FREE open artist studios, galleries and events throughout NTC Promenade Arts & Cultural District at Liberty Station.   Explore, wander and enjoy our growing cultural center.

Friday, February 5   5pm – 8pm – Featured Events

Building 201
The new Martha Pace Swift Gallery in Building 201 will have its grand opening dedication at 6pm. The inaugural exhibit is “The Garden of Mythos: Abstraction in Collaboration with Nature” curated by the Expressive Arts Institute and featuring the large scale oil on canvas work of San Diego artist Anna Zappoli.  The exhibit continues through April 2, 2010.  The gallery is next to Solare Ristorante at 2820 Roosevelt Road .

Building 202
Artists and designers from Barracks 19 studios present “Straight from the Heart/Del Corazón,” a collective exhibition featuring photography, painting, graphic design, fashion, culinary, and other visual art in various media at the New Americans Museum Gallery, February 5 through 21.   Featured artists include: Richard Bagguley, Petar Barbaros, Peggy Fischbeck, Rachel Grant, Kenneth Greene, Nancy Isbell, Patrick Meehan, Jeanette Osias and Chris Panataleoni. 

The San Diego Watercolor Society opens their February exhibit ”Love is in the Air” featuring 75 watercolor paintings created by SDWS members on display and for sale

The Visions Art Quilt Gallery opens “ California Fibers: Liminal Spaces” featuring the work of professional contemporary fiber artists from around the world and will include weaving, sculpture, basketry, quilting, wearable art and mixed media.

Barracks 19
Sophie’s Gallery hosts its 11th Annual Gotta’ Have Heart exhibit and sale featuring a collection of vintage records transformed into dynamic time pieces in their gallery.  There is a $20 suggested donation for the opening.

Five Loaves, Two Fish is holding a sale on select winter clothing items and accessories crafted by Kit and Heather for women and young girls.

Open Artist Studios on the second floor.

Building 176
“Fun Fridays” Hands on fun with musical instruments at the Recreational Music Center

A full calendar and NTCP map is at http://www.ntcpromenade.org/what.php

Dear PCPB & Community members,

 

Please calendar the next two meetings in January and February that will address our community’s concerns over SDIA’s future encroachments and environmental impacts effecting us all.  Please forward meeting notice and agendas (attached) to as many residents and business owners interested in attending.

 

These meetings are unique opportunities for our community express concerns face-to-face with Airport Authority Chairman Bob Watkins and Senior Planner Sandi Sawa.  Meeting notice and agenda’s have been posted at Point Loma Library and online at: http://www.pcpb.net/airport.html

 

Happy New Year!

 

Best Regards,

 

Suhail Khalil

PCPB Airport Committee Chair

2007-2010

 

Morning Star Real Estate Services
(619) 224-1527 – Office
MorningStar.RESVC@cox.net

Sailors and civilian Navy employees who commute across San Diego Bay via a free ferry will take their last rides to North Island Naval Air Station next week. Citing security and funding issues, the Navy announced service to the base would end Jan. 15.

Giving troubled borrowers yet another way to avoid foreclosure, Fannie Mae said on Thursday it would allow eligible homeowners to rent their own homes. The Deed for Lease program lets homeowners transfer the deed back to their lender and then sign a lease to remain in the home. The effort is aimed at borrowers with mortgages owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae who do not qualify for or cannot sustain a loan modification. Borrowers must live in the home as their primary residence and must be released from any subordinate liens. The program aims to reduce the number of foreclosed properties being abandoned because they often fall into disrepair and hurt the surrounding homes’ values. Also, it keeps a roof over troubled borrowers’ heads and a steady stream of income coming from the property. Tenants of homeowners may also be eligible for leases. “This new program helps eliminate some of the uncertainty of foreclosure, keeps families and tenants in their homes during a transitional period, and helps to stabilize neighborhoods and communities,” said Jay Ryan, vice president of Fannie Mae, a mortgage-guarantee firm under federal government control. Homeowners must show they can afford market rent, but that payment cannot be more than 31% of the borrower’s pre-tax income. Leases may be up to 12 months, with the possibility of renewal or month-to-month extensions. If the property is sold, the new owner picks up the lease. “It really buys them time,” said Paul Habibi, real estate professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Stopping foreclosures But in the long-run the program only delays the inevitable sale of the distressed properties. While this initiative is not part of the Obama administration’s loan modification program, the White House is leaning heavily on Fannie Mae and its sister firm, Freddie Mac, to assist in stemming the foreclosure crisis. Freddie Mac launched a program in January that allowed borrowers to stay in their homes on a month-to-month basis after they go through foreclosure. Despite the government and financial industry initiatives, foreclosures hit an all-time high in the third quarter. During that time, 937,840 homes received a foreclosure letter — whether a default notice, auction notice or bank repossession, according to RealtyTrac. Last month, Treasury officials announced that 500,000 troubled borrowers have been put into trial modifications under the president’s plan. The program calls for eligible homeowners to pay no more than 31% of their pre-tax income toward their mortgages. At the same time as it tries to ramp up its loan modification program, the administration is looking for ways to help those not eligible for adjustments. In May, officials unveiled a program to incent borrowers and loan servicers to participate in short sales and deeds in lieu. Under that initiative, borrowers get up to $1,500 to assist with relocation expenses and Treasury pays servicers $1,000 when the deal is completed. Short sales, in which the home is sold for less than the mortgage balance and loan servicers may forgive the difference, and deeds in lieu, in which borrowers voluntarily forfeit the deed and the debt may be erased, are faster and cheaper than foreclosure. First Published: November 5, 2009: 1:40 PM ET  (Source:  By Tami Luhby, CNNmoney.com)

Gov. proposes extension, expansion of home buyer tax credits During his State of the State address, Governor Schwarzenegger today announced his 2010 proposals for California. Included in the proposals is a recommendation to set aside $200 million for a new round of $10,000 state tax credits for first-time home buyers. The proposal expands upon the initial $10,000 state tax credit by including both new and existing homes. Last year’s tax credit applied only to new homes. The tax credit could be combined with the recently extended and expanded federal tax credit for home buyers.

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32..
1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made…. How many other things are we missing?

 The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is proposing raising minimum credit scores for borrowers who receive FHA-backed mortgages, increasing down payment requirements, and limiting the amount of money sellers can provide toward closing costs. The proposed changes are part of an effort to shore up the agency’s finances, which have been hit with rising defaults to its mortgage insurance program. (Source: Washington Post)

On November 5, 2009, Fannie Mae announced its new Deed-for-Lease Program (D4L) that allows eligible borrowers facing foreclosure (or their tenants) to stay in their primary residences. Under D4L, the borrower transfers ownership of the property to the lender through a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure and the borrower (or the tenant) signs a lease for up to 12 months. The program is designed for borrowers who do not qualify for other workout solutions, including modifications, or who do not meet their obligations under the modification. Read the details on Fannie Mae’s website.

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival

Wednesday, Nov 18 12:00p at Embarcadero Marina Park North, San Diego, CA

Your mission: Learn the tricks and sample the cuisine of 70 chefs and partake of more than 800 wines. Don’t worry. You’ve got five days to do it. Locations vary throughout the event. The Grand Tasting takes place Saturday, Nov. 21, at Embarcadero Park.

The first-time home buyer tax credit, originally scheduled to expire on November 30th, has been extended – and expanded. That is indeed good news for for first-time buyers, as well as repeat buyers, many of whom will be able to take advantage of the program. In his commentary this month, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun tells us that the tax credit, continuing low mortgage rates and high affordability will help lift home sales activity into next year.