San Diego CityBeat • Oct 14, 2015 by San Diego CityBeat

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Up Front | From the editor

The Motor Voter Act: a driving force

unday was the deadline for Gov. released statement. “Removing an unnecessary barJerry Brown to sign or veto bills passed by rier to voter registration will allow us to get down to the state Legislature. He’s likely recovering the business of increasing actual participation.” from writer’s cramp this week, but it’s ReSome concern has been raised that Motor Voter will lead to voter fraud in the shape of illegal impublicans who are wringing their hands over passage of AB 1461. That’s the New Motor Voter Act, migrants casting ballots. That’s a nonstarter. The which could increase voter rolls in San Diego CounDMV already screens out noncitizens who have AB 60 driver’s licenses. And, the DMV is prohibited ty by 700,000, and by nearly 7 million statewide. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez authored from sending the Secretary of State records belongthe New Motor Voter Act. It aims to easily and auing to anyone who can’t satisfy voter eligibility requirements, including AB 60 applicants. tomatically register every voting-eligible resident So why are members of the California GOP who applies for or renews a driver’s license at the Department of Motor Vehicles. opining that political Armageddon is upon them? The Act goes into In part because the Micah Sittig / flickr effect Jan. 1, 2016. majority of the state’s It is not retroacunregistered voters tive. are, you guessed it, The DMV will ask Democrats. A study you to record your by UC Davis found that eligible-but-unparty affiliation. If you don’t want registered voters in to register to vote you the state are largely can opt out. (In this minorities and young case, if you complain adults. That includes 30 to 45 percent of about politics anytime African Americans, afterward, you deAsian Americans and serve to have a set of Latinos. car keys shoved down Whether or not your throat.) Before the New it’s a political power Motor Voter program play by Dems, Motor begins registering Automatic voter registration is coming to DMVs. Voter is a good idea citizens at the DMV, that makes sense. Calhowever, VoteCal—the statewide voter registration ifornia follows Oregon in enacting automatic voter database—has to be officially certified and deployed. registration, a policy that already exists in countries like Canada and Sweden. VoteCal is scheduled to be certified and go live by June 2016, according to Sam Mahood, press secreHonestly, the opt-in process was not a particutary for California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. larly tall barrier. It was nothing like the racist Deep Note: State voters must still opt-in to vote by South literacy tests abolished by The Voting Rights May 23, 2016, to vote in the primary election on Act of 1965. But opt-in was a barrier, nonetheless. June 7, 2016. The new system should be in place for Political elites who refer to eligible-but-unregthe general election on Nov. 8, 2016. istered residents as potentially uninformed voters Since the national Motor Voter Act of 1993, voter who shouldn’t cast ballots because they don’t unregistration materials have been available at DMVs. derstand the issues are dinosaurs offering reactionThat made it relatively simple to opt-in. However, ary commentary. Gonzalez says fewer than one in five residents who Simply put, participatory government works interact with the DMV opt in. best when the most people possible have a free path “As we watch states across the country do their to participate. best to disenfranchise voters, I’m proud to have leg —Ron Donoho islation signed into law that actually expands voting opportunities for all Californians,” Gonzalez said in a Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to Joe Esposito’s Karate Kid anthem “You’re the Best,” still the best “Best” song of all time.

Volume 14 • Issue 10 Editor Ron Donoho Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Seth Combs Associate editor Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Carolyn Ramos Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

Contributors David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Andrew Dyer, Tiffany Fox, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Jessica Johnson, Scott McDonald, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Chad Peace, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Tom Siebert, Jen Van Tieghem, Amy Wallen

Senior account executive Jason Noble Account Executives Beau Odom, Kimberly Wallace, Isaac Aycox Accounting Kacie Cobian, Sharon Huie, Linda Lam

editorial Interns Torrey Bailey, Nancy Kirk

Human Resources Andrea Baker

Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse

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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 2015.

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Up Front | opinion

john r. lamb

Spin

Cycle Best of… political duckery I’ll be glad to reply to or dodge your question, depending on what I think will help our election most. —George H.W. Bush

ay this about Mayor Kevin Faulconer—he won’t let a little heat keep him from his intended rounds. On Friday, however, that meant enduring near-record temperatures along Pacific Highway for a ribbon-cutting ceremony rather than the political heat downtown. That’s where other San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) board members were unanimously approving a 35year, $204-billion-plus regional transportation plan that activists panned as too car-centric. A prior commitment, the mayor’s peeps said, prevented Faulconer from attending that widely anticipated SANDAG meeting.

That commitment—an unveiling in his former council district of the final phase of the widely respected Veterans Village of San Diego—can be explained. It cannot be excused. Spin Cycle, you betcha, would love to see scissors slicing into redwhite-and-blue bunting every day if it meant more homeless—military veterans or otherwise—could find safe harbor from San Diego’s mean streets, but this isn’t leading. Online news outlet Voice of San Diego said the mayor “punted the opportunity” to vote on the controversial SANDAG plan, which activists believe runs counter to the mayor’s previous backing of an ambitious Climate Action Plan awaiting council action. But as the story noted, Faulconer “rarely” attends SANDAG board meetings. A quick perusal of board minutes backs that up. Faulconer has attended only five of 30 SANDAG meetings since he took over as mayor early last year. The meetings he attended seemed more

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John R. Lamb

focused on board business, particularly election of officers, than anything meaty. Records show he last attended a board meeting in mid-December, some 10 months ago. Faulconer would no doubt pat his alternate and District 2 successor, Lorie Zapf, on the back and say she’s represented well in his absence for all of 2015. But it’s also reasonable to assume that the top pol of the nation’s eighth-largest city, whose backers frequently boast of his popularity, would have more sway among SANDAG board colleagues than a loyal coattail rider. Perhaps the GOP mayor, facing re-election next year, thought it best to avoid a public fight over how the region will move itself about in the future, since SANDAG is contemplating a “quality of life” sales-tax hike ballot measure in 2016 to help pay for the plan. California Republican Party Vice Chairman Ron Nehring took to social media Friday to blast the SANDAG board as “nuts,” calling

A familiar Mayor Kevin Faulconer posture the proposed tax hike “pretty Orwellian” and vowing “We’ll defeat it.” That prompted Republican Party of San Diego Chairman Tony Krvaric to chime in, “DOA! [San Diego Republican Party] already opposed.” The mayor’s office did not provide any pushback to that notion, leaving mass transit advocates, environmentalists and believers of the “Faulconer is a moderate” mantra to ponder the growing suspicion that Faulconer talks a good game but provides few tangible results. “Bottom line, communities in this city have to decide whether they want more neighbors or more taxes,” urban planner Howard Blackson told Spin Cycle. “Cities need revenue to keep going. Unfortunately, San Diego is really good at saying who we don’t want to be—another Los Angeles—rather than what we want to be.” Dale Carnegie once said, “Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.” Now, no one would suggest that politics is a bastion of brave souls, but pretend you’re the mayor of a large city with ambitions for higher office, say governor. Is it best to travel the safe route—photo ops at ribbon cuttings, bland introductory remarks at civic events— or is it possible to take chances and live with the results? With Faulconer, it seems apparent San Diego is destined for more of the former. City Councilmember Todd Gloria, who also voted for the SANDAG plan, argued that transit spending will occur more quickly than in previous proposals. “The plan approved today programs an unprecedented level of funding to transit and active transportation and results in greenhouse gas emission reductions that exceed state requirements,” Gloria said in a statement Friday. “Seventy-five percent of transportation funding in the next five years will go to transit, up from 50 percent in the last five years.”

Some advocates questioned that math, but the point is Gloria attended the meeting, registered his vote and defended it. The mayor sent a lieutenant in his place. This is not the first time. Faulconer critics suggest he is most adept at political cover, frequently a joiner and rarely a leader. His dealings with the Chargers and the convention center expansion, they say, demonstrate a penchant for scapegoating, rather than solution finding. Mark Fabiani, general counsel to Chargers owner Dean Spanos, told Spin Cycle the city has put forth yet another term sheet for its dead-in-the-water Mission Valley stadium plan. “There’s nothing much new about it except that the election the mayor first promised on Dec. 15, and then on Jan. 15, now won’t be held until June 2016,” Fabiani said. Faulconer spokesman Craig Gustafson confirmed that, but with a different take. “As has been widely reported, the Chargers refused to return to the negotiating table and the deadline for a January special election has passed,” he said in an email. “The mayor has repeatedly said there remains an opportunity to put a stadium measure on the June or November ballot of next year, if the Chargers return to the table and negotiate in good faith.” Fabiani argues that city leaders are not living up to their own schedule. “They haven’t incorporated public comments into the quickie EIR. They haven’t circulated a final EIR. They haven’t gotten expedited review from Sacramento,” Fabiani said. “They haven’t certified the EIR. They haven’t gotten the council to set an election. All of this was promised to the NFL by [Oct. 14]. None of it has happened.” If it quacks like a duck… Spin Cycle appears every other week. Write to johnl@sdcitybeat. com.

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | Opinion

Aaryn Belfer

Backwards & in

high heels

A (mostly) satirical look at an alternate gun universe

ASHINGTON D.C.—In a bold and historic move, with the winds of public opinion blasting at its sails, Congress took swift action late last week to finally address with some seriousness the nation’s rampant gun problem. Spurred by the latest school shooting at Northern Arizona University (the 144th according to progun control group Everytown, since 20 first graders were gunned down in their Connecticut classroom in 2012), House representatives on both sides of the aisle stood from their comfortable seats and voted to create a special panel to investigate the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the easy procurement of guns and ammunition. President Obama—whose proposed overhaul of U.S. gun law was ceremoniously repudiated back in 2013 due to general kowtowing to the gun lobby by elected officials more concerned with their careers than with the public they’re elected to serve— watched the vote from his private residence in the White House. A close advisor to the president, who wished to remain anonymous, said the commander in chief was “wide-eyed, albeit a little gloaty about his legacy” as the votes were tallied. “Well, ghatdamb! It’s about time,” the president reportedly exclaimed. “All that worry about a potential executive order at Breitbart was for nothing. My work here is done.” Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Roy Blunt of Missouri stormed out after casting votes against what their spokespeople are calling “an affront to the Founding Fathers.” In a stunning turn of events, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California—who was in the bathroom when the vote took place—withdrew his candidacy for the recently vacated Speaker of the House position shortly thereafter. He’d widely been considered a frontrunner for the position. According to insiders, McCarthy is about God, guts and guns, all of which will obviously be over if America changes a single hair on its imperious head. CityBeat caught up with McCarthy on his way to meet his mistress yesterday. “Freedom isn’t free,” he said tearfully, citing this latest vote among his fellow congress members—and not a rumored affair—as the reason he’s throwing in the potential leadership towel. “How could I possibly reign over this Congress?” he asked. “With a gun, that’s how. The only thing that beats a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. But they’re gonna take my guns away, and just look at what that did to the Aussie way of life!” McCarthy appeared frustrated as he continued. “I have one word for you: Emasculation,” he said, stumbling over the word’s many syllables. Following a 1996 massacre that left 35 people dead, Australia enacted the world’s largest buyback program for semi-automatic weapons, a universal

background check, licensure and a mandatory waiting period. The country hasn’t had a mass murder since, and citizens still own guns. By comparison, Americans can easily get a semiautomatic weapon, and waiting periods are largely reserved for pet “adoption” and—in 28 states—for women wishing to obtain an abortion. (South Dakota doesn’t include weekends and holidays.) The upshot is that, if these women change their minds of their own free will or if they are lied to, frightened, intimidated, bullied, pressured, cajoled or shamed into not having an abortion, their fetuses can become full-fledged human beings with the same right the rest of us have to be gunned down at school or work or in a movie theater or at a mall or a restaurant or a park or even in their very own home. Of course, wink, this could all change if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to hear a case out of Texas during its coming session. Appeals courts there have upheld recent laws forcing the closure of gun shops in all but four cities. Opponents claim this puts undue burden on would-be gun purchasers in rural communities who are forced to drive sometimes as much as 300-miles round trip, often requiring an overnight stay, just to enjoy their Second Amendment rights. It is unclear what the court might do, but this is one case to watch. It will have implications across every state in the nation. Meanwhile, the newly formed investigative bipartisan panel is considered by some observers to be the most overt action taken on behalf of gun control. The panel will hold hearings with NRA leadership next year. During the hearing members are expected to ask irrelevant and misleading questions; grandstand with—and get choked up by—stories of their vast experiences with gun violence; completely misunderstand the topic before them; and attempt to belittle and publicly humiliate the organization’s president. Recommendations to follow these hearings could come as early as next fall, after another 48ish school shootings and countless others will likely have taken place. Such recommendations could include a ban on semiautomatic weapons, a limit on the number of magazines a person is allowed to have, longer waiting periods and background checks. Congress could also consider requiring a cooling off period, professional counseling on the health risks of gun ownership, and a doctor’s note verifying that results of a required anal probe are negative. The gloves are off now. Voters everywhere, regardless of personal opinion on the issue, should be vigilant while remaining hopeful that our elected officials have nothing but our best interest and well-being at heart.

“

The panel will hold hearings with NRA leadership next year.

“

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Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week. Write to aaryn@sdcitybeat.com.

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EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

SORRENTO VALLEY

1 AGENT ORANGE

The success of a show like Orange is the New Black is understandable. The Netflix dramedy, set in a New York women’s prison, has a fantastic cast, engrossing characters and unpredictable plot twists. Part of the show’s success, however, may be how it subtly touches on issues of prison reform. Fans of the show see the cast not as criminals, but as people who’ve made mistakes. “They’re cheering for them and they’re rooting for them and, by the way, these characters are also prisoners,” says Piper Kerman, whose 2010 memoir, Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison, inspired the show. “I think that’s a very different way of thinking about the millions of people who we’ve locked up.” Kerman could have easily rested on her laurels after her book became a bestseller. Instead, she’s testified in front of Senate Committees on the issue of prison reform. On Saturday, Oct. 17, she’ll be NORTH PARK & DIAMOND DISTRICT

2 TASTY TWOS

Sometimes it seems like there’s a “Taste of [insert neighborhood here]” event every week, but two in one week? Well, when it’s two of our favorite neighborhoods, we can’t help but be psyched. The seventh annual Taste of North Park (tasteofnorthpark.com) runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. It features 30 renowned eateries offering up bites of signature dishes. North Park has a long-established reputation for being a dining destination, but the third annual Taste of the Diamond (sdbd.org) from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 will allow patrons to try nine places they may have otherwise never tried. We highly recommend Bonnie Jean’s Soul Food and Farida’s Somalian Cuisine. Passes for Taste of the Diamond are $20; Taste of North Park is $35. LILIANA GARCIA-RIVERA

Molcajete tacos from Tacos el Paisa

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COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

the keynote speaker at Orange is the New Black: The Real Story with Piper Kerman, a benefit for Second Chance at Irwin Jacobs Qualcomm Hall (5775 Morehouse Drive, Sorrento Valley). “Second Chance is exactly the type of organization that I want to lend a hand to,” says Kerman, who says she was impressed with the local organization’s reentry programs which focus on job placement, skills training and behavioral health. “The question of CAROLYN E. BROWN / FLICKR reentry is so important. There’s 700,000 people coming home every year from prison or jail, and we all need to have a more vested interest in making sure people have a safe and successful return home. Piper Kerman Because that’s what will make our communities safer and more prosperous.” Along with a 30-minute talk and Q&A from Kerman, the event also includes a one-act play from Second Chance graduates and musical performances from Sharon Hendrix and Carol Dennis-Dylan. Tickets are $30 for students and $75 for everyone else. secondchanceprogram.org BARRIO LOGAN

3 NOIR STARS

San Diego isn’t only composed of sundrenched beaches and beer fests. Another claim to fame is the suspense-ridden genre of noir literature, thanks to one of the movement’s founding fathers and former La Jolla resident Raymond Chandler. As part of the San Diego City College International Book Fair, City Works Press is releasing Sunshine/Noir II: Writing from San Diego and Tijuana, the sequel in a contemporary collection of dark thrillers in both the fiction and nonfiction genres. Mainly focused on the border region, highlights include contributions from Justin Hudnall, Doug Porter and Marilyn Chin. It also includes SAN DIEGO CITY WORKS PRESS poetry, photography and visual art. Starting at 6 p.m., the release party will feature readings from contributors, an art exhibit, tacos and music. It happens Friday, Oct. 16, at the Glashaus art building (1815 Main St. B, Barrio Logan). sdcity. edu/bookfair Sunshine/Noir II

Danielle Robbins at The Village at Triton Art Gallery, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla. A solo exhibition of photography that investigates light, color, line and shape in the architecture and spaces of Carlsbad. Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. Free. facebook. com/ucsdtritonart HTranspoiesis at Mesa College Art Gallery, 7250 Mesa College Drive, Clairemont. New work from Tijuana artist Jose Hugo Sanchez, who makes references to pre-Columbian gods and the deadend struggle of immigrants. Opening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Free. 619-388-2829, sdmesa.edu/ art-gallery Allegorically Speaking at Exclusive Collections Galleries Seaport Village, 835 West Harbor Drive, Ste. AB, downtown. A collection of vignettes, studies and drawings from Daniel Merriam. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free. 619-2380320, ecgallery.com HCreative Nights at Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas. A collaborative evening of art and tunes featuring music from Dan Deacon, Gary Wilson and Island Boy, as well as art from Jacob Haust, Elevator Teeth, Joe Yorty and more. From 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. $20-$25. 760-436-6611, luxartinstitute.org Abstraction Attraction at Adelman Fine Art, 1980 Kettner Blvd. Suite 40, Little Italy. New abstract works from Tay Dall, Ellen Dieter, Katya Saab, Erica Hopper and more. Opening from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. 619-354-5969, adelmanfineart.com HEureka! at New Children’s Museum, 200 W. Island Ave., downtown. This new exhibition explores the power of creative thinking through art installations and studio activities created by local, regional and national artists. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. thinkplaycreate. org/exhibition/eureka HThe Time Between: The Sequences of Minor White at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. The first major museum examination focusing on the iconic photographer’s sequences, a unique style of presentation he refined throughout his career. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Free-$8. 619-238-8777, mopa.org What’s Brewing? at Hess Brewing North Park, 3812 Grim Ave., North Park. A group beer-themed art show inspired by Oktoberfest with new works from Sarah Tinker, Carrie Anne Hudson, Optimus Volts and more. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Free. facebook. com/events/696472870453254/

BOOKS Arthur Benjamin at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College will sign and discuss his book, The Magic of Math: Solving for X and Figuring Out Why. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.com Ann Romney at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The founder of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases will sign her new memoir, In This Together. Price includes a copy of the book. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. $33. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Fall Fiction Frenzy at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. Four Young Adult authors from Southern California will be promoting their new books including Stephanie

H = CityBeat picks

Diaz, Livia Blackburn, Bethany Crandell and Jenny Kaczorowski. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HDavid J. Schmidt at Ould Sod, 3373 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. The local author will sign and read from his new book, Holy Ghosts: True Tales from a Haunted Christian College, a collection of ghost stories from the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University. At 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free. 619-284-6594, holyghoststories.com HGavin Aung Than at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The Melbourne-based cartoonist will be promoting his new book, Zen Pencils Volume Two: Dream the Impossible Dream, a new comic that takes inspirational and famous quotes and adapts them into cartoon stories. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com HSunshine/Noir II Release at Glashaus, 1815-B Main St., Barrio Logan. City Works Press releases this 10th anniversary book with fiction, nonfiction, poetry and art from San Diego and Tijuana contributors. Event includes readings, music, art, tacos, and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free. cityworkspress.org William Paul Young at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The New York Times bestselling author will talk about and sign his newest novel, Eve, an exploration of the Creation narrative. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.com Bonnie MacBird and Leslie Klinger at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. MacBird will be promoting her debut Sherlock Holmes mystery, Art in the Blood. Klinger will be plugging the horror fiction collection, In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. Free 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com D.N. Sutton at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. As part of Warwick’s ongoing Weekend with Locals program, the local author will sign and discuss The Carolinian Chronicles. At noon. Sunday, Oct. 18. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HGood Earth/Great Chefs: Enrique Olvera at The Chino Farm, 6123 Calzada del Bosque, Rancho Santa Fe. Widely considered Mexico’s best chef and the owner of the restaurant, Pujol, Olvera will be promoting his first English language cookbook, Mexico From the Inside Out. At 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. Free. 619-8892271, goodearthgreatchefs.com HScott Tinley at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The two-time Ironman world champion and San Diego native will present his book, Finding Triathlon: How Endurance Sports Explain the World. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com

COMEDY HSketchsplosion Sketch Comedy Festival at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. A public viewing party for the filmed results of the sketch comedy festival and competition based on the style of the 48 Hour Film Fest. At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Free. 619-284-6784, facebook.com/events/953972391342587/

DANCE HHuang Yi & Kuka at Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Taiwanese dancer, choreographer, inventor

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 #SDCityBeat

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

THEATER

Nourishing drama at San Diego Rep

DAREN SCOTT

ers. Full Gallop doesn’t really gallop anywhere monumental, but Ruehl makes it an enjoyable ride. Full Gallop runs through Oct. 25 at the Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre. $29 and up. oldglobe.org

hile the customers at a ritzy Upper East Side restaurant dine on overpriced fare, four busboys living paycheck to paycheck toil with remarkable precision and perseverance behind the scenes. But the teamwork and camaraderie among Peter (Edred Utomi), Whalid (Spencer Smith), Jorge (Jorge E. Rodriguez) and Pepe (Jose Martinez) becomes paranoia, desperation and ultimately worse in Elizabeth Irwin’s penetrating My Manana Comes at the San Diego Repertory Theatre. This one-act play faultlessly directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg must be appreciated on two levels: the rigor and meticulousness of the actors playing busboys hard at work, and the personal interactions between them that tell an important story about minimum-wage survival, exploitation of workers and clashing cultures. Spanish is spoken abundantly during the action (Rodriguez and Martinez portray Mexicans working in the U.S. to better their families’ lives), though the tensions and confidences between the characters should be clear to all. Playwright Irwin has attempted to give each man a backstory, but in a one-act some are more substantial than others. One thing is for certain: Each man has something to cling to and something to lose—a fact no

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly. Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Mary Poppins: The popular musical about a singing, dancing nanny who changes the lives of two children in ‘30s London. Based on the popular Disney movie and presented by J*Company Youth Theatre, it opens Oct. 17 at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre in La Jolla.

Jorge E. Rodriguez (left) and Edred Utomi in My Manana Comes doubt lost on the unseen diners gorging on foie gras. My Manana Comes runs through Oct. 25 at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, downtown. $39-$47. sdrep.org *** Mercedes Ruehl rules on the Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, portraying Diana Vreeland, the iconic “Empress of Fashion.” The one-woman show Full Gallop, written by Mary Louise Wilson and Mark Hampton, premiered at

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the Globe 20 years ago and has come full circle. Wilson played the role in ’95. Today it’s Ruehl’s turn, and she’s clearly having a great time channeling a woman who viewed life in rich, vivid color and lived it to the fullest. That said, there’s not much dramatic tension in Full Gallop. Ruehl’s Vreeland drops names, reminisces about society and fashion, and quips up a storm, all while ensconced in a blood-red room furnished with a cozy lounge, rich carpeting, ornate little tables and beaucoup flow-

A Shayna Maidel: A reading of the play by Barbara Lebow about two sisters who are reunited after 16 years. The catch is that one of them has been living comfortably in America and the other has just survived a Nazi concentration camp. Presented by Carlsbad Playreaders, it happens Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Carlsbad City Library. carlsbadplayreaders.org Chapatti: The West Coast premiere of the comedy about two Irish animal lovers who cross paths and start to remember the importance of human companionship. Directed by Tony Award-winner Judith Ivey, it opens Oct. 21 at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org

For full listings,

please visit “T heater ” at sdcitybeat.com

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

EVENTS and videographer Huang Yi’s pioneering work is steeped in his fascination with the partnership between humans and robots, and is performed alongside a robot he conceptualized and programmed. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. $12-$46. 858534-TIXS, artpower.ucsd.edu

Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. The actor and singer-songwriter has starred on Broadway, Glee and 30 Rock, and will perform renditions of classic tunes from the ‘50s and ‘60s. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $25-$55. 760-8394190, artcenter.org

HReeling at White Box Theater, 2690 Truxtun Road, Point Loma. An hour-long dance theatre work set in a bar where eight lonely hearts search for connection through the hazy sea of a night out. At 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free-$20. 619-2251803, invertigodance.org

Kana Kotera at Conrad Prebys Music Center, UCSD campus, La Jolla. The euphonium virtuoso is joined by a fourpiece band to perform selections from Jo Kondo, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Yoshifumi Tanake and more. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. musicweb.ucsd.edu

FOOD & DRINK HTaste of the Diamond at various locations. The third annual tasting event in the Diamond District will feature nine restaurants doling out samples of their signature dishes including Bonnie Jean’s Soul Food, Farida’s Somalian Cuisine and more. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. $20. sdbd.org Junior League Oktoberfest at Tin Roof, 401 G St., Gaslamp. An afternoon of beer, brats and Bavarian fun with proceeds benefiting the Junior League of San Diego and its mission-based community projects focused on supporting foster youth. From 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $25. 619-230-8606, jlsd. org Village Vino Cabernet Tasting at Village Vino, 4095 Adams Ave., Kensington. This annual walk-around event features 20 to 25 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab blends from California and France. From 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $30. 619546-8466, villagevino.com Food and Farm Family Fun Day at Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center, 2505 N. Ave., National City. Take a family outing to explore the connections between food, health and nature. Enjoy hands-on cooking, gardening and educational activities as a family. From 10 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Oct. 17. $15. olivewoodgardens.org HStone Pour It Black at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido. This fifth annual fall beer tasting event allows guests to choose from more than 100 stouts, imperial stouts, porters, Black IPAs and more. Includes a commemorative glass and 15 three-ounce tasters. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. $49. 760-2947866, stonebrewing.com The Great Pumpkin at Bake Sale, 815 F St., Downtown. In light of Halloween and Thanksgiving, this baking class will teach students how to cook pumpkin dishes including pie, cheesecake, bars and quick breads. From 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. $75. 619-5152224, bakesalesd.com

MUSIC Listen Local Radio’s All Access Fest at Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. An all-evening music fest featuring 10 local bands including Natalie Emmons, Ottopilot, The Lyrical Groove, Dani Bell & The Tarantist, and more. From 5 p.m. to midnight. Thursday, Oct. 15. $5. 619736-0026, musicboxsd.com

20 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

HSan Diego Mixtape Society at The Balboa, 1863 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. Join fellow music lovers as they swap music at this bimonthly event. Bring a CD or flash drive of the songs that are over 6 minutes long for the theme of “It Goes On And On And On And On.” From 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. Free. 619-955-8525, facebook.com/sdmixtapesociety The Bollywood Masala Orchestra and Dancers of India at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. A night of Indian live music and dance featuring Rahis Bharti, one of India’s greatest musical figures, and the Bollywood Masala Orchestra playing a mix of Indian and Western instruments. At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. $20-$80. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org Ehnes Quartet at The Auditorium at TSRI, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Dr., La Jolla. The acclaimed chamber music foursome have been together in various formations for more than 20 years. They will perform a variety of classical selections. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19. $30. 858-784-2666, sandiegosymphony. org HCharles Lloyd Quartet at The Auditorium at TSRI, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Dr., La Jolla. The tenor saxophonist and his all-star band play the Athenaeum Jazz series for the first time since his March 2008 concert at TSRI. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. $30-$35. 858-784-2666, ljathenaeum.org SoundWAVE: Viva Vivaldi! at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. The opening concert of OMA’s Sound WAVE series, this ornate program weaves together a dynamic selection of Antonio Vivaldi concertos. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. $30. 760-4353720, oma-online.org Tango Nuevo: A Musical Exploration of Jews & Tango at Smith Recital Hall SDSU, 5500 Campanile Dr., College Area. An evening filled with live tango music and dancing that explores the unique connection between Jewish composers and the way that they integrated tango music into their own repertoire. From 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Free. facebook. com/SdsuJewishStudiesProgram Callithumpian Consort at Conrad Prebys Music Center, UCSD campus, La Jolla. The contemporary classical ensemble founded by pianist and conductor Stephen Drury in the 1980s presents works by Lei Liang, Roger Reynolds and student composers. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Free-$15.50. musicweb.ucsd.edu

PERFORMANCE

HGeneral Manifest at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village. Composer Braden Diotte will be joined by vocalists Betsy Rettig and Dr. Andrea Young as they perform music inspired by Diotte’s experience of hopping freight trains throughout the American west. From 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. $10. generalmanifest.com

Jewish Jokes at David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla. This one-man show starring Phil Johnson is about a curmudgeonly Jewish comedy screenwriter from MGM who comes up against the Communist blacklist in 1950s Hollywood. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19. $20-$25. 858362-1348, lfjcc.org

HCheyenne Jackson: Music of the Mad Men Era at California Center for the

Stripped: A Sinful Sideshow at Queen Bee’s Arts & Cultural Center,

“Banner IX” by Jose Hugo Sanchez is on view in Transpoiesis, a solo show opening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at San Diego Mesa College Gallery (7250 Mesa College Dr.) in Clairemont. 3825 Ohio Street, North Park. The Pixie Stixx Burlesque troupe of professional dancers, singers and aerialists perform costumed dances. The evening also includes a costume contest and Halloween-themed photo booth. From 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. $20$40. 619-255-5147, brownpapertickets. com/event/1761352

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HSteve Kowit Memorial Reading at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Members of the public are invited to read from the late Poet Laureate of San Diego’s last collection of poetry, Cherish: New and Selected Poems. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. 858-456-1800, dgwillsbooks.com

POLITICS & COMMUNITY HOrange is the New Black: The Real Story with Piper Kerman at Qualcomm Hall, 5775 Morehouse Dr., Sorrento Valley. The author of the memoir, Orange is the New Black will talk about her personal experiences while incarcerated, the failures of the current prison system and the solutions provided by Second Chance, the night’s beneficiary. At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $30-$75. 858-587-1121, secondchanceprogram.org

SPECIAL EVENTS Hillcrest Night Bazaar at The T Lounge, 1475 University Ave., Hillcrest. A night

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EVENTS market featuring art, a variety of vendors, and live entertainment. From 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Free. 619-291-8221, facebook.com/hillcrestnightbazaar The BLVD Market The monthly event highlights the enclave of shops, services and eateries on El Cajon Blvd., between Utah and 28th streets. Participating businesses include Garden Grill, Flavors of East Africa and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Free. 925-586-0990, theboulevard.org Over the Edge For Brain Cancer at Manchester Grand Hyatt, One Market Place, Downtown. A unique fundraising challenge in which participants commit to a fundraising minimum in exchange for the opportunity to rappel down the Manchester Grand Hyatt. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. 619-232-1234, otesandiego.org

Center. At noon. Sunday, Oct. 18. $53$85. 858-756-4117, hornblower.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Preparing for El Niño at World Resources Simulation Center, 1088 3rd Ave., Downtown. Learn how to prepare for this year’s El Niño which is predicted to be one of the strongest on record. Includes expert speakers from the National Weather Service and Emergency Operations Services. From 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. $10-$15. 619865-5904, wrsc.org San Diego Women in the Architectural Professions at NewSchool of

Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street, Downtown. Kristi Byers, AIA, will moderate a panel of women working in architecture and landscape architecture as they discuss what it’s like to be a woman working in a field dominated by men for so many years. At 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $5 suggested donation. friendsofsdarch.com TEDxSanDiego at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. Dozens of speakers will give talks centered on the theme of “20/20 Vision” and the desire to see the world around us clearly and examine what our world may look like in the year 2020. From 11 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $50-$100. 619-235-0804, tedxsandiego.com HArtist Talk: Amir Zaki at Camino

Hall, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, Mission Hills. The photographer and video artist will discuss his career and the rhetoric of authenticity, as it is associated with photography as an indexical media. At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19. Free. 619-260-2280, sandiego.edu/cas/art/ Michelle Jeffrey Delk at Luce Loft, 1037 J St., Downtown. The acclaimed landscape architect and Director of Landscape Architecture will discuss her fascination of the urban environment and its influence on people’s lives. From 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Free-$15. 619534-1351, brownpapertickets.com/ event/2304152

for her sculptural work using natural materials, will discuss her process, inspirations and current installation. At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Free. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com

WORKSHOPS Winemakers’ Seminar: Common Wine Faults at Curds and Wine, 7194 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. Lum Eisenman will share his expertise on various winemaking techniques and issues. If interested in participating, please RSVP onilne. From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. 858-384-6566, localwineevents.com

HGail Schneider at Sparks Gallery, 530 6th Ave., Downtown. The artist, known

Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Balboa Park, Balboa Park. This walk aims to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease, and encourages participants to fundraise for the cause of finding a cure. Near the corner of Park Blvd. and Presidents Way. At 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. act.alz.org Fall Harvest Festival at City Farmers Nursery, 4832 Home Ave., City Heights. This annual fall craft and harvest festival includes dozens of artists, as well as a zucchini growing contest for adult gardeners and a pumpkin growing contest for ages 3 to 16. From 9 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. 619- 284-6358, cityfarmersnursery.com HA Night at the Besties at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park. Celebrate CityBeat’s “Best of San Diego” issue with live music from Euphoria Brass Band and The Midnight Pine, performances from the Fern Street Circus, an art exhibit from Thumbprint Gallery, food samples and more. From 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. $25-$30. 619238-1233, sdcitybeat.com Kids Expo and Fair at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. More than 150 kid-friendly companies come together to share information about camps, soccer, swimming, dance, modeling and more with live entertainment and student performances. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18. Free-$8. 858-7551161, sandiegokidsexpo.com HOpen House San Diego at various locations. This inaugural self-guided tour is hosted by the San Diego Architectural Foundation and features 41 buildings, as well as design and architecture studios. Some locations will be offering scheduled talks and guided tours. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. sdarchitecture.org HBike 4 Boobs at The Wine Pub , 2907 Shelter Island Dr., Shelter Island. This third-annual bicycle ride around Shelter Island is followed by drinks, appetizers, live music and a silent auction to benefit The Breast Cancer Fund. From 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. $25 suggested donation. bike4boobs. eventbrite.com Aspen Medical Products San Diego Triathlon Challenge at Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove, La Jolla. San Diego-based Challenged Athletes Foundation will hold its signature event followed by a full-day festival that includes a Family Fun Zone, silent auctions and food trucks. From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. Free. challengedathletes.org Bow Wow Brunch Cruise at Hornblower Cruises, 1066 N. Harbor Dr., Downtown. Humans and pets alike can partake in a seasonal buffet while raising funds for the Helen Woodward Animal

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

22 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

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WORTH THE TRIP The total area of the county of San Diego is 4,526 square miles. FYI, That’s bigger than the combined area of the states of Rhode Island and Delaware. In other words, there’s a lot of San Diego to discover and enjoy. CityBeat pleads no contest to being somewhat North Parkcentric. But this year’s Best of San Diego issue took on the theme “Worth the Trip.” That entailed getting our team of staff and freelance writers to wax on about places not necessarily in their own backyards. Rather, these are places so worthy of consideration that you’d get in your car, on your bike or onto public transportation to go check out. Come with us, out of our comfort zone, to: Bonita, Dulzura, Fiesta Island, La Jolla, Leucadia, Pacific Beach, San Pasqual, San Ysidro, Valley Center and Vista. After our staff picks, keep reading to get the results of our annual Readers Poll. Talk about spanning the county. Whew, the list is long and deep. Thanks for voting. To get a live taste of many of our winners, come to CityBeat’s “A Night at the Besties” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. Definitely worth the trip. sdcitybeat.com

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

best of san diego

worth the trip Photos courtesy of Alexandra Long

destination: leucadia

french kiss W by Jenny Montgomery

e live in an on-demand world. Media, food, blended coffee drinks. We go into restaurants with the assumption that our favorite items will always be there when we want them. But the “I want it now!” culture doesn’t always ensure we’ll get the best quality. At French Corner 101 (1200 N. Coast Hwy. 101), you get exquisite light bites made every day by the most charming French lady, Alexandra Long. You won’t always get the same thing every day. That’s part of the magic and adventure of this tiny Leucadia shop. Making the drive up the coast to visit French Corner is worth it not only for the paninis and crepes, filled with house-made apricot preserves (or whatever is in season) but also for the wonderful baked goods Ms. Long creates. One fortuitous afternoon, I ate probably the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had at her shop (sorry, Mom), and I have yet to get it again. Each time I visit I find oatmeal cookies, light-as-a-cloud meringues or perfect madeleines. But the lure of the chocolate chip cookie keeps me returning—along with an incredible mushroom tart with the most buttery crust, and

perfect macarons that make trendy L.A. bakery versions taste like paste. I don’t mind that I don’t always find what I’m looking for, because it forces me to explore the latest creations the French Corner team has whipped up. They know what looks best at the market and what the most delicious thing is that they can create that day. Everything is sublime here, so not getting exactly what you want, when you want it, is a lesson in learning to trust the experts. This isn’t Burger King, and we’re all better off for it.

24 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

French Corner

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

best of san diego

destination: san pasqual

worth the trip photos by candice eley

Life during wartime by Jeff Terich

o find the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park in Escondido (15808 San Pasqual Valley Road), you have to really want to get there. From the central city area in San Diego, it’s at least a half-hour drive up Interstate 15, through several roads that seemingly lead to nowhere—or the Safari Park—and into more rural territory than most city folk are used to seeing on a day-to-day basis. It might as well be Central Valley farmland you’re entering. It’s just a couple miles east of the freeway, but hidden in the high rock hills and green agricultural fields is a history lesson that, until recently, I had no idea San Diego offered. The Battle of San Pasqual happened not too far from where Westfield North County Fair shopping center now sits. On December 6, 1846, during the Mexican-American War, General Kearny and his forces fought here against Major An-

drés Pico and his battalion of Californios. Eighteen U.S. soldiers died in the battle, and while both sides claimed victory, the toll of the battle makes it a pyrrhic one. The battle is commemorated by a museum that’s open year-round, which tells the story with an exhibition of artifacts from the era, including clothing, cannons and written articles. It’s also a state park, and features a nature trail displaying indigenous flora and fauna, as well as a clear view of the battlefield, which you can’t actually walk on. If you want a more firsthand experience, “living history days” are the first Sunday of the month. Bring the kids, go for a hike or just discover something about San Diego you didn’t know about before.

26 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park

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best of san diego

destination: san ysidro

worth the trip Photo courtesy of RNT Architects

motor skills by Seth Combs

he Department of Motor Vehicles: That soul-crushing, sigh-inducing exemplar of bureaucratic inefficiency. People hate the DMV so much they’ll keep the same awful driver’s license photo just to avoid going back (you know the one—that shot where your eyes are squinting and you look like a registered sex offender). So when I lost my license recently I took the recommendation of a friend to drive the extra 15 minutes to the San Ysidro DMV (6111 Business Center Ct.). Yes, I made an appointment (this preemptive action is highly recommended no matter the DMV location), but it was the unexpected intangibles that made my visit so pleasant. The first thing you notice is the building itself. Built in ’06 and designed by Roesling Kakamura Terada Architects, it’s not only nice to look at from the outside, but the inside is cavernous enough that, even when it’s crowded, it never feels stuffy. I’d like to think that design fosters functionality. Things seemed to chug along at an orderly and, dare I say it, friendly pace. When I got

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up to the counter the woman that helped me was polite and helpful. She even noticed my license was set to expire soon anyway and encouraged me to take a renewal test so I wouldn’t have to come back again in a year. A DMV employee being helpful? What madness is this? Anyway, I passed the test and went to get a new photo. Naturally, the photo of me ended up looking like a crackhead so I begged the guy to take it again. He smiled, chuckled, and said he’d already sent it to Sacramento. I would have protested further, but I was just too taken aback that a DMV employee had actually laughed. A smiling, jocular DMV employee? I felt like I saw a yeti. I should have taken a picture of him.

San Ysidro DMV

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

best of san diego

worth the trip photos by beth demmon

destination: dulzura

must-try FIsh fry by Beth Demmon

ulzura isn’t exactly known for its culture or culinary offerings…or for even existing, as far as most people know. However, this border-hugging town on the way to nowhere has a few tricks up its sleeve for wayward travelers and packs of bikers who rumble through these parts. The main stop on the side of a dusty, deserted patch of Highway 94 is Barrett Junction Cafe & Mercantile (1020 Barrett Lake Road.). World War II-era checkered tablecloths are draped over rickety tables— quite possibly left over from the original 1880s homestead—and every wall sags with old-timey memorabilia, ranging from kitschy lunchboxes to ceramic Elvis figurines. Don’t expect the food to get any fancier. This is the quintessential place to “get your grub on” without worrying about classing up the joint. Best known for its “World Famous

Fish Fry,” Barrett Junction Cafe stays true to simple, hearty food from another era, where gloriously greasy and piping-hot fried cod gets heaped on flimsy plates that feature plastic separators. Sides include some of the best hush puppies you’ll find this side of the Mississippi, coleslaw, rice pilaf and baked beans. The beer is cheap lager served by the pitcher. If you feel at home in the Gaslamp or Pacific Beach, you’ll stand out like a sore thumb in these parts, but if you splurge for the all-youcan-eat fish fry, you’ll get treated like royalty ( just be sure to tip 20 percent). Barrett Junction is so far off the beaten path that you’ll have to stop at a border checkpoint on your return west, but don’t be worried. Once they see that telltale doggy bag on your lap and the familiar glassy look in your eyes, you’ll be waved back toward civilization.

28 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Barrett Junction Cafe

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

best of san diego

worth the trip torrey bailey

destination: la jolla

Swingers welcome by Torrey Bailey

aking in seascapes can come at a price, especially in La Jolla. If it’s not bumping into shoobies, it’s an all-out arms race for parking. So finding a vista point free of obstruction takes some searching, which is what makes the hidden swing such a diamond in the rough. Tucked away on a decidedly unpopulated rugged ridge behind the Birch Aquarium, there’s not a selfie stick in sight. There used to be a couple more swings right off Expedition Way, but now it’s only this lone soldier hidden down a dusty path. The trail brings back memories of P.E. physical fitness tests but leads to a small grove before anyone need break a major sweat. From the swinging bench, the La Jolla Cove peeks out from a curtain of eucalyptus trees. It’s a perspective normally reserved for the multi-million dollar mansions, but, lucky for us, its polished patio chairs are a couple hundred yards farther from the ocean.

Yeah, the swing’s browned, industrialsized staples look to be a tetanus shot waiting to happen and the backrest might snap at any moment. And sure, part of the view features a close up of a cement driveway, which chauffeurs in a parade of Audis and Range Rovers. Still, this spot’s imperfections add contrast to its character. It’s off the beaten path, just far enough to escape the rat race while still eyeing the buzz from a distance. It’s a sweet spot to sip from smuggled beverages, far from a lifeguard’s watchful eye. It’s not an adventure that demands an entire day and, naturally, sunset is the swing’s golden hour. The occasional neighbor or mountain biker could cruise over, so for total solitude try a weekday afternoon or a cool evening. For those who have lost all sense of adventure, here are the coordinates to plug into Google Maps: 32.864321, -117.247991.

30 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

The hidden swing overlooks La Jolla Cove

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

best of san diego

destination: barrio logan

worth the trip photos by Joshua emerson smith

brave the line by Joshua Emerson Smith

erhaps you’ve thought about eating at Las Cuatro Milpas (1857 Logan Ave.) in Barrio Logan but saw the line out the door and reconsidered. You wouldn’t be alone. I live down the street from this San Diego fixture and only recently decided to brave the ever-present line. As it turns out, it’s totes worth it. While street parking is tough—and don’t forget it’s cash only—the line actually moves quickly as patrons shuffle through the cafeteriastyle process. The menu is small-butscrumptious, offering traditional Mexican tacos, tamales and burritos, as well as beans and rice with optional chorizo. Most notable are the handmade flour or corn tortillas. How good can a tortilla be, you ask? It’s nearly impossible to explain, but the phrase “mind-blowing” pops into my head. “We don’t have no secrets; we just have work,” says Margarita Hernandez, the oldest of five daughters who run the restaurant established by their great grandparents in 1933. “It has to be handmade and cooked by the girls.” The restaurant, named after an old Mexican folk song about (you guessed it, four

cornfields), has endured many decades, expanding modestly to accommodate several dozen large tables spread throughout multiple rooms. The ambiance feels like you’re in the Hernandez family’s kitchen, and seating arrangements promote conviviality, even when eating next to strangers. At 68, Hernandez says she still loves coming to work and serving their diverse and dedicated clientele. However, all of the Hernandez family’s next generation has gone to school and moved on to other careers. So how long will Las Cuatro Milpas go on? “We don’t know,” Hernandez says. “As long as we can work, we’ll work it.” The restaurant opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m., and the line starts forming about 15 minutes before the door unlocks. This is one of San Diego’s most authentic experiences. Get it while it lasts.

32 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Las Cuatros Milpas

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best of san diego

destination: north park

worth the trip ryan bradford

worth the nostalgia trip by Ryan Bradford

don’t get the whole fetishism with physical media. When people say they prefer listening to music on vinyl, I usually picture them listening to a Jamie XX album or something, eyes tightly shut, lips slightly pursed, quivering with joy at every pop and scratch. Same thing goes for books: I hold no allegiance to paper books over e-readers. When people say things like how much they love the smell of old books, I wonder if they’ve wandered off Wes Anderson’s movie set. That’s not to say I’ve never had some great time with physical media. I still have a collection of essential DVDs (mostly horror) that I’ve carried around with me for over 10 years. They serve as memories of being in college and going to the used CD/ DVD store every Tuesday. Back then, I had little disposable income, but I treated myself to a used DVD nearly every week. It became

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a ritual, one that I didn’t know I missed until I stepped foot into Red Brontosaurus Records (3044 North Park Way). Stepping into the North Park location, I was comforted by a wall of distorted post-punk. “Is this Destruction Unit?” I asked, nearly giddy. It was. There’s nothing flashy about Red Brontosaurus’ North Park store, and that may be its biggest asset. In a neighborhood that’s increasingly craft-bro-oriented, overpriced and twee, there’s power in being a gritty place to chill. I scanned the wall of used SNES video games—the console that defined my childhood. No way, Illusion of Gaia? In its original box? In the back of the store, there was an NES playing Mega Man 3 hooked up to an old TV. The joy of revisiting that game made me think, well, maybe I do understand the fetishism now.

Red Brontosaurus Records

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

best of san diego

destination: mission hills

worth the trip photos by candice eley

grave recreation by Jeff Terich

t’s easy to get stuck in the assumption that Mission Hills doesn’t exist beyond Washington Street. That’s where the bars, restaurants and M Theory Records are. The whole neighborhood is small enough that if you wanted to take a risk and get lost, it’s not hard to find your way out. And better yet, you might stumble across Pioneer Park (1521 Washington Pl.). Tucked away in a quiet corner of Mission Hills, just a block from Mission Hills Nursery, Pioneer Park is easy to overlook— until you notice the line-up of large and impressive gravestones in its southeast corner. Seem a little morbid? The story gets better from there. From the 1870s to the early 1900s, Pioneer Park was, in fact, a Catholic cemetery, and the bodies—wait for it—are still in the ground! This probably sounds like some creepy, Poltergeist-style realm of hauntings (no ghosts came to greet my wife and me when we picnicked there), but it’s actually quite peaceful.

Pioneer Park welcomes families with both children and dogs. It’s kind of an unofficial dog park, with plenty of space for four-legged friends to roam, lots of shade trees for picnics and even a playground. It also happens to have the former cemetery, and the grave markers are one of the best reasons for visiting. There’s a long line of preserved stone monuments, many very old, and several are large and impressive. A weird thing in a park where you take little ones for a family outing? Definitely— but goth teenagers will feel right at home, as well. There’s no reason creepy and familyfriendly can’t go hand in hand.

34 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Pioneer Park

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35

best of san diego

destination: harbor island

worth the trip photos by ron donoho

shining a new light I by Ron Donoho

’d been to enough buffet dinners sponsored by the San Diego Press Club to know better than to spotlight this old place on Harbor Island. Tom Ham’s Lighthouse (2150 Harbor Island Dr.) first opened for business in 1971. It has history, but through the decades it definitely got dated. I was out on an extended bike ride earlier this year, and had ventured past the airport and onto Harbor Island’s main drag. I’d pedaled to the end, and got off the bike for a pit stop. The multi-million-dollar remodel—which closed it for five months— is now nearly two years old. Not that I’m an advocate of plastic surgery, but Tom Ham’s is now a MILF. The redesign was the vision of late, great architect Graham Downes. He kept the original nautical memorabilia, and the floor-to-ceiling maps surrounding the interior stairway are subtle, yet astounding. Downes added modern furniture while airing it out and extending the patio so you can drink up views of the San Diego Bay while drinking up a craft beer (32 taps) or

mimosa. Those Press Club banquets always featured cold cuts and potato salad; now a revamped menu focuses on, natch, seafood, including a big raw bar selection. The new private dining rooms showcase pristine views of the bay. A wedding party was underway during my pit stop, and if it hadn’t been for the need for a long return bike ride, we might have played out our version of Wedding Crashers.

36 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Tom Ham’s Lighthouse

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 37

best of san diego

worth the trip Joshua emerson smith

destination: city heights

a friendly neighborhood bar by Joshua Emerson Smith

he Black Cat Bar (4246 University Ave.) is located in City Heights, roughly a mile east of North Park— far enough to keep douche-bros and annoyingly pretentious hipsters away. If you’re enjoying craft cocktails with friends in a nearby neighborhood only to find yourself suddenly listening to club music or surrounded by a fedora-wearing contest, jump in a ride-share and head east. Depending on where you are, less

than $5 can probably land you at the stylish Black Cat, where you’ll be able to hear your interlocutors, continue to drink craft beer or cocktails and maybe even catch a little live music. “If the bar had been in North Park it probably wouldn’t have been cool enough,” says the establishment’s owner Matt Parker, humbly. “It’s just a bar, and we’ll take anyone who wants to come in and be friendly.”

38 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Since 2011, Parker has owned the bar, which was built as a bank in the early ’20s. Crafting the interior to play up its onceclassy beginnings, the modest space features dim lighting, a small stage, comfortable booths and a tasteful bar. Weekends usually feature live music, including the old-timey G Burns Jug Band on the first Saturday of the month. “The fact that it was a really neat old building with high ceilings and crazy

The Black Cat Bar crown molding and nifty windows drove its semi-formal sort of a look,” Parkers said. “The bones kind of demanded it.” Someday, the masses will discover the Black Cat, and when that happens, CityBeat will be happy for Parker’s success. However, until then, I’m going to keep hitting up this inspiring yet low-key location, which offers all the artful charm of a hipster bar but without the hipster hordes.

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 39

best of san diego

worth the trip nancy kirk

destination: college area

chasing waterfalls by Nancy Kirk

hen it comes to waterfalls that just happen to be legally off-limits and surrounded by an array of graffitiridden boulders, it’s hard to top Adobe Falls. While we certainly don’t condone seeking out a place posted with “no trespassing” signs (we’re all law abiding citizens here), locals seeking a nontraditional oasis confidently ignore the sign. Note: San Diego State University owns the land. We don’t want any trouble, but notice

Adobe Falls that the likelihood of getting a citation here has been as low as Adobe Falls itself, which looks up at the SDSU campus on the other side of Interstate 8. Getting to the Falls is something of an adventure (a hiker who fell 12 feet this past summer had to be airlifted out). Many smartphone apps won’t officially recognize the location so, just like in the days before society depended on GPS, those in search often have to ask a friendly neighbor for help.

40 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

“Take a left on College Avenue off the 8 and then a left on Del Cerro Blvd,” they might say. “Go down a windy road until you reach a dead end with a sign that says no trespassing.” From there, an identifiable trail winds downward and eventually releases trespassers into one of the only year-round waterfalls in San Diego, which is fed by water from a nearby creek. The waterfall’s boulders do occasionally feature obscenities,

but there are some attempts at genuine artwork, like the beaming gypsy eye and the colorful and endearing monster that almost beckons visitors to embrace their own inner graffiti artist. Despite imperfections at Adobe Falls, many find peace and inspiration in the disorderly peaceful escape. It seems strange, but it omits an ironic sense of community—a sort of refuge for the disobedient wanderer who believes in the slightest bit of anarchy.

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best of san diego

destination: valley center

worth the trip photos by ron donoho

hip, hip, harrah’s I by Ron Donoho

saw Joan Rivers perform at Harrah’s Resort Southern California (777 Valley Center Road). It was less than two months before she died, and the former Queen of Mean pretty much filled Harrah’s 23,000-square-foot Events Center. I was never a Rivers fan, but found her stand-up embarrassingly side splitting; she was an equal opportunity venom spewer. Rivers is one example of the kinds of acts that might play a Las Vegas showroom, and if you’re down for the occasional Vegas foray but pressed for time and money, Harrah’s is a near-equal facsimile. Getting to Valley Center and the Rincon Indian Reservation takes just less than an hour. I assiduously timed the last two trips door-to-door from my downtown San Diego address, and I clocked in at 58 and 59 minutes. The resort underwent a $160-million facelift in 2014, and the new tower suites are dark and sexy, with low lighting that encourages weekend-getaway hanky-panky. If you hit Harrah’s during the summer, the pool area will be overflowing with DJs, thumping beats and revelers throwing their hands in the ayah like they just don’t cayah. In the fall, it’s less of a scene so you

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can peacefully read your alt-weekly in a cabana by the pool or float with a cocktail in the heated lazy river. My game of chance is poker, and Harrah’s poker room is relatively small but has been unusually (and pleasantly) relaxing the last couple times I went all in. There are no mega-halls here like you’d find on the Vegas Strip, but you can gamble, eat, drink and get your silly on—then sleep it off and get home to reality in a fraction of the time.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 41

best of san diego

destination: paciFIC BEACH

worth the trip photos by jenny montgomery

reign of spain by Jenny Montgomery

peaking as someone who lived in Pacific Beach for years, and did my fair share of eye rolling, there is one treasure that keeps me visiting time after time, even all the way from the depths of North County, where I now live. Pata Negra (1657 Garnet Ave.) is a little tienda selling food, wine and other tasty Spanish goods. It’s next door to its sister restaurant, Costa Brava, another Pacific Beach gem. Iberophiles will love exploring the shelves of this little gourmet market, and will delight in treats you can typically only find on the shelves in Spanish grocery stores. I go to Pata Negra go get Nocilla, Spain’s version of Nutella. Does it taste better? I don’t know, but after studying in Madrid, I’m loyal to its nutty charm. Even if you’re not familiar with Spanish food, you will have a great time discovering

imported tastes from the land of flamenco. Beautiful olive oils share space with tinned anchovies, white asparagus and sweet turrón candy. And you don’t have to be an immature frat boy to snicker at the queso tetilla, literally “tit cheese,” a creamy Galician cheese shaped like a woman’s breast. Order a chunk to go with its incredible sliced chorizo or thin, salty sheets of jamón. Get those eyes out of the back of your head and make the trip to Pacific Beach. You’ll be saying muchas gracias.

42 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Pata Negra

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 43

best of san diego

destination: city heights

worth the trip Ryan bradford

The height of FItness by Ryan Bradford

couple years ago, I made the mistake of looking at one of those body mass index charts that hang in every medical office (it was brightly-colored, can you blame me?). I followed my age, height and weight qualifications, only to come to the sobering conclusion that I was “overweight.” It wasn’t an aesthetic measurement, like, “Oh, I hate this beer gut,” but a scientific, quantifiable categorization. Having been a skinny kid throughout my teens, and living in “it’s probably just muscle”-variety denial during my twenties, it opened my eyes to the fact that my body is getting older and requires more effort to maintain it. I’ve never been much of a fan of gyms. For one, I’m not “good” at gym-ing. Exercise machines generally confuse me, and the idea of “blasting” any muscle is terrifying. Plus, the stereotypes of dudes creeping

on women of gym culture, from my observation, still hold true. However, the new Copley-Price Family YMCA in City Heights (4300 El Cajon Blvd.) is unlike any gym experience I’ve ever had. After taking advantage of a free month trial it offered during August, I immediately signed up for a full membership. Having opened early this year, all the facilities are clean and state of the art, including basketball courts, soccer fields, outdoor exercise equipment and two pools—indoor and outdoor—which I love, considering that my knees aren’t as friendly as they once were. But the true beauty of the new YMCA is its family-friendly, community feel. Not only does that reduce a lot of the creepy bro aggression often found in gyms, it also gives the community of City Heights—a neighborhood with few parks and recreation—a place to play.

44 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Copley-Price Family YMCA

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best of san diego

worth the trip photos by tom siebert

destination: normal heights

bad is good P by Tom Siebert

reviously in the heart of Normal Heights, now on its fringe (3220 Adams Ave.), what Villainous Lair Comics has lost in central location, it has made up in size and, most importantly, maintained in personality. Touting the slogan “Villains have all the fun…,” the funky atmosphere, playful decor and sense of community found at San Diego’s best comics shop is convincing enough to make you consider turning to the dark side. Well-designed mannequins showcase a slew of sexy super-villainesses in their signature costumed garb—Catwoman in the window and Poison Ivy and others throughout the store—while the quirkily attired, distinctively coiffed and tattooed/ pierced staff look like they could be modern hench(wo)men in an update of the campy ’60s Batman TV series. But as any mild-mannered reporter might tell you, looks can be deceiving. It’s the friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff—and the community they’ve created around the store—that is the Villainous Lair’s secret weapon. To paraphrase one Google reviewer: “The staff speaks fluent Nerd.” Villainous Lair employees are equally

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adept at the language of tabletop-boardand-card gaming. The role-playing and other face-to-face competitive games have arguably become the store’s centerpiece, thanks to communities that’ve sprung up around Warhammer 40,000 and Yu-GiOh, among others. Villainous Lair hosts tournaments and board-game nights, and the bigger location is better suited for simultaneous game playing. Other considerate, community-building programs that belie the store’s nefarious name include its “Comic Commando Care Package,” where for $12 the Lair will send five random older comics to members of our armed forces in service overseas (there’s a current issue program, too; fewer comics/more money). It’s a good-hearted idea, but perhaps sending all these recent older comics to enlisted men and women is the reason for the Villainous Lair’s lone clunker. Its back issue selection, which is surprisingly sparse and limited. But this is counterbalanced by the store’s impressive selection of graphic novels and compilations, which have largely replaced the back-issue market other than as a collector’s investment vehicle.

Sara Swirca and Chris Mitchell of Villainous Lair

Hot titles

Gamer night

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 45

best of san diego

worth the trip Seth combs

destination: north park

keith marzo

Size doesn’t matter by Seth Combs

he ballad of North Park goes something like this: Back in the early ’00s, the artists move in. Neighborhood becomes hip. Yuppies move in. Rents go up. Artists are forced out only to be replaced with corporate bro bars and overpriced, kale-pushing eateries. Yeah, I’m a little bitter, but I’ll be the first to admit North Park’s gentrification isn’t all bad. I mean, I like kale. But it would be nice to see more galleries open and thrive in the neighborhood that ostensibly started the art walk. That’s what makes the quaint ACD Gallery (2923 Upas St.) such a nice addition to the hood. You’ve probably driven past it dozens of times on the way to Bluefoot, Alexander’s or the Jack in the Box drive-thru, but the selection of unique boutique items and art shows from local up-and-coming talent make it worth popping in. Stepping into the place, it’s hard to get over how small the space is, but North Park real estate ain’t cheap these days. Still, the owner has packed in a nice amount

of cool swag, including clothes, sneakers, toys and bags. My favorites include the limited-edition, pop-art pins from Avi Gold (I wear the R. Kelly one with pride) and the sturdy, but stylish backpacks and cases from Lexdray. The clothes are for men and skew toward the hipster skater set, but I’ve found tees and tanks in there that I’d sport. What’s best, ACD doesn’t forget that it’s a gallery. The semi-monthly art openings have people pouring out into the streets to check out artists like Brittany Segal and Taylor Marie Prendergast. They’ve also managed to curate their own “ACD Radio” mixes that feature decidedly non-mainstream electro and hip-hop. So, yeah, ACD isn’t exactly near the 30th & University heart of things, but it’s a welcome addition to what will again, one day, be an arts scene that isn’t afraid to be different.

46 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

ACD Gallery

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best of san diego

worth the trip photo courtesy narvalo ice cream & gelato

destination: vista

gelato fun by Jenny Montgomery

’ve had it up to here with summer. Yes, the calendar says it’s technically fall, but I’m still sweating in places I don’t want to talk about. Don’t give me that “you San Diegans don’t know from hot” business. I know we don’t. I don’t care. I’m wimpy and have a really big mortgage, and I want my temperate climate back. But one thing that does bring me constant cheer on the days the sun wants to kill me is ice cream. Icy, sweet and full of calcium! So it’s healthy. I realize that everyone’s into self-serve froyo, and that’s all well and fun, but the best stuff is the real stuff. Narvalo Ice Cream & Gelato (2205 S. Melrose Dr.), way deep in suburban Vista, is a charming little family-run shop serving ice cream, imported Italian gelato and air conditioning. On a recent visit, I dove

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into as much gelato as I could. All the traditional flavors are there, including a deep, dark chocolate that is bitter and rich and utterly decadent. My little one dug into a cup of classic chocolate chip, with a sweet cream base and the teensiest little sugar cone perched on top like a jaunty little cap. The quirkier flavors are worth exploring, too. Check out the green tea gelato, an intense shade of moss green with a strong, sweet matcha flavor. Or try the cocktailreminiscent amarula cherry, with sweet bits of fruit and a faint whiff of booze. But a real treat to try, particularly at this time of year, is the cinnamon vanilla. Tasting of snickerdoodle and autumn, this is a flavor you normally have to schlep to Julian to get with your pie. Now you only have to get yourself to Shadowridge.

Narvalo Ice Cream & Gelato

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 53

best of san diego

destination: FIESTA ISLAND

worth the trip Ryan bradford

breaking away by Ryan Bradford

an Diego isn’t always kind to cyclists. While bicycling advocacy within the city has strengthened—due, in large part, to the tireless work of BikeSD and progressive city government—we still have some ways to go before it becomes a city for bikers. Ill-maintained surface roads are hell on street tires, motorists still don’t know how to share the road, and local media—even progressive media—has a tendency to vilify bikers as scofflaws (not to mention victim-blame: take note of any report on a bike-car collision that mentions the biker not wearing a helmet). Admittedly, these factors have kept me from exploring as much as I want to, but the ride from North Park to Fiesta Island is one that I love. Riding down steep Texas Street into Mission Valley is probably not for beginners, but for those who’ve built up the confidence and maintain control, it’s a rush. San

Diegans are late risers during the weekends, so if you hit it early—say, before 8 a.m.—you almost have it entirely to yourself. If you’ve ever skied, this is the Southern Californian equivalent to first tracks in fresh powder. Early weekends also make it easier to cross over to the left lane at the bottom of the hill, a feat that’s intimidating in high traffic. Camino Del Rio South and Friars Road both have good bike lanes, and Friars takes you all the way out to Fiesta Island. There, the road is flat and smooth, and riders can circle the island to extend their trip as long as they want. Of course, it’s impossible to forget the tragedy that befell a group of bikers on Fiesta Island last year, when a car driving the wrong way collided with them. But that shouldn’t deter riders from going there. If anything, it should reinforce our hold onto whatever routes we have. Fiesta Island is a place for bikers.

54 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Fiesta Island

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best of san diego

worth the trip photos by candice eley

destination: bonita

all shuck, no jive by Jeff Terich

ou can’t walk two blocks in San Diego without catching a whiff of deep-fried fish and corn tortillas. Finding fish tacos—really good fish tacos, even—is easy. Such is the benefit of being a lime wedge’s throw from the U.S.-Mexico border. Still, it’s well worth the short trek along Interstate 805 (or State route 54 or 125, or any other highways your GPS device feels like directing you along) to be treated to the more innovative Baja seafood options at the two TJ Oyster Bar locations in Bonita (4246 and 4410 Bonita Road). The fish taco at TJ Oyster Bar is simple but sublime. A crunchy, flaky nugget of fried fish is smothered in cabbage and sauce with little to get in the way of the flavor of the fish. Not that you don’t have options to dress it up if you want, with fresh

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TJ Oyster Bar limes and about a half-dozen hot sauce options available on every table. Fish tacos are really just the beginning, though; the menu also includes fresh oysters (naturally), the spicy diabla ceviche, “9 huge shrimp”—which is exactly what it sounds like—and my personal favorite, smoked tuna fries. The smokiness of the tuna gives

it a flavor profile similar to bacon, and with the addition of cilantro, salsa and crema on top, it’s an indulgence worth crossing four freeways to find. While there’s more than one TJ Oyster Bar location, they’re within blocks of each other and offer significantly different dining experiences, even though the menu is

the same. One is an actual bar, with food arriving directly from the kitchen in front of you, while the other is a full-service restaurant with ample seating and refreshing micheladas and margaritas to pair with your tacos, tostadas or tuna fries. Either way, you’ll be full, satisfied and ready for a nap afterward.

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 55

best of san diego

San Diego Arts & Culture BEST Annual Event (non-music) Comic-Con

Honorable Mention: San Diego County Fair, San Diego Beer Week, San Diego Pride, The Holiday Bowl

North Park Festival of Arts, Art Around Adams, Art Alive

Festival at Bazaar del Mundo, National City Mariachi Festival

BEST Art School

BEST Dance Studio

Honorable Mention: Platt College, Art Academy of San Diego, The Studio Door, Watts Atelier of the Arts

Honorable Mention: San Diego Dance Center, The Movement Dance Center, Aerial Revolution, Visionary School for the Performing Arts

San Diego Art Institute

BEST Bowling Alley

BEST Film Festival San Diego Film Festival

Honorable Mention: San Diego Festival of Beer, San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival, AIDS Walk, San Diego Film Festival

BEST Casino

BEST Golf Course

BEST Art Framing

Honorable Mention: Barona Casino, Sycuan Casino, Viejas Casino, Valley View Casino

BEST Annual Charity Event Art Alive

Aztec Graphics

Honorable Mention: Frame It Yourself, Ray Street Custom Framing, Art of Framing, Frame Station

BEST Art Gallery Thumbprint Gallery

Honorable Mention: La Bodega Gallery & Studios, Chicano Art Gallery, The Studio Door, Aaron Chang Gallery

BEST Arts Event

Mission Federal ArtWalk

Honorable Mention: Barrio Art Crawl,

Harrah’s Resort Southern California

BEST Comedy Club

The American Comedy Co. Honorable Mention: Finest City Improv, The Comedy Store, Laugh Factory, Mad House Comedy

BEST Cultural Festival Little Italy FESTA!

Honorable Mention: Chicano Park Day, Gator by the Bay, Latin American

56 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

paul ecdao

Culture Shock Dance Center

East Village Tavern + Bowl

Honorable Mention: Kearny Mesa Bowl, Mira Mesa Lanes, Parkway Bowl, Poway Fun Bowl

worth the trip

Honorable Mention: San Diego Black Film Festival, San Diego Latino Film Festival, FilmOut San Diego, San Diego Asian Film Festival

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Honorable Mention: Balboa Park Golf Course, Maderas Golf Club, Colina Park Golf Course, Riverwalk Golf Course

BEST Live Theater The Old Globe

Honorable Mention: La Jolla Playhouse, Lamb’s Players Theatre, San Diego Repertory Theater, Cygnet Theatre

BEST Local Performing Arts Group San Diego Symphony

Honorable Mention: Malashock Dance, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San

Thumbprint Gallery Diego Civic Dance Arts, City Ballet of San Diego

BEST Skate Park

BEST Movie Theater

Honorable Mention: Ecke YMCA Skate Park, Chicano Park Skate Park, Krause Family Skatepark, Washington Street Skatepark

Honorable Mention: Landmark Ken Cinema, ArcLight, Landmark Hillcrest, South Bay Drive-In Theatre

BEST Theatre Production

Cinépolis

BEST Museum

Natural History Museum

Honorable Mention: Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, Museum of Photographic Arts

Ocean Beach Skatepark

Kiss Me Kate at The Old Globe

Honorable Mention: West Side Story at Lamb’s Players, Avenue Q at Coronado Playhouse, Up Here at La Jolla Playhouse, My Fair Lady at Cygnet Theatre

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 57

best of san diego

San Diego Bars & Booze BEST Bar to Play Pool Silver Fox

Honorable Mention: The Alibi, Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, Jolt’n Joe’s, Society Billiards Cafe & Bar

BEST Beach Bar Wonderland

Honorable Mention: PB Shore Club, Lahaina Beach House, Draft Mission Beach, Beachcomber

BEST Bloody Mary Small Bar

Honorable Mention: Great Maple, Gossip Grill, Tractor Room, Bluefoot Bar & Lounge

BEST Cigar Lounge Excalibur Cigar Lounge

Honorable Mention: Churchill Cigar Lounge, Cigar Grotto, Habanos Cigar Lounge, Liberty Tobacco

BEST Cocktail Lounge Pacific Shores

Honorable Mention: Polite Provisions,

Bar Pink, Park & Rec, Florent

BEST Craft Beer Bar

Hamilton’s Tavern

Honorable Mention: Tiger! Tiger!, Toronado, High Dive, Common Theory Public House

BEST Craft Beer Store Bottlecraft

Honorable Mention: Clem’s Bottle House & Deli, KnB Wine Cellars, Krisp, The Boulevard Wine & Spirits

BEST Craft Cocktail Bar

worth the trip

BEST Gay / Lesbian Bar

BEST Imported Beer

Honorable Mention: Gossip Grill, Brass Rail, Redwing, #1 Fifth Ave

Honorable Mention: Stella Artois, Corona, Tecate, Heineken

BEST Happy Hour

BEST Irish Pub

Honorable Mention: Home & Away, Tavern at the Beach, Common Theory Public House, Garage Kitchen + Bar

Honorable Mention: The Ould Sod, Hooley’s, Gallaghers, Oscar Wilde’s

Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill

BEST Hookah Bar

Excalibur Hookah Lounge Honorable Mention: Sinbad’s, Nara Ultra Lounge, Divan Lounge, Prince Hookah

Pacifico

The Field Irish Pub

BEST Jukebox in a bar Live Wire

Honorable Mention: Turf Supper Club, Aero Club, Small Bar, High Dive carolyn ramos

BEST Karaoke Bar The Lamplighter

Honorable Mention: Redwing, The Hideout, Winstons, Carriage House

BEST Local Craft Beer (specific beer)

Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA Honorable Mention: AleSmith’s .394 - Pale Ale, Coronado Brewing Company’s Mermaid’s Red - Amber Ale, Mike Hess Brewing’s Habitus IIPA, Hillcrest Brewing Company’s Perle Necklace - Pale Ale

BEST Local Craft Spirit Distillery Ballast Point

Polite Provisions

Honorable Mention: Old Harbor, Malahat Spirits Company, Kill Devil Spirit Co., Twisted Manzanita

Honorable Mention: Noble Experiment, Park & Rec, Sycamore Den, The Lion’s Share

Pabst Blue Ribbon

BEST Local Spirit (specific brand & spirit)

BEST Downtown / Gaslamp Bar

Honorable Mention: Ballast Point Devil’s Share Whiskey, Ballast Point Fugu Vodka, Malahat Spirits Ginger Rum, 619 Vodka

BEST Domestic Beer Honorable Mention: Coors Light, Coors Banquet, Budweiser, Bud Light

Old Harbor’s San Miguel Gin

Barleymash

Honorable Mention: Star Bar, Henry’s Pub, Quad Alehouse, Analog Bar

58 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Bottlecraft

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best of san diego

BEST Margarita Baja Betty’s

Honorable Mention: Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant, Cantina Mayahuel, Casa Guadalajara, La Puerta

BEST Martini Bar Starlite

Honorable Mention: Turf Supper Club, Martinis Above Fourth, Tony’s OB, Top of the Hyatt

BEST Neighborhood Bar

High Dive

Honorable Mention: Live Wire, Whistle Stop, Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, The Silver Fox Lounge

BEST Neighborhood Bar to Dance Whistle Stop

U-31, Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill, Park & Rec, Bluefoot Bar & Lounge

BEST New Bar (openED since Oct. 2014) Panama 66

Honorable Mention: Park & Rec, Backyard Kitchen & Tap, Home & Away, Quad Alehouse

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worth the trip Mike Senese / flickr

BEST North County Bar

Sycamore Den, Park & Rec, Bluefoot

BEST Wine Bar

The Kraken

The 3rd Corner

Honorable Mention: Union Kitchen & Tap, Encinitas Alehouse, Saddle Bar, The Bier Garden fo Encinitas

Honorable Mention: Splash, Wine Steals, 100 Wines, Enoteca Style

BEST Outdoor/ Rooftop Bar

BEST Bar in San Diego County

Honorable Mention: LOUNGEsix, Rooftop 600 at Andaz, Cannonball, SummerSalt

Honorable Mention: Shakespeare Pub & Grille, Neighborhood, High Dive, Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill

BEST Brew Pub

BEST Winery in San Diego County

The Waterfront Bar & Grill

Altitude Sky Lounge

Blind Lady Ale House

Honorable Mention: Pizza Port, Monkey Paw, South Park Brewing Co., San Diego Brewing Co.

BEST Brewery Ballast Point Brewing Company

Honorable Mention: Mike Hess Brewing, Stone Brewing Co., Coronado Brewing Company, Green Flash Brewing Co.

BEST Brewery Tasting Room

Green Flash Brewing Co.

Honorable Mention: Modern Times, Fall Brewing Company, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Hillcrest Brewing Company

Whistle Stop

BEST San Diego Dive Bar

Dive Bar, Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, Miller’s Field

Honorable Mention: The Waterfront, Live Wire, Aero Club Bar, Bub’s Dive Bar

Pacers

High Dive

BEST Sangria Cafe Sevilla

Honorable Mention: Cafe 21, Costa Brava, The Blind Burro, Wet Stone Wine Bar & Cafe

BEST Sports Bar McGregor’s Grill & Alehouse

Honorable Mention: True North, Bub’s

BEST Strip Club Honorable Mention: Cheetahs, Déjà Vu, Pure Platinum, Goldfingers

BEST Tequila Bar Cantina Mayahuel

Honorable Mention: El Agave, La Puerta, Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant, Lime

BEST Uptown Bar

Bernardo Winery

Honorable Mention: Fallbrook Winery, Orfila Vineyards & Winery, Belle Marie Winery, Rock Canyon Vineyards

San Diego Community BEST Accounting Firm San Diego Tax Man

Honorable Mention: Invictus Advisors, Lindsay & Brownell, LLP, Gatto Pope and Walwick, Blum and Clarke

Seven Grand

Honorable Mention: Gossip Grill,

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best of san diego

worth the trip mikesumoto

Coronado Bridge

BEST Beach in San Diego County

at Balboa Park, Cabrillo National Monument, Hotel del Coronado, Mount Soledad

BEST Place to Get Married

Honorable Mention: La Jolla Shores, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Torrey Pines

BEST San Diego Neighborhood

Honorable Mention: Balboa Park, Hotel del Coronado, Bali Hai, Darlington House

BEST Public Park

Honorable Mention: Normal Heights, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Hillcrest

Coronado

Balboa Park

Honorable Mention: Chicano Park, Kate Sessions Memorial Park, Torrey Pines State Park, Presidio Park

BEST San Diego Monument or Landmark Coronado Bridge

Honorable Mention: California Tower

North Park

BEST Place to Go Camping in San Diego County Cuyamaca State Park

Honorable Mention: La Jolla Indians Campground, Anza-Borrego State Park, Palomar Mountain, San Elijo State Park

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Sunset Cliffs

BEST Elected Official in San Diego Todd Gloria

Honorable Mention: Kevin Faulconer, David Alvarez, Scott Sherman

BEST Lawyer or Law Firm King Aminpour & Associates

Honorable Mention: Candace Moon: The Craft Beer Attorney, APC, Gaston & Gaston, Law Office of Matthew S. Koken, Law Office of Eugene Ellis Mr. DUI

BEST Local Hotel (non-chain) Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club

Honorable Mention: The Catamaran, The Pearl Hotel, Inn at Sunset Cliffs, Tower23

BEST Hiking Spot Torrey Pines

Honorable Mention: Cowles Mountain, Iron Mountain, Balboa Park, Mount Woodson

BEST Hotel Swimming Pool Open to the Public Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club

Honorable Mention: Hilton Bayfront, The Pearl Hotel, San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, Handlery Hotel

BEST Bank Chase

Honorable Mention: Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Union Bank, California Bank & Trust

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best of san diego

BEST Local Credit Union San Diego County Credit Union

Honorable Mention: Mission Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, California Coast Credit Union, Point Loma Credit Union

BEST Place to Get a Bail Bond

King Stahlman Bail Bonds Honorable Mention: Aladdin Bail Bonds, Archer Bail Bonds, Empire Bail Bonds, Power Bail Bonds

BEST Private School

Cathedral Catholic High School

Honorable Mention: Francis Parker School, La Jolla Country Day School, The Bishop’s School, The Rock Academy

BEST Public School High Tech High

Honorable Mention: Torrey Pines High School, Point Loma High School, Albert Einstein Academy, La Jolla High School

BEST Career College

Art Institute of California – San Diego

Honorable Mention: California College San Diego, Coleman University, Platt College San Diego, IPSB College

BEST San Diego College or University

San Diego State University Honorable Mention: UC San Diego, University of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene University, Cal State San Marcos

BEST College

San Diego Mesa College Honorable Mention: Grossmont College, San Diego City College, Palomar College, Southwestern Community College

Dave, Shelly and Chainsaw Honorable Mention: Gina the Latina, Jeff and Jer Showgram, AJ Machado, John and Tammy

BEST San Diego Radio Program Loudspeaker

Honorable Mention: The Local 94/9, Resurrection Sunday, Second Line Parade, The Homegrown Hour

BEST San Diego Radio Station 89.5 KPBS

Honorable Mention: 91X, FM 94/9, 101 KGB, KPRI 102.1

BEST San Diego Sports Team Honorable Mention: San Diego Padres, San Diego Gulls, San Diego State University Aztecs, San Diego Sockers

Honorable Mention: Balboa Park, USS Midway Museum, Hotel del Coronado, SeaWorld

BEST San Diego Pro Athlete

BEST San Diego TV Personality

Honorable Mention: Philip Rivers, Matt Kemp, Eric Weddle, Antonio Gates

Ken Kramer, Michael Turko, Chrissy Russo, Raoul Martinez

Tony Hawk

64 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

martin_vmorris / flickr

BEST San Diego Radio Personality

BEST San Diego Tourist Attraction

San Diego Chargers

worth the trip

San Diego Zoo

Dagmar Midcap

San Diego Zoo

BEST San Diego TV Station FOX 5

Honorable Mention: KUSI 9, NBC 7, CBS 8, CW 6

San Diego Eats BEST Bagel Shop Crown Point Coffee

Honorable Mention: Brooklyn Bagel Company, Big City Bagel, Mess Royale

Poutine and Bagels, PL Bagels

BEST Bakery Bread & Cie

Honorable Mention: D.Z. Akin’s, Panchita’s Kitchen & Bakery, PB Bakery and Cafe, Sugar and Scribe

BEST Breakfast Hash House a Go Go

Honorable Mention: The Mission, Cafe 222, Broken Yolk, Original Pancake House

CONTINUED ON PAGE 66

#SDCityBeat

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 65

best of san diego

worth the trip carolyn ramos

BEST Brunch Spot Cafe 21

Honorable Mention: Great Maple, Crushed, Fig Tree Café, 94th Aero Squadron

Prepkitchen

Honorable Mention: Farmer’s Bottega, The Smoking Goat, Cafe 21, The Red Door

BEST Butcher Shop

BEST Farmer’s Market

Heart & Trotter

Honorable Mention: Homegrown Meats, Iowa Meats, Siesel’s Meats, Harvest Ranch Market

Little Italy Mercato

Honorable Mention: Hillcrest, La Jolla, North Park, Ocean Beach

BEST Cajun Restaurant

BEST Fast Food In-N-Out Burger

Bud’s Louisiana Cafe

Honorable Mention: Crab Hut, Bourre Southern Bistro, Mardi Gras Cafe & Market, Crab Town

BEST Casino Buffet

Seasons Fresh Buffet at Barona Casino

Honorable Mention: The Buffet at Harrahs Resort Southern California, The Buffet at Valley View Casino & Hotel, The Buffet at Viejas, Paipa’s Buffet at Sycuan Casino

BEST Chinese Restaurant Dumpling Inn

Honorable Mention: Emerald, Jasmine, City Dragon, Mandarin House

BEST Farm-toTable Restaurant

Mitsuwa

BEST Coffeehouse

Honorable Mention: Nomad Donuts, Donut Bar, Donut Panic, VG’s Donuts

Honorable Mention: Claire de Lune, Lestat’s Coffee House, Better Buzz, Twiggs Coffee House

BEST Ethnic Food Market

Caffe Calabria

BEST Contemporary Cuisine Starlite

Honorable Mention: Juniper & Ivy, Urban Solace, The Patio on Goldfinch, Croce’s Park West

BEST Donut Shop Donut Star

66 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Mitsuwa

Honorable Mention: North Park Produce, 99 Ranch Market, Pancho Villa Farmer’s Market, Zion Market

BEST Family Restaurant Phil’s BBQ

Honorable Mention: D.Z. Akin’s, Blind Lady Ale House, The Old Spaghetti Factory, Station Tavern

Honorable Mention: Carnitas Snack Shack, Evolution Fast Food, Burger Lounge, Rubio’s Coastal Grill

BEST Food Truck Mastiff Sausage

Honorable Mention: Mariscos El Pescador, Devilicious, New York on Rye, Tacos La Mezcla

BEST Gelato Shop Chocolat Cremerie

Honorable Mention: Gelato Vero Caffe, Gelato Bus Stop, Pappalecco, Bottega Italiana

BEST Greek Restaurant

Meze Greek Fusion

Honorable Mention: Cafe Athena,

Olympic Cafe, The Kebab Shop, Alexis Greek Cafe

BEST Hotel Restaurant

Grant Grill - U.S. Grant

Honorable Mention: Jsix - Hotel Solamar, JRDN Restaurant - Tower 23, A.R. Valentien - The Lodge at Torrey Pines, Oceana - Catamaran Hotel

BEST Ice Cream Shop Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream

Honorable Mention: Mariposa Ice Cream, Moo Time Creamery, Baked Bear, The Daily Scoop

BEST Indian Restaurant Royal India

Honorable Mention: Taste of the Himalayas, India Palace - Hillcrest, Tandoori Hut, Bombay

BEST Italian Restaurant Buona Forchetta

Honorable Mention: Cucina Urbana, Solare Ristorante, Arrivederci, The Godfather

CONTINUED ON PAGE 68

#SDCityBeat

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 67

best of san diego

BEST Japanese Restaurant Nobu

Honorable Mention: Safehouse, Tajima Restaurant, Izakaya Pacific Beach, Yakyudori Ramen & Yakitori

BEST Korean Restaurant Do Re Mi House

Honorable Mention: De Jang Keum, Korea House, Manna Korean BBQ, Buga BBQ

BEST Local Catering Company San Diego Taco Company

Honorable Mention: The Abbey Catering & Design Co., Phil’s BBQ, The Wild Thyme Company, Toast Catering

BEST Local Pizza Woodstock’s Pizza

Honorable Mention: Pizzeria Luigi, Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria, URBN Coal Fired Pizza, Ciro’s Pizzeria

BEST Local Sausage at a Restaurant

S&M Sausage & Meat

Honorable Mention: Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle, Tiger!Tiger!, Salt & Cleaver, Bargarden

worth the trip jim moore / flickr

BEST Mediterranean Restaurant

BEST Smoothie/ Juice Bar

Meze Greek Fusion

Honorable Mention: Mama’s Bakery Lebanese and Mediterranean Restaurant, Alforon, Aladdin Cafe, Romesco

Lucky Dutch Juice Co.

Honorable Mention: Sacred Juice, Señor Mangos, The Mad Beet, Juice Crafters

BEST Mexican Restaurant

BEST Soul Food Restaurant

Old Town Mexican Cafe

Louisiana Fried Chicken and Waffles

Honorable Mention: Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant, Ranchos Cocina, The Blind Burro, Cocina 35

BEST Mexican Seafood Restaurant

Karina’s Mexican Seafood

Honorable Mention: Felix’s BBQ with Soul, Bonnie Jean’s Soul Food Café, Proud Mary’s Southern Bar and Grill, Sister Pee Wee’s Soul Food

Old Town Mexican Cafe

Late Night Dining

Honorable Mention: Oscar’s Mexican Seafood, El Zarape, Puesto, TJ Oyster Bar

Brian’s 24

BEST Outdoor Dining

BEST Romantic Restaurant

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens Escondido

Honorable Mention: Panama 66, C Level, The Prado at Balboa Park, The Patio on Lamont Street

BEST Place for

68 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Ocean Pacific Grille, Mitch’s Seafood, Spike Africa’s Fresh Fish Grill & Bar

Honorable Mention: Rudford’s, Saska’s, Studio Diner, Villa Capri

The Marine Room

Honorable Mention: Croce’s Park West, Island Prime, Bertrand at Mister A’s, The Prado at Balboa Park

BEST San Diego Chef Deborah Scott

Honorable Mention: Javier Plascencia, Matt Gordon, Richard Blais, Brian Malarkey

BEST Sandwich Shop Rubicon Deli

Honorable Mention: Hillcrest Sandwich Shop, Board & Brew, Sandwich Emporium, Vanoos Grillette

BEST Seafood Restaurant

Pacific Beach Fish Shop

Honorable Mention: The Fish Market,

BEST South American Food Restaurant

Puerto La Boca Argentinian Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Pampas Argentine Grill, Q’ero Restaurant, Rei Do Gado Brazilian Steakhouse, Brazil by the Bay

BEST Spanish Restaurant Cafe Sevilla

Honorable Mention: Costa Brava, Cueva Bar, El Agave, Tapas Picasso

CONTINUED ON PAGE 70

#SDCityBeat

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 69

best of san diego

BEST Steakhouse Donovan’s Steak & Chop House

Honorable Mention: Cowboy Star, Turf Supper Club, Riviera Supper Club & Turquoise Room, Bully’s East

BEST Sushi Restaurant Harney Sushi

Honorable Mention: Saiko Sushi, Sushi Ota, Sushi Deli, Hane Sushi

BEST Taco Shop

Lucha Libre Taco Shop

Honorable Mention: El Zarape, City Tacos, ¡SALUD! By San Diego Taco Company, Tacos Perla

BEST Thai Restaurant Bahn Thai

Honorable Mention: Bangkok Spices, Taste of Thai, Amarin, Thai Village

BEST Vegan Restaurant

Evolution Fast Food

Honorable Mention: Peace Pies, Plumeria, Café Gratitude, Sipz

BEST Vegetarian Restaurant Pokez

Honorable Mention: Ranchos Cocina, Sipz, Jyoti-Bihanga, The Naked Café

BEST Vietnamese Restaurant OB Noodle House

Honorable Mention: Pho Ca Dao, Pho King, Saigon on Fifth, Phuong Trang

BEST Business Lunch Spot Karl Strauss Brewery Gardens

Honorable Mention: Bully’s East, Bread & Cie, The Patio on Lamont Street, Lucky’s Lunch Counter

BEST Restaurant Staff Croce’s Park West

Honorable Mention: D.Z. Akin’s, Meze Greek Fusion, Solare Ristorante, Cowboy Star

BEST San Diego Restaurant Juniper & Ivy

Honorable Mention: Buona Forchetta, Croce’s Park West, Meze Greek Fusion, Solare Ristorante

BEST New Restaurant (Open Since Oct. 2014)

70 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

worth the trip carolyn ramos

S&M Sausage and Meat

Honorable Mention: Bracero - Cocina de Raiz, Bottega Americano, Water Grill, Stella Public House

BEST Yogurt Shop Fiji Yogurt

Honorable Mention: Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, YogArt, Cup of Yo, Paradise Yogurt

San Diego Food BEST Barbeque Phil’s BBQ

Honorable Mention: Iron Pig Alehouse, The Whole Hog, Cali Comfort BBQ, BBQ House

BEST Breakfast Burrito The Mission Cafe

Honorable Mention: Lolita’s Taco Shop, Nico’s Mexican Food, Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, Werewolf

BEST Burger Hodad’s

Honorable Mention: Crazee Burger, Rocky’s, Slater’s 50/50, The Balboa Bar & Grill

Extraordinary Desserts

BEST Burrito

Lucha Libre Taco Shop

Honorable Mention: Lolita’s, El Zarape, Pokez, Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant

BEST Chicken Wings Dirty Birds

Desserts, Cupcakes Squared, Blush Desserts, Frost Me Gourmet Cupcakes

BEST Deli D.Z. Akin’s

Honorable Mention: Mona Lisa Italian Foods, BFD - Big Front Door, Chris’ Liquor and Deli, Rubicon Deli

Honorable Mention: Wings-N-Things, South Park Abbey, Home & Away, Bub’s Dive Bar

BEST Dessert

BEST Cupcakes

Honorable Mention: Heaven Sent Desserts, Blush Desserts, D.Z. Akin’s, Azucar

Babycakes

Extraordinary Desserts

Honorable Mention: Heaven Sent

#SDCityBeat

best of san diego

BEST Fish Tacos

Desserts, Betty’s Pie Whole, Apple Alley Bakery, Sweet As Bliss

Honorable Mention: South Beach Bar and Grille, City Tacos, Mitch’s Seafood, Wahoo Fish Tacos

BEST Prime Rib

BEST Fish-N-Chips

Honorable Mention: Donovan’s Steak & Chop House, Butcher Shop, Albie’s Beef Inn, Hob Nob Hill

Honorable Mention: Pacific Beach Fish Shop, Small Bar, Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar, The Field Irish Pub

BEST Ramen

Rubio’s Coastal Grill

Shakespeare Pub & Grille

BEST Health Food Store

Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market

Honorable Mention: Jimbo’s, Barons Market, Nutrimart, Windmill Farms

BEST Hot Dog Daddy’s Hot Dogs

Honorable Mention: Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle, Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria, Salt & Cleaver, Brooklyn Dogs

BEST Philly Cheesesteak Gaglione Brothers

Honorable Mention: Monkey Paw, Giorgino’s Deli, The Philadelphia Sandwich Co., Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill

BEST Pie Shop

Julian Pie Company

Honorable Mention: Extraordinary

#SDCityBeat

Bully’s

Underbelly

Honorable Mention: OB Noodle House, Tajima Ramen House, Izakaya Masa, Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen

BEST Salad Bar Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market

Honorable Mention: Rei Do Gado Brazilian Steakhouse, Great Plaza Buffet, Barons Market, Salad Style

San Diego Health, Fitness & Beauty BEST Barber Shop Floyd’s 99 Barbershop

Honorable Mention: Mister Browns, BarberSide, Capitol Barbershop, The Urban Shave

BEST Chiropractor Spence Chiropractic

Honorable Mention: Good Vibrations Family Chiropractic, Chiropractique, Acru Health Precision Chiropractic, Habstritt Chiropractic

BEST Cosmetic Surgeon in San Diego

Coastal Plastic Surgeons Honorable Mention: Del Mar Cosmetic Medical Center, La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, Brucker Plastic Surgery, Pousti Plastic Surgery

BEST Day Spa

The Catamaran Spa

Honorable Mention: Bella Tosca Day Spa & Salon, Spa Aquazul, Details Salon Spa, Therapie Day Spa

BEST Dentist

Hillcrest Dental Centre

Honorable Mention: La Mesa Cosmetic Dentist, Granite Hills Dental Team, Walnut Avenue Dentistry, Lemon Grove Dental Group

BEST Hair Salon (Guys) Hip Hair

Honorable Mention: Details Salon Spa,

worth the trip Hyde Edwards, Sport Clips, The Lab A Salon

BEST Hair Salon (Ladies)

Honorable Mention: San Diego Combat Academy, Title Boxing, City Boxing, Victory MMA

BEST Nail Salon

Gila Rut

Beauty Lounge

Honorable Mention: Bluxom, Disconnected, Hip Hair, Salotto Blowdry Lounge

Honorable Mention: Girl on the Go Spa, Lulu’s Nail Spa & Boutique, Hello Birdie, Beautilicious

BEST Hospital

BEST Place for Acupuncture

Scripps La Jolla

Honorable Mention: Rady Children’s Hospital, Sharp Memorial, UCSD Medical Center, Sharp Grossmont Hospital

BEST Laser Eye Center

Motwani Lasik Institute

Chiropractique

Honorable Mention: North Park Acupuncture, Integrative Health on Adams Avenue, AcuLife La Jolla, Tripoint Holistic Therapy

BEST Place to Get a Massage

Honorable Mention: NVISION Eye Centers, Clearview San Diego LASIK Center, San Diego Eye & Laser Center, San Diego LASIK Institute

Karma Relaxation

BEST Martial Arts Studio

BEST Place to Get Pierced

Honorable Mention: Pacific Martial Arts, P5 Academy, White Dragon, Vista Kenpo Karate

Honorable Mention: Body Art Salon, Enigma Professional Piercing, Chronic Tattoo, Apogee Body Piercing

Impact Krav Maga

BEST MMA & Boxing Gym Und1sputed

Honorable Mention: Catamaran Spa, The Knot Stop, The Hidden Spa, Therapie Day Spa

Church of Steel

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 71

best of san diego

BEST Place to Get Waxed The Pretty Kitty

Honorable Mention: The Undercarriage, Natura Waxing Lounge & Spa, Gingerly Wax, Viva Brazil

BEST Tanning Salon San Diego Tan

Honorable Mention: Bare Brush Tan, Aztec Tan & Spa, Sun & Spray Tanning Salon, The Tan Banana

Heart Yoga

Lestat’s Coffee House

San Diego Music

BEST Concert Club

Honorable Mention: Ginseng Yoga, Bird Rock Yoga, North Park Yoga, Namaste Pacific Yoga & Wellness

BEST Annual San Diego Music Event

Avenue Street Fair BEST Tattoo Artist Adams Honorable Mention: Gator by the Bay, Fip Buchanan

Honorable Mention: Justin Cota Rob Benavides, Bill Canales, Su’a Sulu’ape Angela

BEST Tattoo Parlor

Flying Panther Tattoo

Honorable Mention: Avalon Tattoo, Full Circle, Chronic Tattoo, Left Hand Black

San Diego Symphony Summer Pops, San Diego Jazz Festival, CRSSD Fest

BEST Cd / Record Store (New) Lou’s Records

Honorable Mention: Cow Records, M-Theory Music, Off the Record, Access Music

BEST Cd / Record BEST Work Out Gym Store (Used) Copley-Price YMCA

M-Theory Music

BEST Yoga Studio

BEST Coffee House with Live Music

Honorable Mention: Crossfit, Chuze Fitness, Fit, Kettlebell X Training

Pilgrimage of the

Honorable Mention: Lou’s Records, FeeLit, Cow Records, Record City

72 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

worth the trip Rees Withrow

Honorable Mention: Lazy Hummingbird, Java Joe’s, Rebecca’s, Rooted Kava Bar

Belly Up Tavern

Honorable Mention: Observatory North Park, The Casbah, Brick by Brick, Soda Bar

BEST Concert Venue

Humphreys by the Bay

Honorable Mention: Observatory North Park, SDSU Open Air Theatre, Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Viejas Arena

BEST Dance Club Omnia

Honorable Mention: Parq, FLUXX, Rich’s, Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill

M-Theory Music House, The Irenic, Che Cafe, Soma San Diego

School of Rock

Belly Up Tavern

BEST Place to Get Vinyl Records

BEST Live Music Venue (Over 21)

Honorable Mention: The Casbah, Soda Bar, The Hideout, The Merrow

BEST Jazz or Blues Club BEST Music Patrick’s Gaslamp Pub Equipment Store Honorable Mention: Panama 66, Croce’s Park West, Seven Grand, Proud Mary’s

BEST Live Music Venue (All Ages)

Observatory North Park

Honorable Mention: Lestat’s Coffee

Guitar Center

Honorable Mention: Rock & Roll San Diego, The Rockademy, Fundamentals DJ Academy, Staump Music School

M-Theory Music

Honorable Mention: Off The Record, Folk Arts Rare Records, Record City, Thrift Trader

Honorable Mention: Carvin, Mark’s Guitar Exchange, Pitbull Audio, Apex Music

BEST Place to See Local Bands

BEST Music School in San Diego

Honorable Mention: Soda Bar, Croce’s Park West, Lestat’s Coffee House, Winstons

The Casbah

#SDCityBeat

best of san diego

BEST Open Mic Night Lestat’s West

Honorable Mention: Java Joe’s, South Park Abbey, 710 Beach Club, Winstons

BEST New Music Venue in San Diego (opened since Oct. 2014) Observatory North Park

Honorable Mention: Quartyard, Park & Rec, Music Box, Croce’s Park West

San Diego Services BEST Auto Repair Shop

Lee’s Auto Repair

Honorable Mention: British Car Repair, Smitty’s Service, Boulevard Automotive, The Pit Stop

BEST Car Wash Body Beautiful

Honorable Mention: Prestige Autowash, Soapy Joe’s, Uptown Car Wash, Aqua Clean Express Car Wash

#SDCityBeat

worth the trip carolyn ramos

BEST Contractor/ Construction Company

Storage, A-1 Self Storage, San Diego Self Storage, Price Self Storage

BEST Veterinarian

Conaty Construction

ABC Veterinary Hospital

Honorable Mention: DKS Construction, Charco Design Build, Good & Roberts LLC, Lars Remodeling & Design

Honorable Mention: Kensington Veterinary Hospital, B Street Veterinary Hospital, 4 Paws Animal Hospital, Cuyamaca Animal Hospital

BEST Dry Cleaner

San Diego Shopping

New Life Chinese Laundry

Honorable Mention: MAK Cleaners, University Cleaners, Daisy Dry Cleaners, Ogden’s One Hour Cleaners & Laundry

BEST Home Remodeling

Eco Minded Solutions

Honorable Mention: DKS Construction, Lars Construction, Trotter Door and Trim, Charco Design Bild

BEST Maid Cleaning Service Ecoclean Services, Inc.

Honorable Mention: Melanie’s Cleaning Service, Busy Bee Cleaning Services, Merry Maids, Molly Maid

BEST Landscaping Company Mooch Exterior Designs Honorable Mention: Eco Minded

Artist & Craftsman Supply Solutions, Pacific Green Landscape, Pacific Landscaping and Maintenance, Siragusa Gardening & Landscaping

BEST Mortgage Broker

Team Johnson - Mortgage Lending Experts Honorable Mention: Griffin Funding, Guild Mortgage, Balboa Thrift and Loan, San Diego Funding

BEST Real Estate Office

Mission Realty Group

Honorable Mention: Keller Williams, Ascent Real Estate, Scott & Quinn Real Estate, Willis Allen Real Estate

BEST Realtor Jared Kelley

Honorable Mention: Jason Stewart, Mary McTernan, Barbra Truglio, Peter Middleton - Pete Knows PB

BEST Antique Shop Ocean Beach Antique Mall Honorable Mention: La Mesa Antique Mall, India Street Antiques, Antique Warehouse, Ark Antiques

BEST Arts & Crafts Store

Artist & Craftsman Supply

BEST Solar Company

Mauzy Solar Energy

Honorable Mention: Solar City, San Diego Solar Install, Elite Solar Services, Sunrun

BEST Storage Facility

Morena Self Storage

Honorable Mention: North Park

Honorable Mention: Hobby Lobby, Beverly’s Fabric & Crafts, The Black Bead, Beads and More

BEST Auto Dealer Kearny Mesa Fiat

Honorable Mention: Bob Baker ToyotaLemon Grove, City Volkswagen, Mossy Toyota, El Cajon Ford

CONTINUED ON PAGE 74

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 73

best of san diego tom siebert

BEST Bathing Suit Shop

BEST Costume Shop BEST Gift Shop

Gone Bananas

Buffalo Breath Costume Co.

Honorable Mention: Pilars, Fables by Barrie, Kapreeza European Lingerie & Swimwear, SunSplash Swimwear

Honorable Mention: Frock You, Flashbacks, Spirit Halloween, Gypsy Treasures

BEST Bead Store

BEST Dive Shop

Honorable Mention: Lost Cities, South Sun, Indian Store, Beads and More

Honorable Mention: House of Scuba, Ocean Enterprises, Dive California, San Diego Divers

La Jolla Dive

The Black Bead

BEST Bike Shop

BEST Eyewear

Adams Avenue Bicycles

The UnOptical

Honorable Mention: North Park Bikes, Cal Coast Bikes, Mission Hills Bike Shop, Bicycle Warehouse PB

Honorable Mention: North Park Optometry, Hillcrest Optical, Sunglass & Optical Warehouse, Specs Optometry

BEST Bridal / Tux/ Formal Wear Shop

BEST Flower Shop

Men’s Fashion Depot

Dave’s Flowers

Honorable Mention: D’Angelo Couture Bridal, MBride, A Better Deal Tuxedos, Prevue Formal & Bridal

BEST Camera Store George’s Camera

Honorable Mention: Nelson Photo Supplies, Encinitas Photo Center, C & H Photo, Camera Exposure

BEST Comic Book Store Villainous Lair Comics & Gaming

Villainous Lair Honorable Mention: Comics-N-Stuff, Comickaze, Galactic Comics, On Comic Ground

BEST Cooking Store Kaleidoscope

Honorable Mention: The Front Porch, Chef City, Design Center Accessories at Bazaar del Mundo

74 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

worth the trip

Honorable Mention: Florabella, Rainbow Flowers, Green Fresh Florals, Everbloom

BEST Garden Supply Store / Nursery

Walter Andersen Nursury Honorable Mention: North Park Nursery, Mission Hills Nursery, City Farmers, Spring Hill Nursery

Pigment

Honorable Mention: City Beach Boutique, Bazaar del Mundo, Kaleidoscope, Geographie

BEST Golf Shop Golfsmith

Honorable Mention: The Golf Mart, Scripps Golf Shop, Stadium Golf Center & Batting Cages, Fairway Golf

Honorable Mention: Gary Gilmore Goldsmith, Noon Designs, Vavavida, Enhancery Jewelers

BEST Kids Clothing store Baby Go Round

Honorable Mention: Hillside Artisans Children’s Boutique, Baby Exchange, Cory’s Closet, Tula-Ru

BEST Grocery Store BEST Lingerie Store Jimbo’s...Naturally! Honorable Mention: Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market, Pancho Villa, Northgate González Markets, Barons Market

BEST Hardware Store

Hillcrest Ace Hardware

Honorable Mention: North Park Hardware, OB Hardware, San Diego Hardware, Pacific Beach Hardware

BEST Hydro Store San Diego Hydroponics

Honorable Mention: Mighty Garden Supply, Hydro-Scape Products, Indoor Garden Depot, Mighty Hydro

BEST Jewelry Store Leo Hamel

Déjà Vu Love Boutique

Honorable Mention: Intimacy, Fantasyland, Temptress, Kapreeza

BEST Liquor Store BevMo!

Honorable Mention: Boulevard Wine & Spirits, Clem’s Bottle House, Pacific Liquor, Holiday Wine Cellar

BEST Local Independent Book Store Adams Avenue Book Store

Honorable Mention: Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, 5th Avenue Books, Bluestocking Books, Upstart Crow Bookstore & Coffee House

CONTINUED ON PAGE 76

#SDCityBeat

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 75

best of san diego

BEST Legal Marijuana Dispensary

Point Loma Patients

Honorable Mention: A Green Alternative, Outliers Collective

BEST Mattress Store Sleep Bedder

Honorable Mention: Mattress Discounters, Sleep Train, Jerome’s, The Healthy Back Store

BEST Men’s Clothing Store Men’s Fashion Depot

Honorable Mention: Hunt & Gather, Crow Thief, Aloha Sunday, Junc Boutique

BEST Motorcycle Shop San Diego Harley-Davidson

Honorable Mention: Rocket Motorcycles, Trophy Motorcycles, Motoworld of El Cajon, North County’s House of Motorcycles

BEST New Furniture Store Jerome’s

Honorable Mention: Progress, Metro

Decor, Lawrance Furniture, Atlas Furniture

BEST Outdoor Rental Shop (Kayak, Jet Ski, Boat)

Mission Bay SportCenter

Honorable Mention: Bike and Kayak Tours, Ray’s Rentals, OEX Dive, Kayak and SUP, The Adventure Center

BEST Pawn Shop CashCo Pawn

Honorable Mention: A Hillcrest Pawnbrokers, PB Pawn & Jewelry, Lemon Grove Pawn, Palace Pawnbrokers

BEST Pet Service South Bark Dog Wash

Honorable Mention: Oh My Dog! Photography, Mission Bay Pet Salon, Doozydog! Club, Pet Palace

BEST Pet Store Pet Kingdom

Honorable Mention: Pet Me Please, Noah’s Natural Pet Market, Bone Appetite, EarthWise Pet Supply, Grooming & Self Wash

Scooters, Main Street Scooters, The Scooter Farm - Pro Scooter Store, Chula Vista Scooters

Honorable Mention: Overload, Pacific Drive Skateboard Shop, Ave ‘A’ New, Soulgrind

Mission, Flashbacks

BEST Sex Shop

BEST Smoke Shop

Geppetto’s

Honorable Mention: Pleasures & Treasures, Déjà Vu Love Boutique, Dr. Loves Erotic Superstore, Fantasyland/ Mercury Books

Honorable Mention: San Diego Smoke Shop, Liberty Tobacco, Illusions, The Cave Smoke Shop

Adult Emporium

BEST Shoe Store (Men) Overload

Honorable Mention: Point Loma

76 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

United Smoke Shop

BEST Sporting Goods Store REI

Honorable Mention: Clarks, Footwear etc., Just Run, Kolorblind Shoes

Honorable Mention: Dick’s Sporting Goods, Play It Again Sports, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Sport Chalet

BEST Shoe Store (Women)

BEST Sunglasses Shop

City Beach Boutique

Honorable Mention: Closet Signature, Footwear etc., Dreamgirls, Branded Boutique

BEST Shopping Center

Fashion Valley Center

Honorable Mention: University Town Center, Horton Plaza, Mission Valley Center, Plaza Las Americas

BEST Skate BEST Scooter Shop Shop Vespa Motorsport

worth the trip

Route 44 Skateboard Shop

Sunglass & Optical Warehouse

BEST Toy Store Honorable Mention: So Childish, Gunnzo, Hillside Artisans Children’s Boutique, Kidz Garage

BEST Vape Shop

Ocean Beach Vape Shoppe and Lounge Honorable Mention: Hillcrest Vape Shoppe and Lounge, Illusions, Vapure, The Switch SD Vape Shop

BEST Vintage Clothing Store Frock You

Honorable Mention: Hunt & Gather, The Girl Can’t Help It, La Loupe, Bad Madge

Honorable Mention: Sunglass Hut, Shade Shack, Dziner Eyez, Designer Style Sunglasses

BEST Wine Shop

BEST Surf Shop

Honorable Mention: 3rd Corner, San Diego Wine Company, Clem’s Bottle House, Del Mar Wine Shop

Mitch’s Surf Shop

Honorable Mention: Hansen’s Surf Shop, Bird Rock Surf Shop, South Coast, PB Surf Shop

BEST Thrift Store Amvets

Honorable Mention: Buffalo Exchange, Thrift Trader, San Diego Rescue

Bine and Vine

BEST Women’s Clothing Store Mimi & Red

Honorable Mention: City Beach Boutique, Temptress, Gioia’s Room, Tatyana Boutique

#SDCityBeat

Culture | Art photo courtesy of the artist

Seen Local (un)balanced art(ist)

ne of the dilemmas I’ve always been fascinated with is when art leaves the museum or gallery, then how does it function?” Joseph Huppert says. “How does it compete with advertisement and the real world?” These questions came in handy when he was approached to do the Open Walls Project (openwallsproject.com), a program commissioned by the Art San Diego contemporary art fair in which 10 artists will have their work plastered on a billboard. All 10 billboards will be unveiled Oct. 15 throughout the city. Huppert admits his work isn’t formatted to be a billboard. So rather than just taking a picture of one of his previous works, he teamed up with photographer Philipp Scholz Rittermann to take a picture of a barrel cactus. Huppert added a pair of parentheses and brackets similar to how they’re used in algebra equations. The result draws viewers’ attention to part of the cactus, and not the sum, thus poking fun at the declarative nature of billboards. “It’s a way of segmenting off this certain thing and saying, ‘First, you

(cactus) need to do this, then you need to do this, and then you can deal with the rest of it,’” Huppert says. “The billboard itself is a parenthetical space that’s meant to draw your attention.” The South Park-based artist has been one of the more acclaimed, yet under-the-radar artists in the local scene. He has shows at Quint and Ice Gallery under his belt. Inspired by the likes of Guy de Cointet and Robert Irwin (who is a close friend and mentor to Huppert), he’s mostly known for works featuring abstract patterns that are geometrically dense and aesthetically startling. Working in a variety if mediums, he strives to be anything but formulaic. “There are always big jumps and contradictions in the way that I work,” Huppert says. “What I’m not interested in is a style or a brand. I’m only interested in art as a progressive activity.” In addition to the billboard, Huppert is also working on his first major solo show, which will debut at the University of Wisconsin—Oshkosh art gallery in November. It will include drawings, a site-specific installation on the floor and a relief on the back wall. And whether it’s the new work or the Open Walls billboard, Huppert says he is open to getting out of his comfort zone more often. “It’s about finding that line that’s just off balance” he says. “I don’t like balance. I don’t like homeostasis. To work in the now and not worry about the balance. That’s what I want to do.”

—Seth Combs

Joseph Huppert and Moses

In this semi-regular column, arts editor Seth Combs reviews notable new art shows or exhibitions.

hat is the typical art museum experience if not just looking at a bunch of stuff owned by rich people? The writing is almost always (literally) written on the wall, usually in the form of the stock white placard that reads “On loan from…,” “From the collection of…” or other derivations of the same sentiment. It’d be hard to get over this fact when it comes to San Diego Collects (at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla through Jan. 10) if the exhibition itself wasn’t such a treat for art lovers. The show features more than 50 works spanning nearly 70 years and in almost every conceivable medium and style. The amassed works were culled from almost two-dozen local private collections. To view them all can be an undertaking, as there’s seemingly

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no thematic order to the way the works are presented other than the “Collects” theme itself. The problem with San Diego Collects is the overstatement of the title itself. While it must have been a huge curatorial undertaking to compile all these works, the title of the show feels desperate. It screams, “Hey, look at us! We have people here that love art! We’re not just a sleepy beachside town with no culture and a lot of beer.” Here’s the thing: Every major city has affluent art collectors. This is not something that distinguishes San Diego. The fact that the curators felt the need to make that the focus and the title just feels insecure. Still, San Diego Collects is inspiring, or at least, it can be. Hopefully, it inspires smaller galleries to throw similar shows with more underground and fringe art that their friends and patrons have collected through the years. More importantly, it’s certainly conceivable that someone might leave Collects feeling inspired to, well, collect, even if they don’t have the money, advice or resources of some of the names on those white placards. —Seth Combs

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 77

Culture | Voices

ryan bradford

well that was

awkward

South Park’s Target Express hits the Bullseye

retend you’ve never seen a Target before. Not just Targets, but department stores in general. Now go deeper into this fantasy and pretend the fundamental tenets of capitalism and consumerism have not been established. Imagine that the world is a cold, desolate place where only your basic needs are met through cruel and unsavory methods, and the concept of owning luxuries is but a dream. I suspect some iteration of this dystopian fantasy had been on the minds of some people at this Target Express opening in South Park. How else does one explain the sheer hysteria? The parking lot is jam-packed with activity. News vehicles idle in the emergency zone and whitetopped tents indicate the kind of festivities reserved for street fairs. I’m already five minutes late for my scheduled media tour. I end up parking four blocks away. Since all my correspondence has been with a third-party PR agency, I have no idea who to speak with. I retrieve the email from my phone, scanning the lines: “You’re invited,” “food and drink samples” and “photo opportunities with Bullseye, Target’s bull terrier mascot.” After my eyes widen briefly (PHOTO OP WITH BULLSEYE!) I put my phone away and start asking randos in Target uniforms about press tours, always prefacing the conversation with “I’m with the press?” It’s not really meant to be a question. I pause to watch people taking pictures with the dog and yearn to be one of them. I see Fox 5 news anchor Kristina Audencial cut in line to interview the dog. She holds the mic next to its mouth and the dog barks. “I think we got it,” someone says and nobody seems to acknowledge how crazy this is. Before tonight, I’d been pretty ambivalent about Target opening in South Park. Certainly, there’s nothing punk about loyalty to a corporation, and South Park is a quaint part of town that instills in residents and visitors a vague sense of small-townness. I understand the trepidation that Target will change this. But on the other hand, uh…shut up? The last thing I want to be is a spokesperson for big business over small business, but c’mon. I’m going to shop there. You’re going to shop there. I could spend the rest of my word count putting Target on blast and you’d still go there. Plus, if there’s anything worse than a neighborhood falling prey to hegemony, it’s the ugly NIMBYism that emerges in the face of change. Eventually, I meet up with Erika Winkels, a PR spokesperson for Target, and Robert Farrington, South Park Target’s store leader. They’re both disarmingly nice, despite the harried nature of our surroundings and their important roles within it. We make introductions and they jump right into how much emphasis was taken to make the store

feel “localized.” Farrington points to a mural that lines the back wall, created by North Park artist duo Kreashun, which incorporates elements seen in the neighborhood: Captain Kirk Coffee, the clock at the corner of Fern and Grape, etc. “Cool,” I say. I mean, it’s a cool mural, but I’ve seen a mural before. I think they’re waiting for me to express more enthusiasm, so I lift my camera and take a few pictures of it. “And this is where we have a small selection of electronics,” Farrington says, pointing to the glass display in front of me. So, this is the point when I discover that a media tour of a corporate store opening basically entails walking me around the store and directing my eyeballs toward things that they sell. It’s like they’ve correctly forecasted the futility of offering a unique, insider’s view because, hey, I’m going to love it even if it’s the same thing I’ve done in millions of department stores on my own time. Again, I lift my camera and take a picture of the glass display of common electronics. Despite the obligatory nature of the tour, I have to give them both props at how concerned they are with respecting South Park’s community. There’s no doubt that Farrington—a “born and raised” San Diegan who’s worked for Target for more than 14 years—has only the best interests in mind. And the fact that he’s worked his way up to run a boutique store in one of San Diego’s most distinctive neighborhoods is admirable. But I realize their focus on community falls very low on my giving-a-shit scale. Honestly, all I really want to know about is the dog. “What’s the deal with Bullseye?” I ask. “Bullseye’s got a good life,” Winkels says. I ask her about how well she knows the dog, and she says they’ve been to a lot of events together. When pressed, Winkels says there are actually three Bullseyes, and this, folks, is when I hang up my press hat because my work here is done. The tour ends. Winkels and Farrington leave to attend to vastly more important matters than showing me the inventory. I stand in line to get my photo taken with Bullseye. I get to the front. “Just you?” the lady asks. I nod. They tell me where to stand. “Can I pet her?” I ask. “No,” Bullseye’s handler says. “She’s wearing make-up.” I lean in, careful not to touch the celebrity dog. They take the photo and hand it to me. It’s a sad photo: a lone man, excessively happy to be next to a painted dog. It’s probably just the first of many, many empty experiences that I’ll have in this store.

“

Honestly, all I really want to know about is the dog.

“

78 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Well That Was Awkward appears every other week. Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com.

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 79

Culture | Film

Pledging allegiance

Bridge Of Spies

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg reteam for new Cold War drama by Glenn Heath Jr.

erving one’s country never really stops in Bridge the “event picture” after all. But the smallness is welof Spies, and the everyday citizen doesn’t often come, especially when the performances by Hanks have a say in the matter. Set in the late ’50s and Rylance are so measured and intricately woven and early ’60s, Steven Spielberg’s Cold War drama together by the script from Matt Charman, and Ethan stars Tom Hanks as New York City insurance lawyer and Joel Coen. Listen carefully and you’ll begin to James B. Donovan whose firm has dealings with the notice patterns in the dialogue that speak eloquently American government. When the FBI arrests a Rus- to the themes of ownership and responsibility. The sian spy named Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), higher- term “your guy” takes on a powerful meaning. ups “ask” Donovan to defend the reviled man in the In turn, the climax to Bridge of Spies is thrilling hopes of conveying a rosy portrait of due process to not for its action but the human costs involved. Donthe Soviet Union. ovan believes that what he’s doing will make a difDonovan does so thoroughly and becomes hated ference, but in the end there’s no way of knowing for in the court of public opinion. This unearths contra- sure. Hanks navigates a range of emotions in the subdictions inherent to demonizing the enemy while tlest ways, proving yet again that he’s an actor willing living in a democratic state. Such a messy situation to do more with less. For evidence, look no further doesn’t stop the CIA from asking more of Hanks’ than the way he slyly expresses the symptoms of his everyman hero. After an American airman is shot character’s worsening cold. down over Russia during an As usual, Janusz Kaminespionage mission, Donovan ski’s sharp cinematography must negotiate a swap with does wonders with dusty inBridge of spies shadowy KGB agents in wintry terior spaces and snowy wideDirected by Steven Spielberg East Berlin. angle exteriors. Textures of a Starring Tom Hanks, Bridge of Spies unfolds like a specific time and space stand mini chess match between naout like their own characters Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, tion states jockeying for control in Adam Stockhausen’s period and Alan Alda over a situation where there is piece set design. The regular Rated PG-13 none. Caught in the middle are Wes Anderson collaborator good, morally upright people has an eye for detail and it like Donovan who are forced shows in Bridge of Spies, all the to see the ethical compromises governments make to way down to rotting wallpaper on an East German retain their power. Somehow Donovan is able to sub- hotel room. vert this trend by dictating his own terms, suavely Still, the film’s most impressive virtue might be maneuvering the different foreign players involved its quiet, assured confidence in intelligence and rato reach a more beneficial outcome. tionality. Bridge of Spies, which opens on Friday, What drives Donovan to go above and beyond? Oct. 16, evokes the spirit of our constitution through It’s the respect he feels for Abel, a quiet and calm thoughtful procedure, making it a kind of twin to eccentric who never divulges any information about Spielberg’s previous film Lincoln. the Soviet Union’s clandestine efforts on U.S. soil. For the first time in a while Spielberg seems less This sincere feeling of admiration stands in direct interested in the role of the father (as political figcontrast to the stares of judgment that emanate from ure or saint) and more in the personification of indithose observing from the outside. This is where vidual statesmanship. The pledge of allegiance that Bridge of Spies reveals itself to be a superbly crafted Donovan makes to Abel equals the one he makes to story about perception and reality. his country, and that’s truly democracy at work. With its drama and tension unfolding at such a micro level, Spielberg’s latest feels quaint by his past Film reviews run weekly. standards. This is the filmmaker who helped invent Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

80 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

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Culture | Film

Run all night

t’s another Saturday night and Victoria’s (Laia Costa) got nobody. She dances alone in a nightclub, then talks up a bartender before giving up and exiting into the cold Berlin night. She’s a Spaniard visiting Germany on a work visa and has no local friends. When a group of young men led by Sonne (Frederick Lau) see her and begin a harmless and flirtatious conversation, Victoria is immediately keen to see where things go. So begins Sebastian Schipper’s showy crime thriller, which audaciously traces Victoria’s night in one sprawling long take. Things begin innocently

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ultimately hollow experience. Watching Victoria and Sonne make doe eyes at each other during an uncomfortable scene inside a cafe makes the viewer feel like the third wheel on a first date. As the characters grow more desperate, their motivations and actions become even more unbelievable and convenient. A final, climactic scene between the two leads borders on parody. Victoria, which opens on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Ken Victoria Cinema, might initially seem impressive stylistically. But peel enough, with Sonne and his back the façade and all you’ve rowdy compatriots providing got is a derivative genre film with her with a drunken tour of the very little to say about fate and city. “I’ll show you our world,” he consequence. promises. But the film eventually shifts gears when one of the men —Glenn Heath Jr. is forced to involve his friends and Victoria in a crime, resulting in a devastating turn that sends Opening the narrative into ridiculously Crimson Peak: Guillermo del Toro’s contrived territory. haunted house movie follows an aspiring Single-take films are few and author who is torn between a childhood far between, but the best of them, friend and a mysterious stranger. like Aleksandr Sokurov’s Russian Beasts of No Nation: A child soldier in Ark, connects its formalism with an unnamed African country battles to stay alive despite his horrendous living some thematic heft or historical conditions. resonance. As it progresses, it’s Bridge of Spies: At the height of the Cold clear there is no rhyme or reason why Victoria uses the single-take War, an insurance lawyer (Tom Hanks) is tasked with negotiating a prisoner swap approach, except to simply prove between the United States and Soviet that it can. That makes for an Union.

Goodnight Mommy: This horror film tells the story of twin boys who begin to question their mother’s identity after she returns from face-changing cosmetic surgery. Goosebumps: Based on the popular series of young adult books by R.L. Stine, a trio of teenagers has to stop an army of monsters from destroying their town. Marshland: Two detectives team up to solve a series of murders that have taken place in a small town in rural Spain. Screens through Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. San Diego Italian Film Festival: This event showcases the best in Italian cinema, featuring screenings of fictional narrative, documentary, and short films. Runs Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Saturday, Oct. 24, at various San Diego venues. For more information visit sandiegoitalianfilmfestival. com. Steve Jobs: This biopic on the famous co-founder of Apple Computers is directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and written by Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network).

For a complete listing of movies, please see “F ilm Screenings” at sdcitybeat.com under the “E vents” tab.

October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 81

Music

an Diego is a town of perpetual sunshine, but it casts a long shadow. This is no surprise to those who have dwelled in the dank corners of San Diego’s musical community. Experimental credibility goes back decades. Avant garde vocalist Diamanda Galás and industrial pioneer Boyd Rice were born here. Many a visionary has been taking music to strange extremes— sometimes beautiful and sometimes terrifying. That experimental spirit thrives in events like the “Stay Strange” series by promoter and label owner Sam Lopez, as well as through a number of innovative and curious artists. Here are five of the best bands casting a brilliant darkness over San Diego. Riververb Riververb has been leaving a mark on San Diego’s noise scene since the mid-’90s. The mostly improvisational collective began as the duo of Frank Melendez and Leon Franklin Hyatt, though it’s gone in and out of being active over the years. When Hyatt died in 2003 Melendez had to decide whether to continue soldiering on with their disorienting, freakish sound bursts. He did, reviving it in 2004 with a revolving cast of musicians. “I started out just doing it myself to attract like-minded people. Then more people would join over a period of time. Some would join for just one night,” Melendez says. “It’s always evolving.” Riververb’s repertoire includes homemade instruments, masks, costumes and their most important tool: spontaneity. Live performances are notoriously intense. Their recordings are just as experimental in nature, using unusual techniques to find their sounds. “We’ll play in the dark,” Melendez says. “You deprive yourself of sight—like

total darkness. You have to feel your way through it. It makes you more aware.” riververb.bandcamp.com KATA KATA is a metal band. Or, maybe they’re an ominously beautiful post-rock band. Then again, the eclectic octet, which features members of Ilya, might be both. The band’s debut album The Rising is a slow moving, gothic behemoth that balances moments of delicate beauty with overwhelming power. It can sometimes take their compositions a while to fully reveal themselves, KATA but as guitarist Demetrius Antuña says, their biggest inspirations are bands that craft epics. “We wanted to mix Godspeed You! Black Emperor with Neurosis,” Antuña says. “When it comes to vocals, though, we wanted it to be more beautiful.” KATA is working on their second album, Descent, which is tentatively slated for release in early 2016. KATA’s songs tend to stretch well beyond 10 minutes apiece, though, so it can take a long time for one composition to reach completion. “We move pretty slow with songwriting,” Antuña says. “We work in sections. They’re kind of like orchestral movements.” katamusic.bandcamp.com Hexa When Carrie Gillespie Feller moved to Spring Valley, her new home proved to be a source of peculiar inspiration. Strange phenomena began to take place. Ojects would go missing and show up later in unexpected places. She and her husband began to think other forces were at play.

82 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

“We started to think maybe the house was haunted,” she told me in an interview in August. That haunted sensibility seeps into her music, which marries the ethereal gloom of darkwave with a distorted, almost shoegazelike aesthetic. It’s simultaneously beautiful and unsettling, and even more so on a song like “Enyo,” which climaxes with a pitch-shifted voice that lends a disturbing element. As Feller explained to me, a lot of that darkness comes from a personal place. “It’s just sort of about confronting ghosts from your past,” she says. facebook. com/hexahexa Die Mißbildungen Des Menschen Die Mißbildungen Des Menschen is an immersive, sensory experience. Scott Nielsen, Joshua Quon and Michael Zimmerman are the musical core of the band, crafting pulsing, rhythmic pieces and more freely floating ambient and noise compositions. The fourth member of the band is Xavier Vasquez, who is responsible for the visual aspect of the group. His striking, widescreen projections add a disorienting yet compelling element to the group’s live performances. What you see Riververb is often a representation of the band’s name, which translates from German to “the deformities of man.” “It’s the name of a 19th century textbook that details human deformities,” Nielsen says. “We use some of the textbook in our visuals. The book was written before photography, so it’s mostly illustrated depictions.” The band’s music is alternately chaotic and hypnotic, as well as reflective of experimental art rock of a bygone era. Nielsen counts German kosmische music as their

greatest influence, which they use as a springboard for something new. “I got really into Cluster, Neu!,” he says. “I love Can’s spontaneous composition. That music has always spoken to me.” facebook.com/diemissbildungendesmenschen Monochromacy Monochromacy is one man: Esteban Flores. The guitarist only performs solo, without drum machines Hexa or other instruments. To Flores that’s more a strength than a drawback. When his distorted, droning ambient creations take shape, they become massive things to behold. There sometimes comes a point where his mixture of feedback, melody, delay and distortion intertwines into a strange new sound unto itself—one that might not even be recognized as a guitar. The irony is that his ability to make those sounds comes directly from becoming more skilled at his instrument. “I started getting into open tunings, and I saw how easy it was to play a melody,” Flores says. “So I started just adding effects, and I noticed there were no seams to what I was doing.” In a live setting, Monochromacy’s music can be overwhelming. His performance at the St. Francis Chapel in Balboa Park earlier this year was almost spiritual in nature. The swell of his sonic treatments were felt as much as they were heard. Yet Flores says he’s careful to keep it from becoming too overbearing. “The most important thing I’ve learned is sounding loud without being loud,” he says. “Learning to use your amplification means you can sound powerful, but not being so loud that you’re clearing out the room.” Monochromacy performs on Friday, Oct. 16 at The Tree House. monochromacy. bandcamp.com Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @1000TimesJeff

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 83

Music

notes from the smoking patio locals only

otanica Chango are getting ready to release their debut album. It’s called Britney, and it’ll be released on vinyl and in digital formats on Nov. 4. The band has been working on it for more than a year, and ended up tracking the songs in three different locations. In a phone interview, guitarist and keyboardist Tyler French says there wasn’t much of a plan when they went into it—just a lot of enthusiasm. “We’ve been working on this one for about 13 months or so,” he says. “After we had our first set of songs there was a lot of excitement, and we wanted to get them tracked. A lot of the parts were then written in the studio.” Over the course of the 13 months that the band worked on the album, the songs began to change and become more fleshed out, with new parts being added during the process. As a result, French says, the album ended up sounding considerably different than how it started off. “When we started out, we used a drum machine, and it was a little more up-tempo,” he says. “It had a little more of a dancey vibe, I guess, and it ended up having more of a rollercoaster-type feel—build ups, drop outs, psychedelic changes.” French, vocalist Carlos Valente, keyboardist Sean Davenport, percussionist Josh Becker and bass

Botanica Chango player Bobby Roquero have lined up a special record release show for Britney on Nov. 4 at The Irenic in North Park. The show will also feature performances by Gary Wilson and the Blind Dates, Bit Maps and Dani Bell and the Tarantist. Additionally, French says the release party will include a “flashlight show,” in which part of the performance will be lit only by audience members holding flashlights. And French says that there are some other things planned that the band isn’t yet ready to reveal. “There’s going to be some fun little surprises,” he says. “It’ll be more like a circus than a rock ‘n’ roll show.”

—Jeff Terich

album review Bakkuda Rule This Space (Self-released)

akkuda is Alex Capella. The singer, songwriter and producer wrote, recorded and mixed everything on her new EP, Rule This Space. There are no guest musicians, no backup singers, nor any interlopers of any kind. Not that it needs any. From the first buzz of synthesizer on leadoff track “Rule This Space,” Capella builds up a remarkably rich and dense world of R&B-inspired synthpop that’s as powerful as it is subtly alluring. Capella’s brand of electronic pop draws some easy comparisons to contemporary performers such as Purity Ring and FKA Twigs, thanks to a similar penchant for dystopian sensuality. She tends to favor lower BPMs and oozing keyboard melodies, and her domain is more often the future-soul dirge than the banger. Not that these songs won’t give your sound system a hell of a workout, they’ll just do so in more spacious intervals. Just because Bakkuda delivers up-tempo tracks more sparingly than most doesn’t mean they don’t exist. EP highlight “Time” is one such track, its tem-

84 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

po clocked just a little higher than the tracks that precede it. In this case, though, a little goes a long way. Its sputtering beats juxtaposed against an ethereal bed of synths gives it an appealing urgency. By comparison, closing track “Safety” uses what sounds like a MIDI koto in place of the more atmospheric synthesizer sound that appears in most of her tracks. As such it’s the lone track that feels like an actual ballad rather than a dark, futuristic slow jam. The best song of the bunch is “Skills,” which keeps a fairly minimal arrangement of throbbing basslines and stark, echoing beats. Here, Capella showcases what might be an even greater strength than her ability to build songs up into something bigger. Stripped down to a more spacious, threadbare arrangement, “Skills” feels impeccably crafted, and does a better job of showcasing her vocal abilities. Less, as they say, is more, and Bakkuda puts that into practice nicely on Rule This Space. —Jeff Terich

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 85

Music

Jeff Terich

If I were u

Saturday, October 17

PLAN A: El Ten Eleven, SEGO @ The Casbah. Post-rock duo El Ten Eleven makes technical, rhythmically hypnotic music with lots of loops, effects and other manner of dreamy goodness. They’re playing two nights in a row, so there’s double the opportunity to be won over. PLAN B: FIDLAR, A music insider’s weekly agenda The Frights, Dune Rats @ Observatory opening for black metal innovators Deaf- North Park. FIDLAR’s 2013 “Cheap Beer” Wednesday, October 14 heaven, and these two bands just happen is emblematic of the Los Angeles band’s PLAN A: Twin Shadow, Lolawolf @ Belly to be responsible for my two favorite metal ethos: Drunken, reckless, loud and lowbrow. And you know what? It works. I’ve Up Tavern. I’ve seen Twin Shadow several albums of the year. seen them before, and I can confirm that it’s times. Their synth-heavy new-wave sound drunken, reckless, loud and lowbrow fun. always makes for moody, sexy fun. They en- Friday, October 16 BACKUP PLAN: Hinds, Public Access dured a harrowing bus crash earlier this year, PLAN A: Fishbone, Monophonics @ Bel- TV, The Gloomies @ The Irenic. so it’s heartening to see them on the mend ly Up Tavern. Go back through Fishbone’s and back on the road. PLAN B: Florence discography, and you’ll hear about a and the Machine, The Ghost of a Saber half-dozen different genres, someSunday, October 18 Tooth Tiger @ Viejas Arena. Florence and times at the same time. They’ve the Machine’s albums are fine enough, but PLAN A: Radioactivity, Tilttouched upon funk, rock, metal the band is in its element on a gigantic stage. wheel, Cruz Radical @ Soda and ska, and they’re legends They play concerts, not shows, and Florence Bar. Radioactivity is a punk for it. PLAN B: The Districts, Welch is going to belt the hell out of these band formed by members of Sun Club @ The Irenic. I first songs. BACKUP PLAN: Desert Suns, AJ garage rockers The Marked thought Pennsylvania’s The DisFroman, Amigo @ Tower Bar. Men, and they rip. If you’re tricts were a British band, since looking for short, taut, hardsinger Rob Grote sings with an rocking songs with really odd affectation. But they’re Thursday, October 15 big melodies then this is as American as apple pie, where you need to be. PLAN A: Deafheaven, Tribulation @ The if apple pie played noisy, PLAN B: El Ten Eleven, Casbah. If you missed it last week, go back hook-laden shoegaze SEGO @ The Casbah. and read my feature on Swedish metal band with lots of fuzz and Tribulation on sdcitybeat.com. They’re effects. Twin Shadow

86 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

This is your second opportunity to check out El Ten Eleven this week and be caught up in some stunning math-rock grooves. BACKUP PLAN: I Am the Albatross, Foreign Suns, Golden Gun @ Tower Bar.

Monday, October 19 PLAN A: My Morning Jacket Fruit Bats @ Open Air Theatre. I first discovered and became a fan of My Morning Jacket’s blend of roots music and psychedelia back in my college days. They’re the kind of band that can definitely fill the space of a big, outdoor venue. PLAN B: Immortal Bird, Colombian Necktie, Debt Ritual, Bastardsect @ Soda Bar. Prefer a raw and rollicking metallic hardcore sound to one with folky, atmospheric tones? Then go see Immortal Bird, a Chicago group that’ll show you the meaning of gnarly.

Tuesday, October 20 PLAN A: Ought, Kooties, Scruffles @ The Hideout. Montreal band Ought played an amazing show full of wiry, post-punk energy at Soda Bar last year. If you missed it, and you probably did, here’s your chance to rectify that hideous error in judgment. PLAN B: YACHT, Larry Gus @ The Casbah. YACHT are a peculiar group, blending an abstract art element with hedonistic dance music. It doesn’t always make sense, but that’s fine. You can still dance to it.

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 87

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Spirit Caravan (Brick by Brick, 11/3), Ty Dolla$ign (HOB, 11/14), Venom Inc. (Brick by Brick, 11/28), Grouch & Eli, Chali 2na (Observatory, 12/1), Mike Krol (Soda Bar, 12/11), Ghostface Killah (Observatory, 12/17), Rick Springfield (HOB, 12/18), Bone Thugs N Harmony (Observatory, 12/18), Dave Koz (Balboa Theatre, 12/23), Tower of Power (BUT, 1/16).

RESCHEDULED Ghost (Observatory, 11/2).

GET YER TICKETS Failure, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (Music Box, 10/29), Madonna (Valley View Casino Center, 10/29), Coheed and Cambria (Observatory, 10/29), No Knife (Casbah, 10/31), Kris Kristofferson, John Prine (Civic Theatre, 10/31), ‘Night of the Shred’ w/ Rwake, Torche, Windhand (Quartyard, 10/31), King Diamond (Observatory, 11/4), HEALTH (Casbah, 11/10), The Menzingers, meWithoutYou (Observatory, 11/10), The Fall of Troy, Kylesa (Irenic, 11/10), Yo La Tengo (Observatory, 11/12), Soulside (Casbah, 11/12), Mayhem, Watain (Observatory, 11/13), The Album Leaf (Casbah, 11/13), Born Ruffians (Soda Bar, 11/13), Youth Lagoon (BUT, 11/14), The Cult, Primal Scream (HOB, 11/19), YOB (Brick by Brick, 11/19),

88 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

Big K.R.I.T. (Observatory, 11/19), Skinny Puppy (Observatory, 11/20), Everclear (Music Box, 11/21), Lucero (BUT, 11/22), Sturgill Simpson (Observatory, 11/22), Chance the Rapper (SOMA, 11/23), Nashville Pussy (Hideout, 11/27), X, Mike Watt (Casbah, 11/27-28), Maruta, Vattnet Viskar (Til-Two Club, 11/27), Girl Band (Soda Bar, 11/28), Nikki Lane (The Irenic, 12/1), The Bad Plus (Music Box, 12/8), The White Buffalo (HOB, 12/10), Three Mile Pilot (Casbah, 12/10), Agnostic Front (Til-Two Club, 12/12), Reverend Horton Heat (Observatory, 12/13), Macy Gray (BUT, 12/17), Vince Staples (Observatory, 12/19), Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven (BUT, 12/27), Ozomatli (BUT, 12/28), Chet Faker (Observatory, 12/29), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 12/29-30), The Academy Is… (Observatory, 12/30), Los Lobos (BUT, 12/31), Jerry Seinfeld (Civic Theatre, 1/15), Josh Ritter (Observatory, 1/18), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (BUT, 1/19), Killing Joke, The Soft Moon (BUT, 1/26), The English Beat (BUT, 2/5-6), Aaron Neville (Balboa Theatre, 2/11), Joe Satriani (Balboa Theatre, 3/1), Galactic (BUT, 3/3), Keb’ Mo’ (Balboa Theatre, 3/4).

October Wednesday, Oct. 14 Twin Shadow at Belly Up Tavern. Florence and the Machine at Viejas Arena. Bob Forrest at Whistle Stop. Joey Cape at Brick by Brick.

Thursday, Oct. 15 The Goddamn Gallows at Soda Bar. Jose Gonzalez at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Deafheaven, Tribulation at The Casbah. Hozier at Open Air Theatre (sold out).

Friday, Oct. 16 Misterwives at Observatory North Park. Joe Rogan at Balboa Theatre. Luke Bryan at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Voodoo Glow Skulls at Soda Bar. Acid King at Brick by Brick. Rosetta at The Hideout.

Saturday, Oct. 17 Janet Jackson at Viejas Arena. Horse Feathers at Soda Bar. FIDLAR at Observatory North Park. Of Monsters and Men at Open Air Theater (sold out). El Ten Eleven at The Casbah.

Sunday, Oct. 18 El Ten Eleven at The Casbah. ZZ Ward at House of Blues. The Black Lips, Ariel Pink at Observatory North Park.

Monday, Oct. 19 Heartless Bastards at Belly Up Tavern. My Morning Jacket at Open Air Theatre.

Tuesday, Oct. 20 Lianne La Havas at Observatory North Park. Ought at The Hideout. Strange Talk at Soda Bar. Adult Films at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Oct. 21 Eagles of Death Metal at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Colony House at The Loft.

Thursday, Oct. 22 Insane Clown Posse at Observatory North Park. D.R.I. at Brick by Brick. The Sword at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Oct. 23 Red Fang at The Casbah. Frank Turner

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Music at House of Blues. Bully at The Hideout. Mac DeMarco at The Observatory North Park (sold out). Skylar Spence at Soda Bar. Z-Trip at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, Oct. 31

Saturday, Oct. 24 Natalie Prass at Soda Bar. Elefante at Music Box. Gerard Way at House of Blues (sold out). Mudhoney at The Casbah.

Sunday, Oct. 25 Owl City at Observatory North Park.

The Neighbourhood at House of Blues (sold out). Diiv at The Casbah.

Wednesday, Oct. 28 Matt Pond PA at The Casbah. Shakey Graves at Observatory North Park (sold out). Tobias Jesso Jr. at Belly Up Tavern. Potty Mouth at Soda Bar.

Thursday, Oct. 29 Prayers at The Irenic. Fear Factory at Brick by Brick. Failure, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead at Music Box. Coheed and Cambria at Observatory North Park. Gehenna at Che Café. Madonna at Valley View Casino Center. Parkway Drive at House of Blues.

Friday, Oct. 30 Observatory

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November Trey Anastasio at House of Blues. Sergio Mendes at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, Nov. 2 Ghost at Observatory North Park.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

‘Night of the Shred’ w/ The Shrine, Windhand, Elder at Quartyard. Kris Kristofferson, John Prine at Civic Theatre. No Knife at The Casbah.

Sunday, Nov. 1

Monday, Oct. 26 Marilyn Manson at House of Blues (sold out). The Vibrators at Soda Bar. Madeleine Peyroux at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Ghost

Knuckle Puck at Moniker Warehouse. The King Khan and BBQ Show at Soda Bar. Catharsis, Thou + The Body at 5335 Market.

North

Park.

Tuesday, Nov. 3 Jonny Lang at Belly Up Tavern. Girlpool at Che Café. Antemasque at Observatory North Park. Spirit Caravan at Brick by Brick.

Wednesday, Nov. 4 King Diamond at Observatory North Park. Spencer Moody at The Casbah. Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts at Music Box.

Thursday, Nov. 5 The Internet at The Loft at UCSD. Of Montreal at The Irenic.

Friday, Nov. 6 Leon Bridges at Observatory North Park (sold out). Drinks at Soda Bar. Bob Schneider at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, Nov. 7 Fortunate Youth at Belly Up Tavern. Beat Connection at The Loft at UCSD.

Tuesday, Nov. 10 The Menzingers, meWithoutYou at Observatory. The Fall of Troy, Kylesa at The Irenic. HEALTH at The Casbah. Moon Taxi at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Nov. 11 Tops at The Hideout. Desaparecidos at Belly Up Tavern. Collective Soul at House of Blues. The Underachievers at Observatory North Park.

Thursday, Nov. 12 Dave and Phil Alvin at Belly Up Tavern. Godsmack at Open Air Theatre. Yo La Tengo at Observatory North Park. Soulside at The Casbah.

Friday, Nov. 13 Born Ruffians at Soda Bar. The Album Leaf at The Casbah. Tokimonsta at Observatory North Park. Mayhem, Watain at Observatory North Park. Circa Survive at House of Blues.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., San Diego. Pacific Beach. Wed: Bond & Bentley. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: B Foundation, Reeform, Sandollar. Sat: Tape Heads, Cloudside, The Dirty Work. Sun: Karaoke.

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Music music CONTINUED from PAGE 89 98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: Jenn Renee Cruz. Sat: 145th Street. Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., San Diego. Normal Heights. Wed: ‘Electric Martini’ w/ DJs Jeneration Y, Dirty Honey. Thu: ‘Good Times’ w/ DJs Ala, Mikeytown. Fri: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Sat: ‘JUICY’ w/ DJ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Church’ w/ DJs Bass Exotic, Vinnassi. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Jon Reep. Fri: Jon Reep. Sat: Jon Reep. Sun: Greg Behrendt. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Tiga. Sat: Chris Lake, Erick Diaz, Porterhaus. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: Taurus Authority. Thu: DJ Ikah Love. Fri: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Sat: ‘Neon Beat’. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’. Mon: ‘Motown on Monday’. Tue: ‘Tiki Twos Day’ w/ Mr. Adrian Demain & Susannah Kurner. Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Kenny Eng. Fri: Scratch. Sat: Marc & The Casuals. Sun: Kenny Eng.

90 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

SPOTLIGHT Dan Deacon delivered two outstanding live performances at a pair of sold-out dates with Future Islands at Observatory North Park last month. If you missed those shows, however, the eclectic electronic performer will offer a more intimate performance at the next Lux Art Institute Creative Nights. The event also features pop-up galleries, video art from Deacon and Jimmy Joe Roche, food and beverages. Dan Deacon performs with Gary Wilson and Island Boy at Lux Art Institute on Friday, Oct. 16. Admission is $20 for members, and $20 for non-members. All ages. luxartinstitute.org

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Twin Shadow, Lolawolf. Thu: José González, Riothorse Royale (sold out). Fri: Fishbone, Monophonics. Sat: Tainted Love, DJ Scotto. Sun: Givers, Caddywhompus. Mon: Heartless Bastards, Slothrust. Tue: Verigolds, Adult Films, Art Dealers.

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Junior the Disco Punk, XP.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Carlsbad. Thu: Desert Suns, Condor. Fri: ‘Club Musae’.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Joef & Co. Sat: Mala-

mana. Sun: Aire. Mon: Malamana. Tue: Gio Trio. Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Lemon Grove. Fri: Jose Day Band. Sat: DJ Raymond. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, San

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Music music CONTINUED from PAGE 90

Hillcrest. Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Vogue Decadence’. Tue: Karaoke Latino.

Nukem, Eukaryst, Paroxysmal Butchering, Monarch, Sergulath.

Diego. Mission Bay. Fri: Matt Witek & Christopher Hollyday. Sat: Mikan Zlatkovich Sextet.

On The Rocks, 656 E St., Chula Vista. Mon: Mojo Workin Mondays.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., San Diego. Normal Heights. Thu: ‘Ryan Adams Tribute Night’. Sun: Raymond the Sparrow, Erin Bower, Fistfights with Wolves.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown., San Diego. Downtown. Sat: DJ Dynamiq. Sun: ‘Magnum Sunday’. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: DJ Tay James. Fri: Dirtcaps. Sat: Whiiite. Sun: Snoop Dogg. Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Thu: The Smash Ups, DJ Reefah. Fri: Ent Kings, DJ R2. Sat: The Fooks, DJ Chelu. Mon: ‘Mic Check Monday’. Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: AOK Musik. Thu: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Fri: ‘Good Times’. Sat: DJs E, Yodah. Mon: DJ Antonio Aguilera. Tue: Big City Dawgs. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: Gorgon City, JONAS RATHSMAN, Amtrac. Fri: Jonny Craig, Common Kings, Common Kings, Sammy J, Tribe of Kings. Sat: Social Distortion (sold out). Sun: ZZ Ward, Marc Scibilia, The Young Wild. Tue: New Politics, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, The Griswolds. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Fri: ‘Something Different’. Sun: ‘Ohm’. Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Thu: Harmony Road. Sat: Ron’s Garage. Tue: Glen Smith. Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego. Little Italy. Thu: Listen Local Radio’s All Access Fest. Fri: The Village Squares, The Casey Hensley Band, Vida Blue. Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd., San Diego.

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: ‘Tea Party Thursday’. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’. Sat: ‘Onyx Saturday’. Tue: ‘Neo Soul’. Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: The Upshots. Thu: The Fuzzy Rankins Band. Fri: RedWave. Sat: WG and the G-Men. Sun: Rosy Dawn. Mon: The Groove Squad. Tue: Paddys Chicken Jam. Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: ‘Mischief with Bianca’. Fri: DJs Drew G, Will Z. Sat: DJs Luke Allen, Hektik. Sun: DJs Casey Alva, Cros. Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Israel Maldonado. Fri: Johnny Deadly Trio. Sat: Three Chord Justice. Tue: Karaoke. Side Bar, 536 Market St., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: DJ Dynamiq. Fri: DJ Decon. Sat: Deejay Al. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: William and the Nephews, Giant Surprise, Plastik Deer, Shades McCool. Thu: The Goddamn Gallows, The Strikers, Sawyer Family, Radio Threat. Fri: Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Phenomenauts, China Wife Motors, Oceanside Sound System. Sat: Chad Valley, Stranger Cat, Still Flyin’, Horse Feathers, River Whyless. Sun: Radioactivity, Tiltwheel, Cruz Radical. Mon: Immortal Bird, Colombian Necktie, Debt Ritual, Bastard Sect. Tue: Strange Talk, Computer Magik, Intergalactix. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego. Midway. Sat: Habitual Defilement,

The Balboa, 1863 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Bankers Hill. Sun: San Diego Mixtape Society. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd., Spring Valley. Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: ‘Darkwave Garden’. Fri: Kitty Plague, Jovi & the Issues, Swords of Fatima. Sun: X Suns. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: A Silent Film, Flagship. Thu: Deafheaven, Tribulation. Fri: Marian Hill, Heavy Mellow. Sat: El Ten Eleven, SEGO. Sun: El Ten Eleven, SEGO. Tue: YACHT, Larry Gus. The Che Cafe, UCSD campus, San Diego. La Jolla. Thu: Roar, Soft Lions, T Rexico, Nimzo Indians. Fri: The Garden. The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Tue: Ought, Kooties, Scruffles. The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., San Diego. North Park. Fri: The Districts, Sun Club. Sat: Hinds, Public Access TV, The Gloomies. The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. La Jolla. Wed: Los Hermanos Arango. Fri: Spazzkid. Mon: The Griswolds, Splavender. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: Ocelot, Calliope Musicals, Fistfights With Wolves, Peter Hall. Thu: Kitty Plague, La Peor, Zombie Barbie & Mark Kramer, DJ Heather Hardcore. Fri: Behind the Wagon, The Sickstring Outlaws, Abe West. Sat: Someday Assassin, Firethorn, The Hand of Gavrilo, Kama Sutures. Sun: The Back Room. Tue: The Sinclairs, Omega Three, Philosopher’s Ray Gun. The Office, 3936 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘After Hours’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Ikah Love. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Kanye Asada. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’. Mon: Eddie G and the Impossible Club, Astral Touch, La Receta de la Abuela, DJ Mike Delgado. Tue: ‘Trapped’ w/ DJs Christopher London, Yakes, Ramsey. The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, San Diego. Gaslamp. Wed: Pat Hilton & Mann. Thu: The Cassie B. Project. Fri: K. Emeline Band. Sat: Quel Bordel, Calphonics. Sun: ‘G Street Sessions’. Mon: Acropolis Sound-Off Showcase. Tue: Giovana. Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Thu: The Blackjackits, The Cursed Bastards, The Cat Chasers. Fri: Walter Lure, The Zeros, Dirty Eyes. Sat: Gone Baby Gone, Color You, The End. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Desert Suns, AJ Froman, Amigo. Fri: Timeshares, Signals Midwest, Western Settings. Sat: The Giant Surprise. Sun: I Am the Albatross, Foreign Suns, Golden Gun. Ux31, 3112 University Ave., San Diego. North Park. Wed: DJ Mo Lyon. Thu: ‘Throwback Thursday’. Fri: Lee Churchill. Sat: DJ Qenoe. Sun: Dignitary Stylish. Mon: DJ Bacon Bits. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, San Diego. South Park. Wed: Bob Forrest, Ian Brennan. Thu: ‘Astro Jump’ w/ Kill Quanti DJs. Fri: ‘F-ing in the Bushes’. Sun: ‘Pearls Before Swine Time’ w/ DJ Sasha. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Wed: Vibes Up Strong, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Tony Furtado, Stephanie Schneiderman, The Flying Balalaika Brothers. Fri: Project out of Bounds, Rubbish, Revival. Sat: Sunny Rude, Sandollar. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Fruition, The Frances Bloom Band.

92 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

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October 14, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 93

94 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

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last words

in the

weeds citybeat staff

Shelby Graham, a manager at Point Loma Patient Consumer Co-Op

Herban legend

by CityBeat staff

mong regular users of medical cannabis, the terms indica and sativa have become commonplace. It’s widely accepted the two species of cannabis have distinctly different effects. Indica, the rule of thumb goes, produces a calming effect that can provide much needed sleep and pain relief for patients. Sativa is just the opposite, offering a clearheaded, almost caffeinated, experience. That’s an “herban legend,” says Michelle Sexton, a naturopathic doctor and the medical research director for the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy. That sativa or indica you picked up at the local dispensary? Chances are it’s a little bit of both, she says. Without genetic testing, which is not widely available, there’s no scientific way to tell exactly what species a patient is using. “The preliminary data suggests they’re so hybridized and have been crossed so many times, that it’s hard to break them out into specific groups anymore,” Sexton says. “If someone claims this is 80 percent sativa, somebody just made that number up.” At the Point Loma Patient Consumer Co-Op (3452 Hancock St.), manager Shelby Graham doesn’t disagree. “Everything’s being so crossbred, you’re technically

96 · San Diego CityBeat · October 14, 2015

getting more than one thing, but people aren’t thinking of it that way,” she says. However, while using the terms isn’t an exact science, it can work as shorthand for the type of medicine a patient is looking for, Graham says. That’s because the effects of different types of cannabis can be very distinct. “It’s helpful for as far as it’s got us, but we need to get deeper than just saying indica or sativa,” she says. So while indica and sativa are not technical terms, managers at Point Loma Patient Consumer will sample the dispensary’s cannabis and label it according to effects and other characteristics—a job that takes some training. “The indica would give you more of that pain relief, usually awakens your appetite,” Graham says. “But that’s when the lines cross because some sativas can do the same thing but also give you more of that awake feeling.” Because of the confusion, Sexton suggests patients try small amounts of different strains of cannabis until they find an effective medicine. “It’s true that people are experiencing different things,” she says. “I’m just saying that the labeling, using the term indica or sativa or using the name of the strain may be inaccurate.”

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