NORTH PARK NURSERY OPEN
On Oct.15, North Park Nursery by Mooch Designs opened at the corner of 32nd and Thorn with a mission to beautify the community. Its new location is connected to Tucker’s Corner/Fresh Stop Produce across the street from Santos Coffee Shop. Creating local jobs and giving back to the area that has meant so much to owner Paul Hunyady were also driving forces behind opening the nursery. For more information, call 200 – 3611 or visit www.moochdesigns.com.

SAN DIEGO’S COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT RECEIVES THREE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS
The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant in historic Old Town San Diego has received three awards this year for its $6.5 million rehabilitation and historic preservation. The awards were: The SOHO 2011 People in Preservation Award, a 2011 Preservation Design Award, presented by the California Preservation Foundation and a Governor’s Historic Preservation Award.

After the rehabilitation and restoration the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant, the oldest surviving hotel in San Diego, has been returned to its historic appearance as the 1869 Cosmopolitan Hotel, fulfilling a 50-year goal of historians and many San Diegans to restore the 19th-century landmark. The restoration was completed in July 2010.

GRUB SPRAWL COMES TO LITTLE ITALY
The San Diego Grub Sprawl is coming of Little Italy on Nov. 14th from 6 – 10 p.m. The Grub Sprawl is different than a traditional “taste of” event as participants are seated inside the restaurants of their choosing and are entitled to a $5 special. The special dishes will be offered at the following restaurants- The Glass Door, Indigo Grill, Davanti Enoteca, Caps Pizza & Bar, St. Tropez and Princess Pub & Grille. All one has to do to get in on the fun is pick up a free wristband at The Glass Door at the Porta Vista Hotel. For more information, visit www.grubsprawl.com.

PROMISES2KIDS APPOINT NORTH PARK RESIDENT AS NEW CEO
Promises2Kids announces North Park resident Tonya Torosian as the new Chief Executive Officer of Promises2Kids, a non-profit located in Kearny Mesa and dedicated to breaking the cycle of child abuse in San Diego County. Torosian previously spent three years as the executive director of the San Diego County Commission on Children, Youth and Families, and prior to that was the director of development for Promises2Kids when it was known as the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation.

SD COASTKEEPERS ANNOUNCE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
San Diego Coastkeeper, the region’s largest professional environmental organization working to protect inland and coastal waters, announced today its inductees to its Hall of Fame. Several Uptown residents were inducted, including Kathleen Kelly from North Park, Roderick Michener from Golden Hill and Graham Szybala from South Park. This year, Coastkeeper has coordinated with around 16,000 volunteers who dedicated more than 27,000 hours of service. This is the same as ten full-time employees contributing their time to saving San Diego’s inland and coastal waters.

CITY TO UNVEIL INITIAL DESIGN CONCEPT FOR NORTH PARK MINI-PARK
The City of San Diego Public Works Department – Engineering & Capital Projects, Architectural Engineering and Parks Division, announces the second opportunity for the public to participate in the design process for the North Park Mini-Park and Associated Streetscape Improvements Project. The public is invited to attend the second Community Workshop on Nov. 16, at the gymnasium/assembly room of Jefferson Elementary School, 3770 Utah St.

The first hour will be a community open house where community members can review and discuss information obtained from the first community workshop held on June 4. Both City staff and the consultant will be present to answer questions. The second portion of the workshop begins at 6:30 p.m. The workshop is free and open to everyone.

JEWISH BOOK FAIR HIGHLIGHTS ISRAELI ARTISTS
The 17th Annual San Diego Jewish Book Fair, with continuing support from Founding Benefactors The Viterbi Family Foundation and presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus, presents the work of three artists from Shaa’r HaNegev, San Diego’s sister region in Israel. The artwork, by Hana Segal, Maly Melon, and Shosh Segev, will be exhibited in the Gotthelf Gallery and made available for purchase throughout the Book Fair. Proceeds will be returned to the artists as well as benefiting the Book Fair, which runs through Nov. 13. The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center is located at 4126 Executive Dr. in La Jolla. For more information, visit www.sdcjc.org/sdjbf/2011

TANGO STUDIO OFFERING A FREE CLASS
Tango with Colette, a studio run by 2003 International Dance Organization USA Tango Champion Colette Hebert, is offering your first class free any Monday or Wednesday at 7 p.m. in it’s Point Loma studio. With the hope of creating a passion for tango, the free first class is a part of an introductory class, with classes running to advance levels. The studio is located at 2650 Truxtun Rd., Studio 106. For more information, visit www.TangoWithColette.com or call (514) 726 – 5567.

LOCAL ARTIST PREMIERS SHOW AT KENSINGTON CAFE
Kensington resident Ralph Lovberg, whose photography has been featured in National Geographic, will be showcasing his work at the Kensington Café through early December. The Café held an opening reception for Lovberg on Nov. 7. Many of the photos in the show were taken before 1970 and taken with a Rolleiflex he purchased in 1948. Lovberg says of his work, “These pictures represent a lifetime love affair with photography, and my particular love for black and white that began with the influence of such masters as Edward Weston, Ansel Adams and Paul Strand…. In subject matter, I lean not so much to people themselves as to the marks they leave in the world.”

ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING AT OLD GLOBE THEATER NOV. 20
The sixth annual Old Globe Christmas Tree Lighting will kick off the holiday season in conjunction with the holiday musical, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Designed by Grinch scenic designer John Lee Beatty, the tree will be located in the center of the Globe Plaza and will remain for the run of the show. This family event will feature a special live performance by members of the Grinch and a delightful holiday snowfall on the Globe’s Copley Plaza. Tickets to this free event are limited but may be obtained by subscribers and are included with the tickets to the Nov. 20 performance at 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.theoldglobe.org

GOOD VIBRATIONS OFFER THANKS FOR GIVING PROMOTION
Good Vibrations Chiropractic in Kensington will offer their Thanks for Giving Promotion to help support Mama’s Kitchen this holiday season. In exchange for a donation of at least seven food items, all of which goes to Mama’s Kitchen, Good Vibrations will offer discounted first visits, exams and spinal screenings for new patients. Current members will receive a mug acknowledging their donation. The most needed items include food packaged in plastic or boxed containers, or canned food items. Held through the month of November, donations may be made at the Good Vibrations office, located at 4060 Adams Ave. For more information, visit www.goodvibrationschiro.com.

“AHA” MOMENTS RECORDED IN BALBOA PARK
Mutual of Omaha’s “aha” moment tour traveled to 25 cities across America to collect more real aha moments from real people to potentially be featured in a commercial, and made its final stop in Balboa Park Nov. 7-10. Having filmed volunteers describe their aha moments in life, the Mutual of Omaha will select three finalists to participate in a three-day survey between Nov. 15 and 17. The moment receiving the most votes and views via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and text voting will be selected as the sixth commercial spot for the upcoming year.
The winner will be announced on Nov. 18. Any moment that receives more than 50,000 votes will automatically become a commercial as well and be added to the final mix. For more information, visit www.mutualofomaha.com/aha.

KATE SESSIONS CELEBRATED IN BALBOA PARK
This year Kate Sessions would be 154 years old and that calls for a party! Festivities begin at the Marston House on Nov. 12, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. to celebrating the birthday of one of San Diego’s first tree-huggers and the person most responsible for turning Balboa Park into an urban oasis. The first 50 guests will receive a free Floral Association tote bag with goodies inside. The day’s activities include an 11 a.m. program including a brief history of Sessions’ life and her efforts to plant trees in Balboa Park, a tour of the urban forest surrounding the Marston House with Fausto Palafox, a talk and walk to the Kate Sessions statue with Ranger Kim Duclo, tours of the historic Marston House and gardens, a Geranium plant sale including the ever popular “Kate Sessions” geranium, and birthday cake and lemonade. For more information, visit www.friendsofbalboapark.org.