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Awash Ethiopian Restaurant: A Home Away From Home for African Immigrants

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In 1980, Aster Keleta arrived in San Diego. It was just three months before the United States began granting Ethiopians refugee status. Seeking citizenship was more arduous, but it allowed her to settle in and be of assistance to other incoming Ethiopians, a passion of hers that has continued on for over 30 years.

With the stability she has gained in her professional career, she recently decided to plunge back into the restaurant business once again. Aster and her partner Dr Carrol Waymon are now the new owners of Awash, an Ethiopian restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard at 50th St. Aster admits that she has missed having the creative freedom of running her own business, which also allows her the opportunity to reconnect with her identity and culture.   [Read more…]

The Starting Line – Score One for the Taxpayers; Hoteliers Reach Agreement with Mayor Filner

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Oh, the sweet, sweet irony. Mayor Bob Filner’s refusal to sign off on an operating agreement for the San Diego Tourism Marketing District has led to a firestorm of criticism over the past two months. He’s been vilified at the UT-San Diego, which just this week ran an editorial cartoon depicting the Mayor as The Joker, a villain from the Batman comic/TV/Movie series.

Letters to editor have claimed Filner hates the tourism industry, that he’s purposely tried to cause job loss and even demanded a recall election.

Yesterday, after much posturing and pressure, the City Council endorsed an agreement that protected San Diego taxpayers, created more transparency and encouraged funding for the Balboa Park Exposition Centennial. It wasn’t everything Filner asked for, but his point was made. Business as it used to be conducted downtown will be operating under a different set of rules during his administration.

Credit goes to City Councilman David Alvarez, whose intervention led to the settlement. The “Joker” just saved San Diego taxpayers $30 million should the TMD scheme be ruled illegal.   [Read more…]

A Walking Tour of Coronado That Doesn’t Include the Hotel Del?

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A few weeks ago, I received a telephone call from a member of one of my support groups telling me of a tour called “SoCal Food Tour.” She wondered if it would be something that I would be interested in, as well as other members of our group. Although not knowing much about it, I thought it might be fun and told her to sign me up.   [Read more…]

Proposed City of San Diego Medical Marijuana Dispensary Regulations with Map of Proposed Zones

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San Diego MedMJ map zonesMayor Filner Proposed 2% tax, $5000 annual licensing fee, and collectives / cooperatives in limited commercial and industrial zones; Full Council Votes March 25th

From Americans for Safe Access / March 15, 2013

Over the years, medical marijuana patients in San Diego have endured a lack of representation in local governments, raids, lawsuits, eradication efforts, federal interference, and outright misinformation about the issue. Fortunately, now we have a new Mayor who sides with compassion instead of ignorance and is willing to move forward with regulations.

After attending the January San Diego Americans for Safe Access Meeting, where he promised to move forward with regulations, Mayor Bob Filner began working on a proposal to bring to council.
  [Read more…]

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

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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 more…]

Restaurant Review: North Park’s Olympic Café

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Even though my birthday was two weeks ago, I am still celebrating that special day. This time Nancy and Stewart took me out for breakfast and what a wonderful experience we all had. We went to the “Olympic Café” on the corner of University and Texas Street. There is a nice size parking lot; easy access, particularly from Texas street, and a delightful restaurant.

We were met by “Rose” and she told us we could sit anywhere we wished. When we arrived there about 9:00am we were the only ones in the restaurant, but people kept coming in and eating while we were there.   [Read more…]

Newest Pizzeria in Town – Tribute Pizza – Debuts Today in North Park

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Today, March 14th, is the debut of Tribute Pizza. This one-man-show, operated by Matthew Lyons, is debuting pop-up style inside of Coffee & Tea Collective at 2911 El Cajon Boulevard. Matthew was formerly the general manager of the MIHO food truck and is now focusing on Tribute Pizza and taking it from the current ‘project’ status to a full-fledged restaurant.

Matthew has over 10 years of experience in the pizza-making world. As part of the first class at UC-Merced, he nearly launched a pizzeria there to capitalize on the newly-created college town demand but was dissuaded from this idea when he saw a headline naming Merced the “Foreclosure Capital of the USA”. Now in San Diego he’s working to move his plan for a pizzeria forward.   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: Carnitas’ Snack Shack

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Carnitas’ Snack Shack
2632 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 294-7675

The San Diego Free Press is highlighting North Park during the month of March.  When I have mentioned to people that I am going to review several restaurants in the area, almost to a person I have been asked if I have been to the “Carnitas’ Snack Shack.” I hadn’t been there but I knew that I would certainly get there before the month was out.

As it turned out, my daughter went with me to my doctor’s appointment today and we had talked about eating at the Snack Shack if we had time.  The place doesn’t open until 12:00pm – stays open until midnight, and it fit right into our schedule.  And when we got there at 12:01pm there were already 24 people in line ahead of us.  (The first time I tried to eat there the line was so long that I didn’t stay.)

There was not a whole lot of talking between those of us in line; everyone was bent on getting their orders in so that they could find a table in the back.  I don’t know how many the back seats – which, by the way is outdoors replete with heating lamps and/or fans – but I would think it is close to 25-30 people. Some of the tables were “community tables”; some were tables for 2-4 people; some were in the sun; some were under an awning.   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: Origano

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Origano
3650 5th Ave., Suite 103 
San Diego, CA 
619-295-9590

Headed out today to do a review of “Carnitas Snack Shack” in North Park with a new acquaintance but the line was so long that we decided to go somewhere else and I will do the review on a weekday, not a Sunday.

Phil knew of a few places near where he lives – Balboa Park area – so we took a drive to the Hillcrest area looking for a place to eat.  Several of the places he wanted to try were closed, and we settled at “Origano”. The inside was very crowded – and very noisy – so we elected to eat outside instead.

The menu started out with Breakfast specials; salads and soups; lunch specials; pizza’s; Panini; pasta; small plates and large plates.  Additionally there was a list of daily specials on the table. The special for Sunday was “bottomless Mimosa’s” for $10.  The special soup du jour was Pasta e Fagioli   [Read more…]

Desde la Logan presents March’s Las Monthly Ondas featuring: Art of Body : Body of Art – 6th Annual Día de la Mujer Exhibition at The Front

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By Brent E. Beltrán

Every March 8 throughout the world women and their male allies come together to celebrate International Women’s Day. For the sixth straight year the dedicated, hard working people at Casa Familiar’s The Front will organize an art exhibition and night of culture to honor and celebrate the artistic contributions of females in the San Diego/Tijuana border region.

As a member of the Red CalacArts Collective I had the honor of playing a minor role in The Front’s first women’s celebration. Now, as a writer, I am equally honored to help spread the word about this beautiful, annual event. Recently, I had the privilege to communicate with Leticia Gomez Franco, The Front’s Gallery and Exhibitions Director. She broke down the reason why art spaces like The Front are necessary, why it is important to celebrate día de la mujer internacional, what the local San Ysidro reaction to The Front’s work is and what makes their event so successful.   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: Rancho’s Cocina, North Park

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Rancho’s Cocina, North Park
3910 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 574-1288

I used to say that I could eat Mexican food every day and enjoy the 7th day as much as I enjoyed the first day. That is not totally true anymore, but I do like Mexican food and eat it often.

Therefore, when you read this review, you might think it sounds familiar. That is because a few days ago I ate at Rancho’s Cocina in Ocean Beach and wrote a review for the OBRag. But today I ate at one of the other restaurants in the Rancho chain – the one in North Park.

As it happened, the San Diego Free Press had a meeting of many of its contributors this afternoon. Following the meeting, 10 of us decided to have a bite to eat and the closest place was Rancho’s. They were able to accommodate us in the back part of the restaurant without any problem.   [Read more…]

The Starting Line – Downtown Tourism Showdown: Today’s Council Hearing is the Start of the Dump Filner Campaign

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Nothing will be decided at today’s hearing before the San Diego City Council (2pm) about the Tourism Marketing District funding. And that’s somehow appropriate; given that the whole battle over Mayor Bob Filner’s refusal to sign off on authorization of a 39 year deal is really nothing more than a proxy battle for a much bigger conflict.

At the bottom of all this is the inability of the city’s ‘downtown crowd’ to live with last fall’s election of Filner, who’s proven true to his word thus far about not continuing to do business as usual in San Diego.

INSIDE: Today’s Battle at City Hall, Majority of Hoteliers Voted Against 2% Fee, Right Wing Heads Explode as Michelle Obama Appears on Oscars   [Read more…]

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