SLO LIFE Magazine Aug/Sep 2021

LIFE SLO magazine

CENTRAL COAST EVEN

NOW HEAR THIS

LOCAL NEWS

ENJOYING THE VIEW

HEALTH TRENDS

ERS UP

AUG/SEP 2021 SLOLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

MEET

R GRISEL PUIG-SNIDE AUG/SEP 2021

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ATTENTION TO DETAIL. ALWAYS.

DESIGN | PRINT | MAIL | APPAREL | WEB | PROMO 2

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M O D E R N • C L A S S I C • J E W E L R Y

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G A R D E N

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O B I S P O

W W W . B A X T E R M O E R M A N . C O M

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YOU MATTER TO US. We are welcoming our community back with the same dedication to providing a healthy and affordable mode of transportation. With our rider’s health and wellbeing always the top priority, we continue to maintain a rigorous cleaning and sanitizing program for when you choose to board.

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We’re here to safely take you where you need to go.

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GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS . LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS 6

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8 0 5 . 7 0 4 . 75 5 9

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To meet our specialists, visit TenetHealthCentralCoast.com/UCSF AUG/SEP 2021

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CONTENTS 26 Timeline 28 View 30 Q&A

Volume 12 Number 4 Aug/Sep 2021

34 MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

12 PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

14 Info 16 Sneak Peek 18 Inbox 24 Briefs 8

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NOW HEAR THIS | AUG/SEP 2021

44 Author

“It’s been a rough year,” says singer-

songwriter Damon Castillo. He and his bandmates spent the last year on the sidelines as live music events, especially larger scale shows, came to a standstill. Since the beginning of summer, they have been busy rehearsing, gearing up to go full-throttle as they kick off the 25th Annual Concerts in the Plaza series on Friday, August 6.

They’re in good company. Organizers have assembled a top notch line-up of shows in Downtown’s Mission Plaza featuring Brass Mash, Bear Market Riot, The Kicks, The Tipsy Gypsies, Truth About Seafood, Resination, and Dante Marsh & The Vibesetters.

Sponsored by

The San Luis Obispo Collection

Downtown SLO’s Concerts in the Plaza set to reboot August 6

Music on the Rebound.

Aug 6 Damon Castillo Band Aug 13 Brass Mash Aug 20 Bear Market Riot Aug 27 The Kicks Sept 3 The Tipsy Gypsies Sept 10 Truth about Seafood Sept 17 Resination Sept 24 Dante Marsh & The Vibesetters

is proud to sponsor Downtown SLO’s Concer ts in the Pla za

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| CONTENTS

68 Real Estate

88 Wine Notes

72 Health 80 Getaway

82 TASTE

46 50 On the Rise

92

52 Dwelling

96 Happenings

ARTIST

48 Explore

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BREW

exceptional landscape design + build contractors 805.574.0777 www.sagelandscapes.net @sagelandscapes AUG/SEP 2021

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| PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

FHB A few months back, my grandmother, Marian Pratt, passed away. She was ninety-nine and ready to go on to the next thing. My cousins and I called her Ammu. And we learned so much from her, including when to not help ourselves to seconds.

Born atop an especially dusty section of the San Joaquin Valley hardpan in 1922, Ammu grew up on a tiny farm during the Great Depression. Those were lean times. But visitors to the ranch house, which was faintly visible from tractors lumbering down the Old Dinuba Highway, would have never known it because everything was kept under wraps, concealed by a secret code: FHB. Recently, some friends stopped by our house late one afternoon. We did not expect them but welcomed the surprise. My wife had a pot simmering on the stove, and insisted they stay for dinner.

As we sat down together at the table, I turned to our boys and whispered, “FHB.” Family Hold Back.

They both nodded without protest, and I felt Ammu there, as I looked for her hands on my shoulders through fast-welling eyes. Although our sons are twelve and sixteen—they order a grand total of ten hamburger patties at In-N-Out between them—they declined a second helping of their favorite home-cooked meal.

While she is no longer around to serve as our family matriarch, eulogized for her unique combination of “glamour and grit,” we continue to learn her lessons—lessons that can only be taught by someone who lived through the hard times. And found good in them.

The longer I live, the more I see FHB as a concept that applies to so many other areas of life, far beyond the dining room.

One of my passions is football. My playing days are long gone, but I now find more joy in coaching my son and his teammates than I ever experienced on the field myself. And, when I’m working with the boys, I can hear Ammu’s voice playing over and over like one of her Big Band records spinning at the old ranch house: “FHB.” Coaches love to talk about teamwork, and rightly so. “There’s no ‘I’ in team,” they say, along with a million other platitudes we’ve all seen on those tear-off desk calendars. Teamwork makes the dream work.

FHB is not something you say—it’s something you do. It’s the act of sacrificing self in service of others. “Family Hold Back” are words that have surely never been uttered in the locker room during an impassioned halftime speech. But they should, because that’s what it’s all about.

Everything.

When I watch a well-oiled offense marching down the field, firing on all cylinders, I can feel the vibrations of a Big Band harmony, as a group of individuals meld into one. By putting the guy next to them above themselves—FHB—together, they transcend. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts, warping time and space, willing one plus one to equal three.

Ammu should have coached football—or run for president.

Thank you to everyone who has had a hand in producing this issue of SLO LIFE Magazine and, most of all, to our advertisers and subscribers—we couldn’t do it without you.

Live the SLO Life!

Tom Franciskovich tom@slolifemagazine.com

p.s. If you’d like to read more visit me at tomfranciskovich.com 12

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4251 S. HIGUERA STREET, SUITE 800, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA SLOLIFEMAGAZINE.COM info@slolifemagazine.com (805) 543-8600 • (805) 456-1677 fax PUBLISHER Tom Franciskovich

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Or, do you have something on your mind that you think everyone should know about? Submit your story ideas, events, recipes, and announcements by visiting us online at slolifemagazine.com and clicking “Share Your Story” or emailing us at info@slolifemagazine.com. Be sure to include your full name and city for verification purposes. Contributions chosen for publication may be edited for clarity and space limitations.

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Letters chosen for publication may be edited for clarity and space limitations.

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1111 EL CAMINO REAL, ARROYO GRANDE, CA 93420 | (805) 481-1122 WWW.PACIFICSHORESTONES.COM | FIND US ON: Bianco Superior Quartzite island | Black Vermont Deep Leathered Granite Designed by Honeycomb Home Design | Photo by Lisa Maksoudian Photography AUG/SEP 2021

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| SNEAK PEEK

ON THE COVER

behind the scenes GRISEL PUIG-SNIDER

BY VANESSA PLAKIAS

ist. At the tim e of to hig hlig ht a yo u ng art Eve ry mo nth Grise l lik es the r a nd pa int s g a tee n wh o lost his mo rin tu fea s wa she ot, ou r sho on a nd he ali ng. s as a for m of ex pre ssi the ba ck s of sk ate board

There is art in everything—we both lit up with excitement sharing examples, many of which people might not recognize on their linear path of life goals. But if you meander a bit, and shift perspective, there it is. Awe inspiring, brilliant, beautiful art!

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If Los Osos ever had a Mother Teresa, it’s Grisel.

Not just a joyous heart of gold full of kindness and gratitude, but a passion for helping and supporting others—especially women and children who need someone to believe in them. Grisel’s friend made her a colorful mosaic heart and told her, “You’re the heart of Los Osos.” It hangs on her studio door.

As we walked the Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro (or as she reminded me, Mountains of Gold), people walked by Grisel completely enchanted and charmed. She would stop to talk with each group for a quick second. Making people smile is definitely one of her gifts.

SLO LIFE

B E C AU S E YO U D E S E R V E T H E V E R Y B E S T C E N T R A L C OA S T R E A L E S TAT E R E P R E S E N TAT I O N .

THE AVENUE CENTRAL COAST REALTY REAL ESTATE

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

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IN-HOUSE MARKETING

(805) 548 2670

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| INBOX

SLO LIFE Travels Send your photos and comments to info@slolifemagazine.com or visit us online at slolifemagazine.com JOHN MUIR TRAIL

TUNNELS BEACH, HANALEI, KAUAI

JOSHUA, LIZ, AGGIE, and GUS MOODY

WASHINGTON D.C. JACK and FRANCINE JANSEN

BIGFORK, MONTANA

ROY and LORY GRIFFITH with KYLE, ELI, and LUKE

LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI

CAROLYN SMITH, MARY WESNOUSKY, and DORIS DIEL 18

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LAURA HEIDEN

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, FLORIDA

SEDONA ARIZONA

OWEN and CAMILLE SCHWAEGERLE

VILAMENDHOO ISLAND, MALDIVES

JIM GERPHEIDE

POLOLU VALLEY, HAWAII

LESLIE MONACO, with RAMIZ, RAIHAN, ZIA, and AJ

PALM SPRINGS

JEAN and JOHN HYDUCHAK

SARAH SINDERMAN and MELISSA LATIMER AUG/SEP 2021

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| INBOX

Take Us with You Send your photos and comments to info@slolifemagazine.com or visit us online at slolifemagazine.com DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

WINSLOW, ARIZONA

STEVE and JENNIFER DINIELLI RIDLEY WELLS and PACEY JAY

THE ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

TENORIO NATIONAL PARK, COSTA RICA

MIKE, BECCA, MAILEE, and MAKENA SCIOCCHETTI 20

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THE MARTIN FAMILY

Selling Paso - by Miranda Battenburg

Selling Paso - by Miranda Battenburg Over 20 years local experience Miranda brings strong branding & marketing to your listing Berkshire Hathaway HomeSerivces knows great homes Full service local brokerage Complementary market analysis Represents buyers and sellers Quality properties

Miranda Battenburg Realtor DRE#02131203

800 11th St. Paso Robles CA 93446 805-712-1362 805-237-4700 miranda@sellingpaso.com www.sellingpaso.com ©2021 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.® Equal Housing Opportunity.

If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard this offer. It is not my intention to solicit your listing.

AUG/SEP 2021

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| INBOX

SLO LIFE Adventures Send your photos and comments to info@slolifemagazine.com or visit us online at slolifemagazine.com

DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT, UTAH

SEDONA ARIZONA

MIKE, MARY, EVAN, EDDIE and NOAH ALLWEIN CHAS CARLSON, KATIE CREIGHTON, VAL INNES, and PAUL INNES Here we are four days into a private rafting trip on a trail that leads you past pictographs left by the Fremont People at Jones Hole Creek!

Had to bring a copy of SLO LIFE along for the ride!

LIVE THE SLO LIFE

NUBBLE LIGHTHOUSE, YORK, MAINE

SEAN and FINN HALDERMAN 22

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JACOB DEAN relaxing reading SLO Life!

Love the magazine, keep it up!

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| BRIEFS

235 The number of new electric vehicle charging stations coming to San Luis Obispo County as part of the regional launch of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project. The County Air Pollution Control District says the $2.3 million price tag is being paid by California Energy Commission funds combined with local funds.

“A protected intersection is very similar to a typical intersection, except for one new feature: a corner island.”

A city news release announcing a first-ofits-kind-in-SLO interchange at Madonna and Dalidio roads that helps increase safety for driving, bicycling, and walking.

It features wider sidewalk corner curbs, with a corner island that helps safely reduce the crossing distance for walking.

#1

The Cuesta College Women’s Track & Field team claimed the top spot at this year’s Western State Conference Championship for the first time since 1988.

The Cougars won six events and posted twenty-two all-conference performances.

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The number of cast concrete benches recently created and installed at the SLO Botanical Garden by a Cal Poly Construction Management Team. Other help providing the new outdoor seating came from RRM Design Group, SLO County Building and Planning, SLO County Parks and Recreation, Precision Construction Services, and Botanical Garden volunteer crews.

$170,000 The amount SLO Food Bank raised in June during Hunger Awareness Day, its biggest fundraising day of the year.

That translates into 1,190,000 meals for local families.

“Everyone’s welcome to apply.”

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors is seeking to hire a new clerkrecorder by October. Looking to replace former Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong, the board voted 3-2 to finalize a three-month process for appointing an interim election official. The conservative majority made up by Supervisors John Peschong, Lynn Compton, and Debbie Arnold voted to move ahead with opening the interim position to the broader public and opted not to set any minimum qualifications for applicants, like having prior election office experience or a record of nonpartisanship.

18,365 The number of jobs that Cal Poly supports on the Central Coast, according to a new study conducted by the California State University Chancellor’s Office. Cal Poly also generates more than $105 million in state and local tax revenue.

“Saving a Species from Extinction on Anacapa Island” A faculty research project recently funded

by Cal Poly’s 2021-22 Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities grant program, which is designed to support the teacherscholar model. This project, designed by biological sciences faculty Jenn Yost and Dena Grossenbacher, is one of fourteen that will provide opportunities for students and create knowledge that addresses pressing problems.

126 The number of catalytic converters stolen/ recovered in San Luis Obispo beginning January 2021 as of this writing. San Luis Obispo Police Department suggests parking your car in the garage if you have one. If not, park in well lit areas—motion lights and exterior security cameras are always recommended. If you hear sawing or unusual noises, particularly after dark, please call 911. SLO LIFE

E XPEC T BE T TER

SM

8800VineyardDrive.com Rancho Robles is an amazing, private property on approximately 200 acres in THE WILLIAMSON ACT, with many rolling acres available for planting vines, olives, hops or another crop. The stunning and spacious home consists of 3 bedrooms and 4 baths, a beautiful foyer, a large formal living room, den, office, master suite with private office, formal dining room and a kitchen with full pantry. There is a large covered patio overlooking the infinity pool and a gorgeous view over the trees and out to the south eastern hills. Includes former horse training facility with a 22 stall barn, arena, and pastures.

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Located approximately 1 mile from the beach in North Grover in the highly desirable Grover Heights neighborhood with peek-a-boo's of the ocean! This beautiful 3-bed, 2.5-bath home is ready for you! Featuring a huge master bedroom, master bath, powder bath, fireplace, deck with saltillo tile and living area with a ton of built-in storage flooded with natural light.

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This 13.58 ac, oak studded property features a contemporary style home, two koi ponds, mature landscaping, two-story master suite with private second floor yoga or exercise room with private deck, and detached 1300+ garage.

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| TIMELINE

LOCAL june 1 The San Luis Obispo City Council unanimously passes a two-year, $202 million budget focused on economic recovery, diversity, housing, and the environment.

Almost twenty percent of the total budget, some $39 million, is slated to support the police department, which is the highest budget of any city department and more than $4 million over the department’s 2019-21 budget. The added expense includes a new mobile crisis unit to respond to homeless needs staffed by a social worker and paramedic and expanding 40 Prado Homeless Services Center by 25%. The city will also be hiring a second city social worker as part of the Community Action Team (CAT) to work alongside CAT officer John Klevins, who, according to city manager Derek Johnson, has a case load in the hundreds that he’s unable to fully tackle on his own.

Councilmember Jan Marx also called on the city to address its aging police headquarters on Walnut Street, explaining, “[The building] is notorious in the city for being the crummiest building we own. It is really substandard, and it has been substandard for decades.”

Johnson said that the city will come back in the fall with a further review of project planning and timing.

june 17 Downtown SLO’s Thursday night Farmers’ Market returns to full operations, taking over five blocks of Higuera Street from Nipomo to Osos streets, and adding back food and entertainment vendors that tourists and locals alike have come to expect.

june 10 The National Weather Service moves San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties into “extreme drought” status due to below normal precipitation for the 202021 water year and the compounding impacts from a second consecutive drier than normal water year. This indicates major crop and pasture losses and widespread water shortages or restrictions. Extreme to exceptional drought conditions now cover more than eighty-five percent of the state.

june 16 The SLO County Regional Airport breaks a fortyyear-old heat record, hitting 108 degrees Fahrenheit and exceeding a record of 101 degrees set in 1981.

After the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for both SLO and Santa Barbara counties, strong Santa Lucia winds swept hot air into the San Luis Obispo coastal valley, causing high temperatures at Cal Poly (100 degrees) and Laguna Lake (101 degrees) as well.

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june 18 The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board announces a $5.9 million settlement to resolve alleged violations of PG&E’s permit to use water from the Pacific Ocean in its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant cooling system. The settlement funds will be used for high priority water quality projects that benefit the region. In addition to the settlement money, PG&E has been making annual payments to mitigate the impacts of its discharges and is expected to pay approximately $38 million in total for the plant’s operating years 2015 through 2025. The Diablo Canyon power plant will cease operation in August 2025.

june 22 All fourteen of San Luis Obispo County’s public libraries open to serve the public, with seven of the County’s smallest branches re-opening following fifteen months of closure after staff members were deployed as disaster service workers to support the county’s COVID-19 response.

REVIEW july 2

july 11

Tommy Gong leaves his position as SLO County Clerk-Recorder to take a position as the Deputy County Clerk-Recorder for Contra Costa County.

Elected to his post in 2014, he cites a desire to be closer to his elderly parents, as well as the contentious political environment following the November 2020 election. The Board of Supervisors will appoint a new interim clerk-recorder, and until then Gong’s duties will fall to two deputy clerks.

After hearing from SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow, Governor Gavin Newsom reverses a Board of Parole Hearing decision in March to release Royce Casey, one of three people convicted and sentenced to prison for the 1995 murder of Arroyo Grande High School freshman Elyse Pahler. Casey, along with two teenage accomplices, was convicted in 1997 based on his plea to first degree murder. Dow argued that Casey remains a threat to public safety, as he “has never adequately explained why he participated in such a sadistic and heinous crime.”

july 6 SLO City Council returns to in-person meetings.

Members of the general public looking to address an issue before the council can also speak in-person during public comment periods.

You can also send a written email or video to emailcouncil@slocity.org, send a letter via U.S. mail, or call 805-781-7164 to leave a three-minute verbal comment.

july 8 The SLO County Regional Airport begins overnight rehabilitation work on its primary runway, including upgrading taxiway connectors, runway lights, and directional signs. Preparation for the $13.5 million project began months ago, and the construction calendar was designed to align with the airport’s commercial air traffic so that much of the work will be conducted at night when some flights have been rescheduled.

It’s expected to be completed in early fall.

july 9 California Congressman Devin Nunes proposes HR 4394, the “Clean Energy Protection Act,” that would require the state to issue permits needed for the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to remain open. PG&E continues its decommissioning process announced in 2016, however, that will see its current permits expiring in 2025.

july 14 San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen denies a motion from the SLO County District Attorney’s Office to add two rape charges from Los Angeles against Paul Flores in the Kristin Smart murder case. During the 2020 search of the murder defendant’s home located in San Pedro, California, investigators discovered “rape fantasy” videos as well as pornography that allegedly showed Flores raping an intoxicated woman. Rooyen called evidence of a sexual assault in the Smart case “weak” further explaining, “Proof of the LA charges can’t act as a substitute ... for the SLO case.” On that same day, documents were unsealed showing that twenty-nine women reported Flores’ history of violent sexual misconduct to investigators. Additionally, during the trial, the judge also moves discussion of a subpoena issued for Susan Flores, the mother of Paul Flores, until just prior to a preliminary hearing scheduled on August 2, at which time details about the investigation will be discussed in open court testimony for the first time. SLO LIFE AUG/SEP 2021

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| VIEW

TRAIL LESS

BY MARK NAKAMURA

S 28

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an Luis Obispo is synonymous with open space and an abundance of hiking. So, it won’t come as a surprise that some of the best trails I have explored are hidden right in our own backyard.

Every Cal Poly student comes to know about the hike up to the “P” and Poly Canyon, but there are many more paths in the backcountry of the campus that are worthy of further exploration.

out my Sony with my 24-105mm lens, handheld the camera, set it to “M” (manual), and dialed the focus to infinity, shutter speed to 1/125 of a second, and the aperture to f8. Then I composed the scenery in the viewfinder with the pathway to one side and took this image.

My friend and fellow photographer David Pascolla showed me this new spot to hike out of Poly Canyon. Leaving at sunrise, even though it was overcast to start, I saw the landscape emerge from behind the veil of fog as it dissipated with the morning light. The pathway to the right drew me in.

After downloading the photos onto my computer, using the photo processing software Lightroom, I adjusted the exposure and added some contrast and increased the vibrance a bit.

There are four things I look for in landscape photography: subject, lighting, composition, and the moment. The lighting was perfect. The subject was unveiling before me. I took

There’s always something exciting about discovering a new place even when it’s so close to home. SLO LIFE

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MARK NAKAMURA, pursues his passion in landscape photography as well as capturing the joys of weddings, families, events, and sports around the Central Coast. Find him on Instagram @nakamuraphoto

TRAVELED

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| Q&A

Anniversary Seventy-five years ago, an ambitious and enterprising young doctor named Edison French sized up the empty building on Marsh Street, formerly known as the San Luis Sanitarium, one last time before etching his name on the purchase agreement, the same one he put on the sign out front: French Hospital. Although he was a highly skilled surgeon, he also had an uncanny ability to entice others to the sleepy town on the Central Coast to work with him. While he did not recruit the hospital’s current President and CEO, it would not be a stretch to assert that Dr. French’s legacy lives on in ALAN IFTINIUK, who claims his most important work has been in “bringing the best people here.” We caught up with the executive to talk about life on the eve of his retirement at the end of next year. Here is some of what he had to say…

Let’s take from the top, Alan, where are you from originally? I was born in Detroit, and my father worked for General Motors. When I was around four years old, he was transferred to a new research and development facility in the suburbs, which was considered to be out in the boondocks back then. So, we left the city for the suburbs.

My father came from a very poor Romanian family, but it was always about education and working hard. And, as soon as you were able, you needed to go out and work. Not because my family needed the money, we were comfortable, but because it taught you lessons; it taught you important things about life. So, my first job was arranged when I was thirteen years old. Twice a week, I would go to a friend of my parents’ who owned a jewelry store. My job was to clean all the glass counters and the restrooms.

And what did you do for fun? I was just talking to my grandkids about this the other day, because things are so different now.

During the summer, we were told as kids, “Be home by streetlight,” which meant you had to be home for dinner, by the time the streetlights went on and the fireflies came out. And, so, all of us guys would get together, grab our baseball mitts and our bats, hop on our bikes and ride to the ballpark behind the school. We would play baseball all day until it started to get dark. And luckily, somebody’s mom inevitably would show up around lunchtime with peanut butter sandwiches or something like that. That’s what we did for fun, that’s how we spent our summers. I loved those days.

How did you end up here? I was running a large hospital in Chicago and loving the heck out of it while my wife, Cathy, and I were raising our family, our two daughters, when I get a phone call from a close friend in San Francisco asking me to come out to 30

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join the turnaround team with him. Basically, they were part of a group, which was then part of Catholic Healthcare West, the precursor to Dignity Health, that was buying underperforming hospitals, fixing them up and improving them—in other words, turning them around. I agreed, somewhat reluctantly, frankly, and stayed there for almost five years when I became anxious to return to the Midwest because I had accepted a job to run another hospital in Chicago.

What came next? So, when I told my friend that I was leaving, he said, “Okay, but before you go, do me a favor. Why don’t you and Cathy go to this little place called San Luis Obispo. It’s on the Central Coast of California. We’re thinking about buying a facility there called French Hospital.” He said, “Why don’t you go and just spend a week there? Don’t tell anybody who you are.

And just come back and report to me what you think about that hospital before we make the final decision about whether or not to buy it.” So, we came here and spent a little time and then went back and told him, “Well, the people there are wonderful, an outstanding group of people, the town is beautiful, but the hospital is a mess—it needs a lot of work.”

What did he say? He said, “Why don’t you run that hospital?” And I said, “No way, I don’t think so. I’ve already got a really big job waiting for me back in Chicago.” And he said, “Well, we’re close friends—just do me a favor. Give me two years.” Let me tell you, he’s a great salesman, and he convinced me to do it. So, I said to Cathy when we were on our way back to San Luis Obispo, “Don’t fall in love with this place because we’re only going to be here for two years. I’ll turn this hospital around and we’ll be back in Chicago in two years. So, don’t fall in love with it.”

Well, that was eighteen years ago—we never left, and we never will. SLO LIFE

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| NOW HEAR THIS

Spirit and Skill

BY JOE PAYNE PHOTO COURTESY OF GHOST/MONSTER

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t’s the long, hot summer and everyone is starving for sights and experiences—the food, drink, and live music that defines the SLO life.

Co-founders of the group ghost/monster, Nataly Lola and Jaxon Camaero know that world well. Their “Indiana Jones” map of the Central Coast is drenched in red ink. The duo perform all the way from Paso Robles, Cambria, Morro Bay areas through to the Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, and Lompoc valley wine country venues, from tasting rooms and bars to farmers markets or festivals in vineyards.

For Camaero, who plays lead guitar and sings for ghost/monster, live music is his bread and butter. The swell of support and response from locals for their reinvigorated live music scene after a long hiatus has been humbling and spiriting, he said.

For some audience members, the experience becomes downright exuberant. “It’s like a rubber band, where everything was so tight before and now everyone is letting loose,” Camaero said. “It does feel like we’re back to our pre-COVID cadence. Nataly performs solo, I perform solo, we perform duo, and we perform with a full band. About once or twice a month we have full band gigs.”

The band includes James Yerkes on bass and drummer Alen Doom, Camaero explained. The four-piece plays regular shows at venues like Liquid Nation in SLO, Cal Coast Beer in Paso, and larger venues welcoming in full bands. A sample of music and their list of upcoming gigs are available at ghostmonster.bandzoogle.com.

Whatever configuration you see ghost/monster in, their love of popular music is impressive both for its expanse of time and genre but also their creativity and interpretation. But what happens when a full-time performing cover band is without venue for more than a year?

The group got to work, Camaero said, with the end result of the band’s first full-length album, “new stars/new skyes.” The ten-song collection includes nine originals, with one cover, of course. The

nine original songs are written by Lola and Camaero, and one song by Yerkes.

“We were trying to survive COVID, just like any band,” Camaero said. “It was a confluence of good timing. We were able to all get on the same page.”

Available online through streaming apps and for purchase, ghost/monster’s new album is the confluence of years of collaboration between Lola and Camaero. The two have toured the East and West Coasts in the same way they do the Central Coast, logging thousands of hours of time playing music and performing together. “The genesis of the success with Nataly and I with ghost/ monster is I believe we’re the perfect complement to each other,” he said.

“She’s a singer who plays guitar, and I’m a guitar player who also sings. It’s just like a team.”

Camaero’s lead guitar work is impressive and depthful. It’s easy to play electric guitar riffs from a can, but tell me something I’ve never heard before, something fresh and exciting, and I’m all ears.

Lola’s relationship to ghost/monster as a serious vocal project is impressive, and her originals show her expressing something completely her own. Lola, whose skillful guitar work is almost underplayed by her voice, makes the spirit of each song.

As she should, since she puts the “ghost” in ghost/ monster. The name comes from Lola’s love for horror films and everything paranormal, whereas Camaero craves a cryptozoological conspiracy theory from Nessie to Bigfoot, so he’s the “monster” part of the name. “A lot of people ask about the name,” he said. “It’s like a conversation piece.

Instead of the classic two-name band, like Nataly and Jaxon, it’s ‘ghost/monster,’ which is us and what we’re into.” SLO LIFE AUG/SEP 2021

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JOE PAYNE is a journalist, as well as a lifelong musician and music teacher, who writes about the arts on the Central Coast.

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR |

pro file PHOTOGRAPHY BY VANESSA PLAKIAS

Thirty years ago, GRISEL PUIG-SNIDER handed out yet another fake phone number. But this one was different.

And it’s why she’s here in now, in Los Osos, a place she likens to the tiny Puerto Rican village where she grew up, living off the land alongside her family and neighbors. Today, she runs a business called Left Coast Art Studio where she finds inspiration in teaching others the ways of her grandmother, a medicine woman who crafted remedies with her own hands. Here is her story…

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O

kay, Grisel, let’s talk about where you’re from.

I was born and raised in the island of Borinquen, which is actually Puerto Rico. I call it Borinquen because that’s the native name, the Taínos Indians. So that’s where I’m from, and my whole family is still there. I’m the only one to have left. I come from a very beautiful, very small village called Dorado.

It’s on the North side of the island, on the beach. Everyone around us, our neighbors, everybody there, we considered our family. And everything that we had, we grew. Cows, cotton plantations, bananas, everything that we consumed was grown by us, or the neighbors.

As a community, we were always together.

What did your parents do for a living? My dad used to work for the electric company in the island. His job was always busy because this is a place were we have hurricanes coming every year. We get storms every year and the electricity goes out. We don’t really have insurance down there, so everybody helps each other after the hurricane sweep. My dad would go, in the middle of the night, in the middle of hurricanes, and make sure that the people from the island had electricity. And then my beautiful mother, a native, she actually only went to school until middle school, to the eighth grade. From there, she went to work for this factory that came to the island.

And, of course, she raised all of us, her four daughters.

How was life in the village? My childhood there was a very special one. I remember being very young, maybe five years old, and going with my dad to pick the beans from coffee trees, then coming home and roasting them on a big fire behind the house. It was my job to grind the coffee with my hands.

And then, after that, I would go milk the goat. And we’d make fresh coffee with fresh cream. So, yes, growing up in the island was beautiful. And I owe everything I am today to my upbringing where the culture, and tradition, and community, and music, and food was so much a part of everyone’s life.

What were you like as a kid? Oh, as a kid, in those early years, I was very shy. But, I’ve always had this thing, where I just love people, I love humans. And so, I was always involved in helping in any way that I could.

Sometimes that was with the homeless, feeding them, and then when I was a teenager, I got really involved with helping to comfort people who had AIDS. That was back when people were so afraid of the disease, they thought it was contagious. So, I spent a lot of time at the orphanage to be there with these little kids that were just left in beds until they died. I was very committed to it. Instead of celebrating a holiday, I would go there to be with them, to hold the babies. So, as a child, I have always felt this incredible love for humans. I can’t express why, but I love people. I see so much beauty in others, so that’s all I did. And it was really hard for my family because they wanted me to spend time with them. But I wanted to be with the kids.

Wow, that’s not the everyday teenage experience. What came next? Okay, let’s see, I was going to university, Sacred Heart University. I was studying for hotel administration. And I was also working at the Hard Rock Café, which had recently opened in Puerto Rico. You know, when you work at a bar there’s a lot of people that ask you for your phone number, so I made all of these little pieces of paper with fake phone numbers on them so I could be prepared. I didn’t want to hurt their feelings or make anyone upset, so I’d just say, “Sure, here you go.” So, I mean, you have to hustle a little bit when >> 36

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you’re a girl, right? Especially in the islands, right? And that little trick always worked, except for one time.

wrong.” Long story short, we end up getting to know each other and dating. And, as it turned out, he was from Paso Robles.

What happened? Well, it was my second year there, I think it was in ’92, and there was a group of guys that came in from the United States right as we were closing. One of them said, “I’m from Notre Dame.” And I was like, “What is Notre Dame?” And he’s like, “You don’t know Notre Dame?” And I said, “No.” So, then he was telling me about how he played football, and that they had won some championship. Football is not a big thing in the island, so I didn’t really know what he was talking about. Then he asked for my phone number, and I didn’t have one of my fake papers, so I just gave him my mom’s phone number instead. It was the first thing that popped into my head. I didn’t live with her, and she doesn’t speak English, so I figured that would be the end of it and I’d never see him again. But he showed up again the next day and said, “Hey, the phone number is

So, that’s how you end up here… Yes, we were married for eleven years and had two amazing kids—Ysabel, who is now twenty-one and becoming a firefighter; and, Aidan, who is twenty and goes to the University of Oregon. So, then, a few years later, I was remarried, and we have an eight-year-old boy, Alexander. After the divorce, we moved to Los Osos and, let me tell you, that first day there for us, it was very clear that this was home. I feel exactly the same way that I felt being raised in the island, in my little village. I remember unpacking everything from the car and everything we were going through with the divorce—the sadness, the loss, the loneliness—and being so scared. But I’ll never forget that first day, getting tulips from the neighbors, and cookies, the fresh kale and garlic, everyone saying, “Welcome.” I would try to thank them, but they would say, “You don’t >>

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have to thank us, we just want to welcome you.” It is still the same today. Those same people have become our family.

Now, is this when you launched your company? Yes, I guess you can stay that. It was during that time that I developed my own line of skin care products. I’m actually an herbalist. I teach about medicinal plants. In the island, when I used to live there, my grandmother was someone they would call a medicine woman. And my dad as well.

He and my grandmother worked with plants. If someone was sick in the village, or was not feeling good, or was having a headache, they would come to my grandmother, and she would dig up roots from under the ground and mix them together with some other things to make a remedy. And so, that’s how I began with my line of skincare products, using the same things that I learned as a child, because of my grandmother and my dad.

What came next for you? One day, the owner of the Left Coast Art 40

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Studio said, “I have to be honest, I’m going into the nursing program, and I don’t know what to do with my studio. I think I’m going to quit.” And then she said, “Hey, how about you take over? You like it a lot and you live in Los Osos.” And I thought it was a joke, so I laughed. But a couple of days later, I was saying to myself, “Man, was she serious about that?” I was so afraid to ask her, because coming from a different country, into United States, and trying to have a business, that could be a little bit challenging, and my English was not perfect. So, I was afraid, but I also felt this desire of wanting to create something in this town where I can give back to this community that has given me so much love and support. So, I worked up enough courage to call her. She didn’t answer, so I left a message. One day went by, then another, so I figured that was the end of it. Finally, a week later she calls me back. It turns out that she had been camping in the mountains and there was no reception. We met to talk it over and she said, “I think you will be perfect for this community.” And so, I purchased the business. >>

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How were you feeling? Honestly, I was just so excited. Coming from my background where everything was done by hand, it was very exciting. And to share that with the community, so our kids can get some knowledge, and participate is the best part. And it’s a healing process too. So, my art, specifically, is plant medicine. I do a lot of workshops on how to make tinctures with medicinal plants, how to use plant-based ingredients, like walnut skin, or avocado pits, to create colors for textiles and fabrics. Right now, that’s what I’m teaching again, the sacred art of self-care. We all need self-care. Self-care is not selfish, it’s what allows us to function in life, so we can help our families and others—it’s joyful. And I volunteer, mostly at Morro Bay High School, usually with the biology teacher, or the chemistry teacher, and we will do these humongous group classes, where they will make their own lip balm, for example.

What does your business mean to you now? So, having this business—this beautiful, charming, sacred, special, magical space— 42

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where our community can come to learn skills, and empower one another, and support one another, and walk together into this journey, and cross-pollinate with knowledge and skills, and supporting local artists, from this community. I just feel so blessed to have made it through the shut down last year. And now coming together with the community to heal through this trauma, that we just went through— and create things that, now, are coming with more meaning. So, I guess if there’s one thing that I want to say, it’s just how blessed I feel in this community, to be part of it. We’re a family, and I cannot wait to continue sharing with everyone. You always want to do something better for the collective, for the Earth. However, we forget that the main part is your immediate family, and that it goes from there. So, in my case, Los Osos is my immediate family. I want to find a way that we can be seen, to show the that we can create beauty in this area, and to have a place where we can all heal, and create, and learn, and help one another. SLO LIFE

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| AUTHOR

LOCAL READ

I

Answering the Call of Caregiving

BY BRIAN SCHWARTZ

love the opportunity to meet people whose desire to help others is so strong that they are willing to put in the necessary time and energy to research, write, and publish their wisdom. Whether or not it’s true that 80% of us want to write a book, closer to 1% actually get it done. Add getting a Ph.D. to that, and that percentage gets even smaller.

That’s why, whenever I meet an author, especially one who is also a Ph.D., I can’t help but admire their extraordinary level of dedication and determination.

Edward Smink, Ph.D. is no exception. He’s dedicated the last fifty years of his life to being a registered nurse, pastoral counselor, and executive leader. His passion is to connect with caregivers who are experiencing compassion fatigue.

He compares overcoming compassion fatigue to eating an elephant one bite at a time—and for caregivers, one step at a time. Exploring this process is the question he set out to answer in his book “The Soul of Caregiving, A Caregiver’s Guide to Healing and Transformation.”

They overcome the cultural mores of not trusting their teammates or families; of not talking about their stories so as to be heard; and not stuffing their feelings so as to speak openly about their emotions in how their normal human reactions to abnormal traumatic events affected them.

What’s the takeaway for readers? As the title suggests, my hope is caregivers will rediscover their soul of caregiving. It is not a how-to book, but one that will encourage the reader to reflect on their experiences. After each chapter there are questions that can assist the reader.

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting published? The greatest challenge I faced was believing I had something to say, and to What prompted you to write this book? Reflecting on a life of nearly fifty find a publishing consultant years as a caregiver in multiple healthcare and leadership roles gives me pause that supported my vision. to seek to find a voice and be heard. There are many reasons why one would want to write a book, and as a caregiver, something within me aches to share In addition to being an author, the insights and wisdom that I hold as a sacred treasure. I want to reach out Smink is a certified coach for to all who care selflessly for others. I want to say that the scars or interior caregivers, speaker, and presenter wounds that you experience as caregivers are invitations to rediscover your for organizations seeking ways soul. You are not alone. You are not going mad when your soul aches because to better cope with compassion you have cared. fatigue, burnout, and strategies for self-care. He lives in Atascadero How do caregivers build up resilience? Resilience is built by caregivers and can be reached via his website: developing self-care practices that include reflection on their experiences. soulofcaregiving.com SLO LIFE 44

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BRIAN SCHWARTZ is a publishing consultant and advocate for local authors.

He can be reached at brian@selfpublish.org.

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| ARTIST

PROFILE

Ian

Pines

BY JEFF AL-MASHAT

T

here is Francis Bacon, and there is also Francis Bacon. The Irish-born, influential 20th century painter, known for his dramatic and sometimes grotesque works, is among the many influences of San Luis Obispo’s Ian Pines. But Pines also seems highly influenced by the 16th century’s Francis Bacon, often considered the father of the scientific method, which involves intensive investigation, countering observations with skepticism, refining conclusions, and continuing to build upon learned knowledge.

Pines’ process of making art seems to reflect this method. As he paints, he explores his ideas, which often deal with conflicts between human progress and decay, by moving paint around the canvas, building up layers, and making adjustments as he establishes successful brushstrokes and marks. While he explores introspections on the canvas, he adds to ideas with more paint, and then wipes some away, only to reapply it later as the idea develops further. In some cases, his paintings are reworked over and over for months and even years. There is a delving into the subject matter that some might call obsessive, but upon learning more about his process, it resembles a disciplined investigation.

“I always loved science. I liked working out problems. I enjoyed experimenting and exploring,” says Pines. “The biggest challenge was how long the process took.”

Then Pines took an art class in high school and loved the immediacy of the process: “I was able to explore the universe, and things like the effect that technology is having on our landscape, but with paint, I could work with them in real time.”

Pines creates entangled grids and intricate structures painted with muted earth tones that call to mind organic, bodily fluids, rather than the sleek greys and vivid colors more commonly associated with technology. “I am ultimately interested in the effect that technology is having on the earth and our landscape,” Pines notes.

There is a futuristic feeling to the pieces. At the same time, there is also a malaise that is reminiscent of the landscapes in 70’s dystopian films like Mad Max and the original Westworld.

The influence of 20th century Bacon contemporaries, including Philip Guston and Lucian Freud, is evident.

All, including Pines, are commenting on the fact that living takes its toll on humanity. SLO LIFE 46

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JEFF AL-MASHAT is a writer and visual artist with an MFA in painting from Georgia State University. He lives in Grover Beach.

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| EXPLORE

Glory Days

BY PADEN HUGHES Where did you spend countless hours with your friends during your high school years? So many of us have old haunts that bring back some of our favorite memories. For many Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo locals, Flippo’s was one of those places.

Built in 1963 by the Dickerson family, Flippo’s was a classic roller rink located across from Morro Bay High School—it also happened to be the go-to place for local kids to hangout and celebrate birthdays with friends. After nearly forty years in business, it closed in 2001. I moved to San Luis Obispo as a college student three years later and had never heard of the place until this summer when I learned that two

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friends, Larry Guesno and Von Odermatt, both retired, decided to buy the Flippo’s building located near the corresponding RV park owned by Guesno.

With a plan in mind, the pair set out to restore the heart of Flippo’s by offering family fun and providing a safe environment for kids to enjoy after school and during the weekends. Building renovations got underway but they decided to give the entertainment center a facelift by ditching the skates and introducing batting cages instead. Both owners have visions to bring in pool tables, corn hole, and host a variety of community events and activities—dubbing the place a sports arcade and cafe.

Last week, our family decided to book a thirty-minute slow pitch session to check it out for ourselves.

During the fifteen-minute drive from SLO to Morro Bay, our daughter, Kennedy, questioned why we wanted to go to a place full of cages? And, furthermore, why we would want to get inside one?

When’s the last time you tried to sell a four-year-old on going to a batting cage? Or, even tried to explain what a batting cage is?

But everyone enjoyed it—especially my husband, Michael.

It transported him down memory lane to his Little League days. His muscle memory was strong, and he

TIP! Cage rentals start at fifteen minutes for $14 and can be reserved for up to an hour for $40.

You can book a time slot online at mbflippos.com for individuals or groups.

loved hearing the crack of the bat. He also had fun coaching Kennedy on how to hold a bat and hearing her make contact for the first time. For me, it was the joy of watching our two-yearold, Jackson, drag a baseball bat behind him as he marched along, helmet firmly placed backward atop his head.

While it’s nothing fancy, the return of Flippo’s certainly lived up to its reputation. It will no doubt be a place kids enjoy playing with their friends, making memories, and practicing their swings.

For us, it will always be the place where my kids were introduced to baseball by their dad. And, that makes it pretty darn special. SLO LIFE

PADEN HUGHES is co-owner of Gymnazo and enjoys exploring the Central Coast.

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| ON THE RISE

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Tate Isaacs As a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and an active participant in Future Famers of America, this San Luis Obispo High School senior is ready to take on the next adventure.

What recognition have you received? I’ve received the mayor’s award for community service, I won the sectional FFA SAE (supervised agricultural experience) competition, I was elected and served on SLO High’s FFA officer team. I received a $1,000 grant from the student grant program to improve the school. I also started the mountain bike club at SLO High and I have been the president for the past three years.

What do you like to do outside of school? I ride on our local mountain bike team, practice martial arts at USAMA, and rock climb at The Pad. I like to surf every now and then, work on my car, and go backpacking and camping whenever I can. I also like to work on projects around the house, write poetry, listen to music, and even slackline.

What is one of your favorite memories? I think one of my favorite memories was a backpacking trip my family took up to a place called Cottonwood Lakes. It was an awesomely beautiful place and more importantly I was just a young kid with not a care in the world, just having fun trying to ski down snow patches and jump into freezing cold lakes.

Do you have a career path in mind? I plan on becoming a wildland firefighter during the summer months and then I plan on trying a variety of other jobs during the winter and spring months. I want to become a wildland firefighter because I love the outdoors and the career seems difficult but fulfilling.

If you won $1 million, what would you do with it? I would buy a piece of property and then start a farm and a makerspace where anyone and everyone could come and bring their ideas come to life. This is what I plan to try and accomplish with my life anyway but $1 million dollars would just significantly speed it up.

What has influenced you the most? My parents have always been awesome role models, leading the way in showing how to be a genuine and kind person. As far as experiences, I have to say all the different times I’ve been in nature have had probably the greatest effect on me.

Whether that be teaching me how to be calm in sketchy situations or just allowing for a deep breath and some relaxation—all of my experiences in nature have had their ups and downs but each one is special and has shaped me into the person I’ve become.

If you could go back in history and meet anyone, who would it be? I think I would go back and meet John Muir. I think he had such a profound connection to nature, one that was both insightful, inquisitive, appreciative, and most importantly, infectious. I would love to go back in time to meet him and maybe be infected with just a little bit of his passion and glean maybe just a little bit of both his vast technical and emotional knowledge of the natural world.

What is it that you look forward to most? I am looking forward to all the new experiences I’m bound to have in these next years of life along with all the new things I’m going to create and become a part of as I meet new people and explore new places; and simply just the connections and relationships I will build and continue to grow.

What are your plans after high school? I’m not necessarily planning on going to college right away—I have a feeling I will probably end up going to college or some higher education at some point in my life, but for right now I plan on going straight into wildland firefighting. SLO LIFE

Know a student On the Rise?

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"I adore how my children come home from a school day bubbling over with excitement about everything they did that day. They argue about who gets to share the details of their school day first...it was THAT exciting. And just what is it they are so excited about? In-depth learning about historical events and people, literature discussions and projects, hands on science, math games they love, the creation of beautiful artwork...the list goes on. Such depth and richness to it all. Yes, this may seem a simple answer but it continues to strike me again and again. These kids are loving learning whether they realize it or not."

–Valerie, parent of three

now enrolling at all grades: sloclassical.org AUG/SEP 2021

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| DWELLING

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STYLE

BY ZARA KHAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LALUSH

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A

consistent design style that is carried throughout the interior of a home helps to make it feel cohesive. Oftentimes, the exterior of a home isn’t taken into consideration when deciding which design style to pursue in the interior. When Liz and David Crabtree first moved into their Templeton home eleven years ago, they knew there was a disconnect between the Mediterranean exterior and the interior, but never quite knew how to connect the two.

While a renovation and update were on the list of wants, busy schedules were not on their side. The Crabtrees have always been an active part of the local scene. Widely known for his involvement in real estate, David is the broker with Sotheby’s Realty in Templeton.

As owner and operator of the boutique clothing store, Textures, Liz ran the brickand-mortar location in San Luis Obispo for ten years. >>

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In addition to being an interior designer, ZARA KHAN is also a shoe aficionado and horror movie enthusiast.

| AUG/SEP 2021

sssse — W A L T

W H I T M A N

R A M S E YA S P H A LT. C O M AUG/SEP 2021

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After their children grew up, she joined her husband part time at the real estate office. Things slowed down just enough so that they finally felt like it was time to bring in a designer and come up with a game plan to bring cohesive style to their home.

They appreciated the Mediterranean exterior and wanted to carry it into the interior, but make sure their selections both updated their home and brought them closer to their design style: Modern Mediterranean— transforming the builder spec home into a custom home that was a reflection of their style. They enlisted the help of Arianna Lovato of Honeycomb Home Design to help identify key areas to update. They knew upon meeting with her, she was the right fit. They felt like Lovato really listened to their ideas and her easygoing personality made the process enjoyable. >>

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Initially plans were to select some new paint colors to give the home a fresh feel, but it snowballed from there.

Lovato knew the bones of the home were beautiful, it just needed to be updated and given a clear design identity. They started by integrating more clean lines and classic materials into the home. Bringing in Reggie Brard of ProBilt Inc. for construction, the Crabtrees were impressed by his professionalism and knew he was truly on their team, really working in their best interest.

While the cabinets were still in great shape, and they had no complaints about the way the kitchen was laid out from a function standpoint, they opted to change out the cabinet door and drawer fronts for a new style.

But the finish proved to be more challenging, and it took several attempts to get the new glaze just right.

They upgraded their appliances and with new quartz countertops from Pacific Shore Stones, and a statement pattern backsplash tile from Mr. Tom’s Tile, the kitchen was completely transformed. >>

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TEN OVER is on a mission to amplify local voices working to better our community.

To this end, we are donating the following ad space to local nonprofit organizations in need.

Together, we can leave the world better than we found it.

T E N O V E RS T UD IO. C O M

CHANGING LIVES ONE WAVE AT A TIME.

Make waves with us.

Through the power of surfing and ocean-based therapy, Operation Surf restores hope, renews purpose, and revitalizes a sense of community for our local military heroes.

Our mission has never been more critical in serving our veterans in need. With your donation we can achieve our vision to serve even more people during this crucial year.

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You are the force behind our waves.

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Their dining room was not as straight forward. They wanted to add personality in this space and started by exploring different wallpapers. Lovato wanted to make a bold design statement and suggested upholstering the entire wall for a unique focal piece. This was not only a design element, it also helped with sound dampening. The Crabtrees were on board and loved the idea. They worked closely with Shelli Palma, at Palma Home, to bring the upholstered wall to life. They pulled the rest of the dining space together by recovering the existing dining chairs, adding cornice boxes and new drapery. This is by far one of Lovato’s personal favorite spaces. >>

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In the master bathroom, they retained the original floorplan, but updated all of the plumbing fixtures.

The showers are now designed to be curb-less with no glass and feature a light marble focal tile in the shower and on the tub surround. A major change from the previously dark colors in the home. In the guest bathroom, they completely reconfigured the space, removing the tub altogether and increasing the size of the shower. >>

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CUSTOM BLINDS, SHADES, SHUTTERS & DRAPERY

FREE Installation

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on Custom Blinds, Shades, Drapery & Decorative Hardware Call to Schedule Your FREE In-Home Design Consultation

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*Offer valid on residential base installation of 3 Day Blinds brand products only, excluding shutters and special orders. Minimum purchase of $750 required, excluding sales tax, shipping and handling. Not valid with any other offer or discount. Offer Code CEPC. Expires 12/31/21. 3 Day Blinds LLC has the following licenses: AZ ROC 321056, CA #1005986, CT HIC.0644950, NJ #13VH09390200, OR #209181, PA #PA107656, WA #3DAYBDB842KS, Nassau County, NY Home Improvement License H01073101, Rockland County, NY #H-12401-34-00-00, VA#2705172678 (Licensed through Great Windows Services, LLC). © 2021 3 Day Blinds LLC.

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When taking on a project of this magnitude, Lovato suggests having your team in place and plan in hand before starting your project. Make sure all the selections have been picked out and ordered to eliminate possible delays with material back orders.

Be sure to always keep an open line of communication with your team. They want you to be happy at the end of the project and want you to love the space as much as they do. >>

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The Crabtrees have a few pieces of advice when taking on a similar project. Don’t start until you have a vision and if you can’t put your finger on how you want your home to look, think about how you want it to feel.

They believe that when you enlist a designer and builder to help with your project you need to trust them and communicate well. When asked about the success of their project, they attribute it to the team they put together. SLO LIFE

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DAVID LALUSH is an architectural photographer here in San Luis Obispo.

HOME & HEALTH

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2976 INDUSTRIAL PARKWAY . SANTA MARIA . 805-570-0019 HANSDUUS@GMAIL.COM . HANSDUUSBLACKSMITH.COM AUG/SEP 2021

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BY THE NUMBERS

REA L ESTATE

| SLO CITY

laguna lake

2020 Total Homes Sold 30 Average Asking Price $782,523 Average Selling Price $778,436 Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 99.48% Average # of Days on the Market 12

2021 49 $764,975 $774,536 101.25% 7

+/63.33% -2.24% -0.50% 1.77% -41.67%

tank farm

2020 20 Total Homes Sold $790,045 Average Asking Price $777,790 Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 98.45% 13 Average # of Days on the Market

2021 39 $938,909 $935,061 99.59% 9

+/95.00% 18.84% 20.22% 99.10% -30.77%

cal poly area

2020 Total Homes Sold 13 Average Asking Price $1,027,692 Average Selling Price $1,048,000 Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 101.98% Average # of Days on the Market 7

2021 29 $1,136,564 $1,154,572 101.58% 8

+/123.08% 10.59% 10.17% -0.40% 14.29%

country club

2020 Total Homes Sold 9 Average Asking Price $1,132,222 Average Selling Price $1,090,800 Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 96.34% Average # of Days on the Market 32

2021 15 $1,357,933 $1,366,624 100.64% 7

+/66.67% 19.94% 25.29% 4.30% -78.13%

down town

2020 Total Homes Sold 31 Average Asking Price $952,581 Average Selling Price $925,378 Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 97.14% Average # of Days on the Market 11

2021 53 $946,851 $954,052 100.76% 11

+/70.97% -0.60% 3.10% 3.62% 0.00%

foothill blvd

2020 Total Homes Sold 20 Average Asking Price $844,670 Average Selling Price $844,975 Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 100.04% Average # of Days on the Market 18

2021 20 $925,415 $937,075 101.26% 10

+/0.00% 9.56% 10.90% 1.22% -44.44%

2020 Total Homes Sold 29 Average Asking Price $1,029,910 Average Selling Price $1,006,065 Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 97.68% Average # of Days on the Market 29

2021 35 $1,079,671 $1,119,955 103.73% 8

+/20.69% 4.83% 11.32% 6.05% -72.41%

johnson ave

*Comparing 01/01/20 - 07/21/20 to 01/01/21 - 07/21/21

®

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS

SLO LIFE

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RATE RATE %% 15.00 15.00 14.00 14.00 13.00 13.00

Mortgage Mortgage rates ratesare arestill still historically historicallylow low

12.00 12.00 11.00 11.00 10.00 10.00 9.00 9.00 8.00 8.00

According AccordingtotoFreddie FreddieMac, Mac,rates rateshit hittheir their lowest lowestlevel levelininnearly nearly50 50years.* years.*However, However, this thiscould couldchange. change.

Work Workwith witha amortgage mortgagecompany companythat thatcan canoffer offer low lowrates ratesand anda afast, fast,transparent transparentprocess: process: • • In-house In-houseunderwriting underwritingand andclosing closing • • 24-hour 24-hourunderwriting underwritingturn turntimes* times* • • Jumbo Jumbofinancing financingexperts experts

7.00 7.00 6.00 6.00

HISTORIC HISTORIC LOW LOW RATES RATES 2.94%2 2.94%2

5.00 5.00 4.00 4.00

1980 1980 1985 1985 1990 1990 1995 1995 2000 2000 2005 2005 2019 2019 2020 2020 2021 2021

Let’s Let’skeep keepthe theconversation conversationgoing. going.Contact Contactus ustoday. today.

Donna DonnaLewis Lewis

Ken KenNeate Neate

Maggie MaggieKoepsell Koepsell

Branch Branch Manager Manager && SVP SVP ofof Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending

SVP SVP ofof Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending

VPVP ofof Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending

O:O: (805) (805) 335-8743 335-8743 C:C: (805) (805) 235-0463 235-0463

O:O: (805) (805) 706-8074 706-8074 C:C: (925) (925) 963-1015 963-1015

O:O: (805) (805) 335-8742 335-8742 C:C: (805) (805) 674-6653 674-6653

donna.lewis@rate.com donna.lewis@rate.com

ken.neate@rate.com ken.neate@rate.com

maggie.koepsell@rate.com maggie.koepsell@rate.com

Ermina ErminaKarim Karim

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Luana LuanaGeradis Geradis

VPVP ofof Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending

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O:O: (805) (805) 329-4087 329-4087 C:C: (707) (707) 227-9582 227-9582

ermina.karim@rate.com ermina.karim@rate.com

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luana.gerardis@rate.com luana.gerardis@rate.com

Elieen ElieenMackenzie Mackenzie

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VPVP ofof Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending

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O:O: (805) (805) 212-5204 212-5204 C:C: (831) (831) 566-9908 566-9908

O:O: (805) (805) 329-4092 329-4092 C:C: (619) (619) 300-2651 300-2651

O:O: (831) (831) 205-1582 205-1582 C:C: (831) (831) 212-4138 212-4138

eileen.mackenzie@rate.com eileen.mackenzie@rate.com

matt.janetski@rate.com matt.janetski@rate.com

joe.hutson@rate.com joe.hutson@rate.com

Lisa LisaRenelle Renelle

Zoe ZoeThompson Thompson

VPVP ofof Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending

Licensed Licensed Sales Sales Assistant Assistant

O:O: (805) (805) 456-5344 456-5344 C:C: (805) (805) 674-2931 674-2931

O:O: (805) (805) 335-8737 335-8737

lisa.renelle@rate.com lisa.renelle@rate.com

zoe.thompson@rate.com zoe.thompson@rate.com

Rate.com/SanLuisObispo Rate.com/SanLuisObispo 1065 1065Higuera HigueraSt., St.,Suite Suite100, 100,San SanLuis LuisObispo, Obispo,CA CA93401 93401 SOURCE: SOURCE: “Mortgage “Mortgage Rates Rates HitHit All-Time All-Time Low.” Low.” Freddie Freddie Mac, Mac, 5 Mar. 5 Mar. 2020, 2020, www.freddiemac.com/pmms/. www.freddiemac.com/pmms/.

Average Average yearly yearly interest interest rates rates illustrated illustrated in this in this graph graph areare based based on on annual annual averages averages as as listed listed on on www.freddiemac.com/pmms/pmms30.htm, www.freddiemac.com/pmms/pmms30.htm, based based on on rates rates forfor 30-Year 30-Year fixed-rate fixed-rate mortgages. mortgages.

Donna Donna Lewis Lewis NMLS NMLS #245945; #245945; CACA - CA-DOC245945 - CA-DOC245945 | | |Ken | Ken Neate Neate NMLS NMLS #373607; #373607; CACA - CA-DBO373607 - CA-DBO373607 | | |Maggie | Maggie Koepsell Koepsell NMLS NMLS #704130; #704130; CACA - CA-DBO704130 - CA-DBO704130 | Dylan | Dylan Morrow Morrow NMLS NMLS #1461481; #1461481; CACA - CA-DBO1461481 - CA-DBO1461481 | Eileen | Eileen Mackenzie Mackenzie NMLS NMLS #282909 #282909 | Joe | Joe Hutson Hutson NMLS NMLS #447536; #447536; CACA - CA-DOC447536 - CA-DOC447536 | Luana | Luana Gerardis Gerardis NMLS NMLS #1324563; #1324563; CACA - CA-DBO1324563 - CA-DBO1324563 | Matthew | Matthew Kanetski Kanetski NMLS NMLS #1002317; #1002317; CACA - CA-DBO1002317 - CA-DBO1002317 | Lisa | Lisa Renelle Renelle NMLS NMLS #269785; #269785; CA-DOC269785 CA-DOC269785 Guaranteed Guaranteed Rate, Rate, Inc.; Inc.; NMLS NMLS #2611; #2611; ForFor licensing licensing information information visit visit nmlsconsumeraccess.org. nmlsconsumeraccess.org.

• CA: • CA: Licensed Licensed by by thethe Department Department of Business of Business Oversight Oversight under under thethe California California Residential Residential Mortgage Mortgage Lending Lending ActAct

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We’re the

grilled cheese of mortgage lenders.

The entire team at CrossCountry took a potentially stressful process and filled it with a sense of ease and humanity. Like going in to see your dentist, but then instead of making your gums bleed, he makes you a grilled cheese sandwich.

— Jacob C.

Sometimes our clients say it best.

Call or email today to buy or refi!

Ben Lerner 805.441.9486 www.blerner.com ben.lerner@myccmortgage.com

994 Mill St, Ste 200 - San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Equal Housing Opportunity. All loans subject to underwriting approval. Certain restrictions apply. Call for details. NMLS3029 NMLS2131793 NMLS395723 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. Refinancing may result in higher total finance charges over the life of the loan.

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| SLO COUNTY

REAL ESTATE

BY THE NUMBERS

REGION

NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

MEDIAN SELLING PRICE

2020

2021

2020

2021

2020

2021

Arroyo Grande

154

204

24

7

$813,711

$973,108

Atascadero

171

211

11

5

$590,698

$708,139

Avila Beach

8

18

35

8

$1,158,111

$2,012,583

Cambria/San Simeon

69

98

46

9

$799,966 $1,040,367

Cayucos

27

34

100

8

$1,223,900 $1,479,444

Creston

3

7

52

14

$1,047,000 $1,017,143

Grover Beach

66

91

12

5

$584,220

$701,309

Los Osos

62

71

15

5

$691,952

$835,339

Morro Bay

62

90

53

8

$686,393 $1,036,357

Nipomo

108

158

33

8

$700,593

$815,341

Oceano

32

32

41

6

$556,352

$635,755

Pismo Beach

61

88

32

6

$1,014,126 $1,242,516

Paso (Inside City Limits)

174

250

14

6

$535,149

$590,738

Paso (North 46 - East 101)

27

28

22

9

$663,559

$829,941

Paso (North 46 - West 101)

54

68

52

12

$611,204

$950,010

Paso (South 46 - East 101)

28

38

28

10

$652,946

$830,331

San Luis Obispo

184

284

15

8

$923,633 $1,033,820

Santa Margarita

11

19

37

8

$531,855

Templeton

62

97

36

9

$840,601 $1,060,866

1,318

1,778

23

7

$724,752

Countywide

*Comparing 01/01/20 - 7/21/20 to 01/01/21 - 07/21/21

$800,729

$883,647

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS

®

SLO LIFE

Transform Your Personal Nature www.GardensbyGabriel.com

805-215-0511

lic.# 887028

Audio/Video . Lighting . Shading . Automation . Surveillance 1320 Van Beurden Drive . Suite 102 . Los Osos (866) 633-7000 . www.coastalhomeworks.com

Contact us today to design an Outdoor Entertainment System, just in time for summer !

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Chicory Root | HEALTH

A classic coffee replacement makes a comeback as a healthy powerhouse.

BY LAUREN HARVEY

C

hicory root coffee may now seem like a specialty, unique to the gastronomy of New Orleans, but this plant has a much more pervasive history. From France to ancient Egypt to Africa, it seems chicory has an international culinary and cultural influence unexpected from a plant with bright blue flowers related to the dandelion.

More recently, chicory has been flaunted as an inconspicuous herb packed with powerful health benefits.

With claims of being heart-friendly to

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those as drastic as having the power to reduce the risk of diabetes, this humble plant has a big reputation to live up to.

So what is it exactly about a common perennial that gives it these beneficial characteristics? Today we’ll find out the science behind these claims and where to get your own taste of chicory right here on the Central Coast. >>

LAUREN HARVEY is a creative writer fueled by a love of cooking, adventure, and naps in the sun.

Celebrating 75 years of caring for our community.

This year, French Hospital Medical Center celebrates

health care. As such, we are building Your New French

75 years of providing exceptional care to the residents

Hospital, which will transform the current campus and

of San Luis Obispo.

set the standard for care on the Central Coast, well

Since French Hospital first opened its doors in

into the future.

1946, the facility has evolved to meet the needs

French Hospital has deep roots here, and strong

of our growing community, and is now nationally

partnerships that have formed over our many years of

recognized for safety, patient experience, cardiac care,

service, and we are incredibly proud to serve this great

orthopedics, stroke treatment, and maternity.

community. We look forward to the future of our facility

From the beginning, we made a commitment to provide

and serving you for years to come!

excellent health care for every stage of life, combining physicians from top medical schools, the latest advanced technologies, and safe, quality care for our community.

Alan Iftiniuk

Today, as our community continues to grow, French

President and CEO

Hospital remains committed to being at the forefront of

French Hospital Medical Center

Your New French Hospital.

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RICH HISTORY

SCIENCE OF CHICORY

Chicory is making a comeback. While it may have faded from popularity, only to surge on the health scene in recent years, chicory has a rich, intercontinental history where it was popularly used as an herbal medicine throughout Asia and Europe. “Historically, chicory was grown by the ancient Egyptians as a medicinal plant, coffee substitute, vegetable crop, and occasionally used for animal forage,” notes a 2013 scientific review led by Renée Street. This hardy plant became a staple around the globe, from South Africa, where the roots are “made into a tea for jaundice and used as a tonic for infants,” to Turkey, where “an ointment is made from the leaves for wound healing.”

Preliminary studies on chicory revealed it to be a “multipurpose plant that contains high amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and mineral elements,” notes Street. However, it appeared chicory contained a secret ingredient, inulin.

“Inulin is a type of fiber … a carbohydrate made from a short chain of fructose molecules that your body doesn’t digest,” explains Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD.

In France, chicory became a commercial crop after Napoléon Bonaparte encouraged citizens to drink local chicory root coffee instead of imported colonial coffee. As citizens embraced this local coffee alternative, demand skyrocketed. In his book “Coffee and Chicory,” 19th century author Peter Simmonds, “estimated demand for chicory to be a whopping 16 million pounds around 1860 in France.”

In Louisiana, New Orleans embraced chicory as a coffee replacement when “their port was blockaded during the Civil War,” notes a 2020 publication by Marie Viljoen. “The Great Depression and two world wars propelled chicory into the 20th century, where it came to represent deprivation for many.”

Others embraced chicory so greatly it became preferable to its bitter, caffeinated counterpart.

Now, it seems chicory has come full circle, with recent accolades as a healthful addition to everyday life. With roots as an herbal medicine, and more people growing increasingly wary of the disadvantages of caffeine present in traditional coffee, chicory seems to easily fill a void between the two. Though the science behind the claims is relatively slim, early findings are promising.

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What does this mean for our digestive system? Inulin is a prebiotic, an essential counterpart to probiotics. This means inulin, Streit clarifies, “feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut that play key roles in reducing inflammation, fighting harmful bacteria and improving mineral absorption.”

However, chicory may provide a plethora of health benefits beyond prebiotics.

One study, published in Phytotherapy Research, “... offered an encouraging starting point to describe the antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects of phenolic compounds found in chicory coffee.” Antithrombotic properties mean chicory could possibly reduce the formation of blood clots, pointing to its potential heart-healthy benefits.

The anti-inflammatory aspect can be beneficial to those experiencing pain associated with arthritis. This claim was supported by a study published in 2010, that “suggested that a proprietary bioactive extract of chicory root has a potential role in the management of osteoarthritis.” Managing arthritis pain with something as mild and natural as chicory root is incredibly promising.

However, both studies conducted were pilot studies, “And therefore, considered to be insufficient so support a well-established use indication for chicory root,” notes Street.

However, with relatively mild side effects, chicory root may become an attractive option to try. Chicory can trigger reactions “in people who are allergic to ragweed pollen or sensitive to related plants, including chrysanthemums, marigolds, daises and other members of the same plant family,” says Andrew Weil, M.D., in a 2016 article. Additionally, “consuming [chicory] could theoretically be a problem for people with gallstones, but these are unlikely possibilities.” As with any supplement, consult with your doctor before incorporating chicory into your health and wellness plan. >>

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So how does the prebiotic, antithrombotic chicory root become chicory coffee? The secret again, lies with inulin. “During the roasting process inulin in the root is converted to [an organic compound] which has a coffee-like aroma,” says Viljoen. Roasted and brewed, chicory root looks like coffee, smells like coffee, but does it taste like coffee? “In terms of taste, chicory is unique: strong, toasty, and nutty, with suggestions of burned-sugar,” noted Viljoen.

Chicory root coffee offers that strong, warm, slightly bitter drink in the morning, with additional benefits. Being naturally caffeine-free, chicory root coffee is an attractive option for those seeking a morning beverage without the rush. “When ground and brewed, [chicory] looks and tastes something like coffee, but is caffeine-free, less expensive and doesn’t contain the volatile oils,” says Dr. Weil.

In addition to a coffee replacement, chicory can be enjoyed in other ways. “The leaves of the flowering herb are sometimes sprinkled in salads to add a touch of bitterness,” notes Dr. Weil, “but they should not be confused with the Belgian endive or radicchio, which are types of salad chicory within the same family.” If you can find it in a specialty shop or grocery store, the whole chicory root, can be “boiled and eaten as a vegetable,” says Streit. It’s also common to see chicory used as a food additive. “Chicory root [is] processed for its inulin, which is used to increase fiber content or serve as a sugar or fat substitute due to its gelling properties and slightly sweet flavor, respectively,” notes Streit.

Locally, you can grab a cup of New Orleans Chicory Coffee at Bon Temps Creole Café in San Luis Obispo. Situated near the train station on the outskirts of downtown SLO, Bon Temps serves New Orleans style breakfast and lunch. To savor a cup at home, try the Chicory Mocha mix from Solvang Spice Merchant. This mix features carob and vanilla to create a creamy mocha taste without the caffeine. Whichever way you choose to enjoy chicory, it’s sure to be a tasty, healthful addition to your day.

FINAL WORD Chicory root was traditionally used in herbal medicinal remedies, and is making a comeback as a prebiotic and heart-healthy food. Chicory coffee is how it’s most commonly enjoyed and is available locally in the SLO county area. Ask your doctor before adding chicory to your wellness routine if you have ragweed or pollen allergies. SLO LIFE

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SPONSORED

ENCOURAGING A LOVED ONE TO TEST THEIR HEARING

Peter A. Lucier Hearing Instrument Specialist

Did you know that one in three people over the age of 65 experience some degree of hearing loss? Chances are, there is someone in your life who experiences a hearing loss and might not even know it yet. As an invisible condition, hearing loss affects many different areas of one’s life but is not immediately understood as the root of the problem. If you believe that your loved one may have a hearing loss, it is important to encourage them to take a hearing test. Hearing tests are simple and painless, and they provide useful information on a person’s hearing abilities. Because hearing loss is a sensitive topic, here are a few tips for the conversation.

Do Your Research: Studies are published about how hearing loss affects your cognitive abilities (Johns Hopkins University), how untreated hearing loss may lead to lower earning power, and how hearing loss has been linked to an increased risk of accidents and falls. Before talking to your loved one, make sure you have the facts straight. Check to see the signs and symptoms of hearing loss match what you experience with your loved one. Arm yourself with useful facts about hearing loss that could help encourage your loved one to take a hearing test.

Find a Quiet Time and Place: Hearing loss makes speech recognition

difficult. With hearing loss, people may ask others to repeat themselves or they may check out completely if they cannot compete with background noise to hear. For this reason, it is important to have your conversation in quiet place.

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Speak from Your Own Experiences: Data show that the mere process of aging can often result in social isolation. Add hearing issues to the mix, and those with untreated loss pose higher risks for finding themselves in a dark corner.

They may feel abandoned by the family, ignored by friends, and excluded from activities, all because they cannot hear well enough in these social situations.

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touch with their loved ones and to their communities.

Studies indicate that people who do not treat their hearing loss have a smaller “life space”—they are not as mobile as people who treat their hearing or have normal hearing. Hearing loss interferes with the ability to drive and communicate, and also leads to a higher rate of accidents and falls. By treating hearing loss, your loved one would be investing in their own independence and security.

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Do you or a loved one have hearing aids that are not working to their full potential, or even worse, you have stopped using them altogether?

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| GETAWAY

Desert Oasis

It’s a funny looking name, with a funnier pronunciation: kwee-yahma. But there is something about it, a palpable buzz reverberating throughout the sprawling high desert called the Cuyama Valley. And standing watch over this place not far off the beaten path, a place the locals call The Hidden Valley of Enchantment, is the most enchanting place of all: the Cuyama Buckhorn. Back in 1952 when the area was best known—if it was known at all—as a booming little oil town, the property served as a community hub of sorts. Over the years, the wells went dry and the oilmen left, which put a dent in the local economy. The once proud highway lodge decayed as the population receded. Then, something happened. Husband and wife team, Jeff Vance and Ferial Sadeghian, of Los Angeles, saw something behind the boardedup windows. It was so faint that everyone else had missed it—a heartbeat. The couple swallowed hard before signing on the dotted line and went on to spend years restoring the little lodge to its former glory. Now ready for its coming out party, we were treated to an unforgettable night at the Cuyama Buckhorn.

And, the rooms—a little bit cowboy, a little bit hipster, and whole lot just right! Adorned with custom furniture and a generous variety of everything you need. Hey, wait, is that complimentary Verve Coffee? Well, hello, and good morning!

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Okay, let me just say it, and pardon the gushiness, but the Buckhorn’s bar is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!

On any given night, guests mingle with ranchers, who rub shoulders with bikers, who trade jokes with bartenders that big city establishments refer to as “mixologists.” By the way, you can’t head home without sampling the Sage Honey Session Mead made by the Cayuma Beverage Co. with ingredients grown in the Hidden Valley.

GETTING THERE From San Luis Obispo, it’s a hop-skip-and-a-jump to the Cuyama Valley. They do have a rinky-dink airport for private planes, but you’ll want to pack the car and drive.

80 miles total and about 1 hour and 20 minutes Head south on Highway 101. Then, just before you get into Santa Maria, turn off on Highway 166 East. From that point, it’s probably a little less than an hour. You’ll know you’re getting close when you start looking around at the landscape and saying to yourself, “Hey, this looks like a miniature Palm Springs...” SLO LIFE

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| TASTE

Faves

Need a pick-me-up?

Visit these local spots for little indulgences that bring me joy.

BY JAIME LEWIS

T

this summer, my family embarked on a road trip of outrageous proportions. We rented an RV and crossed multiple state lines, some more than once. We ate ice cream almost every day. We splashed in rivers all over the Southwest. We traveled in steam locomotives, roller coasters, rafts, and on bikes around the rim of the Grand Canyon. Those of us legal to drink had many beers in many saloons.

It was terrific.

But it stands to reason that, after dining out non-stop, I’m not keen on writing about restaurants for this column. Instead, I’d like to offer a few of my 82

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favorite little indulgences available in and around San Luis Obispo right now. Take a walk and grab a petit quelque chose at Sheila Kearns Chocolate and Confections.

Or head to the new downtown brasserie and market, Park 1039, to taste the butter of kings. Or wind your way to Tiber Canyon Ranch, where the olive oil and vinegar elicit rave reviews.

It’s often the smallest and simplest indulgences—chocolate, butter, oil—that make the greatest impact on my senses and bring me the most enjoyment. I hope these will delight you, too. Buon appetito! >>

JAIME LEWIS writes about food, drink, and the good life from her home in San Luis Obispo. Find her on Instagram/Twitter @jaimeclewis.

Chocolates to knock your socks off The first thing I notice upon walking into Sheila Kearns Chocolate & Confections is the cloud of pink petals and grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The shop has all the polish and refinement of a French patisserie, right here on Marsh Street in SLO. The flavors here aren’t typical concoctions you’d see anywhere else. “I didn’t start with a culinary background, so I break all the rules,” Kearns tells me while handing over chocolates like Blueberry Lavender, Wildflower & Strawberry Bonbon, and Chocolate Dipped Hibiscus. The Jalollieberry Lips combine the flavors of local olallieberries and jalapeño. The Cinnamon Roll Bonbon contains a tiny gluten-free cinnamon roll inside. Each is a complex and vibrant nano-work of art, inside and out.

“I searched literally the world for my chocolate,” she says of her base ingredient, made by an Italian company that sources cacao from women-owned farms in the Dominican Republic.

“It’s floral and fruity, and it takes to anything we want to do with it,” she says, adding that her chocolate is also free of soy lecithin, making for a fresh, pure chocolate experience that’s utterly magical. >>

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Have a little bread with your butter

Sous Chef Sarah Carlisle places a wheel of butter before me at Park 1039 market and restaurant in downtown SLO. “You’re in luck!” she says. “We just got a shipment from France this morning.”

The butter is Beurre de Baratte by Rodolphe Le Meunier in Burgundy—and yes, it’s worthy of such a long name. I first had this treat a few weeks ago on bread here at Park 1039, and I’ve returned because, well, I need it.

Beurre de Baratte is bright yellow, creamy, and salty in the best possible way. It almost feels like a cheese, which makes sense as Carlisle describes how the butter is churned by hand with a paddle for twenty-four hours and then molded into a shell made from its own buttermilk.

“Texturally it’s perfect,” she says. I’m typically suspicious of anything someone describes as “perfect,” but dammit she’s right. I buy a wheel for $14 in the Park 1039 market to take home with me.

Of course, Park 1039 does much more than sell butter, but Beurre de Baratte encapsulates the ethos of the place rather tidily: good stuff, made by hand, sourced from all over. >> 84

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All of the olive oil

When locals think of olive oil, often we think of producers north of Cuesta Grade. But did you know SLO has its own olive farm and oil producer right out on Price Canyon Road? Will Carlton and Chris Anderson have been farming ten acres of olives since 1998—and have won some very serious awards—but many local folks don’t know about Tiber Canyon Ranch, or that they offer olive oil and vinegar tastings by appointment.

My family drives out for a tasting with one-on-one access to Anderson and Tiber Canyon oils and vinegars, plus her delicious just-baked sourdough for dipping. She gives us each a little cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as well as Mandarin Tangerine, Meyer Lemon, and Yuzu co-milled oils made with real citrus. We also taste Tiber Canyon Ranch Yuzu Golden Balsamic vinegar and Blackberry Dark Balsamic vinegar.

Everything is pure, full-bodied, fresh and balanced. I think about how most of our meals at home begin with olive oil in a pan, and how much I take it for granted until I taste it, in all its green and peppery glory, in a setting like this. SLO LIFE

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| WINE NOTES

hanging in the balance

BY ANDRIA MCGHEE

B

alance is a good thing. There are good days and bad days. We weeble and wobble, but with hard work, we stand strong. Wine is no different.

When discussing balance in wine, it is often in the eye of the beholder, the general focus is acid, sugar, alcohol, tannin, fruit extract, oak, and texture.

Join us as we meet some local doctors of balance that specialize in either white wine or red wine that will give us a few options to round out our dinner table and complement any meal. >>

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ANDRIA MCGHEE received her advanced degree in wines and spirits from WSET in London and enjoys travel, food, wine, and exercise as a means to enjoy those around her.

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Cadre // Sauvignon Blanc “Stone Blossom”// $28 Sitting with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc while grubbing on fish tacos, I sip, and in spite of the ocean fog creeping over the oak trees, I feel like I am in the rolling hills of Sancerre, France. But this wine isn’t an import, it’s made only fifteen minutes from my house. It is light in body, has great acidity, and is highlighted with flavors of honeydew melon and subtle, warm yuzu lemon.

Heaven in a glass.

For this Sauvignon Blanc, John Niven uses the grapes planted at Paragon Vineyards around the time he was born by his grandfather, Jack. It is special to him not only for that reason, but also for the fact that the grapes are like none other in California. “It’s likely that less than 1% of Sauvignon Blanc in California is grown in a cool climate … Edna Valley is unique and quite different than the California norm,” says Niven. This cooler climate helps the grapes develop their flavors while not compromising the acid that balances them so well together. He and winemaker Shanna Vanderstoel share the love of this style—described on its label by beautiful drawings of seashells, pears, and flowers.

Like fan-favorite Bonny Doon in Monterey County, which grows Picpoul Blanc and Grenache Blanc, Lumina Wines, Ulloa Cellars, Croma Vera, and Claibourne and Churchill are taking advantage of the fog and coastal influence to harness some fantastic white wines including Albarino, Grüner Veltliner, and Gewurztraminer. Give ‘em a whirl. I found Cadre wines at SLO Wine and Beer on South Higuera.

John Niven

Eberle Winery // Cabernet Sauvignon // $50 From the moment Gary Eberle tried a red wine from Bordeaux, he wanted to be able to make one that could steal his heart in the same way. At that time in his life, he was getting a master’s in cellular genetics, but when he took that sip, the needle scratched right off the record and he made a beeline for winemaking. He decided UC Davis was the place to be and pursued his doctorate where he was fortunate enough to work with some of the masters like Robert Mondavi.

Eberle didn’t let one lesson from Mondavi pass him by, including free visits to his tasting room, greeting customers personally, and supporting his staff to the hilt. He looked for areas in California that would grow great Cabernet. Eberle was confident Paso Robles fit the bill. He came from simple beginnings, which taught him to be clever with what he had. He took his skills, a very thin pocketbook, and a U-Haul full of hand-me-down furniture, and launched his new venture in Paso.

Shanna Vanderstoel

Diligently, he made wine, grew grapes, promoted Paso Robles, and took people on board who would further develop the area as a world-class wine region, including local favorite Tobin James. Even the vines in the area have his influence. “The Syrah vines that I first planted,” says Eberle “are the parents of about 65-70% of all Syrah in California today.” He helped make Paso an official wine region (AVA) and learned to fly a plane to get his wine to small towns that would soon fall in love with Paso Robles wine. He literally laid so much of the groundwork that makes the Paso wine region what it is today that he has been called the Godfather of Paso Wine.

Chris Eberle and Gary Eberle 90

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While you may expect such a high-quality wine to be outrageously expensive, it’s a steal—you have to try it. The Cabernet Sauvignon that he holds so dear is smooth and velvety, perfect body, blackberry, and slight cherry flavors, with only a trace of oak to round out the tannins. Winemaker Chris Eberle—no genetic relation to founder Gary Eberle—is continuing the style with his winemaking skill. With creativity and ingenuity they are able to make high quality, fantastically balanced wine, sell it at a reasonable price, and still manage to take great care of their employees. Sitting with Eberle by the front door of his winery, I get the feeling from him that the special ingredient is people. That is how wine should be enjoyed. This mentality is the drive for a great balance in all he does with the winery. SLO LIFE

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| BREW

Spiritual Awakening

BY BRANT MYERS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD MEANEY

I

entered the parking lot of Central Coast Brewing’s Higuera Street location and immediately took a right, heading away from the brewery. That’s unlike me to walk away from a cold beer, but this time it was for good reason. I was heading into the doors of KROBĀR Craft Distillery to chat with the Kro half—Steve Kroener. He was excitedly talking to his latest hire, a chef that will provide upscale fare that pairs with their superior spirits and cocktails. He meets me in their tasting room and immediately starts to line up small Glencairn tasting glasses with five popular offerings, four gin variants, and their golden rum. So far, this meeting is off to a great start.

No sooner was I admiring the smells and colors of the liquid offerings on their wooden tasting paddle, I was invited into the back of the building. Kroener led our photographer, Todd Meaney, and me into the operations center. There we were flanked by barrels, stills, flavor experiments, and brewing equipment. I felt at home in what was very similar to a brewery, but the cleanest one I’ve ever seen. If you’re not familiar with distilling, every spirit needs a base to be turned into the final product. As such, KROBĀR brews their own wort because malt whiskey needs malt. Wort is the crucial liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing process. It contains the necessary sugars that will be fermented by the brewing yeast to produce alcohol. Kroener opens up a large stainless steel barrel and we smell the cloyingly sweet liquid. The aroma is amazing and I remind myself not to stick my hands into everything, having learned the lessons of Augustus Gloop.

Kroener leads us over to a barrel with its head removed and invites to view the triple charred walls and take a whiff of the lingering aromas. I breath deep and almost pass out from the delicious fumes. It was intense but it should be. Barrels not only provide the characteristic brown color and oak tannin flavors we expect of our whiskeys but provide a critical function in the distilling process. The charcoal and wood grain act as a filter by drawing out impurities and leaving flavor and aroma. The expanding and contracting of the wood is an active process that can take years to achieve the desired final product.

I ask him about the differences between working in their Paso Robles location at Grey Wolf Winery and that of their new San Luis Obispo location.

He shares the major temperature fluctuations in BRANT MYERS is a beer Paso with hot days and cold nights accelerates the industry veteran and process by moving the wood more and more often, founder of SLO BIIIG, a hospitality consulting firm. a characteristic that’s not shared with the more mild climate found in SLO. >> 92

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D E M U S CON A PODCAST

Join SLO Life food columnist Jaime Lewis for candid conversations about life and flavor with area eaters, drinkers, thinkers & makers.

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neat, and Kroener shares something so obvious that I’m a little embarrassed to have not realized it myself, but that’s what I get for sticking to breweries.

There is a magical proof number that has historical significance, Navy Proof.

At 114 proof, or 57% ABV, this is the sweet spot where salty consumers could test their purchase before buying. Add a few grains of gunpowder to pure rum, use a magnifying glass to light it, and if it just barely lit it was “proof,” unlit and it was under-proof, exploding into a fiery ball and it was over-proof. A great way to test that you’re not being overcharged for watered down rum and as a bonus it ensured your kegs of gunpowder stayed viable in case your rum barrels leaked in the ship’s hold. Fascinating history lesson aside, these boozy bottles are perfect for cocktails. I love a good cocktail, but rarely use a premium hooch because you’re tasting more of the mixer and diluting the spirit much as you would by adding water. By using a high-proof spirit in a cocktail, you’re able to taste the complexities and won’t lose the investment you made in that nice bottle.

I’m furiously taking notes since Kroener talks as fast as he moves and we’re already being led over to a barrel where he’s removing the bung and inserting a “whiskey thief ” to pull samples of a young, heavily proofed whiskey. There is just a touch of color showing partially from the short life in the barrel and partially due to the previous product that was remaining in the wood. This “devil’s cut” is the whiskey that was absorbed into the wood and remained there until another liquid, in this case the newest batch, is introduced and absorbed into the wood. As the barrel breathes the liquids exchange and the process continues throughout the life of the barrel. I’m thoroughly enjoying my sample which tastes syrupy sweet and is deceptively enjoyable even at 114 proof.

KROBĀR offers standard strength spirits at 80 proof much like the majority of bottles you would find off the shelf in any store, but they also produce a lot of offerings at 90, 92, and 114 proof. I’ve heard that our palate cannot perceive flavors past 70 proof and it’s recommended to add a few drops of water to bring the numbers down to that level.

Seizing an opportunity to ask this of a professional, I’m immediately schooled in a way that will change my spirit drinking for the rest of my life. Kroener breaks it down first by addressing water and the differences in tap, reverse osmosis, distilled, and frozen. R.O. water is stripped of all minerals leaving only hydrogen and oxygen atoms, tap is similar but with the addition of some purifying chemicals such as chlorine, and ice is just one of those with the addition of possibly blocking some flavors and aromas achieved through a room temperature spirit while diluting it. Distilled water is their choice in the distilling process as it leaves some minerality for the alcohol to bind with. As for higher proofs, it is a matter of personal taste preference and ability to perceive flavors, so one can have a higher ABV with their drink if they enjoy it. As professionals, we are able to still pull nuances from the offerings. Kroener and I both enjoy ours either neat (no ice/water) or with the addition of a cooling agent that does not dilute the spirit, such as a whiskey stone, small cubes carved from soapstone. He goes one step further by citing molecular biology and that the addition of water can make off-flavors more pronounced.

No more water in scotch for me!

That’s all good and well for the 80-92 proof beverages, but what about those triple-digit spirits? They taste fantastic, but the heat coming off them makes you wonder if you’ll be curled up in bed for the entirety of the following day. I ask about these, albeit after drinking a few 94

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Kroener’s vast knowledge of barrels is impressive but also highlights his twenty-five years of experience in wine making. He explains which types of wood are used (American whiskey uses American oak) and the various merits and flavors imparted by the use of new barrels, triple charred barrels, second use barrels, and more. Sadly but mercifully, he leads us away from the wood and over to the metal. Kroener talks fast and my notes are garbage, getting more illegible as we proceed. Thankfully, he takes us over to the centerpieces of the whole operation, the glistening copper stills. Apparently, they keep getting bigger as his operation has ramped up from workshop experiments into full-fledged operations over two locations. His pride and joy, however, is an absolute work of art and his own design. Hand-rolled and hammered copper forms the imposing tower before us. I couldn’t keep up with the design processes and lexicon, but I did come away with more respect for the difficulty in not only sourcing the craftsmen that still make these, but the science behind the design.

The large column collects the vapors, the contact with copper purifies it while adding character, and it has to be just the right size and shape. Too small and there’s not enough surface area, too large and the vapors will not concentrate correctly. Add on to that the copper itself is actually lost in the process to the point where it will eventually eat through the still’s walls.

Amazing stuff and a testament to the art form that is distilling.

Head swimming with knowledge, yeah, knowledge, we head back to the tasting room and sit down to the flight. Kroener makes his own candied nuts, a great palate cleanser between those four gins and one rum I was ogling earlier. I work my way down the line, no stranger to tasting flights, going from the mildest to the strongest. The four gins are all vastly different, one has butterfly pea flower, the next a mix of five citrus, then the Navy Strength chock full of botanical aromas, finally the bourbon barrel aged gin with that smoky vanillin char, and lastly the Navy Strength Golden Rum aged for three years in bourbon and rye barrels for a delectably rich molasses nose. Meaney and I both being gin and tonic fans, determine that the strong gin is amazing and would be a great GnT addition to our liquor cabinets, but we could drink the Butterfly Gin neat any day of the week.

It was a great break from beers to be able to experience a new addition to the growing family of craft producers in San Luis Obispo and get a behind-the-scenes experience with someone that can impart a vast portfolio of knowledge.

I not only came away with a few bottles, but some information that I can share with you and better enjoy my next quaff. I recommend heading over after work and grabbing a curated cocktail or lining up a flight of tasters to experience KROBĀR for yourself. Also, if you think I left without walking across the parking lot for a cold beer and some billiards, you clearly don’t know me. So check out this new spot and stay a while. Raise a glass and say it with me, Slàinte Mhath! SLO LIFE

TODD MEANEY is a landscape, product, and lifestyle photographer living the SLO Life with his brewery-loving Great Dane.

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Culture & Events Downtown Farmers’ Market Enjoy five blocks of fresh produce, famous BBQ, delicious meals, entertainment, and more every Thursday from 6pm – 9pm. The mission of the market is to provide a vibrant and safe weekly gathering that builds community and supports local businesses downtown.

Every Thursday // downtownslo.com

Concerts in the Plaza

Returning Home Kristin Lindseth, an internationally exhibiting artist, printmaker, and educator, is a one-of-a-kind, like her sculptures, which are all cast bronze figurative and symbolic works. Her exhibition at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art explores the idea of “home” through sculpture and other media.

Through September 26 // sloma.org

The free summer concert series in downtown SLO’s Mission Plaza returns every Friday night through summer.

The twenty-fifth annual iteration kicks off with the “rock n soul” sound of the Damon Castillo Band.

August 6-September 24 // downtownslo.com

Every Brilliant Thing

Comedy Tonight The Great American Melodrama is back in business, opening its 2021 season with a two-act vaudeville revue filled with (what else!) puns, parodies, song, and dance—starring some of your Melodrama favorites. Jam-packed with laughter at every turn, “Comedy Tonight” is sure to have you rolling in your seat.

Through September 12 // americanmelodrama.com 96

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You’re seven years old. Mom’s in the hospital. Dad says she’s “done something stupid.” She finds it hard to be happy.

So you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world.

Everything worth living for: 1. Ice cream.

2. Kung Fu movies. 3. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. 4. The color yellow. You leave it on her pillow. You know she read it because she’s corrected your spelling. Soon, the list will take on a life of its own. This funny and moving play is a tribute to resilience and hope as it enlists you, the audience, to tell this heartfelt story.

August 2 –September 12 // slorep.org

Art After Dark Art After Dark is a free, evening of art, community, and culture. Enjoy this self-guided tour of galleries and non-traditional art venues (think salons, jewelers, museums, etc.) showcasing the work of local visual, literary, and performing artists. Held the first Friday of the month in downtown San Luis Obispo and surrounding neighborhoods.

First Friday // artsobispo.org

Dr. Arnie Horwitz

She Kills Monsters

Witness the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and ’90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all. This staged reading is performed by student actors in the Academy of Creative Theatre.

August 10 – 11 // slorep.org

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National Motor Fest National Motor Fest fans are treated to an unforgettable experience with exclusive showcases of famous movie cars as well as appearances by celebrity guests while enjoying food trucks, beer and wine, exotics, imports, classics, Euro, off-road, Dynos, helicopters, and much more. A portion of the proceeds benefits the nonprofit charity Along Comes Hope.

August 21 // nationalmotorfest.com

Best of Broadway: SLO Edition OperaSLO’s annual fundraiser includes an afternoon luncheon and a round of Broadway’s best showtunes featuring seven nationally acclaimed singers from Valley Opera Performing Arts and special guest Alba Franco-Cancel, the organization’s resident artist. This elegant experience—not to be missed!—is accompanied by members of the OperaSLO Grand Orchestra conducted by Maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff.

August 14 // operaslo.org

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival Pack a picnic, grab some friends and some lawn chairs, and enjoy a wild and wooly romp of a world premiere at the Filipponi Ranch when “The Rude Mechanicals Present the Riot of the Tipsy Bacchanals, or a Tedious Brief Assembly of Wondrous Hot Ice and Strange Snow: A Love Letter to Shakespeare.” Veteran performers promise sword fights and slapstick, tyrants and fools, lovers and madmen—and more—as the Shakespeare Festival reopens with six performances only.

August 21–September 5 centralcoastshakespeare.org AUG/SEP 2021

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Culture & Events Pinedorado

Cambria’s popular festival comes roaring back Labor Day weekend. The Lions Club of Cambria promises nearly all of the traditional events, including a parade down Main Street, carnival games, kiddie rides, music, dancing, food booths, raffles, and a Wheels in Motion car exhibition on the Pinedorado grounds adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Building.

September 4-6 //cambrialions.org

The Beach Boys

Synonymous with the California lifestyle, and an American icon to fans around the world, The Beach Boys can claim the record of performing more concerts than any other major rock band in history. The group, led by Mike Love, is bringing its eternal anthems of American youth to the Central Coast for one night only.

September 18 //vinaroblesamphitheatre.com

Bird (and Botany!) Walk Explore the birdlife among the lush habitat of the SLO Botanical Garden during one of the organization’s monthly walks highlighting the intersection of birds and botany. Which avian species are drawn to which plants? What’s gained or lost in those exchanges? How can this link shape your own landscaping efforts?

You’ll see and hear a wide variety of avian species as they feed, hide, nest, and defend their territory.

August 26 //slobg.org

Live at the Lighthouse The Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers present Back Pages Band, a five-piece group based in San Luis Obispo, as part of their new Saturday afternoon concert series on the outdoor cliff-side stage at the light station. Enjoy the band’s diverse mix of classic rock, blues, and country music, sample great food, wine, and beer, and even tour the historic site with docents in period attire.

September 11 //pointsanluislighthouse.org

Eroica California 2021

Taste of Pismo 16th annual Taste of Pismo Invites local wineries, breweries, and restaurants, as well as the public to participate in this fun-filled event.

Enjoy some of the best eats and drinks on the Central Coast while you enjoy the beautiful ocean views from Dinosaur Caves Park. There will be live music, games, and fun.

August 21 // pismochamber.com 98

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One of cycling’s most popular events, now home-based in Cambria, features one of the most challenging courses on the Central Coast. While the bikes, built in 1987 or earlier (with or without gears), are the center of attention, activities include vendors offering revered cycling collections as well as gastronomical delights. Routes range from the 36-mile Piedras Blancas to the 108-mile Heroic that offers an elevation gain of more than 8,200 feet.

September 19 // eroica.cc/en/california SLO LIFE

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