July-August 2005 Volume 7, Issue 5
BALBOA ISLAND CALENDAR
SAT JULY 23 SUMMER BARBEQUE—Beek Center, 5PM—8 PM All Island Residents Welcome!!!
JULY 8—31 ORANGE COUNTY FAIR, Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa
405 Freeway and Fair Drive http://www.ocfair.com
FRIDAYS HYATT REGENCY NEWPORT BEACH SUMMER JAZZ SERIES -
Hyatt Regency NB, 8PM through October 7.
SATURDAYS FUN ZONE—AMERICAN FLAG LOWERING CEREMONY -
7:45 PM—8PM, Ferry Landing on the Peninsula.
TUES AUG 2 NBPD—NATIONAL NIGHT OUT—COMMUNITY BARBEQUE -
Bonita Canyon Sports Park, 4:00 PM—8:00 PM for more information visit http://www.nbpd.org.
SAT. AUG. 20 PANCAKE BREAKFAST—Beek Center, 8:00 AM—11:00 AM, $6.00 Adults/$3.00 Children.
SHOOTING THE BREEZE . . .Carolyn Carr
What a wonderful parade we had—dedicated to the memory of long time Balboa Island Resident, ex-BIIA President, City of Newport Beach Mayor’s Secretary and volunteer extraordinaire Helen Wick.
Here are just a few of pictures from our parade—for lots more of your BI friends and relatives go to http://www.balboa-island.com. This newsletter is posted to the website each month as well. Speaking of websites, please visit http://www.LadyWebPro.Com our newest advertiser—she did a great job with Laura Gale’s website http://www.EyelandGirl.com
Clowning around with Balboa Island resident Steve Bromberg
The “SS BALBOA ISLAND” with Realtor Mary Hardesty and friends!!
The Sandpiper’s Train with Paige Stepnicka and Armando Eason
Island Chiropractic’s Christie Collier and “Bear” out for a Sunday Drive
Island Flooring has new carpets arriving every day.
Our newest patterns from Mohawk Carpets feature Palm Trees, Leaves, bold graphics and other intricate patterns in a large range of colors. The Palm Tree is especially popular here in the beach area. Mohawk has given these patterns names like Cottage Hideaway, Summer Blonde and Highrise Retreat indicating their use here in our local market.
Tuftex Carpets is featuring a lot of friezes (or twist), shags and mixed length carpets. Chic to Chic an extremely popular mixed length shag used primarily as an area rug on wood and stone. How Sweet It Is, Precious Moments and California Dreaming are heavy frieze carpets made of Stainmaster Tactesse and are rated for heavy traffic. They are available in a wide range of colors. There is a 10-year Quality, Stain and Texture Warranty on all Tuftex Products. For More Information about Tuftex Products go to http://www.tuftexcarpet.com
Our very newest carpet—in a mini-shag length is Touché, also from Tuftex. Reminiscent of the 70s shag, but in a much broader and livelier palate—it is a fun carpet for area rugs and children’s rooms. Come and see the many cheery colors from lemony yellow to purple and hot pink.
Doormats . . . Doormats. We have had great success with our UCLA and USC doormats and car floor mats. There seem to be a few alumni on the Island!! We can also order mats from other schools including Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Alabama, etc. Football season begins in August—come in a order a mat from your favorite school!! (In the interest of fairness, I have used a sample from neither of our local schools—I won’t tell whose favorite this is!!!
PEOPLE WE SHARE THE ISLAND WITH—BRAD HOUSTON . . . CONTRACTOR
Brad Houston is definitely a child of Balboa Island. He was born here in Newport Beach at Hoag Hospital, graduated from Corona del Mar High School in 1983 and has lived here on Balboa Island all of his life. Brad’s grandfather bought the property where his parents currently live in the 1950s and moved to Balboa Island. His dad, Tom Houston, graduated from Newport Harbor High School. His mom Cindy is one of the girls who came to the Island from Palm Springs to have fun during spring break. And, as they say, the rest is Balboa Island history.
Brad has an older sister Kathy who lives in San Diego. His younger brother Jeff lives on the Island and helps his mom with the computer end of her retail clothing business.
Brad loved growing up on Balboa Island. It was safe, he participated in BIYC every summer, everyone knew everyone, and as long as he didn’t go over to the “seedy” part of town (the Fun Zone and the Peninsula) he had free reign on his bicycle. Brad looks at the kids growing up today on Balboa Island and says, “that was me,” and smiles. During his high school years Brad surfed and fished and played recreational sports here in Newport Beach. After high school it was off to Malibu and Pepperdine University and more surfing in Malibu and studying Marketing in college.
When Brad was 18 years old he started working in the summer for Donna Mann—a Balboa Island resident. Brad did odd jobs and learned how to “swing a hammer” as he puts it. This is something he has never stopped doing.
During the years 1988 to 1992 Brad worked behind the meat counter at Hershey’s Market Thursdays through Sundays and then on Mondays through Wednesdays he continued to work construction.
Finally, in 2001, Brad decided to get his contractors license. He became a general contractor and formed his own company—Houston Construction. “I do most of the work myself,” Brad said, “but I get my younger brother to help with some of the work.” “I do a lot of remodels.”
During his surfing travels, Brad became familiar with Fiji. He was married to his wife Kellie there. Several years ago he had an opportunity to buy 3/4 of an acre on Waidroka Bay on Viti Levu the main island of the Fiji Islands. Soon he will build a house there. I learned that the main exports of Fiji are sugar cane and wood so building materials are not as expensive as here. And since they are closer to India neither is stone or granite. And labor is cheaper. Sounds wonderful to me and when he is finished Brad can go and surf whenever he isn’t busy building houses here in Orange County.
If you need a contractor think of Brad Houston—949.673.6361 or 949.735.9935.
BALBOA BERRIES
It is summertime and Andree and her puppies Kananie and Harley are back by the Ferry with Balboa Berries for the seventh straight year. I certainly miss her during the off season when I have to schlep to the store to get my produce.
Currently I can get peaches, corn, watermelons, cantaloupe, avocados, green beans, sugar snaps, heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes—all picked fresh daily. Some are even the organic produce that health nuts like myself prefer.
My favorite things, however, have nothing to do with health—the Ghiradelli Chocolate dipped strawberries. These seem to be a runaway favorite with locals and tourists as well. Every few minutes someone stops to buy one or two. Andree is also experimenting with chocolate dipped cherries this year. You have to try one!!!
Coming soon—t-shirts with a picture of the ferry landing and the fruit stand—I can’t wait. Come to the ferry landing and say hi to Andree and see what’s fresh today.
TIP OF THE MONTH
Many of us buy “cage fee” eggs because we believe they are responsibly and humanely raised. Not necessarily true. Although chickens are not restricted to cages, it does not mean they are allowed access to adequate space. A better choice is either AHA Free Farmed or Certified Organic. Here chickens are allowed adequate space and are not raised with antibiotics (important to antibiotic resistance). And unlike “cage free” , there is third party verification.
Heard on the Street—”I am an Entrepreneur—that means I don’t work well for others!!”
LOCAL AUTHOR. . . . ANNE LEBRECHT. . . DISCOVERIES OF A HIDDEN PAST
Anne Lebrecht has been my next-door neighbor for many years and I thought I knew her well, imagine my surprise when she told me one day that she was about to have a book published!! And soon after that a second one. I rushed out to buy a copy and read each one. Then I asked her if I could interview my very “famous” neighbor.
Anne was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and grew up much like the heroine in her first book Memories of a Forgotten Past. When I asked Anne how long it took to write the books she replied, “Twenty-five years. I would start and I would write a section—or a short story—then I would put it away for years. I was working and I didn’t have enough time.” “Three years ago I decided to write seriously,” Anne continued, “That is when I realized I wasn’t fond of short stories, so I decided to write it as a novel.”
Once the book was done, the search for a publisher was staggering. If you are not an established writer publishers won’t even give you permission to send in a manuscript, so Anne tried to find a agent. But most of the agents wanted money up front and legitimate agents take a commission based on the sales of a book. Finally, Anne did a web search and found a publisher who accepted new authors and liked her book. She finished the book in November, 2004 and it was published in June, 2005. By then the waiting list for the second book was three years and Anne had finished the sequel. So she self published her second book.
Both books are fiction, although the beginning of the first book is based on her childhood in Montreal. Both books are romances with a bit of her own philosophy on life. I enjoyed them thoroughly and am looking forward to her third book which is, Anne says, “completely different.”
“If I had my life to live over,” Anne says, “I would major in English and start writing in my teens because there are so many stories in my mind.”
Anne came to California from Montreal and met her husband Bill—they will be married 53 years this July—but she still loves Montreal. Anne has two daughters and two grandchildren. Anne worked for 25 years for the Barden Corporation as the CFO and Vice President until she retired in 1985 and began her career as an author.
You can buy Anne’s Books at Martha’s Bookstore, Lido Village Bookshop, Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles, and even here at Island Flooring. Visit Anne on the web at http://www.annelebrecht.com
DEE’s BALBOA ISLAND TALK. . . . DEE DAWSON
Balboa Island voted “Best Small Town!! I have done extensive traveling to small towns “mirroring” our quaint community throughout California this year. Some of the places I have experienced include the picturesque villages of Half Moon and Bodega Bays, Cambria, Monteceito, Santa Ynez, San Luis Obispo, Mill Valley/Marin County (and more). The warm and friendly spirit of Balboa Island still far outshines any of these. There is just a relaxed openness and friendliness that came up lacking in my travels. For this reason, no matter where I roam, the compass points back to Balboa Island.
During the heat of Summer on the Island—don’t forget a stop into Sugar and Spice or Dad’s for an Island standby the Balboa Bar—a tourist’s favorite for decades! Locals love them too!! Or perhaps a waffle cone filled with delicious soft-serve yogurt—and don’t forget the sprinkles!
Summer Sale news!! J.P. Maxwell’s has just informed me that they are beginning their huge annual Summertime Clearance the evening of Wednesday August 10 from 6 until 9PM. Select items will be marked off from 20-70% throughout the store. This is always a popular sale so mark this special “early-bird” date now! (Ladies did you know that JP carries some darling little baseball caps in pastels with BI logo, just perfect for the summer sunshine—all under $15.00) Be sure and say hello to the official store “greeter” Maggie, the lovable Golden Retriever at the door!
Let’s welcome a new neighbor to Marine Ave.—Balboa Island Lifestyles, 302 Marine Avenue. Stop in sometime soon and check out this unique little shop featuring an eclectic array of items designed with local beach culture in mind. Please tell them I sent you in.
Finally, the heat is on and that means beach parties and dining outdoors!! “Martin” over at Picante Martin’s is awaiting phone orders for your favorite party platter! Design them the way you like! Mini Tacos, Enchiladas, you name it! So take the night off the next dinner or summer outing you plan and let Martin do the cooking! 675.4627.
On Agate at Let’s Go Shopping, 114 Agate Ave. come and see the latest fashions—and I mean the latest. I had to run to Fashion Island to get some paint for my office at Restoration Hardware and I noticed a lot of the same outfits they sell at Let’s Go Shopping on sale in shops there for two and three times the cost—same labels. Not knock offs. Every time someone asks me where I got my skirt, top, shoes, jewelry—it is almost invariably from Let’s Go Shopping. If you haven’t been there you need to go there now!!