Finally Discovering Acai Superfood
Plus, a Fiesta Island Oasis, Reader Response to MV Mystery, Report from Councilmember Raul Campillo, and Community Events
You can’t live in southern California and not have been inundated with information regarding the wondrous attributes of superfoods. They are so very trendy. Superfoods are touted as being good for you, but what are they? Do they taste good? As good as Popeye’s Chicken? Or are they merely a made-up concept, designed to enable health food stores/restaurants to charge higher prices because of their so-called “superfood” status? Well, we thought we would look into this and see what we have been missing. We focused on the superfood Acai, as served at our local Everbowl restaurant, in order to explore the superfood phenomenon.
What I found out is that superfoods really are foods. Mostly plant based, but also some fish and dairy. They are thought to be nutritionally dense and good for one’s health. We all know that blueberries not only taste good, but are good for you. And who hasn’t heard of the ubiquitous kale. Salmon also is good for you. However, I did not know they were considered “superfoods”. Then there is this word that I see quite often in the windows of various coffee shops called “Acai”, touted as a superfood. I must admit I had no idea how this word was pronounced or what it was, thinking it was probably a grain of some sort. I finally looked the word up and listened to some YouTubes of pronunciation and it sounds like “ah – sigh – e”. More surprising, I found out that it is a berry, from the rainforests of South America. Superfoods contain a variety of nutrients such as antioxidants. Some think antioxidents can actually ward off cancer. Some superfoods, like salmon, contain what are healthy fats and are thought to prevent heart disease. Fiber, of course, is known to be good for the digestive system. Deep colored vegetables are thought to be very healthful.
Since we don’t eat meat, we often have some of these fruits and vegetables in our diet. So, in the spirit of getting to the bottom of the superfood concept, we decided to finally try the superfood Acai. We learned it is mostly sold in bowls along with other healthy items. I googled Acai near me, found an Everbowl in the Mission Center Shopping Center, and went there for lunch. Now knowing Acai was a berry, I was again surprised to find that it is frozen, almost like ice cream, but a deep purple color. At Everbowl, in addition to Acai bowls they have Pitaya, chia pudding, matcha, coco love and blue Majic. All are superfoods high in nutrients and antioxidants, so take your pick. Everbowl will let you try samples if you wish. These bowls come in small, medium and large sizes, and range from $7.75 to $12.75. (We had our hearts set on Acai, but we plan on coming back in the near future to try some of the other superfoods)
After the Acai is scooped into your bowl, you can choose to layer it with a wide variety of toppings. Or you don’t have to choose and just have them all. We opted for granola, bananas, dates, strawberries, almonds, blueberries, almond butter, and honey. There are many other toppings you can choose such as coconut, various seeds, nuts, peanut butter and more. Even a small Acai bowl layered with these wonderful items, was quite a lot of food—very filling. In addition to the bowls, Everbowl also sells coffee infused with superfoods.
In order to get another opinion, we called in our young college sidekick and invited him to join us at Everbowl. He also did not know what Acai was, assuming it was something like Quinoa, but then he is not from California and up-to-speed on all the latest trends. In fact, when we invited him to Everbowl, he thought he was going to get a Beef Teriyaki bowl. (Need I remind you of his usual carnivore description). He opted for Acai with the basic fruit toppings as he said he wanted to keep it simple and light.
Everbowl has been in that location for about 2-1/2 years, but under new ownership since last fall. Everbowl was closed for about 45 days during the pandemic but eventually reopened for takeout. It is now fully open, with some tables outside to accommodate hungry customers. We were told they are busiest during the lunch time hours but are open 7 AM to 7 PM. They do a lively business all day. This March was very good for them, we were told by the owner.
After eating this delicious bowl, we had a feeling of having done something really good for our bodies. Hubby says he now has x-ray vision super powers, but I’m not sure I believe him. The food tasted so fresh it seemed like the fruits were just picked. Our sidekick also enjoyed his serving very much and said the next time he might be a little more adventurous in his choice of toppings.
We highly recommend this restaurant. They have other locations, but this one is so convenient, so think about skipping the fast food once in a while and go for a big bowl of superfoods. Your body will be glad you did.
The West Beach of Fiesta Island—a Peaceful Oasis
One of the few good things to come out of this pandemic has been the forced opportunity to search for local wide-open outdoor spaces. I’m referring to those secluded, calming, visually pleasing, crowd-free places that can serve as safe, healthy options for spending time outside the protective bubble confines of my own house. Locales at Sunset Cliffs, Mission Beach, and Quivira Basin have been some of the wide-open outdoor spots my wife and I have frequented for lunch time/afternoon breaks during the past year. Each of these sites offer cool breezes, soothing views of the water, relative quiet, and room to separate from other people. Though these sites can get crowded during the weekends, they have proven to be great weekday places to sit on a park bench, or even stay in the car, and enjoy a lunch or snack.
One of the other lunch places we have found is even closer to Linda Vista. Everyone is familiar with Fiesta Island, but there is one particular section of Fiesta Island worth mentioning—it is a nearby, yet out-of-the-way oasis capable of providing visitors with a refreshing atmosphere that will inevitably help reduce your current stress level.
As many readers already know, Fiesta Island hosts a number of outdoor activities and venues to keep San Diegans entertained and physically fit. It’s the place to go if you enjoy jet skiing, wind surfing, or swimming. There’s a popular dog park there. It also provides a picturesque route to go jogging, biking or walking. And then there’s always the fire pits for enjoying a twilight or evening social gathering.
The section I want to draw your attention to, however, is on the west side of the island…that stretch of beach that faces the Crown Point neighborhood across the water. Once you get to this west side of the island, just pull off the road and park your car close to the water and start to enjoy the calming atmosphere. I usually park about a quarter mile north of the dog park and the field where the annual Over-the-Line Tournament is held.
One thing I really appreciate about this section of the island is the constant breeze. Other than during those hot, humid spells that usually occur in late August/September this cool, refreshing breeze seems to always be present. The breeze also causes a rippling effect on the water that can cast a hypnotic, soothing spell on a stressed out visitor.
The brightness of the sun radiating off the long stretch of sand seems to have the same mesmerizing effect. With berms of sand located on the other side of the street, it’s easy to imagine being in some exotic, far off North African Albert Camus-like locale.
During our weekday visits, there has always been plenty of space for parking, allowing us to remain a healthy distance away from other vehicles/people. I realize “density” is the city leaders’/developers’ latest mantra, but being at this beach makes me hope some elements of social distancing and more open spaces remain a part of our San Diego lives.
This stretch of the island is by no means quiet. There is usually a constant stream of jet skis and motorboats making their way through the water, but the noise is far from annoying; in fact it merely adds to the “festive” or playful nature of Fiesta Island.
This west side of Fiesta Island does not possess the freaky, more touristy, over-the-top atmosphere of the popular Mission/Pacific Beach boardwalk. That’s a different type of fun than from what you’ll find here along Mission Bay. This west side Fiesta Island beach is more subdued, but in many ways just as spectacular as a visual treat, and possibly more effective in reducing stress. As you sit in a beach chair, or inside your car, you can watch the busy traffic crossing the Ingraham Street bridge, or view the planes flying from the airport, and effectively contrast the busy-ness of the outside world with your mellow vantage point inside this Fiesta Island oasis.
And you never know what you’ll see there. During a recent visit, we witnessed people pull up with trailers full of beautiful horses eager to gallop along the sandy beach, while on the nearby water we saw people showing off their skills while riding electric surfboards, appearing to hover magically above the water. A dramatic mix of the traditional and the latest hi-tech!
If you want to escape from the house during the work week, I recommend packing up your lunch and heading to the west side of Fiesta Island for a pleasant interlude guaranteed to re-charge your mental batteries and possibly improve your tan. It’s so very close to Linda Vista. Don’t ignore the opportunity!
April Update from District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo
It has been a busy first few months at City Hall, and it is an honor to represent you on the San Diego City Council. We recently passed a significant milestone: 100 Days in Office. I put together this report to highlight some of what my staff and I have been able to accomplish during our short time in office.
I would like to begin with a quick COVID vaccine update. In addition to the employment sectors and those with qualifying pre-existing conditions who were already eligible, ALL San Diego County adults over the age of 50, the first group in phase 2, are now eligible to be vaccinated. For detailed vaccine eligibility information and to schedule an appointment online, please click here. Governor Newsom recently visited a vaccination station here in the City and commended us for the way San Diego is “leading the way” on vaccine progress in our state. We will continue full speed ahead until everyone who wants a vaccination has had the opportunity to get one. For those who are still not in an eligible category, please rest assured that you will be able to get a shot soon: All San Diegans over the age of 16 will become eligible on April 15th.
Next, I would like to invite all District 7 Residents to join me on the morning of April 17th at 11am for a virtual discussion about the issues facing our District and our City with Mayor Todd Gloria. Register for the free event: Sandiego.gov/mayorcd7townhall
Standing up against Anti-Asian Hate and Extremism:
Earlier this year at the City Council, I took the common-sense step of voting to condemn all forms of hate and extremism in our City. I have been particularly disturbed by the recent increase in hate crimes against Asian-Americans since the advent of COVID-19. I recently wrote a letter to District Attorney Summer Stephan to inquire about the recent spate of hate crimes against Asian Americans in our County and unfortunately, in her reply, DA Stephen did confirm to me that San Diego has not been spared from this trend. We have seen a threefold increase in the number of hate crimes against Asian Americans in our County. My office is prepared to do all we can to assist the DA in her attempts to hold the perpetrators of these heinous crimes accountable, and I call on all members of the Linda Vista community to be vigilant. If you witness a hate crime, please report it immediately by calling 911. Together, we will root out hate crime in our communities.
As a reminder, you can always reach my office any time by emailing RaulCampillo@sandiego.gov. For an issue specific to Linda Vista, please reach Anthony Hackett at HackettA@sandiego.gov.
Reader Response
In last week’s post of the Linda Vista Update, we threw a spotlight on the intriguing mystery of the Hazard Center Road extension (See the link here: https://lindavistaupdate.substack.com/p/7-11-franchisee-transitions-to-inventor)
This construction project first began in 2017, but for whatever reason the road extension remains unopened for traffic.
One of our enthusiastic readers subsequently wrote to us to provide her own take on the extension project, pointing out that the road is highly vulnerable to flooding. She sent us a photo of the road extension at its lowest point (underneath Highway 163) to show us the large amount of water that has pooled in this section. What is interesting is that the photo was taken about two weeks after our latest rainfall, which only dropped .15 inches.
Here is the photo:
The saga of the Mission Valley Mystery continues.
Upcoming LV Community Events
— USD Just Read! Bridging Homelessness and Community: A conversation on temporary storage in Linda Vista
Today April 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., the Linda Vista Library and the University of San Diego will conduct a community forum for residents to learn about the role that temporary storage facilities play in helping unsheltered Linda Vista neighbors. Panelists from advocacy and service organizations Think Dignity and Community Casa Linda Vista, the Linda Vista Branch Library, and neighbors who’ve been without shelter will share their experiences and facilitate a discussion. You can register here for this Zoom event: https://sandiego.librarymarket.com/events/bridging-homelessness-and-community-conversation-temporary-storage-linda-vista
***
— Taking the Lead from Local Organizations to Address Housing Insecurity
On Friday, April 9 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., a Zoom discussion will be held to address how housing insecurity affects over 150,000 Californians each day. This event is sponsored by USD’s Urgent Challenges Collective Speaker Series and the Center for Educational Excellence Just Read! program. Representatives from POOR Magazine and Monarch School, two organizations dedicated to eradicating poverty homelessness, will discuss the problems they see and face in the field and what solutions they are implementing. You can register here for this virtual event: https://sandiego.secure.force.com/events#/esr?eid=a0K4y00000X1n5AEAR
***
— San Diego Humane Society Community Town Hall
On Tuesday April 13 from 5-6 p.m., Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society will lead a discussion that provides an inside look at SD Humane Society’s accomplishments and highlights over the past year, as well as what the future holds for the organization. When you register, you will have the opportunity to submit questions that may be addressed during the event. Space is limited. You can register here for this virtual event: https://sdhumane.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QpL6VvgkSbWQRFjsn6uvlg
***
— Meet Your Mayor Event for District 7 on April 17
Please see the above article regarding Councilmember Campillo.
***
— Linda Vista Scavenger Hunt
The 2021 Linda Vista Scavenger Hunt will be held on April 24, 2021. The Scavenger Hunt will be held in lieu of the annual Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade.
Details regarding the Scavenger Hunt can be found here: http://www.lindavistafair.org
As mentioned on the above site, “attendees will participate in a scavenger hunt on April 24, 2021 with drive-thru curbside pickup of goodie bags and resources from key Linda Vista hubs. Masks and social distancing will be required when interacting with guests.”
Vendors/Hubs interested in participating can fill out the interest form found on this site: https://airtable.com/shrOmdwY59NstJchc
***
Linda Vista Update readers…if you wish to let fellow readers know about upcoming LV community events, please submit the information to srodriguez2@san.rr.com. We will do our best to post the information in the next edition of the newsletter.
Subscribe to the Linda Vista Update
If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to the Linda Vista Update. Just click on the “Subscribe now” button. Once you subscribe, you will be on automatic distribution for all future posts. Join our our growing readership!
The Linda Vista Update aims to publish informative, interesting and fun news about the Linda Vista community and its adjacent neighborhoods.