Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Linda Vista
Plus: Spicy House on Convoy Street, Scenic Mission Bay Exercise Path, and Dealing Positively with Inflation
Linda Vista residents get the opportunity to celebrate the Lunar New Year next week as the Bayside Community Center is sponsoring a celebration on Thursday January 26 in conjunction with the weekly Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market. The Love, Linda Farmers Market operates every Thursday afternoon at the Linda Vista Plaza Shopping Center. In order to get an update on this exciting Lunar New Year celebration and the weekly Farmers Market, we sat down with Jonathan Widener, the board president of the non-profit Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market, and asked him a few questions. Here is what he had to say:
—What kind of activities/performances will be held at the New Year celebration?
This open air celebration will feature live music and performances:
5:30 pm - Southern Sea Lion and Dragon Dance
5:45 pm - Van Lang Center
6:00 pm - Naruwan Taiko Performances
—What have you enjoyed about being president of the Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market board of directors?
That is a long list, but let me mention a couple things. First, I’ve enjoyed getting to know all the vendors and farmers on a personal level over the last 9 months. I touch base with them at each market and then in a weekly phone call, if they are available, to find out how they are doing. We share stories and I grow from hearing their experiences.
Second, I really enjoy being part of a nonprofit and working in collaboration with Love, Linda Vista Board members. We are made up of all volunteers, including myself. We all work so well together as we each bring something different to this adventure week after week. Leading this team seems more like working with my chosen family than it does running a company. I did own a larger boutique event company in Chicago which had lots of moving parts like Love, Linda Vista but the difference is Love, Linda Vista is a nonprofit that holds together because of the love of the community itself. To me, that makes it special because we all want to be together and want similar things— to help micro enterprises and civic organizations connect with a community to grow together.
—What distinguishes the Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market from other local farmers markets?
One thing that really stands out is that the majority of other Farmers’ Markets are not all volunteer based. Statistically, most farmers markets in San Diego are in high traffic, higher income areas. Currently, we would not be sustainable if we didn't have the dedication of all of our volunteers. Linda Vista has a lower median household income. In fact, that makes us more intentional in what vendors we, as a board, bring on. We abide by our mission statement which you can read in full on our website. We want to engage with Linda Vistans and surrounding neighborhoods by providing civic resources along with fresh local produce, and unique micro enterprises. We rely on our amazing patrons who visit the market each week as they are able. We thank you so much for continuing to support us.
—If someone wants to apply to be a vendor at the Farmers Market, what do they have to do?
One would need to fill out our vendor application form on our website at www.lovelindavista.org. Each application gets submitted to our diverse board of Linda Vistans and also with input from our veteran vendors to make sure they are comfortable before the final decision is made. Our board meets every two weeks. Our success comes from the success of each vendor. So we strive to make sure there is little negative impact on the vendors who are already part of the market. In addition, we strive to have not only a diverse group of vendors, but to also offer a wide variety of different foods. Currently, we are seeking a few more authentic Asian and African cuisines. We are blessed to have a good representation of Latin American cuisines, American BBQ, Neapolitan Pizza, Filipino Lumpia, lots of baked goods and Mediteranean pre-packaged homemade hummus, yogurts, pita and olives. We even just added an awesome specialty coffee trailer for fresh gourmet brews!
—Do you have a favorite fruit or vegetable that you like to purchase at the Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market?
Wow, all of them!!! It’s so hard to choose because everything is so fresh. I’ve always been one to buy from a grocery store until we founded this farmers market. I never knew better until now. That is when I learned about real freshness and I can’t go backwards. First, the tangerines are sweet and taste like sunshine. The Reed avocados taste like butter when they are perfectly ripened. The farmer explained to me how to know. One reason— it’s amazing to have the actual farmer in front of you to help you pick the right one for you. Secondly, the fresh eggs are the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I now can no longer eat store bought eggs, as I can so easily taste the difference. With the rise in egg prices in the grocery store, I don’t mind spending the extra money on eggs when I’m meeting the farmer selling them at our market. It feels good to know exactly what the chickens are eating, where they are living and producing versus what a package in a grocery store says. Every morning, I put the avocado on my sourdough toast with fresh homemade hummus, a fried egg— all of which I get at the market.
—How has the Farmers Market evolved since its opening in May?
When we first started, we knew we wanted it to be more than a farmers market. We wanted it to engage the community. By that, I mean, we have hosted a free vaccine drive and TB Testing through partnering with HHSA, by having UCSD there to give free blood pressure checks each week, by including local school initiatives like Headstart and Empower. We have also been able to provide a safe space for Bayside to throw their 90th Anniversary Party in December. On January 26th, we will be cohosting The Lunar New Year Celebration. We love that aspect because the market becomes a gathering space for family fun. Many of our veteran vendors are still with us but we have recently added many new vendors as we grow intentionally.
—What would say to any local resident who comments, “I haven’t been to the Love, Linda Farmers Market. Why should I go?”
I’d say, it should be on everyone’s Thursday afternoon/early evening calendar because it’s a happy place to hang out. Because it can change each week, you will discover something different each time. You can do your produce/grocery shopping, eat some awesome food and get lots of dessert to take home for the rest of the week. But the connections you will make the more you come, will inspire you into your weekend. The vendors are really fun to talk with, and many patrons return so you will see new groups of friends form every week.
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The Linda Vista Update thanks Jonathan Widener for answering our questions. We hops to see many newsletter readers at the Lunar New Year celebration on January 26.
Want Spicy? Try Spicy House
We were both having a busy day on Wednesday. Steve had some meetings, I had some volunteer work to do, and it looked like we were headed for a late lunch. I was pretty hungry, and it was cool, so I thought something warm like soup or noodles might be good. We headed up to Convoy Street to see what we could find, preferring a place we hadn’t tried before.
We turned into a strip mall that had quite a few interesting looking places and started walking around to find a restaurant. We passed one that didn’t open until 5:00 pm but it was only 2:30 pm, we passed another that didn’t look like it had much of a vegetarian menu, and then we came to another one that was closed. Finally, we happened upon what appeared to be a Chinese Restaurant; it had an open door and an extensive menu. Without even bothering to check the restaurant’s name, we just went in because we were so hungry.
The restaurant was very attractive and large, and not crowded, probably due to the fact that it was in between meal times. The menu consisted of over 200 items, so we knew we could find something. There were some very exotic sounding items such as duck blood with spicy sauce, old duck and sour radish soup, duck blood and vermicelli, frog in a dry pot, lots of pork, beef, lamb, chicken, and vegetable dishes, noodles, soups, dumplings, and dry pots and sizzling plates.
Steve decided on Shrimp in a Dried Pot (menu number 133), and I ordered Eggplant with Szechuan Sauce (menu number 169). The waiter brought us hot tea right away; it tasted very good since it was a cool day.
I then happened to remember Szechuan sauce tends to be hot, so I checked with the waiter who confirmed the dish I ordered was spicy. I told him I liked some spice, but not a lot. He merely smiled and confirmed the dish was spicy.
Steve’s meal came and it was loaded with shrimp topped with a lot of jalapeno peppers and red chilis. My eggplant arrived along with steamed rice and after one taste we both asked for glasses of water. It was then that I thought to ask the name of the restaurant only to learn it was called Spicy House. You would think that would have given me a clue for what lay ahead, but I never even looked at the name before ordering. After a closer look at the menu (which also should have also served as a clue), I realized that dishes were marked with a pepper symbol to denote levels of spiciness.
Once we began eating, I glanced over at Steve and noticed he was starting to sweat as he ate his shrimp dish. My eyes began watering and continued to do so throughout my meal. I love eggplant and I want to say this was among the best eggplant I ever tasted, but it was really spicy. The rice helped me deal with the spiciness, as did huge gulps of cold water in between bites.
I eventually noticed Steve carefully maneuvering around the numerous peppers on his plate, while devouring the many large shrimp in the serving pan which was kept heated by a flame underneath.
The helpings were very large and we both had about half our meals to take home. Steve loved the meal, but would probably want it less spicy next time, if possible. Later, our Carnivore Sidekick got an unexpected dinner plate with the leftover eggplant as he loves spicy food and couldn’t believe he had never been to the Spicy House.
We will definitely go to this place again, but definitely pay more attention to the pepper symbols marked alongside each entree on the menu. I understand at dinner time, this place is packed and I can see why. Good service, good portions, and an extensive menu variety. And I felt warm for the rest of the evening.
3860 Convoy Street # 105
858-278-5883
Nearby Scenic Exercise Path Along Mission Bay
Looking for a new and interesting exercise route for jogging, walking, or cycling? Do you prefer a flat route rather than the steep ups and downs that comprise most exercise paths in Linda Vista? Are you willing to go just a little bit outside the boundaries of Linda Vista to get to this new route? If so, an often overlooked path along Mission Bay, just a block away from the more popular boardwalk in Mission Beach, might be exactly what you are looking for.
One of the best things about residing in or near Linda Vista is our proximity to the water. We are incredibly lucky to live close to Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Mission Bay. Whether you are a surfer, or a boater, or someone who enjoys looking at the waves and feeling the fresh ocean breeze, or a jogger, walker or cyclist who likes to exercise along the paths that lie adjacent to the water, we get to do so by taking advantage of the short distance required to travel to these destinations. They are just minutes away.
If you are any sort of jogger, walker, or cyclist, chances are good you have already spent some time exercising on the popular boardwalk that stretches alongside Pacific and Mission Beach. It’s always a fun place to exercise—of course, you can’t beat the beautiful natural scenery. And then there are also all the tourists and local freaks and geeks that bear watching. Yes, there is usually an odd assortment of individuals that hang out on the boardwalk, and they provide loads of visual entertainment as one huffs and puffs between the seawall and the various houses that line the asphalt footpath. However, sometimes I get in the mood to do my huffing and puffing in a more mellow atmosphere. After all, the boardwalk can frequently get a little too busy and hectic with gaggles of slow moving tourists often getting in the way. When this occurs and I still want to experience a similar beach-like atmosphere, I prefer doing my walking or jogging along the asphalt path that sits nearby on the east side of Mission Boulevard, on the Mission Bay side of the water. This asphalt path—referred to as Bayside Lane on maps—provides beautiful views of the Bay for anyone following its route, which can extend for miles, depending how far you want to go. I usually limit my exercise to 4 – 5 miles, with the 5-mile route taking me the length of the Bay up to the 2 ½ mile turn-around point near the Ingraham Street overpass.
The great thing about this path is that it is never too busy or hectic. You won’t see too many tourists on this side of the water. It’s relatively quiet—scant evidence of beach cottages being taken over by rowdy college frat boys, and you’ll see no vendor tents hawking goods. On this side of the water, you don’t get to view the hypnotic beach waves that one sees from the boardwalk; instead, what you will normally see while exercising is soothing, placid Bay waters, the crew boats rowing in preparation for competitions, the paddle wheel boat that goes between the Bahia Hotel and the Catamaran Hotel, people paddle surfing, and the eclectic style of beach cottages/houses that line Bayside Lane. The big, beautiful houses that sit along Briarfield Cove are especially impressive, allowing you to see how the rich people live. Off in the distance, when looking east, you can see the houses of Linda Vista’s Overlook Heights and some USD buildings.
On sunny winter days you will appreciate the stunning views amongst all the palm trees and the shimmering water and find yourself pleasantly wondering how the people in Chicago and Buffalo are doing. It all comes together to produce a very laid back vibe.
In order to get to this exercise path, you can park across the street in the parking lot that aligns West Mission Bay Drive (across from the Bahia Resort Hotel and a nearby Sushi Restaurant). There is a cross walk with a stop light to help get you across busy West Mission Drive. During summer weekends, this parking lot can sometimes get full, but there are usually plenty of parking spaces. Fortunately, once you get across West Mission Drive you don’t have to worry about encountering any car traffic on the asphalt path. You can run, bike, or pedal to your heart’s content.
I highly recommend this path if you are looking for a beautiful place to exercise, especially if you are tired of chugging up the uphill paths of Linda Vista and are looking for a fast, flat route that’s not far away. No matter how hard you exercise, you will eventually leave this path in a good, mellow mood.
Commentary
How to Deal Optimistically with Inflation
Needless to say, every Linda Vista resident has recently suffered the ill effects of inflation. Soaring prices have done great damage to our purchasing power. We first felt the damage when gas prices reached record highs. Now, in recent weeks we’ve seen prices reach astronomical levels for such critical necessities as eggs, and our San Diego Gas and Electric bill makes us question how we can stay warm this winter, and we’ve been warned to expect more price hikes for our water bill.
We Linda Vista people certainly have reason to be rattled. But one can say that such trying times reveals our true character. During these uncertain days of economic turbulence, some people wallow in negativity, while others emit an aura of positivity and see this type of situation with a sense of opportunity. It’s the old glass is “half full” or “half empty” attitude situation.
In carrying out our investigative responsibilities, we at the Linda Vista Update recently sought to put a finger on the collective pulse of local residents and figure out how the community felt about inflation. In the process, we were fortunate enough to encounter one local resident—Mr. Carn E. Vore—who best exemplifies the positive and inspiring nature of a “glass is half-full” attitude. We decided to share our interview of this enthusiastic, optimistic young Millennial in the hope that all of our readers are inspired to approach inflation with the same optimistic attitude.
—LV Update: Are you concerned about the price of eggs?
Mr. Vore: I was initially greatly concerned, as breakfast is one of my top three favorite meals, but then I started thinking…maybe this is a great time to go vegan. Maybe I don’t really need eggs to be happy. I never saw myself being a vegan, but life (and inflation) presents us with opportunities, so perhaps I am destined to forego animal products and lead a more healthy lifestyle. You know what they say…You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs…(heavy sigh)….which of course, I can’t eat now. But that’s okay, because I’m a positive kind of guy.
—LV Update: What about the soaring costs associated with our SDG&E bills? Many people feel SDG&E executives are treating us as if they have a death grip around our necks, and that they are squeezing the life out of us in order to make more of a profit. Don’t you feel that way?
Mr. Vore: I have always greatly admired the Viking, so I’ve decided that in order to stay warm inside the house this year I am going to avoid using the furnace and instead wear multiple layers of animal pelts (using fake fur and hides of course, since apparently I plan on becoming a vegan). I am calling this winter my “Linda Vista Scandinavian Viking Experience.” The Vikings were a hardy lot who didn’t need central heating. I am going to emulate them. I am not sore at SDG&E, in fact, I thank them for being so greedy and presenting me with this unique historical-cultural opportunity. And please, for the next few months, call me Ragnar.
—LV Update: Okay, Ragnar, SDG&E is not the only public utility raising prices. I hear SD Water is also expected to raise their prices down the road, thus contributing even more to inflationary pressures. Don’t you think it is unfair to raise prices on such a critical necessity as water?
Mr. Vore: Hey, I’ve got this one covered. Since I am going to be living the Viking lifestyle, I am going to be automatically reducing my water usage by showering only once a week. Based on my research, the Vikings bathed only once a week. But don’t be alarmed….back in those days, the Viking habit of bathing once a week was pretty sophisticated compared to other European tribes who bathed much less frequently. I realize bathing only once a week may be a hardship for me (and those around me), but I see this as an opportunity. I say, “Thank you, SD Water, for making water so expensive.” In spite of this public utility’s best efforts to drive me to the poor house—or wherever they historically sent poor, destitute Vikings--I guess you can say I remain a “bathtub is half-full” kind of guy.
—LV Update: Are you mentally and financially prepared in the event gas prices start going up again?
Mr. Vore: Yes, I am ready to give up my car and take advantage of the various bike lanes the City has provided us in these trying economic times. I will become a so-called Biking Viking and cycle my way everywhere. I know I might come across as overly optimistic, but you can call me a “Bike Lane is half full” kind of guy, which is sort of ironic considering I’ve never seen more than one or two cyclists in the Bike lanes. I say “Thank you” to the thuggish oil companies who might again gouge me and force me with the opportunity to ride my “Vike Bike”, and “Thank you” to the City for fighting inflation with Bike lanes.
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We at the Linda Vista Update thank Mr. Carn E. Vore for taking the time to answer our questions and for inspiring us with his positive attitude during these challenging and expensive times.
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