THE POPPY PAPER BOOT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Californios de San Diego Fandango March 31, 2012

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Photo courtesy of Kate Clark THE POPPY PAPER Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization May 2012 by Shirlee Rodriguez A fandango

The 19 th Century ranchos surrounding San Diego often hosted fandango celebrations that included music, dancing, local entertainers, food and friendly interaction.

1 Photo courtesy of Kate Clark THE POPPY PAPER Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization May 2012 by Shirlee Rodriguez A fandango is a festive social gathering, popular in Spanish communities throughout the world. The 19 th Century ranchos surrounding San Diego often hosted fandango celebrations that included music, dancing, local entertainers, food and friendly interaction. Those who attended the Californios de San Diego Fandango at Alfred Viruegas corral area at Martin s Ranch on Saturday, March 31 st experienced a full historic fandango. It was truly a day to remember! We arrived at the ranch on Dairy Mart Road, located at the base of beautiful green hills near the Mexican border, on a breezy, partially cloudy day. The gathering place for approximately 40 Old Town volunteers and guests was located near the horse corrals, occupied by real, live horses. Bales of hay were available to sit on, with the aroma of authentic Mexican food escaping from the nearby covered food area. Most attendees were dressed in festive period attire, as they listened to the pleasant sounds of music, while interacting with old friends and meeting new people. Los Bailadores dance group, under the direction of Lucy Thorpe, danced to music from the Californio era, including tunes played by Los Californios musician group lead by David Swarens. Rick Diaz sang and played the guitar, with some funny stories added for the delight of the audience, and Chris Clark entertained with his pleasant guitar melodies. The Los Bailadores dancers included Gary and Deanna Turton, Barbara Reilly, Rodney Henderson, and Wayne Ellsworth. Guests joined in and learned some lively historic dances. Continued on page 2 Californios de San Diego Fandango March 31, 2012 BOOT BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Jeanne Ferrell (619) Vice President: Gary Turton (619) Secretary: Zulema Franco Treasurer: Deanna Turton (619) BOOT Store: Mary Jones Membership: Shirlee Rodriguez Historian: Bob Wohl Restoration Spec: Chuck Ferrell Web Master: Bob Jones Board Members: Mary Ellen Young Tom Young Cindy Furlong Chuck Ross Poppy Paper Editor: Ruth French (858) poppypapereditor@gmail.com BOOT Website: Park Website: pg. 1

A Fantastic Historic Fandango (continued from page 1) Colorful Papel Picado decorations adorned the area, thanks to Nancy Kelleher and Chris Clark.

2 A Fantastic Historic Fandango (continued from page 1) Colorful Papel Picado decorations adorned the area, thanks to Nancy Kelleher and Chris Clark. Three tables filled with authentic Mexican food included carne asada, fresh tortillas, beans, rice, chicken con mole, pozole, fresh salsa, salads, fruit, flan, cakes, cookies, and a variety of drinks to wash it all down. Samuel Kelly and Joe Vasquez stood over the hot grill preparing the carne asada, and Maria Cosio (Alfred s sister) did a wonderful job of organizing, cooking, and serving the hot dishes. Jim Martin, the owner of the ranch, stopped by to express how happy he was to see everyone having such a good time, and to invite us back again. Marcy Lopez from the Mormon Battalion joined us for the day and plans to become an Old Town volunteer. Kate Clark, a new volunteer, was especially impressed with the friendly atmosphere provided by the Old Town Californio group. Joining us with memories of their ancestors were Old Town Descendants Elena Orozco, Corey Braun, and Victor Croswaite Contreras. Very special thanks go to Alfred Viruegas (pictured left) and his wife, Debbie, for being the gracious hosts of this wonderful Fandango. Thanks also to Joe Vasquez (pictured above) for organizing the invitations, and for always dreaming big. Of course nothing of this magnitude happens without the helping hands of many people. Since I was only able to mention some of the major players, here s an all inclusive Thank You to all who helped out and joined us on that very special day. Old Town Native Plant Garden Work Party Saturday April 14, 1-3pm Is the grass always greener? Some think the grass is always greener, but we weeders know that grass makes seeds, and then turns tan, and the seeds blow everywhere. Thanks to recent cool weather and rains, the weedy grasses in Old Town are still green, and so they have not yet spread much seed. It is a perfect time to pull as much weedy grass as possible to prevent more seeds from spreading. The Garden illustrates the landscape that was by the San Diego River when Europeans arrived and established San Diego at the site of a Native American village called Kosoy. Trees, shrubs, grasses, and other plants that were useful for making tools, shelter, weapons, clothing, ornaments, toys, food, medicine, or that were forage for the animals that were part of the diet of the original Native American peoples, are being added every year. Bring your garden gloves and planting tools, or share the tools and gloves that the organizers will provide. Bring water if you would rather not use the drinking fountain. Restrooms are on site. Rain cancels the work party. For more information, contact Kay Stewart Work Party Co-coordinator , kaytaff@sbcglobal.net pg. 2

3 President s Notes by Jeanne Ferrell May is a busy time in the Park. Cinco de Mayo is May 4, 5, and 6 th. There are the normal things, like live entertainment, children s area with a petting zoo and carnival for kids. Please don t miss the performance of Misa Azteca on the evening of the 4 th of May. It will be on the Plaza Stage in front of the Robinson Rose. This is a free event brought to you by The Historical Old Town Community Foundation and Fiesta de Reyes. Google Misa Azteca to read about this incredible musical performance. May is also the CALPA Conference, hosted by BOOT on May The theme of the Conference is Uncharted Waters: Exploring the New Parks World for a Sustainable Future. There will be training sessions to attend, receptions, a banquet at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, tours of the San Diego area, tours of the State Park, a dinner reception at Torrey Pines with Ruth Coleman, Director of California State Parks, a bus trip to Crystal Cove, and so much more!!! We need volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Conference, please call: Jeanne (619) or cell (619) Ladies Day Garden Tea Party This year we are planning a lovely Garden Tea Party for Ladies Day in the Casa de Estudillo garden, and we need your help! We are looking for cookies, scones, and other period-appropriate items like macaroons, meringues, and shortbreads. We need some worker bees to make finger sandwiches on June 1 st at the Old Town Cold Stone Creamery store kitchen, as well as volunteers to serve the food at the Tea. If you could spare a bit of time to help out please contact Janis Cantu at or at ladiesdaytea@gmail.com. Please consider joining us for the Tea as a customer the price is $10. Treasurer's Notes by Deanna Turton I guess one could say that March came in like a lion with all that red ink from the end of February...but it definitely went out like a lamb, as we showed a profit of $ Since the daily average in the donation boxes was back down to normal for the early part of the year ($46.19), the BOOT Store was the main generator of income in March. We received a refund from the U.S. Post Office for $ because we no longer use the bulk rate stamp. In addition, the RUST Store sold $ in concession sales for the blacksmith during the first quarter of Expenses were also normal, in that BOOT paid for BOOT Store inventory replacement, plants for the garden, and food for the burros, as well as office expenses and period attire subsidies. In early April, I also paid the first quarter sales taxes to the Board of Equalization. On a more serious note, as I write this article, I am gathering my tax forms and papers. On April 26 th I have an appointment with the accountant so she can look over my work. After that, it is only a matter of recopying all of the forms and mailing them. Since the deadline is May 15 th, I can easily meet this date with time to spare. It is a chore that has become easier after all these years, but I must admit that I am still very happy when the yearly chore is completed! Ladies Day Refreshments Lemonade and cookies were (and still are) a welcomed treat when friends and neighbors came to visit, or when ladies took a rest from their daily responsibilities. Thanks to Winnie Adams we will have some fresh, homemade lemonade. WE NEED COOKIES - lots of cookies for our visitors on Ladies Day. The Ladies Day committee would greatly appreciate donations of your favorite homemade cookies. If you would like to contribute a batch of your favorite homemade cookies, or need further information, please contact Zulema Franco at zfranco@san.rr.com. Please deliver your cookies to the Robinson-Rose Visitor s Center on June 1st. pg. 3

4 Ladies Day is ONLY One Month Away! June 2, 2012, 12-5pm By the time you receive this issue of the Poppy Paper, Ladies Day will be exactly one month away. The Daring, Delightful, and Determined Women of Old Town will be mighty busy getting everything done by June 2 nd, but as of this date, most of the planning has been done. With everyone's help, I know our event will be wonderful once again. Below you will see a check list of all the ways you can help. As part of our event this year, we will be unveiling new exhibits that will be installed in the patio area of La Casa de Estudillo. They are part of a larger project to refurbish the exhibits throughout the adobe. The goal of these exhibits is to help people better understand the adobe and the reasons it was preserved. What people see today is a building that was restored by Hazel Waterman in the early 20 th century. Ladies Day seemed an appropriate time to honor the many women associated with La Casa de Estudillo, including Maria Victoria Dominguez de Estudillo, Marguerite Weiss, Helen Hunt Jackson, and Hazel Waterman. In addition, we wanted to invite the women s organizations that have been supporters through the years including The Wednesday Club, The Colonial Dames Society of North America, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. 11am-1:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 1:00-4:00pm SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Children's Make-and-Take Hat Making Presentation and book signing by Dydia DeLyser, author of Ramona Memories: Tourism and the Shaping of Southern California Judging of the Historic Hat Contest Garden Tea in La Casa de Estudillo Featured throughout the day will be demonstrations of the labors and leisure of the women of the 1800s, tours of the native plant garden given by members of the Native Plant Society, ice cream service from Cold Stone Creamery, and a plant sale. Visitors are encouraged to don their favorite chapeau historic, modern, or fanciful for the event. Those that have head wear to represent may participate in the historic hat contest. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Bake some cookies for our refreshment table. Contact Zulema Franco, zfranco@san.rr.com. Bake some scones or historic sweets for our Garden Tea; and/or make savories on June 1 at 9:00am, at Coldstone Creamery. Contact Janis Cantu at , ladiesdaytea@gmail.com. Work in our craft booths. Contact Mary Jones at Volunteer to be a greeter or break person on the day of the event. Help set up shade cloths on Friday morning (June 1 at 9am), set up tables and chairs on Saturday morning (June 2 at 9am), and/or take down after the event on June 2 at 5pm. It is important for all volunteers to be listed on the volunteer spreadsheet for the event. Only volunteers whose names are on the spreadsheet will be given a 50% food discount ticket from Chuck Ross at the Barra Barra Restaurant. Please Deanna if you are interested in ANY of the volunteer opportunities: deanna@turton-ent.com. TO BORROW PERIOD ATTIRE: PLEASE contact Vanessa Jones at (619) as soon as possible. Many, many thanks to everyone who makes Ladies Day a success! Deanna pg. 4

5 THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS! Thanks to all of our BOOT Associates for their membership renewals. YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED! pg. 5

6 May 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday NOTE: The BOOT Board Mtg. will be held ONE WEEK EARLIER than usual because of the CALPA Conference; the Crafters will meet, AS USUAL, on the second Fri., May Cinco de Mayo Weekend May 4-6, Garden Group Los Bailadores 5-6:30 pm McCoy House 8 9 1pm BOOT Board Mtg. Café Coyote am Crafting/ Sewing Committee 12 Descendant Committee Mtg. 10am Casa de Machado y Silvas 13 Mother s Day 14 Garden Group Los Bailadores 5-6:30 pm McCoy House am VIP Mtg. McCoy House CALPA Conference May 16-20, POPPY PAPER Submission Deadline 21 Garden Group Los Bailadores 5-6:30 pm McCoy House Gardeners & Dancers Check w/lead person(s) regarding holiday schedule Memorial Day GUILDS MEET ON THE FOLLOWING SATURDAYS: 1 st - Print Guild and Tintype Guild 10 to 2 pm 2 nd - Californio Living History 1 to 4 pm; Native Plant Garden work party 1-3 pm 3 rd - Quilt Guild, Fiber Arts Guild 12:30 to 3:30 pm; Mormon Battalion 10 to 4 pm 4 th - Mountain Men and Soap Makers Guild 11 to 4 pm Every Wednesday - Quilt Guild, Blacksmith and Woodworking Guild s LADIES DAY on SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2012 PLEASE CONTACT YOUR GUILD LEAD PERSON(S) FOR INFORMATION ON MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES, AND SPECIAL EVENTS!!! pg. 6

7 \\ From the Editor s Desk I have mentioned in past issues that I think BOOT s little Poppy Paper is growing up! And, it is wonderful that our friends to the north in that big city of Los Angeles are readers and contributors! Unfortunately, due to our limited space, we are not always able to publish every submission. However, since our primary means of distribution is on-line, we can easily provide links to articles of interest. So, please check out the following website: Second Annual Grand Marian Procession, Votive Mass, and "Feast" for Our Lady of the Angels, Patroness of El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles, on September 8, 2012 The Queen Of Angels Foundation Contact: Mark Albert, markalbert@maalawoffices.com On this upcoming Memorial Day, please remember those who have gone before us to make our lives worth living!!! Happy Cinco de Mayo, Happy Mother s Day and Happy Reading! Ruth French poppypapereditor@gmail.com JOIN BOOSTERS OF OLD TOWN! by Shirlee Rodriguez A Town without a Paper By Jana C. Kelsey, Seasonal Park Aide After the Mexican-American War many Americans came to San Diego in search of business opportunities, one of these men was John Judson Ames. After arriving in San Diego, Ames established the San Diego Herald and the first issue was published in May 29, Ames moved away, and between 1860 and 1868, San Diego did not have a newspaper or other periodical of any kind until the arrival of Colonel Gatewood in the spring of Gatewood formed a partnership with Edward W. Bushyhead, and employed J.N. Briseño. The first edition of The Union was published on October 10, 1868, but the paper was not an overnight success and struggled during its first two years. In May of 1869 Gatewood sold his portion of The Union to Charles P. Taggart. The Union moved from Old Town to New Town in the fall of 1870 and on March 20, 1871, The Daily Union became the first daily paper in San Diego, one of only three in southern California at that time. Today, the San Diego Union Museum in the State Historic Park provides the opportunity to preserve and learn more about this history. Help us promote the educational, cultural and interpretive activities at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park by joining our non-profit organization, Boosters of Old Town (BOOT). Your membership helps provide financial support for many programs that are enjoyed by our San Diego community and the many guests who visit our Park. BOOT MEMBERS RECEIVE: a copy of our monthly newsletter, The Poppy Paper a 10% discount in the BOOT Store invitations to social and enrichment activities throughout Old Town San Diego State Historic Park pride in promoting and being a part of our San Diego heritage BOOT MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM ON REVERSE SIDE (back cover of The Poppy Paper) pg. 7

$\ \ BOOSTERS OF OLD TOWN San Diego State Historic Park 4002 Wallace Street San Diego, CA 92110 NOTICE: If you have a friend who would like to learn more about San Diego History, enjoys meeting$

8 \ \ BOOSTERS OF OLD TOWN San Diego State Historic Park 4002 Wallace Street San Diego, CA NOTICE: If you have a friend who would like to learn more about San Diego History, enjoys meeting people, and likes to have a good time, give him/her this application form to fill out and send in. New members are always welcome. And, if you have forgotten to renew your membership it s never too late to send it in. We miss you! MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION $ Single Supporting Member $ Corporate Membership* $ Family (2 or more individuals) (includes business card sized ad in the Poppy Paper $ Senior (62+ years)/student Single and on our website for one month) $ Senior Couple (62+ years) $ Enhanced Corporate Membership* $ Life Member (62+ years) (includes business card sized ad in the Poppy Paper and on our website for 12 months) *Corporate Applications Only: Please enclose a business card or corporate logo with your payment. NAME(S) ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP PHONE I belong to the following group(s): Docent Military Descendants Californios I am also interested in volunteer opportunities, please contact me! Make your check out to BOOT and mail to: BOOT Membership Committee, 4002 Wallace Street, San Diego, CA pg. 8

THE POPPY PAPER. Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization

THE POPPY PAPER. Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization THE POPPY PAPER Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization April 2012 A Day with the Ladies of Old Town Saturday, June 2, 2012, Noon