Pacific San Diego Magazine, February 2013 issue by Pacific San Diego Magazine

PLAYMATE RAQUEL POMPLUN

Getting Naked in the Year of the Snake Hot Prospects in Cool Golden Hill Steamy Blind Date Produces Love Potion CW6 Reporter Ruben Galvan Like Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Never Seen Him

F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 3

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Editor’s Note

WHATA CATCH! Hooked, online, a stinker

om said I wouldn’t find love at a nightclub. I found it at a gay bar. It happened December 23, 1999, at Rich’s in Hillcrest. My wife thought I was gay until 2001. These days, people are so busy multitasking (Googling and “working,” texting and driving), they think they have to resort to online matchmaking. Dating sites provide the opportunity to scan hundreds of photos in a single night, but when you’re looking for just one, maybe having such a wide selection makes it hard to narrow the field. Take Farmersonly.com, for example. These guys run ads on CNN, encouraging field hands and green thumbs to visit their site for what may be lying on the other side of the fence. Spoiler alert: it’s a cow patty. The farmer’s daughter on the screen weighs 75 pounds more than her profile pic, and the cute boy with the big arms is three months late on his tractor payments. Unless you want to date a cow (see uglyorfatdating.com below), you’re probably better off at the farmers market. Veggies are good for you, and you might meet somebody nice while stimulating the local economy – versus stimulating yourself in front of the computer. I think it’s easiest to find love wherever you happen not to be looking for it. I wasn’t looking for it at Rich’s (I swear!), because, among other reasons, Adam’s apples can be hard to spot in the dark. Other things get hard in the dark up there, too. This issue of PacificSD is packed with innuendo (in your end, oh?) and plenty of sex appeal. Inside, Playboy Playmate Raquel Pomplun shows the world how to look hot in lingerie (“Undress to Impress,” page 54), CW6’s Ruben Galvan reveals how he got his sexy back (“Sharper Image,” page 37), San Diego adult film stars bare it all in the name of fame (“A Star is Porn,” page 64), and a 26-year-old virgin blogger explains why she’s holding out (“Celibate Good Times! C’mon On!” page 63). If, after reading this magazine, you aren’t ready for the real-life singles scene and can’t resist the urge to try to click a winner, check out these real dating sites and their corporate slogans, printed alongside my advice in italics. E I G H T

[FEBRUARY 2013]

Farmersonly.com Slogan: “Meet 1,000s of down-to-earth county folks today!” Who you’ll really meet: the cream of the crop, the pick of the litter – and maybe your first cousin. Christianmingle.com Slogan: “Find God’s match for you.” I wonder who Buddha would want me to date? Grandma wanted me to find a nice Jewish girl, and she was an atheist. Cougarlife.com Slogan: “Meet divorcees, single moms and sexy singles looking for a young stud.” Scan Demi Moore and Jennifer Aniston’s profiles, or saddle a Rancho Santa Fe 50-something and score front-row seats to Opening Day at Del Mar. Militarysingles.com Slogan: “Where the ultimate patriot goes to date military singles!” Do him for your country! Mancrunch.com Slogan: “Putting the ‘man’ back in romance.” They almost went with “Putting the ‘U’ in a guy.” Uglyorfatdating.com Slogan: “Fat, overweight or just cuddly.” If only they could be all three. Sugardaddie.com Slogan: “Where the classy, attractive and affluent meet.” The usernames “Hef ” and “Trump” are already taken. Schwarzenegger’s still packin’ major loot, but the maid never lets him out of the house. This time, he may not be back. Jdate.com Slogan: “The premier Jewish singles community online.” Oy! I already married a shiksa. Here’s my real advice: don’t take advice from me – I met my wife at a gay bar. Happy hunting, San Diego! David Perloff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE BAR HAS BEEN RAISED.

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San Diego

vol. 7

issue 2

FEBRUARY 2013

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF David Perloff

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kenny Boyer MANAGING EDITOR Patricia B. Dwyer EDITOR-AT-LARGE Ron Donoho EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Catlin Dorset CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Josh Board, Brooke Bunch, Carlos Gomez, Wendy Lemlin, Megan Looney, Leslie Marcus, Brandon Matzek, Dan McLellan, David Moye, David Nelson, Lauren O’Brien, Jason O’Bryan, Tim Pyles COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Brevin Blach CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Brevin Blach, Jeff “Turbo” Corrigan, Brandon Matzek, Kristina Yamamoto

PUBLISHERS David Perloff Simone Perloff DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Dana Schroedl (dana@pacificsandiego.com) PROMOTIONS + CLIENT SERVICES DIRECTOR Alyson C. Baker (alyson@pacificsandiego.com) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Vicki Marangos (vicki@pacificsandiego.com) PROMOTIONS MANAGER Katie Dunn (katie@pacificsandiego.com) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brennan MacLean (brennan@pacificsandiego.com) Joey Peña (joey@pacificsandiego.com) INTERN Kelly Shryock Reach America’s Finest readers via print, web, social media and events. Read, click, connect...BOOM! 619.296.6300, pacificsandiego.com facebook.com/pacificsd, Twitter @pacificsd T W E L V E

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

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Contents PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

////// FEBRUARY 2013

//////

Features

54 Undress to Impress

Playboy Playmate Raquel Pomplun exhibits glamour and lace

62 Maxxximum Sexposure

Showcasing celibacy, porn stars and everything in between (the sheets)

“It’s not necessarily that lingerie turns on a man – anything can turn on a man.” —RAQUEL POMPLUN ON THE COVER: Playboy Playmate Raquel Pomplun shares an intimate moment at the Lafayette Hotel in University Heights. Photography by Brevin Blach. Fashion Director: Simone Perloff. Styled by Amanda ThornePritchard (Thorne Artistry). Hair by Maegan Cooper (A Robert Cromeans Salon). Makeup by Sara Stewart. Stylist’s assistant: Erin Riley (Thorne Artistry). Shoot assistant: Jessica Hoerth. Raquel is wearing a Chantelle bra ($72), Intimacy, myintimacy.com; shorts by Playboy Intimates, playboy.com; socks from Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline.com; ring ($768) and earrings ($1,250) by Alber Rezko Designs, alberrezko.com. THIS PAGE: Raquel is wearing an Aubade bra ($140) and bottom ($109), myintimacy.com; necklace ($400), “X” ring ($2,000), “O” ring ($1,199), bracelet ($10,000) and earrings ($2,000), all by Alber Rezko Designs, alberrezko.com; sparkle shoes ($159) by Hustler, hustlerhollywood.com.

F O U R T E E N

[FEBRUARY 2013]

P A C I F I C S D

P R O M O T I O N

YFEBRUARY

Your Guide to Fabulous Hillcrest! FA

CITY DELI

LOU

SHILLCREST.

Celebrating 30 years of bringing New York Deli fare and comfort classics to San Diego. Melt-in-your-mouth corned beef and pastrami, lox, blintzes and cabbage rolls are amongst the favorites. Open late every night; ’til 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Breakfast anytime. Ample validated parking. Full bar / happy hour. 535 University Ave. (on the corner of 6th Ave.) in the heart of Hillcrest. 619.295.2747 | Citydeli.com

CAFÉ BARBERA

Café Barbera’s unique concept offers a chance to relax in a warm, inviting and elegant Italian classic dining environment. Along with the unmistakable taste and aroma of their coffee, a number of fresh, tasty and healthy food items are also served. 3614 5th Ave. | 619.683.2233 cafebarberaSD.com

ORIGANO

UPTOWN TAVERN

In Italy, a meal is an event, a social gathering and, best of all, can last for hours! Osteria Origano in Hillcrest will dazzle your senses and delight your taste buds with its warm and inviting atmosphere, paired with fresh, quality, Italian dishes. Join us for bottomless mimosas every day and Happy Hour Monday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Like the neighborhood it joins, there’s always something for everyone at Uptown Tavern. This casually hip bar and eatery invites guests to eat, drink and socialize in comfort and style, seven days a week. 1236 University Ave. 619.241.2710 uptowntavernsd.com

3650 Fifth Ave., #103 619.295.9590 origanorestaurant.com

HILLCREST FARMERS MARKET

Wax Haus and Skin

Normal St. and Lincoln Ave., Sundays. Check out what’s happening this Sunday at HillcrestFarmersMarket.com.

3740 5th Ave. 619.929.0461 | waxhausandskin.com

The Hillcrest Farmers Market takes place each Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come find more than 125 vendors, who sell everything from organic produce to handmade arts and crafts, prepared foods, fresh flowers and more! Whether you’re giftgiving or optimizing your health, be sure to visit the market this February to nourish the hearts of yourself and your loved ones.

Barry’s Bootcamp

Our no-nonsense, results-driven reputation may intimidate some newcomers, but they quickly discover that Barry’s Bootcamp delivers an affordable, efficient and fun workout in a night club party environment that is nothing like the cliché boot camps found in every town. Voted “The Best Celebrity Workout” by Allure, Los Angeles Magazine and many others. You will burn 1,000 calories in one hour and, most importantly, see and feel results right away!

Wax Haus and Skin specializes in advanced waxing techniques, such as brazilian (women), brow, back wax (men) and more. Wax Haus uses hard wax (no strips required), a gentle product that is used on the face and body. Skilled in customized skin treatments and acne facials. Mention Pacific Magazine to receive 30% off.

ANATOMY DAY SPA & BOUTIQUE

Anatomy Day Spa offers the perfect blend of aesthetics and science for all of your skin care needs. From laser hair removal and laser skin resurfacing to mani/pedis, massages and facials, Anatomy is your complete oasis spa retreat. Mention Pacific Magazine to receive 15% off. 1205 University Ave. 619.296.6224 spanatomy.com, appointments@ anatomywellness.com

1220 Cleveland Ave., M-109 619.906.4455 | barrysbootcamp.com

S I X T E E N

[FEBRUARY 2013]

Contents PACIFICSANDIEGO.COM

Departments CURRENTS

FIRST THINGS 23 Snakes On A Dame Don’t fear the creeper CITY 26 Neighborhood Gild Hot prospects for the cool community of Golden Hill

ART 42 Hubba, Hubbell! And kudos to other sculptors, painters, puppeteers and toymakers showing their work here in February

CALENDAR 32 TWO.THIRTEEN February event listings

COOLTURE 50 Reel Love? Romantic movies that stick out – for better or worse – in one critic’s mind

SPORTS 34 Taking Chargers New GM and head coach expected to help end San Diego’s NFL playoff drought

52 How To Get A Little Piece On Earth Comic Monique Marvez advises: less nagging, more shagging

////// FEBRUARY 2013

TASTE

DINING OUT 69 Choc It To Me Sweet somethings from the hands of celebrity chef Keegan Gerhard 72

We Will Choc You Take a peek inside the creations of San Diego’s sweetest chocolatiers

76 Public Display of Confection Museum exhibit uses sight, sound and smell to show the history of chocolate 78 Fattening Tuesday Eat like there’s no tomorrow on Mardi Gras WHAT’S COOKING 86 Custard’s Last Stand Homemade dessert and a chance to whip it good

//////

GROOVE

92 Honorable Dimension Award-winning DJ’s 3D backdrop sets the stage for February’s hottest ticket 94 Spin it to win it A contest victory propels the career of a local DJ 96 Concert Calendar February concert dates BARTENDER 104 Good Cheer Former Charger girl scores contentment at Quality Social

LOVE: BLIND DATE

106 SCENTUAL HEALING Smells like teen spirit all over again THINK 114 you are here San Diego stereotype map Celebrity chef Keegan Gerhard created these bonbons from scratch at D Bar, his restaurant in Hillcrest. CLOCKWISE (from top): single-origin chocolate from Maracaibo, Venezuela; cookies and cream; white chocolate strawberry; milk chocolate peanut butter and jelly; dark chocolate raspberry (center).

pulse

STYLE 37 Sharper Image CW6 reporter Ruben Galvan captivates viewers in style

B R E V I N B L A CH

E I G H T E E N

[FEBRUARY 2013]

San Diego

Official San Diego launch of REDD’S APPLE ALE

LOVE PARTYFriday,Feb.15

crowded by 7pm. free admission until 10pm. no guest list. please arrive early.

In case your Valentine’s not, come meet somebody hot...

twenty

[FEBRUARY 2013]

Bottles of REDD’s $1 from 7-9 p.m. PLAYMATE RAQUEL POMPLUN

Getting Naked in the Year of the Snake Hot Prospects in Cool Golden Hill Steamy Blind Date Produces Love Potion CW6 Reporter Ruben Galvan Like You’ve Never Seen Him

Hosted by PacificSD cover model and Playboy Playmate Raquel Pomplun

Valentine’s Day at Café Sevilla

CO-HOSTED BY CW6’S TOO-HOTFOR-TV STUD RUBEN GALVAN

L i v e F l a m e n c o P e r f o r m a n c e w i t h 4 - C o u r s e M e n u e a c h s e a t i n g . S t a r t s a t $ 5 9

Restaurant & Tapas Bar 3 5 3 F i f t h A v e n u e S a n D i e g o , C A 9 2 1 0 1 6 1 9 / 2 3 3 - 5 9 7 9 w w w .JHMLZL]PSSH . c o m

5th & Market, Gaslamp twenty - one

[FEBRUARY 2013]

eighteen

[FEBRUARY 2013]

Currents

// F I R S T T H I N G S //

Neighborhood gild

//////

TWO.THIRTEEN

//////

taking chargers

SNAKES ON A DAME DON’T FEAR THE CREEPER By Ron Donoho

Elka Haeckel performs yoga on Blacks Beach, wearing nothing but a boa and a Hindu Mala Prayer Bead Necklace, $625, by Shel. Couture Jewelry, shelcouture. com. Snake courtesy of Pet Kingdom, petkingdom.com. Haeckel appears nude in a 2013 wall calendar titled “Snaked,” (“snake” and “naked”). Purchase a copy at O.B. Massage (4810 Santa Monica Ave., Ocean Beach) or Namaste Yoga Studio (4893 Voltaire St., Ste. B, Ocean Beach).

2/9 Little Italy Carnevale

p.32 T wenty – T H R E E

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

J . K at P h o t o I n c

The Chinese New Year begins February 10. To help comemorate the Year of the Snake, yoga instructor Elka Haeckel curled up with one of the namesake reptiles. “Moving in unison with a snake is empowering, physically and spiritually,” Haeckel says. “Physically, it’s a challenge because the snake weighs 20 pounds, which makes even simple yoga poses a lot more difficult. On the spiritual side, I can sense the snake’s power while also needing the strength to overcome my fears.” (continued on page 24)

c u r r e nts

// first things //

(continued from page 23)

he former owner of Namaste Yoga Center in Ocean Beach, Haeckel is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor who’s earned additional certifications in several other styles. “Many of us fear the snake,” she says. “But in reality, snakes are very beautiful and majestic creatures that are often misunderstood.” Like the rest of us, Haekel hopes 2013 will bring good fortune. “The Year of the Snake is sure to be a good one,” she says. The Chinese New Year begins “Just look around you, feel it, on a different day of the experience it, make abundance Western calendar each year. your reality.” Ancient Chinese secret? Nope, their lunar-based What do the fortunetellers say? system tracks the dawn of Predictions are all over the place, but a new moon. according to travelchinaguide.com: February 10 marks the “Financial fortune will come in the beginning of the Year of the Snake. To celebrate, second half of the year…Singles will Downtown’s San Diego evolve their relationships in 2013… Chinese Center will hold Relationships will thrive, but married a New Year Food and folks will need to take special care not Cultural Fair February 16 to stray.” In other words, keep your and 17 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day). snake in your pants.

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J . K at P h o t o I n c

Local yogi Elka Haeckel takes a rare break from practicing yoga.

Twelve animals comprise the Chinese New Year pantheon. 2014 brings the Year of the Horse, followed by the Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit and Dragon. So snake ’em if you got ’em – we won’t see another Year of the Snake until 2026. Famous folks born under the Snake sign: Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln and Martha Stewart. Sadly, David R.Ellis, director of the movie Snakes on a Plane, died January 7.

If A Snake Rattles, You Roll According to Southern California Snake Removal, Inc., there are 33 native snake species slithering around San Diego. Of those, seven are venomous, and most are rattlers. The ones to avoid are: Mojave Green Rattlesnake Red Diamondback Rattlesnake Sidewinder Southern Pacific Rattlesnake Speckled Rattlesnake Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Mojave Green X Southern Pacific Hybrid Rattlesnake (relatively new) T wenty – F O U R

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

CURRENTS

// cit y // THIS PAGE: view of the Downtown skyline from the top of Golden Hill. OPPOSITE (clockwise, from top left): the patio at counterpoint; before the rush at Turf Supper Club; Pizzeria Luigi has been on national TV; the staff takes a break at counterpoint.

neighborhood gild Hot prospects for the cool community of Golden Hill B y R o n D o n o h o / P h o t o s b y J e f f “ T u rb o ” C o rr i g a n

hen Cam Fomby opened his Golden Hill bar/restaurant three years ago, he had “six beer taps and a toaster oven I’d just bought from Target.” Today, counterpoint (that’s the name of the restaurant), serves wine and craft beer and is applying for a full liquor license. It has a complete kitchen, two artsy floors that seat 72

guests and an outdoor patio. Chances are, you’ve never heard of counterpoint. “I hear that all the time,” says Fomby, a Midwestern-born Marine who has the soulful eyes of a poet, not a grunt. “I go out quite a lot in downtown San Diego, and I talk to a lot of people, which is what you are supposed to do in a bar. “People ask me: ‘What do you do?’ I mention counterpoint. Nothing. Then I say it’s in Golden Hill. Nothing. Just recently,

I finally met somebody in a downtown bar who’d heard of both.” Let’s be more neighborly, San Diego. Golden Hill’s western border is downtown’s East Village. This ’hood on the hill is south of Balboa Park, but don’t confuse it with South Park (to the north) or Sherman Heights (to the south of State Route 94). Golden Hill is an architecturally eclectic neighborhood that slopes through the 92102 ZIP code. Many of its homes and apartment buildings were built before 1900, and there (continued on page 28)

T W E N T Y - S I X

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T W E N T Y - S E V E N

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

CURRENTS

// cit y //

(continued from page 26)

House Music Have you heard of the Habitat House? It’s not a charity home built by Jimmy Carter’s nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. It’s a Golden Hill residence at the corner of 21st and Broadway that’s been converted into an art gallery/recording studio/small-band venue. It’s off the radar, but fans believe it should be labeled legendary. This past November, Canadian sister-group Tegan and Sara made Habitat House a stop on their Spotify Big Green Bus Tour. The band sat on couches near a pair of windows. Fans plopped down on the wood floor or stood in the cleared-out living room as the acoustic show was recorded. Indie-credible.

are patches of neglect. The area is gentrifying, but at a brick-by-brick pace. The leading proponents of change are Mike Burnett and Craig Abenilla, owners of local architectural firm Foundation For Form. The pair designed and built the mxd830 apartment complex at the corner of 25th and F streets. That building houses Fomby’s counterpoint bar/eatery and won a coveted Orchid award in 2009 from the San Diego Architecture Foundation. Across the street from mxd830, Burnett and Abenilla are nearly finished building another mixed-use property called You Are Here. The site, which formerly housed a run-down gas station, will soon offer 5,000 square-feet of commercial space and two dozen residential units. “We’re members of this community first, and developers second,” says Burnett, who wants You Are Here to be a positive gateway into Golden Hill (it stands at the exit into the neighborhood from the 94). Community activists like Burnett envision 25th Street becoming very much the Main Street of Golden Hill, spanning from the 94 to Balboa Park. (In 1910, streetcars were a fixture along the

Night lights dash by Broadway and 25th Street in Golden Hill.

(continued on page 30)

“I don’t know the question, but sex is definitely the answer.” —Woody Allen

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[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

CURRENTS

// cit y //

(continued from page 28)

CLOCKWISE (from top): the bustle inside Turf Supper Club; a Victorian house lights up 25th Street; a daily homage to a deceased friend of counterpoint; grilling at Turf Supper Club.

A Degree Of Success

Survey says: UCSD gives students a bang for their buck

route. Public transit in the area was further boosted by the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.) Influx Cafe (Broadway and 20th) is a gathering place of note for artists and musicians, as well as attorneys and architects. Other Golden Hill attractions with addresses on 25th Street include: Turf Supper Club. This classic eatery offers big-pour drinks and old-school charm and was one of the first local restaurants to offer indoor, cook-it-yourself grills. Krakatoa. Breakfast and lunch is served at this earthy café/diner that has an outdoor patio and

was converted from an abandoned residence into a cool hangout. Pizzeria Luigi. This pizza place has been featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Proprietor Luigi Agostini says the area reminds him of his hometown of Varese, Italy, where everybone knows each other and frequents the local, independent businesses. “Golden Hill really is about people before anything else,” says Fomby. “Mike [Burnett] and Craig [Abenilla] are making a stand with their projects, and I think people are starting to believe that Golden Hill is a viable place.”

Unless you’re a professor, it’s difficult to be full-time in college and maintain a steady income. However, the school you attend can pay off in the long run, and a pair of national surveys says the University of California, San Diego rewards students who invest in degrees there. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine recently ranked UCSD the 10th best value public university in the nation for the second consecutive year, based on cost and financial aid, average student debt, competitiveness, graduation rates and academic support. The folks at PayScale. com ranked more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the country to see which have the greatest returns on students’ investments. UCSD locked in the number-four spot in the “public in-state university” category. San Diego State University came in a little late to the party with the number-62 spot. Harvey Mudd College, two hours north of San Diego, topped the PayScale. com list as the “best of the best,” beating out Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth and Duke (holding the 4th-8th positions, respectively). Of the 1,248 total schools surveyed (private, public instate and public out-of-state), USCD came in with a solid number-40 ranking. PayScale.com says the typical starting salary after graduating UCSD is roughly $48,000, with a mid-career salary average of $97,000. That almost makes up for spending four to six years eating Ramen noodle dinners and wishing you lived closer to anything at all. payscale.com/collegeeducation-value —Catlin Dorset

“If it weren’t for pickpockets, I’d have no sex life at all.” —Rodney Dangerfield thirty

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

this february

BE OURS

JOIN US ALL MONTH LONG 路 5TH & MARKET FEBRUARY 14TH

LIVE MUSIC 路 CHAMPAGNE 路 DESSERT SPECIALS

c u r r e nts

// C A L E N D A R //

2013

FEBRUARY 2/8: Winter Brew Fest Location: The Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier, Downtown Admission: $40-$60 Info: sandiegobrewfest.com Celebrate brews from California and beyond with a couple thousand frothy enthusiasts.

2/9: Little Italy Carnevale Location: India St., Little Italy Admission: Free Info: littleitalysd.com Do more than diddly in Little Italy during this this annual celebration of Italian food, live music and dancing that attracts more than 12,000 attendees. 2/9: New Shanghai Circus Location: Spreckels Theatre, Gaslamp Admission: $25-$45 Info: ticketmaster.com The “Best Foreign Production on Broadway” rolls, jumps and contorts onto a local stage. 2/9-10: Tough Mudder Location: Vail Lake Resort, Temecula Admission: $20 to watch, $180 to participate Info: toughmudder.com Bring your own first-aid kit and

2/10: Puppy Love 5K Run/ Walk Location: Via de la Valle and Coast Hwy. 101, Solana Beach Admission: $35-$45 Info: animalcenter.org/events/ puppylove Complete a North County 5K, doggiestyle, and join in the furry fun, which includes a canine costume contest and hound-dog yoga. 2/12: Gaslamp Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Location: Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Admission: $40-$50 Info: gaslamp.org/mardi-gras-2013 Round up your beady-eyed posse for this 19th annual event, headlined by Ozomatli and DJ Z-Trip, and billed as the largest Mardi Gras celebration on the West Coast.

2/13: Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Location: Copley Symphony Hall, Downtown Admission: $20-$85 Info: sandiegosymphony.org The Shakespearean story of starcrossed lovers tiptoes to life as a suicidal ballet. 2/15: The Harlem Globetrotters Location: Valley View Casino Center Admission: $15-$145 Info: harlemglobetrotters.com The famous traveling basketball team entertains the masses by playing silly games with their balls. 2/16-17: Chinese New Year Food & Cultural Fair Location: Third Ave. & J St., Downtown Admission: Free Info: sdcny.org Celebrate the Year of the Snake with lion and dragon dances, Chinese food and a lantern parade.

2/28-3/3: San Diego Bird Festival Location: Marina Village Conference Center, Mission Bay Admission: $10-$20 Info: sandiegoaudubon.org/events/ bird-festival Learn how to identify the feathered fiend that’s been crapping on your windshield.

T H I R T Y – T W O

B y C at l i n D o r s e t

—Mother Teresa

K are n S t rau s

2/9: Monster Energy AMA Supercross Location: Qualcomm Stadium, Mission Valley Admission: $15-$45 Info: supercrossonline.com Watch top motorcyclists race for bragging rights and energy drink sponsorships at this off-road extravaganza.

Annual short-film festival, minus the sick and twisted, returns to San Diego

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

d a m ie n n e n o w

double-check your life insurance policy before signing up for this down-and-dirty 10-mile obstacle course.

J o h n Sa l a n g s a n g

2/1-28: San Diego Museum Month Location: Museums throughout San Diego Admission: Half off regular prices Info: sandiegomuseumcouncil.org Believe it: the February admission price is half off at 42 participating museums, including the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not display at the Air & Space Museum. Get passes at Macy’s.

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”

Taking it in the Shorts

pike & Mike’s Festival of Animation returns to La Jolla this month, marking the 30th anniversary of the original touring film collection. Don’t confuse this festival with Spike & Mike’s other well-known offering, the Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation. This collection is slightly more tasteful and refined. “This 30th anniversary of our Festival of Animation is the best we have ever done,” says co-creator Craig “Spike” Decker. “It is an accumulation of the newest, most award-winning, technically savvy films, and the most award-winning and popular shorts we have ever shown.” Before Spike and his partner, the late Mike Gribble, got into film, Spike’s band projected Betty Boop and Superman cartoons onto onstage screens during concerts. The band eventually broke up, but the projections carried on. This year’s festival will feature 23 animated shorts, including early student works by award-winning director John Lasseter (Toy Story) and a special presentation from The Simpsons director/ producer David Silverman. If you’re in the mood for something sicker and more twisted, those Spike & Mike films usually make an appearance at Comic-Con in July. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla 2/9 – 3/22  700 Prospect St., La Jolla mcasd.org, spikeandmike.com

P A C I F I C S D

P R O M O T I O N

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE Custom neckwear for any occasion Iontiveros provides handcrafted, custom ties and bow ties, as well as style advisory services to help you select or create your perfect, unique look. Select ties are currently on sale through February. IONTIVEROS iontiveros.com

Tantalize your sensuality with San Diego’s best lingerie Our classy, sensual styles make women look and feel gorgeous. Superb quality, materials and workmanship, matched with the most beautiful designs around. We stock band sizes 30-42 and bust A-K. Kapreeza European Lingerie & Swimwear Specialty Shop 2400 Kettner Blvd., Ste. 253 – 2nd Floor, Little Italy 619.702.6355, kapreeza.com

Give the gift of instant gratification with a noninvasive facelift. This new technology is a perfect gift for people who wish to attain a healthier and youngerlooking appearance. Regularly priced at $150; on sale now for just $99. Wax Haus and Skin 3740 5th Ave., Hillcrest 619.929.0461, waxhausandskin.com

Keep your lover properly hydrated ($29.95) Bottled water taste without the hassle or waste. The most innovative water bottle on the market, GOBIE has a replaceable filter that removes contaminants and improves taste. Who wouldn’t love that? Get 20% off with coupon code: pacificmag. Gobieh2O.com Facebook.com/gobieH2O

Wanna spoon? Your Valentine will love PB Peanut Butter’s flavored gift sets. Check out a wide variety of packages and jars online. PB Peanut Butter 858.522.9297, PBpeanutbutter.com

Love on wheels Pacific Beach Bikes is so in love with their new location, they are offering special savings on bikes and accessories. Use code “PacificSD” for 10 percent off in-store and online throughout February. XOXO Pacific Beach Bikes 1852 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach 858.220.6187, PacificBeachBikes.com

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Shop locally, sparkle globally Inspired by sacred geometry, Cirello jewelry is handcrafted by San Diego artisans using reclaimed stainless steel. Pictured: The Lotus Flower Cuff, $142. Cirello Fine Art Gallery 3803 Ray St., North Park 619.795.4850, cirellogallery.com

Luxurious lingerie at affordable prices Add spice & sizzle to your Valentine’s Day with sexy lingerie. Create the perfect romantic evening that includes a massage using the BodyWand with warming massage oils, candles and a feather tickler. Or treat yourself to a We-Vibe ‘Thrill’ or a Lelo Luxe. Barnett Avenue Superstore 3610 Barnett Ave., Sports Arena 619.224.0187, barnettaveadultsuperstore.com Déjà Vu Love Boutique® 1560 N. Magnolia Ave., El Cajon 619.448.3791, loveboutiqueonline.com

c u r r e nts

// sports // CLOCKWISE (from top): the San Diego Chargers new GM Tom Telesco was the Indianapolis Colts vice president of football operations; forward Kraig Chiles has helped the San Diego Sockers continue their winning streak for the past two seasons; Mike McCoy, the new Chargers head coach, was formerly the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos.

TAKING CHARGERS New GM and head coach expected to help end San Diego’s NFL playoff drought b y D a n M cL e l l a n

2012 that Telesco and McCoy were hired not to replicate: • Against the Atlanta Falcons, the Chargers offense failed to score even a single touchdown for the first time in 151 regular season games, a streak that had started with Drew Brees as the Chargers quarterback. • In Week 5, the Chargers lost to New Orleans, blowing a 10-point, second-half lead. • The Broncos beat the Chargers 35-24 after overcoming a 24-0 halftime deficit. It was the first time in NFL history a team down by 24 points won by double digits. • In Week 12, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice converted 4th-and-29 for the longest fourth-down conversion since 2001. The Ravens then tied the game with a field goal and won in overtime.

Mike N o w ak A ar o n J affe / SD S o c ker s

he 2012 San Diego Chargers won seven out of 16 games and posted some absurd and historic losses on the way to missing the playoffs for the third consecutive year. “It was time for a change,” says Chargers owner/president Dean Spanos, who fired head coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith after the season ended. Spanos hired Tom Telesco as his new GM. Telesco was formerly the Indianapolis Colts’ vice president of football operations. “We set out to find the right person to bring about positive change,” Spanos says. “It was a tough decision, but in the end, all signs pointed to Tom.” After hiring Telesco, the Chargers picked Mike McCoy to be the team’s new head coach. The highly sought-after McCoy, 40, was previously the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos. Here are some of the crazy losses from

Soccer it to Me San Diego sets pro win streak

Mike N o w ak

This season, 13-time indoor soccer champions the San Diego Sockers set a record for the longest game-winning streak of any professional sports team in the United States. Previously, the record of 40 was held by the Sioux Falls Storm of the United Football League (2005-08). The Sockers notched win number 41 in front of a Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) record crowd at the Valley View Casino Center. “It was one of those nights where the ball was finding the back of the net,” says PASL scoring leader Kraig Chiles. At press time, the Sockers’ streak was still growing. They’d won 47 games in a row after beating Las Vegas, 6-5, on January 18. The Sockers play home games February 1 (vs. Dallas) and 10 (vs. Arizona).

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p u ls e

// st y le //

(continued from page 37)

“Where there is love, there is life.” —Mahatma Gandhi

S t y l e d b y S h a h n a z Z a r i f, stylingbyshahnaz.com Hair and makeup by Maegan Cooper, A Ro b e rt C ro m e a n s S a lo n P h o t o g r a p h e r ’ s a s s i s ta n t: Tyler Johnson

e’re not just talking about his effervescent character, though. This transplanted son-of-Texas serves up sartorial style in a big way. And, since he spent the better part of a year-and-ahalf shedding 100 pounds (that’s not a typo), Galvan’s got his mojo back, baby. “I’ve got a lot of things that don’t fit me anymore, thankfully,” says Galvan, 35. “But I do have a lot of clothes, and I’m shopping again, so I make it a point to make my wardrobe fit with whatever story I’m covering.” He owns more than 40 hats. If he’s covering an event at the zoo, he’ll have the safari helmet ready. Fedoras and ski hats are aplenty; baseball caps are his lazy-day accessory. Galvan pays special attention to military style. He wears Ray-Ban aviator glasses and favors a pair of boots and camouflage pants given to him by local Navy SEALS. “Even as a kid, I liked clothes,” he says. “I thought about being a fashion designer. I like to have a sharp look. I think it adds to your personality.” Among other brands and lines, Galvan wears a lot of J.Crew, Banana Republic, Bloomingdale’s and Zara. He adores a store in New York City (where he visits whenever he’s sent on a movie junket) called Uniqlo. Upscale Theory creates his favorite line of suits. “Tom Ford creates clothes that let men be men, but at the same time you don’t have to be afraid to dress up and have some fun,” he says.

Since dropping so much weight, clothes are, indeed, once again fun for Galvan. “On top of it all, I’ve got my energy back,” he says. In addition to his fashion sense, this roving reporter rocks Gangnam style with the best of them. You should see his moves, and you still can at clubs downtown, although he goes out

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a lot less these days. “People know my fun, out-loud persona,” says Galvan, “but I have a quiet side, too. I like nice dinners at friends’ houses. And I enjoy family, and being Uncle Ruben.” Every family needs an Uncle Ruben. This one happens to be available in your living room five (continued on page 41) days a week.

OPPOSITE: Sunglasses by Ray-Ban ($145), Sunglass Hut, sunglasshut.com. Boxer briefs ($7), H&M, hm.com/us. Boxing tape ($13), Sports Authority, sportsauthority.com. Boots, model’s own. THIS PAGE: Bedros V-neck ($65), Garris vest ($195), Cody pants ($195), all by Theory; Burlington briefcase ($375) by Hugo Boss; Nicolina Royale pocket square; all available at Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley, bloomingdales. com. Banana Republic shoes, model’s own.

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// st y le //

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OPPOSITE: Lindoz jacket ($495) and Dottees pocket squares ($45 each) by Ted Baker Fashion Valley, tedbaker.com. Bedros V-neck ($65) by Theory, denim ($145) by Etiqueta Negra, watch ($1,995) by Raymond Weil, all available at Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley, bloomingdales.com. Fedora and boots, model’s own. RIGHT: Rythwai waistcoat ($245), Seano denim ($175), socks ($30), all by Ted Baker Fashion Valley, tedbaker.com. Banana Republic loafers and Michael Kors watch, model’s own.

(continued from page 38)

On the Lighter Side Ruben Galvan’s quick-hit diet tips He lost 100 pounds the all-natural way. Now, at 155 pounds, Ruben Galvan works out nearly every day at downtown’s FIT Athletic Club, which he calls his “sanctuary.” He changed his diet drastically and offers these tips: • • • • • • •

Don’t eat out all the time. Go to the grocery store and buy healthy food for around the house. Galvan’s healthy breakfast: an egg-white- and-spinach wrap from Starbucks. Cereal remains a downfall for Galvan (especially Coco Pebbles), but now he uses fat-free milk. Buy a George Foreman grill and cook lots of chicken breast. Replace your snack food with almonds. Replace sodas with water as your beverage of choice. Eat fruit. Galvan loves watermelon and all kinds of berries.

ABOVE (from left): stylist Shahnaz Zarif, FIT Athletic Club marketing director Connie Cook, hairstylist and makeup artist Maegan Cooper and PacificSD fashion director Simone Perloff give Ruben a lift. BELOW: Ruben, pictured here in January 2011, before losing 100 pounds.

Ruben’s Reruns

Here are some of Ruben Galvan’s most memorable moments from his career on San Diego morning TV: 1. “Early on in my career, I was in Miramar with a police K-9 unit. They put me in the big protective suit and told me to run. That dog took me down and broke my wrist. I was in a cast for several weeks.” 2. “One time, out at the Lakeside Rodeo, they had me ride a bull. I was on the bull for about two seconds, and I screamed like a girl the whole time.” 3. “I like to motivate kids, and that’s why we do the Star Student of the Month spots. It helps to be positive about what kids do.” 4. When Beyoncé came out with her hit song “Single Ladies,” Ruben was quick to do an impersonation. “I’m proud of how I stayed up – walking and dancing on heels.”

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// A R T S // © E D R U SCH A . CO U R T E S Y O F TH E A R T I ST A ND TH E G A GOS I A N G A LL E R Y

2/16-3/23 Ed Ruscha: “On the Road Photography” Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, La Jolla ljathenaeum.org

Jack Keroac’s novel On the Road inspired a film starring Kristen Stewart, now playing in a theater near you. The famous Beatnik novel also inspired famed graphic painter Ed Ruscha, whose photography book Jack Kerouac on the Road will be on display alongside a selection of his new paintings and drawings. Ruscha’s massive mural titled “Brave Men Run in My Family” covers the side of the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. ABOVE: An image from Ed Ruscha’s book of photography, Jack Kerouac On the Road. BELOW: “Ancient Gift” by James Hubbell.

hubba,hubbell! And kudos to other sculptors, painters, puppeteers and toymakers showing their work here in February

B y Pat r i c i a B . D w y e r

2/3-6/2 James Hubbell: “In Search of Shadows” Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside oma-online.org

J OHN D U R A NT

James Hubbell is a San Diego artist celebrated for his paintings, stained-glass designs, sculptures and architectural flair. Talk about a multi-tasker. This is the first museum show dedicated to Hubbell’s sculptural work. The exhibit traces the evolution of his artistic life and includes 50-plus pieces that span 50-plus years. (continued on page 44)

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// A R T S //

(continued from page 42)

2/3-6/23 Scoli Acosta: “Elementalisthmus” Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Downtown mcasd.org

Los Angeles artist Scoli Acosta creates objects that flirt with boundaries between art, sculpture and the everyday. Ultimately, his unique pieces are none of the above. His first solo exhibition in a West Coast museum, “Elementalisthmus” showcases Acosta’s totemic creations, which were influenced by the crafts he encountered in Morocco, and a series of his pentagon-shaped painted-canvas tambourines.

“Sex is the biggest nothing of all time.” —Andy Warhol (continued on page 46) forty – four

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// A R T S //

(continued from page 44)

2/9-3/2 Pamela Wilson: “Electric Sugar” Distinction Art Gallery, Escondido distinctionart.com

“Red Honey Isolophobics” by Pamela Wilson

Painter Pamela Wilson (an SDSU grad) describes her show as “a group of paintings about strong women – their fun, their candy and their pain.” Working from staged photographs of her subjects, Wilson uses traditional oil painting (continued on page 48) methods to create nontraditional images.

“The way to know life is to love many things.” —Vincent Van Gogh forty – six

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San Diego

presents

Whatever’s Comfortable Cherry Bar Crawl mn

It’s FREE! just sign up. Drink and food specials Prizes for best cherry/red costumes Snowboard and other give-aways Pie-eating contest mn

Pacific Beach

Saturday, February 23 mn

event starts 4 p.m. at 1st Stop: Firehouse, 722 Grand Ave. 2nd Stop: BarWest, 959 Hornblend St. 3rd Stop: Moondoggies, 832 Garnet Ave. 4th Stop: Bub's Dive Bar, 1030 Garnet Ave. 5th Stop: Typhoon Saloon, 1165 Garnet Ave. mn

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// A R T S //

(continued from page 46) Crai g B ray t o n P h o t o g rap h y

2/7 Animal Cracker Conspiracy presents “The Collector” The Loft at University of California San Diego, La Jolla animalcrackerconspiracy.com

The Animal Cracker Conspiracy puppetry team has performed fun shows for kids, but this is serious programming for adults. Featuring intricate handmade puppets, and backing audio from experimental composer Margaret Noble, “The Collector” tells the story of a man confronting his predestined role in society and debating whether to break free. ABOVE: a scene from “The Collector,” a theatrical puppet performance by The Animal Cracker Conspiracy. BELOW: “Axel” by MECH1.

2/23-3/9 Custom Toy Art Show: “We’re Not Playin’ Anymore” The Spot, Barrio Logan thespotbarriologan.com

Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla is teaming up with Barrio Logan’s The Spot and toymaker Victor Villa to host this exposition of toys from more than 40 artists who use vinyl, metal, textiles, cardboard, wood and paper. Born in the 1990s, designer toys represent a relatively new art genre, spurred by graphic, illustrated and graffiti artists’ experimentation with the realm of 3D.

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San Diego

presents

Whatever’s Comfortable Cherry Bar Crawl mn

It’s FREE! just sign up. Drink and food specials Prizes for best cherry/red costumes Pie-eating contest mn

Hillcrest Mardi Gras

Tuesday, February 12 mn

event starts 6 p.m. at

1st Stop: Uptown Tavern, 1236 University Ave. 2nd Stop: Urban Mo's, 308 University Ave. 3rd Stop: Gossip Grill, 1440 University Ave. 4th Stop: Brass Rail, 3796 5th Ave. 5th Stop: Rich's, 1051 University Ave. 6th Stop: Flicks, 1017 University Ave. mn

Liqueur, 35% Alc. by Vol., Southern Comfort Company, Louisville, KY ®2013

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p u ls e

// coolt u re //

reel love? Romantic movies that stick out – for better or worse – in one critic’s mind B y J o s h B o a rd

ebruary is when many couples go out for date-night at the cinema, and with three movies set to come out on Valentine’s Day, this year won’t disappoint. Actually, it might. One film is the animated Escape From Planet Earth, which is good for the kids. Guys might love to see A Good Day to Die Hard (yes, Bruce Willis is back), but the un-single ones will be dragged to Safe Haven, a chick flick derived from Nicholas Sparks’ latest romance novel. If you’re able to convince your chick to stay home and watch a DVD (you can use the money you saved on popcorn to woo her with candy hearts), here are my Top 10 Most Romantic Movies, and Top 10 Movies People Mistakenly Think Are Romantic:

TOP 10 MOVIES PEOPLE MISTAKENLY THINK ARE ROMANTIC 10. Love Actually. It includes eight different stories. One has a man in love with his best friend’s wife. Another has porn stars supposedly too shy to ask each other out. Another involves a man cheating. That’s romantic? 9. Pretty Woman. I’m not picking this because Richard Gere and Julia Roberts both have eyes that bug me. It’s because, well, she’s a prostitute! 8. Say Anything. Former San Diegan Cameron Crowe gave us some great films. Everyone thinks the quintessential romantic scene is John Cusak holding up a boom box, blasting a Peter Gabriel song. If it were Cusak’s own song, then you’d have something romantic. As is, it’s just a guy in the front yard with a radio. 7. Titanic. James Cameron’s movie is fun to look at, but it has horrible dialogue. I never really cared about the romance. Maybe that was cemented by Rose’s throwing a $50 million diamond overboard. 6. Annie Hall. It won the Oscar for Best Picture, rare for a comedy. What makes it unromantic is, in real life, Woody Allen would date an underage, adopted, Asian stepdaughter, not Diane Keaton. 5. An Officer and a Gentleman. Richard Gere, again. I just can’t get over the fact that the premise involves women trying to trap pilots into marrying them. 4. The Bridges of Madison County. We have to root for Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood getting

together, even though she’s married? 3. Deliverance. Meow like a kitty, bark like a dog, but whatever you do, don’t squeal like a pig – it just isn’t romantic. 2. Bull Durham. An amazing sports movie, but it romanticizes a woman who’s a baseball groupie for a minor league baseball team. Foul ball(s). 1. Harold & Maude. Ruth Gordon is a 79-year-old having an affair with a teenager. This was before the term “cougar.” Gordon was so old, she was a saber-tooth tiger. Now, here’s the real deal: TOP 10 MOST ROMANTIC MOVIES 10. The English Patient. There are moments of romance that bring me to tears. It has two couples clearly in love. 9. 16 Candles. This John Hughes movie gets points because, I mean, who would’ve thought Molly Ringwald could land Jake Ryan. Jake Ryan! 8. Jerry Maguire. It’s a sports movie, combined with a love story, written by San Diego’s Cameron Crowe. It isn’t just the Tom Cruise/Renée Zellweger pairing; there’s also a sweet connection between Cuba Gooding Jr. and his wife. Show me the romance! 7. Slumdog Millionaire. Intrigue, romance and a Bollywood ending.

Escape from Planet Earth

A Good Day to Die Hard

6. The Princess Bride. It’s not inconceivable that a comedy can be romantic. 5. The Prince of Tides. Dark subject matter, sure, but this was Nick Nolte before the mug shots, and Barbra Streisand before she got (so) annoying. 4. Shakespeare in Love. I hate Gwyneth Paltrow movies, so this pick really says something. 3. Ghost. Makes the list, despite the freak factor of Whoopi Goldberg (with Patrick Swayze’s ghost inside her) kissing Demi Moore. 2. When Harry Met Sally. The perfect date movie. Guys aren’t bored, because Meg Ryan used to be nice to look at. Like the lady says in the deli: “I’ll have what she’s having.” 1. Casablanca. Just the most romantic, classic movie, ever, set during wartime. Watch it and reaffirm that you’re a lover, not a fighter. Josh Board reviews movies for FOX 5 San Diego in the morning.

“The only thing we don’t have a god for is premature ejaculation... but I hear that it’s coming quickly.” —Mel Brooks fifty

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// coolt u re // Monique Marvez (pictured here at American Comedy Co. in the Gaslamp) adapted Dr. John Gray’s book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, into a one-man stage performance.

A Peek Inside Monique

Revealing a lesson behind the madness

Monique Marvez bases much of her comedy on men and women trying to communicate. She aims to entertain, but is there a moral behind her jokes? “I throw myself under the bus, so people can see they’re not the only ones who’ve made a dumbass mistake,” she says. “This stuff happens to everybody.” Her universal tips for a happy, healthy relationship: • “Love hard. Your heart is a muscle. Use it. Even if you’re loving the wrong person, consider it cardio for your spirit.” • “Forgive harder. This trips everybody up, but just get over it. It’s your ego that can’t get over little slights. If you get hurt because he didn’t remember your birthday, just turn on the news and listen to the horror that takes place in the world. Keep your life in perspective. • “Get as happy as you can as fast as you can. Realize it’s not somebody else’s job to make you happy. It’s your job to make yourself happy.”

How To Get A Little Piece On Earth Monique Marvez says: less nagging, more shagging By Ron Donoho / photo by kristina yamamoto

omen think too much. Men are simple and swayed by sex. These are the essential tenets of the comedy of San Diego-based comic Monique Marvez. “Men live in the moment; they’re Zen,” says Marvez, former morning radio co-host of “Monique and the Man” on San Diego’s Jack 100.7 FM (2005 to 2009). “Men are too lazy and too horny to live in the past or fear the future.” The raven-haired Latina stand-up queen is sitting at a table in Downtown’s Zanzibar Café, eating a late breakfast and talking

excitedly about upcoming projects. In February, the United States premier of a stage show based on John Gray’s bestselling self-help book, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, will test in venues nationwide. Gray gave Marvez the thumbs up to write the U.S. version of this one-man show, which has played to a million people in European audiences. World Media Partners (responsible for the Blue Man Group’s “Megastar Tour”) is co-producing the show with Emery Entertainment. Miami-born Marvez has long used the male/ female equation as the basis for her stand-up comedy. She’s performed in “Snoop Dogg’s Bad Girls of Comedy” on Showtime, and her own one-hour comedy special is slated to air on that

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cable network in the first quarter of 2013. Marvez is a likeable comedian, even when her onstage routine is direct and unsparing. “Men are penis-impaired,” she says. “Men want their women in a good mood; they want them quiet; and they want you to be willing to lick them.” She speaks bluntly to the ladies: “Women, if you are in a relationship, and it’s not going well, it’s your fault. Men are simple, and women are crazy. Women think constantly. And if you’re thinking all the time, eventually it’s going to go to a bad place.” Marvez says a woman’s thoughts-to-speech ratio is 15:1. That means, every time a woman talks, she had 15 thoughts to choose from expressing. Slow down, she advises. Men, she says, have a .5:1 ratio. The math in that equation means, when men finally do speak, only about half the words make it out. Marvez has had plenty of experience studying the man/woman dynamic. Although she’s happily in a relationship now, she’s been divorced three times. “Better to be divorced than to be plotting someone’s death in your sleep,” she says. Check pacificsandiego.com for information on when and where to catch more comedy from Monique Marvez.

U n d r e s s

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t o

Photography by Brevin Blach F a s h i o n Di r e c t o r : Simone Perloff S t y l i n g b y Amanda Thorne-Pritchard, Thorne Artistry H a i r b y Maegan Cooper, A Robert Cromeans Salon m a k e u p b y Sara Stewart S t y l i s t ’ s a s s i s t a n t : Erin Riley, Thorne Artistry s h o o t A s s i s t a n t : Jessica Hoerth

“Lingerie gives a woman an attitude that feels sexier than just, ‘Hey, I’m naked.’ It adds to the fantasy.”

I m p r e s s

Playboy alum Raquel Pomplun exhibits glamour and lace

By Ron Donoho aquel Pomplun claims she was a late bloomer. “I was a nerd; nobody knew me in school,” she says. “And then, all of a sudden, everybody remembered who I was.” Her moment of exposure: appearing on the April 2012 cover of Playboy with pop star Bruno Mars. On sharing the cover with Mars, Pomplun says, “I love his passion and voice and the way he performs live. I also love Pitbull. He keeps the party going. I keep the party going. I love to dance. I’m the first one out on the floor and the last one standing.” Pomplun is a Chargers and Padres fan, and she’s finished part of a biochemistry degree at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, but when it comes to tearing up the dance floor, she’s partial to Tijuana.

OPPOSITE: bra by Chantelle ($72), Intimacy, myintimacy.com. Shorts by Playboy Intimates ($28), playboy.com. Socks ($4), Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline.com. Ring ($768) and earrings ($1,250) by Alber Rezko designs, alberrezko.com. ABOVE: bra set by Agent Provocateur, Bloomingdale’s, bloomingdales.com. Stockings by Leg Avenue ($10), Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline. com. Purple ring ($46), two-finger ring ($40), spiked necklace ($46) and black necklace ($68), all by Lush Jewelry, lushjewelry.com.

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“I love push-up bras.Who doesn’t? And I love lacy stuff.”

he 5-foot-6, 25-year-old says she was “made in Mexico” but attended middle school (and up) in Chula Vista. Fond memories on this side of the border include Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the underground Gaslamp bar Vin De Syrah and going for motorcycle rides in Eastlake on her 250 Honda Rebel. These days, the energetic Pomplun keeps busy as a dancer at Playboy special events, does a weekly show on Playboy Radio (Sirius XM 102) and does hostess stints on Blackbelt TV, which features mixed martial arts. The future? “My modeling career is blooming,” she says. “It’s exciting.” During a break in her all-day PacificSD lingerie photo shoot at the Lafayette Hotel in University Heights, she reveals what guys should sport in the bedroom. “A man should wear tight, tiny black boxers,” she says. “And a bowtie.”

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FAR LEFT: shoes by Andrea ($28.99), Tutto Cuore, tuttocuoreshoes.com. Pink teddy by Shirley of Hollywood ($43), stockings by Leg Avenue ($10), both available at Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline. com. Fur jacket ($160) and ring ($68) by Lush Jewelry, lushjewelry. com. Necklace ($1,900) and earrings ($499) by Alber Rezko designs, alberrezko.com. LEFT: bra ($86) and panty ($34) by Chantelle, Intimacy, myintimacy.com. Bracelet by Alber Rezko ($10,000), alberrezko. com. Necklace ($65) by Sandra Nicole Design, sandranicole. com. Ring ($58) and fur jacket ($80) by Lush Jewelry, lushjewelry. com. Stockings by Music Legs ($8.95), Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline.com. Shoes by Chinese Laundry ($39.99), Tutto Cuore, tuttocuoreshoes.com. BELOW: bra ($204) and panty ($95) by Aubade, Intimacy, myintimacy.com. Gloves ($8) by Leather, Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline.com. Necklace ($65) by Sandra Nicole Design, sandranicole.com. Ring ($5,600) and bracelet ($22,000) by Alber Rezko designs, alberrezko.com.

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“I’ll wear lingerie for a special night. It’s not possible to wear lingerie every night…is it?”

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U n d e r w e a r l et h esh i sst o E n S rical skinny on the skimpy B y B r o o k e Bu n c h

n Valentine’s Day, naughty girls come out to play in lingerie. With lacy roots dating back to the 16th Century, lingerie tantalizes with mystery. What’s she wearing underneath that skirt? Victoria knows the secret. Like a vampire, lingerie has the innate power to provoke and excite the most reluctant of prey. Whether you’re going for the Hot Teacher, Sexy Cheerleader or Sultry Librarian look, here’s a quick lesson on these articles of seduction: The Corset: It’s the proverbial underwearing classic. First used literally to take the breath away of Victorian-era women by cinching waists to unrealistic proportions, the corset dates back 500 years, says Jill Fields, author of An Intimate Affair: Women, Lingerie and Sexuality. “The corset accentuates the female figure,” Fields says, “emphasizing the hips and pushing out the breasts.” The Thong: Designed for look (definitely not comfort), these barelythere panties are a staple in any woman’s drawer. “Small in size but big in rewards, a thong spells enticement,” says Rebecca Apsan, author of The Lingerie Handbook. Push-Up Bras: Before there were breast implants, there were pushup bras. These boob-boosters have been making men stare and women curvaceous since the 1920s. The Garter Belt: Most hosiery today doesn’t need to be held up by a snap hooked to a belt, but garters live on for aesthetic pleasure. “The garter belt is purely erotic, conjuring up carnal pleasure and naughtiness,” says Apsan.

Bra ($29.99) and skirt ($29.99) by Shirley of Hollywood, Hustler Hollywood, hustlerstore.com. Stockings ($8.95) by Leg Avenue, and shoes ($80) by Ellie, available at Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline.com. Body Rings ($244-$300), stacked rings ($822-$875) and earrings ($1,250) by Alber Rezko designs, alberrezko.com.

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[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

The Colors: Black is the primary color in lingerie sales. “Black and sheer is a lethal combination that will drive him crazy,” Apsan says. Red turns up the heat, especially a fire-hued bra or vinyl red stilettos. White? Slightly nostalgic and mildly innocent, but driven snow can only get dirtier.

LEFT: bra by Marie Jo ($177), Intimacy, myintimacy.com. Garter by Dreamgirl ($19.99) and shoes by Hustler ($119) available at Hustler Hollywood, hustlerstore. com. Stockings by Music Legs ($8.95), Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline.com. Spiked bracelet by Lush Jewelry, lushjewelry.com. Necklaces by Sandra Nicole Design ($65), sandranicole.com. Ring ($6,500) and earrings ($2,000) by Alber Rezko designs, alberrezko.com. RIGHT: bodysuit by Elegant Moments ($28), stockings by Music Legs ($8.95) and gloves ($8.95), all available at Deja Vu Love Boutique, loveboutiqueonline. com. Mask ($89.99) and Swarovski handcuffs ($199.99), available at Hustler Hollywood, hustlerstore.com. Shoes by Andrea ($63.60), Tutto Cuore, tuttocuoreshoes. com. Necklace by Sandra Nicole Design, sandranicole.com. Black ring by Forever 21, forever21.com. Earrings ($2,000) and ring ($822) by Alber Rezko designs, alberrezko.com.

S I X T Y

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

“For a lingerie shoot, you have to prepare, exercise, more than for a regular-clothing photo shoot.” S I X T Y – O N E

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

T he three stages of a man ’ s sex life : “ tri - weekly , ” “ try weekly ” and “ try weakly . ”

Riley Steele of Escondido jumped into the pornographic ring at age 19.

D I G I T A L U ND E R G R O U ND

Maxxximum S I X T Y – two

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

ating leads to romance leads to sex leads to leads to marriage leads to divorce. Of course, that’s not always the case. To the contrary, in a city where some virgins stay that way, while others become porn stars, the sex/ love/romance gamut runs from celibacy to sex kits, and dating apps to exchanging vows on the courthouse steps. Some people have vows of chastity as solid as a rock. Others are just looking to get their rocks off. What they have in common is life in San Diego, where eternal sunshine means passion is always in fashion – and it’s about to reach a climax.

200

Celibate Good Times! C’mon On! Confessions of a 26-year-old virgin B y M egan L ooney

Ty l er J o h n s o n

hat’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “virgin”? The Madonna song? Olive oil? An airline? How about: Me? I am one. My friends joke that I go on the most dates and get the least amount of ass, but I have my reasons. I want to save sex for the one man I plan to spend the rest of my life with. Plus, it acts as a great filter. What’s the easiest way to get rid of a booty-caller? Tell him you’re a virgin. The ball-breaker for me has always been how to play the V-Card. “Hi, my name’s Megan, and I’m virgin,” sucks as an icebreaker. But if people didn’t know about my locked-up loins before reading this, they will now. I hope the handful of men who’ve spread rumors that they’ve slept with me see this (even if they did say I was great in bed). The most awkward, unplanned celibacy conversation took place when I was lying on top of my then-crush, passionately making-out on his bed. My purity necklace kept hitting him in the face. It ruined the intimate moment – and our relationship.

People have said: “Sex is like a car; you have to go for a test drive before you buy.” Well, I am not a four-door sedan. You can’t drive me around, and then trade me in when my engine starts rattling. Megan People have tried to talk me Looney out of being a 26-year-old virgin: searches men, friends, family, strangers, for a man bartenders. It’s like people who can wait. take personal offense that I am choosing not to have sex. At the age of 14, I knew I wanted to wait until marriage. Let’s just say that the older I get, the harder it becomes. We’ve all heard abstinence causes “blue balls,” but did you know women can get it to? Trust me, I’ve sung the blues. What most people don’t know is that someone who hasn’t had intercourse still gets horny, still likes to be sexy, can enjoy the chase and can experience passion. I am still a sexual being, just without the sex. Note to future husband: I have 20-plus years of pent-up of sexual energy. For now, rest up.

average number of calories burned during a half-hour session of sexual intercourse* “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”—Aristotle

Megan Looney is a 20-something writer and a lover of craft beer and all things Will Ferrell. She blogs at 500daysofmegan.wordpress.com.

Sexposure

*Source: Women’s Day

Showcasing celibacy, porn stars and everything in between (the sheets)

S I X T Y – three

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

A Star is Porn

Surprise! You may already have rubbed elbows with one of San Diego’s sex-industry stars B y D avid M oye

SDSU alumna (note the red and black, Go Aztecs!) Mika Tan credits her career in pornography to her time in San Diego.

famed Moonlight Bunny Ranch brothel] while I was in school,” she says, with a laugh. “He was running a time-share operation downtown as well, and he asked me if I wanted to perform.” A porn career was the goal for Escondido native Riley Steele. She dreamed of being a sex star back when she was a teen. “I always knew I would do something like this, even when I was working at Starbucks,” she says. “I admired Carmen Electra and Pam Anderson and wanted to be one of them – desired and sexually empowered.” Now 25, Steele decided to take the plunge when she was 19 and applied at Digital Playground studios, headquartered in Van Nuys. She was put under contract that first day and was cast in Pirates 2, an adult film blockbuster. Since then, Steele’s star has risen. Kid Rock even names her in his song, “Rock Bottom Blues.” “I remember seeing [Kid Rock] at Qualcomm and wanting to dance in one of the cages on stage,” says Steele, who recently bought a home in coastal North County. “Living here allows me to stay true to who I am,” she says. “I’m laidback, chill and I go with the flow.” Sometimes her fans spot her around San Diego. “I was just recognized in Petco while I was buying a scratching post,” she says. Being recognized in public is something that is starting to happen to Nicole Aniston, who was born in Escondido and now makes her home in Temecula. “I’ve been out with friends, and when I go to the bathroom, the waiter will ask, ‘Is that Nicole Aniston?’” she says. Unlike Steele, Aniston didn’t get into the porn biz for the fame, but for the money.

T&A

Tips and Advice from sexperts Our friendly neighborhood porn stars couldn’t help but offer professional insight. “I hope people don’t expect women who aren’t in the business to perform like the girls on camera,” says Nicole Aniston. Mika Tan would disagree. S I X T Y – F O U R

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

Nau g h t y A m eri c a

e told you in last month’s issue that San Diego was ranked as having the second-most attractive citizens in the country. That Travel + Leisure poll got us wondering: What do our good-looking people do with all that hotness? Guess what. A number of our glamorous gals make a living doing – doing pornographic films, that is. Yes, porn stars walk among us in San Diego. They live in Escondido, Temecula and coastal North County. They have kids, work at Starbucks and shop at Petco. One popular actress who gets paid to have sex on film got a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at San Diego State University. So, who are these ladies, why did they get into this industry and how do they maintain a “normal” life when not wrapped up in their work? Meet blonde bombshell Riley Steele, who last year won four AVN Awards (the porn version of the Oscars, sponsored by industry publication Adult Video News); 2013 Penthouse Pet of the Year Nicole Aniston; and Mika Tan, one of the most popular performers in porn. Tan works as a dominatrix and fetish model. She also holds down a desk job at a local corporate office. She says there’s nothing in the water that makes San Diego a good place for aspiring porn stars, but there is something in the air. “The climate makes it easy to wear as little as possible,” says Tan, who earned the biochem degree at SDSU in the mid-’90s. “Plus, there are no L.A. people to irritate you.” Tan lives in Los Angeles but considers San Diego her hometown. She says this city was instrumental in propelling her porn career. “I met Dennis Hof [owner of Nevada’s

Escondidoborn Nicole Anniston went into the porn business for the money; she stayed in for the selfdiscovery.

“I ran out of money, had a child and had serious financial issues,” she says. “The opportunity was handed to me on a silver platter. I got to stay in my home without going on food stamps.” The money turned out to be as good as she expected. What surprises Aniston is at how much she enjoys having sex for a living. “I absolutely needed to get in this business to discover myself and my sexuality,” she says. “I had a stigma about porn, and if I hadn’t had such a pleasant experience my first time, I wouldn’t have done it again.” She’s had her share of strange experiences, though. “I had sex on the street for one scene,” she says. “We drove around the shittiest part of L.A. and got butt-ass naked in a car wash.” Still, Aniston credits porn with helping her avoid getting into bad relationships. “Before I got into porn, I was single after being in a long relationship,” she says. “Doing porn, I didn’t have pent-up sexual frustration. So, I was able to figure out what I want in a relationship and what I will not tolerate. In my private life, I’ve never had a one-night stand.”

“I tell women, if they want their men to stay away from women like me, then they need to be more like me,” she says. “On the other hand, I could suggest that people do something kinky on Valentine’s Day. But that would just be one day. If you really want to enhance your love life, treat every day like Valentine’s Day.”

W hat did one slice of bread say to the other during sex ? “ I ’ m gonna crumb ! ”

C h ri s Hjer l i n g & Hea t h er Ma t t h e w s

A couple ties the knot at the San Diego City and County Administration Building. LEFT: Details Matter creators Mark Wills (left) and Blake Whitney Thompson made an app to make dating suck less.

meet

market

$89

$70 cost of a public marriage license in San Diego

cost of a confidential marriage license in San Diego

The app for great dates

uddies/co-founders Mark Wills and Blake Whitney Thompson have turned their neverending search for great places to take dates into a free application called Details Matter. “We make dating more engaging,” says Wills. “The rut of dinner-and-a-movie is super boring and repetitive.” App users can look for outdoorsy or urban date locations. Searches can be run based on price, location, type (indoor/ outdoor) or keyword (such as “10th anniversary”). To keep the site fresh, daters can anonymously upload their successful (or ill-fated) courting experiences on a news feed. Others can then piggyback on the ideas. Details Matter does not require a log-in. “We’re literally just trying to give you a forum to share,” says Wills. “You’ve done something cool? Post it. Share it. Let’s tell other people about it.” The app is testing the waters in San Diego, with a hope it could catch on in New York or Los Angeles. Wills and Thompson crossed paths while out on a date at The Prado, in Balboa Park. (No, not with each other.) While relatinoships with their female companions didn’t last, a bromance did. The guys exchanged numbers that night and have been friends, now partners, ever since. — Catlin Dorset

S I X T Y – F I V E

F l u t t er G l a s s P h o t o g rap h y

“Clinton lied. A man might forget where he parks or where he lives, but he never forgets oral sex, no matter how bad it is.”—Barbara Bush [ february 2 0 1 3 ]

“We have reason to believe that man first walked upright to free his hands for masturbation.”—Lily Tomlin

Kiss and Hotel Sexy amenities for guests on romantic getaways B y wendy lemlin

ou’ve checked into your really cool hotel room for a romantic getaway and begin to peruse the mini-bar. Champagne – check. Dark chocolate – check. Sophisticated black-and-silver box marked “Luxury Intimacy Kit” – wait, what? From San Diego to South Beach, and Costa Rica to Canada, some of the hippest lodgings are putting the “hot” in “hotel” by including luxury romance kits from San Diegobased company New Indulgence. The sexy care packages are also sometimes included in romancethemed promotional deals, like ones offered at the newly remodeled Hotel La Jolla in La Jolla Shores and The Keating in the Gaslamp. Seven different kits (all for sale via New Indulgence’s website) range from $11-$100. They’re elegantly packaged and contain anything from condoms, lube and feather ticklers, to an assortment of garters, vibrating

“toys”, massage oils, lacy eye masks, silky restraints, chocolate body-paint and naughty games. New Indulgence was born in 2008, when the housing bubble burst and mortgage broker Barb Greiert was looking to move in another direction. A causal conversation with friend Jim Dearing, creative director at a Los Angeles ad agency with many hotel clients, planted the seed. “Jim remarked that most people stay in hotels for either business or pleasure, and that hotels could do more to push the pleasure aspect,” Greiert says. “We became business partners with the mission of bringing romance and passion to lovers all over the world. If hotel guests are there for a romantic getaway, we like to think that our Luxury Romance Kits can help turn an ordinary stay into an extraordinary one.” She smiles and adds: “I left the mortgage business because it was on a downward turn. With New Indulgence, let’s just say things are looking up.” newindulgence.com

The Burning Ring of Fire The pain starts when the ENGAGEMENT RING hits the finger. Be advised… B y L auren O ’ B rien

love my life as a newlywed and adore my new husband, but I didn’t know that, after receiving the ring, I’d need to descend into a fiery hell in order to reach this state of euphoria. Planning a wedding is a lady’s Hades. Apparently, watching every romantic comedy churned out by Hollywood is not adequate practice. It does not work this way: he proposes, you say yes, there’s a musical montage, and then animated cartoon birds sing and sew as the wedding details fall magically into place. Instead, after he gets up off bended knee, your life becomes a daily snarl of monetary decisions, vendor meetings and insane questions about embossed invitations, synthetic-blend tablecloths and pewter-colored napkins. Despite the pain, I’m willing to relive some of my nightmares, so brides preparing to saunter down the aisle can be aware of the pitfalls and potholes (especially if you’re planning on wearing and returning those shoes you’ve been eyeing at Nordstrom). Bargain Shopping. I never pay full price, so I began my wedding voyage in thrift stores. I searched racks hoping to find my vintage, diamond-in-the-rough gown. What I found was poofsleeved frocks that smelled like Gloria Vanderbilt perfume and failed marriages. Skip the thrifts. Real Gown Research. Do you know the difference between a trumpet and a mermaid-style dress; an A-line and an emperor waist? I didn’t. I finally decided to venture into retail stores for a gown, but purposely avoided bridal boutiques. In haste, I bought the first dress I tried on. It was my white elephant in more ways than one. I then spent six months browsing wedding magazines and glancing into boutiques. Buyer’s remorse finally got the best of me. With a month to go, I got “the dress” – with lace, a sweetheart neckline and a drop waist. Sigh. Big-Cost Items. I have what they call “caviar taste and a sardine budget.” Examples: looking at venues, I found a house in Rancho Santa Fe that rents for $423,000. (The President of the United States’ annual salary is less.) I got a quote from a photographer: $12,000 for four hours. (My first car was half that price.) We ended up picking a venue and a photog that came with fewer zeroes. Then, there was the cost of booze. Rather than pay per head, we bought the alcohol at Costco and BevMo. Upside: We

Chemical Romance

Susan Goldstein, M.D., who runs clinical trials for San Diego Sexual Medicine at Alvarado Hospital, is currently treating women’s sexual problems with medications including Viagra, Levitra and Cialis, which are marketed and FDAapproved only for men. “Right now, we are doing a trial for women who can’t reach orgasm,” Goldstein says. “We are really excited about this new drug that everyone is calling the ‘Pink Viagra.’ It’s Flibanserin, and we hope it will be FDA-approved this year, because the drug actually raises excitement and lowers inhibition.” —Leslie Marcus S I X T Y – six

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

Leif B ra n d t P h o t o g rap h y

saved a lot of money. Downside: My fiancé/husband and I got in three separate fights over how much Diet Coke to buy. Inane Details. Most vendors are accustomed to picky brides. They take pleasure in watching undecided fools like me squirm. I lost sleep wondering if my guests needed 60-inch or 72-inch tables. Decide now if you want napkins rolled or in a tent-like formation. And when it comes to linen colors, there really are 50 shades of grey. Wedding Planning Websites. Ignore them. According to one site, I should have been researching venues after our first kiss. Blog Advice. Just as bad as website advice. That couple from Anchorage who had their entire guest list contribute, and all the bride and groom had to do was provide the venison? Oh, deer. These people are the exception, not the rule. DIY Projects. In retrospect, I love my do-it-yourself customized touches. But there was a point after tying the rough, serrated burlap onto my 50th mason jar that I looked around and thought, “What have I done?” I’d hot-glued my remote to my coffee table, my hands were like sandpaper, and I had so many craft materials in my tiny apartment that Michael’s was calling me for supplies. Conclusion. Elope. But if that’s not a reality, hit BevMo early in the planning process, and set aside a couple bottles for yourself. Lauren O’Brien is a radio personality and stand-up comedian who performs at The Comedy Store in La Jolla, and Downtown’s The Mad House and The American Comedy Co., among other venues. Find her on Twitter at @thelaurenobrien.

Mr. T

Having low testosterone levels can crush relationships. Guys, your levels begin to drop sooner than you may think – you may lose one percent per year starting from age 30. Given such a decline, after 35, most men are past their prime. “Men that have low testosterone levels become grumpy old men,” says hormone specialist Melinda Silva, M.D. “Their mood can change, they can become impatient, and that’s not good for a relationship.” Silva treats men at her clinic in Chula Vista, where she helps get them back up to speed through testosterone creams, shots or pellets that are inserted under the skin. —L.M.

Sex on the Brain

Oxytocin, known as the “love hormone,” is a neurotransmitter in the brain closely linked to orgasm. Getting excited? “It’s a fabulous drug,” says Irwin Goldstein, M.D., who does a monthly sex segment on the FOX 5 Morning Show. Oxytocin pills, which dissolve under the tongue, are said to help women lose inhibitions and have more orgasms. —L.M.

M y girlfriend is a sex object . I want sex , she objects .

S I X T Y – seven

[ february 2 0 1 3 ]

Curious about what beer tasted like before Prohibition? Now you have your chance to find out, ask your local watering hole if they carry it. 짜 #//23 !2#()6% "2%7).' '/,$%. #/ s ,!'%2

Taste

// dining o u t //

we will choc you ///// fattening tuesday ///// custardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last stand

choc itto me sweet somethings from the hands of a celebrity chef B y D A V I D NELSON P h o t o s b y br e v i n b l a c h

Hand Keegan Gerhard a hunk of costly French Valrhona chocolate, and he looks at it the way Michelangelo studied a block of marble. Something beautiful is inside; he just needs to carve it out. (continued on page 70)

Keegan Gerhard made these PacificSD bonbons with chocolate from Madagascar. He created the PACIFIC logos using tinted cocoa butter.

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ta s t e

// D I N I N G O U T //

(continued from page 69)

“Chocolate, I believe, is crafted by people who share the same sensibilities as winemakers, coffee roasters and vanilla bean farmers.”

BELOW: Keegan Gerhard, who makes almost all of the chocolates available at D Bar, is seen here making the flower and PacificSD bonbons pictured on the previous page. BELOW, RIGHT: Gerhard sits with a selection of his chocolates, which he decorates to hint at the flavor hiding inside. OPPOSITE: a collection of Gerhard’s chocolate bonbons, including (from the bottom row): white chocolate strawberry, passion fruit panna cotta, milk chocolate salt caramel, dark chocolate raspberry and dark chocolate passion fruit.

hanks to years of regular stints on television, including his multiseason role as a judge on Food Network’s hit reality series Last Cake Standing, Gerhard, the owner of Hillcrest’s hip D Bar restaurant, is a rock star among American sweets specialists. When discussing chocolate, he becomes as intense as the rare, 99-percent-pure-cacao Peruvian Fortunato that turbocharges many of his sensational creations. “Chocolate, I believe, is crafted by people who share the same sensibilities as winemakers, coffee roasters and vanilla bean farmers,” he says. Gerhard refuses to work with chocolate that, like much of the world’s supply, comes from the hands of child laborers and slaves in poor and developing countries. “Philosophically, in this day and age,

it’s not enough to find a great growing region for chocolate,” he says. “Gone are the days when you can buy a bag of cacao beans on the world market and take no responsibility for it.” Gerhard’s plans to continue training as an Olympic cyclist derailed when he began working under pastry luminaries at top-rated luxury hotels like the RitzCarlton chain and the Waldorf-Astoria. He moved to San Diego when a local developer of a new restaurant space on a prime Hillcrest block recruited him to open D Bar, where the “D” represents drinks, dining and dessert. Gerhard’s bonbons feature exteriors decorated to reveal the sweet surprises hidden inside. This jibes with his observation that “Americans eat with their eyes,” but you’ll want to eat these chocolates with your mouth.

A Touch of Class

Learn sweet tricks of the trade from Keegan Gerhard D Bar offers chocolate-making and cooking classes that have unique themes, like a February 9 class to teach men how to cook a Valentine dinner. Sign up and you might catch Gerhard composing an elegant, molten-centered chocolate lava cake. In the eight minutes it takes him to bake the cake in his speedy Turbofan oven, he creates a syrup of fruit juices, vanilla sugar and liqueur. In that, he poaches plump raspberries as a garnish that will enrich the cake, along with a crunchy chocolate wafer and house-made Sicilian pistachio ice cream, sprinkled with cacao nibs. D Bar 3930 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest (continued on page 72) 619.299.3227, dbarsandiego.com S eventy

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ta s t e

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(continued from page 70)

We Will Choc You

IN SAN DIEGO, life really is a box of chocolates SEE’S CANDIES Stores located around the county; sees.com If you don’t know See’s, you don’t know beans about chocolate. California’s sweetest homegrown chain started in Mary See’s home kitchen in 1921. No need to argue whether Rum Nougat, California Brittle or Pecan Buds are See’s finest creations, since you can buy all three for about two bucks. CHUAO CHOCOLATIER Several locations around the county; chuaochocolatier.com “Pleasure is only possible in the presence of gratitude,” is the slogan of chef/chocolatier and Chuao co-founder Michael Antonorsi, who introduced San Diegans to the concept of chocolate as an artist’s palette, painting his bonbons with the flavors of sea salt, blazingly hot chilies and other ingredients unexplored by mega-producers. DAVID BACCO CHOCOLATIER 9888 Waples St., Sorrento Mesa 858.560.5535, bacco-chocolatier.com Opened in 2010 by Kentucky-born and master-trained confectioner David Bacco, this shop near Qualcomm world headquarters features unique creations that offer not only myriad flavors and scents, but also stunningly colorful designs inspired by everything from Bacco’s (continued on page 74) experiences practicing yoga to photographs of the Milky Way.

Chuao Chocolatier

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ta s t e

// D I N I N G O U T //

(continued from page 72)

Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro

ECLIPSE CHOCOLATE BAR & BISTRO 2145 Fern St., South Park 619.578.2984, eclipsechocolate.com Newly relocated to spacious quarters in South Park, with offerings that include brunch and on-tap craft beers, artisan Will Gustwiller’s store showcases classic and contemporary chocolates, and sells other fine confections and pastries. A leader in paring savory foods with chocolate, Gustwiller brings a Wonkaesque brio to the chocolate biz. CHI CHOCOLAT 2690 Historic Decatur Rd., Liberty Station 619.546.0650, chichocolat.net Good things come in small packages. This little jewel of a chocolate boutique, in one of the vast spaces of the former Naval Training Center, makes sweet dreams come to life with classic dark truffles rolled in svelte Valrhona cocoa powder, European-style truffles that sparkle with infusions of champagne, and terrifically imaginative creations like the curry coconut truffle. Chocolate-tasting parties are a house specialty. DALLMANN CHOCOLATE BOUTIQUE 2760 Via de la Valle, Flower Hill Mall, Del Mar 858.720.1933, dallmannconfections.com Firmly built on a foundation of Austrian chocolate expertise, Dallmann brings the Old World to local chocoholics, and with amazing style. Think chocolates flavored with jasmine tea, sea salt caramel and rosewater, and intended to pair with fine wines. Others, flavored with orange and cardamom, pistachio and coffee, are meant to be enjoyed with beer.

Chi Chocolat

Dallmann Chocolate Boutique

rocky road

Cruising for chocolate along the sweet streets of Escondido The fourth annual For the Love of Chocolate and SweetArt Festival returns to Escondido’s Grand Avenue February 9. Bring your sweet tooth (and/or sweetheart) to sample free treats along “Sweet Street.” Event highlights include chocolates paired with wine, champagne and locally crafted beer. Tickets cost $35 after February 1. escondidochocolatefestival.com — Catlin Dorset

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C R E D I TS F R OM TO P : © R o bi n F o s t er , T h e F ie l d Mu s eu m ; Li n d t & Spr ü n g l i , S w i t z er l a n d ; © E d w ar d R o z z o / C o rbi s ; Li n d t & Spr ü n g l i , S w i t z er l a n d

ta s t e

// D I N I N G O U T //

public display of Confection Museum exhibit REVEALS chocolate’s history and mystery b y d av i d n e l s o n

he rich scent of melted chocolate curls into your nostrils a good 50 feet from the entrance to “CHOCOLATE.” The sweetest exhibit ever presented by San Diego’s stately Natural History Museum covers all sides of the story, opening with an actual cacao tree that bears amazingly large seedpods, taking visitors through the history of this treasured food to contemporary chocolate production, and ending with a well-stocked shop of specialties from an international galaxy of chocolatiers. Along the way, learn how the Mayans originally harvested cacao beans to create a spicy, unsweetened beverage they drank and used in religious ceremonies. “For me, the fun of the exhibit is seeing how recently chocolate has become widely disseminated,” says Natural History Museum president and CEO Mick Hager. “The Spaniards didn’t find gold when they conquered Mexico, but they found cacao seeds.”

Hager finds wisdom in some weighty chocolate statistics: “The United States has the ninth highest standard of living in the world, and we consume 11.2 pounds of chocolate per person per year. If we want to raise our standard of living, we just need to eat more chocolate.” Indulge in style at the museum’s two upcoming “Chocolate Sundays,” February 24 and March 3. Top local artisan producers including Chuao Chocolatier, Eclipse Chocolate and David Bacco Chocolatier will offer samples from noon to 4 p.m. – or until the samples run out. CHOCOLATE, the exhibit Through March 10 San Diego Natural History Museum 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park sdnhm.org

CLOCKWISE (from top right): a ripening cacao pod hangs from a cacao tree; bonbons being mass-produced; a chocolate manufacturer’s copper barrels hold cacao seeds from around the world; a cacao pod holds up to 70 seeds and can produce seven chocolate bars.

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B R E A K FA S T

LUNCH

DINNER

24 HOURS A DAY

DAILY HAPPY HOUR 4PM-7PM $3 DRAFT BEERS (16 OZ.) $4 WELL DRINKS $5 FOOD SPECIALS FULL BAR 828 SIXTH AVENUE

THE RESTAURANT THAT NEVER SLEEPS |

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t’s time to buy beads in bulk. February 12 is Mardi Gras, and you can get your New Orleans fix here in San Diego by savoring Louisiana cuisine, imbibing Big Easy-inspired beverages and partying in the streets of the Gaslamp in the largest Mardi Gras celebration on the West Coast. This year’s Gaslamp Mardi Gras is headed in a more entertainment-oriented direction, says Gaslamp Quarter Association executive director Jimmy Parker. “It’s not just about booze, boobs and beads,” he says, smiling, “but also celebrating a sense of community, with four diverse music stages and an eclectic variety of walkaround artists and musicians.” At the Gator By the Bay stage, bands playing Louisiana zydeco, blues, Dixieland and swing will add authentic joie de vivre. In true New Orleans fashion, Euphoria Brass Band will lead a traditional Second Line Parade down Fifth Avenue. Yes, beads will be thrown. No, you don’t have to flash anyone to get them. But we all know who gets tossed the biggest beads. Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday,” referring to the custom of eating rich, fatty foods and making merry on the last day before Lent. So, fill ’er up and laissez les bons temps rouler (“let the good times roll,” en Francais) at these Louisiana faves. (continued on page 80)

Bud’s Louisiana Café

The catfish St. Charles at Bud’s Louisiana Café is sautéed with Creole seasoning, topped with jalapeño sauce and served with rice and green beans.

In Kearny Mesa, New Orleans native Bud Deslatte serves traditional Louisiana Creole fare. His Seafood Gumbo is the real deal, with a slow cooked dark roux and generous pieces of shrimp, crabmeat, crawfish, andouille sausage and okra swimming in the thick broth. The rich taste with a slightly spicy bite coordinates nicely with a chunk of zesty jalapeño cornbread. Wash it all down with a glass of Abita or another Louisiana beer. Bud’s Louisiana Café 4320 Viewridge Ave., Ste. A, Kearny Mesa 858.573.2837 budscafe.com

FATTENING TUESDAY Eat like there’s no tomorrow on Mardi Gras By Wendy Lemlin / Photos by Brevin Bl ach

seventy – eight

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(continued from page 78)

Mardi Gras Trivia

Mardi Gras Season officially begins on Epiphany (Three Kings Day), January 6. The first Mardi Gras celebration in America was held in Mobile, Alabama, in 1703. The first official Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans in 1856.

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)0.& 0' 4"/ %*&(0Â¤4 03*(*/"- '"5 4"/%8*$)&4 Saltboxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crawfish Boil at SummerSalt, Hotel Palomarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooftop restaurant, comes complete with all the fixings.

Saltbox at Palomar Hotel

Chef Simon Dolinky is throwing an inaugural Crawfish Boil at SummerSalt, Palomar Hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooftop lounge and pool deck. The February 10 all-you-can-eat affair will cost $20 and features a live brass band and Abita beer kegs. Saltbox 1047 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest 619.515.3003 saltboxrestaurant.com

4"/ %*&(0 463' $6*4*/&

Local habit

Louisiana native chef Nick Brune crafts Cali-Creole cuisine at this Hillcrest eatery, fusing local ingredients and bayou inspiration. On February 9 and 10, Local Habit will be serving 500 pounds of crawfish in a flavorful, authentic boil. On-tap all weekend will be a special session IPA called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sweet Tea,â&#x20AC;? created by Monkey Paw Brewery in East Village. On Fat Tuesday, the restaurant collaborates with Monkey Paw for a six-course Brewmasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dinner, pairing such delicacies as alligator meatballs and venison roast with unique brews. Local Habit 3827 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest 619.795.4770 mylocalhabit.com (continued on page 82)

#PPL B DVTUPN EJOJOH FYQFSJFODF GPS ZPVS QSJWBUF QBSUZ CJH FWFOU PS CVTJOFTT GVODUJPO ÂĄ5ISFF (3&"5 USVDLT UISFF '3&4) NFOVT Â˘ $"-- 03 7*4*5 5)&*/4-*%&34% $0. '0--08(30((:4 $0. &1*$&"5; $0. E I G H T Y

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(continued from page 80)

New Orleans Creole Cafe’s crawfish etouffee is a slow-cooked spiced stew served over rice.

New Orleans Creole CafE

On the grounds of the Whaley House in Old Town sit two historic cabins that house the intimate café owned by New Orleans transplant Mark Bihm and partner Humberto Villegas. The menu features recipes handed down through seven generations of Bihm’s Louisiana family. The specialty of the house is the Crawfish Etouffee, a labor-intensive, slow-cooked stew served over rice. The dish is rich with nuances of the savory “trinity” (green pepper, onion and celery), a traditional light roux, succulent crawfish meat and seasonings. New Orleans Creole Cafe 2476 San Diego Ave., Ste. A, Old Town 619.542.1698 neworleanscreolecafe.com

The Original Sand Crab Tavern

The French Quarter is alive in Escondido, particularly in the taste of Sand Crab Tavern owner Rick Covert’s Voodoo Shrimp, a recipe he adapted from a New Orleans favorite. These heads-on, peel-and-eat jumbo Gulf shrimp are sautéed and then broiled in a garlicky, herband-spice-laden butter sauce and served with French bread to soak up all the goodness. On Mardi Gras, customers can gorge amid a lively musical backdrop of live New Orleans blues. The Original Sand Crab Tavern 2229 Micro Pl., Escondido 760.480.2722 sandcrabtavern.com (continued on page 84)

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SPORTS REPORT Your place for co-ed sports leagues, happy hours, social events and more fun.

BOBBLEHEAD CORNER DECEMBER CHAMPS 6v6 Coed Indoor Volleyball Wednesdays in Scripps Ranch

CIRCLE GETS THE SQUARE

Coed Soccer Thursdays Downtown

INSPIRED MED WEIGHTLOSS Men’s Basketball Wednesdays in La Jolla

FIVE GUYS

6v6 Coed Indoor Volleyball Wednesdays in Scripps Ranch

BEACH BUMS

6v6 Coed Indoor Volleyball Thursdays in Ocean Beach

GOOD TIMES

Men’s Soccer Wednesdays in Mira Mesa

B-SQUAD KINGS

Coed Kickball Sundays in Pacific Beach

DON’T COME ON MY BASE

Coed Soccer Mondays in Mira Mesa

MOGL

Coed Soccer Tuesdays in Mira Mesa

THE PELICANS

Coed Softball Tuesdays in North Park

MAD BATTERS

7v7 Coed Soccer Sundays in Pacific Beach, Djemba Djemba vs. Old & In the Way

Men’s Softball Tuesdays in North Park

SOFTBALL SO HARD

SPRING SOFTBALL KICK OFF MARCH 2013 We have 21 softball leagues kicking off in March and April so there’s no excuse not to get back on the field! Select leagues will even have a championship prize of tickets to VAVi Day at PETCO Park as the Padres take on the San Francisco Giants April 26th! Looking to hit away that case of the Mondays? Check out our brand new league at Hourglass Park in Mira Mesa beginning March 4th. Leagues span from Carmel Valley to North Park, so keep your resolution this year by getting fit while having fun!

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Our four coaches combined have decades of experience. The program offers a team tech tee, informational clinics and a support system of teammates. We’re preparing for the La Jolla Half Marathon, Rock ‘N Roll Half or Full Marathon and AFC Half Marathon with programs ranging

from 11 to 30 weeks. No water bottle? No problem! Our coaches will have aid stations set up along the course of your long runs to keep you energized and hydrated. Accomplish your goals, whatever they may be, with VAVi!

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(continued from page 82) C Level’s crispy shrimp po’boy is comprised of three massive battered shrimp and malt vinegar-soaked cabbage served on a French bun.

Other Mardi Gras menu selections C Level Lounge chef Deborah Scott’s crispy shrimp po’boy conjures up the bayou with four huge battered shrimp topped with a tangy cabbage chow (pickled in malt vinegar) and stuffed in a toasted French bun. Gaslamp newcomer The Commons will present a Boeuf Gras mac ’n’ cheese with smoked Gouda and andouille sausage. In La Jolla, Beaumont’s Eatery offers a take on the classic Shrimp ‘n’ Grits, starring prawns and locally milled grits with shredded kale. C Level 880 Harbor Island Dr., Harbor Island 619.298.6802 cohnrestaurants.com The Commons Bar 901 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp 619.696.8888 tcbsandiego.com Beaumont’s Eatery 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla 858-459-0474 beaumontseatery.com

Altar Your Mind

For more fun than you ever imagined you could have in church, start off Mardi Gras evening at the Zydeco Mass at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Hillcrest. The 5:30 p.m. service features dancing in the aisles to a live band, and even the priests are festooned with Mardi Gras beads. If you want to stay for the Cajun dinner afterwards, make reservations in advance. St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral 2728 Sixth Ave., Hillcrest 619.298.7261 stpaulcathedral.org

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taste the world from our view LOBSTER RISOTTO creamy risotto, butter poached lobster, scallops, mushroom ragout, truffle oil, arugula, parsley oil

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Custard’s Last Stand

Easy recipe: follow me!

homemade dessert and a chance to whip it good S t o ry a n d P h o t o s b y B r a n d o n M at z e k

ilky chocolate custard adorned with a cloud of sweet espresso and a flurry of shaved bittersweet chocolate, panna cotta (Italian for “cooked cream”) is one of my favorite desserts to prepare for a special home cooked dinner – especially for Valentine’s Day. This simple custard is made by thickening chocolate cream with gelatin, a process that requires just 15 minutes of prep time. A three-hour chill is also needed, so be sure to plan ahead. (continued on page 88)

Panna cotta with espresso whipped cream is as easy to prepare as it is delicious.

“Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.” —Oscar Wilde E I G H T Y – six

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POINT A Put away laptop for once Trading pictures and videos Sorority stories

POINT BE

I can’t believe you remember that Wine with our steaks

Are we there already? Be transported in more ways than one. Take Amtrak® where AAA members can receive 10% off the lowest available rail fare. You can relax, enjoy a bite to eat and experience all the joys of traveling with both hands off the wheel. Book your trip today at AAA.com/Amtrak or Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Prices are subject to change without notice and based on availability. A 3-day advance reservation is required. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply. Amtrak and Enjoy the journey are service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

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(continued from page 86

ll seemingly fancy deserts require one or two seemingly fancy accompaniments. This panna cotta is finished with freshly made whipped cream laced with brown sugar, vanilla and espresso. To add texture and reinforce the chocolate flavor, I vigorously run a leftover nub of chocolate against a sharp rasp, producing flecks of bittersweet beauty. Prepare this dessert on February 14 and you’ll surely gain some bonus points with your significant other, with minimal effort in the kitchen. Chocolate Panna Cotta

Ingredients Flavorless oil (such as vegetable or canola) 1 3/4 cups heavy cream 1 1/4 teaspoons powdered gelatin 2 tablespoons white sugar Kosher salt 2 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (such as Valrhona, Scharffen Berger, or Ghirardelli), plus more for shaving Process Prepare the equipment. Lightly grease four 5-ounce ramekins (or similar oven-proof vessels) with flavorless oil. Set ramekins in a baking dish. Soften the gelatin. In a small heatproof bowl, combine 1/4 cup heavy cream and gelatin, whisking to combine. Let stand until softened (about 10 minutes). Place small bowl inside a larger bowl with hot tap water at the bottom. You want enough water to come about 1/2 way up the sides of the small bowl. Carefully whisk until the gelatin is dissolved and the mixture becomes liquid again. Cook the cream. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. You’ll know the mixture has come to the right temperature when you see steam rising from the surface and small bubbles forming around the edges. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Combine. Using a spatula, scrape the gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or bowl with a pour spout. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared ramekins. Let cool to room temperature, cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours. Serve. To serve, rotate the bottom of each ramekin under hot, tap water for 5 seconds, and then carefully run a small knife around the edges of the panna cotta. Invert onto a chilled serving plate, then top with a dollop of espresso whipped cream (recipe below) and chocolate shavings.

Espresso Whipped Cream

Ingredients 1 cup chilled heavy cream 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Process Whip the cream. Add heavy cream, light brown sugar, vanilla extract and espresso powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can also whip the cream with a whisk or hand mixer. Beat until soft peaks form. To test for soft peaks, simply pull the whisk from the whipped cream and turn it so the whisk end is facing up. The peak on tip of the whisk should fall over on itself.

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// calendar //

Groove //// spinning top ////// MUSIC CALENDAR ////// good cheer

INVASION 3D by Joachim Garraud Wintervention Sunday, February 17 Hard Rock Hotel San Diego interventionsd.com

eytar (keyboard/guitar hybrid) maestro and French superstar DJ/producer Joachim Garraud is bringing his INVASION 3D multimedia mindfu#k to town for Hard Rock Hotel San Diego’s Wintervention event on February 17. Picture thousands of people, many in bikinis, dancing their asses off in a midwinter celebration of the venue’s mega-popular Intervention Sundays summertime pool parties. For this extrasensory experience, however, full immersion doesn’t mean a splash in the water, but rather a voyage deep into the realm of electronic dance music, where sun-blocking shades are replaced with 3D glasses in the shape of Space Invaders, and reality is replaced with a few hours of something a whole lot better. —DMP

e p sets th o r d t e k k c 3D ba ’s hottest tic ’s J D g ruary winnin Award- stage for Feb

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in it to Spin it A contest victory revs up a local DJ’s career By Carlos Gomez

Js have to crawl before they can walk. Such was the case for MurphiBennett Roderick Michael Kennedy (it’s a family name), but today he’s

running the show. After watching from the sidelines at the 2011 Fortune 421 DJ contest at Sidebar ultralounge in the Gaslamp, Kennedy decided to come back the next year and win it. And that’s what he did this past November. The victory heightened his street cred overnight. The soft-spoken 27-year-old who lives in Mission Valley has definitely received a shot of steroids to his career. All of a sudden, he’s performing at some of San Diego’s hottest spots, including FLUXX, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, Stingaree, Ivy Nightclub at Andaz and more.

With his mixing of electronic dance music (EDM), house, open format, and what he calls “hip-house” (a mash-up of hip-hop vocals over obscure house tracks), Kennedy hopes to venture out and perform in other cities, and eventually Europe. “Now it’s like I’m in it to win it,” he says. “It’s scary and fun and cool at the same time, because I’m still waiting to wake up.” Kennedy grew up “musically confused” in Los Angeles, where he was influenced by his grandfather’s affinity for old jazz – Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong – and hip-hop beats. He didn’t particularly care for the lyrics of the latter. He moved to San Diego five years ago. Local DJs Scott Feld, Ayla Simone and Chris Liosi helped get him into the house and EDM scenes. “I basically started DJing for children,” Kennedy says. He played birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, quinceañeras, Sweet 16s and First

DJ Murphi Kennedy competes at the Fortune 421 2012 DJ Contest held at Stingaree.

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Communions. After those gigs, and lessons from local DJ Lee Schneider, Kennedy felt ready to move up. His first club set was in April 2012 at North Park’s U-31. The 2012 Fortune 421 DJ contest was held at Stingaree. For eight weeks, Kennedy battled against the area’s up-and-coming DJs in a single-elimination tournament. Each DJ got two 30-minute sets. The one with the best music selection and overall crowd reaction moved on to the next round. Kennedy would scout his competition and try to envision what the crowd would want, without adhering too much to a Top 40 playlist. After every battle, it was back to the drawing board to improve his performance. “My career was at stake,” he says. “My goal wasn’t winning; it was doing the best that I could do.”

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// S P I N C Y C L E //

MAKING

THE

Cutz

MIX-MAKING MUSIC MAN SLICES AND DICES THE COMPETITION

t the end of an intense Red Bull Thre3Style Competition at downtown’s Voyeur, the last DJ standing was Chris Cutz, who walked away with $5,000 and a chance to compete in the West Regional final in Seattle on February 25. Cutz got the nod from a judging panel that included DJs Jazzy Jeff, Z-Trip and A-Trak. The competition’s national finals are this spring in Los Angeles. It was the first time Cutz, who’s been in San Diego since 1999, entered a competition. “I was a little nervous in the beginning,” he says. “I’m used to being in front of big crowds, but it’s different when you know people are analyzing you.”

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voted

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february

Concerts by tim pyles

2/1: Pinback @ House of Blues, hob.com This San Diego-based indie-rock band has been together since 1998; their fifth studio album came out in October 2012. 2/1: Shwayze @ The Griffin, thegriffinsd.com Alternative hip-hopper who often performs with former Whitestarr frontman Cisco Adler. 2/1: Great White and Slaughter @ Sycuan Live & Up Close, sycuan.com 1980s L.A. rockers Great White team up with death metal Canadians Slaughter for a loud-ass show. 2/1: Hot Buttered Rum and Dead Winter Carpenters @ Winston’s, winstonsob.com String band Hot Buttered Rum and Lake Tahoe’s 2011 Band of the Year perform Americana, bluegrass and folk music.

2/5 The Who @ Valley View Casino Center ticketmaster.com

These rock legends don’t ever seem to want to stop playing live music.

2/1: Earth, Wind & Fire @ Pala Casino, startickets.com Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame funk, soul and disco band. 2/1-2: Tristan Prettyman @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Local singer/songwriter is back after an extended break and has a new record called Cedar + Gold. R i c k Dia m o n d

2/2: ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) @ House of Blues, hob.com These rockers are signed to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records label. 2/2: Kris Allen @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com The winner of the eighth season of American Idol started the year by getting in a car accident, but the show goes on.

2/7 OFF!

2/3: Christopher Lawrence @ Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com This American DJ/producer specializes in progressive trance music and has released 10 mix CDs. 2/3: Augustana (acoustic) @ The Griffin, thegriffinsd.com These San Diego-based indie rockers are best known for their pop charts-scoring single “Boston.”

@ The Epicenter frontgatetickets.com

K a t ie H o v l a n d

2/4: ZZ Ward @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Her first name is Zsuzsanna, but ZZ is easier to pronounce. She mixes blues, rock and soul into her (continued on page 98) own sound.

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Punk rock supergroup fronted by Keith Morris of Black Flag and the Circle Jerks.

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“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.”—John Lennon

2/7: Sander Van Doorn @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com This world-traveling Dutch producer/DJ spins trance and progressive house. 2/8: Styx @ Pechanga Resort Casino, pechanga.com Still going since the 1970s, these guys taught the country how to say, “Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto.” 2/8: People Under the Stairs @ The Irenic, ticketweb.com These hip-hoppers from Los Angeles write song lyrics about life in their hometown. 2/10: The Oak Ridge Boys @ Sycuan Live & Up Close, sycuan.com Are they still breathing? This country, gospel and pop band originally formed in 1947. 2/10: Dirty Vegas @ Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com A British house music trio that put out the international hit single “Days Go By.”

2/10: Keith Sweat @ California Center for the Arts, tickets.com R&B and soul singer/songwriter who was instrumental in creating New Jack Swing in the late 1980s and early ’90s. 2/10: The Toasters @ SOMA, somasd.com One of the first of the third-wave ska bands, but steeped in the second wave that brought The English Beat and The Specials. 2/11: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com New Orleans-based band that mixes jazz, funk and be-bop into traditional New Orleans R&B. 2/12: Ed Sheeran @ Spreckels Theater, stubhub.com English-based singer/songwriter who recently won two BRIT Awards: Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

2/12: Suzanne Vega @ Balboa Theatre, ticketmaster.com Alternative folk rocker known for her late 1980s album that featured “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner.” 2/13: In Flames @ House of Blues, hob.com This Swedish metal band formed in 1990 and has sold two million albums worldwide. (continued on page 100)

2/14 THE HIVES @ Belly Up Tavern bellyup.com

Swedish garage rock group that was a big part of the garage rock revival in the early 2000s.

TO B I A S S U TT E R

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2/15 Ra Ra Riot @ Belly Up Tavern bellyup.com

New York-based indie rock band now taking a synth-pop approach.

thebrokenyolkcafe.com

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2/14: Lil’ Kim @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com Spend Valentine’s Day with Brooklyn-born Kimberly Denise Jones (aka Lil’ Kim), a rapper and actress originally discovered by The Notorious B.I.G. 2/16: Steve Poltz & Glen Phillips @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Local treasure Steve Poltz celebrates his birthday with Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket. 2/16: Om @ Casbah, casbahmusic.com This duo formed in 2003 when the stoner doom-metal group Sleep disbanded. 2/16: Salvador Santana @ The Griffin, thegriffinsd.com Son of Carlos Santana who mixes rock, electronic and hip-hop. 2/16-17: Tribute to the Reggae Legends 2013 (Formerly known as Bob Marley Day) @ Port Pavillion on Broadway Pier, purplepass.com It’s an annual tradition – no work, no school, just a cloud of reggae love. 2/17: Tim Mason @ Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, 207sd.com Keep the Wintervention vibe going at the afterparty with this British DJ newcomer whose debut single is called “The Moment.” 2/17: Youth Brigade @ Brick By Brick, brickbybrick.com Los Angeles-based punk rock band that was in it at the beginning, back in the 1980s. 2/20: B.B. King @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Blues legend Riley B. King is 87 and still tearing it up on tour. 2/21: Cosmic Gate @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com German trance duo mixing progressive and hard trance. (continued on page 102)

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2/22: Leftover Salmon @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com A jam band from Boulder, Colorado, that blends bluegrass, rock, country and Cajun/Zydeco into what they call â&#x20AC;&#x153;Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass.â&#x20AC;? 2/23: Bonnie Raitt @ Copley Symphony Hall, ticketmaster.com This legendary redheaded blues singer and slide guitar player has won nine Grammys. 2/25: Coheed and Cambria @ House of Blues, hob.com New York-based rock band incorporating aspects of progressive rock, punk rock, metal and post-hardcore. 2/26: The Residents @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com Avant-garde band that mixes experimental music and multimedia to create an experience of sight and sound. 2/27: Galactic @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com New Orleans-based funk and jazz jam band that brings hip-hop, rock and electronica into the mix. 2/28: Electric Six @ Casbah, casbahmusic.com Rock band that spikes in disco, funk and electronica. 2/28: Bob Sinclair @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com House music DJ-producer who popularized the French touch.

N o a h A bra m s

2/28 G. Love & Special Sauce @ House of Blues hob.com

Alternative blues with a slight hip-hop flair, straight out of Philly.

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Good

Cheer Former Charger Girl scores contentment at Quality Social

By Jason O’Bryan Photo by Jeff “ T u rb o ” C o rr i g a n

he fourdeep, cashwaving insanity of Quality Social on a Saturday night looks stressful for a bartender. Watch Cameron Holloway work, however, and you’d never know it. Her smile is genuine, her hands quick and exact, and she glides around the bar with the fluid economy of a dancer — which, as it happens, isn’t a coincidence. “I’ve been dancing since I was two and a half,” Holloway says. She started at a ballet academy before taking up tumbling and modern dance. Bright and precociously talented, she excelled at both technique and performance. At 18, she was hired as a dancer for the San Diego Chargers. “It was a dream I never had as a kid,” she says, “but it was one I should’ve had. It felt like a dream come true.” At 21, she put down her pompoms and started work at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, in the flashy glamour of bottle-service. She learned how to tend bar at Sneak Joint in Mission Beach, and then learned to do it

faster at Sidebar and FLUXX. “Every other job I’ve ever had, I definitely felt like I was performing,” she says. “I had my hair curled and makeup done and thighhighs on. I wanted to work somewhere that’s more me, and Quality Social is totally me.” Holloway talks about Quality Social as

if it were her family – she wears what she wants and her co-workers are her friends. She’s been there for a year now and has never been happier. These days, when she’s smiling at work, even in the middle of the weekend insanity, it’s not because she’s performing. It’s because finally she doesn’t have to.

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. one

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GLASSES UP TO RESPONSIBLE DRINKING.

FACEBOOK.COM/TULLAMOREDEW

Blind Date

// L O V E //

scentual healing Smells a lot like teen spirit (all over again) B y D av i d P e r l o f f Photos By Brevin Bl ach

eslie’s the supervising producer of the FOX 5 Morning Show, where she corrals the behind-the-scenes action for San Diego’s powerhouse morning news broadcast. She grew up in Orange County and lives in Bankers Hill. Eric, a serial entrepreneur and investor, owns a business consulting company in San Diego. He’s from Calabasas, in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, and lives in East Village. If he looks familiar, it’s probably because he was the dashing bachelor star of PacificSD’s 2012 Love Issue blind date last February. The ladies swoon enough for Eric, but he’s back swoon enough for Round Two with his favorite magazine. Tonight’s blind daters met for the first time about half-an-hour ago in the Epic Limo that’s about to drop them off at Herringbone in La Jolla. Before they arrive, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: What do you do for fun? LESLIE: Anything active, visiting new places, concerts, comedy shows, dancing, movies, discovering delicious wine and food, connecting with intelligent and funny people and plotting how I’m going to take over the world. ERIC: Travel, go out drinking with friends, sports and work – it’s fun if you like what you are doing. What are you best at? LESLIE: Creating, being a visionary, leading, innovating, seeing through people. ERIC: For the real answer, ask my friends. For the magazine answer, I would say managing things: business, trips, organizing friends, et cetera. What are you looking for in a date, physically and/or otherwise? LESLIE: A sexy man who’s confident but not cocky. That’s a fine line. Intelligence, street and book smarts. He doesn’t live under a rock and is actually aware of what’s going on out there. A good listener, goal-oriented, outgoing, witty, complimentary. A smile I can get lost in, that makes me smile, too. Well-groomed, stylish, well-

spoken, polite, classy, authenticity. ERIC: Need to be attracted to the person with the right chemistry, obviously. Other than that, good energy, secure, independent, confidence, great smile, lots of things in common. What do you like least about yourself? LESLIE: Punctuality is missing in my genes. ERIC: That I have not reached my goal of 10 million dollars, yet. Rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 for looks. LESLIE: Why would I give myself anything less than a 10? ERIC: 8.5. How about for personality? LESLIE: Eleven. ERIC: Nine. How many people have you slept with? LESLIE: I’m a virgin. ERIC: You mean this year? I thought this was a PG-13 magazine.

TOP LEFT: blind daters Eric and Leslie pose with Herringbone executive chef Amanda Baumgarten, who co-starred in PacificSD’s November 2012 blind date.

Fill in the blanks: I want my blind date to be “blank” and “blank.” LESLIE: Witty and charismatic. ERIC: Naughty and nice. What’s your surefire trick for making a date with romance? LESLIE:Trick? Showing up. Being authentic. ERIC: Charm the pants off her, and then act like I’m not that interested. Will the night end with a kiss, something more or something less? LESLIE: My crystal ball is in the shop, but my magic eight ball says perhaps a kiss, sealed with pleasant thoughts of me. ERIC: Can you ask me this question 60 seconds after meeting her? THANK YOU! Herringbone 7837 Herschel Ave., La Jolla 858.459.0221, herringboneeats.com (Continued on page 108)

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Blind Date

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(Continued from page 106)

WHIFF OR WITHOUT?

Will aromas of food and fragrance spark romance?

eated by a fireplace at Herringbone, Leslie and Eric are smiling as they talk over drinks. They share a couch while posing for photos, then return to their separate seats when the photographer steps away. After about half an hour, a second round of drinks and a couple dishes created by executive chef Amanda Baumgarten (who went on PacificSD’s blind date in the November 2012 issue – see “What’s Cooking” at pacificsandiego.com), they appear to be getting along famously. The ice broken, it’s time to heat things up next door at Tijon, a custom fragrance store where the couple will create perfumes for each other. With more than 300 oils to choose from, they don lab coats and start smelling – first the bottles, and then each other’s necks. Over the course of an hour or so, soft laughter blossoms into delicate inhaling. Smell becomes caress becomes…hey, break it up, kids. It’s time for dinner. They jump back into the limo for the ride to Cusp, the slick new penthouse restaurant atop the newly remodeled Hotel La Jolla. Cusp’s general manager, who leads the daters to a booth in a private section of the main dining lounge, reveals that he’d like to go on an upcoming blind date. (So did a server at Herringbone – maybe we should hook the two of them up next month.) Once they’ve had a chance to taste the first course, the couple is split for mid-date debriefings. PacificSD: How’s it going so far? LESLIE: It’s going great. He’s got a lot of great qualities. Communicative, intelligent, attractive, interesting, charismatic. ERIC: It’s going well. Good vibe, good connection, we’re having fun. Going into a blind date, you’re always worried if there’s a good connection or not, and so far I think we’re getting along alright. What were your first impressions? LESLIE: He’s tall enough. He seemed genuine, his smile. He’s not a fake person. ERIC: Phew! There’s always the attraction thing

or the looks and all that stuff. No matter what people say, there’s always that first layer. She’s a good-looking girl; first impression was good. Is this the type of person you’d normally date? LESLIE: He’s the type of guy I would want to date, because he has everything I’m looking for. ERIC: I would say yes, because she’s smart, she’s independent, she’s kind-of entrepreneurial like me, so that’s a good thing. She gets that I’m an entrepreneur as well, so she understands me and my type. What do you think of the way your date is dressed?

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LESLIE: I think it works. He has some nice distressed boots on; I notice shoes. He has a nice velvet jacket. He has a plaid shirt under it, which shows he has personal style. He has some good jeans on. ERIC: Jeez, I’m not a fashion expert. She’s dressed very nicely for the night. Dig the outfit. THANK YOU! Tijon 7853 Herschel Ave., La Jolla 619.821.8219, tijon.com (Continued on page 110)

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The “f” logo is a trademark/service mark of Facebook, Inc. one

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Blind Date

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what’s in a name?

(Continued from page 108)

The perfume Eric creates for Leslie: Luscious Les. The one Leslie makes for Eric: Idiosyncrasy.

How was Herringbone? LESLIE: It was nice by the fireplace. The food was good; we had carpaccio, and then we had hamachi. I think it had truffle oil. The vibe at Herringbone is great: very laidback, relaxed, you can be yourself. Nobody’s staring at you or judging you…except your camera guy. ERIC: Really cool atmosphere, really neat. We had some fun specialty drinks. For appetizers, we enjoyed the tuna and beef tartare, which is a great combination; and the other was the hamachi, which is awesome. It was perfect. We’re eating a meal now, so it’s good that we didn’t eat too much. Describe the experience at Tijon. LESLIE: It was unique; it was fresh. When you think about making perfume, you’d think it’s lame, right? Until you actually get there and you’re transported into another place, like in France or something. You wouldn’t expect that on Herschel Avenue next to the Asian spa. The people there are inviting; it’s a refreshing atmosphere and it’s so unique. They take you to the back room and put on your lab coat. It’s really cool trying to actually pick out a scent that you would ultimately want some guy you might date more than once to wear. And then he’s making something for you. Pretty intimate. ERIC: At first, I just thought, “Okay, we’re

doing something with a woman’s perfume.” But fortunately, it’s both perfume and cologne, and it was a really good experience. The people were super nice, really friendly. First, we got to sample a variety of different colognes and perfumes, and picked out the one we liked the best. Then we actually got to go into the lab, got the lab coats on. There were beakers and tubes and all sorts of cool things, and then we really got to play. What did you think of the scent your date created for you? LESLIE: I loved it. I’d wear it. I have it on. ERIC: It was delicious. Honestly, I think it was more fun because I know she really enjoyed it, and it was more about letting the other person really get into making the cologne. What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far? LESLIE: He dabbed the perfume he made for me on my neck and then proceeded to put his nose against my neck and smell it. That was very attractive. ERIC: I like her smile and the way she’s just affectionate. What would your parents say if you brought your date home?

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LESLIE: They’d love him. ERIC: “Oh, you met a nice Jewish girl!” Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks. LESLIE: Nine. ERIC: Nine. And for personality? LESLIE: Ten. ERIC: Nine. Do you want to kiss your date now? LESLIE: Perhaps. ERIC: Yes. Does your date want to kiss you right now? LESLIE: Absolutely. ERIC: Yes. What if I said that I already had? Did you? ERIC: Yes. THANK YOU! Cusp (atop Hotel La Jolla) 7955 La Jolla Shores Dr., La Jolla 858.551.3620, cusprestaurant.com (Continued on page 112)

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12/10/12 12:47 PM 12/10/12 12:47 PM

Blind Date

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(Continued from page 110)

The Smell of Victory A kiss before the middate break is always a good sign

s their entrées arrive, the daters are finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their evening in privacy. The magazine crew is headed for the elevator when the general manager alerts us the couple is kissing. Our photographer dashes back to the dining room but misses the live action, so we head home and call the next morning to see what we missed…and what the daters will admit to.

Describe the experience and vibe at Cusp. LESLIE: Cusp is my new favorite spot in San Diego. The mood lighting, decor and overall ambience – I felt transported to South Beach, in Miami. The company, of course, was a plus, too. ERIC: Very cool spot. Nice views, and the food and drinks were awesome and unique. Kind of a hidden treasure. Definitely would go again and recommend it to others. What did you have to eat and drink? LESLIE: I filled my belly with tuna tartare and flash-fried quinoa, a polenta dish, pizza rolls – think cinnamon rolls but with cheese and pepperoni – and sea bass floating in a spicy cioppino. The night beckoned for some red wine; I know it’s not the best pairing, but I had to try the Syrah blend. ERIC: Toasted quinoa, which contained yellowtail, curry cream, pita crisps – epic app. Pepperoni rolls, very unique and tasty. Ovenroasted Corvina sea bass, which had saffron risotto, shrimp, mussels, Spanish chorizo, Piquillo peppers – very good. To drink, the After School Special, which had gin, Cynar, ginger syrup, grapefruit, soda. Very good as well...went back for more than one.

What happened after the magazine crew left? LESLIE: We finished our meal, shared some great conversation and another drink and jumped in the limo. A, it was freezing outside; and B, I had a huge show the next morning and needed my brain-slash-beauty sleep. ERIC: We actually started dinner late due to the other fun activities, so we left fairly soon after the crew left, as we were about done with dinner. We just had the limo drop each of us off and had some good conversation on the way home. Was there a kiss or romantic exchange? LESLIE: Yes, we kissed. ERIC: I don’t like to kiss and tell, but I can confirm that there was some strong flirting taking place. What was the best part of the date? LESLIE: Meeting a man with similar interests and zest for life was refreshing, as was experiencing new spots around town where I made some smile-worthy memories. ERIC: The perfume-making, because it was a fun, relaxing, atmosphere to have a great experience. The buzz from the drinks was just going into effect, and it allowed us to be goofy and just enjoy everything.

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Will there be a second date? LESLIE: Absolutely. I’d like to get to know Eric more and enjoy his company. ERIC: I would say so, because we both seemed to enjoy each other’s company and the overall date. What’s one thing your date should know before his/her next date? LESLIE: Text-messaging is cool at first, but gets old fast. A phone call goes a long way. ERIC: I am really picky, which means that it takes a bit of time before I can commit. Aftermatch: Drinks and appetizers at Herringbone, courtesy of a chef who’s a blind date alum; perfumemaking, neck-smelling and sweet nothings at Tijon; and dinner on top of the world at Cusp – of course the daters had a great night out. As for what the future holds for Eric and Leslie, we hope they’ll still be together on Valentine’s Day, but something already stinks. She’s tired of his texts, he isn’t ready to commit, and the circle of dating life is complete. It just makes scents. THANK YOU! Epic Limo 858.270.LIMO (5466), epiclimo.com

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12/10/12 12:30 PM

Think

You Are Here San Diego stereotype map #

This Finest City map was imagined and designed by Raanan Rosenfeld of San Diego’s Raw Substance Design (rawsubstancedesign.com). “Our city is a tapestry of distinct neighborhoods and cultures, which I’ve reduced, lovingly, to their basest stereotypes,” Rosenfeld says. “In my defense, I took great care in being even-handed with my prejudices.”

“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.” —Albert Einstein

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