San Diego Scene 11.2010
The debut collections of Fashion Careers College graduates will be the highlights of the collee’s 24th annual Golden Hanger Fasion Awards Gala Nov. 13 at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center — a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego. The finale will be the 13 costumes from the Timken Museum and Fashion Career College’s third annual Art of Fashion event that was held in the summer. Doors will open to a no host cocktail reception and silent auction at 6:30 p.m. Dinner, a live auction, honoree recognition, and fashion show extravaganza will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $150 for dinner/show and $50 for show only. Chair for the event is Patricia O’Connor of North Park, the college founder and CEO. The event will honor Victoria Hamilton, executive director of the city of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture, Phyllis Parrish and Judy Smith of Bridgepoint Education and California Marine for their philanthropic contributions to the community.
For more information call Fashion Careers College at (619) 275-4700.
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A North County Indian gaming tribe has signed a multi-year marketing deal with the operator of the San Diego Sports Arena that will rename the sports and entertainment venue as the Valley View Casino Center. Financial terms of the agreement with AEG Facilities, which manages the arena, were not disclosed, but it will allow the Valley View Casino & Hotel in Valley Center to be marketed along with the sports arena under its new name. The San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians is the owner of the Valley Center casino and hotel. The agreement was approved by the San Diego City Council. “We look forward to the opportunities that this new venture will provide, including developing a great relationship with the city of San Diego,” said Joe Navarro, president/CEO of the San Pasqual Development Group Inc., the San Pasqual tribe’s gaming corporation. “Since our casino’s inception we’ve been consistently looking for growth opportunities, expanding our casino, building our hotel, and now partnering with the finest sports and entertainment venue in San Diego County.”
The gaming tribe will now market the Valley View Casino Center alongside its casino and hotel brand, and will now also be able to provide its casino guests with premium tickets for all events at the center. Ernie W. Hahn II is senior vice president and general manager of the arena, which was built in 1966 and recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to add a 6,500-square-foot VIP hospitality space, new lower-level seats, LCD televisions and upgraded concourse and arena entrances. The 15,000-seat facility has attracted several popular performers over the years such as Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and U2. It also has attracted sporting events and in November will host the 2010 Fed Cup Final between the U.S. and Italy.
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UCSD Chancellor Awarded National Medal of Science
President Barack Obama named Marye Anne Fox, chancellor at UCSD, one of the 10 eminent researchers to receive the National Medal of Science, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on scientists, engineers and inventors. “The extraordinary accomplishments of these scientists, engineers and inventors are a testament to American industry and ingenuity,” Obama said. “Their achievements have redrawn the frontiers of human knowledge while enhancing American prosperity and it is my tremendous pleasure to honor them for their important contributions.”
Fox, a nationally recognized chemist and academic leader, was named the seventh chancellor of UCSD in April 2004. Since her appointment as chancellor, the university has established new research and partnership ventures to further innovation and increase international collaboration, achieved a $1 billion campaign goal, expanded academic and campus programs and facilities, and has received national and international recognition in university rankings. Fox and the other recipients will receive their awards at a White House ceremony later this year. The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. The medal recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering.
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Ira Flatow
Ira Flatow, science journalist and host of NPR’s “Science Friday,” has been selected to receive the 2010 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The presentation will be made at a public ceremony at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the main auditorium at the Robert Paine Scripps Forum for Science, Society and the Environment at 8610 Kennel Way in La Jolla. Reservations are required — visit nierenbergerprize.eventbrite.com or call Visitor Services at (858) 534-4109. The Nierenberg Prize was created to honor the memory of William A. Nierenberg, who was director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography for 21 years. A bronze medal and a $25,000 prize are awarded each year for outstanding contributions to science in the public interest. The award was created and is supported by gifts from the Nierenberg family.
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The Urban Land Institute San Diego/Tijuana District Council’s annual Real Estate Trends Conference will be held on Nov. 9 and will focus on residential and commercial markets, banking and Government. It will be held from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Joe & Vi Jacobs Center, 4043 Euclid Ave., in San Diego. Through industry experts and peer panels, the event is designed to provide insights and strategies geared toward real estate professionals from San Diego and beyond. John McIlwain, ULI Fellow, will present the opening welcome and keynote speech on “Housing in America — the Next Decade.” Retired Qualcomm co-founder and Leap Wireless CEO Harvey White will offer closing remarks on the topic of incorporating art into the education system. Conference presenters include Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene College, Fermanian Business and Economic Institute; Gary Sabin, Excel Reality; Doug Wilson, Douglas Wilson Cos.; Marie Kunac, Embarcadero Bank; Scott Ripperton, Wells Fargo Bank; Scott Lewis, Voice of San Diego; Tom Murphy, former mayor of Pittsburgh; and Laurie Black, CCDC.
Admission fees are $85 for members, $50 for student members, $55 for Young Leaders and $100 for all nonmembers. To reserve a seat at the conference, visit ulisd.org.
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The San Diego Potters’ Guild’s annual holiday sale will be held Nov. 13-14 in the Spanish Village patio area of Balboa Park. Thousands of pieces of hand-made ceramics will be offered for sale by area potters. Works range from functional ware such as plates, bowls, and coffee cups to more decorative and sculptural forms such as ceramic shoes, garden lanterns,and conch shells. Prices range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Most of the Guild members will be available to answer questions about ceramics in general or their own work in particular. There will also be demonstrations of throwing pots on the wheel. Hours for the sale are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. For information call the Guild at (619) 239-0507 or visit sandiegopottersguild.org.
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Corner lot project rendering
The largest construction project at Southwestern College since the school was originally constructed in 1961 was started last month with the groundbreaking for the “corner lot” development. The corner lot at East H Street and Otay Lakes Road in Chula Vista will be the site of the 110,000-square-foot development that will include a new college bookstore, classroom space, food court, art gallery, culinary arts program, a wellness center, administrative offices, conference space and a police station. The project was designed by BCA Architects. Echo Pacific Construction Inc. is the contractor. The groundbreaking ceremony featured Raj K. Chopra, superintendent/president of the college; Yolanda Salcido, governing board president; Manny Lopez, president of Southwestern College Associated Students; Paul Bunyon of BCA Architects; Chris Rowe of Echo Pacific Construction and Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox.
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Beers from breweries in Belgium, England, Scotland, Germany and the Czech Republic will be offered for sampling at the second annual Antique Brewery Fest Nov. 20 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Wisteria Cottage, 780 Prospect St., in La Jolla. La Jolla Historical Society is presenting the event in partnership with Merchant duVin and Giuseppe’s Restaurant and Fine Catering. “This is one of the newest fundraisers for the society and one where we have a lot of fun,” said John Bolthouse, executive director. Attendees can learn how cultural and social history of beer from the classic brewing regions contributes to each brew’s unique flavor and discover beer’s role in history, from Germany’s 1516 “Reinheitsgebot” to early taxation on beer to the breweries of the Trappist Monastery. The cost for society members is $75. Nonmembers are $90. Reservations can be made online at lajollahistory.org/events or by calling (858) 459-5335. All proceeds benefit La Jolla Historical Society.
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More than 100 trees in Downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter will be festooned with holiday lights on Nov. 7 in celebration of the season. The lights will be on display through Jan. 3 on Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues between Broadway and L Street. The Christmas Light Co. Inc. was selected for the decorations. The company has selected LED lighting that James Scianda, its president, says is brighter and uses only 5 percent of the energy of traditional holiday lights. The company and the Gaslamp Quarter Association will hold an official lighting ceremony on Nov. 7. For more information, visit thechristmaslightcompanysd.com.
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Cindy Sandback and Chris Parkes, representatives of Administaff, will give a presentation on “HR Risks … and How to Avoid Them” at the Nov. 12 monthly seminar sponsored by the National Association of Women Business Owners San Diego. Their presentation will focus on trends in state employment practices and compliance, ways to protect yourself and your business from employer-related fines and lawsuits, options for dealing with your HR issues, and the timeline for health care reform changes and impacts. The event will be from noon to 1 p.m. at Brandman University, 7460 Mission Valley Road in Mission Valley. Pre-registration is required and seating is limited. NAWBO San Diego members can attend at no cost, while the fee for visitors is $25. Box lunches will be provided. Online registration and more information are available at nawbo-sd.org.
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British Airways will start nonstop daily flights between San Diego and London Heathrow on June 1 next year as part of a new business agreement with American Airlines and Iberia. The three-class Boeing 777 aircraft will be used. British Airways Flight 272 will depart San Diego at 8:05 p.m. daily and arrive in London at 2:25 p.m. the next afternoon. British Airways’ returning Flight 273 will depart Heathrow at 3:05 p.m. local time and arrive in San Diego at 6:15 p.m.
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Forty-three percent of sustainability professionals make $75,000 or more a year, according to a survey conducted by UCSD Extension in collaboration with Sustainability: The Journal of Record. Sixty-two percent of the respondents said that their job does have promotion potential, and most would recommend sustainability as a career to their children. The results were published in the October issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record and the fall issue of Prospectus, the magazine of UCSD Extension. In all, 366 U.S.-based sustainability professionals in workplaces that include corporations, nonprofits and government responded to the survey, which was conducted in the fall of 2009 and winter of 2010.
“High-end salaries aren’t just limited to those working in large cities, where the cost of living is likely to be higher than that in more remote areas,” said Lori Tripoli, editor of Sustainability: The Journal of Record. “Interestingly, almost as many of those at the upper end of the salary echelon work in suburbs as in large cities with populations of one million or more.”
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Lee Swanson, public information officer for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, is the new president of the San Diego Press Club for 2010. Swanson succeeds Jan Rieger of McLane Rieger Communications Inc. Freelance writer Nicole Sours Larson was named first vice president, while fellow freelancer Jill Esterbrooks was named second vice president. Retired radio news reporter Reid Carroll continues as treasurer, and freelance writer Rebecca Chappell is secretary. Four new members have joined the board: Ed Joyce, environmental reporter for KPBS radio; April Harter, account executive and director of social media at Scribe Communications; Pauline Repard, a print reporter for more than 30 years; and Karolen Linderman of Web-media.
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Proposed Chargers stadium in Downtown.
Gov. Schwarzenegger has signed legislation by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher that eliminates the cap on the amount of state redevelopment funds for which Downtown San Diego’s Centre City Development Corp. is eligible. “If you like the jobs, housing, and ballpark that Downtown redevelopment has already created, you will love what this bill does for our region,” said Andrew Poat, vice president of policy for the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. The measure, however, was condemned by San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio. “This action will have a major impact on the city’s general fund. Had the cap not been increased, money would have gone back into the general fund – for basic services like police, fire and roads,” said DeMaio.
Early estimates of the benefits include $7 billion to $9 billion in public funds – and two to three times that much private sector funding for Downtown redevelopment, housing projects and infrastructure. Some 100,000 jobs could result over the life of the legislation. Specific projects that are expected to benefit from the redevelopment include the North Embarcadero Project, affordable housing in the East Village and possibly a new stadium for the Chargers. The San Diego City Council must complete a community needs assessment and hold public hearings to gain input from stakeholders. The council also must approve all expenditures involving redevelopment dollars.
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Four San Diego-area authors will discuss their books with the public during Old Town Gift Co.’s Authors Under the Stars program Nov. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. Old Town Gift Co. is located within Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park at Wallace and Calhoun streets. Bette Blaydes Pegas will be speaking about her book, “Chasing a Dream in the Galápagos: A Personal Evolution”; Jack Scheffler Innis, author of “San Diego Legends: Events, People, and Places that Made History”; Joey Seymour, author of “San Diego’s Finest Athletes: Five Exceptional Lives”; and R.D. Riccoboni, author of “From Old Town to New Town, San Diego Paintings.”
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Rendering of the Elements Bar in Quattra Via Aveda Salon Spa.
Grand opening is scheduled on Nov. 26 for the Quattra Via Aveda Salon Spa and Inner Beauty Gallery, located on the second level of The Forum mall in Carlsbad. The new, 3,600-square-foot facility was designed by Encinitas-based David Goldberg of Alba Design and architect John Dengler and Associates of Ft. Collins, Colo. Interior design services were provided by Solana Beach-based Jeanette Houston of Chevalier Inc. The spa is located in Suite 204 of The Forum at 1905 Calle Barcelona.