April 2012-May 2012

The

A Publication of the Rolando Community Council

Volume 5, No. 2

Page 1 www.rolandocommunitycouncil.org

Upcoming RCC Meetings Tuesday March 20, “Neighborhood Crime Prevention” by Dana Nurge, Rolando neighbor and professor of

criminal justice at SDSU Tuesday April 17, Program topic to be announced. Election of Nominating Committee.

NEW RCC MEETING LOCATION: Clay School, 6506 Solita. Meet your neighbors at 6:30 p.m., Meeting at 7 p.m.

16TH ANNUAL ROLANDO STREET FAIR: LOOKING BACKWARD & FORWARD By Virginia Martin, RCC Publicity Co-Chair

The Rolando Street Fair is coming! The big day is Sunday, March 25. The bands are booked, the vendor list grows, and we are getting excited about high-lighting Rolando Village. The music, the rides, the food and the fun are just around the corner! For 16 years, countless residents have volunteered time and talent to promote our unique Rolando neighborhood. The fair has helped se-cure a sense of community and created a lot of wonderful memories. Stephanie Bonner coordinates the music. ―I appreciate the opportunity to share my love for music and my love for Rolando by way of the Street Fair,‖ she says. It gives me a chance to give back to my community by making sure there is something for everyone when it comes to music. I want to help make it a quality event for our neighborhood. Being involved in the Street Fair is by far one of the most rewarding things I do.‖ Greg Jones is best known for his over-the-top Halloween displays at his home on Rolando Boulevard. Last year, for example, his spectacular King Kong attracted lots of media attention and trick-or-treaters. He says, ―Rolando Street Fair Rocks! Been to every one since ‘99. Nothing like the smell of Kettle Corn wafting through the air with distant screams of kids having fun on the rides. My son Max and I enjoy riding the ‗Scrambler‘ BEFORE enjoying the tasty food. The street fair is a great way to spend the (continued on page 2)

Maybe you‘ve gone to the post office or Rite-Aid on Saturday. Not just any Saturday, mind you, a first Saturday of the month. Maybe you noticed some-thing funny in the parking lot. Maybe you discovered it was the Rolando Com-munity Council book sale. And maybe you brought away not just your stamps and aspirin but also a first-rate-bargain, second-hand book. How, you asked yourself, does RCC do that? Frankly, this is leading up to a request. But first, a puzzler. Take 23 tables (T), each holding 12 boxes (B) of books (b), each box (B) averaging 20 pounds. Neighbors contribute the books and sometimes encyclopedias or record albums that weigh even more. Buy the latter if you like but disregard for the purpose of our equation. How many pounds of books does RCC offer for sale on a typical first Saturday? Calculate effort (E). Multiply by the folks (F) who drive the trucks and get the books (b) from storage and the four times each box(B) is lifted. That‘s just the set-up (SU). Add the sales crew (SC) on duty from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Add or subtract sunshine, clouds, cold, heat, traffic noises, coffee, and a few goodies (yum) provided by Miki Tsuneyoshi. Add customers (C), Add chat (c). Add extremely low prices (ELP!). Multiply all that by 20 years. T = ? (continued on page 3)

THE RCC BOOK SALE: WHAT’S THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS?

See more pictures from last year’s Street Fair on page 2!

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(“Street Fair” continued from cover) day with my family and hang out with other neighbors. The fabulous music is icing on the cake.‖ Carrie Cleveland and her husband Joe Ottobre have raised their twin boys, Austin & Nathan, in their home here. Carrie says, ―In 16 years, we‘ve missed only one. When I start seeing the pro-mos, it makes me feel like a little kid anticipating a trip to Disneyland! Over the years, it‘s grown quite a bit, but it still maintains that hometown sense of community. I have so many fond memories of walking up and down Ro-lando Boulevard, checking out the dif-ferent vendors, indulging in tasty food and relaxing on the grassy island listen-ing to amazing music.‖ Gina Cavanaugh lives in the very heart of the fair with her husband Pat and boys Colin and Ryan. ―The street fair has become a holiday for us,‖ she says. ―The boys are asking about it months ahead of time. It‘s like our own party without all the preparations. The kids are up at the sound of the tent poles clanking on the ground and booths being set up. Our eyes are peer-ing out the windows like it‘s Christmas morning and the street is our living room that Santa has filled with good-ies.‖ Doug Lister is last year‘s recipient of the Doris Perry Memorial Community Service Award and a veteran fair volun-teer. He says, ―Rolando has improved and gotten stronger as a community. It‘s incredible to be a part of that. With all that the Rolando Community Council does, we‘ve grown stronger, more beautiful and safer. We‘ve truly turned into one of the city‘s best kept secrets.‖ Perhaps Carrie Cleveland sums it up best when she says, ―At the end of the day, we make our way home Kettle Corn in hand and barbecue with family and friends. I am so proud to live in our Peaceful. Friendly. Ro-lando.‖

(“Book Sale” continued from cover) While you‘re thinking it over, we need to ask: Do you have time and a truck that you could drive to the nearby storage area to help transport the boxes on occasional Saturdays? Trucks are urgently needed for only one hour on sale days at 7 a.m. or 2 p.m. You don‘t have to load or unload or make a commitment for every month. Contact Doug Lister at douglasclister@cox.net who manages the sales to help out. We need you! Back to our puzzler. T=? On a recent Saturday Jan Gilmer (SC) sat with other volunteers (SC) at the check-out table and watched a young man select at least 60 children‘s books. He turned out to be student Chris Swinko from Del Cerro, accompanied by his dad Joe, a fifth grade teacher for 35 years. In preparation for his own elementary school teaching, Chris is laying in a goodly supply, on the theory that books of all sorts can hook kids on the reading that can lead to deeper in-volvement in learning. Besides teachers and aspiring teachers, Jan says, regular customers include book dealers, like the man who rides his bike from downtown and loads up his bag and carrier, an elderly couple in their ancient car who regularly drive down from Alpine, and people just looking for a good read. Many Rolando residents come to find treasures and also to donate their used books. As he has for years, E.T. Perry, now 90, also accepts book contributions left on his front porch any time. Jody Talbott, who only this past year retired from the sales recalled that she and other stalwarts like E.T. and Doris Perry, Tim Ringland, Lyle Wright and Jan Gil-mer started out in the Rolando triangle about 20 years ago. At first, sales were so slow that they grilled wie-ners to lure customers. When that didn‘t work, she laughs, they ended up eating an awful lot of hot dogs themselves. With increased interest, the sales were moved to their present location. And with the large growth in inventory, storage, initially in Lyle Wright‘s garage, moved eventually to its present location at All American Self Storage (next to Smart & Final.) T = for RCC? In monetary terms alone, the proceeds provide an ongoing supplement to membership fees to support our work. The typical profit per event amounts to $200 to $300. Over the past three years, profits of more than $7,000 have been realized. RCC wishes to thank all who have helped keep the book sale tradition alive over all these years, with a special tip of the hat to Doug Lister for his current management of the effort. We espe-cially thank the principal haulers and set-up volunteers, and those who comprise the backbone of the sales crew: Daniel Anderson, Paul Beiley, Ken Dennis, Robin Gaudielle, Jan Gilmer, Calvin Harris, Jeanne Iturri, Peter La Shomb, Betty Murasky, E.T. Perry, Belinda Romero, Anne Schoeller, Kevin Staff, Jennifer Spearel, and We-nonah and Max Wilcox. Answers to our puzzler may be submitted to Jan Hintzman hintzman@cox.net. Judged on the basis of brevity, originality, silliness and aptness of thought, the best response may or may not be printed in the next newsletter.

— Aimee Lee Cheek

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LUNCH ON THE BOULEVARD By Aimee Lee Cheek

Who doesn‘t occasionally get a hankering around lunchtime to play boulevardier -- the ultimate sophisti-cate who frequents boulevards and dines on continental fare while watching the world pass by? Alors, Ro-lando! Our own Boulevard -- El Cajon -- in the space of little more than 10 blocks can fulfill your fantasy at three distinctively different spots. No need for top hat and cane. Service ranges from table seating, one with white tablecloth, one without, one order-at-the-counter. Two have patios, two have bars. Careful preparation, local ingredients and creative presentation are hallmarks of all three. Salads, sandwiches, fresh pastas with special sauces, pizzas, remark-able burgers, vegetarian dishes, fish tacos, all appear on the large and varied menus. The Parisian boulevar-dier adores ―pommes frites,‖ the El Cajon boulevardier will equally adore the French fries in different guises to be had for the asking. Here are a few samples of what‘s available. San Diego Desserts and Bistro at 5987 El Cajon, just west of College, luncheon 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, brunch 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Try a quiche – spinach and parmesan, bacon and swiss, sun dried tomato and chevre, or chicken and green chile. Or a blackened salmon salad with avocado ranch dressing, or smoked salmon with caper aioli in a sandwich. Or meatloaf sandwich, chicken club sandwich, Chinese chicken salad, chicken pot pie. Or fresh made pasta with sausage ragu. The shimmering glass display cases of pas-tries and confections, made in the custom bakery, to say nothing of the extensive wine list, may tempt one to skip lunch. Trust us, that would be an error. Lisko’s Fish Market and Artisan Deli at 6548 El Cajon, intersection with Rolando Boulevard, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends. Barbequed meats and salmon, generous portions of which were contributed to delight attendees at the last RCC meeting, are the latest addition to already extensive offerings. Each weekday a different barbeque – brisket and pulled pork, chicken, pork ribs, smoked fish, in that order – will be prepared. Among the sandwiches, vege-tarian and not, the Rolando sandwich on ciabatta bread is a favorite. Fresh fish can be grilled on the spot for sandwich or plate lunch. An unbeatable selection of cheeses is to be had in the dairy case. How about a pas-try for dessert or even an apple from the vegetable bins? Terra American Bistro at 7091 El Cajon, luncheon, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., anchors the other end of the Boulevard. Dishes to share include Carlsbad black mussels in a classic white wine herb broth, potato, brie and red onion quesadilla with chi-potle honey, and skillet mac n‘ cheese with truffle oil. Sandwiches roam from barbecued short rib sliders and veggie cobb sliders to lobster BLT and an ―original ATC‖ – crushed avocado, peppered turkey, jack cheese, and applewood smoked bacon. Lobster may be substituted for the chicken in a cobb salad, and lovely fresh citrus and field greens proliferate. Disguised as fish and chips, mahi mahi in smoked onion chipotle tartar sauce is one of the large plate offerings. Espressos and lattes, made at all three, provide the essential finish. El Cajon Boulevardiers, allons-y! The dining revolution is at hand! On to victory!

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CONGRATULATIONS HOLLEY MCGINNIS! Unable to sleep one dark night, Holley McGinnis, 10-year-old daughter of Mike and Becky McGinnis, was on her computer when she noticed sparks flying outside her window. She realized the trees across the street were on fire and immediately woke her parents. They alerted Station 10 firemen who were able to quell the flames before neighboring residences were involved. For her quick action, Holley was recognized at the February Rolando Community Council meeting. Her immediate neighbors, the wider Rolando Community, and the Fire Company at Station 10 all applauded her quick action in re-sponse to this neighborhood arson fire. Seventh District Councilmember Marti Emerald recognized Holley with the following commendation: ―For the selfless dedication demonstrated on the evening of January 28th, 2012 in recognizing the danger pre-sented by a growing conflagration and dutifully reporting the fire to both your family and the authorities, thus preventing loss of property and avoiding an imminent threat to public safety, I hereby present this special commendation on behalf of Rolando and the Seventh District of the City of San Diego with my sincere appre-ciation for your actions preserving the safety and security of our community. ― Second District County Supervisor Dianne Jacob also presented Holley with a commendation. Rolando is very proud of you, Holley! You demonstrated how important it is to be watchful in preserving the safety of our neighborhoods.

Councilmember Marti Emerald (left) presents commendation to Holley McGinnis (center) while Fire Captain John Brubaker (right) looks on.

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This year‘s 2nd Annual College Area Taste will be held Sunday, April 15, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Food connoisseurs in the Rolando area can enjoy more than 25 nearby restaurants.

The College Area Business Improvement District (BID) invites you to indulge your taste buds with flavorful bites from tantalizing appetizers to desirable desserts, hearty dishes to American classics. Come prepared to please your appetite and get your nosh on! With samples created by some

of your favorite chefs in this area known for its assort-ment of dining, you‘ll want to get your fill. Tickets to the 2nd Annual College Area Taste are just $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the event. Proceeds benefit the College Area BID in an effort to give each member business the ability to flourish. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Col-legeAreaBID.com or call (619) 233-5008. Tickets are limited. This year‘s College Area Taste promises to be every bit as good as last year – if not better!

COLLEGE AREA TASTE

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COMINGS AND GOINGS IN ROLANDO

The CentrePoint Site at 63rd and El Cajon Blvd. has been sold to Carmel Partners, a development com-pany. The Daily Transcript article in early February reported the property sold for $14 million. Dan Gara-baldi, a representative of Carmel, has indicated that they do not have plans for the site at this time. The RCC board will keep in touch with the developer and update Rolandians as information becomes available.

Historic Rolando Lamppost Project. To learn more and/or sign-up to help with the lamppost restora-tion project, come to the Street Fair booth on March 25 or contact George Danko at (619) 286-3830 or gdanko@yahoo.com.

Dining in Rolando keeps getting better. We‘ve heard a rumor that an Italian Deli is moving into the Cut-terPoint location. Have you noticed the major construction occurring at the former Blockbuster site at El Cajon Blvd. and College? Smashburger is joining BIG 5 there. Lisko Artisan Deli and Fish Market on El Cajon Blvd at Rolando Blvd. is expanding its service to include breakfast on weekends at 7 a.m. Eggs Bene-dict and omelets, bacon, house-made sausages, ham, and pastries will be prepared to your taste and served indoors or on the heated patio. Garden Fresh Grill in the Campus Plaza shopping center has added an array of very tasty pizzas to their menu. Have you tried their smoothies? San Diego Desserts on El Cajon Blvd one block west of College is now open weekdays and Saturdays for breakfast (7 a.m.), in addition to lunch and dinner offerings and brunch on Sundays. Breakfast favorites are the spinach and crab omelets. On Sundays Eggs Benedict is featured.

The College-Rolando Library on Montezuma just north of El Cajon Blvd. offers free services that in-clude preschool story time, yoga for adults and children, tax preparation assistance, a monthly book club, Zumba finess, and ―Learn to Knit.‖ Visit www.collegerolandolibrary.org, or call (619) 533-3902 for more de-tails.

Rolando has lost a good friend and neighbor. Madeline Marietti succumbed in February after a long battle with cancer. Madeline remained active in RCC until her passing. She was a prime player at RCC book sales for many years. She also greeted attendees at RCC meetings. We will miss her friendship and her faithful service.

Breakfast M-Sat 7AM-11AM Lunch 11AM-2PM, Sunday Brunch 9AM-2PM,

Bistro Dinner 5PM-9PM

Visit our Wine Bar Happy hour wine specials.

Live music 6:00 p.m. Thursdays & Sundays.

5987 El Cajon Boulevard

San Diego, CA 92115 619-287-8186

Check our website: sandiegodesserts.net

How about lunch?

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The Rolando Community Services Section is an effort to help connect neighbors who offer home-based ser-vices to interested parties. Any Rolando Community Council members with services to offer are welcome to submit their information free of charge. Email info to hintzman@cox.net. Let‘s do business in our neighbor-hood when we can!

Jeff Wilson — Wilson Woodscape. Full service landscape construction company specializing in decks, fences and patio covers. License 945974. Contact Jeff Wilson (619) 838-1398. David Clarke — Water-wise Landscape and Garden Design. Design of low water Mediterranean-type residential landscapes (specializing in California native plants). Email david@davidclarkedesign.com or call (619) 582-3752. Jolyne L. Harris — PhotOptions Photography. At your location within San Diego and portable studio available. Visit www.facebook.com/PhotOptions Email amapremier@hotmail.com or call (619) 582-2606. Amy Zink — Edible Garden Consultant/ Coach. Design solutions and education for a thriving and pro-ductive edible landscape. Visit www.greenpeagardens-sd.com or call (619) 300-0713. Wenonah Wilcox — Board certified acupuncturist. Special discount for Rolando neighbors. Patients seen in home office and available for house-calls. (619) 261-4570. Brenda King, RN, CPT — Integrative Fitness Nursing. Licensed RN fitness expert offering effective solutions to maximize fitness goals, reduce your waistline and restore health. Visit www.integrativefitnessnursing.com or call (619) 200-1911. Patty Delgadillo — Certified Trainer and Massage Therapist. Teaches lifestyle changes in diet, exer-cise and daily activities to achieve fitness goals. (619) 865-3880.

ROLANDO COMMUNITY SERVICES

SAFETY IN ROLANDO By Joe Felton

―We don‘t need no thugs, unless those thugs was givin‘ out hugs.‖ (Lyrics to a song by the Aquabats.) The urban setting of Rolando Village brings inherent benefits and inherent disadvantages. We are not a sprawling master-planned community gated off from the rest of the world. Nestled in the backyard of one of the nation‘s top urban research universities (SDSU), we can walk to gourmet eateries, entertainment and other cultural amenities. We can brush shoulders with neighbors from diverse backgrounds, admire one an-other‘s babies, school kids, dogs, bicycles, running style or landscaping, smile and wave and be reasonably confi-dent of getting a smile and wave in return. Thanks to strong community involvement, according to reports by the city Rolando ranks better than average in safety among San Diego neighborhoods. Recently, however, we were shocked by the senseless vandalism of several neighborhood trees. Such events have brought neighbors together to focus on safety and seek the sup-port of the SDPD and our City Council representative. Community safety is the topic of the RCC meeting on March 20 (see front cover). Dana Nurge, professor of criminal justice at SDSU and a Rolando resident, will speak on safety through community involvement. Dr. Nurge‘s research focuses on gangs, youth violence, and juvenile prevention and intervention programming. (If you want to take her class in criminal justice, be pre-pared to study hard!) Other community leaders have been invited to participate as well. If you would like to become involved in supporting community safety, please talk to a member of the RCC safety committee at the March meeting or at the RCC booth at the Street Fair. The committee will be on hand to listen to concerns and provide links to community resources.