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First Lady Michelle Obama visits the New Roots Community Farm in City Heights.
First Lady Michelle Obama visited the New Roots Community Farm in City Heights on April 15 to push her Let’s Move! campaign against childhood obesity and to announce The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities Initiative and its partnership with her program. She was joined by Robert K. Ross, president and CEO of the California Endowment. The Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities Initiative is a 10-year program aimed at improving the health of kids and families in 14 California communities. City Heights is one of the 14. “The `Building Healthy Communities initiative is based on a simple idea – that healthy children come from healthy environments,” said Obama. “If a family lives in a neighborhood with a grocery store nearby, they’re more likely to put fresh fruits and vegetables on the table. If there’s a safe, inviting park down the street, parents are more likely to let their kids play there after school or on weekends. And if our environment is clean and pollution-free, children are less likely to get sick and more likely to spend time outside. The Building Healthy Communities initiative is all about giving people the tools they need to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.”
From Big Lots to Asian fusion
The old, vacant Big Lots building, the largest building in North Park’s business district and an eyesore for years, finally will get a new tenant — an Asian fusion restaurant to be called Wang’s North Park. Tom Eads and business partner Joel Herzer signed a 15-year lease with landlord CLK Investments to use the ground floor space of the 40,000-square-foot building for their new enterprise. Eads says the restaurant will be similar in concept to that of P.F. Chang’s, where he had been an owner/operator in Rancho Mirage for 10 years. “The concepts are similar as far as being a lively, well decorated open space that draws a wide range of guests,” he says.
The new restaurant name is similar to Wang’s in the Desert, an Asian restaurant in Palm Springs in which Herzer is the majority owner.
Because extensive renovations must be made to the building — installing a kitchen, for example — the restaurant won’t open for another six to nine months, according to Eads. Plans are to initially open the restaurant for evening dinner seven days a week.
Eads says there are no immediate plans to use the second floor of the building, but that he and Herzer may sublease the space at some point in the future for storage, art gallery or other uses.
“We negotiated for this site for six months,” says Eads. “It was the site we thought was the best for us because it is the cornerstone of the business district and has a nice history. Hopefully, it will be the center of the redevelopment of the central business district.”
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McKinley Elementary School’s annual alumni reunion will be held Saturday, May 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the school auditorium. For those who may have forgotten, the address is 3045 Felton St. Alumni from the last six decades are invited. Light refreshments and entertainment will be provided. Admission is $5 each. To get more information, call Joyce Abrams at (858) 459-5370 or e-mail her at nautilus@san.rr.com.
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This year’s Taste of Adams Avenue, hosted by the Adams Avenue Business Association, will be June 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Patron can walk, but Old Town Trolley Tours will provide trolley rides to the restaurants and eateries along Adams Avenue. For more information, call the association at (619) 282-7329.
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Artists have until May 10 to register for the second annual Plein Air North Park Competition hosted by the San Diego Art Department in partnership with the San Diego chapter of the California Art Club. “This is an opportunity for artists of all levels to participate in a unique event highlighting the North Park community, its landmarks and the revitalization of the neighborhood,” says the sponsors. To download a registration form, go to: sdartdept.com/Plein%20Air%20NP%20REGISTRATION%20FORM_2010.pdf. For rules and an information packet, visit: sdartdept.com/NP_Plein_Air_Rules_2010.pdf.
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The city of San Diego is examining parking standards for affordable housing development projects and will hold a May 18 workshop to get public comments on the issues. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the City Heights Urban Village Office and Townhomes at 4305 University Ave., Suite 640. District 3 Councilman Todd Gloria will give opening remarks. For more information, visit sandiego.gov/affordpark/.
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The Mission North Park at 2801 University Ave., one of the businesses that was severely damaged by the large water main break in March, was scheduled to reopen on April 19. It was forced to close because of heavy water damage, but the time out gave owner Tom Fitzpatrick the opportunity to renovate the business. The Mission’s hours are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week.
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All forms of art glass — from blown, fused to stained glass — will be featured at the 11th annual patio show and sale on May 8-9 sponsored by the Art Glass Guild, Studio 25. It will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park. More than 30 juried glass artists of the Art Glass Association of Southern California will exhibit their art. For more information, call (619) 702-8006.
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Juan Coronado and Diana Maria Coronado have purchased a 4,000-square-foot freestanding building at 3564 University Ave. for $280,000 from Aurora Bank. Steve Malley of Lee & Associates in San Diego represented the Seller. Allison James Estate & Homes represented the buyers.
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Jose Ricardo Rabines and Taal Rachel Safdie, trustees of The Rabines-Safdie Family Trust, purchased the 6,416-square-foot office building at 925 Fort Stockton Drive in Mission Hills for $2.6 million. Located at the southeast corner of Fort Stockton Drive and Hawk Street, the two-story office building was previously occupied by Prudential California Realty. The new owners will occupy a portion of the building to house their architectural firm with the balance available for lease. Reg Kobzi of CB Richard Ellis and Don Mitchell of Cresa Partners represented the seller, Paseo de Mission Hills Two LLC. Richard Marsh of Colliers International and independent broker John Lomac represented the buyers.
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South Park’s Alchemy is continually serving up new ideas for community collaborations. Its latest is a partnership with the Museum of Photographic Arts in an effort to introduce the museum to a wider array of art appreciators. Alchemy (owned by MoPA members Matt Thomas and Ron Troyano) has become a fixture at the museum’s “POP Thursdays,” an evening event featuring the screening of cult films mixed with music, cocktails and interactive projects. “What we are with photography, they are with culinary arts,” said Aki Martin, MoPA’s marketing and communications manager. “They help to raise the caliber of our event offerings and broaden our reach.” Last May, Alchemy donated appetizers for MoPA’s signature annual event “Vintage” — which helps to raise funds to support the museum’s exhibitions, films and education programs. The event, and Alchemy’s role in it, was such a success that more collaborations were quickly planned. Alchemy also has plans to complement MoPA exhibits by featuring notable local photographers among its rotating artwork displays in the restaurant; starting with the “California Contemporary” Exhibition this spring and summer.
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The San Diego Potters’ Guild’s spring sale on June 12-13 is a good place to find unique gifts. The sale, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the Spanish Village patio area, will feature thousands of pieces of hand-made ceramics by several San Diego potters. Works range from functional ware such as plates, bowls, and coffee cups to more decorative and sculptural forms such as ceramic shoes, garden lanterns and conch shells. Most of the Guild members will be available to answer questions about ceramics in general or their own work in particular. There will also be demonstrations of throwing pots on the wheel.
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Urban Solace Chef Matt Gordon has gathered a group of some of San Diego’s most accomplished chefs to create a six-course meal on Tuesday, May 25, to raise funds for a culinary scholarship program sponsored by Chef Celebration. The benefit will be from 5 to 10 p.m. at the restaurant, 3823 30th St. Some of the participating chefs are Sean Langlais from The Oceanaire, Nathan Coulon from Quarter Kitchen, Joe Magnanelli from Cucina Urbana and Norma Martinez from El Vitral. The cost is $65 per person.
Some of the menu items:
• “Raw Alaskan King Crab Battera, Osetra Caviar, Dashi, Ginger-Soy Reduction” (Sean Langlais, The Oceanaire).
• “Kobe Beef Salpicon Salad, Roasted Poblano Pepper, Avocado, Cotija Cheese Pickled Onion. Crisp Plantain Chips” (Norma Martinez, El Vitral).
• “Braised Prime Shortribs, Roasted Spring Vegetables, Smoked Potato Puree, Maple Roasted Garlic” (Nathan Coulon, Quarter Kitchen).
• “Maple-Whiskey Libert Farm’s Duck, Sweet Corn Spoon Bread, Glazed Spring Baby Carrots, Candied Duck Cracklin’” (Matt Gordon, Urban Solace).
