April 2015 by Pacific San Diego Magazine

AG AV E

E XPR ESS ION ISM

MI L AGR O

M EA NS

M I RACLE

San Diego

Because Cinco de Mayo last only one day…

Margarita

Celebrating

San DiegO's

Foodies (and drinkies) unite! Bars and restaurants across the city are teaming up to celebrate Margarita Month, offering their signature and supreme versions of San Diego’s favorite craft cocktail at a discount for the entire month of May. One margarita will be crowned the city’s best, and one margarita drinker will win a gift certificate to every participating venue. ¡That’s alotta tequila! Try as many margaritas as you can throughout May, hashtagging #margaritamonth and tagging your favorites along the way. Then come to the grand tasting event on Sunday, May 31, to try them all, meet and mingle with dozens of San Diego’s top bartenders, savor a smattering of tacos magnificos and take a swing at a piñata while rockin’ out to Mariachi mayhem.

Who makes San Diego’s best margarita? Don’t take it with a grain of salt, cast your vote.

Month

Original craft cOcktail Participating bars and restaurants (many more to come)

margaritamOnth.cOm

#margaritamOnth

11th Annual

LA JOLLA CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE WORLD CLASS CARS, WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE. PRESENTED BY

APRIL 10 TO 12, 2015 CELEBRATING COACHBUILT CLASSICS OF THE 30’s AND 40’s LaJollaConcours.com AT T E N D A L L O F T H E FA BU LO U S LA J O L LA C O N C O U R S D ’ E LE G A N C E E V E N T S Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Contemporary Classic Cocktail Party presented by CJ Charles Jewelers Friday, April 10, 2015 7:00 PM ~ 10:00 PM

La Jolla Tour d’Elegance Saturday, April 11, 2015 8:00 AM

Aston Martin Exclusive Saturday Evening VIP Reception presented by CJ Charles Jewelers Saturday, April 11, 2015 6:00 PM ~ 9:00 PM

SYMBOLIC MOTOR CAR COMPANY

ACE PRIVATE RISK SERVICES

san diego PRIVATE BANK

JAGUAR SAN DIEGO

FILE NAME

TD_simple_logo_1_spot_on_cream

CREATED BY

Here Design

DATE

30.03.12

digitalear

San Diego

PRESENTED BY LA JOLLA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Proceeds benefit the La Jolla Historical Society and the Monarch School.

EDITOR’S NOTE {APRIL 2015}

I ’m drawing a blank. Mission Federal ArtWalk featured artist Christina Leta created an original work for this magazine’s ninth annual ART ISSUE (see “Getting the Picture,” page 66), and I’m speechless.

Sincerely, David Perloff, Editor-in-Chief

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

e h t h it w … p o h S s n o i t n e t n I t s Brea

SUNDAY MAY 3 THE VIPINK BRUNCH Westfield Mission Valley and Pacific magazine invite you to The VIPink Brunch + Ultimate Shopping Experience. On Sunday, May 3, from 11a.m. to 2 p.m, enjoy craft cocktails, brunch bites and live music along with exclusive discounts and shopping perks. You’ll be helping to fight breast cancer just by showing up.

TICKETS INCLUDE:

• Craft cocktails by Rumbling Tins • Brunch bites by Gordon Biersch • Live music and DJ beats • Fashion modeling • Styling by Fashion Group International • Complimentary beauty services • Stylish activities, giveaways and fashionable fun • Samples, swag and exclusive discounts

Purchase tickets and find more information at fundraise.brightpink.org/VIPinkBrunch

San Diego

Tickets cost $10 each. All proceeds benefit Bright Pink, the only nonprofit focusing on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women. Must be age 21+ to attend.

1640 Camino Del Rio North | San Diego, CA 92108 | 619.296.6375

experience

rmd

FLUXX CIRO’S SIDEBAR POP’S F6IX CABARAE RUSTICROOT DONCHIDO KNOTTYBARREL RMDGROUPSD.COM/EXP

THE SPORTS REPORT G LEA

UE CHAMPION S

San Diego

VOLUME 9

ISSUE 4

I |

APRIL 2015

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF David Perloff

FEBRUARY 2015

KICKBALL

• The Few, The Proud, The Hairy • All About That Base • Sloshballers • Balls Deep • scAmerica

VOLLEYBALL • Aces Cracked • Longhorns • Book Club

BASKETBALL

• Freeballin • Sprichst Du Dirk? • LSG

FLAG FOOTBALL • No Punt Intended • Tiny Hippo and The Revolution

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kenny Boyer

SOFTBALL

• No Glove No Love • The Hot Mops • Soul Glo • Softballs • Arrogant Bastards • Base Knockers • Sons of Pitches • Balls Deep

SOCCER

• Slip n Score • No Use for A Name • Grumpy After 8 • Balls & Dolls • Get That Booty in the Way • PB International

DODGEBALL • Chumdawgs

MANAGING EDITOR Catlin Dorset ASSOCIATE EDITOR Megan Looney CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Michael Benninger CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Danielle Directo-Meston, Brandon Hernández, Tony Lovitt, Brandon Matzek, David Nelson COVER ARTIST Christina Leta CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kate Auda, Michael Auda, Paul Body, Brandon Matzek, John Mireles, Sara Norris

PUBLISHERS David Perloff Simone Perloff MARKETING DIRECTOR Alyson C. Baker (alyson@pacificsandiego.com) CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER Ryan Jones (ryan@pacificsandiego.com) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Michael Christopher (mike@pacificsandiego.com) Brennan MacLean (brennan@pacificsandiego.com) INTERN Zayda Cavazos

PRESENTED BY

GOVAVi.COM

#GOVAVi

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Reach America’s Finest readers via print, web, social media, email, street team and events. Read, click, connect... BOOM! 619.296.6300 | PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM | @PACIFICSD Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .eps

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CMYK / .eps

Guest List Spend more time in the club, less time in line.

Exclusive Access Get the lowest-priced tickets before anyone else.

Loyalty Earn points for every dollar you spend and use them like cash at our venues.

Get Social Earn points when you keep up with us on social media. Reservations Book the night of your life in minutes.

Employment Be the first in line for your dream job.

Our Venues Get to know all the places where it pays to party.

LOYALTY PAYS Introducing the Experience RMD Loyalty App. The only app that pays you to eat, drink and party at San Diego’s hottest venues.

Search “RMD Group” in your App Store.

For Members Only Special Offers and Double Point Opportunities.

APRIL 2015

FEATURES

66 74

GETTING THE PICTURE A preview of Mission Federal ArtWalk touch down in San Diego BRUSHES WITH GREATNESS Revisiting PacificSD’s cover artists

ON THE COVER: “California” by Christina Leta, one of Mission Federal ArtWalk’s featured artists, who created this original work for this Art Issue of PacificSD. (See story, page 66.) “To represent San Diego, I immediately think of the coastline. The beach is a jewel of San Diego, physically as well as culturally [and] socially. To interpret this in a painting, I would use the colors of ocean waves in the woman’s torso and lower face, which would then transition into colors of sky and clouds at sunset in her upper face and hair.” —Christina Leta THIS PAGE: “Nostalgia” by Christina Leta.

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

sip and savor ...

CULINARY TWISTS ON CLASSICS BREAKFAST I LUNCH I DINNER I NIGHTLIFE

GRANT GRILL 326 BROADWAY

DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO

619.744.2077

GRANTGRILL.COM

APRIL 2015

Untitled, by Hannah Rowan

DEPARTMENTS CURRENTS 32 Four.Fifteen Event calendar 36 Laughing Stock April stand-up roundup 40

What a Catch With a powerful new roster, the Padres are finally in full swing

PULSE 44 Art Beat April’s museum and gallery openings 50 Curtain Calls Performing arts preview 52 The Reel World April motion picture preview 56 Lady and the Trampoline PacificSD’s fitness femme jumps up, jumps up and gets down 58 No Small Order A young local chef hits the big time 60

All that Glitters Gloss brings more affordable shine to Mission Valley

64 A Shot at Success Military man sets his sights on style

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

TASTE 86 Using Your Noodle Authentic Italian restaurant reflects forethought and history 92

Family Tides A proud Papa and the rebirth of a beach bar

You Butter Believe It Making the most out of toast with roasted pecan butter

100 Burst Your Bubbles Forget what you thought you knew about mimosas 102 Take it From the Tap Finest City beer — scene and heard GROOVE 106 Sounds Like a Plan April concerts and EDM shows 116 Pouring Her Art Out Artist finds passion and purpose behind the bar LOVE 118 As Luck Would Have It An unpredictable blind date — for everyone but the fortuneteller

“One time, I had my art hanging at an art festival, and this mom quickly grabbed her son away from looking at my work, as if I were showing a porno. Little did she know that the rise I got out of her was one of the best unspoken compliments I have ever received.” —Hannah Rowan (see “Pouring her Art Out,” page 116)

[PROMOTION]

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT!

On global warming, the ultimate political spin-cycle Global climate change is certainly a hot topic these days, one that’s been injected with political steroids. At the risk of hurting the feelings of any hardcore hippies, I feel obligated to shed some sunlight on the degree of hypocrisy politicians exhibit while pontificating on this topic. (By the way, I’m not suggesting global warming doesn’t exist, because I am pretty confident it does.) One gory detail on this front: Al Gore. The man created his entire political livelihood by preaching about how we’re all going to hell (soon) in a handbasket. He even created a movie about it, right after he finished building the Internet. Then, to refute every previous statement he had ever made on the subject, he sells his television station, Current TV, to Al Jazeera, a media network owned by Qatar’s oil-rich royal family. Hmmm... was the half-a-billion bucks he pocketed worth selling out the entire planet? That’s not mercury rising — that’s just plain cold. The only thing more suspect would have been if he sold the company to Rush Limbaugh. Only in America! Gore has advocated higher taxes on

the rich, yet he tried to get the Al Jazeera deal done by December 31 to avoid an Obama tax hike. Clinton’s previous sidekick is an empty suit, a hypocrite, and hardly someone any of us should follow on such a chilling issue. Whether or not you believe in global warming, it’s irrational to accept such nonsense from a politician. Is the globe warming? Science says yes. The question is: Are we causing it? Science says yes. It also says no. The answer depends on who’s talking, as there are valid arguments being made on both sides of the issue. More importantly, assuming the change is happening, is it really catastrophic? I need more than a picture of a depressed polar bear to convince me the world is ending tomorrow, but again, I do believe it’s a discussion we need to be having. I’m all for treating the globe better — recycle, drive hybrids, don’t chokeout seagulls with those plastic six-pack holders. But taking a trip to Bangkok will make any ’Merican realize it doesn’t matter how many times we ride our bikes to work, because the rest of the world is

not following suit. They’re also not creating policies that damage their own economies or taxing their taxpayers to fund failing programs (i.e., Solyndra). If this is really an issue, it’s a global one, not just a domestic one. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is vetoing opportunities to explore the Keystone Pipeline, which would help this nation tap into its own oil resources, creating jobs and boosting the economy. Instead, we rely on those resources from other countries, some of which harbor terrorists. Is anyone else confused by all this? The planet is billions of years old. Weather patterns shift. Such is life. Regardless of the things we can’t control, however, I’m all for treating Mother Nature with respect and I support the idea of having unpoliticized dialog on all issues relating to the planet. But let’s not become greener at the risk of ignoring our own resources. After all, facts show that guys like Gore aren’t so green after all, although the guy certainly knows how to sway votes and rake in the green, selling himself out in the process.

Craig Sewing is a television and radio personality and consumer advocate who confronts polarizing issues head-on. Forever focused on cutting through the media clutter, he states his views bluntly, making friends and enemies along the way. Tune-in to Sewing’s intriguing and sometimes controversial broadcasts on The American Dream every Saturday at 10 a.m. on Cox or Time Warner Channel 4, and on The Craig Sewing Show weekdays at 6 p.m. on KCBQ 1170AM to hear his engaging and enlightening conversations with the region’s political, business and finance luminaries. Follow Craig at Facebook.com/CraigSewing or on Twitter @craigsewing.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

[PROMOTION]

FEATURE MARKET:

Normal Heights 92116

Market Update Magnificent custom 4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath home, 3421 sq. ft with sweeping canyon & valley views to the ocean! Located north of Adams Avenue on a cul-de-sac street, this home is private & a rare find. Features include: Open floor plan with main level living area & balcony to enjoy panoramic views! 5050 Cliff Pl, Offered at $1,250,000

(February 2015 data) Number of homes for sale: 33 Number of homes sold: 20 Highest price: $1,649,000 Lowest price: $390,000 Median home price $607,250 Market is in full swing picking up at the beginning of the year! Buyers are confident on the market place and interest rates remain strong. Multiple offers are being seen and sellers are putting more inventory on as well. Off to a great and productive, positive year!

Market Expert Melissa Tucci is the Official Real Estate Agent of the San Diego Padres. Awarded #5 global ranking for Century 21 worldwide, Tucci is a top producing professional and an experienced San Diego Realtor and Broker providing a superior level of informed, professional real estate services to buyers and sellers in San Diego County. She was also recently named Spotlight Agent in Zillow Nationwide and the Front Cover Winner of Top Agent Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s November issue.

Listen to Melissa Tucci on The Craig Sewing Show Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m. on KCBQ 1170 AM and watch her on The American Dream on Tuesday, April 7, at 10 a.m. on Cox or Time Warner Channel 4.

MELISSA GOLDSTEIN TUCCI Century 21 All Service 1820 Monroe Ave., San Diego, CA 92116, 619.787.6852, MelissaTucci.com, Sold@MelissaTucci.com

BRE # 01380034

FEATURE MARKET:

Ocean Beach 92107

Do not miss your opportunity to enjoy the unobstructed ocean views and serene sunsets from this spacious home, perfect for entertaining!

Market Update

Market Experts

Enjoy the absolute breathtaking views of gorgeous mountain hills in this distinguished home nestled in the Arrowood Golf Course.

Glen Henderson and Shannon Keatley are the brokers and owners of Alliance Group Real Estate. They go beyond the scope of traditional real estate services by providing turnkey financial solutions through their network of professional partners. They are a valuable resource for buyers and sellers throughout San Diego.

(February 2015 data) Number of homes for sale: 26 Number of homes sold: 14 Highest price $3,650,000 Lowest price $236,900 Median home price $712,450

BRE # 01870483

Listen to Glen and Shannon on The Craig Sewing Show Wednesday, April 8, at 6 p.m. on KCBQ 1170 AM and watch them on The American Dream on Tuesday, April 7, at 10 a.m. on Cox or Time Warner Channel 4.

GLEN HENDERSON & SHANNON KEATLEY Alliance Group Real Estate Services 3131 Camino Del Rio North, Ste. 1420, San Diego, CA 92108, 619.500.3222, AllianceGroupRE.com, info@alliancegroupre.com

[PROMOTION]

FEATURE MARKET:

Downtown 92101

Welcome to this stunning 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath penthouse view loft at arguably the most popular loft building in San Diego. Enjoy entertaining family & friends with magnificent gourmet kitchen & bar area which open to generous living/dining greatroom & over-sized terrace. Features huge master retreat with walk in closet, access to terrace & beautiful bathroom with separate tub & shower enclosures.

Market Update

Market Expert

New condo developments are making their way back to downtown and Banker’s Hill. For the latest condo info and to join our VIP List, visit us online at welcometosandiego.com/newcondos.

Chad Dannecker is broker and owner of Welcome to San Diego Real Estate. He runs a team that has proven time and time again that they are the go-to professionals for downtown real estate. If you do any research on downtown, you’ll quickly find welcometosandiego. com, Chad and his team’s website, and their five-star client reviews on Yelp, Google and Zillow.

(February 2015 data) Number of homes for sale: 215 Number of homes sold: 58 Highest price $2,100,000 Lowest price $235,000 Median home price $527,000

Listen to Chad Dannecker on The Craig Sewing Show Thursday, April 30, at 6 p.m. on KCBQ 1170 AM and watch him on The American Dream on Tuesday, April 28, at 10 a.m. on Cox or Time Warner Channel 4.

CHAD DANNECKER Welcome to San Diego Real Estate - Dannecker & Associates 875 G. St., Ste. 108, San Diego, CA 92101, 619.356.3099, welcometosandiego.com, chad@welcometosandiego.com

BRE#01459513

CONSUMER ADVOCATE Street Smart Advice in the San Diego Marketplace

www.craigsewing.com

[PROMOTION]

CALLING ALL MILITARY—DO YOU HAVE VA ELIGIBILITY?

Let me start by saying this, if you have served in the military, any branch, at any time, thank you! Thank you for helping to keep this Country, the soil I walk on everyday safe for all of us. Your service is selfless and truly appreciated. One thing I know that is a great outcome of serving this great Country of ours, is the ability to receive and use your Certificate of Eligibility to purchase a home using VA financing. If you do not know what this is, well, then, WE need to talk. Did you know that with a zero down payment, you can purchase a home priced at $562,350 right here in San Diego, which puts this price point above the median for the County? Did you also know that you could buy this home not only with zero down payment with also with zero to little money out of pocket at all and many of your friends are doing so right now! Sometimes I get this comment, that we want more house, “Great”, I say. Let’s say you want to purchase a $1,000,0000 home, your down payment amount is only $109,412

and the interest rates are typically always lower than what you can obtain with regular financing. Did I mention, that is easier to qualify for VA, since we use something called residual income to qualify you and not as much of looking at true debt to income ratios! Bottom line is this. If you have a COE for service, use it, if you have a current mortgage, you want some cash out of to fix up the house, or you want to get out of the mortgage insurance or an adjustable rate loan or pay off some debts and you forgot you had that COE, check out your VA mortgage opportunity today. Did you use your COE to buy a place back east and now you live here? Let’s see how much eligibility you have left, you might be surprised that you can still get into a place using VA again with zero down, happens all the time. If you have VA Eligibility, we need to talk!

Jonathan Jerotz, known as “JJ”, is part of the elite team of professionals serving the San Diego real estate community. JJ’s expertise is in mortgages, and he has ranked in the top 1 percent of all mortgage professionals in the country since 2011.

CALL JJ TODAY FOR A FREE MORTGAGE ANALYSIS AND RECEIVE A $500 CREDIT AT CLOSING! WWW.ASKJJNOW.COM Listen to JJ’s new show, The Answer, Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. on KCBQ 1170 AM. NMLS# 247008

JONATHAN (JJ) JEROTZ SYNERGY ONE LENDING 990 Highland Drive, Ste. 302, Solana Beach, CA 92075, 760.522.2298, AskJJNow.com, jj@synergyonelending.com

FOUR.FIFTEEN EVENT CALENDAR

BY CATLIN DORSET

4/26

La Jolla Half Marathon Begins at Del Mar Fairgrounds lajollahalfmarathon.com

The 13.1-mile scenic seaside sprint from Del Mar to the La Jolla Cove is the second race in the Half Marathon Triple Crown series. (America’s Finest City Half Marathon in August concludes the trio.) (CONT. ON PAGE 34)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

S E K A M S R E E B R E H T O

N GITRHEEE NVY W

C U R R E N T S {CALENDAR} (CONT. FROM PAGE 32)

4/2-4

REGIONAL FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION Valley View Casino Center, Point Loma sandiegoregional.com Nearly 60,000 students from around the globe converge in Point Loma for this annual geeky gathering and threeday battle of the bots.

MISSION VALLEY CRAFT BEER & FOOD FESTIVAL Qualcomm Stadium, Mission Valley mvcbf.com Wash down local food bites with unlimited swigs of beers, ciders and spirits.

4/10-12

BRIAN BEAGLE

4/4

GOODGUYS MEGUIAR’S DEL MAR NATIONALS Del Mar Fairgrounds good-guys.com Floor it over a hot-roddin’ weekend highlighting more than 2,500 muscle cars and classics from 1972 and before.

4/10-12

EAST VILLAGE OPENING DAY BLOCK PARTY J St. and Sixth Ave., East Village eastvillagesandiego.com Come for the food trucks, beer garden and live entertainment at this massive tailgate party in the streets of East Village, then stick around for the Padres home opener against the San Francisco Giants (game tickets sold separately).

4/10-11

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

4/12

GRANFONDO SAN DIEGO India St. and Date St., Little Italy sdgranfondo.com Pedal along one of four bike routes (105-mile Gran Fondo, 56-mile Medio Fondo, 34-mile Piccolo Fondo and 20-mile Fun Fondo) before celebrating with beers, pasta and a welldeserved massage at the finish line.

4/17-19

LAKESIDE RODEO Lakeside Rodeo Arena lakesiderodeo.com Holler yee-haw! while watching steer wrestling, bull riding, barrel racing and more good ol’ East County family fun. GE NE HY DER

VINDIEGO WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL NTC Liberty Station, Point Loma vindiego.com Pretend to know what you’re doing while sniffing and swirling more than 300 award-winning Californian and Oregonian wines at this third annual event.

R U D Y VA C A

4/9

LA JOLLA CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE Ellen Browning Scripps Park, La Jolla lajollaconcours.com Enjoy world-class cuisine, fine wines and a few hundred luxury auto displays while rubbing elbows with rich folk (the autos’ owners) along La Jolla’s picturesque waterfront.

PADRES HOME GAMES

4/9-12: VS. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (promotions: Padres Fedora 4/9; Party in the Park 4/10; Postgame Laser Show 4/11; Military Opening Day 4/12) 4/13-15: VS. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (promotions: Taco Tuesday 4/14; Jackie Robinson Day 4/15) 4/24-26: VS. LOS ANGELES DODGERS (promotions: BeerFest 4/24; U.S. Marine Corps Appreciation Day 4/26) 4/27-29: VS. HOUSTON ASTROS (promotions: Taco Tuesday 4/28; Way Back Wednesday 4/29)

4/18

TASTE OF HILLCREST Fifth Ave. and Robinson Ave., Hillcrest fabuloushillcrest.com Sample entrées, drinks and desserts from the more than 40 restaurants participating in this self-guided walking/ tasting tour of Hillcrest.

4/18-19

SAN DIEGO GAY MEN’S CHORUS 30TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW Balboa Theatre, Downtown sdgmc.org All 200 members of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus will perform their biggest hits from the past three decades and, for the first time, welcome the San Diego Youth Pride Chorus onstage for a special Glee-style show.

4/22 4/19

4/18

NOCTURNAL LANDS 5K Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista nocturnallands.com Billed as the world’s first running music festival, this illuminated nighttime race — which offers multiple dancing zones, lightshows and selfie stations along the course — culminates in an EDM rager with a surprise headliner.

TASTE OF POINT LOMA Several Point Loma restaurants peninsulachamber.com Now featuring more dog-friendly restaurants than last year’s event, this tasting tour of restaurants in Point Loma and Shelter Island is sure to be Fido’s favorite walk of the season.

EARTHFAIR Balboa Park earthdayweb.org More than 300 ecofriendly displays, an eARTh art show and five stages of live entertainment are expected to draw upwards of 60,000 green guests to Balboa Park.

4/19

FALLBROOK AVOCADO FESTIVAL Main St., Fallbrook fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org Join 100,000 avocado addicts for guacamole tastings, art contests and a live southern rock/blues band in the beer garden.

4/25-26 4/25-26

ENCINITAS STREET FAIRE J St. and Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas kennedyfaires.com Local bands will rock while a crowd of 100,000 strolls through nearly 500 vendor booths lining a six-block stretch of Coast Highway.

ADAMS AVENUE UNPLUGGED Adams Ave., University Heights adamsavenuebusiness.com Restaurants, bars, cafés, art galleries and four community stages — all within a two-mile stretch of Adams Avenue — will host 150 live band performances during this free annual event.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

C U R R E N T S {COMEDY}

COMING UP SPADE

HOLLYWOOD’S SEMINAL SMART-ASS SET TO RETURN TO HIS COMEDIC ROOTS BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

qually famous for his snarktastic SNL skits, the legendary films in which he appears opposite the late Chris Farley and his longrunning leading-man roles on NBC’s Just Shoot Me (1997-2003) and CBS’ Rules of Engagement (2007-2013), funnyman David Spade will perform live at Sycuan Casino on April 17. Ahead of his San Diego arrival, the career comedian spoke with PacificSD about his new prank show, slipping back into Joe Dirt’s mullet and getting his big break along Garnet Avenue. PacificSD: What can people expect from your show at Sycuan? DAVID SPADE: I think, if they’re a fan of the comedy I do on talk shows such as Letterman or Ellen, they will like my stand-up comedy. A lot of people don’t know my stand-up, but I think they’ll like it, if they think I’m funny on TV. It’s not really dirty; it’s pretty much PG-13 — nothing too crazy... with a few exceptions. How has your humor changed over the years? I think it’s better, or more sharpened, over the years. I try not to be as corny as I used to be. I watched some of the tapes from my early stand-up and I was really high-energy, a goofball. I liked that style then but I sort of grew out of it. I always try to at least be somewhat clever, hopefully. What’s the premise of your new prank TV show? The prank show is basically taking all these people that sign up for reality shows and really, really, really want to be famous, and try to make them famous for the wrong reason. We put together a fake reality show like “Blind Date” or something, and everyone’s in on the joke but them. So they get to be on a reality show but they’re sort of getting pranked at the end. What’s it been like stepping back into the role of Joe Dirt after all these years? How’s the sequel, Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser, coming together? Joe Dirt is probably my favorite thing I’ve done out of all the movies. It will come out in July on Crackle, and it’s really coming together well. We’re ninety-percent there, and I think it will really hold up against the first one. I’m hoping. Have you spent much time in San Diego? I did my big break in San Diego at the Improv that was down on Garnet, by the Food Basket. Mark Anderson, the owner of the San Diego Improv, saw me on an amateur night and let me stay the week when I was visiting from Arizona. That was the launch of me coming out a lot to San Diego and getting in tighter with all the Improv chains. I mostly golf when I’m down there [now]. I love it. What other projects do you have on the horizon? I’ve just been doing stand-up and trying to work on coming to TV with another show. It takes a lot longer than I thought, but I’m up for doing another one now. DAVID SPADE 4/17 at Sycuan Casino sycuan.com (CONT. ON PAGE 38)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

C U R R E N T S {COMEDY} (CONT. FROM PAGE 36)

“Guys, you’re like cats — you’re aloof and emotionally unavailable. Women are exactly like dogs. We’re exaxctly like dogs. We’re like, ‘Hey! Where ya’ goin’? Where ya’ goin’? Where ya’ goin’? Where ya’ goin’? Where ya’ goin’? Where ya’ goin’? Where ya’ goin’? Can I go? Can I go? Can I go? Can I go? I’m gonna wait right here. I’m gonna wait right here. I’m gonna wait right here. I’m gonna wait right here. Shoes!’” —Jodi Miller on America’s Got Talent (2014) 4/3-4: Jodi Miller @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

LAUGHING STOCK APRIL STAND-UP ROUNDUP COMPILED BY MEGAN LOONEY

—Steve Byrne on Happy Hour 4/2-4: Steve Byrne @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

—Joey Diaz on Twitter 4/10-11: Joey Diaz @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

“If you hate gay people as a straight person, you should probably stop having sex, because it’s straight people that make gay people. Gay people can’t make gay people. Look it up.” —Ralphie May on Comedy Central Stand-Up 4/3 Ralphie May @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org

“You tattoo your face, you’re basically saying, ‘Hey world, I’m going to go ahead and exchange any and all possibilities of normal human interaction for the gift of instilling paralyzing fear in anyone that looks in my direction.’ Now, that might sound like a piss-poor trade off to you, but how ’bout I stab you in the throat because I don’t really care because I’m completely insane, and that’s why I have a crying clown tattooed on my face.” —Tom Segura on Conan 4/12: Tom Segura @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

BRA D B U C K M A N

“People assume, because I’m Asian, I know martial arts. I don’t. I pretend to. Then they call my bluff, I get hit and I run like a Haitian.”

“If you’re not leaving the house thinking ‘someone is going to suck my d*ck today,’ just stay at home and watch soap operas. That’s your best bet.”

“Just tried tomato juice for the very first time without vodka in it. Now I know why I always put vodka in it.” —Josh Wolf on Twitter 4/16-18: Josh Wolf @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

“I’m intelligent. I wash my face with Smart Water; I bathe in Smart Water.” —Brody Stevens at The Laugh Factory 4/17-18: Brody Stevens @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

“Everybody knows what pollen is, but do you ever think of it for what it truly is? Vegetable sperm… a lot of y’all is kinda shocked right now to find out you’ve been taking it to the face your entire life. ” —Charlie Murphy on Lopez Tonight 4/23-26: Charlie Murphy @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

“I’ve seen a lot of movies take place [in Asia]. In my head, I think all the houses are made of bamboo and Kleenex — you can’t wear shoes, there’s still a big ninja problem going on. Like we have roaches, they have ninjas.” —Big Jay Oakerson on Comedy Central Stand-Up 4/30-5/2: Big Jay Oakerson @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

C U R R E N T S {SPORTS}

! h c t a C a t Wha FUL NEW R

ER WITH A POW

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

RE FINALLY IN A S E R D A P E H OSTER, T

FULL SWING

The San Diego Padres’ new outfielders (from left) Justin Upton, Matt Kemp and Wil Myers.

BY TONY LOVITT | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SAN DIEGO PADRES

hristmas came early for the San Diego Padres in 2014. In mid-December, America’s Finest hometeam’s new general manager, A.J. Preller, negotiated blockbuster deals to overhaul the squad’s outfield, helping the Pads leap from pretenders to contenders in the competitive National League West. Wil Myers, who will now patrol center field for the Padres, arrived in an 11-player trade involving the Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals. A five-player trade with the team’s most bitter division rivals brought nine-year Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp to play right field (and possibly bat cleanup) and left fielder Justin Upton was acquired in a six-player deal with the Atlanta Braves. (CONT. ON PAGE 42)

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

C U R R E N T S {SPORTS} (CONT. FROM PAGE 41)

“When [Kemp], Myers, [exRed Sox third baseman Will] Middlebrooks, [former A’s catcher Derek] Norris and Upton came into the fold... watching that unfold from my chair, seeing A.J. Preller and his baseball ops guys do their work, it was exhilarating to see these moves get done,” says Padres manager Bud Black. “To top it off, when we signed [ex-Kansas City pitcher] James Shields, it really put the final stamp on our team to really make the whole thing come together.”

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

By the time the dust had settled and the ink had dried, the oncewoebegone Padres had made five trades that included 24 players and six other teams. Deal or no deal? The latter, it seems, as many baseball pundits have now been calling the Padres “the team to beat” in the NL West — pretty heady stuff for a ball club that hasn’t won more than half of its games since 2010 and whose last division title was in 2006. “Kemp and Upton are proven Major League run producers and performers and are All-

Star-caliber players; they are winning-type players,” says Black. “Myers is 24 years old and also brings a tremendous amount of athleticism. He has a ton of potential that hasn’t been totally tapped yet, but I feel as though he’s ready to show the baseball [world] just what kind of baseball player he can be.” Kemp, Myers and Upton promise to help the team post bigger numbers than the 2014 Padres’ meager 3.30-runs-pergame average, which was, by far, the worst in the Majors.

Additionally, the outfield trio’s hard-to-find right-handed power — combined with Petco Park’s now-nearer (by 12 feet) leftcenter field wall — should result in more home runs. “The guys that were here last year have totally embraced the new guys, and the guys who are new to Padres camp are excited to be with the Padres,” says Black. And for the first time in several seasons, the guys (and gals) in the stands have good reason to be excited as well.

APRIL’S MUSEUM AND GALLERY OPENINGS

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

ART BEAT

4/24-26 Art Alive 2015

San Diego Museum of Art 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.232.7931, sdmart.org This 34th annual event challenges 100 floral designers to create arrangements that breathe new life into SDMA’s permanent collection during a three-day celebration that also commemorates Balboa Park’s centennial.

“Specter of the Evening” by Salvador Dalí; floral interpretation by Brock Saucier.

(CONT. ON PAGE 46)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

P U L S E {ARTS}

“Music Man” by Derek Slevin

(CONT. FROM PAGE 44)

“Punctual” by Lauren LeVieux

4/3-24: “SCRATCH THAT” BY LAUREN LEVIEUX NTC Promenade 2750 Historic Decatur Rd., Barracks 15, Studio 203, Liberty Station 619.573.9300, ntcfoundation.org Through a series of recent oil paintings and mixed-media works, this Carlsbad-based artist explores the visual possibility of starting over as she opens her studio.

4/3-24: “FACES OF THE FORGOTTEN” BY DEREK SLEVIN Outside the Lens Media Lab 2750 Historic Decatur Rd., Barracks 15, Studio 103, Liberty Station 858.349.7578, outsidethelens.org This local artist spent four years traveling around the country, photographing homeless people to create the gritty, graphic portraits featured in this show.

“II Treez” by Ebony G. Patterson

4/4-5/30: EBONY G. PATTERSON Lux Art Institute 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas 760.436.6611, luxartinstitute.org This Jamaican artist uses a variety of materials to express how dancehall music in her native country influenced the nation’s perception of masculinity.

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Untilted, by Tyra Leffert

4/5-5/15: “50 TO WATCH” The Studio Door 3750 30th St., North Park 619.255.4920, thestudiodoor.com Celebrating and helping to create America’s Finest contemporary art scene, a group of local artists plan to take their show on the road — to galleries nationwide — after this debut of their collaborative exhibition.

“Last Connection 3 — Loyalty” by Ally Benbrook

“Walk The Path Of Dreamers” by Jon Jaylo

4/11-5/2: “THE NIGHTMARE IN WONDERLAND PROJECT PART II” ArtHatch 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido 760.781.5779, arthatch.org Italian artist Ixie Darkonn presents a group exhibition by many of the world’s celebrated popsurrealist artists, whose work in this show pays tribute to filmmaker Tim Burton and the beautiful nightmares he created for the big screen.

4/11-5/3: “SIDESHOW CREATURES” BY TYRA LEFFERT AND ZYNADA AURELIO Thumbprint Gallery 920 Kline St., La Jolla 858.354.6294, thumbprintgallerysd.com An emerging painter teams with a sculptor to present subjects that range from dark and whimsical to colorful and fantastical. (CONT. ON PAGE48)

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {ARTS} (CONT. FROM PAGE 47)

“Red Shift” by Shelley Brenner Baird

4/11-5/5: KELLY VIVANCO obrArchitecture 3817 Ray St., North Park 619.564.7586, obrarchitecture.com A native of Southern California, surrealistic painter Kelly Vivanco derives inspiration from her natural and imagined surroundings, vintage photographs and literature she was exposed to as a child.

“Thinking Tree” by Kelly Vivanco

“Yellow Tulip 2” by Faiya Fredman

4/18-7/5: FOUR NEW EXHIBITIONS Visions Art Museum 2825 Dewey Rd., Ste. 100, Liberty Station 619.546.4872, visionsartmuseum.org Experience a quartet of new exhibitions by abstract artists, a wifeand-husband duo and other stitch-savvy seam-fiends at San Diego’s museum of contemporary quilts and textiles.

4/18-7/26: “100 ARTISTS: 100 YEARS” Oceanside Museum of Art 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside 760.435.3720, oma-online.org Featuring works by 100 artists who spent time living and working in San Diego during the last century, this show spotlights Plein Air painters, contemporary masters and other sculptors, architects, photographers and furniture makers.

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

4/18-8/16: “SELF-TAUGHT GENIUS” Mingei International Museum 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.239.0003, mingei.org See 100 pieces from the American Folk Art Museum’s collection of needlework, ceramics, carved figures and other art forms ranging from the 1700s to today.

“Lucy in the Sky” by Cady De Lay

“Phrenological Head” by Asa Ames

“Etta James” by Kendra Truett

4/11-5/26: “YOUNG ART 2015” San Diego Museum of Art 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.232.7931, sdmart.org This 80th annual exhibition of works by San Diego County students investigates the intertwining worlds of art and music.

4/28-7/28: “ARTISTIC MELODIES” Inspirations Gallery 2730 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 202, Liberty Station 619.255.9483, inspirationsgallerysd.com Local artists show works inspired by their favorite musicians, songs and ditties.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {PERFORMING ARTS}

CURTAIN CALLS APRIL’S PERFORMING ARTS PREVIEW BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

4/4-5/3: BUYER & CELLAR The Old Globe 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park 619.231.1941, theoldglobe.org An unemployed actor lands a gig tending to a basement full of Barbra Streisand’s belongings in this one-man, tongue-in-cheek, off-Broadway comedy.

4/10-5/17: FREUD’S LAST SESSION Lamb’s Players Theatre 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado 619.437.6000, lambsplayers.org This play pairs the father of psychoanalysis with C.S. Lewis, the philosopher and author who penned The Chronicles of Narnia, for an engaging dialogue about love, sex, life and death, among many other topics.

4/3-5: MAMMA MIA! San Diego Civic Theatre 1100 Third Ave., Downtown 619.570.1100, broadwaysd.com The sensational musical about love and friendship returns to San Diego with a fresh production of “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper” and more than a dozen other hits by Swedish pop group ABBA.

A MIDSUMME IDSUMMER R NIGHT’S DREAM Based on Shakespeare’s Comedy Music: Felix Mendelssohn || Choreography: Maxine Mahon

Sat., April 11, 2015 | 2:30pm & 7:30pm Sun., April 12, 2015 | 2:30pm

San Diego Civic Theatre Downtown, San Diego

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

4/11-12: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM San Diego Civic Theatre 1100 Third Ave., Downtown 619.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.com Based on Shakespeare’s comedy and set to a musical score by Mendelssohn, this ballet tells the tale of young lovers and actors who encounter fantastical creatures in an enchanted Athenian forest.

4/11-5/10: UNCANNY VALLEY San Diego Repertory Theatre 79 Horton Plaza, Gaslamp 619.544.1000, sdrep.org Making its world premiere in San Diego, this dramatic play — which tells the story of an obsessed neuroscientist bent on developing a non-biological being — aims to leave audiences questioning the origin of life and what it means to be alive.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {MOVIES}

THE REEL WORLD APRIL MOTION PICTURE PREVIEW BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

Last Knights (R) Action | Adventure Starring: Morgan Freeman, Clive Owen, Aksel Hennie In theatres: April 3 Bound by devotion to his master and on a mission to restore power to the people, a virtuous commander spearheads an intrepid infiltration of a tyrannical ruler’s castle.

Cut Bank (R) Thriller Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Teresa Palmer, Billy Bob Thornton, John Malkovich In theatres: April 3 In a small Montana town, a young man’s aspirations for a larger life lead him down a dangerous path of increasingly intense events.

Woman in Gold (PG-13) Drama Starring: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Katie Holmes In theatres: April 3 Decades after escaping Nazi-occupied Austria, a spunky Jewish woman and her straightlaced lawyer return to her homeland to reclaim the world-famous artwork stolen from her family.

The Longest Ride (PG-13) Drama | Romance Starring: Scott Eastwood, Melissa Benoist, Britt Robertson In theatres: April 10 Based on the bestseller by Nicholas Sparks, this steamy story about eternal love stars San Diego’s own Scott Eastwood (Clint’s son) as a retired bull rider eager to reclaim fame while falling hard for a young art student. MIC H A E L TA C K E T T

Furious 7 (PG-13) Thriller | Action Starring: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson In theatres: April 3 An unflinching assassin hunts a fast-driving family in this adrenalineinjected film that marks Paul Walker’s final on-screen performance.

Kill Me Three Times (R) Thriller | Action Starring: Teresa Palmer, Simon Pegg, Sullivan Stapleton In theatres: April 10 A hit man’s life becomes more interesting when he learns that his latest assignment is more complex than he expected. Ex Machina (R) Fantasy | Drama Starring: Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson In theatres: April 10 After winning an opportunity to meet the sequestered CEO of a futuristic technology company, a talented coder must determine whether or not a fascinating fembot possesses consciousness.

(CONT. ON PAGE 54)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

barleymash

P U L S E {MOVIES} (CONT. FROM PAGE 52)

Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 (PG) Action | Comedy Starring: Kevin James, Raini Rodriguez, Eduardo Verástegui In theatres: April 17 America’s silliest security professional ventures to Vegas with his college-bound daughter and attempts to unravel a plot to rob the Strip’s biggest hotels.

Lost River (R) Fantasy | Thriller Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Christina Hendricks, Eva Mendes In theatres: April 10 In this dark directorial debut by Ryan Gosling, a single mother in a forsaken city struggles to keep her family together while her son stumbles upon an entryway to an enchanted enclave.

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

True Story (R) Drama | Mystery | Thriller Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Felicity Jones In theatres: April 17 An alleged murderer steals the identity of a shamed writer in this surprisingly serious movie based on actual events.

Child 44 (R) Drama | Thriller Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Kinnaman, Noomi Rapace, Gary Oldman In theatres: April 17 Set in 1950s Russia and based on a bestselling novel, this film tells the tale of an outcast agent who works with his wife to learn more about the brutal deaths of nearly four dozen young boys.

The Age of Adaline (PG-13) Drama | Romance Starring: Blake Lively, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn In theatres: April 24 A freak accident leaves a young woman unable to age, but — after 80 years of secrecy and solitude — a dashing philanthropist may be able cure her condition.

The Water Diviner (NR) Drama | War Starring: Russell Crowe, Jai Courtney, Olga Kurylenko In theatres: April 24 When his three sons go missing after the Battle of Gallipoli, an Australian farmer ventures far and wide to find the boys he loves.

Little Boy (PG-13) Drama | Comedy Starring: Emily Watson, Kevin James, Michael Rapaport In theatres: April 24 When his fun-loving father heads off to fight in World War II, an imaginative young boy does everything in his power to stop the war so Daddy can come home.

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APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {FITNESS}

LADY AND THE

TRAMPOLINE PACIFICSD’S FITNESS FEMME JUMPS AT THE CHANCE TO JUMP UP, JUMP UP AND GET DOWN BY MEGAN LOONEY | PHOTOS BY PAUL BODY

After signing a safety waiver, stashing my stuff in a cubby and slipping into bright orange socks, I dodge oodles of bouncing children at Chula Vista’s Sky Zone trampoline park as I walk to the area where I’ll be getting my workout on.

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

PacificSD’s associate editor Megan Looney gets high at Sky Zone in Chula Vista.

“J

im and I took the kids to jump at a trampoline park three years ago, and he got this glazed look in his eye like a kid in a candy store,” says Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino, who owns the facility with her husband, Jim. “The kids and I didn’t see him again until we were ready to leave.” Jim, it turns out, wasn’t playing around on trampolines; he was researching the business. Five months later, the couple owned franchise rights for San Diego and Orange County. Today, the couple owns Sky Zones in Anaheim, Chula Vista and San Marcos. Sky Zone offers a variety of activities including SkyRobics, SkyBall (trampoline basketball),

dodgeball, SkyBoarding (snowboarding on trampolines), foam-pit jousting, Cage Ball and volleyball. Dressed for SkyRobics, I’m ready to jump in. “Okay, everyone find a square — we’re going to start with a warm-up,” says fit and bubbly 20-year-old SkyRobics instructor James Brantley. Each member of our class of about 15 people, who range from teens to forty-somethings, claims a square on the three-by-six trampoline grid that’s to be our gym for the next hour. After the stretching and gentle warm-up jumps, I’m thinking this class is going to be child’s play. Brantley puts that thought to rest as he shows the class how to do a burpee on a trampoline. “You can’t knock it ’til you try it out,” he says. “It might sound really easy, really simple to just go over here and bounce on a

trampoline for an hour, but it’s much more involved than that.” Halfway through our bounce session, I’m already glistening. “You’re all giving up too early,” Brantley yells during one exercise. “We still have 30 seconds.” Alexis says she thinks firsttimers underestimate how challenging a SkyRobics workout can be. “It’s something your body is not used to doing,” she says. “I love that I’m sore the next day, because that means you didn’t just have fun, but you got a great workout, too.” Having completed 60 minutes of full-body cardio and strength training components, I was definitely sore the next day — and no longer skeptical of Sky Zone’s claim that SkyRobics can burn up to 1,000 calories an hour. Feeling like a kid at heart while boosting cardiovascular health and torching calories? Yes, please.

Real Housewives of Orange County star and Sky Zone franchisee Alexis Bellino.

SKY ZONE SAN MARCOS 860 Los Vallecitos Blvd. San Marcos (opened in February) 619.431.3700 skyzone.com/sanmarcos SKY ZONE CHULA VISTA 851 Showroom Pl., #100 Chula Vista 800.607.0132 skyzone.com/sandiego

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {COOLTURE}

No Small Order A YOUNG LOCAL CHEF HITS THE BIG TIME BY TONY LOVITT

nown as the “Superman of the Sauté Pan” and the reigning champion chef of a nationally televised cooking show, Nathan Odom has earned the accolades of the notoriously tough, internationally renowned chef/restaurateur, Gordon Ramsay. And he’s only 13 years old. In late February, Odom, who attends Roosevelt Middle School in North Park, won Season Three of Fox-TV’s MasterChef Junior by eliminating 18 other young chefs from throughout the United States. He earned $100,000 and a trophy for his efforts. “Definitely a lot more people approach me in my school than they used to,” he says. “I was always kind of introverted and I have had a couple of people ask me for money... jokingly.”

PH OT OS BY GR EG GAYNE

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

North Park native Nathan Odom — pictured with (from left) Joe Bastianich, Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliot — wins Season Three of Fox’s MasterChef Junior.

Odom says he intends to allocate half of his prize winnings towards college and the other half to treating himself to new art equipment (painting is his hobby) and cooking supplies. He also says he’ll donate some to charity. In the MasterChef Junior finale, Odom dazzled the judges, defeating New Jersey’s Andrew Zappley with a spectacular threecourse meal featuring a main course of herb-crusted lamb chop with fava beans and white asparagus puree. “When I actually got on the show, it definitely raised my self-confidence a lot because I never really thought that I would be able to do something so amazing,” he says. “And then actually going on to win the whole thing was surreal for me.” Odom attributes his interest in cooking to his having begun baking with his mother at age

3, and to chef Ricardo Heredia, who taught a cooking class at North Park’s McKinley Elementary School. “[From Heredia], I learned about flavors, and the culture and history of food, and other ways to cook it and stuff like that,” he says. “I think that’s when I started really becoming serious about [cooking].” Serious about following a

culinary career path, ideally as a pastry chef, Odom says he looks forward to making his favorite dessert: macarons. “I really don’t want to work in the high-stress environment of a restaurant and I really love pastries a lot more than I like cooking savory food,” he says. Like his pastry creations, the young chef’s future sure looks sweet.

P U L S E {STYLE}

GLOSS BRINGS MORE AFFORDABLE SHINE TO MISSION VALLEY BY DAN IELL E DIRE CTO -ME STO N PHO TOS BY SAR A NOR RIS

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Westfield Mission Valley’s fast-fashion game is getting personal. “We’re not typical retail — we get new stuff every single week, and we style [shoppers] here,” says Devonte Sills, store manager of Gloss, which opened at the shopping center (between Macy’s and Charlotte Russe) in November. Gloss, which launched in Pacific Beach, highlights at-your-service vibes and affordable merch — crop tops, rompers, casual-cool dresses, evening gowns, shoes, accessories and more for as low $5 and rarely over $120.

“We started about eight years ago as a small boutique up there on Garnet Avenue,” says Sills. With outposts in PB and The OC’s Huntington Beach, the SD-based retailer’s new Mission Valley space boasts a fresh inventory of styles on the reg. “There’s a little bit of everything,” says Sills, adding that Gloss is “a little bit of French Connection mixed with Urban Outfitters.” Proving that spring and summer wardrobe refreshes don’t have to break the bank, Sills styled Karol in six looks from Gloss’ latest arrivals. Inspired by the city’s

laidback coastal style and the season’s soft hues, Sills paired low-waist jean shorts with a crop top. “It’s an everyday spring or summer Cali look that’s also really comfortable,” he says. This netted cream number over a bikini, Sill explains, is the perfect look for a seaside stroll. “Last summer was all about bathing suits with a kimono,” he says, “[and this season] is the same concept, but with a cover-up.” Adding pops of color and patterns, Sills says, gives a classic wardrobe staple an ontrend update. “Aztec [motifs are] really in right now,” he says, adding that the fit-and-

flare LBD complements every body type. For day-to-night dressing, an effortless piece like this mint romper is key. “Throw on some wedges and a belt for the day,” says Sills, who suggests swapping your day shoes for pumps when the sun goes down. GLOSS BOUTIQUE AT WESTFIELD MISSION VALLEY 1640 Camino Del Rio North, Mission Valley 858.224.8869, glossboutique.com (CONT. ON PAGE 62)

ON KAROL: Aggie romper, $40; AZG bandeau, $14; Gloss belt, $14; shoes, model’s own.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {STYLE} (CONT. FROM PAGE 61)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

ON KAROL (opposite page): Naked Zebra dress, $47; shoes, model’s own. THIS PAGE (clockwise, from top left): 2 Hearts dress, $26; necklace, $15; shoes, model’s own. Poetry blouse, $19; Poetry skirt, $22. Tawny dress, $79; necklace, $15; shoes, model’s own. Cielo jean shorts, $26; Stylish bikini, $60; Miss Kelly 1999 top, $19; sunglasses, $15.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

P U L S E {STYLE}

A Shot at

SUCCESS

A MILITARY MAN SETS HIS SIGHTS ON STYLE BY DANIELLE DIRECTO-MESTON PORTRAIT BY SARA NORRIS

fter being honorably discharged from the Army, Marcelin Saturne decided to aim high. “I was happy, I had a good job, but I felt that there was more to life,” he says. Following his heart’s orders, Saturne sold everything he owned and moved from New Jersey to San Diego to pursue his passion for fashion. After landing a string of jobs to make ends meet, he managed to launch Saturne Collection, a local label that crafts limited-run menswear with what he describes as an “urban executive” vibe. Think one-of-a-kind shirts accented with kaleidoscopic prints — all made in the U.S. by military vets. “Some I sold, some I gave away to test the public’s reaction,” he says. “I would continually get asked, ‘Hey, where did you get that shirt?’” As demand grew, Saturne struggled to keep up. He found help in his current business partner, Navy vet Carlos Flores, who had previously given Saturne a job when he needed it most. “I try to help as many veterans as I can,” says Flores, who has supported several other vets in their business ventures.

Saturne Collection CEO Carlos Flores (left) and founder Marcelin Saturne.

Now armed with Flores as his CEO and business-plan writer, Saturne has been able to capitalize on the buzz surrounding his brand. “Since I brought him on the team, life has changed; business has changed,” Saturne says. “It’s like a dream come true.” Next up: Saturne plans to roll out a line of women’s wear this fall. From defending the Stars and Stripes to shooting for the stars, the young entrepreneur appears to be on a path to professional success. saturnecollection.com

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Getting the Picture

deral ArtWalk e F n o i s s i M f o w e i v A pre

By David Perloff

More than a dozen blocks in Little Italy will close to vehicular traffic April 25 and 26, making way for foot-traffic to the nth degree, as the 31st annual Mission Federal ArtWalk fills the streets with hundreds of artists and thousands of art lovers and buyers. In advance of the event, ArtWalk’s 10 featured artists — selected from a roster of nearly 500 — spoke with PacificSD about their lives and their work.* One of these artists, Christina Leta, created an original work for the cover of this magazine, offering a tangible glimpse into one of the city’s cultural rites of spring. *To leave ample space to display the artists’ work, only excerpts from the interviews are included here. Read the complete interviews at pacificsandiego.com/getting-the-picture

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

OPPOSITE PAGE (clockwise from top left): “Kauai Rooster” by Mark Allen; “Downtown Edgy Girl” by Christine Schwimmer; crinkled ring by Dorothee Naumberg; “Kokoro of the Sea” by Karen O’Brien; untitled ceramic by Hong Rubinstein; “Cliff Spring” by Sue Britt; “Prayer Beads” by Tim Pattinson; “Suzhou 3” by Ellen Dieter; “Truth and Consequence” by Christina Leta; “Jazz Sax” by Scott Palmer.

C hristina Leta

Birthplace: Monterey, California Place of residence: Pasadena, California DefectiveBarbie.com How old were you when you began creating art? My mother is an artist, so I was raised with art. I remember the day I realized I was actually pretty good at it; that was when I was 13 or 14 years old. I also chose visual art as my major in college but I didn’t consider myself an artist or pursue art professionally until I was 25. How do you describe your art and/or genre? I would describe my portraits as an expression of emotion that mixes abstraction, realism and minimalism to examine these emotions from a new, and sort-of unexpected angle. I think my work falls somewhere between fine art and urban art, since I’m very inspired by street art, but my art is made for a gallery setting. I think it’s part of the current movement to find what new ways artists can create outside the lines, but I’m not sure what to call it. For now, the term I use to refer to my style is simply: dripping watercolor portrait. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? I would love to pick Banksy’s brain. He’s a very secretive guy, but I greatly admire his work and I bet he’s just as interesting as his art. I find his technique and approach very unique and inspiring. Being exposed to the work he creates caused me to think outside of the box and encouraged my analytical mind. Whether or not he’s recognized for it in the future, I think his art is a pivotal catalyst to the current art movement that’s evolving in today’s culture.

TOP LEFT: Leta’s “War Paint.” RIGHT: “Up in Smoke.”

C hristine Schwimmer

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois Place of residence: La Mesa, California ChrisSchwimmer.com How old were you when you began creating art? I believe I was about 10 years of age when I began creating art. Before that, I would doodle a lot. How do you describe your art and/or genre? My art is abstract in genre. I paint figures that are not completely realistic. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? I would love to meet Nathan Oliviera, who was known as being a part of the Bay Area Figurative Movement in the 1950 to 1960s. I am moved by his figurative paintings. To me, they portray the human condition or feeling simply and successfully, and that is what I strive to achieve in my paintings.

Jewelry by Dorothee Naumburg

Dorothee Naumburg

Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany Place of Residence: Dana Point, California DorotheeNaumburg.com How old were you when you began creating art? I was probably four or five years old. My mother was a painter, and my father an engineer, and we were given little tools as children to play with, which would eventually inspire me to create. How do you describe your art and/or genre? Fine art that is contemporary, yet wearable. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? Nancy Eckels and Liz Cummings. They have the best attitude and tenacity as working artists. They love what they do and don’t give up easily. Both do shows alone, from the West Coast to the East Coast, driving by themselves for days on end to get to a show, in wind and weather... and sometimes not do well. But they keep at it with a good attitude. They always seem to see the glass half full, not half empty. That inspires me.

FROM TOP: Schwimmer’s “Poches”; “Red Carpet.” 68

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Karen O'Brien

Birthplace: College Area, San Diego Place of residence: I am a second-generation native San Diegan, lived and worked there most of my life. My

husband and I moved to Oregon when we retired, to enjoy a more rural lifestyle. KEObrien.com How old were you when you began creating art? I have been creative as long as I can remember — drawing, painting and sewing. I made collectable dolls and teddy bears for many years. My art has evolved as I have tried on

different media. How do you describe your art and/or genre? It is a blend of primitive folk art, fantasy and fairy tales. If you could meet and learn from any artist, whom would you choose? Joe Sorren, because he creates his own dreamlike reality and characters that have a fantastical story.

FROM TOP: O’Brien’s “Tired”; “Do Not Judge.”

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

Tim Pattinson

Birthplace: Pomona, California Place of Residence: Bellingham, Washington TornilloFineArt.com How old were you when you began creating art? I remember first believing that I had a gift that others did not have in the second grade. I’m not sure that anyone else believed that about me at the time, but I was wholly convinced. I started to pursue painting as a vocation 20 years later, in 1987. How do you describe your art and/or genre? I paint stylized figures that explore universal themes. I begin with a sketch and continually simplify the shapes, aligning them within a strictly ordered grid. These shapes are filled with pattern, texture and color attending to overall surface design rather than narrative content. The resulting paintings are about family, work, poverty or prayer rather than pictures of these things. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? Pablo Picasso, without a doubt. He had the ability to see in ways that no one else had, and then to create amazing images to help us to see as well. No painter is able to go anywhere now without going through Picasso. Yes, he was a horrible misogynist. Yes, he painted a lot of embarrassingly bad pictures. But no one even comes close in terms of his genius and his influence on painters today. I would choose to meet Mr. Picasso in Fontainebleau, summer of 1921. We’d have lunch and talk about his early days in Paris, the peace he finds in the south of France and about the large canvases he has been painting of gargantuan and classicized women. Cigars, perhaps.

ABOVE: Pattinson’s “Quiero Subir.” RIGHT: “Carga, No Carga.” 70

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Hong Rubinstein

Birthplace: Jilin, China Place of residence: Palm Springs, California OneDreamDesign.com How old were you when you began creating art? I started creating artwork over 25 years ago.

ABOVE: Dieter’s “The Best Feeling Ever.” BELOW: “Jazz Jazz Jazz.”

E llen Dieter

How do you describe your art and/or genre? High-fired, one-of-a-kind sculptural art ceramics. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? Salvador Dalí seemed like a fun guy; his work is mind-altering and cool to look at.

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio Place of residence: Bay Park, San Diego EllenDieterArtist.blogspot.com How old were you when you began creating art? I started early. My path has not been a straight one — more like a series of spaces and dashes, with lots of curves. How do you describe your art and/or genre? I work in many different styles, but, in the end, it is always an abstracted version of reality, my view of what I see or feel. In the work, I am looking for balance and interest. I add to and take away; I go on a journey, [so to] speak. I work with lots of color and I like contrast. I would consider my work contemporary expressionism. If you could meet and learn from any artist,

living or dead, whom would you choose? In this moment, that would be Joan Mitchell. I am so drawn to her energy, her commitment to her vision. And from what I have read about her, we have a same favorite poet, Rainer Maria Rilke.

Untitled ceramics by Hong Rubinstein.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

Scott Palmer Birthplace: La Mesa, California Place of residence: Mesa, Arizona CopperPhoenix Studio.com

How old were you when you began creating art? I started drawing at an early age, and later ceramics and woodworking, but didn’t begin with fine art until high school.

Mark Allen

Birthplace: Houston, Texas Place of residence: Los Angeles, California MarkAndrewAllen.com How old were you when you began creating art? Five. How do you describe your art and/or genre? Urban Pop Expressionism created by using mixed media, silk screen, spray paint, acrylic paint, pencil and markers. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? No question, Picasso — the greatest artist to ever live. He kept reinventing himself, which is the duty of a great artist.

How do you describe your art and/or genre? I describe my work as sculpted copper designs with warm patinas and/ or paint. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? Has to be Ken Auster. His loose brush strokes and amazing compositions and use of light continue to keep me in awe. Even though I work in metal, I still paint as well and love his work.

FROM TOP: Allen’s “Zebra”; “California Surf-Swim.” LEFT: Palmer’s “Blue Red Waves.” ABOVE: “Feminine Side Red Green.”

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Sue Britt

Birthplace: Manitowoc, Wisconsin Place of residence: Carmel Valley, San Diego PaperTapestry.net How old were you when you began creating art? My mom was always making. She did not call herself an artist until later in her life, when she became a weaver and copper enamel artist, but she provided me with materials and opportunities to learn. And I had a basement to get messy in. I was painting in oils in my early teens and taking a bus across town to take watercolor lessons at the Milwaukee Art Institute. I took a lot of art classes in middle school and high school and was encouraged by my many teachers. I spent the summer before going off to Architecture School at the University of Minnesota drawing and painting six to eight hours a day when I was not selling Fuller Brush door to door. I spent a lot of time at the local creek sketching trees, capturing light on water and then painting and working with

pen and ink to create finished work. At the end of the summer, I sold paintings and cards to help with college costs. It was in my architecture design and studio art classes in college, where I feel I started to create art — work with greater expression and meaning. How do you describe your art and/or genre? I describe my work as contemporary landscape but I have an unusual medium: paper. It is both 2-D, in that it hangs on a wall, and 3-D, in that it has a lot of texture. The weaving and dimensionality I achieve with my technique allows light to play a factor in my pieces. Shadows create lines on the page, and the pieces change with the light source. If you could meet and learn from any artist, living or dead, whom would you choose? There are two, one living and one dead. Robert Henri is one. I have read his book Art Spirit, which is a series of lecture notes and letters he wrote to his students. That book has affected how I think about my subject, how I set up my color pallet, and asked me to think about why I create art. He strikes me as a marvelous teacher with great insight into his

students. Though he’s mainly a portrait artist, I know I would learn so much about color, light and how to keep spirit in my work. My living artist is David Hockney. Not only for his amazing use of color and form in his landscapes, but as an artist who is continually experimenting and growing. I discovered his “Bigger than the Grand Canyon” series after my art residency there. I would love to sit and share experiences from the Grand Canyon. He may just get me sketching on my iPad.

FROM TOP: Britt’s “Big Sur”; “Idyllwild.”

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

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R. BLACK Although he describes himself as a “mostly low-brow” artist, R. Black is perhaps best known locally for the posters he’s created for the high-brow San Diego Opera — a high-profile gig he says he owes to his work displayed on PacificSD’s August 2012 cover. The laidback Black is pragmatic as he enters the final phase of his threeseason relationship with the opera. “They do a change-up every three years, a different marketing campaign,” he says. “Next year, they’ll be going with somebody else.” Black got his start by designing fliers for underground clubs and rock posters for various music venues around San Diego. “Heavy Metal magazine probably had a big influence, (and) lots of art nouveau,” he says, also citing comic books and renowned Belle Époque poster artist Jules Chéret as being among his influences. Black has made posters and/or other artwork for Dark Horse Comics, the Berkeley-based Shotgun Players Theater Group and some New York productions, including Woody Harrelson’s Bullet for Adolf. As for the future: “I just kind of take it day by day,” he says. “I’m stoked.”

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CLOCKWISE (from top): Illustrations R. Black created for PacificSD’s August 2012, May 2013 and July 2014 covers.

Promotional posters by R. Black. APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

TIM CANTOR Since having his work showcased on the October 2014 issue of PacificSD, classical/surrealist artist and writer Tim Cantor has been basking in the afterglow of a trip to Europe to exhibit the original artwork he created for Smoke + Mirrors, the latest album by Imagine Dragons, which has held the Number One position on Billboard’s Top Rock Album and Alternative Album charts. “It’s just completely been crazy — I did work for every single song on the album, so they’re using fourteen of my paintings in total, one being the cover, and thirteen songs on the album,” says Cantor, who exhibited his album artwork at the House of Vans in London and the Hard Rock Cafe in Paris. “Every time you see one of those songs pop up on your iPod or something, you’ll see one of my paintings representing the song.” Cantor’s art inspired the video for Imagine Dragons’ hit track “Shots.” The video comes to life with the characters from Cantor’s paintings, all of which are on display at his gallery in the Gaslamp Quarter, which he opened 15 years ago. “I’m always painting; that’s just what I focus on,” says Cantor. “I’m completely obsessed with creating my paintings, so I’m always painting… I’m always working towards my next show.”

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Tim Cantor’s “Through the Waters” on PacificSD’s October 2014 cover.

FROM TOP: Cantor’s “I’m So Sorry”; “Shots.” 76

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Imagine Dragons’ Smoke + Mirrors album cover art created by Tim Cantor.

“EVERY TIME YOU SEE ONE OF THOSE SONGS POP UP ON YOUR IPOD OR SOMETHING, YOU’LL SEE ONE OF MY PAINTINGS REPRESENTING THE SONG.” APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

NICHOLAS IVINS Graphic illustrator Nicholas Ivins says he tries to keep himself in a “constant state of frenzied creativity.” Best known for his modern and compelling Day of the Dead style, he exhibits his work at street fairs throughout the year. “I actually sold one large piece because some guy saw one of them in [PacificSD], so that was nice,” says San Diego-born Ivins, who now lives in Escondido. “I actually got a lot of attention from it.” Recapping his career highlights since his work appeared on cover of the magazine’s April 2014 issue, Ivins says, “I landed a nice licensing deal with a merchandise distributor for some of my Day of the Dead artwork, expanded my gifts and collectibles into some out-of-state stores and took a couple of ribbons at the Orange County Fair art show.” Looking ahead, he expresses a desire to create illustrations for commercial applications. “It’s been some years, and I’ve been working on getting a decent portfolio together, as well as creating a kick-ass marketing package to entice clients,” he says. “I’ve (also) got some comic stories that have been rolling around in my head for some time and I think it’s about time to actually put them down on paper.”

Nicholas Ivins’ Coronado bridge illustration, which he created for PacificSD’s April 2014 cover.

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CLOCKWISE (from top left): Ivins’ “Punk Mermaid”; “Digitalia”; “Serpienta.” 78

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

SEAN BRANNAN “After winning the ‘Most Modern’ art contest and (being) featured on the cover of Pacific San Diego magazine back in 2011, I’ve been pretty busy,” says San Diego-based artist Sean Brannan, who, according to his website, “explores the psychological effects of interacting color, geometry and perception” in his paintings. Brannan completed a masters degree in psychology in 2012, and now has two careers, art and psychology, as passions. He credits his PacificSD cover with presenting some professional opportunities. “One was a project in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles,” he says. “Kevin Barry Galleries had me produce approximately 40 images that were placed in two phases of a new building complex. That project was just wrapped up last December. Also, since then, I’ve been picked up by several galleries around the country.” Brannan says he’s constantly participating in exhibitions and also produces a monthly artist showcase at BASIC Urban Kitchen + Bar in East Village.

Sean Brannan’s “Far East,” on PacificSD’s April 2011 cover.

FROM TOP: Brannan’s “Serous”; “Leitmotif.” APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

MARK PAUL DEREN “MADSTEEZ” Although his crazy and colorful artwork might seem “off the wall,” street artist Madsteez (born Mark Paul Deren) often emblazons his murals on a wall. For the cover of PacificSD’s April 2012 issue, for example, he painted the whimsical “Weenzee Giddy Up’n on Top of Weenosaurus Rex” on the side of Wang’s Chinese restaurant in North Park. “Since then, I’ve probably painted forty murals all around the world,” says Costa Mesa-based Madsteez. “I think it’s like eight countries and four different continents I’ve painted on since then.” In Taiwan, he collaborated with an Asian artist named Insa to create a moving mural measuring eight stories tall and approximately 130 feet wide. “The thing was gigantic,” says Madsteez. “So, to conceptualize one and to, like, actually physically be able to pull that off was incredible.” More murals are on the immediate horizon for Madsteez, including a solo show in Los Angeles toward the end of this year. “I like bright colors and I like things that make me laugh, especially when I’m painting in the street,” he says. “I’m influenced by what might brighten (a person’s) day or might put a smile on somebody’s face.”

“I’VE PROBABLY PAINTED FORTY MURALS ALL AROUND THE WORLD, I THINK IT’S LIKE EIGHT COUNTRIES AND FOUR DIFFERENT CONTINENTS I’VE PAINTED ON.”

San Diego

HEN AND WOW SAN DIEGO’S WHERE, W

deren Mural by Madsteez: Mark Paul Of WEENOSAURUS REx” “WEENzEE GIDDy Up’N ON TOp NORTH pARk RAy STREET AT UNIvERSITy AvENUE, Diego mAGAzINE, mARCH 2012 COmmISSIONED by Pacific San

APRIL 2012

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Madsteez’s “Weenzee Giddy Up’n on Top of Weenosaurus Rex” mural in North Park, which PacificSD commissioned for the magazine’s April 2012 cover.

FROM TOP: Madsteez’s “The Worlds Largest GIF-ITI” mural in Taiwan; “Puertoriqueno WEENtillian” in Puerto Rico. 80

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Madsteez’s “A Hunk of Burning WEEN” mural in Hawaii.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

DERRICK LITTLE Returning to New York in 2011 after a brief sojourn in San Diego turned out well for renowned face and body artist Derrick Little, whose work was featured on the cover and inside PacificSD’s April 2010 issue. “In the past five years, I came back and grew my faceand-body-art business, which is my primary source of income,” says Little, whose studio is in Brooklyn. “I also paint storefront windows.” Little does face painting at kids’ birthday parties and corporate events, as well as body painting of models for advertisers at galas. “I do Whoopi Goldberg’s holiday party every year, which is a fifty-fifty adult and kids party — a lot of celebrities will show up,” says Little, adding that he has also worked at several parties hosted by Madonna. Not bad for a kid from rural North Carolina, whose fun with Halloween makeup spawned a full-time career. “Me and my brother would plan our entire Halloween outfits around the pictures that were on those packages of cream makeup,” Little says. “Now, I am the Halloween makeup artist and designer for Easter Unlimited and for Party City and Amscan. All the theatrical makeup at Halloween is my work.”

Derrick Little’s “Fortitude Mask” on PacificSD’s April 2010 cover.

FROM TOP: Little’s “Hijra Blessing” body art; “Let My Words Have Wings” watercolor. 82

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

INOCENTE IZUCAR In 2013, as the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Inocente, San Diego’s Inocente Izucar received worldwide acclaim. The humble, oncehomeless young woman’s artwork graced the cover of PacificSD’s April 2013 issue. “I live here and I was raised here, so it was a big deal for me to have more exposure here in San Diego,” says Inocente, who now paints in her one-bedroom apartment in Bankers Hill.” Last year, Inocente had an exhibition in New York. This year, she’s hoping to travel to Spain and Sweden. Her compassion comes through in her paintings. “Animals mean a lot to me,” she says. “As people know, elephants are being poached at just a crazy rate, so I painted an elephant and talked about how an elephant gets killed every fifteen minutes. So now I’m doing a lot of animals and trying to bring awareness (of ) poaching and all that stuff.” Inocente says she’s currently partnering with a new organization called Art Without A Roof, which helps market the artwork of homeless youths. “They want to help homeless youths,” she says, “which is exactly what I’m all about, exactly what I want to do. So I’m really excited.” San Diego

Art: Scene + Seen An OscAr On the shelf Artists On the rise curAtOrs in the knOw filmmAkers On the rOAD

Inocente Izucar’s “Mercy” on PacificSD’s April 2013 cover. APRIL 2013

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

FROM TOP: Izucar’s “Sunset Beauty”; “Judith at SDHouseRabbitSociety.”

story won the 2013 Art by Inocente Izucar, whose life Short Subject. Academy Award for Best Documentary

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

“THIS ART JOB THAT I HAVE HAS GIVEN ME A BIT OF OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL.”

COURT JONES The features of his subjects are exaggerated, but Court Jones’ talent as a caricaturist is most definitely not. Jones, whose work was featured on the covers and inside PacificSD’s December issues in 2011 and 2014, has traveled to Austria, Japan, Korea and India to lecture and conduct workshops on his distinctive art. “This art job that I have has given me a bit of opportunity to travel,” says Jones from his studio in El Cajon, the birthplace of his caricatures and other artwork for magazines, newspapers and retail products. Jones says one of the biggest jobs he’s had recently was creating a caricature of Gwyneth Paltrow for The Washington Post. While entertaining at various events or on movie sets in Hollywood, he’s also made caricatures of Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Julianne Moore, among others. Currently, Jones is working on a series of caricature instruction videos he plans to post for free on YouTube. “Then, I’ll try to continue plugging away at the portrait art and the oil painting, because that’s something I feel really passionate about.”

DECEMBER 2011 WHEN AND WOW! SAN DIEGO’S WHERE,

Court Jones’ original works created for PacificSD’s December 2011 (left) and December 2014 covers.

San Diego

PACIFICSANDIEGO.CO

DECEMBER 2014 PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

Catching some air while riding the Hyatt. When the Ice Age hits, you think you will try it?

FROM TOP: Jones’ “Head Study — The Musician”; “Putin in Crimea.” 84

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

“Heisenberg” by Court Jones. APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

DINING OUT

e l d o o N

USING YOUR

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RESTAURANT REFLECTS FORETHOUGHT AND HISTORY BY DAVID NELSON / PHOTOS BY KATE AND MICHAEL AUDA

Chef Riccardo Brentegani twirls sauced spaghetti into a neat, reddish bird’s nest and mounds it neatly in a bowl. Most likely, Mamma taught him this eye-dazzling trick when he was a boy in Verona, a historic city in Northeastern Italy. It’s also likely he would be surprised by the notice his maneuver attracts when he performs it in a kitchen open to the dining room at Little Italy’s new Pan Bon. Some open kitchens display the relentless work of cooking as an athletic, sometimes chaotic dance of cooks wielding red-hot pans, razor-sharp knives, loud voices and strong wills. But Pan Bon presents the art of cuisine as theater that entertains and educates audiences watching from a comfortable distance. Artfully authentic, this Italian eatery does everything (absolutely everything) the Old World way.

Linguine San Diego at Little Italy’s new Pan Bon.

(CONT. ON PAGE 88)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

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oused in the new Ariel tower on Kettner Boulevard, Pan Bon came about in a timehonored way — although brothers and coproprietors Luciano and Giancarlo Anselmi flew in from Italy, rather than sailing around Cape Horn like immigrants did before the Panama Canal shortened the trip. Luciano, who supervises the restaurant’s overall operations while Giancarlo specializes in baking, tells the story, one that would have been familiar to Americans generations ago. “Basically, a friend of my brother got a Green Card and came to San Diego, where she met the owner of a seafood restaurant in La Jolla,” he says. “She came home to Verona and came by our bakery [also called Pan Bon], and told us we could be a big success in San Diego, because there

is nothing like it here.” The brothers crossed the ocean to get here but never took a leap of faith. They checked things out first. “We came to visit in 2011 and loved San Diego,” says Luciano. “The economy in Italy determined us to move to the United States and start fresh. We first planned a bakery and pastry shop, but we found this wonderful new building and decided to open a restaurant also.”

CLOCKWISE (from above): Pan Bon’s Agnello e Erba; coowner and bakery chef Giancarlo Anselmi; executive chef Riccardo Brentegani; pastry chef Daniele Chiandussi.

(CONT. ON PAGE 90)

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

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T A S T E {DINING OUT} (CONT. FROM PAGE 88)

o understand the concept, it helps to walk through Pan Bon, past display cases full of delicate pastries, colorful cakes, and traditional hot and cold Italian food to eat in the café or take out. Beyond this area, a sit-down restaurant offers table service and well-written breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. In a corner, a stairway climbs to a mezzanine that, Luciano hopes, will soon house a high-end dining room and bar. “There is not so big a difference between American and Italian customers,” Luciano says when asked if San Diego has surprised him. “They all love what we do. We were told we would have to change some dishes for Americans, but this has not been true. Chef Riccardo cooks

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

everything the same as in Verona.” Only one guest so far has requested meatballs (and didn’t get them), but Luciano admits some astonishment at a phone call he answered soon after opening. “The man wanted to know if we serve Alfredo sauce. I said ‘no,’” he says, looking amazed. “He asked, ‘Why not?’ I said, ‘Because it’s not Italian.’” Luciano explains that he enjoys watching how San Diegans react to dishes from Verona. “In Italy, every city has it’s own cooking,” he says. “There is not only one way to do spaghetti al pomodoro, because every place has its own way of making it. Pan Bon has its own way, too — we do what we do.” PAN BON 1450 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy 619.241.2443, panbon.us

ABOVE: Inside Pan Bon. BELOW: Pan Bon’s Cappa in Camicia.

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T A S T E {DINING OUT}

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Whiskeys of Western Civilization — Irish, Canadian, Scotch, Bourbon and so forth — have family trees. Who knew? Backyard Kitchen & Tap’s whiskey alcove. (CONT. ON PAGE 94)

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T A S T E {DINING OUT} (CONT. FROM PAGE 92) 78)

hoever created the amusing and enlightening chalkboard sketch in an alcove at Backyard Kitchen & Tap, that’s who. So, yes, you can have your whiskey and learn about it, too, perhaps in the proprietary Backyard Smash, a personable drink that stirs Dickel rye with mint syrup, sarsaparilla bitters and mint leaves. A new destination from busy restaurateur Eric Leitstein of OMG Hospitality (owner of Pacific Beach AleHouse and the Union Kitchen & Tap locations in Encinitas and the Gaslamp, among other popular venues), the sprawling Backyard replaces the former Moondoggies, a long-lived landmark that helped PB achieve its rep as being the West

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

Green salad at Backyard Kitchen & Tap.

Coast’s party central. “It’s a slam-dunk location,” says Leitstein, who named his company after his children, Olivia, Mason and Gavin. “We have good food, cold beer, great service — it all works.” The already-hot spot, which opened during the last week of February, ups the neighborhood’s ante with cabanas, living walls, fire pits, an indoor/outdoor bar and an immense patio. Also making the place rock are live music and late-night DJs. The concept, which the name just might give away, is that being at Backyard is like being in your own backyard… and if you don’t happen to have one, all the better to enjoy this one. “The general idea is to make people feel warm and welcome,” says general manager Chris Cox. “What’s more welcoming than a backyard barbecue or party? We do food that people know, not necessarily comfort food, but something people would enjoy if they went to a party in someone’s backyard.” Since décor and mood work together with food to create unique character for a highprofile establishment, Cox says Backyard was

“San Diego is pretty healthconscious, so we aim at lighter fare.” carefully planned to deliver what its name promises. “There’s a lot of reclaimed wood around Backyard, with a trellis over the deck so that you can enjoy an outdoor experience without having the sun beat down on you,” he says. “Inside, there is a lot of community seating, and leather chairs and barstools.” Backyard serves plenty of inventive craft cocktails, which continue to be the trend of

Backyard’s hamachi crudo.

(CONT. ON PAGE 96)

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

T A S T E {DINING OUT} (CONT. FROM PAGE 95)

the decade, at least so far. But it’s a specific refreshment, the kind you might find for sale on a neighborhood front yard (sort of ), that promises to be the buzz here. “Our homemade lemonades set us apart, especially the adult lemonades,” Cox says. Options include a strawberry-ade made with fresh fruit puree. “It’s all done in-house; nothing is pre-made.” The same goes for the food. “San Diego is pretty health-conscious, so we aim at lighter fare,” says Cox. “We have some Pacific Rim cuisine, Mediterranean, Baja-style cuisine and our own style.” Making these styles compatible is the responsibility of chef James Nunn, who devoted four months to conceiving the menu. “Every single thing I make, I make it with love, like I do for my own family,” he says. “This is what I preach to everybody in the kitchen; each ingredient is love.” And some of it is lobster, and crab, and local mussels and Bajastyle shrimp ceviche… all of which is very easy to love. BACKYARD KITCHEN & TAP 832 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach 858.859.2593, backyardpb.com

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

ABOVE: Inside P.B.’s new Backyard Kitchen & Tap. BELOW: Backyard’s Asian pork ribs.

T A S T E {WHAT’S COOKING}

YOU BUTTER BELIEVE IT MAKING THE MOST OUT OF TOAST WITH ROASTED PECAN BUTTER RECIPE AND PHOTOS BY BRANDON MATZEK

ade with just two ingredients, this Roasted Pecan Butter is a delicious DIY project that couldn’t be easier. The process starts in the oven with a sheet pan covered in pecan halves. As the nuts cook gently in the oven, their natural oils heat up, releasing an intoxicating aroma of maple and brown butter. These roasted pecans are then blitzed in a food processor until smooth. Sea salt is added to boost flavors. The finished Roasted Pecan Butter is thin and silky — perfect for a piece of toast, an on-the-go sandwich or drizzling over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Snacking by the spoonful is encouraged and addictive.

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM • APRIL 2015

The method outlined here is a base recipe that can be easily modified. To sweeten things up, try mixing in honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, melted chocolate or caramel. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and allspice can be added individually or in various combinations. To make chunky pecan butter, pulse in additional chopped pecans at the end. Equally delicious and versatile, Roasted Pecan Butter can be put to good use in many toast variations. Starting with a simple slice of toasted bread, Honeycomb Pecan Toast stacks up as follows: a generous swath of Roasted Pecan Butter beneath several dots of sticky honeycomb topped with flaky sea salt. Crunchy, chewy, sweet and salty, this toast is

a next-level experience. Try these other flavor combinations, using toast and Roasted Pecan Butter as the base: • Sliced banana, crispy bacon, toasted marshmallow • Roasted squash, maple syrup, chile flake • Ripe peach, caramel, smoked sea salt • Chopped dates, toasted coconut, clover honey Roasted Pecan Butter, along with other homemade nut butters, has a more liquefied consistency compared to commercial peanut butter. The butter will firm up slightly once refrigerated.

Easy Recipe

FOLLOW ME!

Roasted Pecan Butter INGREDIENTS 4 cups pecans 1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt, plus more to taste For toast: sliced bread, chopped pecans, honeycomb (or honey) and flaky sea salt PROCESS Flavor boost. Preheat oven to 450Â°F and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Spread pecans out evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant (10 to 15 minutes). Start checking the pecans around minute 10 and keep a watchful eye to avoid burning. Let pecans cool completely.

Smooth operator. Transfer pecans to a food processor or high-powered blender and add sea salt. Process for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pecans turn into a smooth butter, scraping down the sides several times throughout. Season to taste with additional salt (I added 1/4 teaspoon more). Pour Roasted Pecan Butter into a clean jar and store in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.

Finishing touches. To make Honeycomb Pecan Toast, crisp a slice of bread in a toaster or oven, then top with a couple spoonfuls of Roasted Pecan Butter. Scatter chopped pecans over the toast, dot with honeycomb and finish with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Enjoy immediately, repeat.

APRIL 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

T A S T E {DRINK}

BURST YOUR

BUBBLES FORGET WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW ABOUT MIMOSAS BY DAVID NELSON PHOTOS BY SARA NORRIS

laying the flute no longer requires lessons thanks to Bub’s @ the Ballpark’s new mimosa bar. Under a canopy on Seventh Avenue in East Village, as Sunday morning crowds bustle by toward Petco Park, Bub’s is beyond bubbly, offering patrons sparkling wine plus an array of fresh fruit juices to make pre-game last well beyond the first pitch. “Our build-your-own-mimosa bar is unique, because we make many of the juices and purées inhouse,” says Bub’s general manager, Robin Morrison. “You can create your own concoction or you can ask a staff member to come up with something delicious. My favorite is the watermelon-mint, because it’s different and refreshing.” Carafes of exotic and familiar juices vary from specialty combos like pineapple-jalapeño and orangerosemary to freshly pressed orange, cranberry, guava, grapefruit and pineapple. Pick one up, tip it over into your glass and let juice and bubbles swirl together in a colorful fizz. Top it off with a skewer of strawberry, mango and watermelon to up your Sunday game… even when the Padres are on the road.

Bub’s @ The Ballpark’s build-your-own-mimosa creations.

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BUB’S @ THE BALLPARK 715 J St., East Village 619.546.0815, bubssandiego.com

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

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T A S T E {BEER}

Take it from the Tap FINEST CITY BEER — SCENE & HEARD BY BRANDON HERNÁNDEZ

PAUL BODY

Do Me a Flavor NEW BEERS TO CHEERS AND BREWS TO PERUSE

HALF DOOR BEARLEENER BERLINER WEISSE

Whether it’s the call of the suddenly well-equipped Padres or simply a love of San Diego beer that brings one to this Petco Park-adjacent brewpub, anyone will be able to get behind this tart, slightly creamy, low-alcohol beer. Designed to be refreshing and full of lemony zing, it’s easy-drinking and goes down well from Half Door’s second-story outdoor deck, offering a view of the ballpark and Park at the Park. Half Door Brewing Company, 903 Island Ave., East Village, halfdoorbrewing.com

BALLAST POINT OOMPA LUPUS

Orange is the official color of lupus awareness, so when Ballast Point’s Colby Chandler volunteered to craft an imperial stout for the Beer to the Rescue lupus charity campaign, he let a play on words referencing Willy Wonka’s citrushued legionnaires guide him. This high-alcohol brew is given extra deliciousness care of chocolate and orange (Wonka would be proud) as well as spicy cascabel chilies. That last one’s a no-brainer — Chandler is perhaps the world’s foremost expert on infusing peppers into beer. Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, 2215 India St., Little Italy, ballastpoint.com (CONT. ON PAGE 104)

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IT's BACK.

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息2015 Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI * Beer

T A S T E {BEER} (CONT. FROM PAGE 102)

Meet Your Maker BREWMASTER Q&A

Brandon Hernández: You’ve been trying to open in North Park for a long time. How did you decide on your new space? KELSEY MCNAIR: Finding a space was a huge challenge. I started window-shopping way back in 2011. I seriously negotiated on several spaces throughout 2013 and 2014, two of which are now brewery tasting rooms. When my current space hit the market, I knew it was the right fit. It has great bones, high ceilings and an unparalleled North Park location. Tell us about the new space and them bones. The building is approximately 8,650 squarefeet, which includes a 1,700-square-foot mezzanine and a 1,500-square-foot basement. The building was constructed in 1946 and has an Art Moderne-styled exterior that I’ll be keeping intact. And it’s right in the heart of North Park, only one block from 30th Street. A basement in San Diego. That’s pretty rare. What will you use it for? I’m particularly excited about having a large basement with an over-10-foot ceiling. I mean, how many other breweries can say they have a barrel cellar in San Diego? I am really looking forward to developing a sour beer program and filling that cellar with barrels over the coming years. Other than sours, what types of beers can imbibers expect? I love brewing beers that are clean, dry, wellfermented and drinkable. With my background in IPA brewing [McNair has won the gold medal for the best homebrewed India pale ale in the country the past three years; an unprecedented feat], I obviously intend to brew a variety of IPAs and continue experimenting with hop combinations. Outside the hoppy spectrum, we’ll have some standards in our lineup, but the plan is to offer a variety of styles and change the lineup frequently. Ideally, we’ll have 12-to16 house beers on tap at all times and aim to please a diverse array of palates.

PAU L BOD Y

And how will this eponymous business convey the essence of its namesake neighborhood? The ground floor will be an awesome beer parlor surrounded by the brewery equipment and a grand bar. There will be additional seating on the mezzanine and possibly a KELSEY MCNAIR, FOUNDER/BREWMASTER small kitchen, though it won’t be anything like North Park Beer Co., northparkbeerco.com a full-on restaurant. The overall interior will give a nod to the many historic craftsman-style North Park is awash with craft beer, so it takes something significant to get locals excited bungalows located throughout North Park. I’m about a new business that’s still a year from opening. Despite being 12 months out, putting together a rock-star architectural and Kelsey McNair’s work-in-progress North Park Beer Co. has hopheads pressed against design team to pull this off, and plan on hanging the doors of his newly acquired facility, a former mixed martial arts gym on the corner up historical photos of North Park people, places of University Avenue and Ohio Street, chanting “open, open, open” (and “beer me”). and things. The goal is for North Park Beer Co. to be For now, details on McNair’s master plan will have to do. a warm and welcoming place for friends and neighbors to gather over delicious beer of impeccable quality, and to be as much about North Park as it is the beer.

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Coming to a Head

WHAT’S NEW IN

BREW OR COMING SOON

ALESMITH BREWING COMPANY

For 20 years, AleSmith has been the little brewery that could, pumping out arguably the planet’s highest-quality, most consistent beers from a jigsaw puzzle configuration of detached business suites coming in at under 20,000 square-feet. By June, they’ll be up and running at their brand new, 105,500-square-foot brewery, featuring a huge indoor/outdoor tasting room complete with fire features, a club room and a museum devoted to Tony Gwynn, who collaborated with AleSmith on a signature beer shortly before passing away last year. The move will allow this world-renowned brewery to up its production tenfold. Cheers to that! 9990 Empire St., Miramar, alesmith.com

ALESMITH / MIKKELLER COLLABORATION

Even with fancy new digs, AleSmith owner and brewmaster Peter Zien isn’t ready to sever ties to his original brewery. So, he’s sticking around to help his long-time friend (and now business partner) Mikkel Borg Bjergsø brew up new beers and a new business. Working as a “gypsy brewer” at facilities all over the world, Bjergsø has made a name for himself and the creative beers put out under his Mikkeller brand. This will be his first-ever brewery, and partnering with Zien should help ensure instant quality when the yet-to-be-named interest starts up in July. 9366 Cabot Dr., Miramar

OAKQUINOX

Let’s Go to the Hops

APRIL BEER EVENTS

Spend a day in the garden of Stone. They’re bringing the lumber courtesy of this annual festival focusing on the symbiosis of fine beer and booze-soaked oak. Geek out on all styles of high-octane brews matured in second-use barrels procured from wineries and distilleries around the world. Wine (red, white and rosé), brandy, bourbon, rye, tequila and more lend their extra layers of flavor to everything from inky stouts to acidic sour ales. April 26, 11 a.m., Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, 1999 Citracado Pkwy., Escondido, stoneworldbistro.com

RHYTHM & BREWS

Exit the Hop Highway and make a beeline for the beer lines at this celebration of local brews and local grooves. The first of the San Diego Brewers Guild’s two major annual events (the other being its namesake fest during San Diego Beer Week in November), Rhythm & Brews will feature more than 50 breweries’ ales and lagers, which are to be consumed in tandem with music from the Bill Magee Blues Band, Bubba McCoy, Ted Z and the Wranglers and more. Still thirsty post-fest? Hit up nearby Mother Earth Brew Co. or Wavelength Brewing Company. April 25, 11 a.m., Historic Downtown Vista Village, Vista, sdrhythmandbrews.com

Brandon Hernández is a native San Diegan with a fervent passion for craft beer and the talented individuals who produce it. He is a Senior Communications Specialist for Stone Brewing Co., an editor for Zagat, has served as a consultant to Food Network and contributes content to national and San Diego-based magazines including The Beer Connoisseur, Imbibe, Wine Enthusiast, The San Diego Reader and more. The first publication for which he ever wrote about beer was PacificSD. Follow him on Twitter: @sdbeernews and @offdutyfoodie.

APRIL 2015 • PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

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GROOVE SOUND DECISIONS

4.15 lights 4.15

LIGHTS

@ THE IRENIC THEIRENIC.COM

Canadian electro popette Valerie Poxleitner (aka Lights) released her third studio album, Little Machines, in September. On April 18 — a few days after her Tax Day show at the Irenic in North Park — the 27-year-old singer-songwriter will perform shortly before The Weekend, Alt-J and Jack White take the stage at Coachella on the second night of the famed music festival’s second weekend. MAT T BAR NES

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G R O O V E {SOUND DECISIONS} (CONT. FROM PAGE 106)

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN APRIL CONCERTS AND EDM SHOWS BY CATLIN DORSET

4/2: TV ON THE RADIO @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com Indie rockers out of Brooklyn, New York. 4/2: TRACY LAWRENCE @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com In 1991, this country artist was shot four times while trying to resist a robbery.

4.1

MAROON

4/8: THE MAINE @ House of Blues, hob.com This alt. rock outfit released its fifth studio album, American Candy, in March.

4/3: BONOBO @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com Simon Green, aka Bonobo, is a trip-hop, acid jazz DJ/ producer from Britain.

4/8: ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com This alt. rocker wrote songs for Season Two of NBC’s now defunct series Smash.

4/4: YING YANG TWINS @ UCSD’s Porter’s Pub, porterspub.com Lil Jon collaborated with this hip-hop duo on the 2002 single “Get Low.”

4.1maroon5

4/9: BLUE OCTOBER @ House of Blues, hob.com Alt. rock quintet most known for their 2006 hit, “Hate Me.”

THO M K E R R

4/3: THE WAILERS @ Harrah’s Resort SoCal, harrahsresortsocal.com Jamaican reggae band formed by Bob Marley.

4/3: THE USED @ House of Blues, hob.com These alt. rockers kick off their month-long North American tour on this night in the Gaslamp.

4.8

KIMBRA

4.8kimbra

@ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYNP.COM In 2013, this indie pop Kiwi won a Grammy Award for her collaboration with Gotye on the smash single, “Somebody That I Used to Know.” (CONT. ON PAGE 110)

@ SDSU’S VIEJAS ARENA, AS.SDSU.EDU Adam Levine and company are touring worldwide through June in support of their recent pop album, V, which dropped in September.

V INC EN T P ERI NI

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G R O O V E {SOUND DECISIONS} (CONT. FROM PAGE 108) 104)

ELIOT LEE HAZEL

4/9: JACKSON BROWNE @ California Center for the Arts, artcenter.org Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’ and other stars covered this rocker’s songs for the 2014 album, Looking into You: A Tribute to Jackson Browne. 4/10: THREE DAYS GRACE @ House of Blues, hob.com Hard rockers most known for their angsty 2003 track “I Hate Everything About You.” 4/11: BARRY MANILOW @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com Soft rock singer-songwriter on his One Last Time! farewell tour.

4.9

INTERPOL

4.9interpoL @ HUMPHREY’S CONCERTS BY THE BAY, HUMPHREYSCONCERTS.COM These indie rockers released El Pintor, their fifth studio album, in September.

4.12

MOS

DEF

4.12mosdef

@ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYNP.COM In 2011, this rapper-slash-actor played the part of exconvict Brother Sam in Showtime’s hit series Dexter. (CONT. ON PAGE 112)

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4/11: PAT BENATAR @ Pechanga Resort & Casino, pechanga.com Films Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, 13 Going on 30 and Blue Valentine feature songs from this Grammy Award-winning rocker who recorded “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” in 1980.

4/13: DUSTIN LYNCH @ Pechanga Resort & Casino, pechanga.com This Nashvillian singersongwriter joins fellow country artists Jana Kramer and Gloriana for the annual K-FROG Cares Concert benefiting Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.

4/11: BUDDY GUY @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org Rolling Stone magazine ranked this blues musician at Number 23 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

4/13: TECH N9NE @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com Rapper Aaron Dontez Yates, aka Tech N9ne, drops his new Special Effects album on May 4. 4/13: GRAMATIK @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Hip-hop dubstepper from Slovenia.

G R O O V E {SOUND DECISIONS} (CONT. FROM PAGE 110) 104)

4.16

CLEAN

BANDIT

4.16cleanbandit @ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYNP.COM These electro pop artists took home the Best Dance Recording 2015 Grammy Award for their Number One (on the UK singles chart) hit “Rather Be.”

JOSHUA SCHU L Z

4/14: GEORGE EZRA @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com This folk singer was nominated for the British Breakthrough Act trophy at the 2015 Brit Awards in February. The award went to Sam Smith. 4/15: TORO Y MOI @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com The 2012 flick Magic Mike, starring Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey, featured this indie artist’s song “New Beat.” 4/16: J BOOG @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Long Beach-native reggae artist on his Keep Di Road Dusty tour. 4/16: RATATAT @ House of Blues, hob.com In 2006, these rockers became the first band ever to perform a public show inside New York’s Guggenheim Museum.

4.18

4/17: LILA DOWNS @ Copley Symphony Hall, sandiegosymphony.org Latin music singer-songwriter and actress who played a small role as a tango singer in Salma Hayek’s 2002 flick, Frida. 4/17: BELLE AND SEBASTIAN @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com In January, these indie poppers performed their single “Nobody’s Empire” on Conan.

4/20: THE CAT EMPIRE @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com In 2014, these ska and jazz Aussies were featured on a collaborative album, Sounds for the Reef, to raise awareness and funds for the campaign against polluting the Great Barrier Reef.

4/18-19: STEELY DAN @ Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com Jazz rock duo headlining the U.S. Rockabye Gollie Angel tour. 4/20: BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com Five-piece hip-hop band most recognized for its Grammy Award-winning 1996 single, “Tha Crossroads.”

MARINA AND THE

DIAMONDS

@ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYNP.COM On April 19, this indie pop artist will perform shortly before David Guetta, Florence + the Machine and Drake take the Coachella stage on the closing night of the festival’s second weekend. (CONT. ON PAGE 114)

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C HA RLO TT E R UTH ERF OR D

4.18marinaandthediamonds

G R O O V E {SOUND DECISIONS} (CONT. FROM PAGE 112) 104)

4.26

KAISER

CHIEFS

4.26kaiserChiefs @ HOUSE OF BLUES, HOB.COM These indie rockers covered The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” for the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.

4/23: CROOKERS @ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com Italian house music DJ most known for his 2009 remix of Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘n’ Nite.”

4/24: CHUBBY CHECKER @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com In 2001, this rock-and-roller gueststarred on Ally McBeal and sang his biggest hit, “The Twist.”

4/23: AL DI MEOLA @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.com Five percent of proceeds from this jazz musician’s upcoming album (release date to-be-announced) will benefit The American Tinnitus Association.

4/25: LIFE IN COLOR @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com EDMers Tritonal and Vicetone headline this annual event touted as “the world’s largest paint party.”

4/23-25: TRIBAL SEEDS @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com These San Diego natives sling their reggae-inspired gear at the Tribal Seeds Store in Pacific Beach, which they opened in 2014. 4/24: ENTER SHIKARI @ SOMA, somasandiego.com This post-hardcore foursome released its new album, The Mindsweep, in January. 4/24: FOREIGNER @ Harrah’s Resort SoCal, harrahsresortsocal.com Notorious classic rock band known for many hits, including “Hot Blooded” (1978), “Juke Box Hero” (1982) and “I Want to Know What Love Is” (1984).

4.24

LIL

4/25: ANDREW RAYEL @ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com This progressive trance producer released his Miracles EP on February 23. 4/26: EARTH, WIND AND FIRE @ Pechanga Resort & Casino, pechanga.com R&B band known for a groovy slew of hits including “Shining Star” (1975), “September” (1978) and “Let’s Groove” (1981). 4/30: THE DECEMBERISTS @ Observatory North Park, observatorynp.com To promote their recent album, What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, these indie rockers appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in January.

JON

4.24liljon @ BASSMNT, BASSMNTSD.COM The King of Crunk swaps rhyme-spitting for recordspinning during this DJ set at Bassmnt.

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G R O O V E {BARTENDER}

POURING HER ART OUT

ARTIST FINDS PASSION AND PURPOSE BEHIND THE BAR

BY MEGAN LOONEY / PORTRAIT BY SARA NORRIS

n 2012, Hannah Rowan ditched the Big Apple, moving to America’s Finest to pursue her passion for painting. Today, she tends bar part-time at The Local Pacific Beach, where, she says, the folks she meets while making drinks inspire her. “I constantly meet people that fuel my motivation,” she says. “Learning about others’ experiences, struggles and triumphs — and learning how to read all different types of people — definitely influences my work.” Rowan says she likes to create a sense of “chaos and chance” in her work, often trying to challenge viewers’ perception of sexuality by distorting the female form in her paintings. “One time, I had my art hanging at an art festival, and this mom quickly grabbed her son away from looking at my work, as if

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I were showing a porno,” Rowan says. “Little did she know that the rise I got out of her was one of the best unspoken compliments I have ever received.” Rowan, who plans to attend San Diego State University next year to become an art teacher, sells her originals and prints (and cellphone cases emblazoned with her creations) on her website, HannahRowanArt.com. Follow Rowan on Instagram (@ HannaRowanArt) or sidle up to the oceanview bar at The Local P.B. and perhaps inspire her next work of art, turning the tables on the concept of “under the influence.” THE LOCAL PACIFIC BEACH 809 Thomas Ave., Pacific Beach 858.263.7475, thelocalpb.com

Untitled, by Hannah Rowan

L O V E {BLIND DATE}

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT

AN UNPREDICTABLE BLIND DATE — EXCEPT FOR THE FORTUNETELLER

hat happens when two singles meet with a psychic during a Friday-the-13th blind date? Tough to predict… Luckily, neither Christina nor Mark suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th), so they’re presently getting acquainted in the Epic Limo that’s about to drop them off for preprognostication drinks at Harbor Town Pub in Point Loma. Before they arrive, let’s review the predate interviews.

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PHOTOS BY JOHN MIRELES

PacificSD: What do you do for a living? CHRISTINA: I work as an EMT on an ambulance and love my job. I’m training to be a firefighter and am in the hiring process now. I love absolutely everything about it. MARK: Currently I’m a leasing professional for an apartment community but, if all goes well, I plan to start selling houses in a few years What do you do for fun? CHRISTINA: I love being active. I play volleyball every week and love hiking and working out. But during football season, you’ll find my ass planted in front of the TV

watching the Patriots, probably eating too much. MARK: I like to go to the beach, play basketball and go out with my friends. What are you best at? CHRISTINA: Being there for other people. I’m everyone’s rock, and it makes me so happy to help others. MARK: I think I’m best at making people laugh. I’m fun to be around and am always in a joking mood. What are you looking for in a date, physically and/or otherwise? CHRISTINA: I’m tall, so

someone tall would be awesome. I like odd things that I probably should keep to myself — like the fact that I like big noses and find lisps endearing. MARK: I’m looking for someone that is tall, easy to talk to and funny. It’s a big plus if I’m not the one that has to keep the conversation going. Describe your special brand of sex appeal in five words or less. CHRISTINA: Someone else would have to let me know. Everyone finds different things attractive in people. MARK: Tall, dark, tan and handsome. (CONT. ON PAGE 122)

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VINTAGE, CUSTOM AND JUST PLAIN COOL BIKES, SURFBOARDS AND ART ON DISPLAY. PACIFIC COAST BICYCLE SHOW AND CONTEST — RAFFLING OFF 2 BEACH CRUISERS. COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE KICKS OFF AT 11:30 AM

Find tickets and more info at PBbeerfest.com. Event limited to 500 attendees. Must be 21+ to attend.

1:00 to 5:00 p.m. (VIP HOUR: NOON TO 1:00 PM)

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

A BAY-FRONT BEER BASH FOR BEACH BABES AND BROS

Bikes, Boards and Brews

the sixth annual

L O V E {BLIND DATE} (CONT. (CONT. FROM FROM PAGE PAGE 120) 118)

Rate yourself on a scale from one to 10 for looks. CHRISTINA: I’m an eightpoint-five after some whiskey shots. MARK: Eight. How about for personality. CHRISTINA: Nine-pointseven, on a good day. MARK: Nine. What’s your biggest fear? CHRISTINA: Probably my brother getting in an accident on his motorcycle. He lives in L.A., and the drivers suck there. Or losing someone under my own hands. In my line of work, that’s always possible. MARK: Ironically enough, it’s heights. Being high up in the air and looking far out is fine, but leaning over the

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railing and looking straight down freaks me out. I always feel like I am gonna lean too far and fall over. What traits could your date exhibit that would be complete deal-breakers? CHRISTINA: Disrespect, impatience and smoking. MARK: Smoking is a huge problem. I could pretty much deal with everything else, but not a fan of cigarettes. What’s the most important thing in the world? CHRISTINA: Of course love. And maybe donuts. MARK: Being happy. Too many people try to please everyone else and soon realize that it’s everyone else but themselves who are happy.

When Christina and Mark arrive at Harbor Town Pub, they appear to be getting along well, sitting close and laughing a lot as they order drinks and appetizers. After taking shots and selfies, they head to the game room at the back of the bar to play pinball, where friendly competition seems to be the name of the game. Next, the couple jumps back into their limo for the short ride to Point Loma Psychic, who canceled a séance to accommodate tonight’s blind date (the psychic actually said that). THANK YOU! HARBOR TOWN PUB 1125 Rosecrans St., Point Loma 619.224.1321, harbortownpub.com (CONT. ON PAGE 124)

L O V E {BLIND DATE} (CONT. FROM PAGE 122)

MISS FORTUNE SEEING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

hristina and Mark’s initial connection suggests luck is in the air. Now that the couple has arrived at Point Loma Psychic hand-inhand, resident fortuneteller Diane should be able to remove any mystery on that front. As we (the magazine crew) begin to set up in her inner sanctuary, Diane sends us back to the waiting room. The daters must be seen separately — and without pesky photographers in the room — she explains, so as not to “mix their energies.” Christina’s up first, so Mark sits with the crew. With cars whizzing by along Rosecrans Street, magic (not to mention exhaust fumes) fills the entrance foyer, which is decorated with spiritual trinkets. Christina emerges about

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20 minutes later, her eyes somewhat red and puffy. When Mark goes inside to sit with Diane, Christina reveals her enchanted experience: “It was crazy. She talked a lot about health and marriage and then she went, ‘There’s one man in this world who cares for you a lot.’ And I thought of two guys. She said, ‘The one that you care about — who’s the J name?’ And I went, ‘Oh, my god. That’s my best friend.’ And then she talked about Jonathan, and that’s when I started crying. I looked at her and was like, ‘Am I in love with him?’ And I burst into tears and she nodded, ‘Yeah.’ And I went, ‘Oh, my god. I’m in love with my best friend.’” When Mark’s psychic session is complete, Diane agrees to sit with each dater on-camera to paraphrase their readings.

DIANE (to and about Christina): She’s a very good-hearted, very goodnatured woman. She does have a long life ahead of her. I feel, as far as healthwise, there’s nothing for her to be concerned about. I feel that she is going to have one long-lasting marriage, which is going to succeed for her. I also felt that she is going to be a mother of three healthy children. And I feel, as far as her career is concerned, that it may take a little bit of time for her to stand exactly where she wants to stand with that, but I do see things working out for her. I feel that there is some things from her past that she needs to just try to let go of a little bit, but I do feel her future being much brighter for her.

DIANE (to and about Mark): I feel you living a very long and successful life. I don’t feel money being a problem for you. I actually do see some papers that you are going to be signing, which there is going to be some money transactions involved. I feel you are a very honest, very open-minded person. I feel that you need to try to keep a little bit more to yourself, because there does seem to be some people trying to guide you in the wrong direction. I also do feel that there is going to be a longdistance journey that you are going to be taking, but you are not going to be traveling alone; you are going to be traveling with a companion. The first trip that comes along, you go ahead and take it, because, when you go and come back, you’re going to see a lot of different changes for you toward the better. I see one long-lasting marriage for you, but I don’t feel marriage for you right away. And I also do feel that you are going through some spiritual testing right now, which I think, for you, is going to be within the next two to three months.

After their readings and before heading downtown for dinner at Bottega Americano, the couple is split for mid-date debriefings. PacificSD: How’s it going so far? CHRISTINA: It’s fun. Mark’s cool. He talks a lot, in a good way; thank god. No awkward moments. He’s fun. MARK: It’s fun. I think we’re clicking. She’s a little bit older than I am — not that that matters — but I think we’re at different points in our life, where she’s trying to get a career, and I’m still figuring out what I wanna do. But, yeah, we’re having fun.

What were your first impressions? CHRISTINA: Well, I’m 5’10”, and he’s 6’8”, so that was pretty awesome. Very handsome. I love his eyebrows — dark and bushy. MARK: I thought that she was definitely attractive. I like that she’s tall. I’m a big Taylor Swift fan, and she’s 5’11”, and Christina’s 5’10”. Is this the type of person you’d normally date? CHRISTINA: Not initially, no. He’s very, very... he’s a little young. And he’s very sweet. I’m very mature for my age, I guess. He’s a partier, and I’m past that.

MARK: No. Most relationships that I’ve had so far, I’ve been in high school or college; so it’s different if you’re out of that and trying to figure out your career path. How was Harbor Town Pub? CHRISTINA: It was nice. It was cool. I don’t think either of us have ever been there, and I like the vibe. It kinda got dimmer as the night when on, you know; the candles were lit and everything. I would go there again. MARK: It was good. I liked it. We got fried calamari. She doesn’t eat red meat. I was really

excited for cheesesteak fries but couldn’t do that. Plus, I’m a huge pinball fan, and they had pinball, so it was cool. What did you have to drink there? CHRISTINA: I’m an IPA drinker, so the beers were great. And he’s a girly drinker and he loved his drinks. So it worked out, nice balance. MARK: I drank a 394 Pale Ale, and then I had a mai tai because I wanted a girly drink. I don’t ever get girly drinks when I go out, but I’m like, “I’m not paying for it, I might as well get a girly one.” (CONT. ON PAGE 126)

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How was the psychic experience? CHRISTINA: It was cool that it was Friday the 13th, and we came to a psychic. I love that kind of stuff, and he was worried that it was gonna be something scary, ’cause he’s afraid of scary things, but I was really excited for whatever it was. And she was wonderful. I would come back to see her. MARK: It was actually awesome. I couldn’t stop smiling at one point, when she went back into my future. I feel it was a little generic, but it was definitely a good experience, and I feel like everyone should try that at one point. Do you believe Diane has the power to see the future? CHRISTINA: Yeah. I’ve been to a psychic before that was also legitimate. I feel like you could say anything and make it work, but the only thing that got me was the fact that she knew

Jonathan’s name. MARK: I do. I mean, not necessarily the powers, but I definitely believe that there are people that can see into the future, because the world is made for a reason, and people are born for a reason. What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far? CHRISTINA: Well, there are moments when he actually looks at me, and that’s attractive. He’s super handsome. He talks and he doesn’t let it be awkward. MARK: She’s a beer drinker. Most girls don’t really drink beer. It’s better that you’re a beer drinker than just having like a Red Bull-vodka or something like that. What’s the least attractive thing your date has done so far? CHRISTINA: He talks a lot about his job and he acts on it.

Like, he’s in real estate, so he talked to our waitress about if she wanted to buy a house, and I was like, “Really?” MARK: She goes to the bathroom a lot. She’s currently in the bathroom right now. Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks. CHRISTINA: Nine. MARK: Eight. How about for personality? CHRISTINA: I can’t tell yet. Can you ask me later? I’ll say nine. MARK: Nine, but I don’t really know her yet.

Do you want to kiss your date now? CHRISTINA: I don’t know, but it’s gonna happen. MARK: I mean, I’m not opposed to it. Does your date want to kiss you? CHRISTINA: I have no idea. He’s busy talking. MARK: I don’t know. Does she? You tell me. THANK YOU! POINT LOMA PSYCHIC 1461 Rosecrans St., Point Loma 619.665.1960, sandiegopsychic.weebly.com

DEARLY DEPARTED A MAGICAL DINNER AND A DISAPPEARING ACT

fter the mid-date break, Christina and Mark ride to Bottega Americano, a new and expansive Italian eatery and marketplace in East Village. Once inside, they take prime seats in the middle of the action, between the raw bar, wood-fired oven and open kitchen. For more than an hour, the couple sits, talking over dinner and drinks. After they pose for pics with executive chef David Warner, Mark calls the limo and says the two will meet the magazine crew over at FLUXX, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary tonight. The crew leaves first to make sure

everything is set with the couple’s VIP booth. After leaving the team car with the valet at FLUXX, the crew waits for Christina and Mark. And waits. And waits… After 15 minutes, we call Mark’s cell phone. No answer. Then we call Christina. Nada. When we finally reach the limo driver, a full 45 minutes after leaving the restaurant eight blocks away, she tells us the date is already over. What the FLUXX?! Mark, the limo driver tells us, has already helped an unsteady

Christina to her door. Christina had apparently had too many shots at dinner (the couple’s check confirmed as much), asked to be taken home and managed to fall down while walking up her driveway. Rather than call it a night, Mark had the driver drop him at Lucky Lady Casino and Card Room near SDSU. Having paced back and forth

in front of the line at FLUXX for too long, the magazine crew finally heads inside for a couple drinks. The next morning, we call to see what we missed. THANK YOU! EPIC LIMO 858.270.LIMO (5466) epiclimo.com (CONT. ON PAGE 128)

L O V E {BLIND DATE} (CONT. FROM PAGE 127)

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PacificSD: What did you think of Bottega Americano? CHRISTINA: Bottega Americano was beautiful. I loved the vibe, and our server was awesome. She took shots of water while we took shots of... everything else. The scallop appetizer was delicious. I love raw fish and seafood, and it was so tender. MARK: The restaurant was awesome. I like how it was basically one big open room with tables and bar seating scattered around. What did you have to drink there? CHRISTINA: Red wine. MARK: One too many shots of Jameson and Tequila. Where did you go and what did you do for the rest of the evening after dinner?

CHRISTINA: We may or may not have gone to Mexico. MARK: We decided to go back to our houses. When did you get home? CHRISTINA: Early. I had to wake up at 5:30 to go to my fire academy. MARK: I think around 11:30. Was there a kiss or romantic exchange? CHRISTINA: Nope, just lots of selfies. MARK: We kissed at the end of the night, but it was more of a “thanks for having a good time” kiss goodbye. Fill in the blanks. I wish my date had a bigger “blank” and a smaller “blank.” CHRISTINA: Is this sexual? I plead the Fifth.

MARK: A bigger bladder, but not sure what smaller. What was the best part of the date? CHRISTINA: The psychic was a great idea; it was a fun Fridaythe-13th thing to do. Mark liked it. I’m not sure it was what he expected. His enthusiasm was fun to watch. MARK: The best part was probably being at the psychic. I’ve never once even thought about going to a psychic, so it was the perfect opportunity to do something different and get my future read. Will there be a second date? CHRISTINA: Probably not. Mark’s cool, but a little young for me. MARK: We had a lot of fun, but no second date. Our age and

point we are at in our lives and careers is too opposite. I’m still looking to go out on weekends and don’t know what I’m doing with my future, and she is ready to settle down. THANK YOU! BOTTEGA AMERICANO 1195 Island Ave., East Village 619.255.7800, bottegaamericano.com (CONT. ON PAGE 130)

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L O V E {BLIND DATE} (CONT. FROM PAGE 128)

What did you learn about yourself last night? CHRISTINA: Shots and heels should never go together. I ate shit, for lack of a better term. MARK: I always knew I was semi-sarcastic and don’t take things seriously, but by trying to make her laugh the whole date I realized how sarcastic I actually am. AFTERMATCH: We, the PacificSD crew, entered last night’s blind date as skeptics, certain Diane’s psychic capabilities were a hoax. Now, we’re not so sure. For Christina’s reading, Diane seemed to be off the mark, so to speak, for at least this part: I feel, as far as health-wise, there’s nothing for her to be concerned about. Christina drank too much and fell down. Whether or not these occurrences were

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connected, healthy they’re not. But when it came to Mark, Diane was right on: There is going to be a long-distance journey that you are going to be taking, but you are not going to be traveling alone; you are going to be traveling with a companion. Kinda gives you the chills, right? How could Diane have known that Mark was going to take a trip — all the way to a casino at 55th and El Cajon Boulevard — with his trusty companion, the Epic Limo chauffeur? In one way or another, everyone got lucky in the end. The magazine crew got to party at FLUXX, Mark went to flirt

with Lady Luck, and Christina may finally get to kiss her “J” name. The future is bright… especially under the neon lights along Rosecrans Street in Point Loma.

THANK YOU! FLUXX NIGHTCLUB 500 4th Ave. Gaslamp 619.232.8100 f luxxsd.com