We see the validity in our ideas and we can predict where we’re going in the moment. There’s no uncertainty and we’re never afraid to take a risk. We can lock in on a different level.”

While still determining their musical futures, both of the Collins brothers acknowledge that they will have to leave San Luis Obispo and move to cities where their skills can be tested in a more competitive musical environment if they want to reach their potential. In the meantime, local audiences have the opportunity to enjoy great jazz in intimate settings played by two talented, serious, home grown musicians. Better hurry to Linnaea’s, the Sidecar or other local venues before they move on.

One of Charlie’s students, Ted Nash, plays alto saxophone in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by Winton Marsalis, which played recently at Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center. Charlie arranged for Sean and Josh to meet Winton backstage and they found him to be “very kind and encourag-

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PEOPLE

Huttle up

dr. Sasha szytel keepin’ ‘em well

By Bob Huttle

Jeff and Sasha

P

The Szytel family

ediatrician. Now there’s a word that has special meaning for me. I venture this might be true for most parents as well. Going back to the time when I was eleven years old and broke my arm for the second time in three years, and the good Doctor Ward told my parents I would not only need surgery, but an experimental bone graft to repair my damaged shoulder.

There was no assurance I would ever have full use of my arm again but he’d do the best he could with a radical new procedure. Turns out, the guy was right; my shoulder healed completely, and I ended up beating a drum set for most of my life, no worse for wear.

Jump forward a generation to my own son; he’s ten days old, no food staying down, losing weight. A fearful trip to our own pediatrician, the venerable Dr. “Lucky” Louie Tedone, who tells us immediate surgery is necessary but not to worry; all will be well. And it was.

Another pediatrician making the right call at the right time.

So here we are today and I’m made aware of another pediatrician right here in San Luis Obispo with slight ties to me, in a “let’s-stretch-it-a-bit” way. Her name is Sasha Szytel. My lovely step-daughter played soccer with Sasha in high school (another San Luis High School connection); her father was my dentist for years, and my former student teacher, Ali, assured me that Sasha was worthy of a “Huttle Up” column. Ali was right.

Sasha and I met for coffee recently and I quickly understood that I was talking with a person who makes daily, significant contributions to our community through her decision-making, expertise and care.

Fittingly, she told me that it was a letter she wrote in Bridget Ready’s 6th grade classroom that spurred her thinking toward a health care profession. The letter was to be opened at the end of high school and when Sasha read it six years later she was reminded that she had written about becoming a doctor. It didn’t hurt that a number of family members were also health care providers.

After graduating from SLOHS with honors (and a Northern League Girls’ Soccer Championship to her team’s credit), Sasha headed for college at UC Davis, where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior in 1998.

Along the way, she did medical-oriented research in San Francisco and volunteered through the UC Davis health care system. Sasha also had the opportunity to work with her father’s dental outreach

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UCLA Medical School? Yeah, that’s the ticket!

After four demanding years of study, medical knowledge cramming her brain, and her relationship with Jeff blooming, Sasha began her three year medical residency in pediatrics at UC San Diego (are you AWARE of how many years it takes to become a doctor?!), working up to ONE HUNDRED hours a week.

Sasha tells me about her most memorable experience during those years: “I had the opportunity to spend a month in the Amazon Jungle of Ecuador that took me into a rural community where I worked with a team in a medical clinic.

We canoed into the jungle and hiked through rain forests to reach villages with no access to medical care or diagnostics like lab tests or x rays. The lack of basics like clean water and nutrition made me realize how much we have here at home. When I returned to the United States I was certain of my life’s calling, in addition to becoming a wife and mom, of course!”

After her residency ended in 2006, Sasha worked in Sacramento at the Kaiser Permanente Outpatient Practice. In 2008, Sasha and Jeff—now married—moved back to San Luis Obispo to be near family, as their own children, Ava (7), Kynsi (5), Jack (3), and Lucia (1) began to grow and begin school. Good fortune sometimes smiles on good people and, in this case, it was a call from Dr. (Pediatrician) Rene Bravo inviting Sasha to join his medical practice. And that’s where you’ll now find her during the week—that is, if she’s not volunteering in her child’s classroom.

program in Fiji, which she cited as an eyeopening experience.

What to do next? How about meet her future husband, Jeff, continue to play recreational soccer, work in an adult learning center, and oh ... uh ... apply to and be accepted by the

I asked Sasha about the state of children’s medicine in San Luis Obispo: “I’m concerned about reduced medical budgets, excessive paperwork, and costs, especially for young families struggling to simply pay monthly bills. Obesity is a major problem, as are eating disorders. Lack of insurance coverage is a huge obstacle and this can hinder mental health assistance as well.” As for the quality

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of care for children by our local medical providers, Sasha says: “Our children are in good hands. The level of care, commitment, and concern shown by our doctors and the medical community is outstanding.”

After visiting with Sasha, I am convinced that our community’s children, including my wife’s and my own seven (yes, 7!) grandchildren, are in good hands. From Dr. Ward (my pediatrician when I was 11), to Dr. Tedone (my children’s doctor), to SLO’s Sasha Szytel, a torch has been passed and the light shines bright.

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805.922.6657 830 East Chapel St. Santa Maria www.countryoakscarecenter.com J U N E

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PEOPLE

thelma boller sewing star and golfer extraordinaire

By Ruth Starr

W

hen Thelma Boller, 85, was a little girl, her mother sewed dresses for her and her sisters from flour sacks. At the time, flour sacks came with pretty prints on them making them perfect for sewing clothes. Her Mom never used any patterns for these dresses: she just figured out to make them. Thelma quickly learned how to sew dresses from flour sacks, too.

At 7 years old she spent all of her spare time in her Mother’s storage room where her Mom kept scraps of material and a Treadle sewing machine. When anyone came looking for Thelma she could always be found in the storage room playing with the scraps of material and teaching herself how to sew.

The family lived out in the country on a farm in Kanawha, Iowa, where there was not much for young girls to do. Thelma found sewing doll clothes and making clothes for her nieces and nephews was a way to keep busy and entertained. One of her farm chores was to pick up corn cobs by the pig pen. Thelma was the seventh child out of seven sisters and two brothers. She freely admits that she was spoiled rotten by her older siblings. They all doted on her.

It was the Great Depression and her Mom and Dad always took in down-and-out people. Her parents were extremely compassionate people as well. There were never less than fifteen people at the table for dinner. They also had various people live on and off with them.

One was a blind man who her mother read books to at night. No one ever went hungry since living on a farm always meant plenty of home grown food and animals. They were very frugal people and saw to it that everyone had enough to eat. Thelma felt she had a great childhood. She had all her sisters and brothers to play with and they made up their own games. With no computer games in those days, hide and seek, and kick the can were their favorites.

Eventually the family moved to Goodell, Iowa about 20 miles away from the old farm. They lived in an old house that used to be a hotel called The Black Ox Hotel. It was located on five acres out of the town area. The old hotel and a house was all that was left of that abandoned town. Thelma finished high school in Goodell. It was a small high school and the teacher who taught bookkeeping also taught home economics. Thelma took two semesters of home economics. She felt she knew more than the teacher so she just took over teaching the class. She graduated High School when she was sixteen, met a young man named Darwin Boller, fell in love with him and was married right out of high school. When daughter Pam, was born, she made all of her clothes by hand as she didn’t have a sewing machine. She also had a son, Harry, but she only sewed some of his clothes, all by hand.

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PEOPLE Appreciating Thelma’s talent, her Dad bought her an old Treadle sewing machine from the local school for $5 to make her sewing projects easier. She used that sewing machine until she moved to San Luis Obispo in 1951. Her husband, Darwin, was offered a job in San Luis Obispo, which is how they moved to this area. Two of Thelma’s sisters also lived in SLO. The family was very close. Thelma and Darwin had three sons and one daughter.

“hole in ones.” That is a wondrous feat. The first two she got happened before she joined the ladies group. The first hole in one was hit over the creek, which is the most difficult hole on the course. She has gotten a hole in one on every hole at Laguna except for number eight. She still plays with the ladies group at Laguna every Tuesday morning.

She has been president of the group for five years at various times. She is instrumental in running some of their tournaments where

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the group gives the money to a variety of charities. One of Thelma’s great honors was being inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame at Laguna Golf Course.

An accomplished golfer, accomplished seamstress, Thelma has also accomplished what few others have: a marriage lasting fifty-nine years.

Her sister, Ole, owned a restaurant in town and wanted Thelma to sew head-pieces and aprons for her waitresses. The waitresses needed uniforms so Ole asked Thelma to make them. They were uniforms that a person of any size could wear. The cocktail waitress asked to have a fancy dress made for her. Besides being a cocktail waitress, she was also a hairdresser and in exchange for the dress, she cut Thelma’s hair. It began a lifetime project of exchanging clothes for other services.

Thelma has always loved sewing from her early childhood on and that passion has never changed. She continues to be happiest when she is in her sewing room. At one time she would love to have gone to a designer school, but funds were not available.

She has made wedding gowns, robes, skirts, just about everything including making suits for the men that were in her daughters wedding party. The wedding gown was stunning.

It was lovingly made for her daughter Pam’s wedding. Thelma has learned everything on her own using a book called The Vogue Sewing Book that tells everything about sewing including how to do any project. She still refers to it.

Her sister Ole gave her an electric Singer Machine. So after years of using treadles, she now had an electric machine in trade for making all the uniforms. Those who wanted something created had to provide the material for the project.

In 1978, Thelma began playing golf. Darwin gave her a set of golf clubs for her birthday and she was very disappointed as she didn’t plan on playing golf. But, she started playing and grew to love the game. Anyone could play at Laguna Golf Course for $15 a month.

She would play everyday with three older men. They were the ones who taught her how to play. Then she joined the Women’s Club at Laguna in 1988. The first year of playing with them, she won a trophy for winning a tournament. She won many trophies over the years, but her claim-to-fame are the nine J U N E

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HOME/OUTDOOR

of bears and grapes boutique winery’s recipe for success

By Natasha Dalton, Brett Dalton “Roark… bent the branch slowly into an arc.

‘Now I can make what I want of it: a bow, a spear, a cane, a railing. That’s the meaning of life.’

‘Your strength?’

‘Your work,’ he tossed the branch aside. ‘The material the earth offers you and what you make of it.’” (Ayn Rand, “Fountainhead”) Chris Behr, the owner of the Oso Libre Winery was giving us a tour of the property in his Kubota, when we noticed a cow on the other side of the creek. “Watch this,” Chis said. He made a quick u-turn, and right where we were just moments ago, there stood a whole herd of cattle staring right at us. Chris turned the vehicle to the left, and the animals began to walk behind it. “They’d follow me anywhere,” Chris laughed. “I don’t need to push them.”

Like a magical whisperer, Chris has an intense rapport with his animals: cows, sheep, chickens and dogs. “How does he do this?” we wondered, noticing the ease with which Chris controls his rambunctious dogs. “I can do all this with my cattle, too,” he chuckled.

“I can stand right there,” he pointed to the tasting room up on the hill, “and have my cattle walk right up to the building.”

“We didn’t know anything about this stuff when we got started,” he added. “You learn. We learned how to make wine! And we keep learning.”

from Los Angeles to Paso Robles was gradual.

It’s interesting that between Linda, who grew up on a ranch in Texas, and the ‘city-boy’ Chris, it was Chris who really wanted to try his hand at growing grapes and raising cattle.

After two years of crisscrossing the country in search of their future winery’s location, Chris and Linda happened to pass by the property in Paso Robles on the serendipitously-named Vineyard Drive—and Linda decided to take a closer look.

Chris and his wife Linda are a part of the new breed of savvy, well-educated urbanitesturned-farmers, whose professional success allowed them to take an early retirement and to pursue a second career in viticulture.

She realized that the property was a diamond-in-the-rough: no water, no fences; but it was April, and the air was fresh, and the hills were green. “It wasn’t scientific anything,” Linda says about her decision to buy the land. “It was an emotional attraction.”

Although Chris and Linda began thinking about changing their lifestyle almost as soon as they got married twenty years ago, the move

“At that time, there were more cattle here than vines,” Chris remembers. “And there were maybe thirty wineries in the whole county.”

Come see our newly remodeled Mon–Thurs 11am-9pm • Fri–Sat 11am-9:30pm Sunday 11:30am-9pm

Happy Hour: 3–6pm Monday – Friday

11560 Los Osos Valley Road, SLO (805) 542-0400 J U N E

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Now with a beautiful horseshoe bar and banquet room. Upper Crust has been serving fresh Mediterranean cuisine in San Luis Obispo for over 22 years.

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“It was a struggle to have our windmill approved,” Linda admits. The device had no problem getting approval from the county officials, but the neighbors fought against it claiming that it was obstructing their views. Luckily, a compromise was reached when the Behrs agreed to paint the windmill the color of the neighbors’ choosing. “We’re grateful to have it,” Linda says. “It’s been nothing but good for the land.”

And the land has been good in return. “We’ve been very lucky,” Linda says. The Behrs opened their tasting room in November of 2009, and had ten visitors the very first week. The second week, they had twenty two. Now they have, on average, 700 visitors a week.

Jeff and Liz Freeland with Linda and Chris Behr

Chris, who wanted to buy twice as much acreage on the east side of Paso for half the money, is still marveling at the good fortune Linda’s judgment brought them. “This became a blessing,” he says.

They recognized that early on, when they discovered that the property sits on a bed of an old river, and found a spring pumping 350 gallons of water per minute.

Encouraged by this news, the Behrs put in the grapes—and began the slow, deliberate process of turning an unassuming slice of land into the piece of paradise it now became.

Chris, who owned a building company, designed and built the family dream home—and it took him ten years to do so. That was because, with three kids still in school, Chris and Linda had to divide their time between their full-time jobs in Los Angeles and their new business on the Central Coast.

But even with the house and the tasting room still under construction, Chris and Linda were patiently building their portfolio of wines, allowing them to age before entering competitions. They made a strong debut with their ’05s and ’06s—and the sommeliers at the most prestigious wine competitions took notice. Today, with 84 medals to their label, and counting, Oso Libre is boasting a whole bunch of “The Best of Class”—a category that is even better than “Gold.”

Creating the perfect environment for animals, plants and people required a vision, and a lot of work. Upon their relocation to Paso, Chris and Linda made a five-year commitment to the business in hopes that it would take off, and it did. But in the process they had to learn to deal with nature (and the variations in microclimate) and with neighbors, who initially bristled at some of the Behrs’ innovations.

Few things remain the same at the property that stole Linda’s heart seventeen years ago. Hard work and careful planning turned it into a lush, thriving vineyard, whose wines, grass-fed beef and unsurpassed views attract locals and tourists alike.

In Los Angeles, both Chris and Linda had to put up with cut-throat competition, and they’re pleased to discover that their new line of work is different. “It’s hospitality: You give people good wine—it’d better be good!—and a good experience—it’s a whole different vibe,” Chris says.

Since the east side and the west side of Paso Robles produce decisively different wines, many connoisseurs plan their visits to the area in such a way that they can spend one day on the east, and another—on the west.

“When people come here, they get to meet one of the winemakers or one of the owners, and they appreciate that,” Chris explains. “Other wineries send visitors to us all the time and we reciprocate in kind,” he adds. Another reason for his guests’ interest is that Oso Libre is SIP (Sustainability In Practice) certified. The sheep do the mowing and fertilization (“We open the gate, and they just flood the vineyard,” Chris laughs.). Owls—not poisons—kill the rodents, and the windmill and the solar panels keep the winery off the grid. “We don’t have electric bills to worry about,” Chris says. Even the vehicles he drives are electric. And that, too, piques people’s interest.

But Chris has no time to rest on his laurels. He discovered that their property once gave shelter to the infamous outlaw Jesse James and, after meticulous research, restored the remnants of Jesse James’ house.

Now he is planning to start historic tours of the area, proceeds from which will go to the Oso Libre Por Vida charity the family runs. The charity focuses on four causes: fighting cancer and child abuse, and supporting veterans and Woods Humane Society. The funding comes from Facebook ‘likes,’ and the proceeds from various public events.

Linda’s son Jeff Freeland and his wife Liz have become the Behrs’ partners at the winery, and the family hopes that the other two kids, who’re still in Los Angeles, will eventually join the family business.

For now, Chris and Linda are keeping an apartment in Los Angeles so that they can visit their children and friends. But in the four years that they’ve been at their Hacienda Del Oso Libre, they’ve managed to put down some really solid roots. “The business is definitely worth it because it’s been so satisfying,” Chris says. “We didn’t really make any friends until we opened our winery to the public. Since then, we’ve lost some privacy, but we’ve met many great people—something we didn’t anticipate. Just imagine: 20,000 people have already been here 30 times!

We’ve become so close to so many people, we now go visit them!”

“It’s a tremendous amount of work, but we’re used to working,” Linda adds. “I don’t think we’ll ever find perfection, but it’s close. We love it here, and we get to meet amazing people from all over the world.”

For more, visit www.osolibre.com or call 238-3378.

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famous jazz artist series

featuring national and local music treasures

By Dawn R. Starr

T

he “Famous Jazz Artist Series” was started in 1991 in San Luis Obispo County after renowned jazz vibraphonist, Charlie Shoemake, and his acclaimed vocalist wife, Sandi, moved to Cambria and noticed a dearth of major jazz artists performing on the Central Coast. How Charlie and Sandi ended up on the Central Coast is a fascinating tale. Growing up in Houston, Charlie developed a passion for both music and baseball, excelling in both. He was on the high school’s city championship baseball team, and attracted the attention of the St. Louis Cardinals. Initially he planned to pursue both in college, but then decided to really excel, so he would need to focus on only one. In 1956 he moved to Los Angeles to become involved in the jazz scene. In a proud aside, Charlie mentioned his grandson is now being drafted by a professional baseball team.

The 1950s were an exciting and inspirational period in Charlie’s music career as he honed his craft. He shared that he was particularly influenced by his informal studies with pianist Jimmy Rowles, as well as learning from the innovations of his idols Charlie Parker and Bud Powell and other talented innovators. During this same period, he met his future wife Sandi at a Si Zentner rehearsal, where Charlie was substituting for an absent band member.

Sandi’s path to a music career was influenced by her father who was a semiprofessional drummer-vocalist with Dixieland bands. As far back as she can remember, she wanted to be singer. To that end, in 1956 she enrolled in the acclaimed Los Angeles City College’s music department where she quickly rose to being a featured vocalist. After her second year of college, she was hired as a vocalist by trombonist Si Zentner’s Orchestra, which played various venues on the west coast, and was a regular attraction at the Hollywood Palladium. Sandi shared that she had a chance meeting with Charlie at a Si Zentner rehearsal; within two days they decided they would eventually marry, which they did in 1959.

During his early professional career, Charlie became a sought-after accompanist for well-known vocalists. He adoringly shared he has always enjoyed accompanying Sandi, but he felt many of the singers he was accompanying were not of her caliber. Thus Charlie decided to switch his musical focus to vibraphone, which he had begun playing in high school.

For a year, he spent nearly every waking hour in exhausting practice.

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Charlie Shoemake with Bruce Forman at the Newport Beach Jazz Party

His efforts were rewarded in 1966 when he became the vibraphonist for the fabled George Shearing Quintet. George Shearing is a piano jazz legend, most well-known for his composition “Lullaby of Birdland,” a jazz standard. Born poor and blind in London, George’s father delivered coal to Buckingham Palace. In 2007 George was knighted by the Queen of England in Buckingham Palace for his contribution to music.

During the year Charlie was honing his skills on the vibraphone, Sandi did studio work to help keep the family afloat. While George was touring with the George Shearing Quintet, she was a staff vocalist at N.B.C. from 1965 to 1971, in addition to singing with other television shows including The Andy Williams Show, The Jerry Lewis Show, The Red Skelton Show, The Lennon Sisters-Jimmy Durante Show and specials for Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Dean Martin and others. She was particularly proud of her time performing with Nelson Riddle and his orchestra.

In 1973, driven by a desire for change and to be home more with his wife and son, Charlie opened a jazz improvisational school in Los Angeles. In spite of the widely-held belief that jazz improvisation couldn’t be taught, his school was a success. He was the only teacher at his eponymous school. By 1990, he had taught over 1500 students, with many students going onto successful careers including Ted Nash (trumpeter with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis), Kye Palmer (trumpeter with the Tonight Show Orchestra and formerly with Woody Herman and Poncho Sanchez), Andy Martin (top jazz trombone recording artist), and smooth jazz artists Dave Koz and Richard Elliott. During a Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center in March 2013, Wynton Marsalis verbally recognized Charlie Shoemake, who was in attendance, as an important mentor and teacher to Ted Nash. Ted Nash was a featured soloist at the concert, and is the first person other than Wynton Marsalis to be a featured composer for the sensational orchestra. When asked about the recognition he received at the concert, Charlie stated, “I didn’t teach Ted Nash how to play, but what to play, how to improvise.”

Following the local JLCO performance, Ted was contacted by this writer for comments on his time studying with Charlie, and in spite of a busy performance schedule, he generously agreed. During the April 8, 2013 interview, Ted said he initially was trained classically on piano starting at age 7 and clarinet at age 12. At age 13, Ted stated he started playing sax and was in the junior high jazz band. Ted’s high school jazz band director enthusiastically recommended studying with one of Charlie’s students. Ted’s father, (well-known jazz and studio trombonist, Dick Nash), decided that Ted should study jazz improvisation directly with Charlie. Charlie was very busy at the time but agreed to accept Ted as a student. Ted noted Charlie’s teaching method involved “memorizing transcribed music” from such jazz greats as Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins. Ted stated that the 2 ½ to 3 years of study-

perform on television until two days after they were scheduled. Sleep-deprived due to the schedule changes, when the band was called back for an encore, the bassist forgot to take off his sunglasses. During a second encore, all of the band members sported sunglasses, along with George, who regularly wore them due to being blind. Charlie added that when the band would arrive late for a gig, George would humorously say it was because he was driving.

Last year, instructors from the music departments at local Cal Poly and Cuesta

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College, both of which have outstanding music programs, approached Charlie to work with some of their students. To that end, the non-profit (501 C3) Central Coast Jazz Institute was recently established, which is “dedicated to the instruction and preservation of American jazz music.” Charlie spoke passionately about how the donated funds provide scholarships for jazz instruction of private students of all ages, as well as a lecture series. More information can be found at www.ccjazzi.org.

Charlie Shoemake and Barry Harris

ing with Charlie gave him a foundation that he still uses, even with “new improvisation and harmony.” When asked about his being the first composer for JLCO other than Wynton Marsalis, Ted replied that he was the first “featured” composer, although they had some prior visiting composers who had provided some arrangements. Ted noted that this Portrait in Seven Shades helped forge a new direction for JLCO. Although he did not mention it, Portrait in Seven Shades was a Grammy-nominated album representing seven different artists including Claude Monet, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Marc Chagall, and Jackson Pollock. On the Shoemake’s website, Ted is quoted, “When I began lessons, I could hardly play. Three years later, not only could I play, but I was working professionally with many groups, including Lionel Hampton, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and even Charlie’s own quintet. Charlie was the ONLY teacher in Los Angeles with a method of teaching jazz improvisation that actually worked.”

In the early 1990s, Charlie closed his school and relocated with Sandi to what he described as “the beautiful little ocean village of Cambria” where they began bringing in major jazz artists. During their two Sunday show times, Charlie accompanies the guest artists by playing piano or vibes and Sandi graces the stage for select vocals. The series was held at the Hamlet Restaurant in Cambria (which is currently under renovation), and is presently appearing at D’Anbino Vineyard and Cellars in Paso Robles. A list of the stellar artists who have performed at the series and more interesting information on Charlie and Sandi can be found on their website www.talsanmusic.com.

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a tale of two brothers...

bass fishing on the central coast

By Susan Stewart

I

n Double Whammy, crime and humor novelist Carl Hiaasen weaves his convoluted murder plot through the world of high-stakes, large-mouth bass fishing in southern Florida (and across the nation).

The book, while well-researched and packed with accurate details, is a highly entertaining comedic spoof of this popular sport. But as local competitive bass fishermen Nick and Kyle Gregg will tell you, they and their fellow fishermen take their sport seriously.

So seriously, in fact, that the Gregg brothers (Nick is 24, Kyle is 22) both hold full time jobs at Tackle Warehouse (which is to bass fishermen what Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory is to children). So seriously, that when they are not working, they are braving the frigid winter waters of local lakes well before the crack of dawn on their days off. So seriously, that most of their earnings go to tournament entrance fees, fancy lures, the latest rods and reels, and fuel for the bass boat that will inevitably take them to the prize-winning fish they dream about practically nonstop.

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Nick and Kyle Gregg

The Gregg brothers came by their obsession (they readily admit that’s what it is) from their father, Allan, a talented aircraft mechanic who took his sons fishing from the time they were old enough to hold a rod and reel—“I guess we were about 4 or 5,” said Nick. Raised in Tucson, Arizona, the brothers fished mostly at Lake Roosevelt, three hours from home, so they didn’t go very often. But a diagnosis of brain cancer forced their father to quit working and for the next three years, while the boys were in their teens, they went fishing every chance they got, sometimes being away from home for weeks at a time. Allan Gregg died in 2006, bequeathing his bass boat and his love for fishing to his sons.

“Dad’s death was life-altering,” said Nick. “It was the main event,” Kyle agreed. Soon, they were aiding and abetting each other, often skipping school to go fishing. Nick moved to California (Santa Barbara) to attend college, but soon discovered that the Central Coast has some of the best lakes in the nation for bass fishing. Here, Lakes Lopez, Santa Margarita, San Antonio, and Nacimiento offer vastly different habitats and all three kinds of bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass), giving the Gregg brothers ample opportunities to hone their skills. Nick and Kyle are both also enrolled at Cuesta College—Plan B if their dreams of pro bass

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Nick with a successful catch of the day

fishing don’t work out—adding homework to their already busy schedules.

Describing themselves as tournament fishermen (as distinguished from trophy fishing, a hobby relegated to the wealthy few), the Gregg brothers are working their way steadily up the tournament ladder toward a someday goal of entering (and winning!) the grand-daddy

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the country (and the world) pretty much every weekend. But the two dominant U.S. tournaments are Bassmasters and the FLW series, named after Forrest L. Wood, the founder of Ranger Boats and widely acknowledged as the developer of the modern bass boat. These top two contests are nationally televised on ESPN and Fox Sports Net and offer prizes of $500,000 and $1,000,000 respectively. Local tournament prizes range from $1,000 to $4,000. The bigger the tournament, the higher the entrance fee, and that’s when sponsorship comes in handy.

As the competitive bass fisherman enters more tournaments, sponsorships are often his ticket to the big time (the male gender is used here to avoid awkward phrases, but women enjoy the sport, too). Representing a bass fishing name brand—be it clothing, gear, tackle, or boat—means a win-win for both participants. The product maker gets the positive exposure it needs, and the spokesman gets the needed funds to enter the next big tournament. Nick Gregg is a natural. His good looks, easy-going manner, and effortless teaching abilities make him well-qualified to represent brand-name products. Sincerity and enthusiasm sell, and Nick has both in abundance. Kyle is the artist of the pair. His photographs are world-class; all of the photos inside and on the cover are his. of them all: The Bass Masters Classic, held annually in various cities around the nation. The brothers have won three plaques in the last year: two Third Place prizes and one Fifth Place prize, racking up the experience and points in the smaller contests that will qualify them for the bigger ones. The latter was earned just last month at the American Bass Association’s tournament held at Santa Margarita Lake.

“We almost won that event,” said Nick, describing two big catches that both escaped back into the water. “Either one of those would have won us First Place … but we did get the biggest fish of day with a 7.25-pound largemouth we caught early in the day. It was so close!”

The allure of the sport for Nick and Kyle is two-fold: Certainly, the money to be won is appealing (some of the purses are impressive and often include a brand new boat as well). But the brothers tell me that even if there wasn’t money involved, they’d still “rather be fishing” than doing almost anything else.

“Every time you go out, it’s different,” said Nick. “You never know what the fish will do.”

“You have to listen to the fish,” said Kyle. “They’ll tell you what to do.”

Spoken like a true aficionado.

There are so many variables: the weather, the barometric pressure, the light, the shadows, is it spawning season, is the moon full, what time of year is it, what are this lake’s particular idiosyncrasies, what kind of baits and lures work here, what “mood” are the fish in today, are there repellent scents in the water, what is the wind direction, gravitational pull, water pressure, depth, rock and shore formations … the list is endless.

“It’s a puzzle and you use the skills you’ve developed over time to solve the puzzle,” said Nick. “It’s just a really, really good feeling when you solve that puzzle and make the catch.” Even on days when he is just “pre-fishing” (practicing), when there is not one red cent involved, a good catch makes Nick’s day.

Competitive bass fishing got its official start in 1969 when Ray Scott, the “father” of the sport, started the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) and held the first Bassmaster Tournament. Since then, hundreds of small- and medium-sized tournaments are held across

“Kyle is a lot more laid-back than I am,” said Nick. “He’s a great partner and his more relaxed attitude keeps the fun of it alive, and makes for a good balance.”

Bass fishing is a catch-and-release sport, with strict rules, rigidly imposed. Two fishermen per boat compete with other two-man teams to find and catch live bass and keep them in a well until weigh-in at the end of the day. Fishermen must stay in the boat. The limit is five fish per team; each fish must be at least 12 inches long; and the most combined weight wins the day. In the event of a tie, the team with the single biggest fish will break it. To date, the biggest bass on record (which figures prominently in Hiaasen’s book) weighed in at 22 pounds 4 ounces and was caught by George Perry in 1932 in Montgomery Lake, Georgia.

Perry’s record was tied in 2009 when Japan’s Manabu Kurita caught a largemouth of the same weight at Lake Biwa. The Gregg brothers tell me that a good catch in the “real world” ranges in size between 6 and 12 pounds so we can only imagine the astonishment of on-lookers when Perry and Kurita caught their “big ones.”

The Greggs are definitely driven. Tournament weekends find them sorting and packing all manner of wriggly, sparkley, lifelike baits and lures that range in size from tiny flies to foot-long, trifurcated fish made in exotic places and costing anywhere from a few dollars each to more than $100 each! (Nick tells me that trophy fishermen have been known to spend as much as $450 for a single hand-painted, wooden fish from Japan.) They also spend time tying lines and assembling an assortment of different rods and reels, each with different line-weights and flex characteristics so as to accommodate the endless array of tackle used, and the proximity of the fish to the boat.

Bass fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry, driving the development of specialized fishing gear, clothing, depth- and fish-finding instruments, drift boats, float tubes, and glitzy bass boats. It’s a complicated hobby with all the razzle dazzle of any high-stakes sport, but with all the simple pleasures of old-fashioned pole fishing from the banks of a lazy river on a hot summer’s day (with old-fashioned worms). For the Gregg brothers, there is great excitement when the scales announce that theirs is the winning catch of the day. But Nick and Kyle say there is just as much pleasure and awe to be found when they are all alone, on a cool and silent violet lake aflame with the crimson and gold of a stunning sunrise. Maybe more.

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at the market

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata with Summer Harvest Garlic

By Sarah Hedger

T

here is much deliciousness to be found in our local markets in June. Summer makes its appearance in the weather we know so well, and in the amazing fruits and vegetables that find their way into our baskets. From avocados, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and fresh garlic, to apricots, berries, peaches, and rhubarb, the options to create seasonal brilliance in the kitchen are great. Often, this time of year, a basket at the market is not large enough to contain all the goodness!

I thought this month would be as good as any to do an ode to the amazing garlic clove. While any month would be worthy, I recently heard a wise piece of growing advice that stuck: Garlic is planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest day of the year. And, since we are approaching the longest day of the year or, Summer Solstice, it seems even more appropriate to give a worthy— and overdue—shout out to the often underrated, understated, garlic.

Allium Sativan, garlic as we know it, is in the allium family, related to onions, leeks, shallots, and chives. What a great family! It’s one of those no-brainers to grow, as you plant a single garlic glove on the shortest day of the year—and on the longest day of the year, you harvest a fresh, new head of garlic. Culinarily speaking, we easily associate garlic with Italian cuisine; however it has been used in the kitchen around the world for thousands of years. From the Southeast, to Asia, to the Middle East, to Africa, to Central and South America, garlic has been fundamental to the kitchen. Medicinally, it has been consumed from pyramid builders to Hippocrates, with records of them making note of its use for respiratory problems, parasites, and poor digestion, to name a few ailments. These days, it carries the label of being anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, with more recent research claiming it can help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. On a personal level, whenever I feel the beginnings of a cold, I eat a garlic clove (or two). I figure I’d rather take one amazing ingredient (that seems to work), than some random pills that seem to be hit or miss on having an actual result. Thus, to finish with a random fact, the “stinking rose,” as it is often called—The lovely aromatic smell it

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imparts on whomever consumes it, can be minimized by consuming fresh parsley—something I am willing to try!

This month’s recipe is my Summer ode to garlic, Sicilian Eggplant Caponata with Summer Harvest Garlic. A simple sauce dish that is good on its own, or on some BBQ pizza, or as a topping to a light summer pasta dish, or on some good bread for bruschetta … the options are limitless and I’ve even had it cold for breakfast and it was delicious. It goes together in a jiff, while incorporating some of the best ingredients of Summer, and pretty darn good for you in the process. Thus, seasonal brilliance! Enjoy.

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Sicilian eggplant caponata with summer harvest garlic FOR THE CAPONATA 2 T. olive oil + 2 T olive oil 1 eggplant, diced into ½ inch pieces 1 onion, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes 1 14 oz can of good tomatoes (or 2 cups of fresh garden tomatoes, finely chopped + 2T tomato paste) ¼ cup golden raisins 2 T. sherry vinegar (balsamic or cider works as well) 1 T. sugar 1 T. capers, rinsed 1 tsp kosher (or sea) salt 2 T. pine nuts, toasted in dry pan for a few minutes, until slightly golden 1/3 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped Fresh ground pepper Heat 2 T. olive oil in large (12+ inch) skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add eggplant and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until soft and brown. Remove from pan and place on plate while you cook the other ingredients.

Return skillet to medium high heat with remaining 2 T. olive oil. Add onion and cook for a minute or until translucent, then add garlic and red chilli flakes, stirring until aromatic (but not browning!). Add tomatoes, raisins, vinegar, sugar, capers, and salt, giving a good stir. Add eggplant and mix well to incorporate.

Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and fold in toasted pine nuts and parsley. Taste for seasoning, and serve on some good pasta, or a bbq pizza, or some good bread for bruschetta. Enjoy!

Find this recipe and more seasonal inspiration at http://www. seasonalalchemist.com

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slo county art scene

Oil and Water

patty arnold: a jill of all trades

By Gordon Fuglie

P

aso Robles’ Patty Arnold has the necessary capabilities of an artist to survive in our recession-riddled economy. As the resourceful designer/photographer summarized for me in April, “For 25 years I have worked in graphic design, publishing, and the multimedia industry. In that time I variously have worn the hat of typesetter, proofreader, camera operator, film stripper, art director, production manager, animator, web, interface and multimedia designer. In addition, in my part-time job at Cuesta College I teach computer illustration, animation, graphic design, web design, typography, book design and digital imaging. I strive to be alert for opportunities to broaden my knowledge in these interlocking 21st century disciplines and technologies.” Indeed. No need to say, “you go, girl” to Patty; she’s in the race, running with the pack.

Young people currently enrolling in art and design programs at colleges are more insistent about their degree being a passport to an actual job.

They want to study with faculty who are players in their field and who can provide up to date advice on trends, as well as connections to the industry. Arnold’s students at Cuesta should take heart from her multilevel experience in commercial design. A visit to her website menageriedesign.net shows varying projects including text, trade and children’s books; CD and DVD packaging; magazines and directories; newsletters and websites. Arnold has some skin in more than one game.

It is her work as an artist, however, that brings out her strongest passion. Born in San Luis Obispo, Arnold studied drawing, printmaking and sculpture at Lone Mountain, an art school overseen by CSU San Francisco (now the San Francisco Art Institute), where she found herself enthusiastic about “the expressive potential in all art mediums.”

Post-BFA, she returned to SLO, earning a second degree in graphic communications at Cal Poly in 1978. After a lengthy hiatus, she applied to the graduate program at the Art Institute in Boston, earning her degree in 2005—“an MFA and menopause,” she quips.

While studying in Boston, Arnold confirmed that her main medium would be photography—but a photographic art that would be informed by what she earlier learned from drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpting, as well as graphic design. In my own 30year career as an art historian, art writer and curator, I have found artists with design backgrounds usually have the best instincts for composition, contrast and color, giving their images a resolution exceeding that of more purely “fine art” colleagues. Moreover, Arnold says it was the syntax of graphic design that nudged her interest in world cultures, languages/texts, calligraphic patterns discovered in nature, and what she calls the marks that humankind leaves on the land—our “interventions.”

Arnold works in series, and currently displays 17 bodies of work on her website. These treat the landscape—American, Asian, and the Near East, and often entail panoramic or birds eye views. Although her projects vary in location, she regularly focuses on the effects of human intervention in landscape. A secondary subject has been patterns she finds in various architectures. These have included ancient arches and corridors in Spain; scraped, scratched, graffitti-ed walls in urban Viet Nam; the entertainment landscape of Las Vegas; and the industrialization of open land.

“Oil and Water” is from her series of aerial photographs, Land:Marks.

Working with pilots of small planes, Arnold soars above arid empty regions, camera at the ready, searching for man-made patterns not evident at ground level. “Oil and Water” reveals a surprising complex of human interventions on the Central Valley: an oil field, a network of storage ponds and subdivided agricultural tracts. The image is remarkable for its documentation, texture and geometric abstraction; truly, a discovered design.

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A Retirement Facil HOME/OUTDOOR

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though theofprospect of moving m The overall impact Arnold’s photography Touring Viet Nam, she was struck by the “ab- Even is one of thoughtful, intensity. stract designs” she perceived on ancient civic future, you owe itcontrolled to yourself to learn h With their careful composition (that seems walls. They reminded Arnold of palimpsest carefree living in your own home for man effortless) and intriguing subject matter, she pages of illuminated manuscripts—re-used produces some of the finest photographic art parchment that showed remains of earlier on the Central Coast. inscriptions and images. The photographs from this series, The Calligraphy of Walls, For further information: www.pattyarnold. are printed on rice paper in manuscript page It’s a fact of life that as weand getwww.menageriedesign.net. older, Pristine is fully com, size. The palimpsest effect is achieved via the licensed and insu artist’s application some of pencil,day-to-day charcoal, ink, tasks become too gold leaf, and water-based muchcolors—enhancing to handle on our own. That All of our worke the texture and mystery of her images.

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In 2012 the Oregon Arts Commission engaged Arnold to photograph the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, east of Baker City. In addition to its rich trove of fossil plants and animals, the mid-state area is known for its colorful geological formations. “Painted Hills 8” exemplifies the series, a panorama Arnold “wove together” on her computer from multiple exposures.

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COMMUNITY

Our Schools

Student speech at graduation

By Dr. Julian Crocker, County Superintendent of Schools

H

igh school graduation is a time in the year when First Amendment issues can take center stage. The issue involves the legal parameters for student expression at the graduation ceremony or other end-of-theyear events. Most of the time, graduation ceremonies occur without controversy, however, occasionally this is not the case and can result in embarrassment and misunderstandings. Let’s review the basic guidelines for student expression, including prayer, at high school graduation ceremonies. I am relying greatly on the resources and publications of the California Three Rs Project and various court decisions.

graduation ceremonies involve interpretation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In part, the First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; As far as religion is concerned, schools must balance both the “establishment” admonition with the “free exercise” provision. This is often a very delicate balance. When is a student engaging in her right to “freely exercise” a religious belief and when does that exercise become “established” by government (i.e. the local public school district)?

Differences of opinion about what is acceptable for students to say at high school

School Sponsored Prayer

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In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lee v. Weisman that a school sponsored prayer at graduation ceremonies was unconstitutional.

This decision was clear that school-sponsored prayers at graduation were not constitutional and that such activities violated the “establishment” clause. This decision ended the practice at some high schools of having either school officials, or local clergy, leading a prayer at graduation. For a while, this still left open the practice of student-led prayers. The reasoning here was that since it was a student who was leading a prayer, then it was protected under the “free exercise” clause of the First Amendment.

In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in the Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe that student-led prayer over the public-address system at high school football games was not constitutional since the game was a school sponsored event.

The Court also affirmed that even though a majority of the students may approve of the prayer, individual constitutional rights of those who did not approve could not be limited by the majority. The basic guideline established was that as long as the school had control of the location, the schedule and the content of the program, it was a “school sponsored event.” This is the same reasoning that is used in prohibiting student-led prayer at graduation.

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Federal Guidelines Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education issued in 2003 tend to support some specific situations when a student could offer a religious, or anti-religious, expression at a graduation ceremony. These Guidelines specify that if the student speaker is selected by a neutral and open process, and if the student is the author of the remarks, then the speaker could include some form of religious expression, including prayer, in the remarks. The Guidelines caution schools to issue a strong disclaimer that the remarks of the speaker belong to the speaker and do not represent the endorsement of the school. One can easily envision controversy using these Guidelines as justification for student offered prayer at graduation ceremonies. This “hands-off” reasoning can also lead to justifying students making comments that may be offensive or critical of others, which of course then leads to complaints from those who are offended.

What is a Principal to do?

It is clear just what can be school sponsored and what cannot. It is somewhat murky when it comes to student expression that clearly reflects the speaker’s point of view.

Most schools follow these three practices to both allow for student expression and for a graduation ceremony that is enjoyed by all.

1. Teaching Moment. Many schools use these issues of student expression at graduation as a prime opportunity to discuss how the First Amendment applies to the graduation ceremony. Students are interested in the event and it often provides motivation to deal substantively with the First Amendment.

2. Baccalaureate Programs. Many schools cooperate with the local ministerial association or other non-denominational groups to organize and publicize privately sponsored Baccalaureate programs where prayers can occur but not with school sponsorship.

3. Moments of Silence. Having a “moment of silence” during the graduation ceremony is another way of allowing for individual reflection, or not, but not under the sponsorship of the school.

COMMUNITY

fundraising exceeds $100,000

29

fire disaster response trailer

By Sophia Stephens

T

hanks to the generosity of donors and volunteers, Atascadero Fire Department’s Disaster Response Trailer is now in the final stages of completion.

Organizers are expecting the all-volunteer project to be completed within the next two months. Fundraising efforts began roughly two years ago with an estimated 100 donors and partners who are helping bring the project to fruition. In addition to private donations, roughly $30,000 in grant funding secured through the Department of Homeland Security is also funding the purchase of an emergency generator, according to Atascadero Fire Captain Matt Miranda.

“More than 100 partners came together, and we exceeded our $100,000 fundraising goal,” says Miranda. “Without the contributions from the community, this project very simply wouldn’t be possible. It’s all because our community stepped up to the plate.”

The department topped its original fundraising goal for a total of an estimated $130,000, department officials said. Meanwhile, the department has added capabilities to the original scope of the project, making it “much more capable and useful,” Miranda says.

The response vehicle is made up of two main parts—a repurposed wildland fire vehicle from the department and a donated 32-foot trailer. The trailer’s 16 bays need to be stocked with emergency response tools such as decontamination supplies, concrete cutting saws, an entry torch and dozens of other items. It will also carry the lumber and power tools needed for firefighters to build structural braces at disaster scenes. The tools will aid firefighters in preventing structures from crumbling onto victims or rescuers, Miranda said.

According to Miranda, the new emergency response trailer features a full gamut of specialty tools and equipment for the department to use in the case of a major disaster, enhancing public safety for the city of Atascadero.

“It’s a rolling resource of tools,” Miranda says.

The venture would not be possible without the generous donations of community members such as B. Wayne Hughes Jr., who donated funds for the Communications Bay, the most important of the bays, Miranda says. “When communications go down and out, it doesn’t matter how equipped we are—we can’t accomplish the safety goals without communication.” The Communication Bay costs $5,200 and is one compartment within the 16-bay trailer. It takes care of all the radios, antennas, wiring, batteries, so they can have communications while out in the field.

A handful of local residents and private donors have partnered to support the project since its unveiling on Sept. 11, 2012. The Atascadero Wine Festival Committee was the first to step forward with a $2,500 donation during the $50,000 in 50 days campaign, organizers said. Other partners include PG&E, who presented $25,000 toward the project. Project sponsors include Rabobank, Santa Lucia Bank, K-Mart, The Home Depot, American Commercial Equities, Bernards Builders and Management Services, JK Unlimited, Atascadero Rotary and 911 Supply House.

Atascadero Mayor Tom O’Malley says, “Our Fire Department has done a wonderful job of putting this Disaster Response Trailer together and could not have done it without the generosity of our great community. We are very proud of our Fire Department and the community we live in.”

Miranda says, “This project is definitely one-of-a-kind for this area.

You would have to go all the way to Ventura to see something that would probably come close to matching up to this. There are other rescue apparatus in the area that provide response capabilities to technical incidents—but nothing of this scope.”

For more information about the Atascadero Fire Department and Disaster Response Trailer, visit www.atascadero.org.

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history

julia morgan ...as engineer

By Taylor Coffman

A

T THE OUTSET for me at Hearst Castle, starting in 1972, I used to hear one of the senior guides tell the public— with great pride and emphasis—“Julia Morgan did ALL her own engineering.” This meant that Morgan (1872-1957) was more than a mere architect. So adept and versatile was she that technical or even scientific matters that crossed her desk were easily tackled, by the woman herself. We guides visualized all sorts of episodes: Miss Morgan designing roads, a water supply, a sewage system, a hydro-electric plant, an airstrip, and still more for the lordly W. R. Hearst, many of them things well outside an architect’s usual bounds.

Was she really that ingenious, that much of a multi-tasker? We had no reason in a year like 1972 to think she wasn’t.

By the mid-seventies our outlook began changing. Richard Longstreth, a new Morgan expert in the San Francisco Bay Area, put things differently. He said that even though Morgan enrolled in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley in the 1890s, her technical training was limited. Design and drafting and planning were one thing. Their nuts-and-bolts underpinnings were quite another.

Despite its “Engineering” name, the curriculum Julia was exposed to in her youth was more akin to “pre-architecture,” said Longstreth, a coinage inspired by the terms pre-med and pre-law. It was upon going to Paris after her initial Berkeley days—to study at the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts (in French, no less)—that Miss Morgan became a bona fide architect. She never regarded herself as an engineer, per se.

Nor did she ever call herself one.

But solid engineering was obviously central to what she did in her nearly 50 years as a prolific designer for Hearst and many other clients. So was Old World craftsmanship. Thus did she recruit and work with people who had these talents, these traits and skills that complemented her abilities. Walter Leroy Huber was one such engineer. So was another man named Walter—her close friend Walter Steilberg, who later made light of the College of Engineering in its formative period, describing its program as “pretty elementary.” In any event, it was to professionals of the Huber and Steilberg caliber that Morgan assigned her engineering needs, whether for a stupendous project like Hearst Castle or for a humbler one like the Monday Club, right here in San Luis Obispo on Monterey Street. She also had an engineer named Jim LeFeaver on her office staff in San Francisco.

A survey of today’s archival riches is revealing. In Cal Poly’s Kennedy Library, Special Collections, its Julia Morgan holdings are replete with correspondence and similar items. But not much exists by way of engineering “calculations.” Meanwhile, the Walter Huber files, also at Cal Poly, contain many examples of what look like Egyptian hieroglyphics: mathematical notes and scribbles that no one but a well-trained civil engineer could make—or decipher. The George Loorz Papers at the History Center, in downtown San Luis, contain similar cryptography. That’s because Loorz was a true civil engineer, making him an ideal supporting actor at San Simeon to Morgan’s role as the master architect.

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Ironically, George Loorz, roughly 25 years Morgan’s junior, attended the same College of Engineering at Berkeley. By the time he did, it was the early 1920s.

Things had changed greatly since the 1890s. Had Morgan gone through the more advanced training that Loorz underwent, her career may have taken a different turn. As it was, her preference for and her lasting focus on design and planning—with her engineering needs being entrusted to men like Huber, Steilberg, Loorz, and LeFeaver— suited Morgan perfectly.

This isn’t to say, though, that she knew nothing about engineering.

Far from it. In 1928, when Hearst wrote to her about the work being done for him and Marion Davies in Santa Monica, where the big Beach House job was going full bore (concurrent with San Simeon), he spoke of the first designer he’d retained, a young man whose efforts were now giving way to Morgan’s better methods. The man was “not a very experienced architect,” Mr. Hearst said of him, and he was “nothing of an engineer.” Morgan would have known exactly what Hearst meant. In turn, she called upon Walter Huber and also Walter Steilberg to help remedy things in problematic Santa Monica. George Loorz was also on that job, before he signed on at San Simeon. For her to have coordinated things as she did, she had to understand the challenges well enough herself. She surely did, thanks in part to what she’d learned back in the 1890s at the old College of Engineering.

Karen McNeill, today’s leading specialist on Julia Morgan, is quick to say that those beginnings for Morgan shouldn’t be minimized; they shouldn’t be trivialized or dismissed. They counted for much, believes Dr. McNeill, even though the Berkeley approach had a ways to go in becoming the distinguished, cutting-edge curriculum that Loorz and others would gain so much from. As for Morgan’s training in Paris, young Julia studied under “some of the most modern practitioners of structural systems like reinforced concrete,” says Dr. McNeill, who also points out that “the construction course was notoriously difficult and thorough.”

There’s a historical balance to be struck here. The naïve claims of years ago need to be played against the later, more frowning thoughts that Morgan had no engineering background at all. As with so many things in life, the truth lies more toward the middle. It remains for Karen McNeill to clarify these details in her forthcoming book about Julia Morgan.

I much look forward to that book—to getting Morgan’s career in fuller perspective than we’ve ever had it before. And if it turns out that this gifted architect designed bridges or culverts or other things of a more workaday sort than a hilltop pleasure dome, I’ll be quick to accept them as instances of her true genius, of the range and diversity that were indeed her hallmarks.

first annual jennifer thoma memorial ballet recipient

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madison price

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talented South County teen with big dance dreams has been selected as the first recipient of the Jennifer Thoma Memorial Dance Scholarship. Thirteen-year-old ballerina Madison Price will participate in a “summer ballet intensive” dance program with funds received from the scholarship.

Price is an accomplished dancer with hopes of becoming a professional ballerina. She began dancing as a very young child and has appeared in dozens of local performances, including seven productions of “The Nutcracker,” where she was cast in leading roles of “Clara” and “Christmas Doll.” Instructor Michelle Epperheimer described her as “born to dance,” and a “truly gifted dancer and performer.”

The daughter of Jim and Joanne Price of Arroyo Grande, Price devotes nearly 15 hours a week to dance class while maintaining a nearly straight-A average at Judkins Middle School. She was surprised with the scholarship announcement as she completed a dance class last week. The Thoma family invited Price’s parents and grandparents to join them at the dance studio to watch her reaction to the award announcement. “That was an amazing moment and fun to surprise her in front of her own dance family,” said Bill Thoma.

A number of local dancers vied for the $2500 scholarship that earmarks funds for summer ballet intensives, an accelerated, immersion style ballet dance training program offered by leading ballet organizations and schools nationwide. Jennifer Thoma was a longtime San Luis Obispo resident and dedicated ballet supporter who passed away from cancer in June of 2012. Her husband, Bill Thoma, and children Jeff and Jessica established the scholarship in Jennifer’s name to honor her passion for dance. Her daughter Jessica, a Cal Poly student who is herself an accomplished dancer and dance instructor, shares Jennifer’s love of dance.

Jessica danced from a very young age, and as a teen, was encouraged by her mother to participate in San Diego and Irvine summer intensives. The intensives’ experience and the resulting growth in her daughter’s dance abilities inspired Jennifer. She dreamed of establishing a scholarship to help create similar opportunities for other young dancers, but became ill before she could establish the program. Her family saw it through in her memory.

Competitors for the scholarship were required to submit an arts resume, an essay, school transcripts, a letter of recommendation and an audition video. Judges for the competition included Bill Thoma,

Bill Thoma and his daughter, Jessica presenting a $2500 scholarship check to Madison Price (center).

Jessica Thoma, artist Deb Spatafore, Jennifer Thoma’s longtime friend and Cal Poly colleague, Shelly Prichard Landers, and dance instructor Ryan Lawrence. The Jennifer Thoma Memorial Ballet Dance Scholarship is administered by the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation, who was instrumental in helping establish award criteria as well as manage outreach to potential applicants.

Bill Thoma spoke of his family’s interest in establishing the annual scholarship as a means of keeping Jennifer’s passion for the art of ballet alive. “My wife devoted herself to dance in so many ways,” said Bill.

“She attended hundreds of performances, served on dance organization boards of directors, drove our daughter to rehearsals, accompanied her to special training programs, sewed costumes, raised funds and in her spare time, did a little dancing herself. She had such a passion for dance and particularly, ballet. She would be so proud that her dream became reality and honored such a deserving young dancer as Madison Price.” Thoma added that a number of memorial gifts in his wife’s name helped add to the scholarship funds.

Price plans to use the funds this summer to attend the five-week summer ballet intensive program at the Pacific Northwest Ballet located in Seattle, Washington.

Additional information about the Jennifer Thoma Memorial Ballet Dance Scholarship is available online through the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation, www.sloccf.org or by contacting Angela Hollander, the Scholarship Program Associate 543-2323 x14.

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history

john jacob simmler

By Joe Carotenuti

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or those who had no land or business, life in mid-nineteenth century California required dexterity of mind and body to provide a living and avoid becoming dead.

Violence often resulted in the latter while the former meant an enterprising personality. Few pioneers better represent the ability to combine earning a livelihood while contributing to the civic development of a community than John Jacob Simmler.

Here’s the story.

Simply known as “Jake” to his friends, he was born in Malhausen (Mulhaus) France on July 18, 1826. Raised in an environment with well-educated parents, his education included three years as a painter’s apprentice after age 15, followed by three years as an itinerant painter wandering through his early life. Undoubtedly with visions of a new life, he and his brother, Emile, sailed to America. From May of 1847 until the same month in 1852, the young men lived in Texas.

Traveling to the coast of Mexico, they embarked on a near fatal sea voyage from Mazatlan to San Francisco aboard the Holloway. All too often for the era, a journey by sea almost proved to be one into eternity. For sixty days, the hapless crew and passengers were lost at sea.

Seven died. It is no wonder that the young men (along with con man/ bandit Parker H. French) came ashore at Avila.

For the next several years, Simmler worked as a cook for a Dr. Clements—until the physician was killed by a grizzly—plied his trade as a painter for John Wilson on the Los Osos Rancho and farmed on Price land in today’s Arroyo Grande. The latter venture was not one

COMMUNITY agent for a steamship company, bookkeeper and as a bank manager in Cayucos.

of his many talents and Myron Angel in his History of San Luis Obispo County (1883) comments the Frenchman “lost everything.”

Next, Jake became a hotelkeeper at the St. Charles in the newly incorporated Town of San Luis Obispo (1856) for three years.

Early on, Simmler tried merchandising with Samuel Adams Pollard and their store next to the Mission was officially designated for posting legal notices and as a stop for any mail carriers.

Eager for news, the carrier often stayed until everyone had a chance to read usually dated issues from the San Francisco newspapers.

Simmler was certainly well known in the small community and in one election was endorsed by the local Tribune newspaper as a man “without stain and without reproach.” During desperate times, he joined the Vigilance Committee in 1858 and also pledged $20 to the cause. However, keeping the peace wasn’t solely another’s responsibility as he joined a posse to hunt down a desperado finally captured in Los Angeles. Any “trial” resulted in the swift hand of frontier justice at the end of a noose. Avoiding any conflict of office, he previously resigned as justice of the peace.

Simmler, along with Pollard, might also be credited with establishing a rudimentary library in the settlement as the men kept books in their store. Those wishing to read one could pay for the privilege. Coincidentally, he owned the lot next to the Free Library donated by Andrew Carnegie in 1903.

Fraternal organizations were an integral part of the developing municipality and Simmler

Having married his first wife, the widow Rosa Butron de Canet, in 1859, he was again the justice of the peace the following year … a job he held irregularly for a number of years.

Many a couple was married by Simmler. A literate man, many others sought his assistance in preparing various documents. It was during these years that he served two terms as a member of the town’s Board of Trustees (1870 and 1871), one term as the Town’s Assessor, and a few years as a Police Judge.

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was a member and officer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), Society of Pioneers and the American Legion of Honor.

Jake’s lifelong activity of service and labor ended in 1906. Among the accolades, the Tribune praised him as “one of Nature’s noble men” and a man “all delighted to honor and respect.” He is buried locally next to his first wife and Maria La Franchi whom he married in 1891 after Rosa died. She continued to reside in the Canet/Butron adobe on Dana Street now desperately waiting for restoration.

Unfortunately, the unkind hand of time has left few traces of Simmler (and many other notable pioneers), but Jake would be proud he is remembered in the small town in his county and as a man who worked and served in his community!

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In 1873, as justice of the peace, Simmler (also the postmaster) was forced to resign the office when a presidential proclamation forbad federal employees earning more than $600 a year from holding local jobs. Simmler earned $640 as postmaster. The order soon was repealed and he was reelected to the justice position.

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Receiving mail was a key source of information in the nascent town. While Alexander now online at Murray received the first official appointCE T T FAW A EL MICH ment in 1855, Simmler served as a deputy CO | A Y DANA NELSON AMR|DSUZANNE LEEDALE | MASTER GARDENERS | FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA RICSHEU ING | U with him and—after his death—with his OOR E T S M O FL |V GLIN A N U R TQ BA brother Walter Murray. Later, Jake was offiNS A ATIO ON AG E NE R CT EE G T HR EO cially appointed and reappointed to the posiH T MAGAZINE OF THE CENTRAL COAST AT RT |A tion until 1890. The only remembrance today AST ILY AL CO AM R F T N E C KS E O H of his years as a central coast pioneer and RO OF T AL EB ZINE TH SLO RNATION MAGA federal employee is the community known asRANKIN | E T T S N I OA RT CU LC FILM AL Simmler which was the first post office in the TRA ST FESTIV CEN A E O Carrizo Plains during his term in office.

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Politics provided disappointments as Simmler lost his bids for several county offices including treasurer, assessor, and clerk as well as a bid to be the Superintendent of Schools and then Town Recorder. No position was full-time and any salary was minimal but earning a living required what today is called “multi-tasking.”

Any civic responsibility was also in addition to other employment including running a merchandise store, as an agent for the newspaper, acting coroner, selling insurance,

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Hospice corner music—an integral part of hospice care

By Chris O’Connell

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n my house I have a sign over the door that reads, Where Words Fail, Music Speaks. Never have I experienced the truth of this saying more profoundly than while providing music for hospice patients and their caregivers. The appropriate music provided at the right time can be “medicine for the soul” – as one patient put it - for both patient and caregivers.

People are often surprised (and usually delighted) to discover that Hospice Partners of the Central Coast offers in-home visits by staff musicians to any hospice patient who desires them. The musician staff members are part of a comprehensive, holistic hospice team made up of physicians (medical directors), nurses, home health aides, medical social workers, dietitians, therapists, spiritual and bereavement counselors, and volunteers. The hospice musicians—Cindy Myers, Tim Pacheco and I—work with each patient, the patient’s caregivers, and fellow team members to provide appropriate live music to those who would benefit from it.

The use of music as a modality of healing is nothing new. Music and medicine were intertwined in the imaginations and practices of ancient musicians and physicians alike.

To the ancient Greeks, Apollo was the god of medicine and music. He was often depicted in art and sculpture holding the stringing

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lyre on which he played celestial or curative music. His two most famous sons were Orpheus, the musician who quieted the wrath of the Furies and calmed Death himself with his sublime singing and lyre playing; and Asclepius, the physician to whom the Greeks dedicated their places of healing. It is said that in ancient Greek, healing clinics music was played regularly to soothe the soul and refresh the spirit.

This rich, mutually beneficial marriage between music and medicine was still thriving in the 10th century A.D., when the European hospice movement blossomed in a Benedictine monastery in Cluny, France. The use of music and its intimate and healing relationship to states of interior suffering were at the heart of the monks’ compassionate medical practice.

The ancient healing practitioners recognized—as Hospice Partners does today—that suffering, illness, dying, and death are more than medical or physical conditions; they are also profound emotional, psychic, and spiritual conditions. Daily we see music’s ability to soothe suffering that is unreachable by words or medication alone: to ease fear, anxiety, anger, and depression; to bring comfort and a sense of connection to patients and their families; to elicit stories and memories of deep meaning and significance. In chaotic, clinical, or sterile environments we see

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music’s capacity to temper and soften the atmosphere, inviting invisible but tangible qualities such as reverence, stillness, healing sorrow, a sense of safety, peace, depth, beauty, joy, and sometimes even laughter, to the bedside of the patient.

In addition, we have repeatedly seen music’s capacity to ease physical symptoms: to quiet labored breathing, restlessness or insomnia, to ease agitation and soothe acute physical pain.

The type of music provided depends entirely on the situation and circumstances—each patient and family is unique. There is no “one size (or song) fits all.” Like other members of the hospice team, the musician’s task is to meet each patient and family “where they are,” while being attentive, compassionate and responsive.

Whether providing soothing, non-rhythmical music on harp or flute to support a patient who is actively dying, sacred songs from a patient’s religious tradition on guitar and voice, popular or folk songs that a patient has loved all his or her life, lullabies or chants sung a cappella, songs created spontaneously for a particular moment, or some other variation of music, we

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are honored to be of service at this most fragile and vulnerable time in a person’s life.

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JUNE CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 43

This monthly Hospice Corner is sponsored by Hospice Partners of the Central Coast. Chris O’Connell leads the Hospice Musician Program at Hospice Partners. For more information, call (805) 782-8608.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: WORLD LANDMARKS ACROSS 1. Between streets 6. Acorn producer 9. Dwelling choice 13. Garlicky mayonnaise 14. Club ___ 15. Henry, Mary or Elizabeth 16. *Amsterdam’s Anne Frank House is where she hid from them 17. Pilot’s announcement, acr.

18. Do penance 19. *Red Square attraction 21. *Lady ______ 23. Always, in verse 24. Greek personification of Earth 25. Body, slang 28. Medicine bottle 30. Enter uninvited 35. Augments or increases, often precedes “out” 37. Pig trough contents

39. 1/100 of a rial 40. *Italy’s Mount Vesuvius is scarred by it 41. Equestrian’s attire 43. Eye affliction 44. _____ Wars between China and England 46. Con 47. Capital of Ukraine 48. Gary Coleman: “What you talking ‘bout ______?”

50. Mary had a little one 52. “Big Island” flower necklace 53. Calcium oxide 55. Napoleon of “Animal Farm” 57. *_______ Chapel 61. Trendy 65. Accustom 66. Female gametes 68. All plant and animal life of a region 69. Farewell remark in France 70. *Fort Sumter, where the Civil one began 71. To impede or bar 72. Tiny piece of anything

73. Home for #55 Across 74. Kind of tides DOWN 1. ____ shot in basketball 2. Yarn spinner 3. Exude 4. Frigid, torrid or temperate one 5. Hanukkah month 6. Inviting sign 7. *The Louvre in Paris has a lot of it 8. Bear Down Under 9. Mandolin’s cousin 10. Carbon monoxide lacks this 11. Arial, e.g.

12. 3-pointer in basketball 15. Over-armor tunic 20. *Like Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle 22. Junior’s junior 24. A small round drop 25. Under 26. Giraffe-like African animal 27. Prince of Darkness 29. Winglike

31. Classic board game 32. Justin Timberlake’s “_____ the End of Time” 33. The one who the check is made out to 34. *”Three Coins in the Fountain” fountain 36. First king of Israelites 38. *Site of Leaning Tower 42. Allegro or lento 45. Environs 49. Break a commandment 51. *Big clock 54. Cat sounds 56. Sheep’s clothing to wolf 57. Thailand, once 58. ____-European language 59. Executive, slang 60. Tire swing prop 61. Deviate 62. I, to a Greek 63. Octagonal sign 64. Chance occurrences 67. Giant pot

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palm street perspective everything i need to know in slo, i learned in kindergarten: everyone plays

By SLO City Councilman, John Ashbaugh

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ver twenty years ago, Vivian Paley, a Chicago kindergarten teacher, published a book based on her simple classroom rule, “You Can’t Say You Can’t Play”: Everyone on the playground has a right to join any group to play. Nobody is allowed to say, “No, you can’t play,” for any reason.

Did bullying still happen among these kindergartners? Of course it did—but Vivian Paley “called out” the bullies, and generations of her students have applied that vital lesson throughout their adult lives. Vivian Paley’s work won for her a coveted MacArthur “Genius Award.”

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Here in San Luis Obispo, we have our own version of You Can’t Say You Can’t Play.

Nobody is told “You can’t play,” as the City Council or our Advisory Bodies formulate policies and programs that shape our City.

Your City Council meets every other Tuesday, and we always include public comment on our agenda items, as well as on anything not on the agenda. Only a few limited exceptions are made for closed sessions dealing with sensitive personnel matters, litigation, or real property negotiations. A parade of speakers regularly comes to the microphone, and they are allowed to say almost anything.

Occasionally they are harshly critical of the Council, our staff, or other targets of their anger or discontent, but as long as they don’t cross the line of profanity or vulgarity, we don’t tell them “You can’t play.”

We genuinely prize our tradition of open public participation. Largely because of that high level of public engagement, our community drew the distinction of “happiest city in North America” by David Buettner in his 2011 book, Thrive. More recently, San Luis Obispo was ranked among the top ten communities in the nation for health and well-being by the Gallup Poll; among the indicators that Gallup uses for this index is citizen satisfaction with their local services.

If you want to “play” in the high-stakes game of city policy-making, there are three major opportunities coming up in June:

General Plan Land Use & Circulation Element Update— June 1 Forum On Saturday, June 1, the Community Development Department and our Task Force on the LU/CE Update will hold an extended Public Forum from 1 to 5 p.m. This forum will enable members of the public and the City’s 15-member Task Force to interact and consider your ideas. Nobody is going to tell you that “you can’t play!”

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Budget Hearings—June 10-11-12 The City Council will meet for three successive evenings at 6 pm, June 10 to 12, to review and adopt our proposed 2013-15 Financial Plan—i.e., the budget. We have already had substantial public input on the Major Council Goals which we adopted in January; we’ve also held a lengthy meeting in April on a set of proposed Work Programs to guide the budget preparation process. It is in these June meetings that our final decisions must be made as to how to allocate limited resources to seemingly-unlimited demands for new services and facilities.

Again, everyone is welcome, and nobody is going to say “You Can’t Play.”

Special Election The City Council has scheduled a special election to fill a vacancy created when Andrew Carter stepped down early from the 4-year term to which he’d been elected in 2010. It’s an “all-mail” election, and ballots have been sent out to all City voters on May 20. They are to be turned in by mail Lester Rogart& at Nicole Pazdan, CSAby Tuesday, June or in person City Hall 18. Three candidates are competing for this seat: Carlyn Christianson, Paul Brown and Donald Hedrick. The City is fortunate to have very qualified and experienced candidates running for this seat. In March, the Council considered whether to make an appointment to fill the vacancy, but we decided—wisely, in my view—to hold this special election instead. It’s our version of saying, “You can play too!”

Whether you want to “play” as a voter, as a participant in our hearings, as a member of one of our fourteen Advisory Committees, or as a candidate for Council, you’re invited onto the “playground.” In San Luis Obispo, we want everyone to be able to participate in our policy-making process.

I think Vivian Paley would be pleased.

John Ashbaugh

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June 2013

W hat ’s U p Downtown B usiness Spo tlights

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t’s been quite an experience receiving feedback recently from our members and the general public who’ve offered their thoughts, feelings and perceptions of Downtown SLO and its future over the next five or so years as we prepare to upgrade our Strategic Operating Plan.

where I was greeted with, “You’re from San Luis Obispo? Oh, you’re SO lucky. Wish we had your Downtown.” So I get that we really do need to maintain our perspective as we move ahead with how Downtown “should” look, operate, function, and be as we march toward 2020.

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owever, that doesn’t mean that critical or harsh comments were unwelcome, Deborah Cash, CMSM, au contraire. Change and improvement come Executive Director from taking a good, hard look at ourselves and being open to suggestions, new ways of doing things o clean and attractive,” offered one; “filthy and and including all who wish to participate. I’m grateful disgusting,” said another. “No place to park,” said for the dozens and dozens of people who filled out a fair number; “plenty of great parking and walking questionnaires, came to meetings and opened up, and opportunities,” claimed their polar opposites. shared their passion for keeping Downtown a beautiful, thriving and special place, regardless their points of view. uring the exercises, one theme was persistent: “Even though there’s a lot of criticism, we really have a here were some fun things, too, like the gentleman wonderful Downtown and we shouldn’t forget that.” With who suggested we increase our events and include which I completely agree, particularly having travelled things like a “Dachshund Obstacle Course.” (Ahem, around the country to visit other downtown communities ’ve truly enjoyed the range of comments— gathered from surveys, focus groups and a Town Hall meeting—that often had me wondering if the respondents were talking about the same town!

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On the Cover: Get your dancin' shoes on! San Luis Obispo's hottest summer music event Concerts in the Plaza starts June 14 and runs every Friday through September 6, including a TRIPLE HEADER July 5 concert from 2 PM - 8 PM. The lineup of local bands includes a sure-to-please mix of long-time favorites and some new acts guaranteed to please music lovers of all genres.

Pictured here: James Scoolis and Burning James and the Funky Flames band members rock the crowd last summer; they play this year June 21. Photo by Deborah Cash

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guess he didn’t know I’m a Doxie mom who doesn’t think my girls would enjoy that.) Or the woman who believes Monterey Street, if closed to traffic between Santa Rosa and Mission Plaza, would make a great outdoor mall. A business owner, responding to who their clientele will be in the future said “old money,” explaining that this demographic will require a high level of customer service and value pricing (read: they’re rich, want lots of attention and a good deal—oy vey.)

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ommon themes that people are concerned about include panhandling/transient related issues (less of these), restrooms (more of these), parking (more spaces/ fewer meters), increased density (more, more, more: housing, hotels, retail, people, grocery stores…) and more lights in the trees.

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ooking beyond current challenges, we’re also asked to “close the big box stores,” “preserve small business,” “have fewer food/bars and more retail,” “offer quality customer service,” and provide “regular beat cops.” Of course, I can’t just walk over to Costco and tell them to leave town, nor would I want to. Costco’s presence was correctly predicted to be mostly beneficial to Downtown by reducing “leakage” of people heading out of town for MacBook Air or Pro their big box fix.any In general, people come to Downtown for different reasons from why they shop on LOVR. What

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we CAN do is advocate: for projects that include mixed use elements, for public safety assistance, and for public/ private partnerships such as the tree lighting project we undertook with the City last year, etc.

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hough I’m still in the early stages of developing the Plan, here’s where I see Downtown heading down the road: a return to basics such as people living, working and playing in Downtown and perhaps not needing a car; and businesses to serve this 24/7 group such as corner grocery stores, bakeries, newsstands and sundries’ shops; entertainment and experiential opportunities that draw people from around the county and beyond; niche retail that’s attuned to all levels of shopper, including those who prefer to hit an online “buy” button and not drag their purchases around; free wi-fi for all Downtown visitors, “smart parking” that will enable your cell phone to find st your time your space, fill your meter and alert when at ju g you tinpromote starthat is up; an explosion of events health, fitness, family, local products/services—these are the visions that downtowns across the country are getting excited about.

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S p o t l i g h t s upscale casual restaurant, at affordable prices and with the convenience of being done quickly. It’s their motto, “Slow food, fast.”

Eatz By Dezign

Molly Perello, Manager 851 Higuera Street (805) 542-9504 EatzByDezign.com

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he Eatz By Dezign concept fits perfectly with the urban lifestyle and energy that is defined by Downtown SLO. Their clientele runs the gamut from college students on a budget to local professionals looking for a culinary experience.

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f you are what you eat, then why not design what you eat? Eatz by Dezign, one of Downtown’s latest restaurants to open, offers just that. The locally operated dining establishment in the historic Wineman Hotel building on Higuera Street lets you “dezign” your own meal. A wide variety of options include their seasonal marketplace fare and sides, create your own pizzas, savory pasta dishes, fresh salads and sandwiches. They provide high quality food that you find in an

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he urban chic eatery has an all natural lighting dining area as well as an outdoor dining area overlooking beautiful Higuera Street. Also in the works, evenings featuring live musicians. So bring your appetite and come enjoy the fresh, seasonal menu at Eatz

by Dezign daily from 11:30AM – 9:30PM. the ‘Happiest City in America’ and in the history of this building. It’s also important to love what you do, and do it in a place where you love living and working.”

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Kurt C. Jackson, CFP, AIF, CRPS, President 1104 Palm Street (805) 439-0371 www.centralcoastwm.com

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he CCWM team offers a level of depth and expertise to its clients, a one-stop shop for high net worth individuals, if you will. Jackson adds, “We use the basic allocation model used hen you walk into the offices

by Harvard and Yale and account for of Central Coast Wealth custom differences for the needs of each Management located inside a historical client when making recommendations. home on the corner of Palm & Santa From left to right: Kurt Jackson, Erika Bylund, This goes hand in hand with being able Rosa streets, you get a feeling of Kate Corella, Ryan Sutherland to offer many unique investments not being in your “home away from typically available at my former firms home.” From the antique décor to the (like Merrill Lynch and UBS).” They pride themselves on being friendly faces of the financial firm’s team, it’s a place able to work one-on-one with individuals and companies Kurt Jackson, President, says, “I want our clients to feel to meet all of their financial planning needs including comfortable. In a trust-type business like ours, we want insurance, mortgage advice, unique tax efficient strategies, them to feel like they are joining a big, extended family.”

401K/retirement plans as well as investment planning. ackson first worked at big firms Merrill Lynch and UBS. Then, ou are “welcome” to visit Central Coast Wealth in 2008 he decided to open an independent financial firm Management Monday – Friday from 7AMand in January moved his office into Downtown because he 6PM or visit www.centralcoastwm.com. feels the location is “where the core of business happens as the seat of the county.” He says, “We are happy to be here, in

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SLO POP

Troy and Tricia Harbour, Owners 950 Chorro Street (805) 625-0939 Search for SLO Pop on facebook

is always looking for community input, often having contests posted on their Facebook page. They also specialize in making their kettle corn with locally made products and corn oil, so even those with peanut oil allergies can enjoy their tasty treats.

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new business has “popped” up in Downtown. SLO POP set up shop on Chorro Street (next to Trio Boutique) in November 2012. Troy and Tricia Harbour are the husband-wife team behind the locally and family owned business. Together, they’re perfecting popcorn using a traditional kettle. According to the Harbours, “Kettle corn is a great snack for everyone, from kids on up to any age.” Whether your taste buds prefer sweet or savory, SLO POP’s got you covered, serving up flavors like sweet chocolate covered caramel corn or their spicy chili cheese corn among many other flavors. And if you have a suggestion for a flavor, SLO POP

ettle corn isn’t the only item you’ll find in SLO POP, there’s cotton candy and kids’ clothing and accessories along with kettle corn and cotton candy machines for rent for your special occasions. Plus, Tricia caters for weddings and events, bringing their kettle corn and cotton candy to the young and the young-at-heart to enjoy.

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n addition to SLO POP’s Chorro Street location, they can be found every Thursday night at the Downtown Farmers’ Market selling freshly popped kettle corn (there’s usually a new flavor to try) and cotton candy. Bring out the kid in you and “pop” into SLO POP Tuesday – Saturday 11AM–5PM.

June 14

reggae rock

Sponsored by: Tartaglia

Concerts in the Plaza

Realty

1

funk - n - Soul

2

July 5 *2-3:30 pm

l e Rusted Ston e t r i p r Hard rock with blues edge de by: h e a MissionSponsored Community Bank July 12

July 19

rock

Original rock, funk & reggae

Sponsored by:

Sponsored by:

August 9

Moondoggies Beach Club

July 26

Ba re Feet

alternative groove & progressive reggae Sponsored by:

Creeky Tiki

August 16

August 23

rock & blues Sponsored by:

California roots rock Sponsored by:

Neon Russel l The JD Project

reggae Sponsored by:

San Luis Obispo Transit

Frog & Peach

Wallace Group

July 5 *6-8 pm

Cuesta Ridge

americana folk & jamgrass

Mission Community Bank

Fish Out of Water

Res ination

3

July 5 *4-5:30 pm

The Wild Blue Sponsored by:

live elec tronica

Sponsored by: MO|TAV

Giuseppe

original jazz - rock americana

Truth Abo ut Seafood Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green LLP

TRO PO

Bu rn ing Ja m es a nd the Fu n ky Fla m es Sponsored by: Palazzo

presents

June 28

June 21

Na da Rasta

Sponsored by:

Mission Community Bank August 2

Guy Budd Ba nd w ith Inga Swea ringen blues rock r&b

Sponsored by:

Radovich Mediation Group August 30

Da m on Castil lo Ba nd rock & Soul Sponsored by:

The San Luis Obispo Collection

September 6

Big Da ddy’s Blues Ba nd blues jazz old school r&b Sponsored by: San Luis Luggage

2013

brought to you by:

FREE LIVE MUSIC Fridays 5 - 8 PM i n D o w n t o w n S L O ’s Mission Plaza

BIKE VALET SPONSOR:

proudly pouring:

For details, contact the San Luis Obispo Downtown Association at (805) 541-0286 or visit www.DowntownSLO.com No Smoking in Mission Plaza | No Pets | Food & Drink Available | No Outside Alcoholic Beverages

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Local author pens history of slo county libraries

Retired public educator and volunteer City Historian and Archivist Joseph Carotenuti has authored a book entitled “San Luis Obispo County Library—a Brief History,” now available for purchase at all branches of the SLO County Public Library system. Carotenuti got the idea for the book while researching an article for Journal Plus magazine. “I was directed to a large closet on the 3rd floor of the downtown library,” he remembers, “which was crammed with historical information about the library and old photographs that had never been published.” The story begins on March 1, 1915, when the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to “contemplate” establishing a county-wide library after receiving petitions from residents and civic groups. The book, however, begins even before that, with the story of the very first libraries in California housed in the 21 missions, moving forward with State and County libraries, law libraries, books for the blind, school libraries and the invention of traveling libraries. It is filled with photographs of people instrumental in the SLO library system and sites of old libraries.

All proceeds from sales of the book go directly to support the Children’s Summer Reading Programs offered throughout the San Luis Obispo County Library System.

Church group lends a helping hand

Under the direction of Celeste Royer, Director of Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School, several hundred members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from SLO County joined together in the 2013 Mormon Helping Hands program to renovate facilities at the Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School located off State Highway 1 at Creek Side Road, (across from Cuesta College). The park has twenty-one cabins, a cafeteria, a retreat center, many trails, an amphitheater on the creek, and a garden area. Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School offers an extraordinary educational experience in science, ecology, English, language arts, and social sciences on its 250 acres, and has been serving children in the community for over forty years. The Mormon Helping Hands Program is pleased to be able to serve this facility.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints instigated the Mormons Helping Hands Program in 1980 and it is now in many other countries throughout the world and more states in The U.S.

San Luis Obispo’s Best Kept Secret Power Carts Senior Discount (55) • 10 Play C ards • Tournaments Welcome • •

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Gary A. Sage License No. 0E02096 100 Cross Street, Suite 203 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 gsage@dibu.com

(805) 593-1400 (805) 593-1401 fax (805) 593-1413 direct (805) 235-1043 cell

Four Bike Across America for Wounded Veterans

A retired Marine will attempt a remarkable event this summer, biking 3,700 miles across the U.S. to raise funds for wounded Marines and sailors. John Foldberg, at age 57, will be accompanied by Daniel and Nathan Macfarlane and Evan Gillham. The four Atascadero residents have formed a group named “CCC4Vets” or “Cross-Country Cyclists for Veterans.” They will leave Anacortes, Washington on August 1st and bike 60 miles a day until they arrive at Virginia Beach, Virginia mid-October.

A combat veteran from Desert Storm, Foldberg also served in Afghanistan in the Helmand province in 2009-2010, and Iraq 2010-2011. Because of his experiences, Foldberg wants to raise $20,000 for the Semper Fi Fund which provides immediate financial support for injured members of the military and their families. For more information, contact John Foldberg at 6108102, visit ccc4vets.com, or track the team’s progress on Facebook: CCC 4 Vets. Donations can also be made directly to semperfifund.org.

Slo art center displays cuesta students work

A retrospective of works by Cuesta College student printmakers from the past twenty years will be on display in the SLO Museum of Art’s McMeen Gallery from June 7th to June 30th in celebration of the school’s semi-centennial celebration. The exhibit, entitled “The Proof Is in the Prints: A Retrospective Exhibition of Cuesta College Student Printmakers,” aims to showcase the high quality of traditional printmaking produced each year through Cuesta College’s art program.

The Museum of Art is located at 1010 Broad Street. Free admission, donations appreciated. For more info visit SLOMA.org.

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5th annual slo greek festival

The 5th annual San Luis Obispo Greek Festival will be held at the SLO Mission Plaza on June 2nd and 3rd beginning at 11am. Admission is free. This event is a fundraiser for St. Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church which supports many charitable groups in SLO County such as the SLO Food Bank and the Prado Day Center. Each year a portion of the proceeds of the festival goes to local charities. For more information visit the website at www.greekfestivalslo.com

1st annual blarney at the beach

With the desire to keep the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day going, and the realization of an opportunity to create a fun and festive event, the popular Avila Beach Golf Resort, Tullamore Dew and the Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center have come together to host the first annual Blarney at the Beach Irish Music Festival on Sunday, June Frankto 6pm, rain or shine 9th. This all day event will take place from 1pm and will feature headlining band, The Young Dubliners as well as the Fenians, and The Brother Gillie Wheesels. Authentic Irish fare will be served with cuisine provided by Rooney’s Irish Pub and a VIP Lounge sponsored by McCarthy’s. Proceeds from sales will benefit The Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center. For more information about the first annual Blarney at the Beach, please visit: www.Blarneyatthebeach.com or call, 805-540-3508.

dignity health receives care award

Dignity Health of the Central Coast which includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC) have all been recognized as Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement®. This designation signifies that all three Dignity Health facilities met nationally established quality care and outcomes criteria developed with input from the medical community. AGCH, FHMC and MRMC are among an elite group of just 185 facilities recognized for their expertise in Knee and Hip Replacement. Blue Cross and Blue Shield designate facilities with Blue Distinction as a way to promote well-earned, high quality care.

C rossword S O L U T I O N S Exterior & Interior Plastering

Custom Homes and Patch Repairs · Free Estimates · Call or stop by

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J U N E

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of local communities through revenues from retail stores. Goodwill generates jobs for individuals who contribute financially to their communities by paying taxes and spending locally. The 13 Goodwill organizations in the state placed 14,215 jobs in 2012, not including employees placed within Goodwill. Goodwill directly employed 13,453 people in California in 2012. Employing these people also spawned 2,590 additional jobs for a total of 16,043 jobs created resulting in total wages of nearly $366.5 million. Total economic output in 2012 from Goodwill’s operations alone, including gross receipts for goods or services generated in the economy, employment and earnings including benefits was $854.78 million. That’s an increase of $73 million from the previous year. In the three-county area served by Goodwill of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties the impact is comparatively high as well. Job placements totaled 993 resulting in total wages of $12.5 million. Total Goodwill jobs were 683, accounting for an economic output of $31 million in the three counties.

slo elks donation helps vets

The San Luis Obispo Elks Lodge #322 recently made a $3,000 donation to Cuesta College Foundation, specifically the Jack & Nancy Sullivan Fund, to provide parking permits to support 100 of our local veterans. The $3,000 is a combination of $2,000 from an Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant and a $1,000 fund-raiser. This donation helps facilitate and support our local veterans to pursue and attain their educational goals by donating parking permits that are required on campus and are not a covered VA educational benefit. It is our way of saying Thanks and remembering Michael Mihalakis, a student at Cuesta College who died 12/26/03, serving our country in the Army in Iraq.

goodwill good for the economy

A newly released Economic and Fiscal Impact Report found the total fiscal and economic impact of Goodwill’s contributions at 1.3 billion in 2012. The report is solid evidence of Goodwill’s emergence as a key economic driver for California at all levels of its operations. The report shows that Goodwill directly impacts the fiscal and economic vitality

D ressing Windows in San Luis Obispo for over 39 Years

alan’s draperies 544-9405 alansdrapery@gmail.com

Alan “Himself” J U N E

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Journal PLUS

grover beach hot summer concert line-up

The Grover Beach Parks and Recreation Department is excited to announce the band line-up for the 10th Annual Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series and Farmers’ Market. The FREE concerts, held in conjunction with the Grover Beach Farmers’ Market will be held each Sunday, starting June 2nd, at the Ramona Garden Park, 993 Ramona Avenue, from 3– 6 p.m. With 17 concert dates, there will be extraordinary talent for all to enjoy and a wide range of musical genres—everything from traditional rock and roll to reggae. Call 473-4580 for more information.

Pictured above: Unfinished Business.

Marie Moore, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Counseling

528-3782 Helping with lifestyle, health and family problems for seniors, both retired and still employed

THE BULLETIN BOARD

SVrMC honored for service excellence

45

idler’s mom and apple pie contest

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center was the only California hospital recognized for Service Excellence at the recent Tenet Strategy Conference. The 2013 Service Excellence Award recognizes Tenet hospitals that have obtained or sustained exceptional results from the patient perspective in a combination of inpatient, outpatient surgery and emergency department patient satisfaction surveys during the full year of 2012. Pictured (l-r) are Trevor Fetter, Tenet President & CEO; Candy Markwith, Sierra Vista CEO; Britt Reynolds, President, Tenet Hospitals; Dr. Kelvin Baggett, Tenet Chief Medical Officer.

Idler’s Appliances recently held its 29th Mom and Apple Pie Contest.

Pictured above is Don Idler talking to the celebrity judges in the San Luis store before the judging began. It was a special day for Marie Atkins, she earned gold for the first time after entering her apple pie in the contest for nineteen years. “We’re trying to find a way to honor mothers right around Mother’s Day. We thought, what better way to honor mothers than to have an apple pie contest,” said Don Idler. Atkins was awarded the grand prize of a new KitchenAid stainless steel convection gas range valued at $2100. Second place was awarded to Tish Linsley, and Erin Pottmeyer came in third.

volunteers needed at literacy council

Known for bringing remarkable music to equally remarkable destinations, Festival Mozaic has announced its 2013 summer season, set for July 16-28.

The music of Debussy, Bach, Beethoven and Brahms will meet that of new composers like Patrick Zimmerli and David Balakrishnan of the Turtle Island Quartet in such charismatic venues on California’s Central Coast as Mission SLO de Tolosa, Chapel Hill in wine country, Studios on the Park in Paso Robles and the SLO Center for the Performing Arts. The Festival is led by acclaimed Music Director, Scott Yoo. Tickets may be ordered online at www.festivalmozaic.com or by calling (805) 781-3009 / (877) 881-8899.

The Literacy Council for San Luis Obispo County has an ongoing and urgent need for volunteer tutors. Our 2-part, Tutor Training Workshop will take place on Saturday June 1st and Saturday June 8th, at the Literacy Council’s office, 995 Palm Street, SLO County Library, from 9am to 3:30pm. A $25 enrollment fee is required at your first session. For more information or to sign up, please call 541-4219 or visit our website at www.sloliteracy.org.

43rd festival mozaic announces lineup

Pacific Oak Foreclosure Services INC

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994 Mill Street • Suite 230 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 TEL (805) 544-9242 • CELL (805) 235-0493 FAX (805) 543-7838 EMAIL lynn@pacificoakforeclosure.com www.pacificoakforclosure.com

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eye on Business business success frame by frame

By Maggie Cox, Barnett Cox & Associates

Joe Empy

W

hen Joe Empy and Susie Warren opened the doors to Fast Frame nearly 23 years ago in downtown San Luis Obispo, they did it with style. Every guest at the Fast Frame grand opening left with a gift—their own business card matted and framed. I remember it well because I still have mine from the SLO Chamber of Commerce, a nice memento from my first job on the Central Coast.

The gift was a great marketing tool, showcasing both the easy-framing capability of the store and the care and personal touch Joe and Susie brought to their business. That commitment has served them well over the years as other framing stores have come and gone and new large corporate interests have added to consumer choice. Fast Frame, located on Santa Rosa between Higuera and Marsh, continues to thrive.

After attending UCSB, Joe and Susie stayed in Santa Barbara for fifteen years. But when they were ready for a change from Joe’s career as a carpenter and Susie’s as an individual living skills counselor, the appeal of San Luis Obispo carried the day. The couple had friends here and visited frequently, and felt the community was a good “down home” fit. They chose the framing business, found a downtown location that fit their need for good visibility and went to work.

siderably larger than I thought it would be, probably 16 inches long.”

projects helping buffer the day-to-day ups and downs.

Joe and Susie credit their success to being personally on site virtually any time the store is open. They are skilled at helping customers find the ideal mat and frame for showcasing a piece of art, a photograph or a prized ticket stub or record album. Customers can count on a few laughs and some good “what’s going on in SLO” conversation along with every framing job. The shop is a welcoming, friendly place.

Joe and Susie live in Los Osos where they love to garden, hang out by the bay, and generally enjoy life on the Central Coast. They are rabid SF Giants fans. They are art lovers and collectors, and when asked if everything in their own home is handsomely framed, Joe responds, “Let’s put it this way, a lot of our artwork is ready to be framed nicely.”

The Fast Frame owners work from a business plan that is centered on service, service, service, and they strive to exceed expectations. While they certainly felt the slam of the economic downturn and its effect on discretionary items like framing, they say that they made it through with the help of loyal customers. They’ve added to their commercial client list, too, with larger volume

Joe and Susie have made plenty of friends in business along the way. They’ve grown up with their customers, framing expectant mom photographs, kids’ drawings that follow, and then college diplomas. They take their work very seriously and talk about the trust given to them when priceless family heirlooms are brought in for framing.

They’ve framed everything from horse blankets to Picassos, Dali’s and O’Keefes, and Joe says the craziest thing they’ve ever handled was a Shaquille O’Neal shoe that was “conJ U N E

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Joe Empy and Susie Warren have made a place for themselves in downtown San Luis Obispo and touched a lot of lives in the process. They are two of the people and one of the companies that give our business community its prized character. We are lucky to have them.

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