SLO LIFE Magazine Aug/Sep 2015

Timeline

Come along with us in our time machine as we look back at some newsworthy events from around the Central Coast.

Q&A

Local developer, Gary Grossman, opens up about his philosophy on housing growth, as well as his personal life.

Art

Recycling becomes an art form when Janelle Younger gets her hands on it.

Out and About

Jeanette Trompeter stows us aboard as sails her day away across the Estero Bay.

Now Hear This

Local quartet and multi-talented musicians, Fialta, share their layered harmonies and pop influences with the Central Coast.

Legacy

Perhaps more well-known for her love of children than her penchant for rock and roll, Martha Chivens shares her path to becoming a living legend in the eyes of so many locals.

Explore

Paden Hughes heads over to Pozo Saloon to take in a concert. Be sure to get her perspectives on the iconic venue.

Health

Best known for playing games, there’s a new deck of cards in town designed to bring you more happiness.

Taste

With a major craving for carnitas, Jaime Lewis hits the town to discover the best spots for delicious, local fare.

Dwelling

GoDaddy.com CEO, Blake Irving and his wife, Carol, open the doors to their historic family home in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Real Estate

We crunch the numbers on year-to-date home sales around the Central Coast, including right in your neighborhood.

Kitchen

Stone fruits pack a delicious punch when Chef Jessie Rivas shares his no-longer-secret salad recipe.

Happenings

Check out the calendar to discover the best events around the Central Coast in August and September.

The Last Word

Ken Schwartz takes us along as he explains the fascinating history of water supply and use, as well as its impact on development locally.

There’s a new firm in town.

Chicken Train

Earlier this summer my family decided to take a road trip, so we loaded up the minivan and headed north. While we had certainly spent some time in the car together, the 13 hours it would take to reach Bend, Oregon allowed us to test the limits of human endurance.

With evergreens whizzing by on either side of I-5 and the sun now submerged behind the mountains, I was getting punchy and could not take it any longer. After eight hours in the car, I was in desperate need of a break. The road rose and fell once again when I spotted a “Vacancy” sign hanging from the side of a place we would have called a “No Tell Motel” growing up. Perfect.

The two side-by-side queen beds were a tight fit for our family of five, but I slept so hard that night that it took me a minute to remember where I was when I awoke with my six-year-old son’s foot cradling my face. Down the hall they were serving the promised “free continental breakfast,” so we rounded up the kids and found an empty table. Along one wall was a plastic contraption with half-a-dozen cylinders filled with all of the cereals that are off-limits back home. But we were on vacation, reasoned my wife and I, so, “Yes,” Froot Loops got the green light on this particular day. As I settled in with a plate of powdered eggs and instant coffee, I noticed that the TV in the corner was playing a commercial for a remake of the old Chevy Chase movie, “Vacation.” I choked down some of my astronaut food while wondering how the new film would fare at the box office.

We had a great stay in Bend, and by the time we left had decided that it felt an awful lot like San Luis North. But, we had important business to attend to back home. My daughter was turning twelve on what was to be our last day on the road, and she had been lobbying me to make a straight shot—one day, 13 continuous hours, all the way back—so we could arrive the day before her celebration. Reluctantly I agreed, knowing full-well that I was rolling the dice with my mental health.

By the time we hit Klamath Falls my kids had cycled through boredom, starvation, giddiness, aggravation, and, oh yeah, uncontrollable urges to pee, at least twice. Sometime in those early hours my wife came up with a brilliant strategy: every time we stopped, the kids had to rotate one seat counterclockwise. The change of scenery always seemed to quell the rising mutiny, at least for 20 miles or so. But, it only did so much. And somewhere north of Redding, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands… I commandeered the minivan’s stereo system.

Scrolling down the playlist on my cell phone, I found it. The unmistakable bluegrass combination of banjo, harmonica, and antique washboard slowly began filling the air. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils could not have captured the situation more perfectly than they did in that moment with their ridiculous wackiness when they sang out: Chicken train/runnin’ all day/I can’t get on/I can’t get off/chicken train take your chickens away. I then turned the volume knob hard to the right for the next verse: Laser beam/in my dream/I can’t get on/I can’t get off/laser beam’s like a sawed off dream/chicken train runnin’ all day. By the time the song had ended, we were all signing at the top of our lungs.

With both hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel while bombing down the freeway at 85-miles-per-hour, I caught a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror. In that moment, with an expression that was difficult to discern—crazy, wild eyes; greasy, matted hair covering a faint bead of sweat; and a big, dumb, goofy smile—it hit me: I had become Clark Griswald. And, you know what? I didn’t care! Now fully embracing my delusional state, I hit repeat on my phone and yelled out, “Chicken train, baby!” My family rolled their eyes amid a chorus of grumbles and groans, but right on queue everyone launched into song with our white streak-of-lightning Honda Odyssey reaching warp speed as it barreled toward the Central Coast… Chicken train/runnin’ all day/I can’t get on/I can’t get off…

I would like to take this opportunity to say “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

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PUBLISHER

Tom Franciskovich

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sheryl Disher

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jeanette Trompeter

Nicole Pazdan, CSA,

CONTRIBUTIONS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Dan King Trevor Povah Jake Schmit

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NOTE

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR info@slolifemagazine.com 4251 S. Higuera Street, Suite 800 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

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

Don

take

SNEAK PEEK

BEHIND the scenes

My first impression of Tara was that she had a really bright and cheerful presence, just an outstanding glow. You could really see it in her posture, that’s where people generally show it. And she was definitely very happy and positive. But, I could tell that she was a little nervous about the shoot. I didn’t find out until later, but I heard that it came out in her interview that she actually did a little modeling when she was younger. I’m sure she could have gone that direction with her life and had a great career, but I guess she told the agency to take a hike.

“ ”

“

It wasn’t until we did some shots with her holding a starfish and some amoeba thing, that she really started to relax. Her smile became bigger and brighter. You could tell that she felt really at ease in that environment, very comfortable. The people there at the aquarium were super cool, everyone had really good energy and lots of smiles. One of them sort of followed us around and cheered her on, encouraging her really. I was there for a while, almost four hours setting up various locations and waiting for the right light. We did everything from strobe lighting for the cover shot, to ambient lighting, lots of reflectors. I just wanted to keep it sharp, clean, and very natural, but straightforward and happy just like Tara.

WITH DAN KING

You said it...

Thanks for your Special Feature on THE WILL NOTS addressing some relevant issues about homelessness. As a parent, I understand the confusion about how to talk to kids about homelessness. As a Co-Founder of Mindful Mothers and Board Member of Transitions-Mental Health Association, I feel strongly about getting it right when I talk to my son. Children usually ask questions because they are curious, not judgmental. When we talk about someone not having a home, a child then worries if their own family may one day be homeless. If a child sees someone acting strangely or perhaps looking disheveled, there are more questions and more worries. We can answer the questions honestly and simply so we don’t cause worry, but most importantly we can model compassion.

MEET

ERIC SODERQUIST CAPTURING THE MOMENT & LIVING INTENTIONALLY JUN/JULslolifemagazine.com

I’m a subscriber and cover-to-cover reader of SLO Life Magazine and have been ever since I first found out about it. SLO Life is fearless about taking on subjects that many would rather sweep under the rug (homelessness, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Station to name two recent ones) and pretend don’t exist. The articles you write reflect a thorough job of reporting, presenting both sides of the arguments and helping the reader by presenting a factual overview.

Your recent publisher’s note by Tom Franciskovich titled GRATITUDE in your fifth anniversary issue was heartfelt and showed just how sensible and sensitive a person he is. Making it to the fifth anniversary with a new magazine is a remarkable achievement and I salute your commitment, your determination and your execution in publishing for five straight years.

Recently I was with my son and two friends when we encountered a homeless man along a bike path. He had an ornate metal bongo drum in his bike trailer. I asked if he could play the drum, and he agreed to play us a song. The kids were mesmerized by his talent. As we walked away, one of my son’s friends said, “My mom would have never let us stop to talk. She says people are homeless because they spend all their money on cigarettes and drinking.” I explained that my thoughts had changed since working with a local group that deals with homelessness. I said, “A person may have a sickness in their brain that makes them sad. A person might lose their job for some reason and then can’t pay for a home or food. We just need to be kind to everyone and thankful for what we have.”

Mental illness often plays a role in homelessness, so if society wants to solve the problem, we might start with empathy and understanding. If a person suffers a stroke or heart attack, we are compassionate and don’t label or judge. Labeling people as Will Nots who are “able-bodied but would rather not work,” saying the Have Nots have access to a “massive and relatively efficient framework of government resources,” and claiming the Can Nots “no matter how much support they receive, are not able to turn their situation around” are just not accurate statements and not helpful.

Recovery is possible, no matter how much NOT you’ve got. I love your magazine, but you missed the mark this time.

— CINDY JOHNSON MINDFUL MOTHERS CO-FOUNDER

I am truly grateful for your wonderful magazine. I read every bit of it over the days when I sit down to relax and want to enjoy something in a magazine that is not fluff...some meaty stuff. Good fillet Mignon! I always read the Publisher’s Message by Tom Franciskovich first and am glad that he is in a place where he grasps “the beauty of it all”. His article THE WILL NOTS on homelessness is so informative. I had often looked at the sadness of it and wondered why. I wondered why could that person not find a job? just like his daughter. I have

more insight and am grateful. $120,000 later and still the question concerning what to do about the Will Nots.

I enjoyed every section of the magazine from You Said It to the end...Mindful Development Very good.

SUPER JOB. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIVE YEARS. YOU GO!

— M. EATON

San Luis Obispo City Council member Dan Carpenter is quoted in the Q&A feature of your June/ July issue as saying that his “colleagues rubber stamp everything. This is what drives me crazy.” He goes on to call the City Manager “the sixth council member” and claim that the City Manager controls everyone on the Council, except, of course, for him. His untrue and insulting accusations are not only disrespectful to his fellow Council members and to city staff, but they are also very revealing. They demonstrate his often oppositional approach to decision making. He minimizes the time he puts into council duties and for long stretches of time refuses to meet with city staff. Rather than fully engaging on the issues, he often just votes “against” people. His demeanor on the dais is also revealing. At times, he spends entire council meetings in dark and brooding silence. At other times, he launches into angry attacks against members of the public who have testified, or against other council members, or against city staff. People may or may not agree with Mr. Carpenter’s self description as “crazy.” Either way, blaming his fellow council members for driving him “crazy” is just plain wrong. And, his accusations against other council members are just plain false. We each thoroughly research the issues and think for ourselves. We make decisions based on the facts, the law, city policy and public input. Then, we deliberate and vote for what we decide would be best for the community as a whole. We do not rubber stamp anyone, or vote on the basis of ideology, or cater to special interests, or vote “against” staff or other council members. His comments in your magazine beg the question: is that true for Dan Carpenter as well?

— JAN MARX, MAYOR SAN LUIS OBISPO

Several major Ag school studies indicate from 15% to 50% of irrigation water is lost when done with overhead spray during daylight hours. Even more loss when there is wind. And yet this practice continues at Poly. We see acres of irrigated green play fields when artificial fields are available.

We are supposed to let our lawns go brown while our big neighbor squanders our collective resource. Does Poly think no one is watching? I’d like to see some more reporting on this subject. This drought problem belongs to all of us.

— GARY DWYER

Thank you for the request, Gary. For a primer on this very complex subject, we reached out to former San Luis Obispo Mayor, Ken Schwartz. You can see what he had to say by turning to THE LAST WORD on page 90.

Please send your photos and comments to info@slolifemagazine.com Follow SLO LIFE on Facebook: Visit facebook.com/slolifemagazine Visit us online at slolifemagazine.com

Letters may be edited for content and clarity. To be considered for publication your letter must include your name, city, state, phone number or email address (for authentication purposes).

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

@michaelfreeman

I am in St. Petersburg, Russia with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Cathedral, also known locally as “Spilled Blood Church” in the background. All the Rominovs since Peter the Great are buried here. St. Petersburg was a two-day stop on a 21-day cruise-tour of northern Europe’s capital cities.

— BEA ELDER

KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

Getting to Know

We checked in with our contributors to introduce the people behind the pages of SLO LIFE Magazine.

Playlist Jose Gonzales, XX, The Meters, Vulfpeck, Neko Case, Muse, Rage Against The Machine, Cesaria Evora. Life lesson When I am criticized, it says more about my criticizer than it does about me.

Favorite meal Blue cheese beef sliders, French fries and a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape taken solo before my sommelier exam.

Guilty pleasure Hot dogs.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity Lunch at Lincoln Street Deli with a beer and plenty of friends.

How you landed on the Central Coast I lived all over the world (NY, SF, Italy, New Zealand), but in 2009 I came back to the Central Coast where I was born and raised.

Travels One of my favorite trips was essentially a re-creation of Sophia Coppola’s Lost In Translation... without Bill Murray; my husband had business in Tokyo and Kyoto, and I came along for the ride to experience everything from ancient Shinto shrines to Tokyo’s Harajuku district with its rebel youth and their outrageous fashions.

JESSIE RIVAS chef

CLARE DUFFY writer

Playlist Mostly classic rock. My friends make fun of me for listening to the Grateful Dead. As for new music, I am still infatuated with Ben Howard’s newest album even though it’s almost a year old.

Life Lesson If you move to Austria for a year, make sure to bring along some hot sauce.

Guilty pleasure Ice cream. I eat an inordinate amount of ice cream.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity Getting up early to surf with my dad, followed by tamales at Chapala in Morro Bay.

Travels I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad in Salzburg, Austria. I was able to travel to a new city or country nearly every weekend. In addition, my class did extended tours through France, Italy and Greece—I think I may have left a chunk of my heart in Italy. I loved getting to learn from Austrian professors and from experiences with a wide variety of cultures. That being said, I think the most valuable lesson for me was actually realizing how much people are the same at their core, regardless of where they’re from.

Playlist Gary Clark Jr. , Jackie Greene, Led Zepplin, and anything local. Aha moment The day I walked into culinary school. For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged. It was both the happiest and scariest day of my life.

Favorite meal Double cut pork chop stuffed with pancetta and greyere with a See Canyon cider reduction sauce.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity Slow cooking meat on my smoker and reading all the newspapers I missed that week while listening to the Giants on the radio. Backstory I spent 18 years raising my family and building a culinary career in San Francisco working in restaurants, as a private and corporate caterer, on a food truck, and as a culinary expert for WilliamsSonoma. My family and I moved to San Luis Obispo in 2013 to start a business of our own, The Pairing Knife, a catering company and mobile food kitchen.

JAIME LEWIS writer

3001 Broad St., San Luis Obispo 805.548.0413 nortonsignanddesign.com

writer

These days I am in a major Radiohead phase. I am also enjoying Wilco’s new one, Star Wars; Benjamin Booker’s self-titled album; and the new release from local band, American Dirt:

I think Mick said it best: You can’t always get what you want, but you

I really try not to associate When I have time to be easy like Sunday morning, I like a strong cup of coffee, a stimulating book, and soft sheets.

How you landed on the Central Coast Well, it’d be a lot cooler if I said that I landed here via a Jedi interceptor, but, truth be told, I came to the Central Coast in 2008 by way of the Midwest to work for Cal Poly.

Travels I don’t like to stay in one place for too long—my passport is always ready. Last year at this time I was trekking through Budapest, Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg. On my list is Reykjavik for the northern lights. So, too, are Portugal and Morocco.

JEANETTE TROMPETER writer

Playlist It’s a wide variety. From John Mayer to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Dixie Chicks to Meghan Trainor.

Life Lesson When someone shows you who they really are, believe them.

Best interview Maya Angelou.

Guilty pleasure Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity Paddleboarding or reading a magazine in the sun—preferably while floating on a body of water.

Travels Italy, Ireland, France, England, Tonga, Australia, New Zealand—I love to travel. Right now I’m having a love affair with Tahoe in the summertime.

DAN KING photographer

Playlist I listen to a wide variety. However, the blues are always on more so. I’m a southern boy at heart.

Life lesson Live for the day. You may not get another.

Camera I’ve never had a favorite. I’ve owned about 24 different ones. Pushing the shutter release any time is my favorite time. My first camera was a 110 film camera, which I still own.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity There’s no rest for the wicked. I’m usually hiking or taking my bulldog “Avedon” with me somewhere exciting.

How you landed on the Central Coast

I grew up in Arroyo Grande 8th through 12th grades. Ventured off into many states afterward. 21 years later, I decided to return. Who knows where the road may lead next.

Travels Well, I’ve been in almost all the lower 48 states. I stayed in China for a month for a photo job back in 2006. Vancouver for a girl awhile back—haven’t been back since. Once in awhile I just cruise across country for that American adventure. I love it and the history.

Playlist I’ve been listening to my top four happy songs: Can’t Get Enough of Your Love (Barry White), Happy (Pharrell Williams), Soulful Strut (Young-Holt Unlimited) and my newest favorite Blame (Calvin Harris).

Life lesson Manage your energy, not your time.

Guilty Pleasure Playing golf on a Friday with my husband.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity Church, Bob Jones Trail, laying out at Avila, and going to a family dinner in Creston to enjoy tri-tip and wine.

Travels I’ve been to 13 countries and 32 states and my favorite places are Kenya, Tahiti, Austria and Scotland.

Backstory After working through college at Cal Poly, I knew I wasn’t ready to leave. So, I found internships to replace my part-time college work and eventually got a full-time job. From there, I started a business with my husband so that we could stay on the Central Coast.

Playlist Mostly everything from the Beastie Boys to Miles Davis, Bob Marley to Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

Life lesson After extensive travel around the world, California is by far the best place to live.

Favorite photo shoot A China BASE jumping documentary called “Journey to the Center” featuring three BASE jumpers on an expedition to remote China to jump into a 2,000-foot hole in the earth. It was incredible to document these athletes’ pioneering jump off a cable that stretches across the top of the Tian Keng Cave in China.

Guilty pleasure Surfing twice in a day.

Favorite lazy Sunday activity A beach day with my wife and black lab. Travels I’ve been to about 25 countries, so I have a pretty full passport. After traveling for 10 months, I was interrogated at the Laos/Cambodian border for not having any space in my passport. Fortunately, the bus I was on waited while they detained me until finally making me pay $20 to stamp over an existing visa. Of all my travels, my favorite three so far are Fiji, New Zealand, and Japan.

PADEN HUGHES writer

TREVOR POVAH photographer

ALL YOU NEED

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAKE SCHMIT

Last year, as he sat in a lecture hall at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Jake Schmit found his mind wandering westward. With his professor droning on, the soon-to-be architecture design graduate recalled so many great memories as a child visiting his grandfather’s home in Morro Bay; and he started daydreaming about the possibility of beginning his post-college life on the Central Coast.

It turns out that wanderlust may be an inherited trait, as grandfather—a long-time merchant marine who settled in Morro Bay before it had incorporated as a city—and grandson seem to share the bug. Schmit, who has taken up residence in a tiny detached guest house with a view of the rock has been inspired anew. “The whole reason I moved out here was because I want to do what I love,” he shares. And that exuberance has propelled him to form a new company called Muuv Graphics, which offers a 3D photography and rendering service to architects and builders. Schmit figures that he “can use photography to travel the world and be able to do the renderings along the way, seeing where it takes me.”

One of the first investments in Muuv Graphics was a Nikon D7100. The entire world seemed to open up as Schmit went wild with the equipment, trying new things and pushing the envelope. About a week after he clicked his first digital exposure, he captured the photo you see here. With the sun recently settled into the Pacific for the evening, the ambient city lights faintly illuminated Morro Rock. The young photographer decided to mount his camera on a tripod and set it for a long exposure. A warm and glowing Morro Rock poking through the dark night with the stars above would make for a fascinating image. As the Nikon sat with its shutter open for exposures ranging between 30 and 60 seconds, Schmit had an idea.

What would happen if he were to run around in the foreground with a light source? So, he pulled out his iPhone and clicked open the flashlight app and tried to spell “Muuv,” but it didn’t turn out at all, plus it was backward. He then tried other words, like his own name. Randomly spelling one word after another they all failed to produce anything. Then the word “Love” popped into mind and Schmit gestured the letters in reverse order—“E-V-O-L” finishing with a dramatic underline—he ran back behind the camera to check the viewfinder and realized that he was, indeed, heading in the right direction. SLO LIFE

It turns out that wanderlust may be an inherited trait...

Around the County

JUNE ‘15

6/2

Styrofoam food containers are no longer allowed in restaurants within the city limits of San Luis Obispo following a unanimous vote by its city council. Under pressure from a local grassroots organization called SLO Foam Free, the city became the first in the county to adopt the rule. Polystyrene, the scientific name for Styrofoam, is not recyclable and not biodegradable and often breaks up into tiny pieces causing problems for wildlife on local beaches. The ordinance comes 25 years after San Luis Obispo became the first city in the nation to ban indoor smoking in public places.

6/7

A group of Avila Valley residents calling themselves, Concerned Citizens for Avila, asked the County Board of Supervisors to update the area’s general plan before approving any large developments. The group had organized a town hall forum in April to discuss the potential impacts of multiple projects all in the early stages, such as the one in Wild Cherry Canyon—which two years ago came close to becoming permanently protected open space. Now a New York-based multi-billion dollar conglomerate called Leucadia National Corp., together with HomeFed Corp., a massive residential home developer from Carlsbad, and another Miami-based firm, are seeking to build 1,500 homes on the property.

6/3

The City of San Luis Obispo opened up its coffers and gave its two top employees pay raises. Less than a month after she fired Police Chief Steve Gesell “without cause” at a cost to the city of $120,000, City Manager Katie Lichtig was awarded a by a 4-1 vote, with councilman Dan Carpenter objecting, a one-time bonus of $7,600 plus a $450 monthly car allowance, bringing her total annual compensation to $318,431. City Attorney, Christine Dietrick, received a 7% retroactive raise. It was the fourth consecutive raise for Dietrick, who now takes home $187,252 per year. Later that month, San Luis Obispo proposed the addition of 13 new city jobs. And in the following month, 114 more city employees received salary increases ranging from 2.7% to 15.7%.

6/19

6/12

A massive data breach is made public at Cuesta College and it was learned that employee names, addresses, and Social Security numbers were sent to the private email account of 29-year-old Lacey Fowler, an analyst in the human resources department who had been on leave. Fowler, who was initially arrested on a single felony count of improperly accessing computer data on June 17, skipped bail and failed to show for her court appearance. She was then arrested again on July 13th, but this time, in addition to identity theft, she was also charged with possession of heroin and methamphetamine for sale, battery of a spouse, violating a restraining order, being under the influence of a controlled substance, fraud, and burglary of a commercial vehicle while running from authorities.

San Luis Obispo-based software company MindBody sold 7.15 million shares at $14 each to raise $100.1 million in its initial public offering (IPO). The company, which was founded in an Arbors neighborhood garage in 1998 by Rick Stollmeyer, is now worth nearly $500 million. The IPO comes on the heels of the construction of a new company headquarters, which was completed in April at the intersection of Tank Farm Road and Broad Street. The company, which provides online software solution to the health and wellness industries, currently employs about 900 people and has plans to add 200 more locally and another 200 out of the area, including internationally.

JULY ‘15

7/2

In a Los Angeles courtroom, 54-year-old Kelly Gearhart, former Atascadero Citizen of the Year, was sentenced for his convictions of fraud and money laundering after swindling millions from Central Coast investors. While it was widely expected that Gearhart would receive up to 11 years—his lawyer had expected five—the judge took no mercy when she sentenced him to 14 years in prison. Sentencing in a related case against James Hurst Miller Jr., former president of Atascadero-based Hurst Financial Corporation, who had plead guilty to the Ponzi scheme related charges, is scheduled for October 19th.

7/13

A newly released monitoring report showed that seawater was continuing to seep into the water supply that serves Los Osos. The community, like others on the Central Coast, had aggressively cut back on its per capita water usage, but the news represented a significant setback because it has potential to threaten the health of the basin. The report also revealed that chloride levels had risen sharply. While still within what officials consider a safe drinking limit, the 190 milligrams per liter was almost twice the targeted benchmark. As a result of a lawsuit filed in 2004, the basin is cooperatively managed by the Los Osos Community Services District, Golden State Water Co., San Luis Obispo County, and the S&T Water Co.

7/12

Statewide opponents, including local residents led by the Mesa Refinery Watch Group, lined up to lobby San Luis Obispo County policy makers against allowing Phillip 66 Co. from upgrading its refinery so that it can receive rail car deliveries of crude oil. Up to this point, the county had received thousands of comments on draft environmental reports from those who are concerned about trains passing through the Central Coast en route to the Nipomo facility. Currently, the company receives its oil by pipeline, but it has an application in with the county to construct a 1.3 mile spur connecting to the main rail line, which will significantly expand its operation.

7/15

Six months following the Cal Poly “St. Fratty’s Day” roof collapse, the City of San Luis Obispo voted to expand its unruly gathering ordinance. Under the old code, the party host, which law enforcement officers claimed was often difficult to identify, particularly in a moblike setting, would be the one who was penalized. Under the new rule, attendees at a massive unruly gathering, such as the early morning March 7th event that drew an estimated 3,000 partygoers—50 of whom stood on top of a garage roof which caused it to collapse—will also be fined individually. The initial fine will be $350 and will ramp up to $700 and $1,000 for second and third offenses. SLO LIFE

Developing a Vision

As he begins submitting his plans for development of the old Dalidio property that he purchased in December for $19.7 million, GARY GROSSMAN is uniquely positioned to shape San Luis Obispo’s future with what could be 500 new homes on the south end of the city. We spent an afternoon getting to know the man behind the plan…

Tell us about yourself, Gary. I grew up in Los Angeles. Went to UCLA for undergrad, and USC for grad school. I was what I would call an “architectophile.” By the time I was about six years old, all I wanted to do was either draw houses or build them out of Legos. In college I had thought about going to law school, in fact I went to ask one of my professors for a letter of recommendation, but he said, “There’s enough lawyers in the world; go get your degree in Housing and Planning.” So, I did.

So, how did you end up here? Our family had a ranch in Paso Robles, so growing up as kids we’d go up there. I had a lot of memories from childhood coming through San Luis Obispo when it was a little bit of a smaller, quieter place. After graduation, I talked to this friend of the family who was doing some development work up here. I told him that I would really like to apprentice, and really get to understand what building housing is like, and what it’s all about. So he let me come on. I moved up here in 1988. Spent the first couple of years just tagging along. He and I started a company together when I was just 23, and from there we started building houses.

In some ways you were a bit of a trailblazer, right? Yes, I wanted to build houses. I wanted to get into construction. At that time, the only gay role models that were on TV were extremely caricaturistic. I think we were fighting those caricatures, probably up to the last five years or so when they finally started portraying gay men and women as firemen and policemen and everything that they really are, not just interior decorators and hairdressers. I came out in 1982, so I had to wait 33 years to gain my full rights as a citizen. Like I tell everyone, I pay 100% of my taxes, so I’d like to have 100% of my rights. When I came out there was nothing to hold onto. It was a very scary time, and it was a very, very bad time health wise. Everybody was scared about everything. Then to come to a period now where people can get married at the courthouse in San Luis Obispo. I was there at the pride

rally and we had a county supervisor, and we had city council people who were also happy and involved. That makes me feel very, very proud of our community.

So, now you are taking on something that has been fought over almost as much as gay rights: developing the old Dalidio property… I actually look at it as a preservation project. I mean, here’s a property that, right now, as it sits, was entitled by Measure J to be 850,000 square feet of commercial and office space, and can be completely covered over in concrete. I don’t think it offers the community anything spectacular. We already have a PetCo; we already have a BevMo. Plus, for me, I really like building, more than being a developer. Give me a plot of land that has already been entitled and I will build you the most spectacular house. A land speculator is a different animal. That’s not who I am. There are other people who’ll buy up land, get the zoning changed, get it entitled to build, then flip it to make their middle man money. That’s not how I operate. I’m doing it because I have a vision for how the houses should look, how the neighborhood can be. And, in this particular case, I also have a very strong vision for saving half the property for agriculture and open space.

And, how are people responding to that vision? Actually, it was kind of cute because we were out there at SLO Ranch [the old Dalidio property] about a year ago, and there were some people out there with some very strong opinions about developers. So, this woman came up to me and said, “I really hate developers, and I hate anyone who has anything to do with any of this stuff.” And I told her, “I’m very sorry, but I don’t necessarily feel the same way. Before you were here, there was nothing prior to that. Ultimately, everyone came here from somewhere else. Oh, by the way, I’d like to introduce you to my other half; this is Jazz.” And she said, “Wait. You’re gay?” I said, “Yes.” And then she said, “And you’re a developer?” I said, “Yes.” Then she said, “I love you!” And she gave me a big hug, and I said, “Well, that’s a first!”

Say

to the possibilities of better hearing.

Coastal Charm

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN KING

Whether she is wandering around a frozen lake or picking through a sun-drenched tide pool, TARA MALZONE is at her best when surrounded by water. While the Canadian native longs to shovel snow from her Shell Beach driveway, she has been quietly transforming the Central Coast Aquarium over the past few years.

kay, Tara, I’m picking up an accent. Where are you from? So, I was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, in the snow belt about an hour northwest of Toronto. My family’s one of the oldest families in Canada. They were in Canada before it was declared a country. We have a historic farm there, and my grandparents played a huge role in my life. I spent a lot of time with them because my parents worked fulltime, and I’d stay with them. I also spent the summers with them on Lake Erie. They had a cottage there, so every summer I spent two months with my grandparents. My parents would come visit on the weekends. Where I grew up was this winter wonderland where you’d go tobogganing on the weekends, and snowmobiling, and snow shoeing. And curling was the thing that we did. Everyone went curling. So, now during the Olympics I have to watch curling and everyone’s looking at me like, what is wrong with you?

Did you actually grow up on the farm? We lived in a neighborhood on the edge of the fields and a forest. I have vivid memories of all the thunder and lightning and rain, rain, rain. That’s just how it is up there, right. And then it would be hot and muggy and beautiful. And as a kid, you’re out on the street at night with all of the other kids and there’s so much water rushing past your feet in the gutters, and you’re out just playing. I should have gone into construction because I built a ton of tree houses while I was growing up. I remember falling out of one once on my back. It knocked the wind out of me, I just couldn’t catch my breath. I was lucky though because I landed next to a board that was laying on the ground that had a bunch of nails sticking through it, geez. I actually had a great very cream cheesy-like just out-of-a-storybook perfect childhood. And I’m really grateful for that because my parents were really great people. They worked really

hard, and saved their money, and always had used cars, and kept their house really nice, and pulled the weeds, and mowed the lawn on the weekends, and shoveled the snow at like four a.m.

“Cream cheesy?” Is that a Canadian expression, eh? [laughter] It’s just how I have chosen to look at things. The truth is that my father was highly abusive, an alcoholic. Fortunately, I was mostly raised by my mom’s husband, George. My dad was never really in the picture. He would come in and out when he was out of rehab or whatever, so we would, every once in a while, maybe a couple of times a year, we’d see him. So, he was just really in and out of my life. I had always really struggled with it, not having a dad. Not that George wasn’t one; he taught me how to cross country ski, taught me to ride my bike. He was the one there every day, you know. He was the dad for all intents and purposes. But I struggled for a while because I just wanted a relationship with my father that wasn’t dysfunctional; but it was bad, really bad. So, anyway, I remember one day just waking up, I think I was 17 or 18, and I just said, “I’m totally okay with not having him in my life; I’m really okay.” That’s his life, and that’s okay. I’ll always love him, and I want the best for him but that’s not my baggage anymore. That’s all him. I know adults who were children of alcoholic parents who still, to this day, are having a really hard time with it. My sister still struggles with it. I won’t let it define who I am, or why I am, or anything else. He doesn’t get to have that.

Was that why you came to the States? No, not at all. I spent most of my childhood at the pool. During the summers I would swim all day with my friends. I was a pool rat. We all packed our lunches and went to the pool. I love the water. And I started taking lifeguard classes. I eventually got my certification with the Royal Lifesaving Society, which is the highest level that you can reach as a lifeguard. That was always a big part of my life, so was art. I studied fine art and art history in college. But, an opportunity came up to nanny for a family in Santa Cruz. I wanted to take a little break from school and do some traveling, plus I would get credit if I came back with some paintings. Anyway, it was the first time I had seen the Pacific Ocean, and it had a huge impact on me. I remember the first time I saw it—it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen—I fell in love with the ocean at that point, and immediately felt unbelievably connected to it. I knew right away that this is where I wanted to be. I had no idea, because up until that point, my impression of California came from watching “Baywatch” and “Beverly Hills 90210.” I had expected to see David Hasselhoff sitting in the lifeguard tower.

Did you find him? No, but I did actually end up marrying one of those lifeguards. Everything went so fast. We were married after six months. We were very young, and I became pregnant right away. I thought to myself, “What am I doing? I had plans to be a museum curator, or a painter. And, here I am at 21 with a baby on the way.” But something changed in me when I held my son for the first time. My total focus shifted to taking care of this little human being. Something just clicked inside. We moved to Los Osos, which ended up being the only place on the California coast we could afford to buy a home, and I decided to try to become the best mom in the world. I was PTA president, volunteered for everything. Eventually my kids didn’t need me in that way as much, my son is now 17 and my daughter is in 8th grade. Unfortunately, the marriage did not work out, but we have two beautiful children as a result, and he is a really good father to them.

Okay, so you rejoined the workforce. At the time a friend of mine gave me the best advice. She said Tara, “You love seniors. You talk about your grandparents all the time.” You know, it’s funny because I didn’t even realize that, like it’s just so ingrained in you. I had this realization that I do love seniors and I really like being around them. I feel that they’re so often undervalued and under appreciated in this generation. People just don’t take care of them and look up to them >>

the way we should. So I found the perfect role at The Villages in San Luis Obispo where I became the community relations director helping seniors transition as residents there. During that time, I got to know a gentleman who was in the process of moving his mom into the facility. It took probably a year for me to help him with the transition. Once we finally had her settled in he said, “Tara, I’m the chairman of a non-profit in Avila Beach and we’re looking for a new executive director. Would you please come work for us?”

So, what did you say? I think I said something like, “Wow, what a compliment!” But, I knew nothing about non-profits, plus I loved working at The Villages. He told me that non-profits were just like for-profits, but with more challenges. When he started describing the organization, which was then called the Avila Beach Sea Life Center, and its mission, I was intrigued. By that time I had been at The Villages for five years and was ready for a new challenge. I love the ocean, I love kids, I love learning. And, as a mom who raised her kids on the beach, I started to think, “I can do this!” I decided to give it a go, and I was lucky enough to train under the outgoing executive director, Priscilla Kiessig, whose parents started the organization 20 years ago. I’ve been with them for two-and-a-half years now, and it’s been the perfect fit.

So, what was the deal with the name change?

I started asking around and no one seemed to know what “Sea Life Center” meant, or even that it existed at all. People thought we were a county building, or public bathrooms, or some sort of science-y thing. For me, I don’t run it like a marine biologist. I run it like a mom, and think about how I would want to teach my kids, or how

a regular person might see it. No one knows what a sea life center is, but they get aquariums. So we changed the name to the Central Coast Aquarium, rebranded everything, painted the building, improved the signage, updated all of the collateral, added programs, and we expanded our community outreach. No one knew that the organization had been doing all of this great work for so many years, and my goal was to change that. So far we’ve gone from 8,000 visitors per year to 20,000. We have three marine biologists on staff currently and they’re the brightest people in the world, and so funny; I learn something from them every day. We also have incredible volunteers and an amazing board. I’m just there, you know, trying to make ends meet for the organization.

And how do you do that? I don’t have a degree in business administration, but I understand strategic planning and I get marketing. I get common sense. I just want the aquarium to be something that the community is proud of. We have K-12 kids getting bussed in from six counties where we take them out on the bay to do these awesome, hands-on marine science programs. For many of them, it’s the first time they’ve been on a boat. For some, they have never seen the ocean. We just had some kids in from Santa Maria who saw the ocean for the very first time in their life. It reminded me of myself, the first time I saw it. You just don’t get over it. We’re creating the next generation of ocean stewards, and it’s our responsibility to pass on our knowledge to these kids so they can respect something we all love so much. But, you know, back to your question. It’s really not glamorous work. We don’t even have a maintenance person, so I’ll change into my sweats, put my hair up into a ponytail and pull weeds, or unclog a toilet, or screw something into the wall. And we’re always getting leaks. I can go on and on. There’s always something.

So, you’re bouncing between unclogging toilets and addressing groups at the aquarium. Honestly, I’d much rather be unclogging toilets because I have a horrible, horrible fear of public speaking. If I have to go on TV or talk in front of a group, I literally shut down and my heart starts to palpitate. I have a physical reaction like I’m going to be sick, or what I do is I end up starting to cry. Take the other night, for example. I had to speak at the NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] meeting. While I was sitting there I looked down at my chest and could see my whole shirt moving up and down because my heart was pounding so hard. I had to have this whole conversation with myself. I said, “Tara, put your big girl pants on and just go do it.” Ironically, I’m really an outgoing person, but I don’t want be the center of attention.

Are you going to be okay with us putting your face on the cover of the magazine? I think I’m going to be sick. Seriously? I’ll have to really think about that one. I’ll get back to you. Honestly though, it’s very debilitating. I could talk to you for days about what’s going on over there at the aquarium, just like we’ve done this afternoon. I can articulate it really well, but if I get up to a podium and I’m standing there, I literally start to shut down, and I have to fight back wanting to cry. I’ve been through therapy for it, but they keep kicking me out. Twice I’ve been kicked out. They’ll tell me that I’m good and to call if I need anything. I’ll say, “Are you sure? I like our little talks.”

Alright, Tara, one last thing before we let you go. Can you give us a quick status report for our local shoreline? How are things going out there under the surface? You know, it’s interesting because San Luis Obispo Bay is extremely healthy. The whales have been around this summer for weeks. I see them every day and they’re just eating and eating and eating, so they’re happy and the whole food web is doing well. I don’t know; I’m not a scientist though. I’m the kid from Canada who loves to ride her tricycle in the snow, you know. I’m just a regular person who loves the ocean, and wants to provide opportunities for people like me to learn more about it.

with

316 WORDS Janelle Younger

Since I was a little kid, I just loved messing around with just anything. It started with art journals. Everything I did was temporary; lots of glue, lots of collaging with paper. It was mostly two-dimensional. But as time went on, I started building things up into three dimensions.

To me, it takes on another meaning for itself. It’s no longer individual parts. It’s really neat to watch people checking out a piece for the first time because they’ll say, “Hey, look there’s a fork; and there’s a vegetable steamer!” It has meaning as a collection of individual items, yes, but it also has new meaning as the sum of its parts.

”

Almost everything I do has a heart with wings. I cannot explain the reason behind that. I’ve been to Mexico a bunch and I really like the idea of the Mexican roadside shrines. There’s something about that sacred heart image that appeals to me. So, there is almost always a heart and there is almost always a set of wings in my art. Sometimes you’ve really got to search for it, but it’s there.

I’m constantly learning about materials, different types of woods and metals. Plastic does nothing for me; it doesn’t speak to me. I’m all about patina. There’s just something so warm about something that has been used and loved over the years.

I’m fascinated with the previous lives of objects. What were these things used for? Who were the people that had them? So, I started combining things together in different ways. I’ll find some little deely bop, and I’ll study it for a while and think about what it had been and what it could become. The hardest part is to know when it’s finished. When am I done? Sometimes I overdo it. It’s a totally organic process that starts with just one piece that I find tossed out somewhere.

FRIDAY FUN

YACHTING MORRO BAY

As summer begins to wind down, a lot of us want to squeeze every little last bit of fun in that we can. That gets a little easier to do when you get Out and About with the Morro Bay Yacht Club for the annual Zongo Yachting Cup. It’s more than a boat race, it’s a day-long celebration of life, especially when you are lucky enough to live along California’s Central Coast.

BY JEANETTE TROMPETER

The day starts with a busy morning at the Morro Bay Yacht Club. After a pre-race skippers meeting, it’s time to get the bumpers off and bodies on board for the 20-mile run from Morro Bay to Avila Beach. “Okay, here we go!” says one person with a clap as boaters start moving away from their slips. In many ways, the annual Zongo Yachting Cup is more about fun than racing.

“There are about five vessels that are seriously racing for the most coveted trophy on the Central Coast,” says race founder and Baywood Park fun-meister Paul Irving. “And the other 40 are just

out here for fun.” It’s appropriately zany because he’s the guy who got the thing going. As captain of the Morro Bay Yacht Club’s cruising fleet, Irving started the race to increase camaraderie among marine enthusiasts along the Central Coast and beyond.

“We have a bunch of sailboats. We have a bunch of multi-hulls, Hobie Cat-styles. We’ve got three outrigger teams competing. We’ve got two stand up paddlers doing a 20-mile trip. Pretty amazing,” he says.

Against the backdrop of the bay, the beauty of the start is worth catching even if you aren’t going to try to get on board a boat. They gather just outside the jetty and once the race begins, the boats separate, and the skills of their crews come into play.

It is beautiful to watch from shore, thrilling if you manage to get on board one of the support boats, or those in the

competition. Often Mother Nature will add to the show as humpbacks are frequently lumbering along the course route this time of year.

If you are not on the water, and do not get up early enough to see the start in Morro Bay, find a place to settle into in Avila Beach as the boats begin arriving. The sparkle of the sunshine on the Pacific combined with the beautiful sails rounding the bend toward shore is a glorious way to spend a summer Friday afternoon.

And after everyone has made it in, Irving and his crew mates in his band, the Zongo All Stars, serve up a perfect post-race celebration for the yachting cup named in their honor at the Avila Beach Farmers Market. “I love to have fun. I love to sail. I love to play music. I like to organize parties, and this is my best shot at trying to pack as much as I can into a single day.”

His efforts make it a special day for a lot of us. There is nothing like getting Out and About with fun lovers who appreciate all we have to celebrate right here on the Central Coast.

JEANETTE TROMPETER, KSBY News anchor and reporter, hosts the “Out and About with JT” series every Tuesday evening at 6pm.

MUSIC SCENE

TALES OF FATE

What could be more whimsically romantic than naming your band after one of Vladimir Nabokov’s greatest short stories? Look to local quartet Fialta for the answer.

BY DAWN JANKE

Enjoy Fialta live, check them out at their upcoming shows: August 23 at Robin’s in Cambria, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm September 3 at SLO’s Fresh Picked Concert Series, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm Find out more at fialta.bandcamp.com and @fialtamusic

left to right Beth Clements, Michael Leibovich, David Provenzano, and Sarah Shotwell

n Nabokov’s “Spring in Fialta,” the fictional Mediterranean town of Fialta is said to anoint one’s soul, and one could easily argue that the indie pop sound of San Luis Obispo’s Fialta also anoints. When Michael Leibovich, Beth Clements, David Provenzano, and Sarah Shotwell connected in 2010, it’s safe to say the band had no idea how the twists and turns of fate would carry them to SLO with the sounds they create today.

While it’s of course more complex, the simple story is this: Leibovich and Provenzano were on tour with their alternative rock band, Sherwood. They met Clements and Shotwell, realized they all had similar music interests, and started making music together across the miles. Leibovich, who earned a degree in Communication Studies from Cal Poly, explains, “We would email each other song files and individual parts, and play around with how it would sound with different voices and instruments.” And then…

…they all got married!

After the two couples permanently relocated to San Luis Obispo, Leibovich and Clements moved downtown to a small studio apartment off of Pismo Street. The band connected with the local music scene by hosting what they refer to as “hootenannies,” where they would invite a bunch of musicians over, sit together on the living room floor, and play songs. Clements, who originally hails from Connecticut, says, “It was really nice to see how many musicians were here in this community. It felt like such a supportive place to be doing music.”

The band’s momentum grew, and fate carried them to what would later fund the making of their debut full-length album, Summer Winter, in 2013. Leibovich explains, “The whole thing was really organic. We were offered free recording time at a studio of a friend’s in Mountain View, so we made an EP with three songs. Fast-forward, and one of our songs got featured in a K-Mart commercial, which was the financial catalyst for us to move further as a band.” Fialta’s music continues to be featured on commercials, most recently as part of a Chipotle ad during an episode of Food Forward on PBS.

Fialta’s appeal to the commercial audience may be in part due to the sound they invoke. Provenzano explains, “We all love pop music—any decade of pop music, really—and have diverse influences, a sort of melting pot of all sorts of genres.” As well, harkening to the fictional Mediterranean town of Fialta, the band is influenced by layered harmonies and island-inspired instrumentation along with what Shotwell describes as some Latin elements.

Whereas a typical band may be comprised of one songwriter along with experts in particular instruments, Leibovich explains that something unique about Fialta is that the band is made up of four songwriters who play multiple instruments and have multiple competencies within their musical dimensions. He adds, “It’s very democratic, but it’s somewhat of a challenge because we have more choices about our creative structure. Can you imagine if you were a painter, collaborating with three other painters on a piece? Whose different brush stroke would go where?”

During their live performances, the audience might actually witness the decision-making of which brush strokes go where as the band members often trade instruments mid-song. From opening for Colbie Caillat at Vina Robles, to playing to a small scene at Robin’s in Cambria and performing at local wineries across the county, Fialta’s musical zone is San Luis Obispo. And, overwhelmingly, the band favorite was playing to a packed crowd at Concerts in the Plaza last summer. Clements recalls, “That was hands down the most amazing show I’ve ever played in my entire life. It was really special to all of us.”

Recently, the quartet and I sat down at Linnaea’s Cafe, where they performed

their first show back in 2011, to discuss their upcoming second album. Provenzano, a musician originally from the Bay Area, likens Fialta’s experimentation on the new album to a Foster the People song called “Hustling” with its blending of electronic elements, guitars, drums, vocal effects, and choppy sounds.

Shotwell, who has an MFA in creative writing and earned her undergraduate degree in history from Cal Poly, adds that Fialta’s forthcoming release will include deeply complex lyrics and explains that Vampire Weekend’s more recent album Modern Vampires of the City was an inspiration because of “its deeply satisfying pop sound with very complex lyrics referencing classic literary and ancient philosophical texts.” Clements says, “The lyrical content of our upcoming album is really special to us—it’s deep in our hearts, expressing a time and a space in all of our lives: the here and now in San Luis Obispo.”

While the here and now is San Luis Obispo for Fialta, the band is recording their new album up north. “Every Saturday morning we get up at 5:00 a.m., we drive up to Noise Roots Studios in San Jose, and we record all day Saturday and Sunday; then, we drive home together Sunday night,” says Clements. Leibovich adds, “We’re putting every ounce of free time towards this album.” Shotwell continues, “And once you put so much time in, you don’t want to compromise on things. We are making it worth it.”

There is no doubt Fialta makes it worth it, especially for their San Luis Obispo fans. Clements explains, “There is something beautiful about the way Nabokov describes the town of Fialta—the mood, the tone—that reminds us of San Luis Obispo.” Shotwell adds, “SLO is an interesting crossroads.

We love it here.”

In “Spring in Fialta,” Nabokov writes, “in Russian fairy tales, the already told is bunched up again at every new turn of the story,” and with every turn of Fialta’s musical tale we see the old in the new. There’s a familiar narrative in the ways in which the band’s lives weave a tale of creativity and passion all wrapped up in the sounds of a certain geographical setting. That setting is the SLO Life, and Fialta lives it well.

DAWN JANKE, Director, University Writing & Rhetoric Center Cal Poly, keeps her pulse on the Central Coast music scene.

RESTORING HISTORY

It took methodical planning, but for the Irvings, bringing this beauty back to life was the only way home.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN FEINBLATT

n 1999 it rained for 93 days straight in Seattle, and the Irvings were miserable. The couple, originally from two of the sunniest spots in sunny California—Blake from Thousand Oaks, and Carol from Taft—had decided enough was enough.

There was one day, as the story goes, that separately they each came to the realization it was time to relocate. Blake, who is now the

CEO of GoDaddy.com, was then an executive at Microsoft when he set out to crack the code for their move. Carol began assembling a list of all possible destinations, which were loaded into Blake’s Excel file. In order to find exactly the right spot for their young family, they created a spreadsheet that was weighted according to what the family most desired. Every conceivable factor was analyzed from schools to transportation, from restaurants to weather.

After all of the data was crunched, San Luis Obispo showed up dead last on the list.

But, algorithms have a hard time calculating feelings. It was a wedding that brought the Irvings to the Central Coast. With the rest of the family asleep in the car on the drive up from Southern California, Blake was in the zone with some exceptional jazz music he was playing softly when Highway 101 veered eastward from

the ocean and the bucolic hillsides triggered childhood memories. “I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is a lot like were I grew up.’” The Irvings had planned to make a vacation out of the trip, spending time in both Cayucos and Shell Beach during their visit. The beach was great, but they found themselves continually wandering back to San Luis Obispo with their two young boys, then six and four, in tow. It was sometime while strolling down Higuera

Street that the Irvings decided to scrap the spreadsheet.

Shortly thereafter Carol returned with her sister to do some house hunting. Everything looked wonderful and she could see her family settling in beautifully to many of the homes they visited, but there was one in particular that stole her heart. The only problem was that it was not for sale. Driving around downtown, Carol hit the >>

brakes at the corner of Buchon and Chorro. A massive granite rock retaining wall sat at the base of a home partially concealed by a steep hillside and a full complement of old-growth trees and shrubs. It was exactly the kind of place that she imagined her kids would love to trick-or-treat on Halloween, Carol remembers thinking dreamily at the time. “You couldn’t really see the whole house when you walked by,

there was a lot of privacy but it was still in the middle of downtown.” After she came back to her senses, the sisters found an available house that would serve nicely for the family’s relocation.

It was years later when Carol was busy picking up, or maybe it was dropping off, her boys at practice when she received word that the old Victorian on Buchon was going

on the market. She immediately booked an appointment to tour the home, and the Irvings were shocked to see how much would have to be done to restore it. “You could drop a marble on the floor and it would roll clear across the room,” Blake described elevations that were off by an inch or more. And the interior of the house had been decorated in such a way that each room had its own

theme. The kitchen, for example, followed a Southwest motif, while a bathroom was ultra modern, and one of the bedrooms was pastel. Despite the fact that Victorians traditionally feature smaller rooms, that was especially true in this home due to a series of remodels over its lifetime. Although a spreadsheet would have surely advised them to take a pass on the centenarian fixer-upper, the Irvings dove in headlong.

The home had a soul, that much was clear, but it was a long ways off from living its best years. With the strategy in place to tackle one room at a time in a remodeling process that could also be described as “uncovering,” the Irvings called Holland & Knapp Construction. “Each room had unique challenges,” Zachary Knapp explains, “but there were significant problems under the surface, too. The foundation needed a lot of work, and the wiring looked like it had

been done by a pack of beavers.” He described the remnants of an old knob and tube electrical system that had been updated and expanded haphazardly over the years, which was not only unsightly and dysfunctional, but also dangerous. Throughout the process, Knapp and his crew members were instructed to carefully salvage all of the original materials they had uncovered during demolition. The process was tedious and time consuming, but the effort paid off when >>

they were able to then refinish and reuse much of it during the rebuild.

Despite the desire to restore the home to its original form, each room also features a contemporary piece, something old and something new. And, much of the customization came with items that were also from the same years, 1904 to 1906, when the house

MEGA MAN CAVE with a work hard, play hard philosophy in mind, Blake included an oversized garage complete with a full bar as part of the remodel, which is outfitted with a secret bathroom (the door doubles as a bookshelf) that would make James Bond proud. The space recently hosted a gathering of GoDaddy.com executives, who came together for an off-site brainstorming retreat. Aside from business, the Irving family uses it mostly for family fun, especially when guests are in town. The man cave makes up the first floor of the second detached house on the property. And the second level is comprised of an in-law unit. Carol’s mother, who is known to make sandwiches for her grandson’s friends, is a frequent visitor.

was being built. Carol took the effort to heart, spending many hours scouring the internet for tiles and other salvaged building materials from around the world that were created during that period. Interior designer Michael Sagouspe then conceptualized a series of circles that tied the home together and incorporated the new and old approach seamlessly. Remnants from the past can be found throughout, such as an old clock that kept time at the Ah Louis store downtown, which Carol says she was lucky to find at a local garage sale.

At the end of the day, for the Irvings, it keeps coming back to the home’s soul, its spirit, which has so warmly embraced the family who painstakingly restored the health and

vibrancy of the old Victorian. Just as Carol had envisioned the day she first laid eyes on it, the house is now a favorite of local trick-ortreaters on Halloween. And it also serves as headquarters for her sons and their friends. Their youngest, Griffin, who could be spotted walking around SLO High most days during the remodel with a Holland & Knapp t-shirt, took a particular interest in the project. And, when he and his friends are around—usually goofing off upstairs in the converted attic— Blake and Carol can always tell how many kids are with him by the number of shoes discarded at the back porch. On a good day, it’s not unusual to see 15 or more pairs scattered about. And the Irvings would not have it any other way. SLO LIFE

ERIN FEINBLATT is a freelance photographer specializing in food, architecture, and lifestyle.

the numbers

laguna lake

tank farm

cal poly area

Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market

2014 31 627,952 613,858 98.02 49

+/19.35% 2.08% 2.23% 0.08% 16.33%

2014 15 753,850 741,700 98.50 41

Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market

country club

Total Homes Sold Average Asking Price Average Selling Price Sales Price as a % of Asking Price Average # of Days on the Market

down town

foothill blvd

2014 18 631,708 620,156 98.43 37

2015 12 730,325 721,282 98.82 71

+/-20.00% -3.12% -2.75% 0.32% 73.17%

2015 22 540,964 521,300 97.70 35

+/22.22% -14.36% -15.94% -0.73% -5.41%

2014 11 1,038,909 1,006,689 96.95 73

2015 4 947,250 872,500 93.81 30

+/-63.64% -8.82% -13.33% -3.14% -58.90%

2014 21 725,138 715,100 99.32 38

2015 16 719,931 730,712 102.59 24

+/-23.81% -0.72% 2.18% 3.27% -36.84%

2014 39 670,723 657,791 98.02 41

2015 27 742,393 726,128 97.90 27

2015 37 641,016 627,560 98.10 57 by

2015 32 650,138 634,241 97.55 36 johnson ave *Comparing 1/1/14 - 07/20/14 to 1/1/15 - 7/20/15

+/-30.77% 10.69% 10.39% -0.12% -34.15%

+/128.57% -7.43% -7.14% 0.32% -43.75%

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS®

- Steve & Cindy Silver

450,000 857,500 622,000 867,500 505,500 460,000 462,500 550,000 535,000 383,000 795,000 409,500 320,000 408,500 390,000 656,500 394,500 500,000 510,000

COMMUNITY

Leaving a Mark

For 25 years Martha Chivens has touched thousands of families across the Central Coast. Now she prepares for her second act.

BY CLARE DUFFY

But Chivens’ infectious passion for teaching was evolving even before early childhood education was on her radar.

After having studied English during her undergraduate years at UC Riverside, she taught high school English for two years in Arizona, at a time when there were no requirement for entry into kindergarten. Looking back, she says she realizes what an impact this had on students.

Her family then moved to Northridge, where Chivens’ younger son was enrolled in preschool at the United Methodist Church.

“I would go in and think, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so fun and this is so interesting,’ because you can see them just figuring things out. It’s so much fun to see them accomplish something and be so proud of themselves—it might just be writing the first letter of their name or doing something with a truck and putting the pieces together, but I thought it was really fun,” Chivens says.

Children cling to their parents’ hands. Or maybe it’s the other way around; shaky parents trying to exude as much false confidence as they can muster. Several hugs goodbye are shared, as well as assurances—from parents to children and back—that everything will be alright. It’s the first day of preschool.

But parents and children at the United Methodist Children’s Center (UMCC) could relax as soon as they reached the preschool’s sign-in table, where for the last 25 years Director Martha Chivens has greeted families with her warm and comforting smile.

When Chivens greeted me at her door several weeks ago and welcomed me in to the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip scones, I, too, could understand the relief parents must have felt upon meeting her.

Chivens educated not only preschoolers during her 25 years as founder and director of UMCC—a post which she retired from in June—but also parents, teachers and future educators. From giving tours of UMCC on any day and time of the week, to explaining the physics involved in building blocks, to five years of teaching early childhood education classes at Cuesta College, Chivens’ holistic approach to learning has given life to a preschool that has served thousands of families in San Luis Obispo County.

“It’s really, really fun and rewarding. It’s a great job. As a director, I think the most important thing you want to do is take good care of your teachers, listen to what the parents want, and, of course, the children are at the top of everything,” Chivens shares.

This piqued her interest, and Chivens was soon substituting and then teaching while her son, and later her daughter, were in preschool there. In the meantime, she was pursuing her master’s degree in educational psychology at California State University at Northridge, riding her bicycle back and forth from campus to the preschool. It was at this time Chivens recalls putting together the pieces, realizing that she wanted to pursue early childhood education.

When her husband accepted a job at Cal Poly several years later, Chivens elected to complete a final project rather than take exams to finish her degree. But ultimately, she envisioned herself going straight to work at a San Luis Obispo preschool accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the standard she was familiar with from living in Southern California. However, upon her arrival, there was no such accredited preschool to be found.

Pretending that she was writing a paper for

a class at Cal Poly, Chivens interviewed other San Luis Obispo preschools to find out how well they fit in with the NAEYC’s accreditation standards.

“I had an internship at the Parent Participation Program, and I would ask the parents if they thought there was a need for a high quality early childhood program in the community. They all agreed that there was,” Chivens explains.

Determined not to lower her expectations, Chivens reached out to the United Methodist Church of San Luis Obispo, who had rented rooms to other childcare centers but had always wanted a preschool of their own. Thus, Chivens’ final project for her master’s degree, the UMCC preschool, began to take shape.

“We had a year because all of the rooms at the church were being rented, so it took a year to get our philosophy and our thoughts for the classrooms. You want really good ratios of children to teachers. You’re looking at education levels of the teachers. And then you’re looking to make sure that the curriculum is child-centered,” says Chivens.

UMCC was opened in 1990 with 37 children after a year of planning and set-up. Despite Chivens’ early worries that there would not be enough children to make the school selfsustaining, admission grew monthly and by April of the same year there was a waiting list.

In addition, Chivens was determined that her preschool would meet the ten NAEYC standards for an accredited early childhood education program, which include requirements for children’s learning and development, teachers, community partnerships, and program administration.

And UMCC has undoubtedly provided a service to the community, too. According to Chivens, “If parents know that their child is in a safe, warm, caring environment, they can go out into the community and do their jobs and their activities, and have peace of mind.”

During the 2014-15 school year, 143 students attended UMCC on various days and times throughout the week. In recent years, Chivens added both a toddler class and an afternoon class after tiring of constantly having to tell parents there was a waiting list. She has watched the classrooms and yards grow along with admissions, and has also had the opportunity to see many of her past students grow up, too.

“This is a classic grocery store encounter: you see a mom that went to the preschool and there’s someone standing beside her that you don’t recognize at all because the person’s 22 now, and mom says, ‘Oh, don’t you remember Mrs. Chivens?’ And they’re just blank, they don’t even know who I am. The children eventually don’t remember, but the parents never forget,” Chivens smiles.

Many members of the community are wondering what Chivens’ will be doing with her retirement. For now, she says, she’s just looking forward to being “not too committed.”

In addition to visiting her children, traveling and possibly joining a book club, Chivens will be keeping busy with another one of her favorite activities: playing the harp. She plays with local rock and roll band, Boomerang, and hosts their practices in her living room. Boomerang will be playing at Claiborne and Churchill Winery on October 2nd. She also said that she has another music-related project she is working on, but isn’t quite ready to reveal yet.

And it may not be long before families can see Chivens’ smiling face at UMCC again—at least for a few days. Incoming UMCC Director Liz Richardson is expecting a baby in several months, and Chivens says she looks forward to filling in during her maternity leave.

CLARE DUFFY is from San Luis Obispo and currently attends the University of Portland where she is the editor of the college newspaper.

Viorela Bauer, DDS

Abercrombie & Fitch abercrombie.com

The Apple Store apple.com

Bali’s Yogurt 805-594-1172

Banana Republic bananarepublic.com

Barnes and Noble barnesandnoble.com

Bull’s Tavern facebook.com/bullstavernslo

California Pizza Kitchen cpk.com

Cal Poly Downtown calpoly.edu

Chico’s chicos.com

Chronic Tacos eatchronictacos.com

Express express.com

GAP gap.com

Ian Saude Gallery iansaude.com

Jamba Juice jambajuice.com

Lush Handmade Cosmetics lushusa.com

Moondoggies Surf Shop moondoggies.com

The Movie Experience themovieexperience.com

Open Air Flowers openairflowersslo.com

Palazzo Giuseppe palazzogiuseppe.com Papyrus papyrusonline.com

Pizza Solo pizzasolo.com

Pottery Barn potterybarn.com

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe powellsss.com

Salon Lux-Aveda salonlux.com

Sal’s Paradise slosals.com Sephora sephora.com

Shoe Palace shoepalace.com

SloCo Pasty Co. slocopastyco.com

Solstice Sunglass Boutique solsticesunglasses.com

Starbucks starbucks.com

Splash Cafe Seafood & Grill splashcafe.com Sunglass Hut sunglasshut.com

Urban Outfitters urbanoutfitters.com

Victoria’s Secret victoriassecret.com

White House Black Market whitehouseblackmarket.com

LEASING INFORMATION:

Therese Cron Therese@copelandproperties.com 805.785.0511

Soaking it up at Pozo Saloon

The Central Coast offers a variety of music venues including the Performing Arts Center, SLO Brew, Vina Robles Amphitheater, the stages at the Mid-State Fair, and Pozo Saloon. In an effort to explore a location we had not been to yet we decided to check out a concert at Pozo Saloon.

BY PADEN HUGHES

First established in 1858, Pozo Saloon has a rich cultural history dating back over 150 years. Located 17 miles outside of Santa Margarita, this small

town was a popular resting spot for travelers around the turn of the century, passing between the San Luis Obispo area to the Central Valley. The road running through Pozo was eventually named Highway 178 and, in its early days, was a busy place.

In the 1940’s the highway passing through Pozo and the lifeline of visitors to Pozo Saloon

was re-routed north about 10 miles and renamed Highway 58. With that change, Pozo settled back into a small quiet forgotten town. Today it is comprised of a U.S. Forestry guard station, a couple of houses and, of course, the legendary saloon known for its pull on musicians and ability to draw crowds.

Always a place that attracted music, Pozo Saloon played host to Professor Pico’s String Orchestra in 1899. Pozo has continued to host concerts throughout the years, and more recently, has actively sought musical groups and artists to perform—and without fail, crowds of people make the journey to this otherwise sleepy town.

What makes Pozo a destination, aside from its historical charm, is the summer concert series this small place brings to our community. If there is one thing Central Coast locals are willing to sit in traffic for, it’s live music. Pozo has attracted many acts, such as Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ziggy Marley, Black Crowes, and recently, Lee Brice and Chris Young. While the owners aren’t quite sure what brings the acts to such a remote and funky venue, they say the shows often sell out and bands continue to visit.

As country music fans, my husband and I always look forward to seeing who is coming to the Central Coast each summer, and while the Mid-State Fair may have some of the best country artists, we were thrilled to see that Pozo had Lee Brice and Chris Young in June. We bought tickets, joined our friends and family, and enjoyed one of the more authentically country experiences our area has to offer.

The gates opened at 2pm, and by that time the parking lot was lined with tailgate parties and giddy fans. We got in line and made our way to the grassy general seating area already claimed by blankets, beach chairs, and jovial attendees. We claimed our ground, made ourselves comfortable, and enjoyed the concert that evening.

Watching the sun set over beautiful hills, and hearing some of your favorite songs in the midst of many who know all the lyrics, is a true Central Coast experience. I encourage you to enjoy the variety of music, venues, and ambiance our county provides. So take the time to enjoy the sunshine, good music, and the company of friends.

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

“We chose to use Graham based on the recommendation of a co-worker. Graham proved to be very helpful throughout the entire process. He thoroughly researched properties that we were interested in viewing to provide us with any pertinent information prior to seeing the house. Once we found the home we wanted to buy he kept us informed of the timeline of events, and guided us throughout the process. He immediately notified us of any changes and any actions needed. By using online document signing via email Graham was able to make the process of purchasing our home as easy as possible.”

AND THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT

Even when you live in the Happiest Place on earth, you need a boost occasionally. And while Instagram memes can be pretty uplifting, the latest trend in wellness inspiration is actually happening off-line in the tangible form of a deck of cards.

eriously accomplished wellness gurus in spirituality, food, and yoga have recently debuted decks of cards to help you absorb and act on their teachings. We’re talking Gabrielle Bernstein, Kris Carr, Elena Brower, and more.

They’re kind of like wellness flashcards,

offering you a short cut to a calmer, more self-actualized state of mind. “Do you remember when you’d prep for a final exam with flashcards? Well, there’s a reason for that,” explains Caroline Chabert, founder of Deckopedia, a company that publishes decks of cards like The Raw Food Beginner’s Deck. “The message is

straightforward and easy to read and digest,” she says.

Plus, with these five new healthy decks from super inspiring experts, there’s something sweet (and convenient) about being able to turn over a card on your nightstand or carry your trusty deck wherever you go.

OWN YOUR AWESOME

BY TRICIA HUFFMAN

Forget sticky notes on your bathroom mirror. Remind yourself how awesome you are by drawing a card from this deck of 52 affirmations, created by a professional joyologist (pretty much the best job title ever). Read one first thing in the morning to set a positive intention for the day, or pick one out when you’re feeling challenged or frustrated (like, when you just your spilled coffee on your shirt, or you didn’t exactly rock that big presentation). With cards reminding you to “choose gratitude” and love, it should make it a little easier to keep the optimism flowing. $28 // yourjoyologist.com

CRAZY SEXY LOVE NOTES

BY KRIS CARR

When was the last time you wrote yourself a love note? Never? That’s what we thought. And Kris Carr wants you to start right now.

After being diagnosed with a slowgrowing, incurable cancer in 2003, Carr vowed she’d spend the rest of her life living every second—and that includes truly loving herself. (In the process, she’s also become an impressive wellness leader on a national scale and a New York Times bestselling author several times over.)

The deck’s instructions like “Take your fears to tea” and “Nourish yourself” are paired with creative illustrations by artist Lori Portka reminding you to:

Choose love—extend your love to all beings, most importantly yourself.

MIRACLES NOW

BY GABRIELLE BERNSTEIN

The modern girl’s self-help guru is setting spiritual trends once again with her Miracles Now deck. After publishing her book of the same name, Bernstein noticed readers were using it kind of like a deck of cards—flipping through, sometimes to a random page, for a bit of guidance throughout the day. So she took all that positive, inspirational mojo and morphed it into a deck with bite-sized pieces of Spirit Junkie wisdom that you can carry with you. And in true Bernstein style, there’s a bit of sass and fun woven throughout—like a card that reads, “I measure my success by how much fun I’m having.” $13 // amazon.com

Nourish yourself—choose healthy, wholesome foods prepared with love.

Notice the blessings—when we take stock of our blessings, we receive more of them. Be gentle with yourself—you are precious.

Accept yourself unconditionally—let go of who you think you should be and fall madly in love with who you are in this moment.

$12 // kriscarr.com

“I use decks all the time, since a dear friend of mine gifted me with the Voyager Tarot,” shares yoga luminary Elena Brower. So making her own, based on her gorgeous book, The Art of Attention, felt natural. “I wanted something modern, beautiful, relevant, and inspiring to add to my collection,” says Brower. Her Yoga Healing Cards are exactly that: each one features a positive word like “silence,” “devotion,” and “believe.” Plus, the beautiful yoga poses and photos might just inspire you to move while you’re expanding your mind. And if you think cards are for luddites, check out the huge #ArtofAttention following on Instagram, where you’ll see thousands of them photographed alongside crystals, mala beads, and other sacred objects. $33 // bookmasters.com

Looking to dip your toe into the raw food movement, but have no idea where to start? French raw chef and health coach Emilie McBride’s got you covered with a whole deck of cards designed to make cooking with raw food easy and accessible. “The deck is simple to use, and helps you make healthy food that tastes really good,” McBride tells us. The first grouping of cards includes info on eating raw, and how to properly stock your kitchen, followed by 31 cards filled with recipes. “They’re great for those with no space for cookbooks, or families who can use the cards together.” $20 // deckopedia.com

DISCOVER

Carnitas: King of Tacos

Comparing and contrasting different carnitas dishes is hardly a chore; fatty, crispy, and deliciously pork-y, these “little meats” are my favorite filling for tacos, burritos, sopes, and tamales. As I would discover, the preparations and ingredients used for carnitas vary widely across the Central Coast: some restaurants stay true to the traditional Michoacán recipe with plenty of lard, while others opt for a healthier braise in orange juice or wine. The common thread? Carnitas are universally decadent and always pack a wallop of flavor

BY JAIME LEWIS

My first stop, Taqueria Santa Cruz Express in San Luis Obispo, is a modernist take on the traditional taco shop, with a palette of stainless steel and warm wood, and the comforting banter of soccer commentators from overhead TVs. At the front counter, I met owner Gonzalo Hernandez who shared that his traditional carnitas recipe begins with a secret blend of spices rubbed into pork shoulder. (When asked which spices,

Hernandez gave a proprietary smirk and wagged his finger to say, “Not so fast!”) Braised in lard over low heat for several hours, the carnitas are then removed from the pot, shredded and fried for a crispy edge before filling tacos and burritos, topped with a subtly spicy chipotle sauce. The result is luscious and savory, with a zesty kick and plenty of chew, especially when wrapped in a warm corn tortilla alongside rice and refried beans. >>

JAIME LEWIS is a sommelier, world traveler, and food writer, who lives in San Luis Obispo.

Chronic Tacos, also in SLO, is a slicker, more rock ‘n roll joint than Taqueria Santa Cruz Express—think Day of the Dead meets Lords of Dogtown—with shiny black tile, red paint and a serious skeleton fetish. The Chronic carnitas are lighter and un-fried. “We marinate the pork roasts for twelve hours in a blend of white wine, garlic, salt and onions,” said employee Maria Vasquez,

after which the meat is braised—along with the marinade—in lard for two to three hours. Once it’s fork-tender, the meat is pulled from the pan, shredded until fluffy, and ready to eat. Vasquez shared that carnitas is the most popular protein at Chronic Tacos, and I can see why, especially when topped with a piquant salsa verde, shredded cheese, cilantro, onions and a squeeze of lime. >>

hereas Taqueria Santa Cruz and Chronic Tacos are both relatively young establishments (established 2013 and 2015, respectively) Taco Temple in Morro Bay has honed its style over 18 years, and converted plenty of devoted worshipers along the way, including yours truly. Putting out a classic California vibe with surf paintings and longboards affixed to the ceiling, Taco Temple offers what it calls “California fusion” Mexican fare with loads of local vegetables and house sauces that set it apart from the average taco stop. “I hate average,” said owner Adam Pollard. “We wanted to spice up

Mexican food with fresh everything—nothing canned or pre-shredded.” Along with his wife and business partner, Dawnelle, Pollard developed the Taco Temple carnitas recipe to be healthier, that is, without lard. Each day, he lathers over 100 pounds of bone-in pork butt with achiote paste, orange juice, and spices, then cooks it low and slow overnight. In the morning, the roasts are de-boned and shredded, then fried to order on a flat-top grill and finished with salt and lime juice at the last minute.

What I really respect about Taco Temple

DIY DRESSING, TEMPLE-STYLE

The tang and brightness of Taco Temple’s creamy cilantro dressing is the perfect foil for the richness of the carnitas beneath—a foil I’ve attempted to recreate at home to no avail for years. Thankfully, Adam Pollard is an open-bookkind-of-guy. “Blend garlic, lemon juice, Champagne vinegar with salt and pepper. Add a handful of finely chopped cilantro, and then slowly whisk in olive oil,” he said. Keep this tasty condiment in the fridge for up to a week and slather it on everything from eggs and sandwiches to nachos.

tacos also happens to be the very thing that occasionally triggers complaints: they aren’t “authentic.” Carnitas tacos, for example, are teetering towers of flavor power served on two corn tortillas with a drizzle of chipotle puree, layered with frisee, shredded carrots, sliced red cabbage, diced tomatoes, and a squiggle of creamy cilantro dressing. In other words, they look—and taste—nothing like a standard taco, but they’re my favorite tacos on the Central Coast, hands down. “We get two or three complaints a year that the food isn’t authentic,” says Pollard. “The other ninetynine percent love it.”

FRESH AND IN SEASON

STONE FRUIT & PROSCIUTTO SALAD

Inspired by this seasonal fruit and dying to use it in every recipe we can come up with, Chef Jessie Rivas shares one of his favorite salad combinations. Complex but not overly complicated, it’s the perfect balance to a warm Central Coast afternoon.

BY CHEF JESSIE RIVAS

JESSIE’S TIP:

STONE FRUIT & PROSCIUTTO SALAD

cup goat cheese

8

thin slices prosciutto

white nectarines

yellow peaches

apricots

1. On a parchment covered half-sheet pan, line the bottom with the prosciutto slices. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until prosciutto is dried and firm, about 15 minutes. Allow prosciutto to rest on parchment until cool to the touch or until ready to serve.

2. In a mixing bowl add ricotta, goat cheese, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3. Cut the stone fruit into bite-sized wedges. In another mixing bowl add the cut fruit and mix with a touch of honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice to taste.

1 ¼ cup ricotta cheese CENTRAL COAST FARMERS’ HARVESTS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS Fresh Picked & Locally Grown Pesticide Free Produce Weekly or Bi-weekly Delivery No Contract Required SERVING San Luis Obispo | Avila | Los Osos Five Cities | Nipomo

4. On a ten-inch platter, layer the inner area with arugula. Add the ricotta mixture in three equal spoonfuls over the arugula. Place the fruit wedges over the whole plate and crumble the baked prosciutto over the fruit and finish with cracked black pepper and flake sea salt to taste.

JESSIE RIVAS is the owner and chef of The Pairing Knife food truck which serves the Central Coast.

AUGUST

LIGHT THE NIGHT GALA

Celebrate the 125th birthday of the Point San Luis Lighthouse with live music, gourmet dinner, beer tasting, as well as an auction.

August 14 // sanluislighthouse.org

OLIVE FESTIVAL

BROADWAY BY THE SEA

Celebrate summer with an outdoor concert featuring the voices of OperaSLO performing the music of Broadway and more at the Chapman Estate. August 15 // operaslo.org

Enjoy a festival dedicated to everything olive. Oils, tastings, soaps, gourmet foods, and much more.

August 16 pasoroblesolivefestival.com

CENTRAL COAST CLASSIQUE

Enjoy a 30, 64, and 100-mile bike ride that tours through the most beautiful and scenic parts of San Luis Obispo County. Ride along the coast with oceanside views, through vineyards, farmscapes, and lakeside scenes.

August 22 // centralcoastclassique.com

CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH

Raise a glass in celebration of the state’s ideal climate for wine, beautiful wine country landscape, talented and ingenious winemaking families, and our celebrated lifestyle and cuisine. September 1 – 30 discovercaliforniawines.com

CASA RENDEZVOUS

Enjoy an evening of premier wines, gourmet dining, live and silent auctions, and more. All proceeds benefit abused and neglected children in San Luis Obispo County. September 19 // slocasa.org

FRANKENSTEIN’S BRIDE

This horror story spoof hilariously reconstructs a classic tale by injecting it with musical parodies, pop culture references and one-liners. Outrageous characters and devilishly clever songs all add up to a monstrously good time that will have you screaming with laughter! September 24 – November 15 americanmelodrama.com

DEI COLORI SLO

feature over 100 talented artists who will transform the streets surrounding Mission Plaza with colorful, large-scale street paintings. September 26 - 27 // viadeicolorislo.com

Dei Colori SLO

LA GUITARRA CALIFORNIA FESTIVAL

Celebration of Guitar features 17 world-renowned artists in nine concerts, five masterclasses, two guitar auctions, a free guitar orchestra concert, an exhibit of guitar-themed art, and 40 luthiers showing their hand-made instruments in the vendor fair.

September 25 – 27 // laguitarracalifornia.com

Try -athlon!

Inspired by watching participants in the 36th Annual SLO Triathlon earlier this summer, we decided to try one ourselves! Since we’re more at home sitting in front of a computer than sprinting around the track, we asked some local experts whether it was feasible for a non-athlete to try a triathlon… and the resounding answer was, “Yes!”

Here’s how…

First off, it’s important to get past the perception of triathletes. Sure, it is steeped in a history and culture of elite athletes pushing themselves to their limits, but increasingly participants are more “Everyman” than “Ironman,” in much the same way that marathons, half marathons, and 5k runs have become full of “non-runner-runners.”

Just get out there and start training. Walk before you run, float before you swim, and roll on your beach cruiser before you cycle! The key is to get moving. You will slowly build on the momentum.

Find a club, or a partner. There are many local resources available and different group training at different stages and paces. Find one that feels right for you.

Choose your event. Triathlons have been modified over the years and range from insanely difficult to relatively easy. We are lucky to have some great options here on the Central Coast. Look into the upcoming events below, sign up for the one that best fits you, and get training!

Did you know? Many feel that triathletes

Scott Tinley’s Triathlon, Lake Lopez, October 2-4, 2015 Wildflower Triathlon, Lake Nacimiento, April 29 – May 1, 2016 SLO Triathlon, Sinsheimer Park, July 24, 2016

OPINION

San Luis Obispo Water

A key reason the Franciscan padres founded Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolsa where they did was the nearby stream we know as San Luis Creek. As the little community grew, that water supply was soon overdrawn and a supplemental source had to be found. This pattern would be repeated over and over and over again.

The sad reality is that San Luis Obispo sits on a very constricted underground aquifer, capable of safely supplying only 2,000-acre-feet per year. Consequently, the City has had to look elsewhere for its water. Meanwhile, the State established two very thirsty institutions at the City’s edge: Cal Poly and the California Men’s Colony (CMC). Their respective water needs produced an alliance when a potential new supply was identified in the Old Creek watershed in the hills south of Cayucos. A dam would be needed in addition to an aqueduct to carry the water back to the three institutions, so an organization known as the Whale Rock Commission was formed to oversee the construction and manage the reservoir thereafter. The costs and consequent entitlements to water from this effort were: SLO City 55%; Cal Poly 34%; and CMC 11%.

In that era, most coastal streams were looked upon as potential water sources. All it would take was building a dam and a pipeline to carry the water inland. At one time SLO County Engineering staff had identified the following potential dam sites (with acre-feet yields): Bald Top, 10,400; Upper Ragged Point, 17,500; Yellow Hill, 27,300; San Simeon, 18,200; and Santa Rosa, 11,000. Then along came the environmental movement, which turned the conversation to ecology and the need for Environmental Impact Assessments. That ended any talk of building dams on coastal streams; Whale Rock would be the first and last, and it turned out to be a bit of a failure, providing just half of its expected yield. One critic of the project kept calling it the “White Whale.”

During World War II, Army engineers had built a dam on the Salinas River creating the Santa Margarita reservoir to supply Camp San Luis Obispo. The Army then declared that camp surplus and wanted to rid itself of the dam and reservoir. Who could put that water to beneficial use? None of the downstream communities seemed to want the water, nor did Cal Poly, so SLO City became the only legitimate “taker.” For SLO, this was a good deal. The aqueduct from the dam to the camp crossed the City’s filtration plant near Stenner Canyon Road, so it was a natural fit. But, SLO County was interested in making Santa Margarita Lake part of its recreational program, so it stepped in to take over management of the dam. The dam was so new that a history of its performance in collecting water was nonexistent, so the County decided not to release any water downstream until the dam began to spill surplus water. It did not take downstream users of the river’s underflow long to realize their wells were not producing as before.

Obviously, SLO City wanted to capture and retain as much water as possible in the reservoir, and North County water users wanted to pump as much water as they could from the stream bed aquifers. Finally, the State Water Quality Control Board stepped in and ruled that no water could be impounded in Santa Margarita Reservoir until “a live stream could be seen from the face of the dam to the Monterey County border.” Therefore, SLO City no longer knew how much Salinas water it could count on. To further exacerbate the problem, our State Assemblyman at the time slipped a clause into a State bill to grandfather in all of the illegal stock ponds that had been built on Salinas River tributaries, which would have otherwise contributed to the river’s flow. Water for cattle was deemed more important than water for people. To this day, SLO City’s “take” from Santa Margarita is still a fragile number.

Yet, there was another source called The State Water Project—the

BY KEN SCHWARTZ

brainchild of former Governor Edmund “Pat” Brown. This massive water project called for a “coastal aqueduct” to serve the future water needs of SLO and Santa Barbara Counties.” Local voters bought into the idea and began paying an annual tax assessment to build the project. SLO County was to receive 25,000-acre-feet of water and Santa Barbara County, 57,700. But, both counties had to agree on the date to start constructing the Coastal Aqueduct. Santa Barbara County acted first, and SLO County’s response was a feeble, “Well, we’ll leave it up to individual cities and water districts to join or not join.” The SLO City Council copped out deciding voters should settle the issue, which they did resulting in a rejection of State Project water.

In other parts of the County, Paso Robles and Atascadero city councils said “no thanks” without asking their citizens to vote on the matter. Morro Bay was desperate for a new water source at the time, so there was no quibbling. Morro Bay now has State Water, as does Cuesta College and Avila Beach. Whether SLO voters made the right decision will be debated forever, but the fact remains that if you drive out Johnson Avenue into the countryside, you will eventually observe on your left a long line of lowlying structures that look like fortifications for snipers. They are vents for the Coastal Aqueduct that is carrying State Project water to Santa Barbara County without leaving a drop for SLO City.

One last reservoir remained to be tapped—Nacimiento in the far North County, which is owned and operated by the Monterey County Flood Control District. It had been built near the headwaters of the Nacimiento River to control sea water intrusion around Monterey Bay. Even though Nacimiento water originates in SLO County, SLO County Supervisors did not require Monterey County to leave any of it for SLO County residents. It wasn’t until the Monterey County Flood Control District wanted to build a second reservoir that SLO County woke up to its own water needs and required Monterey County to provide it with a share of the reservoir’s water bounty. SLO County would get 17,500-acrefeet annually, however, that water would be taken from the Nacimiento Reservoir rather than the newer more distant Lake San Antonio. And 1,200-acre-feet would be left at Nacimiento to support local development, leaving 16,300-acre-feet to be exported within SLO County. SLO City was interested given the uncertainties of its other water sources, but building an aqueduct that length would be costly. Due to growth in population and viticulture—grapes need a lot of water—Paso Robles saw countless straws being poked into its unregulated aquifer. So, Paso Robles signed up for Nacimiento water, as did Atascadero. SLO City contracted for 3,360-acre-feet and built a pipeline.

At this point in time SLO City can draw water from three widely separated watersheds and manages those draws conjunctively for best advantage. Even so, SLO City is faced with the fact that all reservoirs eventually die (see Laguna Lake). The City Council’s thinking at the time was that Nacimiento would be added as a contingency reservoir should any other city reservoir need be taken off line for any number of reasons. Nacimiento was not added to support population growth. Growth policy had been established after a 3, 2, 1 drawdown to 1% residential growth per year. But growth policy is a political football and takes huge political courage to support (witness the failure to manage the Paso Robles aquifer). Does SLO City have another water source down the line? Yes, but who will step up to pay for hugely expensive sea water (desalination) conversion? Will current ratepayers be willing to add this cost onto their current monthly water bills? Or, should developers of new growth inducing projects be required to pay? The answer to this question will determine the physical character of San Luis Obispo tomorrow.