Try Sardina's for Lunch
Plus: Clairemont Family Day announcement, LV News Briefs, Francis Parker Student Wins Honor, Article about Kearny High's Glory Days, Commentary about Rite Aid, and Fundraising Event Announcement
We have now been writing the LV Update for four years, and during this time we have reviewed quite a few eating establishments. Some we like very much, but we have rarely gone back to write about them again because we want to keep giving you new options. Recently, however, we decided to take another approach. We will look at restaurants we had reviewed for dinner, and give them another go for lunch or breakfast. Lunch is usually a little cheaper and as prices have gone up, we are always looking for ways to cut back on expenses. So, sometimes breakfast, sometimes dinner, sometimes happy hour and sometimes lunch. Then you will have more choices to choose from.
That brings us to this week’s selection. We have always enjoyed Sardina’s Italian Restaurant and Bar, located at 1129 Morena Boulevard, for its fine southern Italian cuisine. It is family owned and has operated in San Diego since 1970. We decided to have lunch there this week. So, as the weather cooled off a little, we headed down to the Morena area. On the way we paid homage to the honorary Howard Wayne Street sign, which is close to Sardina’s.
For lunch they have many appetizers, salads, soup, sandwiches, and of course pizza. It was not difficult to find some vegetarian options. The restaurant at lunch time was not as busy as night, but people were eating outside and some were in the bar area. It was rather quiet.
I ordered my favorite Eggplant Parmigiana sandwich which included marinara sauce and loads of cheese on a crunchy Italian roll. Steve ordered the Grilled Vegetable sandwich which included grilled broccoli, mushrooms, onions, peppers. Zucchini and carrots, and then topped with lettuce, tomato and Italian dressing.
Both sandwiches were on large rolls which had been cut in half. Mine was so large, I brought half home for another meal. It was delicious with loads of melting cheese and wonderful marinara sauce. I didn’t eat the accompanying pepperoncini as they seemed very spicy. I love eggplant any which way, but eggplant parmigiana most of all.
Steve’s veggie sandwich was overflowing with grilled vegetables. He really enjoyed it and ate the whole thing. He said it tasted very healthy and the veggies very fresh, and he considered it a good deal for $12.95
Service is always good there. The prices were reasonable. If you belong to the birthday club, you get a half birthday coupon of $10 off on your half birthday, which I had just received. Unfortunately, we did not spend enough to get $10 off this meal, but we could not have eaten any more. You can check out their entire menu HERE.
So if you have only gone to Sardina’s for dinner, try it for lunch or for happy hour which will get you reduced prices on both food and drinks.
Upcoming Community Event
The 35th Annual Clairemont Family Day is this Saturday! Check out the details below. See you there!
LV News Briefs
—Coffee with Assemblymember Chris Ward: Our state 78th district representative Chris Ward will hold a Community Coffee for local residents at the Linda Vista Library on Saturday September 28 (1:00 pm -2:00 pm). Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the 2024 legislative session, discuss important issues in the community, provide valuable feedback on how the Assemblymember can better represent you, and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee! Seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Residents can RSVP for the event HERE.
—Plans for Hazard Center: The Hazard Center Shopping Center in Mission Valley has a new owner, and there are plans for a major remodeling facelift. Read the details on the purchase and the new owner’s plan for this commercial area by clicking HERE.
—USD Football: The University of San Diego Toreros Football team, which we wrote about in our last issue, is sporting a 2-0 record after defeating Central Washington University this past Saturday with a score of 26-7. The team travels to North Dakota University this Saturday. This is the first time the Toreros have started the season 2-0 since 2011.
—Kearny High Boys Varsity Football: The Komets scored a 49-9 victory over the Rock Academy this past Friday. Kearny is now 2-1 and will host Santa Rosa Academy (Menifee) this Friday at 7:00.
Francis Parker Student Wins Honor
LV Update readers may be familiar with Francis Parker School super star student Arden Pala. We have previously written about his many achievements, centered primarily around his non-profit Sports4Kids, which provides support for students at Perkins Elementary School in Barrio Logan. Back in October 2022, when he was still in middle school, we first reported about him and the founding of his non-profit organization. In November 2023, we reported on his being recognized as one of the “25 Most Remarkable Teens in San Diego County.” Then, in December 2023 we noted his coordinating the distribution of school supplies and other items for Perkins Elementary students.
Now there is one more achievement to report. The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition has selected Pala to receive a 2024 President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Community Leadership Award, which celebrates leaders who are building more vibrant and thriving communities through sports, physical activity, fitness, and nutrition-related programs. The award is given annually to individuals or organizations who are working to uplift their communities, contributing to the community’s overall well-being, and supporting all community members’ potential to thrive. As a tenth grader at Francis Parker, he was the youngest recipient of this year’s award.
Arden Pala was recognized for his work through Sports4Kids, the nonprofit he founded to provide sports programs to low-income and homeless youth. His efforts have positively impacted more than 7,500 individuals, providing sports and fitness opportunities to children who otherwise would not have access to them. Arden’s initiative addresses both physical and emotional well-being, fostering community engagement and teaching life skills such as leadership and teamwork.
“We are proud to recognize Arden Pala for the work they have done to consistently promote opportunities for individuals to lead healthy lifestyles through his Sports4Kids initiative,” said Rayhaan Merani, Executive Director of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. “Because of Arden’s meaningful efforts and impactful contributions, we are one step closer to improving the physical fitness, health, and nutrition of all Americans. His work reaches not only his work in the community, but also serves as a shining example to inspire and motivate others across the United States to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.”
Arden Pala shared his thoughts on receiving this prestigious award: “I am incredibly honored to be recognized by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. This award not only validates the work we’re doing at Sports4Kids but also inspires me to continue pushing for greater access to sports and fitness for all children, regardless of their circumstances. I truly believe that sports can change lives, and I’m committed to making that a reality for more youth in our community.”
This year, the President’s Council presented the Community Leadership Award to 20 recipients across the country. These individuals and organizations have made a significant impact by advancing the Council’s mission, and effectively serving the people in their communities through sports, physical activity, fitness, and nutrition-related programs. A full listing of the 2024 Community Leadership Awardees is available on health.gov.
We at the Linda Vista Update offer our congratulations to this outstanding young individual.
Linda Vista History/Nostalgia
Remembrances of Kearny High’s Sports Past
Believe it or not, there was a time in the distant past when Kearny High School was a local sports powerhouse, able to compete against and often win against any of the top high schools in the county. We have previously written about those days, publishing an article about star 1960’s era quarterback legend Bill Bolden in our July 22, 2022 issue, and another about the school’s golden era of sports that included the school’s undefeated 1973 football season and accompanying undefeated 73-74 basketball season in our September 26, 2023 issue. Kearny won CIF championships in both football and basketball that school year—a very rare feat indeed. So, we were happy to see the San Diego Union Tribune publish an informative article this week about that memorable 73-74 basketball season and the players that made up the championship team. You can read the article by clicking HERE.
Commentary
Rite Aid Comes Out of Bankruptcy
Brighter times seem to be in the offing for the Rite-Aid store in Linda Vista, and for the entire Rite Aid corporation. For the past year, the shelves at this store have oftentimes looked bare. For customers, it was usually a hit and miss experience when shopping for favorite items and bare essentials. Low inventories usually meant a frustrating shopping trip, and ultimately a drive somewhere else to find the necessary products. However, as reported by Rite Aid Corporation, its headquarters based in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, the company has gone through financial restructuring, emerged from bankruptcy, and experienced a leadership change with a new CEO in charge.
“Emergence is a pivotal moment in Rite Aid’s history, enabling it to move forward as a significantly transformed, stronger and more efficient company,” Jeffrey Stein, Rite Aid CEO and chief restructuring officer, recently said in a statement.
Matt Schroeder, formerly the company’s Chief Financial Officer, will take over as CEO.
This is all great news for Linda Vista residents who depend on the convenient location of the store situated at the Linda Vista Plaza Shopping Center. Rite Aid is the place to go for shopping when one wants to avoid the traffic congestion of Mission Valley or the driving distance of Kearny Mesa. The community was lucky when earlier in the year, the company made the decision to close over a hundred stores nationwide. The Linda Vista store was saved from that unlucky list; it didn’t suffer the same fate as the former store on Genesee and Balboa Avenue in Clairemont (now being converted to an Aldi’s grocery store). Still, the store suffered through lean times with many shelves left un-stocked for extended periods of time due to Rite Aid’s financial situation. During this time, the company was 3.3 billion dollars in debt and faced more than 1500 lawsuits related to opioid liability. Fortunately, the Rite Aid pharmacy was still able to provide its critical services without any interruption.
It has been a few rough years for Rite Aid. The company attempted in the recent past to merge with financially healthy companies. In 2017, the company tried merging with Walgreen’s, but the deal fell through. Then in 2018, Rite Aid failed in an effort to merge with Albertsons grocery store. Hopefully, the new financial restructuring and new leadership is the appropriate solution.
There are not too many retail stores in Linda Vista; shopping opportunities are limited. Therefore, the condition of a store like Rite Aid, with its potential to provide shoppers the opportunity to take advantage of location, convenient hours, and reasonable prices becomes significant. Due to its inability to stock the shelves in a dependable manner, Rite Aid’s actual ability to provide that opportunity has certainly proven limited during the past year. The community has been let down. And need we mention the year-long period (or was it two?) during which the freezer that houses Thrifty Ice Cream cartons remained out of operation? That was definitely a let down.
We wish the company good luck in emerging from bankruptcy and hope it can now stock the shelves and serve the community in a much more effective manner.
Upcoming Fundraising Event
Local Linda Vista realtor and community supporter Bree Partington is once again partnering up with the Porsche Club to conduct another Porsche, Pours and Pups Fundraising Event on September 21. Last year’s event was highly successful and so they are conducting an encore event. All of the proceeds will go to the Del Mar Dog Rescue. That is such a worthy cause! Check out the below flyer for details on how to sign up and attend.
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The Linda Vista Update is a weekly digital newsletter that publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities. We welcome ideas for stories. Let us know about any interesting people, places, or upcoming events.