PACIFIC San Diego Magazine, February 2017 by Pacific San Diego Magazine

“THE BACHELOR’S”

BECCA TILLEY GETS LUCKY (IN LOVE) FEBRUARY 2017 PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

A NAKED PORN STAR AND HIS HEART-SHAPED BOX • FOURTEEN TABLES FOR TWO ON 2/14 • BLIND DATE, BOUDOIR-STYLE • OFF-AIR WITH KUSI’S LAUREN PHINNEY • FEELING VINE – URBAN WINERIES OFFER A GRAPE ESCAPE

ODDLY INFUSED with ROSE and CUCUMBER

PLEASE ENJOY THE UNUSUAL RESPONSIBLY

FEBRUARY

Ocean Views... as far as the eye can sea.

EDITOR’S NOTE A VALENTINE’S POEM

Virgin Territory

Outstanding oceanfront dining in the heart of Del Mar. Since 1968.

Poseidon on the beach 1670 Coast Blvd., Del Mar | (858) 755-9345 | poseidonrestaurant.com

WISHING YOU A

HAPPY NEW YEAR

IN SPAIN!

A virgin named Becca Graces the cover — Twice on “The Bachelor” But nary a lover. Her bucket list has Plenty of checks. But still there’s a blank In the space marked “sex.”

(SEE “ONE AMORE TIME,” PAGE 52.)

Then we have “Small Hands,” The bartender-turned-porn-star Who covers his junk With an electric guitar. (SEE “ROCK HARD,” PAGE 63.)

To introduce strangers And make their date cute, We had them disrobe For a boudoir shoot. (SEE “MODEL CITIZENS,” PAGE 106.)

Next, please meet Two bartenders who know That magic can happen Where cocktails flow. (SEE “POURING THEIR HEARTS OUT,” PAGE 94)

For couples on V-day, We have tables for two. They’re great spots for romance, And to say, “I love you.”

RESTAURANT & TAPAS BAR 353 Fifth Ave • San Diego • 619-233-5979 • CafeSevilla.com 10

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

(SEE “TWO MUCH,” PAGE 66.)

Sincerely,

Thank you for reading PACIFIC’s Sex/Love issue. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry… And you may need a tissue.

David Perloff, Editor-in-Chief

VOLUME #11 ISSUE #2 FEBRUARY 2017

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

David Perloff E D I TO R S

Leslie Hackett, Michael James Rocha C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R

Kenny Boyer M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Jennifer Ianni D I R E C TO R O F P H OTO G R A P H Y

John McCutchen O N L I N E E D I TO R

Michelle Dederko STA F F W R I T E R

Liz Bowen CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michael Benninger, Lisa Deaderick, Michelle Dederko, Laurie Delk, Brandon Hernández, Pam Kragen, Scott McDonald, Michele Parente, Karla Peterson, Sarah Pfledderer C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S

K.C. Alfred, Eduardo Contreras, Hayne Palmour, Rick Nocon P H OTO E D I TO R S

Alma Cesena, David Poller

PUBLISHER

David Perloff V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F SA L E S

Paul Ingegneri M U LT I M E D I A AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E S

Alyson Tietze, Jeremy Lang A DV E R T I S E R S E R V I C E S M A N AG E R

Edith Zamora D I ST R I B U T I O N M A N AG E R

Greg Johannsen

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A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE Reach America’s finest readers via print, web, social media, email, street team and events. Read, click, connect... BOOM! PACIFIC is a media property owned by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

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FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

@PACIFICSD

P A C I F I C R E A L E S T A T E M A R K E T W A T C H

NORTH PARK 92104 Three newly constructed condos (one detached, two attached) in desirable North Park. Open and bright floorplans include vaulted ceilings, skylights, wood floors, quartz and marble counters, stainless steel appliances, subway tile backsplash, central air and heat, recessed lighting, ceiling fans, modern design and a contemporary color palette. Tank-less water heater and oversized two-car garage for parking/storage. Balcony and/or patio/yard with each unit. Central location. 3741-3745 Louisiana St., North Park, CA 92104

MELISSA GOLDSTEIN TUCCI Broker/Realtor (R)

1820 Monroe Ave., San Diego, CA 92116, 619.787.6852, BRE # 01380034 MelissaTucci.com, Sold@MelissaTucci.com No. 1 ranked Coldwell Banker agent/broker and official real estate agent of the San Diego Padres.

MARKET UPDATE First-quarter 2017 is starting off strong, with many buyers purchasing in the marketplace despite increased interest rates. Positive forecasts reveal stability in the coming year, which influences a greater outcome and provides continual growth.

MARKET STATS (December 2016 data shown) Homes for sale: 53 Homes sold: 29 Highest price: $1,495,000 Lowest price: $247,000 Median home price: $638,781

CONTENTS

TWO.SEVENTEEN / FEATURES

F E AT U R E S 52 ONE AMORE TIME A two-time contestant from “The Bachelor” gets another chance at love

62 ROCK HARD A guitar-slinging porn star bares it all

FEBRUARY

ON THE COVER: Reality star Becca Tilley is wearing a Missguided velvet robe, $103, and shorts, $72, Vanessa Mooney tassel earrings, $68, Nordstrom Fashion Valley; Free People bralette, $38, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Simply Kasia moon necklace, $1890, Fendi fur heels, $1150, Neiman Marcus Fashion Valley. Photographed at The Fairmont Grand Del Mar by K.C. Alfred. ON THIS PAGE: Becca is wearing a Missguided bodysuit, $41, and Charlotte Simone fur jacket, $695, Nordstrom Fashion Valley; Giuseppe Zanotti sandals, $795, Neiman Marcus Fashion Valley; Love Tatum knockout ring, lovetatum.com; Simply Kasia webbing ring, $1200, petite diamond band, $800, nested diamond band, $900, simplykasia. com; Double Happiness Sela earrings, $100, doubehappinessjewelry. com. Photographed at The Fairmont Grand Del Mar by K.C. Alfred.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

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P A C I F I C R E A L E S T A T E M A R K E T W A T C H

DOWNTOWN 92101 This rare, upper-floor residence at the Harbor Club occupies half of the entire 36th floor. Soak in 180-degree panoramic views from the Coronado Bridge that span across San Diego’s glorious skyline and include direct views into Petco Park. This expansive split floorplan is ideal for entertaining, with an over-sized living space and a true master suite – with a large walk-in closet and en-suite bath. Newer Viking appliances, motorized window coverings and travertine floors accent this fabulous penthouse. One of Downtown San Diego’s most exclusive view properties in one of the most iconic luxury towers. A must-see. Watch the HD Video at welcometosandiego.com/harborclub3601 200 Harbor Dr., #3601, San Diego, CA 92101; $2,340,000

MARKET UPDATE Just having come out of the holiday season, the number of properties on the market is extremely low. With listings on the market hovering around 130, and an average of 78 properties selling per month, the cards are stacked for sellers right now. Buyers will have to be patient and work with local experts if they want to land the best properties in markets like this.

CHAD DANNECKER Welcome to San Diego Real Estate Dannecker & Associates 875 G. St., Ste. 108, San Diego, CA 92101, 619.356.3099, BRE#01459513 Chad@DanneckerandAssociates.com, @welcometosandiego.com, #welcometosandiego, @WelcometoSD

MARKET STATS (December 2016 data shown) Homes for sale: 125 Homes sold: 60 Highest price: $1,800,000 Lowest price: $288,000 Median home price: $547,000

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CONTENTS

ONE.SEVENTEEN / DEPARTMENTS

FEBRUARY

D E PA R T M E N T S CURRENTS 24 Two.Seventeen Event calendar 34 Laughing Stock February stand-up comedy shows PULSE 36 Art Beat February gallery & exhibition openings 42 Curtain Calls Performing arts preview 44 Reel Cool February motion picture preview 48 An Uppercut Above A nightly news anchor with a passion for punching TASTE 66 Two Much Where to eat when three’s a crowd 80 The Inn Crowd See what’s (and who’s) cooking in North County 86 Take it from the Tap A monthly taste of beer from here

News anchor Lauren Phinney of KUSI. Check page 48 for the full story. Photo by K.C. Alfred

88 Vine of the Times Urban wineries offer San Diegans a grape escape 94 Pouring Their Hearts Out PB bartenders find true love at The Local GROOVE 96 Sounds Like a Plan February concert calendar 104 Take a Spin Upcoming EDM and DJ shows LOVE 106 Model Citizens Perfect strangers pose for passion

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

WOMEN +WHISKEY

MEET TWO BARTENDERS WHO SAY YOU DON’T KNOW JACK UNTIL YOU MEET THEIR GENTLEMAN. BARTENDER: SONJA BENAVIDES VENUE: THE OFFICE BAR THE OFFICE BAR 3936 30TH ST., NORTH PARK 619.450.6632 THEOFFICEBARSD.COM

Where are you from? SONJA BENAVIDES: San Diego. What’s awesome about The Office Bar? It’s a great neighborhood bar with no gimmicks or pretense. We have a great live music program and DJs every night of the week. So, anytime you stop by, there’s something going on. We also have the best happy hour. What cocktail are you making today? It’s called The New Girl – Gentleman Jack, Coochi Rose and Amaro Nonino with orange zest and luxardo cherry, and dash Aztec Chocolate Bitters. What do you love about whiskey? Whiskey is a great sipping spirit, but is also great with food. When did you become a whiskey lover? I first started trying more whiskey when I lived and worked in the industry in San Francisco. The city has tons of great restaurants, and whiskey cocktails always added to the food. What advice do you have for whiskey newbies? Go slow. Whiskey is meant to be sipped slowly, with food or on its own. It can hit you hard, if you are not used to it.

BARTENDER: TIANA SELVIN VENUE: barleymash barleymash 600 FIFTH AVE. GASLAMP 619.255.7373, BARLEYMASH.COM

Where are you from? TIANA SELVIN: I’m from all over. I grew up a military brat, so I lived in a lot of different places. San Diego is actually the longest I’ve ever lived anywhere. What’s awesome about barleymash? One of the awesome things about us is that we offer something for everyone. We have 30 beers on tap, and an extensive cocktail and spirits list. Our food is great, too. You can come in and enjoy yourself dressed to the nines for craft cocktails and dancing, or, if you’re feeling more relaxed, you can come in for a beer and a burger. Everyone is welcome. What cocktail are you making today? My cocktail is called the Gentleman’s Club. It has cream de cacao and a really good coconut liqueur. It’s a takeoff of an old classic cocktail called a Trinidad Sour – lots of bitters, but really well-balanced with the chocolate and coconut flavors. What do you love about whiskey? There are so many great things about whiskey. For one, it can go with any mood and be manipulated to fit any occasion. If you’re looking for something direct, an Old Fashioned might fit the bill. Feeling like a more refreshing cocktail? A Whiskey Sour could cream your Twinkie. Even whiskey and soda water is a great match. It literally goes with everything. When did you become a whiskey lover? Honestly, I was a whiskey lover right off the bat. I grew up with a very big and social family, and whiskey was definitely a spirit of choice. My first drink ordered at a bar was a whiskey and coke. As I got older and started in the bartending world, I fell more and more in love with it. Here at barley, we have over 100 whiskeys to choose from, so I got the opportunity to really delve into the whiskey world. There are so many varieties and taste profiles. As I mentioned before, I can use whiskey for so many cocktails to fit so many occasions. Whiskey is truly a chameleon. What advice do you have for whiskey newbies? The best advice is to try as many as you can. Know what you like as far as sweet, smoky, smooth, spicy. It can be easier to introduce whiskey, if you try it in a cocktail first versus neat or on the rocks. There are so many flavor profiles, so I would say to find one that you like and look into trying ones that have a similar build. barleymash is a great place for beginners. We have tons of options, a very knowledgeable staff and, Monday through Friday, we have happy hour, and you can try them half-off.

CURRENTS

TWO.SEVENTEEN / EVENTS

FEBRUARY

BY MICHELLE DEDERKO

2.19 JUMP START YOUR HEART 5K K.C. ALFRED

Mission Bay Park, Mission Bay, jumpstartyourheartsd.com Run a 5K around Mission Bay and enjoy beers at the finish line to help raise money and awareness for The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heart Foundation. >>>

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

2.1-28 MUSEUM MONTH Various museums, sandiegomuseumcouncil.org Explore more than 40 museums for half-price during San Diego Museum Month. Discount passes are available (beginning Feb. 1) at any of Macy’s 14 locations in San Diego, Temecula and Imperial Valley.

FERMENTERS CLUB

2.4 SAN DIEGO FERMENTATION FESTIVAL Waterfront Park, downtown, sandiegofermentationfestival.com Learn about fermented foods, kombucha and beer at this outdoor community festival.

2.11-12 SAN DIEGO CHINESE NEW YEAR FAIR Third Avenue and J Street, downtown, sdcny.weebly.com Celebrate the year of the rooster at the Chinese New Year Fair, featuring dance, cultural performances and quintessential Chinese market street food.

2.11 MARDI GRAS 5K, 10K AND HALF MARATHON Mission Bay, wiz-events.com Follow a course along Mission Bay with a costumed crowd sporting masks and beads.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

2.12 CORONADO VALENTINE’S DAY 10K/5K/1 MILE FUN RUN Tidelands Park, Coronado, active.com Wear a bib that says “available,” “taken” or “it’s complicated” while running this matchmaking Valentine’s Day race. >>>

CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

2.17-20 SAN DIEGO COMIC FEST Four Points by Sheraton, sdcomicfest.org Mingle with comic book fans, artists and creators at an event billed as “the friendly, intimate comic-con experience.”

H AY N E PA L M O U R I V

2.18 GUACAMOLE BOWL Balboa Park Club, Balboa Park, guacamolebowl.com Grab a bag of tortilla chips, taste an array of guacamoles and vote for the winner of the coveted Guacamole Cup.

2.18-19 TRIBUTE TO THE REGGAE LEGENDS

P E G G Y P E AT T I E

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

WorldBeat Cultural Center, Balboa Park, tributetothelegends.com The smoky sounds of Israel Vibration, The Roots Radics and many other reggae acts provide the musical backdrop for a celebration of the life, work and birthday of Bob Marley (born Feb. 6, 1945). >>>

2.18 THE ULTIMATE WINE RUN NTC Park at Liberty Station, Point Loma, theultimatewinerun.com This 5K kicks off with a wine tasting followed by a run, more wine, a dance party, more wine and food trucks (and more wine).

CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

2.18 MONSTER JAM

SHAWN T HANCOCK

Petco Park, East Village, mlb.com High-octane action fills Petco Park as the world’s top Monster Truck drivers compete for cash, glory and adrenaline rushes.

2.18 C O U R T E S Y R A N C H O C O A S TA L H U M A N E S O C I E T Y

SAN DIEGO WINTER BREW FEST San Diego Hall of Champions, Balboa Park, sandiegobrewfest.com Fill ’er up with beer samples from more than 30 California craft breweries as local bands fill the space with live music.

2.18

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

2.18 W W W. A R R OY O P H O T O S . C O M

PHOTO COURTESY VISIT ESCONDIDO

K.C. ALFRED

Qualcomm Stadium, Mission Valley, epicseriesocr.com Obstacles of epic proportions line a twomile course for all levels of daredevils.

JARED GASE

EPIC SERIES OBSTACLE CHALLENGE

5K PAW WALK IN THE GARDEN

San Diego Botanic Garden, Encinitas, sdbgarden.org/pawwalk.htm Tails wag during the one day each year when dogs are allowed into the San Diego Botanic Garden. >>>

CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

MISAEL VIRGEN

2.19 WEDDING PARTY EXPO US Grant Hotel, downtown, sandiego weddingparty.com The ultimate wedding expo showcases nuptial trends in cakes, dresses, DJs and more.

COURTESY CECEPHOTO.COM

2.19 TANTRUMS & TIARAS BATTLE OF THE BAR QUEENS SEAN M. HAFFEY

The Observatory, North Park, tantrumstiaras.org Novice drag queens from the Hillcrest hospitality scene compete in a hilarious pageant benefiting the San Diego LGBT Community Center.

2.28 SAN DIEGO MARDI GRAS PARADE AND CELEBRATION Gaslamp Quarter, sdmardigras.com Beads, booze and a boatload of Mardi Gras floats make this the biggest Fat Tuesday parade on the West Coast.

2.25 SAN DIEGO TATER TOTS & BEER FESTIVAL

2.20 DEEPAK CHOPRA

P E G G Y P E AT T I E

Shiley Theatre, University of San Diego, warwicks.com The pioneer of integrative medicine and personal transformation will share insights from his latest book, You Are the Universe.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

Balboa Park, tatertotfestival.com Tater tot, beer, repeat.

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Mission Bay Park

Professionally-Timed 5K | 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk BENEFITING

S P O N S O R E D I N PA R T B Y

UndyRunWalk.org SanDiego8x4.75ad.indd 1

1/18/17 11:03 AM @PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017 33

CU R R E N T S COMEDY

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

2.17

PENN & TELLER “IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE BIBLE CONTAINS EQUAL AMOUNTS OF FACT, HISTORY AND PIZZA.” — Penn Jillette in “God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales” @ Harrah’s Resort SoCal - The Events Center, caesars.com/harrahs-socal

LAUGHING STOCK FEBRUARY STAND-UP COMEDY SHOWS

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

“I JUST READ THAT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, THEY OFFERED HIM $12 MILLION TO DO A CHRYSLER COMMERCIAL. HE TURNED IT DOWN. HE MUST HAVE A LOT OF MONEY,

M I C H A E L R O B I N S O N C H AV E Z

2.10-11 Arsenio Hall

2.17-18 Whitney Cummings “I CAN’T TELL WHAT’S MORE ANNOYING: A MOM WHO CAN’T TEXT OR A MOM WHO CAN TEXT.”

2.23-25 Frankie Quinones “I’LL GET ON STAGE IN FRONT OF 200 PEOPLE I DON’T KNOW W/OUT A PROBLEM. YET I’M TOO INSECURE TO TAKE A SELFIE IF A SINGLE PERSON IS WATCHING.” — Frankie Quinones on Twitter @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

— Whitney Cummings on Twitter @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

2.2-4 Colin Kane BECAUSE FOR $12 MILLION I’D DO A COMMERCIAL FOR THE KU KLUX KLAN. I’D WEAR THE UNIFORM AND EVERYTHING.” — Arsenio Hall on Def Comedy Jam @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

J U S T I N S U L L I VA N / G E T T Y I M A G E S

— Colin Kane on Andrew Dice Clay Presents The Blue Show @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

T R OY C O N R A D

— Dean Delray on Stand-Up on the Spot: The Improvised StandUp Show with Jeremiah Watkins @ The Comedy Store, lajolla. comedystore.com

2.24-25 Sarah Tiana “I CAN’T DATE AN IRISH GUY THAT DOESN’T DRINK. THAT’S LIKE DATING A MEXICAN THAT’S INFERTILE.” — Sarah Tiana on The Super Serious Show @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

2.18

2.3-4 Dean Delray “TEENAGERS... PEOPLE SAY THAT’S THE WORST PART OF THEIR LIFE. THAT WAS MY FAVORITE... BECAUSE YOU’RE JUST WALKING AROUND WITH A NEW BONER.”

FRANKIE LEAL

“YOU GOTTA TALK DIRTY. AND IF YOU TALK DIRTY, YOU GOTTA CHANGE IT UP. A LOT OF YOU WHITE GIRLS SAY THE SAME THING. YOU’LL BE LIKE, ‘I WANT TO TASTE YOU.’ YOU GOT TO CHANGE IT UP. JUST LOOK AT YOUR MAN TONIGHT, AND SAY, ‘BABY, STORM MY SH*TCAVE.’ ”

2.16 Billy Crystal “WOMEN NEED A REASON TO HAVE SEX. MEN JUST NEED A PLACE.” — Billy Crystal in City Slickers @ Jacobs Music Center’s Copley Symphony Hall, sandiegosymphony.org

Kristin Hensley & Jen Smedley (#imomsohard) “A LITTLE BARF ISN’T GONNA STOP ME FROM WEARING THESE PANTS. #momstyle #lit #onfleek #hipster” — @imomsohard on Twitter @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

PUlSE

ART BEAT / GALLERY & EXHIBIT OPENINGS

FEBRUARY

BY LISA DEADERICK

“MADE 2.11-3.4 YOU LOOK” DISTINCTION GALLERY 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido 760.707.2770, distinctionart.com Artist Scott Rohlfs presents his acrylic paintings of women in moody atmospheres, with elements of pop culture. >>> “Made You Look” by Scott Rohlfs.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

P U L S E A R T B E AT

2.3-2.26 “The Crow Show” THE STUDIO DOOR 3750 30th St., North Park 619.255.4920 thestudiodoor.com This annual show focuses on the meaning and symbolism of crows and ravens.

2.4-2.28 “Light & Sea” SOPHIE’S KENSINGTON GALLERY 4186 Adams Ave., Kensington 619.593.2205, stmsc.org Local artist Adrian Stewart attempts to capture the drama, light and mystery of the Pacific, the Caribbean and the North in his watercolor and gouache paintings.

2.4-5.29 “Prix Pictet: Disorder” MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.238.7559, mopa.org Twelve artists use photography to examine social and environmental issues — from mass production to the effects of war and natural disasters. >>>

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

CLOCKWISE (from top right): “Death’s Messenger” by Tina Dille; Photography by Maxim Dondyuk; “Snow and Bass Rock” by Adrian Stewart.

P U L S E A R T B E AT

2.10 “Miss Hokusai” (film) SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.232.7931, sdmart.org This fictionalized account tells the life story of the daughter of Katsushika Hokusai, the famed artist whose work inspired the Japanese art of anime.

2.10-2.28 “Strikes & Spares” SOPHIE’S ART GALLERY 109 Rea Ave., El Cajon 619.593.2205, stmsc.org Artists inject whimsy into mosaic pieces, covering bowling pins with broken pottery, glass and ceramic tiles.

2.11-4.9 “Every Which Way” SDSU DOWNTOWN GALLERY 725 W. Broadway, downtown, 619.501.6370, art.sdsu.edu This installment of the annual series, featuring San Diego State University faculty members and students, explores movement with works in varying media. Pieces range from interactive and playful to sobering sociopolitical statements.

2.11-3.26 “Boiling Process 5: Mythodologies” SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.236.0011, sandiego-art.org This group exhibition unites emerging artists from San Diego, Tijuana and Los Angeles in a show that emphasizes cultural dialogue.

2.11-5.21 “India and the Picturesque” MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.238.7559, mopa.org This exhibit spotlights 19th-century photographs of India’s people and landscapes, spotlighting a historic photographic legacy.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

CLOCKWISE (from top right): Movie stills from “Miss Hokusai”; “Soda-fired ceramics” by Richard Burkett; Installation by Luis Alonso Sanchez Varela “Paona, Parhbutti hill and tank, 1863 - 1870” by Samuel Bourne; “Bowling Pin” by Camaran Johnson

2.19-5.21 “Edge of the Ocean / A Group Show” SPARKS GALLERY 530 Sixth Ave., downtown, 619.696.1416, sparksgallery.com Paintings, sculptures and photographs portray artists’ interpretations of the San Diego coastline.

CLOCKWISE (from above): “Sirens” by Stephanie Bales; Ultimate Dinosaurs at the San Diego Natural History Museum; “Breton” by Donald Martiny

2.18-4.2 “Pittura A Macchia” MADISON GALLERY 1055 Wall St., Suite 100, La Jolla 858.459.0836, madisongalleries.com Pittura a Macchia (Italian for “patchy pictures”) features works that involve visible brushstrokes as a way to connect artists to their materials

2.25-9.4 “Ultimate Dinosaurs” SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.232.3821, sdnhm.org Dinosaurs that evolved in South America, Africa and Madagascar — and unfamiliar to most North Americans — are brought to life as fleshcovered beasts with help from virtual reality.

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

P U L S E PERFORMING ARTS

FEBRUARY PERFORMING ARTS 2.4-3.12 Picasso at the Lapin Agile THE OLD GLOBE THEATRE 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org Drink up what happens between the colliding egos of Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein in Steve Martin’s seasoned comedy set at Paris’ watering hole, The Lapin Agile, in 1904.

2.5 The Sleeping Beauty

2.10-26 9 to 5

BALBOA THEATRE 868 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp 619.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.org The Russian National Ballet Company performs this classy rendition of the tale of a princess condemned to die on her 16th birthday, but a good fairy intervenes and declares that she will merely sleep — until she is awoken by a prince’s kiss.

SPRECKELS THEATRE 121 Broadway, St. 600, downtown 619.235.9500, spreckels.net Fed up with the 1970s’ office bigotry, three female co-workers scheme to give their sexist boss the boot and take revenge — a storyline set to a score by Dolly Parton.

2.9-3.19 2.5 Minute Ride DIVERSIONARY THEATRE 4545 Park Blvd., Ste. 101, University Heights 619.220.0097, diversionary.org The solo show lends a look into the life of playwright Lisa Kron’s father, a Holocaust survivor. Follow his remembrances to Auschwitz, a Brooklyn wedding and an annual Ohio outing.

2.18, 21, 24, 26 Falstaff SAN DIEGO CIVIC THEATRE 1100 Third Ave., downtown 619.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.org The San Diego Opera paints a wholesome portrait of Shakespeare’s fictional character Sir John Falstaff. Follow the ornery old-timer’s comically pitiful pursuit of his favorite vices: food, women and wine.

2.18 Steam Powered Giraffe CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido 800.988.4253, artcenter.org Reprogram your senses to tune into the quirky cabaret rock sounds by this local robot act — or band guised as robots — including pantomime, puppetry, ballet, comedy sketches and multimedia visuals.

2.22-3.19 The Illusion NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Suite D, Solana Beach 858.481.1055, northcoastrep.org Get your fantastical fill from playwright Tony Kushner’s latest production, following a father’s search for his estranged son by seeking out a sorcerer.

2.17 Shaolin Warriors

BALBOA THEATRE 868 Fourth Ave., downtown, 619.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.org Choreographically tasteful yet truly deadly, this band of Kung Fu masters has a martial arts prowess comprising Buddhist meditation, balancing on metal spears and smashing marble slabs.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

BY SARAH PFLEDDERER

2.23-3.19 Sex with Strangers

2.23-3.26 The Blameless THE OLD GLOBE THEATRE 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org Bonded by warmth and humor found in tough love, the Garcia family tests its affinity when it welcomes to dinner a man related to a painful event from the past.

2.28 Super Shiny Sara

Complexions

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido 800.988.4253, artcenter.org Performing to the musical styling of Stevie Wonder, this dance troupe is renowned for celebrating and channeling its diversity, as shown in its choreography spanning ballet to hip-hop.

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

RACHEL NEVILLE PHOTOGRAPHY

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido 800.988.4253, artcenter.org When a magical bubble bath transports Sara into her Internet idol’s pool, she discovers that the teenage fashionista’s life isn’t all her online persona portrays. (Tip: Enjoy with your favorite tween.)

2.9 Contemporary Ballet

LYCEUM SPACE 79 Horton Plaza, downtown 619.544.1000, sdrep.org What ensues when online and offline identities intersect? Writers Olivia and Ethan traverse just this when their one-night stand evolves into a relationship and later resembles the cyber status, “It’s complicated.”

P U L S E

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

MOVIES

THE REEL DEAL FEBRUARY MOTION PICTURE PREVIEW

THE RED TURTLE ANIMATION | FANTASY Director: Michael Dudok de Wit IN SAN DIEGO THEATERS: FEB. 3 With music and sound effects — but no spoken dialogue — this animated film chronicles the life of a castaway who lands on an island inhabited by an enormous red turtle. >>>

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

P U L S E MOVIES

SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME Drama Director: Michael Carney Starring: RenĂŠe Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, Djimon Hounsou In theaters: Feb. 3 In an effort to save his faltering marriage, a remorseful art dealer befriends a menacing homeless man whom his wife sees in her dreams.

The Lego Batman Movie

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

RINGS Evil is reborn. Drama | Thriller Director: F. Javier GutiĂŠrrez Starring: Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz In theaters: Feb. 3 The latest installment in this frightening franchise features a young woman who becomes cursed while trying to stop her boyfriend from watching a video that kills the viewer after seven days.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

FIFTY SHADES DARKER

Never stab the devil in the back. Crime | Thriller Director: Chad Stahelski Starring: Keanu Reeves, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo In theaters: Feb. 10 A retired hitman reluctantly returns to the job when a onetime colleague attempts to usurp control of a secret society of international assassins.

Always be yourself ... unless you can be Batman. Animation | Adventure Director: Chris McKay Starring: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera In theaters: Feb. 10 In this comical take on the Batman mythos, an irreverent Bruce Wayne tries to keep his alter-ego in check while balancing supervillains on one hand and an adopted boy on the other.

Slip into something a shade darker. Drama | Romance Director: James Foley Starring: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Kim Basinger In theaters: Feb. 10 An oversexed businessman attempts to win back the woman who wounded him, when one of his former lovers threatens to tear the two apart.

Fist Fight

FIST FIGHT After school. Parking lot. It’s on. Comedy Director: Richie Keen Starring: Ice Cube, Charlie Day, Tracy Morgan In theaters: Feb. 17 A meek teacher struggles to survive an onslaught of senior pranks on the last day of school when he inadvertently pisses off the faculty’s most feared educator.

A CURE FOR WELLNESS Mystery | Drama Director: Gore Verbinski Starring: Dane Dehaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth In theaters: Feb. 17 After the CEO of a highprofile company sends a cryptic message to the business’s board, a talented up-and-comer agrees to visit the big boss at the eerie European wellness center where he’s holed up.

THE GREAT WALL

PATIENT ZERO

GET OUT

1,700 years to build. 5,500 miles long. What were they trying to keep out? Horror | Sci-Fi Director: Zhang Yimao Starring: Matt Damon, Andy Lau, Lu Han In theaters: Feb. 17 In this historical fantasy set in medieval China, a mercenary held captive at the Great Wall discovers the sinister reason the structure actually exists.

Drama | Action Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky Starring: Natalie Dormer, Matt Smith, Stanley Tucci In theaters: Feb. 17 After a cataclysmic pandemic transforms most of mankind into a sickening new species, it’s up to one asymptomatic man to communicate with the “Infected” and find a potential cure by locating Patient Zero.

Thriller | Horror Director: Jordan Peele Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Keith Stanfield In theaters: Feb. 24 In this directorial debut by Jordan Peele, a young black man joins his white girlfriend for a weekend at her family’s home and quickly learns the terrible truth behind their goodnatured exterior.

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

P U L S E A N C H O R S AWAY

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

ANCHORS AWAY LOCAL TV PERSONALITIES, AWAY FROM THE STUDIO.

AN UPPERCUT ABOVE A NIGHTLY NEWS ANCHOR WITH A PASSION FOR PUNCHING

When she isn’t in front of the camera for “KUSI News at 11” on KUSI-TV Channel 9/51, anchor Lauren Phinney runs, scuba dives and volunteers for various organizations. But her true love (not counting her 9-month-old son) is boxing. PACIFIC: When did you pick up boxing? LAUREN PHINNEY: I started boxing in 2011 with a personal trainer I met through one of my former co-anchors. I originally started doing CrossFit-type training with her, but she said I would love boxing as a workout. We started incorporating it into our workouts, and it quickly became my focus after a few weeks because I enjoyed it so much. >>>

PHOTOS BY K.C. ALFRED 48

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

INTERESTED IN TAKING THE PLUNGE INTO

R E C E I V E 3 0% O F F YO U R F I R S T 3 M O N TH S O F M E M B E R S H I P

84 0 G S TR E E T | S A N D I E G O , C A 9 2 10 1 | B E A R R E P U B L I C C R O S S F I T. C O M | 6 19. 4 5 0. 4 67 1 |

 / B E A R R E P U B L I C C R O S S F IT  / B E A R R E P U B L I C C F

P U L S E A N C H O R S AWAY

What do you like most about the sport? I like the mind-body connection of boxing — it’s a great workout for both. With other workouts, I would just dig down and use strength and endurance to get through the rough parts. But with boxing, I have to use my memory and keep my mind sharp to remember combos and react to what combination my trainer may call out. Does the mental side of boxing come into play outside the ring? I think any kind of physical activity is great for your mind and keeping you sharp. Obviously, in the news business, you have to keep a lot of facts stored in your brain, and I really do think boxing as an exercise has been great for keeping that skill honed. Where do you train? I currently train in my garage. Glamorous, right? My husband used to train Muay Thai (a form of kickboxing), and together we had a lot of gear when we moved to San Diego from Orange County. We never really found a permanent gym, so we set up a makeshift gym in the garage.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

something totally outside the box. Most of the gyms I’ve trained in previously didn’t have a ton of women, but it was a fun new way to stay in shape. I wore my pink gloves proudly. Do you spar with others or box competitively? I don’t spar with others — not that I’m opposed to trying — but I started really as a way to work out that was fun and mentally challenging. I did, however, have a former boss jokingly tell me, “No sparring, because black eyes don’t look good on TV.” Have you ever been injured while boxing? I’ve never been injured, but I was clipped in the shoulder once while holding mitts, and it reminded me why I’m OK working with a bag and not sparring. I also quickly learned wrapping my hands was important … and I need to keep my long nails a little shorter.

How would you describe your current boxing skills? I’m not trying to join a lightweight division or anything. I think I’m fast and I usually hear, “You’re stronger than you look.” I think that’s a compliment.

Has motherhood affected your practice? Motherhood has affected everything. Working out literally came to a halt during my pregnancy — I was super sick — and then, when my son arrived, I was exhausted for the typical first couple of months. Now that he’s 9 months, I’m starting to pick up on my workouts again. Thankfully, he sleeps through my workouts, even though the heavy bag is right under his nursery.

What are you most proud of regarding your boxing experience? I’m most proud of trying

Tune into Lauren Phinney’s news broadcast weekday evenings on KUSI-TV Channel 9/51.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY K.C. ALFRED WARDROBE BY KRISTI BROOKS HAIR AND MAKEUP BY EILEEN SANDOVAL PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: RYAN MILLER SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE FAIRMONT GRAND DEL MAR

ONE

Amore TIME

A TWO-TIME CONTESTANT FROM “THE BACHELOR” GETS ANOTHER CHANCE AT LOVE BY KARLA PETERSON

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

MISSGUIDED VELVET ROBE, $103, AND SHORTS, $72, VANESSA MOONEY TASSEL EARRINGS, $68, NORDSTROM FASHION VALLEY; FREE PEOPLE BRALETTES, $38, BLOOMINGDALEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FASHION VALLEY; SIMPLY KASIA MOON NECKLACE, $1,890, FENDI FUR HEELS, $1,150, NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY.

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

Was it the time she and her fellow contestants had to race through a muddy obstacle course while wearing wedding dresses? Nope. Or the time she had to help bachelor Ben officiate weddings at a Las Vegas wedding chapel? Not that, either — although she was a nervous wreck the whole time.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

Tilley did not plan on telling the whole reality TV world that she is a virgin. But when fellow contestant Ashley Iaconetti was in tears after telling Chris that she was a virgin, Tilley blurted out that she was, too. Once the confession was out of the bag, Tilley decided to own it. And she’s still owning it. “Robert and I have had a conversation about it, and having that conversation solidified the type of guy he is in my head,” Tilley explains. “It has never been a deal-breaker. Maybe I just surround myself with good men.”

A BETTER BREAKUP When she lost Chris before the final Rose Ceremony, Tilley was sad, but not surprised. She wasn’t ready for a relationship, and he knew it. But she was really into Ben, so when Bachelor No. 2 gave her the boot early in the season, Tilley turned to food, friends and Netflix. “I stayed on Ashley I.’s couch for two weeks,” Tilley says. “We had food delivered and watched ‘Scandal.’ I always say, ‘Surround yourself with girlfriends and family and let them be your support system. Go have a glass of wine and some junk food.’ ”

Tilley with Chris Soules during the Season 19 finale.

REAL (TV) LOVE? Thanks to her time on “The Bachelor,” Tilley has a gaggle of girlfriends, a lifestyle blog (beccatilleyblog.com) and the kind of travel opportunities that did not come her way when she was an assistant in a San Diego chiropractor’s office. But the best “The Bachelor” perk isn’t a perk, but a person. Robert Graham gets her, and that is worth more than a dozen Rose Ceremonies. “I’ve been single for so long, and I am so used to being independent, and he has handled that with so much patience and grace,” she says “I was nervous about our friendship being ruined, but he was persistent and he gave me space. I was being difficult, and one of my friends finally said, ‘Would you be upset if he dated someone else?’ And that was a quick ‘Yes’ for me.”

Tilley accepts a rose from Soules during Season 19.

ABC/RONDA CHURCHILL

WORST DATE, TV VERSION

THAT VIRGIN THING

ABC/RICK ROWELL

As her zillions of social-media followers know, Tilley loves her In-N-Out Burger splurges. (“That’s self-love,” she says with a grin.) But when it comes to a date that involves, say, other people, Tilley loves the Cinépolis luxury movie theaters in Del Mar, a day at the beach and any escape room at any time. “I am so obsessed,” Tilley says of the interactive adventure game craze. “Usually, I do it with a group. But when Robert said, ‘Let’s see if we can do one by ourselves,’ I was so happy.”

Becca Tilley with current “The Bachelor” star, Nick Viall.

A B C / N I C O L E KO H L

BEST DATE, REAL-LIFE VERSION

As it turns out, the worst “The Bachelor” dates were the group free-for-alls, where producers encouraged the women to drink as much champagne as possible and grab the bachelor’s divided attention by any means necessary. Gloves off, claws out, game on. “I remember the first night, and the producers were saying, ‘If you want to talk to Chris, you’re going to have to interrupt the other girls,’ and I just couldn’t. I was too uncomfortable,” Tilley says. “Group dates are terrible. You’re trying to be cool, but inside, you’re mortified.”

G E T T Y I M A G E S / D AV I D B E C K E R

he is a bad dancer and a reluctant romantic. Her idea of a fun date is an escape room. She is stubborn and independent, and if a guy takes her to Dave & Busters, she will totally whip his sorry butt in a game of arcade basketball. Obviously, two-time “The Bachelor” contestant Becca Tilley is not girlfriend material. Just ask Becca Tilley. “I am just terrible at this relationship thing,” says the 28-year-old Tilley, who appeared in the 2015 and 2016 editions of the ABC TV reality show. “I’m all, ‘Hey, do you want to go to an escape room with me?’ It’s not natural.” But let us not weep into our champagne on Tilley’s behalf. Although she did not find love with bachelors Chris Soules or Ben Higgins, the former San Diego resident has found her version of reality-TV romance. In November, Tilley officially told the world that she was truly, madly dating Robert Graham, who appeared in the 2013 season of “The Bachelorette” and the 2014 edition of “Bachelor in Paradise.” So, for the first time in forever, Tilley actually has a date for Valentine’s Day. She also has a wealth of hard-earned knowledge about love, romance and how to rebound from being dumped on television with more than 9 million people watching. From the comforting joys of junk food to the excruciating challenges of the “The Bachelor” group date, here are some bonbons from Tilley’s heart-shaped memory box. You know you can’t stop at one.

Tilley with Ben Higgins, “The Bachelor” from Season 20.

ELIE TAHARI BEADED BLOUSE, $598, NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY; AMUSE SOCIETY KNIT SHORTS, $52, VAN DE VORT, SHOPVANDEVORT.COM; DOUBLE HAPPINESS AVITAL EARRINGS, $125, DOUBLEHAPPINESSJEWELRY.COM, LOVE TATUM PRITE RING, $148, AND PEARL RING, $348, LOVETATUM.COM, SAINT LAURENT SANDALS, $995, NORDSTROM FASHION VALLEY.

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

LA PERLA LACE BODYSUIT,$325, FRAME LE SKINNY DENIM, $239, ALEXIS BITTAR PANTHER NECKLACE, $345, ALL NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY; DOUBLE HAPPINESS MOSAIC EARRINGS, $170, DOUBLEHAPPINESSJEWELRY.COM; ANITA K CHOKER, $60, VAN DE VORT, SHOPVANDEVORT.COM; JIMMY CHOO SANDALS, $895, NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

LEFT: MISSGUIDED BODYSUIT, $41, AND CHARLOTTE SIMONE FUR JACKET, $695, NORDSTROM FASHION VALLEY; GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI SANDALS, $795, NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY; LOVE TATUM KNOCKOUT RING, LOVETATUM. COM; SIMPLY KASIA WEBBING RING, $1,200, PETITE DIAMOND BAND, $800, NESTED DIAMOND BAND, $900, SIMPLYKASIA.COM; DOUBLE HAPPINESS SELA EARRINGS, $100, DOUBEHAPPINESS JEWELRY.COM.

RIGHT: OLIVACEOUS SHEER MAXI DRESS, $128, BLOOMINGDALEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FASHION VALLEY; LOVE TATUM AMETHYST EARRINGS, $48, LOVETATUM.COM; DOUBLE HAPPINESS MOSAIC CUFF, $215 DOUBLEHAPPINESS JEWELRY.COM; JIMMY CHOO SANDALS, $895, NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

PAM & GELA LEOPARD BOMBER JACKET, $295, ALC KNIT CROP TOP, $225, NORDSTROM FASHION VALLEY; FOR LOVE AND LEMONS CROCHET BRIEFS, $53, AND FRASIER STERLING LEOPARD CHOKER, $38, VAN DE VORT, SHOPVANDEVORT.COM; SIMPLY KASIA HOOP EARRINGS, $68, DIAMOND CRESCENT NECKLACE, $1,890 AND PETITE DIAMOND BAND, $800, PETITE BAGUETTE DIAMOND BAND, $980, AND ZIG ZAG BAGUETTE BAND, $990, SIMPLEKASIA.COM; FENDI FUR HEELS, $1,150, NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION VALLEY.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER PHOTOS BY EDUARDO CONTRERAS

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

ongtime PACIFIC readers may recognize Aaron Thompson from the September 2010 issue, in which the hard-rocking musician and bartender spoke about abandoning his religious upbringing in favor of slinging drinks to sinners at Analog and Vin de Syrah. As if that weren’t rebellious enough, the heavily tattooed Thompson has since taken another step away from the church by making a name for himself as a bona fide porn star. Born and raised in San Diego, Thompson worked as a graphic designer by day and moonlighted as a bartender until two years ago, when he moved to L.A. in pursuit of a full-time career in adult entertainment. It didn’t hurt that he was then dating his now-wife, Joanna Angel, an icon in the industry and a co-founder of Burning Angel, a video production company and website (BurningAngel.com) specializing in hardcore, punk rock porn. Today, Thompson works full-time in the industry, performing under the stage name “Small Hands,” a pseudonym derived from the modest size of his metacarpals with a wry reference to the myth about the size of a man’s hands (wink, wink, President Trump). He’s starred in more than 150 films for Burning Angel, Penthouse and other studios, though he’s not simply a dick for hire. Thompson also does all of the editing, art direction and graphic design for his wife’s company, and he composes soundtracks for Burning Angel’s movies as well. More than six years after our original interview, we spoke with Thompson about his transition from pouring doubles to double-penetrating.

HEADLINES THAT DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT SMALL HANDS, BIG HEART DICKING AROUND CHOCOLATE-COVERED NUTS THE NAKED TRUTH IT TAKES BALLS TO BE A PORN STAR GIVES GOOD HEAD(LINES) 64

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

What’s your favorite type of scene to shoot? My favorite is the stuff I work on for Burning Angel. Sometimes I’m in a scene with Joanna, sometimes I’m with other girls, but it’s kind of our home base. Those are my favorite scenes because they’re the ones that we pour our hearts into. She’ll write a script, and we’ll work on it together. Or I’ll write music for it, and we’ll cast it ourselves. Anything with our company is kind of my passion. Do you have a least favorite? I like to do scenes that are on couches or beds or things that people normally f*ck on in the real world. Shooting scenes outside on a rock in 10-degree weather when you’re freezing isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but you kind of have to treat it like a fun challenge and see if you can make it work. What’s the freakiest scene you’ve ever been a part of? A scene we did for a movie called Cindy, Queen of Hell. I was double-penetrating my wife with another man while we both had devil horns on in prosthetic makeup. It was set in the ’80s, and we were playing Satan and Satan’s Helper. It was pretty wild. And we shot it in a freaking airplane hangar. It was like 115 degrees that day. It was quite the challenge, but it was cool, and the scene ended up getting nominated at the 2016 AVN awards for the best double-penetration sex scene. How does boinking other people affect your marriage? I think it’s made our relationship stronger. Obviously, there’s context to that, and you can’t really explain it in a few sentences, but Joanna and I were together for almost two years before I did any films, and I would say that our bond has grown stronger over the course of this crazy life. What do you get paid per film? It ranges from $500 to $1,300 per film. How many people are usually on-set during filming? It really varies. The bigger the company, the bigger the production. Some of the big, big companies, it looks just like a Hollywood movie set with grips and multiple lighting guys and audio guys and PAs running around. And then there are some smaller companies where it might just be a makeup artist, a camera guy and a lighting guy. At minimum, there’s always a few, but I’ve been on

sets where there’s been 15, 20 people in the room. What does your family think of your chosen profession? They’re not into it. It’s something we don’t see eye to eye on, and that’s OK. Is there anything you’re unwilling to try? Not really. Part of being a male in this industry, and this is what Joanna always told me, is that if you’re a real guy who wants to do this, you should be able to do anything. Any girl, any time, any place, with any dumb outfit on and on any surface.

JEFF “TURBO” CORRIGAN

PACIFIC: What’s the best and worst thing about being a porn star? AARON THOMPSON: I have tons of sex with really awesome people and I get paid. And I have the love of my life that I’m married to. I don’t get to drink and party as much as I used to, because you have to be physically capable of the job. So, if there’s a downside, I guess I don’t party as much. But being healthy is kind of cool.

Aaron Thompson was Bartender of the Month (at SDCM’s Analog) in PACIFIC’s September 2010 issue.

If you could bang anyone in the world, who would it be? Taylor Swift. I’ve been a fan for years, but somehow I think her family-friendly image doesn’t quite vibe with mine. I doubt we’ll be running into each other at the same parties. How long do you plan on doing porn? Until people don’t want to see me do it anymore. Or until my dick breaks. Expose yourself to Thompson’s small hands (and then some) by typing BurningAngel.com into the nearest incognito tab, or by searching for “Small Hands” on Google. It’s a bit more extreme than The Bachelor, so don’t say we didn’t warn you.

“IF YOU’RE A REAL GUY WHO WANTS TO DO THIS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. ANY GIRL, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, WITH ANY DUMB OUTFIT ON AND ON ANY SURFACE.” @PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TASTE

DINING OUT / TWO MUCH

FEBRUARY

BY MICHELE PARENTE

Table for two at the Prado restaurant in Balboa Park.

h c o Tw Mu WHERE TO EAT WHEN THREE’S A CROWD

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

K.C. ALFRED

Couples looking for a culinary affair this Valentine’s Day can snag a reservation at one of San Diego’s most romantic restaurants and become those people. >>>

TA ST E DINING OUT

ou know, those people seated at the most romantic table in the house, lost in their own little world, locked in each other’s eyes, utterly infatuated/ in love/in lust. In honor of Feb. 14, here are 14 tables for two, a collection of the city’s snuggliest corners, coziest booths and most dazzling views. So lose yourselves in your own little world and let the romance begin. Just don’t forget to eat.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

A.R. VALENTIEN At this elegant, Craftsman-style dining room, request table 31, where you can nestle into the plush booth while enjoying the sensory pleasures of chef Jeff Jackson’s tasteful tasting menu. At The Lodge at Torrey Pines 11480 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla 858.777.6635, arvalentien.com

BICE Skip the table and grab two seats at this snazzy contemporary Italian spot’s intimate cheese bar, where sitting side by side opens up a whole world of romantic possibilities. And if there’s anything more luscious than the sweet tomato jam on your cheese board, we haven’t tasted it yet. 425 Island Ave., Gaslamp Quarter 619.239.2423, bicesandiego.com >>>

TA ST E DINING OUT

BO-BEAU

JEFFREY LAMONT BROWN

L’amour (as well as escargot and boeuf Bourguignon) is on le menu at this adorable French farmhouse-style bistro. Opt for a fireside patio table à deux or slip into a cozy corner in the stone-walled Bohemian Room. Finish with the “Goodnight Kiss” mini dessert martini. 4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., Ocean Beach. 619.224.2884, bobeaukitchen.com

K.C. ALFRED

CUSP A meal of sultry oysters, creamy lobster gnocchi and sticky s’mores chocolate ice cream cakes have all the makings of a romantic repast. But do you really need any more enticement than the made-for-two tables positioned right before the expansive ocean-view windows? At Hotel La Jolla,7955 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla 858.551.3620, cusprestaurant.com

EDDIE V’S Get your grown-up on at this sexy downtown supper club. Highwalled, sapphire-blue velvet booths (at tables 112 or 122) form a protective cocoon for you and your sweetie, while smooth-assilk live jazz from the lounge drowns out the rest of the world. At The Headquarters, 789 W. Harbor Drive, Marina District, 619.615.0281, eddiev.com >>>

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

GEORGE’S CALIFORNIA MODERN Does the idea of having a personal chef — in this case, flavor-whisperer Trey Foshee — create a meal just for you, and enjoying it at the best seat in the house at one of the best restaurants in town sound special? We thought so. Reserve TBLE3 for the experience. 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla 858.454.4244, georgesatthecove.com/california-modern K.C. ALFRED

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TA ST E DINING OUT

HERB & WOOD

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

K.C. ALFRED

This might be Little Italy’s see-and-be-seen hot spot, but a seductive night out for two calls for a reservation at “Herb’s Table.” Cloistered in this semi-private cushy corner with views of the kitchen and the full dining room, you’ll have eyes only for each other. (But check out the photo of Herb hanging over the table: That’s chef Brian Malarkey’s grandfather, Herb. Awww.) 2210 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy 619.955.8495, herbandwood.com >>>

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TA ST E DINING OUT

MISTER A’S Is it a coincidence that celebrating marriage proposals, wedding anniversaries and Valentine’s Day in this swoon-inducing setting is practically the law in San Diego? If you have to ask, you’ve never sat at tables 50 or 52, where your view of the city skyline and landing planes makes you feel up in the clouds. Vow to do so. 2550 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill, 619.239.1377, asrestaurant.com

ZACK BENSON

OCEANA COASTAL KITCHEN Let this California classic transport you to a tropical beach getaway. The booth at table 31 surrounds you with water — you’ll be right under a soothing blue aquarium and have the best views in the house of the swaying palms outside on Mission Bay. At Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa 3999 Mission Blvd., Mission Bay 858.539.8635, catamaranresort.com >>>

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

SUN - FRI 3-6PM

HAPPY HOUR (BAR AREA) SUNDAY - FRIDAY 3-6PM $3 - $6 SELECT SMALL PLATES BEERS & COCKTAILS $4 OFF GREEK WINES

TACO TUESDAYS (STARTING AT 4PM) $3 - $6 GREEK TACOS

WINE WEDNESDAYS (6 - 11PM) HALF OFF ALL BOTTLES OF WINE

Valentine’s Daa

IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL OVER HERE! ENJOY THE MENU (AND PRICES) YOU ALREADY KNOW & LOVE. CALL US TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION.

@GASLAMPMEZE

RESTAURANT | BAR | LOUNGE • 345 6TH AVENUE SAN DIEGO, CA 92101 • (619) 550-1600 • GASLAMPMEZE.COM

TA ST E DINING OUT

PACIFICA DEL MAR Here’s a place that gets romance right. Tables for two right in front of the stunning, picture-postcard ocean view? Check. Tables that are specifically built and angled in such a way that you can gaze at the sea without ever having to unlock your eyes from each other? Double-check. 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar 858.792.0476, pacificadelmar.com

PONSATY’S

PENG GE

Chef Patrick Ponsaty’s will tempt you with his menu (Oscetra Petrossian caviar, lacquered Maine lobster, côte de boeuf for two), and you’ll be seriously seduced at table 3, an ultraelegant private space with its own magical chandelier. 6106 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe 858.771.1871, ponsatys.com

K.C. ALFRED

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

THE PRADO Nothing could be more enchanting than a table under the twinkling nighttime lights of the patio at The Prado, surrounded by the dreamy beauty of Balboa Park. And who could resist an après-dinner smooch by the fountain in the enclosed courtyard? 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.557.9441, cohnrestaurants.com/theprado >>>

TA ST E DINING OUT

SOLARE

STARLITE Don your most fetching LBD or Zegna to dine at this visually alluring, retro-chic restaurant and lounge. Corner tables 22 and 27, with the luxe, tufted black leather booths, are the most popular date-night destinations, with vantage points of the entire stylish scene. 3175 India St., Mission Hills 619.358.9766, starlitesandiego.com

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

AMYKFELLOWS.COM

The whole world melts away when you’re seated at the private table, ensconced in your own little wine room. Lusty Italian dishes from chef Accursio Lotà, like the Rotondi al Cioccolato e Guance (handmade cocoa ravioli with braised Angus beef cheeks), guarantee a night of amore. At Liberty Station 2820 Roosevelt Road, Point Loma 619.270.9670, solarelounge.com

TA ST E

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

SEE WHAT’S (AND WHO’S) COOKING IN NORTH COUNTY

THE INN CROWD

CHEF PROFILE

ompeting on the Bravo network’s cooking series “Top Chef” may be tough, but cooking for the locals at Morada restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe has been no cake walk for three-time show alumnus Casey Thompson. The Napa Valley-based Thompson — a top competitor on this season’s “Top Chef,” filmed in Charleston, S.C. — has been working hard to please the discriminating customers of The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe since quietly taking its executive chef position six months ago. The Texas native said Rancho Santa Fe families dine at Morada up to three times a week, and meeting their tastes, budgets and children’s culinary whims requires a delicate balancing act. Take, for example, The Royce. The $13 entrée salad (a red leaf lettuce, bacon, avocado and ranch dressing assemblage named for the family who owned the resort from 1953 to 2012) has been the menu’s top-seller for decades. Switch up the plating, cut back on the avocado or mess with the dressing and the wrath of the Ranch will descend. Fortunately, Thompson’s Texas charm, creativity in the kitchen and flair for innovation have been winning over customers since word got out about her appointment. Thompson said she has no plans to revamp Morada into a two-star Michelin restaurant. “What we’re doing is meeting the needs of the community and embracing the warm charm of the environment here,” she said. Thompson trained under legendary chef Dean Fearing at the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. She was running a sushi restaurant the first time she competed on “Top Chef” in 2007, and had just opened another restaurant in Fort Worth when she returned for “Top Chef All-Stars” in 2011. In between, she established a permanent home base in Napa with her partner of

nine years, winemaker Michael DeSantis. A year ago, Jerome Strack, general manager for The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, called Thompson and asked her to do some consulting on his food operations. That morphed into an executive chef job in July. She splits her time — two weeks on, two weeks off — between the Inn and Napa. Strack met Thompson in 2012 when he needed a celebrity chef for his former hotel company and his wife (an avid “Top Chef” fan) suggested “fan favorite” Casey. Strack said Thompson’s greatest strengths are obvious to “Top Chef” watchers. “She can think on her toes,” he said. “Also, she’s very creative when it comes to dishes, and her food is pretty. She’s also very calm and very much into training her staff, which is what we need.” The Inn is gradually phasing in Thompson’s dishes, with her full menu set to debut before Valentine’s Day. It will roll out along with new staff uniforms, new dishes and a dining room refresh that will include booth seating, brighter colors and an embrace of the town’s equestrian history. The Royce salad hasn’t gone anywhere; nor have the comfort foods that regulars love, like meatloaf (now a Wagyu meatball) and fried chicken (now sous-vide-cooked and fried in duck fat). Thompson has supplemented the home-style items with her own Angus burger, Frito pie and brisket tacos, the last a favorite of resort co-owner (and fellow Texan) John Moores. “Top Chef” watchers can sample some of the dishes Thompson scored with this season, including her grits (paired with shrimp) and her challengewinning collards. For those visiting the Inn for special occasions, there’s much to enjoy beyond classic comfort foods, like Thompson’s olive-oil poached halibut and 72-hour braised short ribs. She still has more surprises up her sleeve and can’t say enough about the bounty of local produce at places such as nearby Chino Farm. “I would say my food is comfort California cuisine with elevated technique and presented in a beautiful way,” she said. “The California style means we have accessibility to so many beautiful proteins, produce and the sea. We’re really honoring sustainability and being a good chef to the community and the earth.” Morada at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe 5951 Linea del Cielo, Rancho Santa Fe 858.756.1131, theinnatrsf.com

BY PAM KRAGEN

“

I WOULD SAY MY FOOD IS COMFORT CALIFORNIA CUISINE WITH ELEVATED TECHNIQUE AND PRESENTED IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY

”

— CASEY THOMPSON

PHOTOS BY EDUARDO CONTRERAS

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TA ST E

BY BRANDON HERNÁNDEZ

BEER

TAKEIT FROM THETAP A MONTHLY TASTE OF BEER FROM HERE

MEET YOUR MAKER

Brewmaster Q&A

MATDTIRWECETBOSRTER RY OF BREWENS IO T A R E OP

MASON ALE WORKS

hen the owners of the Urge Gastropub family of North San Diego County restaurants decided to add a brewing component to its portfolio, it went with the name Mason Ale Works and appointed a former head brewer from San Marcos’ The Lost Abbey to head its fermentation program. That individual has since moved on. When replacing him, the business hired yet another former head brewer from San Marcos’ The Lost Abbey. His name is Mike Webster and he’s looking to honor the beers that are already in place while adding in a bit of his personal X factor. PACIFIC: How are you putting your stamp on Mason Ale Works? Matt Webster: My predecessors have done an awesome job putting an impressive lineup of beers in place. With

PHOTOS BY EDUARDO CONTRERAS 82

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

the brewing background I possess, we hope to continue making San Diegans proud with our hop-forward offerings, while keeping a focus on ensuring we offer a quality product. Plus, I can’t wait to fill some barrels so that we can bring beer lovers some new, provocative barrel-aged brews. What are some of the most exciting aspects of your new gig? I am stoked for the arrival of our (upcoming, large and multifaceted San Marcos brewpub), Urge Common House. This project has unlimited potential because it will have so much cool stuff under one roof. Not only will the brewery be there, but it will include a 350-seat restaurant, beer garden and eight-lane bowling alley. Urge Common House will allow Mason Ale Works the capability to not only provide more draft to more places, but we will also be canning beer for the market from this location. >>>

TA ST E BEER

T YOUR MAKER

MEE TER BREWMAS

DO ME A FLAVOR

new beers to cheers ABNORMAL NEW MONEY IPA

What exciting things are on the horizon for Mason Ale Works? We are on schedule to start brewing in San Marcos any day now, with the doors to the bar-and-restaurant component opening in March. Soon after that, we will look to expand the “Mason Snale Works” barrel program and start getting some wild-beer into barrels. There will be some funky oneoffs, and that’s exciting for all of us.

A beer-obsessed brewmaster hip to the new-wave fads infatuating the youngest members of the drinking public has crafted this evolving line of “Vermont-style” India pale ales celebrating the “haze craze.” Unlike most San Diego IPAs, they are unfiltered, leaving odoriferous polyphenols in suspension. That makes for hoppily wholesome beers delivering overwhelming botanical flavors and aromas driving home each edition’s unique hop characteristics. Juicy doesn’t even begin to describe these fruit-forward wonders. Abnormal Beer Company (at The Cork & Craft), 16990 Via Tazon, Rancho Bernardo, abnormalbeer.com

Who do you consider your top brewing-industry mentor? The Lost Abbey director of brewer operations, Tomme Arthur, has taught me infinite amounts about making amazing beers. I would not be the brewer I am today without his guidance and I will always be his No. 1 fan.

MASON ALE WORKS (Located inside Urge Gastropub & Whiskey Bank; brewery tours by appointment only) 2002 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside 760-429-7424, masonaleworks.com

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

BRADLEY SCHWEIT

What are some of your favorite local breweries? You really put a local brewer on the spot when you ask this type of question. I will always have a soft spot for The Lost Abbey; so many great offerings. Pizza Port has so much talent and history. We live next door to Karl Strauss, and their Mosaic Session Ale is the bomb. Alpine — ’nuff said. And I could make an argument that every beer that Societe makes is the best of that style in town.

BURGEON MIXED GREENS DOUBLE IPA Although devoid of health benefits, this series of imperial hop-bombs is so green in its taste and bouquet, it could be mistaken as the ale equivalent of a wellness shot. Six hop additions (which change every time this beer gets brewed for variety) ranging from the brew kettle to the fermentation tanks lend myriad fruity, tropical, grassy, piney, earthy and even winey flavors to this slightly sweet, impressively drinkable beer; a staple of this recent addition to the Carlsbad suds scene. Burgeon Beer Company, 6350 Yarrow Dr., Ste. C, Carlsbad, burgeonbeer.com >>>

BARREL REPUBLIC

TA ST E BEER

COMING TO A HEAD

what’s new in brew or coming soon

LET’S GO TO THE HOPS

FEBRUARY BEER EVENTS

INDIAN JOE BREWING COMPANY For two years, Luiseño tribesman Max Moran brewed seven days a week on a tiny system and, somehow, built one of the biggest cult followings of the dozen or so breweries in suds-saturated Vista. Then a dispute with his landlord forced him to hit the pause button and look for a new home. In doing so, Moran decided to up his operation dramatically, buying a much bigger brewhouse and installing it in a sprawling facility with a two-story, indoor-outdoor tasting room with a flat-out humongous flatscreen TV, proving that change can be a very good thing. 2123 Industrial Court, Vista, indianjoebrewing.com

FEB. 11 | BREWBIES CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL Adding to the appeal of supporting cancer charity, the Keep-A-Breast Foundation, are unique pink beers produced by dozens of SoCal breweries just for this fête, making this one of the best local beer events of the entire year. Bagby Beer Company, 601 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside, 1 p.m., brewbies.org

WILD BARREL BREWING COMPANY For the better part of a decade, Bill Sysak served as an ambassador of all-things-ale for Stone Brewing, but late last year he and fellow Stone expat Bill Sobieski started work on their own project, a San Marcos-based brewery that will primarily celebrate hoppy beers while getting straight to work on a barrel-aging program. Also percolating away is a series of stouts that will be infused with coffee extracted from a variety of javaroasters hailing from all across San Diego County. That should fit the Bill (both of them) quite nicely! 692 Rancheros Dr., San Marcos

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

FEB. 18 | WINTER BREW FEST Before the weather can fully return to its perpetual state of sunny and 75, close out the “cold season” with beers and atmosphere that can both be described as hardy and heartwarming at this annual festival in the heart of Balboa Park. San Diego Hall of Champions, 2131 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park; 6 p.m. VIP, 7 p.m. general admission, sandiegobrewfest.com

401 G street | 619.230.8606 | @tinroofsandiego

Bill Howe Plumbing • Heating & Air Conditioning • Restoration & Flood Services 9085 Aero Dr., Ste. B, San Diego, CA 92123 • 1.800.Bill Howe (800.245.5469) • billhowe.com/employment

We’re hiring. Veteran- and woman-owned • career-advancement opportunities • competitive beneﬁts

If you’re self-motivated and have 3+ years experience, apply in-person or online. Lic #488413, #906704, #970643

Bill Howe is hiring: Experienced plumbers HVAC service + repair techs Water damage + reconstruction specialists

Beneﬁts include: Great pay Phone + gas card Uniforms + tools Medical + 401K Fully stocked vehicle Comradery + so much more

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TA ST E DRINK

EDUARDO CONTRERAS

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

BY LAURIE DELK

Adam Carruth, owner of Carruth Cellars in Solana Beach and Carlsbad

EDUARDO CONTRERAS

OF THE

TIMES

URBAN WINERIES OFFER SAN DIEGANS A GRAPE ESCAPE

s craft breweries continue to dot the local landscape, urban wineries are also having a moment. (Next up for the city will be an onslaught of new distilleries.) Their artisanal explosion means grapes from around the state and across the nation are being turned into wine right here in San Diego. The San Diego Urban Wineries (sdurbanwineries.com) alliance, which offers a $35 vino passport good for tastings at 11 local wineries, now has more than a dozen member vintners. Among them is Adam Carruth, who grew up in San Diego, began a beverage career in beer before making wine in his backyard and is now poppin’ bottles at Carruth Cellars locations in Solana Beach and Carlsbad. PACIFIC: What’s awesome about urban wineries? ADAM CARRUTH: Urban wineries are bringing the winetasting experience to your backyard. We are bringing grapes from all sorts of regions — whether it be NorCal, San Diego, even other countries — and trucking them into city limits. At Carruth, we are making Sonoma wines by the beach, so now you don’t have to go all the way to Sonoma to get that wine-tasting experience you are craving or that style of wine that you love. >>>

“

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO SONOMA TO GET THAT WINE-TASTING EXPERIENCE YOU ARE CRAVING. —ADAM CARRUTH

”

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TA ST E DRINK

, HOORAY! p i , p i S S CHEERS TO MAKING POUR DECISIONS AT S.D.’S URBAN WINERIES

ABNORMAL WINE COMPANY

Tucked into a Rancho Bernardo industrial park, this winery is set within a restaurant, alongside Abnormal Beer Company’s brewing operation. Popular varietals include malbec, zinfandel, chardonnay and a chocolate berry port. 16990 Via Tazon, Rancho Bernardo 858.618.2463, abnormalwine.com B.

EDUARDO CONTRERAS

VINE OF THE TIMES As we approach Valentine’s Day, does wine play into dating and love? Have you seen our bottle of FourPlay? The label says it all. (Editor’s note: The label for FourPlay, a North Coast blend, reads: “Fourplay consists of intimate acts between four grape varietals to create arousal and desire for the next sip. Warning: this wine lowers inhibitions and increases emotional intimacy between the consumer and others.”) Can wine be sexy? Yes. Sometimes it’s the mouthfeel of a wine — perhaps it’s velvety or viscous. You’ve heard “this wine has nice legs.” What’s the sexiest varietal?

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

Petite Sirah. It’s velvety, it’s rich, it pairs well with chocolate and can be sipped on its own. It doesn’t need food to help carry it. When you think of it like that, it’s as if Petite Sirah is foreplay. I’d also like to point out that that it is one of the varietals in our FourPlay blend — no plug intended. How did you get into winemaking? It was a combination of wanting to make something with my own two hands and alcoholism. CARRUTH CELLARS 118 S. Cedros Ave., #C, Solana Beach 2727 State St., #110, Carlsbad 858.847.9463 carruthcellars.com

BK CELLARS

Located in Escondido’s historic vineyard district, BK Cellars is the first winery to receive a license within city limits in 80 years. The grapes used here come from locales across California, including nearby Temecula. 2225 Barham Drive, Suite D, Escondido 760.270.9851, bkcellars.com C.

BLUE DOOR WINERY

Promising “a sizeable pinch of wonder and romance,” this Morena Boulevard winery encourages patrons to watch and participate in the winemaking process. Winemaking tips for home projects are available to go. 4060 Morena Blvd., Bay Ho 858.274.4292, thebluedoorwinery.com D.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT WINE

Offering flavors including mango, pineapple, pomegranate and pumpkin spice, California Fruit Wines invites San Diegans to “Join us on a journey of your taste buds and prepare to expand your horizon” at its new tasting room at the site of the former Vinavanti Urban Winery. 1477 University Ave., Hillcrest 877.484.6282, californiafruitwine.com

CARRUTH CELLARS

See Adam Carruth’s interview on page 88. F.

GIANNI BUONOMO VINTNERS

Sourcing grapes from Rattlesnake Hills in Washington state, Gianni Buonomo Vintners focuses on a variety of grapes (including cabernet, syrah, mourvedre, petit verdot) in its blends. Its single-varietal offerings include Sangiovese and Blaufränkisch. Look for interesting soil, climate and history notes on the company’s website. 4836 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach 619.991.9911, gbvintners.com G.

KOI ZEN CELLARS

Promoting the hashtag #UncorkSipBackRelax, Koi Zen aims to create “a space where one can take a break from life, reconnect with people and have really great wine without traveling very far.” Its eight-part wine-tasting series helps would-be connoisseurs understand a wine’s bouquet, ratings and more. 12225 World Trade Dr., Ste. P, Carmel Mountain Ranch 858.381.2675, koizencellars.com H.

LJ CRAFTED WINES

Producing elegant whites, reds and rosés from Napa Valley and Sonoma, owner Lowell Joost has more than two decades of winemaking experience, which began at Klein Constantia, his family’s famed estate in South Africa. The winery promotes sustainability through its wine-growler and bottle-redemption programs. 5621 La Jolla Blvd., Bird Rock, La Jolla 858.551.8890 ljcraftedwines.com >>>

C. D.

NANCEE E. LEWIS

A. G.

LISA K MILLER

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

TA ST E DRINK

SIP, SIP HOORAY! I.

NÉGOCIANT WINERY

SAN PASQUAL

Among San Diego’s first urban wineries, San Pasqual produces fruit and traditional-grape wines in three locations: one in Seaport Village, two in La Mesa. Its award-winning malbec represented California in a competition held in Cahors, France, the traditional home of the varietal. 805 W. Harbor Dr., Marina District, 619.544.9463 8364 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, 619.462.1797 8140 Center St., La Mesa, 619.469.9463 sanpasqualwinery.com K.

A N DY M C R O R Y

The first and only urban winery in North Park, Négociant sources its grapes from regions in California and Washington state. Look for popular varietals of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and zinfandel, along with blends and more unique varietals of Touriga Nacional and Nebbiolo. 2419 El Cajon Blvd. B, North Park 619.535.1747, negociantwinery.com

SOLTERRA WINERY & KITCHEN

2PLANK VINEYARDS

Snowboarders sometimes refer to two skiers as “two plankers.” Although the term may be derogative on the slopes, it stands for top quality from this Fallbrook vineyard that operates a winery and tasting room in Vista. 2379 La Mirada Dr., Vista 858.500.7757, 2plankvineyards.com M.

W AY N E S W A N S O N

Located a few blocks from the beach, this North County winery offers reds, whites, rosés and dessert wines, which pair nicely with the venue’s bustling happy hour and full brunch, lunch and dinner menus. 934 N. Coast Highway 101, Leucadia, Encinitas 760.230.2970, solterrawinery.com

VESPER VINEYARDS

Named among the “2014 Winemakers to Watch” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Vesper Vineyards produces wines that are offered at upperechelon San Diego restaurants including Coasterra on Harbor Island and Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in Rancho Santa Fe. 298 Enterprise St., Ste. D, Escondido 760.749.1300, vespervineyards.com N.

WITCH CREEK WINERY

One of San Diego’s oldest urban wineries, the recently renovated Witch Creek Winery produces up to 26 wines per year — and it has been filling wine glasses since 1993. 2906 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad, 760.720.7499 2000 Main St., Ste. 106, Julian, 760.765.2023 witchcreekwinery.com

With 18 years in the restaurant and beverage industry and more than 850 reviews under her belt, Laurie Delk is a one-stop guide to all things craft beer, wine and spirits. You can follow Delk on Twitter @100beers30days or Instagram @sandiegobeer. Send ideas for featured drinks to lauriedelk101@gmail.com.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

TA ST E BARTENDER

g n i r u o P Their s t r a e H Out PB BARTENDERS FIND TRUE LOVE AT THE LOCAL

PORTRAITS BY HAYNE PALMOUR

inding a fling at a Pacific Beach bar isn’t exactly unheard of, but when two neighborhood bartenders stumble upon true love at a local venue, it’s definitely cause for celebration. Just ask Tavern at the Beach’s Kasi Klapakis and The Local Pacific Beach’s Scott Ennis. After first laying eyes on each other in 2014, these hospitality heroes hit it off and are now wading through the depths of wedding planning.

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

PACIFIC: How did you two meet? SCOTT: It was at The Local on a Tuesday, maybe a Wednesday, three years ago in September. I was working, and she came in with a friend. I was very attracted to her smile and her eyes. She came in a few other times the first couple of months after opening. I like to say she was stalking me, but she probably wasn’t. KASI: We met two and a half years ago at the Local in PB. I was out with a couple of my girlfriends for dinner, and he was our bartender. His service could have been a little better.

What first attracted you to your spouse-to-be? SCOTT: She has this energy about her that is just very, very contagious. When she smiles, it lights up a room. That’s honestly how I felt when I first saw her, and I hadn’t ever had that happen before. KASI: That toosh is hard to miss, but there is this kindness in his eyes I saw when we first met that night. What did you do for your first date? SCOTT: Probably something casual at Bub’s. We’re very into the wings.

KASI: Technically, our first date was at Dirty Birds. We definitely share a passionate love for wings. How did the proposal go? SCOTT: It was the day after our first anniversary, on Labor Day weekend. We went to Windansea (Beach), and I took her off on one of the little finger rocks with the ring in my pocket. I had this whole thing planned in my head, and then I got out there, and it just melted. I still have no idea what I said. I remember being down on one knee and giving her the ring. What was really funny was that

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

know we’re not just talking to that pack of girls or pack of guys because we want to. It’s our job. That, mixed with the hours, and it’s been nice. KASI: We both understand a bartender’s life — the late hours, how the way you interact with patrons determines the tips, et cetera. We understand how it is, which makes our relationship stronger. We have the utmost trust in each other.

Kasi Klapakis mixes it up behind the bar at Tavern at the Beach.

it was Labor Day weekend, and I didn’t think about that. The beach was packed. She said yes, and everybody cheered. Then I had her parents and my mom walk down and surprise her. That was a really cool moment. KASI: It was amazing. I had no idea what was happening, but his brother was with us and was in such a rush to get to the beach. I just kept thinking, “Why are they in such a rush? The beach will still be there when we get there.”

Scott Ennis, tending bar at The Local Pacific Beach.

What’s the best thing about being in a relationship with a bartender? SCOTT: We’re paid to put on a show, and some people who aren’t in the industry don’t understand that. They don’t understand that I’m supposed to flirt, that I have to flirt. The nice thing is that we can be comfortable when the other person comes in, because they know what we’re doing. They

—SCOTT

Who’s the better bartender? SCOTT: Oh, me. Guaranteed. KASI: I think we can both agree who the better bartender is. Does your betrothed have any bar skills you admire? SCOTT: She’s incredible at multitasking. She’ll be muddling six Old Fashioneds, then turn right around and slam out a couple vodka Red Bulls, then pour some beers. KASI: He has this amazing ability to shed pieces of clothing as the night progresses. It must get warm working so hard. If your fiancé/fiancée were a drink, what would it be? SCOTT: She’d be a double, extra dirty vodka martini — shaken, and with blue cheese-stuffed olives. KASI: He’d be a shot of Jameson and a water, because he loves to live life and have fun, but he is very smart and always tells people, especially me, to hydrate. The Ennis-Klapakis wedding is

JIM SLOAN

What’s your role in planning the wedding? SCOTT: Saying “yes.” I think I’ve stepped it up a bit lately, because Kasi has a day job and doesn’t have as much time as I do. So I’ve been sending out the emails and

setting up the hotels, rehearsals, photographers and stuff like that. KASI: We don’t have a planner, so it’s a good thing I have a background in events. Scott’s been such a great help and wanting to make this as stress-less as possible for me. Definitely a team effort.

Are there downsides? SCOTT: You drink a lot. There’s always something. With the two of us, I’m getting text messages to go out, and she’s getting text messages to go, too. So, if we both don’t go, it’s like sh*t, we’re assholes. They’re all fun events, but sometimes you just want a break. KASI: The late hours and when we have conflicting schedules. It makes it more difficult to spend more time together.

“

WHAT WAS REALLY FUNNY WAS THAT IT WAS LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AND I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT THAT. THE BEACH WAS PACKED. SHE SAID YES, AND EVERYBODY CHEERED.”

set for September in San Marcos. According to Kasi, “It will be one for the books.” THE LOCAL PACIFIC BEACH 809 Thomas Ave., Pacific Beach 858.263.7475, thelocalpb.com TAVERN AT THE BEACH 1200 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach 858.272.6066, tavernathebeach.com

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

GROOVE

SOUND DECISIONS / CONCERT CALENDAR

DR A M @ MUSIC BOX MUSICBOXSD.COM

2.9

Virginia rapper D.R.A.M. (aka Shelley Massenburg-Smith) released his debut full length, “Big Baby D.R.A.M.,” in October. It features the hit “Broccoli” with Lil Yachty, as well as appearances from Erykah Badu and Young Thug. >>>

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

FEBRUARY

BY SCOTT MCDONALD

G R O OV E

BY SCOTT MCDONALD

SOUND DECISIONS

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN A.

2.3: Metalachi

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com The self-proclaimed “World’s First and Only Heavy Metal Mariachi Band” blends comedy and multigenre musicianship for an allencompassing show.

FEBRUARY CONCERT CALENDAR

B. 2.3: Paul Stanley’s Soul Station

C. 2.3: Dashboard Confessional

@ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Longtime Kiss frontman “the Starchild” ditches the makeup and guitar playing for a night of re-worked R&B and soul classics, complete with backup singers and horns.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/ sandiego After last releasing a DC full-length album in 2009, and most recently fronting the folk quintet Twin Forks, Chris Carrabba is back to get all emo with fans again.

2.8: Juicy J

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/ sandiego A founding member of Three 6 Mafia, the rapper from Memphis, Tenn., is back with his fourth solo album (and first in four years), “Rubba Band Business.” It features collaborations with Travis Scott and Kanye West.

E. 2.9: The Lemon Twigs

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Fun fact: The Lemon Twigs’ New York-based teenage siblings Brian and Michael D’Addario were child actors before releasing music. Their latest album, “Do Hollywood,” was produced by Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado.

SCOTT HARRISON

BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET

2.10

@ BALBOA THEATRE, SANDIEGOTHEATRES.ORG

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

E R I C R YA N A N D E R S O N

One of the greatest jazz bands working today will join forces with special Grammy Award-winning guest vocalist Kurt Elling for a night of music that will break through the barriers of the Great American Songbook. >>>

G R O OV E SOUND DECISIONS

FEBRUARY CONCERT CALENDAR

2.11: SOJA

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com The East Coast reggae collaborative makes another San Diego stop after releasing their first concert album, “SOJA: Live in Virginia” — which has garnered the band its second Grammy nomination.

2.11: Wax Tailor

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com French producer JeanChristophe Le Saoût (aka Wax Tailor) returns to Southern California with a new album in hand — October’s “By Any Beats Necessary.”

C. 2.11: The Chain Gang of 1974

@ The Hideout, thehideoutsd. wordpress.com It’s a one-man gang for L.A.-based musician and DJ Kamtin Mohager. His recent single, “I Still Wonder,” was released in September.

2.17: Crocodiles

@ The Hideout, thehideoutsd. wordpress.com At one time San Diego’s coolest rock exports, the now globetrotting musical pair of Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell released their sixth fulllength album, “Dreamless,” in October.

2.17: Cut Chemist

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com The Ozomatli and Jurassic 5 veteran was last here with DJ Shadow, playing records from the collection of Afrika Bambaataa. This time around, the DJ and producer will be spinning one of his own curated sets.

ERYKAH BADU 2.17

@ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYSD.COM Badu headed to the Observatory? C’mon, man. That’s all you should need to know. >>>

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DAVID DUCHOVNY @ MUSIC BOX, MUSICBOXSD.COM The truth really is out there. That is, if the truth you’re looking for is an actor who wants to be a rock ‘n’ roller. Too bad he didn’t call his band Fox and the Mulders.

2.12

B R YA N K R E M K A U

HANNAH DOMOGALA

F. 2.17, 18: The English Beat

@ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Like the best re-runs of your favorite TV show, Dave Wakeling returns with his amazing band for yet another two-day stand in Solana Beach. Don’t sleep. You’ll miss them once they’re gone.

2.18: Adam Ant

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com He lives! Donning the pirate garb once again a few years ago after a long stretch of acting, writing and fatherhood, the ’80s superstar is ready to strap on his goody two shoes and stand and deliver.

H. 2.18: The Coathangers

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com The Atlanta punk trio’s latest release, “Nosebleed Weekend,” was released in April, and the band is on a new, 28-plus-date North American tour in support of it.

2.20-22: AFI

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com The veteran rock quartet hit their 25th anniversary last year and released their self-titled (although it’s also known as “The Blood Album”) 10th studio album last month.

2.22: Tennis

@ The Irenic, theirenic.com Started during a long sailing trip in 2010, the Denver-based husbandand-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley have released three studio albums of indie pop. The pair took another sailboatbased journey last year while blogging about it for Urban Outfitters. >>>

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

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G R O OV E SOUND DECISIONS

FEBRUARY CONCERT CALENDAR A.

2.22: Crystal Fairy

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Comprised of The Melvins’ Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover, At the Drive-In’s Omar Rodriguez-López, and Le Butcherettes’ Teri Gender Bender, the “super group” will release their debut album this month.

B. 2.23: Suicidal Tendencies

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Founder Mike Muir is the only remaining original member of the veteran Venice Beach thrashers. But the band does now feature longtime Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and released an album with the new lineup last year.

PINBACK

2.24: Vince Staples

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Alongside frequent collaborator Kilo Kish, L.A. rapper Vince Staples will kick off his new, 26-date “Life Aquatic Tour” at the North Park Observatory. It is Staples’ first-ever major headlining tour. Whether the pair will don the red caps from the tour’s namesake remains to be seen.

2.23

@ BELLY UP TAVERN, BELLYUP.COM

San Diego indie rock royalty, Rob Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV return for a pair of hometown shows to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their fourth full-length album, “Autumn of the Seraphs.”

2.25 @ THE IRENIC, CASBAHMUSIC.COM Second night of two local shows celebrating “Autumn of the Seraphs’” 10th anniversary — the band’s fourth full-length album. This one starts earlier and is all ages.

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DREW REYNOLDS

P H O T O S B Y: A . D AV I D G O L D M A N C . R E I N KO O Y M A N E. HOWARD WISE

FEBRUARY 2017 | @PACIFICSD

D. 2.25: The Greyboy Allstars

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com Karl Denson plays with the Rolling Stones. Elgin Park composes film soundtracks. Robert Walter, Chris Stillwell and Aaron Redfield all have other projects. But when the five of them find the time to get together, it’s always a great night of music.

2.25: Moon Duo

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Wooden Shjips’ guitarist Ripley Johnson and his wife, Sanae Yamada, comprise this San Francisco-based psych band. Many times, though, they do add a third member when they play live. But don’t be confused: They’re not changing their name to Moon Trio any time soon.

G R O OV E

BY SCOTT MCDONALD

SPIN CYCLE

2.23

& M D E Y R A FEBRU

A E K A T

S P I N ES C N A M R DJ PERFO

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Vicetone

@ OMNIA, OMNIANIGHTCLUB.COM Dutch production duo/DJs Ruben Den Boer and Victor Pool spent 2016 remixing The Weeknd and Bob Marley, as well as releasing their debut EP, “Aurora.” Their collaboration with Youngblood Hawke, “Landslide,” is out now.

OLIVER NAUDITT

2.2 Illenium

2.10 Cosmic Gate

2.19: LED Anniversary VI

2.24 Sander Van Doorn

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com In December, Denver-based DJ/ producer Nick Miller released 15 remixes from hiS early 2016 full-length, “Ashes.” He’ll hit San Diego on his worldwide tour of the same name.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com The German DJ duo of Claus Terhoeven (aka Nic Chagall) and Stefan Bossems (aka DJ Bossi) released their seventh studio album, “Materia Chapter.One,” last month.

@ Valley View Casino Center, ticketfly.com After collaborating with Skrillex and Was So Not on the single “Waiting” in November, L.A. producer RL Grime headlines another all-night, 18+ party at the Valley View Casino Center. Dutch DJ Laidback Luke helps to round out a roster that also includes Lost Kings, Ghastly and others.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com The Dutch DJ (what is it about the Netherlands, anyway?) recently got married, but that isn’t keeping him from behind the decks. New track “Need to Feel Loved” with LVNDSCAPE came out last month.

2.4 Audien

2.17 Yellow Claw

2.25 Keys N Krates

@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com From the same town portrayed in the film “Mystic Pizza,” Connecticut producer Nate Rathbun hit No. 1 on the U.S. Dance Chart with “Insomnia” last year. He released the single “Crazy Love (feat. Deb’s Daughter)” through Astralwerks in August.

@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com Yellow Claw went through some major changes in 2016, paring down from a trio to a duo. But Dutch DJs Jim Taihuttu (aka Jim Aasgier) and Nils Rondhuis (aka Nizzle) were also featured on DJ Snake’s hit album “Encore” and closed the year by dropping new single “Love & War (feat. Yade Lauren).”

@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com The Toronto-based DJ/electronic/ percussion trio of David Matisse, Adam Tune and Jr. Flo are signed to Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak and released the remixes to their fifth EP, “Midnite Mass,” last year.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com L.A.’s Sam Vogel is currently on his Off The Deep End tour. In the last few months, the young DJ and producer has remixed artists as varied as The Chainsmokers, Passion Pit, MØ and DJ Snake.

M A G G I E PAT I N E L L I

2.4 Gareth Emery @ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com The British DJ released his massive, 37-track “Electric for Life 2016” mix in December. It followed the release of his third full-length studio album, “100 Reasons to Live,” in April of last year.

2.19 Jauz

2.25 Elephante

2.17 Seven Lions

2.19 Zomboy

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com After hitting the top spot on Billboard’s U.S. Dance Chart with his fifth EP, “Creation,” Santa Barbara-based DJ/producer/ musician Jeff Montalvo (aka Seven Lions) has released the singles “Rush Over Me” with Illenium and “Cold Skin” with Echos.

@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com British DJ/producer Josh Mellody released his sixth EP, “Neon Grave,” last year on London’s Never Say Die Records. He also dropped a pair of singles and remixed Bro Safari and The Chainsmokers.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Harvard grad Tim Wu quit his consulting job at management consulting firm McKinsey to start making music. Good thing it worked out. The DJ/producer released the remixes to his debut EP, “I Am The Elephante,” in December.

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

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MODEL CITIZENS PERFECT STRANGERS POSE FOR PASSION Bekah and Jennie met less than an hour ago in the Epic Limo that’s about to drop them off for a sexy boudoir photo shoot. Neither of these two blind daters knows that disrobing will be tonight’s first activity. Before they arrive, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

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PACIFIC: Where are you from and where do you live now? BEKAH (darker hair): Initially, I’m from Albuquerque, New Mexico. But, over the years, I ended up in Oceanside, California, where I have been living for over 16 years now and loving it.

JENNIE: I’m from San Diego. I’ve lived in almost every neighborhood south of the 8, currently downtown, in “East Village,” as they call it. What do you do for a living? BEKAH: I’m a server within the

Urge restaurant family while I go through school. It’s a really fun job, and I love food and drinks, so it works out great. JENNIE: I’m a bartender on the weekends, full-time student during the week.

BY DAVID PERLOFF PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK NOCON MATCHMAKING BY JESSICA PELLIGRA

What do you do for fun? BEKAH: I love eating and sleeping. I also enjoy movies, music, hiking, science, video games, et cetera. I try new things often as to avoid stagnant living. JENNIE: Any night off, I’m trying to see some sort of live music or art show. What are you best at? BEKAH: I would say I’m good at getting people together, keeping my word and being a total dork. JENNIE: I don’t know if I’m best at it, but definitely the thing I am most passionate about is film photography. What do you suck at? BEKAH: Probably lying and online strategy games. I cannot do either to save my life. JENNIE: I’m an absolutely horrid driver. What are you looking for in a date, physically and/or otherwise? BEKAH: I think what I look for in a date is someone who initially has that spark in their eyes. Having a great mind and loving to laugh is important, too. At the end of the day, I have to really like who you are. I’m also a sucker for unique eye colors. JENNIE: I always say intelligence and humor are prerequisites. Looks are a plus – especially if you look like you listened to a lot of My Chemical Romance as a teenager.

Describe your special brand of sex appeal in five words or less. BEKAH: Photographic food memory. JENNIE: Focused predatory sensuality. What do you like least about yourself? BEKAH: My temper. I don’t get mad too often, but when I do, that inner Latino fire rages for sure. I’m working on it, though. JENNIE: I can be massively disorganized.

so they’d probably have to be a total jerk, rude, obnoxious, boring – the typical deal-breakers. And if you don’t like Star Wars, that’s definitely a problem. JENNIE: Being rude to servers or bartenders. How many people have you slept with? BEKAH: Some secrets are best kept under lock and key. I think that is sexier, anyway. JENNIE: Between five and 10.

Rate yourself on a scale from one to 10 for looks. BEKAH: I don’t like rating looks, so I’ll say that I’m pretty happy with what my parents gave me. JENNIE: I don’t rate looks.

Fill in the blanks: I want my blind date to be “blank” and “blank.” BEKAH: I would like my date to be fun and interesting; anything else is just a plus. Also sort of weird. I like weird. JENNIE: Smart and funny.

Rate yourself on a scale from one to ten for personality. BEKAH: I’d say, for my personality, a nine or 10, definitely. And now I have to live up to that. JENNIE: Nine – point off for lack of subtlety.

Will the night end with a kiss, something more or something less? BEKAH: If everything goes well, I’d say probably a kiss. JENNIE: Definitely a kiss, if I’m feeling it.

What’s your biggest fear? BEKAH: Dying in space before I get to see Daft Punk live. And also getting stung by those thumbsized jellyfish – not fun. JENNIE: Loss of loved ones.

As they arrive at an unassuming business park in Kearny Mesa, Bekah and Jennie emerge from the limo and head inside The Boudoir Divas photography studio. After learning that they’ll be this evening’s models, they slip into something more (or less) comfortable. >>>

What traits could your date exhibit that would be dealbreakers? BEKAH: I’m pretty easygoing,

@PACIFICSD | FEBRUARY 2017

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IN A FLASH ROMANCE, AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT Despite being thrust into the awkward position(s) of posing a la boudoir with a stranger, Bekah and Jennie appear to be having a blast as they get dolled up for the photo shoot. They definitely seem into each other. Once they’re (un)dressed and ready to rock, they head into the main studio, where The Boudoir Divas’ founder and photogra-preneur Marissa captures the moment. After making eyes at the camera and each other for half an hour or so, the couple changes back into their civilian clothes and jumps back into the limo. Next up is dinner at Indigo Grill in Little Italy. When they arrive at the restaurant, they head inside and grab a seat. Once they’ve had a chance to sample a few of the chef’s Modern Latin house specialties and get further acquainted over a glass of wine, they’re split for

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mid-date debriefings. PACIFIC: How’s it going so far? BEKAH (darker hair): Honestly, I think it’s going really, really good. For a first date and blind date, which I have never been on, I don’t think it could be going better. I’m happy about that. JENNIE: Fantastic. She’s amazing. What were you first impressions? BEKAH: She’s very real, very honest. I like her personality a lot, and she’s beautiful. JENNIE: She’s beautiful and she’s smart. Is this the type of person you’d normally date? BEKAH: I don’t know if I have ever gone out with anybody quite like her, but she’s kind of like something I never knew that I was looking for. JENNIE: Definitely. >>>

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l ov E B L I N D DAT E

How was your experience at Boudoir Divas? BEKAH: I thought it was interesting and fun. Marissa, the photographer, was very nice. It was something I have never done before, but it was an adventure. JENNIE: I had a blast. I had so much fun. (Bekah) looked amazing with the red lipstick and the coat. I loved Boudoir Divas. I have actually shot with them before. What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far? BEKAH: She’s just attractive in general, but I like the fact that she is very much herself. JENNIE: Made sure that I was comfortable. She was very sweet. Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks.

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BEKAH: I don’t rate looks, period. She’s beautiful, and that’s all that matters. JENNIE: Ten. She’s gorgeous. How about for personality? BEKAH: Fifteen to 20. JENNIE: Ten. What’s your date’s most attractive quality? BEKAH: She’s compassionate and very genuine. JENNIE: Genuine, down to earth. Do you want to kiss your date right now? BEKAH: Yes. JENNIE: Not yet. Does your date want to kiss you? BEKAH: I’m going to take a shot in the dark and say, ‘Sure.’

JENNIE: I’m not sure. How and when will the date end? BEKAH: I think the date will end with us talking more, and we will see where it goes from there.

JENNIE: Sooner than I would like it to, because I have to go earlier than I’d like. But I would love for it to end with a kiss. I definitely think there will be a second date. >>>

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l ov E B L I N D DAT E

YOU GO, GRILL DINNER IS SERVED AT INDIGO After the mid-date break, the magazine crew finally leaves Bekah and Jamie alone to enjoy the rest of their evening away from the camera. Rick, PACIFIC’s photographer, spots the couple kissing, but he has already packed up his gear and misses the shot. The next morning, we call to see what else we missed.

Malbec, and then had a few appetizers – popcorn shrimp I believe, which was good. After that, we moved on to a sea bass entree and desserts, which were beautifully plated. JENNIE: Some sort of fish, a shrimp appetizer and some truly incredible desserts.

PACIFIC: How was your experience at Indigo Grill? BEKAH (darker hair): I had never been, but my first experience was good. The atmosphere was warm, and (our server) was great as well. JENNIE: Fantastic. Everything was delicious. What did you have to eat and drink there? BEKAH: We started with a bottle of

What did you do for the rest of the evening after dinner? BEKAH: We stayed at Indigo for a bit, and then went home. We were both pretty tired and had prior commitments. JENNIE: I had to leave shortly after dinner.

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When did you get home? BEKAH: I would say around 11 p.m., not too late. JENNIE: Right after dinner. >>>

l ov E B L I N D DAT E

Was there a kiss or romantic exchange? BEKAH: There was. And anyone would be lucky to get one with Jennie. JENNIE: We’ll let you guys wonder.

happened during date? BEKAH: When the fan was turned on during the photo shoot. I couldn’t help but laugh. JENNIE: Surprise lingerie was pretty hilarious.

How and when did the date end? BEKAH: The date officially ended when she was dropped off at her place. It ended really well. JENNIE: After dinner.

What was the best part of the date? BEKAH: Definitely the limo rides in-between places, when we could just talk and have more of a normal date. I liked that. JENNIE: Laughing with Bekah.

What’s the funniest thing that

What was the worst part? BEKAH: Getting changed into our outfits for the photo shoot – definitely awkward, because we weren’t expecting that. JENNIE: Mixing tequila with red wine. We both had some killer headaches the next day. Will there be a second date? BEKAH: Yeah, I think so. We got along pretty well and have a lot of things in common. JENNIE: I’m sure I will be seeing

her again. AFTERMATCH: A pre-Valentine’s Day date that begins with boudoir and ends with decadent desserts and a kiss – it doesn’t get much sweeter than that. If you’d like to be so lucky at love (in a PACIFIC blind date), email a photo and a couple sentences about yourself and what you’re looking for in a date to setmeup@ pacificsandiego.com.

A big hug and huge thanks to (and promotional consideration provided by): Epic Limo, 858.270.LIMO (5466), epiclimo.com. The Boudoir Divas, 10025 Huennekens St., Kearny Mesa, 858.485.0443, theboudoirdivas.com. Indigo Grill, 1536 India St., Little Italy, 619.234.6802, cohnrestaurants.com/indigogrill.

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