Small Business Saturday Highlights

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Small Business Saturday Highlights

Thank you for all of you who supported in this year's Small Business Saturday event!

You helped make Small Business Saturday possible and we're so thankful for your participation to help spread the word about shopping small to make a big difference in our community's economic vitality. 

Check out some highlighted photos from Small Business Saturday below!

Small Business Saturday

November 24th, 2018

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Member Spotlight John Stevenson Plumbing - Heating & Air

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John Stevenson Plumbing- Heating & Air

Since John Stevenson Plumbing Heating & Air opened their doors in 1990, they have been dedicated to meeting all of the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning needs of local residents throughout North County San Diego. For nearly 30 years their friends, family and neighbors have trusted them to keep their homes comfortable and safe year-round, but their passion does not stop there. John Stevenson Plumbing cares deeply for all animals especially dogs. Their pets are their best-friends, they are loyal, trustworthy, self-less and compassionate. They believe every pet deserves a home and this is why they have partnered with the Rancho Coastal Humane Society in hopes to bring awareness to the homeless pet population in our community. For every invoice they receive, they donate one dollar directly back to the Rancho Coastal Humane Society. They are also involved in many local events throughout our community that benefit the Rancho Coastal Humane Society such as; the 5K Paw Walk, Cardiff Dog Days of Summer, Encinitas Food & Wine Festival and the celebration of Second Chances.

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Jodi Vleck Has Been Named One of the Country's Top Wealth Advisor Moms

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Jodi Vleck Has Been Named One of the Country's Top Wealth Advisor Moms

San Diego, CA- Beta Wealth Group, a leading San Diego based wealth management firm, announced today that its founder and CEO Jodi Vleck has been named one of the country’s Top Wealth Advisor Moms by Working Mother Magazine and Shook Research. Of the 200 working mothers named top in their field, only two, including Vleck were from San Diego. Shook Research used service models, investing process, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations, and quantitative criteria, such as assets under management and revenue generated for their firms in recognizing the top women wealth advisors who are mothers with at least one child living at home and under the age of 18. Vleck is a mother of two boys, who are currently 10 and 8.

Women like Vleck are very important to driving females into the San Diego workforce and as role model to other women, especially those with children. San Diego has the lowest percentage of women in the workforce at 44 percent compared to 71 percent are women with children under 18 years of age according to the Department of Labor. Thirty-two percent of women in the nation have chosen financial advisory as a career, yet only 14 percent are heads of brokerages, like Vleck.

“It’s wonderful that Working Mother magazine and Shook Research are recognizing women in their careers and I am honored to be receiving this award,” said Jodi Vleck. “This honor is different than others I have received in the wealth advisory field and it means a lit to our entire family. The boy are especially proud and feel included in the recognition.”

Vleck, a Certified Financial Planner founded Beta Wealth Group in 2009, with a toddler and five months pregnant with her second child. She has been instrumental in establishing business development strategies, building the firm’s clientele, and reaching out to specialized professional segments, including technology, engineering and biotech executives. Today, Beta Wealth Group is one of the few independent, fee only firms in San Diego that specialize in serving these specific market segments. During the past nine years, her leadership and insights have resulted in incredible year-over-year revenue growth, with assets under management now eclipsing over $250 million, making Beta Wealth Group, one of the largest in San Diego. An incredible task, having started from zero and as a working mother.

Vleck is an active mother on the boys’ school parent teacher association and is the title sponsor on one of the largest fundraising events of the year for the school. On Saturdays, you can find her cheering for her sons from the sidelines of their favorite sports. She also supports the boys education, helping the with their homework and special school projects, especially those that involve math and finance.

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Member Spotlight Cal Coast Credit Union

Member Spotlight Cal Coast Credit Union

Meet Cal Coast Credit Union in Encinitas:

“We always have your best interest in mind. It shows in everything we do.”

Our members are our most valuable asset. That’s why everything we do — from the accounts, loans and rates we offer, to the personalized caring attention we provide — is designed to help you to achieve your goals.

What Makes Cal Coast Credit Union Unique?

Friendly staff, more branches than any other local credit union and most area banks! California Coast is wherever you are around town, with convenient ATM access, FREE mobile and online banking, and so much more.

Cal Coast Credit Union staff supporting Cardiff Dog Days of Summer 2018

Some Benefits Cal Coast has to Offer:

Over 80 locations

You’re welcome at 24 California Coast branches, most with Saturday hours, and 60 additional shared branching locations in San Diego and Riverside counties.

FREE ATM access

On the road? Access your money at 30,000 CO-OP ATMs nationwide including many 7-Eleven locations, with over 600 ATMs locally.

FREE mobile banking1

Connect to your accounts, make deposits, pay bills, transfer funds and more, on your iPhone, iPad, and Android — anytime, anywhere.

FREE online banking

Manage your account and your money from any computer, tablet or mobile phone — and that’s just for starters. Get customized alerts, access eStatements, and check out budgeting tools and spending reports around the clock.

FREE bill pay

Stamps are so yesterday! Pay bills electronically and get payment reminders — so you never miss a payment again!

FREE phone banking

With CoastLine, just pick up the phone to check account balances, make loan payments, transfer funds, and more.

For more information and benefits Cal Coast Credit Union has to offer check out their website at Calcoastcu.org/encinitas

429 Santa Fe Dr
Encinitas, CA 92024
(858) 495-1600
(877) 495-1600

Branch Hours:

Monday – Thursday: 9 am – 5 pm
Friday: 9 am – 6 pm
Saturday: 9 am - 2 pm

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Member Spotlight 1010 Data

Member Spotlight 1010 Data

Meet 1010 Data, The world’s foremost companies consider 1010data the partner of choice for optimizing product portfolio health, mastering customer touch points and digitally renovating operations located in the heart of Cardiff-by-the-Sea.

1010 Data was cloud before cloud even had a name, doing "big data" before the hype and offering self-service before anyone believed it was possible. Today, they are pioneering data sharing and in-database capabilities - ideas that will ultimately see mainstream adoption as well.

Early Origins

1010data's approach to data management and analysis traces its origins to the early days of data analytics. While working on Wall Street, our founders, Joel Kaplan and Sandy Steier, identified and leveraged techniques and technologies that gave them a powerful edge in the highly competitive financial services industry. 

As early as 1980, Joel and Sandy began to derive great value from vector languages, columnar databases, and parallel and distributed processing. These techniques, although now fairly mainstream, were at the time cutting edge. Perhaps most significantly, Joel and Sandy also made great use of interactive analysis, something that has only recently become popular in large-scale data analysis.

A Groundbreaking New Platform

Seeking to build on their powerful, battle-tested approach to data management and analysis, Joel and Sandy founded 1010data at the start of the new millennium.The idea was to offer a powerful, yet easy-to-use, interactive platform over the Internet, what we now call the Trillion Row Spreadsheet℠. In modern parlance, the idea was to provide a cloud-based analytical platform as a service (APaaS) offering that could operate on big data. The terms "cloud", "APaaS" and "big data" were ten years in the future but that was the very capability 1010data revealed in 2000; it just took a decade for the lexicon (and the rest of the world) to catch up.

Success on Wall Street and Beyond

Our first significant customer was the New York Stock Exchange – where data-driven decisions have become essential to ensuring success. As data volumes have grown, and they certainly have grown dramatically in the case of the NYSE, 1010data's platform has scaled seamlessly. Over the years, a wide range of industries have discovered the power of 1010data, including, retail, consumer brands, financial services, and more. We now have over 850 clients taking advantage of our powerful platform.

To learn more about what 1010 DATA does and the products they have to offer head over to their website at 1010data.com.

Located in the heart of Cardiff-by-the-Sea

119 Aberdeen Dr
2nd Floor
Cardiff, CA 92007

PHONE: 212.431.7866

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Cardiff 101 Member Mixer Recap

Cardiff 101 Member Mixer Recap

We love having the opportunity to bring together both the residents and businesses we serve in our community! Guild Venue 100 provided the perfect space to socialize, collaborate and share each other's journey as business owners, community leaders and residents while enjoying sips and bites from the amazing Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13.

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11-Year-Old Gracie Howard is a Kitchen Prodigy

11-Year-Old Gracie Howard is a Kitchen Prodigy

Prepare to fall under the spell of young Gracie Howard, the multitalented kitchen wizard who wields her chef’s knife with such joy, competence and enthusiasm it’s hard to comprehend she only recently turned 11 years old.

After pulling freshly baked lemon bars from the oven, she switches tasks, first chopping onions and serrano chilies and then adding them to a traditional Mexican molcajete (mortar) in which she’s ground herbs and mashed avocados for her favorite guacamole. After tasting the result, her face lights up with a smile of approval.

The Encinitas resident, a sixth-grader at The Rhoades School, is a seasoned cook with a repertoire of well over 100 recipes that she developed and refined herself. Warm, funny and mature beyond her years, Gracie has a full roster of activities typical for kids her age, along with multiple stage credits. She’s also the poised veteran of two seasons on the Fox network’s “MasterChef Junior,” recorded when she was only 8 and 9. That experience, explains mom and self-described sous-chef Melissa Howard, helped deepen Gracie’s culinary knowledge while honing her cooking and presentation skills. It also taught both mother and daughter many life lessons about resilience and survival in a highly competitive world.

Gracie began cooking with her parents, Melissa and Mark, at age 3 or 4, though she got her first taste of cooking at 2 with the gift of a play kitchen. The “play” aspect didn’t satisfy for long her hunger for hands-on experience.

“When I was little, I watched my parents making breakfast, lunch and dinner. They did it with ease. I decided I wanted to do that when I grew up,” Gracie says. “It’s really cool when your parents show you the way. Then, when we go to restaurants, when I find something I really love, I’ll ask the chef how to make it.”

Dad Mark, a business owner, is an avid gardener, growing most of the family’s fruit, vegetables and herbs in their gardens, with help from budding gardener Gracie. He taught his eager young daughter how to tell when fruits and vegetables are ripe and ready for harvesting. Some of her earliest creations, Melissa explains, were fruit salads crafted from their garden’s bounty.

Gracie’s “A Little Bite of Heaven” at Cardiff Dog Days of Summer 2018

Fish and seafood dominate their home meals, thanks to Mark’s passion for fishing, which he’s passed along to his daughter. She caught her first large fish, about as long as she was tall, at age 5. He regularly fills the family’s freezers with salmon from Alaska and tuna, halibut, seabass and other local varieties caught from the family’s Shelter Island-docked boat. Melissa and Gracie often accompany him on fishing trips, with Gracie preparing her own version of ahi poke and other favorite fish dishes on board. She shared her poke recipe in her quarterly cooking column, Gracie’s Culinary Corner, in the online Child Photo Magazine.

For the Howards, cooking is a family affair. Their expansive kitchen is filled with laughter, music, singing and dancing, as their three rescue dogs happily scarf up anything that falls from the counters.

Gracie demonstrated the breadth of her culinary knowledge as she discussed some of her experiences on the cooking show, including the need to learn more about cooking meat.

One of the important lessons is that “it’s OK to make mistakes, but it’s better to know how to fix them,” she says as she pulls pin-bones from a side of salmon before scoring it. She then arranged a “boat” of aluminum foil on an ovenproof tray to hold the salmon and retain its mustard and honey glaze during baking.

“Every dish needs to have all the elements; even cupcakes need to be sweet, tangy and crunchy, to have zip,” she says. She’ll often tinker with recipes, changing or adding an ingredient, such as lemon zest, to bring them to life.

Gracie’s artistic bent shows up in her approach to presenting food on the plate. To accompany the salmon, she chose white sweet potatoes for their color rather than the orange or purple she normally prefers because of their greater nutrients. To add color and complementary flavors she prepared a summer salad with Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, ruby red grapefruit and kumquats, all harvested from their garden.

Baking is one of Gracie’s favorite pursuits. Cooking shows, including her favorite “Cupcake Wars,” spurred her interest in baking, Melissa explains.

Her stint on “MasterChef Junior” inspired Gracie to start a bake sale stand to combine her culinary skills with her charitable instincts. Her parents have nurtured her to understand the importance of helping others and giving back to the community. Gracie’s “Little Bite of Heaven” stand became the perfect vehicle for her charitable efforts, enabling her to raise money at special events for favorite charities, including the Angels Foster Family Network and animal rescue organizations, for which she developed recipes for homemade dog biscuits.

While Gracie loves to spend time in the kitchen devising new recipes, she’s also “a normal kid,” says Melissa, who ensures her daughter has time outside school to romp with her dogs and hang out with other kids, along with pursuing her interests in art, theater and volleyball.

“She’s a little girl with a lot of passion and pizazz for life, a joyful jewel,” her proud mother says.

Whatever tack she takes, Gracie is sure to enrich the world around her.

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Article by: Nicole Sours Larson, The San Diego Union-Tribune

September 21, 2018

Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13

Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13

 

Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13 is a locally owned beach/ sports bar with delicious food and a great view of the Pacific Ocean. Tower 13 is located directly across the street from the Cardiff State Beach. This place offers a great beach vibe with two outdoor patios that are dog friendly! 

After a nice day at Cardiff State Beach, head over to Tower 13 to refresh, kickback and enjoy a variety of food options, specialty cocktails, margaritas, over 23 beers on tap, 27 TV's for viewing your favorite sports team, live music on weekends and games!

When you go to Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13 some of our favorite appetizers to start with are: 
1. Ahi Poke Tostadas
2. Gnarly Nachos
3. Hummus
4. Baja Chicken Quesadilla

Their Traditional Tacos are amazing and you their Apple Brie burger is to die for as well! You won't be disappointed when you come here. 

Lets talk about Happy Hour! Tower 13 has one of the best happy hours in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. On Mondays their happy hour is ALL day, that's right... All day! Tuesday-Friday from 3:30pm-6:30pm is their happy hour which includes: $6 on selected food items, all draft beer only $5, house margaritas only $5, $2 off all Tower Cocktails and more! Check out their website for more happy hour deals, food and live music at www.tower13.com or swing by to check it out for yourself!

Looking to host an event or party? Tower 13 can accommodate just about any type of party or gathering! They can host groups between 25 and 250 people. 

Hours and Contact Info:

Monday 11:30-10pm
Tuesday 11:30-10pm
Wednesday 11:30-10pm
Thursday 11:30-11pm
Friday 11:30-Midnight
Saturday 10-Midnight
Sunday 10-10pm

Address: 2633 South Coast Highway 101
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Phone: 760-635-1200

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Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13

July 30th, 2018

The Making of a Mural

The Making of a Mural

Creating the Cardiff Arts Coalition (CAC) to support public art and local artists in Cardiff-by-the Sea was the brainchild of former Executive Director, Annika Walden and Assistant Director, Natalie Suggs.  When I took over the reigns I was very excited to get things kicked off. Local artist, Skye Walker, joined Cardiff 101 Board Members Mallory Morgan and Teresa Barth and Natalie Suggs on the CAC and our first task was to identify a contiguous and walkable Cardiff-by-the-Sea Cultural Arts District. Seeing a lack of connectivity and cohesiveness in Cardiff we thought it was best to have the Cultural Arts District encircle the community running from Birmingham south on San Elijo then east up Chesterfield and north along Newcastle and back down Birmingham.  Within our proposed Cultural Arts District we have a current and future gathering space; Cardiff Town Center and Seaside Harbaugh Parkway, as well as existing murals, SDGE Utility of Art painted transformer boxes, the historical Cardiff Mercantile Building and our Cultural Center; the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library.

Shortly after the district was defined we received approval for funds from the City of Encinitas Mizel Family Foundation Grant program and we hit the ground running! I had the ambitious goal of getting 3 murals up on Cardiff with the funds…. Little did I know how hard this would be to achieve. Natalie and Skye went through the building inventory in Cardiff and identified wall space that fell under our guidelines for a mural, which includes; visibility, located in the Cultural Arts District and quality/longevity of the building material.  The CAC began to pursue the property owners of the identified wall space and we were met with many hurdles we didn’t anticipate an unfortunately no interested property owners. During that time Bill Combs, who serves on the Board and Chairs the Economic Development Committee introduced me to the property owner of 2121 Newcastle, Adam Robinson, who had just begun rehabilitation of this property. When I mentioned Cardiff 101 Main Street’s goal to activate and revitalize Newcastle into a thriving social and economic region, this really resonated with Adam. As a person who appreciates the impacts that art can have and how important it is to invest in projects that both stimulate the local economy but also give back to the community Adam not only “got” our vision but was willing to help support making it happen! Since his property fit squarely in our defined Cultural Arts District this was the perfect location for our first mural.  

After this connection was made the CAC expanded to include Cardiff resident and water color artist Sharon Belknap, long time Cardiff resident and mosaic artist Lynn Adams, Bump Coffee co-owner and Cardiff 101 Board Member, Trevor Mertens and Cardiff 101 Board Treasurer Trish Hilder who stepped into the role of Chair.  Trish worked with the CAC to select 7 artists from the group’s curated list of local artist to present to Adam.  Adam chose his top 3 artist and those artist presented proposals for review and the final artist piece as selected. “Evening Gold” a collaborative piece presented by Cardiff Artist Skye Walker, was originally a photo taken by legendary surf photographer Todd Glaser of celebrity pro-surfer and Cardiff local Rob Machado surfing at Cardiff Reef.

"We wanted to do something special because Cardiff doesn't really have a downtown. It has a loop," Adam said. "This corner wasn't activated really well. I had no idea what we wanted to do here exactly. I just knew we wanted to do something. When Cardiff 101 presented us with Skye's work, we thought it was more than perfect."

We may not have gotten 3 murals up in Cardiff in our first year but we got one massive mural that really resonates with the community and highlights the local talent that was bred right here in Cardiff! This mural will be the catalyst for change in the area and we anticipate it will encourage more property owners to consider murals and art projects on their property, it will help to define the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Cultural Arts District and be a first step to revitalize Newcastle Avenue into a more vibrant, walkable, social and thriving economic district. Public art has been shown to enliven areas, attract foot traffic and support place making initiatives. Arts and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand in many cities and Cardiff-by-the-Sea is no different! We are so thankful for the City Encinitas Mizel Family Foundation Grant program for funds to support this project and for Adam Robinson, RAF Pacific, for their generous donation to support the cost of this mural!

"Murals lift up any community. Obviously, there are so many different ways to do murals and different kinds, but when you engage the community with public art, it just really inspires people and gets them interested. It drives communities in a way that nothing else does." – Evening Gold artist Skye Walker.

"My passion for Chairing the Arts Coalition comes from how much I’ve seen communities change, become safer, and bring people together when public art is displayed.  All of the research on public art and how it adds to a vibrant community is astounding and I’m honored to be a part of that in Cardiff." - Trisha Hilder Chair of Cardiff Arts Coalition.

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Author: Roberta Walker

June 1st, 2018

Highlights from Taste of Cardiff 2018

Cheers to another amazing Taste of Cardiff!!! Thank you to all our wonderful restaurants, breweries, wineries, artisans, musicians, volunteers and local businesses for making the 9th Annual Taste of Cardiff so great! We love when our community can come together and celebrate the best of Cardiff! We think that the Taste of Cardiff video, created by local Cardiff husband and wife due Tiffany and Matt from Enjet Media perfectly captures our unique coastal community and the essence of the night that was enjoyed by all!

What was your favorite component to the night? With so many great and new happenings it’s hard to highlight just one! We enjoyed the quality, variety and drool worthy tastes created by the best restaurants Cardiff has to offer! Congratulations to Cardiff Beach Bar @Tower 13 for taking home the Golden Fork Award.  You can read more about their win and the second and third place winners here.  Between multiple taste stops, sips and live music the Cardiff Town Center was a hub of fun for the whole family!  Did you check out the student band from School of Rock Encinitas, what a talented group of teens!  New Balance Cardiff hosted sips from local craft brewers, The Lost Abbey and talented local singer songwriter, Tolan Shaw. What about the new tastes on offer this year? Sushi Lounge Encinitas was hosted at our friends over at ABBOTT Engineering? Tasty treats were offered by Fro-Yo-By-The-Seahosted at Tower 13. Did you know the owner of this food truck is a local Cardiff woman?  A popular stop was the Sip + Taste + Sound at C’Est Si Bon featuring Carruth Cellars Urban Winery, jazz music by Louis V. Duo ft. Sarah Knapp and tasty samples from Urban Plates.  Cardiff Animal Hospital & Wellness Center is always a fun stop for the whole family; including our four legged family members. We always love hosting local Cardiff business, Camera Camper at this spot and we were excited to include live music from AVIATOR STASH. Did you wander with us at the new Sip + Shop Stop at Sea + Wander featuring local Cardiff artisans and love music? Participants parked their bikes at the Electra Bicycle Company free Bike Valet or hopped on a bike from LimeBike to head out to Restaurant Row to sample fine cuisine, enjoy the cool ocean breeze and multiple live music stops. Always a favorite the Libation Lounge at the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Lodge featured sips of craft beer, wine, kombucha, and live music by Symbiotic Culture and many ended their night here! 

Thank you to everyone that bought a ticket and came out and enjoyed the best of Cardiff-by-the Sea! It's events like this that allow us to bring the community together and that contribute to our annual ability to function and keep events going for the community! Funds from this event also support projects like the utility box painting by Daniel Hernandez and the new mural collaboration by Skye Walker, Todd Glaser and Rob Machado both of which were painted during Taste of Cardiff.  We hope you got a chance to watch the live painting and interact with the artists. 

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We want to give a special thank you to professional photographer Jax Connolly, who shot all the beautiful images from the night.  If you’re looking for a photographer for your next event, we recommend reaching out to directly at Info@jaxconnolly.com.  A big thank you to the Enjet Media crew as well for capturing the evening on video.  Being a local Cardiff company they really get the vibe of the community and this event. A professional and easy to work with crew they also have lots of PASSION for the community that was evident in all our interactions and the quality of their work.

Thank you to all our participants and sponsors that supported this beloved community event!

Foodies had a chance to try some of Cardiff restaurants best signature dishes as they explored a mix of shops and Cardiff's coast!

Best Pizza & Brew, Bump Coffee, Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13, Cardiff Seaside Market, Chart House, Cicciotti's Italian Restaurant at Cardiff by the Sea, East Coast Pizza, Fro-Yo-By-The-Sea, Ki's Restaurant,  Pacific Coast Grill, Rimel's Cardiff, Sambazon,  Starbucks Cardiff, Sushi Lounge Encinitas, Trattoria Positano, Urban Plates, VG Donuts, Just Food for Dogs

We were so thrilled to have 19 beverage companies participate at this year's Taste of Cardiff! Check out the variety of crafted beer, wine, and kombucha that was served to Taste + Sip ticket holders! 

Abnormal Beer Company, Bagby Beer Company, Ballast Point, Boochcraft, Carruth Cellars Urban Winery, Coronado Brewing, Division 23 Brewing, Duck Foot Brewing Company, Forgotten Barrel Winery, Kombucha Culture, Leucadia Red, Living Tea Kombucha, The Lost Abbey,  Modern Times,  Second Chance Beer Company,  Stone Brewing, Saint Archer Brewing Co., Secco Wine Club, ZIOBAFFA

Friends and family explored Cardiff-by-the-Sea at these Sip + Stop locations: ABBOTT Engineering, Cardiff Animal Hospital & Wellness Center, Cardiff-by-the-Sea Lodge, C'Est Si Bon, Fowlers Boutique, Home Care Assistance, Postal Annex Cardiff,  New Balance Cardiff, Sea + Wander,  Shoreline Properties,  Steele Realty

2018 Taste of Cardiff Golden Fork Winner!

Cardiff 101 Main Street’s 9th Annual Taste of Cardiff was a huge success and we hope you had as much fun as we did! Year after year we are continually impressed with the quality, variety and drool worthy tastes created by the best restaurants Cardiff has to offer!  We were not the only ones that noticed, we received an overwhelmingly positive response on how great the food was, “Every taste stop was good!” was something we have heard time and time again! The final votes really reflected the across the board deliciousness that folks experienced. 

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Chef AJ and his winning Ceviche Sliders!

This was the tightest race yet with only a handful of votes separating the top three highest voted restaurants.  We wish we could give an award to all of you but the people have spoken and the Golden Fork Award winner is………….Cardiff Beach Bar at Tower 13 for their delectable ceviche sliders! Congratulations!  Tower 13 is the only restaurant to take home the three-peat Golden Fork Award for 2013, 2014 and 2015 so their win for 2018 makes it their 4th, no other restaurant has achieved this level of success.  Looking for a fun night out with friends, great food and a view of the Pacific Ocean? Head to Tower 13 for their award winning food, great vibe and live music!

There were lots of great tastes to be had and coming in hot in 2nd Place was a tie between last years reigning champion Cardiff Seaside Market and newcomer Bump Coffee.  Rounding out the top three was local favorite and an iconic restaurant in Cardiff-by-the Sea, VG Donuts.  Congratulations to our top three and to every restaurant that participated!  

We want to give a special thank you to professional photographer Jax Connolly, who shot all the beautiful images from the night.  Looking for a photographer for your next event, we recommend reaching out to directly at Info@jaxconnolly.com.

Check out the Taste of Cardiff video, created by local Cardiff husband and wife due Tiffany and Matt from Enjet Media perfectly captures our unique coastal community and the essence of the night that was enjoyed by all!

5 Ways to Give Back to Earth

In honor of Earth day on April 22nd, we would like to share with you 5 simple ways to give back to Earth and to help end plastic pollution.

01. Join a community clean-up! In preparation for the Taste of Cardiff event May 3rd, join Cardiff 101 Main Street and the Rob Machado Foundation for an "inland" community cleanup on Wednesday, May 2nd from 9 am to 11 am at the Cardiff Library. Help us keep Cardiff clean with the goal of collecting trash "inland" before it has an opportunity to reach our beaches and pollutes the ocean! To RSVP as a volunteer click here! 

02. Compost food waste. This is a game changer and incredibly easy to do!

03. Switch from using single-use plastics to sustainable ones! Using paper or metal straws/cups instead of plastic ones is a great start. We love Stasher bags, Eco Bags, Simply Straws, MIZU water bottles, and Changing Tides Foundation for eco-friendly goods!

Stasher Bags and Eco Bags

04. Eat more plants and eat seasonally! Shop local and support farmers. You can find local goods at Seaside Market and at the Leucadia Famers Market that takes place every Sunday from 10am-2pm at Paul Ecke Central School.

05. Grow something from seed. Try using seeds harvested from your organic produce. Or plant a tree at the City of Encinitas Arbor Day Tree Planting event on April 21st from 10am to 12pm at San Dieguito Academy.

We hope you enjoyed reading these 5 simple ways to help our planet stay clean! We encourage you to teach and share this with others, especially children! :)

Cardiff-by-the-Sea photo taken by Kyle Thomas Photography

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It's Your Smile, Let it Beam!

Beam Orthodontics

For Cardiff residents Dr. Jeffery and Diana Schaefer, Beam Orthodontics is the realization of a dream. After one year and 4 days from setting their eyes on the space that would become Beam, Dr. Schaefer, a board certified orthodontist, and Diana, a dental hygienist, are thrilled to announce the opening of their practice. Obviously, they are passionate about teeth! Dr. Schaefer and his wife's enthusiasm and expertise will shine through in every aspect of Beam, which they privately own and operate, one mille from their home. It is important for them to live, work, and, raise their children in Encinitas. They are passionate about their give back, so please do not hesitate to ask them to sponsor your team or organization.  

Beam Orthodontics will specialize in orthodontics for people of ALL ages. Creating beautiful smiles and healthy bites is their job. But for a patient, orthodontic work can become a lifelong journey, one that can open new doors and lead to once unimaginable opportunities. Through excellent orthodontic care at Beam, Dr. Schaefer looks forward to witnessing this transformation in all of his patients.  While the Schaefers worked hard to design the office to perfection, they believe their  biggest difference is how Dr. Schaefer and his team will make you feel at the office.  Dr. Schaefer is a funny and charismatic guy, and he truly cares about and you and your story.  His "Beam Team" will make you laugh as they work to straighten your teeth and correct your bite.    

Throughout California and Texas, Dr. Schaefer spent nearly a decade practicing as an orthodontist. As a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, he is committed to delivering excellent orthodontic care.  He offers the latest advances in technology, from Invisalign and lingual braces (braces hidden behind your teeth) to the Damon system and an intra-oral scanner that eliminates the need for impressions.  Beam's goal is to minimize your treatment time yet maximize your results and comfort.   Beam is 100% digital and offers OrthoFi, an online service that makes the financial aspects of treatment flexible and convenient.  Dr. Schaefer is in network with most PPO insurance plans and they are happy to verify and accept assignment of benefits.     

As much as Dr. Schaefer enjoys helping children and adolescents, he also loves working with adults.  So the office was designed to appeal to people of all ages. Yes, we will offer kids a chance to play video games and watch tv...but the office vibe has a unique, coffeehouse feel, and patients will even find their office—and work—fun and relaxing!  They carefully selected every detail, and they did it all with one goal in mind: to ensure every patient of theirs is taken on an amazing journey. As a start-up, the Schaefer family is working hard to spread the word about Beam Orthodontics. They look forward to meeting you at the office or around town soon!  

It's your smile.  Let it Beam!  

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Local’s Guide to Taste of Cardiff 2018

The key to having a great time at Taste of Cardiff is finding the right balance between being efficient and enjoying the moment at each stop. This may be different for each “Taster,” some may be dead set on making it to every restaurant and sip stop, and some may be more interested in really soaking in everything each place has to offer.  I’ve done it both ways and I’ve had a great time every time I’ve gone! Just make sure that if you’re attending with a group that you’re all on the same page about what your priorities are and don’t be afraid to split up if need be. You will undoubtedly run in to friends and there are plenty of new friends to be made!

If you’d like to time your night around seeing the sunset, I’d recommend starting at the south end at Tower 13. If you start on time (see below for why this is important), you should have plenty of time to get to the Cardiff Lodge Libations Lounge for sunset around 7:30 and you can soak in the beautiful views while listening to some great tunes and enjoying some delicious beverages.

A few notable new comers I’m personally excited to check out are Bump Coffee who will be serving up their signature empanadas, and Boochcraft, an organic, high-alcohol kombucha company that gives you all the health benefits plus a little buzz!

A few tips:

1. Make sure you’re there as early as possible. If you take anything away from this, this should be it.  Everyone I have talked to at the end of the night says they wish they had more time. The best way to ensure you get the most out of the event is to get there in time to start right at 5:00. Will call for tickets opens at 3pm-7pm in the Seaside Market parking lot so make sure you’re there with plenty of time to get your tickets and get to where you want to start.

2. Take time to listen to the bands. We have some great musical talent here in Cardiff and the Taste is always a great chance to check out new bands!

3. Bring a water bottle. Mizu generously donates water stations that are placed around Cardiff so be sure to fill up! If you don’t want to carry a bottle and buy a sip ticket, your sip cup works well too. Hydration is key to a great night (and next morning).

4. Don’t forget to vote for the Golden Fork award. Local restaurants battle it out each year to win the coveted award so be sure to vote. Nothing like a healthy dose of competition to liven things up!

5. Bring your wallet. Some local stores and restaurants have specials and sales going on just for the Taste and you don’t want to miss your chance to get a great deal while also supporting our wonderful local businesses.  Sea + Wander will have a Maker’s Market with local artisans showing off their goods and Tower 13 has some great drink specials!

Hope to see you all there!

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Author: Miranda Hyldahl

Blue Sky Mediation Center

Blue Sky Mediation Center

Meet Robert Mougin of Blue Sky Mediation Center. We asked Robert a couple of questions to see why he founded Blue Sky Mediation, what he enjoys most about the business and his community. Read on to learn more!

C101: When and how did you start your business?

Robert Mougin: I opened Blue Sky Mediation Center here in Encinitas back in 2016 after 20 years as a trial lawyer.  My law practice had me traveling all over the west coast, and I wanted to be more local so that I could spend more time with my family.  Mediation allows me to bring my experience to the myriad disputes that face our city, our local businesses, and our community and help our neighbors find peace and avoid the costs in time, money and energy that are associated with protracted litigation. 

C101: What made you choose to locate your business in Encinitas?

Robert Mougin: We love it here in Encinitas, I wanted to be able to spend more time in my home town, so what better way than to open my business here - I also authentically want to be a true resource to everyone here so that they can resolve any disputes that they find themselves entangled in. 

C101: How long have you lived in Cardiff?

Robert Mougin: My wife Cass and I have lived here for 16 years now, and we have an 8 year old son. 

C101: What do you love most about Cardiff?

Robert Mougin: What's not to love?  The people, the ocean, the energy - all of these elements create a community environment that I truly believe is second to none!  This also ties in perfectly with the atmosphere that I strive to create at Blue Sky.  An open space where we can come together, be heard, and resolve our disputes so that we can find our peace of mind and move on with our lives. 

C101: What’s your favorite part about your job?

Robert Mougin: When I resolve any dispute, but particularly those that are complex, emotional, and heated - I love seeing the realization that my clients have that the fight is over, and that they can go back to living their lives without the headaches associated with their battle.  I find enormous fulfillment and satisfaction with the resolution of these disputes, and I truly enjoy being a local resource for our community. I am humbled and grateful for this job and the trust that has been given to me by our community. 

C101: What are some challenges you’ve faced?

Robert Mougin: Truthfully, just getting the word out and making myself available to the local community takes time.  While we have lived here for 16 years now, admittedly we were not as involved as we would have liked to have been as both of our prior jobs forced us to travel quite a bit.  Now that we are fully vested in our local community, we are seeing our business grow. 

C101: What makes you special and stand out among your competitors? What makes you unique?

Robert Mougin: There are many qualified mediators out there, but most that are local focus exclusively on family law issues. Here at Blue Sky, I handle all kinds of disputes - from the large, complex, corporate level disputes, to neighborhood and community disputes, to real estate, insurance, personal injury disputes, workers comp and even trusts/estates and probate disputes.  I have been handling both litigated and non-litigated disputes as well.  There is no issue too big or too small to bring to Blue Sky.  

C101: For a new guest/customer/client, what’s something you would recommend for them?

Robert Mougin: My first advice for all new clients is to come prepared to your mediation session.  Take me up on the briefing option, where you can put into words the history of your dispute, your position regarding the issues, and your desired outcome.  I read all briefs as part of my preparation for any mediation session, and it allows everyone to start off from an informed position, ready to truly get to work on finding a solution. 

C101:  What’s your motto or mission statement? Or perhaps a quote you live by?

Robert Mougin:  As you will see on our website, we believe that "The Solution is Closer than You Think." We also believe strongly in the mediation process - Why Litigate when you can Mediate? Blue Skies Ahead.

C101:  As part of your business mission, do you provide a social, environmental or community benefit? If yes, what?  

Robert Mougin: Yes, from the outset of our business, we have been involved in local community efforts via the three main street associations of Encinitas. We also have been active with the Rob Machado Foundation. This is an area we believe in and aim to continue to grow with our involvement and contributions.

C101: Who’s your role model or other people you look for inspiration?

Robert Mougin: I have a host of role models, and they all share similar traits - those being a commitment to our local and global communities, to provide authentic and transparent service to those in need. To balance our strength and our empathy in order to be open to resolving disputes, large and small alike.

C101: Are there any special upcoming events, deals, or anything you’d like our readers to know about for this year?

Robert Mougin: We will be having an Open House Mixer with music, friends and libations on Thursday, April 12th at our space here in Encinitas. (111 C Street).

C101: When you are not working what is your favorite thing to do in Cardiff?

Robert Mougin: I would love to say that my favorite thing to do here is exercise, but to be honest, it's probably to eat at one of our many fantastic restaurants!

Robert and Blue Sky Mediation Center operate out of the Union CoWork building at 111 C St, Encinitas, CA 92024. If the need arises, just know that Robert is here to help you craft a mutually agreeable solution that gives all parties the ability to put their disputes behind them.

Learn more about Robert and Blue Sky Mediation Center, book an appointment, read testimonials, and more at blueskymediationcenter.com. 

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Event Ideas in Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Event Ideas in Cardiff-by-the-Sea at Cardiff-by-the-Sea Lodge

Cardiff-by-the-Sea Lodge...

A quiet, cozy, boutique hotel with a gorgeous rooftop- complete with a fire pit and ocean view...

Established in 1991, the Cardiff Lodge is nestled in lower Cardiff-by-the-Sea, directly across from the Pacific Ocean. This 17-room getaway was built by a local architect and designer and inspired by their European travels. An iconic, wood shingled, landmark, within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, VG Donuts, San Elijo Campgrounds and the Cardiff State Beach. Their rooftop boasts a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and is designed as a relaxing space for guests, with the capacity to host larger events.

The ocean view, cool breeze, bright sun and spectacular sunsets provide an excellent backdrop, authentic to Cardiff's culture and style.

We took a tour with Dawn, who showed us just how great this space can be. Obviously, the view is incredible!

The landscaping is beautiful and blends nicely with any occasion - it looks amazing for weddings too!

The layout provides open space for common areas and selected nooks for wedding cakes, info booths, registration tables, or even a wine bar! 

Those who book a time slot for later in the day, enjoy a spectacular view of the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. And if you're hosting friends, family,or co-workers from out of town, they have an excellent place to stay!

Whether you're looking to host an event on their rooftop or wanting to book a getaway... Check out their website for more information here!

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Cardiff’s Mural Marvels – Have you seen these ladies!

Have you seen these ladies!

Cardiff neighborhood art always places smiles on resident’s faces. This piece pictured is a "printed" enlargement of an original 10"x14" medium of oil pastels on watercolor paper piece done by our local artist, LaMonte Lamoureux.  It is on the exterior wall of Seaside Market facing Newcastle street, have you seen it? 

For years, Cardiff’s Town Center owners, Pete Najjar, John Najjar, Joe Zagara and John Zagara have been wanting to install artwork on the back panels of the building.  But, actual painting on the wall is very expensive and there are many walls.  LaMonte a Cardiff local Artist, did a banner for the Arts Alive program that Tom McCabe of McCabe Architecture really liked.  Tom and LaMonte than began talking about pieces for the back panels, they knew they wanted to do it right.  Seaside Market had used an affordable printing process for the artwork in the produce area and found that it can also be done on an exterior material.  To see if the exterior material would work and how the process would function, they installed the first panel on the Newcastle panel of the building.

"Drawing inspiration from the Cardiff by the Sea surf community, vintage California surf and the bright surfing girls in my life. It was a pleasure working with Tom and the Cardiff Town Center Team on this project.  I'm very pleased in how the printed panel turned out and Cardiff Town Centers continued support of community. I look forward to supporting the Arts Alive program in 2018, contributing to future art discussions and commissions." ~LeMonte Lamoureux

The Town Center continues to talk about pieces for the back panels of the building and looks to developing an art program to complete them. We’d like to see more art in Cardiff too!

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Author Bio

Christine adores Cardiff-by-the-Sea.  She is passionate about the environment, animals and health, including a great love for her family and the outdoors. She is dedicated to making a difference through diligence, perseverance, strategy, education, awareness and change. 

It’s a Doggy Dog World

We had a chance to interview one of our newest Cardiff 101 Main Street members, racepacepups! Dogs need exercise just as much (if not more) than people, but not everyone has the time to give their pups the attention they deserve. That’s where racepacepups comes in! This local business is run by Kimberli Weeks who has a true passion for our furry best friends. See what she has to say about her love for dogs, her job and her participation in Dog Days of Summer on August 13th.

C101: When and how did you start your business?
K: racepacepups was conceived in early 2016 by myself, Kimberli Weeks, runner and dog lover. This concept came about shortly after I finished a self-described disappointing marathon, where I saw a woman running down Cardiff State Beach with a dog. It’s as if a lightbulb went off in my head and any race-related self pity vanished as ideas popped into my head like never before. After doing my due diligence, I saw there was no true local dog RUNNING business and jumped on the opportunity. Everything racepacepups is today, is because of an idea and a passion. Helping San Diego dogs become or stay fit is my goal.

C101: How long have you lived in Cardiff?
K: I am happy to say I grew up in San Diego and have enjoyed living in Cardiff for about a year and a half now. I have loved living in this unique, vibrant, local beach community and would love to remain here for many years. I’m that lady who waves at everyone, whether I’m walking, driving or running!

C101: What’s your favorite part about your job?
K: It’s a no brainer to say my favorite part of the job is running with dogs. I would have to say the highlight though is when a dog has a breakthrough run. Sometimes it means the first time they run past a light pole without stopping to sniff, or the first time a dog I’m with doesn’t bark at a passing dog. It usually coincides with “firsts” and I can guarantee I usually am cheering on whoever I’m with at that exact moment. I’ve had quite a few laughs from other people who probably think I’m the “crazy dog lady” and that’s fine with me! I get truly excited when something along these lines happens!

C101: For a new client, what’s something you would recommend for them?
K: I always recommend to new clients, especially with dogs who are new to leashed running, to get the OK from their vet. If the dog is still young, most breeds will not get the approval to run from their vet until 8-12 months, depending on their breed. This is because their joints aren’t fully formed yet. It’s better to err on the side of caution and meet with a vet first. I’m not going anywhere, so if waiting a few months is what you need to feel comfortable that your pup is fully grown, we wait!

C101: What’s your slogan?
K: The first slogan, if you will, that came to mind when my business started, is “Why hire a dog walker when you can have a dog RUNNER?” I feel dogs, like humans, can benefit from one on one running instead of solely walking. I’ve been in business for one year this September and I’ve already learned that even the most hyper dog, who has cycled through different dog walkers, finally got what they need with a runner. The temperament changes and it’s like the dog is transformed, making them behave for their owner upon return. This is only one of many examples.

C101: How will you be participating in Dog Days of Summer this year?
K: I am very much looking forward to my first vendor booth at the Dog Days of Summer event. There, I will have coupons for discounted runs, as well as fun giveaways that will all be exercise-related. I look forward to meeting more of the local dog community and will be happy to answer any dog (or human!) running related questions anyone may have! My goal as a Cardiff 101 member is to make our community dogs, as well as their owners, happy and fit because I think an active outdoors lifestyle is exactly what Cardiff-by-the-Sea is about!

If you’d like to contact Kimberli about giving your pups the exercise they need, visit her website, here!

We are proud to partner with the City of Encinitas to present the 12th Annual Cardiff Dog Days of Summer. This FREE event features over 200 dog-related vendors and rescue groups, pet adoptions, live music, dog contests, kids activities, beer & wine garden, food trucks and more! Catch all the action on August 13th from 12-6pm at the Encinitas Community Park. Go to the official event page, here!

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