Cover Story
Morro Bay, cracked open: Taste the ‘merroir’ of the bay, one oyster at a time
Like the crash of surf onto sand, Neal Maloney remembers the exact moment his calling hit him. The recent Oregon State University Marine Biology graduate was scuba diving 60 feet below the Sea of Cortez, surrounded by baskets of Mexican Black Pearl oysters. A blue-green expanse stretched out in all directions. The water was a…
A journey into the world of heritage pork
Let’s cut to the meat of the matter. Have you heard of pork butter yet? No? Let’s fix that. I had no idea what it was either—that is, until my husband and I attended a drool-inducing Pork to Plate seminar hosted by FARMstead Ed at J&R Meats in Paso Robles. The moment local cookbook author…
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Brianna Dart recreation center attendant “Chocolate-covered crickets. It was good, but it was really salty.” Jose Mendoza maintenance tech “Pig intestines. It’s a delicacy in Mexico, and it’s actually really good, if they’re properly cleaned beforehand.” Cherie Dart operations manager “Cow tongue.” Elesha Bindner student “Either snails or frog legs. And I wasn’t even in…
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. opens new Arroyo Grande location
Jaime Dietenhofer and his father, Jim Dietenhofer, share the same set of penetrating eyes—a vibrant blue gaze that manages to emanate both quiet confidence and genuine warmth. It’s uncanny. And that’s not all the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. owners have in common. Chatting over the sound of buzzing saws at their new Arroyo Grande taproom,…
Downtown Farmers’ Market in SLO adds new attractions with a focus on locals
The famous Downtown Farmers’ Market in San Luis Obispo is getting a reboot, just in time for summer. A rite of passage for fresh-faced college students, the event has long been a parking struggle for those seasoned vets who are just trying to go to dinner. But the Downtown Association is revamping the event, giving…
Cougars & Mustangs
I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with Risk: University of California edition, but our own California Polytechnic State University has been winning big time. At 9,678 acres, Cal Poly is the largest land-holding university in California. Granted, not all of this land is part of the campus itself, but with a proper subway…
For public consumption: Two years in, the cottage food act is a hit
To make a Doughkie (pronounced doe-key), first grind the almonds—a coarse grind, not too consistent. Mix the meal with honey, vanilla, cocoa powder, carob, and a few other key ingredients, then weigh out each Doughkie portion and roll it into a log. Finally, put the dough in a round doughnut-shaped mold and bake it. The…
Waste not: Local cattleman puts ag byproducts to use
Rex Swan keeps his prized bull and breeding cows just down the road from the empty Main Street lot that housed the Templeton Livestock Market for nearly 70 years. Swan has spent his life in the cattle breeding business and currently runs a successful seed-stock operation, where he breeds the bulls and cows that other…
Couple gifts ag land to Cal Poly
A Santa Maria couple donated a massive plot of agricultural land worth millions of dollars to Cal Poly June 8. Thanks to Stuart “Stu” and Jan Bartleson, the college now owns a 450-acre tract of land at Bartleson Ranch on Los Berros Road about 3 miles south of Arroyo Grande. The land is a working…
South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District hires interim legal firm
The South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation district enlisted a Santa Barbara law firm to provide temporary legal services after its long-time legal counsel resigned. The district’s board of directors voted June 3 to appoint Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck law firm as its interim district counsel following the resignation of former legal counsel Michael Seitz.…
SLO considers water rate hike
Use less water, pay more for it; that’s the tragic logic many California communities have reckoned with during the ongoing, record-setting drought. As water customers decrease their use, partly in response to mandated drought conservation measures, the monthly bill payments have also decreased. That presents a challenge for the utilities that supply the water, because…
Former Paso Robles High School teacher enters ‘no contest’ plea in sex case
A former Paso Robles High School teacher recently pleaded “no contest” to charges that he had sex with a female minor. On June 8, Jeremy Ryan Monn entered the plea for one count of unlawful intercourse with a minor more than three years younger than the perpetrator, and one count of arranging a meeting with…
Monning’s aid-in-dying bill makes progress
A bill that would allow terminally ill Californians to end their lives with the help of physician-prescribed medication is one step closer to becoming a law. The “End of Life Option Act,” authored by state Sens. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) and Lois Wolk (D-Davis), would allow mentally competent adults in the final stages of life to…
SLO County Grand jury report says county jail still has issues
The SLO County grand jury released a report June 9 concluding that everything looks good in local jail and juvenile facilities—except for the ongoing contraband problem, inmate violence, and overcrowding as a result of the state’s realignment. The report states, “The grand jury found all places of incarceration to be well managed providing for both…
Vandals break windows of 11 SLO businesses
On the morning of June 9 several San Luis Obispo bankers, tellers, and loan officers—and a few geniuses and gadget pushers—arrived at work to a mess of broken glass. The word of broken windows spread as reports trickled in from across town, eventually totaling 10 banks and the downtown Apple Store. Beginning at 3 a.m.…
Icing on the cake: The HoneyBee Cakery helps make your sweet dreams reality
The word ‘baking,’ tends to cook up—ha!—images of a Donna Reed look-alike whirling around the kitchen. The picture of domesticity in a crisp shirtdress and a frilly apron, churning out the perfect pie crust and other tantalizing treats. Lizabeth Nagel, the owner of the HoneyBee Cakery, may have the cheerful warmth and ultra-sweet smile of…
Personal beliefs matter
You may be aware of a bill speeding through the California Legislature that would deny parents the right to make important health-care decisions for their children. If passed, SB 277 would eliminate the personal belief/religious exemption (PBE) that currently allows parents to choose which vaccines are given to their children. PBEs are utilized by a…
California teens deserve honest sex education
Let’s face it, even though sexuality is a normal part of being human, talking with teens about sex and relationships can be tough. Parents cite awkwardness and feeling ill equipped for the conversation as two reasons why they want support from sex education experts. In fact, not only do more than 90 percent of both…
City planners should pay attention to Texas floods
Recent rains and flooding have caused some three dozen deaths, hundreds of homes lost, and great infrastructure damage in Texas and Oklahoma. Floods occur in floodplains: We seem to never remember this. I hope the SLO City Council takes this latest tragic example to heart when considering further development in the Prefumo/San Luis Creek floodplain.…
Creationism belongs in church, not education
I find myself in fundamental disagreement with Robert Cuddy’s op-ed article published on May 21 (“Don’t kill creationism”). He seems to think there is a group, the ‘anti-superstition crowd,’ that fears the open discussion of creationism. I do not believe he is correct. Creationism is a belief system that does not stand up to the…
Thanks Plains, I now drive an electric car
I want to thank David Georgi for his May 28 commentary in New Times (“Crude protection”) and for providing information on chumashsanctuary.com for protecting our Pacific Coast from oil drilling and fracking. In addition to joining forces with environmental protection groups, this is my personal way of fighting back: Like many working or retired Americans…
Drought and development don’t mix
The SLO City Council recently declared a drought emergency. This is the same City Council that, last December, approved more high-density housing around the airport. This was done after a developer gave maximum contributions to the campaigns of some council members who voted for it. As the residents cut back on their water use, I…
Gilipollas del Año!
What would you do with 20 million smackaroos? Or more importantly, what would I do? Champagne baths? Eating sushi off of naked supermodels? Have my toilet gold-plated? Get me one of them newfangled car elevators? Shred $100 bills to line my gerbil’s cage? (Oh, Goebbels the Gerbil, you’re worth it! Let’s snuggle!) No one seems…
Mark your calendar
Get your seats now! The California Mid-State Fair is announcing a brand new night of entertainment called An Evening of Brews & Blues this July 30. The night will feature eight-person table seating, a Golden Circle of premium seats, and a range of special craft beers not normally on tap during fair hours … Sips…
Madonna Inn’s Dark and Stormy and Center of Effort 2009 Chardonnay
When it comes to birthday drinks, this classic dark and stormy with rum, lime juice, and fizzy ginger beer can’t be topped. Of course, it helps to be swimming in the Madonna Inn pool with a gaggle of friends while you drink it! • Madonna Inn’s Dark and Stormy—$10; 100 Madonna Road, SLO. The Chardonnay…
The art of Struggle Inc. on display at Left Field Gallery
There’s nothing wrong with double dipping! Check out the Double Dipped Gooney Bird exhibit showing at Left Field Gallery from June 26 through July 26, which features the striking work of Chicago’s Cody Hudson. Also known under the moniker Struggle Inc., Hudson’s graphic work and paintings have been exhibited throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan…
Artists’ Book 2015 Exhibit books into Cuesta College
Cuesta College’s Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery is gearing up to host the Artists’ Book 2015 Exhibit, featuring dozens of books created by artists from around the world. The books are the works of art here, just to be crystal clear. This inventive visual event transforms pages, covers, and spines into intriguing sights to behold.…
Santa Margarita’s The Range elevates cuisine to high art!
It’s Friday, June 5, and I’ve already eaten half my salad and pizzette before I remember I’m supposed to be writing about this meal and taking photos. Oops! My bad! I can’t help it. The food at The Range is incredible—at once simple but prepared with such care and finesse that every element, right down…
The artistic table: Your next dinner party could be a real masterpiece
The idea of hosting a dinner party can seem daunting, and setting a formal dinner table can be even more overwhelming. Well, here’s the good news: It’s not as difficult as it seems. From tradition to what’s trending now, there are thousands of routes to choose from. This how-to is about finding inspiration, not a…
NOLA icon Glen David Andrews plays at Live Oak
The days keep clicking by, and now it’s just two short weeks before the Live Oak Music Festival (June 19-21), which features famed New Orleans trombonist Glen David Andrews playing Saturday, June 20 (8:45 p.m.). It’s going to be another big day at the eclectic music festival as Andrews is following Lil’ Ed and the…
Clubs 6/11/15 – 6/18/15
Goin’ South THE CLIFFS RESORT: 2757 Shell Beach Road, 773-5000 or cliffsresort.com. F. MCLINTOCKS SALOON: Two locations: 750 Mattie Road in Pismo Beach and 133 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande. 773-1892 or mclintocks.com. Live music at the Pismo Beach location every Fri. and Sat. from 6-9pm. Tennessee Jimmy Harrell and Doc Stoltey play on alternating…
