Rancho Santa Fe Exclusives

A town synonymous with the word “exclusive,” Rancho Santa Fe is known for its beauty, cherished privacy, and affluent residents — many of whom give of their time, talent, and wealth to make the community (and surrounding neighborhoods) a wonderful place in which to work, relax, and make a difference. Here are a few  standouts.   MIASTEFANKO & ANDREANAVERSEN

1  The story goes that in 1945, a group of friends and neighbors were invited to the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club to celebrate the birthday of Hollywood director John Robertson. But he, a Ranch resident since 1928 and a riding club enthusiast, had a plan. Robertson asked his guests if they wanted to form a riding club, and the group replied with a unanimous “yes!” The Rancho Riding Club was founded in 1946 on 11 acres in the heart of Rancho Santa Fe. The private facility on Rambla De Las Flores offers lessons for all ages on schooling horses in a variety of disciplines. Members also benefit from social activities and horse shows. Here, Covenant members and their guests have access to 40 miles of trails. (858/756-2923, www.ranchoridingclub.com)

2  For more than 30 years, Helen Woodward Animal Center has provided humane care and animal adoption for orphaned animals, as well as animal-centered educational and therapeutic programs for people. The no-kill center recently completed phase I of its Campaign for Caring, which includes the new small animal veterinary hospital named after a generous gift from the McCrink family and the new administrative offices made possible through a gift from the WWW Foundation and others. Phase II is underway on the new Club Pet and adoptions facility, which will house indoor/outdoor kennels to address the colder evenings that have impacted our area in recent years. A number of naming opportunities are available in phases I and II. This month, head to the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon (see page 27), and warm your ovens for Cupcakes For Critters, which kicks off September 17.  (858/756-4117, www.animalcenter.org)

3  There’s a reason we write about Chino Farm time after time — this isn’t your ordinary vegetable shop. For more than four decades, the Chino family has operated a vegetable stand like no other on Calzada del Bosque. With a clientele of regular folks looking for the best ingredients available to local and celebrity chefs, Chino Farm repeatedly delivers the most beautiful and fresh produce — think pristine haricots verts, red and white carrots, romanesco cauliflower, vibrant strawberries, you name it. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am-4pm; Sunday from 10am-1pm. (858/756-3184)

 

4  These women put their money to work—doing good work in the community. Members of the Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund each contribute $2,250 a year, pooling their funds to finance projects in North County and San Diego that address urgent and critical needs, bold ventures or new approaches to old problems. Since it was founded in 2004, the group has awarded grants that total more than $1.3 million. This year, members awarded nearly $300,000 to eight organizations including Accion, a business assistance and loan program for low-to-mid-income business owners; Angels Foster Network, which places abused and neglected foster babies in stable homes; and Reality Changers, a non-profit helping disadvantaged high school students attend college through tutoring, mentoring, college prep and financial aid. (858/756-0249, womensfund@rsffoundation.org)

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