The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) continues its decades-old mission of keeping track of Santa Claus and his reindeer on their journey from the North Pole to every home in the entire world to deliver presents on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve.

Santa will land his sleigh on each roof, drop into each home and leave Christmas presents overnight. NORAD, buried deep within a shelter in Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, is the only organization in the world with the tracking capability to keep an eye on Santa’s incredible trek throughout the world.

Today, NORAD will continue its Santa Claus mission.

A different kind of bar is thriving in a Scripps Ranch industrial park.JuneShine, a San Diego- based company, is serving its unique brand of hard kombucha at a tasting room at 10051 Old Grove Road. 

Although the business park is a rather unorthodox gathering spot for a tavern, the location was already established as a premier location. JuneShine purchased the 25,000 square foot brewing facility from Ballast Point Brewing Company earlier this year. 

Instead of bistros and pubs, JuneShine’s Scripps Ranch tasting room is surrounded by neighbors such as WD40, Latitude Pharmaceuticals and LG Electronics. But its kombucha bar, the in-house eatery named Enclave, and patio are drawing a large and enthusiastic crowd of customers who seem to be seeking something new.

Whether it’s the product, including up to 30 unique flavors of fermented organic green tea and honey, or the ambience and lifestyle statement, which appeals to fitness-minded patrons, the tasting room is packing in patrons. 

On a recent Saturday evening, more than 70 people gathered casually on the premises, including many fitness enthusiasts – several with rolled yoga mats in hand. The brewer’s slogan is “honest alcohol for a healthier planet.” Its kombucha contains no artificial coloring, GMOs, pesticides, or processed corn or rice syrup.

Sucha Kumar, creator of a meet-up group called “Live Blissed,” was hosting a “Move Eat Drink” event at JuneShine to provide her followers hearts, bodies and minds with balance and support for long-term health.

“This is the perfect fit for us,” she said. 

A restaurant called Enclave has teamed up with JuneShine to offer diners what it calls “adventurous super food,” with a menu that includes organic brisket and chicken, grass-fed steak and nitrate-free bacon. Enclave claims its values are “completely aligned” with JuneShine’s mission of providing more transparency in food, beverage and alcohol while making a positive social and environmental impact.

The tasting room is pet friendly, and Enclave offers “zero waste dog food” on its menu.

JuneShine’s biggest draw, however, appears to be the hard kombucha. Ordering sampler sets of three five-and-a-half ounce servings, Drew Johnson, a first-time visitor to JuneShine, tried to define the taste.

“It’s sort of like hard cider or a spritzer,” he said. “It’s not as filling as beer, and its full of probiotics and antioxidants. I really like it.”

JuneShine’s organic, gluten-free, non-GMO flavors range from a very light and subtle strawberry to the bolder blood orange mint, which the bartender said was among their most popular offerings. Other blends included a jalapeña margarita (with a slight pique) to a cinnamon-infused grapefruit spice with a festive holiday accent. The hard kombucha is 6 percent alcohol by volume. 

Staff at JuneShine’s Scripps Ranch tasting room say that many people still come in looking for Ballast Point, so the company carries five different beers on tap “so that we don’t have to turn anyone away,” the bartender said. JuneShine also serves hard cider and non-alcoholic kombucha, although it’s not their brand. 

JuneShine offers retail sales of hard kombucha in a can at the Old Grove Road location. Its products also sell at BevMo and Whole Foods Markets. The company has another tasting room on El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego’s North Park community. 

A  heartwarming tale of family love, loss and life comes to Scripps Ranch when Scripps Ranch Theatre (SRT) presents “And Neither Have I Wings to Fly,” Nov. 8-Dec. 8 at the theatre’s home on the campus of Alliant International University.

The play tells the story of a family dealing with the loss of its matriarch after a long illness. One daughter struggles on to decide if she’s making the right decision as her wedding nears. Her sister had been hiding a scholarship application and now has to decide whether to pursue that or stay to care for her grief-stricken father while also dealing with emerging feelings for a new man in her life. 

Written by Ann Noble, the play was first staged in Chicago in 1995. It was there and then that Jacquelyn Ritz, director of the SRT production, first saw the play and liked it so much that she returned the next night to see it again. It was Ritz, herself, who suggested the play to SRT Artistic Director Jill Drexler and lobbied for its addition to this year’s season. In lauding the play’s script, Ritz described the characters as captivating.

“All of the characters become very close to you,” she said. “We can all identify with at least one, if not a couple, of them because there’s two generations – the parents and the young adults – and there’s this group of seven people who are all pursuing something. They’re all on this journey where in a week they get to know each other a little better and change each other’s lives.” 

While the play deals with serious issues like loss of a spouse and mother, Irish storytelling throughout the play and familial comedy add laughs to the story. 

“So many of (the characters) love to make each other laugh, so there’s humor in it, but it’s not a comedy,” Ritz said. “The laugher comes from real human connection.”

Ultimately, however, it’s a story about life, relationships and the struggle of grief.  

“So much of this play is about forgiveness, having honest and beautiful relationships with the people around you, and being strong and digging deep to figure out how to keep going when the world gets dark,” Ritz said.

The cast of the play includes Walter Ruskin as Peter Donnelly, Sara Jane Nash as (the ghost of) Moira Donnelly, Kate Rose Reynolds as Eveline Donnelly, Katee Drysdale as Kathleen Donnelly, and Paul Eddy as Charlie Doyle. 

Taking the reins of the play is Ritz, who has previously directed “Accomplice” and “Communicating Doors” at Scripps Ranch Theatre. 

The “Pleasure of Your Company” music series, sponsored by the Scripps Ranch Friends of the Library, welcomes back jazz flutist Lori Bell, performing with Trio de Janeiro, on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2:30 p.m. in the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center. 

Award-winning musicians Lori Bell on flutes; Ron Satterfield on guitar, vocals and piano; and Tommy Aros, percussion, come together with a high energy, Brazilian tinged, straight ahead trio with an original approach to jazz standards, Brazilian, original compositions and folk music. 

With their latest project “James Taylor Reimagined,” the group explores a plethora of grooves from samba, swing, fusion, jazz modal, odd times and more.

Equally fluent in both jazz and classical idioms, flutist Lori Bell has earned acclaim from both peers and critics for her artistry on stage and in recordings. The Grammy Award panel has recognized Bell’s excellence with selections in several categories, among them Best Instrumental Arrangement, Best Composition, and Best Instrumental Solo. She has also won three Global Music Awards.

The “Pleasure of Your Company” music series, sponsored by the Scripps Ranch Friends of the Library, welcomes back Trio Arpavioluta for a performance on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2:30 p.m. in the informal and intimate setting of the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center.

Comprised of flutist Cathy Blickenstaff, harpist Laura Vaughan and violinist Päivikki Nykter, the musical heritage of these three artists is immediately apparent in their sublime music and natural rapport.

The trio, which has delighted audiences with their performances since 2010, will present a program featuring works by composers ranging from Telemann and Donizetti to Ibert and Cui.

There is no charge for the concert, although donations are appreciated. Meet the artists at a complimentary reception following the concert.

Owners of Nutmeg Bakery and Café have chosen this family-friendly community to open its second family restaurant, even as they prepare to expand their family as well.

Following a year of planning and preparation, Drew Hoffos; his wife, Michka; and her mother, Shirin Soroushian; are finally serving customers at their new Nutmeg Bakery and Café location in the Scripps Ranch Marketplace where Pick Up Stix was once located. 

The ideal corner space in the heavily trafficked retail center is their second location. It is east of the Vons grocery store and west of Public House 131. The entrepreneurial trio has owned and operated another café by the same name – just three miles away in Sabre Springs – for close to seven years now.

“We love the Scripps Ranch neighborhood,” Drew said. “It’s a super family-oriented, tight knit community.”

Drew, Michka and Shirin had been looking to expand their business for a while and had scouted dozens of locations before they were approached by their new landlord. 

“It took some negotiations, and there were a few delays, but then everything just fell into place,” Drew said. “It’s a bold step forward. Since we do wholesale baking, this gives us more space to expand.”

According to Michka, she, her husband and mother had outgrown their 2,000-square-foot Sabre Springs location. They doubled the size of that café four years ago to accommodate increased business, but soon decided that they would require even more space. 

Michka and Drew will soon be doubling their number of children as well. Michka is about seven months pregnant and is due with their second child in November. 

“I’m ready for the challenge,” she said. “I work well under pressure and Since Drew and I got married, we’ve always been busy.”

Having a business partner who is also a grandmother helps a lot. Soroushian said she, Drew and Michka have “always operated as a team.” Originally an accountant who wasn’t happy with her job, she has been the visionary for Nutmeg Café and Bakery. 

A former resident of Italy, Soroushian possesses a passion for baking and a taste for fine food developed over 20 years amid the panetterias, cucinas and bistros of Bologna. That has resulted in an emphasis on quality, she said, and an effort to seek locally grown, environmentally friendly ingredients wherever possible.

“We believe in our product,” she said. 

The Nutmeg Bakery and Café serves cuisine that appeals to a broad variety of diners, including vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and those who require gluten-free or dairy-free items on the menu. Soroushian said that because of the restaurant’s family atmosphere, the staff often feel like family too.

“I think that’s why many of our employees have been around for four or five years,” she explained.

Michka, a former interior designer, runs the front of the restaurant and is responsible for the ambience and décor. Drew, a former high-end chef, runs the kitchen. Their new restaurant will serve breakfast, brunch and lunch. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends. 

The 20th annual Family Oktoberfest will be held at the Scripps Ranch Swim & Racquet Club, 9875 Aviary Drive, on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 4 to 9 p.m. Club members may attend. Guest may attend when accompanied by a member. Guests tickets are $10, or they may use a guest pass. 

Highlights include a climbing wall, quad pod, wrecking ball game, carnival games, AstroJump, toddler obstacle course, pony rides, henna tattoos, giant 12-person LED foosball table and hi-striker. There will be a photobooth. The playground will be a pumpkin patch. Food Trucks will sell a variety of offerings. They include American Flavors (burgers and grilled cheese); Taco Picasso (tacos); LouZiana (authentic Cajun); and Hunter Steakhouse (tri tip and pulled pork).

Craft beers and wines will be available for purchase. Mocktails will also be available. Drink tickets are available at the Aviary front desk the week prior. No personal alcohol is allowed. For more information, call (858) 271-6222. 

Young student musicians taking lessons at School of Rock Scripps Ranch gave a spirited performance at the school’s second show group concert, titled So Cal Summer, on Sept. 22 at the Spark@Encore venue, 8255 Ronson Road.

This small location hosted an intimate event attended by friends and family members of the various student performers. The audience was enthusiastic and supportive of the kids in the show. The youths who performed were focused and provided excellent renditions of numerous summertime rock favorites. As in the school’s first show in June, these youngsters created fascinating versions of the highly popular songs selected for this showcase. Seeing these child rockers perform, and witnessing the audience reaction, is an uplifting experience that is highly recommended. 

It’ll be boot stomping time in Scripps Ranch when the Symphony in the Park summer concert series presents country music favorites performed by Young Guns, 6-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8 at Hoyt Park.  

The band performs a high-energy musical tribute to the superstars of country music from the 1960s through today. The group’s playlist includes familiar tunes from bands like Florida Georgia Line, Charlie Daniels Band, Rascal Flatts, Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Big & Rich, Dierks Bentley, George Strait, Blake Shelton, Johnny Cash and other country music legends.

In addition to a full band including dueling guitars, a fiddler/violinist and backing singers, Young Guns often presents a total concert production that includes video screens showing a mix of graphics and nostalgic footage. The band has been known to bring it’s rocking country show out into the crowd, not to mention teaching and leading line dances.

The group of experienced musicians and singers comprising Young Guns are led by singer Eric Sage, known as a dynamic performer with a three-octave vocal range. According to the band’s website, Sage has recorded and performed with major stars of the music industry, including Shania Twain, Slash of Guns ’n’ Roses, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, and the Beach Boys.

This concert will be sponsored by Newtopia Cyder, 10045 Carroll Canyon Road, Suite A.

Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park summer concerts are organized by the all-volunteer Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park organization. In addition to producing community concerts, the organization helps keep music alive through its donations to local schools. The donations began in 2011 when Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park became a public, charitable 501(c)(3) organization. Since then, Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park has given $24,600 to local school’s music programs thanks to donations from friends and families in the community as well as concert sponsorship from local businesses. The organization hopes to make check presentations to the schools at its September concert.

The next Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park concert, the final one of the 2019 season, will be the annual holiday concert with Santa and friends, Dec. 8 at Jerabek Park.

Scripps Ranch Theatre’s (SRT) upcoming production of “Foxfire” will offer playgoers a heartwarming, sometimes serious, sometimes funny story of life, love and values that celebrates people of the eastern mountain country and even a little of its music.

The play will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 6-Oct. 6 at the Legler Benbough Theatre on the campus of Alliant International University. This is the first production of Scripps Ranch Theatre’s 41st season.

Set in Southern Appalachia, “Foxfire” tells the story of Annie Nations, a 79-year-old widow, living alone on her mountain farm accompanied only by memories of her late husband, Hector. Challenging her peaceful existence are an aggressive real-estate developer who wants to build a vacation resort on her land, and a son who returns home with two children because his wife has left him.

The story revolves around Annie’s struggle to decide her future and is enhanced with flashbacks to her life with Hector. The jilted son is a professional musician and the play includes a live, full-band performance of what director Ted Leib described as a mountain/bluegrass-influenced country music.

It’s not a musical, but it’s a play with music,” Leib said.

Written by Hume Cronyn (yes, the actor) and Susan Cooper, the play was first produced at Canada’s Stratford Festival in 1980. The 1982 Broadway production starred Jessica Tandy, the late Cronyn’s wife and fellow actor.

SRT’s production will feature Dagmar Krause Fields as Annie Nations; Jim Chovick as Hector; Adam Daniel as Dillard; Maria Hotovy as Holly Burrell; Bob Himlin as real estate developer Prince Carpenter; and Pete Zanko as Doctor.

Leib and SRT artistic director Jill Drexler met years ago while acting in a production of “Foxfire” at a theater in Vista. Familiar with the story, when Leib joined a group choosing the theater’s season lineup, he suggested the play as a good fit for local audiences.

“Music makes ‘Foxfire’ good for Scripps Ranch Theatre. You don’t see a lot of plays that have full music performances in them that aren’t true musicals,” Leib said. “Another factor is the story. It’s a story about getting older; the old ways being replaced by the new. Gentrification if you will. That’s something that a lot of people can relate to, especially here in San Diego.”

Leib noted that the play is a co-production with Oceanside Theatre Company. Following it’s run at SRT, the same actors, crew and sets will move to Oceanside’s Brooks theater for a five-week run there.

The 2019 fall season of the “Pleasure of Your Company” music series will open with a performance by celebrated pianist Dmitry Kirichenko on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 2:30 p.m. at the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center.

His playing, described by Paris music critic Claude Taelman as “warm sensitivity heightened by his delicate touch and great technical mastery,” is a perfect match for the Library’s fine Schimmel piano which traditionally is showcased in the first concert of the season.

His program will include works by Chopin, Schubert and Beethoven.

A graduate of the Moscow and Odessa Conservatories, Dr. Kirichenko performs regularly in the United States and Europe.

Meet the artist and mingle with fellow music lovers at a complimentary post-concert reception.

There is no charge for the concert, which is sponsored by the Scripps Ranch Friends of the Library, although donations are appreciated.

Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center is located at 10301 Scripps Lake Drive across from Miramar Lake.

When Scripps Ranch musician Steve Wolff reflects on his musical career, he credits his start to a man named George Soros. If one were to ask Soros if he knows who Wolff is, chances are he would be very confused. Soros is a big-name investor and philanthropist.

Wolff had just crossed the pond to attend Stanford University from his home country of Britain when Soros devalued the pound by a factor of two. This meant Wolff’s government grant was chopped in half. With no permit to work in the U.S., Wolff decided his background as a musician would have to start turning a profit.

“I've got my guitar, I've got an amplifier. Why don't I try and get a band going?” Wolff said.

Gigs in college dorms and fraternity houses turned around between $400 and $450 a month.

Years later, when Wolff moved to San Diego, somebody told him the city had too many guitarists.

“If you ever want to get a gig, the best thing you can do is be bass player,” they told him.

So, Wolff learned the bass.

It was through this experience that he joined a band that was big on using professional music editing software. The concept inspired him, and in 2006 he created a one-man band, Wolff. The software allowed him to harmonize with himself if he wanted while maintaining an acoustic sound.

“It's kind of a little bit different from your average kind of bar guitarist,” he said.

With deep roots in British culture, Wolff’s musical style hits home for those from across the pond. He cites classic acts such as The Police, The Clash and Pink Floyd as being among his largest influences.