June 2023 Downtown News Briefs

EVENTSOpportunity to rappel down Manchester Grand HyattOn Sunday, Aug. 6, 60 people will rappel 29 stories down the side of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego. Community members are invited to sign up for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Spots have officially opened to the public and space is limited.The Manchester Grand Hyatt is an icon of the San Diego skyline, situated right on the bay. Rappellers will have views of Downtown San Diego as they descend down the building. The event, called Over The Edge, is a fundraiser for Reality Changers, a local nonprofit that prepares youth to become first-generation college graduates and agents of change in their communities.Anyone who wants to rappel can sign up online. Participants must raise or donate at least $1,000 to secure their rappel spot. Sponsorships are also available. Learn more and sign up: https://give.realitychangers.org/OverTheEdge2023LGBT+ comedian Fortune Feimster to perform at Balboa TheatreComedian, writer and actor Fortune Feimster is bringing her “Live, Laugh, Love Tour” to Balboa Theatre on June 10. Fortune has a unique brand of comedy that delves into love, relationships, sexuality and shared experiences. Rooftop Cinema Club to raise funds for Lambda Legal during Pride MonthRooftop Cinema Club has announced plans to donate $1 to Lambda Legal for every ticket sold to special Pride Month screenings during the month of June at Rooftop Cinema Club Embarcadero, as well as at all of its venues across the country. Lambda Legal is the oldest and largest national legal organization working for the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV.In San Diego, a total of eight Pride Month films are scheduled for Thursdays during the month of June at Rooftop Cinema Club Embarcadero featuring a lineup of LGBTQ+ hits and films loved by the community. They include Top Gun and The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Thursday, June 1; But I’m a Cheerleader and Fight Club on Thursday, June 8; The Birdcage and Everything Everywhere All At Once on Thursday, June 15; Death Becomes Her on June 22, and Mean Girls on June 29. Tickets are available at rooftopcinemaclub.com/embarcadero. Rooftop Cinemas Club is located at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. San Diego County Fair announces discounts, promotionsThe San Diego County Fair is offering major discounts and deals on admissions, parking, public transportation, rides, and games this summer. Online tickets, parking passes, and information are all available at SDFair.com10th annual Broadway San Diego AwardsBroadway San Diego is thrilled to announce that Tirzah Villareal from Classical Academy High School and Keegan McGowan from San Dieguito High School Academy have been named the winners of the 10th annual Broadway San Diego Awards. The Best Musical award goes to Rancho Buena Vista High School for their outstanding production of Singin’ in the Rain. The celebratory event took place on May 28 at the Historic Balboa Theatre in San Diego. The evening was hosted by Marcella Lee, evening anchor for CBS News 8, and included special guests, former nominees, and winners from previous years. This year, a total of 19 high schools from San Diego participated in the awards and nominated students for the Best Actor or Best Actress categories.The Broadway San Diego Awards provides students with invaluable experience in the performing arts and promotes theater education in high schools throughout San Diego County. Winners will go on to compete in the Jimmy Awards.GOVERNMENT & SERVICESSpecial primary election slated for Aug. 15 for District 4 supervisor seatThe Board of Supervisors called an Aug. 15 special primary election for the Fourth Supervisorial District. Voters will fill a seat that became vacant when Nathan Fletcher resigned on May 15. Nearly 400,000 voters living in District 4 will receive a ballot in the mail the week of July 16 for the election. The official ballot packet will also include an “I Voted” sticker, voting instructions and other important election information.So far, City Councilwoman Monica Montgomery-Steppe, veteran leader Janessa Goldbeck and Republican small business owner Amy Reichert are campaigning hard for the open seat.Local Democratic clubs are hosting a candidate forum on Saturday, June 3 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Attend via Zoom – https://bit.ly/3MZn3bZWatch FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/3333704293558821Engagement efforts for citywide cultural planThe City of San Diego will kick off June by hosting its first public events that will help shape the development of Creative City, the City’s cultural plan, which aims to align arts and culture with key priority areas including housing, mobility and infrastructure, sustainability and regional prosperity.  Development of the cultural plan kicks off with a robust community engagement process to hear what San Diegans envision for their creative lives and to set a strategic framework for guiding the arts and cultural sectors.All San Diegans are invited to attend the first family-friendly Creative City forum at the Soap Factory, located at 2995 Commercial St., on Tuesday, June 20, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with music, activities, refreshments, art-making experiences, and information from Mayor Gloria on the cultural planning process. San Diegans can also stop by pop-up events to learn more about the Creative City cultural planning process, share insights on what they want for the future of arts and culture in their neighborhood and surrounding communities, enjoy refreshments and participate in a unique hands-on art-making experience. Pop-up events will be held at four locations on two dates in June:Wednesday, June 21, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Light Box Theater, 2590 Truxton Road, #205.Ocean Air Recreation Center, 4770 Fairport Way. Thursday, June 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. City Heights Performance Annex, 3795 Fairmount Ave. Mission Trails Visitor Center, 1 Father Junipero Serra Trail. Additional cultural planning events will take place in July.County’s Little Free Libraries win Outstanding Achievement AwardSan Diego County Library was among this year’s winners of the Little Free Library nonprofit organization Todd H. Bol Awards for Outstanding Achievement. The award announcement came during the celebration of Little Free Library Week, which ran from May 14-20. Little libraries are mailbox-like structures put up in communities to create neighborhood book exchanges where people can freely borrow or leave books for others to read. They can be found all around San Diego County.Navy veteran appointed to San Diego Housing Commission board; Melinda Vásquez reappointedThe San Diego City Council confirmed Mayor Todd Gloria’s appointment of Antoine “Tony” Jackson, a U.S. Navy veteran who works in business development, to the San Diego Housing Commission Board of Commissioners, and reappointed attorney Melinda K. Vásquez to her second term. Jackson works as a business development and inside sales manager for a company that provides realistic training exercises for military, law enforcement and first responders. His professional experience also includes service as vice president of sales and business development of a medical software company and business development manager for a technical solutions company.Vásquez has been an attorney since 2015. She practices in real estate, labor and family law. Her volunteer experience includes serving on the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for San Diego County and as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care system with nonprofit organization Voices for Children.County approves plan to offer Alternatives to IncarcerationPeople accused of low-level, non-violent crimes will be redirected away from jails under a plan approved by the county Board of Supervisors. The Alternatives to Incarceration plan addresses those with mental health issues, substance use disorder, and homelessness by working to meet the needs of at-risk individuals with services instead of sending them to jail.County supervisors approve Workplace Justice FundLocal victims of wage theft can turn to a County Workplace Justice Fund for help while trying to regain their lost wages. The Board of Supervisors approved the introduction of an ordinance Tuesday which would put $100,000 into the new fund. The board will meet on Tuesday, June 13, to consider and adopt the ordinance which will then formally establish the Workplace Justice Fund.Payments of $3,000 or $4,000 would help wage theft victims get by while waiting for their claims to make their way through the legal system or waiting for employers to pay the wage theft judgments against them.Locally, nearly 1,000 workers in the past six years have suffered from unpaid wages or wage theft judgments that were not paid out. Lost wages amount to nearly $13 million dollars.Fifth Ave. to stay slow street part of the dayMayor Todd Gloria, Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, and Downtown business leaders have unveiled a new Slow Street on Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter of Downtown. City of San Diego Transportation Department crews completed construction of the infrastructure necessary to place bollards at intersections along Fifth Avenue to block vehicle traffic and create small pedestrian-centered plazas. The bollards will replace temporary gates that were previously being used.Under the plans, each block of Fifth Avenue, from Broadway on the north to K Street on the south, will be closed daily to vehicle traffic, creating safe and walkable promenades. The closures would take place between 12 p.m. and 2 a.m. and not impact cross-street traffic on east and west streets connecting to Fifth Avenue.  Outside permitted hours, the street will be open to vehicle traffic to allow for services, trash and recycling collection, and deliveries.  The steel bollards will be removed daily by the Gaslamp Quarter Association and stored nearby when the street is open to vehicles.  Gaslamp Quarter archway retrofit completeThe iconic Gaslamp Quarter Archway, a symbol of the vibrant Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, is currently undergoing an extensive retrofit to preserve its historical significance and enhance its visual appeal. Originally conceived in 1986 and dedicated to the public in 1991, the archway has warmly welcomed visitors to the Gaslamp Quarter for over three decades. Designed in 1988 by the esteemed architects Harmon Nelson and David Ford of David Robinson Design, Inc., the Gaslamp Quarter Archway stands as an architectural masterpiece. It was meticulously built and installed in 1990 by Roy Flahive, President, and Cheryl Flahive, Vice President of Pacific Sign Construction Inc. Weighing an impressive 6 tons, this archway has become an internationally recognized symbol of the Gaslamp Quarter, representing its rich history and unique character.The current refurbishment work was expertly carried out again by Patrick Flahive at REPROHAUS SIGNS, industry leader in sign fabrication and restoration. Notably, Patrick Flahive is the son of the original builder, Roy Flahive. With the valuable consultation from Roy Flahive himself, the archway’s historical integrity is being carefully preserved during this refurbishment project.Patrick Flahive, Vice President at REPROHAUS, expressed the need for this retrofit, stating, “It has been 12 years since the last time we focused on the archway, and it started to show significant wear. Neon tends to fail after a period of time, so moving to LED lighting will make outages a thing of the past.” The archway will receive a fresh paint job, and all lighting elements will be fully functional, ensuring a captivating and vibrant display.Beyond its visual enhancements, the Gaslamp Quarter Archway retrofit embraces a green initiative by transitioning from neon to LED lighting. This transition offers greater energy efficiency and stability. By converting from 15,000 volts transformers to 12 volts power supplies, power consumption is significantly reduced, and the risk of short circuits due to environmental factors is eliminated. As a result, the archway will shine brighter, providing an even more welcoming entrance to the Gaslamp Quarter.Port partners with KIGT Inc. to complete installation of EV charging stationsThe Port of San Diego has partnered with KIGT Inc., a minority-owned, manufacturer and services provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, to install 10 public EV charging stations in the San Diego Convention Center parking garage. The recent addition of the EV charging stations brings the total amount of stations along the San Diego Bay waterfront to 62, of which 36 are public and 26 are Port staff parking stalls. The charging stations include a data sharing platform that will allow Port staff to monitor equipment usage. Airport expects busiest summer since 2019San Diego International Airport (SAN) is expecting to see more passengers this summer than at any time since the beginning of the pandemic. With new Terminal 1 construction in full swing, SAN encourages passengers and those picking up/dropping to plan ahead.Passengers can expect congestion in front of the existing Terminal 1 and on the roadways approaching the airport. Also, with construction underway on our new Terminal 1 parking structure (scheduled to open in late-2024), on-airport parking is extremely limited. Parking is currently available at our Terminal 2 Parking Plaza. Beginning in June, expect additional construction impacts on the roadways along and approaching the airport.BUSINESSAffordable housing project at Kettner Crossing breaks groundR.D. Olson Construction announced that construction is underway on Kettner Crossing. The 64-unit senior housing complex is expected to reach completion by early 2025 and will serve low-income seniors who earn 30-60% of Area Median Income (AMI).  Located at 1590 Kettner Boulevard in the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego, the 73,400-square-foot project will be an eight-story urban infill project on a previously undeveloped lot. The ground-up construction plans call for three levels of Type III-A wood framing over five levels of Type I concrete, which will include one subterranean level providing seven parking stalls. The property is a transit-oriented development, with close access to bus routes and the iconic San Diego Trolley. Residents will have the option of floor plan, with six studio-sized, 55 1-bedroom, or three 2-bedroom apartments being offered.The ground floor of the new construction will offer approximately 2,200 square feet of commercial office space for lease, while the rooftop will give residents views of North San Diego Bay. The pet-friendly building will also have an open-air turf space on the roof. Other amenities include a communal room and library. 37-story mixed-use development reaches topping out phase in Downtown San DiegoHolland Partner Group, North America Sekisui House and Lowe have reached the topping out phase in the development of West, a $400 million, 37-story mixed-use project located at 1011 Union Street in Downtown San Diego. As the first multi-mixed-use tower in the city, the project will feature 280,000 square feet of office space, 19,000 square feet of retail space and 431 luxury apartments. The first floor offers indoor/outdoor dining along Broadway for tenants to enjoy; a modern lounge, meeting room and a variety of gathering areas; specialty ground floor restaurants and retail shops; direct access to building parking; and, tenant community engagement programs by on-site property manager Hospitality at Work.Leading the office leasing efforts are JLL’s Tony Russell and Richard Gonor.Palihotel San Diego opens on Sixth AvenueThe lobby at the new Palihotel San DiegoAvi Brosh’s Palisociety has opened the Palihotel San Diego at the site of the former St. James Hotel on Sixth Avenue in downtown San Diego. The Sixth Avenue property originally opened as the St. James Hotel and is easily recognized for its iconic rooftop sign featuring the Hotel St. James moniker. It has been transformed into a Palisociety signature, featuring a new restaurant, Saint James French Diner, private event space and a guest-exclusive roof deck featuring city and harbor wide views. Its historical provenance as the city’s tallest building at its inception comes to life across 11 stories with 122 guest rooms, many with city skyline and harbor views.Eleven stories above the city sidewalks, Palihotel San Diego’s rooftop deck features skyline views from every angle coupled with al fresco lounge seating and a daily social hour for hotel guests. Sempra ranked No. 1 employer for diversity among U.S. utilitiesSempra has been named the top-ranked utility company in the U.S. for diversity, beating out its peers to earn the No. 1 spot on DiversityInc’s Top Utilities list for 2023. Recognized as an industry leader for its commitment to cultivating an inclusive and high-performance culture and for its dedication to advancing programs that support historically underrepresented communities, Sempra also earned spots on DiversityInc’s Top Regional Employers and Top Companies for Philanthropy lists.Holiday Bowl seeks title sponsorSan Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU) is opting out as title sponsor of the 2023 Holiday Bowl after a six-year run, leaving an opening for a new title sponsor to come forward. Sports San Diego put out the official announcement earlier this week.Before assuming entitlement of the Holiday Bowl in 2017, SDCCU was the title sponsor of the Poinsettia Bowl from 2005 through 2016 and has supported the nonprofit bowl association each year since 1994. San Diego’s Holiday Bowl first kicked off in 1978.  The game is widely known for its high-scoring contests, down-to-the-wire finishes, big crowds and large television audiences. Of the 43 bowl games last year, the Holiday Bowl was the 10th most watched game.  Of the 37 non-College Football Playoff bowl games, it was the fourth most watched.

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Food and Drink Blotter June 2023

Basem Harb and Cyndi Smith of Fierce & Kind (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)Distilling with a purpose Entrepreneur Basem Harb is on a roll with his recently launched spirits business, Fierce & Kind. In January, the South Park resident introduced to the market two products: A smooth bourbon made with sustainably sourced grains; and a 100% corn vodka that is distilled six times and won the gold medal in the 2023 TAG Las Vegas Global Spirits Competition. The vodka also earned double platinum at the prestigious Fred Minnick ASCOT Awards. And not long ago, Harb unveiled a cask-strength whiskey (112.6 proof) that fetched gold honors at the ASCOT Awards. Fierce & Kind’s momentum has attracted a growing number of major retail accounts, thanks in part to the marketing efforts by his domestic-business partner, Cyndi Smith, and the company’s strong commitment to social-justice issues. The couple donates 25% of profits through its equity foundation to Palestine Legal and the City Heights organization, Nile Sisters Development Initiative. Their goal is to keep adding beneficiaries that are linked to other humanitarian causes such as women’s and LGBTQ rights. “We hope to be the Ben & Jerry’s of the spirits world,” said Harb, a self-educated distiller who began mapping out the groundwork for Fierce & Kind during the George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020. As a Palestinian immigrant, he experienced firsthand verbal and physical abuse directed at him and his family while growing up in the Bay Area. Fierce & Kind spirits have been picked up by Southern California locations of Total Wine, San Diego County locations of BevMo, plus many independent retail outlets and restaurants that include Golden Hill Liquor, RoVino Restaurant + Bar in Little Italy, Mister A’s in Bankers Hill, the University Club Atop Symphony Tower, The Bottle House in South Park, and more. The products can also be purchased from Fierce & Kind’s website. For more information, visit fiercenkind.com.The best bowls are made of cheeseMeals lightly coated with cheese (Courtesy photo)Those hefty 70-pound wheels of cheese you sometimes see in restaurants that use them for tossing hot pasta tableside are now available on a smaller scale at Venissimo Cheese in Mission Hills. Owner and cheese monger Gina Freize tested out eight-pound wheels of Pecorino Toscano for home use, and found them to be the perfect size for mixing one to two servings at a time of pasta or veggies. She now sells them for $90 apiece. The cheese wheels can be reused multiple times by scraping the “bowl” clean after each session, and then covering the interior surface with plastic wrap. 754 W. Washington St., 619-491-0708, venissimo.com.Coffee and dessert in the East Village A modern, Middle Eastern-inspired dessert bar and coffee shop named Hinar has opened in downtown’s East Village to the tune of fluffy layer cakes, airy croissants, orange blossom lattes and more. The cafe is earning enthusiastic shout outs on TikTok for its minimalist aesthetics, intricately crafted desserts and tucked-away location. Hinar is still without a website, although it has begun making a presence on Instagram under Hinar.Cafe since opening a couple weeks ago. Hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. 454 13th St.Jeni’s ice cream (Courtesy photo)Screaming for ice cream North Park will see a June 5 arrival of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, where flavors such as banana bread, whiskey-pecan, brown butter almond brittle, and brambleberry crisp rule the day. Lots of free scoops will be handed out that evening, from 7 to 11 p.m. to celebrate the anticipated opening. The Ohio-based company, founded 20 years ago by Jeni Britton, currently operates more than 65 scoop shops nationwide. It is known for its ultra-smooth ice creams made with milk from small, independent dairy farms. The brand is no stranger to San Diego, as it has been available for some time by the pint at Whole Foods, Baron’s Market, Target and select Ralph’s locations. 2871 University Ave., jenis.com. Rooftop lolling in the Gaslamp QuarterDowntown’s newest rooftop lounge (Techo Beso) The recently opened AC Hotel Gaslamp has made way for a new rooftop bar and lounge on the eighth floor named Techo Beso. The fabrics and décor are inspired by some of the beach resorts in Tulum, Mexico. A main bar, live DJs, and a pool and deck set the stage for such creature comforts as brisket tacos, shrimp ceviche, churro donut bites and Yucatan-style cocktails, which include the mezcal-based Maya Blue with blood orange syrup. The venue opens starting at 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursday, and at noon Fridays through Sundays. 743 Fifth Ave.,619-544-1800, techobeso.com.

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Honorary mother of Downtown celebrates 60 years of marriage

Gordon and Joyce Summer are celebrating their 60th anniversary on May 11 – another major accomplishment for the couple who are a cornerstone of the Downtown community.Originally from New Jersey, halfway through their marriage, the pair moved to Downtown San Diego in 1993. The Summers had always wanted to live in a city but not one as crowded as the big apple. San Diego became the perfect opportunity to switch from suburban to urban while they swapped coasts.Thirty years later, the Summers still live in Downtown, where they have seen it undergo massive redevelopment and become a more lived-in city. Gordon remembers walking between two buildings in the ‘90s on Broadway for a meeting around 5 p.m. on a visit before their move.Gordon Summer loves classic cars and makes Photoshop art with them in front of local landmarks.“I was walking… and looked up at these beautiful buildings. I said, ‘Gee it looks like a city.’ And then I noticed on the sidewalk: no people. What is this? Didn’t make sense at all,” he recalled.He later learned everyone commuted to the suburbs at the time. There was no nightlife at all in Downtown, the couple said. Still, Joyce quickly made friends and became involved in the politics and development of the neighborhood. She organized for Downtown to have its own planning group and chaired many committees. Today, she works with the Downtown Partnership to help HOAs and building managers know what services the Partnership offers. Her long contact list helps people facing an issue get connected to someone who can help.“I get involved in everything and I’m very good at networking. Well, I don’t call it networking. I call it bringing people together for good,” said Joyce. “I love introducing people to other people where they can help each other.”So key has she been in organizing Downtown neighbors that in Sept. 2004 the City of San Diego made a Joyce Summer Day. At the time, she told council members “the city of San Diego is like my third child.” In 2020, a portion of Tweet Street Park on 10th Avenue was named after her for her efforts in fixing it up.Joyce’s local rise to prominence belies some of the dynamics of their first decades of their marriage. The pair met at a Sweet 16 party when Joyce was dazzled by an 18-year-old Gordon. Joyce was dating another boy at the time but did not let that stop her.Gordon and Joyce on their wedding day. (Photo courtesy Summers family)“I dumped him that night. I remember standing in front of the garage… [Gordon and I] were chatting and that was it,” Joyce said. Gordon assumed she was 16 like her friend, something Joyce let him believe for a while. “I’ve known [Gordon] since I was 14 going on 15.”Her brother Alan Massarky said the family story goes that when Joyce returned from their first date, she told their mother “Isn’t he dreamy?” While they broke up a few times in the ensuing years and saw other people, they eloped when Joyce was 17 and Gordon was 21 in 1963.The most challenging years of their relationship pre-date their marriage. When Gordon spent six months with the National Guard, his friends saw this as their opportunity to court the enigmatic Joyce. One even proposed and on Gordon and Joyce’s wedding day begged Joyce’s mother to stop the ceremony. Despite this intervention, he remains a good friend of the magnanimous couple.Since marrying, the couple said the love has always been there. Their most recent challenges have arisen form Gordon’s health crises and Joyce being placed in the lonely role of caregiver.Gordon and Joyce laugh and smile while leaning in for a kiss. (Photos by Drew Sitton)“She’s had a tough time with me,” Gordon said.“I kinda dote on him. I treat him like a child,” Joyce admitted.“My mother also told her that I was high maintenance,” Gordon said amid laughter. When the pair finished teasing each other, Joyce added, “We still love each other very much.”The relationship itself has never been in question.“They have never wavered from their love for each other or for Glenn and I and the rest of the family or friends,” said their son Todd Summer, who works in San Diego as an associate vice president at SDSU.The relationship has undergone change though, through new jobs, cities and raising kids. Joyce dropped out of college when they married. At different companies, she would become a top sales person in the region or nation only to move when Gordon’s advertising job took them someplace else.Todd and Glenn, the pair’s sons, noted that their mother’s work helped them view women as strong and taught them everyone has the same opportunity and can achieve whatever they want to achieve.Eventually, Gordon grew eager to leave New York and jumped at a job offer from a new friend that would bring them to San Diego.“I said to Joyce, ‘We’re going to San Diego.’ She said, ‘Well what’s the salary?’ ‘I don’t know. I didn’t ask him.’ She said, ‘What’s the title?’ I said, ‘I don’t know; I’m gonna help him run his company,’” Gordon recalled. “We were that ready to go out here.”“Well he was,” Joyce tempered his statement.Despite not being consulted ahead of the decision to move cross country, Joyce quickly became involved in the Meridian building where they lived in the Marina District while she did not have a job. She also made fast friends with the people of Downtown and was unable to walk a block without someone greeting her. Since then, she has taken on countless projects benefitting the region and is known for being organized and bringing people together.Nestled in their Cortez Hill apartment inside the Discovery building, Gordon explained, “In New York I had a career and I was ‘somebody’ right? When we came here, I am now Mr. Joyce and I’ve been Mr. Joyce ever since we moved to town here because she’s been very active and I have not.”Gordon prefers it that way. Despite downplaying his role, his creativity and experience in marketing has been key to the development of Downtown. He picked out the color schemes of the Downtown neighborhoods reflected on signs and the two of them put on the Sand Castle championship on the pier for several years prior to the pandemic.Todd noted that in recent years his parents transitioned from just being partners at home with family to sharing their work and volunteering.“Anything I do, he helps me. Anything he does, I help him. We’re together 24/7,” Joyce said.Gordon has edited reports, speeches and lent his artistic talent to her efforts.“She really enjoys what she does,” he said. “She enjoys doing community work and I enjoy watching her enjoy.”The Executive Director of the San Diego Downtown Partnership, Betsy Brennan, first met Joyce when Brennan was a new staffer for Council District 1. Joyce took to the time to meet all the young city staff.Many years later, one of Brennan’s favorite memories was the party Joyce threw for her when she got a job at the Partnership. Brennan, a single mother, had just moved to San Diego and her children had yet to join her. Joyce, a talented cook, made meatballs— a homemade meal that nourished Brennan deeply. At the party, Brennan met the couple’s neighbors and friends, not just business owners.“A lot of people know about things like the sand castles and a lot of the marketing ideas, but also just all the hours. Hours and hours and hours. Thousands of hours they put in,” said Brennan. “The amount of work they do behind the scenes is just immense— and this is over 30 years.”Joyce and Gordon kiss in 2018 in front of the San Sculpting tournament the two organized for several years. (Photo courtesy Summers family)Joyce refuses to ask people for money while opening her home for political events. Instead, whenever someone new is elected in Downtown or takes on a key role, she hosts ‘friendraising’ events, ensuring they meet all the key players they will be working with in a social setting as well as meeting some of the regular residents of the area.Brennan said that while waiting for her children in the early months at the Partnership, Joyce and Gordon acted as her pseudo family. Today, she still depends on Joyce to alert her if there are rumors or changes in the city concerning the residents.Joyce does not walk as far daily, but she still receives calls and texts asking for her assistance. A few months ago, Joyce learned that flooding had broken the elevators at a 29-story building and they had not been fixed for days. An elderly friend contacted her because she was running out of food and had no way to walk down the stairs. Joyce contacted city council members and mayoral staff to no avail. Eventually Joyce went to the Partnership and Brennan was able to convince the city to intervene with the threat of Joyce going to the media if something was not done. The fire department then rescued the elderly and disabled residents trapped on the upper floors. “I couldn’t understand why nobody wanted to help these people. It was terrible,” Joyce said. “When I said Downtown is like my third child I meant that. I really care about the people.” Even while recounting the episode that demonstrated the limits of a politics based on personal relationships, Joyce was careful not to be too critical of the councilman and mayor that weeks later sought her support for the new homeless encampment ban (Joyce wrote a letter saying she was in favor of it, as long as the homeless people affected had a new home to go to).Joyce Summer, the daughter of restaurant owners, is a renowned cook who loves hosting people and cooking for them.Gordon is more blunt about his evaluations of politicians, claiming that he is too old to care about hurting anybody’s feelings. The few arguments the couple has are over politics, with Gordon being more fiscally conservative than his wife, but still, they never go to bed angry as the old advice goes. Both of them crack enough jokes for heavier discussions to end in laughter. Glenn Summer admires their mutual optimism and good humor. He is thankful for the example they set in a rock-solid marriage which helped him pick a partner he could evolve with over the years. With his wife Bonnie, he has two daughters in Calabasas that are prized by their grandparents. One of his favorite recent memories with the family is when he and his parents joined Todd at a conference in Dallas when he was being given an industry honor. The family did not know anyone in the room but wanted to help Todd amid his advancement.“My parents are social beasts,” exclaimed Glenn. During a dinner, Joyce and Gordon worked the entire room, managing to meet everyone and talk up their son Todd. Glenn soon joined in and realized being social was not just who his parents are, but how they were spending their energy to make the event more memorable and special for Todd. “They’re just easygoing, very honest and people react to that. They will meet somebody at a function and that person will become lifetime friends. It’s just incredible,” Todd said.Many of those friends are now based in Downtown.“San Diego’s fun. We’ve been having a lot of fun here,” Gordon said. “I’m happy being Mr. Joyce.”For Joyce’s part, she often looks up at her husband with a smile, scolding him for ribald comments and checking to make sure he has enough coffee. As integral as she has become to the San Diego community, the care she shares with the world starts at home.“Gordon’s a very kind person,” Joyce said. “He doesn’t get up in the morning unless we kiss each other. We kiss each other at night.”May 11 marks 60 years they have loved and supported each other.

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