John P. Anderson

Thumbnail image for SD For Free: Coffee Cupping at Cafe Virtuoso and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

SD For Free: Coffee Cupping at Cafe Virtuoso and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

by John P. Anderson 05.23.2013 Culture

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free! We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

Address:

  • Cafe Virtuoso – 1616 National Ave, San Diego, CA 92113 (Barrio Logan),

Date and Time: Friday mornings at 8:30 and 10:30, respectively

Best For: Sleepy, Happy, Grumpy, and Bashful

San Diego has a number of coffee roasters and you can try their goods at area restaurants, farmers markets, and in the on-site cafes that accompany most of the roasting locations.

Two of my favorite roasters, Cafe Virtuoso in Barrio Logan and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (BRCR) in Bird Rock, also offering complimentary cuppings on Friday mornings for those interested in learning more about coffee and roasting.

Read the full article → 1 comment
Thumbnail image for Take 20 Minutes (or less) to Reduce Junk Mail by 90%

Take 20 Minutes (or less) to Reduce Junk Mail by 90%

by John P. Anderson 05.22.2013 Environment

By John P. Anderson

Want to reduce the amount of trash and recycling you have each week?  Reducing the amount of junk mail you receive is a good place to start.  Below I’ve compiled a convenient list of the websites and companies you should contact to most effectively reduce the junk mail you received.

Here are a few figures from a post by NYU Law School that highlight the environmental impact of junk mail:

  • 5.6 million tons of catalogs and other direct mail advertisements end up in U.S. landfills annually
  • The average American household receives 848 pieces of junk mail per household, equal to 1.5 trees every year – more than 100 million trees for all U.S. households combined.
    • 100 million trees a year is the equivalent of deforesting all of Rocky Mountain National Park every four months.
  • Largely due to deforestation, junk mail manufacturing creates as much greenhouse gas emissions annually as 3.7 million cars.
Read the full article → 13 comments
Thumbnail image for Bicycle Weekend – A Summary of Great Cycling Activities for this weekend

Bicycle Weekend – A Summary of Great Cycling Activities for this weekend

by John P. Anderson 05.17.2013 Activism

By John P. Anderson

Today, Friday May 17, is Bike to Work Day and there are pit stops all over the county for cyclists to stop, enjoy a bite to eat, meet some fellow riders, and generally start the day on a good foot.  I enjoyed the morning at the 30th Street & Upas Street corner with fresh coffee and pastries and some conversation with neighbors.

If you weren’t able to join the festivities today (or did but want to keep the party going) there are a number of great cycling activities going on this weekend.

Sunday, May 19

Bike Local Sundays - South Park – All Day

The second edition of this program from the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition rolls into action on Sunday in South Park.  The Bike Local Sundays program is held in a different neighborhood every third Sunday of the month and South Park follows the Hillcrest debut in April.  Per the SDCBC:

“Bike Local Sundays started with a goal to get more people riding bikes to support business in San Diego. Trends show that more people riding bikes versus driving improves community health, air quality and traffic congestion, as well as boosts business by relieving residents of the costs of owning and operating a vehicle, transferring those savings to the local economy.”

Read the full article → 0 comments
Thumbnail image for SD For Free: Golden Hill Recreation Center

SD For Free: Golden Hill Recreation Center

by John P. Anderson 05.16.2013 Culture

By John Patrick Anderson

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free! We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

Golden Hill Recreation Center

Address: 2600 Golf Course Dr, San Diego, CA 92102

Date and Time: Monday – Friday 2 PM – 9 PM, Saturday – Sunday 10 AM – 3 PM

Best For: Exercise, relaxation, walking, getting outdoors

Increasingly, when you mention the neighborhood of Golden Hill you will get a reaction that indicates the person you are talking to either knows where it is or has a pretty good idea (e.g. “Somewhere south of Balboa Park, right?”) instead of a blank stare. However, even those who know where the neighborhood is likely don’t know where, or what, the Golden Hill Recreation Center (GHRC) is.

Located on the south-east portion of Balboa Park (just east of Golden Hill Park), the GHRC is nestled between 26th Street and the Balboa Park Golf Course, just north of Russ Boulevard.

Read the full article → 0 comments
Thumbnail image for Pershing Drive Bicycling: Let’s Make It Safe

Pershing Drive Bicycling: Let’s Make It Safe

by John P. Anderson 04.30.2013 Culture

By John P. Anderson

Pershing Drive is one of the best examples in urban San Diego of what well planned and executed bicycle infrastructure can be.  The road has few stops (basically just one, at Florida Drive), goes through an enjoyable area of Balboa Park with many nice views, and has full-width bicycle lanes on both sides of the road.

Additionally, Pershing connects North Park and other neighborhoods like City Heights and Normal Heights with Downtown – an ideal route for those commuting to work Downtown or headed there for entertainment or other purposes.  It is also a great example of how an ideal situation can be squandered.

Read the full article → 7 comments
Thumbnail image for Hawaii for Cheap: Camping in Paradise

Hawaii for Cheap: Camping in Paradise

by John P. Anderson 04.27.2013 Culture

By John P. Anderson

Hawaii – land of honeymoons, idle thoughts, and sitcom ultimate vacations since the mid-1970s.  Also a land frequently visited by residents of Southern California due to the (relatively) close proximity and frequent flight deals.  I have been fortunate to visit Hawaii twice – my first trip, to Oahu, followed my junior year of high school and included my first flight, first time seeing an ocean, and many other firsts.  The second visit was a ‘babymoon’ in November of 2010, visiting Hawai’i, also known as ‘The Big Island’ since the state is commonly known by the same name as the largest island in the archipelago.

Following my typical travel planning routine we arrived in Hawai’i with no plans or reservations (other than a rental car).  Fortunately we discovered that the county of Hawai’i (which covers the entirety of the island) runs a spectacular set of nine beach parks located all around the island.  Camping is available at all the locations, although the associated amenities vary greatly at each park.

Read the full article → 0 comments
Thumbnail image for San Diego’s Favorite Bicycle Rides #1 – Ocean Beach to National City

San Diego’s Favorite Bicycle Rides #1 – Ocean Beach to National City

by John P. Anderson 04.26.2013 Columns

By John P. Anderson

A few weeks ago I wrote up one of my favorite bicycle routes, from North Park to Ocean Beach.  I got some good feedback and suggestions in response and decided to continue this idea.  However, I’m still a relatively new to cycling in San Diego and there are many areas of the city and county that I haven’t ridden.

To address my lack of personal knowledge I’ll be reaching out to cyclists across the county to profile some of their favorite rides and hopefully connect readers with some new places and routes to check out and enjoy.  I hope this series will be on a monthly basis, but we’ll see where things go.

The inaugural installment of this series features a ride from Jamie Ortiz.  Jamie recently won the 2013 Commuter of the Year Diamond Award from SANDAG for her earth-friendly cycling habit.

Read the full article → 4 comments
Thumbnail image for San Diego For Free: Brews & Views at Alcohol-Friendly Public Spaces in San Diego

San Diego For Free: Brews & Views at Alcohol-Friendly Public Spaces in San Diego

by John P. Anderson 04.25.2013 Culture

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free! We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.
By John P Anderson

Address: Many locations across the city

Date and Time: Varies but generally either 8 AM – 8 PM or 12 PM – 8 PM

Best For: Beer drinkers, coping son-in-laws, well-behaved college students, responsible citizens and visitors of all stripes

San Diego is known for many things. Some prominent ones are sun, surf, an ideal climate, and beer. (If you enjoy reading about beer, read this article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that is the best list of top U.S. beer cities I’ve read.)

Once upon a time you could enjoy all of these things together but today we inhabit a safer, tamer, lamer, more responsible world and despite the love many San Diegans have for our local (and non-local) breweries it is not advised to consume their offerings whilst lounging on the golden sand of the Pacific. A ban on beach drinking was passed in San Diego a few years ago.

Read the full article → 10 comments
Thumbnail image for Parts of Barrio Logan Have No Sidewalks – Does Anyone Care?

Parts of Barrio Logan Have No Sidewalks – Does Anyone Care?

by John P. Anderson 04.24.2013 Editor's Picks

Voice of San Diego doesn’t want to make judgment calls on that issue

By John Anderson

Voice of San Diego (VOSD) has been operating a Tumblr site featuring the damaged state of sidewalks across San Diego coined The Stumblr.  San Diegans are encouraged to send in photos from their neighborhood and the images are added to the site.  It’s a great idea to bring a public issue to light and has even received some love nationally including a nod from The Atlantic.

In preparation for our SDFP focus on Barrio Logan, fellow writer Brent Beltran noted the poor (read: non-existent) status of sidewalks in parts of the neighborhood, specifically along Harbor Drive.  Brent has a young son and mentioned he, and other Barrio residents, would like to be able to walk up to Seaport Village, the bayfront, Convention Center, and other destinations in the south-western part of Downtown.  No surprise – that area of Downtown is popular with locals and visitors alike and is a great place for a stroll, picnic, or throwing a frisbee.

I was already familiar with the area, but am usually on my bicycle and not paying particular attention to sidewalks.  I went out to specifically check out the area and take some photos.  There are large distances with nary a bit of cement sidewalk.

Read the full article → 15 comments
Thumbnail image for SD For Free: Chicano Park Day – Saturday, April 20

SD For Free: Chicano Park Day – Saturday, April 20

by John P. Anderson 04.19.2013 Columns

By John P. Anderson

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free!  We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

  1. Address: Map for directions here (intersection of Dewey Street and National Avenue in Barrio Logan, 92113)
  2. Date and Time: Saturday, April 20 from 10 AM – 5 PM
  3. Best For: Good food, good fun, families, historians, artists
  4. Website: chicano-park.org/

This year Barrio Logan and Chicano Park have a lot of reasons to celebrate.  This Saturday, April 20th, at the annual Chicano Park Day from 10 AM – 5 PM presents an opportunity to do so.  Local residents and visitors will gather to celebrate the history and art of the park, as well as to enjoy time with friends and family.  Live dance and music performances will be on display and food and crafts will be available for sale as well.

This year’s Chicano Park Day will be the first since the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 23, 2013.  The 7.4 acre park was created in 1970 after local residents protested against a planned California Highway Patrol substation that was to be built on the site.

Read the full article → 2 comments
Thumbnail image for SD For Free: A Tree! For Free! Whee! Yippee! For Who? For You! And Who? You Too!

SD For Free: A Tree! For Free! Whee! Yippee! For Who? For You! And Who? You Too!

by John P. Anderson 04.12.2013 Columns

By John P. Anderson

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free!  We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

  1. Address: Your house
  2. Date and Time: Soon – if you send in your application. Don’t delay, apply today!
  3. Best For: Tree huggers, tree lovers, bird lovers, people lovers (Basically anyone that doesn’t own a parking lot)
  4. Website: http://www.urbancorpssd.org/FreeTree.pdf

Like trees? Love trees? Indifferent to trees but your spouse or children like them?  Have I got news for you! If you live in the City of San Diego and own property, you can have a tree planted in your yard for free.  Yes, 100% free.  The tree itself, the digging, calling the utilities, putting it in the ground, everything.  All you have to do is agree to provide a bit of water each year and try to keep it living and healthy.  The cost per year for the watering is estimated at $3.  $3 a year for a beautiful, living addition to your yard and street.

Read the full article → 6 comments
Thumbnail image for What’s an EcoDistrict Anyway? North Park prepares to become first in San Diego

What’s an EcoDistrict Anyway? North Park prepares to become first in San Diego

by John P. Anderson 04.10.2013 Activism

North Park in the first stages of becoming the first sustainable-focused neighborhood in San Diego following the U.S. lead of Portland, OR.  Tonight (Wednesday, April 10th) there will be an informational meeting for community members to learn about the project.  The meeting will be at Sea Rocket Bistro (3382 30th Street, 92104) from 5:30 – 7:30 PM and $3 drafts and $2 street tacos will be available.

I recently talked with Paulina Lis, who is heading up the North Park EcoDistrict project along with colleague Jennifer Owens, to learn more about the project.  (The North Park EcoDistrict is currently in ‘start-up’ mode and the official website, northparkecodistrict.com, is under construction. In the interim the best source for information on the EcoDistrict is the Facebook page.)  Paulina directed me to the Portland Sustainability Institute (PSI) as a primary source for information on what an EcoDistrict is and what Portland has been doing.

Read the full article → 1 comment
Thumbnail image for ‘State of Cycling in San Diego County’ – A Snapshot of the Region and Plans for the Future

‘State of Cycling in San Diego County’ – A Snapshot of the Region and Plans for the Future

by John P. Anderson 04.10.2013 Government

by John Anderson

Last Saturday, April 6, the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition (SDCBC) hosted a ‘State of Cycling in San Diego County’ event in the Balboa Room of the historic Lafayette Hotel on El Cajon Boulevard in North Park.

This event was held to mark the one-year anniversary of the 5-Year Strategic Plan the group adopted in 2012 and discuss progress and goals for the coming years. Every seat in the room was taken, plus some standing in the doorways. I counted approximately 60 people. A bicycle valet service was provided outside the hotel for attendees – a service the SDCBC also offered at the Padres home opener on Tuesday, April 8.

Read the full article → 7 comments
Thumbnail image for San Diego For Free: Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala – California’s First Mission

San Diego For Free: Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala – California’s First Mission

by John P. Anderson 04.04.2013 Culture

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free! We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

Address: 10818 San Diego Mission Road, San Diego, CA 92108 (Mission Valley / Grantville)

Date and Time: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM Daily are the Visitor Center Museum and Gift Shop hours. To schedule a tour or for tour information call 619-283-7319 or send an email to tours@missionsandiego.com.

Best For: History, culture, religious studies

Website: www.missionsandiego.com

Sited along El Camino Real (The King’s Highway) are the twenty-one California Missions, historic sites that played a major role in the settlement and exploration of the West by Europeans. The chain of missions begins in San Diego and stretches north to Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma and roughly follows the modern Highway 101.

Read the full article → 3 comments
Thumbnail image for Fathom Bistro, Bait and Tackle – An Instant San Diego Classic

Fathom Bistro, Bait and Tackle – An Instant San Diego Classic

by John P. Anderson 03.31.2013 Business

I’ve seen ads in CityBeat for the past couple of months featuring a large pink Lichtenstein-ian tentacle pouring a draft beer and the tagline “San Diego’s Only Tap House on the Water”.  Tentacles, beer, and an address on Shelter Island (1776 Shelter Island Drive, 92106) that I couldn’t immediately place.  Mysterious and involving beer?  I was intrigued and recently made a visit.

The mystery deepened when I arrived at the address (directed by my smartphone navigation app) and saw no bar or restaurant in sight, nor a sign directing me to one.  There was a hotel on one side of the street, a playground on the other, and a pier with a few fishermen on it.  My daughter was with me and insisting that Elmo needed to play on the slides so we headed to the playground.  I agreed under the circumstances that I could continue to search for Fathom on my phone.  (Yes, I use a phone while watching my child.  Distracted dad indeed.)

This was my first time at the Shelter Island playground and it is a great location to enjoy playing outside.  Views of Point Loma and the ocean, gulls and pelicans swooping over the bay just a few feet away, and to the east downtown San Diego with mountains in the background.  I studiously ignored the views and craned my head closer and closer to my phone, trying to solve my puzzle.  Google Maps gave me walking directions: Walk 46 feet along Shelter Island Drive and you will arrive at your destination.  Looking all around, there were clearly no buildings in that proximity to me.

Read the full article → 3 comments
Thumbnail image for North Park to Ocean Beach by Bike – The Best Route

North Park to Ocean Beach by Bike – The Best Route

by John P. Anderson 03.29.2013 Culture

I’ve only lived in North Park for a couple of months but have been working on finding the best route to get from here to Ocean Beach, my favorite San Diego beach, since I moved in.  The biggest issue is finding a good route from the mesa that North Park is on down into Mission Valley.  Once in Mission Valley the very solid path along the San Diego River takes you comfortably and quickly directly west to the Pacific Ocean.

I’ve tried various routes into Mission Valley – Texas Street in North Park, Fairmount Avenue between Kensington and City Heights, Bachman Place in Hillcrest – but found them all lacking.  Fairmount is very, very intense (read: dangerous) on a bike and Texas only slightly less so.  Bachman Place is a much better alternative although it is a meandering windy road down the hill, not bad for cruising down but quite a long haul back up.  Recently I was informed of a path through Old Town and it is my favorite by far.  After a couple of practice runs I took this trip “in earnest” this week.

Read the full article → 7 comments
Thumbnail image for The North Park – Mid-City Project Has More Bike Lanes – Commercial Routes or Residential Streets?

The North Park – Mid-City Project Has More Bike Lanes – Commercial Routes or Residential Streets?

by John P. Anderson 03.28.2013 Activism

The second Community Advisory Group (CAG) Meeting for the North Park – Mid-City Bike Corridors Project took place March 6, 2013 at 6 PM at the Sunset Temple in North Park (3911 Kansas Street, 92104). The project aims to create two or three enhanced bicycle routes from the Mid-City area to Hillcrest and further the city’s bike friendly agenda. Approximately 60 attendees of the meeting were broken into five smaller groups to discuss the three primary route options.

San Diego, with gorgeous weather, an active populace, and much open space won’t be found on the top 10 most bike-friendly cities from CNN. Nor on the top 50 from Bicycling. We can do so much better! San Diego can, and should be the premier bicycling community in the nation and among the top in the world. All it takes is a populace willing to work for healthier, happier, more vibrant lives and to speak up.

Read the full article → 9 comments
Thumbnail image for San Diego For Free: Income Tax Preparation

San Diego For Free: Income Tax Preparation

by John P. Anderson 03.28.2013 Economy

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free! We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

Address: Various
Date and Time: Various (but recommended prior to April 15th)
Best For: Dutiful citizens, taxpayers, the elderly, working joes and joe-ettes
Website: IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program

April 15th is quickly approaching, much to the dismay of taxpayers across the United States of America. However, the due date for federal income taxes doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I previously wrote about how tax refunds are a good thing and if you’d like to find out if you are due a refund you may be able to do so for free.

San Diego has a number of locations that provide free tax preparation and filing services free of charge via the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Read the full article → 0 comments
Thumbnail image for San Diego For (Mostly) Free: Second Saturday with Suzie’s Farm and Hamilton’s Tavern

San Diego For (Mostly) Free: Second Saturday with Suzie’s Farm and Hamilton’s Tavern

by John P. Anderson 03.21.2013 Food & Drink

A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free (or ‘mostly free’ as in today’s offerings)! We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

Address:

  • Suzie’s Farm – 2550 Sunset Avenue, San Diego, CA 92154 (Tijuana River Valley / Nestor),

Date and Time: Suzie’s Farm Tours – 2nd Saturday of the month, 10 AM – 11:30 AM.

  • Hamilton’s Tavern – 1521 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92102 (South Park)

Date and Time: Hamilton’s Tavern – 2nd Saturday of the month, 5 PM – 8 PM.

Best For: Organic veggie lovers, farmers-at-heart, beer enthusiasts, weekend warriors

The Second Saturday of each month a couple of San Diego’s finest commercial institutions have unique events that make for a fun day.

Read the full article → 0 comments
Thumbnail image for Gay Sex Remains Illegal in the Great State of Kansas

Gay Sex Remains Illegal in the Great State of Kansas

by John P. Anderson 03.19.2013 Government

In my home state of Kansas Republican Governor Sam Brownback created the Office of the Repealer in January 2011. Governor Brownback is a proponent of smaller government so to reduce the size of state government he created a new state office by executive order.

The Office of the Repealer accepts suggestions for statutes, regulations, and executive orders that should be repealed, reviews these suggestions, and then submits recommendations for repeal to the Governor. The Governor may then repeal executive orders or propose repeal of statutes or regulations to the state legislature.

In 2011 the Office of the Repealer received 506 suggestions via its website, and also conducted 26 meetings in 24 cities around the state to solicit input. These meetings were attended by more than 250 people. In January 2012 the Office recommended 51 statutes for repeal of 181 suggested. Not included among those statutes chosen for repeal was Kansas Statute 21-5504(a)(1) which makes gay sex a crime.

Read the full article → 7 comments

← Older Articles