SLO LIFE Magazine AugSep 2023

Local Review

REAL ESTATE

Countywide Statistics

Franklin Pond

Fire Chief INTERVIEW

Todd Tuggle

MODERN • CLASSIC • JEWELRY

Get Back

New Spine Center for Advanced Spine Care

If you have chronic back pain, it might be more than a strained muscle. At Tenet Health Central Coast, we expanded our partnership with nationally ranked UCSF Health to provide a comprehensive resource for back and spine conditions. Our experienced team gives you access to advanced care from non-invasive therapy to complex treatment options.

Make the Spine Center your first step to help you get back to the life you want to lead.

Summer Concerts In Mission Plaza

San Luis Obispo Collection has a long history of supporting Downtown SLO cultural events. We’re extremely proud to be the inaugural sponsor of the Singer-Songwriter Showcase, part of Downtown SLO’s Concerts in the Plaza, every Friday through September 8.

Stoppage Time

My wife, Sheryl, loves soccer. And she’s not alone. It’s been estimated that the world’s most popular sport— fútbol —has somewhere around three billion fans. I have tried my hardest to join their ranks, but aside from when Croatia goes deep into the World Cup, the game has just never captured my imagination. For me, I’m partial to a different fútbol—fútbol americano.

But there is one aspect of soccer that I have been thinking a lot about lately. And that’s the concept of stoppage time. At the conclusion of a soccer match, the referee decides how much time was wasted throughout the game and then tacks it on to the end. Whenever a player is flopping and flailing around on the pitch after tripping over his own shoelaces, for example, time essentially stands still. Let’s say that said player went through his Academy Award-level theatrics at midfield for five minutes, well, that five minutes is then added back at the end so that it’s not wasted. Stoppage time.

With two of our three kids leaving the nest this month, I have been silently negotiating with a higher power to institute stoppage time for our family. If I could just get all the time back that I spent brushing my teeth, I’d be happy. Not to mention the afternoons watching fútbol americano. Or the hours reading about Albert Einstein and his theory. If I could have it all back now, just like those soccer players, then, I don’t know, it just seems like some sort of cosmic justice will have been served.

To me, it all feels so finite. So small. Too small. I wouldn’t even call it time, really, but a collection of moments. A whole bunch of moments strung together. Memories.

There was a football coach I had back in high school who talked about this very thing. Unlike all the other coaches, he taught math. But we never really took him very seriously because, when he spoke, his eyebrows would move wildly and independently of one another like something belonging to the forehead of a cartoon character. Plus, his name was Lester. For some reason, my teammates and I thought that was hilarious. But I’m not laughing now. Because, as it turns out, he had wisdom far beyond my comprehension back then.

At the beginning of the season, Coach Lester gave a speech. The same one he gave every year. It was a math lesson. I don’t remember the numbers, but he had calculated the time it took to run the average play and the number of plays we would actually be involved in—“if you’re lucky,” he emphasized, “because many of you will never get off the bench”—and it worked out to something like an hour. That’s it. The entire football season, all the preparation, all the practice, all the grind, worked out to just sixty minutes. And that was for the lucky ones.

Sheryl and I have been lucky. Very lucky. But watching our son, Donovan, enlist in the Navy and our daughter, Geneva, move out into her own place has got me humming the old Talking Heads song in an endless loop: And you may ask yourself, “Well, how did I get here?” And I’m hardly the first person to ask that question: Where did the time go? I would imagine most every single one of those billions of fútbol fans have done the same. It’s a question we all ask. Only a few have come up with decent answers. Einstein, of course, was one of them. Even if I cannot understand his Theory of Relativity, it’s clear to me that time is likely something very different than what we perceive it to be. Probably not a linear Point A to Point B thing. Maybe something with a curve. Or in the shape of a sphere. Perhaps it’s infinite, with more chances to come back around and do better. To take another shot at it on the flip side. I just hope he got the math right.

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!

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

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S. HIGUERA STREET, SUITE 800, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA

ON THE COVER WITH BETH REYNOLDS

behind the scenes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY DESJARDINS

Beth has a lot of “kids”—literally hundreds of goats were out on the shoot. She has named each and every one of them and bottle-fed many of them, too. I had a great time working with her. We shot the photos under Niblick Bridge in Paso Robles where she had her goats grazing on the weeds in the riverbed. It seemed like they were having a pretty good time; there was sunshine and shade and lots of things for them to munch on. We also shot at another location to get some portraits in the golden wheat grass. Beth is super sweet and nurturing, she definitely loves her goats and dogs. I thought it was really cute, one of her dogs always stands up on the center console while she drives. SLO LIFE

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SLO LIFE TRAVELS

SOUFRIÈRE, SAINT LUCIA

LA RIOJA, SPAIN

LORIE JOHNSON and JOHN ROULLARD

STEVIE, RHYLIN, ELLIE, PATRICK, and KELLAN SIMAS

LOLA DUHEM and JULIETTE BROCKMANN

DIANE and ROBERT ANDERSON

BETH RAUCH

MONTEFOLLENICO, TUSCANY, ITALY

PIAZZA DEL DUOMO, ITALY

MICHAEL HUNT

SUNGNYEMUN GATE, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

RYAN STARBUCK

TAROKO NATIONAL PARK, TAIWAN

JOEL FERRETTI

KIM and ROB WURSTER

WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA

JADE BELZBERG

ISLA MUJERES, MEXICO

CYNTHIA SAN MARTIN and PACHY DOVER

TAKE US WITH YOU

LAURA HEIDEN

GENEVIEVE SWEET and LARRY RAMSEY

DONOVAN, HARRISON, and GENEVA

VERONA, ITALY

MIKE and MARGARET BURCHIERE

TREKKING THE GLOBE

WASHINGTON,

MARY PARKER and MADISON BRAKE

HONOLULU, HAWAII

DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA

MYKONOS, GREECE

ERIC HOLMEN and SARAH SINDERMAN

KATE, JASON, JAMES, and WILL BRENNEMAN

ITASCA STATE PARK, MINNESOTA

RICHARD KRUMHOLZ

JANET HARRIS and APRIL LEWALLEN with local guide

SINGAPORE ZOO

THOMAS PAYNE

ADVENTURE AWAITS

PERHENTIAN ISLANDS,

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

MALAYSIA

LESLIE MONACO and the dive crew

PERHENTIAN ISLANDS, MALAYSIA

MAUI, HAWAII

MIKE, SARA, DYLAN, and CONNOR LEEDER

GARY and JENNIFER BAUER

VIRGIN GORDA BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

ASHER and ALEX

WENDY WENDT and AARON KROMHOUT

PATRICK, PAULA, PENELOPE, PEARL, and (arriving later this year) “P” MCGRATH

1. CHARLOTTE ALEXANDER is an awardwinning writer and editor with more than twenty years experience in nonprofit organizations, higher education, and media.

2. Portrait photographer JAEDEN BARLETT loves the beach, golfing, and going on adventures with friends. Follow her on instagram @jaedenb.photography.

3. EMILY DESJARDINS is an editorial photographer based out of her home town in San Luis Obispo County. Contact her at behance.net/emily_desjardins emilydesjardinsphotography@gmail.com.

4. DAN FREDMAN is a SLO native immersed in the wine realm. He prefers LPs to streaming, Mac to PC, Fender over Gibson, and has nothing against screwcaps.

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

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

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

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

9. TODD MEANEY is a landscape, product, and lifestyle photographer living the SLO life. You can follow him @toddmeaney.photography.

10. PAULA MCCAMBRIDGE is an awardwinning writer and longtime editor who has told stories of California’s Central Coast for fourteen years.

11. BRANT MYERS is a the founder at slobiiig.com, a hospitality consulting firm, and Toddler Timber, where he makes wooden children’s toys.

12. MARK NAKAMURA is a wedding, event, family, architectural, commercial, and landscape photographer. Find him on Instagram: @nakamuraphoto for landscape photography and @marknakamuraphoto for everything else.

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

14. Owner of Lonely Palms Ranch, CHRISTA RENEE is a photographer and director, a mother, and a self-described wannabe rancher. Follow her @christarenee.

15. BRIAN SCHWARTZ is the Director of the Central Coast Writers’ Conference and a publishing consultant. You can contact him at brian@selfpublish.org.

16. MARIAH VANDENBERG has a background in neuroscience and is an active photographer, artist, musician, and outdoor enthusiast.

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LOCAL

june 12

The SLO County Grand Jury issues its annual inspection report as required by California law. The report criticizes the county’s Oklahoma Avenue safe parking site, but finds county-run jails and detention facilities mostly up to standard. The report cites “safety hazards” for inmates and staff residing at the Honor Farm of the County Jail due to the proximity of the safe parking site, which opened in 2021. The parking village, the report says, was established “without a clear understanding of the requirements and risks” and “without a plan to operate and maintain” it, and recommends improved barriers and security between the two facilities by the end of December 2023.

june 16

june 5

The SLO County Regional Airport closes temporarily to commercial flights as it undergoes three days of scheduled routine maintenance. During the closure, airport repairs include replacing sealant between joints in the concrete area where commercial airplanes park between landing and takeoff, repairing the asphalt between the parking area and the plane taxiway, and repainting the markings on the surface of the terminal apron. Private aircraft are allowed to land on the runway during the three-day maintenance process.

In response to growing demand for travel between San Luis Obispo and Las Vegas, Alaska Airlines and SLO County Regional Airport officials announce that daily, non-stop flights using a seventy-six-seat Embraer E175 to Las Vegas will begin taking off from the airport on December 15. Alaska has been offering flights from San Luis Obispo to Seattle, San Diego, and Portland, and says Las Vegas is one of the most popular destinations that does not currently have nonstop service. The airport says 2023 is projected to be the busiest year in the airport’s history.

june 8

The SLO County Arts Council announces Central Coast Creative Corps grants to twenty-three Central Coast organizations, including Lumina Alliance and RACE Matters SLO in SLO County. Each nonprofit receives $140,000 to work with a Central Coast-based artist or culture bearer for one year, with $20,000 for program administration, $20,000 for supplies and materials, and $100,000 as artist compensation for full-time work with the organization producing a sustained outreach and engagement campaign addressing civic engagement, public health, social justice, or climate resilience.

june 19

The City of San Luis Obispo selects the head of Arroyo Grande’s management team to be its new assistant city manager. After a nationwide search, Whitney McDonald will join the City of SLO team on August 14, bringing with her a track record of proven leadership and a wealth of local experience in various public service roles. As the city manager for Arroyo Grande, McDonald manages various departments, and in her new role she will oversee the Community Services Group, including the departments of Public Works, Utilities, Community Development, and Parks and Recreation. Current assistant city manager Shelly Stanwyck retires in August after serving the city for twenty-three years.

REVIEW

july 11

SLO County Supervisors approve an extended employment contract with retired Kern County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Cambria resident John Nilon to serve as County Administrative Officer until May 1, 2024 at a rate of $28,075 per month. He was appointed on an interim basis on May 2 of this year for three months, but after his assessment of the County’s current situation, Supervisors agreed he should be given time to move several strategic initiatives forward. A nationwide recruitment to fill the permanent CAO role is set to begin in early 2024.

july 1

Public parking rates in the City of San Luis Obispo increase to pave the way for community-building projects, to support the long-term vibrancy of the downtown area, and to ensure that parking services are not subsidized through taxes or business fees. Two-hour street parking in the main downtown core is now $4 per hour, up from $2. Ten-hour street parking in the outer downtown area is $3 per hour, up from $1.50. Structure parking is $3 per hour with a maximum daily rate of $12.

july 11

The SLO County Board of Supervisors unanimously votes to allow PG&E to spend nearly $2.5 million on an environmental impact report on the decommissioning of Diablo Canyon. The report is expected to analyze how shutting down California’s last nuclear power plant could affect the environment if the 2,200-megawatt plant is decommissioned. However, California has allocated $1.4 billion to allow Diablo Canyon to stay open through 2030, the U.S. Department of Energy has conditionally approved a $1.1 billion grant for continued operations, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has indicated that PG&E could continue operating past 2024 and 2025 if it submits a valid license renewal application by the end of this year.

july 14

july 6

The Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market, opened in 1983, celebrates its fortieth anniversary with a block party at the intersections of Higuera and Chorro Streets and Higuera and Garden Streets during the regular Thursday evening farmers’ market. Events include a showcase of the market’s history through photos and news clips, a 360-degree photo booth, giveaways such as California Mid-State Fair tickets, an interactive exhibit of community members’ memories at the market, and a 1980s-themed karaoke party. SLO LIFE

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County continues marking its twenty-five-year anniversary with a summer picnic at Cuesta Canyon County Park in SLO to recognize its donation of $100,000 throughout the year to benefit a score of local programs and nonprofits. The public celebration serves as an expression of appreciation for the invaluable contributions of donors, volunteers, and nonprofits to the community, and showcases the positive impact achieved through their collective efforts. Thanks to continued contributions from SLO County supporters, the Foundation has reinvested $66 million back into the community via grants and scholarships since it was founded.

The year that the City of SLO Climate Action Plan has set as a goal to reach communitywide carbon neutrality. It’s a bold target, one of the most ambitious in the nation, that will require residents to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and to offset any remaining emissions.

40 Years

San Luis Sourdough has been producing the same classic sourdough bread in San Luis Obispo, using the same sourdough starter, since 1983. That’s forty years of feeding the original starter every day for 365 days a year. The operation has grown into a 125-person effort that now produces more than twenty-five million loaves a year.

$13.4

Million

San Luis Obispo County’s share of the $199 million in state funding that Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in June, which will help move residents of homeless encampments into housing. The Encampment Resolution Fund money will be distributed to a total of twentythree projects across the state to help more than 7,300 people escape “flood and fire danger zones.”

Ken Pulskamp, Executive Director of the California City Manager’s Foundation, praised SLO City Manager Derek Johnson, who was featured in a recent “Profiles in Management” article published by the Foundation. It’s part of a series highlighting city officials who display strong leadership and make a positive impact on the communities they serve.

In May, Paul Flores filed a notice of appeal with California’s Sixth District Court seeking to overturn his conviction of the murder of Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart, following ten other attempts to restart the legal proceedings in the case. His attorney filed for a mistrial nine times before Flores was convicted, then filed a motion for a new trial before sentencing.

P.I.E.R.

The number of new businesses that volunteers with SCORE in San Luis Obispo helped create last year, generating 180 new jobs. More than two dozen local SCORE mentors donated their time and expertise to help entrepreneurs start small businesses and strengthen the local economy.

The Association of Amputee Surfers, known as AmpSurf and the Para Surf League, is an international nonprofit organization established to Promote, Inspire, Educate, and Rehabilitate all people with disabilities, veterans, and first responders from around the world through adaptive surf therapy and other outdoor activities. This spring they set up their global headquarters in Pismo Beach.

BESS

The Battery Energy Storage System that SLO County Public Works has installed at the Lopez Water Treatment Plant. The system, procured at no cost to the county through the California Public Utilities Commission Self-Generation Incentive Program, allows local officials to manage and reduce electricity use and costs and to be resilient in backup power infrastructure.

Cal Poly Creamery’s Triple Peak brie won top honors at the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge’s “Best of” competition in New York this spring, competing against 30 other entries. The student-produced cheese can be purchased along with other Cal Poly Creamery dairy products at local markets.

“We reached out to Derek because we were impressed with his leadership.”

Ketamine infusions were something I had been curious about, but too fearful to try until I found Innerbloom Ketamine

pain, depression, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, and more.

We believe psychotherapy helps with preparation and integration—which are essential to achieving lasting benefits. We are proud to collaborate with local licensed therapists, like Cindy Nelson LMFT, who have experience with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy or KAP.

Ray Rivas MD with Eli (EH-lee), IKT’s ambassador and good girl

ROOM TO ROAM

Santa Margarita Ranch has always been a topic of conversation during the thirty-seven years that I have been living in San Luis Obispo, but it wasn’t until I was hired to photograph some clients ziplining across the vineyards that I discovered the vastness of this 14,000-acre working cattle ranch—163 Disneylands can fit into this property. What’s more, it is one of the longest-running cattle operations in the state, which started in the 1700s.

I was surprised by the extent of the property, which surrounds the town of Santa Margarita, when I went on a tour of just a fraction of it. I took in the sights of a vineyard, a ziplining course, a quarry, a small man-made lake, several wedding venues, and some of the best views on the Central Coast—and I still hadn’t seen the property in its entirety.

The ranch was home to the Salinan and Chumash tribes, who hunted and gathered in the area for thousands of years before being settled by Franciscan missionaries in the 1770s as part of the Mission Trail. During that time, the padres introduced viticulture and farming and brought in cattle, sheep, and horses.

A twenty-six-year-old ranchero, Joaquin Estrada, was granted the ranch in 1841 and become known for hosting rodeos and fiestas. In 1861, Estrada sold the ranch to the Murphy family, largely due to debt. This was only eleven years after the State of California took the thirty-first seat and joined the union. Since 1999, the ranch has been owned by three winegrowing and ranching families: the Filipponis, the Rossis, and the Wittstroms.

During my time visiting the ranch, climbing to the top of one of the ridges, I could see much of the layout of the property, including the town of Santa Margarita, the road and valley leading to Pozo, and the rolling hills. Stationed at my perch, I could look down on Cuesta Grade and see some of the Seven Sisters, as well as San Luis Obispo.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the ranch, whether for ziplining or a wedding, wine tasting or sightseeing, it’s worth a stop. Enjoy the spectacular sites right here in our backyard.

BY MARK NAKAMURA SLO LIFE

TODD TUGGLE

We stopped by the station a few days ago for a wide-ranging visit with TODD TUGGLE, San Luis Obispo’s fire chief, now just eight months into his tenure. Here are a few highlights from our conversation . . .

Okay, Todd, let’s talk about where you’re from; what was your childhood like? I was born and raised in San Diego. My parents divorced when I was four, so I grew up bouncing around between them. And so, it was challenging. They did the best they could, and it was fine. I was a bit of a mess to be honest with you. It definitely wasn’t an idyllic childhood, but I had a lot great people in my life. My dad was, still is, somebody I’ve always looked up to. I remember when I was really young, we had a library in our house. It didn’t matter if it was Roots by Alex Haley or SLO LIFE Magazine, he was always reading. And both of my parents were adamant about me going to college, the first in the family. I was really immature at the time and needed to grow up. I tried to get on in baseball but had a very short-lived career after breaking my collarbone mountain biking. But I was in ROTC at Cal Poly, and it’s just what I needed.

What branch were you in? Army. I was commissioned in the reserves as a lieutenant. Then I worked in the tech industry for a company called First Medical. We made the machines that are now common in hospitals; they help doctors determine whether or not you’ve had a heart attack. I loved it. It had a bigger purpose, but ultimately it was bought up by a giant conglomerate corporation and they shut our lab down and moved it somewhere else. This was around the time of 9/11 and all these things were coming together to create a real paradigm shift. I had already been thinking about getting into firefighting because I couldn’t stop asking myself the question, “Are you really doing something that matters?” And so, when we all got laid off in 2002, I saw it as a chance to give it a shot.

How old were you at the time? I was thirty years old the first day I worked on the floor as a firefighter. It was the best day of my life. The thrill of it is unreal. I mean, the adrenaline rush is through the roof, but it’s not for your benefit, it’s for the benefit of somebody else. You see people on their worst days, and you have a chance to make it a little bit better. You

have a chance to make a difference. So, now, it’s been twenty years in the fire service. It’s been an unreal experience to get to do something you love and have an impact on people. My role is different now, of course. I’m here in the office watching the trucks go out instead of going out with them. It’s about leading the people of the organization—we have amazing people working here, an incredible group—and then bringing all of us into alignment with the needs of our community.

What do you see as an emerging threat when it comes to fire safety? San Luis Obispo is getting increasingly dense. We’ve had a no growth policy for a long time. But the last six or seven years have seen a significant investment in growing the community, which has all happened within the bounds of the thirteenand-a-half-mile city limits. Our green belts around us are bordering on sacred to the people here, as they should be because they’re a big part of what creates such a high quality of life for us all. And so, within our boundaries, we are going to continue to see densification occur as we grow. To do that, you’ve got no choice, but to go up [with taller buildings], which you’re seeing more and more around town. And there are plenty of studies that show it’s the most efficient use of space for residential. But for us, as a fire department, it brings a different level of training and expectations for performance when it comes to intervening should we have fire or other life hazards.

And what about you personally? What do you hope to accomplish as fire chief? For me, it’s about growing leaders, so that the day I step off the boat, right behind me, pushing me out of the way, waving goodbye, and looking ahead is the next generation of leadership that’s ready to carry the baton, ensuring there is a seamless transition from one leadership group to the next. And I think that’s something that [former fire chief] Keith Aggson would say, which is, “Hey, I found somebody who took the ball and ran with it, and everything that we were doing before just kept right on

Dead Magic

BY JOE PAYNE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUKAS AUSTIN

Don’t let the bright-eyed and baby-faced band fool you, the songs coming from this San Luis Obispo County group aren’t bubblegum and sunny days. The band Dead Magic hits, and hits hard, with their debut album “True Medicine,” an honest rumination over lives and illusions lost in the blistering cold of early adulthood. It isn’t the life, music, or album that lead singer/songwriter and guitarist Noah Colton envisioned as a teenager hungry for chances to perform in SLO County and beyond, but it’s where he finds himself now, cutting a harder tone and heartfelt lyricism in his music.

“Any established music scene, whether it’s in the ‘90s grunge music in Seattle or the ‘80s punk scene in Minneapolis, music is always reflective of the culture of the people that are making it,” Colton said. “Dead Magic is a reflection of where I’m at emotionally . . . from what I read and what I witness on social media or the stuff that’s going on in the world or what’s going on in my social life. I know other people feel just as strongly as I do, they just don’t express it in the way that I do.”

Lost innocence is at the heart of Dead Magic, a name that came to Colton after staring at Christmas lights one year and realizing the spark of excitement he once felt was no longer there. But Colton isn’t simply lamenting lost innocence, but wrestling with serious demons that haunt so many young creatives.

The opening track “Samsara,” for instance, was written in tribute to a friend lost to suicide. The closing track, “Passage,” is dedicated to the life of his friend and longtime collaborator Andrew Rubin whose life was tragically cut short years ago. Colton shines in the vocals, bearing all as he sings: A teenage scheme you dreamt up long ago/But your fantasy didn’t make it to the show/A friend’s farewell found dead upon the floor/The resting place for always wanting more.

“A lot of these songs came out of the grieving process,” he said. “Going through the loss, going through the anger. Losing my best friend really woke me up to life . . . from my own little daydream I had been living.”

But don’t let the name fool you either—Dead Magic is alive. You can hear it in Colton’s emotive lyrics and carefully composed harmony, but he’s not alone. The band thrives as a unit, with the crisp yet gritty guitar work of Jake Scurria, full bass of Joe Johnsson, and driving drums of Connor Martin. “True Medicine” also welcomes guest collaborators like Greg Lou on horns and Amanda Mei on vocals, giving the album a variance and texture across the tracks.

Everyone involved, Colton explained, has helped him realize and express feelings once trapped inside. “Art is supposed to help and heal and soothe people, that’s always been its purpose whether it’s a form of escapism or a reality check. But I think the only way of getting to something of intrinsic value is being vulnerable.” SLO LIFE

pro file

While she admits to sometimes daydreaming about working a simple nine-to-five at some faraway tropical resort, the truth is BETH REYNOLDS has never been able to get away from the goats. She says she’s too much like them. Or they’re too much like her. One way or another, the woman who is known locally as the Goat Girl is inextricably linked with the ravenous herbivores. Although she has been in business now for twenty years clearing Central Coast hillsides, she has never stopped learning along the way. And teaching. A few years ago, as she was earning her MBA, Cal Poly took note of the innovative work she was doing and asked her to join the faculty where she now takes learn by doing to a new level managing the university’s sheep and goat unit, while also putting her own goats—nearly 2,000 of them— out to pasture. Here is her story . . .

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY DESJARDINS

Okay, Beth, let’s start from the beginning. Where are you from?

I grew up in Camarillo, Ventura County. Had a typical great childhood with ponies, did a lot of 4-H, which brought a lot of animals into my life. I have an older sister and a younger sister. My mom worked for a water company. My dad commuted to Palmdale to work at Lockheed Martin. We lived in a rural area, the Santa Rosa Valley, and there were all these lemon orchards and ranches. I used to take my dog and just take off for the day. I’d go up these canyons. My parents had no idea where I was, but I loved going on adventures with my dog. They always told me that she had to be on leash, but as soon as I was past our house and out of sight, I’d let her off leash and just go.

When did you first get involved in 4-H?

I think I was like six. It was Mother’s Day, and my mom is notorious for taking us on an unknown adventure on Mother’s Day. So, she told my dad to drive to Ventura and up this driveway, and, at the top of the hill, there were some goats. And my dad was like, “Oh, Debbie, what is this? We don’t need more animals.” There was a bottle-fed baby that needed to be raised. And my sister and I both said, “Oh, we love it!” So, that guy, who gave us the goat, told us about 4-H. My mom looked into it and basically started a dairy goat club in our area. So, that was my childhood—goats—until probably around sixteen when I became more interested in music and boys. But the goats were definitely a lot of my childhood growing up. I’d milk the goats before school, and then again after school before I could hang out. Couldn’t do sleepovers because I had to milk my goats. I’d get out of school to go to goat shows, get out of school for babies being born. And my mom would take time off work to take care for them, too.

So, this was the beginning of your love of goats.

I have never said I love goats. I just felt like they fell into my life, and we got along. I guess I relate to them. They’re trouble. They’re mischievous. They like pushing boundaries. So, I think that I subconsciously connect with that. Yeah. I see it every day; it’s in their nature. I’ll get a call because they got out somehow, they knocked over a fence or something, and I’m not usually mad, but I’m like, “Really guys?” They drive me crazy sometimes because they’re trouble, but I also definitely enjoy it. They keep it interesting. They’re cute. They’re fun. Playful. Growing up, my little sister had this Little Tikes playhouse with a phone and windows and doors, but we eventually gave it to the goats. We’d play hide and seek with them. So many great memories of having goats in the yard. And then,

other than that, I rode horses. I was allowed to take my pony for rides after school, and we backed up to these really fancy estate houses with trails and an arena. I wasn’t supposed to go over there, but I did pretty much every day. I would ride the trails and go see my friends.

So, then you moved to San Luis for college, went to Cal Poly?

Yes, that’s right. Started in Animal Science. I wanted to be a vet because that’s what you do when you love animals, you be a veterinarian. So, I went to a vet tech class, and at my first lab in the clinic they had cut open a draft horse that had just died. The organs were all bloated, there were flies everywhere. The professor said, “Just get in there, check it out; have a look at the brain.” I stood in the doorway whispering to myself, “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to do this.” I asked the teacher to be dismissed then walked straight over to my academic advisor’s office and told him, “I just saw a dead horse. I don’t want to be a vet. What else can I do in animal science?” He thought for a minute then said, “You could do Range Management. And I said, “What’s Range Management?” He explained, “Well, it’s soil and plants and managing the landscape.” I told him, “Alright, I’ll do that.”

What was that like?

I got into these soil classes, which were so cool. I met a professor there who taught land management—ecosystems and biodiversity. He talked about using goats to manage landscapes. I was intrigued. Kept learning, kept taking classes. Then, one summer, I saw goats on campus. I asked around and learned that Cal Poly had hired someone to bring his goats out to graze, to do a firebreak behind the dorms. I went out there to introduce myself to this guy, an older gentleman named Howard, and he said, “Yeah, I have 150 goats and five Border Collies.” He offered me a summer job. This was twenty years ago now, 2003. It was fifty bucks a day, and he just threw me out there. We didn’t use electric fencing back then. It was all T-posts and wire. So, he would leave me out there to basically pound posts and push around a 330-foot roll [of wire], building fences only to take them down three days later. I got some big guns out of that summer, a lot of hard work. And then, later on, it turned into my senior project.

Did

you continue as an employee also?

Yes, I worked with Howard again the next summer. And as I was getting close to graduation, I had no plan, no idea what I was going to do. I thought about being a park ranger, mostly because I knew I wanted to be outdoors. And then, one day, Howard said, “Well, why don’t you do this? Why don’t you buy everything from me?” And I’m like, “No.” The idea had not crossed my mind at all. But he kept asking me, “You given it any thought?” I always said the same thing: “How would I do it? How would I run 150 goats, handle the Border Collies, and drive the truck and trailer?” I just worked with him as an employee. But he always said, “You can do it. You can do it.” He told my mother the same thing, told her I was very good at this and that he thought they should buy him out and he would help me get started and that this is what I should do. So, they basically teamed up and pitched it to me. My parents told me they would be

willing to basically front the $50,000 to buy him out, then I would run this business. And I was like, “Okay.”

So, when exactly did this all happen?

The day after I graduated. I signed the papers and got started. Howard was pivotal—he has unfortunately passed away and I miss him terribly— but I just never would’ve believed in myself without him. My parents, they’re not self-employed people. It’s still terrifying to them to do something like this. But he was just so sure, so confident. And he had skills. I’m very mechanical, I like working with my hands. I like fixing things. My dad taught me how to check my oil and that was about it. But with Howard, I learned how to use a chainsaw, how to work a Border Collie, how to drive the truck and trailer, how to fix things. His thing was always, “No, we’re not going to call the mechanic. Let’s get under there. Let’s take it apart. Let’s fix it ourselves.” I’m like, “What? We’re going to take the tractor apart?” He opened up this whole other side, a new set of

skills, a different way of thinking about things. And, it just clicked for me. The animals, the land, the mechanical stuff. All of it.

Was it smooth sailing right out of the gate?

No, not at all. That first day I got into an accident. It was right after I signed the contract and handed over the check. I was getting off the freeway—this was the first time I had ever driven the truck and trailer by myself—and this girl drove right into my front axle, which made the trailer jackknife and go sideways. It was terrifying. Fortunately, there were no goats on board, only some fencing material. But I got a harsh lesson right off the bat, the danger of driving a truck and trailer. I had driven it plenty, but never by myself. Luckily, there were witnesses there who saw everything. She was under the influence and had a convict with her. So, anyway, that was day one. I was already feeling nervous and, of course, when my parents heard about it, they were like, “Oh, my God, we made a horrible decision helping our daughter get into this >>

"I really appreciated Graham's honesty; if there was a concern with a location or if he thought the price was high, he would absolutely let me know. I had 100% con dence that his goal was to get me a home I was happy with, not to make a quick sale. When I nally found my dream spot, he was there every step of the way to support me and help the paperwork go through. I couldn't be happier in my new home!".

- Kelly Bodwin, San Luis Obispo

PHOTO CREDIT: LUKE TYREE PHOTOGRAPHY

business.” Fortunately, I haven’t had an accident since. But now, I don’t trust anyone, and just go slow and really pay attention.

But then things got on track, right?

Well, no, not exactly, it was pretty harsh. Growing the business was tough because people didn’t feel like it worked. There was a lot of proving the concept. I did take over the contract with Cal Poly, and he had some creek work with the City of SLO that I continued, but expanding beyond those accounts was very difficult. It was just such a foreign concept. But no matter what, you’ve got these animals to take care of. So, it was a long road, and I did whatever I could to make money, which sometimes required selling some goats. The goat market wasn’t very good when I started. It’s tripled since. Then I got a ranch in Avila, 1,000 acres that I started to grow the herd on and pretty quickly got to 300 head. And that was big. Then, I went up to 600, but that was too scary. So, it went back down. I did a couple of projects for the Fire Safe Council, but

it was only for one year, and that was it. And so, as a business, it was very difficult. I didn’t have any long-term contracts. There were good years and bad years. Making it profitable was a challenge, so I met with some small business advisors, and they said, “Well, you’ve got to get employees. You’ve got to get more equipment. You need to invest.” And that just scared me because I didn’t know where that income was going to come from. People have suggested that I franchise the business and do smaller, residential jobs, but then you’re moving the goats around constantly and they get stressed. They’re going from job site to job site every few days, which is not ideal.

Let’s talk about your nickname. How did you get it?

My business was actually called Green Goats for a long time, but people always said, “Oh, you’re the girl with the goats. You’re the goat girl.” I’m like, “Ugh.” I just thought of it like cat lady, or something like that. Nobody wants to be called a cat lady. I didn’t like it, the >>

whole Goat Girl thing. But then, one day, I was out on Los Osos Valley Road at Beth David Church putting in some fencing, and somebody leaned out of their car window and yelled, “We love the Goat Girl!” And, I just sort of shook my head and said, “Ah, man, that moniker is never going away.” Around the same time, I started taking some business classes and I realized that, hey, wait a second, this is actually a good thing, you’re branded. What more could you want? Everyone who knows you already thinks of you as the Goat Girl anyway, so just go with it. And so, I made a big banner that said, “Call the Goat Girl for all your vegetative needs.” And that was it.

And what exactly are the benefits of using goats to clear land? Well, let’s say you’re, mowing; you’re basically just chopping the vegetation in place, not to mention the fuel used and the toll it can take on the land in terms of erosion. But the goats, they’re consuming it—they eat everything, thistle bushes, poison oak, it

doesn’t matter—and then they poop it out, which actually strengthens the soil, fertilizes it. So, ecologically, they’re a little more appropriate and easier to get into tight spots and steep hillsides for riparian areas, and waterways, more so than with heavy equipment. And it’s natural. But I think, most of all, it’s scalable. I have almost 2,000 goats now, and the acreage that we’re able to clear is significant and much less labor-intensive than mowing and weed whacking. For large landscapes, grazing around a Homeowners’ Association land or the green belt around a city, for example, it’s just the most cost-effective way to do it. And so, those are the things. I’ve learned how to make it economical for people, which also allows me to make a profit—large scale, everyone in one spot, moving one corral to the next so you’re not hauling, you’re just walking. And several weeks, several months in one area makes the goats happy, they’re calm. It’s not this thing where every Monday morning they’re heading off to a new job site. They like being part of the land. And so do I. SLO LIFE

1599 Monterey Street | 805.544.5900 | sloconsignment.com (at the corner of Grove Street, across from Benny’s Pizza Palace and Social Club)

The Central Coast’s Premier Real Estate Team

Tracy Ronca REALTOR® | DRE 01745499

M: 805.441.6883

Tracy.Ronca@compass.com

Stephanie Ronca Matthews REALTOR® | DRE 01970051

M: 805.550.5344

Stephanie.Ronca@compass.com

369 words with Carla Wingett

My twin sister and I were raised by a single dad, who was an artist, a hippy, and a student at Cal Poly, where he was working toward his MBA while we were in elementary school. He would actually take us to class with him whenever he couldn’t find childcare, so I like to think this explains why both my sister and I became entrepreneurs.

I’ve always known I wanted to be some kind of artist one day. As early as I can remember, I would sit and watch my dad paint and remember thinking the way he made things appear on canvas seemed magical.

I never finished my degree, but I did go to Cal Poly for Horticulture to work toward becoming a landscape designer. I had years of training as a florist in flower shops, and I wouldn’t have been able to build a successful business as a florist without that.

I’ve been a full-time florist for thirteen years now. I’ve always made sure that any job I’ve had is also creative so that I don’t have to choose between making a living and being an artist. Taking the

leap as an entrepreneur was more complicated, but even the act of building a business feels very creatively fulfilling to me.

I think any artist needs to have a knowledge of mechanics before getting to utilize any creative ability. It’s like that Picasso quote, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

I think it’s important to have a bit of nature inside the home or as a part of any event, flowers add life that you can’t replicate with any man-made thing. I hope my work connects people to the beauty and magic of nature.

I’m working to solve some of the environmental dilemmas of the flower industry. Switching to 100% dried flowers is a start because there is much less waste, no water and no refrigeration needed, and drastically reduces transit costs. I’m also working to remove plastic from our supply chain, and we’re very close. Everything that leaves our warehouse is plastic-free, but we still have some suppliers we’re working with to completely take plastic out of the equation.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIAH VANDENBERG

Liminal Space at SLOMA

SLOMA hosted another exciting member preview event on Friday, July 14 in honor of artist Anila Agha and her exhibition Liminal Space. Guests were thrilled to see the Museum’s Gray Wing transformed to house a large sculpture titled Shimmering Mirage as well as ornate and beautiful two-dimensional works using mylar, embroidery, beading, and encaustics.

Guests enjoyed wines hosted by Presqu’ile and heard from the artist herself about her work all around the world and of her fondness for SLO County.

The exhibition runs through November 12, 2023. Admission free.

Learn more at SLOMA.org

WarTime Newlyweds

BY BRIAN SCHWARTZ

The experiences we have define our view of the world. When others share their experiences, we are given the opportunity to gain new perspectives. When I first met the Wageners, I couldn’t imagine how their marriage, which began on September 11, 1968, could have endured the trauma of Vietnam. Through the stories Carole shares in “The Hardest Year: A Love Story in Letters

During the Vietnam War,” I began to understand how their unique wartime experiences shaped their societal worldviews.

Part love story, part memoir, “The Hardest Year” offers a raw look into the life of military spouses during deployment. While her husband, Bill, was in Vietnam, Carole was living on a college campus in the middle of antiwar demonstrations. The book weaves the love letters she received from Bill during his tour of duty, providing a glimpse of what it was really like on the battlefield.

While the evening news offered some visibility into the events of the war, Carole would often have to endure weeks of not hearing from her husband.

We take our ability to communicate with each other for granted until it’s gone. I can only imagine the relief Carole felt when a letter arrived from Bill and not a telegram beginning with “I Regret to Inform You . . .”

Inspiration for the first-time Santa Maria author came from a talk she attended led by the writer of “Aldous Huxley’s Hands.” She shared the story of finding a shoe box of her father’s photos. That same day, Bill discovered a shoe box of old love letters. These became the muse for Carole’s book.

Lyrics in a song by the Charlie Daniels Band entitled “Still in Saigon” are eerily similar to the experiences Bill had following Vietnam. The effects of PTSD would linger on for years to follow as Bill did his best to adjust to a society ill-equipped to handle the ramifications of putting young men into battle.

The book has been a form of therapy for the couple. Revisiting that era of their life allowed them to find some closure even after all these years. Her hope is that it will help other veterans do the same. It’s a stark reminder that we are doomed to repeat the lessons we fail to learn.

Vietnam was a confusing time for America, one that many of us living today were fortunate to avoid. To appreciate the life we do have, it can help to see the life others have lived—to give thanks for the hardships we did not have to endure. I admire Carole’s willingness to be vulnerable enough to share her story with the rest of us.

To learn more about “The Hardest Year” visit the website carolewagener.com. SLO LIFE

Hot springs

BY PAULA MCCAMBRIDGE

On arrival, you drive, bike, or walk through a steel gate that’s unlocked at 7 a.m. daily then maneuver along a rugged dirt road past a fishing pond populated by geese, ducks, beavers, and several varieties of fish. On the day I was there, a family of geese confidently spread themselves across three quarters of the roadway enjoying the morning sun—this is their home, we’re the visitors.

The path twists through a ramshackle campground that might raise an eyebrow. Don’t be deterred—stay the course, and you will find a healing oasis smack dab in the middle of North County.

ATown Chop Shop is located at 6250 El Camino

Real in Atascadero. Their number is (805) 439-1004. Reservations can be made on their website, atownchopshop.com

Franklin Hot Springs is the equivalent of a social media post without the bold glamor filter turned on—it’s gritty and real without the polished exterior visitors often find in tourist destinations.

Spring water reaching a temperature of one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, travels more than 1,000 miles from its start in Wyoming, making its way to a giant spigot at one end of the Franklin’s clay-bottomed pool and adjoining concrete hot tubs, situated in the vast and alluring town of Paso Robles.

Paso Robles has a long and varied history, first inhabited by the native Salinan people then later populated by Europeans. The city was incorporated in 1889 and is known in part today by the longevity of families who settled there generations ago.

The Franklins are one such family. Now, in the 21st Century, it’s the family’s third generation to run the hot springs, and

they’re making changes that they say will maintain the site’s inviting rustic charm while improving the aesthetics.

Second-generation Franklins, Norm and Cindy, recently handed the reins to their children Jacob and Amanda whose first jobs were at the hot springs. And, daughter Lacey has worked part time at the family business for years.

Jacob has worked there since he was eight years old, and Amanda since she was twelve, coming in after school and during holiday breaks.

“We learned the work ethic we have because of coming here since we were little,” Amanda explained. >>

When Amanda went off to New York to study the culinary arts, she loved her schooling but never lost her connection to Paso Robles.

“Even in college, creating business portfolios, they were always based on the hot springs,” Amanda said. “My brain was in New York, but my heart was always here.”

She and Jacob are the force behind upgrading bathrooms, installing a fire pit, hot tubs, handrails, lighting, new tables, chairs, and modern technology.

“I think of this as our future. It’s our livelihood,” Amanda shared.

“It’s our purpose,” Jacob echoed. “We’re upgrading the facilities and the way things are done, but we don’t want to change the balance of serving locals while also welcoming visitors from outside the area. This is a community. We want this place to benefit Paso.”

Jacob described the family’s desire to choose both populations of visitors—locals and out-of-towners— and knows that once they dip their bodies into the special waters, they’ll be back.

“We just want to get everyone in the water,” he explained, “Once they’re in the water, then they’ll know the difference it makes in how they’ll feel.”

The water at Franklin is a jade green, a far cry from the crystal blue of chlorinated spring-filled pools—

there’s a hot-springs environment for everyone’s tastes. The reason the Franklins keep the water in its natural state is because they don’t want to inhibit the benefits of the water’s minerals.

Norm describes the water as a positive-charged, ionized mineral spring that is made up of potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, lithium, and fluoride, and he has the paperwork to prove it. “It’s calming,” he said.

Added Amanada, “It’s natural. There are no chemicals. It’s how people have experienced hot springs here for generations going back to the native people.”

Wesley Combs Franklin purchased their property around 1950 and owned up to 3,000 acres at one time, much of it used to grow alfalfa. They’ve sold off tracts and now own about 200 acres, twenty of which include the pool, pond, and campground.

The family discovered they were sitting on a hot spring when Texaco leased the land for its mineral rights in the early 1950s. Texaco wanted oil but found water, and since the mineral rights reverted back to the Franklins at the end of the decade, they gained access to the water and made it available to the public in the 1980s.

“It was just a field out here at that time,” Norm Franklin said. “There was no pond—nothing.” The pool was dug in the following decade, and water has filled it ever since. SLO LIFE

below Norm, Jacob, Cindy, and Amanda Franklin

Dawson Sennes STUDENT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIEGO RODRIGUEZ

As winner of the SLOHS Poetry Out Loud and with the Mayor’s Award for community service under his belt, it’s not hard to see why this seventeen-year-old San Luis Obispo High School senior has reached state level for multiple FFA public speaking competitions and is ready for a bright future.

What extra-curricular activities are you involved in? I’m on SLO’s local crosscountry mountain bike team, the SLO Scoters (this is not a typo, a scoter is a bird). We race in the spring all over central and northern California against other high schoolers from these regions. I’ve been on the team for three years, and it’s been an amazing experience to race alongside my friends and compete against some of the fastest kids in California. I’m also in the SLO FFA, taking part in Parliamentary Procedure, which is essentially a team debate competition that focuses on quick thinking and parliamentary knowledge. I am also in the SLO High ASB, and have been a class officer for two years. This year I am the ASB Secretary.

What do you like to do for fun? Mountain biking still dominates my life outside of the race season because I find it to be such a fun way to experience nature and hang out with my friends. I love going on long rides to train my endurance and mental strength while also getting some exhilarating downhill. Outside of biking, I do enjoy hiking and occasionally running, but the latter is a last resort for exercise. I also like taking care of my three chickens, Martha, Eleanor, and Hillary.

What is one of your favorite memories? I got caught in a freak thunderstorm on a canoeing trip two summers ago. It happened late at night, and my friends and I were at the mercy of our tent’s fabric shielding us from gum ball-sized hail and falling tree branches. It was one of the few moments of my life where I questioned whether or not I was going to make it through the night. The lightning was so frequent it never got dark for more than a second, and the thunder was so loud I couldn’t hear the people yelling right next to me. I will never forget that night.

Do you have a career path in mind? I don’t know the exact job I want in the future, but I know I want to do something involved with natural resources, most likely water. Growing up here in California, water has been a constant issue throughout my entire life, whether it be years of drought or short periods of flooding like we had this past winter. I think managing our water supply is one of the most pressing issues for us as Californians if we want to safeguard our future. Whether this comes in the form of water recycling, desalination, or more sustainable farming practices, I want to be part of the solution.

What schools are you considering for college? I hope I have the chance to attend a UC school like Berkeley, L.A., or Davis, where I could pursue my interests in our local environmental issues. SLO LIFE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAEDEN BARLETT

Disability Insurance Claim Advice

Arthur L. Fries, RHU Trilogy/Monarch Dunes Nipomo resident

Country

BY ZARA KHAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LALUSH

Retreat

TThe Central Coast had drawn them in, but it wasn’t until the pandemic shutdown that Jerauld and Elise Cutini felt like relocating to the area was a real possibility. Jerauld had been working in San Luis Obispo for a few years and Elise’s job went fully remote, so they decided to leave the Bay Area behind and move to Pismo Beach. By the time Jerauld was ready to retire, they had already fallen in love with the Central Coast and felt prepared to find a space they could make their own. They were looking for a place to keep their horses, and were excited to take on another design project.

They reached out to Rob Benedetto of Benedetto Construction to take a look at the new home. Benedetto worked with them on their previous remodel, and they appreciated his balance of prioritizing quality, while still being practical and economical. The Cutinis knew how rare it was to find both in the same person. While Benedetto is a General Contractor and works on residential and boutique commercial projects, his detail-oriented nature excels when it comes to woodworking—it has always been his passion. The Cutinis also knew >>

they had a puzzle on their hands with the layout and brought Yvette Chaix at Chaix Home to help them with all of the interior design. When it came to spatial planning, they put their trust completely in Chaix’s hands while Elise stayed involved with the material selection and enjoyed working side by side.

While they were excited about the project, they could not deny that the home’s layout had some obvious details that needed to be worked out. For example, the dining room was a small space, and with four grown daughters, they would need ten seats minimum to entertain the immediate family. Chaix Home looked at the project from a higher level and recommended several layout changes.

They suggested flipping the orientation of the staircase, expanding the kitchen, relocating the dining room, converting the existing dining room into a butler’s pantry, and turning the downstairs into a primary suite. As a result of making these changes, they were left with a small area that was named “The Parlor.” It was an in-between space that wasn’t large enough to be a bedroom, but too >>

large to be a transition space. They decided to create a small seating area and it has become one of their most popular spots in the home. From The Parlor, the Cutinis have a stunning view of the sunset and spend most of their evenings there.

As in most homes, the kitchen is the star of the show. Chaix worked closely with her cabinet line, Plain and Fancy, to design custom details throughout the home. They were able to execute her vision from drawings and a favorite is the metal inlay detail at their island. They decided to make the stone back splash a focal piece and wrapped it into the window. None of the stone details in their home were standard and were actually quite challenging, but Fernando Cavillo and his team at Presidio Tile and Stone made sure every detail was the way the Cutinis and Chaix envisioned.

All of the work paid off, as the kitchen has the “wow” factor Elise was looking for and she appreciates the practical layout that Chaix recommended, since it’s where Elise spends most of her time. Jeralud and Benedetto love how the staircase came together. Mitch Madrid at JM Fabrication is a true >>

Award Winning Dealer

Ellio Johnson Photography

Winner of Best of Houzz Design 2014-2023

Jan Kepler, AKBD ASID Allied Member

artisan when it comes to metalwork and built the staircase—all the planning that went into making sure the floating steps looked seamless was definitely worth it.

Combined, the team has countless remodels under their belt and had good advice for anyone taking on a similar project. Chaix reminds us it is important to trust your designer, once you have decided on the vision. Allow them to take the necessary steps to make it a reality. Benedetto wants us to remember that construction isn’t always what HGTV wants us to believe it is. It takes time and it’s important to be aware of how decisions that are made along the way impact the budget of a project. And, the Cutinis urge anyone who is tacking a project to ask as many questions as needed. As a homeowner, it can feel intimidating being surrounded by experts—at times it might seem like they are speaking another language—but it is so important to make sure you are understanding each decision as the project moves along. Working slowly is better than working backwards. SLO LIFE

cal poly area

laguna 2022 14 $1,251,214 $1,313,650 104.99% 14

lake 2023 19 $1,355,095 $1,361,311 100.46% 23

tank farm +/35.71% 8.30% 3.63% -4.53% 64.29%

Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market 2022 12 $1,819,917 $1,927,750 105.93% 7 2023 7 $2,036,143 $2,034,339 99.91% 28 +/-41.67% 11.88% 5.53% -6.02% 300.00%

Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market 2022 29 $1,194,262 $1,257,064 105.26% 17 2023 18 $1,181,022 $1,172,694 99.29% 34 +/-37.93% -1.11% -6.71% -5.97% 100.00% down town Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market 2022 14 $1,315,071 $1,353,714 102.94% 21 2023 16 $1,021,006 $1,036,781 101.55% 34 +/14.29% -22.36% -23.41% -1.39% 61.90% foothill boulevard Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market 2022 22 $1,076,495 $1,191,966 110.73% 14 2023 16 $1,276,563 $1,283,531 100.55% 35 +/-27.27% 18.59% 7.68% -10.18% 150.00% johnson avenue *Comparing 01/01/22 - 07/18/22 to 01/01/23 - 07/18/23

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Coastal Association of REALTORS ®

Donna Lewis

Branch Manager & SVP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 335-8743

C: (805) 235-0463

donna.lewis@rate.com

Ermina Karim

VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 329-4095

C: (805) 602-0248

ermina.karim@rate.com

Eileen Mackenzie

VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 212-5204

C: (831) 566-9908

eileen.mackenzie@rate.com

Maggie Koepsell

VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 335-8742

C: (805) 674-6653

maggie.koepsell@rate.com

Matthew Janetski

VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 329-4092

C: (619) 300-2651

matt.janetski@rate.com

Joe Hutson

VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (831) 205-1582

C: (831) 212-4138

joe.hutson@rate.com

Mike Luna VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 456-5799

C: (805) 610-0105

mike.luna@rate.com

Luana Geradis VP of Mortgage Lending

O: (805) 329-4087

C: (707) 227-9582

luana.gerardis@rate.com

93401

BY THE NUMBERS

Less is more

In our fast-paced, chaotic lives, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant hustle and bustle of schedules and obligations. We often find ourselves juggling endless to-do lists, shuttling kids to various activities, and feeling overwhelmed by the demands of modern life. But, what if, amidst all the noise, we discovered what we need is less? Less of everything. What if the key to wellness lay not in doing more, but in retreating from the chaos and reconnecting with ourselves and nature?

One of my personal favorite ways to do this is through a practice called grounding. Also known as earthing, it is a simple practice that involves connecting with the Earth’s natural energy by walking barefoot on the grass, sand, or any natural surface. It’s about taking the time to pause, be present, and let go of the endless distractions that fill our minds. For me, grounding has become a daily ritual that allowed me to quiet the noise within and rediscover the profound peace that comes from connecting with nature.

Every day, I make it a point to find a moment of stillness amidst the chaos. Whether it is a leisurely walk along one of our amazing local beaches or at the top of a beautiful hike, I kick off my shoes and stand in quiet reverence for fifteen to twenty minutes. The feeling of the soft grass beneath my feet or the sand between my toes has become a conduit for something much deeper—an opportunity to reconnect with myself and the world around me.

BY PADEN HUGHES >>

What’s more, the shift I have felt in my soul isn’t delusional. The science behind grounding is fascinating. When we make direct contact with the Earth, our bodies absorb negatively charged electrons, which have been shown to have powerful effects on our physiology. These electrons help neutralize free radicals, reduce inflammation, and even balance our autonomic nervous system. The result? A calm and centered mind, a soothed nervous system, and a profound sense of well-being.

By embracing the simplicity of less, you can embark on your own grounding journey. Find a patch of earth, kick off your shoes, and let the world around you work its magic. Embrace the vulnerability of silence, allowing your thoughts and emotions to arise without judgment. Fully immerse yourself in the present moment, savoring the sights, sounds, and sensations of nature.

In a world that constantly demands more from us, it is in the moments of quiet connection that we truly find ourselves. Take a leap of faith and step off the hamster wheel of endless tasks and obligations. Let the Earth’s gentle embrace guide you back to the essence of who you are. Through grounding, you can access a life of greater peace, well-being, and self-discovery.

Like anything “life-changing,” it’s not what you know, it’s how you use it. So often we inhale information in the hopes that awareness will deliver a transformation. Yet, what I continue to find is that it’s in our habits where change happens. It’s doing the small things consistently that deliver the greatest shifts. Maybe working out isn’t your thing. Maybe journaling your deepest feelings isn’t either. But maybe something simple like grounding is. Why not try, and try it several times? Give yourself the gift of grounding and open the door to a life filled with peace, balance, and an abiding sense of harmony.

Hog Wild

At Pig Iron in Templeton, what’s old is made new again.

BY JAIME LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTA RENEE

Templeton local Taylor Odenwald and his business partners never intended to buy the old A.J. Spurs restaurant on South Main Street. Sure, he’d been a busboy there in high school, but when it came up for sale suddenly in 2020, that’s not what motivated him to buy the place.

“We didn’t want it to be picked up by people from out of town,” he says. “Like, we didn’t want someone to turn it into an Applebee’s.”

As a busy contractor, Odenwald had his own thing going on when the listing went up—as did partners Seth and Danielle Roberts, Wyatt Ayers, Jeremy Limpic, and Joe Daniels. But as friends who go way back, they’d always toyed with someday starting a restaurant, bar, or music venue. Ready or not, they went in on Pig Iron together—a place that has since managed to become all three.

Once the sale closed, the partners sought out Chef Marleigh Dunlap, a friend who had worked in top kitchens across Southern California (including Bestia, an Italian restaurant on national best-of lists year

after year). When the pandemic shuttered restaurants, she found herself without a job until Odenwald and his partners rang. In short order, she moved to Templeton and started prepping the Pig Iron kitchen for service. After decades as A.J. Spurs—and Iron Horse Restaurant, before it—this was no easy feat.

“It hadn’t been updated in years,” Odenwald says. The upside to combing through all that detritus? “We found the recipe for A.J. Spurs’ Tequila Beans,” he says with a grin. “Maybe we’ll put those on the menu some day.”

Dunlap calls her cuisine “California comfort food,” and it’s an apt description. Though the menu leans into vintage dishes like Chicken Fried Steak, Pork and Beans, and a cornmeal-crusted Catfish Sandwich, they’re prepared with a modern sensibility, and the

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below Taylor Odenwald

ingredients are vibrant and fresh. The Prized Pig features tender pork medallions layered over a cacio e pepe farro risotto that’s impossibly creamy, piquant, and nutty. The Swine Club sandwich puts the pig front and center (rather than the usual turkey) with roast pork, ham, and bacon, served with tangy apple-bacon jam on soft brioche. And while lots of restaurants give short shrift to the kids’ menu, it’s clear that Dunlap and the Pig Iron crew understand what kids want. Take, for example, the Rainbow Cereal on the breakfast menu.

“One of our partners remembers being a kid in Brazil and ordering cereal with milk in whatever color he chose,” says Dunlap. “It really stuck with him, so we decided to give kids the color option, too.” Other delights on the menu include pig-shaped pancakes, octopus-shaped hot dogs, and a note that reads: “Are you looking for beer and wine? Grow up a little and come back when you’re 21!”

When those kids do, indeed, turn twenty-one, they’ll be very pleased with the bar offerings at Pig Iron. Under the direction of Bar Manager and General Manager Jose Sanchez (previously of Sidecar in SLO), they can expect classic cocktails like the Mai Tai, Margarita, and Aviation, as well as signature and seasonal offerings. One such drink—called Playin’ House—mixes figinfused black rum, raspberry liqueur, prosecco, and an

above Marleigh Dunlap

itty-bitty charcuterie selection of Ritz crackers, cheese, figs, olives, and salami, all arranged around the rim of a glass cup and saucer.

There’s also a selection of mocktails, plus local and domestic suds—including old-school Hamm’s Beer for just two dollars. Imbibed in one of the dining room’s red upholstered booths, beside its towering rock fireplace, or beneath its multiple game trophies (“All inherited,” says Dunlap), Pig Iron’s drinks are like a time machine to the days when Ronald Reagan used to visit. In fact, the brass elephants along the bar were installed by a previous owner as an homage to Reagan and the Republican Party.

“Do you want to see the other bar?” says Sanchez, proudly. He walks through a door off the dining room to reveal The Club Car Bar: a completely separate room with an ample stage for bands, another full bar, and stunningly-lighted Western murals leftover from the A.J. Spurs era. Opened in July, it’s reminiscent of the downhome desert venue Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace in Southern California, and an obvious nod to the partners’ background playing music together.

“We’re forever locals,” Odenwald says, and points to the West. “I live right around the corner from here. It’s home.” SLO LIFE

below Jose Sanchez

Beer Fest why you should go

BY BRANT MYERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD MEANEY

a Beer festival brings together an eclectic mix of people who share a common passion. From seasoned connoisseurs to curious newcomers, they are a welcoming environment for everyone to indulge in their favorite beverage. Whether you’re a fan of hoppy IPAs, smooth stouts, or fruity sours, there’s something for every palate to discover and enjoy. There was even a meadery and local cideries that snuck into this beverage fest. Breweries and their representatives from near and far gather to present their finest creations, often including unique and limited-edition brews exclusively available at the event. From classic styles like lagers and ales to experimental concoctions infused with exotic ingredients, this is a playground for brewers to push the boundaries of taste. All makers are welcome, and this is no exception, offering hyper-local breweries and cideries from all over SLO to nationwide makers brought in by our local distributors.

I personally attend beer fests for the social aspect yes, but also mainly to try as many new and different beverages as my liver will allow. If you’ve ever gone to the store to pick up something new and just stare at the wall of cans, bottles, six-packs, four-packs, and cases it can be overwhelming. Unlike a library where you can open a book, you will just have to literally judge a beverage by its cover. Hoping the beer tastes as good as the label looks. With a beer fest, you’re able to sample some that you’ve seen but never tried or hopefully didn’t know existed. I have been dipping my toes in the local cider waters recently, so it was great for me to be able to try a few ounces to determine which styles I like so that I can be more informed the next time I need to make a purchase, or even better yet if I really liked it, I’ll swing by their tasting room for more and hopefully come away with some cans to-go.

Beer festivals aren’t just about drinking; they also provide an educational experience for enthusiasts looking to deepen their knowledge of brewing techniques, ingredients, and the industry as a whole. Many festivals organize guided tastings, expert-led workshops, and informative seminars that delve into the history, science, and artistry behind brewing. As attendees interact with brewers and industry professionals, they gain insights into the craftsmanship and dedication required to produce exceptional beers. By fostering an appreciation for the craft, these festivals play a vital role in the continued growth and innovation of the beer industry. I have learned a great deal from these seminars, and here’s a pro tip: They usually need volunteers. Volunteers can help with a session or two and then attend the festival for free. You’re helping, learning, and saving.

We recently attended a beer festival on the lush green grounds of the Madonna Meadows. The weather was getting warmer and my itch to attend one again

was growing strong, so photographer Todd Meany and I met via bike and rideshare (it is most definitely not our first rodeo) to attend the “Viva La Cerveza—SLO Beer & Taco Festival” where they presumably sold tacos. I decided to go with a seven-course meal of beer instead, as I’m really only here for the liquid bread. The event, formerly known as California Festival of Beers, has been held every Memorial Day weekend for over thirty years and it’s a great first foray into beer fest season. Obviously, this event has passed for the year and the emphasis has lost some of its state-wide focus, but you can still get the crux of what a beer festival is supposed to be. Education and entertainment.

Despite humble beginnings in the parking lot of the now-closed Spike’s Pub in downtown SLO, this event was originally a celebration of craft beer from throughout California. The Central Coast godfather of beer, Chuck Hiigel, my beer mentor, and his buds would jump into a van and travel up and down the state to buy kegs and cases of the finest we had to offer. This was far before the days of massive distributors pursuing contracts from independent brewers, and the store selections were predominantly Midwest and, if you were lucky, you got craft beer from a little cult brewery in Colorado called Coors. Over the years, the event has grown, and subsequently outgrown venues from the parking lot to the Avila golf course, to the Madonna Expo Center, and now to the wide open expanse of their meadows where you can no longer hear the distinct sound of glass falling on concrete.

It’s easy to overindulge with four hours of unlimited pours but make sure you take the time to sit for a spell and enjoy the live music, huddle in a circle with old or new friends, and chat under the sun, and yes, have a nosh to settle your stomach and reset your palate. Even the food stall and trucks are local businesses that you might want to sample before heading out to dinner with them in the future. I opted to join a mosh pit because the cover band Dad Religion was playing music that would have been blaring from my first car leaving the high school parking lot. Afterward, I said goodbye to friends and cohorts and jumped on my bike to ride over to a friend’s barbecue where I shared the great news of the beers I had discovered, and we made plans to visit the standouts. So, the next time you hear of a beer fest coming to town, strap on your sturdy shoes, pre-hydrate, and raise a four-ounce plastic mug to sample all the best drinks they offer. Cheers!

STAYING LOCAL

BY DAN FREDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTA RENEE

The dictionary defines Timbre as “the characteristic quality of sound produced by a particular instrument or voice; its tone color.”

Timbre Winery winemaker/owner Josh Klapper says, “My inspiration for naming my wines after ideas related to music started with my original label La Fenetre, French for window. I believe art is “the window” to our soul, whether that art be painting, music, or even wine. Timbre [the winery] is my artistic expression of wine, using the universal language of music and expressing myself through the medium of wine is the raison d’être to why I wanted to be a winemaker.”

Klapper’s artistic curiosity is at home in the wine world, where he endeavors to work with the grapes’ essential flavors to create something unique. Each of the Timbre wines are named after descriptive musical terms: “Lead Vocals” Pinot Noir, “The Hook” Syrah, “The Grand Symphonic Melody” GSM, et al. From the beginning, he’s been sourcing fruit from throughout the Central Coast, but since moving into his own winery in San Luis Obispo last year, there is a new goal. “I only want to work with fruit that comes from near my commute from my house in Arroyo Grande to the winery in San Luis Obispo” says Klapper.

Klapper grew up in New York City and following high school felt a little directionless. He took a seasonal restaurant job and kept moving up in the NYC restaurant hierarchy. After working for Daniel Boulud at Café Boulud, he found his way to Los Angeles, where his real-deal NYC credentials got him a job at Sona. This is where he discovered the power of wine. “I liked the smiles on peoples’ faces when they ordered great wine, and I liked the size of the checks, and the tips, when they ordered great wine, so why not

take the plunge?” he thought. He moved to a full-time sommelier position while he attended USC for a business degree, and within a few years had begun making his own wine under the tutelage of Lindquist and Clendenen.

“I like to drink wine that’s balanced, food-friendly, and represents the vineyards it was grown in, so those are the types of wine I make here,” says Klapper. “The Central Coast was the closest region to L.A. where I could make these sorts of wines, so for a couple of years I found myself commuting back and forth between Santa Maria and Los Angeles almost weekly, and at some point, it didn’t make sense to do this while raising a family.”

Timbre’s first tasting room opened in Arroyo Grande in 2017, but Klapper was making wine in a facility in Santa Maria. By the end of 2020, they told him they needed the space for their own wines, so Klapper reached out to local real estate agents until he got lucky when one of these calls resulted in finding a building on Capitolio Way in San Luis Obispo that was perfect for his needs and within his budget. It took over twenty months to work through the inspection and permitting process, but at last, all the winemaking and storage are in one facility, and they are able to use the space as a tasting room. San Luis locals no longer need to drive to Arroyo Grande to enjoy Timbre, they can visit the actual winery.

“People love our Arroyo Grande tasting room, which is almost a neighborhood wine bar at this point,” says Klapper. “The winery in SLO is ideal for us because although it’s first a production facility, having a tasting room in town lets us reach a built-in SLO clientele that just doesn’t want to drive down the road to A.G. to taste wine.

People love their local wines up here, and with most of our grapes now coming from up here, it all makes sense. We’re making about 5,000 cases per year but would actually like to do fewer. Having two tasting rooms is perfect for our size—very manageable for our employees and small enough for us to be just a little obscure.”

Klapper says he’s particularly excited about making sparkling wine these days. “People love bubbles,” he says, but they bring onboard several winemaking situations that can be difficult. “Sparkling wines are more complex than still wines and require a lot of extra equipment. Pét-Nat is easier to make and is pretty popular, but that beery, kombucha-style is not for everyone. I’ve found that many people aren’t particular about how the bubbles wind up in the bottles, and although Méthode Champenoise is the quality standard, the process becomes hugely labor-intensive and more expensive to produce. At Timbre, we just take really good wine and add CO2 and we get really good sparkling wine and can sell it at a reasonable price. It’s called the Charmat process and that’s how Prosecco and many of the world’s other bubbly wines are made. Ours are sold only at our tasting rooms at this point. We’ve been working with Chardonnay lately but are planning to offer sparkling Albariño and a rosé later in the year. My thinking is that if the wine we start with is good, then that same wine with bubbles will be fantastic.”

Over the arc of Timbre’s existence, Klapper has learned the value of limiting what he’s doing now to extend his capabilities in the long term. He explains: “I’ve stopped thinking that we need to keep growing bigger and am becoming more focused on doing what we’re doing now, but so much better. It’s good for our clientele and it’s good for my family’s quality of life.” SLO LIFE

*Tasting Notes

2021 The Understudy Chardonnay // $40

Hailing from the Jesperson Vineyard, off Buckley Road in Edna Valley, this Chardonnay has presence but is not oaky, loaded with honeyed peach overtones and a refreshingly crisp lemony citrus note on the finish. Only four barrels were made, so it’s only available through their tasting rooms.

The 2019 House Band Duni + Orr Pinot Noir // $45

The motto on the label reads: “Local grooves for groovy locals” and it doesn’t get much more local than this. Grapes come from two nearby vineyards, including Duni, a quarteracre site above the Arroyo Grande tasting room. The rest comes from the Orr Vineyard in Edna Valley. The resulting wine is lush with blackberry and raspberry aromatic sensation with an easy-to-drink savory quality to it that lets it pair with all sorts of food.

2019 The Hook Syrah // $50

This is perhaps my favorite wine from Timbre. Boasting some Central Coast lushness at its core, the wine is the benchmark Edna Valley Syrah, an intriguing combo of fruit, olives, white pepper, and a whole lot of herbs. It reminds me of a great St. Joseph from the Northern Rhône in its purity and varietal expression and is a real pleasure to drink.

Tasting Room Locations @ 225 East Branch Street, Arroyo Grande 770 Capitolio Way, San Luis Obispo

Different Place, Different Time

The winding dirt road kept going back, back, back. Going deeper into the rolling hills, the vineyard had a vaguely hypnotic effect luring us into uncharted territory. A different time. Cresting over the last hill, we saw them. The trailers. They surrounded a pond. Together with our friends, we realized that Alta Colina had created something very special, the elusive “experience” everyone in the travel industry talks about. If there is such a thing, this is it.

To understand The Trailer Pond, you first have to understand the winery, Alta Colina. And, to understand Alta Colina, you have to understand Bob Tillman. Which is easier said than done because the guy is smart, like really, really smart. I’m talking electrical engineer smart, which is what he used to be back in the day. But, in 2003, he was looking to make a change. That’s when he stumbled upon the 130-acre farm in Paso Robles’ Adelaida District. Turns out, the unique topography made the site the perfect place to grow Rhône-style wines. We were treated to an afternoon of wine tasting with Bob and his daughter, Maggie, and the education we received was nothing short of mind-blowing.

GETTING THERE

From San Luis Obispo, head north on Highway 101 to Paso Robles. Exit at Nacimento Lake Drive. Continue for a couple of miles until veering left onto Adelaida Road. You’ll see the winery on your left. But, be sure to make your reservation first, which can be done by visiting thetrailerpond.com. Their address is 2825 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles.

The trailers were Maggie’s idea. As she tells the story, she was out one evening with a group of local women entrepreneurs and she got to talking with Jaime Holm of Tinker Tin Trailers. One thing led to another and—Good Golly, Miss Molly!— you’d swear you just stepped out of a time machine, touching down sometime in the late ‘50s. It feels like a movie set. Everything, right down to the tiniest rivet has been lovingly restored. But, at the same time, it’s all about the novelty. You don’t really do much other than sleep in the trailer and sip some coffee in the morning. Cooking would be a challenge, which is why they have a full outdoor kitchen. And there are also newly constructed bathrooms and a shower. All the amenities you need to stay comfy, including a fire pit. You can even dangle your feet out over the dock as you listen to bullfrogs carry on after dark.

SLO LIFE

Culture & Events

ANILA AGHA: LIMINAL SPACE

SLO Museum of Art presents a solo exhibition by a Pakistani-American artist exploring her multidisciplinary practice, bringing together immersive light sculptures and intricate works on paper. Reflecting on complex themes of global politics, social and gender roles, and mass media, the artist incorporates sewing and the use of patterns into her strikingly beautiful art forms.

Through October 29 // sloma.org

TASTE OF SLO

Walk, taste, and sip your way through five downtown San Luis Obispo locations. Tours, offered every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m., include generous food tastings and refreshments. Learn about SLO culture, economics, and history while enjoying bites and drinks.

August 5-September 30 tasteofslowalkingfoodtour.com

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

Calling all night owls to the oakstudded hills of the Camatta Ranch in Santa Margarita, where light pollution is at a minimum. Enjoy a unique opportunity to capture the night sky— including the galactic center of the Milky Way—as professional awardwinning nature photographer Donald Quintana shares his astrophotography skills in a four-hour workshop.. August 11 // lazyarrowadventures.com

STONES IN HIS POCKETS

A clash of cultures pitting reality against Hollywood endings, this hilarious play by Marie Jones features just two actors playing more than a dozen parts. When a film crew takes over a rural town in County Kerry, Ireland, townspeople are delighted to be part of a major motion picture; they can’t know the comic and tragic impacts it will have.

August 11-27 // slorep.org

CENTRAL COAST CIDER FESTIVAL

After a three-year hiatus, the Central Coast Cider Association puts the spotlight on more than two dozen cideries at its fifth event at the Atascadero Pavilion on the Lake and Park. The fun includes live music, food trucks, special VIP pours from cider producers, and short talks from certified sommelier Brandon Buza and orchardist Jake Mann.

August 12 // centralcoastciderfestival.com

RESONANCE PRESENTS: BEYOND

Resonance features music of rest, remembrance, and eternity in this concert at the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. It’s a nod to the thirty-member ensemble under the direction of Paul Osborne. August 12 // resonanceslo.com

POPS BY THE SEA

Bring the whole family to celebrate the Central Coast at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. This year the SLO Symphony splits its legendary Labor Day weekend concert into two crowdpleasing parts: popular and patriotic works by John Williams, John Philip Sousa, and Leroy Anderson, and the jazz-informed rock, funk, and soul sound of local singer and songwriter Damon Castillo and his bands. September 2 // slosymphony.org

CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA

The summer concert series in Mission Plaza is free to the public and offers familyfriendly live music, dancing, and drinks. through September 8 // downtownslo.com

EROICA CALIFORNIA

Home-based in Cambria, this bucket-list cycling event offers a weekend of activities: vendors peddling revered cycling collections, old friends spinning a tale and a yarn, gastronomical delights, and most importantly some of the most challenging courses on the Central Coast. Routes range from the thirty-fivemile Piedras Blancas to the ninety-seven-mile Heroic featuring an elevation gain of 8,200 feet.

September 15-17

eroica.cc/en/california

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate HAVEN PROPERTIES recently acquired Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate! We could not be more excited to welcome their wonderful agents to the HAVEN FAMILY. As the fastest growing real estate firm on the Central Coast and supported by the most recognizable name in all things home and lifestyle, HAVEN PROPERTIES can better represent the communities we serve before, during and after meeting your real estate goals.

WITH OFFICES IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, MORRO BAY, PASO ROBLES, PISMO BEACH, AND SANTA MARIA