DAREDEVIL
CLAIR MARIE (@THEBASEGIRL)
THE
F#CK-IT
LIST
WHAT TO DO BEFORE (AND TO ACCELERATE) DYING
ALSO INSIDE
THE ACTION/ ADVENTURE ISSUE HORSING AROUND AT DEL MAR JETPROPELLED BLIND DATERS EXTREME DINING
100S OF JULY EVENTS VISUAL + PERFORMING ARTS NEW MOVIES STAND-UP COMEDY ACTION-PACKED LOCAL BEERS LIVE MUSIC + EDM SHOWS JULY 2017
PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM
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editor n ote
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INAUGURATION DINNER 2017
4 COURSE FOO D + C O C K TA I L P AIRING JANUARY 20T H • 7-9PM 8 0 1
5 T H
A V E .
S A N
D I E G O
•
Where my hose at?
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ngs Weekend Wine Tasti AY NIGHTS 889PM
GS NOW FRIDAY & SATURD UNIQUE WINE TASTIN call or email for reservations please
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FIRED UP If life in paradise seems boring, this Action/ Adventure issue of PACIFIC promises to get the adrenaline pumping. Step one: Step off a cliff with cover model Clair Marie (@TheBaseGirl), who has 800-plus BASE jumps under her belt (see “Home Base,” page 46). BASE jumping – building, antenna, span, earth – means leaping from a land-based thing (versus a plane) with a parachute, making excitement a certainty, and death a distinct possibility. To get the heart racing without risking your life, consider a tamer nearby activity like riding a monster dune buggy, diving with white sharks or any of the other death-defying entries on the “F#ck-It List” (page 54). Or, for a voyeuristic dose of exhilaration, watch two blind daters and a budding romance take flight on Jetboards in “Fly Boys” (page, 102). I’d like to dedicate this issue to a real San Diego risk-taker, Matt Spencer, who – along with his illustrious team of kind, cool hospitality mofos at SDCM (heart y’all!) – opened Pacific Beach’s famed
Firehouse American Eatery + Lounge in June 2007. Congratulations, Matt and Co., on your 10-year anniversary. May the fire pit on your oceanview sky-deck continue heating up the night for decades to come. His success at Firehouse propelled Spencer to open Analog and Vin de Syrah in the Gaslamp, Kettner Exchange and Devil’s Dozen in Little Italy, and The Grass Skirt and Good Time Poke in Pacific Beach. He bet it all on a dream, which paid off big for the hundreds of thousands of customers who have enjoyed a slice of the action-packed nightand day-life at his venues ever since. It’s hard to say whether Spencer would be so successful today if his quest for excitement hadn’t spurred him to take a gamble on changing the San Diego social scene. (It’s also hard to guess if he would have made it so far without advertising in PACIFIC every month for the past 10 years – but what daredevil would take that risk? ;-) Buckle up for a thrill ride, dear Reader. Turn the page, say WTF and jump in.
Sincerely,
David Perloff, Editor-in-Chief HERE S YOUR L ST SUPPER ?
www.analogbar. com | 801 5th open tues-sun Avenue, at 4pm | food served till midnight San Diego, CA thurs, fri and sat
A collection of SDCM ads published in PACIFIC from 2007 to 2017.
Fanc
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VOLUME #11 • ISSUE #7 • JULY 2017 E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F
David Perloff C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R
Kenny Boyer D I G I TA L D I R E C TO R
Leslie Hackett
S RDAY SATU PM 6 - 9 UG -A JUNE
M A N AG I N G E D I TO R
Jennifer Ianni LIVE ACOUSTICS IN THE SAND
D I R E C TO R O F P H OTO G R A P H Y
John McCutchen C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R
Michael James Rocha
GRAB A SEAT, CRACK OPEN A BREW, CATCH THE SUNSET, TUNE INTO GOOD VIBES WAVEHOUSE SAN DIEGO 3125 OCEAN FRONT WALK SAN DIEGO CA 92109 @WAVEHOUSESD WAVEHOUSESD.COM
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Michael Benninger, Lisa Deaderick, Pam Kragen, Scott McDonald, Karla Peterson, Sarah Pfledderer, Peter Rowe C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S
K.C. Alfred, Brevin Blach, David Brooks, Nelvin C. Cepeda, Brian Fontaine P H OTO E D I TO R
Alma Cesena E D I TO R I A L I N T E R N
sip into
Chloe Salsameda
PUBLISHER
David Perloff V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F SA L E S
Paul Ingegneri
wine series
M U LT I M E D I A AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E S
Lisa Marsolais, Laura J. Schwartz, Alyson Tietze
join us each week on the tower deck as we invite a vineyard to share their craft and toast the san diego sunset with us
D I ST R I B U T I O N M A N AG E R
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6pm
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june 21st through september 13th A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE JRDN RESTAURANT + LOCATED IN TOWER23 HOTEL 4551 OCEAN BLVD + SAN DIEGO, CA 92109 + 858.270.5736 T23HOTEL.COM/PLAY/EVENTS @T23HOTEL
Reach America’s finest readers via print, web, social, email, street team and events. Read, click, connect... BOOM! PACIFIC is a media property owned by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
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P A C I F I C R E A L E S T A T E M A R K E T W A T C H
DOWNTOWN, 92101 Experience true luxury living in this one-of-a-kind home occupying the entire south half of the building at Sapphire Tower. Enjoy beautiful views of Coronado and San Diego Bay from oversized the great room with generous balcony and sweeping walls of floor-to-ceiling glass. Features include a chef’s kitchen with massive pantry, full-size wine cooler, fireplace, power-shades, immaculate hardwood floors, custom lighting, wall treatments, built-ins and draperies plus dual master walk-in closets. Includes 3 parking space and storage plus hotel-style amenities including a pool, spa, sauna, fitness room, concierge and recreation room. Sapphire Tower is a unique high-rise tower because it includes only 97 residences. Residents at Sapphire Tower enjoy the exclusivity of not living in a high-traffic tower. Located just two blocks from the San Diego Bay and one block from Little Italy, the location is ideal for walking to restaurants, shops and bars, and is close to the airport, golf, malls and more. 1262 Kettner Blvd., #1803/1804, San Diego, CA 92101; $2,250,000
MARKET UPDATE The San Diego real estate market is experiencing a strong spring and summer this year. Prices appear to be on track for price appreciation in the five- to seven-percent range. While demand continues to be strong, there have still been very few new homes added to meet the demand. Downtown is experiencing tremendous growth, with many new developments (not for sale) injecting over $6 billion dollars into a very small region. The impact of all the new construction will continue to have a positive effect on residential real estate as neighborhoods are improved and amenities like parks, shopping, restaurants and museums are added.
CHAD DANNECKER Welcome to San Diego Real Estate Dannecker & Associates 875 G St., Ste. 108, San Diego, CA 92101 619.356.3099, BRE#01459513 Chad@DanneckerandAssociates.com, @welcometosandiego.com, #welcometosandiego, @WelcometoSD
MARKET STATS (May 2017 data shown) Homes for sale: 234 Homes sold: 80 Highest price: $2,200,000 Lowest price: $267,000 Median home price: $514,450
CONTENTS
SEVEN.SEVENTEEN / FEATURES
J U LY
FEATURES 46 HOME BASE Globetrotting daredevil @TheBaseGirl is a hard-core San Diegan
54 THE F#CK-IT LIST What to do before (and to accelerate) dying
ON THE COVER: Clair Marie, aka The Base Girl, is a professional BASE jumper mountain bike rider and rock climber. Shot on location at Mission Trails Regional Park by K.C. Alfred. ON THIS PAGE: Clair Marie rock climbing in Mission Trails Regional Park. Photo by K.C. Alfred.
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JULY 2017 | @PACIFICSD
P A C I F I C R E A L E S T A T E M A R K E T W A T C H
SAN DIEGO, 92106 Stunning, 360-degree bay, ocean and city views from this 7,247-squarefoot home in Point Loma. One of the neighborhood’s few homes when it was built in 1913, the Bridges Mansion had the prime location perched on the hill for views in every direction. The palatial estate built by Walter Webber features all the character of a century ago with modern updates. The 5-bedroom 5-plus-bathroom home includes terrazzo and hardwood floors, marble pillars, crown molding, wainscoting, expansive windows, period fixtures and finishes, and a rooftop deck. 2434 Alcott Ct., San Diego, CA 92106; $2,850,000
MARKET UPDATE Summer is here, and buyer confidence is strong. There is more inventory on the market, and more opportunity to have exposure. It's a great time to sell, as tourism is strong, and increased buyer activity during the summer season.
MELISSA GOLDSTEIN TUCCI Broker/Realtor (R)
1820 Monroe Ave., San Diego, CA 92116 619.787.6852, BRE # 01380034 MelissaTucci.com, Sold@MelissaTucci.com No. 1 ranked Coldwell Banker agent/ broker and official real estate agent of the San Diego Padres.
MARKET STATS (May 2017 data shown) Homes for sale: 79 Homes sold: 16 Highest price: $15,995,000 Lowest price: $395,000 Average home price: $1,899,107
(Not actual size)
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CONTENTS
SEVEN.SEVENTEEN / DEPARTMENTS
J U LY
DEPARTMENTS CURRENTS 22 Seven.Seventeen Event calendar 32 Laughing Stock July stand-up comedy shows
PULSE 34 Art Beat July gallery and exhibition openings 40 Curtain Calls Performing arts preview 42 Reel Cool July motion- picture preview
TA S T E 64 Brave Reviews For adventurous diners, an exciting array is all the rage 68 What the Fork? The answer: more adventurous dining Bucky Lasek competes to qualify for the X-Games at Krause Family YMCA Skatepark in Clairemont, but the real story is what beer he likes to drink after catching big air. (See story, page 84.) Photo by Chadd Cady.
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76
On a Roll Chef Rachel Snyder makes headway – with and without elbow pads
78
Winning Shot(s) The people have spoken. The judges have voted. The results are in
82
Take it From the Tap A monthly taste of beer from here
88 Gaining Ground A down-to-earth mixologist tends his crops by day and a bar by night
GROOVE 90 Sounds Like a Plan July concert calendar 100 Take a Spin Upcoming EDM and DJ performances
LOVE 102 Fly Boys Hoping for a summer romance… or at least a little action
#TBSD 112 On Track How Del Mar got its racy start
CRAAAC
CURRENTS
SEVEN.SEVENTEEN / EVENTS
J U LY
BY MICHAEL BENNINGER
7.20-7.23 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER, COMIC-CON.ORG Spider-Men and Wonder Women once again descend upon the Convention Center and surrounding area as pop culture’s quintessential Comic-Con returns to San Diego for its 48th year. >>>
FOR MORE COMIC-CON COVERAGE, VISIT PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM AND FOLLOW @PACIFICSD ON SOCIAL.
MISAEL VIRGEN
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JULY 2017 | @PACIFICSD
Serve responsibly™. Modelo Especial
®
Beer. Imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL
H AY N E PA L M O U R I V
CU R R E N T S CALENDAR
7.4 BIG BAY BOOM P E G G Y P E AT T I E
LOCATIONS SURROUNDING SAN DIEGO BAY bigbayboom.com The biggest fireworks show on the West Coast explodes with 18 minutes of eye-popping pyrotechnics launching from four barges in San Diego Bay.
7.5 SAN DIEGO SURFRIDER MORNING AFTER MESS CLEANUP FOUR COASTAL LOCATIONS surfridersd.org Make up for being a hot mess on the Fourth by getting rid of filth on the fifth as Surfrider hosts its annual morning-after cleanups around Oceanside Pier, Ocean Beach Pier, Crystal Pier and Belmont Park.
7.5 SUMMER AND SONGS PACIFIC HIGHLANDS RANCH, CARMEL VALLEY summerandsongs.com Wednesdays in July and August, The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch presents outdoor live performances by San Diego musicians including Steven Ybarra (7.5), Tiffany Jane (7.12), Lee Coulter (7.19) and Tolan Shaw (7.26). Groove, dine, shop, repeat.
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JULY 2017 | @PACIFICSD
7.8 TOUR DE FAT WATERFRONT PARK, newbelgium.com New Belgium Brewing’s troupe of magicians, musicians, comedians and circus performers entertain their asses off at this 21+ costume party celebrating beer, bikes and bands. >>>
CU R R E N T S CALENDAR
7.8-9 & 7.15-16 64TH ANNUAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OVER-THELINE TOURNAMENT FIESTA ISLAND, MISSION BAY ombac.org Three-player teams with off-color names compete as Mission Bay’s annual baseball-esque B.Y.O.B. bacchanalia returns to Fiesta Island.
7.8 SHEFEST 2017
KRISTINA CHARTIER
NORTH PARK COMMUNITY PARK sdpride.org This female-focused event celebrates and supports the contributions of women, fostering authentic connections amongst attendees and strengthening the bond between San Diego’s LGBT community and the city at large.
7.9 CARLSBAD TRIATHLON TAMARACK STATE BEACH, CARLSBAD carlsbadtriathlon.com Among the nation’s oldest triathlons, this race includes a 1K open-water swim, a 25K bicycle ride and a 5K run along beaches, lagoons and an ecological reserve in Carlsbad.
MISAEL VIRGEN
7.14 5TH ANNUAL PRIDE OF HILLCREST BLOCK PARTY UNIVERSITY AVENUE AT NORMAL STREET, HILLCREST fabuloushillcrest.com Kick off Pride Weekend at this 21-and-up event featuring a Trans Pride March, DJs, go-go dancers, gourmet food vendors, immense outdoor bars and VIP bottle service in the streets of Hillcrest.
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7.14-15 2017 IMPERIAL BEACH SUN & SEA FESTIVAL PORTWOOD PIER PLAZA, IMPERIAL BEACH sunandseafestival.com I.B.’s annual beach bonanza returns with a pancake breakfast, community parade, world-class sandcastle sculptors, live music, a farmers market and a “Pirates in Paradise” theme. >>>
September 9, 2017 | Golden Hill Park
BURGERS:
BANZAI BAR • FAT SAL’S DELI • TERRA AMERICAN BISTRO/BUNZ BURGER JOINT • SLATER’S 50/50 COMMON THEORY PUBLIC HOUSE • UNION KITCHEN AND TAP • BACKYARD KITCHEN AND TAP LUCE BAR AND KITCHEN • TAVERN AT THE BEACH • TAVERN+BOWL • WAYPOINT PUBLIC BEACH BUMS BURGERS • NEW YORK WEST/FAULT LINE BAR & GRILL• GET FLUFFED UP • EUREKA! MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE BY CHEF TUROK • THAI BURGER COMPANY • MONSTER CRAFTS FOOD TRUCK
BREWERIES:
DUCK FOOT BREWING COMPANY • QUANTUM BREWING • LAGUNITAS BREWING COMPANY • SAPPORO USA • JULIAN HARD CIDER • THE LOST ABBEY • BITTER BROTHERS BREWING CO. BARREL HARBOR BREWING CO. • ABNORMAL BEER CO • PURE PROJECT • HELIX BREWING CO. • SECOND CHANCE BEER COMPANY • IRON FIST BREWING • NORTH PARK BEER CO. GROUNDSWELL BREWING CO. • ABSOLUTION BREWING COMPANY • AZTEC BREWING COMPANY • 101 CIDER HOUSE • BELCHING BEAVER BREWERY • FIRESTONE WALKER BREWING CO GOLDEN STATE BREWERY • MIGHTY SWELL • LITTLE MISS BREWING • BREAKWATER BREWING CO. • MISSION BREWERY • HOME BREWING CO • MOTHER EARTH BREW CO COMMON CIDER COMPANY • CORONADO BREWING CO. • CULTURE BREWING CO • NOVO BRAZIL BREWING CO • BAY CITY BREWING COMPANY
Visit ReaderBurgersAndBeer.com
CU R R E N T S CALENDAR
7.16 SAN DIEGO AVIATORS SEASON KICKOFF OMNI LA COSTA RESORT AND SPA, LA COSTA sandiegoaviators.com The San Diego Aviators (World Team Tennis’ current reigning champs) mark the beginning of their 2017 season with a series of fast-paced team and individual matches, including men competing against women and mixed-gender Canadian Doubles (two players versus one).
7.15 VIGILUCCI’S BEACH BOCCE BALL TOURNAMENT DOG BEACH, DEL MAR beachbocce.com Hundreds of teams compete in the annual bocce ball tournament Vigilucci’s Italian restaurant has hosted since 1994 to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad.
HOWARD LIPIN
7.15 PRIDE PARADE
CHARLIE NEUMAN
HILLCREST PRIDE FLAG TO BALBOA PARK sdpride.org Following a theme of Allied in Action: United for Justice, this year’s 1.1-mile Pride Parade through Hillcrest is expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators, ranking it among the largest such events in the United States.
7.15-16 PRIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL MARSTON POINT, BALBOA PARK sdpride.org More than 200 musical acts, dancers and comedians perform live on multiple stages in Balboa Park as revelers enjoy art, food and good vibes.
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7.19 DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB OPENING DAY DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB, DEL MAR, dmtc.com More than 40,000 race fans are expected to attend one of the West Coast’s most fabulous festivities, where everyone dresses (and drinks) to the nines to see and be scene where the turf meets the surf (especially at the after-parties). >>>
CU R R E N T S CALENDAR
D AV E M A N G E L S / G E T T Y I M A G E S F O R E N T E R TA I N M E N T W E E K LY
7.20 W00TSTOCK 9.0
BALBOA THEATRE sandiegotheatres.org Mythbuster Adam Savage joins comedic musicians Paul & Storm for an evening of geeky revelry including surprise guest stars and an incalculable amount of nerdiness. JARED GASE
7.22 C H A D D C A DY
HEROES BREW FESTIVAL WATERFRONT PARK, DOWNTOWN heroesbrewfest.com Dress as a superhero to sample more than 50 beers and participate in interactive augmented-reality displays as DJ Kristian Nairn (aka Hodor from “Game of Thrones”) headlines with back-to-back performances.
7.29 IMPERIAL BEACH SURF DOG COMPETITION IMPERIAL BEACH PIER, surfdogevents.com Sixty-plus water-loving canines carve waves along the coast in the original surf dog competition, which now includes a beer garden, awards ceremony and SurFUR Expo, all raising funds for the San Diego Humane Society.
K.C. ALFRED K.C. ALFRED
7.30
SOLANA BEACH TRIATHLON, DUATHLON & AQUABIKE PADRES HOME GAMES N E LV I N C . C E P E D A
7.1-2 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 7.14-16 vs. San Francisco Giants 7.24-27 vs. New York Mets 7.28-7.30 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
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FLETCHER COVE, SOLANA BEACH kozevents.com This sprint event includes bike and run courses along Pacific Coast Highway, where an expo, beer lounge and high-five tunnel await competitors at the finish line.
third Annual third Annual
“Talking Trash” “Talking B e a c h C lTrash” ean Up B e aJuly c h6th |C10am l e-aNoon n Up th | July 6 10am - Noon GOOD FUN FOR A GOOD CAUSE
GOOD FUN FOR A GOOD CAUSE
After party partyon onour ourdeck! deck! After Complimentary lunch for participants Complimentary lunch for participants
4343 ocean blvd pacific beach, ca | 858.272.surf | pbshoreclub.com | /pacificbeachshoreclub 4343 ocean blvd pacific beach, ca | 858.272.surf | pbshoreclub.com | /pacificbeachshoreclub
@pbshoreclub @pbshoreclub
CU R R E N T S
BY MICHAEL BENNINGER
COMEDY
LAUGHING STOCK
JULY STAND-UP ROUND UP
7.7-8 EDDIE IFFT “IF I’M AT A PARTY, AND MY BATTERY GOES BELOW 10 PERCENT, I’M LIKE, I GOTTA GET THE F*CK OUT OF HERE. BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET HOME ANYMORE WITHOUT F*CKING GOOGLE MAPS. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO GO ANYWHERE. YOU COULD TAKE ME 5 MILES FROM MY HOUSE WITHOUT MY PHONE, DROP ME OFF, AND I WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT THE F*CK TO DO. I WOULD END UP LIVING THERE. IT WOULD BE LIKE SURVIVOR.” —Eddie Ifft at The Laugh Factory @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com
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7.1 JEFF FOXWORTHY
“What’s the worst aisle of the grocery store to try to get kids down? The cereal aisle. You know why? Because little kids buy cereal the same way grown men buy lingerie. They will buy stuff they care nothing about just to get the prize that’s inside.” —Jeff Foxworthy on Just for Laughs @ Del Mar Fairgrounds, sdfair.com
7.4 ANJELAH JOHNSON
“One time this girl tried to hit on me, right, and it started becoming a regular thing, so I asked her, I was like, ‘Let me ask you a question. What is it about me that makes you think that I’m a lesbian?’ And her honest-togod answer was, ‘Well, in your YouTube video, you say that you like your nails short, you don’t have a boyfriend, and I noticed that you always wear your hair in a ponytail.’ So I guess that’s all it takes to make the team. Just that, and drive a Subaru.” —Anjelah Johnson on Anjelah Johnson: The Homecoming Show @ Del Mar Fairgrounds, sdfair.com
7.7-9 DERAY DAVIS
“I want a dumb woman. I want a woman don’t know nothing about history. I come in the house when I want to. ‘Where you been?’ ‘Look, the Civil War’s going on outside, and you want to question me about where I been? Damn slavery going on, I’m trying to get us free.” —Deray Davis on Comedy Shaq @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com
7.13-15 JOHN HEFFRON
7.14, 15 PAULY SHORE
“If you’re edged ‘cause I’m weazin’ all your grindage, just chill. ‘Cause if I had the whole Brady Bunch thing happenin’ at my pad, I’d go grind over there, so don’t tax my gig so hard-core cruster.” —Pauly Shore as Stoney in Encino Man @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com
7.21, 22 TIM GAITHER
“It’s nice to be back in Hollywood. I was in San Diego last night. Hooked up with the hottest girl of my life. I did. Too bad she was crazy. After one day she was like, ‘I think I love you. I do. I think we’re going to married. I see signs.’ I see one, too. Mine says 405 North. I’m getting the hell away from you.” —Tim Gaither at The Laugh Factory @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com
7.21, 22 DANA GOULD
“So, a somewhat odd thing happened to me a couple of months ago. I lost my wedding ring. I was in one of those, um, what do you call it? A divorce.” —Dana Gould on Conan @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com
7.27-29 MICHELLE WOLF
“Ivanka Trump helps women about as much as an empty box of tampons.” —Michelle Wolf on Twitter @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com
7.28, 29 PAUL MORRISSEY
“As a 40-something-year-old guy, I don’t know how to dress. You dress too young, you look douchey. And you can tell you’re in the wrong place when I walk in and the kid who works there is like, ‘Hello sir, would you like to buy a gift card?’ ‘No, maybe I would like a shirt with a number on it for no reason. Do you have any more sweatshirts left with your fake athletic department?’”
“It’s going to get confusing. A lot of states will end up having gay marriage and common-law marriage. So what happens when you end up with two loser dudes sharing the same shitty apartment for a couple years? Both working part time at the pizza place, partying every weekend. A few years goes by—boom—they’re married. See them at a party. ‘I didn’t know Tony and Jim were gay. They’re newlyweds? When did they fall in love?’ ‘They didn’t. They just never got their shit together.’”
—John Heffron at Gotham Comedy Club @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com
—Paul Morrissey at Gotham Comedy Club @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com
J E F F F OX WO RT H Y BY R I C K D I A M O N D / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R O U T B AC K C O N C E RT S ; A N J E L A H J O H N S O N BY B E N H O RTO N / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R N U VOT V ; D E R AY DAV I S BY J O H N L A M PA R S K I / G E T T Y I M AG E S ; J O H N H E F F R O N BY K E V I N W I N T E R / G E T T Y I M AG E S ; PAU LY S H O R E BY B R A D B A R K E T / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R 9 0 S F E S T; DA N A G O U L D BY M I C H A E L KOVAC / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R VA R I E T Y; M I C H E L L E WO L F BY J E N N I F E R G R AY LO C K / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R G I L DA’ S C LU B N YC ; PAU L M O R R I S S E Y BY DAV I D N O L E S .
@PACIFICSD | JULY 2017
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PUlSE
ART BEAT / GALLERY & EXHIBIT OPENINGS
“Don’t Shut Up” 7.8-26
J U LY
BY LISA DEADERICK
CITY GALLERY San Diego City College, 1508 C St., AH 314, downtown 619.388.3400, facebook.com/citygallerySDCC Responding to their experiences with sexism, abuse and having their voices silenced, members of the Feminist Image Group present art, performances and community quilts made of squares created by members of the community. >>>
"Sing," by Bhavna Menta
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P U L S E A R T B E AT
7.7-8.27 “Heroines in Arms: Women of the American Military” THE WOMEN’S MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA 2730 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 103, Liberty Station 619.233.7963, womensmuseumca.org This exhibition depicts the roles women have played in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, celebrating the heroines who have fought for and protected the United States.
7.8 “White Suns, Silent and Telecaves”
7.1-1.7.18 “Brenda Biondo: Play” SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.232.7931, sdmart.org See works from photographer Brenda Biondo’s “Paper Skies” and “Playground” series.
7.5-30 “Person, Place or Thing — The Artwork of Patric Stillman”
CLOCKWISE (from top left): "Colorado Springs CO 2006"; photo of Lily May Hodge from the Women's Army Corps in WWII; White Suns; "Another Gay Sunshine Day," by Patric Stillman.
THE STUDIO DOOR 3750 30th St., North Park, 619.255.4920, the studiodoor.com Artist Patric Stillman shows his new works in a solo exhibition focused on identity.
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SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.236.0011, sandiego-art.org Three groups collaborate to create audible works of art, manipulating the texture and atmosphere of sound through the use of guitar riffs, drumming and ambient noise. >>>
Now Open
19 8 5 N ati o na l Ave., St e #1109, San Diego CA 92112 posh an dpolish edsd.com
P U L S E A R T B E AT CLOCKWISE (from top left): Artwork by Manny Farber; artwork by Yumi; “Miniature Brooke, 2”; art piece by Trinh Mai; “Rachael Running,” by Stefan Falke.
7.12-31 “LIGHT – Black, Gray & White”
7.8-8.27 “California Connections: Selections from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego” CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido 760.839.4138, artcenter.org The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego shares pieces (from its permanent collection) by popular California artists whose work helped shape the art of California from the 1950s to the present.
7.27-10.29
SPANISH VILLAGE ARTS CENTER 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park 619.233.9050, spanishvillageart.com This annual exhibition uses local scenes from land and sea to convey messages about life on earth while encouraging viewers to find the light.
7.15-9.12 “Carole Feuerman: The Bathers”
MADISON GALLERIES 1055 Wall St., Ste. 100, La Jolla 858.459.0836, madisongalleries.com Works by hyper-realist sculptor Carole Feuerman will be on display, some created with such precise portrayal of their models that they include water droplets on the bodies of swimmers and wrinkles on the bottoms of feet.
“We Are Here/Estamos Aqui” SDSU DOWNTOWN GALLERY 725 W. Broadway, downtown, 619.501.6370, art.sdsu.edu Artists use photography and video to share their experiences with, and discuss the impact of, crossing the U.S.-Mexico border from El Paso, Texas, to Tijuana.
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7.29-10.8
“A Time to Heal” OCEANSIDE MUSEUM OF ART 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside 760.435.3720, oma-online.org Artist Trinh Mai facilitated workshops with military veterans, helping them write letters to themselves about hardship and healing, and then incorporate those letters into “war wounds” artwork.
Terry Allen
PHOTOS BY ©2015 PHILIPP SCHOLZ RITTERMANN
7.26 “Murals of La Jolla” ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY 1008 Wall St., La Jolla, 858.454.5872, ljathenaeum.org Join a recurring guided walking tour (on the last Wednesday of each month) of murals in La Jolla to learn about the artists who created them, their inspiration and their other works.
Byron Kim And Victoria Fu
John Baldessari
Heather Gwen Martin
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P U L S E
BY SARAH PFLEDDERER
PERFORMING ARTS
J U L Y
P E R F O R M I N G
7.2-8.13: Guys and Dolls
7.5-8.13: Animal Crackers
The Old Globe Theatre 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org Two tenacious gamblers lay their cards on the table for love – one anteing up on a wedding, the other pursuing a prude in this show-tunesprinkled comedy.
Cygnet Theatre 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town 619.337.1525, cygnettheatre.com Captain Spaulding calls for audience participation in this farcical musical about tracking down Mrs. Rittenhouse’s stolen painting during a decadent house party.
7.12-8.6: At This Evening’s Performance
7.5-30: At the Old Place La Jolla Playhouse 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla 858.550.1010, lajollaplayhouse.org When a 40-year-old literature professor thinks she has hit her breaking point, she comes across strangers enduring a worse situation than her own: living on her lawn.
Guys and Dolls
JOAN MARCUS
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North Coast Repertory Theatre 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr., Ste. D, Solana Beach 858.481.1055, northcoastrep.org A bohemian theatre troupe finds itself out of place after landing a gig in an Eastern European police state overridden with spies, collusion and political antics.
A R T S
7.21-8.13: Much Ado About Nothing Coronado Playhouse 1835 Strand Way, Coronado 619.435.4856, coronadoplayhouse.com Arriving home from deployment in Afghanistan, Claudio connects with the love of his life, Hero. Meanwhile, his scoffing comrade, Benedick, falls for Hero’s cousin Beatrice, which he refuses to admit.
7.22-8.27: Ken Ludwig’s Robin Hood! The Old Globe Theatre 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor has never been so silly as in this slapstick variation of the folktale about a bow-bearing noble bandit.
7.25-30: The Book of Mormon San Diego Civic Theatre 1100 Third Ave., downtown 619.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.org Tag along with a pair of mismatched missionaries spreading the supposed words of Christ in Uganda in this raunchy Broadway blockbuster from the creators of “South Park.”
7.28-9.10: Pump Up the Volume The Horton Grand Theatre 444 Fourth Ave., downtown 858.560.5740, sdmt.org Follow seven strangers as they travel back in time to the brink of a new millennium, on a journey punctuated by ’90s hits from NSYNC, Spice Girls and more.
PICK A BEACH. GRAB A BOOK. SAN DIEGO / A READER’S PARADISE. Celebrate San Diego’s vibrant reading community at the inaugural San Diego Festival of Books. The event is open to the public and supported by the power and reach of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Presented in beautiful Liberty Station, the Festival of Books will connect San Diego readers, booksellers, authors and businesses around their common love of the written word.
AUGUST 26, 2017 / LIBERTY STATION PT. LOMA / 10-6
sdfestivalofbooks.com
#grababook
THE
JULY MOTION PICTURE PREVIEW
Still image from the movie “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.”
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AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER
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BY MICHAEL BENNINGER
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Fight like your world depends on it. DOCUMENTARY Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk Starring: Al Gore, Barack Obama, Donald J. Trump IN THEATERS: JULY 28 Ten years after Al Gore’s eyeopening documentary brought global warming to the public’s attention, the former vice president is back with a bold message for the current commander in chief. >>>
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P U L S E MOVIES
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
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FANTASY | ADVENTURE Director: Jon Watts Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton IN THEATERS: JULY 7 Following his adventure with the Avengers, everyone’s favorite web-slinging student starts interning for Iron Man while exploring the extent of his own powers after-hours.
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Still image from the movie “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
A GHOST STORY It’s all about time. FANTASY | DRAMA Director: David Lowery Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Kesha IN THEATERS: JULY 7 A recently deceased man roams the land of the living as a sheet-covered ghost, helplessly witnessing the world he knew slip away into the fabric of time.
WISH UPON
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WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
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For freedom. For family. For the planet. SCI-FI | DRAMA Director: Matt Reeves Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn IN THEATERS: JULY 14 It’s man vs. monkey as a hoard of gun-toting primates face off against the fearful humans eager to eliminate the simian threat.
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Be careful what you wish for. FANTASY | THRILLER Director: John R. Leonetti Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Joey King, Ki Hong Lee IN THEATERS: JULY 14 A 17-year-old girl is on top of the world after receiving an antique music box that grants her seven wishes, until she realizes someone close to her experiences a horrific death following each of her selfish requests.
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GIRLS TRIP
THE EMOJI MOVIE
This journey is a trip. COMEDY Director: Malcolm D. Lee Starring: Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish IN THEATERS: JULY 21 After spending years apart, four girlfriends reunite for a trip to the Big Easy, where they reawaken their sisterhood while drinking, dancing and engaging in epic debauchery up and down Bourbon Street.
Discovering who you are is an adventure beyond words. ADVENTURE | COMEDY Director: Tony Leondis Starring: T.J. Miller, James Corden, Steven Wright IN THEATERS: JULY 28 A “meh” emoji who can’t seem to stick with one expression embarks on a mission to cure his affliction before the smartphone owner wipes out Textopolis by restoring his device to its default condition.
DUNKIRK
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
The event that shaped our world. DRAMA | THRILLER Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance IN THEATERS: JULY 21 When 330,000 Allied troops become trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk during WWII’s Battle of France, French and British forces provide air support, while civilian boats slowly evacuate the stranded soldiers.
ATOMIC BLONDE Payback goes atomic. THRILLER | ACTION Director: David Leitch Starring: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella IN THEATERS: JULY 28 Set during the height of the Cold War, a sexy and savage undercover agent travels to Berlin to investigate a colleague’s death and secure an invaluable dossier.
A universe without limits needs heroes without boundaries. SCI-FI | ACTION Director: Luc Besson Starring: Cara Delevingne, Dane DeHaan, Rihanna IN THEATERS: JULY 21 Based on a comic book series set 700 years in the future, a pair of operatives tasked with maintaining interplanetary peace are sent to protect a sprawling city where myriad species share their knowledge of the universe.
Still image from the movie “Atomic Blonde.”
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“People are powerful beyond what we can imagine. I just try not to limit myself.”
ABBI HEARNE
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GLOBETROTTING DAREDEVIL @THEBASEGIRL IS A HARD-CORE SAN DIEGAN
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lair Marie knew from an early age that she wanted to spend her life jumping off (and out of) highaltitude objects. Hailing from Strawberry, Calif., a small mountain town south of Lake Tahoe, she got started in action sports as a toddler. “My dad taught me how to climb when I was 3 years old, and my mom taught me how to ski when I was 5,” she says. “From that point on, I was
just addicted to outdoor adventures.” But it wasn’t climbing or skiing for which Marie would become famous. A far more dangerous sport soon caught her attention. “I first saw BASE jumping when I was 8 years old at a ski resort,” she says. “It was playing on one of the TVs and it looked like the most thrilling and exciting thing I had ever seen.” For the uninitiated, BASE jumping involves leaping from buildings, antennas, spans (such as bridges) and earth (mountain, cliffs, etc.), then safely landing on solid ground with the assistance of a parachute. “This was the first time I’d ever heard of BASE jumping,” says Marie. “I was like, ‘What is this sport?’ And from age 8 to 16, I was obsessed with it. I read all about it, I researched it, I talked about it to anybody who
would listen and I told everyone I was going to BASE jump one day.” The first person she told was her mother. “When I first told my mom I was going to BASE jump,” says Marie, “she looked at me and laughed and said, ‘Oh, no, you’re not.’” Eight years after that ski trip, the allure of BASE jumping still had a strong hold of Marie. At age 16, she finally put her passion into practice. “I basically had to create a proposal for my mom,” says Marie, “outlining why she should allow me to jump. I told her she had raised me to be adventurous and follow my passions, and I had already graduated from high school at the time, so I was ready to move on with the next chapter of my life.” It was an argument Mom couldn’t deny.
BY MICHAEL BENNINGER PHOTOGRAPHER K.C. ALFRED PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT ANDY WILHELM HAIR + MAKEUP THORNE ARTISTRY @PACIFICSD | JULY 2017
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“F
inally, I got her to say, ‘OK, you can go do one BASE jump,’” says Marie. “‘Just don’t tell your dad.’” Her first BASE jump was from a 480-foot power tower at 10
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p.m. on a moonless night. “You couldn’t even see the ground,” says Marie. “I probably went through the process in my mind a hundred times as I was hiking up. And by the time I got to the top, I felt confident I knew what I was supposed to do, but that obviously didn’t take away from the crazy excitement and thrill of being there. It
was overwhelming, not just because I was going to jump off something for the first time, but because it had been such a huge part of my life up until that point.” From there, it was all downhill. “I stood up there for a while and let all of those feelings sink in,” she says. “Then it was 3, 2, 1… and I jumped. And from
the second I left the edge, I knew for sure it was what I was supposed to do with my life. It was the most freeing, peaceful, crazy experience, where time slowed down.” Marie’s parachute opened, and she safely landed on the ground, becoming the youngest woman BASE jumper in history. “I looked back up at the
antenna,” she says, “and I yelled at the top my lungs, ‘You have to let me do that again!’ Then I went home and said, ‘Mom, I found my calling.’ And my mom said, ‘Shit.’” Fast-forward 12 years, and Marie’s now a full-time adventure-sports athlete, as well as a model and stuntwoman. She’s completed more than 800 BASE jumps,
and north of 6,500 skydives. (She worked as a jump instructor for several years.) As an icon for BASE jumpers of all ages, she has a massive social media following and has delivered a TED talk about the adversity she’s faced over the course of her career. Marie still actively BASE jumps, but she’s recently found a new love in competitive
mountain bike racing. “I race Enduro, which is a mix between downhill racing and cross-country racing,” she says. “It’s incredibly physically taxing and it’s technical, so training takes a long time. I want to race in the Enduro World Series next year or the following year, so I have lasting goals. It’s a long process.” To accommodate her hectic
traveling schedule, Marie now lives full-time in an RV, but she calls San Diego home because she has family here. During a little down-to-earth time, she discusses BASE jumping, competitive biking and the one thing that really scares her.
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Given that BASE jumping is illegal almost everywhere, have you had any run-ins with the law? I was arrested one time for BASE jumping off an antenna and I was actually abused by the cop. I was beaten up by him, which was terrific. And then he actually never ended up filing my ticket. So, technically speaking, no, I’ve never gotten in trouble because he never filed a ticket. He just kind of left it at that. But I’ve definitely had a couple close calls. I try to be as smart as possible. People really tend to focus on the illegal aspect of BASE jumping, and I really feel like it’s unfortunate, because we live in such a happy environment. All over the United States, everyone’s constantly afraid of getting sued. We’re all very limited. I think the general public has this huge perception of BASE jumping being an incredibly crazy, reckless sport where we’re endangering other people. But there’s actually a lot of thought and preparation that go into every jump. And we have an incredible amount of control. We’re not going to land on a pedestrian. Do you have any superstitions when it comes to BASE jumping? Not really. I think it all comes down to preparation. There are some people who have to tie their shoes a certain way or that triple-check their gear in a certain way. For me, it’s just 100 percent being prepared and comfortable. And also listening to my gut. I have walked down from many jumps when I just wasn’t feeling good about them. There are a lot of people who try to push past that feeling, and there are a lot of people who get hurt. And I would never forgive myself if I was standing on top of an object and I wasn’t
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PACIFIC: What are some of your most memorable BASE jumps? CLAIR MARIE: I had the amazing opportunity to jump inside a tropical superdome in Germany. It’s an old blimp hangar they converted into an indoor tropical oasis with waterslides and beaches, and it’s super climate-controlled in there. It was the middle of the winter, and I was BASE jumping from the rafters at the top of the roof – in a bikini – and landing on a beach. Another one of my favorite places to jump, that always has a really special feeling to me, is in Thailand. It’s the epitome of adventure sports, because you’re bushwhacking through the tropical jungle, trying to get to the BASE jump. You’re hiking past crazy venomous snakes and spiders the size of my face. There are monkeys in trees screaming at you, and, by the time I got to the point where I could BASE jump, I was like, “This is going to be easy now.”
feeling it, and then for some reason I decided to jump, and something went wrong. Considering how dangerous BASE jumping is, how supportive is your family? I would say that my family is moderately supportive, but if I told them today I was done BASE jumping, they would all be very excited. How long have you been mountain biking? Mountain biking is my new love. I started racing about a year and a half ago. Mountain biking is kind of like BASE jumping in the sense that you’re constantly making the decision to be fully committed. And it’s one of those things where, if you find yourself in over your head, you can just get off and walk. So, mountain biking is one of my favorite things to do right now, and there are so many trails all over San Diego, too, ranging from super-beginner easy trails to advanced, chunky and technical downhill trails. What do you love most about mountain bike racing? Mountain bike racing is kind of like BASE jumping in that it provides the same thrill and excitement, just for an extended period of time. BASE jumping is over so quickly. You have this buildup, and then, when you jump, you have just a couple seconds. And then your parachute opens, and you’re typically on the ground within 25 or 30 seconds. With mountain bike racing, you’re constantly making the decision to be fully committed and hyper-focused. It’s all about being completely in the moment and being relaxed, which seems counterintuitive, but being relaxed in the times of extreme activity is so powerful, and it translates well into the rest of life, helping you take things as they come and not focus on anything else except what’s right
in front of you. I’m not necessarily a super competitive person by nature, but that’s what’s so amazing about Enduro. When you’re out there, it’s just you and the mountain. You’re not necessarily thinking about racing other people; you’re thinking about doing the best you can. And unlike BASE jumping, where progression really isn’t measurable at all, with mountain bike racing you can really see where you’re improving and where you’re making steps in the right direction or possibly falling behind. The progression is incredibly fun, and it’s a great workout. You seem fearless. Is there anything that scares you? Absolutely. I’m terrified of bugs. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m fearless. I definitely have a lot of fear; I think fear is healthy. I just have developed the ability to analyze fear and figure out where it’s coming from, and then work on mitigating risk and working past the fear. One of the things I really love doing is finding something that scares me, figuring out why it scares me, and then moving past it. With that said, I definitely have no desire to push through my fear of bugs any time soon. I hate them. What’s an average week like for you? In any given week, I probably ride my bike anywhere from between 60 and 100 miles, just because I have really big goals for mountain biking right now. I want to go for a world title, so I just started training really hard for that. That occupies a lot of my time. I also try to do a BASE jump at least once a week, depending on where I’m at. Sometimes I can do 50 BASE jumps in a week, and sometimes I can’t do any. Most of my weeks are very adventure-related, trying to find something to do outside.
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You’ve faced discrimination during your career. How have you dealt with that? In the beginning, it was like I had to be one of the guys in order to participate at the level that they were, and I really struggled with finding who I was as a female because I was so hyper-focused on trying to fit in with them. Then, one day… I woke up one morning, and I was like, “These people are judging me based off of their own insecurities and they’re trying to limit me because they don’t believe I should be doing this, or they don’t think that I can do this.” That’s when I realized other people’s opinion of me is none of my business, and I’m not going to let other people’s limiting beliefs stop me from pursuing my dream. What’s in store for your future? Will you always be jumping? I wish I had an answer. BASE jumping definitely has an end date for me because, eventually, I do want a family. And I know far too many BASE jumpers with families who have, unfortunately, died, because it’s a dangerous sport. It’s heartbreaking to see parents leave their kids behind in this way, and I refuse to be one of those people. So, as soon as I decide to have a family, I will stop BASE jumping. But I will not stop mountain bike riding. basegirl.com
RIDING/RACING TEAM: Seattle-based Evil Bikes (evil-bikes.com) CURRENT RIDE: Evil Insurgent (retail value $6,199) SPONSORS: Crystal51 Energy (crystal51.com) and Reverence Design (reverencedesign.com) FAVORITE QUOTE: “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” - Nora Roberts LIFE MOTTO: “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”
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H AY N E PA L M O U R I V
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BY MICHAEL BENNINGER
F#ckIt LIST NEARBY
URES T N E V D A TEMPT
A roster of thing s to do before dyin g is a b u cket list. When LATE O O T S ’ the list is comp IT rised of entries that c an actually cause death, it’s called a F#c k-It List. Before life ends, consider crossin g off some of these e xperiences aro und San Diego, or ju st sit back and watch other adrenalin e junkies kill it (and hopefully not themselves)
E R O F E B TO AT
LA JOLLA COVE
Wave Goodbye K.C. ALFRED
Surfers searching for a bigger thrill than the waist-high waves most local beaches offer can, on certain winter days, find titanic 10-footers forming at La Jolla Cove – but it’s tough to predict precisely when the spot will be going off. For a more reliable rush, The Wedge in Newport Beach is an iconic SoCal spot for epic surf, sometimes breaking with colossal, 30-foot crests. For the ultimate rush (and perhaps a tinge of death) Cortes Bank, located 110 miles west of Point Loma, explodes with monstrous waves reaching heights around 80 feet.
THE WEDGE
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BMX RACER
Zip It
For a dose of heart-racing spectating, check out the California State Games, a slew of amateur events including BMX racing. On Saturday, July 22, racers of all ages and classes compete for gold at the U.S. Olympic Training in Chula Vista.
LA JOLLA ZIP ZOOM 22000 Hwy. 76, Pauma Valley 760.742.3776, lajollazipzoom.com
CALIFORNIA STATE GAMES HEADQUARTERS 3260 Rosecrans St., Midway District 619.223.2033, calstategames.org
FLIGHTLINE SAFARI AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido 760.747.8702, sdzsafaripark.org
K.C. ALFRED
Ride Along
If sailing through the wilderness at 55 mph sounds like fun, cruise to La Jolla Zip Zoom for a ride on California’s longest zip line. Tucked LA JOLLA ZIPLINE away within the La Jolla Indian Reservation (in Pauma Valley, near Escondido) this zip line sends riders soaring through more than a mile of jungles and canyons shaded by a canopy of trees. For an even wilder experience, board Flightline Safari at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for a 2/3-mile flight 130 feet above rhinos, giraffes and other curious creatures.
TYLER BROWN
Hang in There
TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT
What better way to overcome acrophobia (fear of heights) than by hang gliding or paragliding above La Jolla’s coast? After launching from the cliffs at Torrey Pines Gliderport, glimpse the backyards of multimillion-dollar mansions and relish a bird’s-eye view of Black’s Beach before touching down amid the nudists below. Arrive early, as this historic aviation site doesn’t accept reservations, accepting customers on a first-come, first-fly basis.
SCOTT ALLISON
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TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr., La Jolla 858.452.9858, flytorrey.com
Go Nowhere Bungee jumping is a foolproof way to awaken a new appreciation for life. Bungee America, the country’s oldest bungee jumping company, is famous for facilitating elastic leaps from San Gabriel Canyon’s historic Bridge to Nowhere (northeast of L.A.). Choose to fall facing forward or backward, or shed the full-body harness and dangle by the ankles instead. Bounding from the bridge after nightfall means saying adios before disappearing into a pitch-black abyss.
F#ckIt LIST
BUNGEE AMERICA 310.322.8892, bungeeamerica.com
Take the Fall Plummet 13,000 feet through the troposphere above Skydive San Diego, which touts its industry-leading airplanes and private airport dedicated to skydiving. Departing from Brown Field Municipal Airport in Otay Mesa, Pacific Coast Skydiving takes would-be jumpers on a scenic flight above Imperial Beach and the Coronado Bridge before dropping them off mid-flight. For a North County Coastal experience, try GoJump Oceanside, which offers an unobstructed ocean view during freefall.
COURTESY SKYDIVE SAN DIEGO
SKYDIVE SAN DIEGO
PACIFIC COAST SKYDIVING 6810 Curran St., Otay Mesa 619.661.0194, pacificcoastskydiving.com GOJUMP OCEANSIDE 480 Airport Rd., Oceanside 760.390.5867, gojump-oceanside.com
PACIFIC COAST SKYDIVING C O U R T E S Y PA C I F I C C O A S T S K Y D I V I N G
SKYDIVE SAN DIEGO 13531 Otay Lakes Rd., Jamul 619.216.8416, skydivesandiego.com
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GINA FERAZZI/LOS ANGELES TIMES
BRIDGE TO NOWHERE
Ramp Up Expert skater boys (and girls) can catch air at the Washington Street Skatepark. Located under the Pacific Coast Highway bridge at West Washington Street in Middletown, this park was built by a small group of skateboarders who raised the funds to build it through a nonprofit they formed. This skatepark lures skaters from around the world, and San Diego legends like Tony Hawk have graced its ramps. For a list of San Diego county skateparks, visit pacificsandiego.com/skate-parks. washingtonstreetskatepark.org
Feel the Need for Speed
C O U R T E S Y S K Y C O M B AT A C E
Watch your six! There’s a bogey on your tail! Sky Combat Ace offers the most authentic dogfight experiences civilians can enjoy safely. Get comfortable behind the controls of an actual plane while soaring through mock aerial battles under the supervision of a skilled fighter pilot. So choose a “mission” and buckle up, Ace! Participation does not require previous flight experience. SKY COMBAT ACE 2015 N. Marshall Ave., El Cajon 888.494.5850, skycombatace.com
COURTESY SUN DIEGO AM SLAM
Slam It Appreciate the art of extreme skateboarding without the risk of rolling an ankle by watching amateur skaters compete at the Sun Diego AM SLAM Presented by Vans. Giving local action-sports athletes an opportunity to make a name for themselves, the points-based AM-SLAM series began in June and ends in September, with the final event in Mission Beach being followed by a massive surf and skate festival. 760.734.3818, x2000, sundiego.com
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BRANDON PERELSON AT THE WASHINGTON STREET SKATEPARK
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K.C. ALFRED
F#ckIt LIST
Gear Up J O H N G A S TA L D O
There’s no shortage of riding trails in San Diego, so hardcore pedal pushers don’t have to look far to find challenging terrain. Balboa Park (balboapark.org) is home to an approachable 4.5-mile loop with chunkier offshoots for ambitious bikers. For a more extreme adventure, Fortuna Mountain Trail in Mission Trails Park presents a difficult 6.5-mile route with breathtaking hilltop and waterfall vistas.
MOUNT WOODSON
Rock Out San Diego may not be known for its towering peaks, but the county does have some of the West Coast’s best bouldering. Poway’s Mount Woodson is riddled with grippable granite and is home to more than 100 routes of varying difficulty, not to mention San Diego’s iconic Potato Chip Rock. Want more of a workout? The hike up El Cajon Mountain reaches an elevation of 1,900 feet in less than two miles, and that’s before the real climbing starts. And, located a few miles southwest of Julian, Eagle Peak ranks among the region’s most popular and challenging trails thanks to its short-but-steep climb and breathtaking views of Boulder Creek gorge.
F#ckIt LIST
Fly Like an Eagle
COURTESY SKY SAILING SAN DIEGO
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While riding in an engineless plane can get the adrenaline pumping, it can also be a serene experience. Sky Sailing San Diego takes customers into the heavens aboard sailplanes (aka gliders) high above Warner Springs, near Anza Borrego Desert State Park. After being towed into the sky by planes with engines, these vessels harness the power of passing air currents, floating past Palomar Observatory, above Lake Henshaw and over the desert below. Enjoy an unparalleled degree of freedom while flying alongside hawks, eagles and other winged wonders native to Southern California. SKY SAILING SAN DIEGO 31930 Hwy. 79, Warner Springs 760.782.0404, skysailing.com
Swim with the Fishes Few feats in life promise a bigger rush than coming face to face with a 20-foot apex predator. Two local diving companies confirm that claim, submerging their customers (in protective steel cages) in waters swarming with white sharks near Mexico’s Isla Guadalupe, an island 250 miles southwest of San Diego. San Diego Shark Diving, billed as the oldest such tour company on the West Coast, offers five- and six-day expeditions in spacious vessels with private quarters, plenty of food and other amenities. Shark Diver also takes small groups to the island for up-close encounters with the frenzied fiends, offering, among other water-bound luxuries, unlimited beer and wine. T I F FA N Y C H A P M A N
SAN DIEGO SHARK DIVING 619.299.8560, sdsharkdiving.com
SHARKDIVER EXPERIENCE
You’re Dune For
GLAMIS SAND DUNES
H AY N E PA L M O U R I V
For an intense desert adventure, saddle up on a sand toy at Glamis Sand Dunes, SoCal’s largest and most popular off-roadriding destination. Located southeast of the Salton Sea in Imperial County (about two hours east of San Diego), the expansive dune field is practically devoid of manmade structures, making it great for tearing up the khaki-colored ridges and carving a course through nearly 200 square miles of sandy land. Off-highway vehicles, including quads, jeeps and cycles, are permitted on many of the dunes here, although novices might want to hang back and catch the pop-up races that frequently form on weekends at Glamis’Competition Hill.
SHARK DIVER 855.987.4275, sharkdiver.com
C O U R T E S Y S E A Q U E S T W AT E R A D V E N T U R E S
Soak It In Conquer water and air aboard SeaQuest Water Adventures, offering unforgettable aquatic experiences in 18-foot-long, state-of-the-art, semi-submersible watercraft modeled after actual oceanic creatures. After the transparent canopy closes, prepare to hit surface-level speeds up to 55 mph and underwater velocities nearing 25 mph. The supercharged 300-horsepower Seabreacher is capable of rapid undersea acceleration, which enables it to breach the water and soar 40 feet through the air before splashing back down into North San Diego Bay. SEAQUEST WATER ADVENTURES 955 Harbor Island Drive, Gate 4 - Dock K, Harbor Island 844.669.3483, goseaquest.com
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C O U R T E S Y J E T PA C K A M E R I C A
F#ckIt LIST
Make a Splash Soar like a superhero at JetPack America, which propels its patrons above (and into) the waters of Mission Bay with water-powered jetpacks and jetboards. Fly Guys Watersports on Harbor Island offers an equally incredible experience on the Big Bay. In both locations, taking flight is said to be easier than it looks. (See how this month’s blind daters fared while trying to take flight on page 102.)
BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN
Powder Up As summer sizzles, it’s a great time to chill while daydreaming of snow piling up at Big Bear Mountain Resorts. Bear Mountain is the better bet for beginners, while Snow Summit is well suited for more accomplished enthusiasts. Armed with a pair of the most powerful snowmaking systems in the world, not to mention Mother Nature’s contribution, both areas offer enough terrain and altitude to keep boarders and skiers busy for days … but not until winter.
JETPACK AMERICA 1010 Santa Clara Pl., Mission Bay 888.553.6471, jetpackamerica.com
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ALLEN J. SCHABEN
FLY GUYS WATERSPORTS 1450 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island 619.990.0914, flyguyswatersports.com
BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN RESORTS 880 Summit Blvd., Big Bear Lake 844.GO2.BEAR (844.462.2327), bigbear.com
TASTE
J U LY
D I N I N G O U T / W H AT T H E F O R K ?
BY PAM KRAGEN
brave reviews FOR ADVENTUROUS DINERS, AN EXCITING ARRAY IS ALL THE RAGE
T
here was a time in San Diego when calamari and beet salad were on the cutting edge. Nowadays, local chefs are plating exotic delicacies that may give even open-minded diners pause. Chief among these culinary creatives is Davin Waite, owner/ chef at Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub. Since opening his unconventional sushi/izakaya pub in Oceanside in 2013, Waite has earned a reputation among diners and fellow cooks as being the most adventurous chef in town. >>>
Banana peel‚ served nigiri sushi-style drizzled with truffle oil by Chef Davin Waite of Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub in Oceanside.
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aite, 38, doesn’t whip up dishes like fish sperm chowder, swordfish bone marrow and Kentucky-fried fish heads for shock value. Instead, he and his vegan wife, Jessica, are devotees of the “zero waste” philosophy. American diners could learn a lot from Asian and European cultures that use every part of their proteins, and Waite’s more than happy to be their teacher. Fortunately, he’s found plenty of willing students at the restaurant he affectionately calls
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“The Rodent.” More than a third of his customers dine “omakase”-style, meaning they’ll eat whatever the chef sends out. “Oceanside diners are very open-minded, which makes it more fun for me,” Waite says, adding that, once he earns their trust with simple sushi rolls (which he calls the “gateway drug”), his patrons push the limits further on subsequent visits to the restaurant. During a recent lunch, Waite served filet of sea breem (fish) wrapped in its edible, crispyfried skeleton; yellowtail fish ribs karaage (finger-licking good); seared ono topped with creamy bonita sperm (tastes like cheese); opa
belly bacon (smoky and delicious); and opa pectoral fin muscle (rubbed with dried chiles, it has the texture and flavor of pulled pork). About five percent of Rodent customers are the “Fear Factor” types who want to impress their buddies by gulping down fish eyeballs and shrimp so fresh it skitters off the plate. But most diners arrive because they’ve come to trust their culinary captain, who’s always ready to take them on an adventure cruise. WRENCH & RODENT SEABASSTROPUB 1815 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside 760.271.0531, seabasstropub.com
CLOCKWISE (from top left): Chef Davin Waite of Wrench and Rodent Seabasstro-pub in Oceanside preps for dinner; seared ono in smoked apricot sauce and topped with bonita fish sperm and cherry tomatoes; raw salmon served on a block of Himalayan salt with fresh green herb sauce and grasshopper salt; Banana peel, served nigiri sushi-style drizzled with truffle oil.
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TA ST E
BY PAM KRAGEN
DINING OUT
BICE SAN DIEGO: EXOTIC COCKTAILS
BLEU BOHÈME: FOIE GRAS AU TORCHON
BREAKFAST REPUBLIC: BREAKFAST HOT DOGS
Bice adds a show to the dinner experience on Fridays and Saturdays by preparing exotic cocktails tableside. Try a red pepper margarita (served in the hull of a real red bell pepper) and a tobacco-infused Old Fashioned (served in a lightbulb-shaped glass packed on dry ice in a cigar box). 425 Island Ave., Gaslamp 619.239.2423, bicesandiego.com
The ever-popular French delicacy of Burgundy snails (escargot) comes served in a cassoulet with Mexican shrimp and creamy chicken oysters. But a newer dish is the foie gras au torchon. The goose liver appetizer is served with rhubarb preserves, arugula and – ready for this? – crumbled Trefoil Girl Scout cookies. 4090 Adams Ave., Kensington 619.255.4167, bleuboheme.com
Step aside, eggs and pancakes. Breakfast Republic is putting on the dog with its new Breakfast Hot Dogs entrée: bacon-wrapped hot dogs in buns, topped with sautéed bell peppers, onions, red salsa and a fried egg; served with a side of house potatoes. 2730 University Ave., North Park, 619.642.0299 2865 Sims Rd., Ste. 106, Liberty Station, 619.693.5434 251 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, 760.452.2121 707 G St., East Village, 619.501.8280 4839 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach, 619.255.7255, breakfastrepublic.com >>>
? k or F e What th VENTUROU D A E R O M : R THE ANSWE
CURADERO: OCTOPUS TACOS This new Mexican restaurant inside downtown’s Hotel Palomar specializes in authentic Mexican street food like birria (a spicy goat stew). The main fare is two-bite street tacos with proteins ranging from braised short rib and pork shank to tender charred octopus. 1047 Fifth Ave., Ste. 100, downtown 619.515.3003, curadero.com
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S D IN IN G
Tin Roof Summer Brunch Series Every Sunday | 11-3pm Bottomless Mimosas $5 Bloody Marys
401 G St | 619.230.8606 | TinRoofSanDiego.com | @TinRoofSanDiego
Bully’s east Prime-Bistro Sports-Bar
“Bully’s is, without a doubt, a San Diego legend!”
Bully’s going strong on all fronts The meter has moved up a bunch of notches when it comes to having a good time, watching sports, enjoying great food and libations at the newly renamed Bully’s Prime Bistro & Sports Bar in Mission Valley. Owners JD and Derek Dahlen are keeping the legacy of Bully’s alive and revitalized in what is now their 46 years, Est.1971. The menu still has the great prime rib, steaks, the Bully Burger, seafood and plenty of contemporary new specialties for lunch, dinner and later in the day (4-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday) stop in for their famous happy hour. On Saturdays and Sundays they also offer up a brunch menu from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
~ Wolfgang D. Verkaaik
2401 Camino Del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 291-2665 | bullyseastsd.com @PACIFICSD | JULY 2017
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DEL SUR MEXICAN CANTINA: JACKFRUIT TACOS Jackfruit, the pebbly skinned fibrous cousin of the fig and breadfruit, is a favorite with new vegetarians who say it has the taste and texture of meat. Del Sur Mexican Cantina serves marinated jackfruit tacos on tortillas with cabbage, chile crème and chipotle aioli. 2310 30th St., South Park 619.501.0643, delsurmexicancantina.com
DECOY: BUTTERMILK-FRIED QUAIL Think small with the buttermilk-fried quail at Decoy Restaurant at the Lakeside Hotel and Resort in San Marcos. Tastes like chicken, but it’s a bit sweeter and more delicate. It’s served Southernstyle with a drizzle of truffled honey and a side of Carolina BBQ sauce. 1035 La Bonita Dr., San Marcos, 760.621.0909, lakehousehotelandresort.com/decoy
FARMER & THE SEAHORSE: WILD BOAR SLOPPY JOES Chef Brian Malarkey’s café in Torrey Pines gives the old classic a twist, serving ground boar meat on a Kaiser roll with smoked cheddar cheese and sage-dusted onions. 10996 Torreyana Rd., Torrey Pines 858.260.5400 thealexandria.com/farmer-the-seahorse
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FARMER’S TABLE: THE BARN YARD BLOODY MARY As restaurants compete to see who can stick the most food items inside a bloody mary glass, here comes the epic Barn Yard, a pitcherful of the breakfast cocktail served with an entire roasted chicken, seasonal and pickled veggies, baconwrapped shrimp and mozzarella-and-cherrytomato skewers. 8141 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa 619.724.6465, farmerstablelamesa.com >>>
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HERB & WOOD: BONE MARROW PIZZA This hand-tossed delight has a topping consisting of bone marrow, snails, Gruyere cheese, fine herbs and caramelized onions. 2210 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy 619.955.8495, herbandwood.com
If you’re going to eat fish eggs, might as well do them up fancylike at Bankers Hill’s rooftop restaurant. Mr. A’s luxury service includes a 1-ounce serving of caviar (Siberian, American Malossol and other varieties, based on availability) served with minced red onions, boiled eggs and parsley, and served with crème fraiche, blinis and toast points. The plating alone takes 20 minutes. Cost is $130 to $195. 2550 Fifth Ave. (top floor), Bankers Hill 619.239.1377, asrestaurant.com
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MADISON ON PARK: BLUE DREAM MIMOSA
Chef Anthony Sinsay renders duck meat in its own fat and cooks it down into rillettes, a rustic pate topped with herbs and served with warm toast and housemade apricot mustard. 616 J St., East Village 619.531.8744 jsixrestaurant.com
The otherworldly color in this refreshing new brunch drink comes from blue-green algae, which is mixed with alkaline water, lemon, ginger and Fuji apples to create a crisp, tangy, ocean-inspired beverage. 4622 Park Blvd., University Heights 619.269.6566 madisononpark.com
N AT E M A D L E M
MISTER A'S: CAVIAR SERVICE
JSIX: DUCK CONFIT RILLETTES
PARC BISTRO-BRASSERIE: ESCARGOT This year-old French bistro does a nice, classic presentation of Burgundy snails with garlic, butter and parsley. If you’re not in the mood for snails, but still love adventure, try the torchon de foie gras, served with fig jam, balsamic reduction and a side of toasted brioche. 2760 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill 619.319.9472, parcbb.com
ROMESCO MEXITERRANEAN COCINA: CHAPULINES This new incarnation of the former Bracero restaurant in Little Italy is embracing Oaxacan delicacies like these lightly spiced dehydrated grasshoppers from south of the border. 1490 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy 619.756.7864, romescomexmed.com >>>
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TA ST E DINING OUT
<
THE HAKE: UNI
J A C K I E B R YA N T
This seaside restaurant’s 20-ounce Prime bone-in rib eye is served with a side of fresh uni, better known as sea urchin. Encased in a spiky purple exoskeleton, the creamy-textured edible center of the urchin includes the sea creature’s gonads, which produce its eggs. Both are served with smoky scallions and charred jalapeño butter. 1250 Prospect St., Ste. B10, La Jolla 858.454.1637, thehake.com
<
THE LAND & WATER CO.: BRAISED BEEF TONGUE Chef/owner Rob Ruiz won “chef of the fest” at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival for his crispy beef skewers, which are made with marinated and slow-cooked beef tongue. It’s billed on the menu simply as “crispy beef skewers.” 2978 Carlsbad Blvd., Ste. 110, Carlsbad 760.729.5263, landandwaterco.com
<
THE TACO STAND: CACTUS TACOS This San Diego-born Mexican-street-food chain serves vegetarian tacos filled with strips of flame-grilled cactus (spines removed, natch), melted cheese, cilantro sauce, tomatoes and avocados. 645 B St., downtown, 619.546.0570 621 Pearl St., La Jolla, 858.551.6666 642 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, 760.230.2061 letstaco.com
<
TRUST RESTAURANT: CHICKEN LIVER TOAST
2016 KIM MARCELO
Chef Brad Wise’s house-made chicken liver mousse, topped with house-made mustard, is served with grilled levain braid, radish slices and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. An eye-popping dish for rare-meat lovers is the beef tartare, topped with tonnato (anchovy-spiked sauce), quail eggs, mustard seeds and Worchestershire vinaigrette, and served on a house-made lavash cracker. 3752 Park Blvd., Hillcrest 619.795.6901, trustrestaurantsd.com
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VILLAGE NORTH CHINESE CUISINE: OFFAL DELICACIES Steven Ji’s new Northern Chinese restaurant makes the most of its proteins with a wide selection of sweet and savory dishes that leave no part of the pork unloved. Among the dishes on Ji’s spring menu are sautéed pork kidney (pictured), braised pork intestine, pork lungs and crispy pig ears. Ji also serves Chinese-style steamed live fish, pretty much the freshest preparation you can get, but not for everyone. 4428 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa 858.277.1888, facebook.com/villagenorthsd
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Your Baseball Headquarters! Bring in your game day ticket and receive a $2 Bud or Bud Light pint reverse happy hour everyday 9pm-close! S A N D I E G O | 3 2 2 5 T H AV E N U E | S A N D I E G O C A 9 2 1 01 | C O L D B E E R S . C O M | 6 1 9 . 5 4 6 . 9 2 9 2 FB:COLDBEERSANDCHEESEBURGERSSANDIEGO
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TWITTER@CBCBSANDIEGO
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IG:COLDBEERSANDCHEESEBURGERSCA
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TA ST E CHEF PROFILE
On a Roll
CHEF RACHEL SNYDER MAKES HEADWAY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WITH AND WITHOUT ELBOW PADS
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BY PAM KRAGEN
PORTRAIT BY BREVIN BLACH
R
achel Snyder may pride herself on preparing refined cuisine as chef de cuisine at Concept Two Seven Eight restaurant in Hillcrest, but she’s got a gritty side. The 27-year-old Vista native loves riding quad racers in the desert with her boyfriend, enjoys camping in the outback and proudly skates roller derby. Yes, roller derby. Snyder is a member of Oceanside’s rough-and-tumble Hidden City Derby Girls team. She won’t tell you her skater nickname (it’s unprintable), but she will say that since joining the squad last year as “fresh meat,” she’s escaped all the rink melees so far with little more than bumps and bruises. Snyder’s hobbies are as unpretentious as her food at Concept Two Seven Eight, which opened Jan. 2. Jessica Fisher, who also grew up in Vista and attended the same high school as Snyder, owns the restaurant. They didn’t really know each other then, but became close friends about five years later when Snyder would stay at Fisher’s Brooklyn apartment whenever she visited New York. Fisher’s Brooklyn apartment unit number was 278, which inspired her restaurant’s unusual name. Snyder, now an Oceanside resident, said Fisher has given her “total freedom” to develop a menu that reflects both her culinary philosophy and her cultural heritage (she’s part Japanese). It’s down-to-earth New American cuisine that’s fresh, locally sourced and ultra-seasonal with a creative twist. “I like to stay true to my roots and true to myself,” she says. “I don’t want to become too pretentious with my food and I will always continue to learn from other people.” Snyder’s mentor growing up was her dad, a retired Oceanside firefighter and the household chef. “He taught me how to open up my palate and try new things – not just food but everything else in my life,” she says. “It’s a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since.” After high school, Snyder got a job at the Frazier Farms natural foods market in Vista, where she started at the juice bar in 2009 and worked her way into a kitchen position. Inspired by that experience, she moved to New York’s Hyde Park, where she attended the Culinary Institute of America. On weekends, she’d hop a train to Brooklyn to hang out with Fisher and her friends, who included Billy Potvin, Concept Two Seven Eight’s bar manager. Eager to put her training to work, Snyder moved home and got a job as a line cook at Cohn Restaurant Group’s 333 Pacific in Oceanside. She also returned to Frazier Farms, where she spent a year as the store’s seafood department manager. Then she transferred to the Oceanside store, where she finished up her eight-year run with the company as kitchen manager. “Everything was scratch-made there, and it was very high-
volume production. I learned a lot there and was able to be creative,” she says. Late last year, Snyder got a call from Fisher, who was back in town and ready to launch her dream restaurant in the airy space formerly home to The Tractor Room. Now chef de cuisine, Snyder says she’s always experimenting with new ideas at Concept Two Seven Eight. Among her favorite menu items is a short rib pappardelle with Asian influences. She’s also partial to the simple herbrubbed roast chicken leg and thigh. And customers can’t get enough of her twice-baked chicken skin appetizer. One of her favorite ideas is “Fish Fridays,” where she and sous chef Michael Barnett create a new seafood special every weekend that’s available until it sells out. A recent special was scallops with buckwheat soba noodles, ramps and shiitake dashi broth. Snyder loves her job, but the night hours at the busy restaurant have meant skipping many of the monthly roller derby matches. She misses it. Some skaters use derby as way to get out their aggressions, but Snyder doesn’t need that outlet. “Chefs have a reputation for being angry and drinkers with a mean attitude, but I’m a very happy person,” she said. “When I come to work, I leave everything at the door, put my head down and work. It’s where I escape. It’s my happy place.” CONCEPT TWO SEVEN EIGHT 3687 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest 619.278.0080, concepttwoseveneight.com
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SOUNDS GOOD! A big gracias to the music makers who brought
TA ST E
magical melodies to the Margarita Month Grand Tasting Event: Mariachi Real (mariachireal.com), TechnoBitch DJ Misha (djmisha.com), DJ KAOS of Party Naked, The Roster (djkaossd.com), DJ Jaysyx (@jaysyx).
DRINK
Winning Shot(s) THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. THE JUDGES HAVE VOTED. THE RESULTS ARE IN.
Thousands of America’s Finest citizens drank tens of thousands of margaritas during PACIFIC’s third annual Margarita Month competition and taste-fest, presented by Milagro Tequila. They sipped, snapped and hashtagged varieties of San Diego’s original craft cocktail at 34 of the city’s top bars and restaurants throughout the month of May, and then converged to taste and vote for their favorites at the Grand Tasting Event, June 17 at the Horton Grand Hotel, where more than 1,000 patrons enjoyed more than 30,000 mini margaritas. Holy mierda, that’s alotta tequila. When this many bartenders, mixologists and tequila lovers get together, everyone wins (especially Uber and Lyft). Here’s how the margaritas fared.
People’s Choice Awards (RESULTS TALLIED FROM 762 CONSUMER BALLOTS CAST AT THE GRAND TASTING EVENT)
BEST PRESENTATION: HELLO BETTY FISH HOUSE Winning margarita: Sugar Skull (Milagro Silver Tequila, Cointreau, lime, Crème de Violette, prickly pear; rimmed with black salt) #hellobetty, hellobettyoceanside.com
BEST NAME: PB SHORE CLUB
GRAND CHAMPION: OB SURF LODGE Winning margarita: Night Rider (Milagro Silver Tequila, coconut rum, lime juice, agave nectar, Cointreau, activated characoal, key lime salt foam) #obsurflodge, obsurflodge.com
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Winning margarita: Apri-Scott-Disick (Silver tequila, apricot liqueur, pistachio orgeat, fresh-squeezed lemon and lime, citrus Italian soda) #pbshoreclub, pbshoreclub.com
Judge’s Selections
(RESULTS TALLIED FROM DISTINGUISHED PANEL OF JUDGES’ BALLOTS CAST AT GRAND TASTING EVENT) 1,2
1.
GRAND CHAMPION: FLORENT
3
2.
BEST PRESENTATION: FLORENT
Winning margarita: Watermelon Crawl (Milagro Silver Tequila, watermelon juice, lime juice, agave nectar, fresh jalapeños, Tajin rim; garnished with a Mexi-candy lollipop) #cervezajacks, cervezajacks.com
6.
Winning margarita: In Bloom (see ingredients above) #florentsd, florentsd.com
BEST GARNISH: UPTOWN TAVERN
Winning margarita: Adios Cruda (Mezcal joven, Milagro Silver Tequila, lime juice, agave ranchero syrup; garnished with homemade tortilla chips, micro cilantro and an egg gummy) #uptowntavernsd, uptowntavernsd.com
MOST ORIGINAL MARGARITA: SEA180 COASTAL TAVERN
3.
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BEST USE OF FRESH INGREDIENTS: CERVEZA JACK’S
5.
Winning margarita: In Bloom (Kumquatinfused Milagro Silver Tequila; lime and tangerine juice blend; Florent’s housemade Super Bloom Syrup with hibiscus, jasmine and rose; garnished with Merlot-stained salt and micro bouquet) #florentsd, florentsd.com
Winning margarita: Lavender Margarita (Milagro Silver Tequila, lavender syrup, triple sec, muddled lime and mint, topped with sour mix; salted rim) #sea180coastaltavern, cohnrestaurants. com/sea180
BEST SPICY MARGARITA: WONDERLAND OCEAN PUB
BEST NAME: SANDBAR SPORTS BAR & GRILL
7.
Winning margarita: Jala-Pin-Yo-Business (Milagro Silver Tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, fresh pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, agave, jalapeno slice, splash of citrus soda) #sandbar718, sanbarsportsgrill.com
4.
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Winning margarita: I Pine for You (Fresh-juiced pineapple, cilantro, serrano chilies, fresh-squeezed lime, orange-infused Milagro Silver Tequila and agave; rimmed with sugar, salt, Tajin and fresh cilantro) #wonderlandob, wonderlandob.com
BEST USE OF NON-TRADITIONAL INGREDIENTS: OB SURF LODGE
8.
Winning margarita: Night Rider (Milagro Silver Tequila, coconut rum, lime juice, agave nectar, Cointreau, activated charcoal, key lime salt foam). #obsurflodge, obsurflodge.com
MARGARITA PHOTOS BY BREVIN BLACH 6
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¡Gracias, amigos!
UNO, DOS, TRES CHEERS AND THANK YOUS TO MARGARITA MONTH’S PARTICIPATING VENUES Bootlegger Bub’s at the Beach Cat Eye Club Cerveza Jacks Coasterra Curadero Don Chido El Chingon Firehouse Florent Galaxy Taco Hello Betty’s Indigo Grill Level2 At George’s at the Cove O.B. Surf Lodge Oceana Park & Rec PB Shore Club Puesto Sandbar Sports Bar & Grill Sea 180 Señor Grubby’s The Blind Burro The Deck at Moonshine Flats The Local PB The Prado The Rabbit Hole Tin Roof True North Uptown Tavern Urge Gastropub (San Marcos) Voltaire Beach House Westroot Tavern Wonderland Ocean Pub
#youreit
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPERSTAR In case sipping and hashtagging margaritas for an entire month weren’t enough, Amanda F. of Pacific Beach is hereby anointed el Santo Patrón of Margarita Month 2017. Ms. F., you just won a $50 gift certificate to each of 2017’s 34 Margarita Month venues. ¡Salud, señorita, y buena suerte con su hígado!
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EVENT PHOTOS BY BRIAN FONTAINE
TA ST E
BREVIN BLACH
BY PETER ROWE
BEER
TAKE IT FROM THE TAP A MONTHLY TASTE OF BEER FROM HERE
MEET YO
N E LV I N C . C E P E D A
AKER M UR BREWMASTER Q&A
GREG PETERS SAINT ARCHER BREWERY DIRECTOR OF BREWING AND BARRELING PROGRAMS
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reg Peters, 39, is director of brewing and barreling programs at Saint Archer Brewery in San Diego. Upon joining the Miramar-based brewery in 2014, he launched Tusk & Grain. This series of barrel-aged Saint Archer beers soars on offbeat ingredients and reckless amounts of alcohol. These extreme beers seemed a perfect fit for the extreme athletes – skateboarders, snowboarders, surfers – who acted as Saint Archer’s “brand ambassadors.” In fact, Peters often samples these brews with pro surfer Taylor Knox. Still, like many brewers, Peters is not entirely comfortable with the “extreme beer” label. PACIFIC: What’s an extreme beer? GREG PETERS: That’s not really a term that I use very often. But when people think of extreme beers, usually they are beers with extremely high alcohol or a ton of adjuncts. Don’t many beer drinkers turn up their noses when you say “adjuncts”? It’s definitely considered a dirty word, unless you work in a brewery. Then you understand what “adjuncts” means – it’s any ingredient other than the four primary ingredients in beer: water, malt, yeast and hops. So, crazy ingredients plus a ton of booze equals an extreme beer? No. You want to achieve intense aromas and flavors
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and have them still be pleasant. You can take any beer and pump it full of peanut butter and cherry extract, say. But that’s not what we are trying to do. OK, then let’s talk about your Tusk & Grain beers. These all spend months or years in barrels, right? Yes. Maybe aging beer in barrels for two years isn’t “extreme” – you just have to sit on it. But the wood pulls out different flavors. Tell me about the Tusk & Grain Wee Heavy you released this spring. The Wee Heavy was aged in bourbon barrels, with roasted hazelnuts and cacao nibs from Nibble, a chocolate company in Sorrento Valley. Why those ingredients? You can already taste some nuts and chocolate in a wee heavy beer. You’re just trying to intensify those flavors. Why use bourbon barrels? I like spirits in general, and tequila and bourbon in particular. Knowing what you like, there’s an aroma and a flavor that you are going after. How did you learn this craft? I spent four years in the barrel program at The Lost Abbey in San Marcos – filling, racking, doing everything that was barrel-related. What did this teach you? They are always pretty high on the list of breweries that make barrel-aged beer. They strike out sometimes and they hit home runs sometimes, but they are never afraid. And that’s commendable. >>>
TA ST E BEER
BEER ME, PRO HARD-CORE ATHLETES SHARE THEIR FAVORITE BREWS Extreme athletes need fuel, preferably wrapped in a refreshing, delicious package. Did someone say “beer”? AT H L E T E :
BUCKY LASEK, 44, ENCINITAS Event: Vert skateboarding, riding on a ramp or half-pipe. Winner of 12 X Games medals. Beer: “I’m gluten-intolerant. There are some pretty good beers that are glutenfree — Budweiser makes a pretty good one, Redbridge. Omission. And I find that Stella and Tecate don’t upset my stomach.” K.C. ALFRED
AT H L E T E S :
ASHLEY GIBSON, 30, & TRAVIS GIBSON, 32, SAN DIEGO Event: This wife-and-husband team loves ultra-marathons, including the 33-mile Holcomb Valley Trail Run at Big Bear.
AT H L E T E :
MIKE HERVEY, 26, OCEAN BEACH Event: Long-distance hiking. Completed the 2,659-mile Pacific Crest Trail in 2013; now trekking the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail. Beers: “I like IPAs. Bear Republic Racer 5 is one of my go-tos. And anything from AleSmith is good. I try to keep it local.”
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Beers: “We love all the Alpine ones — Windows Up is one of our favorites, and we had Nelson when up in Alpine for one of our runs. It was nice and fresh,” Ashley says. “Another favorite is Council Brewing. They have what is arguably the best collection of sours in San Diego.” >>>
TA ST E BEER
GOING TO
DO ME A
WHAT MAKES FOR BOUNDARY-PUSHING BREW?
EXTREME BEERS TO CHEERS
EXTREMES FLAVOR
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hat’s an extreme beer? There’s no single definition, but most brews in this category have elevated levels of alcohol, unusual ingredients or both. One example: End of History (55 percent alcohol by volume), a whiskey-like creation from Scotland’s BrewDog. Another: Pappy Barrel 4 from Rancho Bernardo’s Abnormal Beer Co. Aged two years in Pappy Van Winkle (high-end bourbon) barrels, this imperial stout has been dosed with Tahitian vanilla beans and Jamaican Blue Mountain Mostra Coffee. “An extreme beer, to me, takes modern styles of beer and elevates them past what is expected of that style,” says Derek Gallanosa, Abnormal’s head brewer. Since “extreme” is in the eye of the beer-holder, consider Jeff Wiederkehr’s definition. Co-founder and director of brewing operations at El Cajon’s Burning Beard, Wiederkehr takes obscure beer styles, like the salty and tart gose, and crafts a bright update. “That’s a historical extreme beer,” he says. Unusual flavors. Unusual potency. Unusual styles. Ordinary ingredients pushed to extraordinary limits. “Extreme beer” means all this and more. What it shouldn’t mean:
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beers that rely on tonguecurling levels of bitterness. While many Alpine Beer ales push hops to the limit, co-founder Pat McIlhenney insists that’s not his goal. “The balance between the sweet and the bitter,” he says, “is the true test of the beer.” Extreme beers, Gallanosa notes, are not strange for the sake of strangeness. Instead, brewers seek to explore new and unexpected heights. “Extreme beers are tough to produce,” he says, “but the liquid art that comes out at the end makes every brewer say, ‘Well, that was worth it.’”
ABOVE: Derek Gallanosa of Abnormal Beer Co. LEFT: BrewDog's End of History beer comes tastefully packaged in a taxidermied squirrel.
WARNING If your favorite beer is a straw-colored, wispy, mildly hopped lager, turn back now. Extreme beers were made to dope-slap your taste buds and rock your mug.
FIVE BREWED AND RUDE EXAMPLES: Beer: Cuvee de Tomme Brewery: The Lost Abbey, San Marcos Alcohol by volume: 11 percent Why it’s extreme: Is there an archaeologist in the house? There are so many layers here – sour cherries, raisins, prunes, vanilla, bourbon, molasses – it would take days to excavate the depths. This complex brown ale helped turn its brewer, Tomme Arthur, into a craft beer celebrity. Beer: Exponential Hoppiness Brewery: Alpine Beer, Alpine Alcohol by volume: 11 percent Why it’s extreme: While brewing this double IPA, Alpine’s Pat McIlhenney adds hops six different times, each time doubling the previous amount. After this fermentation process, he runs the beer through a 6-foot-by-3-foot sack stuffed with more hops. Exponential’s hop presence is formidable, yet rises from a solid malt base. “The balance between the sweet and the bitter,” McIlhenney says, “is the true test of the beer.” Beer: Tusk & Grain Wee Heavy Brewery: Saint Archer, Miramar Alcohol by volume: 11.32 percent Why it’s extreme: A rich, malty Scottish style, wee heavies can descend into sticky booziness when aged in bourbon barrels. Tusk & Grain avoids teetering into gooey sweetness by balancing on three legs –
sour mash, toasted hazelnuts and cacao nibs. Released this March in a limited edition, this wee heavy is found in better grog shops and Saint Archer’s tasting room. Beer: Crime Brewery: Stone Brewing, Escondido Alcohol by volume: 10.5 percent Why it’s extreme: This oddity blends Arrogant Bastard Ale, Double Bastard Ale and Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale, throws all this ’tude into Kentucky bourbon barrels, then laces it with chili peppers. (The beer’s original version, in 2010, used peppers from Stone co-founder Greg Koch’s garden.) Take a sip and you’ll find layers of sweet malts and bracing hops – if you can stand the heat. Beer: Uni Stout Brewery: Pariah Brewing, San Diego Alcohol by volume: 5.4 percent Why it’s extreme: While relatively low in alcohol, Uni is high on the extreme beer scale. Besides the usual dark malts, this stout is brewed with sea salt, seaweed and – I am not kidding – uni, or sea urchin. The team at Pariah had at least two inspirations: a.) Britain’s briny oyster stouts, and b.) San Diego’s vigorous trade in sea urchin roe. Uni Stout delivers notes of French roast and baker’s chocolate, backed by a delightful creaminess plus a splash of sea spray.
TA ST E BARTENDER
BREVIN BLACH
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BY MICHAEL BENNINGER
A DOWN-TO-EARTH MIXOLOGIST TENDS HIS CROPS BY DAY AND A BAR BY NIGHT
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ince its April opening in the North Park nook that formerly housed Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge, Tamarindo Latin Kitchen & Bar has already cultivated quite a following. And for one of the venue’s accomplished bartenders, cultivation is nothing new. Born and raised in East County, Jordan Brownwood has worked in hospitality for a dozen years or so. Prior to slinging drinks at Tamarindo, he spent two years working at East Village’s Rare Form. Before that, he lived in San Francisco and Austin, Texas. But it was only recently that the 34-year-old began to nourish his new love: Agriculture. “I tend bar on average about three nights a week but, primarily, I am a farmer,” says Brownwood, who, with his wife, owns a 15-acre avocado, citrus and hops farm north of Escondido. “The hops are probably our primary crops; we’ve got about 3 acres of them that we sell fresh to local breweries.” PACIFIC: How did you get into farming? JORDAN BROWNWOOD: I’ve always been interested in growing food, ever since I was a kid. We always had a veggie garden and fruit trees in the backyard; that’s what started my interest. And then, when I was in Texas, I started making friends with different farmers and helping out on different farms there. And then my brother – I have a twin brother – he really got into farming, so that made me get more into it. And a couple of years ago, I found this working farm that was for sale, and the price was great. My wife and I decided to jump on it. How would you describe Tamarindo to people who haven’t yet visited? As our chef likes to say, it’s “Latin-inspired San Diego food.” Nothing is going to be super traditional, because that’s not really what we go for. It’s directed toward using ingredients that are widely available in San Diego. We source food from as many local farmers and fishmongers as we can, so it’s very regionally specific cuisine. How does Tamarindo’s bar program differ from that of other North Park bars? As far as our bar program, again, it’s all Latin-
inspired, but we try to go for a kind of New Worldinspired cocktail menu. We specialize in tequilas, mezcals and sotols, and we carry a lot of stuff I don’t think many other bars around town have. As far as tequila goes, we only serve “bat-friendly” tequila that supports sustainable agave farming. And for mezcals, it’s more of an economical stability that we try to support. We have personal relationships with all of our mezcalerias and have them come in and do educational classes and tastings. I’m learning quite a bit about obscure agave spirits and different rums I haven’t worked with. What are some of the bar’s signature cocktails? My favorite cocktail on the menu is the Oaxacan Old Fashioned… done with tequila and mezcal instead of bourbon. We use mole bitters that give it kind of a chocolatey-spicy flavor finish. Our house margarita is another favorite. I know margaritas are everywhere, but ours stands out, because we use two tequilas: a blanco tequila and a reposado. The reposado gives it more of a deep, rich, oaky flavor. And instead of adding a triple sec or Grand Marnier or another kind of orange liqueur that are in most margaritas, we use a Martinique orange shrub, which is essentially an orange-infused rum. What are a couple of your favorite meals on the menu? Our ceviche is incredible. It’s a shrimp-based ceviche, but we do seasonal rotations with local fish – everything from yellowtail to corvina to salmon. It’s always changing. The chicken mole is also delicious. And it sounds kind of basic, but the rolled tacos we have on the menu are awesome. They’re purple-potato rolled tacos and they’re really damn good. What food and drink pairing do you recommend to first-time visitors to Tamarindo? I would recommend the carne asada, which is medium-rare skirt steak, and I would pair that with the Oaxacan Old Fashioned. It’s a sophisticated dish and drink that just go really well together. What do you do when you’re not working? Right now, pretty much all of my free time is spent on the farm. I also play music here and there, and I’ve got dogs I spend a lot of time at the beach with. My wife is actually eight months pregnant right now, so I probably won’t have time for anything soon. Learn more about Jordan’s roots when he’s outstanding in his field – Wednesday and Thursday nights at Tamarindo. ¡Olé! TAMARINDO LATIN KITCHEN & BAR 2906 University Ave., North Park 619.955.8770, tamarindonp.com
@PACIFICSD | JULY 2017
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GROOVE
SOUND DECISIONS / CONCERT CALENDAR
J U LY
BY SCOTT MCDONALD
THE ROOTS
7.11
@ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYSD.COM
Making the most of their summer break, the legendary Philadelphia crew returns to San Diego after a quick, three-date run in Europe. Questlove, Black Thought and the rest of the band were last here as part of KAABOOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut in 2015. >>>
MARK SELIGER/NBC
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G R O OV E
BY SCOTT MCDONALD
SOUND DECISIONS
SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN S T E FA N O G I O VA N N I N I
JULY CONCERT CALENDAR
A.
7.5-6 DITA VON TEESE’S “THE ART OF THE TEESE” @ HOUSE OF BLUES, HOUSEOFBLUES.COM /SANDIEGO
Sure, there’s going to be amazing music at this show – all kinds of it. But that’s probably not the reason most will buy a ticket to see the grande dame of burlesque showcase the moves that make her a torchbearer of the genre.
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7.01: Cat Power
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) hasn’t released a record since 2012’s “Sun,” but that hasn’t stopped the 45-year-old singer/ songwriter from delivering some of her best, careerspanning performances in recent years.
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7.01: Rebelution
@ Mattress Firm Amphitheater, livenation.com Last year was a busy one for the Santa Barbara pop-reggae five-piece as they released their sixth studio album, “Falling Into Place,” an additional live album recorded at Red Rocks and had a pair of Florida breweries create an IPA in their name.
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7.03: War
@ San Diego County Fair, sdfair.com Long Beach funk legends help send the 2017 San Diego County Fair off in style on its second-to-last night. Get ready for hits like “Low Rider” and “Spill the Wine” as a prelude to the fireworks one day later.
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7.05: Melvins
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Melvins released the album “Basses Loaded” last year after bassist Steve McDonald of Redd Kross and Off! officially joined the band. Their latest, “A Walk With Love and Death,” is out this month. Brooklyn-based duo Spotlights open the show. >>>
6 : 0 0 P M - 8 : 3 0 P M | E V E R Y W E D N E S D A Y N I G H T I N J U LY A N D A U G U S T
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07.05
07.12
07.19
07.26
STEVEN YBARRA
TIFFY JANE
L E E C O U LT E R
TOLAN SHAW
VISIT SUMMERANDSONGS.COM TO CHECK OUT AUGUST'S LINEUP OF AMAZING ARTISTS!
7.21
G R O OV E
THE B-52’S
SOUND DECISIONS
A. 7.07: Rise Against & Deftones
E. 7.13: The Temptations + The Four Tops
@ Mattress Firm Amphitheater, livenation.com Hardcore brethren Chicago’s Rise Against and Sacramento’s Deftones join forces in trying to blow out the eardrums of today’s youth – one city at a time. Rise Against’s eighth studio album, “Wolves,” was released last month, while the Deftones released their eighth, “Gore,” last year.
@ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com It’s a night of living history as a double bill of Motown masters brings the Motor City sound to San Diego.
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7.09: Prince Royce
@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast The bachata superstar released his fifth studio album, “Five,” in February. It features guest appearances by Shakira, Chris Brown, Zendaya and Arturo Sandoval. Royce also served as a judge on this year’s inaugural season of Univision’s reality talent show “Pequeños Gigantes USA.” C.
Although founding member Keith Strickland no longer tours with the band, fellow originals Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson still “Roam” the road and have recently appeared on the TV shows “Portlandia” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
7.14: Dirty Heads & Soja
@ Mattress Firm Amphitheater, livenation.com SoCal reggae rockers Dirty Heads join with Grammy-nominated Virginia reggae collective Soja for a night of irie vibes. G.
7.17: Chris Isaak
@ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com The pompadoured crooner last released an album in 2015 – the same year he became a judge on the Australian version of “The X Factor.” But don’t let that fool you. The consummate showman always delivers a memorable performance.
Sulic and Stjepan Hauser are classically trained and immensely talented. But it doesn’t hurt that they look like a pair of contestants from “The Bachelorette.” 2Cellos’ fourth studio album, “Score,” was released in March.
7.11: TLC
@ Sycuan, sycuan.com It doesn’t seem possible, but Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, original member of the Grammy-winning and platinumselling R&B trio, has been gone for 15 years. Co-founders Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas are helping to cement the band’s legacy this year, having just released their self-titled fifth and final studio album. D. 7.14: Shawn Mendes with Charlie Puth
@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com At 18, this young Canadian singer/ songwriter has already seen both of his albums, 2015’s “Handwritten” and 2016’s “Illuminate,” hit the top spot on the Billboard 200. Opener Charlie Puth is best known for his song “See You Again,” which he performed with Wiz Khalifa.
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7.18: The Sword
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com The Austin, Texas, stoner metal quartet returns to San Diego. Their fifth studio album, “High Country,” came out in 2015. Flannel is OK in the summertime, right? I.
7.18: Khalid
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego This is the first of two nights that 19-year-old Texas-bred singer/ songwriter Khalid (Robinson) will spend in San Diego. Backed by the hit single “Location,” Khalid’s March-released studio debut, “American Teen,” has cracked the top five of Billboard’s R&B chart and the top 10 of the Billboard 200. J.
7.18: 2Cellos
@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast Slovenian/Croatian cello duo Luka
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7.19: Steve Poltz
@ Birch Aquarium, aquarium.ucsd.edu San Diego’s finest story-telling troubadour gets in on the Green Flash Concert Series action at the Birch Aquarium. The 21+, sunsetstart series features one artist a month through September. I.
7.19: Khalid
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com This second of back-to-back nights at different venues for RCA Records artist Khalid is long sold out.
For Fears on a 29-date arena tour. The bands have sold more than 70 million albums combined. N.
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7.19: Daryl Hall & John Oates + Tears for Fears @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com It’s veteran duo madness as 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Hall & Oates join forces with Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears
7.20: Retro Futura Tour
@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast It’s like an ’80s jukebox came to life with performances from Howard Jones (pictured), Men Without Hats, English Beat, Paul Young, Katrina and the Waves, and Modern English. Better check if those neon pastel parachute pants are still tucked away in your closet. P.
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7.20: Beach Fossils
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com The Brooklyn-based indie rock trio released their third studio album, “Somersault,” last month. It’s the band’s first full-length release since 2013.
7.21: Tribal Seeds
@ Del Mar Turf Club, dmtc.com It’s that time again to mix horse racing and live music in Del Mar, and Tribal Seeds gets things started this year. The 2017 San Diego Music Awards “Artist of the Year” winners released the single “Rude Girl” in April.
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@ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYSD.COM
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The Atlanta rapper initially known as $ir Cartier released his self-titled debut mixtape in April through Interscope Records. It features appearances from Lil Uzi Vert and A$AP Rocky. Carti also appears on the 2017 singles “RAF” by ASAP Mob and “Green & Purple” by Travis Scott. >>>
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JULY CONCERT CALENDAR P H O T O S B Y: A . ) F R A N K M A D D O C K S ; B . ) D E N N I S L E U P O L D ; C . ) J A M I E M C C A R T H Y / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; D . ) J A M E S M I N C H I N ; G . ) S C O T T N E W T O N / P B S ; H . ) S A N D Y C A R S O N ; I . K A C I E T O M I TA ; N . ) KO H E I K A W A S H I M A .
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G R O OV E SOUND DECISIONS
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7.21: Third Eye Blind
@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast Veteran alt-rockers Third Eye Blind head out on their Summer Gods Tour and bring the bands Silversun Pickups and Ocean Park Standoff along for the ride.
JULY CONCERT CALENDAR
B. 7.23: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasino center.com The husband-and-wife superstar duo’s new 65city “Soul2Soul World Tour” celebrates the 10th anniversary of the pair’s 2007 highest-grossing country music tour of all time, as well as the first time Hill has toured in as many years. It comes on the heels of the pair’s recent collaborative single, “Speak to a Girl.”
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7.23: Buddy Guy
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com The beloved living blues legend returns once again to the Belly Up for this soldout show.
D. 7.27: Lionel Richie with Mariah Carey
@ Viejas Arena, viejasarena.com Say “Hello” to this double bill of superstar and diva awesomeness. Rescheduled from a May date due to knee surgery, Ritchie probably won’t be “Dancing on the Ceiling,” but Mariah will be there to pick up the slack on this “Fantasy” double shot of Grammy-winner goodness. >>>
7.21
SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 @ BELLY UP, BELLYUP.COM
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The youngest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti returns to the Belly Up with his father’s former band once again in tow. >>>
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G R O OV E SOUND DECISIONS
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7.27, 28: UB40
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@ Pala Casino, palacasino.com Founding vocalist Ali Campbell and keyboardist Mickey Virtue left UB40 in 2008, with original toaster Astro following in 2013. Everything is back to normal now. Matisyahu opens the show. A.
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JULY CONCERT CALENDAR
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7.27, 28: Psychedelic Furs
@ Sycuan, sycuan.com It’s been more than a quarter-century since this band released an album, but that doesn’t stop the founding Butler brothers – singer Richard and bassist Tim – from tearing through their extended catalog over two-night stops like this one.
7.28: Violent Femmes
@ Del Mar Turf Club, dmtc.com Wisconsin’s finest export since cheese. Two of the Femmes’ original three members – vocalist/guitarist Gordon Gano and bassist Brian Ritchie – are keeping the legacy alive these days. The band released their ninth studio album, “We Can Do Anything,” last year.
7.28: Taking Back Sunday
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Surviving a multitude of line-up changes over their 18-year career, the Long Island-based emo punks released their seventh studio album, “Tidal Wave,” last September. They return to San Diego with Every Time I Die and Modern Chemistry opening the show.
7.28: Matchbox Twenty & Counting Crows E.
@ Mattress Firm Amphitheater, livenation.com Another dynamic duo of yesteryear crowd-pleasers team up to combine their superpowers and deliver a set of greatest hits. F.
7.30: Maxi Priest
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com Once rumored to be taking over lead vocals in UB40 after Ali Campbell left, Brit reggae crooner Max Elliott (aka Maxi Priest) has been putting out albums for more than 30 years. Elliott released his latest full-length, “Easy To Love,” in 2014.
7.30 RODRIGO
Y GABRIELA
P H O T O S B Y: A ) . M E E N O ; B ) . B E N MOON; F). LISA JOHNSON.
@ PECHANGA, PECHANGA.COM
Another veteran act of KAABOO’s inaugural festival in 2015, the onetime couple returns to Southern California for the third time in as many years after appearing locally at the Belly Up last summer. The Mexican guitar duo’s last studio album, “9 Dead Alive,” was released in 2014. Catch an encore presentation the next night at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. >>> HARMONY GERBER JIM MIMNA
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by Melanie Palm, MD, MBA - Board-Certified Dermatologist - Fellowship-Trained Cosmetic Surgeon-
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• Vanquish • Exilis Ultra • Liposculpture
• Kybella • Accusculpt • Cellfina
For more information, visit www.ArtOfSkinMD.com To schedule your consultation, call us at 858-792-SKIN (7546) 437 S. Highway 101, Suite 217, Solana Beach, CA 92075
G R O OV E SPIN CYCLE
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D ED 7.28
@ OMNIA, OMNIANIGHTCLUB.COM
The Russian DJ, fresh from Coachella and his smash hit “Stay” with Alessia Cara, hits San Diego as part of Energy 103.7’s One Night Stand. Grey and Lophiile open the show.
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A. A.
7.1: Shiba San
@ Spin, spinnightclub.com The French DJ/producer (and former hiphopper) teamed with Claude VonStroke’s Dirtybird Records on the 2014 smash “Okay,” shortly after making his debut with CUFF earlier that year. His two-song “Up & Down” EP came out last December. Belgian DJ Kill Frenzy is also on the bill.
B. G.
7.2: Cut Snake
@ Spin, spinnightclub.com The Australian DJ/production duo of Paul Fisher and Leigh Sedley (aka Fish and Sedz) first came to prominence as professional surfers. Now the pair is signed to Warner Bros. Records. Their latest, the “Action Burger” EP, was released last August. C.
7.3: Keys N Krates
@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com Toronto’s DJ/electronic/percussion trio of David Matisse, Adam Tune and Jr. Flo are signed to Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak. They released the remixes to their latest single, “Right Here,” in April. D.
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7.14: Audien
@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Connecticut-born producer Audien (aka Nate Rathbun) hit no. 1 on the U.S. Dance Chart with the 2015 single “Insomnia” featuring Parson James. Fresh from the Electric Daisy Carnival Festival in Las Vegas, Rathbun returns to San Diego after dropping the single “One More Weekend” with Max earlier this year.
7.14: Nightmares on Wax (DJ Set) J.
@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com English DJ/composer Nightmares on Wax, aka George Evelyn, was last in San Diego with a full band and backing singers. This time, he’ll be crate digging to bring the Music Box audience a diverse array of sounds and songs that inspire his main project.
7.3: Chuckie
@ Parq, parqsd.com The Suriname-born, Aruba-based Chuckie (aka Clyde Narain) has produced for Akon and Kesha, and helped bring the “Dirty Dutch” style to prominence. His latest singles, “The Watcher” and “Back in the Club,” are out now.
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7.14: Goldroom
@ Bang Bang, bangbangsd.com Boston-born, L.A.-based DJ and musician Goldroom (aka Josh Legg) played in synthpop duo NightWaves before producing full time. Legg released his full-length Goldroom debut, “West of the West,” last year. New single “Spread Love” is out now.
7.6: Rozes
@ Space Bar, spacebarsd.com Rozes (aka Elizabeth Mencel) exploded onto the scene when she co-wrote and sang on The Chainsmokers’ 2015 worldwide smash, “Roses.” She appeared with Logic on Big Gigantic’s hit “All of Me” last year and released the single “Matches” with Cash Cash in March.
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P H O T O S B Y: C . ) L U C I A G R A C A ; E . ) R U U D B A A N ; G . ) E R A L S V I L L E N A ; H . ) “ K E V I N L A K E P H O T O G R A P H Y; J.) GEORGE JUNE 1013; O.) OH DAG YO P H O T O G R A P H Y © 2 0 1 7 ; P. ) P H I L I P C H A N G .
7.13: Dusky
@ Bang Bang, bangbangsd.com After working with other labels for years, London-based DJ duo Dusky (aka Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman) started their own, 17 Steps, in 2014. It just saw the release on their latest 4-track EP, “Cold Heart,” last month. I.
E.
7.7: LOUDPVCK
7.3: Matoma
@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Twenty-six-year-old Norwegian tropical house DJ Matoma (aka Tom Lagergren) returns to San Diego. Lagergren has stayed busy in 2017, releasing multiple singles like “Party on the West Coast” with Snoop Dogg and “Girl at Coachella” with D.R.A.M and Magic!, among others.
D.
@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com NYC/L.A. EDM duo LOUDPVCK (aka Kenny Beats and Ryan Marks) has collaborated with the likes of NERVO, Carnage, and Zed’s Dead. The pair have already released four singles in 2017 – “More Than I can Take,” “Traffic,” “Gone” and “Bones.” H.
B.
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7.20: Kristian Nairn
@ Omnia, omnianightclub.com Who knew? When Hodor from “Game of Thrones”(aka Irish actor Kristian Nairn) isn’t protecting the Starks by sacrificing himself to the White Walkers, he quite enjoys performing as a progressive house DJ. Let’s just hope he doesn’t bring the dire wolves with him.
M.
7.20: BADBADNOTGOOD
I.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com These former jazz students got their break when they covered Odd Future on YouTube and caught the eye of Tyler The Creator. Since, they’ve gone on to produce Ghostface Killah and collaborate with Kaytranada, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg – to name a few. While still a band at heart, this quartet always ends up sounding like a beat-driven mixtape. Their contribution to the “Late Night Tales” series drops at the end of this month. N.
J.
K.
7.22: Grandtheft
@ Parq, parqsd.com Toronto-based DJ and musician Grandtheft (aka Aaron Waisglass) has worked with Keys N Krates and Major Lazer, and is signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent label. He released the remixes to his 2016 single with Delaney Jane, “Easy Go,” earlier this year. O.
L.
7.27: Elephante
@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Michigan-born, Harvard grad Tim Wu quit a high-paying consulting job to make music full time. In less than five years, Wu has amassed over 45 million plays on SoundCloud and 100 million total digital streams. While not completely convinced, his parents have stopped worrying so much. P.
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7.29: DJ Mustard
@ Parq, parqsd.com The L.A. DJ born Dijon McFarlane has worked with everyone from 2 Chains to Travi$ Scott and produced “Needed Me” from Rihanna’s “Anti.” He released his sophomore studio album, “Cold Summer,” last year and followed it up with the singles “Pop It, Shake It” with YG and “Goin’ Up” with Ty Dolla $ign and YG in the last few months.
O.
P H O T O S B Y: D ) . Z O E L O W E R ; N ) . B OY KO R T E K A A S
P.
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BY DAVID PERLOFF PHOTOS BY DAVID BROOKS MATCHMAKING BY JESSICA PELLIGRA
RICHARD
FLY BOYS
G
et pumped up for an adrenaline-filled dose of amphibious adventure. Blind daters Richard and Cristian met for the first time an hour ago in the Epic Limo that’s about to drop them off at Jetpack America. Before they arrive to take flight above San Diego Bay, let’s review the predate interview. PACIFIC: Where are you from? RICHARD: I’m from Morton, Minn., and currently live in Chula Vista. CRISTIAN: I grew up in Orange County, but live in San Diego now. What do you do for a living? RICHARD: Group-fitness coach at Orangetheory Fitness in San Diego, at the La Mesa and Bankers Hill locations. CRISTIAN: I am a server assistant for bottle service at Oxford Social Club and the Pool
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CRISTIAN
HOPING FOR A SUMMER ROMANCE… OR AT LEAST A LITTLE ACTION
House at the Pendry hotel.
CRISTIAN: Confronting people.
What do you do for fun? RICHARD: I love to read self-help books, work out – lifting, taking group-fitness class, running outside, et cetera – cook healthy meals, hang out with friends in low-key environments, try new things, go on adventures, go to Broadway shows and also watch the sunset on the beach. CRISTIAN: Hang out with friends. I love laying out by the pool, working out.
What are you looking for in a date? RICHARD: My non-negotiables for a date are: loves to smile, lives a healthy lifestyle, humble, truly loves his job, positive mindset, likeable person and likes people. My biggest pet peeves are: negative people, people who only talk about themselves and anyone who is constantly indecisive. CRISTIAN: I would like someone who is more on the physically fit side. And someone who can make me laugh.
What are you best at? RICHARD: I’m best at cheering people up, staying positive, motivating people to become the best version of themselves, being the center of attention – and I am the best hugger. CRISTIAN: Making people smile and laugh. What do you suck at? RICHARD: I suck at playing sports. I don’t have the best hand-eye coordination. I’ve tried most sports growing up, and it was just not for me.
Describe your special brand of sex appeal in five words or less. RICHARD: It’s hard to describe with words, but best I can do is say “smizing” – eyebrow raised, biting lip. Give me a good song to dance to, and you will see it come alive. CRISTIAN: I literally have no idea. What do you like least about yourself? RICHARD: I’m my worst critic, but that’s what
happens when you’re a perfectionist. CRISTIAN: I procrastinate way too often. Rate yourself on a scale from one to 10 for looks. RICHARD: I’m not full of myself, so I will give myself an eight. I’m well-groomed and keep looking clean and presentable at all times. CRISTIAN: Eight. How about for personality? RICHARD: Ten. I’m very outgoing and love to have a good time. I love getting to know people and asking every question. I don’t have limits. CRISTIAN: Nine. People always seem to laugh at my jokes. What’s your biggest fear? RICHARD: Now living in California, I’m afraid I’m going to see a wild snake. Growing up in Minnesota, all we saw were garter snakes, which are fine. Here in Cali, everything is bigger, because it’s warm and beautiful all year
round. To be honest, I would cry if I saw a wild rattlesnake. I’m panicking right now just thinking about it. CRISTIAN: With relationships, my biggest fear would be having a dishonest boyfriend. In general, my biggest fear would be swimming in the ocean and hearing someone yell that there’s a shark in the water. What traits could your date exhibit that would be deal-breakers? RICHARD: Someone who is rude, conceited, lacks hygiene and is unwholesome. CRISTIAN: Someone who is arrogant and cocky. How many people have you slept with? RICHARD: Twenty-one guys. No women. “Goldstar gay” here. CRISTIAN: That’s a good question. Fill in the blanks: I want my blind date to be “blank” and “blank.” RICHARD: I want my blind date to be happy and
adventurous. CRISTIAN: Outgoing, and really, really ridiculously good-looking. Will the night end with a kiss, something more or something less? RICHARD: It will only end with a kiss if it goes well. Nothing more. CRISTIAN: Most likely a kiss. I don’t do more than that on a first date. What’s the most important thing in the world? RICHARD: My happiness. I will always follow my intuition and will never settle for less. Some may call it selfish, which it is. If everyone followed their intuition and found their inner happiness, this world would be a much better place. CRISTIAN: Living life to the fullest. As the daters arrive at Jetpack America, they change into wetsuits, receive a quick safety briefing, and then lace up for the ride of their lives. >>>
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HAVING A BLAST (OFF) THREE… TWO… ONE…
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ristian’s up first. As the jet engine throttles up, a powerful rush of water thrusts him skyward. Within moments, he manages to find his balance and ride like a champ. Richard follows suit when it’s his turn, and both guys appear to be having a great time. Back on earth, the daters shower and change, jump back into the limo and head to dinner at Curadero, the new traditional-Mexican restaurant inside Hotel Palomar San Diego in the Gaslamp. Once they’ve had a chance to get acquainted over an incredible array of food and cocktails, they’re split up for mid-date debriefings. PACIFIC: How’s it going so far? RICHARD: It’s going well. It is fun overall. CRISTIAN: So far, so good. I like it. What were your first impressions of your date? RICHARD: He is super nice, a lot of fun. Right when I got into the limo, he gave me a hug. He is super personable – overall good vibes. CRISTIAN: He was really nice. Lots of manners; I like that. He’s a gentleman. Is this the type of person you’d normally date? RICHARD: No. I would say, normally, I date white guys. I guess it just happens that way? Also, guys who are really into fitness. He isn’t into fitness as much as guys I would normally date. It’s not bad, but it is my life and career, so it’s a big deal to me. CRISTIAN: Yeah. Actually physically fit, handsome. I like his eyes. What do you think of the way your date is dressed?
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RICHARD: Nice, casual, cute. CRISTIAN: Very good – to the T. He dressed to impress. How was your experience at Jetpack America? RICHARD: I loved it. I am so glad this was picked for our date. I was worried about the weather; it was cloudy, but it cleared up and was so nice. It
took a lot of muscle to do it, and it was great to do something new and exciting. This is the most adventurous thing I have done. CRISTIAN: I love Jetpack America. That was so much fun. It actually wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. The instructors were awesome and so thorough. I’m a little sore now… but I had a great time.
What do you think of Curadero? RICHARD: I love the food; the ambiance is great. I love the artwork on the walls. And, seriously, the servers here are great. They are very welcoming and they take great care of you. CRISTIAN: The ambiance is perfect. I love it. The food is so good – I had the carne asada plate that was really good. He had the white fish tacos and something spicy. I loved the PACIFIC Margarita Month “Cool as a Cucumber” margarita. It was fantastic and so refreshing. What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far? RICHARD: That he was able to get up on the jetpack. CRISTIAN: Being a gentleman. I feel like most San Diego guys aren’t gentlemen anymore. I mean, he’s from the Midwest; he says “thank you” and “please.” Very personable.
What’s the least attractive thing? RICHARD: Probably after his jetpack experience… the nose blowing. Maybe necessary, but not attractive. It’s not a make-orbreak thing, though. CRISTIAN: I can’t really think of anything. He’s a breath of fresh air for me. Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks RICHARD: Eight. CRISTIAN: Nine. And for personality? RICHARD: Eight or nine. CRISTIAN: I think he is a 10, honestly. Do you want to kiss your date right now? RICHARD: I think we are more like friends. I don’t know. Not right now.
CRISTIAN: Yes! Does your date want to kiss you? RICHARD: I don’t know? CRISTIAN: I hope so. How and when will the date end? RICHARD: I am pretty sure we will continue after. I think we are going to go to Florent, and then go from there. CRISTIAN: Us having a blast? When? I don’t know. Anything you’d like to add? RICHARD: Am I interested? I would say he is sweet, but who knows? I don’t base anything after a first date. I would go on a second date with him. CRISTIAN: I am interested in him and I hope there will be a second date. >>>
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l ov E B L I N D DAT E
NIGHT RIDERS
THE DATERS CRUISE THROUGH THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN
A
fter dinner at Curadero, Richard and Cristian hop in a pedi-cab and head to Florent. As the couple talks over cocktails, which they sip while sharing a swing in a giant birdcage, the magazine crew finally leaves them alone to enjoy the rest of their evening away from the camera. Two days later, we call to see what we missed.
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PACIFIC: What did you do after the magazine crew left? RICHARD: The night ended with drinks at Uptown Tavern and Rich's. So much fun. CRISTIAN: We ended up leaving Florent and hung out in Hillcrest, then went our separate ways at the end of the night. Was there a kiss or romantic exchange? RICHARD: Yes, at the very end. We went to Florent, then ended up going to Hillcrest until
like 1 in the morning. I do feel like it is going to be more of just a friendship, though, because our lifestyles are completely different. No hard feelings; there was just no spark. I know he was interested in me. He contacted me the next day, but I was honest and said, “Don’t take it the wrong way at all, but I think we would just be better as friends.” CRISTIAN: We kissed once at the end, but nothing crazy. It was a first date. >>>
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What was the best part of the date? RICHARD: The Jetpacking – such an adrenaline rush. The team there was so awesome. And from the restaurant to Florent, we took a pedi-cab. He was blasting the music, and we were just pointing to people on the street to show us their best dance moves. People were loving it. CRISTIAN: Dinner, in general. We had really good conversation; we laughed a lot. We really got to know each other then. It was like talking with an old friend. What’s the funniest thing that happened during the date? RICHARD: After the Jetpacking, we showered at the place, and there was no body wash or anything, only sunblock. So we were joking about using the sunscreen to shower with. CRISTIAN: Watching each other try and get up on the Jetpacking board. Will there be a second date? RICHARD: Well, a second date as friends. CRISTIAN: I don’t think so. I think we are just going to be friends. There wasn’t much of a romantic connection. It was weird, I had never met him, but I felt like I knew him for years.
AFTERMATCH: This action-packed blind date had its ups and downs – in attraction, altitude and a birdcage. Shooting for the stars may be a lofty aspiration, but being aloft on a first date, even with a viable wingman, can lead to crashing and burning in the friend zone. Like Maverick (Tom Cruise) said in “Top Gun” after his serenade failed to impress its mark: “I’m going to need a beer to put these flames out.”
THANK YOU to (and promotional consideration provided by): Epic Limo, 858.270.LIMO (5466), epiclimo.com; Jetpack America, 888.553.6471, jetpackamerica.com; Curadero, 619.515.3003, curadero.com; Florent Restaurant & Lounge, 619.595.0123, florentsd.com.
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#t b s d
BY KARLA PETERSON
(THROWBACK SAN DIEGO) A LOOK BACK, A GLIMPSE AHEAD
The first Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack, 1937.
Opening Day 2016.
MISAEL VIRGEN
DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB
ON TRACK
OPPOSITE PAGE (clockwise, from top): Bing Crosby greets the first patron on the inaugural Opening Day; crowds on the first Opening Day; Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, circa 1955; Mickey Rooney and wife Ava Gardner, 1942. BELOW (from left): Gary Cooper and wife Sandra Shaw, circa 1935; Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, circa 1936; actor Pat O'Brien, circa 1934.
HOW DEL MAR GOT ITS RACY START It was hipster heaven in ’37 at the place where the turf met the surf, the beautiful people partied with the ponies, and sunny San Diego stepped into the Hollywood spotlight. That place was the Del Mar Racetrack, which opened July 3, 1937, with its own brand of fireworks. Del Mar Turf Club founder and president Bing Crosby worked one of the turnstiles, and some 15,000 people showed up to place their bets and ogle the hats and the horseflesh. If you couldn’t make it to the track, you could catch the 45-minute live Opening Day broadcast, which aired nationwide on NBC. The eight-race program brought in more than $183,000 in wagers. One of the day’s big winners? That would be “Der Bingle” himself. Crosby owned High Strike, the 2-year-old that won the very first race, taking $350 of the $500 purse set aside for this inaugural event. Word of the new hot spot everyone was calling “Bing’s Baby” spread faster than a speeding gelding. By the second afternoon, attendance at the seaside oval jumped to more than 18,000.
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An avid horseman and horse-racing fan, Crosby owned a ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, which made bringing a track to his adopted backyard both a dream and a bit of an obsession. Crosby launched his Del Mar adventure with members of a Hollywood posse that included Gary Cooper, Oliver Hardy (of Laurel and Hardy fame) and Pat O’Brien, the actor best known for giving the “win just one for the Gipper” speech in 1940’s “Knute Rockne, All American.” The setting of their first meeting? The Warner Brothers studios in Burbank. Which is why the
swinging Del Mar venue’s other nickname was “Movieland’s Own Track.” Once the track opened, it became the Summer Camp to the Stars, with everyone from Mickey Rooney and Ava Gardner to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz making the scene. It was so popular, the Santa Fe Railroad opened a racetrack train running from Los Angeles to Del Mar. Sometimes, a horse would catch a ride to its gig. No word on whether the dining car was equipped with feedbags. In 1938, Crosby recorded the jaunty “Where
OTHER 1937 WINNERS
DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB
WEATHER FREAKS: Rare snow flurries were seen in San Diego in January. PROGRESS: El Cajon Boulevard was finally paved.
DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB
the Turf Meets the Surf,” which is still played before the first and last race of every program. There are more traditions where that came from. Hats are still huge, with the Opening Day Hat Contest bringing out chapeaus the size of satellite dishes. Champions still rule the track, from Seabiscuit in 1938 to Zenyatta in 2010. And whether it is Del Mar’s Craft Beer and Pizza Festival, Tacotopia at the Track or Del Mar’s Summer Concert Series (which this year includes rapper Ludacris and superstar DJ Steve Aoki), the track is still a slice of hipster heaven. The summer racing season kicks off July 19 and runs through Labor Day, providing plenty of time to find a winning strategy. Or a hat big enough to hide behind if you bet the farm and lose your shirt.
SDSU: Sculptor Donal Hord unveiled his iconic “Monty” statue, which now stands in the campus Prospective Student Center.
BING, AGAIN: The Del Mar Turf Club president had 17 Top 10 hit songs. @PACIFICSD | JULY 2017
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