SLO LIFE Magazine AugSep 2021

LIFE 

SLOmagazine 

CENTRAL 

COAST 

EVEN 

NOW 

HEAR 

THIS 

LOCAL 

NEWS 

ENJOYING 

THE VIEW 

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TRENDS 

ERS 

UP 

AUG/SEP 2021 

SLOLIFEMAGAZINE.COM MEET 

GRISEL PUIG-SNIDER 

AUG/SEP 2021 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | 1

ATTENTION TO DETAIL. 

ALWAYS. 

2 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | AUG/SEP 2021 

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continue to maintain a rigorous cleaning and sanitizing program for when you choose to board. 

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CONTENTS 

Volume 

26 

28 

30 

12 

Number 4 

Aug/Sep 2021 

34 

Timeline 

View 

Q&A 

MEET YOUR 

NEIGHBOR 

12 

PUBLISHER’S 

MESSAGE 

14 

16 

18 

24 

Info 

Sneak Peek 

Inbox 

Briefs 


32 

NOW HEAR THIS 

44 Author

“It’s been a rough year,” says singersongwriter 

Damon Castillo. He and his 

bandmates spent the last year on the sidelines 

as live music events, especially larger scale 

shows, came to a standstill. Since the beginning 

of summer, they have been busy rehearsing, 

gearing up to go full-throttle as they kick off 

the 25th Annual Concerts in the Plaza series 

on Friday, August 6. 

They’re in good company. Organizers have 

assembled a top notch line-up of shows in 

Downtown’s Mission Plaza featuring 

Brass Mash, Bear Market Riot, 

The Kicks, The Tipsy Gypsies, 

Truth About Seafood, Resination, 

and Dante Marsh & The Vibesetters. 

Sponsored by 

The 

San Luis Obispo 

Collection 

Downtown SLO’s Concerts in the Plaza set to reboot August 6 

Music on the Rebound. 

Aug 6 

Damon Castillo Band 

Aug 13 

Brass Mash 

Aug 20 

Bear Market Riot 

Aug 27 

The Kicks 

Sept 3 

The Tipsy Gypsies 

Sept 10 

Truth about Seafood 

Sept 17 

Resination 

Sept 24 

Dante Marsh & 

The Vibesetters 

is proud to sponsor Downtown SLO’s Concerts in the Plaza 


| CONTENTS 

68 

72 

Real Estate 

Health 

88 Wine Notes 

80 

Getaway 

82 

TASTE 

46 

92 

ARTIST 

48 Explore 

50 

52 

On the Rise 

Dwelling 

BREW 

96 Happenings 


exceptional landscape 

design + build contractors 

805.574.0777 

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| PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE 

A few months back, my grandmother, Marian Pratt, passed away. She was ninety-nine and ready to go 

on to the next thing. My cousins and I called her Ammu. And we learned so much from her, including 

when to not help ourselves to seconds. 

Born atop an especially dusty section of the San Joaquin Valley hardpan in 1922, Ammu grew up on a 

tiny farm during the Great Depression. Those were lean times. But visitors to the ranch house, which 

was faintly visible from tractors lumbering down the Old Dinuba Highway, would have never known 

it because everything was kept under wraps, concealed by a secret code: FHB. 

Recently, some friends stopped by our house late one afternoon. We did not expect them but 

welcomed the surprise. My wife had a pot simmering on the stove, and insisted they stay for dinner. 

As we sat down together at the table, I turned to our boys and whispered, “FHB.” 

Family Hold Back. 

They both nodded without protest, and I felt Ammu there, as I looked for her hands on my shoulders through fast-welling eyes. Although our 

sons are twelve and sixteen—they order a grand total of ten hamburger patties at In-N-Out between them—they declined a second helping of 

their favorite home-cooked meal. 

While she is no longer around to serve as our family matriarch, eulogized for her unique combination of “glamour and grit,” we continue to 

learn her lessons—lessons that can only be taught by someone who lived through the hard times. And found good in them. 

The longer I live, the more I see FHB as a concept that applies to so many other areas of life, far beyond the dining room. 

One of my passions is football. My playing days are long gone, but I now find more joy in coaching my son and his teammates than I ever 

experienced on the field myself. And, when I’m working with the boys, I can hear Ammu’s voice playing over and over like one of her Big Band 

records spinning at the old ranch house: “FHB.” 

Coaches love to talk about teamwork, and rightly so. “There’s no ‘I’ in team,” they say, along with a million other platitudes we’ve all seen on 

those tear-off desk calendars. Teamwork makes the dream work. 

FHB is not something you say—it’s something you do. It’s the act of sacrificing self in service of others. “Family Hold Back” are words that 

have surely never been uttered in the locker room during an impassioned halftime speech. But they should, because that’s what it’s all about. 

Everything. 

When I watch a well-oiled offense marching down the field, firing on all cylinders, I can feel the vibrations of a Big Band harmony, as a group 

of individuals meld into one. By putting the guy next to them above themselves—FHB—together, they transcend. The whole becomes greater 

than the sum of its parts, warping time and space, willing one plus one to equal three. 

Ammu should have coached football—or run for president. 

Thank you to everyone who has had a hand in producing this issue of SLO LIFE Magazine and, most of all, to our advertisers and 

subscribers—we couldn’t do it without you. 

Live the SLO Life! 

FHB 

Tom Franciskovich 

tom@slolifemagazine.com 

p.s. If you’d like to read more visit me at tomfranciskovich.com 


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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Charlotte Alexander 

Jeff Al-Mashat 

Brant Myers 

Lauren Harvey 

Paden Hughes 

Zara Khan 

Jaime Lewis 

Andria McGhee 

Joe Payne 

Brian Schwartz 

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS 

David Lalush 

Todd Meaney 

Mark Nakamura 

Vanessa Plakias 

CONTRIBUTIONS 

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| SNEAK PEEK 

ON THE COVER 

behind the scenes 

GRISEL PUIG-SNIDER 

BY VANESSA PLAKIAS 

Every month Grisel likes to highlight a young artist. At the time of 

our shoot, she was featuring a teen who lost his mother and paints 

the backs of skateboards as a form of expression and healing. 

If Los Osos ever had a 

Mother Teresa, it’s Grisel. 

Not just a joyous heart of gold 

full of kindness and gratitude, 

but a passion for helping and 

supporting others—especially 

women and children who 

need someone to believe in 

them. Grisel’s friend made 

her a colorful mosaic heart 

and told her, “You’re the heart 

of Los Osos.” It hangs on her 

studio door. 

There is art in everything—we both lit up with excitement 

sharing examples, many of which people might not recognize on 

their linear path of life goals. But if you meander a bit, and shift 

perspective, there it is. Awe inspiring, brilliant, beautiful art! 

As we walked the Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro 

(or as she reminded me, Mountains of Gold), 

people walked by Grisel completely enchanted 

and charmed. She would stop to talk with each 

group for a quick second. Making people smile 

is definitely one of her gifts. 



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| INBOX 

SLO LIFE Travels 

Send your photos and comments to info@slolifemagazine.com or visit us online at slolifemagazine.com 

JOHN MUIR TRAIL 

TUNNELS BEACH, HANALEI, KAUAI 

JOSHUA, LIZ, AGGIE, 

and GUS MOODY 

WASHINGTON D.C. 

JACK and FRANCINE JANSEN 

BIGFORK, MONTANA 

ROY and LORY GRIFFITH with KYLE, ELI, and LUKE 

LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI 

CAROLYN SMITH, MARY WESNOUSKY, 

and DORIS DIEL 

LAURA HEIDEN 


EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, FLORIDA 

SEDONA ARIZONA 

OWEN and CAMILLE 

SCHWAEGERLE 

VILAMENDHOO ISLAND, MALDIVES 

JIM GERPHEIDE 

POLOLU VALLEY, HAWAII 

LESLIE MONACO, with 

RAMIZ, RAIHAN, ZIA, and AJ 

PALM SPRINGS 

JEAN and JOHN HYDUCHAK 

SARAH SINDERMAN and MELISSA LATIMER 


| INBOX 

Take Us with You 


DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE 

WINSLOW, ARIZONA 

STEVE and JENNIFER DINIELLI 

RIDLEY WELLS 

and PACEY JAY 

THE ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH 

TENORIO NATIONAL PARK, COSTA RICA 

MIKE, BECCA, MAILEE, 

and MAKENA SCIOCCHETTI 

THE MARTIN FAMILY 


Selling Paso 

- by Miranda Battenburg 

Selling Paso - by Miranda Battenburg 

Over 20 years local experience 

Miranda brings strong branding & 

marketing to your listing 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeSerivces knows great homes 

Full service local brokerage 

Complementary market analysis 

Represents buyers and sellers 

Quality properties 

Miranda Battenburg 

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800 11th St. 

Paso Robles CA 93446 

805-712-1362 

805-237-4700 

miranda@sellingpaso.com 

www.sellingpaso.com 

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Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. ® Equal Housing Opportunity. 

If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard this offer. It is not my intention to solicit your listing. 


| INBOX 

SLO LIFE Adventures 


DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT, UTAH 

SEDONA ARIZONA 

MIKE, MARY, EVAN, EDDIE 

and NOAH ALLWEIN 

CHAS CARLSON, KATIE CREIGHTON, 

VAL INNES, and PAUL INNES 

Here we are four days into a private rafting trip 

on a trail that leads you past pictographs left by 

the Fremont People at Jones Hole Creek! 

Had to bring a copy of SLO LIFE along for the ride! 

LIVE THE SLO LIFE 

NUBBLE LIGHTHOUSE, YORK, MAINE 

SEAN and FINN HALDERMAN 

JACOB DEAN relaxing reading SLO Life! 

Love the magazine, keep it up! 



| BRIEFS 

235 

The number of new electric vehicle charging 

stations coming to San Luis Obispo 

County as part of the regional launch of the 

California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure 

Project. The County Air Pollution Control 

District says the $2.3 million price tag is 

being paid by California Energy Commission 

funds combined with local funds. 

“A protected 

intersection is very 

similar to a typical 

intersection, except for 

one new feature: 

a corner island.” 

A city news release announcing a first-ofits-kind-in-SLO 

interchange at Madonna 

and Dalidio roads that helps increase 

safety for driving, bicycling, and walking. 

It features wider sidewalk corner curbs, 

with a corner island that helps safely 

reduce the crossing distance for walking. 

#1 

The Cuesta College Women’s Track 

& Field team claimed the top spot at 

this year’s Western State Conference 

Championship for the first time since 1988. 

The Cougars won six events and posted 

twenty-two all-conference performances. 

10 

The number of cast concrete benches 

recently created and installed at the 

SLO Botanical Garden by a Cal Poly 

Construction Management Team. Other 

help providing the new outdoor seating 

came from RRM Design Group, SLO 

County Building and Planning, SLO 

County Parks and Recreation, Precision 

Construction Services, and Botanical 

Garden volunteer crews. 

$170,000 

The amount SLO Food Bank raised in 

June during Hunger Awareness Day, 

its biggest fundraising day of the year. 

That translates into 1,190,000 meals 

for local families. 

“Everyone’s 

welcome to apply.” 

The San Luis Obispo County Board of 

Supervisors is seeking to hire a new clerkrecorder 

by October. Looking to replace 

former Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong, the 

board voted 3-2 to finalize a three-month 

process for appointing an interim election 

official. The conservative majority made 

up by Supervisors John Peschong, Lynn 

Compton, and Debbie Arnold voted to 

move ahead with opening the interim 

position to the broader public and opted 

not to set any minimum qualifications for 

applicants, like having prior election office 

experience or a record of nonpartisanship. 

18,365 

The number of jobs that Cal Poly supports 

on the Central Coast, according to a new 

study conducted by the California State 

University Chancellor’s Office. Cal Poly also 

generates more than $105 million in state 

and local tax revenue. 

“Saving a Species 

from Extinction on 

Anacapa Island” 

A faculty research project recently funded 

by Cal Poly’s 2021-22 Research, Scholarly 

and Creative Activities grant program, 

which is designed to support the teacherscholar 

model. This project, designed by 

biological sciences faculty Jenn Yost and 

Dena Grossenbacher, is one of fourteen 

that will provide opportunities for students 

and create knowledge that addresses 

pressing problems. 

126 

The number of catalytic converters stolen/ 

recovered in San Luis Obispo beginning 

January 2021 as of this writing. San Luis 

Obispo Police Department suggests 

parking your car in the garage if you have 

one. If not, park in well lit areas—motion 

lights and exterior security cameras are 

always recommended. If you hear sawing 

or unusual noises, particularly after dark, 

please call 911. SLO LIFE 


E X P EC T B E T T ERSM 

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Rancho Robles is an amazing, private property on approximately 200 acres in THE WILLIAMSON ACT, with many rolling acres available for planting vines, olives, 

hops or another crop. The stunning and spacious home consists of 3 bedrooms and 4 baths, a beautiful foyer, a large formal living room, den, office, master suite 

with private office, formal dining room and a kitchen with full pantry. There is a large covered patio overlooking the infinity pool and a gorgeous view over the 

trees and out to the south eastern hills. Includes former horse training facility with a 22 stall barn, arena, and pastures. 

MONICA KING, BROKER ASSOCIATE, LIC. #01229478 805.550.0603 

ATASCADERO GROVER BEACH SAN LUIS OBISPO 

This 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2,338 square foot 

home features a tile roof, lush outdoor living 

spaces and updated interiors rich with detail and 

comfort. The open floor plan consists of a formal 

dining room/office, living room, family room, 

separate laundry room, and oversized gourmet 

kitchen with ample custom cabinetry, granite 

countertops and new appliances. 

Website: 3261ViaDelSueno.com 

KATHY TAVERNER 

BROKER ASSOCIATE, LIC. #00870894 

805.235.0437 

Located approximately 1 mile from the beach in 

North Grover in the highly desirable Grover 

Heights neighborhood with peek-a-boo's of the 

ocean! This beautiful 3-bed, 2.5-bath home is 

ready for you! Featuring a huge master bedroom, 

master bath, powder bath, fireplace, deck with 

saltillo tile and living area with a ton of built-in 

storage flooded with natural light. 

Website: 545-n16th.com 

APRIL DEAN 

REALTOR®, LIC. #01947608 

805.704.3622 

This 13.58 ac, oak studded property features a 

contemporary style home, two koi ponds, mature 

landscaping, two-story master suite with private 

second floor yoga or exercise room with private 

deck, and detached 1300+ garage. 

Website: 

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COLLEEN CLARKE 

BROKER ASSOCIATE, LIC. #01267325 

ROB ROSE 

REALTOR®, LIC. #02035157 

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805-471-8351 

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805 Main Street, Morro Bay 

1401 Park Street, Suite 103, Paso Robles 

2646 Santa Maria Parkway, Suite 106, Santa Maria 

BHGREHAVEN.COM 

805.592.2050 


| TIMELINE 

LOCAL 

june 1 

The San Luis Obispo City Council unanimously passes 

a two-year, $202 million budget focused on economic 

recovery, diversity, housing, and the environment. 

Almost twenty percent of the total budget, some $39 

million, is slated to support the police department, 

which is the highest budget of any city department 

and more than $4 million over the department’s 

2019-21 budget. The added expense includes a new 

mobile crisis unit to respond to homeless needs staffed 

by a social worker and paramedic and expanding 40 

Prado Homeless Services Center by 25%. The city 

will also be hiring a second city social worker as part 

of the Community Action Team (CAT) to work 

alongside CAT officer John Klevins, who, according 

to city manager Derek Johnson, has a case load in the 

hundreds that he’s unable to fully tackle on his own. 

Councilmember Jan Marx also called on the city to 

address its aging police headquarters on Walnut Street, 

explaining, “[The building] is notorious in the city 

for being the crummiest building we own. It is really 

substandard, and it has been substandard for decades.” 

Johnson said that the city will come back in the fall 

with a further review of project planning and timing. 

june 17 

Downtown SLO’s Thursday night Farmers’ Market 

returns to full operations, taking over five blocks of 

Higuera Street from Nipomo to Osos streets, and 

adding back food and entertainment vendors that 

tourists and locals alike have come to expect. 

june 10 

The National Weather Service moves San Luis Obispo 

and Santa Barbara counties into “extreme drought” 

status due to below normal precipitation for the 2020- 

21 water year and the compounding impacts from a 

second consecutive drier than normal water year. This 

indicates major crop and pasture losses and widespread 

water shortages or restrictions. Extreme to exceptional 

drought conditions now cover more than eighty-five 

percent of the state. 

june 16 

The SLO County Regional Airport breaks a fortyyear-old 

heat record, hitting 108 degrees Fahrenheit 

and exceeding a record of 101 degrees set in 1981. 

After the National Weather Service issued an excessive 

heat warning for both SLO and Santa Barbara 

counties, strong Santa Lucia winds swept hot air 

into the San Luis Obispo coastal valley, causing high 

temperatures at Cal Poly (100 degrees) and Laguna 

Lake (101 degrees) as well. 


june 18 

The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board announces a $5.9 million 

settlement to resolve alleged violations of PG&E’s permit to use water from the Pacific 

Ocean in its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant cooling system. The settlement funds 

will be used for high priority water quality projects that benefit the region. In addition to 

the settlement money, PG&E has been making annual payments to mitigate the impacts 

of its discharges and is expected to pay approximately $38 million in total for the plant’s 

operating years 2015 through 2025. The Diablo Canyon power plant will cease operation 

in August 2025. 

june 22 

All fourteen of San Luis Obispo County’s public libraries open to serve the public, with 

seven of the County’s smallest branches re-opening following fifteen months of closure 

after staff members were deployed as disaster service workers to support the county’s 

COVID-19 response.

REVIEW 

july 2 

Tommy Gong leaves his position as SLO County 

Clerk-Recorder to take a position as the Deputy 

County Clerk-Recorder for Contra Costa County. 

Elected to his post in 2014, he cites a desire to 

be closer to his elderly parents, as well as the 

contentious political environment following the 

November 2020 election. The Board of Supervisors 

will appoint a new interim clerk-recorder, and until 

then Gong’s duties will fall to two deputy clerks. 

july 11 

After hearing from SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow, Governor Gavin Newsom 

reverses a Board of Parole Hearing decision in March to release Royce Casey, one of three 

people convicted and sentenced to prison for the 1995 murder of Arroyo Grande High 

School freshman Elyse Pahler. Casey, along with two teenage accomplices, was convicted in 

1997 based on his plea to first degree murder. Dow argued that Casey remains a threat to 

public safety, as he “has never adequately explained why he participated in such a sadistic and 

heinous crime.” 

july 6 

SLO City Council returns to in-person meetings. 

Members of the general public looking to 

address an issue before the council can also 

speak in-person during public comment periods. 

You can also send a written email or video to 

emailcouncil@slocity.org, send a letter via U.S. 

mail, or call 805-781-7164 to leave a three-minute 

verbal comment. 

july 8 

The SLO County Regional Airport begins 

overnight rehabilitation work on its primary 

runway, including upgrading taxiway connectors, 

runway lights, and directional signs. Preparation 

for the $13.5 million project began months ago, 

and the construction calendar was designed to 

align with the airport’s commercial air traffic 

so that much of the work will be conducted at 

night when some flights have been rescheduled. 

It’s expected to be completed in early fall. 

july 9 

California Congressman Devin Nunes proposes 

HR 4394, the “Clean Energy Protection Act,” that 

would require the state to issue permits needed for 

the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to remain 

open. PG&E continues its decommissioning 

process announced in 2016, however, that will see 

its current permits expiring in 2025. 

july 14 

San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen denies a motion 

from the SLO County District Attorney’s Office to add two rape charges from 

Los Angeles against Paul Flores in the Kristin Smart murder case. During the 

2020 search of the murder defendant’s home located in San Pedro, California, 

investigators discovered “rape fantasy” videos as well as pornography that 

allegedly showed Flores raping an intoxicated woman. Rooyen called evidence 

of a sexual assault in the Smart case “weak” further explaining, “Proof of the 

LA charges can’t act as a substitute ... for the SLO case.” On that same day, 

documents were unsealed showing that twenty-nine women reported Flores’ 

history of violent sexual misconduct to investigators. Additionally, during the 

trial, the judge also moves discussion of a subpoena issued for Susan Flores, the 

mother of Paul Flores, until just prior to a preliminary hearing scheduled on 

August 2, at which time details about the investigation will be discussed in open 

court testimony for the first time. SLO LIFE 


| VIEW 

TRAIL LESS 

BY MARK NAKAMURA 

San Luis Obispo is synonymous with open space 

and an abundance of hiking. So, it won’t come 

as a surprise that some of the best trails I have 

explored are hidden right in our own backyard. 

Every Cal Poly student comes to know about the 

hike up to the “P” and Poly Canyon, but there 

are many more paths in the backcountry of the 

campus that are worthy of further exploration. 

My friend and fellow photographer David Pascolla showed 

me this new spot to hike out of Poly Canyon. Leaving 

at sunrise, even though it was overcast to start, I saw the 

landscape emerge from behind the veil of fog as it dissipated 

with the morning light. The pathway to the right drew me in. 

There are four things I look for in landscape photography: 

subject, lighting, composition, and the moment. The lighting 

was perfect. The subject was unveiling before me. I took 

out my Sony with my 24-105mm 

lens, handheld the camera, set it to 

“M” (manual), and dialed the focus to 

infinity, shutter speed to 1/125 of a 

second, and the aperture to f8. Then I 

composed the scenery in the viewfinder 

with the pathway to one side and took 

this image. 

After downloading the photos onto my 

computer, using the photo processing 

software Lightroom, I adjusted the 

exposure and added some contrast and 

increased the vibrance a bit. 

There’s always something exciting about 

discovering a new place even when it’s so 

close to home. SLO LIFE 

MARK NAKAMURA, pursues 

his passion in landscape 

photography as well as 

capturing the joys of 

weddings, families, events, 

and sports around the 

Central Coast. Find him on 

Instagram @nakamuraphoto 


TRAVELED 


| Q&A 

Anniversary 

Seventy-five years ago, an ambitious and enterprising young doctor 

named Edison French sized up the empty building on Marsh Street, 

formerly known as the San Luis Sanitarium, one last time before etching 

his name on the purchase agreement, the same one he put on the sign 

out front: French Hospital. Although he was a highly skilled surgeon, he 

also had an uncanny ability to entice others to the sleepy town on the 

Central Coast to work with him. While he did not recruit the hospital’s 

current President and CEO, it would not be a stretch to assert that 

Dr. French’s legacy lives on in ALAN IFTINIUK, who claims his most 

important work has been in “bringing the best people here.” We caught 

up with the executive to talk about life on the eve of his retirement at 

the end of next year. Here is some of what he had to say… 

Let’s take from the top, Alan, where 

are you from originally? I was born in 

Detroit, and my father worked for General 

Motors. When I was around four years old, 

he was transferred to a new research and 

development facility in the suburbs, which 

was considered to be out in the boondocks 

back then. So, we left the city for the suburbs. 

My father came from a very poor Romanian 

family, but it was always about education 

and working hard. And, as soon as you were 

able, you needed to go out and work. Not 

because my family needed the money, we 

were comfortable, but because it taught you 

lessons; it taught you important things about 

life. So, my first job was arranged when I 

was thirteen years old. Twice a week, I would 

go to a friend of my parents’ who owned a 

jewelry store. My job was to clean all the 

glass counters and the restrooms. 

And what did you do for fun? I was just 

talking to my grandkids about this the other 

day, because things are so different now. 

During the summer, we were told as kids, 

“Be home by streetlight,” which meant you 

had to be home for dinner, by the time the 

streetlights went on and the fireflies came 

out. And, so, all of us guys would get together, 

grab our baseball mitts and our bats, hop on 

our bikes and ride to the ballpark behind the 

school. We would play baseball all day until it 

started to get dark. And luckily, somebody’s 

mom inevitably would show up around 

lunchtime with peanut butter sandwiches or 

something like that. That’s what we did for 

fun, that’s how we spent our summers. I loved 

those days. 

How did you end up here? I was running 

a large hospital in Chicago and loving the 

heck out of it while my wife, Cathy, and I 

were raising our family, our two daughters, 

when I get a phone call from a close friend 

in San Francisco asking me to come out to 

join the turnaround team with him. Basically, 

they were part of a group, which was then 

part of Catholic Healthcare West, the 

precursor to Dignity Health, that was buying 

underperforming hospitals, fixing them 

up and improving them—in other words, 

turning them around. I agreed, somewhat 

reluctantly, frankly, and stayed there for 

almost five years when I became anxious to 

return to the Midwest because I had accepted 

a job to run another hospital in Chicago. 

What came next? So, when I told my friend 

that I was leaving, he said, “Okay, but before 

you go, do me a favor. Why don’t you and 

Cathy go to this little place called San 

Luis Obispo. It’s on the Central Coast of 

California. We’re thinking about buying a 

facility there called French Hospital.” He 

said, “Why don’t you go and just spend a 

week there? Don’t tell anybody who you are. 

And just come back and report to me what 

you think about that hospital before we make 

the final decision about whether or not to buy 

it.” So, we came here and spent a little time 

and then went back and told him, “Well, the 

people there are wonderful, an outstanding 

group of people, the town is beautiful, but the 

hospital is a mess—it needs a lot of work.” 

What did he say? He said, “Why don’t you 

run that hospital?” And I said, “No way, I 

don’t think so. I’ve already got a really big 

job waiting for me back in Chicago.” And he 

said, “Well, we’re close friends—just do me 

a favor. Give me two years.” Let me tell you, 

he’s a great salesman, and he convinced me 

to do it. So, I said to Cathy when we were 

on our way back to San Luis Obispo, “Don’t 

fall in love with this place because we’re only 

going to be here for two years. I’ll turn this 

hospital around and we’ll be back in Chicago 

in two years. So, don’t fall in love with it.” 

Well, that was eighteen years ago—we never 

left, and we never will. SLO LIFE 


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| NOW HEAR THIS 

Spirit and 

Skill 

BY JOE PAYNE 

PHOTO COURTESY OF GHOST/MONSTER 


It’s the long, hot summer and everyone is 

starving for sights and experiences—the food, 

drink, and live music that defines the SLO life. 

Co-founders of the group ghost/monster, Nataly Lola and Jaxon 

Camaero know that world well. Their “Indiana Jones” map of the 

Central Coast is drenched in red ink. The duo perform all the 

way from Paso Robles, Cambria, Morro Bay areas through to 

the Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, and Lompoc valley wine country 

venues, from tasting rooms and bars to farmers markets or 

festivals in vineyards. 

For Camaero, who plays lead guitar and sings for ghost/monster, 

live music is his bread and butter. The swell of support and 

response from locals for their reinvigorated live music scene after 

a long hiatus has been humbling and spiriting, he said. 

For some audience members, the experience becomes downright 

exuberant. “It’s like a rubber band, where everything was so tight 

before and now everyone is letting loose,” Camaero said. “It does 

feel like we’re back to our pre-COVID cadence. Nataly performs 

solo, I perform solo, we perform duo, and we perform with a full 

band. About once or twice a month we have full band gigs.” 

The band includes James Yerkes on bass and drummer Alen 

Doom, Camaero explained. The four-piece plays regular 

shows at venues like Liquid Nation in SLO, Cal Coast Beer 

in Paso, and larger venues welcoming in full bands. A sample 

of music and their list of upcoming gigs are available at 

ghostmonster.bandzoogle.com. 

Whatever configuration you see ghost/monster in, their love of 

popular music is impressive both for its expanse of time and genre 

but also their creativity and interpretation. But what happens 

when a full-time performing cover band is without venue for 

more than a year? 

The group got to work, Camaero said, with the end result of the 

band’s first full-length album, “new stars/new skyes.” The ten-song 

collection includes nine originals, with one cover, of course. The 

nine original songs are written by Lola and Camaero, and one song by Yerkes. 

“We were trying to survive COVID, just like any band,” Camaero said. “It was 

a confluence of good timing. We were able to all get on the same page.” 

Available online through streaming apps and for purchase, ghost/monster’s 

new album is the confluence of years of collaboration between Lola and 

Camaero. The two have toured the East and West Coasts in the same way they 

do the Central Coast, logging thousands of hours of time playing music and 

performing together. “The genesis of the success with Nataly and I with ghost/ 

monster is I believe we’re the perfect complement to each other,” he said. 

“She’s a singer who plays guitar, and I’m a guitar player who also sings. It’s just 

like a team.” 

Camaero’s lead guitar work is impressive and depthful. It’s easy to play 

electric guitar riffs from a can, but tell me something I’ve never heard 

before, something fresh and exciting, and I’m all ears. 

Lola’s relationship to ghost/monster as a serious 

vocal project is impressive, and her originals 

show her expressing something completely her 

own. Lola, whose skillful guitar work is almost 

underplayed by her voice, makes the spirit of 

each song. 

As she should, since she puts the “ghost” in ghost/ 

monster. The name comes from Lola’s love for 

horror films and everything paranormal, whereas 

Camaero craves a cryptozoological conspiracy 

theory from Nessie to Bigfoot, so he’s the “monster” 

part of the name. “A lot of people ask about the 

name,” he said. “It’s like a conversation piece. 

Instead of the classic two-name band, like Nataly 

and Jaxon, it’s ‘ghost/monster,’ which is us and what 

we’re into.” SLO LIFE 

JOE PAYNE is a 

journalist, as well as a 

lifelong musician and 

music teacher, who 

writes about the arts on 

the Central Coast. 



MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR | 

pro 

file 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY VANESSA PLAKIAS 

Thirty years ago, GRISEL PUIG-SNIDER handed out yet 

another fake phone number. But this one was different. 

And it’s why she’s here in now, in Los Osos, a place 

she likens to the tiny Puerto Rican village where she 

grew up, living off the land alongside her family and 

neighbors. Today, she runs a business called Left Coast 

Art Studio where she finds inspiration in teaching others 

the ways of her grandmother, a medicine woman who 

crafted remedies with her own hands. Here is her story… 


kay, Grisel, let’s talk about where you’re from. 

I was born and raised in the island of 

Borinquen, which is actually Puerto Rico. I 

call it Borinquen because that’s the native 

name, the Taínos Indians. So that’s where I’m 

from, and my whole family is still there. I’m 

the only one to have left. I come from a very 

beautiful, very small village called Dorado. 

It’s on the North side of the island, on the Obeach. Everyone around us, our neighbors, everybody there, we considered 

our family. And everything that we had, we grew. Cows, cotton plantations, 

bananas, everything that we consumed was grown by us, or the neighbors. 

As a community, we were always together. 

What did your parents do for a living? My dad used to work for the 

electric company in the island. His job was always busy because this is a 

place were we have hurricanes coming every year. We get storms every year 

and the electricity goes out. We don’t really have insurance down there, so 

everybody helps each other after the hurricane sweep. My dad would go, 

in the middle of the night, in the middle of hurricanes, and make sure that 

the people from the island had electricity. And then my beautiful mother, a 

native, she actually only went to school until middle school, to the eighth 

grade. From there, she went to work for this factory that came to the island. 

And, of course, she raised all of us, her four daughters. 

How was life in the village? My childhood there was a very special one. I 

remember being very young, maybe five years old, and going with my dad to 

pick the beans from coffee trees, then coming home and roasting them on a 

big fire behind the house. It was my job to grind the coffee with my hands. 

And then, after that, I would go milk the goat. And we’d make fresh coffee 

with fresh cream. So, yes, growing up in the island was beautiful. And I owe 

everything I am today to my upbringing where the culture, and tradition, 

and community, and music, and food was so much a part of everyone’s life. 

What were you like as a kid? Oh, as a kid, in those early years, I was 

very shy. But, I’ve always had this thing, where I just love people, I love 

humans. And so, I was always involved in helping in any way that I could. 

Sometimes that was with the homeless, feeding them, and then when I 

was a teenager, I got really involved with helping to comfort people who 

had AIDS. That was back when people were so afraid of the disease, they 

thought it was contagious. So, I spent a lot of time at the orphanage to be 

there with these little kids that were just left in beds until they died. I was 

very committed to it. Instead of celebrating a holiday, I would go there 

to be with them, to hold the babies. So, as a child, I have always felt this 

incredible love for humans. I can’t express why, but I love people. I see so 

much beauty in others, so that’s all I did. And it was really hard for my 

family because they wanted me to spend time with them. But I wanted to 

be with the kids. 

Wow, that’s not the everyday teenage experience. What came next? Okay, 

let’s see, I was going to university, Sacred Heart University. I was studying 

for hotel administration. And I was also working at the Hard Rock Café, 

which had recently opened in Puerto Rico. You know, when you work at a 

bar there’s a lot of people that ask you for your phone number, so I made all 

of these little pieces of paper with fake phone numbers on them so I could 

be prepared. I didn’t want to hurt their feelings or make anyone upset, so I’d 

just say, “Sure, here you go.” So, I mean, you have to hustle a little bit when 

>> 



you’re a girl, right? Especially in the islands, right? And that little 

trick always worked, except for one time. 

What happened? Well, it was my second year there, I think it was 

in ’92, and there was a group of guys that came in from the United 

States right as we were closing. One of them said, “I’m from Notre 

Dame.” And I was like, “What is Notre Dame?” And he’s like, “You 

don’t know Notre Dame?” And I said, “No.” So, then he was telling 

me about how he played football, and that they had won some 

championship. Football is not a big thing in the island, so I didn’t 

really know what he was talking about. Then he asked for my phone 

number, and I didn’t have one of my fake papers, so I just gave him 

my mom’s phone number instead. It was the first thing that popped 

into my head. I didn’t live with her, and she doesn’t speak English, so 

I figured that would be the end of it and I’d never see him again. But 

he showed up again the next day and said, “Hey, the phone number is 

wrong.” Long story short, we end up getting to know each other and 

dating. And, as it turned out, he was from Paso Robles. 

So, that’s how you end up here… Yes, we were married for eleven 

years and had two amazing kids—Ysabel, who is now twenty-one 

and becoming a firefighter; and, Aidan, who is twenty and goes to 

the University of Oregon. So, then, a few years later, I was remarried, 

and we have an eight-year-old boy, Alexander. After the divorce, 

we moved to Los Osos and, let me tell you, that first day there for 

us, it was very clear that this was home. I feel exactly the same way 

that I felt being raised in the island, in my little village. I remember 

unpacking everything from the car and everything we were going 

through with the divorce—the sadness, the loss, the loneliness—and 

being so scared. But I’ll never forget that first day, getting tulips from 

the neighbors, and cookies, the fresh kale and garlic, everyone saying, 

“Welcome.” I would try to thank them, but they would say, “You don’t >> 


ai161437639511_SLO Life Mag March 2021.pdf 1 2/26/2021 1:53:16 PM 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 


have to thank us, we just want to welcome you.” It is still the same 

today. Those same people have become our family. 

Now, is this when you launched your company? Yes, I guess you can 

stay that. It was during that time that I developed my own line of 

skin care products. I’m actually an herbalist. I teach about medicinal 

plants. In the island, when I used to live there, my grandmother was 

someone they would call a medicine woman. And my dad as well. 

He and my grandmother worked with plants. If someone was sick in 

the village, or was not feeling good, or was having a headache, they 

would come to my grandmother, and she would dig up roots from 

under the ground and mix them together with some other things to 

make a remedy. And so, that’s how I began with my line of skincare 

products, using the same things that I learned as a child, because of 

my grandmother and my dad. 

What came next for you? One day, the owner of the Left Coast Art 

Studio said, “I have to be honest, I’m going into the nursing program, 

and I don’t know what to do with my studio. I think I’m going to 

quit.” And then she said, “Hey, how about you take over? You like 

it a lot and you live in Los Osos.” And I thought it was a joke, so I 

laughed. But a couple of days later, I was saying to myself, “Man, was 

she serious about that?” I was so afraid to ask her, because coming 

from a different country, into United States, and trying to have a 

business, that could be a little bit challenging, and my English was not 

perfect. So, I was afraid, but I also felt this desire of wanting to create 

something in this town where I can give back to this community 

that has given me so much love and support. So, I worked up enough 

courage to call her. She didn’t answer, so I left a message. One day 

went by, then another, so I figured that was the end of it. Finally, a 

week later she calls me back. It turns out that she had been camping 

in the mountains and there was no reception. We met to talk it over 

and she said, “I think you will be perfect for this community.” And so, 

I purchased the business.>> 


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How were you feeling? Honestly, I was just so excited. Coming from my 

background where everything was done by hand, it was very exciting. And 

to share that with the community, so our kids can get some knowledge, 

and participate is the best part. And it’s a healing process too. So, my art, 

specifically, is plant medicine. I do a lot of workshops on how to make 

tinctures with medicinal plants, how to use plant-based ingredients, like 

walnut skin, or avocado pits, to create colors for textiles and fabrics. Right 

now, that’s what I’m teaching again, the sacred art of self-care. We all 

need self-care. Self-care is not selfish, it’s what allows us to function in 

life, so we can help our families and others—it’s joyful. And I volunteer, 

mostly at Morro Bay High School, usually with the biology teacher, or the 

chemistry teacher, and we will do these humongous group classes, where 

they will make their own lip balm, for example. 

What does your business mean to you now? So, having this 

business—this beautiful, charming, sacred, special, magical space— 

where our community can come to learn skills, and empower one 

another, and support one another, and walk together into this journey, 

and cross-pollinate with knowledge and skills, and supporting local 

artists, from this community. I just feel so blessed to have made it 

through the shut down last year. And now coming together with the 

community to heal through this trauma, that we just went through— 

and create things that, now, are coming with more meaning. So, I 

guess if there’s one thing that I want to say, it’s just how blessed I feel 

in this community, to be part of it. We’re a family, and I cannot wait 

to continue sharing with everyone. You always want to do something 

better for the collective, for the Earth. However, we forget that the 

main part is your immediate family, and that it goes from there. So, in 

my case, Los Osos is my immediate family. I want to find a way that 

we can be seen, to show the that we can create beauty in this area, and 

to have a place where we can all heal, and create, and learn, and help 

one another. SLO LIFE 


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| AUTHOR 

LOCAL READ 

Answering the Call 

of Caregiving 

BY BRIAN SCHWARTZ 

love the opportunity to meet people whose desire to help others is so strong 

that they are willing to put in the necessary time and energy to research, 

write, and publish their wisdom. Whether or not it’s true that 80% of us want 

to write a book, closer to 1% actually get it done. Add getting a Ph.D. to that, 

and that percentage gets even smaller. 

IThat’s why, whenever I meet an author, especially one who is also a Ph.D., I can’t 

help but admire their extraordinary level of dedication and determination. 

Edward Smink, Ph.D. is no exception. He’s dedicated the last fifty years of his 

life to being a registered nurse, pastoral counselor, and executive leader. His 

passion is to connect with caregivers who are experiencing compassion fatigue. 

He compares overcoming compassion fatigue to eating an elephant one bite 

at a time—and for caregivers, one step at a time. Exploring this process is the 

question he set out to answer in his book “The Soul of Caregiving, A Caregiver’s 

Guide to Healing and Transformation.” 

What prompted you to write this book? Reflecting on a life of nearly fifty 

years as a caregiver in multiple healthcare and leadership roles gives me pause 

to seek to find a voice and be heard. There are many reasons why one would 

want to write a book, and as a caregiver, something within me aches to share 

the insights and wisdom that I hold as a sacred treasure. I want to reach out 

to all who care selflessly for others. I want to say that the scars or interior 

wounds that you experience as caregivers are invitations to rediscover your 

soul. You are not alone. You are not going mad when your soul aches because 

you have cared. 

How do caregivers build up resilience? Resilience is built by caregivers 

developing self-care practices that include reflection on their experiences. 

They overcome the cultural mores of not trusting their 

teammates or families; of not talking about their stories so 

as to be heard; and not stuffing their feelings so as to speak 

openly about their emotions in how their normal human 

reactions to abnormal traumatic events affected them. 

What’s the takeaway for readers? As the title suggests, 

my hope is caregivers will rediscover their soul of 

caregiving. It is not a how-to book, but one that will 

encourage the reader to reflect on their experiences. After 

each chapter there are questions that can assist the reader. 

What was the greatest 

challenge you faced in getting 

published? The greatest 

challenge I faced was believing 

I had something to say, and to 

find a publishing consultant 

that supported my vision. 

In addition to being an author, 

Smink is a certified coach for 

caregivers, speaker, and presenter 

for organizations seeking ways 

to better cope with compassion 

fatigue, burnout, and strategies for 

self-care. He lives in Atascadero 

and can be reached via his website: 

soulofcaregiving.com SLO LIFE 

BRIAN SCHWARTZ is a 

publishing consultant and 

advocate for local authors. 

He can be reached at 

brian@selfpublish.org. 


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| ARTIST 

PROFILE 

Ian 

Pines 

BY JEFF AL-MASHAT 

T 

here is Francis Bacon, and there is also Francis Bacon. The 

Irish-born, influential 20th century painter, known for his 

dramatic and sometimes grotesque works, is among the many 

influences of San Luis Obispo’s Ian Pines. But Pines also 

seems highly influenced by the 16th century’s Francis Bacon, 

often considered the father of the scientific method, which 

involves intensive investigation, countering observations with 

skepticism, refining conclusions, and continuing to build upon 

learned knowledge. 

Pines’ process of making art seems to reflect this method. As 

he paints, he explores his ideas, which often deal with conflicts 

between human progress and decay, by moving paint around 

the canvas, building up layers, and making adjustments as 

he establishes successful brushstrokes and marks. While he 

explores introspections on the canvas, he adds to ideas with 

more paint, and then wipes some away, only to reapply it later 

as the idea develops further. In some cases, his paintings are 

reworked over and over for months and even years. There is a 

delving into the subject matter that some might call obsessive, 

but upon learning more about his process, it resembles a 

disciplined investigation. 

“I always loved science. I liked working out problems. I 

enjoyed experimenting and exploring,” says Pines. “The biggest 

challenge was how long the process took.” 

Then Pines took an art class in high school and loved the 

immediacy of the process: “I was able to explore the universe, 

and things like the effect that technology is having on our 

landscape, but with paint, I could work with them in real time.” 

Pines creates entangled grids and intricate structures painted 

with muted earth tones that call to mind organic, bodily fluids, 

rather than the sleek greys and vivid colors more commonly 

associated with technology. “I am 

ultimately interested in the effect that 

technology is having on the earth and 

our landscape,” Pines notes. 

There is a futuristic feeling to the 

pieces. At the same time, there is also 

a malaise that is reminiscent of the 

landscapes in 70’s dystopian films like 

Mad Max and the original Westworld. 

The influence of 20th century Bacon 

contemporaries, including Philip 

Guston and Lucian Freud, is evident. 

All, including Pines, are commenting 

on the fact that living takes its toll on 

humanity. SLO LIFE 

JEFF AL-MASHAT is a 

writer and visual artist with 

an MFA in painting from 

Georgia State University. He 

lives in Grover Beach. 



| EXPLORE 

Glory 

Days 

BY PADEN HUGHES 

Where did you spend countless hours with your 

friends during your high school years? So many 

of us have old haunts that bring back some of 

our favorite memories. For many Morro Bay 

and San Luis Obispo locals, Flippo’s was one of 

those places. 

Built in 1963 by the Dickerson family, Flippo’s 

was a classic roller rink located across from 

Morro Bay High School—it also happened to 

be the go-to place for local kids to hangout and 

celebrate birthdays with friends. After nearly 

forty years in business, it closed in 2001. I 

moved to San Luis Obispo as a college student 

three years later and had never heard of the 

place until this summer when I learned that two 

friends, Larry Guesno and Von Odermatt, both retired, 

decided to buy the Flippo’s building located near the 

corresponding RV park owned by Guesno. 

With a plan in mind, the pair set out to restore the heart 

of Flippo’s by offering family fun and providing a safe 

environment for kids to enjoy after school and during 

the weekends. Building renovations got underway but 

they decided to give the entertainment center a facelift 

by ditching the skates and introducing batting cages 

instead. Both owners have visions to bring in pool tables, 

corn hole, and host a variety of community events and 

activities—dubbing the place a sports arcade and cafe. 

Last week, our family decided to book a thirty-minute 

slow pitch session to check it out for ourselves. 

During the fifteen-minute drive from SLO to Morro Bay, 

our daughter, Kennedy, questioned why we wanted to go 

to a place full of cages? And, furthermore, why we would 

want to get inside one? 

When’s the last time you tried to sell a four-year-old on 

going to a batting cage? Or, even tried to explain what a 

batting cage is? 

But everyone enjoyed it—especially my husband, Michael. 

It transported him down memory lane to his Little 

League days. His muscle memory was strong, and he 

TIP! 

Cage rentals start 

at fifteen minutes 

for $14 and can be 

reserved for up to 

an hour for $40. 

You can book a 

time slot online 

at mbflippos.com 

for individuals or 

groups. 


loved hearing the crack of the bat. He also had fun coaching 

Kennedy on how to hold a bat and hearing her make contact for 

the first time. For me, it was the joy of watching our two-yearold, 

Jackson, drag a baseball bat behind him as he marched along, 

helmet firmly placed backward atop his head. 

While it’s nothing fancy, the return of Flippo’s certainly lived 

up to its reputation. It will no doubt be a place kids enjoy 

playing with their friends, making memories, and practicing 

their swings. 

For us, it will always be the place where my kids were 

introduced to baseball by their dad. And, that makes it pretty 

darn special. SLO LIFE 

PADEN HUGHES is 

co-owner of Gymnazo 

and enjoys exploring 

the Central Coast. 


| ON THE RISE 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 

Tate Isaacs 

As a member of the National Society of High School 

Scholars and an active participant in Future Famers of 

America, this San Luis Obispo High School senior 

is ready to take on the next adventure. 

What recognition have you received? I’ve received the mayor’s award for community service, 

I won the sectional FFA SAE (supervised agricultural experience) competition, I was elected 

and served on SLO High’s FFA officer team. I received a $1,000 grant from the student grant 

program to improve the school. I also started the mountain bike club at SLO High and I have 

been the president for the past three years. 

What do you like to do outside of school? I ride on our local mountain bike team, practice 

martial arts at USAMA, and rock climb at The Pad. I like to surf every now and then, work 

on my car, and go backpacking and camping whenever I can. I also like to work on projects 

around the house, write poetry, listen to music, and even slackline. 

What is one of your favorite memories? I think one of my favorite memories was a 

backpacking trip my family took up to a place called Cottonwood Lakes. It was an awesomely 

beautiful place and more importantly I was just a young kid with not a care in the world, just 

having fun trying to ski down snow patches and jump into freezing cold lakes. 

Do you have a career path in mind? I plan on becoming a wildland firefighter during the 

summer months and then I plan on trying a variety of other jobs during the winter and spring 

months. I want to become a wildland firefighter because I love the outdoors and the career 

seems difficult but fulfilling. 

If you won $1 million, what would you do with it? I would buy a piece of property and then 

start a farm and a makerspace where anyone and everyone could come and bring their ideas 

come to life. This is what I plan to try and accomplish with my life anyway but $1 million 

dollars would just significantly speed it up. 

What has influenced you the most? My parents have always been awesome role models, 

leading the way in showing how to be a genuine and kind person. As far as experiences, I have 

to say all the different times I’ve been in nature have had probably the greatest effect on me. 

Whether that be teaching me how to be calm in sketchy situations or just allowing for a deep 

breath and some relaxation—all of my experiences in nature have had their ups and downs but 

each one is special and has shaped me into the person I’ve become. 

If you could go back in history and meet anyone, who would it be? I think I would go back 

and meet John Muir. I think he had such a profound connection to nature, one that was both 

insightful, inquisitive, appreciative, and most importantly, infectious. I would love to go back 

in time to meet him and maybe be infected with just a little bit of his passion and glean maybe 

just a little bit of both his vast technical and emotional knowledge of the natural world. 

What is it that you look forward to most? I am looking forward to all the new experiences 

I’m bound to have in these next years of life along with all the new things I’m going to create 

and become a part of as I meet new people and explore new places; and simply just the 

connections and relationships I will build and continue to grow. 

What are your plans after high school? I’m not necessarily planning on going to college right 

away—I have a feeling I will probably end up going to college or some higher education at 

some point in my life, but for right now I plan on going straight into wildland firefighting. 

Know a student On the Rise? 

Email us at info@slolifemagazine.com 


SLO LIFE

"I adore how my children come home from a school day 

bubbling over with excitement about everything they did 

that day. They argue about who gets to share the details of 

their school day first...it was THAT exciting. And just what is 

it they are so excited about? In-depth learning about 

historical events and people, literature discussions and 

projects, hands on science, math games they love, the 

creation of beautiful artwork...the list goes on. Such depth 

and richness to it all. Yes, this may seem a simple answer 

but it continues to strike me again and again. These kids 

are loving learning whether they realize it or not." 

–Valerie, parent of three 

now enrolling at all grades: sloclassical.org 


| DWELLING 

SEAMLESS 


STYLE 

BY 

ZARA KHAN 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY 

DAVID LALUSH 


Aconsistent design style that is carried 

throughout the interior of a home helps to make it feel 

cohesive. Oftentimes, the exterior of a home isn’t taken 

into consideration when deciding which design style to 

pursue in the interior. When Liz and David Crabtree 

first moved into their Templeton home eleven years 

ago, they knew there was a disconnect between the 

Mediterranean exterior and the interior, but never quite 

knew how to connect the two. 

While a renovation and update 

were on the list of wants, 

busy schedules were not on 

their side. The Crabtrees have 

always been an active part of 

the local scene. Widely known 

for his involvement in real 

estate, David is the broker with 

Sotheby’s Realty in Templeton. 

As owner and operator of 

the boutique clothing store, 

Textures, Liz ran the brickand-mortar 

location in San 

Luis Obispo for ten years. >> 

In addition to being an 

interior designer, ZARA KHAN 

is also a shoe aficionado and 

horror movie enthusiast. 


sssse 

— W A L T W H I T M A N 

R A M S E YA S P H A LT. C O M 


After their children grew up, she joined her husband 

part time at the real estate office. Things slowed down 

just enough so that they finally felt like it was time to 

bring in a designer and come up with a game plan to 

bring cohesive style to their home. 

They appreciated the Mediterranean exterior and 

wanted to carry it into the interior, but make sure their 

selections both updated their home and brought them 

closer to their design style: Modern Mediterranean— 

transforming the builder spec home into a custom home 

that was a reflection of their style. They enlisted the 

help of Arianna Lovato of Honeycomb Home Design 

to help identify key areas to update. They knew upon 

meeting with her, she was the right fit. They felt like 

Lovato really listened to their ideas and her easygoing 

personality made the process enjoyable. >> 



Initially plans were to select some new paint colors to 

give the home a fresh feel, but it snowballed from there. 

Lovato knew the bones of the home were beautiful, 

it just needed to be updated and given a clear design 

identity. They started by integrating more clean lines 

and classic materials into the home. Bringing in Reggie 

Brard of ProBilt Inc. for construction, the Crabtrees 

were impressed by his professionalism and knew he was 

truly on their team, really working in their best interest. 

While the cabinets were still in great shape, and they 

had no complaints about the way the kitchen was laid 

out from a function standpoint, they opted to change 

out the cabinet door and drawer fronts for a new style. 

But the finish proved to be more challenging, and it 

took several attempts to get the new glaze just right. 

They upgraded their appliances and with new quartz 

countertops from Pacific Shore Stones, and a statement 

pattern backsplash tile from Mr. Tom’s Tile, the kitchen 

was completely transformed. >> 


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Their dining room was not as straight forward. They 

wanted to add personality in this space and started by 

exploring different wallpapers. Lovato wanted to make 

a bold design statement and suggested upholstering the 

entire wall for a unique focal piece. This was not only a 

design element, it also helped with sound dampening. The 

Crabtrees were on board and loved the idea. They worked 

closely with Shelli Palma, at Palma Home, to bring the 

upholstered wall to life. They pulled the rest of the dining 

space together by recovering the existing dining chairs, 

adding cornice boxes and new drapery. This is by far one of 

Lovato’s personal favorite spaces. >> 



In the master bathroom, they retained the original 

floorplan, but updated all of the plumbing fixtures. 

The showers are now designed to be curb-less with 

no glass and feature a light marble focal tile in the 

shower and on the tub surround. A major change from 

the previously dark colors in the home. In the guest 

bathroom, they completely reconfigured the space, 

removing the tub altogether and increasing the size of 

the shower. >> 


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When taking on a project of this magnitude, Lovato 

suggests having your team in place and plan in 

hand before starting your project. Make sure all 

the selections have been picked out and ordered to 

eliminate possible delays with material back orders. 

Be sure to always keep an open line of communication 

with your team. They want you to be happy at the end 

of the project and want you to love the space as much 

as they do. >>


The Crabtrees have a few pieces 

of advice when taking on a similar 

project. Don’t start until you have a 

vision and if you can’t put your finger 

on how you want your home to look, 

think about how you want it to feel. 

They believe that when you enlist 

a designer and builder to help with 

your project you need to trust them 

and communicate well. When asked 

about the success of their project, 

they attribute it to the team they put 

together. SLO LIFE 

DAVID LALUSH is an 

architectural photographer 

here in San Luis Obispo. 


HOME & 

HEALTH 

Expo 

August 21& 22, 2021 

AT THE PASO ROBLES EXPO CENTER 

10AM - 4PM 

HOME & 

HEALTH 

Expo 

September 18 & 19, 2021 

AT THE ALEX MADONNA EXPO CENTER 

10AM - 4PM 

FREE ADMISSION & PARKING 

InspiredExpos.com 

Custom lighting 

fixtures proudly 

made by hand 

right here on the 

Central Coast. 

HANS 

DUUS 

BLACKSMITH INC 

2976 INDUSTRIAL PARKWAY . SANTA MARIA . 805-570-0019 

HANSDUUS@GMAIL.COM . HANSDUUSBLACKSMITH.COM 


| SLO CITY 

REAL ESTATE 

BY THE NUMBERS 

laguna 

lake 

tank 

farm 

cal poly 

area 

country 

club 

down 

town 

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 































2020 

30 

$782,523 

$778,436 

99.48% 

12 

2020 

20 

$790,045 

$777,790 

98.45% 

13 

2020 

13 

$1,027,692 

$1,048,000 

101.98% 

7 

2020 

9 

$1,132,222 

$1,090,800 

96.34% 

32 

2020 

31 

$952,581 

$925,378 

97.14% 

11 

2020 

20 

$844,670 

$844,975 

100.04% 

18 

2020 

29 

$1,029,910 

$1,006,065 

97.68% 

29 

2021 

49 

$764,975 

$774,536 

101.25% 

7 


39 

$938,909 

$935,061 

99.59% 

9 


29 

$1,136,564 

$1,154,572 

101.58% 

8 


15 

$1,357,933 

$1,366,624 

100.64% 

7 


53 

$946,851 

$954,052 

100.76% 

11 


20 

$925,415 

$937,075 

101.26% 

10 


35 

$1,079,671 

$1,119,955 

103.73% 

8 

+/- 

63.33% 

-2.24% 

-0.50% 

1.77% 

-41.67% 

+/- 

95.00% 

18.84% 

20.22% 

99.10% 

-30.77% 

+/- 

123.08% 

10.59% 

10.17% 

-0.40% 

14.29% 

+/- 

66.67% 

19.94% 

25.29% 

4.30% 

-78.13% 

+/- 

70.97% 

-0.60% 

3.10% 

3.62% 

0.00% 

+/- 

0.00% 

9.56% 

10.90% 

1.22% 

-44.44% 

+/- 

20.69% 

4.83% 

11.32% 

6.05% 

-72.41% 

*Comparing 01/01/20 - 07/21/20 to 01/01/21 - 07/21/21 

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS ® 



RATE %% 

15.00 

14.00 

Mortgage 

rates are still 

historically low 

According to to Freddie Mac, rates hit hit their 

lowest level in in nearly 50 50 years.* However, 

this could change. 

Work with a a mortgage company that can offer 

low rates and a a fast, transparent process: 

• • In-house underwriting and closing 

• • 24-hour underwriting turn times* 

• • Jumbo financing experts 

13.00 

12.00 

11.00 11.00 

10.00 

9.00 9.00 

8.00 8.00 

7.00 7.00 

6.00 6.00 

5.00 5.00 

4.00 4.00 

HISTORIC 

LOW RATES 

2.94%2 

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2019 2020 2021 

Let’s keep the conversation going. Contact us us today. 

Donna Lewis 

Ken Neate 

Branch Manager & & 

SVP SVP of of Mortgage Lending 

SVP SVP of of Mortgage Lending 

O: O: (805) 335-8743 

O: O: (805) 706-8074 

C: C: (805) 235-0463 

C: C: (925) 963-1015 

donna.lewis@rate.com 

ken.neate@rate.com 

Maggie Koepsell 

VP VP of of Mortgage Lending 

O: O: (805) 335-8742 

C: C: (805) 674-6653 

maggie.koepsell@rate.com 

Ermina Karim 


Dylan Morrow 


Luana Geradis 


O: O: (805) 329-4095 

C: C: (805) 602-0248 

ermina.karim@rate.com 

Elieen Mackenzie 


O: O: (805) 335-8738 

C: C: (805) 550-9742 

dylan.morrow@rate.com 

Matthew Janetski 


O: O: (805) 329-4087 

C: C: (707) 227-9582 

luana.gerardis@rate.com 

Joe Hutson 


O: O: (805) 212-5204 

C: C: (831) 566-9908 

eileen.mackenzie@rate.com 

Lisa Renelle 


O: O: (805) 329-4092 

C: C: (619) 300-2651 

matt.janetski@rate.com 

Zoe Thompson 

Licensed Sales Assistant 

O: O: (831) 205-1582 

C: C: (831) 212-4138 

joe.hutson@rate.com 

O: O: (805) 456-5344 

C: C: (805) 674-2931 

O: O: (805) 335-8737 

lisa.renelle@rate.com 

zoe.thompson@rate.com 

Rate.com/SanLuisObispo 

1065 Higuera St., Suite 100, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 

SOURCE: “Mortgage Rates Rates Hit Hit All-Time Low.” Low.” Freddie Mac, Mac, 5 Mar. 5 Mar. 2020, 2020, www.freddiemac.com/pmms/. 

Average yearly yearly interest rates rates illustrated in this in this graph graph are are based based on on annual averages as as listed listed on on www.freddiemac.com/pmms/pmms30.htm, based based on on rates rates for for 30-Year fixed-rate mortgages. 

Donna Donna Lewis Lewis NMLS NMLS #245945; CA CA - CA-DOC245945 - | | | Ken | Ken Neate Neate NMLS NMLS #373607; CA CA - CA-DBO373607 - | | | Maggie | Koepsell NMLS NMLS #704130; CA CA - CA-DBO704130 - | Dylan | Dylan Morrow NMLS NMLS 

#1461481; CA CA - CA-DBO1461481 - | Eileen | Eileen Mackenzie NMLS NMLS #282909 | Joe | Joe Hutson NMLS NMLS #447536; CA CA - CA-DOC447536 - | Luana | Luana Gerardis NMLS NMLS #1324563; CA CA - CA-DBO1324563 - | Matthew | Kanetski NMLS NMLS #1002317; CA CA 

- CA-DBO1002317 - | Lisa | Lisa Renelle NMLS NMLS #269785; CA-DOC269785 

Guaranteed Rate, Rate, Inc.; Inc.; NMLS NMLS #2611; For For licensing information visit visit nmlsconsumeraccess.org. • CA: • CA: Licensed by by the the Department of Business of Oversight under under the the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act Act 


We’re the 

grilled cheese 

of mortgage 

lenders. 

The entire team at CrossCountry 

took a potentially stressful process 

and filled it with a sense of ease 

and humanity. Like going in to see 

your dentist, but then instead of 

making your gums bleed, he makes 

you a grilled cheese sandwich. 

| SLO COUNTY 

REAL ESTATE 

REGION 

Arroyo Grande 

Atascadero 

BY THE NUMBERS 

NUMBER OF 

HOMES SOLD 

2020 

154 

171 


204 

211 

AVERAGE DAYS 

ON MARKET 

2020 

24 

11 


7 

5 

MEDIAN SELLING 

PRICE 

2020 

$813,711 

$590,698 


$973,108 

$708,139 

Avila Beach 

8 

18 

35 

8 

$1,158,111 

$2,012,583 

— Jacob C. 

Cambria/San Simeon 

69 

98 

46 

9 

$799,966 

$1,040,367 

Sometimes our 

clients say it best. 

Call or email today 

to buy or refi! 

Cayucos 

Creston 

Grover Beach 

27 

3 

66 

34 

7 

91 

100 

52 

12 

8 

14 

5 

$1,223,900 $1,479,444 

$1,047,000 $1,017,143 

$584,220 $701,309 

Los Osos 

62 

71 

15 

5 

$691,952 

$835,339 

Morro Bay 

62 

90 

53 

8 

$686,393 

$1,036,357 

Nipomo 

108 

158 

33 

8 

$700,593 

$815,341 

Oceano 

32 

32 

41 

6 

$556,352 

$635,755 

Ben Lerner 

Pismo Beach 

61 

88 

32 

6 

$1,014,126 

$1,242,516 

805.441.9486 

www.blerner.com 

ben.lerner@myccmortgage.com 

Paso (Inside City Limits) 

Paso (North 46 - East 101) 

174 

27 

250 

28 

14 

22 

6 

9 

$535,149 

$663,559 

$590,738 

$829,941 

Paso (North 46 - West 101) 

54 

68 

52 

12 

$611,204 

$950,010 

Paso (South 46 - East 101) 

28 

38 

28 

10 

$652,946 

$830,331 


184 

284 

15 

8 

$923,633 

$1,033,820 

994 Mill St, Ste 200 - San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 

Equal Housing Opportunity. All loans subject to 

underwriting approval. Certain restrictions apply. Call for 

details. NMLS3029 NMLS2131793 NMLS395723 

(www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) CrossCountry Mortgage, 

LLC. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection 

and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage 

Lending Act. Refinancing may result in higher total finance 

charges over the life of the loan. 


Santa Margarita 

Templeton 

Countywide 

11 

62 

1,318 

19 

97 

1,778 

*Comparing 01/01/20 - 7/21/20 to 01/01/21 - 07/21/21 

37 8 $531,855 

36 9 $840,601 

23 7 $724,752 

$800,729 

$1,060,866 

$883,647 

SOURCE: San Luis Obispo Association of REALTORS ® 

SLO LIFE

Transform Your Personal Nature 

www.GardensbyGabriel.com 805-215-0511 lic.# 887028 

Audio/Video . Lighting . Shading . Automation . Surveillance 

1320 Van Beurden Drive . Suite 102 . Los Osos 

(866) 633-7000 . www.coastalhomeworks.com 

Contact us today to design an Outdoor Entertainment System, just in time for summer ! 


Chicory 

Root 

| HEALTH 

A classic coffee replacement makes a comeback as a healthy powerhouse. 

BY LAUREN HARVEY 

C 

hicory root coffee may now seem like a 

specialty, unique to the gastronomy of 

New Orleans, but this plant has a much 

more pervasive history. From France 

to ancient Egypt to Africa, it seems 

chicory has an international culinary 

and cultural influence unexpected from 

a plant with bright blue flowers related 

to the dandelion. 

More recently, chicory has been 

flaunted as an inconspicuous herb 

packed with powerful health benefits. 

With claims of being heart-friendly to 

those as drastic as having 

the power to reduce the 

risk of diabetes, this 

humble plant has a big 

reputation to live up to. 

So what is it exactly about 

a common perennial that 

gives it these beneficial 

characteristics? Today we’ll 

find out the science behind 

these claims and where 

to get your own taste of 

chicory right here on the 

Central Coast. >> 

LAUREN HARVEY is a 

creative writer fueled by a 

love of cooking, adventure, 

and naps in the sun. 


Celebrating 75 years of caring 

for our community. 

This year, French Hospital Medical Center celebrates 

75 years of providing exceptional care to the residents 

of San Luis Obispo. 

Since French Hospital first opened its doors in 

1946, the facility has evolved to meet the needs 

of our growing community, and is now nationally 

recognized for safety, patient experience, cardiac care, 

orthopedics, stroke treatment, and maternity. 

From the beginning, we made a commitment to provide 

excellent health care for every stage of life, combining 

physicians from top medical schools, the latest 

advanced technologies, and safe, quality care for 

our community. 

Today, as our community continues to grow, French 

Hospital remains committed to being at the forefront of 

health care. As such, we are building Your New French 

Hospital, which will transform the current campus and 

set the standard for care on the Central Coast, well 

into the future. 

French Hospital has deep roots here, and strong 

partnerships that have formed over our many years of 

service, and we are incredibly proud to serve this great 

community. We look forward to the future of our facility 

and serving you for years to come! 

Alan Iftiniuk 

President and CEO 

French Hospital Medical Center 

Your New French Hospital. 

GoBeyondHealth.org 


RICH HISTORY 

Chicory is making a comeback. While it may have faded 

from popularity, only to surge on the health scene in recent 

years, chicory has a rich, intercontinental history where it 

was popularly used as an herbal medicine throughout Asia 

and Europe. “Historically, chicory was grown by the ancient 

Egyptians as a medicinal plant, coffee substitute, vegetable 

crop, and occasionally used for animal forage,” notes a 2013 

scientific review led by Renée Street. This hardy plant became 

a staple around the globe, from South Africa, where the 

roots are “made into a tea for jaundice and used as a tonic 

for infants,” to Turkey, where “an ointment is made from the 

leaves for wound healing.” 

In France, chicory became a commercial crop after Napoléon 

Bonaparte encouraged citizens to drink local chicory root 

coffee instead of imported colonial coffee. As citizens embraced 

this local coffee alternative, demand skyrocketed. In his book 

“Coffee and Chicory,” 19th century author Peter Simmonds, 

“estimated demand for chicory to be a whopping 16 million 

pounds around 1860 in France.” 

In Louisiana, New Orleans embraced chicory as a coffee 

replacement when “their port was blockaded during the Civil 

War,” notes a 2020 publication by Marie Viljoen. “The Great 

Depression and two world wars propelled chicory into the 

20th century, where it came to represent deprivation for many.” 

Others embraced chicory so greatly it became preferable to its 

bitter, caffeinated counterpart. 

Now, it seems chicory has come full circle, with recent accolades 

as a healthful addition to everyday life. With roots as an herbal 

medicine, and more people growing increasingly wary of the 

disadvantages of caffeine present in traditional coffee, chicory 

seems to easily fill a void between the two. Though the science 

behind the claims is relatively slim, early findings are promising. 

SCIENCE OF CHICORY 

Preliminary studies on chicory revealed it to be a “multipurpose plant that 

contains high amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and mineral elements,” notes 

Street. However, it appeared chicory contained a secret ingredient, inulin. 

“Inulin is a type of fiber … a carbohydrate made from a short chain of fructose 

molecules that your body doesn’t digest,” explains Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD. 

What does this mean for our digestive system? Inulin is a prebiotic, an 

essential counterpart to probiotics. This means inulin, Streit clarifies, “feeds the 

beneficial bacteria in your gut that play key roles in reducing inflammation, 

fighting harmful bacteria and improving mineral absorption.” 

However, chicory may provide a plethora of health benefits beyond prebiotics. 

One study, published in Phytotherapy Research, “... offered an encouraging 

starting point to describe the antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects of 

phenolic compounds found in chicory coffee.” Antithrombotic properties mean 

chicory could possibly reduce the formation of blood clots, pointing to its 

potential heart-healthy benefits. 

The anti-inflammatory aspect can be beneficial to those experiencing pain 

associated with arthritis. This claim was supported by a study published in 

2010, that “suggested that a proprietary bioactive extract of chicory root has a 

potential role in the management of osteoarthritis.” Managing arthritis pain 

with something as mild and natural as chicory root is incredibly promising. 

However, both studies conducted were pilot studies, “And therefore, considered 

to be insufficient so support a well-established use indication for chicory root,” 

notes Street. 

However, with relatively mild side effects, chicory root may become an 

attractive option to try. Chicory can trigger reactions “in people who 

are allergic to ragweed pollen or sensitive to related plants, including 

chrysanthemums, marigolds, daises and other members of the same plant 

family,” says Andrew Weil, M.D., in a 2016 article. Additionally, “consuming 

[chicory] could theoretically be a problem for people with gallstones, but these 

are unlikely possibilities.” As with any supplement, consult with your doctor 

before incorporating chicory into your health and wellness plan. >> 


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So how does the prebiotic, antithrombotic chicory root become chicory coffee? The secret 

again, lies with inulin. “During the roasting process inulin in the root is converted to [an 

organic compound] which has a coffee-like aroma,” says Viljoen. Roasted and brewed, chicory 

root looks like coffee, smells like coffee, but does it taste like coffee? “In terms of taste, chicory 

is unique: strong, toasty, and nutty, with suggestions of burned-sugar,” noted Viljoen. 

Chicory root coffee offers that strong, warm, slightly bitter drink in the morning, with 

additional benefits. Being naturally caffeine-free, chicory root coffee is an attractive option 

for those seeking a morning beverage without the rush. “When ground and brewed, [chicory] 

looks and tastes something like coffee, but is caffeine-free, less expensive and doesn’t contain 

the volatile oils,” says Dr. Weil. 

In addition to a coffee replacement, chicory can be enjoyed in other ways. “The leaves of the 

flowering herb are sometimes sprinkled in salads to add a touch of bitterness,” notes Dr. Weil, 

“but they should not be confused with the Belgian endive or radicchio, which are types of 

salad chicory within the same family.” If you can find it in a specialty shop or grocery store, 

the whole chicory root, can be “boiled and eaten as a vegetable,” says Streit. It’s also common 

to see chicory used as a food additive. “Chicory root [is] processed for its inulin, which is used 

to increase fiber content or serve as a sugar or fat substitute due to its gelling properties and 

slightly sweet flavor, respectively,” notes Streit. 

Locally, you can grab a cup of New Orleans Chicory Coffee at Bon Temps Creole Café in 

San Luis Obispo. Situated near the train station on the outskirts of downtown SLO, Bon 

Temps serves New Orleans style breakfast and lunch. To savor a cup at home, try the Chicory 

Mocha mix from Solvang Spice Merchant. This mix features carob and vanilla to create a 

creamy mocha taste without the caffeine. Whichever way you choose to enjoy chicory, it’s 

sure to be a tasty, healthful addition to your day. 

FINAL WORD 

Chicory root was traditionally used in herbal medicinal remedies, and is making 

a comeback as a prebiotic and heart-healthy food. Chicory coffee is how it’s 

most commonly enjoyed and is available locally in the SLO county area. Ask 

your doctor before adding chicory to your wellness routine if you have ragweed 

or pollen allergies. SLO LIFE

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| GETAWAY 

Desert Oasis 

It’s a funny looking name, with a funnier pronunciation: kwee-yahma. But there is 

something about it, a palpable buzz reverberating throughout the sprawling high 

desert called the Cuyama Valley. And standing watch over this place not far off the 

beaten path, a place the locals call The Hidden Valley of Enchantment, is the most 

enchanting place of all: the Cuyama Buckhorn. Back in 1952 when the area was best 

known—if it was known at all—as a booming little oil town, the property served as 

a community hub of sorts. Over the years, the wells went dry and the oilmen left, 

which put a dent in the local economy. The once proud highway lodge decayed as 

the population receded. Then, something happened. Husband and wife team, Jeff 

Vance and Ferial Sadeghian, of Los Angeles, saw something behind the boardedup 

windows. It was so faint that everyone else had missed it—a heartbeat. The 

couple swallowed hard before signing on the dotted line and went on to spend years 

restoring the little lodge to its former glory. Now ready for its coming out party, we 

were treated to an unforgettable night at the Cuyama Buckhorn. 

And, the rooms—a little bit cowboy, a little bit hipster, 

and whole lot just right! Adorned with custom furniture 

and a generous variety of everything you need. Hey, 

wait, is that complimentary Verve Coffee? Well, hello, 

and good morning! 


Okay, let me just say it, and pardon the gushiness, but the 

Buckhorn’s bar is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! 

On any given night, guests mingle with ranchers, who rub 

shoulders with bikers, who trade jokes with bartenders that 

big city establishments refer to as “mixologists.” By the way, 

you can’t head home without sampling the Sage Honey 

Session Mead made by the Cayuma Beverage Co. with 

ingredients grown in the Hidden Valley. 

GETTING THERE 

From San Luis Obispo, it’s a hop-skip-and-a-jump to the 

Cuyama Valley. They do have a rinky-dink airport for 

private planes, but you’ll want to pack the car and drive. 

80 miles total and about 1 hour and 20 minutes 

Head south on Highway 101. Then, just before you get 

into Santa Maria, turn off on Highway 166 East. From that 

point, it’s probably a little less than an hour. You’ll know 

you’re getting close when you start looking around at the 

landscape and saying to yourself, “Hey, this looks like a 

miniature Palm Springs...” SLO LIFE 


| TASTE 

Faves 

Need a pick-me-up? 

Visit these local spots for little indulgences that bring me joy. 

BY JAIME LEWIS 

T 

this 

summer, my family embarked 

on a road trip of outrageous 

proportions. We rented an RV and 

crossed multiple state lines, some 

more than once. We ate ice cream 

almost every day. We splashed in 

rivers all over the Southwest. We 

traveled in steam locomotives, 

roller coasters, rafts, and on bikes 

around the rim of the Grand 

Canyon. Those of us legal to drink 

had many beers in many saloons. 

It was terrific. 

But it stands to reason that, after dining out non-stop, I’m not keen on 

writing about restaurants for this column. Instead, I’d like to offer a few of my 

favorite little indulgences available in and 

around San Luis Obispo right now. Take 

a walk and grab a petit quelque chose at 

Sheila Kearns Chocolate and Confections. 

Or head to the new downtown brasserie 

and market, Park 1039, to taste the butter 

of kings. Or wind your way to Tiber 

Canyon Ranch, where the olive oil and 

vinegar elicit rave reviews. 

It’s often the smallest and simplest 

indulgences—chocolate, butter, 

oil—that make the greatest impact 

on my senses and bring me the most 

enjoyment. I hope these will delight 

you, too. Buon appetito! >> 

JAIME LEWIS writes about 

food, drink, and the good 

life from her home in San 

Luis Obispo. Find her on 

Instagram/Twitter @jaimeclewis. 


Chocolates to knock 

your socks off 

The first thing I notice upon walking into Sheila Kearns 

Chocolate & Confections is the cloud of pink petals and 

grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The shop has all 

the polish and refinement of a French patisserie, right here 

on Marsh Street in SLO. 

The flavors here aren’t typical concoctions you’d see anywhere 

else. “I didn’t start with a culinary background, so I break all 

the rules,” Kearns tells me while handing over chocolates like 

Blueberry Lavender, Wildflower & Strawberry Bonbon, and 

Chocolate Dipped Hibiscus. The Jalollieberry Lips combine the 

flavors of local olallieberries and jalapeño. The Cinnamon Roll 

Bonbon contains a tiny gluten-free cinnamon roll inside. Each 

is a complex and vibrant nano-work of art, inside and out. 

“I searched literally the world for my chocolate,” she says of 

her base ingredient, made by an Italian company that sources 

cacao from women-owned farms in the Dominican Republic. 

“It’s floral and fruity, and it takes to anything we want to do 

with it,” she says, adding that her chocolate is also free of soy 

lecithin, making for a fresh, pure chocolate experience that’s 

utterly magical. >> 


Have a little bread 

with your butter 

Sous Chef Sarah Carlisle places a wheel of butter before me at Park 

1039 market and restaurant in downtown SLO. “You’re in luck!” she 

says. “We just got a shipment from France this morning.” 

The butter is Beurre de Baratte by Rodolphe Le Meunier in 

Burgundy—and yes, it’s worthy of such a long name. I first had this treat 

a few weeks ago on bread here at Park 1039, and I’ve returned because, 

well, I need it. 

Beurre de Baratte is bright yellow, creamy, and salty in the best possible 

way. It almost feels like a cheese, which makes sense as Carlisle describes 

how the butter is churned by hand with a paddle for twenty-four hours 

and then molded into a shell made from its own buttermilk. 

“Texturally it’s perfect,” she says. I’m typically suspicious of anything 

someone describes as “perfect,” but dammit she’s right. I buy a wheel for 

$14 in the Park 1039 market to take home with me. 

Of course, Park 1039 does much more than sell butter, but Beurre de 

Baratte encapsulates the ethos of the place rather tidily: good stuff, 

made by hand, sourced from all over. >> 


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All of the olive oil 

When locals think of olive oil, often we think of producers 

north of Cuesta Grade. But did you know SLO has its 

own olive farm and oil producer right out on Price Canyon 

Road? Will Carlton and Chris Anderson have been farming 

ten acres of olives since 1998—and have won some very 

serious awards—but many local folks don’t know about 

Tiber Canyon Ranch, or that they offer olive oil and vinegar 

tastings by appointment. 

My family drives out for a tasting with one-on-one access 

to Anderson and Tiber Canyon oils and vinegars, plus 

her delicious just-baked sourdough for dipping. She gives 

us each a little cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as well as 

Mandarin Tangerine, Meyer Lemon, and Yuzu co-milled 

oils made with real citrus. We also taste Tiber Canyon 

Ranch Yuzu Golden Balsamic vinegar and Blackberry Dark 

Balsamic vinegar. 

Everything is pure, full-bodied, fresh and balanced. I think 

about how most of our meals at home begin with olive oil in 

a pan, and how much I take it for granted until I taste it, in 

all its green and peppery glory, in a setting like this. SLO LIFE 


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| WINE NOTES 

hanging 

in the 

balance 

BY ANDRIA MCGHEE 

B 

alance is a good thing. There are good 

days and bad days. We weeble and 

wobble, but with hard work, we stand 

strong. Wine is no different. 

When discussing balance in wine, it 

is often in the eye of the beholder, the 

general focus is acid, sugar, alcohol, 

tannin, fruit extract, oak, and texture. 

Join us as we meet some local doctors 

of balance that specialize in either 

white wine or red wine that will give us 

a few options to round out our dinner 

table and complement any meal. >> 

ANDRIA MCGHEE received 

her advanced degree in 

wines and spirits from 

WSET in London and enjoys 

travel, food, wine, and 

exercise as a means to enjoy 

those around her. 


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Cadre // Sauvignon Blanc “Stone Blossom”// $28 

Sitting with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc while grubbing on fish tacos, I 

sip, and in spite of the ocean fog creeping over the oak trees, I feel like I am 

in the rolling hills of Sancerre, France. But this wine isn’t an import, it’s made 

only fifteen minutes from my house. It is light in body, has great acidity, and 

is highlighted with flavors of honeydew melon and subtle, warm yuzu lemon. 

Heaven in a glass. 

For this Sauvignon Blanc, John Niven uses the grapes planted at Paragon 

Vineyards around the time he was born by his grandfather, Jack. It is special 

to him not only for that reason, but also for the fact that the grapes are like 

none other in California. “It’s likely that less than 1% of Sauvignon Blanc 

in California is grown in a cool climate … Edna Valley is unique and quite 

different than the California norm,” says Niven. This cooler climate helps the 

grapes develop their flavors while not compromising the acid that balances 

them so well together. He and winemaker Shanna Vanderstoel share the love 

of this style—described on its label by beautiful drawings of seashells, pears, 

and flowers. 

John Niven 

Like fan-favorite Bonny Doon in Monterey County, which grows Picpoul 

Blanc and Grenache Blanc, Lumina Wines, Ulloa Cellars, Croma Vera, 

and Claibourne and Churchill are taking advantage of the fog and coastal 

influence to harness some fantastic white wines including Albarino, Grüner 

Veltliner, and Gewurztraminer. Give ‘em a whirl. I found Cadre wines at SLO 

Wine and Beer on South Higuera. 

Eberle Winery // Cabernet Sauvignon // $50 

From the moment Gary Eberle tried a red wine from Bordeaux, he wanted 

to be able to make one that could steal his heart in the same way. At that 

time in his life, he was getting a master’s in cellular genetics, but when he 

took that sip, the needle scratched right off the record and he made a beeline 

for winemaking. He decided UC Davis was the place to be and pursued his 

doctorate where he was fortunate enough to work with some of the masters 

like Robert Mondavi. 

Shanna Vanderstoel 

Eberle didn’t let one lesson from Mondavi pass him by, including free visits to 

his tasting room, greeting customers personally, and supporting his staff to the 

hilt. He looked for areas in California that would grow great Cabernet. Eberle 

was confident Paso Robles fit the bill. He came from simple beginnings, 

which taught him to be clever with what he had. He took his skills, a very thin 

pocketbook, and a U-Haul full of hand-me-down furniture, and launched his 

new venture in Paso. 

Diligently, he made wine, grew grapes, promoted Paso Robles, and took people 

on board who would further develop the area as a world-class wine region, 

including local favorite Tobin James. Even the vines in the area have his 

influence. “The Syrah vines that I first planted,” says Eberle “are the parents 

of about 65-70% of all Syrah in California today.” He helped make Paso an 

official wine region (AVA) and learned to fly a plane to get his wine to small 

towns that would soon fall in love with Paso Robles wine. He literally laid so 

much of the groundwork that makes the Paso wine region what it is today that 

he has been called the Godfather of Paso Wine. 

Chris Eberle and Gary Eberle 

While you may expect such a high-quality wine to be outrageously expensive, 

it’s a steal—you have to try it. The Cabernet Sauvignon that he holds so dear 

is smooth and velvety, perfect body, blackberry, and slight cherry flavors, with 

only a trace of oak to round out the tannins. Winemaker Chris Eberle—no 

genetic relation to founder Gary Eberle—is continuing the style with his 

winemaking skill. With creativity and ingenuity they are able to make high 

quality, fantastically balanced wine, sell it at a reasonable price, and still 

manage to take great care of their employees. Sitting with Eberle by the front 

door of his winery, I get the feeling from him that the special ingredient is 

people. That is how wine should be enjoyed. This mentality is the drive for a 

great balance in all he does with the winery. SLO LIFE 


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| BREW 

Spiritual 

Awakening 

BY BRANT MYERS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD MEANEY 

entered the parking lot of Central Coast Brewing’s Higuera Street location and immediately took a right, heading away from the 

brewery. That’s unlike me to walk away from a cold beer, but this time it was for good reason. I was heading into the doors of KROBĀR 

Craft Distillery to chat with the Kro half—Steve Kroener. He was excitedly talking to his latest hire, a chef that will provide upscale fare 

that pairs with their superior spirits and cocktails. He meets me in their tasting room and immediately starts to line up small Glencairn 

Itasting glasses with five popular offerings, four gin variants, and their golden rum. So far, this meeting is off to a great start. 


No sooner was I admiring the smells and colors of the liquid offerings on their 

wooden tasting paddle, I was invited into the back of the building. Kroener led 

our photographer, Todd Meaney, and me into the operations center. There we 

were flanked by barrels, stills, flavor experiments, and brewing equipment. I felt at 

home in what was very similar to a brewery, but the cleanest one I’ve ever seen. If 

you’re not familiar with distilling, every spirit needs a base to be turned into the 

final product. As such, KROBĀR brews their own wort because malt whiskey 

needs malt. Wort is the crucial liquid extracted from the mashing process during 

the brewing process. It contains the necessary sugars that will be fermented by 

the brewing yeast to produce alcohol. Kroener opens up a large stainless steel 

barrel and we smell the cloyingly sweet liquid. The aroma is amazing and I remind 

myself not to stick my hands into everything, having learned the lessons of 

Augustus Gloop. 

Kroener leads us over to a barrel with its head removed and invites to view the 

triple charred walls and take a whiff of the lingering aromas. I breath deep and 

almost pass out from the delicious fumes. It was 

intense but it should be. Barrels not only provide 

the characteristic brown color and oak tannin flavors 

we expect of our whiskeys but provide a critical 

function in the distilling process. The charcoal and 

wood grain act as a filter by drawing out impurities 

and leaving flavor and aroma. The expanding and 

contracting of the wood is an active process that 

can take years to achieve the desired final product. 

I ask him about the differences between working 

in their Paso Robles location at Grey Wolf Winery 

and that of their new San Luis Obispo location. 

He shares the major temperature fluctuations in 

Paso with hot days and cold nights accelerates the 

process by moving the wood more and more often, 

a characteristic that’s not shared with the more mild 

climate found in SLO. >> 

BRANT MYERS is a beer 

industry veteran and 

founder of SLO BIIIG, a 

hospitality consulting firm.

CONSUMED 

A PODCAST 

Join SLO Life food columnist 

Jaime Lewis for candid 

conversations about life 

and flavor with area eaters, 

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neat, and Kroener shares something so obvious that I’m a little embarrassed 

to have not realized it myself, but that’s what I get for sticking to breweries. 

There is a magical proof number that has historical significance, Navy Proof. 

At 114 proof, or 57% ABV, this is the sweet spot where salty consumers 

could test their purchase before buying. Add a few grains of gunpowder to 

pure rum, use a magnifying glass to light it, and if it just barely lit it was 

“proof,” unlit and it was under-proof, exploding into a fiery ball and it was 

over-proof. A great way to test that you’re not being overcharged for watered 

down rum and as a bonus it ensured your kegs of gunpowder stayed viable 

in case your rum barrels leaked in the ship’s hold. Fascinating history lesson 

aside, these boozy bottles are perfect for cocktails. I love a good cocktail, but 

rarely use a premium hooch because you’re tasting more of the mixer and 

diluting the spirit much as you would by adding water. By using a high-proof 

spirit in a cocktail, you’re able to taste the complexities and won’t lose the 

investment you made in that nice bottle. 

I’m furiously taking notes since Kroener talks as fast as he moves 

and we’re already being led over to a barrel where he’s removing the 

bung and inserting a “whiskey thief ” to pull samples of a young, 

heavily proofed whiskey. There is just a touch of color showing 

partially from the short life in the barrel and partially due to the 

previous product that was remaining in the wood. This “devil’s cut” 

is the whiskey that was absorbed into the wood and remained there 

until another liquid, in this case the newest batch, is introduced and 

absorbed into the wood. As the barrel breathes the liquids exchange 

and the process continues throughout the life of the barrel. I’m 

thoroughly enjoying my sample which tastes syrupy sweet and is 

deceptively enjoyable even at 114 proof. 

KROBĀR offers standard strength spirits at 80 proof much like the 

majority of bottles you would find off the shelf in any store, but they 

also produce a lot of offerings at 90, 92, and 114 proof. I’ve heard that 

our palate cannot perceive flavors past 70 proof and it’s recommended 

to add a few drops of water to bring the numbers down to that level. 

Seizing an opportunity to ask this of a professional, I’m immediately 

schooled in a way that will change my spirit drinking for the rest 

of my life. Kroener breaks it down first by addressing water and the 

differences in tap, reverse osmosis, distilled, and frozen. R.O. water 

is stripped of all minerals leaving only hydrogen and oxygen atoms, 

tap is similar but with the addition of some purifying chemicals 

such as chlorine, and ice is just one of those with the addition of 

possibly blocking some flavors and aromas achieved through a room 

temperature spirit while diluting it. Distilled water is their choice 

in the distilling process as it leaves some minerality for the alcohol 

to bind with. As for higher proofs, it is a matter of personal taste 

preference and ability to perceive flavors, so one can have a higher 

ABV with their drink if they enjoy it. As professionals, we are able to 

still pull nuances from the offerings. Kroener and I both enjoy ours 

either neat (no ice/water) or with the addition of a cooling agent that 

does not dilute the spirit, such as a whiskey stone, small cubes carved 

from soapstone. He goes one step further by citing molecular biology 

and that the addition of water can make off-flavors more pronounced. 

No more water in scotch for me! 

That’s all good and well for the 80-92 proof beverages, but what about 

those triple-digit spirits? They taste fantastic, but the heat coming off 

them makes you wonder if you’ll be curled up in bed for the entirety 

of the following day. I ask about these, albeit after drinking a few 

Kroener’s vast knowledge of barrels is impressive but also highlights his 

twenty-five years of experience in wine making. He explains which types 

of wood are used (American whiskey uses American oak) and the various 

merits and flavors imparted by the use of new barrels, triple charred 

barrels, second use barrels, and more. Sadly but mercifully, he leads us away 

from the wood and over to the metal. Kroener talks fast and my notes 

are garbage, getting more illegible as we proceed. Thankfully, he takes us 

over to the centerpieces of the whole operation, the glistening copper 

stills. Apparently, they keep getting bigger as his operation has ramped 

up from workshop experiments into full-fledged operations over two 

locations. His pride and joy, however, is an absolute work of art and his 

own design. Hand-rolled and hammered copper forms the imposing tower 

before us. I couldn’t keep up with the design processes and lexicon, but I 

did come away with more respect for the difficulty in not only sourcing 

the craftsmen that still make these, but the science behind the design. 

The large column collects the vapors, the contact with copper purifies it 

while adding character, and it has to be just the right size and shape. Too 

small and there’s not enough surface area, too large and the vapors will not 

concentrate correctly. Add on to that the copper itself is actually lost in the 

process to the point where it will eventually eat through the still’s walls. 

Amazing stuff and a testament to the art form that is distilling. 

Head swimming with knowledge, yeah, knowledge, we head back to the 

tasting room and sit down to the flight. Kroener makes his own candied nuts, 

a great palate cleanser between those four gins and one rum I was ogling 

earlier. I work my way down the line, no stranger to tasting flights, going 

from the mildest to the strongest. The four gins are all vastly different, one 

has butterfly pea flower, the next a mix of five citrus, then the Navy Strength 

chock full of botanical aromas, finally the bourbon barrel aged gin with that 

smoky vanillin char, and lastly the Navy Strength Golden Rum aged for three 

years in bourbon and rye barrels for a delectably rich molasses nose. Meaney 

and I both being gin and tonic fans, determine that the strong gin is amazing 

and would be a great GnT addition to our liquor cabinets, but we could drink 

the Butterfly Gin neat any day of the week. 

It was a great break from beers to be able to 

experience a new addition to the growing family 

of craft producers in San Luis Obispo and get 

a behind-the-scenes experience with someone 

that can impart a vast portfolio of knowledge. 

I not only came away with a few bottles, but 

some information that I can share with you 

and better enjoy my next quaff. I recommend 

heading over after work and grabbing a curated 

cocktail or lining up a flight of tasters to 

experience KROBĀR for yourself. Also, if you 

think I left without walking across the parking 

lot for a cold beer and some billiards, you 

clearly don’t know me. So check out this new 

spot and stay a while. Raise a glass and say it 

with me, Slàinte Mhath! SLO LIFE 

TODD MEANEY is a 

landscape, product, and 

lifestyle photographer 

living the SLO Life with his 

brewery-loving Great Dane. 


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| HAPPENINGS 

Culture & Events 

Downtown Farmers’ Market 

Enjoy five blocks of fresh produce, famous BBQ, 

delicious meals, entertainment, and more every 

Thursday from 6pm – 9pm. The mission of the 

market is to provide a vibrant and safe weekly 

gathering that builds community and supports 

local businesses downtown. 

Every Thursday // downtownslo.com 

Comedy Tonight 

The Great American Melodrama is back in 

business, opening its 2021 season with a two-act 

vaudeville revue filled with (what else!) puns, 

parodies, song, and dance—starring some of 

your Melodrama favorites. Jam-packed with 

laughter at every turn, “Comedy Tonight” is sure 

to have you rolling in your seat. 

Through September 12 // americanmelodrama.com 


Returning Home 

Kristin Lindseth, an internationally 

exhibiting artist, printmaker, and educator, 

is a one-of-a-kind, like her sculptures, 

which are all cast bronze figurative and 

symbolic works. Her exhibition at the San 

Luis Obispo Museum of Art explores 

the idea of “home” through sculpture and 

other media. 

Through September 26 // sloma.org 

Every Brilliant Thing 

You’re seven years old. Mom’s in the 

hospital. Dad says she’s “done something 

stupid.” She finds it hard to be happy. 

So you start to make a list of everything 

that’s brilliant about the world. 

Everything worth living for: 1. Ice cream. 

2. Kung Fu movies. 3. Staying up past 

your bedtime and being allowed to watch 

TV. 4. The color yellow. You leave it on 

her pillow. You know she read it because 

she’s corrected your spelling. Soon, the list 

will take on a life of its own. This funny 

and moving play is a tribute to resilience 

and hope as it enlists you, the audience, to 

tell this heartfelt story. 

August 2 –September 12 // slorep.org 

Concerts in the Plaza 

The free summer concert series in 

downtown SLO’s Mission Plaza returns 

every Friday night through summer. 

The twenty-fifth annual iteration kicks 

off with the “rock n soul” sound of the 

Damon Castillo Band. 

August 6-September 24 // downtownslo.com 

Art After Dark 

Art After Dark is a free, evening of 

art, community, and culture. Enjoy 

this self-guided tour of galleries and 

non-traditional art venues (think salons, 

jewelers, museums, etc.) showcasing 

the work of local visual, literary, and 

performing artists. Held the first 

Friday of the month in downtown 

San Luis Obispo and surrounding 

neighborhoods. 

First Friday // artsobispo.org

She Kills Monsters 

Witness the story of Agnes Evans as she 

leaves her childhood home in Ohio following 

the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When 

Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons 

notebook, however, she finds herself 

catapulted into a journey of discovery and 

action-packed adventure in the imaginary 

world that was her sister’s refuge. In this 

high-octane dramatic comedy laden with 

homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and ’90s pop 

culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen 

offers a heart-pounding homage to the 

geek and warrior within us all. This staged 

reading is performed by student actors in the 

Academy of Creative Theatre. 

August 10 – 11 // slorep.org 

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www.doctorarnie.com 

National Motor Fest 

National Motor Fest fans are treated to 

an unforgettable experience with exclusive 

showcases of famous movie cars as well 

as appearances by celebrity guests while 

enjoying food trucks, beer and wine, 

exotics, imports, classics, Euro, off-road, 

Dynos, helicopters, and much more. A 

portion of the proceeds benefits the nonprofit 

charity Along Comes Hope. 

August 21 // nationalmotorfest.com 

Best of Broadway: SLO Edition 

OperaSLO’s annual fundraiser includes 

an afternoon luncheon and a round of 

Broadway’s best showtunes featuring seven 

nationally acclaimed singers from Valley 

Opera Performing Arts and special guest Alba 

Franco-Cancel, the organization’s resident 

artist. This elegant experience—not to be 

missed!—is accompanied by members of the 

OperaSLO Grand Orchestra conducted by 

Maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff. 

August 14 // operaslo.org 

The Central Coast 

Shakespeare Festival 

Pack a picnic, grab some friends and some 

lawn chairs, and enjoy a wild and wooly 

romp of a world premiere at the Filipponi 

Ranch when “The Rude Mechanicals 

Present the Riot of the Tipsy Bacchanals, 

or a Tedious Brief Assembly of Wondrous 

Hot Ice and Strange Snow: A Love Letter 

to Shakespeare.” Veteran performers 

promise sword fights and slapstick, tyrants 

and fools, lovers and madmen—and 

more—as the Shakespeare Festival reopens 

with six performances only. 

August 21–September 5 

centralcoastshakespeare.org 


| HAPPENINGS 

Culture & Events 

Pinedorado 

Cambria’s popular festival comes roaring 

back Labor Day weekend. The Lions 

Club of Cambria promises nearly all of 

the traditional events, including a parade 

down Main Street, carnival games, kiddie 

rides, music, dancing, food booths, raffles, 

and a Wheels in Motion car exhibition on 

the Pinedorado grounds adjacent to the 

Veterans Memorial Building. 

September 4-6 //cambrialions.org 

Bird (and Botany!) Walk 

Explore the birdlife among the lush habitat of 

the SLO Botanical Garden during one of the 

organization’s monthly walks highlighting the 

intersection of birds and botany. Which avian 

species are drawn to which plants? What’s 

gained or lost in those exchanges? How can 

this link shape your own landscaping efforts? 

You’ll see and hear a wide variety of avian 

species as they feed, hide, nest, and defend 

their territory. 

August 26 //slobg.org 

Live at the Lighthouse 

The Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers 

present Back Pages Band, a five-piece 

group based in San Luis Obispo, as part 

of their new Saturday afternoon concert 

series on the outdoor cliff-side stage at 

the light station. Enjoy the band’s diverse 

mix of classic rock, blues, and country 

music, sample great food, wine, and 

beer, and even tour the historic site with 

docents in period attire. 

September 11 //pointsanluislighthouse.org 

The Beach Boys 

Synonymous with the California lifestyle, 

and an American icon to fans around 

the world, The Beach Boys can claim the 

record of performing more concerts than 

any other major rock band in history. The 

group, led by Mike Love, is bringing its 

eternal anthems of American youth to the 

Central Coast for one night only. 

September 18 //vinaroblesamphitheatre.com 


Eroica California 2021 

One of cycling’s most popular events, 

now home-based in Cambria, features 

one of the most challenging courses 

on the Central Coast. While the bikes, 

Taste of Pismo 

built in 1987 or earlier (with or without 

16th annual Taste of Pismo Invites local 

gears), are the center of attention, 

wineries, breweries, and restaurants, as well as 

activities include vendors offering 

the public to participate in this fun-filled event. 

revered cycling collections as well as 

Enjoy some of the best eats and drinks on the 

gastronomical delights. Routes range 

Central Coast while you enjoy the beautiful 

from the 36-mile Piedras Blancas to the 

ocean views from Dinosaur Caves Park. There 

108-mile Heroic that offers an elevation 

will be live music, games, and fun. 

gain of more than 8,200 feet. 

August 21 // pismochamber.com September 19 // eroica.cc/en/california SLO LIFE


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