SLO LIFE Magazine August September 2012

SLO LIFE MagazInE AUG/SEP 2012 | 11 | SLO LIFE MagazInE AUG/SEP 2012

SLOLIFEmagazine

Meet Kimberly Walker

AUG/SEP 2012

Writing, White Teeth, and The Lunacy ClubPRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

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LETTERS TO THE PUBLISHER/EDITOR: 4251 S. Higuera Street, Suite 800San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

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

PUBLISHER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tom Franciskovich

Sheryl Disher

Jeanette TrompeterPaden Hughes

Brad DanneElliott Johnson

CONTRIBUTIONS:

Submit your story ideas, events, recipes and announcements by visiting us online at slolifemagazine.com

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

ADVERTISING:

If you would like to advertise, please contact Tom Franciskovich by phone at (805) 543-8600 or by email at [email protected].

NOTE:

The opinions expressed within these pages do not necessarily reflect those of SLO LIFE Magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.

Tom [email protected]

| PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

I’ve never much liked sitting at a desk, but writing requires quite a lot of it—at least that was the assumption I had been working under all this time.

Last year, while researching the health hazards of prolonged sitting (I heard someone boldly declare recently that “sitting is the new smoking”… if that’s true, I expect that the City of San Luis Obispo will soon ban it in bars and restaurants) for an article I was writing when I came across the concept of a “walking desk.”

Someone had figured out how to beat the system by fashioning a treadmill to an elevated desk, making it possible to walk and work at the same time. I looked into it and, sure enough, there are people doing this, including employees at some forward-thinking corporations. The concept is that you walk at a very low rate of speed, about one mile per hour, while doing all of the normal stuff you would do at your desk... working on the computer, making phone calls, etc. I became fascinated with the concept and decided that I needed one for myself.

I had a treadmill in the garage that wasn’t getting much use and I have a reputation for creativity with 2 x 4’s and plywood, so I decided to build my own. Explaining to friends and family what I was up to was a bit of a challenge, but, despite their chuckles and good-natured joking, I just knew that they would come around to my way of thinking once they witnessed the awesomeness of my new walking desk.

After getting everything in place and arranging my desk the way I wanted it, I stepped on to the treadmill and hit “Start.” The belt slowly whirled to life and I started on my first walk at the office. It was great, too easy, in fact, so I upped the speed. Pretty soon I was moving at a near jog and decided that it was time to get some work done, so I grabbed the keyboard and began replying to an email. The only problem was that as I bounced up and down I couldn’t seem to focus my eyes on the monitor. It was a sensation similar to watching the horizon from a boat bobbing in the waves and I started feeling a little seasick, so I turned the speed back down to the recommended one mile per hour.

Next, I tried to type. That presented quite a problem as I would occasionally start walking off the side of the treadmill and lose my balance, forcing me to catch myself, which had the effect of holding one of the keys down too long, so I found a lot of thisssssssssssssssss kind of thing in my typing.

Aside from the mild seasickness and the funky typing, the walking desk was, just as I had predicted, awesome! But, it was more of a theoretical awesomeness as opposed to a practical awesomeness. My experiment lasted about an hour until my treadmill went back to its normal function: collecting dust. That afternoon, as I pondered my project, I realized this may be one of those brilliant ideas that is far, far ahead of its time. But, when I close my eyes, I can imagine a day when we are all wearing those cool, futuristic monotone jumpsuits, working away on our walking desks, having banned sitting in public places. All of that will have to wait for now…

I’d like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to everyone who has helped produce this issue of SLO LIFE Magazine and, most of all, to our advertisers who make it all possible.

Live the SLO Life!


8 | Notes

10 | Timeline

12 | Q&A

14 | Places

24 | San Luis Obispo Real Estate

26 | Countywide Real Estate

28 | No Place Like Home

30 | Outdoors

32 | To Your Health

34 | Alternative Health

38 | Special Interest

42 | Local Food by Local People

44 | Community Calendar

SLOLIFEmagazine

16Meet Your Neighbor:Kimberly Walker

20

36 MusicThree Martini Lunch

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TIME FOR A CHANGEDear SLO LIFE,I feel compelled to voice my opinion. I love your magazine, but the cover shot is just not flattering. The mug shot look isn’t a good look for anyone. Even the most beautiful people don’t look great in these types of photos. Please, please switch it up. How about a nice shot of the next person doing something active? Or a shot of the person with his or her family? Something, anything to convey who the person is, instead of just an image of a face. I know you think this is your signature look, but I’m sure that if you polled your audience, they would agree with me. It’s time for a change. Best,Whitney DiazSan Luis Obispo

ONE TICKED OFF MARINEDear SLO LIFE,Thank you so much for exposing one of the Central Coast’s last few secrets, Big Falls Little Falls. Now I can enjoy this long time favorite summer destination along with hundreds of drunken Cal Poly students and every Bake-o with a 4 wheel drive. Stay in your lane and get off my lawn.Sincerely,John WellfordUSMCSan Luis Obispo

THE BITTER TRUTHDear SLO LIFE,In regards to your article in last month’s issue that you called “Sweet Problem”… I had no idea that sucralose was actually Splenda… I try so hard to eat only natural products… I feel so deceived!JanetArroyo Grande

As avid label readers ourselves, Janet, we were also shocked to learn about this one. We had assumed that something as benign sounding as “sucralose” was akin to fructose or sucrose or some other natural sugar that ends in “ose.” But, that is not the case with sucralose because it is actually Splenda, a highly processed compound that is made in a laboratory in Alabama and is chemically more similar to DDT than it is to natural sugar. And, despite their FTC approved slogan “Made from Sugar so it Tastes Like Sugar™” the finished product contains zero elements of sugar and instead depends on chlorine among other things to artificially increase the sweetness. You can thank the FDA, who under heavy lobbying from the makers of Splenda (pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson via their subsidiary McNeil Nutritionals), caved on the ruling allowing American consumers to be deceived by the deliberately confusing name.

BIPOLAR FEEDBACKDear SLO LIFE,I am the Executive Director of Transitions-Mental Health Association, an agency dedicated to helping people recover from mental illness and live stable, productive lives. Two years ago, TMHA produced the SLOtheStigma campaign aimed at eliminating the stigma of mental illness by describing the process of recovery from mental illness for four local people. SLOtheStigma directly targets people like “Matthew,” the anonymous subject of the article “Helping One Person” published in the June/July edition. Just as important, SLOtheStigma targets friends and family members of people with mental illness because their understanding and attitude related to mental illness are critical to successful treatment.

Mental illness is a medical condition. In that sense it is no different from diabetes or other conditions that people develop through no fault of their own. And like diabetes, mental illness can be managed with medication and the support of family, friends and therapy. Unlike diabetes, mental illness is so stigmatized that few people realize how common it is, or that mental illness is disproportionately common in successful people like Matthew. Whether we realize it or not, we all have people like Matthew in our lives. The critical message of SLOtheStigma is that treatment of mental illness is more effective when it is openly acknowledged.

I hope that Tom Franciskovich writes more articles about “Matthew.” I hope we learn who he is and learn more about his continued recovery from bipolar disorder. Those who already know Matthew will see his bipolar disorder as just one element of a person who is a father, a husband, a businessman and friend. Those who don’t know Matthew may realize they know people like him. And that will help, one person at a time.Jill Bolster-WhiteExecutive DirectorTransitions-Mental Health Association

Dear SLO LIFE,I would like to greatly thank you for taking the initiative and writing the article you did on Bipolar Disorder. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Type II in February of last year. When I was officially diagnosed, it was devastating. Since then, I’ve come to terms with my illness (with the help of frequent counseling and a plethora of medications) and have been stable for several months now. But since my diagnosis, I’ve been trying to put a face on mental illness. I work on a project called Stamp Out Stigma. Essentially, I go around the county with another representative and I share my story, showing people that I, a “normal”

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person (whatever that means), have a mental illness. It’s amazing how many people think that in order to have a mental illness, you have to be crazy, and I often have to remind myself not to judge other people with mental illnesses. I’m not entirely sure why I felt the need to write you, I guess I just want to tell you that I appreciate the article you wrote. The world needs to be educated on mental illness.Thank you,Randall Oglesby

Dear SLO LIFE, I appreciated reading your articles on bipolar disorder, an illness which affects me and my family. The question of stigma and anonymity requires sophisticated consideration. Your writer, Tom Franciskovich, handled it gracefully.

When facts are learned through research and shared through education, perceptions change. I am a yoga instructor conducting research on yoga therapy as an adjunctive treatment for bipolar disorder in San Luis Obispo County. As a member of The International Association of Yoga Therapists, my mission is to establish yoga as a respected and recognized therapy for bipolar disorder through research and education.

If you or someone you know might be interested in supporting this project whether by participating in yoga classes measuring the effects on bipolar mood management, sharing if you have found relief of bipolar symptoms through a yoga practice, or with funding, I would appreciate hearing from you!

Developing greater understanding of this illness, its causes and its management, will help to erode the pain of stigma that we share. Brooke WestCertified Yoga & Meditation Teacher Los Osos

FUZZY MATHDear SLO LIFE,How do we get some Melody Klemin music? Made me look twice at this magazine, good music must be a good magazine.Jennifer LechugaMontecito

Dear SLO LIFE,SLO Life Magazine TV Commercials = Poop.xoxo,Tiffany

Go to slolifemagazine.com and click on “See Our Commercials” and decide for yourself whether the correct math is SLO LIFE Magazine TV Commercials x 2 looks + good music = good magazine or SLO LIFE Magazine TV Commercials = Poop.

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTUREWe are happy to announce that our adventure writer, formerly named Paden Followwill, has embarked on one of life’s ultimate adventures and has gotten herself hitched. Congratulations to Paden Hughes and her husband, Michael. Despite the wedding and honeymoon, she still made time to do her usual great work for us in this issue although under a new byline. Turn to page 30 to learn about her recent adventure at the Oceano Dunes.

CORRECTIONIt must have come as quite a surprise to Melody Klemin’s partner, Charlotte, when we incorrectly identified her as “Savannah” in our most recent Music feature. But, in fairness to us, we were pretty much mesmerized by Klemin and forgot just about everything she said after being treated to a private performance of her song “Cannoli.” Please accept our apologies for the oversight. SLO LIFE

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| TIMELINE

Debbie Arnold beats Jim Patterson in her second try for a seat on the Board of Supervisors, while Adam Hill fought off a challenge from Pismo City Councilman, Ed Waage. With Arnold’s victory, many expect a more pro-growth and anti-regulatory direction led by Arnold and right-leaning supervisors, Frank Mecham and Paul Teixeira.

June

5

Despite their survey that says that 59% of voters will approve it, the SLO City Council decides to hold off on a ½ cent sales tax extension, kicking the can down the road until the November, 2014 election when they will ask for a renewal of Measure Y. If nothing changes, or the renewal is voted down, the current rate of 7.75% will remain in effect until March 31, 2015 when the 8-year measure expires.

June

8

After 33 years in county government, Jim Grant announces his retirement. The county’s top executive was widely credited for restoring stability after his scandal-plagued boss, David Edge, was fired along with his second-in-command, Gail Wilcox, in 2009.

June

12

The SLO County Sheriff ’s Department hires Tony Cipolla, a longtime favorite newscaster as its public information officer and Lou Ferrigno (aka“The Incredible Hulk”) asa reserve deputy. It is rumored that Cipolla’s first press release stated, “Don’t make Ferrigno angry, you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.”

June

15

June

19

In an ongoing effort to curb nuisances caused by late night drinking, SLO City Council tightens rules for new establishments wishing to serve alcohol. Now it is required that amanager be on-sitewhen entertainment is performed; additional employee training; and video surveillance among other things.


In a 3-2 vote (Mecham and Teixeira dissented), the County Board of Supervisors establishes a ban on smoking in such public areas as county “mini-parks,” neighborhood parks, parking lots near county buildings, and an assortment of other outdoor locations.

In a surprise ruling that San Luis Obispo City Attorney characterized as “judicial misrepresentation,” Superior Court Judge Charles Crandall ruled that the city’s ordinance prohibiting overnight sleeping in vehicles does not apply to public streets but only to private property.

SLO LIFE

The Arroyo Grande cross burning saga finally comes to an end when Jeremiah Leo “Smurf ” Hernandez, a 33-year old San Simeon resident, is sentenced to 11 years in state prison on four criminal counts including hate crime enhancements.

June

27

July

3

Former Atascadero Citizen of the year, Kelly Gearhart, is indicted on federal fraud and money laundering charges related to his real estate development projects. If convicted, the fifty-year-old who is now living in an empty Ohio warehouse, faces up to 300 years in prison.

July

5

July

10

In a 4-1 vote (Ashbaugh dissented) the San Luis Obispo City Council passes an emergency ordinance that effectively overturns Judge Crandall’s ruling by applying it to a different set of municipal code, setting up renewed debate about the state homelessness locally.

July

17


Guy, we really didn’t prepare any questions for our interview today.I don’t prepare questions either. Well, I don’t and I do. I don’t write them down. Generally speaking, I’m comfortable with the first question I’m going to ask. And the first question is usually a general overview type of thing. From there I just listen. And inside the comment they make to the first question is going to be the follow-up question, or maybe two or three questions. So, in a way, I’m kind of taking their lead. If everything is prepared it can be too forced and you end up missing opportunities. I remember my very first interview in 1972, my boss said, “Ok, I need for you to interview these two women who had written a book on the history of Morro Bay.” And so I went to the library and picked up a book on how to interview and it said, “Write down ten prepared questions.” So, I wrote down my questions and I did the interview. When I listened to it afterward I thought to myself, “No! You missed it, you completely missed it!” So I tore up that whole idea and since then it’s been just do your homework and have a good opening question. The rest takes care of itself.

What was it like growing up during the heyday of space travel?One of the Yeager brothers was a year ahead of me, one was a year behind [Chuck Yeager was the first pilot to break the sound barrier]. I was right in the middle of the test programs. My dad was in charge of base communications and my mom worked for General Electric which made a lot of the engines and was there when the sound barrier was first broken. So, sonic booms were a part of my childhood because they were going on all of the time. The reverberation from the boom was so powerful that when the jets hit sonic speed it would break windows in the houses below. The

Air Force people were out replacing windows all the time. I remember it happening at our house once, it was our kitchen window. But that was part of the excitement. The first sonic boom would surprise you. Then us kids playing in the desert would stop and wait to see when the next one would hit and count the seconds to the one after that to see how many they could get as they went Mach 1, Mach 2, Mach 3, and so on.

Did you know any of the astronauts?Ed White was a good friend of our family. He was the first American to do a spacewalk. He lost his life in Apollo 1. He helped me build a glider for a contest I entered which was just an unbelievable experience. He was an aeronautics engineer and he built this glider with a massive wingspan, just an incredible wingspan. And when we finished it after weeks of working on it together we went out to test it at the baseball field. And we let

this thing go in the early morning air and it seemed to lay in the air forever. And even when it finally started coming down to kiss the ground and lightly brush all of the dew which had built up on the baseball field; it just glided over it in a such a way that it left a long trail where it had cut through the dew. It was just an unbelievable experience.

So, how did you go from flying gliders with astronauts to radio?I was over at a friend’s house building a soapbox derby car in his garage with the radio playing in the background. And they had a “name this tune” contest going where the winner got to be a disc jockey for a week. Anyway, as soon as the song started playing I told Joe, “Oh, I know this one.” And Joe said, “Call ‘em, you have to call ‘em!” And I had absolutely no interest. I didn’t want to do it. The broadcast kept saying, “We’ve had a lot of good guesses but still

no winner.” Finally Joe went in the kitchen and called the station and handed me the phone and said, “Tell ‘em, Guy!” So, I won the contest, but I did everything I could to convince Joe to go down to the station and pretend he was me. When I went down to the station I found myself just totally enamored with the newsperson there. I was the DJ for the last hour of each day that week and at the end of those 60 minutes I would point to the newsperson on the other side of the glass indicating it was his turn to take over. He had a pencil behind his ear and this mellifluous voice with this fluid, great delivery. As I sat back and watched him I said to myself, “That is what I want to do.”

Any interviews stand out in particular for you?In the late 70’s Leon Panetta was our local congressman. Now, of course, he’s Obama’s Defense Secretary. His office then was on Marsh Street located on the second story of the original French Hospital. He was going to be holding a major news conference and for some reason I arrived really early, so I went over to Sunshine Donuts which is where the government office building is now where the county supervisors meet. I got my coffee and donut and sat down at a table when in walks Congressman Panetta. I mentioned to him that I was going to be attending his news conference and he says, “Do you mind if I join you?” We sat there and talked until we were both almost late to his news conference. I don’t want to imply that Leon and I are good friends, but over the years, even when he was at the White House, I was able to get him on the phone. If he didn’t answer immediately, he’d call me back and it would be just like we were sitting at that little table at Sunshine Donuts.

| Q & A

He grew up at Edwards Air Force Base during the Golden Age of experimental flight and space travel only to be mesmerized by a radio news reporter during a contest he won in high school. A lover of books and 1920’s era music, he left KCBX last year, a station where he had a 36-year tenure ranging from volunteer during its start-up as a community radio station in 1975 to Program Director. Today he is busy producing radio shows where his little studio in Santa Margarita now reaches people all over the country. We dropped by one day to see how he was doing…

Guy Rathbun

SLO LIFE


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| PLACES

It was a perfectly calm, still day with almost no wind or waves when Elliott Johnson, a professional photographer with a studio in Los Osos, chartered a 40-minute helicopter ride out of the San Luis Obispo Airport. He had the door removed so there would be no obstructions. After harnessing himself in, he asked the pilot to go up and down to set up the perfect shot of the Bluff Trail at Spooner’s Cove. “I paid particular attention to Valencia Peak in the background because the higher we went the more it would blend into the other hills. We bobbed up and down, moved in and out from the shore, and made a few passes when I got this shot which provides a nice perspective, particularly with Spooner’s Cove there off to the left,” explains Johnson. Montana de Oro or “Mountain of Gold” is named for the yellow wildflowers pictured on the bluff. The fingers of land jutting out into the ocean are actually part of an ancient sea floor, which is comprised of the mudstone that had been deposited millions of years ago when the fragments of once-living organisms drifted to the bottom and mixed with silt and sand. Here, where the Pacific Plate meets the North American Plate, the constant seismic grinding action has buckled and tilted the sedimentary layers, raising them out of the sea in this distinctive pattern that delights hikers along the Bluff Trail. SLO LIFE

Montana de Oro

SLO LIFE MagazInE AUG/SEP 2012 | 1515 | SLO LIFE MagazInE AUG/SEP 2012Do you have an amazing photo to share? Email it to [email protected]

Montana de Oro


| MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

In this installment of our “Meet Your Neighbor” series, SLO LIFE Magazine sits down for a conversation with Kimberly Walker. She grew up in Southern California and moved to the Central Coast after graduating from college where she studied screenwriting. She then spent six months in East Africa where she wrote and directed a play designed to bring awareness to women’s rights there. Upon her return she bounced around at a few jobs before realizing that she needed to find work that would allow her to live in San Luis Obispo—that quest led her to create Wine Wipes, a product which discreetly removes red wine stains from teeth. After launching the company five years ago, she also started a restaurant in the old Granda Hotel, which she named Granda Bistro. And, today she, along with three other partners have formed the Lunacy Club to purchase and remodel the historic building on Morro Street which they expect will open next month as a 17-room luxury hotel in downtown San Luis Obispo. Here is her story…

Tell us, where are you from, Kimberly?I was born and raised in Southern California actually, a town called Upland which is near Claremont and Ontario. I grew up there, but moved up here after college. I went to an all girls Catholic high school. That was interesting. It was a pretty normal childhood. I didn’t get into too much trouble. I went to college to study screenwriting. I love writing, but it’s challenging because you are alone all the time. I don’t think people realize how challenging it is because everybody can write—I mean a majority of people can write—and so when you read a story you almost don’t appreciate how difficult it is to choose the words that end up telling the story in such a beautiful way that you are going to continue to read it and kind of lose yourself in it.

Have you done much screenwriting?Nothing substantial. I wrote a lot of stuff. I write a lot. I still write every day. The biggest thing I wrote was a play when I was in East Africa, Tanzania. I wrote a play called “Wanawake Jukwaani,” which translates to “women center stage” in Swahili. And, that was definitely the biggest writing that I ever did. I loved it, but I don’t think I’m cut out for the screenwriting business and the whole L.A., Hollywood lifestyle. I worked for a producer while I lived there and was going to school and I loved it, but… I don’t know. It’s just a hard industry to feel good about yourself. And, I don’t know, it was a challenge for me to be the person that I kind of wanted to be. It’s sort of hard to explain.

Why East Africa?I left L.A. and I wanted to go on an adventure. I wanted to figure out what my next move was. I had moved up to San Luis Obispo because my parents had a vacation home in Oceano. I thought I would stay up here

for a few months and finish this writing project that I was working on at the time and it just never happened. I just couldn’t get it finished. I didn’t feel passionate about it. I don’t know if you call it writer’s block or what, but I just knew that I needed to do something with my life and I wasn’t sure what that was. For some reason I chose Tanzania and I went there to teach AIDS awareness workshops. I went from village to village teaching these workshops on how to, you know, practice safe sex and how to say “No” and I realized that all of that was so far advanced from where the Tanzanians were at in their culture because women had no rights over their bodies. So, I thought the play was a sort of reflection of what I saw there. And I thought that if women and men were to come together on a stage in front of their whole community and be able to at least role play a different kind of conversation, a conversation where the woman was able to say “No” to men that it could potentially have some sort of an impact. And, like all volunteer work it probably had more of an impact on me then on them. [laughter] It was truly just such an amazing experience for me, but I don’t know if it really had much of an effect with the people there.

Were you ever able to have that play performed in public?Yep, on stage in Arusha [Tanzania]. There ended up being over 40 performers in the play because I worked with six different villages. So, each day of the week I would go to a different village and rehearse with the people that were in the play. And we did that over the course of about a month. We had the final performance in the middle of town in this area that was like a large outdoor pavilion. We passed out flyers and people came from all over. I wrote it in English, but the play was in Swahili so people were able to understand it. I had two translators that came with me everywhere when we were rehearsing the play and

Meet Kimberly Walker

(continued on page 18)


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they would help me articulate what it was that I wanted to say. And they would change it themselves. It was really fun.

Anything in particular stand out for you?The Maasai—you’ve probably seen them in photographs of East Africans, they have the big red scarves and swords—they’re very photogenic. Anyway, they’re also notorious for how they treat their women. They treat women so poorly that they are considered to be beneath cattle in their culture. But they are also wonderful people, they don’t lie, they don’t steal. They just have a different way of looking at women in their society. Women are the property of their husbands. Anyway, I told the Maasai in the play that they could go home and really put their own stamp on their part of the performance, their vignette. So, they come back the next week and, in their version of the story, all of the men are drinking and having a great time, and all the women die, and all the men live happily ever after. [laughter] And, so I’m watching them act this out and thinking, “Ohhhh my gosh, I really have my work cut out for me.” They didn’t even want women to participate; they wanted it to be all men. Some of the men even dressed up as the women so they didn’t have to include them, but I said, “No, you have to include women.” It was a really neat experience, it was really, really fun. I think everybody had a good time and it was definitely a highlight of my life. I was there for six months. I felt safe and secure the whole time. People are amazing wherever you go. I truly believe that. I don’t know, I think there’s good in everybody.

What did you do when you returned to the Central Coast?I came back from that and ended up getting a job in radio sales because I wanted to stay here. And that was my first real job outside of film. It was scary going out every day and cold calling businesses. Ah, and radio sales, you know people joke around and say that radio advertising is the hardest thing in the world to sell. And it’s true, it was hard. But, it taught me so much about sales and business and what it takes to actually make a company go. And that’s putting yourself out there, and dealing with rejection and not giving up and continually going back to customers and really listening to what they are saying and figuring out how to make their business better. I think all of those skills are really valuable for any career.

And, next?...And, then I was a regional manager for a 1031 exchange company—I didn’t even know what a 1031 exchange was when I applied for the job. So, I quickly crammed in as much knowledge as I could right before the interview and somehow they gave me the job. I found myself at these real estate offices giving seminars with like 20 or 30 real estate professionals and accountants and I’m teaching them about 1031 exchanges. And the entire time I’m thinking to myself, “Please, please don’t raise your hand, please don’t ask me a question. Most likely, I’m not going to know the answer because really I have no idea what I am talking about.” [laughter] I quickly realized that was not where I wanted my focus to be and I realized I would have to come up with my own job if I wanted to stay in San Luis Obispo. The 1031 exchange wasn’t me. I always look at life and think, “Okay, what is it that I want to be doing? What am I passionate about?” And if you follow your passion I think that’s where you will find happiness. And basing careers on money or anything other than passion, I find for myself personally, that I’m usually not satisfied or happy. At the end of the day you’re spending the majority of your life working, why not

make it something that you love? With Wine Wipes it all just sort of happened at the same time.

What’s the story behind Wine Wipes?I started Borracha almost five years ago with the idea of creating this product, Wine Wipes which removes red wine stains from your teeth. I came up with the concept while having dinner one night at Guiseppe’s in Pismo. I always get that purple stain on my teeth after drinking red wine then I’d go into the bathroom and try to scrub it off. So, I decided to start looking for products out there that I could carry with me in my purse and I didn’t find anything, and I thought, “Well, why don’t I come up with my own product?” I spent about a year developing it, creating something that could be sold in the marketplace. You know, getting insurance, making sure the formula complied with regulations, all the things you need in order to have a product in the marketplace. I brought it to market in 2008 and have just been growing since then. We’ve had amazing publicity. Dr. Oz did a segment on Wine Wipes and basically said, “If you’re not going to drink wine out of a straw then you should use Wine Wipes.” And we’ve been on Rachael Ray, Good Day LA, The Today Show, even Jay Leno did a bit about Wine Wipes on the Tonight Show. We’re an all-woman company. There are five us in all: me, my mom, and three others.

Okay, but what’s up with the name “Borracha” and what does it have to do with Wine Wipes?In Spanish, there’s a word “barracho” which means “intoxicated man.” I was in Guatemala traveling—my mother’s side of the family is Hispanic and I was trying to learn to speak Spanish—and had a bit to drink the night before and I was talking to my grandmother on the phone and I said, “I was a barracha last night.” And she became so upset. She said, “Mija, there is no such thing as a barracha! Women do not get drunk.” I had a conversation about it with her later and she said, “No, really, there is no such word as ‘barracha’—women do not drink.” You know, women do not get drunk. Our role is much different than that. Sure enough, I looked it up in a Spanish dictionary and there is no female version of the word “barracho” to be found. Sometimes when we go to events where there are some older Hispanic women like my mother or grandmother, they are very much offended that I even say the word “borracha” much less use it to name my company. But, we don’t take ourselves too seriously around here.

What’s it like to have Dr. Oz and Jay Leno talking about your product?It’s always shocking. I mean the Dr. Oz segment, I didn’t even know about it. They called the office and requested ten samples because they had to put it through all this testing before he would put a product on his show. And that was the last thing I heard from them. Then, one day at the office, our online sales just spiked. I mean, our server nearly shut down. We had so many sales and it was going in this wave with people calling the office and saying, “I saw your product on Dr. Oz!” And, I thought maybe we were on for a second, but no, it was like a two minute segment where he actually had them there and was testing them and was using them and had a thorough conversation about them [you can view the Dr. Oz segment by going to this article online at slolifemagazine.com]. And I watched it from my computer just thinking, “Oh my gosh, that’s Dr. Oz talking about Wine Wipes!” Our next focus is Ellen. We want Ellen to try our Wine Wipes on her show.

Aside from trying to keep Ellen’s teeth sparkly and white, what else is new?We just got back from a launch party, which we held at a restaurant in Manhattan. We invited magazine editors to come. And for three days our

| MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR left Walker’s play translated to Swahili and performed in Arusha, Tanzania.

right Walker, second from right, and the staff of Granada Bistro in front of their converted ice cream truck that is used for food service at local events.

“...if you follow your passion I think that’s where you will find happiness.


PR company had set up appointments so we went to those and did what they call “desk-sides,” which is where we basically sit on the side of the desk and pitch the product to the editors. We’ll bring some wine and the product and actually do a demo. It’s pretty funny, especially for some of the appointments that are first thing in the morning. Asking an editor to drink some wine first thing in the morning is always interesting.

What do you do for fun?Lately I haven’t had much time off because of Granada. The Granada Bistro was my little restaurant that was on Morro Street. I was renting space there for Borracha when the landlord said that he would be demolishing the building and building something new in a year and no one wanted to move in with just a year lease so he said, “Kimberly, why don’t you take it over and open up a wine bar or something?” He rented it to me cheap. And I thought it would be kind of fun. I thought it’s just a year so I’d get in and out. I had no idea that I would actually love it as much as I do. All of the equipment, everything in the Granada Bistro was purchased used. Really, with a one year lifespan, my goal was just to make my investment back during that time [laughter], so I had to buy everything on the cheap.

That’s pretty gutsy to just dive into the restaurant business with no experience—how was it?I fell in love with it. It’s such a cool industry. It’s challenging, it’s humbling, but it’s a very intimate connection that you have with people. And it was such a small space that it was almost like having a dinner party every night. It was a really special little place. It was so small that you would end up talking to someone that you didn’t know, but it wasn’t a bar environment by any means. It was just a very comfortable space. Then the landlord got behind on his loan and lost the building to the bank and the bank was going to sell it to another party that was also planning to demolish the building. So four of us got together and formed the Lunacy Club, and purchased the building from the bank. And that’s what we’ve

been doing ever since. We’re now in the final stages of remodeling and are planning to open next month.

What is the history of the building?It was originally a hotel when it was built. It was called Hotel Granada. It was built in the twenties and someone actually found an envelope from the original hotel so we have their original logo and it was next to the Elmo Theatre, which is now the Union Bank. And, I guess the Elmo Theatre was a Vaudeville theatre and the Hotel Granada was the hotel next to it. We haven’t been able to find a lot of information, although somebody told me that you could rent rooms by the hour there and that’s why you can’t find much information about it. [laughter] I had this vision that ‘Oh, it was next to Vaudeville, so there’s probably all these artists in there and it’s just like Paris in the twenties but it’s in San Luis Obispo’ and then… No, it was a brothel. [laughter]

Did you imagine that this is what your life would be like when you were growing up?No, I wanted to be a writer. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. And I still miss that a little bit. I still write every day, it’s just that I write to myself. Just the act of writing, it just feels good. I guess it’s almost like therapy. But, sometimes I go back and read what I wrote and I think, “Ugh, I hope that when I die nobody reads this because they are going to say, ‘She was boring… why was she writing about the pasta that she made and why did she write about her cat again?’” [laughter] We have a blog for Barracha that all of us contribute to from time-to-time, but other than that, no. When I travel I like to write about my experience. But, usually I just write it for myself and don’t publish it. When you’re traveling and in another place it’s so easy to write because everything is so new and exciting and interesting. I like that kind of writing, about travel and adventure.

Thanks so much, Kimberly, we’d love to continue our conversation but we know you have work to do.No, thank you—it’s been a pleasure visiting with you. SLO LIFE

smart, eclectic, art to live on

181 Tank Farm Road, Suite 110 (at Cross & Long Streets, behind Trader Joe’s)

805.544.5900 | sloconsignment.comHours : Monday - Saturday 10-6pm


| THE WAY WE LIVE

Historic Home RevivedPHOTOS BY ELLIOTT JOHNSON


SPACE SAVERSBuilt-in shelving, bookcases and seating with storage provide plenty of hideaways giving the Cullen home a functionality not normally seen in historic homes.

The nice thing about dealing with a really tiny house is that you can pick it up and move it. When Frank Cullen and his wife, Kristen, purchased the Western Cedar Shingle home originally built in 1926, escrow closed in 2007 on the same day their first daughter was born. The house was just 580 square feet, one bedroom and one bath. The growing Cullen Family needed more room and planned to add a second story, which meant a new foundation was needed. So a crane rolled down Islay Street to hoist the last property in San Luis Obispo’s Old Town Historic District.

According to Cullen, a contractor and owner of Cullen Construction, “The whole neighborhood showed up to watch the crane literally pick up the home… the crane came back when they were done with the new foundation and then just set the home back down.” The second story and an addition to the backside of the house included a second bedroom and bathroom. For Cullen, who specializes in the construction of straw bale buildings, it was a unique opportunity to put his expertise in sustainable building to work. But, his desire to be sustainable while also preserving the historic character of the home were about to run headlong into the many restrictions imposed by the Department of Interior’s Guidelines to Restoring Historic Structures.

For starters, Cullen was not allowed to build a porch because he had to maintain the original street-facing structure. And instead of going with some more sustainable options, he had to use materials consistent with the period of the original construction, including using all-wood windows and wood siding. So, he decided to re-use the original windows and salvage as many of the original shingles as possible. The city planning department did approve a variance, however, that allowed Cullen to have a zero lot line at the back of the property so that he could expand the home’s footprint.

The home, now 1,325 square feet is still relatively small, but Cullen opted for many space-saving features including a hidden walk-in closet inside the downstairs powder room; a clothes hamper built into the half-wall facing the stairs; and a clever method for building in the washer and dryer at the top of the stairs. Additionally, the kitchen cabinets and the fireplace mantle were built out of reclaimed redwood from the original roof. After many creative and resourceful techniques mixed to preserve history and promote sustainability, the Cullen Family now enjoys their house, which is just big enough.


| THE WAY WE LIVE

CONTRASTING FLOWThe varying wood-stained cabinets combined with a farmhouse style apron sink and stainless steel appliances come together for a clean, comfortable look.

BUILT-IN BEAUTYThese built-in cabinets and drawers give the master bedroom the storage and organization it needs to maintain a neat, tidy space.

Because Experience Matters.

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See this home for yourself on the Rotary Home Tour—turn to page 46 for details. SLO LIFE

PRETTY IN PURPLEA pitched roof, window seat and upper platform add dimension to this bedroom and give it plenty of usable space.

>>

3021 South HigueraSan Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Tuesday-Friday 11-5805 542-0500www.fortinihome.com

meets style.Where life


SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS ®

| SAN LUIS OBISPO REAL ESTATE

SLO LIFE

Total Homes SoldAverage Asking PriceAverage Selling PriceSales Price as a % of Asking PriceAverage # of Days on the Market

YTD 201128

481,649467,830

96.80128

YTD 201230

559,120542,250

97.2876

+/-7.14%

16.08%15.91%

0.48%-40.63%

by t

he n

umbe

rs lagunalake


YTD 201121

627,819612,190

97.5893

YTD 201217

569,276555,852

97.5468

+/--19.05%

-9.32%-9.20%-0.04%

-26.88%

tankfarm


YTD 201112

547,408524,375

95.39115

YTD 201215

502,880479,633

95.3150

+/-25.00%-8.13%-8.53%-0.08%

-56.52%

cal polyarea


YTD 201116

779,456684,875

91.63131

YTD 201221

564,238552,805

98.1955

+/-31.25%

-27.61%-19.28%

6.56%-58.02%

down-town


YTD 201114

993,629930,571

94.34130

YTD 201210

772,000745,850

96.76165

+/--28.57%-23.31%-19.85%

2.42%26.92%

country club


YTD 201120

558,994531,975

95.6056

YTD 201227

503,383498,284

99.2235

+/-35.00%-9.95%-6.33%3.62%

-37.50%

foothillblvd


YTD 201121

513,014488,642

95.07108

YTD 201229

580,034568,289

98.3068

+/-38.09%13.06%16.29%

3.23%-37.04%

johnsonave

*Comparing 1/1/11 - 7/20/11 to 1/1/12 - 7/20/12


Beautiful Spanish Lakes Homewith expansive views. This 4+ bedroom home has a large open floorplan and two master suites – one on the main level and one on the upper level. The other two bedrooms are downstairs, accompanied by the game room and study. This home also features a pool and spa with a cabana/studio with bath.Offered at $850,000.

Bruce Freeberg • Realtor # 01771947

444 Higuera Street, 3rd Floor • San Luis Obispo • CA 93401

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| COUNTYWIDE REAL ESTATE

SLO LIFE

Arroyo Grande

Atascadero

Avila Beach

Cambria/San Simeon

Cayucos

Creston

Grover Beach

Los Osos

Morro Bay

Nipomo

Oceano

Pismo Beach

Paso (Inside City Limits)

Paso (North 46 - East 101)

Paso (North 46 - West 101)

Paso (South 46 - East 101)

San Luis Obispo

Santa Margarita

Templeton

Countywide

by the numbersYTD

2011

108

109

7

46

20

2

34

39

49

85

24

33

157

37

34

34

92

8

29

947

YTD 2012

126

114

3

59

17

6

43

67

42

75

21

45

144

25

36

25

116

10

47

1,021

REGION NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD

YTD 2011

122

106

85

127

183

96

82

102

127

127

109

126

102

118

138

101

129

108

87

116

YTD2012

120

107

392

129

122

326

90

96

139

104

100

135

92

82

101

198

73

96

107

108

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

YTD2011

458,000

320,000

702,500

484,500

680,000

347,500

288,000

330,000

415,000

340,000

235,000

670,000

297,000

220,000

255,950

315,500

541,250

250,000

515,000

365,500

YTD2012

436,500

315,000

610,000

515,000

565,000

427,500

315,000

305,000

422,000

387,500

221,000

570,000

297,000

214,000

340,500

320,000

499,500

261,750

385,000

375,000

MEDIAN SELLING PRICE

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS ®*Comparing 1/1/11 - 7/20/11 to 1/1/12 - 7/20/12

W e a lt h M a n a g e M e n t

David S. NilsenPresident & Chief Financial Advisor

1301 Chorro Street, Suite ASan Luis Obispo, CA 93401

805.541.6500 ObispoWealthManagement.com

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David Nilsen is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative with/and offers securities and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor, Insurance Lic. #0B50436. Fixed Insurance products and services offered by Obispo Wealth Management are separate and unrelated to Commonwealth.

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In the quaint little beach community of Cayucos there is a landmark that stands as a monument to the roots of this town and the man who put this place on the map. James Cass is considered the founder of Cayucos.

“He built the pier, built a warehouse, had a dairy, shipped butter to San Francisco and shipped lumber down to Cayucos, and was responsible for a lot of the development of the town. He built the first store, and the church, and the school,” says Grace Lorenzen, co-owner of the Cass House restaurant.

Captain Cass’ house was not only the biggest on the block, it was the only one. But long after his family sold it, it became more of an eyesore than an attraction.

After standing as simply a reminder of days gone by, Gary and Nancy Bagnall bought the place and began a 15-year labor of love. “I mean, I really think if Gary and Nancy hadn’t bought the house when they did, somebody would have just bought the property and torn the house down and used it for commercial use,” says Lorenzen.

Instead the place got a new foundation, new roof, new garden, new paint, new life, but there’s still a lot of old within the walls.

The footprint of the house has not changed, the floors are original douglas fir and the windows, shutters, and accents throughout are original. It all helps make you feel right at home when you pay a visit today.

Grace and her husband Jenson Lorenzen now run a restaurant and bed and breakfast at the restored Cass House. “Great great grandchildren of Captain Cass will come in and tell me stories,” she says.

Their menu changes depending on what they can get from the garden out back and from nearby farmers. Locals rave about the food, and the fact that your meal comes with a connection to the past, and an appreciation of what was saved from the wrecking ball.

Legend has it that Old Man Cass still wanders these halls now and then, but Lorenzen says she hasn’t seen any ghosts personally. “I like to say if James Cass is still around, he’s really happy.” And you likely will be too, when you pay a visit to this little gem, right in our own backyard. And it offers more proof, There’s No Place Like Home.

Jeanette Trompeter, KSBY News anchor and reporter, hosts the “No Place Like Home” series every Tuesday evening at 6pm.

BY JEANETTE TROMPETER, KSBY NEWS

| NO PLACE LIKE HOME

SLO LIFE

Cayucos Cass House

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| OUTDOORS

Oceano Dunes

WRITTEN BY PADEN HUGHES

more than tracks in the sand

There are three hotly debated issues surrounding the Oceano Dunes. The first one is related to the safety of the dunes and the vehicular accidents that occur here every year. The second issue pertains to environmental impact, as the dunes are in the midst of protected wildlife habitats. The third issue revolves around air quality and particulate matter allegedly causing health problems for people living downwind.

“

”


Are you one of those proud locals with a license plate frame that reads, “I live where you vacation?” Though my English relatives may find it “cheeky,” it is nonetheless true. In the summer, San Luis Obispo County attracts thousands of families looking for an incredible array of scenery and natural playgrounds to refresh them. One popular destination is the sand dunes of Oceano.

Oceano is the only beach in California allowing vehicles to careen across 3,600 acres of sand dunes naturally created by the ocean. There are three hotly debated issues surrounding the Oceano Dunes. The first one is related to the safety of the dunes and the vehicular accidents that occur here every year. The second issue pertains to environmental impact, as the dunes are in the midst of protected wildlife habitats. The third issue revolves around air quality and particulate matter allegedly causing health problems for people living downwind. While controversial and often compared to the movie Mad Max, the dunes allow for adrenaline-fueled activities while racing across the sand on an all terrain vehicle (ATV) or any four-wheel drive vehicle.

Being such a popular destination for tourists, and even some locals, I had to give it a try to see what all the hype was about. The beauty of the ocean from the flat, sandy

beach to the scalloped, rippling dunes is incredible. But I wasn’t here to enjoy the beauty—I was here to ride. And, once I got the hang of it, I had the time of my life. The first dune I climbed brought me to the top of what looked like an 80-foot drop. I braced myself, knowing that I had to build up enough momentum to get up the next dune ahead. I flew down the dune. It was exhilarating to say the least.

I climbed high dunes, sped down 50+ foot drops, whirled around sand bowls, and raced across hard-packed straight-a-ways, unleashing my inner speed demon.

The dunes provide a playground for any adventurer looking to design their own personal roller coaster. It is not for the timid, but it can be a great place to push past fears and try something new and exciting.

My advice for those new to the sand dunes: Approach curves and hillcrests with caution. Blind hills on either side can cause mid-air collisions. Reduce your speed when approaching blind drops and have a spotter to communicate if the coast is clear. This is critical—there are a great deal of tall dunes, and on busy weekends, many vehicles in one area with blind corners can be a recipe for disaster.

Getting there...

SLO LIFE

The recreation area is located in Oceano, three miles south of Pismo Beach off Highway 1. One mile south of the Pier Avenue beach ramp is Post 2, a post on the beach which marks the beginning of the off-highway vehicle riding and camping area. Off highway vehicles must be transported to this point before unloading. Any areas on the beach or in the dunes that are fenced or have signs posted are closed to vehicular use because they either contain sensitive plant and animal life or are private property.


| TO YOUR HEALTH

According to the USDA, the average American daily caloric intake has increased by more than 500 calories per day since 1970.

Weighing in on Health

Ready to improve your health?

sleep like a baby Skimping on your sleep makes you more than cranky, a review published in the April, 2012 issue of Science Translational Medicine found that it also raises your risk for diabetes and obesity.

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Quinoa is one of our favorite seeds. It’s grain-like in texture and considered a complete protein (containing 9 essential amino acids). Mix with your favorite veggies for a quick, satisfying, healthy meal—we like it with garbanzo beans, ground flax seeds, raw broccoli, diced purple onion, julienned carrots, sliced olives, cubed avocado, and minced garlic. SLO LIFE

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 35.7% of the adult U.S. population is obese.

Based on the last set of available data, 24% of California’s population is obese.

The most recent estimates of obesity show 21.5% of San Luis Obispo County adults are obese.

Weighing in on Health

Try this!

eatIncrease your consumption of organic, whole foods, like raw or lightly cooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and omega-3 rich foods. Avoid sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, processed food, food additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

*what we love


kale/greens SLO LIFE

| ALTERNATIVE HEALTH

rganic:OThis year’s “Dirty Dozen” has been expanded to the “Dirty Dozen Plus” in order to include green beans and leafy greens like collards and kale. Though they don’t meet traditional criteria for the Dirty Dozen, green beans and leafy greens are often contaminated with organophosphate insecticides. “These insecticides are toxic to the nervous system and have been largely removed from agriculture over the past decade,” the EWG said in its report. “But they are not banned and still show up on some food crops.”

And while fruit and vegetable wash might work for some produce, pesticides aren’t necessarily just on the surface of the food, Chensheng (Alex) Lu, Associate Professor of Environmental Exposure Biology at the Harvard School of Public Health explains, “If you look at apples, for example, they often spray from March to late June. After that they don’t spray anything.” In addition, there are many cases where the fruit grows with pesticides already in it, thanks to pesticide seed treatment programs where seeds are soaked in pesticides before they’re even planted. The program has expanded, Lu points out, “It started with corn, but now is used with a lot of different kinds of produce.”

And if that weren’t enough reason to buy organic, according to a study published in January, 2012 by Purdue University scientists, honeybee deaths have been linked to seed insecticide exposure. The United States is losing about one-third of its honeybee hives each year, according to Greg Hunt, a Purdue professor of behavioral genetics, honeybee specialist and co-author of the findings. “We know that these insecticides are highly toxic to bees; we found them in each sample of dead and dying bees,” said Christian Krupke, associate professor of entomology and co-author of the findings.

Check out the Dirty Dozen Plus list below:

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released its 2012 guide to the most contaminated crops out there—its “Dirty Dozen Plus” list.

apples

celery

sweet bell peppers peaches

imported nectarinesgrapes

spinach lettuce

stawberries

cucumbersdomestic blueberries

potatoes

green beans


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| MUSIC

PHOTO BY BRAD DAANE

Three Martini Lunch

Pure joy is a rare thing, but you know it when you see it—picture a child slowly savoring a fast-melting ice cream cone on a hot summer day. You can see that same joy on the faces of Three Martini Lunch, a high energy, up-tempo classic jazz trio, while they perform their music live. The unlikely threesome has been taking Central Coast audiences along with them on their joyful journey back in time for the last four years. And, the group, which pays meticulous attention to period detail with their trademark white tuxedo jackets and black bowties, has worked hard to perfect its authentic “60’s swank” vibe and achieve a style that recalls the late, great Frank Sinatra.

Band members, Michael “Mickey” Dias (bass/vocals), Len “Dr. Swank” Hardt (keyboard), and Isaac Laing (drums/percussion), have

recently recorded and released an album called “Swankified,” which is full of many period favorites ranging from Dean Martin’s “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” to Brazilian inspired “Blue Bossa.” It’s all cool, hip, stand-up-and-tap-your-feet-and-snap-your-fingers-type music that fans of Frank Sinatra and those that enjoy the hit television show “Mad Men” will appreciate.

Despite, the swanky shtick, the three musicians come with some serious chops in “the biz” and a combined 100 years of experience. And, when they decided to meet one evening at Hardt’s Morro Bay home for an impromptu jam session, it all clicked and the trio found that they “shared the same deep-rooted passion for music” which came to each of them in unique ways. Dias, who originally hails from


Three Martini Lunch

SLO LIFE

MUSIC VIDEOComing soon... go to slolifemagazine.com and click on “See our Commercials” to watch music performed by Three Martini Lunch.

the Bay Area, put himself through college by “touring around playing music at every bar in nightclub that could be found.” Hardt came up as a “road warrior” crisscrossing the country to promote and produce live music shows and has worn many hats as the nature of the business has evolved over the years (today he works to develop local talent in an effort to help further their careers). And, Laing, the youngest member of the group, observes that “the language of music doesn’t know any ages,” and has been playing professionally since turning 18 years old—he also teaches drums locally.

Three Martini Lunch averages twelve to twenty gigs per month, “everything ranging from non-profit fundraising events to backyard weddings and everything in-between.” One mainstay over the years

has been their regular Thursday evening appearance in Shell Beach where the Lido Restaurant in the Dolphin Bay Inn is transported to a much less complicated time. And, again, it ’s that palpable joy in playing and sharing their music while interacting with the crowd that makes it a special and distinctively unique Central Coast experience—although sipping on a martini while watching the sun tuck itself into the Pacific for the evening certainly doesn’t hurt either.

above (left to right) Len Hardt, Michael Dias and Isaac Laing


Wading into an honest conversation about homelessness is fraught with risk. Almost by definition, an “us” and “them” dynamic arises. But, with the homeless debate heating up in San Luis Obispo, we decided to dig into the issue and attempt to bring the facts to light…

Yes, it is a fact that homelessness is on the rise in San Luis Obispo. Although, by its transient nature, it is very difficult to obtain an accurate census of this segment of the population. Local officials estimate that there are currently more than 1,000 homeless with approximately half living in vehicles. Starting about a year ago, according to officials, there was a sharp rise in homelessness which accelerated over the last six months. The issue reached a fever pitch this summer when, in response to a lawsuit brought by local attorneys Stewart Jenkins and Saro Rizzo on behalf of the SLO Homeless Alliance, Superior Court Judge Charles Crandall ruled, in essence, that it was unlawful to prohibit people from sleeping in their cars on public streets. The city council responded immediately by passing a new ordinance under a different set of code, effectively allowing the police department to continue to cite people for sleeping in their vehicles (tickets can be as much as $500). All of this took place in the shadow of a renewed debate over the wisdom of building a new homeless shelter on South Higuera near the Department of Social Services. The proposed 200 bed facility, originally approved in 2009, is opposed by many nearby business owners who are concerned that this will create a homeless “mecca,” arguing that “if you build it, they will come.” Their fear is that more homeless people in the area will drive away their customers.

As the county seat, San Luis Obispo primarily bears the burden of supporting this segment of the population and also houses the Department of Social Services where much of the county-based transient population travels to pick up their social security checks (52% receive assistance according to California’s 2009 Homeless Count) and obtain other government services. After the checks are dispersed and social services rendered, there is a well-traveled path from South Higuera down Prado Road to the Prado Day Center for meals and other services during the day and then typically out to local creeks or vehicles or the Maxine Lewis Memorial Night Shelter on Orcutt Road for an overnight stay. The cycle repeats, but it generally begins in the vicinity of the intersection of Prado and South Higuera. To simplify the objection of some businesses in the area: expand available services and word will get out that this is a great place to be homeless. And once demand again outstrips supply, we will be left with a bigger problem. But, maybe there is a different solution.

In 2006, Malcolm Gladwell penned a controversial article for The New Yorker titled “Million-Dollar Murray: Why problems like homelessness may be easier to solve than to manage.” Gladwell tells the story of Murray Barr, a likeable transient with a severe drinking problem. During a study commissioned by the City of Reno where Barr lived, it was determined that the value he had received in health care, food, goods and services was over a million dollars during the ten years the research was conducted. Gladwell, citing this study, argues that it would be cheaper and more

efficient to deal with chronic homelessness by building and funding supportive housing. In other words, instead of managing homelessness with soup kitchens and temporary shelters, why not invest in permanent housing with live-in services and structure. This was a format, apparently, where Barr had thrived.

It appears that the Obama Administration has been paying attention. In a recent appearance on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Shaun Donovan, said, “The thing we finally figured out is that it’s actually, not only better for people, but cheaper to solve homelessness than it is to put a band-aid on it.” He then claimed that “between shelters, emergency rooms, and jails it costs about $40,000 a year for a homeless person to be on the street.” Some research on that figure —$40,000—leads one to believe that it may actually be on the low end of the spectrum. For example, Philip Mangano, formerly the Homelessness Czar under President George W. Bush, puts the cost at somewhere between $35,000 and $150,000 annually. While they may quibble on the current cost, both Donovan and Mangano assert that chronic homelessness can be ended for much less. An idea called “housing first” came about during the 1990’s in New York City and spawned the supportive housing program in Reno where Barr thrived (Barr eventually returned to the streets after the pilot program was discontinued for lack of funding). Donovan and Mangano do agree on these numbers: the cost to administer a group home that offers holistic services for the chronically homeless ranging from drug treatment, to job placement, to psychiatric services, would cost somewhere between $13,000 to $25,000 per year per individual and would effectively end homelessness at a fraction of the cost that we are currently paying to manage it.

But, to really understand the homeless situation here in San Luis Obispo, you first have to understand the demographics because they are unique and distinct from other communities, such as Reno and New York. People who deal first-hand with this issue locally refer to the three subsets of the homeless population here as the “have-nots,” the “can-nots,” and the “will-nots.” The “have-nots” are people who have lost their jobs, or experienced some other setback or misfortune such as divorce. They usually enter and exit homelessness relatively quickly. The next category is known as the “can-nots,” people who are just not able to provide shelter for themselves; typically they are mentally ill. The genesis of this group came about in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy signed the Mental Health Act, a law that set into motion “deinstitutionalization,” which was intended to be a cost-cutting process that favored “community release” of mentally

| SPECIAL INTEREST

HOMELESSNESSBY TOM FRANCISKOVICH

(continued on page 40)

in san luis obispo

But, to really understand the homeless situation here in San Luis Obispo,

you first have to understand the demographics because they are unique and distinct from other communities... ”


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ill patients. In California deinstitutionalization enjoyed support under Governor Pat Brown and reached a crescendo in 1967 when Governor Ronald Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act which released massive numbers of psychiatric patients during the 70’s and 80’s. The United States went from 550,000 mental hospital patients in 1955 to just 40,000 today (to put it in perspective, the general population nearly doubled during that same period). It is estimated that those displaced patients now represent between 30% and 50% of the American homeless population. The fact is that the “can-nots” are the direct result of those policies. And, then there are the “will-nots”—they are individuals that are of sound body and mind, but, for different reasons, are unwilling to seek permanent housing.

It would be reasonable to assume that the sudden increase in homelessness came as a result of the lingering effects of a still-struggling economy. Logically, it would be driven by the “have-nots” who are experiencing job loss, or, perhaps, loss of the safety net provided by unemployment checks that had finally run out. However, according to Dee Torres, Program Director at the Prado Day Center, “We usually aren’t seeing people that have lost their jobs and are suddenly out on the street. Those individuals often have family to turn to, or support from friends. We deal more with chronic homelessness, people with physical disabilities, mental illness including many who are self-medicating [and have] drug addictions.”

“The goal,” continues Torres, “is self-sufficiency, and the first step in that process is getting them to accept case management.” Accepting case management is a big deal because, not only does the individual cede much of their independence to a social services case worker, they also must turn over a big chunk of their income. If they are receiving social security, it is as much as 70%, which is saved on their behalf to help them accumulate enough funds to secure permanent housing. During this period of case management very little, if any, discretionary income is needed, however, as meals are provided, a roof is overhead, and most of the basic needs are met. The case manager also serves as a gateway to secure other services on their behalf from other government entities and local non-profits. “If we can get someone into case management, we have a 100% success rate,” claims Torres. “But, they have to want to do it; they have to want to get out of the situation that they are in.”

And while they are in case management, or even if they are not—it is not a requirement—the local homeless population can get a meal at the Prado Day Center and a bed to sleep in at the Maxine Lewis Memorial Night Shelter. Both facilities are operated by Community Action Partners of San Luis Obispo County (CAP SLO) and neither require any drug testing—as long as visitors abide by some basic rules and are non-threatening to others they are welcome. The overnight facility has 50 beds year-round, but is able to handle an overflow of 25 to 35 beds through their partnership with the Interfaith Coalition, which is made up of a group of local churches. In addition to a place to sleep and free meals, the Prado Day Center provides services such as laundry, showers, mail and message retrieval, clothing vouchers, pet kennels, storage and locker space. All of these services are designed to support individuals who are actively seeking employment and searching for permanent shelter.

CAP SLO and the City of San Luis Obispo have also been working together on a pilot program where five spots are reserved for overnight parking at the Prado Day Center. The only catch: the occupants of those vehicles must submit to case management. So far, the program, which received an exemption in the overnight parking ordinance, has proven successful.

Despite the effectiveness of CAP SLO’s case management program, many people do not want to sign up for it. The elephant in the room, at least according to mostly anecdotal evidence, is usually drugs and alcohol that often come out ahead of the desire for what amounts to,

according to Torres, a 100% shot at self-sufficiency. Therein lies the problem. As hard as it is to understand, there is a sizeable population that willfully remains homeless.

It is not the “have-nots” that are the fast-growing subset of the homeless population, it’s the relocated “will-nots.” Officers on the street claim that there is a “homeless circuit” that exists where a group will migrate from Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo to San Diego, for example. And it is not just a tour of the California coast that is bringing homeless to our area; a story was recently shared with us of two men that had just arrived from Florida. The police department had made contact with the individuals because they received a call alerting them that someone had built a campfire in the Irish Hills. When asked what they were doing here, they said, “We heard this was a great place to live, so we moved out here.” It turns out that all of the wonderful media our area has been receiving lately—being named the “Happiest City,” for example—may have the side effect of creating some complex challenges, as well.

Right now, “70% of the service calls we have with the transient population are with the newly arrived group, meaning they are coming in from out of town,” explains Steve Gesell, San Luis Obispo Police Chief. “These are not local people that have fallen on hard times and need help, these are people that move here because they’ve heard that this is a nice place to live, and that the police department was ‘soft.’ And they want to impose their lifestyle on law-abiding citizens of our community.” When Gesell was tapped to head the police department earlier this year, it was a homecoming of sorts. He grew up locally and returned to a place that was much the same as he remembered it, except for one thing: there seemed to be a lot more homeless people around.

It did not take Gesell long to confirm his suspicion. In a review of service calls over the last five years, he found that police dealings with the homeless population had doubled. He was further alarmed to find that fully 30% of the calls for service that the department currently receives are for issues related to the homeless population. According to Gesell, this is a percentage that is “significantly larger” than in cities such as Santa Barbara and Ventura. It should be pointed out that homelessness, in itself, is not a crime and the police department does not actively seek contact with the transient population. Department policy states that interaction is to be initiated by citizens who are feeling threatened, or witness or suspect that a crime has occurred. And, misdemeanors, which most petty crimes associated with a transient population are, such as trespassing, littering, public urination, and aggressive panhandling, must be actually observed by a police officer in order to generate a citation. “Frankly,” states Gesell, “citing overnight camping becomes a tool for us because we do not have the resources to place sentries up and down the street to allow us to witness these crimes. It’s the only bit of leverage we have to combat the problem.” Recently, Gesell announced that the department would be dedicating two of its officers full-time to the homeless population (this compares to Santa Barbara, a city twice the size, which has 14 full-time officers focusing on the homeless). And the homeless are not just stretching law enforcement and social service resources, they are also putting additional stress on the environment. Last year alone, the city removed 23 tons of refuse from abandoned homeless encampments in local creeks.

Mayor Jan Marx, who has been on a personal mission to collect donated toiletry items—the little bars of soap and shampoo found in hotel rooms—for the Prado Day Center says, “The thing that really bothers me is the kids, the children in homeless situations because they have no choice. But, what used to be the solution—to give more money, more services isn’t working anymore. And, when they relocate here and are willfully homeless, the question becomes what is our responsibility to those who have chosen to ignore the rules?” SLO LIFE

| SPECIAL INTEREST


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1. Sauté the veggies slowly in the butter until very tender (about 45 min). 2. Stir in curry powder. Add stock then bring to a boil and skim. Add lemon rind and ginger. 3. Simmer about 15 min, covered. Puree. 4. Check seasoning and serve topped with a dollop of cultured cream.

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SLO LIFE

CARROT SOUPNourishing Traditionsby Sally Fallon

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped4 tbl butter2 tsp curry powder1 1/2 qt chicken stock1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon rind1/2 tsp freshly grated gingersea salt and pepper (optional use of fish sauce)piima cream or coconut milk for serving

Some of Jeff and Sara’s favorite activities other than yoga and hiking are centered around food. They enjoy dining out at restaurants offering locally sourced farm to table cuisine, shopping at farmers markets and preparing meals for themselves, their dog, friends, and family. A strong-shared belief in traditional, nutrient rich, healing, ecologically responsible food goes into all their decisions in purchasing and preparing meals.

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The Marvelous WonderettesAugust 31 – September 23SLO Little Theatreslolittletheatre.org

The Marvelous Wonderettes takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom where we meet the Wonderettes, four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! You’ve never had this much fun at a prom and you will never forget The Marvelous Wonderettes—a must-take musical trip down memory lane!

| COMMUNITY CALENDAR

SLO LIFE

Dancin’ 2012August 122:00pmChristopher Cohan Centerpacslo.org

Enjoy an entertaining afternoon brought to you by Academy of Dance. This exciting annual school performance will showcase the wide variety of the students’ skills and techniques.

Broadway by the SeaAugust 18

Chapman Estateoperaslo.org

Celebrate summer with an outdoor concert featuring the voices of OperaSLO’s best singers performing the music of Broadway and more. Arrive early, picnic with friends, bid on silent auction treasures, stroll the gardens, observe Plein Air painters and marvel at the breathtaking views from this historic estate in Shell Beach.

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Pops by the SeaSeptember 2Avila Beach Golf Resort slosymphony.com

This year’s Pops by the Sea will feature famed guitarist José María Gallardo del Rey and lovely violinist Anabel García del Castillo in a delightful concert of popular and romantic music. Classics like Ravel’s Bolero will be mingled with Beatles tunes such as “All You Need is Love” for a fun, family-friendly festival of music at the beach.

SLO LIFE

Rotary Home TourSeptember 16

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Enjoy the twelfth annual home tour. Visitors will not only experience a relaxing tour through unique homes at their own pace, but proceeds from every ticket purchased will go towards fulfilling the primary purpose of the event: Rotary’s funding of thousands of dollars in college scholarships for local students, as well as contributing thousands of dollars to local charities.

Scott Tinley’s Triathlon September 28 – 30Lopez Laketricalifornia.com

Scott Tinley’s Triathlon is a fun-filled weekend with races to meet every multi-sport athlete’s interests. Races include open-water lake swimming, single-track and fireroad mountain bike trails, road bike courses through golden campgrounds, wildlife, the open fields of Arroyo Grande, and both on and off-road running trails through the hills. Grab a buddy and start training today!

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SLO LIFE Magazine August September 2012