Sunset Market crew learns about safety and cleans up the downtown

The Sunset Market managers conducted a safety training for the Sunset Market crew this morning. Kim Heim covered topics such as radio etiquette, traffic and pedestrian control, and personal and guest safety; Kathy Hamman covered time sheets, breaks and lunch periods; and Cathy Nykiel talked about proper lifting procedures and hand truck use, defensive driving, waste spills and our responsibility to the City. We were lucky to have Ron Owens from the Oceanside Fire Department who demonstrated proper fire extinguisher procedures.

After a catered lunch from Bessie's 1929 Cafe, the crew fanned out around the downtown and performed a downtown cleanup under the supervision of Sunset Market Crew Chief Dale Snider.

 

Bessie's 1929 Diner: Everything old is new again

Hungry?

Really hungry?

Really, really hungry?

The newly remodeled Bessie’s 1929 Cafe, under new ownership in downtown Oceanside, features a “Monster Torta Burger” consisting of a pound and a half of Angus beef, ham, guacamole, Habanero cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa fresca, rice and beans.

Eat it in 20 minutes, and it’s free – plus the successful consumer gets a free T-shirt.

“One man tried,” Mary Lou Goodson, the new proprietor, said, but. he didn’t succeed.   “He took it home,” she said.

Goodson and her family bought the business in February.

“It’s all new except for the name,” Goodson said.  She said she decided to keep the name Bessie’s even though the décor and cuisine bear little resemblance to the previous Bessie’s, an older cafe specializing in Mexican food.

Its owners have retired, Goodson said.

In fact, the Mexican restaurant wasn’t the original Bessie’s, either, but it had stuck with the name as well.

The name, Goodson has learned through news clippings, belonged to Bessie Walton. Walton doesn’t go back to the 1929 in the new moniker, but the clippings say she opened her cafe in 1941 where once had been a malt shop. 

She served burgers for $1 and also specialized in cabbage rolls, meat loaf, stuffed peppers and chicken pie with German chocolate cake for dessert. Goodson said Walton’s family has offered her some of the old recipes. She said she hasn’t accepted them yet but would like to do so.

She can find nothing about the history of the malt shop there before Bessie’s.

The 1929 in the new name refers to the construction date of the building itself at 232 S. Coast Highway.

Recently, Chamber of Commerce leaders David Nydegger and Jerry Salyer tried the new Bessie’s. Nydegger said he had last come to the place in 1960 because his dad loved the fried chicken and salads.

Goodson has added terra-cotta-color awnings to announce Bessie’s 1929 Cafe. She said they “sharpen it up” and help to identify the business, still a bit tucked into a busy block.

The interior décor and the background music reflect that 1920’s era as well.

In deference to past customers, there still are some Mexican items on the menu, and an interesting melding of Mexican and American in other dishes.

For instance, the Monster Torta Burger gets its name from the type of roll (called telera) used in Mexican torta sandwiches.  It’s an American hamburger on a Mexican bun, the invention of Chef Joe Bacey.

And the “Spanish burger” combines a Mexican chile relleno (egg-battered mild chile stuffed with cheese) with more traditional hamburger fixings.

Bessie’s is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast and lunch.

It offers a “huge” breakfast for $4.99, Goodson said, and lunch specials for $5.95.  That monster torta burger costs $18.95.

Goodson has not owned a restaurant before.

She retired from the hotel/motel business, but said “we were kind-of bored.” “Yes, we’re over retirement age,” she said, but she and her husband, Bill, started the new business because “we love people.”

A grand-opening celebration with free refreshments is planned for noon on Friday, May 4 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:00 P.M.

Story by Lola Sherman. Photos by Lu DeLucy.

Here's what happened at the MainStreet Morning Meeting on May 1st

by Lola Sherman

Oceanside Jewelers wants other downtown businesses to help it get a pawnbroker's license.

Chad Elliott, who said he has owned the jewelry store for just over 4 years, made his pitch Tuesday at the May monthly meeting of MainStreet Oceanside.

Elliott told about two dozen residents, merchants and civic officials at the morning meeting that his store, which has been in the same location for over 20 years, may be forced out of business by a new store, Coast Jewelry and More, due to open across the street (the 200 block of Coast Highway).

That store, he said, does have a "collateral lender" license. That's the new politically correct word for pawnbroker, he explained after the hour-long meeting.

"We're only looking to level the playing field," Elliott said.

He asked other merchants to let it be known that they "would like to see this business (his) survive in this area." Elliott urged them to write letters to the City Council in support of a fellow business.

"I have put a lot of time, money and love," he said, into making his small (736 square feet) jewelry shop lighter and brighter.

Answering questions from the audience, Elliott said he would not handle electronics and would lend money only on the things he buys and sells now - primarily jewelry.

A member of the audience noted that studies have shown that crime goes up when people have no opportunity to pawn items because it's one of the few legal ways to get money right away in a pinch. Elliott said that he's cooperated with police to return stolen items when he's suspicious of a seller.

The meeting started with a 10-minute promotional film from 2002.

Rick Wright, MainStreet executive director, said he made the DVD at that time to impress a visiting group from the San Diego Concierge Association.

It showed Oceanside attractions from the Museum of Art to children on the beach, from St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church to Roberts Cottages on The Strand. It included stores and restaurants from the ever-popular Johnny Mañana's to the defunct Coronet Newsand from the Dairy Queen to the Farmers' Market.

"So many of the people are still here," Wright said, but it made him sad to note that some had passed away.

"We've come a long way in 10 years," he said. "We really have."

  

Later in the meeting, Wright noted that the film had included a segment from a promotion called Taste of Oceanside, and he recalled how happy everyone had been when that event brought 2,000 people downtown.

Now, he said, the Sunset Market attracts 5,000-6,000 every Thursday night.

Leslee Gaul, chief executive officer of Visit Oceanside, said beach soccer tournaments, with international contestants, would be under way this weekend.

And she told of plans for a beach cleanup starting at 8:30 a.m. May 9 at Harbor Beach and for a Tourism Summit at 8:30 a.m. May 15 at the Courtyard by Marriott. 3501 Seagate Way.

Gaul distributed two-week event calendars good for posting in store windows and said discount cards, which can be scanned, have replaced "goody bags" for visitors.

Scott Ashton from the Chamber of Commerce distributed a brochure listing advertising opportunities for a magazine to be distributed in conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the City of Oceanside in 2013. It showed a proposed front page, and Wright said MainStreet already has bought the back page.

Wright showed, posted on the wall, sample ads like the ones being sold for MainStreet's four downtown information kiosks: in front of the Wyndham time share, at the Pier View Way undercrossing, at Cleveland Street and Seagaze Drive and in the transit center.

He said he is working on the second issue of a print newsletter, and this one will have 12 pages and go to one more downtown postal carrier route so it will be received by 2,000 residents and businesses within a half-mile of MainStreet headquarters.

Cathy Nykiel from the MainStreet staff said more money is needed to stage the annual Independence Day parade, this year on June 30. Nykiel said it needs $10,000-$15,000. Office manager Kathy Hamman said $9,000 has been collected so far.  

Cathy also mentioned that The Veterans Association of North County will be holding the Memorial Day Service at 10 am on May 28th followed by refreshments. The Oceanside Elks Lodge 1561 will be holding their annual Memorial Day Lunch from noon to 5 serving  steak and fixings.     

Kim Heim, director of special projects, said "the beach services program is beginning to ramp up" with everything from desserts to hot foods to water-sports equipment rentals.

City Councilman Jerry Kern said a nice restaurant, the Tin Fish, will be going into the old McDonald's site under the pier entry and the Petite Madeline bakery will consolidate its restaurant in the San Luis Rey Valley with its downtown location.

The next monthly morning meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. June 5 at MainStreet offices, 701 Mission Ave.

Cherries and caramel sauce new to the Farmers Market

Smit Orchards has a fresh crop of cherries from their San Joaquin Valley orchards. Matthew says that they are the Brooks variety which is a cross between a bing cherry (tart) and a Rainer cherry (very sweet) which makes a perfect combination of tart and sweet.

Matthew also has fresh pesticide-free apricots.

New to the Farmers Market today is Praline Patisserie. They are selling delicious caramel sauces in four varieties: Vanilla Bean, Fleur de Sel, Lavender and Smoked Applewood. Justin tells me that the cooking process used for the sauces pasteurizes them and allows them to be stored up to nine months at room temperature after opening.

From their website: 

Our caramel sauces embody everything a great dessert sauce should. It’s perfectly balanced with its respective flavor and is made in small batches by an artisan pastry chef. We use nothing but the best all natural ingredients available. Real vanilla beans, organic lavender, real butter, pure cane sugar, and actual cream. We take great pride in the fact that we do not cut any corners by adding artificial color, flavor, preservatives, corn syrup, or anything synthetic.

Our heart and soul is in every jar and we hope you enjoy eating it as much as we did making it.

Reconditioned kiosk installed near Wyndham Resort

The downtown information kiosk that has been missing from the corner of Pacific Street and Pier View Way was reinstalled this morning. After being exposed to several years of salty sea air, the kiosk had to be disassembled and reconditioned. Most of the work was done by the MainStreet Oceanside crew, who painstakingly sanded all of the individual components down to bare metal. The parts were then transported to San Diego where they received a new weather-resistant powder coating. The kiosk was then totally rewired and reassembled by Dale in the MainStreet warehouse. Today Dave Kiss from North County Printers/Bryant and Dwyer Signs helped Dale and Kim Heim lower the kiosk back into its home overlooking the Oceanside Pier.

The pier kiosk is one of four kiosks in the downtown area managed by MainStreet Oceanside. The other kiosks are located at the North County Transit District Transit Center; at the east entrance to the Pier View Way pedestrian undercrossing; and in front of the parking structure at Seagaze Avenue and Cleveland Street.