PACIFIC San Diego Magazine, October 2017

In the Driver’s Seat Rideshare employees reveal their most memorable experiences

Splash Zone

A deep dive leaves these blind daters submerged

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Drinking in trailers, ‘Pirates doing ballet,’ 40+ events, including Halloween and Oktoberfests

OCTOBER 2017 PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

FROM GHOST STORIES TO HAUNTED HOUSES, OCTOBER IS SAN DIEGO’S MOST FRIGHTFUL MONTH

EDEN HAZARD

“

San Diego is a beautiful place and the love and passion the people have for football made this an easy choice for us.

�

A new football team is coming to San Diego.

For if you love football, you are a player.

Our commitment lies in this truth and is deeply rooted in the human element of this game.

The love of this game is both intensely personal, but also communal. San Diego, thoughtfully chosen, is unlike any other city in the States.

It is truly a melting pot with thriving diversity.

People come here to vacation, to work, to live.

People stay to live out their story. To soak in the endless sunshine and embrace outdoor living in every sense. It is the city of dreams.

Beyond all football norms, we want to fully immerse ourselves in the culture, subcultures and the magic of community that make up football. We too, come from very different places and since, have played all over the world. But for many of us, our love for the game began in the very same place — the streets.

San Diego, from the day we kick off everything we do will be for one objective; to win for you, with you and because of you. For the league, for the kids, for the community.

Our devotion is driven by the vision for the future. Ten years from this moment, we will see you. We will look at all 40,000 fans filling the stands, cheering on world class players, waving colorful signs, experiencing the unexplainable phenomenon that is the game.

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editor n ote

’s

For the thrill of it I’ve always been a jumpy person. Loud noises make me flinch, I cover my eyes during scary movies and I won’t even tell you about what happens when someone sneaks up on me.

As a child, the “cannons” going off on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland sent shivers down my spine. I’ll watch shows like American Horror Story, but only during the day or with someone else in the room. With that said, however, you couldn’t pay me to sit in a dark movie theater and watch films like It (creepy clowns are the worst!) or Happy Death Day (which comes out this month and is like a horror version of Groundhog Day).

Fear is a fascinating thing, though.

The exhilaration that manifests with these kinds of terror is curious and, dare I say, even a bit addicting – and none more so for me than in the scariest of months, October.

In this month’s magazine, we explore the haunting of San Diego (see story, page 50); those ghost stories that exist

about spirits who can’t seem to move on from various locations around the county. Did you know San Diego has the “most haunted house in America”?

There are numerous year-round tours that will take you to some of the most haunted places in San Diego. And whether you believe in ghosts or not, the history that surrounds these stories is still fascinating.

And if taking a ghost tour isn’t frightening enough, during October there are numerous Halloween scare zones where people get paid to scare the pants off of you (see page 54).

Amazingly, I have thrown down some green for these experiences; I wasn’t lying when I said the exhilaration of fear can be addicting.

Don’t believe me? Just head downtown to the Haunted Hotel where you never know what corner this month’s PACIFIC cover model, Jackie, will be lurking behind, ready to prove my theory.

Happy haunting, San Diego.

Sincerely, Leslie Hackett Editor-in-Chief

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

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OCTOBER 2017

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E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F / D I G I TA L D I R E C TO R

Leslie Hackett C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R

Kenny Boyer M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Jennifer Ianni D I R E C TO R O F P H OTO G R A P H Y

John McCutchen C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R

Michael James Rocha C O P Y E D I TO R

Monica Hodes-Smail CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Now Open!

Michael Benninger, Liz Bowen, Lisa Deaderick, James Hebert, Pam Kragen, Scott McDonald, Karla Peterson, Peter Rowe C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S

K.C. Alfred, David Brooks, Jim Sullivan C O N T R I B U T I N G I L LU ST R ATO R

Cristina Byvik P H OTO E D I TO R

Alma Cesena

PUBLISHER

David Perloff V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F SA L E S

Paul Ingegneri M U LT I M E D I A AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E S

Lisa Marsolais, Laura J. Schwartz, Alyson Tietze D I ST R I B U T I O N M A N AG E R

Greg Johannsen

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A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE Reach America’s finest readers via print, web, social, email, street team and events. Read, click, connect... BOOM! PACIFIC is a media property owned by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

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@PACIFICSD

CONTENTS

TEN.SEVENTEEN / FEATURES

OCTOBER

F E AT U R E S 46 AWW, HAIL NO

Local rideshare drivers offer

up their wildest stories 50 GHOSTED

Spirits at these haunted

locales haven’t done

a disappearing act

ON THIS PAGE AND THE COVER: San Diego Haunted Hotel actor Jacqueline Griffin (Instagram: @doe_eyed_gamer) puts on a frightening display at the hauntingly beautiful Horton Grand Hotel (see story, page 50). Hair by Amanda Thorne (thorneartistry.com; @thorneartistry). Makeup by Larry Higbee (facebook.com/LarryHigbeeCreations). Photos by K.C. Alfred.

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

presents

The 7th Annual

n g i t E a e i P t e s n t o C

Monday, October 23rd @ 7pm Proceeds from contest and raffle go to

the big josh foundation MESON, A J , T U L ABSO LIBU AND MA ls

ecia Drink Sp

bigjoshfoundation.org

4343 ocean blvd pacific beach, ca | 858.272.surf | pbshoreclub.com /pacificbeachshoreclub @pbshoreclub

CONTENTS

TEN.SEVENTEEN / DEPARTMENTS

OCTOBER

D E PA R T M E N T S CURRENTS 22 Ten.Seventeen

Events calendar 32 Laughing Stock

October stand-up

comedy shows PULSE 36 Art Beat

October gallery &

exhibition openings 42 Curtain Calls

Performing arts preview

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

44

Ahead of the Pack Local travel blogger Jessica Corson helps make sure everything fits for the destination

TA S T E 56 Ready for Takeoff

With two new restaurants, a catering business and an internship program in the works, Chef Steve Brown has a full plate

64

Alcohol on Call Never set foot in a liquor store again with these local booze delivery services

66 Take it From the Tap

A monthly taste of beer

from here 70

The Park Knight Rises Trailer Park After Dark’s bartending comedian is the hospitality hero San Diego deserves

GROOVE 72 Sounds Like a Plan

October concert calendar 82 Take a Spin Upcoming EDM and

DJ performances LOVE 84 The Deep

A profoundly superficial

dip in the dating pool

#TBSD 96 Danger Zone

A flashback to the days

when Top Gun took

over the town and Tom

Cruise had yet to jump

on a couch

ON THIS PAGE: EDM artist Jack Novak spins at OMNIA San Diego on Oct 20. See more EDM listings, page 82.

CURRENTS

TEN.SEVENTEEN / EVENTS

OCTOBER

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

10.8

1ST ANNUAL

LUAU

THE GRASS SKIRT, PACIFIC BEACH VENNO.COM/EVENT/TIKI-LUAU Say aloha to fall as The Grass Skirt hosts its inaugural luau with a traditional spit-roasted pig, Polynesian-inspired snacks and a selection of classic and modern tiki cocktails, along with hula dancers, a snake charmer, and a custom lei-making station. >>>

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

10.4-8 FASHION WEEK SAN DIEGO VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY fashionweeksd.com Celebrating 10 years of style and beauty, California’s largest publicly accessible fashion event returns, highlighting more than 100 international designers, entrepreneurs and their creations.

10.1 MUSTANGS BY THE BAY EMBARCADERO MARINA PARK NORTH, DOWNTOWN mustangclubsd.com Stroll amid hundreds of models of Ford’s classic car or show off your own precious “pony” as the Mustang Club of San Diego hosts its premier auto show right across from Seaport Village.

10.5 TASTE OF OLD TOWN THROUGHOUT OLD TOWN oldtownsandiegoguide.com Gorge on Old Town’s most famous foods and wet your whistle with sensational spirits as lively music and engaging entertainers keep the party going between bites.

SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL BALBOA THEATER AND REGAL CINEMAS, DOWNTOWN; ARCLIGHT CINEMAS, LA JOLLA, sdfilmfest.com The region’s premier film festival and one of the leading stops on the independent cinema circuit is back with glamorous parties, world premieres and intimate events with up-and-coming filmmakers.

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

10.7 20TH ANNUAL PACIFIC BEACHFEST CRYSTAL PIER, PACIFIC BEACH, pacificbeachfest.org P.B.’s free, full-day, family-friendly beach festival begins with an oceanfront 5K and continues with nonstop music, a beer garden and merchants from around the region. >>>

EARNIE GRAFTON

10.4-8

P H O T O S :

A L D E N

C O R R I G A N

M E D I A

2017

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HORSE SHOW DEL MAR, CA

OCTOBER 11-29

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10.1 22ND ANNUAL ENCINITAS OKTOBERFEST

MOUNTAIN VISTA DRIVE AND EL CAMINO REAL, ENCINITAS encinitasoktoberfest.com Sink your teeth into authentic German fare and throw back a bevy of brews at the “Keepin’ It Local” Craft Beer Garden during Encinitas’ traditional European event bringing Bavarian dancing, traditional tunes and a street fair featuring 200-plus artisans.

9.29-10.1 44TH ANNUAL LA MESA OKTOBERFEST

JARED GASE

LA MESA VILLAGE, LA MESA lamesaoktoberfest.org Hold on to your Lederhosen as La Mesa’s long-running German festival returns with more merchants, entertainers and beer than ever before, plus a new craft-spirit garden serving sips of cocktails against a live soundtrack of traditional German music.

9.29-10.1; 10.6-8 EL CAJON OKTOBERFEST S. MOLLISON AVE. AND PORTLAND ST., EL CAJON germanclubsandiego.org Treat your taste buds to authentic German fare, beer and booze during two fun-filled weekends, while a band from the fatherland plays polkas, waltzes and tons of traditional drinking tunes.

M I K E PAW L E N T Y

9.29-10.8 CRAFTOBERFEST LIBERTY PUBLIC MARKET, LIBERTY STATION libertypublicmarket.com Enjoy 10 days of Deutschland delights and a German tap takeover as Bottlecraft and more than 30 of the Public Market’s other artisan vendors serve Oktoberfest-influenced sips, apps and entrees.

10.7 CARLSBAD OKTOBERFEST HOLIDAY PARK, CARLSBAD rotaryoktoberfest.org Don your finest German attire as North County’s longest-running Oktoberfest returns for another year of yodeling, costume contests, music, meals and more.

10.6-7 OB OKTOBERFEST NEWPORT AVENUE, OCEAN BEACH oboktoberfest.com O.B.’s signature fall event brings Bavaria to the beach with live music, a biergarten, costume contests and other challenges, including a balloon blow, a sausage toss, and a butt-based “Booty Flip.”

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

C H A D D C A DY

COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU 10.6: BLADE RUNNER 2049, THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US 10.13: THE FOREIGNER, MARSHALL, HAPPY DEATH DAY 10.20: GEOSTORM, ONLY THE BRAVE, THE SNOWMAN 10.27: JIGSAW, THE YOU FOR THE SERVICE, SUBURBICON

M I C H A E L FA S S B E N D E R I N “ T H E S N O W M A N .”

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

10.7 IMPERIAL BEACH AUTO FEST 921 Seacoast Dr., Imperial Beach, Check Facebook event page Engines will roar at South Bay’s signature auto event featuring live music, vendors, entertainment and contests, with all proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Imperial Beach.

STEVE GROUCH

10.7 FIT FOODIE 5K LIBERTY STATION NTC PARK, POINT LOMA fitfoodierun.com With tasting stations at every mile and a celebratory finish line drink, runners will eat their way through S.D.’s most delicious 5K before celebrating at the post-race Food and Fitness Festival, offering wine, bites, beer and mini-workout classes.

THE SNOWMAN

Soon the first snow will fall and the hunt for a killer begins.

MYSTERY | CRIME SPOTLIGHT Directed by: Tomas Alfredson IN THEATERS Starring: Michael Fassbender, October Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg IN THEATERS: OCT. 20 A detective suspects he’s pursuing a serial killer after a missing mother’s scarf is found wrapped around the neck of a snowman.

20

NANCEE E. LEWIS

10.7-8 MAKER FAIRE SAN DIEGO THROUGHOUT BALBOA PARK sandiego.makerfaire.com Discover more than 200 local makers at this gathering of fascinating folks showcasing their inventions, creations and craftsmanship. >>>

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

PHIL COLLUM

10.14 MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT BOOTCAMP CHALLENGE

MCRD, POINT LOMA bootcampchallenge.com Climb cargo nets, jump over bales of hay and tackle more than 50 other obstacles during this 3-mile course offering the unique opportunity to experience boot camp, complete with dozens of drill instructors pushing you to perform at your best.

10.12 RESTAURANTS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO komensandiego.org Help local breast cancer patients become survivors during this delicious day when loads of local restaurants, bakeries, and coffeehouses across the county participate in Susan G. Komen’s foodcentric fundraiser.

C H R I S T I A N R O DA S

5TH ANNUAL DINE OUT FOR THE CURE

10.14 10.14 WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES MLK PROMENADE PARK, DOWNTOWN ywcasandiego.org Confident men are invited to strap on a pair of heels and amble a mile at this fundraising walk that aims to end domestic violence once and for all.

TASTE OF NORTH PARK THROUGHOUT NORTH PARK northparkmainstreet.com Sample bites from more than 50 North Park restaurants on this self-guided tour with stops at many popular breweries, boutiques and galleries.

MORGAN SCHREIBER

10.14 1ST ANNUAL SPIRITS

BY THE BAY CORONADO FERRY LANDING, CORONADO spiritsbythebay.com Sample everything from vodka to whiskey and sake to cider during this distillery-driven event featuring tunes, food and endless booze made right here in San Diego.

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

10.14 17TH ANNUAL ROW FOR THE CURE THROUGHOUT MISSION BAY komensandiego.org Row a 4.5 kilometer course on exclusively human-powered watercraft while raising awareness and funds to support those affected by breast cancer. >>>

R E A L E STAT E M A R K E T WATC H

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DOWNTOWN MARKET UPDATE # of homes for sale: 228 # of homes sold: 73 (August) Highest price: $2,300,000 Lowest price: $328,000 Average home price: $620,000

The Downtown San Diego Real Estate market continues to hover with just about 3 months’ supply of homes for sale, making the market more towards a seller’s market than a buyer’s market. Opportunities exist, but representation matters. and knowing all the listings available on and off the market. If you are interested in exploring buying or selling a property in downtown, give us a call: 619.356.3099.

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CU R R E N T S CALENDAR

A N DY W I L H E L M

M AG G I E WA LT O N

10.21 YE SCALLYWAG WATERFRONT PARK, LITTLE ITALY scallywagsd.com Pennywise, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, and The Vandals are just a few of the acts performing at this day-long, 21+ festival focused on punk music, food and craft beer.

10.15 © PHOTOG-ROB.COM

LIFETIME TRI SAN DIEGO SOUTH SHORES PARK, MISSION BAY trisandiego.com Choose between the Sprint or SuperSprint distances as you swim, bike and run through this short-course experience taking place at the exact site where the first modern triathlon occurred in 1974.

10.28 MAC N’ CHEESE FEST K.C. ALFRED

WATERFRONT PARK, LITTLE ITALY sandiegomacncheese.com Vote for the city’s best mac ‘n’ cheese and enjoy a ton of beer tastings at this comfort-food confab where the competing restaurants are selected by the region’s top chefs.

10.21-22 10.22 THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY usgbc-sd.org Chart a course through the county’s most eco-friendly homes on this selfguided tour aimed at encouraging, educating and empowering others to make their homes greener.

CORONADO FERRY LANDING, CORONADO coronadoartwalk.com Discover San Diego’s finest artistic talents during this two-day art event on Coronado Island.

C H A D D C A DY

10.29 5TH ANNUAL CICLOSDIAS

SAN DIEGO GULLS GAMES 10.13-14 vs Texas Stars 10.25 vs Stockton Heat

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

THROUGHOUT MIDCITY ciclosdiassd.com Reclaim the streets by running, rolling, strolling, pedaling or skating through the streets of City Heights, North Park and Normal Heights while roads are closed to cars in order to promote healthy living through peoplepowered transportation.

NANCEE E. LEWIS

2017 GREEN HOMES TOUR

CORONADO ART WALK

R E A L E STAT E M A R K E T WATC H

NORTH PARK, 92104 Move-in ready 2-bedroom 2-bathroom townhouse-style unit with attached 2-car garage in coveted North Park neighborhood. Open and bright floorplan features vaulted ceiling, Pergo flooring, gas fireplace, neutral color palette, central air and heat, and newer SS appliances with gas stove and balcony. Reverse floorplan with living area upstairs and 1 bedroom/bathroom on each floor. Central location in the heart of North Park/University Heights near San Diego’s best restaurants, bars and shopping. Close to Balboa Park.

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BAY PARK MARKET UPDATE # of homes for sale: 99 # of homes sold: 41 (August) Highest price: $1,045,000 Lowest price: $230,000 Average price: $571,144

The market continues to be on an upward trend. Even with interest rates on the rise, they are still at a historic low, and buyer’s confidence in the marketplace is at an ultimate high. All the factors of a strong real estate market are here and in effect. It’s a great time to buy and sell in San Diego.

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BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

COMEDY

Laughing Stock OCTOBER STAND-UP ROUND UP

CHRIS

PORTER “The Texans defense f****d me over so bad in Fantasy Football that I’ve asked for all my Harvey donations back.”

— Chris Porter on Twitter @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

10.13-14 32

OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

10.5-7 Dan Soder “Russians are the scariest white people.

They’ve earned it.”

— Dan Soder on Conan @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

10.6-7 Jay Larson

10.19-21 Chris Hardwick 10.12-14 Michelle Buteau

“My manager, she recently booked me in Utah. I don’t know if you ever heard of Utah. I didn’t. I was in Utah for 3 days — I’m not bragging — I did not see one black person for 3 days. Not a Mexican.

Nothing brown. I got a manicure. They had white people doing nails. I’m like “Whaaaaaaaat?”

— Chris Hardwick on Just for Laughs @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

“I have six brothers; I was always hanging out with them. Like, I didn’t know I was a girl until like a week ago. Mostly cuz I’m still waiting to develop. I am wearing three bras for you people right now, okay?

There’s a chicken cutlet in here, all kinds of stuff. It’s like build-a-boob for me when I leave the house. It’s embarrassing.”

— Eleanor Kerrigan on Standup in Stilettos @ The Comedy Store, lajolla. thecomedystore.com

— Michelle Buteau at the Laugh Factory @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

10.20 Felipe Esparza

“Wife: The hall light is out.

Me: I know. Wife: What do you think it is? Long pause... Me: I think we should see other people.”

“I love my dad. He used to be a professional wrestler in Mexico. So, it was cool growing up with him ’cause when he hit us, he didn’t really hit us.”

— Jay Larson on Twitter @ The Comedy Store, lajolla. thecomedystore.com

— Felipe Esparza on Kush Comedy @ Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, humphreysconcerts.com

10.18-19 Steve Trevino

DA N S O D E R BY N E I L S O N B A R N A R D / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R C O M E DY C E N T R A L ; J AY L A R S O N BY R O B I N M A R C H A N T / G E T T Y I M AG E S ; S T E V E T R E V I N O BY A L B E R T O E . R O D R I G U E Z / G E T T Y I M AG E S ; C H R I S H A R D W I C K BY M I K E C O P P O L A / G E T T Y I M AG E S F O R E N T E R TA I N M E N T W E E K LY; F E L I P E E S PA R Z A BY J O H N L A M PA R S K I / G E T T Y I M AG E S ; E L E A N O R K E R R I C A N BY E T H A N M I L L E R / G E T T Y I M AG E S

“Kids are basically sex trophies.”

10.25-26 Eleanor Kerrigan

“I’ve never lived in a city like Hollywood where you can walk up to an elevator and the people in the elevator will just stare at you while the doors close.

Really? You can’t stick your arm out? You’re not better than me. We’re both going to Target.”

— Steve Trevino at the Brea Improv @ The Comedy Store, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

10.26-28 Joe Machi

“More and more research shows sitting down at work is bad for you. America needs work-beds!”

— Joe Machi on Twitter @ American Comedy Co., americancomedyco.com

10.28 Ron White

“My doctor reminds me of an old girlfriend, but her finger was much smaller.”

— Ron White on Twitter @ Harrah’s Resort SoCal, harrahssocal.com

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

33

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ART BEAT / GALLERY & EXHIBIT OPENINGS

OCTOBER

“Girl with the Small Umbrella” by Michele McCain

through

11.12

“Photography Expanded: Distinct Approaches”

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, 760.839.4138, artcenter.org From chromogenic photograms and distorted images to photojournalism and digital collages, this exhibition celebrates California artists and photographers and the ways they use photography to express their creativity. >>>

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

BY LISA DEADERICK

P U L S E A R T B E AT

10.1-31 “SAN DIEGO WATERCOLOR SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION” SAN DIEGO WATERCOLOR SOCIETY 2825 Dewey Rd., #105, Liberty Station, 619.876.4550, sdws.org Hundreds of watercolor artists vie for a spot in this annual exhibition, which has been one of the organization’s highlights for the past 30 years. Expect thousands to visit and take a look at the work of internationally known creators.

10.6-12.29 “CELEBRATING THE ART IN ARCHAEOLOGY” CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS OFFICE AT NTC LIBERTY STATION 2797 Truxtun Rd., Barracks 26, Liberty Station 858.538.0935, sandiegoarchaeologicalsociety.com From traditional basket weaving and pottery to photography, sculpture and sketched maps, this annual art contest and show highlights the artistic elements found in archaeology.

10.7-2.18.18 “WENDY MARUYAMA: THE WILDLIFE PROJECT” OCEANSIDE MUSEUM OF ART 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside, 760.435.3720, oma-online.org This furniture maker and artist – who has a reputation for merging her art with her activism – takes on the poaching of endangered wildlife in Africa with her 8- to 12-foot installation pieces in wood, glass and metal.

10.6-29 “ANNUAL OPEN STUDIOS SAN DIEGO” THE STUDIO DOOR, 3750 30th St., North Park 619.255.4920, thestudiodoor.com Studio artists from across the region, working in various media, are featured in the gallery as part of this month’s self-guided art tours.

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

10.12-11.2 “7 STEPS FORWARD, 7 STEPS BACK” SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE ART GALLERY 7250 Mesa College Dr., D104, Clairemont Mesa, 619.388.2829, sdmesa.edu Artist V. Kim Martinez uses paintings and an animated film to explore the indigenous North American ritual of paying homage to the dead by walking forward seven steps, then backward, to assure their safe entry to the afterlife.

10.14-11.1 “MICHAEL DESROCHES” MONARCH|ARREDON CONTEMPORARY 862 Prospect St., Ste. A, La Jolla 858.454.1231, monarchfineart.com Working as an art therapist to help people with mental and emotional illnesses led to the artist’s desire to convey intense emotion.

CLOCKWISE (from top left): “Sliced Tomatoes”

by Iretta Hunter; “Entry Wagon Wheel” by Lisa Fields; “Existential Space” by V. Kim Martinez; “Presage de l’augure - The Auspicious” by Michael Desroches; “Riptide” by Gabe Leonard; (left to right) “Ghost”, “Orkanyawoi” and “Sonje”

by Wendy Maruyama; “We All Live In A Rusty Submarine” by Amanda St Claire.

10.14-11.4 “GABE LEONARD: GRIT” DISTINCTION GALLERY, 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido, 760.707.2770, distinctionart.com Artist Gabe Leonard has been referred to as “Johnny Cash meets Quentin Tarantino” because of the cinematic nature of his work. This solo show includes outlaws and a nostalgic look at the people who shaped American history. >>>

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P U L S E A R T B E AT

10.21-3.11.18 “MODERN MASTERS FROM LATIN AMERICA: THE PÉREZ SIMÓN COLLECTION” THE SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.232.7931, sdmart.org This exhibition celebrates the history of Latin American modernism and explores colonial history, landscape painting, symbolism, depictions of indigenous peoples and customs – as interpreted by renowned artists from the 1800s to the early 2000s.

10.28-3.25.18 “KANTHA: RECYCLED AND EMBROIDERED TEXTILES OF BENGAL” MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park 619.239.0003, mingei.org Across the Indian sub-continent, “kantha” describes decorative quilting — often given on wedding days or in celebration of the birth of a child — typically made from the material of old saris or dhotis.

CLOCKWISE (from top): “Composition on Sun (Composición con Sol)” by Joaquín Torres García; 20th Century recycled cotton from West Bengal, India; “Symbiosis” by Raymond Elstad.

THROUGH 12.3 “ALEXANDRA HART: SYMBIOSIS / A SOLO SHOW” SPARKS GALLERY 530 Sixth Ave., downtown 619.696.1416, sparksgallery.com Heavily influenced by biology, this original collection uses abstract ideas of sculpture, traditional forms of jewelry and the human body to create pieces intended to function as separate organisms living with their human hosts.

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P U L S E

BY JAMES HEBERT

PERFORMING ARTS

OCTOBER PERFORMING ARTS 10.6-11.19: Smoke on the Mountain

10.18-11.12: Of Mice and Men

10.20-29: Terror at the Tenth

10.27-28: Flashback Fall Fest

LAMB’S PLAYERS THEATRE 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado 619.437.6000, lambsplayers.org Down-home and up-tempo and folksy all over: Lamb’s dusts off this much-revived musical about the fictional Sanders Family Singers, and gets the whole cast pickin’ and strummin’.

NORTH COAST REP 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach 858.481.1055, northcoastrep.org The John Steinbeck classic about those hard-luck wanderers Lenny and George gets a fresh revival under the direction of the distinguished San Diego theater artist Richard Baird.

TENTH AVENUE ARTS CENTER 930 10th Ave., downtown 619.920.8503, tenthavenuearts.com Evil Dead — The Musical is the chipper centerpiece to this week of mayhem at the Tenth (ponchos and goggles are provided if you choose to sit in the “Splatter Zone”), but don’t forget to check out the ghost tours and chill in the Evil Dead Lounge.

MOONLIGHT STAGE PRODUCTIONS 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista 760.724.2110, moonlightstage.com Break out the leg warmers and trip back to the ’80s as Moonlight throws an outdoor party to the music of Betamaxx; then fastforward a decade for a ’90s Movie Night with Hocus Pocus.

10.21: Las Migas

10.31-11.19: Globe for All

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido 800.988.4253, artcenter.org The fearsome foursome plays flamenco and Mediterranean rhythms on violin and nylon-string guitar; they’ll be joined by the dancer-singers of Flamenco Arana.

OLD GLOBE THEATRE Multiple locations around San Diego County 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org The Old Globe’s ever-expanding Shakespeare outreach program takes the beloved comedy Twelfth Night into veterans centers, schools, homeless shelters and more, concluding with two low-cost public performances at the Globe.

10.11-11.12: The Legend of Georgia McBride CYGNET THEATRE 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town 619.337.1525, cygnettheatre.com An Elvis impersonator whose life is one big Heartbreak Hotel trades his pompadour for pumps and leaves everyone all shook up, in the local premiere of Matthew Lopez’s new comedy.

10.13: My Favorite Murder Live BALBOA THEATRE 868 Fourth Ave., downtown 619/760/858.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.org The creators of the popular “true crime comedy” podcast hit the stage, and invite their devoted fans — affectionately known as “murderinos” — to play (or slay?) along.

10.14-22: Pirates of Penzance SAN DIEGO OPERA CIVIC THEATRE 1100 Third Ave., downtown 619.533.7000, sdopera.org Greer Grimsley and his real-life wife, Luretta Bybee, star in the Gilbert & Sullivan favorite about an accidental swashbuckler yearning to leave the pirate life and marry the (modern) major general’s daughter.

10.19-22: Without Walls Festival LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE Multiple locations around downtown 858.550.1010, wowfestival.org All the walls fall (possibly ceilings and floors, too) as the Playhouse rolls out its third celebration of site-specific theater, immersive performance and other creations that won’t be contained.

10.19-11.12: Hand to God San Diego Rep’s Lyceum Stage 79 Horton Plaza, downtown 619.544.1000, sdrep.org A renegade sock puppet named Tyrone who claims he’s the devil? Totally normal.

(Also, it’s a comedy.)

The Rep stages the local premiere of the hit Broadway play about churchgoing Texans with too much time (and felt) on their hands.

10.24

JACOBS MUSIC CENTER 750 B ST., DOWNTOWN 619.235.0804, RUSSIANGRANDBALLET.COM The seldom-performed Waltz of the Black Swans will be part of the show as the Russian Grand Ballet makes its second San Diego appearance with the Tchaikovsky masterwork.

KSENIA

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RUSSIAN GRAND BALLET P

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Ocean Views... as far as the eye can sea.

SWAN LAKE TUE OCT 24 SAN DIEGO JACOBS MUSIC CENTER

TICKETS: TICKETMASTER.COM / 800 7453000 / JACOBS MUSIC CENTER BOX OFFICE

Outstanding oceanfront dining in the heart of Del Mar. Since 1968.

WED OCT 25 ESCONDIDO

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS

TICKETS: ARTCENTER.ORG / 760.839.4100 / CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS BOX OFFICE

TUE OCT 31 POWAY

POWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

TICKETS: POWAYCENTER.COM / 858.748.0505 / POWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS BOX OFFICE

F O R MOR E IN F O RM AT ION G O TO RUS SIAN GRANDB ALLET.CO M

Poseidon on the beach 1670 Coast Blvd., Del Mar | (858) 755-9345 | poseidonrestaurant.com

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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P U L S E SOCIAL INFLUENCER

AHEAD OF THE LOCAL TRAVEL BLOGGER JESSICA CORSON HELPS MAKE SURE EVERYTHING FITS FOR THE DESTINATION

W

hen the internet couldn’t provide blogger Jessica Corson with helpful information for her travels, she took matters into her own hands and created the blog The Belle Voyage. Now, she’s empowering female travelers with tips on what to pack, how to arrive in style and itineraries for popular destinations around the world.

PACIFIC recently found Corson grounded long enough to share her top travel destination, budgetfriendly tips and even a few favorites around San Diego County.

Name: Jessica Corson Age: 36 Hometown: Mount Horeb, Wisconsin Current neighborhood: Cardiff What do you do for a living?

I work in the biotech industry.

Website/social media handles: thebellevoyage.com Instagram: @thebellevoyage Facebook: facebook.com/TheBelleVoyage Pinterest: pinterest.com/thebellevoyage Twitter: @TheBelleVoyage

In her own words I’m a Midwestern girl turned San Diegan who has lived and studied on four different continents.

I regularly cross the U.S. for business, use my vacation days to embrace new adventures, and I always have my travel makeup bag packed and ready to go. I created The Belle Voyage in 2014 to inspire female travelers to make travel effortless and beautiful by providing destination guides and travel tips specifically tailored to the modern woman.

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Why did you decide to start your blog, The Belle Voyage?

Since I travel regularly for work, I am always on the hunt for ways to adapt my fashion and beauty favorites to a lifestyle that includes lots of carry-on packing. I had a hard time finding other blogs with a similar focus, so I decided to just write the book I wanted to read. It’s been a fun creative outlet, and I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many other wonderful female travelers and bloggers along the way.

Travel blogger Jessica Corson strolls through wine country in Franschhoek, South Africa. Photo

by Jessica’s husband, Sean Corson.

What is your favorite destination to travel to and why?

No matter how many times I travel to New York City, I still feel like the small town girl who is seeing it for the first time. To me, the energy of the city is synonymous with possibility, and if I could bottle up that feeling, I would.

What are some must-have items you should pack in your carry-on bag for a long flight?

My iPad is my lifeline when I fly. I have an app called Texture that

allows me to download unlimited magazines, so I’m never more up to speed on celebrity gossip than when I’ve just flown crosscountry! For comfort, I always have a big, cozy scarf, socks and lip balm.

Any budget-friendly tips for traveling abroad?

Accommodation can often be the biggest expense for travel abroad, so consider how you plan to spend your days, and choose your accommodation accordingly. If you’ll be busy with activities and

sightseeing, a simple budget hotel as a place to sleep is much more practical. Save the upscale hotels for a time when you’ll be there to enjoy the property’s amenities.

What are your road trip essentials?

Nothing makes the miles fly by on a road trip like a great soundtrack. Lately, instead of music, I’ve been loving podcasts.

I listened to the entire season of S-Town on the way home from a recent trip to northern California, and it felt like the trip took about two hours instead of eight. A few other favorite podcasts are Serial and This American Life.

What is your least favorite mode of transportation and why?

As long as I’m heading somewhere exciting, I’ll put up with just about anything. But truthfully, I get terribly seasick, so I avoid boats whenever I can. For once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I really don’t want to miss, like snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, I’ll get a scopolamine prescription from my doctor ahead of time. It’s a patch that you wear behind your ear, and it’s the only thing that truly works for me.

How do you avoid overpacking?

I pick a few key pieces that are versatile enough to be the foundation for multiple outfits, and I have a rough plan for what I’m going to wear on each day. Another great way to save space in your bag is by investing in one or two multi-functional pieces, like the ones carried by Encircled. One of their flagship pieces is a cardigan that you can wear eight different ways, including as a scarf and a dress – it’s pure genius.

What’s one thing people would be surprised to find in your suitcase?

In my suitcase, you might be surprised to find that there’s usually only one pair of shoes! I love shoes as much as the next girl, but it’s rare for me to bring more than two pairs of shoes on a trip. I wear the larger pair as part of my travel outfit, and pack the second pair.

If you were able to plan your dream vacation, where would you go, how do you get there, where would you stay, etc.?

If it’s on the map, it’s probably on my wish list, so it’s difficult for me to pick just a single trip! One place I would really love to go is the Maldives, an exotic chain of small islands off the coast of India.

The Maldives are literally halfway around the world from San Diego, so I’d make a stopover in London along the way to break up the flights a bit. Since it’s a dream trip, I’d stay in a luxury overwater bungalow, one with a glass floor so that I could gaze down at the sea creatures below. I’d enjoy plenty of beach time and spa time, and have dinner on a deserted island. It sounds incredible!

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What are some of your favorite San Diego stores or boutiques?

Sea + Wander in Cardiff is a chic new addition to the boutiques in North County. It’s one of my favorite spots for unique gifts and jewelry, as well as a well-edited selection of clothing. In North Park, nothing compares to Pigment! I think I’d move in there if they’d let me.

Favorite San Diego restaurant?

I adore The Pony Room at the Rancho Valencia hotel. The setting feels so secluded, and there’s nothing quite like sipping on one of their specialty margaritas by the fire pit on a summer evening.

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Favorite San Diego happy hour?

Anywhere with champagne and a good cheese plate! For me, that usually means Cucina Enoteca, Wine Steals or the Third Corner.

What do you think is San Diego’s coolest neighborhood and why?

I’m loyal to my neighborhood, so I have to go with Cardiff. The vibe is laid-back and eclectic, and we’ve got VG’s Donuts, Pipes Café, and the world-famous Cardiff Crack at the Seaside Market. I love walking the clifftop path above Swami’s beach with my dogs and being grateful that no matter where I travel, I always get to come home to San Diego.

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P H O T O S BY: 4 . H AY N E PA L M O U R I V 5. EDUARDO CONTRERAS 6. EDUARDO CONTRERAS 7. H O WA R D L I P I N

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“She begins to roll the ’stache between both hands, while licking her lips and staring us down with a naughty smile on her face.”

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY CRISTINA BYVIK

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Aww, Hail No LOCAL RIDESHARE DRIVERS OFFER UP THEIR WILDEST STORIES

t’s difficult to think about what life was like before the invention of rideshare apps. How did people get home from bars? How did one get to the hotel from the airport during a vacation? It seems like so long ago that those were the worst of first world concerns.

According to the most recent rideshare data from 2015, there were 8 million worldwide users of the rideshare app Uber and 631,000 for Lyft (imagine what the numbers are today). Adding up the total distance of just Uber trips taken through 2015, the journey would equal more than a roundtrip to Saturn. That’s out of this world!

With more than 1.5 billion miles under rideshare drivers’ tires, there are bound to be some interesting stories to come from the backseats of their cars. PACIFIC recently sought out local rideshare drivers and asked them to share their wildest and most memorable stories. Here’s what they had to say.

STEVE Y.

(AKA BOYSAN FALETUSI) 56, Chula Vista Ride: Jeep Commander (2013-2016) and Kia Sedona (2016 to present) Drives for: Lyft, 4 years Besides the money, why do you drive for ride-sharing companies?

Save lives — from drunk drivers and lower DUIs — and protect women from stalkers.

What time of day do you prefer to drive?

Dusk to just before dawn, (because there are) more passengers, fun crowds, wild experiences and more money.

Describe your most memorable ride.

I have given nearly 8,000 rides, (but) I’ll share my first night, July 2013.

It was midnight, during Comic-Con, and I received a Lyft Plus request in Pacific Beach.

When I rolled up, six young men jumped into my Jeep. They all looked like they were in their early 20s; they appeared to have

been pre-gaming, too.

I welcomed them on board, “Aloha!

Welcome aboard the Luau Lyft. What are you boys celebrating?”

A few of them shouted out, “It’s our buddy’s 21st birthday and we’re gonna get him drunk in the Gaslamp!” I dashed out to the back of my ride, grabbed six leis — all different colors — returning with a shout of, “Happy birthday, everybody gets lei’d!”

We drop onto Sixth Avenue and catch a red light at F Street, right in front of (American Comedy Club). I look out at the crosswalk and see three young ladies walking in front of us. Two of them are paired up; the third one looked so faded she was walking a little crooked.

(The drunk one) approached my vehicle, noticing the huge pink ’stache on my front grill (a signature of Lyft vehicles at the time).

She looks at the ’stache; she looks up at me and the boy in the front seat. She looks back down to the ’stache and grabs it.

She begins to roll the ’stache between both hands, while licking her lips and staring us

down with a naughty smile on her face. Then, she drops the ’stache, pumps her fist in the air and screams, “I want a mustache ride!”

Now, she begins to crawl on my hood — kinda like the scene in the old ’80s Duran Duran video, Hungry Like a Wolf. The boys begin to chant, “Jump in the Jeep! Jump in the Jeep! Jump in the Jeep!” Her two lady friends look back and run over to peel her off of my hood. They exit to the sidewalk, the lights turn green; the fella in the front and I have a look of deer in headlights.

He asks me softly, “Does this happen every night?” I answer like a teenager, “I dunno. This is my first night. But, if this is what it’s like, I’m driving every night!”

What’s the funniest or craziest thing that has ever happened to you on a ride?

Guy unzipping his pants for his girlfriend.

Here’s their conversation: Guy: Do ya feel it?

Girl, chewing and popping her gum: Yes. Guy: Whaddaya think?

Girl, sounding almost disinterested: It’s alright.

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ELYSE C.

28, downtown San Diego Ride: Electric shuttle Drives for: FRED (Free Ride Everywhere Downtown), 2.5 years Besides the money, why do you drive for ride-sharing companies?

I love supporting a service that provides free and eco-friendly transportation to downtown San Diego. It’s also an awesome way to meet new and interesting people, and experience the city in a completely vibrant and exciting way.

What kinds of people make the best passengers?

Chatty and outgoing passengers are the best. It’s way more fun for a driver to have a conversation with their rider, especially because you never know where it will lead, than to sit in awkward silence. The silence can be deafening…

Describe your most memorable ride.

One of my most memorable rides was almost being kissed by a stranger while waiting at the light on Fifth and Market (streets). He popped his head into my window and started going in for the smooch, and I had to swat him away. Not a fan of unsolicited drive-by drunk kisses!

Ever driven a celebrity around?

Yes, I’ve been in the car with The Fat Jewish! A couple cans of White Girl Rosé may or may not have been shared between us — post work, of course.

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JASON L.

BRIAN B.

40, Rolando Ride: Chevy Cruze Drives for: Uber, 1 year Besides the money, why do you drive for ride-sharing companies?

The ability to set your own schedule and be your own boss.

What time of day do you prefer to drive? Why? Any time before bar closing hours, because you do not have to deal with crazy drunks.

What are some of the strangest requests you’ve ever gotten?

A lady early in the morning wanted me to come to her apartment and get her key that was stuck out of her door. I did not perform her handyman duties.

“A lady early in the morning wanted me to come to her apartment and get her key that was stuck out of her door.”

CURTIS P.

51, Oceanside Ride: Prius Drives for: Uber, 1.5 years What kinds of people make the best passengers?

Sober adults who like to talk! I love guiding tourists around San Diego.

What time of day do you prefer to drive? Why? Friday and Saturday evenings ‘til

bar closing. It’s the busiest time of the week.

Describe your most memorable ride.

The boundary-crossing guy who kept playing his game really loud, playing with my radio without asking and feeding me a candy bar he bought for me when I told him I was too busy driving to eat it.

Have you ever refused a

31, La Mesa Ride: FRED Drives for: Right now, I work for FRED, but in the past I did drive for Uber and Lyft. I have been with FRED for a little longer than one year and I drove for Uber and Lyft for two years.

Besides the money, why do you drive for ride-sharing companies?

I enjoy meeting and talking to new people. Every day is different.

Every ride is different. It isn’t monotonous. I also enjoy the regulars that I get with FRED. It is an enjoyable and stress-free job.

What kinds of people make the best passengers?

People who are in a good mood and talk to me are the passengers I like. I have had some passengers who are grumpy and they are just on their phone the whole ride. I can’t start a conversation with that person. I am trying to make that person’s ride enjoyable for them.

Describe your most memorable ride.

I got a kiss from a passenger at the end of a ride. That was memorable and fantastic.

What’s the longest ride or strangest destination you’ve ever been asked to drive to?

FRED doesn’t go to the airport and I had a passenger ask me to get them as close as I can to the airport. I found that strange because they had a fair amount of luggage.

passenger, or stopped midway through the ride? Why? Absolutely. Open containers, parents without car seats, too many passengers for my car, people who insult me and curse me out. I have no patience for that.

What’s the strangest request you’ve ever gotten?

The couple that wanted me to hold their clothes while they went to Black’s Beach.

What’s the funniest or craziest thing that has ever happened to you on a ride?

Couple having sex. Guy doing a line of coke. Cougar offering to take me to her room.

As a contributor to TheRideShareGuy.com, what’s been your most popular YouTube video or podcast topic?

How I make money on puking passengers.

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S P I R I T S AT T H E S E H A U N T E D L O C A L E S HAVEN’T DONE A DISAPPEARING ACT

f the close of yet another perfect summer in America’s Finest City doesn’t frighten you, it’s likely nothing will. Unless, of course, you’re talking about the most haunted places in San Diego — and there are far more of them than you might think.

Alongside the established list of traditional local landmarks are a surprising number of those that claim to be haunted. Not only does San Diego boast “the most haunted house in America,” but the lore of this city’s purported spirits include a murdered gambler, a German spy, and a jilted lover known as the “beautiful stranger.”

And it doesn’t end there. A 15-year-old stowaway, a grieving servant, and a local pioneer are also among the cast of active

apparitions said to be taking up residence across the county.

Opinions tend to vary between local tour operators, paranormal researchers, and plain old ghost aficionados on where and what the most haunted place in San Diego might be. But there is one thing they all agree on: As trick-or-treaters and costumed revelers take to the streets at the end of the month, they will not be alone. They believe that somehow, an ensemble of benign and tragic specters remains trapped between worlds, unable to leave their final earthy destinations, and unaware that Halloween is anything more than just another day.

Get your ghost on with some of San Diego’s top spots to (supposedly) come face-to-face with the paranormal.

D av i s - H o rt o n House Built in 1850, the Davis-Horton House (once known as the William Heath Davis House) is the oldest standing structure in the Gaslamp. Unexplained phenomena have been linked to San Diego founder Alonzo Horton and his wife Sarah, a World War I German spy who once lived there, and many who lost their lives on the property during the decade it served as a hospital.

410 Island Ave., downtown, gaslampfoundation.org SEAN M. HAFFEY

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Horton Gr and Hotel The old saying “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all” could certainly apply to the Horton Grand Hotel’s most infamous guest, Roger Whitaker. Known for his heavy drinking and lack of scruples when it came to playing cards, the gambler met his fate at the hands of creditors while he hid in Room 309’s armoire. Strange occurrences on site have been credited to him over the years, but the story itself has been questioned. Perhaps it’s actually Ida Bailey, the owner of a brothel that once operated on the exact site, who also has been linked to paranormal activity there.

311 Island Ave., downtown, hortongrand.com

K.C. ALFRED

Hotel del Coronado

BILL WECHTER

What? The iconic San Diego landmark where Some Like It Hot was filmed? Say it ain’t so. But even according to the hotel, the rumors are true. That said, it could really be a lot worse. While the circumstances in which the spirit said to haunt the property aren’t very nice — 24-year-old Kate Morgan took her own life after a lover bowed out of their rendezvous — apparently, her ghost is. Referred to as “the beautiful stranger” after police could not identify her body, happenings in and around Morgan’s guestroom (the most requested room at the hotel) are mild and harmless.

1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, hoteldel.com

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Old Point Loma Lighthouse Now part of the Cabrillo National Monument, this 46-foot-tall structure was lighted for the first time in 1855. Reports of heavy footsteps, cold spots, and a multitude of strange noises are attributed to navigator and explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who landed at San Diego Bay in 1542, as well as final lighthouse keeper Captain Robert Decatur Israel, who died in 1908.

1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr., Point Loma, nps.gov/cabr/index.htm

SEAN DUFRENE

Q u e s t h av e n Nestled in the now-bustling communities of Harmony Grove and San Elijo Hills, this North County cut-through between Rancho Santa Fe Road and Auto Parkway wasn’t always so gentrified. Legend says gypsies cursed the area after they once were slaughtered here in the Elfin Forest by intolerant residents and cursed the area, while newer rumors involve an abandoned mental hospital and a cult house. There have also been reports of a figure referred to as the “White Lady” haunting the overgrown trees.

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EARNIE GRAFTON

Star of India The oldest working sailing ship made more than 20 voyages around the world before it was first taken out of service, and then restored, in San Diego.

Multiple lives were lost aboard the merchant vessel over the years, but the most infamous of their manifestations comes in the form of John Campbell. The 15-year-old stowaway died from a nearly 100-foot fall sustained while tending to the ship’s masts.

1492 N. Harbor Dr., Harborview, sdmaritime.org/visit/the-ships/star-of-india

Villa Montezuma Built in 1885, this 19th‑century Victorian mansion is said to be haunted by its first resident — spiritualist, musician, author and occasional leader of séances, Jesse Shepard. One of Shepard’s servants, so distraught by his wife’s death, hanged himself in the building’s tower, and is also said to occasionally make his presence known.

1925 K St., Sherman Heights, villamontezuma.org

Whaley House

SEAN M. HAFFEY

This is the most infamous of all San Diego haunts. Built on a graveyard and named by both LIFE Magazine and the Travel Channel as “the most haunted house in America,” the Whaley House earned its reputation the old fashioned way: capital punishment and suicide.

James “Yankee Jim” Robinson, who was hanged on the grounds in 1852 for grand larceny before the house was even built, is said to have never left. The same is said of Violet Whaley, who 33 years later, at the age of 22, committed suicide after significant public backlash from divorce. Her parents, Thomas and Anna Whaley, the building’s original owners, have also reportedly been seen at the location.

2476 San Diego Ave., Old Town, whaleyhouse.org

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H A L L O W E E N H A U N T S Through 10.31 SCREAM ZONE Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar thescreamzone.com The county’s largest haunted experience returns with four hair-raising attractions: the House of Horror, the Haunted Hayride, the KarnEvil freak show and the one-of-a-kind Running Dead Obstacle Course, where brain-devouring zombies chase guests throughout a 30,000-square-foot course.

Through 10.31 HAUNTED TRAIL Balboa Park hauntedtrail.net Not for the faint of heart, this mile-long amusement starts with a spine-tingling traipse through a 3,500-square-foot maze, then continues past Balboa Park’s twisted trees while putting you face to face with some of cinema’s most insidious icons.

MIKE ROLLERSON

Through 10.31 THE HAUNTED HOTEL 424 Market Street, Gaslamp hauntedhotel.com San Diego’s longest-running haunted house invites you to take a terrifying trip on the Hellevator, suffer through the insanity of the Clown Subway, then swing by Hillbilly Swamp, where incestuous rednecks wait to hunt you down.

Weekends through 10.29 SEAWORLD’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR SeaWorld San Diego, Mission Bay Park seaworld.com With Spooktacular decorations

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kooky characters and slapstick shenanigans along with live entertainment, a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and a spooky ghost cruise.

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.1-31 BOOMONT PARK FALL FESTIVAL AND HAUNT Belmont Park, Mission Beach belmontpark.com Mission Beach’s family-friendly fall festival welcomes guests with trick-or-treating, a pick-npaint pumpkin patch, a costume contest and an apocalyptic laser tag inside Belmont Park’s threetiered arena.

10.18 GAY HORROR HALLOWEEN DOUBLE FEATURE Landmark Hillcrest Cinema filmoutsandiego.com

HAUNTED TRAIL THE HAUNTED HOTEL

and a decked-out Día de los Muertos celebration, SeaWorld transforms into an immersive family-fun fall event featuring silly and spooky live shows, Halloween dance parties and trick-or-treating spots throughout the park.

Through 10.31 SAVAGE HOUSE Westfield Mission Valley, Mission Valley savageproductions.org Face your fears at the county’s only themed haunt that immerses guests in a gory, start-to-finish storyline about a facility for the criminally insane that’s overtaken by its unstable residents.

Saturday nights through 10.28 BRICK-OR-TREAT PARTY NIGHTS Legoland California, Carlsbad legoland.com With Halloween excitement for the whole family, this fall festival features crazy costumes,

Prepare to scream while enjoying a freaky double feature screening of Hellbent (with director Paul Etheredge in attendance) and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (billed as “the gayest horror movie ever made”).

A N DY B OY D

10.28-29 OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO’S DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Old Town dayofthedeadsd.com Celebrate Day of the Dead at this annual two-day event, which features traditional facepainting, artists, musicians and shopping, plus specials at many of Old Town’s authentic restaurants.

17TH ANNUAL MONSTER BASH

10.21, 28 HAUNTED TALES HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE Star of India, Little Italy sdmaritime.org Find out if the Star of India is really haunted (see page 53) during this lantern-led storytelling tour about the famous vessel’s eerie past.

10.27 TRICK OR TREAT ON INDIA STREET Piazza Basilone, Little Italy littleitalysd.com Parents can bring their costumed monsters to this family-friendly Halloween event hosting trick-or-treating at numerous businesses along India Street.

10.27-28 SAN DIEGO ZOMBIE CRAWL Throughout the Gaslamp sandiegozombiecrawl.com Join thousands of ghouls and goblins taking over the Gaslamp and East Village during this creepy bar crawl that includes

access to 25 of the city’s hottest parties, along with “Welcome Shots,” and devilish drink specials at nearly every stop.

10.28 17TH ANNUAL MONSTER BASH Island and Eighth avenues, Gaslamp sandiegomonsterbash.com Monster Bash is back and bigger than ever with five themed stages (featuring trap, EDM, hiphop, house, and progressive DJs) and a $5,000 costume contest judged by local radio celebs.

10.28 8TH ANNUAL HALLO-WINE AND SPIRITS PARTY AT THE HOTEL DEL Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado hoteldel.com San Diego’s signature haunted hotel welcomes you to wear a killer costume for this adultsonly affair full of contests and decadent dining amid the spooky surroundings of the American Horror Hotel theme.

10.28 NIGHTMARE ON NORMAL STREET Normal Street, Hillcrest fabuloushillcrest.com This massive 21-and-up block party promises to be a scary good time with two enormous bars, an epic outdoor dance party and multiple costume contests, including one for canines.

10.29 17TH ANNUAL DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Old Mission San Luis Rey, Oceanside mslrdiadelosmuertos.com More than 40,000 visitors will gather to celebrate DÍa de Los Muertos, a Mexican remembrance of the departed, at Oceanside’s historic Old Mission San Luis Rey. The familyfriendly, free event will feature traditional music, dancing, food, arts and crafts for kids and a Day of Dead retail mercado.

SAN DIEGO ZOMBIE CRAWL

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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TASTE

D I N I N G O U T / A F U L L P L AT E

Ready AFor

f f o e k Tta WITH TWO NEW RESTAURANTS, A CATERING BUSINESS AND AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN THE WORKS, CHEF STEVE BROWN HAS A FULL PLATE

If Steve Brown was a pilot, all the collision alarms would be going off in the cockpit right now.

This fall, Brown plans to open restaurants in Chula Vista and Barrio Logan, a catering company and a culinary internship program — all while running his weekly finedining pop-up dinner series known as Cosecha. >>>

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OCTOBER

BY PAM KRAGEN PHOTOS BY JIM SULLIVAN

TA ST E DINING OUT

How will he pull it off?

“Sleep is for the dead,” said Brown, who opened the first of his new ventures, Tempº by Cosecha restaurant in Chula Vista, on Sept.

19. “I have ADD, so I’m always going nonstop. It’s just the way I am. I gotta do it while I’m young.

Energy-wise, it’s all downhill from here.”

Since Brown returned to his childhood hometown of Imperial Beach from L.A. last year, he’s been laying the foundation for his brand mega-launch by building relationships with local farmers, chefs, ranchers, designers and diners. Now he’s ready for takeoff and hopes the turbulence that brought him back to San Diego last year is finally behind him.

Brown, 37, is an ambitious man, but 20 years ago he was a self-described lazy “arrogant little s**thead.” Lacking inspiration after high school in San Bernardino, he joined an overseas program where he worked as a hotel housekeeper in Germany. But when his boss found him sleeping in the rooms instead of cleaning them, he was banished to the hotel’s kitchen to wash dishes.

“It was the worst day of my life and it changed my life,” he recalled. “I met my best friend in the dish pit and after a few days in the kitchen, I fell in love with it. I haven’t left since.”

When Brown describes life in the kitchen he says it’s “like pirates doing ballet.”

“You have the most crude and rude things going on but when it comes down to the food and the plate it’s very elegant. I love that contradiction,” he said. >>>

Beet cured salmon with applewoodsmoked cream cheese and pickled cucumber on whole wheat toast.

Upper left: Kimchi imperial Wagyu hanger steak tartare with horseradish snow.

“You have the most crude and rude things going on but when it comes down to the food and the plate it’s very elegant. I love that contradiction.”

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UP, UP AND AWAY COSECHA: Hosts weekly pop-up multicourse dinners of eight to 22 courses for $160-$300 from Chula Vista to San Francisco. chefstevebrown.com/cosecha

Serves dinner Tuesdays-Saturdays and “boozy” brunch on weekends.

Small plates menu ranges from $18-$30. facebook.com/ tempbycosecha

TEMPº BY COSECHA: Newly opened 40-seat “farm-driven modern American” restaurant at 277 Third Ave. in Chula Vista.

COSECHA CATERING: Headquartered at Tempº by Cosecha in Chula Vista, this company will specialize in seasonal

produce and specialty meats. chefstevebrown.com/catering BAR LOGAN BY COSECHA: This 60-seat restaurant/bar designed by Tecture will open at the end of 2017 at 2163 Logan Ave. in Barrio Logan. chefstevebrown.com/bar-logan WILD WILLOW FARM STAGE PROGRAM: This fall, Cosecha

will partner with nonprofit Wild Willow Farm & Education Center in Imperial Beach on a cheftraining/internship program.

Participants in the six-week, unpaid program will learn how to plant, grow and harvest produce and then how to prepare, cook and serve it at Brown’s restaurants. sandiegoroots.org/farm/index.php

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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TA ST E DINING OUT

Wild Willow Farm cherry tomatoes marinated in Wild Willow Farm basil honey vinaigrette.

After two years in Germany, he moved home to L.A., where by age 22 he had both a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu and a newborn daughter. With a family to feed, he couldn’t afford to intern in Michelinstarred restaurants, so he found a line cook job in La Quinta and gradually worked his way up the chef ladder, mostly at finedining restaurants in L.A. In mid-2015, he opened his dream restaurant, Gardner Junction in West Hollywood, but it closed after just four months due to partnership troubles.

Devastated, he retreated in February 2016 to Imperial Beach, where his parents had once lived and recently retired to.

“But after four months, I got the fine dining itch again and my depression went away,” he said, adding that he needed to find a way to make fine dining pencil

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out financially. The answer was high-end, one-night pop-ups in borrowed restaurant space.

In July 2016, he launched Cosecha, offering prix-fixe multicourse pop-ups from San Diego to San Francisco.

Cosecha means “harvest” in Spanish, chosen because Brown harvests all of his own produce, mostly at Wild Willow Farm & Education Center in Imperial Beach.

The concept was an instant smash in dining-centric L.A. and San Francisco, but it has taken time to build a following in San Diego. Winning the culinary competition in 2016 at KAABOO Del Mar helped (he returned as a judge in 2017).

So has a recent partnership with Japan’s Wagyu beef farmers, who hand-picked him as a culinary representative and importer for their prized meat. >>>

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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TA ST E DINING OUT

“I’m the only guy doing Japanese Wagyu in San Diego at this level. I’m going all in,” he said.

Brown’s first restaurant venture, Tempº

by Cosecha, opened last month in Chula Vista. It serves dinner and weekend brunch and is the permanent home for Cosecha’s local pop-ups as well as the soon-to-open Cosecha Catering Co. At the end of this year, he’ll open Bar Logan

by Cosecha, a restaurant/bar in Barrio Logan designed by Tecture.

To control labor costs, Brown is also codeveloping with Wild Willow Farm a stage program. The six-week “soil to plate” internships will not only teach young

chefs cooking and plating techniques, but also farming and harvesting.

What else is on Brown’s plate? One priority is weekend time with his now15-year-old daughter, who lives with her mom in Chino Hills. Another is feeding the insatiable appetite of his 9,500 Instagram followers with fresh food photos.

Although Brown may be brand ambassador for Cosecha, he stresses that he’s just the leader of a strong team.

“A chef wants to do everything himself, but I’ve learned that you have to delegate and surround yourself with good people. I’ve got some of the best,” he said.

Clockwise (from top left): fried fog legs with chermoula; exterior of Tempº

by Cosecha in Chula Vista; prosecco with Wild Willow Farms pomegranate; Chef Steve Brown and his team go over courses during preservice.

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“I’m the only guy doing Japanese Wagyu in San Diego at this level. I’m going all in,”

TA ST E

Managing editor Jennifer Ianni contributed to this story

DRINK

|

BY LIZ BOWEN

Alcohol ON CALL

NEVER SET FOOT IN A LIQUOR STORE AGAIN WITH THESE LOCAL BOOZE DELIVERY SERVICES

W

hen you’re in the mood to booze, it’s helpful to know that you don’t even have to step out of your house to grab it. Much like popular food delivery services, alcohol delivery, via apps and websites, is now on the up-and-up in San Diego.

Like a regular bar, alcohol delivery services require age verification with a valid ID, and they won’t deliver to someone who is already intoxicated. So, dude, maintain, and choose from any of these solid alcohol delivery options.

AMAZON PRIME In addition to all the perks an Amazon Prime account will get you, Amazon Prime Now offers alcohol delivery via grocery stores — like Sprouts and Whole Foods — and liquor stores like Keg N Bottle. If used often enough (which, let’s face it, you will use it often just for booze), the $99 Amazon Prime annual membership fee practically pays for itself.

App: Android, iPhone primenow.amazon.com

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breweries directly) by style and by brand name, and the same goes for wine and alcohol.

App: Android, iPhone drizly.com

CRAFTHOUNDS If beer is the preferred alcoholic beverage for delivery, Crafthounds is a great option. The company allows you to search its database of more than 4,000 beers to find exactly what’s desired, in addition to providing the real-time prices that are offered at stores near you. This service is a go-to for craft beer lovers that can’t make it to the store to browse bottles of their favorite brews. To receive free delivery, use code “PACIFICSANDIEGO”. crafthounds.com

DOORDASH Add DoorDash to the list of companies delivering both food and booze straight to your door.

Stores like Servall Liquor in Hillcrest, Del Mesa Liquor and Deli in Mission Valley and The Bottle House in South Park all offer liquor delivery service through DoorDash.

App: Android, iPhone doordash.com

DRIZLY Launched in May 2016, Drizly is another popular go-to option for alcohol brought straight to your doorstep. The company delivers to a wide variety of neighborhoods in San Diego. You can look up specific beer options (though not from

Diego to make sure the goods are delivered with care straight to the front door. Shop a selection of popular alcohol, wine and beer brands available, or search for exactly what you’re looking for.

App: Android, iPhone minibardelivery.com

POSTMATES

HOPSY Hopsy, a craft beer delivery startup, launched in San Francisco in early 2016 and made its way to San Diego towards the end of last year. Current brewery offerings include Coronado Brewing Company, Belching Beaver Brewing, Mike Hess Brewing and more. Hopsy supplies craft beer lovers with freshly filled growlers and TORPs, which can be used with home tap systems. In addition to delivery, a retail store where customers can purchase growlers and TORPs is located at 5296 Linda Vista Rd. hopsy.beer

INSTACART San Diegans who loathe shopping in actual stores can use Instacart to pick up groceries from stores like Whole Foods, Costco, Aldi and Smart & Final. And yes, Instacart’s grocery delivery service also includes alcohol.

What an amazing time to be alive.

App: Android, iPhone instacart.com

MINIBAR Get $10 off your first order and your choice of booze, wine or beer delivered to your home or business. Sold. Minibar partners with local liquor stores in San

As mentioned, Postmates is a popular delivery service that users can utilize for food, groceries and personal items, so it only makes sense that alcohol has now been added to their portfolio.

Customers can choose from wine, beer and liquors of all kinds on the app or website.

App: Android, iPhone postmates.com

SAUCEY Saucey is one of the original alcohol delivery services in San Diego that promises delivery within 20 to 40 minutes of placing an order. The alcohol prices on Saucey include delivery, so they may look a little steep while browsing on the app. One of the most unique features on this service is the ability to order a mixologist to come to your home for a party. That’s an expert party host move, for sure.

App: Android, iPhone saucey.com

SWILL Residents of neighborhoods like La Jolla, Little Italy, Pacific Beach and Point Loma can order alcohol delivery from Swill, which delivers wine, beer, liquor and even mixers in as little as an hour or at a scheduled time.

App: Android, iPhone getswill.com

TA ST E

BY PETER ROWE

BEER

TASTE A MONTHLYOM HERE R F R E OF BE

TAKE IT FROM THE TAP

K.C. ALFRED

W

hile San Diego’s climate is renowned, it’s not known for brilliant fall colors or crisp autumn days.

Still, there’s one sure sign of fall’s arrival here: wet hop beers. For an expert view on these beverages, PACIFIC tapped Tom Nickel. Not only does he make wet hop beers at Nickel Beer Company in Julian, he serves them at his Kearny Mesa tavern, O’Brien’s Pub.

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PACIFIC: What are wet hop beers?

Wet hop beers are brewed using the hops within 24 or 48 hours of picking, when the hops have not been dried and still have most of their water weight.

What’s the difference?

For the brewer, using wet hops means you’ll typically need about six times the amount of dried hops when brewing the same style of beer. For the drinker, it lends a different flavor to the beer.

Such as?

Wet hop beers tend to be not as bitter or as strong as, say, a typical IPA. Instead, the subtle characteristics of wet hops will play out. It may come across as more of a fruity or resiny character.

Why are these beers so popular among craft beer fans?

Wet hops beers are something you can brew only once a year, when the hops are at the peak of freshness. That’s unique.

Let’s Go to the

HOPS EL CAJON OKTOBERFEST Weekend 1: Sept. 29-Oct. 1; weekend 2: Oct. 6-8 In the mood for a dirndl-lederhosenGerman lager Oktoberfest? The German American Societies of San Diego have you covered at the El Cajon Oktoberfest.

1017 S. Mollison Ave., El Cajon germanclubsandiego.org

OB OKTOBERFEST Oct. 6-7 T R OY O R E M P H O T O G R A P H Y

Prefer your Oktoberfests with less oompah and a bit more offbeat? Head to the Ocean Beach pier parking lot for OB O’fest, which includes yoga, a 5K Brat Trot and – naturally – beer.

Newport Ave. at Abbott St. sdoktoberfest.com Note: For more information about San Diego Oktoberfests, see Events Calendar, page 26. something that is hard to duplicate – when you get those fresh German lagers, it’s a great drinking experience. Hacker-Pschorr’s Oktoberfest is one of my favorites on the German side. Over here, Gordon Biersch always has an awesome Oktoberfest beer.

And pumpkin beers?

Have you seen the video Societe made?

(Watch “Crafting the Perfect Pumpkin Beer” at vimeo.com/185069867). It’s utterly hilarious and kind of sums up my feelings.

NICKEL BEER COMPANY 1485 Hollow Glen Rd., Julian, CA 760.765.BEER (2337), nickelbeerco.com O’BRIEN’S PUB 4646 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa 858.715.1745, obrienspub.net

LIZ BOWEN

You’ve brewed several wet hop beers.

Other than your own, which do you enjoy?

One of my favorites is Burning Beard’s Circle of Hops, a wet hop version of their regular Circle of Hops pale ale. South Park Brewing’s Baby Buck XPA (extra pale ale) was really nice. I’ve always liked Monkey Paw’s versions and Pizza Port’s wet hop beers are outstanding.

Isn’t O’Brien’s 15th annual Wet Hop Beer Festival this month?

Yes, Oct. 13-15. We should have 30 to 35 beers on tap, most from West Coast breweries.

Fall’s also the season for Märzens, the Oktoberfest style, and pumpkin beers.

Have you experimented with those?

Not as a brewer. But I do love the Märzen fest beer style. A well-made German lager is

BEER PAIRING DINNER Oct. 17 North Park Beer Co. has it all: Kelsey McNair’s award-winning beers, a sweet Craftsman-style interior and Oct. 17’s fivecourse beer dinner. The feast begins at 7 p.m. inside the brewpub. Tickets are $60.

3038 University Ave., North Park northparkbeerco.com

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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TA ST E BEER

Cans on the Run

B

urgeon Beer lived up to its name with burgeoning demand for its ales since the Carlsbad brewery’s debut in December 2016. Reviews were strong and fans begged co-founders Matthew Zirpolo, Derek Van Leeuwen and Anthony Tallman to can their beers.

One problem: The partners lacked the $150,000 to $250,000 needed for a new canning line.

One solution: Call Mobile West Canning.

Since 2013, Mobile West has loaded a sleek, swift canning line into a truck, then hauled it to breweries in temporary need of its services.

“It’s a great option for small breweries,” Zirpolo said. “They run the line and we package everything off that, then store the cans in our cold box.”

Mobile West charges $3 to $6 per case, far less than the cost of buying a new canning line.

“The advantages are, one, you don’t have to make that capital investment and, two, you don’t have to become an expert,” said Matt Woempner, owner/manager of the Poway-based company. “This is not a plug and play system.”

For years, San Diego beers were only available on draft or in bottles. That changed in 2012, when Scot Blair hired a Bay Area firm – the Can Van – to can three beers from his Monkey Paw brewpub.

Since then, larger breweries like Stone, Ballast Point, Green Flash and AleSmith have invested in their own canning lines. But many of San Diego County’s 150-plus breweries rely on Mobile West.

“They did a great job for us,” said Bill Warnke, co-founder and owner of Bitter Brothers, which hired Mobile West five times in May and June.

One problem: Mobile West is so busy, its calendar quickly fills up. In June, Bitter Brothers was unable to nail down a canning date for early July. “In the time I was unable to can,” Warnke said, “I lost about 140 cases of sales.”

One solution: In August, Bitter Brothers bought its own canning line. Used and refurbished, this machine is a steady performer.

But nothing like Woempner’s portable operation.

“His is the Cadillac of canning lines,” Warnke said. “It’s a great machine.”

MOBILE CANNING WEST mobilewestcanning.com

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DrinkAbout on the Outs?

W

as DrinkAbout too good to be true? No. Once a month for seven years, it supplied free rides to craft beer bars.

But was it too good to last? Perhaps, as it suspended operations in August.

“We called it quits,” said Jeff Motch, one of the organizers. “Doing it on a regular basis was no longer relevant in the age of Lyft and Uber.”

If business is defined by us vs. them competition, DrinkAbout was never relevant. On the third Wednesday of every month, owners of eight beer bars paid for a bus to ferry riders from bar to bar. The route through Normal Heights, University Heights, North Park and South Park hit some hallowed craft beer sites: Blind Lady, Small Bar, Live Wire, Tiger!Tiger!, Ritual Tavern, Toronado, The Station and Hamilton’s.

“It was great,” said Scot Blair, owner of Hamilton’s.

“You definitely saw an uptick in business and you definitely saw a lot of people on the bus.”

Bar owners evenly divided all costs, and all changes required unanimous consent. Even the bus providers – Jon and Mindy McDermott from Brewery Tours of San Diego – cooperated by offering a reduced rate.

Gradually, though, passengers began to hop off these buses.

Motch, co-owner of Tiger!Tiger! and Blind Lady, cited two factors. The DrinkAbout bus followed a set schedule, while ride-sharing services offer transport at any time to any destination.

“And now there are 10 times the number of beer bars,” Motch said. “You miss the bus at Blind Lady, you might just walk across the street to Sycamore Den. Then, boom, you’re gone, you get a Lyft or Uber.”

The final blow may have come in April, when Ritual’s owners announced they were closing their bar.

Motch and Blair insist that DrinkAbout is not dead, just on hiatus while the program is revamped. Motch hopes an improved DrinkAbout bus will roll into San Diego Beer Week, Nov. 3-12.

“We all want this to get better and better,” he said, “for people to get out and see other places and enjoy themselves without driving drunk.

“We don’t want this to die.”

For updates on the fate of DrinkAbout, visit sddrinkabout.blogspot.com.

TA ST E

PHOTOS BY K.C. ALFRED

BARTENDER

BY MICHAEL BENNINGER

s e s i R t h g i n K k The Par TRAILER PARK AFTER DARK’S BARTENDING COMEDIAN IS THE HOSPITALITY HERO SAN DIEGO DESERVES

While many locals might equate a night out in the Gaslamp with getting gussied up and waiting in line to enter an overcrowded club, Fifth Avenue’s new Trailer Park After Dark offers an escape for those with more subdued tastes.

New to downtown’s nightlife scene, the subterranean restaurant and full-service bar beneath relishes in a trailer-park theme, which not only extends to every corner of the decor, but also influences many of the cleverly named cocktails.

And behind many of the drinks’ imaginative monikers is comedian/bartender Josh Kreps.

A former resident of Maine and North Carolina, Kreps arrived in San Diego in early 2017 with a plan to become a stand-up sensation.

Before his big break arrives, Kreps found time to chat with PACIFIC about being a bartender by night and a stand-up comic – also by night.

Why did you choose to move to San Diego?

I wanted to come here because L.A.’s so big and full of comics and entertainers. I figured if I moved to San Diego, then I would be a San Diego comic who just shows up in L.A. every once in a while.

What do you like most about working at Trailer Park After Dark?

I love the fast-paced environment. I like running the whole time.

How do you describe the venue’s vibe to people who haven’t visited yet?

It’s a five-star dive bar! It’s a chill

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place to go downtown when you don’t want to do the club thing or get crazy. Not that it doesn’t get rowdy down here...

How’s the reaction been from people since the bar opened?

Everybody who comes down here, you see the look on their faces. Like “Oh, my god! I love this!” There wasn’t one detail spared in this bar. We have medicine cabinets you can open up and there’s funny stuff in there; there are headrests above the urinals; I give my checks out on license plates. They took a long time paying attention to detail with this place.

What’s your favorite element of the bar’s decor?

Our barstools are shopping carts fabricated into stools. They’re pretty awesome.

What are some of the bar’s signature drinks?

The Brand Spankin’ New Fashioned is made with barrelaged rum instead of bourbon, and we’ve got a pineapple jalapeño margarita called the Jalapeño Face. Then there’s the Southbound Train and the American Mule, which is made with American whiskey instead of vodka. There’s also Dickel My Pickle, a shot of Dickel Whisky and a pickleback, and our Buckshot, which is a can of Busch and a Fireball shot.

What are a couple of your favorite items on the food menu?

We just rolled out gourmet TV dinners. Every night we have a different one, like turkey with gravy and mashed potatoes,

plus corn, a cupcake and a Jello shot all served on a TV dinner tray. Everything’s made in-house.

What food and drink pairing do you recommend to first-time Trailer Park visitors?

The TV dinner with a Jalapeño Face or the Kitchen-Sink Tots with the Jalapeño Face. The TV Dinner’s kinda mellow, and the jalapeño margarita brings a little bit of a kick to it.

What’s the most important thing to you as a bartender?

Having a good barback.

Who are you comedic inspirations?

George Carlin, Robin Williams and Tom Segura.

Got any long-term ambitions?

I’d like to be a road comic eventually, and then get a special.

Where can people see you perform?

I perform at Mad House (Comedy Club) in Horton Plaza sometimes and at The Comedy Palace in Clairemont. I have two shows there this month.

What’s your life motto or saying?

“If you ain’t first, you’re last,” Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights.

Visit Kreps at Trailer Park After Dark Tuesdays through Saturdays.

TRAILER PARK AFTER DARK 835 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp 619.236.1550 trailerparkafterdark.com Open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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GROOVE

SOUND DECISIONS / CONCERT CALENDAR

y a l p Cold

@ SDCCU STADIUM, SANDIEGO.GOV/STADIUM/EVENTSCALENDAR

OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

BY SCOTT MCDONALD

10.8

In July, the British quartet released their five-track Kaleidoscope EP featuring a live remix of their hit with The Chainsmokers, Something Like This, as well as a collaboration with Detroit rapper Big Sean. The band hits San Diego as a continuation of their Head Full of Dreams Tour, which started in March of 2016. >>>

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G R O OV E

BY SCOTT MCDONALD

SOUND DECISIONS

Sounds Sounds Like Like A A Plan Plan A.

10.1 Algiers

@ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com A chance to see this Atlanta-based band in an intimate setting after they delivered one of the year’s best records – the politicallycharged, Adrian Utley-produced, and June-released The Underside of Power.

B.

10.1 The Shins and Spoon

@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast The first of two co-headlining tours

hitting the CCCUOAT this week, these two indie-rock powerhouses team up after both bands released new albums in March.

C.

10.3 Gavin DeGraw

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com After canceling his October performances due to an undisclosed personal family matter, the singer/songwriter continues his October RAW Tour with a sold-out stop in Solana Beach.

D.

10.3 Gillian Welch

@ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org Americana superstar Gillian Welch returns to San Diego on a continuation of her Harrow and The Harvest Tour. It follows Welch and longtime partner Dave Rawling’s first-ever vinyl release (of any kind) for the 2011 album of the same name.

E.

10.3 Ms. Lauryn Hill & Nas

@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast

The second of CCCUOAT’s coheadlining tours, Ms. Lauryn Hill celebrates the recent 19th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. New York-based MC, producer, actor and entrepreneur Nas holds down the other half of the night.

F.

10.4 Post Malone

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Scoring massive hits with the songs White Iverson and Congratulations,

OCTOBERT CONCER R CALENDA

Jason n a e d l A 10.7 @ MATTRESS FIRM AMPHITHEATRE, LIVENATION.COM

The country music singer was last here on his 2016 Six String Circus Tour. Aldean returns to the same venue 14 months later on his They Don’t Know Tour with Chris Young, Kane Brown and Dee Jay Silver.

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H.

I.

the 22-year-old rapper/singer/ songwriter hits the road on the Stoney Tour, named after his platinum-selling 2016 debut.

G.

F.

G.

H.

E.

D.

A.

10.6 Depeche Mode

@ Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, livenation.com The pioneering synth rockers released their 14th studio album, Spirit, earlier this year and still boast founding members Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher. The trio is currently on their Global Spirit Tour.

J.

B.

10.5, 6 Father John Misty

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) released a third studio album, Pure Comedy, under his adopted pseudonym in April. His tour of the same name made a stop at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay the same month of the release, and now he’s back for a second (and third) time this year. New music is set for release in 2018.

I.

C.

10.5 Ramsey Lewis

@ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org The legendary Chicago-based jazz pianist has three Grammys and over 80 albums to his name. Lewis is also a recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Best Jazz Artist and a NEA Jazz Masters Award.

J.

K.

K.

L.

10.8 Shooter Jennings

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com The son of country legend Waylon Jennings (his given name is also Waylon) released his seventh studio album, Countach (For Giorgio), last year. A “love letter” to composer Giorgio Moroder, it features appearances from Brandi Carlile and Marilyn Manson L. 10.11 Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego It’s a no brainer as two of the best indie singer/songwriters working today team up. The pair releases their collaborative album, Lotta Sea Lice, this month and is touring with an all-star band

M.

M.

10.12 Afghan Whigs

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com The May-released In Spades is the Greg Dulli-led band’s eighth album, and second since reforming in 2012. It follows 2014’s Do to the Beast as a return to Sub Pop Records. >>>

k c a L 6 @ OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK, OBSERVATORYSD.COM

Atlanta-based singer/rapper 6lack (aka Ricardo Valentine) released his Interscope Records debut, Free 6lack, last November. He’s also collaborated with Jhené Aiko and Syd of The Internet.

10.7

10.7 Janet Jackson

@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com Before there was Queen Bey, the King of Pop’s sister was the ruling musical matriarch. In January, the 51-year-old singer became a firsttime mother and her current State of the World Tour is a continuation of one she started to support her 2015 release, Unbreakable.

A ) . J O E D I LW O R T H ; B ) . Z AC K E R Y M I C H A E L ; C ) . J A M E S M I N C H I N I I I ; D ) . H E N R Y D I LT Z ; E ) .

PA S C A L B E R N I E R ; H ) . G U Y LO W N D E S ; L ) . DA N N Y C L I N C H ; M ) . C H R I S C U F FA R O .

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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A.

10.12 The National

@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast The Brooklyn-based indie rockers released their seventh studio album Sleep Well Beast last month. The album’s first single, The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness, is the band’s first song to reach the top spot on any Billboard chart.

B. 10.14 Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

B.

C.

D.

@ Harrah’s, harrahssocal.com Bob Marley’s youngest son has collaborated on albums with Mick Jagger and Nas, and recently guested on tracks by Jay-Z and Skrillex. He also just released his first solo album in 10 years, Stony Hill, which once again features multiple appearances by his older brother, Stephen.

E.

C.

10.17 The Black Angels

F.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues. com/sandiego The Austin psych outfit released their fifth full-length album, Death Song, in April. The 11-track collection is their first for Partisan Records.

G. D.

10.17, 18 Café Tacvba

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com It’s a two-night stand for the 28-yearold alt rock outfit from Mexico City after dropping their eighth studio album, Jei Beibi, last May. The record is the band’s first release in five years.

E.

10.18 Songhoy Blues

F.

10.18 Allah-Las

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com The ex-Amoeba-staffers-turnedpsych-rockers are set to release a new EP of covers in November.

Among the artists getting the L.A.based band’s unique interpretation are George Harrison and Television.

H.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com Hailing from Timbuktu, Mali, the desert-blues quartet formed after being displaced from their homeland by a jihadist group. Their sophomore effort, Résistance, was released on Fat Possum Records in June.

10.18 Arcade Fire

@ Viejas Arena, viejasarena.com The Canadians are coming! And they’ll be playing songs from their fifth studio album, Everything Now, which was released in July.

10.19 The Bronx

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Ditching the “Mariachi” portion of their alter egos, the L.A.-based outfit made a return to undiluted punk and released the fifth album under their two-word moniker, BRVNX (V), last month. >>>

G.

H.

P H O T O S B Y: A ) . G R A H A M M AC I N D O E C ) . S A N DY C A R S O N E). JOSH CHEUSE G). AARON GIESEL

s t a b a u q The A 10.14 @ HOUSE OF BL HOUSEOFBLUESUES, .COM/SANDIEG Costu O

med, family-friendly , punk-rock antics with the creator of Yo Gabba Gabba at the helm? Um, yes ple ase. Rocking out at 6 p.m. never felt so good !

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20

th

anniversary

Pacific beachfest TH

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 2017

Www.pacificbeachfest.org

G R O OV E SOUND DECISIONS

OCTOBERT CONCER R CALENDA A.

10.20 JR JR

@ The Irenic, theirenic.com The Detroit based duo formerly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. released one new single, Same Dark Places, from the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, earlier this year.

They followed it with another one called, Clean Up, in August.

B.

B.

A.

10.21 Nick Murphy

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Chet Faker = Nick Murphy. Nick Murphy = Chet Faker. The Australian singer and beat maker returns to the Observatory under his given name.

C.

10.21, 22 Beats Antique

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com Beats and belly dancing? Costume changes and live instrumentation? Slap on some patchouli and get ready to wiggle.

C.

D.

10.22 Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull

Regina Spektor

@ BALBOA THEATRE, SANDIEGOTHEATRES.ORG

The Moscow-born singer/songwriter released her seventh studio album last year. Remember Us to Life finds Spektor writing, singing, conducting and composing string arrangements, while also playing piano, synth and celeste.

10.23

@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com Mr. Worldwide and the King of Latin Pop team up once again for a 35-date North American run.

E.

D.

F.

E.

10.24 Hanson 25th Anniversary

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego MMMM Bop! And just like that, these dudes are all in their 30s! But hitting the quarter century mark performing together is no joke. The brothers celebrate the milestone, as well as the recent release of a greatest hits package, on this tour.

H.

G.

10.24 M Ward

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com The vagabond singer-songwriter, and half of duo She & Him with Zooey Deschanel, returns to the Belly Up for another show in Solana Beach.

G.

F.

10.22 A$AP Mob

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com This Harlem collective of rappers and producers has a lot of members. But expect to see A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Twelvvy, A$AP Nast and A$AP Ant on the 22nd. Twelvvy just released his debut, 12, in August.

10.24 Real Estate

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com Guitarist Matt Mondanile’s departure from the New Jersey indie rockers hasn’t slowed them down.

Real Estate released their fourth studio album, In Mind, earlier this year. Get there early to check out fantastic opener Lucy Dacus. >>>

H.

P H O T O S BY: M A I N P H O T O : S H E R V I N L A I N E S Z ; C ) . S H A U N H O L L I N G W O R T H ; H ) . S H AW N B R AC K B I L L .

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PIZZA•SALAD•WINGS

P LES &

NOOD

OURS

G R O OV E SOUND DECISIONS

A.

A.

D.

10.25 Crystal Castles

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com Oddly, Crystal Castles former frontwoman Alice Glass is playing the Observatory the night before. But it definitely will be new vocalist Edith Frances handling all duties for the Canadian electro-clash outfit on this night.

D.

E. B.

B.

E.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego The legendary former frontman of The Jam and The Style Council played San Diego as recently as 2015, but the Modfather released a new album this year – the 10-track A Kind Revolution.

C.

C.

OCTOBERT CONCER R CALENDA

F.

10.25 Paul Weller

10.26 Thievery Corporation

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com Washington D.C.’s finest sitar-tinged beat makers return to San Diego for a pair of back-to-back shows. But hurry! Show one is already sold out.

10.27 Flying Lotus in 3D

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com The experimental musician and producer moves past getting weird for ear holes and expands his unique, oddball world to eye holes as well. A pair of 3-D glasses comes with each ticket. Take the ride.

10.27 Roky Erickson

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Psych-rock godfather and founding member of The 13th Floor Elevators hits San Diego for an intimate show. Erickson’s last album, True Love Cast Out All Evil, was released in 2010.

F.

10.27 Luke Bryan

@ Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, livenation.com One of country music’s biggest stars returns to the same venue almost exactly a year after his last visit to Chula Vista. This time, it’s the second-to-last date on his Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day Tour.

& n o Ir e n i W 10.28 TRE, @ BALBOA THEATRES.ORG EA TH O rative SANDIEG er a pair of collabo aft Sam Beam returns with Ben g into My Mouth albums (2015’s Sin e with Fir for r tte Le ve ’s Lo Bridwell and 2016 n. ow his a new one of Jesca Hoop) with , was ine W & n Iro as th ’s six Beast Epic, Beam st. released in Augu

K I M B L AC K

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

Catch all the NFL ACTION with us!

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@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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G R O OV E

BY SCOTT MCDONALD

SPIN CYCLE

SPIN TAKE A

DM & E R E B O T OC ES C N A M R O DJ PERF

10.29

LAIDBACKLUKE

@ PARQ, PARQSD.COM

The Filipino-Dutch DJ, producer, and Mixmash Records boss (real name Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen) wins gold medals at the Kung Fu World Championships in his spare time. He’s also released a handful of singles this year.

RUUD BAAN

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10.11 Alison Wonderland 10.6 Bro Safari @ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com Austin via Atlanta via Rome DJ Nicholas Weiller (aka Bro Safari) released the 7-track Collisions earlier this year. It features collaborations with UFO!, Sarah Hudson and Dillon Francis.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com A classically trained cellist, Australian DJ Alex Sholler released her debut album, Run, in 2015. Sholler’s 2016 collab with M-Phazes, Messiah, was remixed

by Lido earlier this year, while Sholler’s remix of Dua Lipa’s New Rules came out in August.

10.7 Riva Starr @ Bang Bang, bangbangsd.com The Italian-born, U.K.-based House DJ Stefano Miele is also the owner of Snatch! Records. Under that umbrella, he’s released the singles The Wickedest Sound, Play with Dennis Cruz and Gene Farris, and The Basement S--t in 2017.

10.7 3lau @ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com New York-born, Vegas-based DJ Justin Blau uses a 3 for the B in his stage name, but still goes by Blau. He’s done official remixes for Zedd, The Chainsmokers, Tiesto, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Adele, Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes, among others. His latest single, Star Crossed, dropped last month.

10.8 DJ Mustard @ Parq, parqsd.com The L.A. DJ born Dijon McFarlane produced Needed Me from Rihanna’s Anti and released his sophomore studio album, Cold Summer, last year. He also produced Ty Dolla $ign’s Julyreleased single, Love U Better, which features Lil Wayne and TheDream.

10.8 Gorgon City + Moon Boots @ Hard Rock Hotel, hardrockhotelsd.com UK DJ duo Gorgon City (Kye “Foamo” Gibbon and Matt “RackNRuin” Robson-Scott) hits San Diego as part of their 22-date North American and European Kingdom Tour. Their latest single with Duke Dumont, Real Life (feat.

Naations), is out now.

10.12 GriZ @ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com The Michigan-born, saxophoneplaying DJ and producer collaborated with Slovenian hiphop composer Gramatik on the single, As We Proceed, earlier this year. He also released Good Will Continue, a remixed companion to his 2016 full-length album, Good Will Prevail.

10.13 Tommy Trash @ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Australian DJ Thomas Olsen, aka Tommy Trash, is classically trained on both piano and trumpet.

In the last decade, he’s worked with the likes of A-Trak, Wolfgang Gartner, Sebastian Ingrosso and Henry Fong. His latest single, Sinners (feat. Daisy Guttridge), was released last month.

10.14 Goldroom @ Bang Bang, bangbangsd.com This year has been a busy one for Boston-born, L.A.-based DJ and musician Goldroom (aka Josh Legg). Remixes of Legg’s fulllength debut, West of the West, as well as an EP of album single, Lying To You, were released, as well as the single Spread Love.

10.21 Pegboard Nerds

10.19 Odesza @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com Two of electronic music’s biggest stars, Seattle-based producers Harrison “Catacombkid” Mills and Clayton “BeachesBeaches” Knight, released their highly anticipated third album last month. It’s called A Moment Apart and features collaborations with a diverse range of guests from Leon Bridges and Regina Specktor to Naomi Wild and Sasha Sloan.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com The Vermont-born DJ/producer is a two-time Grammy nominee and has worked with San Diego’s Greg Laswell. Page released three singles this year, Candles with Steve James, Other Girl (feat.

Rayla), and Fight My Way (feat.

Moses Keenan). All of them have also been released as remixes.

10.26 Ghastly @ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com After releasing the single The Spider’s Symphony in February, the Arizona-born, California-based DJ followed it with the singles We Might Fall with Matthew Koma and the August-released Geisha.

10.27 The Bloody Beetroots 10.20 Jack Novak @ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Jack (Jacqueline) Novak hasn’t released new music in 2017, but when you look like the Chicagoborn/L.A.-based producer and former model, it doesn’t really matter. It also doesn’t hurt that she has credits like opening for Calvin Harris and serving as the touring DJ for Pharrell Williams to her name.

10.20 Mark Farina @ Music Box, musicboxsd.com Mark Farina, veteran house DJ and founder of the iconic Mushroom Jazz series, returns to San Diego once again. Last summer marked the 25th anniversary of Farina’s Mushroom Jazz club nights, and he celebrated by releasing the eighth installment of the acid jazz compilations.

10.21 Mashd N Kutcher 10.14 Morgan Page

@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com Danish DJ Michael Parsberg and Norwegian DJ Alex Odden have released four singles this year - Voodoo (with Tony Junior), Go Berzerk and Move That Body with Quiet Disorder, and Extraordinary (feat. Elizaveta) with Spyker.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com The Australian DJ duo released the single, Pretend (feat. Park Avenue) earlier this year. They followed it by collaborating with 19-year-old DJ and fellow countryman Tyron Hapi on the July-released single We Could Be.

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com This month will see the release of The Great Electronic Swindle – a 17-track collaborative album between The Bloody Beetroots (Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo) and Australian garage rockers Jet. Guests include Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and L.A. duo Deap Vally.

10.27 Party Favor @ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com Manhattan-born/L.A.-based DJ Dylan Ragland (aka Party Favor) worked with Sean Kingston, Gucci Mane, Dillon Francis and others on his 2016 EP, Party & Destroy. Since, Ragland has released a pair singles: WAWA and Caskets (feat. FKi 1st).

10.31 Jauz @ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com L.A.-based DJ and producer Jauz (aka Sam Vogel) has remixed deadmau5, Passion Pit, Porter Robinson, MØ, DJ Snake, Ed Sheeran and more. His collaboration with 17-year-old French DJ Petit Biscuit, Licellow’s Big Mashup, was released last month.

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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l ov E

BY DAVID PERLOFF

B L I N D DAT E

PHOTOS

BY DAVID BROOKS MATCHMAKING

BY JESSICA PELLIGRA

DEEP THE

A PROFOUNDLY SUPERFICIAL DIP IN THE DATING POOL

M

egan and Brian met an hour ago in the Epic Limo that’s about to drop them off at SeaQuest Water Adventures for a holy-sh*t-level underwater experience. Before they emerge to get submerged, let’s review their pre-date interviews.

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

MEGAN: I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and then

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OCTOBER 2017 | @PACIFICSD

moved down to San Diego after I graduated high school. Right now, I live a block from Mission Beach in San Diego.

BRIAN: From Huntington Beach and currently live in Mt. Soledad, San Diego.

What do you do for a living?

MEGAN: I go to school full time at SDSU in pursuit of my B.A. in marketing. I also intern at a marketing/media agency, as well as working at three different nightlife

venues in the Gaslamp District.

BRIAN: Own an internet marketing company.

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

MEGAN: I’m always down to meet new people, try new things and do spontaneous things. If this date goes well, fingers crossed, I would love for it to be something more.

But we’ll see.

BRIAN: Recently single and thought it would be a fun way to meet someone new.

What do you do for fun?

MEGAN: I love going to the beach, going to the gym, hiking, hanging out with my friends and anything adventurous. I also love traveling – Thailand and Greece are the top two places on my bucket list right now.

BRIAN: Fly planes, snowboard, scuba dive, hang out with my friends, Starcraft and party.

What are you best at?

MEGAN: Socializing – I have no filter and no holds barred. I’ll talk to anyone and everyone about everything.

BRIAN: Being honest.

What do you suck at?

MEGAN: Being quiet and sitting still. I always have so much on my mind and things I want to get done.

BRIAN: Trusting people and making new friends.

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

MEGAN: I’m looking for a man that is tall, in shape, charming and successful. I love when a man is confident and treats me right and is down to try new things with me.

BRIAN: Prefer blonde hair and blue or green eyes with a good smile and cheekbone structure.

Someone who won’t lie to me, tell me straight, not run off with my friends. >>>

™

Serve responsibly . Modelo Especial® and Modelo Negra® Beers. Imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL

l ov E B L I N D DAT E

Describe your special brand of sex appeal in five words or less.

MEGAN: Tiny and flirty, but dirty.

BRIAN: Unique, captivating, caretaker, happy, people pleaser.

What do you like least about yourself?

MEGAN: Honestly, I accept and love myself for who I am, so there’s nothing I don’t particularly like about myself.

BRIAN: My ability to pick GFs, and (I) need to be outdoors more.

Rate yourself on a scale from one to 10 for looks.

MEGAN: I don’t want to come off the wrong way, so I’d rather not.

Plus, I don’t think looks can be measured on a scale, because everyone is attractive in their own,

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unique way.

BRIAN: Seven-point-five.

How about for personality?

MEGAN: Despite my size, I have a huge personality. Some people love it, a few people don’t, so it’s really dependent on what you like in a personality.

BRIAN: Solid What’s your biggest fear?

MEGAN: Getting kidnapped and murdered. I’m a tiny blonde girl – easy to get snatched up.

BRIAN: Spiders and being unsuccessful.

What traits could your date exhibit that would be dealbreakers?

MEGAN: If he is quiet and doesn’t

know how to hold conversation well or is boring. I think conversing is a huge part of dating, so I wouldn’t want to be with someone I can’t hold a convo with easily.

BRIAN: Sloppy and unoriginal.

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

MEGAN: Fun and sexy.

BRIAN: Fun, attractive, outgoing girl that can keep my attention.

What’s the most important thing in the world?

MEGAN: Love. That’s corny, I know. But what good is the beauty in this world if you have no one to share it with?

BRIAN: Authenticity and loyalty.

When the limo arrives at

SeaQuest Water Adventures, Megan and Brian jump out and walk to SeaQuest’s shuttle boat for the ride across the bay to the Seabreacher, a sharktoothed mean machine that does wheelies (sans wheels), dives underwater and scares the squid ink out of even the most fearless landlubbers. >>>

TAKE YOUR GAME FURTHER. Whether you’re a casual player or a seasoned pro, Seven Mile Casino provides the action you crave in a space you’ll love. Serving up California blackjack, baccarat, pai gow and poker alongside hand-mixed cocktails, craft beers and crazy good food. 24/7. All with a bay view. It’s a new class of card room designed from the ground up for players like you. Let’s play.

MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO SEVENMILECASINO.COM | 619.425.3333 | 285 BAY BLVD, CHULA VISTA, CA 91910 Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. GEGA-001057, 003103, 001051, 001052

l ov E B L I N D DAT E

WHATEVER ROCKS YOUR BOAT SATISFYING A NEED FOR SPEED

A

s the shuttle boat pulls alongside the Seabreacher, Megan hops aboard and straps in for the first ride. Then the cockpit door closes, the jet engine roars, and the vessel rockets forward, bouncing across the surface of the water before diving under, and then jumping back into the air like a dolphin. Looks intense.

After about 10 minutes, the Seabreacher returns to the shuttle boat. Megan hops out, visibly excited and with a big smile. Brian goes next, leaping in and out of the water and making a big splash by the USS Midway.

After Brian’s ride, the couple

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returns to shore and get changed for dinner. Next, the limo takes the couple to Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station. Inside the restaurant, they sit in a restored red Fiat for dinner. They appear to be getting along well as they talk and laugh over drinks. Once they’ve had a chance to enjoy their entrees (and, hopefully, each other’s company), they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

PACIFIC: How’s it going so far?

MEGAN: It’s going super good. I’m having a great time.

BRIAN: It’s been a blast.

What were your first impressions of your date?

MEGAN: He’s really nice, he’s sophisticated, he’s really easy to get along with. He’s fun.

BRIAN: Nice girl, well spoken.

Wild, too, which is good.

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

MEGAN: Yeah.

BRIAN: Very different than what I normally date – in a good way. Different is probably good, considering nothing I’ve done in the past has been successful.

What do you think of the way your date is dressed?

MEGAN: He’s dressed really nicely.

He has a good sense of style.

BRIAN: Great. The dress is good.

Both outfits.

How was your experience at Officine Buona Forchetta?

MEGAN: Amazing. Sitting in the car is so much fun. Their food’s so good. I got this lobster dish with gluten-free penne; it was amazing.

And the service, they’re all, like, actually Italian, so they’re doing a great job. It’s authentic.

BRIAN: Food was great. Service was good. Kind people. [The atmosphere was] calm, quiet. It was really cool to sit in a car and eat. I’ve never had that experience before. I thought that was pretty creative from a restaurant’s perspective. >>>

TAKE YOUR GAME FURTHER. Whether you’re a casual player or a seasoned pro, Seven Mile Casino provides the action you crave in a space you’ll love. Serving up California blackjack, baccarat, pai gow and poker alongside hand-mixed cocktails, craft beers and crazy good food. 24/7. All with a bay view. It’s a new class of card room designed from the ground up for players like you. Let’s play.

MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO SEVENMILECASINO.COM | 619.425.3333 285 BAY BLVD, CHULA VISTA, CA 91910 Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. GEGA-001057, 003103, 001051, 001052

l ov E B L I N D DAT E

What did you have to eat and drink there?

MEGAN: I was drinking The Smoking Gun cocktail, which was super fun. The smoke came out of it when they open the glass. That was yummy. And then the food – we started off with the Caprese. It was bomb, super good. And then my lobster fish thing – blown away.

It was so good.

BRIAN: Tequila, not traditional, but we both like tequila, so that worked out. I just had pasta and meatballs; she had a really great lobster dish, which I wish I had.

How was your experience on the Seabreacher?

MEGAN: That was amazing. It was like a Jet Ski experience, but everything you couldn’t do in a Jet Ski, because you got to go underwater. You got to see everything. The crew was amazing; they made it a blast. I would definitely do that again.

BRIAN: Absolutely amazing. I’ve done a lot of things in my life, and that was, honestly, probably one of the top 10 things I’ve ever done out of any of my travels or adventures.

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

MEGAN: He’s really good at conversating. He’s honest, open, non-judgmental. You can tell he’s a fun person.

BRIAN: Knowledge of life at a young age.

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

MEGAN: Like a nine.

BRIAN: Solid eight.

And for personality?

MEGAN: Like a 10.

BRIAN: Solid eight and a half.

What’s your date’s most attractive quality?

MEGAN: His height and his style.

He has good height.

BRIAN: She’s tiny.

Do you want to kiss your date right now?

MEGAN: No, I’ve got to play hard-toget. I’m trying to change my ways.

BRIAN: I don’t know. I’d be open to it, maybe.

Does your date want to kiss you?

MEGAN: Yes, probably.

BRIAN: I’m not sure.

How and when will the date end?

MEGAN: It will end well – probably in a couple hours. I have to go to a work function. But he invited me over for Game of Thrones, which is tempting, because Game of Thrones is life.

BRIAN: After dinner, I guess?

Anything you’d like to add?

MEGAN: I would definitely do it again. They did a really good job matchmaking us, also all the activities were super fun; and then it was super chill. Our driver was amazing.

BRIAN: It ended up being an excellent day. Really good date, well planned, well thought-out. >>>

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/TH ESMO K I N G G U N SD

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CLOCKWISE (from top): Daters Brian and Megan sit in a Fiat car table at Officine Buona Forchetta; lobster with penne pasta and wine sauce; burrata with cherry tomatoes and sautéed spinach.

THE SWEETEST THING VISITING A DESSERT LANDSCAPE

A

fter dinner, Megan and Brian walk to Le Parfait Paris in Liberty Station for dessert. As their sweet nothings arrive at the table, the magazine crew finally leaves the couple to enjoy the rest of their evening away from the camera.

The next morning, we call to see what we missed.

PACIFIC: How was your experience at Le Parfait Paris?

MEGAN: All the food was amazing. I don’t know how I kept eating, but all the desserts were really, really good.

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BRIAN: I was so full from dinner, I really, sadly, didn’t have enough room for dessert. But cute place.

What did you eat and drink there?

MEGAN: I think we tried three different desserts: one was this strawberry macaroon that had this really good creamy inside filling that was vanilla. That was my favorite. It had strawberries on it, too. And another one was this chocolate mousse cake. It had little Hershey’s on top, and it even had one of those little gold leaves on it.

And then there was a cheesecake

as well. And I also had a honey lavender latte that was amazing.

BRIAN: Cheesecake, which was good (and) a little bit of coffee.

MEGAN: We just gave each other a hug, but we’ll probably see each other around.

BRIAN: Nope, not at all.

What did you do for the rest of the evening after the camera crew left?

MEGAN: Well, I had a work outing that I had to go to. And he had to go watch Game of Thrones, but I was invited.

BRIAN: Went home and watched Game of Thrones.

What’s the funniest thing that happened during the date?

MEGAN: When we were taking a photo outside, the photographer was trying to take a photo of us, and this little kid just ran up and tried to get in our photo. So it looked like we had a kid. It was really cute.

BRIAN: Jumping in the air at SeaQuest was a ton of fun. We both had a lot of fun doing that. >>>

Was there a kiss or a romantic exchange?

Offers expire October 2017.

September31, Sep 31,2017 31,2 31 ,2017 017 Not valid with other offers. Must mention when booking. Offers are subject to change and may be discontinued at any time. Owned and Operated by Vishal Verma, MD. and Vinita Parekh, DDS.

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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CLOCKWISE (from top): Megan and Brian enjoy desserts at Le Parfait Paris; chocolate trilogie; macaron ice cream sandwich; cheesecake topped with berry purée.

What was the best part of the date?

MEGAN: I liked sitting in the car in the back of the restaurant. It was fun because we got to chit-chat and eat and drink.

BRIAN: The SeaQuest tour was absolutely amazing. It’s something I’ve wanted to do forever. I thought that was really above and beyond.

Will there be a second date?

MEGAN: I wouldn’t say a second date. Maybe hang out as friends?

We have a lot in common, but

I don’t know if I see anything romantic coming from this.

BRIAN: I wouldn’t say a date, but I would have no problem hanging out with her.

AFTERMATCH: If last night’s date taught us anything (it didn’t), it’s that an evening that begins with a couple jumping the shark (boat) ends with a kerplunk.

Brian said Megan’s most attractive quality is that “she’s tiny.”

She said, “He has good height.”

He wanted someone who wouldn’t “run off with my friends” and found, in Megan, something “very different than what I normally date – in a good way.” Were old wounds finally ready to heal? Plus, the “tiny and flirty, but dirty” Megan thought Brian was “really good at conversating.”

At the mid-date break, it was smooth sailing, not to mention hot times in the back of a car.

Then, the 180: “I don’t know if I see anything romantic coming from this.” Megan said it, they

both felt it, and date fans remain unsatisfied, yearning for more than a catch-and-release. Luckily, there are plenty o’ fish, and brave souls Megan and Brian are sure to find their way swimmingly.

[Publisher’s note – I’m getting this quote by Megan as a tattoo, or maybe epitaph: Despite my size, I have a huge personality. Some people love it, a few people don’t, so it’s really dependent on what you like in a personality.]

THANK YOU to (and promotional consideration provided by): Epic Limo, 858.270.LIMO (5466), epiclimo.com; SeaQuest Water Adventures, 844.669.3483, goseaquest.com; Officine Buona Forchetta, 619.548.5770, officinebuonaforchetta.com; Le Parfait Paris, 619.245.4457, leparfaitparis.com.

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#t b s d

BY KARLA PETERSON

( T H ROWBAC K SA N D I EG O ) A LOOK BACK, A GLIMPSE AHEAD

PA R A M O U N T P I C T U R E S

THE FILMING OF TOP GUN IN 1985 TEMPORARILY TURNS SAN DIEGO INTO A HOLLYWOOD SET

S RALPH NELSON (C)

an Diego will always be America’s Finest Beer, Beach and Burrito City, but for a busy few months in 1985, it was also Hollywood’s Hottest Sound Stage.

That was the summer America went ballistic for Top Gun. From the hangars of the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to the locker rooms of the Mission Beach Plunge, San Diego provided many of the locations for the film that topped the U.S. box office in 1986 and transformed Tom Cruise from a charming, dentally blessed young actor to a blazing superstar.

It all started when producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Beverly Hills Cop, Flashdance) read a magazine article about Miramar’s elite Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as Top Gun. Bruckheimer thought this school for ace pilots had the makings of a bang-up movie. He was right on target.

In exchange for allowing director Tony Scott to film at Miramar – and giving him access to pilots, aircraft carriers and a fleet of F-14 jets – the Navy was given authority to approve the script. The result was a film that made the Navy look so awesome, Top Gun was given credit for reversing its slide in recruiting high school graduates.

The movie did San Diego more than a few favors, too.

Beginning with an early June casting call for “attractive, healthy and athletic men” between the ages of 23 and 35 to play naval pilots and

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K.C. ALFRED

C H A R L E S S TA R R

TOP SPOTS: SIX SAN DIEGO TOP GUN LOCATIONS Marine Corps Air Station Miramar: Where the flyboy action happened.

Kansas City Barbecue: Where Goose (Anthony Edwards) and the gang ignited Great Balls of Fire.

West Laurel and Union streets: Where Charlie (Kelly McGillis) chased Maverick (Tom Cruise) and caught him just in time.

Lafayette Hotel’s Mississippi Ballroom: Where Maverick serenaded Charlie with You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.

Mission Beach Plunge (scheduled to reopen in 2017 at Belmont Park): Home to the muscle-flexing locker-room scenes.

Victorian house in Oceanside (aka the Top Gun House; located on Pacific Street): The beach bungalow where Charlie lives.

PA R A M O U N T P I C T U R E S

OPPOSITE PAGE (from top): A promotional still from the movie Top Gun; Kelly McGillis, Tom Cruise, Meg Ryan and Anthony Edwards in a scene from Top Gun filmed at Kansas City Barbeque.

THIS PAGE (from top): Film crew on the set of Top Gun at Miramar Naval Station on July 27, 1985; Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis with producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer.

EARNIE GRAFTON

instructors, the summer of ’85 was all about San Diego’s moment in the spotlight. And man, did the city enjoy its close-up.

If you weren’t lucky enough to see Tom Cruise working out at Gold’s Gym in Pacific Beach, perhaps you spotted him hanging out with some pilots at the Rusty Pelican restaurant in La Jolla. Cruise made it to the Old Mission Bay Athletic Club’s annual Coming-Out Party and braved the meat market at Diego’s bar in Pacific Beach. Sizzling!

During the 10-plus weeks the Top Gun circus was in town, locals flew planes for the cameras, nabbed small speaking roles and acted as technical advisers.

Downtown’s Kansas City Barbecue restaurant scored the coup of a lifetime when it became the site of the famous piano bar singalong. And two Navy men made their mark on cinema history when they kept Cruise from drowning while he was shooting a swimming scene off the coast of Point Loma.

By the time filming wrapped up in the fall, the production had pumped about $2 million into San Diego’s economy. And when Top Gun had its West Coast premiere at the huge Mann Cinema 21 in Mission Valley on May 15, 1986, the benefit screening raised more than $20,000 for the local chapter of the USO and the Armed Forces YMCA. Earlier this year, Cruise confirmed that a Top Gun sequel will begin shooting in 2018. Here’s hoping San Diego is on the flight plan. “Highway to the Reunion Zone” has a nice ring to it.

@PACIFICSD | OCTOBER 2017

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