Cover Story
Making spirits bright
Read about holiday cocktails that have been around for a long time; an annual fundraiser in Los Osos that raises big bucks for the homeless; easy, breezy food to make for that next potluck; people who don’t get to take the holidays off; do-it-yourself etched glass for gifting; and some weird and wacky questions for…
Carbajal backs California’s Kamala Harris for president
U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) endorsed California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris for president, supporting the state’s former attorney general who’s currently struggling in the polls. A joint statement released on Nov. 22 said that Carbajal is the fourth Congressional Hispanic Caucus member to put his weight behind her. The announcement also mentions Carbajal’s career…
Easy peasy: It’s potluck season, and we’ve got you covered with simple shareable recipes that wow
The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the invitations to Friendsgivings, work potlucks, Festivus, and everything in between. Participating in these gatherings on top of your usual family get-together is a great way to express your gratitude for the people around you and spend time with those you care about. It can,…
Finished Paso basin sustainability plan awaits final approval
Sidestepping continued grumbles from the agricultural industry, the Paso Robles Basin Cooperative Committee recommended final approval of a finished groundwater sustainability plan on Nov. 20, a move that precipitates its submission to the California Department of Water Resources. The 20-year groundwater plan, required by state law, aims to bring the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin back…
Years of cheers: Spiced old-timey cocktails will get you in celebration mode
Whiffs of Christmas escape from a freshly opened jar of cloves as fingers awkwardly pull the protective seal from it. Tapping it into the mixing bowl, the ground spice lands on top of cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, and brown sugar. Once blended into a creamy paste, dollops of the hot buttered rum batter will get dropped…
Escape to Pismo’s seaside for upscale comfort food at Somerset Grill
Pismo’s oceanside Americana Situated along Pismo Beach’s famous stretch of sand, with a stunning panoramic view of the pier, Somerset Grill is located within the luxury hotel: Vespera on Ocean, a brand-new 124-room upscale hotel. The restaurant provides market-fresh, regionally inspired oceanside Americana cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with an oceanfront poolside bar and…
Giving spirit: Every penny from this Los Osos fundraiser goes to organizations helping the homeless
Give back The 14th annual Needs ‘N Wishes holiday fundraiser takes place on Dec. 14 at the South Bay Community Center, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. All proceeds benefit homeless services nonprofits. For more info, call (805) 528-5800. To make a direct donation, send checks payable to “People Helping People,” with “Needs ‘N Wishes”…
Seasonal eats
Cheers to the spirit of McCarthy’s Irish Pub. Come by and have a drink with your McCarthy’s family, they say, whether you can’t afford to go home for Thanksgiving or just don’t want to! The SLO pub’s annual Thanksgiving Potluck on Nov. 28 is from noon to 9 p.m., and the staff keeps a sign-up…
Refurbished Sunny Acres orphanage opens as housing complex for residents with mental illnesses
Thirty-three local residents living with mental illnesses and on low incomes now have secure housing with the opening of the Bishop Street Studios in San Luis Obispo this month. After 19 months of construction and several years of planning to restore the abandoned and dilapidated Sunny Acres orphanage, Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) held a grand…
Eat and learn
We all know that momentous holiday cheer starts the minute after midnight on Thanksgiving, so bring a red and green Christmas apron to the fabulous Cookie Decorating Workshop hosted by Zest it Up at Ancient Peaks Winery, 22720 El Camino Real, Santa Margarita, on Dec. 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. Tickets ($55 at my805tix.com)…
Tomasko’s Salt Water Taffy
My late Italian papa-in-law, who lived in Stockton, used to insist on visiting the seafood restaurants for buckets of mussels and clams every single weekend he visited the seashore. For me, when I take a staycation in Pismo, it’s all about the salt water taffy. Tomasko’s Salt Water Taffy is a family-owned Pismo Beach pier…
If only in my dreams: From first responders to bartenders, these SLO County residents are on the clock for the holidays
Christmas 2015 was a particularly memorable one for Adan Orozco. He and his family spent much of that day together—laughing, eating, and opening gifts—and Orozco couldn’t wait to watch his then 4-year-old son unwrap the year’s big present. When the time finally came, everyone gathered around Orozco’s son to watch. But just as he was…
The Monday Clubhouse Conservancy raises funds for Fine Arts Awards with inaugural pop-up gallery
Calling young artists The Monday Clubhouse Conservancy is accepting applications for its annual Fine Arts Awards competition, which is open to youth artists of middle school and high school age in SLO County. The submission deadlines are in January and February 2020. Visit themondayclubslo.org for more information. For the last 58 years, The Monday Clubhouse…
Why I’m running for Congress
Something happened that has caused me to do something I never intended to do, and that is declare my candidacy to be your representative in Congress. It all has to do with Ronald Reagan’s famous words, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the…
Holiday Guide 2019
Read about holiday cocktails that have been around for a long time; an annual fundraiser in Los Osos that raises big bucks for the homeless; easy, breezy food to make for that next potluck; people who don’t get to take the holidays off; do-it-yourself etched glass for gifting; and some weird and wacky questions for…
We should not be surveilled
Thanks for your article on video surveillance (“They’ll be watching you,” Nov. 14). The public needs to have a serious conversation about the use of such technologies, especially by law enforcement and other government agencies. SLOPD already has surveillance cameras in Meadow and Mitchell parks. Now the city is preparing to install them in Mission…
Cambrian John Seed’s new book delves into how a fresh type of realism painting reflects our contemporary world
On shelves John Seed’s Disrupted Realism: Paintings for a Distracted World can be purchased at the Vault Gallery in Cambria, Coalesce Bookstore in Morro Bay, and Barnes and Noble in San Luis Obispo. From a weekly blogger to a published author, local Cambrian John Seed’s writing has taken him on quite the unexpected journey. During…
A little enlightenment about income equality
In the Nov. 21 issue of New Times, Phillip Mordaunt asked for someone to define what “income inequality” means while claiming that attaining income equality will never work (“Please define your terms”). I don’t disagree with that second point, but it fails to address the point made by the vast majority of those who are…
By the Sea Productions presents My Three Angels
My Three Angels opened at By the Sea Productions on Friday, Nov. 22, and will run through Dec. 15. Director Janice Peters helms this production of writing duo Samuel and Bella Spewack’s play. The plot follows three convicts who find work as roofers for a family whose roof is in desperate need of maintenance. The…
Make a lasting impression: Learn how to personalize just about any glass gift with this step-by-step etching guide
Subtle frosted logos on wine glasses—the ones we used to get in local tasting rooms—inspired me to try making permanent designs on gifts like spice jars and Christmas tree ornaments. I’d heard about DIY etching several years ago but hadn’t tried it till this fall when I made a set of customized Mason jars as…
Las Vegas company brings Big Band Christmas to the Clark Center
Gary Vecchiarelli Entertainment, a Las Vegas-based theatrical company, presents Big Band Christmas: All the Classics at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 5 p.m. Guests of the show can expect to hear a variety of hits ranging from the 1940s to the 1960s, including the music…
The problem with taking the Grand View landlords’ side
Whoa. Where do I begin? John Donegan’s “Harsh realities” column (Nov. 21) has set my mind whirling. And not in a good way. His assessment of the Grand View Apartments situation is that rich owners of a lower-income property should be entitled to make a profit … and if the poor tenants can’t keep ……
Great American Melodrama holds annual holiday show
The Holiday Extravaganza opens at the Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. The show will run through Tuesday, Dec. 31, with evening and matinee performances offered throughout the week (check americanmelodrama.com for showtimes). This annual production opens with a one-act version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which is…
‘Harsh realities’ 2.0
“The ugly reality is that shabby housing like the Grand View Apartments provides a necessary service in offering those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder a place to live, which they would not otherwise have. While the law imposes an obligation on owners to only rent habitable housing, it doesn’t provide a way…
Canadian bluegrass band The Dead South plays the Fremont Theater on Nov. 29
Thanks to the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s somewhat quiet out there in live music land. The SLO Brew Rock Event Center is dark this week, and Numbskull and Good Medicine Presents have taken the week off as well, but your friends at The Fremont Theater have you covered with three upcoming shows, starting with the unconventional…
Honor and betrayal
If you think the impeachment inquiry has little to do with our lives on the Central Coast, think again. I saw Republican partisan bias supersede fact and evidence—just as I have witnessed our three conservative county supervisors betray constituents by denying fact-based evidence in order to prop up fossil fuel interests. In D.C., honor and…
Avila Resort may need Coastal Commission approval for outdoor events
It’s been a bumpy ride for the Avila Beach Golf Resort in its most recent attempt to obtain an outdoor entertainment license, and now the popular concert venue is facing another barrier: the California Coastal Commission. In a Nov. 19 letter to Justin Cooley, the San Luis Obispo County staffer overseeing the resort’s application process,…
Frozen II is a worthy sequel
FROZEN II What’s it rated? PG What’s it worth, Rohn? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In Editor’s note: This week, 8-year-old Cayucos resident Rohn Newman is sitting in with Glen. Co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee (Frozen, 2013) return to helm this…
10 questions for Santa! Santa’s House opens in the SLO Mission Plaza on Nov. 29
Naughty or nice? Santa’s there for you! Downtown SLO opens Santa’s House on Friday, Nov. 29, at 10 a.m. Children who visit Santa receive a complimentary activity book, toy, and candy cane. Pictures are also available for purchase: $5 take-your-own, $8 framed souvenir photo, and $11 for a souvenir package including both the framed photo…
Grand View tenants could avoid displacement for now
Tenants of Grand View Apartments in Paso Robles will receive at least some temporary help. The owners of the apartment complex recently proposed extending the eviction deadlines for their tenants, and People’s Self-Help Housing raised $30,000 in donations to aid the soon-to-be former residents. According to court documents filed on Nov. 22, the owners of…
Blast from the Past: Wild at Heart
When? 1990 What’s it rated? R Where’s it available? Amazon, Tubi “Today’s Yellow Brick Road Leads Straight to Hell.” That’s the headline of a Caryn James review of Wild at Heart that appeared in a 1990 edition of The New York Times, and she’s not wrong. The bleak reality of a once-romanticized form of travel…
Happy holidaze
‘Tis the season for thankfulness, amirite? Just ask guest opinion writer and retired attorney John Donegan (“Harsh realities,” Nov. 21), who scolded the soon-to-be-homeless residents of Paso’s Grand View Apartments for not being satisfied with their crappy conditions. The residents, you might recall, sued to require their rental units be properly maintained, but instead of…
FPPC opens investigation into SLO council member accused of conflict
San Luis Obispo’s all-electric building code remains in limbo as the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) continues to investigate conflict-of-interest allegations against a City Council member who voted for the code. The SoCalGas workers’ union accused Vice Mayor Andy Pease—who participated in the council’s 4-1 vote on Sept. 3 to adopt a first reading…
Film Listings, 11/28/19 – 12/5/19
All theater listings are as of Friday, Nov. 29 A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD What’s it rated? PG What’s it worth? Full price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10 Pick Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) directs this biopic drama that’s based on the…
Sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts on John Donegan’s Nov. 21 Rhetoric & Reason column, “Harsh realities.”
