April 2009

Carlsbad Art Surf Starts Friday

by The Editors on April 30, 2009

Art-Surf-LogoWhen we announced it earlier it caused a bit of debate in the comments, but this Friday May 1, 2009 Carlsbad Village’s first ever ArtSurf kicks off.

The festivities will kick off at New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State Street. Participants will recieve their maps and instructions on how to best enjoy the walk. . . Several Galleries will be involved, including the Paul Bartyl Gallery (in New Village Arts), Ivanffy-Uhler Gallery, Snyder Art, Lynn Forbes School of Sculpture, Carlsbad Oceanside Art League Gallery, Front Porch Gallery, and Chandlers Gallery and Boutique.

We’ll see you out on the streets. . .

[Link: Friends of The Village]

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Authentic Colonial Restaurant in Carlsbad?

by The Editors on April 29, 2009

Zd1Ea4Db2Fa7C539C882575A1005Fdded.JpgWhat does the Carlsbadistan restaurant landscape really need? Well, if you’re retired businessman from Rancho Sante Fe named Bruce Bartlett, then we apparently need a recreation of the Green Dragon Tavern, the tavern where “the nations founding fathers once gathered,” according to a Barbara Henry story in the North County Times.

The “Green Dragon Tavern,” which would be more of a restaurant and a museum than a bar, would go in the long-vacant Hadley’s fruit and nut building on Paseo del Norte. . . Bartlett is proposing to create a row of colonial buildings that would contain 21,281 square feet of interior space. . . One of the structures in the row would be a copy the Green Dragon Tavern, which has been described as the “headquarters of the Revolution,” Bartlett said.

A row of colonial buildings at the beach? Sounds horrifying.

[Link: North County Times]

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Sea Life Aquarium Cleans Up Tamarack

by The Editors on April 27, 2009

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On Saturday, April 25, 2009 more than 140 volunteers joined Legoland’s Sea Life Aquarium to clean up Tamarack State Beach as part of the 7th Annual Creek To Bay Clean Up.

“This is the first time we at SEA LIFE Aquarium have done something like this,” said Dirk Westfall, Assistant Curator of SEA LIFE Aquarium and team leader for the cleanup, “and we are thrilled that so many people came out to help with the cleanup. It is good to know that so many people out there are just as passionate about the ocean and the environment as we are.”

Thanks for all the work. It looks nice.
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Carlsbad Beach Fest 2009

by The Editors on April 26, 2009

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The City of Carlsbad Beach Preservation Committee invites residents to the second annual Carlsbad Beach Fest, Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Tamarack/Frazee State Beach and Pine Avenue. The free event will include a beach cleanup, activities for children, live music, sand castle sculptors, a native plant tour and refreshments. Trash and recycling bags will be made available for the cleanup activities. Those interested in the cleanup are requested to bring gloves.

The Carlsbad Beach Fest is sponsored by California State Parks. The Carlsbad Beach Preservation Committee is helping to plan, organize and promote the event. The festival highlights the local coastal and lagoon waterways found within Carlsbad, raises awareness concerning the effects of marine debris and provides an opportunity for residents to participate in a beach cleanup.

Informational and educational event booths will be located on the grassy area adjacent to Pine Avenue and on the beach directly below.

For more information or to volunteer, call (760) 720-7001 or e-mail bketterer@parks.ca.gov.

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Carlsbad City Economic Update

by The Editors on April 24, 2009

042109 56At City Council last Tuesday night April 21, 2009 we got so caught up in the Stallga Norte Park spectacle that we forgot about the State of the Carlsbad Economy presented by City Finance Director Lisa Irvine. Though we took notes, we never wrote anything up. Luckily, the City of Carlsbad did it for us in a release sent out yesterday.

The city has developed a number of strategies for managing its budget that allow the city to adapt to the changing economy while minimizing effects on city services. In January 2009, to maintain a balanced budget, the City Council reduced total general fund revenue by $4.6 million, and reduced general fund expenditures by $5.3 million. Based on projected revenues, the city will likely make additional reductions in the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget, which goes into effect July 1.

The most interesting bits were about how much our City depends on Car Country Carlsbad and how poorly they are doing. There was also mention of how poorly Plaza Camino Real is doing compared to The Forum and Carlsbad Premium Outlets, but we already knew that.

For the rest of the details (minus any snide comments from us) follow the jump.
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The CEF Makes Legoland Affordable For One Day

by The Editors on April 22, 2009

Legoland Calif Res.Jpg-1We’ve been meaning to get out to Legoland, we really have, but the $63 entrance price has been what we like to call “cost prohibitive.” While we’re sure we wouldn’t hesitate to spend the money while on vacation, we never seem to be able to empty our wallets so close to home.

That all changes on May 2, 2009 from 1 – 9 PM as Legoland and the Carlsbad Education Foundation present “Celebrate Carlsbad Day” at the theme park with $15 tickets.

Specially-priced $15 “Celebrate Carlsbad Day” tickets include admission to LEGOLAND with park hours extended until 9:00 p.m. Admission also includes a special fireworks display at 8:00 p.m. . . LEGOLAND will donate the proceeds from the event to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation in support of new district-wide music and hands-on science programs as well as educational innovation. The Foundation has set a goal to raise $100,000 in ticket sales and has established expanded opportunities for corporate sponsors to partner for this special event.

So it’s kind of like donating money to Kids Are Worth A Million and getting 8 hours at Legoland thrown in for free. Now we have no excuse. And neither do you.
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Stallga Norte Park: The Wait Continues

by The Editors on April 21, 2009

042109 57ATonight, April 21, 2009, with a standing-room only crowd (most wearing bright yellow “Alga Norte Now” stickers) and even more out in the hall pressing posters up against the glass, the Carlsbad City Council voted 3-2 to push off the decision to begin construction on the Alga Norte Park by what could be another year.

The council was faced with 26 public comments in favor of the Alga Norte Park and five options presented by City staff:

1. Continue the project hold.
2. Build the park as designed
3. Rough Grade the site
4. Build just the aquatic center
5. Build everything but the aquatic center

When the discussions were over Mayor Bud Lewis, along with Councilmen Matt Hall, and Mark Packard voted in favor of the “rough grade” (option 3) on the Alga Norte Park property, while Ann Kulchin and Keith Blackburn voted against the motion.

Leave it to the convoluted workings of city politics to have the no votes be in support of building the park. “I am going to vote no on that because I think we have studied it to death,” Ann Kulchin said. “I think the time to build it is now.”

And for once we agreed with her.
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Scott Ainslie Slide Workshop At Epic Guitars

by The Editors on April 21, 2009

ScottainslieKevin Kinnear will host blues/slide guitarist and Robert Johnson historian Scott Ainslie for acoustic blues and slide guitar workshop at Carlsbadistan’s Epic Guitars this Sunday April 26, 2009.

The workshop is for people who have heard the keening of the slide, but haven’t yet made that sound themselves: beginning, intermediate, and even some advanced players have profited from the techniques that will be presented. Epic Guitars and Kevin Kinnear are committed to linking up professionals and local players. This is a part of Epic’s mission, and my own. Bring a slide that fits snugly on your little finger (ceramic, brass or glass) and a sound recording device, if you like. $35 at the door. Reservations encouraged. Space will be limited at some point.

The workshop begins at 1 PM and tickets are limited so be sure and make reservations now. Epic Guitars 2656 State St. in the heart of Carlsbadistan.

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Musicians Kick Off Vespa Tour In Carlsbad

by The Editors on April 21, 2009

Vespa Tour

Singer/songwriters Jason Reeves, Brendan James and Amber Rubarth will be kicking of their Vespa Experience Tour on April 30, 2009 with a show at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbadistan, according to a story in Paste Magazine.

The three singer/songwriters are headed up the California Coast, from Carlsbad to San Fransisco, on their scooters to raise awareness about Global Warming (even if I thought all Californians were pretty aware at this point). With just their instruments and some camping gear, the musicians have partnered with Greenpeace in order to “inspire young people to consider their impact on their environment.”

Unfortunately, Amber Rubath will not be at the Carlsbadistan show, but Jason and Brendan are definitely worth checking out. For more information check out their Myspace page. Or click here for tickets for the April 30 2009 show at 7 PM.

[Link: Paste Magazine]

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Crash Landing at Palomar Airport

by The Editors on April 20, 2009

Today at approximately 4 PM a small plane missed the runway on a landing attempt and crashed on airport property according to a story in the North County Times.

There were no fatalities in the crash, Carlsbad police Lt. Neal Gallucci said. . . Gallucci said the plane missed the runway, but landed on airport property about 4 p.m. . . .One person was taken to a hospital, but no information was available about injuries that person may have suffered, he said.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune the Cessna 152 (which is registered to a Vista man) had engine trouble shortly after take off and the pilot immediately turned back and tried to land from the west. He did not make it to the runway.

The pilot’s name, age and the extent of his injuries were unavailable last night. Paramedics pulled him from the single-engine aircraft and took him to a hospital. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

[Link: North County Times and San Diego Union-Tribune]

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