San Diego, CA
More Thoughts on ‘Yes on A’
By Dave Rice
Is Measure A going to affect a significant number of properties? Is it going to affect affordable housing in any meaningful way? Come now, let’s not be dense – this hits a handful of rich people who can absolutely afford to drop $10K in the city coffers if they’re leaving a vacation home vacant on purpose – let’s say that’s their civic contribution that would be realized in other ways if they actually lived, worked, and shopped here full-time.
Or it hits STVR hosts, who can either factor the cost into their business model or give it up if margins are really that thin (maybe not everyone needs to fancy themselves an amateur hotelier). But let’s not kid ourselves and believe the kind of housing this will free up will be plentiful or affordable.
In the exceedingly rare instances where someone might be eligible for an exemption, will it be too hard to apply for? That’s something we can argue and refine but that’s the bathwater, or just the little bit of it that splashes out of the tub, not the baby. An argument that the whole proposal is DOA because military members are too stupid to file for an exemption is either dismissive of or telling tales out of school about what we really think of military intelligence.
Poor, poor grandma who needs a home near her doctor? If she’s really poor why does she have multiple houses, and if she’s not does this really affect her? I live in a neighborhood where “aren’t you afraid you’re going to get shot?” is the first thing outsiders ask me about where I’m from, and if Grandma has owned her mostly-unoccupied vacation house for any significant time I probably pay a lot more property tax than she does. You couldn’t trip over the limbo bar to gain my sympathy, it’s buried a few feet deep.
This is a tiny nod toward taxing the rich, but that’s all. It’s not significant or meaningful, it won’t do a lot, most of the housing stock in question even if returned to actual residents won’t make a dent in the astronomical cost of living in or anywhere near this city. But it’s a tiny step in the right direction – and watching how hysterical the moneyed class is about the rest of us asking for even the tiniest drop in the goddamned bucket we’re trying to fill without their help is telling.
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Little Italy is getting a new coffee spot this summer, and it’s coming from one of the neighborhood’s most respected kitchens. Cloak & Petal – the MICHELIN Guide-recognized Japanese-inspired restaurant on India Street – is opening Black Mizu Café inside its space, and it’s shaping up to be one of the more exciting additions to the neighborhood in a while.
Designed to Linger In
The café takes up 1,000 square feet with 25 to 30 seats, plus extended seating into the Cloak & Petal dining room. It’s all indoors, but front windows that open outward give the space an open-air feel – the kind of spot that works equally well for a quiet solo coffee or a slow morning with nowhere to be.
Local Beans, Japanese Comfort Food, and ASA Baked Goods
Black Mizu will source beans from two local roasters – North Park’s Torque Coffee and Rancho Bernardo’s Compa Coffee Roasters – and the drink menu leans into Cloak & Petal’s Japanese identity with signatures like Cherry Blossom Matcha, Honey Yuzu Sparkling Matcha, and White Miso Caramel Latte.
The food menu from Executive Chef Robert Cassidy is the kind of morning spread worth building a routine around. Breakfast Bao with spam, chashu pork belly, or katsu chicken, a Breakfast Eggroll, Edamame Hummus Toast, and Tamago Sando – all complemented by baked goods from downtown’s ASA Bakery & Cafe. A brunch menu is expected to follow next spring.
In the evenings, the space shifts into a chef’s table and private dining experience for Cloak & Petal – a nice dual life for a well-designed room.
Japandi Aesthetics and a San Diego Soul
Managing Partner Cesar Vallin, a San Diego native who opened Cloak & Petal in 2017, describes Black Mizu as “built on ritual, consistency, and hospitality rooted in respect.” The design direction is Japandi – blending Japanese minimalism with warm Scandinavian simplicity – developed with Jennifer Guerin of JG Color Studios.
See you there!
A Japanese-inspired café rooted in craft and community, right in the heart of Little Italy – Black Mizu is one to watch this summer.
📆 Opening late August, early September | Daily 6:30 AM – 2 PM | Thursday – Saturday until 9 PM
📍 1953 India St, San Diego
ℹ️ Follow along Instagram for updates
See you there, San Diego!
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego is hosting two international soccer friendly matches at Snapdragon Stadium this weekend, giving local businesses a major economic boost as fans from around the world descend on the city ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
McGregors Bar and Grill is among the businesses capitalizing on the excitement, offering watch parties and preparing for larger-than-usual crowds drawn by some of international soccer’s biggest names.
Managing Partner Ian Linekin said the energy around the matches has been building steadily.
“We started early. We had a great crowd for the pregame for the Australia-Switzerland game. It’s been good,” Linekin said.
To meet the surge in demand, Linekin and his staff have been stocking up on supplies.
“We just order more food, we order more beer, we order more, more vodka and bourbon,” Linekin said.
The crowds are not limited to local fans. Linekin said international supporters have been making McGregors a destination as well.
“It was somebody in Australia… put together a flyer, found our logo, and planned a pregame party for this morning here,” Linekin said.
With the two friendly matches at Snapdragon Stadium serving as a preview of World Cup excitement, Linekin said he expects the atmosphere inside the bar to match the energy on the pitch.
“There’s gonna be, there’s gonna be chanting, there’s gonna be towels waved overhead, and yeah, it’s, it’s gonna be, be something to see,” Linekin said.
Beyond the food and drinks, McGregors has built its reputation on the overall experience it provides guests — something Linekin said has kept customers coming back for decades.
“That’s why we’ve been here for 30 years. We take care of people and we provide a fun, clean, safe place to come and enjoy yourself,” Linekin said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Winning poster by Yohan R.
(Courtesy of Olivenhain Municipal Water District)
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Winning poster by Yohan R.
(Courtesy of Olivenhain Municipal Water District)
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At its May 20 meeting, Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors recognized the winners of the 2026 North County Water Agencies Fourth Grade Water Awareness Poster Contest. In its 33rd year, the contest was themed “Love Water, Save Water.” Winning entries were submitted by Austin M. from Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School, Yohan R. from Monterey Ridge Elementary School, and Kira S. from Stone Ranch Elementary School, according to a news release.
“The annual poster contest offers future water stewards the chance to showcase their creativity and share their understanding of why saving water is so important,” shared board president Matthew Hahn in the news release. “On behalf of the entire board, a heartfelt thank you to every student who participated this year, and a big congratulations to all the winners!”
Austin’s poster features an image of the Earth as a crying eye, with oceans forming tears that flow into the word “Water.” His poster highlights the urgency of conserving water and protecting the planet.
Yohan’s entry showcases an hourglass filled with water flowing from a faucet. It symbolizes that time is of the essence and every drop counts. The poster also includes the messages “Love Water, Save Water” and “Preserve Every Drop.”
Kira’s poster depicts a vibrant underwater scene filled with marine life. It includes a whale, fish, turtles, and coral. Her poster emphasizes the potential impacts of water pollution with the phrase “Say No to Plastic,” and to “Love Water, Save Water.”
The three posters will be featured in the 2027 Water Awareness Calendar.
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