Linda Vista Honey Hits the Sweet Spot
Linda Vista Honey Hits the Sweet Spot
Plus: LV Resident Lori Walker in the Spotlight; Sur Coffee Grand Opening; Fall Reading Book Reviews; and Upcoming Community Events
When surveying the cuisine of America, one can’t help but notice how there are certain drinks, food dishes and food brands strongly associated with American cities. Think about it…there is Seattle’s Best Coffee, Philadelphia Cheesesteak Sandwiches, Long Island Iced Tea, Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, Kansas City Style Barbecue and Boston Cream Pie, to name just a few.
Fortunately for our community, it turns out we now have one more food to add to this prominent gastronomical list—it’s time everyone knows about Linda Vista Honey! If the name Linda Vista Honey doesn’t ring a bell, maybe it’s because you’ve been spending too much time inside dodging the pandemic, or perhaps the word just hasn’t made it to your side of Linda Vista. But no need to worry any longer about feeling left out, because if you are interested in buying local products and thereby supporting local businesses, or if you just want to get your hands on some good tasting honey, we are here to tell you all about Linda Vista Honey.
Every hardworking American capitalist hopes to mix a little business with pleasure and that is what Jeff Schoellender has done with his bee-keeping hobby. In fact, it appears he has found the “sweet spot” in this regard. A bee-keeper for ten years, and a resident of Linda Vista since 2013, Schoellender maintains 2-4 beehives in the backyard to produce his Linda Vista Honey which he sells for $8.00 a bottle (one pound). He sells the honey to local customers via his web site, with his only current retail outlet being Santos Market at 6619 Linda Vista Road. He enthusiastically advises potential customers that “If you haven’t tasted local raw honey, you don’t know what you’re missing. It tastes like store bought honey on steroids.”
And we should all be eating honey because as mentioned on many websites, honey has the following benefits:
· It’s rich in antioxidants
· Antioxidants can lower blood pressure
· It can improve your cholesterol levels
· It can lower your triglycerides
· And it’s delicious.
According to Schoellerman, some of his customers purchase Linda Vista Honey to help manage their allergies. He even has one customer who uses the honey to help with his dog’s allergies!
Schoellerman takes great pride in his bees, explaining that what he likes about them is that “they don’t require much, they aren’t noisy, they don’t make a mess, they are smart, and they are extremely hard workers who demonstrate lots of teamwork.”
He does admit that a bee sting occurs every couple of months, and “over the years they don’t get any less painful,” however, when you consider that there are, according to Schoellerman, approximately 10,000 bees in each beehive, the odds of avoiding getting stung are fairly good. He must also deal with certain challenges, to include threats to his hives (i.e., moths that damage the hives), as well as dealing with angry, aggressive beehives. “It’s a matter of keeping the good bees, and getting rid of the bad ones,” he said. Right now, he contends that all of his hives are inhabited by friendly bees.
If you are interested in purchasing a bottle or two of Linda Vista Honey, you can visit his web site; contact him at 619-203-2636 or his email address (schoellojeff@gmail.com); or you can pay a visit to Santos Market.
Linda Vista Honey
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The Linda Vista Update wishes to thank Jeff Schoellerman for taking the time to be interviewed for this post.
In the Spotlight
Lori Walker—Longtime LV Resident
Today we put the spotlight on a longtime (since 1965) resident of Linda Vista. Lori Walker attended Kit Carson and Linda Vista Elementary, Montgomery Middle and Kearny High School. Later, she helped coordinate the popular Linda Vista Family Reunion (founded by Melinda Dudley Appling) from the year it started in 2009 to the last reunion in 2018, while serving as its chairperson from 2013-2018. The reunion was held at the Linda Vista Neighborhood Park and provided an opportunity for Linda Vista residents to “see each other and socialize during a happy occasion.” The Reunion was also structured as a fundraiser for the Linda Vista Recreation Center’s Youth Programs. All of the monies raised, which totaled over $55,000.00, was donated
directly to the Recreation Center to purchase new soccer, football, basketball uniforms, jazz dance and drama costumes, new equipment, trophies, funding for banquets, and whatever else the staff needed to keep the Center equipped for the youth programming. The funds were also used to subsidize registration fees for the youth programs for low-income families. Lori is currently a member of Kushinda African Drum and Dance and serves on the board of the LV Recreation Center.
She was kind enough to answer our questions about growing up in Linda Vista. We invite you to read her answers below:
—What did you like about growing up here in Linda Vista?
I cherish my memories of growing up in Linda Vista. The diversity of
the community was a blessing beyond words. My closest friends were
Black, White, Filipino, and Mexican. We all hung out together and
learned about each other's cultures and food. It was organically
comfortable for all the different races and nationalities to attend
church, school, play sports, attend house parties, and just have fun
together. It was simply the best environment to grow up in and to
learn acceptance and tolerance of others without hesitation. It is
just how we were raised.
—Tell us about a favorite moment/memory related to growing up here
in Linda Vista?
While living in Crandall Apartments, we used to play a game called
Stack Up on the slide in the playground. The object was to get as
many people going backwards on the slide as possible. The persons at
the bottom of the slide had to use all of their strength to hold the
line. Once too many of us "stacked up," and the last person couldn't
hold us, we all slid down the slide and toppled over each other. It
was a totally made-up game, but we had so much fun playing it. We
played outside until the lights came on every evening just having pure
fun.
—What would you say is the major difference between the Linda Vista
you grew up in, and the one that exists today?
The Linda Vista neighborhood that I grew up in was more connected.
Most of us knew other families well or at least were familiar with
them. As a child, I would often walk or ride my bike alone to and
from the Rec, to visit grandparents,or to visit friends. I never felt
afraid, because I knew so many friends of our family who lived along
the routes. Everyone looked out for each other. In my opinion, the
Linda Vista community today does not appear to have the same closeness
as when I was growing up.
—What positive changes do you want to see happen here in Linda Vista
during the next two years?
I would love to see local businesses partnering with our community
schools to offer internships for students who are interested in
pursuing those types of careers after high school or college. The
students can see firsthand what is required to achieve success in a
particular career. It would be a way for the businesses to invest
back into the community which patronizes them by partnering with the
local schools.
—Based on your growing up in Linda Vista, tell our readers something
about Linda Vista that most current residents might not know.
We spent a lot of time at the Linda Vista Shopping Center, which we
referred to as The Center. It included the Linda Vista Movie Theater.
They would accept RC Cola Soda caps or cash as payments to purchase
movie tickets. They had blue seats which were much more comfortable
than the red ones, and a smoking room that, of course, my friends and
I never entered. There was also a pool hall and Bill's Burger—that
had the best burgers, fries and orange soda! Rasco’s Five and Dime
Store had the best candy section. We would buy Charm suckers and keep
our fingers crossed that there was a sticker on it when we opened it
that said "Winner”. If so, we received another sucker for free!
—What did you like about coordinating the Linda Vista Family
Reunion picnic?
Our committee meetings started in January for the event in August each
year. There were several factors that motivated me each year to
continue coordinating the Reunion, but these especially stood
out for me: First, seeing the proud expressions on the faces of the
children wearing their new matching uniforms at game time. Knowing
that the money we donated to the youth programs was directly affecting
the quality of the experiences of the participants. Second, the
amazing annual theater program performed by the youth drama club. The
cast was talented and committed to attending rehearsals, which started
at least eight months prior to show dates. The money we donated
was used to purchase costumes and props to elevate the quality of the
show. Third, while at the Reunion, watching the expressions on the
faces of people seeing friends for the first time after years
(sometimes over 20!) was priceless. There were tears, laughter, hugs,
and sheer excitement as old friends reminisced and updated each other
on their lives. The event was free and for all ages. Young children
were running around having fun, the teenagers were socializing, the
adults were dancing to the music, and the elders of the community—they
had a special canopy set up for them to sit under in the middle of it
all—observing all the activities going on. "Family" in The Linda
Vista Family Reunion was so much more than DNA. It was friendships,
memories, and shared life experiences within our community. On
numerous occasions, I overheard conversations mentioning how special
it was to grow up in Linda Vista. Every year, at some point during
the planning period, I would say that it was going to be my last year,
but as I reflected on the benefits to the youth programs at the Rec,
as well as the attendees, I continued to chair the committee through
the 10th Annual event. It was a significant amount of work to make it
happen each year. I would like to thank the numerous volunteers, Ira
Patron, the director of the Red Center, and his staff, who helped to make the
Reunion successful each year. A special thank you to the dedicated
committee members who were there for all ten reunions: Michael Nash,
Bebe Espinoza, Earl Lucas, and Rod Hunter. I would also like to
express my sincerest gratitude to the generous donors who either
supported us monetarily to help put on the event (especially Francis
Parker School), donated gift cards, or products to use in our much
loved opportunity (raffle) drawing.
—You have a free afternoon to spend in Linda Vista. How would you spend it?
I would sit at the V-Tree at the Rec Center and listen to Kushinda African
drumming. My eldest brother, Butch Appling, was the founder of
Kushinda African Drum and Dance. Prior to his passing, he offered
free weekly classes at the Rec for all ages to provide an opportunity
for anyone who wanted to drum, dance, or learn about the culture to
attend. Our family and friends would frequently assemble at the
V-Tree for celebrations, which always included drumming. It was food
for our souls.
—Anything else you’d like to say to the residents of Linda Vista?
Linda Vista is a uniquely diverse community with so many different
cultures. It's a beautiful opportunity for connection, learning, and
compassion that most don't have the opportunity to be exposed to. I
hope you'll take advantage of it. Linda Vista is a gift to us all if
we receive it with an open heart. Get to know your neighbors; say
hello to other residents while we are out walking our dogs. A smile
goes a long way when you pass someone in the aisle at one of our local
stores. Even with a mask on, we can still smile with our eyes.
***
The Linda Vista Update wishes to thank Lori Walker for taking the time to answer our questions.
Customers Enjoy Grand Opening of Sur Coffee
Local residents flocked to 5401 Linda Vista Road this past Saturday to help Sur Coffee celebrate its grand opening. Located at The Presidio Plaza, Sur Coffee has been open a few weeks and was featured in a previous post of this newsletter, but the grand opening festivities provided customers with a formal way to celebrate the arrival of the new business to the Linda Vista area. They came eager to try out Sur Coffee’s products. The well-attended festivities included free giveaways like Sur Coffee tote bags, as well as the opportunity to enter raffles for items provided by neighboring businesses like Ballast Point. To spice up the grand opening, businesses like It’s Raw Poke Shop and Craft Creamery also featured their delicious products for customers.
Maddy, the manager at Sur Coffee, explained that the grand opening was a big success and commented that “We appreciate the support from the neighboring businesses and all the customers during our grand opening.”
She also wanted everyone to know that Sur Coffee’s original business hours of 7:00 am to 3:00 pm have now been extended to 4:00 pm.
Sur Coffee
5401 Linda Vista Road Unit 409
San Diego, CA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surcoffee/
https://surcoffee.co
Upcoming Community Events
Kearny High Football: The Kearny Komets varsity football team will play their next home game this Friday October 1 at 7:00 pm.. The Komets will play Crawford High School.
Francis Parker School football: The Lancers will play their next home game this Friday October 1 at 7:00 pm. Their opponent will be Classical Academy.
USD Football: The Toreros will play their next home game against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) this Saturday October 2 at 1:00 pm.
Annual Fall Festival: The Holy Family Church Fall Festival will be held October 2 (Saturday) and 3 (Sunday). See the photo below for more details.
Community Clean-Up: The Bayside Community Center will conducts its monthly Community Clean-Up on Sunday October 3. Volunteers will meet at 10:00 am in the Linda Vista Library parking lot.
YMCA Day at the Bay: The YMCA Adults Day at the Bay is October 6 10:00 am to 2:00 pm outside at Mission Bay Aquatic Center. This event brings together the Y’s 50-plus community to celebrate everything great about aging in San Diego. Click here for more details
LV Update Book Reviews
Two of the LV Update’s favorite subscribers and literary intellectuals—Martha B. and Marla M—recently submitted excellent book reviews for our readership. Martha B. chose to review a classic—Breakfast at Tiffany’s by the famous author Truman Capote, while Marla M picked a more recent book titled Last Boat Out of Shanghai by Helen Zia. Please take a look at the reviews and see if the books fit the criteria for your fall reading enjoyment.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a classic 1958 novella by Truman Capote. It is dark and fascinating and still surprisingly modern. The also-classic movie by the same name, starring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, followed the book in 1961. The contrast between the book and the movie (which seems saccharine and silly in comparison to the book), is startling. It is an interesting excursion into the Hollywood of that time to read the book and see the movie as a pairing.
The book is the story of a young woman, who has renamed herself Holly Golightly, surviving by her wits in New York City after a childhood that no one would choose. We are given bits and pieces of some of the soul crushing elements of Holly’s life, though Truman Capote also shows her appeal and her wit and obviously cares about his fictional character. There was speculation that Holly may have been based on Capote’s mother, who ultimately took her own life, or on Capote himself. The book ends enigmatically but there is no happy resolution and no particular hope that there will be a happy ending in the future.
The movie gives Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly a extreme make-over from the Holly of the book, and she is even given a Hollywood romantic ending as she kisses her new love in the rain. It appears that the Hollywood of 1961 could not have told the sadder, darker, and deeper story Truman Capote told. Nonetheless the happier movie with the Hollywood ending was nominated for numerous Academy Awards and Audrey Hepburn is a pleasure to watch as an entirely different Holly.
Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s was released as an Audible Book in 2014 narrated by Michael C Hall (Dexter and Six Feet Under). It is 2 hours and 50 minutes long.
Last Boat Out of Shanghai is the story of its residents’ mass exodus to escape Mao’s Revolution. There are no reliable statistics that recorded the numbers of Chinese who fled mainland China during the tumultuous periods of the 1940s and 50s.
The author spent twelve years interviewing more than 100 escapees, including her mother. They shared with her the choice of whether to stay, and where to go, and ultimately, their life experiences as immigrants, most of whom settled in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States.
Helen Zia narrowed her focus on four main characters for this book. Bing, who is given up for adoption just as the war began. Next is Benny, whose father becomes a Shanghai Police inspector. Benny is forced to face the consequences of his father's actions. Ho, a mechanical engineering student, faces challenges as a student in the United States. Finally, Annuo, the young daughter of a Nationalist army officer in Taiwan, who tries to escape the tight domineering grip her father has on her.
Last Boat Out of Shanghai’s focal point is on the personal effect that separation, displacement, and the efforts to survive had on each character.
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The Linda Vista Update publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities.