WHO KNEW? I thought it was another clothing store, or possibly an auto parts retailer, but the article in the last Beach & Bay Press revealed the fact that Five Guys, at 1020 Garnet Ave., is a build-your-own burger place, part of a large, national chain. That sort of brings us full-circle to my item awhile back about the mystery girl who showed up at Las Panchos craving spicy carrots. She seemed very near an emotional melt-down when she learned that the place was closed. I sympathized, mentioning that I loved their cheese enchiladas and also was a fan of the hot carrots. Diane Gormsen has informed me that I can once again enjoy my cheese enchiladas at Maria Juana’s, next to Filippi’s Pizza. Perfect! That’s the spot I first frequented as Carillo’s, which became Bustamante’s after a divorce. They had the best machaca con juevos, but that happy story came to an end also. That’s not the full-circle part, though. Los Panchos is now the Fish Shop, which got Norman Piper quite excited. Norman hoped they would have fish and chips comparable to his native England. Getting back to Five Guys — wasn’t the Fish Shop, on the southwest corner of Kendall and Garnet, originally a build-your-own burger place? IT WAS A HUNDRED YEARS AGO this week that Col. Thomas A. Davis established the San Diego Army and Navy Academy (SDANA) in Pacific Beach on a 16-acre tract that, 23 years earlier, had been the campus of the short-lived College of Arts and Letters. “A select school for manly boys,” Davis’ academy thrived for two decades, but couldn’t survive the Great Depression. Well, actually it could. It moved to Carlsbad in 1936 and is still going strong today. Brown Military Academy replaced SDANA and turned out “manly boys” until 1958. The campus is better known today as Pacific Plaza shopping center. The November issue of the Pacific Beach Historical Society newsletter is devoted to the story of the founding of the academy and has some pretty snazzy photos. Contact me if you’d like a copy. SPEAKING OF PACIFIC PLAZA, I was headed for CVS last week when I spotted the ubiquitous “AMYINMB”. I don’t think she’s ever been to Mission Beach. Three cars down was “I (HEART) SO MB,” which I assume refers to South Mission Beach. “OWWEFXR” pulled in as I was leaving. I’m guessing doctor, nurse, mommy — or all three. — John Fry may be reached at (858) 272-6655 or [email protected].