February 20, 2009 at 12:16 pm
I always check Earth 911 before Surfing to reduce the chances of contracting staph infections or other horrible diseases from the Ocean. See here for the gory details. Today I checked the report and as usual, it’s not up to date. The little bubbles for my local beaches are all filled white, meaning “No Data Available.” I checked a few days ago, and they were all Yellow and Red from the last month-long cluster of storms.
So I decided to do some research. According to Earth 911, the San Diego Department of Environmental Health (DEH) takes hundreds of samples weekly and posts findings on the Earth 911 website. I did a quick google search and found the main San Diego DEH website. The top of the website reads:
Unfortunately due to the Governor’s line item veto of funding for the Beach Safety Act from the State Budget on September 23rd, 2008, DEH will no longer be able to provide the following services:
- Routine water quality sampling and analysis of results for the County’s beaches
- Issuance of water contact advisories based upon bacterial exceedances
- Complaint investigation of suspected contamination
- Daily email, web updates (beaches911.com), pod-casts and fax updates of beach water quality.
DEH will provide limited services listed below:
- Receive reports of sewage spills and issue water contact closures when those reports indicate possible sewage contamination at public beaches
- Notification of closures will be limited to a press release, signs posted on the beach and messages on the DEH phone hotline 619-338-2073.
We would like to remind the beach going public that:
- Beaches with the highest risk of contamination are near flowing storm drain, river, and lagoon outlets.
- Water quality at all beaches can be contaminated by urban runoff for up to 3 days following significant rainfall
- Historical monitoring data indicates water quality at most beaches in the county is generally good during dry weather.
I know everyone has to sacrifice something in this economic crisis, but how much could these samples possibly cost the state? We are forty billion dollars in debt. I would be surprised if this topped five million dollars per year. That is one eight-thousandth of our debt. If you had eight thousand dollars, what is a dollar to you?
The governor sucks. Line item veto, my @.
February 17, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Affordable dining within ten miles of downtown San Diego is difficult to come by. The ridiculous real estate prices mixed with influx of trendy, young and successful people from around the world has led to a dramatic increase in menu prices. Some quality restaurants are still affordable. These are my favorites from five years of living on the inside.
Mama Testa
Mexican
1417 University Ave # A
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 298-8226
http://www.mamatestataqueria.com/
Mexican restaurants in San Diego are a dime a dozen, but few have the authentic tacos of Mama Testa with the cleanliness that deserves a DHEC “A” food inspection rating (or so I think, I haven’t been in the kitchen). The fresh salsa bar features more than ten varieties from mild to “wicked” spicy. I recommend the Asi Yasado grilled chicken tacos.
Blue Water
Seafood
3667 India St
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 497-0914
*no website*
First in line in Middletown’s eclectic row of domestic and international restaurants is Blue Water Seafood. Their menu is printed on paper like most fresh fish restaurants and prices range from $8 to $25 depending on your choice of fish and presentation. Dining is very casual; you order at a cash register and the food is brought to you on plastic plates. It’s honest; why does good fish always have to come with a huge price tag, anyway? I recommend the shrimp tacos.
Mama’s Bakery & Lebanese Deli
Lebanese
4237 Alabama St
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 688-0717
http://mamasbakery.net/
Mama’s is a little difficult to find. Located off El Cajon in North Park, this house turned restaurant has a very fun and casual feel to it. Like Blue Water, you order at the front then seat yourself. The outdoor patio is the only available seating option, but they have a heater for colder winter nights. Everyone I take to Mama’s enjoys in immensely. I recommend the Chicken Shwawarma wrap and the almond baqlawa squares for dessert.
Sushi Fix
Japanese
1608 India St # 101
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-7878
http://www.sushi-fix.com/
Few sushi bars roll with the fresh ingredients we expect for the price we pay. Most restaurants use either the new trendy decor or the authentic Japanese style, but rarely the casual seat yourself approach. Sushi Fix is another “order from the register, we’ll call your number” kind of place, yet the fish is fresh and the sushi is delicious. There’s nothing quite like their fried banana and chocolate dessert, sometimes free if you order enough sushi. Look for $5 off and free California Roll coupons in the quarterly magazines that come in the mail or online.
Bronx Pizza
New York Style Pizza
111 Washington St
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 291-3341
http://www.bronxpizza.com/
Eh Tony, make me a pizza! Authentic New York style, thin-crust pizza and a no BS attitude. Always busy but always on time. They only have (need) one size pizza, and it’s huge. No onsite parking, but they just started delivery. You can also dine in and order by the slice.
Bread & Cie
French Bakery and Cafe
350 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 683-9322
http://www.breadandciecatering.com/
C’est bon, merci. Bread & Cie is our friendly neighborhood bakery that serves delicious sandwiches on fresh homemade bread. They also have a variety of desserts and pastries to choose from. Bread & Cie is also a nice place to meet with friends for a coffee during the mid-morning hours. Bon appetite!
World Curry
Indian/Island Curry
1433 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 270-4455
http://www.worldcurry.com/
On upper Garnet Avenue near the Play It Again and on the same block as Longboard’s grill is World Curry, the international curry super station. We visit here at least once a month and have settled on the Mango Frappe, Garlic Naan bread, panang vegetable curry and spinach chicken curry. If you like your curry spicy, they dare you try the Phall Curry. Eat it in 30 minutes and your name goes on the wall permanently. Fun and fast but delicious.
Hash House A-GoGo
Breakfast
3628 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 298-4646
http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/
Do not show up at Hash House A-GoGo past 7:30 am on a weekend. You have been warned. This place is packed, and for good reason. The hashes and scrambles are fantastic; I’ve never had a bad meal here. Come hungry or split your plate with another person because the portions are huge.
C-Level Lounge
Seafood Lounge
880 Harbor Island Dr
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 298-6802
http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/restaurants/islandprime/
Next door to the famous Island Prime steakhouse is C-Level lounge, a Cohn owned gem on the San Diego bay. At happy hour, C-Level is difficult to beat with its stunning views, $5 appetizers, and fun drink specials. I recommend the lobster BLT and lobster bisque entree as well.
Goldfish Point Cafe
Sandwich and Coffee
1255 Coast Blvd S
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 459-7407
http://www.goldfishpoint-cafe.com/index.html
This Euro style panini cafe in La Jolla Cove hosts a spectacular view of the bluffs, ranging from Scripps pier to Del Mar. Stop by for an cappuccino, play a board game, order a panini or just relax and soak in the vibe. Parking can be rough, but just try to remember that you are not in Europe.
December 19, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Another six inches is expected on Monday. That will bring the total to a workable four feet. I’m not used to this kind of dump in SoCal. Growing up, I remember twenty foot weekends in Tahoe (El Nino, anybody?), but four feet in SoCal is miraculous, like God giving sight to a blind man.
Unfortunately I was unable to get a Mt. Baldy VIP coupon book. I was told to call back the next morning for four mornings in a row before leaving my number with someone, who didn’t know what a VIP pass was and probably won’t call me back.
For those that don’t know, VIP passes go on sale once a year at the local ski expos. It’s a great deal: four anytime tickets, two monday-friday tickets, four 2-for-1 coupons and two learn-to-ski-and-snowboard coupons, all for $60. I got mine last year at SnowJam, but Baldy didn’t setup a booth this year. At least that’s what they told me on the phone before the show. If you attended Ski Dazzle in LA this year, you scored.
So what to do? $180 6-pack at Mt. High? It’s reliable, true. You get man-made snow, sometimes it’s real but rare. No steeps. A well-maintained park. The most crowded ski resort per square inch in America. The secret? Ski weekdays. Can I do that? No.
Next option, pay exorbitant prices for Mt. Baldy, which has steep skiing and no lift lines. Unfortunately, you never know what to expect from Mt. Baldy. I went last year in the Spring, and it was awesome. I went in the early winter and they were charging $50 to walk around on a little patch of snow in front of the lodge. In other words if it’s good, it’s the best in Southern California (Mammoth excluded). If it’s bad, you feel like you lost ten hands straight in blackjack and tipped all the rest of your money to the person who enabled your hangover.
So honestly, I hate to rip on Baldy because I completely understand their situation. See, Mt. Baldy has this real local mountain feel to it. The road getting up there is not easy. The patrol is straight out of a movie; last year they had a sign that said, “Be Careful, it’s hard dick out there.” About as helpful as a snowboarder patrolman who told my friend “Why the f*ck should I know?” when asked if he’d seen his lost camera. Plus, the biggest metropolis this side of the Mississippi is one hour from the base of the mountain. So why not charge the douchey Lakers fans who wear jeans tucked into their ski boots $50 a ticket for 60s style lifts? Gotta protect the mountain somehow. Makes you wonder why they even sell the VIP pass?
So I think this year might be a Mt. High year. I’m going up for a day this coming week and I need a guarantee and a cheap ticket. Hopefully working on Sunday and skiing on the 23rd won’t be as busy as a normal day. And hopefully there’s more to that mountain than what I’ve seen the past ten times I’ve skied there. Not likely as you can see the whole mountain from the parking lot.
December 16, 2008 at 5:10 pm
It’s been pouring for days and it’s frigid, which to me means one thing: snow. The local mountains have received up to 3 feet of new snow, with plenty more in the forecasts for tonight and tomorrow.
I’ve been calling Mt. Baldy daily about purchasing a VIP pass, but they keep telling me to call back the next day. Hopefully I can pick one up soon- it’s too good of a deal to share. If I don’t I might have to consider other options such as the 6 for $180 deal at Mt. High. Mt. High is too LA for me though; I prefer the steeps at Baldy.
Keep snowing, baby. I need something to occupy my time while the HEP-A and e-coli infestation festers at the local surf breaks.
