News From Jamul Haven

We still have one room available for Valentine's day, and we're still offering our special of a free celebration package with the purchase of a romance package on Valentine's day.

Stay with us on St. Patrick's day, March 17th, and join us for a free traditional Irish dinner of corned beef, cabbage, and all the fixings.

We've completed the wall around the stairs in the pool pavilian, so Marianne now has room to expand her gift shop. We're still working on the canyon water features under the bridge, but the rough-in rock work there is pretty much done.

John and Glenda manned our exhibit at the Steele Canyon Golf Course bridal bazaar, and Glenda got the great idea to have the two of them wear Jamul Haven bathrobes. It was a big hit, as you can tell from this photo.

William and Mariane just returned from a week in New York where he was helping with the first New York performance of one of his plays. There's lots of excitement in this area, so we've devoted an entire article in the newsletter to this topic.

Status of William's Plays

There has been lots of activity with William's series of plays about famous poets. Pound, his play about Ezra Pound, was performed at the Dramatists Guild in New York late last month. Since then, that play has been accepted in a New York festival in May. His play Dickinson, about Emily Dickinson, was accepted into a New York festival in June and is scheduled for a one-month run in San Diego during July.

He is currently seeking tax deductible donations to help fund various developmental productions of the plays. He is producing the plays through American International Theater, Inc., a 501(c)3 IRS approved charitable organization. Donations of any size would be greatly appreciated. Just showing your support with a donation of a few bucks really has meaning. To learn more and hopefully make a donation, visit www.aitheater.org.

Some More Olive History

Here are some interesting quotes from an article by the San Diego Historical Society titled "San Diego Olives."

In 1909, San Diego led all California counties in the number of acres devoted
to olives. Boosters promoted the fruit as an ideal crop for the climate. Processing plants made olive oil, pickled olives, and canned ripe olives. Producers included Frank A. Kimball of National City and Charles M. Gifford of San Diego, neither of whom have received much attention from historians.

Gifford and Sons Olive Works, for example, was the first company in the United States to package and market ripe olives in a tin can. A century later, almost all the olives produced in California are sold in the manner that Gifford originated at his San Diego processing plant.

Olives are one of the world’s oldest cultivated fruits and a hardy survivor of the Columbian exchange, the transfer of plants and animals between the Old and New Worlds.

San Diegan Charles Myrtelle Gifford inaugurated the modern olive industry in the United States. The first processor to package ripe olives in a tin can, he created a new food product and a new way for olive growers to deliver their crop to the marketplace. Before revolutionizing the olive business, Gifford showed his willingness to try something new by making a dramatic career change. In 1888 he left his work as a Great Lakes tugboat captain to raise oranges and grapefruit in the Jamacha area [now called Jamul] of San Diego County. After tasting pickled olives for the first time, he changed his principal crop from citrus to olives. Gifford initially processed his olive crop on his East County ranch. Each week, he drove a horse-drawn wagon around San Diego, selling bottles of oil and pickled olives from a large barrel. The Hotel del Coronado was an early customer and he supplied many local grocery stores. Later the family and the business moved into San Diego. The Gifford plant packed eight to ten tons of olives per day and employed as many as seventy-six workers in the season.

In This Issue:

Upcoming Local Events

Selected fun San Diego events that are worth a trip.

thru 3/1: VAN GOGH: Brush with Genius is a new IMAX film that takes audiences across Europe and into the heart of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings. Playing Daily.


For information about any of these events, email us!

Jamul Haven Specials

Reserve a room and romance package for Valentine's day, and receive a free celebration package. Just mention this special in the comment section when making your reservation.

Reserve a room on St. Patrick's Day and enjoy a free Irish dinner of corned beef, cabbage, and all the fixings.

Innkeeper Update

William is raising money for several productions of his plays. To show your support, visit www.aitheater.org.

Regina had some good news and some bad news. The good news is that she made a spectacular leap in dance, soaring several feet into the air. The bad news is that when she landed she broke her foot. So she's limping around in a cast.

Liz and Daniel are settled into their new home in Whidbey Island. Daniel's still looking for an aviation job anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, so if you know anyone who knows anyone...

John and Glenda just celebrated an anniversary.

In The News

For links to articles and reviews, visit http://www.jamulhaven.com/links.html.

Hints from Yesteryear

Hints from "The Everyday Cook-Book," (c) 1889 and found in the Jamul Haven Angel House.

To Clean Decanters: Roll up small pieces of soft brown or blotting paper, wet them, and soap them well. Put them into the decanters about one-quarter full of warm water; shake them well, then rinse with clear cold water. When dry they will be almost as bright as new ones.

Recipies from Yesteryear

Recipies from "The Everyday Cook-Book," (c) 1889 and found in the Jamul Haven Angel House.

Boiled Calf Head: After the head has been thoroughly cleaned, and the brains removed, soak it in warm water to blanch it. Lay the brains also into warm water to soak for an hour. Put the head into a stewpan and cover with water until it boils, then add a little salt. Remove scum as it rises. Boil the brains, chop them, and mix with melted butter, minced parsley, pepper, salt,and lemon juice. Take up the head, skin the tongue, and put it on a small dish with the brains round it. Have ready some parsley and butter, smother the head with it, and the remainder send to the table in a tureen.