92127 Community Hub - May 2023

In the summer of 2022, I looked around my nearly empty Del Sur home, realizing that all three of my sons, Troy, Ryan, and Raymond, had been successfully launched into the wild blue yonder, and I was alone.

I asked myself, “What’s Next?”

It was honestly a challenge being a single dad for the last five years in suburbia, but I knew it was best for my sons, so I dealt with it. After twenty-two years in our great community, I knew a venue change was in my future. The question was, “where would I move?”

Direct : 858-449-4970

Hanging out with Elvis #1, Elvis #3, and Elvis #2

OPINION BY RAY SHAY

OCEANSIDE

RAY SHAY BROKER I OWNER

Hanging out with Elvis #1, Elvis #3, and Elvis #2

My team of REALTORS © and I appreciate the friendships we have made in 92127, and we want to nurture them and continue helping new people to buy and sell their homes. However, I am passionate about America, freedom of the press, current events, live music, sports, travel, and adventure. This led me to look into moving to downtown San Diego. It looked like fun, and I know the very best places to live around there, but after evaluating the drive time to 92127, I realized that it would be a challenge to continue to provide a high level of service to our customers.

I then looked around San Diego County. I am not an east county guy. It’s just too hot. I am not a La Jolla guy either; too many rich people. Many friends from the San Diego Police Department and our local community have loaded up their families and are moving east.

Some of them were seen giving California and our politicians the one-finger salute as they left. I guess they had enough. A few settled in Arizona, while others moved to Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. I also briefly looked at leaving San Diego and decided none of those locations were for me. I love my work and the city where I raised my children.

I thought moving to the beach was, in a way, selfish, but then I explained to my sons that they could think of me like NASA based at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Their amazing spaceship has lifted off and cleared the tower. It is time for them to seek their own adventures and become the men I know they can be.

Even as I get older and move slower, I will still love each of them to the moon and back, and I will even go with any of them to Disneyland or anywhere else. I may even jump in the air like an idiot because I am the luckiest man to hang out with each of them.

If you’re like me, and you’re planning on a big move in the near future, Randy Koch, Troy Shay, Tu Nguyen, Theresa Whitty, Tina Wu, and I wish you the very best! We would be happy to help you sell your home for top dollar so don’t hesitate to call. Or if you’re in the market to buy, we would love to tell you how we continue to find amazing homes for our clients in this tight housing market.

At a recent company meeting, I explained to my team of REALTORS© that I ultimately decided to move to Solana Beach, specifically within walking distance of the Belly Up Tavern. I don’t have a drinking problem, but I enjoy live music, and the beaches from Del Mar to Leucadia are much more my style. They are just more “chill” than other areas of San Diego.

The other advantage of coastal living is easy access to mass transit, specifically the coaster train and Interstate 5. With one of my sons in Carmel Valley, a second in Los Angeles, and a third in London, I wanted to make it easy to visit all three of them. After all, they are the most important people in my life. It also makes it an easy commute to our Community Hub© in 4S Village.

I concluded that I would always have a residence in San Diego County. A few months ago, I rented my Del Sur home and moved to a small place in Solana Beach. I have a Murphy bed in my living room in case Troy, Raymond, or Ryan want to visit.

Troy and I “jumping” in Disneyland!

CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION PROPOSITION 19

FACT SHEET

On November 3, 2020, California voters approved Proposition 19 and its implementing legislation, Senate Bill 539 was enacted on September 30, 2021, providing for intergenerational exclusions and base year value transfers that can result in property tax savings for taxpayers.

INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSFER EXCLUSION (California Constitution Article XIII

A, section 2.1(c), (d) and (e); Revenue and Taxation Code section 63.2)

For Transfers Between Parents and Children – Operative February 16, 2021

Allows transfers of a family home or family farm between parents and their children without causing a change in ownership for property tax purposes. It is an exclusion from change in ownership. Allows transferee to retain the taxable value of the transferor. “Taxable value” means the base year value plus inflationary adjustments, commonly referred to as the factored base year value. (Note: In cases where the transferor died, the date of death is considered the date of transfer.)

Applies to a purchase or transfer of a family home between parents and their children if the property continues as the family home of the transferee. The transferee must live in the home as their primary residence within one year of transfer and file for the homeowners’ or disabled veterans’ exemption within one year of transfer to qualify for the exclusion.

• For a family farm, defined as real property under cultivation or which is being used for pasture or grazing or that is used to produce any agricultural commodity as used in Government Code section 51201, there is no requirement that the family farm contain a home that the transferee lives in to qualify.

• There is a limit to the value that can be excluded for a family home or each legal parcel of a family farm. The value limit is equal to the property’s taxable value (factored base year value) at time of transfer plus $1 million. If the market value exceeds this limit, the difference is added to the taxable value. (Note: The $1 million allowance will be adjusted annually by the State Board of Equalization (BOE) beginning in 2023.)

How to Apply

Submit form BOE-19-P Claim for Reassessment Exclusion for Transfer Between Parent and Child Occurring On or

After February 16, 2021, to the County Assessor where the property is located. Application must be filed within three years of the date of the transfer date, but before transferring the property to a third party. (Before form BOE-19-P is filed, the transferee must file for the homeowners’ or disabled veterans’ exemption within one year of the transfer date by filing either forms BOE-266 or BOE-261-G.)

For additional information, refer to: Letter To Assessors No. 2022/012

For Transfers Between Grandparents and Grandchildren – Operative February 16, 2021

Allows transfers of a family home or family farm between grandparents and their grandchildren under limited conditions without causing a change in ownership for property tax purposes. It is an exclusion from change in ownership. The same conditions and requirements as the exclusion for transfers between parents and children apply, except in order to qualify, the parents of the grandchild, who qualify as children of the grandparents, must be deceased.

How to Apply

Submit form BOE-19-G Claim for Reassessment Exclusion for Transfer Between Grandparent and Grandchild

Occurring On or After February 16, 2021, to the County Assessor where the property is located. The filing period is the same as form BOE-19-P; see above for transfers between parents and children. For additional information, refer to: Letter To Assessors No. 2022/12

How to Apply

If qualifying based on age, submit form BOE-19-B Claim for Transfer of Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Persons at Least Age 55 Years, to the County Assessor where the replacement property is located. If qualifying based on disability, submit both forms BOE-19-D Claim for Transfer of Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Severely Disabled Persons, and BOE-19-DC Certificate of Disability, to the County Assessor where the replacement property is located. Application(s) must be filed within three years of the replacement’s purchase or construction; and at the time of filing claimant must own and occupy the replacement property as their principal residence.

For additional information, refer to: Letter To Assessors No. 2022/009

For Disaster Victims – Operative April 1, 2021

Allows victims of a wildfire or natural disaster to transfer the taxable value of their primary residence to a replacement residence anywhere in the state. The conditions and requirements are the same as the taxable value transfer for seniors, except there is no age requirement. However, the original property must have been substantially damaged or destroyed from a wildfire or Governor declared disaster, with over half of the market or improvement value diminished, to be considered “substantially damaged.”

How to Apply

Submit form BOE-19-V Claim for Transfer of Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Victims of Wildfire or Other Natural Disaster to the County Assessor where the replacement property is located. Application must be filed within three years of the replacement’s purchase or construction; and at the time of filing claimant must own and occupy the replacement property as their principal residence.

For additional information, refer to: Letter To Assessors No. 2022/009

Examples for Base Year Value Transfers

Example 1

If the market value of the replacement is less than or equal to the market value of the original, then the taxable value (factored base year value) of the original will transfer to the replacement residence with no adjustment.

Original Taxable Value = $300,000 | Original Market Value = $900,000 | Replacement Market Value = $700,000

Since the market value of the replacement is $200,000 less than the original’s market value, the taxable value transferred to the replacement will remain at $300,000

Example 2

If the market value of the replacement is more than the market value of the original, then the difference will be added to the transferred value. (This assumes the replacement property is purchased before the original. If the replacement property is purchased after the original, depending on the time period when the replacement was purchased, the amount above five percent (5%) or ten percent (10%) over the original property’s market value is added to the transferred base year value.)

Original Taxable Value = $300,000 | Original Market Value = $600,000 | Replacement Market Value = $700,000

Since the replacement’s market value is $100,000 more than the original, the difference in market value is added to the transferred value. Therefore, the taxable value of the replacement will be $400,000 ($300,000 + $100,000).

Please visit www.boe.ca.gov

Proposition 19 Value Limit Test for Intergenerational Transfer Exclusion

Example:

At the time of the transfer, a single-family primary residence has a taxable value or factored base year value (FBYV) of $300,000 and a fair market value of $1,500,000.

1.Calculate the sum of the FBYV plus $1 million:

If the home had a market value equal to or less than $1,300,000, the child would not have to pay additional property taxes.

2. Since the fair market value is greater than the excluded amount, calculate the difference between the fair market value and the excluded amount:

3.Thus, the adjusted base year value is $500,000.

BASE YEAR VALUE (TAXABLE VALUE) TRANSFER

(California Constitution Article XIII A, section 2.1(b) and (e); Revenue and Taxation Code section 69.6)

For Seniors and Severely Disabled Persons – Operative April 1, 2021

Allows homeowners who are age 55 or older, or severely and permanently disabled of any age, to transfer the “taxable value” of their principal residence to a replacement property up to three times anywhere in the state. “Taxable value” means the base year value plus inflationary adjustments, commonly referred to as a factored base year value. There is no limit to the market value of the replacement property compared to the original property, but the amount in excess of the original property’s market value is added to the transferred value. The replacement’s market value can exceed the original’s market value up to one hundred and five percent (105%) if the replacement is purchased within the first year after the sale of the original, or one hundred and ten percent (110%) in the second year with no excess added to the transferred taxable value.

To qualify:

• Replacement residence must be purchased or newly constructed within two years of the sale of the original property.

•Claimant must be at least age 55 years or older at the time the original property is sold.

• Both the original and replacement properties must be eligible for the homeowners’ or disabled veterans’ exemption. The claimant must own and reside in the original property at the time of its sale or within two years of the purchase or new construction of the replacement.

• Either one or both the sale of the original property or the purchase/completion of new construction of the replacement must occur on or after April 1, 2021.

• The original property must be sold, and the replacement purchased for consideration. Consideration is defined as something of value such as payment of cash, creation or cancellation of debt, or exchange of other property.

Union 2023 Scholarship, presented by North Island Credit Union Senior School and Community Development Officer Nancy Banuelos (left) and Therese Caballes, VP, Regional Manager. Villarreal will major in Political Science at University of California, Irvine this fall.

North Island Credit Union Awards Scholarships to Local County Students

North Island Credit Union has awarded scholarships to two North County students as part of its 2023 College Scholarship Program, recognizing exceptional students in Poway and San Marcos for their school and community activities. Through its annual program, the credit union provides 10 scholarships of $1,000 each to college-bound students in San Diego and Riverside Counties.

North County scholarship recipients include seniors Everett Richards, Poway High School, and Kelly Villarreal, Mission Hills High School.

“We are honored to recognize these inspiring students, who are truly making a difference in their academic and local communities,” said North Island Credit Union CEO Steve O’Connell. “After reviewing all the outstanding applications we received, there is no doubt we have much to learn from this new generation of leaders. We are excited to help them fulfill their college dreams and wish them the best of luck as they take this next important step in their lives.”

All 2023 North Island Credit Union scholarship recipients are:

All 2023 North Island Credit Union scholarship recipients are:

Recipient School City

Stephen Abkin Grossmont High School El Cajon

Eva Crickard Del Norte High School San Diego

Anna Liu Rancho Bernardo High School San Diego

Erik Lunde San Diego High School San Diego

Mary Ogbogu John W. North High School Riverside

Everett Richards Poway High School Poway

Usiel Soto Hoover High School San Diego

Jack Story Torrey Pines High School San Diego

Kelly Villarreal Mission Hills High School San Marcos

Mission Hills High School Senior Kelly Villarreal (center) is a recipient of the North Island Credit Union 2023 Scholarship, presented by North Island Credit Union Senior School and Community Development Officer Nancy Banuelos (left) and Therese Caballes, VP, Regional Manager. Villarreal will major in Political Science at University of California, Irvine this fall.

Sophie White Francis Parker School San Diego

The credit union’s Annual College Scholarship program was created in 2005 to recognize outstanding students within its local communities. Since the creation of the

About North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 170,000 members and assets of over $4.5 billion, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile

The credit union’s Annual College Scholarship program was created in 2005 to recognize outstanding students within its local communities. Since the creation of the program, the credit union has awarded more than $395,000 in scholarships to students across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties.

Pink Boots stands for Equity

by Vince Meehan

Sam Olsen is the Head Brewer of Mujeres Brew House in Barrio Logan, a local craft brewery who have made a names for themselves by being staffed exclusively by women. “We’re the only woman-operated brewery in San Diego, so our whole staff is women,” noted Olsen. “All girls – from the manager all the way down to the beer tenders and delivery drivers!” The small brewery features an outdoor deck with a fantastic view of the Coronado Bridge on the other side of the 5 freeway. The beers are first rate and include typical ales and lagers alongside a few exotic beers, which feature lush tropical notes. And the Micheladas are as authentic as they come with the presentation being cocktail quality. Olsen is also an active member of Pink Boots, an organization that she credits for giving the tools needed to achieve her success.

Magie Brennan is the Secretary of Pink Boots, a non-profit that was originally created to give girls a leg up in a predominately male-dominated craft beer industry. But that was well over ten years ago, and a lot has changed since then; including Pink Boots. “Pink Boots in general is an international organization for woman and non-binary people in all craft industries – not just beer – but also wine, mead, cider and distilling… all across the board! And we’ve got chapters all across the world.” Brennan offered.

Members of Pink Boots can log onto an online membership portal and accesses planned events, a job board, and even apply for scholarships offered by the group. These scholarships range from traditional courses to a two-week trip to Belgium to study beer. All this is geared toward insuring that members get whatever they need to excel in the craft industries.

Brennan took advantage of the new expanded spectrum to branch out into the world of mead and is now the head mead-maker at Lost Cause Meadery in Bay Park. Mead is an alcoholic drink created by fermenting honey, and has seen a considerable commercial growth locally alongside cider and distilled spirits. She says the Pink Boots meetings are also a great way to network as a way to share information or job openings. “At our chapter, we do educational meetings every other month, and then we do networking happy hours in the supplemental months,” Brennan said. “That way, if people really want to come to the educational meetings, they have two months out to plan for it, or they can come to the more casual networking happy hours and get to know some of our people.”

Mujeres brewer Olsen shares the same view on the value of the meetings. “I’ve been an active member of Pink Boots for nine years, I found out about it because I was interested in working in the beer industry and other people just kind of pushed me into Pink Boots – I Googled it and showed up for a meeting one day – and have been here ever since. For me personally, it’s a lot about networking with an educational component. So, I’ve given a few speeches about the brewing process, the fermentation process, kettle souring and also just sharing information in a more basic consumer-friendly way. So no matter where you’re at – whether you’re at a beginner or advanced level – hopefully you’ll be able to take away something from it.”

And she sees the educational component of Pink Boots as a huge benefit for the members, especially when it comes to the scholarships. If a member obtains a scholarship, they are expected to bring the information learned back to the fold. “Once you have completed your scholarship, you do a presentation to kind of share your knowledge back with the group so it comes full circle and hopefully other members get to benefit from it too.”

As a non-profit, Pink Boots runs off of member dues and public and corporate donations. Dues are $49 a year for active industry members, but there is also a $29 option for those outside the industry and are looking to get in. Members also include people outside the creation of the beverages including suppliers, marketing people and event coordinators. Each local chapter contains a board of directors, which are fully volunteer positions, and overseen by one national board. A big annual

fundraiser is the Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day where the organization creates a unique recipe for a beer, then collaborates with local breweries to brew the batch with its own name and artwork. The beer is then sold and the proceeds from those sales go directly to Pink Boots. They also get together for a “hop rub” where they break apart whole hops and sniff the aromas. Then they create a custom blend of hops, which is sold by Yakima Chief Hops to brewers across the nation with the proceeds once again going towards Pink Boots. Another collaboration was recently done with 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Oregon and Pink Lady Apples to create a Pink Boots collaboration cider as part of the expansion to include beverages other than beer.

Lia Garcia is the local Chapter Co-Leader at Pink Boots and her background is in the hospitality and management side of the industry. Garcia has keen insight of this side of the industry which she brings to the table as a member of Pink Boots.

“If there is a position, there is a woman in that position; which is incredible!” Garcia offered with enthusiasm. “Pink Boots has been super successful in the sense that people see us in those positions, and they know it’s an achievable thing. Or, they say ‘Ok,

well maybe I was afraid before to go out for brewer, but maybe I might have a brewer who can inspire me and guide me along the way.’ But also, because there are so many women that are in any alcohol industry now – and are working alongside men – they have to include us in the conversation, include us in the education and its not completely easy to step into this male-dominated industry, but its making it easier for us to be there, and making us feel more comfortable; how it should be. We should just be treated equal and just be able to fit in and learn and do and work just like anybody else!”

For more information, go to: www.PinkBootsSociety.org

Pinks Boots members Lia Garcia, Magie Brennan and Sam Olsen

Lia Garcia opted for a traditional ALE at the Pink Boots meeting held at Kilowatt Brewery in Kearny Mesa.

California poised to ban new diesel trucks

By Nadia Lopez | CalMatters

California’s trucking industry is bracing for state regulators this week to enact unprecedented rules that would ban sales of new diesel big rigs by 2036 and convert large companies’ existing trucks to zero emissions by 2042.

“The amount of chaos and dysfunction that is going to be created by this rule will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” said Chris Shimoda, senior vice president of the California Trucking Association, an industry trade group. “The likelihood that it is going to fail pretty spectacularly is very high. It’s very unfortunate.”

The state Air Resources Board will hold a public hearing on its proposed regulation on Thursday, then is expected to vote on Friday.

The proposal aims to clean up noxious diesel exhaust and greenhouse gases spewed by big rigs, garbage trucks, delivery trucks and other large vehicles by converting them to models powered by electricity or hydrogen.

Trucking companies and local government officials call the deadlines in the rule unachievable. They say the new technology still has major drawbacks, including the high cost of electric trucks and their low vehicle range

Read more by scanning this code

Trucking companies say the deadlines for converting big rigs, delivery trucks and other heavy vehicles are unachievable and would cause “chaos and dysfunction” of California’s economy.

Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

A fleet of Tesla trucks on display at PepsiCo Beverages North America’s Sacramento facility on April 11, 2023. The company hosted an event to celebrate the arrival of 18 electric big rigs.

Senior Gleaners help combat food insecurity

By Vince Meehan

30 years ago, a group of seniors were driving through the orchards of North County and had an epiphany. They were Laurel Gray, a retired Lutheran minister and two farmers, Dene Hatch and George Norton. They spied tons of fruit laying on the ground going unused and thought that many San Diegans could benefit from this bounty if it was collected. They decided to do just that, and on that day, the Senior Gleaners was born.

Margaret Burton is the President of Senior Gleaners, a 501c3 non-profit organization based in San Diego who gather fruit from orchards, back yards, and even stores. This fruit then is transported to food banks across the county where it is distributed to families who need it. Burton retells the story of those three original seniors who started the whole movement. “There were three gentlemen who where driving through Escondido, and saw all this fruit on the ground and they said, ‘This is terrible, we need to do something because there are hungry people out there,’ and so they started collecting this fruit!”

Senior Gleaners now has over 100 senior volunteers who gather the excess fruit on Tuesdays and Thursdays in four separate groups including North County, East County, South Bay and Clairemont. The seniors pick everything from oranges to tangerines, pomelos, grapefruit, limes, lemons, and persimmons. However, there are a couple of fruits they cannot pick due to the delicate nature of the food. “We don’t pick kumquats and loquats because they are hard to transport and they go bad fast, Burton noted. “This makes the delivery very tough so we can’t pick them.”

Senior Gleaners harvested over 215,000 lbs. of fruit last year and are on course to do just as much this year. The system is very simple: farmers or homeowners with fruit bearing trees contact Senior Gleaners and a team is sent out shortly to collect the fruit. The fruit is then sent to over 50 food banks, churches and organizations across San Diego who make sure they are given to those in need. These include: 4 Community Care, Abundant Grace Christian Church, Backyard Produce Project, Boys and Girls Club of Poway, City Heights Assemble Church, City Heights Community Fridge, Father Joe’s Village, Feeding the Flock, La Mesa Salvation Army/Kroc Center, Lakeside Christian Help Center, O’side Kitchen Collaborative, Sherman Heights Table of Justice and Hope and Shoreline Community Services. Burton says that one of the biggest helpers is the Clairemont Christian Service Agency who help feed their community. But what is a gleaner anyway, and where does that word come from?

According to Senior Gleaners, the term goes back to biblical times and refers to a worker who collected remnants from a harvest left in the field. This term has its roots based in charity as noted in the book of Leviticus.

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not be so thorough that you reap the field to its very edge, nor shall you GLEAN the stray ears of grain. Likewise, you shall not pick up the grapes that have fallen. These things you shall leave for the poor...”

-Leviticus 19:9-10

Senior Gleaners also benefits from individual

donations as well as grants from the Matthew 25 fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, annual grants from the San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization, and grants from Las Patronas, a San Diego philanthropic organization formed in 1946. Along with rescuing unused fruit, the gleaners provide meaningful activity and social connections for the 55 and older volunteers, as well as keeping tons of organic material out of landfills where it generates harmful methane gas. They also help businesses comply with state laws restricting disposal of organic materials, and aid senior homeowners who cannot care for the fruit trees in their yards.

Today, the Gleaners have picked and distributed as much as 400,000 pounds of food in one year. This has meant helping feed more than 5,000 families per year. Burton sees Senior Gleaners as a calling as well as a service to the community. “When I retired, I was looking for volunteer opp ortunities because I decided to give the rest of my life to volunteer organizations. So this came up as a volunteer match which is a website that hooks up volunteers with jobs. So I signed up and that was about eight years ago. I also signed up for VITAS which is an organization that makes memory bears for patients who have recently died, and we give the bears back to the caregivers.”

Seniors like Burton and the others at Senior Gleaners are making a difference in the community as well as being a part of the solution. If you would like to volunteer your time at Senior Gleaners, or would like to offer fruit from your trees, go to: www.SeniorGleanersSDco.org

Senior Gleaners volunteers round up the fruit.

Senior Gleaners volunteers keep active, make friends and give back to the community. Volunteers use a Senior Gleaners van to haul groceries from stores to distributors.

Founder Laurel Gray

The Top 7 Myths About Medical Cannabis Debunked

John Malanca

The medical cannabis industry is booming. As more and more states legalize the drug for medical use, more people are turning to it as a natural alternative to traditional medications. However, there are still many myths about cannabis that persist despite being debunked by medical professionals and researchers alike. Let’s examine seven common myths about medical marijuana— and explain why they’re not true!

Myth: Cannabis is just a drug.

Cannabis is a plant. It’s also a medicine, and it can be used for recreational purposes as well. However, the idea that cannabis is just another drug is misleading at best and harmful at worst. Cannabis has been used for thousands of years by people worldwide for its healing properties–and because it’s natural!

Myth: Cannabis is a gateway to other drugs.

It’s true that cannabis can be a gateway drug for some people, but it’s not because of any inherent properties of the plant itself. If you’re predisposed to addiction, you may find yourself wanting to try other substances after smoking pot. However, this isn’t because cannabis is addictive or leads users to other drugs; instead, it’s because these individuals have an underlying genetic predisposition toward substance abuse disorders and were more likely than others to become addicted regardless of what substance they started with–including alcohol or cigarettes (the most used legal gateway drugs).

There’s also no evidence that anyone has ever been “hooked” on cannabis alone without having another substance involved at some point during their usage history–and there are plenty of examples where someone has quit using marijuana without any significant problems afterward (you know who you are!). The truth is: cannabis isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so if you feel like trying something new but aren’t sure how much of an impact it’ll have on your life… then maybe stick with what works!

Myth: You can overdose on cannabis.

This is a widespread myth that has been circulating for many years. The truth is that it’s impossible to fatally overdose on marijuana alone, as a study in the American Journal of Public Health found no deaths reported due to cannabis use between 1999 and 2007. The same cannot be said for alcohol or even caffeine (a more dangerous drug), which can lead to death if consumed excessively enough over time. So why do you hear about people dying from smoking weed? Because they often combine it with other drugs like cocaine or heroin or even legal ‘prescribed’ pharmaceuticals–which are far more dangerous than cannabis!

Myth: Cannabis is a cure-all.

The truth is that cannabis alone won’t help with all of your medical issues. While it can be used to treat many different conditions and symptoms, it’s important to note that not everyone will respond positively to medical cannabis treatment. The best way to determine whether or not you’re a good candidate for medical marijuana use is by consulting with your doctor or healthcare provider and discussing how they feel about using cannabis as part of your treatment plan (or if they even recommend doing so).

Myth: One size fits all.

One of the biggest myths about medical cannabis is that it’s a one-size-fits-all medicine. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as what’s best for your condition will

depend on what symptom you’re trying to treat or how severe it is. For example, if you have chronic pain and want relief from muscle spasms and joint stiffness, an Indica strain may be best for you. However, suppose anxiety is causing sleepless nights or panic attacks when going out in public places. In that case, Sativa might help calm those nerves without making you feel drowsy or foggy-headed (the effects of Indica’s).

Noting that One size only does NOT fit all. Just because it works for your friend or a family member, it may not work for you. Another example, Age, weight, current health condition, sensitivities, and even drug-to-drug interactions should be addressed.

Myth: There’s no medical value in cannabis.

This is one of the most common myths about medical cannabis, but it’s also one of the easiest to dispel. For thousands of years, humans have used this plant to treat various conditions, such as pain and inflammation. Numerous studies are showing that marijuana can be effective at treating various ailments, including nausea caused by chemotherapy, neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy and other seizure disorders, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The US federal government even owns a patent on cannabinoids for use as a neuroprotectant! The Food & Drug Administration has approved two drugs made from synthetic forms of THC–Marinol (dronabinol)

and Cesamet (nabilone)–for treating nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy treatment in people who have not responded well enough to traditional antiemetics like prochlorperazine or metoclopramide alone; however, these medications are rarely prescribed anymore because they don’t work as well as whole plant extracts like Sativex or Epidiolex which contain both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Myth: Smoking is the only way to take it!

The stigma that cannabis is only for smoking is still very prevalent, but it’s not the only way to take it. Research shows that pharmaceutical-grade, CBD-only medicines can have a place alongside conventional treatments, and they are being developed by several companies in the US and Europe now. Some patients prefer not to smoke because of their health conditions or other reasons. These people may find using an oral spray, gel capsule, or infused gummy edibles easier than smoking marijuana buds.

Conclusion

The medical cannabis industry is growing and changing every day. New products are being developed, more patients are finding relief from their symptoms, and doctors are becoming more comfortable recommending and prescribing cannabis as an alternative treatment option. As we continue to learn about this plant and its potential benefits, we hope that more people will be able to benefit from its use as well!

TINA AFTER DARK Eastern Dynasty

Istill remember that one morning in April, 2020 when I shed a few tears watching the morning news. Kearny Mesa’s longstanding China Max Seafood Restaurant was destroyed in a massive fire. It happened in the midst of the Covid shut down, and I was devastated. San Diego would no longer have an authentic Cantonese-style dim sum restaurant. China Max opened in 2003 and had become a staple in Convoy.

While I wait patiently for China Max Seafood Restaurant to rebuild and reopen after the fire that completely destroyed the restaurant, I was overjoyed to discover a small spot in the same Convoy Street plaza that is now serving a similar style of Cantonese cuisine.

Eastern Dynasty is a nice little hole in the wall Cantonese restaurant. It’s hard to miss it as it always has a long line outside of the door. Eastern Dynasty serves an impressive array of classic Cantonese barbecue, from crispy-skinned roast duck and roast pork to char siu and soy sauce chicken, which can be ordered in combination plates of two to five items.

The extensive menu also includes fresh seafood, including steamed whole fish and stir-fried lobster, in various preparations, ranging from ginger and scallion to pepper and garlic. My go to dish is the house special pepper steak. The steak is tender and juicy, plus lightly fried for a crunchy crust. The green beans that come with the dish provide extra crunch and additional color and texture.

My other favorites are:

- Roasted duck: Crunchy skin, and tender meat; it’s aromatic

without being too salty.

- BBQ pork: Perfectly roasted cut into juicy bites.

- Seafood and dried scallop fried rice: touch of smokiness with unique umami flavor from the shredded dried scallop... delightful!

- Deep Fried eggplant and ground pork: Balanced sweet and savory. You need white rice with this dish to really appreciate it.

- Crab and fish maw soup: A great starter, try to hold off on adding soy sauce here. The crab flavor comes through nicely so you don’t want to mask it by adding anything.

- Assorted mushrooms and beef: If you get one dish, get this one, for its filet mignon tenderness.

Despite the long wait, the service is always good. Now the word is out the line probably will get even longer. But sharing is caring, so make sure to say hi to me when you see me waiting in line next time!

Tina Wu Broker Associate® CalDRE #02070656 Direct: (760) 473-8649

Retiring in a Foreign Country

TRAVEL WITH TROY

Hello, my travel friends! I have quite the story for you this week, one in which I never thought I would write for a while, however, I have been really fascinated with this increasing surge of Americans retiring in different countries across the globe. I know it’s not necessarily a new trend but how could one not be interested in the fact these countries claim to offer a better quality of life.

Don’t take my word for it, according to a study released by International Living in January2023, “Americans are moving abroad to pursue healthier and happier lives, spend less money, and maximize their retirement goals that they wouldn’t ordinarily achieve in their home country.”

I understand that everyone’s definition of a “happy life” looks different but why not learn a little bit more and decide for yourself.

Based on my research here are the top 5 countries to retire in: Portugal, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Thailand. Even Spain and Italy were close to making the list, considering the region you’re in.

Let’s first address the elephant in the room by acknowledging your cost of living will be significantly cheaper.

There are numbers across the board about how much you save but a good rule of thumb is to plan on spending at least 40- 50% less and taking into consideration everyone has a different lifestyle. For example, two adults in Thailand expect to pay around $1300 a month including a luxury rental and meals. Thus, giving you the opportunity for new life experiences which experts have linked to healthy aging—since they provide physical, cognitive, and social benefits.

I understand the real concerns of living in a foreign country as there are many realities one must face such as access to high-quality health care, reliable infrastructure, a sense of safety, and of course making sure everything is financially feasible. I’m going to be 100% straight up and say yes there will be some things that will fall short as some of these countries listed

may excel in one aspect over the other. But many places such as Panama already have incredible infrastructure and a reliable health care system and the numbers have proven that with thousands of Americans flocking to the warm climate and not looking back.

Note to self, retirement doesn’t have to be in the exact location or maybe you try it out for 6 months or a year and see how it goes. With any major lifestyle change, it takes time to adjust but it may just be worth it for you.

As a matter of fact, I’m going to take it as far as if you are fortunate enough to work remotely this could apply to you as well.

Just think one year in Costa Rica, surfing the waves after work, or hopping on a short flight to a neighboring country, it all sounds like a dream but could be your reality sooner than you know it. Don’t wait, just do it as my dad tells me many times a week.

This is my line of inspiration for 2023 and I hope it inspires you to go out of your comfort zone and think about some other alternatives for retiring or maybe a year abroad!

There are countless articles online about top countries to retire in so check them out if you’re interested in learning more. If I can help in any way, give me an email at troy@shayrealtors. com and I’ll be more than happy to help answer any more questions.

This week the median list price for San Diego, CA 92127 - Rancho Bernardo is $2,474,500 with the market action index hovering around 63. This is an increase over last month's market action index of 54. Inventory has increased to 36.

This answers “How’s the Market?” by comparing rate of sales versus inventory.

Home sales continue to outstrip supply and the Market Action Index has been moving higher for several weeks. This is a Seller’s market so watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.

Each segment below represents approximately 25% of the market ordered by price.

BY BART MENDOZA

Floyd Armstrong / 2nd Annual Runway Chardonnay

York who told me my voice is in the 432 frequency, naturally. That means it’s in the healing frequency where its calming. I wondered why females would say “whenever I hear your voice, I feel so relaxed,” but I never really thought about it,” he said.

Armstrong has hit the ground running with the project. “We have the location in Casa de Oro, we’re raising money now for the equipment,” Armstrong said. He points out how expensive a basic studio need such as a microphone can be. “Something like that can run, $2,000 - $3,000 dollars. You put a bunch of things like that together for the studio and it adds up. We want the studio to be a class act, to make music that calms and relaxes veterans that we can give out and distribute on CD’s or downloads. We’ll even have an app for it. Basically, we’ll record the veterans who have musical talent at our studio and create a platform for them to come in and perform at no cost with our musician’s as well as producer friends that I have.”

Armstrong spent years performing in San Diego with the group, Satisfaction, before joining the Fifth Dimension. Satisfaction achieved regional success, even appearing on TV’s The Gong Show, but it doesn’t compare to what came next. How was the jump to international star? “Sur-

On May 27, Lakeside’s Trevi Hills Winery will host the 2nd Annual Runway Chardonnay, mixing wine, fashion and music, while raising funds for a good cause, the Music Therapy for Veterans Music Studio, located in Casa de Oro.

In addition to raffles and a fashion show with Dawn Sebaugh’s new spring collection from WALA, music fans will be treated to a performance from the studios founder, singer Floyd Armstrong, best known for his work with iconic, six-time Grammy winning hitmakers, The Fifth Dimension, and their long string of hits, including “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In,” “Up, Up and Away,” and “If I Could Reach You.” Notably, he recently made his acting debut in the Robert Deniro and Christian Bale film, Amsterdam.

Armstrong is a native San Diegan who truly believes in the healing powers of music, with his initial interest piqued by a visit to a VA hospital by The Fifth Dimension. “It began after an autograph session at one of the hospitals for veterans,” he recalled. “I won’t say which one, but I went to a hospital where they were servicing veterans and it just didn’t feel right, it didn’t smell right. I just didn’t like it, and I thought, what can I do to lift the spirits in the hospital when veterans are there? And I thought about music therapy.”

Personal experiences also played a role. “As a kid growing up, my stepfather had PTSD and there were some difficult challenges dealing with him,” Armstrong said. “I don’t know what the problem was, but he was very angry and the only thing that calmed him down other than drinking, was music. One of the few times when he and I could communicate calmly was when I was either singing music or involved with music while he was listening.” Fast forward a few years and Armstrong found himself attending his first music therapy conference at the Town and Country Hotel. “I was inspired by the program and what they did with music.

They worked with veterans who had PTSD, as well as with autism among kids and seniors, but I was more focused on the veteran’s portion because I was looking for somewhere to give from my heart, that wouldn’t seem like work. So, I developed a curriculum where I would raise the money, create free music therapy sessions and then give out the sessions to veterans who applied.” Interestingly, Armstrong’s voice will also play a role in the music studios work. “I was contacted by some doctors from New

real,” Armstrong laughed. “Going from clubs with four or five hundred people, to venues with 5 or 10,000, was insane. And then working with choreographers, who worked with Janet Jackson and Diana Ross, and learning major minor chords in a harmony, and then watching the audience reaction to those harmonies. You’ve really got to wrap your mind around it all. Joining the Fifth Dimension was just a surreal experience,” he said good naturedly. Upcoming projects for Armstrong include more touring with the Fifth Dimension, as well as a solo album, Finally Floyd. He will also continue a Wednesday night, 6 – 8 p.m., residency at the Jamul Casino. In the meantime, Armstrong will continue his hard work on the Music Therapy for Veterans Music Studio. For him the ultimate reward from project is “just watching the veterans faces light up,” he said. “When they come in depressed and by the time they leave after a session, they feel lighter, they feel happy. One of my favorite quotes is that music is the one thing that captures your entire brain at one time. That’s what drives me because I know it works.”

www.eventbrite.com/e/619185629887

Jimmy’s Buffet / Parrotheads Unite!

With more than 20 million albums sold, no other rock and roll musician represents summertime parties and fun on the water quite like Jimmy Buffet. With a devoted fanbase, aka Parrotheads, that rivals the Grateful Dead, it’s only natural that a tribute act would take shape. Such is the case with new combo, Jimmy’s Buffet, who perform at Fiesta del Sol on May 21.

Based in Carlsbad, the seven-piece band includes Chris Maddox (lead vocals) and Peter Hix (lead guitar), GD Dog Walker (bass), George Logemann (keyboards), Vasili Panos (drums), Ivan Rios (congas) and Jackie Powers.

Maddox is perhaps best known as the frontman for another tribute project, Graceland, in which he takes the part of Elvis Presley. What inspired Maddox to form a tribute band playing Jimmy Buffet music? “Great Story: I’ve been a Buffett fan since I was in college,” Maddox said. “He was a mainstay at literally every party we went to or hosted. We went to countless concerts, once three in four days. Lots of drinking & carousing. So, I’m in my bed, late at night, current day, thinking of what I can do next. I’m 50 and doing Elvis in the jumpsuit and wig is literally killing me, it’s very physical.” He also considered that he had “done it a while and it wasn’t easy to book a 12-piece Elvis band. So, I’m listening to Jimmy on my headphones, while I was thinking of ideas: an 80s hip hop tribute called Word... an Buble type show called An Evening With... and as I’m thinking of them, I keep hitting ‘next’ on the stereo. Then Fins comes on. And I start doing the ‘fins to the left’ move in bed... and it strikes me. I gotta do Buffett! I love Buffett, I can sing it well, people will love it, Parrot Heads are great fans to appeal to as I am one.”

While Buffet’s big hits are all in the band’s repertoire, Jimmy’s Buffet does dig into his catalog as well. “Most of us live on Radio Margaritaville on Sirius,” Maddox noted. “We have a wide breadth of knowledge and go as deep as we reasonably can. A standard ninety-minute show has twenty songs, and we make sure they all play a role. Our job is to keep everyone entertained and dancing so we are very aware of that, ie: Jimmy can sing three to four slow songs at a concert, we will sing about one. We will add in some fun that Jimmy does not do as well. We serve the gods of being tight and fun, that’s our motto.”

Besides “Margaritaville,” what’s the biggest crowd pleaser in the band’s set? “Ha, you said it. Nothing tops the national anthem,” Maddox mused. “I think for sheer musicality its “Southern Cross.” It’s got it all: Rockin’ Beats, four-part harmonies, and a great sailing story. For sheer fun it’s gotta be “Fins.” We do both of them with a lot of flair and effects in concert, but I won’t spoil it, you gotta see us live.”

What’s Maddox’s favorite thing about playing with Jimmy’s Buffet? “’ We have a seven-piece band with a focus on making great rhythms, that are insanely in pocket, to drive a great Caribbean sound,” he said. “The show I put on is full of fun and showmanship, but this is the bedrock it is built on: quality musicians playing together.”

Even with some of his other band projects successes, Maddox consider Jimmy’s Buffet to be special. “I’m 50 years old and I’ve never had this much fun,” he said. “When you put

a band together you take a lot of chances: who’s going to be in it? what are their needs? personalities? all that. I’ve been through it a lot and at some point the magic either happens, or it doesn’t. You have to let it go and see what comes back. In this case it all came back aces.” Maddox is thrilled with the band’s line up. “We knew and stumbled into great musicians, who are mature, been through it, and love Buffett,” he said. “My favorite part of playing with the band is that I’ve made six new friends that I would not otherwise know.” Maddox is looking forward to more gigs, more good times with Jimmy’s Buffet. “I’ve started a few bands, but I’ve never had this kind of reaction,” he remarked. “It speaks to the timeless quality of Jimmy, his music, and what he represents. A better life, a lot of chill, and being on the beach.”

www.thejimmysbuffet.com

2 Guns Drawn / A Tale of Two Guns

Hip-hop duo 2 Guns Drawn recently released their debut album, A Tale of Two Guns, kicking off a new round of musical projects. Comprised of rappers Madd Joker and Majesty, aka J Knoll and Olivia Fentress, while the duo is just releasing new music, the two have long been a part of the local hiphop scene. “We have known and respected each other’s talents for decades,” Fentress said. “We dated as kids and years later reconnected and began dating again. I told him, we need to start a group and I named us 2 Guns Drawn.”

2 Guns Drawn has been together roughly three years. While A Tale of 2 Guns is their first release as a duo, “I would be amiss if I didn’t mention Madd Joker’s iconic catalog, which features “Death in the Arena,“ for which he won a SDMA, “Shootout in the Capital” and “

Represent the Struggle” to name a few. His skills drew me in, to him as a musical and romantic partner, he’s fire to me. I respect his expe-

rience and what he brings to the table. He followed my early career as well, with my 2000 underground release, Princess Presents: Depths of the Underground. Our mutual love and respect, plus combined decades of musical experiences bring the razor-sharp skills, lyricism and chemistry we display as 2 Guns Drawn.”

According to Fentress the pair

“are inspired by the necessity for real voices to be heard in our genre. We are inspired by our history, culture and human experience. We grew up on artist like KRS 1, Run DMC, MC Lytle, King Yellowman, Michael Palmer etc. These artists represent the struggle and reality of life in their communities, and we strive to do the same. The change that music can bring and the unity that it can create inspires as well.”

Look for 2 Guns Drawn to play live shows throughout the summer, with new singles, “Count us out” featuring Louie Lecture, and “ Robots Attack,” due soon. What does Fentress enjoy most about being an musician? “Our favorite aspect about us being artists is that we both are a part of a movement in which we can serve a purpose for the planet, people’s enjoyment and enlightenment. It is a beautiful feeling that can’t be matched. To rock the mic while contributing to the betterment of humankind is what we both really live to do.”

Top 5 Concerts / Beatles + Edition

May 20 & 21 – The 42nd Annual Fiesta Del Sol / Fletcher Cove, Solana Beach. 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Sat) / 8 p.m. (Sun)

Two days of free, all ages, fun in the sun with 80’s hitmakers, ska favorites, The English Beat, plus The B-Side Players, The Sully Band, Jimmy’s Buffet and more.

May 28 & 31 - Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band / Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, Shelter Island.

8 p.m.

Music icon Ringo Starr returns to San Diego for two shows at this waterfront venue. For this year’s edition he’s joined by Steve Lukather (Toto), Edgar Winter, Colin Hay (Men at Work) and Hamish Stuart (The Average White Band)

June 3 – Beatles Fair XIX /

Queen Bee’s, North Park. Noon to Midnight.

This year’s event celebrates Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, complete with not only tributes to The Beatles (Rubber Soul), but also Oasis (Oasiz), The Smiths (Head-

master Ritual) and more. Guests include author John Borack, with plenty of Fab Four Family Fun on two stages.

June 3 - The 2nd Annual Julian Town Square Music Festival / Julian Town Square, Julian. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

This free all-day event boasts a great bill of rock, folk and Americana. Performers are set to include The Farmers, Gregory Page, The Fremonts, Calamity, The Sea

Monks and more.

June 16th - The Benedetti’s Celebrate Paul McCartney’s Birthday / Dizzy’s, Bay Park. 7 p.m.

In honor of Sir Paul McCartney’s 81st birthday, guitarist Fred Benedetti performs a set of the former Beatles and Wings members classic songs, joined by vocalists Regina Moomjean & Julia Picone, multi-instrumentalist/bassist Jeff Pekarek and percussionist James Morton

New Releases Wayne Riker / Guitar Workshop Plus!

New and Upcoming Singles: 2 Guns Drawn - “Count is out” featuring Louie Lecture & “ Robots Attack,” A Lens to the Sun – tbd, Cassie B – “Honey,” Cattle Decapitation - “We Eat Our Young,” Clance + Imes - “Free Virtual Tarot Readings,” Kahlee - “Raw” featuring Tone Spliff, Manual Scan – “David May,” Jason Mraz – “You Might Like It,” Gregory Page – “The Future,” Sara Petite - “Bringin’ Down the Neighborhood,” Rotten Cabal – “SINS,” Sons of Edison - “Carry Me,” Sorry it’s Over - “ Feel Like It’s The 60’s,” Jonny Tarr – “Let’s Take A Starship Ride,” Lindsay White -”Disappearing,” ft. Anna Ballew.

New and Upcoming Albums & EP’s: The Album Leaf - Future Falling, Blame Betty - Big Betty’s Alright!, Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite, Gangbusters – s/t, Veronica May - Between The Seems, Jason Mraz - Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride (June 23), Sara Petite - The Empress, Story and Tune – Light From the Break New and Upcoming Videos: O. Musisko “Country Song Cliche”

Acclaimed guitarist Wayne Riker has returned to teaching, giving weekly lessons at Rock and Roll San Diego. Now heading into his sixth decade in music, Riker has toured extensively, penned numerous guitar instructional books, written for national publications Acoustic Musician and Guitar Player and received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 SDMA’s. Prospective students can contact him at whyriker@gmail.com.

What inspired Riker to start teaching again? “I’ve had numerous former students inquiring about lessons so I thought it would be a good time to jump back in, in addition to missing the personal interaction with helping others to learn one on one,” he said. “I’m accepting students of all levels and most styles including Blues, Rock, Jazz, Country, slide guitar, theory, improv and I can help singer/ songwriters expand their use of chordal possibilities throughout the neck.”

In addition to teaching at RnRSD, Riker will helm the Blues Seminar for Guitar Workshop Plus taking place from June 25-30th at the Sheraton Harbor Mission Valley, with featured guest artists, guitarist Alex Skolnick and bassist Nathan East. Riker is also keeping busy in the studio. “I’ll be recording my 16th CD,

Alphabetical Blues Bash (Vol. 2) this summer with guest vocalists Lauren Leigh, Shelle Blue, Debora Galan, Josh Taylor, Rebecca Jade, Deanna Haala, Stacy Antonel, Heather Nation and Nathan Raney.

What’s Riker’s favorite thing about being a musician? “To use a classic cliche: “find something you love and figure out a way to get paid for it,” he said. “It’s worked for me for the past 54 years on the musical merry-go-round!”

http://www.waynerikerguitar.com

San Diego Music News April 2023

Reggae Rise Up takes place in Las Vegas October 6 – 8, with Slightly Stoopid topping the bill on opening night and Skyler Lutes opening the festival the following day.

The first annual California Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place on September 23 at the Golden Bear Theatre, in Temecula. The event will feature a long list of luminaries, includ-

going out and just getting what you are worth, that whole side of her writing has always spoken to me. Her voice is also just so amazing, I used her songs early on as vocal warmups to stretch my range in a healthy way.”

Chris Leyva’s rock combo, Falling Doves, kicks off the second leg of their Technicolor Dreams, 2023 World Tour on July 6 at the Cavern Club

Guitarist Mike Ruggirello is keeping busy. His group, Rotten Cabal, has a new single coming out in June called “SINS,” which was recorded at Singing Serpent by Ben Moore. Additionally, his online program Theory Thursday is back with weekly episodes broadcast live on YouTube.

The Spice Pistols have rush released a new single, “Allies.” “The song is all about the mean-

ing two former San Diegan’s, 1960’s era hitmaker, Gary Puckett and bassist Jason Scheff, formerly of Chicago.

The Wild Honey Foundation’s latest benefit concert for the Autism Healthcare Collaborative will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the compilation album, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968. Taking place on May 19 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, on hand will be an amazing line up including original LP curator Lenny Kaye as well as members of legendary 1960’s era groups The Chocolate Watchband, Love, The Seeds, The Leaves and The Electric Prunes and more recent combos such as The Plimsouls, R.E.M. and The Cars. San Diego will be represented by performances from Mike Stax (The Loons) and Cindy Lee Berryhill.

On May 28 Hello Betty’s in Oceanside will host a special benefit concert for one of their employees, Thomas Brown. “I’m working on a fundraiser for one of our staff that is battling prostate cancer,” said event organizer Meeche Dozier of Hello Betty. “Thomas is the most amazing of souls, always smiling and makes everyone around him smile and feel good. Sadly, he has been forced to stop working and spend all his energy and money fighting this. I want to have music from open to close.” Bands set to take part include All Strung Out, Harrison Michael, Blame Betty and closing out the day, Jehlad. www.hellobettyoceanside. com

On July 3, from 3- 6 p.m., Blame Betty will be hosting a release show for their new EP, Big Betty’s Alright!, at Fast Times.

On May 25, vocalist Sandi King will pay tribute to Nikka Costa in a special show at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, with a backing band that also includes Ken Dow, Joshua Taylor, Miles Clowminzer and Josh Weinstein. “I’ve seen her perform live over fifteen times and it’s always an amazing and inspirational thing for me,” King said. “Her style of writing about being positive,

in Liverpool, wrapping up August 25 in Cannes, France.

“Rogues of Chaos are currently in Singing Serpent recording studio working on our first album release as a band,” says Jerry Julian Flack (Cardiac Kidz). “Special Guest drummer Matt Starr from Ace Frehley’s band is performing on a couple of our tracks.”

ing behind the song title,” said the band’s Hairy Scary Spice (Sppike Mike Muellenberg)

“There’s way too much separation in this world. And not enough people looking for the likeness amongst us all. We all woke up this morning human before anything else. It seems too many people today have forgotten this simple truth.” The Spice Pistols next head into the studio this July to record a follow up to their SDMA nominated EP, Spice Train.

May Is For More Than Just A BBQ

By Bob Morey

May is a special month in the Performing Arts scene. For some, the current season is closing. For others, new seasons are announced or opening, some companies are shifting locations, and a handful of seasonal theatres are opening for us to enjoy a night under the stars for the next handful of months.

The San Diego Symphony, for years, would play at Symphony Hall through May, then take a month off before returning for their summer season by the bay. The Rady Shell has changed all that, and because San Diego has such fabulous weather and the days are longer now, they are already there! This is a big week down on the bay; I’ve said in the past that the Symphony strives very hard to have something for everyone throughout the year. On May 10th, The Violent Femmes join our Symphony for some serious jamming. Next up, just a couple of days later, it’s family night. On May 13th and 14th, pack up the kids for a night under the stars with Star Wars: A New Hope. This might be the perfect night to get your kids to sit still at the performing arts without asking them to, and they might learn to appreciate the Symphony and all they have to offer. This is the one that started the saga that still emerges today. There is no need to recount the story here, but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Conductor Conner Gray Covington and our Symphony will bring John Williams’s galactic score of this timeless story to life.

The San Diego Musical Theatre is rolling along with Xanadu up the hill in Kearney Mesa. Xanadu is the story of an ambitious artist, who’s stuck in a dead-end job, then throws off his limitations to follow his dreams with some encouragement from a muse, and of course, there are roller skates. Adapted for the stage from the 1980 film favorite starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. Xanadu spins its magic at The San Diego Musical Theatre through June 4th.

In Balboa Park, The Old Globe has a full month starting with Destiny Of Desire, opening on May 19th. On a stormy night in Bellarica, Mexico, two babies are born — one into a life of incredible wealth and one into a life of poverty. When a ruthless ex–beauty queen swaps the newborns, the stage is set for two outrageous misfortunes to grow into an extraordinary destiny. Directed by Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (August Wilson’s Jitney) and filled with vibrant choreography and live music, Destiny of Desire explores the emotional rollercoaster and social commentary that make the telenovela the most popular form of storytelling on the planet.

On June 4th, The Globe’s outdoor stage, the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, opens for its summer season with one of William Shakespeare’s most perfect plays, The Twelfth Night. Shipwrecked and alone in foreign Illyria, young Viola masquerades as her lost twin brother and becomes the go-between for the lovesick Duke Orsino and the beautiful Countess Olivia. Soon Viola finds herself in the middle of a topsy-turvy love triangle with lunacy and laughs on every side. This one has it all -- romance, music, poetry, comedy, swordplay, and more! Directed by Three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall (Globe’s Much Ado About Nothing, Love’s Labor’s Lost), The Twelfth Night is one of The Bard’s true comic masterpieces and will be one of the perfect nights under the San Diego stars you can have.

Across the bay, The Lamb’s Players has their own unique formula for showcasing talent in productions that are so popular that the only thing they can do is hold it over and over and over (It seemed like Mixtape ran forever

at the Horton Grand Theatre). This time, The Lamb’s Players have conjured up pure magic with Respect - The Amazing Women Of The 60’S. Respect features some of the region’s best singers in celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Dionne Warwick, Janis Joplin, the Supremes & many, many more! Respect is a delightful evening filled with songs of love and laughter that audiences can’t get enough of and has been held over five times and will close on June 4th

Before our next edition arrives in your mailbox, here are a couple of shows to keep on your radar.

Old Town is always a great place to be this time of the year and one of the best stops you can make is the Cygnet Theatre, which brings us the suspenseful, slow-burning dark comedy Sharon, opening on June 10th Not all is as it seems in this hilarious and Hitchcockian story that makes you question…well, everything. Sharon and Jakey are a loving mother and son, running the crumbling apartment building in Everett, WA, that’s been in the family for generations, repainting the walls as the tenants move in and out. Soon we start to realize that perhaps this family is not what they seem. Or are they…? Over the course of a very tense dinner, the story unfolds, and power switches hands. We finally get to the bottom of this comedic thriller, asking the question: What does survival look like? And who the f*ck is Sharon.

And the other show you will want to keep your eye open for is at The La Jolla Playhouse, which is launching its 2023-2024 season with The World Premiere of Love All on June 3rd in The Mandell Weiss Theatre. Written By Anna

Deavere

Smith and Directed by Marc

Bruni, Love

All is the triumphant story of the rise of a sports icon and social justice pioneer Billie Jean King. The trailblazer for equality faced tough competition on the court and adversity in the world, all against a backdrop of the massive social changes of the 1960s and 70s. Love All evokes the highs and lows of Billie Jean’s extraordinary career and asks not just what it takes to be a champion but what it takes to change the course of history. “We’ve been curtsying for years. Now it’s time to stand up.” Billie Jean in Love All.

June is the month for weddings, The Moonlight Amphitheater in Vista has another show pulled from a fan favorite film with The Wedding Singer opening on June 7th under the stars. The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room. Based on the hit Adam Sandler movie, “The Wedding Singer’s” sparkling score does for the ‘80s what “Hairspray” did for the 60s. Just say yes to the most romantic musical in twenty years. It’s 1985, and rock star wannabe, Robbie Hart, is New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer. He’s the life of the party until his own fiancée leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. As luck would have it, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

If this appears to be a busy month for our Arts, take a deep breath and let me hold your beer because, in June, just about every company in town will have something running; so much will be out there for you, it might take three pages of this preview page to get it all in. And while you’re out hitting our theatres this month, don’t forget to take a few minutes to remember all the Veteran s who made the ultimate sacrifice, so we can live in and enjoy the greatest nation the world has ever known. To those Veterans — Salute.