The Old Broad Has Her Say

I Just Remembered Why I Stopped Shopping at Vons

The calls regarding the closing of ACE Hardware, Trader Joes, Vons, Ralphs, have been burning up the wires the past few days. At the request of one of my loyal readers, I decided to do an investigation as to what really was happening.

The first call I made was to ACE Hardware, where they confirmed that the store in Liberty Station will be closing by the end of February. There are all sorts of rumors as to why they are closing, but I was more concerned with the actually closing and did not go further with my questioning.

Then I called Trader Joe’s to find out if it was true that (1) they were closing at Liberty Station and (2) they were going to be moving to the Ralph’s store on Rosecrans. I was assured that neither of the rumors were true. They are staying where there are, and they are not moving to Ralphs.

Then I called Ralphs to see if they were moving. I was told that they were not going anywhere; that the store would be remaining as Ralphs.

Then I called Vons.

The Old Broad Writes …

Ft. Rosecrans Cemetery

Several years ago I wrote a number of articles about the deplorable condition of the Ft. Rosecrans Cemetery. (See here, here, and here.) At about the same time Michael Turko [ed: of the former “Turko Files”] also did a piece about the cemetery and between us the transformation of the grounds was amazing. Doug Ledbetter, the Director at the time of the articles, listened to us and within a year it was again a beautiful place to visit our loved ones.

Ed Ayub Physical Therapy
3145 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92110

I didn’t meet Eddy and his crew by going to his physical therapy office. Rather, I met Eddy and his wife Mary through their dogs – Boomer and Bella. They live around the corner from me and every day when I walked my Golden Retriever Buddy, his dogs would come to the fence to greet us. It finally came to the point when Buddy automatically turned into their gate and patiently waited for them to come out and greet him.

Eventually, Eddy and Mary came out to say a few words, and before you knew it Eddy had a treat – or two – for Buddy. Although Buddy couldn’t pay them back, I would bring a new jar of jam I had just made as a “neighborly” gesture. One day when Mary and I were talking she noticed that I was wearing a splint on my arm and asked questions about it. The next day she told me that Eddy wanted to talk to me about the swelling.

Fig Tree Cafe
Liberty Station
2400 Historic Decatur Rd., #103
San Diego, CA 92107
619-821-2044

One of the fun things about having visitors come to San Diego that have never been here before is introducing them to the variety of restaurants in the neighborhood. I used to think, when I lived in San Francisco, that I would like to start trying restaurants on Lombard Street and try a different one every day. I doubted if I would ever get to try them all because there were so many different ones.

San Diego does not have as many restaurants as Lombard Street, and restaurants seem to change more rapidly than they do in San Francisco, but there is still a huge variety of different tastes in our fair city.

So Friday Hugh and I decided to try the “Fig Tree Café” in Liberty Station.

The Old Broad

My Cable Company

I wonder if I will get as much flack over this column as I have with all the other ones I have written in the past two months. I have yet to talk to anyone that recommends their cable system, so I have a feeling that I may be treading well. We’ll see.

My cable provider is “Cox”. I have a bundle consisting of WiFi, Television and a Land Line. Someone asked me the other day why I needed a Land Line and my answer was “that is the way I find my cell phone.” Quite honestly I prefer talking on my land line. The reception is clearer; it doesn’t hurt my hand holding the receiver the way the cell phone does, and I can put it on my shoulder comfortably and still have the use of both hands. The cost is reasonable – $20.82 – at least compared to my cell phone.

But I am having some trouble with my landline since Cox went digital.

The Old Broad Speaks Her Mind

Pittsburgh

I was in Las Vegas when I heard about the shootings in Pittsburgh. It spoiled my entire trip. (Of course not being able to find a Blackjack table for under $10 a hand didn’t help my mood.)

I was raised in a Jewish Neighborhood – the “Borscht” belt in Los Angeles. My high school – Fairfax High – was closed for Jewish holidays. Although I did not go to Sunday School, most of my friends did; most of my friends were either Bar Mitzvahed or, if female, Bas Mitzvahed. I would go to the Synagogue with friends when asked to go with them, and attended many Seder’s on the holidays. I celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas, and have a Menorah and candles ready for this holiday season.

You would think that people would be safe in the “House of God”. The president’s idiotic comment that if there had been armed guards at the “Tree of Life” Synagogue there would not have been so many deaths.

Restaurant Review

Ketch (Revisited)
2614 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
619-814-8080

I reviewed the Ketch just after it opened for another publication and said at the time that if it was not good, or just mediocre – and I would not do a review of it, because I felt they needed some time to get everything together. However, it turned out it was very good, and I wrote the review.

The other day I had the opportunity to go back to the Ketch with a new friend, and, again I was not disappointed in the food. What I was disappointed about was that the menu had changed, and the item that I wanted was gone. Hugh said that he really liked Calamari, and on the menu was a “Calamari & Peppers” item.

Musing From the Old Broad

Move the Friggin’ Airport!

As another Saturday passes by and I am woken up by the incessant noise of airplanes taking off, I again wonder many things: Is the flight pattern different on Saturdays? I NEVER hear as many planes passing overhead on the weekdays as I do on Saturday. It is a continual noise that leaves me irritated, frustrated, pissed off, and angry.

When I purchased my house in 1966 the planes did not take off over my house. For those of you that say that the airport “was there first” …

Restaurant Review

CAFÉ RIO
3309 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92110
(Loma Square Shopping Center)
619-488-6849
Caferio.com

Editordude: When you have two foodie restaurant reviewers, sometimes the reviews end up differently. That’s the case here. Bob Edwards did a review of this eatery back in March and called it “soulless food“. Today Judi Curry has another perspective.

I have heard many different things about this restaurant. Some were very positive; some were negative. I have tried to review it several times with different people but for some reason never got to it until today, when Candy and Irene agreed to trying it out with me. I had no idea what to expect, and told them nothing about what I had heard so that they could form their own opinion.

Physically the restaurant is cavernous. Tables all along the walls, in the middle of the room, with the ordering down at the far end of the building. It is definitely cafeteria style, and as you get in line to place your order

By Judi Curry

Being a widow for 9 years has changed the way I think; the way I live; the way I respond to others.

I have tried to discuss what is going on in the world with “Shadow”, my 6 ½ year old Golden Retriever, but his responses are less than satisfactory and leave me frustrated and angry a great deal of the time.

As I embark on this new facet of my life – a “weekly” column – not be considered a “weakly” column, I probably will impart my pent-up feelings to you and cause some of your great consternation and anger. I am happy to say that the “scars” from previous encounters have healed sufficiently, and I am ready to step into the arena again. Ready? Here goes!

I am boycotting In and Out Burger.

Shanghai Bun – Chinese Tapas Bar
1029 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92106
619-795-1700
www.shanghaibunsd.com

I have visited the Shanghai Bun four times now. Each time I have gone with someone else and the past three times was less than thrilled with the results. One of the people I went with several months ago was Susi, and we agreed that a lot of work needed to be done before we would go back. (Editor: see Judi’s review from May 2017.)

Several weeks ago Susi contacted me and told me that she had gone again with her mother, and the menu had changed and was much better. Because I have wanted to have an authentic Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood I decided to go back and try it again.

It seems to me that I wrote a similar article about the high water rates a year or so ago. I know how upset I was with the raise in the water rates after it was announced that the drought was over. I know that many of us either appeared at the City Council meeting or sent letters protesting the rate increase, and, as per usual, we were “overruled” and the rates went into effect.

At that time I was “upset” about the increase. Now I am pissed. And it isn’t just me. I have the names of 286 residents in the Pt. Loma area that are also upset with the water bills we all received this week. And before I tell you the breakdown of a poll initiated by one of our neighbors – Mi Do – of the Fleetridge area, let me tell you why I am so pissed.

I am on a fixed income.

The Widder Curry Pledges Not to Patronize Restaurants that Add Surcharge Ever Again

Several months ago I said/wrote the statement that I would not patronize a restaurant that charged a surcharge after the raise of the minimum wage.

Last week I attended a birthday celebration at BO-Beau’s in Ocean Beach, and at the very top of the menu was the following statement:

“A 3% surcharge will be added to all Guest checks to help cover increasing costs and in our support of the recent increases to minimum wage and benefits for our dedicated Team Members.”