DEL MAR’S COMMUNITY JOURNAL N E W S • F E A T U R E S Volume 20, Number 1 • O P I N I O N February 2015 Drinking Responsibly The Underground Shirley King | Avenida Primavera T wo previous columns in November and December illustrated how Del Mar Garden Club members conserve outdoor water use by forcing lawns into an abstinence program or removing turf altogether. Another active conservationist, resident Jim Kennedy, explains his storage system to collect rainwater - an in-ground catchment. What was your primary reason for installing an in-ground rainwater/ water catchment system? I had noticed for years that when it rains there are torrents going unused down our gutters and into the sea. I enjoy some water features and (with my irrigation turned off half the year ) I sometimes need to water plants before turning the City-water irrigation back on. It seemed like a good idea to capture the rainwater that was already falling on my property rather than use more of our City’s limited water resources.. What is the greatest benefit that you achieve with your catchment system that otherwise you would not receive? Ever since I participated in designing my home I have enjoyed making better use of my home and garden’s potential. Of course it is also gratifying to make better use of a limited resource and lower one’s water bill. Finally I get to enjoy my water features more and hope not to need my City-water irrigation as much going forward. Describe the basic design of your system? How long did it take to install? Did you have to sacrifice any use of your yard? Time to install: Aside from locating and addressing the various pipes Jim Kennedy and Teddy on the patio stones made by Jim that cover the containment system. To the right is the access pipe. Photo by Shirley King and conduits underground, digging the hole and arranging the materials delivery and electricity availability, it took about three days to install the containment system. Basic Design: My Landscaper used a concept similar to his “pondless” waterfall systems. A continued on page 3 Also in This Issue: Befuddled then Cuddled page 4 The postman cometh LATE page 9 My kingdom for a space page 3 Editorial editorial: Grass Roots Routes well, are familiar with some of our challenges, and have ideas about where we ought to be going and how to get there. el Mar has long been known as a strong citizen participation city. Much of what we have achieved has been initiated by grass roots citizen groups. Many ideas such as condos in Crest Canyon and a “restaurant row” instead of Powerhouse Park, have been defeated by the watchful eyes of active citizen groups. Much of what we value today about Del Mar’s character, especially our vast open green spaces and open beach front, has citizen fingerprints all over it. The agendas of these committees and non-profits are already full and they are diligently addressing issues that come to them. This is important work but often they operate in a reactive mode in the “now.” We would like to urge each of these groups to set aside quality time on a regular basis to move beyond the “now” to the “future,” to proactively think about ways we can move the community in fruitful directions for the medium and long term future, to organize these visions and ideas and bubble them up to the Council to put on the public agenda. This strong citizen influence has yielded a distinctive community that we enjoy and take pride in, yielding incredibly high property values that we also benefit from. Our rich history of citizen vigilance is a great base but not enough to shape our future. We need to keep mining our citizenry for good ideas now lest we back into a future that is unintended. Every year the Council meets to set priorities with the idea that the top of the list should be reflected in the budget wrestling period that follows. Usually Council Members try to divine these priorities on their own. This year the Council has formally requested input from our many nonprofit, committee and board members to help them reflect community ideas in City priorities. Of course anyone can decide to speak up, especially on the city’s new website and surveys, but we think a logical place to light a fire is in the many committees ,boards, and nonprofit organizations that have already attracted high energy citizens. Collectively these groups know the community We urge all city groups to stand down from business as usual and spend some quality time crafting their strategies for shaping our future. The Council then should stand down from its business as usual and seriously consider what the community tells them. Using history as our guide let’s put citizens in charge of our future. D del mar The Sandpiper is published by the Del Mar Community Alliance, a not-for-profit corporation. Its purpose is to advocate the Del Mar Community Plan, to foster informed public and government decision-making regarding issues affecting the community of the City of Del Mar, and to encourage a social and political climate favorable to the protection of the community character of the City of Del Mar and its environs. • 2,200 Del Mar residents are in the labor force. This figure was used to calculate how much mass transit ridership will increase. Source: SANDAG • The median household income of Del Mar in 2005 was $169,348 (not adjusted for inflation). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census data), the median household income was $100,982. Source: SANDAG Chuck Newton Circle: Rosanne & Joel Holliday, Carol Kerridge, Beth Levine & Henry Abarbanel, Diana Marquardt & Rod Franklin Publishers’ Circle: Jeff Barnouw, Darrese & Sam Borgese, Mary Ann & Bud Emerson, Nancy Fisher & Mike Salt, Chuck Freebern, Lynn & Charlie Gaylord, Maryka & George Hoover, Pat JaCoby, Louise Keeling in memory of Dave Keeling, Larry Schneiderman, Jane & Steve Voss, Nancy and John Weare Editors’ Circle: Penny and Buck Abell, Vava Anderson, Anthony Corso, Sandy & Bram Dijkstra, Mary & Jeffrey Friestedt, Susan & Judd Halenza, Lee Haydu, Linda & Jerry Hirshberg, Shirley King & Art Olson, Vernie & John McGowan, Bill Michalsky, Suzi Resnick & Stan Marks, Gloria Sandvic & Harold Feder, Rose Ann & Ira Sharp, Chic & Joe Sullivan, Sarah Dubin-Vaughn, Molli & Arthur Wagner Editors: Jeff Barnouw, Tony Corso, Dave Druker, Bud Emerson, Ann Gardner, Shirley King, Art Olson, Shelby Weaver, Betty Wheeler. Webmaster: Virginia Lawrence. Editor Emeritus: John Kerridge. All staff members and writers are unpaid volunteers. This publication depends upon the contributions of readers like you. Make checks payable to Sandpiper, Box 2177, Del Mar, CA 92014 • Del Mar became an incorporated city of California on July 15, 1959. Letters to the Editor • • • The Sandpiper welcomes readers’ letters and articles. Material submitted must include the writer’s name, street address, and phone number, and should not exceed 500 words. Material selected to be published may be edited or shortened. Send to: The Sandpiper, Box 2177, Del Mar, CA 92014; or [email protected] Sandpiper February 2015 Page 2 City hall: A Three Way Bud Emerson | Klish Way Option A Option B Option C City Hall Yes Yes Yes Town Hall Yes Yes Yes Outdoor Plaza Yes Yes Yes Parking 60 outdoor 60 outdoor 100 underground 160 underground community consensus is clearly in sight for a badlyExpansion Area None 11,000 square feet 20,000 square feet needed new civic center. The Cost 7-9 million 9-14 million 12-18 million City Council has signed off on a “poll” for the voters of Del Mar to weigh in on three options outlined below. The poll will be conducted mostly on line but there will be convenient appointed a citizens committee to evaluate proposals from paper/pencil opportunities for those who prefer to vote off design professionals in that phase. line. The poll will be open from February 2-13. The good news is that all three options include city hall The results of the poll will tell the Council how to proceed offices and plaza space that will readily accommodate our during the next phase this Spring and Summer when we Farmers’ Market as well as other community gatherings, will begin to see design alternatives. The Council has and parking. The first option is the simplest and cheapest, only meeting our current needs. The second option adds more underground parking spaces and a platform which provides flexibility for additional public uses to be decided Drinking Responsibly: The Underground sometime in the future. The third option also adds more continued from page 1 underground parking spaces and a platform which could hole in the earth was lined with a fabric and rubber liner, accommodate private uses should we decide in the future. with the “cavity” (with all of my surface drainpipes feeding Council Members seemed to be leaning toward the middle into it) filled with very strong commercial (corrugated option because it provides flexibility for future needs but plastic) horizontal storm water pipes with one additional they all have agreed to be guided by the results of the vertical pipe to the surface containing an underwater citizen poll. “sump” pump, power wire, and a lockable metal access • Option A - Civic Facilities Only: This option includes grate).The top of the storage cavity (except for the grated a City Hall, Town Hall, and an outdoor civic plaza, access pipe) was covered with another liner, and earth with a surface parking lot (approximately 60 parking and stepping- stones were put on top of that. The border stalls). This option would meet the City’s current and to the walkways and adjacent beds were reconfigured so projected needs to house City facilities. There would that the access pipe is well within the bed - barely noticed, not be space or parking available for expansion and out of the way of pedestrians. The remainder of the or future public, cultural, or private uses without underground storage is unnoticeable to those walking substantial redevelopment. by. The pump (separate from to my City-water irrigation system) is connected to a booster pump and a separate Estimated Cost: $7 million to $9 million. pipe which runs the water uphill to the various waterfall • Option B - Civic Facilities with Additional Parking reservoirs and to some hose bibs to permit hand-watering. and 11,000 Square Foot (SF) Expansion Area: Sacrifice: None aside from the cost, I reconfigured my This option includes a City Hall, Town Hall, and an walkway’s borders and my adjacent beds so that the whole outdoor civic plaza, with approximately 160 parking system will go unnoticed. I am still looking for the perfect stalls (60 stalls in a surface parking lot and 100 “fake rock” to cover the access pipe’s grate, but I have a big stalls in a parking structure). The parking structure flagstone that does the job for now. would be under the buildings and plaza and cover In what kinds of yards is your system most usable? part of the site. This option would meet the City’s current and projected needs to house City facilities. A flat area is best, although a sloped area like mine can It would provide approximately 11,000 square be made to work with a stronger pump. If a walkway is feet (SF) of future development area that would involved, the system should be configured so that the be available for additional public, civic, or cultural access pipe is located in an adjacent bed of plants well uses. With a Measure B vote, the additional space away from pedestrian traffic. It helps to have an area that could be considered for private revenue producing is free of underground lines of any kind with electricity development. The facilities and uses in the expansion nearby, and of course, a use for the water. area would be decided at a future time. One hundred (100) of the parking stalls could support the future MARK YOUR CALENDAR expansion or public parking. The Del Mar Garden Club will host a talk “Reusing, Capturing and Conserving Water with Candace Vanderhoff, Estimated Cost: $9 million to $14 million. Monday February 23rd at 9:30 am at the Powerhouse. continued on page 4 Light refreshments will be served. A Sandpiper February 2015 Page 3 Ask Doctor Rich ASK Dr. RICH! Rich Simons | Upper East 11th Street Every month, Rich Simons answers readers’ most perplexing questions. It was onlh a few hrzs befr severeturbulence set In and bodis were richocheing anout the cabin. An annuncwment ws mad in a lanvuag hat I ouldn’t possibly understand syin tha e werd going to havwe to land. On only the third try one of the stewardeses managed to bring it down. Anothr announcement in a language I couldn’ understand said no to worry there was a resort nearby wherewe could say. It turned out we should have worried becausethere had been a rsunami tnrght there recently and the windows f the main lobbly and most f the rooms a been blasted ut and the place was about a foot deep in wet sand crawling with liitle black and green crearures. Fortunately the proprietors had not abandode the premises – they wee campedup on the roof and hey offeed to put me up in a local B&B. That urnd out to be a cotin the corner of a local hut but the eple wee real nice – they didn’t even chhage for the latrine ut back. Photo illustration Virginia Lawrence Q – In last month’s Sandpiper, it was mentioned that you were on special assgnment. Are you ready now to file a “report?” T hanks to an incredn\bly ge erus grant from the ediors of the Sand;iper, I was scheduled to travel to western Africa to reviewthe availa bility of luxury vacation accomodations there. Not too many aines fly there nowadays , biut I was able to bok a flight ot of Leningrad on a VLAD0703 to Lkberia. Takeoff seemed to ot well b ut shortly after liftoff three mechanics emerged from somewhere, bearing the usual tools. You know – hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, ropes, pikes, halberds, crampons. They unscewed sme knd ofplate in the middle of the asle and descended int the bowels of the pla e to begin punding away. They might have been building a furnace dwn here; eventually the temperature in the cabin was above freezing. Abit further alo g one of the steweresses (this plane was too old to have “flightattendents”) noted that wheeas we were over land we should have been out to sea. She went forward to wake up one of the fellows napping in the cockpit. Heawoke and made som sortof corection to the computer and thenndosed offagain. City Hall: A Three Way continued from page 3 • Option C - Civic Facilities with Additional Parking & 20,000 Square Foot (SF) Expansion Area: This option includes a City Hall, Town Hall, and an outdoor civic plaza, with approximately 160 parking stalls in a subterranean parking structure. The parking structure would be under the buildings and plaza and would cover the entire site. This option would meet the City’s current and projected needs to house City The next day we were packed on to abus eaded sluth. It ws classic – th old lady nxt to me had a cag on her lap bearing three roosgers and the gy in front hed a pig that woudn’t stop squeaing. Overall thingswee gingwell intil we crossed a largish bridge and were soon apprehende by omd “officials,” who let us know that we had just co e across the Brooklyn Bay Bridge and woud theefore have to be qaanteened. We were herded into amassive circus tent and abpit all that I remember is that twice or so a day a nativefelow in a loin cloth wth face ponts and a headdress made ogf vulture feathers woud co e I and dance aru nd chanting a srt of Reggae tune. I woud swear the lyrics wer a closematch to “Hey Jude.” My next recollection is of brightwhitewalls and light pouring n from slmewhere a window, perhaps. A sylph in white appearat Is on the left. It seaks. I tjhink itp says “vital signs.” I tell it that I jst had the damnedest dream. “yeah,” she says, all the ptients say that. “it’s thosedrugsthey use djring surgery. I decide to try to be boyh contem[orary and cute. I say: “Yo, bch – can I score some of that sht on the street?” She says: “My name is Consuela. I am from Guatemala.” I say: “Yo gal – can I score some of that ganja on the street?” And that, Dear Reader, is my story. The farthest sout I got on my Odyssey was Scripps Gree n Hos[ital, You can see that the effects of the vyage are still with me. A d I hope that you do not feel that I have somehow deceived you. Hell, when I first mentioned a “Generous grant from the edtors of the Sandiper,” you should have known where this was headed. (Ed note: Dr. Rich’s delicate surgery was successful. We expect to have him back with a full array of consonants and vowels in the next issue.) facilities. It would also provide approximately 20,000 square feet (SF) of future development area that would be available for additional public, civic, or cultural uses. With a Measure B vote, the additional space could be considered for private revenue-producing development. The facilities and uses in the expansion area would be decided at a future time. One hundred (100) of the parking stalls parking stalls could support the future expansion or public parking. Estimated Cost: $12 million to $18 million. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 4 Fuzz Buzz Jim Benedict | Christy Lane T he city council approved, at their 1/20 meeting, to move forward with the finance committee’s recommendation, to investigate costs and opportunities to develop our cities own small police department This department would be an overlay to the existing Sheriff contract. We would continue to contract with the Sheriff for serious crimes and issues and use our own police department to have much quicker responses to issues like prowlers, loud beach parties, indecent exposure, petty theft, etc. Our goal is to reduce these response times from, on average, 40 minutes to under 10 minutes. “We want to keep the best of the sheriff services, and provide continuity of service from our local police department,” stated Bud Emerson, member of the finance committee. The recommendation, as presented by Finance Committee member, Barry Entous, is to have a police chief, one or two certified police officers, and two or more community service officers (CSOs). The Ranger program would be folded into this new venture. It was also recommended that the new police department assume the duties of traffic patrol from our Sheriff for our city. How much will this cost us? Under the leadership of Mayor Corti and councilman Terry Sinnott, our city will present our plan to Sheriff Gore’s office and ask to have the current sheriff contract amended to remove the cost of the traffic patrol at a cost savings of over $300,000 to our city. This annual savings will cover most of the new costs that will be incurred. We look at this opportunity as a win, win, win for our city, our citizens, and the sheriff’s office. The city gets more control and consistency of our police protection, our citizens get better response times to key issues, and the sheriff benefits from not having to do traffic patrol and a more satisfied customer. FEBRUARY 2015 Pat JaCoby | Del Mar Community Connections Popular lecture on jewelry sparkles anew Back by popular demand, local antique and estate jewelry dealer Judy Schuckit will discuss “Antique Jewelry—the History and the Passion” at a 1 p.m. meeting Feb. 11 at the Del Mar Library sponsored by Del Mar Community Connections. In addition to addressing the history of jewelry, Schuckit said she will add pointers about practical issues such as life insurance, upkeep and repair of jewelry. Schuckit said the talk will cover the social history of jewelry and how styles have changed, and the difference between appraisals and evaluations. She will take several pieces of jewelry brought by attendees and discuss their historic significance and current value for the group. The lecture is free and open to the public. Reservations may be made by calling 858 792-7565. Speaker to explore concept of quality of life The second in a series of six monthly lectures sponsored by Del Mar Community Connections on varying topics of aging—physical, medical, housing and financial--is scheduled at 2 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Del Mar Library and will explore the concept of “quality of life.” Guest speaker Amy Abrams, a certified Care Manager and co-founder of Elder Care Guides, says “quality of life” means different things to different people—and like so many things in life, you best know what it means when you don’t have it. “We’re all striving to achieve it,” she says, “but how do we really plan for it. Now is the time for a thoughtful evaluation of what ‘quality of life’ means to you and what it will mean as you age. Will you have the resources you need to maintain the lifestyle you prefer? If you become disabled and unable to communicate your wishes, would your representatives know what to do to ensure that you continue to live life on your own terms?” Abrams said she will cover key issues such as the array of care options that are available, the costs of long term care, and methods of documenting and communicating your wishes “Whether you’re thinking ahead about your future plans, or are in a caregiving situation, take some time for thoughtful planning and understand what quality of life of life means to you,” she adds. Reservations may be made by calling 858 792-7565. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 5 Getting to Know You Penny Abell Harold Feder, Cub Reporter | Crest Road P enny Abell is, among other things, a long time Dodgers baseball fan. For me, as a Giants’ fan, the words “Dodgers fan” connotes only the negative characteristics that one would associate with the uneducated, the uninformed or the irrational. I know Penny is the polar opposite of such terms. So what drives her to this fandom? I tried to find out. Q: Let’s get the preliminary questions out of the way. When did you first come to Del Mar and why? A: 1978. I was hired as the Head Librarian at UCSD. I was the 2nd Head Librarian in the history of UCSD. At that time, of the 65 Head Librarians in the country, only two, including myself, were woman. Q: I don’t picture you as a librarian. A: You mean the little old lady wearing tennis shoes? Actually, librarians mainly teach and demonstrate how to find information. In becoming a librarian, I recognized that you could pursue any interest you wanted. One could specialize in history, reference work, etc And I loved solving puzzles. Also, there are answers to almost any question and librarians help solve these mysteries. Q: How long were you at UCSD? A: Until 1984. I left to become Head Librarian at Yale. Q: That sounds like a big job? A: At Yale, we had 500 employees at 25 locations on and off campus. At both schools, it was the beginning of the tremendous use of technology. It was exciting. I even get excited now talking about it. I stayed at Yale for 10 years and then returned to Del Mar. Q: How would you describe Del Mar then? A: The income levels were much lower. Also, there was more homogeneity in terms of income levels. It was a UCSD faculty town. More people knew each other because there were more long time residents and from a shared sense of activism. I don’t get that sense of this activism anymore. Q: Is that a good or bad development? A: Bad. Because of citizen engagement, Crest Canyon was saved, the Powerhouse was established, the library was refurbished...I could go on and on. Q: Who was your favorite council person? A: Jerry Finnell. He was a grown up. He listened well, was fair and pushed for and established a clear financial base. Q: Your favorite place in the world? A: I think Botswana. I love birds and animals and love the feel and smell of Africa. Botswana is a wonderful place to experience that. Q: Your favorite book and why? A: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. It is a long, Penny Abell. From the Sandpiper archives. Hat courtesy Virginia Lawrence. complex book. I think I got 5% of the meaning. But it was so skillfully written that I could not stop reading. Also, there is the wonderful surprise of his sense of humor. Q: Ever read a book twice? A: The 1st Volume of Remembrance of Things Past by Proust and Dick Francis mysteries. Dick Francis mysteries because they are so mindless I forget about the story after a couple of years and can read them again. Q: The best piece of advice? A: I was new at the job at UCSD and for reasons I cannot remember, I was visited by a guy who had been a professor at the school and had gone into business. He told me of the best book he had read regarding management was “How to Win a Meeting.” He didn’t know the author or anything else about the book other than the key to an effective meeting was to know exactly what you wanted to come out of the meeting from the beginning. The guy was Irv Jacobs now known as Irwin Jacobs. This was before Qualcomm. Q: Seriously, the Dodgers? A: It began when I was a child at my grandma’s house and I would spend days listening to the radio and keeping score. My romance with the Dodgers started when we lived in Wichita and my brother and everyone else were St Louis Cardinal fans. For some reason, I don’t know why, I fell in love with the Brooklyn Dodgers. This was around 1942. I could only listen to them on the radio when they played the Cardinals. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 6 Spaced Out Parking Puzzle Pieces Tom McGreal | Stratford Court Tom McGreal | Stratford Court D I el Mar is at a critical stage in defining the parking requirements for the City Hall project. The ballot alternatives are now being drafted for the community vote on the type of City Hall / Town Hall and how much parking should be included. t may be hard to find a convenient parking spot in Del Mar, but it’s even harder to find a parking management plan that everyone can agree upon. At the January 5th City Council meeting the staff issued a ninety-two page report on parking management for the downtown area. Additional reports will be required later this year for four other neighborhoods before we get a comprehensive citywide plan. After a lengthy discussion the Council reconfirmed the importance of completing a comprehensive citywide parking management plan. They concluded that the plan must: 1) Define the problem for residents, business patrons, employees and beach visitors 2) Describe what a parking solution should accomplish for each of these groups 3) Decide upon solutions (with implementation timeframes and costs) This is a good start, but if you listen to almost any debate about parking in Del Mar, there are always three arguments that get raised that cloud the real issues and never seem to get answered. The City should take the time to definitively address these arguments so that we can understand the facts: Parking in Del Mar. Cartoon John Dempsey. The discussion at the recent Council meeting was a clear reminder that there is a significant parking requirement for the downtown employees and a large commitment by the City to provide parking spaces for the in-lieu parking fee program (paying fees instead of providing parking). Hopefully Del Mar will not miss the opportunity to build parking on the City Hall site that meets the needs of the City staff, accommodates the events on our new plaza, provides a designated parking area for downtown employees and meets the City’s commitment to provide parking for the in-lieu program. Del Mar ‘s parking problem is really a “parking distribution” problem. There may be a lot of underutilized private parking in Del Mar, but the City has been unsuccessful thus far in convincing the owners to share the parking with other businesses or make it available to the public. If these private parking spaces are not going to be made available to the public, then let’s stop including them as potential public parking. The City should talk to the owners and make a final determination. continued from page 6 The staff report to city Council indicates that “management strategies” will generate 100 parking spaces (or 50% of the spaces the report indicates we need downtown). The City should focus on creating “actual parking spaces” while the development of City Hall project and the Shores property are up for discussion. This is where we have a real chance to build a reservoir of parking for the downtown area. Management strategies (reallocating existing parking spaces) may be a source of incremental parking, but they’re not the primary solution. Q: Your favorite Dodger? We should fully understand the seasonal nature of the parking problem. Getting to know you: Penny Abell A: That is a very difficult question, but it would have to be Sandy Koufax because of his grit and brilliance. Q: How did you feel when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles? A: Deeply disappointed and still am. They are still the Brooklyn Dodgers, but they now play in Los Angeles. Q: Ok, a Dodger fan can be intelligent, interesting and sophisticated. But still! A Dodger fan? We all know that the worst parking problem exists in the summer, so parking policies should be targeted to the seasonal influx. The City staff report however, addresses the year round parking shortage based upon an assessment of supply and demand. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking it’s just a summer problem. We should rely upon the statistics and data developed by the staff to define the overall problem. Hopefully, the City can address these issues once and for all so that the citywide parking management plan can be constructed based upon real facts. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 7 Mum’s NOT the Word dmtv Presents Brown Act Opening up in DM Meet Market | Hitting It Off in San Diego Dwight Worden | Seaview Avenue Luana Karr | DMTV O ne-on-one interactions and dating, especially in the San Diego area seem to take determination and ingenuity. Well, two of Del Mar TV’s producers took different approaches to the problem with two shows that may give some insight to those who are looking for closer relationships. T Google Images he Brown Act is what is called a “sunshine act,” meaning it opens government business to sunshine and the public eye. It is the Brown Act that requires Del Mar City Council meetings to be open to the public, calling for agendas to be posted in advance, and ensuring that citizens have the right to speak and be heard even on “items not on the posted agenda.” To protect against government decision-making by surprise, the Brown Act also prohibits City Council discussion or action on items not on a posted agenda. And, there we encounter a bit of a rub. If the council cannot discuss or act on an item “not on the agenda,” what can they do when a citizen appears to raise an issue “not on the agenda”? Historically, our Del Mar Council practice has been not to discuss the item at all, to simply say “thank you,” and move to the next item. A standard statement printed on every City Council agenda institutionalized this strict approach: “State law generally precludes the City Council from discussing or acting upon any topic presented during oral communications that is not described on the posted agenda.” One of my first actions as a new councilmember was to point out that the Brown Act does not require that we be that strict. The Act will allow: (1) questions from the council to any speakers or staff; (2) council discussion to decide if the item should be placed on a future agenda; (3) reports by councilmembers as to any work they have done on the item; and (4) a brief statement by councilmembers about the topic. No action may be taken other than to put the item on a future agenda, but mum does NOT need to be the word! The council’s standard agenda statement has now been revised accordingly. So, if you plan to come to council to speak on an item “not on the agenda,” my hope is that, where appropriate and when needed, you will NOW get more than a poker face and “thank you!” The second item I am recommending to improve how Hitting It Off in San Diego. Courtesy DMTV. Paul Tomberello, one of our “Reel Focus” videographers produced the show ‘ Meet Market’. In the past Paul has taped Del Mar events such as the Ugly Dog Contest, the Farmers Market and Art Stroll. Combining his field shooting skills with his production skills, the show features special guest Corey Anderson, Marriage and Family Therapist. Corey developed a questionnaire to check compatibility for guests Stacey Josey, Mark Dice and Brendon Benson. Host Jennifer Cooper guides them through the maze of questions arriving at a conclusion that is unexpected. Crew for “Meet Market” includes new members Lisa Liguori and Theresa Mosakowski. Paul acknowledged that he learned a lot about producing and working with Del Mar Television veteran producers and he is now working locally on his own feature film. Producer Jillian Risberg hosts “Hitting if Off in San Diego.” Jillian’s special guest is Deanna Lorraine, a Relationship/ Dating coach. Jillian and Deanna discuss some of the pitfalls of relationships and how to navigate them. Jillian came to the Del Mar Television Foundation to develop her TV hosting/reporting skills. She and Paul worked together on the short event program ‘Del Mar Art Stroll’. Jillian has moved forward with her career and is now reporting at a local TV station in New Jersey. Both shows can be seen on Thursdays in February at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively. For more information visit our website at www.delmartv.com. continued on page 10 Sandpiper February 2015 Page 8 THE NOT-SO-HAPPY HOUR YOU FIRST, NO YOU! Louise Keeling | Cuchara Drive Polite Park Planning Ann Gardner | Via Latina T here was a time when my elderly good neighbors down the street looked forward to the five o’clock hour (pm). They’d kick off their shoes, pour the chardonnay, and enjoy looking at what was left of their ocean view. Now it’s more complicated. The U.S. Post Office delivers the daily mail and it’s just come......so time for the man of the house to bend over slowly to put on his sturdy walking shoes, stretch his stiff arms into his sweater (because it’s chilly outside by now) and search for the necessary items: the basket to carry the mail, the head-lamp given to him by his son...so he doesn’t have to use a flash-light, and his sturdy walking stick that helps him get out his door, down the driveway, and approach the dome-shaped box. It’s pitch dark by now, and with luck he opens the box, gathers the day’s contents and slowly makes his way back up the driveway to the house. Hopefully he doesn’t drop any of the many mailings because bending over to pick it up is not so easy, and the head-lamp might slip. Back in the house, he doffs the sweater and shoes, and realizes it’s too late for cocktails.....time for dinner. T he Shores Advisory Committee has agreed to delay their survey until the City Hall poll is conducted but is still taking input at their monthly meetings, and their consultant is currently interviewing community interest groups. Del Mar resident Joe Curtis www.toonopedia.com. took advantage of the monthly meeting to ask that his group – parents with young children – be added to the list of groups helping to identify what uses to include in the Shores Park Master Plan. The Committee and the consultant agreed and the group was added to the JanuaryFebruary interview schedule. The Committee meets monthly at 8 a.m. on the second Wednesday in the City Hall Annex and Committee members welcome visitors and input. The eight are responsible for overseeing a process to make sure as many residents as possible are included in developing a Park Master Plan for the city property at Ninth and Stratford. The 5.3 acre site currently includes the Winston School and the Community Building with offices for the Del Mar Foundation and Del Mar Community Connections. The School has a long term lease with the City and works collaboratively with the Committee in the Master Plan process. Photo illustration Virginia Lawrence Hope springs eternal when one goes for the mail.... maybe, just maybe, there’s a personal note amongst the many ads for after-Christmas bargains or announcements of the million dollar houses for sale in the neighborhood. My Hope is that this coming year our street will not be the last one on our faithful mailman’s route, as we have learned it is now. It’s our turn to be getting mail before our afternoon naps and chardonnay. Consultant Schmidt Design Group, well known in the San Diego area for its park designs – think Solana Beach Coastal Rail Trail – also met with the Committee to go over the survey questionnaire that will now be launched in March. According to staffer Kristen Crane, invitations to take the survey online will be mailed to all registered voters with an access code, followed by a phone call survey to voters who do not respond within the first week. But you don’t have to wait for the survey to get in the mood; go to www.engagedelmar.com, the City’s new online community “engagement tool,” developed by MindMixer, to begin communicating with the City and other residents on the future of Del Mar. And coincidentally the second question is “What Is Your Favorite Park in Del Mar or elsewhere?” Pictured as “listening” along with Administrative Services Manager Andrew Potter is Kristen Crane, confirming the eight members of the Advisory Committee are also listening along with Committee Council liaisons Sherryl Parks and Terry Sinnott. Go to www.delmar.ca.us/shorespark to get more information and sign up for ongoing Shores Advisory Committee notices. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 9 Book Corner The Great Ringtail Garbage Caper by Timothy Foote with illustrations by Normand Chartier Virginia Lawrence | Caminito Del Rocio A group of desperate and daring raccoons organizes a bold hijacking scheme when their lush food supply is threatened by a pair of efficient young garbage collectors. Y ear after year the raccoons on Martha’s Vineyard had “lived off the fat leavings of summer folk … savory cheese rinds, lamb chop bones and greasy bacon wrappers, sardine cans with tasty bits left in the corners.” But then Nip Jordan and Tuck Taylor were hired for the garbage job. “Bound for Yale, and bristling with ambition, they felt that a garbage truck was as good a vehicle as any to put them on the road to success.” They tried hard not to “clang the cans around in the dark, and they never left behind a trail of eggshells, orange peels, or goldy bits of margarine wrappers.” At the dump, they promptly “burned or buried all the garbage.” The islanders were delighted. But for the raccoons, the “garbage crisis” became critical, so critical that an emergency meeting of the “Benevolent Protective Society of Raccoons was called at the BPSR Community Center.” The Oldest Coon was stern. He told the assembly they would have to tighten their belts and return to their old ways. “Raccoons lived on the island long before men came. It is full of natural foods - frogs, toads, tadpoles, newts, salamanders, hermit crabs, crawfish, snails.” The kits were aghast, and their groans rose as the list proceeded. “In the back, someone was holding up a sign that read: NATURAL FOODS FAUGH! A second placard read: NO NEWTS IS GOOD NEWTS.” But the Oldest Coon had a plan. All he needed was a Daring Dozen, and a hero. THINK GREEN with Esmeralda When Nip and Tuck accepted the garbage job, they immediately named the old truck Esmeralda, a Spanish name meaning “emerald” - a green gemstone. As the author explained, “on the Vineyard garbage was proverbially collected sloppily. We humans are the guys who screw up the environment with immediate effect on local animals.” Because so many people came to the island, “there was much less room for wetlands where toads, tadpoles, frogs, newts, and grasshoppers are found.” The raccoons soon developed a taste for and then became dependent on “our leavings.” Big Ben at the wheel weariing an old-fashioned boater hat and a mask as a disguise. In the story, the raccoons come across as heroes. In reality, however, they are usually viewed as pests. The story shows that when trash collection is meticulous, raccoons cease to thrive. Or do they? Expect surprises at the end! Ringtail came to life in the ‘70s on Martha’s Vineyard in the town of Menemsha as an oral improvisation for Timothy Foote’s son Andrew. The story was published in 1980 by Houghton Mifflin and later picked up by Scholastic Paperbacks. This past week, one of the Sandpiper editors read the book to two little girls (3 and 4) whose immediate desire was to go find a raccoon. The editor herself, of another generation entirely, also loved the book. Sadly, in spite of its broad appeal, Ringtail is today available in second-hand editions only. The good news is that the Del Mar Library has half a dozen used copies on its shelves. Timothy Foote spent his career employed variously as a Senior Editor of LIFE, and then of TIME and finally at the SMITHSONIAN. Mum’s NOT the Word continued from page 8 council works under the Brown Act is to create a location on the City website where councilmembers can share information between noticed meetings. These informational postings would be visible to all councilmembers and to the public. This would enable all five councilmembers, and the public, to be better informed, while encouraging information sharing in an open, transparent manner. This proposal is still under review. I hope to be able to advise you of its implementation soon. Both of these modest changes are, in my view, entirely consistent with the Brown Act. They will promote citizen participation, and keep us all better informed. That’s a good thing that the Brown Act was never intended to impede. The Brown Act is great law. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 10 RUSTY’S Ride Take a Turn Anthony Corso | Stratford Court City Advisory Committee Vacancies I nterested in volunteering in your City? The City of Del Mar invites its residents to volunteer on a board or commission to provide input in a variety of areas. The City is currently soliciting for interested persons to fill the following committee vacancies: Business Support Advisory Committee Two (2) Vacancies – (1) Retail Establishment Representative and (1) Hotel Owner/ Operator Representative I nhabitants of Del Mar frequently allude to living “adjacent to the ocean.” Interestingly, there are a number of other residents, perhaps as high as 300, who envision “living in the ocean.” These ocean dwellers are known as “surfers.” And as “surfers” they have a culture, language and lifestyle unique to one another. Briefly, consider: “snaking,” “aggro,” “ gnarly,” “da bomb,” “blown out,” “ face,” “tube,” “snap,” etc. Definitions of such surfing terminology can be found in the Riptionary, an on-line lexicon of surfing terminology. But that’s another story! Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee One (1) Vacancy - Commercial Retail Member Interested citizens should complete a Citizen Interest Form and submit it to the City of Del Mar’s Administrative Services Department. Visit http://www.delmar.ca.us/volunteer to complete the form and see the deadlines. Forms should be submitted to the City of Del Mar, Administrative Services Department, 1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014. Additionally, the City has the following upcoming opportunities in the next 60 days: Design Review Board Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee Subscribe online at http://www.delmar.ca.us/ volunteer to receive email notifications to find out when new openings are posted. Rusty’s team. Left to right: Diggy Valois, Zach Groban, Weston Yocom, Paul Danger. Courtesy Zach Groban. Most of the surfers “hang-out” at Rusty’s - a local surf shop across from the Post Office on 15th Street. As a young man and surfer Rusty Preisendirfer traveled along the Del Mar Coast in search of the “ideal wave.” On one such trip, more than 25 years ago, he discovered a small store overlooking the ocean and underutilized as a retail shop. Given its location, he felt it would make an ideal surf-shop. He and his wife re-opened it as Rusty Del Mar, Surf Shop. Since then he and his business partner, Zach Groban, have developed a thriving surf business, carrying a brand name recognized world-wide and defining Del Mar a “Surf Capital.” City Council Appoints Advisory Committee Members back: Terry Sinnott, Dwight Worden, Don Mosier, Mayor Al Corti. front: Deputy Mayor Sherryl Parks. Courtesy Sherryl Parks. The business succeeds in making numerous major contributions to the Community. There are regular surfing events, such as “The Del Mar Classic,” which they sponsor, and manage to draw celebrities, professional athletes and thousands of dedicated surfers. Zach Groban recently noted, “We contribute to countless local events with raffles, donations, and great causes; we like to support the Community that has given so much to us.” Since its creation more than 25 years ago, a long line of young people have worked in the Shop, before finishing school, some of whom now hold key positions in the surf industry. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 11 Roving Teen Reporter Feathered Census Selfies of Substance Ed Mirsky | Hoska Drive Leah Gans | La Jolla Country Day Junior A selfie is a photo of oneself, with or without others, taken by a person that is also in the photo. Contrary to the common misconception, a selfie is not simply a photo of someone alone. “I can’t count the number of #selfiesundays I see on Instagram that are not actually selfies,” complained Sarah from TPHS. Many people argue that selfies are just another example of the younger generation’s selfindulgence and selfimposed isolation from the outside world. “I think these Google Images. beliefs just show resistance to advances in new technology,” shared CCHS student Zoe. Selfies can be a fun way to share a picture, but they also have been used to start and support important social campaigns, including feminism, anti-bullying, and preventing self-harm. For example; Emma Watson’s “#HeForShe” campaign used selfies and social media to promote gender equality. Another example would be Demi Lovato’s “No H8” campaign where she raised awareness for self-harm by writing No H8 on her face and hands and shared selfies of this on social media and others followed, posting their own selfies. Although there are people who support these campaigns to be trendy, the information is still being communicated and reaching a wide audience. As CCA student Abby said, “Using selfies to spread awareness is just one way our society uses social media to impact our society in a positive way.” Selfies are not an example of our generation’s desire to live life at home through a computer. If anything, selfies influence teens to get outside, accomplish something significant and share it on social media. Of course, this leads to the question that I have heard countless times from my mom, grandma, aunts and uncles: “Why would you want everyone to know what you are doing all the time?” The answer to this is simple: I don’t. As TPHS student Kyle explained, “I don’t share on social media when I’m laying in bed binging on ice cream and potato chips watching “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” Social media is meant to share ideas, feelings, and photos of our best selves. It is actually a pretty cool tool for teens to learn how to present themselves properly on any platform. Selfies may seem like a complete waste of time to our parents and grandparents, and that probably can be true. However, there really is no harm in them and they provide another way to communicate and connect with people and even occasionally inspire social reform movements. T he San Dieguito Lagoon Area Monthly Bird Survey began in January 2010 as the inspiration of two local birders, Jayne Lesley and Mona Baumgartel. The final count for 2014 was conducted on Sunday, 7 December. It marked the end of five years of data collection at the lagoon. Over the five-year period the eighty-eight volunteers who participated in the survey observed a total of 223 bird species. Fourteen of those species were observed on or flying over the ocean at the mouth of the lagoon. The remaining 209 species were seen on the beach, in the lagoon, and on the San Dieguito River and adjacent upland habitats as it meanders east to Helen Woodward Way in Fairbanks Ranch, CA. The Horned Lark was photographed close to the San Dieguito River Park’s Birdwing Open Air Classroom where the species may breed. Photographed by Leonard Sander, Univ. Michigan The monthly bird survey is not directly part of Southern California Edison’s (SCE) mitigation settlement for the environmental damage done by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. The California Coastal Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the mitigation, contracted with UC Santa Barbara to design and implement a study to show that SCE has indeed created “successful” new wetlands. Steve Schroeter, a UC Santa Barbara biologist was hired to head the study to evaluate the restoration of the lagoon. Steve was instrumental in getting approval for the monthly bird survey within those parts of the lagoon restricted to the public, arguing that a monthly census would provide supplemental data on bird distribution and abundance throughout the year. And it has been valuable. To paraphrase Steve Schroeter, the lagoon survey is an independent source of data that is valuable for two reasons: It has been conducted over a longer period of time and at a higher frequency than the bird data we are collecting for the mitigation monitoring; and it has provided an important cross check on our bird data, which samples in the winter, fall, and spring, only. A list of the species seen at San Dieguito Lagoon over the five year period of the survey is found on the Friends of the San Dieguito River Valley website: (www.fsdrv.org/ RVBirdCount.html). Sandpiper February 2015 Page 12 Satisfaction summary soon Reaching Out for Feedback and Input Jeffrey Barnouw | Amphitheatre Drive Down To the Wire Stop THIS Paseo! Ann Gardner | Via Latina T he City Council and Staff have launched two programs to find out what Del Mar citizens are thinking. In December an online Citizen Satisfaction Survey asked the public to assess the performance and relative importance of a wide variety of services the City provides. Then, to open the New Year (in fact in mid-January) an “online community engagement tool” called Engage Del Mar made its debut, an open-ended project to develop more and better lines of communication between citizens and with the City Council, committees and staff. The online Satisfaction Survey was complemented by a hard-copy version. Thirty paper copies were among the 442 responses received from a pool of 2900 names gleaned from Voter Registration. Probolsky Research of Newport Beach, which ran the survey, found the number of responses gratifying, above what one could have expected judging from comparable surveys elsewhere in California. W e are down to the wire in the battle between the proposed One Paseo project and the Carmel Valley community; the San Diego City Council is scheduled to make a decision on February 23 at a hearing downtown. The downtown location was a disappointment to many in North County but What Price Main Street, a coalition of over 5,000 community residents opposing the project size, has set the tone: “While we are disappointed that the City Council meeting is being held downtown, we sincerely appreciate the efforts of Council President Lightner and her staff to locate it in Carmel Valley. At this point, we are focused on turning out as many WPMS members as possible.” For shuttle to 2/23 meeting, call 855 385 9767 The survey asked not only for judgments and comments on the performance of a wide variety of services the city provides but also a ranking of priorities among some of them. (I found ranking them by relative importance difficult.) The third question presented a very heterogeneous list of services and issues “the City is evaluating,” “repairing streets, adding/improving sidewalks, encouraging a more vibrant Downtown business area, reducing the impact of business parking on adjacent neighborhoods, adding new recreational opportunities, generating revenue from visitors to provide services that off-set their impact, traffic enforcement, and crime prevention.” Results are not yet in but will be presented at the City Council meeting February 2. One possible gain from taking the survey is that we were again made aware of how many things the City does for us. Kristin Crane, Assistant to the City Manager, oversaw the survey and is joined by Andrew Potter, Director of Administrative Services, in monitoring the online activity of Engage Del Mar. This “tool” is provided by MindMixer, a software program currently used by 90 communities in California and 900 nationwide. In Del Mar it should serve a number of different purposes, not only on already defined projects but the shaping of concerns and issues. To begin with two sample questions have been posed about the different ways in which we enjoy the beach and about our favorite park, whether in Del Mar or not. I opt for the English Garden in Munich, which won’t shed much light on what we can do with the Shores lot. I, of course, signed up for my Engage Del Mar Account immediately and was promptly acknowledged by the Mindmixer Team. “Welcome, Jeffrey, Thanks Carmel Valley Planning Board rejects proposed 1.4 million sq foot One Paseo project, suggests applicant come back with a smaller mixed-use project in keeping with Community Plan. Del Mar City Council members will also be there. On January 5, the Council voted unanimously to voice their concerns with the project and urged San Diego “to continue working with the applicants and the local planning groups to achieve a viable main-street concept that achieves project goals with significantly reduced community continued on page 14 for verifying. Now you can start contributing to our community.” The social media aspect includes a competitive angle. The program says I will earn points every time I contribute to the site, points that “can be redeemed toward unique rewards,” ranging “from baseball caps to a key to the city.” “You can also see how you measure up against the other participants in your community by checking out the Top Contributors.” I would already have 50 points just for creating my Account and would get 25 more for each of you I could persuade to join. But Kristin Crane assured me the City will not make use of this feature. Let’s hope this whole amusing but pointless section is removed from the site. The possibilities for generating civic dialogue and engagement, which was the Council’s main intent, should be enticement and reward enough. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 13 Over the Fence Anthony Corso | Stratford Court T he Art of Neighboring is at the forefront of a national movement to renew local communities through “neighboring.” The book reminds us of the value of pursuing relationships with people who are neighbors and suggests that citizen participation as practiced in many communities seems ineffectual beyond reacting to a single issue that unites some neighbors at a point in time. The Art of Neighboring offers a new approach based upon the following observations: Lofty fences, some real—some imaginary, act as impairments separating and isolating individuals and families from one another. Such isolation impedes “neighboring” or ongoing communications and the evolution of a community environment. In many cases the situation persists despite persons living next door to one another for 10 or 20 years! Proponents of “neighboring” regret the situation and offer examples of creative solutions and recommendations generated by “neighboring” programs. The programs frequently originate as a joint effort of spiritual leadership and a governmental jurisdiction. The “spirituality” context seems to originate from a redefinition of conversation as one that arises from a profound relationship among individuals--a recognized need for trusting, open conversations and an intense respect for the thoughts and suggestions of others. If conducted in this context “neighboring” has proven to nurture solutions to many community problems, generate ideas, policies and programs for improving community life and has led to significant physical and social improvements. Down to the Wire: Stop this paseo! continued from page 13 impacts.” Mayor Al Corti emphasized that the reducedsize mixed-use alternative cited in the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) would still “give the developer all the rights allowed by the planning and zoning in place when the property was purchased, and then some.” A copy of the letter can be found on www.delmarsandpiper.org . The identified unmitigated impacts on traffic and community character and the integrity of San Diego’s community planning values are at issue in this battle. The One Paseo FEIR is clear that traffic caused by the project and the impact of its density, bulk and scale on nearby neighborhoods cannot be overlooked. Walkers, bicyclists, even drivers used to one and two story developments, wide landscaped setbacks and moderate traffic will be crammed up against as high as 170 foot glistening glass office buildings and stuck bumper to bumper. The other big issue: if One Paseo is built what happens to San Diego’s commitment to the communities it serves, to the elected Community Planning Boards that have been assured a voice in their Community Plans and any proposed changes. “(The General Plan) does not change land use designations or zoning on individual properties but rather provides policy direction for future community plan updates,” City of San Diego Planning Department. Google Images Ken Blanchard, the noted author of One Minute Manager, maintains that neighboring is more than a problem solving technique. In numerous cases it has proven to be a contributing factor in the enhancement of an “authentic community.” Blanchard, states, “Building relationships with our neighbors leads to better communities, better cities, and ultimately a better world.” There are countless reasons why “neighboring” with its demand for high-quality, effective communications can be difficult. We are all individuals with different ways of viewing the world, different biases, objectives and vulnerabilities. We so often judge what we hear based upon our own experiences and predispositions. Effective communication begins with mutual respect, a give-and take exercise that should ideally conclude with a better understanding than was present at the beginning. This requires accepting the transcendent quality of others, and their innate value and capability to contribute. Kilroy Realty ignored this policy and proposed, first, a project four times bigger and denser than allowed and then reduced the project to three times allowed zoning, a common game played by developers who hope communities and cities will get sucked in by the “reduction.” But as asked by Diana Sheffler, Del Mar Heights resident and a spokesperson for Mitigate One Paseo, a group of residents west of I-5: “How much amendment is too much? Can a community’s desire to shape the way it evolves be thrown aside for the sake of developing a more financially lucrative project? Residents of Carmel Valley have come face-to-face with these questions and will soon learn what San Diego’s leaders deem to be most important: supporting the planning process they put into place and frequently advocate for, or enacting such sweeping amendments that they undermine the very purpose of establishing guiding plans in the first place.” Diana’s full commentary, printed in the San Diego Transcript January 16 can be read on www. delmarsandpiper.org . Learn more and get involved by going to www. whatpricemainstreet.com . The Carmel Valley Planning Board voted 11 to 2 to reject the project in favor of a smaller footprint. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 14 Locavores’ delight Shot in Del Mar Penguin Plunge January 1, 2015 Fritto Misto di Mare ‘n More Di Holker | Coast Boulevard Ingredients For the batter: 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup white wine ¼ cup seltzer or club soda For the dredging: 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper For the Fritto Misto ‘n More: 4 cup vegetable oil or a mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil * Fresko ½ pound medium shrimp, peeled * Dry Dock Fish 1 pound cleaned squid, cut in ½ inch pieces * Dry Dock Fish ½ pound bay scallops * Dry Dock Fish 1 pound John Dory, cut in 1 inch pieces * Dry Dock Fish 1 lemon, sliced very thin *Shaner Farms 1 bunch scallions, trimmed to 4 inch pieces * Shaner Farms ½ medium zucchini, julienned * Valdiva ½ sweet onion, sliced in rounds * Valdiva Tartar Sauce: 1 cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons chopped capers 10 tablespoons cornichons or pickles 2 tablespoons pickled jalapenos 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley * Blue Heron ½ lemon juiced * Shaner Farms Dash * Cholula or favorite hot sauce 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil * Freskos Photo Di Holker Preparation: 1. Make the batter: Put flour and salt in a small bowl and gradually whisk in wine to obtain a smooth, lumpfree mixture. Rest 30 minutes. Add seltzer/soda water just before frying. 2. Near the stove, put the seasoned dredging flour in a shallow bowl. Place finished batter next to it and an empty plate next to that. Put fish and Lunch time! Neptune heading for Poseidon. Photo Bill Morris. other ingredients for frying nearby. 3. Put oil in a large wok or skillet and fasten a candy thermometer to the side. Heat oil to 375 degrees. 4. Working in small batches, dip a few pieces of seafood and more into seasoned flour to coat lightly, then into the batter. Put battered pieces on the empty plate. 5. Slip a few pieces into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Remove with tongs or wire spider and drain on a paper-towel lined baking sheet. Hold friend food in a warm oven while continuing to fry. Make sure to regulate heat below wok/skillet to keep oil at correct temperature. Rid of debris between batches with a fine meshed skimmer. 6 As soon as you have enough to serve, pile it into a warmed bowl. Sprinkle with seas salt and crushed red pepper. Garnish with scallions and lemon slices. Continue to fry in small batches. Tartar Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill before serving to the flavors marry. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 15 Short Takes on Film Ben Nyce | Via Latina Bud Emerson | Klish Way “B irdman” is a trip. Made by the Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu the film is a roller coaster ride full of surprises and depths. Michael Keaton plays Riggan, a washed-up actor who once played the birdman (read Batman) in blockbuster films. Those roles were larger than life, heroic fantasies which he ultimately rejected. Since then he’s been trying to find roles with a human scale but with little success. We find him putting together a stage adaptation of a story by Raymond Carver. It’s his final despairing attempt to do “something decent.” The camera follows him in a series of connected, flowing shots as he frantically works to direct a key scene the day before opening night. The rapid continuous shots capture the pressure he’s under. There’s no let up. He’s full of doubt, half suicidal – still influenced by fantasies of flying, of escaping. Everything seems designed to frustrate him. He’s confronted by rebellious actors, his hypercritical daughter, his own self-destructiveness. Only his former wife offers understanding. In the final scene of the play he blows part of his nose off with a loaded pistol (an accident?) and the play is a triumph, a scandal. At the end he jumps out the dressing room window. Does he fall or fly away? The film is full of angst, anger, self-laceration and lots of humor. Riggan’s walk through Times Square in his underpants is only one of the highlights. Go see it. Fans of Mike Leigh (“Vera Drake,” “Happy Go Lucky,” “High Hopes”) might doubt that he made “Mr. Turner,” the fine study of the last years of the British painter J. M. W. Turner. It’s a full length bio-pic, replete with carefully staged set pieces – very unlike Leigh’s small scale, loosely structured studies of Britain’s lower classes. Timothy Spall, a Leigh regular, evokes Turner the artist rebel, the “sacred monster,” the image breaker. He disdains San Dieguito River Park Councilmember Don Mosier is the new Chair of the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority. SDRP Boardwalk Trail The fate of the SDRP boardwalk trail at the San Dieguito Lagoon was scheduled to be considered by the Coastal Commission at their January meeting in Santa Monica. The JPA sent a letter requesting that the agenda item be continued to the March Commission meeting in San Diego. You can read the Coastal staff report for the boardwalk trail (staff recommendation is that the boardwalk trail be removed) at the link to the January Commission meeting (scroll down to item #30.a): www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr. html Beachside Del Mar Shopping Center The remodeled Beachside Del Mar shopping center on Del Mar Heights Road and Mango Drive will add a Jersey Mike’s fast-food casual sub sandwich franchise. The franchise will be owned and operated by Cathy and Mike Brown of Carmel Valley. They will celebrate the opening soon with a fundraiser for a local charity. Also planned at the site of the previous credit union site across from the Auto Club will be a full-size Starbucks store including drive-in service. other artists, rejects his daughter, forces himself upon his compliant housekeeper. He’s fighting to break away from the convention of maritime painting into the new unmoored area of the effect of light in watery air and smoke. He ties himself to a ship’s mast in a storm in order to experience the effect of slashing wind and rain. He then tries to capture the visual effect on canvas. He’s England’s first Impressionist. He apparently doesn’t know of his contemporaries working in France. The film shows the social world he lives in with remarkable clarity and it also, most important, gives us the images which engross his eye. “Mr. Turner” ranks with “Lust for Life” “Van Gogh’ “Renoir” and “The Horses Mouth.” For home viewing by you foodies out there: “Haute Cuisine,” a very entertaining, tasty depiction of cooking for the president of France. We see the politics of the kitchen and the preparation of certain dishes – all done with a firm, light touch a la Francaise. Nyce taught literature and film at USD. He wrote “Satyajit Ray” and “ Scorcese Up Close.” Extra copies of the Sandpiper are available at: City Hall, the Library, the Del Mar Community Building, the Powerhouse, and the Carmel Valley Library; The Gym at Del Mar on Jimmy Durante Blvd; the Solana Beach Library and the Solana Beach Community Center. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 16 Del Mar Community Calendar Highlights for February 2015 This month’s calendar was compiled by Shelby Weaver, a Torrey Pines High School Senior. Del Mar Farmer’s Market: Every Saturday, 1-4 p.m. in the City Hall parking lot. Purchase fresh, locally grown produce, flowers, eggs and many other products. Del Mar City Council Meetings: Monday, February 2nd, 6:00 p.m. Special City Council Meeting, Tuesday, February 3rd, 6:00 p.m. at 240 Tenth Street DMVA: Promotion Committee meeting, Tuesday, February 3rd and 17th, 4:00-5:00 p.m. at 1104 Camino del Mar, Ste 1. DMVA: Del Mar History Committee monthly meeting, Tuesday, February 3rd, 5:00- 6:00 p.m., 1104 Camino del Mar Ste. 1 Del Mar Foundation: Young Del Mar, night out at Zel’s, Tuesday February 3rd, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Zel’s Del Mar, 1247 Camino del Mar. Happy Hour drink prices from 6:30-9:30, complimentary appetizers from 6:30-8:00. Please register at www.delmarfoundation.org First Thursday: Thursday, February 5th, Gustavo Romero Beethoven, Ravel and Chopin by an internationally renowned pianist. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 14th Street, Del Mar. 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for wine and cheese. We’re sorry, but this series is sold out. Del Mar Library: Sunday Salon, Chronic Disease Reversal and Optimal Health with Dr. Lindsey McIlvena, Sunday, February 8th, 1:00 p.m., Del Mar Library DMVA: Design Committee Monthly meeting, Wednesday, February 18th, 11:00 a.m., 1104 Camino del Mar ste. 1 Del Mar Historical Society: Meeting, Tuesday, February 17th, 5:00 p.m., 225 9th St., all are invited DMVA: Business Assistance Committee Meeting, Wednesday, February 18th, 8:30 -9:30 a.m., 1104 Camino del Mar Ste. 1 Del Mar Library: Special Movie Screening, The Curse of the Quon Gwon ,a 1917 silent film starring local author Mail-Lon Gittelson’s mother, Wednesday February 18th at 6:00 p.m. DMVA: Monthly Board of Directors meeting, Thursday, February 19th, 8:30-10:00 a.m., City Hall Annex Del Mar Garden Club: DMGC will host a meeting open to the public on water conservation, Monday, February 23rd, 9:30 a.m. at the Powerhouse Friends of the San Dieguito River Valley: Monthly meeting, Monday, February 23rd, 7:00 p.m.at the Annex, 1054 Camino del Mar DM Library: Toddler Story Time, Ages 1-2. Stories, songs and finger plays for toddlers, Tuesday, February 24th, 10:30 a.m. City of Del Mar: Finance Committee meeting, Tuesday, February 24th, 5:15, City Hall Annex Del Mar Community Connections: ROMEO Men’s Lunch, Tuesday, February 24th, 12 pm, Sbicca, 215 15th Street DM Business Support Advisory Committee: Tuesday, February 24th, 9 - 10:30 a.m. City Hall Annex DM Library: Wednesday, February 25th, 6:30 p.m. PJ Story time. Wear your PJ’s to the library for story time! Del Mar Community Connections: Monthly Board meeting, Saturday, February 14th, 9 a.m. Del Mar Foundation: Del Mar Foundation Board Meeting, Thursday, February 26th, 8:00 a.m., 225 9th St. Del Mar Library: Jigsaw puzzles for kids with Ms. Gretchen, Saturday, February 14th , 10:00 a.m. The Del Mar Rose Society: Meeting, Thursday, February 26th, 6:30 p.m., at the Powerhouse in Del Mar, 1658 Coast Blvd. Cartoon Steve Crothers Sandpiper February 2015 Page 17 Visit the Sandpiper online! This month’s complete issue plus web exclusives, colored pix, photo essays, useful links, alerts, and much more! SA N D P I P E R DEL MAR’S COMMUNITY JOURNAL Box 2177, Del Mar, CA 92014 Standard Mail U.S. Postage PAID Encinitas, CA Permit No. 5 DATED MATERIAL www.delmarsandpiper.org Owls on the Prowl Mar Garden Club has taken the lead once again with a thoughtful action plan to accelerate natural gopher population control - offering tenancy to a predator. Shirley King | Avenida Primavera H aving teeth that never stop growing and powerful forearms and paws with pick-ax claws make the pocket gopher an Attracting barn owls with a unstoppable tunnel-borer. Pocket gophers secure shelter for reproduction may move earth more reliably than tunneland of course a nocturnal boring machines such as Bertha that is source for nourishment stalled in downtown Seattle’s Highway is a good environmental 99 Tunnel project. But pocket gophers are arrangement. The Garden Pocket gophers are stout-bodied rodents with sinking their teeth deep into the turf at Del small ears and eyes and large clawed front paws. Club hosted a meeting in Mar’s Google Images November when Sharon and public Bert Kersey spoke about the parks and many of use of a barn owl nest box. Soon after, a nesting box our back yards. with a camera system was purchased and installed by the Barn Owl Nest Box at Shores Park. Photo Shirley King Our Shores Park is being excavated by pocket gophers right under the noses of the many dogs who visit the green space. Despite the dogs’ inquisitive snouts thrust into the burrow entrances, these gophers stay put moving a ton of soil to the surface each year. If only we could give them a bus ticket to Seattle. At this time we don’t have a job opening for the ecological services provided by the gophers. Nor are we ready with our Shores Park Master Plan that may eventually require some earth moving. We must move on to a plan to preserve the integrity of our Park’s soil. The Del Garden Club just to the east of the basketball court. With luck a barn owl couple will start a family in January, the eggs hatching after thirty days and flying the coop by April. If the supply of food is sufficient, - they search within a mile radius - then they may start another family in the summer. No doubt our neighborhoods can supply the barn owls with the 1000 rats, mice and gophers they consume each year. But it is ever so important that we give up the practice of using poison to bait the pesky rodents in our yards and that goes for the neighboring hotels and restaurants. The Garden Club doesn’t want to lose its foster home license. And we should let the barn owls become our pest management services. If you would like to become a landlord to a barn owl family, the boxes without cameras cost about $160 and are available from a local source in San Diego. Ask Becky Dembitsky for the contact or write The Sandpiper at [email protected] Many thanks to the Del Mar Garden Club for coming to the rescue again. Sandpiper February 2015 Page 18
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