new doctors lend a healing hand · 2015. 6. 25. · doctors lend a healing hand ... donqt let the...

GIVE DAD THE GIFT OF DONOVAN’S WORLD CLASS SERVICEOPEN 3PM - 9 PM, SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2013.

JUNE / JULY 2015

Doctors Lend a Healing HandDr. Jon Bennett takes the heart rate of a young patient in

San Diego’s Fresh Start Surgical Gifts program. PG.10

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16New Development MAKES A StatementCommercial Real Estate Developer Cruzan — knownfor thinking outside of the box when it comes to re-thinking the environments in which people work — hasmade a bold statement in Carlsbad with its MAKE re-development project. .

Chairman | CEORobert Page

[email protected]

PublisherRebeca Page

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Managing EditorManny Cruz

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Graphic DesignerChristopher Baker

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Photography/IllustrationEric Peters

David Rottenberg

Contributing WritersCecilia BucknerAdriana Cara

Michael DenzingerCourtney Dwyer

Meagan GarlandColette MauzeralleKatelyn O’Riordan

Brad WeberDelle Willett

John Zygowicz

AdvertisingSALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR

Rebeca Page

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All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the FairHousing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any Prefernce lim-itation or discriminatin based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap,familial status, or national orgigin, or an intention, to make any pref-erence, limitation or discrimination. “Familial status includes childrenunder the age of 18 living wit hparents or legal custodians; preg-nant women and people securing custody of children under 18.This magazine will not knowingly accept any advertising for real es-tate which in in violation of this law. Our readers are hereby in-formed that all dwellings advertised in this magazine are availableon an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination callHUD Toll-Free at 1-800-669-9777. Th Toll-free telephone number forthe hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

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ON THE COVER:

Doctors with Big Hearts Lend Helping HandsFresh Start Surgical Gifts transforms the lives of disadvantaged in-fants, children and teens with physical deformities caused by birthdefects, accidents, abuse, trauma or disease through the gift offree reconstructive surgery and related health care services. Dr. JonBennett (pictured with a patient) is a volunteer. See Page 10.

JUNE / JULY 2015|Issue 6-7 |Volume 30

Our mission is to always provide quality journalism for our readers by being

fair, accurate and ethical and a credible resource for our advertisers.

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Adventures in CubaVisiting Cuba seemed such a far off and complicatedadventure, but when North Park residents Tom andPhyllis Shess learned of a legal tour to the forbidden is-land, it was a travel opportunity too good to pass up.“We chose a tour company that was sanctioned byour government to offer cultural and educational toursto Cuba,” said Phyllis, a retired deputy district attorney.

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Maya Hidden World Revealed“Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed,” an original exhibi-tion, has opened at the San Diego Natural History Mu-seum and will be on view through Jan. 3, 2016. At10,000 square feet, it is the largest exhibition of its kindto be presented in the United State.

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New Car Review: BMW X5 MSome of the quickest cars on the road aren’t even cars— much less high-performance sports cars. The BMWX5 M, for instance. Don’t let the four doors fool you. Letthem fool the dude sitting next to you at the light in his911. With not-far-from 600 hp under its hood, the gagis on pretty much everyone — in anything —who thinksthey can outrun this thing.

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With venture funding easier than it has been in years, SanDiego saw a record 446 technology startups in 2014, the incuba-tor CONNECT reported Wednesday.

CONNECT CEO Greg McKee said the startups received$805 million in venture-capital funding, plus over $4 billion intraditional private equity and stock-market funding.

“There is more money now than ever before. It’s really quitestaggering the amounts of dollars,” said McKee, who reportedthe numbers at CONNECT’s annual Rock Stars of Innovationconference at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medi-cine.

According to McKee, the 2014 startups were in these indus-tries:

• 248 in software• 86 in communications, computers and electronics• 70 in life sciences• 16 in defense and transportation• 16 in recreational products• 10 in environmental technologyThese companies created 1,860 new jobs in the San Diego

area. In addition, research funding from the National ScienceFoundation and other sources provided over $1.3 billion in 2014to support basic research that later makes its way into new prod-ucts.

“I’ve been utterly stunned by the staggering amount of re-search” in the San Diego community, McKee said. “The ecosys-tem is so rich.”

McKee said CONNECT helps startups reach the right peo-ple and resources at every stage, from launch through growth andexpansion to exit.

“CONNECT is about just that…providing connections,” he

said. “We want to provide the right introductions to the rightpeople at exactly the right time.” — Times of San Diego

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San Diego Counted Record 44 Tech Startups Last Year

SAN DIEGOSCENE

SA N D I EG O S C E N E

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Before the Digital Age, discerningdrinkers had no easy way to find their fa-vorite tipple. Now there’s an app for justabout every booze-related endeavor,though none come close to TapHunter.

Founded by married duo Melani andJeff “Flash” Gordon, the local tech com-pany is revolutionizing the alcohol indus-try for purveyors and consumers.

“We started as a simple beer finder,” ex-plains Melani. “But we quickly realized itwas the bars and restaurants that neededhelp.”

With pro bono assistance from localtech startup incubator EvoNexus, theGordons developed a more comprehen-sive solution. TapHunter’s suite of Weband mobile tools let owners manage theirofferings and increase sales while kickingthe useful data back to consumersthrough their newly rebranded app.

Local burger chain Slater’s 50/50 wasthe first major client. Now the company is

closing deals worldwide. It’s most popularproduct? Digital drink boards, updatablein real time and powered by a device in-house. It caters to everyone from casualbrewpubs to craft cocktail lounges. “Wecan hardly keep up with the demand,”says Melani.

The East Village residents fill yin-yangroles at TapHunter.

“I’m obviously the quiet one,” saysFlash. (“Only his mother calls him Jeff,”notes Melani.) “I’m level-headed and an-alytical. She’s pure Type A.”

“And businesswise, there’s trust to thenth degree.”

TapHunter, now at 17 employees,shares an open space with 10 other start-ups in a Downtown high-rise with viewsof the Coronado Bridge. There’s even aKegerator for craft-beer breaks.

“It’s pretty much a dream,” says Melani.“We worked really hard for this but stillhave to pinch ourselves sometimes.”.

Melanie and Jeff ‘Flash’ Gordon

TapHunter: More Than Just a Beer Finder

Randa Coniglio, executive vice presi-dent of operations for the San DiegoUnified Port District, has been namedpresident and chief executive officer ofthe district, making her the first femaleCEO in the port’s 52-year history.

The previous CEO, Wayne Darbeau,was ousted a year ago after asking port ten-ants for help finding his son a summer job.

Coniglio was selected as the top candi-date after a nationwide executive searchthat began last December.

Coniglio currently oversees the depart-ments of Real Estate, Maritime, Envi-ronmental and Land Use Management,Strategy and Business Development,Government and Community Relations,and Marketing and Communications.

Coniglio was hired in 2000 by the PortDistrict after a 13-year private sector ca-reer in real estate development and realestate portfolio management. During hertenure at the Port, she has been promoted

six times, having started in the Real Es-tate Department as a senior asset man-ager.

“Randa is a focused, diligent and highlycreative leader who consistently deliversstrong outcomes,” explained Port Chair-man Dan Malcolm. “This, combined withher track record in gaining the trust ofstakeholders, achieving consensus andmaintaining long-term, mutually benefi-cial relationships truly set her apart as thebest candidate for this position.”

Port staff ’s accomplishments underConiglio’s leadership include entitling the500-acre Chula Vista Bayfront MasterPlan in 2012; successfully obtaining aunanimous approval vote from the Cali-fornia Coastal Commission for a $700million San Diego Convention Centerexpansion; and facilitating the opening ofThe Headquarters shopping center,which transformed the old San DiegoPolice Headquarters into a retail center.

Port of San Diego Chooses First Female CEO


Randa Coniglio



Pascal Lorange, executive chef of Fig &Olive Restaurants, will open CRUDO atThe Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch inOctober. It is the latest tenant announcedfor North County’s new residential, shop-ping and dining destination, which is near-ing completion of its first phase ofdevelopment.

CRUDO will feature brunch, lunch anddinner menus with a collection of Mediter-ranean Riviera flavors.

“I have been imagining this concept foryears and I needed the right location tobring CRUDO to life. When I came acrossThe Village, I knew it was the perfect placefor my next venture,” said Lorange. “I amexcited to introduce new creative, fresh andaffordable dishes to the neighborhood.”

Lorange has cooked his way throughsome of the world’s most distinguishedrestaurants. At 19, he was cooking for

world-renowned, three-star Michelin ChefGeorges Blanc in Vonnas, France. Lorangelater went on to serve as the private chef forhit singer and songwriter Julio Iglesias, andhas cooked for countless world leaders andinfluencers, including the Clintons, PrincessStephanie of Monaco, Oscar De la Rentaand President Obama.

CRUDO, which means “raw”, will staytrue to its name by offering a variety of rawplates, such as sashimi and carpaccio, utiliz-ing San Diego’s local seafood and produce.

Current operating tenants at the centerinclude Trader Joes, Panera Bread and Star-bucks Coffee, which will be joined byCrunch Fitness, Pure Barre, Revive Salonand Spa, RiteAid Pharmacy, Total VisionCare, Coast Pediatrics, Pacific Dental Serv-ices, Mabel’s, Urban Girl, Overload, Elite,Lemongrass & Ginger, Dolce, Vitalitytap,Baked Bear and more.

Fig & Olive Restaurant’s Executive Chef Set to Open CRUDO in North County

The Missing Lawyer(EDITOR’S NOTE: One of San Diego’s BestAttorneys was inadvertently left out of our re-port on Best Attorneys in San Diego in April.Here is what should have been publishedabout Phil Jelsma.)

Phil JelsmaPhil Jelsma, a partner and chair of the

tax practice team at Crosbie Gliner Schiff-man Southard & Swanson LLC, is widelyrecognized as one of the state’s leadingjoint venture and tax attorneys. He boastsa nearly 30-year background in real estateexchange transactions, syndications, non-profit corporations and international taxplanning.

Before joining Crosbie Gliner in Febru-ary, Jelsma was a partner at McKennaLong & Aldridge and its predecessor LuceForward, where he handled a thriving taxpractice for 28 years. He also served as anadjunct professor specializing in tax law at

the University of San Diego School ofLaw.

As part of Jelsma’s legal practice, heserves as an expert witness in partnershipand LLC disputes, particularly fiduciaryduty and allocation issues, and attorneystandards of care. He also has served forthree years on the executive committee ofthe Taxation Section of the CaliforniaState Bar, and is an active participant inABA tax subcommittees.

Jelsma holds a bachelor’s degree fromthe University of Southern California. Hislaw degree is from Stanford University. Heis chairman of the board of the VeteransMedical Research Foundation and is aboard member of several organizations, in-cluding CONNECT, Veterans ResearchAlliance, and Palo

Alto Veterans Institute for Legal Re-search.

Pascal Lorange

Phil Jelsma



High Tech High juniorJuliet Lee has been accepted asa summer fellow at StanfordUniversity Medical School.The result of the arduous ap-plication process that attractedworldwide applicants was theaward of one of the five, highlycompetitive spots.

After spending her previoussummer completing the pres-tigious Stanford Cardiotho-racic Surgical Skills SummerInternship, Juliet has decidedto continue her passion formedicine.

During the summer of2014, Juliet along with otherinterns conducted high-skilledsurgical procedures on porcinemodels; these include mitralvalve transplants, coronary ar-tery bypass graphs, and othercrucial surgical skills.

This upcoming two-monthintensive experience duringthe summer of 2015 will takeplace under the mentorship ofone of the world’s foremost

surgeons, Dr. Bruce Reitz. Notonly will previous surgicalconcepts be built upon, but thefellowship will also consist ofintense research projects andadvanced laboratory training.

Juliet is a driven studentwho is passionate about pursu-ing a career in health care. Shehopes to inspire other studentsto take risks and work towardstheir dreams as well, no matterthe difficulty.

“Being a teenager is tough -- adults never take us seri-ously,” said Juliet. “Almostevery time I told someone Iwanted to be a surgeon, begin-ning in middle school, adultswould scoff at the seeminglyunrealistic dream. I want touse my experience to reassuremy generation that they reallyare able to achieve their goals,no matter how far-fetchedthey may seem. Us young peo-ple are capable of tremendousthings, we just have to be giventhe chance to do them.”

Juliet Lee

New Units Drive Up Rental Vacancies High Tech High Junior Accepts FellowshipFrom Stanford University Medical School

Average rent is $1,514 -- Upfrom $1,260 a year ago

The vacancy rate for resi-dential rental units in SanDiego County now stands at4.1 percent, a slight increasefrom fall 2014, according tothe San Diego County Apart-ment Association’s (SDCAA)Spring 2015 Vacancy andRental Rate Survey.

The vacancy rate -- up from2.3 percent last fall and 2.7percent this time last year --was driven higher in part byrising supply from newly con-structed units entering thelocal market. In Mission Valley,for example, the first phase of a612-unit apartment commu-nity opened early this year.Other communities, in SanMarcos, Kearny Mesa, Down-town and elsewhere, also haveopened recently. Multiple mil-itary deployments early in2015 may also have con-tributed to a higher vacancyrate.

“While our growing econ-omy is keeping demand strong,we are now seeing a better bal-ance between supply and de-mand,” said SDCAAExecutive Director Alan Pen-tico. “With many new unitsstill in the developmentpipeline, we expect to see sup-ply continue to rise. This is es-sential as we strive to make upfor the many years when theregion was not developingenough to meet demand.”

In the city of San Diego, thevacancy rate is 4.2 percent, upfrom 2.2 percent last fall and2.7 percent this time last year.The South Bay region had thehighest vacancy rate, at 5.1 per-cent, up from 2.4 percent in thelast survey. East County hadthe next highest vacancy rate,at 4.7 percent, up from 2.3 per-

cent last fall. North County’svacancy rate was 3.8 percent,up from 2.5 percent last fall.

Among specific unit types,studios had the lowest vacancyrate, at 2.8 percent. One-bed-room units had a vacancy rateof 4.4 percent; two-bedroomunits had a vacancy rate of 4percent; three-bedroom unitshad a vacancy rate of 4.1 per-cent.

The survey found theweighted average rent across allunits types in the county was$1,514. That’s up from the fall2014 survey, which showed aweighted average rent of$1,321, and from the spring2014 survey, which showed aweighted average rent of$1,260.

“We still have pent-up de-mand, despite the modest va-cancy increase, and that isreflected in rising rents,” Pen-tico said.

Average rent was $974 forstudio units; $1,301 for one-bedroom units; $1,609 for two-bedroom units; and $1,943 forunits with three or more bed-rooms. Because response levelsvaried in certain ZIP codes, itwas not possible to draw clearconclusions about the overalldirection of change in rent lev-els. However, many new unitsare considered high-end andmany existing properties areundergoing renovations as theyturn over -- work that oftenwas delayed during the reces-sion, according to SDCAA.

Circa 37 apartments inMission Valley



General Atomics Delivers Third Predator Remotely Piloted Aircraft to the French

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. said it has delivered athird Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) to theFrench Ministry of Defense.

Delivered less than two months after contract award, the aircraftjoins two other French Reapers in service, which together have accu-mulated over 4,000 flight hours since operations began in January2014.

“This latest order from the French Defense Procurement and Tech-nology Agency is a testament to Reaper’s ability to enhance the ISR(Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) of the French AirForce in support of national, NATO, and other coalition operations,”said Frank W. Pace, president of Aircraft Systems for the company.

Pilots and sensor operators from Drone Squadron 1/33 ‘Belfort,’ 709Air Base Cognac-Château Bernard are performing mission operationsto include delivering increased battlefield situational awareness, aug-menting combat search and rescue, and providing ground troop sup-port. A total of 12 aircraft are planned to be in service by 2019.

The multi-mission Predator B is a long-endurance, medium-high-altitude RPA that can be used for ISR as well as targeting missions.Predator B is currently operational with the U.S. Air Force and RoyalAir Force as MQ-9 Reaper and with the Italian Air Force as MQ-9.

Startup accelerator Connect has opened nominations forthe annual Most Innovative New Product Awards. Theawards, held in December, honor innovative companies alongwith groundbreaking new products.

Nominations for the MIP Awards will be accepted throughJuly 27 in eight categories: Aerospace & Cyber Technologies,Cleantech, Communications & IT, Life Science Diagnostics& Research Tools, Mobile Apps, Pharmaceutical Drugs &Medical Devices, Software & Digital Media, and Sport &Active Lifestyle Technologies. Winners will be announced atthe awards ceremony dinner on Dec. 1.

To be eligible for the 2015 MIP Awards, the product musthave been:

Developed in the San Diego or Baja region.•First introduced between March 2014 and August 2015.•Never nominated for this award before.•Generated revenue from sales (except free mobile apps). •

More than 100 innovation products are developed andlaunched by San Diego companies each year. The majority ofthese companies compete in the four-month judging process.Only one in each category will be selected as the Most Inno-vative New Product of the year.

For more information or to submit a nomination online,visit connect.org/mipawards.

Connect Opens Nomination Period ForMost Innovative New Products Awards

Hillcrest Pastry Shop Owner Named One of Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America

Lisa Bailey, owner of the D Bar Restaurant in Hillcrest, has beennamed one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America by Dessert Profes-sional Magazine.

Bailey and the nine other chefs were honored at a tasting event at theInstitute of Culinary Education in New York City. The event featured awalk-around tasting of desserts from some of the most talented chefs inthe nation.

Dessert Professional Magazine is a leading food service publicationfor the pastry, baking, cake, ice creat and chocolate industries and isheaded by editors Matthew Stevens and Tish Boyle. The 2015 winnerswill be featured in the August issue of Dessert Professional.

“A talented and dedicated pastry chef is an invaluable asset in anykitchen,” said Stevens. “Our 2015 Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America havealso distinguished themselves as innovators, leaders, and mentors in theirchosen career paths. It is our honor to recognize them for their manyand varied contributions to our industry.” Lisa Bailey sets up her table at the tasting event in New York

City.

Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper

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By Delle Willett

F rom Ethiopia, Adele had aretinoblastoma — a tumorof the eye — which was re-

moved when she was about 3.Using an antiquated method, thedoctors didn’t leave enough socketto hold an artificial eye. So shewore an eye patch for the next 10years until she connected with SanDiego’s Fresh Start Surgical Gifts.

In two to three operations, doc-tors took skin and tissue from herabdomen and the roof of hermouth to slowly rebuild an area inthe socket to hold a prosthetic eyethat will look normal. The resultswere amazing, and today Adele isnow a beautiful young womanwho is very appreciative of the careshe received.

From Vietnam, Fluerange wasmutilated by her father and leftoutside to die. After being taken inby an orphanage where she had nostimulation, she was adopted by aloving Canadian family who sub-sequently reached out to FreshStart for help for their much dis-figured adopted daughter.

“Fluerange needed a new eyeand multiple facial operations.Now, only 12, she is the most de-lightful, full-of-life child, with thestrongest character of anyone Ihave ever met,” said Doctor ofOphthalmology Asa Morton.

“These are the kind of people thatmake me proud to be around. Inmany ways they give me morestrength and power than I givethem.”

Fresh Start Surgical Gifts trans-forms the lives of disadvantagedinfants, children and teens withphysical deformities caused bybirth defects, accidents, abuse,trauma or disease through the giftof free reconstructive surgery andrelated health care services.

Fresh Start’s founder, the lateDr. Dennis Nigro, a renowned SanDiego plastic surgeon, begantransforming the lives of youthwith deformities in his own officeon a pro bono basis in the late ’80s.Through his travels and experi-ences as a new surgeon, Nigro de-veloped a passion for treatingcraniofacial deformities and per-forming plastic surgery for kidswho had no means to pay for thesurgery themselves. He recognizedthat there was a whole populationof people, especially children, whosuffered from a correctable condi-tion but could not afford the med-ical attention they needed.

By 1991, Nigro’s personal phil-anthropic efforts and vision hadcaught on, resulting in the birth ofFresh Start Surgical Gifts.

Fresh Start brings patients to

Fresh Start Surgical Gifts

Doctors with big hearts lend healing hands

A young patient can’t be without her teddy bear.

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San Diego to be treated by the best doctorsin San Diego to deal with very complicatedsituations. The doctors, who are all volun-teers, specialize in treating conditions re-lated to ears, eyes, noses, jaws, lips andpalates, tongues, scar revisions, burn scars,hands and feet, breasts, vascular lesions,dental issues resulting from facial deformi-ties and more.

Morton, an ophthalmologist and facialplastic surgeon trained at Walter Reed Mil-itary Medical Center, has been on FreshStart’s team since 2000.

Through volunteering in Pakistan andGuatemala, he saw people with true surgi-cal needs that he couldn’t help on his own.While in Guatemala he found a young boywith a very large tumor wrapped aroundone of his eyes — a surgery too compli-cated to do in the area. Ultimately, Mortonbrought the boy to San Diego to FreshStart. After two operations, the boy got afresh start on life.

Returning to Guatemala, where he alsovolunteers at Help International, Mortonhas followed this boy into near adulthood,operating on him several more times atFresh Start.

“Magic, it was magic, all of these peopleworking together. I couldn’t have done it bymyself. There is no way that little boywould have gotten what he needed any-where else,” said Morton.

Fresh Start holds Surgery Weekends sixtimes per year at Rady Children’s Hospi-tal’s state-of-the-art surgical suites whichopened in 2010. This 7,809-square-foothas 22 pre-and postoperative patient roomsand some of the top medical professionalsin pediatric care on staff.

Celene Nigro (not related to DennisNigro) has been director of the medicalprogram for 10 years. A registered nurse forover 35 years, she oversees the SurgeryWeekends, which accomplish 10 to 15 free-of-cost reconstructive surgeries on Satur-days with follow-up clinics, evaluations andconsultations on Sundays at the Fresh StartClinic at Rady Children’s Hospital.

About 60 patients on average are treatedon each Surgery Weekend by about 100volunteers.

The Fresh Start Clinic is the brainchildand passion of the late Denis Nigro andDr. Steven R. Cohen.

A part of Celene Nigro’s job is coordi-nating the specialists available for the needsof each patient on the same Surgery Week-ends, and to have the correct number ofstaff available. Following surgeries, staff andvolunteers facilitate a two-stage recovery:one for about an hour in a recovery roomand the other to a discharge area where pa-tients get ready to go home or to a hotel.

Prior to the Saturdays of Surgery Week-ends, they hold a pre-op clinic to see all pa-

tients, give them their information, meds,and antibiotics with the help of a nurse-practitioner.

Everyone has a favorite story. Nigro’s isabout Lucia Santos, who has been withFresh Start for 20 some years. He’s gonefrom being a little-kid patient from Tijuanato a big-adult medical student who wantsto be a plastic surgeon, and to have lots ofkids who all become doctors, as his way ofgiving back.

Lupita Morales, patient services man-ager, has been with Fresh Start for overseven years, overseeing incoming patientapplications which come from individualsand doctors from all over the world.

Once Morales has vetted the applicantsand attained all of their necessary medicalrecords, their cases are presented to the vol-unteer surgeon committee that determineswhether the cases are within their scope ofexpertise.

To qualify for medical services, typicallypatients are from financially disadvantagedfamilies, are uninsured, under-insured or

‘These are the kind of people that makeme proud to be around. In many waysthey give me more strength and powerthan I give them,’ said Doctor of Ophthal-mology Asa Morton of the Fresh Start pa-tients. (Photo by Delle Willett)

Fresh Start patients play.


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would face significant financial hardship ifthey had to pay for their medical treat-ments, and who don’t have medical insur-ance or qualify for state-funded programs.They also treat patients who are denied in-surance coverage for their condition, orwho cannot afford to pay for the many fol-low-up surgeries and treatments that theircondition may require.

“I love helping the kids and their fami-lies. When a child has a deformity, thewhole family suffers,” said Morales. “FreshStart means giving a child or adolescent a

new life. If we weren’t here and didn’t havethe resources to help the kids, I don’t knowwhere they would get the help.”

Patients are accepted from infants to 17years of age; patients up to the age of 25must go through a separate Medical Pro-gram Committee process.

Morales arranges all patient logistics, in-cluding lodging, transportation and foodprior to and after the children’s procedures.When the patients are from abroad, she as-sists in acquiring passports and visas, andall travel needs.

Morales’ favorite story is about 15-year-old Zulema, from Hemet, who had a con-genital deformity that affected her ear, jawand teeth. She was having a tough time asa high school student, being bullied andunwelcome by the other kids. Since beingaccepted at Fresh Start, she now has bracesand will soon have surgery to correct herjaw and to reconstruct her outer ear. It willtake between six and 10 surgeries to cor-rect the deformity.

“Her story really touched me. I saw allthat pain and hurt they’ve been throughturned into happiness and hope. Now she’sthe happiest little girl you will ever meet. Iget hugs from her ... it’s everything to me,”said Morales.

Fresh Start patients often require exten-sive follow-up and years of surgeries andmedical services until the best medical out-come has been reached. For example, theiraverage cleft-lip and palate patient requiresseven years of dental and approximately 49treatments.

As part of the follow-up recovery andrestorative process, free clinics are held onthe Sunday of Surgery Weekends as wellas during the interim between SurgeryWeekends. Doctors also open up their of-fices to see Fresh Start patients in withtheir regular private patients.

Clinics include dental, orthodontic, laserand speech therapy and range from basicdental hygiene to complex orthodonticwork and speech therapy for children withcraniofacial disorders. Approximately 25-30 children are treated at each clinic. Forthose who live far away, the doctors keep intouch through doctors in the U.S. andabroad through Skype and email.

The majority of volunteers at Surgery

Weekends and Dental Clinics are medicalprofessionals ranging from anesthesiolo-gists and surgeons to dental hygienists andRNs.

The Fresh Sharp Foundation, launchedin 2005, allows 100 percent of contribu-tions to go directly to Fresh Start’s medicalprograms. Since its inception, over 6,700children have received their transforma-tions valued at over $28 million.

In 2001, Fresh Start began a collabora-tion with the Place Surgery Foundation toexpand Fresh Start nationally through thecreation of Fresh Start Caring for KidsFoundation, with the initial site expansiontaking place at the University of ChicagoMedical Center’s Comer Children’s Hos-pital. With this new location it is able toexpand its patient base and outreach, andare closer to accomplishing its goal of en-suring that every child born with a defor-mity receive quality health care.

“Medicine is an evolving field that is be-coming more and more challenging. Stay-ing involved with people who have thisgreat need refreshes our memories andrecharges the spirit that got us into medi-cine in the first place,” said Morton.

Celene Nigro has been director of themedical program for 10 years. She over-sees the Surgery Weekends. (Photo byDelle Willett)

A young patient playing in a Fresh Startroom.

‘I love helping the kids and their families,’said Lupita Morales, patient services man-ager with Fresh Start.


R ECYC L I N G

The drought and growing public acceptancehave turned a process once derided as “toi-let to tap” into something politically palat-able, and water officials across San DiegoCounty are planning to make reused waste-water drinkable and widespread within amatter of years.In the city, a $2.85 billion multi-part proj-ect, branded Pure Water, is hoping to usewastewater to start producing 30 milliongallons a day of drinkable water within thenext six years. That’s two years sooner andtwice as much water as envisioned justmonths ago.“The drought has definitely pushed thisproject,” said John Helminski, the assistantdirector of the city of San Diego’s water de-partment. “The fact that we don’t know howlong the drought will last. We’re already inthe fourth year of drought — if we continue,it could get a lot worse than it is today.”The city is not alone. The Padre Dam Mu-nicipal Water District in East County and aseparate group of North County wateragencies are each pursuing major projects torecycle wastewater.Some water utilities already operate sepa-rate “purple pipe” recycled water programsthat recycle some wastewater — but onlywell enough to use for irrigation and certainindustrial uses. The purple pipe water flowsthrough separate pipes from our drinkablewater. The treated wastewater-turned-drinking water is heavily treated and wouldflow through the same pipes to homes andoffices as regular drinking water.While the city is still looking to expand itspurple pipe system, the Pure Water programhas in some ways put that on a back burner.While purple pipe water is cheaper for cus-tomers, it can only be used for certainthings, like irrigation. It also requires a sep-arate pipeline running next to existing pipesfor drinking water, which is expensive.But out in North County, a group of wateragencies is working to expand their purple

pipe system while simultaneously beginningto explore efforts to make wastewater drink-able.“Everybody in the county is looking at thisnow,” said Kimberly Thorner, general man-ager of Olivenhain Municipal Water Dis-trict in Encinitas, a member of the NorthCounty group. “You kind of have to becausewhat is going on with the drought.”Each of the projects aimed at makingwastewater drinkable will treat wastewater,send the treated water to a reservoir or un-derground, treat the water again and then

send it to homes and businesses.The obvious benefit of drinkable recycledwater is that thinning water supplies arestretched further. Right now, much of thewater officials want to reuse is importedfrom hundreds of miles away, used once andthen dumped into the Pacific Ocean afterbeing lightly treated.“We recognize that wastewater — as it trav-els all the way down and is treated partiallyand put into the Pacific Ocean – is wastedwater,” said Padre Dam general managerAlan Carlisle. “And we should be capturingevery drop and repurposing it.”Environmental groups agree, and several ofthem have endorsed the city’s Pure Water

program for this very reason: to curb dump-ing.The Padre Dam agency supplies water toabout 100,000 people over 72 square milesfrom Santee to Alpine. If all goes accordingto plan, within five years, a fifth of the dis-trict’s water will come from treated waste-water.In the city of San Diego, the reusable waste-water program has a long history and wasonce widely panned. Former Mayor JerrySanders once said, “Nooooo” and laughednervously when asked to drink some of thehighly treated water in 2011.The drought is helping to force everyone’shand.Fewer and fewer people react with “yuk” tothe thought of purified sewer water. A re-cent poll by Probe Research for the SanDiego County Water Authority found sup-port for reusing wastewater is now at 73percent. Perhaps that’s because of thedrought. Perhaps that’s because of storiesnoting that everyone already drinks “peewater.” Much of the region’s water comesfrom the Colorado River, which is used overand over and over again before it arrives inSan Diego. City officials say their treatedwastewater is purified water “of exceptionalquality” and meets all federal and statedrinking water standards.The first part of the city’s Pure Water proj-ect will cost about $1 billion. That moneywill go to upgrade the North City watertreatment plant, which is along the 805 nearthe University of California, San Diego.Helminski, the water department’s assistantdirector, said the city is still working on put-ting together a financing plan for the proj-ect, which the City Council would have toapprove. The water department hopes tostart construction at North City in mid-2019.(For more on this story, visit www.voiceof-sandiego.org)

Recycled Wastewater Coming Sooner Than You ThinkDrought pushes regional actionBy Ry Rivard | Voice of San Diego


B A L B O A PA R K

HiddenWorldsR E V E A L E D

Exhibit offers a glimpse

into the daily life of the

Maya people

The ruined cities of the ancientMaya have captured our imagina-tions since news of their discovery

in the jungles of Central America was pub-lished in the 1840s. Extensive research hasuncovered a culture with a sophisticatedworldview that, during its Classic period(250-900 AD), rivaled any civilization inEurope. “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed,” an orig-inal exhibition, has opened at the SanDiego Natural History Museum and willbe on view through Jan. 3, 2016. At 10,000square feet, it is the largest exhibition of itskind to be presented in the United State.Tickets are available at sdnat.org/maya orby calling (877) 946-7797. Advance pur-chase is recommended. Admission includesaccess to Maya, all other exhibitions withinthe museum, and unlimited 2D and 3D

films in the giant screen theater.“We are committed to bringing new con-tent-rich traveling exhibitions to SanDiego for locals and visitors to enjoy,” saidMichael Hager, president and CEO of themuseum. “We are delighted to be able tooffer this exhibition to our guests and hopethey walk away feeling as if they’ve learnedsomething new about this important andmultifaceted culture.”Visitors will experience jaw-dropping ar-chitecture and distinctive art through a se-ries of exhibits and artifacts. The exhibitioninvestigates questions surrounding theMaya and offers a glimpse into the dailylife of the Maya people. Exhibition highlights include more than200 authentic artifacts; bilingual text pan-els in English and Spanish; dozens of in-teractive components; immersive recreated

environments; life-size replicas of awe-in-spiring temples; the iconic sculpted monu-ments known as stelae that were erected inthe great plazas of Maya cities; and spec-tacular examples of Maya artistry, such as arecreated portion of a famous frieze fromthe El Castillo pyramid in Xunantunich (aMaya civic ceremonial center). Throughout Maya, interactive elementsoffer visitors the opportunity to decipherancient symbols, explore tombs, and inves-tigate the Maya approach to math and as-tronomy.Tickets for Maya are now on sale to thepublic at sdnat.org/maya. Admission: $29adults; $27 seniors (62+), students, andmilitary (with ID); $19 youth (7-17); and$11 child (3-6). Children 2 and under arefree.

Doghead incenseburner


B A L B O A PA R K

Assembling pottery

Bloodletting bowl Funeral Urn with Godhead

Visitors to the exhibit


C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S TAT E

Commercial Real Estate DeveloperCruzan —known for thinking outside ofthe box when it comes to rethinking theenvironments in which people work — hasmade a bold statement in Carlsbad with itsMAKE redevelopment project.

The project’s stated vision was to de-velop “an office campus for ambitious andinnovative companies that demand a workenvironment which sets them apart.”MAKE impressively delivers on thispromise.

MAKE, located at 5600 Avenida Enci-nas, was originally built as an electronicsmanufacturing plant, and later became theSan Diego International Floral TradeCenter.

Today at 175,000 square feet, MAKE isone of the coolest office destinations, notjust in North County, but in the entire SanDiego region. It is a shining example ofwhat purposeful redevelopment should

look like.MAKE has raised the bar for creativity

and innovation when it comes to the adap-tive reuse of aging buildings. In addition tohaving a shuttle to transport employees toand from the Coaster station in the morn-ing, and again to restaurants for lunch,MAKE boasts a premier gym and fitnessfacilities.

MAKE also provides storage for surf-boards and wet suits, as well as outdoorshowers —a fitting amenity given its prox-imity to the ocean. Outdoor cafes, a ship-ping container that has been convertedinto a coffee shop, large breezeways cutinto the middle of the former interiorbuilding area, and an outdoor amphithe-ater complete Cruzan’s vision for in-door/outdoor workspace integration.

With office vacancy rates at eight-yearlows in the North County submarket, andlarge blocks of office space over 40,000

square feet being in short supply, MAKEprovides exactly what creative and tech-nology tenants in North County are look-ing for.

Its prime location near the water, transitstations and freeways make it a desirable

New Development MAKES a StatementCRUZAN rethinks office environment By David Marino

The MAKE building

An airy breezeway cuts through the cen-ter of the complex.



option for companies willing to expand theirsearch radius. Moreover, current rents areabout $1 per square foot less than what ten-ants can expect to pay in Del Mar Heights,making it an economical solution for tenantson tight budgets that are willing to venture abit farther north.

It will be exciting to see the type of tenantthat is ultimately drawn to MAKE, but myhunch is that, with GoPro serving as anchortenant, the new campus is going to fill upwith creative/tech companies in no time.

David Marino is executive vice president of

Hughes Marino, a commercial

real estate company with offices

in San Diego, Orange County,

Los Angeles, San Francisco and

Silicon Valley.

Interior rendering.

An exterior view of the gym.


A U T O

Some of the quickest cars on the road aren’teven cars — much less high-performancesports cars.

This BMW X5 M, for instance.Don’t let the four doors fool you. Let them

fool the dude sitting next to you at the light inhis 911.

With not-far-from 600 hp under its hood,the gag is on pretty much everyone — in any-thing —who thinks they can outrun thisthing. Because few are the contenders — twodoors or four — capable of breaking into thehigh threes, zero to 60.

Which is what you’d need to beat the X5M. Which excludes the Porsche 911 Carrera.The Cayenne Turbo, too. And the new RangeRover SVR.

The Benz ML63 AMG? Easy meat.

What It IsThe X5 M is, forget the preliminaries, the

strongest, quickest, baddest crossover SUV onthe road. Under or over $100k.

It outruns all its rivals, the Porsche CayenneTurbo, the Range Rover Sport SVR and theAMG-amped Benz ML. It’s also quicker(and not by a little bit) than a 911 Carreracoupe. And the 911 hasn’t got room in backfor a wet labrador retriever. Nor can it cartaround five people — or deal with snow. TheX5 can do all that.What can’t it do? Go morethan about 200 miles on a tankful.

Ah well. You can’t have everything.Base price is $98,700. By no means cheap

thrills. But cheaper — and more thrilling —than the Cayenne Turbo ($113,600) and theRange Rover Sport SVR ($110,475). TheBenz ML63 AMG’s base price of $98,400 isa few hundred bucks lower than theBMW’s.But then, so is the Mercedes’ per-formance. Look in vain for quicker — muchless four-doored alternatives. Better yet, go outand look for victims.

What’s NewThe X5 M is the latest M-tweaked BMW

— “M” being BMW-speak for sehr schnell(that’s really, really fast). In addition to another100-plus horsepower vs. the non-M X5xDrive50i — the X5 M receives the usual en-semble of complementary M upgrades, in-cluding high-performance (anddriver-adjustable) calibrations for the eight-speed automatic and full-time xDrive all-wheel-drive system, much more sportingsuspension settings, flying saucer-sized (andcross-drilled) brake rotors and massive pow-der-coated calipers peeking out from behindM-specific 21-inch light-alloy rims just barelyskinned with ultra-ultra low-profile “summer”tires.

What’s Good911 acceleration — with foor doors and

room for five. Costs $10k-$13k less than not-as-quick Porsche Cayenne Turbo and RangeRover Sport SVR. Discreet like an AshleyMadison hook-up. No one needs to know.

What’s Not So GoodHasn’t got the Cayenne’s ability to turn

heads. Not as potentially off-road-adroit asthe Range Rover, which offers more groundclearance, 4WD Low range gearing and ahigher tow rating (6,600 vs. 6,000 pounds.)Tighter back seats (and less cargo capacity)than the Benz ML63 AMG. Frequent stopsfor fill -‘em ups.

Under The HoodThere may indeed be a replacement for dis-

placement. Despite having the smallest V8 ofthe bunch — 4.4 liters vs. the ML63 AMG’shunky 5.5 liter, the Range Rover SVR’s 5.0and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo’s 4.8 — theX5 M’s is the strongest: 567 hp (and 553 ft.-

lbs. of torque) vs. a somewhat puny 518 (and516 ft.-lbs.) for the Mercedes, the RR's 550(and 502 ft.-lbs.) and 520 (and 553 ft.-lbs.)for the turbo Porsche. The BMW is, not sur-prisingly, the quickest, too. Zero to 60 in fourseconds flat vs. the second-place Cayenne(4.2 seconds), third place Range Rover (4.4seconds) and, way back there in fourth, thealmost slow-pokey 4.8 second to 60 MercedesML63 AMG.

An eight speed automatic is standard (theCayenne and Range Rover also have eight-speeds; the Benz comes with a seven speed)as is a full-time all-wheel-drive system. TheX5’s, like the systems you'll find in the others,is there chiefly to modulate the power, whichwould otherwise be Too Much for the gen-eral public to deal with. Think about it. A1970 Hemi ‘Cuda, one of the brutal original-era muscle cars, was sporting a mere 426 hp.The X5 M has nearly 150 more hp than thelegendary Street Hemi. You do not put thatkind of power down using just two wheels.AWD is a way to keep a lid on things. It helpskeep these berserkers accelerating in a straightline rather than sideways.

On The RoadThe four-minute mile is considered pretty

much the extreme limit of human perform-ance. The performance of cars seems to benowhere close to the limit. They keep on get-ting stronger and stronger. Faster and faster.Here we have a 5,200 pound SUV that willrun mid-high12-second quarter miles all daylong (or as long as the tires and gas last) whileidling as smoothly as a Bill Cosby denial,without overheating, either. While carryingfive people, with the AC humming and thetunes playing through the 16 speaker Bang &Olufsen ultra-premium audio rig. It barks alittle through the free-flowing dual exhaustand quad tips when you first fire it up, like the

NEW CAR REVIEW: 2015 BMW X5 M By Eric Peters


A U T O

2015 BMW X5 M specifications: ��

Base price: $99,650; As tested

(w/Executive and Driver Assist) $106,050

Engine: 4.4 liter twin turbocharged V8, 567 hp

Transmission: eight speed automatic

or six-speed DSG automated manual

Length: 192.7 inches

Width: 78.1 inches

Wheelbase: 115.5 inchess

Curb weight: 5,260 lbs.

Luggage capacity: 35.8 cubic feet

EPA fuel economy: 14 city/19 highway

Where assembled: Greer, S.C.

better-pay-attention-to-it guttural growl of asemi-sleeping Rottweiler. But otherwise, it’s apussycat. Until you want battlecat.

There is so much torque — more than 500ft.-lbs. of it available when the engine’s idling— that the X5 M is actually easier and morecomfortable to drive in stop-and-go trafficthan most economy cars. Because the leasttouch of the accelerator results in near-tele-portation. Supposedly, Elvis wore that cape onstage because it made him feel like a superhero,which helped him overcome stage fright. TheX5 M will make you feel like a superhero, too.

At The CurbThe X5 is the biggest of the four, but a bit

less space efficient than some of its rivals. TheBMW’s back seats, for instance, have lesslegroom (36.6 inches) than in the Benz(38.4inches ) despite the X5 M's being 3.6inches longer overall (192.7 inches vs. 189.1 forthe ML63 AMG).

On the other hand, the BMW has signifi-cantly more cargo capacity (76.7 cubic feet intotal) than either the Cayenne (62.2 cubic feet)or the Range Rover Sport (62.9 cubic feet) andonly a little bit less than the ML63 AMG(80.3 cubes) and is the only one of the fourwith a standard two-piece tailgate. The lowersection folds out and down while the uppersection opens, conventionally, up. When thelower section is folded down, you get whatamounts to a bed extender, about a foot moreload floor. This is handy whether to sit on dur-ing a tailgate party or for hauling stuff home.With the lower section locked in the up posi-tion and the upper section open you have ahandy little dam to keep cargo in the X5 thatmight tend to slide out if not tied down ade-quately in other SUVs.

Out in the wild, effective predators are am-bush predators. They make use of camouflage.You do not see them coming ... until you feelthe fangs sinking deep into the back of yourneck. And by then of course it is much too lateto do anything about it. You are doomed. TheX5 M fits that bill. The 911 —magnificentthough it may be — does not.

Neither does the Cayenne Turbo, for thatmatter. Because it looks like a 911 fattened up.The Porsche profile is unmistakable and whenanother driver sees thatface in the rearview, heknows what to expect — and that puts you ata disadvantage, even against much lesser ma-chinery. That Prius up ahead? He can simplyblock you in, out of spite. Then, all the horse-power in the world is as useful as a thong at theVatican.

It's a never-ending treat to drive the X5 inheavy traffic — to thread the needle in heavytraffic — which you can do much more easily,with near-impunity, not just because of all thatpower but also because you can use all thatpower. They almost never see you coming.Same goes for The Law.

The RestThe M gets a different shifter than regular

X5s. It’s a little stubby toggle thing that’s fullydrive-by-wire and so lacks tactile feedback. It’sfunctionally faultless but something more me-chanically engaging would be more appropri-ate here, probably.

On the other hand, the M’s exhaust system,which features a pressure release system underwide-open-throttle, makes up for that. It’ssimilar to the set-up that’s available optionallyin the AMG-tuned version of the Benz GLA.It works like the old-school exhaust cut-outsthat muscle cars back in the late ’60s some-

times had, but it’s fully automated. The M’straction/stability control also has more liber-tine programming. While straight-lineburnouts are not allowed, you can smoke 'emsideways a bit, if you like.

Gas mileage is about as relevant a consid-eration here as the fertility of nursing homeresidents. When you are interested in 500-plushp twice-turbo'd V8s and top speeds ap-proaching 200 MPH you are not, by defini-tion, much interested in how much it costs tofeed it.

However, you might be interested in howoften you’ll need to feed it. Even with a prettylarge (22.4 gallon) fuel tank, the X5 M candrain it dry in 200 miles. Less, if you’re reallyworking at it. EPA rates the BMW as beingcapable of 14 city, 19 highway (vs. 14/21 forthe Cayenne Turbo, 13/17 for the ML63AMG and 17/23 for the “class best” RR SportSVR) which maybe it is. If that’s what you'retrying for. But isn’t that like trying to keep anice cream cone from melting as opposed to justeating the thing?

EP (me) rates it at about 8 MPG. A largertank would be great.

The Bottom LineI’m always looking for a way to end-run the

system, to get away with everything they’re try-ing to shut down and suck the life out of. TheX5 M is like one of those horse needle thingsthey use to revive someone technically deadwith a shot of epinephrine straight into theheart. If you haven’t got a pulse, this will restoreit. If you want to feel alive again, this will do it.

Eric Peters is the author of “Automotive Atrocities”

and “Road Hogs” and a former editorial writer/

columnist for The Washington Times


T R AV E L

Visiting Cuba seemed such a faroff and complicated adventure,but when North Park residentsTom and Phyllis Shess learnedof a legal tour to the forbiddenisland, it was a travel opportu-nity too good to pass up.“We chose a tour companythat was sanctioned by ourgovernment to offer cultural

and educational tours to Cuba,” said Phyllis,a retired deputy district attorney.The couple liked what the tour offered:eight days in Cuba and escorted by two Span-ish/English speaking tour guides: one Ameri-

can and one Cuban. Plus, the group was lim-ited to 20 persons, which meant lots of roomon the 80-seat Chinese-made tour bus.As everyone knows, the U.S. has embar-goed Cuba since the 1960s and only recentlyhave both sides sat down to discuss normal-ization of relations. For more than a decade,however, both countries have had in place atravel program allowing U.S. citizens to travelto Cuba as long as they participated in an es-corted tour. Called “people to people tours,” the U.S.Treasury-approved program has opened asmall window of travel opportunities forNorte Americanos. Discovery Tours by Gate

1 is one of the tour operators granted a licenseby the Office of Foreign Assets Control(OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treas-ury to provide People to People programs inCuba. Still, statistics offered by the tour operatorssay only three percent of Cuba’s annualtourism is made up of U.S. citizens.With the possibility that the embargowould be lifted soon (not as of this writing inlate May), the couple decided to sign on to aDiscovery Tours group “to see Cuba beforePBS travel guru Rick Steves,” said Tom witha smile.With passports in hand, they flew to Miami

Skyline of 500-year-old Havana is seen from the equally ancient fortress Castillo del Morro. In between is the entrance to Havana Har-bor. (Photo: Gary Payne)

TRAVELING TO THE FORBIDDEN ISLE IS LEGAL AND EASIER THAN EVER

INADVENTURES CUBABY BRAD WEBER


T R AV E L

Mike, Phyllis and Tom Shess in Cienfuegos.

non-stop from Lindbergh Field onAmerican Airlines. Gate1 put thegroup into a Miami hotel to orient allwith two lectures: one on trip logisticsand one on what to expect. Price of thetour included the tour operator takingcare of visas, tips, transfers, logistics,dining and insurance.The next day, aboard Sun Country,a USA charter 737, the couple landedin Cienfuegos, Cuba. There the mod-ern Hotel Jaqua was used as the group’sthree-night base for trips to nearbyTrinidad and Santa Clara.From Cienfuegos, the group bussedto Havana to stay at the famed HotelNacional. En route they stopped atPlaya Giron, a village noted for itsrecreational diving. It was also thelanding beach, where the ill-fated Bayof Pigs anti-Castro invasion took placein the early 1960s. “Visiting the invasion museum wasa must,” said Phyllis, “But so was a fan-tastic lunch at nearby Hostel Enrique,named for a local fisherman who op-erates a family-style restaurant in hishome during the day. Space does notallow a mention of all the terrific mealsenjoyed, she said, but at Enrique’s casa,the red snapper was totally fresh from

With public rehab dollars scarce, some scaffoldings have been up for decades waiting for funds to finish the job. Vines growing here arein Havana near the Capitol building. (Photo: Michael Shess)

Dawn of a new day in Cuba. Sunrise over Cienfuegos Bay in Southern Cuba.(Photo: Phyllis Shess)


T R AV E L

the Caribbean and served with rice, blackbeans, local vegetables, home-baked bread. The Gate 1 trip wrapped up with four daysin Havana, where the streets are filled withcolorful vintage Detroit-made cars. Chevy’sseem to the most popular. Those old cars areeverywhere, but word has it only 60,000 stillexist. And those colorful, albeit recycledbeauties dominate Havana streets, especiallyon those plentiful sunny weekends in thetropics.Havana’s 500-year old lineage has made it aUNESCO world heritage site. The tourwalked over the cobblestones of Old Havanato be amazed at the disrepair of so many ofthe historical buildings, but at the same timein awe of the spirit of accomplishment byrestoration architects, who have brought backhistoric structures from decay with tiny budg-ets, said Tom.“Of course, we visited old Hispanic fortsguarding the entrance to Havana’s port, butsome of us escaped the tour to shop at the bestcigar store in Havana (located in the Castillodel Morro),” said Tom.Phyllis added that Cubans are very creativewhen it comes to dining. Zoning or some-times the lack of it allows for private homesto double as fine restaurants. Tour guidespicked the best ones, including Hostal Valen-cia near Plaza San Francisco, and further Westwe dined at ArtChef and La Moraleja Restau-rant, two of the many splendid paladors (pri-vate home restaurants) near our hotel. “Of course, there was the famed Restau-

rante Café de Oriente on Plaza San Francisco,which is government run and world class,”said Phyllis. “It’s a jewel worth dining at withprices that were pleasantly low given the classyservice and menu offerings (filet mignon, lob-ster and salmon, for example), priced under$25.”Tom offered, “On the one free night (onour own) we visited all of the cliché bars ofOld Havana: La Floridita, La Bodeguita delMedio (home of the Mojito), Sloppy Joe’s andthe Hall of Heroes (Hotel Nacional). Craft beer from Factoria Cerveza on PlazaVieja was first rate. “And we ended theevening with cigars and a fine port in BarChurchill located in a nook off the lobby ofthe Hotel Nacional (a 1930s edifice akin toSan Diego’s La Valencia hotel),” said Tom.And, remember if you’re seeking a tour that

gives you lots of free time to go diving or rent-ing a car to tour the island, this currentarrangement is not for you.The legal tours offered now (they’re theonly ones from the U.S.) are escorted andhave an agenda. Tom added, “For the mostpart, what was on our plate were places andpeople we would have missed if left on ourown. And that would have been sad becausewe met some genuinely nice Cubans in cor-ners of the country that we would havemissed.”“Because the tour operators were so or-

ganized,” said Phyllis, “we didn’t mind thelack of freedom to explore on our own. Whatthey showed us was remarkable, especially theart, culture and the special concerts theyarranged on our behalf. And, we were shownshopping areas and folk art galleries. We werenot deprived of places to spend our money.”Speaking of money, the Cuban governmenthas two currencies. Most businesses won’t takeU.S. dollars. To spend you must convert dol-lars to the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC).For that transaction, Fidel takes 13 percent offthe top. Convert $100 U.S. and you get back87 CUC. The other currency is about 5:1 vs.U.S. dollar, but that is reserved for Cubansonly.When the embargo is eventually lifted andunlimited travel between Cubans andNorteamericanos becomes the norm — Cubawill have to do something about the dualingPesos, said Tom. But for now, Fidel’s touristtax is mandatory and exists as one of the real-ities when visiting the Republic of Cuba, hesaid.How poor is Cuba? “That’s a discussionthat will be played out in the media for yearsto come,” said Tom. “The fact is, Cubansearn about $25 per month on top of freemedical, dental, education, housing and a freemonthly foodstuffs ration card. “But despitethe socialistic perks, it will be a footrace be-tween who crumbles first — Castro, theCuban economy or the infrastructure of thecountry.”

(Freelance writer Tom Shess also publishesa daily online magazine called Pillar to Post(www.Tomshess.blogspot.com) and begin-ning June 1 through June 30 he will post ar-ticles, commentary and original photographyof Cuba from a recent trip.)

As Tom and Phyllis learned from re-searching Cuba, many American-run tour companies have chartersto run “average Joe and Jane”tours to Cuba.

The packages offered are very com-plete. Bring your checkbook forabout $3,500 per person and havea valid passport (must be good forsix months before you arrive inCuba).

Tour groups offering legal travel toCuba have been operating for morethan a decade. Here are three ofthe busiest.

• Discovery Tours / Gate1www.discovery-tours.com(877) 900-9777• Insight Cubawww.insightcuba.com(800) 450.2822• Road Scholarwww.roadscholar.org

HOW TO GET THERE LEGALLY

This idyllic beach next to the aquamarineCaribbean Sea is the Normandy Beach ofCuba. It is here on this shore the Bay of PigsInvasion began and ended. Anti-Castroforces were routed in 1961. (Photo: TomShess)

SAND I EG OME TRO . COM | M AY 2 0 1 5 | 3 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y 1 9 8 5 - 2 0 1 524

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PAIDPERMIT NO. 2325

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NEW LOCATION: 1250 Prospect Street

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