Modern Times shuts down

Very sad.

Sandiegoville:

Modern Times' Far West Lounge in Encinitas has permanently closed, marking another major setback for the once-sprawling San Diego craft beer brand as questions now surround the future of its remaining local hospitality projects, including downtown's Timestead, Flavordome tasting room and the planned Cathedral of Caffeination coffee concept in North Park.

The Encinitas closure comes after Modern Times initially told customers the North County venue would be taking what it described as a brief "pre-summer sabbatical" on June 8 and 9 for maintenance, calibration, and "the occasional ceremonial tightening of a mysterious bolt." Days later, the company posted that the Far West Lounge would remain closed until further notice due to unspecified "licensing difficulties."

Now, according to Wes Van De Vort, CEO of Wings & Arrow and current owner of Modern Times Beer, the Encinitas closure is permanent.

"The hospitality group that is licensing the Modern Times name has made a decision to walk away from both Far West Lounge and Flavordome in North Park," Van De Vort told SanDiegoVille. "Wings & Arrow has decided to take over the North Park location, but could not come to an agreement to take over Far West. I do not know their plans with that location moving forward."

Blakespear tries to tie council’s hands on road infrastructure with SB 569

Save Encinitas Now:

Catherine Blakespear has "gutted and amended" Senate Bill 569 to try to prevent the needed changes from happening to Santa Fe Rd. This ignores all of the daily drivers, residents, physicians and emergency service personnel who have highlighted the problematic design.

Seems like this might prevent removal of Blakespear's fatal 101 bike obstacles too?

6/10/26 City Council open thread

 Please use the comments to record your observations.

Encinitas history in Times of San Diego

Times of San Diego:

Beneath today’s surf culture, cafés, and coastal neighborhoods are traces of very different eras: a silent film actor who invested in early town lots, a historic movie palace still operating downtown. This cliffside spiritual retreat gave a surf break its name, and flower fields that once helped define the region’s economy.

Most of it is still there — if you know where to look.

Sydney Chaplin, the older brother of Charlie Chaplin, purchased acreage in Encinitas in 1923 during a coastal land boom, paying about $5,000 for property along what was then a developing stretch of Highway 101.

More at the link on La Paloma, the Ecke flower fields, Swami's and the Olivenhain Germans.

Happy Friday open thread

5/13/26 City Council meeting open thread

 Please use the comments to record your observations.

Seattle negligence looks suspiciously like Santa Fe Drive bike lane fiasco

 Facebook:

The city of Seattle will pay $9.25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by a bicyclist who slammed into a car and suffered a traumatic brain injury while riding in a “protected bike lane” near Green Lake, according to attorneys for the injured man.

The settlement came after King County Superior Court Judge Kent Liu found the city was negligent, violated its own standard of care and breached its duty to the bicycle-riding public in designing the bicycle lane, according to court documents.