CARDIFF SURF SCULPTURE EARNS ARCHITECTURAL 'ONION'

This is well deserved!

MAINSTREAM MEDIA REPORT - NORTH COUNTY TIMES SD

SURF SCULPTURE EARNS ARCHITECTURAL 'ONION'

Surfer sculpture, Cottonwood Creek, Stone Bistro among Orchids, Onions awards

By: GARY WARTH - North County Times

SAN DIEGO - Encinitas was 1-1 at this year's Orchids and Onions awards ceremony, while Stone Brewery in Escondido proved to be the people's favorite design of 2007.

North County surfers who have for the last year ridiculed the Cardiff sculpture "The Magic Carpet Ride" can feel some justification in knowing that the voting members of the San Diego Architectural Foundation agreed with them. The foundation handed the sculpture an Onion at Friday night's ceremonies at the Stephen and Mary Birch North Park Theater in San Diego.

Judges found Encinitas more on the mark with its design for Cottonwood Creek Park, which earned the city an Orchid.

The nonprofit architectural foundation each year recognizes designs in landscaping, historical preservation, sustainability and other categories with either an Orchid for praiseworthy work or an Onion for unimaginative, uninspired or just plan ugly creations.

As usual, most of the Onion recipients did not attend to pick up their awards. In presenting an Onion for "The Magic Carpet Ride," the evening's host announced it would be picked up by "Anna Nominous."

The surfer sculpture was described as being met with "waves of criticism."

"The Magic Carpet Ride," created by Mount San Jacinto College professor Matthew Antichevich, sits at Chesterfield Drive and South Coast Highway 101. The bronze sculpture depicts a young surfer with outstretched arms. Flesh-and-blood surfers have criticized the pose as unrealistic and effeminate, and one anonymous critic expressed that sentiment by dressing the sculpture in a bikini earlier this year.