sdnorthparknews.com Vol. 20 No. 6 June 2012

Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 20 Years

SEE SCENE, Page 11

Holley Berkley has her hands full of chicks.

City Council to voteon controversialproject in July

Preservationists of the YearSOHO presents its 2012 People in Preservation Awards

NORTH PARK SCENE

Nikki Berdy, presi-dent of the North

Park Community Association, is a bigfan of the summer musical concerts thattake place at Bird Park, the small, bowl-shaped grass and tree-studded acreagethat sits just west of 28th and Thornstreets. “What a great evening for fami-lies, friends, and neighbors to cometogether to enjoy the beautiful park set-ting while listening to local bands per-form,” she says. “People of all ages areencouraged to get up and dance, which is

BY MANNY CRUZ

The North Park Historical Society has been pre-sented the Neighborhood Preservation Award bySave Our Heritage Organisation for its efforts toestablish the Dryden Historic District, named forDavid Owen Dryden, the master builder of 20homes in the district.

The Historical Society — led by Steve Hon,George Franck, Katherine Hon and Daniel Marks— was one of several groups, individuals and agen-cies honored by SOHO as part of the 2012 Peoplein Preservation Awards program.

The Dryden Historic District was approved bythe city’s Historical Resources Board in 2011. Thesix-block neighborhood on Pershing Avenue and28th Street from Upas to Landis streets encom-

PHOTOS BY SANDÉ LOLLIS

FINALCOUNTDOWNON PLAZA DEPANAMA PLAN

SEE SOHO, Page 17

Quiet evenings around the dining room table, leisurelyneighborhood strolls and . . . the cackle of backyard chickens?While the latter may not complete your picture of the idealhome setting, raising chickens is increasingly becoming a partof many residents’ lives, including that of the Berkleys.

Holly Berkley, Internet marketing consultant, author andformer San Diego State University lecturer, husband, Keith,and their two boys, Calvin and Charlie, have been raisingchickens in the backyard of their South Park home for the pastthree years.

“It makes us slow down and appreciate things . . . appreci-ate where our food comes from,” Holly said.

She thought it would be a fun experience “for the kids” tocollect eggs in the morning, she said, before admitting that thechickens “get quite addicting.”

“The kids and I love it. We’ll have them in our laps when wewatch TV.” “Yeah, that’s weird,” Keith said.

The little fancy ones (silkies) come in the house sometimesand have names like “Spiderman.” The kids name them.

The growing

BACKYARD CHICKSThe Berkley Household has a pecking order BYBY CECILIA BUCKNER

SEE CHICKS, Page 5

The controversial Plaza de Panamaproject, a proposal to rid cars fromthe center of Balboa Park in time forthe park’s centennial in 2015, is near-ing a crucial City Council vote in Julyamid a chorus of voices both praisingand condemning the plan put for-ward by Qualcomm Inc. co-founderIrwin Jacobs and promoted by MayorJerry Sanders.

The Save Our Heritage Organisa-tion (SOHO), a group that has ral-lied opposition to the multi-million-dollar proposal over the past fewmonths,

claiming it will ruin the historicalcharacter of the park, has noted thatthe city’s Park and Recreation Board,the Historical Resources Board andthe House of Pacific Relations eachhas voted to oppose the Jacobs plan.Other objections have come from theNational Park Service and the state’shistoric preservation officer, M.Wayne Donaldson, claiming the planwould jeopardize the park’s status asa National Historic Landmark Dis-trict.

The central argument against theJacob’s plan is its proposal to build abypass bridge from the CabrilloBridge — the so-called CentennialBridge — that would direct vehicletraffice to a three-level parking struc-ture in the interior of the park.

Supporters of the Plaza de Panama

SEE PLAZA, Page 4

Taste of Adams AvenueFinger-lickin’ good should be the

theme of the 12th annual Taste ofAdams Avenue, the annual culinaryoffering served up by the AdamsAvenue Business Association. It takesplace on Sunday, June 24, from 11 a.m.to 3 p.m. along Adams Avenue and willfeature samples of food and drink pre-pared by more than 20 restaurants,coffee houses, pubs from NormalHeights to Kensington. Tickets are $25in advance and $30 the day of. Pur-chase advanced tickets online at taste-ofadamsavenue.com. Tasters can visitthe shops either on foot or compli-mentary trolley service along AdamsAvenue.

Businesses offering their specialtiesinclude Bleu Boheme, Blind Lady AleHouse, Burger Lounge, Café Cabaret,Cantina Mayahuel, Di Mille’s ItalianRestaurant, El Zarape, FarmhouseCafe, Hanna’s Gourmet, IncredibleCheesecake Company, KensingtonCafé, Kensington Grill, Lestat’s, Ponce’sMexican Restaurant, Proprietors WineReserve Wine Bar, Rosie O’Grady’s,Sabuku Sushi, Senor Mangos, Star-

MUSIC IN THE PARKBird Park Summer Concert Series willbring a variety of music to the stage

SEE MUSIC, Page 18North Park Historical Society leaders, from left, are George Franck, GabrielaMarks, Steve Hon, Katherine Hon and Daniel Marks.

2 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

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plan have told KPBS that opponentsare relying on “scare tactics” to havethe plan shelved. David Marshall, thecity’s preservation consultant for theplan, said a letter sent by the Nation-al Park Service did not directly saythe park could lose is historic land-mark status, according to KPBS. Headded that the city confirmed withthe National Park Service that thisscenario was not realistic, andclaimed opponents are using the let-ter “and interpreting the letter fortheir benefit.”

Almost all of the issues raised inthe National Park Service letter havebeen analyzed in the EnvironmentalImpact Report that has been releasedfor the project. While the NPS didexpress the opinion that the project

was “aggressive,” it did not indicatesupport for any of the 13 alternativesto the Plaza de Panama project thatwere evaluated in the EIR. However,the NPS suggested that cars beallowed to continue to drive throughthe core of Balboa Park, a view that isnot shared by the Plaza de PanamaCommittee or the vast majority ofpark users and stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Balboa Park Com-mittee and the Park & RecreationDesign Review Committee have votedin support of the Plaza de Panamaproject.

The city Planning Commission isto review the proposal this summerand the City Council is expected tovote on the plan on July 9.

PLAZACONTINUED FROM Page 1

Rendering of the Plaza de Panama without cars.

popularity of raising backyard chickens inurban settings and Holly’s own experi-ence has inspired her to write her firstchildren’s book, “Mommy, Me & MyChickens.” The 36-page, full-color paper-back looks at the process of raising chick-ens in the city — from purchasing eggsonline, to caring for and feeding them, tousing their waste as compost — allthrough the eyes of a child.

“I just saw this trend happening, wherepretty much every time I go talk to some-body, it seemed like one out of every fivehad a chicken or wanted to get backyardchickens,” Holly said. “It just seemed likea topic that a lot of people were askingabout and so it just seemed like the nat-ural first children’s book to write.”

There are Facebook pages and blogsdedicated to the trend. People are not justtalking about the benefit of supplyingtheir own eggs though; they are also talk-ing about what fantastic pets chickensmake. They are sociable, but can also be

left alone. And to top it off, they can makeyou breakfast!

Holly’s chickens like human contactand make their way into the house when-ever the opportunity arises, she said.Upon returning home from an errandone day, she found a chicken sitting ontop of her computer monitor. “I musthave walked by three times before Inoticed!” she said.

Raising chickens has become so popu-lar that the San Diego City Councilrecently amended laws in an attempt tomeet the needs of the residents.

“I am incredibly proud that the com-mon-sense measures we passed will allowmore San Diegans to keep small num-bers of animals on their property andstrengthen their connection to theirfood,” said Councilman Todd Gloria fol-lowing approval of the amended ordi-nance in January. The amendmentrelaxed the distance requirement betweenproperties, making it possible for morecity residents to raisea minimum of fivechickens in their backyard.

Green living has been a mindset in theBerkley household for some time. Keith’s

construction business, Berkley Construc-tion, was presented with a Small Businessof the Year Award in 2008 for its commit-ment to green building design and itsinvolvement in community development.

“I think we have an obligation — wehave to try to not adversely affect the envi-ronment,” Keith told the North ParkNews about receiving the award.

“Mommy, Me & My Chickens” can bepurchased on Amazon.com. For moreinformation about the book, visit berk-web.com/chickens.

June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 5

CHICKSCONTINUED FROM Page 1

Enjoying a little backyard recreation.

Berkley holds one of her favorites.

Calvin Berkley holding chicken he nicknamed ‘feather face.’ ‘His old name was Brownie,’ he said.

www.sdnorthparknews.com

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Writers/ColumnistsTodd Gloria

Ann JarmuschJennifer Kester

Donna MarganellaBart Mendoza

Katelyn O’RiordanSandy PasquaDavid Raines

PhotographyManny CruzMike ShessSande Lollis

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6 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

‘RENT’ coming to the North Park TheatreGwen Stewart to reprise her Broadway role

Gwen Stewart will reprise the role shecreated in the original Broadway com-pany of “Rent” at the San Diego Musi-cal Theatre’s production June 22-July 8at the Birch North Park Theatre. Stew-art will introduce the solo vocals for themusical’s central theme song, “Seasonsof Love.”

Versatile theater veteran Ron Kellumwill direct the musical — only the fifthmusical to ever win both the PulitzerPrize and the Tony Award for Best Musi-cal. Kellum’s career has spanned 22 yearsand includes work as an actor, choreog-rapher and director. he

Kellum has appeared on Broadway in“Joseph and the Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat” and “Chicago” and tourednationally in “Fosse,” “Chicago,” “Aida,”“Dreamgirls,” “Beauty and The Beast”and “Smokey Joe’s Café.” He’s worked infilm as a choreographer, most recentlyon the feature film “Iron Man 2.” Kellumhas co-directed the NFL United Wayhalf-time show and he is the co-execu-tive director of the NFL Pro Bowl

Cheerleaders. He is the leading motiva-tional /team building coach in theindustry and has worked with severalpro teams for the NFL, including theChargers and L.A. Lakers.

Inspired by Puccini’s “La Boheme,”“Rent” is described as a joyous, breath-taking and often heartbreaking musicalthat celebrates a community of youngartists in downtown New York lookingfor love and success.

Actor, singer and dancer CourtneyCorey is choreographing the North ParkTheatre production. She is best knownfor her role as Elphaba in the Chicagoand Los Angeles productions of“Wicked.” She also played the part ofMaureen in the Benny and AngelNational Tours of “RENT.” Corey alsospent four years with the touring cast of“RENT,” three years with the Chicagoproduction of “Wicked” and two yearswith the Los Angeles production of“Wicked.”

Don LeMaster, resident musicaldirector/conductor for San Diego Musi-

cal Theatre since its formation in 2006,is the musical director for “RENT.” Hisprevious stints have been at Perfor-mance Riverside, Moonlight, Cygnet,Starlight, North Coast Rep, McCoyRigby and the Old Globe Theatre.

Lighting design is by Randall Hodgesand sound design is by Larry Esau.Tarin Hurstell is stage manager.

The cast will feature Dylan Hunter asMark and Casey O’Farrell as Roger,along with Shaun Tuazon (Angel),Loren Smith (Collins), Desmond New-son (Benny), Katy Harvey (Maureen),Nicole Tillman (Joanne), Ann-MicheleSchneider (Mimi), Marisha Castle(Alexi), J.D. Driskill (Gordon), CharlesW. Patmon Jr. (Mr. J), Cordell Mosteller(Paul), Leslie Tammone (Mrs. Cohen)and Tom Vendafreddo (Steve).

Single tickets are $26, $32, $42 and$52. Children 12 and under are halfprice. For individual tickets, contact theadministrative office at (858) 560-5740or visit sdmt.org.

Gwen Stewart portrays Mrs. Jefferson Charles W. Patmon Jr. Mr. Jefferson Dylan Hunter as Mark Casey O’Farrell as Roger Shaun Tuazon as Angel

Loren Smith as Collins Desmond Newson as Benny Katy Harvey as Maureen Nicole Tillman as Joanne Ann-Michele Schneider as Mimi

Marish Castle as Alexi J.D. Driskill as Gordon Cordell Mosteller as Paul Leslie Tammone as Mrs. Cohen Tommy Vendafreddo as Steve

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June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 7

Marish Castle as Alexi

8 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

San Diego’s Old House Fair bills itselfas “where to go when your contractor’sbeen dead for 75 years.” In one day youcan find local resources for the uniqueservices needed to repair, restore or ren-ovate your older home.

At exhibit booths along 30th andBeech streets on June 16 will be builders,contractors, designers, artisans, repairservices, and other resources — all spe-cialists and experts in older houses andtheir unique needs. Also on display willbe art, antiques, furniture, fixtures andhome accessories that complement theclassic architecture of older San Diegohomes.

Many exhibitors have participated inseveral Old House Fairs, and some pro-vided these answers to frequently-askedquestions:

My old house has been remodeledmany times and I am unsure of whatthe original woodwork looked like.

William Van Dusen Millworking:Look around your neighborhood forsimilar sized homes of the same age.Oftentimes they had the same builder.Look inside closets for original mold-ings. We can help you restore and repro-duce the original look.

How do I know if I have a foundationproblem?

Michelle Strand, Atlas Footing Repair:Your doors and windows might stick,

your floors may feel uneven or bouncy,or there may be unusually large cracksin the walls or ceiling. You can also peekyour head inside the crawl space open-ing to observe the quality of the con-crete. If the concrete is cracked, crumbly,or missing, you may need replacement.Or if your post and piers look like this(see photo), they probably need replace-ment. Foundation repair can be expen-sive, so breaking down the work intomanageable pieces might work for you.”

We wonder if we can make a signifi-cant addition and alterations to ourlovely older home?

Carl L. Strona, Architect: “My experi-ence is that, yes, you can make signifi-cant additions and alterations to existingolder homes. However, if the home isdeemed historically significant or locat-ed in an historical zone, your designoptions will be increasingly limited. Inthese cases the additions should be com-patible with, yet distinguishable fromthe original, and the original structureshould be the dominant focus of thecompleted design.

What is involved in qualifying for his-torical designation in San Diego?

Ron May, Legacy 106 Inc.: They lookfor good examples of recognized archi-tectural styles in houses that are at least45 to 50 years old, and which retainoriginal building materials. The city’semphasis is on what can be seen fromthe public view — does it look the wayit did when originally built? A secret toconvincing the Historical ResourcesBoard that an old house is worthy ofhistorical designation is to include beau-tiful interior tile, wood, art glass, andoriginal interiors in your application.

How do I find out how much lead-based paint is left in my house, andwhat can I do about it?

Owen Sutton, Home Restoration &Remodeling of San Diego: A paintinspection tells only if there is any leadin any of the paint. More valuable is arisk assessment by a trained profession-al who uses several methods to assessthe hazard. If your walls have old lead-based paint under layers of repainting,it is not absolutely necessary to removethe walls. There are EPA-approved solu-tions available, and a certified contrac-tor will know what will work in yourcase. We are now offering lead-basedtraining to the home owner, and willdiscuss at the Old House Fair how to getcertified and how to hire a qualifiedcontractor.

Also on display at the Old House FairJune 16 will be artwork and antiquescrafted by artisans for decorative accentsin older homes. Custom-designed tiles,metal work, glass and pottery originalswill be available. A sampling of somepieces are pictured here.

Lizzy B collects beautiful chandeliercrystals from the 1950s and repur-poses them into one of a kind neck-laces and earrings. You can imaginethe grand affairs that took place beneath

these gorgeous crystals. Also availableis jewelry from old keys, door hardwareand printers’ type.

Vintage home accessories like this Drag-on Lamp ($59) will be featured in Stu-dio Maureen’s designer corner duringthe Old House Fair.

Clay Artists of San Diego will beanswering questions and offering handmade ceramics by local artists, one of akind decorative pottery for your home.

European Tile Art also features workby California artisans, including thisexample by a Fresno-based artist. Theinspiration for her tiles comes from herlove of nature and a nostalgia for vin-tage ceramic styles.

This acrylic painting of a South Parkneighborhood scene is by Jori Owens,available at Studio Maureen on BeechStreet and during the Old House Fair.$275 framed.

BY MARSHA SMELKINSON

OLD HOUSE FAIR HAS THE ANSWERSExperts give advice on building and repairs, decorative artwork

A good example of an old house solution thatneeds replacement.

Old House Fair• Exhibitors, vendors• Entertainers: Marcia Forman Band, Billy Joe & the Roosters,Todo Mundo.• Historic Home Tour, $20 (More details

in this issue’s Craftsman section.)• Ask the Experts Booth

• Free kids’ activities (clay sculpture, face-painting, gardening)• Pets Corner• Urban Safaris Walking Tours (1 and 3 p.m., free• Produced by the South Park Business Group. • Info: theoldhousefair.com.

June 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Streets centered on 30th and Beech streets

June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 9

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San Diego has no shortage of impressive titles:We’re one of America’s best burger cities and one ofAmerica’s techiest cities; we’ve been honored forour fitness, and North Park’s 30th Street wasnationally honored for its craft beer options. Thecity of San Diego has also been ranked as the leastexpensive big city in California to do business andone of America’s “low cost” cities for business,according to a study by the Rose Institute of Stateand Local Government at Claremont McKennaCollege.

The study evaluated business taxes and fees, eco-nomic incentives and other programs for 421 citiesnationwide and assigns a cost rating for each city

using a proprietary formula. While Los Angeles and the Bay Area remain

among the most expensive areas in the state to dobusiness, San Diego is the most affordable big cityfor business, and San Diego continues to lead Cal-ifornia and the nation with the highest penetrationof rooftop photovoltaic installations and overallsolar generation.

This status, combined with the City Council’sfocus on job creation and the efforts of MayorSanders’ Economic Growth Services Department,helped San Diego land two solar manufacturerssince 2009, Kyocera and Soitec.

While big businesses like those in the solar,defense, and bio-fuel industries generally createskilled manufacturing jobs and build our base ofinnovation, small and local businesses are of crit-ical importance to our economy and our com-munity character, as evidenced by the continuedgrowth and success of North Park’s business cor-ridor.

San Diego has developed a good business cli-mate by cutting red tape, streamlining the permitprocess, and initiating a wide array of programs todirectly assist businesses large and small. From ourpopular Storefront Improvement Program toinfrastructure investments, like the upcomingaddition of a bike corral at 30th Street and NorthPark Way, we have made progress supportingneighborhood businesses.

The direct support provided by businessimprovement districts like North Park Main Streetcannot be overlooked, and I am glad that the cityhas strengthened our relationship with BIDs and

made it easier for the organizations to access theirfunds for service.

Obviously, work remains to be done to ensureSan Diego businesses, especially small ventures andthose just getting started, are provided appropriateresources by the city, and are not bogged down bybureaucracy or unreasonable fees.

I’m proud of the recognition the city has received

for our efforts to strengthen our business climate,and remain focused on improving the quality of lifethroughout our communities.

Information about San Diego’s economic incen-tives is available on the city’s website atsandiego.gov/economicdevelopment or by contact-ing Russ Gibbon, business development manager,at (619) 236-6350.

BY COUNCILMAN TODD GLORIA

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buck’s Kensington, Subway, Tams Thai-land Food, Tao, and Twiggs Café. Call(619) 282-7329 for more.

North Park Mini-Park Plans Under Review

The city’s Park and Recreation board inJuly is scheduled to review and possiblygive final approval to the general devel-opment plan for the proposed NorthPark Mini-Park in the area behind theBirch North Park Theatre. The designalso includes the streetscapes surround-ing the park as well as those connectingthe mini-park to University Avenue andto Jefferson Elementary School. NorthPark special park fees will be used for thedevelopment. The mini-park would be ahalf-acre in size between GranadaAvenue and 29th Street, along NorthPark Way.

Von’s Center Opens in Mission Hills

The new Von’s Center at Mission Hillshas opened, fully leased and includes keytenants Von’s, Chase Bank, Floyd’s BarberShop and Starbucks. The center containsmore than 64,000 square feet of retailspace and is located at 450 W. Washing-ton St. Terry Bortnick, founder of ArgentRetail Advisors, and Daniel Firtel, man-aging director, represented the propertyowner, Property Development Centers,in marketing and leasing the availableretail space. A 12,000-square-foot Safe-way (parent company of Von’s) wasdemolished for the project. The entireproject was pre-leased prior to Von’sgrand opening at the end of March.Other retailers expect to be open in thethird quarter of 2012.

Sharon Novak Metalsmith Works inSouth Park Gallery

Sharon Novak, a San Diego metal-smith and jeweler, is exhibiting severalnew pieces in “Soul Being,” a solo show atThe Next Door Gallery in South Park.The exhibition runs through June 9.Novak’s work, often autobiographical

and always spiritual, includes mixedmedia assemblage, shrines, metal collage,sculpture, masks, and wearable art. God-desses and other feminine archetypalimages are key subjects as she uses a fas-cinating mix of found objects, both nat-ural and man-made, with textured sur-faces enriched by patina, oxidation, andpaint. Johanna Hansen is curator at thegallery. Novak received a master’s degreefrom San Diego State, where she studiedwith Arlene Fisch and Helen Shirk. Shehas shown nationally and international-ly and has taught metalsmithing to bothadults and children. The Next DoorGallery (as well as Studio Maureen) islocated at 2963 Beech St.

New Medical Director

Dr. John Serra of North Park hasbeen chosen to oversee the medicaldirection for Rural/Metro’s SouthernCalifornia operations. Serra will haveoversight over all medical policies andprocedures for Critical Care Transportservices, Basic Life Support services, and911 operations in the area encompass-ing Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach,Rancho Santa Fe and 4S Ranch. Serrastudied emergency medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital where he servedas chief resident. He also completed afellowship in emergency medical ser-vices and disaster medicine at UC SanDiego, and is currently studying for amaster’s degree in public health at SanDiego State University.

Best of Miniatures Award

University Heights resident SusanWeinberg-Harter was awarded the Bestof Miniatures Award in an exhibitionat San Diego Watercolor Society. Herpainting, “Still Life with Bottles,” wasdone on Yupo paper with a smooth slickfinish. Weinberg-Harter studied callig-raphy extensively for many years andbegan incorporating watercolor illus-trations in her work, gradually movingaway from calligraphy and concentrat-ing just on painting in watercolor. .

Beatles Vs. Stones Tribute ShowTribute bands Abbey Road and

Jumping Jack Flash will take part in a

“Beatles Vs. Stones Tribute Show” June22 at 7 p.m. in the Mississippi Ballroomof the Lafayette Hotel on El CajonBoulevard. Abbey Road musicians areage appropriate for early Beatles(between 22 and 32 years of age) andperform a three-costume change show.The musicians tour in national, theatri-cal productions about the Beatles(www.inmylifetheplay.com). JumpingJack Flash is considered to be the

country’s premier Stones tribute. Thelead singer was featured in MaroonFive’s hit, “Moves Like Jagger.” (www.jjflash.biz.)

MAD Refunds AvailableGolden Hill and South Park proper-

ty owners can now file claims for main-tenance assessments for which they werecharged illegally from 2007 through2011. The city has placed reimburse-ment forms on the website of its Eco-nomic Development Department. Toaccess the forms, go to the city website,www.sandiego.gov, and then to the Eco-nomic Development page. Click on theform titled Special Assessment RefundClaim Forms. Refunds are availablebecause both the Superior Court andAppellate Court found that the city hadformed the Greater Golden Hill Main-tenance Assessment District (MAD)

illegally. The courts ruled in favor ofthe Golden Hill Neighborhood Associ-ation, a group of residents, which fileda lawsuit in 2007, shortly after the cityhad declared that enough propertyowners had voted in favor of establish-ing a MAD. The courts found that thecity weighted its share of the votes toensure passage of the MAD and vacat-ed the MAD, saying it should never havebeen formed. Property owners paid theassessment as part of their yearly prop-erty tax bill.

June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 11

SCENECONTINUED FROM Page 1

12 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

Community Corner Vol. II — So Many VoicesHow to get involved

I wrote my first article to focus onthe need for more civility and under-standing in our community. This one ismeant to make it easier to understandhow to get involved and where to turnwhen you have questions. San Diego’scommunities are governed, led andcared for in a variety of ways. So manyvoices are in use on any given day that itcan be hard to make sense of it all ...and harder to tell if anyone is listening.

With that, let’s get a lay of the land forGreater North Park, shall we? First up,

we’ve got a mayor and a soon-to-benine-member City Council who workkind of like the president and theCongress — only they don’t get paidnearly as well and are easier to find. Ourcouncilmember In District 3 is ToddGloria and the two most importantpeople in his office for regular North

Park neighbors are Pam Ison andAnthony Bernal. Pam knows the budgetlike I know restaurants on 30th Street —which is to say very, very well. Want tounderstand tree-trimming budgets orthe mysterious “infrastructure backlog”or really anything related to the city’sbudget? Pam is your go-to. But if youhave a regular issue, like a broken street-light, a block party to plan or heavenknows what else, Anthony is that guy.He’s kind of like the neighborhood“fixer.” He can’t resolve everything, butusually knows who can and how tomake it happen. We are also represent-ed by County Supervisor Ron Roberts,Assemblymember Toni Atkins andCongresswoman Susan Davis, but forthe vast majority of things that requirean elected official, knowing “the ToddSquad” is the best way to go.

Network of VolunteersThis brings us to the all-too-compli-

cated network of volunteer groups whoserve various interests within the com-munity. An important thing mostneighbors don’t know is some of thegroups (“the advisories”) provide for-mal advice to the city and some (“the

neighborlies”) are organized for busi-ness or charitable reasons but have noformal relation to the city. The “advi-sories” are kind of like your familylawyer — they have a formal job to giveadvice that has defined and regulatedprocedures.

The “advisories” operate under a lawthat makes them publish what they dis-cuss and decide three days ahead whatitems they might take a vote on. Ifyou’ve ever sat through one of thosemind-numbingly long meetings wait-ing for that two minutes to say yourpeace, only to be turned away, you mayhave left with a bad taste in your mouth.Just know those folks weren’t beingintentionally rude. The law makes them“stick to the script” so that people canknow what is happening ahead of time.

The advisories that are most active inNorth Park are the North Park Com-munity Planning Committee, the NorthPark Maintenance Assessment AdvisoryCommittee, and the North Park Recre-ation Center Council. Yes, that is confus-ing and a mouthful. Just to make it fun,the Planning Committee has a bunchof equally formal sub-committees relat-

ed to infrastructure, parking, urbandesign and so forth. These groups allgive a recommendation to a city offi-cial about what “the community” thinksabout a particular thing. You can alwaysget the information on their websitesand always submit your thoughts ahead

of time — though attending is the bestway to be heard.

The ‘Neighborlies’Then there are the “neighborlies.”

These are groups that exist for specialinterest areas or residents but don’tadvise the city. These are like the fami-ly therapist, they don’t have as muchrequired structure and how much youaccept or discard what you’ve heard isup to you. The North Park Communi-ty Association (NPCA) is an exampleof a “neighborly” that focuses primari-ly on making life better for residentswho live in our community. This hap-pens through advocacy, civic prideevents like Bird Park Summer Concerts,information and generally trying to bea good neighbor to everyone.

The members are in every corner ofNorth Park. The North Park Historical

Society, as its name suggests, protectsthe historic treasures of the communi-ty and does amazing walking tours tohelp people know what those treasuresare. There are large NeighborhoodWatch and First Friday groups, whogenerally socialize their way to moreeyes, ears and e-mails watching aftereach other on our residential streets.There’s the South of Upas group, whichis a collection of neighbors near 30thwho also look out for each other. TheNorth Park Action Team is a volunteer

group that focuses on community drugand alcohol issues. They inform andhelp keep a clean line of communica-tion to the police. Speaking of thepolice, Officer Jenny Hall is our com-munity relations officer, which meansthat she is our best, most direct, mostresponsive resource for any crime-relat-ed issues we have. She is passionate anddedicated and — because of how greatshe is — sometimes swamped. But shewill get back to you in a timely fashion.

Business Improvement DistrictsIf you’re interested in supporting

local businesses, Greater North Park hasthree business improvement districtsthat provide support primarily to thevarious small businesses along AdamsAvenue, El Cajon Boulevard, UniversityAvenue and 30th Street. They have vol-unteer opportunities, but are generallyfocused on the business community.Information about all of these groups isavailable on the NPCA website and it’svery easy to get involved with any one ofthem. The “neighborlies,” like the “advi-sories,” are made up of volunteers whoget involved because they want to helpNorth Park be the best, most invitingversion of itself.

So the next time you need some helpor think you want to get more involved,just know that although the communi-ty has many different voices, you can bepart of the decision making processwithout much difficulty. And hopefullythis quick lay-of-the-land will help youfind the group that best matches yourneeds or interests. We have a great com-munity and a big part of that is beingable to easily connect to so many whocare deeply about living and working inNorth Park.

Omar Passons is a local attorney andvolunteer who writes a periodic columnabout community issues. He advocatesfor greater civic attention and participa-tion in all San Diego neighborhoods.Email him at opassons@gmail.comregarding issues in your neighborhood orfollow him on Twitter @omarpassons.

“So many voices are in use onany given day that it can behard to make sense of it all…and harder to tell if anyone islistening. ”

BY OMAR PASSONS

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June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 13

A Summer Festivalof Organ MusicSpreckels Organ Pavilionto host internationallyfamous musicians

Internationally celebrated organists will take to thestage at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Monday nightsJune 25 through Aug. 27 for the 25th anniversary Sum-mer International Organ Festival — a summer traditionsince 1987. All the concerts, which begin at 7:30 p.m., arefree of charge.

The Spreckels Organ is the largest outdoor pipe organin America.

Children and pets are welcome. Light snacks, beveragesand unique gifts are available on the pavilion groundswith proceeds from donations benefiting the nonprofitSpreckels Organ Society, helping to preserve, programand promote the Spreckels Organ as a world treasure.

Opening night is June 25 featuring a festive Bach’sSupper. A buffet meal begins at 5 p.m. under the colon-nades of the pavilion. Tickets are required for this event.For more information, call Jack Lasher at (858) 483-1326.

San Diego Civic Organist Emeritus Robert Plimptonalong with a special guest orchestra directed by ShannonKitelinger, director of bands at San Diego State Universi-ty, are headliners on opening night. Plimpton is residentorganist of the First United Methodist Church of SanDiego and an internationally lauded pipe organist whohas performed in major venues throughout the UnitedStates as well as in Israel, Jordan Europe and Taiwan.Locally he has performed with the San Diego ChamberOrchestra, the San Diego Master Chorale, the GrossmontSymphony Orchestra, and the San Diego Symphony.

Monday, July 2, brings Simon Gledhill, a British organ-ist who has performed at all the major theater organvenues in Britain as well as tours in Germany, Holland,Australia and the U.S. He was The American TheaterOrgan Society’s Organist of the Year in 1997.

Tom Trenney returns to the Spreckels Organ on July 9.Known for his engaging improvisations on hymns, sub-mitted themes, silent films, poetry, and artwork, Trennywas the first organist to be awarded First Prize and Audi-ence Prize in the American Guild of Organists’ (AGO)

National Competition in Organ Impro-

SEE ORGANS, Page 14

Honoring the Japanese-American CommunityThe San Diego Museum of Man’s Tower After Hours program on June 28 will be a tribute to San Diego’sJapanese-American community with traditional food tasting, Sapporo beer, drinks, music, dance, martial artsand presentations by local cultural artsw groups.Tower After Hours is an ongoing series of cultural events that highlight San Diego's unique ethnic communities.Support for Tower After Hours is provided by the Nissan Foundation and the City of San Diego Commission forArts and Culture.Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for students and military, and $20 for non-members. Each ticket includesentrance to the museum, food tastings, beverages and cultural entertainment. For additional information, call(619) 239-2001, Ext. 10, or visit www.museumofman.org.

14 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

visation in 2006.Ty Woodward, staff organist at Dis-

ney’s El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood,will be featured on July 16. Woodward isthe former dean of the Los Angeleschapter of the American Guild ofOrganists and has played both classicaland theater organ concerts throughoutthe U.S. and Canada. His recordingcredits include a solo classical recordingon the Aeolian-Skinner organ at theKennedy Center in Washington, D.C.,and a theater organ recording on theWurlitzer organ at the Auditorium The-atre in Rochester, N.Y. along withaccompaniments for numerous choralrecordings.

The “First Lady of the Organ” DianeBish, returns to the pavilion on July 23.Known as a concert and recording artist,composer, conductor and internationaltelevision personality, Bish displays hervirtuosity and unique showmanship theworld over to international acclaim. Hertelevision series “The Joy of Music” isbroadcast to over 300 million peoplearound the world each week.

Carlo Curley, one of the world’s fore-most concert organists, comes to SanDiego on July 30. Curley has performedconcerts at the White House, in everystate in the United States, and everyprovince in Canada as well as Europe,Asia, Australia and Hong Kong.

The duet skills of Elizabeth and Ray-mond Chenault will be “on hand” onAug. 6. Known by their trademark “fourhands, four feet,” the musical couple

have been organists and choirmastersof All Saints’ Episcopal Church inAtlanta since 1975.

The Spreckels Organ Society wel-comes Gordon Turk, organ -builder,improvisational artist and globe-trot-ting concert soloist on Aug. 13. Turk hasbeen awarded competition prizes forperformances of the music of J.S. Bachand in the national improvisation com-petition of the American Guild ofOrganists. He is organist of OceanGrove, N.J. Auditorium.

Silent movie master Dennis Jamesreturns on Aug. 20 for the popularSpreckels Organ Silent Movie Night. Formore than 30 years, James has played apivotal role in the international revivalof silent films presented with live music.James tours worldwide with his SilentFilm Concerts production company,

presenting professional silent filmscreenings with piano, theater organ,chamber ensemble and full symphonyorchestra accompaniments.

A performance by San Diego civicorganist Carol Williams will close outthe season on Aug. 27. Williams wasappointed civic organist in 2001, mak-ing her the first woman in the UnitedStates to hold a civic organist’s title. Sheis also artistic director of the SpreckelsOrgan Society and organist in residenceat St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The Spreckels Organ and Pavilionwere a gift from John D. and AdolfSpreckels of the Spreckels sugar family,and were dedicated and first played onDec, 31, 1914. (Afternoon organ con-certs by Dr. Carol Williams, San Diegocivic organist, and guest artists are per-formed year-round, Sunday afternoonsat 2 p.m., free of charge.)

The duet skills of Elizabeth and RaymondChenault will be displayed on Aug. 6.

San Diego Civic Organist EmeritusRobert Plimpton opens the festival onJune 25.

Ty Woodward, staff organist at Disney’sEl Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, is fea-tured on July 16.

ORGANSCONTINUED FROM Page 13

June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 15

William Van Dusen is a self-taught craftsman, starting his wood-working career more than 35 years ago when he was captivated by thehistorical features of the town of Julian.

During a period of rejuvenation of the town, he began to build hisfirst business, Julian Millworking, which provided the historical mill-work for many of the gold rush-era commercial buildings and homes.In the following years he worked with master craftsmen, architects andwell-established companies in high-end residential and commercialwoodworking. In recent years Van Dusen returned to the work thatfirst inspired him.

“It’s fantastic that many of our older San Diego neighborhoods arebeing rejuvenated by enthusiastic homeowners with an appreciationof how special homes and neighborhoods affect their lives,” said VanDusen. “There is a newfound sense of community and home in thesehistorical neighborhoods.”

These homes and neighborhoods have been through a lot. In the1960s through the 1990s, many of these homes were flipped, relegat-ed to rentals or torn down with no regard to their history. Old homeswere stripped of their original features, vinyl windows replaced woodsash, MDF moldings and particle board cabinets replaced originalwoodwork.

The big box stores were helpful in promoting low cost replace-ments and “upgrades.” Often, the homeowner is faced with many lay-ers of previous improvements and remodels that are like bad make-

up hiding the true beauty of a home.Fortunately, homeowners today have found an interest in the past.

Taking on even a partial renovation can be stressful,costly and time consuming. Homeowners need helpand advice to navigate their way through their projects.It is important for the homeowner to do their home-work and work with people that are experienced withspecial needs that an older home presents.

Van Dusen’s goal is to bring back the original wood-work details of San Diego’s old homes that may havebeen lost over the years. He does his research on thebuilt-in bookcases, china cabinets, molding and othermillwork features common in specific neighborhoods orby a specific builder.

Using his collection of vintage American-madewoodworking machinery, traditional craftsmanship andhistorically correct wood, such as White Oak, Gum-wood and Douglas Fir, he re-discovers history one pro-ject at a time.

William Van Dusen Millworking will be at SouthPark’s Old House Fair on June 23. He invites all of ourreaders to stop by and say hello, he’d love to hear aboutyour old house.

William Van Dusen Millworking can be reached at (619) 443-7689.Van Dusen’s email is: william@wvdmillwork.com.

THE MASTER CRAFTSMANVan Dusen’s goal is to bring back original woodwork details of San Diego’s old homes

William Van Dusen in his shop.

Leland columns

Door at the University of San Diego

Woodwork on a 33rd Street house in North Park.

A Waer mirror French doors and transom

16 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

Historic Old House Fair Tour June 16 Features Unexpected South Park HomesArt Deco, Spanish, Mediterranean Designs join Craftsman and California bungalows

(Editor’s Note: The author, an author-ity in historic design and furnishings,has participated in selection of OldHouse Fair Historic Home Tour featuresfor the past six years.)

Several of the homes on this year’sOld House Fair tour in South Park rep-resent the less prolific styles in thisneighborhood of mostly Arts andCrafts-style homes. Spanish, Mediter-ranean and Deco styles are includedamong the six houses open for tours onSaturday, June 16.

Craftsman and California bungalowsare especially prolific in the South Parkarea due in part to the Arts and Crafts’movement’s popularity during theneighborhood’s original developmentfrom 1906 to 1915. Shortly after the Cal-ifornia Exposition, the movement’spopularity began to wane and peopleturned to the romantic European revival

styles for inspiration. Especially visiblein homes built here after 1915 is theSpanish Style, in vogue due to the archi-tectural design of Balboa Park.

This year’s Old House Fair tour fea-tures homes oriented to Balboa Park,including several with views of the park’seastern edges, golf courses and canyons.

They not only reflect the nostalgicand romantic influences of Balboa Parkand the era in which they were built butalso represent the uniqueness of thehomes in this area. True gems, thesehomes are a testament to the impor-tance of maintaining the diversity of thishistoric architectural landscape for gen-erations to come; a sentiment wellunderstood by the current custodiansof these special homes.

The Historic Home Tour, a highlightof the 14th annual Old House Fair, willbe held on Saturday, June 16, from 10a.m. to 4 p.m. in South Park. The tourfeatures visits to six houses, a bonus gar-den, and to the historic Firehouse No. 9,built in 1912 on 30th St.

Tickets for the Tour are $20 and maybe purchased in advance online(www.theoldhousefair.com) or at 30thand Beech streets on the day of the event.

BY TRACEY RAZ, R+M DESIGNS

PHOTOS BY ROBERT PIGOTT

A highlight feature of the 1928 Spanish-style bungalow (a wedding gift from Vincent Safranekto his daughter, Sylvia, and her husband, Milo Vanek) is the current owners’ labor of love, awonderful rear garden that backs up onto Balboa Park’s eastern canyons.

This charming Spanish bungalow was sensitively restored and remodeled by Ed Landsberg,an Old House Fair sponsor, just two years ago. The remodel enhances the Spanish featuresof the home while accommodating the modern lifestyle of its new owners. Architectural fea-tures such as cove ceilings, arches and niches were maintained and added.

The first house built in the exclusive ‘Delano’ gated community overlooking Balboa Park wasthis 1926 Spanish bungalow. Spanish style is evident in the large arched picture window,low stucco wall, front courtyard and arched entry door.

‘The Castle’ is a Spanish-style home built by Beverly Hills architect I.E. Loveless in 1930 ashis personal residence while living in San Diego managing the rebuild of the San Diego deAlcala Mission. Clear similarities exist between the home and the Mission.

Built in 1937 and recently renovated with thehelp of Architect Carl L. Strona, this Art Decomasterpiece features the streamlined, geo-metric architecture characteristic of the Decostyle. Rooms are set back from each other,allowing corner windows which let in morelight and take advantage of breathtakingviews to Balboa Park and beyond.

passes 136 homes, nearly 40 of them builtby Master Builders. Dryden was respon-sible for 20 of the homes, including hismost exuberant in the Craftsman orien-tal mode on the corner of 28th and Cappsstreets, his own family home in the 3500block of 28th Street and 16 two-storyhouses, several of which are designated asindividually significant.

The other People in PreservationAward winners:

• Vista Irrigation District and Generalmanager Roy Coox —the Preservationistof the Year - Public Stewardship Award.For the past decade, the Vista IrrigationDistrict has gone to exceptional lengths topreserve one of the region’s most histori-cally significant sites along the ImmigrantTrail, the 1857 National Historic Land-mark: the Warner-Carrillo Ranch House.

• San Diego Vintage Trolley Inc. (a non-profit subsidiary of Metropolitan TransitService), led by Harry Mathis, PaulJablonski, E. Wayne Terry and Karen Lan-ders; and the San Diego Electric RailwayAssociation, led by Dave Slater and ChuckBencik —the MTS Makes History Award.A streamlined, circa 1946 streetcar thatrepresents design improvements by thePresident's Conference Committee (com-prised of the heads of electric street rail-way companies) is back in service inDowntown San Diego after volunteersspent six years restoring it. In 1936, theSan Diego Electric Railway was the firstpublic transit system in the United Statesto adopt the PCC model.

• Christian Chaffee and San Diego His-toric Streetcars Inc., with Jim Mills, for-mer state senator and past People InPreservation Lifetime AchievementAward winner — the On the Right TrackAward. One of the last three remainingstreetcars dating from San Diego’s open-ing of the 1915 Panama-California Expo-sition has been restored and makesappearances at community events to pro-mote the restoration of the other two andfuture streetcar service to Balboa Park.

• Heidi and Deb Callahan are winnersof the Residential Resurrection Award.For many years, an experimental, low-cost house designed by Irving J. Gill wasused as an architect's office. The newowner-occupants have restored it and

converted it back into a warmly invitingsingle-family home.

• Robert and Ingrid Coffin received thePresidential Home Restoration Award.Pascual Ortiz Rubio, former president ofMexico, expanded and added murals,painted ceilings, faux finishes, and glazedtile to a grand, 1928 home on a steepcanyon in Kensington.

• Richard Crawford was recognisedwith the Preservation AchievementAward. A historian and archivist for 30years, Crawford is also a gifted author andblogger. He recently published a bookcalled “Stranger Than Fiction: Vignettesof San Diego History” and has spentcountless hours digitizing local recordsand research materials to make themmore accessible to the public.

• Carol Rea earned the Outstanding Cit-izen Award. Rea, who is president of theOld Escondido Historic District and amember of the city’s Historic PreservationCommission. With persistence, she pre-vented the city of Escondido from losing itsesteemed Certified Local Government sta-tus in the state of California by convincingthe City Council to reword a proposedcode amendment that would have elimi-nated the city’s design review board.

• Allen Hazard was presented with theCaped Crusader Award. When bronzeplaques started disappearing at nightfrom historic homes in the Mission HillsHistoric District, Hazard went into actionto defend his neighborhood against thethefts. He rallied neighbors and focusedmedia, police and elected officials’ atten-tion on the problem and watched overSunset Boulevard through the night fromhis front window.

The program will also paid tribute tothe late Robert Miles Parker, SOHO’sfounder who first rallied public supportto save a Victorian house. The resultingrescue and restoration of the Sherman-Gilbert House, now in Heritage Park, OldTown, was the first of many SOHOpreservation victories. Parker, an accom-plished artist and SOHO’s 2009 LifetimeAchievement award winner, died at age 72on April 17 in New York City.

The annual Most Endangered List ofHistoric Resources also was presented.Among the 11 threatened sites and struc-tures are Balboa Park, the La Jolla PostOffice, the Villa Montezuma, and Ran-cho Guejito.

June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 17

SOHOCONTINUED FROM Page 1

Members of the Vista Irrigation District board.

The Warner-Carillo Ranch.Vista Irrigation District and General Manager Roy Coox.

18 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.The remaining four concerts are:• June 30 — TINKU (Latin jazz. tinku-

music.com).TINKU performs world and folk

melodies and has assembled more than100 song selections and more than 19musical rhythms from more than 12countries. It specializes in Andeanrhythms, Latin favorites, among others,and incorporates a variety of native

instruments.• July 14 — Kitten With a Whip (Indie

rock. reverbnation.com/kittenwith-awhip).

The energetic alternative rock band isled by all-female band veteran AudreyMoesch. Moesch and then lead guitaristMark Cover formed the band in SanDiego in 1995. Moesch composes suchrousing, relationship survival anthemsas “I Believe in Me” and angst-filled rock-er “Monster” to the happy dance tunes ofworld beat-inspired “JuJu” and Latin-influenced “To Be.”

• July 28 — Folding Mr. Lincoln(country. foldingmisterlincoln.com).

The band’s debut album, “Within MyReach,” received a 2009 San Diego MusicAward nomination for BestCountry/Americana Album. It’s secondalbum, “Folding Mr. Lincoln-Live,”received a 2011 San Diego Music Awardnomination for Best Americana Album.

• Aug. 11 — Whitney Shay (jazz. whit-neyshay.com).

A San Diego native, Whitney Shayfinds inspiration in a large range of musicfrom Billie Holiday and Helen Humes

in the ’20s and ’30s, all the way to EttaJames and Jackie Wilson in the ’50s and’60s. Her musical performances reflectthis variety. She holds a bachelor’s degreein theater from San Diego State.

Lynn Elliott, who has been coordinat-ing the summer concert series for thepast few years for the North Park Com-munity Association but has beeninvolved in the program since 2004, saidshe is always looking for volunteers —people who can help set up eachevening’s production and clean up after-wards and people who can help with

fundraising and other chores. “We’vehad neighborhoods get together to con-tribute money for the concerts,” saidElliott. “ If a group got together andwanted to do that, we’d welcome that.”Volunteers can reach her via email at:lhelliott@aol.com.

Elliott said each year’s performers arechosen by a committee after volunteerslisten to groups perform at differentstreet events and other venues. Differentbands also send information.“We wantfamily-friendly music — danceablemusic. It’s a nice social event.”

MUSICCONTINUED FROM Page 1

The TINKU band, Isaac Astudillo, Josue Astudillo and Francisco Astudillo.TINKU founder Francisco Astudillo.. Nancy Mestyanek, Folding Mr. Lincoln.

Harry Mestyanek, Folding Mr. Lincoln.Audrey Moesch, Kitten With a Whip. (Photo by Judy Richards Cappello).Kitten With a Whip.

Whitney Shay singing at the U.S. Grant Hotel. (Photo courtesy of Adriana Sapien). Nathan James with go go dancer Felicia. Nathan James. (Photo by Milton Pitts)

June 2012 | sdnorthparknews.com | 19

Rendering of the USO building.

By Bart Mendoza

Peaceful Easy Feeling With Jack TempchinPossibly the area’s most successful songwriter, it’s likely that there are few people on the planet who have

not heard at least a tune or two written by Jack Tempchin. Performing at Lestat’s on June 7, 9 p.m., hishits include such standards as the Eagles’ “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” Johnny Rivers’ “Slow Dancin’” and GlenFrey’s “You Belong to the City,” while his soundtrack work includes such favorites as “Thelma and Louise”and “The Lonely Guy.” He’s a wonderful storyteller and performer. If you’re a fan in the slightest of acous-tic music, this intimate show will be hard to beat.

.

Jack Tempchin: Thursday, June 7, at Lestats, 3343 Adams Ave. 9 p.m. All ages. Cover TBD. www.Lestats.com.

The Stanleys’ Songs: High on … Melody and EnergyAustralian powerpop quartet The Stanleys will rock the house at Eleven on June 13 at 9 p.m. Songs

like their current single, “Always,” show the group to have honed their songwriting skills listening toclassic punk and new wave tunes, with an endless supply of songs that are high on melody and energy.As good as their current record is, live is where Australia’s bands excel and this combo is no exception.

Anyone who likes their rock ‘n’ roll with plenty of hooks will enjoy The Stanleys. .

The Stanleys: Wednesday, June 13, at Eleven, 3519 El Cajon Blvd. 9 p.m. 21 and up. $4. elevensandiego.com.

New Shoes Old Socks Wear WellSix-piece rock and reggae group New Shoes Old Socks performs

at Rosie O’Grady’s on June 16, 9 p.m. Such musical hybrids are adime a dozen in San Diego, but on the evidence of such recentrecordings as “Under The Sea,” this combo is a cut above the rest.Their tunes are topped by arena rock production and anthemicsongs that feature reggae and hip hop elements, highlighted bysuperb lead guitar work and trumpet playing. It all adds up to asound somewhere between Oasis at their most bombastic crossedwith Cake. New Shoes Old Socks are well worth checking out.

.

New Shoes Old Socks: Saturday, June 16 at Rosie O’Grady’s,3402 Adams Ave. 9: 30 p.m. 21 and up. rosieogradyspub.com.

Delivering a Cool Blend of Bluesand Folk

Critically acclaimed singer, guitarist and songwriter ChrisSmither performs at AMSD Concerts on June 28, 7:30 p.m.Though not yet a household name, Smither’s career goesback to the early 1960s, while his songs have been covered bythe likes of Bonnie Raitt, with a 10-album deep solo careerstretching back to 1970. His music is a mix of blues and folkwith a rich, deep voice perfectly matched to his deft fingerpicking.

.

Chris Smither: Thursday, June 28 at AMSD Concerts,4650 Mansfield St. 7: 30 p.m. All Ages. $25-$52. amsd-concerts.com.

No Identity Theft With John DoeNext month John Doe will be touring Europe’s biggest

venues, opening for Pearl Jam with his long-time group X, butlucky music fans have a chance to see him live on June 13, 8:30p.m. at the relatively intimate Soda Bar. Currently touringbehind his latest disc, “Keeper,” the biggest cheers at his per-formances are invariably for his renditions of classic X songssuch as “Burning House of Love,” but every second of Doe’s10-disc solo career to date is well worth hearing

.

John Doe: Wednesday, June 13, at The Soda Bar, 3615 ElCajon Blvd. 8:30 p.m. 21 and up. $12. sodabarmusic.com.

20 | sdnorthparknews.com | June 2012