September 2011 Issue | Download the Full Issue

Zoofari (aka Wild Wonders Animal Facility) and the Bonsall Education Foundation will be partnering to raise money for both charities.
The partnership includes tours of the enclosure, which is something that most kids find tremendously exciting because it provides such an up-close and personal encounter with the animals.
“We have one hundred and forty four-legged, no-legged, feathered and furred teachers here, and they are extremely effective teachers,” says Jackie Navarro, director of the facility.
Recently, the Bonsall Rotary Club raised funds for the Bonsall Elementary School to have Zoofari come to the school and do an assembly.
You don’t have to be an organization to help the animals however. A little boy who lives across the street from the center has a project where he collects recyclables and donates the proceeds for worms for the hedgehogs, sugar gliders and reptiles at Zoofari.
Partnering with an organization, such as the Bonsall Education Foundation, means that both organizations benefit, which seems a smart way to do things in these trying economic times.
The one-day event will include a meet and greet of the staff (and of the animals too!), food and drink.
“It’s a great opportunity for families to get involved and raise money for both organizations,” says Jackie Navarro of Zoofari. “We’d love to offer this opportunity to other schools. I think it is a win-win for any organization. This economy is so hard. If we can do something like this, then we are helping two organizations at the same time. And working with schools is great because our primary purpose is education.”
The animals the kids like the best when they visit might surprise you. “I think they like the hedgehogs the best because they roll in and chew on elephant poo in the wild to keep predators away. This is called ‘self-anointing,’” Navarro says, adding that she knows this is a favorite with kids because they will send pictures that they draw of hedgehogs with little “stink” lines coming off of them.
Naturally, the children love Victor the cheetah, but another favorite is the slow-moving tortoise. The kinkajou (aka the honey bear) is a favorite because of its four-inch long tongue with which it extracts honey, and, of course, Pugsly, the 14-foot Burmese Python is loved as well.
Victor, of course, is a great fund-raiser. “There is nothing like hearing that purr and looking into his eyes,” says Navarro.
The Zoofari center is in a residential neighborhood in Bonsall, just a few hundred yards from the the San Luis Rey River, off Highway 76.
It’s not a zoo. But it is available for tours, private parties and to visit schools. Its main purpose is education and conservation.
There’s a constantly changing “cast of characters” at Zoofari, which has an amazing number of fascinating creatures, all gathered together as part of the mission of promoting wildlife conservation through local and global education.
A recently added activity that is starting to gain popularity is “Zoo Camp,” where a child gets to feed and clean the wallabies (miniature kangaroos) and learn how to be a better steward of the ecology. Day camps run from 9 a.m.– 1 p.m.
In spite of the fact that the center is located inside of a residential area, you can’t smell it a ways off. You can’t even smell it all that much when you are right there on the property.
“We clean a lot,” says Navarro by way of explanation. “That’s our day. Cleaning and feeding and socializing with the animals.”
Recently the center acquired 5.6 acres of adjacent property. There are no plans for the land as of yet, except to keep it undeveloped and natural as a buffer.
Money is always a concern at Zoofari. “Unfortunately, the overhead doesn’t change. It’s about $22,000 a month for food, staff and veterinary care,” says Navarro. That last part can be quite a hit since when Zoofari acquires many of its beasts, they have been abused or even abandoned and have compromised health systems that must be brought back.
“We just spent five thousand dollars on a snapping turtle that, unfortunately, later died,” she says.
About 60% of the animals come from owner-relinquished animals or confiscations of illegal animals. Most of the rest come as surplus zoo babies.
Zoofari offers:
• Kenya Tour: 1 hour. The “standard” tour. Includes some small animal interaction. Cost is $25 per person.
• Zambia Tour: 1.5 hours. Zoofari’s standard tour, plus a fun, interactive presentation. Cost is $35 per person.
• Deluxe Tanzania Tour: For a group of up to ten people. Zoofari’s standard tour, plus a very special cheetah encounter. $800 per group.
Each tour includes photo opportunities. Guests have the opportunity to feed and interact with the animals. Minimum age is 6 years old.
All tours are on an appointment basis.
Your donation will help Zoofari in three important ways:
1. Providing a permanent, loving home for non-releasable wildlife.
2. Providing high quality, environmental and conservation education for Title I schools and disadvantaged youth.
3. Providing funding to international field biologists, such as Cheetah Conservation Botswana, to aid in their research, conservation and education projects worldwide.
To buy tickets and find out more visit www.zoofari.net.

Fallbrook & Bonsall: Places to Go, People to See

A friend of mine recently moved to Fallbrook from out of state, and I started telling her about Fallbrook and Bonsall—about where to go and what to do in this area (she did ask!). I told her to find a copy of The Boulevard to help her get acquainted.
It occurred to me that perhaps other people, even those who have lived here a long time like me, may want to hear about these things (or at least my opinions on these things). I have lived in this area since 1982, and I have seen some changes! The nice thing about the Fallbrook and Bonsall area that hasn’t changed is the sense of community. Getting to know the people here and seeing how much they care is heartwarming.
When giving directions, I still catch myself saying “where you see the high school,” but then I remember that the trees were planted a long time ago and now shield the school from the road.
As you continue into town, the median is filled with sections of roses, lavender, blooming flowers and trees. How many towns put roses in their medians? The area is impeccably maintained, and although I confess to not knowing who designed it or maintains it, I would like them to know that I am truly appreciative and grateful for their efforts. It is beautiful and an indication of how the citizens here really care about their community.
I told my friend about the great restaurants here and realized I was hard-pressed to say which restaurant she should try first. We have a number of Mexican restaurants (El Jardin, La Caseta and Servano’s [formerly Rio Rico’s]) where you can get really great food, and most of them have been in town since before my arrival (along with many great fast food Mexican restaurants). The Italian restaurants (Trupiano’s and Da Giorgio’s) have delicious food, and Brothers Bistro has a tasty mix of Italian, New York and Mediterranean styles (check out their bread pudding!)
My favorite Chinese restaurant is Peking Wok in Bonsall. The Garden Center Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch daily, and for dinner on the weekends. Their outdoor patio is quite pleasant, surrounded by flowers, staghorn ferns and running water. There is a good chance a bunny will peak its nose out, too.
For French food, don’t miss Le Bistro upstairs at Jackson Square. For sandwiches, Dominick's Italian Deli wins hands down with two locations to serve you. It is hard to beat Nessy Burgers for their burgers and fries. And then there’s Yama Sushi, the Fallbrook Cafe and the lovely restaurants at the many golf courses here and... who knew there were so many? One word of warning though: the carpet rolls up pretty early here. If you want to sit down to eat, be at the restaurant before 8 p.m.
There are an amazing number of talented artists in this town, as witnessed by the Art & Cultural Center, the numerous galleries, the Fallbrook School of the Arts and the various art events that regularly occur. The Wildlife Art Show is held the first weekend in May at the Fallbrook Art Center and draws big crowds. And, let’s not forget the Wine and a Bite Art Walks. What a fun way to get to know members of the community!
Fallbrook has many opportunities for having fun and meeting people, like Hot Summer Nites, held every two weeks in the summer near the town square, with different themes and live music. Their is also the Avocado Festival in April that draws thousands of people.
The Fallbrook Christmas Parade is held the first Saturday of December. It is full of fire trucks, marching bands, baton twirlers, dancers, vintage cars, horses, llamas, dogs, kids, even goats, with Santa Claus bringing up the rear. More than 20,000 people show up for this old-fashioned parade, turning out to line the streets and wave. Better get there early if you want a seat though, territory is claimed early in the morning. The Marines from Camp Pendleton lead the parade with the flags.
Then there is the fireworks display at the Grand Tradition on July 4th, the Lobster on the Green charity event every summer, and the annual Gem & Mineral Society show held in the street on the first weekend of October. The Gem & Mineral Society has a beautiful display of minerals and fossils with many coming from the local mines.
In addition to the live music at Hot Summer Nites, there is live music on the weekends at Ringers in Bonsall, JJ Purty's and the Red Eye Saloon. The Americana Series offers folk, country or bluegrass, and there are free concerts at the new library. Check out the Bottom Shelf bookstore in the library that sells used books to help support the library. They gladly accept donations of books to sell at reasonable prices. They love it when you take home more books than you drop off.
The best place for produce, outside of the two farmers markets in Fallbrook and the one in Bonsall, is Daniels IGA Market in Bonsall. A majority of their produce is locally grown, so the cost (and the carbon footprint) is lower. It is well worth checking out and meeting their friendly staff.
My favorite place to go for auto repairs is Scrappy's, specializing in brakes, tires, shocks, alignments, etc. This is a third generation business that I have been going to for 27 years, and I trust them completely. They are also quick with a joke and even quicker to lend a helping hand to their customers. I know there are other good places in town, but their line of repeat customers willing to wait says a lot.
There are a number of unique stores downtown selling clothes and merchandise. No, we don't have a Wal-Mart, and I'm rather glad of that. Shopping at the local stores gives one an opportunity to connect with other members of the community, as well as helping to support this community. Chatting it up with a local proprietor is a far cry from dealing with a clerk in a “big box” store. The friendly and knowledgeable staff at Joe’s Hardware makes the hardware store experience enjoyable. If you are looking for new, estate or custom-made jewelry, or just repairs, as well as antiques, the Jewelry Connection is the place to go.
There are several thrift stores in town that funnel their proceeds back into the community and are staffed by volunteers. The Angel Shop, St. John's and St. Vincent de Paul's, to name a few, all contribute to local organizations. After the fires in 2007, many events were held to help those who had lost everything in the fires. My gratitude continues to go out to the firemen and all those who helped during that crisis.
I could keep going, but you get the idea. There are a lot of things to do here. In looking back over the many things that come to mind when I think of the Friendly Village, I realize there is one recurring theme: I love this town! I hope you find enjoyment in living (or visiting) here as well.

Stagecoach Sunday Will Raise Money for Fallbrook Conservancy

When they say “Stagecoach” Sunday, they aren’t kidding! Have you ever wanted to ride in one of those babies from the Old West? Now is your chance!
Stagecoach Sunday, the biggest fund-raiser of the year for the Fallbrook Land Conservancy, will happen Sunday, October 2, at Palomares House, 1815 S. Stagecoach Lane, from 1–4:30 p.m.
According to Co-Chairman Gary Beeler, the event raises between $25,000–$40,000 each year.
“This is our major fund-raiser that allows us to operate the preserves and our educational programs,” he says.
The barbecue lunch will be from 1–4:30 p.m. The menu will include barbecue tri-tip sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans and brownies.
A genuine stagecoach, drawn by horses and provided by G & F Carriages, will be there to give free rides to visitors.
The event itself is free, except for the charge for meals and the cost of the tickets for the drawings.
The raffle prizes will be from different businesses. In past years, there have been some gym memberships, certificates for golf and tennis play, and lots of restaurants.
In the silent auction, you can bid on golfing packages, gym memberships, paintings, crafts, jewelry, home repairs and tax consulting. Expect to see some gunplay from a group of gunslingers who are expected to show up, and who actually might try to pull a hold-up of the stagecoach.
Another attraction at Stagecoach Sunday will be a demonstration by falconer Dave Morgan, who will bring one of his birds, a goshawk, to talk about. He will give a demonstration—sending the hawk after lures. Falconry is one of the oldest forms of hunting.
Steve Bledsoe, with the North American Herpetological Association, will bring several snakes that are native to the area for you to get up close and personal with—if you want to!
There will also be children’s games, including bobbing for apples, a pumpkin painting contest and a dress up contest (it’s October after all, and almost Halloween!) Prizes will be given for all of these fun events.
The money that is raised will be used to support the work that the conservancy does, including land stewardship, education programs, trails and all of its preserves.
The Conservancy owns and manages 1,848 acres of open space, including Margarita Peak and ten other nature preserves, manages 77 acres that it doesn’t own, and has 666 acres of conservation easements, while maintaining 20 miles of public trails. It has 100 volunteers and between 800–1,000 active members.
The office of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy is located in the historic Palomares House (which is where Stagecoach Sunday will happen), which is just a few blocks past Fallbrook High School on Stagecoach Lane.
Visit their Web site at www.fallbrooklandconservancy.org, call them at 760-728-0889, email them at landcons@sbcglobal.net or mail them at P.O. Box 2701, Fallbrook, CA 92088.

Bonsall High School Could Be Decided in 2012

In November of 2012, one of the most fateful election decisions of modern times could face voters—Bonsall voters, that is!
You thought we were talking about the presidential election, didn’t you?
Well, for many Bonsall parents who want to take control of the educations of their teenagers, 2012 could be a fateful year when they could establish their own high school.
Bonsall’s unification movement began six years ago when some parents got together and generated a petition that they took to the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) in 2007.
In a split vote of 3–2, the County board passed it on to the state.
State law mandates that nine questions be answered for an elementary district to leave a high school district and form its own unified district.
They are:
1) Will the new district be adequate in terms of number of pupils?
2) Is the district organized on the basis of a substantial community identification?
3) Will there be an equitable division of property and facilities between the two districts?
4) Will each district be racially balanced?
5) Will there be increased costs to the state of California?
6) Will the new district continue to promote sound educational performance and not disrupt the educational programs in either district?
7) Would there be any increase in facilities costs?
8) Is the purpose of the unification to try to significantly increase property values?
9) Would the new district continue to promote sound fiscal management and not cause a negative effect on the fiscal status of either district?
At the time of the county board’s vote, it said Bonsall didn’t meet 7 and 9. Despite that, it voted to pass the petition on to the California Department of Education (CDE) where it languished for several years.
Bonsall Supt. Justin Cunningham had been trying to get the state to consider the petition since he came on the job four years ago.
Finally, after CDE reviewed the facilities and program plan Bonsall submitted last year, CDE decided that Bonsall had met all nine elements for a successful unification application, and intended to move the process forward.
Bonsall’s proposal, says Cunningham, is a staggered approach that would begin by keeping ninth graders at what is currently Sullivan Middle School and moving sixth graders down to what is currently the K–5 school.
The following year tenth graders would be held back—which would be the same children, of course. Eventually all four high school grades would be kept in Bonsall.
This would mitigate the fiscal impact and the impact on facilities, says Cunningham.
This year’s eighth grade graduating class was about 150. Not all of them would be expected to attend Fallbrook High School. So, if the Bonsall high school had all four grades, it would have about 500 students, with expectations of 750 within ten years. A small school, but there are smaller ones in the county.
“We have looked at having the ability to get another site later on for a high school,” Cunningham says, possibly land in the district where development is taking place along Highway 76 & I-15.
The focus at the new school would be on academics, especially technology and science, says Cunningham.
A new wrinkle that popped up this year is the need to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Despite the fact that, at least in its beginning stages, the new district would have no new facilities. Before the CDE can recommend putting the unification proposal before the voters, a CEQA study is needed. However, because of the state’s budget crisis, there is no money for such a study.
In February, two Bonsall board members, Lou Riddle and Dr. Rich Smith, personally appealed to the state board to move the proposal forward. They expressed great frustration with the lack of progress, so CDE arranged for the placement of the unification application on the State Board of Education's July agenda, whereupon the SBE approved the process moving further if Bonsall funded the CEQA. It could cost as little as $50,000, or as much as $400,000.
If the CEQA study determines that an environmental impact report is required, that would cost A LOT more. But few expect that will be the case.
The state board, in essence, told the Bonsall board, “If you want to fund the CEQA, you can go forward and come back to us with the findings.”
Says Cunningham, “Our schedule is to get that done within the next year to get back on the July 2012 state board agenda. Then it would come back to our county and set up a November 2012 election.
The Bonsall board intends to use $50,000 from developers fees to initiate the CEQA study.
There are three possible results to such a study:
1) a negative declaration, i.e. unification would have no measurable environmental impact
2) identify issues that could be corrected in a subsequent plan
3) require an environmental impact report
“Where things start being expensive is if it goes into a fullblown EIR, but we don’t think it will,” says Cunningham. “Talking to some groups that do these kinds of studies, they say that for this situation, they strongly doubt we would get near that $400,000. They think it would be much cheaper, because of our stagged approach,” he says.
If the study is done in time, it could conceivably be sent back to the County board to set an election.
“We’d love to get on the November 2012 election,” says Cunningham. Obviously a presidential election year is a high interest election.
Who will vote in the election is still to be decided. In other words, will the voters of the entire Fallbrook High School District vote, or just those in Bonsall?
SDCOE has recommended that the entire high school district vote. The CDE recommended that the people in Bonsall should decide if they should have their own district.
Currently, the Fallbrook High School District is remaining neutral on the proposal. Although it opposed it at the beginning, it sent no one to speak against it before the state board.
The reason for wanting a Bonsall high school is to extend the high quality of Bonsall’s elementary schools all the way to the 12th grade.
“Here, we have a fairly high level of performance, if you look at the academic performance index (API),” says Cunningham.
“Our scores are going to be somewhere in the 870’s. When this started, this district was below 800. The momentum of increased performance makes folks feel that if we had more control of what goes on in our high school, we could matriculate that quality to our high school grades,” he says.

Welk’s Man of La Mancha Will Combine Musicians and Actors

Welk Resorts Theater’s production of the classic musical, Man of La Mancha, will “dream the impossible dream” from September 8– October 30 in a show that will go down a somewhat different road by having the actors also provide the music.
The show runs Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees, and also Thursday and Saturday evenings.
I caught up with the director, Dan Mojica, just as he was starting the ten-day high energy rehearsal schedule for the show.
He talked about the show’s innovation—having the actors being the musicians.
“It is somewhat similar to what they did with Sweeney Todd on Broadway. They will accompany themselves,” switching over between acting and accompanying the actors—that even includes the actor who plays the lead.
“Because it is a play within a play, it works in that way,” he says. ”We are going to make the music a little more organic, but using as musical instruments things that you would find within the prison, such as cowhide and barrels.” There will, of course, be some real instruments such as a lute, recorder and guitar.
This is Mojica’s first time directing Man of La Mancha. “I’m quite excited about it. It’s a great little story.
“I think I like the romanticism. I like the everyman story of it all. You have this dream that only you can see, and you try to convince others to see your world. It’s a reality within your own head,” says Mojica.
He believes that the reason it has been such an enduring favorite with audiences, “is that people get taken away by their own little adventure of what the world is. It has an accessibility to today, it transcends time even though it has the period feel to it.”
He compares its idealistic feel to another audience favorite, Camelot.
“We are doing it with a fairly compact cast. It’s a small theater.
One thing he looked for in casting the show was for actors who could be as diverse as possible. All of the actors, with exception of those playing Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, take on the many characters.
“We have a lot of improvisation as we create the scenes within the scenes,” he says. “As a director I’m thrilled to create this little world that we are going to embark upon.”
Of course the music is spectacular. “That is also something I’m excited about exploring in a new way,” he said as he was embarking upon the rehearsals. “I don’t have a preconception of how it’s supposed to be. And, with the conception of the actors playing the instruments as well, it’s quite a new thing.”
He looked upon it as a challenge to bring something new to the piece.
Mojica is a veteran of musical theater, having been assistant director for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on Broadway and then on its tour around the world. He has worked with the Civic Light Opera and did the musical Footloose last year, as well as staging The Producers in Sacramento. He has also worked a lot with Universal.
“Musicals are my thing. Musicals are my bag, and I like do plays like La Mancha that are very play-oriented.”
Call 888-802-SHOW for tickets.

Volunteers Restore, Staff Fire Lookout on Palomar Mountain

A group of dedicated volunteers is nearly done restoring Boucher Lookout, a fire lookout built on a cliff at 5,438 feet, on Palomar Mountain.
It was the last California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (now Cal Fire) tower to be shut down. It is now part of Palomar Mountain State Park, which is scheduled to be shut to the public in about a year.
According to the CDF Lookout Survey of 1991, a tower has been on Boucher Hill since 1921. About 8,250 such lookouts once existed throughout the U.S. Now 90% are gone.
Boucher (pronounced book-er) operated about 40 years, from 1949. During its heyday, lonely park rangers could pinpoint the location of a fire and dispatch crews.
Today, of course, there are so many people in San Diego County, there’s seldom a problem figuring out where a fire is. But such lookouts can still perform a useful service, which is the reason Boucher is being brought back into service by volunteers.
The tower has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. On clear days, you can see Catalina Island, 83 miles away. You can see it from several places in Valley Center, if you use binoculars, and from most of Palomar Mountain with the naked eye. It is quite a view, probably the best to be had on Palomar Mountain—which is saying a lot.
It was part of a network of towers that included High Point Lookout, which overlooks Palomar Observatory.
Fire spotters monitored fires using a fixed-point fire detection system. When two or more lookouts spotted a fire, they used a directional fire finder—Osborne Fire-Finder—to find a directional bearing or azimuth to the smoke, utilizing triangulation to pinpoint it.
Boucher and many others were retired a couple of decades ago after fire services underwent budget changes that replaced lookouts with airplanes, cell phones and satellite pictures. Such technology has its limitations: cell phones don’t have good service in areas where forest fires occur and satellites can’t see a fire smaller than 15 acres.
The lookout is being restored and staffed by a non-profit group called Forest Fire Lookout Association, Inc., San Diego, Riverside Chapter, whose chairman is Brad Eells. Their mission is to restore and man such lookouts.
The group formed three years ago. Eells had been visiting Palomar Observatory in March of 2008 when he saw the High Point tower, which was an empty shell. Putting it back into service required many months of hard work and considerable donations of service and materials.
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) was extremely helpful, recognizing the valuable service that the volunteers can provide during the fire season.
The volunteers use old photos and original construction drawings to reproduce the interiors of the lookouts as faithfully as possible, so they cannot only function, but be museums for visitors.
The restored tower will be known as Boucher Hill Fire Lookout Station, Education and Interpretive Center. But whether it will be able to function in that way remains to be seen, in view of the park’s imminent closure.
One original piece of equipment will be the Osborne Fire-Finder that was used at CDF Boucher Hill Fire Lookout Station in Palomar Mountain State Park from 1935 until 1983. It sat in the tower unused from 1983, until removed for safe keeping in 2008.
Recently, Eells obtained some additional valuable stuff when he visited the incident command center of the Eagle Fire, near Warner Springs.
Incident Commander Kevin O’Leary (familiar to many old time Valley Center residents as our fire chief for many years) invited Eells to the command center at the Porta La Cruz Conservation Camp because he had some items to donate to the Boucher Hill project.
O’Leary had a visitors log from the tower and other valuable items that will be restored to it once it opens again.
Work on the outside of the tower included replacing or repairing the exterior and interior siding, and putting some of the original wood exterior siding back up.
Eells and his fellow volunteers are always on the look out for people to join them in their work.
There are about 30 of them who have undergone 16 hours of classroom time to learn how to operate the station—plus a day of training at the station.
If you are interested in becoming one of them, log onto the chapter’s Web site at www.socalfirelookouts.org. You can e-mail the chapter directly at highpointlookout@yahoo.com. The national Forest Fire Lookout Association Web site is www.firelookout.org.

Galaxy of Glass Will Put Stars in Your Eyes

The Janice Griffiths Gallery at the Fallbrook Art Center will host Galaxy of Glass September 4– October 16, Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sundays, noon–3 p.m.
Galaxy of Glass will showcase a broad spectrum of glass created by 19 artists from the region.
“The Galaxy of Glass is a signature show of the Fallbrook Art Center that is enjoyed and supported by the region each year,” said Mary Perhacs, executive director of the Fallbrook Art Center.
Works for sale include sculpture, vessels, jewelry, room dividers, paperweights, perfumers and functional ware, created using a myriad of processes including blown, torched, slumped, cast, stained and fused.
The exhibit will be presented with historic works by leading contemporary glass artists, from the collections of Landra Crosby and Stuart & Linda Robinson.
The Everett family, owners of Fallbrook Propane Gas Co., originated the show 13 years ago, and continue their strong support, not only as sponsors, but as participating artists.
Merrill Everett started blowing glass when he was in college. He decided 13 years ago that Fallbrook should have a glass show. He teamed up with one of the art center’s founders, Helene Ross, and called up all of his friends who are also glass blowers—the Galaxy of Glass was born.
Everett has a glass studio in his home and sells his works through the shows. He taught glass blowing at Orange Coast College for several years and built studios there, at Scripps University and at the Orange County Fairgrounds. He also built the glass blowing facility at the Fallbrook School of the Arts at the Fallbrook Art Center and gave demonstrations a few months ago at the school when it celebrated the adoption of its 10-year plan that includes an expanded glass art studio.
Everett says there are plenty of reasons to visit this glass art show.“We’ve got some of the best glass artists in Southern California, including Laguna Beach. It’s top stuff. Some of the best glass artists in the region are from San Diego.”
“There will be prices from moderate to expensive, so there will be something for everyone,” he adds.
Another of the exceptional artists featured at the show will be Daniele Fratarcangeli, internationally exhibiting emerging sculptor, who received his BFA from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.
After graduating in 2007, he apprenticed with Venetian glass masters, under contemporary artists, glass designers and craftspeople in Europe, Scandinavia and across America.
Fratarcangeli is now teaching glass sculpture classes at the Fallbrook School of the Arts, where you can see one of his unique “figurative sculptures” in the window.
Fratarcangeli created this sculpture and three others that will be in the exhibit using a unique system that is so new he hasn’t given it a name as of yet.
“I designed a system of putting triangles together to form a glass fabric that is strong and durable and movable. You can design anything that way,” he says. This technique might remind some people of the geodesic domes designed by Buckminister Fuller.
“It is even more modular and less structural than that,” says Fratarcangeli. “It is less structural and more reliant on the geometry of the triangle.”
He adds, “I personally have three pieces that have taken me about a year to create. Designing that system took a long time, and I did a lot of traveling and picked up pieces here and there and was able to do something unique with my technique.”
Unique is the word that he likes to use to describe the show as a whole. “I think a lot of the art is really unique, and it will be great for people to come out and support California artists.”
The opening reception is Saturday, September 3, 5–7 p.m. Premier Level Members are free and $10 for non-members.
The show is open daily, September 4–October 16, Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday, noon–3 p.m. Admission is $5 (members, active military & under 18 are free).

Temecula Valley Vineyards Celebrate Fall Harvest with Grape Stomps

There was a time when grapes were picked by hand and juice was extracted from the grapes by the stomping of human feet. These days, not only are grapes picked by machines and mechanically processed and pressed, but regulations actually prohibit any juice from grapes stomped by human feet to be used in the production of wine.
Fortunately, this ban hasn’t stopped wineries from holding grape stomps for celebration, nor has it stopped people of all ages from joining in the fun. Today’s grape stomps are usually all-day events with live music, food, competitions, wine tasting, stomping and more.
If you want to squish, squash and slosh some Cabernet between your toes, there are plenty of opportunities to do so over the next couple months during grape harvesting time. Below is a short list of upcoming stomps in the Temecula Valley. You’ll want to call ahead for prices and additional information. Also, be sure to make a reservation as most grape stomps fill up fast.
Lorimar Winery and Vineyards
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011
Call for time
951-240-5177
www.lorimarwinery.com
Callaway Vineyards and Winery
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011
5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
951-676-4001
www.callawaywinery.com
Mount Palomar Winery
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
800-854-5177
www.mountpalomar.com
SouthCoast Winery Resort & Spa
Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
951-587-9463
www.wineresort.com
Ponte Winery
Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011
4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
877-314-9463
www.pontewinery.com
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Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011
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Trupiano's: A Great Value & The Finest Ingredients

WDon’t expect to hear Faro Trupiano whining about the bad economy.
In these thrifty times, he finds that while people don’t give up going to a restaurant, they demand quality for their dollar. That suits the owner of Trupiano’s Italian Bistro in Fallbrook just fine!
The folks who have become loyal customers of Trupiano’s have also helped earn the restaurant recognition several times from contests, such as the annual Taste of Fallbrook. Last spring he won a First Place from the judges and a Second Place People’s Choice award and honorable mention for a delicacy he invented—the avocado cremé brule.
Last year, the restaurant also won the People’s Choice, First Place for fusilli caprese. This hot pasta dish includes marinated grilled chicken, buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and basil—but the “secret ingredient” is white balsamic vinegar added to the white sauce.
The dish that won the judge’s award is a menu item added for fall: crespelle di autunno (autumn crepe), made with spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, wrapped in a crepe and topped with tarragon and nutmeg-infused pumpkin creme sauce. Yum!
What is his secret for consistently winning judges’ and people’s choice awards? “I never compromise the integrity of my ingredients or my food,” says Trupiano.
He preserves the recipes and continues the tradition of his mother, Mama Trupiano, a native of Sicily, who recently retired after 35 years in the restaurant business, and whose recipes are used in four family restaurants around the country.
“I pride myself on keeping up her recipes,” he says.
He also comes up with new recipes of his own from time to time.
His philosophy is to combine fresh ingredients with making each recipe to order. When you order an eggplant dish, that eggplant starts in its raw form. Nothing is premade. There are no warming trays.
“It’s always challenging and fun to keep up with the current trends and how people are dining,” he says.
The food also isn’t overly seasoned. “That’s one thing I learned from Mama,” he says. “She was able to make dishes using the food’s natural flavors. You don’t need to add a bunch of salt and garlic to make the flavor of what you are serving.”
Trupiano added “heart healthy” menu items last year that include dishes made with wheat pasta and gluten free pasta served with extra virgin olive oil and sauteed vegetables, as well as, grilled salmon and grilled chicken.
The last time we checked in with Faro Trupiano, he was a bachelor, but that changed in October of 2010. His wife, Sara, although she has her own career, helps him with their catering service.
When he was still single, Faro used to fix food for himself before testing it on his customers’ tastebuds. “Now I get to experiment new dishes on her,” he says with a grin.
And, of course, they also serve a variety of pizzas, ranging from the simple basic Margherita, made with mozzarella, oregano, basil and sauce, to the Trupiano special, which has a wealth of toppings.
The restaurant showcases local wines, especially wines from the Fallbrook Winery, as the house vintage.
“After seven years in Fallbrook, I really feel part of the community—earning my place. I hear people talk about restaurants that were here before me and which made a name for themselves. I’m enjoying doing the same. It’s really exciting to feel a part of the town.”
When you visit Trupiano’s, you’ll be waited on personally by Faro. He has trained the staff in his style of cooking and prefers to interact with customers to find out what they like and don’t like.
They often thank him for being in Fallbrook and for making them feel a part of his family.
“Fallbrook people are very loyal and appreciative,” he says.
This year Trupiano’s is launching a barbecue catering division. We are not talking about Italian barbecue—if there is such a thing—but traditional barbecued delicacies such as pulled pork, barbecue trip tip, cole slaw, baby back ribs, corn-on-the-cob and corn bread. This is strictly a catering menu and is not served at the restaurant. It can be prepared for 25 to 500 guests.
Trupiano’s Italian Bistro is located at 945 S. Main Street in Fallbrook. It is open seven days a week: Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. and Sunday, 4–9 p.m.
Trupiano’s also offers cooking classes. Visit their website at www.trupianosbistro.com for menus and more information.

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