Live From the Coast

Downtown parking, architectural style on San Clemente agenda

2010-04-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

Downtown parking, architectural style on San Clemente agenda

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Sugar Blossom Bakery Coming Soon to SC

2010-04-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

I personally have been waiting many years now for our very own gourmet bakery here in San Clemente. Looks like the wait is coming to an end, as Sugar Blossom Bakery will be opening Downtown in just a few short weeks!

Their tasteful site states that they will be offering baked goods from scratch using fine quality ingredients such as valrhona and callebaut chocolates, madagascar bourbon vanilla (YUM), Mediterranean sea salt and all natural dairy!

They also boast a menu of scrumptious sounding treats including cookies ranging from sugar cutouts to caramel pecan thumbsters, and the ever so popular red velvet cupcakes, and especially on Sundays macadamia cinnamon rolls!

They offer custom orders as well to accomodate those delightful baby showers and birthday parties.

I personally will be in there for a macadamia cinnamon roll as soon as they open their doors, will you?

http://www.sugarblossombakeshop.com/

Group Hopes Organic Market Takes Root in Tow

2010-04-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

by Katherine Sweet

San Clemente Times

Frustrated by the number of trips and different stores it takes to find the food they want, a group of South County residents has decided to take action. The store, to be called the San Clemente Community Market, will target those interested in sustainable food, featuring everything from organic produce to eco-friendly household cleaners. Their top priority will be to offer organic food, followed by local goods as a close second.

“It’s about sustainability,” said Sam Olmstead, one of the founding organizers. “One of the biggest factors is to know where our food comes from.”

The idea took root many years ago, evolving from a buying club here in town that provides organic milk products at wholesale cost. While initially starting small, the residents envision a full-size store, hopefully in under a year. They have not yet secured a location, but hope to have a small store up and running soon.

“It will grow into a full market eventually,” Olmstead said. “We’re taking baby steps.”

The market is designed to both serve the community and make a difference. Their mission is create “a community-owned, whole foods grocery store, with the goal to provide San Clemente locals with easy access to high quality, best-value, organic and hormone-free products, and a focus on consumer empowerment, product quality and member control.”

Toward this end, they will sell seasonal, sustainably-grown produce; organic, grain-fed meat, dairy and eggs; a wide range of bulk foods; and an array of fresh, frozen, canned and prepackaged natural food items—all with a focus on local products.

But the offerings do not stop at grocery items alone. A café featuring eats and a juice and espresso bar is planned, and herbs and spices, environmentally friendly household cleaners, body care products, arts and crafts, and more will also be sold.

According to founding organizer Renee Plasky, the goal is to find farmers as close as possible to San Clemente.

“We want connections with farmers and their farms,” Plasky said. “Our priorities will be to work with sustainable local farmers and ranchers.”

Locally produced is a mantra for several reasons. Olmstead quotes activist Michael Pollan, who claims that the average item of food travels 1,500 miles before it gets to your plate—in the process wasting energy and losing nutrients. Local goods also keep money in the community and support local farms.

“I like to give local businesses our dollars,” said Diane Palmer, who said she will support the store when it opens. “It’s good to buy local to give the city money.”

According to Olmstead, the market will cater to “anyone who eats,” hopefully drawing from San Clemente and surrounding cities.

“We want to give people more access to organic/biodynamic food,” Olmstead said. “Many people think it’s too expensive, but it’s not. We pay for our current cheap food with air pollution, human rights and health effects from chemical additives and obesity.”

The goal is also to help people eat better, save energy and improve customers’ health. Another main selling point is that the market will be based on the co-operative model, where the company becomes member owned.

“Basically the patrons who shop there, own it,” Olmstead said.

Customers join by paying a fee, which could be from $150 to $300. The fee makes the contributor one of the owners. When decisions are made, everyone will vote. While there will most likely be a board of directors, the store will be largely member controlled. The group will be partnering with Food Coop 500 and Ocean Beach’s People’s Co-op San Diego.

“The market will put power back in the community,” Plasky said. “It allows people to participate in what they want to see in the community…If people don’t want to carry a product because of its company’s ethics, we don’t.”

As the group is still in search of a location, they are reaching out to the community to find possible sites.

“People ask when the market is coming,” Plasky said. “When is up to the community.” She invites anyone interested to attend the regular monthly meetings and get involved.

In the end, the market hopes to meet a community need.

“There is no big meeting place where San Clemente locals can come together to educate, share ideas and buy foods in a sustainable way,” Plasky said. “There is no large health food grocery store, no place to shop healthy and organic; yet this type of store would accomplish all of that, [plus] shine as a model of health and sustainability for some of our most pressing political issues to date.”

Beyond being simply a place to purchase food, the organizers also envision the market as a place that brings the community together.

“The problems in the world are solved one community at a time,” Plasky said. “We want people to come together and be proactive.”

For more information about this grassroots effort, to join in their cause or help them out by taking their survey, visit their Web site at www.sanclementemarket.com. Or contact Renee Terese Plasky at 949.735.0497 or renee@vibrantblossom.com.

2 dozen arrested as Feds intercept boat landing near San Onofre

2010-04-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

From wire service reports

Posted: 04/14/2010 12:44:56 PM PDT

Updated: 04/14/2010 12:57:52 PM PDT

Federal authorities were questioning two dozen people arrested today in a border-security sweep conducted by Orange County and federal investigators, who intercepted a boat near San Onofre beach.

About 5:50 a.m., Orange County sheriff's harbor patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel spotted a suspicious boat near San Onofre beach drop off four people, sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said. When the boat's crew spotted the harbor patrol, they changed direction and sped away, Amormino said.

Authorities caught up with the boat near San Clemente and arrested the 20 people who were still aboard and the four others who had reached land earlier, Amormino said.

The patrol was part of "Operation Stone Garden." The Orange County sheriff's harbor patrol and CPB have teamed up for the border sweeps, which are funded by an $800,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security, Amormino said.

It wasn't immediately clear why investigators thought the boat was suspicious or what charges authorities were considering, Amormino said.

"One should not always assume that people coming across the border are people from Mexico or South America," Amormino said. "They could just as easily be a terrorist coming here planning an attack. This is just as much a homeland security operation as anything else."

Eco Chic Rubber Band Necklaces

2010-03-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Take a look at the goods from Ecouterre!

Enjoy!

Couture Rubber Band Jewelry

Organic Wine Tasting in San Juan Capistrano

2010-03-11T07:28:00.000-08:00

Join the folks over at The Ecology Center in SJC for tastings of organic wine and light fare provided by Sapphire Restaurant.

Wine Tasting at The Ecology Center

SunCal continues efforts to fund Marblehead | marblehead, property, court - News - The Orange County Register

2010-03-02T06:57:00.001-08:00

SunCal continues efforts to fund Marblehead | marblehead, property, court - News - The Orange County Register

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Will Bloom Box be energy's fuel cell miracle?

2010-02-26T11:27:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard about the Bloom Box yet, you should watch this video from 60 Minutes. Very informative!

Watch the Bloom Box video here.

Better than Solar Power? Smart Energy for Home Owners

2010-02-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

Lower energy costs. Reduced CO2 emissions.

ClearEdge Power offers a solution for high utility bills. Begin saving money and energy with a single, compact home fuel cell system. You can depend on the ClearEdge5 for electricity, heat and clear environmental benefits. Cost efficient and reliable, our unit is eligible for utility rebates and government incentives. In addition, the unit is not affected by seasonality and provides power year round, making it a better, more reliable choice than other energy alternatives.

Link to the ClearEdge site for more detailed information

San Clemente outlet mall set for Fall 2010?

2010-02-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Craig Realty Group confirms that the groundbreaking for the outlet mall will begin Fall 2010.

Read article here

San Clemente's real estate winners have chance to move up | market, san, clemente - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-18T18:08:00.001-08:00

San Clemente's real estate winners have chance to move up | market, san, clemente - News - The Orange County Register

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San Clemente OKs building-permit fixes | city, council, report - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-17T10:26:00.001-08:00

San Clemente OKs building-permit fixes | city, council, report - News - The Orange County Register

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Settlement could stir new activity at Marblehead Coastal site | city, san, clemente - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-16T08:23:00.001-08:00

Settlement could stir new activity at Marblehead Coastal site | city, san, clemente - News - The Orange County Register

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San Clemente's home market values on mend | san, clemente, market - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-12T07:14:00.001-08:00

San Clemente's home market values on mend | san, clemente, market - News - The Orange County Register

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Kids harvest, cook with local chef at Ecology Center | comes, farm, children - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-11T08:28:00.001-08:00

Kids harvest, cook with local chef at Ecology Center | comes, farm, children - News - The Orange County Register

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Study calls for changes in San Clemente building process | city, report, development - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-09T06:59:00.001-08:00

Study calls for changes in San Clemente building process | city, report, development - News - The Orange County Register

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Believe it or not, San Clemente home-sale volume is up | sales, short, clemente - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-06T14:49:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not, San Clemente home-sale volume is up | sales, short, clemente - News - The Orange County Register

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New Addition to the Talega Community!

2010-02-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

The city has approved a Gymboree Play & Music that will be located in the Talega Courtyards II. Gymboree offers classes for a range of ages from newborn to 5 years old. These classes assist with physical and mental development and are plain fun for children!

For more information about Gymboree

City of San Clemente planning report

Goin Native Offers Classes on Sustainable Gardening in SJC!

2010-02-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

Goin Native strives to expand your garden knowledge with creative, practical and easy terminology while advancing the art of playing in the dirt. Our philosophy is one of hands-on knowledge using sustainable and drought tolerant plants in the garden to promote mindful conservation. We emphasize the ideas and concepts of the four R’s : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rebuy, producing responsible environmental results intended for future generations.

Click Here To Be Connected To Their Class Schedule

SC Times Announces the Best of San Clemente for 2009

2010-01-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

Did any of your favorite spots in town garner an Ole Award?

Best of San Clemente 2009

Have We Hit the Housing Bottom in San Clemente?

2010-01-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

Some see hints of bottom in housing

Syd Leibovitch, owner of Rodeo Realty in Los Angeles is doing what many real estate agents can only dream of: expanding. In the past three months, Leibovitch has hired more than 40 agents and is opening a new office on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip.

“My sales last year were 30 percent higher than 2006, which was our best year,” said Leibovitch, who specializes in luxury homes in the Los Angeles area. “A lot of my competition closed or went out of business entirely, and I picked up a lot of their agents.”

He attributes some of business improvement to buyers feeling more optimistic and sellers being more realistic with pricing. But declining inventory is also helping.

“We have very little inventory of low-priced homes,” he said, referring to homes under $400,000. “Banks have held back foreclosures because they are under political pressure to work with borrowers to make a deal.”

Southern California’s coastal region might be one of the few bright spots in a state that has nine of the top 20 metro foreclosure rates nationwide and a 12.4 percent unemployment rate. Still, despite the gloomy numbers and mixed reports in recent weeks, some economists see evidence that Western states like California, Arizona and Nevada—the ones hit hardest in the housing crisis—are showing signs of healing. Home prices in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco have risen for at least six months.

“The epicenter of the boom and bust will be the leaders of the recovery,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. “Those three regions went through a big boom and a big bust and I think they overcorrected and are making solid gains compared to the rest of the country.” He sites multiple bids on lower priced properties, prices beginning to stabilize and inventory levels coming down as evidence that the bottom is in sight.

Others aren’t as optimistic. Celia Chen, senior director at Moody’s Economy.com, predicts that housing prices will fall again this year, especially in states where foreclosures have been rampant like California, Nevada and Arizona. Nearly 1 million loans have been temporarily modified over the past year under a federal program to keep people in their homes, and Chen believes many of these will fail in coming months, especially given the nation’s 10 percent jobless rate. “New foreclosures will come onto the market and bring prices down again,” she said.

Housing numbers released over the past week have painted a mixed picture, muddied by a federal tax credit that was set to expire and then was expanded. After a strong growth from September through November, existing home sales plummeted 16.7 percent in December from November, according to the Realtors. Yun and others attribute the swing to first-time homebuyers hurrying to close on properties before the Nov. 30 deadline for an $8,000 tax credit. Congress has since extended the program April 30.

A closer look at the West reveals a few positive signs in three of the hardest-hit states:

Southern California

Andrew LePage, analyst for MDA DataQuick who focuses on the San Diego region, confirms what Leibovitch of Rodeo Realty observed: Higher-priced homes in southern California’s coastal regions are starting to sell.

“The high-end market was comatose in 2008 and 2009, and the spring and summer of 2009 was the only time we saw anything close to normal activity,” said LePage. “Foreclosure resales are down, and there aren’t as many coming through the pipeline.”

Leibovitch is seeing multiple offers for houses in the $400,000 to $700,000 range; his $300,000 inventory is sold out.

The California market improved in part because of the state’s $10,000 tax credit for new homes, which was in addition to the original federal $8,000 first-time buyer’s credit and the more recent $6,500 credit for repeat home buyers.

“That was enough to encourage a lot of people to make a purchase,” said Brad Hunter, chief economist for Metrostudy, a national housing market research group. Moreover, Los Angeles and San Diego were already built up, so they didn’t experience the same kind of rampant overbuilding that affected inland cities like Bakersfield and Riverside, said Robert Denk, economist at the National Association of Home Builders.

The lower end of the market has been showing consistent growth so has most likely hit a price bottom, but there is an important caveat. “If a large number of foreclosures happen this year, especially over a short period, like six months, the price stability we’ve seen will be jeopardized,” said LePage. A lot depends on the unemployment rate.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35129970/ns/business-real_estate/

By Kristina Dell

MSN Privacy . Legal

Hennessey's Dana Point Holds fundraiser for Haiti

2010-01-27T11:24:00.001-08:00

Hennessey's Haiti fundraiser

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