Milagro Vineyards and Winery

Ramona is graced with golden rolling hills, oak trees, horse country and a wine heritage that dates back to the Mission San Diego de Alcala era of the 1750’s. Father Juniperro Serra planted vineyards at each of his eight missions and



Entrance to Milagro Farms



 winemaking was born in Southern California. Today, San Diego is experiencing a resurgence of grape growing, vineyards and wine making. Travel east about 10 miles on Highway 78, past the camels at the Oasis Camel Dairy, to the Old Julian Highway. Tucked away in an idyllic hillside, you will find charming Milagro Vineyards and Winery.

cave built into the hillside for barrel aging wines

Enter through the gates and you are greeted with a sign made from twigs saying “Milagro Winery”. Travel along the dirt path guided by wine barrels used as markers, past ponds laden with cattails and you will come to the yellow Tuscan lab building where great wine is produced. Beside the lab is an underground cave built by Mexican artisans complete with arches and sconces to light the way to where wine barrels are aging nicely in a cool climate.

Milagro Winery, Spanish for “miracle”, was purchased by Kit and Karen Sickels in 2001. Fall 2011 represented the culmination of years of hard work. Milagro Winery opened a tasting room to the public.


Jim Hart, Winemaker




The Sickels hired Jim Hart, from Hart Family Winery in Temecula as their winemaker. Jim has overseen the planting of 10,000 grape vines on the rolling hills with varietals such as Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot and Aleatico. Jim grew up around wine and vineyards and it was only natural that he would follow in his father, Joe’s footsteps. The Hart family started growing grapes in Temecula in the late 1970’s, opened their winery in the early 1980’s and has a thriving business with many award winning wines. Jim has brought these years of experience to Milagro Winery to ensure their success.



Lovely Tuscan Barrel Storage room on the property.



Along the way there have been setbacks. Most notably San Diego’s countywide fire in 2003 when Ramona was hit hard and hundreds of acres burned. The fire ripped through Milagro’s two-year old vineyards which fortunately had just been harvested. They replanted in 2004 and 2006 marked the first year of wine production. Then in 2009 they lost all of their Sauvignon Bland due to mold. 2010 was a testament to hard work and stick-to-it-ness.

Through it all, the Milagro team has persevered and their hard work has begun to pay off. Their wines are now winning awards throughout California. Their 2010 Sauvignon Blanc won three awards including silver at the L.A. International Wine Competition, bronze at the San Francisco International Wine Competition (the largest and most influential wine competition in the United States) and Silver at the Long Beach Gran Cru Wine Competition. Jim’s 2007 Cabernet won a silver medal at the Riverside International Wine Competition.

Jim was kind enough to host some barrel tasting. His 2008 Cabernet, just bottled, is rich and fruity with hints of blackberry and cassis. This wine has some high, possibly gold medal, hopes riding on it.


Currently Milagro Winery is featuring their 2010 Estate Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Estate Charonnay, 2008 South Coast Merlot and 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. They offer a dessert wine also, a 2009 Aleatico.


Besides purchasing wines at the winery, you can purchase them at Costco (La Mesa), Albertsons (Ramona, Tierrasanta, downtown San Diego and La Costa), Windmill Farms, Stumps Markets and Barons Markets in Temecula and Murrieta.


 Since you’ll be in Ramona during the fall enjoying the countryside, make a point to visit this winery and taste their remarkable wines. Their wines represent the exciting potential of this historic and emerging wine region.



Barrel aging inside the wine cave





Check on their website regularly for updates: www.milagrovineyards.com.

Alcantara Vineyards in Cottonwood Arizona

Alcantara Vineyards

Alcantara Winery is a lovely Tuscan villa set on a hillside overlooking Cottonwood



Just outside of Cottonwood, on a hillside overlooking the Verde Valley, sits a lovely Tuscan Villa that is Alcantara Winery. Owners Barbara and Bob Predmore started this winery with the goal of creating a wine community, and now they are in the center of one. Located at the confluence of the Verde River and Oak Creek, in between Cornville and Jerome, this area in the Verde River valley is perfect for growing the grapes. The 30 degree temperature differential between day and night is what grapes need to thrive, and that is what this region offers.

Barbara Predmore, a visionary who sees this region as the new Napa Valley, started her project in 2005. She is planning for explosive growth in the wine region and is slowly positioning Alcantara to be able to accommodate that growth. Current plans are for a bistro and a Bed & Breakfast.


The homey and attractive tasting room offers couches, tables or a bar for relaxing with a glass of wine. Weather permitting, the patio offers stunning vistas of the limestone hills and the immense Verde Valley.




This lovely barrel graces the tasting room.



On the tasting menu is a lovely Viognier with estate grown grapes, this wine was fruity with lots of floral and citrus flavors and finishing dry. Just what you want in a Viognier.

Also enjoyable of the 13 wines on the tasting menu is the 2009 Charbono. Also 100% estate grown grapes, this wine has a smoky raspberry and chocolate nose, with a finish of velvet on your tongue.

These two estate wines are an exciting example of the limestone terrior.


For more information, hours and directions visit: www.alcantaravineyard.com .

Cornville Arizona wineries

Cornville, Cottonwood and Jerome Arizona

The Verde Valley Wine Trail

In the early 1980’s these northern Arizona towns were sleepy villages with not much to offer. Fast forward 30 years and see a resurgence of history, culture, commerce and a newly created wine industry.



The famous, stunning Red Rocks of Sedona



Fifteen minutes south of beautiful Sedona is an emerging wine region, the Verde Valley. This vast valley is lined with a limestone and sandstone ridge that stretches for miles. Many cliff villages built by indigenous American cultures remain in this area. Remnants of a once vibrant mining industry in Jerome can be seen on a distant hillside. A wine trail snakes through the valley, leading you through villages, old and new, and high up to Jerome where you can overlook the Verde Valley, dine in great restaurants, sip wine, browse shops and imagine the life of a mining community.



Tuzigoot Ruins from Indigenous American Indians



To see this valley fully, you will need at least two days. First visit the three wineries in Cornville (no, there’s no corn in Cornville), drive into Cottonwood, overnight in Old Town. Here you will find a lovely boutique hotel, the Tavern Hotel, many gourmet restaurants, cute shops, art galleries and coffee houses. Wake up the next morning, walk to a coffee shop for breakfast and once fortified, wander the main drag to two wine tasting rooms. Continue outside of Cottonwood to Tuzigoot National Monument, view the ruins of the Sinagua people who occupied this valley during the 1100-1200’s. Continue up the scenic highway up to the once booming mining town of Jerome. Lunch awaits at one of many unique restaurants. Many of the refurbished restaurants are located in historic buildings; the former firehouse, Cottonwood’s Old Town Palace Theater, or a saloon, and designed to accentuate the past.

If you want to be driven around this region, many wine tours offer packages either from Sedona or Phoenix.


Cornville currently has three wineries located on Page Spring Road.

Javelina’s Leap Winery



Javelina Leap Winery Tasting Room Wall



Rod Snapp, a onetime executive chef, used his earnings from selling his Bed & Breakfast in Sedona to purchase a partially existing winery in Cornville and start the arduous journey of growing not only a winery, but a wine region. He sold off parcels of his land with the stipulation that purchasers had to start wineries, thus a wine region was born.

Javelina’s Leap property was originally part of the Page Springs Valley, which is known for its abundant natural springs. The winery is on the slopes of an ancient volcano. The gravely, rocky soil in this vineyard is good for stressing grapes and intensifies the characters of minerals and earth in the fruit grown in it.



Rodd Snapp
Owner and Winemaker



Rod currently has four acres planted and one more coming soon. Because this is a relatively new wine region, they are still experimenting with different grapes to see which ones will excel in this inner continental climate. He is growing Tempranillo and Barbera, which have already proven to respond nicely to this area. Snapp is happy with his Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Our first taste of Snapp’s creations was a 2010 Sangiovese, which is a light wine with hints of cherry, figs and vanilla and would definitely go nicely with food. Followed by a 2010 Cabernet Franc that retails for $27. Next we sampled a 2010 Merlot which I found rich and exciting. This wine definitely is unique, when compared to California Merlots. It reflects the extreme terroir of Arizona. It had hints of strawberry and watermelon with strong, yet balanced tannins. This wine is rightly priced at $40 and worth it.

Snapp doesn’t much care for blends, but he has tried his hand at a 2010 Rockslide. This single vineyard Bourdeaux-style blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Although quite young, (it can be laid down for 3-10 years). This deep red wine was rich and complex with raspberry, anise and pepper. It is an exceptionally smooth wine. Priced at $35 a bottle, it will be fun to taste this again in a few years.



Vineyards in Cornville



Visit the winery on a Saturday and enjoy a complimentary barrel cellar tour with retired professor and ornithologist, Dr. Russ Balda. The winery is located across from an Audubon bird sanctuary. Enjoy a picnic in the orchard.

Javelina Leap tasting room and gift shop is open daily from 11:00am-5:00pm. 1565 Page Springs Road, Cornville, AZ 86325. Phone: 928-649-2681.
For details see: http://www.javelinaleapwinery.com/

Oak Creek Vineyards

 Owner and winemaker Deb Wahl, a citizen of the world is Croatian by birth, but was raised in South Africa. She has a chemistry degree from Germany, worked for a Japanese company with resorts in the Caribbean, became a wine broker, invested wisely and eventually ended up in northern Arizona owning this winery.


 

Deb Wahl



Deb’s main focus is conservation and would like to be known as the “green winemaker”. She reminisces about living in South Africa and instead of throwing away a nail or a board, it was saved and reused. “Almost everything I have is recycled. If I don’t need it, chances are someone around here will need it.” Case in point when she rebuilt a shed in her side yard, she reused wood and proudly shows where the hinges are off kilter. “The hinges give it character,” she said.



Repurposed wood is used for buildings and picnic tables



In the name of conservation, and not wanting to cut down trees that are not easily replanted and grown, Deb ages all of her wines in stainless steel. If a wine calls for wood she will add wood chips or spirals.



Relax on the patio at Oak Creek Cellars. Notice the painted barrel on the patio.
These are throughout the Verde Valley

On her estate she grows Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. In Wilcox she sources Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Viognier is a rich creamy white; fruity with a floral nose. Very enjoyable for a hot Arizona afternoon. Her Zinfandel was lighter than usual, there was a nice elegance to it. The Syrah and Merlot reflected the Arizona terroir and was rich and peppery. Definitely try the Arizona Port Wine which is a Zinfandel Port and the Cream Sherry made from buttery Chardonnay and brandy

 Oak Creek is celebrating their 10-year anniversary in 2012. The tasting room, located at 1555 N. Page Springs Road is open daily 10:00am-6:00pm. Go to http://www.oakcreekvineyards.net/ for the latest information.

Page Springs Cellars

Owner Eric Glomski has been called a pioneer in the Verde Valley region and the “area’s best known vintner” by Wine Enthusiast. Glomski is a strong voice for the region, wiping out doubts that Arizona can and does produce high-quality wines. Page Springs Cellars is his own venture and he partners with Maynard Keenan in another venture: Arizona Stronghold, in Old Town Cottonwood. Glomski is revered by his staff and the wine community. He shares his talent with other winemakers mentoring and assisting in getting their ventures started.



Eric Glomski



Their mission statement is so powerful, it bears repeating:

“Our goal is to create delicious wines that express

the unique character of our landscape. We trust that our wines and winemaking convey our philosophies concerning family, education and living life to its fullest. We believe that to make great wine, we must take just as much responsibility for the lands we steward as the

community we live in. Our aim is to help people expand and trust their own senses when tasting wine.”







 Page Springs Cellars started with four acres in 2002. He started with Rhone Varietals; Petite Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache and Syrah. In 2011 he was experimenting with 64 different wines. Grapes like Cabernet Pfeffer (a crossbreed of George Pfeffer from Los Altos and Hollister, California) Trousseau (sometimes called Gray Reisling) and many more that are unknown to this writer. And that is the fun of this winery, experimenting and making unique wines that bring out the spiciness of the land.


Corey Turnbull, another winemaker and shining star in the Valley shares wine with patrons.






One panel of a mural on the ceiling, depicting Fall, hanging out with the family.



Local Artists have painted barrels throughout the Verde Valley



The tasting room includes an intimate lounge area with soft leather couches, rich cork flooring, a ceiling mural depicting

Arizona winery life in the four seasons and soft lighting. The outdoor patio overlooking Oak Creek is cool and inviting. Here you can munch on a variety of snacks plates made to accentuate their wines.



This winery is a wonderful experience and not to be missed. Located at 1500 N. Page Springs Road, they are open daily 11:00am-6:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays 11:00am-9:00pm. For more information go to: http://www.pagespringscellars.com/.



A view out the back, from the winetasting patio.






Sanyo Blimp Ride, Life at 32 miles per hour

Sanyo Blimp Ride
Life at 32 miles per hour

My mother always told me I was one in a million and today I actually believed it.
Thanks to some dear friends winning a drawing and inviting me along, I had the one-in-a-million chance to ride on a blimp; the Sanyo blimp. There are only 27 blimps in the world and I was lucky enough to ride on one.

I did not know how to prepare for this trip. The thought was that I would be riding in a basket similar to that of a hot air balloon, so I put on the warmest clothes I owned: sweater with a warm turtleneck underneath, down coat, Ugg boots, scarves and gloves. Boy was I surprised to see that there is a gondola car that we were to ride in. There were seats in it, windows and a windshield. There was a pilot, who even wore a pilot’s uniform, an instrument control panel with buttons and levers and monitors, just like on an airplane. Nowhere to ditch my winter clothes now, oh well.

Unlike an airplane, what a blimp doesn’t have is brakes. As the blimp landed, the crew of eight ran alongside, grabbed the ropes that hang on the side and held it down. Our escort explained that the current passengers needed to exit, one at a time and we would enter the gondola one at a time. Once inside our pilot, Alan P. Judd, greeted us and had us put on our headsets. These headsets are just like the ones you see used in helicopters. He immediately gave us a lesson in how an airship works.

He showed us a picture of a blimp and turned it upside down. He said that a lighter-than-air craft, such as this blimp, is like a submarine except that it floats in the air instead of the water. He explained the physics behind flight. An airship controls its buoyancy in the air much like a submarines does in the water. There are two engines to help provide the thrust necessary to move ahead. Helium provides the lift as it is lighter than air. Inside the lower part of the balloon there are two helium tanks and two air filled bags, called ballonets. The ballonets act like ballast tanks holding heavy air. When the blimp takes off, the pilot vents air from the ballonets through the air valves. The helium makes the blimp positively buoyant in the surrounding air, so the blimp rises. The pilot throttles the engine and adjusts the elevators to angle the blimp into the wind. The cone shape of the blimp also helps to generate lift.

I sat in the co-pilot seat as we took off into the horizon. So quiet. The only sound was a gentle drone and soft whirring of the motors.

We headed the few miles west to the Pacific Ocean. At 32 miles per hour, life moves slowly, freeways look tranquil, soccer players look like tiny plastic toys. The sense of calmness and serenity was abundant.

“Let’s pull over and park,” Alan said.

What?

And with that Alan stopped the blimp and we were “parked”, 200 feet above the surf.

We hovered low over the waves and even went “wave surfing”. We raced seagulls and pelicans. We waved at the people walking on shore with their dogs. We scanned the horizon for dolphins and whales. We watched waves forming across the ocean. Looking at a wave from the top is a unique vantage point. You can see the wave forming and dissipating inside itself. You can definitely see the powerful force of the ocean inside each wave. I was able to stand up and look down over the tip of the airship for a totally different perspective.

San Diego isn’t famous for its beautiful sunsets, but fortunately we had a spectacular sunset. Alan, asked us if we wanted to watch the sun set more than once in one day. Sure. We descended low, until the sun crossed the horizon, then we ascended until it was above the horizon and descended once again. Two sunsets in one day!

Our hour ride was up so fast; we hated to head back to reality. As we prepared to land at Brown Field, we watched the ground crew get into place, three people on the left, three people on the right and one person – the director- in the middle. They were ready for us to land. With that Alan, lowered us down, banked a sharp left turn and the ground crew ran to grab our side ropes. The next batch of passengers waited with the same anticipation that we had just one short hour ago. Sadly we disembarked.

It seems cruel to return to driving the freeway after experiencing life hovering above the city and the ocean at 32 miles per hour.

Pilot Alan Judd has written a book “The Adventures of Buddy the Blimp”. Go to www.buddytheblimp.com to purchase his new ebook.

Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com

Keyways Winery Debuts "Traditions" 2009 Holiday Wine

Terri Pebley Delhamer, owner of Keyways Winery, is an inspiration to businesswomen. She is a strong and gutsy woman. Through a variety of twists and turns she ended up owning Keyways Winery. Suffice to say she was a real estate agent who ended up buying the property instead of listing it! She thought she would live in the house on the property and the renter who was in control of the winery would continue running the winery. She moved in and began to remodel the house in the vineyard. The renter decided to move out and not continue with the winery and Terri was left with an empty shell of a winery, rundown at best, and not knowing the first thing about making wine, let alone running a winery.

She and her husband spent many hours trying to decide what to do when they decided that she would have to learn how to have a winery. And that is what she did. She surrounded (and continues to surround) herself with competent and knowledgeable people and then allows them to do their job. This approach has allowed her winery to flourish.

Her warm and approachable personality is reflected in the Keyways Tasting Room. It definitely has a woman’s touch. The tasting room has a variety of tables and chairs, so her guests don’t have to stand while they sample her wine. This novel approach allows people to relax while familiarizing themselves with Keyway’s wines. The design is homey and inviting like a living room, with a huge fireplace surrounded by comfy chairs.

I stopped by to see what was happening at Keyways since there is a new winemaker. This holiday season Terri and winemaker David Raffaele are excited to introduce a new wine, called “Traditions” that is made to pair nicely with holiday cuisine, such as turkey or ham. It’s 100% Merlot and it’s finished in a lighter, almost Beaujolais style. It’s floral essences with hints of roses and lilacs are delightful. The fresh plum and mulberry flavors make it a perfect holiday red wine. I highly recommend that you give it a try. The cost is $31.00 per bottle.

This winter they have lit up the vineyards with green lights. This weekend is the last weekend for horse and buggy rides through the fields. You can enjoy live music on Saturday afternoons from 2-6pm while sipping wine or a Mojito.

I’m looking forward to the Valentine’s event on February 12th. The theme is “It’s Amore” and they’re being very secretive about what they’re planning. Check their website regularly to see what the plans are. This evening fills up quickly, so if you’re looking for a romantic evening, this will be it.

Keyways Winery is located at 37388 De Portola Road in Temecula. Check out happenings on their website http://www.keywayswine.com/.

Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com

San Diego’s best outdoor wine patios

Al fresco ambiance is accompanied by great grapes

When you think of enjoying wine, do you only think about the complexity, the fruitiness, the tannins, or the color? How about where you’re enjoying the wine- the setting, the surroundings, especially if it’s outdoors? San Diego County currently boasts about three dozen wineries and each is unique. Here are some great winery patios where hospitality, good wine, good food and al fresco ambiance.

Cordiano Winery – It’s just up from Escondido on Highland Valley Road. This hidden paradise boasts a huge terra cotta patio with panoramic views of San Pasqual Valley. Dazzling sunsets and a serene setting allow you to unwind with a bottle Syrah or Sangiovese. Winery owner Gerard Cordiano, has previously owned a variety of Italian restaurants in San Diego. He brings his passion for pizza and the most amazing bread sticks, brushed with olive oil, herbs and parmesan cheese, to his patrons. An adobe pizza oven graces the patio where he will create a pizza to order. The Cordiano family makes you feel like a part of their family. Enjoy Sunday afternoon on the patio, or play a game of bocce ball. Call ahead so they can have a pizza waiting for you with your favorite bottle of Cordiano wine. 15732 Highland Valley Rd. Escondido. http://www.cordianowinery.com/

Salerno Winery- It’s all about family, friends and music at this Ramona Winery owned by Rose and Herman Salerno. Sundays are an especially fun day around the adobe ranch house. Sit at one of the many tables on the patio, next to the trickling fountain, amid the vines and taste some of Herman’s finely crafted wines. Herman, besides being the winemaker is a former Italian opera singer. His outdoor kitchen features an adobe pizza oven where he makes pizzas in his while belting out a tune. A guitarist entertains wine tasters and guests on the patio. Some even sing karaoke, but don’t worry, it’s not required. Rumor has it that they have an Argentinean barbecue some afternoons too. 17948 Highway 67, Ramona. http://www.salernowinery.com/

Shadow Mountain Winery- Take the opportunity for beautiful drive through the backroads north of San Diego near Warner Springs over Sunshine Summit, at 3,400 feet above sea level, to arrive at this quaint and rustic adobe winery. Grab a bottle of one of their tasty wines and sit in one of the mismatched chairs under the giant oak tree next to the grape vines. Alexander McGeary makes tasty wines; one to try is the Smoky Cabernet that was harvested during the 2004 wildfires. You can taste the fire in this wine. Panoramic mountain views abound at this rural winery. You may just want to stay overnight in one of their two cottages, enjoy a continental breakfast in the morning and then, alas, return to reality. 34680 Highway 67, Warner Springs. http://www.shadowmountainvineyards.com/

Hawk Watch Winery- Across the road and down a ways from Shadow Mountain winery is one of the newest wineries in San Diego County. Hawk Watch Winery is a lovely red barn with panoramic views of surrounding mountains. Relax in an Adirondack chair with a bottle of their traditional hand crafted wines. Watch the hawks or gliders taking flight from Warner Springs Gliderport. They are open only on weekends and would love for you to enjoy their slice of heaven. 27054 Chihuahua Valley Rd., Warner Springs. http://www.hawkwatchwinery.com/

Orfila Winery- On the road to the Wild Animal Park, this picturesque winery is undergoing a transformation with a new young winemaker. But the patio lined with grape arbors, dotted with wrought- iron tables and chairs and picnic tables boasts a magnificent view of the San Pasqual Mountains. You could bring a blanket and picnic basket and lounge on the lush, green grass also. Orfila is truly a calm and relaxing spot to enjoy a bottle of wine. You could even enjoy the concerts on the lawn. 13455 San Pasqual Road, Escondido. http://www.orfila.com/

Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com

The Renaissance of San Diego’s Little Italy , published in San Diego Woman Magazine

The Renaissance of San Diego’s Little Italy

The Italian Renaissance in the 1400’s gave the world Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli. It also gave us new art, science and changed the course of human history. The renaissance in San Diego‘s Little Italy gave us great restaurants and pubs, really cool architecture and stickball. So, they’re pretty much the same in terms of historical significance. Well, almost.

A community since the 1920’s, Little Italy is San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district. This village in the middle of the city, just east of the airport, is the new hip and cool spot in San Diego. There is always something fun happening: festas, art walks and fine dining, fresh local produce and Italian fare at the farmer’s market on Saturday.

A highlight is the funky architecture and colorful facades; mixing traditional design with modern textures. The new trend of urban housing is demonstrated in this area: live, work, relax and eat in your neighborhood. The skyline is dotted with transformed condos as well as newly built ones.

Italian Hospitality
“I can’t believe that Italians actually live here and speak Italian.” A shopper was overheard saying at the farmer’s market. It’s true; it’s an actual gathering place for real Italians. With typically consummate Italian hospitality there are chairs lining the sidewalks for you to sit and hang out, visit with friends or just relax. You can lounge in one of five Piazzas (Italian central squares or meeting areas) along India Street, feel the ocean breeze and while away the time.

Little Italy Farmers Mercato
Start your weekend with a visit to the Mercato. Every Saturday morning, you will find merchants and farmers displaying their fresh produce and Italian delicacies on Date Street. Enjoy the harbor view as you meander from stall to stall sampling and purchasing fresh local produce and Italian fare. Even dogs get a treat here. Sit back and enjoy an Italian coffee and listen to the live music with today’s street performers. An absolute must is a Nutella crepe at the creperie stall.


The Design District
Fashioned after Soho and Chelsea in New York City, with lots of brick, large open doors and windows, the showrooms boast Italian kitchens, furnishings and European tiles. As is typical with most areas of the world, cultures are blended and so are designs, therefore you will also see a beautiful Asian furniture showroom and a colorful French Country store.

Eateries and Restaurants
Italy, like other parts of the world, is not homogeneous, and neither is Little Italy. The restaurants reflect the multi-cultural world we live in. You can drink ale at a British Pub, savor sumptuous delights at Extraordinary Desserts, dine at one of many Italian restaurants and enjoy live music at Anthology. Joe & Lisa Busalacchi are well represented with five restaurants and the Cohn family has the Indigo Grill serving New Western Cuisine. All you need to do is walk around and pick one that catches your eye and try it. You can’t miss.

Art
San Diegans love art and the art district delivers with a fine sampling of artists. Kettner Nights , the 2nd Friday of every other month, is a great way to experience art. You can browse through the businesses and studios on and around Kettner Boulevard and find your new favorite artist.

Festas
Italians love a good party. That love is reflected in the events throughout the year in Little Italy. Gesso Italiano, over Columbus Day weekend, brings street painting artists from around the globe. The theme of the chalk paintings is traditional art from the old world. Artists offer their creative interpretations of the works of Italian masters, artists, singers and scientists. The possibilities are endless.

April is for Artwalk, one of San Diego’s favorite events. India Street is lined from one end to the other with artists’ stalls. Here artists come from all around to show their creativity to thousands of visitors. You can spend the entire day here appreciating art and artistry, and a cold beer or two.

May celebrates many things including, the love of food with the Taste of Little Italy. Participating restaurants, not just of the Italian varietal, offer tastes from their menus. Stroll the avenues, listen to musical performers and sample appetizers, entrées and desserts from the neighborhoods eateries.

And now for something different…Stickball
For a little physical fun, Little Italy is the home of Stickball on the west coast. Played on the first Sunday of the month, the season is November through June. Streets are blocked off to cars on Colombia Street, between Beech and Cedar. The streets are taped off (including going up a building) to show boundaries. Buildings, curbs, parking meters, signs and balconies are all playable in fair territory. Bases are evidently known but not visible. No one uses gloves and the hitter only gets one swing of the stick to connect with the rubber ball, which he lobs in the air himself. The stick looks like a broom stick with a handle fashioned out of duct tape. Making contact with the balls seems very difficult to the casual observer. Players of all ages are welcome to play. Games take place between 1 and 4pm. Observing this game from the sidelines is a lot of fun.

There is an annual 3-day stickball event every Labor Day weekend with teams competing from as far away as New York and Puerto Rico.

Gelato
No trip to Italy would be complete without gelato. And in the author’s humble opinion, the best gelato can be found at Pappalecco on the corner of State and Cedar. Take my word for it. Search it out. Find it. Enjoy.

For more information and to find out dates and times of events go to: http://www.littleitalysd.com/.

Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writer

www.robindohrnsimpson.com