Saturday, May 20, 2006

What is the Funky anyway?

Keep Leucadia Funky.

This phrase is giving certain people the fits. Those who didn't grow up in Leucadia are in a state baffled disbelief. No Starbucks? No Krispy Kreme? How could this be?

The yuppie establishment calls Leucadia blighted. If anything Leucadia is slighted. When Encinitas became a city in 1986 Leucadia was immediately put on the back burner. No landscaping, no infrastructure improvements, a half assed attempt at drainage, a huge missed opportunity to improve the vital intersection at Leucadia Blvd and Hwy 101, the list goes on.

But Leucadians rolled with it. Leucadia is an eclectic family oriented community that has shunned the one size fits all strip mall mentality that is rapidly consuming America's small towns. The vapid Wal*Mart movement of sameness. The false sense of security that blandness and repetition provides has no place in Leucadia. We don't need the pseudo soul of McDonald's owned Chipotle when we have Karina's.

Leucadia is an oasis of sincerity in our paranoid 21st century. When Leucadians pass each other on our cracked and chipped sidewalks we smile and say hello instead of shoving our hands into our coat pockets and staring at the ground.

Leucadia is about the mellow beaches of Stone Steps, Beacon's and Grandview. It is a haven for authentic surf culture. Home to many influential surfers and the scene of historic surf events. Some of the finest surfboard builders in the world reside in Leucadia, bucking the sterilization of the surf industry by refusing to outsource to communist China and keeping the cottage industry alive and providing local jobs.

The Leucadian surf community balks at the mainstream media's stereotype of surfers. Leucadian surfing is cross generational. The lineup is shared by surfers age 6 to 60 (and up, Kit Horn is Leucadia's oldest active surfer at 77).

Leucadia is home to authors, artist and musicians who are attracted to the open mindness and low key atmosphere. Leucadians have published dozens of books and released dozens of albums.

Leucadia's beauty is in the details. "You need to absorb Leucadia and feel it to understand it." Tom owner of Leucadia Donuts once told me. "If you just drive through without stopping you won't understand it."

As the north county suburbs expand and I-5 slows to a crawl more and more commuters are passing through coastal Leucadia. It's hard for the good natured lifetime residents of Leucadia to understand this but many of these commuters loathe Leucadia. In fact they fear it! Where is the McDonald's? Sub Palace? Is that like Subway? Where is Jerred and that giant pair of pants? Where am I??? Is that a mobile home park, like the ones on COPS? HOLY CRAP ARE THOSE MEXICANS???

Fear turns to hate and hate turns to shady real estate deals. THEY want Leucadia bulldozed. They don't care that Leucadians have been patiently waiting for some crosswalks while downtown Encinitas and Santa Fe Dr. get to try on new clothes. Leucadia is blighted because some of the buildings are due for a fresh coat of paint? Too bad the Leucadia101 facade grant doesn't apply north of Leucadia Blvd eh?

You live in a blighted neighborhood! That's right, you Proposition 13 freeloaders! Your house is worth $700,000 even though you bought it for $20,000 in 1970. Twenty grand won't even get you an H2 these days. Why don't you sell your house that you have lived in and raised your family in for the past 35 years? The city needs the new tax revenue. Did I already call you a Prop 13 Freeloader? Well that's what you are.

Leucadia is improving organically on it's own. Two new local mom&pop markets have opened, El Torito and Just Peachy. These two markets are a welcome addition and serve the community well. Just Peachy's attractive display of fresh fruit and flowers brightens up those overcast mornings. El Torito's excellent fresh meats and homemade tacos and tamales can make your whole weekend.

Leucadia is home to many long running family business like La Especial Norte which opened in 1977. They are famous for their incredible soups and when you go there you see familiar faces. Yet, there are some people out there who would quickly replace La Especial with a wretched Applebee's if they could. The horror.

The yuppie establishment doesn't want us buying subversive music at world famous Lou's Records, but we do anyway. They don't want you to view the alternative art at Ducky Waddles, they want a Kinkade gallery.

Leucadians continue to frustrate the yuppie establishment. Leucadians were written off as apathetic hippie stoners. The powers that be did not realize that the majority of Leucadians have college degrees. Leucadians don't take their civic duties lightly, they are old school. Some of them fought in a war against fascism, some of those Leucadians children fought in a war against communist and some of those Leucadians children fought in a war against a dictatorship.

Leucadians talk to each other, Leucadians like each other, Leucadians meet, fall in love and marry each other. Leucadians beget more Leucadians.

Leucadians vote. I repeat, Leucadians vote.

Leucadia is blighted? Who us? Our homes, our families, our friends, our community, our slice of the American pie?

The new pride and joy of north county, San Elijo Hills is big and shiny and equal in it's opulence. Perhaps it has the potential to become the nice small town it markets itself as, time will tell. Perhaps in 35 years someone will slap a bumper sticker on their car that reads Keep San Elijo Hills Funky, but I doubt it.


  1. I thought the RDA was dead?

  2. think about it!May 21, 2006 10:48 AM

    Great post, JP. Yes, the King is dead, long live the King!

    What does this mean? Reluctantly, forming a Redevelopment Agency was "tabled," by our city council, with the provision that Council could come back to look at the idea again. This victory was accomplished in large part thanks to this blog, JP, Kevin, in particular, and all those who rallied for keeping Leucadia Funky, including Mary Fleener.

    Yeah, those who want to declare us "blighted" sit in judgment, pointing their greedy fingers, calling us "lower class."

    You, anonymous need some class. You are caught up in ostentatious consumerism. Having a McMansion does not make you high class. You are just someone who thinks money buys class.

    Think about it!

  3. Oh, I was referring to anonymous from previous post by JP. Anonymous' asking, here, about the RDA is welcome. That's a question people are still asking.

    Sorry for any confusion.

  4. Karina's, Leucadia Doughnuts, Pannikin, Lou's Records, Bar Leucadian (although I don't like the name-change), Just Peachy, Beacons, Grandview, Stone Steps, Neptune ... the list is endless. Leucadia is the best neighborhood in So Cal. I hope the rest of Encinitas never "gets" us. I certainly don't "get" them. KLF!

  5. RDA isn't dead. Ask Danny.


  7. For those of you who are truely interested in preserving Leucadia you need to educate yourselves on the inherent problems of allowing the formation of a redevelopment agency. All a city council needs to do to create an RDA is declare it "blighted". Generally,to make a finding of blight, a consultant is hired. Our City certainly knows how to hire consultants. Redevelopment areas are largely driven by city staff, who choose the consultant with the approval of the city council.(Now that's scary!!) The consultants know their job is not to determine blight but to declare blighted whatever conditions exist in the area the city staff and council have designated. Once the consultant's findings are presented and ratified the city council can create and expand the redevelopment area. Voter approval is never asked. Although citizens have thirty days to gather signatures to force a vote,in most cases, a popular vote is never held. Rather, the consultants findings are quickly ratified and then a law firm is rapidly retained to draw up paperwork and defend against any citizen legal challenges. Most times these law firms are members of the Calif. Redevelopment Assoc., a Sacramento based lobby. The livelihood of the lawfirm and formed RDA depends on the aggressive use of redevelopment and increasingly imaginative definitions of blight. Once an RDA is created it has four extraordinary powers held by NO OTHER GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY. Once an RDA is created all property tax increment within the RD area goes directly to the RDA. This means that increases in property tax revenues are diverted from the city general fund and school districts that would normally recieve them. I could go on and on about the horrors of redevelopment and their effect on city infrastructure. The newly created RDA tax increment diversions starve legitimate government functions of necessary tax revenue. This pressures cities to increase taxes on residents to make up the shortfall. The Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century, chaired by former mayor Susan Golding, noted that,"This financing tool has steadily eaten into local property tax allocations and distorted state and local finance, resulting in a byzantine maze of diversion, augmentations, pass-throughs, and backfills that have shortchanged both schools and city services." Do not be folled. I gave every sitting council member a copy of the information I am citing from but if they are like Dan they probably never read it. "I don't read much of what is submitted I generally go by the staff recomendation." Please visit the website and read Redevelopment: The Unknown Government. Sorry I am so wordy.

  8. Danny is easily confused that is why we must s-l-o-w-l-y explain to him in a calm voice why RDAs are evil. A sock puppet theater may also be effective.

  9. Gil is 100% correct, right on the money, spot on and you should do the RDA research, as he suggests. We have reason to be afraid. Very, very afraid, especially if that grease monkey, Dalagar gets re-elected. Kerry Miller came to our town with this agenda in mind, and he is evil.

  10. Gee, my wife and I put on puppet shows at our "famous" punkin patches. I'll have to ask her about a sock puppet theater, the idea intrigues!!

  11. Kerry Miller, RDA proposing City Manager needs to go away. Instead of welcome, it's well, go.

    We don't want to be messed up like South Lake Tahoe is, now, still trying to find someone who can deal with the mess that their former Manager, Kerry Miller, left in his stinky wake.

    Danny boy, the Dalager needs to mind the family biz; we ask that you get out before you burn any more bridges. Please don't run again.

    We are hoping that we can get a city charter which will provide for a more perfect union, including term limits of 8 years (good enough for president, should be good for Council members); also Council Members elected by district, that is, Leucadia, Olivenhein, Old Encinitas, New Encinitas, and Cardiff by the Sea. If we desired, we could also have a strong, city wide mayor, also with separate term limits.

    Yes, the entire City could vote for a mayor. This would take some of the decision making power away from Council (like appointing a mayor, City Commissioners) and give it back to us, the people, the voters.

    Council members could run for their district, or mayor, not both. This would make the division of the votes, and the elections far more realistic and representative. Also, Cardiff and Old Encinitas could be more fairly recognized. In fact, who is from Old Encinitas or Cardiff on the current City Council? Leucadia only has poor ineffective Maggie, and ineffective, dazed Dalager. New Encinitas and Olivenhein are predominantly represented, which causes reoccurring problems, as we all know.

    I believe in dreams coming true, but I'm not the only one.

  12. I wonder if when the city hired Kerry Miller if they realized that half the people I grew up with moved to Lake Tahoe after high school?
    We had advance warning about this guy.

  13. I went to the dictionary to see what the word funky really means.

    adj 1: offensively malodorous; "a putrid smell" [syn: fetid, foetid,
    foul, foul-smelling, noisome, smelly, putrid,
    2: (of jazz) having the soulful feeling of early blues [syn: low-down]
    3: in a state of cowardly fright

    It seems like we might want to consider calling ourselves something else since we only qualify for definition number 1 and 3.

  14. We can define funky however we want, anonymous.

    We don't need to go by your unnamed soure's definitions.

    The dictionary is a good reference. But we are originals.

    "We" will call ourselves funky, and know we are soulful, compassionate, remembering what was, preserving community character, for all that means now, and for what will be, for generations to come.

    Funk you.

  15. Keep Leucadia Soulful.

  16. I too went to the dictionary -
    Funky - Characterized by self-expression, originality, and modishness; trendy, unconvential and campy. Having an earthy pulsating quality as in the recurrent, rhythmical, regular and vigorous movement such as that associated with the heart or the perceptible emotions or sentiments of a group of people.
    Sounds pretty Leucadian to me.
    Keep it FUNKY.

  17. I think Gil is right. Leucadia is FUNKY and all the better for it. Although some of us Cardiffians are pretty "funky" too. We just haven't done any good old fashioned rebel rounsing in a while.Don't rule us out!We are working on it!

  18. The post is perfect!

  19. Great Post!

    Funky defined by

    5 entries found for funky.
    funk·y2 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (fngk)
    adj. funk·i·er, funk·i·est

    Having a moldy or musty smell: funky cheese; funky cellars.
    Having a strong, offensive, unwashed odor.
    Of or relating to music that has an earthy quality reminiscent of the blues.
    Slang. Earthy and uncomplicated; natural: “At the opposite end of Dallas's culinary spectrum is funky regional fare” (Jacqueline Friedrich).
    Characterized by originality and modishness; unconventional: “a bizarre, funky [hotel] dressed up as a ship, with mock portholes and mirrored ceilings over the beds” (Ann Louise Bardach).
    Outlandishly vulgar or eccentric in a humorous or tongue-in-cheek manner; campy: “funky caricatures of sexpot glamour” (Pauline Kael).

  20. Cardiff Local 69May 22, 2006 7:24 PM

    The people who have let Leucadia fall into neglect have ignored much of Cardiff. I'm sure they would declare Cardiff blighted in they could. VGs and Besta Wan are funky.

  21. RoadsideParkBumMay 22, 2006 8:26 PM


  22. great post j.p.

  23. hey j.p.
    as for the surf legends, there are a couple guys older than kit who get out on occasion but kit is out there the most.
    I think he is shy of 80 though, but he'll tell ya that since he turned 70 he has to go straight off adolf more than he'd like to.
    enjoyed the piece , well done

  24. It's time for some of the local politicos to pack their bags for the annual trip to Japan.

    Excerpt from the NCT article on the sister city trip:
    The city's yearly budget includes $12,000 to support the sister-city program. Traveling at the city's expense this year are Guerin, Deputy Mayor James Bond, City Manager Kerry Miller, Fire Department Chief Don Heiser and Parks and Recreation Department Director Chris Hazeltine.

  25. Yo, putz'
    An RDA can be considered or reconsidered whenever our City Council says it's being considered or reconsidered.
    Leucadia would not have qualified for the current definition of "blighted" until the "Kelo" decision, which puts everything in limbo by defining "public benefit" as more tax dollars to the city.
    Lawsuits will eventually shake this all out. Until then Leucadia can stay asleep and occasionally underwater.
    Lou's is the best!

  26. roadside park flower childMay 22, 2006 11:28 PM

    If they do try to pass a rda, blighted declaration, we need to be at the ready to get a petition going saying hell no, we won't go, Captain Blighty.

    Roadside Park Bum, I don't get you. Do you mean unlit? Why don't you just say if you are that guy that lives accross from that "park." I guess everyone needs a spot to be.

  27. The bond consultant on the RDA for Leucadia may be the bond consultant that will give the city council the info on borrowing money for the mega projects at this Wednesday's joint meeting. Woud the council try to sneak in some RDA bonding?

  28. Roadside Park BumMay 23, 2006 6:56 AM

    Roadside park flower child- NO I am not that "guy" that lives across from the park. I'm the bum/bum's that live in "YOUR" park!!! I'm the bum that pukes on "YOUR" sidewalk, where there are sidewalks, I'm the guy that pisses and shits in "YOUR" alleyways or front yards for that matter. I'm the guy that you morons see passed out in the park, roadside, alleyway. I'm the guy keeping "your" property values DOWN!!! I'm the guy that you pinheads think adds "Character" to the community!!!
    I'm the guy staggering down the 101, I'm your Roadside Park Bum!!!

  29. Someone wrote, "Leucadia would not have qualified for the current definition of "blighted" until the "Kelo" decision, which puts everything in limbo by defining "public benefit" as more tax dollars to the city."

    Kelo has nothing to do with establishing blight and lots of legislatures have been defining public benefit as they see fit for a long time. The supreme court did not come up with the idea of removing Kelo, the City of New London did and they were far from the first to do it.

  30. There are more dirtbag homeless guys hanging around Encinitas and Cardiff than Leucadia.

  31. It's not the homeless or panhandlers that define blight. It's the developers that see a good deal for them in getting cheap land without customary building restrictions.

    An increasing number of panhandlers at intersections by the Ranch town center aren't increasing the funkyness of Encinitas.

  32. Target Shopping Center BumMay 23, 2006 8:26 AM

    Please help. Will work for food. By work for food I mean just give me cash for booze.

  33. Where is Mayor Guerin and the Sheriff's Department? Shouldn't they be keeping the drunks from staggering down 101 and shitting in your yard. Whoops I FORGOT then are at Starbucks drinking coffee and Mayor Guerin is in Hondo Japan at our expense. Geez, when is it all going to end?

  34. The Sheriff has orders not to allow shit bums in Del Mar and Solana Beach. They need to drop them some where- Hence the gentle pursuation to Leucadia where the bums are accepted. The sheriffs dont service Oceanside, so where else can they dump them. Encinitas lets the shit bums stay in Leucadia. Why doesn’t the City Manager give the order to not allow vagrancy in our town? Do we get a special reduced price for reduced sheriff service and allow the dump on Leucadia?

  35. The roadside bums/panhandlers/ whatever, choose the lifestyle that is theirs. On many occasions I have stopped, given them my card and address and told them there is a job for them if they come by. Not once has one come by. I don't waste my time asking anymore. They choose to live the way they live and I can not change that. I do think that creating sanitation problems by using our yards, alleys,and streets as toilets is inexcusable. The coaster provides a public bathroom and as long as they don't do their laundry in the sink it is accessible. The few that I have talked to tell me they make more panhandling then they would actually working for me and that too may be true. We are a generous community and often we say "There but for the grace of god goes I", and hand them a dollar. We live in this community because of the weather and the ocean. They migrate to our community for the same reason. Roadsideparkbum does find a way to blog this site, perhaps it's the library but I think it is more likely Aceti in disguise just trying to find a way to annoy those who actually care about the area in which they live.

  36. I'd rather have someone stumbling drunk down 101, than someone zooming down 101 in their Hummer trying to catch the last 30 minutes of happy hour at El Torito after thowing back Appletinis at Sharky's errrr Martini Ranch errrr whatevertheheckitisnow.

    Those bums wish me a good morning during my groggy walk down to the water's edge for my dawn patrol surf.

    Those bums help keep our beaches clean after the fair-wheathered inlanders make their weekend visit and deposit tons (literally) of garbage on our sand.

  37. Out of the 9 definitions of "blight", only ONE is required. Just one!!

    And it is:

    "...Lots of irregular shape that are adjacent to each other".

  38. You guys might want to talk to Slyvia Martinez about the roadside park bums (she is a member of DEMA) and then you will know just how much Leucadians love those guys. (rolling eyes sarcastically)

  39. Correction, Slyvia is listed in the Leucadia 101 directory.
    If you contact her maybe she will tell about the time the local sheriffs gave the bums a case of beer on Christmas Eve and then the bums got wasted and pissed and shit all over her back hedge. Nothing like waking up to the smell of human feces on Christmas morning, thanks cops!

  40. Chuck Norris,

    I live at the beach and the only thing I see roadsidebum do is sleep in the vegatation which kills it. When the vegatation goes, so does the bluff. Roadside Aceti, persident of Dema, is a menace for numerous reasosns. I am sure the mayor has a deal with the Sheriff's that as long as she is on city council they have her permission to do nothing.

    Next time you see a problem cruise by Starbucks and see how many of the Sheriff's cars or motorcycles are parked there.

  41. Kerry Miller's classes have produced a kinder, gentler council. They make nice when they convene meetings and at election time use whatever they can to get votes.

  42. Roadside Park BumMay 23, 2006 6:10 PM

    Hey, I thought the topic was "Keeping Leucadia Flooded,err Funky" not the Roadside Park Bum(s). I'm just doing my share to keep you informed of the truth involving your community.

    Roadside Park Flower Child- I've never seen you in MY park, so don't go 'round trying to grab headlines off my JoJo.

    Chuck Norris- My fellow bums and I, NO we don't pick up trash from the beaches...........we are the trash!!!!

    Sylvia Martinez- Bless her soul, she has it bad- I've pissed, crapped and puked more than once in her front/back yard, alleyway. Whatever you want to call it. I think I might have even slept under her trailer once or twice!!

    Staggering down the 101, it's your Roadside Park Bum- you know who I am, go ahead and give me a honk when you drive by, I can't wait to give you the finger!!! But let's not forget I add "character" to the community!!

  43. Kerry Miller - Twinkie FillerMay 24, 2006 8:47 AM

    Keep Leucadia Spunky?
    Keep Leucadia's Monkeys?
    Keep Leucadia Hunky - JP is such a dreamboat!


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