The Country Friends 57th Annual Art of Fashion Show transforms Rancho Santa Fe into center of fall/winter fashion on Thursday, Sept. 20... 

Something very happening catwalks Rancho Santa Fe way on Thursday, Sept. 20, across a plain public green magically transformed into one of the largest outdoor fashion shows in the nation.

The Country Friends, in partnership with trendsetting South Coast Plaza, and The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, stages the ultimate in outdoor fashion events, the 57th Annual Art of Fashion runway show. 

It's a must-attend event for fashionistas, usually featuring creations from the world's leading designers and front-line, center-stage fall/winter collections. Upwards of 550 people generally make the day's activities.

The amazing festivities begins at 10:30 a.m. with boutique shopping on the lawn at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe followed by lunch at 11 a.m. The ultimate in outdoor runway shows kicks its heels "PROMPTLY" at 1:30 p.m. Then, an Apres' Affair Wine Tasting hosted, by Falkner Winery, Lemon Twist and Allure Chocolates, back at The Inn toasts off around 2:30 p.m as boutique shopping continues until credit cards are maxxed.

 The show highlights fashions from the 2012 fall/winter collections of renowned international designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Valentino, Celine, Donna Karan, Roberto Cavalli, as well as clothes from Saks Fifth Avenue and Gucci. It's garnished with jewelry from such as  David Yurman and Black, Starr & Frost.

The Country Friends was founded in 1954 with 167 members. It has grown to more than 1,200 members and has distributed more than $12 million to San Diego County charities.

 The group funds more than two dozen charitable agencies each year, through events such as the Art of Fashion, and also proceeds from its consignment shop at Rancho Santa Fe, specializing in exquisite furniture, antiques, rugs, silver, china and objets d’art. Its mission is “helping people to help themselves.”

The event usually is sold out, so tickets probably are not available. However, it never hurts to check even at this late date. 

Valet parking is available at the event entrance. Tickets cost $225 for the fashion show and lunch, or $125 for the fashion show alone. They are available online at www.thecountryfriends.org or by calling (858) 756-1192, ext. 4.

WANT TO SEE A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNTY ONLINE DIGITAL JOURNALISM SOURCE? FOLLOW THE STATS FEB. 15 TO FEB. 21, 2012...

YOU REALIZE THE PATCH, NORTH COUNTY TIMES, RANCHO SANTA FE REVIEW, COAST NEWS WON'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO THEIR SITE DAILY. THEY WON'T TELL YOU BECAUSE - IN TRUTH - THE NUMBERS ARE SO TINY AS TO BE EMBARRASSINGLY IRRELEVANT TO TODAY'S COMMUNITY NEWS MEDIA.

WE'RE THE REAL DEAL AND SHOWING YOU THE GOOGLE ANALYTICS FOR THE LAST WEEK. IF YOU'RE A SITE VISITOR: THANK YOU AND FEEL FREE TO PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS. IF YOU'RE A LOSING COMPETITOR: TOUGH LUCK. IF YOU WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT: WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. CALL!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ADVERTISE ON THIS SITE OR PARTNER WITH US, EMAIL AT 92067FREEPRESS@GMAIL.COM.

STATS FEB. 15 TO FEB. 21, 2012:

Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News

www.AhHaRSFNews.com

ABOUT US:

-  Born out of a desire to bring daily journalism coverage to Rancho Santa Fe, and surrounding communities, Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News was launched in June 2010.

-  Ah-Ha RSF News is one of the top community journalism sites in the nation and is the top in per capita page views.

- Founder, Dan Weisman, is a fellow at Knight Digital Media Center, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where he, and leading online experts, fine-tuned the groundbreaking Ah-Ha RSF News model.

• The communities in our coverage area are highly sought after by advertisers because of their appealing age and income demographics. The majority of our readers are college educated, professionals and have a greater amount of disposable income than other areas reached by the big dailies.  

BENEFITS OF ONLINE ADVERTISING

-  Online advertising is one step ahead over others, as more people are going online for their news than ever before.

-  The primary benefit of online advertising over offline is that online advertising offers maximum exposure for a minimal cost.  Everyone who visits Ah-Ha RSF News will see your ad, including local, regional, national, and global.  This is an exceptional advantage to many businesses.

-  Online advertising has no time limitations and is viewed day and night throughout the globe. 

-  Online advertising is much more cost-effective, is targeted to your audience, and has much higher viewership than advertising in a regional newspaper.

-  As more people rely on computers there is a change in trend, shifting from print to online news.  It is an “immediate medium”.

-  By using Google Analytics, we are able to keep an eye on the performance of advertising campaign by how many page views we receive, and how many “clicks” your specific ad gets.  This is impossible in other types of media. This data enables you to modify your campaign to achieve maximum effectiveness thus targeting potential customers.

Play Ball with the Splendid Splinter at North Coast Repertory Theatre, Solana Beach, Calif.

THE SCOOP

“Ted Williams: A Tip of the Cap”

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday

Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, Calif.

Tickets: $15-20

Phone: (858) 481-1055

Online: northcoastrep.org

June 20 & 21, 2011

7:30pm

Written by Matt Thompson

Directed by Tina Polzin &

Matt Thompson 

Commissioned by NCR Artistic Director David Ellenstein and underwritten by the San Diego Hall of Champions Museum.

This one person tour de force performance encompasses the life of one of baseball’s legendary greats: The Boston Red Sox’s Ted Williams. Through the art of performance and visual imagery, we follow Ted’s life from his humble beginnings in San Diego to his shining accomplishments on the diamond.

The Splendid Splinter recalls his life both on and off the field as we are privy to his failed marriages, distant sense of family and his scoffs with the media as well as his heroics of The Korean War, his near impossible accomplishment of hitting .406, and finally his entrance into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

“Baseball is the only place where you can fail seven out of ten times and be considered a success. Maybe my life mirrored the sport more than I could have ever known.” – Ted Williams.

(Photo: Johnny Clark portrays Ted Williams in the world premiere of "Ted Williams: A Tip of the Cap," at North Coast Rep in Solana Beach. — Courtesy of Valerie Henderson)

“A Tip of the Cap,” which stars the L.A.-based actor Johnny Clark, follows the Hoover High grad and batting hero’s career from his early days in the 1930s (Williams’ first pro team was the minor league Padres) to his post-playing time as manager of the Washington Senators.

In between came all those still-startling achievements by “Teddy Ballgame,” who died in 2002: his six American League batting titles, his career .344 average, his pair of Triple Crowns, his .406 average in 1941 (the last time any major league baseball player has hit above .400).

Its writer is Matt Thompson, a wide-ranging playwright, director and actor who also heads the Solana Beachcompany’s education programs. Thompson was commissioned by NCRT artistic director David Ellenstein two years ago to create the workshop piece, which will be restaged at the San Diego Hall of Champions later this summer.

The project’s original inspiration came from the hall’s late founder, Bob Breitbard, a childhood friend of Williams’ and a local sports legend in his own right. (He opened the San Diego Sports Arena and brought professional hockey and basketball franchises to town.)

North Coast Rep Presents the world premiere of 'The Perfectly Preposterous Pirate Adventure of Solana Beach from May 19 to 22...

When:
May 19- May 22, 2011

Where:
North Coast Repertory Theatre
987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, CA 92075

Ticket Prices: $9 - $12

For ticket information or reservations call (858)481-1055 or visit www.northcoastrep.org.

Box Office hours are Noon to 4pm daily and Noon to Curtain day of shows.

Showtimes: Show times are Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 2pm and 5pm.

Marauding pirates will seize the stage at North Coast Repertory Theatre May 19-22 in an original play about the history and unique qualities of Solana Beach. The world premiere of The Perfectly Preposterous Pirate Adventure of Solana Beach is the result of an educational grant by the City of Solana Beach and is being presented by NCR's Theatre School.

The play was co-written by Theatre School Director Matt Thompson and NCR Development Officer Kathryn Byrd, who wrote the grant proposal. "Winning the grant was a highly competitive process, so we were thrilled when our proposal was accepted," she said. "Matt has written a number of plays and said he always wanted to write a funny pirate adventure, because everyone loves pirates. We expect this play to appeal to kids and adults alike. It's a fun way to learn something about the community."

The Perfectly Preposterous Pirate Adventure of Solana Beach tells the tale of a band of misfit pirates who steal a sacred magic object from an island tribe and find themselves thrown into a time warp. A riddle sends them searching through history for the treasure and key that will send them home. However, they keep ending up in the same location - a beautiful stretch of pristine shoreline along the California coast. As they unravel the riddle, they meet friendly inhabitants who help them find the treasure and teach them about the history and culture of this wondrous place.

"Our cast and crew are having a ball mounting this production. The enthusiasm level is sky-high, and we're confident that audiences will react in the same way," Thompson said.

Featuring: Aria Balance, 13, from Digueño Middle School; Siena Balance, 14, Digueño Middle School; Bayleigh Bogan, 14, Digueno Middle School; Alyssa Cochran, 14, Earl Warren Middle School; Amanda Dodson, 12, Digueño Middle School; Molly Gillies, 14, Roger Rowe Middle School; Delaney Hulshof, 12, Ocean Knoll Middle School; Joelle Leib, 15, Canyon Crest Academy Ben Natkin, 14, Earl Warren Middle School; Emily North, 14, Earl Warren Middle School; Sarah Norton, 12, St. Michael's; Darius Paymai, 12, Ada Harris Middle School; Kate Ross, 13, San Elijo Middle School; Kira Sedayao, 12, Notre Dame Academy; Thor Sigurdsson, 14, Grauer School; Madison Vice, 13, Oak Crest Middle School.

The Design Team for The Perfectly Preposterous Pirate Adventure of Solana Beach includes: 
John Finkbiner(Set Master), Aaron Rumley(Production manager, Light and sound design), Jannifer Mah(Costume Design), Annie Bornhurst(Props design), Sarah Palmer(stage Manager), Cindy Cochran
(Costume and Make-up Assistant).... (more)

BRIEF MESSAGE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENIN' NOW: State of the state at Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. News by Dan Weisman...

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Have no fear, Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News is here!

We will be here for a while y'all.

I have been offered well-paying editing jobs in South Carolina and Northern California the last few months and turned them down despite obvious financial need to stay in our area and keep journalism hope alive.

However, to make ends meet, I have had to take on freelance copywriting jobs. As much as my landlord loves Rancho Santa Fe and Del Dios, he also does not accept ad space in lieu of rent.

This is the only source for legitimate information and journalism about the community and will continue.

In fact, as those who have followed the "war" between the Encinitas Coast News and Gilroy-owned Rancho Santa Fe Review at Carmel Valley know, both print outlets have been hemorrhaging money for years due to poor content, no readership, huge overhead and despicably, poor management. They now have turned against each other with threats of blackmail and litigation in a cat fight to the death.

The point is these two faux outlets will be out of business much sooner than later and Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News will be the only community journalism outlet moving forward.

HOWEVER PART TWO: Quality journalism needs a little,  and a relatively amazingly little, quality funding

Despite some fine advertisers, whose banner and mid-rise ads we proudly display -- patronize them please, people -- these ads alone have not paid the rent.

Many people come up to me on a daily basis and say how much they enjoy Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News and appreciate the effort. Many of these people are millionaires living in amazing estates, driving around very fine vehicles.

Now, if you want to talk about trickle-down economic theory, wake up call. It's not too late, but understand if you want quality to continue, it only takes AS MUCH MONEY AS ONE MEAL AT DELICIAS OR MILLE FLEURS from a few special people to make it so.

Think about your tax break that just passed Congress. Shouldn't you take a tithe of this, or even the smallest part of this, and give back to the community and yourself. If we don't publish it, you won't even know what you don't know.

If you want to continue this amazing experience the way it should unfold, money talks. We can provide quality jobs and content for the community if you help us and through this help yourselves. E-mail 92067freepress@gmail.com to help!

With that said, the tremendous, unique, invitation-only beta test content management system we use is going to change. The founder left the company last year and they have phased out operations. Through my contacts as a fellow at Knight Digital Media Center, University of Southern California, we have an equally exciting, state-of-the-art  CMS lined up and ready to go.

Exporting all of this web site -- and I mean ALL of this site -- and transferring material to the new site will take a period of time. I am estimating it at two weeks, but do not know for sure. So, there will be a brief disruption in information level....

...The fact is this site can continue indefinitely due to low overhead and cutting edge web journalism techniques. But it will take money -- and we're talking maybe $100 a day -- to do all the amazing things for the community that are possible.

It will get done one way or another, but that's the tale of the site through June. We got a lot of stuff here and I will be posting when time allows,  so ENJOY!

BOOK 'EM DANO -- Five crazy days in April when pot boats tried to come ashore the coast...

  San Diego Maritime Foils Several Smuggling Attempts Over 5-Day Period

The San Diego Maritime Unified Command (MUC) is comprised of the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air & Marine, CBP Office of Field Operations, CBP U.S. Border Patrol, ICE, as well as state and local law enforcement partners operating in the San Diego and Orange County maritime domain. The following is a summary of MUC activities over the past several days.

On April 1, California National Guardsmen observed a suspicious 17-foot Bayliner pleasure craft off the coast of Black’s Beach in La Jolla, Calif., and directed CBP to its location. The Bayliner absconded and landed ashore at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, Calif. U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to the scene and arrested six Mexican nationals who had illegally entered the United States.

On April 4, U.S. Border Patrol agents observed a panga boat off the coast of Solana Beach, Calif. CBP Air and Marine assets responded, and intercepted the boat approximately one half mile off the coast of the city of Del Mar. Marine interdiction agents detained 15 Mexican nationals and brought them and the panga ashore. U.S. Border Patrol agents on shore took custody of the 14 males and one female ranging in age from 19 to 39, and transported them to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The vessel was seized by CBP Air and Marine. Three Mexican nationals arrested during the incident are being charged criminally with alien smuggling.

 On April 4, U.S. Border Patrol agents seized an abandoned panga near Dana Point, Calif., with 740 pounds of marijuana onboard. Nine arrests have been made in connection to the maritime drug smuggling incursion. The illegal drugs, vessel, and two vehicles were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.

(Video below: ootage of San Diego Maritime Unified Command capturing drug smugglers in June 2010. Scenes include the Coast Guard towing the drug smugglers boat back to a dock and the Coast Guard escorting the suspects and drugs on the dock. Provided by U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.)

On April 4, CBP Office of Air and Marine Interdiction agents intercepted a 16-foot Chaparral pleasure craft near Shelter Island and arrested four Mexican nationals who had illegally entered the country. They were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol agents and transported to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The vessel was seized by CBP Office of Air and Marine. One of the Mexican nationals arrested is being charged criminally with alien smuggling.

On April 5, a U.S. Navy helicopter involved in a training exercise about 20 miles off the coast of Imperial Beach, Calif., reported a panga boat travelling northbound from Mexico. The United States Coast Guard Cutter “Sea Otter” responded and intercepted the boat about 20 miles west of La Jolla, Calif. The Coast Guard detained 14 males and 2 females, and transported them to the Shelter Island Customs dock. U.S. Border Patrol agents arrived on scene and all occupants were Mexican nationals, illegally present in the United States.

Coast News fires front page shot at Carmel Valley (RSF) Review: More images from the local battlefront...

  (Editor's Note: Put this one in the WOW category. The Coast News, of Encinitas, publishes once or twice a month a few pages about Rancho Santa Fe and calls that issue The Rancho Santa Fe News. This is not to be confused with THIS effort, AH-HA RANCHO SANTA FE NEWS.

The Review, of Carmel Valley, is now owned by Gilroy publisher Tony Allagreedi (Photo above) whose M.O. is buying community newspapers on the cheap, them moving them and cutting everybody and everything to show a faux profit. The Coast News this week in stories and editorials reported it was "facing the threat of a lawsuit" from the Review. The Review did not return calls seeking comment.

For more on the continuing soap saga: Visit our coverage at http://tiny.cc/tmhkm and http://tiny.cc/2ssy7.)

Coast News 'publisher' Jim Kidd, from Encinitas, catfights it out with Carmel Valley (RSF) Review 'publisher' Tony Allagreedi of Gilroy for dying Rancho Santa Fe newspaper market carcasses...

[Editor's Note: It's official. The two biggest pigs in local faux journalism in a catfight to the death. Why support either of these greedy non-Rancho Santa Fe publication owners at their overblown, overhead prices when Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News has better, more relevant information provided by the actual journalists who once made these clowns look semi-serious?

We are the new media going forward with more views per day than both these dinoaur rip-offs combined in a month. No-brainer.  D'uh #WINNING...We tried contacting Allagreedi, but the little weasel is ducking our calls, darn.]

(Actual size photo of Tony Allagreedi, 5-feet tall, full of faux community journalism fury. For more read fellow 'publisher' Jim Kidd's view below...) 

BY JIM KIDD, COAST NEWS PUBISHER. (Photo left, for more visit here...)

I rarely get on the pulpit. It takes something really, really wrong to get me going.

Enter Anthony Allegretti, the bully.

He is the CEO of the Rancho Santa Fe Review.

He is bullying me to “fix” my advertising prices to be as high as his are.

This is a direct attack against all Rancho Santa Fe advertisers — present and future. If I were to cave in, he would have no competition in the marketplace.

Here’s what he’s doing.

Last Friday I received a package of documents from Allegretti, who publishes numerous publications here in San Diego and elsewhere.

He is a big-time publisher compared to me and is backed by well-funded investment bankers. We’re talking billions here.

This “nice” package I received from Allegretti dated Feb. 14 — my valentine, I guess — contained a threat to sue me and the Rancho Santa Fe News for a violation of the California Fair Practice Act and various violations of other antitrust legislation.

He alleged I was charging too little for my ads in 2010, thereby causing him to lose money. He said that if I didn’t raise my rates he would sue me for $900,000 (three times his lost revenue) and my legal fees would be around $2 million.

That is his position.

That is also a threat.

I used to have five newspapers. I closed three of them and one office because they weren’t profitable.

If the Rancho Santa Fe News’ low ad rates were causing me to lose money, as his threatened lawsuit implies, why would I keep publishing it?

                       (Photo: Dumpster at Rancho Santa Fe Village primed for residue of Kidd-Allagreedi Catfight.) 

His “package” is nothing but a scare tactic and also smacks of price collusion. If I were to charge what he wants me to charge for advertising, what happens to “fair competition in the marketplace?” All advertisers will be forced to pay the same rate, which will be set by Allegretti.

I run a tight business and don’t have any debt service or investment bankers to pay off. Allegretti does, so maybe that’s why he has to charge more for his ads.

Maybe he just wants no competition so he can price “gouge.”

In the end, it will be the advertiser that will be hurt.

My only reason for writing this editorial is to expose Allegretti as a mean-spirited scoundrel of a businessman and to warn current and prospective advertisers of his tactics.

I just recently learned that Allegretti served the same Valentine’s Day package to a fellow publisher who competes with Allegretti in La Jolla.

This time he got the desired reaction. Already struggling with the economy, this publisher became very upset that he could face the possible loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars and the cost of $2 million in legal fees.

Here comes the good part.

Allegretti meets with this publisher and offers to buy the competing paper for a fraction of its value or says he will sue.

If you ask me, that is also an unfair business practice and just plain mean.

If he buys it, he will probably close it, creating a price fixing situation much the same as he is trying to do in Rancho Santa Fe. La Jolla advertisers will suffer.

If you currently advertise with the Review, I just want you to know where your money is going — to Allegretti and his investment bankers.

Perhaps when your contract is up with the Review, you might want to give us a call.

Obviously we charge less. We also give more.

In addition to being distributed everywhere the Review is, the Rancho Santa Fe News is mailman-delivered to 1,100 homes in the Santaluz area and 500 homes in the Rancho Pacifica area. The Review leaves these areas out of their circulation.

I am not going to allow Allegretti and the Review to scare me into raising my ad prices.

I’ve consulted a friend in the San Diego District Attorney’s office. I was advised to have my lawyer send a warning to Allegretti and his backers that they should cease any further action. Perhaps they aren’t smart enough to know that what they’re doing is illegal, so my lawyer is currently drafting a letter to them explaining the law.

They are leaving themselves open to some very serious legal ramifications and all advertisers will suffer.

(Add: Photo below shows reality of people not bothering to take home FREE copies of both these disgraceful faux journalism products...)

Spy V. Spy: RANCHO SANTA FE NEWSPAPER WAR!!! Review 'Threatens to Sue' News, says the News

"Gilroy-based Review owner Tony Allegreedi) claims in certified letters that the News caused the Review to lose at least $300,000 in 2010. He further threatened to sue for $900,000 plus attorney fees he estimates at $2 million, if the News advertising rates are not “adjusted” and increased."

Fact Check: Allagreedi's Review of Carmel Valley pretending to be Rancho Santa Fe, GIVES AWAY FOR FREE ALL HIS WEB ADS. We know since we asked sub-rosa. Maybe the Coast News should countersue him.

[Photo: Fairbanks Ranch Post Office on Feb. 12, as people throw out FREE copies of the Review and News rather than even bring them home. Advertise at Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News where you know people are seeing you because they want to see us. E-mail us at 92067freepress@gmail.com for more sponsorship details.]

Read more below....

(Editor's Note: Put this one in the WOW category. The Coast News, of Encinitas, publishes once or twice a month a few pages about Rancho Santa Fe and calls that issue The Rancho Santa Fe News. The Review, of Carmel Valley, is now owned by Gilroy publisher Tony Allagreedi whose M.O. is buying community newspapers on the cheap, them moving them and cutting everybody and everything to show a faux profit. On Wednesday, the Coast News reported it was "facing the threat of a lawsuit" from the Review. This story by Promise Yee was posted Wednesday afternoon and can be found in its entirety here. We can't call Allagreedi because when we emailed Review editor Lorene Wright some questions once she called the San Diego Sheriffs Department and asked them to ask us not to contact her again.So, this will have to do for now. -- Dan Weisman, founder/editor Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News.)

(Photo below, copy of letter allegedly from Review's Gilroy-based owner Tony Allagreedi -- the Review offices are at Carmel Valley -- accusing the Coast News of Encinitas of unfair ad practices.)

COAST NEWS REPORT (Promise Yee)

RANCHO SANTA FE — In a David versus Goliath standoff, the Rancho Santa Fe News is facing the threat of a lawsuit by Anthony Allegretti, president and CEO of MainStreet Communications, which publishes 17 newspapers including the Rancho Santa Fe Review.

The proposed charge is that the Rancho Santa Fe News’ advertising rates are driving the financially backed “Review” out of business, or at least hurting its profits.

On the David side the “News” is owned by independent publisher Jim Kydd and is one of two publications of The Coast News Group. The bimonthly News distributes on demand and mails 10,000 copies to Rancho Santa Fe, Santaluz and the Rancho Pacifica areas.

Kydd said the News is part of a tightknit operation that carefully balances its profits and overhead costs to operate. The paper has no debt service or investment bankers to pay off. Kydd said a skeleton staff and shared operating costs with The Coast News allows the paper to have a minimum overhead.

Kydd said the News could not remain in operation if it was under-pricing its advertisements. He added that they have recently closed papers in Vista, San Marcos and Carmel Valley because they were not profitable.

On the Goliath side, the Review is owned and published by MainStreet Communications, a subsidiary of MainStreet Media Group. It is one of 17 newspapers that MainStreet Communications publishes.

Other area newspapers owned by MainStreet Communications include, in addition to the Review, the Carmel Valley News, the Del Mar Times, the Solana Beach Sun, the La Jolla Light, the Poway News-Chieftain, the Rancho Bernardo News-Journal and the Ramona Sentinel. MainStreet Media Group also owns a group of newspapers in Northern and Central California. MainStreet’s corporate offices are in Gilroy, Calif.

Kydd said the Review has much higher operating costs including editorial salaries as well as financial backers to pay.

Brookside Capital Partners Management works as the investment manager for MainStreet Communications. Managing Director Don Hawks said as a matter of company policy he has no comment on Allegretti’s actions.

Hawks was asked if he was aware of the certified letters Allegretti sent to the News. “I’m not going to comment on those,” Hawks said.

Housatonic Partners is another investment manager for MainStreet Communications and owns 36 percent of the company.

Joe Niehaus, general partner for Housatonic Partners, would not comment on the registered letters sent to The Coast News Group or the proposed lawsuit. “I’m not going to address any of that,” Niehaus said.

Allegretti claims in certified letters that the News caused the Review to lose at least $300,000 in 2010. He further threatened to sue for $900,000 plus attorney fees he estimates at $2 million, if the News advertising rates are not “adjusted” and increased.

“The law Allegretti is quoting is to protect the little guy,” Kydd said. “I don’t have the money to outlast him and his investment bankers and he knows it. He’s the predator.”

Kydd does not know what prices Allegretti charges for advertising. Likewise, he said Allegretti does not have access to the News’ records of pricing or operating costs on which his allegation is based.

Several area attorneys, all of whom declined to be quoted, were asked for their opinions on the charges. All agreed that it is unlikely that the suit will go to court due to the lack of evidence and the disparity in size between the two publishing companies. They added that it is difficult for a large newspaper group to claim that it was hurt by the rates of a smaller paper.

“No one can tell you what price you have to sell at,” one of the attorneys said. He went on to say that any attempt to limit competition is restraint of trade.

Allegretti has reportedly made similar threats to other small papers in San Diego County. While publishers did not want to be quoted directly, some say they have heard around the publishing community that Allegretti recently sent a similar letter to another San Diego County newspaper. He threatened to sue the paper and then offered to buy the paper at a “lowball” price.

The publisher of that paper, who did not want to be quoted, said they consider Allegretti’s proposed lawsuit a bluff, but are fearful that if Allegretti follows through they will not be able to weather the possible court costs, that could run in the millions, to show that there is no merit to the charges.

MainStreet Communications Chief Operating Officer Steve Staloch said he is not aware of Allegretti’s offer to buy any paper at this time. “We’re always interested in acquisitions that make sense, strategic acquisitions,” Staloch said.

When asked about the proposed lawsuits Staloch had no comment. “This is not a news story,” Staloch said.

If Allegretti pursues the lawsuits, his claims could damage the livelihood of two local newspapers.

One longtime local publisher said that instead of basing competition on readership and compelling news columns, Allegretti is basically saying “play ball with me or I’ll spend you into submission.”

“He has the fear factor going for him,” Kydd said. “His package of certified letters is nothing but a scare tactic and also smacks of price collusion.”

Allegretti said he would not speak directly about any proposed lawsuit and did not confirm that that his company is losing money.

“A company can be making money,” Allegretti said. “It’s nothing to do with whether you’re doing well or whether you’re doing poorly. It has to do with the other business. The law says you can’t sell anything below cost.”

Kydd said the charges do not make sense because the News runs a balanced budget with all fully loaded costs, including building rental, utilities and sales commissions.

Kydd and others see the situation as Allegretti trying to leverage his size and multiple publications to eliminate competition.

“It just smells,” one attorney said.

Allegretti insists size does not matter. “The law is meant for all California companies,” Allegretti said. “It’s nothing to do with the size of a company.”

“This is a direct attack against all Rancho Santa Fe advertisers present and future,” Kydd said. “If I were to cave in, he would have no competition in the marketplace.”

Allegretti may be opening up himself and his company for a lawsuit.

“I’m considering suing him for threatening me and suggesting price fixing,” Kydd said. “I think what he’s doing is terribly wrong.”

:

Bicycle Retailer and Industry News dealer tour comes to Solana Beach, Encinitas, Oceanside...

(Editor's Note: BRAIN, as the bicycle retailer and industry news folk refer to themselves, has been posting daily online coverage of its SoCal tour of bike dealers. For daily coverage, follow the tour on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bicycleretailer and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bicycleretailer. To see the entire BRAINtrust site, zoom zoom here .)

Bike shops along Coast Highway 101 have a unique advantage: ride-by traffic. Participants on the BRAIN Dealer Tour of San Diego visited four stores yesterday that benefit from proximity to this scenic coastal stretch popular with cyclists and triathletes.

Alan’s Bike Shop has been in Oceanside since 1952. Seven years ago Jim Russell decided it was time to make a change in his life. That meant buying the shop. “I was looking for something in sporting goods,” said Russell, a career entrepreneur having been in the restaurant and commercial oven steam cleaning business.

His experience outside the industry has given Alan’s new life, not only through updating its business practices, but also the shop’s look, with Electra playing a key role.

“I wanted to create a showroom for cruisers,” Russell said. And thus he did with the help of Electra. His new 8,000-square-foot location features roughly 130 Electra bikes, with prominent Electra wall displays giving the shop an added edginess. 

Bicycle Warehouse opened two new locations in Encinitas and Escondido last year. Debbe Simmons calls them “her twins.” That brings Bicycle Warehouse’s greater San Diego tally of shops to seven.

“We’ve always wanted an Encinitas location,” said Debbe Simmons, co-owner of Bicycle Warehouse with her husband, Mike Simmons.

The 3,500-square-foot store features Bicycle Warehouse’s new blueprint, which makes the store more manageable from a variety of perspectives, according to Debbe Simmons. Bicycle Warehouse’s original flagship location in San Diego has a 13,000-square-foot showroom.

Nytro made a name for itself early on in the online space. That was attractive to Skip McDowell, who purchased the multisport store in April 2007. “I wanted this shop because it has panache and it has the ability to leverage the Internet,” said McDowell, who came from the tech industry. 

The 3,800-square-foot retail store is in a former surf shop along Highway 101. Deep-dish carbon rim wheels hang from the ceiling and wetsuits and running shoes surround high-end road and tri bikes. While the store is 60-40 road to tri, its online sales skew closer to 80 percent triathlon.

McDowell invested in an integrated ecommerce system, and launched a new backend system in May 2009. He said it took 6 to 8 months to recapture lost search engine results, but last fall web sales began taking off. Nytro has recently doubled web business month over month from the prior year. Sales are now 50-50 online to retail, and McDowell expects online to eclipse in-store sales this year.

B & L Bikes, located along Highway 101 in Solana Beach, has seen high-end road and triathlon bike sales drop off over the past year, a result of the decline in disposable income due to the economic downturn coupled with competition from other big-ticket luxury items, said Scott Alton, the shop’s buyer.

Last year was the best year the shop has ever seen in terms of quantity, but average selling price dropped dramatically, Alton said.

“We’re selling a ton more $2,000 to $3,000 bikes. We’re just not selling the $5,000 to $7,000 bikes as routinely as we used to,” he said, adding that the shop sells on average 30 bikes a month out of the Solana Beach location. Bikes spec’d with SRAM’s Apex group have sold particularly well, he said.

B & L carries Specialized almost exclusively on the bike side with a few Haro cruisers on the sales floor. On the apparel side, Alton stocks Castelli and Zoot, along with Specialized. He also dabbles in wetsuits and running shoes to appeal to North County’s triathlon community. 

The San Diego Dealer Tour headed south Wednesday to visit some of the downtown area’s colorful urban stores.

B&L Bikes

211 N Hwy 101
Solana Beach, Ca 92075
Tele: 858.481.4148
Mon – Fri 10am – 7pm
Sat 10am – 6pm
Sun 11am – 5pm

Please don't touch the Charmin, er dangerous flares washing up on local beaches

(Photo above: Be alarmed, for this is what a flare on the beach can do; fortunately, this flare was set off by the Australian military in Queensland.)

Dangerous military flares from terrorism training exercises washing up on North County beaches prompted authorities Thursday to warn beach-goers not to touch the Charmin, er flares.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Encinitas Station has assigned extra patrols to beaches and sent notifications to lifeguards at Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas, following two separate flare sightings.

A device was discovered on the beach near the 300 block of S. El Portal Street on Wednesday. Then, a man found two metal boxes while walking on Beacon's Beach Thursday.

Bomb/Arson technicians responded to both incidents, safely disposing the flares. No one was harmed, but phosphorous in the phosphorous flares can cause severe burns if exposed to the skin, authorities said.

Some of the flares may not burn all the way and can reignite when exposed to water or air.

A message atop the flare boxes warns in capital letters, "Flammable, signal smoke contains phosophorous. Do not handle."

The Sheriff's Encinitas Station and Arson/Bomb Squad urges anyone who finds a flare on the beach to call 911.

North Coast Rep 2 Pianos 4 Hands Held Over Through Feb. 13

 By Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt 
Directed by Bruce Sevy

Show Held Over!

Due to popular demand

Show extended to February 13, 2011

Box Office: (858) 481-1055

87 lomas santa fe dr., ste. d

solana beach, ca 92075

 Buy tickets online >>

Learn about becoming a Subscriber >>

Get ready for an interlude of riotous laughter as Mark Anders and Carl Danielsen, representing the show’s creators, take us on a musical semi-autobiographical journey about their wouldbe careers as concert pianists. The talented duo trade stories about piano lessons, parents, teachers, and exams while playing everything from Bach to Billy Joel. 2 Pianos, 4 Hands has had audiences cheering around the globe.

“2 Pianos 4 Hands – an extended “two-hander” rich with banter, Bach and piano banging of the highest order”
San Diego Theatre Scene, Charlene Baldridge

click HERE for more

“It’s not every day you breakdowns as well as playing punishing piano pieces by Mozart, Bach, see two actors delectably adept at accents, dialects, comic timing and dramaticBeethoven – even Billy Joel! These are spectacular performances you must not miss.”

Pat Launer, Center Stage, Jazz88.org

click HERE for more
2 Pianos 4 Hands

 tickles the ivory, amuses audiences”

Jean Lowerison, sdgln.com

click HERE for more

“intoxicating celebration of music …deft comic timing”

David Codden, sandiego.com

click HERE for more

2 Pianos 4 Hands is the riotous tale of two boys in Canada, Ted and Richard, sharing the same goal: concert pianist stardom. They work fervently towards their dream amidst pushy parents, eccentric teachers, hours of repetitive practice, stage fright, the agony of competitions and the  dream of greatness. Two actors, two pianos and many, many characters grace the stage as fifteen years of learning the art of piano playing unfolds.  From classical to pops to jazz, the play provides the chance for two performers to give their all in a 120-minute virtuoso performance.   Along the journey the actors/pianists portray a dazzling range of characters embellished with a show of piano wizardry featuring the music of Bach, Beethoven and Jerry Lee Lewis. As they mature, Ted and Richard become more aware of the gap between the very good and the great, and come to the humbling realization that greatness may be out of reach.  And there lies the universal plight of all those with an ounce of training and talent and the will to "be" a professional musician, or athlete, or actor, or dancer. 2 Pianos, 4 Hands captures the humor that comes with learning to play the piano, and the sense of loss of eventually learning to let go of the dream. 2 Pianos 4 Hands was originally produced in April 1996 by Tarragon Theatre (Toronto, Canada), in association with Talking Fingers Inc., and Produced Off-Broadway, in London and throughout North America by Mirvish Productions, Toronto. 2 Pianos 4 Handsis produced by permission of Marquis Entertainment Inc.  (www.marquisent.ca).  PRODUCTION HISTORY In 1994, Ted and Richard formed Talking Fingers, and under this company name first workshopped  2 Pianos 4 Hands at the Tarragon Theatre, with generous support from the Ontario Arts Council. Tarragon Theatre subsequently programmed the show as part of its 1995-1996 season, where it garnered rave reviews, played a sold-out run, received the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Production (Toronto's theatre awards) and the prestigious Chalmers Award (Canada's top playwriting award). Tarragon Theatre then toured the production nationally from May 1996 to September 1997. In the fall of 1997, 2 Pianos 4 Hands was presented Off Broadway at The Promenade Theatre by a team of producers: David and Ed Mirvish, Ben Sprecher and William P. Miller.  The production was widely acclaimed, and ran for six months before transferring to the Kennedy Centre in Washington (both productions featured Dykstra and Greenblatt). 2 Pianos 4 Hands has since played to sold-out houses at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto and at the Comedy Theatre in the West End of London. In the fall of 2003, Ted and Richard reunited to perform in the greatly anticipated Toronto revival at the majestic Elgin Theatre, again playing to sold-out houses and spectacular reviews. And in the spring of 2004, Ted and Richard toured to Tokyo, Japan where they played for three weeks at prestigious Le Theatre Ginza, presented by Japan's largest theatre company, Shochiku. In 2006, Marquis Entertainment's production of 2 Pianos 4 Hands, featuring Richard Carsey and Tom Frey, was awarded the 2006 Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Touring Production (winning over Broadway touring productions of The Lion King and Wicked). Since its humble Toronto premiere, 2 Pianos 4 Hands has had 5000+ performances at more 150 different theatres throughout North America, Europe, Asia (Japan and Hong Kong), Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa playing to more than 2 million people worldwide. For more information about 2 Pianos 4 Hands, please visit the official website:    www.2pianos4hands.com     Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt. Courtesy Lydia Pawelka. Ted Dykstra (Co-Writer) Ted has performed 2P4H over 750 times in 11 Canadian cities (including 4 Toronto runs) as well as New York, Washington, DC, London's West End and Tokyo. He has directed productions of 2P4H across the US, in Australia and Hong Kong. He has received Dora Mavor Moore Award (Canada's Tony) nominations as an actor, director, writer, producer and composer, and was awarded Doras for Fire (Acting + Musical Direction) and 2P4H (Producing) as well as a Chalmers Award for writing 2P4H. As an actor, he has played leading roles on every major stage in Canada. Some of his favourite memories are title roles in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hamlet and Amadeus, Cousin Kevin in The Who's Tommy (Dora nomination), Daffyd Llewellen in A Chorus of Disapproval (Dora Nomination), Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream, and Ariel in The Tempest. He has acted in dozens of movies and TV shows, and received a Gemini Award for his performance in Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion. Ted is a founding member of Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre, where he has directed many shows, including Jitters, Billy Bishop Goes To War, Leaving Home (Dora nomination), Under Milkwood, Salt Water Moon, and Fool for Love. He has directed numerous other productions including Frost/Nixon (Canadian Stage), Tuesdays with Morrie (Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company), Cinderella (Elgin Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show (Canadian Stage/MTC), Aladdin (National Tour/Elgin Theatre, Toronto Dora nomination) and To Kill a Mockingbird (Neptune Theatre, Halifax). Upcoming; he will reprise his acclaimed performance of his one man adaptation of Tolstoy's The Kreutzer Sonata, and will direct The Glass Menagerie, both for Soulpepper Theatre.   Richard Greenblatt (Co-Writer) Richard Greenblatt trained as an actor at RADA in London, and has acted, directed, and written for theatres across Canada and abroad, as well as in radio, television and feature films. He has directed well over 100 productions, the vast majority being original Canadian plays, as well as many classical texts, including several plays of Shakespeare, TheCherry Orchard, and Mother Courage, amongst many others. He has also directed numerous award-winning plays for young audiences, including Danny, King of theBasement, Wrecked, Mirror Game, and The Incredible Speediness of JamieCavanaugh. As an actor, he has played leading roles across Canada and in Toronto, including Creon in Anouilh's Antigone, the Father in Enda Walsh's bedbound, and the tile role in Spinoza, amongst many others.He has been a co-writer of the award winning plays i.d., 2Pianos 4 Hands, Letters from Lehrer, Care, and Sibs (which was also filmed for CBC Television). He performed 2 Pianos... a staggering 750 times, including four runs in Toronto, an extensive Canadian tour, The Promenade Theatre in New York, The Comedy Theatre in the West End of London, The Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. and Theatre Ginza in Tokyo, Japan. Richard has been Resident Director at Young People's Theatre, Deputy Artistic Director at Canadian Stage, and Artistic Director of The Hour Company. He has taught acting, directing and play creation at most of the theatre training institutions in Canada. He has won four Dora Mavor Moore Awards, two Chalmers Playwriting Awards, and received numerous other nominations. He lives in Toronto with his partner Tanya Greve and their one year old daughter, Amelia.   Bruce Sevy (Director) Associate Artistic Director and Director of New Play Development Denver Center Theatre Company Bruce has directed such memorable Denver Center productions as Mariela in the Desert, The Voysey Inheritance, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Doubt,All My Sons, Master Class, Mrs. Warren's Profession,A Christmas Carol,Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Foxes, Molly Sweeney, Amy's View, Valley Song, Pierre, Dinner With Friends, and The Cripple of Inishmaan. As Director of New Play Development, he oversees both the artistic and practical components of DCTC's successful Colorado New Play Summit, including commissions from outstanding American playwrights. He has directed for Arizona Theatre Company, Cleveland Play House, Lark Play Development Center, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Northlight Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Pioneer Theatre Company, A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Empty Space and Intiman Theatre in Seattle, the Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque, and Utah Shakespearean Festival.  His popular production of 2 Pianos, 4 Hands has been seen at more than twenty theatres nationally, including DCTC's successful 2003 production.   Mark Anders (Ted) Mark Anders is delighted to be at North Coast Rep for the first time. He has been playing Mr. Sevy's production of 2 Pianos 4 Hands with Mr. Danielsen since 2001, off and on - which is to say, long enough off between gigs for him to forget all his lines, so now that it's on again, please  be kind. He has devoted much of the last few years to performing a revue he co-devised with Mr. Danielsen, A Marvelous Party, in order to spread Noël Coward's wit in a century that badly needs it. Without Mr. Danielsen, but like him, Mark has appeared in several incarnations of the Florence Foster Jenkins tribute, Souvenir. In his home town of Seattle, he just finished a production of The Scarlet Letter at Intiman Theatre, where he also has appeared in Irma Vep, Hay Fever, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Rivals, and Gross Indecency. Other favorite Seattle shows include Dirty Blonde, Old Wicked Songs and The Woman in Black at ACT; Murderers at the Seattle Repertory Theatre; a couple of Hardy Boys adventures and Sideways Stories from Wayside School at the Seattle Children's Theatre; and Jeffrey Hatcher's unjustly under-produced play Hanging Lord Haw-Haw at the Empty Space. Mark writes plays and lyrics, when left to his own devices, which is not very often, alas. His beautiful and talented daughter Gemma can no longer be considered his production, if she ever could - she's a work of art all her own.   Carl Danielsen (Richard) NYC: Enter Laughing, York; The Big Voice: God or Merman?; Edgar, King Lear, Hudson Guild. Regional: A Marvelous Party; Northlight  (Jeff Award); Cole!, San Jose Rep, LACLO, (Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle award, Dramalogue award); 2 Pianos, 4 Hands,  20 cities; Homer, Morning's At Seven, Caldwell; World Goes 'Round, TheatreWorks (BATCC award); Taming of Shrew, Oh, Kay!, SF Shakespeare (BATTC award); Oedipus Rex, Denver Center Theatre Company; Room Service, Barrington Stage; John Adams, 1776, Barnum, Barnum,  Cat/Hat, Seussical, Cosmo, Singin' in the Rain, Woodminster Amphitheatre; Don, Singing in Rain, Bobby, Crazy for You Shenandoah Summer Musical Theatre; I Love You, YPNC, Flordia Studio Theatre. Law and Order, 'Quit Claim'. Webber Douglas Drama School, UK. BMI workshop, Harrington Award.  Hear compositions at  myspace.com/carldanielsen   MUSIC FEATURED IN 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS   ACT I Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach) Heart and Soul (Hoagy Carmichael) The Birch Canoe (Lelia Fletcher) By the Stream (Richard Greenblatt) Our Band Goes to Town (arrangement J. B. Duvernoy) Sonatina No. 6 in F Major (Beethoven) Sonata Facile in C Major, 1st Movement (Mozart) Sonata for One Piano, Four Hands in D Major, 1st Movement (Mozart) In der Halle des Bergkonigs, Peer Gynt Suite 1 (Edward Grieg) Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)   ACT II Prelude in D flat Major (Chopin) Leyenda (I. Albeniz) Rondo for Two Pianos, Four Hands in C Major (Chopin) Fantasiestucke No. 2 (Schumann) Pathetique Sonata No. 8 in C minor, 1st and 2nd Movements (Beethoven) Ballade No. 2 in F Major (Chopin) Mephisto Waltz No. 1 (Franz Liszt) A Medley of Pop Tunes Impromptu in A flat (Schubert) My Funny Valentine (Richard Rogers / Lorenz Hart) Piano Man (Billy Joel) Horowitz Recording (Mephisto Waltz) Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)   MUSIC CREDITS "Heart and Soul" Music by Hoagy Carmichael and Lyrics by Frank Loesser BMG Music Publishing Canada Inc. © 1938 by Famous Music Corp. Copyright Renewed 1965 by Famous Music Corp. (ASCAP).   THE BIRCH CANOE Music by LEILA FLETCHER MAYFAIR MONTGOMERY PUBLISHING All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "Bennie and the Jets" Words and Music by Elton John & Bernie Taupin All rights owned and administered by UNIVERSAL/DICK JAMES MUSIC LIMITED, ADMINISTERED BY UNIVERSAL-SONGS OF POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL, INC./BMI   "Imagine" Written by John Lennon Courtesyof Lennon Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, L.I.C. All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "Linus and Lucy" Written by Vince Guraldi Courtesy of Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc. / The Harry Fox Agency, Inc.   "Nadia's Theme" Written by Barry Devorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. Courtesy of Screen Gems EMI Music, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "CHARIOTS OF FIRE" Written by VANGELIS CourtesyEMI ENTERTAINMENT WORLD, INC. All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "Great Balls of Fire" Words and Music by Otis Blackwell & Jack Hammer © 1957 (Renewed ©1975) Unichappell Music Inc. (BMI), Mijac Music (BMI), Chappell & Co. (ASCAP) & Mystical Light Music (ASCAP). Unichappell Music Inc. (BMI) administers all Rights on behalf of itself and Mijac Music (BMI). Chappell & Co. (ASCAP) administers all Rights on behalf of itself and Mystical Light Music (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "My Funny Valentine" Music by Richard RoDgers and Lyrics by Lorenz Hart © 1937 Chappell & Co. (ASCAP) & Williamson Music, Inc. (ASCAP) All rights owned and administered by Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. (ASCAP) All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "Piano Man" Written by Billy Joel © 1973 JoelSongs All Rights Reserved.  Used by Permission.   "The Mephisto Waltz" Performed by Vladimir HoroWitz Used by Permission.  Courtesy of RCA Red Seal/BMG Classics.

BRIEFLY SPEAKING: Home Prices FALL at Rancho Santa Fe; Surfer down at Leucadia; Coast Highway 101 Solana Beach and Encinitas; Cat fancier show Del Mar... 

 RANCHO SANTA FE -- Home prices continued heading the wrong way.  Altos Real Estate Research this week reported the average asking price on a 92067 home at around $2.9 million with 238 properties on the market for an average of 256 days. Inventory has been increasing while days on the market are climbing, a negative indicator.

Altos Research Finds:

• The median single family home price as of January 16 2011 for RANCHO SANTA FE is $2,948,269.
• With a Market Action Index as of January 16 2011 at 13.30, RANCHO SANTA FE is currently a buyer's market.
• The average property in RANCHO SANTA FE as of January 16 2011 has been on the market for about 252 days.
• The median price per square foot for homes in RANCHO SANTA FE as of January 16 2011 is about $526.  

LEUCADIA -- A 58-year-old surfer died in the waters off Beacon's Beach on Tuesday morning. Surfers, then emergency medical workers, tried to revive the man who was spotted drifting on top of his surf board around 11:30 a.m. The surfers "did a really good job and I’d like to thank them for that,” Encinitas lifeguard Capt. Larry Giles said. The man was transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas where he was pronounced dead at 12:41 p.m. .  The victim later was identified as David Alan Kim, 58. He drowned, according to authorities who did not release any further information. .

SOLANA BEACH, ENCINITAS: 

Walk San Diego Forum - Jan 21

For anyone in the SD region, WSD is holding its first lunchtime forum of the year:

Coast Highway101 – Our region’s next complete street?

Special guest presenters will be:

Diane Langager, Principal Planner, City of Encinitas

Mike Nichols, Councilman, City of Solana Beach

 Come hear what the cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach are doing with the planning of Coast Highway 101 to make it safer for bicyclists and pedestrians and how public participation has made road diets and roundabouts part of the solution.

 Date: January 21, 2011

Time: 12:00-1:00 P.M.

Location: 193 Horton Plaza, 1st level, (Next to Victoria’s Secret)

Suggested: Lunch Donation is $5.00, RSVP by January 19th, $7.00 at the door

Please RSVP to Cynthia Offenhauer

Free Parking at Horton Plaza Garage...

DEL MAR:

San Diego Cat Fanciers Show in Del Mar Jan. 22-23

The Food and Water Bowl XIX, sponsored by the San Diego Cat Fanciers, will be held Jan. 22 and 23 at the Del Mar Fair Grounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. The hours are Saturday10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday
 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The event includes cat agility competition, household pet competition, top show cats on display, educational seminars, unique gift items, and pedigreed kittens for sale as well as rescue cat adoptions.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, children and military. Visit www.sandiegocat.org for full schedule and discount coupon.

There are about 265 properties on the market in RANCHO SANTA FE as of January 16 2011.

Country Friends 55th Annual Art of Fashion Show VIDEO Presentation

A record crowd of more than 550 incredibly fashionable patrons showed up for the big tent on Thursday, Sept. 23 as the Country Friends, in partnership with South Coast Plaza, turned heads with its 56th staging of that grand annual tradition the Art of Fashion outdoor runway show. It all happened from 10:30 a.m. to well past 3 p.m. in, and around, the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.

 It's one of the largest, if not the largest, outdoor fashion show in North America. The latest in haute couture for the fall/winter season from some of the leading designers and fashion houses in the world strolled, strutted and amazed a highly attentive, and appreciative gathering.

"We are thrilled to have such an incredible line-up of designers," said Jeanne Lucia, president of the Country Friends.

Added Debra Gunn Downing of South Coast Plaza, which partnered in the event for the sixth consecutive year: "It's a pleasure to bring our stellar cast of luxury boutiques to this show."

This year's runway show featured fall/winter collections from Emilio Pucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Marni, MaxMara, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Saks Fifth Avenue, St. John, TOD'S, and Versace.

Aloha Taylor, KSWB 5/69 Fox San Diego meteorologist, and former Miss USA Hawaii, emceed the fabulous event, noting how the weather was perfect and so were the fashions. Andrea Naverson, chair of the Art of Fashion, welcomed everyone to the special event and introduced Country Friends Art of Fashion committee members and special guests.... (more)

BREAKING NEWS 4 P.M. - GOING, GOING, GONE TO THE COUNTRY FRIENDS 'ART OF FASHION SHOW'

Midnight UPDATE: Video of the event will be posted later today...

A record crowd of more than 550 incredibly fashionable patrons showed up for the big tent on Thursday, Sept. 23 as the Country Friends, in partnership with South Coast Plaza, turned heads with its 55th staging of that grand annual tradition the Art of Fashion outdoor runway show. It all happened from 10:30 a.m. to well past 3 p.m. in, and around, the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.

 It's one of the largest, if not the largest, outdoor fashion show in North America. The latest in haute couture for the fall/winter season from some of the leading designers and fashion houses in the world strolled, strutted and amazed a highly attentive, and appreciative gathering.

"We are thrilled to have such an incredible line-up of designers," said Jeanne Lucia, president of the Country Friends.

Added Debra Gunn Downing of South Coast Plaza, which partnered in the event for the sixth consecutive year: "It's a pleasure to bring our stellar cast of luxury boutiques to this show."

This year's runway show featured fall/winter collections from Emilio Pucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Marni, MaxMara, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Saks Fifth Avenue, St. John, TOD'S, and Versace.

Aloha Taylor, KSWB 5/69 Fox San Diego meteorologist, and former Miss USA Hawaii, emceed the fabulous event, noting how the weather was perfect and so were the fashions. Andrea Naverson, chair of the Art of Fashion, welcomed everyone to the special event and introduced Country Friends Art of Fashion committee members and special guests.

 Those guests included family members of the late Betty Mabee and Betty Zable. These ladies were honored at the event. "Mrs. Zable and Mrs. Mabee, longtime members of the Country Friends, are being honored for their commitment to the community," Naverson said.

The Country Friends was founded in 1954 with 167 members. It has grown to more than 1,200 members and has distributed more than $12 million to San Diego County charities. The Art of Fashion show, the consignment shop on El Tordo, and the Hats and Flats event at the San Diego Polo Club were the annual fundraising events with proceeds going to 18 county nonprofit groups.

Much more to report, including a great video about the event, all of which will appear at Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News later today and tonight.

John Kozarich, chairman and president of La Jolla-based ActivX Biosciences, Inc., and a Rancho Santa Fe resident, was critically injured on Wednesday, July 21 when a car struck him while he rode a bicycle at Bethany Beach, Del., according to Delaware State Police.

The 61-year-old leader in DNA sequencing research sustained head trauma and multiple injuries and was airlifted to Christiana Hospital at Newark, Del., police said.

Riding without a helmet, southbound on Coastal Highway about 6:40 a.m., Kozarich was a struck by a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse driven by 38-year-old Thomas Dolan, of Dallas, Pa. attemtping to turn right at the intersection of Westway Drive.

Dolan was uninjured, no charges were filed and the accident was under investigation, said police who also asked anyone with information regarding the crash to contact Delaware State Police Troop 7 at 1-800-TIP-333 3.

Kozarich joined ActivX Biosciences in January 2001. He also was a member of the board of directors of Ligand Pharmaceuticals at San Diego. He was vice president at Merck Research Laboratories from 1992 to 2001.

ActivX was a leader in genomics, the study, and application, of DNA sequences, that went belly-up in 2004. While many bioscience companies went bust during that high tech slowdown, Kozarich found a buyer in Japan-based Kyorin Pharmaceutical. Kyorin pumped in $25.5 million, later buying the company whole for $21 million.

Rather than walking away with a cash buyout, as many biotech entrepreneurs did in similar circumstances, Kozarich remained active in company operations.

"I said, if you shoot all this down, you won't fully leverage the money you're paying for the company," Kozarich said. "It took a while because it was different, but they went along."

As a result, Kozarich saved the jobs of 50 key people at the company and continued to provide biotechnology products to customers such as Pfizer. 

Kozarich also was a biotechnology professor at the Scripps Research Institute, and previously held faculty positions at the University of Maryland and Yale University School of Medicine. He had a B.S. degree in chemistry from Boston College and Ph.D in biological chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.