Pacific San Diego Magazine, October 2009 Issue by Pacific San Diego Magazine

San Diego

the

action-adventure issue

Fly 2,500 feet above Del Mar Leap from a cliff in La Jolla Zip over African terrain in Escondido Rappel down the Manchester Grand Hyatt

Jump into a skydiving blind date

plus...

www.pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

29 San Diego chefs describe their last meal Halloween events to die for Finest City Superheroes PERMIT NO. 94 SAN DIEGO, CA

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editor’s note

{staff}

VOL.3

ISSUE 10

OCTOBER 2009

PUBLISHERS

David Perloff {Editor in Chief} Simone Perloff CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Kenny Boyer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Ron Donoho Brandon Hernández CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Alex Owens Lenny J. Ploffer Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph Shelby Stanger COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Eric Hartung, pacificcoastskydiving.com PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brevin Blach, brevinblach.com David Good, davegoodphotography.com Janelle Maas, janellemaas.com Neens, neensmarketing.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jim Lucich Laura Rovick Kimberly Gates MARKETING

Michael Capone EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Ryan Balke INTERNS

Amber Frankhuizen, Erin Supnet

Do NOT advertise in this magazine…

…unless, of course, you want your business to grow next month. In that case, call 619.296.6300 or visit pacificsandiego.com right away. Otherwise, don’t do it. Distribution 35,000 copies distributed monthly 20,000 copies direct-mailed 15,000 copies picked up by readers at 550+ retail outlets countywide Available FREE at every participating 7-Eleven store from Coronado to Oceanside and east to SDSU and Kearny Mesa 10

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

s it just me, or did 25-pound dumbbells get a lot heavier in the last few years? My joints don’t creak yet, well, most don’t, but I find myself beginning to pay more attention to those glucosamine ads these days. All I have to do is drink eight ounces of delicious juice, and some magic blue fluid will seek out and actually find and lubricate my knees? Now that’s progress. I saw it on a TV commercial, so it must be true. And if it works, make that worked, for infomercial legend Billy Mays (pitchman for OxiClean, Orange Glow and countless other products I didn’t know I needed until I saw them removing mildew from a shower door in three easy steps), maybe it can work for me, too. Sure, the Home Shopping Network turned Discovery Channel star met an untimely demise this past June, but he didn’t let it get him down. In fact, he managed to battle back from the grave and even land a new prime-time TV spot. I mean, seriously, a device that enables hands-free phone conversations in the car? And it’s only 10 bucks if I order in the next 10 minutes? Hello, Jupiter Jack. Send me, two! My sales pitch is slightly more subdued than Mays’—buy a magazine ad today, and you’ll receive $1,000,0000 in 20 years, guaranteed (if we’re still in business)—but I do emulate his enthusiasm. He made degreaser seem like a mighty elixir and made the world wonder how any of us have survived so long without Magic Putty. The point is, Mays made everyday stuff seem cool. I’ve been trying to bring that same attitude (minus the beard and yelling… and dying) to my own life. The older I get, the more I realize how much aging sucks. Life goes pretty fast; I feel like I’m finally getting the hang of it and I’m not ready for it to be half over, yet. The economy has a lot of us working more for less, which for a while made me want to make more of my free time. Then I thought about Mays and realized that, if I’m always waiting for the spaces in between, real life might pass me by. Adventure, it turns out, isn’t all about the day you jump out of a plane, fall in love or win the big game. It’s about the other 364 days a year, when real life happens. And if 50 is the new 40, I’m just getting started. Thank you for picking up this Action/Adventure issue of PacificSD. I hope it will inspire you to live it up, raise some heck and jump the eff in to an exciting existence. There’s no better town to do it in.

If 40 is the new 30, then I’m 29.

David Perloff, Editor in Chief

ENJOY WORLD CLASS WINES WITHOUT THE WORLD CLASS PRICE.

IVY ULTRA LOUNGE AND WINE BAR OPENS OCTOBER 2009 Announcing the new Ivy Ultra Lounge and Wine Bar. Explore the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great wines in Taste, Half, and Full glasses, with prices to match. High tech, interactive wine storage units keep 80 vintages fresh, as you customize your own tasting experience. Enjoy the finest of wines in the finest of venues. Sun thru Wed, 1pm - Midnight | Thurs thru Sat, 1pm - 9pm

{contents} {Features} 28 RUSH HOUR Five San Diego activities to elevate your adrenaline level 34 DYING FOR A BITE Stick a fork in it—these San Diego chefs are done

{Departments} C u r r e n t s

15 {In the First Place} TAKING THE CAKE PacificSD blind daters tie the knot 18

{Sports} It’s in the bag Chainsaw’s Mailbag: the Dean of American Sportcasters answers your letters

21 24 26

{Anchors Away} INTO THE FIRE Meet the “We” in We interrupt this broadcast…

pacific

{Bartender} can we be frank? Voyeur’s Frankie Frank has bartending in his blood

L O V E

50 {Blind Date} AIR TIME The blind date reaches new heights c a l e n d a r 56 TEN.09 October event listings T H I N K

58 LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION HEROES Local luminaries hit the silver screen

{Help} OUT ON A ROPE Bold do-gooders can help kids by rappelling from a downtown hotel {Fitness} THE BUDDY SYSTEM Online networking for workout partners

t a s t e

{Dining Out} THE GREat bite north Savor a world of flavors in one San Diego neighborhood

{Cocktail} I VANT TO DRINK YOUR BLOODY You don’t have to be a vampire to be blood-thirsty at Island Prime

G R O O V E

{Event} WHICH CRAFT? Find your favorite craft-beer at bikes boards and brews

{Event} YOU GO, GHOUL! Shake your bones at San Diego’s sexiest Halloween Ball

46 {Event} AXE YOURSELF... Where should I go on Halloween? 12

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

ON THE COVER: Skydiving Blind Date photo by Eric Hartung of Pacific Coast Skydiving. (See Air Time, Page 50.)

Become a fan of PacificSD on Facebook for access to cool events, photos, videos, and great giveaways. Follow us on Twitter @PacificSD and check us out at pacficsandiego.com.

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in the first place

sports

anchors away

help

currents

fitness

Taking the Cake

PacificSD BLIND DATERS TIE THE KNOT

Photo by EmbraceLifePhotography.com

ROB HURT

A TRUE STORY BY DAVID PERLOFF

t’s a glorious Sunday morning on Mission Bay. Tomorrow is Labor Day, so I should be relaxed. I’m not. It’s 11:25 a.m. and I’ve already had a shot of tequila to calm my nerves. I’m not typically a morning drinker, but this isn’t a typical morning—in five minutes I’ll be conducting a wedding, actually presiding as a minister of sorts, for the first time in my life. Ty and Suzannah, the couple about to be joined in matrimony, met on a PacificSD blind date 51 weeks ago. Their magical night last September began at the Marble Room, continued at The Shout House and eventually led to their asking me to preside at their wedding, here at the Hilton Mission Bay Resort. My wife’s in the back row giving me reassuring looks. Can everyone tell I’m sweating? Don’t eff up. Don’t eff up. Don’t eff up… Welcome everyone. Please be seated. The ceremony will begin shortly. Please rise for Suzannah. Suzannah. walks down the aisle with her father. Please be seated. Good morning, everyone, and thank you so much for helping Suzannah and Ty celebrate this wonderful day. My name is David Perloff. I’m a friend of Ty’s and Suzannah’s. I stand before you today because I am the most affordable Jewish minister Ty could find. In case any of you brought cash gifts today, please know that some of that money should really be

OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

{currents}

in the first place

LEFT: Ty and Suzannah on their PacificSD Blind Date at The Shout House dueling piano bar in the Gaslamp. RIGHT: Rev. Perloff conducts the ceremony.

going to me and my wife, Simone, because with the help of Suzannah’s sister, we’re the ones who made all of this possible. I’ll give you a brief history of how that happened. Simone and I publish Pacific San Diego Magazine, a local publication that features a blind date adventure each month. One day last August, Suzannah’s sister was in our office talking about Fresh Karat, the clothing company she runs with Suzannah. She was flipping through a back issue of the magazine, noticed the blind date story and then, without hesitation, offered up her sister. The next month, we set Suzannah up on a blind date with a handsome, successful, funny guy. The date was something of a disaster, though, and it left Suzannah with a bad taste in her mouth. Right after the story was published, Ty called me to ask for Suzannah’s phone number. He had fallen in love with her photos and with the way she carried herself during the less than perfect blind date. He told me he wanted to be setup with her. Who knew a nightclub owner needed help finding chicks? Anyway, I told Ty I’d be happy to introduce him to Suzannah, but that he’d have to meet her on a blind date in the magazine. He said okay without hesitation. Suzannah was a different story. “Are you kidding me?” she asked. I think there may have been a four-letter word in there somewhere. But after several phone 16

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

calls, some begging, emailed photos of Ty and me lying a little about how nice of a guy Ty is, she finally agreed to go on the date. When the two finally met, I was there and I can tell you, it was love at first sight. Anyone seeing them standing together would have thought they were a couple in love. Actually, even before they met, it seems that Ty and Suzannah were destined to be together. During the pre-date interview, when I asked Ty to predict how the date would go, he said, “We’ll meet, go steady for six months and be married with a child on the way within the year.” Oh yeah, I have another announcement to make. Just kidding. It’s been a wild, exciting ride for Suzannah and Ty, and Simone and I are so happy to be a part of it. In fact, we already have video rights to the birth of their first child. Okay, enough with the jokes for the moment. It’s time to get married. It’s been clear since the moment they met that Suzannah and Ty belong together, and it is truly an honor and one of the most heartwarming experiences of my life to bring them even closer together today. Before we begin with the vows, is there anyone who objects to this marriage? If so, speak now, or forever hold your piece. Suzannah, please repeat after me… I, Suzannah, take you, Ty, to be my lawfully wedded husband, my partner in life, my best friend and my one true love.

I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. Suzannah, do you swear to give Ty your hand, your heart and your love, from this day forward for as long as you both shall live? Suzannah: I do. Ty, please repeat after me… I Ty, take you, Suzannah, to be my lawfully wedded wife, my partner in life, my best friend and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. Ty, do you swear to give Suzannah your hand, your heart and your love, from this day forward for as long as you both shall live? Ty: I do. Who has the rings? The ring is a symbol of your marriage, a circle without beginning or end, and a symbol of wholeness, perfection, peace and unity. Ty, take Suzannah’s hand, place this ring on her finger, and hold it there while you repeat after me. I give you this ring as a pledge of

my faith and love and a symbol of our unity. Suzannah, take Ty’s hand, place this ring on his finger, and hold it there while you repeat after me. I give you this ring as a pledge of my faith and love and a symbol of our unity. Now that you have joined yourselves in holy matrimony and have become one, may you strive, all of your lives, to meet this commitment with the same love and devotion that brought you here today. By the virtue of the authority vested in me as Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages in and of the County of San Diego, it is my honor and sincere pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Ty, you may kiss your bride. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor that I present you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Ty Hauter.

{currents}

sports

It’s in the Bag

CHAINSAW’S MAILBAg: THE DEAN OF AMERICAN SPORTSCASTERS ANSWERS YOUR LETTERS BY COOKIE “CHAINSAW” RANDOLPH Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph has an answer for everything on the Dave, Shelly & Chainsaw show at 101.5 KGB-FM.

Dear Chainsaw, What are Chula Vista Park View’s chances of repeating as Little League World Series Champions next year? Noah Klu, Eastlake Noah, The same as they are for someone to win Rookie of the Year back-to-back, or for you to lose your virginity… twice. Dear Chainsaw, I think Tila Tequila is really hot. Is she available? Clem Idia, La Jolla

“With less brain trauma, retired MMA fighters can better explain their fused elbows to their grandchildren.” 18

Clem, Available for what? Are you a boy or a girl? If you suffered through her reality show, you know she’s not even sure herself. And don’t believe her when she says she’s allergic to alcohol. Her name isn’t Tila Wheatgrass for a reason. Beware: she hates four-ways. Dear Chainsaw, Did they ever find out about that Jamaican who won the women’s 800-meter championship? Is she a man or a woman? Boy, she sure looked like a guy to me. Captain Obvious, U.S.M.C. Dear Sir, First of all, thank you for your service to our country. It turns out she’s actually James Earl Jones. Dear Chainsaw, Mixed Martial Arts or Boxing? Cal Iﬂaurear, Del Mar Cal, America prefers MMA over boxing for the same reason we prefer the NFL over soccer—whole body versus half body. The NFL lets players use their hands;

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

MMA lets fighters use their feet. Plus, while visually much more brutal, MMA damages all body parts with equal opportunity, whereas boxing focuses only on the head and upper body. With less brain trauma, retired MMA fighters can better explain their fused elbows to their grandchildren. Dear Chainsaw, I think you’re awesome. I’m a huge fan. You might even be almost as awesome as Screech. Of all your incredible attributes, which do you think is your most awesome? Fawn Eng, Hillcrest Dear Fawn, My humility. Dear Chainsaw, Your Michael Phelps costume idea last year was a big hit, but girls kept grabbing the bong out of my Speedo. Any ideas for this year? Hal O. Weenie, South Park Hal, Are you seriously complaining about that? Here are some costume starter-kits for ’09: A Brett Favre Vikings jersey, Wrangler jeans, and a Cheesehead hat belted over your junk. A Shawne Merriman jersey, a Mohawk, three women and a bottle of tequila. A Michael Vick jersey and two Pitbull CDs clacking against each other. A Plaxico Burress jersey and, instead of a gun, a cellmate goes off in your sweatpants. That last one sounds good for you, Hal.

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anchors away

{currents}

Anchors Away See what San Diego anchors are doing when they’re away from the studio.

“When you watch it on TV, it’s one thing— but it’s another to be so close and see the devastation.”

Into the Fire

MEET THE “WE” IN WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST...

Photo by David Blair

By RON DONOHO / Photos by dave good

Top: Lena’ Lewis at Fire Station 21, in Pacific Beach. BOTTOM: Lewis with KUSI’s Dan Plante (left) and Phil Konstantin

t’s October 2003. Lena’ Lewis is standing atop a San Diego hill doing a live shot for the KUSI Morning News. As the camera rolls, television viewers see a police officer interrupt Lewis mid-sentence. “He said, ‘Stop talking right now,” says Lewis, her eyes wide as she recalls the moment. “He said, ‘Fire is coming up the hill

and you have to leave right now.’ That was enough for me. We packed up and left.” Lewis has been a reporter and fill-in anchor at independent network KUSI-TV since 2001. She covered the 2003 and 2007 wildfires and, as Cal Fire warns this could be another bad season for blazes, is poised to hit the fire lines again this year. “Sure, it’s scary to be that

Photo courtesy of KUSI-TV

close to something so big and powerful,” she says. “When you watch it on TV, it’s one thing—but it’s another to be so close and see the devastation.” Lewis is proud newscasts can provide information about

what’s happening in times of disaster, but she stays behind the security lines and obeys the rules. She’s not out to sensationalize the story. “My job is to tell people what streets are open and what

OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

{currents}

anchors away

Lena’ Lewis with fearless fire fighters from Station 21, in Pacific Beach.

the situation is,” she says. “But when a police officer says it’s time to move, I move.” Not a fan of the oversized, protective yellow pants some fire reporters wear, Lewis covers the story in jeans and hiking boots. “I own [the pants], but I find it too hot for those things,” she says. “But for me, a baseball hat is a necessity.” At the end of a day keeping track of the flames, most reporters have a film of soot covering their face. “If you wipe it away, you get a big smear,” says Lewis. “So on days you’re covering a fire, appearance can’t be your top priority. You can’t be worried about how your hair looks, or if you’re 22

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

wearing lip gloss.” The 2003 fires taught Lewis to be prepared—to keep in her car a suitcase packed with essentials like “Fig Newtons, bottled water and toilet paper.” “It’s a little bit tougher for a woman to go to the bathroom out there on a fire scene than it is for a man,” she says. The lack of privacy is often compounded by news helicopters circling overhead. Before landing at KUSI, Lewis, a graduate of Cal State Northridge, worked at TV stations in Yuma, El Paso, Dallas and Los Angeles. Her parents were missionaries, so she traveled a lot as a child, living for long

stretches in Spain and Costa Rica. “As young children, my brother and I fearlessly traveled by ourselves across Spain on public transportation,” she says. “We learned to be prepared. And in the TV news business you have to

GLASS SLIPPERS

be prepared for anything. Once, when I worked in Dallas, they told me out of the blue to go to Houston for a story. I wound up being there four days.” That might require extra Fig Newtons and toilet paper.

Lena’ Lewis went to Temecula in August for a day of champagne tasting with her mother and boyfriend. It turned out to be a set-up. Mom and former KFMB-TV anchor/reporter Dan Shadwell had conspired to slip an engagement ring into Lewis’ glass of champagne. She heard a clinking noise when she took a sip, then Shadwell got down on one knee. “We’ve only been dating since January, but I’ve known him as long as I’ve been in San Diego,” says Lewis. “I used to cover the same stories with him and I always told him I kicked his ass in the field.” Looks like Shadwell finally scooped her.

ÂŠ2009 Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Portland, OR

{currents}

help You Are Here

Out On a Rope

BOLD DO-GOODERS CAN HELP KIDS BY RAPPELLING FROM A DOWNTOWN HOTEL

By RON DONOHO ant to play Spider Man on the West Coast’s tallest waterfront building? It’ll cost you $1,000—in the form of in a charitable donation to Kids Included Together (K.I.T.). On October 17, participants who raise the money will rappel down by rope from a deck on the 33rd floor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt’s Harbor Tower. The 357foot, 15-minute trip ends on the hotel’s new pool deck. “We wanted to do something different than a gala or a silent auction,”

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

says K.I.T. spokesperson Alicia Cook. “We looked at all kinds of condo buildings and hotels, but we thought the Hyatt was the most dynamic building where we could do this.” K.I.T. is a San Diego-based nonprofit that provides training for local organizations committed to including children with disabilities into existing programs. Since K.I.T.’s founding in 1997, program efforts have resulted in the inclusion of more than 8,000 children with disabilities, and the training of 15,000 youthservice providers. The rappelling will be supervised by Over the Edge, a specialevent company that provides signature events for nonprofits, inviting participants to raise pledges in exchange for once-ina-lifetime experiences. If rappelling a skyscraper sounds like a fun way to help fellow San Diegans in need, create your personal donation page at overtheedgeforkit.com. If nothing else, it’s great practice for skipping out on the mini-fridge bill next time you’re in Vegas.

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{currents}

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The Buddy System

ONLINE NETWORKING FOR WORKOUT PARTNERS

BY SHELBY STANgER / PHOTO BY DAVE gOOD s someone passionate about sports, I’ve met some of my best friends (and a few boyfriends) during a long run or a surf. When I heard about fit-2gether.com, a new website started by San Diegan Scott Bowen that aims to bring like-minded fitness enthusiasts together, I was curious. Some folks may be tempted to use it as a dating site, but Bowen says fit-2gether.com’s mission is to connect people who share a passion for having fun while being active. “Over half of the members are married,” says Bowen, adding that while some members have used the site for dating purposes, most use it instead to find a training partner who will push them or just, “Get my lazy bum off the couch,” as one member writes on her status page. Only a few months old (the site officially launched in June), fit-2gether.com already has about 2,000 members. They create their personal profiles, post pictures, send each other messages and update their status. Think Facebook, but for people who are into fitness. The site also has a growing database of fitness professionals—from trainers and nutritionists to physical therapists, chiropractors and massage therapists—who can sign up and reach out to prospective clients. Members can also contribute to event listings and a comprehensive blog with articles about everything from weightlifting and supplements to training for a sprint triathlon, salsa dancing and yoga. For Bowen, a self-proclaimed workout junkie originally from Virginia, fit-2gether.com is a labor of love. “I’ve had this idea in the back of my head for three years,” he says. “There are so many people passionate about fitness, but they are too busy being active that they miss out on meeting a lot of people like them. I wish I had this site when I first moved here.” I signed in (for now, using the site is free), entered my age range and added activities like surfing, triathlons, running and yoga to my search. Sure enough, I found someone I already train with and one guy I already dated. The site obviously knows how to match people together. Surfing on the web to meet people to surf with in the ocean. Now that’s technology I can use.

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pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

RUSH HOUR

Five San Diego activities to elevate your adrenaline level

By Ron Donoho

Whether you prefer to be airborne or underwater, wireless or suspended from a high-wire, there’s excitement to be found all over town. These intense experiences will help you put the I in action and the you in adventure, right here at home.

BIRD ON A WIRE

Photo by Brevin Blach

Fly over African terraom on the Wild Animal Park’s zip lines

alph Claytor has a brace on his left knee. I notice this while the Wild Animal Park’s Flightline guide gives pre-flight instructions for the zip lines we’re about to thrill-ride down. Claytor’s meniscus surgery was caused by, gulp, a mishap related to the ride. A buddy and I exchange questioning glances. Do we really want to get on a device 900 feet above elevation that’s going to send us 2/3 of a mile down a stainless-steel cable at speeds up to 50 miles per hour—and has injured an experienced guide? Turns out Claytor was merely knocked off a ladder at the action ride. He didn’t fall off, or get crunched at landing, but he does seem to enjoy our apprehension about his injury. Perhaps he thinks it breeds caution. He smiles, and as we stand with him in the pre-flight education area, it sounds like every feathery member of the adjacent Lorakeet Landing exhibit is laughing at us. Before driving up to the main line, we practice on the 450-foot Fledgling Line. Claytor has taught us two positions: soaring and landing. When soaring (down the line), you sit up and spread your elbows away from your body—like you’re a bird in flight. For landing, when a base guide gives the signal, you pull in your elbows and lean back in your harness. I perform the positions in reverse order. Not a good sign. Having failed the practice run, here I am, nonetheless, on a 15-minute drive to the hills above the San Pasqual Valley. The scene is beautiful and idyllic. Stepping out onto the metal platform is a now-or-never moment. Asked if many people make it all the way up here only to back down, guide Elissa Jackson says, “Well, it’s my first day, so I don’t really know.” My buddy and I stare blankly at her. “Just kidding,” she says. “There’s usually about one person a week who looks at the height and is too afraid to do it. We’ve had people crying as they landed—but it’s never because of the ride, it’s because of their fear of heights.” We’ve been assured that the Flightline apparatus is accident-proof. (A metal trolley hangs over the zip line. The trolley rides down the cable on polyurethane sheaves, or rollers. The harness a rider wears is attached to the trolley by lines that can sustain pressure of up to 3,500 pounds.) The ride is going to last up to 90 seconds. I’m wearing a helmet camera and am advised to look around by moving my head and not just my eyes. As Jackson hooks me in, I recall Claytor’s earlier advice: “It’s gonna be 3-2-1, and then you’re gone. If you have any questions, ask OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

before 3, because after that, gravity takes over.” 3-2-1… I’m off. Below me are rhinos, gazelles and Arabian oryx. You’re not supposed to yell out to the animals. I stop myself mid “Yeee-…” It doesn’t feel like you’re going 50 miles per hour, but the wind whistles in your ear, and there’s a constant hum from above as the sheaves roll over the cable. You can definitely feel the increase in speed when you make yourself more aerodynamic. Approaching the landing at Kilima Point, I manage to get into the right position. Smack. My trolley hits the dual-action braking system. Feet fly up, but all bones are intact. After disengaging from the trolley, I step down and feel my legs give way slightly. My lungs and my mind are energized. After the ride comes an exhilarating rush, which causes me to jabber excitedly about how fun it was… and what a bummer that it’s over.

The Wild Animal Park is home to California condors. Winding down, we watch a few glide through the air, wings fully extended, and I realize that, for about 70 seconds there, it had felt like I was flying.

FLIGHT STATUS

Location: WILD ANIMAL PARK 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido Reservations: 619.718.3000, wildanimalpark.org Duration: 1-2 hours (depending on the number of guests in the group), including training session and test flight Clothing: Wear closed-toe shoes; no flip-flops. Cost: $70 per person (plus park admission)

FINDING NEMO

Take the plunge to the land down under

et wet and discover new underwater worlds while SCUBA diving San Diego. Local favorite dive sites include the sunken destroyer HMCS Yukon in the ocean off Mission Bay, and the La Jolla Cove, home to giant kelp beds and brilliant orange garibaldi fish. Note: Jacques Cousteau had to get certified before being allowed to dive, and so do you. Cost: Certification can range from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand. Most guided tours are less than $100 per person. • Scuba San Diego offers a one-day temporary training program for $160. Demonstrate eight SCUBA skills during a two-hour class and you can come back the next day and participate in the morning or evening guided tour. • In San Diego, you can dive year-round; it’s the tourists (not better underwater viewing opportunities) that make it more crowded in the summer. • In the La Jolla Cove Ecological Reserve, divers can expect to see all kinds of fish, including 300-pound black sea bass and, yes, sharks. Sea lions and harbor seals also frequent the area.

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pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

JUST CHUTE ME

The captain has turned off the seatbelt light… and opened the door

ven as a first-timer, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to pull the ripcord—the experienced instructor strapped to your back will take care of that. It’s called a tandem jump. You’ll experience about a minute of freefall, followed by about a five-minute parachute ride. Your heart will race, your cheeks will flap, your mind will go pitter-pat. Cost: About $200 per jump; price sometimes includes a video of the jump. • A new, compact parachute will run you about $6,000. Pacific Coast Skydiving owner Andy Rowell, who operates east of Imperial Beach, recommends your first chute be a bigger, used one (about $3,500).

• Rowell recently had a pair of blind people and an 89-year-old World War II pilot do a jump. His oldest to take the plunge: 98. • Want to jump on your own? You can do a solo free-fall the first time out. There’s more instruction, and two instructors jump next to you. Cost: $350.

JUMP!

PACIFIC COAST SKYDIVING, 619.661.0194, pcskydiving.com SAN DIEGO SKYDIVING, 619.565.1354, sandiegoskydiving.com SKYDIVE SAN DIEGO, 619.216.8416, skydivesandiego.com OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

WINGS ‘N’ THINGS

Hanging around the cliffs above La Jolla Shores

ang-gliders have solid-wing structures; para-gliders (pictured) have a soft-wing structure and no internal frame. Tandem rides with an instructor are the best way to catch on to these types of winged flights. Pay attention during your instruction and heed the saying: “There are a lot of old pilots and a lot of bold pilots, but not a lot of old bold pilots.” Cost: $150-$200 for tandem flights. Solo instruction for para-gliding costs upwards of $1,000. New gliders (both kinds) cost about $5,000 each. • Hang-gliding requires stronger winds than para-gliding. At the Torrey Pines Gliderport, the strongest winds are in the spring. • The Gliderport is the most convenient spot to learn para-gliding, says San Diego Hang-gliding & Para-gliding Association president Bret Daniel. For hang-gliding instruction, head inland to various mountain

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

locations (check sdhgpa.com for information). • Daniel once took off from Buckman Springs, in Pine Valley, and soared to an elevation of 10,000 feet, where he says Southwest Airlines airplanes flew below him.

HANG IN THERE

SAN DIEGO HANG-GLIDING & PARA-GLIDING ASSOCIATION 619.417.7644, sdhpa.com

SAN DIEGO HANG-GLIDING CENTER

800.585.5555, sandiegohanggliding.com

TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT

858.452.9858, flytorrey.com

FULL OF HOT AIR Blazing on a Sunny Afternoon

ot-air balloon rides might seem less emotionally taxing than hang-gliding or skydiving, but there’s still the thrill of being 1,000 to 3,000 feet above the earth—and not knowing where you’re going to land. And unlike participants in other action-adventure activities, balloon passengers are allowed to sip champagne mid-flight. Bottoms up.

Cost: $150-$200 per person. • Most balloon companies operate year-round. • The best spots for ballooning are Del Mar/Rancho Santa Fe and the Temecula Valley wine country. • Standard sightseeing flights last about an hour and span about four land miles, depending on the particular winds of the day. Photo by Dave Good

Photo by Dave Good

BLOW IT UP

BALLOON RIDES, 800.350.9122, balloonrides.aero SAN DIEGO HOT AIR BALLOONS, 619.565.1354, balloonridessandiego.com SKYSURFER BALLOON COMPANY, 858.481.6800, sandiegohotairballoons.com OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

hen it’s your last repast, Soul Food takes on a whole new meaning. All the season’s skeletons make it easy to imagine death, or, as the city’s top chefs call it, life without food. Here, San Diego’s superfoodies say what will be on the stove when their goose is cooked. Photo by Marshall Williams

Eric Bauer | Anthology, Little Italy

I would prepare a dry-aged rib-eye steak with a glass of Piratt beer and enjoy it on the beach with my friends and family, playing some classic rock like Steely Dan or new stuff like Donovan Frankenreiter.

Phillippe Beltran | Bleu Boheme, Kensington

I’d have my Dad’s paella and a Coke at Tower 16 in Mission Beach, with my wife, Marcela, my daughter, Rocket and my dog, Cuzco. We’d listen to an eclectic mix—including romantic Latin music from my wife (the music we listen to on my daughter’s soccer trips) and lots of African hand-drum percussion.

Jon Burwell | Crab Catcher, La Jolla

There would be lots of king crab legs, roasted Kahlua pig tacos al pastor and macadamia nut ice cream for dessert. Some of my best friends and I would prepare the meal, then sit down with my fiancée, Kelli, and all of the family. It would take place in Tahiti while listening to Dennis Brown, Don Carlos, Santana and Slightly Stoopid.

Jean-Michel Diot | Tapenade, La Jolla

I would have a joyful reunion of family and friends. I would prepare the meal and start with caviar on blinis (small pancakes) with Dom Perignon. The entrée would be fresh spaghetti with eggs and Manila clams and Sancerre wine, followed by roasted figs and cheeses. For dessert, a tart with apricots from Ampuis, France, with Condrieu wine.

Jack Fisher | Jack Fisher Confections, Downtown

My last meal would be In-N-Out with my family and eaten on the beach—Double-Double “Animal Style” with fries and water. Beastie Boys License to Ill would be rolling in the background. For dessert, I’d want to go to France and eat at Pierre Herme’s pastry shop until I looked like Agustus Gloop from Willy Wonka.

Trey Foshee | George’s California Modern, La Jolla

We would eat a seafood platter of sea urchin served with gooseneck barnacles from Chile and either a rib-eye steak cooked over wood, or a perfectly roasted chicken with tomatoes, shell beans and corn on the cob. For dessert, I would want something prepared by my two daughters—the goofier the better. To drink, wines that are out-of-this-world expensive.

William Bradley

Addison, Del Mar

I would choose my mother’s meatloaf and homemade lemonade in an old Scottish castle, with my mother and fiancée as company. The song to represent this occasion would have to be U2’s Beautiful Day because it is timeless and speaks for so many facets of my life. OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

Victor Jimenez

Matt Gordon | Urban Solace, North Park

I’d have a Manhattan, oysters and champagne, foie gras (duck liver) and sauternes, steak tartar, a leg of duck confit with white beans, at least five different cheeses and a brownie sundae. I would put my iPod on shuffle and share my meal with my lovely wife, son and daughter.

Christian Graves | Jsix, Downtown

I would have dinner with Jesus Christ to talk about the future and, of course, my three sons and beautiful wife. I would opt for a 60-course tasting menu as Mozart played something to keep my mind off the end of the meal. I don’t want to ponder dying during my last hours. This would be soothed by the vertical flight of Burgundies I’d be throwing back.

Bernard Guillas Marine Room and The Shores, La Jolla Shores

I’d start with caviar on brioche toast with a bottle of Cristal. Next comes lobster spring rolls with passion-fruit sauce, stir-fried frog legs, crispy quail with cherry chutney, almond milk-poached John Dory (fish) with soba noodles, wattleseed-crusted antelope loin, Fourme d’Amert bleu cheese with fig jam and a chocolate soufflé with 150-year-old Grand Marnier.

Cowboy Star, Gaslamp

A meal that includes a course from all the countries I have visited. For drinks, tequila or Chateauneuf du Pape, perhaps some pisco (brandy) or beer. My girls (Allison, little Allison and Evelyn) and the Dalai Lama would be at the table and we’d listen to Photo by Amy Fellows vinyl from Bob Dylan, The Smiths, Sonic Youth, The Dandy Warhols, Neil Young, John Lennon and Tool.

Ricardo Heredia | Alchemy, South Park

We would eat roast suckling pig with fresh bread and good Spanish olive oil, a bottle of Red Breast whiskey and Allagash wit beer. I would eat my last dinner in Heredia, Costa Rica, with author and gourmand, Brillant Savarin, and would like my daughters to prepare the meal.

Jayson Knack | Decanter Wine Lounge, Rancho Santa Fe I would eat cote de boeuf (rib-eye steak with red wine sauce), a salad of radishes and a fresh baguette, with 1982 Salon Champagne and 1989 Lynch Bages Bordeaux. I’d eat on the patio of my home in southwest France, watching the sunset with James Beard, Martin Scorsese, Ernest Hemingway and the 1970s version of Raquel Welch.

Jason Knibb NINE-TEN, La Jolla

My last meal would start out with salt fish that either my mother or my mom’s old housekeeper from Jamaica would make, followed by curry goat, rice and peas, fried plantain and a few ice cold Heinekens. Music is optional. As long as there’s a view of the ocean and a breeze is blowing, then I’m all good.

Mark Kropczynski Grant Grill, Downtown

The evening would start in a lounge that has a Red Wings hockey game on, and I’d be with my 36

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

Tim Kolanko

A.R. Valentien, La Jolla

Dinner would progress over several hours with 25 of my closest friends and family at a villa in Piedmont, Italy. We’d have tomatoes with great olive oil, a salad of fresh-picked greens and herbs with vinaigrette, roasted turbot (fish) with porcini mushrooms, rotisserie pork, creamy cow’s milk cheese, figs and a dessert of peaches, almonds and sauternes.

Brian Sinnott

lovely wife, Lisa. Dinner would consist of uni (sea urchin), sautéed foie gras with stone fruits and sauternes, abalone or spiny lobster, pork rack with figs, a dry rib-eye steak with blue cheese and a great cabernet, some citrus or mango dessert and a cappuccino.

1500 Ocean, Coronado

Damaso Lee | Trattoria Acqua, La Jolla

My wife makes the world’s best chicken parmigiana, and it’s my favorite meal. A nice bottle of Merry Edwards pinot noir would go great. I would surround myself with my children and closest friends. For music, it would have to be the tenor, Andrea Boccelli, who has one of the most beautiful voices in the world.

It would incorporate my past and present—some California mixed with some east coast ItalianAmerican. My nana would do her thing with stuff like antipasto, baked ziti, homemade meatballs and sausage and desserts. I’d definitely do a bunch of seafood dishes. It would be a big gathering with lots of family and orchestra and Sinatra in the background.

Colin MacLaggan | Avenue 5, Banker’s Hill

I’d have some of the finer things as well as traditional items— good bread, old world wine from Burgundy, seared foie gras for sure and some sort of chutney. Then, a fish course—John Dory, turbot, skate and a caper lemon butter. Then, a dry-aged rib-eye with béarnaise sauce and grilled asparagus and for dessert, a classic-baked cheesecake.

Ron Oliver | Marine Room, La Jolla

I would make a huge party inside the Sultan’s palace with ancient recipes—20 eggplant dishes, 50 salads, pita breads with 20 dips, 10 dishes made from walnuts and 30 super spicy dishes. There would be a room full of pastries, an endless line off baristas making Turkish coffee, hundreds of belly dancers and girls carrying trays of ouzo and chai tea.

Megan Reichman | Baleen, Mission Beach

It would start three hours before sunset on my favorite secluded Hawaiian beach with my husband, friends and family and commence with artisan cheeses, pates, cured meats, breads and sangria. Next, courses of chocolate cakes, tarts, pies and pastries follow by oysters, clams, grilled lobster, seared scallops and a dessert of champagne and s’mores.

Brian Rutherford | The MerK, Downtown

My wife and I would eat outdoors on a late spring day, starting with fresh artichokes sautéed with roasted garlic and white wine or grilled and chilled with a light vinaigrette. We’d also have roasted leg of lamb, new potatoes and carrots, a plate of perfectly ripe peaches, blackberries, pineapple and cherries and I’d have one bite of bittersweet chocolate as I go.

Augustin Saucedo | The Shores, La Jolla Shores

I want homemade flour tortillas, refried beans, Spanish rice and pork chili verde prepared by my mom; good American food prepared by my first culinary arts mentor, Joe Cochran; and then a French/Asian course prepared by my current mentor, chef Bernard Guillas. Food is a way of getting people together, so my whole family would have to be there.

Susan Sbicca | Sbicca, Del Mar

I’d have perfectly medium-rare lamb with sea salt and a salad I can eat with my hands. The company would be my love, my dearest friends, Sunni (the best cook I know) and Bill and the others in my heart—you know who you are. I’m dreaming of the sunset in Costa Rica on the beach of the wild ocean. Sounds like a heaven I can do business with.

Carl Schroeder | MARKET, Del Mar

If it were my last meal on earth, I would have it with my boys, Eric and Jake, and let them prepare it. I would have them surprise me and we would probably

Photo courtesy of Hotel del Coronado

want to listen to some Bob Marley. My boys like laid-back beachy music and I think we would no doubt be down in La Jolla just hanging at the house.

Deborah Scott | Kemo Sabe, Hillcrest; Island Prime, Shelter Island; Indigo Grill, Little Italy

I lead a simple life and the simple things are what I find most satisfying. I would go to Urban Mo’s with my partner, Sharon, for hot wings, a mixed green salad with blue cheese dressing and “Kick Ass Margaritas.” It would be great if the DJ was playing Adele.

Isabella Valencia | Dallmann Confections, El Cajon

I would spend my last supper with my family in the house where I grew up in Austria. My mom and I are the gourmets of the family and we’d make a foie gras terrine, filet mignon, black truffle fries, a cheese plate and a dish I came up with when I was six—fresh strawberries with a scoop of strawberry ice cream, whipped cream and strawberry sauce.

Philippe Verpiand | Cavaillon, 4S Ranch

It would be in France, somewhere between the Alps and Provence, with my wife, son and family. If my son follows in my footsteps, he would cook me foie gras, oysters from Quiberon Island, blue lobster from Brittany, langoustine, wild hare, woodcock (a game bird) and winter black truffles served with white burgundy and northern Cotes du Rhone.

Camron Woods | Amaya, Del Mar

It would have to be my mom’s chicken and dumplings. The chicken falls apart in its own juices and has dumplings the size of baseballs that soak up all that goodness. I’d love to have my family, my fiancé and maybe the late great chef Auguste Escoffier together at my grandmother’s farm, the place where I first developed my love of pork. OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

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{taste}

dining out

cocktail

PacificSD presents

The Great Bite

North

SAVOR A WORLD OF FLAVORS IN ONE SAN DIEGO NEIGHBORHOOD

BY RON DONOHO / photo by janelle maas ven if you’ve seasoned your palate all over San Diego, you’ve never tasted this one particular neighborhood in such a grand manner. Come digest the eclectic offerings of 30 restaurants participating in the first-ever Taste of North Park. Find a new favorite dinner spot or brunch hangout as you take a self-guided tour of ethnic specialties and classic creations. Sample flatbreads, seafood entrees, sushi, burgers and pasta dishes, and save room for rich desserts, decadent pastries and exotic yogurts. This event has something for everyone: food and wine fanatics, beer enthusiasts, even shopaholics. In addition to the eateries, there are more than 20 galleries and boutiques participating in Taste of North Park. Don’t eat their offerings, of course, but do check out the art shops, salons and the diverse collection of specialty stores.

INFO When: Saturday, October 3, 1-5 p.m. Where: The streets of North Park Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 day of Info: 619.233.5008, mcfarlanepromotions.com Bonus: Proceeds benefit the revitalization-oriented nonprofit, North Park Main Street

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS Apertivo Italian Tapas & Wine Bar Bar Pink Bluefoot Bar & Lounge Caffe Calabria Caffe Carpe Diem California’s Mexican Food Caramom Café & Bakery Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge Eddie’s Philadelphia Steaks El Comal Antojitos Mexicanos Heaven Sent Desserts Junz Teriyaki & BBQ Mosaic Wine Bar North Park Sushi Paesano’s Fine Italian Food Philly Grill Ranchos Mexican & Vegetable Cuisine Ritual Tavern Sea Rocket Bistro Splash Wine Bar The Office Toronado San Diego True North Tavern U-31 Bar & Lounge Uptown Fish Market and Grill Urban Solace Restaurant West Coast Tavern Zensei Sushi Yog-Art

{taste}

dining out

cocktail

I Vant to Drink

Your

Bloody

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A VAMPIRE TO BE BLOOD-THIRSTY AT island prime

BY RON DONOHO / photo by neens ith a menu complemented by a stunning panorama of downtown’s skyline, Island Prime & C Level is a hauntingly beautiful bayside eatery on Harbor Island. Twilight’s cast of urbane vampires might feel very at-home here. After dark, of course, they’d be drinking Bloody Marys. A red-haired bartender is mixing me an Island Prime Bloody Mary. Yes, the beverage is a brunch-time fave, but under a full moon, the cocktail looks bloody sexy. It’s served here in a tall glass, with a bevy of garnishes. You could start a salad with the celery, peppercini, olive, lime and pickled green bean that decorate the rim. The Bloody Mary base is standard: tomato juice and vodka. It’s all about spicing things up, though, and Island Prime adds Worcestershire sauce, roasted garlic puree, kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, dark chili pepper, cayenne pepper and horseradish sauce. On Sunday mornings, when the place to be is outside on the patio—watching sailboats and seagulls share the bay—you can supersize The Bloody with shrimp and Alaskan king crab legs. “It’s practically a whole meal,” says bartender Amy Victor. Vampires welcome—no wooden stakes (or steaks) here. Island Prime & C Level 880 Harbor Island Dr., Harbor Island 619.298.6802 cohnrestaurants.com

SERENITY, NOW

Not everybody knows about Island Prime & C Level’s private cabanas. They’re quietly tucked away at the end of the patio—a world away from the bustle of the indoor restaurant— adjacent to the forever-docked (and still closed) Ruben E. Lee floating restaurant ship. One cabana can accommodate 16, the other holds eight guests. To reserve the bayside booths, you need to meet food-and-beverage minimums of $700 for the larger one; $500 for the smaller. The cabanas are available first-come, first-served. “They’re the most perfect secluded areas,” says Island Prime general manager Jeff Pittroff. “You feel like you’re in your own backyard… that happens to have a table that overlooks the ocean.”

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

JOIN THE LEGION OF BEER Enjoy a perfect hand-crafted beer, brewed 47 feet from the ocean PaciďŹ c Beachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own micro-brewery invites you to become a charter member of the mighty Legion of Beer MEMBER PRIVILEGES INCLUDE:

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Engraved 22 oz. beer mug Iconic Legion of Beer t-shirt Discounted mug re-ďŹ lls Food discount card Shopping spree of our retail items VIP priority seating for all beer dinners Unsinkable pride

Stop in today or visit pbalehouse.com for details (and beers)

GREAT FOOD

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{groove} ON TAP Alesmith Brewing Company Alpine Beer Company Ballast Point Coronado Brewing Company Green Flash Tap Room Kona Brewing Company La Jolla Brew House Pacific Beach Ale House Pizza Port Pyramid Stone Brewery Widmer Brewing Company

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Craft?

FIND YOUR FAVORITE CRAFT-BEER AT BIKES BOARDS AND BREWS

By Brandon Hernández elebrate the defining cultural aspects of Pacific Beach at the inaugural Bikes Boards and Brews event, which brings together breweries and other businesses from the beach area and across the county. The bayside festival takes place October 18 at the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa, on Mission Bay. The centerpiece of the celebration will be craft beers from all over San Diego. About a dozen local breweries and one national anchor, Widmer Brewing Company, are coming together to dish up liquid enlightenment. The $25 entrance fee grants guests 10 sudsy samples; each additional sample costs just a dollar more. The Bikes and Boards components of the event will give the day its aesthetic appeal. Vintage surfboards and classic beach cruisers borrowed from local vendors and several private collections will be on display, transforming the waterfront paradise into a temporary outdoor museum. Live surf music will amplify the afternoon, making nostalgic beach lovers yearn for a simpler time, when Dick Dale and Gidget still had sand in their bathing suits. Proceeds from the first annual event benefit the Pacific Beach Community Foundation and Discover Pacific Beach, a local non-profit that focuses on improving the neighborhood’s business district. “We raise money to enrich the community by showing everyone who comes to the area that PB is a great place to live, work, shop, visit and play,” says Discover Pacific Beach executive director, Andy Hanshaw. So pedal or paddle over to Bikes, Boards and Brews at the Catamaran. It’s a great way to spread cheer, while raising a craft beer from here.

INFO When: October 18, noon – 4 p.m. Where: Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa, Mission Bay Tickets: $25 in advance; $30 at the door More info: 858.273.3303; govavi.com

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event

bartender

PacificSD presents

You Go,

Ghoul!

SHAKE YOUR BONES AT SAN DIEGO’S sexiest HALLOWEEN BALL

By lenny j. ploffer or 364 days out of the year, The Prado in Balboa Park is a quaint and charming indoor/outdoor restaurant. But on October 31, the historic structure transforms into a spookalicious party plaza for the sixth annual Halloween Ball at the Prado. The antique Spanish architecture and the aesthetics of the venue (rumored to be haunted since it was built in 1915) are definitely part of the party’s draw—an eerie mist settles across the graveyard level, where nightwalkers choose between dancing in the crypt or freeing their souls on the open-sky courtyard. Thirteen steps up a dimly lit staircase on the second level, hardwood floors creak under the stomping feet of 2,000 undead revelers, reanimated by bone-chilling DJ beats. Whether you’re a sexy cop, an undead Dead Head or Frankenstein, dress like it’s your last day on earth and bring an appetite for flesh—the grand prize for the costume contest is $500 and guaranteed life after death.

INFO When: October 31, 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. Where: The Prado at Balboa Park (1549 El Prado) Tickets: available at djhere.com Bonus: Plenty of free parking

BALL PLAYERS Mega Star DJ Scotty Boy DJhere’s official DJ – Craig Smoove Starry Eyed Music DJs Dadon, Kurch and FreshMaker Illustrious Culture DJs Michael Benoit and Anthony James

EVERYBODY SCREAM! Add PacificSD on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more info and to win tickets 44

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

Rock n Roll

s o n a i P g n i Duel

SUPPORT YOUR JAYHAWKS.

The Boardwalk is not only your neighborhood restaurant and bar, but also THE home of Kansas athletics in San Diego. Come down and check out the great food, quality brew on tap and if you show up on game day, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see why KU fans stick

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event

bartender

PacificSD presents

Axe Yourself...

WHERE SHOULD I GO ON HALLOWEEN?

By lenny j. ploffer

ore than 15,000 Finest City fiends have the answer—party for your life at the ninth annual Monster Bash in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Axe yourself this… Question: How is the Monster Bash costume contest like a frog in a blender? Answer: They’re both bloody as hell and have a lot of green—in this case $3,000 in cash for the grand prize. With that kind of green could, Ms. Frankenstein could afford enough Botox to turn that frown upside down. Monster Bash offers two stages of frighteningly good live entertainment. On the main stage, the bands Disco Pimps, Ultraviolet Sound and No Duh will play wicked dance hits and booty-shaking covers. Dead man walking? Pick up your feet and head to the Day of the Dead Stage, where DJ Marc Thrasher, DJ G*Roy, DJ Mikey Beats, DJ Diamond and DJ Frances will spin Finest City fiends into a frenzy. If you’re looking for a comfier way to rattle your bones, claw you way into the Twilight VIP area to enjoy a private entrance, two complimentary cocktails, lounge seating, six bars, exclusive DJ shows, private restrooms and exclusive specials in select downtown hotspots. Tickets to this heart-stopping, Halloween hullaballoo are $25 in advance and $30 at the door—scary cheap for this much fun.

SPOOKTACULAR INFO When: October 31, 6 p.m. – midnight Where: Gaslamp Quarter—Seventh Ave. (between Market and J); Island Ave. (between Sixth and Eighth) Tickets: $25 in advance; $30 at the door VIP: $65 in advance; $70 at the door More Info: 619.233.5008; mcfarlancepromotions.com, gaslampquarter.org 46

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

MAIN STAGE 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Disco Pimps 8 – 9:15 p.m.: Ultraviolet Sound 9:45 – 11 p.m.: No Duh 11 p.m. – midnight: $3,000 (Cash Costume Contest)

DAY OF THE DEAD DJ STAGE 6 – 8:15 p.m.: DJ Marc Thrasher 8:15 – 9:15 p.m.: DJ G*Roy 9:15 – 10:30 p.m.: DJ Mikey Beats 10:30 p.m. – midnight: DJ Diamond and DJ Frances

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events

bartender

Can We Be

Frank?

VOYEUR’S FRANKIE FRANK HAS BARTENDING IN HIS BLOOD

By ron donoho / photo by dave good onathan Frances Frank works quickly. That’s the expected pace behind the bar in a high-energy night club like the Gaslamp’s new Voyeur. “It’s all about speed,” says Frank. “There are some bars around that are great with ‘craft cocktails’—like El Dorado and Syrah—but you don’t expect to wait five minutes for a drink at Voyeur. We’re a f--king night club. We’re built for quantity.” Voyeur crowds are drawn to the DJ-spun music, go-go dancers and light shows that pop on a giant LED wall. Crowds dance on the furniture as a weekend night revs up. The two-level bar itself seems to contract and expand under the influence of the heavy bomp-bomp-bomp of bass. There’s Frank (Frankie Frank, to friends) behind the first-floor bar. He is one with the throng of humanity—even while he’s doling out shots of whiskey and tequila. It’s not unlike him to hop up on the bar, get his groove on and even create an indoor snowstorm of bar napkins. “Management here is badass—you’re encouraged to be as wild as you want to be,” says Frank. “No, we can’t drink while we work, and I was a little bitter about that at first, but I see now how sloppy it would be if we were doing this and drinking.” Frank has been in San Diego for 10 years. Before helping open Voyeur, he tended bar at Plum Crazy in Pacific Beach and at Aubergine downtown. A native of San Luis Obispo, Frank’s a fourth-generation bartender. He says his greatgrandmother told him that his great-grandfather, Richard Banner, was bartending aboard the Titanic when it sank. The great-grand mother survived; Banner did not. Some nights, Frank steps into the Voyeur DJ booth. Spinning music is a part-time hobby. “We get experienced and inexperienced DJs, but we have gotten some of the top guys in the world,” he says. “Voyeur is the only place I’ve ever seen DJs jump into the crowd while playing. Every big DJ that’s come in has loved the vibe and wanted to 48

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

come back.” Same with Frank. He’s reveling in a job where there isn’t really a dress code, and management encourages frolicsome fun. “This place is good for San Diego,” he says. “It’s unique, but also unpretentious.”

SEe level

“This place is good for San Diego. It’s unique, but also unpretentious.” Voyeur 755 5th Ave., Gaslamp 619.756.7678 voyeursd.com

By definition, a “voyeur” is someone who views others without their knowledge, often to derive sexual pleasure. There are several far-out and funky aspects of the goth-driven décor at Voyeur, but one is more voyeuristic than all others. The ceiling above the groundfloor bar has see-through glass panels. If you’re wearing a skirt on the second floor balcony, you are forewarned. Voyeurs, heads up.

SATURDAY OCT 31, 2009

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{love} blind date

Air Time THE BLIND DATE REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

Photos by neens ristin and Steve have at least one thing in common: they’re both going to jump out of a plane for today’s highflying blind date adventure. Here at Team PacificSD, we’re hoping for a safe landing for two reasons. First, we love our readers. Second, our insurance policy is really set up to cover injuries resulting from office supplies, not from exiting planes mid-flight. The daters have just arrived and met for the first time at PacificSD’s new office in Old Town. They trade their civilian clothes for logoed t-shirts (catastrophe or not, we’re psyched about the YouTube exposure), then Kristin jumps in Steve’s car for the ride south to Brown Field Municipal Airport, in Otay Mesa, a tamale’s throw from the border. We have about half an hour in the car, so let’s review the pre-date interviews.

Where are you from? She says: I’m originally from a small town called Paradise, in Northern California. He says: I grew up all around the East Coast.

Why are you going on a blind date in a magazine? She says: Why not? He says: To try something new. And to get the free coffee. Describe your personality in seven words. She says: Engaging, sarcastic, cheerful, captivating, funny, easy to be around and adventurous. He says: Proper prior preparation prevents piss-poor performance. What do you do for fun? She says: I love the outdoors, biking, water polo, softball, people-watching,

happy hour with friends, just to name a few. He says: Whatever I’m doing right now. Why would you do something that isn’t fun?

Rate yourself physically on a scale from one to 10. She says: Depends on who you ask. He says: Nine. Nobody’s perfect. What’s your favorite thing about yourself? She says: That I am really outgoing and not afraid to take risks. He says: The passion and dedication I have for whatever I’m doing. During what historical period would you liked to have lived? She says: The 80s, because I can rock an awesome Mohawk. He says: When the Wright Brothers developed flight, so I could be the

teve and Kristin have had about half an hour to get to know each other while following the PacificSD crew to the jump zone. As the group arrives at Pacific Coast

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

first one to jump out of a plane.

What’s the sexiest thing about you? She says: I say my smile, but then again, you’ll have to ask my date. He says: My mother told me I was the handsomest boy at the dance. What do you like least about yourself? She says: I can be too nice. He says: I don’t understand the question. What’s your sign, religion or spiritual belief system, if any? She says: I’m a Capricorn. He says: I believe in God and Jesus.

Skydiving’s hangar, we are greeted by Andy Rowell, the owner of the company, who has skydived more than 8,500 times in 20 years. (They jump on Page 52.)

What’s the most important thing in the world? She says: Creating balance in my life. He says: Besides me? Hugs. What’s the most fun you’ve had in a plane? She says: I plead the fifth. He says: My release was contingent upon the fact that I don’t talk about that incident on Facebook or anywhere else.

Preflight: the daters pose with Andy Rowell (left) and photographer Eric Hartung

{love} blind date

Geronimo! THE BLIND DATE TAKES A FALL

he daters will jump tandem, meaning that each will be securely tethered to a professional skydiver, who will control the jump, the chute and the landing. All Steve and Kristin have to do is fall, so there isn’t really any training required. Extremely pregnant with their first child, Andy’s wife hands the jumpers waivers to sign. For insurance purposes, we say we were from the Union-Tribune. Time to fly. The plane is small, its door propped open to make jumping easier… and takeoff more terrifying. Rather than jump at the same time, Steve and Kristin will take turns putting their lives in the hands of Andy, who has a video camera mounted to his left hand. Steve’s up first. With pilot Erol Karanfil at the controls, the plane takes off. At about 12,000 feet, Steve, with Andy attached to his back, exits the plane. Instructor/ photographer Eric Hartung follows the pair out of the always-open door to capture the descent on his helmet-cam. The jumpers plummet for about 40 seconds before their chutes open. As they gently touch down about five minutes later, Steve is smiling from ear to ear. “That was dope,” he says. Now it’s Kristin’s turn. The plane, which has already landed, takes off again. Once Kristin arrives safely back on earth, it’s time to head north for dinner and drinks. The couple drives together to the Ivy Hotel in the Gaslamp, where they have a drink at the rooftop bar overlooking the city. After about 20 minutes, they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

How was the skydiving? Scary? She says: You definitely get the butterflies when you’re up there and he’s talking to you about, ‘Okay, we’re five minutes away,’ and the next thing you know, the door’s opening and you’re sitting there, hovering over this open space—and then you’re out, freefalling, and you have this incredible rush. He says: I wasn’t scared, but I did get anxious right before the jump. But once I jumped, it was fun, and then it wasn’t long enough. When Andy pulled the rip cord, he was like, ‘It worked! It worked!’ I knew he was joking. That guy’s got good luck. He’s jumped 8,500 times. 52

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

How’s the date going so far? She says: It’s going really good. He’s really fun to talk to. We have a really good chemistry. He says: It’s been pretty exciting. She laughs at everything, so I feel like I’m really, really funny.

she’s an awesome chick, totally cool. I’m having a lot of fun.

with any situation. She could have fun no matter what she’s doing.

Rate your date physically on a scale from one to 10. She says: 9.5. He’s handsome. He says: Seven.

Is the vibe friendly or romantic? She says: There’s definitely that rapport and chemistry. He says: I’d say friendly.

Is this the kind of person you’d normally date? She says: He would definitely be someone who I’d talk to in a regular setting—if I met him out at a bar or some other engagement. He’s a very personable person. He says: Ummm… maybe. It’s different when you’re younger. Now, I’m cautious about who I’d date. But

And for personality? She says: 9.5 to 10. He says: Nine.

Do you want to kiss your date now? She says: I’m not that easy. He says: No.

What’s your date’s best quality so far? She says: He gives me back the sarcastic, smartass comments. I tend to throw it out there quite often. He says: She likes to laugh and roll

Does your date want to kiss you? She says: You’ll have to ask him that. He says: I’d say there’s a possibility. (The date continues on Page 54.)

VOTED

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the “i just want to enjoy my life” diet (100% ORGANIC BEEF)

Gaslamp: 624 E Street * 619.237.9990 Pacific Beach: 640 Mission Blvd. * 858.274.7117

{love} blind date

Ivy League THE BLIND DATE CONTINUES AT THE IVY HOTEL

fter having drinks at the Ivy Rooftop bar and pool deck, Steve and Kristin head downstairs for dinner at the hotel’s posh Quarter Kitchen restaurant. As their food arrives, the couple is finally left alone for the evening. PacificSD calls the next day to see what we missed.

Overall, how was the date? She says: Aside from the skydiving and dinner and drinks at a swanky downtown venue, Steve is a decent guy. Conversation was good and he was funny. He says: The skydiving was awesome, my date was fun, but there was no romantic spark. How was the Ivy rooftop? She says: It was perfect for having afternoon cocktails in the sunshine. Plus, there was great house music, people were enjoying the pool and cabanas and we took in the amazing views of downtown. He says: I didn’t really drink, but she did. I think she had four or five drinks. I was so sober I can’t remember. What did you eat at Quarter Kitchen? She says: First, we tried the caviar tacos and oysters, then moved on to the duck tacos, which were really delicious and flavorful. We wrapped it up with chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. He says: They brought us oysters and caviar to start. Then we had sliders and duck tacos. The best was the chocolate-covered strawberries. 54

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

Describe the chemistry between you and your date. She says: The chemistry between us was more in the friend zone. He says: More of a friendship than anything. What was the best part of the date? She says: Skydiving. Awesome. He says: Skydiving. Worst part? She says: That is was a bazillion degrees at the jump site, and we were trying to look cool and collected. He says: During my skydive, the cameraman didn’t get any still photos of me. That and the fact that there was no romantic chemistry. What happened after the magazine crew left you two alone? She says: We stayed at Ivy, had a couple more cocktails, talked about life, people-watched then called it a night. He says: We hung out for a few more hours and then went home. Will there be a second date? She says: No, don’t think so. He says: I’d hang out with her as a friend because she’s cool, but not go on another date.

Conclusion:

Holy chute, everyone lived! PacificSD gets to stay in business and keep conducting blind dates. It’s interesting to note that, while the daters did fall back to earth, they did not fall in love with each other. The law of gravity was sure working today, but the law of attraction must have been on the fritz.

Celebrity observations: “Roger, Roger. What’s our vector, Victor?” –Captain Oveur, from the movie Airplane

“If you go parachuting, and your parachute doesn’t open, and your friends are all watching you fall, I think a funny gag would be to pretend you were swimming.” –Jack Handy

“Might as well jump.” –David Lee Roth“ Oh, chute! I thought you said shoot.” –Plaxico Burress, ex-New York Giants wide receiver who shot himself in the leg. “I could make a lot of pants with that thing. Is that silk?” –M.C. Hammer

events Miramar Air Show Dates: October 2-4 Admission: Free entry and blanket seating; reserved seating prices vary Venue: MCAS Miramar Info: 858.577.4126, miramarairshow.com Attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators, the Air Show features the Blue Angels, a Marine AirGround Task Force simulated combat demonstration and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shockwaveâ&#x20AC;? Jet Truck. The October 3 twilight show erupts with a spectacular fireworks display and the Great Wall of Fire (Guinness Book of World Records, 2002).

OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

oct La Mesa Oktoberfest Date: October 2-4 Admission: Free Venue: La Mesa Village Info: 619.462.3002, lmvma.com Enjoy brews, bratwurst and Bavarian culture with a crowd of 20,000 at this 36th annual event, loaded with three beer gardens, five food courts and more than 300 vendor booths.

Taste of North Park Date: October 3 Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 day of Venue: Restaurants throughout North Park Info: 619.294.2501, tastenorthpark.com Experience an unforgettable culinary adventure on a self-guided tour of North Park’s finest eateries and boutiques.

Submit events to calendar@pacificsandiego.com Compiled by Ryan Balke 10/2: Brad Paisley / Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, ticketmaster.com 10/3: Brooks and Dunn / Viejas Concerts in the Park, ticketmaster.com 10/3: Ingrid Michaelson / House of Blues, hob.com 10/3: Jamie Foxx / San Diego Civic Theatre, ticketmaster.com 10/3: Temptations & Four Tops / Valley View Casino Concerts, ticketmaster.com 10/9: Pearl Jam and Ben Harper/ Viejas Arena, ticketmaster.com 10/9: REO Speedwagon / Valley View Casino Concerts, ticketmaster.com 10/10: Dark Star Orchestra / WaveHouse, wavehousesandiego.com 10/11: Jason Mraz / Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, ticketmaster.com TIX FREE OR $1 10/12: Moby / House of Blues, hob.com 10/15: Jimmy Buffett / Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, ticketmaster.com 10/16: Sean Kingston and the New Boyz / Canes, canesbarandgrill.com 10/17: Snow Patrol & Plain White T’s / SDSU Open Air Theatre, ticketmaster.com 10/18: Barry Manilow / San Diego Sports Arena, ticketmaster.com 10/21: Grizzly Bear / Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com 10/21-22: Brand New and Manchester Orchestra / House of Blues, hob.com 10/21: Rob Thomas and Onerepublic / SDSU Open Air Theatre, ticketmaster.com 10/23: Owl City / Epicentre, epicentreconcerts.org 10/23 Tech N9ne / House of Blues, hob.com 10/24: Boys Like Girls / Soma, somasandiego.com 10/31: Alice Cooper / Harrah’s Rincon Casino, ticketmaster.com

Padres

SDSU FOOTBALL

10/2-4 vs. San Francisco Giants

10/3 vs. New Mexico State 10/17 vs. BYU 10/31 vs. New Mexico

Chargers 10/19 vs. Denver Broncos

San Diego Six-Man Beach Volleyball Tournament Date: October 3-4 Admission: Free to watch; $150 for team signup Venue: Mariner’s Point, Mission Bay Info: sandiegosixman.com Watch or compete in this beach volleyball tournament, where teams with creative names play in costumes. Pizza, tacos, a beer garden and music round out the event. Photo by Jim Schaffer

Taste and Art Stroll in Del Mar Date: October 3 Tickets: Taste tickets $40; Art Stroll free Venue: Coastal Del Mar Info: 858.755.1179, delmarmainstreet.com Stroll through a collection of original works by more than 70 artists while teasing your palate with samples of wine, beer and culinary creations offered by some of North County’s finest food purveyors.

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

Tee Off for Tatas Date: October 4 Tickets: $125 per player; $450 per foursome Venue: Salt Creek Golf Course, Chula Vista Info: 858.829.8246, dluxeventsgolf.golfreg.com Play golf to benefit breast cancer charities. Registration includes practice balls, golf cart, lunch, dinner and limo bus transportation.

LA JOLLA ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

PACIFIC BEACHFEST Date: October 10 Admission: Free Venue: Pacific Beach boardwalk Info: 858.273.3303, pacificbeachfest.com From beach volleyball to the arts and crafts village to live music performances, BeachFest has something for the whole family. A highlight of this year’s event is Action Alley, where professional athletes will perform stunts on a skate ramp.

Date: October 10-11 Tickets: $7 for adults; $3 for children Venue: Girard Avenue, La Jolla Info: 858.454.1699, lajollaartandwinefestival.com View the work of more than 300 artists from Southern California and Northern Baja along Girard Avenue, transformed into a street fair replete with live entertainment and a wine and beer garden. Proceeds benefit La Jolla’s public elementary schools.

5TH AVENUE AUTO SHOWCASE Date: October 11 Admission: Free Venue: Along 5th Avenue, Gaslamp Info: 619.223.5227, gaslamp.org Get revved up for an afternoon of horsepower along 5th Avenue, where an exciting collection of new and historic domestic and imported cars will be on display.

Photo by Joan Marcus

THE LION KING Date: October 13November 8 Tickets: $20-$79 Venue: San Diego Civic Theatre Info: 619.570.1100, broadwaysd.com Pulsing with the same unforgettable musical score from Disney’s now classic film, Lion King, comes to life on stage in this awardwinning Broadway musical.

OLD TOWN ART FESTIVAL Date: October 17-18 Admission: Free Venue: Old Town Info: 619.233.5008, oldtownartfestival.com Stroll through Old Town while admiring fine art paintings, jewelry, sculptures and photography from more than 150 contemporary artists and fashion and home décor artisans.

CULTURE SHOCK SAN DIEGO 10TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE Date: October 25-26 Tickets: $15-$25 Venue: California Center for the Arts, Escondido Info: 619.299.2110, cultureshockdancecenter.com Dance troupes from around the world converge on San Diego for this annual showcase, which, in a prior year, was the launching pad for Jabbawockeez, winners of TV’s America’s Best Dance Crew.

SIGNATURE CHEFS AUCTION Date: October 27 Tickets: $250 per person Venue: Manchester Grand Hyatt, downtown Info: 858.576.1211, marchofdimes.com Enjoy some of San Diego’s finest chefs’ signature dishes paired with wonderful wines and craft beers. The exclusive dinner and silent auction help raise money for March of Dimes, dedicated to improving the health of babies.

14TH ANNUAL LITTLE ITALY FESTA Date: October 11 Admission: Free Venue: Little Italy Info: 619.233.3898, littleitalysd.com Touted as one of the largest Italian American celebrations west of the Mississippi, Festa draws more that 100,000 revelers with delicious food and authentic Italian culture, music and art. Ciao!

WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES Date: October 15 Admission: Free Venue: 4th and K Streets, downtown Info: 619.239.0355, walkamileinhershoes.org Strap on a pair of stilettos to participate in the San Diego leg of the international march to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence. Proceeds benefit local rape crisis centers. (Heels not required.)

BOLD RED TENT EVENT Date: October 18 Tickets: $40 in advance; $50 at door Venue: La Jolla Woman’s Club, La Jolla Info: 310.985.9985, thelovewithin.com Women of all ages and backgrounds are invited to bond and connect with other women by sharing their stories of their children’s births from inside red tents. Guests may participate in workshops, a yoga session and an art expression area.

HALLOWEEN AT THE PRADO Date: October 31 Tickets: T.B.A. Venue: The Prado, Balboa Park Info: djhere.com Join 2,000 undead revelers, reanimated by bone-chilling DJ beats, at the sexiest party in the city—the sixth annual Halloween Ball at the Prado. Bring an appetite for flesh—the costume contest grand prize is $500 and guaranteed life after death.

MONSTER BASH Date: October 31 Tickets: $25 in advance; $30 at door Venue The haunted streets of the Gaslamp Info: 619.233.5008, sandiegomonsterbash.com More than 15,000 Finest City fiends will pack the streets of the Gaslamp on Halloween night for the ninth annual Monster Bash, featuring DJ beats, live bands and a $3,000 cash prize for best costume. OCTOBER 2009 | pacificsandiego.com

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LOCAL LUMINARIES HIT THE SILVER SCREEN

By ALEX OWENS his town has had its share of action-packed movie moments (Top Gun, Traffic, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes), but Hollywood seems to ignore San Diegans when it comes to the starring roles… until now. Here are some Finest City folks who’d be great as action-movie heroes.

Star: Shawne Merriman

Film: Tequila Mockingbird Role: The Merry Man The Chargers linebacker leads a secret life as Merry Man, a superhero dedicated to stopping drunk drivers by chasing them down on foot. At the beginning of the film, Merry Man takes a shot at love with a beautiful alcoholic (played by Lucy Liu). In act three, he must choose between playing in the Super Bowl in Miami, or stopping his boozehound girlfriend from driving home, plastered, at 3 a.m.

Star: Kendra Wilkinson

Film: Boy, Oh Buoyant Role: Flo Tater Playing himself in the movie, Hugh Hefner finds himself at the center of a nasty homicide investigation. When a second missing Playmate shows up at the bottom of the Playboy Mansion pool, Tater, an undercover cop with a badge and a pair of guns, offers herself as bait to catch the murderer. When the culprit sneaks passed the guards at the Mansion gate, he manages to get Tater into the pool, but her unsinkable super-breasts slow him down long enough for Hef to save the day by beating the bad guy with a giant stick. (In the end, the real hero is Viagra.)

BORN IN SAN DIEGO Gregory Peck: April 5, 1916 Robert Selden Duvall: January 5, 1931 Ted Danson: December 29, 1947 Cameron Diaz: April 30, 1972 Nick Cannon: October 8, 1980

pacificsandiego.com | OCTOBER 2009

Star: Mario Lopez

Film: Tell a Vision Role: Agent Vanilla The former Saved By The Bell heartthrob plays a CIA operative trying to stop a Russian government plot aimed at taking over the United States by dumbing down our films and TV shows. Art imitates life as Agent Vanilla signs on to star in one crappy project after another—from reality show Flossing With The Stars to a movie version of Saved By The Bell: Mid-Life Crisis. On the brink of foiling the international plot, Vanilla finds himself anchoring Back Burner, a gay cooking show on E!

Star: Sandy Mossy

Film: Fast, Furious & Priced to Move Role: Mamma Seeta (pictured) A folksy Nissan pitch gal by day, the cute blonde cardealing supermom becomes a perky crime fighter by night. Behind the wheel of a black, turbo-charged 2009 Maxima (with charcoal leather interior), the spandexclad border crusader gets 16 miles-per-gallon in the city, but intercepts twice that many illegal-immigrant transport vehicles on dusty Otay Mesa back roads.

SAN DIEGO MOVIE-STAR TRIVIA Dennis Hopper went to Helix High School, in La Mesa, then studied acting at the Old Globe Theatre. Raquel Welch was a weather forecaster for KFMB-TV in the early Sixties. Annette Bening studied drama at Patrick Henry High School, then attended Mesa College.

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Fresh. Crisp. 64 calories. The envy of other beers. MGD64. As light as it gets.

速

Per 12 oz., MGD64 contains 64 cals., 2.4g carbs, < 1g protein, 0.0g fat.