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Friday, August 31, 2018

THE BREWSPAPER / TITAN OF SAN DIEGO HOSPITALITY TACKLES CRAFT BREWING

Cohn Restaurant Group's rendering of upcoming craft beer/restaurant venture in La Mesa CA


Craft Q&A: David Cohn of
Cohn Restaurant Group talks about the craft beer biz (in La Mesa?)
By Brandon Hernandez /West Coaster craft beer magazine 
and website Editor at Large

It’s been a long time—two decades, in fact—but San Diego’s iconic Cohn Restaurant Group (CRG) was once a part of the brewing industry. In the late-nineties, it operated Hang Ten Brewing in the Gaslamp Quarter, kicking off the careers of legendary brewers Paul Segura (Karl Strauss Brewing) and Chuck Silva (Green Flash Brewing, Silva Brewing), before shuttering due to outrageous downtown rent escalation. 

CRG Group co-founder
David Cohn
CRG recently announced its acquisition of a 25,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor space in La Mesa where it will convert the failed Depot Springs Beer Co. project into a brewery-restaurant called Draft Republic Brewing. San Diego’s most successful restaurateurs plunging back into the deep-end of the beer pool is big news, so we booked some time with David Cohn to find out more.

WEST COASTER:
Why were this time and and this space right for CRG to get back into brewing?
DAVID COHN:
We’ve thought about getting back into it for some time. I don’t know that we would have built a brewery from scratch, but [the Depot Springs site] presented a unique opportunity and I think it’s in an underserved area. East County can support more breweries and brewery-restaurants, so we’re getting in at the right time. Having a three-legged stool of brewery, restaurant and activities attracted us and made us realize it would be something that gives us a better chance of being successful. Every business is becoming more competitive, so you need those points of difference. It’s like the way we look at restaurants—why would someone come to ours instead of someone else’s? We have those three legs, we’ve been around a long time, we have the ability to do it right and hire the right people, we have great design people in-house and can create something really fantastic in that space.


Q: What was problematic about the Depot Springs concept and how will your concept differ?

A: They had a great plan, but they were trying to squeeze too much into the property. Each component was good by itself—activity, food and beverage, brewery, performance space—but maybe there were just too many of them. Our goal is to simplify and try to be realistic about what we can execute well in that space and what the neighborhood wants. I’ve seen [restaurant owners] bring the community what they think the community wants without finding out what that is with boots on the ground. Sometimes you need to broaden your vision to include the whole community. We’ve tried to go into neighborhoods and do what makes sense for that particular community. Younger families are moving [to La Mesa and East County] and that’s why we want to be kid- and dog-friendly. We don’t want to tell them what they should want. We want to give them what they actually want.


Q: Tell us what you have in the works for the project space?

A: I think we have some good bones to start with. There’s a plan and building, so we tried to take what we liked about what was designed earlier, because some of it is great. For the façade of the restaurant, we’re building what was planned for the most part, but making some changes. As far as décor goes, there will be some similarities with our Draft Republic restaurants. For instance, we still want to think about the fact people like to watch sports, so we’ll have some large video 

screens and boards. We want people to be able to come in for more than just a pint or two, maybe have dinner with family and friends, knowing their kids will have fun stuff to do. So we won’t be a sports bar, but want people to know we’re a good place to come and watch sports. The biggest alteration will be enlarging the kitchen from what it was planned as. It was pretty small. We’re reducing some of the bar area, which we’re OK with since it’s more of a family area than late-night spot. We’d be happy to be wrong about that. On the west side of the building, we’re totally redoing it and installing activities versus the concert venue [from the Depot Springs concept]. There’ll be a children’s area separate from the beer-themed mini-golf course we’re doing. And we’re doing away with the [previously planned] rooftop kid’s area and making a real beer garden with activities.


Q: How long will it take to get Draft Republic up and running?
A: We predict it will take the next 12 months for the build-out. That gives us six months to hire a brewer, and they’re going to walk into a really good situation where they don’t have to make money from beer revenue from day one. We have the resources to allow them to find their footing. We expect to have 24-to-30 taps, and have six or seven of them devoted to house beers, with the rest serving guest beers.


Q: What were some challenges at Hang Ten and how are you better equipped to handle them this time around?
A: There are some similarities with inheriting an existing brewing system. Back then it was a badly-designed system on multiple levels. We didn’t do poorly, but it was a different time. There certainly wasn’t the competition that there is now. Our lease came up for an auction period where we were facing a big increase in rent. Five bucks per square foot to brew beer in the Gaslamp didn’t make sense for us to continue in that location. Our new spot isn’t on Fifth Avenue or a high-rent district. We purchased the property, so we’re looking at solar and long-term investments because we own the building and don’t have to cut any corners.

Q: Brigantine and Hodad’s are also getting into brewing. Is this a growing trend?

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A. I don’t know if it’s a trend. Time will tell, but restaurants are competitive and points of difference are important. Brewing your own beer is a significant point of difference. Hopefully, people look at it with a cautious eye and have realistic expectations. It’s when you have pie-in-the-sky expectations of making regional or national brands that I think that’s much more difficult.

FOR THE LATEST IN CRAFT BEER NEWS IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION
LINK TO WWW.WESTCOASTERSD.COM FOR A FREE ONLINE EDITION.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

THE FOODIST / WHOLLY, GUACAMOLE!

First step in making truly wonderful guacamole is to find the most attractive avocados available.

CHIPPING AWAY WITH CHIPOLTE GUACAMOLE

VIDEOS:


WHY AVOCADOS ARE AWESOME Click here.


FUN FACTS ABOUT AVOCADOS Click here.


GUEST BLOG / By Sara Ipatenco, Chipolte Restaurants--A serving of avocado provides more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals, and guacamole is a healthy way to add this nutritious food to your diet.

Knowing more about what a serving of guacamole has to offer — as well as specific guacamole nutrition facts — may motivate you at menu time.   The diet info is based on Chipolte style guacamole.

Great looking, great tasting Chipolte Guacamole

Calories in Guacamole
One whole avocado has approximately 322 calories. So how many calories are there in guacamole at Chipotle? One four-ounce serving of Chipotle guacamole has 230 calories. And if you have one serving of guacamole with chips, the total goes up to 770 calories.

Fat in Guacamole
The avocado has unfairly earned the reputation of being high in fat. It is true that a serving of guacamole does contain several grams of fat, but it is mostly healthy unsaturated fat. Eating small amounts of fat is important because it helps your body absorb more of the vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. Unsaturated fats can do this without compromising your health like saturated fat does. A serving of guacamole from Chipotle has 22 grams of total fat, but only 3.5 grams of that is the saturated variety.

 Fiber in Guacamole
Fiber is another important nutrient found in guacamole. Many people lack fiber in their diets, which can contribute to bowel problems, such as constipation, as well as more serious disorders like heart disease and colon cancer. Increasing your daily fiber intake may help reduce blood cholesterol levels, as well as help you regulate your blood sugar levels. Adding a serving of Chipotle's guacamole to your tacos or burrito will add six grams of fiber to your meal.

Potassium in Guacamole
Avocados are an excellent source of potassium, which is crucial to heart function. Combined with high levels of unsaturated fats and low levels of sodium, the potassium in avocados and guacamole supports the health of your heart. One-fifth of a fresh avocado, or about one ounce, supplies about 140 milligrams of this essential nutrient, so a four-ounce serving of guacamole from Chipotle provides over 550 milligrams.


Other Nutrients in Chipotle made Guacamole

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Guacamole contains many additional nutrients that make it a nutritious topping for your taco or burrito. The four-ounce serving from Chipotle supplies you with 20 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement, as well as 4 percent of the vitamin A you need on a daily basis. The guacamole also contains 2 percent of your calcium and iron needs. A serving of guacamole also supplies 2 grams of protein. With 370 milligrams of sodium, you should stick to just one serving to keep the sodium content of your meal at a healthy level.


Wednesday, August 29, 2018

THE WALLET / THE LONGEST BULL MARKET TO DATE. WHAT’S GOING ON?




GUEST BLOG / By Craig Fehr, Principal, Investment Strategist, with the investment firm of Edward Jones.

The last week in August showed U.S. stocks advanced to record highs for the first time since the end of January, and are now up more than 7% year-to-date. Stocks posted their largest gains on Friday, following Federal Reserve Chair Powell's speech in Jackson Hole, where he noted that while the committee's measure of inflation has moved near its 2% target, an inflation overshoot or an overheating economy does not seem likely. This will likely keep the Federal Reserve on pace to raise short-term interest rates at a measured pace, helping extend the bull market.

Bull Market Moves Into the Top Spot as Earnings Shine

Craig Fehr
The stock market ground its way to a gain last week as optimism over still-solid fundamentals outweighed the headline risks surrounding the latest political turmoil in Washington.  Three key issues grabbed investors' attention:

Rising political uncertainties – News of legal issues related to former Trump associates ignited questions over the potential political implications for the president. Markets absorbed the news fairly smoothly. This is consistent with our view that markets take their longer-term direction from fundamentals, not politics. That said, markets dislike uncertainty, so as this situation unfolds we're likely to see short-term knee-jerk reactions.

Steady as she goes for the Fed – Comments from Fed Chairman Powell at a summit last week supported the view that the U.S. central bank will continue to raise rates at a gradual pace. He noted that the economy has strengthened, and with low unemployment and firming inflation, we think another rate hike is highly likely next month.

The longest bull – The current bull market passed the 1990s rally last week to become the longest on record, stretching more than 3,450 days. This is a nice milestone and a testament to the durability of this stock market, but we'd note that age has little predictive power over what the bull market will do from here. Similar to a vintage car, its ability to drive cross-country has far less to do with its model year and far more to do with the quality and care of its engine and tires.

In terms of mileage, this bull market has provided a total return of 418% since it began on March 9, 2009, making it the longest and second-strongest run for the S&P 500, still trailing the tech-fueled rally through the 90s in terms of magnitude.

Fortunately, we think the engine remains in good shape, fueled by a healthy economy and rising corporate earnings. Looking at the composition of that 418% gain, 93% came from dividends, 86% came from a rising price-to-earnings ratio, with the largest portion coming from the rise in corporate profits.
With second-quarter earnings announcements recently wrapping up, the 25% increase in profits provided confirmation that this pillar of market returns remains supportive of this bull market extending this year. 

Bottom line--This bull market may be vintage by historical standards, but we don't think it's at risk of breaking down. We're monitoring the gauges as some - including moderating global growth, a flattening yield curve, rising policy uncertainties, and gradually more restrictive interest rates – are beginning to signal some wear and tear, but broad fundamentals suggest there's more gas left in the tank.  With potholes likely to emerge, now is a good time for a portfolio diagnostic and timely rebalancing to ensure you remain on track toward your long-term goals.


ABOUT EDWARD JONES




Tuesday, August 28, 2018

AMERICANA / READ THIS SO YOU WON’T BE SURPRISED WHEN BETO O’ROURKE BECOMES THE NEXT U.S. SENATOR FROM TEXAS

U.S. Congressman Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke (D) El Paso


VIDEO OF BETO O’ROURKE SPEAKING OUT ON WHY NFL PLAYERS KNEELING DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IS NOT DISRESPECTFUL IF DONE PEACEFULLY


US CONGRESSMAN GOING NECK AND NECK WITH TED CRUZ FOR US SENATE
Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke (/ˈbɛtoʊ/; born September 26, 1972) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 16th congressional district in his native El Paso, first elected in 2012. He is the Democratic nominee in the 2018 Texas Senate race, running against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz.

O'Rourke won the general election held in November 2012, defeating incumbent U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes in the Democratic primary earlier that year. The district includes most of El Paso County. Prior to his election to Congress, O'Rourke was on the El Paso City Council, from June 2005 to June 2011. On March 31, 2017, O'Rourke announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the 2018 election.—from Wikipedia.

More on Beto O’Rourke:

Democratic Texas US Congressman Beto O'Rourke performs with Willie Nelson at the 4th of July Picnic.

Beto O’Rourke and family: Amy, Ulysses, Beto, Molly and Henry.



DONATE TO BETO'S CAMPAIGN:

Monday, August 27, 2018

MEDIA MONDAY / SAN DIEGANS AT WAR WITH AIRBNB VOTER TACTICS



SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY GROUPS WARN RESIDENTS TO BE LEERY OF PETITION SIGNATURE GATHERS TRYING TO OVERTURN SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE

-Airbnb hired firm under investigation for signature fraud to run its San Diego petition drive
-Reports of false marketing by out-of-town “signature mercenaries” to trick voters to sign petitions


GUEST BLOG / By Eric Sutton--The San Diego Community Working Group on Short-term Vacation Rentals (STVRs), made up of local civic and community groups, issued a warning today for city residents to use caution if approached to sign a petition to overturn the short-term rental ordinance recently passed by the San Diego City Council.  

“The Community Working Group has confirmed that Airbnb has hired PCI Consultants, a controversial petition firm based in Los Angeles, who has 130 paid and mostly out-of-town petition recruiters. They are working throughout the City of San Diego to recruit the 35,000 signatures required to put a repeal of the STR ordinance up for a referendum vote. It has also been confirmed that these signature gathers are resorting to false marketing to convince San Diego residents to sign the petition to overturn the recently passed ordinance that would allow home sharing and short-term rentals of a person’s primary residence, while protecting the city’s neighborhoods and housing from the negative impacts of unchecked short-term rentals.

According to a Los Angeles Times article from earlier this year, PCI is mixed up in a current criminal investigation in Newport Beach involving potential false or forged petition signatures and was forced to “produce documents related to a petition signature gathering as the city conducts a probe parallel with a criminal investigation by the Orange County district attorney’s office.”  In a 2011 petition drive in San Francisco, PCI’s signature gatherers were caught on tape lying to residents to get them to sign a petition.  In 2016, PCI made $9 million collecting signatures for petition efforts.

Ann Kerr Bache, president of the La Jolla Town Council and Head of the San Diego Community Working Group on STVR’s which supports the ordinance, said petition signature gatherers are telling residents that the ordinance will take away their right to share their home, which is blatantly false. Since the signature gatherers are paid per signature, their incentives are to tell people whatever it takes to get them to sign the petition.

“Out-of-town Airbnb investors have ruined many San Diego communities and now out-of-town Airbnb signature gathers are trying to repeal a common-sense ordinance to protect neighborhoods and housing,” stated Bache.  “Residents who want to support their neighborhood and reduce the cost of housing in the city should not sign the petition, and those who don’t should at least read the ordinance first before signing any petition.  Don’t be fooled into signing a petition based on falsehoods and misleading propaganda.”

Chris Brewster, who served as a San Diego lifeguard chief for 13 years and is a member of the San Diego Community  Working Group, says he encourages city residents not to sign the petition drive because the rapid rise of commercial Airbnb investors gobbling up homes in San Diego is ruining the fabric of communities, as well as taking away housing options and raising housing costs for the city’s vital workforce, including emergency responders, teachers and healthcare workers.


Bache points out that any resident who was duped into signing the petition and wants their name removed can write a letter to the San Diego City Clerk to have their signature revoked. 

The San Diego Community Short-Term Vacation (STVR) Rental Working Group, is an umbrella organization that includes the San Diego Coalition of Town Councils (Clairemont, La Jolla, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, among others), Neighborhoods for Residents, University City Community Association and Pacific Beach Planning Group, and has received input from residents who have seen their neighborhoods torn apart by short-term rentals. 

Bache noted that the Working Group presented a Set of Recommendation for STVR Regulations to the Mayor and City Council based on a few key principles: Fund; Permit; Monitor; Enforce; Penalize and Revoke Permits, if appropriate. Give Neighbors tools to insure short term renters abide by Good Neighbor Policies.  The Working Group believes that after years of public hearings and false starts, the STVR Ordinances that have emerged support Home Sharing while maintaining San Diego neighborhood quality of life for residents.

“Airbnb is making our communities less safe and depleting housing for vital workers like emergency responders.  It’s time for San Diego to protect our neighborhoods,” stated Bache. “The ordinance passed by the city council is major victory for San Diego residents as it takes meaningful steps towards protecting our neighborhoods and reducing the cost of housing in the city.”



READY FOR SOME MORE AIRBNB LYING?
TV STATION CATCHES PETITION GATHERING JERKS LYING THROUGH THEIR TEETH
Click here.