House of Love

ComicCon 2011

Posted on 22 July 2011 | No responses

Well ComicCon is keeping us pretty busy this year – thankfully. We’ve had three events so far for Yahoo!, Entertainment Weekly and Lions Gate Productions. I’ve got pix for two of the venues below.

This was for an Entertainment Weekly breakfast.

This was for Lions Gate Productions.

Recent Work

Posted on 10 June 2011 | No responses

Our New Planter for our Apple Espalier

Posted on 10 June 2011 | No responses

Big Thanks to Mikey for making it happen!

On The Chalkboard This Week – June 10, 2011

Posted on 10 June 2011 | No responses

The Duel
(The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat )

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
‘Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t’other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I wasn’t there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went ” Bow-wow-wow!”
And the calico cat replied “Me-ow!”
The air was littered,an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place
Up with it hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Now mind: I’m only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed,”Oh dear! What shall we do!”
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw-
And oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don’t fancy I exaggerate!
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole the pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock, it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)

Eugene Field

Something Cheery on this Gloomy May Grey Day

Posted on 23 May 2011 | No responses

Peonies and Bearded Iris now available at Che Bella!

San Diego to Cut Trash Collection Services for Small Businesses

Posted on 18 May 2011 | 1 response

Imagine my sense of irony in light of City Councils Press Conference here the day before yesterday upon receiving this letter from the City of San Diego Environmental Services Division that effective July 1, 2011 they will no longer collect trash trash from commercial enterprises as it is deemed a discretionary expense rather than a core service. They also helpfully provided me with a list of commercial trash collection companies that I could contact to pay for trash collection. Here’s the letter I received:

Now we can have a debate over whether collecting trash from commercial enterprises is discretionary or essential and I certainly can appreciate the Mayor trying to trim the City’s budget, but Che Bella is considered by the city to be mixed use, i.e., residential/commercial. Consequently, I feel we should be exempt from this policy change. Additionally, East Village is home to many live/work situations and this will have a significant impact on them as well.

Businesses are still struggling to stay afloat in this “recovery” and really don’t need to add an extra expense to the already bare bones budgets.

So we entrepreneurs need your help and I’m going to make it easy, just click on your districts City Council member to let them know you don’t support this new budgetary policy and the City should find a more business friendly way to find their way to a balanced budget.

If you don’t know where your District is here’s a map

District 1 Sherri Lightner

District 2 Kevin Faulconer

District 3 Todd Gloria

District 4 Tony Young

District 5 Carl De Maio

District 6 Lori Zapf

District 7 Marti Emerald

District 8 David Alvarez

Please be sure to sign it and include your address so they know you’re a constituent.

Here’s another irony that shouldn’t be lost on you – it’s National Small Business Week.

So with a little help from ya’ll maybe we can turn this thing around.

Thanks for your help!

Politcos descend on Che Bella!

Posted on 16 May 2011 | No responses

Four San Diego City Council Members, along with Senior Chamber of Commerce Officials paid Che Bella a visit today to announce initiatives designed to enhance small business development. Among the City Council Officials were our very own District 2 Kevin Falconer, District 4 and President of the City Council Tony Young, District 6 Lorie Zapf and newbie District 8 Councilmen David Alvarez.

Here’s a shot from upstairs during the Press Conference.

According to the Council Members and the Press Corp this was the most fragrant press conference they’d ever been too!

Word!

So here’s the piece from the San Diego Union Tribune: City asks small business what it takes to create one more job?

I was looking for video but it’s not been posted yet, I’ll update this post as they come in.

UPDATE: This just in from Fox 5 News:

For the Cast and Crew of Carmen

Posted on 15 May 2011 | No responses

Ole!

Now showing at the San Diego Opera

On The Chalkboard This Week – May 10, 2011

Posted on 10 May 2011 | No responses

Alone, Looking for Blossoms Along the River

The sorrow of riverside blossoms inexplicable,
And nowhere to complain — I’ve gone half crazy.
I look up our southern neighbor. But my friend in wine
Gone ten days drinking. I find only an empty bed.

A thick frenzy of blossoms shrouding the riverside,
I stroll, listing dangerously, in full fear of spring.
Poems, wine — even this profusely driven, I endure.
Arrangements for this old, white-haired man can wait.

A deep river, two or three houses in bamboo quiet,
And such goings on: red blossoms glaring with white!
Among spring’s vociferous glories, I too have my place:
With a lovely wine, bidding life’s affairs bon voyage.

Looking east to Shao, its smoke filled with blossoms,
I admire that stately Po-hua wineshop even more.
To empty golden wine cups, calling such beautiful
Dancing girls to embroidered mats — who could bear it?

East of the river, before Abbot Huang’s grave,
Spring is a frail splendor among gentle breezes.
In this crush of peach blossoms opening ownerless,
Shall I treasure light reds, or treasure them dark?

At Madame Huang’s house, blossoms fill the paths:
Thousands, tens of thousands haul the branches down.
And butterflies linger playfully — an unbroken
Dance floating to songs orioles sing at their ease.

I don’t so love blossoms I want to die. I’m afraid,
Once they are gone, of old age still more impetuous.
And they scatter gladly, by the branchful. Let’s talk
Things over, little buds —open delicately, sparingly.

Tu Fu