Recycling from the Heart, for HEART

Casa de Mañana staff teams with residents to support employee assistance fund As the old saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. Especially when that trash is recycled and used to help people in need. A few years ago, Casa de Mañana Housekeeping Supervisor Juan Martinez and his team noticed an abundance of aluminum cans and plastic bottles filling up trash cans around the community, mostly from staff who would purchase drinks from vending machines in employee break ar…

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Legally Blind Casa de Mañana Residents Ron and Alicia Inspire Others With Their Art

It could be said that although Casa de Mañana residents and legally blind artists Alicia Haughney and Ron Landells may have lost much of their sight, they have never lost their vision - or their passion for painting. "To me, art is making something better," Alicia said. "Not being able to see well presents challenges but that just means embracing larger canvases and more vibrant colors. I love experimenting with them and putting them together." Alicia, a retired nurse, moved to…

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Casa de Mañana Serves Up Chef Curtis

During his storied career as an executive chef at luxury spas and hotels, Chef Curtis Cooke catered to many celebrities. But his belief in a work-life balance and a desire for more interaction with those he cooked for, recently prompted him to leave that glitz and glamour and bring his clean, smart, delicious and healthy cuisine to Casa de Mañana. "Coming here is a change from previous positions but I felt it was time I did something for my own soul," Chef Curtis said. "Gett…

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Alice Yee: A Life of Service and Action

"The power, passion, and purpose of ancient female wisdom." This phrase is the credo of the Crone's Counsel, a non-profit organization that honors and advances the aging woman's value to society. The description could also easily describe resident Alice Yee, a pioneer for women's equality for more than three quarters of a century. Born in the spring of 1919, in Spokane, Washington, Alice grew up in what she described as a "very traditional household." Her mother was a homemaker and was c…

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A Rose for Each Casa Resident

As Juliet professes in Shakespeare's famous play ... "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." That could not be more apropos for the dozens of rose bushes planted at Casa de Mañana, each named for a resident. Planted near a popular walking path along Coast Boulevard South, nearly 175 rose bushes explode with color nearly year-round as they dot the landscape. Small identification tags bear the names of individuals or couples given to them by the seaside community with affec…

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New Dining Room to Debut at Casa de Mañana

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, construction on the new Casa de Mañana resident dining room has continued throughout the spring and summer and is now open on a limited basis. "The new dining room is about modern elegance," says Dining Services Director Robert Hatano. "The space reflects the charm and seaside location that makes Casa special." The new design also embraces Casa's history, which originated as a world-class hotel built in the Spanish Colonial-style in…

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World-Class Athletes Live Well at Casa de Mañana

Swimmer Betsy Jordan and Weightlifter Len Sandberg thrive at community that promotes wellbeing Friendly and diverse, there's an easy air of camaraderie among the residents. You'll find them in the dining room, by the fountain, tending to the roses, on the hiking trail, in the pool and in the gym. Casa de Mañana is no stranger to interesting folks, some with extraordinary accomplishments, including world-class athletes Betsy Jordan and Len Sandberg. Betsy is a record-breaking, a…

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For the Love of Food, Service … and Casa de Mañana

I love food. I love to eat, but even more I love how food is both vital to nourishing people and also capable of bringing them great joy. I have a pretty wide range of experience in the "Food" business having worked in it for over 30 years, some of that being in retail sales, but most of it working as a supervisor or manager in restaurant settings. During my entire career, the best job I have ever had has been working as the director of dining services at Casa de Mañana,…

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For the Love of Food, Service … and Casa de Mañana

I love food. I love to eat, but even more I love how food is both vital to nourishing people and also capable of bringing them great joy. I have a pretty wide range of experience in the “Food” business having worked in it for over 30 years, some of that being in retail sales, but most of it working as a supervisor or manager in restaurant settings. During my entire career, the best job I have ever had has been working as the director of dining services at Casa de Mañana, a Front Porch com…

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