Honoring Mothers on pages 11 &14! FREE Vol. 3, Vol. No. 9, 11 No. 16 Published Every PublishedOther Wednesday Every Other WednesdayEstablished 2007 May 11, – May 24, March 2016 10 - 23, 2010 CMH would be part of the Wellness District in Midtown. “Wellness District” in Midtown Ed Warren, Ventura? Ventura The idea of a Wellness District in Midtown originated from a 2013 study City councilmember Christy Weir, Mayor Erik Nasarenko and Pier Into The Future Board restaurateur by an Urban Land Institute Technical President David Fukutomi cutting the ribbon to re-open the pier. Longtime Venturan Edmund “Ed” Assistance Panel sponsored by the Warren passed away peacefully with City of Ventura and the Community his daughter Deborah at his side early Memorial Hospital (CMH). Later in- Re-opening of the historic Thursday morning, April 21, 2016. Ed corporated into the City of Ventura’s and his wife Hilda Warren were together Economic Strategy, the idea stemmed Ventura Pier held for over sixty years. from the fact that both the CMH and On December 11, 2015 the Ventura piles, and loss of 40% of the steel and Ed was born March 20, 1929 in Wilkes Ventura County’s Medical Center Pier was closed due to structural damage wooden cross bracings. Originally built Barre, Pennsylvania the third child of multimillion-dollar expansion projects, from 20’ high waves. The damages in 1872 as a wharf for commercial use Ukrainian and Polish parents during the together with the associated medical fa- included 20 lost timber piles, 19 loose Continued on page 19 Great Depression, Ed’s early life taught cilities in the area, could leverage a mix him a strong work ethic. He often told of retail, eateries, offices, and residential stories of selling hot dogs or shoveling uses which impact can be highly positive coal for movie money. The family moved to the surrounding community and the from Pennsylvania to Binghamton, New city as a whole. York, and eventually settled in Southern This spring, a graduate studio class California. Ed was drafted into the army in the City and Regional Planning and sent to fight in Korean in 1950. Program at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo After returning from war Ed met was charged with the development of an Hilda. The two married in 1954 and urban design concept plan for Ventura’s opened their first coffee shop, the Koffee Wellness District. The area to be covered Mug, in North Hollywood. This was by their plan includes 13 blocks around the beginning of a beautiful, life-long and in direct influence of the two restaurant career. Ed and Hilda moved hospitals. This Cal Poly class exercise is The San Salvador will get new paint and flags as shown in this colored rendering. to Ventura, opening the first Warren’s being encouraged by the City of Ventura’s restaurant at 478 E. Main St. in Community Development Department A Legacy of love and beauty 1963. They would later open another who welcomed the students’ initia- Warren’s on Loma Vista and in 1970 by Gail Field tive as an opportunity to explore fresh bought a Ventura landmark building “outside-the-box” ideas and share them Sam Povar was a man who loved Street, and helped establish Soter Point on Santa Clara St. This Victorian with the community. Cal Poly San Luis Ventura and who spent his time and with a new mermaid in Marina Park. Ad- house-turned restaurant began as the Obispo’s City Planning Department is resources in creating, preserving and ditional projects have been in the works Santa Clara House but would soon be famous for contributing with its class protecting the beauty of the city that as well—all for the benefit of the city. the Big Green House. projects to many local jurisdictions he loved. Sam passed away in 2015, but Sam’s son and daughter, Michael Many Venturans grew up with the and community organizations across he sparked a commitment to continue and Paulette, are continuing this legacy Big Green House’s signature family California. beautifying the city for residents and of giving back to the city. “Our father style menu known for “chicken, steak In their attempt to understand that visitors. wanted to recognize the beauty of this and chocolate cake.” Ed and a partner part of Midtown and before developing During his lifetime, Sam founded place and to make a mark that lasts,” says took this formula and opened a string any ideas for its possible future develop- Povar Plaza on Harbor Boulevard across Paulette. “We are celebrating Ventura as of Longfellow’s restaurants in the Los ment, the students have interviewed from the pier, coordinated the beautifi- a place where residents and visitors can Angeles area. Eventually, Ed sold his Continued on page 19 cation of the Art City bus stop on Main Continued on page 19 Continued on page 19 2 May 11 – May 24, 2016 Ventura BREEZE Ventura’s Finest PRESENTS HONEY! and “Pure Source of Sweetness” ansel •Honey •Propolis •Beeswax Candles •Royal Jelly •Pollen •Candle Wax •Gift Baskets H inretel Fairy Tale Land with Gounod’s Faust and Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony GArtistic Director, Kirsten Oakley Honey Tasting Daily! Illustrations by: Kristina Swarner Elena Trevino Design and Poster Design: Oxnard Performing Arts Center Got Allergies?? Saturday, June 4th, 2016 - 2 p.m. Try Our Sunday, June 5th, 2016 - 2 p.m. Local RAW Bee Pollen Tickets: $14, $16, $20 heritagehoney.org Ticket Hotline: 805-486-2424 2031 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura • 641-0408 Online Ticket Orders: www.footworksyouthballet.org FREE! 2 FREE! ay 1, M 20 1 6 9a m – 2pm Celebrating our Healthy Community A Ventura Education Partnership and Ventura Unified School District Event, in alliance with the City of Ventura Fun for the Entire Family! – Saturday – May 21, 2016 • 9am - 2pm Ventura Education Service Center • 255 W. Stanley Avenue, Ventura • Live Stage • Health Screenings • Bicycle Rodeo • Sports Physicals • Fun Zone & Climbing Wall • Healthy Food & Garden Tastings • Health & Fitness Vendors • Star Athlete’s Selfie Station • 3K Middle School Race • 1 Mile Elementary Run Title Sponsor Flagship Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsors Media Partners Malinda Chouinard, Richard & Nancy Francis Patagonia Barbara Meister Ed & Susan Lacey Michael Israel, Norman Dowler LLP Investing in Children • Enriching Our Community VenturaEducationPartnership.org Ventura BREEZE May 11 – May 24, 2016 3 JOIN THE FUN AT SURF ‘N’ SUDS BEER FEST! VOTED #8 BEER FEST in U.S. by BeerYeti.com! 50+ BREWERIES WINERIES & CIDERS • FOOD TRUCKS SURFBOARD SHAPERS • LAWN GAMES LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: AFTER THE SMOKE CROSSCUT 805 AND DJ HECKTIK! SATURDAY, MAY 21 Th e Beer Festi val SAN BUENAVENTURA STATE BEACH wit h a Surf Twist! VENTURA • SURFBEERFEST.COM TICKETS & INFO: SURFBEERFEST.COM carpinteria, ca 4 May 11 – May 24, 2016 Ventura BREEZE Business ThankThank YouYou Thank you to all of the people that helped make Soroptimist of Ventura’s 85th anniversary celebration/scholarship awards Soptimist Ventura event a success! We appreciate the generous businesses and individuals who donated items for our silent auction. Also, thank you to our members that donated their time and to our sponsors for supporting our event. 805 Window Cleaning Gali Gray of Cibara Parts Unknown SilentA Secret PlaceAu�ion: Salon Gina Jaegar Passion Flowers Ari Larson Harrison Industries Richard Warner Salon Ash Street Salon Jordanos Stephanie Taylor Brendan Daly Kellye Patterson of iCapelli Salon Caryn Caroll Kezia Edwards of Cara Mia Susan Wileman Celia Sugden & Labyrinth Winery of Re-Store Pilates Roger Thompson Linda Kapala The Greek Cyndi Damron Lynn Mikelatos TLC Housewares Ventura Breeze Account Executive Breezy Gledhill and Publisher Emeritus Staci Brown helped Discovery Ventura Meadow Clothing & Jewelry V-FIT Elain Thompson Midtown Thermolysis Ventura Meat Market Jolene celebrate Vagabond’s anniversary. Fence Factory Vega Sankur Wendy Winet Fox Jewelers Palermo Deborah Yahner The Vagabond Coffee Shop turns 50 Pam Pecarich The Vagabond is celebrating 50 much, much more than just a restaurant. It years of service to their most valued and is a very special place. A place where friends dedicated customers. gather to enjoy each other’s company over Owner Jolene McBee told the Breeze “I a good meal. Where executives meet to Spons�s came to the Vagabond in February 1975. I discuss business over a quick lunch. Where wasn’t really looking for a job as I had four a loan diner can come and have a meal and children at home. My sister worked there feel comfortable and safe and welcome. “ and asked me to come and help out until “On numerous occasions, customers the manager could hire someone. I could have come to me and said ‘don’t ever change’ just work half a day and I’d be home before and ‘don’t ever go away’ because there is no my kids got home. So I said okay.” place like Vagabond.” “Vagabond opened in 1966. Mr. McBee “Their stories are many like the young Soroptimist International of Ventura • www.soroptimistventura.org was the manager at the time, working for boy who had a life-threatening illness and www.facebook.com/SoroptimistVentura Duke Carter, the original owner of the the Make-A-Wish foundation granted some Vagabond. He worked for Carter for 19 of his wishes. One of which was to arrive in a Where did she get the name? “It’s years and was allowed to operate the res- limo and have dinner at the Vagabond.” catchy, a play on the line from Casa- taurant like it was his own. When I started “In the past few years, I have had some blanca.” Thirties nostalgia was big when there he was supposed to hire someone health issues that have affected my ability to she opened, she has a vintage-type feel else,.