Triple Tea and Coffee Replaces Panda Cafe
Plus: LVTC commended by Councilmember Campillo, Young LV Resident Deals with Eviction, Francis Parker Distance Runner is National Runner-up, Redistricting Update, and Upcoming Community Events
Back about a year ago, we wrote an article about a new establishment on Ulric Street, near the recycling center, called Panda Café. In October we noticed that the Panda Café was closed and assumed it was not doing the business it hoped it would. Then a short time later we saw another sign go up at the location and were curious as to what was happening. We stopped by now and then, but it was not open. Then, a couple of weeks ago we noticed it was open—it is called Triple Tea and Coffee. We decided that when we had the opportunity we would pay them a visit. Last week, one of our astute readers mentioned the restaurant to us and asked us to check it out, so earlier this week we did just that.
In speaking with the staff, we learned that the Panda Café has opened under a new name, and with a new partner. The menu, as you can see from the picture, is extensive with teas and coffees (both hot and cold), sodas, smoothies of many flavors, and of course, boba. They also sell Croffles which are a cross between a croissant and waffle and served with various toppings, including nutella, almonds , strawberry, banana and more. These are not to be confused with Cronuts which are sold at donut shops and are a cross between a croissant and a donut.
We went up about 6:30 pm (their hours are 9 am till 7 pm every day). I wanted to try the Thai Tea latte and since I forgot to specify that I wanted it hot, I was served it cold. It was really good, but make sure you specify if you want hot or cold as there is a difference in price. Steve got the pomegranate smoothie and he liked it very much. The cafe was not crowded so we had our choice of tables (there is also a sofa). However, since it was getting close to closing time, we ordered a nutella and almond croffle to take home. We split the croffle as it was very rich and enough to share ($5.50). The texture of the croffle is very reminiscent of a croissant and we both enjoyed it very much. With a large dollop of nutella, what’s not to like?
The server was very pleasant and was masked. The drinks were generous sizes and the prices seemed reasonable . I hope with the new partner and new look of the Triple Tea and Coffee establishment, they will find success in Linda Vista. Please give it a try.
Triple Tea and Coffee
2379 Ulric Street
San Diego, CA 92111
9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily
Linda Vista Town Council Commended for Helping Local Resident
On December 15, the Linda Vista Town Council (LVTC) received a special commendation from District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo for the organization’s part in helping out a local LV resident. This resident was recently the victim of a random act of vandalism—her trash and recycling bins were set on fire. The fire melted the plastic bin and scorched her nearby parked car. Her request to have the city replace the bins free of charge due to the unique circumstances was rejected. However, upon learning of the situation, the LVTC came to the rescue by providing the resident with the funds to purchase the new bins from the city. As mentioned in the commendation, the LVTC demonstrated pride in the neighborhood by volunteering to help out.
Councilmember Campillo presented the commendation to LVTC board officers Noel Musicha (LVTC President) and Blake Hofstad (LVTC Vice President), and took the time to meet with the local resident and ensure she was satisfied with the new trash bins.
The Linda Vista Town Council is a non-profit civic organization that serves as a community forum to address neighborhood-level concerns, bring people together, share resources and events, and elevate advocacy priorities to the city, county, state and federal level.
Young Linda Vista Standout Deals with Eviction
What if you learned that one of Linda Vista’s finest young citizens was on the verge of being evicted from his apartment complex, and perhaps being forced to move out of our community? Such a situation would run totally contrary to the best interests of Linda Vista. Unfortunately, that upsetting situation is the one being faced by 17-year-old Ean Hernandez, a lifelong resident of Linda Vista. He and his family, along with other families, have just a couple more weeks before they are evicted from their apartment complex.
In last week’s edition of the Linda Vista Update we informed our readers about the unfortunate plight of 26 Linda Vista families residing at an apartment complex on Kelly St who have been given ill-timed eviction notices requiring them to leave their apartments by the end of December. As we reported, the residents held a demonstration protesting the eviction, which was being directed by the complex’s new landlord—Nicholas Davison of the Sterling Investment Group. According to the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Davison was listing “substantial remodel” and “withdrawal of all rental units” from the market as reasons for the evictions, both being loopholes in state law that ACCE says must be closed to protect tenants from unscrupulous landlords who use them as a pretext to substantially raise rents.
During the course of the demonstration, we were extremely impressed by one of the resident speakers, Ean Hernandez, a 17-year-old senior at University City High School who has lived his entire life at the apartment complex. In his speech, delivered in front of cameras representing many of San Diego’s major media outlets, Hernandez expressed his thoughts regarding his family’s eviction in a highly poised and articulate manner, emphasizing that as a high school senior his major focus at this time of the year should have been on completing college applications instead of worrying about finding a new place to live. Anyone who observed his speech came away deeply concerned for the residents facing this eviction process. As a result of his moving public performance, we decided to follow up and find out a little more about this young, talented Linda Vista resident.
It turns out Ean Hernandez is not just a poised and articulate speaker, he is also a dedicated scholar who has maintained a straight A average during his middle and high school years. Though he enjoys playing soccer, he knew at a young age that being a professional athlete wasn’t a viable option, so he decided to “let my grades to my talking” beginning in middle school. His current academic schedule at University High School includes several rigorous honors and Advanced Placement classes. As mentioned in his speech, he has indeed been spending his time completing college applications, hoping to be accepted at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he plans to major in Bio-Engineering. Ean’s choice of this major field of study is inspired by the loss of a friend to a brain tumor. His ultimate goals involve getting a PhD in Bio-Engineering, then starting a company that makes neuro-instruments, and finally, making enough money to invest in a housing development that allows available affordable housing for low-income families.
Ean is quick to explain that if forced to move he will greatly miss his current place of residence. The apartment complex “was a tightly knit community. Everything is close, like the park, and the mall is just down the street. It was easy for child-care as there was always a person available for affordable child-care service… We had a neighborhood soccer team that was very successful… I wish my four-year-old sister was able to grow up and have a childhood similar to the one I had at these apartments.” He says that it is hard to “see such a tightly knit community be broken like this.”
Ean wants to make clear to everyone that in pursuing a rejection of the eviction notices, he and his neighbors have always understood that property owners like the Sterling Investment Group have rights. However, in explaining his housing situation, he wants to emphasize that tenants have rights as well, and that an effort has to be made to clear up any misconceptions of the law pertaining to tenant protection. In regard to the property owners, he argues that they “could have been more humane about it (the eviction process). People sometimes forget that other people are human.” Even though the 26 families will probably all end up moving (and some have already moved), he also hopes that this challenge/protest will result in the eviction process “being easier for others in the future.” He is a realist about the situation, explaining that at this point, we are just hoping “everyone has a place to live by the end of the month.”
We will continue to follow the plight of these Linda Vista apartment complex residents. No matter the outcome, we wish Ean Hernandez good luck on his pursuit of a college education, and we want to express our appreciation for him doing such a good job of representing his community.
Kenan Pala Wins Second Place National Honors
Kenan Pala of the Francis Parker School definitively proved he is one of the top prep distance runners in the country by winning second place honors at the Eastbay National High School Cross Country Championships, held on the Morley Field course at Balboa Park this past Saturday. Pala faced 39 other elite runners from throughout the country (representing the Northeast, Midwest, South and West regions) and exceeded the expectations of many out-of- town spectators with his noteworthy performance. Local running fans familiar with his previous races were not surprised at all that he came within a few seconds of the first place finisher.
Pala qualified for this national championship race by previously winning the CIF San Diego section championship, the CIF state division 5 championship, and then finishing second at the West regional championship race.
Racing under ideal running conditions this past Saturday morning—a sunny day with temperatures in the 50’s—the top high school runners in the country put forth a maximum effort in tackling the challenging, hilly 3.1-mile course. The top runners ran a fast pace for the first two miles, and the lead constantly changed hands as they jockeyed for positioning to finish up the last part of the race.
Although he has consistently demonstrated the aggressive habit of taking the lead in each of his previous races this season, Pala decided this time to strategically stalk the race leaders from the fourth and fifth position throughout most of the race. He was familiar with the course, having raced on it a couple times during the season. With three-quarters of a mile left in the race, the eventual winner Riley Hough of Michigan, broke away from the rest of the pack with Pala giving chase. Hough was able to maintain his lead to the finish line for a time of 15:11.40. Pala put forth a gutsy effort to catch up with Hough and finished in second place with a time of 15:14.80.
“I’m very proud of my performance,” Pala commented after the race. “It was my last high school cross country race, and I gave it my all.”
Pala is bound for Yale University in the fall, but before then he will be competing as one of the top high school runners at the 1600 meter and 3200 meter distances during the spring track and field season.
***
The Linda Vista Update wishes to congratulate Kenan Pala on his outstanding performance at the national championships.
News Brief
City Council Redistricting Update
On December 15, the San Diego Redistricting Commission approved the final version of the new city council redistricting map. The map was approved with a vote of 7-2. 2020 census figures were used to redraw these new city council district boundaries.
After being split between Districts 2 and 7 for the past ten years, the approved map places all of Linda Vista in District 7.
The map also places all of Clairemont in District 2.
The approved map becomes official after 30 days, during which time residents can raise objections.
Book Giveaway Event
The office of Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber has announced that “from 1pm-3pm at the Encanto Boys and Girls Club, we will be giving away free books to youth aged pre-school through high school. We will also be giving away mentally stimulating items and have entertainment from SeaWorld’s Sesame Place.” See the below poster for more information.
Upcoming Community Events
—Kearny High Basketball: The Kearny High Varsity Basketball team plays its next home game this Friday December 17 at 5:30 pm. The Komets host the Brawley Wildcats in a non-league contest.
—Longest Night Service : The Linda Vista United Methodist Church, (located at 6869 Tait Street) will hold its Longest Night Service on December 20 at 6:30 pm. Pastor Jeri Newell-Davis invites everyone to attend this meditative, candlelight service filled with readings, prayers, and music. According to Pastor Newell- Davis, “whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, the laying aside of plans or dreams for now, or you just want a quiet place to meet with God, come, o come. This service will be in person and masks will be required to protect the health of all people who attend. For more information you can call Linda Vista UMC at 858-277-1518.”
— Community Clean-up: The next Bayside Community Clean-up will be held Sunday January 9 at 10:00 am. Volunteers will meet in the parking lot of the Linda Vista library.
Subscribe to the Linda Vista Update
If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to the Linda Vista Update. It’s free. Just click on the below “Subscribe now” button. Once you do so, you will be on automatic distribution for all future weekly posts. Join our growing readership! Stay informed.
The Linda Vista Update publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities.