Cover Story
Brought to you by New Zealand
How many people earn a living crafting the otherworldly creatures that haunt our dreams? How many can say they’ve designed entire worlds? Sir Richard Taylor, co-founder and creative director of the Oscar-winning props, effects, and conceptual design company Weta Workshop, is one of a very few individuals who can make such a claim. On March…
Sheriff’s spokesman dies at 61
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Rob Bryn was found dead in his home on March 1. He was 61. Bryn, who worked with the department since 2007, is suspected to have died of natural causes. He was discovered after failing to show up for work. Sheriff’s deputies were sent to check on his…
If you could keep any pet in a fish tank, what would it be?
Nano Rubio teacher of digital illustration at Cuesta “An iguana.” Amanda Rogers student “A narwhal.” Sarah Blakely student “A buffalo.” Daryll Woolf student “A jellyfish.”
Clubs
Goin’ South … BRANCH ST. DELI: 203 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, 489-9099. Live music Fri. from 5:30-8:30 p.m. 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…
Move over, Bela
I was blown away upon first hearing Bela Fleck. I feel the same having experienced the music of two-time Juno Award winner Jayme Stone, who The Globe and Mail called “The Yo-Yo Ma of the banjo.” Jayme Stone’s Room of Wonders appears in two weekend SLOfolks concerts: Friday, March 2, at Coalesce Bookstore (7 p.m.;…
X-treme screening!
The SLOIFF’s traditional Surf Nite has grown into a full-fledged Sports Nite, a red carpet event featuring surf, bike, and snowboard films, with an after-party at SLO Brew. Taking place on Thursday, March 8, the event kicks off with a pre-party at Woodstock’s Pizza at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m., Finnsurf, the world’s first Finnish…
SLOIFF’s short, green cousin
This year, SLO Regional Rideshare has partnered with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival to present the inaugural SLO Green Shorts Festival, an event created to inspire creative filmmaking on the subjects of sustainability and green living. Screening on Sunday, March 11, at 2 p.m., at Downtown Centre Cinemas, this program includes shorts of…
Laugh it up
More than anything else, stand-up comedians need to have balls big enough to make them think, “You know what? I’m so damn funny that I could get in front of a room full of people and keep them laughing for a good 10 minutes straight, all by myself.” Of course, they’d have to drag those…
‘I’m not all girls’
Near the beginning of Little Women, Jo, an aspiring writer, hopefully submits a manuscript—to which she receives this disheartening, but maybe well-meaning, response: “My advice to you is to go home and have babies.” The second-oldest of the four March sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s Civil War-era novel, Jo pulls an exasperated face before shrugging…
Uncovering Bacewicz
Grazyna Bacewicz is known in Poland as one of the nation’s first successful female composers. Unfortunately, to the rest of world, the many symphonies, concertos, and sonatas she wrote remained virtually unheard for decades—until a contemporary Polish violinist made it her mission to change all of that. Over the past eight years, Joanna Kurkowicz has…
Let them eat cake
Some of us don’t need silly and frivolous excuses to stuff our faces full of deliciously carb-laden goodies. If you’re not such a person and need a little more convincing to eat so sinfully, here’s your chance. March 1 is Purple Cake Day, a day when kids (and adults) get to laugh in the face…
Cougars & Mustangs
How will you celebrate National Save a Spider Day? This is the kind of thought that keeps me awake at night. For oft when on my couch I lie, things such as daffodils being March’s birthflower startle me into a seasonal decorating frenzy. Truth be told, if there’s one thing I love as much as…
Clayhouse 2009 Petite Sirah Old Vine Paso Robles
This Rhone variety is a great deal at only $25 retail. Showcased at the recent Paso Robles Rhone Rangers seminar, this delicious red was impressive and a value at the price. Darkly hued and intensely flavored, it opens quickly to reveal big brambly blackberries, boysenberries, and plums, nicely highlighted with notes of spice, earth, and…
Adelaida 2008 Syrah Viking Vineyard Paso Robles
This impressive, bold Syrah is earning the top scores from the critics, and deservedly so. You can still get it at their Paso Robles tasting room for $65. Hued a deep purple, it tastes of luscious blackberries, plums, and blueberries, all elegantly weaved with a thread of exotic spices. It drinks beautifully now but will…
Freshly baked every day
The aromas of freshly baked pastries and breads are irresistible to me. I can picture myself wafting along behind the promising aroma, my nose leading me directly to the source and its reward. While studying bread and pastry at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, my peers and I raided the pastry box daily…
Love comes in many forms
Regarding Sjany DeGroot’s letter (“To those who love my children,” Feb. 23): I am glad for the babies in your care that so many people help you. I am concerned, however, that someone who has had an abortion for fetal anomalies might find your letter very hurtful. Your implication that abortions are done for fetal…
Love comes in many forms
Regarding Sjany DeGroot’s letter (“To those who love my children,” Feb. 23): I am glad for the babies in your care that so many people help you. I am concerned, however, that someone who has had an abortion for fetal anomalies might find your letter very hurtful. Your implication that abortions are done for fetal…
Loving people are waiting
Well said, Sjany DeGroot (“To those who love my children,” Feb. 23). I would like to add that all human life is precious (whether in the womb or a skilled nursing home). There are people waiting to love the inconvenient humans.
Why would you let this guy write?
Great. New Times is providing a narcissistic psychopath exactly what he wants: attention (“The Camp Snoopy Files,” Feb. 16). How irresponsible—and utterly boring. With all the people in this community who are engaging in pro-social and positive activities, I have to wonder why in the world you choose to provide a creep like this with…
Look into workamping
One of the cross-country trends right now is the “Workamper” movement. Workampers are people who drive RVs around the country to various temporary jobs and park their vehicles in trailer camps (some provided by the employer). There are many websites that advertise hundreds of positions for these workampers. The jobs range from Amazon and Walmart…
Dear Shredder:
Having been in public office, I know that staff, regardless of what department, senses the direction the elected officials, or their appointed officials would like to have them go. This doesn’t need to be written down. I used to think they knew by osmosis! Thus, the police and their new actions of getting the parking…
You can’t justify enforcing injustice
We just learned about our self-righteous authorities picking on the poor and disenfranchised homeless citizens (“You can’t go home, and you can’t stay here,” Feb. 23). You cannot print what my wife and I exclaimed after reading the facts. We would like to see the soulless, ignorant, and intolerant officials like the police chief, the…
We’re still at the starting line
Yes, the city of San Luis Obispo has an ordinance prohibiting people from sleeping in their vehicle on city streets at night (“You can’t go home, and you can’t stay here,” Feb. 23). Yes, city police officers have a job to do to uphold the law. As a 10-year member of the National Alliance on…
Creating a homeless ‘safety net’ in SLO
Last week’s New Times (“You can’t go home, and you can’t stay here,” Feb. 23) took the city to task for enforcing our ordinances prohibiting overnight vehicle camping on Prado Road (and elsewhere). The city and the Community Action Partnership (CAPSLO) work very hard to address the problem of homelessness. We cannot, however, simply disregard…
Questions For: Abbey Onikoyi
NEW TIMES Can you describe what a drum circle is? ONIKOYI It’s a drum get together of love and music. It’s a way for people to embrace the weekend, away from work and the computer screens. That’s what I use it for. I want to have people come together through the rhythm of music. …
Idiot’s guide to…
Sprechen si Español?” Someone left a copy of the Idiot’s Guide to Becoming a Citizen of the World by the side of the road, and I just so happened to be the idiot who picked it up. So I’m brushing up on my foreign languages—I figured I could just throw all the phrases I know…
Get in-FESTED!
OK, this is a bit embarrassing, but I’m just going to admit it now and get it over with. I had already been the director of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival for about a year and a half before I really understood how to “do” a film festival! And when I say “do,”…
Head honcho
First one person got up and walked out of the room. Then another. And another. As tempers flared during the Feb. 23 meeting of the Latino Outreach Council, four people stood up and walked out. Two members of the council have resigned in recent months. One member declined to be nominated, and others who were…
Prove it or lose it
It’s been repeated in classrooms ad nauseum, but the administrators and staff at Cuesta College are just now beginning to follow the age-old math mantra: Show your work. The school has been drafting plans and reports in response to its accreditation problems ever since the school’s status as an institution with transferrable courses first came…
Music Mecca
For many people, learning to play a musical instrument like the piano or guitar seems like a daunting and all but impossible task. But according to Dan Ernst, owner of Grand Central Music Conservatory in San Luis Obispo, there is light at the end of the tunnel. “Music is just like anything else: What you…
Dispensary proposal goes to supes
Advocates of medical marijuana access in San Luis Obispo County are hoping the third time’s the charm. For the third time in as many years, the application for a proposed medical marijuana collective will go before the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors after passing muster at the Planning Commission. County supervisors are scheduled…
Excelaron digs for project support
After almost five years on the books, Excelaron’s oil drilling proposal is in the hands of San Luis Obispo County planning commissioners. And if the first public hearing was any indicator, there’s still a long road ahead. The Planning Commission met on Feb. 23 to discuss Excelaron’s request for a conditional use permit to construct…
‘I’m a big boy’
Tom Geaslen was practically shouting by the end of a lengthy tirade at the Feb. 22 meeting of the Oceano Community Services District Board of Directors. “In light of the recent events that we’ve had, the only thing that I can say is this place was a three-ring circus, and it appears the circus has…
Central Coast jazz legend dies at 84
James “Red” Holloway, a world-famous blues and jazz saxophonist and long-time resident of Cambria, died on Feb. 25. He was 84. His manager, Linda Knipe, told New Times that Holloway passed away at the Bayside Care Center in Morro Bay around 5:30 a.m., after experiencing kidney failure and other complications brought on by several strokes.…
