By Monica Garske | SDUN Reporter

Last year’s North Park Festival of the Arts brought thousands of residents, performers and vendors, and this year’s is expected to do the same. (Photo courtesy of McFarlane Promotions)

Showcasing the uniqueness of North Park, the 16th annual North Park Festival of the Arts will take place May 20 at the intersection of University Avenue and 30th Street, in the center of North Park’s historic commercial district. The free outdoor festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and celebrates all types of expressive art, including crafts, children’s art, dance and music.

Angela Landsberg, Festival spokesperson and North Park Main Street executive director, said she expects around 35,000 attendees at the Festival.

“North Park is a designated art district and this event is a way for people to see all the creativity this community has to offer,” Landsberg said. “It’s an opportunity to highlight North Park.”

Landsberg said there will be more than 30 live musical performances and 25 dance performances throughout the day across six different stages.
In addition to the art and music spanning several blocks, Landsberg said another big draw to the festival will be the Craft Beer Block set up along Ohio Street.

This area will provide beer samples from over 25 San Diego breweries, including Ballast Point, AleSmith, Mother Earth Brewing Company, Green Flash and Coronado Brewing Company. The Craft Beer Block is the only facet of the Festival with an entrance fee, and tickets are $30 in advance or $35 the day of the event.

The North Park Festival of the Arts will also cater to foodies, with dozens of specialty food booths lining University Avenue.

Next to the food court on Illinois Street at University Avenue, the Beats & Eats stage presents what might be the most eclectic lineup at the festival.
Scheduled performers include local rockabilly- blues- and swing-fusion band JinxKing, San Diego beat-boxer Brent “Beehive” Campbell and diva drag troupe Tootie and The Lips Girls.

JinxKing is headlining the Beats & Eats stage and will perform at 3 p.m. Front man Larry Teeves, a foundation repair contractor with an office on Adams Avenue, said he wants to introduce younger generations to their style of music.

“Our music isn’t something kids usually hear on the radio, so it’ll be fun to see their reactions,” Teeves said. “Everyone is in a great mood at a community event like this, so it’s a dream gig for a musician.”

With this year being the band’s first time performing at the Festival, Teeves said he’s looking forward to putting on an energetic show and he hopes the crowd dances to their music.

“We really hope for some improv swing dancers that day,” he said. “They add extra fun to our show.”

At 5 p.m., Golden Hill resident and champion beat-boxer Campbell will take the stage for a 15-minute set. Beat boxing involves making drumming sounds or rhythms with a performers mouth.

“It will basically be a 15-minute drum solo with my mouth. I don’t plan on using any other instruments at all this year,” Campbell said.
The beat-boxer, a commercial artist by trade, said this will be his sixth year performing at the Festival and the varied mix of music, art and people keeps him coming back.

Closing out the Beats & Eats lineup at 5:15 p.m. will be Tootie and the Lips Girls, a drag queen quartet from Lips San Diego, located at 3036 El Cajon Blvd.

Tootie, a fan favorite at Lips, said she is a huge advocate of the arts and live entertainment so this recurring gig at the Festival is very special to her.

“[The girls] and I are used to performing for 8-year-olds to 98-year-olds, and this performance will fall somewhere in between,” Tootie said. “It’ll be totally fun and appropriate; a celebration of North Park and the arts.”

Beats & Eats stage manager Lisa Vincent said the lineup grew out of an open mic night she hosted at Filter Coffee House in North Park. The night consisted of diverse performers, including “musicians, politicians, beat-boxers, poets, actors [and] singers,” she said.

“I chose the acts for the Beats & Eats stage the same way. Diversity is key,” Vincent said. “Whether it’s a southern grunge rock singer, an 8-year-old violinist, an opera singer, a spoken word poet or a drag queen, everyone is encouraged to [be] who they [are].”

Dozens of information booths from local organizations will be at the Festival, including Victoria House Corporation, who recently became the host for the North Park Toyland Parade.

To help attendees find instant information about the event, stages and vendors, Landsberg said there is a free mobile application available for Smartphones. She said the application acts as a “GPS system” to guide people as they are navigating the Festival.

Participants can download the application, which will be specially programmed that day only featuring the location of vendors, art displays, ticket booths to the Craft Beer Block, parking options and restrooms. The download is available at get.antengo.com.

For parking, Landsberg said in addition to street parking, the North Park parking structure located on 29th Street will be free to the public all day. There will also be a free bicycle valet service.

For more information, including tickets to the Craft Beer Block, visit northparkfestivalofarts.com.

Additional Information:

North Park Festival of the Arts:
University Avenue & 30th Street (center)

Craft Beer Block:
Ohio Street

Beats & Eats Stage:
Illinois Street & University Avenue

North Park Parking Structure:
3829 29th St.

Dance Stage (live dance performances):
32nd Street & University Avenue

World Music Stage (live music performances):
Grim Street & University Avenue

On May 1, the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition (SDCBC), along with local elected officials and representatives from the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) declared May as Bike Month in San Diego.

Encouraging bicycle riders to ride to work or school, SDCBC Executive Director Andy Hanshaw said, “We are excited to have the opportunity to bring greater awareness to the benefits of bicycling and encourage people of all ages and abilities to join the ride.”

Some benefits Hanshaw mentioned include being a source of exercise and a clean, gas-saving mode of transportation.

The SDCBC is sponsoring several events in May. On Saturday, May 12, the SDCBC will offer a bike maintenance class and a skills course for children at Balboa Park. The event will be held at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Laurel Street from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On May 20, a “street skills” course will be held on how to bicycle safely among vehicle traffic. Other topics include bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques. The course will be held outside the Kensington Café at 4141 Adams Ave., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Additionally, to help encourage bicycle riding to the May 20 North Park Festival of the Arts, volunteers will be on hand to valet park bicycles.
“We must do more to protect our neighbors and friends and [make] bicycling in the community more safe and accessible,” Hanshaw said.

“The San Diego region recently lost two of our own, who were lawfully riding their bikes to work [when they] were tragically hit by distracted motorists,” Hanshaw said, referencing the deaths of Charles Gilbreath on April 18 and David Ortiz on March 22. “We are saddened and troubled by these incidences and are working even harder to protect the rights of our daily commuters,” he said.

SANDAG Chair Jerome Stocks said they recently adopted the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, which includes $4 billion in active transportation improvements, including bike trails and lanes, to be implemented by 2050.

District Three Councilmember Todd Gloria said in the coming weeks, bike corrals would be installed in Hillcrest. The first of which, and the first one in district three, was installed Thursday, May 10, at the corner of Fifth and University avenues.

Gloria said in an e-newsletter, “The bike corral will allow for safe, street parking of up to 10 bicycles at a time in the same amount of space it takes to park one car. More corrals are planned for district three, which will help address a challenge faced by cyclists. Much work remains to improve the safety and conditions of our active transportation network, but I’m excited about the steps we’re taking.”

On April 18, the Mission Hills Business Improvement District approved a Mission Hills parking budget that includes plans to install a similar bike corral in Mission Hills, with a tentative location on Goldfinch and West Washington streets.

At the May 1 Bike Month kickoff, Gloria cited a report that 40 percent of all vehicle trips are two miles or less. “Can you imagine what we could accomplish if we would simply substitute many of those trips for bicycle rides instead?” he asked. “We could make a significant impact on the quality of life in our neighborhoods…. It would be a tremendous thing.”

Gloria also said as a city councilmember, one of the major complaints he receives is about parking. “If I can just get more folks to ride bikes I could solve the parking problem…” he said, “We don’t need massive parking structures, we just need more bicycles.”

At the Bike Month kickoff, County Supervisor Greg Cox designated May 14 – 18 as Community Bike Week and May 18 as Bike to Work Day in San Diego.

For more information about the month’s events, visit bikesandiego.org.

The Mission Hills Business District will soon include International Restaurant Row. (Photo by Daniel Solomon)

With the hopes of creating a cohesive identity, the restaurants on the North end of India Street in Mission Hills have begun branding themselves as International Restaurant Row (IRR). Banners and signage are coming soon for the newly minted restaurant district.

The rebranding effort dates back to 2005 with a designation from former City Councilmember Michael Zucchet. Zucchet left office shortly after the district was designated, and the Mission Hills Business Improvement District (BID) decided not to move forward with the IRR as it did not have an executive director at the time.

Selina Stockley of Shakespeare’s Corner Shoppe said someone recently brought up the IRR during a Mission Hills BID meeting to discuss parking. “Everyone jumped up and down in their seat. That’s how we wanted to be [and] how we wanted to brand ourselves,” Stockley said.

Su-Mei Yu, owner of Thai restaurant Saffron, said she is excited about the IRR and the cuisine on India Street North is cosmopolitan, which is why the international moniker is a fitting brand.

“It will be wonderful for people to be able to come here and have a little flavor of each [country],” Yu said, adding she envisions taking the restaurant row concept one step further to create a patio food court concept with a street-food vibe.

“It’s absolutely time,” she said. “We can do something creative [and] really exciting: have street dancing and traditional music.”

Gary Kramer, owner of National Comedy Theatre on India Street in Mission Hills said he supports the IRR.

“It’s just a spectacular idea to brand the neighborhood,” he said. Kramer also said he thinks India Street North is eclectic and, to a certain extent, concealed and undiscovered.

“People have called us Mission Hills but we’re not in the hills, we’re at the bottom of the hill,” Kramer said. “That didn’t establish [that] we were, with all our choice dining and entertainment options… a collection of foods in a block and a half. The [new] name sums up what the area is all about.”
Tom Curl, president of the Mission Hills BID, said he agreed that creating the IRR in Mission Hills is the next logical step in promoting the area.
“It is a testament to the variety of menus and the quality of the food served that has resulted in the continued success of India Street North,” he said. “Not many places can you get such a variety of global taste experiences within a few steps of each other.”

Gerrie Trussell, executive director of the Mission Hills BID, said rebranding individual business districts within the Mission Hills area is a challenging task given the geography, therefore branding the district as a whole was a more practical solution.

“Mission Hills has several different little disconnected ‘fingers’ – India Street North, Raynard Way, Washington and West Washington [streets] – so it is not like your typical main street,” Trussell said. “It’s nuanced with different niche groups that do well in different areas.”

Trussell said the groundwork for the new restaurant district is being laid, including banners and new artwork to brand the area. She also said having multiple dining options in one place and the freeway near India Street North greatly helps in marketing the new district. “It’s got great character,” she said. “It’s the best-kept secret.”

Establishing the new district will also involve participating businesses offering valet parking and curbside pickup to address parking availability.
Aaron Rabinowitz of Gelato Vero Coffee said he is most excited about the valet parking. “One of the main impediments to getting people down here is lack of parking,” he said. Adding India Street North is an orphaned block, Rabinowitz said the region would now have an “identity.”

Mary Gluck of The Wine Vault and Bistro said she felt the same way. “It’s a great idea for all the businesses there,” Gluck said. “With valet parking, we can make it very special.”

IRR restaurants include: Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill, 3667 India St.; El Indio, 3695 India St.; Gelato Vero Coffee, 3753 India St.; Saffron, 3731 India St.; Shakespeare’s Pub and Grill, 3701 India St.; Starlite Lounge, 3175 India St.; The Regal Beagle Ale House and Sausage Grill, 3659 India St.; and The Wine Vault and Bistro, 3731-A India St.

For more information, visit ourmissionhills.com

Uptown Parking District Operations Manager Ben Verdugo. (Photo by SDUN)

District Three Councilmember Todd Gloria recently said at a press conference one of the biggest complaints he gets from the community is about parking. Uptown Parking District’s new operations manager, Ben Verdugo, said he has a plan to address that.

Hired in April, Verdugo has years of experience overseeing neighborhood improvement projects. Prior to his tenure with the Parking District, he served as the program manager for the Greater Golden Hill Maintenance Assessment District. The transition from his former position to the new one, he said, has been smooth.

“Administratively, it’s been seamless,” Verdugo said. “I’m still working with many of the same people on a day-to-day basis. These are people I’ve been dealing with for the past few years, so that makes things a bit easier. There have been many similarities but it’s still a whole different animal.”
His primary agenda item, he said, is to increase the number of Uptown parking spaces as quickly as possible.

Citing numerous ways to increase parking, Verdugo said, “One of the fastest ways to accomplish that is by changing bumper-to-bumper parking to diagonal parking, or even head-in parking. As long as we can obtain a 75 percent approval vote of residents and businesses [in front of the spaces and] as long as the street is wide enough the process can move forward fairly quickly.”

Currently, diagonal and head-in parking modifications are being evaluated for Vermont Street and Seventh Avenue in Hillcrest.
“Vermont [Street] is well into the process,” Verdugo said. “The petitions have been signed and the diagrams have been set forth. Once it’s approved by the Uptown Planners, we can start on getting things changed.”

The Seventh Avenue corridor, he said, may be more difficult to convert.

“Right now we’re evaluating whether the street is wide enough, and we’re still looking into whether there are other restrictions that would prevent us from moving forward,” Verdugo said.

Hillcrest Business Association Executive Director Benjamin Nicholls said Verdugo’s hiring was at the hands of the new Parking District board of directors. The Parking District, formerly referred to as the Uptown Partnership, had been inactive and the money collected for the inactive Uptown Partnership remained unused.

A new board of directors was elected earlier this year and their goal was utilize the money to implement parking improvement projects, Nicholls said, adding, “The priority was to hire someone that would move projects forward.”

Nicholls was on the Parking District hiring committee. Though there were a number of highly qualified candidates, what stood out most about Verdugo was his “roll up your sleeves, can-do attitude,” Nicholls said.

“He was more about what can we get done today, tomorrow and down the road as opposed to a big-picture, 10,000-foot view,” Nicholls said. “He’s going to be somebody who takes ideas and gets them done.”

Nicholls also said, “Hillcrest, Middletown, Mission Hills and Park West each has their own parking committee and each has ideas as to how to solve parking problems. Ben [Verdugo] is really going to have his work cut out for him.”

The Silent Comedy performs as a part of A Trolley Show, which won a micro-grant through Pizza Parlay. (Photo by Rebecca Joelson)

At a collaborative event produced by the Urbanist Guide and 3rd Space, local artists were awarded micro-grants while supporting local restaurants. Called a Pizza Parlay, producers invite residents to submit art and community project proposals, which are then voted on by participants to determine the micro-grant recipients.

Local pizza restaurants host or provide food for the Parlays, with the April 29 event hosted by URBN Coal Fire Pizza in North Park.

Event founders said selection guidelines are deliberately vague to allow for as many different submissions as possible. Projects and proposals accepted may include “a sculpture, a film, an art show, a conference, a concert, a street fair, a gallery space, an events series [or] an after school program,” per their guidelines.

Similar initiatives include St. Louis, Mo.-based SLOUP, a monthly soup dinner that generates funding for the arts; and Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics in Brooklyn, New York.

Dayna Crozier, Pizza Parlay producer and Urbanist Guide blogger, said the events are inspired by these programs, which raise money to be awarded as micro-grants. “Since I didn’t notice something like that here and I had SLOUP’s blessing, I decided to go ahead and start my own,” she said.
Participants pay a $12 entrance fee, $10 of which goes directly to the grant. Furthermore, 3rd Space, a club for artists offering a workspace and an opportunity to engage with other local artists, add a three-month membership to their arts collective for the winner. Second- and third-place winners receive free workspace at 3rd Space for one month.

“I was just hoping to add to the strength and sociability of our arts community, do some good and raise money for talented people using a model that I know can be successful,” Crozier said.

At the April 29 event, which was the second Pizza Parlay in San Diego, A Trolley Show won an $830 grant. The group, by Rowlberto Productions, features local musicians performing impromptu shows to the trolley-riding San Diego community, similar to a flash mob. Co-founders Andrew Rowley and Rob Knauf organize different local bands to perform, which are filmed and released online.

Rowley, Knauf and other members of Rowlberto Productions said the goal is to give the community a different way to experience a band, bringing the typical idea of a concert to the next level.

Additionally, A Trolley Show aims to provide local musicians the opportunity to share their talent with the community. As A Trolley Show stated in their proposal for the grant, “We feel really excited to be promoting San Diego in an awesome new light and showcasing what it has to offer besides its infamous beach scene. Being able to combine our love for San Diego with our artistic passion is what helps us push through the many hours of work and fun.”

Knauf said they would use the money to purchase new video and audio equipment, as well as improve their website. “We want to expand our audience reach by improving our site to include more images, information about the crew, bands and shoot dates,” he said.

To view performances organized by A Trolley Show, visit trolleyshow.com or follow @atrolleyshow on Twitter for information on upcoming shows.

The next Pizza Parlay will be held on May 27 at 3rd Space, located at 4610 Park Blvd, and proposals must be submitted by May 21 to be considered for the micro-grant. For more information, visit urbanistguide.com/blog/Pizza-Parlay.aspx.

Casa de Luz owner Eduardo Longoria and one of the chefs at the North Park location. (Photo by SDUN)

Vegan restaurant and cooking school Casa de Luz has recently taken root in North Park, and hosts their grand opening on Thursday, May 17. The restaurant is the brainchild of Eduardo Longoria and his father, who opened the original Casa de Luz in Austin, Texas.

The decision to open the North Park location came after Longoria’s exploration of using food as medicine.

Longoria said he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2003, a nerve disorder caused by inflammation whose muscular symptoms include spasms, difficulty walking or moving one’s arms. Longoria said the medication he was taking was not helping. Wanting to take action to improve his health, he looked into a macrobiotic diet, which emphasizes whole grains, beans and vegetables, and how he could use food to help heal his body and control his symptoms.

“When I got diagnosed, it was a real eye opener because I’ve always considered myself very healthy.…” Longoria said. “When I got diagnosed, my body just wasn’t working… but at the same time… it has gotten me to completely redirect my life and do very different things from what I was doing.”

Heeding his father’s advice to use food as medicine, Longoria said he traveled and learned about macrobiotic philosophies in Amsterdam, Italy and France. Macrobiotic diets are sometimes used by people with cancer and chronic diseases because of its low-fat content and high doses of fiber and micronutrients.

“What’s ironic is its always been right under my nose with my father [and his restaurant],” he said.

After studying macrobiotic eating and how to cook foods similar to those on the menu at the Texas Casa de Luz, Longoria decided to open a location in San Diego.

The menu is created daily based on the selection of organic vegetables arriving daily from local San Diego farms. All the food on the menu is organic and vegan.

While originally critiquing the food at his father’s location, Longoria said he used his father’s restaurant as inspiration to make his food flavorful. “My problem is I love the food so much, I tend to overeat there,” he said.

In addition to being a restaurant, Casa de Luz has partnered with the University of California, San Diego’s Center for Integrative Medicine to create a school inside Casa de Luz to train faculty doctors, students and the community.

The Center for Integrative Medicine utilizes alternative treatments, including yoga, acupuncture, massage and macrobiotic eating. They will be hosting cooking classes and lessons on how food can help the body heal. They will also host speakers at the restaurant.

A class is planned to discuss autoimmune diseases, such as MS, and Longoria said he hopes his story will help.

Since he assumed the macrobiotic lifestyle, Longoria said his “symptoms are absolutely going down,” adding he gets one or fewer flare-ups yearly, which are instances of extreme symptom expression that can deter a person’s ability to walk. Prior to the new lifestyle, Longoria said he would get two flare-ups a year.

On Thursday, May 17, Casa de Luz will host a grand opening celebration at 2920 University Ave. The celebration will be from 6 to 9 p.m. and will feature free organic beer and wine tastings, samples of the restaurant’s food, raffles, music and the opportunity to see the restaurant and school. The location is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Ever since Babycakes Hillcrest first opened the 3766 Fifth Ave. location in 2009, owners Christopher Stavros and Rafael Del Rio have taken the community by storm.

The café, bar and cupcakery has become so popular, in fact, the duo was approached about opening a second location in North Park. Currently open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Babycakes Balboa Park is located adjacent to the Balboa Tennis Club tennis courts at 2221 Morley Field Dr.

Stavros said the decision to expand to North Park came after receiving a call from the Balboa Tennis Club, adding there have been several restaurants located next to the club in the past. “The Tennis Club came to us a couple months ago to say they were interviewing other companies to move into the space and they wound up choosing us,” he said.

Colleen Clery Ferrel, the Balboa Park Tennis Club director, said they approached Stavros and Del Rio because of their company’s established name in the community. “We interviewed six different companies but [Stavros and Del Rio] really stood out,” Ferrel said. “We’re very confident they’ll do well and we’re excited about this opportunity.”

Stavros said it was not until he got the chance to walk through the property that he saw its potential. “I saw the vision and it made sense,” he said of their decision.

Babycakes Balboa Park is currently open daily, but Stavros said there are many changes taking place over the next several months, including plans for a grand opening event.

“The concept for Babycakes Balboa Park will be a California casual café, with mostly outdoor seating,” Stavros said. “This will be more of a breakfast and lunch, Panini’s, soups, salads and comfort food place for now.”

Stavros said the restaurant will eventually expand to offer brunch and dinner. “Our hours will be modified once that happens,” he said.
The Balboa Park location will be more focused on entrees as opposed to dessert and cocktails. For Babycakes Balboa Park, cocktails are not currently offered and a limited selection of cupcakes will be available for purchase.

“In Hillcrest we offer about 25 different cupcakes on any given day but we’ll probably offer six of our most popular ones at Balboa Park,” Stavros said, adding the expansive parking near the new location allows for more convenient access for patrons wishing to pick up a box of cupcakes to-go.

District Three Councilmember Todd Gloria, whose district includes North Park, said he is excited about the expansion.

“When established businesses open new locations, they demonstrate the strength of our local economy and the pull of District Three’s unique neighborhoods,” Gloria said. “Opening a new location will mean more jobs and continued vibrancy of North Park’s business core.”

Stavros said he and Del Rio are excited about the new concept and look forward to having an official grand opening in late May or early June.

In recent years, San Diego has developed a reputation as a craft brewing hub, with each neighborhood having its own hotspot where local beer lovers gather. With the upcoming opening of the Hillcrest Brewing Company, Hillcrest now has a brewpub to call its own.

For 20 years, the partners behind the MO’s Universe restaurant group have operated Urban MO’s Bar and Grill, Gossip Grill and Baja Betty’s. Now, the restaurant owners are brewing unique beers for the Brewing Company.

The Hillcrest Brewing Company is the brainchild of David White, a beer enthusiast and self-described “mad scientist,” who got his start as a brewer while working at the Aztec Brewing Company in Vista.

“Our brewmaster David White came to us about a year ago because he wanted to open up a brewery and was looking for investors,” Hillcrest Brewing Company owner Chris Shaw said. “We knew right away this was a great fit for our company because we sell so much beer at our three other locations. We figured, ‘why not start brewing our own?’”

The new brew house is currently under construction at 1458 University Ave., the former site of the Mandarin Dynasty restaurant and in the same complex where Gossip Grill currently resides.

“We just love Hillcrest and we’re really passionate about the neighborhood,” Shaw said. “We’re so excited to bring a new venue where all of our old friends can gather and feel like a part of a community.”

The Hillcrest Brewing Company will feature a hexagon-shaped bar, an open ceiling and a 12-foot drop-down chandelier made from 97 beer bottles. There will also be a garage door leading to a large patio featuring communal tables with cushioned kegs for seats.

“It was a pretty plain looking building but once we started opening up some of the walls, it became a spectacular looking space that had never been utilized,” Shaw said, calling the space “fresh and new.”

“People will be amazed when they see the building. It’s going to be phenomenal. We tore down some walls and found this great central beam structure where we’re going to hang the custom chandelier,” he said.

Additionally, White built a custom thirty-barrel system that can brew up to sixty kegs at a time. The brewpub will have 24 taps flowing, with six carrying White’s own brews.

“We’re making enough that we can sell to other places as well,” Shaw said. “There are currently 10 different locations that have already ordered our beer, and eventually we hope to sell it at liquor stores and grocery stores once we get our own bottling machine.”

Additionally, there will also be mobile, chilled kegs, called kegerators, for on-site parties and special events, a trademark for any MO’s Universe venue.

“We want to create a very festive atmosphere for locals, just like at all of our restaurants, we do parties well so there will always be something special going on,” Shaw said. “We’ll be giving classes on how to home-brew your own beer, and we’ll be giving tastings and doing a lot of things to help people appreciate the art of beer.”

The Hillcrest Brewing Company is slated for a tentative opening day on June 15 and will offer brick-oven pizzas among other menu items.

OLD GLOBE THEATER TO HOST GLOBE HONORS
The Old Globe Theater will host the Globe Honors 2012, a talent competition offering teenage performers the opportunity to perform monologues and songs. Finalists will compete before a live audience and a panel of judges, who will decide on the winners that night and announce them live. Winners receive scholarships to help further their training and may be eligible to participate in national-level competitions such as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City. The Globe Honors will be May 21 at the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, located at 1363 El Prado. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. For eligibility, visit TheOldGlobe.com/GlobeHonors.

CREEK TO BAY CLEANUP YIELDS OVER 150,000 POUNDS OF TRASH
At this year’s Creek to Bay Cleanup, 5,800 volunteers, including over 1,500 boy scouts and girl scouts, picked up more than 150,000 pounds of trash and debris countywide on April 28. At Camelot Canyon in University Heights, District Three Councilmember Todd Gloria showed his support with a $1,000 check to I Love A Clean San Diego, the non-profit environmental organization that sponsored the event. At Marston Addition in Hillcrest, volunteers removed over 530 pounds of invasive chrysanthemum, tumbleweed and trash, as well as a 60-foot metal sewer snake. Cigarette butts and plastic bags were the most common items picked up from local creeks, canyons, parks, bays and beaches.

TWILIGHT IN THE PARK ANNOUNCES SUMMER CONCERT SERIES LINEUP
Organizers of Twilight in the Park, the free summer concert series, announced the scheduled performers for the 2012 season. Running each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday starting June 19 and running through August 30 – except July 4 – Twilight in the Park shows will be held at 6:15 p.m. at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Some of the scheduled performers include Graceland, An Elvis Presley Tribute band; Bayou Brothers, a Cajun zydeco band; the San Diego Banjo Band; and the San Diego Youth Symphony. For more information, and to view the complete lineup, visit balboapark.org/visit/summer-events.

MUSEUM OF THE LIVING ARTIST TO HOST ART GYM SERIES
The Museum of the Living Artist at the San Diego Art Institute announced it will host the summer series Art Gym. Running Mondays through Thursdays until August 30, the Art Gym program is for art instruction and practice and is designed for artists 18 and older due to possible nude modeling and adult themes. Modeling times and closures will be listed on the Art Gym Facebook page. The museum is located at 1439 El Prado in Balboa Park. For drop-ins, the cost is $10 per class, or $50 for a monthly pass. For more information, visit sandiego-art.org.

MISSION HILLS GARDEN CLUB PRESENT ANNUAL GARDEN WALK
The Mission Hills Garden Club is hosting their annual Garden Walk, combining historical architecture with modern gardening. Held on Saturday, May 12, in honor of Mother’s Day, the Walk begins at the Mission Hills Nursery. The Mission Hills Nursery was founded by Kate Sessions, who is considered the “mother of Balboa Park.” The Mission Hills Garden Club suggests walking the route in reverse, beginning with the last garden on the Walk, to avoid crowding. Tickets are $30. For more information or to buy tickets, visit missionhillsgardenclub.org/garden-walk.php.

UNION BANK HONORS NORMAL HEIGHTS RESIDENT IN ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Union Bank has partnered with KPBS to honor two San Diegans for the 2012 Local Heroes program. The yearlong campaign is designed to celebrate and pay tribute to members of the community who are making a difference by improving their workplace or neighborhoods. The 2012 Asian Pacific American Heritage History Month honorees are Normal Heights resident Dennis-Michael Broussard and Ikunosuke “Mike” Kawamura. Broussard is the founder of event management and production firm Silk Road Productions and is responsible for many events throughout the San Diego Asian community, including the Asian Cultural Festival and the Filipino American Culture and Heritage Festival.

PARKING SPACES ADDED TO UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS
District Three Councilmember Todd Gloria announced April 11 the approval of the installation of 10 parking spaces in University Heights. The City Council approved the installation on April 10. The 10 angled spaces are designated for Meade Avenue between North and Campus avenues. “The shortage of public parking is an issue that has long plagued University Heights. Residents and visitors alike are often forced to circle block after block in search of an available parking space. In a densely populated, built out neighborhood, solutions can be difficult to develop,” Gloria said in a newsletter. “I cannot tell you how pleased I was to vote in support of this action. The community should see these 10 spaces as a starting point only. Much more work remains.”

BIRD PARK SUMMER CONCERT ANNOUNCES CONCERT HEADLINERS
Organizers for the Bird Park Summer Concert series announced its five concerts for the 2012 season. 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the neighborhood event, which offers free concerts every other Saturday from June 16 to Aug. 11. June 16 brings Blues singer Nathan James. On June 30, participants can hear Latin jazz performers Tinku. In the July and August shows, indie rock act Kitten with a Whip, country band Folding Mr. Lincoln and jazz singer Whitney Shay will perform. For more information, visit northparksd.org/concerts.

BALBOA PARK ONLINE COLLABORATIVE DIRECTOR STEPS DOWN
On May 4, Director Rich Cherry announced he is leaving his position at the Balboa Park Online Collaborative (BPOC) to co-chair Museums and the Web, LLC. He served as the Collaborative’s director since March 2009. Vivian Kung Haga will serve as interim director for BPOC during the transition period. Formerly BPOC’s deputy director, Kung Haga has experience in cultural institutions as an administrator, curator and educator. Before joining BPOC, she was the Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego director of education and deputy director for over nine years.

SPECIAL DELIVERY SAN DIEGO RECEIVES $3,500 GRANT
The Mission Hills-based Special Delivery, a free food delivery service for people living with AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses in San Diego, has received a $3,500 grant from The Thursday Club, announced Special Delivery Executive Director Ruth Henricks. Since 1921, The Thursday Club has raised over $1 million for numerous philanthropic organizations in the community. The Thursday Club Annual Rummage Sale, held in Balboa Park each spring, is the Club’s major fundraising event. Half of the money raised is distributed throughout the park, while the remaining half is contributed to other community causes. Special Delivery has served over 1.5 million meals to over 4,000 clients since its founding in 1991.

Preschool storytime: 10:30 – 11 a.m., Mission Hills Library, 925 W. Washington St., free

Saturday, May 12

Golden Hill Farmer’s Market: 8 a.m. – noon every Saturday, B St. between 27th and 28th Streets, free

Old Town Farmer’s Market: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. every Saturday, Harney Street, free

Free Concert: Chamber Music from the San Diego Symphony: 10:30 a.m.,
As part of the San Diego Symphony’s Education and Outreach Program, three Symphony members will perform chamber music by J.S. Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn, Orlando Gibbons and Andres Martin. Mission Hills Library, 925 W. Washington St., free

Soul Being opening reception: 5 p.m., metalsmith and jeweler Sharon Novak is exhibiting several new pieces in “Soul Being,” Next Door Gallery, 2963 Beech St., free

Negura Bunget – The Transylvanian Legacy Tour: 8 p.m., metal from Eclipse Eternal, Din Brad, The Way of Purity, Ruines ov Abaddon and more, The Ruby Room, 1271 University Ave., tickets start at $12

Ray at Night Art Walk: 6 p.m., between University Avenue and North Park Way, free

The Dream of Life – Awakening to Emptiness: 10 a.m., day workshop on the Buddhist concept of emptiness. Vajrarupini Buddhist Center, 3344 4th Ave., register (to assist with lunch preparations) at MeditationInSanDiego.org, $50 including lunch

Sunday, May 13

Hillcrest Farmer’s Market: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Sunday, Hillcrest DMV, 3960 Normal St., free

La Fierce: 8:30 p.m., 20-dancer cast performance, 21 and older event, Numbers Night Club, 3811 Park Blvd., $5

Monday, May 14

And And And: 8 p.m., Portland-based rock band, Tin Can Ale House, 1863 Fifth Ave., $6

Kensington Grub Sprawl: 6 p.m., varying restaurants along Adams Avenue will offer special $5 plates, no cover or cost for wristbands

Tuesday, May 15

Pajama Storytime: 6:30 p.m., children are invited to an evening storytime with books and possibly singing and puppets. Feel free to come dressed in your pajamas. Mission Hills Branch Library, 925 West Washington St., free

Drop-in knitting club: 5 p.m., reservations are not required and supplies are not provided, North Park Library 3795 31st St., free

Residents Free Tuesdays in Balboa Park: hours vary by museum, participating museums include San Diego Art Institute, Mingei International Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, Japanese Friendship Garden. Free for San Diego Residents with ID, active military and dependents

Wednesday, May 16

Mission Hills Farmer’s Market: 3 – 7 p.m. every Wednesday, 4050 Falcon St., free

Homework helpers: 6 – 7:30 p.m., North Park Branch Library, 3795 31st St., free

Lego playtime: 5 p.m., Mission Hills Branch Library, 925 West Washington St., free

Children’s Art and Crafts: 6 p.m., different themed crafts every month, North Park Branch Library, 3795 31st St., free

Delving Into Imagination and Inner Self: 5 p.m., final day of exhibit, Glimpse Gallery, 3813 Ray St., no cover

Thursday, May 17

North Park Farmer’s Market: 3 – 7 p.m. every Thursday, parking lot behind CVS at 32nd St. and University Ave., free

Mayoral Debate with Bob Filner and Nathan Fletcher confirmed: 7:15 p.m., 4773 Marlborough Dr., $12 for Kensington Community Church members, $15 for guests

Salsa Sushi #5: 6 p.m., the “Latin Flavor/Japanese Flair” event will feature BBQ oyster rolls, Sea Rocket Bistro, 3382 30th St., no cover

The Wisdom of Tantra – Harnessing the power of faith and imagination: 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., talk and guided meditation on the practice of tantra as a tool for spiritual enlightenment. Vajrarupini Buddhist Center, 3344 4th Ave., drop-ins welcome, $12

Mapping North Park – Celebrating community: 5 p.m., through its “Refuge in the Arts” programming, Eveoke Dance Theatre will be conducting visual arts and dance workshops at Art Produce Garden, 3139 University Ave., free

Friday, May 18

Preschool storytime: 10:30 – 11 a.m., Mission Hills Library, 925 W. Washington St., free

InAchord men’s ensemble 10th anniversary concert: 7 p.m., featuring a 40-piece orchestra, University Christian Church, 3900 Cleveland Ave., $15

Saturday, May 19

Secrets of a Pet Whisperer – Stop Telling Your Animals to Misbehave: 10 a.m., book signing at South Bark Dog Wash, 2037 30th St., no cover

Old Town Farmer’s Market: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. every Saturday, Harney Street, free

Hillcrest Farmer’s Market: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Sunday, Hillcrest DMV, 3960 Normal St., free

Golden Hill Farmer’s Market: 8 a.m. – noon every Saturday, B St. between 27th and 28th Streets, free

Jazz concert with Howard Alden and special guests: 8 p.m., Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Dr., tickets start at $25

Book Sale: 9:30 p.m., the Friends of the Mission Hills Branch Library will hold a book sale. Mission Hills Library, 925 W. Washington St., free

Children’s Craft Time: 10 a.m., craft projects for 3 – 8 year olds, Mission Hills Library, 925 West Washington St., free

Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band: 8 p.m., La Jolla Music Society season closer, Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave., tickets start at $35 and are available through the La Jolla Music Society box office, (858) 459-3728

Walking Tour of Burlingame Historic District: 9:30 a.m., The North Park Historical Society will conduct a docent-led walking tour of the Burlingame Historic District, meeting at 32nd at Kalmia Street, $5

Sunday, May 20

Hillcrest Farmer’s Market: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Sunday, Hillcrest DMV, 3960 Normal St., free

La Fierce: 8:30 p.m., 20-dancer cast performance, 21 and older event, Numbers Night Club, 3811 Park Blvd., $5

An Afternoon of Jazz: 1 p.m., Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Dr., tickets start at $10

Monday, May 21

Drop-in Knitting Club: 5 p.m., North Park Library 3795 31st St., reservations not required and supplies not provided, free

Tuesday, May 22

Pajama Storytime: 6:30 p.m., children are invited to an evening storytime with books and possibly singing and puppets. Feel free to come dressed in your pajamas. Mission Hills Branch Library, 925 West Washington St., free

North Park Planning Committee meeting: 6:30 p.m., 2901 North Park Way, free

Residents Free Tuesdays in Balboa Park: hours vary by museum, participating museums include San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego Hall of Champions, certain House of Pacific Relations International Cottages. Free for San Diego Residents with ID, active military and dependents

Wednesday, May 23

Mission Hills Farmer’s Market: 3 – 7 p.m. every Wednesday, 4050 Falcon St., free

Lego Playtime at the Library: 5 p.m., North Park Branch Library 3795 31st St., free

Homework Helpers: 6– 7:30 p.m. North Park Branch Library, 3795 31st St., tutoring for children of grades, all subjects, free

Lego Playtime: 5 – 6 p.m., Mission Hills Library, 925 West Washington St., free

Mission Hills Mystery Book Group: 6:30 p.m., the Mission Hills Mystery Book Group will discuss a mystery novel. New members are always welcome to attend and participate, and are asked to please read the book beforehand. Copies of the book are available at the Circulation Desk while supplies last. Mission Hills Library, 925 West Washington St., free

Thursday, May 24

North Park Farmer’s Market: 3 – 7 p.m. every Thursday, parking lot behind CVS at 32nd St. and University Ave., free

The Wisdom of Tantra – Harnessing the power of faith and imagination: 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., talk and guided meditation on the practice of tantra as a tool for spiritual enlightenment. Vajrarupini Buddhist Center, 3344 4th Ave., drop-ins welcome, $12

The Power of One – How will you take a stand in your community: 5 p.m., through its “Refuge in the Arts” programming, Eveoke Dance Theatre will be conducting visual arts and dance workshops at Art Produce Garden, 3139 University Ave., free