SLO LIFE Feb/Mar 2012

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Meet Ahmad Nooristani 

medicine, Afghanistan and giving back 

SLO LIFE Magazine feb/mar 2012 | 1

2 | SLO LIFE Magazine feb/mar 2012

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| PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE 

As we pulled up to the Wonder Valley Ranch Resort in the foothills above 

Fresno, my carpool mates and I admitted to feeling like we did when we 

were kids heading off to summer camp. A little nervous, a bit excited and 

disoriented. 

This is how the three day Leadership SLO retreat began for Class XXI - the 

same way it likely started off for the twenty year’s worth of alumni who have 

gone through the program before us. 

For those of you not familiar with Leadership SLO, it’s a year-long program 

consisting of 36 San Luis Obispo County residents coming together from 

diverse backgrounds, but with one goal in common: to strengthen our 

community and make it a better place to live. The year kicks off with the retreat, 

then follows-up with monthly day-long programs, each aimed at exploring 

different facets of the area. And, during the course of the year, the group 

of 36 is expected to collaborate on a project designed to make a tangible 

contribution locally (for example, the development of the Johnson Ranch Trail 

was spearheaded by a former Leadership class). 

I will admit that my expectations going into the program where sky high because I have had so many of its graduates, people I really respect 

and admire, consistently describe it as a life changing experience. It seems to me that when you go into something expecting something “life 

changing” to happen, more often than not you are going to end up feeling pretty let down. I know that was true when I made my first trip to 

Candlestick Park as a kid. I fully expected my life to change then. I mean, it was a great experience and all - I pretty much live and die with 

the San Francisco Giants - but my teeth chattered and my lips turned all shades of blue as I struggled to hold my It’s-It Ice Cream through that 

frigid, wind-whipped July afternoon. Plus my team was shut out, 8-0. 

But, this case was different - cold weather and the Pittsburgh Pirates did not show up in Wonder Valley - and what transpired over the course 

of that weekend was truly profound. But, before I get ahead of myself, the one thing that I learned about Leadership SLO is that there is 

almost a cult-like adherence to the idea that everything that happens within the group is confidential. It reminded me of the movie Fight 

Club. If you haven’t seen the film, there was one thing that the main character, played by Brad Pitt, ingrained in the members of the group: 

“The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.” 

So I do not run the risk of violating the first and second rules of Fight Club, er, Leadership SLO, I am going to stop jabbering about it now. I 

will, however, strongly encourage you to check out the program website at leadershipslo.org and consider applying for ClassXXII this summer. 

The program is open to everyone and a class consisting of people from widely varying backgrounds and careers enhances the experience 

for all - our class ranges from doctors and lawyers to counselors and community volunteers with many sectors from art to law enforcement 

represented. And, as my 35 new friends and I can attest, the experience will change your life. 

I’d like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to our advertisers, who make all of this possible. 

Live the SLO Life! 

Tom Franciskovich 

tom@slolifemagazine.com 


magazine 

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magazine 

14 

Meet Your Neighbor: 

Ahmad Nooristani 

The Way 

We Live: 

The Peterson 

Home 

40 

8 | Notes 

10 | Q&A 

18 

Special Interest: 

Earthen Oven 

Caring , Qualified 

Legal Representation 

Estate Planning & Trust Administration 

Will, Trust & Conservatorship Litigation 

IRS, Assessor & FTB v. Taxpayer Disputes 

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12 | Places 

22 | By The Numbers 

24 | Real Estate 

26 | Music 

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38 | Education 

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| NOTES 

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TRUE INSPIRATION 

Dear SLO LIFE, 

I just left a message asking to be contacted 

about the article mentioning Meeka Rudd 

(Not sure of my spelling)! I hate long 

messages so what I didn’t say is that the 

article on Bridget Ready and Jack’s house was 

so inspiring I made a donation. 

Keep up the good and interesting work. 

Cheers, 

Sammy Pineau 

Thanks for your voicemail and email, 

Sammy. And, we’re glad to hear that you 

were inspired by Bridget Ready’s story as 

much as we were. 


TOUCHING LIVES 


In 2004 I was a newly practicing Emergency 

Physician in SLO. Jack Ready was my patient 

one night at Sierra Vista Regional Medical 

Center; his feeding tube had come out and 

required reinsertion. At that point Jack had 

been through a great deal and I was acutely 

aware of the discomfort I was causing him 

during the procedure. In a moving reversal of 

roles I’ll never forget, it was Bridget Ready who 

comforted and reassured me. “It’s OK”, she 

said, sensing my distress. Her absolute grace, 

calm, and strength that night left a lasting 

impression on me. 

Four years later, when my daughter, Annika, 

was diagnosed with achondroplasia (the most 

common form of dwarfism), it was thanks to 

Jack’s Helping Hand that she received OT and 

PT in the fully-equipped CCS Medical Therapy 

Unit in SLO. It was there that she took her 

first steps! 

Thank you for profiling such an extraordinary 

individual (and family) and the invaluable 

assistance provided to special needs children 

in our community by Jack’s Helping Hand. 

Sincerely, 

Brian Koch, MD 

STORY IDEA 


Your magazine is great! 

I do not have a story to tell, but I was 

wondering if you would do a profile on the 

owners of the property located across the 

trailer storage on Higuera St. next to Trader 

Joe’s. I moved here in 1962 and have always 

seen “Old Glory “ consistently flying high, 

every day, except when it rains. 

It would be interesting to know the 

background of such honor and patriotism. 

Simone M. Leroux 

San Luis Obispo, Ca. 

We appreciate your kind words, Simone. And, 

since Old Glory is flying not too far from our 

office here on South Higuera, we’ll be sure to 

pay the owner a visit to see what his or her 

story is all about! Thanks for thinking of us and 

continue to let us know what else piques your 

curiosity so we can be sure to follow-up. 


WELCOME FEEDBACK 


Thank you for the excellent article you 

published about PEAK in this month’s SLO 

Life Magazine. It has generated significant 

buzz for the program, not to mention given 

us precisely the opportunity we had hoped 

for: to answer questions about PEAK and 

encourage people to become involved. Just 

last night, for instance, I was at a dinner 

party where a friend mentioned the article, 

which led another man to ask me, “What’s 

PEAK?” Today he dropped by my house 

with a check for $150. That would not 

have happened had we not appeared in 

SLO Life Magazine. 

We’re excited about the PEAK program 

spreading to other schools in the district 

because we strongly believe in giving local 

children opportunities to pursue the things 

they are most passionate about. In the long 

run, the entire community benefits. You 

have done us, and the children we help, a 

great service by writing and publishing the 

article, so a heartfelt thank you to you. 

Best wishes for 2012, 

Susan Westwood 

CARROT CAKE CONNECTION 


I enjoyed reading “It Takes a Bakery” in your 

recent issue of SLO Life. I would like to share 

my carrot cake recipe, below, with Kendra 

Williams to promote her success. Could you 

please make sure she gets it? Feel free to 

share it with anyone else, too. This recipe 

has received rave reviews & requests! 

Thank you, 

Jeneale Nett 

Ginger-Macadamia-Coconut-Carrot Cake 

2 cups whole wheat flour 

½ cup flaxseed meal 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

¾ teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1 cup pineapple juice 

½ cup canola oil 

¾ cup sugar 

½ cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped 

(I use walnuts) 

1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped (best if 

you can find small pieces specifically for baking) 

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

2 cups carrots, grated 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Have ready two 8 inch 

round springform cake pans, lightly greased. 

Alternately, this could be made in a 9x13 

inch baking pan and cut in half lengthwise 

to create two layers or just as one layer. In 

a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, 

baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground 

spices. In a separate large mixing bowl, mix 

together the pineapple, oil, sugar, maple 

syrup, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients 

to the wet in batches, and combine well 

with a hand mixer or strong fork. Fold in the 

macadamias, ginger, coconut, and carrots. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two 

round cake pans, or spread in the rectangular 

pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 

in pans completely. 

Once cooled completely, frost with a cream 

cheese frosting. IMPORTANT: The crystallized 

ginger, pineapple juice, and maple syrup 

really make this carrot cake stand out from all 

others. I don’t sift the dry ingredients. 

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES 


If you decide you need fillers or whatever 

maybe you can use my blurbs – all true stories 

– add or delete, it’s ok. And, I don’t want 

money – just want to make people HAPPY! 

Thanks a million, 

Aileen Lehto/Papiro 

We so appreciate your sending us a wonderful 

sampling of your “blurbs,” Aileen, and we’d like 

to go ahead and publish one now, which we 

have neither added to or deleted from… 


“Chicago, My Kind of Town” 

By Aileen Lehto/Papiro 

Next to my special happiest little town of San 

Luis Obispo, CA where I have resided for 17 

years, my favorite town is Chicago. I entered 

that big city at 17, fresh out of high school 

(Washburn, Wisconsin), having passed a 

government test and found myself embedded 

at the Merchandise Mart (a city within itself), 

doing keypunching. I was so elated when 

promoted upstairs to the typewriters – yea! 

I have loved typing ever since – graduated to 

computers and even texting, now. 

Do you remember the juke boxes of yore? 

Well, Chicago had cute little ones attached to 

the tables in the coffee shops, still, in the early 

2000’s, when I made a nostalgic Am-Track run 

to visit daughter and hubby at their 23rd floor 

apartment in Chicago. It was close to downtown, 

the Loop, and the “L” train - so handy! I loved 

that friendly city of so many memories. 

And, “kudos” to the honest people of the 

world. When on a holiday visit to my home 

in Wisconsin, I stupidly left my purse on the 

platform while waiting for the train. No money 

for the duration of my stay, but I wasn’t destitute 

as I had family – just felt a bit helpless, being the 

independent person that I thought I was. 

Back in Chicago, I received an amazing surprise 

from a lady saying she had my purse and 

wanted to return it. Unbelievable! She even 

refused a reward. Perhaps, it was the same 

all over the USA during the WWII years, when 

everyone pulled together unselfishly toward 

the common goal – the war effort. 

And, it was so heartwarming to see our service 

people treated so kindly – everything free in 

Chicago. It was so special, as were they. Also, 

great fun for us farm gals to be transported by 

train to the Great Lakes Naval Base to dance 

with the sailors – hope they enjoyed it as 

much as we did. 

Would you like to have your letter published? 

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Letters may be edited for content and clarity. To be considered for publication your letter must 

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| Q & A 

Steve Gesell 

He grew up in San Luis Obispo and left to study Justice Administration in Arizona. He worked in the Scottsdale 

Police Department for 20 years, followed by a brief stint as acting chief in Atascadero. We dropped by for a visit 

on the sixth day into his “dream job” as the new Chief of Police in San Luis Obispo. As he walked us down the 

hallway to his office, he stopped to point out an old black and white framed photo that had been hanging for 

many years just outside of his door… 

What exactly are we looking at 

here, Steve? 

You see this guy on the 

motorcycle? That’s the guy that 

gave me my first ticket, Officer 

Pete Hubbard. I absolutely 

deserved it. It was the last day of 

my senior year at San Luis High 

School and I had a ‘70 Plymouth 

Barracuda. My friends were 

egging me on saying, “Come on, 

Steve! Come on, Steve!” I floored 

it and he caught me right away. 

He was a really nice guy. Now, 

I’ve got this reminder everyday 

hanging outside my office. 

Have you found any other 

reminders from your youth? 

I just drove past my old house 

yesterday; there was some guy 

there in a robe standing out front 

so I didn’t bother to stop. It’s on 

the corner of Broad and Upham. 

Old Spanish style house, it’s got to 

be 800 or 900 square feet. Pretty 

small. When we came here that 

was the house that my dad could 

afford. It was really cool, I shared 

a room with my brother. We were 

real close to downtown. I always 

remember walking to school – I 

went to San Luis Junior High, 

which doesn’t exist anymore. It’s 

now the Adult School, I believe. 

What brought your parents here 

in the first place? 

As newlyweds in 1959 my parents 

were visiting this area, and as they 

were driving from Morro Bay to 

Los Osos on South Bay Boulevard 

past the estuary there my mom 

turned to my dad and said, “You 

know, if there was ever any way 

we could get here, and raise our 

children here, this is where we 


should be.” Lo and behold, 

twenty years later my dad got 

the job as the airport manager 

here in town. So, we packed up 

and moved across country before 

I went into middle school. 

What were you like in those days? 

I was one of those kids - at least 

this is how I saw myself back 

then - I kind of filtered through all 

of the cliques. I was friends with 

a lot of different kinds of people, 

a lot of different personalities. 

And I think that’s been true 

throughout my life. I try to 

respect people for who they are. 

I played a little football one year, 

I wrestled one year. Soccer has 

been my passion throughout my 

life. They actually didn’t have a 

team when I was there, but we 

formed a group to bring it in. The 

year after I graduated is when it 

finally started there. I’ve been 

involved with the Police Games 

as the goalkeeper. 

So, why did you ever leave? 

My dad got a job teaching 

Aeronautics at Arizona State. 

He left a couple of months after 

I graduated from San Luis High 

School. I stayed here. I went to 

Cuesta for a year. Poly didn’t have 

a Justice major, so I followed my 

dad to ASU where I was able 

to go tuition-free since he was 

an employee there. I crammed 

everything I owned into my 

1969 VW Bug. I barely made it 

to Phoenix because I nearly ran 

out of gas. I didn’t realize that gas 

stations would be so few and far 

between out in the desert. It was 

one of those rare days when it was 

pouring down rain and I remember 

thinking to myself, “I should have 

got gas waaaay back there.” 

Take a minute to introduce us to 

your family, if you would. 

Sure – my wife is Nesa. Our oldest 

is Lauren, she’s in third grade. And, 

our twins, Nate and Lindsey, will 

be turning five in April. 

Was Nesa on board for all of this? 

I had made the same comment 

to her that my mom had made 

to my dad in 1959: “You know, 

if there is ever a way that we 

can get out to San Luis Obispo, 

I would jump on it. I would love 

it. I want to raise our kids there.” 

She really wasn’t interested 

in moving. We had a good set 

up in the Phoenix Metro area, 

we both had great jobs, great 

careers, great friends. But, 

then we came back here for an 

extended visit and after day two 

or three – we had just come 

back from Farmers’ Market. She 

says to me, “Okay, I’m sold. Let’s 

figure out how to do this.” 

When did you really start 

thinking seriously about making 

the move? 

I remember very clearly one day, 

this was probably eight years 

ago now, when I was waiting 

for my friend, Doug, who was 

my counterpart at the DEA to 

show up at my office. We had 

been working a case together. 

Anyway, he was running a little 

late so I decided to pull up the 

San Luis Police Department 

website. Doug finally arrives so 

I spin around in my chair and 

he says, “Hey, get back to work! 

What are you looking at?” He 

was sort of giving me a hard 

time. And I said, “You know, I 

was just kind of daydreaming, 

I guess.” I told him it would be 

my dream to end my career 

as the chief of police in my 

hometown. I’ve never seen it 

line up this way. It’s bizarre. I 

feel like I just happened to be a 

character in a story. SLO LIFE

2/29/12 


| PLACES 

Cayucos Pier 

as you’ve never seen it before 

“I was arguing with the helicopter pilot to go lower and stay out longer – the conditions were perfect, the afternoon light 

just right,” recalls Joseph Dominguez, a professional photographer based in Cambria. The pilot, who barked back that 

they were getting extremely low on fuel, told him he could take just one more shot and to make it count. Dominguez, who 

despite his extensive experience in “self-taught” aerial photography says that being strapped halfway into a helicopter is 

“sketchy for sure, but it’s exciting.” Dominguez leaned out with his camera, and, as is his routine, said to himself, “Don’t 

fall, Joe, don’t fall,” then he focused, triggered the shutter, and captured the shot you see here. SLO LIFE 


Do you have an amazing photo to share? Email it to places@slolifemagazine.com 


| MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR 

Meet Ahmad Nooristani 

In this installment of our “Meet Your Neighbor” series, SLO LIFE Magazine sits down for a conversation with Ahmad 

Nooristani. He was born and raised in Afghanistan, smuggled into Pakistan to escape the war, and immigrated to 

the United States at 14-years-old where he worked full-time since the third day he arrived. Today, he is a physician 

employed by area hospitals, and has spent his spare time over the past two-and-half years working to start a free 

medical clinic, which recently opened in San Luis Obispo. Here is his story… 

don’t realize what you don’t have. So, it was okay living there. I carried 

my day the way I do here. It was not a big deal. Okay, it was a war zone, 

people died, there were explosions left and right but that’s something 

that you grow up to know and to accept. That kind of thing is part of your 

life because there is nothing to compare with. So, now it’s a big shocker 

when I look back. 

How exactly did you get out of Afghanistan in the middle of a war? 

We had to find a smuggler who we paid to take us to Pakistan. It was 

actually a network of people, but we were hidden in trucks that drove 

through some very treacherous and remote mountain roads. The 

conditions were horrific. Looking back now, I’m amazed that we all 

survived. It was me and my mom, my brother, my sister, and my grandma. 

There were a lot of crazy stories from that time. Maybe we can talk about 

it some other day? 

Sure, let’s switch gears. Tell us about becoming a doctor. Did you always 

want to get into medicine? 

No, actually I always wanted to fly. That was always my passion. My uncle 

was a fighter pilot in the military back in Afghanistan. He flew a Russian 

MiG jet, I forget which model; it was similar to an F-14. When I came here 

I wanted to become a pilot for the U.S. Air Force. My family did not want 

me to get involved with the military. They were very unhappy about it and 

persuaded me not to join. 

Okay, Dr. Nooristani, let’s start from the beginning. Where you are from? 

I was born in Afghanistan and came here in 1991. I was 14 at that time. I 

have two brothers and a sister. My dad passed away when I was four. He 

was in the military and my mom was a teacher. We left because of the 

war. We lived in Kabul, the capital city. It was a little safer because that’s 

where the majority of the Russian Army was based. But, living conditions 

got to the point where it was just really hard to live. My uncles were here, 

six or seven years before we got here. So we came to California and lived 

in Simi Valley. It’s kind of quiet there. 

What was life like in Afghanistan? 

You know what is so surprising, when you don’t have anything to 

compare to, you don’t know what’s good, until you have bad. You have 

to have some comparison. So, when I was there, life… it is what it is. You 

make the best of it, but you don’t know any better. So, when you come 

to some other place and you look back, and you look at your life, you 

are in awe and you think, “Really? Is that how I lived? I mean, that was 

normal?” I thought it was okay to live that way. So, especially as a kid you 


So, how do you go from airplanes to medicine? 

Coming from a country whose health care system literally doesn’t exist 

and seeing people suffering there, the idea was to become a physician so 

I could help people and give something back. It’s one of those professions 

that it doesn’t matter where you go. You have something that everyone 

needs. But, once I decided I wasn’t going to be flying jets, I became very 

focused on my path to become a physician. Go study, get your degree. 

I went straight through school and my residency without a break. I 

didn’t want to say, “I’m going to try this, I’m going to try that.” I was very 

focused. I worked in hospitals in L.A., and Miami, and New York. 

What was that experience like? 

I was in New York City for two years, I lived in Queens. I rotated through 

different hospitals there. I wanted to broaden my horizons and experience 

different things and see how medicine was practiced in different places 

and in different hospitals. It was crazy to see the differences. I did my 

residency in Atlantic City at the Regional Hospital for Internal Medicine. I 

was there for three years. Then I finished up, and here I am in my first job 

here in SLO. 

Whoa, let’s back up… it seems like you skipped over some stuff. How’d 

you end up in SLO? 

I wanted to come back to California for sure. I have family and friends 

here. So, I had set up interviews up-and-down the state, from San 

Francisco to Orange County. A recruiter called me and asked if I wanted 

to interview in San Luis Obispo. I said, “Sure, it’s on my way from one 

interview to another.” I was just about to accept a position in Vacaville. 

continued on page 16

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| MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR 

But, I came here and fell in love with my group – now my partners – I 

really liked the way things were set up. I liked the town, but felt it was 

too small for me. I had been in New York, and Miami, and now here, and I 

said, “Darn, it’s too small, it’s just not going to work out.” But, I just loved 

the system of how they practiced medicine here. So, finally I decided, “I’ll 

give it a shot, I have nothing to lose.” So, now, three years down the line 

and here we are. So, slowly I’ve realized what beauty this place has and 

anything you can think of, you can have it. Beautiful, amazing weather. 

Outdoors are unbelievable. I mean you can do anything you want here. 

But, you did give up some things by not being in a larger city, right? 

Hey, I’m from Afghanistan! So I can’t complain, right? [laughter] 

Fair point. Alright, let’s talk about the Noor Foundation clinic. Why did 

you start it? 

I’ve always wanted to do something, to give back. I’m a big believer in 

giving back. 

basement, we need an actual medical clinic, a place to practice medicine. 

The idea kept evolving... 

I said, “Let me create something that will not only be sustainable for the 

community in the long-run, but be something that the community and 

this county really need.” So that was the idea, and after that, it had this 

snowball effect with others volunteering to help. Everyone was so excited 

about it, they wanted to do things to help. That was two years ago, about 

a year after I moved here, that I came up with the idea. I looked around 

for guidance or someone’s footsteps I could follow, but I couldn’t find 

anything. I really had to start from scratch. 

... you see the beauty of what we do, 

“and the sadness of what is missing... 

And, why is that? Is there something about your upbringing or religious 

background that led you down this path of service? 

Part of it is religious. There is a strong tradition of giving back in the 

Muslim faith. It’s a huge part of it. But part of it is just being human. 

When I was growing up I really wasn’t in a position to give back, but now 

that I have graduated, I’m a doctor, I have a great job and I can do it. My 

initial thought was to create clinics internationally. I was looking at doing 

something in Afghanistan and Kenya. My focus had been to do something 

there. But, after living here and getting to know the area and seeing what 

was going on in the county I realized that there was this tremendous 

need locally. We have over 30% of our people uninsured, over 4,000 

uninsured come to the hospital annually. There are a lot of uninsured 

people using the ER as their only source of health care. In many cases 

we’re talking about serious diseases, many of which could have been 

avoided with proper care. 

But, isn’t it true that so many of these ER visits are avoidable? 

It’s not that they don’t take their medication or they don’t care, it’s that 

they can’t see a physician for care because they can’t afford it. Some of 

them don’t see physicians for years. Some had health insurance but they 

lost their job and stop taking their medication. I remember a gentleman 

coming into the ER, he was about 45-years-old with three kids. He had 

lost his job. And when his health insurance ran out, he stopped going 

to the doctor, stopped taking his medication, and he ended up having 

a stroke. Not only is he unable to care for his children now, but the cost 

of the initial care for his stroke is somewhere between $90,000 and 

$100,000. Over his lifetime, including rehabilitation, it can go into the 

millions. Who pays for that? We all do. So, seeing that, I knew it was 

preventable. I’m a big believer in taking care of your neighbors first – 

that’s a big part of the teachings of Islam, as well: “Care for your family; 

care for your neighbors; care for your town, and then care, care and keep 

expanding outward.” I grew up with that instilled in me, so I needed to 

help my neighbors. 

How did you plan to do that? 

So, my idea was just to open a small place to see people when I wasn’t 

working. Even if it was a church basement somewhere, I didn’t care. I 

just planned to donate my free time to seeing patients locally. That was 

my goal initially. But, then when I started talking to other physicians and 

nursing staff about my plan, there was just a huge desire to be involved. 

People would say to me, “I want to do this too, I want to be a part of this. 

Tell me what you need me to do.” The number of people who wanted to 

help became so big that I thought there is no way we can be in a church 


How long did it take? 

There are so many things to have to deal with. Just making sure it’s a 

non-profit, for example, is a big process. Doing that alone took about 7 or 

8 months to establish the status with the IRS. Just opening a place is easy. 

But to do it as a non-profit, a free medical clinic, there were so many 

hoops to jump through. I spent about 20 to 25 hours a week for nearly 

two-and-a-half years just to get all of the paperwork completed and 

all of the equipment and lease improvements we needed to be able to 

open. We had rented the space during that time - about two years in all - 

because you have to have a physical location as you are going through all 

of the various applications for various licenses. 

Wow. 

I also interviewed over 600 people, volunteers, during that time. And so 

many people from all different areas of the community have helped get 

it started. I still haven’t come across anybody that has said, “No.” That’s 

fuel for me. Name a person in the community and chances are they have 

done something to support this project. The question they ask is, “What 

can I do to help?” And, that has just been the most amazing experience 

for me. This community has just blown my mind, the amount of people 

that care so much is incredible. The sense of pride and joy they have in 

being a San Luis Obispan - is that a correct word? [laughter] - it’s just 

amazing. We all really pride ourselves in being a part of this community, 

so it doesn’t matter what we do, we’re going to give back. And, that 

makes this a very special place. You know, this town, San Luis Obispo, has 

the most non-profits of anywhere in the world. There are so many, like 

hundreds of them. Everywhere you look there’s a not-for-profit, so that 

shows that people do care, they want to be involved. They want to make 

this place better and give back. 

So, tell us about the clinic. 

Everything that we generate goes back to patient care. We have a very 

small amount of overhead, but all donations go directly to patient care. I 

don’t get paid. Nobody gets paid. The only person who is paid is our clinic 

manager because there are a lot of logistics involved, and we just hired 

him this month. He volunteered for a long time before we hired him. 

What was it like the first day you opened the doors? 

At 10 o’ clock in the morning I received a call from one of the volunteers 

that said, “There’s a patient here waiting for you.” We weren’t even 

supposed to open until 1. So, I came in right away to see him and I was 

checking on everything and making sure it was in order. Everybody was 

kind of nervous because we didn’t know how it was going to run. We’ve

never done this. It was all new. And, so I walked out into the waiting 

room and said, “Come on in!” I told him, “You will be my very first patient 

here, you are, what do you call it?... uh… my guinea pig,” and we laughed 

about it. 

NOOR FOUNDATION 

everything in this exam room has been donated 

How did it go? 

I saw him and he had some issues that we were able to deal with there 

that day. It turned out that he was a priest. Really nice guy. When we 

were done, he sat down with his bible and said, “I want to bless the 

clinic.” So, we sat down together. He read some verses. And he blessed 

the clinic. It was touching. It was really touching. You know, I just sat 

back and thought to myself that everything I did for two years to get this 

place going was worth it. And it goes on and on because everybody that 

comes in here has a beautiful story. There’s not a day that goes by that 

somebody doesn’t cry and break down. And you see the beauty of what 

we do, and the sadness for what is missing out there. So, would I do it all 

over again? Absolutely. Absolutely, without a doubt. 

Can you describe a typical patient? 

98% of the people we see at the clinic are middle class or working 

class. The vast majority of our patients have a job, they are working, or 

have businesses. We’ve seen maybe one homeless person so far. The 

people who are very poor will qualify for government assistance, but for 

everyone else that pays for their own insurance it is very expensive. That 

is if they can qualify for it at all. The top and the bottom get whatever 

they need. It’s this huge group of people in the middle that we see here. 

And what about the volunteers? 

I have never seen the physicians or the nurses more happy than 

they are when they are working at the clinic. They come here to 

have fun, to just practice medicine. It’s not your regular office. The 

patient sees that joy and happiness, and they’re doing it for free and 

I think that changes things. So it’s just a different environment, a very 

happy environment. They come here to remember why they got into 

medicine in the first place. 

And, the name of the clinic, “Noor Foundation”… what exactly does 

that mean? 

Noor is the first part of my last name and it translates to “hope” or “light.” 

My last name, Nooristani literally translates to “land of hope” or “land of 

light.” I really wanted to call it something that signifies what we do. 

Dr. Nooristani, we know you have a busy day ahead of you and need to 

be getting back to work, but we’d like to close by saying thank you very 

much for the work you are doing for our community. 

Thank you – I love what I do and wouldn’t have it any other way. 


Contemporary 

by 

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San Luis Obispo 

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The 

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THE WAY WE LIVE | 

Georgiana Peterson likes to describe her home as 

“a country-style house with French accents.” And, 

it’s those accents - mostly eclectic French antiques 

that were collected over a lifetime - that provided 

the vision for its design long before construction 

began in 2003. The home, which she shares with 

her husband Dewey Peterson, a retired insurance 

executive, is nestled among oak trees near the top 

of Barron Canyon Ranch, a neighborhood quietly 

tucked away in the hills at the far end of the Avila 

Valley, east of Highway 101. 

The couple, who lived in their neighbor’s guest 

house during construction, was very “handson” 

throughout the entire process. During her 

career as both an interior and landscape designer, 

Georgiana never lost sight of her vision for the 

home during its design and construction. Today, 

the home, which winds softly from room to room, 

is adorned meticulously with heirloom furniture 

pieces and includes a Flow Blue China collection, 

as well as unique touches such as a valance box 

that frames the guest bathroom shower perfectly. 

When asked what two words best capture the 

home, Geogiana pauses to reflect for a moment 

then offers her assessment: “comfortable 

elegance.” To be sure, the home, which takes 

in sweeping views of the winding Edna Valley 

vineyards beneath, does reflect an exquisite taste, 

but melds it nicely with a warm and welcoming 

style all its own. 


| THE WAY WE LIVE 

MASTER SUITE 

Exposed beams and an oversized bay window with 

sweeping views of Edna Valley vineyards combine to 

create this oasis. 

QUIET REFUGE 

His and her wingback armchairs, a warm fire 

and a good book work together to create the 

perfect place to relax in comfort and in style. 


COUNTRY CLASSIC 

The island serves as a focal point 

and provides an extra work surface 

with additional storage. 

FARMHOUSE CHIC 

An apron-front sink contrasts 

beautifully against bright aqua 

cabinets in the laudry room. 

VINTAGE CHARM 

Creative use of an antique 

chest inspired the design of 

this bathroom. 



| REAL ESTATE 

by the numbers 

laguna 

lake 

tank 

farm 

cal poly 

area 

country 

club 

foothill 

blvd 

johnson 

ave 

Total Homes Sold 

Average Asking Price 

Average Selling Price 

Sales Price as a % of Asking Price 

Average # of Days on the Market 































2010 

42 

562,983 

530,010 

94.14 

115 

2010 

27 

587,878 

570,252 

97.00 

117 

2010 

23 

490,839 

463,691 

94.47 

77 

2010 

25 

809,824 

758,128 

93.62 

92 

2010 

19 

627,239 

599,316 

95.55 

67 

2010 

39 

559,751 

534,803 

95.54 

73 

2010 

36 

566,960 

540,215 

95.28 

98 

2011 

48 

484,482 

468,625 

96.73 

109 

2011 

27 

605,559 

590,367 

97.49 

82 

2011 

19 

541,998 

517,495 

95.48 

96 

2011 

22 

898,145 

837,455 

93.24 

130 

2011 

39 

632,253 

576,013 

91.10 

107 

2011 

39 

540,684 

515,448 

95.33 

69 

2011 

35 

544,814 

517,189 

94.63 

88 

+/- 

11.63 

-13.94 

-11.58 

2.59 

-5.21 

+/- 

0.00 

3.01 

3.53 

0.49 

-29.91 

+/- 

-17.39 

10.42 

11.60 

1.01 

-24.68 

+/- 

-12.00 

10.91 

10.46 

-0.38 

41.30 

+/- 

105.26 

0.79 

-3.88 

-4.45 

59.70 

downtown 

+/- 

0.00 

-3.41 

-3.62 

-0.21 

-5.48 

+/- 

-2.77 

-3.91 

-4.26 

-0.65 

-10.2 

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS 

® 


SLO LIFE

“Luckily for you, I am a Realtor that knows homes! 

Having had a career in architecture, I’m the smart 

choice as your central coast Realtor.” 

Traci Ferguson, Realtor #01875751/ Eco Broker Certified/ LEED AP/ BA Architecture 

444 Higuera Street, 3rd Floor, San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401 

(805) 235-6396 www.TraciFerguson.com 


| REAL ESTATE 

How to Choose a 

Neighborhood Much has been made of finding 

the right house, but what about 

the neighborhood? 

The saying that real estate is about “location, location, location” is true, but for residential 

real estate it may be more accurate to say “neighborhood, neighborhood, neighborhood.” 

Fortunately, here on the Central Coast there are so many great areas to choose from, but 

before you set out it is important to get clear on what it is you want in your neighborhood. 

You can begin to narrow down your options and start to hone in on a few areas by 

investigating the following criteria: 

QUALITY OF SCHOOLS | There are many resources online for this, we recommend that you 

start by visiting greatschools.org to get a rundown of recent test scores and trends. But, better 

yet, visit nearby parks and ask local moms and dads what they think. 

PROPERTY VALUES | If you are considering San Luis Obispo neighborhoods, carefully review 

the chart on page 22 [By the Numbers] to see the trends over the past couple of years. For 

other areas in the Central Coast, be sure to contact a Realtor. 

TRAFFIC | Don’t just think about this in terms of quantity of traffic, but also consider quality. 

Is it fast moving? Loud with lots of heavy trucks? What about traffic patterns? Late at night? 

And how does it flow? Is it heavy when you would be leaving for work? Is it impossible or 

dangerous to make a left-hand turn out of your would-be neighborhood? 

CRIME RATE | This is all public information, and much of it can be found on various websites. 

If you really want to do some detective work, go down to the police station and ask an officer! 

FUTURE CONSTRUCTION | Check with the Planning Department, they’re the ones that keep 

all of this information. Also, consider your local Board of Realtors as a resource as well as area 

Chambers of Commerce. 

Wealth 

ManageM ent 

InvESTMEnT RETIREMEnT InSuRAnCE 

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805.541.6500 

ObispoWealthManagement.com 

David Nilsen is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative with/ 

and offers securities and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network, 

Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor, Insurance Lic. #0B50436. Fixed 

Insurance products and services offered by Obispo Wealth Management are separate and 

unrelated to Commonwealth. 


LOCATION | What is the proximity to schools, employment, hospitals, shops, public 

transportation, freeways, airports, beaches, parks, stadiums and cultural activities such as 

museums, concerts and theaters. How does it fit with your needs and lifestyle? 

Of course, financial realities will dictate some of your search, but if you are a first time-buyer 

with limited financial resources, for example, you may want to find a home that meets your 

needs in the best neighborhood that fits within your price range. And, keep in mind, that the 

“best neighborhood” is not necessarily the most expensive or most exclusive. 

You can maximize your home purchase location by adhering to some of these strategies 

during your neighborhood search: 

SPOT TRENDS | Look for up-and-coming communities that are likely to become “hot 

neighborhoods” in the coming years. They can often be discovered on the periphery of the 

most continuously desirable areas. Consider a home in a good neighborhood that is a bit 

farther out of the city. If a longer commute is a concern, purchase a home that is close to 

public transportation. 

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP | Ask a Realtor whether multiple offers are being made, whether the 

gap between the list price and sale price is decreasing, and whether there is active community 

involvement. You can also drive around neighborhoods and do a spot check to get a feel for 

how many “sale pending” and “sold” signs there are in a particular area. 

BE CREATIVE | Consider purchasing a condominium or co-op, rather than a house, in a 

desirable neighborhood. Using this strategy may allow you to purchase in a prime area that 

you may not have otherwise been able to afford. 


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| MUSIC 

Derek Senn 

and the tale of two guitars 

IN THE MOMENT 

Senn tuning his guitar 


MUSIC VIDEO 

go to slolifemagazine.com and click on See our 

Commercials to watch “I L-O-V-E the SLO Life” 

which was written and performed by Derek Senn 

San Luis Obispo-based musician, Derek Senn, asked his 

parents for a guitar on his tenth birthday. They were 

happy to support their son’s interest in music, so they 

also purchased lessons with a teacher who was a classical 

guitarist. He went once, it was a miserable experience - he 

was told to grow his nails long, and he never went back. 

The guitar collected dust for the next ten years and his nails 

remained short. 

Then, while bicycling through South America with a friend 

during a year-long hiatus from college, he came across a 

couple of $25 guitars at a local market. On a whim, he and 

his travel companion, Chip, each bought one and headed 

back to their hotel room in La Paz, Bolivia where they 

played well into the night. “We hooked up with a couple of 

Peruvian college students who taught us how to play some 

Guns ‘n Roses songs - we stayed at that hotel for a month 

doing nothing but learning to play,” remembers Senn, who 

works as a broker with Anderson Commercial Real Estate. 

That experience in the Bolivian hotel never left Senn and, 

as he returned to San Luis Obispo to settle down for good, 

he was inspired to write and record his own music. “I 

bought an 8-track recorder and started off playing all the 

instruments myself, doing the singing, editing, everything,” 

explains Senn. At some point, he decided that he needed 

a partner, so he persuaded his wife Melanie, who teaches 

English at Cal Poly, to join the one-man band. “I taught her 

how to play the drums. She had never played an instrument 

before but she really took to it. She was actually pregnant 

with our first son, Diego, when we played our first show 

together - I think it was at Downtown Brew or the Frog and 

Peach - I can’t remember.” 

The first album that Senn produced was called the 

“Wedding Industrial Complex” which is a play on 

Eisenhower’s “military industrial complex” and it features 

original music that is highly autobiographical in nature. The 

song “My Degree,” for example, is a fun, bluesy, up-tempo, 

impossible-to-not-tap-your-foot-with-the-beat, examination 

of the usefulness of his wife’s college degree while she was 

doing unfulfilling work early in her career (in her case taking 

pictures and writing ad copy for Photo Ad to advertise cars). 

Here’s a sampling of the lyrics: “Well, I started out in bio 

/ then I moved on to pre-med / then I settled on a Latin 

American studies degree instead / Now I’m taking pictures 

of new and used cars / and I’m hustlin’ pool on ladies night 

in Blind River bars / I hope this helps you see how I’m 

implementing my degree.” 

Today, Senn finds himself busy with family life - he and 

Melanie now have a second son, Charles - but he still finds 

some time to write and record. He has made all of his music 

free to download on his website (dereksenn.bandcamp.com) 

and performs selectively as the mood strikes. It would have 

been hard to predict that one month in a Bolivian hotel would 

have led to his lifelong love for making music. SLO LIFE 


| OUTDOORS 

Choose Your 

Adventure 

Rock Climbing Bishop’s Peak 

WRITTEN BY PADEN FOLLOWWILL 

PHOTOS BY CAITLIN EMMA SMITH 


For the past 6 years I have been scaling rocks from Yosemite to Joshua Tree. But even if you don’t have the time or interest 

in traveling, there is good news for adventurous locals. A strong climbing community exists on the Central Coast along with a 

smattering of rock faces and boulders available - the most densely populated of which are nestled throughout Bishop’s Peak. 

As the primary climbing area and most popular local cragging spot in the county, Bishop’s Peak offers several dozen (mostly) 

single-pitch routes. You’ll find bouldering, sport, traditional, mixed, you name it. 

An extinct volcanic plug and the tallest of the Nine Sisters, also known as the Morros, Bishop’s Peak features a rock 

formation with some crack, mostly face, and a lot of slab (Morro Rock, Black Hill, Cabrillo Peak, Hollister Peak, Cerro 

Romauldo, Chumash Peak, Cerro San Luis and Islay Hill make up the other eight volcanic peaks and hills between Morro Bay 

and San Luis Obispo). It is also home to Chlorissa, Pete, Potato and Hummingbird Boulders. These, along with a handful of 

other boulders, provide locals access to some of the best bouldering along the Central Coast. 

If you are a beginner, Bishop’s Peak offers a number of friendly climbs for those willing to face fears of heights. Cracked 

Wall is home to a 70 foot route called 60 Seconds Over Soledad. Rumor has it that this beginner route and popular favorite 

can be done in a minute flat. Other notable climbs are Camel, Only Way to Fly, and Western Airlines. There is also a classic 

multi-pitch route on the face of the “P” painted wall that takes climbers up a series of pitches and a final thrilling scramble 

up to the very highest summit boulders. 

Rock climbing is exhilarating. No matter your level or expertise, tying into a rope, chalking up your hands, putting on highly 

uncomfortable shoes and facing a towering, immovable rock fortress and mentally pep-talking yourself to succeed, is an 

incredible experience. It is you versus the rock and It takes strength, technique and mental toughness to succeed. SLO LIFE 

Directions to Bishop’s Peak: There are three trailheads. To reach the first from 101, head north on Santa Rosa 

Street. Turn left on Foothill Boulevard. Turn into the parking area off of Foothill Boulevard on the right hand 

side of the street at Bishop’s Peak. To reach the second from from 101, head north on Santa Rosa Street. Turn 

left on Foothill Boulevard. Turn right on Patricia. The trailhead is on the left had side of the street about a mile 

ahead. To reach the third from from 101, head north on Santa Rosa Street, turn left on Highland and follow it 

until the dead-end at the trailhead. 


| TO YOUR HEALTH 

OPTIMISM 

PERSONALIZED FITNESS 

NO ENROLLMENT FEES 

NO CANCELLATION FEES 

NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED 

DROP-INS WELCOME 

The key to a good attitude is resiliency, especially in times of adversity. This means 

remaining focused, flexible, and creative in bad times as well as good. So, how do we 

become an eternal optimist? It is widely studied that only about 50 percent of optimism 

and happiness is considered innate, 10 percent is derived from your circumstances, and 

40 percent is determined by your actions. This leads us to believe that achieving an 

optimistic outlook is distinctly possible. 

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH 

Get plenty of rest, practice good 

nutrition, exercise and get outside. 

Sunlight lifts your mood, exercise 

relieves stress, and eating well and 

getting a good night’s sleep will 

increase your energy. 

BEFORE AFTER 

Actual REV Client 

“DON’T TAKE OUR WORD 

FOR IT! YOU HAVE TO 

SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT! 

” 

Now Offering 

Chiropractic Care and Massage 

GET RESULTS AT REV! 

VISIT revslo.com FOR 

MORE INFORMATION! 

755 Alphonso Street 

[off Broad Street] 

San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401 

805.439.1881 

revslo.com 


DEVELOP 

FRIENDSHIPS 

Adopt a pet, volunteer or join a club. 

Having trusted people you can turn to for 

encouragement and support will boost 

your resilience during tough times.

HELP 

YOURSELF 

At R&R Dental Care we offer 

several options to get your 

smile looking its best including 

1 hour whitening, 

and no shots, no drills 

Veneers. 

Meet us at the Health & Fitness Expo! 

(March 24th & 25th at the Madonna Expo Center) 

Learn something new, enjoy the 

beauty of nature and art, travel, 

and practice self-discipline. 

Investing yourself in enriching 

activities will reduce your stress 

and build self-esteem. 

FIND PURPOSE 

878 Boysen Avenue 


(805) 544-9440 

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Not just a new bike shop, a new way to buy a bike. 

Quality road 

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Engage in meaningful, creative work. 

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Each bike custom assembled to your specs. Instead of selling you a bike in stock, we 

help you assemble the bike that’s best for you at prices typically 40% below brand 

names. Because we buy direct from the manufacturers and sell direct to you, we 

save you lots of money while still offering the best products available. We sell only 

quality carbon and alloy road and cross bikes and have a full line of wheels including 

carbon and alloy tubular wheels. We service only what we sell allowing us to focus 

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Monday through Friday 10-5 Saturday 10-4 


| ALTERNATIVE HEALTH 

Herbal Immunity Builders 

prevent the common cold with natural boosters 

Much has been written about herbal cold remedies, but opinions vary so widely that it’s difficult to know how to begin tackling a cold with herbs. 

We decided to consult some experts—not doctors and pharmacists but herbalists who are personally and professionally involved with the herbal 

medicine industry—and asked them, What do you do when you have a cold? 

We must have chosen the right group of people for this survey. None of them has been really sick for years, they say. In addition to using herbs 

to alleviate the symptoms of a cold, they also use them daily to promote good general health. And this, they feel, prevents cold viruses from 

taking hold in the first place. 

echinacea 

yellow dock 

Jeanne Rose, prominent herbalist, author, 

and teacher in San Francisco, relies on a 

trademarked formula she calls YEGG whenever 

her chest tightens up and she’s coughing 

more than usual. She combines yellow dock, 

echinacea root, goldenseal, and ginseng in a 

ratio of 1:2:2:1, puts it into capsules, and takes 

three of them three times a day for ten days. 

“And I eat lots of garlic soup,” she says. 

“Why don’t I get colds? Because I know about 

Echinacea,” says Portia Meares. An herbalist 

living in Wolftown, Virginia, former editor 

of The Business of Herbs Magazine, and a 

founding member of the International Herb 

Growers and Marketers Association, there’s 

no doubt Meares knows about Echinacea. 

Garlic and echinacea, used alone or 

in combination, seem to relieve many 

of the early symptoms of a cold. Our 

respondents incorporate this pair into 

the diet in small amounts with the 

goal of maintaining a vigilant immune 

system, increasing the dose to 

supplement natural defenses if a cold 

virus gains a foothold. Many times, 

they observe, no other treatment is 

necessary. 

Mark Blumenthal of Austin, Texas, executive director 

of the American Botanical Council and editor of 

HerbalGram, adopts the following regimen when he 

feels a cold coming on: two to four tablets of garlic 

daily, a whopping 3 to 4 grams of vitamin C daily, two 

to three droppers of echinacea root extract every four 

to six hours, two to three droppers of liquid astragalus 

(an herb often used in Chinese medicine) every 

four to six hours, and two 500-milligram capsules of 

goldenseal root four times daily. 


garlic 

You don’t have to believe that 

echinacea root supports the immune 

system by stimulating circulation and 

respiration or that garlic increases 

blood flow to the extremities and 

boosts the immune response directly. 

For many people, it’s enough to know 

that garlic and echinacea can make 

you feel better. 


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| RUNNING 

Team In Training 

BY DEMITRIA CASTANON 

Barbara Saia first became associated with the Leukemia 

Lymphoma Society as a participant in the Maui Marathon 

in honor of her two friends that lost their lives because 

of blood related cancer. She quickly grew to realize that 

the only way to find a cure for cancer was to raise money 

for the research of the disease. And, as the the Senior 

Campaign Manager for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society 

Team in Training (TNT) of the Central Coast, Saia is running 

strong towards finding a cure. Her fundraising efforts during 

the past eleven years have included one full marathon, 

and thirteen half marathons, in all of which she was also a 

participant. 

The TNT Central Coast has raised over five million dollars and 

the TNT national account has raised over one billion dollars 

for blood related cancer patients and their families. From 

that money, the research programs supporting the cure for 

blood related cancers have been successful in discovering 

life-saving drugs such as Gleevec and Rituxan. 

TNT offers walkers and runners the opportunity to take on 

a challenge of a marathon or half-marathon while making 

a positive difference in the lives of nearly one million 

Americans living with blood cancer. The local chapter 

comprises more than 100 participants, including students 

from Cal Poly and Cuesta, middle-aged adults, and seniors. 

Participants receive a personal training schedule, and meet 

each Saturday with the team and coach. During the first eight 

weeks, the members learn about everything from wearing 

the right shoes to eating properly, so by the time the event 

comes, the team is well prepared. 

TEAM CAPTAIN Barbara Saia is the Senior Campaign 

Manager for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society TNT 

Joining the team for the Honolulu Marathon in 1998, the 

Cenoz family has a personal connection to the passionate 

fight against cancer. Jeniene and Jeff Cenoz’s son, Alex, was 

diagnosed with Leukemia at just three years old. He received 

treatment at Stanford Hospital and it was during their visits 

that they learned about Team In Training. Both Jeniene and Jeff 

instantly became eager to join. Since becoming involved, they 

have raised nearly $85,000 and have run a total of twenty-six 

races. Alex, who currently attends Arroyo Grande High School 

as a senior and plays on the varsity basketball team, will run in 

his first race at the 1st Annual SLO Half Marathon this year. 

The environment of TNT, explains Saia is “very addicting! A 

lot of people come back because they like the support of the 

coaches, and the past participant mentors are awesome, and 

so involved. You are getting healthy and doing something for 

yourself, as well as supporting a great cause! We live in an 

amazing area where this works really well because people 

live healthy lifestyles, and they also want to give back and 

do something for the community. So Team In Training is a 

perfect fit for our area.” SLO LIFE 

THRIVING Alex Cenoz has grown up with TNT 

and will participate in his first race this year 


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You know how it goes... a friend visits the 

Central Coast for the first time, and it’s never 

the last. Suddenly, they’re annual guests in 

your home. That’s kind of how it goes with 

a bunch of “beach bums” near San Simeon. 

And, they’re really kind of hard to miss. 

The Northern Elephant Seals have chosen this 

little stretch of coastline to birth, breed, and 

bathe in our Central Coast sunshine for the 

last 20 years. And each year the crowd grows. 

“Every year the population increases a bit. 

They like it here, it’s protected, kind of,” guide 

Bill Cook explains. 

The latest estimates indicate that there are 

somewhere between 16,000 and 18,000 

Northern Elephant Seals along our coast. The 

males can weigh as much as 5,000 pounds. 

And, though they may not be pretty, they’re 

pretty impressive to see up close. 

You’ll see the most activity in January and 

early February when it’s birthing and mating 

season, but they’re pretty much hanging 

around all year. 

Right now, it’s the pups cuddling up, and 

cussing at each other. They have reason to be 

a little cranky. Their mothers fattened them 

up, and then took off for the Pacific Northwest 

already pregnant with future siblings. 

“When they’re born they will weigh about 

60 pounds. They will nurse about 28 days 

and will be about 300 pounds in that 28 

days,” says Cook. 

So these pups are on their own until their 

instinct takes over and they learn to swim 

and find food. 

They’ll return next month with adult 

females to shed their winter coats. And 

seeing a beach full of these blubbery bodies 

may help you shed any inhibitions you 

have about bearing your winter bod come 

springtime. 

It’s always entertaining at this beach near 

Piedras Blancas, and the only admission is 

the time it takes to pull over and get out of 

the car. 

It’s one of the few places in the world 

where elephant seals live. At most of those 

places, you can’t get close enough to see 

them. But you can here, and it’s right in our 

own backyard. It’s more proof, that there’s 

No Place Like Home. SLO LIFE 

Jeanette Trompeter, KSBY News anchor and reporter, 

hosts the “No Place Like Home” series every 

Thursday evening at 6pm.

Come Hang Out! 

Enjoy Song Time with Matt Cross 

Every Thursday at 10:15am 

Located Downtown SLO 

863 Monterey Street • 805.540.7222 

Store Hours 

Tues.-Sat. 10am-6pm • Sun. 12-5pm 

Closed Mondays 

www.ShopEcoBambino.com 


| EDUCATION 

developing 

world 

above NAPALI CLASSROOM students pack into a 

crowded room for their lessons 

right RESPONSIBILITY while some children are able to 

attend school in Nepal, others, like the boy pictured 

here, bear the burden of work 

In a remote village in the highlands of Nepal, school-aged children 

wake up at dawn each day and brave the chilly morning air to 

fetch water from the community well. After a breakfast of tea and 

roasted barley, the lucky ones go to school. The rest go to work. 

An estimated 2.1 million Nepali children between 5 and 14 years 

old are child laborers. They harvest crops in the fields, break rocks 

in stone quarries, and forgo education in order to help support 

their families. 

Some of these children may soon be able to go to school, thanks to 

the efforts of a New Zealand woman who turned her own personal 

tragedy into an opportunity to help others—and to inspire children 

around the world to do the same. 

Emily Sanson-Rejouis, a former United Nations aid worker, lost 

her husband and two of their three young daughters in the 

devastating 7.1 Haiti earthquake of January 12, 2010. In honoring 

their memory on her return to New Zealand she created Kenbe La 

Foundation Charitable Trust (“Kenbe La” means “never give up” in 

Haitian Creole), to provide educational opportunities for Hatian 

children in need. 

The Foundation has since established Purple Cake Day as a specific 

day to celebrate, connect and support children around the world 

and is meant to empower children to give to others in need. 

The first Purple Cake Day was celebrated throughout New Zealand 

on March 1, 2011. It has since spread worldwide, with participants 

in Australia, Europe and North America—including San Luis Obispo. 

Proceeds from this year’s event will fund scholarships for Nepali 

teens, early childhood development centers in rural communities, 

and a library with educational resources for students of all ages. A 

portion will also support education projects in Haiti. 

On March 1st, students in San Luis Obispo schools will learn 

about life in Nepal. They will hear Nepali music and make Nepali 

dumpings called momos, and they’ll wear purple clothing to school 

in solidarity with other children worldwide. The SLO Children’s 

Museum, the YMCA and other local groups will host Purple Cake 

Day celebrations. 

At a Farmer’s Market booth hosted by the Rotary Club of San Luis 

Obispo Daybreak and the San Luis Obispo High School Interact 

Club, volunteers will sell purple cupcakes and handicrafts like 

reusable sandwich bags to raise funds for the foundation. 

“It’s fantastic to hear about people in other countries who are 

keen to get behind an initiative that I started locally,” says Sanson- 

Rejouis. “It validates my belief that this is an issue that touches 

and connects us globally.” 

Local organizers Kim Lisagor and Dr. Natasha Raja brought Purple 

Cake Day to San Luis Obispo this year with support from sponsors 

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Bravo Pediatrics. 

“We saw this as a chance to teach our own children about the 

importance of helping others,” says Lisagor, a travel writer and Cal 

Poly lecturer. “Whatever they decide to be when they grow up, we 

hope they’ll also become global citizens.” 



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SPECIAL INTEREST | 

Earthen 

Oven 

Last year, Roberto Monge made an astonishing discovery in his backyard: 

the soil was a near-exact match to the soil he had grown up with in his 

native El Salvador. 

Today, Monge is a software architect for Canadian-based TransGaming, 

which enables him to work from his home office that backs into Madonna 

Mountain. It was the flooding last year that soaked his kids’ playroom off 

of the back of the house that led to the discovery. “When the rain finally 

stopped and much of the topsoil was swept away, I reached down into 

the exposed clay and sunk my hands into it. Immediately, I felt this strong, 

emotional connection to my childhood and El Salvador,” remembers Monge. 

Moved by the powerful experience, and encouraged by his wife, Valerie, a 

physician assistant at the Cal Poly Health Center, Monge, who admits that, 

while he works in high-tech, he’s really “much more attracted to low-tech” 

set out to teach their young children, Liliana and Kai, how to use the clay to 

build things. They started out making simple adobe bricks in the backyard 

- the same type of brick that was used to build Monge’s childhood home. 

Then, as Monge researched other uses for the clay, he found a “how-to” 

book explaining the construction for an earthen oven. More memories came 

flooding back. 

Sadly, it was around this same time that Monge’s father had received a 

terminal diagnosis. The cancer had spread. His father immediately moved 

back to El Salvador for hospice care. A plan was quickly set in motion for 

a family reunion to celebrate the elder Monge’s 67th birthday. And, it was 

during this visit that Monge and his family were able to rediscover the lost 

village of “Los Monges” which had been “bombed into oblivion” during the 

war. It had been 35 years since the family had returned to the site, and it 

took all day with heavy machete “bushwhacking” to carve a passable trail 

through the jungle into the deserted village. The family elders were able to 

point the way through the thick, tropical vegetation. Once they arrived, just 

like he did a few month prior in San Luis Obispo, Monge sunk his hands into 

the soil and confirmed his intuition: the soil was exactly the same as it was in 

his yard back home. 

For Monge, who fled a war-torn El Salvador when he was eight years old, 

food had always helped him maintain a connection to his heritage and 

culture but there was always something missing. He and his father shared 

a love for a Salvadorean quesadilla, which is more like a cake than the 

traditional Mexican quesadilla that has become so popular in the United 

States. The problem was that, although his family had developed a great 

recipe [see Local Food by Local People on page 44], it just wasn’t the same – 

at least not how he remembered it in El Salvador. The missing component, as 

it turns out, was the earthen oven. 

So, Monge returned to San Luis Obispo with a new resolve to build a 

full-sized, fully functioning “horno” (oven in Spanish). He found some books 

on the subject, surfed the web, and asked around locally. His research 

led him to a local company called N’Credible Edibles, which specializes in 

developing edible gardens as well as constructing earthen ovens. Monge 

continued on page 42 


| SPECIAL INTEREST 

“ ” 

There’s something very core 

about it – the visual fire, being 

outside with friends and family, 

and the food just tastes better. 

For a sample of recipes used 

in the earthen oven, turn to 

Local Food by Local People 

on page 44. 

contracted with the company, owned and operated by Jordan and Meleah Hosea, to help him build 

the oven. For this purpose, the company employs a novel tactic, whereby they invite others to learn 

how to build their own earthen oven in exchange for their labor - the process is very “hands on.” 

So, over the next four weekends (a standard oven construction takes two weekends generally, but 

Monge elected to build an adobe seating area, as well) the company, Monge, and a collection of 

other local trainees dug into the clay and began molding the structure. 

The entire process is surprisingly free-flowing and organic in how it all comes together. No hardand-fast 

measurements are made, no blueprints are developed (although, in a nod to his high-tech 

training, Monge did create a computer generated rendering to illustrate where the structure would 

sit in the backyard). The building of the earthen oven is also a very communal experience, as it turns 

out, probably similar to the early American tradition of “barn raising” where a group of families 

come together to help a neighboring farmer erect a barn. In El Salvador, Monge estimates that 

earthen ovens are built and shared by a collection of four or five neighboring households. 

And, the mechanics of the earthen oven make it so that sharing makes much more sense from an 

efficiency stand-point, which makes its use a social experience as well. First, a wood fire is built in the 

oven. The coals then sit in the structure to allow it to fully heat. The way the earthen oven works is 

that the clay absorbs and stores the heat. After about an hour the coals are removed from the oven, 

which is now somewhere close to 900 degrees (depending on the length and intensity of the fire) 

and is ready for cooking. According to Monge, everything cooks in less than half the time it would in 

a conventional oven and is nearly impossible to burn or dry out. No matter the type of food, it tends 

to retain more moisture despite the higher heat because it operates like a convection oven with very 

little heat escaping and steam coming in from the wooden door, which is soaked in water before it is 

sealed. The oven can cook for several hours once it starts and the residual heat is perfect for roasting 

fruits and vegetables overnight. 

Monge offers that their new earthen oven has not only brought him closer to his native El Salvador 

and allowed him to finally replicate the quesadilla of his childhood, but it has also brought him 

closer to his friends and neighbors. “It seems like people have a natural connection to it, especially 

men; they immediately fall in love with it. There’s something very core about it – the visual fire, 

being outside with friends and family, and the food just tastes better,” observes Monge. And, he has 

noticed that when he begins to stoke the fire, neighbors start to show up and it invariably turns into 

a communal activity, not unlike 35 years ago in the village of Los Monges. Only, now the village is 

the neighborhood and the food, which is readily shared, consists of pizzas, breads, and casseroles 

instead of masa and other corn-based staples. 

The earthen oven, which was made entirely out of the clay found in Monge’s backyard, has brought 

the native Salvadorean full-circle. And, he reports that his only regret with the project is that his dad 

was not able to sample the quesadilla before he recently passed away. But, he did get to see a picture 

of the final product and in one of thier last conversations he told his son, “I saw what you did, and I 

think it is great that you built it with your kids. I’m very proud of you.” And, so the tradition continues. 




GARDENS OF AVILA 

restaurant 

| LOCAL FOOD BY LOCAL PEOPLE 

Salvadorean 

Hospitality 

SHARED BY ROBERTO MONGE 

The Salvadorean quesadilla is a bread that is 

served after just about any meal. When you 

visit someone’s house you’ll be offered a slice 

of quesadilla and some coffee. Its consistency 

is like a pound cake, but you have to try 

it yourself to understand the salty, 

sweet, cheesy goodness. Most people 

aren’t sure what to think when they are first 

offered a slice, but after tasting it, they always 

reach out for a second. 

Bringing Romance to the Table 

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1215 Avila Beach Drive 



SALVADOREAN QUESADILLA 

2 cups white rice flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon of salt 

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened 

2 cups of turbinado sugar 

6 large eggs 

1 cup whole goat or cow milk 

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese 

1/2 cup parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese 

1 teaspoon of cinnamon 

3-4 drops of vanilla 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Whisk together the rice flour, baking powder, and salt. 

3. Mix the sugar with the softened butter. 

4. Cover the bowl tightly, and refrigerate for 6 hours. 

5. Incorporate the flour mixture with the butter and sugar. 

6. Drop in the eggs, one at a time, and pour in 1 cup of 

whole milk until fully incorporated. 

7. Beat in the whipped cream cheeese, parmesan cheese, 

cotija cheese and rice flour mixture until a smooth 

batter forms. 

8. Butter two eight inch round pie pans and place batter 

into pans. 

9. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. 

10. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the top has a golden 

color before removing from the oven.

Atol de Elote is a traditional warm 

corn drink served in El Salvador. Its 

roots are from Mayan cuisine and 

it’s perfect on a cold day. 

CENTRAL COAST FARMER’S HARVEST 

Fresh Picked & Locally Grown 

Pesticide Free Produce 

Direct Delivery to Your Home or Business 

Weekly or Every Other Week Delivery 

No Contract Required 

ATOL DE ELOTE 

4 ears of corn 

1/2 cup cold water 

1 gallon of milk 

2 tablespoon of cornstarch 

2 sticks of whole cinnamon 

1 cup of turbinado sugar 

1 teaspoon of salt 

1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk 

(optional) Kahlua or Rum 

1.Boil ears of corn until soft. Remove and let rest 

until cool enough to handle. Cut corn from the cob. 

Puree corn in blender with 1/2 cup of water. 

2. Strain corn puree through sieve into a sauce pan. 

Discard the solids. 

3. Add milk, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and sweetened 

condensed milk into sauce pan with corn puree 

and bring almost to a slow boil, stirring often. 

4. Mix cornstarch with cold water and add into 

sauce pan. 

5. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 5 minutes. 

6. Once the mixture thickens serve in coffee cups. 

Traditionally it’s served in small gourds and 

sprinkled with a little bit of powdered cinnamon. 

7. If you’re feeling festive, add Kahlua or Rum to 

the drink. 

Have a recipe to share? Go to slolifemagazine.com to tell us about it. 


SERVING 

San Luis Obispo | Avila | Los Osos 

Five Cities | Nipomo 

sloveg.com 

805.709.2780 


| COMMUNITY CALENDAR 

My Generation 

February 17th - March 25th 

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre 

slolittletheatre.org 

In 1961, as our boys went to war in Vietnam, 

the British Invasion swept through the nation 

forever changing the direction and sound of 

our culture. Join us for this original musical, 

chronicling one young man’s journey from the 

squeaky-clean 50’s to the Summer of Love. 

Featuring an amazing live band, swingin’ 

singers, dynamic dancers, and the music which 

fueled one of the most dramatic decades in 

the history of our country. 

Presenting the best 

in professional 

entertainment at the 

Performing Arts Center! 

WWW.CALPOLYARTS.ORG 

Encore! 

March 2nd - 3rd 

Alex Madonna Expo Center 

womensshelterslo.org 

Phyllis Madonna’s Musical Revue benefitting 

the Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis 

Obispo County is back for its 25th Annual 

event. This promises to be an evening of fun, 

fashion and music. Come see local performers 

and other notable figures sing and dance 

on stage while you enjoy local wine and a 

delicious meal. Wrap up the evening with 

music and dancing. 

Hot Shaves • Cold Beer • ESPN • Quality Service 

Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm • Sunday 11am-4pm 

1351 Monterey Street . San Luis Obispo 

(805)783-2887 . clippersbarber.com 


SLO International Film Festival 

March 7th - 11th 

slofilmfest.org 

Variety is the spice of life, and the San Luis Obipo International Film Festival is proud 

to embrace that philosophy in its programming. From cutting edge documentaries to 

tried and true cinema classics, the SLOIFF celebrates film on the ‘big screen’ by offering 

something for everyone.

More Classic Scenes 

March 8th - 10th 

Pavilion at the PAC 

pacslo.org 

Opera San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Student Opera present songs, arias, duets and 

ensembles from opera and musical theater. The scenes will be cast with more than 25 

Cal Poly voice students who will have the unique opportunity to be considered for roles 

and chorus parts with the Opera San Luis Obispo Young Artist Program. 

Suite Serenades 

March 10th 

Christopher Cohan Center 

pacslo.org 

The San Luis Obispo Symphony presents Classical 

Sketches featuring Schubert’s Symphony No.8, 

“Unfinished,” Bartok’s Hungarian Sketches, and 

the U.S. Premiere of Bacewicz’s Concerto No.3 for 

Violin and Orchestra. 

Butlerz Event Services 

Let Us Make Your Indoor 

Or Outdoor Event Amazing 

805.878.4283 | beachbutlerz.com 

Dog Training • Premium Daycare • Boarding • Grooming 

FIRST DAY OF DAYCARE FREE! 

173 Buckley Road • San Luis Obispo 

(805) 596-0112 

thousandhillspetresort.com 

Shalimar 

iNDiaN rESTaUraNT 

Spaghetti Western 

March 17th 

San Luis Obispo Elks Lodge 

slorotary.org 

The Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo will hold a Spaghetti Western Fun Family Fundraiser. 

Spaghetti, top sirloin and goodies to the sweet tune of $25/adult and $5/child. They’ll 

offer up games for lil’ buckaroos and their kin folk, spaghetti western films and a silent 

auction to holler about. You can purchase your food to dine-in or carry out. 


Lunch Buffet 

Mon - Sat 11:30am - 3:00pm $8.99 

Monday Dinner Buffet 

5:00pm - 10:00pm $9.99 

Sunday Brunch 

$9.99 

2115 Broad Street, SlO 

805.781.0766 | shalimarslo.com 


The Payne Team 

View This Home and More at 

www.HomesofSLO.com 

Our approach to real estate is about 

much more than property... it’s about people. 

The Payne Team 

www.5245PaseoDeVaca.com 

Jed Damschroder 

805-550-7960 

Kate Hendrickson 

805-801-1979 

Gavin Payne 

805-550-3918 

962 Mill Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93401

SLO LIFE Feb/Mar 2012

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