Long Beach Ballet (LBB) successfully delivered its annual “The Nutcracker” extravaganza during five performances last weekend—complete with scores of performers, sumptuous sets, exciting pyrotechnics and, of course, beautiful ballet dancing. 

LBB Artistic Director David Wilcox’s conceptualization, direction and choreography shone brightly in this year’s production. A humble chimney sweep (Ken Datugan) seeking work at the home of young Clara (wonderfully performed by Maeve Callahan) and her family helps set the stage as they greet Christmas Eve party guests. 

In addition to the full orchestra playing Tchaikovsky’s melodic score (excellently conducted by Roger Hickman), one immediately notices the very detailed costumes by an array of designers (Adrian Clarke, Donna Dickens, Ann de Farra, Hilde Byrne and Cheryl Cartwright). The girls’ frocks and ladies’ dresses especially stood out, cut similarly but with uniquely charming patterns and textures, plus lots of bows. 

Floor-to-ceiling sets were similarly enchanting (designed by Elliott Hessayon, Rex Heuschkel and Scott Shaffer), with a wall full of portraits in Clara’s warm family home and an adorned Christmas tree and presents that very magically grew as her perspective changed to that of her beloved nutcracker doll (a robust Benjohn Magcalas) when he came to life to defend her against creepy mice led by a melodramatic mouse king (Craig Rexroad). 

Delzio Design’s pyrotechnics surprised during that fight as the nutcracker and his army fired cannons and muskets with loud booms and glowing sparks. And once the nutcracker transformed into a prince (Steven Morse), he and Clara alighted into the air in a sleigh at the end of the first act before floating angels opened the second act.

Despite all the enthralling staging, it was the music and ballet dancing that sustained the audience’s attention. Long Beach Terrace Theatre acoustics allowed the melodies to reverberate loud and clear while remaining sharp. And LBB’s many young students and their talented teachers graced the stage confidently in their various dances invoking snow and sweets.

A scene from Long Beach Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” to be performed Dec. 17-19 at the Terrace Theatre. (Photo by Katie Ging)

Megan Wilcox as the Sugarplum Fairy stood out for her poise and precision. Her grand pas de deux with our handsome nutcracker prince Morse (from the San Francisco Ballet) was both technically and aesthetically exquisite. Aurora Gray’s technique as the Dewdrop Fairy also captivated.

Beyond grace, athletically exuberant performances by the three Russian Dance performers (Alfredo Garcia, Hector Garcia and Magcalas) stole the show, as did two jolly jesters (Aaron Augustin and young acrobatic Emily Medillin). 

If you weren’t able to attend LBB’s “The Nutcracker” this year, mark your calendars for December 2022, when LBB will most likely return for its annual performance. In the meantime, a video recording of this year’s performance is available to rent for $25 or purchase for $50 through LBB’s website’s “Gallery” page.  

You can also look forward to LBB’s production of “Don Quixote” this summer, which it describes as “the romantic, mad-cap adventures of history’s favorite knight!” Based on Miguel de Cervantes’s novel Don Quixote de la Mancha, the ballet was originally choreographed in 1869 to the music of Ludwig Minkus by Marius Petipa—who also created “The Nutcracker” ballet.

Like “The Nutcracker,” the ballet “Don Quixote” includes a dreamlike adventure, sword-fighting, fairies and even puppetry. And as with “The Nutcracker,” LBB will likely fill the stage with dozens of engaging and graceful performers, lovely costumes and fun set designs, all animated by a live orchestra.

“Don Quixote” is scheduled to be performed on June 4th and 5th at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at 6200 E. Atherton St. on the CSULB campus. Tickets will be available for purchase “soon” through LBB’s website, Longbeachballet.com.

The post Lengthy Seashore Ballet delivers winter magic, prepares for summer season romance with “Don Quixote” appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Direct flights from Christchurch to San Francisco are set to launch this summer.

United Airlines said a new Dreamliner 787 service will start on December 1, flying three times a week for four months.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson said the new direct service will get South Islanders to the US on one flight while also responding to Americans’ interest in the South Island.

“The American travel market is buoyant. Americans are travelling widely again and we know they want to experience what the South Island offers.”

He said the new service will “supercharge” tourism value to New Zealand.

“Statistics show American visitors who enter the country through Christchurch Airport spend 42% more in New Zealand and stay 33% longer.

“Based on government data, the seasonal service is forecast to bring in $44 million in visitor spend for New Zealand, with $32 million of that in South Island regions. This is the ideal combination of national value impact and regional economic impact,” he said.

Watson said the service will connect Christchurch, America, and Antarctica.

“We are the world’s southernmost gateway to Antarctica, with the United States Antarctic Programme based here. That brings more than 3000 staff, researchers and supplies from the US every year to Christchurch, and on to Antarctica in our summer.”

United Airlines is also adding four weekly flights between Auckland and Los Angeles, starting from October 28.

The post Direct flights from Chch to San Francisco to launch over summer time appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Get Smart: New HVAC Products for Summer 2023 | Architectural Record

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One of the most powerful motivations for leaving the house is the promise of a little treat. A sip, a snack, a bite, a nosh — all are a deeply essential part of the ritualistic exercise I’ve created for myself anytime I step foot outside my front door. At this point, it’s Pavlovian. Exit home, receive treat. And now that it’s finally feeling like summer in San Francisco, I’m able to participate in the ultimate version of this ritual: walking and snacking at the same time.

A walkable city is a joy for myriad reasons. People who live in them are likely to be happier. They’re likely to live longer. And by following my lead, they’re likely to eat danker snacks more regularly.

The concept of a Walk and Snack might seem simple, but I’ll elucidate just to make absolutely certain we’re on the same page. You have somewhere to go. Maybe it’s a party. Maybe it’s a dinner. Maybe it’s work, or maybe it’s just to go pick up flowers for yourself. You decide to walk (you’re in a walkable city, after all). You give yourself enough time to walk to your destination and build in an extra fifteen minutes — this step is crucial — and then you map it.

Now, check out your route. If the food gods are on your side, ideally, there will be one food stop, but if they really like you, then two food stops along your path. What you’re looking for here is food that can be consumed on the go. The point is not to stop, sit, and eat. The point is to pause, grab, and continue on your journey. It’s all about enjoying the city and your snack, along with the weather and your neighbors, all at the same time. Sandwiches and pizza slices are obvious choices, but don’t limit your imagination here — many foods can be walked and snacked upon at the same time.

The ultimate beauty and pain of living in a city is that the old guard can be taken for granted while newer upstarts appear and disappear more quickly than the X on top of the Twitter building. There are the stalwart corner stores with good sandwiches and bakeries with fresh conchas, alongside street meat and fruit stands coated in Tajin and chamoy that have weathered many a storm. Other, newer places like AL’s Deli, with its perfectly portable stuffed latkes, have proved less resilient. This is, in some small way, where walking and snacking comes in. Grab a bite, take it to go, and support all local businesses. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Deviled eggs on the go.

Garrett Schlichte

Walking through the Castro? Stop at Rossi’s Deli for deviled eggs that are delicious, dense, surprisingly portable, and were on the menu long before they’d come back in vogue all over the Bay. In the mood for something a little more whimsical? Stop into Giddy Candy on the corner of 16th and Market. A free-standing candy store outside of a mall? A dream!

If you’re moving through the Mission, you’d be an idiot to pass up an elote stick from Snackeria de la Mission or fruta picada from one of the many freestanding fruit stands in the area. But you also can’t go wrong with an empanada (or two) from Venga on Valencia or anything from Dianda, King’s, or La Mejor.

In the Richmond? With such limited seating inside, Good Luck Dim Sum almost demands you walk and snack. Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach basically requires you to as well, with its convenient window for ordering. Open on both ends, tacos may only be available to the most agile of walker-snackers, but Tacos Del Barrio makes it worth the effort.

Big salads or slurpy soups are obviously less optimal for a walk and snack, but that doesn’t immediately disqualify noodle shops and salad counters, either. Chả giò is far more portable and just as much of a reason to stop into Pho 2000 in the Tenderloin. And whereas I’d avoid the Automat breakfast sandwich for fear the egg might slip out on my walk, the french fries with Automat sauce are perfect should you be walking from Alamo Square toward the Richmond or NoPa to Cole Valley (or whatever route you find yourself on).

As we head into summer in San Francisco, which we don’t really get until October, there isn’t a better city for a walk and snack. And there’s no better way to taste a place than to keep yourself free from the confinement of a table. Yes, still make reservations and find time for table service, and yes, still tip well, but also release the injudicious belief that dining out is only for dining in. In this 7×7 city, there are an estimated 4,500 restaurants, and you’ll never even make a dent if you don’t stop in on foot. So get out there, get eating, and don’t be afraid to make a couple of stops along the way.

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The post With the Summer season Climate, Proper Now Is the Greatest Time to Stroll and Snack in San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

During the summer, I like to work odd jobs to remind myself of the importance of hard work and determination. This way, it helps me not take for granted the things that I have today.

Since starting Financial Samurai in 2009, I’ve been told countless times that I live in a bubble and I’m out of touch with reality. Never mind that I grew up in a middle-class household, went to public grade school and public colleges, and am a minority who came to America at age 14.

To many readers, I come from privilege, which I accept. I believe my wealth is mostly due to luck as opposed to skill and hard work. Because of this, I keep grinding so that one day I can feel like I deserved my good fortune.

Summer Jobs Before And After Children

I’ve taken on a number of summer jobs to remind me about the time I worked at McDonald’s for $4/hour. These odd jobs help me maintain a more grounded tone in my writing.

Before my boy was born in 2017, I gave 500+ Uber rides for three summers that paid between $15-30 an hour. Although the income wasn’t huge, I got to meet a lot of interesting folks. I also learned more about the San Francisco economy and various hot spots.

After my girl was born in 2019, I spent more time at home taking care of her, especially during the pandemic. Instead of working a near-minimum wage service job, I decided to spend time writing my book, Buy This, Not That. When I finished it, the hourly wage was even less than what I made driving for Uber.

It may be too late for me as a privileged person, who is out of touch with reality. But I’m determined not to let my children suffer the same fate!

This post is for people who are:

• Looking for ways to not spoil their children
• Looking to create stronger bonds with their children
• Retirees looking for things to do with their free time
• Real estate investors wondering whether landscaping pays off
• Feeling ungrateful and trying to appreciate more of what they have
• Lacking empathy for others because they’ve gotten too rich

The Decision To Put My Boy To Work At A Young Age

One of my constant fears is to raise spoiled children who do not appreciate what they have. I think many FIRE parents have this fear of screwing up their kids. We’ve only got about fourteen years of parenting before their foundation sets.

As a result, once he turned five in 2022, I decided to make him come pull weeds with me at a rental property. The tenants are supposed to maintain the yard once a month, as written in their lease. But they do not do so regularly. Instead of getting into an awkward conversation with them, I just end up pulling the weeds and trimming the bushes myself.

Once he turned six, I decided to put him to work as a landscaper for the fixer I had bought in 2019. My master plan was to renovate the top two floors in Stage 1, gut the ground floor in Stage 2, and then landscape the front yard in Stage 3.

Manual labor is the best type of labor to help us appreciate mental labor.

Saving $5,000 Or Making $7,000

My neighbor had spent $5,000 landscaping the front of his house, which now looks great. Given my rental property hadn’t been landscaped in over 60 years, I thought about hiring his landscaper for $5,000 as well.

But then I thought, why not “earn” $7,000 before tax by doing the landscaping work ourselves! When I told my boy about the plan, he asked me, “How are we going to remove all those plants and carry all those rocks? It seems impossible!”

I responded, “One plant and rock at a time!” Give most things enough time and eventually, we will succeed. And so, we got to work.

The Landscaping Process

Although the rental property’s front yard is small, the landscaping process still took a lot of time. There’s usually a crew of three adult men doing landscaping work. In our case, it was just me and a six-year-old boy.

Here were the steps we took to eventually turn an overgrown mess into something simple and beautiful.

Landscaping Step #1: Remove all the dead plants.

We used shovels and our hands to dig deep down into the dirt and remove all the plants. We then loaded up a truck and sent everything to the dumpster.

Landscaping Step #2: Dig out all the roots of the dead plants.

It’s not good enough to remove the dead plants, we also had to till the soil and pull out as many large and small roots as possible to prevent the plants from growing back. Then we had to rake the soil.

Landscaping Step #3: Go to the store and decide on the materials.

We drove 20 minutes south to a landscaping company called Broadmoor Landscape Supply to pick our materials. We used a black eco-friendly mulch to cover the dirt and got tri-colored pebbles for the pathway. We also bought a roll of black weed blocker material with stakes.

Landscaping Step #4: Roll out weed blocker and insert stakes.

To reduce the need to constantly pull weeds repeatedly every month, forever, we rolled the weed blocker over as much of the dirt as possible. We then inserted stakes every two-to-free feet.

It was so tempting to skip the weed blocker and dump the mulch on the dirt. But I told my boy the extra effort we put in at the beginning will save us time and money in the end.

Landscaping Step #5: Spread the mulch and rocks.

Dump the 12 bags of mulch on the dirt and spread it around. Then dump the four bags of pebbles on the path and spread them evenly. We didn’t put the weed blocker on the path because I forgot. Darn! But there weren’t any weeds there anyway.

Landscaping Step #6: Get the best succulents we could find.

Instead of paying $30 – $300 for each succulent, we decided to get the succulent pups from our other rental property. In 2017, I planted three succulents to represent my son, my wife, and me. I explained to my boy that since 2017, the succulents have grown and produced pups.

We cut the succulents that were the most accessible. I ended up sawing off succulents that would easily cost between $200 – $300 each if I had gone to the store. The largest ones each weighed between 50 – 80 pounds!

Landscaping Step #7: Plant the succulents.

Once we agreed upon a design, it was time to spread out the mulch, cut a large enough hole in the weed blocker, plant the succulents, and give them a good dose of water to help root. We decided to go with succulents because they are low maintenance. I also know from experience that tenants won’t water and take care of them.

Landscaping Step #8: Make a better border.

Because the house is on a hill, the front yard slopes downward. Over time, the brick border began sinking deeper into the soil. This posed a problem because then the mulch drifts down onto the entranceway and driveway.

The bricks were impossible to pull out. But we discovered that once we dug out one, every other one was much easier to dislodge. We cleaned the bricks, added soil where the bricks were, and placed the bricks back.

Landscaping Step #9: Clean up!

We ended up sweeping up all the dirt and debris in the driveway and entranceway. We filled up both the trash bin and ecology bin to the top and set the bins outside for pickup.

Related: How Landlords Can Create Teachable Moments For Their Kids

How Long Did It Take To Landscape?

All told, the landscaping job took about 11 hours over seven days. We spent one-to-two hours a day working to make the landscaping project manageable. Two of those hours were driving to the supply store, picking out the materials, and driving back thrice.

After each day, we felt a tremendous amount of satisfaction. When it was all done, we gave each other high fives! I told my boy that every time he walks by or drives by the rental house, he will now experience the joy of knowing he helped do the work.

The total cost for all the materials was $240. Gas cost around $12. And then there was the cost of our time. But I didn’t view the 11 hours we worked as a costly expense. Instead, it was a priceless bonding experience between father and son we will never forget.

Instead of paying landscapers $5,000, we did it ourselves. My hope is this laborious experience will help him develop a strong work ethic and realize hard things can be completed with enough time.

Life Lessons From The Landscaping Project

1) Learn to do things yourself.

The more knowledgeable and self-sufficient you are, the easier your life will be. Instead of relying on people to do the simplest things, you can do things yourself to save time and headaches.

One example is learning how to change your own tire in case of a flat. Another example is learning how to invest your money. Once you do, you can save money on a financial advisor and potentially make a lot more money compared to those who are financially illiterate.

2) It’s better to do than to show.

You can tell your children or your students to do something all you want. But unless you are also taking action by doing, your teachings may not be as effective.

As a high school tennis coach for three years, I enjoyed playing against my students in challenge matches during practice. Win or lose, they respected my authority more and tried harder because I was battling against them.

By getting my hands dirty, I showed my boy I’m not too good for any job. In turn, he was also willing to get his hands dirty. If you work until exhaustion, you might be able to get rid of entitlement mentality and better appreciate any other type of work that is less demanding.

3) If the direction is correct, sooner or later you will get there.

This is my favorite Chinese proverb. Big tasks often seem impossible to accomplish in the beginning. But if you keep on working at it, you will eventually succeed in completing your task.

The next time you face a big task, think about tackling it in multiple stages over time. This way, the task won’t feel as daunting. Eventually, you’ll put together something you’re proud of.

When I bought the fixer in 2019, it was in pretty bad shape. But I gave myself three years to make the property beautiful. Although it took one-and-a-half years longer than expected due to the pandemic, it eventually got done.

4) The first impression of your house matters.

A well-landscaped front yard makes a tremendous difference in improving the value of the home. The first impression a buyer has is always from the outside. The stronger the first impression, the better the overall impression of the house.

Now whenever my boy and I go to open houses, we take a moment to appreciate the landscaping. We talk about the type of stones they use, the design, the lighting, and the plants. He’s interested now, whereas, in the past, he never paid landscaping a lick of attention.

5) The work is never-ending

Despite landscaping the front yard, weeds will eventually grow back. As a result, we’ve got to return regularly for maintenance. But hopefully, this realization of the need for constant upkeep will translate to lessons for other areas of my children’s lives, e.g. eating healthy and exercising, continuing education, etc.

Given we finished landscaping the yard, I decided to tackle the next project with my daughter by redoing the sidewalk. I asked her to help me pull the weeds and lay weed blocker with stakes. We then went to get 18 bags of 3/4″ pami stone. Now that was a good workout!

18 bags of rock cost another $270 plus about $20 for gas back and forth.

Summer Jobs And Teachable Moments

During every summer onwards, I’m looking forward to doing more odd jobs with my children. Eventually, we’ll move on to painting interior walls and trim. Then I’ll teach them how to change fixtures and fix toilets. Finally, I’ll teach them about the online business world.

We’ll be able to get a lot done over the next 12-15 years!

My hope is that after they leave home, they’ll turn into handy people who will appreciate the importance of hard work. If they ever get jobs that pay much more than minimum wage, hopefully, they will appreciate all the odd jobs they did when they were children.

As a Gen Xer who remembers life before the internet, I still can’t believe we can make money typing on a computer from the comfort of our own home! As a result, I have a lot of motivation to keep writing on Financial Samurai.

Eventually, I hope their hard work will translate into financial reward. It would be nice if they turn into financially independent adults with their heads on straight. They might end up even going into the landscaping business, you never know!

What I do know is that once they get to actually make money from work (instead of get rewarded with hugs and popsicles), I’ll encourage them to max out their Roth IRAs. This way, by the time they graduate college, they will have enough saved up to confidently pursue their goals without too much financial worry.

Reader Questions And Suggestions

Anybody do any landscaping work themselves? How satisfying is it once the job is finally done? What are some odd jobs you’re doing with your children to make them better appreciate what they have and teach them work ethic?

Listen and subscribe to The Financial Samurai podcast on Apple or Spotify. I interview experts in their respective fields and discuss some of the most interesting topics on this site. Please share, rate, and review!

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The post A Summer season Job Landscaping A Rental Property With My Youngsters appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The Mercury offers news and fun every day – but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, without you we are not here. Thank you for your support!

Good morning Portland! Hellooooooooo, SUMMER! It’s the first day of the most beautiful season of the year (fight with me) and the clouds will be gathering soon, the sun will be shining and you can expect a mild high of 78 degrees today (and 85 tomorrow) ! Now get ready for something NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• In a story that shouldn’t surprise you—but if it does, please read the Mercury more often—the company Rapid Response Bio Clean, which the city uses to conduct homeless evacuation, was instructed to pay a homeless person for their personal belongings who do this company carelessly discarded during a 2020 search. Don’t be shocked if this is just the first of many lawsuits of this nature that have been sparked by these cruel and patently inhumane raids. Our Courtney Vaughn has the story.

• After most of Oregon’s Republicans decided to go back to doing what taxpayers paid them to do, lawmakers are rapidly passing new bills — including one that would tighten annual increases in rent and bills by landlords The would add a ton of money to the coffers for various needs such as disaster preparedness and response, food and child welfare, pay increases for government employees and special education teachers, funding for gun inspections, community violence prevention programs, and MUCH more. (Oh, and let’s not forget the $1 billion I-5 bridge replacement that critics are raving about.)

A last-minute proposal to allocate $1 billion in Oregon bonds for a new — and larger — I-5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver has project critics alarmed. https://t.co/IsocwUyQlY

— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury) June 20, 2023

• In other MONEY NEWS: The Portland City Council is considering a significant pay rise for… the councilman — but that wouldn’t begin until 2025, when a new 12-member council takes office. The intention is to pay city leaders a living wage so we have a more diverse group of people at the helm and not just wealthy folks just catering to the needs of their wealthy fellows. (And good morning, Commissioner Gonzalez!)

• If you’re a fan of the very entertaining farming simulation video game Stardew Valley, don’t miss this interview with the creator, which among other things proves that the game is set right here in the Pacific Northwest.

• Oh… and did I mention it’s official now SUMMERTo the right?

Time to look SEXY (and represent your city)! Get your new Say Nice Things About Portland tank top or t-shirt NOW! https://t.co/q6ZSTIK7wo

— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury) June 16, 2023

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• As the search continues for the five people missing from a submersible traveling on the sunken Titanic, a Canadian military plane detected underwater noise that may have come from the lost ship – although authorities are right to advise everyone to be prepared for their expectations , as there less than a day of oxygen remains on the submersible, which may be too deep to reach.

• And oh… then there’s this…

My God – Oceangate, the operator of the missing submarine that explored the Titanic wreck, had a viewing port (window) certified only to 1300 meters, the whistleblower complained in a lawsuit, but was fired. How deep is the wreck of the Titanic? 4000 meters. https://t.co/PcW2YfgM8u pic.twitter.com/hIisIjRQwV

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) June 20, 2023

• GREAT NEWS: A federal judge has finally shelved Arkansas’ cruel statute that bans gender-based childcare in that state. The judge rightly says it violates several sections of the US Constitution, which will make it very difficult for assholes in other states to attempt the same nonsense.

• For the first time for the company, the Federal Trade Commission has sued Amazon for alleged efforts to enroll customers in its Prime program without consent and then making it nearly impossible for them to cancel.

• Does this video remind you of a certain Betsy Johnson you may know?

The homicide rate in Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville is TWICE that in San Francisco. Miami’s homicide rate is THREE times that of San Francisco. https://t.co/0BE1SryrdI

— David Menschel (@davidminpdx) June 21, 2023

• In the corrupt Supreme Court news: Judge Samuel Alito was caught accepting a luxury trip from a hedge fund billionaire and failed to report it. Oh, and Alito also refused to back down from a case when that same hedge fund billionaire appeared before him in court.

• Headline of the day: “Trump calls for death penalty for drug dealers; a Fox News reporter notes that it also applies to the woman he is campaigning for.”

• And finally, for those in the back… DID I MENTION? IT IS SUMMER??

pic.twitter.com/dkSGs88JQP

— Dogs Out of Context (@contextdogs) June 20, 2023

The post Good Morning, Information: Homeless Particular person Efficiently Sues Sweep Firm, State Lawmakers on Their Invoice-Passing Grind, and Joyful First Day of Summer season! ☀️😎💪👙🌴 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

New HVAC Products for Summer 2022 | architectural record

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Travelers line up to check in for United Airlines flights at San Francisco International Airport on July 1, 2022 in San Francisco, Calif. This summer is expected to be a record for air travel.

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Travelers line up to check in for United Airlines flights at San Francisco International Airport on July 1, 2022 in San Francisco, Calif. This summer is expected to be a record for air travel.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, kicking off the busy summer vacation season, and airlines are forecasting that this could be their busiest summer ever. Industry projections indicate that despite relatively high airfares, U.S. airlines could carry a record number of passengers this summer, even though they’re still operating fewer flights than before the pandemic.

The coming months are likely to be a “stress test” for a national aviation system plagued by recent staffing shortages, antiquated technology, air traffic control problems, scheduling issues and labor disputes.

After widespread flight delays and cancellations last year, consumer advocates and some within the travel industry worry air travelers could face similar disruptions that will mess up their summer travel plans again.

If you’re among those hoping to jet off to somewhere fun this summer, here’s what you can expect.

Long lines and packed planes starting this weekend

Travelers line up to get into the security checkpoint at Chicago’s O’Hare airport last summer.

David Schaper/NPR

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Travelers line up to get into the security checkpoint at Chicago’s O’Hare airport last summer.

David Schaper/NPR

“This summer’s travel demand will be as strong as we’ve seen since before the pandemic and potentially the strongest ever,” says Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, which represents airlines, hotels and other travel-related businesses.

The crush of travelers starts Memorial Day weekend, with AAA forecasting that about 3.4 million Americans will be flying this Thursday through Monday.

Including the numbers of commercial airline flights and those on smaller general aviation aircraft, there will be more than 313,000 flights over the seven-day holiday period from May 24 to May 30, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. While that is just below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, the airlines may actually be flying more people by using bigger planes than they normally would on many routes.

The FAA projects that this Thursday will be the busiest day of the Memorial Day weekend, with more than 51,000 flights forecast.

Among the commercial airlines, United is predicting this Memorial Day weekend will be its busiest in more than a decade. Delta expects a whopping 17% increase in passengers from last year.

“The airports are packed,” says Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer of the Airlines Reporting Corp., which processes and tracks airline ticket sales. “So travelers should prepare to get to the airport early, allow adequate time to get through security screening, through the TSA, and expect to see a lot of people on really full planes.”

Solomon says Europe is especially popular this summer, with huge increases in the number of airline tickets purchased for the top ten destinations across the Atlantic, even though prices are up significantly.

“Summer 2022 was pretty rocky”

People travel through the terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport at the start of the Memorial Day weekend on May 27, 2022 in New York City. This coming Memorial Day is the start of a busy summer air travel season.

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People travel through the terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport at the start of the Memorial Day weekend on May 27, 2022 in New York City. This coming Memorial Day is the start of a busy summer air travel season.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

If last summer is any indication, air travelers might be in for some turbulence before they get off the ground this summer.

“Things were very bad for air travelers last year. They were as bad as they’ve been in 25 years or more,” says Andre Delattre, national program director for PIRG, the Public Interest Research Group. The consumer advocacy group analyzed airline passenger complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“There were five times more complaints in 2022 compared to 2019 before the pandemic, even though fewer people were flying,” he says.

Airlines delayed and canceled a staggering number of flights last year — more than 210,000 were canceled, according to the flight tracking firm FlightAware. “Other than the early months of the pandemic, that’s more canceled flights than any year since 2001, when, of course, 9/11 disrupted air travel,” Delattre says.

A recent Government Accountability Office investigation found that the sharp increase in airline flight disruptions in recent years was largely caused by factors within the airlines’ control, including maintenance issues, technology glitches and staffing problems.

Even though taxpayers shelled out $50 billion to keep airlines in business and pilots, flight attendants and other employees on the payrolls during the pandemic, airlines offered early retirements and other incentives for workers, including experienced flight crews and ground crews, to leave.

Then air travel demand returned much more quickly than airlines expected. Many tried to cash in with aggressive scheduling, but the staff was stretched too thin to meet that demand, especially during severe weather, which led flight crews to time out without fresh crew members to replace them. With planes and flight crews out of place and too few replacements available, it would take some airlines a week or more to get caught up from one series of thunderstorms.

Add to that a new pilot training backlog, and shortages of mechanics, maintenance workers, gate agents and customer service staff, along with technology glitches and outdated scheduling software at some airlines, and it all cascaded into several periods over the last year in which hundreds of thousands of would be travelers were stranded, the worst of which was over the Christmas holiday, when Southwest alone had to cancel 17,000 flights.

Airlines say they’re better prepared now

Travelers line up to check in for United Airlines flights at Newark Liberty International Airport on July 1, 2022 in Newark, N.J. Experts are predicting heavy travel this summer.

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Travelers line up to check in for United Airlines flights at Newark Liberty International Airport on July 1, 2022 in Newark, N.J. Experts are predicting heavy travel this summer.

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American and its rival airlines all say they’re much better prepared for this summer than last. They’ve all gone on a hiring spree, with passenger airlines adding nearly 4,500 employees just in March alone.

The industry now employs more than 486,000 workers in the U.S., nearly 10% more than they had before the pandemic.

Most airlines handled the recent surge in spring break travelers relatively well, and the cancellation rate so far this year is down significantly from last year. According to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics, airlines canceled 1.7% of flights over the first three months of this year, far lower than the 2.7% flight cancellation rate for all of last year, and 4.1% for the first quarter of 2022.

“We are as prepared as we can possibly be,” says Nick Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America, the lobbying group representing the nation’s biggest air carriers. “We’ve got a lot more employees. We have reduced our schedules and adjusted how we’re flying,” in an effort to minimize flight disruptions.

But many industry experts warn travelers to be prepared for significant flight delays and cancellations anyway, caused by things outside of the airlines’ control.

The FAA’s air traffic control issues

An American Airlines Airbus A319 airplane takes off past the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., in January.

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An American Airlines Airbus A319 airplane takes off past the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., in January.

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While the Biden administration is turning up the heat on the airlines to fulfill their obligations to passengers, the airlines are growing frustrated with the federal government’s own aviation shortcomings.

The FAA warns that a significant shortage of air traffic controllers overseeing the very congested New York area airspace could increase flight delays into and out of Newark, LaGuardia and JFK airports by 45% this summer.

In addition, the chronically underfunded FAA is also struggling to replace outdated technology. The failure of a pilot notification system in January led the FAA to briefly halt all flight departures nationwide, causing thousands of flight delays and cancellations that day.

Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection staffing shortages in many airports has led to hourslong waits for international travelers returning to the U.S. to get through customs.

Geoff Freeman of U.S. Travel puts the blame for many of these problems not on the airlines, but on Congress and the federal government.

“These problems have come out of years and years of underinvestment,” Freeman says. “If the government doesn’t act now, the headaches won’t just happen during peak travel season and holidays, it will become our daily reality.”

Summer air travel tips

A man pushes his bags at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on May 27, 2021 in Los Angeles as people travel for Memorial Day weekend. The Department of Transportation has a website to assist travelers with knowing their rights.

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A man pushes his bags at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on May 27, 2021 in Los Angeles as people travel for Memorial Day weekend. The Department of Transportation has a website to assist travelers with knowing their rights.

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Airline passengers who run into problems from flight disruptions to lost luggage this summer can find out more about their rights and the airlines’ responsibilities at the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. The site also links to a dashboard listing which airlines are willing to pay for meals, ground transportation, hotels and other expenses incurred because of significant delays and cancellations that are the airline’s fault. It also link to a site where consumers can file complaints.

Experts recommend booking flights earlier in the day as storms tend to develop later in the afternoon and evening. It’s also a good idea to check the weather forecast for your destination and any cities where you have a layover. The FAA has a site showing where severe weather may cause problems for air travelers each day.

Use the airline’s app to track not just whether your flight is on time, but where the plane is coming from and if there are delays there. Book nonstop flights, if possible, so you don’t get stranded on a layover.

Travelers who are checking luggage should also be sure to pack an extra change of clothes or two and medications and other necessities in their carry-on bag, in case there’s a significant delay or cancellation after you’ve checked in.

The bottom line for those of us flying this summer is to plan ahead, prepare for the worst — and hope for the best.

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Sweeping views of Siletz Bay. Wide decks to soak in the sun (sometimes). A beautiful, open dining hall with a seafood market and crab boil, and a merch area complete with a second bar.

Much like the previous three, Pelican Brewing has nailed its fourth location. I’m not going to say it surpasses the original spot in Pacific City, a place that, for me and years of wedding anniversary memories, is held aloft with its sand-adjacent patio, view of Haystack Rock and the towering sand dune to the north that my wife makes me climb every year (somehow inexplicably this does not diminish my memories). But you may disagree with me, because Pelican’s Siletz Bay brewpub, at the southern end of Lincoln City, is truly a “wow” kind of place.

I made my first trip out there earlier this month for a long weekend with my wife. The place had its official opening in the fall after a very soft partial opening last June, but the crew is now ramping up for a first full summer of service, so I wanted to write about it before the sun arrives (will it ever, I ask ya). Our reaction to Pelican Siletz Bay is summed up by this: We fully intended to eat at three different places on our three nights at the coast, but after our first visit to Pelican on Saturday, we found ourselves back there Sunday night (on night one, smoked tri-tip flatbread for her and 14-hour slow smoked tri-tip for me, and two brewpub cheeseburgers on the return trip).

The new kitchen is big, and from the dining room you can watch the efficient production and flow of a menu that features familiar staples from Pelican’s other locations (Cannon Beach and Tillamook are spots two and three) but also some new offerings that include locally sourced seafood and produce. An annex called Phil’s Nest (Phil, I learned, is the name of the pelican in the brewery’s logo) is open and gearing up for summer, with separate seating, a fireplace and bar, offering guests a seafood market and crab boil — perfect for taking out onto the wooden decks that front Siletz Bay. When the weather allows, those are lined with Adirondack chairs and tables, an unrivaled way to wait for a table with a beer or languish away an afternoon or evening.

Inside, the elegantly appointed restaurant is topped by a mezzanine dining area and private spaces that can be rented for parties or company gatherings. All take in the views of the bay offered by windows stretching from floor to a wood ceiling high above. A large central bar serves Pelican’s familiar and new styles, from flagship Kiwanda Cream Ale to one of my favorite of their newer beers, Hoppa Don’t Preach, a danky Northwest IPA. Speaking of beer, Pelican has moved its original 15-barrel brewery from Pacific City to Siletz Bay, with the glistening tanks one of the first things you see when you pull into the parking lot, and it’s cranking out the beers you’ll find on tap there (the larger production brewery for distribution beer remains in Tillamook). Brand manager Alexandra Pallas walked me through the place and through one of Pelican’s newest endeavors — hop water, a great alternative for drivers and those abstaining from alcohol. The line is called Sparkle Hops, and they’re tasty, refreshing and subtle, with Strata + Acai and Citra + Lemon the first available.

I could go on and on about the place, but go see it for yourself. Make the call on whether your introverted self prefers sitting inside and watching rain spritz the windows (go now), or your extrovert craves the warm hustle and bustle of crowds sipping suds on a sunny deck (go this summer). See you there.

. . .

Editor’s note: This is a re-publication of Oregon Brews and News, a weekly newsletter rounding up Portland and Oregon beer and brewery news. It is sent to subscriber’s emails at noon every Thursday. To subscribe, go to oregonlive.com/newsletters and sign up for Oregon Brews and News.

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Takeoff approaching for Crux Portland Pub

The previous tenant moves out recently at the future home of Crux Portland Pub.

The plane has left the hangar at Crux Fermentation Project’s upcoming Southeast Portland location. Formerly home to Vagabond Brewing’s Portland location, Crux took over the space after Salem-based Vagabond shut down all of its operations during the pandemic. Bend-based Crux is busy getting its second location ready for us, and part of the operation is getting rid of the Cessna plane Vagabond had perched up near the ceiling. “The plane is awesome and was a great part of the Vagabond plan … but it was their thing and not ours, so it’ll be coming out,” Crux marketing director Jason Randles told me a while back. He says they are still shooting for a June opening for the Crux Portland Pub, which will be in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood at 2715 S.E. Eighth Ave., Suite 172, formerly part of the Darigold dairy complex. Randles says lots of work is going on behind the walls, and Crux has started an Instagram page where you can track progress.

2022 was stable, Brewers Association says

The Brewers Association, the national group that represents small and independent craft breweries and homebrewers, this week released production figures that showed 2022 remained relatively unchanged from 2021. Small and independent brewers produced 24.3 million barrels of beer, on par with 2021′s numbers, and craft’s overall beer market share by volume grew to 13.2%, up from 13.1% in 2021. Overall, the beer market shrank 3% by volume in 2022.

The estimated retail dollar value was $28 billion, representing a 24.6% market share and 6% growth over 2021. The association said sales growth was stronger than volume because of pricing and a shift to smaller brewers — who are more likely to sell onsite and through distributed draft — as well as the continued shift back to on-premise sales, which has a higher retail value. Craft brewers provided 189,413 direct jobs, a 9% increase from 2021, driven both by growth in the number of breweries and a continued shift to hospitality-focused business models.

Bart Watson, the Brewers Association’s chief economist, said that “2022 presented small brewers with a number of challenges, including rising operating and material costs and increasing competition, particularly in distribution. In this maturing and competitive market, collective growth for the category is hard to come by.”

The report was numbers heavy, so here’s a look at the highlights:

• 9,552: craft breweries (an all-time high)
• 2,035: microbreweries
• 3,418: brewpubs
• 3,838: taproom breweries
• 261: regional craft breweries
• 9,709: total breweries
• 549: new breweries
• 319: closed breweries

See the association’s news release here.

Earth Day Salmon-Safe IPA Fest at Hopworks

Hopworks Brewing is hosting its Salmon-Safe IPA Fest on Earth Day, featuring 20 beers — most but not all of which are IPAs — made with Salmon-Safe hops and malts, which are those certified by the Oregon-based environmental organization Salmon-Safe. A few of the beers from the fest, which includes brewers in five states, include:

• Dam Hippie! Italian Pilsner, a collaboration between Boise’s Lost Coast Brewing and Bellingham’s Aslan Brewing.
• Expression Session Cold IPA from Ventura, California’s Topa Brewing in collaboration with Cervecería Wendlandt out of Ensenada, Baja California.
• Dam Free Imperial Hazy IPA from Falling Sky Brewing of Eugene.
• Riffle Runner Hazy Pale Ale from Bale Breaker Brewing in Yakima, Washington.
• Salmon Is My Safe Word Juicy IPA from Deschutes Brewing Public House in Portland.
• Farm Team: Volume 2 Hazy Pale Ale from Reubens Brews in Seattle.

The festival is a benefit for Oregon Wild in support of the Brewshed Alliance, which works to keep the region’s water clean and clear — which by the way makes beer better, among other things. Noon-9 p.m. Saturday, April 22, 21 and older only after 4 p.m., panel discussion 4-5 p.m. featuring Salmon-Safe growers and brewers. 2944 S.E. Powell Blvd. Presale tickets.

Help the Earth Part 2: Drink Ferment beer

Earth Day, Hood River and Ferment Brewing? I’m all in.

Ferment, which you’ll find along the Columbia River waterfront of Hood River, is celebrating Earth Day with a special event and fundraiser. Earth Day is on Saturday, April 22, but the brewery will take 10% of all food and drink sales on Friday, April 21, and send the proceeds to the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts. Known as COLT, the group works to serve and strengthen the land trust community in Oregon by advancing policies and supporting conservation organizations that help protect water, wildlife and open space for all people.

Ferment will have a number of limited releases on draft, including the latest White River Saison, El Lager Dorado, House Party Pale Ale and Lost in Fragaria Strawberry Sour Ale. Plus COLT’s staff will be at the tasting room from 5 to 8 p.m. to raise their glasses to environmental stewardship.

Loyal Legion tells us plan for PDX

A view from the tarmac shows construction continuing on Portland International Airport’s redesigned main terminal area. A new Loyal Legion location will be located behind the blue tarp seen on the third floor, to the right of the temporary metal staircase visible in the center of the photo.

Last week my colleague, The Oregonian/OregonLive restaurant critic Michael Russell, broke the news that Portland International Airport in 2024 will have 20 new shops and restaurants in the redesigned main terminal concourse debuting next year. Those will include the fourth location of Loyal Legion Beer Hall, so I followed up and spoke with Kurt Huffman, whose ChefStable restaurant group operates Loyal Legion. He gave me the skinny on the new place, and you can read all about it in my article from last Friday.

John’s Marketplace opens Beaverton location

John’s Marketplace this week opened a third location, this time in Beaverton. The taproom and bottle shop took over the former home of Chelsea Audio, at 3700 S.W. Hall Blvd., next to DeCarli restaurant.

The new location, a short walk from the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, offers thousands of cans and bottles of beer, a curated wine section, cider, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, and more. The 16-tap bar is serving draft beers and wines by the glass, and the location also includes a full kitchen, with a menu of smash burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads. Hours are 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

John’s original location is in Southwest Portland’s Multnomah Village, 3535 S.W. Multnomah Blvd., and its second is at 3560 S.E. Powell Blvd.

Second Profession oyster pop-up and new beers

Second Profession Brewing has taken over the former home of Labrewatory in North Portland.

Second Profession Brewing may be a bit hard to find, but it’s a hidden gem, having taken over the former home of Labrewatory in North Portland. There, founder, owner and brewer Charlie Goman operates out of an exquisitely appointed taproom and brewery, offering a range of creative and classic styles as well as a continuing series of fun events for the community. The next is tonight’s second of his monthly Oyster Bar Pop Ups. Second Profession has partnered with Pop Oysters PDX to do the shucking, sourcing the oysters from Hama Hama Oyster Farms in Washington. Goman tells me the quantity is limited, so get there early. It’s $20 per dozen of your choice of Blue Pool Oysters or Hama Hama Oysters, plus beer, wine and cocktails. 5-9 p.m., Thursday, April 20, 668 N. Russell St.

Try these new releases when you’re there:

• Citra Saison (6% ABV; 35 IBU) The brewery took a classic style and “gave it the PNW IPA treatment,” Goman said. This unfiltered Belgian-Style saison is single hopped with Citra. Brewery notes: “A melon, citrus and stone fruit aroma and flavor profile that works perfectly with this ester rich Belgian-Style ale.”
• Gone Walkabout Tropical Lager (5% ABV; 30 IBU). A crisp, dry lager using the new BSG hop Zamba. Brewery notes: “Lemon, lime, citrus and stone fruit.”

Beer of the Week

West Coast Pilsner

West Coast Pilsner, Steeplejack Brewing (5.2% ABV). This new beer is a part of Steeplejack’s Founders Series, and six-packs will be going into distribution this week and available at retail outlets next week. West Coast Pilsner features LINC malt, Michigan Chinook and Mosaic hops. Brewery notes: “All the hoppy love of an IPA in a crisp lager package. The main tasting notes you’ll pick up are pineapple, dank and strawberry.”

What to do, what to do?

Lupulin Ecstasy Festival: Tickets went on sale at 4:20 p.m. Thursday for the Saturday, May 20, festival that features more than 40 IPAs at Fort George Brewery in Astoria. Live music all day, amusements and activities, food, idyllic gardens, giant inflatable animals, three historic museums and the first ever taste of this years’ 3-Way IPA. The Astoria brewery’s annual summer seasonal collaboration this year features Anchorage Brewing of Anchorage and Cellarmaker Brewing of San Francisco. Get tickets here.

Block 15 Brewing has announced part of its vintage beer list and details for its distribution tour for its “15th Anniversary Fest: The Past, Present, and Future,” to be held Saturday, April 22, at the Corvallis brewery. The festivities begin today, when Block 15 holds a 2008 Throwback Party from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Original Block 15 Brewing and Restaurant, 300 S.W. Jefferson Ave., Corvallis. Offered will be throwback food specials such as the Brewben and the 185 Mile Salad, throwback beer prices, and a special brew of the original Sticky Hands recipe (while supplies last). At Saturday’s anniversary party, specialty bottles of the original recipe Sticky Hands: the Past, Present, and Future will be available in 750ml bottles, and Revolve will be available for purchase in limited supply on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the day. Tickets available here. Also, see the website for a partial list of bottles that will be available in limited supply and for details about a distribution tour at these locations, which will be the first to receive the collaboration beers: Wildwood Taphouse, Hillsboro; PublicHouse, Springfield; Bridge & Tunnel, Astoria; Common Fields, Corvallis; and Mayfly Taproom & Bottle Shop, North Portland.

Chetco Brewing’s 10 years on the coast: The Brookings brewery is throwing a 10th anniversary bash this month at its brewpub, 830 Railroad St., Brookings. Anniversary events include live music by Second Bridge on Friday night, April 21; cornhole tournament on Saturday, April 22; live Music by Vince Bigos & Giveaways on Sunday, April 23.

Von Ebert Brewing anniversary: The Portland brewery is turning five and is celebrating this week through Sunday, April 23. Von Ebert is offering food specials that include house smoked ribs at pubs and Mercury pizza week pie special at taprooms; drink specials that include $5 Volatile Substance draft and $12 four-packs and a new cocktail menu at Pearl District; beer releases that include Alma 2023 and Lavender Latte Ale “Romance Isn’t Dead”; and upgraded Stein Society loyalty program, with 50% off Stein Society memberships all week. Stop by one of the locations to partake and get more details on the society membership.

Great Notion Brewing’s Get on the Bus Week: Brewery co-founders Paul Reiter, James Dugan and Andy Miller are wrapping up the brewery’s second annual Get on the Bus Week, dubbed GOTBW, that started Wednesday, April 19, or “Bicycle Day,” the first recorded LSD “trip” by the inventor of the drug, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, in 1943. The week will include new beers and merchandise at Great Notion’s locations.

Saisons on the Lawn fest, Crux Fermentation Project: The Bend brewery, to “celebrate the pastoral nuance of this spring style of beer,” has invited some of its brewery friends to share their saisons. Nine saisons will be poured, including from Crux, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Wolf Tree Brewery, Ferment Brewing, Monkless Belgian Ales, Ale Apothecary, Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery, Little Beast Brewing and Deschutes Brewery. Entry is free. Taster package is $20 and includes a 9-ounce Belgian-style glass and five tokens. Additional tokens can be purchased for $2. Each token gets you a 4-ounce sample, or fill the glass for two tokens. All proceeds benefit the Oregon Brewers Guild. Crux will also kick off its weekend brunch menu the same day — the return of its brunch since it was stopped during the pandemic. Get more details here. Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, April 22, 50 S.W. Division St., Bend.

Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest: Returning for the eighth year on Saturday, April 29, Cider Fest offers a chance to sample cider from Columbia River Gorge hard cidermakers plus other noteworthy Northwest cideries. With nearly 30 cideries and more than 50 ciders on tap, Cider Fest will be held at the Port of Hood River Event Site, along the Columbia River waterfront with views of the Columbia River Gorge. The daylong event also features music and a play area for kids, guaranteeing a great time for the whole family. Find tickets and package details here. Those younger than 21 are free.

“Bottle Conditioned” screening at Wildwood: The Hillsboro taphouse on Sunday, May 21, will be an official screening partner for the Lambic documentary “Bottle Conditioned,” in which Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Jerry Franck explores the small Belgian community of lambic beer, looking at how brewers and blenders of different generations wrestle with tradition and the increased demand for their rare beers. Wildwood is holding screenings at 3 and 6 p.m., with presale tickets being sold at the taphouse’s April 15 Funks Not Dead event, with online tickets available. The April 15 Funks Not Dead event has kegs tapping at 11 a.m., with a party at 5 p.m. including brewery representation from The Ale Apothecary, de Garde and Funky Fauna, plus some special bottle pours available. 9345 N.E. Windsor St., Hillsboro.

— Andre Meunier; sign up for my weekly newsletter Oregon Brews and News, and follow me on Instagram, where I’m @oregonianbeerguy.

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