December 2009

Kiko Beach

We’ve been fans of the Wolf Design Build’s Kiko Beach House on Carlsbadistan’s Ocean Street since the project was nothing more than a color Xeroxed flyer stapled to a fence. That’s why we were filled with holiday cheer to see it is on the market and a perfect gift for the person who has everything.

The five story tall, 7,000 square foot beachfront home features five bedrooms, seven baths, its own glass elevator, and a jacuzzi that rises above the pool like a champagne glass. The house was designed and built with the kind of quality and craftsmanship that suggests cost was not a factor. With an asking price of $17 million the Kiko Beach House is the single most expensive gift we’ve ever suggested in three years of the Carlsbadistan Twelve Days of Christmas. It won’t fit under the tree, but don’t let that stop you.

Tom and Peggy Cozens, Century 21 Sea Coast, (760) 930-9336

Previous Carlsbadistan Days of Christmas Gifts:
1. Ben Sherman At The M Collection
2. iPhone Boombox From Livespeakr.com
3. Prince Lionheart Balance Bike From Geppettos
4. Nambé Yaro Salad Bowl From The Poached Pear
5. The Stratos II From Spy Optic
6. Spa Samudra Beach Escape Package
7. New Village Arts’ Give 15
8. 27 Inch iMac From The Apple Store
9. Carved Teak Candle Holder From Maku Ecoshop
10. Box of Truffles from Carlsbad Chocolate Bar
11. Taryn by Taryn Rose Radiate Calf Leather Boot at Fairen Del

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Poseidon And The State’s Leading Sewer Spiller

by The Editors on December 11, 2009

PopupOn his blog Aguanomics Economist and Wantrup Fellow at UC Berkeley David Zetland, PhD has an interesting take on the Poseidon Resources desalination plant.

While he points out that there are many people who worry about Poseidon’s track record, or the fact that they’re asking for $550 million in tax-favored public bonds, or that the $700 million plant will cost tax payer more than the “promised price” what has Zetland most worried is the Carlsbad Municipal Water District.

Although these things concern me,** I worry more about Poseidon’s partner, Carlsbad MWD, which has the dubious honor of being the least-competent manager of wastewater in the State. . . .With partners like that, I wonder if Poseidon is really facing a worthy contractual partner that can push back when/if push comes to shove. (This is especially relevant given Poseidon’s friendly relations with local politicians.)

Zetland summarizes by saying: “If Poseidon screws up, will Carlsbad MWD be competent enough to catch them or make sure they pay?” And that is one of the best questions we heard so far.

[Link: Aguanomics]

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Coastal Commission Denies Desal Revocation

by The Editors on December 11, 2009

Desal-Plant T250Three enviornmental groups who wanted the California Coastal Commission to revoke a development permit they’d given for Poseidon Resources’ Desalination Plant were denied on Thursday, December 10, 2009, according to a story on KPBS.

The 9-to-3 vote to deny the revocation request came after two hours of testimony at the Coastal Commission meeting in San Francisco. . . “The grounds for revocation are narrow and the Commission cannot reconsider a permit if new information has surfaced after the permit has been issued, no matter how compelling that information may be,” Coastal Commission Deputy Director Alison Detmer told commissioners during the meeting.

Poseidon Resources is obviously happy and the Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Coastkeeper and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation have simply filed another revocation request.

[Link: KPBS]

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41F-Mbivthl. Aa280 Flat leather boots are one thing every girl likely has on her wish list this Holiday season. Fairen Del in the Village stocks a number of different options from Taryn by Taryn Rose.

A former orthopedic surgeon, Rose began her footwear company in 1997 and has been known for making ergonomically-designed, comfortable, and fashionable boots. The main thing is these are boots any girl can wear from day to night without sacrificing style for comfort. These Radiate Calf Leather Boots ($398) are a gift that will be appreciated year after year.

Fairen Del, 2940 State Street, (760) 434-1140

Previous Carlsbadistan Days of Christmas Gifts:
1. Ben Sherman At The M Collection
2. iPhone Boombox From Livespeakr.com
3. Prince Lionheart Balance Bike From Geppettos
4. Nambé Yaro Salad Bowl From The Poached Pear
5. The Stratos II From Spy Optic
6. Spa Samudra Beach Escape Package
7. New Village Arts’ Give 15
8. 27 Inch iMac From The Apple Store
9. Carved Teak Candle Holder From Maku Ecoshop
10. Box of Truffles from Carlsbad Chocolate Bar

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Chocolate-TrufflesYeah, there are plenty of places to get chocolate in this town, but none are as homegrown as the Village’s own Carlsbad Chocolate Bar. Located next to LePassage French Bistro on State street in downtown Carlsbad. The Carlsbad Chocolate Bar is the latest offering from LePassage owner Laura Reyer.

While the Bar offers up everything from milk chocolate covered grahams and chocolate covered Oreos to salted caramels, we recommend going in for a box of truffles. At two dollars a pop, and boxes in a variety of custom sizes, they’re an easy host/hostess gift for all those holiday parties you’ll be hitting this season.

Carlsbad Chocolate Bar, 2963 State Street (760) 434-4479

Previous Carlsbadistan Days of Christmas Gifts:
1. Ben Sherman At The M Collection
2. iPhone Boombox From Livespeakr.com
3. Prince Lionheart Balance Bike From Geppettos
4. Nambé Yaro Salad Bowl From The Poached Pear
5. The Stratos II From Spy Optic
6. Spa Samudra Beach Escape Package
7. New Village Arts’ Give 15
8. 27 Inch iMac From The Apple Store
9. Carved Teak Candle Holder From Maku Ecoshop

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An Old Fashioned Christmas Show

by The Editors on December 10, 2009

Oldfashionxmas

North County’s local talents are holding an Old-Fashioned Christmas concert on Friday, December 18, 2009 at the Carlsbad Women’s Club. The concert and sing-a-long is to benefit Casa De Amparo, Oceanside’s child development center and shelter.

Enjoy your favorite Christmas and Chanukah songs featuring North County’s local singers and musicians Joni Harris, Bill Ims, Carolyn Mickelson, Eliane Weidauer, Vicki Hamilton, and Dmitriy Demidov. Join them for a sing-a-long opportunity and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies.

Old-Fashioned Christmas at The Carlsbad Women’s Club, 7 PM Friday 18, 2009, 3320 Monroe St.,

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Teak CandleMaku is the Carlsbadistan-based designer and manufacturer of “sustainable furnishings for a modern world.” Their high-end indoor and outdoor furniture is featured in some of the most spectacular resorts and homes around the world. And while their furniture would be a welcome Christmas gift for any home-owner, we picked something that everyone can both afford and enjoy: a 16-inch long Carved Teak Candle Holder made of 100% repurposed teak from the Maku Ecoshop.

The ultimate accessory to your organic living space: Dinner by candlelight, aromatherapy indoor or out.
A handsome accent to any environment with the natural elegance of the Maku candle block. Made from Indonesian architecture of yesteryear, the Maku candle block features Frangipani carving.

And who knows, after a few candlelight dinners the one you love may be ready to drop-in on an entire set of Maku furniture for the back patio next Christmas.

Maku Ecoshop, Online from Carlsbad.

Previous Carlsbadistan Days of Christmas Gifts:
1. Ben Sherman At The M Collection
2. iPhone Boombox From Livespeakr.com
3. Prince Lionheart Balance Bike From Geppettos
4. Nambé Yaro Salad Bowl From The Poached Pear
5. The Stratos II From Spy Optic
6. Spa Samudra Beach Escape Package
7. New Village Arts’ Give 15
8. 27 Inch iMac From The Apple Store

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City Pays For Village Façade Upgrades

by The Editors on December 8, 2009

CarlsbadcitylogoProving that they occasionally spend money on the right projects, the City of Carlsbadistan City Council on December 8, 2009 approved a grant program that will help businesses in The Village upgrade their store fronts.

City staff estimate that, depending on the amounts of the individual grants, the initial allocation of $300,000 will pay for 16 or 17 façade improvements in the downtown Village area, which encompasses some 200 acres in central Carlsbad. Based on the success of the initial allocation, the program could be expanded in the future. . . Funding for the program will come from the Village Redevelopment Operations Fund, which must be used for improvements within the redevelopment area. Only businesses located with the boundaries of the Village area are eligible for the grants.

If only we had a store with a front in The Village. . . For more information on the grants contact the Carlsbad Redevelopment Agency at 760-434-2810 or visit their web site at www.carlsbadca.gov/redevelopment.

Follow the jump for the entire release.
[click to continue…]

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The Kurners: A Family Act

by The Editors on December 8, 2009

Kurners 120309 Final UncroppedWe knew the acting talent at New Village Arts Theatre ran deep, but we didn’t know how deep. Thanks to a Lillian Cox story in The Coast News, we now know a lot more about the Kurner family.

Kristianne Kurner is executive artistic director of the award-winning New Village Arts Theatre. She founded the theater in 2001 with former husband Francis Gercke who is currently associate artistic director of the Cygnet Theatre in San Diego. Kristianne also teaches the “Study of Filmed Plays” and runs the Actors Academy at MiraCosta College. . . Kristianne’s mother, Laura Kurner, also an actor, manages the new Art Foundry. It is a complex of artist studios with public access in the New Village Arts Theater building, which is owned by the city of Carlsbad. . . Kristianne’s son Jonah Gercke, 11, has already made a name for himself, garnering rave reviews for his performance in “Distracted” at MiraCosta College, a role Kristianne explains he was cast in on his own merit.

Yeah, there’s a lot more, but you should probably read it yourself.

[Link: The Coast News]

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Imac 27

The Carslbadistan Apple Store opening on August 16, 2008 was almost bigger than Christmas for us and while we could easily have filled 25 days of Carlsbadistan Christmas from this store alone, we’ve decided to narrow it down and make it easy: the perfect gift from the Apple Store this Christmas is the 27-inch 3.06GHz iMac for $1,699.00.

As many reviewers have pointed out, the luscious screen alone is worth half the cost of the computer. And while others complain of the higher price being an “Apple Tax,” once you realize the tech muscle this elegant all-in-one computer packs it’s obvious that it is a Christmas inside and out.

One word of warning: Don’t let Santa take this out of the box before Christmas or it might not make it under the tree at all.

Apple Store, 1923 Calle Barcelona Suite 138, (760) 697-9800

Previous Carlsbadistan Days of Christmas Gifts:
1. Ben Sherman At The M Collection
2. iPhone Boombox From Livespeakr.com
3. Prince Lionheart Balance Bike From Geppettos
4. Nambé Yaro Salad Bowl From The Poached Pear
5. The Stratos II From Spy Optic
6. Spa Samudra Beach Escape Package
7. New Village Arts’ Give 15

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