Pacific San Diego Magazine, March 2010 Issue

San Diego

On the

Homefront

A Finest City retrospective

The

$20,000 Everyday Giveaway continues...

www.pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

Is San Diego Going to Pot? Councilmembers Donna Frye and Marti Emerald weigh in on the legality of marijuana

Starving Artists: Stop Starving!

Win food and more (Page 24)

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editor’s note

{staff}

I had lunch with my friend, Tim, last week.

The weather was perfect, so we ate outside…

Celebrating the best of everyday life in San Diego VOL.4

ISSUE 03

MARCH 2010

PUBLISHERS David Perloff Simone Perloff EDITOR IN CHIEF David Perloff

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kenny Boyer ASSISTANT EDITOR John Thomson CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Brandon Hernández Dave Good CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Edwin Decker Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph Frank Sabatini Rachel Wilson COVER PHOTOGRAPHY John Mireles, johnmireles.com PHOTOGRAPHERS David Good, davegoodphotography.com Gabriela Lingenfelder, photographybygabriela.com Janelle Maas, janellemaas.com John Mireles, johnmireles.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kimberly Gates Jim Lucich Laura Rovick INTERNS Logan Broyles, Christina Dylag MARKETING Michael Capone

Do NOT advertise in this magazine

…unless, of course, you want your business to grow next month. In that case, call 619.296.6300 or visit pacificsandiego.com right away. Otherwise, don’t do it.

10

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

Me: Hey, how’s it going?

He: Good, good. You? Me: Great. Wow, are you really wearing that?

He: <laughs> What do you think?

Me: I think you’ve been shopping at Walmart. Is that green?

He: It’s Abercrombie and Fitch.

Don’t hate—bright colors are in.

Me: Bright colors? You’re like 60. Shouldn’t you be wearing earth tones?

He: Ha! I’m 56, and my future’s bright…like my sweater.

Me: It looks like a tank top.

He: Really? They told me it was a cardigan.

Me: It isn’t.

He: Then what is it?

Me: It’s a button-down sweatervest.

He: Whatever you say, sport.

We talk about work, my wife, his girlfriends. My health insurance just went up again. His knee hurts when he jogs now.

She: Good afternoon, gentlemen. What can I bring you?

Me: Hey, how’s it going? I’ll have the tuna melt and a Diet Coke, please. Do you guys have any senior discounts? Not for me, for my grandfather.

She: <smiles> Depends. <laughs> He: <blushes> Give it a rest; I’m 10 years older than you.

Me: More like 16, but who’s counting?

He: I’ll have a Caesar salad and a cup of the soup du jour.

Regular Coke for me. Thanks.

She: Thanks, guys. I’ll be right back with your drinks.

Me: Cute.

He: Thanks.

Me: Not you, her.

He: I know; I was kidding. How would you know she’s cute?

You’ve been married since I was your age.

Me: <laughs> You think she likes your sweater?

He: Your wife?

Me: The waitress.

He: Probably—she was checking me out when we came in.

Me: Please. She was probably watching to see if you were going to have a heart attack.

He: Nope. She digs me.

He’s been finding new freelance writing gigs; even sold a story to Maxim. His mom passed away last month. I need to get back East to see my family more. We only have so much time…

She: I have a tuna melt, a Caesar and a cup of soup. Can I bring you gentlemen anything else?

He: No thanks, sweetie. Your smile’s all I need.

She: <smirks, walks away> Me: Dude, you did not.

He: I did.

Me: Crash and burn. That was like watching Normandy. You were there, right?

He: I’m telling you, she’s into me. There’s something in the air.

Me: Yeah, it’s your Old Spice.

My dad used to wear that crap.

He: Smart man. It’s fresh and crisp and perfect for the season.

Me: Yeah, well, she rolled her eyes.

He: No, she raised her eyebrows.

It’s different.

Me: You’re different.

The food’s good. We eat slowly and laugh. We haven’t seen each other since Thanksgiving. Two of our friends just got laid off.

to be more fun, to have more fun.

What’s my problem? I must be getting older?

She: Hey. Me: Hi. She: Your friend told me to tell you that he left. <smiles> Me: Are you serious?

She: Yes. <chuckles> He just took off.

Me: Did he give you some money at least?

She: No. Me: He didn’t give you anything?

She: Well…

Me: What?

She: He did give me his phone number. <smiles> Me: Oh, my god! I am so sorry!

You have to understand, he’s— She: He’s cute. I gave him my number, too.

Shock and awe. A brief silence.

Me: Your real number?

She: <laughs> Yup. Me: I hate to be rude, but I have to know—what is it about him that appeals to you?

She: Honestly, he’s just sweet.

Or maybe there’s something in the air. Plus he dresses sharp, you know? And not just for his age. His cardigan, I dunno…it’s cute and Springy.

Tim calls a few days later to thank me for lunch and admits that he’s been a regular at the deli. It’s not the first time he asked for her number, just the first time she said yes.

It must be spring, because there’s no way it was that damn sweater-vest.

He: Be right back—gotta hit the john.

Work. Why can’t I think about anything else these days? I used

David Perloff, Editor in Chief

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{contents} pacific F e a t u r e s

25 On the Homefront A local photographer’s fresh perspective on life in San Diego 28 Going Green?

From neighborhood committees to the White House, the mixed signals San Diegans are receiving about the legality of marijuana

On the Cover: Carolyn Nemerow at No Ties Management (notiesmanagement.com) was photographed in Kensington by John Mireles (johnmireles.com). See On the Homefront, Page 25. Mireles’ personal and commercial work can be viewed at johnmireles.com. For his wedding studio, visit ventanaphotography.com.

PHOTO THIS PAGE BY: John Mireles

D E P ART M E N TS

12 12

CURRENTS 15 First Things ShamROCK, San Diego Indiefest VI, San Diego’s Next Top Model, LPGA Tour, John Leguizamo

18 Over the Rainbow See the spectrum of fantasies that lie beyond the proverbial pot o’ gold

22 Whet Paint Satisfying San Diego’s appetite for art, and starving artists’ appetite for food

20 The Names of the Game March Madness: the Sweet 16 most ridiculous (but real) college team nicknames

40 Ten Half-a-score of cocktails by the sand

pacificsandiego.com | FEbruary 2010 pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

TASTE 36 Won’t Work for Food How to eat healthy at home without the effort

GROOVE 42 Springing Forth A sneak peek at seven of the season’s blossoming bars, nightclubs and restaurants 46 The Tin Man An ex-motocross racer pours his heart into bartending and inventing metal cups 48 Going for Gold In search of the elusive Leprechaun

50 Amour or Less Shooting for love, but willing to settle for romance CALENDAR 56 Three.Ten March event listings THINK 58 Short Cuts The speedy way to a fresh look for Spring

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first things

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currents

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Party in the Grasslamp May good fortune lead you to the 13th annual ShamROCK, where 60,000 square feet of Astroturf, 10 DJs, live bands and 20,000 revelers transform the Gaslamp into San Diegoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day celebration. The Young Dubliners headline the March 17 event, which runs 4 p.m. to midnight.

Tickets: $20 presale, $25 day of. sandiegoshamrock.com

Carol Rosegg

Dear John In his irreverent standup style, John Leguizamo delivers Diary of a Madman, the story of his rise from young punk in Queens to successful actor/comedian working alongside some of the hottest stars in Hollywood. Catch a live performance March 4 through 14 at La Jolla Playhouse. lajollaplayhouse.com pacificsandiego.com

15

first things

Laurent Kramer

{currents}

C o u rt e s y o f t h e L P GA v i a G e t t y Im a g e s

Independents’ Day Metric, FAR, Nappy Roots and 85 other musical acts perform at multiple indoor and outdoor venues throughout North Park for San Diego Indiefest VI, which also features independent films from some of the nation’s top creators. Friday, March 26: films only.

Saturday, March 27: films, bands and art.

Tickets are $25 for general admission; afterparty at U-31. sandiegoindiefest.com

16

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

Game On You’re a member of a rock band called Shinobi Ninja Attacks, and you must fend off evil-doers in your quest to get to the next gig. It’s isn’t a dream, it’s Shinobi Ninja Attacks: Brooklyn to Babylon, the first iPhone and iPad app from Kearney Mesa-based Iterabang Entertainment. interabangent.com

C o u rt e s y o f I n t e r a b a n g

San Diego’s own Naduah Rugly, 22, has been selected to compete against a dozen other aspiring models in the upcoming season of the popular reality TV series, America’s Next Top Model. Tune-in to the premiere Wednesday, March 10 at 8 p.m. on San Diego 6—The CW. antm.com

Fore-get about it! Watch Lorena Ochoa and other top female golfers from the pro tour compete for a purse of $1.7 million at the Kia Classic, the first domestic stop of the LPGA season, March 25-28, at the La Costa Resort and Spa Golf Course. Tickets: $20 for grounds; $40 for clubhouse. lpga.com

J o n at h a n M a n n i o n / © 2 0 0 9 P o t t l e P r o d u c t i o n s , I n c . A l l R i g h t s R e s e rv e d .

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{currents}

voices URBAN MO’S

Over the Rainbow

Beyond the proverbial pot o’ gold lies a spectrum of fantasies

Rebecca S., 31, North Park “A pot of gold big enough to pay off my loans.”

BY PATTY McDOUGAL O’ CONNOR

A

hh, St. Patrick’s Day. ‘Tis a great time of year to celebrate the banishment of snakes from the Emerald Isle, and a great excuse to drink on a Wednesday. It’s kind of like with margaritas on Cinco de Mayo—when it comes to green beer, even gringos get into the Irish spirit.

Wanting to delve deeper into the Celtic phenomenon that is March 17, and maybe get a chance to bask in the luck o’ the Irish along the way, PacificSD’s illustrious interns pack the tour bus and head uptown.

If the fabled pot o’ gold really exists, they intend to find it. So they head to where the rainbows are…Hillcrest.

Driving up Washington Street from Old Town, the interns bear right onto University Avenue and find parking opposite two of the neighborhood’s favorite bars, Fiesta Cantina and Urban Mo’s.

Both places are packed for happy hour when the PacificSD crew heads inside to ask the Irish and gringos alike one simple question:

Carly F., 23-30, Hillcrest “Unlimited men from Mo’s, fanning me and feeding me grapes.”

Chris D., 36, Pacific Beach “A gallon of Jameson Whiskey.”

What’s at the end of your rainbow?

FIESTA CANTINA

Kaiser “Ky” W., 23, Spring Valley “The power to become emperor mofo of all gods, emphasis on Roman/Greek Gods (whichever is better), with the power to have orgies at all times and obtain everything I wanted.”

Robbie E., 26, City Heights; Romi C., 29, Clairemont “Sex on the beach, in Greece.”

“In grease?”

“No, Greece—the country.”

“Oh. How about sex on the beach, in grease, in Greece?”

“Yeah! That and a puppy.”

18

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

Eric A., 30, Hillcrest A sweaty, hot, beefy man—I’m just being honest.

Jesse P., 30, City Heights “My first answer would be the entire Australian Rugby team, but I would settle for world peace.”

Esteff P., 24 or 29, Hillcrest “That’s a hard question.

In fact, it would be hard, sparkly and delicious.”

Russ F., 49, Oceanside “No offense, but I’ve had too much to drink to come up with anything.”

John S., 24, North Park “A contract with a nice acting agent.”

Chris C., 30, City Heights “A whole lot of money.”

Dennis Y., 36, Nebraska “My own yard— I’m a landscaper and I would love my own yard.”

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chainsaw

The Names of the Game THE SWEET 16 MOST RIDICULOUS (BUT REAL) COLLEGE NICKNAMES

BY COOKIE “CHAINSAW” RANDOLPH

E

agles, Tigers and Bulldogs are the most common nicknames in college sports. If ever there were an NCAA championship tournament for uncommon monikers, these real-life nicknames would make the Sweet 16.

UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs: No big surprise from a school that offers degrees in Munchies and Bongology. The best these guys can hope for is a win in the NCAA Hacky Sack championships.

Alabama Crimson Tide: Despite the Slang Dictionary’s reference to menstrual cycles, this nickname is really just a more lyrical description of toxic algal bloom, which doesn’t fit as well on the jerseys.

Vanderbilt Commodores: Founded

by Lionel Richie in 1967, Vandy’s basketball arena is called “The Brick House.” (It’s mighty mighty.)

Whittier Poets: Richard Nixon’s alma mater, where he learned to rhyme “Tricky” with “Dicky” and “bitter” with “quitter.”

North Carolina Tar Heels: Not to be confused with taking a misstep at a dog park—those are the Shit Heels, which is where corporate middle managers matriculate.

South Carolina Gamecocks: Here’s hoping the women’s team nickname doesn’t have the same number of letters.

Canisius Golden Griffins: Another reason nobody ever wanted to shower with Merv.

Tennessee Volunteers: The only volunteers in the world that get recruited, pampered and paid.

Wichita State Shockers: On the Shockers’ souvenir giant foam hands, the fingers are positioned a bit differently.

USC Trojans. Protection in the pocket indeed. Always check the spread when they face the Oregon State Beavers. The Cougars at Washington State are much easier to tackle; that game is played during happy hour at the Ramada.

Utah Utes: “Did you say, Utes?” “No your honor, youtthhss.”

(Cousin Vinny’s favorite team.)

Southern Arkansas Muleriders: The state of Arkansas has banned same-sex marriage, but mixing species is perfectly fine. Donkeys copulating horses is required to keep this nickname going.

Evergreen State College Geoducks: Not a duck at all, but a giant clam. Paris Hilton studied under graduates there for two semesters.

Scottsdale College Fighting Artichokes: Last December, they double-dipped the Humbling Hummus of Sedona State in the Lay’s Potato Chip Bowl.

Long Beach State Dirtbags: At their last game, they gave away free Calvin-pissing-on-Hobbes window-stickers.

Rhode Island School of Design Nads: In 2001, the Nads created the unofficial mascot “Scrotie,” a man-sized phallus with a red cape (true story). Go Nads!

CHAMPION: Gamecocks.

Who else? It all boils down to that anyway. As legendary comedian Jack Benny famously said to long-shlonged Mr. Television, Milton Berle, after Berle had turned down a length-of-manhood contest with actor Forrest Tucker: “Ah, come on Miltie, just pull out enough to win.” n Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph matriculated at Fresno State, where other Bulldog alumni include Trent Dilfer, Lorenzo Neal, Lane Kiffin, Sid Craig and the inexplicable Pauly Shore.

Federal University of Central Kentucky King Mutts: (Because none of the NCAA teams listed above would let us publish photos of their real mascots.)

20

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

V

incent van Gogh drank turpentine, ate paint and cut off his ear lobe to give it to a prostitute. If that lifestyle seems romantic, you might consider staying (or becoming) a starving artist. Otherwise, feed your mind and body— compete in PacificSD’s first annual Whet Paint art contest.

Top submissions will be published in April’s Art Issue of PacificSD, showcasing your work to 150,000 readers countywide, and to the whole world via the magazine’s website and Facebook pages.

In addition to local fame and almost-certain fortune, look how much food you might win (in the form of gift certificates) from some of San Diego’s favorite restaurants and bars:

First Place: $500 Second Place: $250 Third Place: $100 Fourth Place: keep starving (but still get great exposure for your work)

22

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

To enter Whet Paint, submit the following items to starving@ pacificsandiego.com

by March 15: Art: high-resolution image (1mb or larger) of your best piece of work (only one), and a 100-word description of the piece you’re submitting Personal Info: name, phone number, email, age, city of birth, neighborhood of residence Portrait: high-resolution image (1mb or larger) of yourself Submission Categories Painting Sculpture Tattoo Graffiti / Aerosol Photography Graphic Design Illustration / Cartooning And everyone’s fave: Misc.

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I’m hurt. What now?

I was driving in Mammoth last month when I hit an ice patch, and briefly lost control.

We were lucky–no accident–but it reminded me how things can go from really good to really bad, really fast. Here’s what to do, and not do, if an accident ever happens to you.

Call the police. Even if you think you’re not hurt badly enough, do it anyway, and tell the officer all pain and other symptoms you’re feeling. First, you could be hurt more than you know—some serious injuries don’t show themselves right away. Second, a police report is the best way to document what happened.

Go to the doctor. An ambulance is a hassle, but so is finding out later that ER care would have made the difference, both to your health and your injury claim. If you don’t want to be transported, still get to the ER or your doctor ASAP. Some people try to gut it out, only to find out later that their injuries are not taken seriously by the insurance company. If you do not have health insurance, take the ambulance anyway, and then call an attorney who can get you follow-up care.

Daniel M. Gilleon, Esq.

619.702.8623 Office

Mitchell & Gilleon

dmg@mglawyers.com

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www.mglawyers.com

Ste. 200 San Diego, CA 92101

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N

T

Don’t talk to the other guy’s insurance company. Your own insurer must treat you fairly, but not the insurance company representing the person who caused your injuries. Insurance adjusters are normally very friendly at first–because they know being a jerk will keep you from giving a recorded statement, which is only meant to protect the other guy.

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Take names. Witnesses are everything. If the police do not come (or refuse to take a report because you say you’re not hurt), make sure you get the names and numbers of anyone who saw the accident.

Call an attorney. The above just barely touches upon all the things you need to know when you get hurt. Don’t worry about how much an attorney costs. Most personal injury attorneys give free consultations, and offer contingency (pay when you recover) agreements. Plus, the amount you will recover with an attorney, compared to walking through the injury claim minefield yourself, is normally more than enough to justify hiring an attorney. Then, let the attorney do the work, and you concentrate on getting better.

Roy A. David, MD, FACS,

Diplomate, American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

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On the

t n o r f e m o H

A LOCAL photographer’s fresh perspective on SAN DIEGO

By Christina Dylag MODEL: CAROLYN NEMEROW AT NO TIES MANAGEMENT

Wash Out Photographed in Allied Gardens

“That’s an Astroturf lawn.

Like the vacuum shot, it’s about obsession and the idea everything needs to be perfect.

But then there’s an underbelly: there’s sex, and there’s desire, and there’s vice in this little cookie-cutter existence that we put ourselves in.”

Out, Damned Spot Photographed in Kensington

“She’s obsessive. It’s this suburban ideal that everything should be perfect. Nowadays, there are all these homeowners associations—you can’t leave your trashcans out front, you gotta paint your house a certain color and you gotta mow your lawn. Everybody tries to put on this façade of ‘everything’s perfect.’ We all drive expensive cars, even though we have no money in our bank accounts. This woman is just taking that to the Nth degree.”

pacificsandiego.com

25

T

he annual rediscovery of the vacuum marks the arrival of a new season, but for photographer John Mireles, this year’s Spring Cleaning focuses not on removing dirt, but rather on renovating his outlook on life in San Diego.

“Last year was a terrible year for a lot of people,” he says. “The phone wasn’t ringing; nobody wanted to spend any money. I was frustrated and thought, ‘Why not simplify? Why not just get rid of everything and go?’”

Strapped by the weak economy and consequent decreased local demand for his work, Mireles considered uprooting and moving with his wife to a more affordable city. Even the higher-paying gigs that originated from Los Angeles had been dwindling, so continuing to pay separate mortgages for their home and his studio here seemed to stop making sense.

The couple visited several cities, but couldn’t find what they were looking for. “It seemed like every place is just as expensive,” Mireles says.

“I realized that I had to make San Diego work.”

Hoping to gain a fresh perspective on his hometown, he turned to photography and managed to find beauty where he hadn’t seen it before.

“I was looking at something that was very ordinary, a mid-century home that I’ve seen a thousand times and never impressed me. Now, I saw it differently. I wanted to take what was already in front of me and make it interesting. To me, photography is just a way to express who I am.

Photographing these houses where I grew up is part of me. It all ties in.”

And in a flash, as the photographer captures San Diego, the city he loves has recaptured him.

Grease Monkey

Photographed in Allied Gardens “She was heading out, and the car broke down, so she’s gotta make it happen. Allied Gardens is a postwar neighborhood that nobody thinks about; sort of ignored. Driving around, once you get into it, there’s actually a lot that’s interesting there.”

Rush Hour

Photographed in Mission Valley

“He’s the kind of guy who walked out of that Madmen TV show, an ad guy that walks around in a three-piece suit. He’s a little bit of a throwback, with a briefcase like my dad used to take to work. Nobody really takes a briefcase to work anymore. I wanted to put him in this ultramodern environment to create a bit of a contrast, which I like.”

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

MODEL: AIMEE FOGELMAN

Hell on Wheels

Photographed in Allied Gardens

“It’s this idea of lust and sex in a very banal environment. It’s a contrast of the two. We don’t think of these suburban houses in a high-fashion sense, but I think there’s an element there. Who knows what’s happening behind closed doors.”

pacificsandiego.com

27

B y

D a v e

G o o d

|

P h o t o g r a p h y

b y

J o h n

M i r e l e s

Going green?

From neighborhood committees to the White House, the mixed signals San Diegans are receiving about the legality of marijuana

D

oubt about the future of medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego County continues as local government officials juggle input from fact-finding committees, health coalitions, public opinion, state law and federal reform.

We’re not alone—nationwide, the issue of how and where one can legally obtain medical marijuana remains a conflict for the millions of Americans who have used pot under the recommendation of a physician.

In 1996, California became the first state in the nation to legalize marijuana sales to people with doctor’s prescriptions by passing the Compassionate Use Act, otherwise known as Proposition 215. Voters in 13 more states would eventually follow suit and pass their own referendums to legalize the sale of medical marijuana. Today, pot is said to be the nation’s number one cash crop, surpassing corn and other commodities.

In California,

Up In More than enough signatures have been collected to put four separate initiatives to legalize marijuana on California ballots this November.

One initiative proposes to make it legal for anyone over 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and to have up to 25 square feet of pot plants under cultivation for personal use— without a doctor’s note.

pot farming is rapidly becoming the next gold rush.

But at the federal level, marijuana is still illegal. And when it comes to enforcement, federal laws take precedence over state laws, as witnessed during the Bush administration when government agents regularly cracked down on medical marijuana distributors in California, even if they were operating in accordance with state law.

Why? Because the fed’s position on pot hasn’t changed in decades. “Marijuana,” as summarized on the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s web site, “is a dangerous, addictive drug that poses significant health threats to users.”

Even though the American Medical Association reversed its long-standing anti-pot policy in November of 2009, marijuana is still on the list of Schedule 1 Controlled Substances (along with LSD, heroin and PCP), a classification that dates back to the Nixon White House.

“It creates an uncertainty for everyone who is involved in the medical marijuana arena,” says David Speckman. A San Diego civil litigation attorney, Speckman has helped half a dozen area medical marijuana collectives set up legal storefront dispensaries and co-ops, including The Holistic Café in Hillcrest.

But last year, the Obama administration, in response to growing public pressure to legalize dispensaries (can’t find medical marijuana in your ‘hood? There’s an app for that now), called off the pot police.

Photo: 1/8-ounce prescription of medical marijuana

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

pacificsandiego.com

29

EDITOR’S NOTE David Speckman (pictured above and on Page 35) acts as legal counsel for The Holistic Café, an advertiser in this magazine and the location for the photos in this story. Jason Prieto plans to open La Jolla Medicinal Cooperative, another advertiser in this magazine.

This unbiased report on the legality of marijuana is not to be construed as endorsement or debasement of Speckman, Prieto or the dispensaries with which they are associated.

30

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

“In the current administration,” says Speckman, “as long as the person [in possession of medical marijuana] is in compliance with the state law, the federal government has taken the position that it will not get involved.”

In response to that news, there was a meteoric surge in medical marijuana storefronts opening for business in Southern California. In San Diego, neighbors complained. “For some,” says Speckman, “that sudden growth caused a bit of an alarm.”

Police and SWAT teams responded in September of 2009.

They raided marijuana dispensaries and private homes throughout the county, arresting 23 people and shutting down 14 of the storefronts, calling them fronts for illegal drug operations.

For the record, in spite of Prop 215, medical marijuana is actually not legal, here in the state of California or anywhere else. “What’s important to note,” says Speckman, “is that the current state law does not legalize marijuana. What it does is provide an affirmative defense to prosecution. It’s an important nuance. But the law does not say it is legal to possess marijuana.”

Essentially, then, a doctor’s note, doctor’s verbal recommendation or a valid medical marijuana ID card serves as a get-out-of-jail pass.

SENATE BILL All irony aside, California State Senate Bill 420 was passed in September 2003 to address, among other things, the issue of how exactly a person with a physician’s recommendation can legally obtain medical marijuana. As such, the bill defines the legal structure of a medical marijuana collective, protects physicians who recommend use of medical marijuana and requires the State Department of Health Services to establish a program of issuing medical marijuana ID cards.

“Senate Bill 420 says that people who have doctor’s recommendations for medical marijuana can come together collectively or cooperatively to exchange their medicine,” says San Diego attorney David Speckman. “That makes practical sense. You might live in a condo in Little Italy. I might live on five acres in Jamul. I can grow medical marijuana where I live, but you cannot. But we both have physician recommendations to use medical marijuana. Under SB 420, you and I can come together, and we can share what I grow; you would reimburse me for my growing costs and I would give you the medicine that you need. A collective,” he says, “operates as a closed-circuit network.” (Neither Proposition 215 nor Senate Bill 420 spells out how medical marijuana should be transported over long distances from rural growers to urban patients, so couriers are the least-protected link in the distribution chain.)

A medical marijuana user may be a member of one collective, or of several collectives. California collectives are structured as nonprofit, mutual-benefit corporations, meaning that any money left over after payment of expenses has to be given back to members as some form of benefit. An exception to the not-for-profit business footprint: dispensaries statewide must pay sales tax.

Attorney David Speckman at The Holistic Café in Hillcrest

“You can still be arrested, your medicine

On-site grow-room at The Holistic Café

can be taken, and you may have to face a judge,” Speckman says.

He adds, “If medical marijuana was legal, and I showed an officer my recommendation, the officer would have to let me go. That’s an important distinction.”

When voters passed Prop 215, rather than enact clear-cut statewide guidelines, Sacramento decided to allow each county to create their own. One result of that legislative ambiguity is that California is now a patchwork quilt of rules and regulations. Medical marijuana dispensaries in Oakland, for example, play by different rules than the ones in, say, Los Angeles.

In November 2009, the San Diego City Council commissioned a Medical Marijuana Task Force to make recommendations in advance of a vote on an ordinance that would regulate such dispensaries within county limits. But in February, the Uptown Community Planning Committee Chair, Leo Wilson, complained that “the City Council is lost in the way they’re directing this.” pacificsandiego.com

31

Topical and edible (non-smokable) forms of medical marijuana

“The law spells out that you can have medical marijuana,” he says, “but it does not say how you can get it.”

The Council’s Land Use and Housing subcommittee is scheduled to take up the issue again on March 24. “At that point,” says Alex Kreit, “they’ll decide whether to move forward with a possible ordinance based on the recommendations we’ve made.” If that is the case, he says, the matter would then go back to the City Council.

Where does it all end?Councilmember Frye says she doesn’t know.

“I think that part of it is a philosophical difference for people who are opposed to anybody using marijuana,” she says, “and I understand that. But the fact of the matter is, whatever their personal feelings are about it, the reality is that the voters said that they supported the use of medicinal marijuana. It’s my job as a legislator to make sure that whoever is trying to comply with that law has guidelines in place that are easy and understandable. It’s not that 34

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

difficult. Unfortunately, politics comes into things as it often does. It makes it hard to do sensible things to make people’s lives easier.”

Stephen Whitburn says he hopes the committee will vote in favor of regulation, not elimination, of storefront dispensaries. “A person dying of brain cancer,” he says, “shouldn’t have to grow his own marijuana.”

Despite the climate of uncertainty, dispensary operators are keeping their doors open. “The City is not issuing business licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries per se,” says David Speckman. “They did issue some a year ago, but those have been revoked, to my understanding.”

In the meantime, businessmen Jason Prieto and Patrick Cardwell hope to open the La Jolla Medicinal Cooperative, on Pearl Street, later this spring. In the absence of a concrete position from the city, Prieto weighs the risks.

“The D.A. could come through the door and take everything away from us, including our freedom,” he says.

He remains optimistic, however, that the push for medical marijuana reform will continue in a positive direction. “We are waiting for the City Council to issue guidelines,” Prieto says, “to make sure we are in compliance with the guidelines, and to submit the necessary paperwork for licenses and permits.”

And waiting for that, it seems, might be like watching the grass grow. n

BREAKING The big news in February was the release in San Diego of the first comprehensive clinical study on the therapeutic value of medical marijuana in 20 years. UCSD’s Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR) conducted standard research trials, which included the smoking of medical marijuana.

The study’s findings show that there is now “reasonable evidence that cannabis is a promising treatment in selected pain syndromes caused by injury or diseases of the nervous system, and possibly for painful muscle spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.”

The California legislature passed the Medical Marijuana Research Act in 1999, and in 2000, the CMCR was formed. Because of marijuana’s long-standing classification as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance by the federal government, it has been nearly impossible for scientists to acquire legal supplies of the drug for research. Since the Nixon White House, marijuana has been even more difficult for scientists to procure legally than heroin and PCP. Might the CMCR’s findings come to bear on a San Diego City Council decision? Councilmember Marti Emerald (who had not had a chance to review UCSD’s just-released research by the time of this writing) thinks the focus needs to remain on regulating the city’s storefront dispensaries.

“I’m surprised that there is any pushback at all on this issue,” Emerald says. “I’m surprised by the pushback from folks who don’t support medical marijuana. They should appreciate that the council is taking up this issue.”

Emerald thinks the conflict might be resolved as soon as this summer.

“But,” she says, “I’m not holding my breath.”

Neither did President Clinton.

David Speckman holding “medicated” cake made with marijuana pacificsandiego.com

35

Wo n’t

BY FRANK SABATINI, JR.

HOW TO EAT HEALTHY AT HOME OR WORK WITHOUT THE EFFORT

I

mproving at-home eating habits without lifting a finger (let alone a measuring cup) is simple. Just put down the spatula and pick up the phone—these San Diego chefs prepare dishes with vitamin-rich organics and chemical-free proteins...and they make house calls.

Whether you’re time-crunched or kitchen-challenged, or simply lack the resolution to pass up devilish foods that spill from every grocery aisle, a solution to better eating resides in the deft hands and creative minds of these healthy-food pros.

735 E. Mission Rd., San Marcos 866.662.2837 chilecocatering.com Chef Scotty Wagner’s (pictured at left) home-catering business puts organic, hormone-free and never-frozen meals in San Diegans’ mouths. Pre-packaged breakfasts, lunches or dinners are delivered in three-day increments to doorsteps countywide.

From steel-cut oats with seasonal fruit to smoke-cured wild river salmon, ChileCo cranks out a plethora of gourmet choices from an established menu, while also catering to customers with the toughest dietary demands. Allergic to soy?

Craving new flavors in a raw diet? Wagner abides. Cost: $20$30 per meal; three-day-a-week minimum.

Salad Style

DAVE GOOD

807 F St., Downtown 619.255.6731 saladstyle.com Those who work downtown can enjoy colorful organic salads delivered to their desks, or cop their lettuce fix inside Salad Style’s newly expanded storefront. The 100-percent-organic greenery offers nine hardy and customizable salads (also available as wraps), with the Totally Vegan version ranking among the healthiest. It’s made with arugula, quinoa, sprouts, tofu, chickpeas and low-oil miso dressing. Brawnier choices include medleys draped in sashimi-grade ahi, hangar steak, chicken and salmon. Dressings are homemade and daily soups are heated to order. Salad Style makes downtown (zip codes 92101 and 92102) deliveries for orders of five salads or more, and delivers outside the area for orders of 10 or more. If you want to spread the nutritional love to family and friends, check out the largest bulk salad, which feeds up to 20 people.

Just make sure to save room in the back seat if picking it up.

Cost: $7 - $11 per salad.

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

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Fresh Cooked

A weapon salesman lays down his guns and picks up a spatula

W

hen Mike Garner became an in-home chef nearly two years ago, he didn’t imagine that clients would ask for liver and onions, or the forbidding Scottish dish known as haggis, a gnarly pudding of minced sheep organs.

He also takes more mainstream requests, such as plain ol’ spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. His philosophy no matter what: “You’re paying for it, so that’s fine.”

Able to construct a variety of cuisines in his customers’ kitchens, Garner specializes in small dinner parties for up to a dozen people. His bills of fare can include everything from puff pastry hors d’oeuvres and organic salads to grilled filet mignon with a pretty dessert.

Stumped over which wines or cocktails to serve? No problem. Garner fills the shoes of mixologist and sommelier when needed.

“I love making people’s lives easier,” he says, “whether it’s for a dinner party or for someone who is just too busy to eat right. And the cost often turns out to be the same as what you’d drop for dinner in a restaurant.”

For a house party of six, for example, Garner has provided cocktails, grilled prawns and proscuitto-wrapped breadsticks for appetizers, plus a light entrée of mushroom risotto for $30 per mouth.

Being a personal chef hasn’t paid as well as his previous job in the sales development for General Atomics, but Garner regarded the move as good for his soul.

“I was willing to forgo lots of cash to pursue something I am passionate about,” he says. That passion was kindled when Garner was a child, standing at the stove on a footstool.

“I would help my mother and grandmother cook pasta sauces. Sometimes they’d let

me flip pancakes, even though some of them landed on the floor.”

Now with improved aim and a fresh career, he’s creating new culinary memories. One such unforgettable evening took place last year—while Garner was still preparing the main course for a high-end dinner party of eight people at a home in Rancho Santa Fe, his customers had already consumed nine bottles of wine.

“They all got tanked,” he laughs. “One person passed out in the bathroom.

Another vomited in the kitchen while I was grilling the rib eye.”

Garner ended up vacuum-sealing the food, putting it in the fridge and leaving. Much to his surprise, he received “a very big tip” the next day.

Overly festive clients and strange meal requests aside, Garner says his biggest challenge has been keeping a consistent clientele in this weak economy. “But I’ve been fortunate so far with word-of-mouth referrals,” he says. “I’m in somebody’s kitchen at least twice a week.”

With a track record like that, it’s a safe bet that when the economy starts cooking again, Garner will, too. mikegarner@gmail.com

Dining Details

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

Healthy Creations

DAVE GOOD

LEFT TO RIGHT: Devin Woodall, Phil Barth, Laura Parades

M I C AELA M AL M I

859 Jamacha Rd., El Cajon 619.447.4140 diningdetails.com Staffed by a small army of young, nutrition-minded chefs, Dining Details provides home-delivery of meals, as well as rentable personal chefs for those who might want the cooking process to take place in their own kitchens. The couple who owns the company, Julie and Robbie Frans, recently launched a convenient service that allows parents to pick up the healthy meals from certain schools when they retrieve their kids at the end of the day.

All-natural meats, organic dairy, seasonal produce and healthy oils are at the core of every dish, including meticulously crafted party hors d’oeuvres. Starchy ingredients like pasta and rice take a back seat. As for desserts, granulated sugar is out, agave nectar is in. Average per-week minimum for home deliveries is $300.

In-home chef rates start at $60 per hour.

376 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas 760.479.0500 healthycreations.com Lasagna and chicken pot pies are not the kind of savories typically associated with wholesome diets—unless you’re eating Rhiana Glor’s (pictured abovet) renditions. These pre-assembled dishes appear in Healthy Creations’ selection of everyday meals, made healthier with spices, herbs and crafty substitutions for starch and fat. Instead of sheet pasta, for example, Glor layers her lasagna with fresh squash, and applies the ricotta sparingly. Her pot pies are made with a gluten-free wheat crust, concealing organic poultry and extra vegetables. A variety of other meals (which customers simply pop into the oven upon delivery, or freeze for future consumption) are available in half and full sizes, which feed three and six people, respectively. Cost: $16 to $29. No minimum. n

Mark your Calendar

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$3 YOU-CALL-ITS! 7 Days a week: 10pm - 2am

Patio & Rooftop Deck open until 2am 721 Grand Ave., Pacific Beach 858.581.BEER * pbalehouse.com

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{taste}

Ten

half-a-score of cocktails BY THE SAND

BY RACHEL WILSON PHOTOS BY DAVID ARLEN

T

here’s a mystical, endless-summer vibe that comes from just saying their names out loud (preferably within earshot of a bartender). Beach drinks invoke the laidback paradise of Tahiti, Maui’s sun-baked beaches, genteel Cape Hatteras in the barrier islands, or Ikumi, Japan’s renowned surf beach.

Each of those legendary locales (and a few more) is named in this year’s list of beachy cocktails available at World Famous, the celebrated oceanfront restaurant in Pacific Beach. Some of these classics have roots in the pre-war 1930s; others were created by World Famous owner, Dieter May, and his crew.

All 10 bear the DNA of a great drink: superb ingredients, balance, taste and personality.

July Fourth may be months away, but here in paradise, cooling off doesn’t require a heat wave.

Life, after all, is a beach. n

1

The Ultimate Surfside Margarita is a proven classic.

This rendition, made with premium Herradura Silver Tequila and Cointreau (instead of the usual triple sec), lends an orange essence and ups the pucker factor.

4

Updating the standard gin martini, the Ikumi Beach Martini blends Ty Ku (made with sake and soju, traditional Asian spirits) with Bombay Sapphire gin, a splash of tonic and a fresh cucumber garnish.

2

If California-made Skyy Vodka is as hangover-proof as the company claims, then the Skyy Bloody Caliente, with its Atomic horseradish sauce and spices, must be the perfect morning-after cure.

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

5 3

The Mai Tai may sound tropical, but it was invented in Oakland at a famous bar called Trader Vic’s. World Famous’ Caribbean Mai Tai adds coconut rum, pineapple juice and passion fruit juice to the traditional mix.

Earnest Hemmingway didn’t invent the Mojito, but he was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the cocktail, which was first mixed at a bar in Havana, where the Hem’ was a regular. This rich-flavored Tommy Bahama Barbados Mojito is made with cane sugar, Key lime juice, fresh mint and Tommy Bahama White Sand rum.

what’s cooking

cocktail

6

The Maui Cosmo uses Ocean Vodka, a sugarcane vodka made with water from an arctic stream that runs miles beneath the surface of the sea. Cranberry and passion fruit juices bring this baby to the next level.

B R E A K F A S T

A N D

L U N C H

PACIFIC BEACH:

1851 Garnet Ave.

858.270.YOLK EASTLAKE:

884 Eastlake Pkwy.

619.216.1144 LA COSTA:

7670 El Camino Real

760.943.8182 GASLAMP:

7

The Absolute Ruby Red is one of World Famous’ most popular drinks.

In the mix: Absolut grapefruit vodka, a splash of California sparkling wine and doses of scurvy-inhibiting cranberry, lemon and orange juices.

355 6th Ave.

619.338.YOLK thebrokenyolkcafe.com

8

Blues legend Buddy Guy named his 53rd album, Sweet Tea (a traditional Southern refreshment). Ironically, the Cape Hatteras Sweet Tea, made with sweet tea vodka, fresh lemonade and cracked ice, cures the blues.

OPEN DAILY

6AM - 3PM OUTDOOR PATIO

N F E J D B M ! D B O O B C J T

Gsff!Fjhiui With $30 donation for any of our other products.

Your choice of 2 different high end flowers.

First time patients only. Must present ad. Expires 3/31/10.

9

Basically an adult latte, the Chocolate Horchata Martini blends chocolate liqueur and 1921 Crema de Tequila in a chilled glass, which is finished with whipped cream, chocolate swizzle and a dusting of cinnamon.

UI JT! XF F L ÖT! TU S B J O

PH!Lvti %61!qfs!fjhiui/!%461!qfs!p{/

10

Hailing from the Brazilian beach town of Leblon, traditional caipirinhas are made with cachaça (liquor made from fermented sugarcane), lime and sugar. Chambord sweetens the mix to create this Epic Berry Caipirinha.

M B ! K P M M B ! N F E J D J O B M! !

D P P Q F S BU J W F 737 Pearl Street, Suite 202 (In the La Jolla Village Plaza, 2nd floor. Same complex as Dick’s Liquor and Don Carlos Taco Shop.)

858.459.0116 | www.lajollamc.org

{groove}

openings

bartender

win-win

Springing Forth SEE WHAT’S POPPING UP THIS SEASON

By Brandon Hernández

L

ike so many proud parents, San Diego entrepreneurs are giving birth...in this case to new venues. The primary difference, of course, is that rather than feeding and watering their babies, it’s their babies that will be feeding and watering us.

From the latest in decked out dance clubs to down-home pads for pizza and pints, here’s a quick look at some area hotspots blossoming this spring. n

Quality Social 789 Sixth Ave., Downtown qualitysocial.com Love the gritty realism and working-class-hero vibe of a dive bar, but hate the questionable clientele, sticky tables and greasy-spoon fare? Hospitality veterans Christopher Dexter and Christopher Guimond have the answer for you—a neighborhood watering hole in the heart of the Gaslamp that toes the line between casual and sophisticated. Devoid of ostentation and stocked with quality quaffs and an upscale comfort-food menu crafted from local ingredients, Quality Social is for folks who crave luxury in a setting that’s more laidback and less “scene.” Opening: March 11.

FLUXX 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown

fluxxsd.com

URBN Coal Fired Pizza + Bar 3085 University Ave., North Park urbnpizza.com Since hitting it out of the park with his stadium-adjacent BASIC Urban Kitchen + Bar in East Village, and his first URBN location in Vista, Jon Mangini has been looking for a centralized, hip, yet homey habitat in which to expand his empire. He’s just found it: a 5,000 square-foot brick warehouse in North Park. With an open floor plan, unpretentious environment and retractable garage doors, URBN can be expected to draw crowds with coalfired pizzas, wine and craft beer. Opening: late spring.

As San Diego’s largest single-room upscale nightclub, FLUXX will provide the type of luxury nightlife amenities and cushy bottle service you’d expect.

The unexpected starts with the cave-like entrance that opens onto the venue’s enormous dance area, which will wow guests with the latest in sound and lighting systems, an all-wood dancefloor to maximize the boom-boom and a liquid nitrogen system to keep things cool. FLUXX’s mood and motif will be kept in an ever-changing, evolving state to make the experience different on every visit. Opening: March 12.

Woodstock’s Pizza PB 1221 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach

woodstockspb.com Bolstering Pacific Beach’s rep as being a college town without a college is the addition of the neighborhood’s very own Woodstock’s Pizza. This is the eighth Woodstock’s (the only one not on or adjacent to a college campus) for co-owners and long-standing Pacific Beach residents, Jeff and Laura Ambrose, who have significant experience catering to students with ravenous appetites for fresh, hand-tossed pizza, cold beer and a fun vibe.

Prices are reasonable, and the pizzas, which are excellent, come in sizes ranging from personal to giant. For a surprising combination of flavors, try the Triton Pizza: pesto, shrimp, pine-nuts, sundried tomatoes and feta on white or wheat crust (Laura Ambrose’s invention). Now Open.

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{groove}

openings

bartender

win-win

Wine Steals East Village

RI C HARD AND RI C HARD C ONSTRU C TION

793 & 795 J St., East Village winestealssd.com Price-conscious oenophiles will enjoy the familiar features at Wine Steals’ newest outpost: wines and vinocompatible treats for under $20 (artisan cheese and meat boards, salads and pizza) served in the comfy lounge or on the outdoor deck. In addition to their grape expectations, CEO Kenneth Mills and his team will also unveil Proper GastroPub, a traditional Euro-style public house with dark wood and leather interiors, where great beer and stiff drinks are matched with forwardthinking yet accessible edibles in a classic pub setting.

Opening: early March.

Pizza Port OB 1956 Bacon St., Ocean Beach Beloved as a family-friendly franchise for pizza pies and recognized throughout the country for its award-winning craft brews, this coastal chain is adding a third port of call. Owners Vince and Gina Marsaglia’s southern migration was prompted by their finding a prime location where beach-going beer buddies can cozy up at communal picnic tables and enjoy an ocean view from the venue’s rooftop deck or check out the indoor action at OB’s only operating brewery. Opening: mid-April.

ESSY GHAVA M EDDINI

pizzaport.com

Club 3500 3500 Sports Arena Blvd (at the San Diego Sports Arena), Point Loma

theclub3500.com The San Diego Sports Arena recently underwent extensive renovation, the centerpiece of which is a 6,100 square-foot venue-within-a-venue that includes multiple bars, 20 flatscreen TVs showing videos and live feeds from the arena, a dance floor with an elevated DJ booth and a stage for live musical performances.

Arena-goers wanting access to 3500 can purchase either annual memberships or single-event VIP ticket packages. On non-event days, the space is also available for rental, and you can bet there will be plenty of parking. Now Open.

{groove}

openings

bartender

win-win

The Tin Man

A retired motocross racer pours his heart into bartending and INVENTING metal cups

BY EDWIN DECKER | PHOTO BY JANELLE MAAS

C

had Berkey grew up working on a farm in Pennsylvania—a real farm, with pitchforks and tractors and horses. As a child, he pursued a dream of becoming a professional Motocross racer. Horses and motorcycles were his life, or so he thought.

“When I was 21, I had a motocross accident, injured my back and had to retire,” he says.

Shortly before his injury, Berkey was on vacation in Orlando, when he witnessed a performance by a “flair” bartender who was juggling liquor bottles, cocktail shakers and other bar tools to entertain patrons. Impressed by the deft barman’s routine, Berkey began to regard bartending as a solid backup gig in case his motocross career fell flat.

Stripped of his high-octane aspirations, Berkey was forced to consider his next move. Inspired by his experience in Orlando and by the lifestyle of his friend who was a chef on the Caribbean island of St. Croix, he came to a quick decision.

“Within a month, I was bartending in the islands,” he says.

Since moving to San Diego, Berkey has worked at Jimmy Love’s, Moondoggies and On Broadway. Today, he works at the Aero Club Bar on India Street and at Altitude Sky Lounge (on top of the Gaslamp Marriott), where he and his friend and business partner, Jeremy LeBlanc, pour drinks—with flair.

“My vision of flair bartending is making everything flow,” Berkey says. “Whether I’m tossing a napkin to a customer or flipping a bottle behind my back, it has to have fluidity. I think a bartender with flow is the coolest thing and I have a lot of fun with it. I love entertaining the guests, love the attention. After all, the bar is a stage, and bartenders are just one step down from wanna-be rock stars.”

Mixing bartending with entrepreneurship, Berkey and LeBlanc developed Tinplay, a company that produces metal cups for precision flair performances. The duo has secured two patents and plans to release their products to the public before summer.

“My main goal in life is to follow through with Tinplay,” Berkey says, “giving me the capital to open my own bar/restaurant.”

This Tin Man’s got heart. Hopefully, he’ll be wearing a helmet as he follows the Yellow Brick Road toward his dream. n

Biggest tip: $1,000, from an adult film industry party at On Broadway.

Coolest celebrity encounter: Hanging out with Tommy Lee and having him introduce me to everyone as his younger brother.

Favorite drink to make: Bud Bottle. Let’s keep the finer things in life simple!

Most annoying customer: The person who says, “Hook it up!”

Most important person you’ve served: My Pop—always was and will be my best customer.

Worst thing you ever did to a customer: Sent a group of idiots to National City looking for Pure Platinum (which is the opposite direction).

BARTENDER ADVICE

Q: 46

“Why are 90 percent of bar customers such huge a-holes?”

–Bryan, 710 Beach Club

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

A:

Um, Bryan, if 90 percent of your customers are a-holes, it means there is a 90 percent chance that 90 percent of your customers are actually pretty cool, and that you are the a-hole, 90 percent of the time. It’s the new math, man. –Ed

[

Want to ask a question or suggest a bartender to be featured?

Email bartender@ pacificsandiego.com

]

{groove}

openings

bartender

win-win

(Police sketch based on eyewitness reports)

Going for Gold

Have you seen this man?

The Olympics may have ended, but precious metals remain in reach

D

espite alleged eye-witness accounts in 2006 of a short, crack-addicted green man living in a tree in Mobile, Alabama (visit wheredagoldat.com), it’s been decades since anyone discovered the riches of a Leprechaun on domestic soil.

Those sneaky little luckers…until now.

Luckily for you, dear PacificSD reader, your favorite magazine has already found the pot at the end of the rainbow—at the corner of Fifth and University, of all places.

PacificSD has never been about the money (just kidding, investors, your checks are in the mail), so we mailed our unwanted gold in a manila envelope to one of those places advertised on infomercials.

Television never lies—as promised, ihategoldgetitawayfromme.com sent us a check within a week.

As any shrewd financier would have recommended, we converted the loot into restaurant and bar gift certificates…just for you! For the month of March, please regard PacificSD as your own, private Leprechaun (the obvious differences being that we’re taller, well tanned and have an impeccable, yet accessible fashion sense).

It’s all part of PacificSD’s $20,000 Everyday Giveaway.

All you have to do to win is visit facebook.com/pacificsd.

Every day in 2010, one PacificSD fan will win at least a $50 gift certificate, which is worth its weight in gold for reasons already addressed. Here’s what you can win for March:

Daily contests are simple: One day, you might post a photo of your pooch.

The next day, maybe you’ll have to tell a San Diego-centric knock-knock joke. It’s a barrel of laughs, and it all started with just one pot of gold.

Happy St. Patrick’s day from PacificSD, the magazine that loves you back.

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

Special thanks to February’s $20k sponsors:

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{love}

blind date

Amour or Less SHOOTING FOR LOVE, BUT WILLING TO SETTLE FOR ROMANCE PHOTOS BY GABRIELA LINGENFELDER

O

ther than effecting a little hanky-panky here and there, PacificSD’s over-paid matchmaking masterminds have failed to muster a real love connection since who-canremember. There was a kiss and a Snuggie back in December, but the January date registered a deep-freeze on the romance meter (despite his nimbleness on skates, Bruno was just too young), and February started with a back massage, only to end with a cold shoulder.

Spring is about to happen here, date-fans. Seagulls are chirping and the bees are beginning to buzz. As bluer skies make their triumphant return, it’s this town’s favorite magazine’s responsibility to get things fired up. (Sadly, they went out of business. Luckily, PacificSD is here to pick up the reins. Giddy up!)

Will tonight’s blind date be the first hot night on the road to a scorching summer, or will there be six more weeks of winter? Perhaps it depends on whether the daters see each other’s shadows after the magazine crew leaves them alone after dinner.

Ari and Brannon are about to meet for the first time at Toast Enoteca, a new East Village wine bar on J Street. Before they arrive for vino and appetizers, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

Where are you from and where do you live now?

ARI: I was born in Mexico City, but I grew up in the Bay Area, in a town called Danville—aka suburbia. I live in La Jolla now.

BRANNON: I am just a country boy from Oklahoma, living in Crown Point now.

What do you do for a living?

ARI: I’m the VIP Host and Director of New Media for Fluxx Nightclub. I also dabble in web design, video editing, social media and marketing consulting, and founded RedRopeReviews.com in 2004.

BRANNON: Business development for a technology company.

Why are you going on a blind date in a magazine?

ARI: I think it’s because of the issue with Ty Hauter—I couldn’t believe he got engaged and married after going on the blind date (see Taking the Cake, October 2009). I’d settle for just meeting someone who gives me butterflies.

BRANNON: Well, going on regular dates clearly isn’t working, so why not?

Rate yourself physically on a scale from 1 to 10.

ARI: An eight? Always room to improve.

BRANNON: I plead the Fifth.

What makes you a good catch?

ARI: Depends what your idea of “a good catch” is.

I’m definitely not Susie Homemaker, but I am loyal, independent and caring, and I’d like to believe I have substance.

BRANNON: Considering I haven’t been “caught” yet, I’m 50

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

not sure I have that answer.

What person, food, drink, song and other item would you take to a deserted island?

ARI: I’d definitely take my puggle, Baxter.

He’s so wise—he’s like a miniature Buddha covered in hair. (A puggle is a dog—half pug, half beagle.)

BRANNON: Halle Berry, Subway, White Russians, Bob Marley and my golf bag.

What do you hope your date will look like?

ARI: I hope he’s a head-turner.

BRANNON: Brunette, blue eyes and dark skin…and smiles a lot.

Which celebrity do people say you resemble?

ARI: For some reason a lot of people tell me I resemble Amanda Bynes. No clue why, because she is Caucasian and I’m Latina, but I guess it must be our big cheeks, smile and bubbly personality.

BRANNON: I have only been told I look like Luke Wilson, simply because I have a crooked nose.

What are your biggest turn-ons?

ARI: A guy who is well dressed and charismatic. A chiseled face and abs don’t hurt.

BRANNON: Confidence, Southern accents, brunettes, tank tops, sundresses, thunderstorms.

Ari is seated at a table by the high-tech wine-sample dispensensing machines when Brannon arrives at Toast Enoteca. The two embrace, then sit briefly before strolling through a self-guided wine-tasting adventure.

(Continued on Page 52)

Spring Break:

{birds}

Get Sprung!

{bees}

WED: happy hour all night, pasta dinners from $4.95 THUR: $2 drinks + steakhouse specials: $10.95 filet mignon or ahi steak FRI: happy hour 4-10pm, $2 drinks + complimentary appetizers SAT: hosted bar (vodka, tequila, beer tastings), free admission via johnnyvsd.com SUN: food and drink– almost everything free or $2

jYbkX ^ _] D Êi ^ Y W [ 8 Y FWY_Ó d][ WdZ :_d_d] Bek

945 Garnet Ave. Pacific Beach, Ca. • 858.274.4833 • johnnyvsd.com • VIPS: amy@johnnyvsd.com

{love}

blind date

Wine of the Times SEE, SWIRL, SNIFF, SWISH, SWALLOW, REPEAT

A

s they get acquainted over wine samples and gourmet pizza at Toast Enoteca, Brannon and Ari are smiling. Their body language and frequent laughter seem to suggest that the date is off to a great start.

After about an hour, it’s time for dinner at Bice Ristorante, the ritzy new Italian place on Island Avenue. The daters finish their last sips of wine, and then head out into the pre-spring night for a short stroll across East Village to the Gaslamp.

The décor at Bice exudes refinement, but the atmosphere is lively and warm. The place is bustling when the daters arrive and are escorted to their seats by the cheese bar. After they’ve had a few minutes to look over the menu, Ari and Brannon split for mid-date interviews.

How’s it going so far?

ARI: It’s going good. I’m actually impressed with your picking skills. I wrote in with a big long list of wants, and you hit it on the dot.

BRANNON: I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised. There’s definitely a personality connection, which is rare considering we were thrust into this without knowing anything.

Is he/she the type of person you’d normally date?

ARI: I normally don’t meet guys like him. But, if I could choose, he would be a guy I would date.

Brennan: No, because of the age, but yes, because of her personality. She’s spunky, she’s feisty, she seems like she’s very independent, she’s motivated and she’s secure. (She’s 25; he’s 32.)

How was Toast Enoteca?

ARI: It was a little awkward. I think both of us are outgoing and charismatic,

but in that situation, we were a little nervous. I liked the salad and pizza, and it was cool how you could try out all the different wines.

BRANNON: It was cool: a good place with a good vibe, good ambiance, good atmosphere. I think it was key to be able to get up and sit back down. On a first date, it’s awkward when you’re just sitting there…stuck. At Toast, you can get up and mingle with people, so I think the place is actually ideal for a first date.

Does your date want to kiss you?

ARI: I have no idea.

BRANNON: I knew that was coming. I think so…I hope so.

Do you want to kiss your date now?

ARI: Even if I wanted to, I would never kiss someone on the first date.

BRANNON: Oh, absolutely!

Rate your date, physically, on a scale from 1 to 10.

ARI: He is—oh, really, do I have to answer that? Ok, he’s a nine.

BRANNON: I think I’m more attracted to her personality than anything else. The looks—what are we basing this on? The grand scheme of things? I think she’s a confident 8.5.

And for personality ARI: I think he’s a 10 because he has A.D.D., just like me. I don’t know if he’s a 10 personality-wise, but we’re just right on.

BRANNON: Absolutely a 10-plus.

Chirp! Buzz! Holy onomatopoeia! Has spring really sprung? Will PacificSD’s illustrious match-makers be able to keep their jobs? For their sake, let’s hope dinner goes as well as the first half of the date.

(Continued on Page 54)

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

{love}

blind date

More Amore

DESsERT AND OTHER SWEET NOTHINGS

A

s the daters’ entrees are served, the magazine crew departs, leaving Ari and Brannon to enjoy the rest of their evening in privacy. PacificSD calls the next day to see what we missed.

Celebrity

Observations

Overall, how was the date?

Was there ARI: It went surprisingly well. Definitely exceeded my a romantic expectations. Somehow Brannon had a lot of the connection? qualities I look for in a guy, and that’s pretty rare.

ARI: There was a lot of chemistry. Our BRANNON: It’s like Russian Roulette when you go on personalities are pretty much dead-on. I felt really a first date, especially a blind comfortable around him. Brannon is date. You can pretty much extremely charming and confident, but –Gene Simmons chalk it up as a disaster, but not in a cocky way. We were laughing I got lucky this time. Ari has an infectious laugh, and the entire night. her personality meshed really well with mine. Couple BRANNON: Anytime you get the blood rushing through good looks with a charming personality, and you have your body and your heart racing is a good thing, and a recipe for success.

Ari had the power to make that happen numerous times. She carries herself very well and is confident in who she is, which in turn acts as sort of a natural aphrodisiac.

What’s the sexiest thing your date did last night?

ARI: Brannon is confident and I think that is the sexiest quality a guy can have.

BRANNON: When she spoke Spanish to me and rolled her “R”s in my ear… no clue what she was saying, but it

“Rollin’ ‘R’s? Is that like rolling ‘J’s?”

“You call that a kiss?”

–Snoop Dogg

didn’t matter.

What happened after the magazine crew left?

ARI: We had dessert at Bice, then went over to La Puerta. We danced ‘til 2 a.m., and Brannon walked me to my car and said goodnight.

BRANNON: We had dinner just down the street from La Puerta, so we popped in there and had a few cocktails and a little fun on the dance –Katy Perry floor. We closed shop there and called it a night, not before we swapped numbers, though.

Was there a kiss or romantic moment?

ARI: Oh, boy. Well, my first-date-kiss rule may have kinda/sorta been broken, but that’s all I can say.

BRANNON: There were a few occasions that I might have to plead guilty to.

Will there be a second date?

ARI: I think Brannon has a movie date planned for us this week, we’ve been texting.

BRANNON: Wheels have already been set in motion for Round Two. n –Danielle Steel

“He kissed a girl and he liked iiiit.”

“What? That’s the worst ending ever. Who writes this crap?”

How was Bice?

ARI: The cheese bar and the wine room are very elegant, and the lighting gives a romantic and inviting vibe. The owner picked out a great white wine for us, and for dinner we had the seared ahi tuna and the pappardelle with Mozzarella cheese and fresh basil in a pink tomato sauce. Everything was exquisite.

BRANNON: It was a good scene—small and intimate, yet very energetic. The cheese bar concept was genius; it added a little extra flair to the place. Gents, if you are looking to make an impression, rock it out at Bice.

You’ll thank me later. We had the seared tuna and a pasta dish, and a bottle of white wine picked out for us by the owner. It –Sean Connery doesn’t hurt when you go out with a good-looking lady, because you get VIP treatment. Funny how that works.

“Never say never again.”

54

pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

THANK YOU! Toast Enoteca & Cucina 927 J Street, East Village 619.269.4207 toastenoteca.com

Aftermatch

Bice Ristorante 425 Island Avenue, East Village 619.239.2423 bicesandiego.com

Springtime blooms with a fresh promise of romance, but sometimes that romance can blossom only when a promise is broken. Ari swore she would never kiss on a first date, but Mother Nature had other plans. It’s the blind date paradox of spring: Sure, you can silence the birds and the bees, but it wouldn’t be any fun. When it comes to passion, even golden rules have exceptions, and it might just be making them that propels you to the gold.

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calendar {Listen}

Submit events to calendar@pacificsandiego.com. Calendar by Logan Broyles Through 3/21: KOOZA Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds Tickets: $40-$200 Info: sdfair.com Gravity-defying acrobatics and mesmerizing music and costumes abound as Cirque De Soleil returns to the big top in Del Mar with Kooza, the story of a lost soul trying to find his place in a lonely world.

c o u rt e s y o f OSA Im a g e s

3/3: Galactic/Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com 3/4-14: John Leguizamo/La Jolla Playhouse, lajollaplayhouse.org 3/4-5: Rebelution and SOJA/House of Blues, hob.com

C o u rt e s y o f Pa l a C a s i n o

3/5-7: The Vagina Monologues Venue: Moxie Theatre (by SDSU) Tickets: $25 Info: moxietheatre.com Presented by the Bella Luna Foundation, Eve Ensler’s hit show features female actors and comedians performing monologues that emphasize the vagina as a source of female empowerment. Proceeds benefit the East County Justice Center to help stop violence against women.

3/5: Martin Lawrence/Pala Events Center, palacasino.com 3/5: Common Sense/Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com 3/6: Scary Kids Scaring Kids/Soma, somasandiego.com 3/10: Dawes/The Loft, theloft.ucsd.edu 3/12: E-40/4th & B, 4thandb.com 3/12: One Drop/Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com 3/19-21: Bad Religion/House of Blues, hob.com 3/26: Andre Nickatina/4th & B, 4thandb.com 3/28: FM94/9 free show w/ Fever Sleeves/The Casbah, casbahmusic.com

3/12-13 Nuclear Cowboyz Freestyle Motocross Venue: San Diego Sports Arena Tickets: $22-$57 Info: sandiegoarena.com Daredevil motocross riders perform superhuman stunts synchronized to rock music, pyrotechnic explosions and scantily clad dancing women.

{Home Games} San Diego Sockers at Del Mar Arena 3/4: Open Cup Final c o u rt e s y o f F e l d M o t o r s p o rt s

SDSU Aztecs Men’s Baseball at Tony Gwynn Stadium 3/4: vs. Kentucky Wildcats 3/5: vs. Monmouth Hawks 3/6: vs. Monmouth Hawks SDSU Aztecs Men’s Basketball at Viejas Arena 3/3: vs. Colorado State Rams USD Toreros Men’s Baseball at Cunningham Stadium 3/5: vs. Kentucky Wildcats 3/13: vs. Cal State Fullerton Titans 3/14: vs. Fresno State Bulldogs 3/19-21: vs. Rice Owls

Become a fan of PacificSD on Facebook to win gift certificates to some of San Diego’s top restaurants and bars. Check us out at facebook.com/PacificSD and pacificsandiego.com.

f

3/13, 16, 19, 21: Romeo and Juliet Venue: San Diego Civic Theatre, Downtown Tickets: $35-$210 Info: sdopera.com Shakespeare’s masterpiece (you may have heard of it) is spun into an opera.

C o u rt e s y o f U ta h S y mp h o n y a n d Op e r a

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

3/14: Family Winemakers of California Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds Tickets: $45 in advance, $55 at the door Info: familywinemakers.org Taste wines from more than two hundred California producers.

3/15 WWE presents Monday Night Raw Venue: San Diego Sports Arena Tickets: $24-$74 Info: sandiegoarena.com See Triple H, Shawn Michaels, the Big Show and many more wrestling superstars in a night of chairbashing, face-smashing, trash-talking carnage for the whole family.

© 2 0 1 0 W o r l d W r e s t l i n g E n t e rta i n m e n t, I n c . A l l R i g h t s R e s e rv e d .

C o u rt e s y o f Sc o t t D o d g e

3/13: 30th Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Venue: Begins on Fifth Avenue at Laurel Street Admission: Free Info: saintpatricksdayparade.com/san_diego Join more than 20,000 people in the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade west of the Mississippi, then check out the post-parade Irish Festival in Balboa Park, featuring folk singers, dance performances, a beer garden and a Kid Zone with rides.

Dale Stokes

3/20-21: Peter Pan Venue: Spreckles Theatre, Downtown Tickets: $29-$59 Info: cityballet.org Visit Neverland with Peter, Tinkerbell and the kids in this high-flying ballet performance.

c o u rt e s y o f J o a n M a r c u s

3/30-4/4: Legally Blonde the Musical Venue: San Diego Civic Theatre Tickets: $18-$79 Info: broadwaysd.com Follow the story of sorority girl Elle Woods, who attends Harvard Law School to prove her intelligence to her ex-boyfriend. Based on the hit film starring Reese Witherspoon.

D a r e n Sc o t t

Photo: Painter Henri Jean-Louis envisions brighter days 3/18: Hope for Haiti in his destroyed neighborhood of Port au Prince, Haiti.

Venue: Losina Art Center, Sports Arena Admission: $10 (includes two raffle tickets) Info: losinaartcenter.com Support earthquake-struck Haiti by bidding in a charity auction for original paintings by Haitian nationals living in San Diego, objets d’art from Haiti and artistic photographs of the nation.

3/27-4/25: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Venue: The Old Town Theatre Tickets: $17-$49 Info: cygnettheatre.com Stephen Sondheim’s cult favorite mixes drama and dark humor in this chilling tale of a murderous barber bent on revenge.

{It’s a Date} 3/2: Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss’ Birthday 3/14: Daylight Savings: spring forward 3/15: Ides of March: Et tu, Brute?

3/17: Saint Patrick’s Day 3/20: First day of Spring 3/28: Palm Sunday 3/30: First day of Passover

pacificsandiego.com

57

{think}

Short Cuts

THE SPEEDY WAY TO A FRESH LOOK FOR SPRING

BY ALEX MACK

Bart Johnson says to be on the lookout for these DIY fashion trends this coming season: Shocks: Part shoe, part sock, Shocks are like Tevas with an El Cajon twist.

Production is simple: cut the bottoms of your socks, and the tops of your shoes, then just start stitching.

Shies (pronounced shy): When your tie is painted on your shirt, you’re already ready to go. (Also called Why Knots.)

Thank Tops: Similar to tank-tops, but cut deeper to maximize armpit hair display.

Those who see you will thank you.

Shants: Gone are the days of separate shirts and pants. Shants offer the durability of jump suits, while providing a much broader color selection.

Blandanas: Forget the bright reds and blues that could get you killed by rival gang members. Opt instead for earth tones; Blandanas boost personal safety and provide a new use for retired bed sheets.

F

ashion’s answer to the mullet, Jorts (homemade jean shorts) appear to be making a comeback in certain East County neighborhoods. “I just like how they feel,” says Jake Cutter of La Mesa. “And they look damn good.”

Confirming the resurgent popularity of Jorts, Cutter was walking by Hometown Buffet last week when a young woman stopped him to admire his look.

“She checked me out from head to toe,” he says. “She started at my eyes, and then she looked down past my Jorts and saw thigh where she must’ve figgered she was gonna be seein’ denim, I think she almost fainted. We jumped into my brother’s IROC and went to get frozen yogurt over in Clairemont.”

When you’re wearing Jorts, Cutter explains, this sort of thing happens all the time.

“If I had a brick for every time some chick noticed my Jorts, I’d have enough bricks to build a garage for my brother’s IROC.” Unlike their more expensive relatives (jeans), Jorts haven’t sold-out. In fact, they aren’t for sale at all.

“That’s because they can’t be bought,” says Bart Johnson, head fashion buyer for the men’s department at Sears in Ramona. “Major labels refuse to manufacture them, because they just can’t compete with the in-home American craftsmanship.”

Johnson says Jorts are a DIY project not to be taken lightly.

“You can’t just grab a pair of scissors and go willynilly into your favorite pair of jeans and expect to produce the perfect Jort,” he says. “It isn’t that simple.

There are rules to follow.”

Johnson says that planning is essential and that you must envision before you cut. He offers these tips for making and maintaining perfect Jorts this Spring: Choosing the right fabric “If you’re attending a classy event such as a wedding, opera or funeral, opt for a darker, acid-washed denim.

For everyday uses, like changing your oil, hitting the drive-thru or heckling women from the front porch, the classic acid-wash finish is recommended.”

Choosing the length “There’s no such thing as too much thigh. If they aren’t short, they’re just jeans.”

When to wear Jorts “Whenever possible. When you’re free and clear from above-the-knee to the top of your socks, it’s going to be a good day.”

Care instructions “For classy Jorts, dry clean only. Maintaining the darker hue is crucial. For classic Jorts, wash in hot water and tumble dry on high heat. Chicks dig frayed edges.” n

Become a fan of PacificSD on Facebook to win gift certificates to some of San Diego’s top restaurants and bars. Check us out at facebook.com/PacificSD and pacificsandiego.com.

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pacificsandiego.com | MARCH 2010

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