Pacific San Diego Magazine, November 2011 issue

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A walk on the NOW SERVING

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LOCAL EGGS & LOCAL PRODUCE BELGIAN WAFFLE *GLUTEN FREE EGGS BENEDICT VEGGIE BENEDICT BREAKFAST BURGER BREAKFAST GRILLED CHEESE EGGLESS FRITTATA *VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE WAFFLE SUNDAE SPECIALTY BRUNCH COCKTAILS ...AND MORE DINNER & COCKTAILS 7 DAYS A WEEK FOOD SERVED UNTIL MIDNIGHT OPEN UNTIL 2AM

6:30 a.m. Early bird gets the worm.

6:45 a.m. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

7 a.m. Busy as a beaver.

8 a.m. Work like a dog (on the cash cow).

10:30 a.m. Smell a rat.

4 p.m. Get someone’s goat.

5 p.m. Keep the wolves at bay.

5:15 p.m. Walk like a duck.

6 p.m. Take a catnap.

7 p.m. Wolf down dinner.

8 p.m. Chomp at the bit.

8:01 p.m. Lead a horse to water.

8:30 p.m. Drink like a fish: hair of the dog.

10 p.m. Monkey around, go ape.

11 p.m. Have a whale of a time.

1 a.m. Go hog wild, like a bat out of hell.

1:15 a.m. Let the cat out of the bag.

1:30 a.m. Stubborn as a mule.

1:45 a.m. Hoof it home.

2 a.m. Look like something the cat dragged in.

2:01 a.m. Pee like a racehorse.

2:05 a.m. Play cat and mouse.

2:06 a.m. The straw that broke the camel’s back.

2:10 a.m. In the doghouse.

2:15 a.m. Let sleeping dogs lie.

2:20 a.m. Gentle as a lamb.

I love animals…almost as much as I love eating them. And after a month of hearing about them (while I was editing this dining issue of PacificSD), my wife is beyond tired of all the puns.

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Oh, Deer. Don’t be such a chicken.

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Eat well, San Diego!

A 21 & UP ESTABLISHMENT 8

pacificsandiego.com {November 2011}

side...

David Perloff, Editor-in-Chief

staff

VOL.5

ISSUE 11

NOVEMBER 2011

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

David Perloff EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Dean Lamanna

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Kenny Boyer

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Brevin Blach

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Brandon Hernández Aaron Heier Catharine L Kaufman David Moye David Nelson Julia Pertel Christine Pasalo Vicki Jo Radovsky Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph Frank Sabatini, Jr. Rebekah Sager Julia Pertel Greg Ronlov Patricia B Dwyer

PUBLISHERS

David Perloff Simone Perloff DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Dana Schroedl dana@pacificsandiego.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Alyson C Baker alyson@pacificsandiego.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

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

INTERN

Seannen Sainz

Reach 150,000 of America’s Finest (and sexiest) readers via print, web and social media.

Read, click, connect...BOOM! 619.296.6300 pacificsandiego.com, facebook.com/pacificsd Twitter @pacificsd 12

pacificsandiego.com {November 2011}

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Burlap 12995 El Camino Real Ste. 21, Del Mar 858.369.5700 burlapeats.com

All entries must be original work(s) of the entrant, accompanied by a description of the subject matter (including specific location and date), and submitted via email in high-resolution format (300 dpi / 3x5” dimension or larger). See complete rules and entry guidelines at pacificsandiego.com and facebook.com/pacificsd

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Visit pacificsandiego.com for details.

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Winning submissions to be published in PacificSD’s January 2012 issue.

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pacificsandiego.com {November 2011}

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SYCUAN: GAMEDAY SPORTS BAR & GRILL 5469 Casino Way (inside Sycuan Casino) El Cajon 619.445.60020 sycuan.com CAFÉ SEVILLA 353 Fifth Ave. Gaslamp 619.239.5979 cafesevilla.com DONOVAN’S PRIME SEAFOOD 333 Fifth Ave. Gaslamp 619.906.4850 donovansprimeseafood.com

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THE PERFECT PEAR.

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RASUSHI.COM

Each Available Nov. 1–30

contents 11.11

features

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pacificsandiego.com

pacificsd

CHAIN OF GOURMAND Savor this progressive banquet linking 10 of San Diego’s best chefs

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KicK up Your Meals Thanks to these restaurants, having fun with food is no longer a tall order

P R O M OT I O N A L D I N IN G G U I D E PAGE

PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE

Photography by Brevin Blach ON THE COVER: Venison meatloaf with a side of smoked Wisconsin cheddar macaroni and cheese at The Tractor Room in Hillcrest THIS PAGE: Paella at Café Sevilla in the Gaslamp

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pacificsandiego.com {November 2011}

NOVEMBER 12th–20th 2011

THE BEST SAILORS. THE FASTEST BOATS. ENTERTAINMENT & RACE SCHEDULE

NIGHT TIME EVENTS

DAY TIME EVENTS

Day 1 Wed, Nov. 16, 2011

Day 2 Thurs, Nov. 17, 2011

Day 3 Fri, Nov. 18, 2011

10:00 AM AC Village Opens Oracle simulator 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

10:00 AM AC Village Opens Oracle simulator 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

10:00 AM AC Village Opens Oracle simulator 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

1:00 PM Race Starts 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

1:00 PM Race Starts 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

1:00 PM Race Starts 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

4:00 PM Mike Halloran, Radio MC 4:00 pm - 5:45 pm 4:15 PM Battle of the Bands 4th place winner plays 4:15 pm - 5:45 pm 5:30 PM Sailor interviews with Sports MC: +2 teams 10:00 PM AC Village closes

4:00 PM Battle of the Bands 3rd place winner plays 5:00 PM Mike Halloran, Radio MC 5:00 pm - 6:45 pm 5:15 PM Little Hurricane 5:15 pm - 6:30 pm 6:45 PM Sailor interviews with Sports MC: +2 teams 6:45 pm - 7:00 pm 7:00 PM The Silent Comedy 9:00 PM The Donkeys 10:00 PM AC Village closes

4:00 PM Mike Halloran, Radio MC 4:00 pm - 8:15 pm 4:15 PM Earth Amplified 5:30 PM Battle of the Bands 2nd place winner plays 6:45 PM Sailor interviews with Sports MC: +2 teams 6:45 pm - 7:00 pm 7:15 PM K.FLAY 8:30 PM Chromeo DJ set 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm 10:00 PM AC Village closes

AMERICA’S CUP VILLAGE 8 2 BROADWAY PIER

6

7

5

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1

AC VILLAGE

RACE AREA

3 4

5

5 NAVY PIER

USS MIDWAY 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Flying on Water PUMA Store Stage & Screen Concessions Team Bases Public Viewing Exploratorium Exhibit Healthy Ocean Project Exhibit 8. Entrance

Day 4 Sat, Nov. 19, 2011

Day 5 Sun, Nov. 20, 2011

OPENING WEEKEND

10:00 AM AC Village Opens Oracle simulator 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

11:00 AM AC Village Opens Oracle simulator 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Nov. 12-13 Port Cities Challenge Exhibition Races 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

1:00 PM Race Starts 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

2:00 PM Race Starts 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Nov. 12-15 AC Village open 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Food, shops and Team Base viewing)

4:00 PM Battle of the Bands 1 place winner plays 5:00 PM Awards Cveremony Match Racing Champion 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm 5:45 PM Sailor interviews with Sports MC: +2 teams 5:45 pm - 6:15 pm 6:00 PM The Chain Gang of 1974 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm 7:15 PM Hyena 8:30 PM Diplo 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm 10:00 PM AC Village closes st

3:00 PM Special Live Concert 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm 3:30 PM Awards Ceremony Fleet Racing Champion 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm 10:00 PM

AC Village closes

FOR MOR INFORMATION VISIT US AT

facebook.com/americascup

twitter.com/34thAC

youtube.com/americascup

/SANDIEGO

contents 11.11

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pacificsd

departments CURRENTS

TASTE

27

73

Pre-Holiday Sail Hotshots on racing yachts invade San Diego Bay for the America’s Cup World Series

30 Thanks Given Get some laughs, grow a ‘stache and dash for charity this gracious month 34 I Couldn’t Say Now, gays in the military can 36 Let’s Get it Arted Urban expression, youthful regression and offbeat ornamentation highlight these free exhibitions 38

Grateful Dead The Ultimate Thanksgiving: My Acceptance Speech in Heaven

40 What a Wreckoning September’s blackout cast a harsh light on San Diego’s disaster readiness. How well are you prepared?

42 Star Wares Cutting-edge kitchen products that are tops for your counter 44 Turning the Other Chic A trio of San Diego designers is bucking mainstream trends 22

pacificsandiego.com {November 2011}

Meet Me at the Game Beef, elk and bison— what a boar

78 High Spirits Despite the reigning brew buzz, whiskey’s local fervor grows 82 Let’s Go to the Hops Pop a bottle, crack a can and raise a pint to the sudsy love-in that is San Diego Beer Week GROOVE

87 Showtime Concert previews 88 Sound Advice Album Reviews 92

Bringing His ‘A’ Game New mix master makes the grade at Mister A’s

BLIND DATE

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Flavor of the Month Taking a big bite out of Finest City nightlife

CALENDAR

102 Eleven.Eleven November event listings THINK

106 For the Birds Damn bald eagles—they make Thanksgiving so fowl

Self-portrait by clothing designer and graphic artist Kelli Murray

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B R E A K F A S T

L U N C H

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Night or Day THE RESTAURANT THAT NEVER SLEEPS

OPEN 24 HOUR S

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Gift Guide GIVE THE GIFT OF RELAXATION $99 30-min. Swedish massage and 30-min.

European facial using Yonka Paris Skincare line.

HIGH-TECH TIMBER TIMEPIECES $119 Get a splinter of eco-luxury with a 100% natural wood WeWood, wholly absent of artificial and toxic materials.

WeWood plants a tree for every watch sold!

Evian Salon & Day Spa 858.224.1500, eviansalon.com 4130 La Jolla Village Dr., Ste. 100, La Jolla

WeWood we-wood.us

ONE TRIBE SPIRITHOODS, HANDCRAFTED ACCESSORIES $79.99-$139.99 There is a transformation that takes place when you wear a SpiritHood. The experience is indefinable and completely unique to you. Join the tribe, share your experience. Made in Los Angeles, adult and children sizes available. 15% discount code: PACIFICSD onetribesd.com

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MODERN FURNISHINGS, AFFORDABLE PRICES $99.95-$339.95 Cool, modern bar available in white, black and brown ($339.95). Bar stools available in black and white ($99.95 each). Looking to add a splash of color to your home or office? Check out Underground Furniture’s huge art and furniture collection or create your own custom-made sofa with hundreds of colors to choose from.

Underground Furniture 858.581.0229 undergroundfurniture.com 1345 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

BODY SURFING FOR A NEW GENERATION $99-$139 Slyde is a new, innovative and designdriven brand focused exclusively on the sport of handboarding. It’s bodysurfing for a new generation. Use code PACIFICSD for 15% off for PacificSD readers.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT ANALOG $25 (two-for-one) acoustic karaoke and all-you-can-eat brunch with bottomless mimosas, plus vinyl DJ set (1-4 p.m.).

Analog 801 5th Ave., Gaslamp 619.233.1183 analogbar.com

Slyde Handboards slydehandboards.com

PERFECT GIFT FOR LAPTOP USERS $89 An elegantly designed, multi-functional laptop stand that will hold your laptop in bed, lying down or sitting up at natural, bodyfriendly angles.

INDULGE WITH WINTER MUST-HAVES $24.99-$94 Stay warm and cozy in Hy & Dot’s Navajo poncho. And remember, accessorizing is key, so top off your look with Block Party hoop earrings by Vanessa Mooney.

Capricorn Boutique 858.551.2660, capricornboutique.com 5544 La Jolla Blvd.

Suite B., La Jolla

Lap Dawg lapdawg.com

CRUISE THE BEACH IN STYLE $319 This Electra Cruiser 1 Custom is also available in black and adorable ladies’ colors.

Beach Bikes & Beyond 619.276.1145 beachbikesandbeyond.com 1211 Morena Blvd. (near USD/Linda Vista)

IT’S NOT A FANNY PACK, IT’S A JAMMYPACK $49.95-$69.95 JammyPack is a high-kickin’ must-have accessory for any music lover. The retro speaker bag features two minispeakers, each boosting three watts of stereo-amplified beats. This batterypowered box jams up to 10 hours.

Available in over 20 different colors and designs. It’s even water-resistant. Back packs now available, too.

Jammy Pack JammyPack.com

PROTECTION AND THE FAMILY JEWELS Find upscale, trendy jewelry for Men and Women here or online.

Plus, protect yourself, your family, and your treasures by purchasing a stun gun this holiday ($40)! Great stocking stuffers!

Hot Rock Jewelry 619.238.4920, hotrockjewelry.com 861 Sixth Ave., Ste. 620, 92101 by appt. Jewelers Exchange Bld., Gaslamp

NATURAL. ORGANIC. EFFECTIVE. $36.99 - $38.99 Four new serums to nourish, exfoliate, control acne and soothe redness. Created with your health in mind, our exclusive facial skin care line is full of ingredients guaranteed to improve your skin’s appearance.

R. D. Alchemy 619.825.6078, rdalchemy.com 2040 India St., Little Italy

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Sail

Hotshots on racing yachts invade San Diego bay for the America’s Cup World Series

By Christine Pasalo

©2011 ACEA/GILLES MARTIN-RAGET

Emirates Team New Zealand challenges San Francisco-based ORACLE Racing at the Plymouth, UK, stop of the America’s Cup World Series in September

How does a 160year-old sailing contest become an extreme sport?

Contenders in the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), vying for glory in America’s Finest November 12 to 20, have a couple ideas. First, hoist a 65-foot wing onto a catamaran and use it as a sail. Second, shift the racecourse from the open ocean to a confined, placid body of water— San Diego Bay— and chart a few surprise turns.

(Continued on page 28)

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Meet the AC45. You’ll find no wine spritzers and caviar passed around this vessel. It doesn’t even have a deck—just a taut net.

ORACLE Racing designed the AC45 for pure agility. Sitting on twin hulls molded from carbon fiber, the boat is light and quick. Its mainsail is a rounded, hollow wing instead of a soft sail, and with a top speed of 40 mph, this windjammer has one rule of thumb: Hold on!

©2011 ACEA/GILLES MARTIN-RAGET

Aimed at building global interest in the 2013 America’s Cup Finals in San Francisco, the ACWS is a circuit of regattas that brings sport sailing to top venues around the world. In San Diego, the first domestic and third overall stop on the international 2011/2012 tour, eight teams—including San Francisco-based ORACLE Racing—will pit their speed-sailing skills against each other during a nine-day competition.

“It’s pretty wild,” says Stephanie Martin, chief communications officer of the America’s Cup. “It’s definitely not what you’d think of sailing—like there’s someone wearing a captain’s hat and a blazer. This is very, very athletic.”

Unlike in previous events, where certain teams have won races by equipping their boats with the latest technology, this ACWS levels the playing field by requiring all teams to navigate the course in stripped-down vessels that look more black ops than luxury yacht.

Known as the AC45, the carbon-fiber, wing-sailed catamaran is 45 feet long and six stories tall. Harnessing the boat’s power requires a team to be physically fit, coordinated and communicative. Successful operation makes the AC45 slice through the water like a hot knife through butter; a lapse in focus can make the top-heavy boat capsize.

“I love an active and exciting waterfront, and this is exactly the kind of event that brings people out,” says Scott Peters, chairman of San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners. “Anyone can come out and see some great racing and a world-class sports event right from our own shoreline.”

Ships ahoy!

A state-of-the-art sailboat demands that racing teams be shipshape

Hulluva Good Time

Here’s the sloop on what’s happening landward With the bay becoming a virtual stadium for the America’s Cup World Series, views of the race can be enjoyed from along Harbor Island and the fringes of San Diego Bay. But the fun doesn’t end at the water’s edge—a family-friendly America’s Cup Village will extend from Broadway Pier onto Harbor Drive.

By day, the Village will feature race simulators that give spectators the experience of riding an AC45. By night, DJs and bands—including San Diego’s Little Hurricane and The Donkeys—will perform live.

Although no admission is required for Village events, a $10 donation is suggested to support the America’s Cup Healthy Ocean Project global conservation campaign.

Find updates and event info at americascup.com.

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ThanksGiven Get some laughs, grow a ’stache and dash for charity this generous month

B y Pat r i c i a B . Dw y e r

MOTORMOUTH’S REV-VIVAL

Nov. 25 • San Diego Civic Theatre • 1100 3rd Ave., Gaslamp • civictheatre.net

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ife became unhurried for fast-talking comic actor Chris Tucker after the slam-bang 2007 box office returns of Rush Hour 3. And with his collective payday of nearly $50 million for the three installments of the hit action-comedy film franchise, who’s surprised?

Tucker gets back up to speed with his November 25 stop at the Civic Theatre— part of an 18-date national stand-up tour marking the end of his absence from the limelight. Snag a ticket, since belly-laughing could be a good way to help digest all the turkey and mashed (Continued on page 32) potatoes from the day before.

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Dec. 1 â&#x20AC;˘ Double Deuce â&#x20AC;˘ 528 F St., Downtown us.movember.com

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prout some serious face fuzz to generate awareness and funds for menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; specifically, prostate cancer and other cancers that affect menâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;during the annual event known as Movember.

Clean-shaven guys registering at movember.com on the 1st of November become Mo Bros, who groom, trim and wax their way to extreme face furdom. Continuing a tradition that started in Australia in the 1990s, Mo Bros seek sponsorship for their lip hair-raising efforts.

San Diego Mo Bros (and the women who support them, Mo Sistas) should hit up the Movember Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gala partĂŠ downtown at Double Deuce, where awards will be doled out for Best Mo in Character, Miss Movember and Man of Movember 2011.

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rime your metabolism for the big dinner while helping to feed those in need: join Father Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10th Anniversary Thanksgiving Day 5K Walk/ Run in Balboa Park. About 10,000 walkers/runners are expected to pound the pavement, with the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proceeds advancing the goal of Father Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Villages to serve 1.7 million meals.

At the finish line, the Bill Magee Blues Band will lay down some groovy jams near the Stone Brewery beer garden, and Father Joe Carroll will autograph his famous bobblehead collectibles. Registration through November 23 costs $15-$33, depending on your age and whether you want your run to be timed.

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I Couldn’t Say Now, gays in the military can

By Aaron Heier * Photo by Brevin Blach

n September 20, Congress repealed the U.S. military’s controversial, nearly 18-year-old Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy, allowing gay, lesbian and bisexual service members to put their lives on the line alongside straight soldiers without having to hide their sexual orientation.

The news signals the end of a long personal battle for service members, including Camp Pendleton-based U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Kristofer Allgary, 23, who joined the Marines because he felt he “had an obligation to humanity.”

“My sexuality never even came into play; it was an afterthought,” says Allgary, who has been gay for as long as he can remember and is readying for his first deployment to Afghanistan. “Having to suppress who I was didn’t register because, for me, that’s not what being a Marine is about. It’s God, country, Corps…‘boyfriend’ is way down on the list.”

But once in the military, Allgary found himself struggling with a double life. “There was personal/social Kris and then there was Marine/work Kris,” he says. “I was a Boot [fresh out of boot camp]—stressed, angry, adjusting to the Marine environment—and having difficulty synchronizing my personalities. I was so angry for fear of being ‘found out,’ I formed fake friendships with other Marines to continue the facade and real friendships with civilians, who were my outlet to be free.”

Navy Lieutenant Jerry Cannon, based at the Southwest Region headquarters in downtown San Diego, has spent more than 20 years in the military “closet.” Married to a woman and then divorced at an early age, he explored bisexuality prior to enlisting.

Once he joined the Navy, his ambition—as illustrated by his current rank—trumped the pursuit of personal relationships. After 10 years, his frustration surfaced.

“I wrote a letter to my skipper saying I wanted out of the military because I was gay,” Cannon says. But he never delivered it. “Ultimately, my desire to be a success outweighed honesty with myself or anyone else. I figured, ‘I have 10 more years and I’ll get a paycheck the

“having to suppress who I was didn’t register

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rest of my life. I can be gay then.’”

Since DADT’s repeal, Cannon has experienced a mild change in the demeanor of the sailors in his charge. “I don’t care so much if I snap my fingers or have a GQ magazine on my desk,” he says. “And I no longer have to lie to colleagues about the ‘girl’ I dated.”

Still, the lieutenant admits that conformity and discipline will always be at the military’s core. “It’s not like working on Wall Street or corporate America,” he says. “You sign a contract saying this is who you are and how you will act. You give up much of your personal freedom. But it’s a choice you make to serve.”

Lieutenant Cannon and Corporal Allgary agree: the repeal is a major step in the right direction—a victory for the LGBT community (and the military) and indicative of an ideological shift in America.

Yet political mines remain. For example, several Republican presidential candidates have gone on record with promises to “repeal the repeal.”

“Without a federal constitutional ban on this kind of discrimination,” says Allgary, “there’s no guarantee that open service is eternal.”

because, for me, that’s not what being a Marine is about.”

—U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Kristofer Allgary (pictured)

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Urban expression, youthful regression and offbeat ornamentation highlight these free exhibitions B y Pat r i c i a B . Dw y e r

Love Conquers Awe Thumbprint Gallery’s “Tangerines and Monster Dreams” showcases the solo and collaborative works of artists Michael “Monstrinho” (“Little Monster”) Amorillo and Gloria Muriel— artists who share friendship and technique as well as a-peel.

Vibrant colors, fantastical figures and enigmatic natural elements thoroughly populate their work.

Monstrinho, a San Diego resident, is a spray paint-and-acrylics man whose comic book-filled childhood gave way to a fascination with skateboarding, early-’90s hip-hop and graffiti art. He has further tamed his already benevolent, albeit wall-sized, exterior creature visions down to canvas and board for this show.

Reinforcing Monstrinho’s running theme of love, the Salvador Dali-influenced, primarily acrylic paintings of Mexico native Muriel combine pop surrealism and anthropomorphized nature while incorporating feminine characters with big eyes and soft settings.

Nov. 12 – Dec. 4 Thumbprint Gallery 290 Kline St. #104, La Jolla thumbprintgallerysd.com

Saved by the Bell Rekindle the pride you felt when Mom hung your art on the fridge by skipping off to “Homeroom” at Subtext gallery. Inspired by those artistic glory days of eating paste and sprinkling glitter on your drawings to make them “pretty,” more than 20 artists are displaying works in everything from crayon and chalk to finger paint—all springing from childhood freedom, innocence and blissful ignorance. Just be there in time for roll call.

Nov 11 – Dec. 11 Subtext 2479 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy subtextgallery.com 36

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ABOVE: Hearts & Flowers

by Jennifer Davis

BELOW: “Tangerines and Monster Dreams” features this mural by Monstrinho

Rock Around the Blok The San Diego Museum of Art’s “Art in Context: Mexican Art Mural by Writerz Blok” shows the youth urban art group in dynamic action. Inspired by the museum’s special exhibition “Mexican Modern Painting from the Andrés Blaisten Collection,” four of the program’s mural and graffiti artists—all from East County—will spend about two months brushing and spraying color onto a sprawling cement canvas in the Sculpture Court. The site will be open to the public weeknights for a limited time so that you can watch these skilled graffitists work their magic.

Nov. 1 – 16 San Diego Museum of Art 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park sdmart.org

BELOW: Graffiti mural by the urban art group Writerz Blok

Peculiar Charms It’s almost as if the dainty, sometimes darkly twisted paintings of Marianela de la Hoz and the intricate metal craftsmanship of Tasha Rae made sweet love one day, giving birth to a delicate melding of jewelry. De la Hoz’s mysterious characters are framed in Rae’s angular shapes and miniscule swirls, forcing the artists’ respective aesthetics to interact in both intimate and inscrutable ways. On display at NoelBaza Fine Art, the collection includes earrings, necklaces and lockets.

Nov. 11 – Dec. 10 Noel-Baza Fine Art 2156 India St., Little Italy noel-bazafineart.com

ABOVE: Collaborative jewelry designs by painter Marianela de la Hoz and metal artist Tasha Rae

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Grateful Dead

The ultimate Thanksgiving: my acceptance speech in heaven B y COO K IE “ CHAINSAW ” RANDOLPH

T

hank you so, so much. This is such a surprise. By the way, where the hell am I? Just kidding, just kidding. Forgive me for not preparing anything—frankly, I was too busy jamming that asbestos jumpsuit into my carry-on in case I landed in that other place, if you know what I mean.

But, wow! Here we thought heaven didn’t exist; am I right?

Audience laughter.

Give it up one more time for Johnny Carson and Jimi Hendrix for that killer opening montage of Amy Winehouse hits.

Applause.

Didn’t expect to see Elvis and Michael Jackson sitting in the front row next to each other tonight.

Seriously, which one of you is the seat-filler?

Smattering of laughter. Close-up of Sinatra NOT laughing, having been snubbed into the second row.

Anyhoo…there are a lot of people I’d like to thank for my being here tonight. First of all: God. Sure, I used to think you’re just an old-man, bearded fantasy figure that helps humans to reconcile death, but now I’m an eyewitness—either that or this is one hell of an acid flashback.

Audience hesitates, looks up to God for a cue, sees him laughing, joins in.

I’d also like to thank my parents for spiking the punch that night at the bridge party, as well as the one eager spermatozoon that beat the other 250,000 swimmers later that night.

Good job, little fella. I appreciate the traits, but a lot of times I wished your cousin with the superior hairline and vertical-leap genes would have won the race to the egg.

Big audience reaction. Chris Farley laughs kombucha out his nose.

What a crowd, what a crowd. Since we’ve got eternity, right now I’d like to thank every single person I’ve ever met…

Orchestra begins to play (mostly harps). …but since you’ve never met them, I’ll spare you. I’m thankful for them all; it was a wonderful life. I see a lot of people tonight who got here way too soon and way too young, but believe me, the world was a better place because of you. You deserve to be here way more than I do, I’ll tell you that.

Orchestra swells louder.

Really? Already? Okay…okay…I see St. Peter in the wings with the hook.

One last thing before I go: if you bump into Abe Lincoln at one of the after-afterlife parties, don’t ask him about the play—better to ask him if he thought Mary Todd looked fat in that dress. Cracks him up. Word to your mothers, everybody. Peace out!

Orchestra crescendo, audience applause.

Announcer: “After the break, Zsa Zsa Gabor… finally.” Fade to Cialis commercial featuring Mr. & Mrs. Almighty in side-by-side bath tubs.

And most of all, thank you, PacificSD readers.

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p r p hotos . com

Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph is thankful for the opportunity to entertain you weekday mornings with the Dave, Shelly & Chainsaw show at 100.7 JACK-fm.

KNOW YOUR LIMIT, MATE!

FOSTERSBEER.COM

© 2011 Oil Can Breweries, Fort Worth, TX

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What a Wreckoning September’s blackout cast a harsh light on San Diego’s disaster readiness. How well are you prepared?

By David Moye • photo by Greg Ronlov

W

hen electrical power failed suddenly across a wide swath of Southern California in September, businesses closed, traffic became snarled and life as we knew it went dark. But survival expert Susan Conniry found the crisis illuminating.

“You saw people having bonfires with their neighbor, not panicking,” she says. “It was so cool.”

Conniry and her husband, Tom Beasley, of Lakeside, are the authors of Ready or Not—A Disaster Survival Handbook.

They’ve made a habit of preparing for the worst since 1997, when then-San Diego Mayor Susan Golding heralded the coming El Niño weather pattern in terms reserved for biblical catastrophes.

“We were warned of terrible flooding and deaths,” says Conniry, “but not told how to prepare.”

Luckily, the couple has preinstilled survival skills. Conniry’s

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parents are British and taught her that war was always a threat, while Beasley was a victim of circumstance one day when his backpack rolled down a cliff during a hiking trip.

“At that point, he learned to live without one,” Conniry says.

In addition to their 2006 book, Conniry and Beasley administer a website (readyornotsurvival.com) and conduct workshops in disaster preparedness—including selfsufficiency in the face of growing economic chaos.

Conniry’s worst-case advice?

“Set aside enough food and water to last seventy-two hours, because that’s how long it takes disaster crews to mobilize.”

Yet food isn’t the priority, she adds—rattling off, in order of importance, shelter, water and fire.

“Food is number four. You won’t die if you go seventy-two hours without it.”

Surviving a disaster and thriving amid an ongoing crisis are two

different things, so Conniry suggests lining your emergency kit with a few less obvious little items that may enhance your postapocalyptic comfort.

“Like spicy food? Pack some hot sauce or dried spices,” she says.

“You know what you need.”

Survival essentials include prescription meds and back-up eyeglasses. But readiness isn’t just about stashing supplies—it’s also about devising and practicing a strategy.

“Do fire drills,” Conniry says.

“Before the 2003 Cedar Fire, we were able to get everything we needed, including the laptop and the dog, into the car in seven minutes.”

Then, a not-so-funny thing happened when the actual wildfire struck.

“I just grabbed my husband and the dog,” Conniry says. “I didn’t have time for everything else.”

Conniry and Beasley have become more sanguine in reacting to news of impending doom since

1999, when Y2K panic gripped the nation.

“We assumed we might go into the wilderness if all the computers went kaput,” she says. “Now, I think we’d face it at home with a glass of wine.”

Other, non-alcoholic survival gear musts, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): 3 flashlight 3 radio (battery or hand-crank) 3 first aid kit 3 dust masks 3 plastic sheeting and duct tape 3 moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties 3 wrench or pliers to turn off utilities 3 can opener 3 cell phone with charger (inverter or solar) 3 extra batteries More survival tips: ready.gov and preparesandiego.org

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Cutting-edge kitchen products that are tops for your counter

By Vicki Jo Radovsky

The kitchen is no holiday this time of year. While the stove will always be hot, however, these cool gadgets will free you from slaving over it in the same old ways.

Tap This (a.)

Make your place feel like the local pub. The Krups BeerTender tabletop “kegerator,” which dispenses beer from five-liter mini kegs of Heineken and Newcastle, keeps the suds frosty and fresh for up to 30 days.

Price: $99.95 Crate & Barrel crateandbarrel.com

Ace of Cakes (b.)

Satisfy your hunger for something fun by whipping up diminutive desserts like brownies and cupcakes in less than 10 minutes with the Nostalgia Electrics Bakery Bites Express. Sweeeet!

Price: $29.99 Bed Bath & Beyond bedbathandbeyond.com

It’s BBQ Thyme (c.)

Grill or garden? You decide. Black + Blum’s Hot-Pot BBQ is a terracotta pot for growing herbs—until you remove the top to reveal the stainless steel barbecue grill underneath.

Price: $124 aplusrstore.com

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Chopping Center (d.)

Using one board for prepping all foods doesn’t cut it. The color- and symbol-coded Joseph Joseph Index Advance chopping board helps you slice and dice raw meat, fish, veggies and cooked foods separately and safely.

Price: $65 Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley Mall 7057 Friars Rd. bloomingdales.com

Pure Eggstacy (e.)

Cook fuss-free meals quickly with FusionBrand’s FoodPod, a convenient silicone vessel that lets you boil, steam, strain and drain nearly two quarts of food at once.

Price: $15 aplusrstore.com

Space Oddity (f.)

The Twilight Zone turns tabletop attraction with the Museum of Robots Silver Flying Saucer Bowl. Made of aluminum and nickel-plated steel, with a removable lid for displaying fruit and other edibles, this sleek flight of fancy costs almost as much as a coach-class airfare— and sorry, liquids aren’t

permitted onboard.

Price: $300 uncommongoods.com

For Good Measure (g.)

Grab the last dab of dough—and learn dry and liquid measurement equivalents—using the Tovolo Silicone Bowl Scraper with Conversion Charts (a.k.a. Spatulart).

In green, pink, purple, red, turquoise or white, it’s also great for even spreading.

Price: $7.95 Sur La Table Forum at Carlsbad 1915 Calle Barcelona Ste. 103 surlatable.com

(a.)

Stirring Beat (h.)

Add international flavor (and amps) to your cooking with Sonoro’s award-winning Elements W Internet radio.

Connecting to streaming stations worldwide, including Pandora, it channels sounds from your computer (via LAN or WiFi), MP3 player and phone.

Price: $500 uncommongoods.com

(b.)

(d.)

(c.)

(e.)

(f.)

(h.) (g.)

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Turning the Other

JENNAFER GRACE

Chic

A trio of San Diego designers is bucking mainstream trends

By Rebekah Sager

Rather than flipping through magazines or surfing channels in search of style tips, three local fashionistas are setting trends of their own. Finding sartorial inspiration in the most unlikely places, these twentysomethings have re-imagined Baja off-roading as racing-style jumpers, life in Japan as Etsy pop art and Grandma’s wardrobe as retro chic.

At just 24, Pacific Beach native Jennafer Grace already has a loyal fan base. The clothing designs her followers covet most are her pleather leggings, sweetheart dresses (with a signature heart cutout in the back), fashion turbans and 1970s-inspired kaftans.

Grace describes her pieces as “form-conscience silhouettes that look vintage.” Her fall 2011 line, comprised mostly of printed knit textiles not commonly found in fabric stores, exhibits a ’70s bohemian influence and a knack for using classic wovens in her separates.

“Mixing and matching layers and patterns are a must,” she says.

Grace’s work reflects a young lifetime of cultural crosscurrents.

Raised by her father and grandmother in a 1960s California ranch house, she began sewing classes at age 12. Within two years, she was making swimsuits and purses and selling them in local surf shops.

Her growing entrepreneurship took a hairpin turn when she accompanied her dad to Mexico to watch him race in the Baja

Grace Under Pleather

500 and Baja 1000 off-road contests.

“My girlfriends came with us and wore these sexy racing suits I’d made for them,” Grace says. “We set up a booth and sold these crazy jumpers to the women in the audience.”

After high school, while attending San Diego’s Fashion Careers College, Grace applied discipline to her skills and developed fashionworld influences. Today, she most admires the classic functionality of Diane von Furstenberg, the envelope-pushing imagination of Marc Jacobs and the understated sexuality of Yves Saint Laurent. “They aren’t afraid to have fun with their lines,” she says.

Grace sells her clothing at Cecilia Boutique in Mission Hills, Kyss in Carlsbad, Bad Madge in South Park, and online through jennafergrace.com, among other websites. She styled and made the garments for the last three music videos by local musician PHAERO, most recently “Queen of the Nile.”

Downplaying her success, Grace says, “I’m innovative, in the sense that I make creative decisions based on what I have available.”

(Continued on page 46)

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Get a Harvard Smile 1. Brush twice daily 2. Floss after meals 3. See Dr. Chammas

HARVARD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE

Doctor of Medical Dentistry

HARVARD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE

Fellowship in Oral Medicine U.C. SAN FRANCISCO

Postgraduate Training in Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry

Tony G. Chammas, D.M.D.

(RAISED IN SAN DIEGO, EDUCATED AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY) 7910 Frost Street, Suite 160

San Diego, CA

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

B.S. in Biology

92123

858.576.2040

w w w. d r c h a m m a s d e n t a l . c o m

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p hoto B Y S A M L A R S O N ; A R T W O R K B Y K E L L I M U R R A Y

A clothing designer, graphic artist and blogger, Kelli Murray (pictured) finds creative haven in everything childlike. Her paintings, sketches and stationery reflect innocence and simplicity; she even draws cute animals.

“My work harkens to my childhood,” says Murray, 26, whose blog, kellimurray.com, is linked to prominent online hubs Bloglovin’ and Lookbook.Nu (and gets about 2,000 hits a day). “I’m inspired by memories of summers spent in Wisconsin with my family, people who live in log cabins and little girls wearing fox hats.”

Murray also draws creatively from her time spent in the street-fashion capital of Harajuku, Japan. “The Japanese aesthetic resonates with me— it’s very childlike, fun and playful. Think Hello Kitty, but more me.”

Hello Kelli

A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A., Kelli is the daughter of Kevin Murray, founder of Jedidiah, a local surf-inspired apparel brand. Although she’s a natural fit as the company’s design director (where she goes by her married name, Larson), she stresses that it is just her job. Her art, which is sold online through Etsy.com, and her blog, where she posts illustrations and photos of herself in fantastically hip outfits, comprise who she really is.

Having just had a baby, yet still looking svelte, Murray has added motherhood—her newest passion—to her blog.

“A lot of blogs focus on just fashion or art or lifestyle, but mine is kind of a mash-up,” she says. “I post about not only what I’m doing, but all the things that inspire me.”

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BIRRA

SUPERIORE

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STYLE

Stylist Erica Ashley Hecht (pictured) is a big ’80s fan. “I love the color, flash, geometric shapes and gold—and I love the belts,” she says. “I like to challenge myself to make it all wearable so people don’t shun it. It’s a fun era.”

Hecht’s EA Vintage (eavintageshop.com) specializes in ’80s and other vintage styles because, she explains, they are “oneof-a-kind.” Her prized clothing possession, in fact, is a drapy, two-toned silk dress by Anne Klein, complete with belt. But it’s staying in the closet today.

“I’m wearing TOMS shoes, a pair of Joe’s jeans I found in a Goodwill bulk bin and a nine-dollar top from Urban Outfitters,” she says with a laugh.

Less than a year ago, Hecht was living in Miami when Rancho Santa Fe philanthropist and personal stylist Lena Evans, a former Hollywood executive, spotted her in New York Magazine, which had named her one of the “Most Stylish People at New York Fashion Week.” Evans called Hecht and told her she would mentor her if she headed west.

Soon after, Hecht arrived in San Diego with one of the largest collections of vintage clothing in the city. Evans assisted her with branding and marketing—including the name EA Vintage.

“Lena even helped me fund my first pop-up boutique, which she had at her home in Rancho,” Hecht says. “Now, I do them one to two times a month at any location I can find.”

Hecht also dabbles in closet organization and personal shopping. (Before leaving Florida, she styled Marysol Patton of The Real Housewives of Miami.) And she’s always on the lookout for pieces that are extremely wearable and unique.

Says Hecht: “Every person I meet is an opportunity to find vintage clothing.”

Fun as Hecht

LESLIE HOFFMAN

British Invasion

Ted Baker London takes San Diego by style

T E D B A K E R LO N D O N

Unconventional Euro-flair arrives at Fashion Valley as Ted Baker London joins the mall’s high-end retail mix November 4.

At more than 2,000 square feet, the new store—with elaborate décor that pays homage to the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park, while also alluding to Regent’s Park Zoo and other London landmarks—offers menswear, womenswear and accessories renowned for superior quality and the often irreverent use of pattern and color.

“These are fun, classic pieces for your wardrobe,” says Francine Miley, director of marketing and business direction at Fashion Valley. “It’s classic Brit styling with some edge to it.”

Though women will be inclined to hustle over for timeless dresses, Ted Baker is also a go-to for stylishly rugged men’s apparel. Tweed, corduroy and twill characterize the fall 2011 collection, while leather and quilting detail provide textural highlights. And checks continue as a key print— appearing on shirts and as contrast detailing on henleys and polos.

Ted Baker is one of three new additions at Fashion Valley. OMEGA, a Swiss watch retailer, and In+Add-Minus, a contemporary designer, have also dropped anchor. —Patricia B. Dwyer

PR ESE NTS

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Savor a progressive banquet linking 10 of San Diego’s best chefs

Chain Gourmand of

By Frank Sabatini, Jr. Photography by Brevin Blach

During my five years of writing about Finest City food for PacificSD, I’ve covered many of the city’s top culinary artists and their beautiful creations—and loved every bite.

For this, my tastiest assignment yet, I was charged with identifying the to-die-for dish in all of San Diego.

After days of deliberation, I chose Pamplemousse Grille’s $50 grilled cheese, made with chunks of poached lobster and shavings of winter truffles. (One bite and you’ll kiss American cheese and white bread goodbye.)

To spread the love like so much remoulade, I asked the chef who created this sumptuous sandwich, Jeffrey Strauss, to pick his favorite local entrée. His choice: Chef Martin Woesle’s wiener schnitzel at Mille Fleurs. Next, I asked Chef Woesle to pick his flavor fave, and, from there, the city’s ultimate 10-course meal flourished...

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My (Sabatini’s) pick:

$50 GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

by Chef Jeffrey Strauss Pamplemousse Grille 514 Via de la Valle #100, Solana Beach 858.792.9090, pgrille.com Chef Strauss’ favorite dish...

Chef Jeffrey Strauss’ pick: WIENER SCHNITZEL

by Chef Martin Woesle Mille Fleurs 6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe 858.756.9945, millefleurs.com

Strauss says: “It’s awesome and served with brown butter and makes you feel like you’re in Austria.”

Inside dish: In classic Austrian style, Chef Woesle uses veal loin to make his wiener schnitzel, adding a twist by serving it with a fried quail egg, sliced caper berries and lemon butter sauce.

During busy weeks, he sells more than 100 orders each day.

Chef Woesle’s favorite dish… pacificsandiego.com

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Chef Martin Woesle’s pick: BISON TARTARE

by Chef Paul McCabe Kitchen 1540 (at L’Auberge Del Mar) 1540 Camino Del Mar 858.793.6460, laubergedelmar.com 52

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Woesle says: “It was served to me as a simple quenelle-shaped appetizer. The meat was very red and tasted absolutely great.”

Inside dish: Chef McCabe (who’s moving to Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe November 15), uses the filet mignon of the bison in his tartare. The raw meat is bound by bacon fat and whipped egg yolks (bring your Lipitor) and further swooped up with chives, shallots and chipotle. “I don’t like anything to stay too long on the menu,” says McCabe, “but since we get a lot of requests for it, we run it often as an appetizer special.” Chef McCabe’s favorite dish…

Chef Paul McCabe’s pick:

50-FOOT RADIUS SALAD

by Chef Anthony Sinsay Harney Sushi 3964 Harney St., Old Town; 301 Mission Ave., Oceanside 619.295.3272, harneysushi.com

McCabe says: “I had it a few months ago. The presentation was gorgeous—it looked like it was growing out of the ground.”

Inside dish: From the center of a beet patch at the organic Suzie’s Farm near Imperial Beach, Chef Sinsay forages 50 feet in each direction to pick his salad’s ingredients, including baby carrots, black kale, flower petals and stinging nettle (weeds that grow alongside beets). “The salad changes all the time,” says Sinsay, “and we now pick from a lot of different farms, including a private garden we help manage next door.”

Chef Sinsay’s favorite dish… pacificsandiego.com

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Chef Anthony Sinsay’s pick:

RASPBERRY MERINGUE SPHERE

by Chef Mark Pelliccia 25 Forty Bistro & Bakehouse 2540 Congress St., Old Town 619.294.2540, 25fortybistro.com 54

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Sinsay says: “The dessert is technically perfect—a hollow orb filled with raspberry syrup. It’s completely encased and I can’t figure out how the chef injects the syrup into the sphere. I order it every time I go there.”

Inside dish: Chef Pelliccia builds mystery around the unblemished orbs by starting with semi-sphere molds, which he fills with basic meringue. Once they’re frozen, he scoops out their centers, fills them with raspberry sauce and then closes the two halves quickly.

A roll through dry meringue hides the seams.

Chef Pelliccia’s favorite dish…

Chef Mark Pelliccia’s pick:

GNOCCHI IN VEGETABLE SAUCE

by Chef Chad White Sea Rocket Bistro 3382 30th St., North Park 619.255.7049, searocketbistro.com

Pelliccia says: “The gnocchi are much denser than the kind I make, but I like that they’re seared and have a little bit of crunch. And I really like the vegetable sauce.”

Inside dish: Chef White is unwavering when it comes his strict, two-day process for dumpling assembly, but he’s flexible with the vegetable sauces that crown his handmade gnocchi. Squash, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and a host of other veggies wind up in the dish. Look for pumpkin, burrata and tarragon to start appearing this season. “We don’t ever do anything the same here,” White says.

Chef White’s favorite dish… pacificsandiego.com

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Chef Chad White’s pick:

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

by Chef Matt Gordon Urban Solace 3823 30th St., North Park 619.295.6464, urbansolace.net 56

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White says: “It’s a comfort dish that reminds me of having it at home during the winter with my grandmother in Washington State. Matt’s gravy is excellent. The chicken is cooked perfectly, and you can tell that the dumplings are really fresh.”

Inside dish: Chef Gordon’s chicken and dumplings has ranked as a top seller at Urban Solace since he opened the restaurant in 2007. “It’s the most straightforward dish on my menu,” says Gordon, “even though I give the dumplings a little extra flavor twist by using buttermilk and chives.” The gravy is made from chicken bones—Gordon utilizes the whole bird. Chef Gordon’s favorite dish…

Chef Matt Gordon’s pick: FISH TACOS

by Chef Trey Foshee George’s at the Cove 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla 858.454.4244, georgesatthecove.com

Gordon says: “It’s ‘fish tacos’ on the menu, but you really get anything but. The shells are actually little slices of raw tuna folded up around crispy avocado. There’s crema and maybe some crushed corn nuts in there, too. It’s like eating inside-out tacos.”

Inside dish: Indeed, the menu description for Chef Foshee’s fish tacos (Foshee says he slings about 500 of them a month) reads: “Hard to explain, just try it.” The tortilla shells are completely eliminated in lieu of yellowfin, which is meticulously folded around fried avocado and crema.

Chef Foshee’s favorite dish… pacificsandiego.com

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Chef Trey Foshee’s pick:

JAMAICAN JERK PORK BELLY

by Chef Jason Knibb Nine-Ten 910 Prospect St., La Jolla 858.964.5400, nine-ten.com 58 56

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Foshee says: “The pork belly is spicy from chilies and sweet from plantains and sweet potatoes, and it’s served with black-eyed peas. It’s one of the best dishes in town and it comes from Jason’s Jamaican background, which is filtered through his Cali-French training and curiosity for the modern.”

Inside dish: Pork belly turns sexier when Chef Knibb unleashes his Jamaican roots on the dish.

He marinates the meat in jerk spice, braises it and then gives it a habanaro gelée glaze. Blackeyed peas, plantains and yam puree clench the deal. “It’s spicy and complex,” says Knibb, “and I sell about forty orders a week.”

Chef Knibb’s favorite dish…

Chef Jason Knibb’s pick FRIED SWEETBREADS

by Chef Mike Liotta Whisknladle 1044 Wall St., La Jolla 858.551.7575, whisknladle.com

Knibb says: “They look like little chicken nuggets, super crispy and served with fingerling potatoes, beets and capers. I’ve ordered it four times already as an appetizer.”

Inside dish: After an overnight soaking in milk, the sweetbreads are braised in chicken stock and anise liqueur before resting in buttermilk until ordered—when they are finally dragged through flour and fried in peanut oil. Once Chef Liotta sets the sweetbreads atop a warm salad of beets, potatoes and lemon butter, you may not believe you’re eating organs.

Hopefully, you left room for San Diego’s ultimate 10-course dessert… pacificsandiego.com

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OLÉ MOLE Rumba and Flamenco guitarists energize the tapas bar at Café Sevilla, a recently relocated Gaslamp landmark, seven nights a week.

Two dinner shows— Gypsy Fusion (Fridays) and the Art of Flamenco (Saturdays)—offer guests a three-course meal of fine authentic Spanish cuisine garnished with live Spanish music and dance performances.

Still hungry for fun after dinner? Head to the allnew Sevilla Nightclub downstairs.

Café Sevilla 353 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp 619.233.5979, cafesevilla.com

omma says don’t play with your food, so leave her at home and feed your soul at one of these San Diego eateries, offering entertainment with every mouthful.

Enjoy tapas with a side of Flamenco, fine dining with a generous helping of drag or dinner and a movie—at the same time. Making smiley faces out of peas and carrots is so first grade.

Turn that frown upside down (and make Momma proud) by graduating to a new level of eato-tainment…and another reason to check in on Foursquare.

By Aaron Heier / Photos by Brevin Blach

Your Meals Thanks to these restaurants, having fun with food is no longer a tall order

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SHAKE YOUR FOODIE

KEYS TO HAPPINESS

Be prepared to channel your inner Shakira if you make eye contact with one of the Marrakesh belly dancers—they delight in giving impromptu hip-gyration instructions to guests, who often find themselves shaking it with the evening’s entertainment. A traditional Moroccan menu and exotic drinks compliment the experience.

At downtown’s The Shout! House, dueling piano players pound the ivories, performing high-energy (and often hilarious) renditions of classic and contemporary rock hits as patrons hurl requests and sing along at the top of their lungs.

The unfussy menu of burgers, salads and appetizers is fitting, since the true stars of this show are the ones belting out a huge library of songs without a teleprompter.

Marrakesh 634 Pearl St., La Jolla 858.454.2500 marrakeshdining.com

TUNING FORK Anthology, one of San Diego’s premier supper clubs, dishes up world-class R&B, jazz and indie music. And with award-winning California Cuisine courtesy of Chef Todd Allison sharing the marquee, dinner at this acoustically exquisite space tastes as good as it sounds.

Belly dancing at Marrakesh

Anthology 1337 India St., Little Italy 619.595.0300 anthologysd.com

KISS MY SASS The drag show at Lips

The drag mother of all dinner theaters, Lips delivers its own brand of sassy burlesque from some of the hardest-working “gurls” in the biz. Watch these sultans of schwing lip-sync, dance and sashay across the stage (or host weekly sessions of “Bitchy Bingo”) while you savor cocktails and Euro-American comfort fare.

Lip-smacking fun, indeed.

Lips 3036 El Cajon Blvd., Bankers Hill 619.295.7900 lipssd.com

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The Shout! House 655 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp 619.231.6700 theshouthouse.com

WHAT A DRAG The jazz-and-Broadway-flavored vocals of bodacious drag personality Tiffany Tanqueray accompany casual American fine dining and top-shelf cocktails at Martinis Above Fourth most weekends, while special comedy nights, live music and bingo brunches animate the rest of the month. The new owners are planning to add a stage for more cabaret and variety acts.

Martinis Above Fourth 3940 Fourth Ave. #200, Hillcrest 619.400.4500 martinisabovefourth.com

DON’T MAKE CONCESSIONS Combining gourmet eats and craft cocktails with box office hits, Cinépolis has revolutionized movie night, making the silver screen golden again. Hobnob with friends in the lobby or recline in plush comfort and nibble on sushi, seafood and paninis courtesy of atyour-seat service during the flick.

Cinépolis 12905 El Camino Real, Carmel Valley 858.794.4045 cinepolisusa.com

Duelling pianos The Shout! House

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PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE SEARSUCKER & BURLAP

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Executive Chef Brian Malarkey presents his venison carpaccio (left) with truffle soy aioli, capers, yolk and pecorino; and his rotisserie chicken with lime hoisin, ginger aioli, slaw and buns.

LIFE OF BRIAN

Chef Brian Malarkey’s getting back to his cowboy roots at Burlap

By S ol o m o n David P hot os b y J ulia P ertel Raised on a ranch amid livestock and the ever-present aroma of something deliciously stick-to-yer-ribs cooking in his mama’s kitchen, Chef Brian Malarkey has never forgotten his roots. Even after rising to fame on Bravo’s hit reality competition Top Chef, and capturing San Diego’s dining scene spotlight last year with his runaway-hit, New American Classic-themed Gaslamp resto, Searsucker, he hasn’t changed a bit. Boldly flavored, hearty food done right is still his gastronomic bread and butter. That much is clear from the “Asian Cowboy” cuisine he’s putting out at his new Del Mar Highlands eatery—Burlap.

Malarkey’s new style of fusion goes way beyond baked beans and hominy grits, focusing on cooking methods straight out of the heartland— grilling, roasting and spit-over-a-pit—in tandem with Asian ingredients, spices and condiments.

But this isn’t about cold noodles and chop suey. Asian Cowboy is something wholly unique, taking staples like oyster sauce, bok choy, five spice and chili paste and using them in an untraditional manner. These ingredients find their way into a variety of rich spice blends, marinades and sauces for beef and game dishes—like Burlap’s venison carpaccio with a truffle-soy emulsion and whole-roasted rotisserie chicken with lime hoisin, ginger aioli and steamed buns. It’s a new brand of East meets West or, as Malarkey says, “West Eats Meat.”

Searsucker

Burlap

611 5th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 619.233.7327, searsucker.com Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch Lunch: Mon-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner: Sun-Thurs, 6-10 p.m.

Brunch: Sun, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Bar: daily, 5 p.m. to close

12995 El Camino Real, Ste. 21 Del Mar, CA 92130 858.369.5700, burlapeats.com Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch Lunch: Mon-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner: Sun-Thurs, 6-10 p.m.

Brunch: Sun, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Bar: daily, 5 p.m. to close

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CLOCKWISE (from top): Bases Loaded pizza with pepperoni, sausage, meatballs and Canadian bacon; mesquite wood-smoked chicken drummettes; charbroiled bacon cheeseburger with fries and dipping sauces.

PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE GAMEDAY SPORTS BAR & GRILL

GAME time Sycuan Casino scores a homerun with the brandnew GameDay Sports Bar & Grill B y So lo mo n David Ph o to s by Julia Pertel The 15-foot-tall aluminum Louisville Slugger baseball bat greeting guests at Sycuan Casino’s new GameDay Sports Bar confirms you’ve come to the right place for cheering NFL games, UFC fights, golf and, of course, baseball. With five 100inch Holodisplay projection screens and 39 large-screen TVs filling every well-appointed corner, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

GameDay Sports Bar & Grill’s hundreds of pieces of sports memorabilia (including a NASCAR engine, a San Diego Chicken costume and the four original owner’s seats from Petco Park) crawl right up to the ceiling, which is masterfully embroidered with baseball stitching. And the arched entrance into the bar was designed to mimic a passageway into Qualcomm Stadium.

GameDay Sports Bar & Grill 5469 Casino Way (inside Sycuan Casino) El Cajon, CA 92019 619.445.6002, sycuan.com Mon.-Fri.: noon to midnight Sat.-Sun.: 10 a.m. to midnight

This Mecca for sports fans seats 160 guests who also come knocking for Kobe and St. Louis-style ribs, slow-cooked in the bar’s cherrywood smokers. Brisket comes into play as well, along with house-made sauces, specialty pizzas hailing from a stone oven, pork sliders, wings and beerbattered veggies. Among the hottest sellers is the black-and-blue pizza crowned with brisket, blue cheese and roasted garlic (should you arrive dateless).

A fully stocked bar extends to a dozen drafts on tap, eight of them from local craft breweries. And you don’t need to leave your stool to summon Lady Luck, because 29 video poker machines are built right into the bar.

P R O M O T I O N A L

PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE

Designed to perfection, the 50/50 burger is topped with an over-medium fried egg, avocado mash, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo.

SLATER’S 50/50

HALF TIME

SLATER’S 50/50 beefs Up Liberty Station’s dining landscape

By S ol o m o n David Hangover cures are essential at a party school as spirited as SDSU. One Aztec alum, Scott Slater, used his—burgers made out of equal parts ground beef and ground bacon—to found a successful restaurant chain.

Enter Slater’s 50/50, an award-winning SoCal eatery whose third iteration debuts in Liberty Station this month. The neighborhood pub and sports bar hybrid will be home to Slater’s former Qualcomm Stadium tailgate staple, the 50/50 Burger (served with pepper jack, avocado mash, chipotle mayo and a fried egg), plus other innovative dishes dreamt up in tandem with fellow SDSU alum and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Brad Lyons.

Among those are standouts like pankocrusted mac ’n’ cheese balls with Tapatio ranch sauce, sweet potato fries served with house-made pumpkin dip and a bacon brownie that’s equal parts pork fat and cocoa-borne decadence.

Add a crafty list of libations more than 100 brews strong, and it’s no wonder Slater’s 50/50 has become a household name among carnivores and craft beer enthusiasts alike.

Also on the menu at Liberty Station are San Diego-specific items like fried chicken and pancakes—crispy fried yard-bird smothered in country gravy, topped with a fried egg and two thickcut strips of bacon sandwiched between liberally syruped buttermilk pancakes.

Hangover cure or happy food-coma inciter? You be the judge!

Slater’s 50/50 2750 Dewey Rd., Bldg. #193 (in Liberty Station next to Ace Hardware) San Diego, CA 92106 619.398.2600, slaters5050.com Lunch, Dinner, Late Night 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily (opens 9 a.m. during football season)

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PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE Café Sevilla

RISING TO THE TAPAS

Amid new surroundings, Café Sevilla sizzles with the best Spanish cuisine in town B y So lo mo n David Ph o to s by Julia Pertel Locals in the know, meandering tourists and even the Food Network have followed the sounds of live Flamenco emanating from the Gaslamp location of Café Sevilla—since 1987, the place to go in San Diego for an authentic taste of the culture and tapas-driven food fare of Spain.

Injecting new life into the establishment and its neighborhood, the combo restaurantlounge-nightclub recently pulled up stakes, moving to an inviting and deliciously modern center-stage spot on Fifth Avenue. Despite the new surroundings, it’s been business as usual for Executive Chef Cesar Castillo, who prepares exquisite Spanish cuisine by relying on the Latin flavor fundamentals—including the proper use of temperatures, flavors, textures and appearance—he gleaned as a child while working in his uncle’s diner in Sinaloa, Mexico.

CLOCKWISE (from top): Executive Chef Cesar Castillo presents Café Sevilla’s Paella Valenciana, with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, scallops, chicken and grilled imported Spanish sausages; Chocolate Decadence— flourless chocolate cake with warm ganache center, served with caramel gelato; lamb chops Madrileñas— herb-marinated and grilled, served with Fabada stew, Asturian beans, and morcilla and chorizo sausages.

Café Sevilla

Tapas Bar

353 Fifth Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 619.239.5979, cafesevilla.com Tapas, Dinner, Late Night, Sunday Brunch Sun.-Thu.: 4-11 p.m.

Fri.-Sat.: 4 p.m.-1 a.m.

Sun.: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

4-1 a.m. daily Nightclub 10 p.m.-2 a.m. nightly

In creating Sevilla’s signature paella dishes, Castillo uses Bomba rice imported from Valencia, Spain, because it absorbs the flavors of the broth while maintaining firmness. His passion for Spain’s indigenous flavor profile (which comes out in his grilled Spanish sausages and the dishes he prepares with imported Jamon Iberico ham, among other mouthwatering ingredients) helps elevate Café Sevilla to the top of the Finest City tapas scene. Further heat up the night after dinner with scorching salsa dancing and DJ beats in Sevilla’s underground nightclub.

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PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE EDDIE V’S

COASTAL EDDIE

D I N I N G

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CLOCKWISE (from top): Executive Chef Bill Greenwood presents his Pacific halibut sashimi with arugula, wasabi leaves and California citrus, finished with Meyer lemon cucumber vinaigrette; locally caught roasted Point Loma spiny lobster with sweet potato risotto and golden pea shoots; 22 oz. USDA prime bone-in rib eye, seasoned with coarse salt and cracked black pepper, and brushed with whole salted butter to finish.

Eddie V’s surf and turf, overlooking the surf—what a delicious concept

By S ol o m o n David P hot os b y J ulia P ertel Before asking for “Eddie V” in the hopes of snagging recipe secrets for those fabulous seafood and steak dishes dancing across your palate, bear in mind that the name represents two individuals—founders Larry Eddie Foles and Guy Villavaso.

Eddie V’s greets diners with a warm, cordial ambiance replete with dark woods, soft Edison bulbs and jumbo windows that pull in views of the La Jolla Shores coastline. The two-level structure dates to the late 1800s, still warming patrons with its original stone fireplace.

New Orleans-style jazz and blues performed nightly complements a full menu of sustainable seafood, Angus Gold beef and local organics. Executive Chef Bill Greenwood enhances the supper-club feel with mouthwatering prime steaks from Chicago. Lucky are those who seize the bone-in filet when it appears as a special.

For those who arrive salivating for seafood, the crab cake on the appetizer list, constructed with Jonah leg meat from the East Coast and fresh jumbo blue lump crab from the Gulf, is big and naturally sweet. Another house favorite is the eight-ounce hunk of Loch Duart salmon, cooked sous vide with baby vegetables and contained in a sauce of chopped herbs, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and butter. Visit this paradise of top-quality meats and seafood, and you’re sure to be hooked.

EDDIE V’S 1270 Prospect St. La Jolla, CA 92037 858.459.5500, eddievsrestaurants.com Mon.-Thurs.: 4-11 p.m.

Fri.-Sun.: 3-11 p.m.

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Executive Chef Kemar Durfield presents his grilled calamari with parsley, tomatoes and olives.

PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE DONOVAN’S PRIME SEAFOOD

PRIME TIME

Donovan’s Prime Seafood lands a big fish to lead their kitchen B y So lo m on David Ph o to s b y Julia Pertel With its reputation for top quality, the Donovan’s Steak and Chophouse empire has taken things to a whole new level with the addition of Donovan’s Prime Seafood—with Executive Chef Kemar Durfield at the helm. A fine dining veteran with more than two decades of experience at such highprofile restaurants as the Grand Del Mar’s five-star, five-diamond Addison, Durfield has applied his simple yet elegant approach in creating a menu that utilizes a variety of fresh fish and shellfish brought in daily from around the world.

Donovan’s Prime Seafood 333 Fifth Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 619.906.4850, donovansprimeseafood.com Happy Hour, Dinner Mon.-Thurs.: 5-10 p.m.

Fri.-Sat.: 5-11 p.m.

Donovan’s Prime Seafood exudes old-school charm, providing a calm, sophisticated oasis in which to seek refuge from the everyday. It’s the perfect atmosphere for getting lost in luxury and enjoying such epicurean delights as sumptuous wild king salmon with Puy lentils and pancetta, sea bass tartare enlivened by a fresh lime vinaigrette, or plump Kumamoto oysters dressed up with caviar, herb pistu and a refreshing champagne granite. These and all of the dishes on Durfield’s bill of fare allow the natural flavors of pristine seafood and seasonal ingredients to shine on their own merits while adding shimmer to the newest jewel in the Donovan’s crown. pacificsandiego.com

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PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE KITCHEN 4140

D I N I N G

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CLOCKWISE (from top): Executive Chef Kurt Metzger plates his blue jumbo lump crabmeat salad with heirloom tomatoes, heirloom baby carrots and Humboldt Fog cheese; blue jumbo lump crab benedict with caper hollandaise atop a housemade rosemary biscuit; braised short rib sandwich with truffle fries.

Carpe A.M. Kitchen 4140 offers tasty ways to seize the day

By S ol o m o n David P hot os b y J ulia P ertel Starting each day in style is the name of the game at Bay Ho’s Kitchen 4140, where breakfast, lunch and brunch get gourmet treatment against a cozy, refreshing backdrop. Executive Chef Kurt Metzger’s menu is driven by his devotion to farm-fresh, locally procured edibles and shaped by culinary sensibilities he developed while manning the high-profile kitchen at L.A.’s Bistro 45.

Since opening Kitchen 4140 in late 2010 (the latest in his line of businesses including Concept Catering by CK and CK’s BBQ Shack), Metzger has gained a solid following. Count Food Network as one of his fans—look for Metzger battling chef contestants and outlandish ingredient mash-ups on an upcoming episode of the network’s hit reality competition Chopped.

In the meantime, stop in for a taste of this rising star’s seasonally driven fare.

Herbs picked straight out Kitchen 4140’s garden add punch to pillowy gnocchi with braised short rib, while culinary inventiveness defines dishes like red velvet pancakes with chocolate chips and sweet cream cheese frosting.

Enjoy such early-to-midday treats from the contemporary comfort-meets-farmhouse casual dining room or the sun-drenched outdoor patio, and discover the truth behind the age-old saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Kitchen 4140 4140 Morena Blvd. (in Bay Ho) San Diego, CA 92117 858.483.4140, kitchen4140.com Breakfast, Lunch, Sunday Brunch Mon.-Fri.: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sunday Brunch: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

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PACIFICSD TASTEMAKERS EXCLUSIVE

Chef Jason Gethin presents his succulent shrimp atop a base of Vermont cheddar cheese grits with alligator Andouille sausage and fire-roasted tomato; Union Burger with house-made bacon, stewed tomato jam, aged Vermont cheddar and hand-cut Kennebec frites; braised pork belly with creamy grits and local pear, topped with a molasses gastrique glaze.

UNION KITCHEN & TAP

THE PERFECT UNION Union Kitchen & Tap brings a multifaceted experience… and beer…to Highway 101 B y So lo mo n David Ph o to s by Julia Pertel Consciously crafted comfort food and local brews have drawn North County coasters to Encinitas’ new addition, Union Kitchen & Tap. The latest in a line of foodie rest stops to land on Highway 101, Union has already established itself as a fave for a wide cross-section of families looking for a tasty midday meal and party people looking for a lively late-night spot. Executive Chef Jason Gethin’s menu­—stocked with group-ready apps and flatbreads, entrées running the meat-and-seafood gamut, plus vegan options that chime in with equally robust flavors— provides an ideal confluence of hand-crafted numbers to satisfy any taste.

Union Kitchen & Tap 1108 South Coast Highway 101 Encinitas, CA 92024 760.230.2337, localunion101.com Lunch, Dinner and Weekend Brunch Lunch: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Social Hours: Mon.-Fri., 3-6 p.m.

Dinner: Sun.-Thu., 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5-11 p.m.

Weekend Brunch: Sat.-Sun., 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Indulge in braised pork belly and grits made even more decadent with a molasses gastrique, or go by sea with a slow-cooked fisherman’s stew made with fresh bass and shellfish. For weekend brunch, start things off with housemade beignets, whiskey peach Dutch pancakes or chicken and waffles with thyme-infused maple syrup. No matter the time of day (who’s judging?), all can be enjoyed amid Union’s reclaimed-chic splendor and washed down with a wide array of ales and lagers (pulled from the 40 brewhouses peppering San Diego County) or signature cocktails constructed using fresh organic ingredients from an on-site hydroponic herb garden. pacificsandiego.com

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Venison meatloaf at The Tractor Room in Hillcrest

DRINK

MEAT ME AT THE GAME Beef, elk and bison—what a boar

B y DAVID NELSON

C

•

Photos by Brevin Blach

hew on this: despite San Diego’s proximity to the ocean, the city’s restaurants crank out a whole lot more than just delicious seafood. For more savory beef and game dishes than you can shake a hoof at, check out any of these prime selections for a meal that’s sure to be a cut above.

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Raising the Steaks The swanky new kid on the butcher’s block, with a sweeping view of La Jolla Cove, Eddie V’s serves up premium, hand-cut steaks on a menu emphasizing choice seafood. Spend five bucks extra to parlay the $39, eight-ounce filet into a 12-ounce beauty that—if too hefty for one sitting—will make a most memorable sandwich later. Larger, superbly succulent New York strips and bone-in rib eyes ($46) enjoy the companionship of Chef Bill Greenwood’s spectacular sides, like crab-fried rice and sautéed spinach crowned with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Eddie V’s | 1270 Prospect St., La Jolla | 858.459.5500 | eddiev.com

Eddie V’s bone-in rib eye

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DINING OUT

Buying the Farm

DRINK

There’s a lot prowling the menu at The Tractor Room: elk sausage ravioli, skewers of pheasant and Cognac-rabbit sausage, venison meatloaf and stews of free-range buffalo and boar made with, the menu notes, “demi-glace, root veggies and love.” Unique in San Diego: braised buffalo Sloppy Joe sandwiches with caramelized onions and horseradish sour cream.

The Tractor Room 3687 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest 619.543.1007 thetractorroom.com

Tangled Up in Blue Azul La Jolla offers its own version of classic surf ’n’ turf. Go for the gold by chasing market-priced, ultra-fresh oysters with a massive cut from a list that boasts big, bold New York and Kansas City strips; filets; rib-eyes; a T-bone and, for those who like some “chew” in every bite, a 10-ounce culotte top sirloin ($27). Craving something more exotic? The generous marbling of Azul’s Wagyu steaks ($56 to $76), from cattle raised in Australia, provides exceptional flavor.

Azul La Jolla 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla 858.454.9616 azul-lajolla.com

Turf’s Up Specializing in succulent rib eyes, tenderloins, sirloins and strips from top suppliers like Montana’s Meyer Ranch and Brandt Beef in Brawley, California, JRDN’s Chef David Warner one-ups the Pacific Beach meat market with a 10-ounce rack of wild boar ($38) and a bison New York strip. Add a Maine lobster compliment to any meat selection for 36 clams.

JRDN Tower 23 Hotel 723 Feldspar St., Pacific Beach 858.270.5736 jrdn.com

Tapenade’s cubed boar stew

Cure for Boardom La Jolla’s stylish Tapenade is especially good at game. The restaurant celebrates fall with civet de sanglier, an abundantly flavored stew of cubed boar braised in boldly seasoned red wine. Earthy and sophisticated, it’s an edible epiphany of classic French cooking.

Tapenade | 7612 Fay Ave., La Jolla | 858.551.7500 | tapenaderestaurant.com (Continued on page 76) pacificsandiego.com

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DINING OUT

Grate Expectations Those who live for the thrill of the grill gravitate to Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa for doit-yourself steaks cooked on a communal gridiron—making it a natural gathering place for Monday Night Football. The place is serious about quality, but if the steak is over-cooked, you’ll have only yourself to blame. While you man or woman the BBQ, the kitchen rolls out salads, spuds and other tasty sides.

DRINK

Riviera Supper Club 7777 University Ave., La Mesa 619.713.6777, rivierasupperclub.com

Big Time Gargantuan breakfasts draw the masses to Hillcrest’s Hash House A Go Go, but the cognoscenti come for dinner. High among the resto’s all-American attractions is a cedar plankroasted prime rib eye splashed with a Kentucky’s Bulleit Bourbon-flavored demi-glace. At $39, it’s pricier than Hash House’s other offerings, but it’s quite a steak—goat cheese, smoked bacon and potatoes mashed with chunks of venison sausage round out the garnishes.

Hash House A Go Go 3628 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest 619.298.4646, hashhouseagogo.com

Greystone Steakhouse’s elk chop

Roe deer medallions at Kaiserhof

Oh, Deer

Kaiserhof caption to go here. Kaiserhof caption to go here.

Ocean Beach’s destination for wild boar goulash, grilled quail with jaeger (hunter) sauce and other German delights, Kaiserhof offers an annual fall game menu. One of this year’s highlights is a generous serving of delicate roe deer medallions with brandied green peppercorn sauce and chanterelles.

Kaiserhof | 2253 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach | 619.224.0606 | kaiserhofrestaurant.com

Game’s On The roasted elk chop is a top-seller at the Gaslamp’s Greystone the Steakhouse. Richly flavored and exceptionally lean, the elk is rubbed with powdered porcini mushrooms and finished with a sweet-savory reduction flavored with coriander and blackberries. Hearty sides of Swiss chard and herb-mashed potatoes should satisfy any hungry hunting party.

Greystone the Steakhouse | 658 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp | 619.232.0225 | greystonesteakhouse.com 76

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HIGH SPIRITS

DRINK

Despite the reigning brew buzz, whiskey’s local fervor grows

By Brandon Hernández Photos by Brevin Blach

A

merica’s Finest is best known as a beer town, but the recent release of the first locally distilled whiskey proves San Diegans can produce a higher proof.

Yuseff Cherney, chief distiller for Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits in Scripps Ranch, is at the head of this class. His Devil’s Share Whiskey (available to the public via a limited release beginning in December) delivers massive oak, smoke and caramel flavor that’s impressive for the first run of a brand-new spirit. In fact, it’s so solid that it won top honors from the American Distilling Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, last year— surpassing hometown favorites while having barely kissed the barrels in which it has now been aging for months.

“We brew Devil’s Share like a traditional Scotch whisky, but age it like an American bourbon in new American Virgin oak,” says Cherney.

While Cherney is busy making whiskey, other local aficionados offer tips for how to enjoy drinking it.

Scot Blair, owner of Small Bar in University Heights, is a major supporter of Ballast Point and the nation’s most en vogue breed of whiskey, bourbon. “We’ve been really committed to having a large selection and making often harder-to-find bourbon readily accessible,” he says.

(Continued on page 80)

Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits 10051 Old Grove Rd., Scripps Ranch 858.695.2739, ballastpoint.com 78

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Noble Experiment 777 G St., East Village 619.888.4713, nobleexperimentsd.com

Small Bar 4628 Park Blvd., University Heights 619.795.7998, smallbarsd.com

Premium spring & sparkling water...

The clear complement for your lifestyle.

Our artistic glass bottles are collectorquality, but as part of our commitment to zero waste, they are reďŹ lled and reused and cannot be purchased.

Admire them each time you order your Palomar Mountain spring and sparkling water.

Served by the glass bottle at these ďŹ ne restaurants:

760-743-0140

palomarwater.com pacificsandiego.com

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DINING OUT DRINK

Yuseff Cherney (left), chief distiller at Ballast Point, and company owner/founder Jack White

For cocktails, Blair recommends against drinks that mask bourbon’s subtleties. “I’d suggest an Old Fashioned—sugar, bitters, bourbon, some nice orange essence, and you’re set. Then I’d move on to a Manhattan. Even though purists insist on rye, try this cocktail with a brilliant bourbon and you’ll see my point. And a mint julep made with love and care is like a little slice of heaven.”

Anthony Schmidt, lead mixologist at Noble Experiment in East Village, follows a similarly simple philosophy.

“I strive to limit ingredients and let the spirit sing for itself, the way it was intended,” says Schmidt, whose go-tos are the Old Fashioned, a ginger-bourbon highball called The Horse’s Neck and the legendary Gold Rush (bourbon, lemon juice and honey). Sweet music, indeed.

Barrel-Lickin’ Good While designer whiskeys are aging to perfection, try a Kentucky Colonel (chicken-free)

When the night calls for bourbon, head to Starlite in Midtown—a shining star among San Diego’s cocktail lounges that boasts 34 bourbon varieties, with plans to add 192 more.

The new offerings will hail from Frankfort, Kentucky-based Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Single Oak Project—an eightyear effort to attain the “holy grail” of bourbon by taking 96 individually selected American oak trees, cutting them in half and making single barrels from each section. The results: 192 whiskeys crafted using seven different variables, resulting in 1,396 total taste combinations.

In the meantime, kick back with a Kentucky Colonel, courtesy of this recipe from Starlite.

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Starlite’s Kentucky Colonel

KENTUCKY COLONEL Yields one cocktail

Definitive Proof The differences between bourbon, rye and Scotch

2 ounces Buffalo Trace Bourbon 2 twists lemon 12 ounces Cock ’n’ Bull Ginger Beer 3 dashes Bittercube’s Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters (or similar) 1 lemon slice

Bourbon is made with a mash (a mixture of hot water and crushed grain) that’s at least 51 percent corn.

Rye requires a mash that is at least 51 percent rye.

Scotch is whiskey produced in Scotland that’s been aged in oak barrels for three years, minimum.

Fill a large copper mug with ice. Mix bourbon, lemon juice, ginger beer and bitters and pour into mug. Garnish with a lemon slice and serve immediately.

Starlite 3175 India St., Mission Hills 619.358.9766, starlitesandiego.com

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taste DINING OUT DRINK

By Brandon Hernández

W

hen the San Diego Brewers Guild tapped its first San Diego Beer Week (SDBW) in 2009, it looked to similar fetes in major cities on both coasts for inspiration. Today, this region’s annual 10-day celebration of ales and lagers is the model for brew blowouts nationwide.

Comprised of roughly 500 events hosted by the county’s breweries, brewpubs and restaurants, SDBW (running November 4 to 13) rockets sponsors and enthusiasts alike into the craft beer-isphere.

“Having all the local breweries, as well as the Guild’s Allied Pub members, come together for Beer Week shows the camaraderie and love for the craft for which San Diego has become known,” says Marty Mendiola, Brewers Guild president and senior brewer at Rock Bottom of La Jolla. “It celebrates our dominance of America’s craft beer scene.”

That dominance includes Rock Bottom’s own gold medal win in the Robust Porter category at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), in Denver, Colorado (the country’s premier beer contest)—one of 20 awards nabbed by San Diego-area breweries. A whopping 15 were scored by the Pizza Port chain alone.

In addition to hometown pride, SDBW also means big revenue for the city.

“A lot of bars, restaurants and breweries saw their sales spike during [SDBW],” says Melody Daversa, marketing and PR manager for Karl Strauss Brewing Company and a charter member of the SDBW steering committee. “Blind Lady Ale House, Hamilton’s Tavern and Phil’s BBQ all reported that their sales were up.”

Tomme Arthur, director of brewery operations for The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, whose Framboise de Amorosa won a silver medal in GABF’s American-style Sour Ale category, is excited for SDBW to begin again.

“Is there anything better than 10 days of celebrating the craft brewers of San Diego?” he says. “Well, I suppose if it lasted a month….”

Even a month wouldn’t be enough time to see and taste all that SDBW has to offer (San Diego Beer Year, anyone?), so we’ve distilled the list of events down to a more manageable size for your drinking pleasure. Cheers!

(Continued on page 84)

LET’S GO TO THE HOPS Pop a bottle, crack a can and raise a pint to the sudsy love-in that is San Diego Beer Week 82

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BITE TIME

Short ribs, slow braised for six hours and served with demi-glace, sautéed vegetables and garlic mashed red potatoes.

NIGHT TIME

nightclub sports bar dining lounge

Friday: $2 drinks and complimentary appetizers (4-10 p.m.)

Saturday: $4 you-call-it’s (6 p.m.-close)

9 4 5 G A R N E T AV E . PA C I F I C B E A C H , C A .

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Welcome to the dark side…

BIG BEERS + SMALL PRICES

GREAT FOOD + YUMMY CROWD

…where the Guinness flows, and if you’re lucky enough to be Irish, then you’re lucky enough

Expect the Unexpected 777 5th Avenue, Gaslamp, (619) 232-6000

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POWERFUL DJ BEATS

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

®

DINING OUT DRINK

Twist and Stout

Celebrate Beer Week’s best at these 10 tasty happenings Rare Beer Breakfast Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, Escondido There aren’t enough opportunities to down suds before noon. Kick off Beer Week in style with rare beers worthy of pairing with the most important meal of the day. Friday, Nov. 4, 9:30 a.m., stonebrew.com San Diego’s Top Brewers Book Launch Party Mission Brewery, East Village Mingle and sip beers with the folks featured in a new book about the thriving San Diego craft brewing scene. Friday, Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m., chefspress.com San Diego Brewers Guild Festival Ingram Park, Liberty Station Beer Week’s official start is marked with a festival featuring beers from every member company of the San Diego Brewers Guild. Show up for the 11 a.m. VIP session and meet the crews behind the brews. Saturday, Nov. 5, 1 p.m., sdbw.org Behind the Brewery Beer & Food Pairing Home Brew Mart, Linda Vista Enjoy a triple play as the MIHO Gastrotruck and Fiji Yogurt pair their specialty foods with Ballast Point Brewing Company’s world-class beers at the latter’s Linda Vista brewery-turned-dining room. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m., homebrewmart.com Third Annual Fling Disc Golf Tourney with Green Flash Hamilton’s Tavern, South Park Toss pleasantries back and forth on the Frisbee greens with some of San Diego’s brewing elite, then head back to Hamilton’s Tavern, where every beer drinker is a winner. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 5 p.m., info@hamiltonstavern.com New Belgium Brewmaster & Barrel Night Churchill’s Pub, San Marcos Beer Week isn’t all about locals. Taste rare sour beers straight from the barrels from this high-profile Colorado brewery in tandem with a special food-pairing menu from Chef A.G. Warfield. Thursday, Nov. 10, 6 p.m., churchillspub.us Green Flash 9th Anniversary Celebration Green Flash Brewing Co., Mira Mesa Benefiting the San Diego affiliate of the breast cancer foundation Susan G. Komen for the Cure, festivities at the company’s new brewery feature gourmet food trucks, games and, of course, the award-winning Green Flash beers.

Saturday, Nov. 12, noon, greenflashbrew.com Night of a Million Zillion Speedways O’Brien’s Pub, Kearny Mesa This event offers numerous specialty versions of the award-winning chocolatecoffee wonder that is AleSmith Speedway Stout—plus an opportunity to chat up its renowned brewmaster Peter Zien. Saturday, Nov. 12, 5 p.m., obrienspub.net Pour It Black Festival Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, Escondido Explore top-quality porters, stouts and black IPAs from around the world at this first-ever festival devoted to surrendering to the darker side of brewing. Sunday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m., stonebrew.com Beer Garden The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla Enjoy breathtaking views along with brews provided by local breweries, plus food prepared by big-name chefs from across the county, at Beer Week’s capstone event. Sunday, Nov. 13, 12 p.m., sdbw.org Complete slate of events: sdbw.org

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Eventvibe.com presents FLUXX EDM, featuring:

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MARTIN SOLVEIG Sunday, Nov. 20 FLUXX, 500 4th Ave., Gaslamp eventvibe.com, fluxxsd.com

French funk-pop DJ producer Martin Solveig is riding a buzzy wave of YouTube bliss (his latest hit, “Hello,” has garnered 38 million-plus views and climbing) straight to FLUXX on November 20.

Scan here to watch the “Hello” video and win tickets to see Martin Solveig at FLUXX

T ristan S eguela pacificsandiego.com

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SOUND ADVICE Elis & Tom

Elis & Tom

Album Reviews by tim donnelly

Classic you should already own

File-sharing has made the quest for finding new music an effortless, mindless and sometimes overwhelming task. You buy an iPod, your bestie dumps all “their” music on it and your current music taste forms around that cyclical process.

Elis & Tom (Elis Regina and Tom Jobim) is one album that you might not score through a friend file-swap (or if you’re lucky enough, you already did). Recorded in 1974, Elis & Tom is considered the most vital Bossa Nova (“New Trend” in the Brazilian jazz genre lexicon) album of all time. It’s a furry-sounding tropical-jazz recording that evokes feelings of love, loss, isolation, hip-swaying and palm trees.

Jobim’s silky jazz numbers, coupled with Regina’s glum-but-gorgeous vocal tone, represented a landmark shift in the ’70s jazz scene; now, it’s a timeless classic that could’ve been made just yesterday. Regina OD’d on a vicious cocktail of blow, booze, pills and depression in 1982, but her contribution to the contemporary Bossa Nova scene remains ever-relevant.

For fans of: Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Dinah Washington Standout tracks: “Só Tinha de Ser com Você,” “Águas de Março” Goes well with: coitus, red wine, red wine-induced coitus B rantley G utierre z

WILCO

Leading up to the release date of their flagship masterpiece, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, Wilco was suddenly dropped from their major label (the label claimed the album was an unmarketable flop). In a game-changing industry move, Wilco promptly posted the album for free on their website, and a tidal wave of critical buzz ensued. The band was subsequently re-signed, and Yankee Foxtrot Hotel landed the number-two spot on Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of 2002” list.

Front man Jeff Tweedy got hooked on pills during that period, but cleaned up—and the band released a few lackluster albums (with the exception of Ghost is Born) that unfortunately strayed too far from their psych-tinged Americana roots. Luckily, The Whole Love is a back-to-form endeavor littered with catchy-as-hell melodies sheathed in weirdness, electronic spazz-outs, spider-webbed guitars and Tweedy’s penchant for “this song is pretty-sounding, but I’m deathly unhappy” lyrical stylings.

If they wanted to, Wilco could sell out a three-night stint at Madison Square Garden, all while never having a proper radio hit. But that immense fan base didn’t come easy—it was earned through great songwriting and hardship.

Little Scream (with Bobby)

WHEN: Nov. 15, 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Soda Bar, North Park TICKETS: $10 INFO: sodabarmusic.com

pacificsandiego.com {November 2011}

Holy Ghost!

WHEN: Nov. 13, 10 p.m.

WHERE: Voyeur, Gaslamp TICKETS: $15 INFO: voyeursd.com

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For fans of: The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Feist Standout tracks: “Whole Love,” “I Might” Goes well with: denim, airport layovers, marine layer

D oug M enue z / M A P

Multi-instrumentalist/ vocalist Laurel Sprengelmeyer (a.k.a.

Little Scream) was raised in an “Addams Family meets 700 Club-style” home on the Mississippi River. And after a quick listen to her critically Top photo: acclaimed debut album Little Scream The Golden Record, it Above: The band known as “Bobby” becomes apparent that (LEFT-RIGHT): those creepy childhood Tom Greenberg, memories have seeped into her art. Little Scream’s Julian Labat, Amelia songs range from gorgeous, Meath, Paolo hymn-like ballads to Menuez, Roby boisterously rocking gems.

Moulton, Molly Backed by an all-star Sarle, Martin Zimmermann cast of musicians (she’s recorded with members of Arcade Fire), her live show is wonderfully weird and startling. Show opener Bobby is a quirky outfit that makes verdant indie rock that can be pretty spacey—but is often just pretty.

New release to check out

The Whole Love

Brooklyn-based electro-duo Holy Ghost! likes them some ’80s jams.

But while they borrow generously from that decade (via sampling, vintage synthesizers and pure nostalgia), they play it smart by taking cues from all the best (i.e., Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and The Cure). Holy Ghost’s disco-laced dance-pop is so sexy it will have hipsters and jarheads forming a conga line. Well, maybe not—but let’s just say Planned Parenthood will be getting a few extra calls the next morning. —Ben Farquhar

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WHEN: Nov. 19, 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Casbah, Little Italy TICKETS: $12 INFO: casbahmusic.com

Baltimore-based post-wave band Future Islands brings its love-torn synth-pop to The Casbah Nov. 19.

What makes this show a must-see/ hear is the peak-and-valley vocal delivery of theatrically raspy front man Samuel T. Herring (who sounds like a duet of Meatloaf and count Dracula) rumbling over â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s-out synthesizers and analog drum machines. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;R. Lee

M ike V orassi pacificsandiego.com

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Rap/R&B mogul Chris Brown brutalized his mega-star ex-girlfriend, Rihanna, in 2009, so he’s still one of the most loathed guys in America. But there’s no denying Brown knows his way around an infectious pop hook. His recent copping of three BET awards in early October proves he’s still got it…even after all that counseling. —Tim Donnelly

Belly Up Solana Beach bellyup.com

B.B. King (“B.B.” stands for “blues boy”) has won nearly 20 Grammys, played on U2 albums, shared the stage with Eric Clapton—and he’s not stopping yet. The 86year-old legend has been wailing the blues since the 1950s and still plays an average of 125 concerts a year. Sure, he shreds while seated, but Belly Up’s cozy, stadiumstyle seating allows all in attendance to see (as well as hear) why King has earned his name in this genre. —Tim Donnelly

Youth Lagoon WHEN: Nov. 3, 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Casbah, Little Italy TICKETS: $8-$10 INFO: casbahmusic.com

Twenty-two-year-old Trevor Smith (a.k.a. Youth Lagoon) posted his first song online in May. Since then, he has signed a two-album deal with acclaimed indie label Fat Possum and booked a national tour. Mixing vocals that sound like a boy trapped in a well with dreamy synth-hooks and muffled electronic beats, the Boise, Idaho, native crafts euphoric bedroom pop that is at once beautiful and evocative.

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Chris Brown

WHEN: Nov. 6, 7 p.m.

WHERE: Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, Chula Vista TICKETS: $38-$54 INFO: livenation.com

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Legendary British Goth punks The Damned haunt HOB Nov. 1. To commemorate the longevity of their prolifically ghoulish career, they’re playing a rare live set of their blistering 1977 punk and psych-punk classics Damned, Damned, Damned and The Black Album.

As if Halloween in SD weren’t freaky enough, The Damned are gonna try their damndest to make it freakier—and louder.

—Tim Donnelly

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WHEN: Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: House of Blues, downtown TICKETS: $25-$27.50 INFO: houseofblues.com/ venues/clubvenues/sandiego

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11/1: Wild Flag @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 11/1: The Damned 35th Anniversary Tour @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com 11/2: Minus the Bear @ SOMA, somasandiego.com 11/3: Youth Lagoon @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 11/3: Treasure Fingers @ Voyeur, voyeursd.com 11/4: Iration w/Tomorrows Bad Seeds @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com 11/6: F.A.M.E. Tour—Chris Brown @ Cricket Wireless, amphitheatrechulavista.com 11/6: Unknown Mortal Orchestra w/Gauntlet Hair @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 11/9: Ra Ra Riot, Delicate Steve and Yellow Ostrich @ Belly Up, bellyup.com 11/10: FM 94/9 presents Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears @ Belly Up, bellyup.com 11/10: The Bangles @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com 11/10: Austra, Grimes and Cold Showers at The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 11/11: Thrice w/La Dispute @ House of Blues San Diego, houseofblues.com 11/13: Holy Ghost! @ Voyeur, voyeursd.com 11/15: Little Scream w/Bobby @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com 11/16: The Dirty Heads and Gym Class Heroes @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com 11/17: They Might be Giants @ Belly Up, bellyup.com 11/19: Future Islands @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 11/21: Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com 11/26: Crooked Fingers @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com 11/28-29: Jason Mraz @ Spreckels Theatre, spreckles.net 11/30: BB King @ Belly up, bellyup.com

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CRAFTSMANSHIP WRAPPED IN A GLASS.

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

Imported by Heineken USA Inc., New York, NY.

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By Brandon Hernández Photo by Brevin Blach

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or mixologist Shawn Barker, landing at the venerable Betrand at Mister A’s high above Bankers Hill is a career pinnacle.

“I’m honored and excited,” says the San Diego native, a 13-year food service industry veteran. “It’s an opportunity to further develop my craft while working alongside some of the most respected individuals in the San Diego restaurant scene.”

Barker has crafted a drink list for Mister A’s featuring contemporary cocktails and archetypal classics, tapping his experience working in Las Vegas and L.A. with Wolfgang Puck, for whom he developed custom bar menus at Chinois, Spago and other signature eateries.

Barker’s time with Puck was equal parts education and awe.

“Wolfgang’s little touches of humor made seemingly complicated dishes easy to understand,” he says. “Having such knowledgeable chefs at each location expanded my own palate, which helped me to taste the small nuances that also make good drinks into great ones.”

Such flavor acuity will be crucial to meeting the discriminating tastes of Mister A’s clientele.

“Whether you like vodka, gin, whiskey, rum or tequila, we have diverse drinks from which to choose,” Barker says. “The flavor profiles are wide-ranging, too— 92

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tart to sweet, herbal to spicy and everything in between.”

His personal favorite? The Best of Times—a mix of organic citrus vodka, grapefruit juice, elderberry liqueur and Aperol, a scarlet Italian aperitif. “It blends a balanced

sweetness up front with a smooth bitter finish, has several layers, and changes as it moves through your palate.”

Other Barker specialties include the Skyline Manhattan, a softer riff on the traditional cocktail, and

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the New Orleans-inspired Sazerac, which he describes as “smoky and earthy on the palate, with anise on the nose. Great for sipping on a colder night out on the penthouse patio at Mister A’s.”

See you at the top.

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NYE NYE SHOUT IN THE NEW YEAR!!

SPECTACULAR SHOW, FOOD, DRINKS & FUN!

Grand Opening Special

50% Off Salon and Spa Services May not be used in combination with other special offers. Expires Nov. 30th.

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s e r v i c e s m a s s a g e s f a c i a l s

4130 La Jolla Village Drive Ste 100, La Jolla 858-224-1500

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eviansalon.com

Plan a day with your Girlfriend Brigade!

$5

November 11 - 13

O FF

*

Del Mar Fairgrounds Enjoy shopping in a village filled with a fairytale of little luxuries!

Screenings and Speakers from Scripps • Health Health • Fashion Show • Chef Seminars

GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY, SOLD OUT LAST 7 YEARS TICKETS INCLUDES: Guaranteed Seat, Prime Rib Buffet, Dessert, Party Favors, Champagne Toast, Souvenir Champagne Glass

PLAN YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY WITH US! Private Parties, VIP Packages, Traveling Road Show The Shout! House offers a flexible event space, great food, full bar, friendly staff & affordable prices! For groups of 8 to 275 guests More info about NYE & Holiday Parties

619-231-6700 I www.THESHOUTHOUSE.com 655 4th Ave, Gaslamp Quarter

Free gift bags for the first 100 women each day that includes a spa certificate from Elivelife.com Hours: Friday Noon to 7 pm • Sat. 9 am to 5 pm Sunday 10 am to 4 pm www.headtotoewomensexpo.com

5k Walk/Run for Literacy Saturday, November 12

San Diego County Office of Education Everyone a Reader Volunteer Program

The scenic course winds along the San Dieguito Boardwalk-Lagoon Trail.

You also receive free admission for you and a friend to the post-race festivities at the Head to Toe Women’s Expo *register at www.headtotoewomensexpo.com Tap on girls on the go, and use the discount code: read to receive $5 off

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love D AT E PacificSD: Where are you from?

CHRIS: I was born in Toronto, Ontario. I now live in Scripps Ranch, California. This is the place to be.

COLETTE: I’m from Seattle. I moved to San Diego in January to get away from the rain.

What do you do for a living?

CHRIS: I’ve always been selfemployed. I started my own web/logo design company, CreationGURU.com, and now I’m doing some exciting things with an international business, Royilty.com.

COLETTE: I’m the media relations coordinator at Alternative Strategies, a marketing communications firm. Basically, I get people and businesses featured in the media and I’m the editor of our company’s newsletter and blog.

I also do freelance writing on the side.

What do you do for fun?

CHRIS: Riding motorcycles and playing hockey are my two big ones. Other than physical activities, I enjoy social events like Padres and Chargers games, going on brewery and winery limo tours, and cooking.

COLETTE: I like to travel. Right now I’ve been taking a lot of weekend road trips just to see what’s around me, since I’m still pretty new to San Diego. I also play piano and ride horses.

Flavor of the Month Taking a big bite out

of America’s Finest nightlife

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

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espite being from opposite sides of the continent—Colette was born in the Northwest, Chris hails from eastern Canada—tonight’s blind daters share a taste for at least one thing: life in San Diego. Whether or not they have an appetite for each other remains to be seen.

Before they meet for the first time at Mini Bar, a 12-seat speakeasy-vibed venue hidden inside the new Bootlegger in East Village, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

What are you looking for in a date?

CHRIS: I like a girl to be happy, self-confident and at least a little athletic. Someone that laughs at their own jokes— nobody likes drama.

COLETTE: I’m almost 5’9” and won’t date anyone shorter than 6’1”, no exceptions. I love a handsome face, of course. And like all people, I’m looking for someone who I can connect with on a deeper level, who looks at life the same way I do. I like artistic types, but they have to maintain their masculinity. That’s a rare combination.

What’s the sexiest thing about you?

CHRIS: Other than my camo Crocs, I would say it’s a tie between my smile and confidence.

COLETTE: I think the sexiest thing about me is that I think I’m sexy. I always have and I think I always will, even when I’m 80 years old.

What food are you most like and how?

CHRIS: Maple syrup: Canadian and sweet.

COLETTE: Sugar, because I’m sweet for a while, but too much and you might end up with a headache.

What’s your thing to eat?

CHRIS: The food I cook myself.

Habanero spaghetti is Number One. COLETTE: Whoopie Pies.

Chris is sitting inside Mini Bar when Colette arrives and the two begin to talk over drinks. Leaving the daters to get acquainted in privacy—not counting the couple’s private bartender, who’s making cocktails with minibar-sized bottles of booze—the magazine crew retreats to the main bar at Bootlegger.

After about an hour, the daters head out onto Market Street for the one-block walk over to the award-winning Lotus Thai.

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Beau Thai

Spicing things up over dinner

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olette and Chris are in for a treat: a custom tasting menu courtesy of the chef at Lotus Thai, starting with herbmarinated shrimp wrapped in wonton skins, spring rolls with fresh vegetables and plum sauce, and other house favorite s. For the main course, they try the sea bass in pesto lime sauce and a pork dish with complex Thai flavors.

After they’ve had a chance to sample the food and their rice wine cocktails, the couple is split for mid-date debriefings.

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PacificSD: How’s it going so far?

CHRIS: It’s been a good night so far. I’m pretty impressed.

She’s very attractive.

COLLETTE: It’s good, he’s nice. I was stressed, but he’s actually cute. I’m happy.

Is this the type of person you would normally date?

CHRIS:It’s kind of hard to tell now, but, yeah—she seems very blunt in a good way, as opposed to saying what I want to hear.

COLETTE: I don’t know what my type is, but he’s definitely in that realm.

How was Bootlegger?

CHRIS: I love beer, and they had a lot of good beers there, so that was a pretty good thing for me. I liked the Mini Bar— we did mini shots of every drink we could imagine.

COLETTE: We were in a private room, so that was nice, because I felt like I got to know Chris without a lot of eyes watching us. This is definitely my first blind date that’s recorded and will be shown to the whole county, but it was pretty comfortable.

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

CHRIS: I’d say just her confidence, like her talking to the server instead of expecting me to say something.

Whenever she has an opinion, she just says it. I like that a lot.

COLETTE: I feel like he hasn’t tried to pull any stunts and try to impress me. He’s just been a normal person, and that has helped me be comfortable as well not be turned off by someone who brags and all that sort of thing.

Least attractive thing?

CHRIS: To be honest, I haven’t found something yet.

COLETTE: He doesn’t always seem so focused on the conversation we’re having.

What would your parents say?

CHRIS: My parents would love her, the fact that she’s honest and just speaks her mind.

COLETTE: My mom would like him. My dad would say, “Tell him to get rid of the earring, and then he’s good.”

(Continued on page 98)

love (Continued from page 96)

D AT E

Lotus Thai’s Choo Chee Pork BELOW: fire ice cream

Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks.

CHRIS: She’d be a nine or 10 for sure.

COLETTE: Between an eight and a nine.

And for personality?

CHRIS: From what I’ve seen so far, easy eight; could be a ten later on.

COLETTE: Same, between an eight and a nine.

Would you like to kiss your date right now?

CHRIS: I could see that, yeah.

COLETTE: Nah, I’m not to that point yet.

Does your date want to kiss you now?

CHRIS: I could read into it a little bit, possibly, yeah.

COLETTE: Honestly, I don’t know.

If you had to leave now with $100 cash or stay and make out with your date, what would you do?

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CHRIS: I’d probably stay.

COLETTE: I’m having fun. I’d probably stay.

After the interviews, the couple returns to their table to finish dinner. If the rest of the evening heats up like their flaming ice cream dessert, we may be in for a scorcher, date fans.

Next stop: a little boomboom—the grand opening of BPM (beats per minute) Thursdays, the new weekly electronic dance music party at Bar West in Pacific Beach.

Thank you!

Bootlegger (and Mini Bar) 804 Market St., Gaslamp 619.794.BOOT (2668), bootleggersd.com Lotus Thai 909 Market St., Gaslamp 619.595.0115, lotusthaisd.com Bar West 959 Hornblend St., Pacific Beach 858.273.WEST (9378), barwestsd.com (Continued on page 100)

CLOTHES

MAKE THE MAN (WE IMPORT THE CLOTHES) s $%3)'.%2 )4!,)!. #,/4().' !.$ !##%33/2)%3 s .%7 3%,%#4)/.3 )-0/24%$ &2/- )4!,9 7%%+,9 s ,)-)4%$ 15!.4)4)%3 3/ ./ /.% #!. #/09 9/52 ,//+ s !&&/2$!",% 02)#%3

IMPORTED ITALIAN FASHION,

Stop in for complimentary espresso, friendly Italian lessons and sharp, new gear for the weekend

OPEN DAILY 6am - 3pm PACIFIC BEACH 1851 Garnet Ave. 858.270.YOLK

GASLAMP 355 6th Ave. 619.338.YOLK

142 UNIVERSITY AVE., HILLCREST 619.288.7968, WWW.STILEITALIANO.US

thebrokenyolkcafe.com EASTLAKE 884 Eastlake Pkwy.

619.216.1144

LA COSTA 7670 El Camino Real 760.943.8182

SAN MARCOS 101 S. Las Posas Rd. 760.471.YOLK

pacificsandiego.com

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love (Continued from page 98)

Join the Club

T

he blind date goes bumpbump-bump in the night At the base of the searchlights panning the sky for tonight’s special event, the bass from inside Bar West is booming. As Colette and Chris arrive, they’re escorted past the line to the VIP table at the back of the club, where they’re armed with drinks, Star Wars lightsaber-esque glow sticks and other tricks of the electronic music trade.

The daters appear to be hitting it off when they’re finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their evening away from the prying eyes of the magazine crew. We call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?

CHRIS: Couldn’t have been better—a pretty girl, great dinner and a limo to Bar West.

COLLETE: I definitely had a good time, and he was really nice, but he was texting a lot (see photo, opposite page). I saw his phone as much as I saw him. I had high hopes, because I initially thought he was attractive, but by the middle of the date I started feeling disappointed because I didn’t sense that he was really flirting with me. I like a man to pursue me and really show that he’s interested, but Chris seemed sort of passive.

How was Lotus Thai?

CHRIS: I liked the dark lighting, and the food was pretty impressive. The employees were very friendly. The best part was the flaming ice cream; we finished that in about two seconds.

COLETTE: Lotus Thai was quiet, dimly lit and tranquil. It’s the perfect ambiance for a date and it’s in a great location. Trying out the combo platter—something new with someone new—was a smart move for a first date. And the other dishes, sea bass and spicy pork, were flawless. I would go again, but probably with someone else.

Describe the limo ride to Pacific Beach.

CHRIS: We had an interesting conversation with the driver while 100

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D AT E

FROM TOP/MAIN: Chris and Colette glow at Bar West; the limo ride from Lotus Thai; uhhh... hello. Put that thing down!; DJ Sid Vicious makes the house go BOOM!

of intimacy with the other clubgoers.

The place had a ton of energy and was going strong when we left at midnight.

running a couple red lights. We talked about how fun it was to have paparazzi for a night.

COLETTE: Chris seemed to chat it up with the driver nearly the whole time, and they swapped party stories. I felt semi-ignored—he should have been talking to me, not the driver.

How was Bar West?

CHRIS: The music was good; Sid Vicious was DJ-ing for the launch of BPM Thursdays. It was a crazy night.

COLETTE: There was a long line outside the door, and the place was packed, in a good way. I think the smaller size creates a better sense

What did you do there?

CHRIS: We had drinks at the table with some friends. After that, we went in the Svedka video booth and made a couple funny videos. We danced and hung out on the couch together. Near the end of the night, went up to the DJ booth.

COLETTE: We got all decked out and took funny photos at the booth, went a little glow-stick crazy, mingled a bit. We had the VIP table up on the stage area, so we sat back, drinks in hand, and just hung out for a while.

Was there a romantic connection?

CHRIS: Hard to tell on the first date, but we were very comfortable and open talking to each other.

COLETTE: I can’t say there was one, but I wouldn’t totally rule it out. I’m completely sure that if Chris had been more forward and shown more interest, I would’ve actually become more interested in him.

What did you do after the magazine crew left?

CHRIS: After Bar West, our driver dropped us back off at Lotus Thai downtown, and I walked her to her car. We exchanged phone numbers, talked for a few, then went home.

COLETTE: A Town Car came to Bar West to bring us back to our cars downtown, and I sat close to him in the back seat, but nothing happened.

Was there a kiss?

CHRIS: There was no kissing, but there was definitely a connection.

COLETTE: There were several times throughout the end of the night that he could’ve successfully gone in for a kiss, which would’ve sparked more romantic interest for me, but he didn’t.

Will there be a second date?

CHRIS: There will definitely be a second date.

COLETTE: I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

Fill in the blanks: If my date were a food, he/she would be “blank,” and I would have to “blank” him/her.

CHRIS: Frozen yogurt, and I would

spoon her.

COLETTE: Produce that hadn’t ripened, and I would have to come back later for him.

AFTERMATCH Last night, both daters enjoyed the private cocktails at Bootlegger, the custom dinner menu at Lotus Thai and the late-night dancetravaganza that is Bar West. And based upon what they said, Colette and Chris seemed also to like each other.

Despite their mutual attraction, however, Chris’ texting left a bad taste (as opposed to his tongue) in Colette’s mouth. Opportunity lost, dude.

Words of advice from sage matchmakers: Chris, if you’re hoping for a kiss, some spooning or a slice of that proverbial Whoopie Pie on your second date, put down your phone (after calling Colette, don’t wait for her to call you) and make your move.

As for you, Colette, if you really know what you want, and Chris is the unripe apple of your eye, you may have to Canuck yourself—grab him by the scruff of his neck, give him a kiss and make that Canadian man yours, eh? pacificsandiego.com

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calendar

11.11

Submit events to calendar@pacificsandiego.com.

CHARGERS HOME GAMES

Compiled by Patricia B. Dwyer

11/6: vs. Green Bay Packers | 11/10: vs. Oakland Raiders | 11/27: vs. Denver Broncos

11/2: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE—LIVE TOUR Location: Valley View Casino Center, Sports Arena Admission: $38.50-$58.50 Info: valleyviewcasinocenter.com If you think you’re a fan of So You Think You Can Dance, prove it by buying tickets to this touring stage version of the hit reality TV show, featuring dancers from Seasons 6 and 7 as well as some SYTYCD All-Stars.

11/3: ONCE UPON A TIME Location: Spin Nightclub, Middletown Admission: $15-$20 Info: spinnightclub.com Discover local up-and-coming singers, dancers, actors and comedians at this benefit variety show, presented by Actors Alliance of San Diego and headlined by Lindsley Allen—a founding member of the Pussycat Dolls.

11/4-11/6: RUSSIAN MASTERS Location: Spreckels Theatre, Downtown Admission: $29-$59 Info: cityballet.org Watch professional ballet dancers from around the world perform to the soaring scores of great Russian composers Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and more in City Ballet’s season opener.

11/4-11/13: SAN DIEGO BEER WEEK Location: Bars and restaurants countywide Info: sdbw.org Join the annual 10-day brew-haha celebrating San Diego’s craft beer culture (see story, page 82).

11/5-11/6: 6TH ANNUAL TURDUCKEN FESTIVAL Locations: Iowa Meat Farms, Mission Gorge; Siesel’s Meats, Bay Park Info: bestmeatssandiego.com Get stuffed at this two-day extravaganza hosted by Iowa Meat Farms and Siesel’s Meats, featuring expert cooking tips and tastings of ham, pork and turducken—an extremely fowl treat consisting of a duck cooked inside a chicken inside a turkey.

11/5-TBD: AJ’S KIDS CRANE Location: Ikea, Mission Valley Admission: Free Info: star941fm.com Watch Star 94.1 FM radio host AJ Machado camp out atop a 40-foot crane until San Diegans donate 101,000 new toys for the patients of Rady’s Children’s Hospital.

11/2: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE—LIVE TOUR

11/6: SUSAN G. KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE Location: Balboa Park Admission: $23-$55 Info: komensandiego.org Burn calories for a cause with the 15,000 people expected to participate in this annual 5K walk/run for breast cancer awareness and fundraising.

11/4-11/13: SAN DIEGO BEER WEEK

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11/5-TBD: AJ’S KIDS CRANE

11/6: SUSAN G. KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE

calendar

11.11 11/6: KINGS OF SALSA Location: Balboa Theatre, Downtown Admission: $27-$77 Info: sandiegotheatres.org Watch Cuba’s premier salseros show off their sensual moves in both classical Cuban and modern hip-hop-infused salsas electrified by a nine-piece band.

joan marcus

11/8-11/13: COME FLY AWAY

11/8-11/13: COME FLY AWAY Location: San Diego Civic Theatre Admission: $20 Info: broadwaysd.com Come Fly Away with the new Broadway musical inspired by the crooning love songs of Frank Sinatra, paired with the jazzy choreography of Tony Award-winner Twyla Tharp.

11/11-11/13: HEAD TO TOE WOMEN’S EXPO Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds Admission: $7-$8 Info: headtotoewomensexpo.com Grab the girls for a weekend of fashion shows, cooking classes and makeup makeovers, plus exhibits devoted to jewelry, apparel, and home and beauty products. Bring your sneaksers for the Nov. 12 Girls On the Go 5K Walk/Run.

11/6: KINGS OF SALSA

11/14: LITTLE ITALY GRUB SPRAWL Location: Restaurants throughout Little Italy Admission: Free Info: grubsprawl.com Taste the culinary landscape of Little Italy when a dozen of the neighborhood’s restaurants offer $5 samplers of their delicious cuisine.

J anelle M aas

11/18-20: DEL MAR ANTIQUE SHOW AND SALE

11/14: LITTLE ITALY GRUB SPRAWL

11/18-11/20: DEL MAR ANTIQUE SHOW & SALE Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar Admission: $8 Info: calendarshows.com Sift through trinkets and heirlooms of yesteryear—or get Great Grandma’s keepsakes appraised for just $5 an item.

11/19: SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL GRAND TASTING EVENT Locations: Embarcadero Park North, Downtown Admission: $125 in advance, $150 day of, $175 VIP Info: worldofwineevents.com Five days (Nov. 16-20) of gourmet foodie classes, seminars and luncheons taking place throughout San Diego culminate in this Grand Tasting event, drawing a crowd of thousands with more than 800 wines and spirits, 70 San Diego and celebrity chefs, and dozens of gourmet foods.

11/19-12/31: HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS Location: The Old Globe Theatre, Balboa Park Admission: $24-$57 Info: theoldglobe.org Watch the Grinch steal Christmas (and then give it back) for the 14th consecutive year at The Old Globe.

M icheal L amont

11/19-12/31: HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

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11/24-1/1: HOLIDAY OF LIGHTS Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar Admission: $14-$19 Info: holidayoflights.com Stoke your yuletide cheer with a drive along this 1.5-mile route lined with more than 400 festive light displays.

think B y COO K IE “ CHAINSAW ” RANDOLPH

for the birds Damn bald eagles—they make Thanksgiving so fowl

Had Benjamin Franklin gotten his way, the turkey would be our national bird, and Michael Vick would be getting concussions with the Philadelphia Turkeys of the NFC East.

In the ’70s, Red Foxx and J.J. Walker would have insulted people by calling them “jive eagles.”

“Hotel California” would be on The Turkeys Greatest Hits CD.

e M t a E

st mo e h m. n, t r lis a a h o p ib f pto ment cann y r t t to trea ys is s k le rke an Th eliab iac tu r mn o ins

Proud parents of highachieving Boy Scouts would adorn their minivans with “My Son is a Turkey” bumper stickers.

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“The Turkey has landed” would be the first words uttered on the moon.

The white-knuckle carrier of choice when hopping off to that magical weekend in Lubbock, Texas, would be American Turkey Airlines.