4L Magazine – June 2014

LOVE

JUNE 2014 // SUMMER ISSUE

IT’S

SUMMER TIME! Max’s Interview

MEET THE RAWBRAH’S 10 Things to do with the Fam-Bam TRAVEL Surfing in Algarve, Portugal Relaxing at Bacara Resort & Spa

FITNESS NUTRITION FOOD & DRINK RELATIONSHIPS TRAVEL 4LMAGAZINE.COM | Fully cultured, yet unshaven

S I G N A T U R E

T H E

C O L L E C T I O N

B A L A N C E

R V C A . C O M

O F

O P P O S I T E S

4L

LOVE

LEARN

FROM THE EDITOR

LIVE

Magazine LAUGH

* Fully cultured yet unshaven*

volume 2 * issue 4 * june 2014

Publisher/Editor Chris Lapham

I can still vividly remember the night 4L Magazine was born.

Director of sales/Senior Editor Steve Kang

It was one of those beautiful San Diego days, sunny and warmer than normal for a spring day. What started out as a friendly conversation over a few beers soon became a serious discussion. We walked away from the table that night with a new baby ... 4L Magazine.

Senior Managing Editor Cory Waterhouse Director of Marketing Pete Rocky

It’s been a little over two years since that night. It took us a full year to get our ducks in a row before the first issue hit the streets.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since our inaugural “Jerk” cover came out. I guess the old cliché is true, time flies when you’re having fun.

Creative Consultant/Photo Editor John Schnack Online Editor Jeran Fraser

We are very excited and proud to announce our one-year anniversary.

I would like to give a very special thank you to our designer, Kim Lalla. It’s amazing that she hasn’t stormed my office, ready to kill me yet. To say that she is patient would be a vast understatement. 4L would truly be nothing without her and everything that she does for us. I think the next round of tequilas are on me.

As I sit here writing this, we’re now in the first week of June. I’m sure those of you who follow this column have heard me ramble on and on about how much I love San Diego in the summer. I can’t tell you how excited I am that it’s finally arrived. The kids are almost out of school, vacation time is nearing, and the water is warming up.

It’s time to put on your trunks and hit the outdoors. I have to say that I have a strict “no Speedo” and “no banana hammock” policy. Fellas, we would all appreciate if you could please abide by the same rules. If that’s your thing, jump on a plane and visit Europe. Nobody wants to see your junk.

Assistant to the Assistant senior Editor matt fairbanks CONTRIBUTORS Meghan Balser, Mike “Mikey Beats” Beltran, Mary Brooks, Dale Hersey, Erik Martin, Lara Miller, Michelle Lyn, BJ Penn, Brady Phelps, Miles Roberson, Holly Sheets, Jason Stewart, Max Wettstein, Steve Woods, Andrea Zancha photographers Lauren Fraser, Mike Newton, John Schnack, Andi Pianalto

LOVE

A lot has happened since that first issue with Jedd Gyorko on the cover and I’d like to think that we’ve learned a few things along the way. Its been a crazy ride and I’m incredibly grateful to be working with so many amazing people. From our contributors to our distribution team, everyone has been so positive and helpful while we cut our teeth and worked out the bugs.

IT’S

ISSUE JUNE 2014 // SUMMER

SUMMER TIME! Max’s Interview

MEET THE RAWBRAH’S

Along with the plethora of outdoor activities San Diego has to offer, it’s also a great time for outdoor dining or cocktails, hitting up Petco for a Padres game, or catching a live show at one of the many great outdoor venues around town. Indeed, it’s a fine time to be a San Diegan.

As I wrap this up I want to send out our thoughts to all of those affected by the recent wildfires.

May gray and June gloom seem to be on hiatus this year and it’s been unseasonably warm. At the offices of 4L, we were very fortunate, although we were evacuated three different times. I can’t say enough about the tremendous job our firefighters did. If you happen to run into one of them in public, shake their hand and say thank you.

By the time you’re reading this, our one-year anniversary party will have wrapped up. I’d like to give a special thanks to The Verant group, barleymash, and Alternative Strategies. Please visit our Facebook and Instagram to see photos of all the festivities.

Oh, I almost forgot. Happy birthday William. Cheers!

4L

10 Things to do with the Fam-Bam TRAVEL

Portugal Surfing in Algarve, a Resort & Spa Relaxing at Bacar

FITNESS NUTRITION

Oh stop, you know you love “Summer Lovin’”

FOOD & DRINK RELATIONSHIPS TRAVEL

4LMAGAZINE.COM

unshaven | Fully cultured, yet

4L Magazine 1880 Diamond St., San Marcos CA Phone: (760) 744-0911 www.4Lmagazine.com

LOVE

LOVE

LOVE

LEARN

LEARN

4L

Magazine LAUGH

e Magazin LAUGH

MAY 2014

APRIL 2014

OF // SOUTH

LOVE

LIVE

LIVE

// INK

R

THE BORDE

Max’s Pic

k

THE TATTOO ISSUE

GOT

INK? BAJA ANYONE? COM 4LMAGAZINE.

| Fully cultured,

TOP 20 SUPER FOODS Carnival in Cádiz

FITNESS NUTRITION DRINK FOOD & IPS RELATIONSH TRAVEL

FITNESS NUTRITION

FOURELM

AGAZINE.COM

| Fully cultured,

yet unshaven

Like us on facebook! follow us on twitter and instagram

4L Magazine is published monthly except Dec/Jan is bi-monthly. The known office of publication is 1880 Diamond St., San Marcos, CA 92078. 4L is published by Known Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Articles and stories appearing in 4L may not necessarily represent the views and opinions of 4L Magazine. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written consent is strictly prohibited.

FOOD & DRINK RELATIONSHIP S TRAVEL

yet unshaven

4 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

barleymash

contents

FEATURES

Features JUNE 2014

the desert showdown

Kickstart Your Summer

20 26 Laughing for Charity

6 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

10 Things To Do This Season

4lmagazine.com

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 7

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

Fitness 10 defense: Triangle Choke 12 Fast Break: To Trap or Not to Trap 14 w/max wettstein:

Meet the

RawBrahs!

Gambling 60 Tips: Blackjack 16 vs. 10

ON PAR 62 review: The Crossings at Carlsbad 64 golf Tips: Seven Iron

fashion 66 style watch: Gotta Have Shades

food/drink 32 chef’s table: Chris Idso, Pacifica Del Mar 34 BEATS & EATS: Single Fin & The Palace Ballroom’s Timothy Joseph 40 Restaurant ReviewS: Ortega’s Mexican Bistro 42 Jsix Reinvented 44 uncorked: Cabernet Sauvignon for Every Budget 46 CRAFTY: El Dorado Cocktail Lounge 48 IMBIBING: McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey 50 Happiest Hour: Duck Dive 52 Beer me: Breakwater Brewing Co. 54 Tender: Victoria Vasso and Tara Masino

relationships 68 dating: Great Date Spots 70 Musings: From the other side of 40...

stunning san diego

72 Robbin Watson

travel 74 weekender: Bacara Resort & Spa, Santa Barbara 78 Locale: Algarve, Portugal

rhythm

86 hot wire: Concert and Show Dates

around town 88 may events: Local happenings and things to do

56 dish: Spaghetti Alle Vongole

82 All Hands on Tech: Lust-worthy gadgets that will truly make your life more enjoyable 8 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

Service Industry Workers of America

Rules of the 4X4 Challenge: Four 1/2 lb. patties, four slices of cheese, four pieces of bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onions and pickles, topped with a fried egg, on a pretzel roll, surrounded by 1 lb. of fries.

WANTED

SIN-ers

Every Sunday | 8:00 til Close 1/2 Off Bar Tab + Food Specials

NO MODIFICATIONS! NO SUBSTITUTIONS! NO UTENSILS! NO NAPKINS!

Clean your plate in 30 minutes or less to be crowned 4X4 CHAMPION!

Friday and Saturday

967 S. Coast Hwy. 101 • Encinitas • 760.479.1657 • Lumberyard101.com

fitness

defense

Triangle Choke Maneuver:

do not try this at home.

On second thought...

by bj penn

People usually associate this move with the early MMA days when Royce Gracie trapped Dan Severn. Gracie made jiu-jitsu famous and mixedmartial arts a viable way to defeat your opponent through submission. As with some chokes, the legs are utilized to cut the blood flow to the brain so that the opponent submits or passes out.

This maneuver is typically executed when the aggressor is in their guard, which means that he is on his back with his legs wrapped around his kneeling opponent’s body.

10 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

01 U se your legs to wrap around your opponent’s head with one of his arms. The inside of your knee on one side of his neck cuts off the flow of blood to the head and the opponent’s own arm cuts off the other side.

02 F rom your guard, throw one leg over his arm and grab the opposite arm from between your legs. The leg on top should now be directly behind his neck, then lock your foot behind the knee of your opposite leg, thereby forming the triangle.

03 N ow the inside of one knee should be against your opponent’s neck and your opponent’s arm should be on the other with your opposite leg locking in. Now all you have to do is lift your hips and pull his head down to secure it and add increasing pressure.

This is the most basic type of triangle. There are several different variations from several different positions. Sometimes it can involve clothing and sometimes it doesn’t even utilize the opponent’s arm. But all of them involve locking your leg around the opponent’s neck in a triangle shape for submission or unconsciousness.

Warning: The Triangle Choke Hold is dangerous. It can cause serious injury, permanent damage or even death. This is informational for entertainment purposes only. If you are not a trained expert, do not attempt.

4lmagazine.com

FITNESS

FAST BREAK

to trap or

not to trap when defense is offense!

by Jason Stewart

Intense defensive pressure can cause stress in the opposition. Stress can lead to hasty decision making, forcing error. Knowledge of this is what some coaches live by to lead their teams to victory.

Trapping as a Strategy A defensive trap in basketball is when the offensive player with the ball is defended by two defensive players. Clearly these are not favorable odds if you are the offensive player.

However, this may be the perfect storm if you are a defensive team that needs to change the energy level in the game. Consistent full court trapping can cause the offensive team’s blood pressure to go up, forcing hurried decisions.

The defensive team must be really aggressive in their execution to trap the offensive player and steal the ball.

Many times the defense will obtain the ball by stealing a pass thrown under pressure by the offensive player. Defenders will sometimes be able take the ball right out of the offensive players’ hands. Then there are those times when the offense will lose the ball because they panic, lose control of their dribble and the defense recovers the ball. These situations are called turnovers. Turnovers are a bad word in basketball if you’re the losing coach in a game where your team was pressured. On the other hand, if you’re the trapping team, you’re preaching to your players to create turnovers!

12 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

Trapping as a Means for Offense Some teams are composed of fast, tall or athletic players who can cover a lot of court in a short amount of time. Coaches use these qualities in their players as an advantage over slower or less athletic teams. Using this advantage in the form of trapping defensive pressure usually allows the defending team to get steals (turnovers), creating “fast break” lay ups that can accumulate a lot of points in a short amount of time. This can totally deflate the opposing team’s energy and will to compete, leaving them feeling hopeless and/or frustrated.

If you apply this defensive pressure with minimal error, you can really put games away quickly. However, be aware that if this is the strategy that your team uses, you must be in extremely good shape and/or have a lot of people on your team for substitutions. Consistent trapping really puts a lot of physical demand on your body. You must have great lung capacity and overall supreme conditioning.

So why don’t we see more full-court trapping in the NBA? In the NBA, coaches and players are too smart to have full court traps executed against them for an entire game. Since both teams have tall, fast, athletic players, there is not enough of an advantage to use trapping as a full-time strategy. I wouldn’t want to lead you to believe that there are never situations in the NBA where a team would use a trapping defense. However, those times are reserved for certain moments in the game, in very particular circumstances. You are more likely to see individual players executing fullcourt pressure in the NBA. In the pros, the coaches have to be mindful of protecting their players from foul trouble as losing even one player on an NBA team can drastically change the outcome in a game of individual match ups. NBA coaches also have to concern themselves with how much physical demand trapping puts on their players’ bodies. There are 82 regular season games in the NBA and that makes for a long season in which coaches need their players to be healthy in preparation for the playoffs. It would not be wise to take chances on injury due to fatigue or too many bodies running too close together on a possible collision course.

To Trap or Not to Trap?

While trapping does create admirable qualities in players like competitiveness and assertiveness, if that is the team’s sole strategy, it can also slow down the learning of the overall game of basketball.

Players on these teams don’t get to learn offensive tactics and strategies because they rarely find repetition in this area. There are players who trapped throughout elementary and middle school years (some high school) and now lack the offensive skills and/or basketball IQ to execute at higher levels of competition. They go from being the aggressor to becoming the deer in the headlights.

I believe that players should learn as many aspects of the game as possible during their developing years. As always, there will be some who will be better at it than others, but none who were taught will ever be able to say that they are unfamiliar with a particular part of the game.

However, at the end of it all, it is very true that defense wins championships.

If you can learn to execute excellent defense as an individual and as a team, you are close to hoisting a trophy!

Coach Jason Stewart can be reached at: Coach@ProUniversity.Net

FITNESS & NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

RawBrahs!

daniel, timothy & Nathanael

14 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

FITNESS & NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

Three brothers who are challenging everything you think you know...

These three life-hacking brothers host holistic health retreats around the world...showing you how to expect nothing and experience everything while, losing your mind and connecting to your hearts. They invite you to take this opportunity to polar plunge into your vulnerability and start turning your stumbling blocks into stepping stones, the uncomfortable into FUNcomfortable and your relationships into REALationships.

They go where no one else goes so you can form REALationships through RAW HONESTY and AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION. Just like any plant and the RawBrahs will tell you; You’re either growing or dying.

So if you believe you’re as passionate with growth as they are and really want to take it to the next level, their retreats are for you. They guarantee that you can get a better high by exploring the deepest depths of honesty and your heart with the person closest to you right now, than by bungee jumping off the highest bridge farthest away from you.

After endless self-experimentation, they realize being healthy is far beyond fitness and diet. They help you bridge the gap between what you ‘want to do’ and actually creating the life of your dreams now. Their goal is to help you realize that some of your so-called ‘weaknesses and stumbling blocks’ are actually your ‘strengths and stepping stones’. This is the first leap to find your wings.

These are just some of the tools they share with others that ultimately bring you to a place of love and abundance. Being in the presence of these three brothers; it is impossible to not feel the love and inspiration flow through you.

Max Wettstein: Welcome to Encinitas! You three brothers have traveled more than most, both within the US and abroad. You’ve held your RawBrahs’ retreats at some of the most beautiful, paradise locations in the world. You’re originally from the South and recently you relocated to Encinitas. We know we have it good here in North County San Diego, but we want to know what appealed to you most to make you pick up and move here?

RawBrahs: Thanks Max! You’re right! After galavanting the globe on a wide variety of trips around the world to places ranging from Israel to the Overthe-Radar Canadian Rockies to the Islands of Hawaii, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica to even frequenting Latin America (including Mexico, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua and even Costa Rica over ten times now) to the fine first world of Europe (including, but not limited to, London, Amsterdam, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, France) and most importantly not neglecting the homeland and have now been to about 45 of the United States, we learned the fun way that the grass may actually be greener in Encinitas along with waves, beer, and food being tastier.

Really what it was beyond the undeniable energy exuding from Encinitas; Danimal got married to his Princess Diana (half Thai/half Danish retreat attendee) a year ago. Being single and nomadic is one thing, but a nomadic married couple is a whole different ballgame.

We wanted to experiment with freeing up some energy (usually spent traveling) to really hone in on what we are currently passionate about, The RawBrahs!

Additionally, what better home base than one where we are humbled every day by the amazing number of successful entrepreneurs that are getting paid to pursue their passion.

The pristine land and pacific is how supply meets demand here. What’s in demand is health, and you really can’t ignore the fact that we’ve never been anywhere else with more triceps on women LOL …Y oga, Surfing, and Sunshine really are a synergistic solution to sexy!

Although it’s a bit double-edged because we love empty waves as much as any other Encinitas surfer, there is something to be said about when the waves are up, most of the people in this community have built a lifestyle where their passions come first and can drop everything to join everyone else in the surf.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 15

FITNESS & NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

We could go on and on about North County, San Diego but because this is only the first question, and we can empathize with all our friends gifted with ADHD (Ambitious Defiant Happy Danimals), we’ll end by explaining that we are vigilant about the idea of an inevitable environmental influence, and how people are typically the average of those they spend the most time with. When we walk around and see so many guys twice our age, more shredded than us with happy healthy, wealthy families, we figured what better place to keep growing up because we want to look like Max Wettstein when we’re his age!

That’s RawBrah!

MW: I was first drawn to the RawBrahs because we’re both holistic health advocates and we are workout aficionados. Define for me in your own terms what holistic health, or a holistic approach to health, means to you and how you incorporate it into your own lives.

RB: There are many different spokes to this wheel.

Anyone that rides a bike knows that it just takes one spoke to be out of balance and the wheel won’t function to its fullest capacity.

(Strong Body = Strong Mind = Strong Spirit = Strong Psyche)

have, one that does not fit into the realm of presence or holistic health.

When we see someone cut and jacked, yet neglects his family and friends to spend absurd amounts of time in the gym, it’s quite obvious that he’s living a life out of balance. We want to focus on all spokes including and not limited to spirituality, emotional stability, mental status, physique and social skills...the list goes on.

We released our “idol of control” a long time ago and surrendered our hearts to the most high, the will of our all-knowing God! Anyone of any faith/religion (including the faith that God does not exist) is more than welcome at our events. Can you imagine how dull life would be if we only surrounded ourselves with people who we agree with?! We practice self-acceptance through self-expression and highly encourage others to do the same.

Some of us are genetically and/or environmentally predisposed to be naturally gifted in one arena of life but needs to work harder on others.

For instance, physical health may come easy to someone who grew up in a home full of world class gymnasts; however, they may really need to work harder at heart-based connections built on a foundation of being loved and accepted for who they are rather than their performance.

You’ve heard us say “Expect Nothing, Experience Everything” as we believe a key component to being holistically healthy is putting presence on a pedestal.

Compulsive planning is a condition that many of us

For fitness, we focus on Functionality with an emphasis on the “FUN!” We do some sort of movement five to six days a week. Some of training looks like Olympic lifting, gymnastic training, stretching with weights, or just going for a surf!

We tend to do workouts that cater to a more fasttwitch explosive athlete. We are not big endurance guys. Just check out any sporting event and look at the physiques of the sprinters versus marathoners.

We love the idea of hormone hacking using strategies such as cold showers, polar plunging, or even wetsuit-less surfing.

Nomads

danimal and diana

16 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

FITNESS & NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

As far as Nutrition, we mostly just suggest “J.E.R.F.ing” as Sean Croxton would say, Just Eat Real Foods. We don’t need to beat or eat a dead horse, as we’re sure that if you’re reading this magazine you have a pretty good idea what’s healthy and what’s not.

We’ve met plenty of fit Raw Vegans, Weston A Price advocates, Paleo People, or whatever the diet of the day is. One thing they all have in common is that they cut out all the junk!

Additionally, when we truly look at our eating habits, it’s more of a drinking habit. So many times people think they are hungry when they are really just thirsty.

We suggest putting a liter of spring water (infused with fresh lemon and/0r ginger for extra taste and boost) before consuming anything else. “Dilution is the solution to pollution,” is a motto we live by. Fully Loaded Juicery in Leucadia even has a RawBrahs green juice to really get a taste of what we like. Between all the water, green juice, top quality coffee and beer, raw milk, teas, kombucha, and all the other liquids we consume, there is barely enough room for anything else except JERFing.

MW: In your early RawBrah days, you guys followed a strict, raw-vegan diet. However, now you eat all kinds of foods and no longer recommend eliminating any food groups. I’m the same way. Can you tell us why you decided adhering to raw-vegan principles did not work for the three of you, when at one point you were so committed to this type of diet?

RB: As much as we wanted raw veganism to be the holy grail of diets, our bodies were telling us different.

After roughly a year and half of experimenting off and on with a Raw Vegan diet, and even about six months

of basically eating nothing but fruits, vegetables nuts and seeds...we started experiencing some scary side effects.

We decided to get our blood tested and sure enough our testosterone levels were the equivalent to that of an average man in his 80’s or 90’s! Danimal had it the worst. His levels were so low that the doctor offered him a prescription of testosterone supplementation, which he did not accept by the way. Rather, we decided that we might want to have kids one day, so we went home and ate some fish. Immediately we felt as though we took some of Mother Nature’s testosterone.

That along with other indicators such as receding gum lines, extreme muscle/strength loss (we were getting skinny fat for the first times in our life ~ sure sign of a hormone imbalance), lack of motivation and drive for life were all suggestions that maybe it’s time we try something different.

We understand how slippery of a slope it is to have thousands of people expecting you to live up to their expectations and after personally seeing the hypocrisy behind the scenes and the incongruency many so-called “gurus”, authors, and public figures are living compared to what they are teaching. They are deceiving not only themselves, but countless others. We wanted to be ‘Raw’ in our authenticity of who we are on our journey of discovering ourselves.

MW: Another thing we have in common is our openminded-approach to training. I love how not only do you all refuse to follow one workout method or program but you are willing to go out and try them all – and I do mean them all – (just watch their YouTube chan-

nel)! I used to say, “I can workout anytime, anywhere, with anything.” I still believe this to be true. You brothers are the same way and even take this mentality to a whole other level. It seems to me that what allows you to train absolutely anywhere is by learning to effectively train using your own bodyweight for resistance along with any obstacles or objects your natural location may provide. Can you give us a few of your favorite bodyweight-only exercises that we can try anywhere?

RB: Number one for us is the handstand...we love handstands! This exercise alone is not one that will necessarily build a great physique but is just plain fun and addicting. After all, the best exercises are the ones that you do. So first and foremost our workouts are revolved around enjoyment and for us it doesn’t get much better than playing around in the grass on a sunny day with friends getting inverted on your hands.

If you’re looking for some bodyweight only workouts that are not only fun but will also build muscle and burn fat, sprints are amazing! Find a friend who is close to your physical capabilities and go race some 50 yard sprints. Movements such as this that require 100% effort is a way of tweaking your hormones. It increases testosterone levels which is good news for those in pursuit of getting fit. Jumping as high as you can is another great one.

More importantly than the type of exercises for us are the quality in how they are performed. We love doing workouts at 110% with great form and when either the form or effort starts to drastically deteriorate, that’s when we like to call it a day. It’s fitness hacking 101 because under the veil of food, fitness, and all the exterior

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 17

FITNESS & NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

stuff, we understand how hormones are a huge deciding factor to the success of any program. The way we eat, sleep, communicate, play-out, etc. are all key components to having healthy hormones behind all our actions.

MW: One can’t help but notice that you guys are always tone, tan and buff in your appearance. I don’t mean over the top but rather you have a very fit, but still natural look about you. I also know you all are very spiritual and that your retreats actually focus more on what’s inside of us: on radical-honesty, self-acceptance, love, featuring your flaws and emotional bungee jumping. That being said, how important do you think physical appearance is and do you think it is okay if looking good is the main incentive for folks to begin a training program?

RB: If your main incentive to start a training program is to develop a physique, you may be surprised at what you find when you get there. Some of the most self-conscious guys I know also have some of the best bodies. That whole mentality of “when I can look like that, I’ll be happy” is a real delusional trap. It’s almost like the more you get the more you want.

18 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

So in a way, working for a physique is treating the symptoms and not the actual issue. The real issue is, you really care about what other’s think about you or that you are really trying to live up to “society’s” standard of what a great body looks like! With that being said, shedding weight or putting on muscle will most definitely be beneficial to your health. Don’t trick yourself to thinking that having a six-pack will make you happy and fulfilled.

MW: Speaking of radical honesty, some people may feel you guys are relatively young to be leading such life-changing, transformational retreats. Do you think you all have collectively lived through enough life-experiences, trials and tribulations to coach and mentor others that may be considerably older than you?

RB: We’ve taken on regular workout clients in the past, only to realize that we are not personal trainers.

Our passion does not consist of training people to do just as we instruct. We want to inspire them to listen and trust in themselves. “Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I’ll remember. Involve me, I’ll understand”.

We were talking about the epidemic of compulsive planning earlier and that’s definitely part of the therapy our “Expect Nothing Experience Everything” retreats offer. We give you the opportunity to let go of control, absorb all that’s happening in front of you, and detach yourself from tomorrow or expectations.

MW: Speaking of radical honesty, some people may feel you guys are relatively young to be leading such life-changing, transformational retreats. Do you think you all have collectively lived through enough life-experiences, trials and tribulations to coach and mentor others that may be considerably older than you?

RB: Me being the youngest brother, Nathanael, I can say this mindset of being “too young” has been a stumbling block for me to overcome the past several years. While a large part of our clients are free-spirits in their 20’s, I have given consultations to chiropractors, lawyers, married couples and countless others that have been in the personal development field way longer than I have.

4lmagazine.com

FITNESS & NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

When I sit down with a married man with kids that is twice my age, it’s easy to have self-defeating thoughts that I’m not capable to handle what will be thrown my way. Furthermore, through enough experiences, I have learned to not only believe, but to accept that I have a gift to share with the world regardless of how young I am.

Paradoxically, I now understand that those I once perceived as being “well-established, higher class” individuals are typically the ones that need our help the most. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “In the end, its not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

MW: You all seem to insist on nothing less than total raw honesty from your clients. Some folks may not be comfortable sharing their personal issues in front of other folks that they just met. Why is such authentic communication and openness so important within your retreats? Is this a key step to emotional and spiritual growth in your opinion?

RB: Wow Max, thanks so much for the kind words.

Coming from a very authentic and transparent place, people tend to believe we serve as “clear mirrors”.

Your appreciation of our lifestyle is probably a reflection of the part of your lifestyle that you love, so thank you for loving what you see in the mirror.

We love surrounding ourselves with people who reflect our greatness and vice-versa, so that is a huge factor of why we love our retreats. The amazing inspirational people we tend to attract tend to serve as great teachers for our evolution. We love meeting up with these people in “raw locations” for our retreats. Everyone is amazing in some unique way, and we love to see that spark of brilliance explode at our events. Some of our previous locations ranged from Kauai, to Costa Rica, to Nicaragua, to a private Panamanian Island, to Encinitas, California! The list goes on...

We have retreats back to back this year in Steamboat Springs, Colorado (July 3rd-7th), and in Traverse City, Michigan from Aug 10th - 14th. Also included are some potential surprises you catch at www.RawBrahs.com We also have a community of over 70 RawBrahs Ambassadors around the world who are connecting in a meaningful way. They use the messages that we are passing along as context for their lives.

MW: Is there anything else you would like to share with us before we say goodbye?

RawBrahs - Radical, Real, Refreshing Help us make a bigger impact... join our journey!

RB: You would be absolutely correct to say some folks may not be comfortable sharing their personal issues with strangers but ironically we found that people tend to have a much easier time opening up with outsiders than with those that they are closest with. However, don’t get the impression that making our retreat attendees feel emotionally comfortable is by any means our objective. Outside your comfort zone is where all the growth takes place, and that is why we emphasize on turning your uncomfortable into “FUNcomfortable”!

Our world has an inferiority complex. We are living in a state of insecurity, suppression, and feeling inadequate. Authentic communication is for those who are interested in “REALationships”, which means forming real relationships with yourself and others. On our retreats, we give you the tools to build relationships that aren’t based on performance mode or trying to live up to others expectations. Rather, we give you the tools to help you own it all, your strengths, your weaknesses, your silly judgments and your insecurities.

MW: All of you seem so present and personable, ready to drop anything at moment’s notice and jump into a new situation or any kind of challenge head first, and have fun while doing it. What’s the best way for folks in North County to meet up with the RawBrahs if they want to learn more? You seem to have meet-ups all the time and the more the merrier.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 19

the desert

n w o d Show by greg flores

Since the dawn of time the words charity and fundraising have gone hand in hand. When you add comedy icon Will Ferrell to the mix, the emphasis falls squarely on the “fun” aspect of it. Such was the modus operandi of Will Ferrell’s very first “Epically Awesome Desert Showdown,” a two-day fundraising event staged in sunny Palm Desert to benefit the charity Cancer for College. It was not just your run of the mill charity fundraiser. With all the bombast of Ron Burgundy and the blind bravado of Ricky Bobby, the fundraiser stuffed three wild events into two days of philanthropy that raised close to $1 million for a charity that provides college scholarships to cancer survivors.

As chief ambassador of fun and good times for the small San Diego-based charity that was founded by one of Ferrell’s good friends, two-time cancer survivor Craig Pollard, Ferrell takes his role seriously. Whether its a couple making the trip in from another country or the family of one of the many scholarship recipients on hand, Ferrell is a perfect host, always quick with a smile, a hand

shake and just enough of a hint of the snarky, pompous characters he has portrayed on screen over the years to let you know that you are in the right place.

“He really is remarkable,” said Pollard, who first met Ferrell at the age of 18 as fraternity brothers at the University of Southern California. “I think people expect to see the wild and crazy personality of the characters he plays in movies. He’s just such a regular guy. I think that’s ultimately why so many people are attracted to him. He just puts you at ease and he’s so fun to be around.”

Joining Ferrell for the festivities was two-time Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey.

Carrying the intimidating aura of the intense characters he has played on screen, Spacey displayed a wicked sense of humor, which was paired perfectly with Ferrell’s own unique brand.

Leading off the fundraising parade was the 21st annual Will Powered Golf Classic hosted by the beautiful Bighorn Golf Club. With Spacey wedged

between Pollard and Ferrell, the trio kicked off the day with a perfectly executed three-way ceremonial first tee shot. After the round, Ferrell and Spacey shared the stage for a lively post round live auction that featured more shenanigans than you find at your typical fundraiser. In an evening that saw a fair amount of high priced items and experiences go out for bid, the pair took a seemingly innocuous painting of Ron Burgundy donated by a local artist and proceeded to one up each other in an effort to drive the price of the piece up in value. It started innocently enough with Ferrell offering to sign the artwork but escalated quickly in classic Ferrell style. Spacey offered to sign the piece also and, in mock anger Ferrell, the comedian stated he would “drink lighter fluid” on stage to get the painting sold. But he was only to be one-upped by Spacey, who promised to “light Will Ferrell on fire,” then perform the line “milk as a bad choice” (from the original Anchorman movie) while spitting a glass of milk on the painting. Needless to say, neither the winning bidder nor the crowd was disappointed with the outrageous outcome.

For the Desert Smash tennis event the next day, Ferrell and Spacey were joined by fellow entertainers such as Joel McHale (The Soup, Community) and Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect, Super Fun Night). Other celebrities spotted around the courts included Lance Bass (N’SYNC), Timothy Olyphant (Justified), Jon Lovitz (Saturday Night Live) and Redfoo (LMFAO), to name but a few.

The tennis roster was spectacular. The professionals included beauties Ana Ivanovic and Daniela Hantuchová, the all-time winningest doubles team of Bob

22 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

and Mike Bryan along with Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka—not to mention the world’s number one player, Novak Djokovic. The pros and celebrities mixed and matched for a series of entertaining pairings that played before a sold-out crowd at the make-shift center court at the La Quinta Resort & Spa. The Bryan brothers were especially impressive with a shot-making exhibition that wowed the audience. It was a great blend of Hollywood and tennis as the athletes and entertainers gave the crowd everything they could want and more with some well played tennis and timely humor.

The highlight of the day was the premier pairing of Wawrinka and Spacey versus Djokovic and Ferrell. Spacey, who takes his tennis very seriously, had started firing verbal jabs at Ferrell, mocking everything from his athletic ability to his mental stability in the months leading up to the event. Now that they had reached go time on center court, Spacey wasn’t about to let up.

Ferrell, for his part, played along in mock anger and disgust. Djokovic joined the fun by playing the match in a strange wig and headband that was apparently paying homage to Ferrell’s Jackie Moon character from the movie SemiPro. He also proved to have a sense of humor nearly as sharp as his shot-making ability.

4lmagazine.com

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 23

Aside from the tennis and rapid fire comedy from all the participants, the highlight of the entire event came from an unlikely source. During the premier match, play was stopped so that all the cancer survivors receiving scholarships that were in attendance could come down to the court for a photo with the players. It was a nice reminder to everyone that the event and all its star power was brought together to help these young people who have been through so much realize their dreams of college educations.

As if the golf and tennis wasn’t enough, there was a little bit more fun in store. The entire event shifted in the evening to the Agua Caliente Casino for a nightcap concert that included performances from Redfoo, Boyz II Men and Nelly. Ferrell came out to introduce each of the acts before they went out and entertained the crowd with a barrage of hits from each of their respective catalogs.

“This was very ambitious for us,” said Pollard. “Staging three events in two days is a massive undertaking for anyone, let alone a small charity. We rely on a ton of generous people and giving volunteers to make it work. Ultimately, none of it happens without the presence of Will Ferrell. Over the last 20 years, we’ve granted over $2 million to more than 1,000 cancer survivors. We aren’t nearly as successful without him being who he is.”

24 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

LOVE

LEARN

4L

LIVE

Magazine LAUGH

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 25

Backyard Movies

10

Things To Do With Your Family

THIS SUMMER

By Mike Quain

Time flies when living in paradise. It seems like just yesterday my oldest daughter was enjoying the last days of summer and anxiously awaiting the start of her formal education years. Kindergarten seemed like such a big deal back then, more so to me than to her as I remember it.

A blink of an eye later and seven school years have gone by and my three kids are revving 26 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

up for another summer in San Diego. When I think back about the interesting things we’ve done in those seven years, more than a few took place in the summertime.

Maybe it’s the great weather, the longer days and the relaxed curfews. Or maybe it’s the free time and the freedom from homework or possibly it’s the fact that summer is coming and we can’t wait to do it all over again.

4lmagazine.com

Whatever it is, now’s a great time to start thinking about outings with your girls and boys and to get those creative juices flowing.

I therefore offer my family’s Top 10 list of memorable summer activities:

10

Mountain Biking

Palomar Mountain

Plan a daylong bike ride

Pack your bikes and head for one of the many biking hot spots around San Diego. For mountain biking, there are plenty of options including Palomar Mountain, where you can get some serious exercise while taking in spectacular backcountry views.

If you want a more moderate ride with a bit of a wilderness feel, take a trip up to Lake Hodges to ride the fire roads around the park. And if you are bringing along the little ones who are only a few months graduated from training wheels, Mission Bay is a great place for a flat, leisurely ride. Whatever the location, pack a picnic basket for lunch filled with sandwiches and a few favorite family treats and stop for dinner on the way home at a favorite casual restaurant.

Have a pool party

9

Nothing offers instant entertainment like a pool. If you have a pool in your backyard or neighborhood, plan a pool party with lots of friends. Bring all the regular party prerequisites—food, drinks, sunscreen, etc.—and don’t forget a few toothpicks for the kids. Here’s why: One child takes the toothpick to the bottom of the pool and then joins all the others out of the water. Everyone stares desperately into the pool looking for the rising toothpick and jumps in after it as soon as they see it. First to come up with the toothpick 10 times wins.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 27

8

Agree as a family to read a cool book I know this sounds crazy and maybe a little nerdy, but it really can be fun. Just picking the book can make for an entertaining evening, but once that is complete make sure to set a schedule for completing each chapter or section and then set a regular time to discuss as a family. Save the last couple of chapters to read out loud together and then plan a big dinner to talk about the story, the characters and the life lessons.

Fireworks

uss midway

28 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

7

Make big plans for the Fourth of July The Fourth of July is not only a great day to talk about the history of our country’s independence but also a perfect night to view a spectacular fireworks show.

And in San Diego, we are lucky to have a host of choices. The largest and most spectacular is the show over San Diego Bay, dubbed the Big Bay Boom. But there are plenty of other options up and down the coast, including North County shows at Legoland and the Del Mar Fairgrounds as well as shows at La Jolla Cove, SeaWorld and Ocean Beach Pier as you head south. When the kids were young, we would take it easy during the day; as they get older we add daytime activities.

4lmagazine.com

Refugio Campground Santa barbara

6

Go camping Camping in San Diego and most of California seems to come down to two alternatives, camping at the beach or camping in the mountains. We almost exclusively choose the beach and usually go with other families to increase the fun. From Refugio Campground in Santa Barbara to the Silver Strand on Coronado in San Diego, California beaches offer the best environment for exertion or relaxation. Choose surfing, swimming, sailing, paddle boarding or running. Or just grab a beach chair and watch the dolphins, whales and people pass by. If you have a member of the family who is opposed to living in the dirt, skipping showers and using public facilities, try setting up a tent in your living room; that is fun, too, and you can usually head back to bed after the kids fall asleep.

5

Have a movie / video game / board game day I bet almost everyone has experienced some form of “movie day” with their kids, so it all comes down to planning. If your schedule permits, it’s great to have a movie day all planned out and “on the shelf” just waiting for that one summer day when you hear “I’m bored” for the 20th time.

The element of surprise works wonders. Now mix in a new movie they all wanted to see or an old favorite they all love, comfort snacks like popcorn and chocolate, and serve.

To cut down on the aching backs and zoned out groaning, interrupt the couch potato party with an active board game (think Pictionary) or video game (Just Dance). If you didn’t start this party at 8 a.m. and everyone is still going strong at sunset, have a BBQ in the backyard and watch one more movie under the stars. A white sheet pinned to the house or fence can bring back that old drive-in feel. Hopefully, the little ones will be asleep before the end credits roll.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 29

Go to an amusement park, or two

4

Southern California must have more amusement parks than anywhere else in the world (research limited to my narrow view, of course). So how to tackle this category can be a bit tricky.

In San Diego, we love SeaWorld and the Wild Animal Park (now called the San Diego Zoo Safari Park). SeaWorld is part amusement park and part animal show in that it has some tame and not-so-tame roller coasters as well as all the fun animal shows and educational attractions, aquariums and the like. The Wild Animal Park is really unique because the animals roam in large open areas that simulate their environment in the wild. And for plant lovers, the landscape and gardens at both parks are world class.

If you are looking for a more adventurous theme park experience, you can drive less than 100 miles to reach Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim. If you visit, make sure to go on Soarin’ over California, still my favorite amusement park ride. I have only been on it once a few years ago and sat between my then 6-year-old daughter who was completely enthralled and her absolutely terrified best friend who screamed from start to finish. We are angling to go back for round two this summer with the same family friends.

Chase Field

Home of the diamondbacks

Take a plane ride to a new city

3

It doesn’t need to be far; in fact, closer may be better. We catch a plane to San Francisco in the morning, plan a full day of activities, stay the night in the city, and squeeze in another half day before catching a plane home. For baseball fans, fly to a nearby city like Phoenix and attend a minor league baseball game in the evening, in your shorts and flip flops.

30 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

2

Plan a trip to the lake Again there are so many choices that time, money and preferred activities must be considered. Our family really enjoys the type of boating that includes wakeboarding, water skiing, and tubing, so our choice the last few summers has been Bass Lake near Fresno. If you are looking for the short version closer to home, visit Carlsbad Lagoon where you can rent a Waverunner by the hour or a boat and driver together for wakeboarding and skiing.

Bass Lake

Outside yosemite

1

Go to the beach It’s San Diego; your whole summer is one big resort vacation.

So there you have it, one guy’s top 10 list of fun things to do with your kids this summer. While the list may suffer from a bit of age bias (both the age of the writer and the age of the kids), the following bonus top 10 are sure to make any special day with your kids more special: 01 A sk your kid’s opinion or ideas and make every effort to incorporate it.

02 L isten more than you talk.

03 T urn off your cell phone even if they do not

(maybe they will once they notice you).

04 A sk why?

05 I nclude their friends.

06 L ook in their eyes and say “I love you” followed by name or endearing nickname.

07 A ctually mean number six above.

08 C ontinue repeating number six above for the rest of your life.

09 O h, and take lots of pictures and videos because time really does fly when you are having fun.

10 A lso don’t forget to put the cellphone and DSLR down sometimes and stay in the moment. Your kids will thank you for it.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 31

food/drink

CHEF’S TABLE

Chris Idso Pacifica Del Mar

A Del Mar favorite for over twenty years, Pacifica Del Mar is holding strong as a great place to dine with a stunning ocean view. Perfect for a sunset cocktail, Pacifica is on the top level of the Del Mar Plaza and longtime chef Chris Idso has overseen the evolution of the restaurant and its offerings. Del Mar in July is synonymous with track season, so whether it’s for a pre-track cocktail or a post-track dinner, make a point to stop in and see why the locals keep coming back, year after year.

by Michelle Lyn

32 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

CHRIS IDSO

4L Magazine: Pacifica Del Mar is in a great location, on top of the Del Mar Plaza. What do you love most about operating a restaurant in Del Mar Village?

Chris Idso: I love the connection we have with the Del Mar community.

We have a lot of regular guests who live and work in the area and who have been visiting and supporting us for several years. Also, the view and sunsets are pretty amazing.

In the 25 years Pacifica has been open, what has changed the most?

The look and decor of the restaurant has changed the most over the years. We’ve done several major remodels; the last one was a few years ago when we expanded our bar to create the ocean vodka bar. We’re always making tweaks to keep the restaurant fresh and maintain the evolution of the menu.

You seem to maintain loyal customers and attract new customers.

What’s your secret?

We develop connections with our longtime customers and provide a comfortable and familiar environment. We create a consistent experience by keeping several of our “signature” items on the menu and nurturing these relationships with a very tenured service staff.

I think we’re able to attract new guests through word of mouth and keeping our restaurant fresh with periodic design updates, a seasonal menu that is constantly evolving with the market and by staying active with events in the communities surrounding us.

How do you use your culinary skills behind the bar?

I like to keep a large portion of our cocktails and beers seasonally driven.

Whether it’s procuring a seasonal beer from a local brewery or infusing liquor with peak season produce, I approach the cocktail menu like a chef, using seasonal ingredients to create drinks that can also be consistently and efficiently replicated.

Which menu item excites you most right now?

Our Northern Halibut dish, which has a limited season, is one of my favorite fish to work with. I’m able to showcase many different seasonal preparations as this fish is caught fresh from spring to the end of fall.

What’s your favorite thing about Pacifica?

I am going to have to say the view. It’s so tranquil. My favorite time is in the spring when we take down our winter tent, put up our umbrellas and go to full al fresco dining on the front portion of our patio, under the stars

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 33

food/drink

BEATS & EATS

BEATS&EATS What’s RAD about

Beats & Eats?

The food and the music!

by mikey beats

SINGLE FIN

MISSION BEACH 34 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

The Palace Ballroom’s Timothy Joseph possesses a knowledge and industry perspective that are essential for any musician coming up to live by. I visited my old friend at Single Fin, a new restaurant/bar in the heart of Mission Beach, for a sweet culinary experience.

4lmagazine.com

Timothy and Mikey

taking in the scenery

single fin surf grill 3844 Mission Blvd., San Diego » Neighborhood: Mission Beach » (858) 352-6611 » SingleFinSD.com

Mikey Beats: Starting with the basics. You’re Timothy Joseph.

Timothy Joseph: I am.

middle of nowhere. It got nicer as the years wore on and we built up a bigger following. Definitely as a kid, we had a pretty rough time touring with that band but it was glorious all the way through.

MB: You play in The Palace Ballroom.

MB: You gotta to start somewhere, right?

TJ: I do.

TJ: Well, I started before that, but that was the first time where I was really on my own without any significant label help. We had a label that helped us out a little, but when you aren’t making any money on the road, you come home and you’ve lost your job. You haven’t paid rent in a month and you have a bunch of eviction notices on your door. It’s rough, but it’s the way it is when you’re a musician.

MB: Do you have any other projects going on right now?

TJ: No, just that. It basically takes up most of my time because they are all my songs. I spend the majority of my music writing hours working on my own stuff. If I wanted to play in a wedding cover band, I could do it, but that’s almost pointless for me because I’m a songwriter.

MB: Yeah, you’ve always kept it real. The first band I knew you to be a part of was Buckfast Superbee. How long did that run?

TJ: I want to say about 12 or 13 years. A long time.

I had projects on the side and played with other bands for awhile. We would take hiatuses and go on tour with other bands. That band kind of stayed true and we had a really nice following. We got along really well and the music kept coming. It was a good run.

MB: It was a good run. I was a fan.

TJ: I cut my touring teeth for real with that band.

When we first started touring, there was no support at all, so we were eating beans and sleeping on floors. You know, playing at shit holes in the

MB: The life of a touring musician.

TJ: Without question.

MB: That is a beautiful thing. … back to The Palace Ballroom. How many releases do you have out now?

TJ: Only one. We’re currently recording our second.

MB: Excellent.

TJ: We took the beginning of this year off to get in there and solidify it. I write the songs and then we all coalesce and orchestrate it together. We’re almost all through pre-production entirely. All we have to do is set up the mic and record now. The bulk of the work is done, it’s just getting in there for two weeks straight and laying it all down.

MB: Got it.

TJ: So our sophomore release will be out probably mid-summer I would think. Maybe even earlier than that if it goes well.

MB: Management? Booking?

TJ: We had a manager, Antony Bland from LA. He manages The Mowgli’s, Brand New and a bunch of cool bands like that. He’s a good dude … but honestly, in today’s climate, you don’t really need a manager until you can pay a manager, until you have so many opportunities that you can’t handle them yourself anymore. We were playing a lot of shows last year and there was a lot of demand for the band and that was cool. We have a really solid lineup and things have been going really well. We’ve been keeping a low profile while recording. My thing is, I don’t really want to bring a manager on until the gigs are big and I can afford to pay him his percentage.

MB: Yeah. That’s real talk there, especially locally.

TJ: What’s the point? Anything local or even anything regional, I can book and can take care of. I’ve been doing it long enough, I know the people. I’ve played the venues enough times that the booker just calls me directly, instead of dealing with that. If I’m booking a 30-day run then OK, a manager can handle that. The more DIY things are, the better. The less you involve other people in your craft, the more you can direct it to where you want to go.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 35

food/drink

BEATS & EATS

MB: You know I helped develop an artist agency called Sleeping Giant Music and yeah, until you can afford it and have so much that you need to focus more on the craft, rather than the booking, that’s when you hand it off.

TJ: It’s all about self-promotion. It’s all about people who are fans of what you do, advocating for you. That’s the real advertising and the real way to grow your band. I’ve learned a lot from my partner at the studio, Jim Austin. He used to own RedSand Clothing and now the Rimrock Ranch in Pioneertown. It’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s like a vampire bar in the middle of the desert. Basically my partner bought a ranch that was built in the ‘40s and used to house all the TV stars. He had the foresight to buy that place and has been on the cover of LA Magazine.

MB: Killing it.

TJ: He knows what he’s doing. He’s kind of my mentor. I’ve learned the way to grow my business and the way to do things is to have that one-onone communication. Have people who believe in what you do; you give them your philosophy or present your product, your restaurant, your mu-

36 4L Magazine | JUNE 2014

sic, whatever it is, you show it to your friends and family or the people who care about you most and you get feedback.

TJ: I know you do. You’re an artist, you’re an entertainer. You know how hard it is to stay relevant.

MB: Stay relevant or fade away.

If the feedback is overwhelmingly positive, then you’ve got something going on. Your friends and family are the ones that will tell you the truth.

Your mom might tell you you’re great no matter what but if you’ve got real friends, they’ll be like, “Yeah, dude, that was cool” or “You need to change this or that.” So the whole idea of growing any business, whether it be art, or a restaurant, or music, is to have your friends advocate for you.

You can read an advertisement in the newspaper or a magazine, but it doesn’t mean anything like when your friends come up and say, “Hey man, I went to this place called Single Fin, food is incredible, it’s a cool joint, sat on the patio and it was amazing. You gotta come check it out.” And they’ll come. It’s the same with music. I work really hard on an album and give it to all my friends and let them hear it. They come to a show. They say TJ’s band is great. Or Mikey is an incredible DJ, let’s go see him.

MB: I murder weddings, ha!

TJ: You have to constantly have people advocating for you. This is a tough society, there’s a lot of competition and very short attention spans.

People will skip from one thing to the next if you’re not in their face. You have to be personally involved.

MB: Very true. Hands on is very important. The relationships you keep dictate your success.

TJ: Without question. You have to shake peoples’ hands, kiss babies. And you can’t be disingenuous about it. It needs to be real. You honestly have to appreciate someone for saying they like what you do. You thank them and shake their hand and follow up with them.

MB: Absolutely. Your recording studio and practice spaces are located in what area?

TJ: In Mission Valley, about a half mile east of the stadium off of Friar’s Road.

4lmagazine.com

The Palace Ballroom’s Timothy Joseph

giving it a thumbs up!

MB: And it’s called?

TJ: Studio 350 and Phaser Control Recording Studios. It is always full and people were always asking me if there were any open rooms. I paid for rehearsal rooms my entire musical career and I realized it was kind of a necessity in San Diego to have a place that was centrally located like that where musicians could practice as loud as they want, stay there at all hours and keep their gear there.

[Food comes out carried by Dominic, one of the owners and the GM.] MB: What we have here are Sriracha shrimp tacos and Sriracha shrimp bites.

TJ: There’s already Sriracha in there? Or we put more Sriracha in?

MB: Oh, I put more Sriracha on everything. The tacos come with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo and lime on a flour tortilla. Oh gosh, I love these. These are my favorite.

MB: Every restaurant or bar and grill needs to have that one thing that everyone comes to get.

I feel like this is that thing.

TJ: You drown your food in Sriracha. I didn’t put anything on mine and it was perfect.

[Back to the Beats ...]

GoReng. It’s a local dish of Balinese people.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner—they eat this three times a day. When we get out of the water after surfing, we eat this. Sometimes we serve it with chicken. We use our own homemade shrimp and chili paste, mix in some green onions and lay a fried egg on top.

TJ: Amazing.

TJ: The studio has been pretty amazing, man.

I’ve recorded some amazing bands like Silversun Pickups and The Shins. I also made a partnership with FM94/9.

MB: This is so good. What’s the price point on this?

Dominic: Six bucks. I have to keep it cheap because it’s the poor man’s dish in Bali.

MB: Nice, good ol’ Tim Pyles.

TJ: Yeah, Pyles is a good friend of mine. Known him forever. Yeah, we’ve done some big bands.

They come in, I get video of them and we record a live session. My favorite session so far has been Peter Murphy from Bauhaus. He came in with two guys and sang; it was the most intense performance I’ve ever seen. They want to release that as an EP. The recording came out really good.

[He brings out some fish tacos.]

Dominic: These are Frank’s Fresh Catch Fish Tacos. Basically, Frank goes out and catches the fish and brings it right back here to us.

There’s a picture of Frank and the fish after he caught it, and we put it up on the menu so when you walk in, you literally see the fish he just caught. This is yellowtail.

MB: Wow, that’s very complimentary.

[Open mouth, insert food. Both of us pause to have oral orgasms.]

[TJ takes a bite of the fish taco.]

[Dominic walks up with a rice dish.]

MB: TJ’s speechless. Whoa, that’s a first.

TJ: These tacos are amazing. I like the sweetness.

Dominic: This is Indonesian fried rice called Nasi

[Laughter all around.]

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 37

food/drink

BEATS & EATS

TJ: I don’t know if it’s a pineapple salsa or something but I like that sweet offset. You gotta love Frank. He’s the man.

MB: Dom, I brought a good friend of mine down here a few days ago and he’s very opinionated. He had a Cadillac Margarita and he said it was the best he had in the beach area. So this place doesn’t just serve great food, the drinks are on point, too.

Dominic: I heard that actually and was honored.

MB: TJ, was there anything else? Oh, shout out to your sound guy, Sam Castellano! Does he do all your shows?

TJ: Yes. MB: I love that guy.

TJ: I have a long relationship with him, been working with him for years. Best sound man in San Diego. The sound guys are the unsung heroes of the music business. ...

People don’t realize that when they go see a show, there’s a lot involved, especially at a bigger-scale show.

Sound, especially with live music, is the number one factor. I’m sure everyone has been to a show where they were really excited to see a band and the sound just wasn’t there, so the experience wasn’t there. Maybe the band played well, but the sound sucked so you really couldn’t get into the show as much. Every show I’ve ever played (and I’ve played hundreds and hundreds with Sam running it) has always sounded good. Even the crappiest venues with the crappiest PAs up to the biggest stadium venues with the biggest PAs, he knows how to run them all. He’s been an incredible friend and I’m amazed by what he does.

MB: Sam was my first sound bosas. He taught me how to roll cables. Happy cables. He was vigilant about it.

[Dom drops a burger on the table.]

MB: That’s a Baja Burger. There’s a jalapeño popper in there with bacon jam, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions and bleu cheese crumbles. The bacon jam is what really brings it all together. It’s that sweet Single Fin flavor. Explosive sweetness.

TJ: There’s little bit of sweetness in every food item.

MB: That’s why I eat here all the time now.

[Thanks to TJ for chatting with me and Dom and Single Fin for providing the amazing food. Until next month ...]

38 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

RETOX SUNDAYS | CATCH THE SUNSET, DRINK IN HAND | BOTTLE SERVICE AVAILABLE

PB'S FRESHEST CALI-INSPIRED MENU | DAILY SPECIALS 28 HD TV'S, TWO 10' PROJECTORS, AND ONE 18' PROJECTOR PLAYING EVERY SPORT IMAGINABLE PARTY INTO THE NIGHT EVERY WEEKEND

PB'S ONLY COUNTRY BAR | LIVE COMEDY WEDNESDAYS | SHUFFLE BOARD AND ARCADE GAMES JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 39

food/drink

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Ortega’s 141 University Ave. San Diego (619) 692-4200 Neighborhood: Hillcrest Ortegas.com type of cuisine:

Puerto Nuevo-Style Mexican

ortega’s A Mexican Bistro

The origins of the traditional recipes served at Ortega’s Bistro date back 60 years, to the tiny fishing village of Puerto Nuevo, Mexico. There, the fifth-generation Ortega family fed the hungry fishing community with hearty servings of the local staples: rice, beans, tortillas and steamed lobster. Puerto Nuevo became an increasingly popular destination for Americans, who took notice of the appetizing regional cuisine.

40 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

The Ortega’s family owns and operates several restaurants in Puerto Nuevo and Rosarito. The tasteful tradition and original flavorful influence of Ortega’s is now restored in the heart of Hillcrest. The palate pleasing menu creates an experience, reflecting the diverse collections of cuisine that took root in Puerto Nuevo without having to cross the border.

4lmagazine.com

What We Ate: 01 Ortega’s Table Side Guacamole

(prepared for you table-side with fresh avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, pureed roasted garlic, grilled lime)

Guacamole

Who makes guac table-side anymore? This place! Firstly, anything made fresh in front of your face is awesome, but after you bite in it completes the experience. They threw in some grilled limes to really bring out the flavor. The fresh ingredients shine through each spicy bite.

02 Ortega’s Beef Burrito

(Grilled flat iron steak, charro beans, jack cheese wrapped in a large, freshly handmade flour tortilla; served with rice and charro beans)

Ortega’s Beef burrito

Beef burrito? It should be named steak burrito. It’s tender with great flavor and great seasoning. It’s complemented with a blanket of cheese and beans to mix it all up in gooey goodness. You can’t go wrong with this guy. It’s large and delicious. The housemade tortilla wraps it up with, you guessed it, gooey goodness.

03 Whole Lobster

(The traditional specialty of Las Familia Ortega: authentic Puerto Nuevo-style whole grilled lobster served with Puerto Nuevo-style rice, refried beans, drawn butter, grilled lime and a large, freshly handmade flour tortilla)

whole lobster

Holy Moly, you too may prefer crab to lobster, but this place cooked the lobster perfectly. You better call Han Solo because it’s not Chewy.

What we drank Fresh Jalapeño Margarita

(Muddled fresh jalapeños, Cuervo Tradicional Tequila, homemade sour mix and a Grand Marnier floater served on the rocks in a chilerimmed glass) The chile rim is fantabulous. It’s saltiness and spiciness are great precursors to the sweet and spiciness of the fresh margarita.

the joint Ortega’s brings an authentic Puerto Nuevo dining experience to the heart of San Diego. Enjoy Baja-style lobster, fresh guacamole prepared table-side, and other regional specialties while sipping a decadent pomegranate margarita. The restaurant’s atmosphere and design capture the festive Mexican traditions and tasteful flavors of Puerto Nuevo.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 41

food/drink

restaurant REVIEW

jsix

Chef Christian Graves

reinvented

By Michelle Lyn

You’ve read about chef Christian Graves in 4L Magazine before. He’s a dad, he’s a surfer and he’s one of the most respected chefs in town. You know his name, but you might not be as familiar with the name of his restaurant, Jsix. Don’t worry, we won’t hold it against you. Although Jsix has been around nearly 10 years, I’m go-ing to go ahead and say it’s one of the best new restaurants in San Diego right now. New and improved, that is. Kimpton did a complete overhaul of the previously forgettable Jsix space (read: lackluster hotel restaurant), and the new restaurant is virtually unrecognizable and downright impressive in every sense of the word.

42 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

More than a simple renovation, Jsix (located in East Village’s Hotel Solamar) is now hipster cool with a dose of modern American

class. The new design is in-spired by early America, featuring era specific building materials like exposed brick walls, subway tiles, distressed metals and reclaimed woods presented in a modern, polished finish. Vintage photographs of the city’s humble beginnings as a shipping village are also displayed throughout, tying back to the restaurant’s early American design and San Diego’s roots.

Chef Graves transformed the menu to include an array of small plates perfect for a night of sharing among friends. Snack on unique dishes like quinoa-crusted avoca-do served with a chimichurri sauce or Graves‘ play on chips and dip, which con-sists of taro chips and a green strawberry salsa.

Ease into the main course with small plates like spicy lamb meatballs or the potato and dungeness crab pancakes served with caviar and hollandaise. Whatever you order, save room for the braised rabbit and spinach pasta with roasted fennel, housemade ricotta and mint leaves; it will be the highlight of your night.

4lmagazine.com

To round out the renovation, Jsix swiped top bartender Nate Howell from CUSP to engineer a bar program that exemplifies the tradition and history of cocktails. Howell uses Chef Graves’ food to inspire his drink menu, which focuses on re-gional products and utilizes ingredients infused with Graves’ smoked meats and rubs.

You can expect to find honest cocktails that celebrate the best of America, like Howell’s riff on a classic Mai Tai called Our Own Backyard. The blend of Ballast Point rum, Marie Brizard Apry apricot brandy, salted orgeat syrup, fresh lime and mint from the restaurant’s rooftop garden create a drink that salutes San Diego in a way that is uniquely Jsix.

Hours Breakfast daily 7-10:30 a.m.

Lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Nate Howell

Happy Hour daily from 4-7 p.m.

Dinner daily at 5:30 p.m.

Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

JSIX 616 J St., San Diego Neighborood: East Village (619) 531-8744 JsixRestaurant.com

Paying tribute to his own beginnings in Indiana, Howell created the High Five with Mittens, a Midwest-inspired combination of a Ramos Gin Fizz and Root Beer Float using Death’s Door white whiskey, sarsaparilla-vanilla syrup, Wisconsin heavy cream, egg white and soda water.

Finally, Jsix’s ambience matches the quality of Graves’ cuisine. As it says on the menu, you can “sleep well tonight knowing you are eating organic, sustainable and hormone-free, supporting local farmers and our economy,” as well as eating in one of San Diego’s newest haute spots.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 43

food/drink

UNCORKED

Cabernet Sauvignon for Every Budget

By Michelle Lyn

If you like your red wine full-bodied and “jammy,” Cabernet Sauvignon is a great varietal for you. If you don’t really know what full-bodied and “jammy” means, but you know you like red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is still probably the best varietal for you. It’s one of the most widely recognized red wine

$25 and under

grape varieties, and it’s grown in nearly every all. When stocking your cellar, know that major wine producing country in the world. Cabs are great for aging and best when they come from warmer climates. They are often Cabernet Sauvignon grapes originated in blended with Merlot or Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux and with careful winemaking and although they are great unblended if they barrel-aging, they can produce some of the come from somewhere warm like Chile or longest-living and most intriguing reds of Northern California. Napa anyone?

Benziger Family Vineyard

Concannon ($25) Caricature ($17) Benziger ($20)

$50 and under

Whitehall Lane ($40) Emblem ($35) Chateau Montelena ($50)

44 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

$100 and under

Newton ($60) Pine Ridge ($54) Caymus “40th Anniversary� Cabernet ($60)

$100+ and over Somerston Estate ($120) Revival Vineyards ($125) Yao Ming ($150)

food/drink

CRAFTY

01

el dorado

02

cocktail lounge

by Miles Roberson

‘Tis the Season for Seasonal Cocktails!

The great American cocktail can be found at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge. America has a long and storied tradition with spirits and cocktails. As immigrants from around the world settled in cities and towns across the country, they brought the culinary traditions that form the way we drink today.

Thanks to the whiskey-loving settlers of the South, we have Kentucky bourbon country, and if it hadn’t been for nostalgic Italian immigrants, California’s Bay Area might not have experienced its love affair with Italian Amari. Now you can experience these drinks for yourself at El Dorado.

While these influences remain as steadfast as ever, America’s melting pot of culinary traditions has also spawned new trends

across the country with seasonal cocktails. If you eat seasonally, why not drink seasonally, right? Spring is in the air, which means it’s time to gear up for some warmweather imbibing.

From bright, citrusy cocktails to drinks infused with market-fresh ingredients, El Dorado has your drink ready. By creating cocktails that reflect the changing seasons, El Dorado has taken advantage of patrons who are emerging from winter hibernation, ready to imbibe springtime drinks made with fresh fruits and cool liqueurs.

03

I recently paid a visit to El Dorado and met up with owner Ryan Koontz. We talked seasonal cocktails and after glancing over the impressive offerings, I decided to go with the following gems:

Mixology Minute Fernet Branca: A type of amaro, which is a bitter, aromatic spirit usually served as a digestif but often used as an ingredient is some of San Diego’s finer cocktail bars.

El Dorado Cocktail Lounge | 1030 Broadway, San Diego | Neighborhood: Downtown | (619) 237-0550 | ElDoradoBar.com 46 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

01

Brooklynite

A little-known Daiquiri adaptation, this recipe specifies aged rum and swaps honey syrup for the more traditional • ¾ oz. fresh lime juice simple syrup sweetness. Fresh lime • ¾ oz. housemade honey syrup juice and honey balance this smooth, toasty cocktail. The rum needs to be • Dash of Angostura bitters good rum here, since it plays a starring role. Upon first look, the recipe appears to be a combination of two classics: the Daiquiri, with dark rum and honey instead of white rum and simple syrup, and the Bee’s Knees, with dark rum and lime juice in place of gin and lemon juice. All of these drinks share an ingredient base of syrup and citrus, and each offers astounding complexity. This Trader Vic classic is perfectly sweet yet spicy and complex enough to savor and enjoy.

• 1 oz. Mount Gay Black Barrel aged rum

02

Oaxacan River (pronounced Wha-Haw-Can)

• 1 oz. 100 percent agave Blanco Tequila • 1 oz. Vida Mezcal • .5 oz. Crème De Cacao • Dash of peach bitters

An exercise in delicious simplicity. This combo of tequila, mescal crème de cacao and peach bitters was made for springtime sipping. This is a one-two punch to your taste buds, sampling the sweet mysterious goodness that is the agave plant.

SPORTS // CULTURE // MEDIA

// SAN DIEGO

if you lob it up, we'll take a shot at it..

03

www.lobshots.com

The B.O.S.S.

• 2 oz. Cocchi Americano • ¾ oz. housemade blood orange syrup • ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice • Soda water • Blood orange wheel for garnish

This slightly bitter cocktail shows how complex a cocktail can be, even when it’s made with fairly basic ingredients. The B.O.S.S. (I have

no idea what that stands for; guess I should’ve asked, huh?) is a fizzy

glass of citrus and spirits that you’ll want to refill over and over again.

Starting with Cocchi Americano, an aperitif wine, they add a housemade blood orange syrup, some fresh lemon juice and a splash of soda water to deliver the perfect start to a night of imbibing.

These amazing cocktails are only $9 each and, get this, on Sundays through Fridays until 9 p.m. and Saturdays until 10 p.m. they’re only $5! Now, by the time you read this you may only have a couple weeks to get in there to try these spring beauties because Ryan will be kicking off his summer cocktail menu on June 14.

Since opening in 2008, El Dorado Cocktail Lounge has established itself as a cornerstone in San Diego’s craft cocktail movement. Once one of the city’s entertainment sweet spots, El Dorado will no longer be spotlighting music acts but rather focusing on cocktail culture and getting back to cocktail basics, Koontz informed me.

In addition to fine cocktails, he will be adding 20 craft beer handles going heavy on IPAs and sours, plus barrel-aged beers. The interior will also be undergoing some improvements. The rustic, classic saloon of yesteryear is in the process of adding seats, games and a redesigned back bar with those aforementioned tap handles. Don’t worry, the marooned walls adorned by vintage cowboy scenes, wrought iron chandeliers and the taxidermied white buffalo head will remain.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 47

food/drink

IMBIBING

PORTLAND’S FINEST McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey

By Meghan Balser

Oregon is known for many liquid libations, including Willamette Valley wine, craft brews, artisan coffee. But many are not as familiar with the small production distilleries such as Clear Creek, which is best known for fruit spirits and, specifically, pear brandy. Clear Creek uses traditional Alsace techniques and fresh Bartlett pears from a family orchard to produce the classic spirit.

The distillery was started by Steve McCarthy 29 years ago, when it first began producing their celebrated brandies, eau de vies and grappa. The distillery is named

48 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

after the creek that runs through the orchards where they harvest their fruit, just an hour away in the Hood River Valley.

A standout of their offerings is McCarthy’s Single Malt American Whiskey. It’s made in the Islay tradition with smoky notes derived from peat, a distinct characteristic of Islay malts. The inspiration for this artisan dram comes from a trip to Scotland, where Steve went on a tasting adventure that had him sampling a local inn’s selections of peaty single malts.

It’s comparable to a Lagavulin 16 year, which was McCarthy’s muse for his namesake whiskey.

The peat-malted barley used in the production of McCarthy’s is flown in from Scotland. Widmer Brothers brewery, which is just across the Willamette River from Clear Creek, ferments the barley into a wash for the distillation process. Clear Creek then distills the spirit in traditional Holstein copper pot stills from Germany.

On the nose: Rich wood, hickory, sweet barley, peat.

The whiskey is aged in air-dried Oregon oak for three years, and the wood in the finished product is clearly present. For a young whiskey with so much flavor and peat, it’s soft and approachable for any Scotchimbibing palate.

The palate: Sweet honey-reminiscent of a Highland malt, light smoke.

On a trip to Portland this past October, I had the opportunity to visit the Clear Creek distillery and tour the production facilities. McCarthy’s has always been a favorite of mine in the whiskey category, from one of the pioneers in American craft distillation.

How to enjoy McCarthy’s: Neat or on the rocks.

Finish: Medium-dry, well rounded, with lingering smoke and honey.

Whiskey index: Malt: Germinated cereal grains that have been dried.

4lmagazine.com

VERANT JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 49

food/drink

HAPPIEST HOUR

duck dive 4650 Mission Blvd. » Pacific Beach

(858) 273-DUCK » TheDuckDive.com

happy hour (3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday) Craftails: $5 The Irish Mule, Blueberry Mojito, Take Me to Mexico Moscow Mule, Black & Stormy Craft drafts: $6 Domestic Drafts: $3.50 Call Spirits: $5 House Wines: $4

50 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

what we ate:

What we drank: Fresh Nectarine Rickey

Burger + fries + draft beer The caramelized onions and tomato jam gave this burger a hint of sweetness that made the giant patty covered in cheese taste even better. The Pacifico accompaniment with the warm breeze blasting through the large open garage doors makes you feel happy. The shoestring fries are extra crisp and have a nice salt and pepper seasoning.

Refreshing and great for warm weather … not to mention it comes in a fun glass. Surely you’re man enough to handle it.

Daily Specials Don’t Get Monday-ed All day: $10 Burger + Fries + Any Draft All day: Two-for-One Jack’s Famous Cajun-Spiced Meatloaf Dinners

Backyard BBQ

(house pork ribs, black bean and corn salsa, roasted pineapple macaroni salad)

The ribs are nice and tender but the black bean and corn salsa really makes this memorable. It’s lightly glazed with BBQ sauce, so the pork is the star and the corn and beans are the backup singers. The pineapple macaroni salad is fresh and has a nice texture: not too hard, not too gooey.

Taco Tuesday with Punch Bowl Slices of regular and blood oranges float in the Punch Bowl, which has a big ice block in the middle. It’s tangy with a zing, although the best part was having five attractive ladies on hand to help drink it.

Mahi Mahi Fish Taco: YUM! Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside with a nice mango salsa. This little buddy is the epitome of simplicity gone right!

Chef’s Choice Taco (Calamari): You likey the squid? You likey the taco? You will likey the calamari taco, a different take on your traditional taco Tuesday fare.

Carne Asada: Behold the whiz, the cheese whiz. This taco has a zesty cheese sauce that changes the game. It’s like you were at home, it’s 4:20 p.m. and you just had a great idea.

+

(local yellow nectarines with premium gin, lemon juice, pluot simple syrup)

Farmers Plate [ which changes weekly depending on what they have at the Pacific Beach Farmers Market ]

Neighborhood Tuesday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.: $10 Burger + Fries + Any Draft 5 p.m - Kitchen Close: PB Farmers Market entrée + featured cocktail (made with locally sourced produce from the Pacific Beach Farmers Market) 9 p.m. - Bar Close: $2 All local drafts Taco Tuesday: $2.50 a la Carte Tacos (panko-crusted avocado, BBQ chicken, carne asada, duck lettuce wrap, chef’s choice) Dive Down Wednesday All day: Half Off all Bottles of wine All day: $5 Old Fashioneds 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.: $10 Burger + Fries + Any Draft 5 p.m.: $10 Blue Plate Specials (herb roasted half chicken, shrimp and grits) Thursday Night Dive All day: $5 Wings 9 p.m.- Close: $2 Pacificos It’s Friday!

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.: $10 Burger + Fries + Any Draft 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.: $8 Jameson Shot + Draft Beer Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.: $3 Absolut Bloody Buddies 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.: Mimosa bar 3 - 9 p.m.: Lights Out 2-4-1 Family Style Punch Bowls All day: $3.50 Pacificos All day: $5 Corona Light drafts & Modelo Especial 24-ounce tall boys

the joint:

We found some kind girls to help us out with our punch bowl

When you walk into Duck Dive, you immediately notice the funky cool ceiling. It reminds you of the wavy ocean through wooden undulations and fragmented spaces. Then when you look around, you see that the décor is surf-inspired. It’s not too far of a stretch considering the ocean is just a few steps away.

Come check out this open-air gem and its fantastic staff. This is a great place to grab a few drinks or listen to some great music while watching the day go by.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 51

food/drink

BEER ME

Breakwater Brewing Co. oceanside

by Dale Hersey Local staple and personal favorite, Breakwater Brewing Co. marks its sixth year in July. With a background in the inner workings of a few different Pizza Port locations, and a love for craft beer, it’s obvious Breakwater will be around for many more years. 4L Magazine sat down with CEO Shannon Sager and brewer Rich Carne to shoot the breeze and sip some suds.

The longtime Breakwater Brewing chief and all around fun guy, Sager is no stranger to the craft beer industry. While helping to open a few of our favorite Pizza Port locations around North County, he learned there is a lot more involved in running an establishment than meets the eye. There were some very trying times, he says, but a little advice from Vince at Pizza Port helped to keep things moving forward for the smiling gentleman sitting before us drinking his favorite beer: the Breakwater DMJ IPA. Not too shabby.

Carne has been brewing at Breakwater for the past two years and says that it’s almost like being there 10 because it is such a positive environment. He is very knowledgeable about the beer they brew. From GABF guidelines to style definitions to locations of ingredients, he has an answer for every question without hesitation. A

52 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

love for West Coast-style IPAs doesn’t hurt either.

While going to school on the East Coast he realized that there is a little more flavor out west.

Some of these “award winning” East Coast IPAs can be described as “malt bombs” or nothing more than “glorified” ambers.

magazine, the Biere du Jour. It’s a blend of their Beach Honey ale and stout with a slight addition of mead left to sour and age in local Witch Creek Winery barrels, the source of all of their aging barrels. Be on the lookout for many more sours to come, including at the Stone Sourfest.

Believe it or not, all beer is brewed on the premises, and there isn’t some magical warehouse attached that we can’t see. This is brewing efficiency at its best. Given the space that is used for brewing and the output in volume of beer that is created, it’s pretty impressive. Stretch your arms and you can almost touch both walls where the brewing equipment lives.

This isn’t the only local beer that has a local ingredient. The Perfect Day, named after the song by Lou Reed, has an amazingly hidden content of 9.1 percent alcohol by volume (abv).

You’d never know by the taste, with the addition of grapefruit grove honey. It was indeed brewed to create a perfect day. The Kali Kush has roots here, too: artemisia hand picked from San Onofre. There is definitely a familiarity once you smell this beer.

The brewing equipment, in fact, has its own story. Originally housed in Louisiana, this equipment was under water for a couple months due to Hurricane Katrina. The salvaged brewing gear has found its new home out on the West Coast. It must be happy to be in its new home because this equipment is throwing down on some very tasty adult beverages.

You’ll find: an award winning Del Mar Jetty IPA, the epitome of the West Coast IPA, delicious meads and one of our new favorites here at the

Don’t forget to bring an appetite when you come to taste their stuff. The mustard hot wings are a must. Its wing sauce is different than any that is out there. Maybe pick up a few of the fresh jalapeno poppers to go along with the DMJ IPA. It’s such a great pairing. With almost everything made from scratch, what is served by the staff at the Breakwater Brewing Co. is sure to turn any experience into a “perfect day.”

4lmagazine.com

tasting notes DMJ IPA 7.1% ABV West Coast-style IPA The Del Mar Jetty IPA won the gold medal at the San Diego International Beer Festival in 2010. It’s the best San Diego IPA from the best area in the world for IPAs. Its not hard to taste why. It’s a delicious representation of the West Coast style. When asked why it’s so good, the answer was it’s the recipe as a whole. There’s a great balance of the right hops and the right malts.

Biere du Jour 6.9% ABV Wild Ale It’s a blend of three ales: Beach Honey, Stout and Mead. All are aged in local Witch Creek Wine barrels. It’s surprisingly refreshing and complex, with the slight roast flavor from the stout helping to cut the sweetness of the mead. The honey helps it all go down smooth, from start to finish.

Old Blue Eyes 8.9% ABV English Old Style Ale It’s similar to a barley wine without all the extra hops. It’s caramel-like and bready. The Belgian candy sugar gives it a nice sweetness without making it sugary.

You’ll note a slight oakiness.

Walkabout Stout 7.2% ABV American Stout This is very creamy and silky due to the milk sugar and vanilla bean.

There’s a great balance.

Perfect Day 9.1% ABV Imperial Pale Ale Named after the song from the late Lou Reed, this will turn your day into a perfect one. It’s super smooth with huge drinkability. The grapefruit honey is subtle but it helps everything come together. Even though the content suggests otherwise, this is an easy drinker.

breakwater brewing co.

101 North Coast Hwy. Neighborhood: Oceanside (760) 433-6064 BreakwaterBrewing.com

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 53

food/drink

TENDER

the night owl Tenders ORIGIN: They are both from South Jersey!

CREDENTIALS: Started in a Jersey sports bar, moved on to an Italian fine dining restaurant’s martini bar and then out to San Diego to work at The Night Owl together.

SHIFTS: Victoria: Friday nights, Sunday days Tara: Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights and Friday days SIGNATURE DRINK: They both like to serve and drink Jameson.

WORDS OF WISDOM: Both: Live life on the edge; if not, you’re just taking up space.

DRINKS MADE TODAY: Big Wave Golden Ale: It’s nice and smooth. Great sessionable beer for a nice sunny day.

Shot of Jameson: If you don’t know what this is, you need to get out more often.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch: (Chila ‘Orchata Cinnamon Cream Rum and chilled Fireball) It seems they name drinks after what it actually tastes like; this one is very true to its name. history: Victoria: I come from a small town in South Jersey called Atco. I was California dreaming, so I had to get out here. I am definitely a chameleon: I can blend in and mesh with any crowd. I’m always up for an adventure, so leaving home was easy.

Tara: I also come from a small town in Jersey called Berlin, which is right next to Atco. I’ve always dreamed of coming out to the West Coast because I love the laid-back lifestyle and beautiful weather. I decided to book a one-way ticket and never looked back. I decided early on that failure was not an option.

Both gals grew up in traditional Italian families. They work, live and play together. Tara was overheard asking Victoria the steps in making an Italian dish (Tara says Victoria is the cook between the two).

Remember, you can take the girl out of Jersey but you can’t take the Jersey out of the girl.

The Joint

You walk in and think that it’s a typical dive bar when suddenly you’re greeted by either Victoria or Tara and you yourself, “This might be heaven.” Face it: We love everything about typical dive bars except for the 70-year-old guys behind the bar pouring drinks. This is what absolutely separates The Night Owl from most dive bars.

When the employees are super hot, down to earth, friendly and feisty, you either have to think that they’re fembots or from outer space. Well … almost: They are from New Jersey! You may have a preconceived notion about Jersey from Jersey Shore, but these gals are far from that. They rock!

54 4L Magazine | JUNE 2014

FIVE QUESTIONS 01 What was the worst pickup line you’ve heard: Victoria: Victoria, what’s your secret?

Tara: How much money is it going to take?

02 How many drinks does it take to get drunk?

Victoria: The Tank (12) Tara: Lightweight (4)

HAPPY HOUR (All Day, Every Day) $3 Well Drinks $2.75 Domestic Beers $3.50 Imported Beers $4.25 Premium Beers

03 If you had to choose one, which character were you on Jersey Shore and why?

Victoria: Sammi the Sweetheart, because I kind of look like her.

Tara: JWoww, because she kicks ass and won’t back down from anybody.

04 What do you want in a man?

Victoria: A man who can take care of himself.

Tara: Someone to make me laugh.

05 Why is The Night Owl so bad ass?

Victoria: It’s so diverse. We get bikers, hipsters, businessmen and college kids.

Tara: It’s entertainment; it’s better than any reality show I’ve ever seen.

the night owl

Located at 2772 Garnet Ave. // San Diego Neighborhood: Pacific Beach (858) 274-3676

4lmagazine.com

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 55

food/drink

DISH

Spaghetti alle Vongole An Easy-Peasy Gorgeous Dish

by lara miller

My brood and I rarely go out to eat at restaurants.

The fact that I love to cook keeps my family fed and full pretty much all of the time. At least that’s what I like to tell myself, anyway.

But when dealing with three growing boys, it seems that approximately three minutes after they’ve eaten a giant bowl of oatmeal in the morning, they’re already telling me that they are hungry again.

Ummmm, what? I mean, how can you still be hungry? HOW? That oatmeal has got to be laying like a brick at the bottom of your belly!

So then I feel like I pretty much live in the kitchen to keep them satiated.

And then there’s the small problem of actually taking all three kids to a restaurant. That’s when the real fun begins!

It’s like a WWF tag team event for my husband and me because the kids seem to think that they are always in some sort of wrestling ring.

56 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

It’s us against them, trying to keep them all in check and constantly reminding them that we are actually out and not at home.

of my all time favorite dishes to order at a restaurant used to be Spaghetti alle Vongole, which is Spaghetti with Clams.

So ... can you please all sit down and STFU! Stop touching your brother’s face! Stay on your side of the table!

I say “used to be” because once I decided to try and make it at home, I was pretty amazed at how simple it was to recreate.

No, son, you may not order another menu item because that bottomless pit you call a stomach wasn’t satisfied with that giant burger you just inhaled!

Get your fork away from his ear!

I mean, the joy I tell you. The JOY! And by “The JOY” I mean not so much!

But on the rare occasions that we do decide to endure that blissful experience and end up going out to eat, I have a rule when deciding what to order for myself.

I try not to order things on a menu that I feel like I can easily make at home.

And when I say “easily,” I mean that I have access to the ingredients in the dish and that it won’t take up too much time on my part. That being said, one

The recipe I’m sharing with you is my version of this gorgeous dish and is not the super traditional Spaghetti alle Vongole because I’ve added a couple of ingredients that I think enhance the dish, like tomatoes and lemon juice.

The lemon, I think, adds brightness and compliments the briny, tender clams. It’s just literally perfection in a bowl. I don’t think the addition of lemon to this dish is really typical, but I love the fresh element that it adds.

And also, I’m kind of a lemon whore, so really, I couldn’t help myself.

The tomatoes add a sweetness and pop of color, but I know there are firm believers who don’t think tomatoes should come anywhere near this dish.

But again, that’s one of the things I love about cooking so much. You can do what you want and add what you like to your dishes. You can interpret any recipe your way and make your own rules.

This pasta dish may possibly be the best summer pasta dish. It’s so light and fresh and colorful. Not to mention how visually stunning it looks when you bring out a giant bowl filled with clams and spaghetti.

You would easily pay $20 for a bowl of this at a restaurant but you can spend about that same amount and make enough to feed four to six of your favorite friends.

So boil the pasta, steam the clams and squeeze the lemons. This has got to be the next dish you make for your friends and family. As if the fancy name alone isn’t impressive enough, just wait until you twirl a bite of the spaghetti and clams into your mouth.

It’s a like a one way ticket to Italy via your taste buds. How’s that for a trip … pun intended.

4lmagazine.com

servings

these recipes

MAKES 4-6 happy as clams!

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CLAMS: Scrubbing and purging your clams (of dirt, sand and grit) when you get them from the fish market is tres importante.

There is a lot of dirt and grit inside the clams that can ruin your dish if you don’t clean them properly.

for the

Spaghetti & Clams: 3 pounds hard shell clams, like Manila or little necks, cleaned and purged 1 pound spaghetti 1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more to drizzle at the end 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped 10 basil leaves, julienned (which basically means stack the

leaves on top of each other, roll them like a cigar and cut them with a sharp knife and you end up with long ribbons of basil)

1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)

Large Roma tomato (or 2 small ones), diced 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

I don’t know about you, but I sure as hell don’t want to be enjoying some soft and tender clams only to end up crunching on sand. I can do that at the beach when I reach into a bag of chips that my kid already got a hold of and left enough sand inside of it to build a sandcastle. No thanks.

I’ve read and researched different ways on the best ways to clean clams. A few theories I’ve found are using some cornmeal or oatmeal, or even some black pepper, in the water while soaking them.

I’ve tried most of these, but the one method I’ve had the most success with is using good ol’ kosher salt in the soaking water.

01

I scrub the clams, rinse them and put them into a large bowl. I then cover the clams with cold water and add about 1/4 cup kosher salt. (You can

Google exact measurements for water to clams, but that’s my general estimation.)

Move the clams around in the water to coat the salt all over and leave them in the refrigerator to purge. Let them soak for about 2-3 hours, draining the water periodically (about twice) to check for sand at the bottom of the bowl. After draining, you want to add more fresh water with more salt to continue to allow them to purge.

02

Some clams are dirtier than others, (like some of you peeps out there) so some may take a little longer to purge themselves of the dirt.

1/2 cup dry white wine (I like to use a Pinot Grigio)

You will be happy you didn’t skip this process because the end result will leave you with perfectly clean clams that are ready to cook and devour.

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

TIP: Make sure you discard any broken or open clams. If they are open, tap on them

to see if they close. If they don’t close, get rid of them.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 57

food/drink

DISH

My name is Lara Miller and I am a wife to a pretty cool San Diego dude and mama to three handsome little boys. Yes, I am a lone ranger in a pad full of testosterone.

Here is my thing... I love to cook. I’m not a chef, but cooking is what makes the world turn for me. It’s like my therapy, and believe me… dealing with three boys on the daily requires some serious therapy!

58 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

Back to cooking 01

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil. Let it heat and add in your chopped garlic to toast, about 30 seconds.

02

Add in the crushed red pepper flakes and let toast for another 15 seconds.

Pour in the white wine and the lemon juice with just a pinch of salt and let it simmer and reduce, about 3 minutes. Add in all of your cleaned clams and put the lid on the pan. Let the clams steam for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the clams are opened.

03

In the meantime, get your water boiling in a large pot to cook your spaghetti.

04

When the water has come to a boil, add a handful of kosher salt. This will help to flavor the actual noodles. The salt will get inside the noodles and make for a much more flavorful spaghetti.

05

When the spaghetti has cooked to about 2 minutes before it becomes al dente, drain the pasta but reserve a cup of the pasta water for the sauce.

The spaghetti will continue to cook to al dente when we toss it in the sauce.

06

As the clams start to open, use a pair of tongs and transfer them to a bowl so they don’t overcook.

When they have all opened, make sure to look and see if there are some clams that haven’t opened and get rid of them.

07

Take the lid off, turn the heat up to high and add in your chopped tomatoes and some fresh cracked pepper.

08

Toss in your spaghetti and turn to coat it in the sauce, making sure to toss it thoroughly over the high heat.

If the pasta seems dry, add in a some of your reserved pasta water a little bit at a time. It’s not going to be very saucy at all, but you want the pasta to remain tender and moist.

09

Add in your clams and any clam juice that has collected at the bottom of the bowl.

10

Turn off the heat and throw in your basil and parsley and toss altogether.

For extra flavor and richness, I add an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to finish.

For a more dramatic presentation, I like to add slices of fresh lemon to toss in as well. Because again, lemons and I are having an affair.

Grab yourself a fork, a giant glass of vino and you have got yourself one amazing summer dish.

TIP: Traditionally, cheese isn’t added to this pasta because the focus of the dish is the simplicity of the

good olive oil and the freshness of the clams.

But, let’s face it, I haven’t seen the cheese police anywhere around these parts so if you would like to sprinkle some fresh parmesan reggiano on this bad boy, sprinkle away. You’re the boss of yourself.

This dish always reminds me of eating this meal with good friends and family, dining al fresco, and drinking lots of good wine. I hope you get to make this and enjoy it with some of your friends and family in these beautiful summer months.

It’s the perfect compliment to a warm summer evening. That and lots of wine! As the Italians say, Cin Cin! Or as we Americanos say, Cheers!

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 59

gambling

tips

16 vs. 10

blackjack gambling tips Brought to you by Sycuan Casino

A Three Part Series to Increase the Odds in your Favor

In order to win at Blackjack, a player must have a better hand than the dealer by getting closer to 21 without going over. If the player or dealer goes over 21, it is considered a “bust” and is automatically out of the hand. The player must finalize their hand before the dealer so they have the first chance to bust and thereby an advantage.

What is the book?

When a person says that they play by the book, they mean they play by the odds listed by blackjack instruction manuals. There are several books published on how to increase your odds of winning.

There are slight variations here and there as well as certain rules in situations that every “book” is in agreement in making the same move.

rule #2

What does 16 vs. 10 mean?

It means that you have two cards that equal 16 and the dealer is showing a 10 (or equivalent) with a card in the hole (upside down).

This may be the most difficult circumstance for a player in Blackjack. The assumption is that they dealer will have a 10 in the hole because there are 16 equivalent cards in a deck with this value. But a 7, 8, 9, or ace will also beat you. So over half the deck is loaded with cards that can beat you with a single flip.

Let’s say you luck out and the dealer actually flips a card that is a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In this case, there is a possibility of the dealer busting. But, unless they flip a 6, their chance of busting is still less than yours. Furthermore, the odds are always in their favor because you have to make your decision first.

No matter how you slice it, you have a very slim chance at winning. Now you need to strategize by not how you can win this hand but how will you lose less at it over a period of time. Either way, the odds are almost even.

01 If you decide that you will always stand in this situation, you will be defeated 77 percent of the time.

02 If you decide to always hit this hand you will win 2.7 percent of the time but conversely you will only be defeated 74 percent of the time, which is 3 percent less than if you always stand.

60 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

Some people say you should always act as the dealer does. They are required to hit when they have a 16, so thereby you should too. Obviously, this would only be in a situation when you are in a losing situation like the dealer showing a 7, 8, 9, 10 or ace.

So it seems that most people would agree, in this situation, you should hit. You will slightly minimize your losses in the long run.

When you arrive at Sycuan to play Blackjack, find yourself a nice table that you’re comfortable with, especially the limits. If you ever wonder what you’re supposed to do, the dealer will always be nice enough to tell you what the “book” says. Remember, most people play the “book” so if you decide to go against it and it causes the players at the table to lose, people may get upset with you.

It’s always awesome when the whole table wins but it’s never fun when you are the cause to the house winning. Be respectful of the dealer and the other players but never forget to always have fun!

4lmagazine.com

North County recommendations

Señor grubby’s

headline here

Señor Grubby’s was started by a group of local guys looking to put a twist on the local Mexican fair. After numerous trips south of the border and not so great American breakfast spots, they noticed missing elements that they wanted to highlight and put their own creative twist on. They called this new fusion of flavor “California Grub”. So now you know how Grubby’s got its name, but we bet that you didn’t know is that they have a great variety of local and craft beer!

377 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad 760.729.0903 • EatGrubbys.com

wrench and rodent

barrel harbor brewing The folks at Barrel Harbor Brewing are passionate about brewing craft beers that are exceptional. They draw inspiration from their home brewing roots and the dynamic Vista brew culture. The brewmaster’s years of experience shine bright in Barrel Harbors wide array of styles, from a perfectly balanced pilsner to four unique IPA’s, to an American Sour, to a Smokey Viking Ale. Barrel Harbor represents old world antiquity and celebrates centuries of quality brewing, so sail in and enjoy complex, flavorful beers that are sure to satisfy.

2575 Pioneer Ave. #104, Vista 760.734.3949 • BarrelHarborBrewing.com

Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub is headed by executive chef Davin Waite, founder of The Fish Joint and Café Japengo veteran. He continually conjures up a menu relying on the highest quality, chefselected fish and produce. Ingredients are carefully chosen, grown, or made from scratch. Offerings include Loch Duart and Mt. Cook salmon with a caper tapenade, a ceviche flight that changes daily, and the freshest, most exciting specialty items from local fishermen and divers, and specialty produce from local growers.

1815 S. Coast Highway • Oceanside 760.445.6846 • SeaBasstroPub.com

cantina mas fina

encinitas ale house

hooked on sushi

Encinitas Ale House has laid claim to bombass burgers and a helluvalot of specialty ales. It’s tough (but entirely fun) to choose from their rotating 32 taps of not only local but many hard to find craft, import and microbrews. To add to the bliss, they throw in a selection of over 350 bottled beers. A good idea may be to move within walking distance (or crawling) distance of this mecca. They boast to have meats that are humanely raised: beef, bison, goose, alligator, venison, lamb, duck, rabbit, wild boar and of course... ostrich!

Seemingly hard to find, but once you do you will be back for sure! Yes, Hooked on Sushi is a fitting name for this ever popular raw fish locale. Through the years, Hooked on Sushi has remained committed to serving not only the freshest but the tastiest sushi in town. Your head will spin and your taste buds will be tantalized, as you try to pick which could be your favorite roll. Is it the Mexican’s Gone Wild, El Fuego or the Zombie? Hmmm...it’s a good thing they have big to-go boxes here.

With some of the cheapest and strongest drinks in town, plenty of flat screens, great food and friendly locals, it’s no wonder that this place routinely has a packed house. Throw in a diverse menu that is not just filled with Mexican favorites, but American ones as well. The gamut is fully covered, from ridiculously addicting pizzas to crab enchiladas. If you are in the mood to just eat, drink and “hang” with a fun crowd, then mark “The Cantina” on your hit list.

1044 S. Coast Highway 101 • Encinitas 760.943.7180 • EncinitasAleHouse.com

2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad 760.434.8811 • HookedOnSushiSD.com

2780 State St., Carlsbad 760.434.3497 • MasFinaCantina.com

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 61

on par

GOLF COURSE REVIEW

The Crossings at Carlsbad 5800 The Crossings Drive, Carlsbad | TheCrossingsAtCarlsbad.com Tee Times / Pro Shop: (760) 444-1800 | The Canyons Restaurant: (760) 444-1880 by steve kang

Green fees Rates with cart Mon.-Thurs. Friday Weekend / Holiday Public

$95

$99

$110

So Cal Resident

$80

$89

$95

Carlsbad Resident

$60

$69

$80

Senior (55+)

$70

$89

$99

SoCal Senior

$60

$77

$79

Carlsbad Senior

$50

$67

$69

Member Rates Rates with cart

Mon.-Thurs. Friday Weekend / Holiday

Crossings Club

$59

$67

$67

Crossings Club Senior $49

$62

$62

Additional discounted rates for twilight, late, military, junior, and morning nine-hole play.

Practice Area Features:

- State-of-the-art practice center - New tee-line technology - Putting greens - Chipping areas - Night-time lights

62 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

Come enjoy the stunning views and experience the golf at

With the beautiful Pacific Ocean to the west and foothills rising to the east, this 18-hole championship municipal golf course and event facility offers visitors a magnificent setting in a relaxed California coastal environment.

Blue Tees Course rating: 71 Slope rating: 129 Designer:

Greg Nash

Distance:

6,467 yards

Dress code:

Collared shirt, no denim

Located in North San DiPros/Lessons: Yes ego County, this course is named for the five bridges—or crossings—that were designed into the layout to meet existing environmental and topographic conditions. The Crossings at Carlsbad is nestled among the natural habitat and wildlife on more than 400 acres of Carlsbad’s coastal terrain.

The Crossings also offers a 28,000-square-foot clubhouse complete with a golf shop, banquet facilities, a spacious fireplace-lit dining room, fullservice kitchen and an outdoor deck with ocean views. The Canyons restaurant, located in the clubhouse, serves breakfast and lunch daily.

The Crossings at Carlsbad!

4lmagazine.com

No. 5 (par 5): Up until this point, I had double bogeyed three holes and bogeyed one. Luckily, Jason was doing worse and Chris was doing so bad that he was picking his ball up and asking for me to write down double par. If the publisher says so guess it’s legal.

Oh well, I guess if he did that on every hole, he would end up with a 144 and at that point, who is really counting? My driver has been failing me so that’s why I was scrambling all over the course. When we got to number five, we stood over a giant valley filled with trees and shrubbery. It was about a 200-yard carry. I went first and ripped one right over, my best drive of the day and I’m thinking my luck’s about to change. I keep reminding myself of the lessons that Steve Vaughan taught me but my lack of focus seems to be winning instead. Jason freaks out about the carry but calms down and lands his ball about 20 yards short of mine safely on the other side. Chris puts one right in the middle of the valley and drops on the other side. I end up with my first par, Jason gets a double bogey, and Chris calls for a double bogey again. These guys are making feel like a pro.

The 6,835-yard public golf course features multiple options and terrain to challenge golfers of all skill levels. Included are: ive separate teeing areas at each hole, allowing golfers to determine not F only the length of the hole but also the manner in which they play it.

Generous fairways and large greens with numerous pin placement options. tate-of-the-art amenities and electric golf carts for transportation along S the seven-mile cart path that meanders about the course.

While the predominant theme of the course design was to preserve the existing habitats and expansive city trail system, The Crossings golf course offers an aesthetically pleasing, yet challenging and fun experience. Players will remember each hole for its individual design characteristics, encouraging repeat play.

4L Magazine Playing the course: We are a big fan of this course and the staff that runs it. We also do a golf tips page with the Director of Instruction Steve Vaughan.. This is one of the very few courses that we make an annual pilgrimage to. When I contact Amy Tilley, the director of sales and marketing, she immediately set us up for the day and tells us that the course is in excellent shape and the greens are immaculate.

One feature I like is their GPS system. It’s on a large screen and gives you more information than a caddy. You can even input an electronic scorecard that can be emailed to you later.

Today I’m playing with my publisher Chris Lapham and staff contributor Jason Stewart. Jason writes our monthly “Fast Break” article that emphasizes youth sports with technique, skills and attitude. He was on the University of Arizona 199697 National Championship team and played with guys like Mike Bibby and Jason Terry. He once told me that during basketball practice, he was slightly distracted by his coach when Jason Terry, in a flash, stole the ball from him and slam dunked it on the other side before he could even figure out what happened. I guess he truly earned that name the Jet.

No. 9 (par 3): It’s a short hole with the gorgeous clubhouse right behind it. Your eyes are drawn to the building so you have to concentrate a bit more than you think. I hit a great pitching wedge to about seven feet away, pin high, birdie opportunity!

Jason and Chris also get on but Jason three putts and Chris four putts to give them a bogey and a five respectively. As I stand over my putt, I think to myself that maybe this will light a fire underneath me for the back nine since I fell apart on the front. I miss the putt by the slimmest of margins to the right. It looked straight but I forgot it breaks to the ocean. Oh, well, a tap in par isn’t too shabby.

No. 16 (par 5): The tap in par on No. 9 did light a fire underneath me because on the back nine, I had three more pars and three bogeys. Things were looking good. We all rip drives right down the middle. Jason is feeling so good about his shot that he claimed he was going to get an eagle on this hole. I think it might have been the half of a margarita he drank talking. Well, he was wrong because after that first shot, he was all over the place and so was I. Somehow, miraculously, Chris got out with a par. Jason and I both triple bogeyed.

I end up triple bogeying the par three No. 17 and bogeying the par four No. 18 for a back nine of 45. I would love that score but, unfortunately, I scored a 53 on the front which left me with a 98. Whenever I play here, I always play better on the back. I think it just takes me awhile to get used to all of the daunting valleys you have to carry.

Jason fared better than Chris but they really weren’t taking their scores seriously. At one point, they both ran out of balls but one of the course volunteers was gracious to give each of them a handful of found balls.

Today I learned golf can humble even elite athletes like Jason Stewart. I’m sure if he got some lessons and worked at it, he would become much better.

But sometimes, golf is about hanging out with your friends and just enjoying the moment regardless of how well or how badly you are doing.

After the round, we went in and enjoyed a delicious hamburger, voted best burger in Carlsbad by 4L Magazine last year, and a cold local San Diego pint of beer. I really love my job!

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 63

on par

GOLF TIPS

The Crossings at Carlsbad Presents

TIPS FROM TEE TO GREEN An eight-part series to improve your game

By Steve Vaughan, Director of Instruction

good take away

good AT TOP Bad Swing Plane It all starts at the takeaway: If you pull back too inside your body, it will lead to the golf club coming across your head at the top of your swing.

Result No. 1: If you are too far over, you will chop down with a closed club face, resulting in pulls and slices.

Result No. 2: If you are too far under, your club face will open resulting in thin pushes and hooks.

bad take away

bad AT TOP

Part 4: 7 Iron (Mid Iron) – Fixing your swing plane When we watch a top player like Jim Furyk, you wonder to yourself, “How is he so good with such a unique swing?” At the end of the day, whatever you do, it’s about being square at impact. Thereby, you may see all kinds of players who have ugly swings but will also score well. They are able to replicate their swing on a consistent basis. Unfortunately, most people are unable to do this.

That’s why swinging off plane usually results in bad shots.

Imagine throwing a football. Ask a child to hit a target and he will usually have a lot of exaggerated motions then will probably miss the target. If you ask an adult, he will probably have a goofy wind up but will probably hit the target at a much higher rate. If you ask an athlete, he will have a short, concise, powerful throw that will hit the target much more often than not.

This is the same principle behind your swing plane. If you have a good swing plane from address, takeaway, at the top, then all the way back through again, you are creating the shortest distance to get to the ball by creating a straight line path to it. If you are off plane, your body and mind has to make all sorts of corrections before your club can become square at impact. Think of it as walking through a straight tunnel through a mountain or having to climb over the mountain to get to the other side.

64 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

Good Swing Plane The golf club should be in line with your hands at the top of your swing on a plane behind your head.

Steve Vaughn breaks it down in four easy compartments: The address: Your body should be square to the ball with good posture.

The takeaway: The butt of the club should be pointed on a direct line with the ball.

The top of your swing: Golf club should be in line with your hands.

The swing: Replicate in reverse order through the ball.

If you want to get more technical and break it down even more, look up Mac O’Grady’s P1 through P10 positions in the golf swing.

The best way to fix your swing plane is to simply take a video. Next time you’re on the range or on the course, ask somebody to film you on your phone.

If you’re serious about getting your mechanics down, contact Steve Vaughn and he will break everything down for you with a professional video analysis.

Email: Steve Vaughan at sdgolfpro65@gmail.com Schedule a lesson at www.zdtusa.com/svaughan

4lmagazine.com

The Crossings at Carlsbad Golf Dining Corporate Weddings

Enjoy the Views

Experience the Golf 5800 The Crossings Drive, Carlsbad | 760.444.1800 Book tee times and restaurant reservations online

WE MAKE THE BEST EYEWEAR BETTER.

w w w. S P O R T R X . c o m CALL AND SPEAK TO AN OPTICIAN

1.888.831.5817

trending

stylewatch

summer’s

Best

accessory

By Holly Sheets

The sun is shining brighter, the days are getting longer, and you are spending more and more time outside. The first day of summer is June 21, but summer started much earlier here in San Diego. It is time to hit the beaches, shop our seaside communities, dine outside in the sun, attend an outdoor wedding or three, or just enjoy your active lifestyle outside.

All of these occasions this summer call for one thing: a great pair of shades.

Wearing sunglasses is not just about fashion. Sunglasses are a form of protective eyewear designed to prevent sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting your eyes. Healthcare professionals recommend eye protection whenever the sun comes out to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation and harmful blue light, which can cause several serious eye problems such as macular degeneration, cataracts and various forms of eye cancer (in San Diego, we are talking year round eyewear protection).

People every year spend money on moisturizers, lotions, sunscreens, anti-aging stuff, etc., yet there are still many who are not willing to invest in a great pair of sunglasses. I want to clarify: When I say sunglasses I am not referring to a pair of two for $10 off some spinner.

66 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

People should think about their sunglasses in the same manner. If you are hanging out at the beach, it is appropriate that you wear a wrap around, maybe a polarized, dark colored lens for ultimate bright conditions. Now, you are going to a wedding this weekend that is outdoors. Sunglasses are an obvious must, but not that same pair you wore to the beach, that would not be appropriate. There are certainly hundreds of occasions to wear sunglasses and unless you are huge sunglass connoisseur, I’m pretty sure 100 different pairs are out of the question. You could certainly get by with two or three great pairs for different needs.

Think about your sunglass needs. Most men could get away with an active piece, fashion piece and something fun to show off your personality. An active piece should be polarized if your lifestyle puts you near the water. The polarized lens will eliminate the glare and offer your eyes optimum protection while enabling you to see things you may have missed with the glare. If your active lifestyle demands more of a performance frame, you will want to look for such features as nose pads or grips on the arms that keep them from slipping (shop brands like Oakley and

Maui Jim).

You may think that fashion isn’t your thing. Maybe you aren’t into name brands. That’s OK, that isn’t what this is about. Remember, appropriateness is the guideline. If you dress business or business casual for work, your big plastic wrap around glasses are not appropriate for you Monday-Friday when you are dressed for work. Try a classic shape like an aviator or wayfarer. Ray Ban is the obvious go-to of these styles. However, if you are someone who likes fashion brands, you can find aviator or wayfarer shapes in just about every brand. These styles will accompany any suit (or non boardshort/flip-flop/ workout attire) just beautifully.

It is important that you wear sunglasses that will actually protect your eyes and not damage them even more from eye strain. There are certain attributes that you should look for in a pair of sunglasses: clarity (distortion free), protection (100 percent UV protectant, polarized), functionality and appropriateness (performance vs. lifestyle/occasion).

Besides the obvious and previously mentioned reasons for wearing sunglasses, there is another aspect to keep in mind: FASHION. If you think about it, fashion trends are really about appropriateness. For example: the fur boot (not regular Uggs, I’m talking fur boots) is not appropriate in San Diego. If your girl was to wear them it would be a major fashion faux pas. However, you take your girl to Aspen and she is walking around the village in them, she is 100 percent fashionable and 100 percent appropriate.

If you want to add something fun to your sunglass wardrobe, add color! You could go for a colored, mirrored lens. You can find them in just about every brand, and they are a great way to express your fun personality. Maybe the colored lens is too much for you; you can still add something fun subtly with a colored frame, or even a traditional black or tortoise frame that has colored accent pieces. Fashion pieces are definitely a form of personal expression. What do you want your frames to say about you?

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 67

RELATIONSHIPS

DATING

summer says

great

date spots

Summer is here! It is time to get out and explore the San Diego scene. Who better to do it with than a date?

Whether you are married to a great gal or just met someone you may be interested in, planning a fun date doing something out of the normal routine is a summertime must.

An important element of a successful date is location. Check out these spots below and keep in mind they may be out of your comfort zone. … But TRUST ME, trying something new on a date makes for a fun, memorable night out.

Moonshine Flats This country rock bar located in downtown San Diego across from Petco Park in East Village is a guaranteed fun night out. Country music not your thing? Many men claim that same excuse. However, if you’ve never been to a country concert or country bar, you are missing out! Don’t diss it until you try it! This is an in-your-face, honky-tonk bar partnered with a sexy edge. I would recommend planning a weeknight date here. During the week they teach dance lessons. Learn some moves, enjoy the views of your date (you must

admit your lady in Daisy Dukes or a little dress and some cowboy boots would be HOT), and, of course, indulge in a one of the many options

of local craft beers offered.

344 7th Ave. • Neighborhood: East Village • MoonshineFlats.com

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens If you haven’t yet checked out Stone’s newest location in Liberty Station, think about trying it with a date. Anyone who is familiar with the amazing venue in Escondido will not be disappointed with Liberty Station. This is not just a bar. This is an AWESOME date venue and, once again, I am going to recommend going on a week night. Let me tell you why: Tuesday nights are movie nights! The series begins June 10th with The Goonies.

Pack up a blanket or some camping chairs and take the girlfriend, wife (even some Tuesday nights there

are family movies if you want to bring the kiddos)

The Padres This may not be something out of the ordinary for you, but I just want to encourage you to make it a date at a good old baseball game! The Padres are at home quite a lot in June and July and if you are wanting to catch them playing the Mariners, Dodgers, Giants, Mets or Cardinals, you are in luck. Spring for some decent seats, grab a hot dog and enjoy our amazing stadium right in the heart of San Diego.

There are plenty of great places downtown (within walking distance) to go before or after the game.

100 Park Blvd. • Neighborhood: East Village Padres.MLB.com

to an unforgettable night full of laughs while enjoying a great Stone brew. There are some great shows such as Zoolander, The Sandlot, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, to name a few.

Of course, if movie night (or a week night) don’t work for you, it is worth coming on a weekend as well. Food, ambience, drinks … all amazing.

2816 Historic Decatur Rd. • Liberty Station Neighborhood: Point Loma • StoneLibertyStation.com Sometimes a date night with your longtime girlfriend or wife can add some spice or adventure to the relationship. A fun, perfect date with someone new is always a way to make a good impression. Think about doing something new and out of your usual routine. Get out of your neighborhood, get out of your comfort zone, try something new.

DON’T BE SHY! Feel free to contact me for questions (embarrassing or not!), advice or topics around relationships you would like for me to address at Summer@FourELmagazine.com.

68 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

LEARN

4L

LOVE

LIVE

Magazine LAUGH

FULLY CULTURED YET UNSHAVEN

THE 4L’S OF SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING LATITUDE Where our readers live, work and play LONGEVITY Your ads make lasting impressions LOYALTY Our readers come back for more LIMITLESS Your return on investment FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 760.744.0911 OR STEVE@FOURELMAGAZINE.COM JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 69

RELATIONSHIPS

MUSINGS

musings

from the other side of 40

By Stacy Cafagna Pollard

Another bright spot in the midst of chaos is watching a community come together to help others more immediately affected. Humanity’s very best side shines through in times of crises.

“As the evacuations started, I watched neighbors helping neighbors, making sure everyone knew it was time to leave and had a place to go,” writes San Marcos City Council Member Chris Orlando for San Elijo Life. “Throughout the evacuation, they continued to check on each other and keep each other informed through emails, texts, phone calls and social media.”

Watching the news at home, we heard a report actually discouraging donation items to the evacuation shelter set up at our local high school; people had responded so abundantly that they were at capacity.

Classic San Diego, which I have always felt is a very kind and generous city.

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”

This year, however, I was ripped from my end-ofschool-year blues/dreaming-of-summer reverie when firestorms hit our beloved San Diego with a vengeance, and immediately we were all reminded of what really matters in life.

Maybe there are other parents out there who feel the same as me: The end of a school year triggers a certain melancholy in my mommy heart. Each year ending quicker than it began, marking time so quickly as our kids go from kindergartners to high school graduates in what seems like no time at all.

Suddenly, in addition to longing for the slower pace of summer, I really want for everyone, during such tense and frightening days, the gift of carefree time spent surrounded by the people you love most in the world.

Tenderness, concern and compassion come naturally from so many during a crisis. We have seen it time and again in our community and our country. Friends and strangers, reaching out to others to offer whatever they can to those in need. Good rising from tragedy.

What a beautiful byproduct of the turmoil.

But summer saves me—waiting on the other side of yet another last day of school—with its long and luxurious weeks stretched before us, each delicious day ripe with potential.

For those of you who lost your home and belongings in one of the fires which ravaged our county last month, my prayers and thoughts go out to you.

I cannot imagine your devastation, and wish for you strength and faith as you move forward in picking up the pieces.

So this summer, perhaps stronger than ever, I feel especially eager to hoard my kids. To make our summer wish list together and then enjoy checking off every single item. To plan a few adventures or to just be lazy, so long as we are with each other.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Traditionally in our house, the first day of summer is pajama day. Certainly that was more enticing before the older children grew into teenagers, who now sleep until noon or later if allowed. But back when they were younger, the thought of spending the entire day in jammies—mommy too—after a hectic school year was such an exciting prospect. I look forward to hunkering down with my kids on the first day of summer, luxuriating the day away in our jammies, no issue more pressing than what we’re going to feed ourselves during this self-imposed house arrest.

And to the men and women who came to our rescue from across the state, our gratitude is profound. Is there a more genuine and pure heart than that of a firefighter or first responder? Men and women who run into harm’s way, while making sure us regular folks are out of harm’s way and then staying in the danger zone to protect our home and it’s collected treasures? You are our angels.

And even if your schedules must stay full, I hope you can carve out time to cherish and enjoy the people you love most, the very reason why we all work so hard.

I hope you find moments to savor the beauty and wonder found in all corners of our San Diego, from the magnificent beaches to the warm golden sunsets that cap the end of our long summer days. Take time to delight in the place we call home.

Stay safe and well, everyone.

Stacy Cafagna Pollard, a San Diego native, is a graduate of the University of Southern California and holds a teaching credential from UC San Diego. In addition to assisting with Cancer for College and being Chief Coordinating Officer for her family, she writes two blogs: Celebrating Survivors (CancerForCollege.wordpress.com) and her personal site Prayers and Piazzas (PrayersAndPiazzas.wordpress.com).

70 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

R E A L E S TAT E

Donna Wettstein.

Homes & Estates

North County Specialist.

AN EXCEPTIONAL REALTOR® FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

“

My commitment to all of you is to work SMART and DILIGENTLY, paying special attention to YOUR individual desires and needs, and to make it a fun journey...

YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS!

“

“

I have told Donna many times that I will NEVER use another realtor as long as I live-because I mean it. She is the best.

My wife and I are totally comfortable with her process, her manner, and her expertise in real estate. We can not recommend her highly enough.

“

Mike and Marie 4/25/13

C: 619.884.1884 DonnaWettstein@yahoo.com donnasellsrealestate.com encinitasdreamhomes.com CALBRE: 01380900

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 71

stunning san diego

72 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

robbin watson

4lmagazine.com

stunning

san diego Robbin Watson

San Diego Connection: I’m from Fairfield, CT, which is about 2,900 miles west of San Diego. I moved here almost two years ago from New York City, looking for a lifestyle change and to continue my career in public relations.

Zodiac Sign: Libra … but I’m not really into horoscopes.

Profession: I’m a media relations manager at Alternative Strategies. I garner media exposure locally and nationally for our clients in the restaurant and bar, beauty and pet industries.

Outdoor activities: I’ve been a swimmer my entire life, therefore I can always be found beachside or at the pool. I recently tried learning how to surf, but I’m deathly afraid of sharks. Maybe one day I’ll get over my fear (doubtful).

Hobbies: I really enjoy photography and love going to Windansea Beach on the weekends to snap photos of the surfers. I’m also a huge book nerd and can frequently be found at Pennywise, the local used book store in Pacific Beach.

Favorite San Diego restaurant: Romesco Mexiterranean. Their Ahi Tuna Tostadas are to die for. I’m also obsessed with their Grandma’s Tacos, which are filled with spaghetti and are one-of-a-kind.

Favorite San Diego bar: Since I live in Pacific Beach, I have quite a few options for after work happy hours. I tend to find myself at The Duck Dive, especially on Tuesdays. They make a new cocktail each week with locally sourced produce from our very own neighborhood farmers market.

Where to Bring Out-of-Towners: Since moving here, I have friends and family coming to visit me from across the country at least once a month. I’ve dubbed myself as the “Ultimate Tour Guide.”

I love starting their trip off with brunch at my favorite local spot, Fig Tree Café. It was actually the first restaurant I ate at in San Diego after finishing up my cross country road trip.

For all you bacon lovers, make sure to order their man candy

(bacon with brown sugar and paprika).

Since you can never have too much coffee, once we start our bike ride on the Pacific Beach boardwalk, I’ll make a quick pit stop at Woody’s for iced coffee and people watching on their second floor deck. I’m always on the lookout for Slomo on his roller skates (I swear I’m not a creeper).

Once we’re finished beach cruising, I’ll bring my out-oftowners to La Jolla for a quick peek of the cove seals, Sunny Jim’s Cave and a beer at La Jolla Brewing Company. You can’t come to the Craft Beer Capital of The World without trying a local brew.

I’d be the worst tour guide if I didn’t show my visitors a West Coast sunset. Even though driving to Ocean Beach can be a bit hectic, spending the last hour of the day at Sunset Cliffs makes up for it.

To end the day, there’s nothing better than a fish taco for dinner. I’ve found my favorite at PB Fish Shop, where my usual order is a TKO taco and a side of clam chowder.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 73

travel

weekender

Bacara Resort & Spa

Goleta, California

BY michelle lyn

bacara resort & spa Spanish-style luxury resort located near Santa Barbara, California

N

estled on the bluff and beaches of the Gaviota coast between the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains, Bacara Resort & Spa offers luxury and seclusion all at once. Just north of Santa Barbara, Bacara is a destination in itself, with more than 350 guest rooms (or suites), four restaurants, a wine bar, legendary spa and golf amenities, hiking trails and ocean front swimming pools.

74 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

01

02 02 01 Bacara Beach Path 02 Beautiful Veiw

04

03 Foley Wine Tasting Room 04 Cuisine at Bacara Bistro 05 Wine Tasting in Santa Barbara

MORNINGS Get up early and enjoy a leisurely walk through the resort’s Mediterranean village, with meandering paths, lush gardens and colonial village views. Visit the on-site cafe, Blend, for freshly brewed coffee, espresso, teas and fresh pastries. In true European fashion, the cafe is open every morning until early evening and is a great place to order picnic lunches to-go.

After fueling up, head out and tackle the hiking trails that extend beyond the resort, including the Beach Run, an easygoing, mile-long trail with stunning ocean views. There are two more ambitious trails–the Nature Loop Run for intermediate hikers (2.5/3 miles) and the Santa Barbara Shores Run for advanced athletes (4/4.5 miles).

Whichever you choose, know that you can retire to the Spa to relax in the adults-only pool, Jacuzzi, redwood sauna, eucalyptus steam room, or whirlpool post-hike.

03

AFTERNOONs 03

Take advantage of the oceanfront location and head down to the beach. Nature buffs might be interested to know that the Gaviota Coast (a stretch of Pacific beachfront that runs east-west along an otherwise north-south coastline) is one of the largest, last remaining intact coastal Mediterranean ecosystems in California.

More rural than most other Southern California coastal regions, the Gaviota Coast retains its incredible biodiversity, thanks in large part to the natural and agricultural land masses that still dominate the area.

If the ocean’s too chilly for you, Bacara’s zero-edge, heated saline swimming pools with ocean views won’t disappoint. Twenty-five private cabanas line the pool area and include wireless Internet access, phone outlets, food and drinks (plus your own waiter), along with bottled water and a fresh fruit plate upon your arrival. If you’re going to spend some time at the pool, this is the way to go.

05

If you want to visit some wineries (you are in Santa Barbara, after all), but you don’t want to leave the resort, you’re in luck. In Bacara’s courtyard, The Foley Wine Tasting Room offers tastings of Foley Family Wines, including Kuleto Estate, Chalk Hill Estate, Sebastiani and Lancaster Estate, mere steps from your villa. Enjoy flights, reserve tastings and other rare treasures at Bacara’s onsite tasting 06 Guests and members of The Foley Food and room.

Wine Society are able to taste and purchase wines, as well as utilize a personalized concierge service for wine outings, cooking classes, reserve tastings and more.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 75

travel

weekender

05

planning ahead 01

evenings Bacara does such a great job providing a range of activities and amenities that guests rarely leave the resort.

02

Getting There Bacara Resort & Spa is located in Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, about 3 1/2 hours north of San Diego. Take the 5 North to the 405 North and pass right through L.A. Take the 101 Ventura through Santa Barbara to the Winchester Canyon exit and follow the signs to Bacara.

When to Go Bacara’s “Endless Summer” package lets you enjoy the fourth night on them.

This summer (valid June 1-Sept. 2), stay three or more consecutive nights and receive the fourth night free.

Sunset wine tastings take place in the lobby on Fridays from 5-6 p.m. with live music, complimentary wine and cheese. After that, pop into The Bistro restaurant for a casual dinner on the patio. Inspired by the elegant, oldfashioned charm of the Italian Riviera, The Bistro blends the finest locally sourced ingredients with flavors of Italy, rich in seafood, fragrant olive oil, fresh herbs and farmers’ market vegetables.

Book It Rates start at $275, with a $25 daily hospitality services fee added for a bottle of select wine, two bottles of water, use of the resort’s spa and fitness center, basic Internet access and in-room coffee.

Reservations can be made online at bacararesort.com.

01 The Grounds at Bacara Resort 02 Oceanview Suite

Do not leave without trying the grilled octopus and lemon blueberry cheesecake for dessert.

03 Bacara Bistro

After dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings, The Bacara Bar offers 05 Bacara Penthouse live entertainment from 7-10 p.m. In the mood for 06 Spa Entrance something a little more mellow?

07 Main Entrance Friday and Saturday evenings are also movie nights. The first screening at 6 p.m. is a kids movie (perfect for the kids while you’re at dinner) and the second screening is at 8 p.m. Popcorn is served as well in the resort’s own 211-seat screening room.

04 Bacara Lobby

03

06

As if it couldn’t get any better, complimentary fireside cocoa and s’mores happen on Saturday evenings from 8-9 p.m. on the Lobby Terrace.

03

76 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

04

Clearly, the only dilemma is finding enough time in your day to take advantage of all the Bacara Resort & Spa has to offer. Better stay for a few nights to get it all in.

07

4lmagazine.com

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 77

travel

locale

algarve

portugal

BY Erik h. martin

The bright, warm arrows of sunlight fall upon all that lies below the dark blue sky as a faint breeze teases the sail, slapping it from the front and then the back. The calm, indigo waters of the Atlantic are quietly broken by the sweat of waterlogged oars while hundreds of feet above, a seagull swerves through the curtains of sunlight, brushing the colossal, tan cliffs with its white wings.

Salt, liberated from the waves crashing against the sea cliffs, fills the air as exhales of exhaustion and awe escape those fortunate enough to gaze upon the majestic coastline of Algarve, Portugal.

78 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

01

01Benagil Cave 02 Sagres Beer 03 Beach at the Algarve 04 Lagos 05 The beautiful scenery 06 Zavial Beach Restaurant

the south coast, Praia do Zavial. Depending on the conditions of the sandbars that are groomed by an inconsistent river mouth, this quarter mile stretch of beach break offers some fun peaks. To the far west end of Zavial, skirting the rocky cliff, the sun lights up crystal clear barrels of little, right-hand runners. Zavial Beach Restaurant, nestled in the corner of this natural reserve, offers a pleasant reprieve from the sun and salt with ice-cold Sagres beers and delicious grilled sardines and sea bass.

03 02

For thousands of years, from the Phoenicians to the Greeks, from the Romans to the Portuguese, this has been the awe-inspiring experience for all that have visited this southwest outcrop of the Iberian Peninsula. It is no surprise then that many of the ancient mariners believed this area to be the gathering site for their gods. In fact, Sagres, the Algarve town perched on the very corner of Europe, derives its name from the word sagrado, meaning sacred.

After walking the golden beaches, surfing the punchy waves, eating the fresh seafood and produce, and meeting some of the most welcoming people in the world, it’s obvious the ancient mariners had it right.

The craggy Algarve coastline, stretching between Monte Gordo in the southeast and Odeceixe in the northwest, is 127 miles of rugged, breathtaking cliffs, long, pristine beaches, and snug, secluded coves. A good portion of the meandering coastline resembles Torrey Pines, San Diego, with its red

04 and yellow limestone cliffs, while other segments expose sheer sea cliffs that jet out from the ocean and rise over six hundred feet. It’s not uncommon to see an ol’, salty Portuguese fisherman precariously sitting on a sea cliff shelf and fighting a mackerel that’s hundreds of feet below.

Not to worry, however, as safer fishing can be enjoyed from the numerous sand beaches that are bookended by these cliffs. Many of these golden beaches on the west coast, such as Praia do Carrapateira, stretch for over a kilometer and are pushed toward the Atlantic by rolling sand dunes speckled with green foliage. In contrast, the south coast offers quiet coves and gorgeous grottoes like Benagil Cave near Lagos. Sheltered a bit more from the north Atlantic swells, the south coast boasts stunning turquoise waters that softly climb the gently sloping beaches and caress the emerged rocks that glow bright green with moss.

Given a large enough swell, fun waves boomerang around Sagres and present themselves in the transparent waters of the south coast. A 15 minute car ride away east of Sagres is one of the most naturally beautiful beaches on

05

06

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 79

travel

locale

04

side notes 01

01 Arrifana Surfing

Between Praia do Zavial and “the end 02 The view from Tonal Cliffs of the world,” many 03 Sevilla, Spain of these small and incredible restau04 Lisbon, Portugal rants can be found.

Some beaches, like Tonel, may offer a simple chiringuito (kiosk) with colorful umbrellas and plastic chairs; sodas, candy, beer, ice cream, ice tea, and chips being the menu. Other beaches, like Praia Amado, have chiringuitos that serve grilled fish, chicken, and steaks, arroz de marisco (a spicier version of paella with muscles and shrimp), and good ol’ hamburgers and fries.

One can follow the delectable scent of barbecue from chiringuito to chiringuito or chase the consistent waves from praia to praia, until finally the Algarve road comes to an end in the northern beach town of Arrifana. This quaint, whitewashed village sits atop a natural stadium of rock and is a seasoned spectator of the entertainment that the Atlantic provides. From the nosebleed seats on the cliff’s edge, it appears as though the surfers below are simply bugs struggling in a bowl of soup as they take wave after wave on the head. The challenge of Praia da Arrifana’s main beach, however, does not necessarily come from the playful, beach-break waves themselves but rather the wobbly walk down the steep, cobblestone street that traverses the 300-foot hillside. Facing southwest, the one-third mile stretch of fine sand is slightly guarded from the predominant northwest swells of the Atlantic and, therefore, offers an assortment of fun peaks that welcome surfers, bodyboarders and body surfers of all levels. On the rare occasion, however, monster swells creep in and pinball off the northern cliffs over barely submerged rocks, creating thick, righthand walls that unpredictably warble and slap the few daring enough to jump off the harbor wall and surf it.

80 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

Maybe those who surf Praia da Arrifana’s big right do so because they, like the ancient mariners and their exploratory ancestors, abide by the Portuguese proverb, “a sorte protege os audazes” (“luck protects the daring ones”). It would appear as though everyone within the small population of Algarve lives by this proverb; in the way they surf, in the way they cliff fish, in the way they welcome total strangers into their community and homes. Those who dare to make their way to Algarve, Portugal, experience the gorgeous beaches and fun waves, delight in the Portuguese cuisine, and allow themselves to be embraced by the Portuguese people, will share in the luck of the gods that also make this magical coastline their meeting place.

02

General Information Sagres.net When To Go The summer months offer the best weather with mild temperatures ranging from the low 70s to the high 80s. The water does not tend to warm up until July and August. The spring and fall are ideal if you want to miss the tourist season and don’t mind cooler weather.

How To Get There Fly to Lisbon, Portugal, and catch a connecting flight to Faro, Portugal. Hire a car and drive west on highway A22 for approximately an hour and a half to reach Sagres.

Where To Stay Sagres provides an assortment of accommodations and is centrally located on the Algarve coast. Those who are daring will arrive without reservations, ask the locals if they have or know of a house or apartment for rent, and rely on Portuguese luck; in my handful of visits, Portuguese luck has never failed me.

Skeptics, or those who don’t want to rely on luck, visit SagresUncovered.com.

Other Beaches To Consider Near Sagres: Tonel, Beliche North of Sagres: Teleiro, Punta Arriba, Praia Amado Nearby The capital of Portugal, Lisbon (Lisboa), is a three-hour drive north. Sevilla, Spain, the capital of Andalucía, Spain, is a threehour drive east.

Additional Advice Respect the fact that Portugal is not Spain. The Portuguese would rather speak English than Spanish.

4lmagazine.com

Something for Everyone!

Sauced and Tossed in your choice of 10 Wing Flavors!

Boneless Wings

Phone Ahead!

Regular Wings

Gliders

Boneless Strips

760-434-WING (9464)

2508 El Camino Real, C1 Carlsbad, CA In the Vons/CVS Shopping Plaza, across from the mall

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 81

GADGETS & GEAR

REVIEWS

TECH all hands on

Action Hero Toolkit Price: $10

His ingenious solutions earned our admiration. His bold hair style earned our affection. Whenever a truck is fixed with a basketball hoop, MacGyver is there. Whenever binder clips keep computer cables in order, MacGyver is there. And whenever duct tape is used in space, MacGyver is there. He permeates pop culture and inspires our mission. Today, we pay him tribute.

We put our toolkit building prowess to its ultimate test. Behold the fruit of our labor: the Action Hero Toolkit. Arm yourself with everything you need to MacGyver your way out of any problem. MacGyver inspired a nation of men

to try and fix anything on the planet with gum and a toothpick. Unbeknownst to us rubes, that was actually just writers with mountains of cocaine trying to use physics and gullible pre-teens to further their addictions. Who am I kidding? I still use the word “MacGyver” as a verb. And my kids still think I’m old and crazy when I do. iFixit.com

By Cory Waterhouse

Custom Single Portrait Stamp Price: $65

Turn your magnificent face into a charming custom stamp. After you order this package the folks at Stamp Yo Face reach out to you for ‘inspiration.’ By sending in your favorite photo they’ll get started drawing the face you’ve chosen, transforming it into a lovable rubber creation. Each stamp design is hand-drawn, digitized and professionally produced to last. This looks like a fantastically bad idea. So I want eight of them. They have pets, celebrities, blank thoughts bubbles and even the first ever recorded zombie to return from the dead: Jesus himself. This product is an instant classic. Unless, of course, you’re ugly. StampYoFace.com

82 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

Need for

speed

4lmagazine.com

The Backpack Cooler Chair Price: $140

This is the portable chair and cooler that are as easy to transport as a backpack.

The chair weighs only 13 pounds, folds to a mere 10 inches wide, and has two shoulder straps so you can easily carry the apparatus to a tailgate party or the beach. The cooler bag attaches to the left armrest and has high quality foam insulation that keeps up to a case or 35 pounds of food cold for several hours.

The cooler has four external pockets for picnic necessities and is removable.

A 14 1/2x11-inch side table folds out from the right armrest and has a cup holder and a two-tiered, under-mounted, canvas shelf that provides convenient storage for reading material and snacks. The seat and backrest are made from soft-yet-durable canvas with foam-padded ribs and the frame is constructed from lightweight powder-coated aluminum that supports up to 350 pounds. I

think this is a must-have piece of gear for those folks who want to spend a little time away from their couch. It will recreate your couch but in the sun and around other people, so you can finally make an attempt to shake that “anti-social” tag you’ve been carrying around since you grew out your beard and stopped doing laundry. Hammacher.com

Sol Republic V8 Headphones Price: $ 99

These on-ear headphones are the first interchangeable headphones to deliver incredible sound, style and technology. The one-button mic + music control is compatible with most Apple, Android and Windows devices. Be the cool kid with these cans

but also be cognizant of those around you. We don’t wanna hear your band’s music. That’s the point of headphones. For you to damage your own hearing. SolRepublic.com

Lytro Illum Price: $1,499

Introducing Lytro Illum, the first high-end camera that harnesses the power of light field–capturing the direction, color and brightness of the rays of light within the frame.

This camera creates ‘living pictures’ by bringing the power of 3D computer graphics to photography and enabling new avenues for visual storytelling. A customized sensor and Lytro-designed lens deliver previously impossible optical performance, including a powerful software platform which enables a revolutionary interactive experience. Yes, I’m a bit infatuated with photography lately and this is a fantastic camera that allows you to work some digital magic after the fact. The price tag is right around what you’d expect to pay for a mid-range DSLR. It’s a chunk of change but isn’t that why we trudge to work every day? Oh, yeah, you’re right … to maintain the status quo and convince our alien overlords that we’re not onto their plan of colonization. Noted. My bad. Lytro.com

If you’d like to have your product reviewed by 4L Magazine, e-mail cory@fourelmagazine.com JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 83

GADGETS & GEAR

REVIEWS

TECH all hands on

Luminair Tree Tent Price: $13,500

The Tree Tent concept is a culmination of more than three years of work and research (and decades of experience) in sustainable shelter systems, fabric structures and tree-top living. The goal was to develop a lightweight and efficient structure using sustainable, recyclable, recycled and natural materials. A structure that can be easily transported and assembled on-site with minimal, nonpermanent impact on its environment. It’s realized with a unique, hybrid aluminum and green ash static airframe combined with an expertly tailored 100 percent cotton canvas skin. I just liked the

thought of some random person walking through the woods and seeing this tent, only to think either the martians from War of the Worlds were here to melt us or it was the Empire with their forest AT-STs (you know, the smaller ones ... All Terrain Scout Transport … not to be confused with the larger AT-ATs (All Terrain Armored Transport) from The Empire Strikes Back. Wow … so do I only get my super geek badge after George Lucas sues me? Luminair.co.uk

Amazon Fire TV Price: $99

Amazon Fire TV is a tiny box that connects your HDTV to a world of online entertainment. With a huge selection of TV episodes and movies, voice search that actually works, plus exclusive features like ASAP and Amazon FreeTime, it’s the easiest way to enjoy Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, low-cost movie rentals, live and on demand sports, music, photos, games and more.

Welp … so much for getting off my couch and writing the great American novel. Or screenplay. Haiku? Or a shopping list. Haiku shopping list by Cory Waterhouse: we need bananas turkey jerky smells farty always need mustard Amazon.com

84 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

4lmagazine.com

Auvio Bluetooth Speaker Price: $79

This Auvio Bluetooth Speaker liberates you from the restrictions of cords and cables, allowing your music to enhance activities rather than put boundaries on them.

Designed with sleek lines and a unique contemporary grille, it’s the perfect combination of style and dynamic sound. We used this in the office for awhile but we have a tendency to disagree on what is acceptable listening material.

Mainly, I don’t like to hear anyone else’s music. I’m considerate like that. RadioShack.com/Auvio

William Painter Titanium Sunglasses Price: $140

Made from titanium. Like in the title. The arms are made using the same material as the fastest jet in the world (SR-71 Blackbird … or whatever else is being cooked up at Groom Lake) with scratch resistant powder coating. Sweet murdered out anodized titanium frames. Similar to the iPhone 5 (… but stronger and better because iPhones are meh). Double barrel titanium hinges. Stainless steel screws. Top of the line polarized lenses (CR-39). Ultra lightweight frames (1.83 ounces). Plus, you can open your bottle of suds with your

face. Or stab someone if you get in a life threatening situation. At the beach. When it’s sunny out. By the way, the company sent a card with the glasses that had David Hasselhoff holding a lightsaber while riding a unicorn on a cliff with lightning in the background. No bullshit … I wish I could make that up but it’s real. WilliamPainter.com

WFSS4Lmag.indd 1

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 85

7/26/13 11:40:49 AM

MUSIC LISTINGS

HOT WIRE

concert dates

rhythm

6/06 Neon Trees, Humphreys The name “Neon Trees” was created by lead vocalist Tyler Glenn when he noticed trees with lights on them at an In-N-Out burger. It was later discovered that bassist Brandon Campbell’s father helped design the neon lights that inspired the band name.

6/06 T-Pain, Fluxx T-Pain is an American rapper from Tallahassee, Florida. The name T-Pain is short for Tallahassee Pain and a reference to the hardships he dealt with while living there.

He first came to prominence in 2005 with his hit song “I’m Sprung.”

6/30:

devo Belly Up

6/07 Little Hurricane, House of Blues Front man Anthony (Tone) Catalano and drummer Celeste (C.C.) Spina found each other through an advertisement that C.C. posted on Craigslist looking for like-minded musicians. They eventually gained momentum in the San Diego music scene through their appealing dirty blues sound.

6/07 Third Eye Blind, Del Mar Fairgrounds Third Eye Blind found success in the ‘90s while touring with U2 and Oasis. Their first hit song was “Semi-Charmed Life” in 1997. The band’s success continued for the next three years before they decided to take a break in the early 2000s. They returned to record their fourth album in 2009.

6/08 Saosin, House of Blues Originally formed with lead vocalist Anthony Green, who left the band after their decision to sign with Capitol Records, Saosin found a new front man in Cove Reber.

Green, originally suggested Saosin’s name from the Chinese word for “careful,” later gained gained his own success as a solo artist.

6/10 The Fray, Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU The band name was decided upon after asking people to write down names on a piece of paper, and “The Fray” was chosen at random. Former bassist Caleb Slade was asked to leave the band, which caused a rift with his brother, lead vocalist and pianist Isaac Slade, that inspired The Fray’s first hit song “Over My Head (Cable Car).”

7/03:

Matisyahu

San Diego County Fair’s Grand Stage

6/12 Love and Theft, House of Blues The name Love and Theft originated from a book that Bob Dylan used for the name of his album in 2001. The band consists of Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson, both of whom play guitar and sing. They first found success in 2009 with their song, “Runaway.”

6/13 Pato Banton, Belly Up Pato Banton is a reggae singer from Birmingham, England. He originally received the name “Pato” from his stepfather, which is Jamaican Patois for “wise owl.” The name “Banton” was from the disc jockey slang for “heavyweight DJ.” 6/15 Failure, House of Blues This alternative rock band out of L.A. was compared to Nirvana and Soundgarden when it was active from 1990-97. They reformed this year.

6/21 Upfull Rising, Boar Cross’n Upfull Rising is an up-and-coming San Diego-based reggae/rock band that got together in the summer of 2012. After coming to the realization that a lot of music has been polluted with messages that sell drugs, alcohol, vanity, greed and sex, they came to formulate one intended message through their music: to spread love.

86 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

7/06:

KISS & Def Leppard Sleep Train Amphitheatre

4lmagazine.com

6/06:

neon trees Humphreys

6/8:

Saison

House of Blues

6/27:

transfer The Casbah

6/21 Paul Cannon Band, Belly Up Paul Cannon and his band have graced the Hotwire for the past four months. Seriously, this guy is folking amazing. Yes I did make that joke again.

6/22 Soul Shine Tour, Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU The Soul Shine Tour is a yoga/music festival where attendees have the option to practice yoga while listening to mass acoustic music. Artists gracing the stage include Michael Franti and Spearhead, SOJA, Brett Dennen and Trevor Hall.

6/25 Vans Warped Tour, SleepTrain Amphitheatre This annual event features more than 30 bands and five different stages. Most featured bands vary within the rock genre but you will find some hip-hop and electronic music.

6/27 Transfer, The Casbah In 2009, this alternative rock band won an award for best rock band at the San Diego Music Awards. If you like bands such as Radiohead and Pinback then you might enjoy these guys as well. Their song “Smoke of the Crowd” was featured in PlayStation’s game “MLB 2006.”

6/29 World Party, Belly Up World Party is an ‘80s alternative rock band that is basically a solo project by former Waterboys keyboardist Karl Wallinger. The band came to prominence in 1986 with the international hit “Ship of Fools.” In 2001, Wallinger had an aneurism that left him unable to speak and, after five years of rehabilitation, he played his first live show in a decade at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas.

6/30 Devo, Belly Up The name Devo comes from the word “de-evolution,” which suggests the notion that instead of progressing as a species, humans can actually regress into more primitive forms over time. I’ve already personally diagnosed a few people with this disorder. Anywho, you might recognize this ‘80s new wave band by their hit song “Whip It.” 7/03 Wild Cub, House of Blues Before forming the band, Keegan Dewitt (vocals/guitar) quit his job in Brooklyn and moved with Jeremy Bullock (guitar) to Nashville, where they stripped down a row house to build a custom studio. They found most of their success with the song “Thunder Clatter.”

7/03 Matisyahu, San Diego County Fair’s Grand Stage Matisyahu is a reggae/hip-hop/rock artist who spent most of his life living in New York. The name Matisyahu is Hebrew for “gift of god.” He first came to prominence in 2005 with the hit song “King Without a Crown.”

7/06 Kiss & Def Leppard, SleepTrain Amphitheatre Kiss found success in the mid-’70s and are most recognizable for their painted faces and bassist Gene Simmons’ ridiculously long tongue. They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are best known for their song “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Def Leppard also found success in the ‘80s and are most well known for their timeless stripper anthem “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 87

June 13-15:

LOCAL EVENTS

happenings

San Diego Greek Festival

around town

around town

FAIR TO FESTIVE

Price: Free; $3 donation after 1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Venue: St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church Locale: Hillcrest

According to presenters: “St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church invites you to share in Greek heritage, culture, music, traditions, customs and culinary skills.” 4L Magazine’s take: Here’s

another culture I am woefully lacking in knowledge, other than feta and olives. Plus, I get itchy and sweaty whenever I walk into a church, so I’m not sure if I should go.

June 28:

June 6-8:

Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off

Price: FREE Venue: United Portuguese S.E.S. Hall Locale: Point Loma

Price: Free Venue: Grassy area between Santa Monica Avenue and Newport Locale: Mission Bay

104th annual Festa do Espirito Santo

According to presenters: “Celebrate Portuguese heritage by joining in the city’s oldest ethnic festival that commemorates Portug al’s Queen St. Isabel feeding the poor during a centuries-ago famine.”

4L Magazine’s take: I think I might go to this, if only to educate myself a bit more because the only thing I know about Portuguese culture is that “meemies” means nap. Or I could just totally be wrong and I’ve been saying meemies for 20 years, only to sound like a dummy. Which, let’s be honest, really makes sense if you know me well.

According to presenters: “Enjoy live music, an Artist’s Alley, a community mural project, a children’s area (games and rides), eclectic vendor booths and a beachside beer garden!” 4L Magazine’s take:

Ha! Presenter Ocean Beach MainStreet Association is OBMA for short. You know … like our (Muslim/terrorist/nazi-esque or whatever silly Fox News label) president? Oh, you snazzy hippies down there in OB. Is tree hugging one of the children’s games?

Patchouli harvesting? A Qi Chia seed infused Kombucha sludge shake to blend out your aura, perhaps?

beer me June 15:

Father’s Day Beer & Champagne Brunch Cruise Price: $14 for adults with discounts available at Albertson’s/Sav-On; $8 for seniors ages 62 and over and children ages 6-12; free for age 5 and under Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds Locale: Del Mar

According to presenters: “Dad will love this brunch on the newest, largest ship from Hornblower cruises. It’s like dining on a cruise ship! Includes a two-hour cruise, elaborate buffet, all-you-can-drink beer and a souvenir glass to take home!” 4L

Magazine’s take: Dad’s may complain but throw on the tie you got for Father’s Day and enjoy your day. After you mow the lawn, of course.

June 7-July 6:

2014 San Diego County Fair Price: $14 for adults with discounts available at Albertson’s/Sav-On; $8 for seniors ages 62 and over and children ages 6-12; free for age 5 and under Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds Locale: Del Mar

According to presenters: “San Diego’s annual county fair is the largest fair in California, offering a variety of food, entertainment, exhibits, rides and games throughout the beautiful and historical Del Mar Fairgrounds in the oceanfront village of Del Mar.”

4L Magazine’s take: Let’s see … I’m thinking this year … I’ll choose the deep fried chocolate chicken leg, a few battered Twinkies with sprinkles, a handful of candied bacon, six cinnamon buns and a heaping side of diabetes.

88 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

June 19:

Hopfest at the Museum: A Beer Tasting Price: $20 for members; $30 for non-members Venue: San Diego Museum of Man Locale: Downtown

According to presenters: “Tour the San Diego Museum of Man’s newest exhibit, BEERology, and experience Hopfest! We are celebrating the hoppy goodness of beer while exploring the role of hops in the brewing process.” 4L Magazine’s take: San Diego

is one of the hotbeds of small-house brewing for the United States and this would be a good opportunity to learn a few things. Like when you’re standing in front of 16 taps at a bar and you ask the bartender, “What do you have on tap?” That means you are either dumb, lazy or both. I’m going with both.

June 20-22:

San Diego International Beer Festival

INCREDIBLY EDIBLE

Price: $48-$100 Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds Locale: Del Mar

According to presenters: “Breweries from around the world come with hundreds of beers for you to sample. New this year will be crowning a Champion Brewery in addition to the Best of Show Beer.” 4L Magazine’s take: Best in Show. Great flick.

SOUNDS OF SUMMER

June 13 :

Foodie Friday at the La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse Price: $10-$25 Venue: La Jolla Playhouse Locale: La Jolla

According to presenters: “Theatergoers with a love for beer and delicious eats are invited to attend Foodie Fridays, where a ticket to select Playhouse performances also includes access to some of San Diego’s finest food trucks, plus a complimentary microbrew tasting!” 4L

Magazine’s take: Food trucks and La Jolla ... now that’s an inspired mix of cultured, highbrow entertainment and lowdown fine mobile eateries. Pinky up you slobs.

June 12:

Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang Price: $38 in advance; $40 day of show; $66 for reserved seating Venue: Belly Up Tavern Locale: Solana Beach

According to presenters: “Claypool’s mastery of the electric bass has brought him into the spotlight with his funky, creative playing style.” 4L Magazine’s take: Les

Claypool actually tried out for Metallica back in the day. They rightfully told him he was way too talented to be in band. So he slapped his way to Sailing the Seas of Cheese in Jerry’s Racecar in search of Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.

June 14-15 : June 17-Aug. 28:

Twilight in the Park Summer Concerts Price: Free Venue: Spreckels Organ Pavilion Locale: Balboa Park

According to presenters: “The Twilight in the Park Summer Concerts are some of the most popular summertime events in Balboa Park.” 4L Magazine’s take: I think this

would be a great opportunity for the media department at Spreckels to really get the word out that this production has nothing to do with shiny vampires, buff and weepy werewolves and robotic actresses who date both.

Taste of Gaslamp Price: $30 in advance; $40 day of event Venue: San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter (check-in location) Locale: Gaslamp

According to presenters: “From the pickiest eater to the veteran dinner table champion, all are welcome to enjoy this year’s Taste of Gaslamp, featuring more than 30 Gaslamp Quarter dining venues and their house specialties, as well as the picturesque Beer Garden.”

4L Magazine’s take: Eat food. Downtown. This isn’t funny. And yet you’re smiling. You’re a weirdo.

JUNE 2014 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | 4L magazine 89

around town

LOCAL EVENTS

ART APPRECIATION June 16-Aug. 29:

Summer Camp at The New Children’s Museum Price: $10-$25 Venue: The New Children’s Museum Locale: La Jolla

According to presenters: “Spend the summer break thinking, playing and creating in a camp at The New Children’s Museum! Whether you’re cooking up a tasty treat, exploring the outdoors or learning how to dance, sculpt or paint, you’re sure to have a fun experience.” 4L Magazine’s take: Get those tubby kids off the couch and rip that sweaty Xbox controller from their greasy grip. This is San Diego! We live in Vacationville. Get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather that we have here! Plus, it’s my turn to play Call of Duty.

June 21-22:

La Jolla Festival of the Arts Price: $14 for a single-day pass, $16 for a weekend pass; free for active military and children 16 and under Venue: UC San Diego Warren Field Locale: La Jolla

According to presenters: “This juried art festival features nearly 200 artists displaying original work, as well as live entertainment and your choice of delicious cuisines, fine wines and craft beers.” 4L Magazine’s take: The word “juried”

makes me feel like I’m slurring my words. Try it. The word judicial is kinda like that too. Then again, I know a lot of lawyers and they’re a boozy bunch of litigators. All makes sense now.

Ongoing:

“Empowering Women” Exhibit Price: $12.50 for adults; $8 for ages 13-17, college students with ID and seniors 62+; $10 for active-duty military Venue: San Diego Museum of Man Locale: Balboa Park

According to presenters: “This striking exhibit presents the stories of women artisans who have worked together in cooperatives around the world creating folk art that provides income for their families, preserves their cultural heritage, heals the wounds of war and domestic abuse, improves education and protects their environments.” 4L Magazine’s take: It seems only fitting that I’m writing

this on Mother’s Day. Head down to Balboa Park and make a day of it. Bring your mom, daughter, stepmom, or just some friends and enjoy the day at the Museum of (Wo)Man. See what I did there? It’s subtle … but you’ll see it eventually.

TOURS OF DUTY Ongoing:

Maritime Impressions Price: Included with regular admission Venue: Maritime Museum of San Diego Locale: Downtown

According to presenters: “Take a tour of San Diego County’s thriving marine scene, and see it through the eyes of an artist!” 4L Magazine’s take: What does Maritime

mean? Like...Mariner’s? Someone on a boat? Sea men? Oh, grow up...

Ongoing:

San Diego City Attractions & History Tour

Ongoing:

DNA of Creativity Price: Included with regular admission Venue: Oceanside Museum of Art Locale: Oceanside

According to presenters: “Featured are 40 collaborating artists, scientists and educators in a unique exhibition that explores the power of fusing the energies of art and science to promote understanding and new ways of viewing the world.”

4L Magazine’s take: Anytime you fuse science and art … it can’t be a bad thing. Unless you’re painting smiley faces on bombs or something creepy like that. But art and science turning to global destruction sounds like the plot of a comic book. Or every comic book.

90 4L magazine | JUNE 2014

Price: $38 Venue: Starts outside the Santa Fe Depot, the main train station downtown Locale: Downtown

According to presenters: “Allow TourGuideTim to show you San Diego attractions and history from its founding as the birthplace of California to why it’s become the most desirable place to live in America today. Includes Pacific Ocean photo stop at Sunset Cliffs and a walk through Balboa Park.” 4L Magazine’s take: If TourGuideTim says it, it’s pure San Diego *gold.

(* This comment cannot be taken as literal truth. It’s just me writing under deadline, pushing out words to the handful of people like my parents, my wife and daughter who actually read all the silly stuff I write in Around Town. If you do have fun, please tell TourGuideTim we sent you so he’ll stop sending his TourGuideGoons to my office.)

striving to make a

difference environ-Friendly Inks SDP uses custom formulated, soy based, low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) inks for our printing processes. These inks are B.A.C.T. Compliant (Best Available Control Technology) and are certified by The San Diego County Air Pollution District.

SDP uses environmentally friendly roller and blanket wash as part of our commitment to help lower greenhouse gasses.

All Waste Paper, Plates And Inks Are Recycled

SAN DIEGUITO PRINTERS 1880 Diamond Street • San Marcos, CA 92078 Phone: 760.744.0910 • sd-print.com

Magazine PRESENTS

ral

ssy

ssic

the inaugural

Classy golf classic

CANCE E G E L R FOR COL BENEFITING

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29TH Coronado Golf Course Check-in: 10:30 a.m.

BBQ Lunch: 11:00 p.m.

Tee Time: 12:30 p.m.

Post Round Party & Awards: 5:30 p.m.

Go to CancerforCollege.org for more info and to sign up