Escondido Magazine - Fall 2026 by Roadrunner Publications

ESCONDIDO M AG A Z I N E

Fall 2026

Grape Day Wine Competition Winners ESCONDIDO TIMES-ADVOCATE

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M AG A Z I N E

Published by Roadrunner Publications PO BOX 461900, Escondido, CA 92046 (760) 546-4900 info@EscondidoMagazine.com EscondidoMagazine.com Art Director: Kelly Fox Graphic Design Advertising Manager: Joshua Sibelius

ESCONDIDO M AG A Z I N E

Fall 2026

PUBLISHER Justin Salter

EDITOR

David Ross

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Board Kati Cowan Gina Lopez Adrian Stewart

Grape Day Wine Competition Winners ESCONDIDO TIMES-ADVOCATE City of Escondido • Escondido Chamber of Commerce

Cover: Cordiano Winery & Vineyards (@cordianowinery) Escondido, CA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GRAPE DAY WINE COMPETITION

BEST BURGERS

HIDDEN VALLEY CONCERTS

HUSTLEZ THE CLOWN

PETTYBREAKERS TRIBUTE BAND

THE “ESCONDIDO ROOTS” MURAL

ARTS - MEET KRISTIE ROCCO

ART SPEAKS

LIFE, ART & SOUL

GRAND TEA ROOM THEATER: “MORIARTY”

ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 5

Grape Day

S. S.T T..E E..A A..M M.. www.SmithRanch.com

Our Mission Empowering youth and community by providing immersive education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Agriculture, and Trade Skills. Through hands-on learning rooted in sustainable farm practices, entrepreneurship, and realworld problem solving, the Foundation fosters selfreliance, innovation, and lifelong learning.

With your gift Grape Day S.T.E.A.M. Foundation fosters self-reliance, innovation, and lifelong learning. www.SmithRanch.com

DONATE NOW!

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ESCONDIDO WINES

Grape Day Wine Competition The story behind it all When people first hear that Deanna Smith Ranch — home to a farm-based education program for underserved kindergarten-through-eighth-grade students — hosts an annual wine competition and gala, the connection isn’t always obvious. A working farm and a wine awards program might seem like two different worlds. But for founder and Executive Director Deanna Smith, they were never separate at all. A Farmer First Deanna Smith is, at her core, an organic regenerative farmer. She manages crops, livestock and soil health on a working ranch in Escondido, and that identity shapes everything the Grape Day S.T.E.A.M. Foundation (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) does. So when she looked for a way to fund and champion the foundation’s mission, she didn’t have to look far. Winemakers and vineyard owners are farmers too — tending vines through drought, pests, and harvest the same way she tends pumpkins, green beans, and livestock. The connection between a working ranch and a working vineyard isn’t a stretch. It’s a shared way of life. That’s a link some people don’t immediately make. Wine, to many, means a bottle on a shelf or a glass at dinner. What’s easy to miss is the year-round labor behind it: pruning, irrigation, pest management, and the long wait for a harvest that depends entirely on the weather cooperating. It’s the same rhythm of risk and patience that defines any farm — including hers.

Winemaker for Speckle Rock, Ivan Caloca.

Neighbors Worth Celebrating Escondido and the surrounding valleys are home to a genuine cluster of wineries and vineyards, many family-run, many producing award-caliber wine with little regional recognition. Deanna Smith saw an opportunity: use the foundation’s platform to put a real spotlight on that local wine industry and the farmers behind it. The Grape Day Wine Awards Competition and Gala was built to do exactly that — to give these neighboring wineries the attention their work deserves, judged fairly and celebrated publicly, right here in the community they help define. Not Just Another Gala There was a practical reason for this direction, too. Rather than offering guests a couple of standard entrée choices, Smith wanted to inspire mixing and mingling throughout the night. So she

Cordiano Winery Winemaker - Francesco Zerilli: 3 generations, Owner Gerry Cordiano, Grandson Michael Cordiano & Son Frank Cordiano ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 7

set out to create the most abundant spread of incredible food she could — a huge charcuterie board where guests could nibble, nosh, or graze the entire evening, moving from table to table, striking up conversation, and pairing it all with great local wine. Wine was the natural centerpiece for that kind of evening: widely loved, deeply tied to craftsmanship and agriculture, and a genuine draw for a community celebration that felt like nothing else in town.

Winemaker for Mia Marie - Kiara BocciaFenlason.

Forgotten Barrel Winery award-winning wines. 8 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

One Community, One Table What ties it all together is the sense of camaraderie Deanna Smith has built between herself, as a farmer and educator, and the winemakers and vineyard owners she now calls partners. Both groups do the same kind of unglamorous, essential work — planting, tending, and harvesting — and both rarely get the recognition that work deserves. The Grape Day Wine Awards gives that recognition a stage. And the proceeds close the loop. Money raised through the competition and gala funds hands-on farm education for K–8 students at Deanna Smith Ranch — teaching the next generation where food comes from, how to care for animals and land, and the life skills that come from real agricultural work. In that sense, every glass poured at the gala does double duty: it honors a local winemaker’s harvest, and it helps put a shovel, a seed, or a spinning wheel in a student’s hands. For Deanna Smith, the wine competition was never a detour from the foundation’s farming roots. It’s an extension of them — one farmer honoring others, and channeling that shared work into something far more lasting than a single evening. Every dollar raised fuels an extended learning experience built around teaching life skills, cultivating a perpetual aptitude for curiosity and hands-on problem-solving, and delivering real academic enrichment to students who might otherwise never set foot on a working farm. In that light, Grape Day isn’t just a competition or a gala — it’s the engine behind an incredible program built to shape how an entire generation of children learns, works, and grows.

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ESCONDIDO FOOD SCENE

The best burgers in Escondido BY JOSH BOARD

Owner Mike Uribe (left) and cook Luis Reyes (right). 10 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

I didn’t realize when I sat down to write this, that I might have bitten off more than I can chew (pun intended). The problem is if you ask 100 people what place has the best hamburgers, you’ll get 100 different answers. The first few said “In and Out Burger.” When I mentioned not liking their French fries, they said, “I thought this was about the best hamburger.” A great point. I often say how much I love Burger Bench on Grand, because I like Tater Tots with my burger; I mention Five Guys, because I loved all the free peanuts; but that shouldn’t mean I put either on the “best burger” list. When tackling a story like this, you don’t want to cover fast food burgers. People want a list of burger places they don’t know about—or ones that stuff crazy things into the meat. They don’t need to know about two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese (The Mac, forpublic those the thatchance remember Elephant ValleyBig gives the the old jingle). That can be a shame,tobecause when the drive thru was see theonce gentle beasts up close. too long at In and Out Burger on Valley Parkway, I just went into Del Taco.

Inside BRGR Shack, with their old-fashioned hamburger signs.

“

IT ALL MELDS BEAUTIFULLY TOGETHER WITH THE BEEF OF THE BURGER. IT’S A MUCH BETTER BURGER THAN YOU THINK A PLACE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS WOULD SERVE. IT’S A FOODIE DELIGHT.

The Shack Burger, the Pesto Burger, and Loaded Fries.

I was surprised how good their double-cheeseburger was (and I was “in and out” in two minutes, since nobody was in the drive thru). Realistically, any fast food burger is serviceable if you’re hungry, because you’ll put on it what you like. Love onions and pickles: you’ll put on extra and be just fine; hate mustard, order it without. I also didn’t want to mention places we all know. Habit burgers are fine, but we already know that. I’ve only been to Farmer Boys once (there are two Escondido locations). I liked it, but what’s gained by returning for this story? I decided to focus on one place. So no nasty letters saying, “How could you leave out the square shaped burger at Wendy’s?” That makes the story’s title a bit misleading, but hey – it got you to read this. I learned about BRGR SHACK by seeing raves about it on one of the online Esco groups.

At first, I wasn’t excited. That’s because I had a friend rave about Shake Shack for years and when I was in UTC, I tried it. Very disappointing. The name BRGR SHACK was similar. I wanted to yell out, “Vanna, I’d like to buy a vowel.” Yet the photos posted of the hamburgers looked amazing. Burger photos don’t always do them justice. Remember how gross the hamburgers looked when Carl’s Jr. did the ad campaign with them dripping ketchup all over the place? Who thought that looked appealing? So, off to 2335 E. Valley Parkway with my wife to give BRGR SHACK a try. When I entered, I overheard someone say, “So, these smash burgers they make … they should have one with ham in it. I mean, they’re called hamburgers, and I’ve always wondered why they don’t have ham in them.” I didn’t want to be the know-it-all who tells

a stranger: “That’s because they derived from Hamburg, Germany.” It would’ve confused the lad even more to explain that German Chocolate Cake did not come from Germany, but from an American chocolate maker named Samuel German. BRGR Shack is a small place in a strip mall with a laundromat, barber, nail salon, and a few other food places. I liked the old-fashioned hamburger signs on their back wall. They had a big screen playing a Will Smith movie. There are four tables that seat four, and one bigger table that seats six. I enjoyed the selection of the various smashburgers. There is a Flaming Hot Beef, with pepper jack cheese, serrano peppers, sundried tomatoes, and garlic sauce. There’s a mushroom & Swiss burger and a few others. I played it safe and had the Shack Burger, with grilled onions, two patties, cheese, and their terrific homemade sauce (think Thousand Island). It was delicious. My wife loved the Pesto Burger, which had balsamic onions, two patties, arugula, tomatoes, blue cheese, pesto and garlic sauce. She said, “It all melds beautifully together with the beef of the burger. It’s a much better burger than you think a place that looks like this would serve. It’s a foodie delight.” I was surprised by their wide variety of chicken sandwiches. You probably have to in this day and age when so many chicken places are successful (ever see those lines around Raising Cane’s and Chick-fil-A?) We also got the loaded fries, which had their sauce and cheese. They’re tied for the best fries ever (next to the Corvette Diner’s chili cheese fries and at Fuddrucker’s, when I’d put nacho cheese on my steak fries—which you technically weren’t allowed to do). My wife thought the fries were a bit too spicy with the sriracha sauce mixed in, but I loved the kick (and more fries left for me!). It was a great dinner that cost us around $35 (we didn’t get drinks because their soda machine wasn’t working). Some might balk at that price for a few burgers; after all, you can get a burger, fries, and drink at Chili’s for $10.99. But think how much more fast food burger prices have gone up over the last few years (thank you Gavin Newsom for making minimum wage $20 an hour for fast food workers). Or a small business’s thin profit margin. When I talked to long-time cook Luis Reyes, ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 11

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I asked if the Vons closing right there hurt business. “Yeah, it did. When Vons was here, we would sometimes make $2,000 a day. Now that it’s gone, we consider it a good day if we can make $1,000. On a slow day, we make around $800.” For perspective, when I worked at McDonald’s in the ‘80s, we made a thousand dollars an hour for two hours in a row, during lunch rushes on weekends (that’s like $3,000 today). When my wife said how great the Pesto Burger was, Reyes said, “Our most popular items are the pesto loaded fries.” He added, “The Maple Srirachi Chicken Sandwich is also popular here.” He added, ”The original owner went with a smashburger style, with super fresh ingredients.

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He was a Middle Eastern man from Jordan, and he wanted this to be modern, with a twist.” Someone told me this place was new, but Reyes explained it’s been here for three years, it’s just the owner that’s new (he’s had it for almost a year). They’re open from 11a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, even on holidays. Give them a try. Your vegetarian friend can get the veggie burger. Josh Board is an Escondido resident who has been a journalist for over 35 years, and has been eating burgers for 55 years (as his waist line will attest). You can hear him on Newsradio 600 KOGO AM every Friday morning.

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The High Society Jazz Band (six members) will play October 18, 2026. The Valentine’s Day concert will feature Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi, world-famous pian duet. They play from the Great American Songbook, stride, ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, blues etc.

ESCONDIDO ARTS

Hidden Valley Community Concert Assn. may be the best deal around

Find out more by visiting www.highsocietyjazzband.com Alfredo Rolando Ortiz—January 17, 2027, 2 p.m. Internationally acclaimed soloist of the Paraguayan harp. Composer, author, educator and recording artist with over 40 albums to his credit. Find out more at www.alfredoharp.com. Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi—February 14, 2027, 2 p.m. World-famous piano duo, two or four hands on one piano. Great American songbook, stride, ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, blues, you name it. Find out more at www.stephanietrick.com. The Black Market Trust—March 7, 2027, 2 p.m. Five world-class musicians who play violin, up-right bass, guitar, keyboards and drums— who have traveled the globe. Amazing American traditional pop/vocal group for Los Angeles. Go to www.theblackmarkettrust.com. Svetlana Smolina—May 2, 2027, 2 p.m. Stunningly talented, highly sought-after world-renowned Russian classical pianist. The Los Angeles Times has described her “Luxuriant tone” and the New York Times has called her “mesmerizing and dynamic.” Visit www.svetlanasmolina.com. Dennis Tomlinson is the president of the Hidden Valley Community Concert Association and is assisted in his task by his executive officers and board: Vice-President: Paul Gerard, Secretary (acting)- Susan Tomlinson, Treasurer/Membership - Alan Van Loy; board: David Beevers, Wayne and Amy Brown, Dorris Kingsbury, , Suzanne Southwell, Mary

BY DAVID ROSS For more than eight decades the Hidden Valley Community Concert Association (HVCCA) has provided the best concert deals available— with a series that this year will provide five concerts for seniors for a total of $90 if you purchase season tickets. What’s more, students through college get in free. This upcoming season, which premieres October 18, will be the 81st. All concerts are on Sundays at 2 p.m. and are held at First Congressional Church of Escondido, 1800 North Broadway, Escondido. Find out more by visiting www.hiddenvalleyCCAescondido.info 2026-2027 Season High Society Jazz Band—October 18, 2026, 2 p.m. Back by popular demand. New Orleans and Chicago-style jazz, Dixieland, swing, big band, Latin and even some oldies. Come enjoy the music, humor and energy of HSJB that has been entertaining San Diego for over 30 years.

The Black Market Trust, five world-class musicians, will perform March 7, 2027. ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 13

Russian classical pianist Svetlana Smolina, who will perform May 2, 2027.

Stewart and Virginia “Ginny” Thomas. The board meets twice a year and meetings are open to the public. Tomlinson—who has been HVCCA president for 25 years—comes from a family of musicians. “Back on the farm there were three pianos in the house,” recalls Tomlinson. “Father was brought up with classical music. Everybody (family of eight) played the piano and the violin, viola, or cello. Every summer we went to concerts at the world-famous Redlands Bowl.” His parents ran Riverside Community Concerts for 40 years as president and secretary and he inherited that interest. “I grew up on a farm,” Tomlinson recalls. “My father was a music school teacher and a professional cellist.” The original name of HVCCA was the Escondido Philharmonic Artist Association, which started in 1945. During the mid-70s, this association brought the legendary conduc14 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

tor Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra to perform at the old Escondido High School auditorium. It was part of Community Concert Associations—which had grown during the Depression and by 1940 included 335.,,eventually grew to 1008. Today, Community Concerts—of which there are around 250— is still the largest most enduring network of performing arts presenters. In the 1990s local CCA’s broke away from Columbia Artists Management, Inc. and, including HVCCA started operating independently, booking artists directly or through agents. Concerts were held in the Seventh Day Adventist School’s gym with folding chairs until the California Center for the Arts, Escondido first opened its doors in 1994. HVCCA presented more the 100 concerts at CCAE’s intimate Center Theater.

HVCCA supported the local Civic Youth Orchestra aka CYO for over 14 years and the Civic International Youth Artists Competitions for over 7 years and has provided opportunities for local schools’ musicians to perform with professional musicians. Currently it is supporting the Mission Bay High School’s music department by having their ensembles perform for it. HVCCA was one of CCAE’s first tenants. Recently the association found a new permanent venue, the First Congressional Church, which it could better afford. For its 81st season, “It’s still the best concert deal around,” says Tomlinson. “Nobody can touch us! That is particularly true if you become a member.” He adds, “People don’t realize that I know five agents, including Kamstar out of San Francisco.” His great knowledge of agents means that he is able to get world-famous artists. “That’s what sets us apart,” he says. “These are not local bands. The last four artists of this season are all world famous. It’s because we’ve been doing so long. If anyone has done it for as long as I have, you become an expert. I’m a maverick; we got rid of the middle man.” He adds, “I’m on a first-name basis with many artists.” Tomlinson recalls that “back in the day there were seventeen community concert associations in Southern California.” Today most of them are gone. But because Tomlinson has been at this game for so long, he continues. At the January 8, 2026 concert HVCCA season members took a bi-annual survey to vote on the artists for the next two seasons. Says Tomlinson, “There are always one or two ‘back by popular demand artists. Do you know of any other venue or musical organization that does this. My guess is no, which makes HVCCA unique and special!” Another positive about a HVCCA concert: “It’s very intimate, as close as 8 feet to the artist. You can almost reach out and touch them. It’s so informal you can talk with them during intermission. When would you ever have the opportunity to talk to one of the best harpists in the world, Alfredo Rolando Ortiz?” Tomlinson explained why HVCCA has found a permanent venue with First Congressional Church of Escondido, which has stadium seating. “We left because the Arts Center was costing us more than the artists,” said Tomlinson. Starting this year all of the shows are 2 pm on Sundays and all are at the church. HVCCA spends most of the money on the artists. The organization is funded through donations, ticket sales and season memberships. Single concert prices are Adults $30.00 and Seniors $20.00. Season memberships forms are available on the website.

ESCONDIDO COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

BETTING ON THE WELDERS OF TOMORROW Mavericks Manufacturing Partners and MAVWELD are building capacity, capability and a more technical future for American welding.

eadquartered in Escondido, Mavericks Manufacturing Partners is tackling one of the most consequential challenges facing American manufacturing: how to expand welding capacity at a time when experienced tradespeople are retiring faster than industry can replace them. Mavericks Manufacturing Partners, or MMP, is a welding-engineering-driven manufacturing and technical services company supporting some of the highest-requirement sectors of American industry, including defense, aerospace, space, semiconductor and energy. Its sister company, MAVWELD, designs, builds, delivers and qualifies advanced robotic welding systems that combine modern automation with deep expertise in welding engineering, codes, specifications and procedure qualification. Between the two companies, Mavericks touches some of the most demanding supply chains in the country. The team has fabricated components supporting commercial nuclear energy, U.S. Navy surface ship and submarine programs, while working alongside leading defense primes and OEMs on highly critical applications where weld quality and technical compliance are paramount. In this environment, a sound weld alone is not enough; the supporting documentation, traceability and quality records are every bit as critical as the hardware itself.

THE WELDER SHORTAGE IS THE REAL STORY

Ask CEO Chris Blench what concerns him most about the future of American manufacturing, and the answer quickly turns to capacity. “The scale of the challenge is enormous,” Blench said. “The welder shortage cannot be solved by training alone or automation alone. The answer is to grow the pipeline of welders, increase the capability of employers, and multiply the productivity of welders through technology. There is no single solution.” It’s a national problem with local consequences. San Diego’s defense, aerospace and advanced-manufacturing supply chains depend heavily on skilled welders, inspectors, engineers and technicians, and the pipeline of new talent must keep pace with both retirements and growing demand. Mavericks has decided to attack the shortage from both ends: building automation smart enough to extend a skilled welder’s reach, and rebuilding the pipeline of people who want to become welders in the first place. Welding today isn’t just a torch and a hood, it increasingly involves laser welding, automation, and AI-assisted quality controls,

Chris Blench,CEO and Joe Thompson, COO / CFO

THE WELDER SHORTAGE IS THE REAL STORY “The welder shortage cannot be solved by training alone or automation alone. The answer is to grow the pipeline of welders, increase the capability of employers and multiply the productivity of welders through technology. There is no single solution.”

and Mavericks is betting that a more technical trade is a more attractive one.

WELDING ENGINEERS, ON DEMAND

Beyond its own shop floor, Mavericks runs a welding consulting practice that lets other manufacturers bring on welding engineering expertise without a full in-house hire. Companies can engage Mavericks welding engineers full-time, part-time, or on an hourly retainer basis, whether that means qualifying a procedure, solving a production problem, or supporting a program through a specific phase. Between its manufacturing operations, workforce-development efforts, welding engineering practice and MAVWELD automation business, Mavericks is pursuing a common objective: help American manufacturers produce more, develop more skilled people, and make better use of the welding expertise they already have. Judges at work. Headquartered in Escondido, CA Learn more at MAVMFG.com and MAVWELD.com

PAI D A DV E RTORI A L

Hustlez the Clown at work.

ESCONDIDO PEOPLE

HUSTLEZ:

always clown’in – never frown’in BY KATI COWAN

16 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

Clowning is no laughing matter for Stevie O’Dell. Armed with oversized shoes and an oversized heart, his life’s mission is to make people laugh with his invented character “Hustlez the Clown,” to turn frowns upside down. “Just to see the eyes light up and a smile on a child’s face is everything,” says O’Dell. It comes as no surprise that O’Dell’s Hustlez’ moniker is “Always Clown’in’, Never Frown’in,” spelled in his unique way. For him, this is serious business. So much so that he even has “Always Clown’in,’” tattooed on his arm. Clowns have been a life-long fascination for O’Dell. What started as a Halloween dress-up a few years ago, has morphed into a passion. Wanting to get fully into character for the party, he taught himself how to twist a balloon into the shape of a puppy. And for subsequent Halloweens he would resurrect his clown costume and twist balloons until one year he finally named his character “Hustlez” because he said with a grin, “I am always hustling.” Then, at a Chamber of Commerce Halloween costume contest, Hustlez made his official debut. Thereafter, Hustlez appeared at various community events sculpting with ballons, painting faces, erasing frowns and promoting smiles. He has been clowning ever since operating under the business name Hustlez Clowning Co. “This is what makes me happy,” said O’Dell. “It is what makes the community happy.” Hustlez now has his own Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok account with many followers. He is a member of the World Clown Association and is meeting with other clowns from all over San

Hustlez the Clown doing face painting.

One of the many faces of Hustlez the Clown.

Diego including the San Diego All Star Clowns, an award-winning family entertainer group affiliated with Clowns of America International and the World Clown Association. San Diego All Star Clowns are dedicated to visiting nursing homes, hospices and veteran facilities to help lift spirits. They perform in parades, community events and festivals, participate in local school programs and support clown workshops and youth scholarships to study clowning. O’Dell wishes to get on board with this local community of like-minded people who love clowning. “That is what I really want to get involved in— to do that for the community and also be part of something greater than just doing it on my own,” shared O’Dell. “To be able to be in hospitals and elderly homes, to bring joy to those people, is what I want to do. “ Studies have shown that laughter releases chemicals that lift your mood, lower stress by dropping cortisol levels, relax tight muscles and strengthen the immune system. Humor builds bonds, lowers tension and shifts focus from frown’in to smilin’. According to O’Dell, there are several clowns who live in our county. “You’d be surprised how many clowns are hidden in and around our city,” he exclaimed. “I am 50 years old. But there are 70- and 80-year-old clowns. There’s a clown here in Escondido that started clowning in 1977 with circus Vargas and Ringling Brothers.” O’Dell is working on bringing a North County sector of clowns together as a local resource. “I’ve been trying to put together a little crew of clowns to come to the Street Fair and perform for people, to give them something to look forward to,” he said. When O’Dell is not clowning, he is tattooing in his Escondido shop called Grand Legacy Tattoo and, in his words, “making an impact on someone’s life.” “We are like therapists,” shared O’Dell. ‘People come in. We are with them for hours,

You can’t be a proper clown without the right footwear!

talking, connecting and it’s very humbling that a person is confiding in you, talking to you and trusting you to put something on their body that is going to last for the rest of their life.“ It is this talent and spirit that O’Dell brings to his clowning. He cares about people wanting to create some happiness in their lives. One wonders if he is realizing through his conversations with his customers how much laughter is needed? Hustlez may be just the answer. “My mom took care of people her whole life, and I think that’s where I get it from,” said O’Dell. “I’m a big heart, a teddy bear. I am also a go getter, a hustler, thus the name Hustlez! I do not do anything halfway. I go all in. And that is what I am doing with Hustlez. ” O’Dell twists balloons for hours to practice making new and different shapes. He creates his own clown clothes down to his shoes. He is all about the details. He has many

different outfits and makeup designs. “It takes me a long time to get ready, about an hour and half,” said O’Dell. “ I must put my face on and get dressed.” Each time, he paints on a different facial expression and often changes the shape and direction of the mouth. He strives for perfection. It is then showtime! For him it’s downright fun. A clown can do so much and get away with a lot. His goal is to break through the shyness of kids or the reluctance of adults. “I may peek around a corner from where they could not see me and pop in,” said O’Dell. “Then, some warmup and come closer to me. Others may still be timid, but when I give them a sticker or a little toy or balloon or give someone a hug that they needed or even a fist bump, and I make them smile, that’s what it’s all about. “ The next time you are at an Escondido event, watch out for Hustlez! He may just be hiding around a corner and pop out to surprise you to make sure you are never frown’in while he is always clown’in. Find him on Instagram @therealhustlez, on Facebook Hustlez Clowning Co. and on Tik Tok @hustlezclowningco. ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 17

The PettyBreakers performing at the Coach House.

ESCONDIDO MUSIC

Breaking down the PettyBreakers – Esco’s best tribute band

Ozzie Mancinelli (right), meeting Tom Petty’s drummer Steve Ferrone (who also played with the Average White Band).

BY JOSH BOARD I was a classic rock DJ for years in San Diego, and became friends with a lot of other DJs as well as local musicians. One of the topics we always debated was tribute bands. I think they’re a blast. It’s about 50/50 with my musician friends. They get all high and mighty about “playing our original songs, man!” (emphasis on “high”.) Yet how much fun will you really have spending $200 to see The Rolling Stones and sitting so far up, you’re watching from the big screens that flank the stage? And very few people are still alive who got to see The Beatles live (they stopped touring in 1965). I think it makes more sense when there are tribute bands of groups not around anymore. Tom Petty died a week after his last concert in L.A. on September 25, 2017. A week before he played in Del Mar. While I’ve seen at least a thousand concerts over the years, I never saw Petty live. I have seen a few Tom Petty tribute bands. One was amazing, and I was surprised it was fronted by a local Escondido resident – Ozzie Mancinelli. I had seen his band a few times and was blown away. When I met him somewhere that wasn’t a concert venue, I didn’t realize who he was. His daughter said he was in the PettyBreakers, and while I raved over the band, I jokingly said, “The singer does need 18 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

The PettyBreakers at a show with 11,000 fans; Ozzie Mancinelli in the middle.

some better wigs, though.” He smiled and said, “Those wigs cost me $1,600.” I then realized he was the front man, and felt like when you ask a woman when she’s due, only to have her say she’s not pregnant. He went on about how some women after the show have asked how he gets his hair like that, and does he “flatiron it”... so there are people who think it’s real. I mentioned the two shows I’ve seen them perform in Escondido at the Grand Ritz Theater (I just missed their performance on September 26 at the California Center for the Arts, as a benefit for “Doors of Change.”) I sat down to talk with Ozzie (which sounds like he should be fronting a Black Sabbath tribute band) about the PettyBreakers. Josh Board: What bands were you in previously, and how did you decide to do a Tom Petty tribute?

The PettyBreakers on stage.

Ozzie Mancinelli: “I had played in several original bands in Los Angeles and then a couple of cover bands after moving to San Diego. I actually played for a fun local band called ‘Misty and the Mobys’ with some talented musicians. Then there was another fun project called MOGuL (Men of Great Leisure). Another bunch of very talented people (John McAllister, Jeff Webster, Justin Sanders, and Ric Root).” Mancinelli continued, “Then I discovered tribute bands. My first real exposure to the tribute band scene came somewhat unexpectedly. An old friend and bandmate, Scott McGinn, saw an article in a Baltimore newspaper about a Led Zeppelin tribute band and mailed it to me. I thought the whole concept was really interesting. Not long after that I answered a Craigslist ad from a tribute band that was looking for a lead guitarist. I auditioned, landed the role of Ronnie Wood in a Rolling Stones tribute band, and performed with them for nearly two years. That showed me that there was a real audience for bands that could authentically recreate the music and experience of a legendary artist.” He adds, “The idea for PettyBreakers really started one night at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. The opening act was a 3-piece band playing all Tom Petty songs. I wouldn’t call them a tribute band. They weren’t trying to look or perform like Petty, but hearing an entire set of that music immediately got my attention. I’ve always been a huge Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fan, and that night I started thinking seriously about the possibilities. “From that point, there was really no looking back. I knew I wanted to sing and do the Petty role. I called John McAllister and asked if he would be interested in the Mike Campbell role (lead guitarist). Jeff Webster helped out on keyboards and background vocals but he left the project soon after we started. The other MOGuL players had moved to other projects (drummer Ric Root playing with a Fleetwood Mac tribute band called Fleetwood Max). We were fortunate to find Dana Marver, an original founding member, to play bass. Tom Hogue was on drums. We ended up finding our permanent replacement on keyboards and vocals in David Zeman, who has recorded and toured with the Gin Blossoms and the Rembrandts. Danny Leoni ended up becoming the bass player, and we went through a few drummers until Steve Newby came along. And in similar fashion to the real Heartbreakers, where Steve Ferrone was always known as ‘the new guy’ even after 23 years with the band, Newby is our ‘new guy’ even though he’s

been with the band for about 14 years.” Mancinelli continued, “We started playing locally, and it grew pretty quickly. Before long we expanded regionally, and within a few years, we were touring nationally. One of the big milestones came when we landed a four-and-a-half month residency at Harrah’s Reno. Immediately afterward, we went to Harrah’s Laughlin for another two-week residency, performing five nights a week. So what started with seeing another band at the Belly Up, ultimately turned into something much bigger than I ever anticipated.” J.B.: It sounds like you guys were a band before Petty passed away? O.M.: “Yes. We started in 2010, seven years prior to Petty passing away. We were already established and actively touring by then. That distinction has always been important to us. We started the band simply because we loved the music of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and wanted to celebrate it.” J.B.: I’ve been a fan of The Doors tribute band Wild Child since I was a teenager. They’ve been going strong for almost 40 years now. They would often have problems legally by advertising it as a “Doors tribute show” in ads, so they changed that to a “Jim Morrison Celebration” and were fine. Did you guys have any problems like that with the Petty estate? O.M.: “Wild Child is a great band; four decades of keeping Jim Morrison and Doors music going strong. We actually played on a bill with them in Redondo Beach when we were first starting out and then again in Temecula at an outdoor festival. As for issues with the Petty estate, we’ve actually never had any contact with them, before or after Tom’s passing. We’ve always been very clear in presenting the PettyBreakers as an independent tribute to the music of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and fortunately we’ve never had any issues. J.B.: Petty’s bassist Ron Blair just played with a few local musicians here recently. Have you ever played with any of the Heartbreakers or met them? O.M.: “We’ve had the pleasure of having Blair and Steve Ferrone join the PettyBreakers onstage. We put together a benefit concert for Hurricane Sandy victims [the hurricane that devastated much of ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 19

the northeastern U.S. in October 2012]. It was at the Belly Up Tavern and raised funds for the American Red Cross’s hurricane-relief efforts. There were a lot of special guests, including Blair, Joe Bonamassa, the late Andy Fraser of Free, Jesse Valenzuela of the Gin Blossoms, Keith Scott of Bryan Adams band.” He added, “Blair did a few songs before picking up the bass and joining us for six Tom Petty songs. He’s one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He’s joined us onstage several times since. The time Steve Ferrone joined us was interesting. We had a show booked and our drummer Steve got sick and couldn’t play. Through a friend, we reached out to Ferrone to see if he would even entertain the idea of filling in. I was shocked when he replied that he had a recording session that day but could be at our gig by 6 p.m. Unfortunately that was too late for us so we ended up making other arrangements for that show. But he expressed interest in playing the Petty songs again so he offered to play a show with us. He played an entire show with us at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. You can tell that he’s passionate about those songs. And it was really a thrill to play with yet another Heartbreaker. We have an open invitation for Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, and Scott Thurston to join us. Hopefully someday.” J.B.: What’s your favorite song to do? And what’s the crowd’s favorite? I’d guess it would be “American Girl,” but that’s because I loved how they used it in ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ on the first The PettyBreakers on stage, recreating the day of school, and in ‘Silence of the Lambs’ before the girl in the beTom Petty experience at the Moonlight ginning was abducted…although I’d love the song even if I didn’t Amphitheater, Vista. see it on screen. O.M.: “Honestly, they’re all great to play. Every song has some fun element that makes it special, so it’s impossible to choose a favorite. We Depending on the venue contract, we’ll perform either a 90-minute or have more than four hours of Tom Petty music to draw from, including two hour show, so we can vary the setlist and make sure people don’t his solo material, the Traveling Wilburys, and even some Mudcrutch. see the exact same show every time they come out. We also like to throw in a deep cut or two at every show, which the hardcore Petty fans appreciate.” J.B.: I like the up-tempo hits but ‘Change of Heart’ would be the deeper cut I’d like to hear. I could probably listen to ‘American Girl’ and ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream’ every day and not be tired of them. O.M.: “ ‘American Girl’ is definitely right up there as a crowd favorite. It always gets a huge reaction. And yes, those scenes in the movies certainly helped make it part of pop culture history. But songs like “Free Fallin’,” “I Won’t Back Down,” “Refugee,” and “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” also bring the house down. It can really depend on the audience that night. We also like to throw in a deep cut or two. J.B.: And I love that you do. I got excited when I saw you guys do ‘Wildflowers’ during an acoustic set once. What was the hardest song to learn, and how often do you guys rehearse? O.M.: “Every song has its own little intricacies, but we put in time to learn the parts so we can get it right. At this point, once we know a song, regular rehearsals aren’t as necessary since we play them often at shows. When we decide to add a new song to the setlist, each of us learns our part on our own. Once everyone is ready we’ll run through it at soundcheck before the next show. Sometimes it clicks immediately, and we’ll add it to the show that very night. If it doesn’t, we’ll work on it individually, and run it again at the next soundcheck. By then it usually comes together and we’re ready to play it live.” If like me, you were never lucky enough to see Tom Petty live, well…you got lucky again…that we have the PettyBreakers, and they’re right here in our backyard. Go to: thepettybreakers.com for the schedule. Josh Board is an Escondido resident, and has been a journalist for over 35 years. He was “the last DJ” at Rock 102 before it became Rock 105 (well, one of them anyway), and he can still be heard on the radio Friday mornings on Newsradio KOGO 600. 20 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

ESCONDIDO ARTS

A view of the Escondido Roots mural. Photo by Lenny Kerbs

New mural celebrates Escondido’s roots and community A vibrant new mural celebrating Escondido’s agricultural roots, history and evolving identity became part of the city’s landscape August 29, when community leaders, artists and local supporters gathered for its 10 a.m. unveiling. Funded through the Escondido Community Foundation’s ArtSpeaks program, the project brought together professional artists, local students, community organizations and civic leaders to transform a highly visible space along the SPRINTER tracks into a tribute to the people, places and stories that have shaped Escondido. Among those instrumental in bringing the project to life was Emily Lowe, co-chair of the ArtSpeaks: Escondido project through the Escondido Community Foundation. Lowe spoke about the initiative and the collaborative effort behind the mural. “The ‘Escondido Roots’ mural has transformed a former graffiti-covered building into a stunning gateway for our city. It honors our region’s rich agricultural and transportation history, and the Escondido Community Foundation is proud to share this collective effort with the community,” said Lowe. Ceci Lusky, the other ArtSpeaks co-chair, was unable to attend the unveiling. ArtSpeaks: Escondido is an ongoing initiative of the Escondido Community Foundation, supported by private donations to bring interactive, community-centered artwork to public spaces throughout the city. The program aims to use art to create connections, encourage participation and strengthen community pride.

Located alongside the SPRINTER tracks near the Nordahl Road Station—and visible from the surrounding streets and businesses along Mission Avenue—the large-scale mural was created by professional muralists Sasha Primo and Gloria Favela-Rocha in collaboration with local youth and community partners. Primo was unable to attend the unveiling, but Favela-Rocha was there to discuss the creative process and the vision behind the work. The mural draws on the look and warmth of a vintage postcard, with a golden palette inspired by Southern California sunsets. Its imagery connects Escondido’s past with its present, highlighting the agricultural landscape that helped shape the community, including citrus groves and vineyards, as well as historic local businesses and an early urban streetscape. Additional details throughout the mural reflect the region’s character and history, including the historic train, Lake Hodges Dam, the creek and other water elements, vintage pickup trucks, classic automobiles and local wildlife such as a red-tailed hawk, coyote and squirrel. Together, the images create what organizers describe as a poetic reflection of Escondido’s shared history and identity. Youth participation was central to the project. Local students worked alongside professional artists, learning about Escondido’s history and landmarks while gaining hands-on experience creating large-scale public art. The project included participatory activities for teenagers ages 13 to 20 and was developed with youth organizations, including Es-

condido Education Compact. Councilmember Consuelo Martinez spoke at the unveiling and was instrumental in arranging for local students to contribute to the mural, giving them an opportunity to play a direct role in creating a lasting piece of public art. Deputy Mayor Joe Garcia also addressed the gathering. Garcia helped secure the necessary permit from Transit, a critical step in making the mural possible along the SPRINTER corridor. The mural’s development was shaped not only by the artists but also by residents and community stakeholders whose stories and perspectives informed the design. Research into Escondido’s agricultural heritage further helped guide the imagery, creating a work that connects local history with contemporary community life. For Favela-Rocha, Primo and the many people who contributed to the project, the mural is more than a beautified wall. It preserves memories, celebrates the people and places that helped shape Escondido, and gives a new generation an opportunity to help tell the story of their city. The mural was created with support from the Escondido Community Foundation and the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, continuing their broader efforts to strengthen the city’s cultural and creative vitality through art. CCAE Chair Leila Sackfield hosted the event.

ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 21

Kristie Rocco receiving award for her support of Esco Arts. She is receiving the award from Adrian Stewant, president of the Escondido Art Association. Photo by Ryan Fergison

Kristie Rocco in the lobby of the Wohlford Ting Historical House.

ESCONDIDO ARTS

Meet Kristie Rocco, entrepreneur, business owner, arts advocate and Esco Lover BY ADRIAN STEWART I recently sat down with Kristie Rocco, a local Escondido business entrepreneur and community leader to learn more about her. The first time you encounter Kristie Rocco it’s clear she loves Escondido and the people of this community. As a successful entrepreneur, owner and operator of multiple businesses and a behind the scenes community leader for three decades in Escondido she’s one of the quiet stars of this 22 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

community—creating not only economic opportunity but also supporting the growth of Escondido into an arts and cultural destination. She founded Rocco’s Dental Studio business with her husband Art over thirty years ago. The studio is a full-service dental laboratory specializing in custom restorations, case planning, crowns, and dental implants. But that’s just the beginning of her story.

The Dental Studio is situated in The Wohlford-Ting House on Fourth Avenue, in the Escondido Historic District. Rocco and her husband purchased the property some years ago. The venue is centered around a beautifully furnished Craftsman home, originally built in 1910 for Sallie and A.W. Wohlford. It stands as one of the largest and most well-preserved historic houses in the city.

Kristie Rocco in the garden of the Hidden Chateau.

When you visit Rocco Dental Studio today, the interior reception area is preserved and decorated with turn of the century period art, décor and antiquities and yet the rooms adjacent are now a state of the art and technology dental laboratory. “We have all the latest digital technology in our Studio.” says Rocco. “I support technology. I think it has role in our Laboratory business. It can make things easier and faster. It also gives us opportunities to work with different new materials, to do things that we wouldn’t be able to do without the new technology. But in our studio, we meld technology with who we are and what our artistic talents and gifts are. The best technicians I have are also artists, they use technology to create with, but we still do a lot of things by hand, so the blend of the new and old works perfectly for us.” She continued, “Not all labs are set up this way and it’s a shame there aren’t more schools and there aren’t experiences for younger folks to do anything unless they learn on the job, so this dental lab we create that opportunity. It’s a real family business too as my husband, my son and my daughter-in-law are all here working together as a family, we work well together.” But that’s not the whole story. Some years ago, Rocco felt there was a huge opportunity to make better use of the wonderful garden surrounding the historic home where the studio is situated. “At six years old I worked with my dad who was a photographer. I was involved with probably 2,000 weddings growing up. I put together orders, coordinating events, sorting and printing pictures, you name it I did it! When we purchased this property, we had a lot of inquiries about doing events here for

Kristie Rocco at her dental laboratory studio.

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weddings, birthday parties and showers so we decided to meet that need.” With considerable investment, hard work and creative landscaping the garden was converted into an idyllic magical events venue, now called “The Hidden Chateau.” “We really had a great experience with city leadership doing this and we were so happy to work with people that wanted to do something in the community to help us and help others,” said Rocco. “We kept a lot of the original trees and plants and supplemented them with new plants and flowers. We added a gazebo and cleared some paths for better people flow. But we kept the occupancy to under 100 guests, so it stays intimate and special. The Hidden Chateau has become one of the gems of the Historic District in Escondido. We’ve had many magical, wonderful events here.” “Is there any time left in your personal life?” I asked. “Well, we feel it’s very important to support the Escondido Arts community and I am very excited this year I joined the board of directors of the Escondido Art Association, now Esco Arts. I’m committed to explore new and better ways to have children experience art since a lot of art funds in the school system have been pulled back and we never know who the best artist in the world will be, it could be here in Escondido! I love what Esco Arts does both for young people just starting their artistic journey to supporting and promoting established and talented artists here in our community. It’s very important work that benefits all of us in Escondido.” “What is in the future?” “We are starting a small specialized faux flower design company for young couples wanting to have a beautiful wedding ceremony and save a little on the decorations. We are also looking at acquiring a new specialized event venue property in North County to recreate a type of Versailles Garden experience. But there’s still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done before we get there. But it’s hopefully going to be a destination point for people to enjoy some fabulous botanical experiences.” She feels that AI is “changing a lot of what we do every day and sometimes disconnecting us from each other and dissuading us from gathering in person, as family, friends, in ceremonies and celebrations. As a community we must still stay connected at the heart level. I think we are stronger as a community and stronger as a people by experiencing what I would say is a very loving community and meaningful personal interactions. When I am doing my yard work in the front yard, so many people just say ‘hi’ and it’s a wonderful feeling. I think Escondido is a great place to live.” Kristie, we are all fortunate for all your skills and talents, your astute business leadership, your caring love for Escondido and all your creativity at making magic happen in the lab, in the garden and in the community. Thank you. Adrian Stewart is a guest contributor to Escondido Magazine and serves as president of The Escondido Art Association and can be reached at adrian@escoarts.com.

ESCONDIDO ARTS

Creating the community you want to live in

“Patineta- One Planet. One People.” Mural by Tristan Pittard and Marisa Crocker.

BY GINA LOPEZ, CEO OF CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO There’s no such thing as a city with too much art, only cities that haven’t found a way to make it happen. Public art gives a community its identity. It turns a blank wall into a landmark, a forgotten corner into a gathering place, a commute into a moment of unexpected beauty. But great public art doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because someone, somewhere, decided to invest in it. In Escondido, we are wealthy with people willing to make that investment as well as those willing to see that vision come to fruition. Recently, we have seen the Escondido Community Foundation, and its ArtSpeaks program, as proof of what’s possible when private philanthropy takes public art seriously. “The greatest impact the Escondido Community Foundation’s ArtSpeaks initiative has made on Escondido’s arts scene is inspiring the realization that our community is worthy of great art. We can, and should, think big and bring the best art here,” says Ceci Martinez Lusky, ArtSpeaks cochair. Since 2020, ArtSpeaks has sponsored ten public art projects throughout our city, funded entirely through private giving. The California Center for the Arts, Escondido (CCAE), has had the honor of serving as fiscal sponsor for four of those projects, serving as a conduit by lending guidance on what can be a somewhat rigorous process. ArtSpeaks isn’t a program that simply writes checks to artists with good ideas. It’s a carefully structured, two-step process that begins with a Request for Qualifications and moves into a full Request for Proposal for those invited to apply. Applicants, individual artists or artist teams, must partner with a registered nonprofit fiscal sponsor, demonstrate a real, documented relationship with the property owner where the work will live, and show exactly how their concept will serve Escondido residents and reflect the goals of the program: enhancing the city’s image and identity, increasing community pride, creating opportunities for underrepresented artists, and designing work that genuinely engages the public rather than simply decorating a space all while making significant contributions to a healthy and thriving local arts community through fruitful collaborations. That last point deserves special attention. ArtSpeaks doesn’t fund art that exists in isolation. It funds art that in-

“All Roads Lead to Escondido”: Mural by Zane Kingcade. David Aughenbaugh’s “Worlds Within Worlds” installed at Mershops North County Mall.

ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 25

vites participation, installations people can experience, installations that become meeting spots, murals that tell the story of a neighborhood back to the people who live there. This is public art as community infrastructure, not public art as ornament. And when you look at what’s actually been created from Mario Torero’s “Tortilla Tesoro” to Tim Topalov’s “Kumeyaay Creation Story,” from Zane Kingcade’s “All Roads Lead to Escondido” to the collaborative brushwork of Sasha Primo and Gloria Favela Rocha on “Escondido Roots” which was crafted in part by area youth in the Education COMPACT organization, you see something more than ten separate installations. You see a city choosing, piece by piece, artist by artist, wall by wall, to define who it is. The financial rigor matters too. Every applicant must submit a full project budget covering materials, artist fees, insurance, transportation, and fiscal sponsor management costs. Selected artists must present their proposals before a final decision is made. For the Escondido Community Foundation, Ceci Martinez Lusky and Emily Lowe are the program’s co-chairs, dedicating countless hours toward the betterment of their community through these impactful projects. Emily Lowe states, “Through ArtSpeaks, ECF has supported both local and global artists, enriching our community through creativity, culture, and connection. We are proud of what has been accomplished and look forward to continuing this mission, bringing exceptional art and artists to Escondido for years to come. “Why does this model matter so much? Because public art funded this way is able to move at the speed of community will. When a foundation like ECF commits private philanthropic dollars to public art, and organizations like CCAE step in to provide the fiscal sponsorship and administrative backbone that individual artists often need, something powerful happens: talented artists including many who might never have had access to a project of this scale get the resources and support to bring ambitious, meaningful work into the public realm. And the public gets art that reflects who we actually are.

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The “Threshold 5” sculpture.

Kumeyaay Creation Story mural by Tim Topalov on the Escondido Public Library inner facing wall.

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“Resilience.” Mural by Sasha Primo.

Each of the ten installations since 2020, from “World Within Worlds” at the Mershops North County Mall to “Threshold 5,” from “Community Creates the Future” to “Patineta: One Planet. One People” represents months, and sometimes years, of collaboration between artists, property owners, fiscal sponsors, city staff, and a foundation willing to bet on Escondido’s creative future. Each one is a small, permanent piece of proof that this city values beauty, identity, and shared experience enough to invest in it. And taken together, they’re something even bigger than the sum of their walls: a body of work only possible because so many different hands agreed to build it side by side. And ArtSpeaks isn’t operating in a vacuum. Esco Alley Art, another initiative dedicated to transforming Escondido’s public spaces, is doing complementary work in the same spirit —taking overlooked alleyways and underused corners of the city and turning them into vibrant, walkable pieces of art in their own right. Programs like this and ArtSpeaks could easily be viewed as competing for the same donors, the same artists, the same civic attention. But that’s not how it plays out in Escondido, and that’s exactly the point worth making. When arts organizations choose collaboration over competition, everyone benefits, the artists get more pathways to meaningful, paid work; the funders get to see their dollars amplified by aligned efforts instead of duplicated ones; and the public gets a city where public art shows up not as a handful of isolated landmarks, but as a connected, citywide experience. A mural in an alley and a sculpture in a park tell a

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stronger story together than either could alone and together, they let this city write its identity in its own hand, rather than borrowing someone else’s. “There are ample walls for all in Escondido,” says Suzanne Nicolaisen, chair of Esco Alley Art. This is, frankly, the model necessary for the arts to thrive in any community. Too often, nonprofit and arts organizations are pushed by scarce funding, by board pressure, or by habit into a scarcity mindset, treating every other organization doing similar work as a rival for the same limited pool of resources and recognition. ArtSpeaks and Esco Alley Art show a different way forward: two initiatives, two approaches, one shared belief that Escondido deserves more public art, not less, and that there’s more than enough need, more than enough space, and more than enough talent to go around. CCAE’s role as fiscal sponsor for four ArtSpeaks projects, as well as a location for many glorious Esco Alley Art works, has only reinforced this for me that the work is better, richer, and more lasting when organizations lend each other their strengths instead of guarding their turf. That is the quality you get when the goal is no longer whose name is on the grant, but what the community gets to keep. Public art of this caliber is only possible when funders, nonprofit partners, and creative organizations choose to move in the same direction toward the same goal. That is the real lesson of ArtSpeaks, and of every initiative like it: the community we all want to live in is vibrant, connected, and unmistakably ours. It is not something any one organization, artist, or funder can build alone. It’s something we can only build together, and in the building, we find out exactly who we are.

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ESCONDIDO ARTS

Life, art and soul BY ADRIAN STEWART

Studies Show an original gallery experience reduces stress levels by 30%.

Art is a mercurial sprite, luring us into the studios and then shutting the door, for us plein air painters enticing us to go out into all weathers, rain, sun or shine. When JMW Turner, the British artist was caught in a storm raging across the Yorkshire Dales he grabbed his sketch book and ran out to draw it. He turned to a bemused young boy who was watching him and said, “In two years you’ll see this storm again in Hannibal Crossing the Alps!” And he was true to his word in 1812 Turner exhibited an epic painting “Snowstorm: Hannibal and his army crossing the Alps.” It was hung low on the wall so that its blizzard was a wave about to crash over the viewer. Mercurial yes indeed. But what is the role of art in our lives? Either as an expressive or creative artist and as a participant or audience being in the presence of art. The results of recent studies will surprise you. That art can lift spirits is well known. But that it calms the body is novel. “A study by King’s College London” asked participants to look at masterworks by 19th-century post-impressionists – Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet and Gauguin – while strapped to sensors. Half the group saw the originals in the Plein air painting.

Studies show experiencing original art reduces risk of heart disease. 28 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

gallery, half viewed copies in a lab. The results were clear: going to art galleries is good for you – relieving stress and cutting heart disease risk, as well as boosting the immune system. Here are the key takeaways from the research: • Lower Stress Hormones: Participants viewing original art experienced a 22% drop in cortisol, compared to just an 8% drop for those looking at high-quality reproductions. • Reduced Inflammation: Pro-inflammatory cytokines (proteins linked to stress, heart disease, and diabetes) dropped by up to 30% for those viewing original works. • Stimulated Autonomic State: Rather than just relaxing, the body simultaneously experienced increased emotional engagement and dynamic heart activity. • The “Original” Effect: The study found that context matters; viewing reproductions in a non-gallery environment did not yield the same powerful physiological and emotional health benefits. The research provides compelling physiological evidence that engaging with culture is beneficial for both the mind and the body. “The mystical state of consciousness experienced by staring into a painting’s intricate brush strokes, listening to the rhythmic tones of a musical composition, watching mesmerizing dance movements, or reading lyric verse from poetic writing can transport us to deeper places where inner-spiritual experience flows freely. Art’s evocative expressions become symbolic road maps to possibilities of transcendence.” (Jeffrey Blackwell writes in his article “The intersection of arts and spirituality: A journey beyond the self.”)

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Sherlock Holmes (in a different kind of hat) and Irene Adler create sparks in “Moriarty.” Cast members Ruth Russell and Josh Click are part of the 413 Rep theatrical company.

30 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

My congenial table companions. Who also happened to be the director of the play and her husband. You never know what nice people you’ll sit next to!

The mystery begins with a murder.

ESCONDIDO ARTS

Grand Tea Room theater: drama at its most intimate BY DAVID ROSS

The attraction of theater-in-the-round is that you are sitting almost amidst the players. The Grand Tea Room, at 145 Grand Ave. takes this concept a step further. Here, the actors are next to your dinner table. You could almost reach out and touch them. In fact, in one instance in “Moriarty, a New Sherlock Holmes Adventure” the show that I recently saw, an actor reached out and grabbed one of the diners. The show, written by Ken Ludwig, based on the characters by Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle, is a pastiche of several Holmesian tales, centered around his duel of wits with archenemy Professor Moriarty. It also involves “The Woman” Irene Adler, who turned the head of the famous misogynist. And, course, Holmes’s trusted dear friend and amanuensis (I don’t use that word to be hoity-toity, but to be very Victorian!) Dr. Watson. A small cadre of actors play many parts. As has been the case for sev-

One of the performers in the 413 Rep production of “Moriarty.” ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026 31

Diners at the Grand Tea Room before the performance of “Moriarty.”

Some of the delicacies served at the Grand Tea Room. They are as tasty as they look!

32 ESCONDIDO MAGAZINE | FALL 2026

eral years, the theater company is 413 Rep. They are a skillful troupe who obviously have a lot of fun with the material, as does the audience. I have seen several entertaining shows in this venue. Probably the one that stands out the most was Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which may be one of the wittiest plays in the English language. The beautiful venue that Grand Tea Room proprietor Louisa Magoon has put together is an escape from the modern world, where you can allow your life to slow down for a few hours while you indulge in that most Victorian of indulgences, the high tea. The cuisine includes a multi-course of tiers serving classic tea sandwiches, such as egg salad or cucumber, delicious homemade scones with a variety of toppings such as lemon curd, preserves, clotted cream, fresh fruit and tasty petite desserts and pastries. Each meal also comes with a salad such as Glazed Walnuts, Feta Cheese, served with Raspberry Vinaigrette. Not to mention the steaming pots of tea served in elegant tea services that will take you back to your grandmother’s time. The Tea Room carries over 40 varieties of gourmet loose teas and rarely have I sampled any of these varieties that I didn’t find both refreshing and satisfying. There’s always a decaf version. The Grand Tea Room hosts several shows a year by 413 Rep. So, while you may not have an opportunity to see “Moriarty” before it leaves the venue, there will be others. I urge you to not miss the opportunity for a cultured, civilized, relaxing evening at the theater with a few laughs and a few chills—different than most such experiences you have known. For more information about the Grand Tea Room call 760233-9500.

NORTH COUNTY NEWS IS BACK! Introducing:

September 24,

2026

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Vista

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Sports

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