North County Life - February 2012

FFEEAATTUURREE

SSPPOORRTTSS

ZOO to YOUanimals find home

(pg. 5)

CENTRAL COASTSPORTS

Get going, kids!(pg. 15)

Sweetsfor your sweetheart

(pg. 13)

FFOOOODD

FEBRUARY 2012Presorted Standard

US PostagePAID

Permit 163 AMSPaso Robles, CA

Paso Robles Press

P.O. Box 427

Paso Robles, CA 93447Oh baby!Say hello to

North County’s newest(pg. 3)

Photo by Jandy Jones

TABLE FOR TWO – North County locals know that romance is just a stone’s throw away.Grab a chair, pop a cork and savor the sunset. Can’t you feel the love?

LifeBE MINE!

Sweet local dates for V-Day romance

(pg. 9 )

NORTH COUNTY

From their legacy of commercial cattle and hunting comes a deep appreciation for the land

THE BONNHEIMS

A real working ranch family

Josh Petray

It’s a place that will never have commercialor residential homes – in perpetuity.

Working family ranching starts at the be-ginning of the Bonnheim driveway, whichleads past a creek-fed pond to a small homethat sits at the base of a towering westsidePaso Robles ranch. The flat dirt-and-gravel driveway – located

on the corner of Chimney Rock Road CypressMountain Drive amidst the hustle-and-bustlewestside wineries – is base camp for the fam-ily, which for more than three generations hascontinued its California commercial cattle op-eration and sportsmen's club as a means tokeep the family ranch in existence. More than30 sportsmen from across the state call theBonnheim ranch paradise and have their owncampground just a short jaunt away. It's a symbiotic relationship – along with

the cattle – that defines the family's uniquelegacy in bovines and the creation of a prof-itable, sustainable endeavor gleaned from aprototypical American pastime. Above the quaint, Spanish-style home

rests is the Bonnheim's towering 8,000-acre,

Spark!a little romance at

Robert Hall WineryLisa Pretty

Ihave always thought of February as a month for ro-mance. It may have something to do with Valentine’sDay being in the middle of the month, or just the fact

that it tends to be a slower time of year with the sun set-ting early to offer plenty of time to make a home cooked

RANCH pg. 6

ROMANCE pg. 13

February 2012 North County Lifepage 2

LifeNORTH COUNTY

NEWSCOMMUNITYSPORTS

PUBLISHERJason [email protected]

EDITOR IN CHIEFHayley [email protected]

STAFF WRITERSJandy JonesCreig P. SherburneNena BensonHeather YoungLisa PrettyJosh Petray

Visit us on www.facebook.com/northcountylife

Follow us on www.twitter.com/northcountylife

NORTH COUNTY LLiiffeePublished monthly by Paso Robles Press & Atascadero News

www.YourNCL.com

Paso Robles PressP.O. Box 427Paso Robles, CA 93447Ph: (805) 237-6060Fx: (805) 237-6066www.PasoRoblesPress.com

Atascadero News5660 El Camino RealAtascadero, CA 93447Ph: (805) 466-2585Fx: (805) 466-2714www.AtascaderoNews.com

LifeNORTH COUNTY

NEWS: 3

LOCAL BUZZ: 8

CALENDAR: 10

GOOD EATS: 12

COMMUNITY: 5

SPORTS: 15

PUZZLE: 11

February is here and there’s a

hint of hope in the air. Days are warming up andthe thought of spring – one of North County’smost gorgeous seasons – is on the horizon. Thisissue’s full of fresh notions, from romantic Valen-tine’s day ideas to the introduction of 2012’s firstbabies born this side of the grade. As springblooms into its own, I encourage you to send yourphotos, calendar items and story ideas. Don’t for-get to smell the roses when they bloom!

Hayley Thomas, Editor

Heather Young

San Luis Obispo County labor units were busyearly New Year’s Day with the three major hospitals having babies born in the first eight

hours of the new year.

The second baby born in the county was born to Atascadero resi-dents Danny and Amy Foster at French Hospital at 2:32 a.m.This is not only the couple’s second child, but their second child

to be born on a holiday. Their first son, Timothy “Kyle,” 2, was bornon St. Patrick’s Day. Their new addition, Riley Jay Cash, was due onDec. 31, but waited a few hours to be born in the New Year.“In 2012, we couldn’t be any more blessed than with this little

bundle of awesome,” Danny said.Riley was born at 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20 inches long.“Riley Jay is the best little brother a boy could ask for,” Kyle said.

“He’s my best friend. I love him a lot.”Danny graduated from North County Christian School in 1999

and Amy graduated from Atascadero High School in 2001. Dannyworks at Ernie Ball Guitars in San Luis Obispo as a guitar manufac-turer and Amy is a massage therapist and licensed esthetician at herbusiness, Complete Escape in Atascadero.“We were very excited he was born at French on New Year’s,”

French Hospital spokeswoman Debby Nicklas said.At Twin Cities Community Hospital, the first baby was born at 7:51 a.m. to Ulker

and Kyle Crosgrove of Atascadero. Their first child, Marina, was born 20 days beforeher due date of Jan. 21, but was doing well.“She doing well,” Ulker said. “She’s a good baby.”Kyle was born in SLO and attended Templeton High School, graduating in 2001.

The couple met at Cal Poly, where they both majored in agriculture. Kyle graduatedin 2009 and Ulker in 2010. Kyle currently works for the USDA in Templeton.Marina was 5 pounds, 13 ounces and 19 inches long. Her parents joked that she

would be a basketball player or a pro surfer.Marina was also welcomed into the world by her grandmother, Linda Crosgrove, of

Templeton.

North County Life February 2012 page 3

Oh baby!Welcoming North County’s newest

Photo by Crystal McKinzieKyle Foster, 2, holds hisbaby brother, Riley, hoursafter he was born on NewYear’s Day at French

Hospital.

Photo by Heather YoungMarina Crosgrove wasborn at Twin Cities Com-munity Hospital on NewYear’s Day to Kyle andUlker Crosgrove.


Hayley Thomas

There’s no doubt about it, Piper Sundquistenjoys the best of both worlds. She spendsmuch of the week at her home in Santa

Cruz playing wife and mother – she has abouncing 5-year-old girl and 11-year-oldstep-daughter – and weekends are spent inPaso Robles surrounded by gorgeous leathershoes at her downtown shop, The Sole Tree. The new shop, located at 835 12th street in

downtown Paso Robles, celebrated a frenziedgrand opening recently.Sundquist may be a newcomer to the area,

but she’s immersing herself in all things Paso.The energetic blonde said she’s been en-

joying getting to know the locals, wine tastingand socializing with her customers. Ofcourse, she's also working hard running herdream business. It’s about a two-and-a-halfhour drive, but she said it’s worth every mile.“I love the drive," she said. "It’s so beau-

tiful and I look forward to coming to workand getting to know everybody in Paso Rob-les, frequenting the restaurants and getting toknow my customers."Far from sterile or intimidating, The Sole

Tree is inviting and cozy. It boasts what couldbe called the "anti-department store" vibe,boasting a low-pressure atmosphere, lots ofgab and even fresh coffee and cupcakes fromTwo Birds Bakery.“I wanted to offer a store where women

felt they could come in and hang out and beamongst friends," Sundquist said. "Not likeyour typical shoe store, where you walk inand there's doctor seats and you sit and haveyour foot measured. I've never liked the feelof stores like that."

Sundquist said she was in Oregon whenshe experienced a store that truly inspired herwith its with big comfy coaches and a relaxedatmosphere. Then, Sundquist and her hus-band spent last summer at the California Mid-State Fair. That was a big turning point."We were walking around downtown

[Paso], and my husband saw the lease atJulia's and looked at me. His eyes got wideand he said, 'Honey, that's where you shouldhave your shoe store," said Sundquist. "Ilooked at him like he was crazy."The idea rubbed off, and Sundquist was

off with a bang, gathering her own market re-search."I surveyed people in the area and every

women’s response was that 'We didn’t have ashoe store, but we needed one bad,'" saidSundquist, adding that most women statedtheir discontent over having to drive to SanLuis Obispo or Santa Barbara for a great pairof heels.Two weeks after her husband made the

suggestion, the couple signed a lease down-town, officially opening on Nov. 11, 2011.

Sundquist saidthe holidays have been good to her, but she'sonly as good as her shoes."First off, everything is leather, and that

was really important to me. No cheap syn-thetics," she said. "A lot of the shoes are fromEurope, Spain, Portugal, Italy and many aredeigned in London, New York, really every-where." Sundquist added that hershoes boast a certain comfort and flare thatwomen find refreshing."I get feedback all the time, and the num-

ber one thing women say is that my shoes are

so beautiful and so different," shesaid. As for the comfort,

you'll just have to try on apair to understand."I stopped wearing

uncomfortable shoesyears ago," saidSundquist. "I tell peopleI would rather spendmoney on shoes I canwear all night longthan spend half theamount and want tokick them off 10 min-utes into my night."The Sole Tree also fea-

tures purses, jewelry and acces-sories. Sundquist said her dreamhas become reality, as her storehas become a hangout for herown visiting friends and, ofcourse, local women looking toput on a well-made pair ofshoes."Groups of women come

and take over the store," shesaid. "It's a fun meeting place."

The store is closed Mondaysand open Tuesday throughThursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. andFriday and Saturday from 10a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Style of the sole

Photos by HayleyThomas

PLANTING THE SEED �Store owner Piper Sundquist

poses at her grand opening cele-bration this past November. Thedowntown boutique has become acomfy place for women to congre-gate, try on a rainbow of shoesand kick back with a cupcake

and a few girlfriends.

The Sole Tree invites women to try, twirl & socialize at downtown locale


Josh Petray

They were found underneath a car near Burbank, fam-ished and lowly, reported to Fish & Game and now –thanks to Paso Robles-based Zoo to You – are being

weaned back to health to serve as ambassadors for envi-ronmental education.Zoo to You, located off Adobe Road in eastside Paso

Robles, is currently bringing two wild mountain lion cubsback to health."It's just an unbelievable, wonderful thing that happened

that the people who found them did the right thing," saidZoo to You's David Jackson, who took time from his visitto a school in Portola Valley, Calif. to speak on behalf ofthe animals.Jackson said that he was amazed that the animals were

still alive. Fish & Game officials in southern California transferred

them to the licensed facility. Volunteers are now caring forthem, bringing the young pups back to health.They won't be released back into the wild; however,

they'll serve as an important tool to educate youth acrossthe state about the wild. According to California Department of Fish & Game

Warden Todd Tognazzini, most predators that receivehuman interaction to rehabilitation cannot be released backinto the wild. Tognazzini said it's virtually impossible torear them for a successful wild release, especially given thedegree of human interaction that will be required to seethem returned to health."Oftentimes (predatory) animals this small, because

they are so small, cannot be released back into the wild,"Tognazzini said. Zoo to You, which has the proper permitting to handle

them, fits the bill.Jackson said Zoo To You is excited to help the mountain

lion cubs and will be working hard to raise public awaness.

Zoo to You Mountain lions get dose of '' ee cotude' cotude' � � Rescued cubs join exotic

North County family

Mountain lions settheir glowing, yelloweyes on a hushed

crowd.

ABOVE: a gray foxfrolicks. RIGHT: A por-cupine must be petfrom the head, andthen backwards, oth-erwise you might endup with a handful ofspines. This animalparticularly likes tu-bers and other

crunchy snacks andtried to munch up afew before returningto her home base.

Photos by Josh Petray

A red-tailed hawkdraws curious glancesfrom local youth. RIGHT:Local author Meg Mc-Mullen volunteers at

Zoo To You.

ZOO TO YOU pg. 11


oak-studded property which,as Mike explains, has histor-ically and will forever in per-petuity remain a workingranch operation. Despite development

pressures from the housingboom driving the value of thetheir roughly 8,000-acreranch upwards of $10 mil-lion, a burgeoning Paso Rob-les wine industry and thecomplications that arise fromtax issues, Mike is proud toprovide a means to preservehis family's legacy of ranch-ing through multiple genera-tions. Through the use of con-

servation easements, transferdevelopment credits and thegoodwill and cooperation ofgroups such as the LandConservancy of San LuisObispo, Bonnheim was ef-fectively able to retire the de-velopment potential of thefamily land and have itsvalue back to agriculturalstandard.

Bo Bonnheim, Mike'sson, is attending Fresno StateUniversity studying agricul-ture(and playing football)and will one day assumeranch operations. DaughterMichelle is also attendingFresno State, and there is nota man her father knows whocan handle a castrating knifeas well as she. Mom Barbaradoes all of the unsung workbehind the scenes and is ananchor of support. Mike's grandfather origi-

nally purchased the land in1919 and his father later di-versified the operation to in-clude a walnut orchard,barley farming and hunting.Since then Mike has simpli-fied and limited his forms ofproduction to commercial

livestock and hunting whichare the two most compatibleand potentially sustainableforms employable.Mike takes stewardship

of the land seriously. He canpoint out every south- andnorth-facing slope on theproperty that's sproutedperennial native grasses andtalk for hours on the valuesinstilled in land conserva-tion. It's that deep apprecia-tion for the land thatreverberates through hissmile when he points outhow wildlife now utilize theimprovements he has made. In fact, all decisions

made on the ranch are gearedtoward supporting those twoforms of production – com-mercial cattle and wildlife.He has successfully man-aged the oak woodlands thatdot the property, promotingdiversity and transitionalzones suitable for black-tailed deer bedding, wildturkey and upland game thatabound on the land. He wasrecognized by San LuisObispo County as “NativeTree Steward of the Year” in2006."Not all ranches are like

that," Mike explains aboutthe east-west ridgeline orien-tation of the mountains thatroll through the property,creating directly north- andsouth-facing slopes. Despite the abundance of

wildlife, Las Tablas Ranchchooses not to undertake acommercial hunting opera-tion catering strickly to hunt-ing experiences. That kind ofnovelty isn't what the ranchis about, nor is the complex-ity it creates in the operation.Having the forms of produci-ton that are most potentiallysustainable creates a sense ofsimplicity that Bonnheimsaid he hopes sits in harmonywith the land.

"We don't want to,"Bonnheim said of day hunts."We have avoided it, wewould rather spend ourtime managing." Throughout the years,

the Bonnheims have atsome points been togetheras a family working on theranch. Now that the kidshave grown up and grand-father, Don, has passed,things have changed. Inthe past, he admits, his fa-ther, Don, used to take alot of the pressure andstress off him, as did hisson, Bo. The little things on the

ranch like checking watersystems, busy work,chores that would eat uphis time are now in hisown lap. Now, it's basi-cally a one-man show, butnot anything Mike can'thandle. Sacrifice and timemanagement are essentialwhen there are no ranchemployees, along with thefamily being away, hesaid. It's enabled him tomanage his ranch in amanner that pleases him. "It's important to us

that we make sure to sim-plify," Bonnheim said."That we don't add com-plexity to our busi-ness...We're plain people.We believe in taking careof the land." Bonnheim serves on

the Upper Salinas/LasTablas Resource Conser-vation District and hasopened the gates of hisranch to various groupsand members of the pub-lic for tours and work-shops. Mike came intoranching by way of lifeand has no background ininvestment, real estate orotherwise. "We would get up in

the summertime at 2 a.m.,

feed the horses, then goback, feed ourselves andwe would be saddled andon our way before sunup.Cold mornings in the darkto get to where we neededto go to tend to the cattlebefore the flies startedbothering them."Once the flies arrived,

cattle resort to the cover,

brush and timber nearby.By the time lunch arrived,it meant a short respiteclose to a spring or some-where shaded. They'd eatlunch, sleep or play cardsuntil about mid-afternoon,when the cattle wouldcome to water. Returninghome by horseback in thedark was a common thing

back then."We're not the biggest

in the world; we're not thesmallest in the world. Theway I see it we are a no-no-nonsence, straight for-ward family-run ranch,” hesaid. “We just keep pluggingaway. It's the process and notjust the end result thatcounts."

“We don't add complexity to ourbusiness...We're plain people. We believe in taking care of the land.” – Mike Bonnheim

Photos by Josh PetrayRANCHING FAMILY – the

Bonnheim family, from left, Bo,Barbara, Mike and Michelle.

RANCHContinued from pg. 1


kicking 2012 off rightright

Creig P. Sherburne

The big party for New Year’s Day wasn’t inAtascadero, but at the pier in Cayucos. ManyAtascadero residents, including Savanah and

Rick Evans, Kylie Brock, Phil Ketterle, AtascaderoNews columnist Mike Latner and most of K-ManCycle & Run owner Keith Schmidt’s family allheaded there for the icy plunge.Savanah Evans, 16, said it was her first time tak-

ing the plunge and it was definitely the most uniqueNew Year’s event she’s participated in.“It was really fun, there was a lot of people I didn’t think

it would be that packed,” she said. “I didn’t think it wouldbe that fun but it was.”Festivities began at 9:30 a.m. and people from all over

San Luis Obispo County attended, many in costumes. Zom-

bies were represented, as were variantsof Santa Claus, wigs and hats galore,plenty of tutus and as much paint andmakeup as a person could hope for.Savanah’s dad, Rick, went to the

event with his camera to take photos.In an email, he said it was his secondyear doing it and the crowd was big-ger this year than last.

“[It] may have been the greatweather,” he wrote. “Last year it wasrainy and cold on the beach, let alonejumping into the water.”Schmidt was in a similar situation.

He said there was no way he wouldjump in the frigid water, but he was

happy to photograph his family — resplendent as they werein red-and-yellow K-Man superhero capes and hats.The pier itself was packed with people lined up against therailing to watch those brave enough to brave the cold waterbrave the cold water.“You guys are so stupid,” one woman said to what ap-

peared to be a couple of teenaged sons. “I’ll wait for youhere.”Savanah and her friend, Kylie, were among those who

went all-out for the event. The pair painted themselves upand waded out to their ribs.“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Savanah said. “I didn’t gounder, but I dunked my head.”In an effort to make next year bigger and better, Savanah

said she and Kylie hope to assemble a team of friends andmake the dive on New Year’s Day dressed up as a rainbow.“I was the next in line for a certificate but they ran out,”

she said. “I’ll just have to go next year and get one.”

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Locals take the icy plunge into a new year

Photo courtesy of Rick EvansSavanah Evans and Kylie Brock celebrate with a wet and freezingadventure on Jan. 1 of this year.

Hundreds of people hurl themselves into the icy water at the Cayu-

cos pier at noon on New Year’s Day. Including the spectators on

the pier itself, some estimates put the party at 5,000 people.


Jandy Jones

Sewing started out as a4-H project and grewinto a life-long pas-

sion for Kristi Reeves. It isalso a necessity for her job.Reeves and her husband,Mike, own and operate VineStreet Apparel. The Atas-cadero couple has been de-signing and manufacturingclothing for the last sevenyears. The company special-

izes in a ladies’ clothingline. The couple handles allbranches of the operationfrom designing to oversee-ing the manufacturing totaking out the trash. In theend, she still feels fortunateto be able to do somethingshe loves. “I have been lucky just

to be doing what I do,”Reeves said. “Becausewhen you are little, youwant to grow up and be adesigner or whatever andwhen you think about it Iam doing my dream.”It is also handy that the

clothing is manufactured inNipomo. Reeves is glad tobe able to live on the Cen-tral Coast and still manufac-ture clothing. She thoughtthat she would have to livein Los Angeles or San Fran-cisco in order to make herfashion design dreamscome true. “That is what scared me

doing this business. I al-ways thought I had to live inthe big city,” Reeves said. Reeves creates the de-

signs from scratch. Shetravels to fabric shows topick out material and shecuts and sews the first pat-tern herself. Once she hassettled on an idea she has itmade into a sample that can

be used for manufacturingmore. Her more popular pieces

are copied into paper pat-terns so she can refer tothem later on. She focuses on fabric

that is soft and casual butcan still be appropriate in abusiness setting. The designprocess starts a year in ad-vance. Reeves created theSpring 2012 line in Springof 2011. The line is

launched – shown to stores– at least six months in ad-vance. It is hard to predictwhat people are going towant to purchase a year inadvance, she said. Reevesuses fashion resources likecolor predictions and trendsto help inspire her designs.Her goal is to design a“timeless fashion” that canbe worn throughout several

Atascadero couple creates asensation with clothing lineVine Street Apparel - Designed andmade locally - Sold nationally

CLOTHING pg. 11

Jandy JonesMike and Kristi Reeves ownand operate Vine Street Ap-parel. The couple designsand manufactures ladiesclothing.

CourtesyBright colors andsophisticated

blouses are just apiece of the Spring2012 line of VineStreet Apparel.


Visit us on line at www.rbsmokinbbq.comwhere you can even place an order for pick-up!

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Wine Lips & Beauty Tips

FEATURED WINERY

Jan KrisJan Kris is a family-owned wineryspecializing in artisan wines fromits estate vineyards on the famedWestside of Paso Robles. Jan KrisVineyard is blessed with a rarecombination of limestone soils,sun-kissed hillsides and refreshingocean breezes that cascadethrough the Templeton Gap, anotch in the coastal mountains.Jan Kris vineyards are known forgrowing Merlot, Zinfandel,Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, San-giovese, Petite Syrah, Petite Ver-dot, Chardonnay and Viognier. OnFeb. 12, VINO+THERAPY willteam up with Jan Kris for a“Pucker Up” event from 1 to 4p.m. Come & enjoy some bubbleswhile getting pampered. Wine footsoaks, chair massages & more.For more info call 466-8466.

February 11J. LOHR TASTINGJ. Lohr Vineyards & Winefeatures a Valentine's Choco-late and Wine Pairing at thePaso Robles Wine Center at

3 p.m. Enjoy six types ofhand-made chocolates fromSweet Earth Chocolatespaired with several J. Lohrvarietals. Each guest will re-ceive a specially made box ofchocolate using J. Lohr'sCabernet Sauvignon. Lighthors d'oeuvres will be avail-able following the seminar.$20 per person. Call 239-8900.

CALCAREOUS VINEYARD DINNERWine and dine with yoursweetheart for Valentine'sweekend. Join us for a deca-dent four course meal pairedwith our fabulous wines.This dinner sells out fast soRSVP [email protected]. Costis $90 per person or $70 formembers. Call 239-0289.

CASS WINERY’S VALENTINE DINNER"A menu inspired byAphrodite” - Come and ex-perience a night of romanceaccompanied by tablesideserenading, Cass dessertwine & Cass sparklingGrenache Noir. To purchase

tickets please visit the Casswebsite. Tickets are $100 perperson or $80 for members.Call 227-2888.

EDWARD SELLERS SAXIN THE VINEYARDFrom 12 - 2:30 p.m. make adate with your sweetheart tocelebrate Love with a roman-tic picnic in the Vineyard.Let us provide the rest; wine,food, and the vineyard ofcourse. The amazing soulfulSAX sound of Scott Liddiwill serenade you from thepatio.

Beauty TipsLove is in the air! A spa

day is a great gift idea foranyone on Valentine’s Day.Show someone you care withthe gift of pampering!Whether you prefer giving apackage deal or a simple giftcard, here are some localspecials that are sure toplease anyone. Specialoffers from VINO+THERAPY Studio:

“PUCKER UP BUTTERCUP” $125Includes: Glass ofChampagne, Wine FootSoak, Champagne SugarScrub Foot Treatment,Chocolate Eyebrow Wax,60 Min Coco-Cab Facial& a Port Truffle + winetastings at The Barrel Room.

“HOT MAMMAS!”$125Includes: Glass ofChampagne, Wine FootSoak, Champagne SugarScrub Foot Treatment,60 Min Hot Rock Mas-sage & Port Truffle +wine tastings at the Bar-rel Room.

“TOGETHER FOR-EVER” $225Includes: 2 Glasses ofChampagne, 2 WineFoot Soaks, 2 Cham-pagne Sugar Scrub FootTreatments, 2 60 MinVino Massages & PortTruffles + ElegantCheese Plate & winetastings at The BarrelRoom.

“LET’S GO DANCINGTONIGHT” $50

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Scrub Foot Treatment,Port Truffle, CheesePlate, Vino Pedicurewith Chardonnay BodyButter & the works.

Fall in love this month!by Nena Brenson

Brought to you by Vino +Therapy Studio. The skin& body wine experience is

located at 5990 El Camino Real in Atascadero.


SATURDAY,FEB. 4

DAVID MATTICEFUNDRAISERJoin the community as they"Race for a Cure" and celebratefamily, friends and life with abarbecue and silent auction tobenefit David Mattice on Satur-day, Feb. 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. at theAARP building at AtascaderoLake, 7848 Pismo Ave. For moreinformation or to donate an itemor service for the silent auction,call Elizabeth at 459-2549.

NC WATCH CELEBRATIONNorth County Watch is celebrat-ing 10 years of looking out for to-morrow today, and everyone isinvited to join in celebrating thismilestone on Saturday, Feb. 4 atthe Santa Margarita CommunityCenter, 9610 Murphy Street inSanta Margarita from 5 to 10p.m. Dinner will be served from 6to 7 p.m. with dancing and musictill 10 p.m. A $50 tax deductibledonation enables attendees to re-ceive an elegantly table serveddining experience. For more in-formation or to purchase ticketsvisit www.northcountywatch.orgor phone Sue at 239-0542. Seat-ing is limited for this specialevening.

SUNDAY,FEB. 5

SUNDAY MOVIE NIGHTThere will be a showing of themovie The Fuller Brush Man, a1948 comedy starring Red Skel-ton, on Sunday, Feb. 5 at Ply-mouth Congregational Church,1303 Oak St. There is no chargeto attend and free popcorn is pro-vided. For more information,contact Jim at 237-2890.

TUESDAY,FEB. 7

ART OF COOKING SERIESIl Cortile Ristorante is celebrat-ing their second year of teachingfood lovers how to make excep-tional Italian dishes. The SecondAnnual Art of Italian CookingSeries continues on Tuesday, Feb.7 with the opportunity to learnExecutive Chef Santos Mac-Donal's award-winning recipesand techniques for roasting. Classtime is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. IlCortile Ristorante is located at608 12th Street in Paso Robles.Call 226-0300 for more informa-tion.

THURSDAY,FEB. 9

WOODWORKERS MEETINGThe Central Coast WoodworkingAssociation will hold theirmonthly meeting on Feb. 9 at 7p.m. at the Pioneer Museum,2010 Riverside Ave. For more in-formation please visitwww.ccwwa.org or call 237-0051.

RIBBON CUTTINGA ribbon cutting for Boyd's To-bacco & Elegant Gifts, dba ofJMG Retail Holdings, LLC willbe held on Thursday, Feb 9 at 5p.m. at 625 Spring St. to cele-brate new owners. For more in-formation, [email protected] or visitwww.boydscigars.com.

SATURDAY,FEB. 11

SWEETHEARTSTROLLAtascadero Main Street willhold its annual Sweetheart Strollin conjunction with its quarterlyArt & Wine Tour on Feb. 11from 2 to 6 p.m. in downtownAtascadero. The cost for winetasting is $10 per person and in-cludes a wine glass. For moreinformation, go to www.atas-caderomainstreet.org or call462-0177.

BETHEL LUTHERAN WINE-MAKERS DINNER

Bethel Lutheran Church in Tem-pleton is hosting its 11th AnnualWinemakers Dinner on Saturday,Feb. 11 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.Along with a decadent coursemenu paired with local wines, theevent will feature fingerstyle gui-tar music throughout the eveningby renowned local artist MartinParis. For more information onBethel Lutheran Church, pleasecontact Pastor Amy Beveridge at434-1329.

ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING

Paso Robles Public Schools willbe having an Electronic WasteRecycling Day to generate fundsto support technology throughoutthe district. Drop off yourold monitors, laptops, TVs, com-puters, printers, stereo systems,keyboards, cell phones and allother electronic devices Saturday,Feb. 11 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. atthe Paso Robles Teacher Center,2900 Union Road. No disposal ordrop-off fees. No household ap-pliances accepted. Call 769-1111for more information.

SUNDAY,FEB. 12

GRANGE BREAKFASTThe Paso Robles Grange willhold its monthly breakfast at thePaso Robles Grange Hall, 627Creston Road in Paso Robles,from 7:30 to 11 a.m. This month'sbreakfast is scheduled for Sun-day, Feb 12. Pancakes, eggs,bacon, orange juice and coffeewill be served. For more infor-mation, call Lester at 238-2340or 801-1766.

ANITA CHEN CONCERTThe North SLO County ConcertAssociation presents Anita Chenin concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday,Feb. 12 at Trinity LutheranChurch, 940 Creston Rd. in PasoRobles. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.Whether it's Mozart or Saint-Saens, piano or violin, Chen re-wards audiences with aperformance that is impressiveand inspiring. For more informa-tion, call 239-2770 or 237-8122.

CHOCOLATE TASTINGOn Sunday, Feb. 12 from noon to3 p.m. Vina Robles is hosting achocolate tasting. Visit Vina Rob-les together with your specialValentine to enjoy an afternoonof chocolate and wine pairing.San Luis Obispo-based SweetEarth Chocolates will present aselection of their delectable or-ganic and fair trade chocolatecreations – each perfectly pairedwith a Vina Robles wine. Choco-late tasting is complimentary, noreservations required.

MONDAY,FEB. 13

HORSEMEN’S CLUB

The Atascadero Horsemen's Clubwill meet on Feb. 13 at the A-Town Diner, 7600 El CaminoReal in Atascadero. An optionalmeeting begins at 6 p.m. fol-lowed by the program at 7 p.m.featuring a presentation by horse

trainer Eric Wagner and hypnotistMary Kay Stegner. The generalmeeting will be at 8 p.m. Formore information, call Jody at703-3675 or go to www.atas-caderohorsemensclub.com. Guestand prospective members are al-ways welcome to attend.

TUESDAY,FEB. 14

VALENTINE'S DINNEROn Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 6 to 10p.m. Pear Valley is hosting a spe-cial Valentine's Day dinner. Joinus at the Pear Valley for a fabu-lous dinner paired with Pear Val-ley wines. The menu includesseveral passed appetizers, aspinach salad with blue goatcheese polenta croutons and driedcherries, individual beef welling-ton with roasted vegetables and adecadent chocolate dessert. Gui-tarist Tom Rigby will be provid-ing soft music to help set themood. Reservations are required,and seating is limited to 25 cou-ples, so call 237-2861 today. Costis $65 per person or $45 for Dis-traction Club members.

VINA ROBLES V-DAY DINNEROn Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 6:30 to10 p.m. Vina Robles is hosting aValentine's winery dinner. Join usat Paso Robles' new hot spot –Estrella – for a romantic Valen-tine's dinner. You and your datewill be greeted with a glass ofsparkling wine and then seated atyour table where you will enjoya Latin-inspired four-course mealprepared by executive chef RyanSwarthout. Cost is $80 per personor $70 for Signature Wine Club

members. Reservations arestrongly recommended. Call 226-5406 for more information.

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

WINTER FIRESIDE CONCERTOn Friday, Feb. 17 from 5:30 to8:30 p.m. the February Firesideconcert at Pear Valley will fea-tures Jan and Ted. The duo willentertain the crowd with acousticcountry and rock. Bring a picnicdinner and your friends to PearValley. Wines will be availablefor purchase by the glass or bot-tle, please no outside alcohol tothis complimentary event. Formore information, call 237-2861.

UNA NOCHE DE AMOROn Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 6 to 10p.m. Robert Hall Winery is host-ing "una noche de amor," a Span-ish evening of love, featuring aSpanish Tapas-style dinner withwine, Flamenco dancers, Span-ish guitar and dancing after din-ner. Cost is $95 per person or$86 for cavern members. Reser-vations required. Call 239-1616,ext. 24 for more information.

INDEPENDENT GRAPEGROWERSIndependent Grape Growers ofthe Paso Robles area Februarysocial and board member elec-tions The public is invited to awine grape growing industry so-cial, hosted by the IndependentGrape Growers of the Paso Rob-les Area. IGGPRA will hold itsmonthly social on Friday, Feb.17 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Tem-pleton Legion Hall, 805 SouthMain St. in Templeton. Call 226-8293, or online using the RSVPlink at www.pasorobleswine-grapes.com.

SATURDAY,FEB. 25

CHILDREN'S MUSEUMEVENTThe Mad Hatter Gets HappyParty takes place at the PasoRobles Children's Museum, 62313th St. on Saturday, Feb. 25from noon until nap time. Cost is$5 and includes a Dress to Im-press Hat Contest, Paint theRoses Red Tea Cup Craft, re-freshments and all kinds of crazyfun. Call Sarah Davis at 238-7432 to RSVP and for more in-formation.

Get involved, see, taste and playCOMMUNITY CALENDAR

Visit playtimediscoveries.com7600 Morro Road, Atascadero — (805) 462-0303

The basic party includes:• 2 hrs of private playroom time• Theme of your choice• Customized crafts & activities• Balloons for each child• Decorated party space• Staff set-up and clean-up

Children ages 2-8. Pricing is $135for up to 12 children, $10 foreach additional guest. Payableone week before Birthday PartyEvent. Add a real Princess for $50to come and tell a story andtake pictures with the children.

Theme ideas include:Princess, Legos, Fairies, Pirates,Garden Party, Tea Party, RobotsRecycled Art, Starwars & more!

A creative experiencewith emphasis on crafts &group participation.Weprovide all materialsfor creative projects,a beautifully decoratedplayroom, carefullyplanned crafts andactivities tailored to yourparty theme and ages ofyour child and guests. Youbring any refreshments of yourchoice and paper goods andwe do the rest!

Birthday Parties at

Playtime Discoveriesare…

MAKE TIME FOR ROMANCEThere’s so much to do this

Valentine’s Day, from dinner atPear Valley Vineyard to a ro-mantic date at Vina Robles. Inthe mood for something lowkey? Catch the Atascadero

Sweetheart Stroll Saturday, Feb.11. For more wine-related ro-mantic ideas, see PG. 9.


FARMER’SMarkets

Atascadero Farmer’s MarketWEDNESDAYS 3PM - 6PMAlbertsons parking lot

Atascadero(805) 239-6535

Paso Country Farm & Craft Market

SATURDAYS 9AM - 1PM11th and Spring StreetsDowntown City Park

Paso Robles(805) 238-4029

Paso Robles Farmer’s MarketTUESDAYS 3PM - 6PM11th and Spring StreetsDowntown City Park

Paso Robles(805) 237-9254

Paso 101 Open Aire Farmer’s Market

THURSDAYS 3PM - 6PMSan Paso Truck Stop

(off HWY 101)Paso Robles(805) 286-1436

Paso Robles Farmer’s MarketFRIDAYS 4PM - 7PM

Golden Hills Plaza at Lowe’sPaso Robles(805) 610-5023

Templeton Farmer’s MarketSATURDAYS 9AM - 12:30PMCity Park at 5th and Crocker

Streets, Templeton(805) 239-6535

seasons. Originally, Vine Street started

out as basic knits that were fea-tured in wineries and resorts,Reeves said. It was a black meshzip-up sweatshirt that transi-tioned the company to the bou-tique fashion it is known for

today. Vine Street Apparel is sold lo-cally at Madonna Inn, Farm Sup-ply, Jayde in Paso Robles,Kelly’s Causals in Atascadero aswell as Upscale Resale in Tem-pleton. Reeves feels it is impor-tant to be selective about howmany stores in one area can sellthe apparel. “We like to only sell to one

boutique in each town,” she said.

Her fashion talent and busi-ness skills have put Vine StreetApparel on the fashion map. It isbeing sold across the nation withthe help of ten sales representa-tives. The couple is also in theprocess of upgrading the websiteto include a shopping cart forthose who can’t find a store. Itnever fails that someone fromout of the area purchases an itemand wants to buy more but does-n’t have a Vine Street retailerclose by, Reeves said. When asked what the future

holds for the company, Reevessaid she hopes to keep expand-ing as well as enjoying beingable to do what she loves. Ifsomeone had asked her to do itall over, she isn’t sure she wouldhave the gumption to do it. “If I was going to start this

again, I would be scared now,”Reeves said. “I wasn’t then.” For more information, visit

www.vinestreetapparrel.us

HISTORY OF MOUNTAINLION PUP RESCUESTognazzini, who was been

working with Fish & Gamesince the 1980s, said he can'tthink of any situation where ababy mountain lion had to berescued. However, bobcat kit-tens have been rescued fromthe wild in SLO County, anda number of calls come in re-garding them.Each year, Fish & Game

averages about three to 10 in-cidents per year including de-pradation permits.

• VIEW THE MOUNTAINLIONS PUPS

Interested in seeing themountain lion pups?Zoo To You, 2445 Adobe

Road, is open for appoint-

ments on Saturdays and Sun-days at 3 p.m. for guidedtours.

• GOING LOCALFor Jackson, working with

wildlife is a labor of love, andhis lifelong passion. He andthe Zoo To You Crew havemanaged to reach nationalproportions but is hoping tore-shift its focus back to theplace it started, right here lo-cally in the Paso Robles andgreater San Luis ObispoCounty areas.Jackson said he was excited

that the mountain lion experiencewill dovetail into this effort."This is really one more really

great way to get back in touch,"Jackson said.

For more information, visitwww.zootoyou.com, call 391-0604, toll-free 888-ECOTUDE orvisit their Facebook page.

CLOTHINGContinued from pg. 8

ZOO TO YOUContinued from pg. 5

CourtesyThe manufacturing plant for Vine Street clothing is located in Nipomo.Here, all of Kristi Reeves’ ideas are put into reality as vests, jackets,blouses and much more.


LifeFOOD & WINE

Hayley Thomas

Awhirlwind rompthrough Madrid orthe Caribbean is-

lands likely isn’t in the cardsfor many locals this year,but the folks at Estrella aimto offer the next best thing.Vibrant, flavorful entreés, awild list of imported beerand wine and fiery Fla-menco tunes combine tocreate an exotic dining fiestathat starts at the curb andcontinues till the final bite.The hotspot, located at

815 12th St. in Paso Roblesreeently, bringing its ownexotic sizzle to the down-town dining scene.Executive Chef Ryan

Swarthout and Chef de Cui-sine Travis Borba master-minded the colorful menu,which features everythingfrom pan roasted chickenmojo to grilled prawn tacosand Argentinean-stylegrilled rib eye. The result is what's being

called “Latin Riviera:” Afun fusion of Caribbean,South American and Mexi-can cuisine. The finish isbold and fresh, featuringmore abundant flavors thanyou’d taste at your averagetaco joint. Quality fish, pork,chicken and beef are alwaysprepared with a tangy twist.Savory, spicy elements likeSaffron-infused Cuban rice,avocado tomatillo sauce, au-thentic queso fresco and co-conut-green chili glaze pack

a punch. The paella simmerswith Spanish rice, whitewine, chorizo-steamed mus-sels, clams, prawns and scal-lops.“The food respects cer-

tain regions, but we aren’tdoing traditional food. It’sour take on certain dishes, ora sauce from a different re-gion that we made our own,”said Executive ChefSwarthout. “That’s what Es-trella is all about. From theinterior to the food, we wantyour experience to be funand lively.”That vibe emanates

throughout the restaurant,from the lack of tableclothsto the multicolored napkinsspringing from shinyglasses. Colorful ceramicsinks adorn the bathroomsand mission-style woodencrosses compliment the ex-posed brick and mango-hued walls.An outdoor patio area

overlooks Downtown CityPark and the breezy, high-ceiling dining room pro-vides a true sit-downand-savor experience. Luxe,leather chairs and the onlymezzanine-level seating indowntown certainly feel op-ulent, but at $15 to $25 aplate, it’s a luxury not out ofreach. For the true foodie, Es-

trella will soon feature chefdinners just a stone’s throwaway from the bustling,state-of-the-art kitchen.Chef de Cuisine Borba

knows that a restaurant isonly as good as its fare, andhe keeps a keen eye on eachplate.“I’ve been researching

this style of food for a longtime, and when I got the op-portunity to do this I ranwith it. I just started cookingaway,” Borba said. Thechefs spent months tweak-ing the menu, getting real

feedback from tasters andapplying that knowledge totheir third, fourth and fifth-tries. It took about six triesto get a particular chickendish just right, but that’s parfor the course when it comesto creating a quality diningexperience. Thanks to his Mexican

roots, Borba was able tobring a few family recipes to

the table. He spent about amonth in the kitchen gettingthe flavors as authentic aspossible.“The slow braised short

rib enchiladas and braisedbeef tamales are basicallymy grandma’s recipe. Ichanged them up a little bit,and I hope she approves,” hesaid with a chuckle. “See-ing all the food on the table[for tasting] is really nice.It’s really colorful and fun.”If you’re not into shar-

ing, beware, as Swarthoutsaid it’s hard to resist pokinga fork into your neighbor’stequila-lime marinatedprawns or Plantain crustedMahi Mahi. The chile rel-leno – with roasted poblanochiles stuffed with a choiceof roasted corn and crab,queso fresco or picadilliopork – is decadent down tothe last bite.“You are going to have a

tough time deciding what toorder, and when everybodyorders something differentand shares those dishes, itgoes along with what we’retrying to do with creating afun environment,”Swarthout said. Brenda Clouston owns

the business alongside herhusband, Robert. She saidcustomers are encouraged tocome hungry. They’ll likelyleave with a doggie bag forlater.“People keep telling me

they can’t believe how muchfood they get for their

money, and that makes usfeel good because we candeliver a value,” Cloustonsaid. “That’s the whole phi-losophy of what we are try-ing to do. We always want toover deliver. We want peo-ple to be wowed by the inte-rior, wowed by the food,wowed by the pricing andthen go away and tell peopleabout it.”Clouston said it all

comes down to cultivating afeel-good vacation vibe.“I want people to feel

like they’re away some-where,” she said. The crewat Estrella is dedicated tokeeping the fantasy going.After all, most vacations areprimarily spent socializing,sipping great wine and dig-ging into fun food withfriends.“One of the things we

felt passionate about wasthat from the curb all theway to your last bite of yourmeal, it’s all thematic and itall goes together,” she said.“Whether it’s the décor, thefood, the wine list, the serv-ice or the music, it all goestogether. We want peple tofeel like they’re having a va-cation experience.”Estrella is open Tuesday

through Sunday from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and5 to 10 p.m. for dinner.For more information,

call 226-5406.

Estrella’s Latin RivieraVibrant new restaurant brings exotic culinary

destination to downtown Paso Robles

“From the interior to the food, we wantyour experience to be fun and lively.”

Ryan Swarthout,Estrella Executive Chef

Courtesy photos

Estrella fuses the bold, tasty flavorsof Spain, South America and the

Caribbean to create “Latin Riviera,” ataste to be savored with friends.

LEFT: Estrella Chef de Cuisine TravisBorba and Executive Chef Ryan

Swarthout gear up for a busy service.

meal for two and then cozyup with someone special onthe couch, in front of a fire,with a glass of wine.When I think of romantic

wineries, the top of my list isRobert Hall Winery locatedon Mill Road just off ofHighway 46 East in PasoRobles. Everything about thewinery screams romance.The winery’s owner, RobertHall, had many years in thehospitality industry prior to

planting vineyards and build-ing the state-of-the-art win-ery facility. The hospitalitycenter and surroundinggrounds were designed withweddings, elegant dinnersand casual picnics in mind.Robert’s partner, MargaretBurrell, a retired art teacher

from Arizona, worked withartist Steve Kalar to ensureevery detail was completedwith elegance and style.Kalar’s painting can beviewed on the walls, ceilingsand even the floors. Nestled amongst the

vines and large oak trees, thecenter welcomes visitorswith the sound of tricklingwater from a large fountain.Beyond the fountain thewater features continue witha long reflecting pool locatedjust outside of the tastingroom doors and another cas-cading fountain in the centerof the amphitheater’ benchseating area. From any pointin the courtyard, views offountains, fresh flowers andbeautiful archways can beviewed. In addition to thesound of water, soft music ispiped through the sound sys-tem, offering yet anotherspecial touch.The winery is a very pop-

ular spot for weddings withseveral different on-site ven-ues. According to Hospital-ity Manager, KristinOdenwald, couples planningtheir weddings are alwaysdelighted to see they canoffer their guests a differentsetting for each part of thebig day. The Garden Terrace,Courtyard, Grassy Knoll,Meritage Room and WineCaverns are all available forcocktails, ceremonies, dinnerand receptions. The Wine Li-

brary is ideal for brides to getready surrounded with theroom’s rich decorations andseveral vintages of wine.Needless to say the facility isa photographers dream withso many places to choosewith idyllic settings.This Valentine’s Day the

Meritage Room will betransformed into a Spanishdinner and dance room. Thewinery is hosting “una nochede amor,” a Spanish eveningof love, on February 14thfrom 6-10pm. A SpanishTapas-style dinner will bepaired with Robert Hallwines for this very romanticevening. Cuatro Caminosfrom San Francisco will pro-vide entertainment with atraditional Flamenco DanceShow along with Spanishguitar music. After dinner, the guests

are welcome to join CuatroCaminos on the dance floor.The all inclusive evening is$95 per person or $85 forcavern club members. Reser-vations are required and atthat time you may request atable for two or group seat-ing. Reservations may bemade on-line atwww.roberthallwinery.comor by calling Kristin at 239-1616 extension 24.It doesn’t have to be a

wedding or Valentine’s Dayto enjoy romance at the win-ery. A visit to the tastingroom with a guided tour of

the large underground winecaverns and barrel tastingcan be a very romantic date.Bring a picnic lunch andenjoy the vineyard viewsfrom the Garden Terrace orperhaps a game of BocceBall on one of the courts bythe grassy knoll. You maycatch Robert and Margaretenjoying a glass of wine ortending to the roses on theproperty. After all theseyears, romance is still a bigpart of their daily lives andwhat better place to enjoy itthan at their winery.I decided my recipe this

month had to be chocolate.Chocolate and romanceseem to go together. I had amore difficult time selectingthe wine. Margaret’s Vine-yard Orange Muscat andRobert Hall’s Vintage Portboth pair well with myChocolate Crème Brûlée.

In the end, I decided togo with the vintage port. Al-though there are severalwonderful port-style winesproduced in the Paso Roblesarea, very few are made ex-clusively from the traditionalPortuguese varietals. TheRobert Hall 2006 VintagePort is made from estategrown alvarelhão, touriga,souzão and tinta cão. The port is so good you

may want to sip a glass withyour sweetheart even with-out the chocolate.


THIS VALENTINE’S DAY, MAKE A SWEET TREAT!

3 cups heavy cream8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped2 teaspoons vanilla extract¾ cup fine sugar6 large egg yolks8 teaspoons golden raw sugar

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• Arrange eight 3/4-cup ramekins in a 12x9x2-inch baking pan.

• Place cream in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom and over low heat,bring to simmer. Stir in chocolate and simmer until chocolate has melted then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

• Whisk sugar and yolks in a large bowl until thick (about three minutes). Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes.

• Pour mixture through strainer and divide among ramekins.

• Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of theramekins to ensure even baking.

• Bake until just set (about 50 minutes). Remove from pan and chill, uncoveredfor 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for an additional two hours or overnight.

• Sprinkle raw sugar on top and melt with a torch to form a crispy sugar topping. Refrigerate for an additional one to two hours.

recipe

Chocolate Crème Brûlée Serves 8

ROMANCEContinued from pg. 1


SPORTSLife Photos by Jandy JonesFIT FUN FOR KIDS – Warmingup is important at the CentralCoast Sports Agility camp.Participants are taught howto properly warm up andstretch before training or

playing sports.

Jandy Jones

The morning chillcan’t stop thelaughter and en-

thusiasm of the youngboys preparing for a Sat-urday of training. It’s all smiles and fun

but when it comes downto training the seriousfaces come out. The boys are participatingin Central Coast SportsAgility (CCSA). Theyouth, ranging in agesseven and up, are here tolearn and expand theirfootball skills, agility andspeed. The camp is in its

third season and wasstarted by AnthonyCapelli. Capelli, father offive, started the camp withthe idea of teaching hisown children how to not

only be better athletes, butprepare them for upper-level sports and academ-ics. As word traveled

around, the camp grew toabout 30 participants inthe first season. The sec-ond season averagedaround 100 – it is notmandatory to participatein every session – and thethird is just gettingstarted. Capelli, along with

nine other coaches, in-struct and educate thechildren. It isn’t necessaryfor the children to haveprevious sports skills orexperience, just the will tolearn and succeed. Capellifeels that more importantthan educating the chil-dren on sports, is givingthe children a place tohave fun, learn and besafe.

“Our main key ofwhat this camp is about isbringing the kids here in-stead of out having themout on the street,” Capellisaid.This is the first year

the camp includes soft-ball. The first two seasonswere primarily footballskills, but Capelli saidthey are willing to expandif the children want tolearn. T h efocus is on increasingspeed and agility whilealso including technicalskills related to football orsoftball. Capelli said he

isn’t as familiar with thefundamentals of softball,but was able to modifysome football drills forthe girls. All sessions are held

in Paso Robles. The soft-ball camp meets Mondaysand Wednesdays andfootball meets Tuesdaysand Thursdays and Satur-days are track day. Thegroups are generally splitup by age so that eachgroup gets the attentionthey deserve. The camp also focuses

on the discipline neces-sary to play sports but

also do well academi-cally. Academics are just as

important as improvingon sports skills. Capelli ispassionate about helpingthe children improve andmaintain grades. Hestresses that colleges looknot only at sports talentbut academics as well. “The camp is about

unity and bringing thekids together and having aplace where they cancome and better them-selves for the future,”Capelli said. As intense as it may

sound, the coaches stillwant the children to havefun while learning. “We are taking recre-

ation players and turningthem into athletes,”Coach Jim Green said.“We teach due diligence,but still have fun in the

end.” Green’s son, Thomas,

is in his second season ofthe camp. Thomas saidhis favorite part was run-ning the timed 40 yarddash. “It shows how fast I

am,” he said. The camp is teaching

the children how to setgoals and prepare for theirfuture. As far as the futureof the camp, Capellihopes that they will beable to expand by bring-ing in others sports andcoaches. He also aspires to have

session in the SouthCounty. CCSA is alsoholding a fundraiser onFebruary 18 to help raisefunds to buy equipment.

For more information,call 610-3621 or checkout CCSA Camp on Face-book.

Central Coast Sports Agility gains speed, popularityCCSA focuses on teaching children sports skills, education all while having a ball

ABOVE: At the end of thedrill the boys practicedhitting a shield. Thecoaches create drillsthat will incorporate different skills to helpprepare the boys for

football.

RIGHT: While runningthrough a ladder drill,the boys also had tocatch a football.

Photos by Jandy Jones

LET’S GO! Jumping sideways over obstacleshelps with agility and coordination. This wasjust one challenge in a series of four that theboys had to complete.

“We are taking recreationplayers and turning them

into athletes.”– Coach Jim Green

February, 2012 North County Lifepage 16

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Paso Robles Main 238-0715Food 4 Less, Paso Robles 237-1460Target Center, Paso Robles 237-1083

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