Pacific San Diego Magazine, March 2011 Issue by Pacific San Diego Magazine

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editor’s note

Laid in the shade...

he economic downturn and a consumer uprising over the hormones used in store-bought dairy have spurred local homeowners to jump on the residential chickencoop bandwagon, feeding their families with eggs produced in backyard micro-farms. Well, cock my doodle do! I did not see that coming. Here I am, saving up for a cooler phone and a bigger TV, and it turns out the smarter money is on being able to make omelets when Ralphs is closed. Other Finest City folk skip the eggs and raise chickens for the meat, like huntergatherers—minus the hunting. It’s all-natural, and I love chicken curry, but I get attached to animals easily. Raising pets for food, especially fowlsmelling ones, is not for me. On the other hand, it might be nice to know what I’m really eating for once. And given what’s happened to the value of my home these past few years, I’m probably overdue for a good cry. Here on the sunny California coast, home gardens are staging a comeback, too. Our weather is so badass, we’ve created a new style of dining: yard-to-table. Forget the cup of sugar, we’re snagging veggies from the

neighbor’s cabbage patch, kids. Home-growing can be a healthy and economically sound lifestyle choice, but it has drawbacks, too. Case in point: my SDG&E bill has been killing me these days. One fridge, a washer/dryer and some lights? Oh, and my wife has a hairdryer. But seriously, Sempra, WTCluck?! At these prices, how am I supposed to read to these damn chickens at night? This HOMES ISSUE of PacificSD celebrates how San Diego lives, from desert to beach to mountaintop. • Visit the North County “man cave on steroids” owned by TV’s Garage Mahal host and former professional wrestler, Bill Goldberg. (See “Muscle Car Manor,” Page 34.) • Take a spin in a one-of-akind home atop Mt. Helix. It rotates 360 degrees, giving every room an ever-changing view. (See “Taking Turns,” Page 41.) • Learn design trends from Robert Wright, co-founder of Bast/Wright Interiors in Hillcrest, and past president of the American Society of Interior Designers. Wright discusses how (and when) colors from fashion runways find their way into paints on our living room walls. (See Design of the Times,” Page 50.)

Some people have smart homes. My home’s an idiot. It leaks and squeaks, and part of the kitchen deck is only hanging on because the termites are holding hands. But it’s home. It’s where I’ve built a life with my wife, and we love it here. (Not that we’d qualify for a mortgage if I we did want to move.) Stay cozy, San Diego, and thank you for curling up with PacificSD. I hope you find things inside the magazine that help make your own home life better. Now please turn out the light. It’s not the electric bill—it’s that family that just moved in down the street. Their chickens get up in three hours.

David Perloff, Editor-In-Chief

PAT ON THE BACK I was able to spend more time at home and less at the office this month for one reason, the same reason there are so many great stories about San Diego homes in this magazine: Pat Sherman, PacificSD’s new executive editor. Welcome to the family, Pat. House rule—new guy’s on egg duty.

IT’S ON THE HOUSE

Every day in March, let us shower you and the rest of our reader family with love in the form of $50 gift certificates from the San Diego superstars shown here. For a (very good) chance to win, play the game of the day at one of San Diego’s most popular social media gathering places: facebook.com/pacificsd.

EAST LAKE NORTH COUNTY EAST VILLAGE

Click yourself the prize of the day at facebook.com/pacificsd. Thanks for playing from PacificSD, the magazine that loves you back.

staff

VOL.5

ISSUE 3

MARCH 2011

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

David Perloff PUBLISHERS

David Perloff Simone Perloff EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Pat Sherman

C R E AT I V E DIRECTOR

Kenny Boyer

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Brandon Hernández

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dave Good Catharine Kaufman Jeff Praught Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph Christy Scannell

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brevin Blach brevinblach.com Jeff “Turbo” Corrigan turbo.fm Stacy Marie Keck stacymariesd.com James Norton shootnorton.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Alyson Baker alyson@pacificsandiego.com Tim Donnelly tim@pacificsandiego.com Jason Gregory jason@pacificsandiego.com

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

Craft Every Moment

Discover more on Facebook. ®

contributors DYNAMIC VIEWS 20TH FLOOR ROOFTOP TERRACE FITNESS CENTER UPGRADED KITCHENS THE TROLLEY AT YOUR DOORSTOP RUS?!?

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Stacy Keck used to make friendship bracelets, play with snails and travel to faraway lands. She still does, but now with a camera in hand. Born and raised in Sacramento, Keck made San Diego home 11 years ago when she came to study public relations at San Diego State University. The PR girl in her still loves hyping her favorite bands, artists and restaurants, but now she often preferes photographing her food rather to eating it. This self-taught, full-time photographer keeps busy “capturing awesome” around town. She regularly covers events for the Museum of Photographic Arts, as well as live music performances, nightlife and weddings. Follow her adventures on Twitter @stacymariesd.

Christy Scannell Christy Scannell launched her writing and editing company, Celtic Media, several years ago. Though her background is in non-fiction and journalism, she was surprised and delighted in 2006 when Simon and Schuster published her three-novel series, Secrets from Lulu’s Café. Scannell and her husband, Rich, bought their 1937 Spanish fixer-upper in North Park eight years ago and have been on a remodeling kick ever since. Although she contributed this issue’s piece on man caves (Page 44) and shares Rich’s appreciation for sports, beer and off-color jokes, the two have yet to build their own “manctuary.”

C Street

11th Avenure

Yes, it’s true. Smart Corner has some of the lowest priced condos in Downtown San Diego. Now is the time to own your view of the San Diego skyline. Incentives are also available, see your Sales Representative for details. Call for an appointment and parking validation.

Stacy Keck

Dave Good

Born in Texas and raised in Southern California, Dave Good is a former radio personality and TV host. These days, he’s a freelance journalist who’s written about everything from the cloning of pet dogs to nude scuba diving with an iPod. His stories about pop music and culture at large have appeared in Orange County Weekly, the San Diego Reader, Los Angeles Journal, Goldmine and online at signonsandiego.com and nbcsandiego.com. Good occasionally blogs about life and music at foggerdogger.com. He lusts after guitars but cannot actually play one.

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P A C I F I C S D

P R O M O T I O N San Diego

San Diego San Diego

M o de l : L u i s a M o r a es / P h o t o b y B r e v i n B l a c h

WINE OF THE TIMES SPRING LAUNCH OF HAPPIER HOURS: What a grape party!

PacificSD invites you to a very happy hour—actually, three hours. Sample exciting vintages, meet local winemakers and share the TGIF vibe with a fun and friendly after-work crowd. • Appetizers, give-aways, hosted wines and champagnes • Jazzy, funky, disco-y deep house beats by DJ MISHA (Dude actually spins vinyl!) • Great crowd: mingle, find a date, ditch your boss and score a better job… Ivy Winebar (at Andaz) 600 F Street, Gaslamp ivywinebar.com

Find event details at facebook.com/pacificsd

HOT’S TOUGH It ain’t easy being yummy

P A C I F I C SD E V E N T

Friday, March 25 5 – 8 p.m.

Too hot for clothes? Prove it! If you have the Finest City’s fittest physique, send us your pics. We’ll post your hotness online and let your fellow readers decide who’s going to be on the cover of PacificSD’s BODY ISSUE, coming to a mailbox near you this summer. See and comment on scorching photos at facebook.com/pacificsd. Submit your sexiest body shots to: hotbody@pacificsandiego.com.

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

Meet & Potatoes

Automatic wine-dispensing machines at Ivy Winebar

Not Badvertising PacificSD keeps getting thicker, because our advertisers (whom we adore) join the party and never leave. Let us rock your world, too. Tell 150,000 of the coolest, sexiest, smartest and most lovable people this side of TJ about your business. They eat and party, relax and work out, shop and repeat—and they’re dying to meet you. Talk to them—tell them why they should come by your store, get pampered in your spa or buy your condo. Call 619.296.6300 or visit pacificsandiego.com today to start building your custom multimedia campaign for print, web and social media. PacificSD—the right audience, the right media mix, the right way to reach San Diego.

Getting lucky at love, Irish style

Check out this month’s St. Patty’s-themed blind date (Page 72), then sign up for your own blind date by e-mailing pics and info about yourself to: blinddate@pacificsandiego.com

03 . 1 1

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features Page

ADDRESS TO IMPRESS Life at home—and where the other half lives 18

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

ON THE COVER:

Nicole Noonan was photographed by Brevin Blach at Sunset Cliffs. Styling by Kelsey Luce. Hair and makeup by Christina Mansi from The Factory, 1025 F Street, downtown, 619.255.6338. Ms. Noonan is wearing a Lipsy dress, $120, and Aaqua ring, $25, both from Bloomingdale’s, bloomingdales.com. Earrings from Twirl, $15, 3840 5th Ave., 619.291.0933. THIS PAGE:

ON NICOLE: Luli Fama bikini, top: $76, bottom: $72, Gone Bananas Beachwear, gonebananasbeachwear.com; Prada sunglasses, $290, Bloomingdale’s sweater, $168, bloomingdales.com; Jimmy Choo shoes, jimmychoo.com.

03 . 1 1

pac i f i csd

departments

CURRENTS 23 ON DEFENSE

The Friars’ 2001 season could go either way

26 SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

Graphic designer hopes to spur dialogue about global community

28 CINEMA DIVERSIDAD

Festival to highlight work of Brazilian, Jewish Latino filmmakers

28 UN-HERD MUSIC

Indie bands rise up at Liberty Station 3 0 A Z T E C M A D N E S S

The ancient Gods want it all! (They’ve been waiting 563 years)

32 MUSCLE CAR MANOR

North County celeb’s garage doubles as ‘man cave on steroids’

32 SEALED WITH AN IRON FIST

Extreme fitness course gives civilians a chance to prove their mettle

3 6 S T Y L E WAT C H

TASTE 52 ON A ROE

San Diego sushi, from saltwater to mouthwatering

6 0 S M O K I N G R O O M O N LY

Relive the excesses of Mid-Century America with a Mad Men dinner party

64 OLD’S COOL

Turquoise Room schools parched young’uns on the classics GROOVE 67 ON THE RHODES AGAIN

Lady Gaga’s return excites local fashion designer

68 JUSTICE FOR ALL

P HOTO S BY ( CLOC K W I S E F RO M TO P ) : S D S U ATHL E TIC S M E D IA R E LATION S , J E F F “ TURBO ” CORRI G AN , AARON S E RA F INO , J E F F “ TURBO ” CORRI G AN , S TACY K E C K

Local R&B singer gets ‘club bug,’ tastes chart success

6 9 T H E B E AT O F A D I F F E R E N T D R U M M E R

A punk percussionist reinvents himself

70 WELL DRINKED

Tatted tender wears her art on her sleeves BLIND DATE 72 GETTING LUCKY

A couple goes green for a St. Patrick’s-themed blind date CALENDAR 78 THREE.ELEVEN

pacificsandiego.com {March 2011}

March event listings

VOICE 82 RHYME NOR REASON

San Diegans share their fashion flair

In a city so witty and fine, poetic magic is born online

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on DEFENSE The Friarsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2011 season could go either way

B y J e f f P ra u ght

C o u r t es y S a n D i eg o Pa d r es / c h r i s h a r d y

Padres pitcher Clayton Richard

obody really knows what to make of the 2011 Padres. Though the franchise is coming off of a strong, 90-win season, the cast of characters has changed dramatically. Most notably is the trade loss of iconic first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox. No doubt, his departure leaves the club without its best defender, its most potent offensive force and the hometown guy so many threw their hearts behind. It seems unlikely the team will match its 2010 success, but, then again, there was nothing probable about the Friars coming within one game of potentially winning the National League West last year. Just how will the Friars replace Gonzalezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 31 home runs, 101 RBI and 93 walks from last year? By taking advantage of the depressed market and picking up a few older yet proven veterans, which is exactly what sophomore General Manager Jed Hoyer has done. Replacing Gonzalez at first base will be right-fielder Brad Hawpe. Given his lackluster performance as an outfielder last season, this would seem to be a head-scratcher. But Hawpe, a career .279 hitter with power, was an above-average first baseman in college and in the minors before being moved to the outfield by the Rockies. The Padresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; brass is also counting on rebounds from Orlando Hudson, Jason Bartlett and Ryan Ludwick. Hudson struggled in his one season with Minnesota, but San Diego signed him to a two-year deal, hoping the former Gold Glove second baseman would regain his usual form. (Continued on Page 24) pacificsandiego.com

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C o u r t es y S a n D i eg o Pa d r es

“Orlando is a proven winner and a four-time Gold Glove winner,” Hoyer says. “I think he’s going to bring a ton of offense to our team, a ton of defense and a ton of energy. We’re thrilled to have him.” Friar fans will likely remember Ludwick, who struggled mightily in his two-month, post-trade stint last year, but should understand he has a 30-homer-per-season potential. And Bartlett, acquired via a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, is two years removed from an All-Star season with the Rays, in which he hit .320.

While the theme of the rebuilt offense is “hoping for rebound,” the true backbone of the Padres will be their pitching and defense. The names have changed, but the philosophy remains the same—winning 2-1 counts the same as prevailing 5-4. With Bartlett and Hudson manning the middle infield, and Cameron Maybin covering center, San Diego’s defense should be as good as or better than last year, when it was ranked third via Ultimate Zone Rating (a popular new tool for measuring all aspects of defense). On the mound, the Padres have brought back roughly the same staff that dominated until September. Mat Latos anchors a team that saw innings-eaters Jon Garland and Kevin Correia depart, being replaced by SDSU alum Aaron Harang. If Harang can regain his ace at spacious PETCO Park, and Clayton Richard can continue to give a steady six innings each time out, the dominant bullpen should kill it on the field. Closer Heath Bell also returns this year, after signing a one-year deal to avoid arbitration. Mike Adams will handle the eighth inning, and

Aztecs turn Viejas Arena into party pad B y J e f f P ra u ght he Aztecs men’s basketball program has abandoned its seat at the kiddies’ table to join the national ranks, and America is taking notice. SDSU qualified for last year’s NCAA tournament, nearly upending eventual Sweet 16 contender Tennessee in the opening round. With all of its starters returning this season, the Aztecs had high hopes and were recognized with the first national ranking in the 90-year history of the program, opening the season ranked 25th. With senior D.J. Gay leading the point and sophomore Kawhi Leonard terrorizing opponents with his NBA-like talents, the Aztecs pulled off 20 wins to start the season, including a program-changing victory Nov. 16 at then-No. 12 Gonzaga. When you break one of the nation’s longest home court winning streaks against a national power, you know you’re on to something. As SDSU kept winning, their seat in the national polls kept rising, as they were elevated to as high as fourth, before falling in a tight contest at then-No. 9 BYU. Basketball pundits were quick to recognize SDSU’s talented squad, but it took the locals and the national audience a little while to get on the red-and-black bandwagon. The win at Gonzaga was gratifying, but it wasn’t until the Aztecs knocked off nemesis St. Mary’s at home and Cal on the road that fans began packing Viejas. And pack the arena they have. By January, every remaining game on the home slate had been sold out. Capacity crowds of 12,414 have come not only to see the best basketball ever played here, but also to witness the hysteria that is the student section. Nicknamed “The Show,” the section has grown to more than 4,000 members, many of whom camp out before games to get tickets.

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

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the nearly-unhittable Luke Gregerson will join recently-signed Chad Qualls in the seventh inning. “It’s a different roster than last year,” Hoyer says. “We had a lot of turnover, but I like our depth and balance. We are a more talented roster.” National expectations are not bullish for these Padres. But as the Giants proved by winning the World Series in 2010, it doesn’t matter if you win pretty or score in bunches. Preventing the opponent from scoring is just as important as manufacturing runs.

Key Acquisitions for 2011: Jason Bartlett (SS) Jorge Cantu (1B/3B) Aaron Harang (SP) Brad Hawpe (1B/RF) Orlando Hudson (2B) Cameron Maybin (CF) Chad Qualls (RP)

SDSU forward Leonard Kawhi, playing against Saint Mary’s, Dec. 1, 2010

The Show established itself several years ago when students began bringing large cardboard cut-out heads of celebrities and newsmakers— often those who made headlines for embarrassing gaffs. From Donna Frye to Nick Nolte’s prison mug shot, students hold up these heads to distract opponents shooting secondhalf free throws in their direction. SDSU has cemented its arrival on the national stage, but ultimately will be judged by what they do in the NCAA Tournament. And with the Aztecs boasting as much talent as any team in the nation, there is no reason the party on Montezuma Mesa shouldn’t continue through April 4 and the National Championship Game in Houston.

P h o t o c o u r t es y S D S U At h l e t i c s M ed i a Re l at i o n s

on the ball

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(Continued from Page 23)

Padres General Manager Jed Hoyer

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Graphic designer hopes to spur dialogue about global community

nflue

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: A: Paul Body B: Nick Nacca C: Chris Wimpey D: Carl Vanderschuit

arrio Logan-based graphic artist and branding expert, Ron Miriello, says that, in today’s cloudy economic climate, his clients aren’t taking financial risks on creative projects. Taking an artistic risk of his own, he created 50 interpretations of the globe, on display through March 26 at Jett Gallery in Little Italy. “I remember, as a kid, spinning a globe and putting my finger down and then looking and saying, ‘Who’s in that little village? What are they doing right now?’” Miriello says. “It would transport me. “I really think there is something about the object of the spinning globe and its completeness that just does not translate into flat mapping and GPS.” To create his 100 Worlds Project, which will include another 50 globes later in the year, Miriello drew upon his education in sculpture, employing a team of other local artists and craftsmen to help. Each of the 50 globes was captured by a different photographer, whose work is part of the installation. Miriello used everything from cardboard classroom globes he bought at thrift stores to expensive metal models he found on eBay. Other globes were fashioned from wire cable, cigar boxes, shoe soles, old geography books and various repurposed objects. One piece is Miriello’s interpretation of the BP oil spill and its effect on the planet. “It’s this very pristine, stainless steel globe that is being pinned down by this stretched piece of rubber, which to me is very emblematic of what was happening—the thought of us being held down by our own consequence.” —Pat Sherman

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

S ee more photos at

pacificsandiego.com 100 Worlds Project Dates: Through March 26 Venue: Jett Gallery, Little Italy Info: jettgallery.net

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Cinema Diversidad Festival to highlight work of Brazilian, Jewish Latino filmmakers

ith more than 180 films showing on four screens, this year’s San Diego Latino Film Festival should have diverse audience appeal. “Every year we showcase a country, and this year it’s Brazil,” says festival curator and programming director, Lisa Franek. “We’ve got some really great films coming out of Brazil right now that are worth seeing—almost too many.” The festival will also showcase the contributions of Jewish Latino filmmakers, as well as animation, movies about the Latin LGBT experience and a series of shorts called Cine Mujer, focused on women. “Because Latinos are kind of underrepresented in the film industry, we also look at the other groups that are underrepresented,” Franek says. Franek was swept away by a Venezuelan romantic

comedy that’s screening this year Luis Tosar (left) and Gael Garcia Bernal called Havana Eva, in También la Lluvia (Even the Rain), shot entirely in Cuba. Spain’s official Oscar selection for 2011. “It’s not the typical romantic comedy that wanted to get rid of their Chicano studies where all this girl can programs in high school, and the students think about is getting married and having babies,” basically rose up and protested,” Franek says. “It’s she says. “It’s a strong, independent woman and such a relevant issue for this area of the country she’s trying to figure out her life and everything right now. I think it’s something that everybody in it. It’s just a really nice story—and the Cuban should probably check out.” —Pat Sherman men are really good looking.” One of this year’s documentary selections, the world premiere of Precious Knowledge, San Diego Latino Film Festival should resonate with San Diego audiences, Dates: March 10-20 she says. Venue: Ultrastar Mission Valley Cinemas “It is about this school district in Arizona Tickets: $10 Info: 619.574.8684, sdlatinofilm.com

Un-Herd Music

Indie bands AND OTHER LOCAL ARTISTS rise up at Liberty Station

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

“Instead of feeling like we were quietly, silently pouting and bummed out about it, we felt like the most empowering thing we could do was to shine this huge spotlight on all these bands and say, ‘Hey, everybody, look over here! These bands will make your life really enjoyable if you discover them.’” This year’s event also includes free art classes, poetry, painting and photography, as well as a full schedule of indie films to be screened March 12 and 13. Admission to the art, acoustic San Diego IndieFest and watercolor stages Date: March 12 Time: noon to 11 p.m. is free. Main festival Venue: Promenade at Liberty Station, tickets are $25. Point Loma —Pat Sherman Tickets: $25 Info: sandiegoindiefest.com We Are Scientists

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ince launching IndieFest in 2004 to promote emerging musicians and artists, co-founders Danielle LoPresti and Alicia Champion have seen the event grow beyond their expectations. The first IndieFest was held at The Abbey in Banker’s Hill and featured 25 acts. This year, the event is moving from its former site in North Park to the spacious, bay-view Promenade at Liberty Station. It will feature more than 50 bands and solo artists on four stages. “We’ve outgrown our space for the second time,” says LoPresti, who will perform on the main stage Saturday, April 12, with her band, The Masses. “Last year we had to turn away about 1,000 people.” This year’s lineup, viewable at sandiegoindiefest.com, includes buzz band We Are Scientists, whose song, After Hours, appears on the soundtrack to the film, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. “They’ve just got really, poppy, catchy songs (that are) very accessible,” LoPresti says. “I think they’re really going to appeal to a wide swath of people.” Other acts this year include AWOLNATION, Vokab Kompany, James Marsters, Black Party Politics and Love Darling. Though IndieFest’s popularity has soared, that hasn’t necessarily translated into fame or a livable wage for the bands playing the festival—which is the reason LoPresti and Champion created IndieFest and continue to produce it. “There comes a time when it isn’t just a nice compliment when someone comes up to you and says, ‘Wow, you guys are so good. Why aren’t you famous yet?’ It actually hurts a little bit,” LoPresti says. “The answer is that being famous is not the mark of being a really, really excellent band or remarkable entity. It’s kind of something between fate and luck and other factors.

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C OOKIE “ C HAINSA W ” RANDOLPH

AZTEC

MADNESS

The ancient Gods want it all! (they’ve been waiting 563 years)

t’s looking good for San Diego State to win their first NCAA tournament game in school history this month, but winning one game won’t be enough to appease the Aztec gods. With the SDSU football team already having won a bowl game for the first time this century, one can safely say the Aztecs haven’t done this well in two programs in the same year since 1448, when they dominated both archery innovation and double aqueduct pipe system technology. (You could look it up.) Long-suffering Chicago Cubs fans are novices compared to the Aztecs. They’ve waited 103 years since the last time they won a World Series? Try waiting 563 years (Cubs fans probably will). The Aztecs gods are done waiting, which begs the question: How far must this year’s magical basketball team advance in the NCAA tournament to avoid their wrath?  A Final Four appearance (four wins to get there) might be acceptable to most fans, but not to the gods. They want it all. They watched No. 5 seed Butler come within a half-

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c o u r t es y S D S U At h l e t i c s M ed i a Re l at i o n s , E r n i e A n de r s o n

Early this century, Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph spent 10 semesters worth of San Diego State tuition fees for his son’s education, and all he got was a lousy Aztec windbreaker (which he paid for himself when he underdressed for a chilly BYU football game). To be fair, those fees also produced a graduate student with a degree in Anthropology—which, as you know, is one of the only job sectors that is BOOMING in this economy. Chainsaw is currently rebuilding his 401k, thanks to employment with 100.7 JACK-FM, on the Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw morning show.

“The Show,” SDSU’s student fan section, cheers on the Aztecs at University of Nevada Las Vegas, Jan. 1.

court buzzer shot of beating Duke in the championship game last year. They’ve done the math. San Diego State should be at least a No. 3 seed, so the gods figure this team should make that buzzer shot. You see, the Aztec gods are already a very angry bunch. Mention “BYU” to Tezcatlipoca and he’ll punch a wall. Remind Macuilxochitl how Miami’s Gino Torretta beat out Marshall Faulk for the ’92 Heisman and he’ll smash a windshield with his maquahuitl. And don’t even suggest to Huitzilopochtli that it’s unfair to raise student fees to bail out a money-pit football program over and over and over and over again. Tuition? Huitzilopochtli doesn’t care about tuition. He wants a national title. If he reads one more op-ed piece in the Daily Aztec complaining about fee hikes, he might start throwing lepers into active volcanoes again (and to him, history professors are lepers). So anything less than a national championship will curse Aztecs basketball forever, which is probably how long it will be before we have another team this good.

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Nathanael “Lalo” Roberti leads a grueling SEAL-esque bootcamp in Encinitas.

Sealed with an iron fist Extreme fitness course gives civilians a chance to prove their mettle on the beach

B y P at S h e rman • P h o t o s b y B r i an B art o l o m e i the crap kicked out of them, and there’s nothing positive that came out of eople who have mastered taekwondo, powered through Pilates and turned themselves into human yoga pretzels may think it other than sore legs,” he says. “We’re Navy SEALs, but we have a heart and we’re going to motivate you and get you through this course—and their bodies have endured the ultimate test. you’re going to be a better person for doing it.” Not so, says Nathanael “Lalo” Roberti, a retired Navy The three-part course begins with an intense warm-up borrowed from SEAL who gives civilians a taste of the grueling physical and the Basic Underwater Demolition SEALs (BUD/S), including jumping psychological drill SEAL recruits endure while being rebuilt as the ultimate jacks, flutter kicks, sit-ups, push-ups, lunges and other exercises. fighting weapons at sea, in the air and on land. After participants are ranked and placed into groups, they spend 45 San Diegans seeking their next adrenaline fix can go mano a mano with minutes hauling a giant log around the beach and completing relay races. Roberti and other SEAL instructors during an Extreme SEAL Experience boot camp offered by Frog’s Fitness of Encinitas, Saturday mornings at “Log (training) is a beat-down,” Roberti says. “The second I tell them to get underneath the log, they’re just complaining. They’re like, ‘There’s no Moonlight Beach. Participants spend two-and-a-half hours hoisting 220-pound logs, way we can do this.’ When they’re done, they’re all smiles, and they’re like, rowing against tidal currents and being pushed to the limits of their ‘I can’t believe we just did that.’” endurance—all while being yelled at. In the end, they are left drained, yet Though the focus is on individual accomplishment, teamwork is crucial exhilarated and confident in their ability to take on challenges. to completing the course. Well-deserved water breaks and periodic rests are Though the instruction is loud and intense, the words are meant to provided throughout the training. encourage, not belittle. When the teams are done with the log and left panting and gasping on “We don’t have enough time to break them down and build them back the beach, it’s time for them to get into a rubber boat and paddle a quarter up,” says Roberti, 27, who also works for Virginia-based Extreme SEAL mile through choppy surf to a buoy. Experience, which offers a more intense, two-week boot camp. “That, right there, is the deciding factor,” Roberti says. “They have “I don’t want guys coming through feeling at the end like they just got to work as a team to get that boat out through those waves. You can’t do 32

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Extreme SEAL Experience When: Saturdays, 8 to 10:30 a.m. Where: Moonlight Beach, Encinitas Cost: $30 to $60 Info: 760.942.3000, frogsfit.com

anything in life without teamwork.â&#x20AC;? When a team reaches the buoy, they must tip the boat over, right it, get back in and paddle to shore. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extremely hard,â&#x20AC;? Roberti says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even if the waves arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t big, the oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unforgiving and the currents can shift at any moment.â&#x20AC;? The course is taught in four consecutive weekends, though people can sign up for single sessions. Those who complete the four-week course receive a certificate of completion signed by the SEALs. Though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mostly men who enroll in the course, women are encouraged to participate and almost always meet the challenge. According to Frogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fitness Director Brian Bartolomei, no one has yet dropped out of the course. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nobody really wants to quit in front of the SEALs,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think they want to impress those guys. They know what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been through and they know who they are.â&#x20AC;? The class meets at 7:45 a.m. Saturdays in the lower parking lot of Moonlight Beach for a briefing. Participants should wear a white T-shirt and running shoes, and bring plenty of water. Camo pants will be provided.

Navy SEAL Nathanael â&#x20AC;&#x153;Laloâ&#x20AC;? Roberti Age: 27 Military experience: Involved in Operation Red Wings (inspiration for the book Lone Survivor), a counter-insurgency mission in Kunar province, Afghanistan, which took place on June 28, 2005. Three SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as well as several other American Special Operations soldiers whose helicopter was shot down while flying in to rescue the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Five-and-a-half minutes before our helicopter got shot down, myself and seven others got off the helicopter because it was too heavy to get up to that altitude,â&#x20AC;? Roberti says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would have been dead as well. I went back in and recovered all the bodies and then got back out of there. Basically, 75 percent of my platoon was killed.â&#x20AC;?

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FROM TOP: Sports memorabilia in Goldberg’s garage; Goldberg’s prized muscle car collection; room to grab a beer and take a power nap; the former pro wrestler’s heavy-duty home gym.

MANOR

North County celeb’s garage doubles as ‘Man Cave on Steroids’

B y P at S h e rman • ph o t o s b y br e v i n b l ach x-professional wrestler and TV host Bill Goldberg doesn’t worry about his wife banishing him to the garage during disputes. “That’s for sure, because it’s probably nicer than the house,” quips the 44-year-old host of the DIY Network’s Garage Mahal, who built a 6,500-square-foot shrine for his vintage cars on his remote Bonsall estate, northwest of Escondido. The two-story structure, which has a deceptive, “McMansion”-esque appearance, houses five souped-up choppers and 17 vintage muscle cars, including a 1959 Chevy Biscayne and a 1970 Mustang Boss 429, one of only two made with an automatic transmission (the other was destroyed while being displayed overseas during the Vietnam War). The garage also includes a kitchen and king-size bed (just in case), and a second-story, 2,000-square-foot weight room with dumbbells of up to 150 pounds, so Goldberg can keep in fighting—and fathering—shape. “When the family goes to bed at night, I slither up to the garage and do a little work on my cars and then do a little lifting,” says Goldberg, whose family

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includes stuntwoman wife, Wanda, and four-year-old son, Gage. “That’s my solace; that’s my getaway.” Much like its owner, this garage sports impressive strength. “The beams we had to install underneath that garage are quite substantial,” Goldberg says. “The days of me putting 900 pounds on the leg press are still here, and that’s sitting right above one of my cars, so I have the utmost of confidence in the integrity of these beams.” The more than $1 million garage began as a 1,500-square-foot house, which Goldberg purchased from the previous owner, before more than quadrupling its size. “I didn’t want to build an old barn or some kind of big, ridiculously abstruse structure,” he says. “I wanted to build something that would blend and that was visually spectacular, (so) I pretty much duplicated the design of the house. Nine times out of 10, people don’t even know that I have a separate house, which is the reason why I did it. It throws everyone off.” Though Goldberg says his “man cave on steroids” isn’t quite made for entertaining, he occasionally invites buds like UFC heavyweight champ Josh Barnett over to work on cars and pump iron. Like a lifter who never thinks he’s quite big enough, Goldberg could be said to have a case of garage dysmorphia. “I’d love to make it bigger,” he says. “I’ve got a couple cars that are out being restored and I don’t have any room for them when they get back. There’s no such thing as too much space.”

Goldberg’s garage Original square footage: 1,500 Square footage after renovation: more than 6,500 Muscle cars: 17 (including a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda and 1970 Mustang Boss 429 “Lawman”) Motorcycles: 5 (1 Confederate Hellcat, 2 Harleys and 2 West Coast Choppers) Amenities: 2,000-square-foot personal gym, kitchen, king-sized bed, plasma screen TV, outdoor driving range Cost to build: about $1 million

Career highlights NFL: 1990-1995 (including Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons) World Championship Wrestling: 1997-2001 All Japan Pro Wrestling: 2002-2003 World Wrestling Entertainment: 2003-2004 Film appearances: The Longest Yard, Santa’s Slay, Half Past Dead 2 TV: Law and Order, Family Guy, Celebrity Apprentice, Monster Garage, Garage Mahal

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STYLE WATCH

San Diegans share their fashion flair

B Y A LY S O N B A K E R ph o t o s b y stac y k e ck ere in paradise, it’s easy to find people at ease, sporting bikinis, scarves and stilettos—all within the same block. In celebration of our city’s eclectic, at times frenetic, fashion sense, PacificSD hits America’s Finest streets, in chic Little Italy and laidback O.B., to see what our neighbors are rocking.

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1: Ashley W., 20, and Ralph A, 24, La Mesa On her: La Mesa thrift store shirt, Goodwill jeans, earrings and tattoo from Rockabilly Tattoo On him: Girl Skateboards shirt, Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jeans 3: Barbara S., 21, San Diego Sonia Rykiel headband, glasses from San Francisco

2: Lauren M., 21, Scripps Ranch, and Chelsea M., 30, Chula Vista Both wear Ray-Ban sunglasses. Chelsea dons a Spyder hat. The rest is a sisterly, sartorial secret. 4: Trevor D., 25, Downtown Lacoste shirt and rest of outfit from Salvation Army, All Good Music Festival bracelet

LEFT PAGE RIGHT PAGE 5: Jessica G., 23, Hillcrest Steve Madden sunglasses, earrings made by a friend, dress and sweater from Forever 21 7: Matt G., 20, Point Loma Glasses from the Irvine Spectrum shopping center, Urban Outfitters shirt

6: Olivier D., 40, and Aline T., 35, Little Italy On him: Ben Sherman jacket and Diesel jeans On her: DKNY watch, necklace from France, sweater from Passione boutique in La Jolla 8: Heather T., 22, Encinitas Fossil watch, dress from Icons Fashion (Encinitas), Target boots

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Lipsy dress, $120, Aqua ring, $25, Bloomingdaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, bloomingdales.com; earring ,Twirl, $15, 3840 5th Ave., 619.291.0933; Steve Madden shoes, $70, Tutto Cuore, tuttocuoreshoes.com, 858.490.4685 38

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P h otogr a p h Y by B r e v i n B l a c h ( unl ess oth erw i se not ed)

M o d e l : N i col e N oon a n , no t i e s m a n a g e m e nt Styl i s t : K e l s e y L uc e H air & M akeup : C h r i s t i n a M a n s i , T he F actory

ADDRESS TO IMPRESS Life at home— and where the other half lives B y P at S h e rman , C hr i st y S cann e l l and C athar i n e K a u f man

rom energy efficiency to earthy color palettes to man caves, it’s hard to say which home trend came first. Was it the egg chair or the chicken coops? Either way, whether it’s an East County estate or a beachfront condo, home is where you hang your hat—or at least where you sleep and recharge your iPad. Local real estate brokers, a green thumb from Walter Andersen Nursery and a prominent interior designer helped construct this view of modern home life in America’s Finest. Please enjoy the tour. The expert advice is on the house.

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views

Luxe Outlook Expanding residential horizons in San Diego

an Diego County started the year off with a median home price of about $304,000—a decrease of nearly nine percent from December. But in America’s Finest (and perhaps most scenic) City, the abundant coastal and mountain terrain gives home buyers a chance to elevate their options, choosing from a vast inventory of stunning views. According to Realtor Seth O’Byrne of Troop Real Estate, a view can increase the value of a home or condo by as much as 20 to 30 percent, depending on its “wow factor” and scarcity. In La Jolla, appraisers estimate that a view can add $100,000 to $150,000 to a home’s value, he says. “If you can see breaking waves, sand and rocks, the view could be worth $500K,” O’Byrne says. “Peek-a-boo views on condos or

townhomes could be worth as little as $10k, in some cases. “At a high-rise downtown, if every unit in a stack is identical from the second floor to the 20th floor (and) has the same view, the value to each unit is dramatically decreased.” Residential mortgage banker Craig Sewing, host of the KCBQ radio show REAL Talk, offers a more moderate estimate. He says a view will historically add about 10 percent to a home’s value, though many variables are involved. “It’s all about the comps,” Sewing says, meaning that the price one neighbor’s house sells for can have a direct and sometimes significant impact on the sales price of other homes in the vicinity. While jaw-dropping views come at a cost, average home values in neighborhoods with prime views have decreased considerably, making the time ripe to give these domestic overlooks a second glance.

“There are FEWER than 400 resale condos available downtown, and that’s the lowest number in the last seven or eight years. If it’s under $350,000, there are multiple offers right away.” — R eal E state B roker J oe M arcotte of D owntown C ondo S howroom

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Sautéing is a scenic affair in the kitchen of Al and Janet Johnstone’s rotating home.

Taking Turns

Rotating home a labor of love for retired phone company exec and wife

hings have been looking up—and around—since Al Johnstone and wife, Janet, completed their rotating home atop Mt. Helix in 2004. The East County home, perhaps the only in the world that can make continuous 360-degree rotations, cost the couple about $1 million, though they received many material donations generated by the initial interest in their project. It took the couple three years to finish the home, with Al serving as architect and Janet as interior designer. “You can see the Coronado Bridge all the way around to Steel Canyon Golf Course (in Jamul),” Al says. “We can see the ocean, Point Loma, Downtown San Diego, Mt. Soledad, Catalina and San Clemente Island. So, yeah, it’s a great view.” Though most rotating bars and restaurants, such as Seattle’s Space Needle, have plumbing and electrical in a stationary, central core, the Johnstone’s rotating second story uses patented flexible plumbing and wiring. “In a house, you need to have plumbing and gas, Internet and HDTV in the rotating portion, so I had to go in and invent what I call the swivels that would allow that to take place,” Al says. He has patented 45 items related to his home technology and says he has an investor interested in building a high-rise in which each floor would rotate independently. “We have formed a company, 360 Technology,” Johnstone says. “If the economy ever turns around, hopefully somebody will build one.” Rotating Mt. Helix home

Mt. Helix Stats: 4 bedrooms, 5,100 square feet Elevation: about 1,280 feet Rotation cycle: fastest, 33 minutes; slowest, 24 hours Year completed: 2004 Listing price: Not for sale Investment: About $1 million AvG. NEIGHBORHOOD home value: $425,000 (up from $390,500 last year)

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SUNSET CLIFFS ESTATE

or those wanting to see how the other half views the world, there is no shortage of homeowners willing to rent their vistas for the right price. Rent on the three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath Sunset Cliffs estate featured on the cover of this magazine and in the fashion photos of this feature ranges from $1,500 to $2,000 a night, depending on the season and duration of the stay. The Spanish ColonialMediterranean home offers inspiring ocean views from just about every room, and is just steps from one of San Diegoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite surfing beaches. It can be rented for a weekend respite, wedding or corporate event.

Sunset Cliffs AVG. NEIGHBORHOOD HOME value: $588,500 (down from $897,500 a year ago) Contact: 619.393.0399, sunsetcliffsestate.com

Dress with belt, $ 248, HH earring, $40, Bloomingdaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Bloomingdales.com; Jimmy Choo flats, jimmychoo.com

NORTHWEST CARLSBAD Stats: 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 5,294 square feet Year built: 1988 Listing price: $7.8 million AVG. NEIGHBORHOOD HOME value: $490,000 (down from $605,000 last year) Agent: Patricia Lou Martin, ranchandcoastproperty.com

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Plucky 19

real estate broker Jim Abbott says of the vividly-decorated unit he’s christened, “Comic-Condo,” located on the 19th story of San Diego’s 19th-tallest building, the Meridian, “You can’t help but smile when you walk in.” The condo was remodeled by Sweig General Contracting with “whimsy” as its theme. Its doting grandparent owners designed the condo as a way to keep their visiting grandchildren visually stimulated, Abbott says.

Downtown San Diego Stats: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2,500 square feet Year built: 1985 Listing price: $1.8 million Average Downtown condo VALUE: $305,000 (down from $312,000 last year) Agent: Jim Abbott, argsd.com

“Given the low prices and historically low interest rates, we’re seeing quite a bit of push from the first time homebuyer.” — C raig S ewing , host of K C B Q ’ s R E A L T alk ( 1 1 7 0 A M )

Normal Heights Stats: 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, 4,739 square feet Year built: 1980 Listing price: $1.2-$2.2 million AVG. NEIGHBORHOOD HOME value: $445,000 (up from $339,500 last year) Agent: Shane Pliskin, shanepliskin.posterous.com

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GARAGE

PAUL BURLIN G A M E P HOTO

Back to the Cave

Interior designer Kristy Kropat converted this four-car garage in Rancho Santa Fe into a plush game room and nuptial cave.

Man spaces as different and ‘slick’ as their owners

B y C h r i s ty Sc a nn e ll

here were a lot of plusses that drew Russ Havens to the Kensington house he purchased with wife Judit a few years ago. But one quality far surpassed the others: its remodeled garage, the designated site for his long-awaited man cave. “I got really lucky,” he says of the space he selected for his guy-friendly hideaway. “It was a perfect shell. It already had the epoxy floors and deep cabinets.” Havens plastered the walls with his collection of surf movie posters from the ’50s and ’60s, unboxed his extensive set of slot cars for display, hooked up the stereo and hauled in an old computer the family wasn’t using. A dorm fridge provides cold drinks, while a shabby sofa and an IKEA rug add a touch of warmth. “It’s all stuff you would never be able to put in the actual house,” Havens says. “I think it’s a solution for happy couples—and an even

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better solution for non-happy couples.” As Havens realized how much he was enjoying his man cave (he calls it his “decompression chamber”), he figured other guys probably were, too. In 2009 he launched checkoutmygarage.net, a social networking site where like-minded men can upload photos of their at-home getaways. Cavers from as far away as Europe have participated, showing off everything from banner collections to rare cars and vintage art. “It’s as unique to the space as it is to the person,” Havens says of the man caves on his site. “Sometimes it’s almost like a little boy’s room— everything you had then somehow reappears in your cave, like those autographed hockey pucks.” Havens’ philosophy is decidedly organic when it comes to outfitting his cave. He says everything in it he either collected or received free or at low cost. And he is still waiting for a good deal on a TV, a must-have for

Interior designer Tracy Lynn gave this 4S Ranch garage a NASCAR-themed makeover.

PAUL BURLIN G A M E P HOTO

“It’s almost like a little boy’s room—everything you had then somehow reappears in your cave, like those autographed hockey pucks.” — R uss H avens , founder of checkoutm y garage . net

Man cave trappings • Disco ball and lava lamps • Autographed photos from athletes or musicians • Pool and/or foosball table • Kegerator or other beer refrigeration • Music system—from an iPod to surround sound • Theater seating • Bar, from stacked crates to custom carved wood • Pinball or machine vintage arcade game • Train set • Woodworking bench • Auto shop • Stripper pole An in-home theatre is one

Source: Russ Havens

of the amenities in this Normal Heights home, featured on Page 43.

a fully functional man cave. “If they’re too slick, they lose their point,” he says. “You’ve got to be able to not worry so much about spilling and creating a mess. If not, why not just stay in your house and let the family room be the ‘man cave.’ ” Not everyone agrees. When interior designer Tracy Lynn of Style on a Shoestring was working on a 4S Ranch home recently, she was asked to create a NASCAR-themed man cave in the house’s garage (photo, top right). “[The homeowner] loves to rebuild old cars and he wanted a space where he could have all his guy friends and his sons over to watch a sporting event, crack open a beer and work on the cars,” Lynn says. Lynn wouldn’t divulge the room’s cost, but she said similar cabinetry, lighting and flooring can cost upwards of $20,000, depending on the room’s size and scope. “It’s worth it because it’s a space where they can really have their say

about what represents them and what they want,” she says. But compromise goes a long way, too. When Kristy Kropat of Kropat Interior Design was working on Richard and Jennifer Kim’s Rancho Santa Fe home, the homeowners chose to convert their four-car garage into a game room. The couple—who met playing pool—agreed on a dark lounge theme with mood lighting, shag rugs, animal print sofas and chrome accents. The effect, Kropat says, is similar to a nightclub (photo top left). “You go into that room, and it doesn’t match the house. It feels like you are getting away from the normal space,” she says. “I guess that makes it kind of like a man cave, except that in this case it’s a man and woman’s cave,” Kropat says with a laugh. pacificsandiego.com

OUTDOOR

Move Over, Rover Are chicken coops the new dog house?

B y C a t h a r i n e L . K a ufm a n

f you thought you heard a cluck or a cock-a-doodle from your neighbor’s yard, you’re sanity hasn’t taken wing. Urbanites are going Green Acres, constructing stylish and charming chicken coops in their backyards, garages and on balconies. The funky hen party is part of the sustainable movement that’s good for your family and the planet. The following primer on chicken rearing and coop culture should help you get started.

The chicken or the egg City folk have taken a shine to raising female chicks, whose multitasking talents serve as a slug, bug and weed control system that’s chemical free (chicks like to nosh on assorted insects and pesky weeds). They also supply their owners with a daily feast of fresh, organic eggs and serve as fun-loving, low-maintenance pets. Hens lay about an egg a day, though it varies depending on the breed, age, diet and time of year.

How to pick your chick Urban chicken pioneer and Del Mar resident, Lisa Lutz, hatched her first chick in 2008. She advises fledgling chicken owners to do their homework beforehand. “Look at the breed and temperament,” Lutz says. “If you want a good egg layer, then get a leghorn; if you want a loving, well-mannered pet, then the squawky, flighty leghorn is not for you. If you’re into ornamental eggs, the Ameraucana lays gorgeous ones tinged with hues of blues and greens.”

Aqua top, $58, Aqua shorts, $58, Tom Ford Sunglasses, $360, Bloomingdale’s, Bloomingdales.com; espadril platform, $30, tutto cuore, tuttocuoureshoes.com chickens courtesy jodi basped

Flock Food Experts advise chicken owners to nourish their birds with organic vegetarian feed and spring water, as “you are what your chickens eat.” Shelly Stewart, a University Heights urban chicken advocate and lecturer says the life stage and functionality of the bird will determine its nutritional requirements. “The babies need higher protein, (while) laying hens need more calcium, and meat birds, additional protein,” she says. Stewart infuses her organic feed (a blend of cracked corn, wheat and flax known as scratch) with dried kelp as a mineral supplement, and crushed oyster shells for extra calcium.

The scoop on coops Many of today’s urban hen habitats are architectural masterpieces, from chicken chateaus to shabby chic and retro-style houses. Do-it-yourself 46

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chicken coop blueprints are available online, along with prefabs from IKEA and Wal-Mart. Or get creative and design an original, making it a family pet project. Lutz’s husband calls their hen house, built from recycled roof shingles, the “Coop de Ville.” Their “girls’ bedroom” is both rodent- and predator-proof, so raccoons, opossums, skunks and coyotes won’t devour their pet chicks for dinner.

Chicken Laws Different San Diego County cities have specific chicken ordinances relating to birds, noise and rooster restrictions, and the coops’ proximity to residential buildings. To be safe, check your city’s municipal codes. The city of San Diego limits the flock to 25 and bans roosters. Coops must be 50 feet from all residences (yours and your neighbors). Check out Raising Chickens for Dummies and Building Chicken Coops for Dummies or visit BackYardChickens.com and MyPetChicken.com to see if rearing chickens is all it’s cracked up to be.

“How you start will determine whether you continue”

GROWING TREND

— loren nancarrow , fox five news anchor

The benefits of organic home gardening

ealth-minded and socially conscious San Diegans are following the lead of First Lady Michelle Obama, who in 2009 started an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn, the first since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden during World War II. Kathleen Probus, who teaches vegetable and tomato

gardening classes at Walter Andersen Nursery, says there is substantial interest in home gardening these days. The reasons she hears include concern about chemical pesticides, fertilizers and genetically-modified produce, food allergies and recent E. coli and salmonella scares. “People want to know where their plants came from and make sure they’re not feeding their family something harmful,” she says.

Getting started: sun and soil Longtime San Diego weatherman and environmentalist Loren Nancarrow (a Fox 5 San Diego news anchor) has authored several books on the subject of organic gardening, branding himself as a local expert on the subject. Excited to start his onions this season, Nancarrow suggests first-time vegetable gardeners start small, choosing the sunniest spot on their property. “How you start will determine whether you continue,” he says. He suggests digging out existing soil and replacing it with nutrient-rich compost, which is available for about $12 a truckload at the Miramar Landfill. “The added benefit is you really don’t need to add any fertilizer on top of that, because the compost itself will feed the plants,” he says. “With chemical fertilizers, those chemicals go straight to the plant and they grow beautifully, but the soil becomes completely worthless—and that’s what’s happening across America right now.” Nancarrow suggests purchasing or constructing a raised bed, and adding drip irrigation or a recycled soaker hose, so that water permeates the soil and reaches the root system. Probus advises first-time gardeners to plant vegetables appropriate to the season. “March is right on the cusp between the cool season and the hot season,” she says. “Start with more of the beans and bell peppers. You can grow some of the earlyseason tomatoes like Early Girl, San Diego, Celebrity and Champion, though it’s still a little early for the larger varieties.” (Continued on Page 49)

Joie tee, $168, bracelets, $58, Aqua necklace, $48, Bloomingdale’s, bloomingdales.com pacificsandiego.com

OUTDOOR

gr e e n

(Continued from Page 48)

Condo owners and renters might consider windowsill gardening. “If you don’t want to have to bend over to pick your vegetables, you can just pick them out of a small box that sits on top of a sill or hangs off a wall,” Probus says. “It’s just easier.” Though windowsill gardens are good for smaller vegetation, Probus says people should realize their tomatoes and peppers may not reach the same size as they might outdoors. walterandersen.com, victorygardenssandiego.com

Loren Nancarrow

Tips for starting a vegetable garden • Plant in the sunniest portion of the yard • Replace or enrich existing soil with compost • Choose plants appropriate for the season • Purchase or construct a raised vegetable box • Add a drip irrigation system Vegetables to plant in March: cabbage, carrots, beans, zucchini, pumpkins, melons, some tomatoes Summer vegetables: Tomatoes, chilies, corn, cucumbers and peppers Winter vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and kale

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STAR POWER

Lean, ‘green’ residential machine runs on rays

eder Norby is a homeowner with an amazing view—and vision. His 4,600-square-foot, Prairiestyle estate in Carlsbad, which overlooks Agua Hedionda Lagoon, generates enough solar electricity to power his home and a BMW Mini-E electric car. The San Diego County planning commissioner averages about 17,000 miles per year. Norby recently drove to Hollywood for the premiere of BMW’s new social media documentary series, in which he and his car are featured. The trek, at speeds of up to 80 miles per, was made purely on sunshine. Each day at about 8 a.m., the electric meter on Norby’s home begins to spin backwards, meaning he is generating more power than he is consuming— making the structure what he considers one of the few “net zero homes” in the country. “We’re actually giving the grid the energy when it needs it, during peak hours,” he says. “If more

people do that, less power plants will be built.” After rebates and federal tax credits, Norby spent about $30,000 on solar panels, an amount that will be paid off in less than three years through the energy he is saving. Though his home was built before singlefamily residential homes qualified for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, he received an award through the California Center for Sustainable Energy, which administers the state’s solar rebate program. Unlike fossil fuel, which requires energy to extract, refine and transport, the sun beats directly down on Norby’s home, and is not subject to inflation or market manipulation. “You’re self-reliant and providing your own energy from a renewable source,” he says. “It’s just much more efficient all the way down the supply chain—and there are no emissions at the tailpipe. It’s just a beautiful thing.” heronshouse.com

PATCHING THE MONEY PIT

F Peder Norby’s über-green Carlsbad home and BMW Mini-E electric car, powered by rooftop solar panels.

Herons’ House Solar panels: 35 Average kilowatts generated per day: 33 (50 in summer, 24 in winter) Annual utility bills: $450 ($250 electric, $200 gas) Miles driven on sunshine per year: 17,000 Annual gasoline savings: $2,200 Combined annual energy savings: $6,000-$7,000 Bottles of wine produced per year: 400

or those who can’t afford to install solar panels but want to get in on the green home movement (and stop padding the portfolios of utility company execs), companies such as Evolv Efficiency Solutions offer a three- to five-hour home energy audit. Evolv’s John Schuller says people would be surprised, if not horrified, at the way energy is sucked from their homes, and their pocketbooks. “Every house, even an absolutely brand new house, leaks air,” Schuller says. “We basically want to create a house that is completely sealed and insulated well. Therefore you don’t need to use your furnace or your air conditioning as much.” Evolv technicians use infrared photography and a device known as a blower door to determine where air is leaking from doors, the attic and between walls. “When you turn on your air conditioning or your heater, you’d be amazed at the air that gets sucked right out and into the attic from your recessed lighting, light switches and power outlets,” Schuller says. Simple energy retrofits can save 20 to 30 percent on utility bills, he says. “For the people that want to do solar it’s still a first step. Why not reduce the consumption, because that’s less solar panels that you need to buy?” evolvyourhome.com

Ways to make your home more energy efficient • Schedule an energy audit • fill-in gaps in the home’s insulation •Replace energy inefficient appliances (newer models consume 30 to 40 percent less energy) • Seal leaks around windows, doors and electrical outlets • Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps • Solar on the cheap: Lease solar panels at solarcity.com; The fixed monthly amount paid to rent the panels is less than a typical energy bill.

pacificsandiego.com

DESI G N

DESIGN OF THE TIMES

Homeowners seek more personal, daring motifs in 2011

uring the subprime real estate boom, while investors were fixing up and flipping houses, design choices tended toward the predictable and staid: elegant yet safe options with massmarket appeal, such as granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Robert Wright, a past national president of the American Society of Interior Designers, says homeowners these days are making bolder, more personal choices that reflect a desire to stay in their homes for the long haul. “I think people are really looking at their homes more as a home and not an investment,” says Wright, a principal and co-founder of San Diego-based Bast/Wright Interiors. “People are kind of reclaiming their homes, so now the interior design solutions are a little bit more customized and personalized.” Counters and flat surfaces made of composite stone are replacing natural stones, such as granite. “It’s a more of a clean, contemporary feel—more straightforward,” Wright says. Though stainless steel is holding steady in the market, Wright says homeowners are leaning toward tinted and painted stainless in kitchen appliances, window frames and furniture trim. “We’re beginning to see a big redirection towards gray, mauve and purple— everywhere in the house, in upholstery and paint colors,” Wright says. “Stain colors tend to be leaning more toward the grays. I’ve seen it before; it’s coming back.” Like fashion, interior design is cyclical. However, a home is more of an investment than a new suit, so the cycle moves slower. The colors and prints used in today’s fashion typically appear in home furnishings four years down the road, Wright says. “Basically, whatever you see on the cover of a fashion magazine, you’ll see it in your home three or four years later—the fabrics,

prints, designs, colors,” he says. “Typically, more fashion-forward colors end up in accents or easy elements to replace, such as upholsteries and paint.” While Oriental rugs would seem to have run their course, Wright says people are more emboldened to match design schemes these days. That ostentatious Oriental number might still work when contrasted with a woven, contemporary rug in an adjacent room. “They bounce and play off each other,” Wright says. “Some of the wonderful, classic furniture looks beautiful on Oriental rugs.”

Less is more, again Though San Diegans aren’t ready to jump on Japan’s capsule hotel trend (in which people rent coffin-sized, stackable lodging for the night), they’re definitely downsizing, preferring aesthetics over cavernous square footage, Wright says. “People want to live smaller and better,” he says. “Proportionally, contemporary interiors are working better, because these homes are smaller and contemporary furnishings tend to be lighter in scale. They’re open and more airy. They’re not big and heavy and cumbersome, so they fit better in these smaller, clean-line, contemporary spaces.”

Chic and Sustainable As the demand for organic and eco-conscious building materials increases, the supply and variety of fabrics, cabinetry and countertops made from these materials have increased and become more tasteful. There’s no excuse not to build or design green, Wright says. “I think, within the next 10 years, it’s going to be expected and just woven into every one of our design solutions.” bastwright.com

“The million-dollar market in La Jolla, Bird Rock, Windansea and Del Mar still moves, (but) people are not going to be buying the vanity homes that they used to—the $850,000 one-bedroom, two-bath with a massive floor plan.” — S eth O ’ B y rne , R ealtor , T roop R eal E state

FROM LEFT: Rotating dining room (see Page 41); La Jolla home, interior design by Kellie McCormick and Robert Wright; La Jolla ranch remodel by Robert Wright.

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

Dress, BCBGMAXAZRIA $378, Bloomingdale’s, bloomingdales.com; shoes, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com

Design trends for 2011 Pantone color: honeysuckle (last year’s color, turquoise) Other trending colors: Muted hues and neutrals such as white, chocolate browns and icy grays; bright reds, sapphire blues, fuchsia purples Vintage: Reused and restored furniture Ruralist/eco-chic: Cabinets, countertops and fabrics made from recycled, organic or sustainable materials Indoor-outdoor blending: Bringing elements of the outside indoors, and vice versa; use of rattan deep chairs, bamboo coffee tables and large plants indoors Scandinavian chill: Minimalism is still going strong with white furniture, romantic lines and white walls; colorful accessories are used as accents Belgian: Gray-washed, distressed oak tables and linen-upholstered sofas The colorful “Comic-Condo” on the 19th floor of the Meridian building, downtown (see Page 43). pacificsandiego.com

taste

On a

Roe Roppongi’s sushi, BLT style—crab, bacon, tomato and fried rice paper

San Diego sushi, from saltwater to mouthwatering

B y B rand o n H e rn á nd e z • P h o t o s b y S tac y K e ck racking apart a pair of chopsticks, dipping a piece of Dragon Roll in a saucer of wasabi-tinged soy sauce and clinking cups of hot sake make eating sushi a culinary ritual. Some San Diego sushi joints even spice it up with music, rocking the roll experience with chill DJ beats. Whether the venue’s swank or homey, part of sushi’s appeal is its artistry—the more innovative the presentation and flavor pairings, the greater the anticipation. When you have a hankering for the freshest fish, get hooked on any of these Finest City sushi spots.

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Metro Sensual

Best bets for sushi in San Diego’s urbanized epicenter The Dragon’s Den This new spot is as fresh as the seafood it serves, but features a solid backbone in the form of a trio of chefs with a combined 50 years of experience. Tradition trumps new world innovation as these gifted imports strive to bring an authentic Japanese experience to Petco Parkers. Of course, there’s still room for a California twist or two—can you say sushi nachos? 315 10th Ave., East Village, 619.792.8254, thedragonsdensd.com

ABOVE: Nobu’s kampachi with baby artichoke and yuzu BELOW: sushi bar at Nobu

Hive Sushi Lounge Fish fans flock to this East Village site like bees to honey. The draw—whimsical creations like the Crazy Czech Roll with spicy tuna, scallops, salmon and sriracha aioli; and the Honey Bee Roll with yellowtail wrapped in yellow soy paper with snapper and gold tobico. Even first-timers can feel as if they have a hook-up with the 22-piece “I Know the Sushi Chef” sashimi platter. 1409 C St., East Village, 619.702.6010, hivesushilounge.com

Nobu The culinary cornerstone of downtown’s Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, Nobu is famous for top-quality ingredients and masterful techniques. Its nouveau gourmet approach is beautifully exemplified by bluefin toro (fatty tuna belly) tartare with caviar and octopus carpaccio and jalapeño dressing that meshes symbiotically with its upscale contemporary interiors. 315 10th Ave., Gaslamp, 619.792.8254, noburestaurants.com/san-diego

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taste RA Sushi Late-night and happy hour are the best times to settle in and feast on stunning arrays of both fish and flesh at this downtown den for mingling singles. There’s no denying seafood’s the name of the game at this popular chain, where the focus is on gussying up otherwise ordinary rolls with sexy metropolitan flare. 474 Broadway, Gaslamp, 619.321.0021, rasushi.com

Ra Sushi’s special dragon fruit ceviche

The Hills

Gone fishing in Hillcrest and Bankers Hill Azuki Sushi This spot packs two distinctly different and equally enjoyable dining experiences into one small, yet lovely space. Whether you’re taking in the clean, crimson-clad indoor environs or kicking back in the garden area out back, delightfully modern offerings like the R U Kidding Me roll with diver scallops, tempura-fried asparagus, seared tuna and white truffle oil go down equally as nice. 2321 Fifth Ave., Banker’s Hill, 619.238.4760, azukisushi.com

Ono Sushi Ono? Oh, yes! Get your fill of everyday items like red snapper or albacore, or go for more exotic uncooked delicacies such as sashimi of aji (horse mackerel) or hokki gai (surf clam) nigiri. Or get a taste of the ‘hood Ono calls home with the Double Hillcrest Roll stuffed with scallops, crab, tuna and flying fish roe. 1236 University Ave., Hillcrest, 619.298.0616, onosushi.com

Hane Sushi A constant stream of patrons flock to Hane for exceptional, authentic sushi. The freshness of the fish is matched only by the skills of the chefs at this admittedly high-priced alcove for top-tier toro, uni and other prized treasures plucked straight from the sea. 2760 Fifth Ave., Banker’s Hill, 619.260.1411

Sushi Deli 1, 2 and 3 There’s a reason this triad of restos regularly feature lines snaking along their exteriors. It’s their unifying thematic—tasty sushi at reasonable prices. There are plenty of low-cost sushi options in SD, but this is one, make that three, where quality doesn’t suffer, and flavor is always at the forefront. 228 W. Washington St., Hillcrest, 619.231.9597, sushideliusa.com 135 Broadway, Downtown, 619.233.3072 7986 Armour St., Kearny Mesa, 858.292.5515

Hook, Line and Sinker: the most expensive plate ever produced—a quintet of crab nigiri wrapped in edible gold leaf and garnished with fifth-of-a-carat African diamonds, retailed for $2,700. Good thing there’s plenty of other fish in the sea! —SPENDY SUSHI MADE BY FILIPINO CHEF ANGELITO ARENETA, JR., OF MANILA, PHILIPPINES

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

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ABOVE: Assorted fresh selections from Harney Sushi BELOW: Harney Sushi chef Nao Nakamura

Coasting Along

A wave of oceanic overachievers Harney Sushi Start off with well-stuffed rolls, such as the lobster-laced Rollz Royce with garlic ponzu, eel and “money” sauces, or the tempura-fried Miso Harney with eel, cream cheese and avocado. Next, move on to creative cooked dishes from the back of the house, like “Bagels and Lox”— house-cured salmon with everything spice-coated crisps and yuzuinfused cream cheese “nitro” spaghetti, made using liquid nitrogen. 3964 Harney St., Old Town, 619.295.3272, harneysushi.com 301 Mission Ave., Oceanside, 760.967.1820

Kabuki Sushi Restaurant The term “fresh off the boat” certainly applies to rolls made at Kabuki, where the sushi bar is surrounded by a moat. Circumnavigating the ever-flowing water way are mini, spear-nosed plastic rafts from which patrons snatch the sushi offerings they desire. Caterpillar, Spider and Dragon rolls are all here, along with other delicious numbers, such as the Stingray and King Cobra. 4475 Mission Blvd., Ste. C, Pacific Beach, 858.270.1986, pacificbeachkabukisushi.com

Shimbashi Izakaya This brand new addition aims to provide coastal denizens with an option for after-work unwinding and indulgence via the installment of an izakaya. Traditional Japanese izakayas are more about adult drinks than the food customers use to sop up the alcohol, but the fare at these joints is flavorful and almost as much a guilty pleasure as the booze. 1555 Camino Del Mar, Ste. 201, Del Mar, 858.523.0479, shimbashi-restaurants.com

Sushi Ota One would be hard-pressed to find a sushi restaurant more universally lauded by chefs and diners alike. The space is humble, but no remodel is necessary thanks to pristine sashimi that’s as clean as the expert cuts of the chef the spot is named after. Folks who show up when he makes a cameo are in for the ultimate treat and would do well to let him guide the way. 4529 Mission Bay Dr., Mission Beach, 858.270.5670, sushi-ota.com

Zen 5 Sushi Unagi meets irie at this unique sushi lounge where reggae and raw fish rule. Chill to the rhythms of Rastafarian ear candy as you wrap your chopsticks around mellow rolls like the rice-free Tropical with tempura shrimp, tuna and salmon wrapped in cucumber, and the shrimp and avocado-stuffed Timmy roll that comes topped with a loose crust of crunchy tempura flakes. 1130 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, 858.490.0121, zen5sushi.com

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taste DINING OUT w hat ’ s cooking cocktail

Shangri-La

Jewels from La Jolla’s family of sushi spots Bluefin Fusion Japanese Restaurant Fusion is key at this eatery, but when it comes to sushi, they keep it real. Playfullynamed rolls like the Ex-Boyfriend and Ex-Girlfriend, French Kiss and Hotlip are winners, as is the Blue Fin Specialty Roll, which incorporates lush ingredients including minced toro, scallions, bluefin tuna, fresh wasabi and shaved gobo (a sweetly earthen root from Japan). 4305 La Jolla Village Dr., Ste. L-2, UTC Area, 858.677.0558, bluefinfusion.com

Cafe Japengo Get your feet wet with the Fifty-Fifty Roll, a mixture of crab, salmon and yellowtail with lemon and ponzu sauce. Or go all-out with the Tootsie Roll, featuring soft-shell crab, grilled shiitake mushrooms and avocado with a sake marinade. Either way, with an alluringly posh dining room and sushi that sings with a savory pop, this is one of the best spots in San Diego for a date night in the raw. 8960 University Center Ln., UTC Area, 858.450.3355, cafejapengo.com

ABOVE: Roppongi’s big eye tuna BELOW: Roppongi’s steak and fries roll

Roppongi This Village eatery has long been known for sushi and Asian fusion cuisine. The former recently got an upgrade with the addition of a new chef—adding fresh flare to the bill of fare with rolls that offer comfortingly familiar flavor combos like the surfand-turf Kobe Roll with seared beef, lobster, crab, asparagus, hoisin honey BBQ sauce and truffle oil. Talk about a promising debut. 875 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.551.5252, roppongiusa.com

(Continued on Page 58)

The Cutting Edge: It takes an extra sharp blade to produce top-tier sashimi. Sushi knives feature a layer of soft steel molded around a hard steel core. Despite the dual layers, the blades are extremely thin and crafted to be ultra-light so chefs need only exert the bare minimum of physical force when making ultra-precise cuts. 56

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Sushi on the Rock Visitors to La Jolla and the residents who detest them have been patronizing this spot (in a good way) for a long time, returning time and again for one-ofa-kinders like their Golden Monkey sashimi (yellowtail and avocado with yuzu ponzu), Barrio Roll (tuna, serrano chilies, salsa and avocado) and Coco Roll (coconut-crusted shrimp with toasted coconut and eel sauce). 1025 Prospect St. #250, La Jolla, 858.459.3208, sushiontherock.com

Zenbu Lots of sushi places tout the importance of using only the freshest seafood, but this enterprise puts its money where its massago is, using its own eco-friendly fishing company, Ocean Giant, to get the fish and shellfish that grace dishes like the Big Pete (spicy scallop with Cajun tuna and wasabi sauce) and Volcano Roll (crab and avocado rolled in halibut with “Dynamite” sauce). rimelsrestaurants.com 7660 Fay Ave., La Jolla, 858.454.4540 2003 San Elijo Ave., Cardiff by the Sea, 760.633.2233

S ee more photos at

ABOVE: Zenbu’s koi roll BELOW: For goodness’ sakes at Zenbu

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Grains of Paradise: stellar sushi requires perfectly-prepared sushi rice. it’s so important that aspiring master chefs sometimes spend a year or more honing their technique for cooking extra-sticky, glutinous short-grain rice before ever touching a single morsel of seafood. 58

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w hat ’ s cooking cocktail

SmokingRoomOnly

Relive the excesses of Mid-Century America with a Mad Men dinner party B y C athar i n e L . K a u f man ad your fill of veganism, smoke-free clubs and carbon footprint consciousness? Transport your dinner guests to the heady, high stakes world of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the ad agency portrayed in AMC’s hit series, Mad Men. While awaiting the next installment of the series, aspiring “Mad Men” (and women) can re-create the era’s elegant and dissonant cocktail culture in the comfort their own homes.

Setting the scene Planning to broach that promotion with your boss? Dress that dining table with a damask cloth, tapered candlesticks, fine china, sterling service and cut-crystal wine goblets. Fixing a spread for the local bridge biddies or the hubby’s poker club? Go the casual route with a ’60s-style buffet or TV dinners.

The Mad Menu Utz chips and Appe-“teasers” Kick off your get-together with ad rep Pete Campbell’s appetizer of sour cream onion dip served in a kitschy ceramic chip-and-dip bowl like the one he and petulant partner Trudy received as a wedding gift. Utz Potato Chips, one of Sterling Cooper’s clients, pair nicely with the dip. First produced in 1921, the classic chips can still be purchased at utzsnacks.com. Other era-appropriate hors d’oeuvres include pigs in a blanket, devilled ham canopies, sweet and sour meatballs, cocktail shrimp and Japanese rumaki, which chainsmoking homemaker Betty Draper served as part of her international “trip around the world” dinner menu. Salmonella, cirrhosis and other modern myths In one episode, the agency bosses and their wives share a Caesar salad prepared tableside 60

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

by their waiter. The classic Caesar recipe calls for a coddled egg (boiled in the shell, gently for a minute—de rigueur in the ’60s). To avoid foodborne illness and messy litigation, substitute a couple tablespoons of fancy mayonnaise. Joan Holloway’s wild mushroom puff pastry Whip up these savory tarts with Joan, the full-figured, saucy queen of stenographers, in mind. A recipe can be found at allrecipes.com or epicurious.com. Frozen puff pastry dough can be purchased in the freezer section of finer supermarkets. Serve them solo or alongside a well-done hunk of beef. Madison Avenue meat eaters In honor of beefcake boss Don Draper and the clogged arteries of partner Roger Sterling, serve carnivorous dishes of the ’50s and ’60s such as flaming steak Diane, beef stroganoff, Swiss steak, Beef Wellington or stuffed pork chops. Fowl play Paying tribute to Pete Campbell’s meltdown, in which he chucked Trudy’s roast chicken out the balcony window, serve chicken Florentine, chicken Divan, coq au vin or Long Island duck in Port wine. Just desserts Mad Men adulteress, Bobbie Barrett, and (Continued on Page 62)

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(Continued from Page 60)

a slew of nubile ingénues thoroughly enjoyed Don’s philandering sweet treats. As such, New York cherry cheesecake, cream puffs, lady fingers and other sexist-sounding confections should round off your Mad Menu.

Pick your poison Wash it all down with Betty’s dinner party duo of French Burgundy wine and “a frosty glass of beer from Holland” (aka Heineken—another Sterling Cooper client). Or stir things up with these cocktail faves from the late ’50s and ’60s: Manhattan: Symbolically garnished with a mischievous maraschino Greyhound: Tangy, morphed screwdriver using grapefruit instead of orange juice Old Fashioned: Still in style, blending citrus, bitters and rye whiskey Martini: The quintessential cocktail of the era, equally enjoyed by guys and gals; the Dirty Martini is made with an extra dose of olive juice, while the Gibson Martini replaces olives with pearl onions Gin Gimlet: Tangy with a splash of lime, Betty Draper’s cocktail of choice

Mad toasts “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.” “Up to the lips, over the gums, look out stomach, here she comes.” “To my wife and the woman I love. May the two never meet.”

Sugar and spice, and plenty of vice For extra authenticity, serve ’60s candy such as Mallow Cups, Jujubes or Boston Baked Beans. Engage your guests with offline board games such as Risk, The Game of Life, Parcheesi, Canasta, Yahtzee or Cribbage. Prefer a drinking game? Try to keep up with the cast as they booze their way through the workday, taking sips or chugs at every inappropriate sexual advance, off-color comment or instance of an ad man cheating on his missus. 62

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Smoke gets in your eyes Though viewers were shocked to see Betty Draper puffing away in her third trimester, smoking was once a socially acceptable and omnipresent pastime. Smokes of choice included Lucky Strike, (a Sterling Cooper client up until last season), Player’s, Pall Mall, Camel, Old Gold, Black Cat and Chesterfield’s. Cigar aficionados enjoyed sexy stogies such as Tiparillos, White Owl, Muriel and Cubans, until they were deemed illegal under the Kennedy administration’s trade embargo of 1962. For more explicit party details, Maddicts also will want to check out the book, MAD MEN: The Illustrated World, by Dyna Moe.

‘Mad Men’ Party at The Pearl A special “Mad Men”-themed viewing party will be held March 12, from 9 p.m. to midnight. Dress to impress in suits, skinny ties, party dresses and hats. Mad Men will be shown on the big screen by the pool, accompanied by a roster of rockin’ hits from the late ’50s and early ’60s. Enjoy retro foodstuffs and “refreshments” such as “Don Draper’s Scotch on the Rocks” and “Peggy’s Brandy Alexander.” The Pearl Hotel, 1410 Rosecrans Street, Point Loma 619.226.6100, thepearlsd.com

taste DINING OUT

Old’s Cool

w hat ’ s cooking cocktail

Turquoise Room schools parched young’uns on the classics S t o r y and ph o t o s b y P at S h e rman

oring over the cocktail menu at La Mesa’s Turquoise Room is like liquid archaeology—an exploration marked by progressive sips, proving just how cool our grandparents could be. “We get senior citizens coming in saying, ‘We haven’t heard of a Harvey Walbanger in 40 years. We didn’t think anybody knew how to make that anymore,’” says Turquoise Room manager Josh Christensen. Pre-retirement age patrons dropping in to grill ‘n’ chill at the adjoining Riviera Supper Club (a DIY steak house under the auspices of former Turf Supper Club owners Tim Mays and Sam Chammas) are often pleased to unearth the Turquoise Sour, a combination of Rye whiskey, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup served up with a float of red wine. Christensen recalls the first time he ordered the drink, originally known as the New York Sour, from a veteran Seattle mixologist. “He whipped it up and I thought, ‘Did you just put wine into my whiskey? What are you doing, man?’” Christensen says. “I think six later I was like, ‘This is the greatest drink of all time!’ My wife and I were rolling out of there.” When the drink was created in the 1880s, it called for a red wine known as claret, though Christensen prefers a pinot or other dry red wine. Enthralled by the unlikely marriage of wine and whiskey, the Turquoise Room staff voted it onto the menu. “We’re all pretty similar in our views and our likes,” Christensen says. “We take pride in making classic cocktails, making them correctly and making them strong.” Drinkers wishing to replenish their strength for summer might consider an equally muscular number known as the Infidel. Christensen introduced the drink after a trip to Nicaragua, during which the only ingredients on hand were limes, sugar and “killer rum.” “It’s just an old-school Cuban daiquiri,” Christensen says. “When people used to order daiquiris back in the ’40s and ’50s, that’s what they would get. It’s almost all booze.” The Riviera Supper Club, which opened in the late 1940s and thrived during the ’60s and ’70s as Jamar Steakhouse and Lounge, looks much as it must have when JFK delivered the commencement speech at nearby San Diego State University in 1963—dark wood interior, dim lighting and highbacked leather booths offering an uncanny sense of place. Mays and Chammas discovered the site after losing their lease at the Turf Supper Club in Golden Hill, opening Riviera in December 2008. A piece of glass painted with the Jamar logo was discovered in a shed out back and is now backlit and displayed behind the bar in the Turquoise Room—its crest containing a goblet and a fish. Christensen says the staff is united in their theory that the image means “to drink like a fish.” 64

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ABOVE: The Infidel BELOW: Turquoise Sour

Riviera Supper Club & Turquoise Room 7777 University Avenue, La Mesa 619.713.6777, rivierasupperclub.com Happy Hour: 4 to 6 p.m. daily, $2 off sirloin and cocktails Live Music: Monday through Saturday, 9 p.m.

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On the Rhodes Again Lady Gaga’s return excites local fashion designer B y D A V e G OO D San Diego’s “little monsters” (the pet name Lady Gaga uses for her legions of fans) are doubtlessly agog, awaiting the Lady’s Viejas Arena gig this month and the arrival of her new album, “Born This Way” (the title track of which Elton John recently deemed the “gayest song” he’s ever heard). (Continued on Page 68 ) pacificsandiego.com

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As Gaga, Inc. hauls its freight-load n of fetish-inspired, spark-spewing attire into town, a local fashion arbiter has her sights set on the avant-garde megastar. For nearly five decades, the far-out, punky gowns of Zandra Rhodes have kept celebrities such as the late Princess Diana, Jackie O., Bianca Jagger, Freddie Mercury, Kate Moss and Paris Hilton on the fashion map. Now, Rhodes wants to create for Gaga, who may just be her equal in the outrageous department. “I’d adore dressing Lady Gaga,” Rhodes says via phone from Florida. “I could do her in some of my gorgeous traditional things (or) maybe a punk design, with one of her breasts out.” As in a fully exposed, NFL-affronting “malfunction”? “Yes, I think it would look lovely,” says Rhodes, whose bold, breastbaring designs are on display at the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park through April 3. Born in England, Rhodes studied at London’s Royal College of the Arts. Once considered too adventurous by conservative British standards, she started her own clothing line and now divides her time between London and Del Mar. At 70, she is a walking color burst, keeping her once lime-green Zandra Rhodes and purple hair a shade of hot pink. “Lady Gaga’s been to Armani, and he’s more conservative than me,” Rhodes says. “I’d hope that she’d have confidence in someone with pink hair.” Even for Rhodes, designing for Gaga would be a challenge. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Gaga has led with her chest assets. Her boobs have been painted, bound in rope, wrapped in crime-scene tape and disguised with uncooked pork chops. Should Gaga’s people call for a fitting, Rhodes says she’d prefer to Lady Gaga take the less-is-more approach. “She’s young,” Rhodes says. “That means that all the parts of her body are okay being exposed.

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Josh Olins

Lady Gaga Opener: Scissor Sisters Date: March 29 Time: 8 p.m. Venue: Viejas Arena, SDSU Tickets: $53.50 to $179 Info: 619.594.6947 or as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena 68

pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}

JUSTICE FOR ALL Local R&B singer gets ‘club bug,’ tastes chart success

B y pat sh e rman ancho Peñasquitos has defied its snooze-inducing reputation in recent years, becoming the launching pad of glammed-up American Idol alum, Adam Lambert, and the homespun horror film franchise, Paranormal Activity. Now, Peñasquitos native and R&B vocalist Krys Justice is hoping his recent chart success will catapult him to similar heights. With a new single and video, All Night Long, the 28-year-old could be poised to place PQ on the map once again. The single Chemistry, off Justice’s 2010 CD, Juggernaut, reached No. 18 on the Dance Top 50 Chart, while his follow-up single, All Night Long, received Best Music Video and Best Dance Song nominations at the 2010 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, and was one of the 10 “Most Added Tracks” on the DJ Times National Club Charts. “I’m just really honored and humbled that I’m charting so well,” says Justice, who currently calls Rancho Santa Fe home. A fitness addict who ran track and played soccer and football at San Pasqual High School in Escondido, Justice can pit his shredded abs against those of just about any hip-hop or rap icon, from 50-Cent to Kanye to Usher. “I probably go to the gym at least four to five times a week,” he says. “I’ll do cardio in the mornings for about 30 or 40 minutes, and then in the afternoons I’ll break out muscle groups and do some resistance training.” Justice was raised on Motown and MTV legends before picking up one of his father’s saxophones and going on to learn piano and 10 other instruments. In high school, he attended The Stanford Jazz Workshop, during which he roomed with Carlos Santana’s son, Salvador, for two summers. He says his “urban electronic” music was heavily inspired by the David Guetta and Akron single, Sexy Bitch. “When that song hit, I just wanted to learn more and started listening to deadmau5, Tiësto and every European type of club DJ. It was just getting the club bug, I guess you would say.” krysjustice.com

A punk percussionist reinvents himself B y pat sh e rman

rock of ages Slowhand and steady wins the race B y D A V e G OO D

Danny Clinch

The Beat of a Different Drummer

hen Eric Clapton performs live March 6 at the Sports Arena, he may invite his friend J.J. Cale, a reclusive North County guitar player, to join him onstage. The friendship dates back to 1970, the year Clapton launched the Valley Center songwriter’s career by recording a cover of Cale’s song, “After Midnight.” Later, Clapton turned Cale’s “Cocaine” into classic rock gold. In 2004, Cale played Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas. The collaboration continued two years later, when Clapton co-wrote and recorded The Road to Escondido with Cale and San Diegan Eric Clapton in Concert Nathan East, a bass player in Clapton’s band since the midDate: March 6 1980s. Incidentally, none of the songs on The Road to Time: 7:30 p.m. Venue: Valley View Casino Escondido are actually about the city of Escondido.

hough he spent more than a decade pounding the skins in a hardcore punk band, DJ Sid Vicious now prefers to create anarchy on the dance floor. “I come to party and I want the room to party,” he says. “I think it really comes across to the venue that I’m Center (SD Sports Arena) having fun and that the crowd’s having fun.” Tickets: $55.50 to $95.50 Hailing from Dortmund, Germany, Vicious Info: 619.224.4171 or www.valleyviewcasino (aka Sidney Niesen) kept the alias he aped from the center.com Sex Pistols’ late bassist, though he now says nein to mohawks, mosh pits and the occasional Pistols’ sample that once peppered his sets. 3/2: Crystal Castles @ House of Blues, hob.com “I’ve kind of almost walked away from it,” he says. “I 3/3: James Blunt @ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com didn’t want to give people this misconception that I was 3/3: The Silent Comedy @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com this punk rock guy that only played rock music and was 3/4: Michael Showalter @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com vicious. Quite contrary, I’m very friendly.” 3/5: Soja @ House of Blues, hob.com Though he sold his drums four years ago, Vicious says 3/5: San Diego Brazil Carnival @ 4th & B, BRAZILCARNIVAL.COM his raucous roots give him a better ear with which to gauge 3/6 Eric Clapton @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com song transitions—especially when moving between genres 3/6: Chris Cornell @ Humphreys By the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com and tracks with varying beats per minute. 3/6: Autolux @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com “A lot of people that know me think I can really read a 3/8: FM 94/9’s presents Morcheeba with the Mumlers @ House of Blues, hob.com room better or play to a room better because I have that 3/8: Hot Tuna @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com musical background,” he says. “I think it made DJing a 3/9: Deicide @ Brick by Brick, brickbybrick.com lot easier for me. That timing and that rhythm is just in 3/9: David Gray @ Spreckels Theatre, ticketmaster.com my soul. It’s there.” 3/9: North Mississippi Allstars @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com See DJ Sid Vicious spin Saturdays at FLUXX and 3/11: Fluxx one-year anniversary party with DJ Karma @ Fluxx, fluxxsd.com Sunday nights at 207 at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego. 3/11: Unwritten Law CD Release Party @ House of Blues, hob.com DJ Sid Vicious djsidvicious.com 3/11 Fishtank Ensemble @ The Loft, theloft.ucsd.edu Age: 37

MARCH concert calendar

Former career: Punk drummer Years in San Diego: 3 Eats: Searsucker, Nobu Favorite band: Depeche Mode Mentor: DJ Vice

J E F F “ TURBO ” CORRI G AN

In the mix with DJ Sid Vicious at 207 at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

3/12: Mike Watt and the Missingmen @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 3/12: San Diego Indie Fest @ Liberty Station, sandiegoindiefest.com 3/13: Deep Dark Robot w/Linda Perry @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 3/16: House of Pain @ House of Blues, hob.com 3/17: Cash’d Out @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 3/19: Gretchen Wilson @ Sycuan Casino, sycuancasino.com 3/20: Juanes @ Valley View Casino Center (formerly San Diego Sports Arena), valleyviewcasinocenter.com S ee more photos at 3/20: Devo @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com pacificsandiego.com 3/22: Girl Talk @ SOMA, somasandiego.com 3/23: The Ready Set @ SOMA, somasandiego.com 3/24: Toad the Wet Sprocket @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com 3/25 DJ Icon and Ricky Rocks @ Fluxx, fluxxsd.com 3/25 Debonaires/Revivers @ Brick by Brick, brickbybrick.com 3/27: OMD @ 4th & B, 4thandbevents.com 3/29: Lady Gaga with Scissor Sisters @ Viejas Arena, as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena 3/30: The Baseball Project (with members of REM) @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 3/30: Galactic @ BellyUp Tavern, bellyup.com 3/31 Wolfgang Gartner @ House of Blues, hob.com pacificsandiego.com

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U-31 Cocktail Lounge

B y D A VE G OO D • P h o t o b y J EFF “ T U R B O ” C O R R I G A N hen booze and photo booths collide, risqué snapshots ensue. Alexis Piotrowski, who slings drinks at North Park’s U-31 four nights a week, sees it all the time. On at least one occasion, she’s had to toss patrons out for sexing it up in the club’s memory-making contraption. “People take very sexy photos in there,” she says. “And the girls can get pretty wild.” So, how does she maintain decorum? “I take a very harsh tone, and I slap my hand down on the bar,” she says. “I think when someone slaps their hand down, it means business.” Recently married, Piotrowski has tended bar at U-31 for the past three years. And when she’s not making drinks, she’s usually consuming them, giving love back to area watering holes and the mixologists who visit her at U-31. She also likes to frequent bars in her native Tucson, where the drinks are cheap and enjoyed while escaping the heat and monotony of the desert. “I took my husband back there for the first time and things were, you know, fun,” she says. “Now, we say the couple that drinks together, stays together.” When the mercury rises, Piotrowski favors a desert drink she calls the Paloma, a mixture of Squirt and tequila, served in a glass with a salted rim. And though she has yet to invent her own drink, she likes to add a personal touch to existing faves. “I improved on the gin and tonic by adding St. Germain to it,” Piotrowski says. “It has floral aspects which bring out the juniper and other aspects in the gin.” Through the years, Piotrowski’s tip money has gone into her arms, in the form of tattooed sleeves and some other naturebased designs she created herself. For her, skin art symbolizes growth and change. When not club hopping or getting inked, Piotrowski hits the lanes. She owns her own shoes and bowling ball, and says she prefers the company of old pros. “If people invite me bowling, I will not say no,” she says, with an easy laugh. “I like to go when everybody is like 70 and up. They’re all in such good moods and they’re happy to be there. They’re pumped and I’m pumped. I’m like, let’s get our bowl on, you know?”

Alexis Piotrowski Age: 29 Music: Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf Reads: George Orwell’s 1984, Ayn Rand’s Anthem Passion: Jewelry design, mixed media art Bowling average: No comment

Tatted tender wears her art on her sleeves

U-31’s colorful bartender, Alexis Piotrowski

3112 University Avenue, North Park

619.584.4188, u31bar.COM

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love D AT E

getting

Lucky A ROMP TO THE END OF THE RAINBOW

b y da v i d p e r l o f f P h o t o s b y B R EVI N B L A C H ating can be a crapshoot. Blind dating can give you the scratchers. To maximize the potential for good fortune on this afternoon’s St. Patty’s-themed, would-be romantic adventure, PacificSD asked Loren and Oliver to dress in green. And in case channeling leprechauns doesn’t lead the daters to a pot of gold or make them feel lucky at love, your friendly neighborhood magazine is providing the brave duo with scratchers—instant lottery tickets, not (STDs). Before the blind date begins at Dublin Square Irish Pub & Grill in the Gaslamp, let’s meet the players.

Why are you going on a blind date in a magazine? LOREN: It reminds me of Old World Italian customs of arranged courtships. Statistics show that the old tradition of matchmaking has been proven to work. OLIVER: It’s hard for me to say no to anything.  What makes you a good catch? LOREN: I have a great sense of humor, I love to experiment with culinary arts and entertainment. Also, I mix a killer cocktail. OLIVER: I was raised by an amazing 72

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What are you looking for in a date? LOREN: I don’t have a type per se. But he does need to feed my comedic ego. OLIVER: Physically, a beautiful face is the most important thing to me. Having a well-rounded, down-toearth, care-free personality is what really does it for me. What’s your biggest fear? LOREN: Falling in love and having him cheat on me. OLIVER: Not being successful. What’s your sign, religion or spiritual belief system, if any? LOREN: Well, I was an Aries, but now I have no idea since the signs have changed. I’m having an identity crisis. I don’t claim a religion, but I am a very spiritual person. OLIVER: Virgo. No religion, but if I had to choose, I’d be Hindu or a Buddhist. Fill in the blanks: In general, the people I date are “blank” and “blank.” LOREN: Successful and engaging. OLIVER: Idiots and I’m glad I dated them because it’s a learning process.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? LOREN: My physical features and sense of humor. OLIVER: I like my capability to be put into any situation and come out with success. What do you like least about yourself? LOREN: My lack of wanting to take a risk. OLIVER: I have lousy selfcontrol. How and why did your last relationship end? LOREN: We were living together, and things just weren’t working out; we wanted different things in life. He’s a great guy; he just wasn’t right for me. OLIVER: I was too young. Loren and Oliver meet at Dublin Square and take a seat by the fireplace before doublin’ up on shots. Does whiskey equal frisky? Fingers crossed, we’re taking the risky! (Continued on page 74)

What do you do for a living? LOREN: I’m the salon coordinator and social media director at Ciao Bella Hair and Body Salon in Rancho Bernardo. OLIVER: I play professional paintball—yes, there is such a thing— and am part owner of the Rubicon Deli in Mission Beach.

mother who has made me into a very unique and loving individual.

U YO

PacificSD: Where are you from and where do you live now? LOREN: I’m from Poway and currently live there. OLIVER: From Sausalito, California, and live in North Pacific Beach currently.

Dublin Square Irish Pub & Grill 554 4th Ave., Gaslamp 619.239.5818, dublinsquareirishpub.com

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D AT E

Irish

YOU WERE HERE

Searching for the ‘lover’ in ‘clover’

s Oliver and Lauren sit together in an Old World living room atmosphere at Dublin Square, they appear to be getting along well. Both are smiling and laughing as they drink their fancy whiskey shots ($34 per shot—thank you, Dublin Square!) and enjoy hearty Irish appetizers. After getting acquainted for about an hour, the two step outside for the quick walk over to another of downtown’s favorite Irish pubs, The Field, on Fifth Avenue. Always concerned for the comfort of our blind daters, PacificSD provides them with protective green eyewear for the walk. Inside The Field, the couple grabs a table by the bar and orders a round of drinks before being split for mid-date interviews.

How was Dublin Square? LOREN: The food was great; the atmosphere was really fun. We had a shot of Jameson Reserve, which was really good. We also had shots that 74

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What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far? LOREN: Definitely his humor, because we’re kind of on the same page with that. And that’s kind of hard to find in a guy nowadays. Either they’re too serious or just a dick, you know? They’re too cool, theyíre douche bags, whatever, but he’s just really easygoing. OLIVER: She’s just kinda got a little funny, witty little attitude, and I kind of like that, you know? She works in

a salon, so she’s that type of girl. She’s very hip, and it’s pretty attractive. Rate your date, physically, on a scale from one to 10. LOREN: Honestly, a 10. I’ve dated some really homely looking guys. OLIVER: For looks, she’s maybe, honestly, probably like a seven in terms of looks. I’m kind of peculiar when it comes to looks. I’m just not really into her style of girl, you know? Sheís a little, kinda, bleach-blonde little tiny girl. I don’t know, I just kind of don’t really go after those. How about for personality? LOREN: Oh, he’s a 10 for sure. OLIVER: She’s got a great personality. Her compatibility with me is nice. We’ve been chatting nonstop and haven’t had a dull moment. So, I give her a nine. Are you feeling lucky? LOREN: Very lucky. It’s not every day you get to go on a blind date with someone. OLIVER: I always feel lucky, no matter what I do.

Would you like to kiss your date right now? LOREN: I would, but I’m sick and I donít want to get him sick. OLIVER: I’m not really too big of a kisser in public. Nice behind closed doors, but that’s it. Does your date want to kiss you? LOREN: Probably. OLIVER: I don’t know, you have to ask her. I mean, U! I’m sure she’d like YO K to. We can do a little make-out session, but it’s too early in the night. The Field (Continued 544 5th Ave., Gaslamp on page 76) 619.232.9840, thefield.com

What was your first impression of your date? LOREN: Very cute, love his haircut. I work in the industry, so that’s the first thing I notice—definitely the hair, always. OLIVER: She’s a sweetheart, you know? I mean, I like every type of woman, I really do, but she’s not one that I would probably pursue right away. But, actually, she’s growing on me a little bit. She’s a good conversationalist and she’s bright.

looked like the Irish flag. We ate a shepherds pie thing and a cheese platter. I enjoyed all of their food. OLIVER: I liked the whole ambiance there. The sofas were intimate, it had some nice reserves of alcohols and whiskeys and stuff like that, and I like looking at that stuff. Great little motif. We had the cheese plate, a couple off-the-wall shots—I think it was an Irish flag that they had—and we had some reserve Jameson, which was very nice. And we had some sort of braised beef appetizer that was very nice, on some nice French bread.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far? LOREN: Really good. We have the same values, he’s really funny, he’s really cute. We’re just having, like, a really fun time. OLIVER: So far, so good. It’s just interesting being on a blind date, you know. It’s one of those things I’ve never done, so it’s good to get it under your belt.

love (Continued from page 74)

D AT E

the field of

Dreams Hoping to strike it rich at an Irish bar

fter the mid-date debriefings at The Field in the Gaslamp, Loren and Ollie try to get lucky by scratching off instant lottery tickets. As their entrées arrive, the couple is finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their date away from the camera. PacificSD calls the next day to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date? LOREN: Overall, the date was great. I couldn’t have asked for a better blind date. Very cute and funny. OLIVER: It was a great experience, overall. I think everyone needs to have a blind date once in their life. How was The Field? LOREN: Neat place. I love that all the employees are actually from Ireland; it really enhanced the experience. I had a shot of Jameson, along with a Ketel and soda. For dinner, we split a sausage roll, wedge salad with a steak and mashed potatoes—best 2 a.m. leftovers a girl could ask for. OLIVER: Great amount of detail there, all the way up to the Irish employees that served us. Conversation was good at this point, because we had suddenly become friends after a few shots. We did the typical date thing to do and shared two items, the wedge salad and a nice hearty steak. You played instant lottery. What happened? LOREN: What do you think happened? We lost! OLIVER: We won $17,000 and flew straight to Vegas to get married. Were you expecting to win? LOREN: Hell no, I never expect to win anything! OLIVER: Always expect to win. 76

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What was the best part of the date? LOREN: Well, the fact that we got to eat and drink on the house—even if the date sucked, he didn’t have to pay, and I wouldn’t feel bad about wasting his money. OLIVER: She was actually pretty cool and, more importantly, we just sat back and laughed at what a funny thing a blind date is, let alone one where you are not in control. Worst part? LOREN: I had a coughing attack at dinner that made my eyes water so bad my fake lashes came off. I lost them and tried to find them, because I love me some tranny lashes. OLIVER: She had a coughing attack—wasn’t that bad, but if you had to ask, that’s what it was. Literally went on for 15 minutes. Describe any romantic connection between yourself and your date. LOREN: Doesn’t alcohol make everything romantic? OLIVER: I think she grabbed my butt when I went to the bathroom, but I couldn’t figure out if my napkin just slipped off my lap. What happened after the magazine crew left you two alone? LOREN: We chilled at The Field for a bit and had another shot. After, we parted ways. I attempted to get sober before round two of the night

with my girls. We tried to meet up, but we were in different parts of downtown. OLIVER: Well, she wanted to go change out of the green attire, and you can’t ever argue when a girl wants to change. I went to visit my husband at Syrah and had wine. I’m not gay, it’s just on my Facebook status, and we now live in the day and age when whatever it reads on Facebook is true. He approved of my date. That’s the beauty of our relationship—we don’t care who else we are with. Was there a kiss or romantic moment? LOREN: I didn’t kiss him, only because I was sick, but we did exchange numbers. OLIVER: No, but we almost hugged.

Write a limerick about your date. LOREN: Feed me Jameson and expect me to write five lines for you? I can barely write one. OLIVER: What a date. It was absolute fate. Maybe next date we will mate. Wait, is that rude? Maybe we will just eat some food.

Will there be a second date? LOREN: People go on second dates in this town? OLIVER: If she has a classy lady for my husband.

The moral of the story: The search for love won’t yield gold every time, but if you don’t take chances, you may never find that proverbial pot. So, if you have an itch, scratch it, but beware:

What would have made you feel luckier? LOREN: Having a four-leaf clover. OLIVER: If PacificSD didn’t give us faulty scratchers.

Luck can’t always be a lady. Sometimes, it’s another guy’s husband, waiting at the end of a non-gay rainbow.

calendar

03.11

Submit events to calendar@pacificsandiego.com.

Sheer Magic

St. Baldrick’s Shave-a-thon Date: March 12, 12 to 4 p.m. Venue: Quality Social, Downtown Info: 888.899.2253, stbaldricks.org

Jake Pescatello (left), co-founder of the San Diego chapter of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, had his head shaved during last year’s event while fellow co-founder, PK Marshall (right), watched.

03/8

3/5: Brazil Carnival Venue: 4th & B, downtown Tickets: $25 Info: brazilcarnival.com Grab your feathered mask and enjoy scantily-clad samba dancers, Brazilian rhythms, capoeira performances and pre-lent libations. Enter to win round-trip airfare to Brazil.

3/8: Hillcrest Mardi Gras Venue: University Avenue, Hillcrest Tickets: $15-$20 Info: mosuniverse.com Celebrate Fat Tuesday in one of the most colorful spots west of the French Quarter—where even the king cake baby sports beads and bad drag. DJ Kimberly S spins.

3/8: Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp Venue: Streets of the Gaslamp Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day of Info: gaslamp.org Enjoy a New Orleans-style hurricane cocktail (or three) on the streets of the Gaslamp—along with two parades, beads, bands, booze, DJs (including sets by The Crystal Method) and even more beads. Proceeds benefit the Gaslamp Quarter Association.

03/8

The Crystal Method

Maura Lanahan

pacificsandiego.com {March 2011}

03/5

affected by cancer,” Marshall says. “Everybody just really rallies around the cause.” For Pescatello, who lost his father to lung cancer, it is a cause that’s close to his heart. “St. Baldrick’s is the largest provider of grants for children’s cancer research and treatment in the country, second only to the U.S. government,” he says. “It’s a ton of money and it goes to really good places.” The event includes appetizers, drink specials, live music and a silent auction. The past two San Diego shave-a-thons netted more than $25,000 for the foundation. This year, Pescatello and Marshall hope to double that amount.

J a m i e Ly n n S i g l e r

Before raising a pint of green suds, Jake Pescatello and PK Marshall are asking San Diegans to help bring some luck to the more than 160,000 children worldwide who are diagnosed with cancer each year. For the third year in a row, they will shave their heads to raise money for childhood cancer research. The duo first got behind the cause three years ago, forming a local chapter of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Since 2005, the charitable organization has raised nearly $57 million to combat childhood cancer through shave-a-thons. Participants collect pledges from friends, colleagues and relatives in return for their smooth, charitable move. More participants are needed to shave their heads and collect donations for this year’s event, to be held March 12 at Quality Social, in Downtown San Diego. In previous years, children and family members have stopped by the host venue to have their heads shaved in solidarity with a young family member dealing with baldness during chemotherapy. “Pretty much everybody’s had somebody in their family that’s been

03/12

Bald heads, big hearts converge to fight childhood cancer

DJ Kimberly S

calendar

03.11 He i d i t h o mps o n

3/17: ShamROCK Venue: 5th Ave. and G St., Gaslamp Tickets: $25 to $50 Info: sandiegoshamrock.com Will Erin go bragh(less) this year after a few jiggers of Irish whiskey? Find out as a sea of party-green takes over the Gaslamp with three stages of live bands, DJs, jigs and step-dancing performances. 3/10 – 3/30: World Series of Poker Circuit Tour Venue: Harrah’s Rincon Casino, Valley Center Admission: Free Info: harrahsrincon.com Put on your best poker face and head north to watch the card sharks go head-to-head. A $10,000 buy-in will be offered from March 27-30.

03/10-30

03/12

3/18: Art and Elegance Venue: Westgate Hotel, downtown Tickets: $32 Info: artreachsandiego.org Enjoy an exhibition of work from Alexander Salazar Fine Art, Noel Baza Fine Art, Exclusive Collections and the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art. The evening includes wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres.

03/17

03/13

3/12: St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival Venue: Balboa Park (along Sixth Avenue) Admission: Free Info: stpatsparade.org Go green! Feel lucky while downing cold Guinnesses, enjoying live music on two outdoor stages and watching 150 parade groups flaunt their Irish pride. 3/13: Family Winemakers’ tasting event Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds Tickets: $45 to $75 Info: familywinemakers.org Rub elbows with master vintners while sampling varietals from upwards of 200 California wineries. More than 1,000 wines will be available to tickle the palate with peppery finishes and hints of smoke and berry. 80

pacificsandiego.com {March 2011}

3/27: Mission Valley Craft Beer Festival Venue: Handlery Hotel & Resort, Mission Valley Tickets: $35-$40 Info: sd.handlery.com See why San Diego is becoming America’s craft beer capital as local breweries pour their best. The event includes food samplings and live music from Geezer, a Weezer tribute band dressed up like seniors.

03/18

03/19 3/19: Cherry Blossom festival Venue: Japanese Friendship Garden, Balboa Park Admission: $4 Info: balboapark.org Feel pretty in pink as sakura cherry trees explode with vivid color. The festival features Japanese food, arts, crafts, cultural demonstrations and the crowning of Little Miss Sakura.

03/27

03/30

3/30: Cirque Du Soleil Quidam Venue: Valley View Casino Center, Valley Center Tickets: $40-$110 Info: valleyviewcasinocenter.com The king of cirques is back. Witness the world-class acrobatics, contortions, choreography and mime-foolery that has left audiences agape on five continents.

voice

Rhyme Nor Reason In a city so witty and fine, poetic magic is born online

n honor of St. Patty’s Day and that illustrious Man from Nantucket, PacificSD challenged our Facebook friends and fans to write limericks about a far more deserving locale: San Diego. Though their grasp of anapestic meter (we Googled it) may be a little rough, our readers gave it their all. From silly to serious, with more than a wee hint of the profane, they mined their civic pride and wild sides, placing America’s Finest City on the rhyming GPS. After much contemplation (and guffaws) among our staff, Chris R. nabbed first place (and $100 in prizes) for discovering the link between baseball and breast implants. Jon R. received $50 in prizes for his homage to North County cougars, while Lois Lewis received an equal amount for her verse about a cannabis-pilfering canine. For your amusement, we’re also including a few of the runner-ups. If you didn’t win or missed the contest entirely, no sweat. PacificSD posts a new one each day, with a chance to win awesome eats and cool treats. Get in on the action (enter as many times as you like, for free) at facebook.com/ pacificsd. The luck o’ the Irish be with ye!

HONORABLE (AND DISHONORABLE) MENTIONS

FIRST PLACE The Padres give away their best hitters Our zoo has the most famous critters There’s good Mexican food And nobody’s rude ‘Cause our wives have the best big fake-titters. —Chris R.

SECOND PLACE There once was a man from Del Mar Who had himself a very nice car To L’Auberge he goes With some really fine clothes To take home another MILF from the bar. —Jon R.

THIRD PLACE I came across a stray dog in need While walking the streets of OB He slept in my room I woke up at noon That bastard stole all of my weed. —Lois L. 82

pacificsandiego.com {February 2011}

There once was a girl from North Park Who dressed up all emo and dark Asked her out on a date She looked at me with hate And told me to “piss off, you narc.” —Jason T.

There once was a dude from Diego, He had money but couldn’t get play though So he crossed the border And bought an “escorter” And the next day his balls were en fuego. —Alex D.

Everyone loves the San Diego scene Beautiful weather, flip-flops, and jeans Padres’ hometown Chargers touchdown! The muse for Pacific San Diego magazine. —Jodi M.

There once was a sunny, surf-side town It had a really famous and fun downtown Oodles of clubs, bars and cool pubs Foodies flocked in for all the great grub In addition to this, its zoo was renowned! —Lisa J.

There once was a chick from PB, Who spent some time on her knees. As I held back her hair, I said, “Please throw up there. And, oh, by the way, What’s your name?” —Henry M. ‎

America’s finest city Weather never sh!tty A great zoo A football folly But at least you can get there on the trolley. —Julian K.

There once was a magazine from Diego Whose Facebook presence was Prego They had contests for fans, blind dates with suntans They published on paper, then on the web They’re killing it with content San Diego pubs are feeling the dread. —John D. A gentle young hipster named Paco Was jonesing for a fish taco Thought he, “Cricket’s Pub? Or the Turf Supper Club?” The Station is too far to walk-o! —Dave D.

There once was a girl from Tennessee Sugar and spice and everything nice Till she moved out west to P.B. Now she’s dancing on tables And picking up labels She’s having too much fun to care Most know her as that “girl with the nice pair” Since she’s the one who tends to black out On the beach with her rack out. —Jamie E. There once was a man from Coronado Whose penis was shaped like an avocado His date said with a grin, “I can’t fit this in… Don’t call me, I’m incommunicado.” —Jon R.

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