Pacific San Diego Magazine, April 2012 issue

San Diego SAN DIEGO’S WHERE, WHEN AND WOW

Mural by Madsteez: Mark Paul Deren “Weenzee Giddy Up’n On Top Of Weenosaurus Rex” Ray street at university avenue, north park Commissioned by Pacific San Diego Magazine, March 2012

APRIL 2012 PA C I F I C S A N D I E G O . C O M

EDITOR’S NOTE

who arted?

discover this cover

I can draw conclusions, but that’s about it. No painting, no sculpting, no photography. I threw some pottery once, but someone else had made it.

Scores of talented artists came together to help created this Art Issue of PacificSD. Their work speaks for itself, so I’ll keep quiet. (Silence, yet another art form I have no talent for.)

PacificSD commissioned MADSTEEZ (aka Mark Paul Deren) to paint the mural pictured on this issue’s cover (see “Animal Instincts,” page 114). The project, titled “WEENzee Giddy Up’n on Top of WEENosaurus Rex,” took five days and $3,500 in paint, and is now permanently installed on the side of Wang’s, at the corner of University Avenue and Ray Street, in North Park.

WEENosaurus Rex is already a hit, having garnered an online shout-out from leading modern art magazine, Juxtapoz (juxtapoz.com).

After completing the North Park design, Deren and his buddy and fellow artist, Stinkone (aka Evan Rossell), collaborated on a second street art project (shown below and on opposite page): the stairwell at Vin de Syrah, 901 5th Avenue, in the Gaslamp.

it wasn’t me, i swear...

David Perloff, Editor in Chief

LARGER IMAGES: MADSTEEZ AND STINKONE COLLABORATED ON THIS STREET ART INSTALLATION AT VIN D E S Y R A H I N T H E G A S L A M P. I N S E T : MADSTEEZ WITH HIS ABSTRACT PIECES THAT INSPIRED THE VIN DE S Y R A H P R O J E C T.

MADSTEEZ: TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

E I G H T

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MADSTEEZ: Mark Paul Deren AGE: 31 HOMETOWN: Outskirts of Washington, D.C. CURRENT ‘HOOD: Costa Mesa WEBSITE: madsteez.com

PacificSD: How did you decide what to paint in North Park?

MARK PAUL DEREN: I always let the spot dictate what I’m going paint. When we were driving up to the location, the left side of the wall stuck out from behind the other buildings, and I immediately knew WEENosaurus would be absolutely perfect creeping around the corner.

How does working on such a large scale affect your creative process?

DEREN: I’ve learned to look at large-scale pieces more as problemsolving. Some questions I ask myself:

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Is it physically possible? Can I finish it in a certain amount of time? How am I going to move around on the wall? How much paint do I need? I always shoot for the stars and try not to have any negative thoughts like, “This isn’t possible.” So far, I’ve been able to manifest everything I’ve put my mind to.

What do you want people to think/feel/do when they see the WEENosaurus Rex?

DEREN: While 40 feet up on the boom lift, I overheard a 12-year-old kid yell, “Holy Crap!” That sums it up on so many levels.

Your art will make an impact on countless thousands of San Diegans. How does it make you feel to be so influential?

DEREN: It feels really amazing. The whole community was so supportive during the process. Everyone was extremely thankful and appreciative that it really made me feel like I was doing something special for the neighborhood. If I can make one person’s day a little bit brighter by getting a glimpse at WEENosaurus, then my job is done.

DEREN: Evan (Stink) is a true artist. He can’t help but be drawing on anything and everything at all times—on electrical boxes, trashcans, cardboard boxes, “EXIT” signs, sewer caps, et cetera. And from time to time he will actually draw on a piece of paper. He can paint 10 characters in the amount of time it takes me to do one.

designs. Talk about that.

DEREN: In my latest fine art paintings, I’ve been incorporating a more abstract approach. The Wang’s wall was very precise, so it was a fun change-up to go wild and throw some paint after five 12-hour days of staying within the lines.

What’s the coolest project you have coming up?

DEREN: I have a really cool project coming up in the decrepit areas of Detroit, and a solo show in Los Angeles towards the end of summer.

I’m super excited for my solo show, because I haven’t had one since my New York City show in 2008.

How do you regard the San Diego street-art scene here?

DEREN: North Park is holding it down. Local legend PERSUE has the place on lock and has pieces everywhere. World-renowned Dabs and Myla have few banger pieces, and I also saw some great stuff from Remeo and CatCult. And can’t forget to mention Greg, who is also a local and paints awesome bubbles.

What’s your favorite piece of art you’ve ever created?

DEREN: A portrait piece I did of Dennis Hopper. He posed for me a few years before he passed. It was really meaningful to me, because I look at him as a huge inspirational figure in all aspects of his life. At the time, he told me the only people to have painted his portrait were Andy Warhol and Julian Schnabel…and mine was his favorite.

The Vin de Syrah piece you did incorporates more abstract

Tell me about your cohort Evan (Stink).

N I N E

If you could create a piece of street art in any location in the world, what would you paint and where?

DEREN: I’d have to say on some sort of world iconic structure, like the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Washington Monument or the Leaning Tower of WEENZA. It’d be so rad to do a WEEN!MAL take-over or even WEEN!FY with abstract colors.

Anything else you want the world to know?

I have two WEENER dogs, Mr. WEEN and WEENSEUSS.

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S T I N K O N E : E v a n R osse l l AGE: 23 H O M E T O W N : O r a nge C o u nt y, C A C U R R E N T ‘ H O O D : C ost a M es a W E B S I T E : stinkone . com P a c i f i c S D : W ho ins p ires y o u ?

E V A N R O S S E L L : I g e t m y ins p ira t ion f ro m ever y t h in g aro u n d m e , f ro m ol d b oo k s I f in d t o ran d o m in t eres t in g c h ara c t ers on t h e s t ree t .

W ho a re y o u r f a v orite a rtists ?

R O S S E L L : M y Favori t e ar t is t s w o u l d h ave t o b e Dr . S e u ss . A n d f or g ra f f i t i , m y d u d es ’ MKU E an d TYK E ’ s b es t s t y les .

I f y o u co u l d cre a te a p iece o f street a rt in a n y l oc a tion in the wor l d , wh a t wo u l d y o u p a int a nd where ?

R O S S E L L : I ’ d h ave t o g o w i t h so m e w h ere in S o u t h A m eri c a — Bra z il or Per u — on a t all b u il d in g . S o m e b i g Hair y Fools .

An y thing e l se y o u w a nt the wor l d to know ?

R O S S E L L : I love s t i c k ers .

SCAN HERE FOR DETAILS

San Diego

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APRIL 2012

E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F

David Perloff

C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R Kenny Boyer D I R E C TO R O F P H OTO G R A P H Y Brevin Blach M A N AG I N G E D I TO R Patricia B. Dwyer

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C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R Brandon HernĂĄndez CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Carina Calhoun Erin Goss Ryan Hume Leslie Marcus Brandon Matzek David Moye Michelle Poveda Tim Pyles Nicole Quiroz Cookie “Chainsawâ€? Randolph Jim Ruland C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S Jeff “Turboâ€? Corrigan Minh Huynh Brandon Matzek John Mireless Greg Ronlov

PUBLISHERS David Perloff Simone Perloff D I R E C TO R O F A DV E RT I S I N G Dana Schroedl (dana@pacificsandiego.com) P RO M OT I O N S + C L I E N T S E RV I C E S Alyson C Baker (alyson@pacificsandiego.com) MARKETING + EVENTS Rob Corea (rob@pacificsandiego.com) AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E S Tim Donnelly (tim@paificsandiego.com) Jim Lucich (jim@pacificsandiego.com) Brad Weber (brad@pacificsandiego.com) INTERNS Vanessa Byrne Louis McCorkle Lauren Satt Justin Tyner

Reach America’s Finest readers via print, web and social media.

Read, click, connect...BOOM! 619.296.6300 pacificsandiego.com facebook.com/pacificsd, Twitter@pacificsd T W E L V E

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FASHION VALLEY’S WEEKEND OF FASHION APRIL 27 & 28 Spring is here in all its freshness and so is Fashion Valley! Check out our newly rejuvenated center as this spring’s fashions hit the runway featuring the latest styles in clothing and accessories during Simon Fashion Now. Enjoy a weekend of spectacular runway fashion shows, prize giveaways, interactive style and design competitions, in-store events and discounts, all amid our new contemporary backdrop. Take home your favorite items fresh off the runway! For event details, visit simon.com, like us at facebook.com/FashionValleyMall and follow us on Twitter @fashionvalleyca.

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2012 Friday night games/parties April 6: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers April 20: vs. Philadelphia Phillies May 4: vs. Florida Marlins May 18: vs. Anaheim Angels June 1: vs. Arizona Diamondbacks June 22: vs. Seattle Mariners July 6: vs. Cincinnati Reds July 20: vs. Colorado Rockies August 3: vs. New York Mets August 20: vs. San Francisco Giants September 7: vs. Arizona Diamondbacks September 14: vs. Colorado Rockies September 28: vs. New York Giants

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Forget the peanuts and Cracker Jack—we’re talking drinks and a cool-crowd happy hour on a grand scale.

Snag a homerun ball during pre-game batting practice and head to one of Petco’s many bars and try to get to second base. Kidding (sorta).

After the game, check out PacificSD’s afterparties and join the Downtown action.

It’s time to play ball.

Come take a swing. pacificsandiego.com/padres

PacificSD is proud to be the official media partner of the San Diego Padres Friday night parties at Petco Park. scan below of Visit pacificsandiego.com/ padres to see photos and videos from Friday night games and for your chance to win:

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Win tickets to the April 6 Friday night game against the L.A. Dodgers at PacificSD’s home-opener afterparty at Bub’s at the Park, Thursday, April 5.

contents

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pacifics A N d I E G O . com 04.12

p. 55-73 off the wall

A rt that doesn ’ t leave you hanging

5 6 B right F uture

Have color, will travel

6 2 H eavy M etal

Welding, sculpture and deeper meanings

6 6 C haracter D evelopment

On using intuition to help paint a picture

7 0 A bra M acabre

The magical dark art of Tim Bradstreet

THIS PAGE: “ T H E PU N I S H E R ” TIM BRADSTREET’S COVER ART FROM THE PUNISHER max comic book , I S S U E 3 9 - 2 0 0 6

on the cover : “ W een z ee G idd y U p ’ n on to p o f W eenos a u rUs R e x ” M ural by M adsteez ( aka M ark P aul D eren ) P hoto by M ark P aul D eren . ( S ee story pages 8 , 5 6 , 1 1 4 )

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contents

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pacifics A N d I E G O . com 04.12

CURRENTS 23 Hello, Dalai

The Dalai Lama arrives

in San Diego 24

IDOL WORSHIP San Diego girl is object of national obsession

26

Now Sea This Enter an underwater world without leaving shore

26 Where the

Sidewalk Blends Art, dance and food make Little Italy a sweet spot 28

NEW WAVE Surfing historian provides alternative vision of his sport’s origin

30 Wooden You

Know It Local folk artist finds

inspiration in grain and

garbage 32 French

Connection Picasso’s link to San Diego 36

Chain Reactions Chainsaw’s Mailbag: The Dean of American Sports has an answer for everything

38 Action Plan

Solana Beach company

connects local athletes on

a global level 42 Alternate Roots

Cactus company

cultivates art with a life of

its own

TA S T E 75 Let it ReiGn

Farmers market royalty

expands her kingdom of

freshness

GROOVE 89 OUT FOR A SPIN

Elvis Costello concert

revolves around audience

participation

48 COMMON THREAD Local designer brings

artists together in style

80

Cruz Control San Diego chef ’s simple approach keeps things running smoothly

90 POSTER CHILD Artist’s experiences

take him and his art in

new directions

50 Silver Lining

The personal style of

artist Brooks Sterling

82

How Sweet The art of making rhubarb cupcakes

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86

Going for Gold La Jolla-based tequila company shoots for the stars

92 Know Show Artistic creations in

concert with the local

music scene

44

Hairy Houdini The magic secrets of lengthy sex appeal revealed

Me, Myself and Eye Sunglass company empowers customers to help accomplish its vision

94 Bands on the Run Rocking San Diego and

rolling back to the desert 98

On the Bandwagon Bands rock, roll on public transportation

102

The “Art” in Bartender Quenching a thirst for creating “everything”

D AT E 104 JUST FOR LAUGHS And because maybe

comedy is the way to the

heart CALENDAR 110 FOUR.TWELVE April event listings THINK 114 ANIMAL INSTINCTS

Picasso had a blue

period; MADSTEEZ is

having a Jurassic one

D I N O S AU R I N A C A N : T H E M A K I N G S O F A M A G AZ I N E C O V E R

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FIRST THINGS

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I llustration by E ric S wesey

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hello, dalai

Tibetan leader comes to San Diego Question: What event sold out in under an hour and will likely draw a crowd of more than 20,000 people? (Hint: it’s not a Justin Bieber concert.) It’s the Dalai Lama, y’all.

On April 18-19, the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), the spiritual leader of Tibet, will make his first ever visit to San Diego, stopping at the UCSD, SDSU and USD campuses.

The Venerable Lama Tenzin Dhonden, a personal emissary for the Dalai Lama, lives in San Diego and is responsible for coordinating the historic two-day symposium called “Compassion Without Borders.”

“While he’s brought his Holiness the Dalai Lama to many states, he’s ignored the place where he lives,” says UCSD assistant dean of external affairs, Henry J. DeVries, of Dhonden. “So he became strongly committed to bringing his Holiness to San Diego.”

Hopefully, it’s not bad karma to buy tickets from scalpers.

—Michelle Poveda E a ch u ni v ersit y wi l l host its own e v ent a nd l ect u re to p ic : T he G l ob a l I m p a ct o f C l im a te C h a nge : B a l a nce T hro u gh Uni v ers a l R es p onsibi l it y, C om p a ssion a nd H u m a n C onscio u sness A p ri l 1 8 , 9 : 3 0 a . m . , R im a c Aren a ( U C S D ) C u l ti v a ting Pe a ce a nd J u stice A p ri l 1 8 , 1 : 3 0 p. m . , J enn y C r a ig P a v i l ion ( U S D ) U p ho l ding Uni v ers a l E thics a nd C om p a ssion in C h a l l enging T imes A p ri l 1 9 , 9 : 3 0 a . m . , Viej a s Aren a

H is H o l iness , the 1 4 th D a l a i L a m a “ C om p a ssion W itho u t B orders ” A p ril 1 8 - 1 9 d alaila m asan d ie g o . or g

“I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don’t know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves.” —The 14th Dalai Lama

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FIRST THINGS

idol worship

San Diego girl becomes object of national obsession At age 16, Jessica Sanchez has a real shot at winning the current season of FOX’s American Idol.

The Chula Vista native­—who auditioned at Petco Park in July; and in front of celebrity judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson aboard the U.S.S. Midway in October­­—has become one of the show’s stand-out performers.

“It’s unbelievable for me,” says Sanchez. “I used to be homeschooled and I didn’t really do much before this. And now I’m busy all the time in this craziness.”

As a member of the Top 10, Sanchez will travel around the country in the coming months, performing in the American Idol Summer Tour. In the meantime, she’s tangled up in the Hollywood hustle—a superstar longing for her roots.

“I want to go back home and visit San Diego,” she says via telephone from her dressing room. “Here, it’s crazy and busy all the time. San Diego is just really chill and laidback, with perfect weather.”

Sanchez appeared on America’s Got Talent at age 11 (where singer Brandy told her, “You’re going to be huge, I promise”) and has sung the National Anthem at a handful of Chargers games. Despite her youth, she has spent years honing her vocal virtuosity and a solid stage presence.

“I told Ryan [Seacrest]…when I practiced in my room upstairs, I would sing to boxes and pretend they were people,” she says.

Today, those boxes have been replaced by tens of millions of Idol fans.

—Patricia B. Dwyer

R I G H T : p ride o f s a n diego a nd a m e r i c a n i d o l f in a l ist , J essic a S a nche z ( p hoto b y N I N O M U N O Z / F O X )

B E L O W C L O C K W I S E ( f rom to p right ) : A m er i c a n Id o l S e a son 1 1 T o p 1 2 contest a nts E l ise T estone , H eej u n H a n , J essic a S a nche z , H o l l ie C a v a n a gh , S k y l a r L a ine , D eAndre B r a ckensick , E rik a V a n Pe l t , J erm a ine J ones , C o l ton D i x on , S h a nnon M a gr a ne , J osh u a l edet a nd Phi l l i p Phi l l i p s ( p hoto b y M ich a e l B ecker / F O X )

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C O O LT U R E

where the sidewalk blends A mix of art, dance and food make Little Italy a sweet spot

Each year, Little Italy gathers up the region’s artistic talent to showcase their masterpieces along India Street.

Drawing a crowd of more than 100,000, ArtWalk has become as synonymous with the neighborhood as pizza and spaghetti.

The event’s managing director, Sandi Cottrell, says the San Diego art scene is “more energized than ever.” On April 28 and 29, as ArtWalk strides into its 28th year, artistry will get kicked up another notch thanks to “Dance on the Edge,” an event-within-an-event featuring 20 live dance performances of various styles.

Despite the struggling economy, Cottrell says, “Amazingly, several participants said they’ve had their best year ever.” She credits the artists’ success with recent local gallery openings, art-related events and partnerships that have produced a wave of artistic synergy across San Diego.

“ or a nge cr a te ” B y H a ro l d p ickern a cr y l ic on c a n v a s

At last year’s ArtWalk, Marcus Thesing sold 70 percent of the hand-blown glass he displayed. He says he’s optimistic for a repeat performance because the event’s attendees are usually “affluent, with the ability to appreciate good art when they see it.”

Thesing’s favorite thing about ArtWalk? “The ice cream.” —Michelle Poveda

Art W a l k t h e s t ree t s o f L i t t le I t al y A p ril 2 8 – 2 9 , 1 1 a . m . – 6 p. m . f ree a d m ission m ission f e d eralar t w al k . or g

now sea this

Enter an underwater world without leaving shore

Lee Peterson has been snapping underwater photos since before you were born.

In 1961, the year Beatlemania steamrolled England and JFK coolguyed his way into the White House, Peterson and a small group of likeminded San Diegans founded the San Diego Underwater Photographic Society.

At the time, most underwater photographers used small 35mm cameras called Calypsos, invented by famous French scientist Jacques big C orin a ct u s ( p hoto b y l ee p eterson )

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Cousteau. Dissatisfied with the equipment, Peterson developed innovative underwater lenses, becoming a pioneer in the fledgling art.

See some of Peterson’s images at “Liquid Capture: Masters of Underwater Photography,” on display at the Oceanside Museum of Art, April 28 through June 17.

The juried exhibition, imagined and organized by Peterson, includes some of the world’s best underwater photographic art. oma-online.org —Ryan Hume

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PHOTOS BY BREVIN BLACH

new wave

surfing historian provides alternative vision of his sport’s origin Raised in La Jolla, filmmaker and writer Richard Kenvin—a 1980s surfpro-turned-surf-culture-intellectual who has spent the last 10 years tracing the history of surfboards—credits San Diego-based surfboard shaper Bob Simmons with laying the foundation for the modern surfboard.

“A lot of stuff is given credit for how the modern surfboard came to be, and the Simmons planing hull is left out every single time,” Kenvin says.

“A lot of that stuff is exactly the opposite of surfing history.”

Kenvin’s The Hydrodynamica Project illustrates the influence Simmons’ 1947 to 1954 designs, called “planing hulls,” had on the evolution of waveriding devices at large. In a world where most surfboards have one or three fins, Simmons’ dual-keel creations, with a tombstone shape and two fins, look like archaic mishaps. According to Kenvin, however, the design has been functional and influential.

“Its speed and traction are more fun, fast and useful,” he says.

So people could experience the magic of the innovation, Kenvin created a line of Simmons-inspired boards, Surfboards by Hydrodynamica, shaped

by San Diego’s legendary Hank “Hanky” Warner.

Kenvin’s exhibition, Hydrodynamica: Remember the Future, just left Downtown’s Space 4 Art. The ultimate goal: a film, a book and a traveling show of Simmons’ and other influential shapers’ boards.

“There’s a lot more to it,” Kenvin says. “The exhibit we just did, to me, is just another step along the way of telling the real story.” hydrodynamica.com —Patricia B. Dwyer

A B O V E : R i c h ar d Kenvin h ol d s a S i m m ons ins p ire d b oar d f ro m t h e Boar d s b y H y d ro d y na m i c a line .

L E FT : A t h is e x h i b i t , H y d ro d y na m i c a : R e m e m b er t h e F u t u re , Kenvin d is p la y e d S i m m ons ’ s u r f b oar d s ne x t t o C h arles E a m es c h airs an d b oo m eran g s t o ill u s t ra t e t h e si m ilari t ies b e t w een t h e d esi g ns o f t h e o b j e c t s , w h i c h w ere c rea t e d in t h e sa m e era .

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wooden you know it Local folk artist finds inspiration in grain and garbage What many regard as swap meet trash, artist Eric Swesey sees as pure creative gold. “I’m really into nostalgia and tradition,� he says. “I like to make things where you wouldn’t really know when it was made.�

The Americana-inspired craftsman specializes in pyrography, or wood burning, using a pointed heating element to etch everything from pin-up girls to imaginary nautical creatures into old furniture, blank skateboard decks and other wooden treasures.

Swesey has created graphic art for the County of San Diego and local surf shops.

See his illustrations on pages 23, 36 and 75, and check out his wooden what-have-yous at ericswesey.com.

—Helen Thomas

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french connection

P hoto by R D A / G etty I mages

Picasso’s link to San Diego

Francoise Gilot’s name might not ring a bell to San Diegans, but the 90-year-old artist, who lived in La Jolla from 1970 to 1995 and had a gallery in Sorrento Valley, has been the subject of many international exhibitions.

Despite being an accomplished artist, Gilot is best known for her 11-year live-in relationship with Pablo Picasso and her 25-year marriage to polio vaccine developer, Dr. Jonas Salk. (continued on page 34)

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Pa b lo Pi c asso ( c en t er ) w i t h Fran c oise Gilo t an d a c t or Yves Mon t an d a t t h e p re m iere o f Henri Geor g es Clo u z o t ’ s f il m “ T h e Wa g es o f Fear ” d u rin g t h e I n t erna t ional Cannes Fil m Fes t ival , A p ril 1 6 , 1 9 5 3 .

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old ’ s cool

BIG BEERS + SMALL PRICES

GREAT FOOD + YUMMY CROWD

(continued from page 32) Vista-based art historian Mel Yoakum, the former director of Gilot’s archives for 25 years, says few people have sailed in the rarefied circle Gilot did.

“When Time magazine picked the most influential people of the 20th Century, Picasso and Salk were both on it,” Yoakum says. “She was the only person who had relationships with two people on the list, and she’s a great artist in her own right.”

Gilot met Picasso in 1943, when she was 23 and he was 63. They had two children together—fashion designer Paloma Picasso and her brother, Claude—but never married. Citing infidelity (chronicled in Gilot’s 1964 book, Life With Picasso), she left him in 1955.

“He really admired her as an artist,” Yoakum says. “Their art commented on each other. There was a dialogue between them.”

Gilot began a different kind of dialogue when she met Salk in La Jolla and bonded with him over a mutual love of architecture.

“She was a very scientific artist, and he was an artistic scientist, so there was overlap there,” Yoakum says.

Gilot spent much of the year in New York and Paris. Yoakum explains how life in San Diego also affected her work.

“Before she moved to La Jolla, she would place her paint thick on the canvas, but doing that in the California sun created shadows she thought weren’t attractive, so she decided to paint more smoothly,” he says. “Also, living near the ocean opened her up in terms of light, and many of her paintings in that period featured ocean-scapes and the influence of desert landscapes.”

Gilot’s most surprising influence, believe it or not, was the San Diego Chargers.

“She and Jonas (Salk) used to go to the games,” Yoakum says. “She loved the ballet of it all and she did a few abstract pieces of football players.”

After Salk’s death in 1995, Gilot moved away from La Jolla. Today she splits her time between New York and Paris.

Although the public knows her mostly as the woman who loved Picasso and Salk, Gilot sees it differently, as Larry King learned when he asked her what it was like to have had relationships with two of the greatest men of the last 100 years.

“She told him, ‘I’d like to think they had me,’” Yoakum says. “And then she added, ‘Lions mate with lions, not with mice.’”

—David Moye

…where the beer flows, and the Gaslamp’s wildest party never ends

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“If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough.”

A B O V E L E F T : francoise gilot A T A G E 1 6 , P H O T O B Y Y V E T T E D O S T A N I ( courtesy of francoise gilot ) ABOVE RIGHT: FRANCOISE G I L O T A N D J O N A S S A L K ( from the collection of mel yoakum , phd )

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Expect the Unexpected

” M ission b a y ” B Y francoise gilot 1 9 7 9 - 1 9 8 0 , oil on canvas © francoise gilot

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facebook.com/maloneyssandiego T H I R T Y – F O U R

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c u r r e n t s

C H A I NS A W

n i a Ch reactions bag: l i a M s ’ w Chainsa rican of Ame The Dean as an answer Sports h ything for ever

Hey, Chainsaw.

Did you see Tiger Woods give the death-stare to that reporter who asked him about how he once considered giving up golf to become a Navy SEAL? Wow! Tiger didn’t blink for 30 seconds.

—Michael Corleone, Lake Tahoe Dear Michael, Apparently he and Nancy Pelosi have the same plastic surgeon.

Chainsaw, the New Orleans Saints supposedly paid a bounty to players for knocking an opponent out of a game ($1,500) and having an opponent carted off ($1,000). Are you as outraged as I am over these bounties intended to cause injury?

—Jack “Midnight Run” Walsh You know better, Jack. These guys aren’t exactly giving sensual massages out there. At least they aren’t literally shooting their competitors like the Sasha Baron Cohen character in The Dictator. That’s for later, at the clubs.

Chargers All-Pro left guard Kris Dielman recently retired after nine seasons because of lingering head injury issues. Do you think it was a wise decision?

—Curly Howard, Nyuckville Yes, Curly, and that decision proved Kris still has possession of his considerable wits, which he would have jeopardized had he kept playing. He sacrificed millions of dollars to preserve millions of brain cells for his family. I know if my dad had done the same, I would have been supremely proud and grateful for his values. Until after college that is, when a giant trust fund would have come in really, really handy.

Coach Steve Fisher has built a great basketball program up at San Diego State—Top 25 rankings for two years in a row!

Chainsaw, have you ever met Coach Fisher, and if so, is he as nice as he seems?

—Polly Anna, Vermont Yes. Steve Fisher is one of those wonderful, humble men who made me feel like it was his pleasure meeting me, instead of the other way around. Then again, maybe he’s just a really good judge of greatness and becomes starstruck in those situations. That’s probably it.

San Thousands of ookie C d n Diegans fi ndolph “Chainsaw” Ra n o questionable , m -f K C 100.7 JA ings weekday morn e, av D e with th Shelly & Chainsaw show

Dude, Milwaukee’s National League MVP Ryan Braun got his 50-game suspension lifted after a positive test for elevated testosterone was invalidated for, get this: the tester guy kept Braun’s urine sample in his basement for two days instead of FedEx-ing it to the lab that same day, which violated protocols. Does this make sense?

—Roy Drage, Atlas Gym Yes, because everybody knows that basements alter the molecular structure of fluids that would otherwise be impossible for a human to produce on his or her own.

Incidentally, this is also how Sauvignon Blanc is made, although occasionally cat urine is used as a base instead.

Chainsaw, Padres icon Tony Gwynn recently had a second surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his cheek. How is he doing?

—Faith Hope, Mission Valley Soon after surgery, Tony spoke with Padres’ flagship radio station, XX1090, and sounded fantastic in every way.

The doctors said, “They got it all,” just like Tony got all of David Wells’ fifth inning, 0-0 pitch in Game One of the ’98 World Series, slamming it off the upper deck Budweiser sign at Yankee Stadium, giving the Padres a 4-2 lead.

As I recall, the Padres swept that series (Langston’s 2-2 pitch to Tino WAS A STRIKE!!! For the love of Scott Brocius, I’m still not over that one).

36

I noticed the other day Danica Patrick was complaining about being perceived as a sex symbol. Isn’t that the very image her GoDaddy.com commercials are promoting?

—Webster Dohmane, Silicon Valley Yes, Webster, but that’s only because their efforts to promote her charm, likeability and career victory total (one) didn’t test well in focus groups.

Hey, Chainsaw. With the Padres possessing mostly journeyman-type players and no real stars, I guess it’s no surprise that a Vegas casino is predicting only 73.5 victories for the Padres this season. Do you think this is a fair estimation?

—Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, Heaven As Brad Pitt taught us in Moneyball, sometimes the aggregate statistics and salaries of two inexpensive players sharing one position are preferable to those of a single, higher-priced player playing all the time. I’m not sure I understood that concept during the movie, and I’m not sure Brad did either, but that’s why he’s the preeminent acting genius of his generation.

However, since no team has ever finished with 73.5 wins, I’d say no, it’s not a fair estimation. Off by at least a half a game, either way.

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SPORTS

s c o t t t il t on ( le f t ) an d r j k ra u ss c rea t e d t h e h oo k i t a p p t o c onne c t a t h le t es w i t h o t h er a t h le t es an d a c t ion s p or t s c o m p anies ( p h o t os b y b revin b la c h )

action plan

Solana Beach company connects local athletes on a global level Scott Tilton wants to help you (and a million other people) connect with friends through sports.

Tilton grew up racing motocross alongside business partner R.J. Kraus.

Ten years ago and just out of college, the duo refocused their competitive energy to creating a game-changing action sports website.

The original site, SponsorHouse.com, served as a forum through which amateur action sports athletes could connect with the brands they wanted to ride or skate for. Members (which included the then-unknown and now famous, X Games gold medal-winning Motocross star, Travis Pastrana) would pay a few bucks a month to set up a profile and receive discounts on gear or, ideally, secure a sponsor.

Back then, Tilton and Kraus drove an old R.V. to competitions at racetracks and skate parks, passing out stickers and magazines. In return, the magazines’ publishers gave them free ad space to promote the new website.

Those humble beginnings, which Tilton calls “grassroots,” proved to be effective. But cash was tight.

“I was trying to raise money to get off the ground, but the older gents had no idea what action sports were, let alone investing in a business focused on them,” Tilton says. “Rather than get an apartment, we rented an office in Solana Beach and lived in the motor home for over six months.”

Action sports athletes—surfers, skateboarders, snowboarders, motocross riders, et al—have a reputation for being territorial and leery of outsiders (see Keanu getting jumped by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the movie Point Break), but Tilton and Kraus managed to gain street cred by simply being at events and competitions, promoting action sports and its lifestyle.

A decade later, Tilton tweaked the original formula, rebranding the site as “Hookit,” a name he feels more accurately reflects the wider variety of services his company now offers. And he retired the old motorhome in favor of more traditional office space in San Diego, a mecca for action sports.

Today, Hookit.com has more than 800,000 users in 140 countries and is by far the largest social network of its kind, partnering with massive companies including Monster Energy, ESPN and Nike. “We exist to support the active, independent lifestyle and culture our members live every day,” says Tilton. (continued on page 40)

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SPORTS

(continued from page 38) Hookit members, whom Tilton lovingly refers to as “some of the most progressive and expressive individuals on the planet,” can sign up for free (or choose to pay for a premium membership) to apply for sponsorships and promote themselves through profiles. These days, though, Tilton and company aren’t so exclusively focused on sponsorships.

“Our goal is less about kids thinking we’ll get them sponsored,” he says. “Our future is in providing tools for our members to stay connected with the friends they session with and their favorite spots, brands and shops,” says Tilton. Now, using the new Hookit mobile app launched in March, members can find or create local spots to ride, invite crews of friends to join, post pics and videos of sessions, find shops, get deals and integrate everything with Facebook.

The app’s spot locator feature comes pre-populated with just about every snowy mountain, dusty racetrack, barreling break and sick skate park in the country. It also allows users to claim their own local spots, whether a secret backcountry sand dune or a little waxed ledge outside the neighborhood post office.

The Hookit app, like site membership, is free, and the whole thing works so well because brands and the gear they produce are already such a big part of the action sports lifestyle.

As Tilton puts it, “members and brands are both participants in the community.”

Considering that more than half of people age 10 to 24 participate in at least one action sport, that’s a pretty big community. And they’re getting hooked by the hundreds of thousands. hookit.com —Ryan Hume

APPetite for Action More mobile sports apps are just a click away S k u l l c a nd y : S k u ll c an d y , p u rve y ors o f h i g h q u ali t y , c olor f u l h ea d p h ones , re c en t l y release d a ne w version o f t h eir w ell - d esi g ne d a p p, w h i c h g ives u sers a c c ess t o sno w an d s u r f re p or t s , a GP S s k a t e p ar k / m o t oX t ra c k f in d er an d a p i c / vi d eo u p loa d er . ( Free )

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alternate roots

Cactus company cultivates art with a life of its own Maggie DeAngelis thinks inside the box. Her business partner, Jeff Raddatz, makes the boxes.

“Jeff is my creative inspiration,” DeAngelis says. “Once I see the pieces he creates, I am able to visualize which plants and combinations will look good in them.”

Raddatz’ “pieces” are decorative boxes, which he builds using slats from old soda crates, reclaimed windows and doors, and other gems he finds at antique stores. DeAngelis plants cacti and locally occurring succulents inside the boxes, creating one-of-a-kind pieces of living art that are sprouting up throughout San Diego.

“We are promoting environmentalism,” says Raddatz, “combining local foliage with recycled woods.”

The duo’s company, Magpie Cacti, produces miniature table planters, hanging frames and vast living walls, incorporating low-maintenance plants that require water only about once a month.

Amanda D’Orazio, general manager of Cody’s La Jolla restaurant (a Magpie customer), says, “I was intrigued with how each box was individually handmade and each plant was delicately placed in its frame. The concept was so unique, I knew I had to have them at Cody’s.”

See Magpie Cacti creations at the Hillcrest Farmers Market (Sundays), the North Park Festival of the Arts (May 20) and online at magpiecacti.com.

—Carina Calhoun

R I GHT A N D B E L O W : H A N DM A D E U S I N G P I E C E S O F R E PU R P O S E D W O O D , M A GP I E C A CT I P L A N T E R S R E QU I R E W A T E R O N L Y M O N TH L Y

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style

AFTER

hairy houdini

P hotos by J eff “ T urbo ” C orrigan

The secret magic of lengthy sex appeal revealed Envision a cool, breezy spring day. Across the street, a lady sashays down the sidewalk. Large-framed sunglasses cover her face, her body hidden in a Maxi dress. You find your eyes fixated on this vision walking toward you for one reason: that long, flowing hair. It looks like a silk waterfall cascading down her shoulders. And chances are, it’s fake.

I’m going to go ahead and say fake hair today is as commonplace as a depressed teenager. So guys, if you had this knowledge during an encounter with a sexy lady, would her hotness factor plummet?

Back in my college days at USC, I’d wait on my hair to just grow already. That hair let me down, only reaching my upper back. Sexy, long hair just wasn’t in the cards.

My hair stylist roommate in La-La Land had a number of celebrity clients. One evening, I came home to find her sewing clips onto rows of fake hair. For hours she sat

Indian-style on our couch with a needle and thread. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“I have to get this weft* done for my client by tomorrow,” she said. “It freakin’ takes forever, but it’s going to look so pretty when it’s in her hair.”

“How much does it cost?”

“A lot. All the celebrities are getting them—you think their long hair is real?” she said, chuckling. Hair stylist roommate went on bashing the extensions of Paris Hilton, Brit Brit and Tara Reid. She was convinced their stylists were lying to them.

When I moved to Vegas to work at FOX TV in 2007, my mane-envy came along for the ride.

It was hard to ignore the clusters of Victoria’s Secret model wannabes swarming the clubs with curls twisting down to their butts. It was instant sex appeal, upping their (continued on page 46)

*DEFINITIONS Weave: A hairpiece, usually with layered gaps woven into it. The weave is placed on a person’s head, and his/her own real hair is interwoven into the hairpiece.

Weft: Temporary hair extension, which is glued into the hair.

Track: Parting or a cornrow that establishes the placement pattern of wefts or strand additions.

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Model: Graciella Magana Extensions: Real human hair, three tracks* Styled by: Cynthia Chow at Leighanna Lane Style Installation time: 90 minutes

BEFORE

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AFTER Model: Me, Leslie Marcus (writer) Extensions: Real human hair, three 16â&#x20AC;? clip-in tracks* Styled by: Candice Bucket at Diesel Salon Installation time: five minutes

(continued from page 44)

hotness exponentially.

A few years later, I moved to San Diego and succumbed to the temptation, rocking extensions on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve 2011 at Searsucker Downtown. I felt sexier than ever, but my O.C.D. reached new lengths, along with my hair. Every 15 minutes I felt compelled to â&#x20AC;&#x153;tapâ&#x20AC;? my scalp and make sure a track wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t showing.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tappingâ&#x20AC;? checks became less frequent over the next few months.

But then the comments from the boyfriend started: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like your real hair better. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the fake stuff.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Really?â&#x20AC;? I asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you like how it looks when we go out and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m on your arm?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, yeah, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like feeling the clips on your head. They feel ghetto, like paperclips. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just saying, you look pretty without them.â&#x20AC;?

So I gave the fake hair some time off and let it just â&#x20AC;&#x153;hangâ&#x20AC;? in my closet. Â Recently I returned to Vegas for my birthday weekend with the girls.

It looked like a bomb exploded in our hotel bathroom: fake eyelashes covered the counter, fake tanner fumes danced around us in the air.

1. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised if you meet a girl, go out, make out and feel some paper clip-like things on her head while running your fingers through her hair. Relax, continue on, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring it upâ&#x20AC;ŚEVER. 2. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t complain to your GF when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wearing hair extensions by saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like your natural hair better, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need those things.â&#x20AC;? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s B.S., and we see you checking out that chick with fake hair walking down the other side of the street.

3. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised if you wake up in the morning to find a Cousin It-like thing lying on the living room chair. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where the fake hair likes to rest while away from the head.

I stole one final look at myself as we rushed to make our 10 p.m. dinner reservation. Something was missing.

The hair!

Out of the suitcase and onto my head it went. I rearranged the last two clips inside the cab. As we stepped out into the Vegas night, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirrors covering the facade of The Cosmopolitan. That sexy silhouette Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been searching for was finally found. Façade or not, I had arrived. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Leslie Marcus

Hi there. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Leslie Marcus, the supervising producer of the Fox 5 Morning Show in San Diego. My days are filled dreaming up segment ideas and bringing them to life on your television sets. On a typical morning, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find me running a five-and-a-half-hour circus of sorts at the Fox 5 studio. Tune in at 8 a.m., and by 9 you might BEFORE catch Dr. Booty teaching a new workout, anchors licking iPads, dogs talking and bikini-clad models strutting on a boat in our back lotâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube.

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I t ’ s also t h e p er f e c t len g t h , c ro p p e d sli g h t l y a b ove t h e p an t - line t o reveal a vin t a g e b el t or m ini m al s k in .”

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“ M y f avori t e b oo t s . T h e y are p re t t y m u c h t h e p er f e c t s h oe , an d t h ese Fr y es h a p p en t o b e w orn - in j u s t ri g h t an d o h - so c o m f or t a b le .”

Fr y e Phi l i p short h a rness boots , $ 2 6 8 , Urb a n O u t f itters , G a s l a m p, u rb a no u t f itters . com

“ S u n g lasses c an c h an g e y o u r en t ire loo k , an d I t h in k t h a t ’ s w h y I c ol le c t t h e m so f u rio u sl y .

I w ear t h ese p re t t y re g u larl y , b e c a u se t h e y f i t t h e ever y d a y m e .”

S p y V a l entin a s u ng l a ss es , $ 1 3 0 , Acti v e , M ission V a l l e y, a cti v e . com

“ I h ones t l y d on ’ t k no w h o w m an y m ore ar t s h o w s an d Cas b a h ni g h t s t h is b a b y is g oin g t o m a k e i t t h ro u g h . T h is lea t h er j a c k e t is one o f t h ose essen t ial w ar d ro b e i t e m s I c o u l d no t s u rvive w i t h o u t .”

S i l ence & N oise f a u x l e a ther M oto j a cket , $ 1 1 8 , Urb a n O u t f itters , G a s l a m p, u rb a no u t f itters . com

Open Door Policy: inside the closet of Carly Ealey

common thread

Local designer brings artists together in style “ I d i g e d g y j e w elr y , an d t h is rin g is es p e c iall y d an g ero u s w i t h i t s s p i k e t i p. I li k e t o p re t en d - s t a b m y f rien d s w i t h i t .”

S p ike ring , $ 1 2 , H a v en B o u ti q u e , G a s l a m p, r a v ingh a v en . b l ogs p ot . com

When describing a feather earring she bought while hanging out with friends, designer Carly Ealey channels her inner head-banger.

“We bought them from this hippie street vendor in Berkeley who warned us to reinforce the back of it so that, ‘When you are partying like this <Ealey shakes her head wildly while talking>, you won’t lose them,’” she says. “To this day, we imitate her when we wear shoulder-length earrings.”

Ealey is co-founder of Sezio, a San Diego-based nonprofit that provides exposure, community support and other resources for emerging artists and musicians. An artist herself, she paints, shoots photographs and writes, sometimes using her creativity to add flair to her wardrobe. Among her recent DIY projects: dying a shirt a new color and re-sewing the hems on her jeans to create wetsuit-tight skinnies.

“Fashion makes my everyday life more interesting and inspiring,” she says. sezio.org, carlyealey.com —Nicole Quiroz

“ T h is is one o f m y l u c k y c r y s t als . A m a z oni t e is k no w n as a h ealin g s t one an d h el p s y o u t o reali z e y o u r h o p es an d d rea m s . I h ave also b een t ol d t h a t i t is a s t one f or s u c c ess an d is s p e c i f i c all y f or ar t is t s .”

Am a z onite cr y st a l neck l a ce , $ 2 8 , H ome B o u ti q u e , N orth P a rk , a momentin y o u r l i f e . com

P hotos by M inh H uynh

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Women’s and Men’s Clothing and Accessories.

www.mysisterscloset.com

mysistersclosetSD

Costa Verde Center | 8610 Genesee Avenue | (858) 455-0045

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style

Brand Knew: who’s wearing what…and where.

silver lining The personal style of artist Brooks Sterling

Brooks Sterling is a rebel in disguise.

Under his polished, young professional look lies an underground artist and surfer who experiments with fashion.

“My style is constantly evolving and changing,” Sterling says. “It’s currently influenced by the California beach lifestyle, mixed with a dash of professionalism. It’s also got a little bit of that punk rock, do-it-yourself movement, which is influenced from my grade school days.” welovecreativity.com, iambrooks.com —Nicole Quiroz

N a me : Broo k s S t erlin g Age : 2 7 N eighborhood : O c eansi d e O cc u p a tion : f o u n d er o f We L ove Crea t ivi t y ( w elove c rea t ivi t y . c o m ) B u tton - u p shirt : Je d i d ia h , jedidiahusa.com T - shirt : R V C A , s u r f r i d e . c o m P a nts : Bri x t on , s u r f r i d e . c o m S u ng l a sses : R A E N , s u r f r i d e . c o m W a tch : N i x on , n i x o n . c o m S hoes : Gor d on R u s h , n o r d s t r o m . c o m B a g : Car h ar t , c a r h a r tt . c o m C a mer a : Hol g a 3 5 m m , a g i f t R ing : E nsena d a b ea c h ven d or B r a ce l et : t h ri f t s t ore P hotos by M inh H uynh

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KNOW YOUR LIMIT, MATE!

FOSTERSBEER.COM

© 2011 Oil Can Breweries, Fort Worth, TX

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me, myself and eye Sunglass company empowers customers to help accomplish its vision

Business partners Jenny Amaraneni and Craig Stern share a shady goal: selling sunglasses to fund the purchase of corrective eyewear and ophthalmological surgeries for impoverished people worldwide.

The idea for their company emerged from a presentation Amaraneni gave while enrolled at San Diego State University. As part of her undergraduate coursework, she developed a one-minute pitch for a business idea based on a social cause.

Amaraneni’s foresight became reality: her school project evolved into SOLO Eyewear, which, within a year, improved sight by providing 750 pairs of prescription glasses and paying for 105 cataract surgeries.

“We are dedicated to growing SOLO and having the biggest impact possible,” Amaraneni says.

SOLO customers (who can buy shades for $50 to $65 via the company’s website or at the SDSU bookstore) decide whether proceeds from their purchases help pay for glasses or surgeries. Stern hopes such involvement will further motivate SOLO buyers to participate in or initiate additional altruistic acts.

“From the outset, we wanted a brand that inspired people to go out and follow their own amazing dreams and visions,” he says.

SOLO Eyewear temples are made of bamboo, one of the fastest-growing (read: sustainable) plants on the planet. Beyond reducing the use of plastic, Stern foresees the company making a larger impact: forging strategic partnerships with non-profits and jointly improving the lives of millions.

“Our mission is to give the gift of vision and spark a tidal wave of change,” he says. soloeyewear.com —Carina Calhoun

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eye contacts C L O CKW I S E F R O M T O P : N a t ional Ci t y - b ase d K nock a ro u nd s p e c iali z es in c lassi c all y d esi g ne d s h a d es in a s p e c t r u m o f b ri g h t c olors . S noo p Do g g re c en t l y ro c k e d t h e c o m p an y ’ s R as t a Pre m i u m s u n g lasses in Ja m ai c a . knockaround.com Carls b a d - b ase d S PY O p tics , f a m o u s f or i t s non - f o g g in g lenses f or s u r f an d sno w , c olla b ora t es w i t h a t h le t es an d d esi g ners , C O MB I N I N G a c t ion s p or t s W I TH t e c h nol o g y , s t y le an d m u si c . s p y o p t i c . c o m Hea d q u ar t ere d in Kearn y Mesa , 9 f i v e E y ewe a r d ra w s i t s vi b e an d s t y le f ro m t h e w orl d o f s k a t e b oar d in g .

9fivesite.com E n c ini t as - b ase d P l e a s u regro u nd E y ewe a r is ins p ire d b y S o u t h ern Cali f ornia s t y le : lai d b a c k , w i t h an e d g e . pleasureground.com

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San Diego

invites you to:

The Art Event a

charitable

celebration

benefiting

Cancer

Angels

Thursday | April 19 | 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. | $10 Donation SEE: Works by cover artist MADSTEEZ, Dessa Kirk, Court Jones and other artists featured in this issue of PacificSD TASTE: Bites from La Valencia’s gourmet menu and Sprinkles Cupcakes Artfully crafted cocktails, Peroni Beer and Constellation Wines LISTEN: Flamenco and jazz sounds by Gipsy Menco RELISH: Complimentary manicures at the CND nail bar THANK: Pop Chips | Spa Gregorie’s | Core Power Yoga Our Little Secret | Knockaround Sunglasses | Rose Rags Detox Lounge |Ted Baker | Cirque de Soleil: TOTEM

RSVP: pacificsandiego.com/cheers (Attendance

limited to

200;

please

reply

early)

La Valencia Hotel | 1132 Prospect Street | La Jolla | 92037

Off the

a l l w

Art that doesn’t leave you hanging Twenty-foot steel sculptures, amusement park caricatures, horror-themed comic books and hyper-color street art. Beyond the confines of museums and galleries, this is art that interacts with real life.

Dessa Kirk’s outdoor statues brought her fame in Chicago; she fled to San Diego to regain anonymity. Fine art in America’s Finest is alive and well, thanks in part to Court Jones, who paid his dues drawing tourists at Sea World. Hellraiser comics scare the crap out of millions, but Tim Bradstreet has darker tricks up his sleeve. As for Mark Paul Deren (aka MADSTEEZ), his design work and street art can be summed up in one word: WEEN. Four artists, one vision: creating art that gets noticed. —DMP

F R O M L E FT : T I M B R A D S T R E E T ’ S “ H E L L R A I S E R M A K E O V E R ” ( ill u s t ra t ion ) ; C O U R T J O N E S ’ “ D E B O R A H ” ( O I L O N linen ) ; M A D S T E E Z ’ s “ d avi d b o w - w een ” ( A c r y li c on Canvas , 2 0 0 7 ) ; D E S S A K I R K ’ S “ E M I L E E ” ( S T E E L A N D F I B E R G L A S S , 2 0 0 5 )

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Bright Future have color, will travel

By Jim Ruland

PH O T O b y j o h n m ireless

You know that moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy wakes up in the land over the rainbow to discover that dull, dreary Kansas has been transformed into a Technicolor wonderland?

That’s what it was like for Mark Paul Deren (aka MADSTEEZ) when his family moved from the

leafy suburbs of Washington, D.C., to sunny Southern California.

“I couldn’t believe this existed,” Deren says.

He enrolled in Huntington Beach High and threw himself into everything SoCal had to offer.

While still in high school, he started working for Rusty, a surf company fifty – S I X

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out of San Diego, as an assistant graphic designer. That’s where Mr. Ween was born.

“We would have these marketing meetings that would last three, four hours long,” Deren says. “There was literally no reason to be in them.

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drawing the same guy, same guy, same guy. Kind of started my whole art career.”

That “guy” is Mr. Ween, a round monster with red fur that sports multi-color leggings and appears in a lot of Deren’s work.

“Everything one hundred percent revolves around Mr. Ween,” Deren

“ Fres h t o N e f f 1 t h ro u g h 4 ”

says. Even when Mr. Ween (real name: Weenzee) isn’t present in physical form, he lurks in the titles of Deren’s pieces.

Mr. Ween has since evolved from a marketing-meeting doodle to a commercial powerhouse in his own right. He spawned a multicolor universe of characters in a television

pilot. He even has his own shoe: the Nike 6.0 Stinkween.

What’s most striking about Deren’s art, however, isn’t Mr. Ween and his Weenimal friends, but the bright, vivid colors he uses in creating them. Deren is a skilled figurative painter. His cows look like cows. His people look like people. fifty – S E V E N

But his unconventional color choices transform the most basic illustrations into works that startle.

In a mural Deren painted for the World Cup, soccer players are gashed with vibrant colors. The ghostly blue visage of real estate developer Henry E. Huntington floats over an alley in Huntington Beach. In Venice, /

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a purple-hued Dennis Hopper foregrounded against a kaleidoscopic wonderland of color asserts: you’re not in Kansas any more.

“I didn’t set out to make stuff for the masses,” Deren says with a laugh. “I do what I like, and other people seem to like it, too.” madsteez.com

“ : / / _ W E E N Z E E ’ S _ D ! N N E R ” ( 4 8 ” x 2 8 ” , A c r y li c on Canvas , 2 0 1 1 )

“ : / / _ W E E N _ D O O ” ( 4 8 ” x 3 6 ” , A c r y li c on Canvas , 2 0 1 2 )

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“ w een z ee g i d d y u p ’ n on t o p o f w eenosa u r u s re x ” ( 4 5 ’ . x 6 5 ’ . , p ain t on w all , 2 0 1 2 )

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Mar k t h e Co b ra S na k e

N i k e S t in k W E E N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s Dennis Ho p p er w i t h m a d s t ee z

C h elsea d e * W E E N Z E E , N YC , 2 0 0 9

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M A D S T E E Z x M A R x D E N N I S H O PP E R ( 6 0 ’ x 2 0 ’ , V eni c e Bea c h , c a , 2 0 1 2 )

“ M A K E TH E D I FF E R E N C E ” ( 1 0 0 ’ x 3 0 ’ , Holl y w oo d , C A , 2 0 1 0 )

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opposite page : “ Ye l l ow D a p hne ” ( scrap steel , fiberglass ) originally installed at M ichigan A ve . and R oosevelt R d . until purchased by the city of C hicago and permanently installed on N ortherly I sland . ( P H O T O B Y MICHAEL TROPEA) this page : P H O T O by brevin blach

HEAVY METAL welding, sculpture

and deeper meanings

By PATRICIA B. DWYER

In the seedy neighborhoods of Anchorage, Alaska, Dessa Kirk spotted prostitutes getting into their pimps’ Cadillacs.

“I had seen these women on the street, and they were posing,” she says. “And they would get into these cars.” The women in the backseat left a lasting impression on Kirk, who was just a kid at the time.

Years later, a professional sculptor living in Chicago, Kirk found catharsis in her art. Using parts of dismantled old Cadillacs, she built 20-foot-tall metal flowers, representing—and elevating—the subjugated women.

Her thinking: “Let’s turn the beauty inside out.”

More than 20 of her metallic masterpieces now grace public spaces across the country.

Kirk derives artistic inspiration from having watched her goldmining grandfather at work in Alaska. “That’s where I learned about my affinity for steel,” she says. “He welded grates and cages around things, so the bears wouldn’t eat them up. But he’d make it beautiful.”

Shortly after graduating from the Art Institute of Chicago in

1996, Kirk began to receive significant recognition for her work. The growing fame didn’t sit well with her, however, and she was ready to escape. “I wanted to get away from being anybody,” she says.

When friend Billy Corgan, lead signer of The Smashing Pumpkins, invited Kirk to visit him on tour, she seized the opportunity to leave Chicago. The move to San Diego seems to have provided relief: “I want to breathe, I want to make art and I want to surf—and that’s it.”

These days, foam dust covers Kirk’s welding tools. She switched her focus to making surfboards after walking into legendary surfboard shaper Skip Frye’s workshop off Morena Boulevard.

“I walk into the room and there’s this shaped foam blank,” she says. “And I’m like, ‘Oh, my goodness, that’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.’ Like, object-wise, it looked like a force of nature. It looked like it was born that way.”

Now based in La Jolla, Kirk builds objects for herself and her customers. She refuses to do work for mean people. dessakirk.com

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T H I S page : “ J a men ’ s G a rden ” ( scrap steel and car parts , 2 0 0 8 ) T his installation of three 2 5 ’ sculptures was part of a temporary e x hibition until the city purchased the L I lies in 2 0 1 0 . L o cated in C hicago , across from B uckinham F ountain (PHOTO BY YVETTE DOSTANI)

O P P O S I T E page : (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) J a men ’ s G a rden scrap steel and car parts , 2 0 0 8 (PHOTO BY YVETTE DOSTANI) “ E mi l ee ” O riginally in S talled at P urdue , N C , now located in kirk ’ s B arrio L ogan studio . “ T his one is for me .” ( P H O T O B Y M I C H A E L TROPEA) D ess a K irk S t u dio 5 , 0 0 0 s q uare feet of metal mayhem , L O C A T E D IN CHICAGO “ D a p hne G a rden ” ( C hicago , 2 0 0 4 ) U nable to outrun A pollo , D aphne had run out of options and asked her father , the R iver G od , for answers . T his installation represents the dance / transforma tion of D aphne into a L aurel tree . ( P H O T O B Y MICHAEL TROPEA)

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Character Development on using intuition to help paint a picture By jim ruland

Court Jones is many things: a wry caricaturist, an experienced illustrator, an ambitious portrait artist.

Just don’t call him talented.

“I think talent is a myth,” he says.

Jones, who earned an art degree from UCSD, attributes his success to the time he spent as a caricaturist at Sea World. After learning all he could from working at the theme park, he took classes at the Watts Atelier in Encinitas, a school that emphasizes hands-on instruction.

“One of the worst things you can say to an artist is to compliment them by telling them they have talent.”

Gifts can be given, but they can also be taken away. Skills, however, are acquired through hard work.

Jones compares the discipline required to cultivate drawing ability to the focus demanded of a basketball player practicing free throws. In other words, it’s about perspiration, not inspiration.

And sweat he has. Over the course of his career, Jones has created a quarter of a million caricatures, many while sitting in uncomfortable chairs, drawing tourists reeking of sunscreen and corn dogs. The experience has made him intimate with not only his craft, but also humanity.

For instance, despite the adage, Jones knows it’s not the eyes that are the windows into our souls.

“The mouth is infinitely more expressive and more subtle,” he says.

That’s because more muscles control the mouth than the eyes. But a portrait is more than the distance between the eyes or the length of the nose. Executed correctly, it pinpoints a distinctive feature, revealing secrets the subject may not have been aware of hiding.

Cameras may lie, but you can’t hide from a caricaturist. And as his portraits attest, Jones has a vision that goes much deeper than the skin.

P H O T O by brevin blach

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“ N a k u shi M a shit a” ( d i g i t al )

“ J a ck B l a ck a t the G a tes o f H e l l” ( oil on linen )

CLOCKWISE (FROM TOP LEFT): “ D o N ” ( oil on linen ) “ T rain of T hought ” ( oil on linen ) “ S an E lijo N orth ” ( oil on linen ) “ S till life with Y ams ” ( oil on linen ) “ I ndian B uddha” ( oil on linen ) “ C ameron ” ( oil on linen )

T H I S PA G E ABOVE: SLEEVE ART FOR THE 2007 IRON MAIDEN S T U D I O A L B U M , “A M A T T E R O F L I F E A N D D E A T H ” BELOW: ISOLATED CHARACTER ART FROM M A R V E L C O M I C S ’ “ T H E PU N I S H E R ” O P P O S I T E PA G E : ABOVE: TIM BRADSTREET IN HIS STUDIO (PHOTO

BY KEVIN KNIGHT BELOW: MOVIE POSTERS, COMIC COVERS AND BRADSTREET’S 2009 ART BOOK RETROSPECTIVE, “A R C H E T YP E ”

abra macabre The magical dark art of Tim Bradstreet By jim ruland

You may not know Tim Bradstreet’s name, but chances are you’ve seen his work. That’s because he’s an illustrator who specializes in licensed material. Think comic book adaptations of movies and television shows, including Star Wars, Star Trek and True Blood.

Particularly adept at the art of photorealism, Bradstreet works from photographs and movie stills, creating highly stylized illustrations that look almost real. Capturing reality is crucial, because his creations have to look like the characters audiences have come to know and love on the screen.

Bradstreet was born in Maryland and grew up in Illinois. For a while, his father worked on a satellite project for NASA. “I had a great childhood, great parents,” Bradstreet says, “but I was always trying to escape for some reason.”

Part of that escape—and the spark that

ignited his imagination—came in the form of “a little movie called Star Wars.”

As he grew older, Bradstreet discovered there was more to comics than super heroes. “More mature themes. More mature stories than guys in capes.” Turning to darker, more macabre material, he quickly found his niche. Today, among comic book fans, he is best known for his long tenures as a cover artist for the comics Hellblazer and Punisher. No men in tights here.

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Bradstreet’s work on Punisher led to his collaboration with Tom Jane, the actor who portrays the rogue hit man in the movie adaptation. Now, he’s helping Jane run Raw Studios and is currently producing one of the publishing company’s many film projects.

With so much work these days, Bradstreet finds getting back to the drawing table to meet his deadlines a serious challenge.

“I don’t have downtime,” Bradstreet says. “I live my work.”

Scary thought.

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T H I S PA G E : COVER FOR CLIVE BARKER’S H E LL R A I S E R ISSUE 11 - 2012

O P P O S I T E PA G E CLOCKWISE (FROM TOP LEFT): CLAN TORREADOR, FROM WHITE WOLF GAMES’ 20TH ANNIVERSARY E D I T I O N O F VA M P I R E T H E M A S QU E R A D E , 2011 CRIMINAL MACABRE ACTOR THOMAS JANE PORTRAYS MONSTERHUNTER, CAL M C D O N A L D, 2 0 0 6 ART FROM THE FILM B LA D E I I , F E A T U R I N G ACTOR RON PERLMAN, 2008 COVER ART FROM JOHN CONSTANTINE: H E LL B LAZ E R , I S S U E 178, 2002

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IMPORTED PREMIUM BEER

PLEASE SHARE SAPPORO RESPONSIBLY. ©2011 SAPPORO U.S.A. INC., NEW YORK, NY. | SAPPOROBEER.COM

NO TRANSLATION NEEDED

DINING OUT

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TA S T E

let it reign

Farmers market royalty expands her kingdom of freshness Catt White has worn many hats—food journalist, restaurant consultant, restaurateur and head of a dining industry trade journal. But it’s in her current role as San Diego’s Market Maestra that she’s reaping praise for all the good she’s sown, connecting consumers with farm fresh edibles at the trio of diverse local farmers markets she operates throughout the county.

“I’ve always sought out farmers markets wherever I’ve lived or traveled,” says White. “That meant frequent visits to farmers markets in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the central markets in every Mexican town and Paris neighborhood I wandered into.”

After meandering into San Diego in 2003, White became a regular at the Hillcrest and Ocean Beach markets, but she yearned for a center of foodie commerce near her home in Little Italy—a place where people could shop, grab a bite and meet their neighbors. She envisioned a European-style market with sweeping views of San Diego Bay, where the region’s bounty was laid out, ripe for the picking.

In 2008, White turned that dream into reality, rolling up her sleeves and utilizing her network of industry contacts to develop the Little Italy Mercato. Along the way, many people told her it would never work. A few months after the market opened, a Little Italy Association board member pleaded with her to shut it down so as not to embarrass the community.

But White stood strong in the name of good food and local artisans. Today, the Mercato is the largest farmers market in the county and a consistent recipient of national and international press. (continued on page 76)

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I llustration by E ric S wesey

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(continued from page 75) The soul-sating success of that venture fueled White to take over the North Park Farmers Market in May 2010. Under her direction, a once ailing operation comprised mostly of tchotchkes dealers has blossomed into a bazaar stocked with farmers, artisans and food vendors, all using the freshest ingredients.

Likewise, her Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers Market has been making waves as an up-andcomer since debuting last summer.

As her empire has grown, so too has the county’s entire farmers market scene. “When I started the Little Italy Mercato, there were 26 farmers markets in San Diego County. Now there are 54,” says White, adding that, thanks to an increase in shoppers desiring to know their producers and support local purveyors, she sees room for even more markets.

White attributes that growth and potential to a simple fact—once people taste fresh food, it’s hard to go back to mass-market, processed fare.

She likens the shift toward farmers markets and their values to the Starbucks phenomenon. “A whole generation of people stepped away from watery, stale coffee, because it became so easy to get something better,” says White. “Farmers markets, along with farm-to-table restaurants, are raising the bar on what is an acceptable level of food quality.”

In an effort to keep that bar moving skyward, the Maestra is at work on several groundbreaking concepts for San Diego. One is a morning market that will allow early-rising chefs to get their pick of the freshest local produce for their restaurants.

Another is a dockside marketplace where shoppers can procure the catch of the day straight from the fishermen who reeled it in. Her third and most ambitious plan is to open a grand-scale, ediblesfocused public market like Seattle’s Pike Place or San Francisco’s Ferry Building.

“We have a small handful of likely locations in negotiation,” says White of the public market.

“We’ll need to raise a boatload of money, but we think we can do that.” —Brandon Hernández Market Watch

C a tt W hite ’ s F a rmers M a rkets Litt l e I t a l y M erc a to Da t e S t . , f ro m Ke t t ner Blv d . t o Union S t .

S a t u r d a y s , 9 a . m . – 1 : 3 0 p. m .

N orth P a rk F a rmers M a rket N or t h Par k Wa y an d Her m an A ve .

T h u rs d a y s , 3 p. m .

P a ci f ic B e a ch T u esd a y F a rmers M a rket Ba y ar d S t . a t Garne t A ve .

T u es d a y s , 2 – 6 : 3 0 p. m .

after market

Local chefs jumping on CATT WHITE’S farmers-market-to-table FRESHNESS G u ido N istri a t B encotto I t a l i a n K itchen 7 5 0 W est Fir S t . , Litt l e I t a l y

“On Saturday mornings, my little boy and I go to the Little Italy Mercato. It reminds me of the mercato my mom used to take me to every week when I was a kid in Italy. My favorite fruits and vegetables to get there are tomatoes, baby artichokes, plums, figs, cherries and Swiss chard, which I use to make Bietole al Parmigiano.”

Bietole al Parmigiano (Parmesan Cheese Swiss Chard) 2 b u n c h es S w iss c h ar d 4 t s p e x t ra vir g in olive oil , p l u s a d d i t ional f or g arnis h 2 g arli c c loves Pin c h o f sal t Par m esan c h eese

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the chard to the water and boil for 3 minutes.

Remove from the water and drain. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook until just before brown. Add the chard to the pan, season with salt and cook, gently stirring for about 5 minutes. Drain the chard, remove the garlic cloves and place on a platter. Drizzle with additional oil, sprinkle with cheese and serve warm.

(Continued on page 78)

S E V E N T Y – six

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W H AT ’ S C O O K I N G

(continued from page 76) B i l l S a u er a t Fred ’ s M e x ic a n C a f e 1 1 6 5 G a rnet A v e . , P a ci f ic B e a ch

“I meet with the folks from Escondido’s Rodriguez family farm every Tuesday at the P.B. Farmers Market and purchase whatever they have that I can make a good salsa out of for our salsa bar. One week, it was Anaheim chilies and tomatillos. The next, I used strawberries, oranges and cilantro.”

Strawberry Salsa

1 0 p in t s s t ra w b erries , s t e m m e d an d d i c e d 1 re d b ell p e p p er , d i c e d ½ re d onion , d i c e d 2 j ala p e ñ os , see d e d an d m in c e d 1 b u n c h c ilan t ro , m in c e d J u i c e f ro m 1 oran g e J u i c e f ro m 1 li m e 1 t b s p sal t

Mix all of the ingredients until they are completely incorporated, cover and chill before serving.

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W H AT ’ S C O O K I N G

P hoto by B R E V I N B L A C H

a.

B.

cruz control

c.

d.

San Diego chef’s simple approach keeps THINGS running smoothly When she’s in the kitchen at her home in La Jolla, chef Isabel Cruz likes to cook with a crowd—even in tight quarters.

“For big family get-togethers, it’s small, but it’s big enough for us all to fit,” she says. “I’m really getting into cooking at home a lot more and having people over.”

Cruz owns four local restaurants: Barrio Star, serving “Mexican soul food” in Bankers Hill; Coffee Cup Café, a La Jolla spot popular for contemporary Latin breakfast and lunch; Isabel’s Cantina in Pacific Beach, famous for contemporary Asian/Mexican fusion cuisine and catering; and Seaside Cantina, Pacific Beach, offering lighter, Latin-influenced breakfast and lunch on the boardwalk.

She also owns two restaurants and a farm in Oregon and earned accolades from The New York Times Book Review for her 2008 cookbook, Isabel’s Cantina: Bold Latin Flavors from the New California Kitchen.

Despite all the success, Cruz keeps it simple in the kitchen. And the meals she whips up at home aren’t so different from those on the menus at her restaurants.

“I’m a taco person,” she says. “You can put anything on a taco.”

The celebrated chef ’s favorite chaser? What else? Tequila. isabelscantina.com

c . “ I u se t h is s t u f f, i t ’ s no t j u s t f or s h o w .”

d . “ Hi b is c u s Liqueur is t o t e q u ila what C h a m b or d is t o c h a m p a g ne .” e.

f.

e. “My f avori t e t e q u ila ri g h t no w is Clase Azul. I al w a y s h ave a f e w b o t t les on h an d .”

f. “ I h ave t o h ave m y s t ron g Ca f e B u s t elo in t h e m ornin g .”

“I like having everything exposed like you do in a restaurant. I just like seeing everything.”

PHOTOS BY NINO “NEENS” CAMILO

E I G H T Y

a. & B. “ Knives an d a g oo d p an — i f y o u d on ’ t h ave t h ose t w o , i t ’ s reall y h ar d .”

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W H AT â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S C O O K I N G

how sweet

R ecipe and photos by B randon M atzek

the art of making rhubarb cupcakes

Vibrantly hued rhubarb, often destined for a humble pie, gets a glam makeover in this recipe for rhubarb cupcakes. In season from late spring to summer, rhubarb is a tart fruit readily available in most markets. Here, stalks of ruby and rose are sliced into thin discs then simmered in a mixture of sugar and water. The stewed rhubarb is then used in both the cake and the frosting. The first bite of these cupcakes will enliven your taste buds as the rhubarb-lemon buttercream frosting dances across your palate. A rich, ginger-spiced cake follows, making for one scrumptious bite. Make these seasonal treats now, before rhubarb is no longer available. (continued on page 88)

a b ove : S t al k s o f f res h r h u b ar b b elo w : R h u b ar b is t h inl y sli c e d b e f ore s t e w in g

Rhubarb Cupcakes ( m a k es 1 2 c u p c a k es )

I n g re d ien t s For the stewed rh u b a rb : 1 1 o z . r h u b ar b , ro u g h en d s t ri m m e d 1 c u p w a t er 3 t b s p. w h i t e s u g ar For the c u p c a kes : 1 s t i c k ( 1 / 2 c u p ) u nsal t e d b u t t er , roo m t e m p era t u re 1 c u p p l u s 2 t b s p. w h i t e s u g ar 2 lar g e e g g s 1 c u p all - p u r p ose f lo u r * 1 c u p p l u s 1 t b s p. sel f - risin g f lo u r * 1 t s p. g ro u n d g in g er 1 / 3 c u p m il k For the rh u b a rb - l emon f rosting : 1 s t i c k ( 1 / 2 c u p ) u nsal t e d b u t t er , roo m t e m p era t u re 5 c u p s p o w d ere d s u g ar * J u i c e o f h al f a s m all le m on

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W H AT ’ S C O O K I N G

(continued from page 86) Process

S t e w t h e r h u b ar b . S li c e r h u b ar b w i d t h w ise , t h en p la c e in a m e d i u m - si z e d sa u c e p an w i t h w a t er an d 3 t b s p. w h i t e s u g ar . Coo k over m e d i u m h ea t u n t il t h e r h u b ar b s t ar t s t o so f t en an d b rea k u p, s t irrin g o c c asionall y ( 6 – 8 m in u t es ) .

Po u r t h e m i x t u re t h ro u g h a f ine - m es h s t rainer in t o a c lean b o w l . R eserve t h e s t e w e d r h u b ar b f or t h e c u p c a k es .

R e t u rn t h e s t e w in g li q u i d t o t h e sa u c e p an an d in c rease t h e h ea t t o m e d i u m - h i g h . R e d u c e m i x t u re t o j u s t u n d er 1 / 4 c u p li q u i d ( 9 – 1 1 m in u t es ) . R eserve li q u i d f or t h e f ros t in g .

Pre p are t h e w e t in g re d ien t s .

Pre h ea t oven t o 3 5 0 ° F an d p la c e a ra c k in t h e c en t er o f t h e oven . I n t h e b o w l o f a s t an d m i x er f i t t e d w i t h t h e p a d d le a t t a c h m en t , c rea m b u t t er an d w h i t e s u g ar on m e d i u m u n t il p ale an d s m oo t h ( a b o u t 5 m in u t es ) . A d d one e g g , m i x in g u n t il in c or p ora t e d . R e p ea t w i t h t h e o t h er e g g .

A d d t h e d r y in g re d ien t s . S i f t all - p u r p ose f lo u r , sel f - risin g f lo u r an d g ro u n d g in g er in t o a c lean b o w l . Wi t h t h e m i x er o f f, a d d h al f o f t h e d r y in g re d ien t s t o t h e b o w l w i t h t h e w e t in g re d ien t s . Mi x on lo w s p ee d f or a f e w m o m en t s t h en in c rease t o m e d i u m an d m i x u n t il j u s t in c or p ora t e d .

Mi x in h al f o f t h e m il k . R e p ea t w i t h re m ainin g d r y in g re d ien t s an d m il k , m i x in g u n t il w ell c o m b ine d . Do no t over - m i x h ere .

A B O V E : W h i t e s u g ar g lis t ens on a m o u n d o f sli c e d r h u b ar b M I DD L E : Fres h l y w h i p p e d r h u b ar b le m on b u t t er - c rea m f ros t in g B E L O W : R h u b ar b C u p c a k es w i t h r h u b ar b - le m on b u t t er - c rea m f ros t in g

Finis h t h e c u p c a k es . Usin g a s p a t u la , g en t l y f ol d in t h e s t e w e d r h u b ar b . L ine a c u p c a k e t in w i t h t w elve c u p c a k e w ra p p ers . S p oon t h e b a t t er in t o t h e w ra p p ers , m a k in g t h e m a b o u t 2 / 3 f u ll . Ba k e in t h e p re h ea t e d oven u n t il g ol d en ( 2 2 – 2 4 m in u t es ) . L e t t h e c u p c a k es c ool f or 1 0 m in u t es t h en t rans f er t o a c oolin g ra c k .

Fros t t h e c u p c a k es . W h ile t h e c u p c a k es are c oolin g , p re p are t h e f ros t in g . I n t h e b o w l o f a s t an d m i x er f i t t e d w i t h t h e p a d d le a t t a c h m en t , c o m b ine b u t t er an d h al f o f t h e p o w d ere d s u g ar . Bea t on lo w f or a f e w m o m en t s t h en in c rease t o m e d i u m an d m i x u n t il s m oo t h . A d d t h e reserve d r h u b ar b j u i c e an d m i x u n t il in c or p ora t e d . Mi x in re m ainin g s u g ar on lo w a t f irs t t h en m e d i u m u n t il s m oo t h . A d d le m on j u i c e t h en b ea t on m e d i u m u n t il s m oo t h an d f l u f f y .

A d d m ore le m on j u i c e t o t as t e .

Fros t c oole d c u p c a k es w i t h an o f f se t s p a t u la or b u t t er k ni f e .

E n j o y ! S t ore c u p c a k es in an air t i g h t c on t ainer a t roo m t e m p era t u re f or u p t o f o u r d a y s . *Measure these ingredients using the spoon and level method: spoon ingredient into t h e m e a s u r i n g c u p, t h e n l e v e l with the back of a knife.

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drink

P hotos by B R E V I N B L A C H

going for gold

La Jolla-based tequila company shoots for the stars Rappers have taught us a lot over the years. Like when it gets hot inside the club, by all means, take off all your clothes. Or that if you start making good money, get ready for a significant increase in problems. More than anything, rappers teach us how to get tipsy in the most luxurious way. (Well, except for Lil Wayne, whose penchant for cough syrup and soda may have led to an increase in Robitussin sales and calls to poison control.)

Mark Scialdone is hoping to break into that world of glamorous alcohol consumption with the creation of Cartel Tequila, a thrice-distilled tequila made from 100-percent blue agave that has flecks of gold or silver in its intoxicating waters.

“It’s the ultimate baller drink,” says Scialdone, a former venture capitalist who decided to take a shot at the tequila industry after buying the patent for suspending objects in drinks.* “It needs to be in rap songs and videos. Luckily, a lot of

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words rhyme with ‘cartel.’”

Unlike those in Goldschlager—that other alcohol that has gold flecks on its list of ingredients—Cartel’s fine metals float instead of sinking to the bottom of the glass, which, if you ask Scialdone, makes his drink infinitely more fabulous.

Scialdone believes Cartel Tequila fills a void in the upscale drink world because it has “allure” and “sexiness.” Sure, you can order a bottle of Cristal and look pretty pimp, but there’s nothing quite like actual gold to get the gold diggers in a tizzy.

“There hasn’t been a new luxury tequila since Patrón. Nothing else has that status and image,” says Scialdone. “With a name like Cartel, we definitely keep it gangsta. And with its look, people are going to say ‘What is that?’ That’s what we want. It’s cool to order and cool to drink.”

Scialdone is planning to launch Cartel Tequila at liquor stores, bars and clubs in Florida and

“Did you know the hairstylist Paul Mitchell owns Patrón? I mean, do you really want a hairstylist making your tequila?”

California within the next few months.

(Retail price: $59 a bottle.) He’s already secured reggaeton sensation Daddy Yankee’s endorsement and thinks other Latino stars will love the drink since it appeals to their highend lifestyle and culture.

If not, Scialdone wants to remind everyone of one little-known factoid.

“Did you know the hairstylist Paul Mitchell owns Patrón?” he says. “I mean, do you really want a hairstylist making your tequila?” carteltequila.com —Alex Zaragoza *The previous patent holder was Clearly Canadian, which suspended gelatin spheres in a drink called Orbitz. The soda with balls…wonder why that failed.

721 Grand Ave. | San Diego, CA 92109 Phone: 858.581.BEER (2337) | www.pbalehouse.com E I G H T Y – S E V E N

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SHOW TIME

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out for a spin

Rock concert revolves around audience participation Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and early “New Waver” Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus) is coming to town with his Spectacular Spinning Songbook tour—a live concert-meets-TV-gameshow experience where select audience members spin a big wheel displaying 40 song titles. Wherever the wheels stops, that’s the song the band will play.

This tour marks the wheel’s first appearance since 1986.

Back then, Elvis Costello & the Attractions took the stage.

Today, it’s Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Steve Nieve (keyboards), Pete Thomas (drums) and Davey Faragher (bass). That’s pretty close to the original lineup, so call it what you will.

Expect to hear some of your favorites like “Pump It Up,” “Veronica” and “Accidents Will Happen,” when Costello, The Imposters and their giant wheel take the stage April 16 at Humphrey’s by the Bay. —Tim Pyles E l v is C oste l l o & T he I m p osters A p ril 1 6 a t H u m p h re y s Con c er t s b y t h e Ba y , S h el t er I slan d h u m p h re y s c on c er t s . c o m

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ILLUSTRATION BY R. BLACK

g r oove

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ARTIST

POSTER CHILD

Artist’s experiences take him—and his art—in new directions The phrase “overnight sensation” has gone the way of the dinosaur, replaced by “going viral.”

Graphic artist R. Black, who has devoted much of his career to creating gig posters for bands and theater companies, knows something about that. It happened to him last fall when his poster for Occupy Oakland spread through protest communities popping up around the country.

“I went down to Occupy Oakland to check it out,” explains the San Diego native who has lived in Oakland for the last six years, “and I got inspired by what I saw. I came home that night and knocked out the Occupy Oakland poster.”

Soon he was getting requests for artwork from other Occupy movements. His images became so synonymous with the movement at large that he was hired by Harper Collins to provide the cover art for its forthcoming e-book, Occupy Nation.

What’s next for Black? “I really want to do opera posters,” he says. “Opera, ballet and symphony. That’s my next frontier.”

For this artist, “frontier” is more than a metaphor. Shortly after this interview, he’s taking off to explore the Nevada desert for a month—on foot—seeking new experiences to transmute into art. —Jim Ruland

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ARTIST

know show

Artist’s creations are in concert with the local music scene Scrojo has been the in-house artist for the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach for 25 years, but that doesn’t mean he gets to see all his favorite bands.

“No, I do not meet every single rock star that comes through here,” he says.

The Encinitas native has been living the rock-and-roll dream since he was 19. He got his start designing t-shirts for the surf industry, signing his name “Scrotum Jo.” When a printer shortened his name at the last minute, “Scrojo” was born.

“As I started getting more work, nobody knew me by my real name,” he says. “They just knew me as the Scrojo kid.”

Scrojo’s work is hard to miss.

He combines bold lines and fluid curves to create evocative images.

“I’ve got a lot of freedom to do whatever I want,” he says. “As long as I’m selling the show and it doesn’t piss off the band.”

In addition to the five posters he creates each month for the Belly Up, Scrojo does work for the Belly Up in Aspen, the Fillmore in San Francisco and various House of Blues outlets.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t get out much.

“I kind of have mixed feelings about all these old punk shows,” he says. “Aren’t we a little too old for this?” —Jim Ruland

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Bands on the Run See who’s rocking San Diego before ROLLING BACK to the desert

So, you missed out on getting tickets to the mother of all music festivals, Coachella, even though the mega-show now encompasses two weekends. Don’t get your musical panties in a bunch—a myriad of Coachella bands are playing right here in our backyard during the week between the two events.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which began in 1999 in the desert just over the mountains from San Diego, has gone to two weekends for the first time (same line-up both weekends). Usually, only a few bands playing Coachella come to America’s Finest to perform. But this time around, we get shows every night from April 13 (SBTRKT) to April 19 (We Were Promised Jetpacks). One night, four bands will perform locally: Noel Gallagher, Madness, The Hives and NERO. Here are a few shows you can catch on the homefront without having to fill your trunk with water or your tank with gas. —Tim Pyles

C L O CKW I S E F R O M T O P L E FT : TU N E - Y A R D S ( p h o t o BY Tina T y rell ) ; S T . V I N C E N T ( p h o t o b y C h loe A f t el ) ; TH E H O R R O R S ( p h o t o BY N eil Kr u g ) ; TH E R A PTU R E ( c o u r t e y w in d is h a g en c y ) ; M A D N E S S ( p h o t o b y t i m f is k )

Madness

A b an d b i g eno u g h a t h o m e t o h os t t h eir o w n t h ree - d a y f es t ival ( T h e Ho u se O f F u n Wee k en d er , N ove m b er 2 0 1 2 ) an d b i g eno u g h in t h e S t a t es t o p la y Coa c h ella — no w t h a t ’ s p u re Ma d ness . Wi t h a sle w o f d o m es t i c ra d io h i t s in t h e ’ 8 0 s , Ma d ness ( a k a T h e N u t t y Bo y s ) e m er g e d f ro m t h e s k a era in t h eir na t ive E n g lan d , b e c o m in g p o p u lar alon g si d e T h e E n g lis h Bea t , Ba d Manners , T h e S p e c ials an d T h e S ele c t er . T h e b an d ’ s b i g g es t h i t , “ O u r Ho u se ,” s t ill ro c k s t h e FM d ial t o d a y .

4 / 1 7 a t H u m p hre y ’ s C oncerts b y the B a y, S he l ter I s l a nd h u m p hre y sconcerts . com

The Rapture

T h e t w o f o u n d in g m e m b ers o f T h e R a p t u re h ail f ro m L a Mesa an d g ra d u a t e d f ro m Heli x Hi g h S c h ool . I n t h e la t e - ’ 9 0 s , d r u m m er V i t o R o c c o f or t e an d g u i t aris t / vo c alis t L u k e Jenner j oine d t h e g ro u p, c o m p le t in g t h e f or m a t ion o f T h e R a p t u re ri g h t h ere in S an Die g o . T h e b an d m i x es p u n k an d d is c o w i t h g enero u s a m o u n t s o f c o w b ell — le t ’ s c all i t d is c o - t o u c h e d , d an c ea b le p os t p u n k . T h eir la t es t re c or d ( t h e f irs t in f ive y ears ) , “ I n T h e Gra c e O f Yo u r L ove ,” c on t in u es t h a t t ra d i t ion . I T ’ S R E M I N I S C E N T O F t h eir 2 0 0 3 h i t son g , “ Ho u se o f Jealo u s L overs ,” w h i c h h as p roven t o b e a b en c h m ar k f or p u n k an d d an c e ar t is t s , o f t en c i t e d as a t u rnin g p oin t in m u si c . T h e R a p t u re is p er f or m in g a t T h e I reni c , a ne w , all - a g es ven u e in N or t h Par k t h a t u se d t o b e a c h u r c h — t ell y o u r f avori t e k i d .

Tune-Yards and St. Vincent

Merrill Gar b u s ( a k a T u ne - Yar d s ) san g in t o a Di c t a p h one an d m i x e d t ra c k s on Gara g eBan d t o c rea t e h er d e b u t al b u m , Bi R d - Br A i N s , w h i c h s h e ori g inall y release d on re c y c le d c asse t t e t a p e . A nnie E rin Clar k ( a k a S t . V in c en t ) , an A m eri c an sin g er son g w ri t er w h o h as also serve d as a m e m b er o f T h e Pol y p h oni c S p ree an d p ar t o f S u f j an S t evens ’ t o u rin g b an d , H A s o f t en b een c o m p are d t o Ka t e B u s h f or h er m u si c an d s t y le .

T h is is a g rea t o p p or t u ni t y t o see t w o w o m en a t t h e f ore f ron t — an d p u s h in g t h e b o u n d aries — o f m u si c t o day.

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Ps y c h e d eli c a w eso m eness ! T h e Horrors , w h o j u s t na b b e d t h e N M E ( U . K . m u si c m a g a z ine ) Bes t A l b u m a w ar d f or t h eir la t es t release , “ S k y in g ,” h ave p la y e d in S an Die g o onl y t w i c e sin c e t h eir in c e p t ion . D O N O T M I S S t h is o p p or t u ni t y t o see a soon t o - b e - le g en d ar y b an d . A lso on t h e b ill are T h e Bla c k A n g els f ro m A u s t in , Te x as , w h o u se d t o serve as t h e b a c k in g b an d f or sin g er - son g w ri t er R o k y E ri c k son — a p ioneer o f p s y c h e d eli c ro c k an d f o u n d in g m e m b er o f t h e lon g - d e f u n c t 1 3 t h Floor E leva t ors — w h ose so u n d s t ill in f l u en c es T h e Bla c k A n g els t o d a y . Ho p e f or a reall y c ool li g h t s h o w .

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4 / 1 4 : M e l v ins @ Cas b a h , c as b a h m u si c . c o m A n ins p ira t ion f or m an y S ea t t le b an d s , in c l u d in g N irvana an d S o u n d g ar d en . For m e d in 1 9 8 3 an d ver y lo u d ( b rin g ear p l u g s ) .

4 / 2 : H e a rt l ess B a st a rds @ Bell y U p, b ell y u p. c o m O f t en c o m p are d t o f ello w O h ioans , T h e Bla c k Ke y s .

4 / 1 5 : R ise Ag a inst @ V ie j as A rena , c o x - arena . c o m C u rren t al t - ro c k c h ar t - t o p p ers k no w n f or t h eir o u t s p o k en p oli t i c al b elie f s . T h in k A n t i - Fla g or Ba d R eli g ion .

4 / 2 : B ob S inc l a ir @ F L UXX , f l u x x s d . c o m , even t vi b e . c o m Worl d - f a m o u s Fren c h DJ ( ran k e d 3 8 on t h e DJ m a g To p 1 0 0 ) w h ose lovin g h o u se m u si c so u n d is b ase d on a b e d o f d is c o - vi b e d sa m p les .

4 / 3 : G W A R @ Ho u se O f Bl u es , hob.com S a t iri c al Heav y Me t al b an d t h a t w ears ela b ora t e h orror - t h e m e d c os t u m es an d d ren c h es t h e a u d ien c e w i t h f a k e b o d il y f l u i d s .

L e t ’ s ro c k !

4 / 3 : S l eigh B e l l s @ 4 t h an d B , 4 t h an d b even t s . c o m C u rren t “ i t ” b an d t h a t ro c k e d t h e s t a g e on S a t u r d a y N i g h t L ive ; lea d sin g er A le x is Kra u ss g ra c e d t h e c over o f S p in Ma g a z ine , Fe b r u ar y 2 0 1 2 .

4 / 6 : T iger Arm y @ Ho u se o f Bl u es , h o u seo f b l u es . c o m R o c k a b ill y an d p u n k , m i x e d ni c el y .

4 / 7 : B a ss K l e p h @ V o y e u r , vo y e u rs d . c o m A u s t ralia - b ase d DJ t h a t , as a k i d , p la y e d d r u m s f or L o k i . Ge t rea d y t o d an c e y o u r ass o f f.

4 / 1 0 : K e l l y C l a rkson @ V alle y V ie w Casino Cen t er , valle y vie w c asino c en t er . c o m T h e f irs t A m eri c an I d ol w inner is s t ill g oin g s t ron g .

4 / 1 1 : Yo u th L a goon @ Por t er ’ s P u b , p or t ers p u b . c o m T h e k in g s o f t h e b u r g eonin g C h ill - Wave m ove m en t .

4 / 1 3 : S t a rki l l ers @ V o y e u r , vo y e u rs d . c o m Pi t c h - b en d in g lea d s , r u g g e d b ass , m in d - w ar p in g FX , h u g e b u il d s , d ro p s , ele c t ro - h o u se g roove an d t ran c e - la c e d b rea k d o w ns — I t h in k t h e y c all i t d an c e m u si c .

4 / 1 3 : B ow W ow W ow @ Bri c k B y Bri c k , b ri c k b y b ri c k . c o m T h e ’ 8 0 s ne w w ave i c ons , p l u s A nna b ella L w in , u p - c lose an d p ersonal . I w an t c an d y !

4 / 1 5 : P a u l O a ken f o l d @ Har d R o c k Ho t el S A N D I E G O , f loa t s d . c o m , even t vi b e . c o m DJ b es t k no w n f or b rin g in g h o u se m u si c t o t h e U . S . in t h e la t e - ’ 8 0 s ( ran k e d 2 3 on t h e DJ m a g To p 1 0 0 ) .

4 / 1 6 : T hom a s D o l b y @ A n t h olo g y , an t h olo g y s d . c o m I t s t ar t e d w i t h “ S h e Blin d e d Me Wi t h S c ien c e ” an d c on t in u es w i t h h is la t es t re c or d , “ A Ma p o f t h e Floa t in g Ci t y .” T h e t o u r f ea t u res a t ravelin g t i m e c a p s u le t o re c or d y o u r m essa g e t o t h e f u t u re .

4 / 1 9 : E dw a rd M a y a @ F L UXX , f l u x x s d . c o m , even t vi b e . c o m R o m anian m u si c ian , p ro d u c er an d p er f or m er , w h ose 2 0 0 9 h i t , “ S t e reo L ove ,” h as g arnere d nearl y t w o h u n d re d m illion vie w s on Yo u T u b e .

C L O CKW I S E ( F R O M T O P L E FT ) : Bo b S in c lair ( PH O T O b y Bernar d Benan t ) ; E d w ar d Ma y a ; p a u l oa k en f ol d ; P A U L V A N DYK ( PH O T O b y C h ris t o p h Kos t lin )

4 / 1 9 : Los Lobos @ A n t h olo g y , an t h olo g y . c o m T h e b an d t h a t p la y e d all t h e m u si c in t h e m u si c al b io g ra p h y f il m , L a Ba m b a , a b o u t R i t c h ie V alens an d so m u c h m ore .

4 / 2 0 : L a z y R ich @ V o y e u r , vo y e u rs d . c o m T h is ele c t ro - h o u se DJ , b orn in t h e U . K . an d livin g in Cana d a , w ill g e t y o u r b oo t y m ovin ’ .

4 / 2 2 : P a u l V a n D y k @ F L O A T a t Har d R o c k Ho t el S an Die g o , f loa t s d . c o m , even t vi b e . c o m Gra m m y - no m ina t e d s u p ers t ar DJ f ro m Ger m an y , w h o h as sol d near l y f o u r m illion al b u m s ( ran k e d 1 1 on t h e f loa t s d . c o m To p 1 0 0 ) .

4 / 2 4 : M a n á @ V alle y V ie w Casino Cen t er , valle y vie w c asino c en t er . c o m R o c k en es p a ñ ol

4 / 2 7 : R a mon A y a l a @ 4 t h & B , 4 t h an d b even t s . c o m Kno w n as t h e “ Kin g O f T h e A c c or d ion ,” t h is Me x i c an son g w ri t er , c o m p oser an d m u si c ian p la y s N or t eno an d Con j u n t o .

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N1

031938

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Infographiste : Robert Correction : XXX

20/02/2012

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SAN DIEGO

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY ROBERT LEPAGE

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SHOW TIME

On the Bandwagon Bands rock, roll on public transportation

The city’s rail system may run on electricity, but live music is now helping power the commute.

Rowlberto Productions—six friends with a passion for video and music—have begun producing A Trolley Show, a collection of impromptu acoustic performances aboard the San Diego Trolley.

Former 91X radio DJ Andrew Rowley and his friend Rob Knauf founded the show and have since filmed more than 20 artists in transit. Knauf says local World Music band Todo Mundo really rocked the ride.

“We didn’t exactly have MTS’ graces, yet, and this was our first big shoot,” he says. In the end, however, the band won over new fans. “MTS loved Todo Mundo so much, they actually hired them to make their Spanish radio commercials.”

When Lisa Loeb (sitting next to a commuter eating a taco) performed her hit song, “Stay,” for A Trolley Show, CNN took note, playing the video on Headline News along with this description from the reporter: “Flash mobs are so 2011. This year, popular musicians are surprising people while they ride the trolley. So, be on the lookout next time you’re on the trolley. You may not want to get off at your destination.”

The Beatles had their Yellow Submarine.

Now San Diego’s got red trolleys. Hop aboard for the ride of your life.

“It’s unpredictable and uncontrollable,” says Rowley. “When that trolley rolls up, we never know what to expect.” trolleyshow.com —Nicole Quiroz

P hotos by J eff “ T urbo ” C orrigan

C L O CKW I S E (FROM ABOVE): R o w l b er t o Pro d u c t ions in c l u d es Pa t A viles , R o b Kna u f, N a t e E le g ino , N a t e Mar k er , Cor y Will A N D A n d re w R o w le y ; TH E C R E W T A K E S TAKES A RIDE; LISA LOEB PERFORMS HER H I T , “ S T A Y ,” F O R A TROLLEY SHOW

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NIGHTLIFE

T h is Bl u e Moon w all MU R A L W A S p ain t e d in Broo k l y n , N Y , b y Colossal Me d ia Gro u p ( c olossal m e d ia . c o m )

I Blue Myself Be a part of the art March 29 at McFadden’s in the Gaslamp, where beer lovers will come together to help paint Blue Moon’s “Artfully Crafted” mural while sampling the latest Blue Moon flavors. mcfaddenssandiego.com

“ A r t f u ll y Cra f t e d ” p ain t in g c rea t e d a t a 2 0 1 1 s t ree t f air in Honol u l u , Ha w aii

WHAT THE PUFF? Grammy Award-winner and Ciroq vodka hero Sean “P. Diddy” Combs made an appearance at FLUXX in the Gaslamp during the nightclub’s two-year anniversary March 16. (Photo by Tim King)

O N E

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B A RT E N D E R

PUTTING The “Art” in Bartender Quenching a thirst for creatiNG “EVERYTHING”

After realizing college wasn’t for her, Chalon Pires made it her mission to master as many artistic skills as she could possibly teach herself. Today, she has a hand in photography, painting and deejaying, and is the founder of her own clothing line, La Familia. She’s also a drummer and a bartender.

“That’s how I roll,” says Pires, with a slight Boston accent. “I do everything.”

Pires’ creative style reflects a distinct street-art influence she picked up in high school while hanging out with graffiti artists. “When I finally grew up and decided to stop getting in trouble for street art,” she says, “I moved on to canvases, clothing and anything legal.”

When she isn’t mixing paint or music, Pires slings drinks at Fiesta Cantina in Hillcrest, where she is best known for another creation: her Hot and Sour Margarita—Patrón Silver tequila with chopped jalapeños, a whole orange, lime and lemon juices, triple sec and a float of Chambord.

“It’s fun to create an experience for those customers who are open to a custom cocktail,” she says.

—Vanessa Byrne

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F R O M L E FT : R e c y c le d w in d o w s c reen w i t h vin t a g e f ra m e ( a c r y li c an d g ra p h i t e ) ; vin t a g e d ress p a t t erns p ol y - seale d on t o re c y c le d f ra m e ( a c r y li c ) ; b ar t en d in g ar t is t , C h alon Pires ; re c y c le d w in d o w s c reen w i t h vin t a g e f ra m e ( a c r y li c an d aerosol ) ; sil k s c reene d L a Fa m ilia Clo t h in g Co . re c ons t r u c t e d vin t a g e m o t or c y c le j a c k e t ( Plas t isol an d aerosol overs p ra y , re c y c le d c h ain m e t al a c c en t s ) .

P hoto by brevin blach

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LOVE

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B L I N D D AT E

JUST FOR LAUGHS And because maybe comedy is the way to the heart

Nadine is from Toronto and says she has a good sense of humour (which she spelled with a “U” in an email to PacificSD). She also says Canada is “known as America’s Hat,” although that may be the case only in Toronto. She’s an “interior décor consultant” currently living in Mission Valley.

Mike’s from Wisconsin and lives in Bird Rock. He likes to yell, “Go Pack!” which is either a sports cheer or instructions for a Canadian. (Kidding. Sorry, Nadine.) He co-owns OEX Dive and Kayak in La Jolla and contacted PacificSD thanks to a referral from his friend and the other co-owner, Chris, who got his fill of Wang’s (Asian fusion restaurant in North Park) on last month’s blind date.

Nadine and Mike are about to meet for the first time at National Comedy Theater in Midtown, where they’ll watch a live, interactive improv comedy show. Before they arrive, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

P hoto S by brevin blach

physically, an attractive girl who also enjoys staying in shape.

PacificSD: What are you looking for in a date?

NADINE: Physically, I’m drawn to guys who are tall and confident. Personality is huge for me, though, and I usually look for a guy who is spontaneous, intelligent and ambitious, with a great sense of humor. If a guy can compete with my knowledge of movie quotes, that’s a huge plus.

MIKE: I’m looking for a fun date that can hold a good conversation and,

What is the sexiest thing about you?

NADINE: I would say my laidback attitude and sense of humor.

MIKE: Maybe the fact that this is a tough question for me. I enjoy staying fit and will always work hard at it.

What are you best at?

NADINE: I work hard and play even harder.

MIKE: Making people laugh. I can talk to anyone.

What do you like least about yourself?

NADINE: I can be very shy at times, and O N E

H U N D R E D

that can hold me back in social situations.

Oh, and I swear way too much.

anything scripted. Romance will come organically if we connect on different levels.

MIKE: I’d love to not have inherited my parent’s anxiety. I procrastinate too often and can be too honest.

What’s the best thing that could happen during the date?

NADINE: That we hit it off and have a kick-ass time.

MIKE: We hit it off. Nothing is better than meeting an awesome girl.

What’s your biggest fear?

NADINE: There’s nothing to fear but fear itself.

MIKE: That something happens to my parents while I’m thousands of miles away.

Fill in the blanks: In general, the people I date are “blank” and “blank.”

NADINE: In general, the people I date are wrong for me.

MIKE: In general, the people I date are cool and beautiful.

What’s your best trick for making a date end with romance?

NADINE: Cleavage.

MIKE: I have no surefire tricks, lines or F O U R

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What’s the worst thing that could happen?

NADINE: I could fall on my face and completely embarrass myself. Or he could be really creepy and weird. No bueno.

MIKE: My date is sort of crazy—that would be a bummer.

Thank you!

National Comedy Theater 3717 India St., Midtown 619.295.4999, nationalcomedy.com

(Continued on page 106)

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(Continued from page 104)

BEST MEDICINE LAUGHTER (WITH BEERS)

Mike’s phone is dead, so the magazine crew couldn’t find him until five minutes ago, which means he and Nadine could barely talk before the show started. They just met in the lobby, scored a couple beers at the concession stand and are now sitting front row center at the National Comedy Theater.

On-stage, six actor-comedians are broken into two teams of three. It’s red versus blue in a head-to-head improv comedy challenge à la TV’s “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Picture charades on acid, with genuinely funny mother-effers acting out complicated themes chosen by the audience to score points and laughs.

The team that gets the biggest cheer (as determined by the laugh-off referee, who’s also funny) wins, and the crowd is going wild. Regulars are easy to pick out: they scream loudest and raise their hands to get pulled on-stage before newcomers ever get a chance.

During intermission, the daters pose for pics with the performers, then head Downtown for dinner at Café Sevilla. The place is jammin’.

An up-tempo Spanish music band is rocking the main dining room as Nadine and Mike walk upstairs to a more intimate setting. After a round of drinks and tapas, they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?

NADINE: Going well, he’s really nice, really laid back. Not a douche bag, so that’s a plus.

MIKE: Been a great night. She’s a really cool girl. I’ve had a lot of fun so far.

What were your first impressions?

NADINE: I thought he was cute.

MIKE: She’s actually really hot—looks a lot like Kim Kardashian, which is awesome. She’s good-looking and she swears a lot, which I like.

Is this the type of person you would date normally?

NADINE: I normally date guys with a darker complexion, so, physically, no. But obviously what I’m dating doesn’t work for me, so it’s all good.

MIKE: Probably not, normally, but once again she’s not from this area. I’m always open to being aware of where people might be from. She’s cool, she’s hot, it’s just not the same…but it’s fine.

How was the National Comedy Theater?

NADINE: Different and very entertaining. The actors did a really good job. It was good because there was no pressure to talk. We were being entertained.

MIKE: Good place for a first date. I wanted to be able to talk to her more, shoot the shit and chatter it up a bit more than I was able to right off the bat, but it was cool.

Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks.

O N E

H U N D R E D

NADINE: I guess a seven.

MIKE: Nine.

And for personality?

NADINE: Eight.

MIKE: Nine.

Would you like to kiss your date right now?

NADINE: No. MIKE: I don’t know…yes.

Does your date want to kiss you right now?

NADINE: Maybe.

MIKE: Not sure…yes.

What’s the best way the date could end?

NADINE: We have some green beer and

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a good time.

MIKE: We keep connecting on a solid level—that would be awesome.

What’s the worst thing that could happen?

NADINE: That he’s a douche bag. He could grab my ass, hit on the waitress— any of those things could occur.

MIKE: Out of nowhere, she gets all weird.

(Editor’s note: raise your hand if you want Mike to grab Nadine’s ass and hit on a waitress. I do! I do!)

Thank you!

Café Sevilla 353 5th Ave., Gaslamp 619.233.5979, cafesevilla.com (Continued on page 108)

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(Continued from page 106)

from ear to ear Among other body parts

Nadine says Mike’s a cute non-douche bag. He thinks she’s Kim Kardashian.

It’s a date made in pop-culture buzzword heaven. They laugh throughout dinner and keep laughing while dancing by the band in the restaurant. After a couple songs, they have a drink downstairs in Sevilla Nightclub, and then head out into the night. We call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: What was the best part of the date?

NADINE: Probably during and after dinner, because we got to talk.

MIKE: I enjoyed just having dinner and talking.

How was Café Sevilla?

NADINE: The place was really nice. We ate upstairs, which was a little quieter— good atmosphere with live music. They have live music downstairs…I think we danced at some point.

MIKE: Nice ambience, and the waiter was really good. We had had a few drinks at that point and we were starting to loosen up. A band and live music is always the best, so it was cool.

What did you eat and drink?

NADINE: We had wine that the waiter recommended, and it was amazing.

We got the tuna tartare, which was my

favorite. We also got the short ribs and the garlic shrimp, which was all yummy.

MIKE: I don’t really know. I think I just had a whiskey Coke. And maybe some rabbit? The waiter gave a lot of solid advice as to what he thought was good, and we sort of went with his advice. The food was all really quite yummy.

How was Sevilla Nightclub?

NADINE: We took some shots of tequila and danced a little.

MIKE: It was cool that it was all part of the same building. We went down and had a beer and a shot of tequila, and kind of got into the music and danced around a little bit.

What happened after the magazine crew left you alone?

NADINE: We walked over to Bootlegger and had a couple drinks.

MIKE: I don’t think we quite knew O N E

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where we were at the time, but we walked around a little bit and finally found Bootlegger. My buddies own the place—there was a huge line but we got right in, so that was kind of cool.

Was there a kiss or romantic exchange?

NADINE: [Giggles] There was a slight romantic exchange at the end, yes.

MIKE: There was definitely a kiss or something at Bootlegger at some point.

What’s the funniest thing that happened during the date?

NADINE: The comedy club was funny.

And the bartender at Bootlegger took my phone and tried to change my Facebook status to: “At Bootlegger with my new boyfriend.”

MIKE: She’s Canadian and loves hockey and swears like a Canadian who loves hockey. And so do I. It was funny.

Will there be a second date?

NADINE: We texted yesterday, and he wants to take me out and show me some of the things he’s into, such as surfing.

Time will tell.

MIKE: She doesn’t like the water all that much. If she was willing to come out and hangout with me on the water at some point, absolutely there’d be one.

What’s one thing your date should really know before his/her next date?

NADINE: He came off as if he wasn’t serious about the whole thing, so I’d probably tell him to be honest, maybe put in more effort. And not wear ripped jeans.

MIKE: I think she wanted to talk politics at one point. I don’t know if that’s necessarily the topic of interest for most guys on the first date.

It’s funny…Mike scored a meager “seven” at the mid-date break, but he managed to warm Nadine’s heart in the end. And she’s from a much colder climate: America’s Hat. (Ay dios mío!

What does that make Mexico?)

Or maybe a “seven” here is a “nine” in Canada because of the exchange rate.

Either way, in terms of dating memories, Mike and Nadine are laughing all the way to the bank. And that’s no joke.

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V ictah S ailer 4/1: CARLSBAD 5000 Loc a tion : D owntown C arlsbad Admission : $ 4 0 - 8 5 to participate , free to watch I n f o : c a r l sb a d 5 0 0 0 . com S print to ( or stand near ) the finish line of the world â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s fast 5 K , where 1 6 world re cords have been broken .

4/15: COLLEGE AREA TASTE Loc a tion : F ifth A ve . and R obinson A ve . , H illcrest Admission : $ 2 5 - 3 0 I n f o : co l l ege a re a bid . com E at like an A ztec ( assuming A ztecs eat small samples of food ) at more than 2 0 restaurants and bars near S an D iego S tate U niversity.

4/17: TASTE OF SHELTER ISLAND Loc a tion : T he B rigantine , S helter I sland ( to sign in ) Admission : $ 2 0 I n f o : a l tstr a tegies . com / t a stesi / 2 0 1 2 S ample the views and foods of S helter I s land by foot or complimentary shuttle .

4/20-22: LAKESIDE RODEO Loc a tion : L akeside R odeo G rounds Admission : $ 1 0 - 2 0 I n f o : l a kesiderodeo . com S addle up for serious bull riding , steer wrestling and chaps wearing at this annual event , voted the I nternational P rofessional R odeo A ssociation â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s rodeo of the year four times in the past 4 5 years .

4/21: TASTE OF HILLCREST Loc a tion : F ifth A ve . & R obinson A ve . , H illcrest ( to sign in ) Admission : $ 3 0 - 3 5 I n f o : f a b u l o u shi l l crest . com F orty fabulous H illcrest restaurants offer bite - and gulp - size portions of appetizers , entrees , desserts and drinks .

4/21: LARRY KING Loc a tion : B alboa T heatre , D owntown Admission : $ 6 3 . 3 0 - 7 3 . 5 5 I n f o : s a ndiegothe a tres . org T he K ing of television comes to town with audio and video clips and a one - of - a - kind comedy show , followed by a Q & A with the newsman himself.

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daniel - auclair 4/28-29: ESCONDIDO RENAISSANCE FAIRE Loc a tion : F elicita P ark , E scondido Admission : $ 8 - 2 7 I n f o : go l dco a st f esti v a l s . com E x perience some E lizabethan - era ridiculousness at S an D iego C ounty ’ s largest renaissance faire , complete with battle reenactments , court jesters and ale ( one out of three ain ’ t bad ) .

4/21-22: ADAMS AVENUE UNPLUGGED Loc a tion : A dams A ve . , from N ormal H eights to K ensington Admission : F ree I n f o : a d a ms a v eon l ine . com C heck out nearly 2 0 0 live musical performances on outdoor stages and in 3 0 bars and restaurants along a two - mile stretch of A dams A venue .

4/22: EARTHFAIR Loc a tion : B alboa P ark Admission : F ree I n f o : e a rthd a y web . org C elebrate E arth D ay in B alboa P ark D U R I N G the world ’ s largest free environmental fair , drawing a crowd of more than 6 0 , 0 0 0 planet fans .

4/23: LETTY NOWAK’S “FACES” OPENING Loc a tion : L a J olla A rt A ssociation G allery, L a J olla S hores Admission : F ree I n f o : l ett y now a k . com G et some face - time at this e x hibition of artist L etty N owak ’ s large - scale oil portraits of R ob M achado , S kip F rye and other recognizable sultans of S an D iego surf culture .

4/25: SELDOM SEEN Loc a tion : S an D iego M useum of A rt , B alboa P ark Admission : $ 1 2 . 8 0 - 1 8 . 4 0 I n f o : sdm a rt . org S neak a pe E k as curators pull rarely seen works out of the museum ’ s vault for one night only.

4/25-5/13: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S TOTEM Loc a tion : D el M ar F airgrounds Admission : $ 4 9 - 1 4 8 . 5 0 I n f o : cir q u ed u so l ei l . com G o slack - jawed while watching 5 2 trapeze artists from 1 9 countries flip and fly in this fantastical portrayal of human evolution .

4/28-29: ENCINITAS STREET FAIR Loc a tion : S . C oast H wy. 1 0 1 , from D S t . to J S t .

Admission : F ree I n f o : encinit a s 1 0 1 . com T he coast with the most : 4 5 0 food , arts and crafts vendors , live music on five stages and a beer garden .

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THINK

P hotos by brevin blach and madsteez

Animal Instincts

Picasso had his Blue Period. MADSTEEZ is having a Jurassic one.

Tyrannosaurus Rex is so 65 million years ago. Meet WEENosaurus Rex, the colorful beast who just took a monster bite out of North Park.

W. Rex hatched from the mind of MADSTEEZ (aka Mark Paul Deren), who painted this 45-foot tall, 60-foot wide masterpiece on the side of Wangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, at the corner of University Avenue and Ray Street.

Deren, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WEEN characters (see story page 56) appear in much of his recent work, spent more than 60 hours in labor while birthing this Technicolor street creature. madsteez.com

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