Pacific San Diego Magazine, June 2011 issue

june 2011

THE NIGHTLIFE ISSUE

A blues singer, a rhino trainer and a magician walk into a bar...

PHOTOGRAPHER BEN DECAMP PREPARES FOR THE BIG NIGHT OUT

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editor’s note

Eye of the Beholder (This is an unedited reprint of a letter received last month from a PacificSD reader.)

Dear Analog owners and editor of Pacific San Diego, I was thumbing through the April issue of Pacific San Diego last evening. I was impressed by the artwork in the “Art Issue� but what stood out more than anything was your 2 page spread ad. Although I am not Christian, I realize Easter is a very somber time for members of that faith. It clearly took your ad agency much time, thought, money, and models to stage your tableau homage to Da Vinci’s “Last Supper� fresco.

Your Easter Ad is a mighty testament to poor taste and insensitivity. Also, if your purpose was to promote the restaurant side of your establishment it was a curious choice Ç—)&3& ǗƆ4 :063 -Ɔ45 4611&3 to stage your “Last Supperâ€? with no food, just a plethora of liquor bottles and glasses haphazardly strewn on the table. I get the twisted humor of the ad, and if you want to appeal to the rock, pimp, and ho crowd, that’s your choice. But can’t you do that without defecating on images that hold a deep emotional and spiritual value for others?

PacificSD also bears responsibility for printing your ad. But, as long as you’ve got the cash, I doubt they would reject anything short of pornography or mutilation. Regards, Brandon Wander XXX BOBMPHCBS DPN ] UI "WFOVF 4BO %JFHP $" PQFO UVFT TVO BU QN ] GPPE TFSWFE UJMM NJEOJHIU UIVST GSJ BOE TBU

Dear Mr. Wander,Â

Scan this QR code. Win big.

PacificSD e-mails fabulous prizes to lucky readers on our list. Win concert tickets, $50 or $100 bar and restaurant gift certificates and countless other goodies. All you have to do to win is scan the QR code above with your smartphone, then enter your e-mail address. Good luck!

I know the guys over at Analog, and you’re right—they are sinners. But I’d rather laugh with them than cry with the folks in DaVinici’s mural any day.

I’m no art expert, but I’m pretty sure the entire dinner party was drinking red wine at the last supper— Manischewitz, no doubt—which begs the question: Why is this night different from all other nights? (NonJews, Google: “Passover.�)

Analog’s point wasn’t to defecate on religion. Rather, it was to celebrate life, a purpose shared by this nightlife issue of PacificSD, which some call the “bible� of good times in San Diego. (I’m packing my handbasket now.)

Raise your grail. L’chaim!

Sincerely,

David Perloff, Editor-In-Chief

P.S. If you know any mutilation advertisers who’ve got $2,500 per month, please e-mail me their contact info.

Regarding the pornography, would that be cash or trade?

Š 2011 Imported by Birra Peroni Internazionale, Eden, NC

staff

VOL.5

ISSUE 6

June 2011

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

David Perloff PUBLISHERS

David Perloff Simone Perloff EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Pat Sherman

C R E AT I V E DIRECTOR

Kenny Boyer

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Brandon Hernández

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Amanda Daniels Monica Garske Dave Good David Moye Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph Alex Zaragoza

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brevin Blach brevinblach.com Jeff “Turbo” Corrigan turbo.fm Rob Hammer r o b h a m m e r p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m Stacy Marie Keck stacymariesd.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Alyson C Baker alyson@pacificsandiego.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Tim Donnelly tim@pacificsandiego.com Brad Weber brad@pacificsandiego.com

Call PacificSD at 619.296.6300 or visit pacificsandiego.com today to benefit from dramatic countywide exposure via print, web and social media.

contributors ‘

oll Rock n R

Pianos Dueling

THIS AIN

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Grandma s

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T YOUR

PIANO BAR...

David Moye

Fifth-generation San Diego County resident David Moye is fairly certain that the only people who’ve lived here longer than his family own casinos. Moye has nearly 25 years of journalism experience and is a leading pop culture specialist with AOL Weird News.

Moye is well versed in oddity. In high school, he hung out with the Unarius, an El Cajon-based UFO cult who believe 33 space ships will land in Jamul any day. He also worked as a phone telepathist after college, conducting psychic readings for celebrities including Chuck Norris and Bret Michaels.

Moye, who profiled two sage, senior mixologists for this issue, thinks hanging out at dive bars is an important rite-of-passage for young boozehounds. “When you’re 23, you start going to dive bars to observe the old drunks; two years later, you’re an old drunk,” he says.

Alex Zaragoza

Alex Zaragoza was raised in San Diego and Tijuana, but calls North Park home. She studied in England for a year and graduated from the University of California, San Diego, in 2006, with a degree in theatre.

Nowadays, Zaragoza skulks around the house in her stretchy pants with the Maury show on in the background. When she’s not raiding the fridge or watching YouTube clips of strippers falling off their poles, she contributes to the super-cool magazine you’re currently reading and other local publications. Zaragoza has freakishly small hands and can get almost anybody to do push-ups or give erotic massages at a bar. Her favorite part of the San Diego County Fair, which she wrote about for this issue, is swooshing down the giant slide.

Follow her on Twitter @raptorhands.

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Monica Garske

Monica Garske has been writing entertainment news for six years. She currently contributes to AOL News and the Huffington Post, where she writes about anything offbeat happening in pop culture. Previously, she was the senior editor of an international entertainment news wire that provided content to broadcast media outlets.

Though she loves to travel, Garske always makes her way back to San Diego.

She studied journalism at the University of California, San Diego, where she learned to cram for finals on the beach. When she’s not writing, she can be found rooting for the Padres at Petco Park with a draft beer in hand, or riding a beach cruiser around Mission Beach. Occasionally, she’ll throw on high heels and head downtown for a little dancing.

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BE HOT: Compete in PacificSD’s Hotbody Contest by emailing your hottest three photos to hotbody@ pacificsandiego.com.

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pa c i f i c s d

features 4 3 F un N ight S tands

Shedding light on what San Diegans

do after dark 52 Dive In

Weathered neighborhood watering holes

get by on quirky, retro charm 5 6 T he night S tuff

San Diego’s nightlife visionaries reveal

their next big things

Photography by Rob Hammer, robhammerphotography.com O n t h e c o v e r : Before his big night

out, photographer Ben DeCamp gets a shave and a haircut at Lefty’s Barber Shop on Cass Street in Pacific Beach.

T h i s p a g e : Nighttime is the right

time for blues diva Lady Dottie, ready to rock outside downtown’s El Dorado Cocktail Lounge on Broadway.

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pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

06. 1 1

contents

pa c i f i c s d

departments C U R R ENTS

2 3 P la y ing F air Organizers promise a ‘gay ol’ time’ at this year’s San Diego County Fair

2 8 S ounding the P a v ement Musicians go the extra mile to keep marathoners on their feet

page

3 0 H ard K nocks And other reasons to hit the sack before dawn

C o u r t e s y S a n D i e g o C o u n t y Fa i r

2 6 M ouse C alls San Diego contractor to star in Disney-inspired reality show

3 2 R eadY , S et, G o - G o !

Getting to the bottom of San Diego’s most amazing behinds 3 8 M odel C itizens After dark, you gotta look sharp TASTE

5 8 S leepless B ites A 24-hour eatery offers space to contemplate and nosh the night away 6 0 S cience F are Bartender Mike Yen performs cocktail sorcery in Bankers Hill

page

Brevin Blach

G R OO V E

6 3 W hate v er F loats Your B oat Whether jammin’ by land or by sea, Shelter Island is the place to be 6 4 T wo M uch F un Matt & Kim to wreak danceable havoc at House of Blues 6 5 H itting P la y D irt Soccer-player-turned-DJ gets paid to get her kicks by the dance floor 6 6 Vintage S pirits Through phases and crazes, veteran bartenders keep pouring the classics

CA L EN D A R

7 8 S i x . E le v en June event listings T H IN K

8 2 F LOW E R S ’ P OW E R White-haired Euro club queen gets more bad-ass with age

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pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

page

courtesy spoa productions

70 SONG AND DANCE Two solo acts come together for one big night

eden san diego: where the popular party for pride

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cur re nt s coolture

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first things This photo was taken during the 1948 San Diego County Fair. That year’s Fair program promised “11 pleasurefilled days,” including greased-pig races, cracker-eating contests and a performance by “Serrano, the World’s Best Educated Horse.”

San Diego History Center

PLAYING FAIR

No matter which way visitors swing, dip or spin, organizers promise a ‘gay ol’ time’ at this year’s San Diego County Fair

B y A l e x Z a r a g o za

B

ack in the late 1940s, visitors to the San Diego County Fair were encouraged to be très gay for the day. A large sign hanging over the entrance to the midway proudly proclaimed it, “The Gay Way.” Obviously, back then, the term “gay” meant something a bit different from what it does now. However, it’s still possible

to enjoy jerry-rigged thrill rides, grease-laden goodies and pungent farm creatures “the gay way” at this year’s San Diego County Fair, coming to the Del Mar Fairgrounds June 10 to July 4.

Linda Zweig, who heads up media relations for the fairgrounds, says the annual event has something for everyone, and that more than includes the gay, lesbian,

bisexual and transgender community.

“All of our entertainment is gay friendly,” Zweig says.

“There’s nothing anti-gay here, nothing that would turn them away.”

This year’s entertainment lineup includes lesbian rocker Melissa Etheridge, who hits the grandstand stage on June 18. Joan Jett (who used to (Continued on page 24) pacificsandiego.com

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currents (Continued from page 23)

first things

C o u r t e s y SD C o u n t y Fa i r

RIGHT: Former Runaway and fair headliner, Joan Jett.

date Carmen Electra) and her band, the Blackhearts, will follow a performance by an ABBA tribute band on June 30.

That’s got LGBT Weekly columnist, human rights activist and drag personality, Empress Nicole MurrayRamirez, chomping at the bit.

“When they have ABBA, you know it is gonna get crazy!” she says. “Gays love ABBA! We’ll be out there with our boas on like dancing machines.”

Though the fair is no Paris, Milan or even National City, Murray-Ramirez says she relishes the peoplewatching.

“You can see the La Jolla look, the trailer park look and the MTV look all there,” she says. “Joan Rivers would have a field day!”

It may not be the place for fine cuisine, but gays and straights alike can definitely grub out on the fair’s fried delights. Murray-Ramirez says she loves “wrapping her lips around the juicy hot dogs” and corn on the cob, which has earned her the nickname “pig in a wig.” Food critic and San Diego LGBT Pride festival spokesman Frank Sabatini Jr. says he doesn’t typically favor greasy eats, but admits he’s waiting with bated breath to watch people gorge on the fair’s newest food experiment, deep fried Kool-Aid. While Murray-Ramirez and Sabatini both agree that the event seems to welcome the LGBT community with open arms, Murray-Ramirez believes organizers should revive the “Gay Way” sign and theme—pronto.

“Gay Way speaks to a way of happiness,” she says.

“The LGBT community is known for our style and our camp and our sense of humor. If they renamed it ‘The Queen’s Way’—now that’d be awesome.” sdfair.com

Entertainment lineup

6/23: Willie Nelson;

6/10: Pat Benatar/Neil

BellyUp Music Festival

Giraldo

6/25: Who’s Bad (Michael

6/11: Bruno Mars/

Jackson tribute)

Janelle Monáe

6/29: The Beach Boys

6/14: A Flock of Seagulls

6/30: Arrival (ABBA

6/15: “Weird Al” Yankovic

tribute); Joan Jett & the

6/16: Randy Travis

Blackhearts

6/17: Switchfoot

7/2: Grand Funk Railroad

6/18: Melissa Etheridge

7/4: REO Speedwagon

currents first things

MOUSE CALLS San Diego contractor to star in Disney-inspired reality show

Mission Beach actor and contractor Tyler Herdklotz

B y M o n i c a Ga r s k e

M

Age: 34 Status: single Occupation: contractor, actor, TV host Business: Tyler Homes, Inc.

“ I ’ m , like , a big , 1 9 5 pound kid that play s all day on the job . ”

Hometown: Sacramento, CA Years in San Diego: 12 Hobbies: Surfing, beach volleyball, horseshoes Favorite bands: Pearl Jam, Kings of Leon Coolest contracting jobs: 8,000-square-foot house overlooking Barona Casino; 1,000-square-foot backyard deck overlooking Interstate 8

P h o t o C o u r t e s y HGT V

Tyler Herdklotz (aka Tyler Westin)

C o u r t e sy T y l e r H e r d k lot z

ission Beach contractor and moonlighting thespian Tyler Herdklotz is living large, having recently landing a gig as co-host of a Home and Garden Television (HGTV) reality show.

Herdklotz, whose stage name is Tyler Westin, is a featured carpenter on My Yard Goes Disney, a new home improvement show premiering June 6 at 8 p.m. on HGTV. The show follows a team of landscaping and design experts, along with Disney World “Imagineers,” as they transform shabby backyards into suburban Magic Kingdoms, complete with Mickey Mouse-shaped pools, fantasy tree houses and extreme topiary statues, à la Edward Scissorhands.

“We turn backyards into mini amusement parks,” Herdklotz says. “I’m, like, a big, 195as a consolation prize. pound kid that plays all day on the job.”

When not filming in Orlando, Herdklotz can The laidback So-Cal businessman was hired be found buying his own beer at Firehouse in after answering an L.A. “cattle call” for actors Pacific Beach and Guava Beach Bar & Grill in with the ability to build things more complex Mission Beach. If his show takes off, the next than an IKEA end table. round is on him.

Herdklotz’s local stage work includes Tyler roles as a flamboyant reindeer in The 8: Herdklotz Reindeer Monologues and as a hot pants(left) relaxes sporting 1970s gym teacher in Anita on the set of My Yard Bryant Died for Your Sins.

Goes Disney Herdklotz also appeared as a contestant with co-host Brandon in a Dos Equis-sponsored reality show Johnson where guys compete to become an assistant (right) and to the company’s “Most Interesting Man in members of the Bradburn the World” character. Though he didn’t get family. the job, he did win a year’s supply of beer

KNOW YOUR LIMIT, MATE!

FOSTERSBEER.COM

© 2011 Oil Can Breweries, Fort Worth, TX

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sounding the pavement Musicians go the extra mile to keep marathoners on their feet B y A m a n d a Da n i e l s

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pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

offerings—such as runners dressed as Elvis, or a pipe organist cranking out Baroque-sounding rock tunes in Balboa Park—are what make the course fun, say musicians.

Their banners might blow away; or runners with cash in their shorts might stop a band to buy a CD, take a photo or get an autograph.

It’s all part of the show.

The event’s organizers encourage musicians to get down and groove with runners. Jet West drummer Derek Potter says last year he was often the only guy onstage while his wireless band mates surprised racers by jogging with them along the path, or jamming from atop a nearby sand dune.

“We were high-fivin’ people and smiling the whole time,” says guitarist Warner. “It was definitely encouraging us to keep going, knowing the runners were almost at their last mile.”

The first race was held in 1998 as it is today—with cheerleaders, live bands at various mile markers and costumed racers leading the pack.

This year will attract the largest crowd ever, with 32,000 race bibs sold, event organizers say.

The musicians take their

Photos courtesy Competitor Group

t was sweltering during last year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon when, on the far side of Fiesta Island, guitarist Chris Warner’s fingers started to bleed.

He asked medics for superglue to close his wounds, but they didn’t have any, so he kept playing through the pain as runners slogged by on the final leg of the 26.2-mile race.

“It was truly a musical marathon,” says Warner, who’d rehearsed enough songs to perform for more than three consecutive hours at Mile 25 with rock-reggae band, Jet West.

The group will be on the run again Sunday, June 5, for the 14th annual San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. The gig is a departure for Jet West (and the 41 other local bands performing that day), who typically bang out sets during the witching hours. On race day, call times are closer to when bands are usually heading home from a big night out.

“When you’re at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, it’s five in the morning, and you’re like, ‘Uh, give me some coffee,’” says Marc Gould of the popsoul band Bedford Grove, which has played the event numerous times.

But the early hours and quirky

Gary Meyer, guitarist of the Elvis tribute band, Graceland, jammed for participants in last year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

job to inspire runners seriously, and vocalists adlib words of encouragement from the stage. Sol Turpin, singer and bassist with the beach rock-reggae band, Safety Orange, performed at Mile 24 last year. He says the group punctuated their songs with riffs from the Rocky pump-up anthem, Eye of the Tiger.

“Once they’re over halfway through, your average Joe is just spent and looking for the next marker,” Turpin says. That familiar ‘duuuuh—duh, duh, duh, duh’

makes people light up,” he says.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon’s 26.2mile “block party” format has proven popular enough for 22 other cities to sign on. Next year, the concept goes global with the addition of a similar race in Madrid, Spain.

Basic registration for the marathon and an associated half-marathon are sold out, though registration for both is still available by purchasing an Endless Summer Package, which includes a SeaWorld Summer Pass. runrocknroll.competitor.com

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COO K IE “ C H AINSA W ” R AN D O L P H Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph drives to work very early each weekday to perform on the Dave, Shelly & Chainsaw show on 100.7 JACK-fm.

I t ’ s been true since the dawn of time .

M y e x clusi v e sources tell me A dam ate the apple at 3 a . m . , after S E V E N T E E N J ager bombs .

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pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

HARD KNOCKS

And other reasons to hit the sack before dawn

I

believe it was a Neanderthal who first coined the phrase, “nothing good happens after dark,” no doubt inspired by night-vision dinosaurs that would sneak up and eat him and his fellow cave people at night.

Thanks to evolution, today the phrase applies to bars, cars, guns, groupies, drugs and cops (Cartman voice: “eh, that sounds pretty cool.”)

It’s been true since the dawn of time.

My exclusive sources tell me Adam ate the apple at 3 a.m., after 17 Jager bombs.

In modern-day society, professional athletes face challenges we mortals can only imagine.

First of all, they hit the genetic lottery. Secondly, the women tend to line up for them like wannabe singers at American Idol auditions. And thirdly, they have bank they’ve never had before (unless they attended one of the major universities).

On game days, they beat the crap out of each other in front of thousands of fans, and afterwards look to blow off a little steam with some 12-ounce painkillers and a sensual massage from a delicious menu of potential Gloria Allred clients.

As the hour gets later, the chance of getting arrested rises faster than Mel Gibson’s blood pressure when words like “I’m taking the kids” or “shalom” are uttered.

With each arrest, we are less surprised, but no less discouraged.

However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests athletes in high-impact sports might have a neurological explanation for some of their questionable decisions.

This is where the night (and this column) gets rather dark, yet illuminating at the same time.

Thanks to increased awareness about the effects of repeated concussions, more than 100 current and former players have agreed to donate their brains to science.

Recent post-mortems have revealed extensive brain damage caused by sports trauma—the Bears’ Dave Duerson (see Head Case at right) and the Bengals’ Chris Henry are two recent examples.

Like many a young boy, I grew up dreaming of playing a professional sport, but never came close—for the simple fact I wasn’t good enough.

However, I did manage to get knocked unconscious exactly three times in my life, and sometimes I wonder if someday those concussions will catch up with me (I suspect my editors here at PacificSD believe they already have.)* Despite the knocks, I’m still one of those people that remembers every bad choice I’ve ever made—no matter how much I might have been over-served, so it’s a good thing I have a job that forces me to shut it down right around the time Alex Trebek is scolding the losers on Final Jeopardy.

Most people don’t keep those hours, and sometimes the celebrations go really, really late. It’s when they go really, really early that the bad stuff happens.

Concussions or no concussions.

It’s true. Whenever we read about a professional athlete getting arrested “early Sunday morning,” it’s never because he was caught speeding on his way to mass.

I’ll take “Cabbies on Speed Dial for $400, Alex.”

H ead C ase A Cautionary Tale Dave Duerson, a member of the 1986 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest this past February, but not before requesting that his brain be donated to the NFL for research.

This was an ironic twist from a man who once lashed out against his former coach, Mike Ditka, for espousing health payments to older veterans suffering from concussion effects.

Those effects include chronic headaches, forgetfulness, cognitive disorders, depression and anxiety.

In the end, it seems Duerson was swayed by his own condition. In both a text message to his ex-wife and a note left at his Florida condo, the former Bears safety said, “Please, see that my brain is given to the NFL’s brain bank.”

Sure enough, researchers at Boston University discovered Duerson had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is believed by some neurophysiologists to be common among athletes who experience repeated hard blows to the head, especially boxers, hockey players and football players.

Consider this new information a warning label.

Even so, every single one of the ex-pro athletes I’ve ever met, while acknowledging the prices paid, wouldn’t trade their moments in the sun for the world.

(Editor’s note: Yes, Chainsaw, we do think that… and worse. That sex doll you ordered showed up at the office today. We thought there must be something wrong, but the delivery guy said you ordered the “One of Each” package. Suffice it to say, one brown eye and one blue is only the beginning. You might want to come pick this “fella” up before we drop “her” off in front of your friends at Jack FM.)

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“ D ownload a D J mi x , like D J C obra , and there ’ s really no need for the g y m . P ut that in y our i P od or C D play er and just dance like no one ’ s watching for three 2 0 - minute sets .

I swear it ’ s the best cardio workout e v er . ” —Fluxx performer Janey Bolina

READY, SET, GO-GO!

LEFT: Fluxx’s go-gos heat up the club’s Fluxx-Adelic theme.

RIGHT: The women of Voyeur go-go and glow in front of the club’s massive LED light display.

Getting to the bottom of San Diego’s most amazing behinds B y A l y s o n Ba k e r

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•

Photos by Brevin BlacH

tatuesque bodies may be commonplace in San Diego’s summer clubbing scene, but it takes an extra measure of sweat, discipline and fine-tuning to ascend to the go-go pedestal, where only the tautest abs and most perfect booties make the cut.

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pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

Tapping into the diet and fitness routines of a dozen local dancers, it’s clear that sporting one of America’s finest figures requires more than sultry looks and sexy hair whips; it takes extreme athleticism.

Performers at Fluxx nightclub spend evenings spinning in a hoop,

executing daringly seductive moves while suspended in mid-air. During Wave House’s Sunday SunDaze events, women dance while clinging to trusses 20 feet above the stage.

While a number of the dancers claim they get all the cardio they need while performing, they all

obviously go that extra mile, hitting the gym and eating well to tighten and tone. Here are a few fun tips and quips from these goddesses and gods of go-go, served up with inspirational peeks at their amazing physiques. Bootiful!

(Continued on page 34)

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currents (Continued from page 32)

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“ T r y to av oid the late - night munchies . A fter a night of drinking , I just tr y to go home and drink a glass of nonfat milk to fill up m y stomach and fall asleep instead of ly ing there miserable , like , ‘ G osh , I wish I could hav e some M e x ican food right now. ’ ”

S ee more photos at

pacificsandiego.com

—Voyeur, Intervention Sundays and Wave House performer Sharla Knight

ABOVE: Chloe Hemmat (right) spins above the crowd at Fluxx with fellow dancer Janey Bolina.

LEFT: Katie Kennedy whips it at Voyeur

(Continued on page 36)

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Fluxx performer Marin Fisher hangs above Eileen Soukbandith while intertwined in long silks attached to the ceiling.

FRIDAY PARTY AT THE PARK STARTING AT 5:00PM

Date

Team

Promotion JUNE

June 3

Astros

June 10

Nationals

June 24

Braves

Sample Downtown Margarita Park Friday Night Fireworks presented by Northgate Gonzalez Market; College Night presented by Chegg.com JULY

July 15

Giants

Friday Night Fireworks presented by Northgate Gonzalez Market

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Country Night; College Night presented by Chegg.com AUGUST

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Aug. 19

Marlins

Friday Night Fireworks SEPTEMBER

Sep. 2

Rockies

Friday Night Fireworks presented by Northgate Gonzalez Market

Sep. 16

Dbacks

Oktoberfest; College Night presented by Chegg.com

Sep. 23

Dodgers

Friday Night Fireworks presented by Northgate Gonzalez Market

Promotions are subject to change.

currents first things

coolture

chainsaw

bodY STYLE

MODEL CITIZENS After dark, you gotta look sharp

B y A l y s o n Ba k e r • P h o t o s b y B r e v i n B l a c h

D

ATELINE—Any given fun day.

When the sun checks out, some folks watch Project Runway and head for bed.

Meanwhile, the city’s real style childs— those who nightlives set the town abuzz—create their own fashion shows, transforming nighttime sidewalks into catwalks.

After dark, from downtown to North Park, looks range from sky-high heels to Target boots, wifebeaters to marry-me-minis. And whether their looks are lacey, racy, spacey or daring, when the camera flashes…they all say who they’re wearing.

Strike a pose, San Diego, in case your 15 minutes starts now.

Ja s o n Z .

Barr on S.

Del Cerro Versace jacket, Burberry tie, Façonnable shirt, Rock & Republic jeans, Lacoste shoes, Chrome Hearts necklace

N i co l e C .

Pacific Beach Forever 21 shirt, Bebe shorts, Steve Madden shoes

San Diego Steve Madden shoes, Rock & Republic jeans, Banana Republic cashmere sweater, button-up shirt obtained by trading for a pair of board shorts at an Arkansas wedding

S a r a h H.

Mission Beach American Apparel skirt, Forever 21 booties, Macy’s top (Continued on page 40)

38

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

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Edd i e R.

Little Italy Urban Outfitters shirt, Express jeans, Aldo shoes

Ta m a r a H. & Janice S.

Tamara H. (right) North Park Sweater dress from boutique in Australia, Nine West shoes

(Continued from page 38)

Janice S. Downtown Aldo shoes, Joe’s jeans

S ee more photos at

pacificsandiego.com

40

Peggy C.

A shl ey G .

Fr e ddi e Z .

JENNIFE R T.

La Jolla Chinese Laundry boots, Forever 21 shirt

Mission Hills American Apparel shirt, Warby Parker glasses, thrift store shoes

SDSU Area Obey shirt, Guess jacket, New York Yankee’s baseball cap, 750 GXR motorcycle

Santa Luz Beaded top, Louis Vuitton clutch

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

Kayt e L.

Little Italy Guess dress, Coach handbag, Tiffany & Co. pearls

©2011 MILLER BREWING CO., MILWAUKEE, WI

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Social media for the socially hip: Check for Fortune and Ivy pool party dates, information and specials.

fun Night

Stands

S hedding light on what S an D iegans do after dark

A By

Pat Sherm an • P hotos b y R ob H am m e r blues singer, a rhino trainer and a magician walk into a bar.

It’s not a joke. It’s a peek into the night-lives of 11 cool San Diegans and their hot evening itineraries.

For his dream night out, our city’s foremost wine expert would rent a limo and take friends on a high-end, North County pub (and grub) crawl.

A dashing bouncer from Voyeur nightclub in the Gaslamp says if he had a night off, he’d go to Old Town for sushi, then head home to take respite on his couch.

As for the blues singer, she’d hit up a local casino for a night of bingo and slots, then head to an afterhours shindig until 5 a.m.

It just goes to show, in a town so fine, what comprises the perfect nightlife depends on who’s living it.

pacificsandiego.com

43

magic man

W

hile bar-goers at local nighttime hotspots are making cocktails disappear, Nick Ivory is combing the crowd with a wry smile and deck of cards, in search of his next victim. For one of his tricks, the Chicago-born magician (whose real name is Nenad Plavsic) has a patron pick a card, sign it with an indelible marker, then stick it back into the deck. He then wraps a rubber 44

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

band around the deck and launches it into the air. When he catches it, removes the rubber band and scans the cards, the only one missing is the one bearing the patron’s signature.

Where could it be?

“When you step into Syrah and look up at the ceiling, you’ll see thousands of cards with people’s names on them,” Ivory says. “It’s my way of helping people leave their mark on San Diego

Magician Nick Ivory has something up his sleeve at Vin de Syrah in the Gaslamp, where he performs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m.

and be a part of the nightlife scene.”

Reaching into his hat to pull out his own night on the town, Ivory has no illusions about where he’d go—he’d return to the places where he works his magic when he’s on the clock.

Ivory’s dream evening starts with a cocktail at Firehouse in Pacific Beach, then progresses to the Gaslamp, where he grabs a burger at Analog before dropping in to party at

Boudoir and Ivy Rooftop at Andaz.

Later, he makes a late-night slice at Ciro’s Pizzeria vanish.

Catch Ivory’s magic Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Tilted Kilt in East Village; Friday and Saturday nights at Boudoir, and Saturday nights at Vin de Syrah in the Gaslamp; and Sunday afternoons at Firehouse in Pacific Beach. nickivory.com

lady LUCK W

hen she’s not belting out the 1959 hit Have Love, Will Travel with her hotshot young band, The Diamonds, bespectacled blues diva Dorothy Mae Whitsett (aka Lady Dottie) has her own plans.

The Lady’s perfect night begins with authentic soul food, or dinner at Croce’s in the Gaslamp, where she was once a chef and self-proclaimed “gourmet star.”

Once sated, Dottie would try her luck at Sycuan, Barona or Viejas for a night of bingo and slots.

Will she have a cocktail or two while attempting to beat the odds?

“Of course I will!” says the 60-something singer.

From there Dottie would look for an underground, afterhours reggae event to get irie, “like from 2 to 5 o’clock in the morning.”

If that didn’t work, she’d “probably go home, have a sip of wine and watch a little television.

“It really puts me out— especially after I have the glass of wine,” she says. “The TV will be looking at me.”

Catch Lady Dottie and the Diamonds Wednesday nights at Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Ocean Beach and Thursday nights at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge in East Village. myspace.com/ ladydottieandthediamonds

Lady Dottie and the Diamonds are ready to rock at Downtown’s El Dorado Cocktail Lounge. pacificsandiego.com

45

W

hen he isn’t helping decide who makes it past the proverbial velvet rope at Voyeur in the Gaslamp and Wave House in Mission Beach, door host Ian Forbes lets down his guard and heads to Old Town’s Harney Sushi to devour Rollz Royce and Flaming Lip rolls.

His quintessential evening with friends also includes stops at Gaslamp faves Fluxx, Side Bar and, not surprisingly, a return to Voyeur, where he “keeps it simple” with a vodkawater or light beer.

“Definitely, I’d spend the majority of my night at Voyeur,” says Forbes.

“Work, to me, is a lot like going out anyways.”

When kicking back on his night off, the former professional hockey player (who grew up near Toronto), hits the gym, then heads home.

“There’s a lot of nights where I just like to sit on the couch and watch a movie, because those nights are few and far between,” he says.

Ian Forbes watches over the madness at Voyeur.

46

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

watchman

night

evening WHERE? G

etting ready to hit the town for the best night ever, local fashion designers Laura Hall (left) and Gillian Mahin would invite their friends to select some of the chic, contemporary women’s fashions they’ve created for their new clothing line.

“We’d get our girls together, allow them to browse through the For Love & Lemons closet and get dressed up in some sheer, breezy sun dresses,” Hall says.

Next it’s off to C Level lounge on Harbor Island for a “Desi Arnaz” tropical mojito cocktail and nut-crusted brie appetizer in a

malibu’s MOST

private cabana overlooking the city and marina.

“After sending a couple cocktails down the hatch, we’d head downtown to Cafe Sevilla to shake our grove thangs to some sultry salsa music,” Hall says. “We’d then head to The Vine in Ocean Beach for a late-night dinner, outside under the stars, people-watching as we share a bottle of wine, the seared ahi and butternut squash ravioli.”

The duo would wrap up the night in style, catching a late performance by a down-and-dirty blues band at Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Ocean Beach, forloveandlemons.com

ABOVE: Laura Hall (left) and Gillian Mahin toast their success at C Level lounge on Harbor Island. Hall is wearing a For Love & Lemons Lulu Dress; Gillian is wearing a For Love & Lemons Bonita Cape.

It’s nearly airtime for winemaker Howard Leight and his helocopter at Montgomery Field

WANTED H oward Leight Jr. owns and pilots one of the fastest and rarest helicopters in the country, an Italian-built Agusta A109, which can reach speeds of up to 200 miles-per-hour. The successful son of ear plugs magnate Howard Leight, he also owns a winery in Malibu.

Leight’s dream night (which isn’t so different from his real ones) begins at Montgomery Field airport, where he lifts off with clients for a one-hour jaunt north and subsequent jawdropping aerial tour of his Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards.

After orchestrating a private, twilight wine tasting for his guests, he flies back down the coast and lands on the helipad at the Grand Del Mar Resort for a gourmet dinner at Addison.

After dinner, Leight motors downtown to attend an expensive toys event at a yacht club, where he

kicks the tires of cars that cost more than some condos.

Next, he stops by one of the restaurants that serve his wine, like World Famous in Pacific Beach, and then caps off the night a few blocks away at Bar West.

“Bar West is always a good time

for me,” Leight says. “It’s kind of like the downtown club theme, but I live in the Bird Rock area and like being close to home.”

Leight says he’s waiting for the day when he can land his helicopter on the roof of downtown’s 34-story Symphony Towers for a sky-high

dinner at the University Club. From there, he’d head to the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park to catch a play or musical.

“I’m kind of a nerd that way,” he says. “I don’t really go to movies, but I’ll do that.” maliburockyoaks.com pacificsandiego.com

47

looking SHARP S

urf photographer (and future law school student) Ben DeCamp (aka the Style Shark) may be best known for the provocative nightlife snapshots he’s captured for his website, styleshark.com.

These days, however, he and his buds are more focused on producing weekly parties through their event production company, Night Access.

Before dashing out for his perfect night on the town, the alwaysdashing DeCamp first visits Lefty’s Barber Shop in Pacific Beach for a shave and a haircut.

“After I get all freshened up, I

throw on a suit and take a date over to Wet Stone Wine Bar in Bankers Hill,” he says. “They have amazing red wine sangria and small plates.”

DeCamp then heads to Noble Experiment in East Village for some speak easy-style ambiance and a craft cocktail before wrapping up the night with VIP treatment at multilevel mega-club, Stingaree.

“I think it’s one of the classiest nightclubs in the Gaslamp, with the best-looking, best-dressed crowd,” DeCamp says. nightaccess.com, styleshark.com

sax-ual healing C

lassically trained saxophonist Jason Whitmore and his booking agent (and wife), Jennifer, start their perfect night with margaritas and Mexican appetizers at La Puerta in the Gaslamp, then walk over for dinner and drinks at Searsucker, one of several places where Jason wails on his sax while DJs spin house music.

“I show up, the DJ sets the tone and then I just improvise over the record,” Jason says.

For a special occasion (like their recent wedding anniversary), the Del Mar couple turns dinner-andJason’s-show into an all-night affair, staging a stealthy afterhours bash with friends in a suite at the Se San Diego Hotel.

“We’d have an open bar, some good house beats going, maybe even a DJ, and just hang out with friends until the sun comes up,” says Jason, who holds a daytime job as a sales 48

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

Ben DeCamp feels pretty smooth (with the help of Felipe Becerra) at Lefty’s Barber Shop in Pacific Beach

rep for an Internet marketing firm.

“A perfect night generally involves me getting to play,” he says. “I admit I’m a little bit of an attention hog. I like to be in front of people and have them dance while I’m playing.”

Catch Jason Whitmore performing (he rocks) at Airr Supper Club, Firehouse, Searsucker, Side Bar, Stingaree, Vin de Syrah and various other cool locations. jasonwhitmore.com

Jason Whitmore enjoys a little play-time at Searsucker restaurant in the Gaslamp, as wife jennifer checks his performance schedule.

pour guy W

hen he’s not assessing the flavor and complexities of vintage wines, Eddie Osterland, who was anointed as America’s first Master Sommelier in 1975, treats his friends to unforgettable evenings, one of which included a surprise, chartered flight to Las Vegas, during which the finest champagnes and wines flowed non-stop.

Osterland says his ideal night is one he has replicated frequently. He rents a limousine to shuttle six of his closest compatriots to a primo progressive dinner that includes visits to Advanced Sommeliers Dan Chapman of Georges at the Cove in La Jolla, Jesse Rodriguez of Addison at the Grand Del Mar resort and Brian Donegan of Market Restaurant and Bar in Del Mar. Arriving at George’s for sunset, Osterland has Chapman recommend one of Georges’ signature cocktails and a few appetizers for his lucky friends. At Addison, Rodriguez recommends some out-of-this-world entrees, then Donegan delivers a heavenly desert at Market— all stops and limo interludes including copious sips of the world’s finest wines.

“You can’t do any better than that,” Osterland says. eddieosterland.com

Master Sommelier Eddie Osterland has great taste at Addison restaurant at the Grand Del Mar resort. pacificsandiego.com

49

50

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

S ee more photos at

pacificsandiego.com

night OWL S

enior zookeeper Laura Weiner, who spends her days training and caring for rhinos and camels at the San Diego Zoo, often works late into the night, and she’ll be on the job when the zoo launches its nighttime hours this summer.

Since rhinos sleep in the evening, however, Weiner is occasionally free to roam the urban jungle after putting her bulky charges to bed.

A great night for her begins with Indian food at “fancy, but relaxing” Royal India downtown. From there, it’s a short walk over to swanky ultra-lounge Side Bar for a night of dancing with friends.

“I am a big Side Bar fan during the week,” Weiner says. “They have a late happy hour we go to, and then there’s dancing after that.”

Next, Weiner reenergizes with a decadent treat from Hillcrest’s late-night sweet spot, Extraordinary Deserts, which stays open until midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

A night with friends might beat one with rhinos, but Weiner says zoo visitors— especially those who sign up for a private feeding and petting session—are surprised at how personable the horned creatures can be.

“A lot of people look at them and think it’s kind of a big moving rock, but once you take the time and patience to know them a little better, they are really quite intelligent,” Weiner says. “They know a lot of behaviors and will pay attention to you.”

If only all dates could be so chivalrous… sandiegozoo.org

Laura Weiner SPENDS A TAME EVENING with AN INDIAN RHINO at the San Diego Zoo.

pacificsandiego.com

51

D

iv

T

By

Pat

S he r m an

hough the TERM “dive bar” once evoked the image of grizzled, bulbous-nosed old salts, spewing war stories amid the stench of cigar smoke, bile and rock-gut gin, these enduring (and endearing) neighborhood drinking spots arouse a sense of adventure in today’s urban spelunkerS. There’s also the lure of copious cheap drinks.

“We’re getting a much younger crowd now,” says James Duguay, who has manned the bar at SRO Lounge in Bankers Hill for the past 28 years. “They seem to like a lot of the older bars; they love their character and the friendliness.”

From the black-light glow of Pacific Shores in Ocean Beach to the Art Deco spire of the Tower Bar in City Heights, San Diego’s dive bars wear their frayed edges and garish motifs like badgeS of honor.

STACY KECK

E in

SR O

Lo u n g e

1 8 0 7 5 t h Av e . , B a n k e r s H i l l • Ho u r s : 1 0 a . m . t o 2 a . m . , d a i ly

A

sked to describe the décor of the SRO Lounge, bar manager James Duguay, who’s celebrating his 28th year on the job, likens it to an “Italian San Francisco bordello,” replete with gold-leaf statues, sconces and chandeliers procured from the historic U.S. Grant Hotel.

Located on the periphery of San Diego’s LGBT community, SRO is the Friday and Saturday night go-to spot for the city’s transgender community.

“We’ve always been come-as-you-are, but don’t bother the person next to you—whatever their flavor,” Duguay says. “It’s always been a neighborhood bar with a comfortable mix of people.”

Weathered neighborhood watering holes get by on quirky, retro charm 52

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

A e r o

Cl u b

3 3 6 5 In d i a S t. , L i t t l e I ta ly, a e r o c l u b b a r . c o m Ho u r s : 2 p. m . t o 2 a . m . , d a i ly When it opened in 1947, the Aero Club was owned and operated by female pilot Marian Prophett, who soon tired of the business and sold it.

Built prior to the construction of Interstate 5, the bar was one of the first buildings on India Street, drawing thirsty employees from nearby aircraft manufacturing plants.

Since then, it has had a succession of owners, including a group of Greyhound bus drivers who pooled their money to purchase it in the ’80s.

Current owner Bill Lutzius says he modeled his version of the Aero Club on the drinking spots of his native Brooklyn, in the hope that it never again be referred to as the San Diego Gun and Knife Club (its rumored nickname in the ’60s).

“I hear these stories from neighbors,” Lutzius says. “A guy was telling me that his parents owned it in the ’70s. It was a cop bar, where all the police hung out at that time. His father would leave them the key at 9 o’clock, go home, and the cops would lock the bar when they left.”

Tim Anderson

Pa c ific

S h ores

4 9 2 7 N e w p o rt Av e . , O c e a n B e a c h • Ho u r s : 1 0 a . m . t o 2 p. m . , d a i ly

F

or those who prefer a deep sea dive, Ocean Beach landmark Pacific Shores welcomes drinkers with fluorescent, marine-themed wall frescos and faux clam shells hovering over the bar.

Pac Shores, which, as the story goes, opened on Dec. 6, 1941 (the day before Pearl Harbor was bombed), is currently celebrating its 70th year in business.

Owner Kariann Medina’s father and uncle, both local tuna fishermen, purchased the bar in 1952.

“Not much has changed,” Medina says. “There are photos from when there was nothing else on the block except Pacific Shores. Even our sign out front looks the same.

“We can’t keep our prices as low as 1941,” Medina says, “but we try not to do a lot of increases.”

JEFF “ TURB o ” CORRIGAN pacificsandiego.com

53

fermenting fact San Diego’s dens of drink (and iniquity) would have made even the patron saint of dive bars, poet and novelist Charles Bukowski, tip his tumbler of scotch in grumbling approval.

Actor Sean Penn was so enthralled by Bukowski’s work that he offered to play his alter-ego, Henry Chinaski, in the 1987 film, Barfly, for as little as $1. Penn didn’t get the part, though he went on to appear in a 2003 documentary about the author’s life, Bukowski: Born Into This, which also included former San Diegan Tom Waits and U2’s Bono.

S i lve r

F ox

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A

ccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “dive” was originally used to denote a “drinking den” or undesirable establishment housed in cellars or basements, where thirsty patrons could “dive in” or out, unobserved.

In this sense, the subterranean Silver Fox in Pacific Beach is a dive in the most old-school sense.

Silver Fox co-owner Julie Kazmi, who treats regulars like family by preparing regular holiday feasts, says she only takes offense to the phrase “dive bar” when it is accompanied by the assumption that her establishment is unclean.

“I’m okay with the dive (label),” says Kazmi, whose parents purchased the bar in 1980. “It’s just when we’re accused of being in that realm of a dirty dive bar that I get frustrated, because we really try to keep it clean.”

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brevin blach

Courtesy Julie Kazmi

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nconspicuously nestled on E Street across from Horton Plaza, Star Bar hasn’t changed much since the parents of current owner Y. Star Thompson (pictured above) purchased the bar in 1972, naming it after her (originally as Star Club).

For Thompson, the bar is steeped in memories of her now deceased parents, including the image of her bookie father, Lloyd, tucking her in to nap in a bar booth. Her nononsense Japanese-American mother, Yukkiko, was one of San Diego’s first female bar owners, operating the Gaslamp’s now defunct Club Tokyo (at which she is rumored to have extinguished her cigarette on the hand of a sexually advancing barfly).

“It’s a great love story,” Thompson says of her parents. “They were only together for maybe three or four years when my mother passed away (from cancer). My dad pined for her a very long time.”

Though Star Bar only accepts cash, a Jackson will get you a lot of liquid love. Or for those who feel like splurging, Star Bar’s kitchen sink-nature drink, the Mojo—made from vodka, gin, rum, Southern Comfort, cherry brandy, beer, O.J. and pineapple juice—costs $8.50.

Drink prices are labeled on each bottle, a tradition started by Thompson’s father, who she says sought to offer their blue collar clientele “an honest drink at an honest price.”

More great spots to get down and dive-y

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R e d F o x R O O M a n d p i a n o b a r (see page 66) 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park • redfox.menutoeat.com N u N u ’ s (see page 66) 3537 5th Ave., Bankers Hill • nunuscocktails.com C a p ta i n K e n o ’ s 158 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas No r m a J e a n ’ s 5286 Baltimore Dr., La Mesa L o n do n ’ s W e s t E n d 5157 La Jolla Blvd., Pacific Beach Y e O ld e P l a n k I n n 24 Palm Ave., Imperial Beach

J o n at h a n D o n h o w e

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uring its five-decade run, University Heights’ dimly-lit, corner cocktail lounge has experienced everything from explosions to gunfire. A bullet hole is still visible in the bar’s wood paneling from the time a patron reportedly tried to shoot up a jack-o-lantern.

Three decades ago, a passerby chucked a half-stick of dynamite through the door on New Year’s Eve, while owner Marc “Bubba” Rosenberg was pouring champagne for the toast. Though Rosenberg was able to dodge the explosive, two people near the door were sent to the hospital.

“There was a lot of blood,” says Rosenberg. “It was so powerful it blew a girl’s boot right off her foot and her boyfriend right across the room.”

Fortunately, both bar and bombing victims survived.

Today, Lancers looks much as it did when Rosenberg’s parents purchased the 2,000-square-foot, L-shaped lounge in 1978.

Bar manager Jonny Donhowe says Lancers’ no frills vibe and $2.50 well drinks keep customers young and old coming back.

“This is one of the last, typical old neighborhood bars,” Donhowe says.

“There are no windows. It’s dark and it’s quiet.

“I prefer to find those kinds of bars. It’s just really old and cool—and it’s never going to change.”

STACY KECK

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minor architectural marvel that opened as a drive-in ice cream parlor in the fall of 1932, the Tower Bar is crowned by a more than 80-foot tall tower, making it one of the city’s most iconic landmarks (the original spire was demolished in the ’90s and replaced several years ago).

In the decades since it opened, the octagonal, Art Deco building has been home to an array of restaurants and several beauty parlors. In 1964, a car crashed through the front wall, killing a bar patron.

These days, a tattoo parlor is located on its second floor, while the street-level bar is known for its punk and alternative repertoire. The Tower serves absinthe (seven varieties) and the ever-popular Pabst Blue Ribbon, which can be enjoyed in tall cans or as a “Pabst Smear,” with a float of Guinness stout on top.

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San Diego’s nightlife visionaries

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Femme fatales celebrate nearly-finished construction and design work at F6ix; construction work at the Knotty Barrel Gastropub; an architectural rendering of Stingaree’s new Guest House venue; Chef Brian Malarkey and Stingaree owner James Brennan survey the site of their new North County eatery, Burlap.

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Pat

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n any given night, tens of thousands of San Diegans flock to the city’s swanky night clubs and restaurants—marveling at light displays, killer DJs, gorgeous go-gos and other flourishes.

What club-goers usually don’t see is the extensive planning and foresight that go into designing, building and running a top-tier nightspot.

Never content to rest on their laurels, San Diego’s architects of ambiance are keeping buzzy, always looking toward their next new project or renovation—determined to keep their brands fresh, and San Diegans satisfied.

PacificSD checked in with a few of the city’s leading nightlife purveyors to learn about their plans to expand their empires and rock our worlds.

reveal their next big things

Good Time Design Ty Hauter (who met his wife on a blind date featured in this magazine) is owner of Good Time Design and managing partner of RT’s Longboard Grill in Pacific Beach; Bubs @ the Ball Park in East Village; Tipsy Crow and Culy Warehouse & Event Center in the Gaslamp; and a few other San Diego County locations. He currently has a construction crew working on new digs at Market Street and 8th Avenue downtown, the site formerly occupied by Bar Ninety.

The project, a new East Village eatery & nightspot called The Bootlegger, is being developed in partnership with the owners of P.B. Shore Club and is less than 60 days from opening, Hauter says.

The Americana-themed resto will take diners back to the time of prohibition and feature “choice comfort food, cool cocktails and classic rock.”

Hauter and longtime night-lifer Kenneth Lovi also just launched a new eatery at Market Street and 9th Avenue called The Knotty Barrel Gastropub, which will offer an array of craft beers and feature a rustic ambiance comprising wine barrels and reclaimed wood surfaces. Ted White, executive chef of Kensington Grill, and sous chef Eric O’Connor, formerly of La Jolla’s Whisknladle, are also onboard. The menu will include items such as bison or salmon burgers, seared Ahi street tacos and a Duroc pork dry aged porterhouse with hickory smoked sea salt.

In September, Hauter hopes to break ground on a project similar to Bub’s somewhere near 30th Street and Adams Avenue. Meanwhile, plans are also in the works to open yet another eatery on Coronado Island, this one offering patrons a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy a glass of wine or craft beer while sampling contemporary cuisine infused with authentic French and Italian flavors. knottybarrel.com, goodtimedesignsd.com NightlifeSD NightlifeSD’s David Laurent, who owns Eden nightclub in Hillcrest and is a partner in Side Bar in the Gaslamp, foresees greater exposure for his brand in the coming year.

NightlifeSD is also part-owner of the recently opened Ciro’s Pizzeria and Beerhouse in Pacific Beach.

There are additional plans to open several additional Ciro’s locations around the county.

Laurent says he’s also in

negotiations for a sushi restaurant concept in the Gaslamp.

“It will be kind of an upper-end, trendy restaurant on Fifth Avenue,” he says. “We’d definitely look to have live entertainment, like a DJ. “It’s not a done deal as of yet,” Laurent says, “but if all works out, we’re looking at a potential opening in the first quarter of 2012.”

Laurent also hopes to capitalize on the growing popularity of electronic dance music, creating a 1,200-person capacity concert venue featuring big-name DJs. “I’m looking at a couple of potential spaces,” he says. “This will be the biggest project that I look to embark on in San Diego.” nightlifesd.com SD Creative Media (SDCM) Matthew Spencer is co-owner (with Tyler Charman) of SD Creative Media, which owns Firehouse in Pacific Beach and is a partner (along with Cohn Restaurant Group) in Vin de Syrah and Analog in the Gaslamp.

Spencer says he has several projects on the horizon, including a sushi lounge and a speakeasystyle venue specializing in craft cocktails—on a larger scale than has been done in San Diego.

“I really want to find a space where half of it is hidden,” Spencer says, noting the “one-stop-shop” essence of New York City’s underground SOHO club, the Kenmare.

Spencer wants to open his sushi lounge in Pacific Beach or an adjacent beach community. It would feature punked-out Harajuku-style food servers.

“You know, the girls around Japan that wear all the Hello Kitty stuff and the crazy watches,” Spencer says, adding that old Bruce Lee films will be shown on TV monitors, as chill lounge music plays in the background.

“We’re kicking around the name, Kung Foo Sushi,” he says. sdcreativemedia.com RMD GROUP Mike Georgopoulos of RMD Group (part-owners and operators of Fluxx, Side Bar and Ciro’s Pizza) is still amped about the recent opening of Ciro’s Pizzeria and Beerhouse in Pacific Beach.

Georgopoulos and RMD Group are poised to open San Diego’s muchanticipated, 350-person capacity hip-hop club, F6ix, at the Corner of F Street and 6th Avenue in the

Gaslamp—the former, subterranean site of Sin night club. The club is set to open sometime around June 1.

“Our tagline is ‘redefining the hip-hop experience,’” says Georgopoulos, who envisions F6ix as the antidote to San Diego’s house music-heavy club vibe.

“We really think we can make this a very RMD-type place, with great service, a good crowd and great music,” he says. rmdgroupsd.com Enlighten Hospitality Group James Brennan, the visionary behind mega-club Stingaree and the unimaginably popular Gaslamp restaurant, Searsucker (co-owned by chef Brian Malarkey), is a majority partner in Enlighten Hospitality Group.

One of Brennan’s current projects is preparing for the transformation of Stingaree’s first floor into the standalone Guest House venue, which is set for a June 6 opening with DJs Scooter and Lavelle.

The venue, Brennan says, will have an intimate, library feel and will feature electronic dance music, big-name DJs, fireplaces, bookshelves, catwalks, go-go dancers and leather arm chairs.

John Lyons Systems, the company that created the sound and lighting for Encore Beach Club at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel, is taking on the same task for Guest House.

“I really think it’s the missing piece of the puzzle from what we set out to create six years ago at Stingaree,” Brennan says.

Banking on the continued success of Searsucker, Brennan is preparing to open a North County restaurant and night spot called Burlap, at the corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real in Carmel Valley.

Searsucker’s award-winning chef, Brian Malarkey, conceived Burlap’s America-Chinese bistro menu.

The roughly 9,000-square-foot space, which will include an outdoor patio with koi ponds, a bar and fire

horizon ALSO ON THE

Opening in July is the new La Jolla location of steak and seafood chain Eddie V’s Prime Seafood (on the site of the former Chart House restaurant at 1270 Prospect Street). eddiev.com Now open at 1108 S. Coast Hwy 101 is Union Kitchen & Tap, from Eric Leitstein, owner of PB Ale House. localunion101.com Slated to open June 15 is Barry Braden’s Local Habit, a new restaurant at 3827 5th Avenue in Hillcrest, serving craft beer and pizza made with organic ingredients. mylocalhabit.com

pits, is being designed by Thomas Schoo (Searsucker’s designer), and will have a capacity of about 500 persons.

Verant Group Eric Lingenfelder of Verant Group (owners of True North and West Coast Tavern in North Park, Brewley’s Pint and Tavern at the Beach in Pacific Beach, Sand Bar Sports Grill in Mission Beach and Offshore Tavern in Bay Park) will open their first Gaslamp venue sometime in August.

The 8,000-square-foot space, located at 5th Avenue and Market Street (the site of the soon-to-close Whiskey Girl), will be similar in theme and ambiance to West Coast Tavern, Lingenfelder says.

“We’ve been excited to get into the downtown market, because we’ve been around for 13 years,” says Lingenfelder. “This location became available—and we jumped on it.”

The as-of-yet unnamed, twostory eatery will cater to sports fans and others with more than 40 widescreen TVs, a VIP lounge, three bars and 30 draught beers.

Trivia On Tap: “Verant” is an anagram of “Tavern,” a nod to the group’s first venue in Pacific Beach. verantgroup.com Bar West owner ventures 100 feet east of I-5 Mike Reidy, owner of Bar West night club in Pacific Beach, is in the final throes of opening a bar at 1310 Morena Boulevard in Bay Park, the current site of live music venue O’Connells (located just off I-5).

Reidy will assume ownership of the venue June 6, with plans to reopen it sometime around July 15 as The Griffin, named after the mythical beast that is half lion and half eagle. Reidy will replace old, stained carpeting with hardwood floors, adding comfortable booths, new lamps and a red color scheme.

“We’re going to roll it out and bill it as more of a dive bar—pool tables, the whole deal,” Reidy says, noting that after two months he will begin booking DJs and live bands.

Reidy hopes to cater to students at nearby University of San Diego.

Hours of operation will likely remain 11 to 2 a.m., seven days a week.

Other touches may include food trucks, televised UFC fights, Keno games and bar trivia nights.

“It’s going to be an interactive type bar,” Reidy says. “It’s not a place where you’re going to go there and just sit and drink your sorrows away.

There’s something you’re going to be able to do every night of the week.”

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taste dining out

SLEEPLESS BITES

C O C K TA I L

24-hour eatery offers space to contemplate and nosh the night away

B y pa t s h e r m a n • P h o t o s b y B r e v i n B l a c h

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ong past last call, North County insomniacs are feasting on fresh, organic food and getting a dose of brotherly and sisterly love at Vista’s Yellow Deli.

Open 24/5 (noon Sundays to 3 p.m. Fridays), the quirky, two-story restaurant is owned and operated by members of the Twelve Tribes, who close the place most of the weekend to observe their Sabbath.

“Yeah, people ask a lot of questions,” says server Poriah Skinner, who has six children with husband and tribe elder, Wade Skinner.

“Our life is a life of loving one another and caring for each other, and it overflows when we come to the deli,” she says. “People think, ‘What is this place? There’s something about it.’ It’s the love.”

A Christian group that sprung out of the counterculture and Jesus movements of the 1970s, Twelve Tribes operates restaurants and coffee shops around the globe, donning modest, pioneer-style attire similar to that worn by the Amish.

Local members of the tribe live together in Vista and Valley Center, where they grow organic produce

used in some of the deli-style sandwiches, drinks and salads served at Yellow Deli. Members don’t collect salaries. Instead, proceeds are pumped back into the business and used to support the tribe’s communal needs.

Though meals at the deli aren’t garnished with a side of dogma, information about the Tribes’ beliefs is available via countertop literature—including everything from details about their communal way of life to a glowing assessment of Pink Floyd lyrics and words of comfort for lonely souls.

First-time customers Jennifer Ward and Kory Favreau take seats next to a fire pit on the patio and order Prairie chili, tomato basil soup and carrot cake cream cookies.

“We’re just taking it all in right now,” says Ward, who watched as tribe members built the Yellow Deli from the ground up between 2008 and 2010.

“We’re being cultured—big time.”

Before visiting, Favreau perused the Yellow Deli website to learn about the Twelve Tribes’ way of life.

“It’s a lot of Bible, hippie talk and I never got too far into it,” she says over strains of a cheery Celtic melody.

“Whatever they believe in isn’t going

A late-night patron takes advantage of Yellow Deli’s free Internet access.

to stop me from eating here. If the food’s good, the food’s good.”

The 170-seat restaurant houses an on-site bakery where the tribe bakes its bread, as well as a secondstory bar where they serve fresh juices and Yerba Mate (caffeinated South American tea). The walls are made from the wood of a 100year-old redwood barn the group tore down in Northern California.

Ornate stained glass, metalwork and

macramé give the establishment a warm, homespun touch.

Local DJ Alex D. says Yellow Deli is one of the few places where he can chill and chow down at 3 a.m. after spinning at a nightclub in Escondido.

“It’s either here or Jack in the Box,” he says, noshing on a Breakfast Lambwich. “And the food is much better here.”

315 East Broadway, Vista, 760.631.1888, yellowdeli.com

LEFT: Twelve Tribes members lead a regular Wednesday night discussion group, in which patrons discuss everything from theology to world politics.

RIGHT: Yellow Deli’s patio fire pit.

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taste DINING OUT

S C I E N C E

C O C K TA I L

FARE

Bartender Mike Yen performs cocktail sorcery in Bankers Hill

By Brandon Hernández P h o t o s b y J EFF “ TURBO ” CORRIG A N

W

hile AVENUE 5 Restaurant and Bar is well known for its haute cuisine and comfort food, what the average diner nibbling on truffle fries may not see is the Frankensteinian process of mad mixologist, Mike Yen. Behind the bar of this Bankers Hill eatery, Yen is just as likely to brandish liquid nitrogen as he is a martini shaker, creating alcoholinfused goodies and molecular cocktails that are more often gobbled than gulped.

Yen’s take on the Bloody Mary looks just like a cherry tomato, utilizing a culinary process known as “spherification” to chemically solidify the vodka-based drink.

“Suspended in the sphere is a segment of shrimp,” Yen says.

“What looks like leaves on top is actually a celery-lime gelée that I make by pouring a combination of celery juice, lime juice and salt in a silicone mold and setting it with gelatin.”

His Liquid Nitrogen Lychee Martini is a deep-freeze delight, comprising pureed lychee, Soho lychee liqueur, vodka, lemon juice and Cointreau orange liqueur. Yen pours the mixture into a bowl of liquid nitrogen that’s -320 degrees Fahrenheit. The result, once scooped into a dish, has the taste and texture of a silky sorbet.

Yen’s even got dessert covered, offering an inspired take on the childhood campfire classic, S’mores.

His adults-only version features homemade graham crackers infused with honey and Jack Daniels, a Godiva chocolate liqueur square and 60

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a marshmallow sphere.

“For the chocolate portion, I make silicon molds of actual squares broken off of a chocolate bar, then set the liqueur with gelatin in the molds,” he says. “The marshmallow sphere is made from Stoli Vanil vodka and marshmallows. I suspend a chocolate chip in the sphere, then cut out a slice and brûlée (caramelize) it to create the charred flavor we associate with S’mores.”

In August, look for Yen on the Cooking Channel, where he’ll be demonstrating the method behind this sweet treats. Or, drop in AVENUE 5 Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays for an attitude-adjusting bite when Yen is on the job. For a sample, simply inquire—his molecular masterpieces are an amuse bouche for regulars, returning guests and those in the know. avenue5restaurant.com 2760 5th Avenue, Bankers Hill 619.542.0394

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Awardwinning mixologist Mike Yen prepares a batch of Liquid Nitrogen Lychee Martinis; Yen’s booze-infused S’mores; gelatinous tomato bites are bloody good and create a buzz.

Featuring:

With: ONE DROP • SAND SECTION

SIMPKIN PROJECT KALAMA BROTHERS

NTC PROMENADE LIBERTY STATION LIQUIDALOHAFEST.COM

Portion of the proceeds benefit:

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MAIN: Former Soundgarden/Audioslave front man Chris Cornell rocked an acoustic set last month at Humphreys; BELOW: Adele’s May 8 show at Humphreys sold out in less than a day.

B y D A VE GOOD • p h o t o b y BREVIN BL A CH

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hen Adele arrives in San Diego June 8, the Grammy Award-winning soul singer will be crooning to a soldout house at Humphreys by the Bay. No ticket? No worries­.

That is, if you happen to own a kayak, inflatable raft, dinghy, inner tube, or, better yet, have a friend with a big, bad-ass boat docked at Shelter Island (the private marina

that surrounds Humphreys).

During concert season, the inlet between the marina and the concert venue is typically packed with picnicking and partying music fans—all floating the ticket price in exchange for being a little farther from the stage.

Katy Kellers often experiences Humphreys’ shows from her friend’s sailboat, which is docked at Shelter Island and has a fairly

decent view of the stage.

“Sometimes we sit on the dock and listen to the music,” she says.

“It’s like being on vacation.”

Humphreys’ management and artists give people rockin’ in yachts and rowboats free reign. Performers often banter back and forth with drifters from the stage, ripping on how they can afford to buy a boat, but not a ticket.

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A cluster of boaters and kayakers kicked back and enjoyed Chris Cornell’s sold out show at Humphreys last month.

(Continued from page 63) Upcoming yacht-worthy Humphrey’s shows 7/16: Bill Maher 8/5: Cheech & Chong 8/11: Keb’ Mo 8/17: Steve Martin 8/23: goo goo dolls 9/12: Tears for Fears 10/18: Billy Idol

“It’s all in fun,” says Humphreys concert manager, Bobbi Brieske.

“The boat people add a fun and unique element to the series, and they seem to have a good time. There aren’t many places where that can happen.”

While the view is a far cry from the front row, the sound out on the water can be spectacular.

TWO MUCH FUN

Matt & Kim to wreak danceable havoc at House of Blues Matt & Kim show off their mischievous side.

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Before attempting an evening concert launch, concertgoers are advised to dress appropriately, should the wind kick up or they take an unexpected swim. Kellers has seen people capsize their crafts in the knee-deep water.

“This chick came paddling by us all dressed up for a concert and spent the rest of the night soaking wet,” she says.

Joel Kmak, a drummer for local

country-rock band, The Farmers, has experienced Humphreys shows both as a performer and as a boat person, which he likens to tailgating at a Chargers game.

“You could smell the barbecues lighting up and hear beers cracking,” he says. “Nobody got naked and jumped in the water, though. I was very disappointed.” humphreysconcerts.com

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or über-peppy dance-punk duo Matt & Kim, two is company, and anything more is a crowd.

“I’ve played in my share of five-member bands. It’s hard just trying to get everyone together and have them all be sober,” says keyboardist Matt Johnson, who returns to the House of Blues June 16 with band-mate and drummer, Kim Schifino.

“There’s also the problem of (having) five different opinions,” Johnson says. “You’re always compromising on something, and sometimes the songs get watered down.”

Matt & Kim’s onstage energy is anything but watered down­—the two will leap atop their gear as the mood strikes.

“I’ve taken my share of wipeouts jumping on stools and falling on keyboards where everything goes to hell,” Johnson says. “We like to say, come (to our show) in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.”

Though fans viewing the video for Cameras (in which Matt & Kim proceed to knock the living crap out of each other) may get the impression that the two don’t agree on much, the Brooklyn-based pop stars and Pratt Institute art school grads have a long history of collaboration. Before Schifino

picked up sticks for the first time, the two collaborated on art installations and created album covers for other bands.

However, there is one project on which they disagreed: the video for Lessons Learned, in which Matt & Kim take a stroll through Times Square, casually disrobing as they walk.

“I was trying to convince Kim to do it for a really long time,” Johnson says. “Even the day of, she was still not wanting to do it.”

Since nabbing a 2009 MTV Video Music Award in the category of Breakthrough Video for the project, Johnson says his band-mate has changed her tune.

Though they were initially denied a permit to shoot a “music video” in Times Square, Matt & Kim finally secured a permit to shoot a “web-based promotional video,” Johnson says.

“We had written something (on the application) about how we would walk through Times Square dressed inappropriately for the weather—and they approved it,” he says, with a laugh. mattandkimmusic.com, houseofblues.com

S ee more photos at

pacificsandiego.com

Soccer-player-turned-DJ gets paid to get her kicks by the dance floor B y Pat S h e r m a n Photo by Jeff “Turbo” Corrigan

DJ Dirty Kurty unleashes her fury at the Brass Rail in Hillcrest.

JUNE concert calendar 6/3: Cisco Adler @ 207, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com 6/3: Kyau & Albert @ Voyeur, voyeursd.com 6/4: Gayngs @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 6/5: Damon and Naomi @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com 6/7: Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt @ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com 6/8: Robert Plant @ Copley Symphony Hall, sandiegosymphony.org 6/9: The Farmers @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com 6/9: Fedde le Grand @ Fluxx, fluxxsd.com 6/9: Mother Mother @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com 6/10: X (John Doe, Exene Cervenka) @ 4th and B, 4thandbevents.com 6/10-11: The English Beat @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com 6/11: The Airborne Toxic Event @ House of Blues, hob.com 6/12: Donald Glaude @ 207, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com

W

hen wrapping up a career as a professional soccer player—which included stints in both the U.S. and Japan—Linda Kurtyka wasn’t getting a kick out of the career options laid out before her.

Ultimately, the club-hopping athlete decided to trade in her grass stains for grimy grooves, reinventing herself as DJ Dirty Kurty.

“I’ve loved music my entire life,” Kurty says. “It’s kind of the only thing I’m passionate about besides soccer.”

The sports-minded DJ (who’s currently training for Olympicdistance triathlons), doesn’t take her job lying down.

“I’m literally jumping up and down and dancing behind the booth, and really vibing off the music I’m playing and the crowd,” Kurty says. “House music is definitely my passion, (but) electro is now really the top thing to spin.”

Her DJ moniker was born when friends at her alma mater of North Carolina State University started shortening her last name from Kurtyka to “Kurty.”

“I was kind of checking somebody out one day as they were walking by, and a friend’s like, ‘You’re dirty!’” Kurty says, with a laugh.

As for airing out her dirty laundry by revealing whom she was scamming on back then, she says, “I’m not going to mention any names.”

For some good, clean fun, catch DJ Dirty Kurty spinning at Eden and the Brass Rail in Hillcrest, Andaz and Henry’s Pub in the Gaslamp, U-31 in North Park and Bourbon Street in University Heights. djdirtykurty.com

6/13: Buddy Guy, @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com 6/14: Meat Puppets @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 6/18: Joey Belladonna (of Anthrax) @ Brick by Brick, brickbybrick.com 6/19: Panic at the Disco @ House of Blues, hob.com

DJ Dirty Kurty

6/19: DJ Mamy Rock @ 207, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com

Age: 40

6/23: Kid Cudi @ Valley View Casino Center, sandiegoarena.org

Hometown: Toms River, N.J.

6/23: Andre Williams @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

Drink: Patrón Silver on the rocks

6/25: The Cured w/ Murmur (REM tribute) @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com

Eats: Phó (Vietnamese noodle soup)

6/29: Paul Collins Beat @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

Beats: Deep, funky house

6/30: Joachim Garraud @ Fluxx, fluxxsd.com

Most energizing track: Afrojack’s “Take Over Control”

6/30: Grandmaster Flash @ 207, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com

Former occupation: Professional soccer player

pacificsandiego.com

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Through phases and crazes, veteran bartenders keep pouring the classics

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VINTAGE SPIRITS

ABOVE: Veteran bartender Linda Hanover keeps spirits up at the Red Fox Room in North Park.

LEFT: Nunu’s old pro, John Watson, prepares martinis with a sure and steady hand.

B y D A VID MOYE • p h o t o S b y b r e v i n b l a c h

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n his 40 years as a bartender, including 27 spent slinging drinks at Nunu’s cocktail lounge in Bankers Hill, John Watson has seen the rise and fall of the Fuzzy Naval and several martini fads.

In her 23 years mixing drinks at Qualcomm Stadium and the Red Fox Room in North Park, Linda Hanover has witnessed the same parade of cocktail kicks—from 66

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

shooters comprising a blend or layers of liquor (such as a kamikaze or B-52) to the current furor over immersions, in which fruit, peppers or other ingredients stew for days in vodka or other spirits to give drinks an added flavor profile.

With 60 years of liquid psychiatry between these seasoned sixtysomethings, patrons are drinking in a little knowledge between sips.

“You know, back in the 1980s, there was a whole martini craze,” Hanover says. “I’ve been seeing revivals of older cocktails for years.”

Shaken or stirred? What makes a true martini remains something of debate among connoisseurs.

“I only shake them when people request it,” Watson says, with a laugh. “To me, a good quality (Continued on page 68)

groove (Continued from page 66)

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c good ol’ rum and Coke for folks having their first legal drink (“It tastes good and is a grown-up drink”)—has some motherly advice for those seeking the truth about what they tipple.

“Honestly, those foo-foo cocktails

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“I had a guy ask for that once,” he says. “I usually make it with Belvedere, and this guy wanted me to add Glenfiddich whisky on top.

He said the one I made was the best he’d ever had.”

Hanover—who recommends 68

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martini is made with good gin. I have to be careful when I’m out on the town to make sure bartenders don’t shake them. I think that ruins the true flavor.”

Hanover is more like James Bond when it comes to martinis.

“I do like them shaken,” she says.

“To me, a good martini has to be really cold.”

Though their knowledge is vast, these classic cocktail creators don’t take a condescending tone with thirsty whippersnappers. In fact, Hanover believes today’s young adult drinker has a more educated palate than in recent generations.

“There is a more discerning culture these days,” she says. “I see them ordering classics like side cars and old fashioneds, and I do think they understand what makes a good cocktail.

“If someone doesn’t know what they want, I’ll suggest my favorite, a Mandarin Madras,” she says.

“That has Absolut Mandarin vodka, orange juice and cranberry juice.”

Watson also sees hope in the current generation of drinkers, though he is a strong believer that good drinks require the proper proportions and the proper perspective.

“I look at some books and the recipes are wrong,” he laments.

“Like mai tais with cherry juice? Or brandy? Also, I don’t recommend ordering high-end vodka like Grey Goose with cranberry juice, because it just negates the taste.”

If you want to impress Watson with your alcohol acumen, try ordering a “Smoky Martini,” a variation that uses whiskey instead of vermouth.

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that are popular—bartenders make them up because they’re bored.”

Catch these seasoned mixologists weekdays at Nunu’s and the Red Fox Room. nunuscocktails.com, lafayettehotelsd.com

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Two solo acts come together for one big night

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B y Da v i d P e r l o f f • P h o t o s b y B r e v i n B l a c h

t’s just after sunset on Friday night. The Gaslamp is hoppin’, and the karaoke room at Analog is filling in, but no one is stepping up to the mic.

Breaking the ice is the job of Teddy, a cuddly-bear of a guy with a big smile and huge cajones who mans the karaoke machine, fearlessly entertaining the crowd between patrons’ performances.

As Teddy kick-starts the party with an energetic rendition of Mr. Brightside by Vegas-based rockers, The Killers, tonight’s blind daters flip through a loose-leaf binder of song titles. They met about 15 minutes ago, and now they’re on deck to sing.

Lauren and Zoltan signed up for the date on PacificSD’s Facebook page. They agreed in advance to the karaoke—an especially bold move for Laura, who’s never sung in public before.

Zoltan, on the other hand, has belted out his share of hits on stage.

His recent performance of Vanilla Ice’s Ice, Ice, Baby included light choreography and brought down the house at The Lamplighter in Mission Hills. In case you missed that moment in musical history, perhaps you remember the Z-man from when he was on PacificSD’s November 2009 blind date with his brother (see Four Play at pacificsandiego.com).

But it’s just the price I pay Destiny is calling me Open up my eager eyes ‘Cause I’m Mr. Brightside

S ee more photos and the V I D E O of this date at

pacificsandiego.com

Sounds like Teddy’s on the final chorus. Before our rock stars face the music, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: Where are you from and where do you live now?

LAUREN: I am from the Del Cerro/ San Carlos area and currently live there.

ZOLTAN: I grew up in Alameda, a small town in the San Francisco Bay area, and now live in Mission Hills.

I’ve been here in San Diego about six years.

What do you do for a living?

LAUREN: I’m an S.E.O. copywriter at an Internet marketing company.

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ZOLTAN: I’m a high school biomedical science teacher.

What do you do for fun?

LAUREN: Travel. I usually plan a new trip every few months. I love checking out new restaurants or entertaining at home, trying my hand in the kitchen, reading, taking kickboxing classes and playing with my recently adopted puppy, Ryder. And—this makes me sound shallow—but I really like to shop.

ZOLTAN: I like to Zumba dance,

Frisbee golf, save kittens out of burning buildings, travel, teach old people how to use computers, barbeque, karaoke and work on putting together the ultimate slow jam mix tape. And that’s it.

What makes you a good catch?

LAUREN: I have a lot of great things going on in my life that I am eager to share with someone. I have a fantastic family, job, friends, my own place and a really cute dog. I’m fun to be around, honest, down-

to-earth and independent. Also, I think growing up with two brothers helped me appreciate and enjoy the company of guys.

ZOLTAN: I’m a very respectful and thoughtful person, I’m stable in my career and in life and I put out on the first date.

(Continued on page 72) WANT TO GO ON A PacificSD BLIND DATE? EMAIL PICS AND A COUPLE SENTENCES ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN A DATE TO BLINDDATE@ PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM.

love (Continued from page 70)

D AT E

What are you looking for in a date, physically and/or otherwise?

LAUREN: A great conversationalist who is a total gentleman and has a dry sense of humor similar to mine. Physically, of course, I want to him to be attractive, but I don’t have a particular type in mind. I’ll be happy if I don’t tower over him in my heels, and if he dresses well and smells nice.

ZOLTAN: I’m looking for someone I can bullsh!t and have fun with. No one stuck-up or pretentious. Physically, someone with most of their limbs and teeth would be nice.

What is your biggest fear?

LAUREN: Killer whales.

ZOLTAN: Prison, mainly because I’m a stomach sleeper.

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

LAUREN: Guys and have little in common, except for a shared love of beer.

ZOLTAN: Bullet wounds and daddy issues.

Fill in the blanks: I want my date to be “blank” and “blank.”

LAUREN: Outgoing and a good singer.

ZOLTAN: Skilled in karate and have strawberry-scented farts.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

LAUREN: I’m a thoughtful person. With great hair.

ZOLTAN: I’m pretty much down for anything.

I think it keeps things exciting but can lead to some awkward situations.

What’s the best song your date could sing for you and why?

LAUREN: Baby Got Back, by Sir Mix-a-Lot. I think it would be a compliment. It’s a hilarious song and it actually requires a level of skill to sing it well. And I could do the intro, “Oh, my God, Becky, look at her butt. It is so big!”

ZOLTAN: Baby Got Back, by Sir Mix-a-Lot, because my anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns, hun.

What’s the worst song your date could sing for you and why?

LAUREN: Anything by Backstreet Boys or Lady Gaga, because I would die of embarrassment on his behalf. N’Sync is acceptable, though. A little Justin Timberlake never hurt anyone.

ZOLTAN: Ice, Ice Baby, by Vanilla Ice. That’s my go-to karaoke song, and if she tries to sing it, I might have to leave after my dance routine.

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just

DUET

Time to stand up and be heard

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aving discussed their song choices over drinks and appetizers, Zoltan and Lauren are ready to rock.

Zoltan’s up first. Channeling his inner white guy, he heads to the stage and treats the crowd at Analog to a little slice of the early-90s— Good Vibrations, by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

When it’s Lauren’s turn, despite her trepidation, she grabs the mic and does a great job with Katy Perry’s California Girls, featuring Snoop Dogg.

D-O-Double-Gizzle is a no-show (it’s 4:20 somewhere), so Zoltan helps rap-up Lauren’s performance.

For their final duet, the couple performs Digital Underground’s Humpty Dance, and it goes a little something like this:

WATCH LAUREN AND ZOLTAN’S KARAOKE VIDEOS AT PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM.

I drink up all the Hennessey ya got on ya shelf, so just let me introduce myself.

My name is Humpty, pronounced with a Umpty.

Yo ladies, oh, how I like to hump thee…

Oh yes, ladies, I’m really bein’ sincere ‘cause in a 69 my humpty nose will tickle ya rear…

Tough act to follow.

Back in their booth, the couple seems to be hitting it off—talking, laughing, sitting close. They watch a few American Idol-esque Analoggers karaoke their hearts out, then step out onto Fifth Avenue for the short walk over to Side Bar on Market Street.

(Continued on page 74)

THANK YOU! Analog 801 5th Avenue, Gaslamp analogbar.com, 619.233.1183

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SEE THE LIGHT: Dr. Walinski is an expert and pioneer in Laser Dentistry, a practice which is more precise and causes less collateral damage than traditional drilling. His book on the subject has been published around the world in ten languages.

SERVICES: Implants: usually a better option than a fixed bridge or removable partial.

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CHEW ON THIS: Xylitol is a naturally-occurring sugar that stops cavities, period. Dr. Walinski recommends Epic (epicdental.com), which comes with a cavity-free guaranteeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;if you use Epic gum or mints and ever get another cavity, they will give you a full refund.

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love (Continued from page 72)

side

too

The date continues at Side Bar

T

onight is Side Bar’s two-year anniversary celebration, and Lauren and Zoltan are on the guest list for the exclusive VIP pre-party, hosted

by Dom Perignon. Snazzy.

Inside, there’s even more snazz—sultry go-go girls undulating to house music on swings and cages. After the couple has had the chance to soak in the scene and a glass of champagne, they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?

LAUREN: It’s going really well. I think he’s really cute. I think we have the same sense of humor. I would like to say there’s chemistry there. I don’t want to be the ass#ole that thinks that we have chemistry, and he’s like, “Nah, I don’t like her at all,” but I think we’re hitting it off. Do you think we’re hitting it off?

ZOLTAN: Bueno. She’s fun, very cute, easy to talk to, she’s down to karaoke, so it’s a good time so far.

Is this the type of person you’d normally date?

LAUREN: No, but the guys I normally date don’t work out, so maybe this is a good thing.

ZOLTAN: Um, I’d say yeah.

She’s very laidback and chill and just down to have fun.

What did you think of Analog?

LAUREN: The food’s amazing!

Those lobster mini-corndogs are out of this world. And the tater-tot nachos are really delicious as well. The atmosphere was cool.

ZOLTAN: The lobster corndog things were awesome. We didn’t really get to the tater-tots—we were too busy rapping our asses off.

How did you sing?

LAUREN: Awful, I sang terrible. It was mortifying, but at the same time it was something that I wanted to do, so I felt sort of accomplished after I finished.

ZOLTAN: First song, Good Vibrations, was a little hit or miss, but the karaoke machine was a little off. It wasn’t me, ‘cause I know the song. But Humpty Dance, I think I knocked it out of the park.

How well did your date sing?

LAUREN: Like, 10 out of

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10—really, really good. He blew me out of the water.

ZOLTAN: She did California Girls, which is a great karaoke song, and she did very well.

The high notes are definitely hard to hit, but she pulled it off; it was good.

And I helped her out with the Snoop Dogg part.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?

LAUREN: He just seems really attentive to, like…me.

He’s starting conversation and he’s making sure that I’m comfortable. I feel like he’s not just self-absorbed. He’s kind of concerned about me and if I’m having a good time and things like that.

ZOLTAN: Basically, showing no fear in karaoke. That’s a very scary thing to do, and to do it without bitching about it or even being scared about it is pretty admirable.

What would your parents say?

LAUREN: They would ask if he’s Italian; they would ask if he was tall. And if I said no to both those things, they would probably be a little disappointed, but they would approve after they got to know him.

ZOLTAN: They’d say she’s cute and cool and, you know, bring her over to dinner.

Rate your date from one to 10 for looks.

LAUREN: Nine, ‘cause nobody’s perfect.

ZOLTAN: 8 ½.

D AT E

Rate your date from 1-10 on personality.

LAUREN: Nine—nobody’s perfect.

ZOLTAN: Nine.

Do you want to kiss your date right now?

LAUREN: Sure.

ZOLTAN: Sure.

Do you think your date wants to kiss you right now?

LAUREN: I hope so. I might need an Altoid.

ZOLTAN: Sure.

If you had to choose between leaving with $100 cash or making-out with your date right now, what would you do?

LAUREN: I’d probably make out with him.

ZOLTAN: Guaranteed makeout? I’d go make-out.

Is there anything that could make this date more fun?

LAUREN: Maybe if we just had a little more quiet time to get to know each other, a little more time to talk seriously.

ZOLTAN: Can we go back to the making-out part?

(Continued on page 76)

love (Continued from page 74)

takes

it

D AT E

two

The blind daters get into the groove

B

ack inside Side Bar, Lauren and Zoltan have another glass of Dom. As they begin to get jiggy with it on the dance floor, they’re finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their epic date night away from the camera.

Hoping to hear they made beautiful music together, we call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?

LAUREN: The date was incredibly fun, aside from the five mortifying minutes that I spent singing on-stage at Analog.

Both venues were very accommodating, the food and drinks were delicious, and Zoltan and I laughed a lot and enjoyed good conversation.

ZOLTAN: I think it went well.

Blind dates can be awkward, but we just had fun with it and ended up having a good time.

How was Side Bar? LAUREN: Side Bar was busy with their anniversary party. There was lots of champagne and go-go dancers writhing around in cages and swinging in hula hoops that were suspended above the crowd. Some of the hula hoops were hanging so low that at one point I almost accidentally walked into a butt cheek.

ZOLTAN: The music was good and there were plenty of sexy people.

There were even half-naked girls swinging right over our heads. A butt cheek almost hit me in the eye. Not complaining.

76

after the magazine left, which was a good sign.

ZOLTAN: I think it’s too soon to tell. I liked hanging out with her and I guess we’ll see if it leads to anything else.

What happened after you two left Side Bar? LAUREN: We went over to Fleetwood for a couple more drinks, and then grabbed some pizza at Ciro’s.

ZOLTAN: We went to Fleetwood for a drink, then ate some pizza.

Nothing crazy. I was actually home by 12:30, just in time for the Charles in Charge marathon.

Was there a kiss?

LAUREN: There was no kiss.

ZOLTAN: No. I might put out on the first date but I don’t kiss. What am I, a whore?

What was the best part of the date?

LAUREN: Almost accidentally walking into the butt cheek.

ZOLTAN: Probably getting down with the karaoke. It was a good way to start the date. And as long as they have early-90s rap, I’m happy.

What’s the smartest thing your date said all night?

LAUREN: A lot of things—he’s a smart guy. About midway through our date, he told me how much he was enjoying himself. It was smart because it made me feel so much more comfortable and relaxed, so I think he was able to get a better sense of who I am.

ZOLTAN: She thanked me for not being weird and ugly. Finally, some recognition.

Describe any romantic connection.

LAUREN: Does groping on a banquette at Side Bar count as a romantic connection? No, all joking aside, I’d say we got along well.

Neither of us wanted the date to end

What do you and your date have in common?

LAUREN: We share a similar sense of humor. We both have two brothers. We order the same kinds of drinks. Oh, and we have both been

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

on blind dates before this one.

ZOLTAN: We’re both pretty chill and have the same kind of humor.

We can easily just bulls#it and have fun together.

Is there anything you wish you had done or said differently during the date?

LAUREN: I wish I hadn’t given him my number. He won’t stop texting me naked pictures.

ZOLTAN: Hells no. I was cooler than Fonzi with frostbite. Actually, I’ve learned not to trip over woulda, coulda, shouldas. Besides, I’m happy with how it went.

Will there be a second date?

ZOLTAN: Yeah, we’re going to one of my favorite sushi spots this week—Harney Sushi in Old Town.

LAUREN: Yes, he called me over the weekend, and we’re going for sushi this week.

A ftermatch (to the tune of Z-man): Lauren and Zoltan Sitting in a tree S-I-N-G-I-N-G First comes love Then comes marriage Then comes a rapper in a baby carriage Rock on.

THANK YOU! Side Bar 536 Market Street, Gaslamp sidebarsd.com, 619.696.0946

calendar Annual beach fest TAPS INTO EMERGING TALENT

M

[

6/1-8/31: Stone Late Night Movies Venue: Stone World Bistro & Gardens, Escondido Admission: Free Info: stoneworldbistro.com/movies Aficionados of “The Dude,” bring lawn chairs and blankets (bonus points for bowling shoes) to watch The Big Lebowski on the outdoor patio at Stone Bistro & World Gardens.

Showtimes are Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.

6/3-9/25: Shakespeare Festival Venue: Old Globe Theatre, Balboa Park Tickets: $29 and up Info: oldglobe.org Nip that Oedipus complex in the bud before Father’s Day during the Old Globe’s Shakespeare Festival. This year’s underthe-stars offerings include the Bard’s sidesplitting comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest and Amadeus (not written by Shakespeare, but does feature old dudes in white wigs).

06/4-5

6/4-5: Fiesta del Sol Where: Fletcher Cove Beach Park, Solana Beach Admission: Free Info: fiestadelsol.net Solana Beach’s 32nd annual Fiesta del Sol will rock the seaside community with two days of live music—rock, reggae, Mike Pinto Band soul, funk, blues and more—booked by the talent scouts at BellyUp Tavern. The 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. event includes a beer and wine garden.

PADRES HOME GAMES

P h o t o s C o u r t e s y FM 9 4 / 9

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6/2: vs. Houston Astros, 7:05 p.m.

6/3: vs. Houston Astros, 7:05 p.m. (“Sample Downtown” food and drink tastings) 6/4: vs. Houston Astros, 5:35 p.m. (free Padres garden gnomes) 6/5: vs. Houston Astros, 5:35 p.m. (free Padres ice cream helmets for kids) 6/6: vs. Colorado Rockies, 7:05 p.m.

6/7: vs. Colorado Rockies, 7:05 p.m.

6/8: vs. Colorado Rockies, 3:35 p.m.

6/9: vs. Washington Nationals, 7:05 p.m.

6/10: vs. Washington Nationals, 7:05 p.m. (Party at the Park, salute to the Negro Leagues) 6/11: vs. Washington Nationals, 5:35 p.m. (free Padres vintage caps) 6/12: vs. Washington Nationals, 1:05 p.m. (free Padres sweatbands for kids) 6/24: vs. Atlanta Braves, 7:05 p.m. (fireworks show) 6/25: vs. Atlanta Braves, 5:35 p.m. (free Padres beach towels) 6/26: vs. Atlanta Braves, 1:05 p.m. (free Padres batting gloves for kids) 6/27: vs. Kansas City Royals, 7:05 p.m.

6/28: vs. Kansas City Royals, 7:05 p.m.

6/29: vs. Kansas City Royals, 12:35 p.m.

Craig Schwartz

Folks. Their return-to-form single, Second Chance, is equally infectious.

Then there’s Swedish-born sexpot Lykke Li, whose recent performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon proves she’s poised for mainstream success. Li’s sometimes sugary, often sexually-bitter pop drips from her single, Get Some, on which she unabashedly exclaims, “I’m your prostitute, you gon’ get some.” Her set will no doubt be one hell of a sexually frustrated dance party.

England’s Band of Skulls and L.A.’s Everest will also play the 94/9 Stage.

Performing on the Casbah Stage, worldtouring locals Crocodiles will melt ears with droning guitars and pulsing drums, while The Soft Pack’s stripped-down surf punk will have Jam-goers pounding their beers even faster.

Another San Diego outfit on the rise, the ghostly yet serene Heavy Hawaii, will juxtapose its sunny melodies with demented undertones.

Florida’s Surfer Blood and S.D.’s Silent Comedy will also rock the Casbah Stage.

For those who want to get their drink on and not worry about driving to Oceanside, a $49 pass includes a roundtrip bus ride, departing from either Bub’s @ the Ball Park in East Village or 710 Beach Club in Pacific Beach.

06/3-09/25

B y t i m d o n n e l ly usic festivals can be spendy.

These days, the average Coachella outing costs more than a used car on Craiglist.

Providing an affordable Plan B for outdoor music enthusiasts, FM 94/9’s Independence Jam returns to the Oceanside Pier Plaza Amphitheatre June 5, with general admission tickets going for a more modest $35.

The annual, beachfront festival showcases both world-class indie acts and emerging local buzz bands. Indy Jam curators have a knack for booking under-the-radar acts that later go on to become some of the biggest names in the industry (i.e. Kings of Leon, MGMT and Yeah Yeah Yeahs). This year’s line-up is equally impressive and should help Independence Jam organizers maintain their perceptive streak.

Standout headliners include Cold War Kids; Peter, Bjorn & John; and the erotically-charged Lykke Li. Though Long Beach’s Cold War Kids have been banging out soulful piano-punk since 2005, their newest release, Mine is Yours, is their most melodic to date. Back in 2006, Swedish popsters Peter, Bjorn & John had the whole world whistling to their ever-present and unforgettable hit, Young

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Submit events to calendar@pacificsandiego.com.

FM 94/9 Independence Jam When: June 5, 4 p.m.

Where: Oceanside Pier Plaza Amphitheatre, Oceanside Info: independencejam.com

06/1-08/31

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Dan Chusid

06/6

courtesy Ed Andrews Photography

06/6 06/17 06/18-19

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06/24-26 80

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

6/4: Art Around Adams Where: Adams Avenue (between Oregon and Vista streets) Admission: Free Info: artaroundadams.org More than 100 businesses along Adams Avenue will be transformed into art galleries and live music venues during this annual event, which includes interactive art installations, street performers and “Comedy Trolleys,” in which comedians crack jokes as guests are shuttled along a two-mile stretch.

6/4: Carlsbad Beach Fest Where: Frazee Beach (Carlsbad Boulevard and Pine Avenue) Admission: Free Info: carlsbadbeachfest.com More than 2,600 people are expected to hit Carlsbad State Beach for a beach run, sand sculpting, paddleboard and kayaking clinics, beach yoga, ultimate Frisbee and beach soccer demos, kite flying, a beach cleanup and a one-mile-long “Hands Across the Beach” event.

(Kumbaya, yo.)

6/6: North Park Grub Sprawl Where: North Park eateries Admission: Free Info: altstrategies.com/npgrubsprawl Crawl through 10 of North Park’s top dining spots as they offer their signature dishes for only $5, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Participants looking to expand their waistbands should pick up a wristband at True North or West Coast Tavern, both near 30th Street and University Avenue.

6/6: Firehouse Fourth Anniversary Where: 722 Grand Ave., Pacific Beach Admission: Free Info: firehousepb.com Help celebrate Firehouse American Eatery + Lounge’s fourth anniversary, as the popular P.B. hotspot thanks dedicated regulars with house music under the stars and a hosted bar and buffet from 7 to 8 p.m. Put yourself on the guest list by emailing rsvp@sdcreativemedia.com.

6/17: Art After Dark Beatles Tribute Venue: Oceanside Museum of Art Admission: $25 Info: oma-online.org Come together for live music from Beatles tribute band, HELP!, and an exhibition of rare Fab Four photography at the Oceanside Museum of Art’s monthly Art After Dark event from 7 to 10 p.m.

June 18-19: Taste of the Gaslamp Venue: Restaurants in the Gaslamp Tickets: $30 Info: gaslamp.org Treat your dad or father figure to a Father’s Day food-sampling tour of Gaslamp eateries including Analog, Airr Supper Club, Nobu Sushi, La Puerta, Quarter Kitchen and more.

6/24-26: San Diego International Beer Festival Venue: Chevrolet Arena, Del Mar Fairgrounds Tickets: $45 Info: sdfair.com/beer Sample stouts, porters and other craft beers as more than 350 breweries from around the world converge for this behemoth brew fest.

Taste of 2011

AZTEC

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think

SCENE IT ALL

When you’re the last man standing, it’s probably time to head home

T

How do you know when you’re past your partying prime?

Grand prize for best answer: a six-pack of Ensure, a fistful of laxatives and a new set of “party pants” (aka Depends).

Sean C.: Three-day hangover

Jen O.: When the people in the scene start calling you “Ma’am”

Donel H.: The discovery that the volume knob also turns to the left.

Marianne L.: When your kids can get into the bar with you.

Lynett S.: When you fall asleep before you get ready!

Alexandra V.: U find urself growing envious of the DJ bcuz he’s sitting down, while simultaneously wishing u could make a Starbucks run :)

Sean H.: Poppin Viagra’s on the dance floor

Andrea J.: You valet park a minivan containing more car seats than passengers.

Donel H.: Your back goes out more than you do.

Nicolette A.: When you constantly think the music is too damn loud.

Xavier G.: When you’re hitting on the daughters of previous people you slept with.

Mike S.: When you’re the only one at the club sporting Ed Hardy digs

Kristy W.: When the hangover lasts longer than the time it took to get wasted!!!

Andrea G.: When your total cholesterol is higher than your sperm count.

Amy B.: When everything posted above applies to you!

82

pacificsandiego.com {June 2011}

DJ Mamy Rock

Flowers’ Power White-haired Euro club queen gets more bad-ass with age

C

an your grandmother throw down?

Even if she does, she’s got nothing on Ruth Flowers, the 70-year-old, jet-setting DJ from Bristol, England, who has garnered international acclaim as DJ Mamy Rock.

Unwilling to let age or ageism define her, Flowers participated in (and completed) the London Marathon at age 57.

Several years ago, Flowers was in line at a popular London nightclub for her grandson’s birthday, when a bouncer tried to bar her from entering the venue due to her age. That’s when Flowers decided she’d had enough—and vowed to become a DJ. Hooking up with French Producer Aurélien Simon, the former sewing lecturer honed her DJ image and turntable technique, debuting before Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey and other celebs during the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. She returned to Cannes the following year to play for Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis—and hasn’t strayed

far from the DJ booth since.

Though some people thought the granny DJ would be viewed as just another gimmick, Flowers’ righteous beats and mixes hold up to DJs a third her age.

“Crazy ideas sometimes work,” Flowers says. “If (the people) love it, I shall keep on playing—and I hope they’ll keep on dancing.”

Catch DJ Mamy Rock at 207 at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego June 19.

Cover is $20. Doors open at 9 p.m.; showtime is midnight.

You go, Mamy.

WIN TICKETS TO SEE MAMY ROCK AT PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

PHOTOS COURTESY SPOA PRODUCTIONS

hat old dude at the far end of the bar, hitting on chicks his granddaughter’s age, might want to chiggity-check himself before he riggity-wrecks his new hip.

And that always surprised-looking cougar on the dance floor, goosing every male buttock that comes within arm’s reach, should know that “old school” doesn’t refer to the 1940s.

When the sun goes down and the music (and the bottom of that glass) goes up, people can forget their age—especially when they’re old.

To make sure that doesn’t happen to us, PacificSD turned to the city’s foremost nightlife experts (our 10 million Facebook friends) to ask:

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Enjoy Heineken Responsibly ©2011 Heineken® Lager Beer. Brewed in Holland.

Imported by Heineken USA Inc., White Plains, NY.