North Park News, January 2015

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Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 23 Years

Vol. 23 No. 1 January 2015

Selling Real Estate for over a Quarter Century!

Cardamom owner Joanne Sherif displays a tray of rolls from the busy restaurant.

FOR MEN ONLYJust before Thanksgiving, men’s retailer

Crow Thief removed the opaque butcherpaper from its windows to reveal a remodeled space stocked withversatile menswear and accessories.

The 700-square-foot store has resided at 3009 Grape St. since2011, and South Parkers and San Diegans have embraced the con-tinually-evolving Crow Thief thus far, if not for its custom-madeclothing then for its commitment to the community.

"Something we offer that other retailers

Melissa Hendrix-Lawson, founder of Crow Thief.

This is the story of two neighborhood cafes on oppositesides of Balboa Park that thrive because they bring somethingdifferent to the table.

Joanne Sherif grew up in Hemet at a time when it wasknown for old folks and agriculture. Her mother instilled inher a love for reading so Joanne found joy flipping the pagesof cookbooks and exploring recipes. That love never left.

“I had always wanted to open a bakery,” said the mother offive children whose youngest is 18 and whose families connectto Norway and Ethiopia. “I wanted to create a space that peoplecould come to.”

So during the 2006 World Cup soccer matches in Germany

while staying in Amsterdam, her former husband offered hera challenge that she had been talking about for 20 years. If shedidn’t open the restaurant, he would do something with thespace.

Cardamom Café & BakeryIn June 2008, Joanne opened Cardamom Café & Bakery at

2977 Upas St. in North Park in a space once occupied by LaSalsa Chilena. Today that neighborhood is packed with restau-rants, including Alexander’s, The Smoking Goat, Underbellyand Influx Café.

Since Joanne (who has a law degree) had never worked in a

BY MANNY CRUZ

Crow Thief offers custom clothing that’s fit

ConnectionsFinding café treasures on opposite sides of Balboa Park

BY COLETTE MAUZERALLE

Passions Rising in SouthPark Over Target’s Plans

SEE CAFES, Page 5

BY MARTIN KRUMING | PHOTOGRAPHS BY BARRY CARLTON

One hundred years ago, Balboa Parkwas poised to enchant the world withthe Panama-California Exposition. Yearsof vision, fanciful design, and construc-tion (much not meant to be permanent)had transformed the central mesa ofscrub and canyons into an arcaded,glowing, romanticized Spanish city on ahill.

Plenty will be said about Balboa Park

in 2015 during the celebration of theExposition’s centennial. But 100 yearsago, another enduring transformationwas taking place north and east of the1,400-acre city park: the growth of street-car suburbs around University Avenue,30th Street and Adams Avenue. A patch-work of subdivisions optimisticallymapped as early as the 1870s finally wasin the midst of urban development ini-

tiated by the extension of three streetcarlines from downtown on those thor-oughfares.

What was happening by 1915 in thearea now collectively known as NorthPark? When the first visitors to the Expo-sition walked across the grand CabrilloBridge, the concrete arch Georgia Street

North Park and the 1915 Panama-California Exposition How the neighborhood was shaping a century ago

SEE 1915, Page 4

SEE CROW, Page 12

World’s First Tetrachromat Artist

Concetta Antico got her first set of oil paintsat the age of 7. Art has been in her life ever since.

“I painted album covers, in my teens, on the walls of my room,” shesaid. “I was immersed in the garden all the time, making little brews offlowers and soil. And really seeing the color in all of

Concetta Antico could be seeing an extradimension of colorBY DAVID WAGNER | KPBS

SEE COLOR, Page 9

Home built by David Owen Dryden at the time of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.It is at 28th and Capp streets. (Courtesy of Katherine Hon)

By allowing scientists to study her vision and her genetics, Antico learned it’spossible she’s seeing colors most people can’t.

‘Target is a Wal-Mart With Lipstick,’says opponent

Tensions are mounting between South Park neighborhoodgroups and Councilman Todd Gloria over Target’s plans toinstall a TargetExpress in the former Gala Foods site, an issuethat has ignited passions in the close-knit neighborhood.

Care About South Park, a self-described grass roots neigh-borhood preservation alliance, and the Neighborhood MarketAssociation issued a press release demanding that Gloria “servethe interests of his 3rd District constituents by blocking theplanned Target store in South Park.”

“Target will forever change the neighborhood of SouthPark,” said Sabrina DiMinico, Care About South Parkspokesperson. “We have very legitimate concerns about itsimpact on traffic, local business, and the long-term implica-tions of allowing a chain in one of San Diego’s most historicneighborhoods. We met with Todd in hopes that he wouldvalidate our concerns and help us. Instead, he told us it was

SEE TARGET, Page 8

BY KATHERINE HON

2 | northparknews.biz/digital | January 2015

Residential move-ins are under way and thegrand opening of Stehly Market is scheduled forJanuary at Kensington Commons, a new mixed-use apartment and retail development locatedat the corner of Adams and MarlboroughAvenues in Kensington.

The new $10 million project occupies the for-mer site of an Emerald gas station.

Designed by Allard Jansen Architect in col-laboration with Maple M3 Architects and archi-tect Salomon Gorshtein, the three-story projectreturns classic architecture and village identityto one of San Diego classic neighborhoods.

Featuring Santa Barbara-style architecturereflecting the prevailing style of the surroundingcommunity, Kensington Commons features 34

apartment units over nearly 10,000 square feetof ground floor retail space on Adams Avenue.

Retail tenants include a Stehly Farms Market,The UPS Store, and Pacific Dental.

A total of 65 parking spaces are hidden in therear of the structure. Apartments will includeone and two-bedroom flats with open floorplans, upscale amenities and generous outdoorspaces. The flats were designed to appeal to thosewho value the gracious style of old Kensington,but want modern kitchens, energy efficiency andsecurity.

Apartment floor plans include one- and two-bedroom units with nine-foot ceilings and “greatroom” designs for flexible living and entertaining.The pet-friendly flats offer classic hardwood

floors and plush carpeting, modern kitchens withstainless steel appliances and gas ranges, washerand gas dryer, quartz countertops, large storageclosets, private patios or balconies and securecovered parking.

Kensington Commons reflects the City of Vil-lages design strategy, which focuses growth intomixed-use activity centers that are pedestrianfriendly, that become centers of community, andthat are linked to regional transit systems.

“Kensington Commons was designed to allowliving, working and playing within an urban vil-lage setting,” said architect Allard Jansen. “Ten-ants will enjoy upscale living and convenient,walkable access to shopping and services. Webrought in a local organic grocery store so people

can shop locally. Because the community lacksa post office, we brought in a UPS Store.”

Kensington Commons is developed by theTerrace Partners LP partnership of Allard Jansen,Hannah Devine, Rick Vann and Salomon Gor-shtein. Jansen is familiar with the Kensingtonvillage as both a resident and the developer ofseveral award-winning projects in the commu-nity.

Financing of the project is by San Diego Pri-vate Bank. Apartment rental applications are cur-rently being accepted at www.kensington com-mons.com.

Kensington Commons OpensProject offers 34 apartments and retail stores

Kensington Commons at Adamsand Marlborough avenues.

January 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 3

Ask Dr. ZWhy does my child keep gettinglice over and over?

You must have a clean-headed, affec-tionate child! Contrary to popularbelief, lice like clean good smelling hairto live in. They transfer from child tochild is when their heads get closetogether, like when hugging, tellingsecrets, or wrestling.

During the school year, I recommendchecking their heads once a week fornits or lice, especially behind the earsand at the nape of the neck. Also, whenyou treated in the past, you may havemissed treating the car seats, the hoodsof sweatshirts, jacket collars, the head-bands, brushes and bows, hats, bicyclehelmets, the back of the couch, andstuffed animals. All of those can havelice that will re-infect your child if youdon’t wash or vacuum these as well.

Also, combing the hair is the onlyreal treatment for lice. You can kill themwith oils, chemicals, tea tree oil, etc. butthe eggs will hatch within days and youwill be back where you started. I suggestcombing with a lice comb daily for upto three weeks after treatment for lice.You will get nits out and an occasionallive louse that just hatched. Keep at itand you will eventually get them takencare of.

Also, don’t forget to treat EVERY-ONE in the family, even if you don’tfind lice on them. Unless you never hugyour child, you, your spouse, other chil-dren and maybe even grandma havethem too! To prevent reinfection afterthat, I suggest putting 1 teaspoon of teatree oil into each bottle of shampoothroughout the school year. Lice hatestrong smelling oils like that andcoconut oil.

What is MRSA and how did I getit?

MRSA stands for Methicillin (anantibiotic) Resistant Staph Aureus. Thisis a type of staph infection of the skinthat is resistant to the more commonantibiotics. It tends to be more aggres-sive than other staph.

Staph lives on our skin. It is neededto take care of some of our dead skincells. You get MRSA from touchingsomething with that bacteria on it. Allstaph can cause infection when the skinis broken, like in a cut or scrape.

MRSA tends to be more aggressiveabout it, and it is harder for yourimmune system to take care of it byitself, like most small staph infectionson our skin. It can be treated with someantibiotics.

After the treatment, however, youmay need to use a special soap and putsome antibiotic cream up your nose fora few weeks to get rid of it off your skin,so only the regular staph is there.

Remember, open enrollment formedical coverage runs through Feb.15. If you don’t sign up, there will be apenalty on 2015 taxes of up to 3 per-cent of your income.

Dr. Tara Zandvliet welcomes yourquestions. Send them to [email protected]. She practices at2991 Kalmia St. Phone: (619) 929-0032.

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Bridge over University Avenue was cel-ebrating its first birthday. This is thebridge still seen today. It was designedby City Engineer J.R. Comly and spans66 feet between vertical concrete wallswith arched panels echoing the multiplearches in the bridge.

The concrete bridge finished in 1914replaced a smaller redwood truss bridgethat was built in 1907 to allow the firstsingle streetcar track to pass through acut in the hill at Georgia Street andextend eastward as far as FairmontAvenue. As noted by the late DonaldCovington in his book “North Park: ASan Diego Urban Village, 1896-1946,”“More than any other man-made fea-ture, the Georgia Street Bridge stands asa landmark and symbol of the event thatopened the northeast mesa to urbandevelopment.”

By 1915, a different bridge had con-quered Switzer Canyon, a geographicobstacle to the advancement of thestreetcar northward along 30th Street.The steel truss 30th Street Bridgespanned 700 feet of Switzer Canyon. Thebridge had been completed in 1908 anddouble tracked in 1910. The Number 2streetcar line had been extended fromdowntown to join what became theNumber 7 streetcar line along UniversityAvenue by 1911, creating the “Busy Cor-ner” of commercial development thatcontinues today.

The Busy Corner was anchored bythe three-story, multi-use Stevens &Hartley Building completed in 1913. Itstill dominates the northwest corner asthe Western Dental Building, althoughit has lost its first floor transom windowsand cantilevered ornamentation aroundthe roofline. The building housed apharmacy for more than 80 years, pro-vided space for the U.S. Post Office inNorth Park, and served as the headquar-ters for the real estate dealings of WillStevens and Jack Hartley. Other retailand service businesses at the Busy Cor-ner by 1915 included Henry Berger’shardware store on the west side of 30thStreet, and Clayton Hill’s grocery on theeast side of 30th Street.

Another commercial node emergedat 30th and Upas Streets where the

northbound Number 2 streetcar linehad initially terminated in 1909. Thestately Lynhurst Building completed in1913 by the San Diego ConstructionCompany provided seven shops on theground floor and five apartments on thesecond floor.

Balboa Park has its iconic 198-foothigh California Tower, now a symbol ofSan Diego. But in 1915, North Park’sbeloved symbol, the 127-foot high watertower, would not be built for nearly adecade. Instead, a 52-foot high, 40-footdiameter cylindrical metal standpipe thathad been built in 1910 stood at El CajonBoulevard between Oregon and Idahostreets. Adjacent to the standpipe at Ore-gon Street was a partially buried, 10-footdeep concrete reservoir measuring about340 feet long by 150 feet wide. This 3-million-gallon reservoir was built in 1908.

The standpipe and reservoir wouldremain until 1952, when they werereplaced with a 4-million-gallon, above-ground concrete reservoir. The top ofthis still-active water supply facility firstserved as a used car lot and later a tennissports center; it is currently used for“indoor” soccer fields. The elevatedwater tower built in 1924, which onceheld as much as 1.2 million gallons ofwater, is now empty, but it has been list-ed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces in recognition of its rare size anddesign.

The ornate Spanish Colonial style ofthe Exposition’s structures was notreflected in the dominant architecturalstyle for homes in 1915. At that time,master builders like David Owen Dry-den specialized in wooden facade homesin the Arts and Crafts style. When theExposition began, Dryden was justbeginning to construct fine Craftsmanhomes within what is now the NorthPark Dryden Historic District along 28thStreet and Pershing Avenue from Upasto Landis Streets.

Dryden finished his first house on28th Street in June 1915. Located at thehighly visible corner of 28th and Cappsstreets, the house is Dryden’s most extro-verted expression of the oriental mode,with wooden pagoda-like trusses, anupturned roof line, and heavily brack-eted veranda columns. He then built amodest one-story bungalow for his ownfamily at 3536 28th St. and completed aclassic Craftsman two-story home next

door by December 1915. Although the Exposition had not yet

influenced typical home architecture byopening day, anticipation of the eventwas a major factor in the marketing ofnearby real estate. A Barnson for Bar-gains real estate advertisement from theJan. 9, 1912 San Diego Union enthusi-astically extolled the desirability of lotsalong Villa Terrace, Pershing Avenue,and 28th Street between Dwight andLandis Streets, with their “Unob-structable view of the mountains toMexico, Point Loma, Coronado Islandsand down over the big park to theEXPOSITION grounds.”

The event also brought new residentswho started their own institutions inNorth Park. For example, TrinityMethodist Church was established byRev. Walter Grant, who visited SanDiego for the 1915 Exposition anddecided to stay. The church now locatedat Thorn and Grim streets began ser-vices on borrowed land near Upas and30th streets. Other institutions that werenew in 1915 include Jefferson Elemen-tary School on Utah Street, GarfieldSchool in its original location south ofEl Cajon Boulevard, North Park Com-munity Church on the corner of 29thand Landis Streets, and Plymouth Con-gregational Church at its original loca-tion across Utah Street from JeffersonElementary School.

Want more North Park history? Goto Paras Newsstand at 3911 30th St. forDonald Covington's book, “North Park:A San Diego Urban Village, 1896-1946,”published by the North Park HistoricalSociety. This detailed story of the first50 years of North Park is illustrated withmore than 90 historical photographs.Also available at Paras Newsstand is theNorth Park Historical Society’s latestbook, “Images of America: San Diego’sNorth Park,” published by Arcadia Pub-lishing Company in 2014. This book hasmore than 200 vintage photographs andtells the whole story of North Park from1900 to now.

Visit the North Park Historical Societywebsite at NorthParkHistory.org or con-tact them at [email protected] more information.

(Katherine Hon is secretary of theNorth Park Historical Society)


Homes built by David Owen Dryden in 1915 on 28th Street. (Courtesy of Katherine Hon)

1915CONTINUED FROM Page 1

Present day watertower, built in 1924.

Present day Georgia Street Bridge.

The author, Katherine Hon, at the Craftsman Neighborhood sign.

Water tower and standpipe. 1947.

Trinity Methodist Church was established by Rev. Walter Grant, who visited San Diego forthe 1915 Exposition and decided to stay.

restaurant and had never gone to culi-nary school, she flew north for a weekat the San Francisco Baking Institutefocusing primarily on croissants.

Aside from the fresh ingredients andmeals that are baked from scratch, a keyto Cardamom’s success is how cus-tomers are treated.

Ever since she opened the doors, “Ilistened to everything people said,”including the artwork on the wall which

came from neighbors.“The connections I’ve made, the

friendships I’ve made; I’m so blessed tobe in this neighborhood,” said Joanne.“They’re friends. You become like thisneighborhood family.” Weekends are thebusiest days for breakfast and lunch, andthe mornings are filled with babies atthe table. Neighbors come from as faraway as Alpine and Poway, and as closeas walking distance. “My regulars livehere.”

As for the flourishing North Parkrestaurant scene, “everyone is so sup-

portive of one another. It’s an amazingenvironment to work in. We all knowhow hard it is to work in.”

Café BassamOn the other side of Balboa Park is

Café Bassam at 3088 Fifth Ave. It’s owned by Bassam Shamma, a

Palestinian who grew up in Jordan andtraveled throughout the Middle East andEurope before settling in San Diego andits weather. In the early 90s he openedup his café at Fourth Avene and MarketStreet years before the Gaslamp Quarterboom.

Café Bassam is no ordinary coffeehouse. Initially, you might think of it asan antique gallery when you first walkin with everything from paintings torifles hanging on the walls, and knick-knacks and books displayed on tablesand cabinets throughout. Even the bath-room has artwork.

“I love art and antiques,” says Bassam.“It’s my passion. When you have passionyou keep going.” So it’s understandablewhy he travels throughout SouthernCalifornia searching for these treasures.

Just like Cardamom, everything is

freshly baked from scratch at Café Bas-sam, which has a wide assortment ofcoffees and teas as well as beer and wine.

It’s the type of place where you canchat with a friend, read a book, type anovel or search the Internet.

And like Joanne Sherif, Bassam caresabout his neighborhood. He rememberswhat it was like at Fourth and Marketwhen he constantly had to pick up trashand keep the sidewalks clean.


CAFESCONTINUED FROM Page 1

The Cardamom Café & Bakery neighborhood is packed with restaurants,including Alexander’s, The Smoking Goat, Underbelly and Influx Café.

Cardamom Café & Bakery at 2977 Upas St. was opened in June 2008 in a space onceoccupied by La Salsa Chilena,

Jessica Meyer, a server at Café Bassam, heads for a customer’stable.

Café Bassam’s interior resembles an antique gallery with every-thing from paintings to knickknacks and books displayed ontables and cabinets.

Faith Bentley, a serverat Cafe Bassam.


“Coast to Cactus,” an exhibit that was conceivedmore than a decade ago, opens Jan. 17 at the San DiegoNatural History Museum and will serve as a compan-ion to “Fossil Mysteries,” which explores evolution,ecology and extinction in Southern California.

Together, the two exhibitions tell the story of South-ern California from the prehistoric era to present day.

San Diego is known for its incredibly diverse terrain,ranging from the beaches to the slopes. This terrain iswhat makes the region one of only 35 biodiversityhotspots in the world, meaning areas that have thehighest concentration of different species of any geo-graphic area of similar size.

“Coast to Cactus” illustrates that richness and takesvisitors on a journey through Southern California’shabitats, from coast to chaparral, and from mountainforests to deserts.

Through immersive environments (hands-on inter-active exhibits, live animals, life-like mounted speci-mens, and innovative media), “Coast to Cactus” willhelp visitors discover what it means to be a biodiversityhotspot: the story of why one region is home to somany species, why those species are so critically threat-ened at this moment in history, and why it matters.Some of the exhibit’s main attractions:

• An oversized replica of a segment of mud from alocal tidal flat. Young visitors can crawl inside, wherethey will discover animals that survive in the mudflatsin spite of tough intertidal conditions.

• A recreation of a residential patio overlooking anurban San Diego canyon, exploring how humans sharespace with nature and bringing to light the impact ofintroduced species on native plants and animals.

• An immersive virtual storybook that tells the tale ofthe dynamic chaparral ecosystem and how periodicfires are a natural part of life in this signature Californiahabitat.

• A multimedia experience that includes a realAirstream Bambi and transports visitors to the desertat nighttime, when the sun goes down, temperaturesdrop, and the seemingly barren landscape springs tolife as animals come out to hunt.

• Exhibits highlighting the work of people, past andpresent, whose efforts help us better understand howthe habitats of southern California have changed overtime and what we can do to help sustain the plantsand animals that live here.

COAST TO CACTUSExhibit will help visitors discover what itmeans to be a biodiversity hotspot


Save Our Heritage Organisation(SOHO), San Diego’s regional historicpreservation group, will explore the last-ing impact and tangible legacy of the 1915and 1935 San Diego international expo-sitions throughout 2015 at the MarstonHouse Museum & Gardens in BalboaPark, the scene of the two seminal eventsthat transformed the San Diego regionand advanced it on the world stage.

SOHO’s plans call for entertaining andeducational exhibits and events inspiredby the 1915 and 1935 Expositions. Mostwill be presented throughout the historicMarston House Museum & Gardens, theformer estate of George W. Marston, avisionary civic leader, philanthropist,preservationist, and major proponent of

both expositions. Marston held decision-making meetings for the expos in thisArts & Crafts-style mansion, which isnow a National Historic Landmark,located at 3525 Seventh Ave. in BalboaPark’s northwest corner.

SOHO’s 2015 calendar of centennialevents is posted on its website. The orga-nization is also calendaring all exposi-tion-related events that are heritage basedfrom organizations and institutionsthroughout the region at SOHOsandiego.org.

The four interrelated exhibit themeswill build on each other as the year pro-gresses. They are:

• Balboa Park Exposition Designers1915-1935: The Making of Balboa Park,

on display Feb. 6-Nov. 30, 2015.• Souvenirs and Keepsakes: Memora-

bilia of the 1915 & 1935 Expositions, Feb.6-Nov. 30, 2015.

• Art of the Park, 100 Years of Art inBalboa Park (1915-2015), in the MarstonHouse and gardens, April 17-Sept. 21,2015. Third Sundays from April throughSeptember, select artists will hold an out-door art show and sale of works depict-ing Balboa Park.

• Exposition Memories: The music, lit-erature and decorative arts of the 1915 SanDiego Exposition, April 17-Nov. 30, 2015.

A host of related events throughoutthe entire year, including architecturaltours, lively talks by leading experts, anda special Day at the 1915 Expo for chil-dren will mark and illuminate the cen-tennial of the 1915 Exposition.

“We are including both the 1915 and1935 Expositions in our programmingso as not to interrupt the sweep of SanDiego’s social, artistic, architectural, andcommercial history set in motion bythese huge international events,” saidAlana Coons, SOHO’s director of edu-cation and communications. “With theopening of the Panama Canal, the1915Exposition promoted San Diego as thefirst port of call on the Pacific Coast. Itwas so successful that it ultimately led to

the second expo and expansion of theexpo grounds. Balboa Park as we knowit today is a product of both expositions.”

“The 1915 Exposition was about peo-ple, art, literature, music, and historicalthemes,” Coons said. “Home life alsotook the stage with decorative arts, hor-ticulture and agricultural emphasis forhome and farms. SOHO’s four exhibi-tions will tell this story within the uniqueenvironment of a house museum. Wethink our visitors will enjoy beingimmersed in our intimate, domesticallyscaled exhibition experience and that itwill be meaningful.”

SOHO’s newest publication is a tourguide to Balboa Park illustrated with thepaintings of San Diego artist RD Ric-coboni. The artist is a lifelong historicpreservationist and calls himself the “ArtTraveler” because he paints historic build-ing and sites wherever he goes. Ann Jar-musch, former architecture critic at theSan Diego Union-Tribune, wrote theguide.

SOHO’s Marston House MuseumShop, located in the estate’s carriage houseon Seventh Avenue, will be transformedinto a treasure house filled with uniquecommemorative merchandise inspiredby SOHO’s four thematic exhibits.


all perfectly legal and there was nothinghe could do.”

“We didn’t elect Todd to be helplessagainst big business,” added DiMinico.“We elected him to fight for our neigh-borhoods. There are more than 1,800Target stores across the U.S. but there isonly one South Park. And we are goingto fight to preserve it.”

Asked to comment on the groups’demands, Gloria said blocking the Targetproposal in the manner suggested wouldbe illegal.

“I am disappointed that the Neigh-borhood Market Association is workingagainst this local property owner, whowas a founding member of NMA andalso owns several markets belonging tothe NMA. The comments of NMA andCare About South Park ignore manyfacts: the project involves only tenantimprovements and no structuralchanges, meaning it will be reviewed bycity staff and will not be subject to CityCouncil approval... and my support forsmall businesses over large corporationsis well documented, most notably withmy Ordinance to Protect Small andNeighborhood Businesses, which wouldhave required big box superstores todisclose their impacts on surroundingbusinesses as a condition of approval.”

Mark Arabo, president and CEO of

the Neighborhood Market Association,said residents cannot let the communitybe “sold out to corporate interests orbig-box influence.”

“Target is a Wal-Mart with lipstick,and we are committed to unmasking itfor what it is,” added Arabo. I look for-ward to working with Care About SouthPark because our interests are alignedin saying that a red carpet cannot be laidout for Target. Our work with the neigh-borhoods and small businesses of SouthPark begins now.”

Gloria also issued this statement:“Since learning of the proposal for

Target Express to move into the formerGala Foods site, I have been activelyinvolved in discussions with communitymembers, the property owner, city staff,and Target representatives, as shouldbe demanded of elected representa-tives. The constructive input of activeneighbors has been impactful and ledto many concessions, including thatTarget Express will stay within the foot-print of the current building, the archi-tectural integrity of the store will beenhanced by highlighting the originalmid-century aesthetic of the building,40 percent of the store will be dedicatedto groceries, and Target agreed not toinclude a Starbucks in the store.

In a separate update to the commu-nity, Gloria said:

“Yesterday I met with representativesof Target who updated me on the Target

Express project proposed for South Parkand shared preliminary designs. I washappy to see that what they had initiallyagreed to was reflected in their draftplans.

“The Target Express will stay withinthe footprint of the current building,and they will maintain and enhance thearchitectural integrity of the store byhighlighting the beams and mid-centuryaesthetic which makes the building sucha special part of South Park.

“The Target logo and Express letteringwill mimic the same floating red thatpreviously was used by Gala Foods andSafeway.

“Additionally, the current color palettewill remain and the windows will berestored to provide a clean and clear faceof the building.

“I am relieved to see that Target haslistened to many of the concerns that Ihave shared with them on behalf of thecommunity, especially related to the foot-print of the building and necessary ten-ant improvements. To that end, they arein the process of looking for a local artistto add some of the character of SouthPark to the inside of the building.

“I was also pleased to hear that thestore is being designed to serve the needsof the community. Specifically, dedicat-ing 40 percent of the store to groceriesand including a pharmacy will benefitthe neighborhood. In what I feel is animportant show of understanding of the

neighborhood, Target has agreed not toinclude a Starbucks in the store. Thisensures that the neighborhood estab-lishments we know and love can con-tinue to be the local coffee shops forSouth Park residents.

“At this time, the store will alsoinclude technology, health and beauty,as well as some clothing items.

“While in town, Target representativesalso met with the South Park BusinessGroup and the Burlingame Neighbor-hood Association to share their plansand receive additional input from thecommunity. They expect to submitplans to the city in early January atwhich time they plan to work with theGreater Golden Hill Planning Commit-tee on a date to present their final plansto the committee and the community. Icontinue to stress to company represen-tatives the need to work with the com-munity and to be transparent abouttheir intentions. I have asked to be pro-vided with a copy of the final plans oncethey have been submitted to the city sothat I can share them with you. I committo remaining vigilant in my oversight ofthis proposed project as it moves for-ward to ensure that what is being pro-posed is in fact what the communityreceives. As always, please contact myoffice if you have any additional ques-tions or concerns.

“Thank you for the opportunity toserve.”

TARGETCONTINUED FROM Page 1

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Writers/ColumnistsTodd Gloria

Bart MendozaDelle Willett

Anna Lee FlemingSara Wacker

PhotographyManny CruzSande Lollis

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SOHO Plans Balboa Park Centennial CelebrationExhibits, lectures, special events and tours scheduled


At her studio in Mission Hills, she teaches oil painting and works on her own canvases, all of them popping withcolor. Color that sometimes seems out of place.

this.”Antico didn’t realize it at the time but

the colors she saw in that garden couldbe invisible to the average viewer. Byallowing scientists to study her vision andher genetics, Antico learned it’s possibleshe’s seeing colors most people can’t.

Antico grew up in Australia, but nowcalls San Diego home. At her studio inMission Hills, she teaches oil painting andworks on her own canvases, all of thempopping with color. Color that sometimesseems out of place.

She paints Balboa Park with accentsof purple and the night sky with glim-mers of orange. Antico said she’s usingthese colors faithfully. To her, they actuallyappear out in the world.

“I am trying to portray what I see. Overthere, there’s a painting of a duck,” shesaid, pointing to a canvas hanging in thecorner of her gallery.

Strokes of orange and purple outlinethe duck’s feathers and thin green lineshalo their heads.

“Those colors were truly there, in thatbird,” Antico said. “And they were strongfor me.”

A few years ago, students and collectorsdrawn to Antico’s unique style startedforwarding her articles about a conditionshe’d never heard of. It had something todo with genetics and the possibility ofhumans possessing enhanced colorvision.

She didn’t think much of it. Until sheread one piece that floored her. It men-tioned that women who give birth to chil-dren with color deficiencies could poten-tially carry the genes for this strangecondition. Around that time, Antico’sdaughter had been struggling to see cer-tain colored markers on the whiteboardat school.

“So I got a pen and paper, and I jotteddown the names of the doctors who werecited in this article,” Antico said.

She contacted them, and before long,she was spitting into a tube and shippingher DNA off to a lab in Washington statefor testing. The results came back. Shehad the genes for something called tetra-chromacy.

“This is a fairly new finding for me,and has changed my life significantly,”Antico said.

Let’s break down that word, tetrachro-macy. Tetra means four, chroma meanscolor. We all probably learned in highschool that humans are trichromatic —our retinas have just three color recep-tors.

But in the past few decades, scientistshave been exploring the possibility thatsome people have four.

How does that happen?Potential tetrachromats have to be

women. Genes that code for color recep-tors lie on the X chromosome. Men onlyhave one of those, but women have two.

That means they could have twoslightly different genes on each chro-mosome, independently producingdifferent receptors. That discrepancycould potentially add a fourth receptoron top the normal three.

“She has a normal form on one Xchromosome and this variant on thesecond X chromosome,” said Kimber-ly Jameson, a researcher at UC Irvinewho's been studying Antico’s colorvision.

The fourth receptor should be sim-ilar to one most people have, but shift-ed to respond most to yellowish,

COLORCONTINUED FROM Page 1

In her painting ‘Waddle, Waddle, Quack, Quack,’ Concetta Antico renders ducks with unusual colors suchas orange, purple and green.

SEE COLOR, Page 10


rather than reddish, light.“This is how she ends up being a

potential tetrachromat,” said Jameson.The possibility of seeing extra dimen-

sions of color may sound psychedelic, butlook beyond humans, and it’s not at alluncommon. Many kinds of birds, insectsand fish have more than three colorreceptors — even up to 16 color recep-tors. And we know some animals, likedogs, have fewer receptors.

Articles and blog posts linking to Anti-co’s work have claimed she “can see 100million colors,” or that she sees “100 timesmore colors” than average, or that shepossesses “superhuman vision.”

But those headlines mask the thornystate of human tetrachromacy research.Jameson and other scientists in this fieldare still wrestling with a big, fundamentalquestion: Is this fourth receptor reallyfunctional? Do women who have it actu-ally see another dimension of color?

Jameson has been putting Anticothrough a battery of tests to try andanswer that very question. It’s harder thanit sounds.

“Not only do the diagnostics not exist.Any types of tools that we might use, likecomputer monitors or any kind of displaydevice, they’re all based on models thathave just three display primaries,” Jame-son said.

These tools reproduce the world in red,green and blue for a trichromat viewer.But their usefulness for studying peoplewho might be seeing a world built onfour primary colors is limited. Even teststhat should in theory separate tetrachro-mats from people with normal visionhave not yet delivered definitive results.

There’s also the question of how specialAntico’s genes really are. More than halfof all women could be walking aroundwith some form of genetic predispositionfor tetrachromacy. But their vision couldstill be totally normal.

Jenny Bosten is another color visionresearcher, currently a visiting scholar atUC San Diego. In one study, Bosten andher colleagues at the University of Cam-bridge examined more than 30 womenwith the right genetic profile for tetra-

chromacy. But they only found onewoman who “exhibited tetrachromaticbehavior” on every color test given to her.

“Although quite a lot of women havethe genetic potential for tetrachromacy,we don’t yet have conclusive evidence foranyone that tetrachromacy exists,” saidBosten.

Listening to Antico describe what shesees in a dark shadow, it’s clear shebelieves she’s seeing colors invisible tomost people.

“I see purples, and blues, and reflectedcolors from other things,” Antico said. “Itis dark, yes, and it is gray, yes. But it isriddled with subtle pieces of color.”

Antico’s subjective perceptions arebacked up by her objective performanceon standardized color tests. She’s able topick out minute differences in color thatescape most viewers. But it’s hard to knowwhat to conclude from that.

Could it mean that, through years ofdedicated art practice, she’s simply trainedherself to be more sensitive to color? Oris her DNA working in tandem with hertraining, nature and nurture combiningto help her distinguish color better thanmost? So far, no one knows for sure.

Back at her studio, Antico took anothertest. Jameson had her look at tiles pro-gressing from pink to green and arrangethem into an orderly spectrum. Some ofthe tiles looked incredibly similar. Evenpeople with good color vision tend tomake at least a few mistakes.

When Antico finished, Jameson flippedover the tiles to check the numbers writ-ten underneath.

“Perfect, again,” she said. Antico hadnailed it. Zero mistakes.

(This story was first reported by KPBSin San Diego. Reprinted with permis-sion.)

COLORCONTINUED FROM Page 9

Flowers in vase framed.

Concetta Antico arranges colored tiles into an orderlyspectrum as part of the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 huetest, Dec. 3, 2014. (Photo: Nicholas McVicker/KPBS)

Kimberly Jameson is a researcher at UCIrvine who’s been studying Antico’s colorvision.

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Vol. 22 No. 12 December 2014

Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 22 YearsVol. 22 No. 12 December 2014

Selling Real Estate for over a Quarter Century!

Frankie Webb at work.

Don’t Worry, Bee Happy

“By now, most

of us have heard that the honeybees of

the world are in trouble. Not as many

know what they can do about it,” said

Erin Holko, owner of Bee Happy Bee-

keeping Supply. “But I’d like to change

that.”Holko started a buzz in November,

opening Bee Happy at 2637 University

Ave. in North Park with the goal of mak-

ing it easy for people to help the honey-

bees. She wants to show people what

they can do even in their small backyard

that will have a big impact on the bees.

Her slogan is, “Helping the honey bees,

one backyard at a time.”

Many are surprised to learn that hon-

eybees can be safely (and legally) kept

within the city of San Diego.

Holko’s bee boutique is swarming

with beekeeping supplies geared toward

small-scale, urban beekeepers. She carries

everything to get a new beekeeper start-

ed, as well as to maintain a productive

hive. A new beekeeper can get started for

less than $200.

“With my shop, people won’t have to

buy beekeeping supplies on line. Plus,

they can stop in to ask questions, tell us

all about their honeybees, and take their

supplies home that day,” she said.

Holko, 35, encourages families to get

into the hobby together. She stocks child-

size beekeeping suits and encourages kids

More than half a century ago, at age

16, Frankie Webb started shining shoes

in a barber shop at 50th and Imperial Avenue. On Nov. 30

he turned 61 and for the past 16 years he’s been shining

shoes at his stand in the Men’s Shoe Department of Nord-

strom in Fashion Valley.

“I found my niche,” says Webb, who grew up in Southeast

San Diego and over the years has shined the shoes of count-

less judges and lawyers as well as Herb Klein, former com-

munications director in the Nixon White House, former San

Diego City Councilman George Stevens and businessmen

John Mabee and Robert McNeely.

As for Stevens, “he showed me how to shine shoes” because

that’s what he did to put himself through college. “He shined

my shoes.”

But it’s the lawyers and judges who have been a big part

of Frankie’s customer base. Some, such as retired U.S. Mag-

istrate Judge Bill McCurine, came to know Frankie as a friend

though other connections.

When Frankie set up different stands Downtown in the

basement of the Westgate Hotel and the Marston Building,

he had “lots of lawyers.” He later took over the shoeshine

booth at Eighth Avenue and C Street for a veteran shoeshiner

named Amos, who was known by “most of the legal com-

munity.”

Frankie even opened up a stand at Ace Uniform and

Accessories, where he shined shoes for many of the police

officers attending funerals and other formal ceremonies.

“They would get their shoes shined because that was proto-

Erin Holko in her shop, Bee Happy Beekeeping Supply. (Photo by Delle Willett)

Erin Holko’s beekeeping store is a honey

SEE BEE, Page 8

Connections Frankie Webb takes a shine to countless judges and lawyers

BY DELLE WILLETT

When Duke Windsor wakes up in

the morning he can choose who he

wants to be that day: a musician, a 4th-

degree Black Belt, an artist, an opera

singer, an exhibit planner and designer,

an art teacher, a U.S. Marine veteran,

a student. He can choose because he is

all of these and more.

An African-American, Windsor was

born in 1960 as Lester Colleen Tum-

blin in Texarkana, Texas, into a poor

family with a

single mother

who eventual-

ly had 11 chil-

dren.

“I was the

sixth child in

the family,

with three

older brothers

and two older

sisters. We

were so poor

that the wel-

fare system

could not sup-

port the care of

one more child,” said Windsor.

So when he was 3 years old, he was

adopted by his aunt and uncle into the

Windsor household.

“I vividly remember the judge at the

hearing asking me if I wanted to live

with them. I later knew and under-

stood that this adoption insured me

of a better life. I was never without

food or clothing, had new shoes every

year, and my Christmas was always full

of joy, fun and lots of toys,” said Wind-

sor.As part of the Windsor family he

was free to develop his talents. By the

age of 5 he was sketching battleships

and warplanes. He copied N. C.

Wyeth’s paintings from “Treasure

Island” and was fascinated by Norman

Duke Windsor finds mystery, drama in North Park alleysPortrait of an Artist BY DELLE WILLETT

Overhead wires dominate the painting of this North Park alley by Windsor.

‘I never thought of art

being a career. It was just

something I did,’ says

Windsor. ‘My art teacher

tried to get me to see my

potential; he was a cham-

pion of my work.’

SEE DUKE, Page 4

SEE WEBB, Page 5

BY MARTIN KRUMING


The Craftsman has eight bedrooms and seven baths and sits on a hillside in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.

T H E L A R G E S T C R A F T S M A N

E V E R B U I LT

An ad man named Leonard Fenton has spent wellover two decades now working on Artemesia, reputedlythe largest Craftsman house ever built. And it is some-thing.

The 13,300-square-foot mansion in the Los Felizneighborhood of Los Angeles was built a century agoby Frederick Engstrum, a construction tycoon whobuilt downtown’s lovely Rosslyn Hotel, according to astory last year in Los Angeles Magazine.

He hired Frank A. Brown to design the house in1913 and made sure it had all “the latest environmentaland technical developments,” including rainwater col-

lection, electric intercom, central vacuuming system,and a record-setting Murray Harris built-in pipe organ.

Just a couple of owners later, Fenton bought thehouse in the late 1980s and has been restoring andmodernizing ever since. It has eight bedrooms andseven bathrooms, that pipe organ, a carriage house,six fireplaces, a gate house, a sleeping porch with severalMurphy beds, and new “swimming pool infrastruc-ture” on 1.79 acres.

Fenton listed the property for sale in 2012 at $12million, but pulled it off the market more than a yearago. Now it’s back, asking $10 million.

The 2,000-square-foot ballroom.

Modern day living room.


Men’s clothing is displayed in Crow Thief’s main shop.

Crow Thief is located at 3009 Grape St. in South Park.

don’t is an experience; the experience tocome in and design your own garment andhave, at the end of it all, a product that youcan say you were part of making. It’s aunique process,” says owner and designerMelissa Hendrix-Lawson, who founded thecompany in 2008 and whose designs havebeen featured everywhere from AFAR Mag-azine to Business Insider.

Inside the updated store, alongside a worktable where patterns are drawn and cut,shoppers will find a mixture of ready-to-wear button-down shirts, tee shirts, vests,jeans and more. Prices can be affordable,such as $25 to $48 for a simple tee, andclimb into the hundreds of dollars for morecomplex pieces and custom creations, thelatter having a turnaround time of four toeight weeks.

Hendrix-Lawson has now curated a col-lection of other designers’ work to sell in-store, including neckwear from fashion for-ward San Diego designer Lord Wallingtonand tops from Velva Sheen.

In stocking her shop, one ideal remainsimportant: materials must be from andlabor must be done locally.

“San Diego isn’t like Los Angeles, whereyou have a lot of resources as far as fashionapparel goes. But from day one, somethingI’ve always been extremely passionate aboutis manufacturing in the United States andkeeping jobs local,” says Hendrix-Lawson.“People have asked me why I don’t makethe product overseas but I’m just not inter-ested. I’d have suppliers laugh at me and tellme how I’m going to go out of businessbecause I was spending so much money onlabor, but being a small business, manufac-turing local allows me to have shorter leadtimes. I can create mini-collections withina season because of that.”

Another of Crow Thief’s specialties is fit,which Hendrix-Lawson is passionate about.Clients who take advantage of Crow Thief’scustom clothing first go through a fittingappointment, and then have their patternsput on file so that they can continue to getcustom-made clothing as desired.

“One thing that makes me feel so hon-

ored and happy is when a client comes inand for their entire life, due to a uniquebody structure or weight, they’ve had a hardtime finding things that fit properly; but wegive them the custom process and they leavehere with a smile because they’ve actuallyfound something that fits them.”

Hendrix-Lawson is a native of Seattlewho moved to San Diego in 2006. She grad-uated from the Fashion Institute of Designand Merchandising in Los Angeles with afocus on apparel manufacturing, and thenbrought her expertise to brands and busi-nesses including Forever 21 and the Hoteldel Coronado. Today, she resides in SouthPark and is constantly inspired by the cre-ativity that goes into running her store.

While Crow Thief is currently shoppableby appointment only — a system put intoplace in mid-2013 due to an influx of cus-tom requests — plans are in place to changethis limitation and the store will soon beopen Wednesday through Saturday duringtypical business hours.

Additional future plans include sellingwholesale and providing retailers with cus-tom collections. Hendrix-Lawson willincreasingly focus on ready-to-wear prod-ucts, while still offering custom orders tosome capacity.

“We have some fun collaborations in theworks as well, because I love conceptualizingcollections,” says Hendrix-Lawson. “Andlook out for package deals launching afterthe holidays.”

One thing that remains certain is thatCrow Thief will stay in South Park, a resultof Hendrix-Lawson’s appreciation for theneighborhood’s rare combination of smalltown-meets-thriving city feel.

“A lot of people ask me ‘why here, whynot La Jolla?’ because the demographic isobviously different. But I feel like the peoplewho live here support the businesses. There’sa strong community presence. They’re veryaware of products and what they want andwhether they're ecofriendly and locallymade.”

Hendrix-Lawson’s final thought for thestylish men of San Diego: “Don’t be afraidto dress up.”

Contact Crow Thief atwww.crowthief.com or at (619) 961-6210.

CROWCONTINUED FROM Page 1



The Reuben H. Fleet Science Centeris ready to rock with its second annuallive concert series, opening Jan. 16 withTim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe.

The 2015 edition of the popularmonthly live concert series features fiveestablished local musical acts to entertain.Musical genres include rock, country,blues, folk and soul to ensure that theconcert series has something for every-body.

The lineup:Friday, Jan. 16: Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe

Friday, Feb. 20: VeniceFriday, March 27: Earl ThomasFriday, April 17: Berkley Hart Selis TwangFriday, May 22: Steve Poltz Special guest Michael Tiernan openseach show.

Each show features two performances:an opening act and a headliner. Therewill also be beer, wine and cocktails avail-able at the no-host bar, food available forpurchase and the Fleet’s 100+ hands-onexhibits open for exploration.

Doors open at 7 p.m. The first perfor-mance is at 7:30 p.m. Parking is free inthe lot at Space Theater Way off ParkBlvd. All performances are in the ReubenH. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.The venue is the Theater Lobby, indoors,standing-room only. 21+ only. Ticketsare on sale now. Purchase at the Fleetticket counter (open daily starting at 10a.m.), online atsandiego.strangertickets.com or byphone by calling the Fleet’s Client Ser-vices Department at (619) 238-1233, Ext.806.

The Artists:Tim Flannery and the Lunatic FringeWhen Tim Flannery isn't coaching

third base for the San Francisco Giants,he's writing some of the most gorgeousacoustic music to roll out of Californiasince the halcyon days of the ‘70s folkexplosion. He is a prolific and talentedsongwriter, currently preparing to releasehis eleventh album in 15 years. He is aseasoned fingerstyle legend of Americanamusic with a gift for crafting potent, res-onant songs and delivering energetic,emotional live shows.

VeniceVenice’s trademarks are their har-

monies, personal lyrics and high energy,communal shows. Their distinctive vocalsound and harmonies have allowedVenice and its members to performand/or record with some of the biggestnames in the music industry, includingBruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson,David Crosby, Stevie Nicks, Bon Jovi,Jackson Browne, Brian Wilson, Cher,Don Henley, Elton John, MichaelMcDonald, Phil Collins, Ozzy Osborne,Billy Idol, America, Heart-and the listgoes on.

Earl ThomasEarl Thomas had never picked up a

microphone in his life until he was nearlykilled after losing his footing at the edgeof a 50-foot ravine. He slid all the waydown, landing unconscious on a pile ofbroken glass and debris. Luckily, the 22-year-old dental student was only bruised,but not knowing the extent of the dam-age upon regaining consciousness, hereflected on his disappointment at nothaving pursued his dream of becominga singer, and resolved to do just that ifhe survived. Nine years later, he recorded1991's Blue ... Not Blues, a record strong-ly influenced by his parents' love of bluesand gospel music and his own affinityfor '60s and '70s soul.

Berkley Hart Selis TwangBerkley Hart Selis Twang provides a

shot of California country rock and adash of folk, poured over 70s harmonywith a newfound edge. Berkley Hart SelisTwang combines the country-rock of EveSelis and Marc "Twang" Intravaia (of theEve Selis Band) with the country-folk ofJeff Berkley and Calman Hart (of BerkleyHart) to create a fresh sound, rich withvocal harmony and powerful lyrics. Ifyou like Crosby Stills Nash & Young, theEagles and Linda Ronstadt, you'll loveBerkley Hart Selis Twang!

Steve Poltz Former frontman of the semi-leg-

endary Rugburns, Steve Poltz positivelyowns a crowd when he's on stage. Hisshows are the stuff of legend-no two arealike-and can take an unsuspecting audi-ence from laughter to tears and backagain in the space of a single song. He isa master of improvisational songwritingand works without a set list to be free toreact instantly to the mood of a room.It's also worth mentioning that he is anastonishing guitar player on top of every-thing else. He is quite possibly the mosttalented, and engaging, solo performeron this planet. That's what 250+ showsa year on three continents will do foryou.

Special Guest: Michael Tiernan Michael Tiernan opens each show. He

hung with monks deep in desert monas-teries and lived in the Vatican, but he leftthe seminary for the higher calling ofmusic, and has since racked up severalnational and international awards for hissongwriting. His acoustic blend has arelaxed vibe mixed with a big city sound.Deep in meaning, yet playful in attitude,Michael's music takes you from the tem-ple to the tavern and from the beach todowntown.

Tickets:Advance sales: $27 general admission;$24 Fleet members, staff and volunteers.Day of show price: $32 at the door.

Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe

Venice

Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe Open Live Concert SeriesReuben H. Fleet Science Center second annual event

Earl Thomas Steve Poltz

Michael Tiernan

Berkley Hart Selis Twang


By Bart Mendoza

Adventures With Dark GlobeOne of San Diego’s brightest music spots during the 1990s was a small but crucial spot on Fairmount called,Megalopolis. Many of the area’s top musicians apprenticed at the bar, where top of the heap was likely DarkGlobe. The psychedelic/indie rock quartet has recently reformed, with a special show set for Jan. 31 at Lestat’s.All four original members are in place but this is no mere nostalgia fest, with new material among old favorites.If you like your rock music on the adventurous side, this combo, named for a Syd Barrett song, is just theticket.

Dark Globe: Saturday, Jan. 31at Lestats, 3343 Adams Ave. 9 p.m. All ages. www.Lestats.com.

Get Ready for Sleazy Barroom RockLots of surf-inspired bands call the San Diego area home, but few are as distinctive as Jason Lee & The R.I.P.

Tides. Lee’s gravity-defying blonde hairdo draws the initial attention, but it’s his sterling fretwork that willreel you in. His music is sleazy barroom rock, circa the late 1950s, full of instrumental swagger. Backed by a

trio, including sax, Lee released his debut album earlier this year, but live is where his music should be expe-rienced. If you’re already a fan of the Ventures, Los Straightjackets or Duane Eddy, add Jason Lee & The

R.I.P. Tides to your list of favorites.

Jason Lee & the R.I.P. Tides: Saturday, Jan. 17at The Tower Bar, 9 p.m.

21 and up. www.thetowerbar.com

Nobody Beats The Dickies for a GoodTimeThere are plenty of bands in rock ‘n’ roll that offer a good time,but for sheer fun, nobody beats the Dickies. Appearing at theSoda Bar on Jan. 17, the band answers the unasked question,“what if Hanna-Barbera had designed a punk band?” Theband’s cartoonish, over the top performing style — completewith hand puppets — has kept them a firm favorite with audi-ences around the world for nearly four decades. Whether youfavor their own classics such as “You Drive me Ape, You BigGorilla,” or their infamous recastings of such evergreens as“Nights In White Satin,” the Dickies never fail to impress eitheryour musical senses or sense of humor.

The Dickies: Saturday, Jan. 17, at The Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd. 8:30 p.m. 21 and up. www.sodabarmusic.com

Cindy Lee Berryhill and Freedy JohnstonDouble Bill

Java Joe’s will be the scene of a terrific double bill on Jan. 23,featuring Cindy Lee Berryhill and Freedy Johnston. Berryhillis a one of the area’s greatest talents, a maverick singer-song-writer with influences from Harry Partch to Brian Wilson. Shehas a slew of great albums to her credit, so there will be plentyof favorites in the set, but long-time fans will be happiest tohear previews of tunes from her upcoming album. Mean-while, opening up will be New Yorker Freedy Johnston, bestknown for his 1993 hit “Bad Reputation.” Touring behind hislatest album, “Neon Repairman,” Johnston’s mix of folk andpowerpop remains intact — for this show he’ll be in rock-duomode with drummer. Get there early for this one, it’s a guar-anteed sellout at this beloved intimate venue.

Cindy Lee Berryhill: Friday, Jan. 23,at Java Joe’s, 3536 Adams Ave., 9 p.m. All ages. www.javajoessd.com

Pioneer in the Field Paul Collins

Powerpop aficionados won’t want to miss an appearance byPaul Collins at the Tower Bar on Jan. 24. Collins was a pioneerin the field, laying the groundwork for countless bands to fol-low. A member of such legendary 70s combos as the Nervesand the Beat, Collins continues to release excellent songs thatstay true to his music’s roots, most recently on the album, “Feelthe Noise.” That said, it will be the first album classics such as“Rock ‘n’ Roll Girl” and “Don’t Wait Up For Me,” that will getthe crowd jumping. Despite the passage of decades, Collins’music and performances maintain their youthful spirit.

Paul Collins: Saturday, Jan. 24at The Til Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd.

9 p.m. 21 and up. www.tiltwoclub.com


Documents

North Park News, January 2015