Hi guys!
I haven’t visited either of the other two cohort sites (Che’lu and Casa) but I have had a chance to get to know the neighborhood around UWEAST a little bit! Before this class I had never spent time in City Heights, and one thing that really struck me about the neighborhood in comparison to many of the other central San Diego neighborhoods is the strong sense of community that City Heights has. For example, one of the thrift stores down the street from UWEAST has a sign that says something along the lines of “Please don’t steal, if you are in need of clothing let us know and we will help you.” Across the street from that store is The Dojo Cafe, which is a really neat experiment in community living- it’s a fenced-in concrete street corner with outdoor seating and places for various food vendors to rotate daily menus. The owner is a former social worker, which reflects in the open and inviting design of the cafe (which operates out of a cute little trailer parked on the lot)– including a play area for little kids and music in the evenings. I’m so glad Heather, my interviewee, suggested we meet here for coffee! Cheaper than Starbucks by far and I’m happy to support a small business.
Has anyone else had a chance to explore the neighborhood of their cohort sites and get to know the area a little bit? Any places the rest of us should check out?
(Picture isn’t mine, the business owner of the Dojo Cafe posted it on Yelp)
