every day are two differ- place. It’s a jewel. It’s one of the only places left
ct
that
ent kinds of Panini, one is downtown like that. That downtown area is being
gourmet Mac ‘n’ cheese, built up so fast. With their plans for high density, it’s
one gourmet soup and ridiculous. I love that this space is pristine like that.”
our chicken quesadillas. Café Noir is also hosting an artist’s co-operative
There is also a breakfast on December 14. Everyone that works with Tootie
sandwich served on Ha- at Café Noir is an artist in some way. They all will be
waiian sweet bread that collaborating along with one of her customers who
is another popular item is a clarinetist. Tootie will be doing an acoustic Billie
at Café Noir. The café Holiday set during the performance. As Tootie put it,
has just started serving “Everybody does something.”
brunch every Saturday Make it a point to experience Café Noir. Not only
and Sunday morning on is it a fabulous café, they also offer free wi-fi, an
the back garden patio absolutely tranquil and lovely back garden area
from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 for contemplation and a second story reading and
p.m.” game room. Café Noir is really a very welcoming
The history of the step back in time when the minutes of anyone’s life
surrounding area of are moving too fast.
the Hiatt House is quite
Owner and manager Tootie interesting. “The whole area there was the black
music district back in the late teen’s and early twen-
ties. The Hiatt House is actually part of a land parcel
that is joined with a hotel that was one of the only
black hotels in San Diego. Our back garden area is
actually where they used to stable their horses and
sell chickens and eggs out of there. The Hiatt House
was inhabited by five generations of Japanese
families. After those five generations were interned
in the Japanese concentration camps during WWII,
their house was sold to a gentleman who sublet the
home. At one time, there were three families living in
the house.”
This location is really a find for Tootie. It represents
a time in our city’s history visually that will never be
duplicated. Tootie agreed and said, “This happened
through partial grace and partial my liking the place.
I was doing Street Scene about five years ago and
the back of our stage was right there on the corner
of Island and 9th. When I stepped off the back of
the stage, I saw this cool looking black house and I
thought ‘Well. What is this?’ There were two way-
hipsters standing in the courtyard there and they
were handing out coffee. They hadn’t opened up a
coffee place yet, but that was their plan. We made
friends. The girl’s name was Zoey. Zoey reminded me
of all the girls I hung out with in high school. We hit
it off and she said, ‘You have to meet my mom. You’ll
love her.’ Her mom now of course is my semi-fairy
godmother. She called me after a trip last year and
said, ‘I’m closing the café.’ I said, ‘Gloria. Before you
do that, let’s get together.’ So, I went down there and
talked with her. I had a café in Hawaii so I understood
what it entailed. And being a customer there, I knew
what the problems were. I wanted the café to con-
tinue its good life. I didn’t want it to die. It is a special
fd
DECEMBER 2008 | RAGE monthly 71
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