April 2011 Issue | Download the Full Issue

It’s easy being green at the Fallbrook Avocado Festival, even though the festival is celebrating its silver anniversary this year.
The festival will be held April 17 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in downtown Fallbrook. This can often be a warm day, so dress appropriately and bring water.
It is an event that each year draws an estimated 70,000 people, some from other states and countries.
According to the Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the annual event: “Attendees [last year] came from 12 different states, including states as far away as Massachusetts, Washington, and Kentucky. Attendees came from 21 different Riverside and San Bernardino communities, 16 different Los Angeles County communities, and 8 different Orange County communities. 62% of the attendees came from 28 different San Diego County communities.”
Fallbrook businessman Gary Shimer, who is chairing it for a second year, says that he would almost prefer to call the event a celebration, instead of a festival, because it is so much a showcase of Fallbrook’s culture and its multitude of talented people.
“We are continuing this year with moving it away from being a street fair and making it a celebration of our culture,” Shimer says. “We are encouraging more of our folks in town to display what they do, their art, their photos, their crafts.”
There will be a total of about 350 “vendors,” a term that not only takes in people selling things, but also those displaying crafts or art.
The poster for the 25th anniversary was designed by Sean Olson of Jim’s Sign Shop, who intended for it to conjure up fruit crate labels of old that used to adorn wooden boxes of American produce sent all over the world. On the poster is a beautiful young woman holding a basket of avocados. This is Olson’s 19-year-old daughter, Erin.
“One thing that we have going for us in Fallbrook is our fruit packing history. That was something that I wanted to allude to in this poster,” says Olson.
Visitors to the festival will see many new things. This year, for the first time, there will be an “Avenue of the Arts,” a meandering display set up along Alvarado between Main & Vine.
“We have a tremendous amount of talented people that live in this town. The artists are phenomenal,” says Shimer.
According to Marlene Rantanen, who is in charge of the “Avenue,” it will be a production of Fallbrook Arts Inc., which operates the Fallbrook Art Center and the Fallbrook Center for the Arts.
“We will have a variety of artists and artisans, and a wide variety of artworks, including painting and jewelry, photography, wearable art, woodworking and even military art,” says Rantanen. About 30 artists will show off their work. Some will demonstrate their skills.
There will also be a special group of wildlife prints for sale to remind the public about the Fallbrook Art Center’s upcoming 18th annual Wildlife Art Show & Sale on May 7 & 8.
“This is new to the festival and we’ve stressed to the artists to try to have things that relate to the festival or to Fallbrook in some way—such as, for example, using avocado wood,” she says.
They will also have a painted scene, with avocado props, where you can get your photograph taken and put it in a frame that you can decorate.
This year the festival’s “footprint” has been expanded. There will be activities from East Mission all the way to Fallbrook Street. Previously it ended at College.
“We’ve taken the food courts and moved them to the side streets, which will allow the festival itself to flow a little better and make it easier for people to walk,” says Shimer. “This is a continuation of what we started to do last year, which was to move it away from being a street fair.”
Another new thing this year is a New Car Pavilion—a chance to get out of the sun, go into a big 8,000 sq. ft. tent, and see new cars from dealerships all over the area.
According to Bob Kimzey, who is putting together this attraction, “Over the years there has always been a presence of new car dealers. This year I have been charged with upping the sponsorship for the Chamber. We thought, ‘Why don’t we make an event out of new cars. Why not get together some dealers and see if they would be interested in displaying product under a big top?’ ”
The result was a way to “just look” at the newest cars out there from Ford, Toyota, Paradise Chevrolet and Cadillac and others, in a completely relaxed environment without high pressure sales people. In fact, the dealers can’t sell from this location.
“If you are in the market for a new car you don’t have to run all over. You can look at the best ones and save gas,” says Kimzey. “It’s also the only place other than the beer gardens where you can get out of the sun!”
Some things have remained the same, of course, such as the Community Stage area where they hold the guacamole contest, the largest avocado contest, and the Best Dressed Avocado (think Mr. Potatohead and you’ll have a fairly accurate picture of what this is about). There is also the Avocado 500, a crowd pleaser where kids put wheels on avocados and race them down an incline.
You’ll also see dancing and singing and instrument playing, all of it homegrown.
Bands will play at either end of the festival at the refreshment centers. One of those bands had been named at press time: South Blues Zone, a blues and jazz band that has played at the festival for several years.
Although he has been chairman of the festival for two years, Shimer says he has attended every festival since he moved to Fallbrook 25 years ago. “The real work is done by the volunteers. This festival is put together by volunteers and people who care about this town.” he says.
If you are from out of town, why not make it a weekend and stay at one of the local inns? Come early on Saturday, enjoy Fallbrook and environs, stay at one of the area’s fine lodgings, arrive early at the festival like a local, and then leave at the end of the day.
For more information about the Fallbrook Avocado Festival visit www.fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org/events-v2/avocado-festival.html or call 760-728-5845.

Cruisin’ Grand Escondido’s Steve Waldron Returns To The Helm

‘I was raised around these old cars and I guess it’s just a passion,” says Steve Waldron, who acted on his passion and created a cultural event where there is no dress code except blue jeans—and the James Dean look and where the band sounds of the 50s and 60s compete with the deep rumble of vintage muscle cars.
About 5,000 people attend the event each Friday that it is held.
Escondido is one of the original “crusin’ ” cities from the 1970s. In that decade the long straight Valley Parkway was the place to be seen for thousands of young people in their convertibles and muscle cars—like an extended take from the film American Graffiti.
Waldron is the founder of Cruisin’ Grand Escondido, who, after several years of giving the event over to the Downtown Business Association, this year took back control after the DBA dropped its sponsorship due to the loss of seed money from the city.
As Waldron explains it, “When the city took the seed money from the DBA, and they didn’t want to deal with it, I said I would pick it up.” He formed an entity called Socal Show Productions LLC.
The first night of Cruisin’ Grand 2011 will be April 1, April Fool’s Day, something that has been pointed out to Waldron.
After the success of the opening fund-raiser for the event, the Rod Run on Grand on Feb. 27, during which 440 cars participated, funding may not be a problem.
“I brought some good fund-raising people aboard and on the Sunday of the Rod Run, which I called the Grand Championship, each of the four hundred and forty car owners paid a twenty dollar registration fee which went towards funding Cruisin’ Grand. We had a beautiful day and a phenomenal amount of support.” Restaurants that usually close on Sundays opened to support the event.
About 13 years ago Waldron had the idea of bringing old cars to Escondido’s downtown for a cruise night.
“Downtown has got this really Fifties era feel about it,” he says, recalling that he spoke to the Escondido History Center Executive Director Wendy Barker, with whom he had put together antique car shows previously.
“I told her I wanted to bring a car cruise night down here. I approached the the DBA and said I wanted to do a car show. They were a little apprehensive because they didn’t know how to do one. I said I would do it all and I just needed the blessing.”
Waldron obtained the DBA’s support and went out and found sponsors. That first show in April of 2000 had 50–60 cars. The second Friday 200 cars showed up. “After that we never looked back,” says Waldron.
Things went smoothly for awhile until the DBA brought in a new CEO who had a different vision of what Cruisin’ Grand should be, including (gasp!) that it should have newer cars, and even green cars like the Prius.
Waldron objected, saying that the event was about historic, genuine Americana and days gone by, involving cars that have passed through generations of family members who have owned them for decades and who have lovingly maintained or restored them.
Waldron himself belongs to such a family. He was raised around old cars. He has a 1939 Ford that his dad and he restored together and a 1948 Ford coupe that he restored. Waldron lost the argument for awhile and under the new management Cruisin’ Grand lost some of its participants. About three years ago Waldron regained a measure of control and started to rebuild the event.
“We put it back to what it originally started out to be,” says Waldron. “Last year we had awesome crowds come out and incredible support for vintage and antique cars from surrounding communities.”
There will be a total of 27 Cruisin’ Grand Fridays, each of them with a different theme, among them: Nitro Night, Sprint Car Night, Midget Night, Packard and Pierce Arrow Night and the very popular Antique Fire Truck Night.
This year’s event will have a little more of an obvious music presence, says Waldron. It will include a roaming barbershop quartet and more bands.
Jack Brooks, who is in charge of booking bands for the events, said, “We have a lot of local bands that will probably play, such as the Rudy T Band and Gino and the Lone Gunman. Both bands played at the February fund-raiser and were very well received.
“We also hope to have some some teen showcase ensembles. Our entertainment is going to be very community-based because there is a lot of excellent talent here.”
So why do Waldron and the other volunteers devote so much time to bringing this celebration to Escondido?
“I enjoy the people and the cars,” Waldron says. “The people are phenomenal. They are so giving. They have runs to help support all sorts of charities. They are big hearted people.
“I love the rumbling sound of a big car and the elegant look of a big Packard. It’s just days gone by. They are works of art. I love to show younger generations what their heritage is about. It’s about our culture.”
To find out more about Cruisin Grand Escondido, visit their Web site www.cruisingrandescondido.com.
To contact the organizers of Cruisin’ Grand Escondido:
Socal Show Productions LLC
960 Canterbury Pl, Ste 110
Escondido, CA 92025

Fallbrook Film Festival: A Cinema Buff's Heaven

The chance to view from among 71 new films and to meet one of Hollywood’s legendary actresses make the 2011 Fallbrook Film Festival a must for cinema buffs.
The 4th annual Fallbrook Film Festival will be held April 8, 9 & 10 at the UltraStar Cinemas at River Village in Bonsall, 5256 South Mission Rd.. The awards on April 10 will be held at the Grand Ballroom at Pala Casino.
Shirley Jones, known to millions for The Partridge Family TV show, but also for her Academy Award-winning performance as a prostitute in the classic film Elmer Gantry, as well as for starring in some of the most successful musicals of all time, including Oklahoma! and Carousel, will be honored with the festival’s Career Achievement Award. Elmer Gantry will be screened on April 10 at 1 p.m. Miss Jones will take questions from the audience.
The Frank Capra Award will be given to Pakistani student Mian Adnan Ahmad for his film Heal, the story of a young boy whose special gifts enable him to help his beloved teacher rises above the shattering effects of the conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Patron of the Arts Award will go to Mary Perhacs, executive director of Fallbrook Art Center, for her support of the arts in Fallbrook/Bonsall. David R. Ellis, award-winning stuntman turned prolific special effects film director, will be given the Spotlight Tribute Award.
Shirley Jones may be 77, but she is still doing one-woman shows. Recently she appeared in one at Welk Resort Theater. “I still have a lot of energy and I love the stage,” she says.
The woman who created the screen character of Lulu Baines, says that provocative role allowed her to break out from the wholesome girl-next-door parts she had played in Carousel and Oklahoma! and to prove that she could act and not just sing.
Of course “just sing” probably shouldn’t be used for the only vocalist to have been personally contracted to Rodgers and Hammerstein from the moment she first sang for them. Nevertheless, at that point in Jones’s career she needed to break out of her mold.
“Elmer Gantry changed my career,” she recalls. “My career was virtually over because they had stopped making musicals. I was doing night club acts with Jack Cassidy [her first husband]. At that time if you were a singer they didn’t consider you an actress.”
Burt Lancaster, who played the title role in the 1960 film, personally called to ask her to be in the film.
“He said, ‘This is Burt Lancaster,’ and I said, ‘Sure you are!’ and hung up on him. Thankfully, he called back and said, ‘This really IS Burt Lancaster.’”
She was a big fan and had his pictures on her bedroom wall when she was a teen.
He told her, “‘We have a role that I think you would be wonderful in.’ He asked me to fly in and try the role of the prostitute. I almost came through the phone! I knew if I could prove myself as a actress that I could have longevity.”
The film’s director Richard Brooks did not take kindly to Lancaster casting a major role for him. Lancaster advised Jones to come in and watch the scenes being filmed that led up to her “big” scene (Brooks’s practice was to film in sequence). She followed his advice. By the time her scene came up she was ready.
She did it without any direction from Brooks. “He was saying to me, ‘You had better prove it to me.’ I did the scene and went home in tears.”
That night Brooks called and apologized and predicted that she would be great in the film and that she would win an Academy Award.
For many, Shirley Jones will always be Shirley Partridge. During the early 1970s she played the matriarch of a fictional family that included David Cassidy and Susan Dey.
She recalls, “When I decided to do the show agents said don’t do a TV series, because if it is successful you will be that character and your movie career will be in the toilet. But I had three small children and it was school time and I felt I needed to be home with my kids.”
Before she accepted the Partridge Family role she turned down The Brady Bunch. “That role was what I thought had been seen on TV over and over. I was looking for something different and found it in the Partridge Family. I was the first working mother on TV. And it was a little different than the others. I thought ‘Wow, if I’m going to do a TV series, which I had to do to keep home, this is the one to do.’
“I’m not sorry I did it, although it did stereotype me from then on and didn’t do much for my movie career. But at that point in my life, who cared?”
According to Festival Director Adrienne Armstrong Adler, “Our festival judges have been on one wild ride for the past few months, watching the one hundred and twenty-six films submitted this year.
“Everything from shorts to documentaries to feature films—and from around the world. As we’ve seen consistently each year, the festival is growing in every way: the quality of the films submitted, the number of films we’re able to screen at the festival, and the increasingly diverse body of filmmakers represented. We are so eager to start sharing the selected films with the community. It’s a wonderful lineup!”
Because of more films being accepted, the festival is expanding to a second screening room at UltraStar Cinemas. This will provide filmgoers options during the Sunday screenings, when two films will run simultaneously all day.
This year’s films include two that were screened at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, Stones, a student film “created to reignite the passion for the Hawaiian culture,” and Living for 32, a documentary about Colin Goddard, a survivor of the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting.
Filmmakers whose works will be screened include professionals, students, passionate amateurs and activists.
According to Armstrong Adler, “We have two very moving Holocaust remembrance films. One by Carlsbad High School students who actually made a trip to Germany to film We Must Remember, and The Desperate by Ben Hur Sepehr, a seasoned Iranian filmmaker who thirty years ago won a best director award that was presented by director Frank Capra. It really is a small world.”
On a lighter side, you can view some comedy, some love stories and a musical or two, including Sudden Death!, a university student MFA thesis film written and directed by Adam Hall and featuring character actor Mark Christopher Lawrence and stage, film and TV actor John Larroquette.
The festival showcases creative, culturally diverse and compelling works of cinematic art, from features to shorts to documentaries. In addition to many local submissions, it has attracted films from the United States, Argentina, Spain, Russia, Japan, France, Azerbaijan, India and South Africa.
The festival concludes with a best-of-show screening of all winning films at the Bonsall UltraStar Cinemas, April 11–14, along with as many award-nominated films.
Festival tickets are available at the UltraStar Theater box office and at Fallbrook’s Major Market. Single screening movie tickets will be available online at www.ultrastarmovies.com. For more information visit www.fallbrookfilmfestival.com.

Something For Everyone! Plant Sale Brings Buyers and Sellers Together During Tough Times

The Palm and Cycad Exchange is calling all plant lovers to its 2nd annual Exotic Plant Invitational Plant Sale on Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
The plant sale is an effort on the behalf of Keith & Laurie Huber, owners of the Palm and Cycad Exchange, to give plant enthusiasts a collective economic boost. The couple says there will be something for everyone at the sale.
“We want to provide a good sales and networking opportunity for local growers and at the same time present a cross-section of plants for the customer,” said Keith Huber. “We’re going for a win-win by giving vendors a way to reach a large group of people they wouldn’t normally reach, and exposing buyers to exotic plants they may not normally buy.”
Huber said the idea to sponsor a plant sale came to him in mid-2009 as a result of the recession. As with most industries during an economic slump, Huber found that many of his growers had declining revenues and were struggling to get by.
“A lot of my growers were languishing with the economy and were just barely holding on,” Huber said. “The thought came to me to stir the water a little bit to maybe help bring in potential new customers. I knew we wouldn’t benefit much financially, but I wanted to help my growers and it just seemed like the right thing to do.”
And while Huber lost money on the first annual plant sale, it was surprisingly successful in many other ways.
“We were planning on fifteen to maybe twenty vendors and we had a total of twenty-five,” Huber said. “And all the vendors have expressed how much they appreciated the opportunity.”
Huber said that while most of the vendors wished they would have had a few more sales, they all felt it was overall a worthwhile event. Especially for one vendor who eventually made a $14,000 deal through a customer he met at the plant sale. Another vendor said he had better luck at the Palm and Cycad Exchange plant sale than he did at some of the Las Vegas tradeshows.
“It’s encouraging to me that there were people buying at the sale and that the community responded to it,” Huber said. “It was also encouraging to see people buying a mix of plants. Exotic plant collectors tend to purchase from specific growers with the particular plants they collect. We were hoping this plant sale would help promote cross-over buying of other exotic plants, and we actually saw that happening.”
The plant sale promises to allow customers to purchase items that are not always available in nurseries and big box stores. Huber said there will be exotic palms, cycads, succulents, cacti, orchids, bromeliads, Clivias, Plumerias, proteas, bamboos, fruit trees, ferns, and more.
In addition to the variety of plant vendors, there will also be food and drink services on site. Admission is free to the public, and there will be drawings for plants each half hour. (All attendees will receive one free raffle ticket).
The event is held on a vacant lot on Huber’s property, located at 3562 Olive Hill Rd. in Fallbrook, which is another effort to keep overhead down and costs minimal. However, it didn’t quite work out that way last year because Huber had to do extensive prep work to get the lot suitable for use.
“We incurred some out-of-the-pocket expenses to clear weeds and stumps,” Huber said. “The good news is that was a one-time expense for us. Now our expenses are more for just getting the word out. We are trying to get as many people to the sale as possible with the budget and resources available to us. If we break even we’ll be happy, but if we don’t at least we know we’re doing what we can to help our fellow growers with the hope that it will benefit everyone in the end.”
If you’re looking for a rare opportunity to meet with local growers and explore some exotic plants, make a point to stop by the Palm and Cycad Exchange plant sale. There are no other sales like it in the area and it isn’t often that you get such a variety of plants at a single event. And if you’re a grower with unique plants who is licensed to sell nursery stock, there is still vendor booth space available. Huber said to call, or you can email him at info@palmandcycadexchange.com for booking information.
The Palm and Cycad Exchange is a local brokerage forum for palm and cycad growers and collectors who wish to buy and sell plant material. It is designed primarily to help sellers locate buyers, and buyers locate sellers. For more information on the Palm and Cycad Exchange and the 2nd annual plant sale, visit www.palmandcycadexchange.com or call (760)451-9499.

Wildlife Art Show

The first art show that was presented by the Fallbrook Art Center when it opened in 1997 will return May 7 & 8 at the center.
This will be the 18th annual Wildlife Art Show & Sale, and according to executive director Mary Perhacs, the center will host some of the top wildlife artists in the country and region.
Officially known as the Reflections of Nature show, it was originally started in 1994 as a fund-raiser for the Fallbrook Land Conservancy.
The success of the show led founding artist Gamini Ratnavira, an accomplished wildlife artist and a native of Sri Lanka, to support turning a drug store built in 1961 at the cornerstone of the Fallbrook village into an art center.
The 1997 show was the inaugural event at the newly established Art Center at Fallbrook.
Over the years, the show continues to grow in popularity, with the first weekend in May widely recognized as “wildlife art time” in Fallbrook.
The event showcases the wonderful world of the wild and reminds us of the importance of preserving its beauty.
“This was the first show presented at the art center when we opened in 1996. While our shortest show, it is our largest in terms of sales”, says Perhacs. “All the artists will be present at the show to talk with visitors. Most of these artists travel the world seeking inspiration for their work, and have many stories to share. This is one of the elements of the show that make it such a wonderful event.”
One of the featured artists is Julian resident and native Californian Joe Garcia, an established landscape and wildlife artist. The natural setting amidst oaks and pines of the small mountain community, and the golden hills of Southern California provide endless inspiration and subjects for his art.
Encouraged by friends and family to pursue an artistic career, Garcia earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an advertising/illustration emphasis from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He worked as an illustrator and graphic designer for 13 years, then left the commercial field to focus full time on the fine art side of his career.
His media are oil and watercolor and his works emphasize composition, value and spontaneity in each medium. His works reflect his love of nature in landscapes, birds, mammals and a variety of other themes on location and in the studio.
Garcia shows in exhibitions across the country, and his original paintings and limited edition prints may be found in galleries and private collections throughout the United States and in Canada, New Zealand and Europe.
You’ll find his work in Southwest Art, The Artist’s Magazine, Wildlife Art, and Watercolor Magic. North Light Books produced his books Mastering the Watercolor Wash and The Watercolor Bible, and included his work in several other publications.
Garcia was chosen to judge the 2010 Federal Duck Stamp Contest in 2010 in Berkeley.
Also featured is Sally Quenette, who began getting the inspiration for wildlife art when she began working at a wildlife rehabiliation center in Ramona and later became Joe Garcia’s student.
Quinette’s interest in art and animals is a lifelong passion. Her first “wild” animal experience was trying to capture and put doll clothes on the family tom cat. The baby birds she helped her mother feed until they were strong enough to fly away was her first experience with “rescued” animals.
In 1996 she began working for the Fund for Animals, a 13-acre wildlife rehabilitation center and animal sanctuary in Ramona. She studied and photographed many of the native and non-native animals and raptors being treated. A self-taught artist, she developed a series of acrylic paintings used in cards and t-shirts, which she donated for the Center's fund-raising efforts.
In 2003 she began studying under Joe Garcia and soon felt the urge to explore the world of transparent watercolor. “I fell in love with the luminosity you can only achieve with watercolors,” she says.
Quenette’s process of innumerable layers of transparent color layered or “glazed” allows the viewer to see each underlying color shine through. Often she will start with a yellow pigment, which gives a glow to her work. Many areas of her painting may take more than thirty layers to achieve the depth she seeks. Each painting takes a minimum of two months to complete.
In 2007, 2008 and 2010 she was selected as one of the 25 artists to participate in the San Bernardino County Museum’s Wildlife Art Festival. Quenette was accepted into the California Open Wildlife Art Festival in 2007–2011 and was honored as their featured artist in 2010. Her art work has also been published in England’s Wildscape Magazine.
Theresa Paden's unique painting style captures the essence of her subjects, focusing on the beauty of horses, cattle and wildlife. Her interpretation is characterized by the use of vivid colors and expressive brush work.
Paden’s artistic vision has been sharpened by a lifetime of observing wildlife firsthand, from childhood backpacking adventures to her present life in a Southern California valley. She finds daily inspiration for her paintings among the ranches and wildlife near her home.
A graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, she worked as a graphic designer in Los Angeles for several years. Theresa became the first female art director at the National Football League where she designed Super Bowl logos, tickets, and posters. She eventually moved to the country with her husband to raise their children.
The opening reception will be held on May 6, 6–8 p.m. for FAC Premier Level Members or $10 for non-members. The exhibition is open May 7 from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and May 8 from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission: Show $5/ FAC members, active military & under 18 are free.
The Center is located at 103 South Main in Fallbrook’s historic downtown district. For more information visit www.fallbrookartcenter.org.

Miss Fallbrook Pageant 2011

When Mary Rice became the first Miss Fallbrook in 1937, she never received a crown or a sash.
The organizers of the 2011 Miss Fallbrook Pageant want to set that right. Rice, who is in her 90s and still lives in Fallbrook, will be a guest of honor at this year’s pageant and will finally receive her crown and sash after all these years.
The Miss Fallbrook Pageant has a long, rich history, from Mary Rice through the 2010 Miss Fallbrook, Kandace Kooyman, and her princesses, Jackie Verdon and Alex Rodriguez. The 2011 pageant will take place at the Mission Theatre on North Main Avenue on April 16 at 7:30 p.m.
The Miss Teen Fallbrook pageant, now in its second year, will take place on April 15 at 7:30 p.m. Miss Teen Fallbrook 2010 Genna Cowley and her two princesses, Emaleigh Sinclair and Margo Poissant, will be on hand to help crown a new Miss Teen Fallbrook. This year’s theme is “A Day In The Park.”
Ten young ladies will compete for the Miss Fallbrook crown, which is for ages 17–25, this year: Kayla Pratson, Katelynn Rinnander, Kimberly Krueger, Crystal Pepper, Bianca V. Perez, Kristena Hill, Rianna Alcantara, Estela Nieto, Lorena Nieto and Aisha Lund. There are seven contestants vying for the title of Miss Teen Fallbrook, which is for ages 13–16: Annah Hill, Sara Shumway, Mariah Harris, Lori Myers, Silvia Nieto, Emily Rodriquez and Jessica Leon.
“Each contestant has a personal charity she wants to support and work to promote during her reign if crowned 2011 royalty,” says pageant director Patty Hornsveld. “This is something new we patterned after the Miss America Pageant. We love helping the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce with this responsibility.
“The girls will participate in many Chamber events and local charity work though out the year.”
The contestants also get to spend more than three months before the pageant meeting with each other, learning the finer points of elegance and style and giving back to the community.
“The contestants meet each week beginning in January, learning pageant protocol, etiquette, manners, health and style tips, what to wear, public speaking training, and also volunteering throughout the community,” Hornsveld says. “It's all part of painting the big picture for them, should they win. We want every girl to walk away from the pageant process with tools that will last them a lifetime.”
In order to compete, each contestant must raise $300 in sponsorship dollars, as well as additional money to go toward the Royalty Scholarship Fund, which will be divided among the queens and princesses at the end of their reign to help further their education, provided the girls complete at least 75 percent of their scheduled appearances during the year of their reign.
“It really takes a village to hold a pageant and crown Miss Fallbrook,” Hornsveld adds. “There are so many expenses. Each contestant must have sponsors that help with these expenses.”
Once all the money has been raised, the thrill of the pageant is set to begin. This year’s pageant will feature emcee Don Foulkes, technical director Cory Carrier and Hair One Salon of Fallbrook assisting the girls backstage.
For more information on Miss Fallbrook and Junior Miss Fallbrook, contact CAST Academy at (760)731-CAST.

Rhythm & Vine: Music and Wine For A Good Cause

“Rhythm and Vine is a lifestyle event,” said Danny Sherlock President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego with a chuckle, noting that The Boulevard Magazine, being a lifestyle magazine, is an ideal venue to write about this worthy fund-raiser, now in it’s third year.
The 3rd annual Rhythm & Vine, North County San Diego’s music, wine and food festival benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego will take place April 9, 6–10 p.m., at Westfield North County and showcase the talents of local music artists for a crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 music and wine lovers.
The first year 900 people attended the event and the second year 1,400 came, he says. “It’s still in the building stage. Our event is a little different than mom and pop events. Our goal is to be a festival, so between the food, wine and music we have a ‘gathering.’ ”
Eventually, he hopes it will be huge. And since it is growing, there are a limited number of places where it can be held. The parking lot of Westfield North County Shopping Mall is the perfect spot.
“We have the same people who put on the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival—Fast Forward Event Productions— putting this on,” says Sherlock. “We are very fortunate to be their one charity event.”
It takes place under large tents, with three bands playing at different times. There is also a VIP tent, which has its own food and wine and goes later in the evening. And since it’s a Saturday night and the mall has no neighbors to complain, they can party until quite late.
“It’s a nice event. Casual but classy and we are pleased to have give the public another way to give to the Boys and Girls Club,” says Sherlock.
Last year the event raised about $100,000. This year the sky’s the limit!
Experience 60 world class wineries and 35 restaurants and gourmet cuisine purveyors, along with live musical performances.
Lovers of wine, food, and music in the greater San Diego region can enjoy live music, award-winning wine, and cuisine from North County's finest contemporary restaurants, all while contributing to an excellent cause.
According to Sherlock, “Rhythm & Vine is a great opportunity for bands and performing artists to connect with local music and wine fans, while supporting a great cause.”
Rhythm & Vine plays host to fine dining restaurants, wineries, breweries, spirit purveyors, and three live musical performances. It features gourmet cuisine from some of North County’s best chefs, wines representing wine growing regions from around the globe, an all-access VIP badge granting VIP ticket holders access to an exclusive VIP tent and after-party, a silent auction featuring wine and lifestyle products perfect for the wine aficionado, and musical entertainment throughout.
Exhibitors include: 1Spirit ~ San Diego, Artesa Winery ~ San Diego, Callaway Vineyard & Winery ~ Temecula, Cass Winery ~ Paso Robles, Cupcake Love ~ Solana Beach, Darms Lane ~ Napa, Hacienda de Vega ~ Escondido, Michael~David Winery ~ Lodi, On the Border ~ Escondido, Pacifica Culinaria ~ Vista, PRP Wine International ~ San Diego, Refine Cocktail Mixers ~ San Diego, Rossi’s Pizza & Family Sports Bar ~ San Marcos, San Marcos Catering ~ San Marcos, Stone Brewing Co. ~ Escondido, The Naked Grape ~ Los Angeles and Twin Pomegranates Wine ~ Madera.
The musical line-up includes:
Act One: Simeon Flick
Main Event Area, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Act Two: Anthony Garcia
Main Event Area, 6:30–7:45 p.m.
Act Three (VIP Stage): The Clay Colton Band
VIP Stage, 7:45–8:45 p.m. & 9:05–10 p.m.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego changes lives through high-quality youth programs and guidance in a safe, affordable, and fun environment. For more than 65 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego has been committed to serving at-risk youth between 5–18 years old and reaching out to young people in need. It serves about 25,000 young people in 13 facilities and four school site programs staffed with over 160 employees.
Enthusiasts of food, wine and music, along with Boys & Girls Club supporters, may call (858)866-0591 ext. 203 for corporate ticket packages.
To get more information on Rhythm & Vine Music and Wine Festival, visit the event website at www.rhythmandvine.org or call (858)866-0591 ext. 203.

The Library of the Future is Here!

The new Fallbrook Library was envisioned as a “library of the future” by county library director José Aponte. And now, a few weeks after its January grand opening, the future is here!
And the public is VERY appreciative, says Ceci Rincon, the branch manager. She has a folder of well over 100 handwritten notes from patrons who wax rhapsodic about the new library.
“We love the Fallbrook Library’s new equipment!” says one such note, referring to things like the library’s “touch table,” a big screen interactive computer linked to a database that lets patrons look for periodicals.
In the library’s “living room” is another oversize computer screen, this one on the wall, where you can read newspapers from all over the world at their actual printed size.
The library is very computer-oriented, having 18 terminals.
“We never had enough computers for all the demands, especially now that so many people are jobless. People didn’t have a place to go and look things up. Now they do,” says Rincon. Now there is never a waiting list.
In addition, six laptops can be “checked out” for up to two hours and used anywhere in the library.
Or bring your own WiFi capable notebook and use the free “hotspot” that encompasses the facility, including the patio and parking lot, which can be accessed when the library is closed.
But libraries aren’t just about computers (not just yet, anyway), or even books. They are also where you can get books on CDs or download them.
And they are places to appreciate art, especially in Fallbrook, one of the state’s artsy communities.
Aponte says it has the most space devoted to art of any county library, with 12 pieces by local artists, which the county paid $350,000 for. The pieces attract appreciative art lovers from all over, says Rincon. “It’s what makes the library so special.”
One of the most popular is the “Historical Wall of Prints,” by artist N. Dixon Fish that depicts Fallbrook’s history on inked etching plates of copper, zinc and acrylic.
On the far wall of the outdoor reading garden is “Growing Sentiments in Sediment” by Betsy Schultz. Most of its odd pieces, such as old bottles, were excavated in building the library. The pieces and handmade tiles represent sedimentary layers. Poems and quotes are screened onto the tiles.
Artist James Hubbell, who loves libraries and has done three other pieces for county branches, created the “Poet’s Patio Gates and Seating” using metal, glass and natural tiles.
One whimsical piece is a metal sculpture of a little boy sitting on a rock outside of the library, reading a book: “Casual Reader,” by Jim Helms.
At this library the public does many of the tasks librarians once did, such as checking out and checking in materials, in less time than it once took, freeing up the seven full-time librarians and four part-time employees to help patrons with questions and to enrich their library experience by creating programs. Because books get back on the shelves quickly, circulation increases.
Each book’s RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip can be read by a computer by placing it on a table next to it. Returned books are scanned and an automated “robot” sorts them and puts them into a bin to be shelved.
Rincon has been in the field for 15 years, two as manager in Fallbrook. She managed the small temporary library that operated while the new library was built.
Things that people come away with when they first visit the new library are:
1) The architecture, which is modern and wide open, with a lot of open spaces.
2) Dedicated spaces set aside for everyone, including teens, children, for periodicals and the community. There is a homework center, something the library got many requests for when community members were being polled about what they wanted in the new library.
You can easily tell where one area stops and another one starts.
“The kids know exactly where they are going and don’t wander into, say, the teen area,” says Rincon.
The teen center was created with input from those who would be using it. “They were engaged in the design,” says Rincon. “It’s vibrant, welcoming and comfortable. You lounge and read or sit at tables and work in groups.”
At the homework area tutoring is available for students in grades 1-5 from AP high school students.
That too is part of Aponte’s Library of the Future. This branch and Ramona Library were envisioned as community centers. So, Fallbrook’s library has the largest meeting room in the city—most library meeting rooms are at most 800 sq ft. This Community Room of 2,000 sq. ft. has the capacity to show movies on a large screen, and to host a theatrical production, with professional stage lights, portable risers and a professional sound system. Removable “nano” walls can change its configuration and accommodate overflow crowds at the adjacent “poet’s patio.”
Through Fallbrook’s Friends of the Library this room will host a free lecture series on Thursdays with titles such a “Antarctic: Above and Below the Sea Ice,” “Stories from the Silk Road,” and “About Language and Being Human.”
One goal of the “library of the future” is to create future lovers of libraries among the young—as young as possible. The staff has built excitement among young children and every day classes visit to experience that excitement. Children love the new facility. “It’s like their little club!” says Rincon.
According to Rincon, the numbers of people who visited in the first month of operation compared to two years ago has almost doubled. Books checked out have also doubled and hundreds apply for library cards each day.
The library may remind you in small ways of a bookstore. “We’re borrowing from the attractive aspects of bookstores,” says Rincon.
Bookstores market books by displaying their covers—which call out to customers and catch their attention as they browse. Libraries traditionally have not done much of that—leaving customers to locate their books by slowly picking up volumes and examining them.
Until now. The Fallbrook library displays popular books in areas, such as “Hot in Fallbrook,” Romance, Mystery and Science Fiction near the entrance. Multiple copies are available of in demand books. “Gondolas” in this area cater to specialized interests, such as medical, job seeking, legal aid, art, home repair and home finance.
Libraries have always been homes away from home. But with all of the services and attractions the Fallbrook Library offers, you may never want to go home!
The Fallbrook Library is located at 124 S. Mission Rd.

Hidden Meadows Readies The Runway For Annual Fashion Show

The Hidden Meadows 20th annual fashion show is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 7, as part of the Hidden Meadows Community Foundation’s 2011 Spring Spectacular.
This year’s event will run from 1–4 p.m. at the Castle Creek Country Club and will feature food, entertainment, prize drawings, models on the runway and more.
The grand prize for the fashion show raffle is a Holland America 7-day cruise for two with a choice of destinations including Alaska, Mexico, Caribbean, or Canada/New England.
“This year we are focusing on a Mother’s Day theme and will be unveiling fashions that honor women everywhere, especially moms,” said planning committee member Dawn Nicks.
Nicks added that the fashions for the show are being provided by Macy’s North County Fair and will showcase some of the best spring styles of 2011.
Pumping out the entertainment for this year’s event is Leticia Carrington of the Bill Magee Blues Band.
“We are really excited about our entertainment,” Nicks said. “Leticia is an amazing vocalist for the Bill Magee Blues Band and we are fortunate to have her join us to help benefit this occasion.”
The Spring Spectacular will also be sponsoring a healthy portable snacks donation pick-up for Storefront, an exclusive emergency shelter program for San Diego’s homeless, runaway and street youth. The program provides shelter for youth in need, assures a safe place for them to stay and also offers them professional help services.
Tickets to the event are $40 each or $75 a pair, and there is also a new VIP ticket option this year.
“We are offering VIP tickets for $50 that include premier seating, one free drink ticket and one free raffle ticket,” Nicks said. “Our VIP guests will also be the first served at the buffet.”
Profits from the event will help Hidden Meadows Community Foundation reward college scholarships to high school graduates who are the children or grandchildren of Hidden Meadows residents. Hidden Meadows Community Foundation is a 501c (3), non-profit organization that not only provides educational scholarships, but also provides funds for community beautification projects and to assist families in need.
For more information on the Hidden Meadows Community Foundation’s Spring Spectacular, or to reserve tickets, call (760)749-1520 or (760)532-1694.

6th Annual Paws in the Park

Live Oak Park in Fallbrook will be bustling with fur and fun on Saturday, April 16 for the 6th annual Ruth Redmann Paws in the Park dog fair.
Paws in the Park is a benefit for the Foundation for Senior Care in Fallbrook, and according to executive director Dotty Metcalf, it’s bound to be a barking good time.
With an opening parade, a raffle, food, a variety of vendors, demonstrations and dog contests, there is something for everyone at this year’s event. Organizers have even added two new categories to the Paws in the Park contests.
“We’ve added ‘Most Senior Dog’ this year to sort of play along with us being a foundation for seniors,” Metcalf said. “And we’ve also added a Best Dressed category.”
Other categories include cutest puppy, biggest/smallest dog, prettiest female dog, most handsome male dog, and the so ugly you’re cute dog. There will also be contests for best owner look-alike, fastest tail wag and of course, the best trick.
If you have a dog you’d like to enter, you can do so anytime before the event. Pre-registration is $4 per dog per event, and day of registration is $5 per dog/per event.
“We have two to three hundred people attend the event, and usually have about a hundred registered dogs,” said Metcalf. “It’s just such a good time for all.”
Proceeds from the Ruth Redmann Paws in the Park specifically benefit three of the Foundation for Senior Care programs: the Care Van, Senior Care Advocacy and the Senior Day Care Center.
The Care Van is perhaps one of the most popular and well-known programs. It’s a free service that picks seniors up and drops them off, almost anywhere they need to go.
“The Care Vans are a huge benefit for our seniors,” Metcalf explains. “They safely transport seniors to places like doctor appointments, the lab, the senior center, hair appointments, grocery shopping, and more. It’s an amazing program and one that many seniors would struggle without.”
The Senior Care Advocacy program provides one-on-one, case management services to inform seniors of the many resources available to them (such as the Care Vans). Senior advocates meet with individuals to determine what programs they might benefit from and they recommend services for the seniors to help address issues and concerns they may be facing.
Then there is the Senior Day Care Center, which Metcalf describes as an all-day, interactive, busy and fun program for seniors that also gives their caregivers a little respite.
“The caregivers are able to drop their loved ones off knowing they will be well-cared for while they take a deserving break,” Metcalf said. “In the meantime, the seniors are busy doing crafts and other various activities. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
One senior caregiver recently said of the Senior Day Care Center program that her mom smiles going in and smiles coming home.
“The feedback we get on our programs is powerful and reassures us that there is not only the need for these programs, but a great appreciation for them,” Metcalf said.
Of course, these programs aren’t possible without fund-raising efforts such as Paws in the Park. If you would like to attend, participate or even make a donation to this year’s Paws in the Park, stop by Live Oak Park at 2746 Reche Rd. on Saturday, April 16 between 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
For more information on Paws in the Park, or any of the Foundation for Senior Care services and programs, visit www.foundationforseniorcare.org or call (760)723-7570.

Del Mar National Horse Show

Every spring, the Del Mar National Horse Show brings equestrian riders, breeders and fans from around the country to San Diego for more than two weeks of fantastic shows, competitions and demonstrations.
This year, the show runs from April 21–May 8, with Western Week running from April 21–24, Dressage Week running from April 28–May 1 and Hunter/Jumper Week taking place from May 3–8, all at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
A special highlight of the show each year is the Night Of The Horse, an evening of equestrian acts that are sure to delight young and old alike.
This year, the Del Mar National Horse Show welcomes renowned equestrian entertainer and trainer Tommie Turvey and his “Amazing Horses” for a night of fun for the whole family on April 23.
Turvey and his horses have been featured in movies, events, rodeos and shows, including blockbuster movies Jonah Hex and Batman: The Dark Knight, as well as the television series The Walking Dead. He has performed and appeared at the 2011 Rose Parade, National Finals Rodeo, William Shatner's Hollywood Charity Horse Show, Asia-Pacific Equitana and the Toronto Royale, just to name a few. His horses Joker and Pokerjoe have even been cast as Breyer model horse collectibles.
During Night Of The Horse, Turvey will perform five astounding and unique acts throughout the evening, which will feature thrilling Roman riding, beautiful liberty horses, hilarious comedy and loveable fun with horses and dogs.
Additionally, world class performers like Karen Turvey, one of the original featured performers and trainers in the mega-show Cavalia, will bring her colorful chariot horses to the arena for an all-out, side-by-side, heart pounding chariot race. Her nemesis, Jon Wearley, will join in and show the audience a rivalry not seen since the days of Ben-Hur!
Matt McLaughlin, a Grand Prix level dressage rider, former head trainer and performer for the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions, studied under Chuck Grant, the father of American Dressage. McLaughlin will bring his beautiful Andalusian horses for three stunning acts.
Ramon Becerra, with his unique love and talent for many disciplines from reining to classical dressage, will also perform with his young daughter, Katherine, who jumped into the family business at one-and-a-half years old. Now three years old, she has already performed at various events, including the World Equestrian Games. Katherine is quite likely the youngest equestrian entertainer in the world.
A local drill team from Ramona, the Rainbow Riders, will thrill the audience with high speed, precision drill maneuvers that will have you at the edge of your seat.
After the show, spectators will have a chance to meet some of the performers and get autographs and photos.
Be sure to get all the latest information about the Del Mar National Horse Show at www.delmarnational.com or on the show’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/delmarnational.

Traveling On Airlines: How To Keep It Moving

In 2009’s very entertaining film Up in the Air the George Clooney character Ryan Bingham spent so much time air traveling that he developed rules for cutting down on the time spent in line that have given his wisdom something of the cachet of a Sun Tzu (Art of War) or Machiavelli (The Prince) among travel warriors.
In one scene he admonishes a young recruit, “You know how much time you lose by checking in? Thirty five minutes a flight. I travel two hundred and seventy days a year. That’s one hundred and fifty-seven hours. That makes seven days. You willing to throw away an entire week on that?”
He also advises never getting in a TSA line behind the elderly: “Their bodies are littered with hidden metal!” or behind people with babies: “I’ve never seen a stroller collapse in under twenty minutes.”
Few people travel that much, but we can all benefit by putting some thought into how we travel, and how to cut down on the time spent interacting with TSA drones.
I’m always ready to travel at a moment’s notice—a habit I acquired from being evacuated from Palomar Mountain twice by wildfires. I keep three days’ worth of clothes packed in a rugged soft ballistic nylon bag that isn’t manufactured anymore called Easy Going. My clothes are in easily removable mesh bags that are easy to inspect. I keep one toiletry bag in my car and one in my office.
Some of my packing habits—that evolved because I drive between 1,300 feet and 6,000 feet twice a day and want as few liquids in my toiletries as possible—work well for air travel.
I keep as many “dry” toiletries as possible: a small bar of Dr. Bronner’s soap, the solid version of the liquid soap I prefer, and Liggett’s bar shampoo. My deodorant is a crystal rock deodorant sold at Henry’s Market and I recently switched to dry tooth powder.
If you can reduce liquids to zero, great! Then you can put them in your carry-on, without taking them out for inspection. And the fewer leakable bottles, the fewer messes to deal with.
We have all heard how the evil airline companies employ new ways to nickel and dime us by, for example, charging for each check-in bag. Since they also limit passengers to one carry-on that can cramp your style—unless you’re smart. I figure if they are going to declare war on consumers, I will wage a guerrilla war of my own!
I do it with a travel jacket. For years I have used my photojournalist’s vest (a fisherman’s vest on steroids) for items as varied as my cell phone, a small bag of dry toiletries, iPod, airline tickets, keys, book, pillow, water bottle etc. You just take off the jacket and put it on the x-ray conveyer belt.
Recently I upgraded to Orvis’s Ultimate Travel Jacket, which has 23 outside and five inside pockets (labeled so that you know where to store things).
My young friend Kelly Griffin Nortrom, who lives in Seattle and flies a lot, just introduced me to something I’ve put on my buyer’s list: the Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 bag available from REI.
“I bought it a little over a year ago and I seriously don’t travel without it,” she says. “This bag is TSA compliant and allows me to just unzip the bag portion where the laptop is located and the laptop can lay flat—still in the bag—and go through the x-ray machine. It has lots of room for my papers, folders, pens, etcetera (and even a cupholder on the side!) so I can have everything I need with me.”
The Slimline In-Flight Organizer sold by the Magellan’s company (www.magellans.com) also opens flat for TSA inspectors and can carry your laptop. It attaches to your tray table, has three padded pockets, a compartment for your iPhone, iPod Touch or MP3 player that's positioned for watching movies or listening to music, a mesh pocket for small items, and two exterior pockets.
Speaking of George Clooney, his number one flying tip is “The trick is slip-on shoes.” When Up in the Air premiered he told an interviewer: “I am telling you, that’s the secret. The shoes you have to tie, they take forever.”

Ferrara Winery Offers Old World Storytelling and Wine Tasting

Since Escondido’s Ferrara Winery belongs to the oldest, active grape-growing, wine-making family in San Diego County, I expected it to be unique, its wine enjoyable, and knowing that it had been designated by the State of California as a historical point of interest in 1971, I expected to find a lot of historical information.
What I didn’t expect to find were the owners to be unique, their stories to be enjoyable and their lives full of rich history. At Ferrara Winery, you will find that three generations of winemaking so close to home is as rare as the 81-year-old Eastern Concord vine that is still growing in their vineyard. Of course, the wine helps too.
For a good, local history lesson, chat with owner Gasper Ferrara and his mother Vera (aka: Mama Ferrara). From grapes to property deeds, there’s nothing you can ask that they don’t have an answer to. Even more enlightening are the “remember when” exchanges between the mother and son as you sip your free wine tastings.
Ferrara Winery was first opened by Gasper’s grandfather, George Ferrara, after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. However, Gasper said his family had always made wine.
“It was never illegal to make wine,” Gasper said. “You just couldn’t buy, sell or transport it. My grandpa was pretty savvy back then and anticipated the end of Prohibition. Right after the Twenty-first Amendment passed, he started producing and selling his wine commercially.”
At that time there were less than 4,000 people living in Escondido. Having been established for so many decades, the Ferraras are proud curators of Escondido history, especially when it comes to wine.
Did you know there used to be a winery where Marie Callender’s now sits on 13th Street? And where the old Escondido Police Station used to be? At one time, Ferrara said there were 35 wineries in the area.
“European settlers were wine makers,” Gasper said. “That’s what a lot of early settling families did out here to make a living. Few of these wineries have persevered.”
As Ferrara reminisces and shares his stories, an hour quickly passes by and I soon know all about Escondido’s progression and the evolution of its wineries, which appears to tug his heartstrings a little.
“You used to get looked down upon for owning a winery,” Ferrara said. “It wasn’t a thing of prestige and it wasn’t something people dreamt about doing. It’s looked at differently nowadays.”
Ferrara said it’s hard for him and his mom to see wineries as a business investment for an image rather than for the love and appreciation of the work. For his family, it takes a lot of blood, sweat, and hard labor to commercially produce and sell their wines. They do it themselves and they do it by hand, always have and always will. And while they only sell their wines on-site, they offer a large selection of varietals including dessert and specialty wines, as well as all-natural grape juices and homemade marinades.
“We currently have twenty-nine different wines for sale, and a small amount of sparkling wine,” Ferrara said. “We also have premium marinades and sauces that are original family recipes.”
Not only have the Ferraras honed their craft of winemaking, but they’ve maintained the old-world, European traditions and the belief that less is more. You won’t find a single computer on the property, nor a single ribbon or trophy displayed for accolades. There is no glitz and no glam. Ferrara Winery is as pure and authentic as they come. It’s rustic. It’s personable. It’s educational. The focus is on the wine and the family’s passion for it.
Gasper said it’s this passion that drives him to keep running the business the way his grandfather and father did. Aside from two part-time helpers, he is the sole grape tender and winemaker, while his mother handles the tasting room and sales. If you’re lucky enough, maybe you’ll catch them both in the tasting room during your visit.
Ferrara Winery is located at 1120 West 15th Ave. in Escondido. For directions or more information call (760)745-7632 or visit www.ferrarawinery.com.

The Boulevard Magazine
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688