San Diego CityBeat • April 2, 2014

The

Food

Issue

Looking your meal in the eye ... and other stories about what, how and where we eat

P. 11

2 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

How to fix the park centennial The 2015 Balboa Park Centennial celebration is an embarrassing mess and an outrageous scandal, and certain people walked away with a lot of money without producing a thing, but no one’s going to jail and San Diego doesn’t seem to ever learn from its political mistakes, so let’s move on. Cool? Great.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and City Council President Todd Gloria last week said there’ll be a schedule of events, starting and ending with December Nights 2014 and 2015, and that the Balboa Park Conservancy and Balboa Park Cultural Partnership would be handling the details in between.

But it’s not too late for ideas, right? Because CityBeat has one. It’s not breathtaking. It’s not even super-detailed. But it’s linear and simple, and we think it’s doable. It’s a starting point. So, listen up.

First, this December Nights business is just goofy. It’s a dumb idea for an event kickoff and closing. Too many people already come out to that thing—we can’t imagine any more people in the park at once, and you’re just diluting the theme by combining it with the holidays. You don’t have to start the centennial celebration in 2014 or even in January 2015. We have all of 2015; there’s no rush. Scrap that plan now.

Here’s our idea: “San Diego: Where We’ve Been, Who We Are and Where We’re Going” (or “San Diego: Past, Present and Future,” or something more creative).

First, in the spring, hold a series of events that remember the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and celebrate the history of Balboa Park, whose buildings and internal infrastructure were largely built to support the exposition. So few people really know why the exposition was held and how it created the park we cherish today. This part necessarily comes first, but it’ll be the most in need of funding. Let’s get local historians and creative thinkers together quickly and come up with plans. Then take those plans to the potential sponsors who’ve been so reluctant to get onboard because the plans have been so horribly vague. The park museums should be a big part of this portion.

Next, throughout the summer, turn the park over to the community groups that have been so enthusiastic about participating in the centennial and have already come up with event proposals. This is when

we honor our city’s rich ethnic and racial diversity.

We have such vibrant and proud American Indian, Mexican, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Somali and African-American communities, to name just a few.

It’s not limited to ethnic and racial groups, though; it can be opened up to community groups of all kinds, especially arts organizations—anything that helps create an intricate profile of who were are as San Diegans. Maybe generous donors can match community groups’ own fundraising efforts. Sycuan, Barona, Viejas, we’re looking at you, for starters. Hey, maybe CityBeat can curate a local-music series at the organ pavilion.

Finally, in the fall, we hold a series of events that really honor the point of the 1915 exposition. The purpose of the 1915 exposition was to promote San David Rolland Diego as a crucial seaport after the creation of the Panama Canal. It was about building the region’s economy more than anything. So, let’s make the fall all about San Diego’s true economic driver: tourism! LOL! Of course we’re kidding. No, let’s celebrate San Diego’s present and future contributions to innovation: science and technology. Imagine the fascinating, thought-provoking, ideagenerating public displays and conferences that the region’s science and tech companies can put on to highlight the discoveries that have occurred here. How cool would it be to gather these firms, scientists and entrepreneurs and have them educate us (and visitors, natch) on the work that will be happening here in the near future? The participating companies, seeing the obvious marketing opportunities, would foot the bill for this portion of the centennial—and maybe chip in for the earlier events, too. Gotta include the local craft-beer industry, right?

This is when we get them involved.

Hell, if we can’t get this all done in 2015, there’s no harm in stretching it into 2016. In fact, doing so would better mimic what happened 100 years ago. Remember, the Panama-California Exposition stretched deep into 1916.

We can wrap up the grand year of festivities, whether it’s in November 2015 or May 2016, with a big party, where we can serve—sheet cake! Let’s do this.

What do you think? Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

This issue of CityBeat perfectly syncs up with The Wizard of Oz.

Volume 12 • Issue 34 Editor David Rolland Associate Editor Kelly Davis Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Kinsee Morlan Staff Writer Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Lindsey Voltoline Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

Cover design by Lindsey Voltoline

Contributors Ian Cheesman, David L. Coddon, Seth Combs, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Nina Sachdev Hoffmann, Peter Holslin, Dave Maass, Scott McDonald, Jennifer McEntee, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Mina Riazi, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Jen Van Tieghem, Quan Vu

Circulation / Office Assistant Giovanna Tricoli

Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse

Vice President of Finance Michael Nagami

Production artist Rees Withrow

Vice President of Operations David Comden

MultiMedia Advertising Director Paulina Porter-Tapia

Publisher Kevin Hellman

Senior account executive Jason Noble Account Executives F. Scott Berman, Beau Odom

Accounting Alysia Chavez, Linda Lam, Monica MacCree Human Resources Andrea Baker

Advertising inquiries Interested in advertising?

Call 619-281-7526 or e-mail advertising@sdcitybeat.com. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. every Friday for the following week’s issue.

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San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Southland Publishing Inc., free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2014.

4 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

Keep it open Regarding your March 5 editorial, “San Diego’s open-government test”: I agree with the editor’s concern over changing the email-retention period for the city of San Diego.

To begin with, there’s no reason for deleting these emails so that they can never be recovered.

Disk storage is inexpensive. Anyone can purchase a 4-terabyte storage array for $200. At minimum, these emails should be retained on some type of medium.

It’s also important to note that Kevin Faulconer is San Diego’s fourth mayor in just a little more than a year. A lot has gone on during this time, and records should be retained. Could it be that someone has something to hide?

This is an opportunity for Faulconer to prove that he is truly a proponent of open government.

Ronald Harris, Scripps Ranch Editor’s note: Faulconer on March 18 rescinded the policy that would have required the deletion of city emails after one year.

Up with citizens!

In response to Craig Thompson’s March 5 letter to the editor about CityBeat’s endorsement of David Alvarez, I would first like to ask, do you enjoy that 40-hour week, weekends and sick days? You can thank unions for that. Apparently, you are under the illusion that corporations are just going to give workers decent pay and benefits out of the goodness of their hearts.

The way unions build the middle class is by making sure there are jobs that provide a middle-class living. Just because someone is pro-union doesn’t make them anti-business. Frankly, I am sick of this push to be

6 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

“pro-business”; why don’t we try to be “pro-citizens”?

Lenora Dody, Hillcrest

clean elections A question for Ronald Harris of Scripps Ranch, regarding his March 5 letter to the editor about your Jan. 29 editorial: Have you heard the positive buzz surrounding clean elections?

More and more states are giving serious consideration to this concept to instill political stability. Several states have adopted the concept. Newsman Bill Moyers narrates an excellent 11minute video that’s circulating among San Diego civic organizations. Check it out.

Janet Kaye, Linda Vista

The black knight Regarding your March 12 news story about union leader Mickey Kasparian: Kasparian’s “I’d rather lose a race than compromise” stance is why Democrats are suffering these losses. He may not have been sure of what he got from Nathan Fletcher, but he damn well knew what he’d get with Kevin Faulconer.

In the end, Faulconer, aka Jerry Sanders Lite, beat Kasparian’s ass with a smoke-and-mirrors “everyman” campaign, a tactic that would never have worked against Fletcher. This happened in a city where Democrats far outnumber Republicans!

Kasparian is the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He gets his arm cut off and calls it a flesh wound. Adapt or become extinct, Mickey.

Woody DuBois, Vista

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

spin cycle

john r.

lamb What gives?

“Philanthropy seems to me to have become simply the refuge of people who wish to annoy their fellow creatures.”

—Oscar Wilde Who the hell is advising the relics over at San Diego Opera? Perhaps the same people behind the Balboa Park Centennial debacle?

If ineptitude were a valued skill, these folks would be earning their hefty paychecks in spades!

But it isn’t—repeat, San Diego: Ineptitude is not a valued skill— and now the world can look upon our sunny city once again with a puzzled face, an eyebrow raised.

Just how goofy must we look from the outside?

Let’s start with the Balboa Park centennial plans. City leaders are now demanding an accounting of exactly what San Diego got for the $2.6 million

the disbanding Balboa Park Centennial Inc. says it spent on planning while simultaneously failing to attract whale-sized donors for the $35-million, yearlong international extravaganza.

The outgoing centennial planners would prefer to blame this whole thing on former Mayor Bob Filner’s over-reaching dream of international attention for the party, but there wasn’t a booster in sight who didn’t tout the world-drawing potential. So stow that excuse, folks.

Here’s new Mayor Kevin Faulconer in October 2011, when he was a mere City Council member/cheerleader: “When we were talking about this in committee, we talked about the ability not only to attract obviously visitors from outside the San Diego region, but this will be on the state, national and, we hope, an international level as people understand the history of

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this and what it means to the United States.”

Does that sound anything like the small, subdued celebration that he and Council President Todd Gloria now tout as the 100th-year solution?

Then we have the situation over at San Diego Opera. Seems the company that’s yet to find itself in the red financially can see the red writing on the wall and has opted to perform a quickie harakiri on itself, only to say, “April Fool’s!

We’ll give you folks who claim to care about opera a couple weeks to come up with $10 million to keep us afloat.”

First bit of advice, San Diego Opera. Keep board President Karen Cohn as far away from the media as is physically possible, given her inability to appear anything but condescending. A clip of her on KUSI this week should be studied by PR students.

Instead of showing appreciation for the public groundswell of support for the institution or appearing to heed the advice of visiting Opera America President Marc Scorca to “do whatever it can with available resources in order to function responsibly,” Cohn stuck to her script, telling

John R. Lamb

Hey, San Diego Opera! How about a Faulconer / Gloria production of “That’s What’s Left for Nonprofits?”

KUSI, “Come forward. We need at least $10 million to keep our season going.”

The problem, as it always seems, is about money. How much is enough? Who pays? Who’s getting paid how much? Did any bang emerge from those bucks?

In its “State of Nonprofits” annual report for 2013, the University of San Diego’s Caster Family Center for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research found that San Diego faces a bleak charitable future.

The report found that “the overall philanthropic climate in San Diego is under-resourced as nonprofits are highly dependent— actually, disproportionately dependent compared to their counterparts throughout California and the nation—on government support and earned revenue.

“For nonprofits in San Diego, a leg of the revenue stool is essentially weak.”

Why is this a problem, you ask? As the report explains, “The absence of comparable capital from private foundations means that San Diego nonprofits are at a distinct disadvantage in their ability to take risks with new types of programs and initiatives.”

Sound familiar, anybody in San Diego who’s tried to be innovative? It’s hard to imagine how San Diego competes going forward with cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, where foundations outpace San Diego’s by a factor of 10 and more.

“San Diego is challenged philanthropically with far fewer grant dollars available per nonprofit than in many other regions in the country,” the 2013 Caster report notes. “The disparity in California is striking, specifically total assets held by San Diego’s foundations are $3 billion compared to $43 billion held by Los Angeles foundations and $29 billion held by foundations in San Francisco.

“In practical terms, this rep-

resents less capacity for nonprofits to access the kind of working capital typically offered through foundation grants and used by nonprofits for innovation, experimentation and expansion.”

Hold the phone there, Spin, you might be saying. There are wealthy folks in town dropping their hard-earned cash into worthy causes all the time. Yes, that is true. But check out where the bulk of that goes—into new medical wings or biotech centers emblazoned with the names of their generous benefactors.

All very noble and forwardthinking, economically speaking—perhaps with a little ego thrown in. But when it comes time to prop up a cultural institution or hop on board the Balboa Park birthday-bash bus, is that too much to ask for without plastering company banners all over the proceedings?

Perhaps in today’s what’s-init-for-me world, such generosity has become endangered, leaning toward extinct. Coupled with Faulconer’s recent proposal to divert federal anti-poverty dollars away from nonprofits into infrastructure projects, maybe the writing is on the wall.

Maybe it’s fitting that the San Diego Opera ends short of its golden anniversary with its zillionth production of Don Quixote, the farcical tale of a delusional knight who battles windmills he thinks are giants just to recover the necklace of a woman who, in the end, rejects him.

And maybe, too, it’s a good thing that attracting San Diegans and not kings and queens will be the focus of Balboa Park’s centennial celebration.

For both, the solution seems simple: Stuff the arrogance. Swallow the pride. Keep the public in the loop. Proceed ahead.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com

edwin

sordid tales

decker There’s no such thing as zero tolerance Researchers in Germany recently discovered that lowing orders? frequent viewers of pornography often suffer memBut this is the point of zero tolerance, right? Peoory loss, lack of focus and a tendency to switch topple can’t be trusted to make decisions—to think— ics abruptly did you hear the story about the fifth about these situations and act accordingly, so we grader who was suspended for stopping a fellow take the thinking out of it. Only problem is, no matclassmate from hurting himself? ter what we do—zero tolerance or not—thinking Yup, we have yet another “Asinine School Adstill has to happen. ministration Negligently Enforces Zero Tolerance According to the San Diego Unified School DisPolicy Because the Administration is Asinine” detrict (SDUSD) website, the Board of Education has bacle. So, sit back and marvel at the tale of Adrion“adopted a Zero Tolerance Policy on weapons, viona Harris, a Virginia Beach middle-school student lent acts and repeated fighting.” who confiscated a razor blade from a boy who was See? Now, this is why I say zero tolerance has using it to cut himself, threw it in the garbage and no meaning. After all, what constitutes an act of immediately reported it to school officials who apviolence? Does a wedgie qualify? A noogie? What plauded her swift actions and—oh, wait. Nope. I about football? And what is a weapon? Pencils are read that wrong. They accused her of violating the shivs. Belts are whips. Shoestring = garrote. And an school’s zero-tolerance policy on weapons possesentire nerd can be used as a battering ram to bash sion and damned her to a 10-day suspension with another nerd. intent to expel!

Zero tolerance is just an arbitrarily drawn line OK, sure, she technically “possessed” the razor along which the powers that be decide what will be for a few seconds. And zero-tolerance advocates tolerated, like the San Diego Unified School District argue that if they make exceptions, then it defeats ZT policy on “repeated fighting.” the purpose of zero tolerance, which is—meh—true.

I hate to break to you, SDUSD, but zero tolerance But here’s the thing most ZT adfor repeated acts of fighting is simvocates don’t know: There is no ply tolerance for the first fight. such thing as “zero tolerance.” It Then there’s the school dis“The next, next time is a meaningless phrase. trict’s zero-tolerance policy on I catch you smoking A zero-tolerance policy basidrugs: “For possession or use of dope in the bathroom cally says that a certain issue is so a controlled / prohibited subproblematic that we can’t trust the stance,” the website explains, “exis going to be the boots on the ground to make depulsion will be recommended on almost last time!” cisions case-by-case—which is to the third offense.” say we don’t trust them to think.

So, let me get this straight: The I understand the clamor for San Diego Unified School District zero tolerance. The truth is, sometimes, when is boasting a zero-tolerance policy on the third offense of illegal narcotics possession? Well, that’s certain people on the ground try to think, really sure to send a bolt of fear across the student body. atrocious shit can go down. For instance, we don’t “That is the next to the next to the last straw want to find out that the kid who hacked up his young man! The next, next time I catch you smokclassmates with a sawed off machete was a repeat ing dope in the bathroom is going to be the almost offender who was given a second chance by some last time!” bleeding-heart guidance counselor who caught the It seems as though the San Diego Unified School kid with a sawed-off machete in his backpack.

District is just slapping the phrase “zero tolerance” But there are just as many dimwits on the other onto their literature to convince the terminally end of the spectrum, low-level managers who go fearful, overbearing, “My kid is an honor student” overboard on discipline—such as the school offibumper sticklers into thinking that it’s cracking cials in the razor-blade incident. I mean, you really down on discipline. have to take a moment to truly appreciate how stuWhatever. They can throw around the words pid it was to suspend that poor girl. “zero tolerance” all they like, but they’re still more Just pretend you’re Principal Headenass, sittolerant than the averagely tolerant high school I ting in your office twiddling your thumbs, when in went to. The only difference is that zero-tolerance comes young Adrionna Harris, who tells you a harpolicies take disciplinary decisions away from the rowing story of a young boy who was cutting himteachers in the trenches and put them into the self in the library, and how she peacefully disarmed hands of bureaucrats in bubbles. him and immediately reported the incident.

All things being equal, it’s just best to leave the Yet, as you’re listening to this story, it somehow thinking to the crew on the ground. They may not doesn’t occur to you that, of her three options—let always make the best choices, but they almost althe boy cut himself, intervene and lie about it or ways have the best information. intervene and report it—she chose the most righteous one! And you reward her righteous actions Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com by suspending her ass into oblivion and blaming and editor@sdcitybeat.com. Listen to it on zero tolerance. Christ, man, didn’t the Nazis “Sordid Tales: The Podcast!” at sdcitybeat.com. teach you anything about the folly of blindly fol-

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

the floating

library

by jim ruland

Dark tales from two local short-story writers There are as many approaches to writing about drugs as there are stars in the sky, but most fall into one of two categories. Both take the reader on a journey to the depths of depravity, but one brings the reader back while the other leaves her there. The drug-addled heroines of Black Cloud, Del Mar writer Juliet Escoria’s debut collection of 12 terrifying short fictions from publisher Civil Coping Mechanisms, belong to the latter camp.

Escoria’s stories feature young women at loose ends. They do ketamine or coke or heroin or meth. They drink too much and choose partners poorly. Even though the stories are exceptionally short, in the span of a few pages, the protagonists manage to run through all their options.

“He went to work and constructed code. I waited tables and collected tips.

Sometimes I’d wake up at dawn and find myself tangled in his arms, one of my yellow hairs stuck to his eyebrow. We got nosebleeds. We made lasagna. I got pregnant.”

Escoria’s stories seduce the reader with their normalcy, and then the bottom falls out. She’s a master of thinly sketched narratives whose characters are believable but not reliable. Her characters usually can’t see past their realities, but they’re beginning to have doubts about their circumstances.

“I would only look at books about aliens and crop circles. I wasn’t too sure about aliens before, but recently I’d risen into a new clarity.”

In “Glass, Distilled,” the narrator fixates on her one-armed dealer. He used to be a fisherman, and now he deals cocaine out of a rent-by-the-month motel room.

Meanwhile, her boyfriend becomes obsessed with tropical fish when their relationship takes a turn for the worse. “… I stared at the fish in the tank that illuminated the room from the foot of our bed. The fish’s eyes were blank and their mouths opened and closed with nothing coming out. When I looked at them, it seemed like we were the exact same kind of being.”

Escoria has a poet’s knack for knowing when to tie off a paragraph for thunderous effect and displays enormous empathy for the damaged souls that populate her stories. Her fictions are like fish tanks: unnatural habitats that we can peer into but whose inhabitants are unlikely to thrive. She forces us to consider what these beings were like before they became undone and what they still hope to become.

A book-release party for Black Cloud will be

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held at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Nunzi’s Cafe (1255 University Ave. in Hillcrest).

•••

I don’t mean to sound like a cynic, but with all the furor and fascination surrounding the whereabouts of Malaysian Airlines flight 370, San Diegan Bonnie ZoBell picked a pretty good week to launch a book that deals with the aftermath of a plane crash.

The collision of a Cessna 172 with a Boeing 727-214 over San Diego that caused both aircraft to crash in North Park on Sept. 25, 1978, serves as an organizing principle for What Happened Here, ZoBell’s new collection of linked stories from Press 53.

“The explosion was instantaneous—an enormous fireball whooshed into the sky, a mushroom of smoke and debris. Scraps of clothing leaped onto telephone poles, body parts fell on roofs, tray tables scattered across driveways. Airplane seats landed on front lawns, arms and legs descended onto patios, and a torso fell through the windshield of a moving vehicle.”

Grim and ghoulish, ZoBell imagines what it was like during those awful days after the crash and how it affected the neighborhood throughout the years. We meet new-age healers, anxiety-riddled waitresses, surfers and skateboarders—even a chupacabra.

“Something was there, something big and muscular if her eyes weren’t tricking her. A foul smell overtook the bluff, so strong even the wind couldn’t dilute it—tangy, excremental, like deteriorating flesh. She tried to focus her eyes. What looked like teeth reflected back.”

The suggestion here is that it doesn’t matter if the beast is real if we let the fear take over. ZoBell’s characters are stuck in a queer kind of indeterminacy: They’ve been marked by catastrophic events beyond their comprehension, and although they know the way forward, they can’t help but look back.

ZoBell, who heads the creative-writing program at Mesa College, will read from What Happened Here with Gina Frangello and Rob Roberge on April 13. The reading will be at San Diego Writer’s Ink (sandiegowriters.org) in Point Loma’s Liberty Station, which sits in the flight path of Lindbergh Field. And while it may at times sound as if the sky is falling, things like that don’t happen here.

Write to jimr@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

The Food Issue

The

Food Issue

Stories about what, where and how we eat

Looking your food in the eye

Michael A. Gardiner slaughters a pig and considers the big picture.

Delicious dozen

Kelly Davis highlights 12 restaurants that have opened in the past year.

‘Cheers without the beers’

Kinsee Morlan gets to know the regulars at La Mesa Bistro & Bakery.

Food Chain

David Rolland had a much easier time this year getting local restaurateurs to pay it forward.

Behind the swinging door

Michael A. Gardiner spends a couple of days working in the kitchen at Tijuana’s La Justina.

Beef-free burgers

Nina Sachdev Hoffmann samples five that didn’t come from a big fat cow.

$12

$18

$20

$23

$24

$28

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

The Food Issue

Looking your food in the eye

Pulling the trigger was the easy part

by Michael A. Gardiner

H

Michael A. Gardiner

e was reddishbrown, furry and cute, and we’d come to watch him die.

More accurately, perhaps, we’d come to test a notion: If you’re going to eat meat, you had best come to grips with the fact that the supermarket may be where you buy your food, but that market is not where it comes from. Between that theory and reality stood a pig.

It’s something of an irony: At the same time that we’ve come to glorify chefs and fetishize farmers markets and farms—“You have the J.R. Organics CSA? I’m with Suzie’s Farm!”—a large percentage of the population seems convinced that meat is born in plastic. The idea that a head of lettuce grew out of the dirt might not upset the equilibrium, but how many are comfortable with the idea that the pork in that vacuum Don’t worry—this wasn’t the pig pack was warm, fuzzy and very much that was slaughtered. alive right up until the moment it was unceremoniously slaughtered?

And that’s why we found ourselves driving our Prius a mile up a dirt road in the far reaches of East County.

As we emerged from a stand of oaks and rounded a bend in the road, we saw the gate to Womach Ranch and entered, pulling up to an electrified fence. The scene on the other side was nothing if not bucolic. Chickens and ducks roamed freely, frolicking around a pond. As I shot pictures of the chickens wandering amongst the horses and dogs, I had a strange Nancy Gardiner carves a primal cut. feeling that something large

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was just behind me, a feeling confirmed by a long lick of the back of my arm. I turned and found myself face to face with the big eyes of a large, double-wide brown cow. I smiled, laughed and received another big lick.

The only thing missing was the guest of honor. I had never bought a live pig before, but I suppose I’d have expected him to be wandering with the other livestock. Curtis Womach, the proprietor, told us that he was up on the porch on the side of the house.

When we got there, the pig was indeed there, in a cage. I couldn’t help but note the contrast with the pastoral scene below. The fact that our 80pound Red Wattle hog was confined in this cage when the cows, horses, chickens and ducks were wandering freely only yards away spoke volumes about what was to come.

I bent down to look at him. He didn’t look up. Did he know what was coming? Did I? It was just then that Curtis handed me the rifle and a threebullet magazine. I’d thought about the moment of the kill but never imagined that I’d be the one to pull the trigger. I don’t know that I’d have made the trek out this far had I known that. But, in the end, pulling the trigger wasn’t difficult. A single shot through the forehead and he was down.

What came next—a knife stroke across the neck—was decidedly less easy. Could it ever be otherwise, watching a creature that had been alive a moment ago bleed out? And it got worse from there.

The next step was to scald the pig.

This released enzymes in his skin that made it possible to remove the fur.

There are two ways to accomplish that task. One is to take an acetylene torch and burn the fur off. This, though, gives the skin an odor. The other approach—

the one we chose—is to do it by hand.

There was something about the process of removing the pig’s fur from his skin that was gruesome. This step, more than any other, spoke to the transformation of live creature into meat. It was happening before my eyes and at my hand, one knife scrape at a time. As I pulled the knife down, the reddish-brown fur came with it, leaving behind pinkish flesh that looked disturbingly familiar. And as I pulled that knife down, I was, once again, the agent of that transformation.

The next step ought to have been one of the most troubling: cutting the pig’s body in half from tail to snout with a hacksaw. It, too, sounds gruesome but, frankly, was not. At some level, it seems, that transformation had already occurred: This was just a slightly different version of cutting meat. It was no worse than cutting off a duck’s head or chicken’s feet.

Indeed, that was, essentially, the same story for the remainder of the process. From half a beast, we reduced the pig to its primal cuts. From there, we butchered it into the sorts of smaller cuts you might see in a supermarket: baby back ribs, spareribs, shoulder, loin, tenderloin, shank, ham, etc. There were also some parts you might not see often at the market: pork liver, trotters, kidney, neck, brains, heart, tongue, cheeks (the whole head, really) and the like. And we’ve either used or have plans to use every part.

I came to realize that I had not fully understood why we’d gone to this ranch in distant East County until we’d gotten there and been through the process. Yes, in a sense, we’d gone to test a notion. But more

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

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The Food Issue CONTINUED from PAGE 12

Nancy Gardiner

than that, I’d gone to test myself. It was one thing for me to say I understood that the meat I bought at the supermarket was not born in that plastic. It was something else altogether to see for myself that the pink piece of plastic-wrapped pork was once furry and cute—and for me to be the instrument of that transformation.

How, I suppose I wanted to know, would I react? Would it be like water off of one of those ducks’ back? Would I sign up for the vegan corps? In the end, the answer was neither. It was a more difficult process than I had expected. It truly drove home for me the importance of using every part of the animal. We gave that pig no choice. In that cage, he was already meat. He just didn’t know it quite yet.

He was born to be meat.

Given that reality, we owed it to him to make as little waste of his body as possible, to make use of every last bit of edible meat that we possibly could. Not just the fancy cuts— the celebrated ribs and the other parts with which we’re all familiar—but the entire pig, from snout to tail.

Having looked a beast in the eye while he was on the hoof, and having had a hand in every step along the route of his transformation into meat, I still plan to eat animals. But I’ll do so from the standpoint of recognition and respect for the realities of the process.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

The author splits the pig.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

CeCe Canton

The Food Issue

Juniper & Ivy included an overhaul of the former Helix Wholesale Co. building in Little Italy.

Delicious dozen 12 new restaurants that have opened since our last Food Issue

by Kelly Davis

A

smorgasbord of restaurants have opened in the year since our last food issue—more than we could possibly list here—so, we went down the list of newbies, and picked one for each month.

April

Queenstown Public House: Designer Michael Soriano’s (Vin de Syrah, The Pearl Hotel) vision for this New Zealandinspired restaurant included an Astroturf field of sheep hanging from the ceiling. CityBeat’s Mina Riazi found the menu in need of a little focusing, but she dug the fish ’n’ chips, while Michael A. Gardiner took note of the rack of lamb (Kiwi staple) and duckconfit bahn mi that Queenstown dubbed the “Thai Stick.” (1557 Columbia St. in Little Italy, queenstownpublichouse.com)

May

Solterra Winery and Kitchen: You may have spotted this place from Highway 101 or

18 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

while riding the Amtrak. It’s awfully pretty, with its wood-and-glass-paneled exterior.

And, indeed, they make Solterra wine here.

The menu is Mediterranean-inspired and includes a number of wine-friendly tapas classics like patatas bravas, tortilla Espanola and flamenquines de pollo. (934 N. Coast Hwy. 101 in Leucadia, solterrawinery.com)

June

in Hillcrest, blueribbonrustickitchen.com) Sea & Smoke: Speaking of third restaurants, Matt Gordon added classy Sea & Smoke to sister spots Urban Solace and Solace & The Moonlight Lounge. CityBeat’s Jenny Montgomery described S&S as “the most grownup of Gordon’s restaurants.” The growing herd of gluten-free eaters will appreciate the extensive GF options. (2690 Via de la Valle in Del Mar, seaandsmoke.com)

French Concession: So, this spot actually opened in November, but since there were a few to choose from that month, we’re bumping it ahead. Recently, CityBeat’s Michael A. Gardiner checked out the remodeled former Celadon location and was wowed by chef Andrew Kwong’s dim-sum-style dishes, declaring the blackbean spareribs “far and away the best I’ve ever tasted.” (3671 Fifth Ave. in Hillcrest, frenchconcessionsd.com)

September

January

August

Venga Venga: Located in the Otay Ranch Town Center, Venga Venga is a recent project of James Beard-nominated super-chef Richard Sandoval. It’s part of Sandoval’s empire of nearly three-dozen restaurants, so it’s not like you’ll find him in the kitchen here. Still, as San Diego Magazine’s Troy Johnson wrote, “Sandoval reportedly takes real good care of his people, makes his chefs partners, encourages them to do their best work.” The menu’s upscale Mexican food, and there’s a really nice tequila list. Also, if you’re a fan of guacamole, they just rolled out a new menu of guacs that highlight Mexico’s regional cuisines. (2015 Birch Road, Suite 710, in Chula Vista, richardsan doval.com/vengavengachulavista)

Fish Public: Fish Public was a top-to-bottom makeover of the nearly two-decadesold Kensington Grill. Like sister restaurant Cucina Urbana, the interior is clever and design-minded. There’s a dearth of fish-focused restaurants in San Diego (surprisingly), and here, you can get it fried, in a taco ($2 on Tuesdays), whole-roasted, ceviche’d and more. For non-pescavores, there are land-animal options, too. (4055 Adams Ave. in Kensington, fishpublic.com)

October

July

November

Blue Ribbon Rustic Kitchen: Last year, Wade and Kristi Hageman, owners of Encinitas’ wildly popular Blue Ribbon Pizzeria, opened their second restaurant, Craftsman, also in Encinitas. This year, they made it a trifecta with this Uptown spot. The menu includes their famous butterscotch pudding, and the Wednesday-through-Saturday latenight happy hour (9:30 p.m. to midnight) is one of the best around. (530 University Ave.

December

Waypoint Public: North Park Way and 30th Street would have been a sad spot if Waypoint hadn’t moved in, making ideal use of the corner location with its big, street-facing windows. Top Chef contestant Amanda Baumgarten left Herringbone to run the kitchen here and nails it, from the $4 side of curried cauliflower to the duckconfit cassoulet. (3794 30th St. in North Park, waypointpublic.com) Brabant Bar & Café: This South Park tavern, which moved into the former Vagabond location, serves Wittekerke—the easy-drinking Belgian white beer—on tap. Enough said.

Food-wise, the menu’s full of Belgian-style pub food that’s served on charmingly mismatched china. The Bratwurst & Stoemp (a potato-and-veggie mash) is addictive and goes especially well with Wittekerke. (2310 30th St. in South Park, brabantcafe.com)

Betty’s Pie Whole Saloon: Betty’s, run

by Elizabethan Desserts’ Elizabeth Harris, soft-opened at the end of 2013, so we’re scootching her on over into 2014. Warning: You’ll need to diet all day just to look at Betty’s Facebook page. It’s beautiful. It’s pie porn. There are savory pies, brownie pies, Shoefly pie and cute little individual-sized pies. And they make their own ice cream, too. (155 Quail Gardens Drive in Encinitas, facebook.com/BettysPieWholeSaloon)

February

Green Dragon Tavern: It was between North Park’s Juke and Green Dragon for this spot. But, in the interest of geographical diversity and weirdness, GD won out.

OK, it’s not weird, just different. The “enhanced replica” of Boston’s Green Dragon Tavern includes a 1,000-square-foot museum that features Colonial and Revolutionary War memorabilia. As expected, Sam Adams makes some appearances on the menu. (6115 Paseo del Norte in Carlsbad, greendragontavernca.com)

March

Juniper & Ivy: Perhaps the most anticipated restaurant opening of the last several months, this one’s helmed by Richard Blais, the charmingly acerbic winner of Season 8 of Top Chef All-Stars. Though Blais was one of those molecular-gastronomy guys on the show, the menu here manages to combine familiar and inspired. The icing on the cake (or, in this case, a Luxardo cherry in your drink) is Jen Queen’s cocktail menu. (2228 Kettner Blvd. in Little Italy, juniperandivy.com) Write to kellyd@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

The Food Issue

‘Cheers without the beers’ La Mesa Bistro & Bakery’s eclectic cast of regulars adds to the restaurant’s charm Story and photos

by Kinsee Morlan

Tony Jackson’s consistent presence at La Mesa Bistro & Bakery has earned him his own official chair (below).

I

t’s early on a Tuesday morning at La Mesa Bistro & Bakery, and customers are lined up at the counter to place their orders: a mix of coffee and bagels or muffins, omelets or one of the restaurant’s popular specials, like the “1, 2, 3”—one pancake, two eggs and three pieces of a breakfast meat of choice.

Tony Jackson, as permanent a fixture here as the tables and chairs, sits at the counter right next to the cash register, a large, steaming to-go cup of coffee in his hand, a freshly baked bran muffin on a small plate and a copy of the day’s paper in front of him. His large cowboy hat, cowboy boots and turquoise jewelry make him stand out a bit, but he mostly keeps to himself until someone he knows walks through the door or someone he doesn’t know sees his name, “Tony,” carved into the back of his chair and asks him about it.

“I had to find a place to hang out when I retired,” says Jackson, who earned the engraved chair by frequenting the spot for more than five years.

He’s lasted through three different owners and says the current owner, Jaime Osuna, who runs Swami’s Café in La Mesa and Carlsbad and a few other restaurants, is the best so far, having dramatically improved both the food and the décor, in his opinion.

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“It’s just a place to come and socialize,” Jackson says. “Better than sitting in a bar somewhere; I get in trouble doing that.”

He’s a jovial old guy, and people seem to take to him right away. Another regular, Jackie, walks through the door, places her order and immediately engages him.

“Are you getting your life story down, Tony?” she asks, noticing the journalist sitting by his side.

“Yeah, I want to see how it turns out,” he quips.

Before Jackie darts out the door, she mentions that there’s a robust and reliable crew of regulars who frequent La Mesa Bistro & Bakery. Every time she shows up, she knows she’ll see at least a few familiar faces.

“I call this place ‘Cheers without the beers,’” she laughs.

Two more regulars, Brad Stevens and Celeste Harty, are sitting at a booth behind Jackson and can’t resist chiming in, praising the old cowboy as the breakfastand-lunch joint’s unofficial god, due to his omnipresence.

Stevens himself stops by the restaurant at least a few days a week. He consistently orders the Machaca Scrambler (a scrambledegg dish with pork, green onions, tomatoes and cheese served with guacamole, black beans, sour cream, tortillas and a small side of the restaurant’s famous handmade salsa) or the 1, 2, 3 special with a Berry Sensation Pancake. Harty’s here every Tuesday and typically orders one of the breakfast sandwiches, like the Egg Croisandwich. She also orders a fresh muffin to take home to her disabled mother. If she forgets to order the muffin before she leaves, she says a staffer is quick to remind her (one of the servers even throws in a few free extra muffins sometimes).

“There’s just a great staff here who remembers your name and your order,” Harty says. “There’s such a sense of community here. It is kind of like a breakfast Cheers place.”

“Pinky,” another regular, who wears pink and works at the thrift store a few doors down, often orders a doughnut and iced tea. And Richard Torge, a high-school track and cross-country coach, sticks to the vegetarian omelet with egg whites only

Regulars Celeste Harty, Tony Jackson and Brad Stevens and says he likes the health-food options (organic eggs available upon request), the more than a dozen choices of pour-yourown coffee and the free refills.

La Mesa Bistro & Bakery, located in a bland storefront in a strip mall at 8697 La Mesa Blvd., is also the home of The Bistro Boys, a group of older gentlemen who meet in the back room of the restaurant every Wednesday from about 8 to 10 a.m. While the members whose diets require them to watch their sugar and fat intake mostly stick to things like muffins, potato-bread toast, bagels and the old-fashioned oatmeal, others look forward to their weekly gorge on eggs, bacon or the gluttonous biscuits and gravy. The men show up for the good food and coffee, but they’re mostly there for friendship and conversation.

“This all started when Hank, one of our guys, lost his wife and I started taking him to coffee once a week,” says the group’s ringleader, Joe Hughes, who had official

The Bistro Boys meet up at La Mesa Bistro & Bakery every week.

“Bistro Boys” business cards made up for members. “Then Chuck joined us. Then Harvey joined us and, pretty soon, it’s 12 or 15 guys every Wednesday morning and we solve all the world’s problems.”

There’s a framed poster hanging on a wall in the back room that announces The Bistro Boys’ weekly presence (a poster they took the liberty of creating and mounting themselves). The boys use the time the restaurant has allotted them to conduct their own grownup version of show-and-tell. One of the members often brings something from his collection of antique tools, while others bring books, movies or interesting articles to share. Mostly, though, they talk about what they’re up to—cataract surgery, hospital stays and other health issues are common topics.

At The Bistro Boys meet-up the Wednesday before St. Patrick’s Day, one of the members stood up and sang an impassioned version of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” entertaining the whole restaurant. The group has gained some notoriety over the years. La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid has even been known to drop in on The Bistro Boys, using the guys as an unofficial advisory council. While politics and more serious conversations do arise, they mostly try to keep things light and just enjoy the community feel the restaurant provides.

“The food’s good, the coffee’s good and we know all the people,” Hughes says.

Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

22 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

The Food Issue

David Rolland

Food Chain

Local restaurateurs pay it forward

by David Rolland

L

ast year, The Food Chain™ almost died. Incredibly, getting restaurant people to cooperate with this recurring everyone-wins little feature of mine had become like getting them to stop putting fried eggs on their hamburgers—bewildering and nearly impossible. I came close to pulling the plug. But, like a guy determined to never order a hamburger with a fried egg on it (can you tell I don’t want a goddamn egg on my burger?), I put my head down, led with my shoulder and plowed ahead.

It paid off. This year, the restaurants cooperated in spectacular fashion, and I’m as grateful as a guy who got served a hamburger with no fried egg on it.

A recap for those who have no idea what The Food Chain™ is: In 2008’s Food Issue, I asked my friend Neal Wasserman at Nine-Ten restaurant to recommend one of his favorite eateries and write 100 words or so about it. Then I went to that restaurant and asked the owner to pick the next link on the chain, which has carried on unbroken in each annual Food Issue thereafter.

Last year, we ended with El Callejon’s Bernard Jourdain recommending Vigilucci’s in Encinitas.

Solace & The Moonlight Lounge

Tracy Pedrazzani, PR / marketing manager at Vigilucci’s Restaurant Group, says: “Being in the business of Italian food and all things yummy, when not working, we try eateries that represent a different category of cuisine than Italian. My husband and I have enjoyed dinner out at Solace & The Moonlight Lounge in Encinitas. When we’re not working or partaking in our kids’ activities, we find ourselves there a couple times a month. I almost always have the hazelnut-endive salad and the hanger steak. We’ve also shared the tomato soup, jidori chicken, poached-egg salad and the s’mores for a finish if we don’t enjoy a glass of port.” Solace & The Moonlight Lounge, 25 E. E St. in Encinitas, eatatsolace.com

Jsix

Matt Gordon, owner and chef at Solace & The Moonlight Lounge, says: “I’ve always had a lot of respect for Christian Graves and the food that he puts out at Jsix. Normally, I don’t find myself at hotel restaurants (not intentionally—just happens), but his commitment to using really good products and ability to cook well brought me in for a few visits before the remodel. We recently revisited to see how the place turned out and enjoyed a bunch of food. The fried chicken, meatballs and pea salad plates were all licked clean. It’s refreshing to find a restaurant like this Downtown! I think I secretly hoped he would get into a standalone restaurant at some point, but I think he’s got a great thing going there with the revamp, and I am looking forward to visiting many more times.” Jsix, 616 J St., Downtown, jsixrestaurant.com

The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Christian Graves, executive chef and general manager at Jsix, says: “I love going to The Lodge at Torrey Pines and enjoying the artisan table or hitting up brunch on the weekends. There’s nothing more relaxing than sitting on the patio and enjoying the day. Chef Jeff Jackson is the godfather of chefs in San Diego. His food style is timeless, honest and true. The Lodge’s Celebrate the Craft event actually has chefs lining up to participate in it. The first year I was down here, everyone told me how cool it was, but Jsix didn’t get

Making the dressing for the Caesar salad at Romesco invited. I was so bummed. I made my whole staff buy tickets and go to drop the Jsix name as much as possible. The next year we got the invite. It was like winning the lottery or getting an awesome review, because it came from a restaurant I have such esteem for. Over the years, we’ve developed a great relationship, which keeps The Lodge as one of my favorite places to go.” The Lodge at Torrey Pines, 11480 N. Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla, lodgetorreypines.com

TJ Oyster Bar

Kelli Crosson, chef de cuisine at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, says: “I owe this amazing find—TJ Oyster Bar—to a cook and a server who had been talking about it for months. We were finally able to wrangle up a group to head down there for a bite before work. I’ve been hooked ever since. There’s not much to say about this unassuming place except for great food and great prices. It doesn’t look like much from the outside—a small street-taco shop in Bonita with a table or two inside, a bar lining the counter and a table outside facing the parking lot. Don’t let that fool you: I’ve had everything from the ceviche (insanely flavorful) to the oysters (fresh and simple), tacos (the octopus was my favorite!) and micheladas—nothing was short of delicious! Dare I say best fish tacos in San Diego? Try to go at off-peak times as the line can be as long as 45 minutes to an hour—although, to be perfectly honest, if you’re with friends, just enjoy!” TJ Oyster Bar, 4246 Bonita Road in Bonita, tjoysterbar.com

Romesco

Yvan Jazo, owner and manager of TJ Oyster Bar, says: “I’m a Tijuana / San Diego native, and I’ve been going to Villa Saverios (Tijuana’s version of Romesco) since I was a kid. So, when they opened in Bonita, I and a lot of other people were very excited. The food is always excellent. I love that I can order a really good pasta or lasagna but at the same time also get a great torta, taco or hamburger, and if I want to get a bunch of different stuff, I can go to the bar and order off their tapas menu. Lately, I’ve been a big fan of their tortas, and if I’m in the mood for some seafood, the orejas de mar are amazing. Another great thing about Romesco is its old-school style of service: You’re always greeted with a smile when you walk in the door and the waiters have been around for a long time, so they know what you like or don’t like, or maybe that’s just me cause I go there a lot.” Romesco, 4346 Bonita Road in Bonita, romescomexmed.com Write to davidr@sdcitybeat.com.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

The Food Issue

Behind the

swinging door Rock-star status and a Food Network show don’t necessarily await Story and photos by Michael A. Gardiner

T

he realization that maybe I couldn’t cut it on the line in a high-end restaurant kitchen came when I found myself trying to melt into the wall. It was May 2012, and after two full days working at Addison— San Diego’s highest-end restaurant—I was watching Friday-night service from the pass between chef William Bradley’s sparkling kitchen and the wait staff. The quiet rhythms of prep and mise en place had given way to the frenetic pace of service as Bradley called orders and line cooks answered. It was the first time I’d ever felt totally out of place in a kitchen. I could not have kept up.

The stage (pronounced “stah-zh”) is a time-honored restaurant-industry tradition. Depending on the context, it involves aspects of internship, job interview, exploitation, free education and/or culinary tourism. Mine, at Addison, had been more of the latter: a little bit of prep work and a lot of watching the cooking of dishes and service.

Two years later, on the other side of an international border, and awaiting the beginning of another two-day stage—this time at executive chef and co-owner Chad White’s La Justina Gastro Bar in Tijuana— what struck me were the juxtapositions between Addison’s opulence and an Avenida Revolución that was still in the process of transition from catering to American Navy sailors and college students to a more sophisticated tourist zone featuring upscale restaurants and art alleys. Opulent, La Justina’s setting was not. Edgy? Perhaps.

I followed prep chef Coco Fonseca from the avenue’s morning light into a restaurant

24 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

space I had seen while dining the night before. It looked entirely different empty and in the dark. We passed through the swinging door into a semi-open kitchen space infused with light from a large window looking out on an alley and the brilliant orange wall of the opposite building.

Prep started much as it had at Addison, with simple repetitive tasks involving no heat or blades. Before long, I was on to finer knife work, cutting cactus paddles into brunoise and pickling them. A defining feature of work in a professional kitchen is the scale of each task. Where a home cook might prep enough for a few dishes, the same task is magnified exponentially in a restaurant setting up for the night or making several days worth of a basic preparation. And yet, even as I thought, I’m still doing this, there was also a Zen, meditative quality to morning prep.

Hours flew by: slicing onions, picking cilantro leaves, roasting peppers, blowtorch-searing cauliflower florets, preparing ash de mar (vegetable scraps charred under the salamander and ground with salt and chiles), cubing braised lamb belly and cooking yellowtail sous vide. Past noon, the rest of the chefs and kitchen staff arrived.

Focus pivoted to building mise en place for each station.

One feature of an afternoon at La Justina is the “family meal,” a simple, delicious meal shared by the entire staff prior to the start of service. While unusual in Tijuana, it’s common in high-end kitchens and was something chef White insisted upon.

“We spend more time with our restaurant co-workers than we do with our wives or girlfriends,” he told me last week. “It’s the least we can do to share a meal with them.

Everyone drops what they’re doing and we all spend some time together.”

It was during family meal that Jorge Luis “Chido” Garcia, La Justina’s cold-line chef de partie, asked me why I’d wanted to do this stage. “Food Network made me do it,” I said. He looked at me quizzically.

“I had a sneaking suspicion that it’s not all Iron Chef and Gordon Ramsay.”

“No,” he said. “You don’t get out of culinary school and get a restaurant to run and a TV show.” In fact, Chido said, he often tells people looking at culinary school that they’d be far better off taking the $60,000 tuition and putting it toward living costs while staging for a year or two in the best restaurant possible. “It would give them a more realistic picture,” he said. “It would probably be a better education.”

From the end of family meal at about 4 p.m. to the beginning of service at 5 was a sprint consisting of last-minute set-up and lighting the wood-burning grill and pizza oven. “You never know what it is,” said chef de cuisine Iker Castillo. “Today it’s wet wood.”

I took up a post just to the side of the pass. When the first orders came in, it was much like at Addison: I struggled to track orders (in part because chef, naturally, called them in Spanish). While service started slowly, the pace quickened by the time the prep chefs left for the night at

Pork belly with arepas and avocado-garlic purée about 7 p.m.

It was about that time that chef turned to me and asked: “Can you work fry?”

My response was automatic: “Yes.” I neglected to inform him that my most immediate previous experience on Fryolator had been at Jack in the Box—nor did I mention I’d been wearing bell-bottoms at the time.

“Uno papas frites, chef, all day?” I asked.

“Si.” Uno papas frites turned into dos, and, moments later, two more. I had a station.

By 7:30 p.m. we were hit in waves: appetizers, then mains and pizzas, then back again. The pace was tremendous. There was no time to think, only to be in the moment.

What needed doing needed doing. Chef Iker reached over to pull the marrowbones off the grill, and his side towel caught fire. In one smooth motion, he landed the bones on a serving plate, replaced them in his tongs with the burning towel and reached for the

Ash de mar under the Salamander, a high-output broiler prep sink as I doused the towel in water. He looked at me and smiled. “You have spent some time in the kitchen.”

When pressure was on the appetizers, I worked fry, plating tostada de mar (a tostada of octopus, conch, avocado, a peanut sauce and ash de mar) or working hot line, making elotes en vaso (a Mexican street-food classic: corn, taken off the cob, sautéed with lemon juice and meat stock and served in a cup with mayo, cheese and crushed chicharon garnish). When the pressure was on the main courses, I was assembling pizzas, helping plate dishes or frying arepas (South American corn-meal cakes).

And then it was 10 p.m., closing time.

The line was still out the door with another final push of diners to serve. It was at that moment that I realized I was not trying to melt into the wall.

It was well past midnight when I left.

I’d be back to start another 14-hour day by 9 a.m. I now knew I did have the skills to hang in a professional kitchen; what I didn’t know, I could learn. But did I have the endurance? Chido’s words about the importance of staging in culinary education rang in my ear: “It gives a more realistic picture.”

I now knew what he meant. The life of a professional cook is defined by hard work and low pay, and it’s day after day. The

Chef Chad White at the pass rock-star status afforded today’s celebrity chefs is, in the end, a Hollywood sheen CGI’ed onto a gritty, hardscrabble craft that—while deeply satisfying—is, in reality, the very opposite of glamorous.

And yet, within days of returning home, I was trying to figure out how I could come up with an excuse to do it

again. Maybe I couldn’t afford—or my knees couldn’t afford—a lifetime in a professional kitchen. Surely, though, I could do another stage, right?

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

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April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

The Food Issue

Five that didn’t come from a big fat cow

Harrison Photographic

Beef-free burgers

by Nina Sachdev Hoffmann

I

n our never-ending quest to find the perfect meat cookie, we often overlook the alternatives. It’s unfortunate, really, when you consider beef’s rap sheet: It’s not all that great for us, and, in many cases throughout history, it hasn’t been all that safe, either. Don’t get us wrong; we love us some big, fat, juicy burgers. But they get their fair share of attention. We wanted to see what else we could find that would satisfy our cravings and make us feel a little better about ourselves. Here five non-beef burgers you need to put in your mouth hole right now:

Station Tavern’s spicy black-bean burger Here to provide some good PR for vegetarianism is this burger. The force is strong with this spicy housemade patty of black beans and bell peppers. You won’t be leaving hungry, but you’ll certainly leave feeling less bloated. And, if you’re the type of person who judges a burger by its fries, go ahead. The tater tots and sweet-potato fries are crispy and addictive.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself mechanically inserting them into your mouth, one by one.

The burger: Southwestern Turkey ($15) The burger: Salmon ($14.75) Where to get it: Adams Avenue Grill (2201 Adams Where to get it: Spike Africa’s (411 Broadway, Ave. in University Heights, adamsavenuegrill.com) Downtown, spikeafricas.com) What it’s got going for it: At any given time across What it’s got going for it: Fish burgers of any kind the U.S., people are eating bone-dry turkey burgers are hard to come by, but then again, once you’ve devoid of any flavor. It’s a shame they don’t all live had this one, you won’t want to Courtesy: Spike Africa’s here. If you can wait 20 minutes for keep looking. Sustainably sourced what is arguably the best turkey from Scotland, the salmon is freshly burger in San Diego right now (in ground and then grilled just enough one of the most polite restaurants to preserve its delicate nature but in town), do it. This is a monstrous also keep it intact. It comes between half-pound patty mixed with black a locally made bun from Bread & Cie, beans, corn and roasted red pepper and the house-made jalapeño tartar and served with roasted tomatillosauce, made with roasted jalapeños, lime salsa and guacamole. The meat sweet onions and cilantro, is what is incredibly juicy and flavorful. If takes this burger from something you close your eyes, you’ll think you might order on a whim to someyou’re eating a piece of meatloaf thing you’ll seek out every time. between two pieces of bread. This Spike Africa’s salmon burger is one burger that’s proud of where The burger: Bare Lil Lamb ($18) it came from.

Where to get it: Queenstown Public House (1557 Columbia St. in Little Italy, queenstownpublic The burger: Free-Range Buffalo ($18) house.com) Where to get it: The Tractor Room (3687 Fifth Ave. What it’s got going for it: Open just shy of a year, in Hillcrest, thetractorroom.com) this joint has a ton of organic, grass-fed burger op- What it’s got going for it: At the Tractor Room, tions. But only the lamb burger has the mint jelly. some people order their Pabst Pounders with a glass.

While not really a high-demand jam, it’s the con- Luckily, the buffalo burger isn’t also trying to be diment here that makes this little lamb (all natural something it’s not. It’s a badass burger through and and sourced from New Zealand) stand out. Yeah, the through. Buffalo is probably the closest meat there color is a little weird (bright green), especially since is to beef, yet it hasn’t caught on the way it should. it shares bun space with shoestring beetroot (bright It has way fewer calories, and it’s very low in cholesred). But put those two together and you’ve got a terol yet still high in protein. With the right toppings, merry little Christmas in your mouth. It also doesn’t its slightly sweeter taste makes for a superb meat hurt that you can order it with a fried egg, which al- cookie. This one is, first of all, massive. So, resist the ways makes for a better burger. urge to inhale the crisscross fries first. You’ll want to make room for this burger. The patty is very well The burger: Spicy Black Bean ($7.50) complemented by caramelized onions and a generWhere to get it: Station Tavern (2204 Fern St. in ous portion of blue cheese. Buffalo cooks faster than South Park, stationtavern.com) beef, so ordering it medium is a good way to go.

What it’s got going for it: One of the biggest issues with veggie burgers (at least the bean-based ones) is Write to ninah@sdcitybeat.com that they tend to fall apart. Some of them are wimpy. and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

28 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

the

SHORTlist

COORDINATED BY KINSEE MORLAN

RYAN KURATOMI / MEDIA ARTS CENTER

Beryl Forman, aka “Ms. Boulevard,” the BIA’s marketing director. “People love talking about the old drive-in movie theaters and restaurants, and that’s just a great story to tell—you speak to the history of El Cajon Boulevard and then reflect on its future of new thriving local businesses.”

The Boulevard’s indeed experienced a resurgence—from the makeover of The Lafayette Hotel to pedestrianfriendly stretches like the area around 30th Street. To pay homage to El Cajon’s past and present and mark the 25th anniversary of the neon “The Boulevard” sign, the BIA’s hanging 190 banners from Park Boulevard to 54th Street that feature notable locals, from newer faces like BikeSD’s Sam Ollinger to icons like Jim Cooley, who owns the J.A. Cooley Some of the folks featured on the El Cajon Boulevard banners Automotive Museum.

“Showcasing people in the community gives a lot of thrill to people, and it’s kind of really building the social network,” Forman says.

There’s a pretty cool photo archive on On Saturday, April 4, celebrate the Banner Unthe El Cajon Boulevard Business Im- veiling Showcase in The Lafayette’s (2223 El Cajon provement Association’s (BIA) website Blvd. in North Park) Mississippi Ballroom (while a showing Boulevard landmarks going back to the ear- number of banners have been hung, plenty will be on ly 1900s. It’s nostalgic and bittersweet, a reminder of display). The music line-up is stellar: The Amandas, the main drag’s rich history and what’s been lost to Robin Henkel, True Stories, Gregory Page, legendary time and change. jazz man Daniel Jackson and Miss Erika Davies and “It was sort of my platform that El Cajon Boule- Stephen Rey. The Little Richards, featuring El Vez, vard can return to something as great as it was,” says close things out.

Tickets are $10 for the music portion of the evening, which begins at 8 p.m., or $15 if you show up to the 7 p.m. reception, featuring samples of food from The premise of Andreas Dalsgaard’s Boulevard-area restaurants Mama’s Bakery & Lebadocumentary The Human Scale is that nese Deli, Flavors of East Africa, Awash Ethiopian, a higher and higher percentage of the Venice Pizza and Cali Baguette. theboulevard.org world’s population is settling in urban areas. So, the challenge for planners is to adapt to these increasing numbers in such a way that cities become more Reading through the names of San Dipleasant and less nightmarish. Dalsgaard takes his ego Art Prize winners is the fastest way camera around the world and learns how the Danish to introduce yourself to the city’s most firm Gehl Architects and others are focusing on how the spaces between buildings can improve urban life. interesting artists. Well-known architect and artist A teaser for the San Diego Design Film Festival com- James Hubbell and politically charged artists and ing in October, the movie will be screened at 7 p.m. provocateurs Larry and Debby Kline were named Tuesday, April 8, in the Jacobs Building at the Mu- as the 2013 San Diego Art Prize recipients in the seum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Downtown established-artist location (1100 Kettner Blvd., west side of the street). category, earning a place at the annual Tickets are $15. sddesignff.com, mcasd.org Art Prize exhibition, which opens from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 4, at The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 “Call and Response” by Wall St. in La JolDebby and Larry Kline la). As is customary, Hubbell and the Klines each chose an emerging artist to receive the award and exhibit their work.

Hubbell picked his grandson Brennan Hubbell (yay, nepotism!) and the Klines picked James Enos.

The 2014 Art Prize winners will be announced at the The Human Scale opening. ljathenaeum.org

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STREET OF DREAMS

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LIVING SPACES

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WORTHY RECIPIENTS

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

ART Art: The All New Reality Series at Seaweed & Gravel, 1144 N. Hwy 101, Encinitas. New work from Leonard Trubia centered around an art-as-a-realityshow theme. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, April 3. facebook.com/Sea weedandGravel Exposicion Pictorica at Nor-T Taller, Ave Revolucion, No. 942, Tijuana. The boutique and gallery will show new works from Tijuana artist Eddy Lizarraga. Refreshments and craft beer from Azteca will also be served. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 4. facebook.com/nor.tgaleria Friday Night Liberty at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. See both Malashock Dance and San Diego Ballet preview their latest works, as well as new art exhibitions at Ballast Point Gallery, Casa Valencia Galeria Baja, Expressive Arts Institute, the Women’s Museum of California and more. From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 4. ntclibertystation.com HMy Little World at Exclusive Collections Gallery, 568 Fifth Ave., Downtown.

Maine-based artist Daniel Merriam shows off new contemporary surrealist work riffing on fantasy creatures and sci-fi settings. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 4. ecgallery.com HJuan Beaz and Andrew Guiyangco at Graffiti Beach, 2220 Fern St., South Park.

New photographic works and pop-surrealist paintings from the two local artists.

Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 4. shopgraffitibeach.com HEverything Makes a Sound at Low Gallery, 3778 30th St., North Park. New abstract paintings and poetry by Anna Zappoli, who was inspired by the realization that humanity still lacks the ability to live in harmony with nature. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 4. lowgallerysd.com HI Wouldn’t Be Here Today Two Years Ago at L Street Fine Art, 628 L St., East Village. New paintings from contemporary abstract painter Ellen Dieter. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 4. lstreetfineart.com

Julie and Elizabeth Weaverling at Sophie’s Kensington Gallery, 4186 Adams Ave., Kensington. A collaborative show of abstract paintings by Julie and the poetry of her daughter, Elizabeth. From 5 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 5. kensingtongallery.org HMeasured Twice at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village. An exhibit of work from the graduate students at SDSU’s Furniture Design and Woodworking MFA program. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5. sdspace4art.org Tres Cabrones at Casa Artelexia, 2419 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy. Featuring Arizona artists Gennaro Garcia, Frank Ybarra and Joe Ray. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 5. artelexia.com HEva Struble: Produce at MCASD Downtown, 1001 Kettner Blvd. Struble’s new series of paintings offers a contemporary update on the landscape tradition.

Opens Saturday, April 5. She will give an artist talk from 1 to 3 p.m. $5-$10. 858-4543541, mcasd.org Portraitures and Alebrijes at Centro Cultural de la Raza, 2125 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. The Mexico-born, L.A.-based artist Sergio Vasquez showcases new paintings consisting mostly of vivid portraits and Mexican mythological creatures. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5. cen troculturaldelaraza.org Made in San Diego at Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road, Poway. Members of The San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild will show off new works at this annual juried show. Opening from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5. sdmaag.org

Phel Steinmetz 1944-2013 at UCSD Art Gallery, Mandeville Center, La Jolla.

A reception honoring the life and work of Professor Emeritus Phel Steinmetz, whose photographs. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4. visarts.ucsd.edu

HSpan: From Mexico to Portland at Modmatter, 2064 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy.

An evening featuring furniture pieces by Mexican architectural and interior design studio Manada, as well as the work of Portland-based ceramist Lilith Rockett.

Opening from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 5. mod-matter.com

HSan Diego Art Prize Exhibition at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. The local prize spotlights established San Diego artists paired with emerging artists. In 2013 the winners are James Hubbell with emerging artist Brennan Hubbell, and Larry and Debby Kline with emerging artist James Enos. Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, April 4. ljathenaeum.org

Southern California/Baja Norte Regional Award Exhibition at San Diego Art Institute-Museum of the Living Artist, Balboa Park. A gala, awards ceremony and exhibition honoring artists and arts supporters throughout the region. There will also be refreshments from Lagunitas Brewery and live music from the Peter Rutman Blues & Jazz Band. From 6 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 5. $20. sandiego-art.org

HEverywhere Around Us at Said Space, 766 South Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas. A new show featuring the works of designers and artists Dustin Ortiz and Pete Panciera. Opening from 7 to 9 p.m.

Friday, April 4. saidspace.com

San Marcos ArtWalk at Old California Restaurant Row, 1080 W. San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos. Over 30 local artists and arts organizations from all over North County come together on the first Sunday of each month, now through October, to showcase their talents From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 6. oldcaliforniares taurantrow.com

Vaqueros and Latitude 13: Images of Peru at Lemon Grove Library, 8073 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Kentuckybased photographer Rhett L. Beck will unveil portraits of stunning vistas of Peru, as well as cowboys in California, Kentucky and Peru. Opening from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 4. sdcl.org HStarFeather Studios Grand Opening at StarFeather Studios, 1841 National Ave., Barrio Logan. The newest glass hot shop in San Diego will open with live demonstrations, music, hors d’oeuvres and new glass sculptures by John Gibbons and Nic McGuire. From 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

30 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

HToe The Line Two at Jett Gallery, 989 W. Kalmia St., Little Italy. The second annual show returns featuring the fine art of 18 tattoo artists from San Diego tattoo shops, including Sierra Colt, Keith Greene, James Tran and more. There will also be music from Grampadrew and a raffle benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. Opening from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 5. sd-too.com

HSecond Spring: Conserving Nature in Life and Art at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Three local nonprofits have united to present a plein-air art exhibition that highlights the beauty and history of the San Dieguito River Valley. Opening from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 6. artcenter.org Omerta at Basic, 410 10th Ave., Downtown. A mafia-themed art show featuring works from local artists like Andrew McNamara, Victor Villa Jasper Chang and more. There will also be live art from An-

nie Hardy, David Goff and True Delorenzo.

From 7 p.m. to midnight. Tuesday, April 8. thumbprintgallerysd.com Incognito Witch Project at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4190 Front St., Hillcrest. Artist Mollie Kellogg will present the next phase of her project with new portrait-style paintings and a music video that expands on the series celebrating “hidden magick.” Opening from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8. incognitowitch.com

BOOKS HSusanne Bourgeois at UCSD Bookstore, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The author of Genesis of the Salk Institute, professor emerita and founding director of the Regulatory Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute will be discussing and signing her book. At 4 p.m. Thursday, April 3. 858534-3149, ucsandiegobookstore.com Scott McEwen at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The author will discuss and sign Eyes on Target, an inside account of some of the most harrowing Navy Seal missions in American history, including the mission to kill Osama bin Laden. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3.

858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com Tom Leech at Upstart Crow, 835 West Harbor Drive, Seaport Village. The San Diego author will be discussing the second edition of Say it Like Shakespeare: The Bard’s Timeless Tips for Communication Success.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 3. 619232-4855, upstartcrowtrading.com Janet Hubbard at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. Specializing in France, wine and food, the author will sign and discuss, The Bitter Finish, the second in her “Vengeance in the Vineyards” series. At 7 p.m. Friday, April 4. mystgalaxy.com Mystery and Suspense Authors at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont.

Visit with four mystery/suspense authors highlighting different approaches to the genres. Authors include Isla Morley, Samuel Gailey, Vince Aiello and Denise Hamilton. At 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Lynn Flewelling at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. The author will sign and discuss Shards of Time, the final book in her popular cross-genre series about noble spies investigating murder, ghosts, and forces from beyond death.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, April 6. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com Lit & Libations: Ryan Winfield at Mission Hills Books & Collectibles, 4054 Goldfinch St., Mission Hills. The launch of a new series combining a book signing and Q&A with wine and appetizers.

The inaugural event features bestselling Winfield discussing and signing his most recent, Jane’s Melody. At 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 9. $15. 619-5507749, adventuresbythebook.com

COMEDY HRichard Villa at Mad House Comedy Club, 502 Horton Plaza, Downtown. Often hailed as part of a new generation of Latino comics, he’s made appearances on HBO Latino and is a writer and voice on MTVs Latin animation, Chico y Guapo. At 8 p.m. Thursday, April 3. $15. 619-7026666, madhousecomedyclub.com HStreeter Seidell at American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown.

The executive editor of CollegeHumor. com will perform some pleasantly frank stand-up. At 8 p.m. Thursday, April 3, and 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Sat-

urday, April 4-5. $22. 619-795-3858, americancomedyco.com Jodi Miller at Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. The comic was recently on The Tonight Show and is regularly a guest on CNN’s Showbiz Tonight and the Travel Channel series, The Traveler’s Guide To Life. At 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4-5. $20. 858-454-9176, lajolla.thecomedystore.com HDustin Ybarra at Mad House Comedy Club, 502 Horton Plaza, Downtown. He’s only 21, but the Latino comic was recently the finalist for the Funniest Dallas Comic and just taped a pilot for MTV. At 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4-5. $20-$30. 619-702-6666, madhousec omedyclub.com HPatrick DeGuire at Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont.

Originally from San Diego, the comic has appeared on national TV numerous times including Comedy Central and Telemundo. At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4-5. $20. 858-573-9067, thecomedypalace.com

FOOD & DRINK HTaste of Leucadia at Hwy 101 from Encinitas Blvd. to La Costa Blvd., Leucadia. Try the culinary flavors and local libations that make downtown Leucadia so unique. From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3. $20-$35. leucadia101.com HCraft Beer & Bites at SILO in Makers Quarter, 753 15th St., East Village. Enjoy craft beer from 10 local breweries paired with small bites from 10 local restaurants.

From 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $30$35. 21 and up. makersquarter.com Uncasked Neighborhood Brew Fest at Westfield UTC, 4545 La Jolla Village Drive, University City. A self-guided beer tour and food event with eight participating local craft breweries paired with delicious bites. From 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday,

April 5. $20-$25. 858-546-8858

MUSIC HNed Rothenberg & Marty Ehrlich at The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. Part of the ongoing “Fresh Sound” experimental music series, two long-time musical colleagues join forces for an evening of solo and duo music for woodwinds.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. $10$15. henceforthrecords.com/freshsound Turiya Mareya and Deejah Marie Pope at Bella Vista Social Club & Caffe, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla.

Two of San Diego’s best jazz artists unite for a special concert. At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3. 858-534-9624 HYesterday and Today: The Interac-

tive Beatles Experience at Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road, Poway. An interactive concert experience where the audience creates the playlist and a tribute band performs it. At 8 p.m. Friday, April 4. $13-$53. 858-7480505, powayarts.org HEscher String Quartet at Conrad Prebys Music Center, UCSD campus, La Jolla. The string quartet has garnered praise for its interweaving solo parts and group harmony. They will be performing selections from Mozart, Dutilleux and Ravel. At 8 p.m. Friday, April 4. $12-$54. 858-5348497, artpwr.com Passover Music of the Holocaust at Temple Beth Shalom of Chula Vista, 208 Madrona St., Chula Vista. All are welcome at this concert featuring violinist, historian

and author Yale Strom performing Passover music of the Holocaust. There will also be Shabbat services and refreshments. From 7:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 4. 619-420-6040, bethshalomtemple.com HJoe Garrison and Night People at Museum of Making Music, 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad. A special concert presented in conjunction with Jazz Appreciation Month, this large ensemble features original compositions of Joe Garrison and features some of the best players in San Diego. At 8 p.m. Friday, April 4. $20-$25. 760-438-5996, museu mofmakingmusic.org Haydn’s The Creation at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. La

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HComedy For Causes at Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. Comics like Laniea D., Eric Alegria and headliner Luke Ashlocke will perform to help raise funds for a local 3-year-old whose family needs help with medical costs. At 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $20$25. 858-573-9067, thecomedypalace.com Jacob Sirof at American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. His TV appearances include Live At Gotham on Comedy Central and Down and Dirty With Jim Norton on HBO. At 8 p.m. Sunday, April 6. $12. 619-795-3858, american comedyco.com

DANCE Cinderella at Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park. San Diego Civic Youth Ballet’s fulllength production of the fairy tale favorite.

At various times through Sunday, April 6. $10-$15. sdcyb.org HSeed: An Exhibition of Autonomy at White Box Theater, 2690 Truxtun Road, Point Loma. YouTurn Arts presents an evening of small, intimate dance works from a variety of performers including Erica Buechner, Anne Gehman, Maria Juan and Katie Griffin. There’ll also be music from Yael & Vlady and refreshments from Nut ‘n’ Bean. At 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4-5. $15. 619-335-8278, youturnarts.com HAlice in Wonderland at Spreckels Theater, 121 Broadway, Downtown. Bellydance Evolution presents their latest production with a reimagined world-fusion dance take on the classic tale. At 8 p.m.

Friday, April 4. $29-$39. 818-754-1760, bellydanceevolution.com Dance Gallery at Dance Place San Diego, 2650 Truxtun Road, Point Loma. The San Diego Ballet Company presents an intimate evening of mixed rep productions including world-premiere dance and music. At 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4. 619-268-1223, sandiegoballet dancecompany.org

FASHION San Diego’s Most Stylish Man at Porto Vista Hotel, 1835 Columbia St., Little Italy.

VIXEN Pop Up Boutique hosts this second annual runway and trunk show featuring local designers. Ten guys will strut their stuff to become “Most Stylish Man.” There will also be live DJs, food, drinks and boutiques showing off their wares.

From 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 9. $20-$40. 619-544-0164, vixensd.com

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

Jolla Music Society closes its Celebrity Orchestra Series with Haydn’s “The Creation.” At 8 p.m. Friday, April 4. $25-$95.

619-570-1100, ljms.org HVinyl Junkies Record Swap at The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Lots of vendors selling thousands of records in all genres, plus DJs spinning throughout the day. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $3. 619-232-HELL, facebook. com/VinylJunkiesRecordSwap Matt Hall’s Bebop Explosion at The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla.

A bebop jazz sextet featuring an all-star lineup of local jazz talent including Gilbert Castellanos (trumpet), Katie Thiroux (bass), Matt Witek (drums) and Matt Hall (trombone). At 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $10. theloft.ucsd.edu HPinchas Zukerman and Yefim Bronfman at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. A rare pairing of two of the most in-demand classical musicians in the world for an intimate recital featuring chamber music by Franz Schubert, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms. At 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $20-$96. 760-4363036, sandiegosymphony.org HWow! The Chorus Sings the ‘90s at David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla. The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus performs megahits from NSYNC, Seal, Madonna, Christina and Alanis and more. At 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6. $32-$70. 858-362-1348, sdgmc.org Bach Collegium San Diego BCSD presents one of the best-known and best-loved works in the classical repertoire, Bach’s “B Minor Mass.” The first concert on Saturday will take place at the St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church in Pacific Beach and the Sunday performance

THEATER

Intrepid’s fifth season begins with powerful Arthur Miller play Intrepid Shakespeare Company has quietly imploding) and his partner, Steve launched its fifth season in impressive fash- Deever, had shipped the defective parts and ion, staging a faultless production of Arthur were subsequently jailed. Joe was exonerMiller’s fiercely intense family drama All ated and freed while Steve remained behind My Sons. This is Intrepid’s third go-round bars. At home, Kate (an exceptionally movwith Miller, an expressed favorite of artistic ing Savvy Scopelleti) clings to the belief that director Christy Yael-Cox. Previously, the son Larry is still alive, while Chris shyly, but DAREN SCOTT with resolve, woos loveEncinitas-based company staged The Crucible ly Ann Deever (Jacque and Miller’s adaptation Wilke), who happens to of Ibsen’s An Enemy of be not only incarcerated the People. With All My Steve Deever’s estranged Sons, Yael-Cox and a fordaughter but also Larry’s midable cast evince all of former sweetheart.

In playwright Miller’s Miller’s precise language own words, “Betrayal and cogent reflection on is the only truth that not only the inexorable sticks,” but All My Sons binds of family but also is, thematically, not that the price of culpability, simple. At stake in the war and the so-called seemingly peaceful backAmerican Dream as it was post-World War II. Tom Stephenson and yard behind the Kellers’ The sons of All My Savvy Scopelleti quaint Midwest home is the very nature of faith: in Sons are not merely Joe and Kate Keller’s Chris (Brian Mackey) and oneself, in the ones you love, in what dreams missing-in-action-and-presumed-dead Lar- may come and those that will wither away. ry. They are the boys who fought the brave With its pervading tension and emotionally fight overseas—in particular 21 American horrifying twists, All My Sons is tough medipilots who died because of defective parts cine to swallow for its tormented families, in their airplanes. Joe (Tom Stephenson, and not so easy on an audience, either. But

32 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

Yael-Cox’s fluid direction and performances with the power of Scopeletti’s, Stephenson’s, Mackey’s and Wilke’s demonstrate how gripping a tragic story can be told.

The American Dream was, and is, elusive and fraught with good intentions gone astray.

All My Sons runs through April 19 at the San Dieguito Academy Performing Arts Centre in Encinitas. $25-$35. intrepidshake speare.com

—David L. Coddon Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING Miss Gulch Returns: A one-man musical in which a man takes on the personality of Miss Gulch, the uptight enemy of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, who, in this reality, is an actor who played herself in the classic film. Presented by Diversionary Theatre, it runs April 2 through 6 at Martinis Above Fourth in Hillcrest. diversionary.org To Kill a Mockingbird: The classic drama with the best character names in the history of film or theater: Atticus, Scout, Gem, Dill and Boo. Opens in previews on April 4 at New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. new villagearts.com

For full listings,

please visit “T heater ” at sdcit ybeat.com

will be at the First Presbyterian Church, Downtown. At 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5, and 5 p.m. Sunday, April 6. $10-$40.

619-232-7513, bachcollegiumsd.org HPROJECT Trio: Classical Music Remixed at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. The trio of energetic young chamber music musicians plays a varied set that includes selections from Rossini, Brahms, Mingus and a mashup of Bach and Jethro Tull. At 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 6. $20-$30. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

PERFORMANCE HDon Quixote at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. The Opera’s final (no, really, it’s reportedly gone for good after this season) production is the tale of a Spanish knight who tilts at windmills, with bass Ferruccio Furlanetto in the title role and fellow bass Eduardo Chama as his sidekick, Sancho Panza. At 7 p.m. Friday, April 5, Tuesday, April 8, and Friday, April 11, and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 13. $45-$285. sdopera.com Converge: Comedy and Dialogue at Smith Recital Hall, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area. The Hausmann Quartet explores the humorous qualities of musical dialogue in chamber music and its parallels with improv. Music will be set against a comedic backdrop provided by SDSU’s School of Theatre, Television and Film and improv comedy group lota Eta Pi. At 7 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8. musicdance.sdsu.edu

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD Local Authors Night Reception at The New Ink Spot, NTC at Liberty Station,

2730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16, Ste. 204, Point Loma. Enjoy short readings from notable names such as Sharon Hawes, Cornelia Feye, Marivi Soliven, Alan Mindell and more. At 8 p.m. Friday, April 4. $5 suggested donation. 619-6960363, sandiegowriters.org HJohn M. Ridland and Peter Czipott at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The two authors and translators will read from their new book, The Withering World, the first translations in English of the poetry of Sandor Marai. At 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5. 858-456-1800, dgwillsbooks.com Jessica Piazza at SDSU Library, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area, College Area. The author of two poetry collections (Interrobang and This Is Not a Sky) will do an intimate reading of new and published works. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9.

619-594-4991, library.sdsu.edu

SPECIAL EVENTS Experience of a Lifetime at Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier, 1000 North Harbor Drive, Downtown. Senior Community Centers hosts this photography exhibit and reception to raise funds for programs assisting low-income and homeless seniors.

View photos by Derek Slevin that depict the struggles of homeless people. The event will include wine tasting, food stations, a live auction and entertainment.

From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 3. $150$250. 619-487-0605, servingseniors.org AIDS Life Cycle Fundraiser at Big Kitchen, 3003 Grape St., South Park.

Join actress, drummer and activist Traci Dinwiddie for a special lasagna dinner to raise funds for her AIDS Life Cycle team ride (545 miles in seven days from San Fran to L.A.). From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday,

April 3. $25. aidslifecycle.org Goodguys 14th Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Three days of hot rods, custom cars, muscle cars and trucks on display. Plus vendor exhibits, celebrity appearances, Goodguys AutoCross, an engine-building contest, live music, automotive swap meets, kids entertainment and more. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4-5, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6. $6$18. 858-755-1161, good-guys.com HThe Boulevard 25th Anniversary Banner Unveiling at Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic El Cajon Boulevard sign and the official unveiling of new street banners showcasing local business owners, musicians and local icons.

There will be food from local restaurants and music from Daniel Jackson, Robin Henkel, Bart Mendoza, Gregory Page, The Little Richards and more throughout the night. At 7 p.m. Friday, April 4. $10-$15.

619-296-2101, theboulevard.org Ladybug Day at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas.

The day will include several activities throughout the garden such as searching for ladybugs, an opportunity for children to create fresh flower bouquets and a ladybug release. From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $8-$14. 760-4363036, sdbgarden.org HSan Diego Crew Classic at Crown Point on Mission Bay, La Mancha and Crown Point drives, Mission Bay. Thousands of athletes from more than 100 universities, clubs and high school programs from across the U.S. participate in this rowing event. Includes the San Diego Brew Classic, a trade show, alumni tents

and a family festival. From 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 5, and 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 6. $25-$40. crewclassic.org V Elements Festival at NTC Promenade in Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. Enjoy two stages of music, daytime workshops, art and food vendors and decor at this inaugural solar-powered festival celebrating all things yoga. From 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $20-$35.

619-358-9939, VElementsFest.com HButterfly Jungle at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The park opens its seasonal butterfly garden where visitors can take in the majesty of multiple species of the flying insects before they migrate elsewhere.

Saturday, April 5. $36-$46. 619-5739260, sdzsafaripark.org HFilipino Sun Festival at Mira Mesa Community Park, 8575 New Salem St., Mira Mesa. The inaugural fest will feature cultural performances, a culinary pavilion, art and a tattoo pavilion that will teach the history of Filipino tattoos. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 5. 858-538-8122, filipinosunfestival.com HSpring Veloswap at San Diego Velodrome, 2221 Morley Field Drive, North Park. Need parts for your bike? Organizers of this swap meet promise the “biggest, baddest, bestest” one-stop event for new and used parts with 75-plus vendors.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6. $5. sdvelodrome.com/swap-meet

SPORTS HOddity Wrestling Alliance at Family GYM Auditorium, 101 17th St., East Village.

The local pro-wrestling group presents “Aftermath,” a show featuring a table match between The Rockness Monsters and the

Los Luchas and the main event of local legend Inframundo versus the youngster Huracan. From 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 5. $10-$15. odditywrestlingalliance.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Richard Dawkins at UCSD Rimac Arena, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Famous atheist and New York Times bestselling author Richard Dawkins is touring the U.S. to screen his new film, The Unbelievers, as well as answer audience questions. He’ll be joined by physicist Lawrence Krauss, and filmmakers Gus Holwerda and Luke Holwerda of Black Chalk Productions. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. $30. 619-2308441, ucsdboxoffice.com Monica Ponce de Leon at Woodbury School of Architecture, 2212 Main St., Barrio Logan. The founder of the interdisciplinary practice MPdL and Dean of University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning will speak on modern design and urban planning issues. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 4.

619-235-2900, architecture.woodbury.edu Mark Johnson at New Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. A presentation by the landscape architect who’s been lead designer for the North Embarcadero, Convention Center Expansion, Lane Field and Plaza de Panama projects. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8. Free with preregistration; $10 at the door. 619840-5174. asla-sandiego.org/events

For full listings,

please visit “E vents” at sdcit yb eat.com

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

Kinsee Morlan

Seen Local Keeping Little Italy design-y Large- and small-scale construction projects alike line the streets of Little Italy.

Once the dust settles, more new restaurants, bars and upscale housing projects will open their doors. Designer and artist Louise Girling worries that the quickly growing neighborhood will continue to see fewer and fewer of the galleries, studios and showrooms that helped build and brand Little Italy’s Kettner Art & Design District as one of the city’s most interesting urban centers for fine art and high-end design.

“I mean, how many restaurants and bars can you have on four blocks, you know?” she asks, peering out the big, glass front window of her brand-new studio and gallery space, Modmatter (2064 Kettner Blvd., mod-matter.com).

Girling is looking at a huge restaurant under construction across the street as she points toward a tiny, old Craftsman home tucked between two towering buildings.

“I’ve been eyeing Little Italy for so many years,” she continues. “I hope it doesn’t leave this kind of feel—this kind of grittiness that keeps it interesting— but you always have to mediate between what was there and how to keep it alive moving forward.”

Girling will celebrate the official opening of her new space, which is dedicated to showing art and design, from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5, with an exhibition featuring furniture by the architectural firm Manada and works by ceramist Lilith Rockett.

Modmatter grew out of Girling’s need for an office Kinsee Morlan

Nic McGuire (left) and John Gibbons

The heat is on

Louise Girling space for her architectural practice and her desire for a nice showroom to house her paintings and the furniture she designs. She ultimately decided to open a public gallery and show other people’s work alongside her own.

“This space is—when it started, I had a little bit of an identity crisis,” says Girling, an admitted art snob who attended the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied painting and graphic design as an undergrad and later earned her master’s degree in architecture. “I was trying to figure out: Is it a gallery? Is it a store? And it basically became an exhibit space. This particular show is going to be much more traditional, but in the future, the [shows will vary]. The next event will be a dinner party, so it will double as a social event and a performance piece. People will be walking by and be, like, What’s going on in there? So, just whatever inspires me— that’s what I’ll do with the space.”

—Kinsee Morlan Gibbons and McQuire are preparing for the grand opening of their new workspace and informal showroom, StarFeather Studios (1841 National Ave.), happening from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

They’ve been setting up equipment and otherwise preparing the space since last summer. They’re finally at a place where they can open to the public for a night of live demonstrations, music, food and an exhibition of their latest sculptures.

The name of the new space is inspired by Gibbons’ affinity for incorporating the shape of starfish in his sculptures and McQuire’s inclination toward sculpting large feathers. The two met a few years ago at a gallery in North Park, and the partnership they’ve built has helped each go far beyond what was possible alone.

“We’ve just been pushing each other and pushing the envelope,” McQuire says.

“With hot-glass sculpture like ours, you can’t really do anything by yourself of any significance because you have to have a crew,” Gibbons adds.

“There’s so much that can go wrong so fast. You need people helping you.”

The collaboration has paid off, and each artist’s been building a body of work that’s more complex than what most young glass artists attempt with such finicky material.

“People who see the work see that it’s really complicated,” McQuire says. “They wonder how we do it, but the secret is teamwork.”

Watching artists Nic McGuire and John Gibbons work on a new sculpture in their Barrio Logan glassart “hot shop” is like witnessing a well-rehearsed dance. Depending on whose piece it is, one of the two takes the lead and calls orders as the other, along with the help of an assistant if the sculpture’s complexity requires it, carries out the commands.

On a Friday afternoon, Gibbons and McGuire do their dance between the worktable and the orangeglowing kiln and carefully but quickly bring a glass winged-angel sculpture to life.

“It’s a really intense few minutes,” McGuire says after he gets the angel as close to perfect as the —Kinsee Morlan tricky medium of molten glass allows. “Every second counts, so you’re really juggling time, tempo, heat Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com. and your assistants.”

34 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

Surviving desire Violence dominates Part 2 of Lars von Trier’s epic

by Glenn Heath Jr. Sinister flashes occasionally popped up in Nymphomaniac: Volume I, the origin story of a sex addict named Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who spent the duration playing mental tag with Seligman, a newfound confidant (Stellan Skarsgård).

Still, the first chapter of Lars von Trier’s Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jamie Bell get uncomfortable. epic mostly kept things tender, leaning on poignant anecdotes about nature and memory ety,” she confesses to Seligman. The smash cut that that made Joe’s hazy remembrance a melancholy connects this fateful transition is framed by a rousexperience. Unfortunately, this foundation of calm ing Talking Heads track. It’s one of the few times von proves itself to be a lie.

Trier seems to be having fun.

Not surprisingly, Volume II—which opens Friday, In Volume II’s latter half, Joe ends up working for April 4, at Hillcrest Cinemas—devours any such ro- a suspicious debt collector named L (Willem Dafoe). manticism almost immediately. Picking up where its Here, violence replaces sex as Joe’s key opiate. Interpredecessor left off, the brutal second chapter be- estingly, this venture allows her to spawn a separate gins with not-so-happy couple Joe and Jerôme (Shia extortion business that becomes successful in its own LeBeouf ) attempting (and failing) to live a normal right, leading Joe to befriend another young castoff existence. She’s given up sleeping with countless named P (Mia Goth). This one fateful decision evenmen, and he’s suffering mightily to satisfy her carnal tually leads Joe, beaten and bruised, into the arms of urges. Their situation gets so warped that Joe loses Seligman. Now we’ve come full circle. Or have we? the ability to feel any sort of sexual experience.

The key to understanding the tonal differences Repression is the root of evil in Volume II, starting between Volume I and Volume II is how sexuality rewith Joe’s haggard attempts lates to both chapters. In the to live a patriarchal life outfirst, Joe’s experimentation side of her nymphomania. reflects a naïve (if not guiltNymphomaniac: Soon, the pain becomes so ridden) view of the world, Volume II great that she begins flirting but one not without hope.

Directed by Lars von Trier with risky ways to jumpstart As played by Stacy Martin, Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan her libido. One sequence the character glows with a Skarsgård, Jamie Bell and Willem Dafoe titled “The Dangerous Men,” certain reverie for epiphany, Not Rated involving Joe and two African even when it’s crushed by reimmigrants, proposes a poality. Gainsbourg’s incarnatential reckoning, but in hilartion is far more devastating, ious von Trier fashion, the entire sequence turns into exuding a specific numbness to whatever terrible an absurd red herring infused with gender critique. proceedings are taking place. The older version of Things get more serious when Joe opts for vis- Joe is content to suffer, while the younger one endits to K (Jaime Bell), a specialist in sadomasochism. lessly hopes for a cure.

In one of the film’s most uncomfortable scenes, the This jarring juxtaposition can be summed up two embark on a “therapy” session that explores the in one of Joe’s most forceful comments: “I love my complicated nature of control when it comes to sex. filthy, dirty lust.”

Like most of Nymphomaniac, these scenes are conOr does she love the idea of being unafraid to exstructed to embrace the more banal movements and press it to the world at large? Volume II’s harrowing expressions. But Volume II offers far less in the way final scene makes this question even more complicatof comfort for the viewer, exploring how Joe’s cycli- ed, dismantling all the good will and humanity of the cal patterns of self-destruction eventually transcend previous four hours in one daring act of self-preservation. What’s next is just more of the same. any chance of a happy ending.

Eventually, Joe abandons all sense of normalcy, leaving her husband and young child behind. “Soci- Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com ety had no room for me, and I had no room for soci- and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Disaster film

Jodorowsky’s Dune

The epic back-story behind Alejandro Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to adapt Frank Herbert’s Dune in 1975 is one of madness and creativity crashing together.

At least this is the fabled mythology that director Frank Pavich and his documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune would like the audience to believe. But this un-

gainly and self-righteous slice of film revisionism tries so hard to convince the viewer of its subject’s martyrdom that it comes across as pure hero-worship.

After gaining early infamy for creating surrealist nightmares like El Topo and The Holy Mountain, two films that would go on to define the midnight-movie cul-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36 April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 35

ture of the 1970s, Jodorowsky set his sights on the classic sci-fi novel. With the help of French producer Michel Seydoux, the Mexican filmmaker began recruiting his group of “spiritual warriors,” including special-effects upstart Dan O’Bannon, painter Chris Foss and designer H.R Giger, and a dream cast led by Salvador Dali, Orson Welles and Mick Jagger.

The thing that makes Jodorowsky’s Dune so confounding is how simplistically it traces a very linear timeline from the project’s inception through its demise.

The cause-and-effect pattern that frames each talking-head interview is banal at best and downright manipulative at worst. The structure ultimately pits the visionary auteur Jodorowsky against the Hollywood machine, a business institution that ultimately denied the filmmaker funds to bring his hallucinatory vision to life.

Visually, the artwork and storyboards for Jodorowsky’s nonfilm are often astounding. What’s missing is a sense of coherent planning that would have made

the project anything other than a massive money pit for cautious investors. Jodorowsky’s Dune— which opens Friday, April 4, at Hillcrest Cinemas—suggests that its subject’s endlessly insane philosophical rambling and arrogance should’ve been enough for Hollywood to buy into the project at face value. Not on this planet.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening Breathe In: A young foreign-exchange student moves in with a family in upstate New York and complicates their lives. It stars Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.

Captain America: Winter Soldier: Chris Evans reprises his role as the patriotic avenger who must now battle a mysterious super soldier who’s threatening to destroy Washington, D.C. Goodbye World: A couple living off the grid suddenly find their rural oasis clogged with estranged old friends who begin showing up after a massive cyber attack cripples the American government and sends the nation into a state of collapse. Screens through April 10 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Jinn: A supernatural thriller about an automotive designer whose idyllic life is up-

rooted when he receives a cryptic warning of imminent danger.

The Missing Picture: Rithy Pahn’s innovative documentary recreates atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, using clay figures, voice-over narration and archival footage. Screens through April 10 at the Ken Cinema.

Jodorowsky’s Dune: Documentary looks back on filmmaker’s Alejandro Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to bring Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel Dune to the big screen. See our review on Page 35.

Nymphomaniac: Volume II: The second chapter of Lars von Trier’s controversial character study about a self-professed nymphomaniac named Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who tells her sordid story to a stranger. See our review on Page 35.

Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This is Stones Throw Records: Documentary covers the history behind the Los Angeles-based record label Stones Throw Records, weaving together rare footage from concerts and home videos. Screens at Reading Gaslamp Cinemas.

Teenage: Documentary by director Matt Wolf that uses filmed portraits, archival footage and voice-over to explore the evolution of the modern teenager. Screens at Reading Gaslamp Cinemas.

White Water, Black Gold: David Lavallee journeys down the Athabasca River in Canada to investigate the impact oil has on the water quality. Screens through April 9 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

One Time Only The Unbelievers: This is the new docu-

36 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

mentary by Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss, devout atheists who go on a lengthy road trip from New York City to Australia, preaching reason and science over religion. Screens at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, at UCSD’s RIMAC Arena.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his crew of inept reporters transition from the San Diego airwaves to the big-time cable networks of New York City. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Ms. 45: Abel Ferrara’s bleak 1981 masterpiece is about a mute seamstress who falls victim to multiple unspeakable assaults before taking vengeance against her attackers. Screens at 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

5 Broken Cameras: Documentary, shot by a Palestinian farmer, about life in a West Bank village that’s surrounded by Israeli settlements. Screens at 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 6, at the Serra Mesa / Kearney Mesa Library.

Mi Verano con Amanda 3: Puerto Rican comedy about a man who suffers from a severe form of paranoia and drives his friends crazy during a trip to an island with supernatural qualities. Screens at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 6, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Part 3 of the Indiana Jones saga finds our archeologist hero (Harrison Ford) battling Nazis with his elderly father (Sean Connery) in tow. Screens at 7:15 p.m. Sunday, April 6, at Arclight La Jolla.

Kill Your Darlings: The Beatnik poets of 1960s Greenwich Village attempt to work

through their jealousy and desire for one another. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 7, at the San Diego Public Library in East Village.

The Oranges: Two families living in suburban New Jersey turn on each other after an act of sexual promiscuity breaks down their façade of friendship. Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Hervey Branch Library in Point Loma.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show & Shock Treatment: A double dose of subversive cinema, thanks to FilmOut San Diego. Screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at the Birch North Park Theatre.

Now Playing Cesar Chavez: The first narrative film to dramatize Cesar Chavez’s attempts to unify farm workers in California’s central valley in the 1960s. It’s directed by Diego Luna and stars Michael Peña.

Enemy: A lonely college professor (Jake Gyllenhaal) in Toronto discovers that he has a double, and then becomes obsessed with finding out why.

For a complete listing of movies, please see “F ilm S creenings” at sdcit yb eat.com under the “E vents” tab.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 37

Chloe Aftel

Meric Long discusses his band’s recent creative streak

by Jeff Terich If you’re looking for an effective way to halt a band’s career, 70 years of rock ’n’ roll history has laid out countless examples of how to stop a good group in its tracks. Drugs and excess, greed, feuds between band members—or a third-party scapegoat for all of the above, otherwise known as the Yoko factor. But there’s a far more common, and less spectacular, motivation behind most band splits: burnout.

The San Francisco duo of guitarist Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber, aka The Dodos, were starting to feel exhausted from recording and performing toward the end of 2011, after finishing a lengthy touring cycle in support of their fourth album, No Color. After six years together, Long and Kroeber needed a break and began 2012 intending to give themselves some breathing room before starting up again.

However, in February 2012, tragedy struck the band when touring guitarist and friend Chris Reimer died unexpectedly of complications from a heart condition. Not every band could have endured through the grief. But Long tells CityBeat that Reimer’s death had an unintended consequence: It inspired the band to keep going.

“After coming off of touring for No Color… we definitely had a little burnout moment,” he says. “I was going to just work on material and it wasn’t even necessarily going to be a Dodos record. I was just going to work on a record and see where it led me. Then Chris Reimer, who toured with us that year, passed away. He was someone I was excited to collaborate with, to sort of help me get away from the

38 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

habitual drudgery that Dodos had put me in. He was a little point of inspiration.

“When he passed away, it sort of forced me and Logan back into it. Not in a bad way—it brought us together,” Long adds.

“We felt like we had to do something. It would have been weird to dissolve at that point or take a really long break.”

The record that resulted after Long and Kroeber reconvened in 2012 is Carrier, which was released last August via Polyvinyl Records. It’s a natural extension of their previous two albums, rich in multi-tracked guitar textures, deceptively complex rhythms and soaring dream-pop melodies. There’s a density to a track like “Stranger” that suggests shoegaze, while “Relief ” has folky, finger-picked guitar that’s gentler yet still boasts a big sound.

Carrier was partially inspired by Reimer, though it wasn’t intended as a memorial. Long says that when he and Kroeber were writing and recording the album, they used ideas and techniques that they’d learned while working with Reimer on tour the year before.

“The record really wasn’t inspired by his death; it was inspired by him,” Long says. “A lot of the sounds were sounds that I was able to figure out or try and achieve just based on what I had learned touring with him and his take on guitar playing.

There are moments in certain songs that are synonymous with Chris. When I wrote them I thought of him.”

The Dodos—who’ll play at The Loft at UCSD on Friday, April 11—changed a lot about their approach with Carrier. They recorded in a new studio (Tiny Telephone) with a new set of collaborators,

Meric Long (left) and Logan Koeber including The Magik Magik Orchestra.

Additionally, Long says he added “intentional diversions” to his songwriting in hopes of ending up with different results than what he was used to.

Yet while he notes that there was more of a learning curve than usual when it came to recording and writing Carrier, what he and Kroeber learned in the process rekindled their excitement for playing.

“I wanted to record a new album while all this information was fresh in my mind,” he says. “I booked the dates before the songs were even written. The songs are really loose. It was really about the sounds that were achieved in the studio while making Carrier that inspired the next record. It was kind of a godsend, because, as a band that’s been playing together since 2006, you look for that thing that keeps you excited.”

The Dodos recently wrapped up the recording sessions for their as-of-now-

untitled sixth album and are currently in the mixing phase; release is tentatively set for late 2014 or early 2015. And the band has undergone a lot of growth— both personally and artistically—in that time. However, as Long reflects on the band’s career, he realizes that in the grand scheme of things, not that much has really changed. The Dodos, to him, are the same band they’ve always been.

“I’ve pushed myself really hard to grow as a writer, and hopefully some of that is real and noteworthy, but I also have a feeling that I haven’t changed as much,” he says. “But you know what? That’s OK. One thing I really came to appreciate is, where you can get out of the cycle of the creative process, you can also get back into it.

“That’s what I’m here for, so might as well keep doing it.”

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 39

40 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

notes from the smoking patio Locals Only Trips, a band that changed its name from Jesus A.D. last fall, has announced plans to start a record label called Field Trips, a partnership with San Diegobased Bleeding Gold Records. The label’s first releases will be by Trips and side projects featuring Trips’ members, but it will eventually branch out and release music by other bands.

“For a long time, I’ve wanted to start a small label that works on helping small bands who are putting out things themselves—more of a DIY feel,” says frontman Jakob McWhinney, talking to CityBeat on the smoking patio at The Ould Sod in Normal Heights.

The first project for Field Trips is a double-vinyl release made up of solo work by Trips’ four members: McWhinney, guitarist Ren Rogers, bassist Frank Mindingall and drummer Skylar Eppler. The band is still wrapping up recordings for the release, tentatively scheduled for late 2014 or early 2015.

“Right now, we’re focusing on trying to get some kind of online presence,” McWhinney says of Field Trips. The idea, he says, is to eventually offer wider distribution options to smaller bands that could use exposure outside of San Diego.

“I’ve spent so long watching my friends need that one step, or that one thing that enabled them,” he says. “It just felt like the right time to do it.”

Trips will debut some of the material included on the upcoming two-LP release when they play at Soda Bar on April 7.

•••

The annual 91X X-Fest lineup has been announced.

This year, 311, Panic! At the Disco, Iration, Phantogram, Skaters, Bleachers, Kongos and Sir Sly will perform. The event happens May 30 at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

—Jeff Terich

From left: Jakob McWhinney, Ren Rogers, Frank Mindingall and Skylar Eppler

Music review Ilya In Blood (Self-released) Last October, when Ilya announced their return to performing and recording after a hiatus of more than two years, they suggested that their upcoming third album would be “heavier and darker” than anything they’d previously released. This is a noteworthy claim, given the darkness and heaviness of the material they’d put out before.

Their debut album, 2002’s Poise is the Greater Architect, carried a sinister, albeit atmospheric, groove à la Portishead or Blonde Redhead. And though 2006’s Leaving SansSouci sounded perhaps a little more ethereal, it did so with a greater emphasis on the band’s creepier aspects, in its best moments approximating the house band at a haunted manor.

Third album In Blood—an album eight years in the making—is indeed dark and pretty damn heavy. The ominous crawl of standout dirge “Sanctuary” is the most dense and claustrophobic Ilya has ever sounded—like Sigur Rós getting an assist from Swans. But even pushed to this level, Matthew Baker’s Rhodes piano and Blanca Fowler’s vocals are such recognizable elements that

this could have only been created by Ilya.

Yet, true to the band they’ve always been, Ilya never write a song so bleak that their sense of melody doesn’t shine through, and amid the shadows that lurk on In Blood, there are plenty of great melodies. Their ability to balance these extremes can best be heard in “Isabel,” one of a few tracks that could be a single. It begins with a slow, gothic, dream-pop haze but gradually builds from there, hitting a soaring climax around the 2:30 mark. It’s here where Ilya turn eerie into heroic.

By contrast, “Machine” takes its time to get where it needs to go, Fowler’s emotional delivery the only thing grounding a noisy, ambient arrangement. Three minutes in, drummer Geoff Hill breaks the tension with the beat of a tom tom, though the song would’ve been just as good had it continued floating along as it was.

As adept as Ilya are at gloom, they never go so far into it that they lose the qualities that make them unique. In Blood might be dark and heavy, but it’s also unmistakably Ilya.

Want to see Ilya play live? They’ll be at The Irenic in North Park on Friday, April 5.

—Jeff Terich Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 41

if i were u

BY Jeff Terich

Wednesday, April 2 PLAN A: Ume, White Murder, Schitzophonics @ Soda Bar. Austin, Texas’ Ume have been around for more than a decade, and in that time, they’ve released three solid albums of dense, shoegazing rock.

They’ve got a big sound for a trio and lots of sing-along hooks to go around. PLAN B: mARMITS, Homeless Sexuals, Kodiak @ Tower Bar. You can probably already tell by their name’s stylization that mARMITS are a brace of odd ducks. They perform in outlandish costumes and masks, play a weird hybrid of spastic punk-pop and prog-rock and generally just don’t follow any conventional notions of what a rock band should be. gOOD tIMES.

Thursday, April 3 PLAN A: Lo-Fang, Kate Berlant @ The Casbah. Matthew Hemerlein, aka LoFang, recently went on tour with Lorde, which is enough to tell you he’s kind of a big deal. Hemerlein specializes in ethereal electronic soul, à la How to Dress Well, but just a touch more eerie. PLAN B: Wavves

42 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

@ The Hideout. It’s a little funny, in retrospect, that nobody expected The Hideout to host live shows, seeing as how they’ll be hosting one of the bigger bands to come out of San Diego in the last half-decade or so.

And Wavves are a band that translate better live than on record, in my opinion, making their stop here all the more worth catching.

BACKUP PLAN: The Midnight Pine @ Seven Grand.

Friday, April 4 PLAN A: The Adolescents, The Creepy Creeps, Widows, Sculpins @ The Casbah. If you want to hear some blistering hardcore punk, sometimes you have to go to the source. Fullerton’s Adolescents are hardcore pioneers—their 1981 self-titled album is a musthear document of angst and destruction—and they’re a better bet than whatever’s passing for “Black Flag” right now. Just a warning: This show is pretty much guaranteed to get rowdy. PLAN B: Bop Alloy, Cyne, DJ Norm Rocwell, G. Rhodes, Esbe, Jenova 7 @ World Beat Center. The Schoolboy Q show at World Beat Center this week is already sold out, but luckily for you, the venue has another great hip-hop show you can still access.

Gainesville’s Cyne blend conscious raps

with innovative production that results Wide Streets, The Pilgrims, Suzys Dead in an eclectic blend of sounds. BACKUP @ The Che Café. I won’t lie to you: KnowPLAN: Deep Sea Thunder Beast, Brain ing how young The Frights are makes me Scraper, Trapped Within Burning Ma- feel way older than I should. But I can’t deny that they’ve got some great, jangly and chinery, Lazy Cobra @ The Bancroft. surfy indie-pop tunes, so I feel confident in saying these kids are alright. BACKUP Saturday, April 5 PLAN: Lime Cordiale, Ed Ghost Tucker, PLAN A: Ilya, Champ, Arms Away @ The Social Club @ Soda Bar. Irenic. It took several years of silence to realize it, but I think we all really missed Ilya during their Monday, April 7 absence. The group’s been PLAN A: Lures, Trips, The Swift Beats reintroducing us to their @ Soda Bar. It’s spring now, so it’s only darkened, trippy grooves, appropriate that more surf-inspired bands and they sound better than are gracing local stages (not that we didn’t ever. Check out my review have plenty of hot days this winter, but of their new album, In whatever). Seattle’s Lures have a dark, Blood, on Page 41. PLAN B: reverb-heavy sound that nearly splits the Black Lips, The Coathang- difference between Joy Division and The ers @ Belly Up Tavern. Ventures, with just a little more emphaGeorgia’s Black Lips are no- sis on the latter. BACKUP PLAN: Proud torious for their uproarious, Mary, Dr. Seahorse, Tiger and the Teller drunken, not-for-underage- @ The Casbah. audiences live shows, and though I’m not crazy about Lo-Fang their new album, it’s not Tuesday, April 8 like their live show won’t still be an absolute PLAN A: Burnt Ones, Grand Tarantula, riot. (I hope not literally, like the last time Pez Headz, Wild Wild Wets DJs @ Soda they were here—yeesh!) BACKUP PLAN: Bar. Burnt Ones are affiliated with John The New Kinetics, Gloomsday, Schitzo- Dwyer’s Castle Face Records, but their style of psychedelia is a little less intense. The phonics, The Nformals @ The Casbah.

Bay Area band’s newly released album, Gift, is a little bit krautrock, a little bit garage and Sunday, April 6 a whole lotta fun. You can expect the same PLAN A: The Frights, Great Ghosts, from their live show.

HOT! NEW! FRESH! Step Brothers (Porter’s Pub, 5/3), Gary Wilson (Til-Two Club, 5/16), Shai Hulud (Che Café, 5/21), Against Me! (HOB, 5/23), Gang Green (Til-Two Club, 5/23), Hellogoodbye (Irenic, 5/24), Nothing (Soda Bar, 5/27), The Meatmen (Soda Bar, 5/29), Jessica Lea Mayfield (Casbah, 6/21), Devo (BUT, 6/30), Lee Fields and the Expressions (Casbah, 6/30), Peter Murphy (BUT, 7/2), S. Carey (Casbah, 7/9), Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band (Humphreys, 7/11), Chris Isaak (Humphreys, 7/16), Doobie Brothers (Humphreys, 7/22), The Aquabats (HOB, 7/24), Say Anything (HOB, 7/26), Arctic Monkeys (Open Air Theatre, 8/6), BB King (Humphreys, 8/27), Chicago (Humphreys, 9/12), Engelbert Humperdinck (Humphreys, 9/21), The Beach Boys (Humphreys, 10/5), Fleetwood Mac (Viejas Arena, 12/2).

CANCELLED Jeremy Jay (Soda Bar, 5/26).

GET YER TICKETS The Dodos (The Loft, 4/11), Cypress Hill (HOB, 4/17), Jeff Bridges (BUT, 4/23), Ghost B.C. (HOB, 4/26), George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (HOB, 5/1), Danny Brown (Porter’s Pub, 5/2), Goblin (HOB, 5/2), Tokyo Police Club (BUT, 5/2), The Bad Plus (The Loft at UCSD, 5/4), Mariachi El Bronx (BUT, 5/5), Manchester Orchestra (HOB, 5/6), Riff Raff (HOB, 5/7), Tom Jones (HOB, 5/8), Old 97s (BUT, 5/8), ‘Channel 933

Summer Kickoff’ w/ Fall Out Boy, Tiesto, Paramore (Sleep Train, 5/9), The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Casbah.

5/9), YG (HOB, 5/24), Suzanne Vega (BUT, 5/25), Backstreet Boys, Avril Lavigne (Viejas Arena, 5/28), Eagulls (Soda Bar, 5/28), Lady Gaga (Viejas Arena, 6/2), Rodriguez (North Park Theatre, 6/3), Wanda Jackson (Casbah, 6/7), Little Hurricane (HOB, 6/7), The Both (BUT, 6/15), EMA (Casbah, 6/29), World Party (BUT, 6/29), Kiss, Def Leppard (Sleep Train, 7/6), Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden (Sleep Train, 8/21).

April Wednesday, April 2 Il Divo at Copley Symphony Hall. VNV Nation at Belly Up Tavern. Ume at Soda Bar.

Thursday, April 3 Cheetah Chrome at Soda Bar. The Grouch and Eligh at Porter’s Pub. Big Head Todd and The Monsters at Belly Up Tavern. Lo-Fang at The Casbah.

Friday, April 4 Big Head Todd and The Monsters at Belly Up Tavern. Willie Nelson at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Mustard Plug at The Casbah. Adolescents at The Casbah.

Saturday, April 5 The New Kinetics at The Casbah. The Black Lips at Belly Up Tavern. The Cult at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay.

Sunday, April 6 Rob Thomas at Humphreys Concerts by

the Bay. The War on Drugs at The Casbah. El Tri at House of Blues. Rome at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, April 7 Lures at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, April 8 Burnt Ones at Soda Bar. Shane Hall and the Diabolicals at The Casbah.

Wednesday, April 9 Kodiak at The Casbah.

Thursday, April 10 Tyrone Wells at The Griffin. Ghoul at Soda Bar.

Friday, April 11 Super Diamond at Belly Up Tavern.

Slaughterhouse at Porter’s Pub. The Dodos at The Loft at UCSD.

Saturday, April 12 Super Diamond at Belly Up Tavern.

Sunday, April 13 Break Anchor at Soda Bar. John Scofield at The Loft.

Monday, April 14 Vertical Scratchers at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, April 15 Mobb Deep at The Casbah. Peelander-Z at Soda Bar. Mogwai at Belly Up Tavern. City and Colour at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.

Wednesday, April 16

Saturday, April 26

Bonobo at Belly Up Tavern. Chrome Sparks at Soda Bar.

Thursday, April 17 Bombay Bicycle Club at Belly Up Tavern. Cypress Hill at House of Blues.

Bryan Ferry at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at The Casbah.

Chinchilla at The Casbah. Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers at Belly Up Tavern.

Dillinger Escape Plan at Porter’s Pub. Ghost B.C. at House of Blues.

Sunday, April 27 Reignwolf at The Casbah. Jim Jones Revue at Soda Bar.

Monday, April 28

Saturday, April 19 Caravan Palace at Belly Up Tavern.

Sunday, April 20

DIIV at The Casbah. O.A.R. at Belly Up Tavern. David J at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, April 29

40 Oz. to Freedom at Belly Up Tavern.

Leopold and His Fiction at The Casbah.

O.A.R. at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, April 30 Howler at Soda Bar. Michael Nesmith at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, April 21 Deadphones at The Loft.

May

Tuesday, April 22 Thou at Che Café. Gondwana at House of Blues.

Wednesday, April 23 Big Mountain at Belly Up Tavern. The Men at The Casbah. Jeff Bridges at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, April 24 The Alarm at Brick by Brick. The Underachievers at Porter’s Pub.

Thursday, May 1 Bleeding Rainbow at Soda Bar. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at House of Blues.

Friday, May 2 Danny Brown at Porter’s Pub. Goblin at House of Blues. Tokyo Police Club at Belly Up Tavern. Eukaryst at Soda Bar. Circle Takes the Square at The Che Café.

Saturday, May 3

Friday, April 25 CunninLynguists at Porter’s Pub. Night Beats at Soda Bar.

Unwritten Law at House of Blues. Step

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 43

Brothers at Porter’s Pub.

Sunday, May 4 The Bad Plus at The Loft at UCSD. Manic Hispanic at The Casbah.

Monday, May 5 The Pharmacy at Soda Bar. Mariachi El Bronx at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, May 6 Manchester Orchestra at House of Blues. Loop at Soda Bar.

Wednesday, May 7 Riff Raff at House of Blues. Visage at The Casbah. Jacco Gardner at Soda Bar.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open Mic, open jam. Thu: Live band karaoke. Fri: Morgan Leigh (5 p.m.); Gunner Gunner, Vasoline, Black Dog (9 p.m.). Sat: Latex Grenade, Miles to Nowhere, Dana Henry.

Sun: Karaoke. Tue: DJ Non Profit.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. 98bottlessd.com. Fri: Nancarrow, Tony Suraci. Sat: 145th Street. Sun: The Matt Smith Neu Jazz Trio.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St, Normal Heights. airconditionedbar.com.

Wed: ‘Breezy Bliss’ w/ DJs Barrio Speedwagon, Volz, Joshthebear, Gianna, Viking.

Thu: ‘DIVE’ w/ DJs ALA, Mikeytown. Fri: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Sat: ‘Juicy’ w/ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Sunday Sonic Chill’ w/ DJ Shermz.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco. com. Wed: Freddy Lockhart. Thu:-Sat: Streeter Seidell. Sun: Jacob Sirof. Tue: Open mic.

Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St, La Jolla. lajolla.thecomedystore.com. Fri & Sat: Jodi Miller.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. crocesparkwest.com.

Wed: Evan McColm. Thu: Tripp Sprague.

Fri: Gio Trio 1. Sat: Agua Dulce. Sun: Mark Fisher Trio.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Fri: Matt Slocum and His Quartet.

El Dorado Bar, 1030 Broadway, Downtown. eldoradobar.com. Wed: ‘The Tighten Up’. Thu: Francesca Lombardo. Fri: ‘Hickeys and Dryhumps’. Sat: ‘Boys and Girls’.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: ‘IDGAF’ w/ Mercer. Fri: DJ Craig Smoove. Sat: DJ Ikon.

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach. 619-222-5303. Thu: King Schascha.

Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave, Downtown. hardrockhotelsd.com. Fri: Fishfonics, Earwaxx. Sun: Felix Da Housecat.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Fri: Dark Star Orchestra. Sat: Mystery Skulls.

Sun: El Tri. Mon: Kid Ink. Tue: Craig Morgan.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Thu: Alpha Pup, Mast Omni. Fri: ‘SHAFT’. Sat: ‘Ascension’. Sun: ‘On the Edge’. Tue: ‘High Tech Tuesday’.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave, Kensington. 619-284-2848. Fri: ‘Therapy’.

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave, Downtown. onyxroom.com. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’. Tue: Kevin Sandbloom.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. 619-469-2337. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: ‘Stratus Soundwave’ w/ DJ Dharma Dolly. Fri: Deep Sea Thunder Beast, Trapped Within Burning Machinery. Sat: 13 Wolvs, Christ Killer, Monolith, Gravebuzzard. Sun: Cory Wilkins Band.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: ODESZA, D33J, Kodak to Graph. Thu: Lo-Fang, Kate Berlant. Fri: Adolescents, The Creepy Creeps, Widows, Sculpins. Sat: Vinyl Junkies Record Swap. Sat: The New Kinetics, Gloomsday, Schitzophonics, The Nformals. Sun: The War On Drugs, White Laces. Mon: Proud Mary, Dr. Seahorse, Tiger and the Teller. Tue: Shane Hall.

The Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla. thechecafe.blogspot.com. Fri: Shiva Trash, Young Wants, Viv Vates, Teenage Burritos. Sat: The Great Work, Paper Days, VJJ, Bad Viiibes, We Care. Sun: The Frights, Great Ghosts, Wide Streets, The Pilgrims, Suzys Dead.

The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. theloft.ucsd.edu. Wed: Ned Rothenberg & Marty Ehrlich. Sat: Matt Hall’s Bebop Explosion, The Tim Lin Quartet.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. rubyroomsd.com. Thu: Violent Vickie, Mascara Monsters, Aimon. Fri: Gateway Hugs, Basement Stares, Grizzy Business, East Of Sweden.

The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: ‘Dub Dynamite’ w/ Rashi, Eddie Turbo. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Sat: Heartsounds, Success!, The Mighty Fine, Western Settings, Londons Falling, Shinjoku Riot, Caskitt.

Tin Can Ale House, 1863 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill. thetincan1.wordpress.com.

Wed: Katie Leigh and the Infantry, Laura Meyer, Titus Haug. Thu: Pharmacy, Satellite Sky, Nox Anger and the Jerkoffs. Fri: The Amalgamated, 2000 Tons of TNT, The Lexicons. Sun: The Long and Short Of It, Sailor Mouth, Gods of Science. Mon: ‘Tin Can Country Club’ w/ Clint Davis.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Fri: Sneaky Sound System. Sat: Joel Fletcher. Sun: Eats Everything, Lee K.

Porter’s Pub, 9500 Gilman Dr., UCSD campus, La Jolla. porterspub.net. Thu: The Grouch and Eligh, Eliot Lipp, Pigeon John, DJ Fresh. Sat: Snow Tha Product.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. barpink.com. Sat: Dinosaur Ghost, Vinyette. Sun: Blackout Party, Behind the Wagon, Masteria, Sleeping Ghost.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ Kiki. Thu: DJ Moody Rudy. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Qoolee Kid. Sat: DJ Taj. Sun: ‘Stripper Circus’.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. tioleos.com. Wed: Christopher Dale. Thu: Rockin’ Aces. Fri: Karaoke. Sat: The Reflectors. Tue: DJ Greg Benusa Zydeco.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd. Thu: The Midnight Pine. Fri: Soul Ablaze. Sat: Stevie and the Hi-Staxx. Mon: ‘Motown Monday’ w/ DJ Artistic.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: Marmits, Homeless Sexuals, Kodiak. Thu: Criminal Code. Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs. Punk Rock’. Sat: The Cardielles, The End.

Shakedown Bar, 3048 Midway Drive, Point Loma. theshakedownsd.com. Fri: Stained Glass Window, Raja Lyon, Swift Beats, Paul Wolfe and The Cardielles. Sat: Creepshow, Phenomonauts, Rat City Riot, The BlackJackits. Mon: Bob Wayne.

Turquoise, 873 Turquoise St, Pacific Beach. theturquoise.com/wordpress.

Wed: Tomcat Courtney (7 p.m.). Thu: Talia (4 p.m.); The Jade Visions Jazz Trio (7 p.m.). Fri: Gabriela Aparicio (4 p.m.); Tomcat Courtney (7 p.m.); Afro Jazziacs (9 p.m.). Sat: Zak Lipton Trio (4 p.m.); Tomcat Courtney (6:30 p.m.); Tony LaVoz and Cold Duck Trio (9 p.m.). Sun: Sounds Like Four (4 p.m.); Bviolin Mystic Groove (7 p.m.). Mon: David Hermsen (4 p.m.); Samba2 (7 p.m.). Tue: Mark Hall (4 p.m.); Grupo Globo (7 p.m.).

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Caspa. Fri: Lil Jon. Sat: Ashley Wallbridge. Tue: Markus Schulz.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html.

Wed: Kayla Hope. Thu: Phil Carillo. Fri: Trackdown. Sat: Lady Dottie and the Diamonds. Sun: Spanky.

Bella Vista Social Club & Caffe, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla. bellavistacaffe.com. Thu: Turiya Mareya and Deejah Marie Pope.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Wed: VNV Nation, Whiteqube. Thu: Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Hazel Miller. Fri: Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Hazel Miller (sold out). Sat: Black Lips, The Coat Hangers. Sun: Rome, Aloha Radio.

Mon: ABBA Mania.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Thu: Swift Beats. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Sat: Bad Neighborz.

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave, Hillcrest. thebrassrailsd.com. Thu: ‘Opium’ w/ DJ Simon Taylor. Fri: ‘Deeply Rooted’. Sat: ‘Sabado En Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Sun: ‘Noche Romantica’ w/ Daisy Salinas, DJ Sebastian La Madrid. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Junior the DiscoPunk, XP.

44 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Clairemont. thecomedypalace.com.

Fri & Sat: Patrick DeGuire.. Sat: Comedy For Causes.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Ume, White Murder, Schitzophonics. Thu: Cheetah Chromes, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Creeps AD. Fri: Mustard Plug, Left Alone, Oceanside Sound System.

Sat: Oh Spirit, Diatribes, Michael McGraw and the Butchers. Sun: Lime Cordiale, Ed Ghost Tucker, Social Club. Mon: Lures, Trips, The Swift Beats. Tue: Burnt Ones, Grand Tarantula, Pez Headz, Wild Wild Wets DJs. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. somasandiego.com. Fri: The No Name Gang, Theosis, Ruines Ov Abaddon, Squirrelly Arts, Sectarian Collapse, Dark Measure. Sat: Face Your Maker, Beneath The Veil, Head Of The Hydra, Impale Thy Neighbor, Peace In Terror.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St, Midtown. spinnightclub.com. Sat: Superfreq.

Ux31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: Deadly Birds, Shake Before Us, West Water Outlaws, Gone Baby Gone, Rebecca Jade and the Cold Fact. Thu: Mighty Mouse, Third Twin. Sat: DJ Bacon Bits.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. winstonsob.com. Wed: Beyond Rhythm, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Roman Watchdogs, Arc, Globalies and Processor. Fri: Revival. Sat: Zach Deputy, C.Money and the Players Inc. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Mike Dillon Band, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 45

Proud sponsor: Pacific Nature Tours

Ink Well Xwords by Ben Tausig

Across 1. Often implied letters in an online address 5. Stooge born Samuel Horwitz 10. “Over there” of old 13. University with a noted “Writers’ Workshop” 14. Like a ghost staying at your house, as compared to a guest 16. “I kiss’d thee ___ I kill’d thee”: Othello 17. ___ fetish 18. Shrink 19. Cutter of lines in some shops?

20. Hole style 22. Letter-shaped bike lock 24. Part in a show 25. Functions like a towel 27. “All Quiet on the Western Front” conflict, briefly 29. Friend of Kyle, Kenny, and Eric 32. Bridle attachment 33. “The Vampire Diaries” actor Somerhalder 34. Castilian-speaking country, locally 36. Like some projects after band breakups 39. Turban wearer 41. Like roughly 60% of human beings, ethnically 42. Manned the mixer, casually 43. Pal of “Cookie Monkey,” according to my son who isn’t that good at English yet but who certainly enjoys “Sesame Street” 44. State with legal brothels 46. Chicago-style deep dish chain 47. “Whose Line ___ Anyway?”

49. Lover of Ares in Greek mythology 50. Good listener?

51. Snapped 54. Swedish snuff

Last week’s answers

56. Star-shaped spice 57. Person from Boston, slangily 62. Shiny stone 63. Christie who wrote a mystery novel about bridge (but presumably never closed one on purpose to be a dick) 65. Kindly 66. Tall runner Down Under 67. Words of warning on the top rung of a ladder 68. “The Simpsons” exclamations 69. Hit head-on 70. Looks proudly 71. Still playing after regulation, briefly

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Quadraphonic system, say Bugs, e.g.

Purchasing rule at the bar Area with weatherproof furniture Office gift exchange basis One coming through in the clutch Attorney general Holder “Friday Night Lights” actress Kelly who dated Derek Jeter 9. Identify 10. “Will you marry me?” e.g.

11. Pulsonic toothbrush maker 12. Amphibians that may have toxic skin 15. Don’t just throw away 21. “Go bother someone ___” 23. “Spudtown” 26. Baked British treats made with alcohol 27. Sage 28. Shred, as on a guitar 30. Site for a Jesus painting, perhaps 31. Credulous 35. Alternative to puri or uttapam 37. “Girls” creator/star Dunham 38. One might make you hold your nose 40. Holds, as a party 45. Excellent 48. “Er ...”

51. Track placement?

52. Colon-emptying procedure 53. Early data storage software 55. We, in a text message 58. James played by Beyoncé in “Cadillac Records” 59. “Um, I’m trying to talk here ...”

60. Narcissus’s mythical partner 61. Take a breather 64. Bluth brother whose name is pronounced like a biblical character

A pair of tickets for a 4.5 or 8 hour Pacific Nature Tour will be awarded weekly. Email a picture of your answers to crossword@sdcitybeat.com or fax it to 619-325-1393. Limit one win per person per 30 days.

46 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 47

48 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 49

50 · San Diego CityBeat · April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 51